We were just average teenage boys, Tosh and I. We were American citizens studying abroad in Japan at the ages of fourteen, living with a host family that had been watching over a shrine for generations.
Tosh and I weren't supposed to go near the shrine, and we respected that. At least, we did, until my cat found her way into the shrine one night.
"Are you sure Reeba went in here?" Tosh asked me in English, the first time he had spoken anything other than Japanese in three days. "If our host family finds us, we'll be in serious-"
"It'll be fine, I'm just going quick to get her." I interrupted, opening the door to the shrine as quietly as possible. "Stay out here if you want." I slipped inside of the dark, shack-like building.
"Nuh-uh, I'm not staying out here where I could get caught. I'm going with you, dude." Tosh followed me inside as quickly as he could with his limp.
"Reeba.. Come on out." I called out quietly in the darkness, unmoving since my palatinate blue eyes had not yet adjusted to the lack of lighting.
Tosh came up behind me, putting his hand on my shoulder to find his way in the darkness. "Geez, it's so dark and dusty in here. You don't have asthma on top of Crohn's, do you?"
"If I did, don't you think that I would have told you by now?" I pointed out just as my eyes adjusted to the darkness.
"Good point." The redhead responded.
I could hear faint meowing, and it sounded like it was coming from the stone well in the middle of the shrine floor. I quickly ran over to the well, leaning over the edge. I prayed that there wasn't actually water in there. "Reeba? Are you down there?!"
I heard a meow echo up from below me. Reeba was definitely down there, but I couldn't see her. "I'm coming, baby!" I swung a leg over the side of the well, preparing to go down after her.
"Shortstop, what are you doing?" Tosh called out once his amber eyes adjusted to the darkness, referring to me by the nickname he had been using for me as long as we'd known each other. He never, ever called me by my first name.
"I'm going to rescue my cat." I told him, beginning to climb down the inner wall of the well. "I doubt she can get out by herself."
"Okay, but please be careful!" Tosh begged, and I could hear him come closer to the well. A moment after he said that, I lost my footing on the stones making up the well. I gasped audibly as my hands slipped, as well, and I found myself falling. My heart stood still in my chest. I was less concerned for myself, and more worried about crushing Reeba.
I squeezed my eyes shut tight, and time seemed to slow down from my perspective. Why else would it feel like I was still falling? The well couldn't have been that deep.
The first thing I felt when I hit the bottom of the well was the sensation of the back of my head banging against the inside of my silver hard hat. I wasn't sure if wearing it did more harm than good to protect my skull during the fall. I slowly sat up from where I was, lying mostly flat on my back at the bottom of the dry well. I felt around in the darkness. "Reeba? Are you here?"
But she wasn't. If she was down in the well with me, she would have responded to her name. She would have responded to me, her favorite person in the whole wide world.
Where the hell was my cat? Before I could ponder further, I heard Tosh screaming from above me, and the next thing that I knew, I collapsed with him on top of my back.
"Ow, ow, ow." Tosh whined from above me. "What did I land on? It's so bony and-"
"You landed on me." I grumbled from underneath him before shoving him off. "Move it."
"Ow!" Tosh let out again before he carefully stood up in the well, helping me up with him. "So, is the cat down here?"
"No, she's not." I responded. "I have no idea where she is. I was positive that she was down here, but I'm positive that she's not here now."
"Seriously?" Tosh sighed. "I guess we should get out of the well, then, huh?"
"Yeah." I responded, grabbing the stones on the side of the well before looking up. "What the hell?"
"What is it, Short?" Tosh asked before looking up, as well. I knew he saw what I was seeing, because he suddenly asked "Are those.. Stars?"
We were looking up at the night sky. What happened to the shrine surrounding the well?
"We need to investigate this." I said quickly, climbing up the side of the well.
"Hey, wait up!" The redhead called out after me, beginning to climb up the side of the well, too.
I climbed over the side of the well upon reaching the top, and Tosh followed me out shortly after. We weren't in the shrine anymore. We were outside.
"Where the hell are we?" I let out as a breeze picked up, and my shoulder length, wavy blonde hair began to billow in the wind. We appeared to be in a clearing of a forest of some sorts.
"Do you see fire in the distance? Like, torches?" Tosh squinted behind us. "Like, angry mob torches?"
