The arrival of spring brought cool ocean winds that rippled across the the waves.
"Good bye big brother !! " Mizu waved vigiorously as he and Musoru watched their departure. It was not until the young boys had become mere shapes in the distance that Masahiro finally turned his head to focus on the path ahead.
"So we're going...?"
"Yes, we'll set out tomorrow or the day after. "
"Did you tell the children ?" Taiin asked as she materialized beside Masahiro.
"Ah, yes.... I told them yesterday. They were sad, but I told them that we had family waiting, so there was no arguing it."
He turned to the small white form, silently curled in the corner.
"Come on Mokkun, we're leaving."
In the corner, the ears of the small white animal twitched, before the snowy white body rose from the ground. The creature blinked at the boy before it simply nodded and followed with quick nimble steps. (Translator's note: I omitted a long detailed description of mokkun here. I sure everyone knows what he looks like by now.)
At Masahiro's feet, Mokkun turned to look at the direction of the village.
"Is the village completely restored now? "
"Ah yes, the elder had said that he...... eh? Taiin? "
Masahiro stumbled mid sentence as he turned in surprise.
Taiin was no longer floating at his side. Masahiro looked up in surprise as he found her staring down at him from ten feet above.
"Taiin??"
"Well....uh..... um..... I...uh.... I'm going to go ahead and return......"
Taiin stuttered hesitantly after an awkward silence.
"I mean..... well... Kouchin is waiting for me and stuff..... and well... Genbu and Rikugou too.... I mean... there's no monsters around right now, so there's no point in staying....... and uh.....well..... Touda's here.... so uh..... yeeeaaahh. "
Masahiro stared at the stuttering and obviously uncomfortable Taiin before he nodded.
"Well.............alright."
Taiin instantly looked visibly relieved as she nodded and turned, her body dissipating into the breeze.
At Masahiro's side, Mokkun fidgeted and sighed. Taiin still felt fearful of him, especially when no other shinshou where present.
"It cant be helped." He muttered under his breath.
Masahiro looked down at the small white creature at his feet.
"Eh? What's wrong? What did you say? "
"Ah! It's nothing."
He shook his fur and gazed up at Masahiro with a indiscernible expression.
"It doesn't matter anyways. As long as I'm here, there's nothing to worry about. Right? "
"Eh?"
Masahiro blinked in surprised before a wide grin broke across his features.
"Of course! With Mokkun around, there's nothing to worry about. "
To anyone else, it was merely an expression of simple joy, yet within the depth of that gentle smile rested an immense trust that appeared only to those closest to him.
Mokkun couldn't help but shut his eyes, as if blinded by the brilliant rays of the afternoon sun, his heart filling with unease. It was a feeling he couldn't express, but if he dared to give it a name, he would call it "misery." Those innocent eyes filled with trust, the smiling face free of suspicion rent at his heart. He cringe as the pain washed over him, radiating from his very core.
How could you smile like this... you've lost so much.
"Narachika is still working on his report. To factor in some additional preparation and packing time, It looks like we can't start our journey until the day after tomorrow....... You know, we should bring back some local specialties. "
Masahiro's cheery words broke into Mokkun's troubled thoughts.
"What do you think we should bring? It cant be perishable, and cant take up a lot of room in our luggage.....If only we can ride Taiin's gale back home.... then there wouldn't be a space issue. "
Masahiro continued. At his side Mokkun twitched his tail, his expression remained troubled.
"On the other hand, If we covered a month's journey in a few hours, it would certainly arouse suspicion.... And also, when we were coming here, I could barely catch my bearings again after spinning around in Taiin's vortex for so long."
"Yeah?" Mokkun looked up.
Masahiro paused for a moment, before he continued on, just as easy and natural as before.
"I've been told that Byakko's gales are much calmer. What are they like? "
Masahiro looked down at his small white shadow, waiting for his answer.
Mokkun paused for a moment.
