by Fuyumi Ono
Rikou laughed. “Oh, I just had to find out whether you’d made it here in one piece. What happened to Hakuto?”
Shushou’s head drooped. “After all the effort you went to securing me that certificate, he ended up getting stolen.”
“Oh,” Rikou said and gave Shushou a sympathetic pat on the back. “And still you made it all the way to Ken. I should have tagged along with you.”
“That’s okay. I really loved Hakuto and it hurt terribly to lose him. But this has got my dander up.”
“But of course.” Rikou smiled broadly.
Shushou said, “What are you doing here in the Yellow Sea?”
“I couldn’t help wondering what kind of trouble you might be getting into on your own.”
Shushou looked up at Rikou’s grinning face. “Are you suggesting you want to come along?”
“You should have a bodyguard, no? You’re a tough little girl, but hardly equipped to swing a sword and keep the youma at bay.”
The smiling Rikou indicated the sword slung around his waist. Shushou smiled back. Gankyuu clapped his hands on her shoulders.
“Who’s this?”
“Ah, he came to my rescue on my way to Ken. His name is Rikou. He says he wants to come with us.”
“He what?”
“It must be my virtuous nature at work. Rikou, this is Gankyuu. I hired him as my bodyguard. Though I don’t suppose one can have too many bodyguards.”
“No, I don’t suppose one can,” Rikou said.
Gankyuu regarded the affable young man with a startled expression. Have you been chasing after her all the way here?”
“Wouldn’t her welfare weigh on any man’s mind? A little girl like Shushou alone in the vast Yellow Sea—”
“You knew she was coming here?”
“She said so herself.”
Gankyuu barked into Rikou’s bright face, “Then you should have stopped smirking and stopped her!”
Rikou only grinned. “I can only imagine you said as much. And yet here she is.”
The quick comeback caught Gankyuu off guard. He stumbled for an answer. “I, ah, tried to stop her.” At a loss for words, Gankyuu scowled at the happy-go-lucky countenance in front of him.
“Gankyuu, there’s nothing to fight about,” Shushou looked up at Gankyuu with a complacent smile. “He’s a nice guy. A fellow bodyguard can keep you company.”
“You don’t have any desire to go back? We could make it back to Ken today.”
“No matter how many times you ask, the answer will always be the same. I hired you. You need to snap to it and start leading the way.”
However Shushou wished him to hurry up, the gates of the fort leading to the Yellow Sea took some time opening. A subdued aura emanated from the watchtowers above them. Voices urging the opening of the gates came from without. Finally the soldiers standing guard slid open the massive bolts.
Strong light poured in, accompanied by the fresh stink of blood and death. Shushou narrowed her eyes. The soldiers motioned them forward. Having hoisted up their traveling packs, the people waiting there timidly stepped through the gate.
Shushou and Gankyuu joined the line. Exiting the gate, the source of the smell was hard to miss, the corpses of dreadful-looking beasts piled up in corner of the large plaza outside the fort.
“Gankyuu—” Shushou said and pointed.
Gankyuu nodded. “Want to turn back?”
“That isn’t funny,” Shushou retorted, but couldn’t resist a glance over her shoulder, searching for Rikou in the crowd as he went to retrieve his kijuu. She spotted him soon enough. He saw her and waved back. The sight of that indomitable smile did make her feel a bit better right then.
The soldiers on the watchtowers atop the fort and on the nearby stone terraces scanned the heavens. Nothing was visible in the warm blue skies above.
Shushou sighed as she looked at the people crowded into the plaza. A rugged, bolder-strewn slope sharply descended from the plaza. Spreading out from its base, as far as the eye could see, was a broad expanse of green. The Yellow Sea.
Aside from the Kongou Mountains looming to their left and right, there was nothing particularly unique about the view.
“The Yellow Sea looks awfully normal to me,” said Shushou.
Overhearing her, Gankyuu said himself, “You don’t say.” He knew the Yellow Sea like the back of his hand. A corpse hunter who didn’t would soon become a dead corpse hunter.
