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Spirit Bound: Bonus Story

The Love of Yoishi Takahashi: Part Seven

Now, as I recall, I had last told you of my meeting the Japanese Marten priestess, Kikyo-san. She was what we now call a Mage, though she objected to being called anything but a Fur who happened to have magic. I had travelled down to the village seeking advice on fighting Demons but found she had no experience whatsoever in that regard. I convinced her to try to learn a spell her former master left, one that removes the lingering demonic Taint in the environment, and she used it to cleanse a corrupted area of soil on the main road leading to Mount Ashitaka. We were now heading back to my sweet Daimyo Ohtori Kaoru's castle so I may treat my paw in the healer's workshop; I had foolishly grabbed a pawful of tainted soil, and it blew up in my face.

I led Kikyo-san through the gates and up to my shop without any of the guards so much as looking at me questioningly. The priestess obviously noted the deference in their behaviour but remained silent. Yuuto-kun, the small Shiba servant, was in my workshop carefully sweeping the floor. I looked about, calculating what I would need. "Yuu-kun, fetch a clean cutting board, knife, and my mortar and pestle." While he did that, I began pulling ingredients out. I turned around to retrieve the small vase of dried frog mucus before I noted it was already on the table.

Yuu-kun nervously asked, "You needed that, yes? I notice you always get that vase whenever you bring out the mukade." The Shiba and Marten both shivered in horror at the mention of the centipede. Mukade grow up to twenty centimetres, have black bodies, orange legs, and red heads, and are quite venomous. They also have a penchant for dropping on people in the dark, charging them when startled, and crawling into ears and noses at night. To further the horror, in Japan there appear Mukade Demons that can be as large as twelve metres and are reputed to be almost impossible to kill.

Even I had trouble concealing a shiver when I pulled one of the dead arthropods out of its case. I cut off a segment of the centipede, put the rest away, and ground it up quickly so I would not have to look at it. I nodded to the pup. "Yes. There is an element in the powder that tames the dark energy in the mukade, making it safer to use." I showed him the coarse powder in the mortar. "The powdered frog slime is very concentrated, so I only need one part of that to five parts of the mukade." I put the appropriate amount of the powder in and watched the Shiba stow the boxes I had finished with away. "I didn't realize you were paying that much attention." Both Kikyo-san and I surreptitiously watched the servant eye the other boxes I'd pulled out before fetching three others. He was right on two of them and off by only four spaces on the other. Considering there were hundreds of tiny boxes and vases in the room that was a remarkable feat, despite the fact these were the ones I most frequently used for healing salves. I smiled kindly. "I do need those two, but the bamboo shavings are only needed if I want the medication to be inhaled, whether through steam or smoke. This is a salve. Could you get the ashitaba roots? They're three rows down and one to the left." He fetched the correct box and set it on the table. "Thank you." The pup's curly tail wagged quickly.

Kikyo-san smiled kindly at him before asking me, "Are you teaching him? None of the rumours I heard said you were going to be staying."

I sighed and added a piece of the root to the growing powder. It was difficult trying to grind this with my left paw. "No, I'm not teaching him or staying. I hadn't realised he was picking this much up just by watching. I'll be gone before the daimyo's wedding; I...couldn't..." I hung my head, ashamed by the emotions bubbling up within me.

Fortunately, she did not ask me to elaborate. "I understand. You share a forbidden love, but you're both willing to forsake it for honour and duty. It's quite romantic." So many tales in both the Chinese and Japanese cultures agreed, but I did not feel the romance in the situation -- quite the opposite, in fact.

However, speaking of my sweet Otter seemed to summon him. The door slid open, and Kaoru-sama and his Salamander bodyguard, Hamataro-san, stood there. The radiant smile on the pale brown muzzle of my Otter faded. "I was pleased to hear you had returned, Yoishi-sensei, but I was unaware that you had company." He nodded to the priestess. "Good morning, Priestess Kikyo. I trust the day finds you well." He crooked a few of his fingers at Yuu-kun, signalling the servant to fetch tea. The Shiba darted around them and ran down the hall. Hamataro-san stepped to the right of the door and slid the rice paper frame closed.

