Past Life
Written by Justine JBV / Chibi Botan
Chapter Five: Fates
XIII
The guru didn't know what to make of Botan's declaration.
"I'll make sure he won't get it."
The girl had said that determinedly.
If she only knew what she will have to give in return of her brother's safety...
The guru mentally shook her head. She knew that the girl is willing to do anything to save her brother.
"Whatever it takes."
The guru has yet to shake off the dread she felt when she first learned what will happen to the girl. She stared at the blue haired teen standing in front of her. What a waste. Her family could have been happy, if not for some power-hungry demon named Satori.
Enma Daioh.. How could you forbid me from helping? And why her?
XIV
Yumi
She can read the guru's mind. She doesn't know how she can do it, but ever since she stayed with the guru, she started hearing the guru's thoughts as if she was whispering them to her.
It was not nice, it feels like invading the guru's privacy. So she tries to block it off. This ability is underdeveloped, and most of the time it's like a broken static in her head, and for some reason, she can only use it with the guru. For six years now, she lived under her care. Her grandmother, caretaker, and sensei. Everybody who knew the old woman calls her Guru, because she knew almost everything.
As to how, Yumi can only guess. Most likely, she inherited this ability from her… the ability to hear thoughts. From his thoughts, you learn a lot about a person.
Somehow, they lived in peace. Yumi stayed away from the guru's activities. She respects the guru a lot, and lets her have her privacy. But sometimes, her curiosity gets the better of her.
Like this morning, when she saw the blue-haired girl. From the left side of the temple, she watched the guru turn her back on the girl. She watched in surprise, the girl was obviously asking for help and the guru was not planning to help her. That got her curious. The guru may not be the friendliest person around, but she's not heartless either. And the girl looked so fragile; anyone would want to help her. She tried to listen in.
"She's too young for everything I foresee that will happen to her...She has to hide."
These two lines she clearly heard from the guru's thoughts. What does that mean?
The guru can sense she was listening, and shut her out. Until now, as she left the two alone, she could feel that the Guru has blocked her from hearing her thoughts. Yumi could only tell that whatever it was the guru had foreseen was something negative. Something bad is about to happen if the guru helped the girl find her brother. But what harm could be done? She only wanted to save her brother. If Yumi was in Botan's position, she would do the same.
When she left Botan with the Guru, she couldn't help but think of what the two could be discussing. She soon found herself heading back and listening as the Guru talks about the Sorcerer.
"He combined old sorcery tricks and new power..."
Yumi smiled at that. Sorcery, huh? Interesting.
She tiptoed back to her room. Once there, she retrieved a pale gray satchel that she had kept under her bed. It was heavy. She dusted it off and didn't bother checking the contents. She then hurried to her closet and packed a few items to a large camping pack. When she was done packing, she put the satchel in. Now, she's ready. All she needed to do is to wait until Botan leaves.
XV
Somewhere far from the human world, a toddler and a woman were watching Botan and the Guru from a large oval screen.
The woman wears a black kimono. Her hair is just as dark and tied in a low bun. Her expression was grim. She looked worriedly at the toddler sitting in a large chair beside her. He paid no attention to her. His small hand on his chin, his expression serious.
"Sir," the woman tried to get his attention.
"Yes, Ayame?" the toddler answered, but was still staring at the oval screen.
"What's going to happen now?"
The toddler straightened on his seat, and shook his head. "I can't tell you that."
"Why not?" it was obvious that the woman was trying to subdue her reaction. "With all due respect, Sir, I watched out for her all these years. We can't let her face Satori. She's too young and naive."
Finally he looked at her. "I know. I know you watched out for her, though you never told anyone. I know you promised Hana you'll watch out for her daughter. But fate is fate, Ayame, whatever we do, it will happen. You have to understand. Nobody can help her."
"You're the prince of Reikai," Ayame whispered. "You know a lot of powerful people. There's got to be someone out there who could help her."
"It isn't power we need. And my father has already forbidden me and Guru to meddle with this. Now that the guru is done with her part, we'll have to keep our hands off this matter."
Ayame blinked. "W-why would Enma Daioh do that..? And what do you mean, the Guru has done her part?"
"Her part is only to let Botan know about the sorcerer. I know that before Hana died, she asked you both not to let the children know anything about Reikai and Makai. Hana thought that if they don't know anything, they'll be safe.
So at first, the guru didn't want to tell anything to Botan. But she realized now that there is nothing she can do about it. If she won't tell Botan, Botan will learn from someone else."
Ayame looked back to the screen, wondering what Enma Daioh had planned for the girl who was her best friend's daughter. Before Hana met Kino in Makai, she had been working as a messenger for Koenma.
Ayame was already a ferry girl then, and worked back and forth on the crossroads while Hana worked in the office. But they still tried to spend time together and treated each other like sisters.
When Hana died, it was Ayame who ferried her. She made her promise to look out for her children.
"Can you at least tell me, that Botan will be fine?" she asked softly.
"I'm sorry, Ayame. I really cannot tell you anything. Only that my father knows what he's doing. He will not let this happen to Botan for no reason. You will understand soon."
Whether Ayame believed that, she didn't say. She politely excused herself, and went back to her ferrying duties.
XVI
The blue ogre hurried inside the prince's office, carrying a high stack of papers he needed to sign. He almost tripped and barely managed to keep the stack from scattering on the floor when Ayame passed by. She didn't notice that she almost knocked the blue ogre over.
The ogre put the stack on the desk, and was about to ask the toddler something when he noticed the serious expression he was wearing. He followed his line of vision, and found himself looking at the oval screen. It zoomed in on a face—a very familiar face.
"Hana," he said, wide-eyed. The reigen used to work with them.
"No, no.. It's her daughter." Koenma absently corrected him.
"Ah. They look very much alike. It would be nice to meet her. I bet she'll be as downright sassy," he said smiling, remembering the reigen's cheerfulness. Then his eyes went wide when he realized the connotation of what he said. "Oh, heheh.." He patted the back of his head and hastily explained, "Sir, I did not mean that I would want her to reach Reikai yet, I mean, she's young and won't need any ferrying yet--"
Koenma waved his small hand in front of the ogre's face, making him stop his mindless blabber. "No matter, ogre.. you will all meet her soon."
The ogre's face fell, and was about to question that.
"Ah," Koenma waved him away, not in the mood for any conversation. "Just leave. I have a lot of papers to sign." He glared at the ogre who was reluctant to leave. "Now!"
The ogre ran fast outside.
XVII
Ayame couldn't focus on doing her job. She was too worried. Right after ferrying the first batch of souls, she gave up trying.
She knew where she wanted to go— to the Dark Temple. On her way, she felt a sense of being "called" by a soul. She ignored it, knowing that a fellow ferry girl is nearby and will attend to the wandering soul.
All ferry girls have this ability. When someone's death is very near, they could sense it. That pull is a lot stronger when sensing a lost soul. Sometimes there is no need to check Enma's Register to find the exact location of a soul.
As she landed near the Dark Temple, she felt another pull. She frantically glanced around, as her oar fades from her hand. She could feel her heart beat faster. No lost souls around. Just...
A blue haired girl emerged from the gate. She meekly waved goodbye to someone who stayed inside.
Ayame stared at the girl, who was a perfect replica of Hana. Her eyes followed the girl as she left the place. Her heart sank. She could only stare. This blue-haired girl is the source of the pull she felt earlier. Her time is near.
To be continued… Thank you for reading!