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| - ---------- “Me? I’m Ayano Ayumu, but my friends call me Ayu, and I am…”, In the blink of an eye, Ayu transformed into a small red fox cub, “... a kitsune.” In shock and surprise, Yamamoto stumbled backwards from the supernatural display, and fell as he slipped on a bank of wet snow. The young fox yokai laughed at his surprised overreaction, and Ayu transformed back into a semi-human form (her ears and tail were still present; it seemed she had not yet mastered her transformations). A mischievous grin plastered her face as she struggled to keep the laughter in. Yamamoto stood again (with as much dignity as he could manage), and brushed the loose snow off of himself again. He would have been irritated by the child’s lack of manners, if not for the overwhelming despair that began barreling down upon his broad shoulders as realization and understanding struck him. “I’m dead. This place… this is heaven? Or did I end up in hell?” Yamamoto suddenly grabbed the fox spirit roughly by her shoulders, “Please! Tell me!” A smooth voice, accompanied by the lilting chiming of bells, answered him, “You won’t find answers by handling my daughter so roughly.” The figure that spoke appeared to be a thin, unarmed human man with slanted eyes and a calm demeanor, but his threat was obvious. The vibrantly colorful silks and bells adorning the stranger’s body were the mark of a performer, and his plated gray hair hinted at experience. Behind him, beyond the treeline, were numerous brightly colored lights of differing hues, all moving slowly between the trees. “We Kitsune are performers by trade, and you were once a warrior.... is that right, Lost One? Come with me, and I will answer your questions in return for your services as a guard. The night grows long, and these forests teem with the souls of the restless dead and hungry spirits.” Yamamoto blessed and cursed his fortune for the hundredth time since awakening from the damp snows of the forest. The tribe of kitsune that guided him through the wilderness were a noisy lot, and their rambunctious music playing and gaudy lights were as likely to scare away lesser spirits as they were to attract strong ones. Although his right hand was numb from the cold, he kept it firmly gripping the sword hilt as his eyes scanned the gaps between the trees for danger. Several times already, the caravan had been assaulted by marauding bandits who were keen on stealing the treasures of the kitsune. Once, the bandits had almost managed to overpower him, but the kitsune had been able to summon fantastic illusions to scare the thieves away. He marveled at their magical prowess, and briefly considered that his own presence might be their true entertainment on the journey, but this conjecture fell through as they encountered their first real threat. A massive bipedal creature the size of an elephant reared out of the trees, with grasping black claws and a pale mask. Yamamoto had only moments to spare as the hollow released an ear-splitting shriek of hunger and bounded towards the carriages. Interposing himself between the charging brute and his guides, he dodged and rolled low to avoid a slashing claw. Three jagged fissures were rent into the frozen ground, the closest mere inches from Yamamoto's head. Finishing his roll, Yamamoto unsheathed his sword in an instant, as he put two well-placed cuts onto the abomination's ankles. Losing its balance, the charging monster rolled forward, carried by its momentum and a lack of traction, and crashed into a row of thick trees. The crash itself kicked up a dense cloud of snow and snapped some of the tree trunks. Yamamoto was still deliberating on how to finish the evil spirit's life, when one of the trunks came flying at him through the air. Yamamoto hadn't anticipated such a feat of strength, and was ill-prepared to dodge it, but due to luck and the poor visibility, the log fell just short of its trajectory, and embedded itself a full four feet into the rock-hard soil at his feet. He had almost no time to contain his surprise before a second and a third trunk spiraled towards him. Reacting on instinct, rather than any conceivable plan, Yamamoto ran forward, up the treetrunk, as the two logs penetrated and destroyed the ground behind him. With a mighty leap, he lunged forward across the expanse of snow between him and the hollow. The masked jaws reared out of the mist, and Yamamoto swung his blade overhead, putting all of the might of his body and momentum behind its edge. With a loud cracking sound, his blade punctured the mask of the hollow, sinking nearly halfway into its head before stopping. Yamamoto felt a familiar thrill of victory, just as the left fist of the monster lashed out at his body, sending him flying. The former warlord spun end over end in the snow, before skidding to a halt twenty feet away. He could taste blood... and judging by the trouble he was having breathing, at least two of his ribs were broken from the blow. He gaped in horror from his position on the ground, as the monster stepped forward towards him. Its ankles were still spurting blood, and their injuries were inhibiting its movements... but still, it was coming. His blade was still embedded in its gory head, and hundreds of tiny cracks radiated out from the gash in its mask. Yamamoto tried to stand, to escape the demon, but he wasn't nearly fast enough to avoid its reach. Grabbing hold of him in one hand, the hollow squeezed, its claws slowly penetrating his body, eliciting a scream of pain. It pulled him close to its maw, to extinguish his life and devour him. In desperation, Yamamoto grabbed hold of the creature's mask, just underneath the cut, to distract it with pain. And with his other hand, he grabbed hold of his blade. The ploy worked; the hollow reared back, roaring with agony, and Yamamoto was released from its grip as it tried to shake him free. Reversing his position, Yamamoto straddled the raging monster's neck and with every last ounce of his remaining strength, pulled his hilt backwards. What remained of the hollow's face ruptured outward in a juicy and crunchy mess of flesh and mask fragments. The creature moaned, stumbled forward a few steps, dissipated into a black miasma. Yamamoto was dropped unceremoniously to the ground, and passed out. The kitsune that tended his unconcious body after the battle were perturbed by the strange smile on his face; it was more like the grimace of some kind of wild beast. ---------- Yamamoto drifted in and out of sleep as the carriage trundled along. Visions of his previous life swam in and out of his recollection and imagination. Some were sweet, like the birth of his son, or a memory of