Chapter Text
~O~
Ne cherchez plus mon coeur; les bêtes l'ont mangé. (Seek my heart no longer; the beasts have eaten it.)
― Charles Baudelaire, Les Fleurs du Mal, "Causerie"
~O~
ACT ONE: The Almost Demon
~O~
Forest of Yoku, Kamakura
Iwasaki Territory
Spring 1568
...
A branch from a shrub nicks Shouyou's cheek; it doesn't sting, not yet. He's running as fast as his legs can take him, his lungs burning, the ends of his kosode completely tattered. He leaps over an overgrown tree root—pain lances up from his right ankle but he keeps running.
Shouyou curses in his head. "How in the world are you guys so fast?" he whines. He swears he had outrun the monsters earlier this morning, but they must have caught his scent. They're annoyingly persistent.
On his right, a shadow starts forming. He ducks in time before his head gets squashed by a pair of claws the size of shigaraki jars.
A high-pitched voice cackles from behind him, distressingly close. "More blood is seeping into your meat, human!" one of the three monsters caws. "The more you run, the more mouthwatering you smell!"
"Didn't you hear the news? Eating sun priests makes you uglier!" Shouyou shouts as he narrowly avoids getting his leg bitten.
"We won't fall for any more of your tricks, kannushi! Your heart will be ours for the taking!"
Shouyou jumps over a dead log and manages to grab a rock matted with wet moss. Without losing momentum, he pitches the rock at the monsters and hits one at the space between its eyes.
"You impudent human!" the fallen monster screeches as the others trample over it.
The chase goes on for another ten minutes. Shouyou's panting heavily as he dashes through the thick of the forest. Omikami-sama, he prays. If I'm going to die now, can I at least do it in an open area? He wants the skies to be the last thing he sees. It might be the closest he can get to his dream.
"Ergh!" Shouyou grouses before gritting his teeth at the dull ache in his thighs. His legs are close to giving out under him.
The monsters can tell. They're picking up speed. A sharp nail grazes Shouyou's elbow and he cries out. Blood starts to trickle from his arm.
"Delicious. Delicious," a deep, rumbling voice croons in the air. "Just one bite, kannushi. Just one—"
Another monster roars, "It is I who will have the sun priest's heart! Only I will attain immortality!"
"One bite!" another shrieks. "One bite, human!"
Something hot and scaly wraps around Shouyou's leg and he's suddenly thrown against a tree trunk. His brain rattles inside his skull. He almost loses consciousness.
"We feast! We feast!" the horrible creatures cry gleefully as they close in on Shouyou. "Your heart! Give it to us!"
This is it then. After almost two weeks of running and scavenging, Shouyou's journey has finally reached a conclusion. He doesn't feel at peace with himself unlike his father and the rest of the kannushis were when they were slaughtered by demons, but perhaps this feeling of perpetual dissatisfaction has always been a burden that's uniquely Shouyou's to bear. He was the only one who questioned his destiny as a sun priest, the only one who wanted to see the world, and ultimately, the only one who survived that bloody massacre. Perhaps it's fitting that he's going to die here—surrounded by trees that loom like walls, away from the sun, alone.
Shouyou slumps against the wood and closes his eyes. To the sun I seek refuge. My spirit roams free, he prays once more. I give my heart to anyone who needs it...
Foul breath fans over his face, and there's a sickening sound of flesh tearing. Shouyou waits for blinding pain, for release, but it doesn't come. He can only feel the dulling ache on his ankle and behind his breastbone.
The monsters are screaming in agony, but then suddenly, the noises are snuffed all at once. Something wet splashes across Shouyou's face—it smells and tastes metallic—and his eyelids burst open.
The three monsters who were chasing him are now ripped open in half, their skulls and ribs split, hearts the color of soot pierced through by thick, rotten branches. Their green eyes are dull and lifeless.
Someone stands before the carnage, his fingers soaked in blood. He's wearing dark blue robes held together by a fisherman's rope, a sword strapped to his side. His skin is frost-white and his straight, midnight black hair flutters with the faint breeze. His mouth downturns as he gazes down at Shouyou.
A soiled black cloth falls away from his face—an eyepatch. It now dangles by the string on his right ear. And that's when Shouyou notices.
Not a man, Shouyou registers in alarm as he takes in the peculiar colors of the stranger's eyes: its left eye is a deep ocean blue, while its right a crimson red.
It's some sort of demon, maybe. But it's definitely not human.
Shouyou kicks the bodies away and slinks back against the tree trunk, but there's no place for him to go. He trembles as the demon inches closer.
Shouyou lets out a low whimper when the demon dips its head and parts Shouyou's robes. It presses its nose over Shouyou's bare chest before skimming its lips over the skin in a strange, gentle caress.
Father, I'm sorry I couldn't do it, Shouyou prays. He hopes this creature eats him quickly.
But suddenly, the demon angles back. It touches Shouyou's face like it's searching for something, smearing ogre blood all over Shouyou's nose and cheeks. Its fingertips then rest against Shouyou's trembling mouth.
"Oh," Shouyou breathes out.
This time, the demon pulls away completely. It steps back and crouches before the monsters it has slain. It then stops, turning deathly still.
Shouyou waits. And waits.
When the demon makes no move to approach him, Shouyou scrambles for the last of his courage and dashes away, ignoring the tenderness in his chest and feet. He runs and runs until he reaches a meadow. He looks up at the sun and the skies.
"I made it," Shouyou mumbles. "Finally." He passes out.
...
When Shouyou comes to be, he immediately screams, thrashing away from the bloodied reeds. "What in the—"
There are five dead monsters before his feet. One has its claw extended like it was about to seize Shouyou's leg before it was killed. From the looks of it, they were taken out swiftly; each monster was sliced in the middle.
Shouyou whirs his head and spots the human-like demon again, sitting quietly a yard away. It must have followed him and killed the monsters while Shouyou was unconscious. But it let Shouyou live.
Why?
With the faint glimmer of the sunset from the canopy, Shouyou is able to see the demon's waxy complexion, the iron-hard muscles half-hidden in its loose garments, the haunting katana now sheathed. This is the first time Shouyou has seen a demon that so resembles a young man and can wield a human's weapon like an extension of its limbs. What is this creature?
With shaking knees, Shouyou stands up and saunters towards it.
In a blink of an eye, the tip of the katana is a mere inch away from Shouyou's nose. He's stopped just in time.
Shouyou's blood begins to warm amidst the frigid breeze. He ignores the insistent voices in his head telling him to run. "Why didn't you kill me?" he asks.
The demon doesn't answer. It's still staring at the patch of grass under Shouyou's feet.
Shouyou crouches down, and the katana's blade follows his face. "Can you understand me?" he says.
It doesn't answer again. It's still staring blankly at the ground.
Somewhere in the forest, a wolf howls.
After a beat, the demon lowers its blade and thrusts it back in its scabbard.
Shouyou then notices the slim cut on its shoulder. It's wounded. Without thinking, he raises his hand to touch it.
The demon hisses and seizes Shouyou's wrist, twisting it and giving it a firm squeeze.
"Ow, wait! I was just—" Shouyou halts. There's something around the demon's neck. It's a tag with words carefully engraved on the wooden pendant.
Kageyama, 9.
"Kageyama..." Shouyou mumbles. "Huh. Is that your name?"
The demon doesn't reply.
Shouyou rests his palm over the demon's grip. He waits until its hold loosens and he says, "I guess I'll just call you Kageyama." Kageyama's a good name, he thinks. Fitting and reassuringly human-like. "I'm Hinata Shouyou. Thank you for saving me."
Kageyama retracts his hand and, once again, doesn't respond.
~O~
Forest of Futtsu, Kamakura
Iwasaki Territory
Spring 1568
...
It's been three days since their eventful meeting, and it seems like Shouyou has gained a new companion. A very proficient monster killer and an unwilling conversationalist at that.
Shouyou has been trying, but Kageyama never responds whenever he talks to him, nor does he blink when Shouyou waves a hand over his face. He's beginning to entertain the idea that Kageyama isn't capable of speaking. Even stranger, he can't seem to see or hear anything at all.
Shouyou has heard old tales that many supernatural beings exist in Japan, some more powerful and nefarious than others. Perhaps Kageyama is a creature that can survive even without sight and sound. Still, it's disconcerting.
After Kageyama slays a few more ghouls in their journey, Shouyou's reckless curiosity is piqued. He resolves to test Kageyama's ability more than once.
For his first attempt, he opts to do something simple. While they're walking through the forest, with the sickle moon shining faintly in an almost starless spring night, Shouyou falls back and inches to touch Kageyama's ear from behind.
Kageyama stops and catches his forearm before Shouyou's fingers can graze his skin. He's frowning severely at Shouyou.
"There was a bug," Shouyou lies.
Thankfully, Kageyama lets him go and whirs ahead. Shouyou sighs in relief; he swears Kageyama was just a scowl away from dismembering him.
The next morning, Shouyou crawls towards Kageyama while he's apparently still asleep. However, the demon wakes as soon as Shouyou's hand is an arm's breadth away from reaching his shoulder.
However, giving up is not in Shouyou’s repertoire—the morning after that, he jumps on Kageyama from a thick bough of a beech tree. Kageyama catches him by the armpits effortlessly, and he flings Shouyou to the nearby river. Shouyou's mid-air flailing and screaming must have reverberated across the forest and attracted a bunch of new monsters; Kageyama goes on a killing spree afterwards.
Conclusion: it seems like Kageyama can't see, hear, nor speak, but he appears to have a keen sense of smell and can feel vibrations on the earth and changes in the air just as well as any wild animal.
All in all, he's the weirdest creature Shouyou has ever encountered.
Dangerous, a voice in Shouyou's head reminds him. Very dangerous.
Shouyou shrugs. He supposes he can live with the uncertainty of having a potentially murderous companion with him, since Kageyama saved his life, and is, after all, very freaky and interesting.
Another strange thing Shouyou can't make sense of is how Kageyama absolutely refuses to eat human food. Whenever Shouyou goes fishing in the frigid river and gets them trout to roast, Kageyama turns up his nose or spits the meat out as soon as he takes a bite. He hasn't eaten anything since they've met, and his face looks sallow and gaunt as the days go by. It concerns Shouyou a little. What if Kageyama goes ravenous and eats him instead?
"What is it that you eat?" Shouyou laments during dinner when Kageyama turns his head away at the perfectly nice bowl of rice.
Kageyama says nothing. He stares at the small fire Shouyou has made for the night.
"Fine. More for me then," Shouyou says, huffing. It's the last batch he has and he doesn't have any money left. He's going to have to stray from the riverside and look for a nearby village where he can offer his services.
He leans on the boulder and scoops the rice with his fingers. He can taste grime and grass, strong on his tongue, and he tries to pay no mind to it.
"I'll keep going west," Shouyou says. "There's probably a village out there that would want my help. Are you going to come with?"
No answer.
Shouyou smiles to himself. "If you are, you might have to hide in the forest for the meantime. I don't think they'd like having demons in the neighborhood." He slants a look at Kageyama. "Maybe I can get you a new eyepatch so people wouldn't see your eyes! You could pass yourself off as human if we do." He snickers at a thought. "Or maybe a blindfold? It's not like you can see anyway."
Kageyama's face remains impassive. Shouyou imagines him agreeing with a bluster.
"That's decided then!" Shouyou says. "If you come with me, you have to promise you won't kill any humans, alright?"
Abruptly, Kageyama cocks his head towards Shouyou. His sapphire and ruby irises reflect the flames flickering in the cold spring night. He then places his fingertips over Shouyou's lips.
Ahh, Shouyou realizes. He enunciates carefully, "Human. Hu-man." He takes Kageyama's other hand and places it over his beating heart. "Human. Like me. Don't kill. Okay?"
Kageyama's expression shifts, his eyebrows scrunched together in thought. His touch burns hot over Shouyou's mouth and chest.
Shouyou lets go and smiles. "I'm not sure if you can really understand me, but you haven't made a move to kill me yet so I sort of trust you." A thought occurs. "You've been slashing and stabbing every monster that comes after me, though. Are you some kind of monster bounty hunter? A monster-demon bounty hunter? Or wait—maybe a samurai monster-demon bounty hunter?" That might even be cooler.
Kageyama continues to only stare and Shouyou fights back a sigh. What he would give so he and Kageyama could understand each other.
Shouyou scratches his nape. "I owe you a lot, so if there's anything you need, just... er, point it out to me, I guess. You can do that, right?"
Looking bored, Kageyama turns to face the fire again. Shouyou decides to leave him alone and finish his rice.
~O~
It takes three days of traveling on foot for them to reach a settlement in the valleys. Shouyou decides to enter the village alone and asks Kageyama to hide behind the thicket near the dense collection of boulders.
When he arrives, he learns that the village got ransacked by bandits a month ago, then pillaged two weeks after by rogue samurai from the Akahiri clan. They have a lot of dead people who need mourning, but they don't have much to pay Shouyou with. Still, Shouyou prays and gives rites to the fallen, and in turn, they provide him with a small bag of rice, fermented cabbages, and leeks. They also refill his waterskin.
"Thank you," a woman says as she carries a wailing infant in her bosom. "If only we can give you more."
Shouyou understands all too well. "It's fine." He spares a glance at the ramshackle houses and the debris on the dirt paths. The skin around his eyes feels tight when he smiles widely. "It's more than fine, really! I hope you and your family will stay safe."
The woman looks doubtful but she hums in accord. "How is a priest traveling alone in the woods? Are you not afraid of the devils that come out at night?"
"They come out in the mornings as well," Shouyou jokes. When the woman stares at him, he adds, "Ahh, don't worry! I have a super capable companion. He's back in the woods, resting." He grins and gestures at his bag. "I'll make sure he eats these well."
The woman bows deeply again, and Shouyou sets off.
He treks by the hillside, and when he clears enough distance, he looks back at the village. The gloomy fog from the early morning has now cleared, and he can see with disturbing clarity the destruction the continuous wars have wrought to this place. Shouyou feels chilled to the bone, realizing that this wouldn't be the only community in the province that has despaired like this.
Demons and monsters are not the only evils in this world.
Shouyou approaches the boulders and hisses, "Psst. Kageyama? Are you there?"
A faint rustle, and then Kageyama appears right next to him. Shouyou jumps with a start.
"Don't sneak up on me like that!" Shouyou says and—quite stupidly—punches Kageyama's arm.
Bristling, Kageyama glares at Shouyou's general direction and grasps the handle of his katana.
Shouyou leaps away and throws up his hands in surrender. "Wait, no!" he says. "Shoot... sorry, I wasn't trying to pick a fight with you."
Kageyama narrows his eyes at Shouyou, but he stays where he is.
Shouyou lowers his arms and sighs in relief. The fact that Kageyama hasn't eaten him yet doesn't mean he's not capable of cutting Shouyou into ribbons. He shouldn't forget.
"Right," he mutters. "Really sorry about that. Anyway..." He cautiously shuffles closer to the demon and brings out the cloth pouch filled with rice. "The villagers ran into some trouble lately, but they're really kind and generous to give us this." He gently places the bag over Kageyama's right palm.
Kageyama's stance relaxes. He gives Shouyou a questioning look, his lips quirking.
"This is rice," Shouyou says. He writes the word on Kageyama's left palm. "Rice. We humans eat it a lot." He settles Kageyama's fingertips over his lips. "Ri-ice."
Afterwards, Shouyou shows him the fermented vegetables, tracing the characters on Kageyama's palm then repeating the words over Kageyama's fingers. He's not sure if Kageyama understands any of it, but who knows? Shouyou figures it might come in handy someday. He says, "These were given to us out of the goodness of their hearts, so you better eat them with me. Alright? Seriously. You've been looking terrible, Kageyama."
Kageyama doesn't seem to be concerned. He must have sensed that Shouyou is done with the demonstration, for he starts walking off on his own, heading into the heart of the forest. Shouyou shakes his head and follows him.
There's a new cut on Kageyama's forearm, snaking around it like tenacious tendrils of a kudzu. Fortunately the wound doesn't appear deep. He must've fought with something while Shouyou was down at the village. He has to find a nearby river where he can clean and dress Kageyama's injuries.
"I didn't know demons could fight like you do," Shouyou says. He hopes Kageyama's the only one who can. He shudders at the thought of a whole squadron of demons fighting with bear-spears and katanas. "Hmm. Did someone teach you? Maybe your dad?" Do demons have fathers?
Kageyama keeps walking, his head facing straight ahead.
Shouyou hums. "You must have really got some good training! I'm kinda jealous—my father only taught me how to do ceremonial rites and all the boring kannushi stuff."
There's a gnat circling Kageyama. He swats it with devastating precision.
Shouyou chuckles. "Man! I wish I could fight, too, so I wouldn't have to depend on you so much. Maybe you can teach me?" He swings his arms in a wide arc. "I guess we'll have to work out how to understand each other first. We have the time, right? You seem like you're going the same direction as I am."
Which is quite strange. Shouyou has been going around aimlessly for the most part, trying to outrun bloodthirsty ghouls and jumping from one tumbledown village to the next. All he knows is that he has to keep going west, the direction which the Ikeda river flows. He has to follow the bends of the shore grass on the riverside, and Father said it would lead Shouyou to their people's salvation. It's all very confusing. He died in Shouyou's arms before he could explain anything else.
However, Shouyou hasn't come across any shore grass yet, and when it rains, the wide tributaries keep on winding and spilling over the banks, flooding the paths, reclaiming the forest soil. He has to trudge through the slurry of mud and find another way.
Shouyou chews on his lower lip. "So, Kageyama... if you're going away, you should tell me first. Okay? Just so I can be prepared," he says. He peers at his companion and imagines him nodding. "Great! We have a deal then."
Kageyama stops. He then bares his teeth at a presence behind the trees, pulling out his sword and aiming it at the shadows.
Something with an odious aura starts to close in on them, and laughter suddenly booms from around them. Involuntarily, Shouyou shivers, hand clenching protectively over his heart.
"What's this?" a cold, ancient-sounding voice carols. "A sun priest and a yashajin, peregrinating together?" It cackles once more.
Yashajin?
Shouyou falters when the creature makes itself known—it boasts a shiny, slime-green shell like an armor, and a ghoulish head matted with filthy, ash-colored hair. Its mouthparts resemble that of a locust.
Its eyes are hungry and red.
"Demon," Shouyou whispers. Mushikai. The insect demon, if he recalls it right. He's seen portraits of it in one of the old tomes in his father's library.
The mushikai crouches low, its spindly legs growing spurs at its length.
Kageyama draws Shouyou behind him. He hunches and licks his lips.
The demon seems to take offense with this. "How dare a pitiable yashajin claim what is mine? Your heart is for me to devour, son of Hinata!" the mushikai bellows. "With the heart of the sun goddess nourishing me, I will live forever!" It screeches again and attacks.
Abruptly, Kageyama pushes Shouyou to the ground and leaps over the mushikai. Dry heaving, Shouyou crawls away from the scene. His scream clogs in his throat when the mushikai almost slashes Kageyama in half, but Kageyama swivels in time and stabs the demon on its back, piercing its exoskeleton. Red sludge oozes from the wound.
The mushikai howls and blindly springs out its jagged spurs. Kageyama hacks at them with his katana. He lunges, narrowly dodging its stomping legs, and stabs the mushikai in between its eyes. The mushikai cries in pain, and Kageyama slices it in a 'V', bringing it to its end. With a sickening flop, the mushikai drops on the forest floor.
"He did it!" Shouyou rejoices. Woah! He killed it! He staggers forward, ignoring the stinging scrapes on his palms and knees. He crows, "That was incredible, Kageyama—"
Kageyama brings his katana down on the mushikai's belly. He then cuts through it, revealing its innards.
Shouyou wrinkles his nose. The whole thing smells; the foul stench instantly spreads through the forest air. "Erkk! Ugh, it's dead, Kageyama! You don't have to—" His eyes widen. "W-wait, what are you doing—?"
