Dawn has come to Portland Oregon with the Sun rising in the Eastern sky. It is still cloudy in the sky but the rays of the Sun slowly make the clouds move away from its beams of light. The dew from last night on the grass shimmers gently in the light of the sun. The shop slowly wakes up with activity. Maru and Moro were the first ones up, the Mokonas were not far behind in waking up and scurrying about the shop, and lastly Yuuko wakes up from her slumber and greets the day as she stretches her arms and body. August on the other hand did not wake up from his sleep as his insomnia from last night made him stay awake too long. To August, sleep felt very good and his body was keen in staying asleep.
"Hi there." A small voice could be heard in his room. August did not wake up from that voice. "Hello, Mister Sleepy Man."
August stirs in his sleep and nuzzles his pillow. He purrs, the guest bed certainly feels good to him sleeping in it. His subconscious has heard the small voice. "F-five more… m-minutes." August slurs unconsciously. His body was determined to stay in bed.
"Well ok Mister Sleepy Man." The tiny voice replied. The voice sounded like it belongs to a boy that could be at the age of ten years old. "But I just have a question for you mister. Am I in the right place?"
August is slowly waking up, his eyes were furrowed. He rises up slowly, sitting up on his guest bed to scold the voice only that he can't find the voice at first. He rubs the sleep in his eyes to see if he can have another look for the small voice that has woken him up. He still can't find him.
"Alright, I'm up. Where are you?" August growled.
"Down here Mister Sleepy Man!" The small voice called to August. He looks at the night stand and discovers that the little voice belongs to a very small spider with large expressive eyes that looks at him. His eyes were locked on the tiny spider and it waves at him in greeting with one of its front legs. "Hi!"
Realizing that he has a spider in his room and all senses of it belonging to a child quickly vanish and was suddenly replaced with a mild dose arachnophobia as he jerks back away from the tiny spider. "Oh snap!" August shouted. He is looking at the tiny spider that is looking at him, now having the expression on his face like he's sad.
"Wait! Don't be scared of me! I'm friendly!" The small spider pleaded as he waves both his front legs as if waving to calm August down.
August was at first scared of the little spider only to take a better look at him and forms a second opinion on the little arachnid. "Oh, you're a jumping spider right?" August asks.
"I look like one. You're exactly correct!" The jumping spider replies. "Although, what I really wanted to ask is have you seen the shop owner anywhere?"
August went from adoration to being perplexed. Then he realizes that he had spent another night in the shop with Yuuko. One more thing stuck into his mind, and then he speaks out loud in realization. "Man she really wasn't kidding when she said we were getting a little customer."
The jumping spider giggles. "Well, I am a little one after all." He skitters about on the night stand as if he were dancing. "Can you help me find her?"
Before August could make a response, the Black Mokona hops about into the guest room. "Ah, there's our customer!" Said the Black Mokona excitedly.
The small arachnid turns his body in the direction of the black rabbit like creature. "Hi!" He said as he waves his front leg at the Black Mokona. Mokona is about as big as a small rabbit. The spider is no bigger than a quarter. The small spider was curious. "I've never seen you before. What are you?"
"Mokona!" Black Mokona squeaks as the rabbit creature happily bounces. "What's your name little guy?"
"My name is Asabikeshiinh." The small spider answers as he seemingly gives a bow to the Mokona with his front leg across his lower front half of his body and tipping forward all the while his abdomen rises higher. "Well, at least that's a title that my momma gave me. My real name's Charlie." His eyes seem to brighten up as if smiling.
Later on, Charlie and the Black Mokona coming out of the room with White Mokona leading the little spider to Yuuko.
August comes out of the room after they do with a different set of clothes on from yesterday. He pats down his hair on his head with his hands to flatten down. He comes to the room he first met Yuuko in and sees that she is seated on her couch throne dressed in a blue and violet dress with a white patterning on her sleeves. Yuuko is talking to Charlie who is perched on her hand. Yuuko sees August. "So you've finally woke up, August." Yuuko said plainly. Her red eyes focus back on Charlie with adoration for the small arachnid. "Didn't I tell you how cute you are?"
Charlie giggles and skitters about in a circle on her hand and faces back to Yuuko. "Any more of that and I'll have to change my name to Lucas." Charlie responded.
"Nonsense, Charlie is a perfect name for you." Yuuko says as she smiles warmly to the spider. "Charlotte is the name of a very famous spider from a book. Your name reminds me of that a lot."
This made Charlie squeak with joy and skitter about.
Maru and Moro are at Yuuko's side, seemingly admiring the little spider with adoration.
August walks into the room watching the scene unfold before him. The temptation to take a picture of that scene with his smart phone was very hard to resist but ultimately decided against it. August comes closer to the four of them. Charlie sees August coming closer to them.
