Memory of a Cherry Blossom: 2012

Heart pounding, lungs burning, and dripping. Every part of her was soaking wet, except, and oddly, the pale yellow hanten which she wore. The short coat was bone dry, and she suspected the only thing that was keeping her from freezing to death right now.

Everything was happening too quickly. Everything was in motion. It didn’t even occur to her to stop running yet. Why was that? Why was her fight or flight reflex riding her higher brain functions like the Shinkansen was chasing her?

She was not alone. Running just ahead of her, hanging on to her left hand and only tugging a little, was a teenaged girl.    She was dressed in a soaked pink and black Kitty-chan tokidoki from her looped long black braided hair– held in place by a small plush Kitty elastics, to her thick soled black buutsu– featuring cheery little Hello Kitty faces at the terminus of each strap that held them on.

How could anyone run in those?

More importantly, what was her name?

By unspoken mutual consent they dropped into a moss covered gully. It cradled them, the tall grass above swayed in the salt air. The peaty smell of the earth and the bruised moss sending up a green odor that was not unpleasant combined with the warm smell of the sunshine to begin to drain away the adrenaline, and leave in its place exhaustion.

Life had begun, as far as she could remember, in the cold water that now filled the air with its crisp salt tang. It was as if she was recalling birthing trauma. First, surrounded by a soft fleshy womb of undulating dark pink, next exploding out and down. Then a hand grasped hers and pulled her to the surface, supporting her as she raked in a deep breath, and then another.

There she had drifted, mentally as well as physically, in and out. She remembered clinging to the bright green tube the teenager in tokidoki now carried slung on her shoulder. That was buoyant. Then the rocky shoreline. Something had jumped out from the rocks at them. Something... Big and impossible. That was what was chasing them, why they ran.

Both were as silent as they could manage. The girl looked over at her after a moment and then whispered, “if they don’t chase you after the first mile...” And grinned as if it was some sort of joke.

Only how could it be a joke? There had been a... monster.

Silence. Silence except for the wind in the tall grasses and the ramming of her own heart. “You.” She whispered to the girl. “You are okay with this?” Not quite able to bring herself to ask for the girl’s name just in case that would give too much away about herself, not knowing anything. Not a thing. Not her own name. She asked instead, “how old are you?”

“I am fine with this, Kyuuchou! Kaa-san told me to be on the ferry, she said something would happen. I am sixteen, and a half!” Even though she was still speaking quietly, the enthusiasm in her voice was clear. “You totally rocked out!” Her dark lashed eyes gleamed. Her light goth makeup clearly waterproof.    “You blew up the Atsuuikakura! I dove in, because I thought you were a goner, but I should have known better, Kyuuchou! It was like an enormous wad of bubblegum and then, BOOM!”

“Shhhh. Not so loud!” The woman cautioned. “We still don’t know how safe we are.”

“Right, but I can help protect you!” Now, the girl moved with alacrity and unscrewed the drafting tube. Out of it she produced a katana. A beautiful katana. The hilt of which was wrapped in silk of dark crimson and deepest ebony. She set the tube aside, closed, and held the sword before herself and in both hands and touched her head to it reverently. Then she slipped it crosswise on her back, so that she could draw it over her shoulder. “I am at your service. If you even need me. You let it grab you and then you blew it up! Under the water! That was amazing.” Scooting so that she could look upon the Kyuuchou, she emoted with wide gestures, “and you saved all those cute college boys!”

The woman couldn’t help but grin. “Ferry? You were on the ferry?” Did she tell this kid that she couldn’t even remember who she was, let alone the ferry.

“My manners!” The girl got to her knees and made the proper bow, “I am Kokoro, at your service Kyuuchou!”

Monitor. The title didn’t feel wrong. “Kokoro.” She nodded a return of the bow and regretted it. “My head is killing me.” She confessed, grabbing at her head, and running her hands through her short wavy hair. “We need to find a safe place and make a fire and find something to eat. Get dry and figure out where we are.”

Kokoro saw the wisdom of this. “I think we are near Kojima. I swam us here after... Well the ferry crew didn’t notice that we went overboard, they had their own problems, with the damage Atsuuikakura wrought. We interrupted the Oni, but he seemed to only want us gone. Not for lunch.” Again she grinned. “So I spared his life!”

“Shhh!” The Kokoro teen was immediately silent, which surprised her, because it seemed as if the teenager really liked to talk. Now she listened. Something was coming.   Something small, not the monster that had chased them from the beach. Instinctively waving the young girl behind her, the woman stood to see a face peering at her from the edge of the gully.

It was difficult to tell who was the more startled. The being peering back at her was wide eyed, its skin and eyes were both a bronze green color and rather like a turtle’s in texture, except that it was hairy as well. Where memory failed her, instinct took over. She bowed and said, “well met.”
The hyo-sube had no choice but to bow a return, so courteous was the beautiful woman’s action. “Good day,” it began, but as the fluid from the dish in its head sloshed out with the bow it felt its strength drain away, and it froze, “trickster!”

“Not at all,” the woman shook her head, “my courtesy was sincere. Are you incapacitated?” It was, she knew it, and somehow that worked to her advantage. Which was a good thing in this situation. “Allow me to help, allow us to help.”

She was very beautiful and also seemed kind. The Hyo-sube whispered weakly, “yes, I could use help. I need, I need...” He pointed to the dish shaped crater in his head, “water.”

“If we do this for you, will you assist us? We are strangers here.” The Kyuuchou asked.

Kokoro restrained herself from pumping a fist into the air and striking an heroic pose. It was true, the Kyuuchou was wise! More than that, she was sharp, like Kaa-san. Kokoro congratulated herself on being correct in her initial assessment of the puissance of her companion. Plus she had saved hundreds, maybe thousands of lives, and it wasn’t even lunch time yet.

On cue Kokoro’s stomach growled. Okay, so maybe it was a little after lunchtime?

“I would be honored, Kyuuchou.” The Hyo-sube could not help but, from his current half bent position, notice the hanten the woman wore. It was clearly a coat of office, pale yellow and lightly embossed to resemble the scales of a koi, the collar piece was a pale rainbow. This woman was of the On-Myo-Ryo, the Impereal office in charge of fairness in magical matters, which he should have noted immediately and proceeded with more caution.

“Would you be so kind as to...” the woman began to ask Kokoro, but the kid was quick on the uptake and she was already ringing out her clothing into the tube.

“Do you need fresh water, or will salt water do, sir?” Kokoro asked him.

“That will suffice for now.” He replied, not liking how unfazed the teen-aged girl was, nor the obvious show of her weapon on her back.

“Hai.” Kokoro nodded and continued wringing.

*****

The hyo-sube’s home was built low and merged into the bank of the river, more a small stream, where it called home. As he jumped into his native waters to replenish his vitality, the girl and the woman built up the fire in the house and sipped tea which their host had brewed even before seeing to the restoration of his reservoir of water. Kokoro approved of this, for the Kyuuchou should be shown such reverence. Plus the tea alleviated her hunger as rice cooked in a clay vessel nearby. Her thick soled buutsu hung upside down from staves near enough to the fire to help dry the leather, but far enough away so as not to damage it. The petite, adorable heels of the Kyuuchou’s much lighter shoes made devil horn shadows on the wall of the house, dancing to the crackling of the fire.

