Thank you so very much to all my readers, and I greatly appreciate the comments some of you have left! (Thank yous to guests Tolazytologin and CL also since I could not reply to your comments.)
You know the drill: I don't own jackshit. (except any original characters, of course)
Quotes:
"What's the matter with me? Why do I feel this way? It's such a rut. The same old thing day after day. Same old people. I know I'm feeling sorry for myself but it's true." –Gil Holroyd, Bell, Book, and Candle (1958)
"I always thought it would get easier to be a person as I aged. But it just gets more and more complicated."
–Jim Butcher, Cold Days
Tsurara shook out the damp laundry with a thwap and hung it on the clothesline, humming a little to herself as she did so. She'd been so happy to see their Sandaime(1) joking and drinking with Zen and some of the other members of the clan the night before, looking less uninterested and tense than he had been recently.
Turning to grab another article of clothes, the yuki-onna saw her master and best friend emerge from his room, rubbing his eyes and yawning. Tsurara stifled a giggle. He'd never really been a morning person, though she supposed as a child that had been due to having so many nocturnal responsibilities as well as those during the day. She was thankful for his ability to set his own schedule these days.
Rikuo spotted her and smiled sleepily. "Morning, Tsurara." Another yawn.
"Good morning, Rikuo-sama!" she replied brightly. "Although it's almost not really 'morning' anymore! Did you drink too much with Zen-san last night?" she teased, knowing full well he wasn't hungover—just his usual morning grogginess.
He made a face at her, and she couldn't help but be pleased at how much more like his old self he seemed.
Rikuo disappeared, presumably to get breakfast and wake up, and Tsurara resumed her work on the laundry. The pattern of snapping out the damp clothes and pinning them up held a sort of satisfying meditative monotony, perhaps why she enjoyed the task, and her mind wandered, though not focusing on any one thing in particular.
"Tsurara? Tsurara!" A voice pulled her from her chore-induced trance, and she glanced over her shoulder to find Rikuo looking far more awake.
He arched an eyebrow at her. "Oi, you're freezing the laundry again, you know."
"Ehhhhh?" She turned back around—there was indeed a fine layer of frost coating the clothes. "Oh, kami, not again…"
Before she could apologize, which she had intended to do, Rikuo laughed. "You tease me about being sleepy, yet here you are zoning out and making popsicles out of our clothes."
Oh, Master, it's so good to hear you laugh more again…
She sniffed in mock offense and picked up the empty laundry basket. "Did you need something, Rikuo-sama?" she asked.
He nodded. "Kurōmaru brought some news for us from Kyoto, and there's a few other pieces of business to go over as well. Short informal meeting in ten minutes or so?"
"Hai!"
She quickly wrapped up what she was doing and then rejoined Rikuo in the courtyard, and together they went to the meeting room.
The minute they stepped inside, a young man with bright blue eyes and long black hair pulled into a ponytail came bounding up.
"Yo, Sandaime!" he exclaimed, and then proceeded to seize Rikuo's hand and pull him into a bear hug.
Er, in this case would that be a wolf hug?
Tsurara gave the ōkami a stern look. "Kōji-kun, it is hardly appropriate for you to grab Rikuo-sama like that!"
Kōji released Rikuo, turning, and when his gaze landed on her, his lips quirked in a cheeky grin. "Oh! Tsurara-nee-san! You ready to be my woman yet?"
She wrinkled her nose in displeasure, and when he reached toward her, ostensibly to take hold of her around her waist, pick her up, and spin her around—which he had done in the past—she released a little of her Fear(2) and exhaled a stream of icy air, freezing his hands.
He yelped and jerked back, looking for all the world like a kicked puppy.
Kurotabō, sitting a few feet away, spoke to Kōji quietly, "Be thankful that's the only part of your anatomy she froze. But I wouldn't push your luck."
Tsurara simply shrugged. I wouldn't, but he doesn't know that.
