Chapter 12: Lento Placido (Or, the Third Consolation)
Kurama was beside himself with anger. Not at Asuka, but athimself.
He should've taken the day off. If he had, he would've been at her side when she received the news. Instead, he'd gone to work. Her tear-stained cheeks were agony to him. They represented hours he was not there to comfort her.
"I know you weren't excited to have a baby," she said. "I know this news doesn't affect you as it does me."
Kurama stared down at Asuka, unsure of what to say. Should he tell her that his viewpoint had quietly changed this past month? That he did want a baby, and the news greatly saddened him?
But if he told her, she'd feel guilty. If he didn't, she'd feel alone in her grief. Having to choose was the worst situation because he had to say something. Perhaps a limited truth was best. He placed his hands on her shoulders. "The news does not affect me as it does you, but it does affect me, and I am sad."
Her eyes cast to the floor. Kurama pulled his wife closer and put his hand through her hair. She hooked her arm around his neck. "I'm sorry, Asuka," he murmured. "I am unsure of why this happened, but I have to wonder if it's because of that machine."
She nodded.
"I hoped your decision to save the Makai wouldn't have any further consequences. I never wanted you to be sad. I wanted to provide you with the best life."
"You have—and do—make me so happy. I love you and I have the best life with you. But…you can't protect me from sorrow, Kurama."
Kurama mentally punched himself. Asuka was comforting him when he should be comforting her. He hadn't meant for the conversation to turn in this direction. "What do you need?"
"I don't know. A different body?"
Kurama squeezed her.
Asuka sighed. "I couldn't reconvert my body even if I wanted to. Going back to an immortal form is impossible and disguising myself all the time? It would be terrible, not to mention all the other consequences. Our lives would be infinitely more difficult."
"Is it bad I don't want you to go back? To have to carry the burden of the future like you used to?" Kurama murmured.
"No," Asuka said. "I don't want that burden either."
Kurama clung to Asuka as if she were going to float away. "Tell me everything you're feeling, Love."
Her body seized up, and a choked cry went into his chest. "I'm so angry. I'm angry at my body. All I wanted was to join the pregnant party. I wanted it so badly. And now I'll never get the chance. I just…hate it. And I don't know where to go from here."
"Well, let's not worry about that now. Let's give ourselves some space to…reassess."
"Okay."
Kurama kissed her head.
That evening, Kurama tried his best to comfort Asuka. He cooked dinner, read out loud to her, and infused her evening bath with a special mix of plants that relaxed the body and gave off calming smells.
Even with all of that, Asuka tossed and turned in the night. What can I do for her? As Asuka said, he couldn't fix her problem…much as he longed to do. He also knew he needed to deal with his own emotions, but they seemed inconsequential to his wife's suffering.
Around three in the morning, Asuka sat up and drank the water next to her bedside table. Kurama rolled over. His enhanced vision gave him a perfect view of his wife's face, and he looked haggard.
"Will you be well enough to record?" he asked.
"I'll have to be. I can't ask Joe Hisaishi to postpone. There are so many other moving parts to a movie recording, and bailing would put everyone in a terrible position. But…even if I could stay home, I would probably still go. I need…some kind of distraction. Otherwise, I'll wallow."
"It's okay to wallow," Kurama said, his voice quiet.
"We should get some sleep."
Asuka turned away from him but scooted her body closer to his. Kurama draped all of himself over her and flared his ki again. Then he had an idea. "Take this off for me?" he asked as he tugged on her tank top.
Asuka did as he requested. The smoothness of her back touched his chest and flared some hungry thoughts, but he ignored them. Instead, he flared his ki, and actively channeled it wherever their skin touched. Since Skin-to-skin was more intense, he hoped the extra contact would do the trick.
After an hour, he felt her breathing even out.
What can I do for her?
An idea began forming. It would require a lot of maneuvering of his schedule and possibly Asuka's. He'd have to call Himari and ask for her help, but if he could make it work…
It was worth pursuing. Satisfied Asuka wouldn't wake up, Kurama stemmed the flow of his ki and soon fell asleep.
-* ᘛ⁐̤ᕐᐷ *-
Asuka woke the next morning with circles under her eyes. She wished she could've worked on the recording before she received bad news, but there wasn't a way to reorganize time, so today was…today.