Kageyama grabs a red, beating organ from the mushikai's center and sinks his teeth into it.
Shouyou's jaw drops.
Kageyama's feasting on the demon's heart.
Shouyou falls to his knees, watching in horror as blood coats Kageyama's mouth, the thick liquid trickling down to his front. He watches as Kageyama bites and enthusiastically gulps down the flesh until none of the heart remains, and a dull flush creeps to his neck and face. Kageyama's eyes begin to shine with renewed vigor.
"Kageyama..." Shouyou says distantly. A yashajin—that was what the mushikai said. Shouyou doesn't know what yashajins are supposed to be, but he has a painful sense now of what they eat.
After prying out his katana from the corpse, Kageyama stares blankly at Shouyou. Shouyou stares back. They stay like that for a long moment, equally wordless.
Shouyou's skin prickles, and a rumbling voice in his head thunders, He took down a powerful demon on his own! What makes you think you're safe from him?
"I..." Shouyou mumbles. "I know that." He's not safe from any demon. That much is undeniable.
Another voice warns, Dangerous! Dangerous! Stay away, Shouyou! Stay away from him!
That creature will murder you without hesitation!
Dangerous!
A cursed being!
Leave him, Shouyou! they all cry.
With a shaky breath, Shouyou stands up. "But he saved my life," he insists to the passing breeze.
Will you wait until he can't anymore? a shrill voice reasons.
Shouyou grits his teeth. "Shut up. He's not my personal guard."
Dangerous! Shouyou, he's dangerous!
Your heart! Protect it!
Leave him!
A shrill chorus of familiar voices lances through his consciousness, Run, Shouyou!
But if you do, you might never see Kageyama again, a tiny, familiar, child-like voice breaks through the cacophony. Brother—I can tell. You trust him, don't you?
"Yeah," Shouyou says, and the crowd inside his mind turns silent in an instant.
After his head clears, Shouyou approaches Kageyama and wipes the blood off with his sleeves. "Of all the things you have to eat," Shouyou mutters, flicking off the leaves and thorns sticking to Kageyama's robes. "You're so weird."
Seemingly out of instinct, Kageyama holds out his non-bloodied hand, and Shouyou guides it to his lips.
Shouyou mouths at Kageyama's fingertips, "That was really gross, Kageyama."
Kageyama eclipses Shouyou's face with his palm, and Shouyou squawks indignantly.
~O~
After two days, it happens again. Kageyama takes down a bear demon—a kumakai—which almost crushed Kageyama's ribcage when it managed to slap his chest with its paw. He rips open the kumakai's torso and eats its heart. Shouyou can't look away from the grisly event.
The good thing is Kageyama's wounds seem to heal as soon as he devours a demon's heart. All Shouyou has to do is to clean off the blood that seems to stick insistently on Kageyama's skin afterwards.
Pointing at the riverside, Shouyou orders, "Dive in, Kageyama! We're not going anywhere until you wash up. You reek, seriously."
Kageyama purses his lips at the waters, looking doubtful. He dips a toe before stepping back quickly.
Shouyou makes a face at him. "What are you, a kitten?" He pushes Kageyama in the river.
Kageyama gasps once his face breaks out of the surface, flapping his arms wildly. Cackling, Shouyou runs and jumps in. The huge splash douses Kageyama all over.
Vexed, Kageyama plods closer and smacks the back of Shouyou's head.
"Good aim," Shouyou says, laughing despite himself. "But ahhh! Isn't that refreshing? Come on. Let's clean ourselves up."
It's easy to untie the rope around Kageyama's waist and peel off his soiled robes; Shouyou doesn't look down as he does, wanting to spare Kageyama's dignity. He then sheds his own heavy, wet clothes and flings them on the grassy bank. He assures himself that it's fine to bathe with someone while completely naked since his companion can't really see him.
Shouyou takes Kageyama's hand and draws the characters for water and river on his palm. "We humans use water for all sorts of things," Shouyou says. "Right now, we're using it to wash ourselves."
After a beat, Kageyama lifts a finger and traces the characters against the bow of Shouyou's right shoulder.
Shouyou gapes and makes a gurgling sound. "Yes, yes!" he exclaims, nodding vigorously. "That's exactly it!" What in the world? He can understand me!
Kageyama retrieves his hand and draws the character on his palm, again and again. His eyes gleam as he blinks away the droplets that cling to his eyelashes.
Shouyou cups his palms and pours water over Kageyama's head before combing through his gossamer-thin hair with his fingers. He rubs at the soot on Kageyama's cheek then scrubs off the dried blood on Kageyama's collarbones. Scars pepper his chest and shoulders like cracks on an alabaster statue. Shouyou traces them with his thumb, wondering what kinds of monsters have inflicted them.
"You know... if it weren't for your eyes, I would have thought you were a samurai," Shouyou says. He writes samurai on Kageyama's forehead. "I don't like samurais, but you would've been an exception."
Kageyama frowns. He writes samurai on his forehead, then on Shouyou's.
Shouyou chuckles. "Yeah. That's it. They're what we call warriors who serve a daimyo. They use quivers and katanas to fight. They're really good at them." He pats Kageyama's shoulder. "Let me just wash our clothes for a sec, okay?"
He's about to wade back to the shore when something grips at his arm, painfully hard. It's Kageyama—he's holding Shouyou back, his mouth twisting into a grimace.
"What's the matter?" Shouyou asks. He tries to move further away, but Kageyama keeps tugging him by his side again.
He's ridiculously strong even when he's not trying, Shouyou thinks. He then realizes, "Oh! I'm not leaving you here, stupid. I'll just clean our stuff by the river while you go splash yourself some more."
But Kageyama isn't budging. He's got Shouyou's arm in a death grip, scowling mightily.
Shouyou rubs at his face and groans. "Alright, alright." He stays back in the waters and Kageyama lets him go. "Hmm... Maybe I should teach you how to take a bath. That would come in handy, right?" He brings Kageyama's hands up and teaches him how to clean his armpits.
~O~
They come across a small town fenced with wooden palisades. Up on the hillside, Shouyou can see that it's less grim-looking than the last one he's been to. Farmers plow the field and feeble goats and horses mill about in the stables. There's also a marketplace with a handful of townsfolk milling about.
"I'm going to come down for a bit," Shouyou tells Kageyama. He gives Kageyama's shoulder a short squeeze. "Stay here and keep yourself hidden, okay? I'll be back before you know it."
Shouyou starts sliding down the slope, but Kageyama trails after him. He has to stop when he reaches the bottom of the hill. "Hey, you can't come with me yet," Shouyou says. "People will see you."
Kageyama stares at him, unblinking, and Shouyou's heart skips in response, faltering.
Shouyou then says, "Next time, you can come." He brings his hand up to touch the back of Kageyama's right hand. "I'll think of something. But for now, we can't go together. Let's keep you safe. Okay?" He takes Kageyama's hand in his. Wait for me, Shouyou traces on Kageyama's palm.
Kageyama's expression turns perplexed, then understanding. When Shouyou edges forward, Kageyama stays behind.
Shouyou's arms swing lamely at his sides. He clenches his fist tightly enough that his nails dig on the skin of his palms, and he reminds himself that he has to do this alone, but just for now.
Even with the deep sunshine streaming down from the skies, Shouyou's fingertips are cold as ice.
...
After praying for an hour, Shouyou makes himself dinner. He was able to catch some small fry earlier in the afternoon; nothing fancy, but paired with a small helping of vegetables, it's enough. He pictures himself eating and laughing with the rest of the priests and shrine maidens back in the sun shrine, and he feels marginally better.
Kageyama sits close to the campfire, gaze trained on the smoldering wood as he warms his hands. Shouyou wonders what Kageyama can perceive with those unsettling eyes of his. The mushikai called Kageyama "pitiable"—though Shouyou doesn't agree at all, he does feel a tiny bit regretful over Kageyama's situation.
He wonders whether it's possible for Kageyama to someday see how magnificently blue the horizon is in the spring, and how bewitchingly orange and red the mountain foliage is in the autumn. There are a lot of things Shouyou wants to show him. Maybe there's a scroll or a book in the shrine library that could help Shouyou figure out a way, but he can't go back there. Not yet.
He washes his bowl with river water and settles it back in his oilskin rucksack. He yawns widely and scratches his head. "I'm going to sleep. Wake me up if something happens, okay?" Shouyou says. When Kageyama doesn't even turn his head, Shouyou smiles sheepishly at himself. Right. He keeps forgetting.
Shouyou draws his bag under his head. "Goodnight, Kageyama," he mumbles before smacking his dry lips and shutting his eyes.
He's barely one step away from completely succumbing to his dreams when a coarse, damp material hits his cheek. He sits up with a yelp, startled. It's the pair of tabi he has been drying on a low-hanging tree branch directly above him. It must've fallen off. Kageyama's nowhere to be found.
"Kageyama?" Shouyou calls out, rising to his feet. No response. Kageyama's katana is gone, too. The fire's almost gone out. There's a frantic edge to Shouyou's voice when he speaks again, "Kageyama?"
"He's up in the tree," a gravelly voice says.
Shouyou leaps back from the source of the noise.
A man steps out from the shadows, a katana drawn out. He's got long, dark brown hair, his fringe pulled back by several straw ropes. The campfire illuminates the scar running along the left side of his face. A glimmer of amusement shows in the depths of his eyes. "Go tell your friend to come down," he says.
But Kageyama does it on his own accord. In a blink of an eye, he leaps at a remarkable distance from his hiding place and shoves Shouyou aside. He raises his katana at the stranger's eye level.
The humor in the man's face morphs into shock. "A yashajin?" he says, flabbergasted. "Here?"
"Don't fight him!" Shouyou shouts at the man. He stands in between them and spreads his arms like a raven in flight. "Kageyama is—he's not dangerous! He's with me!"
The man looks at Shouyou like he's deranged. "A Hinata is going around with a yashajin?" he says, eyebrows raised.
"It's a long story..." Shouyou says. "Wait. How did you know I'm a—"
The man waves his hand dismissively. "Your hair. The sun goddess' blessing." He relaxes his stance. "I'm surprised you're still alive, kid, considering..." He glances at Kageyama's combative stance.
Shouyou glares at Kageyama and smacks his non-sword arm. "Be nice! He's not going to fight us if you won't." He grasps at Kageyama's wrist tightly until Kageyama lowers his blade.
"'Us'?" The stranger places his katana back in his scabbard. "This is my first time seeing an alliance between a priest and a yashajin in my entire thirty-eight years," he says, the amusement in his voice returning. "And just when I had told my old man I'd seen everything in this world already."
There's that word again—yashajin. "What do you mean he's a yashajin?" Shouyou says.
"A halfling," the man says. "Half-human, half-demon warrior." He eyes Kageyama suspiciously. "A very powerful one at that. Kid, you're either the bravest person in this kingdom, or the dumbest."
Shouyou can feel a blush forming across his cheeks. "I'm Hinata Shouyou," he says, bowing slightly. "And this is Kageyama—"
"Ahh, yes. My pleasure to meet a half-demon in the flesh," the man says, smiling sardonically. "I'm Keishin. Just a regular human."
Shouyou shifts from foot to foot. "If you want to stay for a while, we've still got food." He winces. "Uh, regular human food."
Keishin laughs genuinely this time. "Thanks, kid. Appreciate the effort," he says.
~O~
For the first five days with their new companion, the weather is dry. The river waters dazzle under the sun. Every time before nightfall comes, Keishin pounds a brush in between two smooth rocks, straightening the bristles, and then he writes something on a journal with black ink.
"Chronicles of my travels," Keishin tells Shouyou when the latter asks about it. "Something for my grandfather to read when I come back."
Kageyama has moved on from tight-lipped glowering to ignoring Keishin's presence. He’s begun hunting unsuspecting demons in the early mornings and coming back in the afternoon, blood smeared on his upper lip and chin. Shouyou wants to apologize for Kageyama's rudeness, but Keishin doesn't seem to mind in the slightest.
On the sixth day, it rains. Mud coats the grass and the Ikeda river starts to overflow. The three of them seek shelter in a small cave upstream. With them drenched from head to toe, it takes them a while to make a proper fire.
Keishin brews them tea. Shouyou gets teary-eyed when Keishin hands him a cup. It's been ages since he had one.
After Keishin offers him a cup, Kageyama tries it, but he burns his tongue and spits it out. Keishin gives him another cup though he instructs Kageyama to grasp it between his hands and to keep it there.
"To keep him warm," Shouyou mutters, smiling after.
Keishin glances at him. "A part of him is still human," he says. "I'm sure he can feel cold and warmth just like the rest of us."
"Keishin-san, you said it's your first time meeting a yashajin," Shouyou says. "But you seem to know an awful lot about them."
Keishin snorts. "My hometown was crawling with all sorts of monsters and demons. I grew up with the tales." He looks intently at Kageyama. "I haven't had any close encounters with a halfling, but my grandfather did. He fought alongside one."
Fought alongside? "What do you mean by that?"
"Exactly as I said." Keishin sips his tea. "My grandfather fought against the Miyamotos with a yashajin at the frontlines. Maybe your yashajin friend knew him."
"Wait," Shouyou says. "Half-demons have been fighting in the wars?"
"That's what they're made to do."
"What? Really?"
"Have you ever wondered," Keishin says. "Why the Iwasakis have held great control over these lands for the last fifty years? Have you ever thought why powerful rival clans had failed to take us by force when their samurais outnumbered ours by thousands?"
Shouyou reveals, "I've never given it much thought." He tucks his legs from under him. "And I... I've only heard stories about the wars. Snippets. All I had been told to focus on was, you know. Freeing my spirit."
Freedom, purity, nourishment, and love. The four tenets of Hinomichi, the way of the sun. Those are the only things Shouyou understands. For nineteen years, his life revolved around the things the priests had taught him.
There's so much Shouyou doesn't know. Things he has to learn in his journey west.
"I'm sure those folks back at that shrine of yours raised you well," Keishin says as if he'd read Shouyou's thoughts. "But there were many atrocities Iwasaki Akechi had committed. And has been doing. Acts that your people would have balked at the slightest mention."
Shouyou peers at the blank-faced Kageyama hunched by the fire. He then offers Keishin a determined look. "Tell me everything," he says.
Keishin clears his throat thrice and brews more tea from the tender herbs.
...
Inside Kageyama's human body lives a powerful demon. A very old, wretched demon with a soul as dark as flint and powers as deadly as poison. The fact that Kageyama can contain such a malicious force without being utterly corrupted is a mystery.
"Iwasaki Akechi, that crazy bastard of a daimyo, made a pact with these ancient demons," Keishin divulges. "First-born males of prominent samurais were the sacrificial lambs. Vessels. In exchange for possessing the children's bodies, the demons had to do all of Akechi's bidding."
With the halflings, wars had been won. Insurrections had decreased. Men did not have to conscript in times of warfare. Prosperity and stability in the lands had been achieved. Or so the ruling class of the Iwasaki clan says.
"People have only heard of eight yashajins. Stories of a ninth were thought to be just rumors," Keishin says. He gestures at Kageyama's wooden tag, one side of his lips quirking. "There's apparently some truth to them."
"So Kageyama wasn't supposed to be like this?" Shouyou says, voice faint. "He's supposed to be... human?"
"Completely human. A regular human."
Shouyou swallows. "And there were eight others who were turned."
Keishin must have seen something in Shouyou's expression; the smile that ghosts his face is dour. "The frailty of humans can lead to horrific things," he says as he turns over his empty teacup to the ground. "That's what my cranky old man always says. It may come as a surprise to you, Hinata, but out of all the terrible things Iwasaki has done, this hardly counts as the worst, quite frankly."
"Really?" Shouyou says stiffly. "What else is worse than having nine kids possessed by demons so they could be used as weapons?"
Keishin sighs. After a long silence, he says, "The weak are meat. The strong eat."
Shouyou grits his teeth.
"Survive or be killed. It's the way of the oni, the ayakashi, the kishin," Keishin says. He quirks an eyebrow. "I know this goes against everything you've been taught so far—it's certainly not pleasant—but we've been living with malevolent beings among us humans. It's an inevitability, adopting their ways." Keishin tilts his head towards a now sleeping Kageyama. "It's the way he lives, too. If you can't be a part of that world, then run. Leave him. Make sure your paths don't ever cross again."
Shouyou shakes his head. "No. Never."
"Why not?"
"He's my partner," Shouyou says.
Keishin laughs out loud at that. His chortling echoes in the cavern, the overlying rocks seeming to shake at the sound. Kageyama begins to stir, hand on the handle of his katana, his knuckles white. As he watches Shouyou crawl over to Kageyama's side, Keishin says, "You shrine folks are more stubborn than kappa, that's for sure."
Shouyou pats Kageyama's sword hand, and Kageyama relaxes, curling back into himself. "I have to survive too," he mumbles, sitting cross-legged beside Kageyama's slumped figure. The low fire casts long shadows over Kageyama's pale, serene face. A human face. "My chances are better if he's with me. I can't do it alone."
Keishin gives Shouyou a hard glance before telling him in a level tone, "You don't dabble with things you have no understanding of, Hinata. That would be incredibly foolish. More foolish than anything I've ever done at your age." He smiles, small. "And that's a pretty low bar, if I do say so myself."
Shouyou says in bewilderment, "You don't seem foolish at all, Keishin-san", and Keishin laughs, softly this time.
"Then consider these words from a seasoned wayfarer," Keishin says. "There's a reason why your mystical shrine is up there in a ravine, and that the only way to get there is to get through that treacherous mountain pass. Demons are a danger to everyone, but especially to your kind."
Shouyou nods sharply.
For a moment, Keishin looks bent and weary. "You're still young," he says, sighing and scratching his nape. "The world can be truly cruel. It's hard to say I'm glad I didn't find you all alone, considering..."
Shouyou waits before mumbling, "If Kageyama's there, I feel like I'm capable of anything."
"That must be terrifying," Keishin says.
Shouyou can't find any semblance of fear in him, however; rather, he feels motivated. Hopeful. The dormant seed of longing in him begins to sprout in his heart and take root.
"I still have a lot of questions," Shouyou says. "But I don't think I'd like the answers you'd give me if I heard them right now, so I take back my earlier request. I don't want to hear anything else about yashajins. I'm not interested anymore."
"You don’t think it’s essential to your survival?”
"Unless it's useful in turning him back, I don’t care about Kageyama’s past." If he really needs it, then Shouyou will just find out on his own.
Keishin cackles. "Ahh, and is that your way of ensuring you can stay with him?"
Shouyou nods again.
Keishin stretches his legs, inhaling deeply. "Ignorance is indeed bliss. Well, at least I can say I tried my best."
"Thanks for telling me what you can. From your stories, you must've seen a lot already. I'm jealous." Shouyou grins. "And you're also great company. I'm really happy you're staying with us."
Keishin coughs rather violently. "I've got my own reasons, so don't be too grateful, kid," he says.
The downpour outside begins to slow into a drizzle. Shouyou drinks the last of his cold tea.
~O~
The next morning, Shouyou steps out of the cave and looks heavenward. Now that the storm clouds have cleared, the sky is a surreal kind of blue. He takes Kageyama's hand and writes the characters for sky and blue and beautiful on his palm.
"You'll see it, too, one day," Shouyou says, more to himself. "I'll make sure of that."
Kageyama takes back his hand and walks ahead. Shouyou grins and jogs after him.
~O~
Keishin follows them, as if by some unspoken agreement. He doesn't talk much, but it's an improvement from Shouyou's mostly one-sided conversations with Kageyama. He doesn't share anything more about halflings, but instead teaches Shouyou about the clan wars, the evil spirits and good ones, the beasts that roam the forests in the changing seasons.
When they reach a wide meadow, Keishin shows Shouyou how to hunt with a few choice rocks and a sharpened branch of a fig tree. It takes more than fifteen tries for Shouyou to take down a quail grazing in the open field.
After plucking and roasting the bird, Shouyou pulls off the greasy leg and thrusts it close to Kageyama's nose. "Try this one, Kageyama!" he urges.
