DEAR FELLOW TRAVELER ♦ private

He had definitely heard the rumors on the wind. The wind acted as a beautiful messenger, fluttering about on an endless stream. In that river of air were words, and though most were unable to understand the meaning in its song, few could make out the hidden messages within. The winds carried secrets from afar, like written papers bottled up in glass and sent across the ocean. The winds would reach a destination, and just like that, would wash up on a faraway shore.

The tiger listened to the singing of the wind, and detected the rumors with a smile of amusement and pride. He certainly enjoyed what he heard, but it was reason enough for him to act. The wind told him that what he now knew could not just be left alone or ignored. It had both everything to do with him, and nothing to do with him at all, that created all the importance.

The powerful feline would grab a running start, before making his trek across the wilderness of Ishgar. He would reach his destination within days. He went where the wind told him, even though he already knew where he wanted to arrive. The wind would provide the best path, and he would follow it to where he wished to go. Powerful muscles rippled underneath the alabaster-furred tiger’s pelt. Obsidian stripes coated his body, from his ears, to his paws, to the black tip of his tail. He had keen powder blue eyes, focused solely on the horizon. He was no average tiger, however, standing at six feet at the shoulder, instead of four feet like the standard feral tiger. Tirelessly, without losing energy, he would run, his curiosity and the wind’s words guiding him.

~~~

It had been a little over a week since the events in Nazo, the world of riddles. Though dramatic, Izayuki had fully recovered from them, and could only hope that the former masked man had also regained his bearings. She had not spoken with him much since their encounter in the library, but the guild master knew he was not avoiding her. They simply had no reason to speak so constantly, unless it was exchanging pleasantries. Even then, both personalities could do without that.

The Bakedanuki was sitting at a table in Silver Moon Inn, preparing to munch on a peace of red velvet cake, with iced tea on the side. This was her favorite meal and dessert, ever since her first teammate, Jin, had introduced her to the sweet delicacy. Her other teammate at the time, Magna, would create the best red velvet cake around, but he had run off in a way, perhaps fully pursuing his love of cooking and using magic to do so. Unfortunately, that left Izayuki with only the second best red velvet cake and cream cheese icing-- the desserts of Silver Moon Inn. She could not complain too much, however, unless the staff of the restaurant decided to hide vitamins, vegetables, protein and other supplements to her cake in an attempt to keep her healthy. That was always when the drama would officially start, as Izayuki could normally almost smell the additives right away.

Suspecting that the staff was doing this once again, Izayuki stared suspiciously at the vermillion and off white piece of cake with untrusting crimson eyes. It certainly did not smell like they had hid anything in it, but she could never be so sure. She would have to try it, and then hope that they had not hid it well enough that she could not taste it-- that would be disastrous!


[603]

The Bakedanuki knew that Oras had entered Silver Moon Inn long before he approached her table. She could tell by her keen canine sense of smell, on top of her scenting ability being further enhanced by her slayer powers. “Sure, I don’t mind,” Izayuki replied in a polite and friendly manner without taking her eyes off of the cake. Her tail was swishing anxiously behind her. Something was up. It was too weird that she smelled nothing from this cake, but could sense that there definitely was a problem with it.

Crimson eyes narrowed at the red velvet cake before the tanuki girl quickly grabbed the fork at the side of her plate. With one quick movement, she dared to take a piece of the cake with her fork and quickly eat it. She chewed for a few very short seconds, swallowed, and waited for another few short seconds, as if she were deep in contemplation on what she had just eaten. Without warning, however, the Bakedanuki suddenly grabbed the iced tea at the side of her plate and quickly downed a large drink of it as if she was trying to miss the taste of something foul. Once she finished, she slammed the glass back down on the table-- not enough to make it spill or break, but just enough to betray her frustration. “Damn it! They tried to poison me again!” she seethed, shooting straight up from her chair and turning towards the Silver Moon Inn cafe and bar staff behind the counter. The fur on her silver ears and fluffy tail were bristling, sticking straight up and out, and her muscles were tense as she glared at the staff members of the restaurant, teeth gritted.

She saw a few sly smirks on the faces of some of the elder and senior workers of the inn, with some casting her shrugs or stifling laughter. The younger workers no doubt had fear in their eyes as they saw the angry guild master. The older ones knew exactly what they had done. They had added a few doses of good and healthy vitamin powders to the cake mix, which was so easily tasted by the keen Bakedanuki. The flavors were nasty and the health supplements only made the texture of the cake awry. Turning a more neutral gaze at Oras, the guild master nodded towards the door. “Come on, we’re going to eat lunch someplace else,” she said, before she began leading the way out of Silver Moon Inn, not once glancing back at the ‘traitorous’ kitchen staff.


[429 / 1,032 // 10,000]

The young Bakedanuki continued down the sidewalk of Silver Moon Boulevard, her fur still bristling in frustration, only calming down slowly as she walked. Oras was eventually beside her, and she noticed his practical use of redirecting the soundwaves in the area so that they could not be heard-- it was not like she cared, as this was no private matter. If anything, she would be pleased for others to hear of the folly of the Silver Moon Inn staff, and to be wary of their ‘food poisoning’. While it was not good for business, the tanuki was still personally spiteful towards the kitchen employees.

“Of course I’m not immune to poison,” Izayuki replied, arms crossing. Of course, if it were magical poison, or poison made from magic, she likely would have some ability to fight it off. But natural poison was another story entirely. Without a good natural healing spell, poison was deadly to any semi-mortal or mortal being. “They put a vitamin powder in my cake again,” she pouted with a frustrated, animalian hiss in her voice. “I’ve already told them I can keep myself perfectly healthy without their help, even if I do order red velvet cake a lot.”

Her words were simple and unmistakably true. Naturally, her peers and a few guildmates and staff members had noticed her tendency to only order red velvet cake and iced tea from the inn. Upon witnessing ‘unhealthy’ diet, be it for humans or for canines, many did their best to help her get additional nutrition. In Izayuki’s mind, however, it was far from needed, nor did she ask for such a thing. The supplements tasted foul, and ruined an otherwise perfectly good dessert. At least they were not spiking her iced tea yet with ‘healthy things’, but surely it would not take them too long to stoop to that level.

As she walked, the Bakedanuki appeared as if she were looking for something, scanning the horizon the the air directly above the two. Without warning, the yokai dashed forward, while instantaneously shapeshifting into the form of a silver tabby cat. With rather fast speed for a feline, the cat took a flying leap into the air, and with outstretched paws and unsheathed claws, snagged a low flying city bird. Bringing it to the ground, she delivered a swift killing bite to its neck, in order to end its life as painlessly as possible. Grasping the sparrow in her jaws, the cat turned back towards the red-haired man, seemingly a bit proud at the successful hunt.

“Lunch for me. Want some~?” she joked through a mouthful of feathers, before leaping up in an attempt to land on Oras’ shoulders and ride from there. “In all seriousness, pick a place you want to eat. I’ll buy,” the cat Izayuki continued, silver-striped tail flicking proudly.