" Uh... yes... Taiin's gales are more storm-like, while Byakko's gales are more similar to summer breeze."
"So how do they differ? " Masahiro frowned.
Mokkun look up at him, and after a pause, smiled for the first time in ages.
"Look it up yourself..."
Masahiro shrugged in defeat, as he lifted his eyes to the sky.
Hair as dark as the night flitted across his memory. That night he had promised her that he would return to her side, yet to datem he had bee unable to keep his promise. She must be worried. Oh, how he wished to return to her side, to comfort her with his safe return, to ease the burden of worry in her heart. He will return no matter what.
The words from his dream were so distant now.
-----------------
Spring was at it's end. Looking up into the flickering light of the lantern, Akiko sighed. She felt uneasy, but wasn't especially disheartened. It's said that those most missed never returned in the spring. Even then, thoughts of him filled her with worry, a heavy weight that pressed at her heart.
Every night before she went to bed, she had always recited the incantation. Yet after last time, they had never been able to meet in their dreams. Was his face still filled with misery, like the last time they had met? Was his heart still steeped in the frigid pain and darkness that he had no choice to grit his teeth and press forward into the abyss?
A feeling of helplessness washed over Akiko. All she could do was miss and worry, there was nothing she could do to help, and she cursed her helplessness.
......
She sighed and paused in her sewing. The clothes she had collected with the intention of mending where almost all repaired. Since she was doing this behind the backs of her elders, work was slow. Day by day, time was passed this way.
The days were getting longer. The end of March would bring April, summer would be here soon. She had always known that Izumo was very far away. A round trip would take over three months by carriage. To return at the end of May was making good time. To return in June was more realistic. Akiko lowered her gaze. By the latest, they would return in mid June....but then, it would be too late to view fireflies. By then there would only be a few stragglers from earlier in the year. That was not the sight that he promised her.
Akiko shook her head.... No. That wasn't the point, she didn't really want to see the fireflies., it was just her excuse. What she really wanted was his return... his safe return... his happy return..... his return with Mokkun.
Akiko stared into the flicker heart of the lantern..... " Will he be alright?...."
Taiin, the wind shinshou would often send messages on her gales. These would be received by Byakko, who in turn reported the message to Seimei. Every time a message was received, Seimei was quick to tell Akiko of Masahiro and Narachika's situation. Yet he always ended his message with a smile and the following:
"Lady Akiko, If you wish to send a message to Masahiro, please no do not hesitate to ask. Byakko will send your thoughts should you need to speak with him."
Akiko always thought for a long time after hearing these words. But she could never think of anything to say, and always ended the conversation with a lowering of her gaze and a shake of her head. She had already told him her wish that he would return, and return as early as possible. To be alone like this was miserably lonely, and once in a while she would feel an unexplained sense of anxiety. She told him that she was waiting...but that did nothing to ease her loneliness.
"It's not right to sew with this mindset....."
Akiko mused.
" I'll finish tomorrow. "
She packed her needle and thread back into her sewing box before returning the garments to the trunk.
Masahiro's room was filled with books and scrolls piled haphazardly into the corners. In recent days, when she had time, Akiko would often flip through them out of curiosity.
It wasn't yet time for bed. Akiko picked up a volume filled with crudely made paper bookmarks that sat on the reading table. She move the lantern stand a little closer before flipping to one of the marked out pages. She scanned the page, oblivious to the flame of the lantern as it seem to flicker to an unfelt breeze. Cast into it's light, the shadow of a second figure rose into existence, a golden figure that solidified into the diaphanous robes of fine silk, and the elegant aura that framed a serene gentle face.
"Tenitsu!"
At the sound of her name, the shinshou's smiled and nodded gently.
"I haven't seen you in so long! I was worried that something might have happened!"
A long time it has been indeed, ever since that day two months ago when the injured Masahiro was brought home, Tenitsu had not appeared at Seimei's side. Of course, Suzaku was absent also. Genbu and Taiin had accompanied Masahiro to Izumo. In this way, the shinshou that Akiko had been familiar with were all absent, further contributing to her loneliness.
