YAMI NO MATSUEI - DESCENDANTS OF DARKNESS

THE SHADOWS OF MY PAST

Chapter Eleven – A New Beginning

Timeline - 1948

It was beautiful outside EnmaCho's grand building – a mirror-image of the National Diet Building in Chijou. Whenever I did errands for Ishino and I end up coming to the Diet Building, I could not help but stand outside and stare at the Diet Building in awe and respect.

And I did the same thing for a long while as I stood outside of Enma-Cho with Mako-san standing beside me. This very moment is the first time that I felt at-ease since I stepped foot in Meifu. I guess the majority of those feelings had something to do with being with someone you know in a strange place.

The rows of ever-blooming sakura trees greeted us outside. I have always liked spring and I normally felt at peace whenever I see flowers in bloom and trees in their most vibrant state. I just stared and eventually scanned my surroundings with child-like wonder.

Once my awe had been satisfied and I gazed at Mako-san, he asked me with a soft smile, "Ready to go home, Seii-kun?"

I nodded and I followed Mako-san. His appearance was now what I used to remember him when I was around seven years old – handsome, middle-aged, no grays among his thick head of hair, straight posture, nimble gait, and strength that I reminisced and admired him in having whenever we worked together in the fields.

Seeing Mako-san in this state brought back much nostalgia from my childhood, yet of course I had many fond memories with him until my final days…until my final minutes…

The thought made me wonder aloud as I glanced towards Mako-san, our stroll being a lackadaisical one as we walked at a road which had a lakeside view and an endless path of sakura trees, "Why are you here in Meifu, Mako-san? Aren't people supposed to be dead in order to be here?"

Mako-san returned that gaze and explained after letting out a sigh, "I've been dead since the Heian period, Seii-kun. As a shinigami, I'm allowed to return to the land of the living – or Chijou – and live among men…particularly if I have an assignment."

"And your assignment was me…our family?" was my next question, my tone laced with curiosity and there was no element of mistrust in my tone.

"I wasn't on assignment, Son. I was on a sabbatical from being a shinigami. The duration of my stay in Chijou made me mortal again, so I grew old. I wanted to live a normal human life. I also have loved ones, namely your family. So my life…my bonds with your family…my sense of duty, care, and responsibility for those who I love…. I stayed because I want to make sure that all of you would be all right before I return to Meifu."

Then Mako-san's smile became warmer still as he added, "I stayed most especially because of you, Seii-kun. You and I share the same gifts. If I can do something to help you understand your gifts fully, even if it means just being there for you, then I would be more than happy to do so."

"But why didn't you tell me that you knew about me? I felt like a contortionist all these years because I couldn't tell you about it." I asked as my gaze solely focused on Mako-san. It was painful to hide the truth about myself to him, and I just found out that he knew all along. That could have saved me much effort…and guilt.

"It wasn't my business to pry into something so private. Once you told me about it, I knew that I have your explicit trust. When you told me about the truth, I took that as the sign that you were now ready to accept who you really are."

"But you didn't tell me that you knew about me. You didn't tell me that you're like me. Why?"

"Then why didn't you tell me about you? Have I given you any reason to hide the truth from me? Have I ever said anything that made you think that I will shun you or think ill of you if I found out that you are a kagetsukai such as me?"

I fell silent with the question that Mako-san gave me. He was right. He never showed me anything that would have me hesitate in telling him the unadulterated truth about me. In fact, everything that I have shared with him remained as a secret between us. He was a quiet, private, yet friendly man and the only person that he trusted with anything was Father, Mother, and me.

Since Father passed away and Mother's emotional and mental state were frail, the only person that Mako-san had to confide with was me.

So even I could not understand why I never told Mako-san about something so integral about me. I felt that I was engaged in one of our philosophical discussions during our wagon rides from the market, with him giving me anywhere from three to five days to ponder on my answer before I give it to him.

