Underwater Savior

Chapter 7: Who is the Master, What is the Mission?

by LadyRainStarDragon

Not mine. I can only wish. If you've seen the movie, then you know which characters aren't in it. Hey, at least the plots in my stories are mine!

Chihiro had finished her meal and went to lay down on the futon that her grandfather always had set up for her. She was very tired. The walk had been a long one for a little girl, then there was the added excitement of Kohaku's mad dash through the forest. She still didn't know what he had been trying to avoid, but trusted him completely. And at least she found out why he always carried a staff with him. It deflected stray branches very nicely.

Laying her head on her pillow, she fell asleep in mid yawn.

Out in the main room, the two adults currently present in the girl's life were finally having the discussion they had been waiting for.

"So just why did you burst through my door like a mad man and put a barrier around the house? That's a bit out of character for you. Did you get chased by a female again?"

"I'm pretty sure that what chased me was male. I've been seeing a strange white dog lately. I think it might be a mononoke. The last time I saw it, it looked rather hungry. Something chased us through the woods, and I wasn't about to stay and see what it was with Chihiro with me. I think it was the dog spirit though."

"A vengeful spirit you say? There hasn't been one of those active in this area since my father's time."

"I said I think it was. I am not sure. I don't think it is a youkai though. It seems to hang around two buildings like it's been looking for something."

Kohakunushi began to massage one temple.

"One is the architectural company building, the other is the 'secret' medical research building."

"Well, that's rather worrisome."

Kohakunushi just looked at Koji with a deadpan face. Koji was always good at stating the obvious. Of course it was worrisome. A vengeful spirit without a master was not a pleasant thing. What if it decided to attack one of the humans in his protectorate? Even worse, what if it hurt Chihiro?

"So Kohaku, did it seem like it had a master or a mission?"

"I'm not sure. If it has a mission, it would have something to do with those buildings. It just seems to be overlooking something. If it had a master, I would think it would be doing something more active."

"Maybe. Maybe its got a weak master."

Koji seemed to be in deep thought.

"There are a few families with ties into sorcery of varying types. Most don't practice any more, wanting to be rid of old 'superstitions'. I can only think of two that might be able to summon a mononoke."

Kohakunushi leaned back and closed his eyes, both listening to Koji's words and trying to remember the families he might be talking about. He had seen so much in his life, most of it just jumbled together. Faces of the families blurred together, and families intermarried so much that the young kami had given up long ago trying to keep most of them straight. He only bothered anymore with the faithful families. Yes, he helped the ones who didn't pray to him also when he knew they needed help, he just didn't try to memorize them as much. It was just too confusing. He however could vaguely remember one family that had always stirred up trouble.

"If they are still around, there is a family of foxes. However, using other spirits to do their tasks conflicts with their code of honor. So that would cut out the Tsuni's. That would leave the Mahou's."

Something about that name clicked for Kohakunushi. There was a flash of a man and a white dog swimming in the river. The dog looked very similar to what he had been seeing. Then again, all large, white, fluffy dogs looked similar to him.

"The father passed away mysteriously a few years ago. He was survived by his young son. They used to be rich, but I hear he has been working to make ends meet just like everyone else now."

Another flash, this time of a different although clearly related man and the same dog near the river facing off. A mist swirled to envelope the two. Growls and screams resounded. When the mists cleared, both were gone, leaving only a shoe.

A banging on the door pulled Kohakunushi and Koji out of their respective musings. Koji rose and went over to it, looking through a window first to verify who it was. What he saw shocked him.

"Let down the barrier. I have to let in my son."

Surprised, Kohakunushi opened the barrier as Koji opened the door to let his beloved Akio in. Kohakunushi closed the barrier once more, unsure of if his pursuer was still outside, waiting for him to come out. It's not that he was afraid, he just was unsure of what he would be dealing with, and preferred to stand watch over those who he cared for until the time was right.

"Dad, I lost my job today. I've got to talk to someone. I don't know what to do."

