In the Forests of the Night
a Hikaru no Go Ghost story
Part 3: Immortal Hands
Few things in this round world known as earth are quite as excruciating as the moment when the intricate balance between ignorance and full enlightenment begins to tilt. Hikaru, with his eyes firmly shut despite the coaxing voice that swirled around him, was becoming keenly aware of this. The speaker could clearly see him; however, his mentor had explicitly told him NOT to look. The itch to do something besides sit and cower burned through him, and he had to clap his hands over his eyes in a desperate bid to keep them closed.
"Kiyiii, no matter how you cover them up, it won't help. I still seeeeee you!" the voice drawled. "So it does you no good to imitate the Monkey God. I must say, however, that you do look quite deliciously precious like that, all balled up like an little onigiri. I could just eat you up."
Hikaru heard a swish of silk as the creature (he had a disconcerting feeling that the speaker wasn't quite human) stepped closer.
"Still won't uncurl, my little shrimp?" the voice made disapproving smacking sounds. Hikaru definitely did not appreciate the way culinary terms kept slipping into the dialogue. "Ah, I think your master would've taught you better than this. Fujiwara-sensei usually doesn't pick cowards for disciples, after all."
At that, Hikaru's hands fell away, and his eyes shot open. He might be lost, scared, and insubstantial, but his basic stubborn streak and his brash pride had not disappeared. Both were as much a part of him as his bleached bangs, and it would take a lot more than losing a corporeal presence to smother his basic nature.
"I'm NOT a coward!" he yelled. Luckily, his sitting position limited his line of sight to the waist level of the speaker. A brilliant red swath of silk met his gaze. Belatedly remembering Sai's advice, he ducked down, staring at where the person's robes met the ground. A lantern dipped closer, making the shadows scatter around the fabric.
"So the monkey has fangs, after all. Ah little one, you should not hide your face so much, for you have such lovely eyes," the voice chuckled, and the robes swayed merrily. The lantern lowered even more. "So beautiful ... if only your mouth didn't get in the way ...."
"What did you do to my friend?!" Hikaru spat, eyes never leaving the hem of the red ... kimono? It looked like a kimono, but it was in a style Hikaru had never seen before. From what he could see, it looked rather like an altered version of Sai's outfit. Silver and gold threads spanned around the edge of the scarlet silk, forming the fanciful shapes of leaping rabbits and swirling feathers. The tip of a gold slipper protruded out from under the kimono, but there was something ... strange ... about the foot it enclosed, something off about the shape ... His mouth immediately dried out. No, definitely not human.
"And your manners!" the figure clucked a disapproving tongue. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. I must chide Fujiwara-sensei about his choices in company. Really, such open rudeness in one so young."
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM?!" Hikaru bolted to his feet, his posture stiff and each muscle clenched in fury. Human or not, if the thing had hurt Sai . . .
"Do? To Fujiwara-sensei? Nothing, my dear," the shadows danced again as the speaker laughed and swayed the lamp. "He is not for us, not tonight, much to my distress." The statement was followed by a twittering sigh.
Hikaru tried not to flinch away. "Then where is he?"
"Follow me and see for yourself," The figure abruptly turned away, giving Hikaru a view of the intricately tied mo at the back of the kimono-like outfit. Long, ebony hair cascaded elegantly over the back of the cloth, only to be caught and held neatly at the very end of its length by another intricately tied bow. Finally, a large, apron-like garment, decorated with the moon and stars, had been tied across the back, below the obi, and it flowed after the figure, dragging on the ground as it went. Hikaru was wondering at this odd addition to the kimono, when he noticed that there was something ... moving ... underneath the piece ... something suspiciously like ... a ....
Hikaru gulped. No, I'm not seeing a tail ... or several tails under the cloth, I'm NOT seeing that, he tried to convince himself.
"You do know it's rude to stare at someone's backside, do you not?" the voice scolded him. Hikaru gulped and hastily transferred his gaze onto his own shoes.
"Kiyiiiii, little mortal -- just so you know -- you are not for us, either," the voice said smoothly. "At least, not for tonight. So won't you look up? You might enjoy the view."
"I won't," Hikaru said sullenly.
"Pity. But we're here," the figure stopped so abruptly that Hikaru nearly passed straight through the back of the kimono. "Fujiwara-sensei, I believe I've found that which you have misplaced. One might think, however, that you were trying to hide him from us."
"Shindo-kun ..." Hikaru nearly broke eye contact with his shoes when he actually heard Sai's voice, not in his head, but through his ears ....
And Sai had called him ....
"Shindo-kun, you can look up. They have their masks on, and they have given their word that they will not harm you," Sai said. Hikaru reluctantly shifted his gaze upwards and abruptly wished he hadn't. A ring of kimono-clad figures surrounded them. All of the garments were exquisitely wrought, but save for the one that had come to fetch him, all of them were made of the whitest silk. Several of the figures carried taiko drums, even more carried lanterns and a few carried objects that Hikaru could not even begin to identify.
What really shook him though, what really made his bladder nearly lose its last grasp, were the masks. Like the kimonos, each mask held a slightly different pattern upon them, but all of them had the same features: a long, tapered snout, two delicately pointed ears, and where the eyes should be .... Hikaru gasped. Empty holes gaped back at him, fathomless and darker than night. The world seem to swirl away when Hikaru looked the creatures eye to eye.
Fox masks with empty eyes, human like bodies with tails ...
"Ki-kitsune," Hikaru stuttered as the pieces clicked into place. Suddenly, a certain broken shrine loomed large in his memory ...
