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Ch. 21: Peace without, peace within
Ibuki Suika, Tatara Kogasa and Hijiri Byakuren were seated about a table on the tatami in one of the traditional tea rooms on the second floor. Yes, the ones highly dissimilar to Shou's bedroom, located next to some toilets. Shou and Nazrin were busying themselves with fetching the tea and the snacks, against Suika's insistence that she was only here to ask for directions to the Hakurei shrine and would not be staying for long.
"Oh, come now, don't tell me you came to such a special place just to ask for directions? A little snobbish, aren't you?" Byakuren had said jokingly, and thus effortless convinced Suika to stay at least for the day.
But it was odd… Suika was never the religious kind. In fact, she hated superstition, what with idiots throwing fried beans out the door during Setsubun, wishing away her kind… It was all too silly for her. In fact, fried beans was one of her favourite things to eat. Sort of like peanuts with beer… However, when next to Byakuren, Suika felt pressured to simply sit quietly and listen to what the soft-spoken monk had to say on her philosophical believes. Perhaps it was because of Byakuren's overwhelming sincerity. Or her respectable belief in peace and harmony. Or because of the vibes of disguised power emanating from within her robes…
"And to this day, I have always been working towards my ultimate goal of achieving a harmonious existence between humans and youkai," Byakuren said dreamily. Suika and Kogasa simply nodded at her words.
… Or maybe it was because half the time, Suika had absolutely no idea what to say to stuff such as the above. Not that she was that empty to not spend time thinking about peace and harmony… Haha… -
"It is a shame though…" Byakuren continued. "The number of people, normal humans I mean, coming to this place for worship is growing, and they worship alongside youkai! What a fantastic sight!" Byakuren brightened up, but her expression almost immediately turned to slight sadness. "The thing is, not a single one of them know that the youkai here are actually youkai… I wonder how they would react if they knew? Would they tolerate them? Would they reject them?" Byakuren placed a hand to her heart, "Would they turn on those that were, just days before, best of friends to them all because they are not human? All because they are different?" Byakuren turned to Suika. "What do you think? Suika-san?"
"A-Ah? M-Me? Eh…" Suika thought a little. Man, this stuff is a bit heavy… andwhere ismysake- "I don't know. People have a right to fear right? I mean… People don't really like Oni such like myself, and that makes me a little disappointed I guess," Suika scratched her head. "But that's because there are Oni and youkai that are out to hurt people, so I suppose it's not without… you know… uh… what's that word?"
"Basis?" Kogasa suggested.
"Yeah, right! Basis!" Suika ended.
"The same could be said of humans," Shou said, as she and Nazrin entered bearing tea. "There are plenty of people out to cause harm, and yet youkai are almost universally despised, no matter their nature."
"Well, that's because they're humans, so naturally they would be better accepted," Suika pointed out.
"Which must mean the basis for the hatred is the sheer fact that we're different!" Nazrin pitched in.
… Since when was supposed to be a philosophical debate? Suika thought, her head hurting a little. "Ah whatever!" Suika tossed a hand in defeat. "All this stuff about creating a better world, making the place a little less awful… No one would have anything to worry if they would just learn to kick back, relax. You know? Lead a simple life… drink and party," Suika placed her arms behind her head and leaned back a little.
"Hey… people have to make a living too you know?" Shou objected. "That's where all of life's struggles originate from…"
"Heh… People are killing themselves over living? That's rich…" Suika said mockingly. "Oh, oh! You know what?" Suika sat up excitedly. "We should have this really big party and just invite everyone from everywhere! And for a whole day straight, they should just have fun and forget about everything!" Suika clapped her hands together. "And that way, for one whole day, everyone will be equal! Problem solved! Even if it's for just one day…"
"How irresponsible of you…" Narin looked at Suika disapprovingly. "You know what Suika-"
"I think it's a great idea!"
"… Huh?" Nazrin asked quizzically, and the group turned to face Byakuren, Nazrin and Shou a little lost and Byakuren's support of Suika's idea. "B-Byakuren-sama…" Nazrin began.
"Unfortunately, it won't work!" Byakuren smiled cheerily, and the rest of the group sweat dropped. "However…" Byakuren said quietly, more to herself than the others, "I have often dreamed that the world's problems could be solved with such a simple solution… It seems so logical, and yet…" Byakuren muttered, her head hanging down a little, her hair falling over her eyes. The rest of the group had turned quiet as well.
"Ah well, this is the exact sort of dreary stuff I hate!" Suika suddenly stood up. "Ah c'mon! What's the point of walking around with such a heavy heart? What, does it make you feel important that you're able to understand people's pain and sorrow?" Suika said with sceptical tone.
"S-Suika-san!" Shou and Nazrin were indignant. "Byakuren-sama isn't doing this for her ego!" Shou stated.
"Yah, Suika!" Nazrin added. "Byakuren-sama truly feels-"
"Yeah, yeah, all I'm saying is how does adding on to the sadness of the world improve it?" Suika shrugged. "You'd think that since everyone has their own issues, it would be better to be dishing out happiness here and there! Instead of sulking all the time, we should be cheerful so that it catches on to others!" Suika argued. Shou and Nazrin were stunned. Suika was making…
"And a good way to start would be having a gigantic party!" Suika added, "With a lot, a lot of booze!" Suika spread out her arms giddily, as if already drunken on the thought of huge quantities of sake.
