A/N: So... it looks like a lot of you guys hate me now. Haha. Yes, it was a cruel thing to do to Natsume. Was it stupid of Natori to do? Considering his experience, I'm not entirely sure. We think he's being stupid because we know Lord Onwa is Natsume. But please remember that he doesn't. All he knows is that a new and very powerful god has sprung up out of nowhere, and is gathering a high number of spirits. To an exorcist, that's tantamount to declaring war. But then, it could be argued that Natori is stupid, because becoming friends with Lord Onwa would be the perfect chance to figure out Lord Onwa's plans. Hmmmm. I wonder what Natori's motivation could be?

My "drabbles" just get longer and longer. Please don't expect this kind of length regularly. It is not normal. The main purpose of this chapter is to expand the spirit world. This is the world of the gods, forbidden to lower spirits and humans alike. There is little action in this drabble, but well, there is a lot of thinking. And description. Also boringness. My apologies for that.

Please enjoy.

Isozuki Forest (Lord Mibu Arc: Part 3/5)

I have never been more thankful for the mask I wear than now. There are some things I don't want others to see. There are things I can no longer show others. I've now realized what the mask of a god is for—a shield. For the mask hides not only my face. It hides my heart.

"We are almost at the gate, Lord Onwa," Hinoe says softly.

It is the first time anyone has spoken since Natori-san had left.

"Then let us proceed," Natsume whispers. It is the only way he can speak without revealing anything more, but even then, the last syllable wavers. His hands clench tightly underneath the sleeves of his robes, gripping the inner white fabric.

For one second, Natsume had dared to hope…

There is a flash of white overhead. And then suddenly, Natsume feels something heavy hit the litter. Those spirits who have been carrying him stagger under the sudden increase in weight.

"He's gone," Nyanko-sensei says, crawling into Natsume's lap. "I made sure he left safely." Habit takes over, and without thinking, Natsume lifts the cat up to settle him down more firmly.

"Thank you, sensei."

"Hmph, it's not something I want to be thanked for." Nyanko-sensei looks up at him, and Natsume notices the flash of anger beneath the cat's comical face. "He hurt you."

"He didn't know."

A moment later, Natsume hears a loud, exasperated sigh, but he does not look down, and Nyanko-sensei says nothing more.

Then, as the litter turns a corner, Natsume sees it, a shimmering, glistening beam of moonlight, but a hundred, a thousand times brighter. Above them, the moon appears to dance, as if the human world has stifled it, and only here, among spirits, is she truly free.

"We have arrived at the gate, my Lord."

The gate to Isozuki Forest is moonlight distilled, until all that is left is a light purified, concentrated, dazzling. But that is only fitting, for the gate, no mere human shrine gate of red wooden beams, leads into the Forest of the Gods.

Only gods, and those chosen by them, are allowed into Isozuki Forest. Natsume nods to his spirit litter bearers. They nod back in understanding, and slowly lower the litter to the floor. There, they will wait until their Lord returns in the morning.

He sighs when his feet touch the ground once more. The feel of the earth comforts him, though Natsume is not currently in need of its power. Without thinking, he takes several steps forward.

"Wait! Natsu—I mean Lord Onwa! Your robes! I'm supposed to help you carry them," the fox spirit cries out.

The child's distress momentarily knocks Natsume out of his depressive state.

"Oh, um, sorry. I'm sorry."

"Lord Onwa, you shouldn't be apologizing either," Hinoe says, rolling her eyes.

"But it was my fault for…"

"The little fox should have come forward faster." Hinoe turns to the fox kit. "It is your duty to make sure that Lord Onwa doesn't break protocol," she says sternly. Seeing the child's ears start to droop, she adds, "Though I've been failing in that task all night." She holds a hand up to her head, the image of an exasperated counselor. "Lord Onwa certainly makes us work."

"He does, he does," the cow spirit agrees, nodding his head repeatedly.

"Sorry," Natsume says meekly. "I'll do better next time." He looks around. "Where is Misuzu? And Chobihige?"

"I am here, my Lord, I am," Chobihige says, appearing out of the nearby trees. "Misuzu is here also, he is."

At that moment, a strong breeze sweeps through the forest, sending some of the smaller spirits tumbling. Distantly, Natsume hears the chiming of bells, and then a loud crash.

"Lord Onwa, I apologize for my late arrival."

"You were only doing what I had asked you to do. It's not easy to do, patrolling the forest," Natsume says, keeping his voice gentle. But beneath the mask, he does not smile. He knows that it may be unfair. After all, he has already forgiven Misuzu for what had been done to him. Yet having seen Natori-san, Natsume knows, knows that it will be a while before he will be able to smile at Misuzu again. "Come, Misuzu."

"The meat bun too, should change form. It would not be fitting for him to go through the gate as he is."

"Why you…!" There is a puff of smoke, and Nyanko-sensei reappears as a white beast. "Just who is the meat bun?"

Misuzu floats serenely to the end of the procession.

"We are ready, Lord Onwa."

"Hey, answer when I'm speaking to you, you…!"

Natsume steps into the light.

When the light fades, he finds himself in a forest of immeasurable beauty. The first thing Natsume notices is the scent, the perfume of flowers: sweet, but not cloying. Though it is autumn in the human world, Isozuki Forest remains a perpetual spring, with the constant promise of new growth. Many trees are in eternal bloom, their flowers' delicate petals perfectly formed, their names in the human world unknown. A light breeze blows, sending some of the petals to the moss covered ground, but Natsume notices, as he accidentally treads a petal under his feet, that it remains whole, unbruised. In the distance, Natsume sees a bamboo forest, perfectly placed among the other trees, a harmonious whole.