~~~

“Back off! It’s not like I’m here to kill anyone,” the giant white tiger growled at the two guards who had managed to chase him through the Rose Garden streets. Though the thought was tempting, he did not want to stir up a mess when he had business here to attend to. That, and he was certain that the local guild would not be fond of yet another massacre on their territory. “Just because I don’t look human doesn’t mean I’m an unintelligent monster, so get lost. I’m here on business,” he continued, trying his best to keep his claws sheathed as powder blue eyes glared at the two threatening guards. The racists. He could easily pick them off had he wanted to, but was doing his best to exert self control.

He could smell fear wafting off of the guards, which was good, and realistic. Who would not be scared of a six foot tall, nine hundred pound tiger, after all? The guards began to back away, likely deciding it was better to take the feline’s words, rather than to continue pursuing him. With the two humans off of his tail, the tiger yokai continued to pad down the street, breathing in the fresh scents of Silver Moon Boulevard. The crowd warily skirted him, though luckily were not as fearful as the others in Rose Garden. They were used to strange sights near the resident magical guild, and knew that the guild was fairly good at protecting them.

Eventually, he found the Inn. The wind told him that this was where his daughter resided, and was where he could find the answers he was looking for. “Excuse me, I’m looking for the mistress of the inn,” he said, poking his large, alabaster-furred head through the doors of the five star restaurant. Some customers were surprised, but the staff and majority of guildmembers found the sight to be far from unusual.

“She just went out,” one of the kitchen workers said, a smirk on his face. “Can I get you something while you wait for her return?”

“No,” the tiger said in a low voice with a sigh. Pushing his way into the inn, the ayakashi sniffed the air curiously, making his way to a table with one slice of red velvet cake with one bite taken out of it, and a mostly empty glass of iced tea. He recognized the scent instantly, and thus had no more questions to ask. Without word, the large feline would stalk out of the inn, and begin padding down the streets. He was now on the trail, and the wind told him he was close.



