by Dani Hoots
“Which is where we are, right?”
“Yes, that is where we are. Then, on this world, gods began to spontaneously form.”
“Including you?”
He sighed. “How old do you think I am?”
“Very old.”
He leaned over and started tickling me.
“Stop! Stop! I’m sorry! I will stop talking until you are done!”
Akikumo stopped tickling me and laughed. “Five gods came into existence and after them another ten. In these ten, during the seventh generation, Izanagi-sama and Izanami-sama were born.”
“And they created Japan and gave birth to all the other gods, right?” I asked.
He nodded. “Yes, they did. It was from them I was created, right after Japan and humans were formed. I was to take care of them and make sure they understood their duties and to respect the gods that have created them.”
I was silent. So many people had forgotten the gods, even with Akikumo going around and helping them. It didn’t help that they seemed to forget the knowledge of each generation as time grew. How could they forget such things when they had books and art and shrines? They even spoke of the stories, some from the heart, and they still didn’t believe.
“What happens when they forget us?” I asked.
Akikumo took a deep breath and stared up at the sky. “Then the world will move on, and we shall too. But I don’t believe they will ever completely forget. The truth will always be in their hearts, and they will remember us and we shall once again flourish.”
I looked back up at the sparkling night. Were humans that trustworthy? Could they really remember us after time went on? I had my doubts, but if Akikumo believed so, then perhaps it was possible one day.
Maybe one day humans would accept the yokai and—maybe—accept me.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Present day—Hida Mountains
MY EYES FLICKERED OPEN to find a strange blue light emanating from the katana. I blinked a few times, confused as to why it was doing that. I stood up, transforming into my kitsune form, and stepped over to it. Gently I pulled out the katana from its sheath, and the blue light jumped out. Startled, I fell back. What was this light? And why did it just jump out of the katana like that?
As I focused on the light again, I noticed that it was simply floating in the air, as if trying to get me to pay attention to it. It was trying to tell me something, but I did not understand what that was.
Glancing over at Yamato, I found him still asleep by the fire. Since I had used my kitsunebi, it would last through the night to keep Yamato warm. Turning back to the light, it seemed to slowly be moving back.
Did it want me to follow it? Should I trust it? We had been attacked by a lot of yokai now—I wasn’t sure if it would be an excellent idea to trust it so easily.
But it was from Yamiyo and Akikumo’s sword. Maybe it was a sign—maybe it would show me where Akikumo’s home was.
Which meant I had no time to waste.
Nodding, I gestured to the light. “Lead the way.”
I followed the blue light up the mountainside. Once I left the area with the fire, I felt the crisp night air. It was cool compared to the fire, but I knew I would be fine as I had completely dried off now. I kept glancing back. As long as I could see the fire I had made, I could find my way back. That is, if a yokai didn’t run me off the cliff and into the water again.
Shaking my head, I pushed back any thoughts of what had happened. I couldn’t be that unlucky again. There was no way. The yokai had been on the other side of the river and wouldn’t have been able to get over here. At least that’s what I hoped.
The light led me up the mountainside. My body was tired from all that had happened merely hours before, not to mention having traveled across the mountains. But I kept pushing forward, having to know if my hunch was correct.
As I reached the top of the summit, I found a torii gate. It was in rough shape, and as I inspected it, I knew it had to be the one that used to hide all of Akikumo’s homes. How could it have gotten this run-down? He used to keep the torii in such pristine condition. I ran my hand over the rough wood, remembering all the times I had stepped through it. My heart raced. Was I going to see my best friend after all these years?
I stepped through the gate, and a small, simple-styled home with broken shoji stood in front of me. I gasped. It was Akikumo’s house. I had found it. I was finally there.
“Aki-chan?” I called out as I stepped around the broken roof tiles and wood pieces. “Aki-chan?”
