The boys had been forced to stay home for three days already due to Doumeki's broken leg, not to mention their unwanted guest outside the temple walls. He had been unable to practice his archery at all, but he still forced himself to get exercise by walking around the temple grounds on his crutches.

Much to Watanuki's ire, of course. He spent most of his time twittering around Doumeki and scolding him for not resting. Each time Watanuki told him to sit down and rest Doumeki would reply back that he would sit down if there was food on the table to give him incentive.

Jerk.

Watanuki felt very vindicated when the clouds rolled in and a thunderstorm the likes of which he'd never seen before began pouring rain down on them halfway through the second day. With the rain coming down Doumeki couldn't risk getting his bandages soaked and was thus confined indoors with the rest of them. Watanuki spent his time cleaning every surface he could reach. He approached the temple with the same ferocity he used to employ when scouring his apartment. Haruka had never seen the place so spotless. He hadn't realize the refrigerator was white instead of an almond color, and for the first time since the reconstruction of the wooden veranda he saw small veins of red in the golden colored surface.

On noon of the fourth day Watanuki set the table for lunch and wondered where Haruka was as Akane and Doumeki sat down. Haruka was nearly as enthusiastic as Doumeki was for Watanuki's cooking so it was strange to see him missing.

It was still raining outside so the teenager couldn't image the older man had gone outside for long. Perhaps he needed to grab something from the library? He had been spending most of his time recently researching through his vast collection of tomes and scrolls for a method to destroy the spirit. Perhaps he was still out there? Watanuki felt he ought to go out and retrieve him. Perhaps he had forgotten that it was time to eat. Watanuki had skipped meals a few times in the past when he was desperately studying for a test, so he wouldn't be surprised if this was the case.

He put out enough food for Doumeki and his mother and turned the heat down on the stove. "I'm going to go get Haruka-san for lunch. You think he's in the library?"

"Probably," Doumeki agreed.

"I did see him go out earlier today," Akane agreed. "Though I haven't seen him since then."

The teenager untied the apron from around his back and placed it on the hook on the wall. "I'll go find him."

"Hn," Doumeki mumbled through a mouthful of food. Really, not enough manners to even wait for everyone. Watanuki shook his head and left the kitchen.

The temple had a large collection of umbrellas that were available for patrons to rent while visiting the grounds during rainy days. Haruka had closed the temple off since the day Watanuki was attacked and had let no one outside of the family enter – even the shrine maidens had been asked to take a few days off while the Doumeki family sorted some things out. Watanuki had a wide selection to choose from.

He walked down the long and winding pathway to the library, but when he opened the door and peaked in the building was dark and vacant. The teenager furrowed his eyebrows in confusion and wondered where the man was. He wanted to find him soon for lunch would quickly get cold and the rain was so heavy the trim of his yukata was getting quite wet.

After searching the other buildings Watanuki was about ready to give up before he walked by the lake. Shockingly, Doumeki's grandfather was sitting in the middle of the lake on one of the stepping stones and ignoring the rain as it beat down upon him. He was sitting crossed legged as though he were meditating.

Watanuki didn't want to disturb him but he also didn't want to walk away and leave him in the rain. He made it to the lake and stepped lightly across the large stone boulders that acted as a walkway through the rippling surface of the water.

He finally reached the older man and angled the umbrella to shield him from the weather. "Haruka-san, what are you doing out here in the rain?"

"Ah, Kimihiro-kun, how nice of you to join me." Haruka smiled pleasantly, his arms resting on his folded knees. "I'm meditating at the moment."

"In the rain? What for?"

"Oh, the rain is essential for this meditation."

Watanuki looked very confused. "Oh, well, lunch is ready. It will get cold if we don't go in."

Still Haruka did not move or open his eyes as he continued to sit perfectly still. "Hm, that will be good. But first, would you do me a favor?"

"Sure," the teenager said uncertainly.

"Repeat after me: Rain spirit. You are summoned."

He boggled at the request. "Rain spirit. You are summoned," he said hesitatingly.

The lake rumbled as though it was boiling. Watanuki shouted in surprise when a wall of water shot up out of the lake as though it were alive.

When the water fell away a young girl stood on one of the stepping stones a few feet away. She had shocking red hair and stern eyes that glared at the two people in front of her. A pink umbrella with white fringe was slung across her shoulder carelessly. "Well, it's about damned time!" She barked haughtily.

"Ame-Warashi-san, how good to see you. It's been quite a while," Haruka greeted her calmly.

"Priest," was her only response. Watanuki gaped.

"Ame-Warashi-san, why are you flooding my temple?" Haruka still had not moved from his spot but Watanuki was certainly nervous. It was clear that this girl was not human, yet she had been allowed to enter the temple grounds. She likely wasn't dangerous, because Doumeki's grandfather obviously wouldn't let something harmful come within reaching distance of him, but still... the past was a harsh teacher, and he trusted nothing of a supernatural nature.

"I've been trying to get your attention!" The girl cried out. "This place is locked down tighter than a safe! I'm surprised the rain could even touch it," she snorted.

Haruka stood and bowed his head apologetically. "Please forgive the perceived hostility. One of our loved ones is in danger and I cannot take a risk regarding his safety."