Tenitsu looked a little surprised as she regarded Akiko.
"Where are the others? ..... Did you not meet Taijo and Tenko? When we are absent, it is their responsibility to take our place as Seimei's hands. "
"I never saw them. Perhaps they served Seimei invisibly? That might be why I didn't see them. "
If the shinshou were careful to hide their existence, they would remain invisible to even those who had a strong Kenki ability, like Akiko.
In many cases, they are able to remain undetectable even when she focused hard to see them. To date, Akiko still didnt recognize all of the Shinshou. She knew all of their names, but she had only met about half of them.
"I see... you'll meet them sooner or later."
Akiko knew it was true. She was detained here indefinitely, she was bound to get to know them all sooner or later.
She nodded to Tenitsu.
"Ah! Tenitsu. I wanted to ask you. Are you able to read the script on this page? "
Tenitsu lowered her gaze unhurriedly and scanned the page opened before her.
"I cannot.... I apologize."
"Ah! It's fine. Don't apologize! I was just looking at it. When Masahiro returns, I can ask him to teach me. "
"But it could be a long while before he returns.... would it not be better to ask Seimei himself? "
Akiko looked at Tenitsu with surprise before falling silent.
"Lady Akiko, is something the matter? Did I say something wrong ? "
Akiko shook her head slowly, her eyes filling with tears. Unbidden, her hands covered her mouth as she struggled not to cry.
There was no one here...... Masahiro wasnt here....... There weren't that many Shinshou around. Mokkun was missing as well.
The Abe house had been empty to begin with, and now its abject isolation washed over Akiko like never before. In her own home, in the hose of Fujiwara, there were occasionally days where she seldom saw anyone but her own servants. Even though the family members lived in different courtyards, she didn't feel isolated or lonely there. But the house of Abe was different... she had never felt so surrounded by the warmth of others.
The arrival of spring brought cool ocean winds that rippled across the the waves.
"Good bye big brother !! " Mizu waved vigiorously as he and Musoru watched their departure. It was not until the young boys had become mere shapes in the distance that Masahiro finally turned his head to focus on the path ahead.
"So we're going...?"
"Yes, we'll set out tomorrow or the day after. "
"Did you tell the children ?" Taiin asked as she materialized beside Masahiro.
"Ah, yes.... I told them yesterday. They were sad, but I told them that we had family waiting, so there was no arguing it."
He turned to the small white form, silently curled in the corner.
"Come on Mokkun, we're leaving."
In the corner, the ears of the small white animal twitched, before the snowy white body rose from the ground. The creature blinked at the boy before it simply nodded and followed with quick nimble steps. (Translator's note: I omitted a long detailed description of mokkun here. I sure everyone knows what he looks like by now.)
At Masahiro's feet, Mokkun turned to look at the direction of the village.
"Is the village completely restored now? "
"Ah yes, the elder had said that he...... eh? Taiin? "
Masahiro stumbled mid sentence as he turned in surprise.
Taiin was no longer floating at his side. Masahiro looked up in surprise as he found her staring down at him from ten feet above.
"Taiin??"
"Well....uh..... um..... I...uh.... I'm going to go ahead and return......"
Taiin stuttered hesitantly after an awkward silence.
"I mean..... well... Kouchin is waiting for me and stuff..... and well... Genbu and Rikugou too.... I mean... there's no monsters around right now, so there's no point in staying....... and uh.....well..... Touda's here.... so uh..... yeeeaaahh. "
Masahiro stared at the stuttering and obviously uncomfortable Taiin before he nodded.
"Well.............alright."
Taiin instantly looked visibly relieved as she nodded and turned, her body dissipating into the breeze.
At Masahiro's side, Mokkun fidgeted and sighed. Taiin still felt fearful of him, especially when no other shinshou where present.