"I'm impressed. It actually can recognize us for who we are. And here I thought its generation would be too stupid to notice something beyond the latest noisemaking machine," remarked one of the kitsune, whose kimono was marked with the tiny red petals of cherry blossoms. At least, Hikaru thought they might be petals. They could have easily been blood, as well.
Don't let them see how scared you are, something within him, deeper than instinct and perhaps twice as true, whispered. They'd use it against you, and you can't give them any advantage ... Yes, Hikaru decided. The kitsune were merely like an opponent at another Go match, that was it, and they were trying to psyche him out. Don't let them see ...
"Who are you calling dumb, brush butt?!" Hikaru jabbed a finger towards the offending kitsune. While he had to admit that most of his knowledge of kitsune came from watching Inu-yasha, he still felt quite proud of himself for recognizing them. "And I'm a him not an it!"
"Shindo-kun! Mind you manners," Sai snapped. "I humbly apologize ..."
"Well, it's not totally your disciple's fault," the kitsune with the scarlet kimono said. "Kinyuki shouldn't have provoked him. I will talk to him later about his manners, if you will do the same to your disciple."
Much to Sai's evident dismay, instead of looking contrite, Hikaru blew at his bangs and feigned being bored. He noticed that this seemed to piss off the kitsune in the sakura blossom kimono even more. Something inside him, perhaps the same part that had given him the earlier advice, gave a despairing groan. Not five minutes into the meeting and he had already made a new enemy. Of course, five minutes was hardly a record for Shindo Hikaru; there were times when he had managed to offend strangers within seconds of meeting them.
"Still, I most humbly apologize for my disciple's offensive and idiotic presence," Sai said, causing Hikaru glare angrily at him. The ghost stared impassively back for a few heartbeats, before waving him over imperiously. He had to repeat the gesture twice before Hikaru reluctantly obeyed.
"What's with this disciple thing, Sai? And we're going to have a long talk about this idiot thing later, and it WON'T be over a goban ..." he warned darkly. If Sai heard his thoughts, he gave no indication. Hikaru suddenly found himself hoping that there would be a "later."
"As you see, he is sadly untrained, and I despair of ever instilling even the slightest iota of proper manners into him. I am to blame for his actions, for I am but a poor teacher. Both he and I are unfit company for such illustrious beings as you are, my lord," the ghost continued.
"My lord? He's a GUY?!" Hikaru blurted out. "With the long hair?! The high pitched voice? And the rabbity kimono? Though he does kinda look like you, S--"
"SHINDO-KUN!" Sai immediately bowed to the kitsune. "Osusuki-sama, please forgive him. He's not really bright ...."
"But he certainly is interesting, this follower of yours," Osusuki remarked. "Very entertaining, too. But you mustn't blame yourself for his rude behavior; he himself is not as much to blame as is the time that produced him. You, however, make me long for the days when I was but a cub. Your manners and poise, as ever, are flawless. It's that precision and that touch of ineffability which marks you as a haiku in mortal form, Fujiwara no Sai."
"My lord," Sai bowed, "You flatter me far too much."
"Kiyiii, I think not. You know very well that there is a quality about you that sets you high above the drab buzzing that makes up most of normal mortal existence," the kitsune flicked his fingers contemptuously. Hikaru couldn't help but notice how the lamplight gleamed upon the long, daggerlike claws at the end of each digit. "Otherwise you would not have managed to return as a wanderer through these ensuing centuries."
"I am but a lost soul, no more, no less than that. All I have is my pitiful skills at Go, and these ..."
"Do not contradict me. You know that there is much more to you than your skills at a simple mortal game. Even after centuries, we who wander the night still remember your name, though your own kind has long forgotten."
"You flatter ..."
"Enough groveling. As much as it brings back memories of the old days, I almost prefer the direct nature of your disciple to the incessant bellyscraping that made up Heian court politics. Your adherence to the court ideals of face and honor is what killed you in the first place, Fujiwara no Sai, and what makes your worse flaw," Osusuki dismissed Sai with a wave. "Mortals and their false honor. Kiyii! Your love of Go is pure and awe-inspiring, but it wasn't even enough to save you in life and barely enough to reclaim you after death."
Something flickered across Sai's face, passing so fast that only Hikaru noticed it. But in that suspended second, what he saw cut him deeply.
That couldn't have been ... his thoughts stuttered this can't be Sai ... not him. He's always so cheerful, only worrying about Go . It can't be ...
But that look ... a cross between heartache, anger, and shame ... Hikaru balled his hands into fists. He didn't quite understand what this Osusuki kitsune was talking about, but he knew he wasn't about to let the fox spirit get away with his words.
"Hey, rabbit breath, you leave him alone! He could wipe your furry ass all over the goban!"
"SHINDO-KUN!"
"No need, Fujiwara-sensei. I would hardly expect less out of a student who's teacher is being attacked," Osusuki turned his attention back to Hikaru. "Yes, indeed, an odd one you've chosen to saddle yourself with, sensei. Such ... a very interesting choice. This definitely changes things tonight."
Hikaru felt his stomach drop as the kitsune bent closer, until his mask nearly brushed his cheek. Beside him, he could feel Sai tensing. He concentrated on the long, porcelain nose, trying hard to avoid the empty eye holes.
"Pardon my most ignoble ignorance, but I do not understand, your lordship. We did not mean to intrude upon your kitsune rituals. If you could bestow upon us your boundless generosity and lift this spell, we will be away, thus troubling you no further."