The girl nodded and a knowing expression crossed her face, dark and suddenly very, very old looking. "The Old One."

"Yes."

She propped a hand on her hip. "We've all been watching it lately. It's after this child, then?"

"Yes, it is."

She sniffed imperiously. "I need your help, priest. The hydrangea bush is dying and it needs to be purified. You are the only one around here that can do it."

Haruka stuffed his hands in the long sleeves of his kimono until they were hidden. "You know I would head over on any other occasion immediately, but at the moment I won't be able to help you until the threat of the Old One is destroyed."

"Figures," she mumbled. She sighed and rolled her eyes dramatically. "Fine! I'll help you, but as soon as the Old One is dead you have to save the hydrangea! No waiting, at all!"

"That's fine," Haruka agreed easily.

The rain spirit reached into a small pocket in her skirt and retrieved something. Watanuki was sure he heard something along the lines of debts and balance grumbled under her breath but he could have been wrong.

The rain spirit tossed a small piece of metal at them. Watanuki ended up catching it but just barely. His hands fumbled with the awkward item and he became unsteady on his feet as he tried to grab it without allowing it to fall in the lake. "What is this?" He asked as he looked at the item in his hands. It looked like a silver pipe. The metal was carved and fashioned with stylized vines swirling up around it.

"Just use it," the girl said.

"Thank you for your help, Ame-Warashi-san," Haruka said.

"Don't thank me, it's an equal exchange. There's nothing to thank." She turned her back on them and went to leave, hopping on one stone and then another. She didn't even take another step before she growled in frustration and turned around on the spot.

"Damn it! It will still take too long with just that!" She growled even as Haruka grinned at her. "You should visit the Anything Store. Got it, priest?"

"Ah, it's been a while since I've been there. Thank you for the advice."

"You should be thankful!" She snapped her umbrella up over her head high. "Just get it done soon!"

"Will do," Haruka agreed cheerfully.

The girl lifted into the air until she disappeared in a cloud of rain. Minutes later and the sky cleared for the first time in days.

"She was... kind of strange," Watanuki observed.

"Yes, rainstorms can be finicky tempests, but she has good intentions."

"I suppose." Watanuki fingered the metal pipe in his hands. "What is this, Haruka-san?"

"Why don't you open it?"

Haruka started walking across the stones until he was back on normal ground and Watanuki followed. The teenager inspected the pipe and found a small piece at one end was larger than the rest of the pipe, as though it were meant to be held and pulled away from the rest of it. Watanuki pinched the end of the metal and pulled. A slightly smaller piece of metal slide out and revealed the hollow inside of the pipe.

Something small and yellow slid out of the opening and flew up around his neck. Watanuki started to panic and reached around himself in an attempt to grab whatever it was that had just slipped down his clothes. "Aaaah! It tickles! Get it off!"

Haruka laughed as Watanuki wriggled around like a worm. A few seconds later the creature... or whatever it was... slid around Watanuki's neck like a snake and stretched its tiny head around to look at him.

The eyes were so tiny they were almost non-existent. "What is it?" He asked bewildered.

The lithe little creature squeaked at him no louder than a mouse.

"A very generous offering," Haruka said. He rubbed a finger down the creature's furry neck appraisingly. "This is a pipe fox spirit."

"A pipe fox?"

The fox spirit squeaked happily and poked tiny kisses across Watanuki's cheeks.

"Yes," Haruka chuckled, "and it apparently really likes you. Foxfire will be an invaluable tool in defeating the spirit after you. This pipe fox can stay with you always due to its small size. It will be a very helpful friend."

Watanuki laughed as the kisses tickled his face. "He's cute."

"Now, didn't someone mention lunch is ready?"

"Yeah... say, Haruka-san?"

"Hm?"

Watanuki looked back at the lake as they headed to the house. "Why did you ask me to summon the rain spirit?"

"The special wards around the temple were made for you, Kimihiro-kun. Only you could have allowed something to enter without breaking the ward first. It also taught us something very valuable."

"What is that?"

"You have magical talent, Kimihiro. However latent it may be, you certainly have it. You will need to learn to control this."

Watanuki flushed. He did not want to have any special abilities. His current problem was enough to deal with. "How would I even learn? With my parents gone, they are the only ones I could think of that would know what I am supposed to be able to do, right?"

"I am priest and not a magician, but despite this I can still teach you the basics. I have a few esoteric scrolls that may yet yield useful information for you. As for the rest of it, well, that's what we have the Anything Store for."

Watanuki gulped.

. . . . . . .

Author's Note:

One reviewer asked when Yuuko was going to make an appearance. I wanted to point out to anyone that is interested that Yuuko will not be making an appearance in this story. Don't get me wrong, for I like Yuuko. A lot. Who couldn't? She's a wonderful character and damned hilarious, too.

However, Yuuko lives in another dimension and with Haruka alive she isn't needed in this one. I'd like Watanuki to live with Doumeki like a normal person instead of living alone for god knows how long. Let's just admit it, Yuuko really,reallyfucks Watanuki up in the head when she dies. I think he never would have consented to stay in the store otherwise. And, as we all know, once a price is paid it cannot be taken back, so even if he did regret it later it was too late. He was stuck as the shop owner.

Well, not this time!