Act III
flower girls, fear, guests and omens
"The Demon Capital! Rejoice for we have arrived in Kyoto!"
"We're tired." Maki and Toori moaned, seemingly to folding under the weight of their small bags. "No more."
"I've never been on so many trains in a row before in my life." Shima contributed, appearing only slightly better of than the two girls.
"Yes, we sure have had some bad luck." Kiyotsugu-kun admitted. "But! Like any true yokai lover we did not falter! Be proud!"
"I can't believe we made it." Oikawa-san looked very annoyed. "You'd think disabling five trains would be enough..."
"What was that, Oikawa-kun?"
The yukionna laughed nervously. "Nothing, Kiyotsugu-kun. So when are we going back?"
Kiyotusgu looked at the gathered club around him. "I didn't buy tickets back," he said.
"WHAT?!"
"We must discover yokai by the hundreds first! It could take weeks! How could I be bothered by thinking about leaving?"
Kana and the others stared at him, gob-smacked.
"We didn't sign up for this!" Maki protested. "I only packed for a day at most! Which, might I remind you, I already used cause we needed three days to even make it here!"
"So?" Kiyotsugu didn't seem to see the problem. "Simply buy something new!"
"Unlike you, we aren't loaded!"
"Perhaps we can go and visits Yura?" All eyes turned to Kana. She shuffled her feet. "I'm sure we can borrow some clothes or so from her."
Kiyotsugu slapped his hands together. "Perfect, Ienaga-kun. We can invite our very own Kiyojuji Patrol Onmyoji to show us every single yokai spot in the city!"
"You mean she invites us." Corrected Maki. "But whatever. Let's go. My feet are killing me."
"Oikawa-san, do you want me to carry your bag?" Kana felt a bit sorry for the hopeful look on Shima's face, which fell the moment Oikawa turned him down.
"Thanks for offering. Take ours." Maki and Toori shoved theirs at the poor boy, who protested, "I only carry Oikawa-san's!"
Kana matched her pace to Oikawa-san's. "Are you okay? You look, er, paler than usual." She kept her voice low.
The yuikonna shot her a look that could have frozen lava, but she always did that. Usually Kana would shoot one back, that was just how they worked with Rikuo in-between, but.
Well, it said a lot that Oikawa-san's glare didn't hold long and that she allowed herself to sigh. She rubber her arms as though she was freezing. "There is so much Fear in the air. It's oppressing. I don't like the onmyoji girl, but you should always stay with her in this place. It's not safe."
Kana shuddered. "If only Rikuo-kun were here…"
"Rihan-sama is here," Oikawa said. "But we can't bother him."
Kana stared. Her stomach was suddenly somewhere in the vicinity of her feet. "What? Why? Why is Nura-san here? What's going on?" In Kana's understanding the local (yokai) yakuza boss couldn't just leave his region - and not just because of all the chaos the clan would fall into without him.
Oikawa-san bit her lip and glanced over her shoulder to the others who were still squabbling. "The Nura Clan is fighting an enemy clan here."
..."What?"
The others looked over. "What's wrong, Kana-chan?" Maki wondered.
"Wha- ah, er. Nothing! It's nothing. I just realized I...forgot to pack something. Yes, that's right. Just forgot something." She smiled. It had to look better than it felt because the others returned to their own conversations (Kiyotsugu lecturing without any listeners, Shima staring dreamily at Oikawa, Maki and Toori chatting).
"Keep your voice down." Oikawa-san hissed once she had, now that Kana looked, double checked for eavesdroppers. "It's not just human attention we'll get if we're too loud and unlike in Ukiyoe, they aren't friendly."
"Is that why Rikuo-kun isn't here?" Kana found herself wondering. "Because you're …. fighting?"
"At. We're at war." Oikawa-san clarified with her usual lack of patience for Kana's lack of yokai knowledge. "Rikuo-sama has other responsibilities. Rihan-sama did not require the Young Master's presence."
"Oh." Kana had difficulty picturing Nura-san doing anything as serious as going to war. But she supposed he was head of yokai yakuza for a reason. That that was the reason Rikuo-kun wasn't here with them made her anxious yet it was also...relieving. So that he wouldn't go to...war...
Wait.
"War?! You're at war?" Kana remembered to keep her voice down this time. "In Kyoto? Here? What are we doing here? It can't be safe!"
