480Belladonna (C31)
Disclaimer: I do not own Nurarihyon no Mago. I only own my OCs and my story plots.
Retsu is currently 7 years old.
Belladonna
Chapter 31:
Crash Landing
Kyōto is in a huge mess.
After Rokukin-ji fell and the third seal was broken, Ayakashi flooded the capital through the weakened barrier. A mass-scale warning had been issued to the public, cautioning all to avoid visiting any shrines and temples come sunset. But Ryūji knew there would always be a handful of oblivious idiots and daredevils with zero disregard for rules doing exactly what they were told not to. Although… that warning the Keikain Clan issued would not be of much use soon. If the seals are completely removed… Ayakashi would no longer be restricted to hunting only at night.
Things would only get messier, and the crescendo has yet to arrive.
Ryūji scowled for the umpteenth time this past few weeks, and he could feel what must be the start of a headache pounding between his eyes as he stalked through the dark corridors of the Keikain Clan compound. Ever since the fox began their invasion, night and day were almost impossible to differentiate, especially in certain areas. Dark clouds converged above the skies of Kyōto, and a sense of dread filled the unnaturally chilly summer air. Icy pinpricks dug uncomfortably into his skin, and the dense amount of youki seemed to constrict his throat like a starving boa that had just found its prey. The Fukuju massacre incident flashed to the forefront of his mind, further deepening his frown, and he physically shook the thought from his head with an irritated "Tsk."
Again.
His instincts flared and pulsed lowly, and he gritted his teeth, lips pursed tightly into a thin line. Most of his past gut feelings consisted of clear-cut, sharp and loud signals whenever danger was around. However, this time, he felt as though his inbuilt alarm was messing with him. It comes and goes, fickle like the tides, and he can't tell whether whatever was on the way is good or bad. He had this dreadful sensation that a similar issue may arise again, and he really hoped that was not the case. Either way, whenever he feels like trouble is brewing, he has work. A whole lot of it.
"Tch."
A small part of him wishes whatever that's been niggling at him wouldn't come to pass. However, given the luckless past few weeks they'd all been having… He lets out a slow and sharp exhale, rubbing at the deep crease between his brows. Pushing away all intrusive and unnecessary thoughts, he picked up the pace.
Tonight, the second seal site, Sōkoku-ji—which was supposed to be protected by the Aika Branch—is preparing for an all-out attack from the Kyōto yōkai. There had been no news of Akifusa, Pato and Masatsugu ever since the siege on the third seal site, Rokukin-ji, and what remained of the few members of the Fukuju Clan could just barely set up a decent enough barrier to guard that place. Ryūji does not need to be a seer to know that this site will soon fall into the fox's hands as well.
But they would fight tooth and nail to make sure it wouldn't be a smooth victory for them… no matter how seemingly futile their efforts may seem now.
Wakana blinked awake to the resounding blare of a ship's airhorn and cast a bleary glance at the clock placed upon the tatami near her.
It's late.
She got up, rubbing her eyes sleepily as she peered out the ajar window where the soft glow of moonlight shone in. Her gaze caught the underside of a very large wooden ship hovering over the mansion, and she shivered a little at the unnatural cold hanging thick in the air. There was a ruckus going on downstairs as yōkai began to scamper around as though in a rush to prep for something.
Something big, like a war.
Was it time already?
A Hyakki Yakō never moved without a commander at its helm, so that means… she gave the garden a more thorough look. Searching for the familiar figures of her children, be they human or yōkai form, but she doesn't see them.
Then, she heard footsteps outside her room, deliberate ones that started a small distance from her bedroom door before stopping right by it. It was an antic she found rather endearing. Unless they specifically remembered to do so, very few yōkai walked with sound in this household, some float to get around, after all. Although there are some notable exceptions, like the pitter-patter footfalls of the childlike smaller yōkai and, on occasion, when he slips up—Aotabō tends to cause quite the commotion.
"Mama."
Her eyes widened in surprise, and a small happy smile lit up her face. "Ara Retsu, come in."
The fusuma slid open a crack, and her young daughter slinked in, quietly shutting the door behind her. The regal emerald green of her outfit immediately drew her attention to it, as did the sharp and sturdy-looking hairpins. Green… suits her almost as much as it did for Rihan.
Wakana settled back onto her futon and patted the spot on the side, wordlessly asking for her to come sit. Her smile widened, gaining a touch of amusement when Retsu made absolutely no sound when she walked over the tatami to settle down beside her. The mental image of Retsu deliberately stomping the floor a few paces just before coming in was fairly humorous.
"Okaeri."
"Tadaima." Retsu replied, shifting a little in her seat. "…We'll be setting off in a bit."
Out in the dimly lit hallway, Nurarihyon slinked past, his arms tucked into his sleeves.
…
Wakana stood on the patio leading into the garden, quietly sending off her children as the two cast one more look from aboard before Takarabune set sail, a blare of the airhorn signalling their departure. With a strong downward flap of its arms, the fans held within the ship's grasp whipped up a sharp gust of wind as the wooden ship soared high into the night sky and disappeared above the sea of clouds, leaving behind a lingering chill within the garden. The mist crept amongst the blades of grass, covering them with a fine layer of dew in its wake.
The mansion is a lot quieter than before as Wakana retreats to her room.
Takarabune lives up to its name as a treasure ship. The interior is spacious and luxurious, with intricate carvings lining the upper ceilings and wooden floorboards polished to a shine that reflects the hazy yellow glow of the rows of lanterns lighting up the hallways.
The scent of good wine and laughter permeates the air. Yōkai of all manner of sizes and colours got comfy as they settled in for the long ride. The party animals had already cracked open wine barrels and whipped out complimentary snacks from who knows where to go with the drinks, while some opted to play games to pass the time. The last-minute preparations were done impeccably; it was a good thing the Nura Clan's longest-serving subordinates still remembered what to pack for war.
Although… drinks before an invasion?
Ame is a little worried. Or is it okay because they need a little bit of liquid courage?
In that case… should he join? Ame nearly laughed to himself hysterically.
Yeah, maybe he should get a cup too, just to calm his nerves, or steel it. He'll take either at this point.
After having distributed the "pink goods", Yūga and Kotarō headed off to join the war council meeting, while the rest of Retsu's group, who weren't helping out in the kitchen or snoozing somewhere, were left to wander the ship. Ame and Tozen went with the Ōkami group as they headed to the deck for some fresh air. Peering over the wooden railings, they were treated to the sight of countless city lights scattered across the darkness, looking like stars on Earth as Takarabune cut through the clouds.
"What are you looking at?" Saburō asked their youngest littermate after finding the other staring suspiciously hard at something in the far-off distance, and Rokurō wordlessly pointed to the enigma that caught his eye.
Saburō squints into the dark. Ame also took a look. He could vaguely make out a black dot that resembled a ship, with a… huge octopus wrapped around it, right in the process of dragging it down into the watery depths.
"… Is that a ship?" Jirō asked incredulously, hand poised over his eyes.
"Looks like it," Ichirō muttered after a brief pause to make sure his eyes were not playing tricks on him.
"It's getting sunk by a huge octopus!" Rokurō commented in awe.
"Think it might be the one from the legends? Kraken, was it?" Saburō mused. "I've watched a few documentaries on it before."
"Are those documentaries even to be trusted?" Ichirō questioned skeptically, and their third brother only shrugged, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
"Should we help them…?" Ame queried out loud.
"Fight a Kraken before waging war on Kyōto? You gotta pick one or the other, lil' buddy, not both." Ichirō replied dryly.
"Wait a moment." Tozen squints, studying the ship's structure or, more precisely, the smoke surrounding it. Osore. "It's a fellow ghost ship."
"So they're Nakama?" Shirō drawled.