"Do you want me to be there today, instead of Yusuke?" Kurama asked as he handed her a cup of coffee.
Right. Security while recording. Yusuke didn't work in the mornings, so Kurama arranged for him to camp out at Suntory Hall while she worked. It felt like overkill, and she was starting to feel smothered. Couldn't he stop being overprotective? I just…don't care anymore. I want…Asuka stopped. No, that's not fair. Kurama's just doing the best he can. "It's fine that it's Yusuke," Asuka assured him. "I'll be concentrating on my music."
"If you're sure."
She reached out a hand and traced the line of his jaw. "Yes, I'm sure, Love. I want you to go to work and do what you do best. Yusuke will keep me safe."
He sighed. "Alright. But if you need me, please text me."
"I will."
Asuka chose to wear a gray dress that was loose enough to play the piano comfortably and would still look professional. She paired it with a black three-quarter cardigan in case the hall was chilly.
"You look lovely," Kurama said.
"Thank you. Despite feeling terrible, I'm looking forward to today."
"I'm glad. Ready to go?"
"Yes."
The drive in the Maxima was quiet and comfortable—solidifying in both Asuka and Kurama's minds this was the right car.
"There's Yusuke," Kurama said as they pulled up to the curb.
Yusuke opened Asuka's door. "Hiya you two. How was your morning?"
"Alright," Asuka and Kurama said at the same time.
Yusuke raised his eyebrows and looked between Kurama and Asuka a few times. "Okay, well, I'm ready for guard duty. See you later, Kurama."
"Yusuke, just remember…"
Yusuke waved his hand. "Yeah, yeah, I got it. Go be important. She'll be okay."
"Thank you."
"No problem." Yusuke took Asuka's hand and helped her out of the car.
Asuka turned back to the car. "I love you. Have a good day."
"I love you too. I'll be back to pick you up."
They waved one last time before Asuka shut the door, and Kurama drove away.
"I promise you won't know I'm here," Yusuke said as they walked toward the doors. "I'm gonna be doing sweeps and hanging out on the second floor. I got my phone if you need to text. And if you sense something is wrong and you can't text, flair your ki big time. I'll do the same, got it?"
"Got it." Asuka smiled. "This is going to be a long and boring day for you, sorry."
"Eh, boring means you're safe, so I'll take boring. I'm glad I can help." Yusuke glanced at Asuka. "Hey, Asuka? You doing okay?"
"Yeah," Asuka answered easily. "Why wouldn't I be?"
"Something seems kinda off."
"Don't worry," Asuka said. "This recording is a big deal for me careerwise, and I'm about to meet a hero of mine. I've been feeling jittery."
"Makes sense I guess." Yusuke paused. "Anyway, let's not go in at the same time. I'll see you later."
"Sounds good. Thanks again."
"What are friends for?" Yusuke grinned.
Asuka pulled on the door and entered Suntory Hall. It was Japan's most prestigious music hall, with extra seating, a large pipe organ, and the best recording equipment available. The auditorium, already filled with the sound of tuning, was warm and inviting. The maple wood walls glowed warmly under the hanging white cylindrical lights and contrasted nicely with the silver organ pipes that filled the back wall.
From what Himari said, Joe Hisaishi was extremely particular about who he recorded music with. The musicians present looked relaxed and Asuka guessed many had worked with him before.
In the center of the stage was a bald, older man hunched over a music stand. That must be him. Joe Hisaishi was wearing all black, including a black leather jacket. When he saw her, he stood straight and gave her a warm smile as he waved her over. His smile was the smile of a father. Her heart tripped.
"Asuka Minamino, welcome," he said warmly, with a bow.
Asuka bowed in return. "I am honored to be here, Mr. Hisaishi."
"No, the honor is mine. And please, call me Joe."
Asuka hadn't expected that. "Thank you."
"What did you think of the music I sent you?" he asked with bright eyes.
"It's so romantic and wistful and I'm so excited to be here—working on a Ghibli film is a dream come true."
He smiled again. "It is a dream to work with you. Please, feel free to warm your fingers." He gestured to the piano.