"Hey there Mister Sleepy Man!" Charlie cheerfully shouted as his front leg waves at him. He faces back to Yuuko. "So seeing as I am here, I just want to know; is everything that I've heard true about you? Like, you can grant any wish?"
Yuuko's expression changes from the look of adoration for Charlie to a more serious expression complemented by her soft smile and half-lidded red eyes. "What you have heard of me is true. I am able to grant any wish you so desire… so long as I get my payment of course." Yuuko says sagely. "So please, tell me your wish."
Charlie's eyes seemed to widen with wonder. Then he thought for a moment, seemingly scratching where his chin would be with his front leg deep in thought. "Well… There is one wish that has been on my mind." The jumping spider said, and then his eyes brighten up. "I want to be just like the first Asabikeshiinh. I wish to be one of the great dreamcatcher makers!"
August pauses to the declaration Charlie gave to Yuuko. His insomnia induced web browsing for many nights have in some ways got him prior knowledge on Native American lore. It had occurred to him that Asabikeshiinh is a figure of legend and origin of how dreamcatchers were made. August now seems curious to know why Charlie the Spider wants to be able to make dreamcatchers to begin with. "Fascinating." August silently spoke.
Yuuko smiles. "Such a sweet wish for you to have, Charlie." Said Yuuko. "Are you able to present to me payment for this wish to come true for you?"
Charlie nods. "Yes I do!" The small spider declares. "One dream that I have that I have completely remembered and cherish dearly. I think it may be something nice for you to have."
Charlie holds up what appears to be a pebble that is very small but upon a closer look it's actually a pearl-like gem that seems to give off a brilliant glow despite its size.
"Can you tell me what the dream you've had was all about?" Yuuko asks Charlie.
"The dream that I've had feels almost like a story. Sort of a vision, at least, that's what my mom calls it." Charlie explains. "Anyway; in the dream, there's a Wolf that has a limp. He was chased away from a pack that has rejected him. The Wolf grew spiteful and hated himself; yet he is sad and lonely as he wants someone to accept him. He comes to a pond to drink but was greeted by his own reflection, a reminder that he is weak as he growls at the reflection. Before he could do anything else, his ears have picked up the faintest flapping sound only he could hear. Wolf turns away from the pond to look for where the sound was coming from. He looks and looks and looks until his golden eyes behold what to him seems the strangest sight to him. A Black Butterfly stood, perched on a red flower feeding on the nectar. Wolf slowly comes to the Butterfly, curious of the insect his eyes now look upon. He at first came very close to the Butterfly but steps back as though he was afraid of more rejection. The Butterfly didn't flutter off; instead she faces Wolf and slowly opens and closes her wings seemingly unafraid of him. Then, Wolf comes close enough to where Butterfly comes on to his nose and snout. Her wings open and close again as she climbs on Wolf's face in a gesture of being unafraid of him. Wolf realizes that he has made a friend that wants to teach him to be stronger for himself and for Butterfly. The Butterfly flutters off and Wolf follows her into the night wanting to stay by the one thing that showed him kindness."
"Aw!" Maru and Moro squeaked in unison after hearing the dream Charlie had.
"That's one heck of a dream." August commented. "Do you know what it means?"
Charlie faces August and shook his head. "Well, Mister Sleepy Man, I don't really know what it means to be quite honest with you." Charlie shrugged with his front legs. "It was a really nice dream that I had."
"Sure sounds like it. I can't even remember most of my own dreams if I have had any at all." August said.
"With this little stone right here, I can revisit that dream over and over thanks to momma." The Spider held the glowing stone proudly. Then, Charlie faces back to Yuuko. "Do you think it's enough to help me in this wish?"
Yuuko nods and Charlie squeaks with joy.
"I can grant you that power to become an Asabikeshiinh. It would take some steps in being a Dreamcatcher maker, but in the end all of that power can be granted to you once you have made your first one." Yuuko spoke softly. She holds her hand out for Charlie to place the pebble sized stone on the palm of her hand to have as compensation for the wish to come true. "I may be able to interpret the dream you've had, Charlie."
Charlie hopped onto the palm of her hand and places the stone there then hops back to the other hand.
August was smiling at the sight of Charlie getting his wish granted, albeit in the most subtle way possible. He then looks at Yuuko, her red eyes were on his brown eyes and her expression a gentle smile. "You are going to help Charlie make his first dreamcatcher. In the meantime, I'll be here in the shop interpreting the dream. Think you can help him out for me?" Yuuko said.
"Um sure, I don't know how to make a dream catcher though." August says as he raises a brow and shrugs.
"Not to worry. I have a list of things for you to get in order for it to be made." Yuuko explains. "The rest Charlie can do."
Charlie hops on to August's shoulder. "It'll be a piece of cake!" Charlie cheered.