Gorō snorted. "Just leave them be. It's probably not even their first rodeo with that eight-legged sea monster."
Ame thinks he saw a small humanoid figure running up and down the sinking ship. "Is that the captain?"
"He's got a big hat, so he should be?" Saburō shrugged. "Although… his clothes seemed old… and foreign."
"His sea legs are something else." Jirō whistled, impressed.
"You can say it's 'out of this world', get it?" Shirō cackled.
That earned him a slap of pure reflex from Gorō.
"Ow… I like that." Shirō grinned.
His fifth brother made a face of absolute disgust, and to further annoy his sibling, Shirō's grin became even wider as he sang, "Hit me, baby, one more time~"
"As you wish."
Gorō chased Shirō around the ship at breakneck speed, neither gaining ground nor slowing down for the other.
Ame stared after the two playful Ōkami and shook his head, deciding that they needed to work off the excess energy.
Inside Bishamonten Hall, dinner quietly drew to a close, and our food trays were swiftly cleared. Candlelights flickered within their posts when the fusuma slide closed behind Kejōrō, having left to drop off the food trays with a few other yōkai servants while getting a refill for our tea. The room felt rather… solemn as we waited in silence.
At the front of the hall are two partitions and a mobile magnetic whiteboard. The larger partition depicted a monochrome landscape painting of the mountains and forest, while the smaller one was entirely made up of light pink paper with glittery squares scattered throughout. On the right side of the large whiteboard, a detailed map of modern Kyōto was pinned up with round blue magnets, while on the left are three lines:
Find out the total number of enemies
Do not act on your own (intimidation is not allowed)
What is the goal of Kyōto Yōkai?
'It's a bit of a shame, but the Kyōto yōkai are pretty cautious, so I knew nothing about their numbers other than they are "short-staffed". Even then, one can never have too many soldiers… I don't know the minimum number of soldiers back then, let alone the number they must have regained after breaking the seals on the old capital. As for the last one… it's always been the same.'
Rikuo sat at the front and centre position, where two mahogany tables were pushed together to make a long one. I flanked his right, while Kurotabō, his left. Occupying one side of the room are Kubinashi, Shōei, and Kejōrō—who had stepped outside for the moment.
'As I thought. It still feels weird without Tsurara and Aotabō.' I cooly eyed the empty spots.
When we boarded the ship, I had the strangest feeling that we were missing some people. Thankfully, it hadn't taken me too long to pinpoint exactly who, and I began asking for the whereabouts of Tsurara and Aotabō. Kejōrō had hesitated for a fraction of a second before informing me that they had gone on ahead to Kyōto with my brother's classmates. The only appropriate reply I could give then was to sigh in resignation.
'Oblivious humans truly have no sense of self-preservation.' But what to do? My brother would worry even more if no one was looking out for his human friends. The only thing I could do was believe that our trusted aides would know to protect themselves and avoid trouble.
The Tōno group has made themselves comfy on our left, though Amezō and Yukari had opted to wander around the ship due to their lack of experience and expertise in strategising. Yūga and Kotarō had taken on their puppy forms after dinner for some reason, perhaps due to the limited space—or food coma may have gotten to them. The former is sprawled out underneath the table, his fluffy white head propped on my lap, while the latter leaned against the side of my thigh. Both had their eyes closed and were seemingly snoozing, but the slight twitch of their ears now and then told me they were very much listening.
Suzu is curled up directly on my lap, her little paw holding onto Yūga's snout, her soft purring proving to be a very soothing sound and sensation as I feel myself relaxing further. I hope the food coma doesn't hit me too soon, either.
To think we're all on our merry way to Kyōto right this instant.
I don't feel much of anything, all things considered, I'm almost a little too calm. But I suppose I could count it as a small blessing that the nerves have yet to settle in. There would be plenty of chances to be tense later on, so it would be best to relax while I could still afford to.
'Ah, yes, almost forgot.' I slipped a hand into the inner pocket of my kimono and retrieved a big vial of "Yōhime's vengeance" to give to my brother.
Crimson eyes flicked up to my identical ones, arching a fine silver brow when I tried to shove the bottle into the sleeves of his folded arms. He untucked an arm to receive it, and I pressed the bottle into the palm of his hand. Itaku narrowed his eyes, damn near bristling when he saw our impromptu exchange.
"Throw it on the ground and bolt when you want to retreat. I suggest you hold your breath when you do that." I told him ominously.
Curious red eyes peered at the clear pink liquid swirling about in the vial. "Is this the stink bomb that was set off previously?"
The two Ōkami's ears twitched, and I smoothed a hand over their heads, careful to avoid any healing injuries on Yūga.
"No, it's stronger. It'll last three days and nights without fail."
Their ears immediately flattened against their heads while I saw Dohiko and Awashima wincing out of the corner of my eye. Rikuo pursed his lips, studying the vial for a second longer before carefully pocketing it with a nod.
"Don't break it on accident, Rikuo." Awashima grimaced.
"I won't." Rikuo shot back, almost rolling his eyes.
"Famous last words." I snarked. Ironic since I was the last clown who broke it by accident.
Dohiko snorted while Reira's lips twitched behind her sleeve.
The present Nura Clan members—Kurotabō, Kubinashi and Shōei—while they weren't involved in the making of the stink bombs, have, however, smelled or at least heard of it as it was being made. Shōei doesn't quite seem to know what to make of the stink bombs; however, the other two were rightfully wary. Since Kejōrō had a direct hand in its creation, due to her knowledge of perfumes during her time working as a courtesan, she may have told them about 'Yōhime's vengeance' in passing. Speaking of which, it seems like she is back with our tea.
The drinks are swiftly served, and Kejōrō was quick to settle down between Kubinashi and Shōei to allow the meeting to commence. Kurotabō took that as his cue to get ready to kickstart the war council, while I took that as my cue to relay any important information now.
"Ah, before we begin," I spoke up, raising a hand to gain everyone's attention, and heads turned, directing me with their curious gazes. Kurotabō—who has yet to stand—leaned back to fully seat himself once more. "There are a few things I would like to bring to everyone's attention first."
Carefully slipping Suzu off my lap, I stood up and turned to face the whiteboard, reaching for a marker on the tray and uncapped it with a pop. I begin to draw a portrait upon the empty space. "There is someone by the name of Minagoroshi Jizō within the Kyōto yōkai executive ranks. His most distinct feature is a huge eye on his forehead, red sclera and grey iris. He typically wears a yellow robe, looks like a bony, bald old man, has a weird wheeze-cackle-like laugh and not much teeth."
The scent of the marker tickles my nose as the dark ink glides across the smooth surface, slowly piecing together an unsettling face. "I hope everyone could avoid engaging him directly, but if there is no way to avoid combat, do watch out for mental attacks. Mind control and brainwashing are some of his abilities. I'm not too sure what conditions he needed to fulfil before he could use the brainwashing ability. However, it is very powerful and can be used on multiple targets for years."
Capping the marker, I turned around after making as realistic a sketch of Minagoroshi Jizō's face as my child-hand-eye coordination could.
"He's related to the Clan who had a hand in Niidaime's assassination, so… if anyone saw him, please tell me. I will personally deal with him." I supplemented for the benefit of the Tōno group, who did not know anything about the Hyaku Monogatari Clan beforehand. I could see everyone's gazes sharpening as they gave the portrait a good, long look.
"The second thing… is about the Spiral Barrier that guaranteed Kyōto four hundred years of peace from Ayakashi. With the seals broken, they will have regained majority of their powers and numbers. To increase our chances of victory, our priority would be to find the Keikain Onmyōji and reinstall the seal sites."
Rikuo perks up at this.
"Due to some things that happened while I was still in Kyōto, it would be for the best if I limit my interactions with the Onmyōji as much as possible. So, I will be leaving any dealings with the Onmyōji to Onii-chan since he's classmates with one."
