PART TWO

Her hands were cold. It was her overriding thought as she approached the shrine, that and the fact that she hadn't expected the shrine to be so busy. She had not visited the shrine on Setsubun for years. Amongst the black uniforms she spotted one or two academy robes and many white topped heads.

The crowd was dense and largely older than herself and she was one of very few in a kimono. Putting aside her discomfort, she straightened her already pin-straight spine and headed inside with the others. The inner courtyard of the shrine was filling. She could see several priests milling about at the center podium with lanterns and prayer blocks, which were no doubt for sale. In the center of the group was a man in an elaborate multicolored kimono and a large, red faced demon mask. Feathers plumed in large sprays on both sides of his ears and dark, black eyes leered out at the crowd.

The chill lapped at her ankles. The plum patterned furisode made her self-conscious even as it made her feel beautiful. Curious eyes met her in every direction. She had not worn such a garment in years and had forgotten how it felt to wear something so delicate and feminine. Her last kimono had become moth-infected and she had regretfully taken it apart trying to preserve what she could manage of the silk. Her Captain would probably appreciate the garment and enjoy even more the sight of her appreciating the holiday.

On stage, a bell rang out, quieting the chatting crowd drawing everyone's eyes toward the stage. The group there before had cleared. Only one of the priests remained, kneeling in prayer at the shrine. Tiny bells began to chime as the man in the demon mask appeared from behind a curtain, dancing, dancing, toward the priest.

Bells chimed and loud feet clacked as sandals met wood and the priest raised his head to regard the monster. In a quiet manner, the priest rose from his knees and slid his hand into his sash.

"Oni wa soto! Fuku wauchi!*"

A spray of roasted beans rained down on the dancing demon and he twirled. Feet clacked and more bells tinkled as the demon turned and fled. The crowd cheered. It looked like the tiny performance was over. The priests wandered back on stage, this time carrying boxes. They lined up, the five of them, and began to rain little white packets onto the crowd.

Shoulders bumped as people jostled trying to catch a prize. Nanao backed up carefully, trying to avoid the chaos. It had taken her an hour and a half to put on her kimono until she had regarded it as perfect as she could make it. At the gate, the man in the demon mask was standing with another priest, each on one side of the gate. As she was about to pass the man in the mask spoke.

"Too much chaos for you?"

Nanao regarded him. "I've another stop to make and it took me some time to dress this morning."

He gave her a nod and the bells twinkled. The man across from him, a priest with a shock of short gray hair held out one hand. In his palm was a tiny white packet.

"Please accept this with our wishes for good fortune this year."

Surprised, Nanao smiled and accepted, bowing, her fingers clutching her hand made butterfly print purse. The purse was made with part of the remnants of her last kimono and contained relatively very little money and her tiny envelope of beans from home. "Thank you."

"You won't find her by sitting here doing nothing."

A patterned teapot and two cups sat between them on a cedar wood table. The house was scented with pine, something Jyuushiro found soothing during the winter months. Soon, he would change the sachets on the tables to lavender.

Shunsui looked up regarding his long time friend with a wrinkled brow as he reached for the cup. The pink print kimono had fallen off his shoulders bearing his white Captain's robe beneath. "I have no idea where she's gone in the first place."

"Weren't you going to bless each other's houses this year? I thought you were finally resolved this would be the year?" His long time friend looked entirely too amused at his suffering, Shunsui thought. He'd wanted to celebrate with Nanao for a number of years, though things never seemed to work out quite right.

"I was," Shunsui answered, frowning. "And she's missing."

"So go and find her."

As if just walking out the door, she would appear. Nanao simply didn't do anything without a plan in mind and wandering around was very unlikely to catch her. "And waste the whole day looking?"

"Well, if you were Ise-san, where would you go?"

"If I were her, I'd be at home now." That was the most logical Nanao thing to do, stay at home.

Jyuushiro laughed and Shunsui frowned harder. "Where else could she be? Perhaps the local market? Does she celebrate the holiday? You know the shrine near here has an annual celebration; they give out little packets of beans with prizes inside. Perhaps she went over there? It's quite likely she knows of it."

"That's an idea."

"You know from the young man's account that she has gone somewhere in a kimono, so she must have a specific plan. Perhaps she has gone home?"

"Why would she need a kimono to visit the Rukongai? Her only family living in the Rukongai died a few months back."

"Perhaps she has gone to visit his memorial. It would explain her attire, perhaps."

Shunsui sighed not agreeing with the idea. His impression of her family affections was tepid. "They weren't close."

"Yes, Shun, but it is Setsubun. Perhaps she has gone to make amends with a past that has not always been a pleasant memory for her and to make way for a better year."