Hate
Chapter 5
Learning
Two pairs of eyes shone in the darkness, one set was as high as a house and were as big as a man's head; the other were a mere spots set close to the ground. A voice came from the larger creature in the darkness. It was unnaturally deep and rough, obviously demonic.
"Take the beads to the full blood. Make sure the humans put them on her. If you fail he will punish you."
A sound of a mixture of fear and affirmation came from the smaller creature in the darkness.
Waka steadied himself against a sakura tree as a vision suddenly assaulted him. The moon was shining above him as he made his way down the sakura lined road to Kamiki village. Despite his questions about the new evil threatening Nippon he could only continue his journey for answers to these eerie visions.
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Junko P.O.V
Sayuri and I crossed Shinshu field and went through Agata forest once we left Hana valley, within hours of leaving Hana valley actually; with Sayuri riding on my back. By the time we stopped for the night I was dead tired, apparently Sayuri's merciless pace had been to test my speed and stamina.
The next day she made it clear that while she admired my speed she was severely disappointed with my stamina. So during our training she would push me till I passed out or mastered whatever she was showing me.
That's how I ended up deep in Tsuta ruins; my paws aching and my muscles screaming at me to stop, but Sayuri had made it clear that we would stop only when I made it to the platform she pushed me off of earlier today. Or when I passed out of course.
Today Sayuri was trying to teach me Holy Eagle, which is basically jumping a second time while in mid air, with nothing to push off of. She assured me that using that technique I would be able to easily reach the platform from the ground since I could already jump fairly high as a cat. Unfortunately as much as I believe her I don't know how to do it. She refused to come down and show me how.
"I believe in learning from experience."
Huffing in frustration I tried to remember the few tips she had actually given to me.
"Focus!"
Okay not too helpful…
"The second jump won't be the same as the first! So don't try to jump like you normally do the second time!"
That's just confusing. How am I supposed to jump in mid air if I can't jump like I normally do?
"Focus you darn cat! I don't wanna be here all day!"
Hmm… too late for that… and still not helpful…
"You have power! You just need to FOCUS to use it!"
Huh? What is that supposed to mean?
"Close your eyes, FOCUS, jump, and then jump again!"
Okay then. Closing my eyes I tried to focus, but I suddenly realized something after a moment of focusing. What am I supposed to be focusing on? She said something about power… Was she talking about the darkness? I guess. Once again I focused, this time on the darkness, and I became aware of the darkness spread throughout my body. Sayuri didn't say anything about stirring it up. She told me to jump. So I jumped. Then I jumped again, still focusing on the darkness. This attempt ended up the same as my previous ones.
I landed with a thud on the stone floor below the platform. I didn't bother getting back on my aching paws. Instead I lay there, both resting and trying to figure out why it didn't work. Sayuri mentioned jumping. Maybe I'm supposed to be focusing on that too.
Closing my eyes I brought the darkness into my focus. Then as I was going to jump I focused on the action too. Strangely, as I jumped the darkness inside me curled tightly within me, forcing my body into a front flip. As I prepared to make the second jump the darkness suddenly unfurled, propelling my body forward into another flip… and straight into a wall.
I hissed sharply as my face slammed into the wall and I practically bounced off the wall. Looking up I could see Sayuri leaning over the edge of the platform watching me.
Once again I focused and noticed that it didn't take me as long as it had last time. This time I managed to land onto the platform with Sayuri. She immediately walked up and praised me by petting my fur. Apparently she saw my face-slam because she carefully avoided touching my still tender face.
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We left Tsuta Ruins around sunset and Sayuri decided to camp in Agata forest for the night. Sayuri is currently powdering and oiling her sword, while I lick my bloody paws.
"Well I suppose this would be as good a time as any to teach you Regeneration*."
Looking up from my bloody paws I waited for Sayuri to elaborate.
"Focus."
Okay then. Closing my eyes, I focused on the darkness.
"Now direct your focus to your wounds."