"Lastly… there was an order from Hagoromo Gitsune to bring me back should the Kyōto yōkai spot me, though given the current situation, I believe the order is not high on the priority list at the moment. Therefore, unless it's to engage in combat, I'll be keeping my appearance in Kyōto to the barest minimum to avoid unnecessary problems."
I earned myself some horrified and concerned faces after revealing that nugget of info. The former belonged to the Nura Clan members while the latter the Tōno group.
"What?" Kubinashi's face paled. "Retsu-sama—"
"If there is anyone unfortunate enough to encounter me, then I sincerely hope they enjoy swimming in 'Yōhime's vengeance' since Kameosa has quite a bit to spare." I cut him off with a sinister smile, earning uncontrollable shivers from the Ōkami duo by my feet.
That immediately shut everyone up, though it still seemed like they might have more to say, but it was already far too late. We're almost at our destination.
"That's all from me. Thank you for listening." I nodded to Kurotabō, who dipped his head and stood up to take over.
"Right, thank you, Retsu-sama." Clearing his throat, he began his introductions. "Listen up, you guys from Tōno. Firstly, I will explain a little about the Nura Clan organisation. Outside of the main house, there are twenty major supporting groups, called the most powerful of the heads. Among them are the Daruma Group, the Gyūki Clan and so on. For this expedition, from among these groups, we have Shōei-sama of the Hihi Clan participating. Since Shōei-sama is still inexperienced, I, Kurotabō, will serve as chief strategist."
He cleared his throat once again before turning to Rikuo with an amicable smile. "Do you approve, Rikuo-sama?"
Rikuo cast an almost bored look at the black-robed monk, "…Sure, it's fine."
The rings on his staff jangled when Kurotabō shifted to face the front once more. "Well then, the Main Family will be under my orders. Tōno group. Your job once we reach Kyōto will be—"
"Just a minute." Awashima cuts in unhappily. "How come you're ordering us around like we're your subordinates?"
'Ah.' I thought, a slight unease coiling low in my gut as I vaguely recalled the argument that eventually led to a full-out brawl on the deck. 'It's here.'
"Didn't you exchange Sakazuki with Rikuo-sama?" Kurotabō asked after a brief pause at the unexpected outburst.
Immediately, Awashima stood up in agitation. "Sakazuki?! You've gotta be kidding! We Tōno pledge allegiance to no one!"
"Then why did you follow Rikuo-sama?" Kurotabō probed further, genuinely confused.
"Well! That's because…" She paused, pressing a finger to her temple, stumped. "It's… Well…"
'Which reminds me, why was Awashima uncooperative? It's only natural to heed orders from the people they are temporarily lending their strength to unless, of course, the order is a completely stupid one.' Then, my memory supplied the answers. Kurotabō and Awashima had a slight beef back in the garden. Also, she is an Amanojaku.
The Amanojaku are known to have an extremely contrary nature: If they were ordered something, they would do the opposite.
I internally facepalmed.
Just because Awashima was mostly agreeable with me doesn't mean she would be with everyone. Kurotabō was currently leading this meeting, and I cannot keep butting in, it's disrespectful and shows I have little faith in his capabilities to manage things. He must settle this issue himself.
Unable to watch Awashima struggle in vain any longer, Itaku takes over with an inward sigh. "Rikuo and Retsu's techniques are far from perfect. Without us along, the kids wouldn't last."
"I see. Well, we're grateful for that." The air turned tense when Kurotabō directed a glare at Itaku. "However, hereafter you will not address Rikuo-sama and Retsu-sama so casually."
Rikuo sighed, and my eyes rolled skywards for a brief moment. 'They aren't our subordinates. They could call us whatever they liked, couldn't they?'
"Heh." Itaku laughed coldly, and the air in the room had just gotten a lot thicker. "I guess it's true that the Nura Clan is in decline. With aides like you, Rikuo and Retsu will never become strong."
Quick as a flash, Kejōrō got up and levelled an accusatory finger at the Kamaitachi. "Hey you! I've had just about enough!"
"Shut up, woman!" Awashima shot back, getting up as well and stomping the table with a foot.
"You should talk! You're a woman too!" Kejōrō fired back just as heatedly.
"Idiot! I'm just a woman for now!"
Tension is… running higher than expected.
It was right at that moment I realised the reason. Our closest retainers are gearing up for war, and that involves channelling age-old aggression and bloodlust they've never quite put down, only hidden away from immediate view. Not only that, our strongest and most capable fighters weren't here to follow a commander to war. They're all here to babysit us. I suppose it is not far-fetched to say that they are prepared to play eagle and chicken with the Kyōto yōkai. Rikuo and I being the little chirping feeble chicks, and them being the hell-hath-no-fury-like-a-scorned-mother-hen.
And they will peck the hell out of whoever so much as got near us.
Generally, the Supreme Commander is the one setting the atmosphere, but since Rikuo wasn't managing it, our subordinates had overtaken the energy we failed to exude and control. I closed my eyes tiredly.
"Yare yare…" Rikuo sighed.
"Yare Yare my foot, you should be managing this." I hissed beneath my breath, and he shot an affronted look at me. 'The one time I am not managing the atmosphere, things go south… but Rikuo has to learn to do this himself.'
"Hey, all of you. Watch your mouths." Kubinashi warned dangerously, effectively silencing all arguments for a moment. When he turned to my brother and me, his face brightened up, and his tone gained a higher pitch. The hundred and eighty degrees flip was almost laughable. "Rikuo-sama, Retsu-sama, may I ask that you leave the room for a moment?"
"Eh?" Rikuo let out a startled sound when Kubinashi gathered him up, herding him towards the door. "H-hey?"
I had one second to mull it over before Kubinashi descended upon me, and I got up myself before I was physically hauled out. Picking up Suzu as I went, I left the two Ōkami in the meeting room. 'Eh. Just let them fight it out. Things went smoothly afterwards anyway.'
"Now, now. Don't worry." Kubinashi reassured in an utmost unconvincing tone. The fusuma was slid open and swiftly closed behind us once he kicked us both out.
"What's up with Kubinashi? What is it that he doesn't want us to hear?" Rikuo mused.
"The adults are talking, so he kicked out the children, that's what happened. Heh." I laughed derisively. "The supreme commander, removed from his own war council by his subordinates..."
Readjusting my hold on Suzu so she was half lying on my front and shoulder, I turned away to continue down the hallway, my smile disappearing. "What a joke."
"You're one to talk." Rikuo shot back almost petulantly as he trailed after me, hands tucked into his sleeves.
"True." I sighed exaggeratedly. "No matter what I accomplished before… it seemed it was still quite lacking since they were so willing to remove me from a meeting between grownups. …Not that I blame them. When a situation they deem extremely dire arises, their defence mechanism automatically reverts their mentality to treating us as the precious children they have sworn to protect. They simply don't see you as a "leader" they could look to for guidance. …I, too, do not view you as a leader I could depend upon."
I could feel Rikuo's gaze honing in on me.
"You may have improved by leaps and bounds, however—" I glanced behind to look him in the eyes, smiling menacingly. "—I still don't feel "fear" from you."
That had my brother mulling over my words. After a pause, he finally said, "Shouldn't we go back?"
"Too late. You should have exerted your presence before things went south." I waved him off. "Just let them settle it this time. Although I suspect they'll end up "settling" with their fists instead."
"Wait. Isn't that bad?" He raised a brow in mild concern, falling into step beside me.
"Some things can only be solved via a scuffle. Everyone here is a fighter. They would learn faster and way more about each other by crossing blades rather than words, no?"
Suzu meowed then as though in agreement.
