IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII don't know when to shut up, it would seem. This side
story was originally only going to be like…five pages, tops. It seems I
over-wrote. * shrugs * I like my character, what can I say?
Anyhow, there are two reasons I wrote this chapter (well…it isn't really a chapter, but…you get the point). One is because I wanted people to be able to kinda understand where Shoukaki comes from. I mean, all the other characters I use are from the manga, so you know them. They all have a past and a personality and you know what they're like. Well, to an extent. But Shoukaki, since she's original, no one knows what she's like.
And then there's reason two. I just wanted to be able to write about my own character. Kinda test myself, see how well I can write. It's one thing to read a story about characters that already have a story, its another thing to write about someone no one knows and be able to convey that story just as well. It's all selfishness, of course, but I have reasons for my selfishness.
Anyhow…I kinda hope you all enjoy this side story. It isn't relevant to the story line—heck, you don't need to know a damn thing in here. I just hope it helps flesh out a character that otherwise no one knows. Whether you read it or not, I was just happy to write it.
Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoy it.
Where Lost Souls Meet Again
Chapter Seven: The Phantom Child (A Side Story)
"Mommy! Look it, look it!"
Shoukaki ran toward her mother, waving around a wad of flowers she'd picked in the fields. The woman smiled and knelt down as her daughter flew into her arms. She hugged the girl tight, then sat her back a bit and looked at the slightly wilting bouquet being offered her. Gently, she pulled them from Shoukaki's hands and placed them delicately in her hair.
The woman pressed her fingers against the flowers. "Thank you, my Red Bird. They are beautiful."
Grinning widely, Shoukaki hopped to her feet and went running around the field, her arms waving like a bird's. After a moment, she stopped and twirled so that she was facing her mother. "They are beautiful because you're wearing them, Mommy! You look prettiest with flowers in your hair, just like you said you did!"
Shoukaki's mother nodded. "Indeed I do, Red Bird, indeed I do." She motioned and her daughter came flying over to her; she stumbled a bit as the girl's arms snaked around her waist and her small body pressed tightly against her parent's. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around her little child's shoulders as she said: "And the most beautiful flowers are the ones you bring me."
The girl laughed in response.
Slowly, the two women made their way back from the fields to the fairly large house on a nearby hill. A meandering stream wandered about the meadow, pushing through the waving grass and bubbling over rocks. Birds took off as the humans passed close by, only to land a ways off looking disgruntled. A fox waded through the grass, looking for food. Shoukaki watched it all from her mother's side, smiling. Today was a beautiful day, indeed.
There was a speck up the hill in front of the house. It waved, then began bounding down the gentle slope. As it approached it grew larger and larger, until the shadows fell away and little Kou was running at high speeds toward the two people walking in the fields. Shoukaki waved back with her free hand and urged her mother to move faster. The older woman just shook her head kindly and let her daughter's hand go; the moment she was free, Shoukaki took off up the hill, meeting her friend half-way.
Kou was jumpy and giddy as he met with his best friend. His dark hair was tousled and looked just a tad bit dirty—Shoukaki could tell that he'd been out near the river and in the quarry area. There were smudges of dirt and grime on his face, as well and stains on his plain workman's clothes. She didn't care, though; Kou was her best friend and she loved him no matter what he looked like. She had to admit, though, that it was quite a contrast to her relatively clean kimono and neatly plaited hair.
"Red Bird, Red Bird! You've gotta come with me, I have somethin' to show you!" Roughly and without a reply, he grabbed her small hand in his and began pulling her along. Shoukaki looked plaintively at her mother but the woman only smiled and waved her on. She fought back a moment more, then gave in and dashed along with her friend, lest she be dragged in his enthusiasm.
The two made their way from the hill on which Shoukaki's house sat, toward the village a little ways off. A small wood had begun growing in the area and was now a favourite haunt of most of the village children. No doubt Kou had found some new area that he just had to show his friend, or maybe a nest of some birds. Once they'd found a fox burrow, but even they were smart enough to keep from there. Shoukaki wondered if maybe her impetuous boy had found another and just wanted to show her before leaving it alone again.
After darting along through the woods for a good ten minutes or so, the girl began to tug on her arm; she wanted to walk. "Kou, Kou slow down! Can't we walk there?"
The boy looked back over his shoulder and grinned, but he did slow down. Shoukaki thanked him and took the respite gratefully. "Where are we going?" she finally asked when she'd caught her breath.
For a minute it looked like Kou wasn't going to tell her, then he sighed. "Well," he began, acting a little hurt that she'd asked, "I found this really really pretty area in the woods a ways from here and I just knew that you would like it. It has flowers aaaaaaaaaaaaall over the place and a pretty little pond this big!" He opened his small arms as wide as he could to demonstrate. Shoukaki laughed. Kou bowed his head and blushed a little as he finished: "I just though that maybe you'd like to spend the day with me there, or somethin'. Since it's so pretty and all and I found it, you know?"
Shoukaki giggled and gave her friend a peck on the cheek. Kou flamed like a paper display over a match. "Thank you so much, Kou. But wouldn't it be nicer to walk there, instead of run? That way we can enjoy the time it takes to get there, as well."
He laughed a little awkwardly and held the back of his head in his hands. "Yeah, I guess it would," he admitted. He reached down and gently took her hand in his again. "So…you wanna go walk with me to the pretty spot, Red Bird?"
She nodded. "I would love to, Kou."
The place that Kou had found really wasn't so far into the woods, as Shoukaki had first imagined. They came upon it about a quarter of an hour later, walking hand in hand and talking about the flowers that Shoukaki had picked for her mother. Kou was wondering if she would make a bouquet for his sister, since his family didn't have much money and she couldn't buy any jewellery or baubles of her own.
Shoukaki stopped in her inquiry of what types of flowers Kou's sister liked most as she took her first look at the place he had brought her to. Flowers ranged all over like a big bed cover that blanketed the entire field. A small, placid pond arched along the far edge from where they stood, shaped like a crescent and lined with small stones and rocks. A crane raised its head to look at them, then went back to drinking the water from the pool, its long neck swooped gracefully. Shoukaki stuttered. "It's…it's beautiful, Kou!"
He puffed up proudly as she ran into the area and knelt down among the flowers. "I knew you'd like it, Red Bird." He waltzed over and sat beside her as she rummaged through the flora. "So…is this going to be our "special place" from now on, you think?"
The girl paused in her perusal of the various plants around her to smile and nod at him. "I would love for this to be our "special place," Kou. This is the best place in the whole world!" She leaned in and gave him another peck; the boy swooned happily. Then it was back to flowers and just sitting in the open area, beneath the sun.
"Kou?"
The boy started, the voice of his friend catching him unawares. They'd been silent for almost a half-hour and her voice cut through the quiet like a knife. He blinked and looked at her. "Yeah?"
Shoukaki sat quietly, hands in her lap, flowers laced around her fingers. She was silent a moment, then looked up at her companion; her eyes were somewhat sad. She petted her flowers as she asked: "Kou, do you ever miss your mother?"
