Two Hundred And Eighty-Four

Two Hundred And Eighty-Four

“Har. Har. Har.” The Red Oni barked a magnificent laugh, echoed by the jeering host of Yokai around us. A quick glance revealed many of them had broached barrels of sake and other spirits, and some were roasting meats and strange, misshapen vegetables over fires, as though it was a festival. Eri shrank in closer to me, the atmosphere intimidating her, and I whispered that it would be all right. It will be... no, I hope it will be. No more naivety. Bad things can happen. But... I’ll not see them, because if Eri dies I’ll be dead first...

Yamato-san tried to creep closer to us too, but at my glare he faltered, left exposed surrounded by the host on all sides of us. Still, he was a matter of little concern. It was the huge Red Oni that was our current problem, and I waited to see how he would respond to Shaeula’s unexpected declaration.

“You are one of us, you say? Ninetieth?” the Red Oni sniffed, taking another gulp from his massive gourd. “Hey, that’s those pair of stupid cats, right?” he addressed the Blue Oni, who nodded, her long hair swaying.

“Ya, that thieving cat and her dumb brother. I remember when they stole that wine from me. Ya, I caught and punished them good.” She snorted. “I know those cats are good at disguise, but ya can’t fool me. Ya certainly aren’t them. Although...” she sniffed the air. “Ya do smell a bit like them.”

Shaeula looked at us, her gleaming amber eyes questioning, and I nodded. I guess it can’t hurt to try diplomacy first. I’ve almost finished healing and topping up Eri. I’m trying to break down the curse, but my skillset doesn’t lend to it. But with more time, maybe I can at least hasten it’s dispersal...

“Well, that makes sense, does it not-not?” she let out a fearless laugh. “Those foolish cats did try-try to slay me, and instead, I killed the foolish male.”

“Well, I’m not going to be sorry to see him dead, but ya can’t just kill one of us and take their place, unless ya already...” the Blue Oni paused, mouth hanging open as Shaeula transformed from her human form to that of a Kamaitachi, gleaming golden-amber fur and eyes matched by elegant jade sickle-blades at her wrists and ankles. Yamato-san was also gaping, shocked at her sudden change in appearance.

“You were-were saying?” Shaeula interrupted proudly, as she always was when she showed off her pure Kamaitachi form.

“Ya be a Kamaitachi?” the Blue Oni said, puzzled. “Really now? Well, the weasels of wind be Yokai for sure.” She seemed at a loss. I could see there were other Kamaitachi in the crowd around us, as well as some other types of weasel Yokai, and a number of them made ribald comments, remarking on her figure, fur and blades. Don’t think I can’t hear you, and that I’m not remembering this...

Eri, despite her stress and fear, whispered to me reassuringly, an impish smile on her face. “Jealous, Akio? Well, shouldn’t you be proud instead? That she chose you?”

“True.” I whispered back. Shaeula was similarly offended though, as she puffed out her cheeks angrily, which I of course found adorable.

“Yes, really now.” she snorted. “So I believe that means my conquest should be accepted, should it not-not? I found those Oni killing and torturing those under my protection, and I took-took issue with it. Such is simply the way amongst the Yokai and the Hyakki Yagyō, is it not-not?”

“Under your protection? Humans?” the Red Oni scoffed. “You were going about aping one too. Puzzling.” He gnashed his great fangs, irritated. “I don’t think I’ve seen you around here before. And if I had...”

“Ya would know not to mess with our kin.” The Blue Oni finished for him, and a murmur of agreement went though the raucous crowd. “Should have just let his idiot brother have the humans and be done with it. They were outside hallowed ground at night, ya know. No sanctuary, they had it coming.”

Outside hallowed ground, no sanctuary? Is that why the Night Parade was avoiding the shrines and temples? Is there some sort of agreement we aren’t aware of? As I pondered that, the tense conversation continued.

“Even so, what is mine is mine, and surely you would not-not expect me to overlook it, just like you did not-not overlook the death of your brother, no matter how deserved it was?” Shaeula retorted, her experiences in front of the nobles of the Seelie Court recently giving her a noble poise. “Can we not-not put this behind us, as an unfortunate misunderstanding and clash of ideals?”

“I think... not.” The Red Oni shook his giant head peevishly. “I don’t know you, weasel-thing.” He said rudely. “But if you killed those cats, more power to you. I can tell, now I look at you, you are part of the Hyakki Yagyō. It’s strange, but the rules are the rules. The great Nurarihyon likes order within the chaos. Even so...” he looked at the Blue Oni, who took over.