Everything was still going swimmingly when Retsu was relaying important information earlier. Everyone was listening and cooperating, however, the moment Kurotabō took over, their new allies decided that there was little incentive to cooperate.
Things took a turn—and not for the better—after the blatant show of insubordination from the Tōno group. Not to mention the brusque comment about the Main Family members from the sickle guy. While Yūga somewhat understood where they were coming from… he supposed a bit more tact in their words would have saved everyone some trouble and ill feelings. But then again, Tōno is known for their combat skills, not diplomacy skills.
They're proud beings. While he does not usually have a problem with strong personalities since he couldn't care less so long as the assigned jobs are done. That… was definitely not a good time to have an attitude. As for the servants of the Main Family… while normally not so easy to rile up, however, with Takarabune almost upon Kyōto, attitudes now were just fuel on fire.
Retsu's face had remained relatively neutral throughout the quarrel—with hints of slight exasperation—and only snarking at her brother once with a barely there disapproval. With things spiralling out of control and Rikuo doing nothing to stop it… Kubinashi made the call to ask the Nura siblings to leave the room. Yūga was half holding his breath, expecting Retsu's sharp tongue to make an appearance and polish them all till they sparkled. Her expression was unnervingly blank as she mulled it over and, to his surprise, obediently stood up to leave the room with her brother, humouring Kubinashi's request.
He shudders to think she was saving up any irritation for later.
No one asks their commander and final decision-maker to leave in the middle of a war council, that is of the utmost disrespect. Just like no one will ask the first and second-in-command to leave during a meeting, only they can walk themselves out. Yūga was quite certain Retsu knew what went down, and the muffled quip he could pick up outside only proved his suspicion. Retsu is choosing to close both her eyes this time.
When absolutely required, she's pretty hands-on, he wondered what prompted her to take a back seat this time. Not that it was a bad decision. Sometimes, the underlings have to work things out themselves, set the pecking order and so on. But… Yūga couldn't quite help but feel Rikuo should have controlled the atmosphere better. He gets that he's young and extremely inexperienced, but… Retsu already told him to manage the room. Perhaps he didn't know how. Nurarihyon never needed to do such a thing because everyone was already on their best behaviour around him, so he couldn't exactly show Rikuo how it was done.
He exchanged a brief look of mild exasperation with Kotarō beneath the table, both still in their puppy forms and laying flat with their tummies on the tatami. The person they pledged allegiance to is Retsu, technically speaking, their positions are the lowest within this room since they don't serve the main heir and their clan technically just joined. Not to mention, they haven't even exchanged Sakazuki due to Retsu's age. At any rate, they have little right to speak. Therefore, they opted for an inconspicuous form, which also allows them to stick close to the person they serve.
If they didn't need to wait and see if there was anything important to relay to Retsu later, they would have followed the girl out of this room. Judging by the ongoing conversations happening above their heads, there's very little to report.
Kubinashi turned to face the room, all traces of warmth and friendliness wiped clean from his face. "Friends from Tōno… the Nura Clan was at its zenith of power during the Edo period. Rikuo-sama and Retsu-sama's father became our Supreme Commander and reined in the rowdy yōkai of Kanto. He was called the greatest in the Ayakashi world."
Kotarō huffed a small breath, and Yūga shifted. So, the servants of the Main House still couldn't move on from the past. While they never truly witnessed the glory of the Edo period—since they weren't born yet—it must have been hard to accept. Some sub-clans had withdrawn from the Nura Clan following their Second Clan Head's abrupt passing, the Ōkami Clan under Yūga's father's reign included. But what good could come from holding onto that past for the current heirs?
"What?" Reira muttered uncomprehendingly.
"What's gotten into this guy?" Dohiko commented in bewilderment.
"His attitude is totally different compared to when he's around Rikuo." Awashima noted, a bead of sweat rolling down her cheek.
Without missing a beat, Itaku shot back, "And what of it? Who cares about the past? What about now? Frankly, I'm worried that you guys are going to be a hindrance. The young master of the yōkai yakuza has his training managed by his little sister, whose age has yet to reach double digits. The technique of attaching Osore to their weapons is self-taught, Retsu didn't even know coating Osore was the first step. Why didn't anyone teach them?"
Itaku leaned forward, eyes narrowed. "The answer is, no one knows how. The thought of being ordered around by such a clan makes me sick."
Kotarō shot Yūga a look that clearly said, 'Ooo, shots fired.'
Yūga narrowed his eyes and silently told the other to keep his head down. Otherwise, those shots would be on their heads.
Kubinashi smiled maliciously, pulling at his strings threateningly. "When one goes beyond the boundaries of ignorance, it's no longer amusing. Did they not teach you this in your homeland of Tōno?"
A beat of silence passed, the air was so tense and full of gunpowder Yūga wouldn't be surprised if it started crackling with electricity.
"You with the sickle on your back. Let me teach you some manners. Come outside." Kubinashi challenged.
Kotarō raised an eyebrow, and Yūga silently began inching his way towards the fusuma under the cover of the tables to escape the room. The Ōkami can hear his fellow clansmen crawling along behind him.
"You fool, Kubinashi. Stop it." Kejōrō shot him a warning look, knowing they must not take things too far lest they trouble their young heirs, and a fight might just be too far. "That's enough. We're trying to hold back too."
Kurotabō is resting his eyes, perhaps by avoiding all eye contact, he might be able to keep this situation from escalating further.
Itaku closed his eyes as though contemplating for a brief second before he accepted the challenge, Osore activated and ready for combat. He smirked, "We're better than you. If you think you can beat us, try it."
Yūga darts towards the fusuma, pawing open the door and speeding down the hallway after Retsu's scent, Kotarō hot on his heels. Their main priority is to make sure those within their group are on the defensive when Retsu is in her human form and that Kameosa is to stay by her side so she has a little bit more water to defend herself with.
Apart from that, it is keeping a lookout for a certain Minagoroshi Jizō. Lying low from both Kyōto yōkai and Onmyōji while also helping the Keikain Clan reinstall the seal sites before the final showdown with the fox. Anything else is not their problem unless Retsu orders it to be. In the distance, the Ōkami wolves could hear the beginnings of a scuffle before a deafening crash resounded through the ship. They must have broken down a wall.
All hell broke loose.
If the deafening sound of a wall being pulverised hasn't already alerted everyone on the ship, then the clashing Osore between two powerful yōkai surely did. I could sense the scuffle taking place on the deck and was making my way over while my brother stayed a few steps ahead of me. It was only after I sensed another burst of Osore from Itaku that I picked up my speed. By the time I made it there, a huge crowd had already gathered. A shame I was unable to see past them due to my height. Although from the sounds of it—
"YOU DAMN FOOL!"
What had to be Zen's voice bellowed out into the night, and I could have sworn I saw the air vibrate. I almost snapped my neck attempting to seek out the source, and I found him perched atop a tiled roof.
Seems like Zen has already gotten to the troublesome duo first.
"WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?! You're going to destroy the ship before we even get to Kyoto, IDIOTS!" Zen uncapped and upturned a bamboo bottle onto the two troublemakers, the liquid making a satisfying splash as it nailed their target before he leapt down, his majestic form disappearing beyond the crowd.
If he wasn't so weakened by his own poison, he surely would have been the picture of absolute health. How terrifying. '…I guess I had better go and see the outcome of the match.'
Before I could attempt to slip my way through the gathered yōkai, a soft crunch and the sounds of obnoxious chewing drew my attention. My eyes landed on two Ōkami—from the litter of six, I dully noted—shovelling snacks into their mouths as they watched the scuffle go down. Their height provided them with a clear and unobstructed view from well above the heads of the crowd. Sensing my gaze, they turned—spotting no one, they directed their sight downwards—and made eye contact with me.
They stopped chewing.