Taken aback, the boy sat and thought for a moment. When he replied his voice was small and slightly strained. "I miss her a lot, actually. She was really nice and pretty and she loved us all a lot. Papa misses her, too. He tells my sister she looks a lot like Mama; maybe that's why he can be really mean to her. It hurts him a lot to be reminded." He shrugged and wiped at his eyes. "Sis wants to know if you can make her flowers like you do your mother cause then she thinks she'll be pretty like Mama was. Mama wore flowers a lot, like your mom. They were good friends."
"Yeah." Shoukaki shook her head and sniffed. "Well, I know just the kinds of flowers to give your sister, then. And…I'll pick some extra ones and we can put them in the lake, to send to your mother." She forced a smile and began picking flowers again. "Then your mother can know that your sister wants to be really pretty like she was and she'll help her out. Right?"
Kou nodded and began looking around. "Right. So…which flowers are you going to pick?"
The child pointed toward a circle of white petals. "Let's start there…"
They picked flowers the rest of the day, Shoukaki pointing out which ones she felt would make Kou's sister look prettiest, as well as ones to send to his mother. Once they had done that, she sat her friend down and they began to braid the stems together. Kou kept tangling his together and knotting the flowers so that they weren't pretty, but after a few tries and some expert direction, he'd soon made a garland. It was far from beautiful and actually looked quite pitiful next to Shoukaki's, but the boy held it proudly and she told him often that it was the best.
"And you're going to give that one to your mother?"
He nodded, holding the flowers close. "Yep, cause I wanted to give her somethin'. Hey, Red Bird? Is that why you asked if I miss Mama? You know, since the anniversary of her death is in just a couple days?"
Shoukaki nodded, but didn't say anything for a while. Then she added: "Also, I was just thinking. If I lost Mommy, I wonder what I would do? I don't think I'm as strong as you, Kou and I was wondering, if she went away, would I miss her a lot?"
Kou leaned over and hugged his friend close, resting his chin on her black hair. She sighed and pressed closer to him. He smiled. "I know that you'll be all right no matter what happens to you, Red Bird. Because you're a lot stronger than you think."
She nodded and murmured a quiet "yes" into his chest, then pulled away. She took a deep breath and stood up. "Well, we should head back now. Unless you want to give the flowers to your mom now?"
He shrugged. "We usually do somethin' together when the day comes around. I think I'll hold onto the flowers until then. Do you…wanna come by the village and give those to my sister…?"
With a laugh the girl took his hand and began walking out from their place. "Of course I would, Kou. Of course I would."
They walked together through the woods, talking and laughing. The sun was beginning to set as they came upon the outskirts of the village. Kou was in mid-laugh when he suddenly fell silent and pulled Shoukaki into the nearest brush. Before she could say anything he placed a finger against her mouth and uttered a silent "Be quiet." She nodded, frightened and listened around to hear what had startled her friend so.
At first there was no noise, then she could make out the guttural grunts of large men. Her eyes went large as she realised there were men around. Something smelled bad—she figured it was them. They were probably the bandits she'd overheard her father talking about before. Without meaning to, Shoukaki whimpered. Just thinking about what he'd said made her shudder.
"Some bandits have moved into the area. They murdered three merchants on the road and make threats to many others if they don't pay a fee. They claim that they 'care about the common people and are only ridding those who are corrupt and uncaring of the people's hard-earned money.' They hate statesmen and merchants and have a thing against landlords as well, no matter how minor. I have the feeling that they may come after me sometime, since I'm a local landowner and am therefore 'against the people.' I just hope I can protect the village from them in the case that they act up. I don't want any innocent people to die…"
Kou looked at her, concerned. "Shoukaki…?" he whispered. "Red Bird, are you all right?"
She shook her head frantically. "Those men…I think they're the bandits that took up around here. Papa was talking about them to some of his men a few months ago. He said they were really bad and that they hated Papa cause he was a landowner and that they might attack the village someday. Kou…what if they're attacking the village? I'm scared…"
He bit his lip, then shook his head and turned her so that he looked directly into her eyes. She was crying. He took a deep breath, then said: "Red Bird, listen to me. You need to go and get your father. Tell him that the village is under attack and that he needs to send his men right away! Go now, quietly, through the woods. When you're out of range and you know you can't be heard, run! Okay, Red Bird? Do you understand?"
Shoukaki shook her head and clung to him vehemently. "I don't want to go alone, Kou! I'm scared!" She held him close and did her best not to cry loudly. "Don't make me go alone…!"
Squeezing her arms hard, Kou shook the crying girl until she looked at him. "Listen to me, Shoukaki. I know you're scared but that doesn't mean you can hide or give up. People need you to help them. Think about it. Would my mother be happy if I didn't do anything to save the village? Would your mother?" She shook her head, but clung just as tightly. Gently, Kou took her fingers and pulled them away. He handed her his flower garland, as well. "I'll need that back, to give to my mother once this is over. To show her how much I cared and how much I fought to protect us. And you need to bring it back to me, to show how strong you are and how much you helped. Can you do that for me, Red Bird?"
Crying, Shoukaki nodded. She held the flowers close to her heart, then turned to run into the woods. Before she could get anywhere, though, Kou wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tight. "Remember, Shoukaki, just because you're scared doesn't give you the right to run away. Now fly home, Red Bird." He leaned in and pecked her gently on the cheek. "I'll see you again, I promise." Then he let her go and was gone, running toward the village.
For a while, Shoukaki simply sat in the brush. She could hear the gruff voices of the men and smell that terrible smell, but it didn't matter. She just sat and thought about what Kou had said and that she hadn't gotten to tell him good-bye. A horrible feeling dwelt in her gut that told her she wouldn't see him again and she regretted that the last words she'd heard from him she'd heard without seeing his face.
There was the sound of people searching the brush and Shoukaki snapped herself out of her thoughts and darted into the woods. Someone shouted but she ignored it. She had to get home to tell her father about what had happened.
Trees passed by her at an incredible pace as she ran swiftly among them. The shouting drifted off into the distance and she found herself running in silence. Even her thoughts were hushed as she darted along the broken path, among the young forest toward home. She wasn't even thinking about why she was running home so quickly; she feared that if she thought about anything, the fear that nipped at her heels would overcome her and she wouldn't be able to do anything. So she simply ran on instinct toward the house on the hill.
Sunlight broke through the trees and suddenly Shoukaki shot out from the wood. There was her house, sitting solitary on a hill by a stream, next to a meadow full of flowers. Without changing her pace she dashed up the incline and into the front door. The moment she stepped among the warm, comforting interior, she raised her voice and began calling for help.
"Papa! Papa, hurry! The bad men are in the village!" Her voice rang off the ceiling and among the various rooms, but no one answered. She called again. "Papa, hurry! Kou is there! He said he needs your help! Papa!"
Over and over she called as she ran around the house, looking in all the rooms. Finally, she came to a small room in the back, where they stored rice and flour. Throwing the door open, Shoukaki's voice died in her throat as three large men turned in unison to look at her. She stammered and backed away. The men grinned and moved toward her; one of them had a knife. It glistened wetly with something red. Behind them, the girl could just barely make out the slumped shadow of a person.
