𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐞?

┌──── ∘°❉°∘ ────┐

𝐩𝐥𝐚𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐦𝐞?

└──── °∘❉∘° ────┘

𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘-𝐅𝐈𝐕𝐄

───✱*.｡:｡✱*.:｡✧*.｡✰ ───

--THE DEEPER THEY VENTURES INTO THE FOREST, the more oppressive the air became. The thick canopy overhead blocked out most of the light, casting the surroundings in a dim, muted green. The silence was unnerving—no rustling of leaves, no birdsong, just the faint sound of their footsteps crunching on the forest floor.

Misa glanced around, her unease growing with every step. The cursed energy was heavier now, like an invisible weight pressing down on her chest. She could feel it crawling along her skin, and the sensation made her shiver despite the warmth of the day.

"This place sucks," Nobara muttered, breaking the silence. "It's like the air itself is cursed."

"It probably is," Megumi said, his voice low as his eyes scanned their surroundings. "Keep your guard up."

Yuji, walking slightly ahead of the group, suddenly stopped in his tracks. His head snapped to the side, and he raised a hand to signal the others to stop. "Wait," he said, his tone sharp. "Did you guys hear that?"

The group froze, their gazes shifting toward him. Misa furrowed her brows, straining her ears, but all she could hear was the oppressive silence.

"Hear what?" she asked, her voice cautious.

"A kid," Yuji said, turning to face them. His eyes were wide, his usual carefree expression replaced with something much more serious. "I heard a kid screaming for help."

The words sent a chill through the group. Nobara and Misa exchanged uneasy glances, while Megumi's posture stiffened.

"I didn't hear anything," Megumi said firmly, his voice steady but tense. "Are you sure?"

Yuji nodded, his expression unwavering. "It was clear as day. A kid, shouting for help. It came from that direction." He pointed into the dense thicket to their left, where the trees grew even closer together, their branches forming a nearly impenetrable wall of shadow.

"Are you sure it wasn't the wind or something?" Nobara asked, her voice quieter than usual. Despite her skepticism, there was a note of unease in her tone.

"It wasn't the wind," Yuji said, his voice firm. "I know what I heard."

Misa shifted uncomfortably, her fingers twitching slightly as her cursed energy responded to her unease. "If it's real, why didn't we hear it too?" she asked, glancing toward the dark thicket. "It doesn't make sense."

"Maybe it's a curse," Megumi said, his gaze darkening as he gripped the handle of his weapon. "Trying to lure us in."

Yuji's jaw tightened. "Even if it is, what if there really is someone in there? We can't just ignore it."

"Yuji—" Misa started, but he cut her off.

"I know what I heard," he insisted, his tone resolute. "It was a kid. Screaming. I'm not imagining it."

The conviction in his voice made Misa's stomach twist. She didn't doubt Yuji's sincerity, but the idea of a lone child in a place like this was deeply unsettling. If it was a trap, it was a good one.

"We can't just walk into something blindly," Megumi said, stepping forward to stand beside Yuji. "We need to be careful."

"We can't just walk into something blindly," Megumi said, stepping forward to stand beside Yuji. "We need to be careful."

Yuji's head tilted slightly, his body tensing. His eyes darted toward the same direction as before, his gaze narrowing. "There it is again," he said, his voice urgent. "I heard it! A kid—screaming for help."

The rest of the group exchanged uneasy glances. Misa's fingers twitched, her cursed energy crackling faintly around her hands as her nerves prickled. "Yuji, none of us hear anything," she said, her voice careful but firm. "This feels like a trap."

"Exactly," Nobara agreed, crossing her arms. "Whatever's out there probably wants us to chase it."

Yuji's jaw clenched, frustration clear on his face. "I know it sounds crazy, but I swear I heard it. We can't just ignore it. What if someone's actually out there?"

Megumi stepped closer, his expression cold and calculated. "And what if it's a curse? If you run off recklessly, you'll be putting all of us in danger."

For a moment, Yuji hesitated, his hands tightening into fists at his sides. His gaze flicked between the dense trees and his teammates. The scream echoed in his mind, sharp and desperate, making his chest tighten. He couldn't just stand there. Not when someone might need him.

Without another word, Yuji turned and bolted into the thicket, his movements fast and determined.

"Yuji!" Misa yelled, her heart leaping into her throat. Without thinking, she sprinted after him, her voice sharp with urgency. "Get back here!"

