Liquid poured into the small cup in a wavering stream. Rin managed not to spill

this time. She set the clay jug of sake off to the side and pushed the single shot into the

center of the tiny table.

"Oh-kay a'te. The game is nine lies. Nine lies is the game. You know to play

how?"

"How to play? No." Illiesku replied.

Rin nodded. The two were sitting in the tiny room that made up the majority of

Rin's home. An already empty jug of sake lay discarded near the clay stove by the

entrance.

"It a simple game." Rin took a moment to rearrange the words floating in her

head into a coherent sentence. "You give a statement about yourself. The other guess if

it is true or false. If they guess right. You drink. If they get it wrong. They drink. Nine

rounds. Got it?"

Illiesku nodded her understanding.

"I will go first… Hmm. Lie or not? Ok. I am part of a women's only, mystery cult.

The goal is to replace patriarchal rule with matriarchal rule." Rin nodded. Confirming to

herself that she had finished.

"Don't you already have an empress?"

"Yeah, but the kingdom has a king."

"Lie."

Rin gave the Oni-kai a toothy ear to ear grin and pushed the shot toward her.

Illiesku cocked an eyebrow.

"All true. You should come to a meeting."

Illiesku threw back the shot and reached for the jug. "Sounds useful." She poured

another shot. "I shall make a deal with you. I will tell the truth if you keep everything I

say a secret. However, I think we are at the point where I am obligated to inform you

that any deal we make will give me a slight amount of influence over you."

"Influence? That's weird."

"It is what it is. Do we have a deal?"

Rin didn't spend much time thinking about it. "Mhm, is a deal."

"Ok then, let us start easy. I have a thing for horns."

"True!" Rin started giggling. "You're horny for horns."

Illiesku chuckled at the girl’s joke, took the shot, and refilled the cup again.

"Ok. My turn again. Umm. My ultimate goal is to buy out my sister's contract. I

am very close to it."

"True."

"Fuck. How'd you know?"

"It is a fifty-fifty chance." Illiesku handed Rin the cup. "I figured you might try your

next question with a truth."

Rin squinted at the drink for a moment. "You're turn think I… I think."

"Very well. My ultimate goal is to kill the demon prince of hell."

"Ha! That's a lie!"

Illiesku handed Rin a freshly filled shot. She stared at it as if the tiny clay cup had

betrayed her. "Huh? Really? Shit. Well then, here's to you, warrior of lights and goods."

"Oh no. Do not misunderstand. It is for revenge, not good."

"Oh ok… Me again I think. How much sake is left?"

"Half a bottle."

"Ok good, plenty left with the other bottle."

"This is the other bottle."

Rin pouted at Illiesku. “Really? Oh no… That's bad."

"Why?"

"I am very small."

"Yes you are. It is adorable."

"My head is going to hurt tomorrow," she said sadly.

Illiesku lifted Rin's chin to look into her eyes. "Can I kiss you?"

"What? Why? Isn't it my turn?"

Illiesku chucked. "Rin, I am going to kiss you, you may stop me if you wish."

The Oni-kai grabbed Rin's horns and directed her head. Their lips met. Illiesku

pulled back. Rin was staring in an alcohol induced stupor. She cocked an eyebrow, or

tried to.

"You're a girl," she accused.

"No."

Rin looked the Oni-kai woman up and down. "Lie!"

Illiesku looked down at her body. "Ah. Well I guess I am today."

Rin giggled. Illiesku poured herself another shot.

"My turn. Number two or three. I think three." She leaned her head back against

the wall. "Let's see. I need a lie… a lie… a."

A loud bang caused Rin to jolt awake. Her neck flared with pain, her head felt like

someone was throwing her around by the horns, her throat felt like she had eaten sand,

and the lit thrushlight might as well have been the sun at noon.

“Sorry,” whispired Mika.

Rin tried to ask for water. It sounded more like the last moan of a dying cat. By

some miracle, her sister seemed to understand. Once she could separate her tongue

from the roof of her mouth and see clearly enough through squinted eyes, she found

Illiesku. At some point during the night the Oni-kai had cleared off the table and

changed positions. She looked far more comfortable with the back to the wall and head

slumped forward. The book Rin had been keeping for Illiesku lay open on the table. Rin

didn’t bother looking at it. Even if her vision stopped swimming long enough to make out

the symbols, she still could read them.

“This your friend?” Mika asked.

“Mmm.”

Illiesku raised her head. Her left eye scanned the room with far more clarity than

Rin could muster.

Mika bowed. “Sorry to wake you.”

“No. I apologize for taking a third of your sleeping area.”

Why does she sound so coherent? Rin wondered to herself.

“It is fine.” Mika bowed again.

Illieksu turned her one good eye onto Rin. “I smell sex.”

Rin stared. Her fuzzy mind processing that statement and slowly coming to the

conclusion that she should say nothing.

“I-I’m going to fetch some water.” Mika said before leaving with the bucket.

“Rin?”

“Hmm?”

“Do you remember what I was obligated to tell you last night?”

“Any deal we make gives you influence over me?” Rin furrowed her brow. That

seems oddly clear.

“Mmm. I will never treat you poorly, you will allow me to know where you are at

all times, do we have a deal?”

“I need to tell you where I am?”

“No.”

“Then how will you know where I am?”

“I will simply know. Do we have a deal?”

Rin leaned her aching head back. “Sure.”

“Good.”

A’te Illiesku? Last night, did you kiss me?”

“I did.”

“Oh.” Rin went quiet for a moment. “Umm. Don’t tell anyone ok.”

The Oni-kai nodded. “As you wish.”