Kageyama sniffs at it. He takes a bite and chews. His face screws up, right eye twitching, and he spits it out to the fire.
"Oi!" Shouyou glares, tossing a handful of dead fig leaves on Kageyama's face. "I worked so hard to catch that for us!"
Keishin laughs, an arm around his navel. "It must taste like rotten rooster meat to him," he guesses. "Well, this really could use a little seasoning."
"But he's half-human! Doesn't that mean he can eat human food?"
"I suppose he can. But that's not all up to him, is it? You have to feed the demon inside him as well. What the demon needs becomes Kageyama's needs as well."
Shouyou stares at Kageyama's red eye with much scorn. "I won't stop until I get him to eat regular food," he vows. "Even if it's the last thing I do."
Keishin's smile slips off a fraction. "That might take a long time, since—"
"I don't care," Shouyou says. "I'll get Kageyama back everything they took from him. I'll do whatever it takes." He then catches himself, his ears turning hot. "Ahh. Excuse me, Keishin-san. I didn't mean to be rude."
"No. You just meant what you said," Keishin says with a faint chuckle. "Maybe priesthood isn't the most suitable thing for you, Hinata. You could be a great samurai if you wanted."
"But I don't like samurais," Shouyou says.
Keishin lifts a bushy eyebrow. "And I'm sure that dislike is justified," he says warmly. "Eat. I've heard there's a village nearby, around ten jos away from this place. We can make it before nightfall."
Shouyou straightens, cheered by the prospect. He bought a wooden eyepatch weeks ago from the previous village, so Kageyama can come with them this time.
"If we're not careful, we might appear like brigands to them. We should lie low and not stay too long," Keishin says. He glances at Kageyama. "Better not cross swords with anyone while we're there."
"We won't cause any trouble, I promise," Shouyou says. He bumps Kageyama's shoulder playfully, but Kageyama retaliates and knocks Shouyou to the ground. Keishin cackles.
~O~
They step out of the forest and into dry, ragged fields, with sedges growing from fissures in the mud. Tiny rabbits and partridges that were freshly caught in snares are hung in wooden stakes. Before the entrance to the village lay a stone carved with the words, Beware of the shadows.
"That's not very welcoming," Shouyou comments. Several of the men and women stare after them with immense apprehension.
"This place reeks of spirits," Keishin says. "Your yashajin partner can sense them, too."
True enough, Kageyama seems to be surveying the place, his nose scrunching as he whips his head from one side to another. Shouyou walks close to him as they go.
A middle-aged man with unkempt hair and a goatee approaches them, his auburn robes swishing against his exposed ankles. His black silk hat stoops over his forehead when he bows. "Travelers, are you not?" the man says.
Keishin and Shouyou bow in response. "We are," Keishin says. "We're looking for a place to stay for the night."
"We have only one inn and it's full," the man says. "Perhaps the stables will be enough of a temporary lodging for you."
Keishin grunts in agreement. "We won't be staying long."
The man looks side-long at Keishin's and Kageyama's katanas, then at Shouyou's brightly colored hair. He smiles widely afterwards. "Your journey must have been rough. Come. I'll have you stay in my house's stableyard. I'm afraid it won't be much."
"It's fine!" Shouyou says, following behind the man. "I'm Hinata Shouyou."
The man tilts his head. "A Hinata! Why, this is the first time a sun kannushi has come to this side of the land. Are you not far from home?"
"I'm going west with my friends."
"A quest for three." The man seems to consider this. "How curious. I'm Fumida, head of this village." He motions towards the thatched-roof houses lining the widest dirt path. "My grandfather was the one who claimed this land. He was a ronin. His master died during the first war with the Iwasakis. He was tired of the bloodshed, so he spent a good quarter of his life roaming the forests and finding this deserted patch of land far away from his previous clan, the Hojos."
Keishin glances at a woman who hides behind a row of clay jars as soon as their eyes meet. "A runaway samurai from the Hojo clan, huh. I'm surprised he made it out of the swamp between here and the misty mountains."
"He hadn't completely," Fumida says delicately. "He lost an arm. His sword arm."
There's a boy already in the stables, playing with one of the mares in the candlelight. Fumida introduces him as Maruko, his only son with a kind woman who bore him five daughters. Maruko seems to be taken with Kageyama already, gawking in amazement at his sword and his eyepatch.
"And don't worry about the ayakashi going in and out of the building," Maruko says blithely. "They don't harm us as long as we give it food."
"Food?" Shouyou parrots.
"Yeah! Didn't you see the game outside?" Maruko says. He waves at them goodbye and closes the hardwood door behind them.
"The game?" Shouyou thumbs his chin. "Ahh! The ones at the gate! Wait, spirits eat animal meat?"
"They don't," Keishin says darkly. He tugs the straw mats and places them over the stack of hay and sawdust. "Like I said, we won't stay long. If we can, we'll get food from the marketplace and get the hell out of here."
Shouyou slinks over the mat. "Fumida-san and his son seem nice though." He yawns. "Oi. Kageyama, what are you doing?"
Kageyama brusquely takes off his eyepatch. He stares at the back door of the stableyard with narrowed eyes.
"Kageyama?"
Kageyama makes a move to take out his katana but stops. He clicks his tongue and pushes his sword back in its scabbard with a hiss.
Shouyou sits up. "Keishin-san, is there something..."
Keishin rests his arm over his eyes. "It's dusk. The spirits are stirring," he murmurs, voice laced with exhaustion. "Get some rest, Hinata. We might be on the move soon."
Shouyou's eyes widen. What did he mean by that?
Kageyama saunters to Shouyou's side and rests the back of his head against the wooden plank. Shouyou waits until Kageyama closes his eyes before settling back on his own mat.
...
Shouyou dreams of verdant trees, still ponds, and lilac-scented air. In this dream, he's so young, barely a month away from eleven, with knobby knees and feisty demeanor. He's jumping and swinging from one evergreen branch to another. There's someone else with him—a boy, faceless and nameless, keeping up with him as they play tag in that part of the mountains that is forbidden for priests-in-training. Shouyou and his friend are not the most obedient ones in the bunch.
Out of nowhere, a thick vine springs and latches onto his friend's ankle.
Shouyou holds out his hand and tries to scream something, but nothing comes out of his throat. His foot misses a landing and he falls. When he hits the ground, pain explodes from his shins, to the back of his eyelids. Something cold and damp wraps around his legs, which then slithers up to his hips—
There's the sound of horses bleating, and someone yelling, Wake up, Brother—
Shouyou's eyes burst open. He can't move. There's something strong secured around him like corded ropes tied to a wharf. He's being dragged across the ground, away from the stableyard, and Kageyama is running after him, sword drawn. Keishin is fighting off a pack of monsters near the fields. It's raining.
Shouyou blinks away the water streaming over his face. He spits out the mud in his mouth. "W-what's going—" His next words die in his throat.
Something is dragging him towards the village entrance, a blob of pure darkness. Faceless but for a pair of cruel crimson eyes.
Beware of the shadows, Shouyou recalls.
Kageyama catches up and slashes the amorphous appendages of the demon. Shouyou breaks free. He scrambles away, his arms and legs scraped and bloodied. As soon as Shouyou moves aside, Kageyama lurches forward.
The demon attacks without a care, flinging its arms and tearing down stilts of nearby houses. Heather roofs and walls collapse under their weight. A child almost gets flattened by a crumbling wall of a storehouse. Shouyou grabs him in time and runs away from the wreckage.
The child kicks at Shouyou, crying for his mother. The rain has gotten stronger. It's hard to see through the mist.
"Give him to me! Give me back my son!" a harried woman yells at Shouyou. Her nails scratch Shouyou's arms as she takes her kid. "Demon harbinger! Stay away!"
"Huh?" Shouyou says, but she dashes back into someone's house before Shouyou could further ask what she meant.
Keishin ambles to them, slime and blood streaked across his arms and robes. Mud sticks to the ends of his hair. "I'm fine," Keishin says when Shouyou throws him a panicked look. "And he seems alright, too."
Kageyama's already slain the shadow demon. There's a gash on his cheek—it must have struck him—though Shouyou's relieved to find that he's otherwise alright. The rain continues to bear down on them as Kageyama further slashes the demon into ribbons and rips out its beating heart.
"Thank you," a deep voice says. "Now it will bother us no longer."
Shouyou leaps at the sound.
It's Fumida. He's holding up a parasol. He has a tranquil smile on his face.
Keishin sniffs and combs back his drenched hair. "A little warning would have been nice," he says.
"Oh, I was sure you could handle yourselves. I know an Ukai when I see one," Fumida says. "Necessary sacrifices have to be made in order to survive and thrive. My grandfather is a testament to that."
Keishin questions flatly, "And what would you be giving us in exchange for exterminating your town's pest?"
"Rice," Fumida says. "As much as you can carry. Permanent shelter, I'm afraid not."
Shouyou has lost track of the conversation. He turns to Kageyama. A couple of the villagers have awoken and are now watching Kageyama with abject terror as he licks the shadow demon's blood off his fingers
Shouyou lumbers towards Kageyama and tugs at the sleeve of his robes. Kageyama peers down at him. After a beat, he presses a hand over Shouyou's breastbone. Shouyou stops trembling.
The downpour peters into a fine, misty drizzle.
~O~
"That cunning bastard knew what we are," Keishin explains as they leave the footpath and step into the thickets. "He knew what you are, especially. He had been gambling with a lot of lives even before we came. It wasn't hard to predict what he would do."
Shouyou can't believe it. "So he used me as bait?" he says. The hemp bag filled with rice, sweet potatoes, and turnips is heavy. He hikes the straps higher up the crests of his shoulders.
Keishin grunts an affirmative. "That shadow kishin eats forest ayakashi, and ayakashi prey on scavenger ghouls that eat decaying flesh of dead animals." He waves a hand. "From time to time, that shadow demon eats humans. I could smell human flesh in it."
Shouyou slows his walk, taking it all in. "Ohh, I get it. But why did we have to stay there in the first place if they were going to offer us to ghouls and demons?"
"We needed food and shelter. There was a storm. At the end of the day, they got what they needed and we got ours." Keishin frowns at him. "If it was for my survival, I would frankly do the same."
Once again, Shouyou is astounded at how much he doesn't know about the world. "I'd rather not sacrifice other people, though," he says. "It's rude."
Keishin laughs for a good minute. "I guess you can say that," he says. "Rude or not, it's smart. They won't do it again, I'd wager."
"It's not like they had a choice, had they?" Shouyou says.
Keishin eyes him for a while before answering, "There are unspeakable things good people can do when bad circumstances give them with hardly any choices to make." He sighs and mutters, "Well. I suppose the yashajin knows that even better than I do."
As if summoned, Kageyama's pace slows and he hangs back. He hacks at an overgrown branch and lets Keishin and Shouyou through first.
Shouyou glances at the daylight streaking through the gaps in the canopies. He says, "Omikami-sama, I pray that Fumida and the village are safe now."
"Worry more about yourself," Keishin says, ruffling Shouyou's hair.
~O~
They camp out in woodlands south of the Kamakura mountain range and set off again at daybreak. The dirt paths have turned into a river of mud because of the storm, so Shouyou, Kageyama, and Keishin have to persist through the forest understory with crisscrossing vines. Keishin leads the way, hacking through them with his sword. Shouyou has to keep his mouth closed lest he swallows any flying bugs.
When they got through that ordeal, Shouyou lets out a loud sigh, spreading his arms. They have reached a grassy hill, free from the dispiriting forest fog. Shouyou hastily takes off his gear and plonks himself on the patch of dandelions. The seeds disperse like fine puffs of cotton in the wind.
Kageyama looks down on him, face disapproving, and Shouyou pulls him along. Kageyama lands beside him, face down on the grass.
Shouyou laughs. "We used to drink this back in the day," he tells an exasperated Kageyama. "Dandelion roots! We used to cut them and boil them and drink them. Like tea. The elder priests say it invigorates the spirit." He shudders violently. "I think it does its job a little too well. It's so bitter. Ergh. I don't like it, but they make us drink it all the time."
Kageyama places three of his fingers against Shouyou's lips.
"Dandelions," Shouyou utters slowly; Kageyama's fingers move with his mouth. "Bitter roots. But pretty flowers. For the spirit." He picks a flower and thrusts it to Kageyama's other hand.
Kageyama presses the flower against his cheek. The petals fall as he rubs it over his skin.
"Weirdo," Shouyou says laughingly. He throws his head back and sees Keishin, watching the entire exchange with a stricken expression. "Keishin-san?"
Keishin shakes his head minutely. "This is how you communicate with a yashajin?" he asks.
"Yeah! I'm pretty sure he can understand me." Shouyou juts out his chin. "And his name's Kageyama."
Keishin's answering smile is tight. "I keep forgetting." He pinches the bridge of his nose. "You two seem to have things sorted out around here just fine. I'll be leaving first thing tomorrow."
"What? Why?"
"There's something out there I have to do." Keishin angles his head to the eastern horizon. "Things to find out."
"Oh." Shouyou gazes up at him. "Will you be safe, Keishin-san?"
Keishin stays silent for a long time. He then answers, "I've been doing this for a while, kid. Longer than you've been alive." He smiles. "Don't fret. We'll see each other again."
Shouyou swallows thickly. He stands up and bows. "Thank you for teaching me about this place," he says to the grass.
Kageyama rises to his feet and bows as well.
Keishin laughs boisterously. "I still have more to teach you, you punk," he says. "You and Kageyama. Stay alive until I find you two again."
Shouyou nods and gazes at Keishin straight in the eye. "We will."
~O~
On the morning Keishin leaves, the clouds are low and as white as a dove's wing. It's a good omen. Shouyou will see Keishin again.
Shouyou finally asks, "What will I have to do to turn Kageyama back into a human again?"
Keishin's expression turns grim. "You will have to break the contract with the demon inside him. To do that, you'll have to—"
"Murder Kageyama's maker," Shouyou says at the same time Keishin divulges, "Slay the Iwasaki clan's daimyo."
Keishin grimaces. "Yes," he says. "Precisely."
Shouyou tilts his chin up. "I won't do that then," he says, arms crossing over his chest. "It's stupid. I'll find another way."
Keishin nods gravely. He pats Shouyou and Kageyama on the shoulder. "Be safe. I better not hear you two causing so much trouble out there."
Shouyou can't give him any assurances, but he beams. "Like you said, you still have more to teach us, Keishin-sensei! We'll be waiting!" He thought he would never harbor any affection towards any samurais, but Keishin has proven to be an exception.
Keishin's cheeks pink before waving his hand in a circular motion. He heads back east.
~O~
Forest of Sasada, Kamakura
Iwasaki Territory
Spring 1568
...
Shouyou fashions a ball out of dried grass and weeds. He teaches Kageyama how to play kickball, a game he used to play with all the other shrine kids. Kageyama gets the hang of it quickly. They end up running after one another for hours in the meadow until Kageyama kicks the ball so hard, it flies across the stretch of huge, pointy rocks. Shouyou promises that they'll play it again once he makes another ball.
For the meantime, Shouyou teaches Kageyama how to make waraji—straw sandals. It takes until nightfall for Kageyama to weave a single sole, and it's mostly loose and misshapen. They can try again for fun. Kageyama has nimble fingers.
"My mother taught me how to make one," Shouyou says as they lie over a soft mound of earth. "Natsu, my younger sister... she's way better than me, for sure. She's faster at picking things up. But I'm definitely better at playing kickball than her!" He glances up at the moon. It's almost full. "I hope the sun goddess is taking care of them well."
He then gazes at Kageyama sidelong. He takes stock of the yashajin's obsidian black hair, his smooth skin, his strong, lean figure, and Shouyou smiles, more to himself.
"You're really handsome," Shouyou says in relief. "That's great. Once we turn you back into a human, I don't think we'd have much trouble finding you a lady friend." He doesn't think he's as pleasing to look at as Kageyama, but Shouyou's confident he can find a nice person to spend the rest of his life with if he chooses to.
Everything is his choice now. He was supposed to marry a shrine maiden when he turned twenty-one, at the choosing of his father and the rest of the elder priests. But with how things are now, he is freed from that responsibility.
Shouyou frowns as he notices his thoughts going south. He turns over to his side. "Sleep well, Kageyama," he mumbles.
~O~
"—and the elders were like, 'Do not dare think of such sacrilegious things again', but I told them it was just a dream, and they insisted I shouldn't dream about those things, but how would I be able to control my own—oof!" Shouyou's face collides with Kageyama's back. "Ugh, you jerk. Why did you stop all of a sudden?" he says, rubbing his nose.
Kageyama's shoulders turn stiff. He grabs Shouyou's wrist.
"What—" Shouyou doesn't get to finish his sentence; Kageyama pulls him along and they conceal themselves behind the evergreen trees and the bushes.
Something's approaching. There are leaves rustling. Kageyama clamps a hand over Shouyou's eyes.
Shouyou smacks Kageyama's arm and squirms away. "What aren't you trying to let me see?" he hisses as he tries to peek. "Seriously, what's gotten into you—" He's interrupted by the voice of a woman groaning in pain.
Shouyou's face pales as he watches a trio of boar-like monsters drag a bloodied woman across the forest trail. She has a sickening cut across her back, and with every tug forward, a hefty amount of blood spurts out of the gash. The woman groans again, and Shouyou notices that her front teeth have been plucked out.
"No!" Shouyou cries out.
The three monsters whip their heads to their hiding spot, and at this moment, Kageyama makes his move. He leaps out of the thicket and beheads them, their ocher eyes lolling back as soon as the blade meets their necks.
Shouyou stalks towards the lady's slumped body and kneels beside her. She's a young beauty, with her dark curtain-like hair and plump cheeks. Shouyou touches her cool neck.
Her eyes are a lovely molten brown. Just like Natsu's.
"Kannushi," the woman says brokenly. She clasps Shouyou's fingers in a loose grip. "Save me."
Shouyou's arms go limp. He blinks rapidly. "Please rest," he whispers, cupping her cheek. "You've lived well."
There's a horrible rasping sound as the woman's chest expands after one last gasp of air. She then stills.
Shouyou's shoulders quake as he closes her eyelids. He ducks his head and presses his lips firmly together, until he lets despair take over his body and swallow him whole. He cries, very loudly, voice hitching, tears rolling down to his chin, the sounds of grief wrenching the air out of his lungs.
Kageyama stands by his side, observing noiselessly, and Shouyou sobs like he's never sobbed before, now that he's been given the chance.
It's a good thing no one can hear him.
...
With Kageyama's assistance, Shouyou carries the woman's body to an open field dotted with purple-blue lilies. They lay her down gently. Shouyou digs a shallow grave with a jagged rock and his fingers. Several of his nails bleed when he's done.
Shouyou pours water over her face, washing away the soil and blood sticking to her skin. He then covers her entire body with earth, grass, and flowers. He bows several times, mutters a quick prayer, and sprinkles salt over the mound.
Shouyou stares at the grave until Kageyama slinks close to him. Kageyama then pads his fingertips against one end of Shouyou's lips. The tears have long since dried, but Shouyou can still taste the saltiness, faint but there.
"Demons attacked our shrine a while back," Shouyou says after a moment. "I don't know where they came from. The samurais that were supposed to guard the passes were all gone and no one came to help. All the other sun kannushis and mikos are dead. I'm the only one who survived."
Kageyama's hand falls back to his side. His arm brushes against Shouyou's shoulder as he turns and glares down at the grave.
Shouyou takes a deep breath. "I'm not supposed to be alive, I think. I only escaped 'cause I knew the mountain range so well. We actually weren't allowed to go past the gates when we were young. It was forbidden, but I did it many times. I wasn't a good kannushi. But the good ones... the good ones didn't make it out."
He was enchanted by the many tales he's heard from the elder priests and high maidens. Stories of might and valor, of light triumphing over darkness countless of times. He had always wondered what life beyond the sun shrine was like. He wanted to go on dangerous quests, to be part of a team of vagabonds. Of adventurers. Of dreamers. A ragtag team of misfits who would dare to reach the skies.
