AIKO GAMI
The shrine is brand new its cozy and the nature surrounding it feels endless. I climb up the last few steps restless. I am out of breath. "Aiko!" Yukine walks around the corner he has a book in his hand. I try not to look too strained and walk right up to him. "I came to see Yato. I have a favor to ask." Yukine nods and walks back around the corner.
I've been alive 999 years now, so far, it's been great, but I haven't been able to find a proper shinki. A lot of them die, because most of them are young children. The last regalia I had died the first time I used her. She was about 11 years old, she had emotional problems. Her father was a functioning alcoholic. Kosuke was the name I granted her. Kosuke's father locked her in her room when he came home drunk. She died in her room of carbon monoxide poisoning, her father left the stove on after passing out. Most likely on the kitchen table, according to her memories. Kosuke woke up to the smell and couldn't break the door open. Poor girl, she didn't deserve it. I take in a deep breath, I can hear footsteps coming back around the corner. It's Yukine, "Come on Aiko I'll take you back."
"Aiko-dono! What brings you to my shrine today? Would you like some shrimp? A glass of champagne?" There is a table of food and champagne glasses small deserts. "Wow!" I run right up to the table. I stop myself, "Wait. I came here for a favor." His face gets stiff. I walk up to him as he sits on his small throne. What a jerk; I stand in front of him. "I've come to ask for your assistance in my journey to America."
"America? Why the Hell would you go over there?"
"I'm trying to find a good shinki. I've already lost another one. I have been there before, and I found the strongest one's there." I say
"Then why aren't they with you now?" His statement is sharp.
I bite my bottom lip as he stares at me, I take a deep breath, "I know it's a long shot but with the right guidance I could-,"
"Oh no, no, no, no," He shakes his head as he gets up from his small throne, "You're not talking about what I think it is are you?"
I stay quiet, but I don't break eye contact, "Yato, please if you just let me borrow Sekki I am guaranteed to find a shinki!" I exclaim.
"No Aiko it's too dangerous for Yukine. He won't be able to go to America. You know how it is."
"He can handle it Yato, he's a blessed vessel!"
"No Aiko. I can't do that to Yukine."
Damnit, I unclench my fists, "Okay, fine. I will be on my way then. Thank you for hearing me out."
I walk out and down the outside corridor, I should have had a glass of wine. "Are you leaving already Aiko?" Yukine says as I walk towards the exit. I put on a smile, "Yeah I have some stuff I would like to do tonight. I'll see you later Yuki!" I step down the staircase. I'll be spending my night in the lower realm tonight. I wonder if I will be able to find something before I leave.
Since being alive I remember appearing on my own shrine it was dreamy. I just remember looking up and my mother was there, I knew she was my mother by her smile. However, I can't remember her face, she spoke in a soft voice. She carried me all around the shrine, and she told me I was a Goddess. She told me my father was Raijin a very powerful Shinto Kami. My mother taught me how to catch a spirit and turn it into a shinki. She told me how my regalia and I share mind and body, a regalia should never hurt their God. Then one day I didn't see my mother anymore, she was just gone. Since then it has been a struggle to keep a regalia. As a child it was easier for me to catch younger spirits than older ones. A lot of them died from abuse or neglect in their human lives. I had a great connection with each one of them even if it was for a short time. There are a lot of people on the streets here in Shibuya. 19:34 is the time on the screen at the intersection, there are tourists everywhere around this time of year. It's humid still summer calls for longer nights. I make my way through the crowd listening to the thoughts of everyone passing by me. Most of them are positive, the thoughts are young and new. It makes me smile, I think of how much I miss Kosuke. It's always hard the first few months for me, death makes me feel indifferent.
"Do you smell it?"
"Smells good. Smells good. Smells. Good."
I whip my head fast and observe, there's something here. "Kami-sama…. I-ni-oii."
The voices are lowering in my head, and I continue to walk down the dim alley. It's quiet and it's getting darker. I swallow hard this is risky I know it, but I don't want to stop walking. "Smells," I turn slowly, "Good." I jump out of the way just in time. A long tentacle slaps the road where I was standing. "I-ni-oii,"
Damn, I knew it was going to be a fight. I keep jumping out of the way, but this phantom is adamant. I jump on to a light post, then on to the roof of the building next to me, and I begin to run. "I-ni-oii." It always happens like this, I walk right into a shit show. I end up having to fight the monster off on my own or sometimes… There it is, right at the edge of the last building in front of me. I jump into the air and land on the lamp post, for a moment the air is silent. I scan the large parking lot, I know I saw her. There is a shrill down my spine that demon is watching me. I jump down to the street, and I stay out of the light. As if it matters, I can feel it staring at me as I look around. The wind picks up around me and the sky looks darker than before. There's a flicker at the corner of my eye. I turn just in time; the tentacle slaps the ground I was standing on. I run fast towards the small orb. As I get closer I can tell that this is not a child, this is a baby. An infant around nine to 13 months old. "What the Hell?" I can't believe it this is the most bizarre thing I have encountered as a God. I don't have a choice the phantom is still watching me. I put my hand up, "You with nowhere to go and nowhere to return. My name is Aiko, I grant you the name Mizue. Shinki call, Kiki!" The moment I say her name there's a light and it begins to beam. I feel my hair raise above my shoulders, and then thunder fills the sky. My dad is here, he's always watching me I know it. The light is getting brighter, "I-ni-oii," I turn to see the phantom's tentacles wrapped around the lamp post near me. The light around me is warm, my new regalia is a scythe with a black staff and two blades curving in towards each other, one blade curves shorter. "I-NI-OII" It's coming at me again I jump from where I was standing, and the tentacle is exposed to the light. A loud screech comes from the monster whose tentacle is now turning to black mist. Just her light alone is enough to kill this thing. I go towards the phantom, and Kiki's light is still bright around me. This is incredible baby's spirits are always the first to succumb to the phantoms that prey on their purity. I just continue walking; the scythe is a little heavy, so I carry it with 2 hands. The phantom is trying to get away now, "Come on you damn coward! You don't want to smell no more?!" I run and jump back on to the building the phantom is slithering sadly on the ground as more and more light is exposed to it. I get as close to the monster as possible and I draw my new regalia. Suddenly without any effort a black mist is falling in front of me. The light is dimming now, the phantom is gone, and rain begins to trickle down. "Mizue," She comes in a strap around my body, she's sleeping. Thunder fills the sky and the rain starts to fall faster. I need to get back to Takamagahara,