I turned around, and saw that Tosh was right. There was an angry mob approaching our general direction, and it looked like they were chasing someone.
"What do you think is going on, Short?" Tosh asked me, concerned. As he asked that, the person who was being hunted suddenly fell to the grass. The mob was closing in on them, and it just didn't sit right with me,
"Stop!" I called out, suddenly running over towards the person that had collapsed to defend them from the angry mob. I didn't even stop to look at them, I just got in front and spread my arms.
The people making up the angry mob seemed to be as surprised by me as I was by them. They were dressed as if they were from the feudal era of Japan, all of them.
"Step away from the Yamai-Komori!" A man at the head of the mob let out in Japanese.
"Yamai-Komori.." I repeated, then mentally switched my own speech over from English to the Japanese that Tosh and I had learned for our studies in Japan. "'Disease bat'?" I turned and gazed down at the person I was defending just as Tosh limped up to us.
"Short, this girl..!" He let out. But I already knew.
The person cowering on the ground before us was a girl unlike one I'd ever seen before. She had blue and pink hair worn in two braids, yellow eyes, and giant, bat-like ears on top of her head. She appeared to be the same age as Tosh and I.
"What.. Are you?" I stared down at her with wide eyes.
"The Yamai-Komori is dangerous, you must get away from her!" A woman in the mob called out to Tosh and I.
But when Tosh and I gazed down at the girl, the one that they were calling the Yamai-Komori, we didn't see dangerous. We saw the fear in her eyes, the look of betrayal, and the feeling of not belonging. She was different from them. She was different from us.
I whirled around to face the mob again, my blonde hair bouncing. "Just what do you want with her?" I demanded to know.
"This half-breed scrum has spread her disease throughout our village!" A man called out.
"We never should have taken her in!" A woman called from the back.
"Village?" Tosh blinked. "Don't you mean.. Your city?"
But the people of the mob looked as if they had never heard the word before. I wanted to hope that they were just a group reinacting the feudal era, but that didn't explain anything about the well. Why Reeba wasn't at the bottom, where the shrine had gone, or why the area around the well looked nothing like our host family's property.
"I-I didn't do it on purpose!" The girl, the Yamai-Komori, let out, climbing to her bare feet and hiding behind Tosh. In her bare feet, I could see that her toenails were sharp and pointed like claws. Her fingernails, too.
"There's no trusting the word of someone with demon's blood running through their veins!" The man at the front of the mob spat angrily. "And even if what you say is true, the damage is done! Our people are falling ill left and right!"
"I can help them!" The Yamai-Komori insisted. "If you just give me a chance-"
"There is no way that you could help them." The man in front interrupted. "By nature, you are meant to spread disease, and that is exactly what you have done!"
"N-no!" The girl let out. Her fair, yellow eyes began to brim with tears. "My sister.. My sister taught me how to heal with herbs!"
"You are a disgrace to call yourself the sister of our high priestess. Because of you, she is working day and night to heal the people of our village of your demon plague!"
"I keep hearing you say the word 'demon'." Tosh said uncomfortably. "Are you trying to tell us that this girl is-"
"That's right, she is an impure being." Someone in the mob confirmed, and Tosh's amber eyes widened with fear. He had never been too fond of the supernatural, and even living with a shrine family during our studies didn't change that.
"Shortstop," Tosh began quickly, moving away from the Yamai-Komori. "We have to get out of here! We-"
"Step away from my young sister!" A female voice called out from behind the mob, and everyone turned to see an angry young woman armed with a bow and arrow.
"It's the high priestess, Yvonne!" One of the villagers called out, and I wondered if I had misheard. "Yvonne" was not a name that I would expect someone of Japanese heritage to have. Especially not someone dressed like a traditional priestess.
The priestess dropped her bow and arrow, shoving her way through the mob and past Tosh and I to get to the Yamai-Komori, who ran to her in turn.
"Big sister!" The Yamai-Komori cried out, and the two of them engaged in a tight embrace.
"Hera, are you alright?" The priestess pulled away from the younger girl, gazing down at her. Hera? Like the Greek goddess, Hera?
"I'm alright, Yvonne. You came here just in time, and these boys stepped in to help me!" The Yamai-Komori turned her head towards Tosh and I.
"These strange looking young men saved you?" The priestess, Yvonne, gazed at Tosh and I. "They look like foreigners."