As I stepped inside, I could tell it was abandoned. Dust covered everything and all the shoji were broken, if not rotten. There were holes in the ceiling, having let in years’ worth of rain and snow. The furniture was tipped over, and there were no more kimonos or haori in the closets. He had to have abandoned it long ago.
I sank down onto my knees, tears forming in my eyes. After all this time, he was truly gone. There was no way he would have left this place like this. That meant only one thing.
All those people were right—he had perished.
I slammed my fists on the ground. Why didn’t Inari just tell me? Why did Inari send me on this wild-goose chase to be slapped in the face with the truth?
Akikumo was gone.
“This isn’t fair! Where are you? Why did you leave me!” I choked out. Snot and tears dampened my face as I fell forward and put my face in my hands. “Why did you leave me?”
“Ketsue-chan?”
I looked up, half expecting Akikumo to be standing there, but it was Yamato.
I wiped away the tears. “Yama-chan... I’m sorry I ran off like that. I thought I saw something, but I guess I was wrong.” I glanced around the small building. “I guess I was wrong about everything.”
He said nothing as he sat down next to me. I buried my face in my hands again. This wasn’t fair—why was I so stupid? Why did I not realize earlier he was gone?
Yamato placed his arm around me as I continued weeping. This was too much to process—it was too much to even accept. I wasn’t ready for him to leave this world. I needed to know why he left me at the shrine all those years ago.
“Was this his house?” Yamato ended the silence.
I looked up and glanced around. “Yeah, but it seems decades have past. This must have been the last place he came.”
“So you believe he is gone?”
I nodded. “Yes. No one has seen him leave the mountain. He must have come up here to take his last breaths in the place he loved most.”
Without me. I didn’t understand why he did it without me. Why didn’t he let me be at his side? Why was I the last to know?
Taking a deep breath, I stood up. “Help me see if there is anything left. Maybe he left a note or something.”
Yamato nodded, but I could tell he had the same thought as I—nothing could have lasted in this abandoned place. It seemed that many yokai had made their way through here. Suddenly it hit me.
“Wait, how did you get through the torii without me?”
He shrugged. “Some strange blue light from the katana led me up here, and I walked through the torii with it. I’m not quite sure why I was transferred, but I was. Maybe it was because I brought the katana with me?” He held it up, and I quickly grabbed it, not realizing I had left it behind. I must have been entranced by the blue light to have not noticed.
After everything that had happened on our trip, it really wasn’t that surprising he could make it through the torii. He could see yokai after all. “Whatever, I guess we can stay here tonight and then tomorrow we can try to find our stuff.”
“Will you be coming back to the Inari shrine?”
“I... I don’t know. I thought I would stay with Aki-chan... but now that isn’t possible. I don’t know what I want, but I suppose I need to talk to Inari-sama either way.”
“Yeah, I’m curious why Inari-sama had us go on this trip. Why couldn’t they have just told you?”
“Perhaps they didn�
��t know. Or perhaps it was something else. I can never tell with the kami.”
Searching around some more, I found that there was nothing left. Either this place had nothing to begin with, or someone had come along and taken everything. Taking a deep breath, I sat back down.
“Well, I guess we should rest. Tomorrow we will be a big—”
Suddenly there was a large flash of light and the ground shook as thunder filled the sky. It had been clear just moments ago, and yet now we could hear a storm. Both of us ran to the door and found clouds had covered the night sky. How was this possible?
Then I saw him—an enormous creature that appeared like a tiger-dog but glowed as bright as lightning itself.
It was a raiju.
There was no way we could defeat such a being, not to mention it wasn’t an evil yokai. It was regarded as sacred, almost like a kami.
Raiju let out a roar and paced back and forth, staring straight at us. It glared with its bright eyes, as if we had done something wrong.
“Why are you here?” I asked. It was clear there was nothing I could do but talk to him. It was the only way we would make it out of here alive.
“I protect these mountains and these ruins. I don’t let anyone pass through this torii without facing my wrath. No one will taint the burial place of the most legendary okami in existence. No human is worthy to be here!”