"Damn it," Nobara muttered, already chasing after them. "He's going to get himself killed."

Megumi let out a frustrated sigh but followed, his feet pounding against the forest floor. "We stick together!" he shouted, his tone more commanding than usual. "No one splits off!"

Branches whipped at their faces as they ran, the forest growing darker and more suffocating with each step. Misa pushed herself to keep up with Yuji, the sound of her own heartbeat pounding in her ears.

"Yuji, stop!" she yelled again, her voice cutting through the eerie silence.

But he didn't stop. He couldn't. Whatever he'd heard, it had lodged itself deep in his mind, refusing to let go. He just hoped—prayed—that when he reached the source, it wouldn't already be too late.

Yuji came to an abrupt halt, his feet skidding slightly on the forest floor as he entered a small clearing. His breath hitched when he saw it—a small child standing in the middle of the opening, their back to him. The child's clothes were tattered, and their head hung low, strands of dark, messy hair obscuring their face. They didn't move, didn't turn, just stood there, eerily still.

"Misa!" Yuji whispered, his voice hoarse as he heard the others catching up behind him.

Misa burst through the underbrush a second later, her breathing quick from the chase. She stopped dead when she saw the child, her stomach twisting as a suffocating wave of cursed energy slammed into her. Her instincts screamed at her that something was very wrong.

Without thinking, she reached out, grabbing the back of Yuji's jacket and yanking him back with enough force to shove him against a nearby tree. The impact made him grunt in surprise, but before he could say anything, Misa pressed a finger to her lips, her wide, urgent eyes locking onto his. She gestured for him to stay put, her other hand gripping his arm tightly.

Megumi and Nobara appeared moments later, skidding to a stop just behind them. Nobara opened her mouth to speak, but Misa immediately reached out, clasping a hand over Nobara's mouth. Nobara's muffled protest died quickly when she saw the look in Misa's eyes.

Misa leaned in, her voice barely above a whisper, so low it was almost inaudible. "That's not a child."

Yuji's eyes widened slightly as he stared at her, the hair on the back of his neck standing on end. He glanced back toward the figure in the clearing, his heart pounding in his chest. "What do you mean?" he mouthed silently, but Misa didn't respond immediately.

She slowly turned her head, her gaze locking onto the childlike figure again. Her cursed energy flared instinctively, her senses hyper-focused on the oppressive force radiating from the "child." It wasn't just cursed energy—it was overwhelming, seething, and dark, wrapping around the clearing like a suffocating fog.

The air felt colder now, heavier, as if the entire forest was holding its breath. The child's small frame seemed impossibly still, and the shadows around them seemed to stretch unnaturally, curling like tendrils.

"That's... not human," Misa whispered again, her voice barely audible. Her grip on Yuji's jacket tightened, her nails digging into the fabric. "The cursed energy coming off it... it's—" She cut herself off, her words catching in her throat. The sheer malevolence of it was unlike anything she'd ever felt before.

Nobara's eyes flicked to the child, her brows furrowing as the eerie stillness of the figure began to sink in. She reached toward her hammer instinctively, but Megumi shook his head, his own cursed energy already brimming just under the surface. "Don't," he whispered. "Not yet."

The child's head twitched slightly, the movement barely noticeable but enough to send a shiver down Misa's spine. The sound of the forest seemed to vanish entirely, leaving only the oppressive silence and the faint, almost imperceptible sound of something... breathing.

Yuji leaned closer to Misa, his voice a low whisper. "If it's not a kid... what is it?"

"I don't know," Misa admitted, her throat dry. "But whatever it is... it knows we're here."

The words hung in the air, and for the first time, the "child" moved. Its head tilted ever so slightly, as if listening, and the sound of its breathing grew louder, raspier, echoing unnaturally in the quiet clearing.

Misa's heart pounded in her chest as her instincts screamed at her to run, but her feet stayed rooted in place. She slowly moved her hand from Nobara's mouth, signaling with her fingers for everyone to stay quiet and still. They didn't know what this thing was, but one wrong move could mean disaster.

The figure in the clearing remained motionless for a moment longer before its head twitched again, this time more sharply. A faint, distorted voice echoed through the clearing, chillingly high-pitched and broken, as if it were coming from an old, warped recording.

"Help... me..."