Like a deer, the girl suddenly turned and ran, screaming for her father. The men were quick to follow, laughing and grunting in their deep, ugly voices. Shoukaki darted into rooms, through doorways, under and around anything she could, trying to get away from the men. All the while she cried for her father, praying that someone would come and make the bad men go away.
Arms reached out and grabbed the back of her kimono, dragging her to a sudden halt. Shoukaki gagged as the fabric of her robe tightened around her neck. More hands grabbed her and felt along her limbs, her torso. She cried out and struggled as one of the men picked her up and held her close; she could smell his breath and it made her nauseous. He laughed as he carried her away, his hands holding her painfully tight.
She struggled for the longest time, then finally gave up as her body lost its strength. She stared ahead of her, not really seeing where they were going, until sunlight suddenly poured down on her. They were out back, where the wood was chopped and most of the cleaning was done. She stared around dully, wondering why they'd brought her back here. Her eyes wandered over everything, taking in the people lined up along the wall and the other four men that leered down at them and laughed in their big gruff voices.
The man continued to hold her as he made his way toward the people along the wall. Shoukaki took them all in—most of them were servants and people she'd known since she was born—trying to find her mother and father. All of the faces looked so sad and distraught. None of them were her parents.
Then she saw her. Her mother, sitting quietly at the end of the line. Her kimono was torn in several places and her long black hair was ratty and down, but she still looked beautiful in her daughter's eyes. Shoukaki began to struggle anew in the bad man's arms, reaching for her mother and calling out. The woman looked up and her eyes widened in fear, then she dipped her head and began weeping. Shoukaki could see that the flowers from that morning were still in her mother's hair.
"Mommy!" she cried, reaching and struggling to get to her parent. The man holding her stopped walking, then began laughing raucously. Shoukaki ignored him and continued to try to reach her mother. "Mommy! Mommy, where's Papa?"
The woman in question raised her head again and looked at her daughter with eyes so full of pain that for a moment, Shoukaki quieted down. Her mother had never looked like that before. Then another of the bad men came over and took her chin in his big ugly hand and pulled her face up so that she'd look at him. His breath was terrible and the girl wanted to throw up when he talked.
"So, you're the little brat, huh? You wanna know where your 'Papa' is, huh? Well, Lady, shall we tell her?" He turned his attention from Shoukaki to her mother; the woman cried out and reached forward pleadingly, while another of the men held her back and laughed. The man in front of Shoukaki turned back to her and grinned. "I take that as a yes. Hey, boys, why don't we show the little lady here her 'Papa.' What'd'ya say?" There was loud laughter from all the men and the one holding the girl's chin nodded toward the other side of the house. "Let's go see your 'Papa,' little lady."
Shoukaki found herself carried past her mother toward where the wood was chopped for the house. She struggled to get out of her captor's arms as she passed her mother, while the woman reached out and cried for her baby. The men ignored it all and carried Shoukaki passed the people lined up. When her mother was out of sight, the girl turned around to find the man that had held her chin. She wished she hadn't.
Her father lay with his neck over the chopping block. An axe was embedded deep into the wood, blood splattered up its side. On the ground next to the block was her father's head, the eyes open and staring, his mouth frozen in a silent pleading scream.
Shoukaki stared at her father for the longest time, not moving, not speaking. Then she turned away and began screaming, her small fingers digging at the man's face. He cried out and let go as he moved to protect himself. The girl landed hard on the ground and ran to her father's body, screaming and crying. She fell to the ground beside him and shook his body. "Papa, wake up! Papa! Papa!"
"Little bitch!" A large hand enveloped her shoulder and pulled her bodily away from her parent's lifeless body. Shoukaki screamed and struggled to be let go. She tore and bit and clawed at the hand that held her, flailing her limbs about. More than one grunt came from the other end of her fist as she connected over and over.
Finally, a rather large fist found her gut and the girl collapsed, windless. Curses streamed from the mouth of her captor, while another looked after his wounds. Shoukaki watched them as she panted on the ground, holding her stomach and doing her best not to get sick. One of the men had disappeared back around the corner. He returned shortly with her mother in tow and a wicked look on his face. The bad man that had held her face watched it all with heavy-set eyes, leaning against the stump Shoukaki's father lay at.
The man pushed Shoukaki's mother over toward her daughter. As soon as he let her go, she stumbled over to her daughter and pulled her close. Shoukaki held her mother tightly, unable to cry but frightened beyond anything she'd ever known. Her mother wept into her hair and whispered to her that it would be all right. As long as she was strong, everything would be all right.
After a while, the leader bad man waltzed over and pulled the two women apart. He scowled down at the mother as she struggled to reach her daughter. "Scum, that's all you are. Scum. You live off the hard work and suffering of the people in this land and you deserve to be punished for your crimes." She ignored him and continued to reach after her child. With a growl the man kicked her hard in the side. She collapsed to the ground, one hand clutching her injured side while the other reached out for Shoukaki. The man sneered. "You don't deserve anything, you evil bitch!" He kicked her again. "Stop it, stop reaching for that child! You don't deserve a child, you aren't human! All you're worthy of is death!" Once more his foot met her side; this time there was a sickening crunch.
Shoukaki couldn't take it anymore. "Mommy!" Ignoring the pain in her own stomach, she crawled over to where her mother lay and latched onto the leg of the bad man. He cursed and tried to shake her off; she bit down hard and clung with all her might. The man cried out and reached down. Harshly, he beat her upside the head until she let go. As soon as she hit the ground, however, the child launched herself at him again, all teeth and nails. Fed up with her assaults, the leader beckoned for one of his men to get her. The child found herself bound in large, black ropes and pulled away from her mother, while the man continued to beat her and tell her how evil she was.
"Stop it! Stop hitting Mommy!" Even in her bonds, Shoukaki fought back and tried her best to help her mother. The woman continued to reach for her child, even as her side split open and began bleeding. She had cuts and bruises all over; the arm the clutched her side was broken at the forearm and the fingers twisted gruesomely. "Leave my mother alone!"
Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain at her throat. Shoukaki coughed as the air was dragged from her lungs and pressure closed her throat. The pain was biting—it hurt so much. Something was wrapped around her throat. Her eyes began to go blurry and the figure of her mother on the ground wavered. The sounds from the men were loud, then grew hollow. They were laughing; were they laughing at her? What was this pressure? "Mom…my…Mommy…" she croaked out. Her vision was going dark and the sounds around her were vague at best. She couldn't see her mother anymore.
The last thing she remembered was hearing Kou tell her to be strong and her mother's smiling face.
Birds were chirping. Somewhere nearby, birds were chirping.
Shoukaki opened her eyes and tried to raise her head. There was a sharp pain in her throat and she couldn't see very well—everything was blurry. Sunlight spilled down on her and illuminated the area; everything was peaceful.
Painfully, the girl pulled herself to her feet. For a moment everything went topsy-turvy, then she righted herself and looked around. At first nothing seemed out of the ordinary. The chopping block lay in front of her, the axe embedded into the wood, the blade clean. When she surveyed the ground, she saw no bodies. Everything looked normal and at peace. It wasn't until she turned around that she saw the truth.