Incense burned at a small shrine the hyo-sube had seen to immediately after setting the tea to boil. On the small table were images of his parents, a small fan and a Pikachu toy from McDonald’s.   Kokoro nudged the Kyuuchou and asked, “how do you suppose a Kappa pays for McDonald’s?”

The woman, happier now that she was warming by the fire, had a cup of hot tea and was less exposed, looked at the offerings. “Perhaps it washed up.”

Kokoro, who had been playing scenarios of cosplaying groups of yokai and hyo-sube making the servers at a fast food place very nervous, preferred her imaginings to the wisdom provided by the Monitor, but had to defer to the logic. She nodded, the cascade of ropey braids shimmering in the firelight.

“Why a fan and a toy?” The woman brushed her hair with her fingers, wishing she had a better idea of what she looked like. Her hair was shoulder length, and lighter than the teenager’s thick blue black tresses. It was also flyaway enough to be drying rapidly. She had bangs. “His parents wouldn’t have needed those.” She knew she was missing something, something about the placement of these items. It was a strange sensation, much like the one she had felt when she simply knew that if Kokoro had not been the one who had asked to cook the rice, she would not have been able to eat it. That the girl was so young, and she offered so politely to cook for them all their host could not refuse, and somehow that made it alright. What was she missing?

Kokoro looked over the rim of her cup and wished that rice cooked faster. She did not allow her stomach to distract her from the wisdom that the Kyuuchou was imparting. Something was indeed amiss. “It is a family home.” She glanced around. “With no family.” Now she frowned. Her frown was adorable, like a chibi frown.

Getting to her bare feet the Kyuuchou prowled the area in a widening circle, looking at the habiliments of the abode. “His wife and child are missing, or dead and he prays for their safety or their spirits.” This supposition caused her to echo the girl’s frown, albeit set within a more serious visage.

Pouring another cup of the delicious tea for herself and the Kyuuchou, Kokoro nodded. Perhaps their work was not finished yet. Kaa-san never sent her on a task that was simple. Certainly helping the Kyuuchou swim to shore was the least of services. Perhaps the Atsuuikakura was the preface of their adventure. While Kokoro loved an adventure, it distressed her somewhat that it might come at the expense of the poor hyo-sube and his family. Of course the evil she fought was never of her own making... and Kaa-san said it was beneficial to enjoy your lot in life.

Chattering outside the snug home brought both women from their thoughts, and they spun to face the door as their host ran inside.
“Monkeys!” He breathed in alarm. “They mustn’t know.” He did not say what the Monkeys mustn’t know, which would have been a useful detail. Instead he dropped a large branch into the brackets which held the door shut and threw more wood on the fire, so that smoke would pour out his smoke hole thicker and obscure any prying eyes. He squatted and accepted as Kokoro poured and handed him a cup of tea, then looked from one guest to the other. It was the Kyuuchou who drew most of his attention. The girl might be armed, but she seemed... innocuous. The Monitor, on the other hand... Well, anyone from the On-Myo-Ryo was always terrifying.

Kokoro wanted to see the monkeys. She knew that these Islands had amazing troops of Nihonzaru and that some of them descended from Hanuman. Others were less noble. If they were harassing the hyo-sube she should scold them. “Did the Nihonzaru kidnap your family?” Kokoro blurted her whispered outrage before her higher brain functions could overrule the teenage hormones.

“Shhh.” The woman looked at Kokoro and shook her finger. Again the girl complied instantaneously.

Their host began to weep.   Watching him blow his nose was an unique experience, since his nostrils abided upon the top of his beaky upper lip, much like a parrots might. “No, no not them.” He honked loudly into his handkerchief downed his tea and ran for a small bottle of sake. His hands shook, and it was clearly time for him to have something more potent. “Kyuuchou?” He asked, offering her a small glazed sake cup.

The woman nodded silently. Hospitality could not be refused. Still, her mind needed to stay clear, at least as clear as it already was, and hopefully clear up more. She would sip, and no more, enough to be polite. With great care and kindness she helped him pour out, steadying his scaley hand as the neck of the sake bottle chittered against the rim of the porcelain cups. Already the monkeys were quieting down. She tipped her head to Kokoro making stalk-like eyes with her index and middle fingers.

Kokoro caught on immediately. She rose silently and almost seemed to disappear from view as she peered out the small curtained windows of the hyo-sube domicile. “Most are moving away, but I see two, no three, watching the house.” Kokoro only said this upon her return to the fire, and in a voice barely audible. Her hands clearly defined the locations she suspected spies in. Then she noticed the presence of a bone nohkan flute upon a shelf. “May I, please?” She asked.

The hyo-sube could not refuse such a courteous request and nodded his permission.

Soon Kokoro was playing a soft lonely air on the flute. The Kyuuchou raised an eyebrow and could not help but approve, for the music would cover any conversation she and the heartbroken being before her might now have.

*****
Nigoru-Koodori and his mother, Heisuik-Youmen (who was purportedly the most beautiful of hyo-sube ever to grace a river) had been home, and Nigosu-Koodori –their host– had gone to drink sake with his brothers, and to play Go, because it was the full moon and always on the full moon the brothers would come together. On this night his wife and son had stayed home because he knew that O-sansho-uo-san would be coming, and he sometimes could not help himself from snapping up a small kappa or hyo-sube (or any wiggly thing small enough to fit into his enormous maw) when he had imbibed too much sake.

The Kyuuchou patted the shoulder of the hyo-sube as he hitched in sorrow-filled breaths and lamented not being a more responsible provider than to abandon his mate and his son for the pleasures of a night of sake, song and brotherhood. “Control your sorrow, and tell the tale, so we may act upon it.” She counseled wisely. “When was this?”

“Two days ago. That was why I was looking in the place of tall grasses, even though I do not often stray so far from my home.”

Kokoro nodded, it was, as had been shown, dangerous for him to be far from his native waters.

“Did the O-sansho-uo come often to play with you and your brothers?” The hanten clad woman enquired.

The hyo-sube shook his head. “No, this was the first time in many years we had even seen him.” He paused until she motioned for him to continue. “He is an excellent player, and of course it would have been rude to turn him away when he asked so politely.”

*****

At some point in a long discussion of current events of the island, Kokoro had handed out bowls of rice. The On-Myo-Ji looked at the girl, who was eating her own bowl of rice with gusto, and wondered at the relationship between them. Clearly, they had only just met. There was something about her that the teenager, and even the strange creature whose home they sat in, respected. The rice was warm and centering, and she understood enough of herself even in this vague state to know that she needed to put what was going on here to rights. She could have worked that out even if Kokoro hadn’t sat next to her and asked, “so when do we go rescue them?”

“Soon.” The reply had fallen easily from her lips. There was no question that the course before them included a rescue.

“I will sneak out and lead the monkeys away.” Kokoro murmured to the Kyuuchou between mouthfuls. “Then we can be off without followers.”

“Can you do that without getting hurt?” She studied the girl as the question was spoken.

Kokoro grinned, her dark tresses bouncing as she nodded briefly. “Yes, Kyuuchou, I can do that without getting hurt.”

“Or kidnaped?”

Kokoro considered. “It would take many many monkeys to kidnap me. More perhaps than one hundred.”

Did all teenaged girls have such knowledge? “More than one hundred.” The woman echoed, “you’re sure of this?”

Kokoro nodded in total confidence, “yes, because seventy-two tengu could not kidnap me, and they have wings.”

Catching the laughter behind her hand before it could burst forth the Kyuuchou bit her lip until she was in control once more. She had a very clear mental image of the girl before her waling away at raucous and brightly plumed monsters. “Did you pluck them, Kokoro?”