Small bands separated from the throngs in the plaza twos and threes. These were the corpse hunters, committed to hunting the Yellow Sea until the next Day of Ankou. About to follow them, stopping and casting bewildered glances at the prevaricating crowd behind them, were those setting off on the Shouzan. The entire group came to at least five hundred.
Many of those going on the Shouzan were accompanied by a group leader. It was not unusual to see travelers surrounded by a dozen bodyguards. Most carried weapons and not a few had horse-drawn wagons heavily laden with supplies. Of these, perhaps only eighty were actually going on the Shouzan.
Confirming this, Gankyuu breathed a sigh of relief. Twenty years ago, the kirin had stepped forward to select the next emperor or empress, and so the Shouzan had commenced. It was hardly surprising that the number of people making the attempt would have dwindled over those two decades.
Kyou’s Day of Ankou notwithstanding, this could be called a good gathering. Relying on their good graces should significantly lessen the hardships of the journey.
In any case, these weren’t the kind to whine that since saving their own skins was all that mattered, their escorts were there for their own good, and all the supplies were theirs. Even if they thought it, it wouldn’t be in their natures to say it. After this, the heavens would test those dispositions.
Their bodyguards and their generous supplies would soon become necessary. There was a limit to how much a single haku could carry and the road was long. However they economized, they couldn’t bring enough along to cover the entire distance. If any unforeseen incidents arose and they ran low, he’d have to light a fire under the haku’s splendid walking skills and cover the remaining ground by air.
Youma, however, targeted fliers above all, making flying significantly more dangerous than proceeding along the ground.
“All right, then. We’d better get going,” Gankyuu said when Rikou caught up with them. He took a look at Rikou’s kijuu and his jaw dropped. “That’s a suugu.”
Rikou smiled. “Ah, so you have a fondness for kijuu too.”
Shushou tugged at Rikou’s sleeve. “Gankyuu is a corpse hunter.”
“How about that!” Rikou said, sounding both surprised and impressed.
Gankyuu knelt down in front of the suugu. “This guy is really something. Do you catch him yourself?”
“Nothing of the sort. It was given to me.”
“Given to you?” said the even more amazed Gankyuu. He glanced up at Rikou, who had imparted this information with hardly a second thought. If Gankyuu could capture a suugu and sell it, he’d never have to venture into the Yellow Sea again. “What I’d give to have such generous friends like that.”
“I see you have a haku. You catch it yourself, Gankyuu-san?”
“Gankyuu is fine, without the san. The chap who can capture and bring a suugu to heel deserves a san, not a guy like me.”
Shaking his head in disbelief, Gankyuu inspected the suugu. Even Gankyuu had rarely seen a suugu up close. He’d almost captured one once. But it was too fast and too strong and too smart to fall for the trap he’d laid. The very annoyed animal proceeded to maul three of his companions and ran off. He was only grateful afterwards that nobody got killed.
Suugu came in mostly-white and mostly-black . This one was more of the former, and with black stripes on a white coat, the more common. Either variety had the same swirl of color in their eyes and the same long tail.
The suugu looking back at Gankyuu showed neither an aroused mood nor irritation. Maybe a detached sen
se of superiority. The ferocity he had once witnessed was nowhere to be found. That such a beast could be so tamed was itself extraordinary.
Thoroughly fascinated, Gankyuu rose to his feet. Shushou said to him lightly, “I’m going to ride with Rikou. He says that Seisai won’t mind.”
“Yes, yes. A suugu’s probably better than a haku, Miss. However—”
Shushou cocked her head to the side. “When did you turn stupid?”
“Come again?”
“Who say anything about that? We’re not going on some sightseeing trip. This is the Yellow Sea, you know.”
Gankyuu’s eyes flashed. Rikou chortled with laughter.
“I don’t weigh very much. Even so, a kijuu would feel the weight. I know that. But in a pinch, the question is which kijuu would feel it the least. That’s what I was referring to.”
“Oh. Sorry.”