Later in the day, August was driving with Takuma in the passenger seat and Black Mokona in the back in a baby seat. Charlie casually sits on August's shoulder. They were heading to a park in the west of Portland to look for materials for Charlie to start making the dreamcatcher that were specifically on the list Yuuko provided.
The list reads:
1. String. Lots and lots of string or spider silk. Charlie should have that covered.
2. Weeping Willow branches and make sure it can properly form a circle for the dreamcatcher to be effective. Make sure the circle is in the square.
3. A feather from a bird. For the best effect on specifics, it can be an Eagle, a Hawk, a Raven, or (and this is if you're very lucky) a Thunderbird's feather. Note; please no plucking the feather off the bird please.
4. Stay safe in the park!
"Seems simple enough to do on the list." August intones. He holds up a Golden Eagle feather proudly. "Good thing I got this little feather, so that knocks out one portion of the list."
"Sure does!" Charlie said as he looks at the feather.
"Yeah, and all that is really needed is the Willow branches!" The Black Mokona squeaks.
"Too easy for that matter." Takuma stoically spoke with a hint of caution in his voice. "Where we're heading to is going to be very active."
"Paranormal activity, creepy stuff, whatever the-" August cut himself off catching himself before swearing in front of the spider that is more than likely still a child. "hay is in there. I got my charm with me and I have you along. I'm not even the slightest bit worried."
"That's why Yuuko wanted me to come along with you to be safe." Takuma said. "There's more that can go wrong in the forest than spirits."
August nods, Takuma has a point. "Right!" He answers.
As the SUV drove along, they come to a large forest. It gradually got denser as they went deeper; the underbrush on the sides of the rode was thick with green leaves and shrubbery. The trees that loom over the vehicle seem so dense they almost block out the sun with their leaves. It was mostly conifer, evergreen, needle leaf trees that surround them. There's also more than a few broad leaf trees that seamlessly intermingle with the evergreens. The specific tree they were looking for is a Weeping Willow with its long vine-like branches that dangle downward with the small leaves along the branches.
Finding any willow tree in question should be easy enough as far as August was concerned as he has long associated them being close to lakes and large ponds. The thing of it is they'd have to walk to the closest willow in the park in order to harvest just a few branches for Charlie to use for his dreamcatcher. The issue is, the invisible spirits loomed over in the trees like the hungry animals they are, precisely the reason why Takuma and the Black Mokona is with August.
They are coming to a parking lot that's in the national forest. In the parking lot it is mostly unoccupied save for a single van that looks like a storm chaser car. August recognizes the storm chaser car as he has seen more than a few storm chaser videos on the web but he is more confused than immediately worried.
"What's with the storm chaser car in the middle of a national forest of all places? Aren't those usually in the Midwest?" August asks himself out loud.
"Not sure, probably something in the forest that means business." Takuma answers back but seems confused also.
"Oh, they must be looking for Sasquatch!" Black Mokona excitedly squeaks as the rabbit creature bounces up after unbuckling the baby seat.
Charlie looks confused at first then realizes what Black Mokona meant. "They're looking for Bigfoot out there?" Charlie asks.
"Reasonable enough, but I doubt they'll find the champ of hide and seek." August said half-jokingly. Takuma looks at August confused at what he meant. August looks back at Takuma with a raised brow. "Nobody ever has ever seen this guy and brought back any evidence of the big hairy Sasquatch at all!"
The SUV parks in the parking lot of where the storm chaser car is. All of them got out of the car. August is dressed in different clothing than what he had in the morning as he is in a brown vest with a mahogany shirt beneath, he also has a bag just big enough to hold Black Mokona inside for the rabbit creature to occupy comfortably. Takuma is in a red jacket on and Charlie sits comfortably on August's shoulder as he always has since they left the shop.
The four of them took to the path into the park. August looks up and sees that the spirits were up higher in the trees looking at August, hungrily wanting to have a taste of his blood. Despite the sheer amount of spirits in the forest, combined with August's charm, Takuma's presence, and one of Mokona's 108 secret techniques; they were all safe so long as they stayed close together. The spirits in the forest came in different shapes, forms, sizes, textures, and energies. Nearly all of the spirits were lower spirits and the mere amount that follow August and his company were too many to count but with them staying together, the spirits were rendered practically harmless.
August and Takuma stuck close as they tread the trail in the park. The forest is getting denser as they go deeper. The four of them know there's a willow tree within the forest near a lake. It's a rather specific willow tree as it is supposed to give an immense power to channel strong energies of supernatural power, one of which involves dreams.
"I'm not much for asking personal questions to people but can I ask you something Takuma?" August asks. He is growing curious about Takuma and his past, why become a human, and how did he really meet Yuuko.
"That depends on the question, August." Takuma replies.