He didn't know it would be such a lonely journey.
Suddenly, Natsu's voice rings as clear as a bell chime in his head: But Brother, she reminds him. You are never alone.
Shouyou's vision goes blurry, and he hastily wipes the tears with his soiled sleeves.
"I'm glad I made it, though. Because now I have you," he tells Kageyama. "We'll make you a human again, and we'll take back everything. We can do it if we stick together." Nothing's impossible between the two of them. Shouyou has to believe that.
Shouyou bows at the grave once more before entering the woods again. Kageyama stays by his side as he goes.
~O~
Forest of Tenshoagami, Kamakura
Iwasaki Territory
Spring 1568
...
After days of dense thriving forests, they arrive at a steep with cascading waterfalls that converge to form shallow pools and streams. Cherry trees loom over the brook; the light pink petals flutter and spiral along with the gust until they land gently over the waters.
Shouyou gapes at the scenery in amazement. He dashes to one of the trees, nearly tripping in his haste, and places a palm flat on the tree bark. He feels a profound sense of warmth coursing through his fingertips.
"This is a spirit haven," Shouyou murmurs. Ever since he left the shrine, he had never thought he'd get to witness a place that hadn't been tainted with greed and darkness.
Kageyama mimics him, but he jerks back his hand in an instant, as if burned. He grasps his palm tenderly and scowls.
"Hmm, maybe the cherry spirit doesn't like you," Shouyou says. "You're probably frightening her. Why don't you ease up on the scary aura and be a little... I don't know, friendly?"
Kageyama keeps grimacing at the cherry tree, so Shouyou takes Kageyama's hands. He presses Kageyama's palms together in a humble greeting.
"You have to pay your respects to the spirit," Shouyou instructs. "Show her you're not here to hurt her and that you're thankful to be graced by her purity." He nudges Kageyama's shoulders into a bow. "You just have to be nice, and spirits will be kind to you back."
He makes Kageyama repeat the gesture several times before he guides Kageyama's right hand over the trunk.
Kageyama goes slack-jawed, a surprised flush erupting from his cheeks.
"See?" Shouyou cheers. "Now you're friends!"
Abruptly, Kageyama retracts his hand and seizes Shouyou's fingers, clasping them tightly. Kageyama's palm is delightfully warm.
Shouyou grins. "She was just saying hello to you," he explains. He traces the word hello on Kageyama's wrist.
Understanding, Kageyama's eyes widen. He bows at the cherry tree once more.
Shouyou laughs, heart warming at the sight. "Come on. I think the waterfall spirit wants to show us something."
They greet the unseen waterfall spirit and strip off their outer garments. Shouyou shows Kageyama how to do misogi shuho—water cleansing—by standing beneath the falls and purifying their energies with the heavy jets of water on their backs. It's not as cold as the biting mid-winter downpour in the sun shrine's dazzlingly high Kouko falls, but Shouyou's skin still stings and burns.
Meanwhile, Kageyama seems to be enjoying the entire thing, a hint of a smile lurking on his face. He must have a high pain tolerance, Shouyou figures.
Shouyou can't pinpoint exactly how it started—perhaps it began when Shouyou splashed stream water on Kageyama's unusually beatific face—but they've now moved on to wrestling each other across the pools. Kageyama almost drowns him when he pushes Shouyou's head in the water for far too long, and Shouyou returns the compliment by hooking an arm around Kageyama's legs and forcing the yashajin to belly flop over the rippling waters. The smooth river rocks leave imprints on their backs and thighs.
Kageyama's clutching bundles of Shouyou's wet hair when a voice booms like thunderclap, "Who dares to disturb the peace in this sanctum?"
Kageyama gets a face full of Shouyou's palm when Shouyou shoves him off. Shouyou looks around frantically for the source of the sound. "Uh, hello!" he calls out. "I'm Hinata Shouyou, and he's—"
A stallion steps out of the undergrowth. Shouyou can tell that it's a powerful spirit: the stallion stands bold, magnificent, and strong as he cranes his head up high, his jet black mane whipping back and forth as his steely gray eyes sweep over them furiously.
"Uh. We were just passing through," Shouyou explains. "Kageyama here—he's never met happy spirits before. I was just introducing—"
"I am astounded to witness such insolence from one of the sun goddess' sworn guardians," the stallion says, stomping his hoof. "How dare you bring a half-demon to my domain, sullying the purity of my kind?"
Shouyou's mouth tightens. He moves to stand between Kageyama and the stallion spirit. "Hey, that's rude! He's not sullying anything!" he says. "Your friends even welcomed us here!"
"An abomination! A man-made monstrosity!" the stallion insists.
Shouyou tries to hold back his anger but fails. "Kageyama's no monster!" he defends. "And he's saved more lives than you can ever imagine!"
"I have lived a thousand years longer than you two ingrates combined. I've seen enough of what yashajins and humans have done to this world." The stallion stretches out his front legs, kicking the air, and whinnies. "Leave this place!"
"We were just going." Shouyou grabs Kageyama by the arm. "Come on, let's get out of here."
They change into their clothes as the stallion bleats and neighs, shouting repeatedly at them to depart quickly. Kageyama looks confused throughout, and Shouyou grits his teeth in chagrin.
Shouyou's tempted not to do so, but he bows at the stallion before he leaves. He drags Kageyama along with him.
"Stupid ugly horse spirit," Shouyou grumbles, kicking the moss-coated rocks in his path. His hair is still wet from their bath, droplets running in rivulets over his forehead and nose.
He's too furious that he strays from the forest trail; Kageyama takes his arm with a click of the tongue and leads Shouyou back to the path.
They walk until they've reached an open space in the forest, where the sunlight streams down freely over their faces. Shouyou looks up at the skies.
When he gazes back down, he sees Kageyama's expression, an impenetrable mask. But Shouyou knows better.
"You probably can't hear them say those stupid things about you," Shouyou mutters. "But I know you can tell somewhat. Still, don't believe them. Okay?"
Kageyama doesn't answer.
...
That night, Shouyou dreams of pillars and gardens burning.
In a matter of minutes, everything is ablaze. A pillow of smoke enshrouds the shrine grounds, thick and heavy. Several bodies are slumped over the flyboards, their hearts ripped out from their rib cages. On the steps leading to the patio, a demon convulses as it reaches its last steps of life. A ceremonial spear is lodged in the demon's head, where Shouyou's father, in a fit of desperation, has struck it.
The blood in Shouyou's hands has already cooled. His father lies limp in his arms. The elder Hinata's chest has been slashed by something hooked and sharp like talons.
This isn't fair, Shouyou thinks, clutching at his father's torn robes. This isn't fair. This isn't fair!
Amidst his grief, the voices in Shouyou's head beg, Run! Run, Shouyou!
Shouyou dips his head and hugs his father's body. "You said you'll be my witness!" he cries out, the smell of blood sticking to the back of his throat. "You, mom, Natsu... you all told me you'd be there for me!"
His father's voice reverberates in his mind, Run, my son!
A shadow begins to form at the wooden steps. The voices become unbearable; Shouyou presses his hands against his ears and leaps over the wooden rails.
The sun—She will be your witness! Let Her be your guide! the voices crow. Run! Keep on running! Don't ever look back!
Shouyou does, tears spilling from his eyes with each step he takes. He runs and jumps over the burning wood and lifeless bodies.
Ginro. Shoji. Kinako. Hue. They've all fallen.
Shouyou halts. He spots a man coming out of the thickets at the entrance to the mountain pass, the sun shrine's seal on his armor. There's a katana strapped to his side.
"Help us!" Shouyou yells, echoing in his desperation.
The samurai's eyes widen, stricken with fear, and he runs away.
Shouyou stares at the warrior's back in disbelief. He then hears the demons close by, cackling in glee, and he sprints past the gates and into the wilderness.
...
After that, Shouyou awakens. He opens his eyes abruptly. When his vision clears, he sees a pair of red and blue irises looking back at him.
He looks around. There are no monsters, no demons, no homes being razed. It's just him and Kageyama. The late spring moon shines faintly above them.
Shouyou groans, sitting up. His nape and back are slick with perspiration. He rubs his shins. "I'm fine," he croaks out when Kageyama hunkers down beside him. "Bad dream. That's all."
Kageyama remains motionless, expression carefully blank.
Shouyou sighs and takes Kageyama's hand. He writes Bad dream. I'm fine on his palm. "Nothing to worry about," Shouyou assures.
Kageyama rests his hand on Shouyou's forehead, seemingly uncaring of how sweaty Shouyou is.
Shouyou's heart lodges to his throat. He leans onto Kageyama's touch.
Kageyama moves closer and slowly envelopes Shouyou in his arms. Shouyou freezes, surprised out of his wits, before lifting his exhausted limbs and pulling Kageyama in an even tighter embrace. Kageyama smells strange, like pine resin and mead, but it's a lovely scent all the same. Shouyou sighs again, basking in the warmth.
Kageyama's trembling, just tiny little tremors, but enough for Shouyou to notice. Shouyou can't bear to look at Kageyama's expression right now, so he buries his face on the crook of Kageyama's shoulder.
"You've never had hugs, have you?" Shouyou murmurs. "They're pretty nice, right?" It's been a long time since anyone touched Shouyou like this. The warmth. The solidness. He hadn't realized how much he needed them.
As if he heard Shouyou, Kageyama embraces him tighter, enough for Shouyou to feel the gentle beating of Kageyama's human heart.
~O~
In this section of the forest, the trees have hunched so close together that there's barely any sunlight streaming to illuminate the trail. It doesn't bother Kageyama, which is expected of him, but Shouyou is jumpy as they go. He hides behind Kageyama whenever he senses something move in his peripheral vision.
After the eight time, Kageyama grips Shouyou's head, mouth twisting in annoyance.
"Ow, ow, ow, ow!" Shouyou rubs his tender scalp when Kageyama lets go. "Ergh, you bastard—put yourself in my shoes for once! Not everybody's got superhuman fighting skills and a fancy sword like you do!"
Kageyama purses his lips, looking unimpressed. He turns up his nose and walks ahead.
Shouyou huffs and follows him. "I have to get stronger," he mutters. He can't rely on Kageyama all the time. Keishin's right: survival is prime out here. In order to keep his promises, he has to stay alive long enough to fulfill them.
Perhaps he has to learn how to wield a weapon. A knife, maybe. He's not sure if he's capable of harming any ghouls, however, even if his life depends on it. Evil creatures they may be, but they're conscious living beings nonetheless. Shouyou doesn't want to decide on whether other beings with free will should live or die. He wants to live and die on his own terms; others should too.
But if Kageyama hadn't found him, would Shouyou last until summer? Would he even last until the end of spring?
How can Shouyou get any stronger?
Kageyama suddenly clasps Shouyou's shoulder, grabbing Shouyou to his side as he draws out his katana.
Shouyou hears the sound of hooves pounding on the ground before the wild bleating.
A horse gallops over the hurst by the trees, dirt flying in an arc as it stretches out its legs in the air. It lands in front of them, blocking their path. It's smaller than the stallion spirit they met yesterday. It's a mare with a smooth charcoal coat and gray eyes. It's got a black strip of cloth around its neck like a collar.
The mare lowers its muzzle. "I come in peace," it says. "I have come to seek you, in the name of the sacred spirit of Tenshoagami, in the name of my father's domain."
"Uh," Shouyou says. He pats Kageyama's forearm, and Kageyama lowers his blade. "Is your dad the ugly angry spirit from yesterday?"
"How dare you insult his appearance!" the mare bellows. "No one other than family can utter such disrespect! But yes, you are correct. I am her daughter, Rashin."
"What brings you here, Rashin? Did you follow us?"
Rashin the mare neighs low. "I would like to ask for your forgiveness for my father's outburst. He is the protector of the land and has recently experienced a betrayal of the darkest kind." Rashin then raises her head. "It is why I have come, to ask you and your companion for help."
"Our help?" Shouyou glances at Kageyama, then back at Rashin. "For what?"
"To take back my father's name from a swamp demon who stole it."
Shouyou says in disbelief, "Your father's name was stolen?"
Rashin nods. "A spirit's name not only holds his identity but also his power. Your friend's kind had tricked my father into giving it to him. A vengeful demon. Hateful."
"Kageyama is not a demon," Shouyou ripostes.
She stomps her feet in disdain. "No matter. Now my father has grown weak. Evil spirits are poised to take over our sacred land. And he cannot name a successor if he himself is nameless. We cannot live on without protection."
Shouyou can only imagine how the stallion spirit must be in his full strength if Shouyou had only seen a wisp of what he used to be. "And you want us to get your father's name from this creature?"
"Yes. And in exchange, I will bring you to where the moon shrine is."
"Moon shrine?" Shouyou says, bemused.
"Is that not the place of which you seek refuge? You are going west, are you not?"
"I... I was only told to follow the Ikeda river. Would that lead me to the moon shrine?"
"Yes."
Shouyou perks up. "So you know where it is? You can take me there?" he says, his words blurring together, overcome with hope.
Rashin nods once more. "Only if you succeed in retrieving my father's name."
Shouyou taps his chin, thinking. "A swamp demon, huh." He peers at Kageyama, and then tells Rashin, "Do you know how the demon got your dad's name?"
Rashin's left ear flicks. "My father refuses to relay how it happened," she says.
Unexpectedly, Shouyou's stomach rumbles loudly. He places a hand over his abdomen as Rashin's eyes gleam curiously. "Oh... Well, Kageyama and I are heading to a village past the forest. We've run out of food and wares so we're going on a quick stop first," he says. "Would you like to come?"
Rashin snorts. "A human settlement? That would be beyond foolish."
"We can talk more on the way." Shouyou smiles sheepishly. "Sorry. I really can't think with an empty stomach."
"Very well."
They start walking again with Rashin following closely behind them. Kageyama grasps Shouyou's elbow and places his fingers over Shouyou's mouth. Shouyou explains as best as he can.
Rashin asks out of the blue, "Can he really not speak or hear, your demon friend?"
"And see," Shouyou says. "And Kageyama's not totally a demon. He's half-human."
"That is not a huge improvement," Rashin says. "Still. Staying with a yashajin is unwise. There is death in his bones. There is hunger in his heart. Why do you, a mortal man and a sun priest, travel with him?"
"Because I can't live without him," Shouyou says. "I won't survive alone."
They turn quiet, with the wilderness noises and Rashin's muted stomping filling in the silence. Once the forest canopy is gone and they arrive at a long stretch of paddy fields, the mare points out softly, "You are gambling with your life."
Shouyou looks straight ahead and rolls his shoulders. "If it means I can stay longer in this world, then I'll keep doing it," he says.
~O~
Rashin opts to stay behind and rest at the abandoned mill near the rice fields. Kageyama already has his eyepatch on before Shouyou can remind him, and he grins approvingly. "I know you don't like wearing it," Shouyou says. "But just bear it for a while."
There's only one family in the village that asks Shouyou to perform purification rites. It's a young mother who died giving of childbirth two days ago. Shouyou thinks of the woman who passed away in the forest earlier this week, and as he lays the young mother to rest, he prays for the other woman's soul as well.
The widowed husband introduces himself as Hoya, and he leads them inside his home and offers them food. Shouyou enthusiastically accepts.
"My friend here isn't hungry yet," Shouyou says, gesturing at Kageyama. "But I'll make sure he eats everything later."
Hoya eyes the lapis lazuli on the handle of Kageyama's katana. "Would he like a smith to have a look at his sword? It seems like it's seen battle way too many times."
"Ahh, that won't be necessary!"
After they pass through the corridor, they enter a reception room with an alcove where scrolls are hung and a narrow vase filled with incense sticks rests on the wooden dais. Shouyou and Kageyama sit on the tatami flooring while Hoya's servants serve them green tea, pickled fennels, broiled fish, and a bowl of millet. Kageyama gazes blankly on the walls as Shouyou eats beside him with relish.
"You and your companion must have traveled from far away," Hoya says. "To what do we owe this pleasure of having a kannushi come to us in our time of need?"
"We're going west to a shrine there," Shouyou says. "Just to visit some folks."
Hoya hums. "I pray that you take extra precautions, kannushi. There have been numerous accounts of ayakashi terrorizing towns and villages fairly recently. Demons are running amok, and more and more monsters have been ruthlessly preying on travelers and merchants."
Shouyou holds back a grimace. He flips his fish on its other side with his chopsticks. "Yeah. We've noticed." He then thinks of something. "Hoya-san, have you heard of demons taking names?"
Hoya peers at him in confusion. "Demons and names? Why, I'm afraid not." He smiles darkly. "But ahh, rather than demons, men seem to have that proclivity for stealing names. I've been fighting long and hard for our vassal to confer my family with a name. So far I have not yet succeeded. But there are people, peasants and samurais alike, who have affixed themselves with names from fallen warriors and respectable families. A man taking someone else's name is despicable, but it is common."
"If your name has been stolen from you, then how do you take it back?"
"Through combat," Hoya explains simply. "For example, you are a Hinata. Only one family can be a Hinata in these lands. You will have to assert your claim and get rid of the household who stole your family's identity."
Shouyou chews on the inside of his cheek. "Is that so?" he says. "That seems a bit too extreme, though."
"Perhaps. But a name holds incredible power, do you not agree?"
"I do."
"Then to take it back by force," Hoya says. "Is a proper display of the blessing bestowed upon you by the deities. The true owner has the heavens on his side."
Shouyou nods. He thinks he understands Rashin's predicament better now. "Thank you for telling me this, Hoya-san."
Hoya strokes his beard and says, "It is nothing. It is only right to entertain my guests. But how might my stories be useful to you?"
Shouyou replies, "I want to help out a friend."
...
One of Hoya's maids bows and gives Kageyama a small wicker basket wrapped in cloth. Kageyama takes off the cover as Hoya says, "Please accept our offerings to Amaterasu Omikami."
"Oh!" Shouyou exclaims, giddy. It's a basket full of marumochi. He eagerly stuffs his face with two and almost chokes. Frowning, Kageyama smacks his back four times rather painfully as the maids giggle behind the sleeves of their robes.
"The sun goddess has been kind to us. Our harvest last autumn was plentiful," Hoya says. "These round rice cakes are our specialty. May they keep you full on your journey."
Shouyou rubs his eye and grins. "They definitely will!" He has to make Kageyama eat them, too. He starts plotting how he'll go about that task without Kageyama tossing him to the river again.
They bid their goodbyes as some of the villagers gawk at them as they go. In the flooded fields, the newly-planted rice stalks are as green as a swallowtail caterpillar, and the sight makes Shouyou smile wider. The land out here seems rich and giving; the residents have taken care of their home well.
"I wish we could stay longer," Shouyou says, tone regretful. He glances at the basket in Kageyama's arms. "Do you think Rashin will eat mochi?"
Kageyama remains silent, brushing away hovering insects from his face. His sandals quietly pad over narrow dirt path as they head towards the mill.
As Shouyou begins to wonder about the spirits' diet, Rashin steps out of the corner of the mill, her body shadowed by the clustered leaves of a fig tree.
When they've entered the forest, Shouyou asks, "Rashin, what do spirits like you eat?"
Rashin is unprepared for his question; it takes a long time for her to answer. "We don't. We forest spirits, we draw our life force from something in the wilderness—it can be a living being, like an oak tree or a mulberry bush. It can be a waterfall. It can be an object sealed with immense energy, like a boulder at the edge of a cliff."
Kageyama takes off his eyepatch with a grimace. He begins fiddling with the basket, bringing it close to his nose and smelling the rice cakes.
Shouyou watches him as he says, "There was one village where they fed spirits with scavenger ghouls."
"I believe you humans call them ayakashi. Those are lesser spirits who have lost the connection with their life force. Hatred, anger, and vengeance have severed them from it. They would eat anything to stave off their hunger."