"It cant be helped." He muttered under his breath.
Masahiro looked down at the small white creature at his feet.
"Eh? What's wrong? What did you say? "
"Ah! It's nothing."
He shook his fur and gazed up at Masahiro with a indiscernible expression.
"It doesn't matter anyways. As long as I'm here, there's nothing to worry about. Right? "
"Eh?"
Masahiro blinked in surprised before a wide grin broke across his features.
"Of course! With Mokkun around, there's nothing to worry about. "
To anyone else, it was merely an expression of simple joy, yet within the depth of that gentle smile rested an immense trust that appeared only to those closest to him.
Mokkun couldn't help but shut his eyes, as if blinded by the brilliant rays of the afternoon sun, his heart filling with unease. It was a feeling he couldn't express, but if he dared to give it a name, he would call it "misery." Those innocent eyes filled with trust, the smiling face free of suspicion rent at his heart. He cringe as the pain washed over him, radiating from his very core.
How could you smile like this... you've lost so much.
"Narachika is still working on his report. To factor in some additional preparation and packing time, It looks like we can't start our journey until the day after tomorrow....... You know, we should bring back some local specialties. "
Masahiro's cheery words broke into Mokkun's troubled thoughts.
"What do you think we should bring? It cant be perishable, and cant take up a lot of room in our luggage.....If only we can ride Taiin's gale back home.... then there wouldn't be a space issue. "
Masahiro continued. At his side Mokkun twitched his tail, his expression remained troubled.
"On the other hand, If we covered a month's journey in a few hours, it would certainly arouse suspicion.... And also, when we were coming here, I could barely catch my bearings again after spinning around in Taiin's vortex for so long."
"Yeah?" Mokkun looked up.
Masahiro paused for a moment, before he continued on, just as easy and natural as before.
"I've been told that Byakko's gales are much calmer. What are they like? "
Masahiro looked down at his small white shadow, waiting for his answer.
Mokkun paused for a moment.
" Uh... yes... Taiin's gales are more storm-like, while Byakko's gales are more similar to summer breeze."
"So how do they differ? " Masahiro frowned.
Mokkun look up at him, and after a pause, smiled for the first time in ages.
"Look it up yourself..."
Masahiro shrugged in defeat, as he lifted his eyes to the sky.
Hair as dark as the night flitted across his memory. That night he had promised her that he would return to her side, yet to datem he had bee unable to keep his promise. She must be worried. Oh, how he wished to return to her side, to comfort her with his safe return, to ease the burden of worry in her heart. He will return no matter what.
The words from his dream were so distant now.
-----------------
Spring was at it's end. Looking up into the flickering light of the lantern, Akiko sighed. She felt uneasy, but wasn't especially disheartened. It's said that those most missed never returned in the spring. Even then, thoughts of him filled her with worry, a heavy weight that pressed at her heart.
Every night before she went to bed, she had always recited the incantation. Yet after last time, they had never been able to meet in their dreams. Was his face still filled with misery, like the last time they had met? Was his heart still steeped in the frigid pain and darkness that he had no choice to grit his teeth and press forward into the abyss?
A feeling of helplessness washed over Akiko. All she could do was miss and worry, there was nothing she could do to help, and she cursed her helplessness.
......
She sighed and paused in her sewing. The clothes she had collected with the intention of mending where almost all repaired. Since she was doing this behind the backs of her elders, work was slow. Day by day, time was passed this way.
The days were getting longer. The end of March would bring April, summer would be here soon. She had always known that Izumo was very far away. A round trip would take over three months by carriage. To return at the end of May was making good time. To return in June was more realistic. Akiko lowered her gaze. By the latest, they would return in mid June....but then, it would be too late to view fireflies. By then there would only be a few stragglers from earlier in the year. That was not the sight that he promised her.
Akiko shook her head.... No. That wasn't the point, she didn't really want to see the fireflies., it was just her excuse. What she really wanted was his return... his safe return... his happy return..... his return with Mokkun.