"Like… how did you and Yuuko really first meet? I heard it was somewhere along the lines of her being at a bar at the time but that doesn't feel like the whole story." August explains to Takuma.
"I was a wanderer; I eked out my living looking for scraps and easy game to catch." Takuma started talking then paused. "She tell you I was a wolf once?"
August nods. "Yuuko did say you were a wolf once to me, yeah." August answered.
"Well then, you must already know that wolves were officially declared extinct in Japan, correct?" Takuma questions August.
"From my understanding, yes. Although, I've heard some stories that they're just hiding in Japan's forests and mountains. Are you saying you're one of them?" August said.
Takuma nods. "I am." He responded. "I was in a difficult position at the time. The hiding places were slowly shrinking and food was becoming difficult to find beyond getting scraps and litter. It wasn't until that I was near the outskirts of a small town that I was to have a wish granted that would save my life. Yuuko was on her way out of the bar and back home with whatever magic she uses to get herself home. Before she had did so she noticed that I was looking from the trash desperate to live. At the time I wasn't paying attention before my nose picked up her scent coming closer to me and it was indescribable, an aroma that would be the envy of all flowers. I knew there was something beyond natural with Yuuko when my wolf eyes turned to look at her. Her aura was powerful and I knew deep down at the time, my life would change. She saw the state I was in and took pity on me and took me to the shop to get my wish granted."
August took in the information on Takuma's past with seriousness. "What did you wish for?" August asks.
"Survival." Takuma stated simply. "My world was shrinking and I knew that I needed to either change myself or fade away with the shrinking world."
"So you became human." Said August.
"Yes and no. I was elevated to become human in physical form but have retained the attributes of my former wolf self, down to the nature." Takuma elaborated. "If you are thinking that I can shapeshift into a wolf and lose my personality in this form, it doesn't. I am not a werewolf; I am just simply a wolf."
August looks about the spirits that were behind him that kept their distance from them. "So why do the spirits seem to react differently to you compared to even my charm?" He asks.
"I suppose I'm more specifically an Ookami in that sense considering that the Japanese word for wolf shares the spelling for the translation for god, little g though." Takuma explained and gestures with his finger and thumb emphasizing the little g.
"Interesting, learn something new every day." August says, he's fascinated by what he is learning.
Before they advanced deeper into the forest, they have heard a distant, loud, and deep cry of an animal. This made the two of them stop and listen briefly. Charlie scurries into August's shirt pocket, scared by the sound. The Black Mokona popped out of the bag to look around for the sound, the rabbit creature was excited by the noise.
"That's a Sasquatch!" Black Mokona squeaked excitedly as it looks around wondering if it would catch a glimpse of the creature.
"Not so loud Mokona!" Charlie hushes Black Mokona. "You don't want all of us to be eaten!"
Another cry was heard, echoing in the forest. This time Black Mokona raises its ears to listen more carefully. To the Mokona's disappointment, it was coming from a speaker. "Aw! It's just a speaker!" The Mokona squeaks in annoyance while crossing its small arms.
August looks around also, now mildly at ease that it was just speakers making that noise. But, curiosity had gotten the better of him. "I wonder if it's the same group with that car." August asks himself out loud.
"Well, I can't say they have any spare time to chat, just as we have a job to do for Charlie." Takuma reasoned. "Let's get ourselves to the tree."
After the small exchange and pause, the two with the Black Mokona and Charlie in tow, resumed their track to the willow.
Eventually, the four of them reached a clearing with the Weeping Willow that stood near a small and calm lake that seems to shimmer with the sunlight. The hungry spirits that were following them were not following them anymore once they've reached the tree's area as it seemed to glow with an aura with seem to swirl and flow like mist and water mixed with Fireflies but was a brilliant shade of yellow and violet. The Willow's leaves seem to sway but there was hardly any wind giving the tree a more ethereal presence to it along with the brilliant aura that has clung to the tree.
Charlie has scurried out of August's pocket onto his shoulder and marvels at the glowing tree. "That's definitely the tree we are looking for." Said Charlie, with his eyes wide and seemingly at awe with the tree's majesty.
The Black Mokona emerges out of the bag and looks up at the tree. "The tree for sure is definitely alive and active." Squeaked the Mokona. It was certainly true, the Weeping Willow seems to actually be alive as if it were conscious of their presence in the clearing.
August couldn't help but stand there with his mouth open just seeing the Willow. Compared to all the willow trees he had seen, this one seemed huge. "I think we can get your wish granted shortly Charlie." Said August. Before he took a step towards the Weeping Willow, Takuma's hand grabs his shoulder.
"Wait." Takuma intoned. "This tree seems to have a consciousness of its own. It's also very likely that it is fiercely guarded by a powerful spirit."
