Walk me through the Valley
Disclaimer: Characters and premise are the property of Kazue Kato. I'm just borrowing them for a little non-profit fun.
Chapter Thirteen: Spring Break
The next morning Yoshikuni headed out to her forge confident that none of her guests would be up yet. She'd only been there a few minutes when Bon stuck his head in the door. "No one'll mind if I use the stream bed for a shooting range right?" he asked.
Yoshikuni looked surprised for a moment then reminded herself that Ryuji had always been way too serious for his age. "So you're really Dragoon now?" she asked. "How's that going?"
"I'm pretty deadly against stationary targets and my reload rate is just under ten seconds." Bon grinned ruefully, "In other words I've got a long way to go, but I'm making progress."
"The stream bed's fine for practice," Yoshikuni said. "But do try to remember you're here for a vacation."
Bon smirked a bit. "I'll try but I make no promises," he said.
Yoshikuni laughed. "Oh go on, you. Be back in time for breakfast."
"Yeah, about breakfast," Bon replied. "I saw Rin and Paku heading down to the market, so don't be too surprised when you find your kitchen taken over."
"Thank goodness, I was just going to feed the lot of you sandwiches while you were here," Yoshikuni replied. "I hate cooking."
"I might have mentioned that to Rin," Bon admitted as he left for his target practice.
Yoshikuni finished up her work for the morning then headed back to the house to clean up, but was distracted by the crash of wood on wood and the incongruous tinkling of chimes. Curiously she peered behind the house and saw Izumo and Shima sparring. As Yoshikuni watched Shima used the rings of his staff to tangle the blunted blade of Izumo's practice naginata and ripped the staff out of her hands. Izumo stumbled forward, apparently trying to keep hold of her weapon, but at the last moment she let it go and used the decreased distance between them and the fact that Shima's staff was still tangled with hers to kick him in the stomach. Shima doubled over, losing his staff as well, but he lunged forward and tackled Izumo, pinning her beneath him. For a moment it seemed like his greater size was going to decide the spar, then he leered at the girl trapped beneath him. Izumo scowled and kneed him between the legs. While he rolled on the ground in agony, Izumo walked over to their weapons and freed hers. Then she walked off.
Yoshikuni helped Shima off the ground. "So is this a typical spar for you two?" she asked.
"Naw, Big Sis is usually watching," Shima replied. "I wouldn't have tried to cop a feel with her there."
"So basically, you got what you deserved," Yoshikuni remarked.
"Yeah, I deserved that. But if I did it with Big Sis watching? Well, after Izumo-chan nailed me, Big Sis would have smacked me, then she would have written to Mom and then Mom would scold me. Not even Izumo-chan is worth that," Shima replied. "So I took my chance today when the punishment ends in… well… maybe half an hour? I hope."
"You're still utterly incorrigible aren't you," Yoshikuni asked.
"Even worse than when we were in grade school," Konekomaru confirmed as he joined them.
"Hey there," Yoshikuni greeted him, she looked down and blushed a little.
"Hi, it's been a while," Konekomaru replied a bit awkwardly.
"You didn't come out with the others last summer," Yoshikuni said questioningly.
"I hadn't gotten my head straight about Rin then," Konekomaru said, his gaze dropped to the ground. "Usually Bon's the hot-head, but he was thinking better than I was then: First you keep everyone alive, nothing comes before that. Thank you for finding a way to repair Rin's sword."
"Well now, I could hardly let Kurikara break on my watch," Yoshikuni replied. "How'd the clan's demon-sword end up being used to house your friend's heart anyway?"
Konekomaru sighed. "Long story and it's not as if Rin had any say in what happened. If he was even born when Kurikara was stolen I'd guess he was no more than a few days old."
"Does it have something to do with the plague?" Yoshikuni asked her eyes sharpening.
Konekomaru looked startled. "That never occurred to me," he said. "I don't know if Kurikara was payment for curing the plague or not, but either way it could be trouble if people think it was. I need to talk to Bon."
"He's down at the stream bed shooting stuff," Yoshikuni told him, knowing Konekomaru wouldn't want to delay.
"Thank you," Konekomaru replied with a formal bow then he headed off.
"When it comes to trouble for Rin the fun never stops," Shima remarked with a shake of his head and the two of them headed inside.
As the door opened a bevy of delicious aromas engulfed them, Yoshikuni felt her mouth watering embarrassingly. Shima gave her a knowing grin. "Living with Rin-kun has certain unexpected benefits," he said. "He was a great cook to start with and he's only gotten better since starting his apprenticeship with the True Cross Academy's chef. For a while we tried to split up the cooking a little to be fair, but getting Rin out of a kitchen is harder than you'd think. So at home he doesn't do dishes ever or many other cleaning chores to keep things equitable." The pink-haired boy grinned mischieviously. "And it gives Bon and Koneko more time to force him to study… which keeps 'em off my back. Although studying with Shiemi-chan's got it's pluses."