Kōji's face grew pale, and he edged away from Tsurara to sit near Kurotabō.
Everyone else gathered in the room watched with some amusement. Since the young wolf clan leader had exchanged sakazuki(3) with Rikuo a few years prior, they'd grown accustomed to his goofiness, though there were a few, including Tsurara, who had less patience than others.
One of these was Zen—though to be fair, Zen had little patience to begin with—and glaring at Kōji, he said, "Hey! Can we get started? Some of us have things to do!"
"Sorry, sorry… I was raised by wolves, you know." Kōji winked at Tsurara, evidently unaffected by the groans his terrible joke elicited, and then placed his hands behind his head and leaned back slightly, posture relaxed.
Whereas little of Kōji's antics escaped Tsurara's notice, Rikuo, on his part, barely noticed their exchange, his mind distracted by errant thoughts of Kagome. It bothered him that a stranger was getting to him so much…yet at the same time it was a rather pleasant feeling.
Since when is being bothered pleasant? Damnit, get ahold of yourself.
Realizing the room had quieted and all eyes were on him, he cleared his throat. "Thank you for taking time out of your day. We'll try to keep this brief."
He scanned the group, which comprised Tsurara, Kōji, Zen, Kurotabō, Kubinashi, Kejōrō, Kurōmaru, and— He paused when his gaze reached a cat yokai girl sitting near Kejōrō. The girl had pale copper-blond hair with a faint tabby striping and yellow-green eyes.
Ah, right, she's here about the Bakeneko cat sanctuary.
"Momo," Rikuo said, addressing the neko yokai. "I don't believe you've met Kōji before?"
She ducked her head slightly, and said softly, "N-no, S-sandaime…"
He glanced at Kōji, who was grinning and his eyes gleaming.
Likely at the prospect of someone new to potentially be "his woman."
"Momo, of the Bakeneko clan"—Rikuo waved in the direction of the aforementioned man—"meet Kōji, leader of the eastern ōkami clan."
"Nice to meet you, Kōji-san," she mumbled before glancing away.
Kōji's expression turned roguish for a moment, but then Kurotabō leaned over and spoke sotto voce to the younger man, inaudible to the rest of the room. Whatever he'd said, Kōji sobered and nodded politely to the shy neko yokai.
"Anyway…" Rikuo said pointedly, drawing their focus back to the meeting. "Momo, you have an update on the Bakeneko cat sanctuary?"
"H-h-hai, Rikuo-sama." Her voice was hesitant and barely above a whisper as she discussed how things were progressing with the project she and her sister, Miki, had undertaken. Rikuo wondered why her more outgoing younger sister hadn't come today instead, but then remembered with some amusement that Miki was, in addition to outgoing, rather abrasive and overly blunt.
Perhaps Momo didn't trust her not to cause problems?
Or, more likely, Ryōta Neko, their clan leader, hadn't trusted Miki not to cause problems.
Momo finished, saying, "Thanks to Aotabō-san's help, I believe we'll be able to open as anticipated on Tuesday, Rikuo-sama."
"Excellent work keeping things on schedule. I look forward to seeing it," he said and smiled, hoping both it and the encouragement would ease some of her anxieties.
Momo's nervousness inspired thoughts of another woman he recalled making nervous.
Though hopefully for a different reason…
He smacked himself mentally. What are you doing, idiot? Focus.
Rikuo looked toward the back of the room, where Kurōmaru was standing near the entrance, and caught his attention. "I understand you have some news for us"—he then angled his head toward Kōji—"as do you?"
The tengu stepped forward a few feet, knelt, and tilted his head in deference before looking up and speaking.
"Sandaime, our Kyoto liaison received a courtesy notice from Keikain House stating they'll have a member in town soon. They state that there's been some unusual murders—I believe they are referring to the two bodies discovered near First Street—and an increase in missing person reports that the local law enforcement is having trouble solving, and one particularly superstitious officer contacted Keikain House asking for assistance."