August looks at Takuma, worried about what powerful spirit could be guarding the tree and if this tree's going to inflict something bad on him. "You don't suppose it's unfriendly or even afraid of us… is it?" August asks nervously before gulping.
Takuma looks at the tree again, stoically. Despite his unease, even he was in awe with the tree's presence but he wants to be careful. "I really don't know." Takuma spoke after a few seconds looking at the glowing Weeping Willow. He watches it gracefully sway in the nonexistent wind with the aura.
After a moment of debating on the course of action, August, with Charlie, walked slowly towards the Willow. He was unsure of how the tree will react as he got closer until he was inside of the aura of the tree. The sensation going through the aura on his skin is like a gentle mist. He and Charlie are within the Willow's leaves that dangle down, swaying gracefully. August couldn't help but notice a sound… a sound that is like breathing.
"Hello…" A voice that sounded an old man that is amongst them coming from the trunk of the Willow. The voice sounds ancient, like he had lived for almost a few millennia and saw everything. It sounded gravely and rough with age but there was an unusual softness to his voice.
August looks towards the trunk of the tree, where the voice is coming from. "Hello?" August responded to the voice, unsure if the voice had heard him. He cautiously comes toward the tree's trunk.
"You have nothing to fear from me, child." The Willow reassured August. "You and the young spider have come to me for something, something that is needed."
"Yeah, yeah we have." August answered the Willow. "We've come to create a Dreamcatcher."
The Willow hummed to this. "So it must be your first time, young spider." The Willow spoke; he already knows Charlie hasn't made a dreamcatcher before and has determined that this will be his first time for him.
Charlie nods. "That's right." The small spider chirped.
As Charlie answered the Willow, one of the branches drops down in a bundle. August looks at the bundle of the Willow's fallen branch. "You can have the fallen branch to use as the basis for the Dreamcatcher, little one. You want to become an Asabikeshiinh, like your ancestors before you, it is a spiritual art not often appreciated for what it really can do for the dreamer." The Willow said softly like the breeze of the wind.
August comes over to the fallen branch and picks it up and examines it briefly, the branch was flexible but surprisingly strong. He puts it on the ground and forms a circle with the branch. Charlie hopped down and did what all spiders do, build a web in the circle of the Weeping Willow's branch making certain that it stayed strong and firm. Charlie despite his small stature built his web with a rapid speed all the while keeping care to not make a mistake with the silk of his web. Once the web is finished, Charlie was looking up at August with his legs outstretched.
"Do you have the feather?" Charlie asks August.
August checks his pockets and feels the unmistakable texture of the Eagle feather. "Um, yes I do." August replies and hands the spider the feather to complete his dreamcatcher.
Charlie spun more silk to attach the feather's shaft to the dreamcatcher's hoop with the string of silk. Once that is done, the dreamcatcher then seems to glow upon completion now resonating an energy of sorts.
August looks at it in amazement and was sort of proud of the little spider's handiwork. Charlie hops back onto August's shoulder as he picks up the Dreamcatcher. "I guess we did it Charlie." August said to the small spider while smiling.
Charlie's eyes seem to shine, happy that he made his first dreamcatcher and making it special no less.
August was smiling still until a thought came to his mind. "Charlie, do you have a place you call home?" He asks Charlie.
The spider simply shrugs with his legs in the air. "I don't know to be honest. I sort of wander around and I haven't really gave it much thought."
August took that into consideration for Charlie. "Ever thought of having a place to stay and live at?" August asks.
Charlie thought for a moment, and then he looks at the tree. "I wouldn't mind living with the Willow. He seems really nice." Charlie said sweetly.
August looks at the Willow and back at Charlie. "Really?"
"Absolutely Mr. Sleepy Man!" Charlie replies cheerfully with confidence.
Then August smiles softly at the spider. "Alright then little guy." He said. "Want me to place the dreamcatcher on the tree then?"
Charlie nods.
August carefully places the dreamcatcher on the trunk of the tree and Charlie spins more silk to attach the dreamcatcher on the trunk of the Willow. Then August looks at the trunk of the Willow tree, almost expecting him to speak.
"You do not need to fear for the young spider's safety. Where I grow, here in this forest, is protected by great spirits that will wish him no harm. I will be his shelter for the little one." The old Willow Tree spoke gently. "After all, this is not goodbye for you and your friend. For you will see him again in dreams."
The reassurance from the Willow was enough to make August smile again. He waves his finger to Charlie. "Hope to see you again Charlie." August said. "Might be a while though."
Charlie waves back to August with his front leg. "Like the Willow said, we can see each other again!" Said Charlie, enthusiastically. "I know we will!"
After the two of them exchanged their farewells, August emerges out of the gold and violet aura surrounding the Willow tree. Takuma was waiting patiently for August to come out of the Aura surrounding the tree. The Black Mokona popped out of the bag that sat beside Takuma to see August coming back. August came to them shortly after emerging from the aura.