Asuka bowed again and then took her seat at the piano. She began with some simple scales before moving on to a warm-up piece. She wanted to play the "Path of the Wind" arrangement she'd been working on, but since the composer of said music was standing in front of her, that would be pretentious.
Instead, she went back to the place she always went—Consolation Number Three. She closed her eyes and allowed her fingers to drift over the keys, her ki humming with the music.
No babies.
She couldn't much think about it now, but the ache was still there. She played the notes accordingly and received some comfort from them—even if it was temporary.
There were still musicians entering the hall, so when Asuka finished, she moved on to the melody from Howl's Moving Castle.
When she looked up, Joe gave her an approving nod. She appreciated his approval.
After the rest of the orchestra had gotten settled and tuned, the sounds of the instruments ceased. Everyone looked up at Joe Hisaishi expectantly.
"Welcome," Joe said from the conductor's stand. He smiled another warm and gentle smile. "Today is day one of recording for Hayao Miyazaki's latest film, Howl's Moving Castle. Most of you have been through the recording process with me before, but if not, here's a helpful reminder: my recordings for Ghibli differ from the normal industry standard."
This information came with the music she'd received, but it was nice to hear again.
"Normally, composers give their directors melody samples based on the script and then write the music after viewing the finished film. During the recording, the conductor watches the film, which is projected onto a screen behind the orchestra to make sure the music is perfectly in sync. I am sure many of you have been in such recordings."
There were several nods.
"There won't be any film footage to sync at this recording," Joe said. "The movie is still being written and animated."
That part greatly surprised Asuka. At first, she wondered if this was a fluke and if something happened during production, but from Joe's expression, this procedure seemed normal.
The rumors must be true, then.
Asuka had heard that Miyazaki and Joe Hisaishi wrote both music and story in a more collaborative process, where Joe Hisaishi's ideas for musical swells directly changed how Miyazaki wrote scenes, and in return, Miyazaki gave more direct input and ideas. Their collaboration was unlike anything else in the movie industry, which is why Asuka didn't believe the rumors until now.
"We're simply recording the final music for the film today and tomorrow," Joe said. "This process should be a more relaxed experience. No headphones for anyone and no metronome click blaring in your ear."
Asuka was impressed. Kenji had been part of a few movie recordings and said that composers agonized over syncing the orchestra. They would restart pieces over and over until the sync was perfect. It had been difficult for Kenji to emotionally connect to the music because of the constant interruptions.
"Are there any questions?" Joe Hisaishi asked.
No one said anything.
"Then let us begin." Joe smiled warmly again, looked up, and nodded. Asuka followed his eyes and saw someone sitting at the pipe organ. Joe breathed in and lifted his conductor's wand.
"'The Merry-Go-Round of Life', take one."
He signaled.
The pipe organ and the bases began the melody. Joe Hisaishi's focus was lasered. He signaled to Asuka and the rest of the orchestra to come in. She played with the orchestra, also focused.
Then, the orchestra cut out at Joe Hisaishi's signal, leaving her as the solo instrument. The piano echoed in the gigantic hall, clear and tender. She played the melody slow, and somber. Then the piano faded out, and the orchestra came back in.
Asuka had to hold back tears the next time she played the melody—this time with the orchestra underneath. The music sounded lonely—as if the main character felt supreme isolation all of her life. Asuka understood that loneliness. She understood it from her past and understood it now. The loneliness of seeing her friends enter motherhood without her.
The melody passed to a flutist, who also held it tender.
Asuka lifted her hands from the keys, closed her eyes, and listened to the first song fade.
Joe Hisaishi made a fist, signaling the end of the piece.
"Very good," he said in approval. "Asuka, you have the right idea with the somber playing and slowing it a bit. The opening focuses on a young girl in her 20s who is alone in a crowd, and unhappy."
Asuka nodded. She'd been right.
"Let's try it again. The 'Merry-Go-Round of Life', take two."
In the middle of the second take, Asuka noticed her ki vibrating with the song. She felt a keen connection to its soul, and that emotional connection meant she was hyper-aware of each instrument.
She also felt connected to Joe Hisaishi. There was something so tender about his countenance. Calm brilliance, like he had everything under control and there was no need to be worried or fuss.
The next piece scheduled to play was "A Walk in the Skies," despite it being the third song on the tracklist. They were recording all the songs that required the piano first, and then the orchestra would move on without her.
