Chapter 4: Expected and Unexpected Truths
A few days after Christmas, Yato and Yukine accompanied Hiyori and Masaomi to Kyoto. It was a quiet and sleepy early morning train ride into the old capitol. Yukine and Masaomi sat together as Yato insisted on sitting with Hiyori. Masaomi had more than a sneaking suspicion that Yato and Hiyori had become closer than the 'friends' they claimed to be. Seeing them fast asleep, her head on his shoulder and his head resting atop hers, was equally equally endearing as it was troubling.
He is technically a god, and not even human. I can't even fathom how complicated this could get.
For the moment, he merely gave Yukine a knowing look, nodding toward the slumbering duo behind them. He would give the big brotherly interrogation at a later time.
After the three and a half hour trip, and a short jaunt on the city line to Momoyama, they arrived at the home Masaomi's good friend, Masumi Yoshida, whom he met during college.
Greeting them with a genuine smile, Masumi welcomed them into her humble abode. She was a friendly and laid back, artsy type of girl. What surprised them at first was that the soon-to-be language teacher and aspiring artist noticed Yukine and Yato right away.
"I haven't had this many people stay at my apartment since my twentieth birthday!" she said with a laugh. "Those were crazy times, eh, Masa?" She turned to Hiyori, who tried to picture her brother getting drunk and doing ridiculous, possibly Yato-like things. The University fourth-year gave her friend's little sister a grin. "So you're the one who's going to take over the family business, eh? Good for you! I couldn't do it, that's for sure."
"Heh...well, possibly. But yes, I am Hiyori," she greeted timidly. "Nice to meet you, Yoshida-san."
"Oh, please, you're my bestie's little sister. Call me Masumi," she chuckled as she looked over to Yato and Yukine. "And that goes for you guys, too."
"Of course...I'm Yatoga-I mean, Yato. And this is Yukine, my...little brother," the god introduced them in a way that would not arouse suspicion. There was much handshaking, as Masumi's specialty was western languages like English, French and German. She had traveled to Europe twice for semesters abroad, and was enamored with their customs.
After settling in and setting up the rooms for their stay, they ate a light snack before bundling up and venturing out into the city.
Masaomi stayed behind to catch up with Masumi, while Yato, Yukine and Hiyori went for a walk to get their bearings. Hiyori was apprehensive about leaving her body behind on their first venture out, so they had to get around the normal way.
"Is it weird that Masumi saw you guys right away?" Hiyori wondered aloud, glancing over to her blue-eyed boyfriend.
Jersey-clad shoulders shrugged, unfazed by the thought.
"There are just some people in the world who are 'open souls'," he replied nonchalantly, a hint of a smile aimed back at Hiyori. "The artistic types, the spiritual types, the empaths...all those people are naturally receptive and have strong intuition."
"But I'm not particularly artistic or spiritual..." A frown began to settle on her face.
"So, what's an empath?" Yukine chimed in, echoing Hiyori's thoughts.
"Someone who is sensitive to people, their emotions and stuff. Strong intuition toward others and their surroundings, and often of things that are beyond the physical realm...Buddhists call it the 'divine eye.' And they aren't far from the truth," he explained, gloating somewhat in his ability to educate them.
They two teenagers hummed thoughtfully as they kept walking.
Hiyori couldn't help but smile to herself. She had never really thought much of how she just kind of knew people's needs and feelings, nor especially of her ability to see those from the far shore.
The 'Divine Eye', eh? Maybe I really do have a gift...she sniffed, amused by the how literal the term was for her.
"So would you say I should trust my intuition? Would you trust it, Yato?" Hiyori asked in a curious tone.
Yato stopped in his tracks.
"Y-yes, even though I am a god," he eyed her, knowing there had to be something more to her thought. "Why do you ask?"
"Let's go, then," she replied suddenly. "We're taking the train."
Hiyori felt compelled to seek out shrines. She knew that they'd be likely to run into spirits, familiars, regalia and maybe even a god or two. Maybe someone, anyone of them may have some clues as to the answers she sought after.
The trio stood before large vermilion torii at the entrance of the Fushimi Inari Shrine. Yato swallowed hard. The last time Yato had encountered Inari, he had made a mess of the rice harvest during a bloody battle over four centuries prior. The two human forces, wrought with greed and lust for power, were weeded out upon his father's request. But the damage was so great to the surrounding area, that Inari warned him never to show his face again.