[917 / 1,949 // 10,000]

The fury of the yokai was vast, and definitely not on par with what went down in Silver Moon Inn. The staff members likely enjoyed the reaction from the guild master, and knew she would not dare harm or hurt them for it. She understood their motives, even if she did not approve and would still continuously request they not alter her meals or desserts. What she had displayed was simple anger, that was extremely short lived. Once she removed herself from the guildhall and caught her own prey, she had almost completely forgotten about the incident. Balancing on Oras’ shoulders, the small cat eagerly downed the fresh kill, enjoying the taste of warm, fresh, natural food once more, as opposed to the overly processed and greatly enhanced tastes of human food.

The silver tabby twitched her whiskers at Oras’ question, curious at the odd thing to ask. “Depends on the yokai,” she answered with a verbal shrug, flicking her tail tip to balance on the red-haired human’s shoulders. “I was born and raised a humble tanuki, thus, a carnivore. Though human food certainly is tasty, I get what I need to stay healthy.”

For some yokai, Izayuki was sure it depended on what form they were in, but it would vary. Every ayakashi was different, after all, and the Bakedanuki was no exception. She had really never thought about the diets of others, nor her own. She normally stuck to a natural diet for her species, sprinkled in with plenty of red velvet cake. Beyond that, there was little human food she liked now that Magna was gone. The chef mage had spoiled her rotten with his cooking, and she found now that little could ever compare. Though at least, she quietly noted, she was not so apt on preying on humans, souls, or bigger prey like some other Bakedanuki and Obake. While the capability and hunger was still certainly there at times, the young ayakashi knew better than to indulge herself in that if she could help it. Naturally, this was not something she was about to tell Oras, of course. If he found it out himself from a book or some other yokai expert, he would already know by matter of observation that she did not actively hunt humans or anything too sentient.

When Oras continued to explain he had never eaten food for recreation, the feline could not help but purr in amusement. “What do you normally eat, then?” Izayuki asked with a well-meaning laugh. “Do you prefer salty, sweet, or spicy foods?”

~~~

The wind told him they were right in front of him, directly before his nose. Not only was the scent and source of his daughter right there, but the other subject of interest was walking along with her on his shoulders. For some reason, Izayuki was taking the form of a domestic cat, which did not surprise the large ayakashi. She smelled like freshly caught prey, which told him that she used the form for hunting small game, probably for food and not just for sport.

The large white tiger was hard to miss in the crowd, and without a single sound in his pawsteps or movements, easily crept up on the duo, stalking them like prey. With gentle jaws and quick paws, the feline would prowl forward and pick up the silver tabby she-cat by the scruff right off of Oras’ shoulders. Without warning, and notably against her will, she would revert in shape back to the form of a small silver-furred raccoon dog, dangling limply from the tiger’s jaws. Naturally, holding a canine or feline by the scruff would not hurt them at all, but the tiger knew precisely that Izayuki would revert back upon his capturing her there. The tanuki would struggle, flailing her claws around while verbally protesting and cursing, but would find no such success, nor would she be able to change to another form. Typically, a captured or trapped Bakedanuki had no chance of shapeshifting once secured, and the tiger knew this well.

“So, you’re the one I’ve heard so much about, Oras,” the tiger said with a grin, through a small mouthful of fur. Luckily, his jaws were large enough to swallow the tiny canine alive if he wanted, so his words were clear and unmuffled for the most part. “You caused quite a stir in Nazo, didn’t you? Leaving an entire territory desolated… impressive.”



[741]

At first, the tiny tanuki panicked as her scruff was gently but firmly gripped, and she dangled from the jaws of the tiger. Her flailing and swearing did not do much, and though she did not really fear for her life, the situation was most annoying. Few would use such a weakness against a yokai unless there were truly ill intent, or perhaps…

The silver-furred tanuki twisted her head to gaze up at the massive tiger. Sensing the soul and noticing the scent almost instantly, along with the firm grip that held her in tanuki form, Izayuki realized precisely who this was. What type of beast would hold another as such unless they were a parent holding a child? Izayuki knew exactly what he was doing-- he was reminding her of just who he was, and their relationship, despite it being rocky.

As soon as she realized who it was, the Bakedanuki calmed down and ceased the struggle, and only held her ears back in annoyance, with a glum expression on her face. “So you decide to show up now of all times,” she muttered through gritted teeth, deciding it best to just go ahead and relax in his grasp. She at least understood that he was not there to hurt her. Where she had last left the tiger yokai, they had parted on poor terms. While she understood he had done what he did to help her and her mother, it had still been a painful experience. Nevertheless, she did owe the tiger for saving her life, even if he never would accept such a debt from his own child.

“What do you want here, father?” she asked, the irritation woven within her voice. Izayuki was not quite sure was to call the tiger, as ‘dad’ seemed much too informal and intimate, and she hardly knew him. She raised a paw up towards Oras, attempting to signal to him not to attack. The tiger was much beyond either of them, not so much as in power, but mostly in sheer skill and experience.