“Ya be what, Ninety? Sure, that might give ya the right to push around his dumb bro, but us, see... you think we are as low as ninety?” she smirked. “Ya ain’t got no right to talk back, unless ya can beat us?” she flexed, her massive muscles rippling under her deep azure skin. “Well, ya will get a chance, sure enough. But Red here, he’s pretty mad, so best ya can hope for is a clean death, right?”

This conversation has bought us some time, but even so, I can’t figure out the curse. My Eye was inspecting deep into Eri, and I could see the curse was a combination of darkness and light elements, darkness to bite in, and light to supply the energy that prevented Eri from returning to the Material. It’s surprisingly clever, I’d be impressed if it wasn’t putting Eri in a ton of danger.

“So then...” Shaeula’s shoulders were shaking a little, and her voice was higher-pitched than normal. I didn’t think it was fear of the Oni or the Parade, not fear of them, but... This is a moment she has longed for since her childhood. And these are not the circumstances she wanted.

“What are we going to do?” Yamato-san hissed, terrified.

“Shut. Up. Let Shaeula handle this.” I responded, unwilling to talk to the bastard any more than necessary.

“... if I had someone to vouch for me, that would suffice, would it not-not?” she asked, and the Blue Oni sniggered.

“On par with us? Ya be reaching, stranger. None of the other weasels around here have ever seen ya before. Ya think any of them will vouch for ya and help pay ya debts, against us, of all Yokai?”

“Oh, yes, I have not-not met any of these before.” Shaeula agreed. “However, there is one-one I do know.” Steeling herself, she drew in a long, shuddering breath before calling out, her voice shimmering with jade wind energy, shockingly loud. “Mother, I have come-come back to you! It is I! Shaeula Tu Shae Dannan, your daughter! Mother Urakaze, the superior biting winds, I, your daughter am here!”

At the word assassin, Urakaze seemed angry. “Some of the Parade would aim-strike at my daughter, who I left so as to keep her safe-well?” she turned to the Black Kamaitachi, who bowed. “Make queries-entreaties. I must know about this. And if I find out who was behind this...” her threat went unspoken. “... so, my daughter has grown strong. I am pleased-happy to see it. I too would like to talk, but matters are seldom so simple-easy.” She glared at me. “What can you offer-give my daughter? Why should I not rend your flesh down to dust now, invisible-unknowable death claiming you?”

I glanced at Eri quickly. She was trying to absorb the darkness part of the curse, the darkness congregating around her throat, though it was hurting her noticeably, though she was keeping her face impassive. Even so, the curse was weakening terribly slowly, and it would surely be hours before she was able to flee. We still need more time. Bowing to Urakaze, I put on my best smile. “Mother-in-law, it is an honour to finally meet you. I have already introduced myself, but let me assure you I love your daughter, and I’ll be sure to protect her, cherish her and support her towards her dreams. One of which came true right now. I would find it an honour if I could join the Parade alongside Shaeula. After all, mortal, Fae, Yokai... aren’t we all the same in the end? We live and love. I can see there was some dreadful misunderstanding here, caused by an idiot, who will surely pay for his sins.” I glared at the pale Yamato-san, who was finding it hard to keep up with the ever-changing conversation and the information presented within. “There’s no need for further bloodshed. In fact, I would be delighted to mediate between the Hyakki Yagyō and humanity, if required, just as I am with the Seelie Court. Well, Shaeula is mostly handling that.” I admitted, praising her, and she grinned, her weasel-face cute. Ugh, still not a furry, but... Shaeula is always pretty, no matter what form she’s in.

“If you try and slay Akio, good Oni, I shall fight you, and if I must-must die, I shall.” Shaeula warned them. “It would grieve me to die in front of my mother when we are just reunited, but if needs be, I shall have no-no hesitation.”

“You have indeed changed, daughter. A selfish cry-baby no longer.” Urakaze observed. “I find it somewhat bittersweet-melancholic. It is said that mortals are creatures of process, while us Yokai and other spiritual beings are creatures of emotion. Obviously mortals have emotion, and we have processes. But emotion changes-shifts and is mercurial, processes are solid, consistent, less prone to change. You have become more like a mortal. I do not know whether to be sad-cry or laugh-weep.”

“Ya think we should drop it, Red?” the Blue Oni sighed. “Now that I look at him, he’s not really human anymore. He’s no Yokai, ya get it, but... he’s not entirely unlike us.”

“Fine. As the husband of your daughter, I’ll chalk this off to bitter misfortune, Urakaze. Once.” The Red Oni rumbled. “A bit excessive though. Three or four of ours for every one of yours who died. Gonna be one hell of a funeral. Well, since this cold bitch... uh, Urakaze is breaking out her supply of ceremonial liquor, I guess we can hold a wake.”