Oikawa-san shot her an exasperated glare. "I'm here because Rikou-sama is worried something might happen to his friends in his absence. What you are doing here when Rikuo-sama told you it was dangerous I can't say."
Kana felt her mouth drop open. "Rikuo-kun didn't say a word about the entire Clan going to war. In Kyoto."
Oikawa-san pursed her lips. "You don't need to know such things, Ienaga-san. But you should have known that when Rikuo-sama said 'not to go' not to go."
A retort was on the tip of Kana's tongue but it never left her lips as a sudden disquiet bloomed in her mind. Why had she come when Rikuo-kun said not to?
Oikawa-san stopped.
Her head was turned to the side, her eyes intense and wide in a distinctly inhuman way.
Following her line of sight lead Kana to nothing but a statue. Her gut quenched.
Oikawa-san's head turned slowly the sculpture's counterpart.
"Ienaga-san, listen to me very carefully," said the snow woman. She tried to hide it but Kana could still feel her tension. The air chilled. "Go inside the temple. Mingle with other humans. You must keep the others together and not let them out of your sight. Yokai are less likely to strike if they are seen. I will come after."
And Kana realized what mistake she had made.
She had become conceited.
Even knowing the sort of children eating, birthday ruining demons that were out there, she still felt safe walking home in the dark. Why? Because yokai lurking around corners were her best friend's subordinates. If something happened, he would protect her like he always had before.
Standing at Rikuo-kun's side, Kana had forgotten what yokai truly were like.
So she had come here.
But here in Kyoto, every yokai around every corner was one who would harm her.
"Where is Oikawa-san going?" Shima-kun sounded longing and disappointed, and Kana snapped out of her horrified realization.
She pictured Rikuo-kun, and did her best to smile. "Just going to look for a wash room. She, er, said we should...go ahead."
"She could have said something." Maki-san said. "We could have gone together."
...Not possible. "But. Ah. She has to go look for one first! Yes." Her palms felt sweaty. Kana took a couple steps towards the stairs to the temple. "So lets go later. So we don't have to waste the time."
"Very well! Oikawa-kun's thoughtful suggestion will be taken full advantage off." Kiyotsugu proclaimed, and marched ahead. "Let us find yokai on the holy grounds of the temple!"
"Does he realize how contradictory that is?" Maki deadpanned before she smirked evilly and threw an arm around Kana's shoulders. "So. Did you and Tsurara-chan fight again? Let me guess, it was about Nura-kun."
Warmth in her cheeks chased away the coldness of fear. "N – no! Why would you think that?"
Toori giggled to Kana's other side, looping her arms around one of Kana's. "Maybe because you're always feuding with each other when he isn't looking?"
They double teamed her. Kana wanted to run and hide in a hole. "I-It's nothing like that. Anyway!" She slipped between them. "Let's go. Kiyotsugu-kun might spend the money for our trip back on some yokai stuff if we leave him out of our sight!"
"Ah." Said Maki. "That guy would. Oi, Kiyotsugu don't you dare -"
Kana dared glance over her shoulder. There was no sight of Oikawa-san.
"It's not good, Rihan-sama. We're too late again."
"Hmm."
"What shall we do? At this rate they're going to beat us to all those seals those yokai we beat mentioned." Kurotabo observed.
"That's a problem."
"That's what I've been saying for a week now." Kubinashi got out with obvious strain. "The question is what we're going to do about it."
Rihan looked over the destruction. A couple traces of perished yokai here, a couple there. Mostly there were human bodies. Sometimes only splotches of blood where the body was suspiciously absent.
"Well. Something has to be done about this."
"That's what I've been saying, Rihan!"
"Don't get flustered, Kubinashi." Personally, Rihan was both disappointed and relieved to have missed the Hagoromo Kitsune again. He knew what face he would have to fight after all and it was not going to be easy. On the other hand – who could say no to a good battled? "Clean out of here before the Keikain arrive. Dealing with them is bothersome."
Kubinashi gave him a look of profound suspicion. "And where do you plan on going?"
Heh.
Kurotabo pinched the bridge of his nose in a wonderfully human gesture. "At least take some guards with you, Rihan-sama."
"Hmm. No."
"Rihan!" Kubinashi fingered his strings. "I'll tie you up, don't think I won't! There's an enemy out there even you have to take seriously."
