Preordained
By Sapadu
A/N: This is called 'Why can't my mind stay focused on a single story at a time? Why?' But, in the meantime, enjoy my short attention sp – ooh, look! A chicken!
Watanuki knew it was a big occasion when, as he entered the shop, Yuuko was dressed in a very formal kimono. Not one of her fashionable ones, nor one that opened at the neck and exposed her legs – a very, very traditional, very formal one.
"Watanuki." Yuuko said, handing him a scroll. Watanuki blinked, completely taken aback.
"Y-Yuuko-san?" She gestured to the scroll. Watanuki unwound it, finding a list of instructions on the other side.
"Our guests will be most distinguished today." She said, simply, "Those must all be followed by the time they arrive."
Just a quick glance was enough for Watanuki to see it must be serious, whoever these guests were. The first, to prepare a room that was entirely cleaned of any trace of blood, disease, even lingering grudges from past customers. How to do so, Yuuko had specified, but it seemed awfully nitpicky.
Then, there was specific food to be prepared and the dishes it was to be served on, and several enchantments Yuuko would need various artifacts from the shop to prepare. Maru and Moro even helped in ways they normally didn't, auspiciously silent through it all.
Watanuki was just finished when it began to storm outside – not a slight rain slowly getting heavier, but an all out thunder and lightning raging typhoon, right from the beginning. The wind howled and whistled, as though it were trying to speak, and the whole sky darkened.
"They're arriving, now." Yuuko said, quietly. Watanuki set down the tray of drinks Yuuko had specified, almost immediately jumping when the ground began to shake. The walls rattled and the bells hanging from the roof clanged too noisily for their size. The only way Watanuki was sure it wasn't an earthquake was because the liquids in the cups remained motionless.
"Are these supposed to be spirits of storms or something?" Watanuki called, bracing himself as best he could. Yuuko remained unflappable as ever, stepping off the porch into the garden.
"This is no storm." She said, softly. Watanuki stared at her, confused, "This is a shoku."
Even as he opened his mouth to reply, Watanuki was thrown to the floor by a wave of wind as lightning crashed from the sky, illuminating the entire shop like an explosion. When he looked up, the rain had stopped, the clouds were gone from the sky, and the world was still, as though there had been no storm at all.
Standing in the garden were two figures. The taller was built large and high, with skin browned and hair bleached white from years in the sun, wearing old armor that resembled the shogunates era. The younger was barely a boy of ten with a small face hidden behind long hair the color of steel.
They weren't ayakashi – Watanuki could see that – but at the same time, there was a contrast of no lingering presences, at all. And, though it wasn't a distinct impression, Watanuki could sense that there was something very, very different about these two.
"Watanuki." When he looked over to Yuuko, she was already kneeling with her head bowed to the ground, "These are manners." Completely taken aback, Watanuki rushed to mimic his employer, not entirely sure how he was supposed to have known.
"Welcome to the shop." Yuuko raised her head and sat up, "Peace-King and Taiho of Tai."
"I have heard of what an incredible person the Peace-King is, as well as the Taiki that chose him." Yuuko spoke conversationally as she sat formally on one of the cushions in the room they had prepared.
"Kohri told me the Oracles had spoken of such a place between our kingdoms and Hourai. I never imagined it would be a place such as this." Said the man Yuuko had called 'Peace-King'. The boy called 'Taiki' sat, nervously, on one of the cushions, smiling faintly when Watanuki served tea.
"Your majesty does me a great honor in saying so." Yuuko replied, never mind that the Peace-King hadn't necessarily complimented her, "And this visit is a great honor, itself."
"Don't thank me – Kohri was the one who wanted to come here."
Watanuki frowned at the impressive Peace-King. The way he reclined against the cushions and the disregard he seemed to have for the situation was unnerving, and Watanuki couldn't shake the feeling that there was a very important matter which had brought the two of them here. Then, his attention turned to Taiki, whom was still silently staring into his tea. It was a timid, hesitant silence, as though the boy had been brought here against his will.
Yet, he had been the one to request the audience. At least, according to the Peace-King.
"You have a Wish, then, Taiho of Tai?" Yuuko asked, kindly.
'Yuuko-san is so deceptive of everyone.' Watanuki thought, bitterly. Taiki nodded, still silent and withdrawn.
"A-ano... I'm sorry if I'm troubling you, too much." Taiki finally said, bowing his head a little. Watanuki got the impression that if he could have, Taiki would have thrown himself on the floor, so great was his shame to be here. Why, however, he couldn't imagine.
"Kohri." The Peace-King said, simply, putting his hand on Taiki's head. Taiki straightened and breathed deeply to calm himself.