Huh? Umm, okay? Not opening my eyes I focused on my sore paws but that just seemed to make the dull throb turn into a painful burning sensation. My eyes snapped open as I jumped to my paws, hissing from the sudden rush of new pain.
I heard Sayuri sigh and my ears dropped sadly as I looked at her. Putting away her sword, Sayuri got up and began to walk towards the slowly darkening forest.
As I got up to follow Sayuri's voice came from the encroaching darkness.
"Stay. I don't need your blood attracting demons."
I dropped back to the ground and gazed at a bug as it moved along a leaf. I guess she was still angry about staying in Tsuta Ruins for so long while I learned Holy Eagle.
I stayed like that long after the bug had scuttled away, sulking away the last of the day, waiting for Sayuri to return so I could try to get back on her good side.
In the distance I heard a fairly loud crash followed by the crackling sound of flames. Opening my mouth I smelt the familiar scent of fire. Determined to wait for Sayuri I dismissed these noises as a couple of demons getting too boisterous, but I couldn't help jumping when I heard a woman's scream.
Blood. Blood everywhere, covering everything. Bodies lying in the streets. So much death; too much death. So many innocents lost. So much hatred. Too much hatred.
Unforgivable.
I was on my feet running in an instant. The pain in my paws was forgotten. Instead of a forest there was a small village, the houses painted with blood and streets littered with bodies of humans and demons alike. My memories clouded my vision. Instead of a stranger and a demon I saw Mitsuru and the black mass.
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As a human I never particularly liked fire. It seemed strange to me. Almost like a living thing that was being born and killed at a whim, and always managed to burn me at some point in between. As a cat I like it even less. Sure it was warm but I have my fur for that. I personally like my meat raw too; so that was another notch down on the usefulness scale for me. The brightness hurt my eyes and I still managed to get burned whenever I encountered it.
So I have no idea what possessed me to head butt a Hitodama (1). Immediately I recoiled away from the demon's flaming balloon-like body, the fur on my face feeling horribly burnt.
The Hitodama didn't seem affected in anyway by my attack other than being surprised. The woman on the other hand freaked out at my sudden appearance and screamed even louder.
Ignoring the ear piercing shriek of the woman I glanced over the Hitodama, its pale blue, fire-ball body was floating in the middle of the clearing with its long, also pale blue, flaming tail swinging violently around it. The woman was huddled against a rock wall with the Hitodama cutting off any possible escape into the forest.
I couldn't tell if it was paying any attention to me since Hitodama don't have any noticeable eyes, but when its flaming tail slammed me in the side I sorta assumed it was. The blow was strong enough to knock me off my paws.
Before I could stand up the tail came at me, and I grabbed it in my mouth in hopes of biting it, but the heat from the flames made me drop it almost immediately.
Well, third time's the charm, right? I stood up and as the tail swung at me I jumped over it and did another jump in order to land on the Hitodama's body and hopefully squish it.
Worst. Mistake. EVER.
The flames of the Hitodama's body made the forgotten pain in my paws flare up into pure agony. I couldn't help the yowl that escaped my jaws as I quickly got off the Hitodama and crashed into a tree at the far edge of the clearing near the rock wall.
I could feel the darkness beginning to bubble from my frustration and the white hot pain in my paws. The darkness made my body become numb and my mind clouded. I was only vaguely aware of the roar escaping my jaws as I prepared to attack the Hitodama again.
Suddenly a sacred arrow became struck the Hitodama and it disappeared with a puff of smoke. Only when my darkness froze and my mind cleared did I notice the pain in my back legs and shoulder. Glancing back I saw several sacred arrows contrasting sharply with my black fur.
It felt as if all my energy had been sucked away and left me with only exhaustion and pain. My vision rapidly began to darken and as I slumped to the ground I noticed several people gathering along the edges of the clearing.
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*Regeneration is different from the brush technique rejuvenation just to clarify…
1. It's a Japanese fire-ball ghost that appears when someone dies.