"Ah, but what would be the fun of that?" the fox spirit shook his head. "Besides, this isn't a simple kitsune ritual that you've so hopelessly blundered into. If it was, the penalty would merely be death. However, tonight's a very special night and we're preparing for a very special guest ; all of old Japan will be coming. Of course, as a wanderer yourself, you are free to leave or stay, but the mortal is a different story."
"Look, I didn't know .. and I'm sorry about the shrine." Hikaru said. "I'm really really sorry. But you can't punish me for not knowing you were having a ghost party ..."
"It's Setsubon, is it not? Where do you think we demons and night haunts go when you humans drive us out your doors?" Osusuki sighed when Hikaru shrugged.
"And if I remember correctly, you were also the one arrogant enough to stride through a graveyard on this most dubious of days AND break a kitsune shrine on top of it all," the fox spirit shook a claw mockingly. "The graveyard actually was built on the top of a very sacred spot, don't you know? Your ancestors could feel this was a place apart from mundane reality, that to bury the dead here would give death itself a special meaning, a special power. Surely you knew that?"
Bewildered, Hikaru just stared silently back at the fox spirit. Sweat beaded and trickled down his back, but Hikaru stayed absolutely still. Instinct told him that sharp, sudden movements probably wouldn't be wise. Predators tended to pounce at those moments.
"Eh, that's humans for you. They remember the cause and sometimes they remember the purpose, but they can never quite grasp effects. That is why your kind still has wars, still cause misery for each other, and still have yet to rise to your full potential. Still, my guest will have a interest in you, little mortal, despite all your kind's flaws. Or perhaps, because of them."
Sai had edged closer to Hikaru while Osusuki had been ranting. He was now mere centimeters from Hikaru's elbow and was continuing to push forward, trying to passively force to kitsune to back away.
"Again, pardon this lowly servant for asking, but who? Who is the special guest tonight? Why would he or she have an interest in such a poor acquisition as my student? He has no skills to speak of. And you can see how rude he is in his behavior," Sai insisted. Osusuki leaned even closer to Hikaru, as if trying to examine the goods in question, causing the boy to scramble back a few steps to avoid a snout-through-the-head mixup. Sai immediately stepped in front of him.
"Kiyii! Your monkey is easily startled, is he not? All I can say is that many will walk abroad tonight, and among them is something that you, Fujiwara-sensei, would be especially wise to avoid. You have survived hundreds of years ... it would be a shame if you were forced to give up this mortal sphere and stop your wanderings for such a insignificant little giblet. By the looks of him and his atrocious manners, I think you'd welcome the opportunity to replace him."
"Though I would give much to be able to obey your most sage advice, I cannot," Sai said.
Hikaru glared at Sai. "Hey, what do you mean by that?! You can't seriously be thinking about replacing ..."
"Honor, as well as other ties, binds me to my disciple," the ghost continued, though Hikaru could not determine whether Sai had chosen to ignore the mental chiding or if he had heard the words at all.
"I'm sure something can be arranged." Osusuki's purring voice made Hikaru back away a few more steps. He suddenly had a very clear idea how a rabbit felt when it was on its last, desperate leap toward a burrow that was too far away. The only way to separate him from Sai was to . . .
"I am not leaving without Shindo-kun," Sai's eyes narrowed and his voice dropped to its lowest register. "He is my disciple, and therefore his honor is my honor as well. If he has shamed himself by profaning your sacred grounds, let the punishment fall on me. I should have prevented him from acting in this manner."
"Be that as it may, you know my kind do not give warnings lightly ..." Osusuki's head suddenly snapped up. Around him, the other kitsune started muttering. Immediately, the ones with the drums started pounding them again. "Last chance, it's almost time. Don't let your pride and foolish notions get in the way. Remember what happened to you before."
"If I must humble myself again, so be it. Let Shindo-kun go, I beg of you," the ghost bowed deeply and remained in that position. "Inari-sama is a kind god. He would not want an innocent to be caught in this."
"I cannot. It is beyond my control." Osusuki shrugged. "Leave while you can, Sai. I am telling this to you as one who knew you from the old days and watched you grow, one whom you might even call a friend. You can always get another student, but no one in the world, wandering or not, has the skills you do."
"No," Sai looked up from his folded position. "I will not. I know what you see in Shindo Hikaru. I will not let you nor any of the wandering world claim him."
He straightened up, and his stance was like a sword newly forged. "One more time, Osusuki ... sama. Please. As my ... friend. Let him leave. I will stay in his place, but let him go."
Feeling increasingly unbalanced, Hikaru's gaze ping-ponged back and forth from the kitsune to the ghost. "Sai, what's going on?! Why do they want me? What do they see?"
For a long, breathless moment, Osusuki and Sai engaged in a long staring contest. Hikaru did not know how Sai could bear to look so deeply into those empty black sockets, but in the end, it was the kitsune who turned away.
"Still stubborn as always, I see. But like I said before, it is beyond my control. The mortal stays. You, however, can do whatever you want. If you're not going to leave, please stay out of the way while we set up. I'll tell the management that we'll need an extra place at the table for you and your disciple," He waved a hand, and immediately, a clearing appeared among the trees. "Stand over there, if you will."
For a moment, Sai merely stood there, his expression blank. Then he executed another stiff bow, and beckoned Hikaru to follow him away from the activities of the kitsune. The foxes had begun to set up a flaming multitude of lamps and other decorations. Various tables had been laid out to form a gigantic "C" shape, and strange and exotic dishes were being constantly heaped upon them.
"Just what is going on? Sai, you're acting really weird ..."