~~~

The white tiger smirked at Oras’ defensive reaction to his appearance, and was pleased to see him grow further suspicious upon the mention of his name. As his daughter calmed down, he would release her from his jaws and catch her with a massive paw before setting her down on the pavement, powder blue eyes boring into the masked man. As Izayuki was set gently on the ground, the tiger would take a step forward, suddenly shapeshifting in the blink of an eye to a human form.

The man had powder blue hair that matched his eyes, a tall figure of at least six foot four inches in height, and a muscular build. He wore a white jacket and black pants, and of his yokai form, only retained the claws, fangs, and long white and black striped tail. Against Izayuki’s will, she too transformed into her human shape, stumbling a bit as she had not expected the sudden transformation. “I heard about the commotion, and that some chaotic explosion killed you,” the man began, gazing towards the rose-haired tanuki, a hint of concern and worry in eyes, before his bold gaze flickered back towards the masked one. “From what it appears, you seem to be just fine, Izayuki, but who knew I’d find the source of the ‘chaos bomb’ that destroyed ol’ Torochi’s territory here~” he said, a toothy grin reappearing on his face as he met Oras’ hidden eyes.

The wind had informed him the chaotic blast had ripped away Izayuki’s body, forcing her into what was really her true form. She had stayed with the explosive soul, however, refusing to leave it behind. When he heard about the incident, it had worried him as he recalled the more recent time his daughter had ‘died’. She had acted only on instinct, with emotions and logic blotted out of the picture, and that had resulted in the destruction of the House of Lost Souls, and the loss of many human and yokai lives. He knew after hearing the rumor he would be obligated to check on her, at least in order to pacify and keep his wife from doing it. The dead had no business with the living, after all, except for those who truly cared about traversing planes.

The view of the mask annoyed the tiger yokai, who preferred to see one clearly when speaking. Hiding one’s face was cowardly, unless they were intentionally doing so for intelligence. Even then, there were better ways to go about it without masks. Glaring at the mask with disapproving blue eyes, the ayakashi snapped his fingers. Upon doing so, he would easily melt away the illusion of the mask, smirking the instant he saw Oras’ real face, likely unexpressive. “Looks like someone tampered with your soul just a bit too much,” he commented, eyeing the red-haired man’s soul with interest. It was random and wild, but rang of something that the panther found familiar. “How does it feel, being a walking weapon of mass destruction?”


[850 / 3,540 // 10,000]

“Spare me your arrogance, kid. I’m not here for you,” the man snapped, his grin temporarily melting away. He had only come to Rose Garden to check up on his child, nothing more and nothing less. Naturally he was intrigued to find the source of the devastation the wind had talked about, but there was nothing he wanted from a mere human with a messed up soul. “There’s nothing I want from you, nor is there anything you can give me.”

The tiger yokai could sense the other presence watching them. The scent of deity wafted towards him, delivered by the wind. Even if they were not directly within the physical plane, they did not need to be. The invisible forces that lived between the spaces between spaces made for good allies. Their eyes and ears saw all, and they would gladly inform ones they deemed a friend of what was going on. The wind enjoyed gossip and passing rumors around, regardless of if they were true or not. Fortunately, Inteus had learned to decipher the truth from lies within the wind’s song, and in this century, the force new better than to lie to him. He only wanted the facts, and nothing more.

“The name’s Inteus, but you can call me daddy,” the ayakashi said, cracking a cheesy grin. While the latter part was directed at Izayuki, he did not care what people called him, really. Rogue, straggler, stray, pervert, scum, and wanderer were among titles he had up his resume, that people would call him. He had not given his name to his daughter the first and last time he saw her, so naturally she would not be aware of it unless someone had told her. His name did not matter in the end, but Izayuki at least could recognize him as her father, and that was all he cared about when it came to what he was called.