his childhood with his filial brother. Others were darker, as he revisited his responsibilities to his nephew, the emperor, in protecting the throne. His other nephews had begged for their lives, even as their hands and minds plotted treason against the chosen heir. He had to murder them... for the sake of China. For the sake of his brother's honor. But these excuses gave him no satisfaction as he relived their last, violent moments. His dream shifted suddenly, back to his wife, as she sang him a lullaby and gently caressed his hair. "I dreamed in days of yore of wild love glowing, of myrtles, roses, far locks floating long. Sweet lips, and bitter speeches from them flowing, And mournful strains of melancholy song. My dreams are flown, and broken are my slumbers, Life's dearest vision long has passed away; Naught now remains, save what in plaintive numbers I poured abroad in many a fleeting lay. Thou lingerest, Orphan Song! We, too, must sever; Go, seek the vision that I long have lost. And greet it for me, shouldst thou find it ever. Breath, as thou art, I send thee to a Ghost!" Yamamoto slowly awakened, as the final line of the poem drifted in the air. The gentle voice of Ayu consoled him and her small, warm hands rested on his head. The hanging lanterns of the interior swayed in unison with the shaking of the carriage as he viewed the area around him. He was covered in a pile of silks and fabrics, and he grunted with pain as he sat up. "No! You musnt't. You are still badly injured, ojisan." Ayumu tried to push him back down into the bed as she emphasized her concerns, but she might as well have been trying to push over a mountain with her puny arms. Chuckling, Yamamoto replied, "Your singing has done my spirits good, child, and I am feeling well enough to at least hold conversation. The monster I faced... what was it?" "It was a hollow." The silky-smooth voice of Ayano Daichi revealed itself at the entrance to the carriage space, and the thin, unassuming leader of the fox-tribe continued. "You mortals refer to them as yurei. Normally such a large one is rare, and they are easily dispatched... it is impressive that you, a mere human, was able to defeat it. No, I should say it was miraculous." Daichi bowed suddenly, as if to express an apology, "In truth, we never intended to hire you as a bodyguard, but as a distraction. The forest of lost souls is a dangerous place, and it is not unusual for us to receive a warrior or two on our expeditions. They do not often survive the journey." Daichi raised back up with a wry smile before continuing, "But then, they do not have your skill or instincts as a warrior. Truly, you are a special human." The room lapsed into silence for a few moments, as Yamamoto was unsure of how to take the admission and compliments. Can I truly trust spirits who would have abandoned me to death? Do I have a choice? Yamamoto finally shrugged, and responded evenly, "I have many questions about this world, about its ways. Will you tell me?" Daichi smiled and took a seat on a wicker chair at the end of a small table. "Yes, of course. Never let it be said a Kitsune's dishonest. I'll abide by my end of our arrangement, and answer any questions you pose." "Where are we heading?", Yamamoto asked. Daichi nodded in approval, before answering, "That's good! Dwelling on a past that is behind you is a waste of energy, it is better to always think ahead! Our course is fast taking us out of the forests of the lost, and near to the borders of Doubutsu Kato. To pass into the city through the Rose Wall, we'll need the assistance of the Chiyoko guards. Their services are not cheap for such a large entourage, but for an event as important as this, we could not take any exceptions..." Daichi trailed off as he broached the subject of finances. He didn't seem happy about the expense. Cocking an eyebrow, Yamamoto asks, "What event?" "Oh, you didn't know? The New Year is nearly upon us. A grandiose city-wide celebration runs for a full week, with entertainment and competitions and delicious food..." After whiping some saliva from the corner of his mouth, Daichi continued, "and beautiful women. Of course, none observe it more passionately than the twelve celestial zodiac tribes. Each tribe in Kato vies for a greater position in the hierarchy, and the New Year celebrations are a way they gauge eachothers' strengths. The more elaborate their performances, the stronger their competitors and the more vibrant their displays are, the fewer tribes will try to challenge them later on. Normally our troupe only performs at more regal events, such as the weddings and funerals of dignitaries... but this year is special. An emissary of the kami, a direct descendent of the sun goddess herself, has arrived for the opening ceremony. The city's astir as to his reasons for participating... this is a good opportunity for the kitsune." Yamamoto slid his forefinger into the cleft of his chin and began tugging and twirling his short beard. The sensation of the coarse black hair helped to calm his mind and enhance his focus when thinking. "I see. This opening ceremony... what is that like?" Daichi reclined in the wooden chair, and answered, "It's been many centuries since the last time I attended the opening ceremony. I recall there were fireworks. As I understand it, each of the tribes strives to outdo eachother in a dance performance and a fireworks display, around a large lake in the center of the city. Imagine that! Hundreds of dancers, moving and weaving in rythm to drums and flutes, the thundering roar and screams of the fireworks, and the flashing explosions, vibrant colors and smoke..." Daichi stepped up suddenly, a sly grin plastering the lower half of his face. "I can't wait to see how the city has changed since I left it. Mark my words, human, you'll be in for a sight for the ages." Daichi chuckled to himself as he left the tent, and spoke one last remark over his shoulder, "I need to make some preparations for our arrival tomorrow. We should speak more later." Yamamoto continued plucking on his goatee as he contemplated the head kitsune's remarks. He had not been conscious of the nearness of the new year before he died. The innumerable uprisings and rebellions of his child nephew's imperial rule had dulled him to such minor considerations. Scratching the tufted crimson ears of a sleeping Ayu, Yamamoto tried to imagine the wonders he'd encounter in the city the following day, and soon slipped into a deep slumber himself. The lanterns of the interior continued to shake gently in rythm with the wheels of the wagon as it trundled onward through the snow-laden forest to their destination.
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