“Since my weight won’t have any effect on Seisai, I’ll ride him. Anyway, what is the name of your Haku?”
“It doesn’t have a name,” Gankyuu said gruffly.
“You should give it one.”
“If you think it should have name, go ahead and give it one. But listen to what I have to say and don’t interrupt this time. You must not leave the side of the kijuu, but don’t ride them.”
“Why not?”
“Because we will be accompanied by people on foot. The group will proceed no faster than a walking pace. There are tasks that can only be done while on foot. There is no taking it easy once you’ve entered the Yellow Sea.”
“But—” Shushou started to say.
Gankyuu cut her off. “Be quiet and do as you’re told.”
Shushou glared at Gankyuu, a determined expression on her face. “Have you forgotten who hired you?”
“I haven’t forgotten. My job is to deliver you safely to Mt. Hou and return you to civilization.”
“This probably won’t be a round trip.”
“If you say so. I was hired as your bodyguard, but I don’t recall including my life in the bargain, not for such a paltry sum.” As Shushou silently sulked, Gankyuu turned his attention to Rikou. “Have you ever been to the Yellow Sea before?”
“Not once, alas.”
“Have you ever tangled with youma before?”
“That I’ve done on several occasions.”
Gankyuu let out a small sigh. In other words, he had two amateurs on his hands. Perhaps overhearing that sigh, Rikou added apologetically, “I’ll do as you ask. I intend to learn all I can about the Yellow Sea.”
“Count on my asking,” Gankyuu snapped back, albeit without much heart.
Starting with those closest to the descending slope, the crowds of people in the plaza began to break up. They at last began to move.
“Shushou, stay between the suugu and the haku. Let’s go.”
Chapter 13
[2-5] The soldiers lining the plaza bid them a silent goodbye as they descended the rocky slope. The path threaded through the forest before them, wide enough for a single horse-drawn wagon. Following the valley stream down from the Kongou Mountains, the path had been cleared and trampled down by all those journeying on the Shouzan over these past many years.
Even though they were all headed to the Five Mountains, this wasn’t a particularly well-organized or coordinated pilgrimage. But going off alone was dangerous, so everybody stuck close to everybody else. Everybody sticking close to everybody else welded them into a single group, albeit for no other reason than simple common sense.
They left the rocky area behind and entered the forest. It was just past noon when they entered a meadow that served as a rest stop. Leaving the fort in the morning would bring them to similar places at the same approximate times.
The young trees and saplings had been hewn down, the process repeated over the centuries to form and preserve clearings like this. No sooner had they arrived but far to their rear came the sound of the bell and drums.
They all started and looked back. Although obstructed by the sea of trees, behind them was the Reiken Gate. And now it was closing, and closing off any thought of retreat.
At that point, this person or that might have stopped in his tracks, as if overwhelmed by a sense of despondency, taken a breather, shaken it off, and gamely pressed on. They continued to descend though the rolling forested foothills.
During this time, the girl of barely twelve going on the Shouzan had already become a known item. No one held back from praising her pluck and courage in traveling all the way to the Yellow Sea.
“Kyou can’t be all bad if there are still subjects like Shushou left in it.”
“Adults could learn a thing or two from bravery like that. If every child and adult was like Shushou, there’s no way the kingdom would go to ruin.”
Some of the compliments were directed at Gankyuu and Rikou as well.
“Just the two of you guarding her all the way to Mt. Hou! Such chivalry is a rare thing to see these days.”
Less bravery than pure recklessness, Gankyuu thought, and less chivalry than financial necessity. But he accepted the praise with thanks.
During the month and a half it would take crossing the Yellow Sea, the ad hoc groups they’d presently formed would, by necessity, organize themselves. Even the corpse hunters, normally a standoffish bunch, did the same when they entered the Yellow Sea.
Sooner or later a leader would emerge, so rubbing people the wrong way right from the start was not a good idea.