“But, there’s something I’m sure you want from me,” Inteus continued with a shrug. “You want answers about that soul of yours, don’t you? You’re confused and don’t know the extent of its power.”

The tiger man paused, staring off into the distance for a few seconds. He could almost see the impression of that goddess’s grin, even if she were not directly there. Inteus knew exactly who she was and that she was watching, and with a smirk, he would subtly inform her of just how aware he was of her presence. “So, how have you been, Izayuki?” he would direct the subject elsewhere, snapping his gaze towards the Bakedanuki with a warm smile. If Oras wanted more information, he would have to venture out and ask. While Inteus was willing to help, or even reveal the hidden goddess, he had no price to ask for when it came to the debt of a yokai. As it was, everything he had done while in Rose Garden was for the young Bakedanuki, and if anyone else were to be dragged into their interaction, they would either reap a benefit and reward, or go home empty handed, with nothing lost.

~~~

Though she knew he would not harm her, Izayuki was still wary around the tiger yokai. He was unpredictable, and would change the course of events within a hair of a second for reasons no one knew but himself. She raised her eyebrows in mild surprise as he mentioned the details he knew of the recent events. His interest in Oras was intriguing, but likely only mild. He had no reason to focus on a human, she could only guess. “Who told you?” she asked in regards to his knowledge on the events that passed in Nazo. She realized how Oras likely had no knowledge of her body being torn away in his explosion, and had preferred to keep it that way. Her dying was no big deal, in the end.

She found it strange that he would come all this way just to check on her, but seeing how far he went for her last time, she was not too surprised. He had infiltrated the onmyoji base and that cold and harsh place where many yokai had been imprisoned just to see her escape, and release the remaining seal her mother had placed on her. When she had gone out of control in her true form, he had pacified her and left her alive. Him hearing of her dying again likely had caught his attention for that very reason, meaning that he was prepared to pacify her raging self once again if he had to. Fortunately, the circumstances had not left her in a blind rampage at the time.

There was only one thing the Bakedanuki truly questioned about him, and that was his payment of his debts to one particularly powerful being. Only, she could not remember if that had been truth, or if she had dreamed it all up. For that, she kept quiet on the subject, and simply waited in curiosity for his answers, and Oras’ responses to the ayakashi’s words. "I've been fine, as you said yourself," she responded in a short manner, keeping her words brief.


[844 / 4,384 // 10,000]

The white tiger chuckled at the Bakedanuki’s question. “The wind told me,” the man said simply, in his natural carefree manner. It was the truth, sweet and simple. He was an old friend of the wind, and knew it well. The wind was happy to speak in general, but it was good about delivering specific messages in its songs to the ayakashi, and informing him of the status of his family even when he was far away. Naturally, it was one contributor to why Inteus knew so much about Izayuki, even though she knew little about him. During his captivity by the Riyoshi clan, the breezes that could travel to where he was held sang whispers of his family, and kept him up to date, even as he was unable to see or be near them.

At her short response, Inteus gently gave her rose-colored hair a loving pat as he maintained a smug grin. Naturally, he avoided her ears, understanding her potential dislike of being stroked on such a sensitive area. “I already said there’s nothing from you that I want,” the ayakashi repeated, putting one hand in his pocket. Sure, the human’s soul was somewhat impressive, but Inteus had absolutely no use for such a thing. Besides, he had seen better in past centuries. “But I guess if you absolutely want to force an exchange-- how about we call it thanks for you not actually killing my daughter, and we leave it at that~?”

The tiger snickered at his own dumb suggestion, despite it being a serious one. He was not entitled to give the red-haired man any information, nor was he indebted to him in any way. On the flipside, Oras simply could not have wanted information either, which the tiger did not mind. If anything, he wanted to wipe that smug grin off of the face of the goddess watching them from afar. He recognized their connection, even if mildly, and wanted to do what he could to call her in closer if he could. Perhaps it was true that people always wanted something, and good will for someone definitely was a factor that should be included.