We stared at each other for a beat before they hesitantly offered the paper bag of food in their hand. Peering in, I lit up when I saw popcorn. Readjusting Suzu so her full weight is now on one arm, I reached into the bag and fished out a few. They resumed chewing and continued to watch the show while I studied the popcorn, noticing the colour seemed a little off compared to the ones sold at the cinemas. Shrugging, I popped one into my mouth and paused, squinting.
I chewed slowly.
The popcorn… has little taste. There was the unmistakable sprinkle of salt and the vague scent of… sunflower oil? But that was it. It's really crunchy though.
Maybe the Ōkami don't like heavily seasoned foods.
In the background, I can vaguely hear the start of yet another fight, though a verbal one this time, between my brother and Zen. Finishing the popcorn, I moved towards the commotion and briefly caught sight of Itaku's weasel form reverting into his humanoid form. His clothes, however, were still a little soaked from Zen's medicated water. Sheathing his blades, he got up and walked away, muttering something to Kubinashi. A glance at the latter's relaxed countenance showed that whatever grievances from earlier had been resolved.
Well, that's good. Though it was too bad that I had missed the fight, I kind of wanted to see how Kubinashi forced Itaku into engaging him in his real form. The Kamaitachi had never used his weasel form on my brother and me before. Guess we just weren't enough of a challenge. He could still hogtie and grill our sorry hides even without going all out, although it's getting more difficult for him to catch us lately. He taught us well.
"Hey, what're you staring at?" Itaku growled out irritably at the gathered busybodies, causing the group of smaller yōkai to flinch back, cowed.
I felt a faint niggling at the back of my head before the hairs along the back of my neck raised alongside the oppressive aura of enemies closing in on us from below. The sound of countless beating of wings drew ever closer as the enemy faction surrounded Takarabune.
We're under attack.
I tensed, immediately activating Meikyō Shisui to slip back indoors, keeping a low profile and making sure my presence wouldn't cause more trouble than I wanted to. I really don't need any Kyōto yōkai spotting me and then deciding to go all out to bring me back to the fox. Unlike the first kidnapping, I'd be food for real this time, and no one would be able to retrieve me from her claws. Well, not in time, anyway.
Slinking to the hallways, I dispersed Meikyō Shisui so our clan members would have an easier time locating me before I spotted a small circular window with two bars. It seemed to be facing the deck. With a hop, I clung to the high windowsill and carefully peered through it, Suzu shifting as well to watch too as the events unfolded before us.
Something furry rubbing against my legs gave me a bit of a start before I realised it was Yūga and Kotarō, who then morphed into their humanoid forms. The two poked their heads into the window frame as well to watch with us, their chin just barely brushing the top of my head, with mine atop Suzu's, her ears flicking now and then. Outside, the air was so tense one could slice it with a knife as everyone prepared for battle and floating a few paces above Takarabune's hull, a vaguely familiar figure greeted us.
"What kind of ship sails before dawn, long after the moon has set? Perhaps they are some daredevils who have gone astray? Hear me, ship! I am the Kyōto yōkai, Hakuzōzu!" Their leader bellowed out.
His voice had an odd sort of echo that effectively carried his words throughout the area, liken to a speakerphone. 'Was it enhanced by Osore?'
This is the first time I've seen him. Most of the Kyōto yōkai upper brass don't tend to show up before me unless they need to run an errand for the fox, and I was involved somehow. That unwittingly spared me any unpleasant encounters with Minagoroshi Jizō as a result. Also… I believe some of them may have been sealed away too… I just don't know which ones.
"This airspace is roughly four leagues to the east of Mt. Kurama. Lady Hagoromo-Gitsune has left me in charge of protecting the skies of Kyōto! Now then, identify yourselves!"
The enemies closed in, and Kurotabō immediately barked out orders, "They're coming! Stay alert! Everyone, get into your positions!"
Our troops rallied, moving to the ledge of Takarabune with weapons raised towards the enemies.
Everything was quiet.
"Wh-Why... aren't they coming?" Someone asked in bewilderment.
The enemies did not move, stupefying everyone aboard, but I knew this temporary peace wouldn't be maintained for much longer.
"Kotarō, have everyone on standby." I whispered solemnly. "Yūga, you stay with me."
Kotarō subtly huffed an acknowledgement, and I felt more than heard it from the rise and fall of his chest brushing against my left arm. He detached himself from the window and darted off. I cast a glance at the sky, where it was gradually getting brighter, feeling a sense of impending dread coiling deep within my gut.
Dawn is on the horizon.
If the Osore-saturated air in Tōno did nothing for my night form, Kyōto… is most likely even more of a bust. A human form—and that of a child no less—within the middle of a war zone… it's no wonder all of our subordinates are so antsy. There was no leader they could rely and depend on in times of dire need, they themselves were the final line of defence. A wry smile curls at the corner of my lips.
How… will this war in Kyōto pan out?
While in canon, things went in the right direction, all things considered. But unfortunately, things could change, and maybe not always for the best. The events in Shikoku proved that the future was not exactly set in stone. Hihi is still alive, and so are quite a few of the Shikoku yōkai who were supposed to be sacrificed. I have to be careful.
"Identify yourself! You may be a foe, but we will not attack until we know who you are." Hakuzōzu called out once again.
"What's with these guys?" Awashima frowned, unable to make heads or tails of their motives.
"Are the Kyōto yōkai… this foolishly honest?" Kurotabō commented tentatively.
'Not at all. He's the one and only oddball. Count our blessings.' I pressed my lips into a thin line.
"We're obviously a foe. Are they blind?" Yūga muttered under his breath. "Takarabune's sail has the Nura Clan emblem."
I grunted. "Maybe they just woke up."
Yūga snorts quietly, and Suzu lets out a small "Mrrp?"
"Friend or foe? Which are you? Or are you here to serve as Lady Hagoromo-Gitsune's subordinates?"
"Are you crazy?! Who'd come for such a reason?!" Natto Kozō huffed, proudly jerking a thumb towards the huge Nura Clan insignia upon the sail, and all three of us cringed. "Can't you see this emblem of fear?!"
"Hey... Natto." Ko-oni interrupted much too late.
Murmurs of disbelief and realisation began to rise among the enemy's ranks.
"That emblem..."
"No way."
"Nurarihyon?!"
"They can't be..."
"The Nura Clan?"
"Hey, are you scared now?!"Natto Kozō jeered gleefully.
I inwardly facepalmed. 'His situational awareness… leaves much to be desired.'
A choking resentment emanated from our opponents, and unfortunately, in this case… it is rightfully so.
"These guys…"
"The ones who beat Lady Hagoromo-Gitsune four hundred years ago."
"The impudence... coming here!"
"We'll turn them into dust!"
They descended upon us with a deafening roar, bloodlust dialled up to the highest.
"Here they come!" Kubinashi warned, readying his strings as he swiftly fell into a battle stance.
'Not good.' I frowned, observing our army. 'Everyone's Osore is scattered.'
The presence of a leader… Rikuo's presence… is too meagre to bolster us all. He must rally everyone otherwise… we will take extensive damage before sticking our landing in Kyōto.
A brief scuffle ensued, and a few members of both factions crossed blades, as Kubinashi just fended off an opponent, Hakuzōzu appeared between the two all of a sudden.
"STOP!"
He drove his spear into Takarabune, causing the ship to shake from the impact, and a large gust of dust rose. I held my breath, so I didn't inhale any of it, eyes squinted against the wind blowing everything in my face as I held onto the windowsill for dear life. Yūga's fast reaction to using his sleeve to shield us protected my poor eyes from the fine debris.
"Hakuzōzu-sama…" His underling looked upon their leader in confusion.
"Whether you are the Nura Clan or not makes no difference. It is conventional to commence battle after the leaders of both sides have stated their names."