"We are foreigners." Tosh tried to stand up tall and proud. "We're American. Well.. American citizens. Short here is French."
"American? French? So you must come from far away, then. You must, because I've never heard those words before." Yvonne rose to her feet and approached us. "..And you dress so strangely."
"We dress strangely?" Tosh gawked, eyeing Yvonne's red and white priestess attire. "But you-"
"Tosh." I said quickly, crossing my arms into an "X" and shaking my head. He must have gotten the hint, because he did not finish his thought.
The priestess suddenly turned towards the mob, which had not yet dispersed. "Everyone will return to the village now, and there will be no more witch hunts against my sister."
"But, priestess!" Someone in the mob let out, and grumbles of protest against the word of the priestess followed.
"Hera-chan is apart of our village, too. And she is precious to me." Yvonne told the villagers. "I will not allow any harm to come to her."
I could tell when she spoke those words that Yvonne truly cared for her younger sister. It was nothing at all like the relationship between my elder brother and I. Looking closer at the two of them, I realized that there was no resemblance. Not in hair, eye color, or facial structure. Were they not related by blood?
"Short, did you hear me?" My thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the sound of Tosh's voice. "Yvonne invited us for dinner for saving Hera."
I turned to Tosh. Behind him, Yvonne and Hera were waiting to hear whether I would accept or not. Normally, no matter how hungry I was, I would turn down food until I knew where Reeba was and that she was safe. But these weren't normal circumstances. I had a strong feeling that these people weren't simply reinacting the feudal era.
"Yes, that would be great." I responded, and Hera's fair eyes lit up.
Yvonne leaned down to retrieve her bow and quiver of arrows from the ground. "Do follow us. Our village isn't far from here." The raven haired woman set towards the forest, her bluenette sister merrily skipping after her. Tosh and I followed them from a distance, and the redhead suddenly asked me the following in English:
"Short, what's going on? Where's the city? The shrine? Our host family and Reeba?"
I switched over to English as well after watching Hera's enormous ears twitch on top of her head. She must have uncanny hearing.
"I think it's a trick from Madevery." I explained as we followed after Yvonne and Hera. "You know how she likes to make me disappear for days at a time in different realms? I think that's what this is."
Tosh shivered uncomfortably. "Madevery's that dead relative of yours, right? Why would she do this? She's never brought me along before."
"I know." I said quickly. "I'm sorry that you got dragged into this."
"N-no, it's not that!" Tosh waved his arms as we exited the forest and came upon a village that certainly looked as though it were from Japan's feudal era. "It's just.. Whenever Madevery takes you away, I get really worried." Tosh lowered his head a bit, and I could see that his cheeks were beginning to redden. "I always worry.. If you're going to come back or not.. I'm glad that I'm with you this time."
My chest tightened a bit when he said that. "Yeah, I'm glad that you're here, too." I told him.
"In here." Yvonne stopped in front of a particular home, lifting the drape that covered the doorway before heading inside with Hera. Tosh and I gazed at each other before going inside, as well.
"Do we, uh, remove our shoes?" Tosh asked Yvonne, speaking Japanese once more.
Yvonne gazed down at our feet, taking in Tosh's high top sneakers and my black ugg boots. "Your foreign shoes seem to be rather clean. You may keep them on if you wish."
"But these shoes were made in your country.." Tosh mumbled under his breath, gazing down at his sneakers.
The smell of smoked fish caught my nose. I turned to see Hera hovering over Yvonne, who was setting out the two smoked specimens while the bluenette carried a bowl of fruit. The fish appeared to be a trout and a pike.
"Yvonne, that looks and smells delicious!" Hera gushed over the fish, her ears twitching excitedly.
Yvonne chuckled and took the bowl of fruits from her sister, setting it next to the fish. "You say that everytime that we have fish to eat."
Hera and Yvonne sat before the food. It wasn't a lot, which made me think that perhaps the village had fallen on hard times. Yet here they were, sharing what they had with us.
Tosh and I moved closer, gathering around the food, as well. I was hungry, starving, and it felt as if the gnawing sensation in my stomach would turn audible at any moment.
"Please, dig in." Yvonne said to us. "I know that it isn't much, this is what I usually feed to Hera, more or less. The human side of her adores fish, but a Yamai-Komori's diet usually consists of fruit, insects, and the blood of mammals."