~~~

The Bakedanuki only flattened her silver-furred ears at his head pat and glanced away in mild irritation. Mostly, she was irritated that she did not know how to respond or react to the tiger yokai. He was a stranger to her, and knew more than he let on. While she had had good mentors and parental figures in her life, nothing could substitute an actual parent, and when they showed up after so many years of silence, one simply did not know how to properly respond. Her tail twitched at the feline’s suggestion to Oras, which seemed stupid as all hell, but still with the slightest ounce of reason. She decided to not get involved, as her curiosity led her to be silent. Of course, she wanted answers too, but this was up to the one being offered the chances.



[503 / 4,887 // 10,000]

“You’re forgiven,” the man replied with a shrug, still quite amused at the young human’s suspicious behavior. He had every right to be suspicious- the tiger could not hold that against him. Really, it was wise to be suspicious, and one would be a fool to not hold at least an ounce of uncertainty around him or any shapeshifting being, including a yokai. From what he observed, Izayuki had informed her guildmate about debts with ayakashi, and Oras was acting out of that. Indeed, it was wise to do so, and to check a second time despite having been told once. When it came to ayakashi, it was better to be safe than sorry.

The tiger grinned as he gazed again out at the goddess from afar. His eyes could see what was far away or hidden, and the thought of them likely having her attention excited him. “A meddled soul-- your creation was not quite like ordinary humans, from what we both can see,” Inteus began with a grin. He was not trying to be elusive, but he did not have all the answers, nor did he wish to reveal too much and risk another angry existence after him. “I’m sure the ‘Goddess of Happiness’ would be happy to explain, but seeing as she’s a bitch to deal with, I’ll direct you to someone who probably has a bit more insight.”

Inteus chuckled at his direct insult. He had a good guess that she was watching, and enjoyed firing the shots when he could. The tiger had his own reasons for not quite liking her, and as such was going to talk about her like she was not in the room, even though he was well aware that she most certainly was. “But, in order to meet this person, there’s only one small requirement, not by any will of mine,” Inteus continued, grinning. This was not about debts or exchanges, but simply a necessity to get into the realm of smoke. “That necessity is a ‘wish’. In order to find this person, you must have a wish on your heart. If you do, the line between our realm and hers is blurred, and you can find her quite easily.”

~~~

Izayuki listened intently, not having much to contribute. The tiger mentioned the ‘Goddess of Happiness’, however, which put the Bakedanuki on edge. She had never had a single good experience with a full fledged deity, and never expected to. Fortunately, her father breezed over the idea, unknowingly agreeing with his daughter that gods and goddesses were indeed annoying and painful to deal with. At his mention of someone else, the guild master angled her silver-furred ears curiously. Just who was he speaking about, and was it someone that they knew? Perhaps it was another yokai, much like Torochi, only with a friendlier disposition.

“Hold on,” the Bakedanuki interjected, suspicious of the Byakko’s suggestion of sliding into another realm. “We only recently returned from Nazo, and only met problem after problem,” she growled, bitterly recalling her deal with the leader of the night parade, Torochi. “What makes you think we’re so eager to rush right into another realm on a whim?”

Her crimson eyes narrowed at the blue-eyed ayakashi. The search for answers with Oras’ soul was a wild goose chase, and rushing into full on danger again for only the response to a question was not Izayuki’s idea of a good time. While she was confident in her own abilities for handling such situations, she did not trust the unpredictability of her guildmate’s soul, nor the forces that could go after it. The last time she had gone searching for clues to the puzzle with Oras, it had resulted in both of their deaths, along with the loss of something important to her. What would the cost be next time?

~~~

The tiger only smirked at the Bakedanuki’s glare, meeting her gaze without flinching. “I wasn’t talking to you,” Inteus said, his tone slightly more serious for once, despite his smile never once melting from his face. “But, you have a couple of wishes too, don’t you?”



[689 / 5,576 // 10,000]

“Who is the goddess of happiness? I think the more accurate statement would be who ‘was’ the goddess of happiness?” Inteus replied, eluding to more answers in his correction of the question. “As much as I’d love to answer your question, kid, I’m afraid I have a muzzle on me. I can’t give all the answers without trouble from the ones who tried so hard to erase any records of her. However, I can direct you to the primary source of where I came by my information.”

For once, his words held more intelligence and likely more answers and explanations. He kept a consistent carefree, lazy, and mildly arrogant demeanor for the sake of his own protection. The less that people took him seriously, the better. If it were different, he would only bring danger upon himself, and upon those around him. The Riyoshi family was a perfect example of that, after all. After many years of torment from them, Inteus retreated once again to a laidback attitude. It only ever broke once, and that was for his beloved Rika. However, that had only ended up in a father separated from his family. His easygoing air was ultimately his own variation of caution. He had made plenty of enemies in his lifetime, and did not want to meet them at a time like this, or drag others into danger.