"But Hakuzōzu-sama—" Another protested, hoping he would rethink his decision.
"Silence." Hakuzōzu cuts them off. "If you cannot obey, begone!"
"Ha-Hai…" The underlings backed down reluctantly.
"What is he thinking?" Natto Kozō muttered.
"He ordered his allies to stop."Ko-oni observed in bewilderment.
Drawing back his spear, Hakuzōzu rests his weapon upon his shoulder. "Nurarihyon, the Supreme Commander of the Nura Clan! Why do you not step forward?! If you refuse, I shall have no choice. We will attack in full force and bring down the ship."
Upon hearing this, our subordinates' protectiveness went up another notch, and our strongest and longest-serving members all instinctively banded together. Kurotabō moved a step back, subtly shielding both Rikuo and Zen-nii behind him. "As if we would."
"We wouldn't allow our precious heir to appear before a guy like that." Kejōrō, too, moved closer to Kurotabō, tightening the gaps between them.
"Hey guys..." Rikuo butts in, although he may as well have said nothing, for no one is taking orders from him.
Right now, we both are targets to be protected, not figures to be depended on.
'I can't keep spoon-feeding Rikuo on how to run his own army. He did fine in the original timeline… hopefully, he'll figure things out and pull through this time as well.' I cast another glance at the encroaching sun in the distance. With the sun so close to rising and the fact that Rikuo still hasn't wrangled control over the army… I can't move to take out the enemies as inconspicuously as possible, either. My action would only scatter our army's focus, and we cannot have that.
It would be lethal for everyone.
The army has to follow his lead, not mine, for he was the one who would succeed the Clan Head's position.
"There's no need to go along with him." Kubinashi said firmly, his eyes never once straying from Hakuzōzu's imposing form. "Still… He's strong. Fear emanates from every part of him."
"He is the gatekeeper of Kyōto." Zen stated as a matter of fact.
'Really? I thought he's pretty alright…' I frowned. 'Although one hit from him, it would be goodbye cruel world, and if I compared him to anyone else but me… he's indeed very troublesome. Even Kurotabō would have been a bad match if it was one-on-one. … I— is it a good or bad thing that I'm so desensitised to strong opponents?'
"It could just be a tactic." Kurotabō cautioned.
"But his actions make no sense." Kejōrō refutes, still attempting to ponder the possibilities.
"Still, I'm grateful that he stopped the surprise attack on our ship." Kubinashi said truthfully, biting onto one of his strings as he straightened his weapons out. "I'll step forward! There's no need for our leader to go. Tōno comrades! I ask you to guard our leader."
"And where is this leader you speak of?" Itaku replied calmly.
Momentarily stumped, Kubinashi looked around before his eyes widened upon finding that Rikuo had already slipped out from within their protection range and was moving towards the hull of the ship, where Hakuzōzu hovered.
"Rikuo?" Zen-nii called out in shock, having never sensed his movement.
Shōei, too, was taken by surprise, "When did he…?!"
Kubinashi dashed forward, grabbing onto Rikuo's shoulder. "Rikuo-sama! Please don't be reckless! With all due respect, you aren't ready to…"
His form slipped out from the blonde's grasp, disappearing in a swirl of black Osore right before his eyes. The one Kubinashi grabbed was a mere illusion.
Rikuo reappeared to his right some distance away, whether or not this image is, too, an illusion, no one knows for sure. "Kubinashi… If I'm too scared to show myself at a time like this... I'll never be able to confront Hagoromo Gitsune."
"Let him do it." Itaku intercepts, mildly irritable. "That's why I said he'll never become strong. Not with overzealous aides like you around."
Kubinashi twitched marginally. Poor guy's nerves are definitely pulled taut.
Rikuo came to a stop a small distance away from Hakuzōzu, enough space for him to react quickly should there be a sneak attack. "I'm the leader. I've come to Kyōto to take down Hagoromo Gitsune. Let us pass."
"You're such a young leader." Hakuzōzu noted, looking him up and down. "You're not Nurarihyon?"
As Rikuo prepared to draw Nenekirimaru, Hakuzōzu swung his imposing spear from his shoulder and slipped into a battle stance. The ease with which he did it could only come from the experience of fighting countless battles.
"I see... Fine! I, Hakuzōzu, shall be your opponent! Let me see your Eastern Yōkai Spirit! You, tell me your name!"
Nenekirimaru leaves the scabbard with a crisp ring, the glint of its sharp blade shining brilliantly in the night, poised for battle, Rikuo answered, "I am the young master of the Nura Clan… Nura Rikuo!"
…
A brief stare-down ensued before Hakuzōzu broke it. "Let me ask you one thing. Why did you step forward to state your name?"
I couldn't see Rikuo's face from this far behind, but I could picture his brows rising in bewilderment.
"I told you to introduce yourself. But after seeing the magnitude of my power, few would dare. Only fools who don't know their own strength. Can't the young leader of the Nura Clan comprehend the difference between our strengths?!"
Osore erupted from Hakuzōzu in a grand show of intimidation.
Rikuo smiled, "Aren't you a fool too? You should've just destroyed the ship without warning. Thus, your foolish actions deserved a foolish response. And... If you get in my way, I'll just have to kill you and move on."
"You observe the ways of chivalry and yet, you're just an assertive brat!" Hakuzōzu roared, stabbing his spear into a houseboat and swung the entire boat into Rikuo, who tried to side-step the attack. However, the curve in which the houseboat came from, coupled with its monstrous speed, whipped up a powerful vacuum, causing Rikuo—who did not have his feet planted firmly to the ground upon the point of impact—to be sucked towards the mini vortex and ended up upside down.
'I might have spun a full three-sixty if I got caught in that.' I mused, quickly taking my weight into account.
"Even if I do everything fair and square, its power is so great that it's considered unfair. Such is this spear of mine... Brimming with Fear, it makes your heart stop. You're about to fall right on your head, kid."
With a lethal and powerful strike, he thrust his spear straight through Rikuo's head.
Gasps of horror and shock echoed throughout the ship.
"Rikuo-sama?!" Kubinashi called out in alarm.
"It can overwhelm you in one quick thrust. This is my spear, Dakini!" Hakuzōzu paused, quickly noticing something was amiss.
Rikuo's image remained in place even after being struck, but gravity was clearly not doing its work. He seems to just… hover in mid-air, Osore wavering about.
Rikuo reappeared some distance away. "So this is what a battle between those who use fear is like. "A yokai should never get scared." That's what my old geezer used to say a long time ago. Now I finally understand what he meant by that."
"To put it bluntly, it's a battle of deception. Like yōkai scaring one another inside a haunted house." Rikuo concluded haughtily.
"What's the meaning of this?! Just what did you do?!" Hakuzōzu is getting agitated.
"For some reason, I don't find you scary right now. The one who cuts the other's fear first wins. Once that's done, a spear like yours will be—"
Hakuzōzu lunged toards him with a warcry, spear poised to deliver another strike. Nenekirimaru met Dakini head-on; the spearhead immediately crumbled, and the blade sliced through the rest of the polearm like a hot knife through butter.
"—destroyed instantly." Rikuo finished with a triumphant smile.
I felt myself relaxing. 'Seems like Onii-chan has a good grasp on the battle between yōkai now. That's good.'
"Impossible!My Dakini..." Hakuzōzu looked down at what was left of his spear in disbelief—half a pole left, to be exact—before looking at the sword in Rikuo's possession. "So that is the famous Nenekirimaru?"
Hakuzōzu began laughing loudly, seemingly almost… pleased. "Who could have imagined it?! That someone of my strength would lose so easily! You are indeed the leader of the Nura Clan!"
Hakuzōzu threw down a half-destroyed Dakini before crossing his arms and sat down, boldly declaring—
"Behead me! I cannot live without my beloved spear!"