"Incorrigible," Yoshikuni repeated.
Shima grinned shamelessly. "If you weren't engaged, I'd try for you too," he told her.
She laughed, "Be honest, the only reason you don't hit on me is that I'm a blacksmith."
"You do slap a bit harder than most," Shima admitted. "But Izumo-chan fights dirty… Actually I sort of like that about her. Shiemi-chan'd probably hide or cry if I tried anything with her, then I'd feel rotten."
They poked their heads in the kitchen as they passed by. Paku was assisting Rin to prepare a huge breakfast. "Ooh! Sweet stuff," Yoshikuni exclaimed clapping her hands at the sight of whipping cream.
Rin grinned at them "I'm experimenting with crepes," he announced happily. "I've got some savory ones too."
"Looking forward to eating 'em," Shima replied.
"So where are your last two friends?" Yoshikuni asked. "Please tell me someone slept in."
Paku shook her head. "Shiemi-chan went out looking for clippings for her garden. Amaimon followed her to try to talk her into treating him to sweets instead. He's already almost out of candy."
Rin shook his head. "How?" he wondered. "It's not like there were any clothes in that bag he brought."
"Shiemi's off on her own with Amaimon?" Shima exclaimed frowning.
Rin looked unconcerned. "She's good at handling him in our Negotiation class. While we're out in the middle of nowhere, I'm sort of thinking about trying to convince Shiemi that me and Amaimon could spar without getting in a real fight," he said. "I get plenty of practice fighting someone who's more trained than I am with Angel. It'd be interesting to see how I do against a powerhouse like Amaimon now." The dark-haired boy snickered. "But he's gotta get Shiemi's permission first."
"I might just go check up on them anyway," Shima decided.
While the other Exwires cleaned up the breakfast dishes Rin found a quiet spot to practice his sword drills. He'd been working at it for an hour when Izumo came out. She took a seat on a nearby rock and watched him complete the drill. He practiced the movements of drawing and sheathing his various blades, turning as he did to fend off invisible threats.
Izumo noticed Kurikara was propped up on a nearby stone, replaced with a practice sword until Rin could regain the ability to unseal his powers for himself. "You're becoming graceful," she commented.
Rin shrugged. "I guess," he said. "I was always good in a fight, but how could I not be when I'm stronger than any human should be."
"You're getting efficient," Izumo clarified. "You don't waste movements anymore. Your training shows more and more when you move. My dance training taught me to be the same."
Rin stripped off his sweaty shirt and dropped into the grass beside her. "You thinking about what your familiars asked?" he said remembering Inari's Festival Day.
"We've talked more, but it hurts to remember," Izumo said quietly. "I don't want to think about any of that. Still the physical discipline when I'm training with my naginata, it reminds me of training for the ceremonial dances without the bad memories. I am going to try… You can watch if you want. "
"I'd like that," Rin replied.
After a moment Izumo added, "Sometimes I wish Neuhaus were still teaching Taming. He never cared if we had a good relationship with our familiars, all he wanted me to do was dominate Mike and Uke. Neuhaus wanted me to force them to obey me, Father Nagatomo tells me to make them want to obey... When you ask people for things they can always let you down."
"If you force 'em to help, then they'll always be looking for a way to screw you over," Rin disagreed.
"Better to only depend on yourself," Izumo replied. "But I'm not that strong yet."
"Then you'd be alone," Rin's tone said there was no worse fate in all the world.
Izumo cautiously put her hand on top of his. "You're not alone. I just don't want to lean on you."
Rin turned his hand over and squeezed hers in return. "I do get it, I don't like having to depend on you guys so much either. But it's a little bit better when I'm giving something back too. I'd do anything-"
Izumo put a hand over Rin's mouth to silence him. "Don't make careless promises. You're so sincere, they bind you like chains."
"Some bonds I don't mind. The last thing I ever want is to fail you."
The next day, Shima and Shiemi were washing the dinner dishes when they saw Rin and Izumo slip away from the house together.
"Doesn't it bother you, seeing them together?" Shima asked.
Shiemi looked puzzled. "Why? I think they're a cute couple." She giggled, "I can't wait to tell Noriko-chan that they're finally getting closer."
"But Rin always had such a huge crush on you," Shima said frowning. "I figured it was just a matter of time until the two of you got together and now he's with Izumo."
