The bus lurched forward, its metal frame groaning as if in protest. Rei gripped the bar, her fingers curled tightly around the glittering silver bar. With every rumble, her school bag slapped against her hip.
The air felt thick, charged with an energy she couldn't quiet name. Something was off—she could feel it in her bones, a strange sensation that started at the base of her spine and crept upwards, wrapping around her like a shroud.
It prickled along her skin, raising the fine hairs on her arms. It twisted around her soul and sang soft songs about forbidden bonds and creeping stone. A siren melody of defying gods and fate.
As the bus wound its way through the streets of Juban, the world outside seemed to blur and shift. Colors bled into one another until they were no longer recognizable. Rei blinked, trying to clear her vision, but the sensations persisted. In the smudged reflections of the window, she caught glimpses of impossible things.
Towering crystal columns rose majestically into starry skies, their faceted surfaces catching the light that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once.
In a blink, they vanished, replaced by gardens of pristine white flowers, their petals glowing with a mystical luminescence. With a single breath, they, too, disappeared.
A scent of something delicate and familiar flowed freely, a fragrance so pure and sweet it made her heart ache with a longing she couldn't understand. Noise devoured it.
There, in the folds of color, a figure emerged. Unmistakably, a princess stood veiled in silvery mist. Though her features were indistinct, Rei felt a profound sense of recognition, as if she knew this ethereal being. The princess raised a hand, as if in greeting or warning, before fading away like the morning dew under the sun's first rays.
Between these images, in the shifting color, were fleeting images of the man from her dreams. His blond hair, the curve of his smile, and especially his piercing eyes. Those eyes haunted her, stalked her like a wolf in the night.
Each glimpse sent a jolt through her body, like a spark from the sacred fire leaping into her soul.
A sudden bump in the road snapped her back to the present. She blinked rapidly, her heart racing.
Why was this happening here?
She'd only ever had visions before the sacred fire. Did it have to do with the strange man yesterday? That vision she'd experienced when they touched… almost felt the same. Like they were woven from the same threads.
No. She shook her head.
Everything returned to its normal state, ordinary passengers going about their day, the same buildings moving past the windows. But the lingering energy of the visions hummed in the air around her.
With her stop approaching, she stepped to the door, praying her shaking legs would hold her. Every spiritual sense was on high alert, scanning for any trace of the otherworldly phenomena she'd experienced. Moving towards the exit, her gaze fell on a girl with long blond hair tied in distinctive buns.
Something about her tickled at Rei's consciousness, but before she could examine the feeling further, the bus doors opened and she stepped out into the afternoon air. As soon as the suffocating closeness of the bus slipped behind her, she could take a breath. Now, everything would be fine.
"You're okay."
"Everything is fine."
The walk to the shrine usually calmed her, allowing her to shed the stress of the day and prepare for her duties and a Miko. Today, however, the path seemed fraught with unseen tensions.
The air was heavy, as if laden with unspoken secrets.
The rustle of leaves whispered thoughts of crystal towers.
The chirp of birds breathed the sound of power and gods.
"Something is following me."
A prickling sensation at the base of her neck told her the truth. Behind her, she heard the faint sound of a shoe on cement. There was something there, a presence too powerful to be mortal.
"You won't haunt this shrine."
As the torii gate of the Hikawa Shrine came into view, a wave of relief washed over her. Here, in the domain of the fire kami, she was on familiar ground. She was powerful. Taking the steps two at a time, her long hair streamed behind her like a banner of midnight.
Reaching the top of the stairs, she paused to catch her breath. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the shrine ground, painting everything in hues of gold and amber. For a moment, everything seemed normal, the strange events of the bus ride fading like a half-remembered dream.
Wanting to flee these strange sensations, she hurried to change into her miko attire. Bolts of anticipation returned in full force. That power that stalked her had come again. Something was coming. Something that would change everything.
The breeze carried the distant sounds of footsteps approaching, Rei steeled herself for whatever was about to unfold. At once, the sacred stillness of the shrine grounds shattered as a cacophony of caws and shrieks pierced the air.
Rei whirled about, her miko robes billowing like smoke in the wind. A powerful wave of an unknown aura smashed into her, almost bringing her to her knees. When her vision cleared, Phobos and Deimos, her loyal ravens and sacred messengers of the kami, were dive-bombing a girl with long blonde hair tied in distinctive buns.
Time slowed as her spiritual senses flared to life. Instinct took over, and her hands moved on their own accord, whipping a sacred ofuda from the folds of her robe. "Evil Spirit, be exorcised!"