Of all the shrines we could visit, it had to be THIS one! Please don't let Inari be around today...
Despite his worry, Yato did is damnedest to play it cool. It didn't help that the powerful god likely had hundreds of familiars roaming about. No doubt they would eventually notice. He was a clever fox after all. A shape-shifter who could take any form he wanted. But Yato refused to worry Hiyori.
As they wandered down the path toward the second great torii, Yukine and Yato both got the feeling that they were being watched. Amber eyes met ocean blue, and a sense of discomfort echoed silently between them. A soft sigh escaped Yato's weathered lips in a wisp of steam that swirled and dissipated.
Hiyori was oblivious to their exchange as she seemed to be surveying their environment. A sudden point in the direction of the mountain, and Hiyori directed them.
With day as overcast and chilly as it was, the shrine had less patrons than usual. It seemed that most of the people who were there were preparing the shrine for the New Year's crowds to visit in a couple days. As the trio wandered further down the trail they passed through pairs of guardians. Yato refused to look toward the statues, for fear of catching curious knowing eyes.
They continued on without incident a quite a few more paces before Hiyori stopped and turned to Yato.
"I swear the kitsune are watching us, Yato. Tell me I'm not crazy," she said in a soft, yet unnerved whisper.
"You're not crazy. A god knows when another god is on their turf," Yato replied, keeping his voice down as well. "The same with all denizens of the far shore. And to be honest, I kinda wish we hadn't come here."
"Now you say something," Yukine grumbled. "What did you-? Wait, no, don't tell me. It's too late now. We have to just trust Hiyori's gut feeling, and hopefully you won't get us killed."
Yato sulked with an audible 'tch,' and the folding of his arms.
And then they arrived...the duel paths. Hiyori stared a moment in awe. The path to the gods...but which one would she take?
"Which path to take, indeed, young priestess?" There came a playful voice that seemingly read her thoughts.
A lithe white fox with golden eyes looked down at them from his pedestal, making a keen observation of her company before returning his sharp gaze to her.
"You are human, and of miko bloodline...your inner light radiates. Yet your scent is not entirely human. You are one of us...yet not. Strange..."
The fox nosed in Yato's direction.
"You keep company with this god...who can barely call himself such," the kitsune shot scathingly as he looked back at Yato. "O-Inari-sama has not forgotten your trespasses, Yatogami. He is far from pleased by your presence."
"Hey, it wasn't my choice to come here," he retorted, thumbing in Hiyori's direction. "She was the one who wanted to come here."
"Well, it seems you may avoid his anger today, as O-Inari-sama is quite intrigued by your...familiar, as he called her."
Yukine, Yato and Hiyori all looked at each other, confused and a bit nervous.
"But you must choose one path to take, if you seek audience with O-Inari-sama, miko. Go, now."
The white fox returned to stone, leaving them in stunned silence.
Hiyori closed her eyes, took a deep breath and stepped forward into the right-hand corridor of torii gates.
Please hear me out, Inari-sama...I mean no harm. Only respect, she prayed.
She got to the other end to find two more white foxes awaiting them. Yato and Yukine followed close behind without a word as they climbed higher up the mountain through further rows of torii toward the inner shrine.
The two kitsune leapt through the last gate and onto two stone mounts on either side of the shrine's door. In a flash, a pale, slender man with long silvery-white hair and golden eyes appeared before them. His facial features very much akin to a 30 year-old woman, but his voice a smooth and dulcet tenor.
"What an intriguing creature...here with such a vile abomination...I am utterly baffled," the powerful god said without introduction. The radiant deity shot Yato a scathing side glance. "It took nearly a century to cleanse the rice fields of the havoc you wreaked, Yatogami. How you have come to earn such a sacred companion is beyond me."
Yato bit back a retort behind gritted teeth. His indignation burned hot in his face. But this moment was for his beloved. The former megatsukami swallowed his pride and stayed silent.
"Excuse me, Inari-sama," Hiyori said, diverting the rice god's attention. "Please pardon his intrusion. It's my fault he's here. I am merely searching for answers."
