Mutsumi knows - Part 14. Introductions
My mother wasn't kidding when she told Dr. Sakamoto to expect the biggest celebration our island has ever seen. Everyone in the village has made their guest rooms and other spare rooms available to cope with the influx, I'm told, and they're all bursting at the seams, with more guests still to arrive. I'm also told that everywhere is buzzing with excitement. The doctor says that I should be up and about by tomorrow. Just as well, since that's the big day! But for today, he says, I should rest and see people only one or two at a time. So Keitaro is acting as usher, bringing people in one at a time and introducing them. For many of the visitors I feel like I know them well already, and have done for a while, but I'm not sure if I should say so. For them, of course, even for the ones who have seen me before, what's happening is bound to have come as a total surprise.
Keitaro enters the room along with a tiny figure. It's Granny Hina. She's a lot smaller than I remember, but she still has the old look of determination in her eyes.
"Well, well, so it seems I tried to pair Keitaro with the wrong promise girl" she says. "It's a good thing, perhaps, that fate has a way of straightening these things out. I look forward to welcoming you to the family, Mutsumi, and to seeing my great-grandchildren."
Then, to Keitaro, "Have you thought about the future, grandson? How you'll cope, with having a wife, and managing Hinata-sou, and studying for your exams?
Keitaro looks momentarily panic-stricken. "Er, everything is happening so quickly, I've not had much time to think about the details."
"Silly boy! You always were impulsive. You'll need some help, if you're going to cope. Fortunately Kanako would like to help you out with the management. That should allow you to concentrate on your studies and other duties."
"Gee, that'll be great!"
"I know Kanako would like a word with you both, but first I want to make sure that everybody's at this wedding who should be. We've brought all the tenants, and your parents, Keitaro. Now the helicopter's ready to go back and fetch anyone we've missed. I know you've got some friends at prep school, but all the girls could remember is that there's a thin one and a fat one."
"That's er, um, er, Shirai and, er, Haitani. Yes, that's it! Oh, and I'm pretty sure Seta would like to be here. Seta's a lecturer at Tokyo U that I've been doing some work for, and he's a very good friend. I hope he'll be able to get away from whatever duties he has. And his little girl Sarah - she calls him daddy, but really he's just her legal guardian. By the way, thank you very much for fetching everybody, Grandma. I'm very grateful. Mutsumi, I'll just go with grandma and give her some addresses. You should be able to cope with Kanako on your own - she's my little sister, I haven't seen her for quite a while, but I do know she's very sweet and charming. Afterwards I'll talk with her about managing the inn."
Kanako turns out to be what a gothic novel would look like, if it was a person. She frowns and fixes me with a steely glare. "So, you're the one who swept in from the outfield and took my onee-chan away from those witches at Hinata house, are you? I've kept an eye on them from afar, but I never spotted you coming. How did you do it? Blackmail? Magic?"
"Only the magic of a childhood promise."
Kanako's frown turns to into a sad far-away look. "I find it hard to think of my onee-chan as a keeper of promises. He promised he'd write, and he never did. But there's a childhood promise he made to me, and he'll actually be keeping it now, thanks to you. I had hoped for something more, but ... I suppose that doesn't matter now. I just want to know that you aren't like those witches. Do you regularly beat Keitaro up?"
"Ara, no."
"Do you insult him and humiliate him?"
"I could never do that to my Kei-kun!"
"Can you say that you love him?"
"Oh yes, I love him very, very much."
And now the floodgates open. Kanako burst into tears, puts her arms around me, and wails: "please look after my onee-chan!"
The next person to see me is Kitsune.
She says "The girls are just dying to see you, but they thought it might be a bit much if they all did it today, what with you convalescing and all. So I got sort-of volunteered. That was a mean trick you played, pretending that you were just going away for a break, when really you were eloping. Now some of the girls from Hinata house are in a real quandary, because they haven't had time to get you a present, and they don't know what you'd like. Me and Haruka have brought our very best bottles of Sake. I hope you like the stuff. Kaolla - she's our resident gaijin electronics and weapons expert - said she had some gadgets that would be just perfect for you. But Shinobu - she's our young cook, by the way - and Motoko, our Kendo girl, and Naru of course, they just don't know what to do."
"Ara," I say, "just tell them that watermelons would be fine. Or anything."
"Okay, if you say so. Can I give you watermelons instead of sake - just kidding. About Naru, by the way, I hope you don't mind me saying - she's a very close friend, and I always sort-of assumed that eventually it would be her and Keitaro getting it together. Oh, she never said anything, except once when I fooled her by hitting on Keitaro myself, but I thought I could see something going on under the surface. My feminine intuition isn't usually wrong about things like that. Only, now she's all clammed up. She won't tell me what happened."
"Oh, I'm sorry, Kitsune, but really I don't know exactly what happened either. I think Naru and Keitaro had a big row, but I was unconscious at the time. But I want to be friends with Naru, and with everybody, and I want kei-kun to be friends with Naru too. I'm sure we can get things straightened out."
"That's nice to hear. I haven't known you long, Mutsumi, but I'm pretty sure that Keitaro's made a good choice in you. And, just between the two of us, Keitaro's not such a bad catch either, even if he can be clueless sometimes. You know, if I'd known that Naru wasn't going to win, I'd have made a move on him myself. A real one, I mean. but I suppose my life's destined to be one huge bundle of regrets."