Asuka smiled as they began to record the song. There was something so wonderful about the sound of plucking strings and how they echoed in the hall. It was like they were picking ripe fruit off a tree that would burst with flavor and sweetness when bitten. She thought about dancing with Kurama in their living room and resolved to do so again when the soundtrack was released.
Asuka felt her mood lift. It was impossible not to get swept away by the waltz and her part in it. Joe Hisaishi was also entirely in tune with the song's mood. He smiled widely as he made his cues to the orchestra. Everyone fed off his excitement, including Asuka.
When that song finished, they moved to the next.
Asuka couldn't believe how quickly the recording was going. She'd worked with a lot of conductors, but Joe Hisaishi had a unique ability to coax exactly what he wanted out of the orchestra. His organic approach meant the music could live and breathe as opposed to the stiffness of other movie recordings. Never once did he worry about how the music would fit into the movie. Even with the terrible news she'd received ever-looming, she found herself immensely enjoying the creative process.
After finishing the fifth song, Joe Hisaishi put his hands down and smiled widely. "Excellent. I think it's time for lunch. Let's meet back in…" he looked at his watch, "an hour-and-fifteen minutes."
There was immediate chatter amongst the musicians. Asuka looked around. She recognized a few people, but she didn't know anyone especially well. She could treat Yusuke to lunch. He'd spent the morning hanging out and watching out for her, after all.
"Asuka," Joe Hisaishi said as he came up to the piano, "Would you like to have lunch with me?"
"Oh, thank you." Asuka quickly debated. She felt bad for leaving Yusuke but couldn't pass up an opportunity to spend time with Joe Hisaishi. "I would like that."
He nodded. "I've already ordered a cab. It's waiting out front."
Asuka stood and walked down with Joe Hisaishi to the front row, where her purse and jacket were. Once they were in hand, she texted Yusuke.
Asuka: The director asked me to join him for lunch. I can't say no
Yusuke: Kurama will kill me if I let you out of my sight. Sure you can't say no?
Asuka: I don't want to say no
Yusuke: Fine, where are you going? I'll get a cab and follow
"Where are we going for lunch?" Asuka asked as they walked outside.
Joe Hisaishi took out his phone and looked at a message. "It's called Nori's. Not too far from here."
"Sounds great." She texted Yusuke and then stowed her phone.
Joe opened the taxi cab door for her, and she slid in. Once they were buckled, Joe Hisaishi relayed to the driver where they were going and the car took off. When she turned from the window, Joe Hisaishi gave her a pleasant smile. "You are very gifted," he said.
"Thank you, that's so kind of you to say."
"Normally, I don't have anyone play the piano. I always do the piano playing for recordings myself."
"Really?" She couldn't imagine the juggling it took to direct an orchestra, sit down at the piano, play what was needed, and then stand back up to direct.
"Really." He smiled. "I'm selfish. The piano is my favorite instrument."
"No arguments from me," Asuka said.
"I've been to several of your concerts, including your last performance, and I own your Carnival of the Animals arrangement album. I admire you, Asuka Minamino."
Asuka felt embarrassed. "The feeling is mutual, believe me."
"I hope we can work together again in the future."
"I would love that. This recording session has an…almost magical quality to it. I can't quite explain."
"The film has magic in it," Joe Hisaishi said. "We wanted the score to have that feeling. I'm glad to know we succeeded."
"More than succeeded."
The taxi ride took twelve minutes and pulled up to an unassuming restaurant with a wood-slatted sliding door. As soon as they got into the restaurant and shut the door, Asuka's heartbeat spiked.
Raeki!
Asuka discretely looked around, but she couldn't see anything out of the ordinary.
The restaurant was crowded. Every table was full, and someone had gotten up behind her. As they walked further in, Asuka felt the ki's distinct chaotic hum. It was definitely the same ki from the concert.
This is what they wanted all along, she thought with horror. They knew Joe was going to invite me to lunch, and they knew I wouldn't refuse. Someone from his office? Waiting impatiently and biding their time? Oh my god.
"Right this way, sir," the host said.
Asuka felt a twinge of the same swirling angst she sensed the last time she came across this ki and it frightened her. Black monsters, blubberous and inky. Explosions against a crimson sky.