"B-blood of mammals? She's a vampire, then?" Tosh froze in his reach for a fuji apple.
"No, moron." I said affectionately, flicking Tosh upside the head. "She's a bat, remember? Think vampire bat."
"R-right.." Tosh let out, bringing the apple to his mouth and taking a small bite out of it.
Watching her sister grab a hunk from both the trout and the pike to eat, Yvonne spoke up once more.
"The truth it, Hera isn't a full-blooded Yamai-Komori. She's half human. That's why she resides in our village. But.. Being a hanyo, there's great stigma. Hanyos aren't accepted by humans or demons."
"But you accept her." I pointed out after realizing that hanyo essentially meant half-demon, half-human. I gazed at Hera, who was savoring the taste of the pike in her left hand.
"She is my dear little sister, and a kind soul." Yvonne responded, reaching into the fruit bowl for a persimmon. "She means no harm."
I couldn't stand my hunger any longer, and reached out to tear a chunk off from the trout. I wondered if it was caught locally or traded from another village before it had time to spoil. I bit into the smoked flesh. It was delicious.
Hera finished both her portions of trout and pike, and eagerly reached for more. Yvonne gently grabbed her hand. "Save some for our guests." The raven haired woman told the bluenette. "We owe them for saving you."
"You don't owe us anything." I said after swallowing a bite of smoked trout. "We simply did the right thing. Still.. We appreciate your hospitality."
"Will you be staying the night?" Yvonne asked as Tosh pulled the bowl of fruit closer to himself. He was probably checking to make sure there were no raspberries, since he was allergic to them. The redhead looked to me, as if expecting me to answer on our behalf.
"Yes, we will be if you can accommodate us." I responded. There was no telling how long Madevery planned to keep us in the feudal era. I just hoped that Reeba was safe back at home with our host family.
"Accommodating you will not be an issue." Yvonne responded as she finished her persimmon. "But please reside here with Hera and I. I don't want you catching the sickness that some of the other villagers have."
When Yvonne said that, Hera lowered her large, bat-like ears. A remorseful look came over her.
"They will be fine." Yvonne insisted to her sister, putting a hand on her shoulder. "With my training, they will surely be cured."
"But the elderly and the small children.." Hera let out. "Will they be as lucky?" Her fair eyes began to well up with tears.
"H-hey now, don't cry!" Tosh begged, and I wondered how exactly Hera got the villagers sick in the first place. Especially if it was an accident. I didn't dare ask. If Yvonne or Hera wanted us to know, they would tell us.
The meal that we had was filling. We focused on finishing the smoked fish, since the fruit could be easily saved for later. As Hera began to roll out the bedding, Yvonne approached Tosh with a pleasant smelling herb in hand.
"I've noticed that you limp." The priestess said to him. "Please, eat this. It will help with swelling."
Tosh looked a little surprised, but took the herb from her. "Thank you." He said to her. "My limp is permanent, but I'll try this. Do you have anything for.." Tosh's eyes fell on me, and I shook my head. I didn't want Yvonne to waste her medicinal resources on me when the villagers were sick.
"For what?" Yvonne asked curiously, following Tosh's amber gaze.
"It's nothing." I insisted. I wasn't even experiencing any discomfort at the moment. I would be fine. Afterall, when I did have flare-ups, I was used to it.
"Here you are!" Hera gestured to the bedding she had set out to create two sleeping areas side by side, and then she moved on to set up more bedding on the other side of the room for Yvonne and herself.
"We've never slept so close before." Tosh let out, his cheeks starting to go red as he eyed the sleeping areas. My heart skipped a beat, and I tried to ignore it as I removed my boots and my gun from the holster on my leg.
"Does it make you uncomfortable?" I teased, quickly placing my pistol into my boot before Hera or Yvonne could see it and ask questions.
"N-no." Tosh stuttered, removing his shoes, as well. "It's just.. I don't know, dude." He laid back on one of the sleeping areas, arms behind his head as he gazed up at the wooden ceiling.
Having eaten a decent meal made me heavy with sleep, and I felt slumber calling to me as soon as I laid down on the bedding. I began to doze off before Yvonne even extinguished the flames illuminating the home. Knowing that Tosh was with me on this escapade.. It made it easier to fall asleep.