Youkaitachi

„Can´t say nothing ´bout demons here, but in Japan, they´re called youkai. Got that?"

Dog commenced his explaining, sitting criss-crossed on the floor in front of Kasi´s bed.

„So you´ re from Japan," Kasi said. „What are you doing here, then?"

„Patience," he rebuked her. „First thing first. Will come to that later."

„These youkai lived in Japan for a long time. They were there before peoples came. They laid claim on vast territories and were feared. There were many great wars ´mong youkai, and ´mong youkai and peoples. Youkai live for very long time, it is many thousand years before they grow old. And there´re many kind of them, some are strong, some are but little sprites."

Dog told Kasi about various youkai, huge demon trees and mighty bear demons, proud wolf tribes, fearsome dragon lords as well as about mischievous tanuki and kitsune youkai, little kappa imps and small lizard demons who liked to possess stronger bodies. There was much Kasi didn´t understand but didn´t interrupt him, because by now she was intrigued by the story.

„However the numbers of youkai are diminished today, partly due to warring among themselves, but mostly for peoples growing in numbers and taking their territories. Ya know, youkai don´t like change and above all they hate quick change. Lot of youkai fled Japan and some of them backed off to high mountains and deep forests. Peoples don´t fear them no more. Most of them don´t believe that they exist, just like you did." He finished.

„But aren´t demons- I mean youkai- all evil?" Kasi asked.

„They ain´t no evil, not all of them. Kitsune like to trick people, but most of youkai just don´t give a fuck about peoples as long as they let them be. And all youkai have youki- an aura. What you felt before when touched me," he looked at her.

„Uhm, so you are a youkai, all right," Kasi said.

He shifted restlessly. „Well...not exactly."

„Not exactly what?"

„I am er... it´s ..." His expression turned to awkward and later, as Kasi fancied, to almost embarrassed. „Ya see, I am hanyou." He finally spat out the words, as if it was a chunk of bad meat.

„What is a hanyou?"

„A half youkai."

Compatibility

„You mean, you are half human?"

„U-huh."

„Is it even possible? I mean, how can a human and a demon...aren´t they like...you know...incompatible? And you said human were afraid of youkai."

„Mightiest of the youkai can make human form," he said.

„Ah, that´s right. You look almost human, after all."

„That´s my form. Hanyous can´t shape shift, they´re born half changed. Believe me, not all hayou look human like me."

„Really. So which parent is which?"

„Huh?"

„Which one is human? Your mum or dad?"

„My mother," he mumbled with a downcast gaze.

„And your dad?"

„My father was a dog demon."

„So that´s where you got your ears from," she chuckled but stopped abruptly as he shot her a scowling glance. She obviously ruffled the wrong feathers.

„I am sorry, I didn´t mean... Sorry."

„And then there´re demon weapons, for like swords or spears." He suddenly continued with the previous talk, anxious to change the theme. Kasi didn´t protest as she saw, that he didn´t want to speak of his parents.

„Normal weapons can´t injure stronger youkai. Youkai use demon weapons that are forged by youkai smiths and have an aura on their own. They´re very dangerous to mortals, because they can possess their will."

He looked at her and half closed his eyes. „Some of youkai´re evil, all right. They have evil aura- jaki. And evil weapons, like that ring."

Kasi´s eyes went wide. „...a weapon..."

„Yeah. There ´re three parts- the ring and two blades. Put them together and ya´ll have a weapon with very strong jaki. It would kill any human that tried to use it."

Kasi kept silent and regarded Dog with a frown. He responded with the same intense gaze. „You knew it was a weapon." It was more a statement than a question.

Kasi nodded. „But I didn't know it was dangerous like that."

Incompatibility

He mumbled something under his breath that she didn´t understand, but it sounded quite offensive.

„What?" she asked a little irritated.

„Nothing, just tellin´ myself how stupid ya peoples are. Sticking nose in business ya don´t know nothing about."

„Well pardon me, if I am stupid. Why did you save me then? And anyway who allowed you to stick your nose in my business?" Kasi was standing, desperately trying not to shout at him, but her voice sounded really annoyed.

Dog sprang up and faced her with the same coarse whispering. „If I didn´t save yer ass, ya stupid bitch, you would be dead in some garbage bin!"

„Don´t call me bitch, you freak!"

„Keh!" He crossed his arms and turned his head.

„You know, you have really bad manners. You are rude and offensive. I thank you for helping me, but you really have no right to call me names. You don´t know anything about me. I can take care of myself, most of the time. I was just not careful enough that night."

„Keh," he snorted again. „Can take care of yerself? Don´t ya listen, stupid? That thing you´re after is dangerous to ya, it will kill ya. It will kill any human. Peoples can´t handle it."

„So that´s why you are after it as well, huh? It is not just a quest about saving girls in need, am I right?"

He huffed and plopped suddenly on the ground again. „I said I ain´t no yer foe. I am here to help ya."

Kasi dropped on the bed as well. „Then tell me, why you are here exactly. Explain it to me so I can understand what do you actually want and why are you telling me all this business about youkai or whatever."

„I came here... lookin´ for something," he started a little hesitantly.

„For that weapon?"

„No. Actually, I was lookin´ for someone. For you."

Finding the thief