The giggle that answered her said it all.

*****

The afternoon sun had done much to warm up the air, just as the fire at the home of the hyo-sube had done much to dry out her clothing. Still her shoes were damp and she wanted to be warmer.

True to her word, Kokoro had not been kidnaped by monkeys. The girl next to her didn’t seem to mind the cold, at all. Not only that, but she was managing to walk in total silence with those impossible boots upon her feet. The sword on her back was hanging to the left so it could be draw right handed, and the drafting tube, which until recently had concealed that sword was hanging to the right. It seemed weighted now, although the Kyuuchou (and she was constantly wondering why she was thinking of herself in that manner, but she was) could not quite fathom what might be in it.
The place to go was the pool in which the O-sansho-uo was purported to be staying. Such beings did not simply show up, inviting themselves (no matter how politely) to Go night with the boys.

Kokoro had followed the Kyuuchou’s lead in silence. It had been easy for her to distract the few monkeys who were watching Nigosu’s house. In her travels she had stowed a few supplies away against the chance that the Kyuuchou might need them. Never before had she had such intimate commerce with one of the On-Myo-Ji. This experience was a thrill. When she finally went home? The Kits would all be dancing and waggling their tails in anticipation of hearing this story. It was all she could do to contain herself from running around the Kyuuchou like a puppy herself, yapping What next? What now? Whatever, it would be... brilliant!

What next? The older of the two was thinking. How large was this O-sansho-uo that it might have snapped up a young hyo-sube? O-sansho-uo were not known for being patient, and if this one was exceptionally large, it would be old. Old and cranky. Up ahead a loud snap sounded. The Kyuuchou froze in place. What now?

It was as if they appeared, so quickly did the foemen move out of their concealment and into the path of the two women. Badgers appeared, faces obscured by fukaamigasa, and weapons hidden beneath high collared cloaks. Kokoro threw herself between the Kyuuchou and these foes, noting with some relief that it was not the Thirteen Badgers of Death. Had it been? This story may well have ended right here.

No, it was the Six Badger Brothers. (Technically it was four of the Six Badger Brothers, as Daidaiiro-san and Midoriiro-san were detained by previous commitments, but neither of the women knew that.)

Momoiro-san, who insisted that everyone call him Sa-monpinku-san stood forward, brandishing a sharp and shiny pair of sai. He drew in a sharp breath, hissing before he spoke, “Kokoro Kitsune!” He spat her name, almost as a curse. “Our fight is not with you this day.” His piggy little eyes narrowed, as he tilted his head, revealing his sharp teeth and quivering wet nose from underneath the almost bucket-like straw hat. “Stand aside.” Behind him his three brothers revealed equally menacing weaponry of assorted types, and equally threatening poses and teeth.

“Do not make this into a war between the Mujina and the Kitsune, girl.” Oudo-san rumbled in a voice so deep that it sounded as if a sub woofer had taken a fall. His Ochre colored cloak trembled with his intensity.

Kokoro had been on the verge of drawing Chigiri, but paused.   It was no small matter which stayed her hand.   She could not risk starting a blood feud.

They were four foot tall, and badgers. The Kyuuchou popped an eyebrow up almost to her hairline. The girl was standing between her and four well armed badgers who each wore a cloak of a different color. The deep voiced one sported a yellow ochre cloak. The first speaker wore one of pink.    The two who stood back wore a bright red, and a dark blue cloak each. Plus, they spoke. Why did this not weird her out of the ability to reason, the woman wondered. She wished she had her memory. Who am I? Why are these beings here to... What? Kill me?

“No.” Kokoro stood her ground, looking this way and that for the two missing brothers. (She had no way of knowing that they would not be putting in an appearance.) “This Kyuuchou is under my personal protection. You may not harm her without first killing me.” Kokoro slid the katana off of her back, sheath and all and passed it back to the On-Myo-Ji. “Therefore, in order not to cause a feud, I will not use my weapon, and simply defeat you with your own weapons, that you will be too ashamed to ever speak of this again.” She pressed her precious sword back further and whispered, “please Kyuuchou, guard this for me.”

Even as her hand accepted the weapon, the woman felt a spark of power rush up through her arm into her body and sensation of purest snow and refreshing wind and outright cleanliness. “Kokoro...” her voice was hesitant.
The Badger Brothers were distancing themselves from one another, and the youngster in the Kitty-chan tokidoki was stepping silently forward and to the left sizing up the furry fury of her foemen.

“I give you this one chance,” Kokoro spoke in a slow serious tone, so unlike the Kyuuchou had heard from her up until this very moment, “to withdraw with your lives and honor intact.”

Noukon-san, in his dark blue attire, ever the pragmatist sighed and replied in his slightly nasal voice, “a favor has been called in; all our fates are now in the hands of the gods.”

*****

Silence fell. It was as if there was a storm approaching, so still had the surrounding groves become. Not even an insect made a sound.

Battle is chaos enough, seen from an informed point of view. The Kyuuchou held the sword to her, tightly and watched the loose skin on the badgers undulate as they threw back their cloaks and brought weapons to readiness. She had no inkling of their true position or of their chances and it was disquieting. How was she to have faith in a girl she knew nothing about?

The Oudo Badger revealed a long thin silvery pipe. He twirled the kiseru in his tiny clawed hands until it became a blur. The red-caped badger pulled a pair of iron kettles from the folds of his accouterments and began spinning them clock and counter clock wise respectively. Sa-monpinku laid his sai back against his forearms and stepped back as Noukan flashed out a pair of tessen fans the same steely blue as his clothing and charged toward Kokoro, a high nasal kiai breaking from his fearsome grimace.

The girl sank into the waist high sedge whispering around their waists, silently disappearing just as the first of the two fans sliced the place she had been. Shhhk shhhhk, small fountains of sere pale green foliage arched through the air. A hand shot up and caught the flying fan, then disappeared again.

Simultaneously the yellow and red cloaked badgers rushed toward her, and the Kyuuchou had a moment of panic as she wondered if she had any self defense training at all, and if so would her addled brain allow her to access it?

The point became moot as Kokoro popped up behind the ochre cloaked Badger and then sank as the Blue lunged, causing Noukon to barrel into the back of Oudo, and hence upset the balance of Akaaka – the red cloaked Badger– and all three disappeared into the depths of the tall grasses, so that all she observed was rustling and brief flashes of brightly hued fabric as bits of cloak seemed to flock upward and sink down.

Sa-monpinku appeared to have been anticipating this course of events and rushed directly toward the woman in the pale yellow happi-coat in as near total silence as he could manage given the nature of the tall sedge, his massive girth and the looseness of his pelt. He, like any decent assassin, knew his quarry well, and knew that his only chance was to get inside the On-Myo-Ji’s defenses before she could get a spell off.

The Kyuuchou made ready with the sheathed katana as if it were a baseball bat (which felt, even in the heat of this extreme situation, rather disrespectful) and she thought it was all over as a straw hatted blue cloaked figure surged up from the grass with two fans.

The last thought that went through Sa-monpinku’s mind before the darkness closed in was one of triumph that only three of his brothers had managed to defeat the Kitsune’s human weapon.

As the fourth badger folded, Kokoro removed his weapons.
She tossed the roninkasa from her head and grinned at the Kyuuchou. The glade erupted once more into the normal daytime noises. The combat was over. “Are you hokay-do, Kyuuchou?” Kokoro enquired. She scanned the area, anticipating two more Badgers, but none seemed forth coming.