Yusuke, where are you?
Asuka flared her ki and then tried to find her phone in her bag. She had to text Yusuke. Or Kurama. Or somebody. Anybody.
Joe Hisaishi was also in danger. How was she supposed to defend him and herself? She could try a ki transfer, but she had so little now compared to when she used that move before. Would she pass out from the process? Probably.
The restaurant was hot and steamy from all the boiling water. Asuka glanced at the tables on either side of them as they walked down the narrow aisle, but nobody had the ki she was sensing. It was much further in.
"I've reserved a private room in the back," Joe Hisaishi said as they followed the host.
So many people could've been privy to this information—Asuka didn't know where to start. And they could position any number of people in the restaurant to block her exit, and more worrying, they could use innocent bystanders as a negotiation tool. She had to keep going. Her only option was to transfer her ki to whoever was waiting for them the moment she got close enough. Then, they could exit out the back where there wouldn't be innocent people in the crowded restaurant.
The ki was humming so chaotically now Asuka couldn't pinpoint the user's feelings or intent. It felt like multiple emotions and directions bundled up like a pencil scribble, going round and round a million miles an hour. Feelings upon feelings and images that made no logical sense.
Yusuke, where are you!? He must've had trouble getting a cab right away or worse, had been purposefully redirected.
"Through here," a waitstaff person said, as they put their hand on the private room's door. Asuka braced herself, ready to fight with whatever power she could muster. She sent up a silent prayer that whatever happened next, Kurama would forgive her for being so stupid.
The door slid open.
When they entered the room, a man seated at the table stood. He had white hair, large-rimmed glasses, and a perfectly trimmed white beard. He took the cigarette he was smoking out of his mouth.
Asuka gaped. Her jaw hung so low to the floor that she must've looked like a snake. Or a cartoon character. Which was fitting because…
"Hayao, you made it," Joe said. "I wasn't sure you would."
"We're behind and my assistant is going to kill me, but I wouldn't it."
"Hayao Miyazaki?" Asuka said, still gaping. "It's…you? It's really you?" She meant that in a, "I'm star-struck," way but also in a, "you're the one who has ki?!" way.
Hayao Miyazaki laughed and then bowed. Asuka bowed lower, ashamed that he'd done it first.
Next to her, Joe Hisaishi also chuckled.
"Sit, sit," Miyazaki said as he waved his cigarette around like a madman. The smoke swirled in the air. Asuka tried not to cough.
"You were at my concert a couple of weeks ago," Asuka said after she pulled her chair in. The round table was big enough for eight people, but only three menus were available.
"I was. I wanted to stay and talk to you after it finished since Senju and Joe here are friends and could get us backstage, but we're animating the climax of the film and deadlines and deadlines. I could only stay for your half." The cigarette moved up and down in his mouth while he talked.
Animating the climax of the film? The pictures bombarded Asuka again, and she gasped. Of course! That's what I saw back then, and that's what I just saw. The images in his mind are from the movie!
"You can see the pictures too," Joe Hisaishi said next to her.
"You can see the pictures?" Asuka exclaimed. "But that's…you can sense his raeki?"
"Raeki!" Miyazaki jumped from his chair, startling Asuka. "So that's what it's called." Miyazaki's eyes glittered. "Excuse the impertinence. I don't know anything about it."
"I can sense it, but I don't have any," Joe Hisaishi said next to her.
Joe is like Shizuru, then.
"He's the one who told me you had it," Miyazaki said.
"Have you had ki your whole life?" she asked.
"No. When I was drawing Nausicaä for the manga serial I felt a spark, but it wasn't until we started animating it I felt this surge." He was talking more excitedly now, and the cigarette in his mouth flopped accordingly. "Because Joe can sense the…raeki, we can suffer through the creative process together."
Asuka's mind whirled. She'd spent considerable time with Lizst and Chopin, and neither of them had ki. And Lizst hadn't mentioned he'd been able to sense anything "extra" about her. Wait. I asked him once why he wanted to teach me piano, especially when I wasn't a prodigy. He said something akin to feeling like I had a spark. Could…he have been talking about ki and didn't know what it was?