"Couldn't they have just let us handle it?" Kubinashi asked.
Rikuo smirked. "Hah, somehow I don't see the prestigious Keikain onmyojis telling Tokyo PD that a group of yokai yakuza will handle it. However, the fact that Keikain did notify us tells me they might like our help, just…unofficially."
Kurōmaru nodded. "That was my and my father's interpretation as well. Also, our other…er…unofficial liaison noted that there has not been any abnormal or suspect activity out of Hagoromo Gitsune's yokai, so we do not believe, at this juncture, that the Kyoto yokai are involved."
Several years ago, the Nuragumi had sent a couple of clan members to Kyoto, one who people in Kyoto were aware of and functioned as liaison with groups there, and the other incognito. They had a professional relationship with the Keikain when it was mutually beneficial and politely neutral, at least thus far, when it wasn't. With Hagoromo Gitsune's group, they tolerated one another at a distance, with equal parts grudging respect and healthy mistrust. They would never see eye to eye, and Rikuo was not so foolish as to let their guard down.
That was a good way to get killed.
"Kurōmaru, you and the Sanba Garasu see what you can learn about these incidents here in town and whether it looks like yokai involvement or simply human-on-human violence. Everyone else, no formal investigation until further notice, but if you happen upon anything relevant, let me know."
They all nodded and gave murmurs of assent.
"Thank you. Right, next… Kōji?" Rikuo waited expectantly.
Kōji sat up straight and leaned forward. "First, my grandfather sends his regards as well as news that an old acquaintance of his will be coming back to Japan on business for the first time in over 300 years. He'll be in Tokyo in the next few weeks or so, and I expect you'll get a… Hmm… To borrow Kurōmaru's term, a 'courtesy notice,' though according to my grandfather, this daiyokai can be kinda prickly, so by 'courtesy' he likely means 'expectation of an invitation to dinner,' and according to jiji, it would be a good idea to do so." He shrugged and gave a lopsided grin. "I couldn't say either way. Never met the guy."
Rikuo resisted the urge to massage his temples. Okay…vague and random… But then that was often par for the course with these wolves.
"Anything else?" Rikuo asked.
"Yes, and while it isn't cause for concern, at least not at the moment, I wanted you to be aware that we've had a couple run-ins with some rat yokai on the edges of our territory. They don't seem to be affiliated with any clan or organized in any particular manner, but they also don't appear to be up to any good."
Kurotabō raised his eyebrows, and Zen frowned.
"You don't think there's any chance they're remnants of the Kyūso clan, do you?" Tsurara asked, her tone laden more with annoyance than concern.
"Impossible!" Kubinashi said, eyebrows furrowing. "We took care of them years ago, and Rikuo-sama killed their leader."
"Still, it would be unwise to discount the, albeit extremely unlikely, possibility," Kurotabō spoke quietly.
Rikuo agreed. "Kōji, I'll leave this to you and your clan for now. Keep me apprised of any developments. Any other business needing attention?"
When no one spoke up—unless you counted Zen's coughing, which Rikuo didn't—he said, "Good! Meeting adjourned."
After the meeting, Rikuo had pulled Tsurara aside and, once he'd given her a cursory overview of the Kagome situation, asked if she could accompany him on a little errand. After all, she had ample experience blending in with humans, and he also knew that unlike some, she would be discreet about discussing the topic with other clan members. Tsurara had been happy to accommodate him.
It was midafternoon by the time Rikuo and Tsurara finally left and arrived at the Higurashi shrine. Though they were still in the city limits, once up the steps and through the scarlet torii gates, it was surprisingly quiet. Rikuo speculated it was perhaps due to the numerous trees surrounding the property, giving it somewhat of an illusion of being secluded, despite the fact that there was an excellent view of Tokyo from the top of the shrine stairs.
"Rikuo-sama?"