“Are you all right?” The older woman countered.

Kokoro looked herself over as if that was a very good question. She frowned as she saw a small slice taken out of her hoodie. “Oi!” She tsked and lamented softly, “I only just got this!”

Both women began to chuckle in relief.

The Badger Brothers tied with their own cloaks, back to back, hats low as if they were napping (and in a way they were indeed napping) snouts tied shut with strips of cloth, Kokoro divvied out their weapons to the On-Myo-Ji, keeping only one fan and accepting her beloved Chigiri back.

“Something is very wrong here, isn’t it?” The Kyuuchou remarked.

Kokoro nodded.

“I should confess something to you.” The Kyuuchou continued.

Kokoro closed in tighter to listen. Confessions were always intimate in her experience. Perhaps the Kyuuchou had been afraid? No, more likely she had been uncertain of Kokoro’s prowess. Most people underestimated Kokoro, and she really needed to get used to that. Kaa-san said it was to her advantage that people judged her by her looks. “Yes?” She prompted when they had gone twenty more paces and the Kyuuchou had not yet made her denouement.
“First–“ Even now that the girl had so obviously risked life and limb to safeguard her, the Kyuuchou found herself loath to give up the tactical advantage of no one knowing that she had no idea who or what she was. Knowledge. Power. Like that. “Tell me what you know about me, so I do not need to cover the same ground twice...”

In general, it was not a good thing to ask Kokoro to expound on what she knew. Any of the older Kitsune would have been able to tell the Kyuuchou that. Kokoro had a history of explaining things rapidly and far more thoroughly than most people had a tolerance for. Here, however, she was uncertain of privacy, since there were two more Badger Brothers unaccounted for, and as everyone knew, Badgers had incredible hearing. (Yet even now Kokoro was becoming more and more certain that Daidaiiro-san and Midoriiro-san were otherwise engaged. For a fact, it would later on become a saying: Never send four badgers to do the work of six. Even if it was expedient.)

Her voice sparse above a whisper Kokoro rapidly stated, “You are a On-Myo-Ji of the On-Myo-Ryo, dispatched no doubt to remove the threat of the Atsuuikakura to the Ferry lines. Your equipment was lost in the battle, which I regret, because I needed to get you to the surface so you could breathe.”
“On-Myo-Ji . On-Myo-Ryo.” The Kyuuchou interrupted.

“AH!” Kokoro’s eyes widened. “Of course! You need to be certain that I know about the On-Myo-Ryo. I do. My Kaa-san has taught me many things. On-Myo-Ji are the Guardians of prefectures, and monitor the use of magic, so that people are, in general, kept safe from rogue users, and from those evil beings who manipulate the ungifted or even lesser gifted to their advantage. Or who are outsiders.”

“Go on.”

“Without doctrines between the human world and the spirit world, chaos would ensue. The women of the Fujiwara House established your Order to monitor codes of behavior which allow for peaceful interaction. Before these codes there were many feuds and losses were unacceptable. Which is why I could not fight the Badger Brothers as a courier of the Kitsune. It is also is why I could not use a Way to get off this Island. I am only allowed to do so when I am on official business. And, you, Kyuuchou, I now know you have other business first, or you would have done so.” Kokoro was burning with questions about the role of a On-Myo-Ji, and what was really going on here. Growing up among the Kitsune had taught her that secrets were a fact of life, but had done nothing to quell the ardor of her desire to know more about everything that was going on.

“Magic.” The Kyuuchou echoed. Her head was throbbing now. The pressure was extraordinary, as if something was going to explode or implode. She pinched the bridge of her nose and went pale.

“I can not wield magic. Well, except for a couple of things.” Biting her lips and then pursing them Kokoro scrunched closer to the Kyuuchou and said, “you should sit. You do not look well. I know that you must still be depleted from your battle.”

The Kyuuchou nodded, regretted nodding and folded.

*****

When she came to herself, in more focus, she found they were secured in a small cave, a cup formed from a folded leaf being pressed into her hand. The girl was saying something, which might have been encouragement to drink. So with a huge leap of faith, she put the cup to her lips and downed the contents. They were cold, sharp and burned their way to her stomach, but not unpleasantly so. Better in fact than the hyo-sube’s vinegary sake. Her head cleared and the throbbing subsided. She looked at the girl who hunkered before her, whose eyes were wide with concern. “I’m going to be fine.” It was a perfunctory statement. Again the mass of ropy braids bounced as Kokoro nodded. “So,” the Kyuuchou continued, “this thing I need to tell you...”

Kokoro readied herself. Wisdom! Or maybe a secret? Which would be even better to know! A secret mission. Kaa-san would have scolded her for not going for the Wisdom. “Hai?”

“I have no idea of who I am.”

The statement hung there, between them.
“I keep feeling as if there is something I should know, or I should be able to do, but it evades me.”

Another deep silence.

“I do not even remember my name.”

That brought Kokoro to respond, “Iee! Even if you do, you should not give your full name to just anyone. That can be used to conjure you. Summon you!” What a dilemma! What a catastrophe! Kokoro folded herself down further so that she was cross legged and leaning in toward the Kyuuchou. She reached out tentatively and patted the woman’s knee. “I am here and will protect you.”

“Yes, I noticed.” The Kyuuchou smiled at the girl, “and I actually see that you are well prepared to do so. My first instinct was that you are too young to be allowed to experience danger, and only my dire need impelled me to bring you along... But now my secret is out.”

Again silence. Silence wasn’t Kokoro’s strong suit, although she could maintain it when necessary.

“Kokoro?”

Kokoro nodded.

“What are you thinking?”

The adorable features of the girl were scrunching in thought. She held up a finger. Then she bounded to her feet. “Oi!! The Atsuuikakura, it coated you in its slime!” Now she was excited, because it made sense. “You are in befuddlement, because of that! It... wears off. I think.” Kokoro knew that many magical creatures could befuddle the minds of mortals to a greater or lesser degree.   Because of this the greater portion of humanity did not believe in the magic all around them, even when they encountered it, they would explain it away. “Tengu-kakushidate! Demons bringing on confusion.” A mortal could wander for years, according to what she knew, sometimes forever, never recalling the past. It would not do to say that to the Kyuuchou. “You must bathe.” The teenager nodded. “I will go now and find a hot stream. Once the toxin is off of you?” An adorable one shouldered shrug left the future hopeful.

“Kokoro,” the Kyuuchou said, “thank you for taking this all so well.”

“Kyuuchou, you have given your life to service, how can I do anything except?”

“So,” the Kyuuchou asked wryly, “do you think I am a very powerful On-Myo-Ji?” It seemed funny to even make the remark.
Kokoro studied her companion, “of course. There have been tales of the Atsuuikakura for over eight centuries, and you killed it.” She felt well rewarded when a slow pleased smile spread across the Kyuuchou’s previously worried visage.

The hot spring looked mighty inviting to Kokoro. Especially following her encounter with the Badger Brothers (of whom she was now certain only four were on the island.) It was not to be.   Someone had to keep watch.

Snow was starting to spit from the sky and a flash of brown and yellow brought a meadowlark to Kokoro’s attention. The brown hue of the pretty bird and its sleek elegance instantly brought the Kyuuchou to mind. “Kyuuchou! Until you know your name, may I give you a new one?”

