(Extended) Author's Note: So here we are, one week from All Hallow's Eve, the night of ghouls, witches, and hobgoblins. However, this being one of my favorite Japanese manga fandoms, it'll be modified to yokai, kitsune, tanuki, and tengu…For everyone who just went "Huh?" at the last word, I think it's high time tengu were mentioned in mainstream stories. Tricksters who couldn't stand to be duped, these crow goblins were the keepers of esoteric wisdom, some even becoming valuable allies. But prankster, wiseman or what have you, nobody can haunt the caverns of Far East feudal fairytales like the tengu.
Prologue
In the chill of the mid-autumn twilight, large ebony wings stretched and fanned like a dark dream, the rising moon highlighting every other feather. The great wings attached to a strange, almost human body wrapped in patterned silks that rocked back and forth with a hungry, anticipating delight. A chortling crow's head atop the limber frame craned to see farther – tengu had excellent eyesight and sure enough his did not deceive.
My lucky night indeed!
Many decades had rolled by since anyone had dared to cross the old ravine and try passage through his home. But here they were; guests at his territory's entrance! Were they too stupid to know the legends? Did it matter? For once, entertainment had found him!
The tengu was careful to mind his laughter to a soft gurgle. It appeared there was a greater demon in the party and he didn't want to arouse any suspicion – not yet, anyway.
It was such a motley pack, too! Three demons – a daiyokai, an imp, and a dragon steed – ranging from the powerful to the pathetic and two human children! What a riot!
Stroking the length of his black beak with claw-tipped fingers, the tengu beckoned with his free hand to a nearby perched raven. The bird alighted on his knuckles and he instructed it softly before casting it into the darkening night. Eyes closed and arms tucked into his kimono's voluminous sleeves, the tengu closed his eyes and waited for his minion's vision to focus.
Circle them.
As the raven dove beneath the low-hanging clouds, it angled its head for just the right eyeful of the travelers. It felt its master's chuckle appreciatively stroke the inside of its little skull.
That's the way. Oooh, what an intriguing crew!
If the fur over his shoulder was anything to go by, the daiyokai appeared to be of the dog-demon variety. He was young – certainly less than a millennium – and he walked with the staunch gait of early acquired severity. A proud fledgling puffing his feathers.
The tengu snickered. That one would be the most fun.
And this demon's polar opposite trailed at his heels. A pint-sized imp in vassal's livery scurried about to match his lord's strides. He paused only to reprimand the small girl riding the twin-headed dragon. As if to underscore his lowly position in the group, the child simply giggled at the admonitions.
The black feathers over one beady eye arched speculatively. A girl-child laughing while in demon company? But there, bringing up the rear of the traveling party, was a mortal boy as well. Dark shadows traced semicircles under the lad's eyes. Barely on the brink of adolescence and he already seemed to bear the world. What sort of guilt did this youth know? the tengu wondered. No matter. He'd have his fun with the rest of the lot.
A full spectrum of players I have, eh?
Breaking from his trace, the tengu's eyes snapped open in a greenish luminescence. Now he crowed freely, loud and throaty.
It's time to get tonight's fun underway.
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A/N: I cannot express how pleased I am to finally post a story that's had its idea two years in the making (the original copy was lost in early 2008 when my computer caught a virus – dark, dark times). In accordance with the title, this fanfic will update daily at midnight (Eastern Time – nine o'clock Pacific Time). As always, reviews are much appreciated!