"Hmm?" he said, not really paying attention as he gazed out over the city. The leaves had begun to change, and in a few weeks, the late autumn color would be spectacular.
A small tap on his elbow made him refocus and look at Tsurara, whose expression held a mixture of confusion and concern.
"Is… Is this not the shrine we visited seven or eight years ago?"
He glanced around quickly, realizing she was right. "Could be a coincidence, but given the circumstances…"
"It's a little strange," she agreed.
Before they could venture much farther, an elderly Shinto priest with a long gray mustache and goatee, his body bent by the weight of age into a C-curve, walked up.
"Good afternoon! You two here to visit the shrine, or here to see one of my grandchildren?" he asked, and though his posture was relaxed, Rikuo noticed how he stared at him and Tsurara.
As if he's sizing us up.
Or trying to decide if we're human…
Rikuo found himself curious if the man had encountered yokai in the past.
"A little of both, actually, but I was wondering if Kagome-chan was home?"
The old man's eyes narrowed fractionally. "How do you know my granddaughter?"
Tsurara gave a bright cheerful smile and said, "We went to school together!"
Kagome's grandfather didn't look convinced, so Rikuo elaborated. "At the university, she means."
Some of the wariness on the man's face eased, and he nodded. "She's not here right now, but she is here a couple times a month. Shall I tell her you stopped by?"
Rikuo waved his hand. "Nah, that's okay, we'll catch up with her on campus. Thank you, though."
I guess it wouldn't do any harm to see if he knows anything… He is a Shinto priest after all.
"I, uh, don't suppose you've had any strange or unexplained incidents here recently?"
The aging priest arched an eyebrow at him.
He racked his brain for a reasonable excuse. "We're, uh, part of a paranormal investigation squad…" Oh, hell, is that really the best I could come up with?
Tsurara gave him a look, as if to say, "Seriously? Have you lost your mind?"
Kagome's grandfather averted his gaze, and Rikuo noticed it lingered ever so slightly on a small, weathered wooden building before he resumed eye contact.
"I couldn't say. You'd be better off asking my granddaughter about that. Or my grandson, who'll eventually take over after me in running the shrine." He paused, and then a smile spread slowly. "But if you're interested in unusual stories or lore, let me show you a few things here at our shrine."
Tsurara eyed Rikuo, and he shrugged. Perhaps they'd learn something useful.
They followed behind Kagome's grandfather to stand in front of a rather remarkably large tree adorned with a length of rope, from which hung zigzagging strips of cloth or paper.
Her grandfather gestured to the tree and said proudly, "Once, many centuries past, a ferocious dog demon was sealed to this Goshinboku by a powerful priestess."
"Oh, is that so? What happened to this inu-yokai?" Rikuo asked.
The priest looked faintly disconcerted. "Well, clearly he got unsealed, or died, or something like that. It was a long time ago. Sometimes the lore is a little vague, you know," the old man said.
He remained in front of the Goshinboku but pointed in the direction of a small building across from the main shrine, the one where Rikuo had noticed his gaze lingering. "That wooden building there houses the Bone-eater's Well, a well that dates back to the Sengoku era and has been part of our shrine for generations."
An unusual name. "Bone-eater?" Rikuo asked.
"Oh, I'm so glad you asked," their guide exclaimed cheerfully.
Rikuo wasn't sure if he should be happy or worried about the man's enthusiasm for history and folklore, though it could potentially explain Kagome's interest in the subject. He was reminded a bit of his childhood friend Kiyotsugu and momentarily imagined the two men one-upping one another with historical anecdotes and tales of yokai.
Perhaps I should introduce them.
"It hasn't been used as a well since before the Sengoku era, or at least the family history states that by then it had dried up. Instead, according to legend, it was used long ago for disposing of bones and remains of yokai. They'd throw the chopped-up remains into the well, and after a little while, they'd disappear. Where they went, no one knows."