Sunk to her chin in the indescribably luxurious hot spring, the woman looked over at the girl and asked, “oh?”

“Makibatori-Sama.” Kokoro rocked back on her heels, and peeked over her shoulder to see how the Kyuuchou would like that.

“Makibatori it is!” The woman nodded in full agreement, an auspicious name. Then she sank under the water, grabbing handfuls of volcanic sand with which to give herself a final scrub.

The wet walk back to the sanctuary of the cave was a cold one, even though the sky had stopped spitting snow as rapidly as it had begun. The clouds would now help warm the earth, and her pale yellow happi, which was all she had worn from the cave to hot spring, kept Makibatori warm. It had been decided that since the rest of her clothing was finally dry, it was best to keep it dry. The happi-coat was very forgiving, quick drying, and super warm, but she thought maybe it crossed the line when Kokoro playfully referred to it as her On-Myo-Ji Snuggy. While the girl tried to emulate being crestfallen, it was clearly not in her heart to be less than cheerful.
The bathing had made her feel better. How could it not? There was no associated rushing flood of returning memory, however. What would it be like to spend the rest of her life trying to find out who she had been? Did people know and miss her? Love her? Kokoro had said something about her giving her life to service.

As the thought crossed her mind Kokoro enveloped her in a big hug. “You look so much better now!” Pure relief was obvious in the girl’s tone.

Makibatori hugged her back. “I am feeling better. Now, if only we had dinner... I would be perfect.”

At which point Kokoro opened the bright green drafting tube and upended it, making a tumble of nuts and mushrooms cascade out onto the Kyuuchou’s skirt. “How is this?”

They ate in silence. Since each woman tried to give the other the larger portion of the bounty, the food was equally divided. Kokoro waxed poetic on the subject of food. It seemed that she loved to cook, and could eat anything, yet this was feast enough and left them strengthened for what ever would be coming next.
“Moving water depletes magic energy... Unless you are inherently a water being, in which case air fills that function.” The Kyuuchou spoke the words and her eyes widened. “So, I needed to be inside the monster for the magic to work.”

Kokoro bowed, “just so!” She would have pumped a fist and struck a pose, but it was a cave, and not a very tall one.

There was a foggy mental image in the back of her mind, like being wrapped in enormous purple haribakama, struggling to breathe. She reached for more, but it all faded. Instead she had a vague image of a single blossom, floating. A sigh of exasperation forced itself out of her. It was all the negative emotion she would allow to show through. Whatever her current state, it was clear that her office was a high one, and that it demanded the respect of all who recognized it. She would not compromise that with a tantrum, especially since it was so clear that Kokoro was holding on to some hero worship of her. She did not want to disappoint Kokoro. “Now we should go find that hyo-sube’s family.”

*****

O-sansho-uo, it should be made clear, was very unhappy with the brief spate of snow that had occurred. He did not need to sleep through winters, but he generally chose to do so. Usually he lived farther to the south; however, like the Badger Brothers (or at least four of them) he had found that a favor needed to be repaid, and this was why he sat at a confluence of one of the Island’s cold springs and hot springs, just where the water achieved his favorite temperature, which was higher than that favored by any of his mortal cousins.

Unlike the Badger Brothers he had no history with either of females coming toward him, nor did he harbor them either good or bad will. At his age, and one might add size, little troubled him. A lesser O-sansho-uo might have developed a case of ennui. Not so he, his world was a large place, and his enjoyment of it unimpaired by the span of his years. There was a wisdom in age that even let him know that the dusting of snow would soon melt off of his charcoal hued skin, and that the returning sun would warm him again pleasantly. It was one of the things that made the O-sansho-uo so good at Go. He knew how to play the long game.

The Kyuuchou watched the giant Salamander Dragon from a distance and said softly, “he is just sitting there.”

Kokoro nodded. “I like his hat.” It was a good hat, a Ningbo, men’s prayer hat, in royal blue with intricate embroideries which could not be distinguished at this distance.

The Kyuuchou raised an eyebrow at the girl. They were studying a fifteen foot long prospective opponent, with an eye for combat, and she was remarking upon his single sartorial choice. Still, “it is a good hat.”

They were laying on their bellies on rock outcrop, where there was a small waterfall feeding the pool below. The dance of the water on the stones created susurrous enough to cover softly spoken conversation even from the being they observed.
“I can jump onto his back, and...” Kokoro mimed choking motions with her sword.

“Look at him, he is one long bundle of muscle,” the Kyuuchou had to be forthcoming about this. So far the girl had panned out, she was as good as her word, but this was a dragon.

“Well,” Kokoro raised and lowered a shoulder in a minute shrug, “I could use the blade, but his species is protected by law.”

Laughter almost bubbled out of the Kyuuchou.

Kokoro pulled a scowl, but couldn’t make it stick, since her natural inclination was to laughter at all times.   “It would be a shame to kill him,” she amended.

Perhaps the prayer hat meant something, the Kyuuchou reasoned. Perhaps he was just sitting there in a prayer hat as a signal. Not that it couldn’t be a trap, but was it not worth a risk? “I will go and speak to him, and you can chop off his head if he tries to kill me.”

“Yes, Kyuuchou.” Kokoro scrambled off to get into prime position.

Straightening herself out, and brushing off her Monitor’s hanten (although it was already the cleanest part of her attire) the On-Myo-Ji walked straight toward the O-sansho-uo as if she hadn’t a worry in the world. “Hail, O great one! I seek parlay.”

A slow smile spread itself over the O-sansho-uo’s wide maw, looking more toward creepy than friendly, “Good afternoon, Mighty Kyuuchou.” He bowed formally and invited, “see I have a rock, cleaned and dried just so that you may sit and we may speak. Welcome.”

The woman returned the bow, and noting that the rock was politely out of the O-sansho-uo’s striking range, allowed herself to compliment him, “yours is a magnificent hat.”

“I had hoped you would notice it.” His voice was deep and yet melodious. The sort of voice that could without a doubt lull lesser beings into complacency.

Seating herself the woman watched his posture and in a way echoed it, reflecting that there was no threat implied. They would have a truce.

“I fear I have no hospitality to offer by way of food or drink.” He said sadly. “In future I shall make this up to you.”

“There is no offense taken, for I am an unexpected guest.” The Kyuuchou replied, “do you know what I am here to ask?” It was always best, even if one had one’s memory to let the Dragon volunteer information. In this instance, she felt that it might be vital to her survival.

“I do. Not only that, but I am happy to give you the information which you seek, if you will first agree to do for me... A small favor.” He let it hang there.

“How could one as lowly as I do anything... small... for one so majestic?” The Kyuuchou replied cautiously.

That was when the O-sansho-uo wriggled his fingers. It was a mark of wiser species of dragon that they boasted not only five phalanges, but among these an opposable thumb. Now he seemed to be exhibiting some wont or desire by this finger play. “Perhaps to you it will seem as the least of things, but for me? It would be most difficult. Do we have an accord?”

The woman skewed her lips in mild consternation, “I must know to what I am agreeing before I can reach an accord.”

The O-sansho-uo frowned, which was a truly terrifying expression on such a wide and capacious mouth as his.

“After all, you are the Dragon.” She added to placate his ego.

“If you do not agree, then I will have you swear an oath of secrecy.” The O-sansho-uo rumbled.
“I will do so.” The Kyuuchou agreed easily.