Shouyou's chin dips a fraction as he considers this. So nature spirits can turn bad and become ayakashi, and they begin to attack anything; monsters eat big animals and humans; whereas demons eat monsters, humans—
"And fellow demons," Rashin says.
Shouyou colors. He must have been muttering all those out loud.
"A demon can eat another demon to gain power and eliminate competition," Rashin explains. "In ancient times, a few millennia after the founding of this world, it was not uncommon for demon lords to fight against each other, vying for control of their territories and tricking one another." She eyes Shouyou critically. "Demons and humans are not so different from each other."
Shouyou frowns. He spares Kageyama another glance. "You want Kageyama to dirty his hands and to take back your father's name for you," he says. "Because you don't want to taint yourself in the process."
Rashin gives him no reply.
"Spirits are probably not so different from us, too," Shouyou says. "We're all the same."
Rashin makes a guttural noise but doesn't correct him.
~O~
The next morning, Rashin takes them to the swamp where the demon resides. Shouyou has been up all night trying to think of a plan to no avail. Kageyama seems already set on a course of action, however: find the demon, kill it, give back the name to the guardian stallion spirit, then go west.
After following the floodplains of the Ikeda river, the rows of maples and cypresses open up to reveal a humid, shrubby undergrowth. The forest floor is now a carpet of thick moss and ferns and the trees have become scant. The air appears to shimmer an eerie silver-blue.
Rashin hovers back, standing beside the fallen logs. Kageyama starts moving towards the bog, and Shouyou grasps Kageyama's wrist.
"Wait," Shouyou says. He writes on Kageyama's palm, Don't kill it immediately. Let it talk first.
Kageyama's eyes widened. He traces the back of Shouyou's hand, Why?
Trust me, Shouyou tells him.
Kageyama wrinkles his nose and bats Shouyou's hand away.
"Kageyama," Shouyou hisses but it's useless. Kageyama's already moving ahead, slashing the vines and creeping around the swamp.
A crow perches on one of the trees and caws. Rashin stomps her hooves anxiously.
A low, croaking voice near Shouyou's ear suddenly makes his face go bloodless—"Ahhh! A meal right on my doorstep. How nice!"
Shouyou jumps to his left, head turning to the direction of the sound.
Barely a step away, a humanoid figure smiles at him with grimy, sharp teeth. It's covered in peat moss, black and slick. Its cold red eyes regard Shouyou with wonder.
"A Hinata! How very delightful!" the demon exclaims. "Have you survived the slaughter of your people just to be devoured by me?" It laughs. "An honor, truly! Though indeed, immortality is wasted on those filthy lesser demons—all perfectly useless creatures—but ahh! I will make good use of your heart, young Hinata—"
There's a blade right at the tip of the demon's chin. Kageyama glares at the demon, and then at Hinata. Hurry up or I'll kill you both, Kageyama's expression seems to say.
"Ahh, yashajin." The demon laughs and tuts. "How many hearts have you stolen since you were made? And yet were those not enough to satisfy your hunger?"
Shouyou finally finds the chance to speak. "You've stolen something as well," he says. "A name."
The swamp demon snorts merrily. "Oh, that fool of a guardian has no use for his name. All he does is prance around in his dominion and birth insolent kids like that fool over there—" It glances at Rashin "—in the name of 'protection and purity'. Blergh! For all the power his name had given him, he was mightily weak. It didn't take much for me to steal it."
"How did you steal it?" Shouyou asks.
The swamp demon tilts its head up—clasped around its neck is a thin, flimsy black collar. There are several ancient letters etched across it. "Oh, I told him many things. I told him I was tired of being impure. Of being an outcast in this forest, of feeding on the filthy blood of humans. I begged him to uproot the darkness in my heart, to purify my entire being and be one of his kind... as if that were possible." The demon laughs coldly. "Possession is easy when a soul can do nothing but trust."
As he's talking, a vine surreptitiously wraps around Kageyama's ankle. It then flings Kageyama to the swamp.
"Kageyama!" Shouyou shouts.
The demon cackles at Shouyou. "A trusting soul, an eternal heart." It licks its blackened lips. "Utterly mouth-watering." It lunges at Shouyou.
Shouyou manages to grab a tree branch just in time and he swipes it blindly across the demon's face. The end of the branch shatters.
"You've got fast reflexes," the demon comments, wiping the trickling blood on its cheek. "Almost as fast as your precious halfling friend. Is that how you escaped?"
Shouyou splinters one of his fingers; he winces. "That name doesn't belong to you," he grits. "Give it back."
The swamp demon snorts. "Oh, monsters and demons take things to survive," it says. "Do you think your precious yashajin companion is any different?"
The swamp demon has suddenly lost its left arm; it howls in pain as blood spurts out of its shoulder—Kageyama's sliced it off, and he moves to stab it again in the abdomen, but the thick swamp vines quickly immobilize him and force him to drop his katana.
"Hmm, see? The halfling is getting stronger the more he's with you, son of Hinata! His true nature will reveal itself to you soon," the demon says harshly. "But ahh, he's not as strong as me yet!" It raises its right hand, and the vines drag Kageyama to the swamp, clinging to drown him.
"Kage—argh!" Numerous vines have crept around Shouyou's feet without him realizing. He tries to escape, running and kicking them off him, but their hold on his ankles is too tight. He stumbles and falls to the ground, cheek smacking against the mud.
Rashin remains frozen under the forest canopy. Shouyou gnashes his teeth as he fails to get back on his feet.
"Give me your heart!" the demon growls and lurches forward, caging Shouyou.
On instinct, Shouyou takes a handful of mud and hurls it at the demon, coating its eyes. In a shock of anger, the demon opens its mouth widely, sharp teeth ready to sink in Shouyou's chest. Shouyou frantically rummages his pockets and chucks in a wilted dandelion and three pieces of mochi down the demon's throat.
The demon's eyes bug out and it grasps its neck, choking. It tears off the collar around its throat as it coughs violently. The collar dissipates like sawdust being blown away.
Rashin shrieks, "The collar—Father's name—"
A slash, and the demon's head falls off. It rolls to the side, anger and disbelief still on its features. The body slumps to the ground with a dull thump.
Kageyama's panting as he sheathes his katana and stalks closer to Shouyou. He's drenched all over. His shoulders sag as much as his heavy, wet robes. He falls to his knees beside Shouyou.
Shouyou tilts Kageyama's jaw. "Are you hurt?" he whispers. He can't see any cuts or bruises on Kageyama's face.
Kageyama exhales harshly. He presses the side of his face against Shouyou's sternum, breathing in deeply.
Shouyou shivers. Kageyama's skin is cold as ice. He wraps his arms around him.
After a few seconds, Shouyou hears the sound of hooves on the sticky mud, and he grouses, "We've returned it now, haven't we?"
"Yes. My father, Kugahara, sends his gratitude." Rashin dips its head. "Thank you, kannushi. Yashajin. The forest owes you an eternal debt."
Shouyou's lips thin as he gathers Kageyama closer in his arms. "You'll take us to the moon shrine," he says, demanding.
Rashin's eyes seem to flicker in wry amusement. "I am no demon," she says. "I do not make use of trickery to get what I want. I honor my word."
Shouyou sighs, deathly tired. "We'll be in your care," he mumbles.
~O~
Shubatsu Mountains, Tenshu
Iwasaki Territory
Late Spring 1568
...
"Ahh! So the fireflies gather their light in the morning so they can glow in the night?" Shouyou says.
Rashin says starchily, "Of course. I thought you humans knew that."
"We don't," Shouyou says. "Back in the shrine, the elders always tell us not to catch fireflies 'cause some of them might be nature spirits like you."
"Not some of them," Rashin says. "It's all of them."
Shouyou gasps. "Really?"
"They're less powerful spirits. But spirits nonetheless."
"That's so amazing!" Shouyou turns to his right and snickers, shaking Kageyama by the shoulder. "Ei, Kageyama. Maybe you should stop swatting every mosquito that bugs you. Who knows? They might be spirits! You'll end up getting cursed!"
Kageyama just shrugs him off and keeps walking.
Shouyou rolls his eyes. "Excuse him. He has no manners, but I'm kinda used to him now." He smacks his fist against his other palm. "Once I turn him back to a human again, I'm going to teach him some." All that etiquette training he had in shrine would prove to be useful after all.
"Hmm. And how do you plan to take back his body from the demon inside him?"
"I don't know yet," Shouyou admits. "But I'm learning more about this world every day. I might figure something out soon."
The afternoon sunlight makes the river gleam a honey-gold color. It's warmer now; summer has almost caught up to them. They follow the path of the river into a towering gorge where billowing trees and vibrant green shrubs thrive over the basalt flanks.
As he gapes at the foliage, Shouyou begins to remember an old saying back in the sun shrine. "Joppari," he mutters.
Rashin glances at him. "Hmm?"
Shouyou points at the stepped rock formation at the bottom of the ravine. "There's moss covering those hard rocks," he says. "Then the flowers and the trees grow over those moss to survive living at the cliffside."
"It appears so," Rashin says after almost a minute.
"Plants are strong and sturdy. They can survive almost anywhere. It's the joppari way. Being stubborn in spirit. To not want to lose." Shouyou puffs out his cheeks and declares stoutly, "I'm going to be like that, obviously."
Rashin asks, "Are you sure you're not already?"
Shouyou shakes his head. "No. Not yet." He reaches out and clutches Kageyama's hand.
Kageyama's pace stutters to a halt, his shoulders hiked up almost to his ears.
With his index finger, Shouyou writes on Kageyama's palm, Let's not lose.
Kageyama's mouth quirks and he writes back, Of course, dumbass.
~O~
They are still three days away from the moon shrine, according to Rashin. Kageyama's already killed around fifty or so monsters and a handful of demons. His blade has several chips on it. He's still not eating human food no matter how much Shouyou's tried.
Kageyama's retching out the last of the cucumbers and pickled radishes from under a tree, and Shouyou scowls at himself. He's been taught about demon possession before when he was young.
"To cleanse a polluted stream is an immense task," elder Kakuho once told him and all the other priests-in-training. "But it is possible if done with a determined mind. The connection has to be severed, the headwaters purified. Nature will run Her course in due time once you allow Her."
"Purified, huh," Shouyou mutters. One form of "purification" from demonic possessions entails killing the hosts and letting the gods pass on their verdict. Unfortunately, aside from killing the deal maker, it's the only other method Shouyou knows.
There has to be another way Shouyou can drive the demon out of Kageyama's body without harming him or his maker. There must be something in the moon shrine that can point him in the right direction. Shouyou can't lose hope.
As they rested before the campfire, Rashin asks Shouyou, "Why do you want to turn the yashajin back into a human so much?"
Shouyou wraps his arms around himself. "I owe him a ton for saving me," he says. "The least I can do is to help him get back what was stolen from him."
"But is that what the yashajin wants?"
Shouyou falters. Right. He hadn't thought of asking.
There's a hint of a smile in Rashin's voice when she speaks again, "Go ahead."
Shouyou chews on his lower lip before standing up. He saunters towards where Kageyama is.
Kageyama's sitting cross-legged by the riverbank, so close to the water, his katana nestled over his lap. He appears to be lost in thought.
Shouyou makes his presence known by kicking a pebble against Kageyama's thigh. Kageyama instantly looks up at Shouyou's face.
"Hey," Shouyou says softly. He sits next to Kageyama as he rests a clammy hand on his nape.
Kageyama clasps Shouyou's hand.
Shouyou's face flames. "W-what—"
Human food. I can't is what Kageyama writes on Shouyou's palm.
Shouyou gulps. "Alright. I won't make you eat those anymore," he whispers. He traces the words on Kageyama's forearm with his finger.
Kageyama's expression becomes bewildered at first and then relieved. He gives Shouyou a jerky nod and looks back to the river again.
Thin, cottony clouds shroud the smattering of stars in the inky black sky. The half moon shines over them faintly, the light playing with the curves and hollows of Kageyama's face.
Shouyou taps Kageyama's cheek, and he smiles a little when Kageyama's gaze is back on him again.
But I won't give up finding a way to make you completely human again. I'll keep looking for it, Shouyou writes on Kageyama's forearm. Whether you want to turn back or not... it's all up to you.
Kageyama's eyes fly to meet Shouyou's and he stares, deeply, like he's searching for something. Shouyou tries not to flinch back and keeps his gaze steady.
Kageyama then writes, I want. He pauses and writes again, Be human. I want it.
Shouyou surprises himself with how much his heart leaps in joy at that statement. He breathes in, then out, and smiles so wide his cheeks turn red at the effort. "I have so many things to show you," he says animatedly. "The world is huge! You wouldn't believe it! And there's stuff I've never seen, too." He asks, Have you ever been to the sea before?
Kageyama shakes his head.
"Me neither," Shouyou chirps. "Once we turn you back, I'll take you there." He writes that promise on Kageyama's arm.
~O~
Ikko Mountains, Uraga
Ashikura Territory
Early Summer 1568
...
Rashin skids to a halt at the place where the river begins to fork in two. Shouyou and Kageyama stop as well.
"This is as far as I can go," Rashin says.
"Huh?" Shouyou says. "What do you mean?"
"I will be too far from my domain, my life source. Once I cross the stream, I will cease to exist."
Shouyou looks back at the landscape. "We just have to keep moving ahead?" he asks.
Rashin nods. "Beyond that winding lane is the mountain pass that would take you to the shrine. You have to pass through it—do not go around the mountains. All kinds of oni and ayakashi would lie await. You would be entering the Ashikura clan's territory. Be careful."
"We'll try," Shouyou says in a low voice.
A heavy silence follows before Rashin dips her head a fraction. Shouyou leans forward and wraps his arms around the mare's stout neck.
"Thank you," Shouyou mutters, stroking her muzzle and forehead. "I wish we could've stayed together longer."
"Then we will journey again as you wish," Rashin says. She lets out hot puffs of breath over Shouyou's cheek, and Shouyou chuckles.
Rashin bows again, and when she turns and starts trotting away, her body begins to turn hazy. With another blink of an eye, she completely disappears from view.
Shouyou angles his head towards Kageyama. "It's just you and me again, huh?" He smiles tinily. "You have the full force of my attention now, Kageyama! Be honored!"
Kageyama ignores him. He's frowning at the mountains, one hand on the hilt of his katana.
They cross over the stream by leaping on the rocks embedded in the sediment. Shouyou takes his time at the brink of the riverbank, splashing his face with cool water as dragonflies in pairs flutter overhead.
The terrain is strikingly familiar that Shouyou purposefully slows his pace. Soft noises from deep in the forest canopies make his skin prickle in unease, his heart starting to hammer when the twists in the path start to turn sharp.
Something moves swiftly in his peripheral vision and he whips his head towards the bushes. The leaves rustle as a rodent hides from sight.
Shouyou's soul jumps from his body when Kageyama grips his arm and drags him to his side.
Stay close, Kageyama tells him.
Shouyou takes back his arm forcefully, whispering hotly, "Don't spook me like that, jeez." He presses closer to Kageyama's side.
They make headway into the mountain pass. Converging over the narrow trail are trees that must be a hundred years old—they loom at the sides of the trail like spire walls, granting little escape. Back in the sun shrine, the trees are less imposing, more lively.
Shouyou's nose wrinkles. This place reeks of something sinister; he can feel the hairs on his nape rise as they go deep into the mountains. He tries to distract himself by thinking about the shrine keepers up ahead. He's only heard about them in stories from the elders. He wonders how they're like.
Kageyama unsheathes his katana. They take a few more steps forward, and then he pushes Shouyou's head down and swings his blade in a wide arc. There's a bloodcurdling scream, and a body suddenly drops before Shouyou's left foot.
"D-demon," Shouyou stammers out when he recovers, clutching Kageyama's arm. They've gotten farther than they're supposed to be. "Kageyama, we need to hurry." He's got a bad feeling about this.
Thankfully, Kageyama doesn't stop to eat the demon's heart. He lets Shouyou lead but he follows closely behind. His hand brushes Shouyou's forearm now and then.
The trail opens wide to a flatland. There are no samurais around the terrain. The bases of the massive torii gate are smeared with dried blood.
Shouyou's stomach drops. No. It can't be...
There aren't any bodies, but it's easy to tell that the shrine is deserted. Shouyou and Kageyama roam around the grounds first, then they enter the main sanctuary.
The tables and chairs have been either overturned or smashed to bits, the scrolls slashed, broken clay pots and bamboo stands litter the wooden floorboards. Shouyou can see splotches of blood on the walls, but once again, no bodies.
"Maybe they escaped," Shouyou says meekly.
"No. There were no survivors."
Shouyou yelps, his hip hitting one of the bamboo pegs. He turns to his side and sees a man with cropped, blond hair and honey-gold eyes. The man's pleated kukuri-bakama falls delicately over his ankles as he settles by the doorway.
"Who are you?" Shouyou says.
The man's expression hardly changes. "I should be asking you that." He glances at Kageyama then back at Shouyou. "Judging from your filthy garments, you must be from the shrine in the east."
Shouyou's eyebrows raise. "I'm Hinata Shouyou from the sun shrine. And this is my friend, Kageyama."
The man narrows his eyes. "You would call the kind that killed your people a friend?" he says.
"W-what? How—"
"If you want to die like them, be my guest." The man starts shuffling back to the adjacent room.
Shouyou dashes after him. "Oi! Answer me, you rude jerk! Who are you? What happened here?"
The man looks back at him with cold eyes. "Tsukishima Kei," he says. "Please leave."
...
Shouyou refuses to leave the shrine and Tsukishima refuses to be in the same room as Kageyama. As a compromise, Kageyama scouts the perimeter for demons while Shouyou and Tsukishima talk in the tatami room.
Tsukishima explains that he found this place about a month ago. He's not one of the moon kannushis. "Just a scholar with a handy quiver," he says dully. "I came to translate the epitaphs in the repository of this shrine."
"But your last name—"
"My great grandfather is related to the Tsukishimas of this place," Tsukishima says. "He renounced his blessing when he came of age and left to live in the center of Ashikura. Fortunately."
Shouyou snarls, "'Fortunately'? How the heck can you say that?"
"If he went through priesthood, if our family stayed, we would've been food for the kishins. I'm saying it as a fact." Tsukishima's eyes flicker towards the large windows. "And what are you doing, wasting your second chance at life and frolicking around with a half-demon? You must be a bigger idiot than you look."
"Kageyama's never harmed anyone!"
"Oh? And how sure are you of that?"
Shouyou's fingers curl into fists. "I'm pretty sure."
Tsukishima drags his gaze back to Shouyou. He gestures to Shouyou's clothes and oilskin bag. "What is it that you plan on doing then? You're not going to last for more than two weeks with just that. A drought is upon us."
"I don't have a plan," Shouyou says stubbornly. "My dad said to come here and now I am." Father probably thought that moon kannushis would provide Shouyou refuge. But now...
"Tsukishima-san, what do you think happened here?" Shouyou says.
With the bitter summer sunlight streaming from the windows, Tsukishima's face is a pale, impenetrable mask. He sits straighter and says, "I don't know the exact details. But I do know that monsters have been more... active since last year."
Shouyou nods. The elder sun kannushis had noticed, too. There had been signs—the summer air was staler and drier, the snow had piled heavier over the lands, and the rivers had flooded more often. Several of the elders worked together to figure out the reason for the sudden turmoil, but they passed away long before they could arrive at an explanation.
Tsukishima continues, "The Iwasakis have been at odds with the Akahiris, the Ashikuras, the Hojos, and the Miyamotos for half a century. Thanks to your yashajin companion and his colleagues, there was an interlude of peace. But some clan leaders took inspiration from the Iwasaki daimyo." His mouth downturns slightly. "Iwasaki Akechi isn't the only ruler willing to sell his subjects' souls to demons."
"What do you mean by that?"
"I'm thinking the hearts of the sun and moon kannushis were offered to demons as... remuneration."
Shouyou's skin crawls. He feels like he's been doused with cold water. "So you're saying we—we were offered to the demons?" he says. "As payment? To win their wars?"