It streaked through the air like a bolt of divine lightning, its power crackling with holy intent. But as the aura faded, Rei's heart plummeted and embarrassment flared. The ofuda was plastered on a normal girl with high buns and long, flowing hair. The girl stumbled back, arms pinwheeling, before landing unceremoniously on the stone path. A black cat startled and yowled at the girl's side.
"Huh? What? How? You're just a girl?"
Horror washed over Rei like ice water. The oppressive aura she'd sensed vanished, leaving only an ordinary—if rather clumsy—girl sprawled before her. Mortification colored her cheeks as she rushed forward, her earlier suspicions replaced by genuine concern.
"I'm so sorry!"
The girl waved as she laid on the stone. "No problem. No problem. I get hit with paper all the time. Completely normal."
Rei extended a hand to help the girl up, noticing for the first time the warmth that seemed to radiate from her.
"But that's totally okay," the girl chirped. "Because now I can introduce myself! I'm Usagi Tuskino. I guess I kinda deserved it for being a little stalkerish…" She lowered her voice. "I followed you from the bus."
Usagi clutched her hands under her chin and eyes went wide. "You're just soooo pretty. I had to."
"I still apologize." Rei bowed slightly. "I confess my error, but I swear there was a demonic aura. I couldn't let this shrine be infected."
"Please! It would really be terrible if anything infected this beautiful place. Better to be safe than sorry. Unless it's peace… wait, can peace infect?" Usagi scratched her forehead before perking up. "Like in Saint Seiya when they're fighting for peace, but everything gets all crazy!"
The black cat jumped into her arms, and Rei eyed it critically. There was more to this animal than a mere house cat. But when its secrets stayed hidden, she turned away.
"It's strange. Phobos and Deimos hardly ever attach humans normally." Rei turned to her birds and held out her hands. They swirled about cawing before flying away.
Eventually, they settled on the torii, their beady eyes fixed on the scene. Rei cast them a questioning glance, but they offered no explanation for their uncharacteristic behavior. Turning back to the girl, Rei found herself drawn to Usagi.
There was an undeniable warmth to Usagi, a sincerity that seemed to glow from within. Rei couldn't shake the feeling that if the world could see the light in this girl's heart, it would shine brilliantly. Shadows deepened as the sun herded in the death of another day.
"This place is so pretty! Like a dream," Usagi said, her voice airy. "It even smells like the country! My papa takes me to the mountains all the time, and this place smells like it! Is it the trees? No, it has to be the ground. Do you import dirt from the mountains?"
Rei scowled. "Are you really that dumb? Do you think we import soil from the mountains? Do you know how much that would cost?"
Usagi tapped her chin. "Fair point. Do you have a lot of "fresh mountain air" incense burning?"
Rei rolled her eyes, but before she could respond, a plaintive cry cut through the peace. Rei's head snapped towards the sound, her spiritual senses on alert. Near the offering box, a woman kneeled, her forehead pressed against the worn word as she fervently whispered prayers. With a jolt of recognition, she realized it was Mii's mother.
"Please, great Kami, please guide my daughter back," the woman's voice crackled with desperation. "Bring my daughter back home to me."
A leaden weight settled in Rei's stomach. Mii, the bright-eyed girl who'd so eagerly fed the ravens just days ago, was missing. Even from here, Rei could feel the sacred flames flair in response to her distress, the heat prickling her skin.
"Excuse me," Rei stepped forward. "What did you say happened to Mii?"
"It's all over the news. Mii's missing! Everyone is talking about the demon bus," Mii's mother spoke quickly. "My baby girl boarded that bus at 6 pm, right in front of the shrine!"
The woman started to cry. "My girl. I'm just so upset. But there have always been bad people living in this area. The police are saying it's a kidnapping."
Usagi stepped up next to her, frantically petting the cat. "A kidnapping?"
Before Rei could process anything, a group of women approached, their faces etched with a mixture of worry and barely concealed suspicion. The surrounding air crackled with tension, setting her nerves on fire.
"What's with that miko?" A voice called out. "She didn't react at all to the news."
"That's Rei-chan, Old Man Hino's granddaughter. She's already an odd one."
"She performs weird exorcism rites."
"She also keeps ravens as pets, and they say she senses the supernatural."
Rei turned away and started to sweep the stones. The comforting rhythm and sound battled against the desperate energy inside of her chest.