The voice was wrong, garbled, like a mimicry of a child's plea. Misa felt the blood drain from her face, her hand instinctively tightening around Yuji's sleeve. Her mind raced, every nerve in her body on high alert.

They couldn't stay there. Whatever that thing was, it was dangerous—more dangerous than anything they'd faced before.

Slowly, she turned her head toward Megumi, her voice barely a whisper. "We need to move. Now."

But as soon as she said it, the figure twitched again, this time turning its head slightly toward them, and the garbled voice spoke once more, this time sharper, louder.

"Don't leave me."

The words sent a shiver down Misa's spine as her heart raced. Whatever this thing was, it had already locked onto them.

For a brief second, the group stood frozen, the distorted words of the "child" still echoing in the clearing. The silence that followed felt deafening, the cursed energy in the air so thick it was suffocating. Then, without warning, the child's body jerked unnaturally, and it lunged toward Misa with an explosive speed that barely seemed possible.

"Misa!" Yuji shouted, his instincts kicking in as he threw himself toward her. His arms wrapped tightly around her, and the two of them hit the ground hard, rolling out of the way just as the child's clawed hand slashed through the space they had been standing in. Dirt and leaves sprayed into the air as the thing's momentum carried it forward before it skidded to a halt, turning its head sharply in their direction.

Yuji pushed himself up slightly, his arms still wrapped protectively around Misa as she lay beneath him. His chest heaved as he caught his breath, his wide eyes flicking between her and the figure now standing eerily still in the clearing again.

"You okay?" he asked hurriedly, his voice tight with worry.

"Yeah," Misa managed, her voice steady enough. She couldn't tear her eyes away from the figure. Her heart pounded in her chest, not just from the near-miss but from the way the cursed energy around the thing seemed to seep into her very soul.

Nobara and Megumi had already sprung into action. Nobara had her hammer and nails in hand, her sharp gaze fixed on the "child," while Megumi summoned his shikigami, their presence brimming with energy. Both of them stood ready, their cursed energy flaring as they prepared for another attack.

Yuji sat up, his arms still loosely around Misa, his focus on the unmoving figure in front of them. "What the hell is that thing?" he muttered, his voice laced with disbelief.

Misa sat up as well, brushing the dirt off her hands. Her gaze was fixed on the figure, her mind racing. Her cursed energy flared instinctively, frost crackling faintly around her fingertips, but she hesitated. There was something about this thing—something she couldn't shake.

"What if..." she started, her voice low and hesitant. "What if it's an actual child? What if it's possessed or being controlled somehow?"

Nobara glanced over her shoulder, her expression incredulous. "Are you serious, Misa? That thing just tried to take your head off."

Misa's jaw tightened, her conflicted feelings etched across her face. "I know, but what if we're wrong? If it's just a curse, fine. But if there's even a chance that it's a kid, I—"

"It's not a kid," Megumi cut in, his voice sharp. His shikigami growled lowly at his sides, mirroring his intensity. "Look at it, Misa. Nothing about it is human anymore. It's just using that form to mess with us."

"But how can we be sure?" Misa shot back, her voice rising slightly. "What if it's possessed, like a puppet? If we destroy it without knowing—"

"We don't have time for what-ifs," Megumi said, his tone firm and unwavering. "It attacked you. That's all the proof we need."

The figure twitched again, its head jerking unnaturally to the side as if responding to their argument. The garbled, broken voice returned, high-pitched and eerily sing-song.

"Play... with... me..."

Misa felt a chill run down her spine as the words echoed through the clearing. The thing's shoulders began to shake, and for a horrifying moment, it almost looked like it was laughing.

Yuji placed a hand on her shoulder, snapping her out of her thoughts. "Misa," he said softly, his voice steady despite the tension in his body. "Megumi's right. Whatever this thing is, it's dangerous. We can't hold back."

Misa's hands trembled slightly, her cursed energy still flickering faintly as the frost spread across the ground beneath her. Her instincts screamed at her to fight, but the lingering doubt in her chest made her hesitate.

The child's head snapped toward her, its dark eyes locking onto hers with an intensity that made her blood run cold. It tilted its head, almost mockingly, as its distorted voice repeated once more.

"Don't... leave... me..."

Misa clenched her fists, her resolve hardening as she finally stood, Yuji rising with her. She glanced at Megumi, then at Nobara, and finally at Yuji. The hesitation in her chest hadn't completely disappeared, but she knew one thing for certain: they didn't have the luxury of waiting any longer.

