Chapter 118
Genji then told his end of the story. Masq was a little shocked that her only child was deathly ill, and with a powerful inner demon. She bit her lip in uncertainy.
"No medinces, practices, or operation removes the demon at all?" she asked. "How terrible, it must be very strong......"
Genji nodded sadly.
"Wow. Heart attacks at fifteen...." 17 pitied. "That really sucks. You didn't tell me that part, Genji."
Genji sighed and looked at his mother.
**I came here in spirit in hopes of finding someone to exorcize the demon. But, because I had a demon, I can't seek out someone in heaven. So, I was sent down here.**
Masq smiled at her son.
"Well, be lucky you did come here. I'll exorcize the demon.
Genji and 17 looked at her in surprise.
"San, you're an exorcist?" 17 asked.
**But how?** Genji asked at the same time. **Not even the most powerful Mononoke shaman could remove it! It just keeps fighting back!**
"Not to worry." Masq shook her head. "Since you're in spirit form, exorcism will be much easier." She thought a minute. "We need to go to the temple on the other side of the Sanzu River for this. The other Mononoke priests are going to help out too."
**Uh.....** Genji made a flat face. **Mom, what's going to happen?**
Masq stood up, brushing the dirt off her pantaloons.
"Well, since you're in spirit form, so is your demon. But the demon can't leave your body without a body of its own. So, the spirit of the demon must be solidified and then it will be forced to leave your body after taking a form of its own. This isn't too difficult for me to do, and it's a surefire method! Guarenteed!"
**Wow!** Genji stood up in excitement. **This is great! Finally, I can be free!** He stopped his mini-celebration after getting a thought. **Wait a minute......** He faced his mother. **But mom, you're a medicine woman. How do you know about exorcizing demons?**
"That's part of my job as a medicine woman." Masq smiled. "Besides, I trained at the temple here. See, it's a Mononoke temple, but the priests there worship death. It's something like how the living worships life. At the Mononoke Temple of Death, we practice powerful and usually forbiddon arts that the living look down upon...."
"Including exorcizms?" 17 wondered. "Sounds like fun. How come I don't get to go?"
"I guess the boatman won't let you...." Masq shook her head. "The only way to cross the Sanzu is with the boatman. You know what happens if you don't."
"Oh, right." 17 nodded, biting his lip nervously.
**Then, let's go see the boatman!** Genji urged. **I'm on a time limit before I'm dead permanantly!**
Masq nodded in agreement as 17 stood up.
"The Sanzu River is nearby. It's the only body of water in hell, so it shouldn't be easy to spot. Let's get going."
((Author's Note: Here's a side note for those who aren't familiar with the name Sanzu. Ah, the Sanzu River. In Japan, that is a river that seperates the land of the living from the land of the dead. To cross it, you must be dead, otherwise your soul will be stolen from you. Also, they have a boatman to help you cross safely, just like how the Greeks have a boatman for their river of death: the Styx! For a look of what the Sanzu looks like, check out the Excel Saga episode "Increased Ratings Week"!
Genji then told his end of the story. Masq was a little shocked that her only child was deathly ill, and with a powerful inner demon. She bit her lip in uncertainy.
"No medinces, practices, or operation removes the demon at all?" she asked. "How terrible, it must be very strong......"
Genji nodded sadly.
"Wow. Heart attacks at fifteen...." 17 pitied. "That really sucks. You didn't tell me that part, Genji."
Genji sighed and looked at his mother.
**I came here in spirit in hopes of finding someone to exorcize the demon. But, because I had a demon, I can't seek out someone in heaven. So, I was sent down here.**
Masq smiled at her son.
"Well, be lucky you did come here. I'll exorcize the demon.
Genji and 17 looked at her in surprise.
"San, you're an exorcist?" 17 asked.
**But how?** Genji asked at the same time. **Not even the most powerful Mononoke shaman could remove it! It just keeps fighting back!**
"Not to worry." Masq shook her head. "Since you're in spirit form, exorcism will be much easier." She thought a minute. "We need to go to the temple on the other side of the Sanzu River for this. The other Mononoke priests are going to help out too."
**Uh.....** Genji made a flat face. **Mom, what's going to happen?**
Masq stood up, brushing the dirt off her pantaloons.
"Well, since you're in spirit form, so is your demon. But the demon can't leave your body without a body of its own. So, the spirit of the demon must be solidified and then it will be forced to leave your body after taking a form of its own. This isn't too difficult for me to do, and it's a surefire method! Guarenteed!"
**Wow!** Genji stood up in excitement. **This is great! Finally, I can be free!** He stopped his mini-celebration after getting a thought. **Wait a minute......** He faced his mother. **But mom, you're a medicine woman. How do you know about exorcizing demons?**
"That's part of my job as a medicine woman." Masq smiled. "Besides, I trained at the temple here. See, it's a Mononoke temple, but the priests there worship death. It's something like how the living worships life. At the Mononoke Temple of Death, we practice powerful and usually forbiddon arts that the living look down upon...."
"Including exorcizms?" 17 wondered. "Sounds like fun. How come I don't get to go?"
"I guess the boatman won't let you...." Masq shook her head. "The only way to cross the Sanzu is with the boatman. You know what happens if you don't."
"Oh, right." 17 nodded, biting his lip nervously.
**Then, let's go see the boatman!** Genji urged. **I'm on a time limit before I'm dead permanantly!**
Masq nodded in agreement as 17 stood up.
"The Sanzu River is nearby. It's the only body of water in hell, so it shouldn't be easy to spot. Let's get going."
((Author's Note: Here's a side note for those who aren't familiar with the name Sanzu. Ah, the Sanzu River. In Japan, that is a river that seperates the land of the living from the land of the dead. To cross it, you must be dead, otherwise your soul will be stolen from you. Also, they have a boatman to help you cross safely, just like how the Greeks have a boatman for their river of death: the Styx! For a look of what the Sanzu looks like, check out the Excel Saga episode "Increased Ratings Week"!