"Answers...?" The devious deity raised his brow, his curiosity stoked even further. "As to your predicament? I mean, even I am curious as to how you exist on both the near and far shores. I don't believe that in all of my millennia I have ever met a being like you."
He leered at her before approaching her. Cocking his head to the side.
"May I ask for your name?" he inquired, watching as Yato and Yukine stood stalk still and silent. The radiant elder god could see that Yato and his shinki were visibly uncomfortable. And he was intent on watching the minor god squirm.
Yatogami is unusually soft compared to the god he was four hundred years ago...maybe it's his young, new shinki... He caught the protective eye the megatsukami had on the brunette. No... It's most definitely the girl. He seems awfully agitated by my proximity to her.
"I am Iki Hiyori, O-Inari-sama, it is a pleasure to meet you. Thank you for obliging," she said, momentarily cutting off the god's train of thought.
"Well then, Iki Hiyori, first, I must know...what is your relationship with Yatogami?" Inari voice was soothing, yet not without intent, like a snake slithering his way into personal territory.
Hiyori choked out slightly, "Re-relationship?"
"Regalia? Familiar? Priestess?" he rattled off, not oblivious to her nervous reaction to his question. She's hiding something...
"Uh, well, since I'm not actually dead, I am not a shinki...nor do I believe I can be a familiar quite yet as my spirit is still attached to my body...but I did make Yato his first shrine," she added with a nervous smile as she glanced over at her quiet kami, who finally decided to chime in.
"Thanks to Hiyori I am now an official resident of Takamagahara," he said with a flash of pride.
"So, 'priestess', I would say?" she finally concluded, noticing that golden-eyed god was never completely focused on her as she replied. He suspects something...
"Interesting..." he drawled, purposely prolonging her question and Yato's torture. "One last thing I'd like to know is exactly how this came about." He gestured to Hiyori, implying her physical and spiritual state.
Hiyori explained her story about the bus as calmly and evenly as she could manage. Yato cringed internally, as he knew this would all be fodder for blackmail if anything ever went wrong. He glanced at Yukine, who was intently watching the interaction with baited breath. The blond seemed to be waiting for that singular moment that Inari did or said something out-of-line.
"Well, then, Iki-dono, your situation seems obvious," Inari said with a sly smile. "You have inadvertently pledged your soul to a god of calamity. You actually gave your life for him. Your spirit is bound to him, much like a familiar. And you are also descendant of a powerful miko line, it seems. You have the telltale inner light that all true miko possess." He gave Yato another condescending look before he openly admitted, "I have to say I'm a bit jealous. How such a lowly member of our pantheon ended up with you is beyond even my comprehension."
"WIth all due respect, O-Inari-sama," Hiyori interjected delicately, "Yato has been working to denounce his roots as a god of calamity. He is doing things to bring happiness to humanity. He is trying to be a god who is worthy of respect, rather than fear. And as his...priestess, I fully support his and Yukine's efforts."
"You seem wise for such a young human...perhaps you are an old soul," he hypothesized before resigning his thoughts. "I will take your word for it, for now. And now for your inquiry, Iki Hiyori," he said, changing the direction of the conversation with a gesture of his hand. "What is it that you seek?"
"The legend told in my family is that I am of the bloodline of Tsukuyomi's 'blessed priestess'," she divulged, taking the porcelaine-faced god by surprise, whose eyes betrayed his pristine demeanor. "I want to know if you have any idea what could have happened to him," Hiyori declared, growing increasingly ardent as the sudden realization hit her. The words just flew from her lips. "I wish to find Tsukuyomi-sama and learn the truth about why I am the way that I am!"
The fair Inari narrowed his eyes at her, knowing the young mortal had no comprehension of her proclaimed wish, nor its repercussions.
"But what would you do, Iki-dono, if you were to encounter him? Your bloodline belongs to him, but your spirit belongs to Yatogami. Would you have the two gods fight over you? Because surely, Tsukuyomi would destroy him, and you would lose him over a mere curiosity," Inari hypothesized, making a hard point.
"I..." Hiyori stumbled over her words and shot Yato a desperate look. Hot tears formed at the thought of her recklessness causing him harm.
