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Strangled Time
Chapter 36
One. Two….
Three!
Kagome hefted the massive backpack up to her shoulder, but it was no good. The sheer bulk of it set her off balance and stumbling backwards. Dang! She dropped the monstrosity back to the mats. It wasn't that it was heavy. No, it'd seen much heavier days. It was just bulky and fat.
Not being one to give up, Kagome tried again.
Just when she'd managed to get the bag a respectable height from the ground, her fingers gripped bloodless to worn straps, the weight of it was pulled away.
"Hey!" The young woman turned to confront Saburo. He held the bag—and himself—with such ease that it might as well have been filled with goose feathers. The sight of it sent a bolt of annoyance right between her brows as if she'd been swatted by the staticy paw of a cat. Her eyebrows furrowed to chase it away. "I had that."
"Nah." Saburo replied, oblivious to the storm of injustice building within her. "I get this. You get him." He gestured with an elbow to where Toga was standing out on the deck, lending his weight to the crow stick he'd carved.
Looking regal in the sunlight, her shawl draped across his shoulders but not yet pulled over his head, the dog demon stared wistfully out into the peaceful garden one last time.
Any rebuttal she could have made died right there.
Saburo stepped away to collect his own things.
Kagome glared at the retreating bag as it passed in front of her.
Well fine. Paint it red and call him Santa, he could have it. She had more important things to tend to anyway.
"Whatever. But if Toga needs a bigger support at any point, we're switching back."
The blacksmith tossed her a crooked grin.
"As you wish, Miss Kagome."
…
Standing on the raised floor of the hallway, the innkeeper stretched up to adjust the collar of Kagome's black haori. She pushed the priestess's hair back behind round ears to get the clearest look at the girl's silhouette cast by the light of the shop's entrance on the other side of the small receiving area. Then without a smile or glimmer the old lady nodded her approval.
Her hands moved to touch Kagome's shoulders.
"I was right to give these to you." Their hostess said. "You wear them with an air of nobility, young Madame. It does my heart justice to know that they will once more put to good use."
If Kagome was going to be honest, she felt a heck of a lot more regalwearing the half dozen layers of embroidery that she'd gotten from the Edo seamstresses—those were clothes made for actual royalty. Her new getup was better suited for travel and fighting than court appearances. In the Phoenix garb she felt a tad more… ninja-esque than noble. But hey, to each their own.
She wasn't going to deny an old woman whatever joys she got out of seeing those garments and memories brought back to life.
"I'll take good care of them." Kagome promised.
"Remember to keep your father safe, my dear." The innkeeper said quietly, still stone faced. Her voice dropped even lower when she added, "And follow through with his wishes. No matter how difficult."
The priestess placed a hand over one of the deer-like woman's much daintier fingers and squeezed.
"I will."
What was only a short moment seemed to stretch out much longer as the grey haired innkeeper searched Kagome's expression. Those doe brown eyes were both hard with determination and brittle with uncertainty, and somehow she looked very young, despite her age lined face.
Then, seeming satisfied with what she'd found, their hostess nodded once more and stepped away.
She turned then to the next person in their party.
Saburo straightened rigidly, doing his best impersonation of a structural support beam. Red dusted his cheeks at the old woman's scrutiny but he did very well and kept his hands still. A quick and silent exchange passed between them, which ended when the blacksmith cast his eyes to the ground and offered a polite bow.
The innkeeper returned it sedately.
Lastly was Toga.
Something in the atmosphere shifted.
The bow that she offered the once mighty dog demon General was deep. So, so very deep.
She held it in complete and utter silence.
Pressing his walking stick to the packed earth between himself and the small woman, Lord Togashimaru of the West took a sure step forward. Presence potent and unmistakably noble, the tall demon humbled himself by bending into a slight bow of his own; not low enough to pull his stitches, but more than enough to convey a deep and genuine appreciation.
