“HUG MY ASS!!!” I yelled as I charged towards the horrible monster who’d consumed Rui.

I raised my hands into the air, my fists clenched. I was ready to forcefully bring them down onto Rickey. It shook like a gelatin mold.

“H-Hug... so warm... your…... ass? Why? New... ritual? Ass-ent.” Rickey blurbled at me. I brought my arms down sharply. Quick as slime-coated-lightning and smoothly as ice on a hardwood floor it slid with ease, accompanied by a loud slurping noise. It sounded like a carpet shampooing unit, minus the low whine of machinery. I leapt to grip and squeeze it into a pulpy mess, but my arms sailed through where it was.

My noh-eyes widened enormously as something seared my butt! “YAAAAAAIIIIIIIIII!” I leapt up and clutched at my butt, dancing desperately as I rubbed it fiercely. It hurt so much! I felt like my ass was on fire!

I realized gradually that the seat of my bodysuit was eaten away. I blushed redly, and turned stiffly to face Rickey. “D-Damn it! You just ate my ass!” I exaggerated.

Rickey blurbled and belched, “No... they taste not... good. You asked... a greeting of me. I obliged.”

“Where’s Rui?! She’s my only hope! That moronic violent loli! Give her back to me!” I yelled, stomping. Uncertainty filled and stopped me when I wondered about what I could do against something amorphous like this yokai was.

“Ah... hug ritual… now completed... wish to see? I accede.” Rickey slurped and splattered. Rui’s body was revealed. Her form was illuminated by a glowing substance. She looked horrified, but her expression smoothed. I rushed to her side and threw my arms around her. I had no idea why I cared even a bit for this wicked loli, my only hope. Seeing her alive made me cry. I doused her in my oversized tears. The strange slimy substance washed away off her body, and my face turned into a tomato with a mop of hair atop it. Her had clothes disappeared! Rickey had dissolved them entirely!

“A-awwwwwww!” Rui spluttered under the waterfall I’d unleashed on her. Unwittingly I gave her a salty hot shower. “That’s so gross! Don’t hold me when I’m naked!” She clenched her hands into fists. I knew she was going to hit me.

*THWACK!*

I went sailing through the void, heels over noh-head. I face-planted, creating a crater in the cement flooring. I filled it with my tears, creating a pond.

“Rickey, Susumu, stay where you are. No peeping now! Wait patiently.” Blub… ... “Your silly ritual is completed, so talk! I’m here for information! In exchange for my cutting-edge fashion, Tell me in a moment everything I need to know..."

*CRINKLE…* *CRINKLE…* *CRINKLE…*

*RUSTLE…* *WHOOSH…* *WHEW…* *RUSTLE…*

Remaining face-planted in the artificial pond, I resembled a strange tree growing in the center. “Okay... talk, Rickey, and Susumu, come out of that pond of yours. You can come back. I’m dressed.”

I wrenched my head free from the cement floor, sending water flying. Wading out of the pond over to the loli and gelatinous monster, the former of the two spoke, “Isn’t it true that you ran in earlier? I couldn’t see anything at all, but based on how Rickey moved and spoke, I knew you’d charged to my rescue.” She beamed at me, flashing her teeth at me. “You’re not a noh-nuts, after all!”