Kikyo-san bowed deeply. "Good morning, Daimyo Ohtori. I am in good health, and it pleases me that you would care to enquire. I trust you are also in good health and spirits?"

Kaoru-sama nodded. "I am, thank you. What brings you to the castle if you do not seek healing? Is there trouble in the village or in my castle?"

The priestess met my eyes, and I nodded. She hung her head. "Yes, there is, my lord. I will need to see the former room of Ayama and the pyre again. The...cleansing didn't work. Takahashi-dono came to the village to ask me about Demons, but I had a problem to solve. Over the last few weeks an increasing number of rice stalks were appearing on the road, and over time they were forming a ring. The farmers became concerned and asked me to investigate. Takahashi-dono was curious and joined me. He discovered that the ring surrounded the location the..." She still seemed to have trouble believing she had actually seen_a Demon and its magic. Her voice carried deep dread as she uttered the next word, _"...Demon had stood and cast that horrific spell that consumed your samurai. When he touched the soil it...exploded like a Korean hwacha."_The Koreans had taken the idea of Chinese rockets and crafted launchers that would release dozens of explosives at a time to decimate an opposing army. Kaoru-sama looked worried but restrained himself from interrupting. "The soil was deeply tainted. Takahashi-dono convinced me to learn the most powerful cleansing spell my master left me, and I managed to cast it and removed the corruption. I...think what I did the last time I was here was insufficient, but I have no means to check. Takahashi-dono is the only one, outside of my master, that I know for certain who _can."

Now that she'd fallen silent, my darling little Otter darted over and carefully checked my paws. He gasped and raised his wide eyes to stare at me. "You are hurt! This looks terrible; you must be in most dire pain, Yoishi-kun!"

I could not withhold a chuckle and lifted my free left paw to press my crooked index finger to his chin. "I'll be fine, Sweet One." I gently kissed his lips. "I'm making a salve to treat my paw, and it'll be fully healed before you know it." I leant forward and tapped my wet nose against his dry and much warmer one. "Don't worry." I kissed him again and leant back, releasing him. He ducked his head and twitched his whiskers in pleased embarrassment. "On a separate note, before Yuu-kun gets back, I think he'd make a very good apprentice to whichever healer fills this post. He's already learned to anticipate me in several of my salves without me trying to teach him. There is a lot of potential in him; he'd need to learn how to read and write, first, though."

Kaoru-sama smiled sadly. "I do seem to be having difficulty acquiring and retaining healers. I have also had great luck with the loyalty and skill in the Canids around me. It was a dark day for my lands when Sergeant Kaito was taken from me. He was truly loyal and the best instructor my father had ever seen." He shook his head as if banishing the dark spectres of loss. "I will seek the counsel of my other advisors and inform the appropriate people. I assume you believe he has the intelligence to learn how to read and write; you should know that very few do, which is why it is typically reserved for the samurai and lords."

I snorted and shook my head. "He is more than capable. I've met many_very_ stupid samurai who managed to learn the basic kanji of Japanese writing, and many absolutely brilliant peasants who were never given the opportunity to try. Just because the circumstances of birth dictate the role we must play doesn't mean that the ability is lacking. Sakura-dono is a prime example: she was born as a noble lady and her role as a mother to the heirs of a noble family was set. This doesn't mean she lacks the ability to wield a sword or read and write, given the chance to learn. She's proven quite the opposite. Yuu-kun is much like you, Kaoru-sama: he has the personality of a scholar or artist. He would make a poor samurai or shinobi, but I think he has a sharp enough mind to make a wonderful healer, or actually fill almost any role requiring an intelligent Fur." Hamataro-san looked angry at my words, which might be construed to be insulting his lord, but he was obviously too afraid to say anything. Even Kikyo-san looked shocked and Kaoru-sama chastened. I grimaced. "It's the truth and a pretty evident one. You aren't a fighter, Sweet One, and I wouldn't change it." I met his eyes with tenderness in my gaze as I brushed the back of my fingers through his whiskers and across his cheek. "You are kind, gentle, caring, _very_pleasing to the eyes--"

Kikyo-san cut in. "Yes, Takahashi-dono, you like him for who he is." When I glanced over, she was hiding a smile. She found the situation quite titillating, as if she had walked into the middle of a minstrel's tale. Kaoru-sama also found my words pleasing, though for a much different reason.