"No, don't call me Sai. You must call me Fujiwara-sensei or just sensei. I've claimed you as my deshi, and as my disciple, so you must show respect. I think Osusuki may suspect that you aren't exactly my student, but I'm hoping he'll keep silent. He may very well not but he does owe ... we just have to chance it," Sai leaned against a nearby tree and let his arms fall wearily to his side, which definitely spooked Hikaru. Sai was never tired, not for as long as he had known the ghost.
"Why? Why did you claim me as a student? And how do you know that fox guy? What happened before?"
"Hikaru, we've gotten into something really bad. For Osusuki, the Lord of the Kitsune, to personally arrange and oversee a mere banquet ... it means something beyond a simple Setsubon festival will occur tonight. The kitsune are messengers and servants of Inari-sama, kami of the golden rice and the plentiful fields. Perhaps he is doing this on his lord's behalf. Inari-sama is a benevolent god by himself, but some of his relations ...they find mortals to be nothing more than playthings. I suspect Osusuki is going to use you to entertain whatever is coming here. He might even try giving you away as a gift."
"What?! If I could get my hands on Mr. Fleatail, I'm going to ... I'm not something you can give away! I'm a rotten gift!" Hikaru paused. Wait, did I just insult myself?! "Why do they want me anyway?"
"I won't let him give you away, Hikaru. I claimed you as a student; technically you're mine. But Osusuki still might try, regardless. It won't be the first time," Sai said, his mouth tightening into a frown.
"What do you mean,`it won't be the first time'?!" Hikaru shifted his feet nervously, a little nonplused at the growing anger he could feel in his mentor. Why is Sai so mad? But the swirl of emotions he felt from the ghost wasn't entirely composed of anger. Confused, Hikaru snuck another quick look at the kitsune. "You still haven't explained how you know all these escapees out of a Miyazaki film!"
Sai glanced away. "Don't worry about that. I'm just concerned with getting you out of here. That's our top priority."
Hikaru could hardly argue with that statement. "Look, it's not like I'm really here. They can't give something that's not really here away, can they?"
"A kitsune is a trickster by nature; they delight in giving away that which is not theirs, whether or not that which is not theirs is there or not." Sai closed one eye. "Well, I think I got that right."
"Maybe we should try to sneak away."
"It won't be that easy," Sai took a deep breath, then straightened up. "I don't know if we can even leave this forest, or what Osusuki might do to us if we try. The kitsune created this, and they're the only ones who can free us from it. Our only chance is to wait out the celebration, and pray that Osusuki or Inari-sama finally lets us go unharmed. I'm just hoping that all they really need us for is entertainment."
Hikaru, however, had a feeling that the kitsune idea of "entertainment" really wouldn't be much fun for him or the ghost. "Sai ... just tell me. How do you know all this?"
"When I was young ... like I said, people of my time knew that kitsune, Inari-sama ... all of the old wanderers existed. But when I was young..." something in Sai's voice made Hikaru cringe. "Just trust me. We'll get out of this, somehow. Remember, you still owe me a Go game, right? And someone needs to show Touya-kun that he's not the best young Go player around."
At the mention of Go and Touya, an uncomfortable feeling began to nibble at the back of Hikaru's eyes. He rubbed them, refusing to even consider they might be tears. He was not going to cry, not in front of these fox creatures.
Still, tears or not, the feeling lasted a long time. Would he ever see his parents or grandparents again? Touya Akira? The thought of never getting a chance to play the other boy ... Hikaru swiped his eyes with a coat sleeve. He was so close, he was a pro now ... And what about Waya, Isumi, Akari and the others?
"Hikaru ... don't cry. We'll get out of this, I promise."
"I'm NOT crying. I can't believe this is happening to me ... I want a one way ticket back to sanity now, please? I'll even settle for insanity at this point ...."
"It'll be rough, but we will make it through. I won't let them take you without a fight." Sai's stance had firmed until it was ramrod straight, and he held his fan folded and close to his side, like a sword ready to be drawn. "And I plan to fight with everything I have."
Though Hikaru had always privately thought the ghost looked (not to mention behaved) rather girl like, he had to admit that on occasion, Sai managed to look quite formidable and perhaps even scary as well.
"You know, for a thousand year old crybaby, Go-addicted ghost, you can be pretty cool sometimes," Hikaru gave his eyes one last, fierce wipe with a sleeve, banishing the last of the tearing sensation. "So how are we going to deal with the legions of the undead?"
"Not all of them are "undead" ... most of them can't die. Don't worry, Hikaru. Dealing with those of the wandering world really isn't that much different than working with the politics back in the Heian court, and that I have plenty of experience in. Actually, the demons might be more kinder, at times. But you can't let your emotions show so easily. No matter what any one says, even if it's insulting to you or me, don't react. Actually, if you can, don't even think to me; some beings here can read thoughts and emotions. Most of all, keep your gaze to the ground, act submissive, and don't make rash statements. It would be better if you don't speak at all."
"In other words, I can't be me," Hikaru groaned. Sai hid a chuckle underneath a sleeve.
"Think of this as a ... what did you call it? A crash course in court politics. Actually, learning how to hide your true emotions will serve you well when we get back to the real world, and you have to play a Go tournament."
"You really think we'll make it back, Sai?" Hikaru shivered, though he was not cold.
"Yes. We will, Hikaru. You'll get your chance to play Touya and the others again. But don't call me Sai."
"Okay, sensei. And that's Shindo-kun, to you." Giving Sai the cockiest smile he could manage under the circumstances, Hikaru squared his shoulders. "Bring it on then!"