"Strong demons were seen at the frontlines in a recent battle at the Ashikura-Iwasaki boundary not far from here," Tsukishima replies, tone flat. His frown deepens. "But it's still only a conjecture. Unless you ask the daimyos and the bukes themselves, we can never really be certain."
It's getting difficult to breathe. Shouyou needs a minute, some fresh air. He doesn't bother excusing himself; it's taking a lot of energy to stand on his feet and to stalk past the red fences on the patio. Thankfully, Tsukishima doesn't follow him out.
He spots Kageyama at the garden behind the auxiliary shrine, standing still before the several dozen shallow graves. Shouyou approaches him.
The atmosphere in this part of the shrine grounds feels restless—the kannushis and the mikos hadn't been given any rites. He needs to send them off properly and do purification rituals. He hopes it's not too late.
He sighs. Tsukishima probably found this place in ruins and took it upon himself to bury everyone as best as he could. Shouyou can't be too angry with him.
It's still only a conjecture, Tsukishima had said. And he's right. The only way to find out why the samurais withdrew and left his people at the mercy of demons was if he asked the daimyos themselves. A huge part of Shouyou doesn't want to believe that something so cruel had indeed transpired. Moreover, the shrines are under the gods' protection. Surely the daimyos knew better than to incite the heavens' wrath just to win a couple of senseless clan wars.
But the fact remains that the moon shrine keepers have been wiped out. And as for the sun kannushis, Shouyou is the only one left.
Shouyou feels exquisitely wrung out. He sits under the shade of the maple tree, its trunk tied with a thick hemp rope—a shimenawa. He hides his face in his palms.
He doesn't know how long he stays like that, shielding himself from the world, but when a strong, familiar presence makes itself known, Shouyou has no choice but to look up.
Kageyama's face hovers above him. His red and blue eyes are tinged with anger and something else unnameable.
"Kageyama," Shouyou whispers. "What do I do now?"
Kageyama doesn't answer, not that Shouyou expects him to. Shouyou doesn't know if there's anything he can expect anymore. The crickets start to sing, and the grass rustle as they sway merrily with the easy draft, but Shouyou's mind is quiet. He hears no voices. He's alone.
What do I do? Shouyou asks once more. Once again, no one answers.
~O~
Tsukishima lets him and Kageyama stay for a while, on the condition that they don't disturb him while he's working in the shrine repository. For two days, Shouyou wanders around the shrine grounds, a few times by himself, often times with Kageyama lurking and keeping his distance.
Beyond the makeshift graveyard, Shouyou comes across a large pond, the waters teal blue and still like a mirror. Shouyou sits on the healthy patch of grass, resting his chin on his knees. The mid-afternoon warmth makes his eyelids droop dangerously—he's not supposed to take naps during the day, as he's been taught. But lately all Shouyou wants to do is to sleep.
He reclines and sets his palm on the ground, his fingers latching on a flat pebble. He tosses it in parallel with the pond's surface, but it only skips twice before sinking. Shouyou frowns. He tries again with the same result.
He hears footsteps padding toward him, and this time, he doesn't have to turn to know who it is.
"Yeah, yeah. I know what you're going to say. I suck at mizukiri," Shouyou says, waving a hand. "I bet I'm a hundred times better than you, though."
Oddly, Kageyama senses the challenge; he takes a stone and skips it over the pond. He succeeds in making it hop eight times before it completely dips under.
Shouyou's jaw drops. "How in the world did you do that?" he exclaims, standing up. "Wait a sec... let me try that again."
He swings his right arm to the side then sends the flat stone flying. It plops after the second skip.
"Ergh," Shouyou grouses. Kageyama's looking at him smugly, and he shouts, "Oh yeah?" He grabs Kageyama's arm, nails making furious imprints on Kageyama's skin, and demands, Think you can do more than ten?
Kageyama snorts and takes a stone. He flings it swiftly, his motions smooth and precise. One, two, five, seven... The stone ends up doing fourteen skips before plunging in the water.
Shouyou's eyes widened. "How in the—" He stops when he sees Kageyama's emphatically gloating expression. Shouyou throws a stone again in a wide arc, frustrated. It lands with a heavy plonk then sinks. "Ugh. Why are you so good?" Is there anything Shouyou can do?
Abruptly, Kageyama takes his hand. He drops a stone in Shouyou's palm.
Shouyou's irritation drops a fraction, replaced by confusion. "Huh? Kageyama, what—"
Kageyama reaches down for another stone and, slowly, demonstrates the sidearm motion several times. He looks at Shouyou expectantly, one eyebrow quirked in a gentle arc.
Oh! Shouyou thinks, comprehending. He copies the angle then throws the stone. It skips only three times.
Shouyou's blowing out a breath when Kageyama taps him harshly on the shoulder. Then, Kageyama cocks his right hand up to his ear before snapping his wrist. He does the motion twice.
"A spin?" Shouyou says. "You're putting a spin on the rock when you throw it?"
Instead of answering, Kageyama shows him again. He grasps the crooks of the stone between his index finger and thumb. Shouyou watches carefully as Kageyama holds it high then throws his arm down and forward with the full force of his shoulders—the stone spins wildly on a straight course and skips across the water, fourteen times again.
Shouyou smiles. "Ahh! I think I get it now." He arches his arm and pitches the stone with a quick flick of his wrist. The stone skips five times.
"Ha!" Shouyou caws. Without thinking, he enthusiastically whacks Kageyama on the shoulder and cries, "Did you see that? That was so cool!"
Kageyama retaliates by launching another stone viciously. He wins again with a record-breaking sixteen skips.
Shouyou juts out his chin. He dares, "I can do better than that." With a couple more tries, he amends in his head. He grabs a stone and flings it; the rock races across the wind and the waters at a satisfying speed.
They spend the whole afternoon skipping stones until they've run out of rocks to throw. Shouyou doesn't win once against Kageyama, but he vows to beat him next time. Now, Kageyama's taking a nap under the tree while Shouyou lies spread-eagled over the grass, wide awake and staring up at the twilight sky.
~O~
On their fifth day in the shrine, Shouyou starts cleaning the mess inside the oratory. He scrubs the floors, dusts off the wooden platforms, and brings the broken tables outside. He tries to be as silent as he can, though he probably fails most of the time—when Shouyou's fixing one of the sliding doors, Tsukishima comes out from one of the chambers, an irked look in his ochre eyes.
"While you're at it, why don't you do some gardening?" Tsukishima says.
Shouyou nods vigorously. That seems like a good idea. "Okay!" he says.
That doesn't seem to be the response Tsukishima wants. He sighs wearily then jerks his thumb, pointing outside. "There's a shed behind the keep. It has shovels and trowels in it," he says. "And I think the bushes need trimming."
"On it!"
Tsukishima studies him carefully before sliding the door behind him shut.
"Yosh!" Shouyou rolls up his sleeves and heads out.
Kageyama's doing some practice drills with his katana in the middle of the shrine compound. As soon as he senses Shouyou stepping out of the patio, he stops.
Shouyou groans. "You don't have to babysit me, you know," he says when Kageyama tails him to the gardens behind the sekihi. "And you're not supposed to slash your sword around while facing the altar. It's rude."
With his shoulders steeled and nose up in the air, Shouyou marches towards the shed and flings the creaky door wide open. He tries to ignore that reedy voice in his head, remarking how much he'd rather have Kageyama around than be alone with his jumbled thoughts. It's a little embarrassing.
So instead, he says, "If you're going to follow me around then you're going to have to help." He hands Kageyama the rake and a pair of garden shears and ushers him to the open field.
Weeds have started to take over in the already dense tomato patch, and some of the shrubs have drooped or completely wilted. Shouyou crosses his arms over his chest, thinking. He then says, more to himself, "Mom and the other shrine maidens used to prune the tomatoes during the summer. I sometimes watched them do it." He plucks off a ripe tomato and takes a bite—it's refreshingly sweet, sweeter than the ones they have in the sun shrine gardens. It would be a shame to let all the moon maidens' hard work go to waste.
He and Kageyama crouch before the patch, and Shouyou teaches him how to cut off the fleshy branches of the tomatoes. Pruning, Shouyou traces on Kageyama's sweat-slicked arm.
Kageyama blinks at him slowly and then writes the same characters on the soil three times. Pruning. Pruning. Pruning.
"Yeah," Shouyou says with a small smile. "Pruning. Now you just have to put it in another place. So a new tomato plant would grow."
With a trowel, Shouyou digs a shallow hole in the ground and he sticks the cutting in it. He then overlaps his hands on Kageyama's, and together, they push the mound over the hole, covering it properly with loamy earth.
"There!" Shouyou cheers, laughing after. "You've just planted a tomato, Kageyama! That wasn't so hard, was it?"
Kageyama makes a face and wipes his soil-coated fingers on Shouyou's ragged kosode. Shouyou squawks in indignation.
After pruning and transplanting the rest of the patch, Shouyou starts clearing out the leaves that litter the long, narrow trail leading to the miniature shrine of the moon god, Tsukuyomi. Even though he's certain Kageyama can't hear a word he's saying, Shouyou begins to share all sorts of stories from his time in the sun shrine. As he goes, Kageyama stays beside him noiselessly, staring at the shadows in the woods with an odd intensity.
"Us kannushis were supposed to take care of the shrine, but I usually found it so boring that I'd sneak off with my friends and play in the forest grounds," Shouyou says as he sweeps the dried leaves with his broom. "My job was to wipe the bird poop off the statues. Geh. Koji wouldn't trade chores with me even when I begged. But Izumi was much nicer about it!"
Saw-wings chirp from a distance. Shouyou smiles, imagining them answering in Kageyama's stead. He continues, "In the summer, all of us kids got a free day to splash around in the stream near the shrine! Hmm... you know, I think it's part of the Ikeda river or something. Weird. Can a river be that long—?"
Abruptly, Kageyama wraps his fingers around Shouyou's right wrist.
Shouyou clucks like a chicken in his surprise. "Eh?" he says, cheeks flaming.
Kageyama rolls up his sleeves. His ears pink as he gently traces on Shouyou's arm, Don't understand.
Shouyou's breath catches. Wait, can you hear me? he writes immediately.
Kageyama's eyebrows pull together as the flush spreads to the rest of his face. No, he answers. But I know. You talking. Saying something. To me. What?
"Oh," Shouyou whispers. "I thought..." He gulps his words back. Nothing. I was just talking about boring kannushi stuff.
Frowning, Kageyama presses his fingers over Shouyou's lips. And on Shouyou's arm, Kageyama requests, Make me understand.
The breeze that twines on Shouyou's face is warm. He tucks the handle of the broom under his arm and starts again from the beginning.
...
As soon as he knocks, Tsukishima enters their quarters when Shouyou and Kageyama are about to sleep. Kageyama's katana is in his hand in an instant.
"I'm not here to pick fights with you, yashajin, " Tsukishima says. He rests his lamp on the dusty table. "I just came to give Hinata-san something."
Shouyou looks at Tsukishima blearily. "Yeah? What is it?" he says, sitting up.
Shouyou then only notices the armful of books and scrolls Tsukishima has. He sets them down beside Shouyou's straw mat.
"Learn your people's history, then pass it on," Tsukishima mutters.
"Huh?"
"You're good at that. Talking. Telling stories." Tsukishima angles a glance at Kageyama before turning to Shouyou again. "Survive, and tell other people about the sun and moon keepers. That's how bloodlines and races and cultures live on. You can do that instead of despairing and cowering here."
"I wasn't cowering!"
"Sure you're not."
Shouyou glares up at him.
Tsukishima sighs. "Be thankful I'm letting your grubby hands on such important texts." He rests a hand on his hip. "Read them. If you can't, then just keep them safe."
Shouyou eyes the small pile of books with great trepidation. "Isn't this your life's work?" he says.
"You're the sun kannushi. You should have them. Besides, I already made copies," Tsukishima replies. At Shouyou's expression, he explains, voice hitching, "I'm not doing this to help you. I can't focus when you and the yashajin are bobbing about and playing house."
Shouyou takes the texts gingerly and opens a book on a random page. He reads the top passage:
On the rolling hills of Tachibana, an auspicious location, the great elder Hinata arrived and said: "I have come so far to a land so fertile and sweet! But how has such a blessed place be cursed by thriving, tittering beasts—what shame! I will purify this land and restore true brightness in the dark!" As he had declared, he set out to find the famed river of Himuka. He purified and cleansed himself first, then the lonely fields of Tachibana.
Now the elder was someone who could see the landscape for what it was, for his mind was truly enlightened and saw the nature in all things. When he saw the skies open up, he thrust out his arms to the skies and embraced the warmth: "The sun nourishes a feeble cherry plum, breathes life in the coldness of death! Until my last breath, I shall never forsake her!"
The great deity Amaterasu was exceedingly pleased with him, and she gave him a part of her heart for safekeeping.
Shouyou knows this story. It's about the first Hinata and the founding of the sun shrine. It was the earliest tale he remembers his mother telling him; he was enjoying himself by the fire as Mother had him propped on her lap, and he had bounced in her arms as he exclaimed, "I can give someone my heart, too, can't I?"
Mother replied demurely, "As long as you keep it pure and strong, like Amaterasu-sama and the elders."
"Of course I will!" young Shouyou blustered.
Mother laughed. "But keep it safe for the meantime. When the time is right, offer your heart for a good cause, like your ancestors did."
"Mom," Shouyou whispers in the present time. "I..." He stops when he hears the longing in his voice. He glances back at the grim-looking Tsukishima and says, "Thank you."
Tsukishima nods once. "You should leave soon," he says as he ambles towards the door. "Your mere presence attracts monsters of all kinds."
"But what about you?"
"I'm not done yet with what I'm supposed to do. I'm adept with a quiver, but I'm not as proficient a demon slayer as your partner is. So this I ask as a favor. Please leave." Tsukishima closes the door behind him at once.
~O~
After an entire morning's effort, Shouyou's made a new eyepatch from the torn silk curtains in one of the chambers. He slides it across Kageyama's head and puts it on. It fits perfectly.
"It's not as tight and itchy anymore, right?" Shouyou says, grinning as he assesses his work. "Yosh, that'll do." He hauls his bags up—thankfully, the books and scrolls aren't that heavy to carry.
Tsukishima doesn't see them off, which Shouyou sort of expected. Tsukishima's a mean, exceptionally rude scholar, but Shouyou supposes that he's nice enough to be considered an ally. Maybe when he's succeeded in fulfilling his other promises, he'll come see Tsukishima again and bug him.
Father, Shouyou prays to the skies. I made it. And I got what you wanted me to have. He had a lot of help, and it was worth it. He'll keep going west. "Let's go, Kageyama."
Kageyama follows him into the mountain pass once again.
~O~
Forest of Marune, Uraga
Ashikura Territory
Summer 1568
...
When Kageyama successfully kills another goat demon, Shouyou is up a spindly tree, trying to catch his breath. He goes down once Kageyama's done taking out its heart.
Shouyou shudders when Kageyama licks his lips and takes a huge bite off the organ. "Ergh, that's really gross." He doesn't think he's ever going to get used to seeing it.
Kageyama wipes the blood off his hands and sword on the demon's white fur.
"We should probably get that looked at. It's all banged up now," Shouyou mutters, gesturing at the multiple nicks in Kageyama's katana. He traces on Kageyama's forearm, Let's get your sword fixed.
Kageyama nods.
Shouyou mutters a quick prayer for the slain demon and leads them back to the trail.
Don't run off, Kageyama suddenly tells him, index finger digging hard against Shouyou's skin.
Shouyou rolls his eyes. I wasn't running off! I was trying to find some food! he grouches back. Do you want me to die?
Die quicker. If you leave me. Idiot.
Yeah? And who made you my master?
You. Almost killed. In swamp.
Shouyou's face heats. I think I handled myself out there just fine! He managed to force the swamp demon into releasing Rashin's father's name-collar, even if he didn't have Kageyama's fancy sword-demon skills. The mochi was a stroke of genius, if Shouyou had to say so.
Kageyama doesn't feel the same way. Stay close! he answers irritably. Don't die!
Shouyou argues, Then teach me how to fight so I'd know what to do!
Scowling, Kageyama takes his arm back; the skin all over it now has furious red streaks from where Shouyou had traced his thoughts. He bumps against Shouyou's shoulder and forges ahead.
Shouyou grabs Kageyama's hand and squeezes it in an unforgiving grip. "Why won't you teach me?" he yells.
But Kageyama doesn't want to answer him. He shoves Shouyou back with enough force that Shouyou staggers and falls flat on his backside.
Kageyama keeps on walking without a backward glance. On the pile of dried leaves, a brown toad lazes and witnesses the entire exchange. It takes all of Shouyou's willpower not to chuck the innocent amphibian at Kageyama's head. He breathes in deeply then gets to his feet.
Shouyou gruffly wipes the dirt off his arms and legs. "Ugh. You want me by your side, then you push me away," he grumbles. "What the heck is it that you want me to do, Kageyama, you bastard?"
...
There are only a few stars tonight as Shouyou makes the fire, striking two flint stones repeatedly. A spark sets the nest of dried goosegrass aflame. Shouyou crouches down and blows until the fire grows. He then adds one twig after another.
Out of nowhere, Kageyama's feet appear in Shouyou's line of vision. He drops something on the ground—it's a dead copper pheasant, its neck sliced off.
Shouyou blinks as Kageyama sits cross-legged beside him. What's this for? Shouyou asks him.
Kageyama frowns. Food, he replies curtly.
"How did you..." Shouyou swears Kageyama was just standing behind him roughly a minute ago. Shouyou seizes the bird, mouthwatering. He's not sure if this is Kageyama's way of apologizing, but he's not going to waste a life that's been sacrificed to sustain his. After mumbling a prayer of thanks, he starts plucking the feathers off the pheasant.
"We don't really eat stuff like this back in the shrine," Shouyou says. "We mostly eat grains and vegetables. Sometimes the samurai guarding us would offer us fish and squid! But not that often. Still... I have to do everything to survive, right?" He doesn't think he can make himself eat a boar or a horse or a hare. They're definitely off-limits.
Kageyama leans back, chin tilted up to meet the stars. The shadows from the campfire dance on the column of his throat. Shouyou watches him for a moment, and a smile forms on his face without warning.
"The sky isn't that pretty tonight," Shouyou says. "But the weather's great. It's warm enough."
He pierces the bird in the middle with a branch before sticking it in the fire. As they wait, Shouyou scoots closer to Kageyama's side and they converse, mostly about nothing. Shouyou recounts the stories about the Mountain God of Hattendake and the origins of salt in the seas, while Kageyama tells him about how monsters like attacking from behind.
With a fig branch, Shouyou sketches the mountains on the soil. He draws the ocean, a flimsy film of clouds, the sun above them. In turn, Kageyama traces the characters of his name right across the mountains and the ocean waves.
"Kageyama... Tobio? Kageyama Tobio?" Shouyou mutters in surprise. "Tobio, like the silver cods in the sea..." He then realizes. "So you're from the Kageyama family?" He places Kageyama's fingers over his mouth and repeats the question.
Kageyama withdraws his hand and replies on the ground, Don't know.
Are they still alive?
Don't know.
They must be, Shouyou insists. Kageyama has a family. Of course. He feels exceedingly stupid for not considering it.
This changes things. Keishin did mention that yashajins are children from distinguished samurai families. It was silly to think that Shouyou is all Kageyama has.
Even if Shouyou's lost his people, that doesn't mean Kageyama has to wander these lands along with him, not when there's a chance Kageyama has a place and a family to come home to. Shouyou's heart swells with hope, and a mixture of something heavy, almost like sadness but not quite. He promises, We'll find them.
Kageyama purses his lips and answers, Not important.
Shouyou whacks Kageyama's elbow. "What are you saying? Of course they're important! They're family!"
Kageyama doesn't reply. He looks into the fire and sits very still, his blue eye shining in the light. He then writes, Name?
