Zashiki listened to Hidari return the favour and barrage her with questions. It amused her, and the little grin returned to her features. It was like a game – the grating, high-pitched giggle punctuated his questions. “Baby? I’m no baby. Far from it, in fact – I’m probably older than you. Whose good idea was it? It was Gaignun’s, not mine. I didn’t sign up for this. No, I’m not hers; I don’t want to be associated with people like her. You talk a lot, human. Why is th-“

Gaignun’s bellowing roar immediately silenced the irritating brat; she flinched instinctively and seemed to lift into the air slightly as the caravan rocked from the blow. Gingerly lowering her arms, Zashiki held onto the supply caravan as she peered out towards Gaignun, looking a bit perplexed. With a weary sigh, Zashiki disappeared back into the confines of the supply caravan...and crawled out from under the giant lizard. She did not climb back onto the animal’s back but instead stood in the sunlight, one hand over her forehead, squinting up at Gaignun expectantly. She didn’t even shift her gaze to the boy when he broke through the treeline and sprinted towards the taskforce. She ignored Kotori as she dismounted and tended to the boy, and she smiled when she heard the trees crash and tumble in the woods. “Orders?” Zashiki asked seethingly, a malicious smirk playing on her face.
Gaignun ran right past her to grab the boy and place him onto the lizard. Zashiki mock-bowed; “As you wish master,” she continued mockingly before crawling under the lizard and disappearing once more. Tamotsu called out a strategy, but the little oni had already vanished. She was sitting in the tree branches, watching the chaos from far above. “I can’t do anything!” she called out apologetically to the hulking form of Gaignun battling the beasts below. “Too sunny, I’m afraid!”

Another childish giggle escaped her lips as she fell backwards from the branches and re-appeared deeper in the woods, further away from the battle. She kept incredibly still and listened; there was no way those massive Oni could slip through the trees without breaking a few.