However, even as the words left his mouth, Hikaru could hear, intermixed with the pounding of the taiko drums, the first sounds of approaching footsteps.
to be continued
a Hikaru no Go Ghost story
Part 3: Immortal Hands
Few things in this round world known as earth are quite as excruciating as the moment when the intricate balance between ignorance and full enlightenment begins to tilt. Hikaru, with his eyes firmly shut despite the coaxing voice that swirled around him, was becoming keenly aware of this. The speaker could clearly see him; however, his mentor had explicitly told him NOT to look. The itch to do something besides sit and cower burned through him, and he had to clap his hands over his eyes in a desperate bid to keep them closed.
"Kiyiii, no matter how you cover them up, it won't help. I still seeeeee you!" the voice drawled. "So it does you no good to imitate the Monkey God. I must say, however, that you do look quite deliciously precious like that, all balled up like an little onigiri. I could just eat you up."
Hikaru heard a swish of silk as the creature (he had a disconcerting feeling that the speaker wasn't quite human) stepped closer.
"Still won't uncurl, my little shrimp?" the voice made disapproving smacking sounds. Hikaru definitely did not appreciate the way culinary terms kept slipping into the dialogue. "Ah, I think your master would've taught you better than this. Fujiwara-sensei usually doesn't pick cowards for disciples, after all."
At that, Hikaru's hands fell away, and his eyes shot open. He might be lost, scared, and insubstantial, but his basic stubborn streak and his brash pride had not disappeared. Both were as much a part of him as his bleached bangs, and it would take a lot more than losing a corporeal presence to smother his basic nature.
"I'm NOT a coward!" he yelled. Luckily, his sitting position limited his line of sight to the waist level of the speaker. A brilliant red swath of silk met his gaze. Belatedly remembering Sai's advice, he ducked down, staring at where the person's robes met the ground. A lantern dipped closer, making the shadows scatter around the fabric.
"So the monkey has fangs, after all. Ah little one, you should not hide your face so much, for you have such lovely eyes," the voice chuckled, and the robes swayed merrily. The lantern lowered even more. "So beautiful ... if only your mouth didn't get in the way ...."
"What did you do to my friend?!" Hikaru spat, eyes never leaving the hem of the red ... kimono? It looked like a kimono, but it was in a style Hikaru had never seen before. From what he could see, it looked rather like an altered version of Sai's outfit. Silver and gold threads spanned around the edge of the scarlet silk, forming the fanciful shapes of leaping rabbits and swirling feathers. The tip of a gold slipper protruded out from under the kimono, but there was something ... strange ... about the foot it enclosed, something off about the shape ... His mouth immediately dried out. No, definitely not human.
"And your manners!" the figure clucked a disapproving tongue. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. I must chide Fujiwara-sensei about his choices in company. Really, such open rudeness in one so young."
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM?!" Hikaru bolted to his feet, his posture stiff and each muscle clenched in fury. Human or not, if the thing had hurt Sai . . .
"Do? To Fujiwara-sensei? Nothing, my dear," the shadows danced again as the speaker laughed and swayed the lamp. "He is not for us, not tonight, much to my distress." The statement was followed by a twittering sigh.
Hikaru tried not to flinch away. "Then where is he?"
"Follow me and see for yourself," The figure abruptly turned away, giving Hikaru a view of the intricately tied mo at the back of the kimono-like outfit. Long, ebony hair cascaded elegantly over the back of the cloth, only to be caught and held neatly at the very end of its length by another intricately tied bow. Finally, a large, apron-like garment, decorated with the moon and stars, had been tied across the back, below the obi, and it flowed after the figure, dragging on the ground as it went. Hikaru was wondering at this odd addition to the kimono, when he noticed that there was something ... moving ... underneath the piece ... something suspiciously like ... a ....
Hikaru gulped. No, I'm not seeing a tail ... or several tails under the cloth, I'm NOT seeing that, he tried to convince himself.
"You do know it's rude to stare at someone's backside, do you not?" the voice scolded him. Hikaru gulped and hastily transferred his gaze onto his own shoes.
"Kiyiiiii, little mortal -- just so you know -- you are not for us, either," the voice said smoothly. "At least, not for tonight. So won't you look up? You might enjoy the view."
"I won't," Hikaru said sullenly.
"Pity. But we're here," the figure stopped so abruptly that Hikaru nearly passed straight through the back of the kimono. "Fujiwara-sensei, I believe I've found that which you have misplaced. One might think, however, that you were trying to hide him from us."
"Shindo-kun ..." Hikaru nearly broke eye contact with his shoes when he actually heard Sai's voice, not in his head, but through his ears ....
And Sai had called him ....
"Shindo-kun, you can look up. They have their masks on, and they have given their word that they will not harm you," Sai said. Hikaru reluctantly shifted his gaze upwards and abruptly wished he hadn't. A ring of kimono-clad figures surrounded them. All of the garments were exquisitely wrought, but save for the one that had come to fetch him, all of them were made of the whitest silk. Several of the figures carried taiko drums, even more carried lanterns and a few carried objects that Hikaru could not even begin to identify.
What really shook him though, what really made his bladder nearly lose its last grasp, were the masks. Like the kimonos, each mask held a slightly different pattern upon them, but all of them had the same features: a long, tapered snout, two delicately pointed ears, and where the eyes should be .... Hikaru gasped. Empty holes gaped back at him, fathomless and darker than night. The world seem to swirl away when Hikaru looked the creatures eye to eye.
Fox masks with empty eyes, human like bodies with tails ...
"Ki-kitsune," Hikaru stuttered as the pieces clicked into place. Suddenly, a certain broken shrine loomed large in his memory ...