I leaned in and kissed my lovely Otter once more. "If I must be so blunt, yes." I turned back to my half-finished salve. "It'll only take me a few minutes to finish this up, and then we can go look at Ayama's former room." I began adding more things to the growing mixture. I spoke over my shoulder to Kaoru-sama, "So, was there any particular reason you sought me out? You must've finished your paperwork early."

He fidgeted and twisted some tassels on his kimono. "I have..." He glanced over at the priestess, embarrassed. "You spend much time here, time you used to spend in the garden painting. I...wished to sit with you and have some tea even if you should be too busy to talk much." Kikyo-san's posture shifted as if she nearly swooned. My sweet Otter was too shy to say he missed me.

The door slid open and Yuu-kun walked in with a large tea set. I nodded to a bare spot on the table, and the Shiba laid it down and poured the tea. Kaoru-sama and Kikyo-san took their cups. I musingly inquired, "Now, where is the sulphur? That yellow, stinky powder should be here somewhere." I knew perfectly well where it was, of course.

Yuuto put the pot down and quickly moved to the shelves and ran his finger down a column. He stopped as soon as he saw the kanji the previous healer used to mark the box and pulled it out. Not only was he matching ingredient to ingredient and their location, but the symbols to the ingredient. Both Kaoru-sama and Kikyo-san noticed as well. The Shiba held the box out with his tail wagging behind him. He asked hopefully, "Is this it, Takahashi-s...dono?" He glanced over at the priestess when he switched honorifics; he noted she used a more respectful title and did not wish to appear to be outdone by a higher ranked individual.

I smiled kindly as I took the box. "That's the one. Thank you, Yuu-kun, and I do prefer to be addressed as 'sensei.' I just haven't taken the time to correct Kikyo-san, and really, even being called 'dono' is an improvement over 'shinigami.'" I slid open the box. "Can you measure out..." I quickly calculated how much I would need. "One _sai?"_That would be just less than two millilitres. I put the box down near him and turned partly away to make him think I was not watching.

The pup froze for a moment, thinking rapidly. He found the proper measuring tools and looked them over before hesitating over the correct one. He did take it and measured out a sai of the yellow powder, mimicking the way I levelled out my ingredients. Yuu-kun held it out for me. "H-Here, Takahashi-sensei."

The Shiba cringed a little when I turned to make a point of checking his work. "Perfect." I dropped it into a separate bowl and poured the contents of the mortar into it. "Now, a horse chestnut and the dewclaw of a crocodile." Both ingredients were tough enough that I could not grind them in a half-full mortar.

Yuuto was showing more confidence as he ducked around Kikyo-san, who was sitting at the far side of the table from me, and pulled out the box of crocodile claws. He held that in one paw as he climbed a stepladder to fish out a chestnut seed from a hanging basket. He jumped down and set the two objects down beside me.

I nodded approval and took out a tiny dewclaw from the box. "Well done. Could you please put all of these back?" I was pleased to note that his lord was very impressed by his work, as was I. I did not need to intervene _once_while I ground the last two ingredients and added them to the bowl. I poured in a measure of water, mixed it, and held the bowl in my paws as I focused my chi. My energy flowed into the gelatinous mixture and activated the latent magic within each ingredient. I carefully guided how they interacted and optimized the healing properties of the resulting salve, one crafted to remove any potentially lingering traces of the demonic Taint.

I opened my eyes to see Kikyo-san wave her paw and whisper a word. She stared at the bowl once she finished. "There's a lot of magic in there. Do you normally do this for healing salves, or is this one special?"

I smiled as I teased her. "Both." She glowered at me. "I normally do this for all my salves and potions, that's why they work so well, but I altered the normal recipe to add a cleansing element to it. Mukade isn't a normal ingredient for me, though I still use it far more often than most people...unless that person is making a poison. Few healers keep any on paw." I dabbed my left index pad into the thickening mix and began applying it to my right paw. "So, why can't that spell find Demon magic?"

