Kotetsu sighed. Onikiri was in the yard sweeping up stray leaves while he was stuck preparing the shrine for the festival. He didn't even know if there were going to be any visitors, although they did come. But rarely, Kotetsu thought, hanging up a thin red streamer by the entrance gates. It was going to be the same as last year- the last few years, really, when it was just him, Onikiri….. and where is Tomoe? he thought, suddenly realizing that the wild spirit had not shown his face so far that morning. Finishing with the red streamer, the bald-headed demon ventured into the backyard, the other placing a rake gently down in the grass.
"Onikiri, have you seen Tomoe-dono?" said the small man with a bow. Onikiri bowed in reply, shaking his head, "Unfortunately no, Kotetsu. Perhaps he is in his room?" Kotetsu shrugged. He hadn't bothered checking inside the shrine, so it was worth a shot.
"While I go look, can you prepare the food if you're finished with the yard?" Kotetsu asked, sounding tired. Onikiri nodded, walking with him into the shrine, shadow stretching behind them as the sun shone through the dense trees surrounding the shrine.
"Life was so much easier when Mikage was here, no?" Onikiri said, Kotetsu nodding in agreement. The two of them had never worked this hard in their life- not that they ever worked, period. Tomoe was always stuck doing the Land God's work for him when he disappeared.
"Yeah, since Mikage is no longer here," Tomoe's voice sounded as he came up the stairs, pushing the trap door above his head to make room. The fox ears that sat atop a mess of white hair twitched slightly, pale green-yellow kimono rustling as he slammed the trap door shut fully. Tightening the tangerine colored sash around his waist, he sighed, "are we all ready for the festival later?" The two minions nodded ecstatically.
"It will be wonderful, Tomoe-dono!" Onikiri said exuberantly, clapping excitedly. Kotestu nodded.
"Yes!" he echoed, "the performance will be fantastic!" Tomoe rolled his gray eyes, pupils thin slits in the center, giving them a slanted, menacing look that had the two suddenly rushing off, cowering as they muttered, "Tomoe-dono sure is scary!"
"Useless idiots…" Tomoe mumbled, shaking his head with distaste. Ever since Mikage left, the shrine had become somewhat depressing. Ambling over to the front, he exited the temple, shuffling down the walkway to the froth gate. The red streamers Kotetsu had hung up earlier, lazily flapping in the wind. Damn it, Kotetsu… he thought angrily, nails scratching the gate itself, why do you and Onikiri have to be so annoying?!
But it wasn't that they were annoying- which they were. It was that Mikage decided to up and leave him, along with a pile of prayers that had to be answered. Voices that drifted in and out of his ears all day, some mindless nonsense, others thing she knew he was unable to fulfill. For that was the Land God's job. To bring life to those who needed it most. Grumbling, he began ripping away at the other decorations, careful not to damage the gate itself when suddenly...
"Excuse me?"
Tomoe jumped, his tail swishing quickly, the back end of his kimono lifting just slightly. Turning to the voice, he came face to face with a teenage girl, wearing a black trench coat over a yellow sweater and plaid skirt. On her feet were a pair of clunky white and black boots.
"We're closed today," Tomoe said suddenly, turning to go, when he heard her gasp in alarm. He felt his face go red- She probably saw the tail, he thought, his long nails digging into the skin of his palms, drawing blood.
"But I heard there was a festival today!" she pouted, much to the fox demon's relief. He flipped his white hair over his shoulder- he really had to cut it, having let it grow ever since Mikage abandoned him.
"Well, I just decided that there wasn't, so run along!" Tomoe squinted his eyes at her. Her twin pigtails swayed as she shook her head, green eyes filled with stubbornness.
"Are you serious?!" she exclaimed, "you can't just do that! My friends and I traveled all this way!" Tomoe smirked, gray eyes leering at her.
"Well, too bad," he said mockingly as he reached into his kimono. Withdrawing a purple paper fan decorated with pink cherry blossoms, he flicked it open, flapping it in front of his face idly, "now if you would be so kind as to leave, i would appreciate it." Spinning on his heel, tomoe began stalking back tot eh shrine, ears twitching as another voice was heard.
"Oi! Maka!" shouted a boy, "are we allowed in yet?" The girl- Maka- turned to shout back, "No! The owner is being difficult!" The boy joined Maka at the gate, red eyes searing into Tomoe's back.
"Hey! You!" he shouted, much to Tomoe's chagrin, "we were told there was a festival!"
"Why can't you leave me be?!" Tomoe snarled, whirling around to face them, "Onikir nd Kotetsu are troublesome enough, no?!" As if to confirm his, there was a sudden crash from inside.
"Kotetsu! You burned the sasamoshi!" came Onikiri's wail, echoing in the trees.
"It wasn't my fault!" came Kotetsu's reply, "you left it on the pot for too long!" Tomoe felt his face burn as the boy- whom Tomoe noted had white hair- snickered, showing off pointed teeth.
"So is your little powwow done?' he asked, holding a hand to his stomach, "because our friends and us, we came to enjoy a festival!"
"You insolent brat!" Tomoe sneered.
"What did you say to me, bitch?!" the boy yelled back. Maka pushed his shoulder, a nervous smile on her face. Tomoe's ears twitched with annoyance.
"Soul!" she scolded him with a nervous laugh, "don't be rude!"
"Yeah, Soul," Tomoe spit haughtily, "don't be rude!"
"And you!" Maka turned on him, "there better be a festival in a few minutes because I am hungry and I planned on going to a festival!" Tomoe rolled his eyes. Children these days, he thought as he waved his fan lazily, they can be so demanding… Cracking his knuckles, Tomoe rolled his fingers, a gust of hot air being blown in the visitor's faces.
"I guess I have no choice," Tomoe sighed, raising his hand, palm facing the sky. He watched happily as the look of courage on their faces turned to those of fear as a blue flame crackled in his hand, growing bigger until it was at least the size of a basketball, rolling and fuming for food, something to destroy.
"What is that….?!" Soul exclaimed, pushing Maka in front of him, much to her protests.
"Now…." Tomoe said, a smile spreading slowly across his face, revealing a row of sharp teeth, "which of you wants to be the appetizer?"