"Though our time here was short, it was most memorable." Toga surprised Kagome by speaking aloud. "You have been a gracious host, and for that I thank you."
The innkeeper did not respond at all to that. She did not pull up from her bow, nor did she give a reply. Instead she held herself there, low and still. So very still. The only thing to change was the sound; gentle and rhythmic, the priestess could just barely make out the melody. Like raindrops pattering on the tiles of a roof.
Kagome saw state of the wooden floors at the old woman's feet.
She was crying.
Although he must have known, the dog demon did not embarrass the tiny woman by acknowledging the fact.
Before his words could settle from the air, Togashimaru turned. Kagome joined him, her chest tight with emotion from the meaningful depth of an interaction that she did not fully understand.
She tugged the silver haired demon's shawl lower to better conceal his markings before they got to the curtain, and then together the three travelers left to face the road ahead.
…
Toga had stepped away from the group and into the thinly milling crowd so quietly that by the time Kagome noticed he'd disappeared from her side, he was already speaking with a street vendor. Hands on hips, the toe of her new black boots tapped with annoyance the entire time it took for him to pay for his goods and amble back over to her and the blacksmith.
"Are you done?" She growled once he was in spitting distance.
He looked at the little cloth bag in his hands. "This should suffice, yes."
"Uh huh. And how exactly did you pay for that?" Kagome asked, knowing full well that he was still the one carrying her coin purse.
The dog demon took in her posture and quirked his lip. "It is not the money that you are upset about."
"How am I supposed to keep you safe if you go wandering off without telling me!?" Although her voice was hushed to keep from drawing attention, it was loud with accusation. Crossing her arms, the priestess looked pointedly away from him. "It's bad enough when Saburo does it, but I expected better from you."
Chuckling, Toga weighed his spoils. "I admit, I caught a pleasant scent and could not help myself. In the future I shall be more mindful within your care."
Then he extended the package to her.
Kagome snatched it from him. What could have possibly been good enough to risk his neck like that!? They were in a Kitsune village for Pete's sake! Any one of them could recognize him and blow their cover—or even worse, attack.
Togashimaru was bound to have more than a few enemies that would have preferred he remain dead.
The scent of warm bean paste filling caught her nose before she finished untying the knot.
She froze when she got her first glimpse of the treats within.
They were sweet steamed buns. But more than that, they were all shaped like the heads of pudgy little foxes.
They were too. Damn. Cute.
Curse that dog to hell and back, she could not stay mad at him knowing he'd strayed to buy some hot fox buns.
Pinching her lips tight in a forced scowl, the priestess retied the bag and pushed it back into his chest without making eye contact.
"Don't do it again," Was the only thing she could say.
Togashimaru followed close behind her, smug as a bandit.
…
"So hey," Kagome whispered to Toga when they passed the busy center of the marketplace and turned onto a less populated road. Saburo, just out of earshot, took up the lead. "What was that with the lady innkeeper?"
She saw him grin, but before the dog demon could enlighten her to their hostess' true identity they were rudely interrupted.
"Oh Kago—ome!" The familiar theatrics of the voice sent a jolt down her spine. "There you are, my little rabbit. I have been searching positively everywhere for you."
Kagome spun to find the roan kitsune. He was coming up fast. "Stay here." She told her companions without looking back at them and separated from the group to confront the very unwelcome fox.
Walking quickly, the priestess grabbed the willowy fox man's thin wrist and pulled him in the opposite direction, aiming for the first alleyway she could find. Shock carried him along without a fight. As soon as she felt that they were far enough away from Toga, she transferred the momentum of her pace to shove him forward. He stumbled along the cobblestone path before catching himself against a restaurant wall.
"What do you want Yuugo?" Kagome asked, a little harsher than she expected to hear from herself. The sight of the roguish young demon had sent her into full fledged protection mode. Purity tinged the scent of the air and the priestess realized that she had brought her powers to her skin without even thinking.