The Marten shook her head. "I don't know. It doesn't see Fey or Kami magic, either; just Fur magic. There are separate spells for each type, and I don't have the ofuda for those." Magic: what a complicated and terribly cumbersome ability to have. It had the potential of surpassing manipulated chi, but if one had to spend a lifetime to gather the ofuda in order to fight one's stated foe, then how practical was it? These magic priests really should work more closely together in order to share knowledge. Kikyo-san continued, "There's a priest in Kofu that has the scrolls, but he wants some ofuda in exchange. The only one I had was the one I just used."

I knew that priest quite well, actually, as Kofu was the town surrounding my lord's castle. He performed the burial rites for my father and, once I found her remains, my mother. He knew I was a shinobi and an Ancient One. I was going to prepare a copy of the cleansing ofuda for him at some point, if he did not have it already, but this would be quite convenient. I do not know why, precisely, he collected them -- he was a chi-adept and not a magic user -- but it was likely for trades such as this. He may even be able to copy the ofuda for others as I planned on doing, which could make him a goodly sum of money and help the priesthood at the same time.

I paused as the wound on my paw began to smoke gently, though it pained me not at all. "Then, once the area has been cleansed, I'll prepare a copy of the spell you're using. In return, I want you to get some information I might be able to use to fight Demons and hold back a Kitsune. Would you be going to see him personally? I can write out a letter with some questions for him to answer, if not."

"I don't know. It depends on what happens here; the villagers are scared, and it looks like there is a lot of work to do in the castle, too. If the Demons might return, I should stay. There are always merchants travelling these roads who can carry a letter and make the exchange for me. Even they wouldn't cheat a priest."

That was an optimistic view of merchants, one I did not share, but it would cost me nothing. I nodded before turning to Yuu-kun, and held out my injured paw as I asked, "Could you get some bandages and wrap my paw up?" The Shiba grabbed the scraps of fabric and began winding it around my paw; I directed him in the best way to apply it once he began twisting the fabric up.

Kaoru-sama, Hamataro-san, Kikyo-san, and I were soon standing in the servants' quarters in front of Ayama's old room. As one of the most senior positions, this was a private room; most others shared a space with three to fourteen other servants. Granted, 'private' was debatable, as the walls were paper thin -- literally.

Even as we approached the room, I could feel the corruption. I channelled more chi to my paw and tapped a timber in the wall two doors down, and leapt back in surprise when there was a quick flare of light, a wisp of smoke, and a small 'bamph' noise similar to a tiny amount of loose gunpowder being lit.

Kaoru-sama stared at the smoke, and then me once the smoke faded. "But-But we are not at her former room! How is it that there is Taint here?"

I could hear the servants in the rooms nearby quail. Kikyo-san's response did not help allay their fear. "Taint spreads, Daimyo Ohtori. It corrupts and destroys and moves on to new targets. That's why Demons and those who work with them must be killed and cleansed."

I glanced sidelong at her. "That's true. Cleansing the area is very important." She had the decency to look ashamed. "I'm afraid this isn't going to be an easy job, Kikyo-san. I just wish I could get some information from this. What type of Demon? Its weaknesses, strengths, tactics. _Anything_would be more than what I have."

A Hamster servant approached from the other direction carrying a broom; she was the servant that I had caught Kagura-chan's brother having sex with when he was to be spying on me. She noticed the priestess and froze before bowing to Kaoru-sama. Kikyo-san nodded to her. "I need access to the room again."

The servant nodded, obviously fearful. "Yes, Priestess. I was going to sweep it, but I-I'll wait." She walked down the hall and pulled open the door for us. A thick miasma rolled out -- a deep putrescent green, approaching black in its depth -- and engulfed her, yet no one else seemed to see it. The stench and great dread it inspired informed me as to its nature.

I grabbed Kaoru-sama around his waist and tossed him over my shoulder before dashing away. "Everyone, move! Get out of there!" Hamataro-san and Kikyo-san swiftly joined me, and I could hear all the servants in the area bursting through the paper walls as they fled, avoiding the hallway.

Within the cloud, fully visible to all others, the flesh of the hamster began to bubble and split. She fell screaming to the floor, soaking the stone with rivers of blood as her skin began to slough off, revealing an iridescent green carapace. Large antenna burst from her brow, soon followed by giant mandibles from her muzzle. Her now useless teeth fell and clattered upon the stone before sticking in the expanding crimson pool.