"How'd it go?" The Black Mokona asks.
"Smoothly, friendliest tree I've met in my life." August said. His eyes seem to twinkle in the light.
The Black Mokona notices this and realizes August was about to shed a few tears. "Are you crying?" The Mokona asks.
"What? No!" August said defensively. He was trying his best not to shed a tear that threatens to stream down his face but he wasn't very good at hiding it. "I just wanted to let Charlie live with the Willow tree and make it his new home!"
"Aww! You gave Charlie a new home with the Willow." Mokona squeaked. "I wasn't aware you were a crier."
"I'm not crying!" August defensively shouted at the Mokona. "I just got something in my eye, that's all."
"I'm not judging." Takuma said plainly although he had a small smirk on his face.
August scowled trying his best not to shed anymore tears. "I'll have you know, I was just about to get attached to Charlie." August said. "But I knew that this place was probably his best chance in living good."
After the three of them made their exchanges, they went back into the denser parts of the forest making their way back to August's SUV. It was a slow track back with the path being nonexistent with only patches of grass and dirt being their path and for whatever reason it felt slower coming back than going in.
Takuma was looking around, something wasn't right to him. He puts his hand on August's shoulder and August looks at Takuma.
"What?" August asks.
"Look around you." Takuma replies.
August does what Takuma says and immediately was curious and slightly relieved. "There's no spirits following us anymore. That's a relief."
Takuma shook his head. "Look and listen!" He hissed.
August raises a brow and then his eyes widened, realizing exactly what he was talking about. The forest was deafly quiet. Something was amiss and this made him scared like back in the Art Gallery. "What's going on?" August finally asks, afraid to find out the answer.
"I don't know but something is following us, watching us." Takuma answers. "We should keep going."
The two of them kept moving through the brush while the Black Mokona looks around from in the bag. Takuma was keeping vigilante of his surroundings, not ready to assume it's safe.
August kept moving forward and a steady pace as he also looked around until he saw a shape in the forest that seemed to dart through the trees and brush. This made him stop in his tracks, afraid to move.
Takuma sees August freeze up. "You saw something, did you?" Takuma asks August.
August simply nodded rapidly. "Yes I did." He spoke quietly. "It's moving very fast but I don't think it sees us."
Takuma pushes on August to snap him out of his frozen fear. "Keep going. I'd rather not have to deal with whatever that thing is in the woods. Let's pick up the pace, but don't run. We don't want it seeing we're afraid." Takuma whispered.
August nods and picks up the pace hoping to get to the SUV as soon as possible while keeping a vigilante eye around his surroundings. For a short while he saw nothing in the woods near the path. That had set his mind at ease thinking that it would leave them alone. It wasn't until some minutes later that he noticed another set of footsteps that didn't belong to either him or Takuma was following them in the brush. He looks around again only to catch a glimpse of a figure. He saw what looked like a wolf's head in the brush only to rise up to reveal that that was a head piece of a man wearing it. His heart was pounding as he realizes that he recognizes that person from some time before meeting Yuuko. He covered his own mouth to prevent himself from screaming. August picks up the pace to a fast walk on the path leading Takuma and Mokona in the bag out of the woods as quick as they could.
"Don't look. Don't look. Don't look." August kept repeating himself as he speed walked on the path.
Takuma kept close behind August. Then he realizes that there were noises coming from up ahead. "August, wait!" Takuma shouted as he cuts in front of August, the hairs on the back of his neck were standing up as he stopped in front of August making him stop.
August was confused as to why Takuma was blocking him only to realize in his dread that the man that was following them went straight ahead of them to cut them off from their exit. The man revealed himself on the path in his wolf pelt.
August at the time didn't make out any details the first time seeing the Skinwalker from before now the details he is seeing he really wished he hadn't seen.
The pelt he wears was a mess and was grotesquely merging with his skin, with his hands at times replaced with claws. His body frame looked frail but the moment his claws touched and left a deep scratch on the tree bark did August realize he was more than capable of killing them on the spot. He gave a smile to the three of them; his teeth were jagged and pointy. His eyes however were the most unsettling for him as they seemed to be an evil sickly yellow color to his eyes. All the while that August was looking at him, the Skinwalker was growling at him hungrily.
Takuma glared at the Skinwalker baring his teeth at him defensively. He also snarled. Despite seeing Takuma in his wolf form once before, he never really saw how savage he could look and was now starting to realize that the wolf part of him, is him.
"His blood… is mine!" The Skinwalker hissed and snarled at Takuma that defiantly stood his ground against the medicine man.
"You aren't going to take him!" Takuma snarled back.