“I thank you. Perhaps I can return the favour, should you care-care to visit the Seelie Court, one day.” Shaeula said grandly. “Akio and I will be delighted to show you around. The mortal world is delightful too. I do rather enjoy-enjoy the alcohol there.”

The Blue Oni raised an eyebrow at that. “Ya know what mortal booze tastes like?”

“Of course. Akio brought me to the mortal world. I can come and go freely. And I am quite-quite sure any that allied with him would be similarly rewarded in due time. Beer, Wine, Sake, Shochu, Whiskey, Cocktails... so many-many delightful drinks. And the snacks, one must not-not forget the snacks...”

Red and Blue were drooling, and as Shaeula went into the description of Faerie Wine and other Fae delicacies, they broke down.

“Fuck, yeah, my bro... I’m sure he was a bastard, or adopted. Oh well, I’ll pour one out for him anyway.”

I see. Emotion and Process. Yokai and Fae have great, deep emotions, but they change like the wind or the tides. Shaeula used to be like that, shifting between emotions swiftly, but now she is more grounded, consistent. Fascinating...

“Of course, that does leave one-one issue.” Shaeula said, having dragged them to her pace. “Eri here. My dear sister and fellow-fellow wife of Akio. She should bear no guilt, and I implore you to allow her to join us in the celebration, and leave unharmed.”

“What about me?” Yamato-san hissed urgently, and Shaeula scoffed.

“What about you, Yamato? This is all-all your fault! The blood is on your hands, and worse, you have wounded Akio’s heart quite-quite deeply. Get yourself out-out of your own mess.” She continued imploring the high-ranking members of the Parade, her mother and the two Oni, as well as several others who had come to watch, radiating power. There was a voluptuous fox with four bushy, golden tails that radiated even more power than the Oni and Urakaze, a massive white giant with one leg and a pointy head, some sort of snake-creature with a wizened human head, and others too.

“I can not-not allow Eri to be harmed. After all, she has done nothing but defend...”

“This cannot stand!” a shrill, feminine voice screamed, and at the same time, another voice, colder and male, called out a complaint as well.

What now? As we tensed, a female Oni came stomping out of the crowd, dressed in ragged ceremonial robes, every inch of the dirty cloth covered by talismans and fetishes. She carried a huge staff topped with cracked and rusted kagura bells, and her face was similar to one we had seen recently.

“Matriarch of the Kijo, what is this?” Urakaze asked. “Do you object-disagree? Would you fight me over my daughter?”

“No, I would not challenge you!” the ragged woman declared, her hair streaming around her like a halo of writhing snakes, even more talismans in her dirty, matted tresses. “But that mortal wretch killed my sister!” she pointed to Eri. “I would have her soul as recompense!”

“Ya got like a hundred sisters. Most of them are ugly harlots.” Blue said, unhelpfully. “Can’t ya let one go, like Red did?”

“Why should I?” she moaned, enraged. “She is outside hallowed ground at night, so by the compact Lord Nurarihyon agreed, I can take her. A lot can be made from such a soul. It isn’t virgin...” Eri blushed at that. “... but even so, there is a purity to it. And it takes to darkness well.” She giggled cruelly, her withered tongue licking over cracked lips.

“I also object! I do not care-care about the mortal...” a massive Kamaitachi, red-furred with bright green eyes, declared, striding forwards. “But aunt, your daughter is well-known as a failure, a disgrace-disgrace. Her words could be all-all lies. How do you know her father approves of this-this mortal, that she has done the deeds she claimed? The cats were strong yes, but fools. I would not-not put it past them to have grown careless. She could have killed them sleeping.”

My bond protested at that insult. Before anyone could speak, Shaeula asked him who he was, and he snorted. “You would not-not know me, half-breed failure. Shame of the weasels. I am your cousin. And I shall show-show everyone here that you are nothing.” He looked at Urakaze. “Give me leave to show you just what-what your daughter truly is!”

“I ask for no leave! My right is to take her life!” the Matriarch howled, pointing at Eri, who was raising her axe, expression grim. “Afterwards, if you choose to make me your enemy, so be it, but even you would not want to oppose all my sisters, you of the biting winds.”

Urakaze remained silent, and I considered the situation. Well, we bought some time, but... it’s not enough, and now we have to fight. Where the hell is Grulgor, although... strong as he was, adding Grulgor would hardly make a difference when we were outnumbered by so many powerful foes. My only consolation is that Yamato-san is shitting himself. If we go down, he’ll go to hell with us...