"I'm impressed. It actually can recognize us for who we are. And here I thought its generation would be too stupid to notice something beyond the latest noisemaking machine," remarked one of the kitsune, whose kimono was marked with the tiny red petals of cherry blossoms. At least, Hikaru thought they might be petals. They could have easily been blood, as well.
Don't let them see how scared you are, something within him, deeper than instinct and perhaps twice as true, whispered. They'd use it against you, and you can't give them any advantage ... Yes, Hikaru decided. The kitsune were merely like an opponent at another Go match, that was it, and they were trying to psyche him out. Don't let them see ...
"Who are you calling dumb, brush butt?!" Hikaru jabbed a finger towards the offending kitsune. While he had to admit that most of his knowledge of kitsune came from watching Inu-yasha, he still felt quite proud of himself for recognizing them. "And I'm a him not an it!"
"Shindo-kun! Mind you manners," Sai snapped. "I humbly apologize ..."
"Well, it's not totally your disciple's fault," the kitsune with the scarlet kimono said. "Kinyuki shouldn't have provoked him. I will talk to him later about his manners, if you will do the same to your disciple."
Much to Sai's evident dismay, instead of looking contrite, Hikaru blew at his bangs and feigned being bored. He noticed that this seemed to piss off the kitsune in the sakura blossom kimono even more. Something inside him, perhaps the same part that had given him the earlier advice, gave a despairing groan. Not five minutes into the meeting and he had already made a new enemy. Of course, five minutes was hardly a record for Shindo Hikaru; there were times when he had managed to offend strangers within seconds of meeting them.
"Still, I most humbly apologize for my disciple's offensive and idiotic presence," Sai said, causing Hikaru glare angrily at him. The ghost stared impassively back for a few heartbeats, before waving him over imperiously. He had to repeat the gesture twice before Hikaru reluctantly obeyed.
"What's with this disciple thing, Sai? And we're going to have a long talk about this idiot thing later, and it WON'T be over a goban ..." he warned darkly. If Sai heard his thoughts, he gave no indication. Hikaru suddenly found himself hoping that there would be a "later."
"As you see, he is sadly untrained, and I despair of ever instilling even the slightest iota of proper manners into him. I am to blame for his actions, for I am but a poor teacher. Both he and I are unfit company for such illustrious beings as you are, my lord," the ghost continued.
"My lord? He's a GUY?!" Hikaru blurted out. "With the long hair?! The high pitched voice? And the rabbity kimono? Though he does kinda look like you, S--"
"SHINDO-KUN!" Sai immediately bowed to the kitsune. "Osusuki-sama, please forgive him. He's not really bright ...."
"But he certainly is interesting, this follower of yours," Osusuki remarked. "Very entertaining, too. But you mustn't blame yourself for his rude behavior; he himself is not as much to blame as is the time that produced him. You, however, make me long for the days when I was but a cub. Your manners and poise, as ever, are flawless. It's that precision and that touch of ineffability which marks you as a haiku in mortal form, Fujiwara no Sai."
"My lord," Sai bowed, "You flatter me far too much."
"Kiyiii, I think not. You know very well that there is a quality about you that sets you high above the drab buzzing that makes up most of normal mortal existence," the kitsune flicked his fingers contemptuously. Hikaru couldn't help but notice how the lamplight gleamed upon the long, daggerlike claws at the end of each digit. "Otherwise you would not have managed to return as a wanderer through these ensuing centuries."
"I am but a lost soul, no more, no less than that. All I have is my pitiful skills at Go, and these ..."
"Do not contradict me. You know that there is much more to you than your skills at a simple mortal game. Even after centuries, we who wander the night still remember your name, though your own kind has long forgotten."
"You flatter ..."
"Enough groveling. As much as it brings back memories of the old days, I almost prefer the direct nature of your disciple to the incessant bellyscraping that made up Heian court politics. Your adherence to the court ideals of face and honor is what killed you in the first place, Fujiwara no Sai, and what makes your worse flaw," Osusuki dismissed Sai with a wave. "Mortals and their false honor. Kiyii! Your love of Go is pure and awe-inspiring, but it wasn't even enough to save you in life and barely enough to reclaim you after death."
Something flickered across Sai's face, passing so fast that only Hikaru noticed it. But in that suspended second, what he saw cut him deeply.
That couldn't have been ... his thoughts stuttered this can't be Sai ... not him. He's always so cheerful, only worrying about Go . It can't be ...
But that look ... a cross between heartache, anger, and shame ... Hikaru balled his hands into fists. He didn't quite understand what this Osusuki kitsune was talking about, but he knew he wasn't about to let the fox spirit get away with his words.
"Hey, rabbit breath, you leave him alone! He could wipe your furry ass all over the goban!"
"SHINDO-KUN!"
"No need, Fujiwara-sensei. I would hardly expect less out of a student who's teacher is being attacked," Osusuki turned his attention back to Hikaru. "Yes, indeed, an odd one you've chosen to saddle yourself with, sensei. Such ... a very interesting choice. This definitely changes things tonight."
Hikaru felt his stomach drop as the kitsune bent closer, until his mask nearly brushed his cheek. Beside him, he could feel Sai tensing. He concentrated on the long, porcelain nose, trying hard to avoid the empty eye holes.
"Pardon my most ignoble ignorance, but I do not understand, your lordship. We did not mean to intrude upon your kitsune rituals. If you could bestow upon us your boundless generosity and lift this spell, we will be away, thus troubling you no further."