When the sun set, the youma grew more restless. About the time the sun touched the ridgelines of the Kongou Mountains, somebody chimed up that they should stop and make camp. That was when they came across a tamped-down clearing in a grassy meadow.
The line of travelers slowly came to a halt. With nobody in charge giving orders, they wouldn’t stop until they collectively felt the need to stop. And so by the time the caravan broke for camp, the twilight was well upon them. While some hastily erected tents, those without immediately went searching for firewood.
Observing this activity out of the corner of his eyes, Gankyuu surveyed the forest and quickly settled on the best campsite. Venturing a little ways into the woods, he selected a tree and tied his haku to it.
“Gankyuu, there’s nothing wrong with the field.”
“There’s plenty wrong. Shushou, pile rocks up here. Rikou, tie your suugu to the tree there.”
His brusque tone made Shushou look at Rikou, but Rikou only calmly did as he was told and tied Seisai to the indicated tree. Having no other choice at the moment, Shushou followed suit, searched for stones in the surrounding area and arranged them the way Gankyuu said.
“No sooner do we enter the Yellow Sea but he gets all high and mighty,” she grumbled aloud.
Gankyuu ignored her. He enclosed the makeshift stone hearth on three sides with a screen fashioned from twigs and shoots pruned off the trees and lit a fire. On the way to the clearing, Gankyuu had instructed Shushou and Rikou to gather any dried branches they saw.
Once they’d collected enough, he had her mount up and bundle them with twines of tall grass. This would become regular practice. Waiting until the sun set gave them too little time. Wandering around in the dark and staring at her feet searching for firewood was a good way to invite an attack from a youma.
It proved an effective strategy, and they soon had dinner done with. By the time the rest of the company had pitched their tents and then, grumbling and complaining, got around to making dinner, Gankyuu, Shushou and Rikou had packed away the utensils, doused the fire, and bedded down between the two kijuu.
Shushou asked, “Is it really a good idea to put out the fire?”
Gankyuu nodded. “Yes. Once dinner’s done, time for bed.”
Rikou said, “And should we going to bed so soon?”
“Not a problem. If our lucks holds, we’ve got three days before any risk of attack.”
“Why’s that?”
“The proximity of the fort.”
“But the soldie
rs there can’t possible shoot at anything here.”
“It doesn’t matter if their arrows can reach us or not. The smell of blood can.”
“Blood.”
“Youma flock to the smell of blood. In the attack last night, youma and people died. The territory within a three day’s march of a place where blood has been spilled should be safe. Any youma in the area will be drawn away by the blood in the air.”
Gankyuu had the haku lay down and stretched out on the ground next to it. “Rikou, you use the suugu as your pillow. I’ve got the haku, and Shushou is in-between.”
“The suugu would be fine by me.”
“Do as you’re told. If youma show up, they’ll go for the kijuu first. The person sleeping next to them must awaken at the first sign of movement.”
“I’d wake up.”
“I’m not so sure,” Gankyuu said with a kidding grin.
Shushou glared at him and drew the padded kimono around her shoulders. The Yellow Sea was warmer than Ken County. She didn’t need the jacket during the day but felt a sharp chill in the air at night.
“You don’t have to be rude about it,” Shushou sulked. “I would wake up right away. I’m not a baby.”
She lay down and pulled the padded kimono over her head. People still bustled about in the clearing. Those gathered around the bonfire chatted in loud and lively tones, full of boastful bravado and giddiness from having ventured into the wilds of the Yellow Sea.
The bumpy earth beneath the grass made for an uncomfortable bed. Her legs ached. She’d rather have bedded down next to Seisai. The area was cramped. And Gankyuu was a nag. Sleep was pretty much out of the question.
But once she closed her eyes, when she opened them again, it was morning.
Chapter 14
[2-6] They were past the three-day window of safety Gankyuu had promised, but the Shouzan caravan was still deep in the forest. The mountain stream they were following had grown into a small river.
Just as they had so far, about the time the sun touched the Kongou Mountains in the west, the caravan reached an enlarged hollow in the woods and began setting up camp.