Miyazaki looked at her with bright eyes as his ki swirled chaotically. This time, Asuka felt bright colors at the edge of her senses, like a painting. Then his ki shifted again and then shifted again. It was exhausting to follow, yet Asuka couldn't look away.
"Hayo is infamous for sucking people's creative energy. Now you know why," Joe said with amusement.
This entire situation was nearing absurdity. Fighting Spirit powered ki—everybody knew that. But could creative expression power ki? She supposed it made sense.
This is too much. I wish Kurama was here for this conversation. Then suddenly, Asuka remembered.
There was a crash down the hall of the restaurant before incomprehensible yelling. Asuka winced.
"Asuka!" Yusuke yelled. "Get your hands off me! Asuka are you okay?! Damn it!"
Both Miyazaki and Joe Hisaishi turned their heads toward Asuka before they looked over at the door, just in time to see Yusuke burst through with waitstaff right behind him.
"Yusuke!" Asuka shouted. "It's—"
"Are you alright?!"
"Yes, it's—"
"Who the hell is this guy?!" Yusuke gestured to Miyazaki.
Miyazaki threw his head back and laughed, stabilizing his cigarette between two fingers as he did.
"Asuka?" Yusuke asked. His face twisted in confusion at Miyazaki's laughter.
Asuka rubbed her forehead and shook her head, too embarrassed to reply properly.
Yusuke frowned. "Seriously. Who the hell is this guy?"
Miyazaki kept laughing.
"It's alright," Joe Hisaishi said to the waitstaff behind Yusuke. "We'll take care of any damages."
The waitstaff looked uncertain, but they acquiesced and slid the door shut.
Asuka got herself together and addressed Yusuke before he could punch someone. "This is Hayao Miyazaki."
"Hayao who now?"
Asuka rolled her eyes. "Studio Ghibli?"
Blank stare.
"My Neighbor Totoro?" Asuka asked.
"The movie?"
"Yes! The movie! Hayao Miyazaki wrote and directed that movie and several others."
"Never heard of him. But he's the ki user you felt?"
"Yes."
"And you're safe?"
"Very."
Miyazaki wiped his eye and put the cigarette back in his mouth. He inhaled a large puff.
"Well, damn," Yusuke said. "Sorry about that. I thought Asuka was in trouble. We knew someone with ki was at her concert and we assumed…they wanted something bad."
"Why's that?" Joe Hisaishi asked.
Yusuke looked at Asuka, who then said, "Well, it's a long story. But ki is extremely rare; the different types mean you come from certain places. So based on yours we weren't positive who or what had the ki."
Miyazaki nodded, somber. "I'm sorry I worried you. I didn't know."
"It's okay," Asuka assured him. "And Yusuke, we're okay here. In fact," she smiled, "I think you can go home."
"Hey, Asuka, are you sure? I know there's no danger here, but…" Yusuke looked uncomfortable.
"It's fine," Asuka said. "Don't worry. Thanks again."
"Well…"
"Promise. Go home and give the boys and Keiko my love."
"Well," Yusuke scratched the back of his head. "Okay. Nice to meet you. And, uh, you," Yusuke said to Miyazaki and Joe Hisaishi, respectively.
Both men dipped their heads.
"I'll tell…Shuichi about this," Asuka said to Yusuke.
"Hopefully I won't get in trouble with Kurama, I mean Shuichi later. See you soon Asuka." Yusuke stuck his hands in his pockets, turned on his heels, and left.
Asuka slumped in her chair and sighed. That was a close one. Yusuke could've punched one of the most important creatives in the world.
"I'm guessing that man has ki too," Miyazaki said.
"He does."
"You mentioned different types of ki. Can you explain that?" Joe asked.
Asuka waited until after the servers came in and took their orders before briefly explaining the four ki types. She said little about where the types came from or who had them. She thought it best to limit their knowledge, for their sake.
But Miyazaki, being extremely intelligent, sussed out the truth. "I take it you aren't human, then."
"Not as such, no."
A wide grin settled on Miyazaki's face. His teeth held onto the very tip of the cigarette. "Tell me, was I right? About any of it? The spiritual world? About what happens after we die?"
It was Asuka's turn to give him a smile. "Do you really want to know?"
Miyazaki paused. "No, I don't. What stories would be left to tell if I had all of the answers?"