Akiko stared into the flicker heart of the lantern..... " Will he be alright?...."
Taiin, the wind shinshou would often send messages on her gales. These would be received by Byakko, who in turn reported the message to Seimei. Every time a message was received, Seimei was quick to tell Akiko of Masahiro and Narachika's situation. Yet he always ended his message with a smile and the following:
"Lady Akiko, If you wish to send a message to Masahiro, please no do not hesitate to ask. Byakko will send your thoughts should you need to speak with him."
Akiko always thought for a long time after hearing these words. But she could never think of anything to say, and always ended the conversation with a lowering of her gaze and a shake of her head. She had already told him her wish that he would return, and return as early as possible. To be alone like this was miserably lonely, and once in a while she would feel an unexplained sense of anxiety. She told him that she was waiting...but that did nothing to ease her loneliness.
"It's not right to sew with this mindset....."
Akiko mused.
" I'll finish tomorrow. "
She packed her needle and thread back into her sewing box before returning the garments to the trunk.
Masahiro's room was filled with books and scrolls piled haphazardly into the corners. In recent days, when she had time, Akiko would often flip through them out of curiosity.
It wasn't yet time for bed. Akiko picked up a volume filled with crudely made paper bookmarks that sat on the reading table. She move the lantern stand a little closer before flipping to one of the marked out pages. She scanned the page, oblivious to the flame of the lantern as it seem to flicker to an unfelt breeze. Cast into it's light, the shadow of a second figure rose into existence, a golden figure that solidified into the diaphanous robes of fine silk, and the elegant aura that framed a serene gentle face.
"Tenitsu!"
At the sound of her name, the shinshou's smiled and nodded gently.
"I haven't seen you in so long! I was worried that something might have happened!"
A long time it has been indeed, ever since that day two months ago when the injured Masahiro was brought home, Tenitsu had not appeared at Seimei's side. Of course, Suzaku was absent also. Genbu and Taiin had accompanied Masahiro to Izumo. In this way, the shinshou that Akiko had been familiar with were all absent, further contributing to her loneliness.
Tenitsu looked a little surprised as she regarded Akiko.
"Where are the others? ..... Did you not meet Taijo and Tenko? When we are absent, it is their responsibility to take our place as Seimei's hands. "
"I never saw them. Perhaps they served Seimei invisibly? That might be why I didn't see them. "
If the shinshou were careful to hide their existence, they would remain invisible to even those who had a strong Kenki ability, like Akiko.
In many cases, they are able to remain undetectable even when she focused hard to see them. To date, Akiko still didnt recognize all of the Shinshou. She knew all of their names, but she had only met about half of them.
"I see... you'll meet them sooner or later."
Akiko knew it was true. She was detained here indefinitely, she was bound to get to know them all sooner or later.
She nodded to Tenitsu.
"Ah! Tenitsu. I wanted to ask you. Are you able to read the script on this page? "
Tenitsu lowered her gaze unhurriedly and scanned the page opened before her.
"I cannot.... I apologize."
"Ah! It's fine. Don't apologize! I was just looking at it. When Masahiro returns, I can ask him to teach me. "
"But it could be a long while before he returns.... would it not be better to ask Seimei himself? "
Akiko looked at Tenitsu with surprise before falling silent.
"Lady Akiko, is something the matter? Did I say something wrong ? "
Akiko shook her head slowly, her eyes filling with tears. Unbidden, her hands covered her mouth as she struggled not to cry.
There was no one here...... Masahiro wasnt here....... There weren't that many Shinshou around. Mokkun was missing as well.
The Abe house had been empty to begin with, and now its abject isolation washed over Akiko like never before. In her own home, in the hose of Fujiwara, there were occasionally days where she seldom saw anyone but her own servants. Even though the family members lived in different courtyards, she didn't feel isolated or lonely there. But the house of Abe was different... she had never felt so surrounded by the warmth of others.