"I'm taking her plenty serious." Too much, in fact. It screwed with Rihan's centre. He vanished.
"Rihan!"
Leaving his hyakkiyakko to the many capable generals, Rihan strolled unseen through their ranks and out of the latest temple that had been raided by Hagoromo Kitsune's parade.
The Old Man had said there was a seal in place here, keeping her down. It had a number of anchor points but even he had never bothered with knowing more about it.
So all Rihan knew that those things existed, the vague number of them, educated guesses to their location but no idea what sequence there was to them – if there was one.
Sooner or later they would clash with the fox, but there was something he had to take care of first or else this was going to turn into a disaster ten times bigger than anything Rikuo and Rihan's childhoods had produced together.
And, ah, here came the onmyoji. Assuming they didn't always run around like headless chickens, their main house had to be in pretty bad state right now.
Hmm.
The moon stood high in the sky and Rihan enjoyed bathing in it as he waited for his time. No need for haste.
Leaves rustled, a sweet smell clung to the breeze.
... it was the time of the year again for those flowers to bloom. Yamabuki. Rihan's eyes found them without permission. Their petals glowed gold.
His feet had carried him to them before he became aware of it. It seemed he wasn't the only one admiring their beauty.
A shadow moved, a pale hand brushed over stems and blossom. Long pitch black hair.
Rihan stilled.
The thought to draw his sword came far too late, and even then his hands didn't move.
"Who is it? I can tell you are here even if I cannot perceive you." The voice was no longer a young girl's high chime but had matured into that of a woman on the cusp of adulthood. "Leave now. While I am feeling charitable."
So alike. Mirror images of each other.
If he had even entertained the notion of a coincidence eight years ago, this illusion would have broken painfully now.
But he had known, somewhere deep inside even then. Someone's design was displayed before him.
When he found out who's…
"Do you not believe me?" Strands of black hair danced aside as the figure turned around, revealing black eyes of the deepest black.
Rihan couldn't move had he wanted to, held in place by that smile...
"I could kill you. It would not pain me."
Maybe.
But not while she was smiling softly like that, holding a branch between her fingers like the most fragile of constructs.
"No?" Her head tilted back and, ah, that was a more likely a Hagoromo Kitsune smile. "You who hides his form from me. You seem to have some skills and bravery. I should offer you to join my Hyakkiyakko. ...Yet for some reason I already know you would decline me. I should kill you. It must be this night's fault that I don't feel like it."
Wind blew, carrying petals with it.
"Was it perhaps the flowers that lured you out here, just as they did me?" The demon wearing the face of his late beloved wondered softly. "You could not be blamed for it were it so, yet I cannot tell as you continue to hide." ….That smile was neither Harogomo Kitsune's nor hers. "Are you perhaps a coward?"
The way she said it, it was almost like -
Rihan's silence displeased her.
That expression disappeared.
Coldness crept into delicate features. "I shall not say it again. Leave."
Rihan's hand twitched. His feet moved, but in the entirely wrong direction and as he stood in front of the girl, his fingers reached out to take the yamabuki branch from her fingers.
"… flowers suit you much better than blood," he whispered quietly, and tied the branch into her hair.
The girl's calm breath froze at the sound of his voice. Rihan left before she could remember where she had heard it before.
It was only when he was half through the city that it occurred to him he just had the perfect moment to end this mess.
...This was going to be difficult.
Damn.
Yura shoved the door open. "Ojii-san, I-"
…
She closed the door.
She rubbed her eyes.
She shoved the door to the side. "Ojii-san, I-"
No.
"Yo. Yura-chan, was it?" A single eye gleamed at her from a smirking face. "How have you been?"
No. No. No! Nonononono!
No. Way. No. Damn. Way.
Not. Happening.
"Yura. Do you know this yokai?" Her grandfather sat, a cup of tea at the low traditional table. His calm was impeccable.
"Noooooooooo! Wh- why would I kn-ow a yokai? D-don't be silly grandpa!" She got out, choking on the words and their absurdity.
"She's friends with my son," Nura-san informed her grandfather casually.
Her grandpa gave her a very assessing look. "Is that so?"
"No! I mean yes! No!" She faced grandpa fully, face flushed in shame. "I didn't know Nura-kun was a yokai, grandpa." It came out like a whine.