"Ah, but what would be the fun of that?" the fox spirit shook his head. "Besides, this isn't a simple kitsune ritual that you've so hopelessly blundered into. If it was, the penalty would merely be death. However, tonight's a very special night and we're preparing for a very special guest ; all of old Japan will be coming. Of course, as a wanderer yourself, you are free to leave or stay, but the mortal is a different story."
"Look, I didn't know .. and I'm sorry about the shrine." Hikaru said. "I'm really really sorry. But you can't punish me for not knowing you were having a ghost party ..."
"It's Setsubon, is it not? Where do you think we demons and night haunts go when you humans drive us out your doors?" Osusuki sighed when Hikaru shrugged.
"And if I remember correctly, you were also the one arrogant enough to stride through a graveyard on this most dubious of days AND break a kitsune shrine on top of it all," the fox spirit shook a claw mockingly. "The graveyard actually was built on the top of a very sacred spot, don't you know? Your ancestors could feel this was a place apart from mundane reality, that to bury the dead here would give death itself a special meaning, a special power. Surely you knew that?"
Bewildered, Hikaru just stared silently back at the fox spirit. Sweat beaded and trickled down his back, but Hikaru stayed absolutely still. Instinct told him that sharp, sudden movements probably wouldn't be wise. Predators tended to pounce at those moments.
"Eh, that's humans for you. They remember the cause and sometimes they remember the purpose, but they can never quite grasp effects. That is why your kind still has wars, still cause misery for each other, and still have yet to rise to your full potential. Still, my guest will have a interest in you, little mortal, despite all your kind's flaws. Or perhaps, because of them."
Sai had edged closer to Hikaru while Osusuki had been ranting. He was now mere centimeters from Hikaru's elbow and was continuing to push forward, trying to passively force to kitsune to back away.
"Again, pardon this lowly servant for asking, but who? Who is the special guest tonight? Why would he or she have an interest in such a poor acquisition as my student? He has no skills to speak of. And you can see how rude he is in his behavior," Sai insisted. Osusuki leaned even closer to Hikaru, as if trying to examine the goods in question, causing the boy to scramble back a few steps to avoid a snout-through-the-head mixup. Sai immediately stepped in front of him.
"Kiyii! Your monkey is easily startled, is he not? All I can say is that many will walk abroad tonight, and among them is something that you, Fujiwara-sensei, would be especially wise to avoid. You have survived hundreds of years ... it would be a shame if you were forced to give up this mortal sphere and stop your wanderings for such a insignificant little giblet. By the looks of him and his atrocious manners, I think you'd welcome the opportunity to replace him."
"Though I would give much to be able to obey your most sage advice, I cannot," Sai said.
Hikaru glared at Sai. "Hey, what do you mean by that?! You can't seriously be thinking about replacing ..."
"Honor, as well as other ties, binds me to my disciple," the ghost continued, though Hikaru could not determine whether Sai had chosen to ignore the mental chiding or if he had heard the words at all.
"I'm sure something can be arranged." Osusuki's purring voice made Hikaru back away a few more steps. He suddenly had a very clear idea how a rabbit felt when it was on its last, desperate leap toward a burrow that was too far away. The only way to separate him from Sai was to . . .
"I am not leaving without Shindo-kun," Sai's eyes narrowed and his voice dropped to its lowest register. "He is my disciple, and therefore his honor is my honor as well. If he has shamed himself by profaning your sacred grounds, let the punishment fall on me. I should have prevented him from acting in this manner."
"Be that as it may, you know my kind do not give warnings lightly ..." Osusuki's head suddenly snapped up. Around him, the other kitsune started muttering. Immediately, the ones with the drums started pounding them again. "Last chance, it's almost time. Don't let your pride and foolish notions get in the way. Remember what happened to you before."
"If I must humble myself again, so be it. Let Shindo-kun go, I beg of you," the ghost bowed deeply and remained in that position. "Inari-sama is a kind god. He would not want an innocent to be caught in this."
"I cannot. It is beyond my control." Osusuki shrugged. "Leave while you can, Sai. I am telling this to you as one who knew you from the old days and watched you grow, one whom you might even call a friend. You can always get another student, but no one in the world, wandering or not, has the skills you do."
"No," Sai looked up from his folded position. "I will not. I know what you see in Shindo Hikaru. I will not let you nor any of the wandering world claim him."
He straightened up, and his stance was like a sword newly forged. "One more time, Osusuki ... sama. Please. As my ... friend. Let him leave. I will stay in his place, but let him go."
Feeling increasingly unbalanced, Hikaru's gaze ping-ponged back and forth from the kitsune to the ghost. "Sai, what's going on?! Why do they want me? What do they see?"
For a long, breathless moment, Osusuki and Sai engaged in a long staring contest. Hikaru did not know how Sai could bear to look so deeply into those empty black sockets, but in the end, it was the kitsune who turned away.
"Still stubborn as always, I see. But like I said before, it is beyond my control. The mortal stays. You, however, can do whatever you want. If you're not going to leave, please stay out of the way while we set up. I'll tell the management that we'll need an extra place at the table for you and your disciple," He waved a hand, and immediately, a clearing appeared among the trees. "Stand over there, if you will."
For a moment, Sai merely stood there, his expression blank. Then he executed another stiff bow, and beckoned Hikaru to follow him away from the activities of the kitsune. The foxes had begun to set up a flaming multitude of lamps and other decorations. Various tables had been laid out to form a gigantic "C" shape, and strange and exotic dishes were being constantly heaped upon them.
"Just what is going on? Sai, you're acting really weird ..."