Yato had just been delivered a great shock to his system. The nightmare he had some time ago came back to the god in a flash. The thought of having to face one of the great elders, Tsukuyomi no Mikoto, to claim Hiyori for himself sounded like a daunting task. He would do it if it came down to a fight. Hiyori was worth sacrificing his life. But knowing Hiyori, she would never allow it. He swallowed hard and just held her gaze for a moment. The desperate deity didn't even notice Yukine's defensive and protective stance beside him, ready to simultaneously hold Yato back and block any possible offensive.
But Inari, unfazed, continued to hand out clues, as he could not have cared less for the megatsukami's well-being.
"I had heard about it when it happened," Inari began. "It was rumored that Tsukuyomi had fallen in love with his most devoted priestess. But from what I understand, he merely took her as a spiritual bride, never consummating a relationship with the human girl. The miko had vowed to live her life for the moon god...until the day a rich lord came and bought her hand from her father. That was well over a millennium ago."
"He disappeared shortly thereafter, and good riddance," Inari said bitterly with a wave of dismissal. "I would still have my dear Ukemochi if it weren't for that overemotional, self-righteous bastard."
It dawned on them all, the tale of Tsukuyomi, killing Ukemochi, who had been said to be the wife of Inari.
"I'm sorry for troubling you, Inari-sama. Thank you for confirming the tale I had been told by my grandmother," she replied, disheartened. "I am just surprised that such a powerful and old god would stay in hiding for so long."
"Who knows, young miko," he added, softening in pseudo-sympathy, "If he angered his sister badly enough with that last stunt: falling in love with a human and taking her as a figurative 'bride', considering she was supposed to be his 'one-and-only', he could very well have faced the divine punishment of Heaven, for all we know." He smirked, his hatred for he moon god showing in his tamed revelry. "He simply...disappeared."
Hiyori knew exactly what he meant: The same fate met by poor Ebisu-sama.
Wait...But Ebisu...
Suddenly, she had a ray of hope, but did not betray her reasoning to the powerful and ancient Inari. Hiyori bowed deeply to the beautiful and fair-skinned god.
"Thank you for everything, Inari-sama! You are indeed a benevolent kami!"
"Take care, Iki Hiyori. May the Heavens smile upon you," the god said bidding adieu to his company, without a single acknowledgement to the god and his shinki standing beside her. He morphed into a large white fox and disappated into thin air.
Yato and Yukine let out the breath they had been holding for quite sometime. Yato went to say something and Yukine slapped his hand over his master's mouth. Hiyori gave him a discerning look.
"Not a single word until we are back on the street." Hiyori's words were firm and righteous. Yato, as much as his pride hurt, knew she was right.
After a long, pensive trek back to the gates of the shrine grounds, they crossed the street and headed back toward the train station. Hiyori was incredibly quiet, Yato and Yukine noticed. She was deep in thought the whole way back, a constant crease in her brow. As much as the ever-impatient immortal wanted to pick his beloved's brain, he knew he'd have to wait.
As they arrived back at Masumi's flat, they found the two college buddies waiting for them at the kitchen table.
"Great! You're back!" Masumi cheered. "We were going to go get groceries. How does a hot-pot sound?"
"It sounds wonderful!" Hiyori said returning the smile with relief. "Perfect for a chilly day."
Masumi directed them to grab snacks from the fridge while they waited before heading out the door with Masaomi.
Standing in the hall, Masaomi leaned in and placed a kiss on Masumi's cheek.
"You haven't told her yet?" she asked.
"No, but maybe we should tell them tonight," he replied with a smile before taking her hand and heading to the car.
Hiyori plopped herself onto the western-style sofa with a sigh.
Yato grabbed a beer from the fridge and got comfy on the other end of the sofa, as Yukine curled up in Masumi's papasan.
Turquoise eyes sought out rosy refuge as he reached over for Hiyori's hand and took it in his.
"Hiyori, you've been awfully quiet."
Yukine's gaze also fell upon the pensive girl, whose stare fell to the floor beneath her feet as she sorted things out in her head.
Hiyori felt a reassuring arm slide around her shoulder. Yato slid over and leaned into her.
"Do I need to give you five yen for your thoughts?" he said softly, a little unnerved by her tight-lipped demeanor. It reminded him of the moment of panic he had when he couldn't get Hiyori to enjoy the parade at Capypaland. Back then, he had no clue as to the anxiety she was experiencing, nor its source. But he knew now that his lovely Hiyori would always express herself...unless it was really painful. She tended to keep those things to herself and that concerned him.