"My wish..." Taiki began, voice still trembling, "...Is for the entire world to live in peace."
Watanuki almost dropped the teapot, but Yuuko remained silent. For some reason, her polite, gentle smile had faded away, leaving a grim, almost mournful expression on her face.
"That." She said, slowly, "Is one Wish I cannot grant."
Taiki looked up, face pained as he met Yuuko's gaze.
"But... surely, there must be SOME way to..." He began. Watanuki looked away, unable to watch the boy's stricken face. There was such great pain etched into his features that Watanuki's sense of importance had only grown worse – as though there were something in this room he should know but couldn't recall.
"Forgive me, Taiho of Tai." Yuuko interrupted, softly. Taiki slumped, defeated, "This is not the first time I have had audiences from your world, nor the first time I have been asked such a request. Five-hundred years ago, I received a visit from the Taiho of En, and only seven years ago, the Taiho of Kei. Both of their Wishes were the same, and both times, I was unable to grant their requests."
Taiki's face withdrew behind a curtain of his hair as he bowed his head with even more sorrow.
"It's just... the people of Tai have known great suffering and calamity for so long... and it was even longer because I was missing for ten years. I only thought it would be right of me to find some way to bring them the peace they deserved..."
Yuuko hadn't even touched her tea. Taiki was the only one who had taken even a sip.
"It is the same for any of your kind whose kingdom has been without a king for so long. That is why a king and the taiho are necessary. The only way the kingdom can have peace now is for the taiho to guide the king and ensure he does not step off the path."
Each word only seemed to make Taiki more miserable than the one before it.
"...What if I am unable to guide the Peace-King properly?" His voice was barely more than a whisper. The Peace-King made a pained face, but said nothing as Yuuko stood, smiling softly.
"If his majesty would consent to follow me, I might have something that would help." Watanuki gaped as the Peace-King rose after her, "Although Taiki might find the rest of the shop disagreeable – it may be best if you remain here."
The door slid shut behind Yuuko, leaving Watanuki alone with a distressed Taiki.
"The Peace-King seems very concerned for you." Watanuki finally tried, attempting to be reassuring. Taiki only bowed his head a little further.
"Lord Gyoso has been very kind to me, since we first met. For the longest time, I was a little frightened by him, but he's such a good person that I was able to overcome my fear enough to choose when the time came. But even then, because I knew so little about kings, I was afraid to choose. Sometimes I wonder if I'm fit to be the Taiho at all..." He mumbled, hands shaking as he clenched them on the fabric of his kimono-like clothes. Watanuki watched Taiki's troubled face for a moment, something almost akin to pity stirring inside him. He wasn't even sure why.
"...How did you become Taiho, then?" He asked. Watanuki didn't even really understand all the words they were using – 'Taiho' sounded vaguely familiar, but Watanuki wasn't sure where he'd heard it from or what characters he would use to write it.
Taiki shrugged.
"The Oracles on Hohzan told me that I was born to do it. All the taiho are... but compared to the Taiho of Kei and the Taiho of En, sometimes I wonder if I was a mistake, just being born."
Watanuki's eyes widened, just a little bit. A mistake. Just being born was a mistake.
"There's no such thing as a mistake in existing." Taiki looked up from the spot on the floor he'd been miserably gazing at. Watanuki offered a small smile, "I really do believe that nobody is born just on accident. If that would happen, then the world couldn't have become what it is today."
Taiki said nothing, completely astounded at Watanuki's words.
"Sometimes, I wonder the same thing – if I was really meant to exist in this world at all. But when those times come, I have to remember there are people who want to be by my side. For their sake, at least, I can do my best."
Taiki was no longer upset – if nothing else, he almost looked amazed that the concept had never occurred to him before.
"Thank you for your patience, Taiho." Yuuko returned to the room, carrying a long, ornate box in her hands. The Peace-King followed her, watching Taiki with those blood-red eyes that were not without kindness.
"Yuuko-san, that box is..." Watanuki began. Yuuko merely smiled, opening the lid as she knelt again. Inside was a scroll that looked as though it had been preserved for keeping thousands of years ago.
"I cannot give the kingdom of Tai peace..." Yuuko said, softly, "But I can give this to it's Taiho."
Taiki gazed into the box with a look of awe – like most other customers who understood what Yuuko was giving them without needing to be told – but hesitantly looked back up to meet her gaze.
"...What would the price be?"
Yuuko's face was now very serious.
"The price would be..." She lifted a hand and pointed to Taiki, "...Takasato Kaname."
Watanuki glanced between Yuuko and Taiki, puzzled for a moment until he saw the look of utter shock on Taiki's face. What had the Peace-King called Taiki before? 'Kohri'...