The Black Mokona pops out of the bag and blows a raspberry at the Skinwalker. "You won't even touch him!" The Black Mokona squeaks angrily.
The monstrosity cackles, which sounded like a combination of hyenas laughing and coyotes howling, words didn't matter to him. He wanted August's blood; the scent to him was irresistible to him. The defiance of such a small creature to him was laughable and would absolutely make short work of the creature.
Before the Skinwalker could take a swing at Takuma to get him out of his way towards August, there was a loud deep howl that rumbles through the forest that shook even the evil medicine man to his own core. He looks in the direction of the howl; the Black Mokona does the same as do August and Takuma. There stood a tall shape in the woods that has the appearance of a wolf, only much taller and much stronger than the Skinwalker. The eyes of the creature glowed staring at them.
The Skinwalker looks back at August and the Mokona in the bag, which smiled knowingly as the Skinwalker looked at him.
"See? Told you, you won't touch him!" Mokona squeaked, taunting the Skinwalker.
The Skinwalker growled and shifted to all fours and ran off. "I will have what is mine!" He snarls before cackling then disappearing in the woodlands.
August and Takuma looked in the direction of where he ran off to, then looks at the looming shadow of a beast in the forest just enough to obscure its shape but they knew it was large.
"I don't know about you but I don't want to stick around and see if that big guy is friendly." Takuma said cautiously.
"Agreed!" August spoke up.
August and Takuma with the Black Mokona in tow went at a little quicker pace than before getting out of the forest. As they moved through the trees, another set of footsteps followed them that belonged to the large animal that scared of the Skinwalker, it hasn't gotten closer to the three of them nor has it made any aggressive sounds to them as they moved along. As soon as the three of them got out of the forest and into the parking lot, they made their way to the SUV with the speed of a gazelle to get out of there as fast as they can. They all got in, with the Black Mokona in the baby seat no less, and drove out of there. August looked out the window to see if anything was following them, he sees that in the tree line stood the very creature that was following them, the general appearance of the creature reminded him of a werewolf in some movies. The very sight of the creature made him speed the SUV faster and out of the forest.
As they were driving along far enough away from the national forest, August was thinking a lot about what just happened. "Mokona... how did you know that thing was going to show up?" August asks the Black Mokona.
"I guess I was lucky!" Black Mokona replies with a shrug. "I didn't know that thing was even there."
"I see." August said unconsciously as he was driving. He also couldn't help but think back to Charlie's dream, about the wolf and the butterfly, he wanted to know what it meant and if it at all was related to Takuma and Yuuko at all or something else entirely.
It was a couple hours later that August had come back to Yuuko's shop. The Black Mokona and the White Mokona joyously danced with one another in reunion and seemingly bounced about in play. Maru and Moro were at the door, all smiles as they gestured their welcome to August.
"Welcome back Full-timer!" Maru and Moro cheered in unison.
August smiles back to the two children. "Hello again, kiddos." August greeted back as he entered the shop.
He navigates through the shop's corridor and figured she would either be in her throne room, as August refers to it as, or the veranda. He ends up finding her at the coffee table, her red eyes meeting his brown eyes as he entered.
"You're back a bit early." Yuuko commented. "I see that his wish is granted now, is it not?"
"Yeah, Charlie has made the dream catcher and now lives with the Weeping Willow as his home." August replies. "Although we did speed on back into town, because the three of us saw some real spooky stuff that means business in that forest earlier."
Yuuko sips from her cup of tea, she wasn't at all surprised that he had some issues in the forest resulting him being away from the forest as fast as possible. "I'm not at all surprised that you have." Yuuko stated plainly. She sips from her cup again before looking at his face more carefully and the smile that she wore before turned into a frown. "You encountered something in the forest, and it wasn't just a mass of hungry spirits."
August nodded.
Yuuko then gestures him to take a seat at the coffee table, to which August did.
"This is very important. Don't say what it is, describe it to me." Yuuko said, her tone was serious and concerned.
August knew full and well what Yuuko was doing as she and he knows that names have power. "This person was wearing a pelt, a wolf's I think. He looked rather frail but he was absolutely bonkers strong, his claws left a mark on a tree without so much as brushing it." August said as he shivered at the image of the evil medicine man he had encountered earlier. "His skin… it was all wrong, like it couldn't make up its mind if it had normal skin like a person or was growing fur like a wolf's. His eyes though, they were the most evil shade of yellow I had ever seen."
August by the time he got done describing what he saw was almost shivering with dread. Saying it out loud only seemed to validate what he has seen in the forest, and that made him very, very scared.
After a brief pause, he looks at Yuuko, curious for answers. "How did you know I saw something there?"
Yuuko was still frowning before she heard the question to which her expression changed to a smile, like she's giving him her trade secret to something August wasn't aware of. "I'm able to read faces, Physiognomy if you will. It's a form of divination involving the face that, unlike palm reading, has changing fortune." Yuuko explains.