I can't help crying for her. "Kitsune", I say through my tears, "I know it can be hard, when life seems to be dealing you one blow after another. But I'm sure you have the ability to rise above all the disappointments. Just don't let them knock you down. And all your friends, including me and Keitaro, will always be there for you. Sometimes, when I see how much Kei-kun means to so many people, I wish that it could be possible for him to marry us all. But we don't need to be married to be close to one another, and stand up for one another. I hope that after the wedding Keitaro can be just as close to you, and to everybody else, as he was before. And that I can be equally close to you."
And now she is crying. "You know," she says, "I was thinking of drinking a lot of the sake that I've brought, myself, at the reception. But just this once ... no, not just this once, I won't take refuge in the bottle. And I hope I can be as good a friend to you as you want to be to me, and I wish you lots of happiness with Keitaro. And on that note I'll go."
"Thank you Kitsune-chan. If any of the other girls do want a word, please let them know it's no trouble, I'm sure I'll be able to cope."
Shortly afterwards, Motoko enters. She says:
"Greetings, Otohime-san. Urashima-san tells me that you have been ill since childhood. I believe that this may be the work of a malign spirit. I am learning the ways of the Shinmeiryu, the God's Cry school, of which I am the heir, and I have performed an exorcism once before. With your permission I would like to perform the ritual here."
"Thank you, Aoyama-san, for your kind offer. By the way, we don't need to be formal, you can call me Mutsumi if you like, and can I call you Motoko? I'm fairly sure there is no malign spirit, in fact it is a good spirit which has guided me to Keitaro, and my illness should be curable by medicine soon. But you are welcome to try.
She looks instantly suspicious. "You have an accompanying spirit, Oto.. I mean, Mutsumi? Such things may seem other than what they are. I have a technique which will not harm anything which is good, but it will destroy or banish evil. Perhaps I can ..."
"Oh yes, go ahead!"
So Motoko takes incense and candles from her bag, and some pieces of paper with something written on them, and she places them at strategic spots around the room, then begins her ritual.
And I am in a meadow full of butterflies and flowers, with Motoko and my protectress both standing nearby.
"Hello, Motoko." says the protectress. "You have learned your craft well, I see."
Motoko is startled. "What is this, a vision of the Bodhisattva?" she asks.
I say "This is my protectress. She helps me a lot."
Then Motoko bows and backs away. "I offer my most humble apologies. I did not know that Mutsumi was protected by a goddess."
"No need for apologies, Motoko. I appreciate very much what you were trying to do for my friend Mu-chan. And now, shall we get it over with?"
"Wh- wh- what?" asks Motoko. Her face is a beet red.
"Why, the exorcism, of course!"
"B.. but I daren't, Protectress-sama! It wouldn't be right! And I'm not worthy!"
"Please, just for me? I want to see how good you are!"
"If I must..." Motoko takes her sword from her scabbard, and stares at it. "But .. this can't be real, not here."
"No, the real Shisui is still in its scabbard, beside your prone body. But you know well, Motoko, that it is the directed ki which is the true force behind your attacks. The sword is irrelevant."
And suddenly Motoko brings up the sword, then slashes it down again, screaming " Zanmaken ni no tachi!"
Nothing happens. Not a flower is disturbed, and not a blade of grass. The butterflies continue to flutter around.
"Congratulations, Motoko! That was a wonderful demonstration of the cutting evil sword, second form. You truly are a master of your craft." says the protectress, clapping her hands. I clap too.
"Ara!" replies Motoko. Funny, I thought that was something only me and my mother say.
"I'm sorry!" she continues. "I put you to the test,and I'm not worthy. I shouldn't even be here in your world."
"Oh, this isn't one of my worlds. Mu-chan is kind enough to conjure up these pretty little things, and I just stop by to admire them every once in a while. And, as you can see, not a hint of evil in it anywhere. As for your worthiness - I truly am impressed by your skills. They aren't perfect, but I can give you some pointers, if I may. I'd like to see you give that sister of yours her come-uppance, the next time you go head to head with her. Mu-chan, do you mind if I continue with Motoko alone?"
"No, not at all!"
I'm back in my room, and Keitaro is cradling me in his arms. "I heard a noise", he says, "like a huge discharge of ki, as if Motoko was using one of her most powerful techniques. I dashed in, and I saw no damage anywhere, but you and Motoko were both unconscious. I felt your wrist and I couldn't find a pulse, but then you stirred straight away."
And now Motoko stirs, and comes to. She sees me and Keitaro together.
"Oh no!" she says. "I didn't intend to be gone for so long. Can you forgive me for missing your wedding?"
"Don't worry", I say, "you've only been gone for a few seconds. The wedding is still tomorrow."
"Er, can anyone tell me what's going on?" asks Keitaro. So I tell him about my protectress and how she has looked after me.
"Wow! I had no idea!"
Hi. Anyone still reading? If you're still reading, please review, if only to let me know. Thanks.
I've not decided whether to have an "introductions part 2" where we get to meet Keitaro's parents and others, or whether to go straight to the wedding. In any case though the wedding should be soon now, so even though it's taken a while to get there I hope Mutsumi fans will be happy about that, and happy with my portrayal of her. If you aren't, or if you've spotted any kind of errors, you know what to do. Please hit that button!