The soft bump of her shoulder drew him from his thoughts as she leaned into him, returning the gesture lightly with a crooked half-smile.
"No..." she replied with a sigh. "There's just a lot to consider. Thank you both for being patient with me."
Warm lips pressed gently to her hairline. Yato breathed her in, and the sensation of his breath sent shivers down her spine as her eyes slid shut.
Yukine cleared his throat, expressing his awkward feelings as nonchalantly as he could.
"What do you want to do from here, Hiyori?" the shinki asked, trying to stay on topic.
"Well..." Hiyori trailed off, momentarily playing with the hem of her skirt. "What Inari-sama said...about possibly losing Yato if I continue on this path...I just could never let that happen."
"So, does that mean the search is over?" Yukine pried gently. He played listlessly with the hem of his sweater, uncertain what further pursuit of this endeavor would mean for him and Yato.
Hiyori lay her hand over Yato's as she looked from Yukine to her beautiful beau.
"Not exactly," she said hesitantly. "After considering Inari-sama's advice, perhaps I won't seek Tsukuyomi himself," she intertwined her fingers with Yato's. "But I think I feel that I would benefit from speaking to those in charge at Matsuoo Shrine."
Standing up, she strolled into the next room to where her belongings were stowed. She came back with her bow. Holding it up to remind them of her last point.
"I am curious about my family tree, and what the special significance of the bow could be," she informed them with an air of caution. "At least give me that."
"Fair enough," Yato said, relief evident in his tone. "I can totally support that."
"The other thing that's bugging me is what Inari said about Tsukuyomi facing heaven's punishment," Hiyori's voice quavered as she recalled the horrendous sight of Ebisu's death. "Even if he had been eliminated by Heaven, wouldn't that mean he reincarnated?"
"Most likely," Yato replied flippantly. "He was one of the major gods of the early era, highly worshipped as an elder. But according to the lore, he screwed up big time."
"Okay, then where would he be?" Yukine asked sharply. "Why wouldn't he come back to his worshippers or his shrine?"
"Beats me..." Yato answered dismissively. He didn't want to think about running into the deity. EVER. "If Heaven has anything to do with it, his reincarnation may be kept in the Castle with his sister, under her thumb."
"And the legend of his banishment becomes a cover up, then," Yukine finished the theory incrediously.
"Nowadays, I wouldn't put anything past them and their power trip," the deity jabbed darkly.
They all fell silent.
Yukine was slightly worried about Inari's warning, but there was something bothering him even more.
"Yato, now would you tell us what you did to piss off Inari?"
If the mood had been dark, it was about to get darker as the former megatsukami recounted a slightly younger semblance of himself, wielding Hiiro his cursed Nora, slicing through throngs of warriors in the throes of bloody battles that raged in the fields that existed right where they stood. The forces that fought for domination of the stronghold that sat atop Momoyama. Relentless sieges ended in a major battle, which the defending forces finally prevailed.
"Wait..." Hiyori interrupted, trying to wrap her brain around the story. "You were involved with the Battle of Sekigahara?"
"I think that's what it's called now, yeah," he said, holding his head a little higher for a moment and grinning. But his pride was fleeting as he recalled his task. "War is always fueled by greed and power. I was granting the wish of Tokugawa-shogun. He had actually captured the castle from someone else. And then karma came back to bite him in the ass, and the guy couldn't handle it. So I went into the battlefields and did what my asshole Dad always had me do."
He looked down at his feet a moment, feeling the weight of the guilt of all the lives he had taken at the wish of a power-hungry warlord. Yukine and Hiyori looked on, sad for him, with nothing that could be said.
"Yato..." Hiyori called to him, pulling him from his dark cloud of woe.
"Please, Hiyori," he said after a moment. "Just promise me that you'll stick to your plan."
He seemed so down and dejected.
Hiyori lay her hand on his knee reassuringly and gave it a squeeze.
"Yato...I promise you and Yukine...I want to meet with the heads of Matsuoo Shrine and speak with them, and I will consider their information enough."
She knew exactly why Yato was upset, and Yukine, nervous.
"I will not leave you, Yato. We already promised each other that we would find a way to 'forever.' I've told you once, I'll tell you again: I always keep my promises!" she reminded him firmly. Her tone softened and she ran her fingers through the hair that shuttered his solemn eyes. "Besides, Yato...I love you. Why would I ever betray that?"