A furrow formed between her grandfather's brows. "You couldn't tell." Not a question.
"Don't be too hard on her, it's hardly her fault." Nura-san smiled disarmingly charismatic. Urgh. "She's still young and my son had the advantage of being underestimated."
Granpa's Frown of Disapproval formed fully. "Nonetheless, as an onmyoji she must be able to do it." He said it to Nura-san. "I have no doubt she has the skill. She merely let herself be tricked."
"She came over to our house a couple of times," volunteered Nura-san, digging Yura's grave deeper - just to see what she would do if he was anything like his son. "Rikuo invited them for a yokai search -"
"Aaaaaaaaaargh! Shut up you!"
He didn't. "I admit I was surprised when he brought her over the first time. We don't get onmyoji surprise visits every day after all." Nura-san gave her a glance, eyes smirking, but his tone was all polite chit chat. "It turned out to be great fun."
A noise somewhere between a splutter and a shriek tore from her mouth as she rang with her indignation. "Only because you used me to keep your subordinates on their toes!"
"Just a little bit of hide and seek. What's life without a thrill?" Put Nura-san forth innocently and bit into a cookie. But his eyes gave him away!
"Thrill?! I'll show you thrill, yokai! Just entering the Keikain House, pretending like-"
…
Wait a minute.
Something was seriously wrong with this picture.
"Is that tea? ...are those Kazuki-nii's sweets?" Yura stared. Nura-san finished the treat, smiling. "...this is the Main House of the Keikain Onmyoji. How did you get in here?"
A very bad feeling kicked her in the head with a deja vu.
She looked at her grandfather. "Did he slip past the wards?"
Grandpa pursed his lips. Which obviously was an admission all by itself.
Yura gaped at Nura-san. "Are you mad? You'll be killed."
Nura-san's face split wide. "I think I see why Rikuo is so fond of you."
"...My grandchild doesn't think you a threat." Yura's grandfather set his cup of tea down with a pronounced click. All levity disappeared. "A serious misjudgement on her part. The House of Keikain does not deal with yokai," he said. "Not even in situations like this."
Nura-san paused, then leaned back on his hands. Suddenly he was nothing like the man she met on her visits to the house who had easily welcomed them and treated them so well. His one open eye was at half mast, glowing. Not threatening, a bit disinterested even, but there was no doubt that it could become the former at a moment's notice.
This was the current Supreme Commander of all yokai. No longer the relaxed father of the boy she met in school and went on excursions with, but the sire of the young and powerful yokai lord who fought a battle on the streets of his home town and came out with nary a scratch.
Yura couldn't swallow.
"However," her grandfather continued unperturbed. "We can't help rumors flying, and if the current holder of Nenekirimaru happens to be a yokai, then we will certainly not interfere in any battles between forces of evil."
Nura-san's head tilted, drifting hair hiding most of his expression in the shadows. "I'm here to cut ties with the fox. Everything else is your concern as I've got no interest in conquering Kyoto. Fight your war yourself."
The air was painful to breath. Yura's heart galloped.
"Grandpa? What is he talking about?"
Nura-san's eye slid to her. "Your grandfather is less understanding than you, Yura-chan. Says he can't accept an armistice no matter that your family will keep on dying because you lack the power to fight the fox head on."
Hidemoto the 27th straightened. "Leave Yura out of this, evil spirit."
"Why?" The yokai drilled mercilessly. "She is the next head, is she not? Doesn't she have a say?"
Yura stared at her grandfather. "Nura-san offered a truce?"
"We don't deal with yokai, Yura." His usually warm eyes bore down on her. "And it is not a decision of prejudice. I can see very well that this yokai is not like those we usually hunt. Merely it is that if we compromise on this, we lose the right to call ourselves onmyoji. You know this."
"I do. I do! But, grandpa. People are dying. My brothers, our family. We can't even protect anyone on the streets anymore," she argued. Her gut twisted with the weight of the growing missing persons list, with the guilt of what she was arguing. The purse with her shikigami weighted a ton. "If we fail like this, because we refuse to cooperate with someone, how can we still be onmyoji? How can we still look each other in the face if we're just throwing away out lives – lives that don't have to be lost!" Her voice shook. "...I don't want to die because of something like this."
Frown of Disapproval. Of Disapproval and Disappointment.