Kohakunushi's eyes widened. Without a job, how was the family going to provide the needs of a growing girl? He had known that the economy in the area was bad, but he hadn't realized ii was so bad that the realty company was downsizing. It seemed people were always moving here. Then again, there also weren't any more jobs being created in the area either. Perhaps more of the families should return to their farming roots. Then there would at least be work for them.

Behind the house, a tall man with gold eyes and white hair smirked. He knew where there was a job opening the man could fill. He would just go and tell this man's wife where it was. It seemed that he could get someone close to the river to help in hurting it. Not only would he be able to rid himself of the family that betrayed and enslaved him, he would get revenge on the very spirit who had brought wealth to the Tsuni family and inspired in his former owner's heart such greed. Even if the kami was not aware of his own hand in the animal's fate, he would still get revenge. And just maybe if he could get his hands on the river's heart he could use it to gain a life of his own once more.

Mist swirled, then when it cleared, a large dog loped through the woods toward the Ogino residence.

Yuukio had been crying for a while now. She wasn't sure how long, but she knew she felt exhausted. Without her husband's income, how would they keep their home, and food on the table for Chihiro?

Yuukio herself did have an income of course. She wrote up reports for a firm in Tokyo. When she had been pregnant with Chihiro, she was willing to give up her career as a lawyer in order to focus on the baby. Instead, she had been talked into a part-time home office position. It worked well enough at first. As the time went on however, it took up more time and yet she got the same pay. At least there would be something.

Her own parents had passed away a long time ago, and her only sister shortly before Chihiro had been conceived. There was no one she could ask for help. Not like she was one to do so anyway, she just would have felt better to have someone to talk to.

She dried her eyes. Mourning was going to get her husband no where. Opening the newspaper up to the classified section, she began with the 'help wanted' section. Hopefully, she would be able to find some promising leads on a new job in there. With the both of them on the hunt, surely he would be able to get something. Sadly, everything seemed to be either too specialized or beneath him. Unless it was far away in the big city, requiring a move of course. In the paper, there only seemed to be one job suited for him. The medical research division was looking for office personnel it seemed. She wrote the information down on a large piece of paper that she labeled as 'job possibilities'.

As the scratching of her pen ceased, Yuukio noticed that the house was very quiet. Too quiet in fact. Surely Chihiro must be watching TV or playing in her room. Listening intently, not a sound was heard. Ice shot through her veins and dropped into her belly as fire shot up her torso.

"Chihiro?"

She wasn't in her room, nor the room Yuukio shared with Akio. Chihiro wasn't in the kitchen, or the bathroom. In the living room, the TV had obviously been off for a long time, as it was cold. Fearing the worst, she ran out the door.

"Chihiro! Where are you honey? Come out!"

Yuukio ran about the garden, looking under every shrub, behind every tree, even overturning a couple rocks in her frantic search.

"My baby! Please, come out!"

Only silence greeted the woman, mockingly as it accused her of letting her guard down. The very trees seemed to glower at her, as if they could not believe that she had let the child wander away on her own. The overturned rocks sat there, as if saying she should have been a better mother and paid more attention to her own daughter, who was now gone.

Yuukio sank to the earth, which gave her no comfort as it would have to a mother whose child had been kidnapped. Instead, it merely let the woman sit, wallowing in her own grief and guilt. The wallowing was not to last long however.

A cold nose was nudging the woman's arm. Taking her hands away from her hands yet again, she was greeted by the sight of a big white dog. Throwing her arms around the dog, she began sobbing again, burying her face into the fur of its neck. The dog almost shrank back, but held itself still, as if it would allow this one time a mere human to cling to it.

After a bit the woman settled down once more, and the dog placed something in her hand. The object was a little bit wet, since he had been carrying it in his mouth. It seemed like paper, so she unrolled it. Reading the writing, her eyes grew wide.

Good Fortune Construction Company is pleased to announce it is now hiring workers for its new project. A wide range of positions is available. Interested persons are encouraged to apply.

Wasn't that the company that was planning to drain the river and build low-cost housing? She would have to write this down on the list. Her husband had for a long time wanted to work in construction. Maybe this was his opportunity.

Mahou - sorcery

Tsuni - composite name constructed for the story. Tsu meaning steal, ni meaning cargo.