The word burial felt like a stab to my heart. Burial place. “I am the daughter of Akikumo-sama. I deserve to be here.”
“Akikumo-sama had no daughter.”
“That is incorrect. Besides, I am not a human.”
“No, you are a kitsune, one that has sworn herself to Inari-sama. You may live due to your service to a god, but your companion I will not let free. He is a human and should not be here. He must die!”
I screamed as the raiju headed straight toward Yamato. Quickly I pulled out the katana and with one big swoop, the entire area went up in a blue flame. The raiju roared as he ran up in the sky, blue light engulfing him. Thunder clashed all around as he screamed.
The power I used was immense, and as the flamed died down, I felt my ki wither.
Then suddenly everything went black.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Summer 1854 (Edo Period)—Fushimi Inari Taisha, Kyoto
“THIS IS A PLACE WHERE most of your kind resides, Ketsue-chan.”
I had never seen so many torii gates lined like those. They stretched on forever. They inscribed each gate with a name. From first glance, it seemed that it was mainly human names. Did they build those? Or did they donate? Or were they all priests who had worked at the shrine? I stared at them in awe, as they contrasted the trees and plants so well.
“The red almost matches your eyes and streak in your hair. And, of course, it matches your name.”
I nodded. It seemed to fit me, and I wondered how long we would stay here. I thought it was rather beautiful and was surprised Akikumo had never brought me before, although I had a feeling it was because I didn’t want to come back to Kyoto. This city was where my parents were killed and my life had completely changed. I never noticed it before, but I wondered if that was why Akikumo never stayed here—he didn’t want to bring up painful memories for me.
Yet now he changed his mind. Why was that? Why were we here?
“So there are more kitsune here, Aki-chan?”
He nodded. “Yes, and you will be able to play with them and learn from them while you are here.”
“How long are we staying here?”
He didn’t answer and kept his eyes ahead. I didn’t like how he ignored my question and was about to push further when a kitsune with orange fur appeared. She had all nine tails, which made me stare in awe. She had been alive for at least a thousand years and was considered a kami to some. She wore a yellow-and-pink floral kimono with a white obi. It was intricate, to say the least, and I wondered how she kept it so clean and crisp. Akikumo purchased many kimonos that were as nice for me, but I always seemed to dirty them on our adventures.
The woman bowed. “Akikumo-sama, it is an honor for you to visit our shrine. I am Ichika, the head kitsune of this shrine. Inari-sama is waiting for you.”
Akikumo bowed. “Thank you very much, Ichika-san. I am humbled by your hospitality. I believe that what Inari-sama and I need to discuss may bore Ketsue-chan here. Would it be possible for her to meet some of the kitsune that live here? Her full name is Tsuki Ketsueki.”
Ichika nodded. “Yes, my daughter and a few others are currently pounding mochi. Would you like to join and learn?”
I glanced over to Akikumo, who smiled. “That sounds like fun. You should go join them.”
I turned to Ichika and nodded. “Yeah, I will join them.”
“You can take her, Ichika-san. I know my way to Inari-sama.”
Ichika bowed. “As you wish, Akikumo-sama.”
Akikumo gave me a hug and kissed the top of my head. “I will see you later, Ketsue-chan.”
I touched the top of my head where he kissed it, a little confused. “See you later, Aki-chan.”
He turned and headed up through the torii gates. It had been so long since we had ever split up that I almost felt like I wouldn’t see his face again. I watched as he stepped up the path, and eventually he was out of view. My heart sank, even though I knew I would see him later. Why was I feeling like that? Had I really gotten that attached?
I turned to Ichika. “So where are we going?”
“This way. The kitsune like to pound the mochi under an old maple tree on the other side of the mountain. It won’t take too long to get to if you follow me.”
I nodded. “Thank you, Ichika-sama.”
