Chapter One
Rei had grown accustomed to all sorts of visitors at the Hikawa shrine; it was a popular tourist destination, even for foreigners, adding that little bit of spirituality to their travels.
So, she didn't look twice when a well-integrated gaijin stopped by to pay her respects, small entourage in tow. This was normal.
What wasn't was the low hum she felt reverberate through her bones as the woman stood in prayer.
Her intuition peaked, and though hesitant to approach, she couldn't take her eyes off of these new visitors.
Five in total, the woman and four men. Young, probably not much older than she was – early twenties at most.
The woman looked rather expensive, wearing a nicely pressed skirt suit, though her companions were dressed more casually, a typical street fashion kind of deal. The blond one wore a pair of shredded black jeans, with lace-up boots (a little scuffed), and a leather jacket pulled over a tee with some anime graphic on it; probably the most radical of them all, style wise. The long-haired one went with something more traditional and Chinese; the cute one, a pair of overalls that she was strangely sure she owned, and the scruffy brunet, the classic blue jeans and t-shirt.
They looked normal, relatively speaking. But that old adage about looks being deceiving rang true with the energy she could now feel radiating off of all of them. It hadn't been intrusive, masked until the woman had clasped her hands in prayer, as if responding, perhaps even unconsciously, to the woman's spiritual presence. Regardless, it was strong. The combined energy almost had her stumbling.
Crows flapped in the tree above her, betraying her presence.
The blond snapped his head to look at her, eyes of ice until he'd taken her all in, priestess robes and all.
He laughed, greeting her nervously. "Sorry, you startled me," he said. Then adding, awkwardly: "You have a beautiful shrine..."
She gave him a polite smile, and silently cursed her birds. Usually they were better than this, but they, too, must have felt it... If they were pushing her towards them, then, what could it mean?
"Thank you. It's always nice to know what our visitors think..." she said, for a lack of a better response. Once broached, the air between them would feel a little less strained, she hoped...That energy now focused on her directly was, not uncomfortable, but definitely prying, and there was no telling how they would react if she couldn't keep a lid on her own.
"So, uh, have you been in the area long?" the long-haired one asked.
"All of my life... this is my family's shrine."
"Oh, that's nice..." he trailed off for a moment. "Um, odd question, but you haven't noticed anything weird around here lately, have you?" he said, looking around in emphasis.
She snorted. "Not unless you count you five."
He looked... worried at her remark, and something about it had her rushing to rectify whatever social faux pas she'd inadvertently made. "A joke, a joke!" she said, waving her hands.
He gave her a smile at that, but it was more for show, the air between them weird again.
The brunet then elbowed him in the ribs. He hissed in pain, but the brunet paid him no mind, looking to her instead.
"Don't mind Shiryu," he said with a grin. "He has a habit of taking things too literally."
Shiryu cursed him under his breath, rubbing at his ribs. "You didn't have to do that, Seiya!"
To that, Seiya simply clapped him on the shoulder, and returned his attention to Rei, that laidback smile still on his face.
"I'm Seiya, by the way," he said, hooking his thumbs in his belt loops to really sell the nonchalance.
"Rei," she replied, still unsure of how things would proceed, but deciding nevertheless to give him the benefit of the doubt.
He'd broken some of the tension, at least; the rest followed in introduction.
"It's nice to meet you," the cute one said, giving a slight bow. "I'm Shun."
"Hyoga," the blond said, unmoving. Arms crossed. A bit standoffish, Rei thought, but made no comment.
"And this lovely lady over here is Saori," Seiya said, hand out in gesture towards his female companion.
"Yes, thank you, Seiya, but I am quite capable of introducing myself," she scolded, though mirth was clear in her voice.
If Rei had to guess, she'd say they'd known each other a long time. All of them perhaps had.
"I must apologize if we seem a little off, it's... hard to describe, but we've had a strange time of it lately," Saori said.
Rei waved her off, reflexively. "You don't have to explain, this is a safe space. You're welcome to stay as long as you need to."
"That's very kind of you," Shun said.
Saori nodded in agreement, but didn't seem any more assured.
Silence eclipsed the atmosphere again, and at a loss for what else to do, Rei deferred to being a good host.
"Would anyone like tea?" she said, motioning towards the house.
"That would be lovely, thank you," Saori said with a smile.
The five of them were then seated on the porch while she went inside to prepare, coming back with a tray-full shortly after. Tea, ready to serve.
"It's been a while since I've been to Japan," Saori said, sighing into a cup. "I've missed it."
"That's only natural, it was home," Shiryu said, leaning back, a hand out to support himself as he looked up past the trees. "I've spent more of my life in other countries now, but even I miss it."
"You guys travel a lot?" Rei chanced a question, taking a sip of her tea just in case. It felt more casual that way.
Saori shook her head. "Not for a while, this is a special trip. Less for pleasure, I'm afraid."
"Ah," was all she said in reply.
She was afraid that it would fall into silence yet again, obvious as it was that something was weighing on them, making them reluctant to open up. It really killed the conversation, and any potential for it.
She prayed the tea would start doing its job in easing them through the tension. Or that they'd leave.
"It's strange," Saori said after a while. "When we came here I was so sure we'd find some answers, but it's like we've been chasing our tails... and then, today. I'm not sure what it is, but something keeps throwing me off. Every time I think we're close..."
Abruptly, Hyoga called her attention. "Saori," he said simply, head inclining towards Rei.
She put a hand up to dismiss him. "It's fine, Hyoga. I think it's time we stopped skirting the issue. I know you felt it, too."
He nodded.
The others, in turn, straightened.
She looked to Rei, then, with a stern demeanour.
"I hate to be frank, but we both know you're more than you appear," she said, placing her tea cup, now empty, firmly on the woodwork beside her. "And I don't know you, but you've been an excellent host, so I'd like to give you the benefit of the doubt, but I'm afraid I don't have that luxury.
"So, I'll say it simply, and I want you to answer me honestly: what do you know about Aries Mu?"