"No, don't call me Sai. You must call me Fujiwara-sensei or just sensei. I've claimed you as my deshi, and as my disciple, so you must show respect. I think Osusuki may suspect that you aren't exactly my student, but I'm hoping he'll keep silent. He may very well not but he does owe ... we just have to chance it," Sai leaned against a nearby tree and let his arms fall wearily to his side, which definitely spooked Hikaru. Sai was never tired, not for as long as he had known the ghost.
"Why? Why did you claim me as a student? And how do you know that fox guy? What happened before?"
"Hikaru, we've gotten into something really bad. For Osusuki, the Lord of the Kitsune, to personally arrange and oversee a mere banquet ... it means something beyond a simple Setsubon festival will occur tonight. The kitsune are messengers and servants of Inari-sama, kami of the golden rice and the plentiful fields. Perhaps he is doing this on his lord's behalf. Inari-sama is a benevolent god by himself, but some of his relations ...they find mortals to be nothing more than playthings. I suspect Osusuki is going to use you to entertain whatever is coming here. He might even try giving you away as a gift."
"What?! If I could get my hands on Mr. Fleatail, I'm going to ... I'm not something you can give away! I'm a rotten gift!" Hikaru paused. Wait, did I just insult myself?! "Why do they want me anyway?"
"I won't let him give you away, Hikaru. I claimed you as a student; technically you're mine. But Osusuki still might try, regardless. It won't be the first time," Sai said, his mouth tightening into a frown.
"What do you mean,`it won't be the first time'?!" Hikaru shifted his feet nervously, a little nonplused at the growing anger he could feel in his mentor. Why is Sai so mad? But the swirl of emotions he felt from the ghost wasn't entirely composed of anger. Confused, Hikaru snuck another quick look at the kitsune. "You still haven't explained how you know all these escapees out of a Miyazaki film!"
Sai glanced away. "Don't worry about that. I'm just concerned with getting you out of here. That's our top priority."
Hikaru could hardly argue with that statement. "Look, it's not like I'm really here. They can't give something that's not really here away, can they?"
"A kitsune is a trickster by nature; they delight in giving away that which is not theirs, whether or not that which is not theirs is there or not." Sai closed one eye. "Well, I think I got that right."
"Maybe we should try to sneak away."
"It won't be that easy," Sai took a deep breath, then straightened up. "I don't know if we can even leave this forest, or what Osusuki might do to us if we try. The kitsune created this, and they're the only ones who can free us from it. Our only chance is to wait out the celebration, and pray that Osusuki or Inari-sama finally lets us go unharmed. I'm just hoping that all they really need us for is entertainment."
Hikaru, however, had a feeling that the kitsune idea of "entertainment" really wouldn't be much fun for him or the ghost. "Sai ... just tell me. How do you know all this?"
"When I was young ... like I said, people of my time knew that kitsune, Inari-sama ... all of the old wanderers existed. But when I was young..." something in Sai's voice made Hikaru cringe. "Just trust me. We'll get out of this, somehow. Remember, you still owe me a Go game, right? And someone needs to show Touya-kun that he's not the best young Go player around."
At the mention of Go and Touya, an uncomfortable feeling began to nibble at the back of Hikaru's eyes. He rubbed them, refusing to even consider they might be tears. He was not going to cry, not in front of these fox creatures.
Still, tears or not, the feeling lasted a long time. Would he ever see his parents or grandparents again? Touya Akira? The thought of never getting a chance to play the other boy ... Hikaru swiped his eyes with a coat sleeve. He was so close, he was a pro now ... And what about Waya, Isumi, Akari and the others?
"Hikaru ... don't cry. We'll get out of this, I promise."
"I'm NOT crying. I can't believe this is happening to me ... I want a one way ticket back to sanity now, please? I'll even settle for insanity at this point ...."
"It'll be rough, but we will make it through. I won't let them take you without a fight." Sai's stance had firmed until it was ramrod straight, and he held his fan folded and close to his side, like a sword ready to be drawn. "And I plan to fight with everything I have."
Though Hikaru had always privately thought the ghost looked (not to mention behaved) rather girl like, he had to admit that on occasion, Sai managed to look quite formidable and perhaps even scary as well.
"You know, for a thousand year old crybaby, Go-addicted ghost, you can be pretty cool sometimes," Hikaru gave his eyes one last, fierce wipe with a sleeve, banishing the last of the tearing sensation. "So how are we going to deal with the legions of the undead?"
"Not all of them are "undead" ... most of them can't die. Don't worry, Hikaru. Dealing with those of the wandering world really isn't that much different than working with the politics back in the Heian court, and that I have plenty of experience in. Actually, the demons might be more kinder, at times. But you can't let your emotions show so easily. No matter what any one says, even if it's insulting to you or me, don't react. Actually, if you can, don't even think to me; some beings here can read thoughts and emotions. Most of all, keep your gaze to the ground, act submissive, and don't make rash statements. It would be better if you don't speak at all."
"In other words, I can't be me," Hikaru groaned. Sai hid a chuckle underneath a sleeve.
"Think of this as a ... what did you call it? A crash course in court politics. Actually, learning how to hide your true emotions will serve you well when we get back to the real world, and you have to play a Go tournament."
"You really think we'll make it back, Sai?" Hikaru shivered, though he was not cold.
"Yes. We will, Hikaru. You'll get your chance to play Touya and the others again. But don't call me Sai."
"Okay, sensei. And that's Shindo-kun, to you." Giving Sai the cockiest smile he could manage under the circumstances, Hikaru squared his shoulders. "Bring it on then!"
However, even as the words left his mouth, Hikaru could hear, intermixed with the pounding of the taiko drums, the first sounds of approaching footsteps.
to be continued