Huh? Bemused, Shouyou questions, What do you mean? Whose name?
Your name. Never told me. Kageyama makes a face and adds, Idiot.
"What?" Shouyou looks back on their first meeting. Comprehending, he blushes mightily. "Ahh!" he says. He might not have told Kageyama in a way he could understand, but that can be remedied right now. He guides Kageyama's hand and scrawls the characters on the soil: Hinata. Shouyou.
Kageyama's eyebrows furrow. He lightly presses his palm over the kanji. Perhaps to make a point, he then writes Dumbass Hinata.
Gut twisting, Shouyou laughs out loud.
~O~
Sawamura, Uraga
Ashikura Territory
Summer 1568
...
The darkening sky ignites with a white flash, followed by a fierce thunderclap that makes the hairs on Shouyou's nape and forearms stand.
It's going to rain, my son, a feeble voice whispers in his mind. Find shelter. Quickly.
"I don't suppose there are any caves out here," Shouyou mutters. They are in an open field. As the wind howls, the red irises bend until some of the flowers and leaves break off from the stem. He looks around wildly for a place they can stay until the summer storm clears.
He spots an unkempt paddy field at the bottom of the stone steps by the hillside.
Shouyou turns on his heels, clutches the back of Kageyama's robes and tugs him along. Once Kageyama gets the cue, he lets go and bounds across the trail, running at full speed. Kageyama keeps up with him, dark robes fluttering harshly against the wind.
"There's a hut!" Shouyou rejoices. It looks just as gloomy and neglected as the rice paddy; it seems like the wooden panels would rattle whenever the gale picks up.
Shouyou calls and knocks at the door, but no one seems to be home. He slides the shutters open and finds the whole place empty. "It's abandoned," he surmises. He bows deeply. "Sorry for intruding."
Almost as soon as Kageyama closes the shutter, the rain hurries down on the thatched roof. Shouyou sheds his bag on the dusty floor and groans, rubbing the bend on his back where the spines of the books kept on hitting him as he ran.
"That was close," he says, wiping the sweat off his brow. He lays on one of the shredded straw mats and exhales.
Kageyama sits on the wall opposite him. The dust puffs from the crevices in the floorboards, and he throws his head back and sneezes without a sound.
Shouyou laughs. "Let's just stay here until it stops raining," he says. He stares up at the ceiling where the beams above them are covered in cobwebs. He sees two bird's nests at the far corners of the wooden joists. A baby swiftlet peeks from one of them.
"Ahh, looks like someone got here first!" Shouyou says with a grin. "Hi there, little guy! We won't overstay our—"
Kageyama abruptly stands, glaring at the door. Shouyou's about to ask when he hears a scream from outside, loud enough to break through the drumming of the torrential rain.
Shouyou opens the door, squinting through the water and wind whipping at his face. He hears it more clearly: "Someone please help!"
Shouyou's face goes pale. He's about to step out of the hut when Kageyama pushes him back inside. Kageyama then grips his shoulder tightly.
Stay here, Kageyama's message seems to be, and he dashes off in the middle of the storm before Shouyou can get a word in.
Shouyou's jaw clenches. Gods. He hates it when Kageyama does that. He slides the door shut and waits, pacing in the tiny room.
A thought occurs to him. Fire, Shouyou thinks. They'll be drenched to the bone when they return. He finds blocks of wood under the blackened hemp cloth. He builds the fire on the sunken hearth, coughing as fine dust and soot scatter in the air.
The door slides open and in comes a powerful gust of wind—the fire almost dies out. Kageyama enters, robes streaked with blood. He's carrying an unconscious man on his back.
"He's alive," Shouyou says, grasping the man by his armpits and hauling him off of Kageyama. They lay him down close to the hearth and Shouyou sprints to close the door shut.
The whole room turns quiet save for the sound of the crackling embers and Kageyama's labored breaths.
Shouyou inspects the man's body. There are mostly just minor scrapes on his limbs. The stranger has a birthmark under his left eye, his wavy hair a curious stormy gray. His breathing has turned deep and steady.
Shouyou turns to Kageyama, and he grimaces when he sees the gash on Kageyama's right arm. What happened out there? Shouyou asks.
Kageyama replies nonchalantly, Ghouls.
Shouyou stands and rummages through his bag, hands quivering with relief and exasperation as he searches for his waterskin in his bag. "Stupid-yama," he mutters. He grabs the waterskin and furiously tears a strip off the blankets he got from the moon shrine.
Kageyama's skin is icy when Shouyou touches him. Shouyou pours water over the wound and wraps the cloth around it. It doesn't fail his notice when Kageyama winces.
He's colder than a day-old soup, Shouyou worries. He cocoons Kageyama in a blanket and pushes him closer to the fire. Keep warm, Shouyou orders.
Kageyama does something that seems suspiciously like a scoff.
Shouyou glances at the man beside them, still fast asleep yet shivering. "Well. At least we're all safe now," he says. He flings the blanket over the man.
...
Awakening, Shouyou gasps, his hand flying to his neck, a name lodged in his throat. He's dripping with sweat all over. He's perplexed to find a blanket over him, the ends tucked under his sides. He must have fallen asleep while waiting for the downpour to stop. The fire has died, and his dream has already left him.
Kageyama's awake. He's taken his eyepatch off. He's watching Shouyou with unseeing eyes, it seems like.
"I'm fine," Shouyou says to no one in particular. He trembles when he gets to his feet.
The man isn't awake yet but his face is markedly less exhausted. He's curled upon himself, sheets bunched under his arms.
Shouyou squats beside the stranger as he observes. The man looks handsome and young, perhaps only a few years older than Shouyou. "I wonder where he came from," Shouyou says as he picks out the grass stuck in the man's hair. "Maybe there's a village close by."
A soft creak—Kageyama's moved to stand beside Shouyou. Shouyou's eyes fleet to meet his.
Kageyama's holding out the oilskin bag where Shouyou keeps his food. Shouyou's stomach instantly rumbles, astonishingly loud.
Shouyou blushes. He glances at the sleeping man before standing up. "He needs it more than I do," Shouyou says. He grasps Kageyama's uninjured arm and relays, one more time, I'm fine.
Kageyama isn't, though—the skin around the bandage has taken on a purplish hue. When Shouyou grazes his fingers over it, Kageyama flinches.
Shouyou's lips morph to form a bitter scowl. "You need to hunt," he mutters. Kageyama's injuries only seem to heal when he eats a demon's heart. But if he leaves right now, Shouyou's in no position to defend himself and the man they rescued from any monsters that may come.
Sighing, he lets Kageyama's arm go, but Kageyama holds on. His expression twists oddly as he latches onto Shouyou's elbow in an unyielding grip.
Shouyou's eyes widen. "Kageyama?" he says. "Are you okay—"
The man begins to stir. He groans, trying to sit up. Shouyou immediately crouches back to his side, helping him up. The man rubs his eyes and looks around. When he sees Kageyama's red and blue eyes, he balks.
"You're safe now," Shouyou interjects when the man seems only a second away from screaming and running. "Kageyama got rid of the monsters that were chasing after you. Don't worry!"
The man peers at Kageyama's katana and tattered, bloodied robes doubtfully. "Holy heavens. What is he?" he mumbles.
"He's my partner. Kageyama Tobio. We travel together," Shouyou says. He supposes it's better to explain later when the stranger's calmed down a fair bit. "I'm Hinata Shouyou. What's your name?"
The man finally tears his gaze away from Kageyama and looks at Shouyou. After a beat, he replies with a soft voice, "Koushi." He bows at the two of them. "I apologize for my earlier rudeness. Thank you for saving me."
"Ahh! It's no big—" Shouyou then recalls the gash on Kageyama's arm. He stops. "How are you doing? Are you in pain anywhere?"
Koushi shakes his head. "Not really." He casts his eyes down and bows again. "I really am in your debt, Hinata-san. Kageyama-san."
Shouyou doesn't want to play this card, but he's feeling a little desperate: "Does your place have any demons that need slaying?"
~O~
Shouyou finds that Koushi's two years older than him, and that he's a personable guy as soon as he realizes that Shouyou and Kageyama aren't out to kill him.
Insects screech from all around them—locusts and crickets rasping in the trees and undergrowth. After a quick stroll through the forest, they arrive at a grassy hillside, calm and an opulent summer green. Shouyou tilts his chin and lets the breeze fan his face.
"My village doesn't get attacked by demons a lot," Koushi says with an apologetic smile. "But sometimes we get a stray ayakashi waltzing in. Would that do?"
Deflating, Shouyou shakes his head. He sneaks a glance at Kageyama who's walking idly behind them. "Kageyama needs to eat demon hearts to get better," he says. "That's why, um..."
Koushi doesn't seem disturbed at all by this information. He just asks, "So he's not completely human after all, is he?"
"He's not. He's a halfling," Shouyou says. "A half-demon."
Koushi hums. "My dad was from one of the villages in Iwasaki," he says. "He's heard some—rumors. About halflings."
"Oh. What did he hear?"
"That they eat the humans captured from the clan wars in exchange for fighting in them."
Shouyou opens his mouth, but no sound comes out.
Koushi meets his eyes and smiles tinily. "They're just rumors, Hinata. But if they are true, something tells me that Kageyama isn't one of them," he says. "How long have you two known each other?"
"A few months, I think? He saved me from monsters and demons chasing after me."
"Mhmm. And you trust him?"
Strangely enough, Shouyou does. "With my whole heart," he pledges.
Koushi nods. "That's good enough for me. You can stay in my place for the meantime until you recuperate. I'll have to ask Asahi—he's my friend staying with us—but I won't tell him about Kageyama. I won't tell a soul." He then gestures at Kageyama's eyepatch. "As long as he keeps that on, I think we'd be okay."
Shouyou feels like a huge thorn has been plucked out from his side. "Thank you, Koushi-san!"
Koushi chuckles. "I do owe Kageyama a big one," he says. "He is a bit strange, even for a part demon. Is he blind?"
"Yeah. He can't speak or hear either."
Koushi's jaw slackens in awe. "How in the world did he survive all this time? How can he fight like that?"
"I know!" Shouyou bemoans. "I can't even sneak up on him!" Kageyama would pin Shouyou down or throw him to the treetops before he could even tap Kageyama's shoulder.
Koushi laughs again. "That might be a good thing," he says. "Maybe he perceives things differently from us regular humans."
"I guess," Shouyou replies. "But I promised him I'd get all of his senses back and be human again."
"And what would you do after you succeed?"
"We'll swim in the East Sea! The sea of Japan!" Shouyou can already picture it clearly in his mind. "Then we'll accomplish whatever we dream of!"
"Heh? That's a pretty ambitious goal." Koushi grins. "I'll support you two, of course."
"Ahh! Thank you!"
As they traveled further down the hills, Koushi talks more about the village and himself. He's the village's "errand boy"—he delivers goods, sends messages, and brings separated people together.
After Koushi tells the story of reuniting three orphan brothers with their long-lost aunt, Shouyou gushes, "Your job's really cool! You get to go on so many adventures! And you must be great at being an errand boy!"
Koushi's easy smile turns into a frown. "I was supposed to get lotus root from the other side of these hills," he says. He lets out an aggrieved sigh thereafter. "It's really not safe to travel on your own these days, isn't it?"
Shouyou can attest to that. "Don't you have a partner, too?"
"I used to," Koushi says. He doesn't add anything more to that. "Ahh, see? We're almost there!"
Shouyou looks up to where Koushi is pointing at and he gawks. "Woah," he marvels. Between the steep mountains is a quaint village barricaded with sandstone and wooden partitions. Shouyou's jaw drops at the sight of the paddy fields on the contours of the mountainside—rice terraces, scenic and rippling green as it overlooks the valley. Egrets soar across the fertile lands, looking for food in the shallow ponds.
"I know. It's a great place to be," Koushi murmurs, a hint of sorrow in his voice. He shakes his head and leads the two of them down the stone steps.
Once they moved past the gate, the villagers gape at them, especially at Kageyama and his roguish appearance. One of them wearing a straw hat approaches Koushi.
"Koushi-kun," the man says. "To what do we owe this—er, pleasure?"
"They're with me," Koushi assures. "They're travelers. They saved my life."
The man looks astounded. "A ronin and a priest?" he says. "From what?"
"Ghouls," Koushi answers, and several of the villagers gasp in horror. "But as you can see, I'm fine thanks to them." He waves them off with a sprightly laugh. It's as if he hadn't been a few moments from dying just a day ago.
Three children trail after them, jeering and daring each other to touch Kageyama's sword. Shouyou cracks a smile at them.
"You've got a lovely place here," Shouyou says, taking in the villagers' clean clothes and mostly cheerful disposition.
Koushi leads them to a narrow alleyway. "The vassal here is a good man," he explains. "He and his son made sure that the people in this village lived well. The Sawamuras are—ahh, Asahi! Right on time!"
A tall, hulking man with a neat top knot and a well-trimmed goatee cranes his neck towards them. He has come out from a shop, a bundle of herbs held protectively in his arms. "Koushi? You're back already?" he says, surprised. He then notices Shouyou and Kageyama. "Oh! You brought... outsiders?"
Koushi clasps Asahi's shoulder in a teasing squeeze. "You're working overtime later, big guy."
To his credit, Asahi doesn't appear the slightest bit surprised.
...
Asahi unwraps the clumsy dressing Shouyou made and he frowns, face paling. Shouyou inches closer and his eyes bulge out of its sockets. "What?" he exclaims. "It's gotten this bad already?"
The skin has already turned purplish blue and thin magenta streaks radiate from the wound like a cobweb. Kageyama has his fingers curled into tight fists over his lap.
"There's nothing much I can do about this one," Asahi says. "I don't know how to undo a curse."
A curse? "Kageyama's been cursed?" Shouyou says.
Asahi jerks a nod. "I've never seen this before but it's easy to tell. He's not in total control of his body—he can't heal on his own." He points at Kageyama's eyepatch. "May I?" he says.
Shouyou chews on his lower lip and agrees.
Asahi takes them off, and as soon as he sees Kageyama's eyes, he throws Koushi a meaningful look. "Koushi..."
"He's not dangerous. Even you can tell," Koushi insists.
"And what power do we have to vouch for them?" Asahi says. "If the Sawamuras find out we're harboring a demon—"
"They won't."
"We don't have Daichi's protection anymore."
Koushi scoffs. "Right. Because we don't need it," he says. He glances at Shouyou and adds, "A sun kannushi would give up his heart for him. That's not something to be taken lightly."
Asahi's eyes widen before scratching his head. "It really isn't." He shifts his attention to Shouyou. "The best I can do is to clean his wound so it wouldn't scar so much, but he has to eat." His expression then darkens; his thick, furrowed brows and dark gaze make him seem a decade older. "I hope you have a plan for—"
"Kageyama doesn't eat humans," Shouyou clarifies. "He eats demons."
Asahi looks faint. "D-demons?" he says. "What do you mean?"
"He slays demons and eats their hearts," Shouyou explains. "It's the only thing he eats. Is that part of the curse or something?"
"That I wouldn't know, I'm sorry. It's the first I've ever heard..." Asahi pauses. "I'm afraid you came to the wrong place. We don't have that many demons here. Gods forbid."
"But they can stay here for the night, can't they, Asahi?" Koushi says. "Hinata will be safe here, and Kageyama can hunt."
Asahi nods. "I suppose that will be ideal." He peers at Kageyama uneasily before the ends of his lips quirk, smiling a little. "Anyone who saves my careless friend is in my good graces. You're welcome to stay here for as long as you like."
Shouyou makes Kageyama bow in thanks while Koushi crosses his arms and harrumphs.
~O~
It's been four days but Kageyama doesn't hunt. He stays inside the room Asahi and Koushi provided for them. He only came out once to accompany Shouyou when he went out to see the terraces. And he's not telling Shouyou why he's acting like this. It's frustrating Shouyou to bits.
"Maybe he wants you to come along with him when he hunts?" Asahi says, though he looks rather doubtful. He takes two steps back, steering clear from Shouyou.
"I offered to do exactly that, and he said, 'no way'," Shouyou complains. "He says he'd rather starve." He grabs the axe handle and swings at full power. The wood splits in the middle.
Koushi whistles from behind them. "You're getting good at this already, Hinata!" He sets his book on the grass. "Hmm. Maybe Kageyama feels too weak to hunt by himself."
Shouyou pouts. "I figured that was the reason, too—but he won't let me do anything for him!" He takes another wood and places it in position. "Ergh, I thought we're supposed to be partners or something. Stupid-yama. Secretive-yama." He viciously chops the timber. "Very uncaring and insensitive-yama!"
Asahi puts a steady hand on Shouyou's shoulder, and Shouyou, for a moment, feels calm. "Perhaps Kageyama-san has a plan," he says quietly.
Shouyou hands the axe back to Asahi before sighing. "Well, if he won't tell me anything 'til tomorrow, I'll move on ahead with my own plan," he declares.
"Hinata, you're a priest, not a demon hunter," Koushi says. "Killing demons is not something you do."
Shouyou holds out, shouting, "But he's hurt!"
"He definitely is," Koushi remarks. "And what do people do when they're hurting?"
Shouyou's face screws up. He doesn't reply.
"You're a sun priest and he's a half-demon. You two are meant to be sworn enemies," Koushi reminds him. "But right now, despite all the odds, you are each other's greatest ally. Right?"
Shouyou frowns as he wrings his hands. "I guess so."
"You've been Kageyama's eyes and ears ever since you've met." Koushi smiles. "But maybe this time around, listen to him and see his side."
"Alright," Shouyou acquiesces.
~O~
An hour before midnight, Shouyou brings a candle to their room—shadows come to life along the walls, with Kageyama's appearing the most looming of all of them.
Kageyama's slumped at the edge of his straw mat, against the corner of the wall. He's looking at Shouyou. Or into him—Shouyou can't be sure. As Shouyou closes the door with a long, creaking noise, Kageyama suddenly curls his upper lip and bares his teeth.
Shouyou dares himself not to cower. His fingers around the candle holder tremble as he saunters across the room.
When Shouyou settles the candle on the table near them, Kageyama growls, a deep, threatening sound. It's more animal-like than human.
He's in pain, Shouyou reminds himself as he sits in front of Kageyama. He takes Kageyama's uninjured arm and tells him, Asahi-san and I got your katana fixed, and Koushi-san's buying us new robes. Tomorrow you should come out with me and say thank you to them properly. Then we'll hunt together. Alright?
Kageyama's scowl turns severe, an undercurrent of anger there. Despite this, Shouyou keeps his hand on Kageyama's.
"You've probably never been hurt like this before," Shouyou mumbles. He then asks, Why won't you eat? Tell me.
Kageyama inches away until his back is completely against the wall. Shouyou persists until he's caging Kageyama.
"What are you hiding from me?" Shouyou says. "Answer my question!"Tell me!
Grimacing, Kageyama bats Shouyou's hand away.
"You're so stubborn." Shouyou groans, exasperated. "Why the heck won't you—" He snaps his mouth shut, recalling Koushi's gentle words. He tries again, If you tell me, I'll make myself understand. I'll try my best.
Kageyama's lips turn thin. Once again, he doesn't reply.
Shouyou sighs. "Kageyama, seriously, if you'll just—"
Kageyama's hand flies to cover Shouyou's mouth. He seems surprised at his actions just as much as Shouyou is.
"Mmphh!" Shouyou ducks and breaks away from Kageyama's grasp. "What? Kageyama—"
This time, Kageyama clamps Shouyou's mouth with both of his hands, eyes widening. A faint blush rises up to his cheeks.
Shouyou gets tempted to do something childish, like lick Kageyama's palm or nibble his fingers, but he waits until Kageyama lets go. What was that for? he asks churlishly, blunt nails digging on Kageyama's uninjured arm.
Eventually, Kageyama responds. He grips Shouyou's hand tightly and writes across his palm, You're so loud.
Shouyou stills.
What? Shouyou thinks. "What?" he then shouts.