Yura couldn't stand to spend another second in the same room. She fled.
Down the hallway she smacked almost head first into Ienaga-san. Ienaga-san and the rest, all of whom looked at her curiously. Quickly Yura rubbed her sleeves over her eyes. "What are you doing here? I told you to wait in the room. It can be dangerous even in here. Come on." She took the lead down the hallway.
"Sorry, Yura-chan," Ienaga-san voiced hesitantly. "But you were taking so long and we thought -"
"Kiyotsugu wanted to search for yokai." Maki-san said flatly.
"Even though it's impossible for any to be here. This is the main house of the Keikain after all," Toori-san added.
Yura hoped her flinch wasn't obvious.
"Hoh? Searching for yokai? Interesting. How is it going?"
This time her flinch definitely was visible, but the others were jumping in surprise too, so Yura was spared.
"Nura-san," Ienaga-san choked.
"Nura-kun's handsome father," Maki-san said, staring. "What are you doing here?"
"Me?" He smiled as though it was an everyday thing to meet in the house of strangers. "Nothing much. I had a business talk with Yura-chan's grandfather, but nothing became of it unfortunately."
Ienaga-san gaped.
"Business in the house of Keikain? Don't tell me Nura's father is also in the business of hunting yokai." Kiyotsugu-kun wanted to know, so, so painfully oblivious of who he was talking to.
Nura-san's smirk was one hundred percent his son's when he was having fun at your expense. "Not quite, no."
Yura grit her teeth. "I'm sorry, Nura-san. But the situation being what it is, if you could get on your way..."
He waved a hand at her, smiling warmly. "Just wanted to say hi to my son's cute human friends. If only all of his companions were like you I would have a lot less headaches," he told them, before moving past and strolled down the hallway. "Come by our house again. Everyone is looking forward to it. Yura-chan too."
"Wait!" Ienaga-san called, her voice close to panic. He did. "Nura-san." She wrung her hands and still had that horrible face colour she had when Yura had picked them up at the temple. "Oikawa-san came with us – ah, to keep us out of trouble – and we lost her at the Fishime Inari Shrine." Her voice cracked on the last part.
Nura-san stood still in the hallway for a few seconds before he turned just enough to toss a smile over his shoulder. "It's not your fault, Kana-chan. Don't all of you worry. I'll have my people search for her."
Practically collapsing in relief, Ienaga-san hid her face in her hands. "Thank you! I'm so sorry."
"Yeah, thanks Nura-kun's father," agreed Maki-san. "We didn't know how we were supposed to look for her since we can't leave the building."
Nura-san made a dismissive gesture with his hand but was already moving again.
Yura bet the moment he was around the corner she wouldn't find him again if she searched the entire compound.
"You have no doubt this is the next place, Yukionna?"
Tsurara huffed. "The yokai were very talkative once they lost their legs. It's a spiral form using the main streets as conductors. Seiei-ji is the next one in the row."
"It seems that way." Rihan-sama agreed. "It was all the onmyoji were talking about – about who's going to be killed next, that is."
Kubinashi twitched. When he had heard where Rihan-sama had been, Tsurara had become very worried he might lose his head in the way he hadn't already.
Hitotsume-sama clicked his tongue, chewing the stem of his pipe. "It's not that I doubt Yukionna's ability to terrify, Rihan-sama. However we must consider the possibility that they don't follow the rules set by their enemies."
"If that happens, it happens. No need to rush, people." Rihan-sama gazed vaguely in the direction of the temple.
"Shouldn't we at the very least await them closer?" Kurotabo pushed his hat up for better sight. "I do not like to consider the time we need to get there."
"That would be ideal," Rihan-sama agreed, sipping from a cup of sake. "But think about it. If we went to the front gates of that place and waited, what would happen?"
"We wouldn't get anything to drink," Aotabo lamented. The entire hyakki yakko filled a modern styled vineyard. Humans were running between then tables not knowing they were serving yokai. The broad windows gave excellent sight of the Seiei-ji.
Tsurara kicked him in the shin. "The onmyoji would detect us," she proposed.
Rihan-sama nodded. "Yeah. They're too scared out of their minds to do anything on their own, but follow that line of thought a bit further."
"Battle on two fronts. I see the problem, Rihan-sama." Gyuki-sama said. He was the only one of all the present demons eating instead of drinking. "We'd be caught between the defending onmyoji and the attacking Hagoromo Kitsune. In contrast if it is we who arrive last, it is them who are caught between two fronts."