Her house lay in smoulders, small tendrils of smoke the only evidence of life or movement. The actual fire had died off a long time ago—perhaps a couple days—but nothing could stop the ash and refuse from smoking. Nearby lay the charred remains of one or two people, trapped beneath collapsing beams. Shoukaki gagged and covered her mouth, doing her best not to get sick.
Forcing herself to move, the girl moved around the wreckage of the house. Laid out before her were several graves, the markers stark and bare against the green landscape. Woodenly, the child approached the graves, her stomach in her throat. There, written poorly on the markers, were her parents' names, as well as a few of the workers from the house. Crying, the girl fell to her knees in front of the fresh mounds and mourned the passing of the people she loved.
For the longest time she knelt there in the grass and wept. She would have stayed longer, but something fell from her kimono and caught her attention. A small, badly tied garland of flowers lay on the grass, the petals withered and most of them dead. Shoukaki reached down and took up the bouquet in shaking hands. "Kou…" she whispered hoarsely. Maybe…maybe he'd survived!
With hope coursing through her, the girl scrambled to her feet and began running down the hill toward the woods. Maybe the village was all right! Papa's men had come and saved the village from the bad men! Surely, they were the ones that had buried her parents and the people at the house. They'd come in time and saved the village!
Like the wind the girl tore through the trees and into the village outskirts. Kou might still be alive. The people…they might still be alive…! Her hopes fell, however, as she saw the burnt out, devastated ruins of the village. Nothing moved among the scorched stone or smouldering wood. Mounds, not unlike those up at her house, littered the ground, the dirt fresh, the markers just as poorly written on.
Shoukaki slowed to a walk as she came into the village. All around was nothing but destruction. The bandits had destroyed everything. Nothing was left, not even the people. 'Kou…Kou, please be alive…!'
Eventually, Shoukaki came to her friend's house. It too had been destroyed, just as the rest of the village. However, someone was moving around inside the gutted remains. With a cry the girl ran into the house, calling out Kou's name. He was alive! Just like he promised!
What she found, however, was not Kou. Five men were digging in the ground, picking at the dirt like ants. They wore her father's sigil—they must have been warriors from her father's entourage. Maybe…maybe they were just cleaning up. It must have been them who gave her family and the rest of the people a proper burial. Maybe they were just cleaning up now and they'd taken the rest of the villagers out of the area, where they'd be safe. They'd taken Kou, surely.
But no. One of the men bent over to lift something and Shoukaki could see that it was Kou. In his hand he held a small knife—even in death he wouldn't let go. When the other men moved she could see the mounds for Kou's father and sister, right there in the centre of his house. They were gently putting her friend in the ground even as she watched.
With a cry, the girl ran to them and tried her best to get their attention. When she moved to grab them, however, she fell through them and crashed into the ground. Not understanding, the child crawled back to her feet and tried again; again she passed through the men's bodies. They were placing Kou's body in the ground now, pushing the dirt over him. Shoukaki shook her head and cried out: "Stop! Please, stop! Don't take Kou away from me!"
"They won't hear you."
Shoukaki whirled around to see her mother standing behind her. However the woman had looked before, she now radiated beauty, from her perfectly bound hair to her clean and crisp kimono to the flowers wrapped around her head, she was the most beautiful creature Shoukaki had ever seen. Crying, the child ran to her mother and embraced her. Her mother wrapped her arms around her daughter's shoulders and held her close.
Finally, she pulled the girl away and bent down to look her in the eyes. Shoukaki stared at her mother, love and confusion and pain riddled through her eyes. The woman smiled sadly as she took her daughter's hands in hers. "Red Bird," she began, then stopped. She sighed as she began anew. "Shoukaki, from now on, things are going to be very painful for you. For whatever reason, you can't…you can't come home with me, my Red Bird. You have to stay here."
The girl shook her head, not quite understanding. "Mommy…what do you mean? Why do I have to stay here? Where is home? Why can't I go there?"
"Because you have something else to do."
With a cry Shoukaki's shoulders went taut. She did not turn, but waited for the voice of her friend to move toward her. It did so. "Home is where we go when we die, Red Bird." Kou's voice was sad, but loving as he moved into her view and sat down on the ground beside her mother. Shoukaki started crying again and he reached over to clear away her tears. He pointed toward the men who were moving from his house to another. "They've been at it for two days. They're all that's left of the men who came to save us. Your father's men. They killed the bandits, but…they couldn't save us. Don't be sad, Red Bird. Don't cry for us."
"I can't help it! You're…you're in the ground! Kou…Kou is gone…and I miss you!" She reached down and pulled out the flowers he'd given her. She reached out and tried to hand them to him. He shook his head and refused. "But…I'm giving them back, just like you wanted."
He shook his head again. "I don't need them anymore, Red Bird. I get to see Mama soon." Even as he spoke he began to fade away, along with Shoukaki's mother. The girl cried out but he hushed her. "You'll come home someday, Shoukaki, I know you will. But for now, you have to stay here. You're needed here, for whatever reason."
The girl cried as she watched her mother and best friend fade away. "Can't I see you here, though? Why can't I see Mommy and Kou…?"
Her mother smiled sadly and reached out to stroke her cheek. "Do not worry, my Red Bird. You can still talk to me, as much as you want. I'll be with you, even if you can't see me. But…you cannot come with us. You must stay here."
"I don't want to!"
She nodded. "I know, my Red Bird, I know. But do not worry. You'll meet friends here, too. Right now, no one can see you, but someday you'll be able to interact with the living again. The dead will pass away and you'll forget how we fell or where we lie, but you'll be able to interact with the living. It'll be hard, living in both worlds but neither. But you're strong, my Red Bird and you'll be able to do so. You have to. And then, once it's all done, you can come home and we'll be waiting for you." She was almost completely gone now, but still her hand rested on her daughter's cheek. "Do not be afraid, my Red Bird. You are strong enough to be able to survive this. I love you."
Kou nodded as he too disappeared. "Remember what I said, Red Bird. And…and know that I love you, too. I always have and I always will. Remember us and come home soon."
Then they were gone.
Shoukaki knelt at the pond in hers and Kou's "special place" and watched as the last of the garland he'd made sank to the bottom. The garland she'd made for his sister hung from her grave, most of the petals gone and the knots coming undone in most places. She'd let it go, though. The petals would find their spirits and they'd know what she'd done for them. And that made her happy.
She watched the pond for a long time, then stood and walked out from the place. Without Kou there was no reason to return and so she didn't look back. She just wanted to give him one last gift before she began her long, lonely journey.
She turned her face to the sky and sighed. "I'll be strong, Mommy, Kou. And I'll talk to you often. Don't worry about me. I can handle this. And someday, friends will come and I won't be alone anymore. So…I can handle this. But…if I feel like crying, I can do that too, right? Cause even strong people have to cry sometimes. But don't worry—I won't cry all the time.
"I miss you a lot, Mommy, Kou, but I know I'll see you again. So…wait for me. I'll be coming home someday."