The old man then let out a soft yet lighthearted chuckle. I guess that he knew that I felt guilty about the entire situation. "Don't worry about it, Seii-kun. All's well between us. It always has been, and it will always be that way. What's important is that we now know about each other."

After giving the old man a sideways glance, I smiled at him – the smile was laced with happiness and gratitude that he understood me. At the same time, another question whetted my curiosity and so I asked, "So you were the shinigami who led my soul here in Meifu?"

"Yes," was Mako-san's reply, then he added, "I wanted you to live as long as possible. I would've loved to see you have a family…have children…grow old with the person you love…see your children grow up to be responsible adults…see and play with your grandchildren…leave a legacy behind before you die… Phases of life that I never experienced…"

I blinked. "So you never married? No children? No significant other?"

With a knowing smile, Mako-san replied, "I was too picky. That's why I always cautioned you not to follow my footsteps. Your Father, Mother, and you were my children. At least I have been blessed to get that chance even though the fates punished me for my over-scrutiny in finding a wife."

We exchanged chuckles, with me telling the old man, "I'm glad that you're here, Mako-san. So you'll be my teacher? What things do I still not know?"

"Control is one of them," said Mako-san as he patted my back. "It takes time and discipline. You, young man, have quite a temper but I'm glad that you've learned to quell it over the years. However, you still have a long way to go. As to power, you're gifted in that area. What you've done to Ishino and his men is nothing compared to what we kagetsukai are capable of doing."

"Lord Enma mentioned that there are only two of us in Meifu's entire history. Why are kagetsukai so rare?"

"Shadows are fickle creatures of the void. They only pay heed to light or a kagetsukai. Light dispels darkness and therefore shadows retreat. A kagetsukai uses the darkness as his best ally. A kagetsukai achieves mastery when he knows how to make shadows do his bidding and be able to manipulate darkness and shadow to drown the light."

I thought back from the first time that I dared manipulate my shadows – back when I lost Father. "It takes a lot of willpower to control the shadows."

"Not just willpower, Seii-kun, but spiritual or psychic energy. You have to learn not only to manipulate the shadows and the darkness, but you also have to learn to do such feats without expending all your psychic energy. Practice and discipline will be your best teachers. The same principles on how to control the shadows and master your craft are the same practices that one would do to control one's temper and emotions."

"I see," I murmured and then our walk stopped just a block away. The spot where we now stood marked the beginning of the residential area. It seemed to be a peaceful community, and the passersby were friendly.

"We live over there, Seii-kun. We're almost home."

Hearing the word "home" brought a soft smile to my face.

In a strange place such as Meifu, it was nice to know that there was a safe place that I could call home and someone who I could trust such as Mako-san.

Mako-san and I finally arrived at the place that he called our home – a traditional Japanese house with flowers, shrubbery, and a quaint bamboo fountain that greeted us with their well-manicured landscaping, vibrant colors, and the soothing sound coming from the water fountain.

The old man opened the door and welcomed me inside as he explained, "Your room is at the far end of the hallway. It's bigger than your old room in Chijou, so you'll have lots of space for your items. I took the liberty of bringing some of your possessions here so that you wouldn't be too homesick."

I then blinked and my feet led me to the garden at the back – the area being much wider than the one at the front which was already wide for my standards. The smile on my face became warmer still. "It's just like my home and yours…vegetables and all."

Letting out a nostalgic sigh, Mako-san said, "I'll miss farming, so the gardens at the front and back of our home are the next best things that I could do."

Gazing at the old man with teary-eyed happiness and a gentle grin, I told him, "Thank you. You've been there for as long as I could remember. Throughout my life, you've been there for me. And now you're here guiding me in the afterlife as well – sharing everything that you have with me. How could I ever repay you?"

The gracious and dear old man smiled warmly, patting my arm with such fatherly affection just as he always did. "You've already repaid me ten-fold, most definitely even more. I had a hand in raising you, and you've been a good son and brother. That's a reward in itself. You and your family accepted me in your fold. It's just proper to do the same for all of you."