“The small one who sneaks up upon me from above, she must also swear.” The O-sansho-uo stipulated. His entire body mass quivered, in anticipation or annoyance it was uncertain, but each bump and nodule on his dark and expressive skin fluctuated in a series of rattling ripples. The already burbling waters in which he relaxed churned more rapidly.

Kokoro froze. She was certain that she had been silent, and now that silence deepened.

“Little hero,” the O-sansho-uo spoke softly, “Kaa-sama has taught you well, but she has not taught you how to sneak up upon such as me. For I wonder if she herself could do such a feat.”

Kokoro bristled, then schooled herself to calmness. Of course Kaa-san could sneak up upon this behemoth. Was she not a Kitsune of the highest ranking? He only flattered himself that he would sense her. Only when she could filter the loyal indignation from her voice did Kokoro speak, “I thank you for your compliment, O-sansho-uo-sama. No offense is intended by my maneuver, only caution.” She held her breath. One never wanted to give offense to an old and cranky being. Even it is was merely immortal rather than greatly eternal.

The Salamander burst into a barked laughter and fell silent just as quickly. “I will give you the gift of wisdom, little hero.” He did not alter his posture nor move his small shoe-button eyes. Instead he spoke as if to an invisible. “My kind does not see in your manner. We do not smell in your manner. The very electricity which makes your heart beat and mind flash is visible to me. Now, you are enlightened.”

“Your hat is very beautiful when viewed from above.” Kokoro replied, then added, “I am grateful for your wisdom, sir.”

“So should you be. One day it may save your life.”

The Kyuuchou looked up, but for the life of her could not see Kokoro in the canopy of trees, even when the girl spoke it was difficult to spot her.

“Now, come down and sit before I show you how high I can jump.” The O-sansho-uo concluded.

“Hai.” Kokoro dropped into the water just out of the salamander-dragon’s initial striking range and slogged to sit just behind the Kyuuchou. She gave the On-Myo-Ji an apologetic look.

“I promise,” The Kyuuchou said, “that if I can not agree to your terms, I will at least keep them secret.”

“I too, will keep them secret.” Kokoro swore, upon a gesture indicating that she should add her spoken oath to that of the Kyuuchou.

“Good.” O-sansho-uo curled himself down and around until he looked more like a cat sunning itself than a predatory dragon. His huge, spade shaped head rested upon his flank, his hands were folded comfortably beneath his chin, just in front of the cord which held the silk hat in place. “What I require is that you shall take in dictation a letter and mail it, to one human male named Jeremy Wade. I wish to teach him a thing or two about River Monsters.”

*****
“Makibatori-Sama?”

“Yes, Kokoro-tan?” The Kyuuchou elicited a giggle from Kokoro with that reply.

“Do you think that Jeremy Wade-san will respond to the letter?” The O-sansho-uo’s letter was tucked safely into Kokoro’s drafting tube, where it would remain safe and dry until she got a chance to mail it.

“It is a well worded letter, Kokoro, I can’t see why a man who loves to find river monsters would not at least try to meet the author.”

“Furedurikku Sa-rumanduru.” Kokoro pronounced the name that the O-sansho-uo had used to sign the letter. “It is a very serious name.”

“You have lovely handwriting.” The compliment made the girl blush. While Kokoro’s incessant attempts to throw English words into conversations had mixed results, her written English was actually quite excellent, as were her carefully printed letters. Like the Kyuuchou, the magical nature of the author had precluded him from desiring to touch the scrivening implements or the vellum he proffered to write upon, personally. Kokoro had been more than amenable to fulfill the role of amanuensis.

“I am trying to convince Kaa-san to allow me to go to University in the United States,” She stated proudly. “In a year, or maybe two. I want to go to a big city. Nyu-Yo-ku, the Biggu Appuru. Or maybe Shikkago. It is called the Sekando City. I think Amerikan boys are very cute.”

“Kokoro-tan, are there any boys you don’t think are cute?”

Kokoro grinned and could not deny the truth of that statement.

The path that they had been set upon took them into the trees, to a place that no hyo-sube would have been able to safely travel. Frederick, the O-sansho-uo, had confirmed that he had been asked to find a way into the Go game, and into other social situations around the island as the settlement of a favor. It had been a long outstanding debt. One he had not liked to have to repay, because he had sensed subterfuge in the manner he was asked to make it so that the various Kappa families of the island left wives and small children at home on an evening or two. (He was also quite vocal about having given up Sake, many years ago now.)
So far all the Macaques, the Nihonzaru, they had seen were of the quotidian variety. Neither descendants of Hanuman nor harbingers of whatever was wrong on the island. Frederick had warned them that some of the monkeys would report their whereabouts, but he could or would not say to whom they would report it.     Makibatori-Sama did not press him, she could sense that he was walking a fine line between honoring a debt and his conscience.

Like most of the monkeys on these islands, there was no fear of humans in them, isolated and protected by law as they were. If anything, the Kyuuchou mused, that would make them better cover for spies. There was something she could do, she knew it, to tell friendly monkeys from average monkeys from foe monkeys, but when her mind almost settled upon what that very thing could be, it would slide away from her. Then her head would begin to pound again.

Kokoro handed her a bunch of leaves. “Chew these, Makibatori-Sama, they are alike aspirin.”

At this point the Kyuuchou simply shoved them into her mouth. If Kokoro meant anyone ill will (which she doubted) she was more likely to mete it out with her katana than with leaves. Besides which, the O-sansho-uo had constantly referred to her as ‘little hero.’ A curious epithet to be award to one so young by a dragon.

Dragon. She had parlayed with a dragon, and walked away feeling as if he liked her. That was significant. “Do you suppose this happens to me all the time?” She asked the girl at her side.

“You are a Kyuuchou!” Kokoro replied as if it were answer enough.

“Does this happen to you all the time?” She changed the nature of the question, in hopes of getting more input.

“When I had just gotten my first four teeth, Kaa-san told me, she heard screaming from where she had set me out on a blanket for sun with some of the youngest kits. When she came to my aid, she saw that it was not me, but a small demon whose tail I was chewing as I pinned him down, that was screaming.” Kokoro bared her even white teeth, then continued, “I almost had its tail off.   That was when Kaa-san knew that I must be taught everything about fighting all evils.”

“Ah.”

The ensuing silence was comfortable, but deep. Deep in that it allowed them each to smell the bark of the trees that they walked through, and experience the intermittent odor of the rich soil when their quiet footsteps broke through the surface of the forest floor. They heard the life all around them carried on the gentle breeze, and soon they noted the beginnings of a pathway. One that had been trod by many tabi shod feet. Odd feet.   “Hyo-sube.”

“Saru as well.” The Kyuuchou pointed to the simian prints. “It almost looks as if the monkeys were herding the kappaloids.”

“Bad monkeys.”

“Perhaps very bad monkeys.”

“If there is a witch, we must throw water on her.” Kokoro postulated.

The Kyuuchou almost laughed.
*****

Why she did not laugh, was that silence suddenly became mandatory. Up ahead, currently obscured by trees, but close, the sounds of some sort of enterprise could be heard. The two women veered off of the path and once again took to high ground. Below them they could see an encampment, in one section many children of the hyo-sube, and other river kappa, were corralled. Fifty or sixty meters from this, the horde of their mothers, and perhaps grandmothers, labored unearthing something in a muddy embankment. Above both groups, but below the perch in the overlooking rocks that the two women held, the Saru sat in trees and kept a weather eye upon the prisoners.

The Kyuuchou felt Kokoro tense, her body language bristling with righteous indignation. She stayed the girl with a gentle hand. “Count the monkeys.”

