Bogleech.com"s 2015 Horror Write-off:
" Otherkin 2: Induction "
Submitted by ProphetStorm
[Interviewer enters holding cell. Subject 12, 'Mr. Yojin', waits patiently. Subject 12 is of an apparently humanoid race. It is apparently male, possessed of bright red skin, black, curled horns, colorless eyes, and a long, primate-like tail. A seam appears to run from the center of Subject 12's lower lip to between its pectoral muscles. When it was found, it was dressed in a Japanese kimono. It is not currently clothed, and doesn't appear to show any discomfort at its nudity. Interviwer, known as 'Mr. Henderson' to Subject 12, is present on a mission to derive information from the subject as to whether its race proves to be a threat or wants to coexist. Subject 12 snarls, its lower jaw splitting down the throat, revealing three tongues, which articulate apparent words with no human language analogue. Mr. Henderson replies as best he can, and they both sit. Subject 12 initiates conversation.]
YOJIN: I understand thou'rt not accustomed to mine appearance; faith, I am somewhat repellant to the human eye. We have, though, made our utmost effort to become like thine own. Thou'st never seen mine like in ought but depictions of monsters and fiends. I assure thee, such a nature could never be further from the truth. Mine kind, indeed, all the Yokai, have tried to coexist with thine own since the dawn of time. I apologize for mine language, it is sadly antiquated. We have not spoken to thine own since the Medieval Ages.
HENDERSON: I hope you understand, Mr. Yojin, I am not repulsed by your appearance. We of the diplomatic corps have been trained to understand that people are people, regardless of appearance or culture. We are unaware, however, of these attempted contacts.
YOJIN: Friend Henderson, this is understood. I apologized for mine unfortunate choice of greetings. I quite forgot myself, and greeted thee in the traditional way of my people.
HENDERSON: I'm getting used to the bisected jaw. Is it something your kind developed for your unique diet?
YOJIN: I think not. Other scavenger races fared well enough without it. Fortunate, though, that unified, our jaws allow us to speak thy tongue.
HENDERSON: Right. Now, Mr. Yojin, an important question--eating human flesh, is that vital?
YOJIN: Entirely. We have sought for decades a replacement, but we know not what element of human flesh is necessary to our diet. We do know, thankfully, that said flesh need not be vivified--dead flesh is acceptable.
HENDERSON: I see. So if we just sort of emptied the morgues...
YOJIN: I see no reason for that. We are of few enough numbers, the bodies produced by thine penitentiaries should prove plenty. I trust thou hast no plans for lifting the death penalty?
HENDERSON: Not currently. Scum is scum, no matter where it's scraped up. We're a senate bill away from making it a Union-wide law.
YOJIN: Not on our account, friend Henderson?
HENDERSON: No, nothing like that.
YOJIN: Excellent. Now tell me, friend Henderson, dost thou think mine race can coexist with thine?
HENDERSON: It'll take some doing. It may not even happen in your lifetime, Mr. Yojin.
YOJIN: I am surprisingly long-lived. Thou dost, however, think it possible? I ask on part of my family.
HENDERSON: More than possible, I think it's inevitable, Mr. Yojin. We must coexist or both our races will kill one another off. I just think that the process will be a little slow.
YOJIN: I am most grateful, friend Henderson. What can I do to help?
HENDERSON: Let the folks here poke and prod you, like you've been doing. You're a good chap, Yojin. We should have most of your anatomical charts done in a couple days. After that, you and the wife and girl'll be free to head out into human society. With a liason, of course. We don't want anyone taking you for a demon--
YOJIN: Demon? No. Thy Japanese culture called us Oni, and thy Christian, Judaist, and Muslim faiths took us for demons. We fear the demons ourselves. They have no good in them, not like us.
HENDERSON: So you believe in demons?
[Subject 12 seems puzzled by the question.]
YOJIN: Friend Henderson, they are all around us. You do not see them?
YOJIN: I understand thou'rt not accustomed to mine appearance; faith, I am somewhat repellant to the human eye. We have, though, made our utmost effort to become like thine own. Thou'st never seen mine like in ought but depictions of monsters and fiends. I assure thee, such a nature could never be further from the truth. Mine kind, indeed, all the Yokai, have tried to coexist with thine own since the dawn of time. I apologize for mine language, it is sadly antiquated. We have not spoken to thine own since the Medieval Ages.
HENDERSON: I hope you understand, Mr. Yojin, I am not repulsed by your appearance. We of the diplomatic corps have been trained to understand that people are people, regardless of appearance or culture. We are unaware, however, of these attempted contacts.
YOJIN: Friend Henderson, this is understood. I apologized for mine unfortunate choice of greetings. I quite forgot myself, and greeted thee in the traditional way of my people.
HENDERSON: I'm getting used to the bisected jaw. Is it something your kind developed for your unique diet?
YOJIN: I think not. Other scavenger races fared well enough without it. Fortunate, though, that unified, our jaws allow us to speak thy tongue.
HENDERSON: Right. Now, Mr. Yojin, an important question--eating human flesh, is that vital?
YOJIN: Entirely. We have sought for decades a replacement, but we know not what element of human flesh is necessary to our diet. We do know, thankfully, that said flesh need not be vivified--dead flesh is acceptable.
HENDERSON: I see. So if we just sort of emptied the morgues...
YOJIN: I see no reason for that. We are of few enough numbers, the bodies produced by thine penitentiaries should prove plenty. I trust thou hast no plans for lifting the death penalty?
HENDERSON: Not currently. Scum is scum, no matter where it's scraped up. We're a senate bill away from making it a Union-wide law.
YOJIN: Not on our account, friend Henderson?
HENDERSON: No, nothing like that.
YOJIN: Excellent. Now tell me, friend Henderson, dost thou think mine race can coexist with thine?
HENDERSON: It'll take some doing. It may not even happen in your lifetime, Mr. Yojin.
YOJIN: I am surprisingly long-lived. Thou dost, however, think it possible? I ask on part of my family.
HENDERSON: More than possible, I think it's inevitable, Mr. Yojin. We must coexist or both our races will kill one another off. I just think that the process will be a little slow.
YOJIN: I am most grateful, friend Henderson. What can I do to help?
HENDERSON: Let the folks here poke and prod you, like you've been doing. You're a good chap, Yojin. We should have most of your anatomical charts done in a couple days. After that, you and the wife and girl'll be free to head out into human society. With a liason, of course. We don't want anyone taking you for a demon--
YOJIN: Demon? No. Thy Japanese culture called us Oni, and thy Christian, Judaist, and Muslim faiths took us for demons. We fear the demons ourselves. They have no good in them, not like us.
HENDERSON: So you believe in demons?
[Subject 12 seems puzzled by the question.]
YOJIN: Friend Henderson, they are all around us. You do not see them?