Silently, she disappeared back into the forest and toward the village, to wait for the friends that would find her someday and help her go home.
Anyhow, there are two reasons I wrote this chapter (well…it isn't really a chapter, but…you get the point). One is because I wanted people to be able to kinda understand where Shoukaki comes from. I mean, all the other characters I use are from the manga, so you know them. They all have a past and a personality and you know what they're like. Well, to an extent. But Shoukaki, since she's original, no one knows what she's like.
And then there's reason two. I just wanted to be able to write about my own character. Kinda test myself, see how well I can write. It's one thing to read a story about characters that already have a story, its another thing to write about someone no one knows and be able to convey that story just as well. It's all selfishness, of course, but I have reasons for my selfishness.
Anyhow…I kinda hope you all enjoy this side story. It isn't relevant to the story line—heck, you don't need to know a damn thing in here. I just hope it helps flesh out a character that otherwise no one knows. Whether you read it or not, I was just happy to write it.
Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoy it.
Where Lost Souls Meet Again
Chapter Seven: The Phantom Child (A Side Story)
"Mommy! Look it, look it!"
Shoukaki ran toward her mother, waving around a wad of flowers she'd picked in the fields. The woman smiled and knelt down as her daughter flew into her arms. She hugged the girl tight, then sat her back a bit and looked at the slightly wilting bouquet being offered her. Gently, she pulled them from Shoukaki's hands and placed them delicately in her hair.
The woman pressed her fingers against the flowers. "Thank you, my Red Bird. They are beautiful."
Grinning widely, Shoukaki hopped to her feet and went running around the field, her arms waving like a bird's. After a moment, she stopped and twirled so that she was facing her mother. "They are beautiful because you're wearing them, Mommy! You look prettiest with flowers in your hair, just like you said you did!"
Shoukaki's mother nodded. "Indeed I do, Red Bird, indeed I do." She motioned and her daughter came flying over to her; she stumbled a bit as the girl's arms snaked around her waist and her small body pressed tightly against her parent's. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around her little child's shoulders as she said: "And the most beautiful flowers are the ones you bring me."
The girl laughed in response.
Slowly, the two women made their way back from the fields to the fairly large house on a nearby hill. A meandering stream wandered about the meadow, pushing through the waving grass and bubbling over rocks. Birds took off as the humans passed close by, only to land a ways off looking disgruntled. A fox waded through the grass, looking for food. Shoukaki watched it all from her mother's side, smiling. Today was a beautiful day, indeed.
There was a speck up the hill in front of the house. It waved, then began bounding down the gentle slope. As it approached it grew larger and larger, until the shadows fell away and little Kou was running at high speeds toward the two people walking in the fields. Shoukaki waved back with her free hand and urged her mother to move faster. The older woman just shook her head kindly and let her daughter's hand go; the moment she was free, Shoukaki took off up the hill, meeting her friend half-way.
Kou was jumpy and giddy as he met with his best friend. His dark hair was tousled and looked just a tad bit dirty—Shoukaki could tell that he'd been out near the river and in the quarry area. There were smudges of dirt and grime on his face, as well and stains on his plain workman's clothes. She didn't care, though; Kou was her best friend and she loved him no matter what he looked like. She had to admit, though, that it was quite a contrast to her relatively clean kimono and neatly plaited hair.
"Red Bird, Red Bird! You've gotta come with me, I have somethin' to show you!" Roughly and without a reply, he grabbed her small hand in his and began pulling her along. Shoukaki looked plaintively at her mother but the woman only smiled and waved her on. She fought back a moment more, then gave in and dashed along with her friend, lest she be dragged in his enthusiasm.
The two made their way from the hill on which Shoukaki's house sat, toward the village a little ways off. A small wood had begun growing in the area and was now a favourite haunt of most of the village children. No doubt Kou had found some new area that he just had to show his friend, or maybe a nest of some birds. Once they'd found a fox burrow, but even they were smart enough to keep from there. Shoukaki wondered if maybe her impetuous boy had found another and just wanted to show her before leaving it alone again.
After darting along through the woods for a good ten minutes or so, the girl began to tug on her arm; she wanted to walk. "Kou, Kou slow down! Can't we walk there?"
The boy looked back over his shoulder and grinned, but he did slow down. Shoukaki thanked him and took the respite gratefully. "Where are we going?" she finally asked when she'd caught her breath.
For a minute it looked like Kou wasn't going to tell her, then he sighed. "Well," he began, acting a little hurt that she'd asked, "I found this really really pretty area in the woods a ways from here and I just knew that you would like it. It has flowers aaaaaaaaaaaaall over the place and a pretty little pond this big!" He opened his small arms as wide as he could to demonstrate. Shoukaki laughed. Kou bowed his head and blushed a little as he finished: "I just though that maybe you'd like to spend the day with me there, or somethin'. Since it's so pretty and all and I found it, you know?"
Shoukaki giggled and gave her friend a peck on the cheek. Kou flamed like a paper display over a match. "Thank you so much, Kou. But wouldn't it be nicer to walk there, instead of run? That way we can enjoy the time it takes to get there, as well."
He laughed a little awkwardly and held the back of his head in his hands. "Yeah, I guess it would," he admitted. He reached down and gently took her hand in his again. "So…you wanna go walk with me to the pretty spot, Red Bird?"
She nodded. "I would love to, Kou."
The place that Kou had found really wasn't so far into the woods, as Shoukaki had first imagined. They came upon it about a quarter of an hour later, walking hand in hand and talking about the flowers that Shoukaki had picked for her mother. Kou was wondering if she would make a bouquet for his sister, since his family didn't have much money and she couldn't buy any jewellery or baubles of her own.
Shoukaki stopped in her inquiry of what types of flowers Kou's sister liked most as she took her first look at the place he had brought her to. Flowers ranged all over like a big bed cover that blanketed the entire field. A small, placid pond arched along the far edge from where they stood, shaped like a crescent and lined with small stones and rocks. A crane raised its head to look at them, then went back to drinking the water from the pool, its long neck swooped gracefully. Shoukaki stuttered. "It's…it's beautiful, Kou!"
He puffed up proudly as she ran into the area and knelt down among the flowers. "I knew you'd like it, Red Bird." He waltzed over and sat beside her as she rummaged through the flora. "So…is this going to be our "special place" from now on, you think?"
The girl paused in her perusal of the various plants around her to smile and nod at him. "I would love for this to be our "special place," Kou. This is the best place in the whole world!" She leaned in and gave him another peck; the boy swooned happily. Then it was back to flowers and just sitting in the open area, beneath the sun.
"Kou?"
The boy started, the voice of his friend catching him unawares. They'd been silent for almost a half-hour and her voice cut through the quiet like a knife. He blinked and looked at her. "Yeah?"
Shoukaki sat quietly, hands in her lap, flowers laced around her fingers. She was silent a moment, then looked up at her companion; her eyes were somewhat sad. She petted her flowers as she asked: "Kou, do you ever miss your mother?"