Kageyama flinches and presses his palms against his ears.
Shouyou's mouth parts as his brain tries to catch up. Kageyama thinks I'm loud. He thinks I'm loud. Why would he...
Shouyou wrestles Kageyama's hands off his ears. "You can hear me?" he exclaims.
Kageyama kicks Shouyou's thigh, making Shouyou yelp and back off. It was definitely not done at his maximum strength, but it still hurt. Kageyama draws his knees to his chest and hides his face, clutching his ears protectively.
"You can hear me," Shouyou concludes, feeling feverish. His mind latches onto that single thought, blissfully exalting—Kageyama can hear me.
Is this what's been going on? How long has this been going on?
How did this happen?
Kageyama's bristling under his attention, however; perhaps Shouyou can ask these questions some other time, when Kageyama's ready. He crawls over to Kageyama's side. "Do your ears hurt? Is that why you won't hunt?"
Kageyama's face twists, and Shouyou interprets that as a yes.
A pregnant pause, before Shouyou gently pries away Kageyama's hands off his ears. And then—"Kageyama Tobio," he says softly as he can.
Shoulders hitching, Kageyama slowly angles his head up. Under the candlelight, the dark flush spreading to the shell of his ears is apparent.
Shouyou's throat closes up as his head swims. "I'm Hinata Shouyou," he says.
Kageyama gulps and bobs his head in a jerky nod.
"This is how my voice sounds like."
Nose scrunching, Kageyama writes on Shouyou's hand, I know. Loud. Obnoxious.
Shouyou laughs under his breath. He squeezes Kageyama's fingers. "Better get used to it then," he says happily.
~O~
Because Koushi is a genius, he comes up with a way for Shouyou and Kageyama to communicate better and more efficiently: he gifts Kageyama a sheaf of blank papers, bound together in sheepskin, and a piece of charcoal to write with. It takes Kageyama four tries to get the hang of writing on his new journal; afterwards, he's littered one page with polite words of gratitude towards Koushi and Asahi, and poorly-phrased insults at Shouyou.
"Thank you. It must have cost you a lot," Shouyou says to Koushi as they head towards the village market.
Koushi shrugs. "A guy here owes me," he says vaguely before grinning. "Favors can get you around. Try to remember that."
Though barely understanding, Shouyou nods.
The market is small but it holds enough items for every villager to live comfortably. Shouyou's astounded to see how much rice and buckwheat they have despite it not being harvest time yet. Some of the merchants sell fabrics of vibrant colors and various thickness, the kinds of which Shouyou has never seen or touched before. They sell lettuce, okra, cucumbers, and beans. Horses mill about in the stables, chewing hay. It's a prosperous village. Quite a rarity in these times.
"Asahi-san mentioned that the Sawamuras protect this village," Shouyou says.
Koushi hears the unspoken question there. "They protect us from other samurai who seek wealth from ruling these lands," he says. "Eizou-sama was a merchant who opposed the ruling jizamurai, and he became powerful enough to become one himself. His family became known as the Sawamuras. He's kind as he's generous. With the other merchants and peasants, he built this village from scratch." Nostalgia dangles from the tips of his smile. "Asahi and I grew up with his son, Daichi. He's the youngest son of Eizou-sama."
"And he used to be your partner when you travel."
Koushi chuckles. "Yeah." His smile dips a little. "He joined the samurai ranks not too long ago. He's fighting for the Ashikuras somewhere."
Shouyou can somehow deduce how the rest of the story goes. Fighting for the clan must not have been Daichi's choice, but for the sake of this village, he must have had to.
They enter the smith shop where Kageyama's katana is being repaired. It's dark and sooty inside, and the heat is almost unbearable; the front of Shouyou's robes turn damp with sweat as he watches the smith step out of his workstation and hand them the finished sword.
"That devil's blade must have slain a squadron of demon lords based on the damage it has sustained," the smith comments. "What have you and your ronin friend been up to, kid?"
Shouyou shifts from foot to foot while Koushi just replies with thirty brass coins and a jaunty wave.
When they exit the shop, Koushi says offhandedly, "Don't mind Hama-san. He's always on the lookout for intrigue. But he's the best smith within a hundred cho. Daichi gets his sword done there a lot."
"Daichi-san must be a good samurai," Shouyou replies as he admires the way the sunlight winks off of the shiny scabbard.
"Oh, that man's good at defending without even throwing a punch, I'll tell you that." Koushi laughs. "Stocky guy. Nags a lot. Yet he can't hurt a fly." He looks skyward. "Asahi and I are thinking of leaving this place, actually."
"Really?"
"There are so many things I can still do out there. Many places to see," Koushi says. "I heard there's a village on the other side of the mountains. They have tons of kids out there who can't read or write."
"You want to teach them?" Shouyou says. "That's so cool! You'd be like a town hero! What about Asahi-san?"
Koushi hums. "Well, he's a healer by trade, but he's been hinting that he wants to try something else. He's good with his hands but he can get too squeamish, that scaredy-cat." He grins down at Shouyou. "Do you want to come with us, you and Kageyama?"
Shouyou almost blurts out a "yes", though something stops him. He doesn't know what, or even why, but the word clogs in his throat. He pulls up short, confused with his own hesitation.
Koushi stops too. His eyebrows are poised in a silent question.
"I'd love to come with you," Shouyou ends up saying. His voice sounds airy and distant to his ears.
Koushi nods. "But?" he says.
Demon harbinger! a shrill voice yells, crystal clear in Shouyou's mind. He swallows. "I... I'll ask Kageyama if he wants to come, too," he says mutedly.
Koushi smiles. "Of course."
...
Tonight, the moon is almost full, and the humid, sultry air makes Shouyou's skin feel sticky. He murmurs goodnight to the unseen spirits that roam at this time and closes the window shutters.
Kageyama's frowning at his general direction, and Shouyou tilts his head. "What?" Shouyou says.
Kageyama only answers with a shrug.
"I'll figure out how to make you talk one day," Shouyou grumbles. Before he blows the candle, he chances a glimpse at Kageyama. Notices how gaunt he appears, how the purple in his arm has spread to his shoulder already.
Shouyou's stomach churns in unease. He turns off the light.
After lying on his straw mat and letting the silence simmer between them, Shouyou says, "I don't understand why you didn't tell me that you could hear me until yesterday." He exhales. "You're not telling me how and when it started. You're not telling me why you aren't hunting either. Why? What are you hiding? Are you embarrassed about something?"
Silence.
Shouyou lets out a shakier breath. "If you're not telling me, then I'll just go hunt a demon on my own."
There's a hard, furious grip on Shouyou's forearm.
Shouyou fights back a wince. He mutters, "You don't trust me, do you?"
The grip loosens a fraction, and Shouyou's eyes sting.
"Well, that's fine," Shouyou says. "I kind of get it. If I were you, I wouldn't trust myself either." He licks his lips, and settles with honesty again, "My situation is different from yours, though. I need you more than you need me, so I have no choice but to trust you."
Another silence, but it's less unsettling than the first. It helps that Kageyama hasn't let go of him yet; it succeeds in making Shouyou feel like he's not just talking to the darkness at the ceiling.
A familiar, soothing voice whispers in Shouyou's mind, You've done your part, my sweet. Rest.
Alright, mom, Shouyou thinks. Out loud, he whispers, "Goodnight, Kageyama." He lets himself drift off.
~O~
Shouyou jolts awake to the sound of someone screaming.
He scrambles to sit up from his straw mat and looks around. Kageyama's gone and the window is wide open. He left his sandals on the floor, directly below the windowsill.
Someone screams again—a child. And then another spine-chilling shriek—a monster of some kind. Or a demon. The sounds seem to come from above. The beams on the ceiling rattle and debris and cobwebs start to fall, sprinkling over Shouyou's face like spring drizzle. Shouyou jumps from the window just as he hears Asahi shout, "Hinata, no, it's dangerous!"
Shouyou looks up. Kageyama's in the middle of a fight with a monkey demon on the roof, and he doesn't seem to be winning. His bandaged arm is hanging limp on his side. He's squinting as his sword hand clutches his right ear.
Villagers have filtered out from their homes and are dispersed across the streets. They're yowling and shouting, all at once.
Icy cold shards form in Shouyou's veins, close to piercing his heart. Hoping to break through the noise, he screams, "Kageyama!"
That seems to get both the demon and Kageyama's attention. The monkey demon's scarlet eyes roam Shouyou's face hungrily. "It's you!" the demon exclaims. "My prize—"
Kageyama lunges and slashes the demon at its side. The demon dodges, and then it's leaping from the roof and heading towards Shouyou.
The bystanders shriek and part like the ocean as Shouyou sprints towards the village entrance, the monkey demon in hot pursuit.
Open space, Shouyou thinks wildly, panting. Head for an open space. No crowd. No noise. Kageyama can fight there! The rocks under his feet clatter and scrape his exposed skin.
Shouyou passes a towering man wearing heavy, richly embroidered robes, surrounded by armed guards. He hears him thunder, "What is the meaning of this?" Thankfully, the demon ignores him and keeps on running after Shouyou.
"You insolent human!" the demon bellows. "Let me eat you!"
Shouyou snorts at its face and taunts, "No tasty sun priest heart for you if you're that slow, ugly monkey!"
"The nerve of you—!" the demon shrieks in anger. It almost succeeds in clutching the ends of Shouyou's hair, but Shouyou ducks his head in time. He pours all of his remaining energy in his legs, running faster than he's ever had before. He doesn't dare look back. He has to trust Kageyama to be there.
Shouyou finally reaches the open fields near the foot of the rice terraces. He staggers on a bump in the road and he loses his footing. The demon catches up to him, but so does Kageyama.
With a wild swing, Kageyama slashes the demon's legs. The demon howls, its squalls of agony echoing in the valley. Dark blood gushes out of its severed limbs.
Shouyou clambers out of the way as Kageyama lumbers closer to the demon, moving in to split its chest.
"The kannushi's heart is supposed to be mine," the demon splutters, its eyes rolling back. "My only chance to be saved... How dare you take it from me, half-breed... How dare you..."
Glowering, Kageyama slices the demon in half at its abdomen. The demon stops muttering all at once.
With the breath of the summer winds, the air begins to stink of rusting metal. There's a sickening crack and squelch when Kageyama breaks the monkey demon's ribs and takes out its heart. Blood pools in his cheeks as he devours the whole thing in a few seconds. He stands straighter. The discoloration on his skin retreats under his bandages, replaced by a healthy pink flush.
A crowd has gathered behind them, and some have witnessed the entire thing. A woman faints on the spot after seeing Kageyama licking his bloodstained lips.
"W-what are you?" a man stammers. He's holding a farming hoe in his hands as his knees shake. "Have you come to eat us?"
A child throws a rock at Kageyama, which Kageyama doesn't bother sidestepping; it hits his left leg dully. Another child follows his lead and hits Kageyama's hip. Shouyou steps in between; a sharp end of the rock cuts his cheek.
The villagers start to close in on them.
"Wait!" Shouyou shouts. "You don't understand—"
"Then make us!" one of the merchants says. "Why did he eat that demon's heart? What is he? Who sent him here?"
Another man bellows, "Answer us, kannushi! What is he?"
"Isn't it apparent? The bloodlust is strong in him! I can sense it in my bones!" the man with the straw hat exclaims. He has three missing fingers on his left hand. "It's a demon! A powerful one! We offered it a home, and now it has come to slay us all!
Shouyou's beseeching words get lost as the people cry out, "Leave, demon! Leave!"
The man wearing splendid robes and with the guards appears, with Koushi and Asahi trailing behind him. Almost immediately, the people cast their eyes down and mutter the man's name, "Sawamura-sama."
Sawamura Eizou eyes Kageyama and Shouyou sharply, but he addresses Koushi and Asahi when he says, "Harboring tarnished souls and endangering innocents. I am terribly disappointed in you two."
"I swear on my life, Sawamura-sama," Koushi says. "That Kageyama means us no harm—"
"Will you die upon my sword and swear?" Sawamura interjects.
Asahi clutches Koushi's shoulder, but Koushi persists, "I will."
Sawamura's expression tightens. He glances at the deeply frightened face of his subjects, and when he speaks again, it rings with finality, "You and Asahi-kun have stoutly labored for this village for years, and that is why I am letting you go without immense repercussions. For the sake of these lands and your dear friendship with my son, please leave. Take the kannushi and the kishin with you. I will give you until the sun reaches its zenith."
Shouyou edges forward. "Sawamura Eizou-sama—" He doesn't get to finish his sentence for Kageyama pulls him back, face solemn, and Koushi holds out his palm to Shouyou and shakes his head. Shouyou grits his teeth in frustration.
Koushi then nods at Sawamura. "We'll leave." He and Asahi bow deeply. "Thank you for sparing us."
Sawamura throws Kageyama one last pitying look before flinging his robes and heading back towards the village.
...
It's disconcerting how it took barely half a day for Koushi and Asahi to pack their things from their home of twenty-one years. Koushi sees Shouyou's expression and says with a wink, "Everything went according to plan. Don't you think so?" Asahi joins him with a smile but it's shaky and fatigued.
Asahi and Koushi have their bags slung around themselves as they pause at the bottom of the stone steps leading up the hills, while Shouyou and Kageyama stand at the mouth of the forest. The summer sun bears down at them at full force.
"Keep safe, you two!" Koushi says brightly. "Or else I would have to wait another lifetime to repay you."
Shouyou clasps his hands together and bows. "I'm sorry," he mutters. His shoulders quake. He sniffs twice when he surfaces.
Koushi laughs and waves his hand, silver-gray hair fluttering with the sudden wind. "It's been a long time since anything as exciting as that happened in our lives," he says. "And now we're off to have an adventure of our own. About time, I say!"
"Where will you go?"
Asahi replies, "To meet an old friend." He smiles softly. "He might be short, but he's fiercer than any dragon." He then laughs. "As hyperactive as a hare as well. You two would get along."
"Oh."
Asahi tosses him something. Shouyou fumbles forward and barely catches it.
"A dagger?" Shouyou says as he unsheathes it. It has a single-edged blade, and it is small enough to be hidden in the pocket of his robes. Its hilt is made of blackwood and its scabbard arrestingly plain.
"A father's gift I've never used," Asahi says. "Might be useful to you, though."
"Oh," Shouyou says again. He chews on his lower lip and mutters, "Thank you." He wonders if he is a horrible kannushi for accepting it so easily. He must be.
Mother, you didn't say, Shouyou muses. How hard it is to keep your heart pure and strong.
"Keep each other safe," Koushi says once again, and afterwards, they part ways.
~O~
Unnamed Forest, Uraga
Ashikura Territory
Summer 1568
...
Shouyou trudges through clumps of tall grass and peers at his reflection on the stream. Seeing how roughshod he looks makes him involuntarily scratch his head. He grimaces and splashes his face with water.
"I think I need a haircut," he mumbles as he tugs on his fringe. He glances at Kageyama sitting under the shade of a bauhinia tree. Pink petals have been strewn over his black hair by the passing breeze.
Shouyou draws away from the bank. As he approaches Kageyama, he says, "You might not be able to see yet, but all that hair over your face can get pretty annoying, trust me. Especially in this weather." He yanks the ends of Kageyama's sleeve. "Come on! Let's give you a haircut."
For a moment, Kageyama seems like he's going to refuse. His mouth parts twice before he reconsiders and stands.
They relocate to a sunny patch of grass near the riverbank, and Shouyou makes Kageyama sit before him. He grins as he swipes the petals off Kageyama's head.
Shouyou takes out his dagger. "I'm new at this, obviously." At Kageyama's horrified expression, Shouyou insists, "But I won't cut all of your hair, I swear! Honestly? I think turning you bald seems extra hard..."
Kageyama glowers at him, fidgeting as he tucks his legs under him.
Shouyou rolls his eyes at the skies. "Stay still, jeez, or I'll cut your eyebrows by mistake." He grasps Kageyama's chin and tilts it down.
Shouyou first shears off Kageyama's overgrown fringe, then the hair on the sides. He trims off as much as he can until Kageyama's earlobes are visible. He falls on his knees and shuffles around to get to the back of Kageyama's head. He runs his fingers down the length of his hair there and cuts them off at an angle with his dagger.
"Your hair's not so puffy like mine," Shouyou observes. Kageyama's hair feels like thick silk threads on a loom. It feels nice on Shouyou's fingertips. "There! Let's see..."
A kamiyui can definitely do a better job, but Shouyou thinks his efforts are passable. It's easier to see now the crests of Kageyama's dark eyebrows on his forehead, the strong bridge of his nose, and the angles of his cheekbones.
"Huh, what do you know? I'm such a natural!" Shouyou says proudly, admiring his handiwork. "Too bad you can't see for yourself, Kageyama." He then slaps his palms together. "Now it's my turn! I wish Dad had taught me how he managed to cut his floofy hair…"
It takes longer for Shouyou to cut his own hair. The stream waters aren't clear and still enough to be a substantial substitute for a mirror. He ends up shearing off more than he needs to, but he's mostly satisfied with how light his head feels overall in the end.
Humming absently, Shouyou splashes water on his nape; tufts of orange hair stick to his wet fingers. He dips his hand and lets the stream wash away the strands.
"Hmm. I should probably get some food." Shouyou's quickly running out of supplies, and due to the heat, everything he manages to scour away rots faster than usual. "Maybe I should look for any town nearby—" He stops short when he sees Kageyama's expression. "Hey. Are you okay?"
Kageyama's holding his journal. His lips curl downwards before he writes something on a page.
Shouyou strides towards him. "What? You got something to tell me?" he says.
Kageyama shows him: You're really loud.
Blushing furiously, Shouyou mutters, "Fine. I'll try to keep it down." He's about to walk away when Kageyama starts scrawling something down again.
Kageyama's writing his characters in a slant; other times, they're all over the page. Shouyou has to tilt his head for him to read them properly. He crouches beside Kageyama and watches.
Your dreams are loud, too is what Kageyama's written.
"Huh?" Shouyou blinks. "My dreams?"
Kageyama nods. It's the first thing I heard. You, dreaming. Frowning further, he elaborates, You babble when you sleep.
"What?" Shouyou says, and Kageyama blanches, shrinking away from him. "Wait, you first heard—? When did you hear me?"
After I fought the monsters who were chasing Koushi-san. You fell asleep. And then I could hear things. I don't know how that happened, so don't ask me. Kageyama's eyebrows furrow. You were talking and I could listen. So I did.
"What did I say?"
Kageyama's fingers around the slim charcoal turn stiff. He then reveals, My name.
Shouyou's jaw hangs. "W-what else?"
You asked me not to leave you.
An unnerving silence settles between them. Though it's rather unfair, Shouyou doesn't explain himself. He's not capable of explaining. His heartbeat seems to have shifted to his ears and to the tips of his fingers.
Surprisingly, Kageyama's the one who forges on. You were the one who asked me, he tells Shouyou. That's why I stay by you, idiot. I won't go to any place if you can't be there.
Shouyou swallows—loud enough that Kageyama hears. Kageyama looks up and levels him with an unseeing stare.
"I really asked for a huge favor, huh," Shouyou murmurs. The elder priests were right: his selfishness knows no bounds. He buries his head in his arms for a moment, and then he unfurls himself. "I'm sorry for accusing you of not trusting me."
A shadow flickers in Kageyama's face, but it quickly passes. He doesn't write anything else.
With a tiny smile, Shouyou says, "But I wasn't kidding when I told you that I need you. I really do."
Kageyama's expression doesn't change.
Shouyou smiles wider. "I won't ask you to stay by my side forever, so... maybe you can just think of this as you going on a long quest." He looks up at the cottony clouds. "Once this ends, or if you've had enough, you can go back home."
Kageyama scribbles, And you?
"I'll make a place for myself, obviously," Shouyou says. "I already have an idea. A great one!" He shivers at the prospect of achieving it. "I'll make it happen once this is all over."
For once, Kageyama agrees with him easily. Alright.
~O~