Chapter 2: Advice
Kiku muttered as he paced back in forth in front of a confused Lovino. The Italian sat watching his friend wrack his brain for some answer that was eluding him. It was understandable though, since he had been told by Alfred and Arthur about what had happened, after he called them once Kiku had called him over so suddenly.
"So are you going to tell me why you called me here or not?"
Kiku sighed, stopping to look at him. "Lovino-kun, I need help with something but you cannot tell anyone about it."
"Si, so?"
"There is a woman," the man took a seat across from his friend. "I believe she is a… vagrant, so to speak. It seems that recently every time I journey to Aokigahara she is there. The first time I ran into her was when I took Alfred-san there, to help him with his research for some movie he wants to make. The second, I was with Arthur-san. He seemed to be thoroughly terrified of her, to the point of fleeing the forest. He, ahem, now refuses to return there with me."
Lovino smirked, no doubt imagining the Brit's embarrassing flight from the scene. "I think I like this woman."
"If you met her, you might change your mind."
"Oh?"
"Arthur-san, he believes her to be a Tengu. She, the woman, has since warned me to never return, but I believe she cannot 'sense' people on the paths my government marked."
"What makes you say that?"
"Something she said the first time "stay on the path where she cannot chase you". And she only appeared when we left the paths."
"Hm… a Tengu is a type of spirit right? Spirits have weaknesses. If she can't go on the paths, then something about it must be counteracting her power."
"I see."
"But Kiku, I thought you said you didn't believe in spirits."
"I didn't, but there are things about her that I can't explain away."
"Then you better find out what to do."
"Onsha?" [1]
"This woman is a problem, si?"
"Well… I wouldn't quite say that."
"Yet."
"...Hai…"
"Besides, it's your forest right? Spirit or no, go kick her out! If she's so touchy about people leaving those paths, she must be hiding something."
"Are you sure?"
"Si." Lovino stood. "And let me know how it goes."
[1] Onsha? - Pardon?