Forcing a calm, she took a breath and let them simmer back down below the surface.
"Well, that wasn't very kind at all. I thought we were beyond such grievances." Yuugo replied, rubbing his wrist.
It was inflamed—red, as if he'd been cooking in the sun two days too long.
She'd singed him.
Guilt crushed her with a sudden force.
"I'm so sorry!" Kagome crossed the distance and took his arm—gently this time—to inspect the damage. "You spooked me. I wasn't thinking. Does it hurt?"
He winched but smiled through it. "I have certainly survived worse. Your concern is quite the salve. Do remind me to become injured more often within your presence, Kagome."
Rolling her eyes, she let him have his hand back. It wasn't as bad as it looked; he'd probably heal before nightfall. "So, why are you here? We were just heading out."
"Well, I know! I wanted to be sure to catch you before you left. I do so apologize for tearing you away from the big guy." The fox demon leaned to the side to get a peek around the corner of the building to where her party members were left to wait. "Oh! And the big guy. You don't say. Is that really—?" He whistled a sound that was distinctly appreciative.
Kagome stuck her finger to her lips and hissed for him to shut up.
He did. With a toothy smirk.
"Tell me what you want or I'm leaving right now."
"Easy, easy." Yuugo soothed. With the flip of a switch, the kitsune's voice went from its usual frivolity to something much gentler. Although he never lost that sly grin on his lips. "I am not here to incite a scene—you seem to be more than capable of doing that without any assistance from one such as myself. The reason that I am here is to ensure that you have everything that you will be needing, before you scurry off into the forest."
From a tube strapped to his back Yuugo pulled a small bundle of arrows. There were four or five of them, all fletched with striped hawk feathers and wrapped neatly together with a not-quite-brown ribbon that matched his caramel-honey eyes.
"But I already—" She started.
He talked right over her in true Yuugo fashion.
"Do not let me be one to put you on the spot; we can discuss payment the next time that we meet. I will be sure to remind you." Pressing the arrows into the priestess' hold, Yuugo took advantage of her flustered confusion to lean in close. Cheek brushing her hair, the kitsune disregarded her bubble of personal space completely. His voice was low when he whispered in her ear. "Thank you, little rabbit. And be sure to stop by for a visit before you return back home."
Then he placed a chaste kiss to the skin where her ear met her cheek, turned her around by the shoulder, and nudged her off in the direction of her traveling companions.
"Now you just wait a hot second!" Kagome scolded him, her face flushing beat red.
But when she turned back to grill him, he was already gone.
The alleyway was empty.
Her grip tightened around the new arrows and she pressed the bundle closer to her chest.
Quietly, her question fell to an empty void.
"What do you mean… before I return backhome?"
…
Reaching the crest of the hill on the outskirts of the village, heading westwards towards Chichibu, Kagome paused and turned back to overlook the town one last time. A frigid wind whipped past, sending her hair adrift in an inky flurry of locks.
Togashimaru watched as she composed herself.
"Is it that you are relieved to be leaving… or disappointed?" He asked.
"…A bit of both." She responded, not turning to face him.
Togashimaru nodded, understanding.
And then they started out.
Only needing the aid of his cane and his own two feet, Togashimaru took up the rear with the blacksmith as the lither and travel seasoned priestess scouted on ahead. He felt more sure of his own steps with the bottle of painkillers within his pocket.
Beside him the human man didn't seem at all perturbed by the village that they were leaving behind them. In fact, he seemed quite content—relaxed even.
That could be easily remedied.
"You seem to be quite calm," The dog demon remarked, staring out at the path ahead of them with a serene indifference that was only marred by the devious lifting of his lips. "For a human who has just escaped the thralls of a kitsune village."
The footsteps beside him stopped dead in their loud tracks. He did not need to turn to see his handiwork play out, as he heard the man sputtering behind him and that alone brought him immense enjoyment.
Humored, the demon Lord kept walking.
Chapter End