Taken aback, the boy sat and thought for a moment. When he replied his voice was small and slightly strained. "I miss her a lot, actually. She was really nice and pretty and she loved us all a lot. Papa misses her, too. He tells my sister she looks a lot like Mama; maybe that's why he can be really mean to her. It hurts him a lot to be reminded." He shrugged and wiped at his eyes. "Sis wants to know if you can make her flowers like you do your mother cause then she thinks she'll be pretty like Mama was. Mama wore flowers a lot, like your mom. They were good friends."
"Yeah." Shoukaki shook her head and sniffed. "Well, I know just the kinds of flowers to give your sister, then. And…I'll pick some extra ones and we can put them in the lake, to send to your mother." She forced a smile and began picking flowers again. "Then your mother can know that your sister wants to be really pretty like she was and she'll help her out. Right?"
Kou nodded and began looking around. "Right. So…which flowers are you going to pick?"
The child pointed toward a circle of white petals. "Let's start there…"
They picked flowers the rest of the day, Shoukaki pointing out which ones she felt would make Kou's sister look prettiest, as well as ones to send to his mother. Once they had done that, she sat her friend down and they began to braid the stems together. Kou kept tangling his together and knotting the flowers so that they weren't pretty, but after a few tries and some expert direction, he'd soon made a garland. It was far from beautiful and actually looked quite pitiful next to Shoukaki's, but the boy held it proudly and she told him often that it was the best.
"And you're going to give that one to your mother?"
He nodded, holding the flowers close. "Yep, cause I wanted to give her somethin'. Hey, Red Bird? Is that why you asked if I miss Mama? You know, since the anniversary of her death is in just a couple days?"
Shoukaki nodded, but didn't say anything for a while. Then she added: "Also, I was just thinking. If I lost Mommy, I wonder what I would do? I don't think I'm as strong as you, Kou and I was wondering, if she went away, would I miss her a lot?"
Kou leaned over and hugged his friend close, resting his chin on her black hair. She sighed and pressed closer to him. He smiled. "I know that you'll be all right no matter what happens to you, Red Bird. Because you're a lot stronger than you think."
She nodded and murmured a quiet "yes" into his chest, then pulled away. She took a deep breath and stood up. "Well, we should head back now. Unless you want to give the flowers to your mom now?"
He shrugged. "We usually do somethin' together when the day comes around. I think I'll hold onto the flowers until then. Do you…wanna come by the village and give those to my sister…?"
With a laugh the girl took his hand and began walking out from their place. "Of course I would, Kou. Of course I would."
They walked together through the woods, talking and laughing. The sun was beginning to set as they came upon the outskirts of the village. Kou was in mid-laugh when he suddenly fell silent and pulled Shoukaki into the nearest brush. Before she could say anything he placed a finger against her mouth and uttered a silent "Be quiet." She nodded, frightened and listened around to hear what had startled her friend so.
At first there was no noise, then she could make out the guttural grunts of large men. Her eyes went large as she realised there were men around. Something smelled bad—she figured it was them. They were probably the bandits she'd overheard her father talking about before. Without meaning to, Shoukaki whimpered. Just thinking about what he'd said made her shudder.
"Some bandits have moved into the area. They murdered three merchants on the road and make threats to many others if they don't pay a fee. They claim that they 'care about the common people and are only ridding those who are corrupt and uncaring of the people's hard-earned money.' They hate statesmen and merchants and have a thing against landlords as well, no matter how minor. I have the feeling that they may come after me sometime, since I'm a local landowner and am therefore 'against the people.' I just hope I can protect the village from them in the case that they act up. I don't want any innocent people to die…"
Kou looked at her, concerned. "Shoukaki…?" he whispered. "Red Bird, are you all right?"
She shook her head frantically. "Those men…I think they're the bandits that took up around here. Papa was talking about them to some of his men a few months ago. He said they were really bad and that they hated Papa cause he was a landowner and that they might attack the village someday. Kou…what if they're attacking the village? I'm scared…"
He bit his lip, then shook his head and turned her so that he looked directly into her eyes. She was crying. He took a deep breath, then said: "Red Bird, listen to me. You need to go and get your father. Tell him that the village is under attack and that he needs to send his men right away! Go now, quietly, through the woods. When you're out of range and you know you can't be heard, run! Okay, Red Bird? Do you understand?"
Shoukaki shook her head and clung to him vehemently. "I don't want to go alone, Kou! I'm scared!" She held him close and did her best not to cry loudly. "Don't make me go alone…!"
Squeezing her arms hard, Kou shook the crying girl until she looked at him. "Listen to me, Shoukaki. I know you're scared but that doesn't mean you can hide or give up. People need you to help them. Think about it. Would my mother be happy if I didn't do anything to save the village? Would your mother?" She shook her head, but clung just as tightly. Gently, Kou took her fingers and pulled them away. He handed her his flower garland, as well. "I'll need that back, to give to my mother once this is over. To show her how much I cared and how much I fought to protect us. And you need to bring it back to me, to show how strong you are and how much you helped. Can you do that for me, Red Bird?"
Crying, Shoukaki nodded. She held the flowers close to her heart, then turned to run into the woods. Before she could get anywhere, though, Kou wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tight. "Remember, Shoukaki, just because you're scared doesn't give you the right to run away. Now fly home, Red Bird." He leaned in and pecked her gently on the cheek. "I'll see you again, I promise." Then he let her go and was gone, running toward the village.
For a while, Shoukaki simply sat in the brush. She could hear the gruff voices of the men and smell that terrible smell, but it didn't matter. She just sat and thought about what Kou had said and that she hadn't gotten to tell him good-bye. A horrible feeling dwelt in her gut that told her she wouldn't see him again and she regretted that the last words she'd heard from him she'd heard without seeing his face.
There was the sound of people searching the brush and Shoukaki snapped herself out of her thoughts and darted into the woods. Someone shouted but she ignored it. She had to get home to tell her father about what had happened.
Trees passed by her at an incredible pace as she ran swiftly among them. The shouting drifted off into the distance and she found herself running in silence. Even her thoughts were hushed as she darted along the broken path, among the young forest toward home. She wasn't even thinking about why she was running home so quickly; she feared that if she thought about anything, the fear that nipped at her heels would overcome her and she wouldn't be able to do anything. So she simply ran on instinct toward the house on the hill.
Sunlight broke through the trees and suddenly Shoukaki shot out from the wood. There was her house, sitting solitary on a hill by a stream, next to a meadow full of flowers. Without changing her pace she dashed up the incline and into the front door. The moment she stepped among the warm, comforting interior, she raised her voice and began calling for help.
"Papa! Papa, hurry! The bad men are in the village!" Her voice rang off the ceiling and among the various rooms, but no one answered. She called again. "Papa, hurry! Kou is there! He said he needs your help! Papa!"
Over and over she called as she ran around the house, looking in all the rooms. Finally, she came to a small room in the back, where they stored rice and flour. Throwing the door open, Shoukaki's voice died in her throat as three large men turned in unison to look at her. She stammered and backed away. The men grinned and moved toward her; one of them had a knife. It glistened wetly with something red. Behind them, the girl could just barely make out the slumped shadow of a person.