Tsurara's face betrayed first her shock and then disgust. The old man must have noticed, for he said, "Grisly business, hmm? But no need to fear, there haven't been yokai around these parts in…" He hesitated, as though remembering something, and then hastily continued, "Well, in a long time."
He promptly began speaking about some other historical aspect of the shrine, but Rikuo's thoughts were still preoccupied by the Bone-eater's well.
There is something about that well house, Rikuo thought, that the aging priest doesn't want to reveal. He had no doubt that Tsurara had noticed it too.
As the old man talked, Rikuo and Tsurara exchanged a glance, and she nodded, seeming to know Rikuo's plan.
"Ano… I hate to interrupt, but do you perhaps have a restroom I could use?" A forced giggle, and then she added, "Too much tea earlier!"
Their guide gestured for her to follow, and when the two walked away, Rikuo slipped into the well house.
He'd expected…well, a well. Instead, he found a well encased in wood, its lid nailed shut with ofudas adhered to its surface and some kind of tree branch(4).
A ward?
He tentatively touched one of the corners, earning himself a small shock, but in doing so, he got the distinct impression the sutras were designed more to keep things in, not out.
Okay, now that is strange…
Given the story the old man had told them about it, he wondered if perhaps it was simply a family tradition in order to prevent any remnants of yokai the well had "eaten" from returning. Still…this ward hardly dated from the Sengoku era.
Rikuo would've liked to investigate further, but he didn't want to get caught in an area that was clearly "off limits" to shrine visitors. That would only raise any suspicions, and the elderly priest had seemed suspicious enough to begin with.
He got back to the Goshinboku barely before their guide and Tsurara returned. He was chatting away animatedly, and Tsurara wore her signature sweet smile, nodding and making comments here and there.
When she met his gaze, Rikuo gave a tiny headshake and then tipped his head slightly toward the exit.
During a slight pause in the old man's speaking, Tsurara turned to him and said apologetically, "I'm so sorry, but we must be on our way. We so appreciate both your expertise and you taking the time to give us a tour."
Kagome's grandfather beamed at the yuki-onna. He turned to Rikuo and gestured at Tsurara. "Quite a lovely girlfriend you've got here."
There was a time that a comment such as that would've had the two of them flustered and blushing furiously. Now, both Rikuo and Tsurara simply smiled.
"Not girlfriend," Rikuo said, "childhood best friend." A term that doesn't even scratch the surface, but that's none of his business.
The old man opened his mouth to say something more when some new shrine visitors appeared, and his attention was drawn toward them.
"Ah, well, nice of you to come by. I'm sorry you missed Kagome, and sorry we haven't had any exciting supernatural occurrences for you to investigate," he said, and then added under his breath, "not for many years anyway…"
Though he knew the old man hadn't intended for him to hear, Rikuo heard it nonetheless, and he was sure Tsurara had as well, thanks to heightened yokai senses.
Kagome's grandfather went to greet the new visitors, and Rikuo and Tsurara made their way down the shrine steps.
"I left an offering at the main shrine when I 'went to the ladies' room,'" Tsurara said offhandedly, adding air quotes and her golden eyes sparkling.
Rikuo gave a wry half-smile. "Not a particularly creative excuse, but an effective one in any event. See anything suspicious on your way there or back?"
"Sumimasen, Rikuo-sama. Nothing. But…the well?"
He told her what he'd found, and then said, "Unfortunately, I think all we've done is generate more questions about the Higurashi shrine and its miko."
"Don't worry, Rikuo-sama!" Tsurara said. "While you're in Tōno, I can try to do some research if you'd like?"
He groaned. "Oi, is that tomorrow?"
She nodded.
Rikuo still trained with Itaku and the Tōno yokai regularly, though unlike in the past, he now tried to be more fair and not make them travel to Tokyo all the time. So every few sessions, he would go out to Tōno, which he didn't mind, but right now he was rather preoccupied.