Kokoro pursed her lips and nodded. Yes, of course, well over a hundred of saru clung to the trees. Perhaps they were not all bad monkeys, but how could one be certain? It would not do to allow a premature attack to endanger those whom they sought to rescue. Even though it took considerable effort, Kokoro deferred to the wisdom of her companion, and relaxed her muscles.


Makibatori approved of the girl’s ability to change tack, and she also slowed her breathing and tried to make her jangling nerves relax. She needed to do something. Rolling onto her back and staring into the tufted white clouds that danced across the sky she wondered what she needed to do next. Then it hit her. “I need to make a fan.”

Kokoro watched as the Kyuuchou disappeared into the woodland. Perplexed she resumed a lone vigil on the scene below. In a way it was almost placid. If one did not know that the children were corralled, kidnaped and being held hostage, one might almost think it was just a community at work, and an oddly minimalistic day care. Long observation revealed that there were guards, and that they trucked no slow downs. Still it was difficult to determine just who was in charge, even given the amount of time it took the Kyuuchou to return.

“Kokoro-tan,” came a whisper as Makibatori-Sama returned, “may I have some of your beautiful hair?”

Kokoro’s hand went to one of her several rope braids.

“I don’t want it cut, just a few combed out will do.”

Kokoro nodded. Her fingers danced to loosen a braid and she apologized for her initial reluctance. The Kyuuchou’s fingers worked deftly to free the loose hairs and then went to work as she watch Kokoro bind the inordinately long tress back up. The girl needed not only to braid, but twist and loop her hair to get it back into place. Clearly her hair had never known a blade.

Kokoro in turn watched as the Kyuuchou utilized her long, and not so clean as she would want it, hair to finish the large fan which she had fashioned. It looked as if a good portion of her blouse had given itself to this cause, perhaps the entire bottom of the back. Like the sky it was now blue, and had been painted with some sort of berry, so that it looked like clouds danced across its surface. “Your hair will give it strength.” Straightening herself out, hoping that she knew what she was doing, because with the lack of hard memory, she was a slave to instinct, the Kyuuchou shifted the steel fan liberated from the Badger to her left side, and took up the new fan on her right. She snapped it open and closed several times just to get the feel of it’s weight and be certain that it would hold its shape. It did. She was good at this! “When I find out who the leader is, chaos should result. Your job is to get those females and their offspring out of harm’s way.”

Kokoro nodded. “Yes, Kyuuchou!”

The woman touched her fan. “This. This is an important tool. I only hope I can remember why, when the heat of battle is upon us.”

“You will.” Kokoro stated with assurance. “You must!”

“Wait for it.” Makibatori-Sama reminded.

Neither of them knew what “it” might be, but both figured that when “it” happened, “it” would be easy to recognize.

What had happened was this. When she thought about it, construction of the fan fell apart. When she let herself go, and her hands moved of their own accord, the construction of the fan had been easy. Familiar. That had given her hope that whatever she needed to do with the fan would also come. Even if not, she held a warm confidence that Kokoro would be able to at least get the children to safety. Whatever the female hyo-sube were unearthing? Well, it made her itch. The nasty sort of itch that she got when... Her mind slid to the side. When blank. When the clouds were pretty in the sky, when the pretty brown birds sang sweet songs, giving her a name. When she finally remembered anything she would surely explode.

Explode, like the giant pink behemoth. That image. That image folded in on itself and she saw a single, perfect cherry blossom. It floated down onto the still waters, reflecting both sides. Spinning, like her thoughts were spinning.

“Kyuuchou?” Kokoro jostled her elbow, “Makibatori-Sama?”

The woman blinked several times. She focused on the worried features of her companion. “What?”

“You... went away for a little, I think.” Kokoro said, not without some concern. “Are you back? Can you do what you need to?”

“I blew up the Atsuuikakura, didn’t I?” She drew herself up to her full height, which was shorter than the girl next to her, especially considering the thickness of Kokoro’s outrageous buutsu. “I am On-Myo-Ji, am I not?”

Kokoro made a formal bow to the woman, and her coat-of-office. “I did not mean to doubt.”

“You are forgiven. Let’s go.”

The Amanojaku had been trapped in the homunculus and encased in a cask many years prior, so many, in fact, that he had no concept of the current state of the world at large and was often startled by things like airplanes flying overhead. It had only been the constant ebb and flow of the tide which had rubbed the seals set upon the cask smooth. No spell could have undone them, even the motion of the sea had no power over the seals. It was the simple dynamics of coral and sand which had won even this partial freedom for the Amanojaku.
It was not good to be so small. Soon his days of running and hiding and employing Saru thugs would be over. That would all change when the hyo-sube finished unearthing the great giant buried here. Their nimble hands would be careful of the intricate raised glyphs upon it, or their darling offspring would pay. That always motivated mothers. His small round face split in an evil grin which reached almost exactly from ear to ear. Any creature near enough to espy the grin would have jumped back, no matter how tiny the form that Jaku was currently encased in. Any creature would have been wise to do so.

It had been several days, and only the faintest hint of what had been concealed beneath the island was beginning to manifest. A hand lay several yards under the soil, and such a hand! Still, he chided himself, a hand would avail him naught, one could not control or subvert via cuticles. No. No, he needed eye, ear, mouth to access mind, and it was by accessing mind that he did his work. Long ago he had started upon a path of destruction so insidious, so deliciously wicked that few recalled his actual origin. Now, once he unearthed the lava giant, once he occupied it, he would be unstoppable.

In the interim he amused himself with the creatures around him, and their petty lives, and promised himself that when he was safely ensconced in his new form he would level the island and sink it back into the sea.

Such thoughts buoyed his spirit. He started to do a little dance on his stubby legs, flapping his arms this way and that, chanting about the end of free will. It was during this terpsichorean glee that he made a horrible mistake. He called out to the Inari that nothing could stop him this time. Of course, his mistake was not in calling out to the Inari. Many people did so and everyday to any number of deities. In fact the world was such a din of voices these days it was certainly miraculous if a deity ever managed to hear, let alone act upon such in a timely manner. Which is what Amanojaku’s true error was:   He managed to shout at a moment when all other beings were almost as one previously occupied. (Such moments were all so rare in the noise and bustle of the modern world. They happened when wonderful or horrible things of great magnitude took the mind of the collective consciousness and numbed it for a microsecond... but I digress.)

So it was that the Inari had managed to ask Kaa-san to get Kokoro onto the Ferry, although she had no idea it was so that the Kyuuchou might have half a chance of not drowning after her victory against the Atsuuikakura. (The Inari, existing as they do outside of linear time, were seldom specific, at least in ways relevant to a mind locked in a mono-directional time stream.)

In any case, Jaku was doing a dance that boasted neither rhythm nor beauty, but which clearly conveyed a sort of hideous hubris when someone blocked the spotlight of the sun. His short, stubbly legs froze in place as his pale eyes glanced toward the interloper. Nothing of her appearance registered upon him, not her soft brown hair as it fell about her shoulders, not her pretty delicate features, not anything except that she wore a pale yellow happi-coat. His temper flared, he hissed and spit as if he was an angry cat recently dashed with cold sudsy water. He howled a high whining pitch.

The work stopped, and all eyes turned toward the Amanojaku. Even the monkeys, or those not startled into fleeing, stared at him.