"He did? oh. Oh!" Shiemi exclaimed putting a hand over her mouth. "That's why he'd never say we were friends!" She buried her face in her hands and shook her head. "I can't believe… I'd feel so hurt because I thought he didn't want to be my friend because I was so timid or- or I don't know. But he wanted to be my boyfriend; I was probably making him feel bad too. And, and neither of us meant it that way. Oh, I'm so glad that's straightened out."
"You didn't know? I thought everyone knew," Shima said.
Shiemi shook her head, her hair flying about her face at the rapid movement. "I like Rin; he's my best friend, my first real friend; but not that way," she said. "I never thought… I liked Yuki, Yukio, before we knew what he was doing." A shadow fell across Shiemi's face, "It'll be awhile before I trust myself enough to like someone else like that again. I was so stupid to trust someone like him."
Shima put a hand on her shoulder. "We all trusted him. Even Mephisto got fooled." Then he realized that his hand was still wet from the dishes and he'd left a huge wet spot on Shiemi's kimono. "Sorry, sorry," he muttered, grabbing a dish-towel and trying to pat the spot dry only to realize if she'd been any other girl he'd have used it as an excuse to grope her. At that point Shima turned bright red.
Shiemi laughed at how flustered he was getting. Then she looked worried. "You don't like Izumo-chan do you?" she asked.
"You know me; I like all girls," Shima replied. He glanced out at the night, in the direction where Izumo and Rin had vanished, then deliberately looked away.
Izumo clenched Rin's hand so tightly that her knuckles turned white as she led him away from the blacksmith's shop. She was dressed in her traditional red and white garb and carrying a small hardwood box containing her kagura suzu tucked under her arm. When they came to a small, moonlit meadow she stopped. "Okay, I can do this," Izumo declared. She handed Rin her box.
"You'll be great," Rin promised.
Izumo gave him a tense smile, "I didn't promise great, just that I'd try," she said and summoned Mike and Uke.
The tension in the glade rocketed up with the arrival of the two byakko. It was all out in the open now, she hadn't supported them, but then they hadn't been there for her the way she needed them to be either. The facades were gone and the broken shards of their former relationship lay between them like concertina wire. "I keep my promises," Izumo stated.
"We know," Uke said quietly. Mike nodded to Rin as the fox spirits took a seat at the edge of the meadow. Rin knelt and held the box out to Izumo with great ceremony. Izumo gently opened the carved lid then lifted the bell set out. Carefully she straightened the trailing ribbons. As she walked to the center of the meadow Rin closed the box and went to sit with Mike and Uke.
Izumo took a deep breath and stared up at the moon for a time. She let the sounds of the night wash over her and fill her, providing the music for her dance. Then slowly, she raised the bells above her head. The moonlight reflected softly off their polished surface and deepened the colors of the trailing ribbons. Izumo kept stretching upward, going up on her toes, her face tilted up to the moon. For a moment she held herself utterly still, then she shook the bells once. Their clear chime rang out into the night. She lowered her arm in a graceful arc as she turned, the ribbon echoing her movements in the air.
Rin watched in awe as Izumo's hands described fluid arcs, the dance accentuated by the crisp tones of her bells. Izumo's long hair trailed the movements of her body even as the ribbons trailed the movements of her hands. Rin could see and appreciated the grace and precision of Izumo's movements. And he could sense something more in the air, the moment when the dance shifted beyond the physical and Izumo became a conduit to something greater. The dance was an offering for Inari's pleasure and the god was paying attention to her supplicant.
As Izumo danced, dozens of foxes and byakko were drawn to the meadow. They watched her in silence and stillness, their eyes glowing in the night, their every sense focused completely on Izumo.
The dance ended where it had began: in the center of the meadow, reaching for the moon. For a moment the meadow held it's breath, waiting for a signal. Izumo's hand dropped to her side, she turned to see how Uke and Mike had judged her.
"Wow!" Rin exclaimed.
Izumo smiled at him tiredly, emotionally and physically exhausted by the demands of the dance.
"You did well," Uke said.
"You don't have to lie," Izumo said, "Rin doesn't know any better, but you've seen my mother dance. It wasn't the same."
Uke trotted over and put his front paws on Izumo's shoulders, "Your heart was open, the rest is just details."
The other foxes slipped away.
"Your mother shared her heart like a child does and we loved her for it," Uke continued. "We over-looked her faults because we loved her." Izumo looked away, but not before Uke saw the echoing look of understanding in her eyes. "We overlooked too much, for too long."
Rin saw tears in Izumo's eyes for a moment before she buried her face in Uke's ruff, hugging the byakko. Rin smiled a little wistfully as he turned back toward the house to leave Izumo and her familiars to finish making their amends.
Note: This will be the last update until after the 4th. I'm off on vacation, taking little boy to see the grandparents!