“Her information comes at a price, which is typical of most, but she’s fairly reasonable and will negotiate. She won’t force an exchange on you either,” Inteus continued, his white and black striped tail flicking slowly. “Once in her realm, it is difficult to get out on your own, unless you manage to find an edge of it. She does not enjoy people sharing her space for an extended period of time though, so she will typically have someone escort you out once you have finished your business with her.”

The woman he spoke of specialized in what she did. Granting wishes was her pastime, and was why she continued to exist the way she did. She enjoyed the hobby, and had much to offer. To avoid being taken advantage of or potential corruption among those she helped, she asked for something in return, unless she was already indebted to someone, as she was with the Riyoshi family for a time. Fortunately, Rika settled that debt much to the benefit of her daughter. Inteus was not so keen on naming the person here and now. It was too dangerous, and he suspected that his daughter would not enjoy the idea of seeing her again.

“Pinpoint the wish on your heart,” instructed Inteus, before reaching into one of his pockets and pulling out a semi-dried leaf. “Next, take this and stay together. Begin walking east. This leaf is from her realm, and will help further blur the lines between our dimensions so you two can pass into it.”
The tiger ayakashi handed Oras the leaf. It would be up to him to accept it, or to not, and then it would be his choice to make use of it.


[518 / 6,094 // 10,000]

Izayuki of course was skeptical of the entire proposal. She did not fully trust Inteus, while a part of her did at the same time. She at least trusted that he would not harm her, and was not out to bring misfortune upon her. However, his games were on par or greater than her own, and she had reason to exercise caution in their interactions. This time, he at least made it outwardly clear he was only there to make sure that she was okay. He did take an interest in Oras, but nowhere near as much interest as others had, herself included. Was he here on behalf of Rika, perhaps? The young Bakedanuki could only figure as much.

The yokai was not completely sure who Inteus was speaking about, but it sounded like any general secluded ayakashi or deity hermit of some sort. Izayuki recognized Oras’ questioning glance, and only shook her head with her arms crossed. “It’s not my choice to make. If you go, however, I might as well tag along,” the guild master replied. She was curious to know more about her guildmate’s soul and the chaotic nature of it, which seemed to be attractive to just about every yokai. However, she was not so keen on rushing head first into danger, and risking their lives. At least this time, she would not be the one responsible if anything went wrong, nor would Inteus. He was only presenting the young human with a choice.

The tiger ayakashi only nodded at Oras’ words, anticipating him to take the leaf of the enenra’s realm. He said nothing else, as there were no words, nor any cocky remarks, that needed to be said.



[285 / 6,379 // 10,000]

The tiger yokai only shrugged. “Whatever you say, kid,” he responded to the bit about having permission to kill him. Revenge was often petty, and he was quite certain that Izayuki would live through whatever was going to happen. Besides, Kemuira would kill no kid of his. Inteus nodded his head in response to the confirmation about utilizing the leaf of the Enenra’s realm. However, it did amuse him that the human would make demands when it came to his death. Painless, he requested. If he had truly done something wrong, that was a bit too much to expect. Fortunately, Inteus did not care either way.

“I already said I’d tag along,” the tanuki girl said, arms thrown up in a shrug before shooting a glance at the tiger. Huffing, the guild master turned and began walking towards the east, as he had instructed. With a flick of her tail, she gestured for Oras to follow. Seeing as he was not quick to take the lead, she suspected she might as well. However, Izayuki threw one last look over her shoulder at her father. “The next time we meet, I expect more answers. You’ll tell me what happened to mom, and where she is,” the Bakedanuki growled, crimson eyes blazing. Averting her gaze back to the horizon, she continued to walk, expecting Oras to follow.

Inteus’ smile broke for a split second while he gave a nod in response to Izayuki’s demand. Of course, the tanuki would have to find him first, or he would need reason to come to her. The wind would not necessarily help the two of them find each other next time. The circumstances would likely be different.



[283 / 6,662 // 10,000]

“You called, madame?” the tiger yokai stated satirically upon reaching the place where the chaos deity awaited him. He was wanting her attention and it seemed he had gotten it. She was wise to avoid the city, as making a scene there would result in many lives lost and a good deal of destruction. Why did they have any reason to destroy the home of their children if things got too wild? Powder blue eyes glinting, Inteus approached the field where she perched, a swagger in his strides. Upon reaching the human-shaped woman, the tiger yokai gave a satirical bow of one a gentlemen would give to a lady. Too bad she was not a lady.