Asuka waited. He seemed to be having an internal conversation with himself. When he didn't inquire further, Asuka asked, "Did both of you want me to work on the film?"
"I asked Joe to bring you on board at your concert, but I thought he'd say no. He gets up in a fuss about his piano."
Joe Hisaishi shook his head. "I said yes because I wanted to work with you, Asuka. We both did."
Miyazaki smoldered the cigarette by rubbing it into the ashtray. "Do you know anyone else like us?"
Asuka hesitated. She tried to think of the best way to explain. "Well, yes and no. I know a few others that have ki, but like Yusuke, they're fighters."
Miyazaki nodded his head up and down and drummed his fingers on the table. His chaotic ki flared again and hit Asuka with images of a grand fighter with long hair and a sword. "Amazing," Miyazaki said. "Just like all of the stories. Of course, there's always some truth to stories, but figuring out which thing is true is difficult."
"Yes."
The waitstaff interrupted again the conversation when they came in with bowls of udon noodles. They put the lunch sets in front of the three creatives, bowed, and then left.
"Can we meet the others with ki?" Miyazaki asked.
An image of Miyazaki meeting Kuwabara and Yusuke at the same time popped into Asuka's mind and she grimaced. "You could meet my husband. He has ki."
"He's a fighter?"
"Yes."
"Is he also not human?"
Asuka slurped her noodles, then wiped her mouth. "Well, sort of."
Miyazaki's thick eyebrows went upward. "Sort of?"
"It's complicated."
He chuckled. "I'll take your word for it. Yes. I'd like that very much."
"He was going to pick me up today. Would you like to meet him then?"
"Ah, well, I'd like to, but we're still trying to finish the film and I have to get back to the studio. But I was going to send you two tickets to the premier. How about then?"
"We'd love that."
He grinned and showed his teeth before violently slurping up the rest of his noodles. In a matter of moments, he had finished his udon. "I will see you then. Now, I should get going. Deadlines and more deadlines." He scrunched his forehead. "That gives me an idea." His ki flared.
"It was an honor to meet you," Asuka said. She wiped her mouth, stood, and bowed.
Miyazaki did the same. "The honor is mine. Good luck with the rest of the recording, Joe."
"No luck needed."
Miyazaki smiled. "I'll be in touch."
The door slid open, then shut.
Asuka leaned forward and rubbed her temples. She shook her head before laughing.
Joe chuckled. "What did you think of him?"
"He's…nothing like I thought. He's always so serious when he talks to the press, but in reality, he's a typhoon."
"That he is," Joe agreed. "At our first meeting, he climbed on top of his desk so he could point to all the storyboards that he'd been working on for Nausicaä. The more he talked, the more excited he got. I thought he was crazy. But then I felt that…something special."
"The fact that creative spirit can power ki is…truly something. I can't wait to tell the other people in our circle about this."
Joe Hisaishi looked at Asuka thoughtfully. "Do you know anyone like me?"
"I do. Her name is Shizuru. She doesn't have any ki to really speak of, but she can sense it, as you can. And it's helped us out a lot."
"Perhaps I could meet her sometime."
"I think she would love that."
Joe Hisaishi and Asuka finished their lunch and headed to the front, where the register was. It turned out that Yusuke had broken the back door when he barged into the restaurant and broke several plates when he rushed past a server. Asuka offered to pay for the damages, but Joe Hisaishi insisted he would cover it. The restaurant was one of his and Miyazaki's favorite meeting places and he knew the owner.
After they flagged down a cab and started driving, Asuka leaned back and gazed out the window. Her mind was whirling from that insane lunch. She smiled to herself and then suppressed a chuckle. Nobody was after her or her powers. Her life wasn't in any kind of danger.
I think I'll take the train home.
She got out her phone and texted Kurama.
Asuka: Don't freak out, but I met the person whose ki we felt at the concert
The reply was immediate.
Kurama: Are you okay? What happened? Where was Yusuke? Can I call you?
Asuka: Unnecessary, I'm fine. More miffed than anything. It's someone you have heard of
Kurama: Who?
Asuka: Hayao Miyazaki
There was a pause in the buzzing, which made her chuckle.
Kurama: Wait…what? Really?