Damnit, looks like I'll have to wait to learn more about—and find—Kagome when I get back. Maybe I can convince Itaku to let me leave early Sunday…
Yeah, right. Like that would happen.
He realized he'd let his mind wander to thoughts of Kagome without giving Tsurara an answer. "Oh, yes, that would be helpful, but do so discreetly. I should be back late Sunday night, early Monday morning. I'll leave you and Kurotabō in charge."
"Hai! Is Zen-san still going with you?"
Shit, how much had he forgotten in his distraction over Kagome? He'd forgotten that the last time he returned from Tōno, Zen had mentioned accompanying him the next time. With his failing health, Zen liked both spending time with his sworn brother as well as making use of their hot springs.
Rikuo shrugged. "Who knows. Their hot springs would do him some good, though."
And the training will do me some good. Maybe get my head back on straight instead of thinking about random strangers all the time.
Despite being frustrated with himself over a serious lack of focus, Rikuo's mood was lighter than it had been in weeks.
I will find you, Higurashi Kagome.
Footnotes:
1. "Sandaime" means in "Third Head" in English, referring to Rikuo as the third generation leader of the clan. His father, Rihan, was the "Nidaime," or Second.
2. "Fear" or "osore" in Nurarihyon no Mago is similar to youki (or yokai ki/energy), but both the use of the term as well as its application in series is more detailed. Rather than me trying to poorly explain it, I'll allow Itaku, Rikuo's Tōno yokai trainer, (and of course in reality, the author, Shiibashi Hiroshi) to explain. In chapter 70, he tells Rikuo, "yokai exist to scare people, right? They instill fear, awe and respect. The term fear summarizes all those yokai powers. A yokai brings fear ["bringing fear"] when he amplifies his presence to surprise and overwhelm. It involves controlling the atmosphere. You know, like in spooky stories. A chill creeps into the air… And then a yokai can use his abilities. But that only works on humans. As time passed, yokai increased in number and began fighting over territory. A way to fight ayakashi [yokai] became necessary. That is called the next step." Itaku then goes further than this, explaining the next steps of using one's fear, but for now, we'll skip forward to the second relevant explanation he gives in chapter 71—"everyone has a different fear. Using fear as an attack…means manifesting your characteristics as a yokai in a physical way. A kappa's attack involves water. A yuki-onna's attack manifests as ice." So, at times, I may use Fear to be synonymous with youki (especially considering "Fear" or "osore" is not a term Kagome knows yet). Other times it will refer to this more specified application. I will do my best to make sure things remain clear!
3. Exchanging "sakazuki"—a ritual in which sake is exchanged as a pledge of loyalty. In Nurarihyon no Mago, two types are mentioned: One is the 5:5 pledge, which links them as equals or sworn siblings. Rikuo has done this with Zen, and it is implied at the end of the manga (or at least in my interpretation) Shōei as well. The second is the 7:3 pledge, which is a leader-subordinate dynamic. In canon, Rikuo has done the 7:3 exchange with Tsurara, Kurotabō, Aotabō, Kubinashi, Kappa, and Jami (if I'm forgetting anyone, please let me know!).
4. The branch atop the Bone-eater's Well (per a fan translation of the Inuyasha novelization) is a sakaki branch. Sakaki, otherwise known as Cleyera japonica, is a holy tree in Shintoism.
Author's Notes:
1. Sorry for the long footnotes! I try my best to keep them short, but those got out of hand!
2. I have good news and bad news. Bad news first – in a little over a week I'll be going out of town and unable to update for roughly two weeks. I know, I know. But don't say I didn't warn you – granted this isn't my muse's fault, but I did say not to get used to any sort of schedule. Good news—I should have the next chapter up in a few days.
3. Chapters will not always be either Kagome or Rikuo with never the twain meeting. But there's a tad bit o' groundwork getting laid here, so bear with me. I promise this twain shall meet.