Poor Yukine felt stuck in an awkward moment of witnessing what he thought was a confession. he blushed furiously before excusing himself to the kitchen.
Yato's gaze lifted to hers, flicking only momentarily to his shinki as he left the room.
"I'm sorry, Hiyori," he apologized, his mood shifting as he realized he had nothing to worry about. "I shouldn't have doubted you. I'm just feeling...unworthy of you, I guess."
Their foreheads met as tears begged to fall.
"But...I love you, too," he whispered, trying to choke back the heaviness. "I just don't want to lose you."
As his words breezed over her skin, she closed the distance. Lips met tenderly. Breathing in, cleansing his soul and washing away any uncertainties that the afternoon's query make have evoked. Warm arms encircled the half-phantom and pulled her in tighter, his fingers clutching her sweater as if she would disappear if he let go. Hiyori pulled out of the kiss only to deepen the embrace and bury her face in the crook of Yato's neck. His scent overtook her senses.
Yato could feel her breath on his neck and the sensation shot shivers down his spine. Leaning in, his lips met the soft skin on her shoulder and they just lingered. Overwhlemed by his struggle between his past and his present, and now also his seemingly very possible future, the mere notion that he's worthy of love demolished the emotional dam he'd constructed. The tears fell hot on Hiyori's bare shoulder and he gasped for air.
Yukine eventually came back from the kitchen and helped console the distraught deity. They were able to calm him down and return him to a semblance of his normal self.
When Masaomi and Masumi returned, all they had to do was ask, "Who's ready for hotpot?" And everyone, especially Yato, got caught up in the communion of friendship.
Everyone sat around the kotatsu, plates filled with various vegetables, roots and meats as they partook of the warm, slightly tangy and spicy tidbits that had been simmering for a good twenty minutes or more. All five of them happily shoveled food into their faces, reveling in each morsel.
But as things wound down, Masumi paused and put his chopsticks down. He swallowed his last bite, chasing it with a gulp of sake. As he placed his small vessel back on the table, he addressed everyone at the table.
"I believe I need to have a chat with you guys," he said, trying to cover up his serious demeanor with nonchalant words.
Yato instantly panicked, thinking he was about to out he and Yukine and his relationship with his sister. He's onto us, and he hates me. Dammit, he HATES me!
"Hiyori..." the older brother began gently. "I'm sure you can understand why I haven't followed in father's footsteps. Neither medicine, nor business have been my passion. Ever."
Masaomi had his sister's rapt attention, as she, unbeknownst to him, could relate in her doubt of carrying on the family profession.
"I became an artist, among other things, and am happy being with those people that share that with me," he continued. "People like Masumi..."
The eldest Iki sibling took his companion's hand, symbolizing their emotional and spiritual union.
Hiyori's eyes widened realizing what his gesture had implied.
"Masumi and I, well," he paused, holding up her hand to show the ring that decorated her finger. "We have been close for a very long time. It's not a lie to say she is my best friend...but we are going to get married this coming year."
Hiyori was both breathless and speechless. His best friend...they are also in love...
"Wait," Yato interjected, "so you haven't told your parents yet?"
Masaomi shook his head.
"This is a fairly new development. Although, when I am here in Kyoto, I have been living here with her. But with grandmother's declining health, and familial duties taking priority, it wasn't the time to make any announcements."
"So, you're telling us first?" Hiyori concluded, surprised that her brother seemed to value her input for the first time in her life.
He hummed in agreement before eyeing Yato, then looking to Hiyori.
"Indeed, because I'm pretty sure that you can now relate to these same feelings," her brother stated with a sly grin, looking back at the astounded god.
The trio just stared at the older brother in astonishment, unsure what he was about to say or ask next. Yato and Hiyori glanced at each other and swallowed hard, knowing there had to be a point.
"So, spill it, little sis'...now it's your turn to tell me. What exactly is going on? Are you and your god-friend a thing?"
A/N: Hope you guys are enjoying the journey! There's much more to come, because the nuances of the Noragami manga, in conjunction with a bunch of actual shinto folklore, have much more to add to my imagination. :)
Peace, Love and Fanfiction!
~Destinies Entwined