Like a deer, the girl suddenly turned and ran, screaming for her father. The men were quick to follow, laughing and grunting in their deep, ugly voices. Shoukaki darted into rooms, through doorways, under and around anything she could, trying to get away from the men. All the while she cried for her father, praying that someone would come and make the bad men go away.
Arms reached out and grabbed the back of her kimono, dragging her to a sudden halt. Shoukaki gagged as the fabric of her robe tightened around her neck. More hands grabbed her and felt along her limbs, her torso. She cried out and struggled as one of the men picked her up and held her close; she could smell his breath and it made her nauseous. He laughed as he carried her away, his hands holding her painfully tight.
She struggled for the longest time, then finally gave up as her body lost its strength. She stared ahead of her, not really seeing where they were going, until sunlight suddenly poured down on her. They were out back, where the wood was chopped and most of the cleaning was done. She stared around dully, wondering why they'd brought her back here. Her eyes wandered over everything, taking in the people lined up along the wall and the other four men that leered down at them and laughed in their big gruff voices.
The man continued to hold her as he made his way toward the people along the wall. Shoukaki took them all in—most of them were servants and people she'd known since she was born—trying to find her mother and father. All of the faces looked so sad and distraught. None of them were her parents.
Then she saw her. Her mother, sitting quietly at the end of the line. Her kimono was torn in several places and her long black hair was ratty and down, but she still looked beautiful in her daughter's eyes. Shoukaki began to struggle anew in the bad man's arms, reaching for her mother and calling out. The woman looked up and her eyes widened in fear, then she dipped her head and began weeping. Shoukaki could see that the flowers from that morning were still in her mother's hair.
"Mommy!" she cried, reaching and struggling to get to her parent. The man holding her stopped walking, then began laughing raucously. Shoukaki ignored him and continued to try to reach her mother. "Mommy! Mommy, where's Papa?"
The woman in question raised her head again and looked at her daughter with eyes so full of pain that for a moment, Shoukaki quieted down. Her mother had never looked like that before. Then another of the bad men came over and took her chin in his big ugly hand and pulled her face up so that she'd look at him. His breath was terrible and the girl wanted to throw up when he talked.
"So, you're the little brat, huh? You wanna know where your 'Papa' is, huh? Well, Lady, shall we tell her?" He turned his attention from Shoukaki to her mother; the woman cried out and reached forward pleadingly, while another of the men held her back and laughed. The man in front of Shoukaki turned back to her and grinned. "I take that as a yes. Hey, boys, why don't we show the little lady here her 'Papa.' What'd'ya say?" There was loud laughter from all the men and the one holding the girl's chin nodded toward the other side of the house. "Let's go see your 'Papa,' little lady."
Shoukaki found herself carried past her mother toward where the wood was chopped for the house. She struggled to get out of her captor's arms as she passed her mother, while the woman reached out and cried for her baby. The men ignored it all and carried Shoukaki passed the people lined up. When her mother was out of sight, the girl turned around to find the man that had held her chin. She wished she hadn't.
Her father lay with his neck over the chopping block. An axe was embedded deep into the wood, blood splattered up its side. On the ground next to the block was her father's head, the eyes open and staring, his mouth frozen in a silent pleading scream.
Shoukaki stared at her father for the longest time, not moving, not speaking. Then she turned away and began screaming, her small fingers digging at the man's face. He cried out and let go as he moved to protect himself. The girl landed hard on the ground and ran to her father's body, screaming and crying. She fell to the ground beside him and shook his body. "Papa, wake up! Papa! Papa!"
"Little bitch!" A large hand enveloped her shoulder and pulled her bodily away from her parent's lifeless body. Shoukaki screamed and struggled to be let go. She tore and bit and clawed at the hand that held her, flailing her limbs about. More than one grunt came from the other end of her fist as she connected over and over.
Finally, a rather large fist found her gut and the girl collapsed, windless. Curses streamed from the mouth of her captor, while another looked after his wounds. Shoukaki watched them as she panted on the ground, holding her stomach and doing her best not to get sick. One of the men had disappeared back around the corner. He returned shortly with her mother in tow and a wicked look on his face. The bad man that had held her face watched it all with heavy-set eyes, leaning against the stump Shoukaki's father lay at.
The man pushed Shoukaki's mother over toward her daughter. As soon as he let her go, she stumbled over to her daughter and pulled her close. Shoukaki held her mother tightly, unable to cry but frightened beyond anything she'd ever known. Her mother wept into her hair and whispered to her that it would be all right. As long as she was strong, everything would be all right.
After a while, the leader bad man waltzed over and pulled the two women apart. He scowled down at the mother as she struggled to reach her daughter. "Scum, that's all you are. Scum. You live off the hard work and suffering of the people in this land and you deserve to be punished for your crimes." She ignored him and continued to reach after her child. With a growl the man kicked her hard in the side. She collapsed to the ground, one hand clutching her injured side while the other reached out for Shoukaki. The man sneered. "You don't deserve anything, you evil bitch!" He kicked her again. "Stop it, stop reaching for that child! You don't deserve a child, you aren't human! All you're worthy of is death!" Once more his foot met her side; this time there was a sickening crunch.
Shoukaki couldn't take it anymore. "Mommy!" Ignoring the pain in her own stomach, she crawled over to where her mother lay and latched onto the leg of the bad man. He cursed and tried to shake her off; she bit down hard and clung with all her might. The man cried out and reached down. Harshly, he beat her upside the head until she let go. As soon as she hit the ground, however, the child launched herself at him again, all teeth and nails. Fed up with her assaults, the leader beckoned for one of his men to get her. The child found herself bound in large, black ropes and pulled away from her mother, while the man continued to beat her and tell her how evil she was.
"Stop it! Stop hitting Mommy!" Even in her bonds, Shoukaki fought back and tried her best to help her mother. The woman continued to reach for her child, even as her side split open and began bleeding. She had cuts and bruises all over; the arm the clutched her side was broken at the forearm and the fingers twisted gruesomely. "Leave my mother alone!"
Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain at her throat. Shoukaki coughed as the air was dragged from her lungs and pressure closed her throat. The pain was biting—it hurt so much. Something was wrapped around her throat. Her eyes began to go blurry and the figure of her mother on the ground wavered. The sounds from the men were loud, then grew hollow. They were laughing; were they laughing at her? What was this pressure? "Mom…my…Mommy…" she croaked out. Her vision was going dark and the sounds around her were vague at best. She couldn't see her mother anymore.
The last thing she remembered was hearing Kou tell her to be strong and her mother's smiling face.
Birds were chirping. Somewhere nearby, birds were chirping.
Shoukaki opened her eyes and tried to raise her head. There was a sharp pain in her throat and she couldn't see very well—everything was blurry. Sunlight spilled down on her and illuminated the area; everything was peaceful.
Painfully, the girl pulled herself to her feet. For a moment everything went topsy-turvy, then she righted herself and looked around. At first nothing seemed out of the ordinary. The chopping block lay in front of her, the axe embedded into the wood, the blade clean. When she surveyed the ground, she saw no bodies. Everything looked normal and at peace. It wasn't until she turned around that she saw the truth.