"Hmm. We'll have Hagoromo Kitsune be a buffer between us and the onmyoji while we destroy her. I have no intention of letting unnecessary sacrifices be made for the humans or us, but since the Keikain turned me down, I'm more concerned with our guys being shot by mistake then them dying in the time we need to arrive."
"A logical decision." Gykui-sama complimented.
Hitotsume-same harrumphed. "And that after all the trouble Rihan-sama went to to offer them a mercy. Really, humans..."
"Speaking of humans," Rihan-sama's lazy stare turned to Tsurara. "Didn't you come here to take care of Rikuo's humans?"
She dipped her head reverently. "Yes, Rihan-sama. However as they're currently in the Keikain's Main House…."She shivered. "I asked to be contacted the moment they leave."
"That's wise." Rihan-sama smirked. "The Keikain didn't seem too welcoming to yokai."
Kubinashi muttered something under his breath.
"Anyway, Yukionna. The Old Man is on the Takarabune on the river and out communication lines with the Main House run from there. Feel free to join him there." Offered Rihan-sama.
Tsurara considered. On the one hand, if she went she would be able to contact Rikuo-sama and though she dearly wished to know how he was, she had on the other hand nothing to report to him. Rikuo-sama's time was too precious to waste on such things as her mere desire to hear his voice. "I believe I will stay, Rihan-sama."
He shrugged, and drank more sake.
It was loud, rowdy as in any place the Clan frequented, but there was an underlying tension. It was different from the times Rikuo-sama had taken them out. With Rikuo-sama it was abrupt, even his battle with the Skikoku yokai. This entire phase of waiting, for the assembled and battle ready hyakkiyako did not happen.
This was what a war that Rihan-sama had to take the lead on was like.
It excited her blood.
"Rihan-sama." Kurotabo turned from his statue like vigil at the window. "It is time."
Faint light flashed at the temple grounds.
Rihan-sama stood languidly. The entire hyakkiyako silenced. "Would you look at that. It seems that it is." Smirking, Rihan-sama tugged his sword out of his robes. "You guys! It's time to go!"
The building shook from the answering cheers.
When the parade arrived down at the temple, the battle was over. But the hyakkiyako of Harogomo Kitsune was still present.
Tsurara's eyes searched for the demon among the ranks of powerful, old yokai but did not discover a figure looking the way Tsurara imagined her to look like. Neither did she sense the kind of Fear she would expect.
Did she leave, Tsurara wondered.
Except, Kejoro at her side, Kubinashi and Kurotabo, Aotabo – even Gyuki-sama and Hitostume-sama. They were all still, shockingly so. All of the Nura Clan's parade was silent, filled with a different kind of tension - the nervous, confused kind.
Rihan-sama alone was as usual.
Tsurara followed their lines of sight and -
- sucked in a shocked breath. Surrounded by yokai, dressed in black, splattered with blood, black, black, black...That person was -!
"Is that..."Kejoro breathed near inaudible.
"Rihan," Kubinashi said, just as quietly, insistent. "She looks just like…."
...Huh?
They recognized her? Why did they recognize her?
Tsurara only did because she looked so much like the girl in that picture...
"You seem familiar," the girl said, licking blood from her fingertips. The yokai gathered and arranged defensively around her. "Have we met before?"
Rihan-sama smirked lazily. "You almost killed me eight years ago."
Tsurara froze.
The Fear of the Nura Clan reared back and evolved into a black storm of utter rage. This one. This person had dared -
She forgot entirely about the other matter.
Hagoromo Kitsune narrowed her eyes, inspecting Rihan-sama. She froze too. Her delicate hand pressed into her temples. "I recognize you now," she said, and her voice was guttural evil. "That coarse one's son. Why have you come to interfere with me again?"
"Why do you look like that?" Rihan-sama questioned in return, no longer easy-going.
The fox's head tilted. "What nonsense are you sprouting? What do I care what appearance my perfect vessel has?"
The sliding sound as Rihan-sama drew his sword echoed in the space between the two night parades.
"If you don't feel like answering, I don't either," he said, steel in his voice.
The fox girl's expression twisted from smooth dignity to hate. "It seems I didn't do quite a throughout job, teaching you a lesson. This sloppiness must be corrected."