At that moment, it became clear exactly what she meant – all his memories, all the life he had before becoming the Taiho, whatever that meant, would be lost if he were to accept this. Ten years of life – ten years of memories, experiences, joys, sorrows, meetings, and partings – would all be gone.
Taiki bowed his head, eyes lingering on the scroll, before he looked away.
"...Was the price the same when the Taiho of En came to make his request?" Taiki asked, quietly. Yuuko remained solemn.
"It was."
Taiki stared at the scroll, just a moment longer. Finally, with a trembling hand, he closed the lid.
"Kohri?" The Peace-King looked down at Taiki, a pleased surprise in his eyes. Yuuko remained expressionless.
"...I think I want to try..." He said, quietly, "...I want to do my best. For the sake of the people of Tai. And for the Lord Gyoso... for those who wish to stay by my side."
Watanuki smiled with relief. So did Yuuko. So did the Peace-King.
"You did well, today." Yuuko commented, lightly, enjoying her pipe.
"Eh? But all I did was talk with him a little." Watanuki protested. Yuuko's smile was smug as she exhaled a mouthful of smoke.
"That was all he needed. Sometimes, all that is needed are a few words to form a bond." She said, "...And those bonds are never easily broken."
Watanuki stared for a moment before it finally occurred to him.
"Is... is that bond the price Taiki had to pay, then?" He asked, pointing to himself.
"Correct."
Watanuki knelt down, resting his chin on the edge of his tray, amazed that Yuuko would have let such an important customer go for such a small price.
"Yuuko-san..." Yuuko opened one of her eyes as an indication she was listening, "...Those other customer's you mentioned? They also came to ask for that scroll when you couldn't grant them peace? What was he... the Taiho of En or something?"
"That is what happened, yes."
"And he refused?"
"Enki refused the scroll, for it was the containment of all the secrets needed to lead a king down the way. Enki came in search of a way to bring happiness to the people of En without need for a king, and I could not grant that." Yuuko explained.
"...And the other one... the Taiho of Kei?"
"He came to find his king – Keiki is wise enough to understand that he must have a king, or there will be no happiness for the people of Kei. As such, all I could do was tell him he must keep searching, but I was unable to grant his Wish for peace."
Watanuki watched the smoke float from Yuuko's pipe and twist in the air.
"Watanuki..." Yuuko said, quietly, "Did you notice anything strange about Taiki, today?"
Watanuki sat straight up. He had noticed there was something unusual about Taiki compared to other customers, but he hadn't quite been able to tell what it was.
"...I could sense he wasn't an ayakashi... but at the same time, he didn't seem totally human, either." He spoke softly. Yuuko brought her pipe to her lips, inhaled, then blew out a stream of smoke as she lowered the pipe again.
"Sou... none of the Taiho are humans. All of them are the same kind as Taiki was today. Including the Enki who came here five hundred years ago, and the Keiki who arrived seven years ago." She agreed. Watanuki lifted his head to meet Yuuko's eyes, "They are kirin. A powerful and noble spirit beast. They are not even considered to be beasts, but rather a kind of god."
Watanuki could only stare. It certainly explained why he'd gotten the impression that Taiki's presence was an important one, why Watanuki had felt this kind of holiness in the air surrounding him, as though he were a ward against every evil spirit or feeling for miles around.
"Blood and violence are completely against their nature, so it was necessary to have a room completely purified of any evil intent for Taiki to remain in – there are many things in the shop that might have been adverse to a kirin's nature. And, furthermore, they are the sacred vessels which chose the king that will quell war, disaster, and demonkin within a kingdom. So, of course there will be no peace as long as a kingdom's kirin hasn't chosen a king."
Watanuki didn't say anything – it was only now beginning to press on him how important their visitor really had been.
"And, one more thing." Yuuko set her pipe down, before lifting the empty glass beside her.
"BRING OUT THE 'KIRIN' BEER!"
"AAAH! I KNEW ALL YOU WANTED TO DO TODAY WAS DRINK! AND MAKING SUCH AN OBVIOUS PUN, TOO!" Watanuki shouted, jumping to his feet and pointing an accusatory finger.
"It's only natural to drink in honor of our guest, isn't it?" Yuuko responded, grinning slyly. Watanuki stomped off, veins throbbing all over his head.
"I get it, I get it! Don't complain to me when you wake up with no stomach lining tomorrow." He groused, leaving Yuuko behind on the porch.
"Besides..." She mused to herself, "...This meeting with the kirin of Tai will become necessary. For the sake of Tai." Yuuko blew out a stream of smoke and watched it float into the sky, "And for your sake, as well."