“Well, I am glad to see you understand honorifics. I was beginning to wonder after hearing you give that nickname to Akikumo-sama.”
I opened my mouth, not quite sure what to say to her backhanded comment. It was none of her business what I called Akikumo. I had traveled Japan with him and was his best friend. How dare she say that.
Taking a deep breath, I let it slide. We wouldn’t be staying here for that long, and I could complain to Akikumo later. I didn’t want to get kicked out and have to deal with humans on my own.
Ichika led me through the forest, and after about ten minutes, we came upon a gigantic maple tree. Under it were five kitsune who seemed to be laughing as they pounded the mochi and added water and turned it. I had seen festivals where humans pounded mochi, but I had never done it before. They all turned when they saw us approach.
My stomach felt as if it was filled with butterflies. I had never talked to any other kitsune before. Would they like me? Would I know what to say?
Glancing around, I found that all of them had at least eight tails. I was indeed the youngest one by far, with only five of my tails. Soon they would all have nine tails and I would just be a young kitsune that wasn’t as powerful. But that didn’t matter. It wasn’t like I would stay.
“Everyone, this is Tsuki-san. She came to the shrine with Akikumo-sama. I expect you to be kind to her and bring her back around for supper. I have other tasks I need to complete.” With that, Ichika left me standing there with the five new kitsune.
I bowed. “I am pleased to meet you all. I hope we can be friends.”
A male kitsune with nine orange tails stepped forward. His orange hair was shaggy, but not long. He wore an all-white kimono and obi. He looked majestic, almost like Akikumo as he wore a lot of light colors, but something was different. He didn’t have the same calm and welcoming energy like Akikumo did. Glancing around, none of them had that type of energy. They almost looked as if they were sizing me up.
As if I was some kind of prey.
The male fox crossed his arms. “Well, what do we have here?”
“I am Tsuki Ketsueki, but you can call me Ketsueki.”
He laughed. “As if we would want to become familiar with you.” He waved his hand around. “But I guess I should give you my name so you know who to be respectful t
oward. I am Daiki. I am one of the oldest kitsune here, besides Ichika-sama. Everything you do has to go through me first.”
I frowned. That was not what I expected. I clenched my fist, debating on punching him in his perfect chin, but I knew better. Akikumo would be very disappointed if I didn’t at least try to make friends. I took a deep breath. “It is nice to meet you, Daiki-sama.”
He laughed. “Very good. You learned your place quickly.” He gestured to the white-furred kitsune wearing a blue kimono next to him. “This is Hikaru-san. Next to him is Niko-san and Ichika-sama’s daughter, Yuki-san.”
Niko was a gray kitsune with a pink kimono and purple obi. Yuki, just like her mother, was an orange-haired kitsune with a green kimono. Both the males had nine tails, but the females had eight.
I bowed again. “It is nice to meet you all.”
Niko spat at my feet. “You are a disgusting yako.”
My nails were digging into my palms. “What’s a yako?” All I figured was that it wasn’t very nice.
“A feral fox, just like you.” Daiki shoved my collar with his long finger. “I do not understand why an okami like Akikumo-sama would want to keep a yako like you around.”
I glared at Daiki. “I am not a yako.”
They all laughed. Niko opened her fan and smiled at me. “Any kitsune who isn’t raised at this shrine is a yako. You don’t know proper manners or even how to wear your kimono properly.”
Daiki shoved me again. “And look at her fur. It’s disgustingly dirty. Her shoes are covered with filth. She appears as wild as the stories say.”
“I am not a yako! I travel all around Japan with Aki-chan, that is why my clothes are dirty. I actually work hard, unlike you all.”
They all laughed again. Hikaru put his finger on his chin. “Why, isn’t that quite the cutesy name for an okami. How close are you to that ossan?”
I shot him a look. “Don’t speak of him with such disrespect! He was the one who found me and raised me since I was very little. I have been with him for centuries. None of you know anything about him.”