Asuka: Really. What I saw from Insight is the climax of the film I'm recording for
Kurama: You're sure?
Asuka: positive. His creative energy powers his ki
Kurama: I've never heard of anything like that
Asuka: Me neither. The whole thing is absurd. I'll tell you about it over dinner
Kurama: I'll pick you up
Asuka: No, I'll take the train home. It'll be nice. I sent Yusuke home too
There was a long pause.
Kurama: I wish you hadn't done that
Asuka: Why? There's no danger. I'm not going to get kidnapped
Kurama: You don't know for sure if the threat has passed
Asuka frowned at her phone.
Asuka: What are you talking about? We have solved the mystery of the ki user. Is there something you know but I don't?
Another long pause.
Kurama: Can I call you?
Asuka: I'm in the cab right now with Joe Hisaishi
Kurama: Call me as soon as you can
Asuka: We'll have to start recording as soon as we get back. There won't be time
Asuka was getting annoyed. What was up with him?
Kurama: Something came up while I was investigating the ki user. We found a dying yokai. He said something about you…returning.
A chill ran down Asuka's spine.
Asuka: returning to where?
Kurama: I don't know. He died before he could say
Asuka sighed.
Asuka: I wish you would've told me sooner
Kurama: I'm sorry. You had so much on your mind and I didn't want to add to it
Asuka: I know, but you should've said something when I had that dream
Kurama: I apologize
The taxi cab pulled up to Suntory Hall.
Asuka: It sounds more like the yokai was delivering a message. In any case, I'll be fine to take the train home. We can talk this evening. Please don't worry
Kurama: I worry all the time
Asuka: I know, but, I'm not going to live under lock and key if there isn't a reason
Kurama: Okay
Asuka: Okay :-)
Kurama: How are you?
Asuka hesitated. She wasn't feeling great, but she had been so busy, and she was still trying to process everything that had happened.
Asuka: Distracted
Kurama: I understand. See you tonight. I love you
Asuka: I love you, too
Asuka and Joe Hisaishi entered the hall and found almost everyone sitting in their chairs. It seemed they were the last to arrive. Asuka would've felt embarrassed if she wasn't with the director.
Asuka warmed up her fingers again and centered herself on the music. When the recording process began again, she let more of her ki loosen. She felt safe in this space. And though she was considerably older than Joe Hisaishi, that feeling of a father figure returned. She could rely on his gentle countenance and his warmth.
And for a few blissful hours, Asuka was able to play music and not think about weird messages from beyond the existence plane, or her inability to have children.
Author's Note:
Big chapter today! I hope you enjoyed it and were perhaps surprised at how events unfolded :-). Not everything has been resolved, of course. Even though the mysterious ki user has been revealed, we still have the matter of Asuka returning...somewhere to figure out. But in the meantime, this concludes the first 1/3 of the story.
Both Hayao Miyazaki and Joe Hisaishi are fascinating people. Some of the stories included in this chapter are true! They really do collaborate on music in the manner described here (same with how the music is recorded), and the story of Miyazaki standing on his desk frantically pointing at storyboards is also true. And, Joe Hisaishi really does conduct, sit down to play the piano, then get back up again to conduct. The madman. The Ghibli 25th anniversary concert is on YouTube in chunks and is a joy to watch.
If you have access to any of the Ghibli documentaries (available on HBO Max in the States), I highly encourage you to watch them. Miyazaki is a creative genius, yet he struggles with the creative process and with self-doubt. If you're a creative, watching him agonize over his art is comforting because as it turns out, we are all birds of a feather. So when you struggle (not if), don't give up :-)
If you've never watched a Miyazaki film, I recommend Howl's Moving Castle which is an adaptation of a book (it's very different from the book). It's one of my comfort movies! Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind is probably his best work to date. Totoro is also nearly perfect.
Anyway, I'll be back next week. Shoot me a comment if you feel so inclined :-)
-Arielle
P.S: The playlist has been updated!
LadyFox15: Writing that chapter also made me sad, but I'm so glad you enjoyed Shunsuke! I agree that Asuka was very reckless. Even though it turned out okay, she didn't know that. At the same time, you're right, she really needed that. Just to sit and talk with someone on a blustery winter day. Thank you for the comment and I hope you enjoyed this chapter's reveal!