Her house lay in smoulders, small tendrils of smoke the only evidence of life or movement. The actual fire had died off a long time ago—perhaps a couple days—but nothing could stop the ash and refuse from smoking. Nearby lay the charred remains of one or two people, trapped beneath collapsing beams. Shoukaki gagged and covered her mouth, doing her best not to get sick.
Forcing herself to move, the girl moved around the wreckage of the house. Laid out before her were several graves, the markers stark and bare against the green landscape. Woodenly, the child approached the graves, her stomach in her throat. There, written poorly on the markers, were her parents' names, as well as a few of the workers from the house. Crying, the girl fell to her knees in front of the fresh mounds and mourned the passing of the people she loved.
For the longest time she knelt there in the grass and wept. She would have stayed longer, but something fell from her kimono and caught her attention. A small, badly tied garland of flowers lay on the grass, the petals withered and most of them dead. Shoukaki reached down and took up the bouquet in shaking hands. "Kou…" she whispered hoarsely. Maybe…maybe he'd survived!
With hope coursing through her, the girl scrambled to her feet and began running down the hill toward the woods. Maybe the village was all right! Papa's men had come and saved the village from the bad men! Surely, they were the ones that had buried her parents and the people at the house. They'd come in time and saved the village!
Like the wind the girl tore through the trees and into the village outskirts. Kou might still be alive. The people…they might still be alive…! Her hopes fell, however, as she saw the burnt out, devastated ruins of the village. Nothing moved among the scorched stone or smouldering wood. Mounds, not unlike those up at her house, littered the ground, the dirt fresh, the markers just as poorly written on.
Shoukaki slowed to a walk as she came into the village. All around was nothing but destruction. The bandits had destroyed everything. Nothing was left, not even the people. 'Kou…Kou, please be alive…!'
Eventually, Shoukaki came to her friend's house. It too had been destroyed, just as the rest of the village. However, someone was moving around inside the gutted remains. With a cry the girl ran into the house, calling out Kou's name. He was alive! Just like he promised!
What she found, however, was not Kou. Five men were digging in the ground, picking at the dirt like ants. They wore her father's sigil—they must have been warriors from her father's entourage. Maybe…maybe they were just cleaning up. It must have been them who gave her family and the rest of the people a proper burial. Maybe they were just cleaning up now and they'd taken the rest of the villagers out of the area, where they'd be safe. They'd taken Kou, surely.
But no. One of the men bent over to lift something and Shoukaki could see that it was Kou. In his hand he held a small knife—even in death he wouldn't let go. When the other men moved she could see the mounds for Kou's father and sister, right there in the centre of his house. They were gently putting her friend in the ground even as she watched.
With a cry, the girl ran to them and tried her best to get their attention. When she moved to grab them, however, she fell through them and crashed into the ground. Not understanding, the child crawled back to her feet and tried again; again she passed through the men's bodies. They were placing Kou's body in the ground now, pushing the dirt over him. Shoukaki shook her head and cried out: "Stop! Please, stop! Don't take Kou away from me!"
"They won't hear you."
Shoukaki whirled around to see her mother standing behind her. However the woman had looked before, she now radiated beauty, from her perfectly bound hair to her clean and crisp kimono to the flowers wrapped around her head, she was the most beautiful creature Shoukaki had ever seen. Crying, the child ran to her mother and embraced her. Her mother wrapped her arms around her daughter's shoulders and held her close.
Finally, she pulled the girl away and bent down to look her in the eyes. Shoukaki stared at her mother, love and confusion and pain riddled through her eyes. The woman smiled sadly as she took her daughter's hands in hers. "Red Bird," she began, then stopped. She sighed as she began anew. "Shoukaki, from now on, things are going to be very painful for you. For whatever reason, you can't…you can't come home with me, my Red Bird. You have to stay here."
The girl shook her head, not quite understanding. "Mommy…what do you mean? Why do I have to stay here? Where is home? Why can't I go there?"
"Because you have something else to do."
With a cry Shoukaki's shoulders went taut. She did not turn, but waited for the voice of her friend to move toward her. It did so. "Home is where we go when we die, Red Bird." Kou's voice was sad, but loving as he moved into her view and sat down on the ground beside her mother. Shoukaki started crying again and he reached over to clear away her tears. He pointed toward the men who were moving from his house to another. "They've been at it for two days. They're all that's left of the men who came to save us. Your father's men. They killed the bandits, but…they couldn't save us. Don't be sad, Red Bird. Don't cry for us."
"I can't help it! You're…you're in the ground! Kou…Kou is gone…and I miss you!" She reached down and pulled out the flowers he'd given her. She reached out and tried to hand them to him. He shook his head and refused. "But…I'm giving them back, just like you wanted."
He shook his head again. "I don't need them anymore, Red Bird. I get to see Mama soon." Even as he spoke he began to fade away, along with Shoukaki's mother. The girl cried out but he hushed her. "You'll come home someday, Shoukaki, I know you will. But for now, you have to stay here. You're needed here, for whatever reason."
The girl cried as she watched her mother and best friend fade away. "Can't I see you here, though? Why can't I see Mommy and Kou…?"
Her mother smiled sadly and reached out to stroke her cheek. "Do not worry, my Red Bird. You can still talk to me, as much as you want. I'll be with you, even if you can't see me. But…you cannot come with us. You must stay here."
"I don't want to!"
She nodded. "I know, my Red Bird, I know. But do not worry. You'll meet friends here, too. Right now, no one can see you, but someday you'll be able to interact with the living again. The dead will pass away and you'll forget how we fell or where we lie, but you'll be able to interact with the living. It'll be hard, living in both worlds but neither. But you're strong, my Red Bird and you'll be able to do so. You have to. And then, once it's all done, you can come home and we'll be waiting for you." She was almost completely gone now, but still her hand rested on her daughter's cheek. "Do not be afraid, my Red Bird. You are strong enough to be able to survive this. I love you."
Kou nodded as he too disappeared. "Remember what I said, Red Bird. And…and know that I love you, too. I always have and I always will. Remember us and come home soon."
Then they were gone.
Shoukaki knelt at the pond in hers and Kou's "special place" and watched as the last of the garland he'd made sank to the bottom. The garland she'd made for his sister hung from her grave, most of the petals gone and the knots coming undone in most places. She'd let it go, though. The petals would find their spirits and they'd know what she'd done for them. And that made her happy.
She watched the pond for a long time, then stood and walked out from the place. Without Kou there was no reason to return and so she didn't look back. She just wanted to give him one last gift before she began her long, lonely journey.
She turned her face to the sky and sighed. "I'll be strong, Mommy, Kou. And I'll talk to you often. Don't worry about me. I can handle this. And someday, friends will come and I won't be alone anymore. So…I can handle this. But…if I feel like crying, I can do that too, right? Cause even strong people have to cry sometimes. But don't worry—I won't cry all the time.
"I miss you a lot, Mommy, Kou, but I know I'll see you again. So…wait for me. I'll be coming home someday."
Silently, she disappeared back into the forest and toward the village, to wait for the friends that would find her someday and help her go home.