The Tale of the Kitsune — Part 2
The obsidian sky shimmered with thousands of stars illuminating its depths. Wisps of pink streaked the horizon, foretelling dawn. A chill clung to the air, layering itself in a humid blanket that threatened to break Nami into a cold sweat as she quietly descended the steps of the tower and tiptoed through the garden to the nearest bridge. The sweet smell of honeysuckles tickled her nose as she approached the edge of the garden. A small sakura tree listed in the shallow breeze next to the bridge. Nami ducked beneath the tree, its pink blossoms still wrapped up tightly in preparation of spring, and spotted her prey. Just beyond the bridge, a yokai knelt before an elegant, stone statue. Even in the low light, Nami could make out the painted marble face staring serenely at the horizon. She offered it a half-hearted bow from afar before continuing across the bridge towards the unsuspecting prey.
She stopped directly behind the yokai: a tengu with brilliant black wings and a shock of white hair. As he began to stand, Nami pounced.
“Good morning Kouta!” She pressed her hands against his shoulders and leapfrogged over him. She spun and waved her hands at him as he lost balance and tumbled into the dirt.
“Nami!” He hissed. He fumbled back into standing, flapping his black wings awkwardly to regain balance. He grimaced as he brushed dirt off his blue skin and outfit. “Why are you up so early?”
“To say hello to my favorite tengu.” Nami responded.
“Can your request wait?” Kouta said. “I’m heading to Nyon city.”
“But you just got back after being away for weeks!” Nami said, then frowned. “Wait. How did you know I was going to ask a favor?”
“Because last time I was here there was the onryo incident.” Kouta said. “And the time before that was when we pranked the zodiacs.”
“Sagittarius still hasn’t forgiven me.” Nami mused.
“Anyway. I don’t have time for any mischief today. I’m needed elsewhere.” He finished wiping the dirt off and turned to head back towards the garden and the bridge to the Border House. Nami scrunched her face in response and stuck her tongue out at her friend.
“Aw, c’mon Kouta. It’ll be fun. Quick in and out.” She said racing to catch up to him.
“I can’t Nami, there’s several airships that need a little ‘pick me up.’” He produced a brightly coloured fan and flicked it open. With a single flourish, he sent a wave of wind rustling through the leaves around them. “Rumour has it Nyon has the fastest airships out of any human city.” Kouta said. Nami rolled her eyes at his boast, but he continued on: “Today, they are launching before dawn and as you can see, it’s fast approaching.”
“Please.” She begged. “It’s all planned out.”
“They have a shrine to me, Nami.” Kouta responded. “A whole shrine. I can’t let them down.” Nami leapt in front of him.
“I’ll build you a shrine! A best friend shrine.” She said. “Come on, Kouta. You’re always too serious. Let me add some spice to your life.” Kouta ignored her and kept walking.
“What if I told you it involved that wanyudo you don’t like?” She added. Kouta stopped walking and closed his eyes, ruminating over her words. Nami smiled. He popped open one emerald eye and she knew she had him.
“Fifteen minutes.” He said. “That’s all I can give you.”
Nearly fifteen minutes later, Kouta was standing at the base of the tower with both arms crossed watching the sky slowly brighten into a magnificent plume of red and navy swirls. Frustration was visible on his face: eyebrows knitted together and a frown tugged at the corners of his lips. Nami whipped up a sly smile as she danced in front of him, holding her prize aloft. It was a cursed tanto, tagged with a protection seal to keep its curse at bay.
“Is that…a cursed tanto?” Kouta asked to confirm. His eyes surveyed the weapon warily.
“It is.” Nami said. “The wanyudo got all fussy with me when I delivered a normal one. Not my fault he messed up his order! So now, I’m going to give him exactly what he wanted.”
“Which is?” Kouta eyed it warily.
“Not sure, but this one is enchanted to have a life of its own.” Nami said with a wink.
“And where did you happen to get your cursed blade from?” Kouta asked. He swooped Nami up in his arms and launched them into the sky. They ascended the tower quickly. Wind whipped Nami’s hair into her face as she answered. “The Lady in the Lake of course!”
Kouta chuckled at the response. “So the kappa?”
“Yes, the kappa.” She rolled her eyes at him. “Oh, that’s the window!”
Kouta’s wings billowed out, slowing their ascent to an uneven hover. He tilted forward and Nami slid onto the window sill. She pressed a finger to her lips before disappearing inside a set of curtains that framed the window. Her feet dropped quietly to the floor. The curtains cut all sound out, muffling the beat of Kouta’s wings and cloistering Nami in a dusty haze that shrouded the room. The room itself was in complete disarray: inked scrolls spilled over desks and cabinets. Glass lay shattered on the floor. Stains coated almost every surface of the landing. The tinny odor of burnt metal singed her nostrils, threatening to make her sneeze. She pressed two fingers against her nose and breathed deeply through her mouth. No doubt one of the wanyudo’s experiments had gone awry. Her ears twitched as she listened for his presence. Beyond a screen covered in stitched oxen, she could hear his quiet breathing.
Still asleep, he was always a late riser. Nami scanned the clutter for the box she had delivered the other day. She slinked through the room, combing over every nook and cranny, opening cabinets, picking locked drawers. Where is it? Come on, where is it? She could feel Kouta’s frustration increasing as each minute ticked by. What if he left her and flew away? Oh, he wouldn’t dare. She reaffirmed her thoughts. He’d seen first hand how devious her revenge pranks could be.
There! Nami spotted the wooden case beneath a pile of stained rags and a petrified dead frog. Nami silently gagged as she carefully opened the case and replaced the normal tanto with the cursed one. She ripped the seal off the hilt. A violet swirl shimmered to life along it. The cursed tanto gleamed wickedly in the lowlight before she shut the case and nimbly leapt over the debris back to the window.
“Ta-da!” She whisper-shouted as she jumped out the window. Kouta’s eyes widened in shock. A second later, she slammed into him. He swerved wide, dropping several floors as she wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. Kouta managed to slow their descent, but over-corrected their trajectory. Whump! They crashed against the outside wall. The world spun sideways. They plummeted to the garden below. The brambles caught them in a thorny embrace. Nami rolled away laughing as Kouta fixed her with a death glare.
“Just wanted to make sure you met your fifteen minutes!” Nami told him before he attacked. She saw him glance up at the red sky. Dawn had arrived. He hissed in frustration.
“I will see you this evening.” He said. Black wings spread outward, blocking the rising Sun. Kouta launched himself back into the air, racing towards the Border House. Nami watched until his silhouette disappeared into the bright light of dawn. She stood up and shook leaves from her hair. She giggled as she brushed twigs out and picked thorns from her sleeves. She clawed her fingers through her hair in an attempt to remove the tangles before hastily throwing it back into a loose braid.
Dong! The morning bell sounded. It reverberated throughout the landscape. Nami turned back to the tower, wondering how long it would take for her scheme to come to life. Would it be today or another when the wanyudo unleashed her gift? I hope it’s today. I need some excitement. She hurried to the first floor mail desk, tapping her feet in excitement. Tetsuya was already stocking the mail when she arrived.
“Nami!” He greeted as she leaned against his desk. Yokai were already milling about the floor alongside spirits. “You’re quite early today, aren’t you?”
Somewhere, floors above, Nami’s ears picked out a screech and the shatter of glass. She turned to Tetsuya and smiled wide enough to reveal all her teeth.
“Good morning, Tetsuya. I think I’m right on time this morning. Shall we get started?”
Author: @Dancing_Magpie