I returned that smile of the old man's, the happy tears brimming in my eyes as well. "I've been very fortunate because of you. I do hope that I never fail your expectations."

"I don't think you ever will, Seii-kun." Mako-san then changed the mode of our conversation by saying, "I don't know about you, but I'm famished. I have fresh fish that I cleaned this morning. It's cooling in the ice box. Why don't you pick some vegetables and we'll make some soup? While you're out there, I'll make us some rice."

"Sounds like a plan," I said with a pursed-lipped smile. I took the wicker basket that the old man handed to me for the gathered vegetables.

As I picked vegetables for our meal, I had a contented smile on my face which also sat deeply in the core of my being while I uttered my silent prayer to the gods, "Thank you for giving me another chance. Thank you for all your help, especially by sending a good friend to help me in my darkest hour. Please keep Father, Mother, and Inari safe. Please give them peace as well as my love."

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The following morning, I returned to Enma-Cho with a box of sweet-cakes and a slip of paper in my hand which said:

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Konoe

Chief, Shokan Division

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"Konoe could definitely use your help in organizing his Division. And tell him that these cakes are homemade, which they are," I recalled Mako-san telling me as I wandered around and looked for the man and the place written on the paper.

After the weekend that Mako-san and I spent together, I made the decision to accept Lord Enma's offer. I was now an official employee of Enma-Cho. My role was similar to a consultant wherein I was not bound to one location or one superior. I was looking forward to continuing such a role similar to what I did when I was Ishino's chief-of-staff. I was able to use most if not all of my skills.

As to my assignment with Konoe, my short tenure was for two weeks…at least for now. I have been given notice that I would be also working with the Peace Preservation Bureau for a couple of weeks. In-between assignments, I would be working in Enma-Cho's administrative offices.

Mako-san spoke highly of this man named Konoe – the Shokan Division chief. I never heard the old man speak of anyone in such high regard. He did not even address Lord Enma in such a positive light.

Speaking of Lord Enma, I was just reminded that I have to ask Mako-san on why he did not seem thrilled whenever he was before the Lord of Death.

"Are you looking for someone, young man?"

"Ah, yes Sir… I'm supposed to report for my two-week assignment effective today," I said after bowing before the well-dressed man who asked the question. Judging by his appearance, he was just a few years older than Mako-san. I then showed him the piece of paper that was given to me.

"This is not yet the right place, but you've found the right man. I'm Konoe – Chief for the Shokan Division," said the man in a professionally genial tone as he led the way towards his Division.

Chief Konoe then escorted me to his office and then motioned me to sit down. There were many things that I have noticed since our encounter at the long hallways in Enma-Cho.

First was that Chief Konoe was unlike his other peers who would not give the time of day to help anyone, especially a stranger going through these maze of hallways.

Second, the man was warm and friendly. His demeanor surprised me since most people who reach such a high rank would normally keep distance from his staff or those he would perceive as lower-ranking personnel.

Third, the man did something that none of the employers that I had in my lifetime have done – he asked me to sit down and he sat on the chair directly across from me. What surprised me was that he could have taken his place behind his desk – a place of comfort and power – yet he chose to sit across from me.

And these actions were done by a man who still did not know who I really was. This man did not even know yet that I knew Mako-san – a good friend of his.

"I thank you for your help, Kacho. I'm Tatsumi Seiichiro from Enma-Cho's administrative staff. Today's my first day of work." I then noticed the nicely-wrapped box in my left hand and I told him as I handed the box, "Your old friend, Asukawa Mako, requested me to give this to you."

Chief Konoe's face lit up with a smile as he accepted the box and asked in wishful thinking, "Sweet-cakes?"

"Yes, Kacho…. And they're also homemade." I then handed him a linen envelope and informed him, "This is my curriculum vitae. I assume that you'd need to see it so that you would have a good assessment of my skills."

"Thank you, and thank Mako for me. This is such a rare treat. I haven't seen him in ages since he took that long sabbatical at Chijou – all against Enma-DaiOh-sama's wishes," said Chief Konoe, his tone and his face showing how grateful and happy he was over the small gift.