“Order your minions to stand down and release your prisoners.” Keeping her voice even, and her fans at waist level, the Kyuuchou stared down on the infant sized being. Maybe being with Kokoro was having a profound effect upon her, because she wanted to laugh at the diaper-like getup that comprised his entire outfit. Other than that there was no likeness to a baby, he was covered in short wiry hairs. A bad sixties hair cut, beard and mustache framed his face.

His over-wide mouth grit angry teeth at her. His last contest of wills with an On-Myo-Ji had predicated his long imprisonment. This time, he would not be thwarted. Throwing his consciousness into the woman before him, he intended to utilize her own skills, her own body, in place of the imperfect vessel which he currently occupied. Once inside he would...

The cherry blossom floated on the water.

What was this? Where were the memories of spells and battles? Where was...

It spun, reflected so that one could see both sides. It was beautiful and transient.

Amanojaku fled back into his own form. “What are you?”    He demanded.

Makibatori only had one answer. She was the Kyuuchou who was going to stop him from harming anyone or anything. The fan in her right hand snapped open and she spoke a word of command. A large white and golden carp sprang from the fishtail arc of the fan and flew at the homunculus, it’s wide maw opening to swallow him.

There was no way to ascertain who was more surprised by this occurrence, the Amanojaku, or the Kyuuchou.

The Amanojaku recovered first. He jumped straight back, growling, and the fish missed him by bare millimeters. As it hit the ground, it disappeared in a splash of rapidly sublimating mist. He began to shout to the Saru to kill the younglings.

Now the Kyuuchou had her second fan in motion, without consciously trying to deploy it. The steel fan whirled in her left hand and she snapped it out. It dragged along the beard of the amanojaku, and he leaped to his right to evade becoming even shorter. He grabbed up a spade, brandishing it at his opponent, shrieking for his minions to rally to him, and fight the woman. Once a Nihonzaru was close enough he would use it to tear the female from limb to limb.
*****
The Saru were busy.

Even had they not been busy, there were no longer any small kappaloids in the corral for them to kill. Also, it should be mentioned that they were suddenly not all that certain that they wanted to kill anyone or anything.

Amanojaku had, for a time invaded their minds, just as he had tried to do with the Kyuuchou; however, Jaku’s last invasion had sent an image to his minions. The memory of one perfect cherry blossom, floating. It was a perfect moment in time, and as such it brought to the forefront of all those whom he had tainted, other perfect moments in time. Mutual grooming, when done just so, making you relax all over. Watching a funny exchange between two of your younger siblings. The taste of a perfectly ripe berry. These were not sensations which fed the destructive nature of the soul.

In that moment when each had lapsed into heady, heavy lidded recollection, Kokoro had acted. She had done several things to prepare, but it was the invisibility that the Kyuuchou had created (although she did not know specifically how) via distraction which had purchased the perfect moment to set all into motion. Foremost, the rescue of the young hostages. Bigger ones helping the smaller ones through a gap in the woven surround. “Shh.” She cautioned with a finger to her lips. Off they ran! Next, the undamming of the stream in which the multitude of Nannies and Mommies dug.

The trickle, then rivulet alerted the hyo-sube and their kin that something was changing. Where a rush of water would do no harm, nor impede the kappa, it would give pause to the Nihonzaru. As she mounted the earthwork and kicked the last bit of support free, Kokoro waved off those who noticed. They gave only a quick glance toward the place now empty where once their children had been, and were off!

The waters broke free and tumbled in a mud riddled wash ruining the digging which had taken place.

Those of the Saru who were wiser, fled as well.

Those who were angrier than wise decided to vent their frustration on the girl who was running just fast enough to clear the dam as the water did its work.

Kokoro took the last few meters in a leap and a flip that landed her between the fleeing hyo-sube women and any who might pursue them. Behind her the happy sound of reunion signaled that mothers and offspring had regrouped.

Before her, the scowls of disenfranchised macaque thugs revealed long canine teeth.

If the girl had been certain that the Nihonzaru confronting her were free from mental control she might have chosen differently, but because it seemed to her that there was something amiss about their behavior, Kokoro shunned the use of Chigiri as weapon of choice. (Lamentably, this will deny the reader a chance of beholding, even in the pale form of narrative, the poetry of skill and motion which would have been experienced once girl and blade became one.) Instead, Kokoro took up the fan and kettle which she had liberated from two of the Badger Brothers. The kettle was on a short chain, but given the height of her Saru opponents, it was an optimal length to whirl and pop them on the head. The fan could of course serve as shield or sharp. “I do not wish to do so, but I will harm, and if harm is insufficient I shall maim.” Her warning fell upon deaf ears.

No one bothered to count hpw many monkeys there were as they all rushed her at once.

Amanojaku was pushed from an agitated state to one of near insanity as he saw all his plans erode with the embankment, and his schemes buried as Lava Giant was once more was silted under the earth. Shouting words of power he hurled stones at the Kyuuchou and maneuvered himself ever toward his simian thralls.

Makibatori was quite like her namesake as she whirled with her two fans, the right attacking and the left defending. The return of rushing water forced her to higher ground, but instinct guided her to always keep herself between the homunculus and his allies.

Kokoro maneuvered to place herself between the anger of the Nihonzaru and the back of the heroic Kyuuchou. Who in the world, other than a truly heroic soul, would enter into battle with a demon while bereft of her memories?

So it was that eventually, both women found themselves back to back.

Amanojaku hurled a shower of debris to blind his opponent and her pet girl. The Saru lunged as one for the human who was humiliating them in combat.

Just as quickly the Kyuuchou changed the tried and true tactic of leading with the right hand fan, she dropped to her knees and slid in to the Amanojaku’s striking range, and with a snap of her left wrist sent his ugly little head flying into the air.

Frederick, who had been following the reopened flow of the stream leaped up to catch and swallow the projectile, shocked visage and all.

At the appearance of the enormous O-sansho-uo the attacking Saru found themselves unable to reverse course rapidly enough. They screamed in terror and scurried for the trees, climbing the highest they could locate to escape his wrath.

The rest of the Amanojaku floated downstream, harmless now.

“It pleases me to no longer owe any favors to that ill favored creature.” The O-sansho-uo stated sincerely.

Kokoro put up her weapons, so that Frederick would have no chance of thinking that she was impolite enough to try her hand against him. She saw that Makibatori-sama was doing the same. The Kyuuchou gave the behemoth a courteous bow. “I am honored to be of service.”
“Will you go now, and deliver my mail, little hero?” Frederick asked of Kokoro.

“When I am able to get off of this island, Furedurikku-sama.” The girl replied fervently as she, too, bowed.

The Kyuuchou regarded Kokoro and said, “I think that Kaa-san would tell you there is great honor in acting as a courier to a Dragon. It gives you license to use the Ways.”

“Yes, little hero, use the Ways and send my letter now.” The O-sansho-uo directed.

“Hai.” She bowed, and dropped the metal weapons she carried before stowing Chigiri back into the lime green tube. “But... Makibatori-sama? How will you leave the island?”

The Monitor looked at the disheveled girl and laughed, “don’t worry about me, Kokoro-tan.” She replied, “I remember... everything.” So saying she walked to the nearby rocks, opening a portal, “Until we meet again!” and disappeared.

Kokoro leaped into the air, fist high, shouting “Yatta!” Then she too slipped into the places between places.

The O-sansho-uo settled into the water and smiled.                                                                        -The End-

Friday, June 22, 2012

Memory of a Cherry Blossom