Usagi approached, her warmth radiant like the moonbeams of a full moon. Rei tried to calm her racing heart, tried to ignore the stares and pressure of expectations weight upon her.
"Sendakizakaue is where five hills meet." Rei didn't know why she was telling Usagi this. "It's a very unusual place."
"Why?"
"There's a legend, an urban myth of a rarely seen sixth slope."
"Sixth?" Usagi gulped.
"The 6:00 pm Demon Bus is said to be sucked into that sixth slope and vanishes."
"This doesn't sound fun."
"Do you know the name for such an occurrence?"
Usagi stayed silent.
Rei turned to look at her, black hair caught by the wind streamed out. "Being spirited away. That's what they call it."
"Well, don't put me down for that. I want to die in my bed when I'm old. Preferably after a dessert buffet with lots of cake," Usagi said.
The black cat yowled, and Usagi thumped it on the head. "Fine, Luna says it's time to go! But I'll be back. It's way too nice here to never see this place again. Oh, do you think Ami would like it here?"
Rei offered a short wave, and Usagi grinned broadly at her before turning and skipping away. With chores taking up her afternoon, Rei could distract herself from the energies plaguing her. Then, finally, when the shrine grounds lay silent, bathed in the sun's death. Her footsteps echoing were the only hollow sound as she made her way to the fire room.
The sacred space welcomed her, the familiar scent of sandalwood and ash enveloping her like an old friend's embrace. Struggling to shake off the expectations of the day, she kneeled before the eternal flame.
With a last exhale, she closed her eyes and began to chant. The words, ancient and powerful, fell from her lips with practiced ease. Yet tonight, the atmosphere felt different—heavier. The air seemed to hum with an ominous energy, as if the shrine itself was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen.
The fire seemed distant, reluctant to yield its secrets. Frustration bubbled within her, mingling with desperation.
"Don't break something, Princess."
The voice came out of nowhere. A million indescribable emotions poured through her body. Before her, the flames flickered. Somehow, she managed to calm herself.
Sweat beaded on her brow as she pushed harder, channeling more spiritual energy into the flame. The fire roared, responding to her call.
"Please," she whispered, her voice broke. "Great Kagu-tsuchi, kami of fire, I beseech you. Show me."
Heat seared her skin. Prickling warmth rolling across her body like a lost lover after a long absence. The dancing flames flickered before an image started to form. When it solidified, she nearly lost it again.
There he was—the handsome man from her dreams. But this time, he sat beside her, helping her tend a sacred fire. They synchronized perfectly, creating a harmonious blend of spiritual energy. Between them, a vibrant red thread pulsed with a flickering light. Their souls connected in ways that she couldn't comprehend.
A mixture of exhilaration and fear burst into life within her.
What did this mean?
Who was he to her?
Before she could ponder further, darkness erupted from the flames. In seconds, it devoured the vision. Tendrils of shadows lashed out like hungry beasts.
The fire shot upward, nearly touching the ceiling. Rei fell back, lest she be consumed by flame and shadow.
In its wild dance, she caught one last glimpse—the man, his face set in grim determination, darkness behind his eyes.
The fire flared even more violently, and Rei jerked back with a cry of pain. Pain devoured the vision, leaving her gasping for breath on the floor. Trembling, she stared at her arms, the skin raw and blistering. An acrid smell of burned flesh mingled with the smoky air, a harsh reminder of the power she'd invoked.
Sleep eluded her that night.
Everything reminded her of the dream. Unable to find peace, she wandered beneath the ancient trees. While the cool night air soothed her burned skin, it didn't calm the tempest in her heart. She raised her eyes to the moon. Even its serene light couldn't conquer the turmoil within her.
"What does this all mean?" she asked the night.
The red thread, the handsome stranger, the darkness behind his eyes—it all seemed connected, but how?
Around her the leaves rustled, as if the very trees were whispering secrets she couldn't quite grasp. A shiver ran down her spine, not from the cold, but from the bone-deep certainty that gripped her.
Something was coming that would change everything.
Rei clenched her fists, ignoring the pain that flared. Fear and excitement warred within her. Each fought for dominance. But she was unable to determine which was more powerful. Power still thrummed through her veins, a reminder of the forces at play. The forces that she should be terrified of.
"I will not falter."
As if in response, the breeze picked up, carrying with it the faint scent of fire and fate. Rei closed her eyes, letting the cool air caress her face. Whatever happened, whatever darkness threatened her, she would meet it head-on.