"EHHH?" The entire Nura Clan was taken aback, the collective stupefied noises everyone made rang out across the deck. Hakuzōzu brought a hand up to his neck, and it looked like his head would indeed be placed neatly upon it if it were… well… looped off.
"Take my head and march boldly into Kyōto!"
...
Seeing no immediate reaction, he questioned. "What's the matter? Hurry and do it!"
"Wh-What is he saying?" Ko-oni mumbled.
"Is he serious?" Natto Kozō asked weakly.
A beat of silence passed.
"Oh, wait a moment! I just thought of a death poem!" Hakuzōzu called for a stop with both hands raised before immediately pulling out a brush and a stack of paper from the folds of his clothes. He began to write earnestly.
"Though in defeat I fade into the Kyōto sky...
I leave with you my Kyōto Yokai spirit, Lady Hagoromo-Gitsune...
Uh, too many syllables..." Hakuzōzu groaned, and a dark cloud of disappointment dawned upon everyone.
"This is too much." Someone muttered.
"This guy's not too smart, is he?" Another noted.
"There! Now I have no regrets!" Hakuzōzu sets down his writing materials. "Do it!"
Natto Kozō hurriedly ran towards my brother, muttering quietly, "What now, Master? Are you going to kill him?"
"Be firm and quick!
Rikuo's face darkened.
"I understand." He said, walking over towards his fallen opponent, and a chorus of are-we-really-going-through-with-this erupted from amongst the Nura Clan members.
"Huh?! Rikuo-sama!" Natto called out.
"Good. Just do it!" Hakuzōzu chanted, his hands pressed together in prayer while Rikuo raised his weapon high up into the air, aiming for a clean strike. "Hail... Lady Hagoromo-Gitsune!"
Until Takimaru heavily bonked him right on his skull.
"Oww!" Hakuzōzu unclasped his hands, exclaiming indignantly. "Hey, are you mocking me?!"
Rikuo turned away, Takimaru resting against his shoulder. "Listen and don't misunderstand me." With a boyish smile on his face, he pointed at the Kyōto yōkai. "I've taken a liking to you. You're strange, but interesting. We're yakuza, not samurai. We have no interest in taking lives. We only want strong allies."
"Let's say you died just now. So, will you lend me your strength?" Rikuo extended out a hand, and with the first rays of daybreak shining against the sail sporting the Nura Clan emblem as their backdrop, everyone had a good feeling that even if we did not manage to obtain a new powerful ally this time, Rikuo had most certainly gained Hakuzōzu's respect.
Zen huffed in impressed disbelief.
"That Rikuo really speaks his mind, doesn't he?" Awashima chuckled.
"When did the Young Master become so leader-like?" Kejōrō smiled.
While that's nice and all… I think it's about time for the siege…
A sharp whizz of something shoots through the air at high speeds before colliding against the ship. Then, it exploded. The floor beneath us trembled, and my hands nearly slipped from their hold on the windowbars.
'A cannon?'
Everything that went down next was pure pandemonium.
Scuffles broke out as the enemies descended upon the ship, and our troops clashed with them head-on. In the distance, I heard the thunderous roar of Kotarō's howl as he relayed my order.
"PROTECT THE SHIP! ATTACK!"
"Damn it. How can they attack when their leader is on board?" Awashima tutted disapprovingly.
"He's not our leader anymore! We should've destroyed this ship at the very start! That fool wasted our time!" A black and white striped yōkai, with an unmistakable stretchable long neck, spat venomously before commencing attack alongside his peers.
"Hey! All of you, stop! Fight fair and square!" Hakuzōzu tried to stop them. However, his troops no longer took orders from him.
"Aim for the base of the ship!"
"Bring down the entire ship! It'll be easy to kill them!"
"They're not listening!"
"Hang in there! It's almost daybreak!" Kurotabō tried to reassure them. "At dawn, the Ayakashi will lose half their power. These guys will probably retreat."
I heard what Kurotabō said and paused. 'Wait… they didn't know?'
"Unfortunately for you, nothing changes at dawn." An enemy snickered, and out of the corner of my eye, I saw the black and white striped yōkai is almost done coiling around the ship.
I remembered that guy did extensive damage on Takarabune. He'll have to go.
There were more sounds of cannons being shot, but Takarabune didn't shake, and my gut sank.
The smaller houseboats!
"The sun is rising!" Natto yelled, and sure enough, the sun fully rose in the distance, bringing its bright, warm rays as it shone upon the world, upon us.
There was a brief confusion as everyone who had two forms did not change… all except for me. My demon form dissipated in a swirl of black, and I sullenly glanced down only to see my human self, resignation and disappointment sitting heavy in my gut. It seemed like the situation was the same as in Tōno… Meanwhile, Rikuo, Itaku and Awashima took stock of their own appearances, surprised they were retaining their night forms.
"Hey look, Rikuo!" Awashima shouted, staring at the horizon where the old capital sat.
From where I am, even I could see the massive black-purple pillars of swirling Osore, looking like twisters tearing through the city. Seeing this scene from behind the safety of a screen versus seeing it in person… both in the manga and the anime, does not even come close to describing the real deal. The strong wind currents in the skies are prickly to the point I can feel goosebumps rising all along my arms and my back. Despite being the season of the infamous sweltering Summer, the atmosphere is cold and glum.
'I wonder how many seals are left standing? One? Or is it two?'
Takarabune's nose tilts downwards, and the treasure ship is well on course to crash into Kyōto a couple hundred feet beneath us. Yūga grabbed ahold of my arm when the ship continued to tilt to a precarious angle, and I tightened my grip on the windowsill so I did not end up careening off to the side and into the wall. Takarabune, thankfully, righted itself quickly. The wolf demon immediately pried Suzu and me from the window and hauled me down the hall like a misbehaving pup, marching off towards the inner section before handing us off to Ittan-momen to babysit. 'When did it get here?'
Looking up, I saw that there were beams on the ceiling. 'Oh, was it chilling in the rafters?' The Tsukumogami wrapped itself around us in preparation for the upcoming rough ride, keeping us afloat and, hopefully, avoiding contact on any hard surfaces.
"Those in my team, guard Chibi! The rest of you PROTECT THE SHIP!" Yūga barked out sharply.
Saburō, Shirō and Gorō flocked to barricade the entrances leading into the ship, defeating any enemies that wished to barge in, while Tozen offered long-distance support from behind. Kappa's team provided close to mid-range support out there, though they, too, maintained within a certain distance so Yūga's team could back them up easily if needed.
"Take out that long-necked yōkai." I told Yūga and he relayed the order for me, resounding howls in the distance were his reply.
The ship shook, and Takarabune cried out in pain.
Kotarō appeared from overhead, leaping down from the rooftops, and rounded up three of his younger siblings to form an attack formation before charging straight into the fray. His team clawed their way through the chaos in hopes of getting closer to the extremely long-necked yōkai to take it out, leaving a trail of blood splatters on the deck, Rokurō—their youngest—suddenly had a thought as he saw their target currently trying to strangle the life out of Takarabune like an—
"That yōkai reminded me of something." Rokurō commented, ducking beneath weapons and taking a swipe at an enemy that drew uncomfortably close.
"WHAT?!" Jirō screamed over the cacophony of screeching metallic weapons clashing against one another, ears pressed back.
"My anaconda don't—"
Collective groans resounded from within the scuffle.
"We were finally rid of Kentarō and his cringiness, so don't you DARE start!" Ichirō growled, pushing back an incoming enemy only to be bombarded by another before Kotarō joined the fray and gave it the mother of all headbutts to force it back.
"Do NOT channel him for the love of—" Kotarō snarled, picking up an opponent and chucking them in the direction of more, bowling all of them straight over.