"So I came back here with very bad luck written all over my face?" Augsut asks now a little afraid of the answer to what Yuuko has to give to him.
Yuuko frowns and nodded.
The Black and White Mokonas hopped into the room, seemingly overhearing the conversation.
"There was another thing that he did see, that seemed to scare him off." The Black Mokona added. The Mokona turned and faces August. "And lucky for you, I am very good luck!"
August looks at the Black Mokona, now reminded that they did see another thing in the forest. "Well, now that you mentioned it, Mokona, there was also something that just followed us until we got in the SUV. Don't know how else to describe it other than a really big wolf standing upright." August explains, still shivering from the sight. "Think like if you crossed it with the Van Helsing Werewolf with the Twilight ones."
"Interesting." Yuuko replies before sipping her tea. Her frown still hasn't left her face.
August now became curious to know now. "Yuuko, before coming to your shop, I was driving back to my apartment complex and sometime in the night, I saw that man from earlier today as I was at a stop light, and I saw you across from him." August said. "I know that was you that I saw that night, your eyes are unmistakable… What happened?"
Yuuko grabs her pipe and inhales from it deeply then soothingly blows out the smoke from her lips before looking at August with her red eyes, now seemingly mesmerizing him like before. She couldn't help but smile as she's fully aware that August likes her eyes. "That man that you have encountered a couple of times, he is the one I am confronting for someone's wish to be granted. That actually wasn't my first time encountering him; it was at a reservation that I went to see someone for a wish to be granted." Yuuko explains. "The sister of the chief in the village confided in me to help the village lift their curse, she begged me to help. The price that was paid was a steep one as it would have involved me greatly in order to resolve things. She wanted it to be gone from the village, not for her sake but for her village's. I had stuck around in the village for the night to see if he'd showed up. He was rather tricky as he at first assumed the form of a lost teenager when I first saw him but upon revelation he was trying to get into one of the houses of a terrified family. What revealed it for me were the sounds that came from his mouth and the power behind his fists knocking on their door. I had come up to him and made my presence known to him. He shifted into a misshapen creature and started the confrontation with me. It was nothing short of a mess and he fled like the coward he is."
"So I imagine he's very strong." August said, now showing a bit of concern for Yuuko hearing that story given to him.
As soon as she heard August say that and saw the concern on his face, her smile widened and her eyes opened up just slightly wider. "On the contrary, I'm way more powerful than he is." Yuuko reassured August. Her eyes returned to being half-lidded. "You shouldn't have to fear for me, I've dealt with worse."
August only realized then that he is still with the Witch of Wishes, he had almost forgotten about this fact as he seems both used to her presence and not used to her beauty at the same time. "That's good to know then." August says as he sighs.
"Indeed." Yuuko replies. "Let's drop this subject for now."
August nodded in agreement to this statement. He didn't want to think about the Skinwalker any longer. Instead, he thought about the Willow Tree. "You should have been there. That Willow tree was a thing of beauty looking at it." He said, thoughtful to if Yuuko wanted to see the tree for herself if she wanted to.
"And you would have seen the look on August's face when he let Charlie live with the Willow." Black Mokona snickers. "He was about to cry!"
"I wasn't gonna cry, for the last time!" August protested to the Black Mokona angrily.
This made Yuuko laugh heartily.
August's eyes were twitching in irritation. He didn't so much like being laughed at for holding back from crying.
After Yuuko got done laughing, she looks at August and smiles sweetly to him. "It's ok to be a little sad letting go of something you're attached to. There's no shame in that." Yuuko said, reassuring him. "Besides, I wouldn't doubt that the Willow you let Charlie live with is beautiful."
August hearing the last sentence come out of her mouth made him feel a little better. "It is." August says to Yuuko.
Yuuko was smiling serenely. "I suppose it's time you prepare dinner, August." Yuuko says sweetly to him. "I'm going to need sake with that too!"
August was smiling then grimaced. "Alright fine then! Pace yourself, I don't want you getting drunk!" August growls before he makes his way to the kitchen.
Yuuko smiles sweetly at August when he makes his way to the kitchen. Then her smile turned into a more serious smile once he isn't in sight. "In a lot of ways, you're a lot like Watanuki, August. Even though the two of you have never met, there are things you two have in common despite your differences. The both of you can see spirits and are attracted to you. You're also hardworking and compassionate like him too." Yuuko spoke to herself, complimenting August when he wasn't around to hear her. She inhales from the pipe once again and smoothly blows a stream of smoke from her lips. She pauses for a brief moment and smiles once again and looks in the direction to where August went. Yuuko gets up and goes into the kitchen to check up on August's cooking, both the Mokonas follow her closely behind.