After the short period of silence, Chief Konoe asked me, "So are you a kagetsukai such as Mako? Are you his student?"

"Yes, I am," was my reply. "However, my relationship with Mako-san goes deeper than that. He had been a family friend before I was born. He took on the role as my father and mentor since my father's death. I was seven at the time. Apparently, he was also the shinigami assigned to retrieve my soul. I only arrived in Meifu just a couple of days ago."

"I see," murmured Chief Konoe. He then shifted and said, "Why don't we spend afternoon tea later on? By that time, I'd be done reviewing your curriculum vitae. Mako's a shrewd businessman, so I wouldn't be surprised if you have the same abilities as he does when it comes to fiscal matters. What I do like you to do is to help a particular employee of mine – a shinigami – organize his paperwork."

After I pushed my glasses closer to the bridge of my nose, I asked, "All right. Is he also new?"

The chief chuckled inwardly and shook his head momentarily. I knew that he was not angry at the employee that he had in mind, but his reaction was an indescribable mixture of disappointment, endearment, and resignation. "He's the second senior employee in this Division, with me being the most senior one. He's been here in the Division for 22 years and counting. He's my top shinigami, but he's impossible when it comes to organization and paperwork. He's behind on his expense reports, so would you kindly work with him for the next few days until he gets caught up?"

"Certainly…. I'll be more than happy to start now, if you wish."

Chief Konoe escorted me to the rows of desks within the Division, with me noticing that the typing and working slowed down considerably as all eyes were focused on me. Everyone must be wondering who I was and what I was doing there, but they all went back to work when they noticed Chief Konoe glanced behind him.

Once the chief and I finally reached the desk at the far corner of the office, the two of us noticed someone crouched on the floor. The one on the floor apparently was gathering his mountains of receipts and placing it inside a large box. Judging by the volume of receipts in that box, he must have not filed his expense reports for at least a year – most probably more than a year.

Chief Konoe loudly cleared his throat, trying to get the man's attention.

The man got startled, his head jerking and hitting the desk drawer he was under.

I involuntarily winced from how this man hit his head against the desk.

"Yes, Sir….."

"You haven't even organized those receipts yet?! I told you to get them ready last Friday!" Konoe was frowning. He was frustrated, all right. However, he sounded more like a disappointed father would rather than a bullying boss.

"I'm sorry..." said the man as he rubbed the area where he bumped his head. He then stood up and turned around to face Chief Konoe and me.

It was only nine-thirty in the morning yet this man's tie was already hanging a bit loose from his collar as if he needed room to breathe – something that I made a point in not doing until I was home and done for the day.

Yet there was something intriguing about this man…

The first thing that I noticed was the man's enigmatic and expressive amethyst eyes. Those soulful eyes were something that I have never seen in my entire lifetime. They expressed such warmth, sadness, mystery and so much more simply with just one glance. He had a good-natured smile escaping from his lips. He was tall, good-looking, and laid-back.

And Chief Konoe said that this man was his top shinigami? I wonder what made him so special.

"Good grief, get your act together will you?" chastised Chief Konoe before shaking his head to brush off the frustration building up in his system. "By the way, this is Tatsumi Seiichiro. He's from Enma-Cho's administrative pool and he'll help you get organized with your files and your expense reports. Don't give him a hard time and definitely don't corrupt him with your slacker ways. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Kacho!" said the man with exuberance laced with respect for his superior.

The man then glanced at me, giving me such a warm smile. He then bowed before me and said, "Welcome to the Shokan Division. My name's Tsuzuki… Tsuzuki Asato… I'm pleased to meet you…."

End of Chapter Eleven

Normal Disclaimer

Yami No Matsuei (Descendants of Darkness) and its characters are copyrighted properties of Matsushita Yoko. This fan fiction and the original characters (Mako-san, Inari, Chief Satori) that appear within this fan fiction belong to PJ Zatken.