… making sense… The tigress and the mouse slumped their shoulders in disappointment. "Suika-san… " they began, sighing, but were stopped short by the sound of giggling. Turning around, the group were faced with the image of a laughing Byakuren.
"Hahaha… If everyone on this world thought like you, then the only problems left would be a lack of mental coherence!" Byakuren continued to giggle.
"… D-Doesn't that lead to many more negative social side effects?" Shou reminded her master a little awkwardly.
"Yeeaah… And I'm not too sure how fantastic world peace with one big hangover sounds…" Nazrin commented sceptically.
"Awww… Don't say that!" Suika thrust her gourd towards Nazrin. "Here! Why don't you give my sake a try! It's premium grade, from the gods no less!" (a/n: see chapter 11)
"No thank you," Nazrin pushed it away, "One of the Buddhist faith is rightfully supposed to refrain from alcohol." Shou nodded her approval, while Byakuren simply looked on at Suika's antics with a smile.
"What a spoil sport… How about you Kogasa! Care to share my happiness?" Suika tried Kogasa next. "It's free! It's not that often happiness in life is for free, you know!" Suika gave her gourd a little shake to produce that sloshing sound of happiness.
"... I-I…" Kogasa had a look of disgust, but otherwise did not react much to her "master's" urges. Shou and Nazrin shook their heads at Suika's attempt to corrupt Kogasa with drinking.
"C'mon! I'm sharing with you my most prized possession!" Suika pushed the gourd forward a bit more.
Kogasa's eyes flew open and her pupils constricted.
"Hey… He-ey…" the gourd touched Kogasa's face.
"GET THAT THING AWAY FROM ME!" Kogasa suddenly shouted and leapt to her feet, shocking everyone else in the room.
"W-Wha… K-Kogasa! H-Hey… What's wro-?" but before Suika could continue, Kogasa ran out of the tea room.
"… Hmmm, still, even though it's a temple, it gets a little creepy being so empty…" Suika murmured out loud, while Shou and Nazrin glanced nervously at Suika.
Dinner at the Myouren temple had just concluded. Present at that meal were Shou, Nazrin, Byakuren and Suika. Suika was musing that such a large temple should have had a lot more people present in it, but Byakuren explained that most of the disciples were either away on errands or occupied with their own meditations and mental trainings, which could easily take up hours if not even days.
"Well, it can't be helped… Although it would be preferred if everyone could find some time to eat together," Shou attempted to continue light conversation.
"Although the lack of my disciples being around is not what's making you feel a little empty, is it?" Byakuren's softly spoken suggestion cut straight to Suika's nerve.
Suika sat up a little straighter. "What are you suggest-" she began, a little irritated for some reason.
"-A-Ah… I wonder when Ichirin and Murasa will get back?" Nazrin quickly cut in awkwardly, trying to pre-empt any awkward moments.
"Well, if its Kogasa you're looking for… she's gone up to one of the empty bedrooms on the third floor," Byakuren interrupted Nazrin's interruption breezily. "I surmise she might be quite glad to see you actually," Byakuren smiled.
"…R-Really, what's with that phrasing?" Suika looked at Byakuren with an uneasy expression. "You almost make it sound like some typical story where the annoying sidelines tell the protagonist to go after the- never mind…" Suika took a swig from her gourd. "You guys have it all wrong. I'm just feeling a little guilty, that's all," Suika took another swig. "After all, I did seem to make her mad… Although I really don't know what I-" Suika paused as she brought the gourd to her lips for a third time. "-did…" Suika stared long and hard at the gourd, Shou and Nazrin following her gaze. Suddenly, something clicked in all three of them.
"Y-You don't think… Nazrin, that gourd…"
"I think you're on to something, Shou-sama…"
"She's… mad about the gourd?" Suika came to the logical conclusion. Kogasa did explode when forced by her to come close to the gourd.
"Somehow, she's jealous of that gourd!" Byakuren cheerfully spoiled the story for the trio. Shou, Nazrin and Suika turned to Byakuren with extremely perplexed expressions.
"… Why?" Suika asked, a big metaphorical question mark hanging over her head.
"Because- Oh!" Byakuren was stopped short before she could start, "Well… why don't I we let her explain it herself?" Byakuren gestured to an indignant looking Kogasa. Kogasa was standing at the doorway to the dining room, holding on very tightly to the hem of her skirt, her face bright red, as if still rather embarrassed after her tantrum throwing a few hours ago.
"K-Kogasa!" Suika involuntarily stood up. "H-Hey… You okay?"
Kogasa eyed the gourd Suika was holding in one hand. "I-I'm fine Suika-sama," Kogasa reverted back to honorifics rather curtly as she averted eyes. "I'm just-" grooowl… Kogasa's eyes flew open and her face blushed again.
"… Oh! Y-You haven't had dinner yet! Come in, come in!" Suika hurriedly dragged in a highly embarrassed Kogasa to join a smiling Byakuren and a slightly uncomfortable Shou at the table, while a sighing Nazrin closed the door after them.