"Strike!" Jirō cheered, leaping over an unsuspecting yōkai and making a mad dash towards the nearest section of their target they could reach.
"His cringe followed me!" Rokurō wailed in despair as he followed suit.
"RIP IT TO SHREDS!" Kotarō snarled before the Ōkami all sunk their claws into the yōkai they could get their paws on and ran bloody stripes all along it.
It was a bad day to be alive for that yōkai as it screamed and writhed.
"This is bad! We're going to crash right into Kyōto!"
"If we keep falling, the yōkai who can't fly won't make it!" Natto cried out in panic.
"Come on, Takarabune!" Zen looked up at the mast, "Turn towards the mountain, start slowing down and make an emergency landing!"
"This is going to hurt, but I'll just have to deal with it!" Takarabune groaned out before rapidly flapping the fans it was holding and changing direction.
"This thing can talk?!" Someone exclaimed in surprise.
Everything seemed to blur together as Takarabune made an emergency crash landing straight into Kyōto. The ship shook roughly as it bulldozed through a mountain forest on the way down. Startled shrieks could be heard throughout the ship as the smaller yōkai clung to railings and beams for dear life, some even opting to lie flat on the floorboards as everyone braced for imminent impact. Somewhere in the middle of the chaos, Takarabune passed out from the pain it received.
Then, the full panicked screaming began.
There were more sounds of fighting outside before the enemies finally let up when it looked like we were on a one-way ticket to hell. Somewhere on the way down, a sudden sharp turn had everyone on the ship careening to the side as Ittan-Momen anchored its' tail end around a sturdy beam to avoid crashing into the walls. A huge resounding splash of a none-too-gentle landing as Takarabune was dropped onto the Kamo river, causing a few yōkai within the ship to bounce a couple feet into the air when they were forcibly shaken free of whatever they had been clinging to.
More screaming ensued, and the ship made abrupt contact with something before gradually slowing down with as little jarring force as possible. Then, a biting cold as frigid as the dead of the winter permeates the air, and Takarabune comes to a complete and utter stop.
Ittan-Momen coiled protectively around me, only relaxing a margin when the fearful chaos died down, replaced by a chorus of astonishment before cheering could be heard. Everyone nearby collectively breathed out an exhale, and I sighed mentally. 'I'm truly being babysat right now… Guess I'll just work harder at night.'
…
When I emerged from within Takarabune, there was already an unmistakable sensation of a brief scuffle having taken place, with everyone being so calm, I assumed it was swiftly taken care of. The rest of my group was quick to round up and gather around us, and I gave everyone a once over, satisfied to see all were unharmed, although most were looking a little harried.
"That Hakuzōzu guy just left." Kotarō informed me gruffly, pushing to the front from wherever he came back from. "He turned down your brother's invitation to join, but he did mention we should head to a place called Fushime Inari Shrine. Said it's the site of the first Spiral Seal and a shortcut for whatever we intended to do, or so to speak. …You've mentioned one of our objectives is to meet up with the Keikain Onmyōji to reinstall the Barrier, right? Is that place one of them?"
I nodded. "That is correct. I believe the Keikain Onmyōji are trying to reclaim it at the moment, so they should be in that area. That saves us the trouble of looking for them."
Casting a look around, I asked. "Speaking of, where is that brother of mine?"
"He hopped off the boat just now." One of the Ōkami identicals pointed behind him, and I made my way towards the edge.
Poking my head over the side and almost immediately, I spotted the signature mop of long silver-black hair belonging to my kin. I called out, "Onii-chan!"
Crimson eyes turned up to meet mine, blinking once at my human appearance, a flabbergasted look on his face. "I'll come find you once the sun sets!"
He blinked once more, a frown now marring his face. His reply, however, was cut off by Itaku grabbing me and hoisting me back onto Ittan-Momen with a grumble. "What are you on about? You're coming with us."
I snapped my head to look at the last person I expected to change my plans. "Hah?"
"Are you an idiot?" Awashima ribbed me with a wide grin on her face, "You honestly can't expect us to split up now! How can we look out for you if you're staying behind?"
"There's also safety in numbers!" Amezō chirped much too cheerily, breezing past everyone to leap over the edge of the ship to cannonball straight into the river with a "Whoop!"
"Just wear a disguise if you're that concerned our enemies will recognise you." Itaku supplied, grabbing the tail end of Ittan-Momen and hauling the both of us along behind him to join my brother down at the stone bank. Rikuo is no longer frowning.
...It's not like I haven't considered what they're insisting on, there are indeed merits to sticking together… and cons as well. I don't have a good enough reason to convince them to let me stay behind. Besides, I also… really do not want to run into anyone I don't want to run into while I'm hiding out in Takarabune…
I deflated, sitting still as I was escorted off the ship, sandwiched right in the middle of our army as we made our merry way towards the First Seal Site.
…
Is this truly a good idea?
Author's note:
I, uh, didn't mean to drop off the grid like that and scare y'all. TTATT Apologies for the extremely long delay. Just had a good dose of writer's block and art block. *sobs* The Ōkami group's hair has been messing with me, but the outline is done, I just need to colour it in. The number of drafts I trashed for this chapter was ungodly…. I couldn't figure out why the story wouldn't flow until I realised the atmosphere was the problem. *cries* But it's finally done! *pops confetti*
And yes, I still need to rewrite the earlier chapters and post them on AO3 and Wattpad, still getting to it. TT As usual, I spent more time being sick than healthy, and my energy level was… rubbish. I'm not exactly sure why, but my fatigue was off the charts this year, so motivation took a huge hit, I will just keep monitoring my health. But hopefully, I'll be able to get back to writing more.
Does anyone feel like it was January 2024 not too long ago, and then all of a sudden, 2025 is almost upon us. O.O I swear, where did all the time fly off to.
Thank you all so much for your patience, love, encouragement and support! We are now at 673 Favourites and 718 Follows! X3
*cracks knuckles* Now, I'm gonna get writing for the next chapter while everything is still pretty fresh. *retreats back into my writing cave*
Feel free to follow me on Tumblr, Instagram and Bluesky. There's some artwork on Belladonna and other anime fan art there. Username: kirakirabluemoon
Current members participating in the Battle in Kyōto:
•Retsu
•Suzu (maneki-neko)
-Kogane no Gyōza (Koi fish)
-Kirin (Sunny)
•HoneOnna (bone spirit)
•Kameosa (jug Tsukumogami)
•Amefurikozō (Ame)
•Sunekosuri (Neko)
•Tozen (bow Tsukumogami)
•Ittan-Momen (cloth Tsukumogami)
•Enenra (smoke yōkai)
•Hidama (small firebird)
•Yūga (wolf yōkai)
-(3) Saburō
-(4) Shirō
-(5) Gorō
•Kotarō
-(1) Ichirō
-(2) Jirō
-(6) Rokurō
Those staying behind:
•Uwan (the bush)
•Saki (Flower Ayakashi)
•Fūri (blue fur with leopard patterns)
•Kyō (computer-dwelling spirit)
•Umizatō (the blind one)
-Sazae-oni (clan member)
•Menreiki (Gigaku mask Tsukumogami)
•Shizuka (miasma butterfly)
Ōkami Clan:
•Yūga (wolf yōkai) (X)
-Kōga [Clan Head, father of Yūga and Ryōga]
-Kiba [childhood friend]
-Ryōga [younger brother]
Littermates:
-Gin
-Kentarō
-Ryotarō
-Hachi
Littermates:
-Shiromaru
-Syaoran
Same parents, different litter:
-Kotarō (X)
-Rintarō
-Yutarō
-(1) Ichirō (X)
-(2) Jirō (X)
-(3) Saburō (X)
-(4) Shirō (X)
-(5) Gorō (X)
-(6) Rokurō (X)
~kirakira_bluemoon