The tension in the clearing reached its breaking point as the figure twitched again, its jerky movements sending ripples of unease through the group. The oppressive cursed energy was nearly suffocating, and the "child" raised one clawed hand, pointing it directly at Misa.

"Stay... with... me..." the distorted voice rasped, its tone both pleading and threatening.

"Misa!" Megumi snapped, his shikigami growling beside him, ready to attack. "It's moving again! Stop hesitating!"

Misa swallowed hard, her hands trembling as she raised them. Frost began to form around her fingers, spreading outward across the ground. The air grew colder as her cursed energy flared, but she still couldn't bring herself to aim directly at the figure.

The "child" lunged again, faster this time, its claws slashing through the air toward her. Misa reacted instinctively, raising a wall of ice between them. The creature collided with the barrier, cracks spidering through the frozen surface as it clawed and slammed against it with inhuman ferocity.

"Misa, we can't just defend forever!" Nobara shouted, hammer in hand as she threw a cursed nail toward the creature. It deflected off the ice wall, embedding itself into the ground instead. "If we don't take it down, it's going to kill us!"

"I'm not trying to hurt it!" Misa yelled back, her voice strained as she reinforced the barrier with another layer of ice. "I just—there's something off about this thing. I can't—what if—"

"It's not a kid, Misa!" Yuji shouted, stepping up beside her. His cursed energy flared as he prepared to attack. "Focus! If we don't stop it, it's going to tear us apart!"

The creature let out a distorted, screeching sound, shattering the ice barrier with a violent burst of energy. It darted forward again, heading straight for Nobara this time. Megumi's shikigami intercepted it, Nue swooping down with a crackle of electricity, but the creature swatted it away like a toy, sending it crashing into the ground.

Misa's heart raced as she threw her hands forward, creating a wave of frost that swept across the clearing. It coated the ground and the creature's legs, freezing them in place temporarily. "It's slowed down!" she called out. "Now's your chance!"

Yuji darted forward, his fists glowing with cursed energy as he aimed a powerful punch at the creature's torso. The blow connected, sending it stumbling back, but it recovered almost immediately, its head snapping toward him with a twisted, unnatural movement.

"Yuji, move!" Misa shouted, sending a shard of ice hurtling toward the creature's feet to block its path as it lunged at him again. Yuji jumped back just in time, landing beside her as the creature's claws raked through empty air.

"This thing doesn't stop," Yuji muttered, his voice tense but determined. "We have to end this."

"I know," Misa said, her voice quieter now. The frost spread further across the clearing, coating the ground and creating slick patches that made it harder for the creature to move. She wasn't attacking it directly, only keeping it at bay, but it wasn't enough.

Megumi summoned his divine dogs, the twin shikigami charging at the creature from both sides. One snapped at its arm while the other lunged for its leg, but the creature let out another screech, its cursed energy blasting outward and knocking them away.

Nobara gritted her teeth, throwing another cursed nail with precision. This one grazed the creature's shoulder, but it barely flinched, its movements growing more erratic and aggressive.

"Misa," Megumi said, his voice sharp and commanding. "If you keep holding back, we're all going to get hurt. You have to fight."

"I can't just—" Misa started, but her words were cut off as the creature turned its attention back to her. Its dark, empty eyes seemed to bore into her, and for a split second, she thought she saw something—something human flicker behind the monstrous facade.

The creature lunged again, faster than before, but this time, Yuji was there. He grabbed Misa, pulling her out of the way, and planted himself between her and the creature. His cursed energy flared as he delivered another powerful punch, sending the creature flying back into a tree.

"Snap out of it, Misa!" Yuji yelled, his voice filled with urgency. "We need you! Stop holding back!"

Misa clenched her fists, her mind racing. She couldn't shake the doubt in her chest, but she also couldn't let her friends get hurt. With a deep breath, she focused her cursed energy, the frost around her growing thicker and sharper as it surged toward the creature, trapping it in place once more.

"I've got it pinned!" she called out. "Now hit it! Hard!"

Yuji didn't hesitate, his cursed energy surging as he prepared another blow. Nobara and Megumi followed suit, their combined attacks aiming to finish the fight once and for all. Even as Misa held the creature down with her ice, her heart ached with doubt, the question lingering in the back of her mind:

What if I'm wrong?

＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