At Tsurara's side, Kejoro growled.
The battle exploded. Rihan-sama's blade met opposition of an old man-like yokai. "Kurotabo." Rihan-sama said, and Tsurara was in awe as for the first time she saw the Nidaime as he was in battle.
"My Lord."
Rihan-sama's Fear sparked like the most entrancing fireworks. "Become my strength."
Tsurara was in awe.
"Rikuo, do you want a snack?"
Her son looked up from his hard work. He chewed the end of his pen and watched her for a long moment. "Yes please."
Wakana hummed a cheerful tune and set both tea and crackers next to the documents he was so diligently studying. "You're working so hard, is something going on?"
Rikuo's eyes flared, which was a yes and a lot more beside, but Wakana didn't need to know all the complicated stuff to see that her son was troubled. Troubled, and not wanting to burden her with it.
So like his father.
She smiled happily at him. "My little Rikuo is growing up so reliably." There was no doubt in her mind that whatever he set his mind to would be solved. "Maybe I should go brag to the neighbours."
"We don't have neighbours," he said, but smiled. Somewhere in the house something crashed, followed by curses in the voices of the rowdy friends' of Rikuo's that he invited over for whatever it is that he was dealing with.
Wakana waited and watched him.
Sipping his tea, he sighed. "Mom, when you married Dad. What made you decide to leave the human world? I mean, he's a yokai. There's so many differences that some don't believe common ground even exists." He lowered his cup, gaze troubled. "No, never mind. I don't want to know."
"Does this have something to do with what it worrying you?"
He blinked at her.
She smiled. "You don't need to tell me."
Her son lowered his eyes and drank more tea. After a long silence he said, "I just want to know why humans do some things. But I want to find my own answers." He grinned charmingly at her. "And you're too special to use as a comparison."
Wakana giggled. "You're making me blush."
"Which only makes you more special – especially beautiful, I mean," her son complimented dutifully, and Wakana laughed.
With the sleeve of her kimono she dabbed at her eyes. "Rikuo, your mother is very much looking forward to the girl you bring home one day. Practicing your charm on me, you little rascal."
He ducked his head and only blushed a bit.
The tea cup in his hands cracked.
"Yikes." Quickly, he moved it away from his work so that the leaking tea wouldn't soak them.
"Oh my. This hasn't happened in a while." Wakana used her handkerchief to clean some of the liquid.
Once he had set the broken cup down on the tray Rikuo looked at his hands oddly. "I didn't think I was gripping it that hard."
"You must be hitting a growth spurt." She leaned across the small table and pinched his cheek. "My Darling should watch out. By the time he returns you'll be the taller one."
Rikuo grinned.
"Rikuo-sama!" One of the karasu tengu landed in the yard, just outside Rikuo's room. "I have brought an urgent message from the Shodaime!"
Wakana's little son's face smoothed over. "What is it?"
Tusakamaru-chan darted a very quick look at Wakana. And hesitated.
She felt her smile fall, her stomach turning to ice.
Hagoromo Kitsune looked in the mirror of her quarters. Nothing special. Nothing extraordinary. Just a human like any other. A human clothed in red liquid of life.
(Flowers suit you better than blood.)
It had been him! His voice! It was the same at that presence that night! With the flower-
Her brows twitched as a painful pulse reappeared in her temples.
A flash. Of something.
She closed her eyes and rested her forehead against the cold surface of the mirror. That man. That yokai. That cursed one. The cursed blood. Why couldn't she stop thinking about him?
Why did that despicable yokai interfere again?
The glass cracked under her skin.
Before she realized, she was on the floor. It hurt. It hurt. It hurt!
Like her head was splitting.
Something flashed. A memory.
A memory -
Of.
Of…
It hurt so much! What was happening?
What did that yokai do to her?
She screamed. Screamed. Screamed. Screamedscreamedscreamed -
He did this to her!
Why couldn't she hate him!
She was covered in his blood!
Noooooo-!
Vaguely, something happened around her. Who were those people? "Hagoromo Kitsune-sama!"
-ah, her faithful servants.
But she was in such agony!
Not that person! Anything but that person! Rih-Fath-
It hurt so much! She couldn't bear it any longer! What was happening?!
- Something cool touched her mind. Everything became dark.
TBC