Even the power here, the power of the earth beneath his feet, is pure, a fact that temporarily delights him, as he gives in to his spirit instincts and soaks it in, the power like balm beneath his skin. He has craved this, without ever knowing it.

Out of the shadows Lord Senzai appears, and seeing Natsume, goes down on his knees and bends forward in greeting.

"Welcome, Lord Onwa."

Behind him, Natsume senses movement, and then the air behind him shivers, expelling the other spirits.

"… wooden toy horse!"

"Madara, behave yourself. We are now in exulted company."

Behind him, Natsume hears Nyanko-sensei growl, but futilely. Following Lord Senzai is a procession, wearing the shapes of beautiful women and men, masked and unmasked.

"Lord Onwa," a delicate-looking woman comes forward, wearing a mask with an expression of serenity, eyes closed as if in quiet contemplation. Her robes are a bright shade of crimson that Natsume had never seen before. "I am Lady Akihime. I am to lead you to Lord Mibu."

The other spirits come closer, murmuring greetings and compliments.

"Such a pleasure to meet you at last, Lord Onwa."

"Look… so beautiful…"

"Hard to believe… once human."

"Ah, he is exactly the way rumors describe him."

Rumors?

Natsume turns, searching for the voice, but it is lost in the crowd. But perhaps it is to be expected. Humans who have survived the transition to spirit, never mind god, are rare.

"It's beautiful…" the little fox kit whispers, looking up at the trees, his face a study in childish awe and delight.

The forest opens up into a clearing, a meadow where the silver white light of the moon shines at its brightest. Rugs and carpets have been laid carefully on the grass, looking softer than any cushion. In the center sits a group of spirits, their clothing, in comparison to the spirit patrons, look simple, even plain. Their hands hold instruments: the shakuhachi and the shamisen, biwa, and jyuushichigen.

There is no koto player.

And at that moment, Natsume realizes. There will be no koto player. Asagi had died, dead of a disease that slowly turns a spirit's body into dust. Death too, comes to spirits.

Does Lord Mibu grieve? Is that why there is no koto player? And what of Akagane? Natsume looks around, searching, but does not spot the umbrella holder anywhere.

They pass by others, perhaps lesser gods, who murmur behind fans and masks, their faces carefully hidden under the shadow of umbrellas.

"See… the human god…"

"Child really…"

"… how long… will he last?"

"Lord Onwa, Lord Mibu is over here. He waits for you." Lady Akihime bows and moves to the right. They reach a gently curving hill, and there, in the shade of several umbrellas, sits the most majestic group of spirits Natsume has ever seen. He now understands why his followers had insisted on the robes—here, robes like his are a matter of course. Even the rugs laid here are especially rich, with beautiful designs depicting palaces and mountains, covered in cushions made in the softest plush. The umbrellas are painted with the images of birds and wild beasts, the servants holding them wearing robes grander than the robes Natsume normally wears. "As an honored guest, you have been given a place at his side."

When Natsume slips off his geta to step on the rugs, he notices that Nyanko-sensei and the others do not move.

"We cannot go," Misuzu says, noticing Natsume's hesitation. "For all that I am a powerful spirit, I do not rank among the gods."

"And you wouldn't fit in there anyway," Nyanko-sensei says. He lies down immediately, head resting on crossed front paws. "Hurry up, Natsume. You're keeping everybody waiting."

"Nyanko-sensei…"

Lady Akihime nods at Natsume.

"This way, Lord Onwa." She leads him past other gods, wearing robes even grander than his, their headdresses elaborate confections of flowers, ribbons, and combs. Some of them nod their heads as he passes, but others ignore him completely. "This is your seat," says Lady Akihime.

It takes a moment for Natsume to realize, as he sinks down onto his cushion, that the unimposing figure sitting to his right is Lord Mibu. Dressed only in different shades of gray, the god sits with a poise that speaks of complete and utter assurance in his own power. And it is substantial power. Natsume can sense it, like a deep well, sinking deep below the earth, past the crust, toward the white hot mantle—an unstoppable power. That his presence is not felt throughout the forest is only because the god has willed it so. This is a god who has lived.

"Lord Mibu, it is my honor to finally meet you," Natsume says.

"Natsume Takashi," Lord Mibu says, turning to him. "It is good to finally meet you in person at last." The dark eyes glint, almost in predatory hunger. "And how does the life of a god suit you?"

Cultural Notes: (1) There is some confusion with the nature of Asagi's instrument in the original canon. The anime refers to it as a koto, but it really isn't. A koto is a flat, normally thirteen-stringed instrument. The jyuushichigen (seventeen strings) mentioned in this drabble is in fact a koto of that type, but to lessen the confusion I have decided not to refer to it as such. It really is a koto though.

Asagi's instrument more closely resembles a biwa, but the instrument in the canon is plucked with hands, while the biwa is plucked with a plectra. Her instrument most closely resembles the Chinese pipa, though it isn't quite that either. Perhaps it is an instrument unique only to the spirit world.

(2) My translation of Chobihige's speaking style is not a direct translation. In fact, I'm not sure if it can be translated. Nevertheless, I tried to do it in a way that most closely resembles the way he sounds to my ears in Japanese.

(3) Lady Akihime was in fact named after my favorite strawberry (yes, she is a strawberry spirit). The Akihime strawberry is gorgeous, and absolutely delicious. You will never eat a sour Akihime strawberry, even when it's not wholly red. The strawberry is so expensive, I remember buying packs with only ten, and having to pay around five dollars for it. Five dollars was considered cheap. If you are ever in Japan during strawberry season, I totally recommend going to the supermarket and looking for it.