The wind told him of her whereabouts. It knew his intentions and it served him well. Friends made for good company and also had many good uses. In his time, he had assisted the wind, and the wind assisted him. That was how camaraderie and friendships worked. “Why would the lovely goddess of happiness-- excuse me, the being of chaos-- seek audience with a humble feline~?” he asked with a toothy grin, his hands tracing down to his pockets. A white and black striped tail waved behind him in amusement. He was serious, of course, but he had a fun and entertaining way of showing it.

~~~

Izayuki walked in silence with Oras until the air was broken by his voice. She recognized the illusion of silence being used to keep their conversation private, but knew that the chances of it dodging more powerful ears was unlikely. Not that it mattered. One peek into her memories by any being with mind abilities or magic would tell her whole story. Torochi had exemplified that for her quite easily. “I’ve only met my father once before,” the Bakedanuki began, flicking her tail dismissively in response to his first statement. His questions did not offend her, nor did she deem them too nosy.

“He knows a lot about me, but I don’t know anything about him. He was captured and imprisoned before I was born, and remained that way for years after. Afterwards, there’s no telling what he did, other than do everything in his power to try to bring my mother back to his side,” Izayuki explained, her fists clenching as she talked about how she did not know what he did after imprisonment. She had been taken captive before on numerous occasions and thus knew the stress that came with the experience. However, his recklessness when it came to her mother was not something she so easily forgave.

She realized that she was not giving much information, but truthfully did not know where to start. She was not about to spill her whole life story, yet was willing to answer questions as they came. From there, others could begin to piece together the puzzle of her past if they so cared and dared. Naturally, there were some details she would wish to skim over due to the nature of them and how humans typically reacted. For the most part, however, she had learned to just live with what made up her history and built the present Izayuki a few individuals knew that day.


[539 / 7,201 // 10,000]

The Bakedanuki nodded in response. He had yet to ask a question that struck a nerve and she at least could hope that if he did ask more of a sensitive question, he would back off. Judging by his request for more, she assumed so. Besides, with as much as she had broken his walls and come to know him, she had least owed him a little bit of information on herself. “I loved my mother. But she died when I was a young pup, before I even knew that I was a youkai or could shapeshift,” Izayuki said as she continued to walk, her face not betraying much emotion.

His next question concerned what the tiger had done. It was a long story in itself, but one that Izayuki did not necessarily mind sharing with him. He had already seen her monstrous true form when they had both died in Nazo. There was no secret on that to be kept. “It’s a mixture of those, and a long story,” she replied, not really knowing where to begin. That was an open-ended question and required full context behind it. She did not know how to quite make him understand without going into detail on the full story. Even if she did hand out the full story, the Bakedanuki was not sure if he would comprehend it all. “When my mom passed, she used her spirit as a seal of protection on me, to shield the brunt of my memories from affecting me. I never knew until I was blind and imprisoned by Onmyoji-- youkai killers. Inteus came and removed my mother’s spirit, summoning it back to her soul.”

She doubted he was following. As such, she would pause her story just in case he had any questions or had heard enough. The world of Ayakashi and Yuurei were truly odd and often incomprehensible to the human mind. Really, she could explain her past to anyone, and there was a high chance that they would understand none of it. Fortunately, nobody cared or bothered to ask for such a story.

~~~

“You don’t appreciate my best attempts at formality? You break my heart~” the tiger said with a satirical pout, circling the woman curiously with his odd strides. Once more he cracked another toothy grin before continuing. “And what makes you think I’m wearing a mask? I don’t play pretend, my dear… that would be implying I’m not confident in who and what I am. And trust me-- I’m plenty confident.”

Puffing out his chest as he walked with his latest proud statement, the feline moved his hands from his pockets and crossed his arms comfortably. His words and actions were in joking, of course, but it was not unlike him to joke and jest. He enjoyed entertainment and made light of situations; it was much more fun that way. He saved seriousness and dull and drab demeanors for funerals unless he was allowed to put the ‘fun’ in funeral. Nevertheless, Inteus kept his powder blue eyes on the woman as he circled. Curiosity killed the cat of course, but fortunately, he did not consider himself the average cat.



[527 / 7,729 // 10,000]