Before our minds had even time to fully come to grips with this horror, the back of the demonic Beetle's carapace cracked open, and the wings beneath began to drone. The noise was...indescribable. It burrowed into one's ears, attacking all conscious thought and drowning it out with a single command -- kill.

I listened.

...But I overrode the beast's intent and chose my prey for myself. I dropped Kaoru-sama rump-first onto the stone and leapt forth with a tremendous howl, drawing forth all the chi I had at my disposal to form a protective shell of my own. As I passed into the miasma, brilliant flashes of light and noise blossomed at the edge of my aura where it burned the tainted air. I allowed my hindpaws to spend no time upon the stone beneath me as I sprinted the short distance between us, for each step may as well have been on a bomb for the explosion it created. Shards of stone flung from the shattering floor pierced the flimsy walls, and the thunderous booms drowned out both howl and drone. The Beetle was the one now surprised. I leapt at it, and my right hindpaw struck it solidly in the chest with enough force that the massive Demon was flung back a half-dozen paces. I flipped over in mid-air and sprang off the floor sideways so that I might bounce off the timber in the wall in case the Beetle had an attack to fling at me.

The Beetle did not attack as I had expected; instead, it crouched onto the floor with its thick wing-case closed. It appeared to be watching me closely as I moved unharmed through the cloud that created it; the giant glittering eyes took in every muscle twitch, and the antennae vibrated as I approached. Drops of ichor splashed onto the stone beneath it.

Behind me, Hamataro-san had drawn his katana and was dragging a protesting Kaoru-sama away as he yelled for more guards. After a short time, the Salamander gave up dragging and copied my earlier actions; he grabbed the Otter, flipped him over one shoulder, and ran. Kikyo-san stood frozen in pure horror.

Sounds of action swelled throughout the whole castle. Alarms gongs rang out atop the parapets, off duty samurai called for servants to help them don armour, and commanders yelled out orders, but not one scream of terror was heard. The servants and non-combatants either aided as they could or fled to designated posts in silence. Since I heard little movement coming this way, and as most such posts were their quarters, they must have fled to other spots, though the continual sound of explosions coming from my beneath my hindpaws and the violent interaction of my chi and the demonic miasma drowned out much.

I soon learned why the Beetle Demon had stopped -- it was not finished growing. I was almost on top of it when it shuddered and flung its wings open with the noise of a cicada swarm. The gust of wind halted my forward progress, peppering me with the shrapnel from the explosions beneath me. The Demon's body grew to fill the hallway, the wings spread to brush the back walls of the surrounding rooms, and the antennae moved down to just above its large mandibles and grew together to form the larger front horn of a rhinoceros beetle. Its colour, too, changed and became the dark reddish-brown common to the rhinoceros beetle. I flipped back a few times to give myself time to think, noting as I did so that the Taint was far weaker in the area I had passed over. The stone no longer exploded as I stepped upon it, though it still created great heat and light.

The...Kabutomushi Demon, now, did what I feared. It charged. The forward horn was a good metre long, and the Demon had the strength of its normal kin scaled up to size. I leapt up into the rafters, and the monstrosity thundered beneath me, directly toward the frozen Kikyo-san. This served to wake her from her dread; she screamed piercingly and leapt aside. The staff in her paw jangled loudly; the noise nearly made me lose control of my chi and my balance, but I fared better than the Demon. It staggered as if drunk, smashing through three large wooden posts without so much as a hitch in its momentum, and attempted to flee. It turned sharply to the left, away from Kikyo-san, and began to run toward the training courtyard.

I gave chase. Sticking to the shinobi highway in the rafters, I followed as close as I dared. Timbers, masonry, and the odd hapless Fur who lacked the sense to flee to the sides were crushed and flung aside by the unstoppable juggernaut, frequently into my path. The Demon was fast; even without the debris to hinder my progress, I would have to go full out to overtake and pass it; as it was I merely kept pace. In seconds, it smashed through the outer wall and into the courtyard. I dropped to the floor and followed.

All told, from the first cry of warning to my comrades till now, it had been a mere dozen seconds. There were the first few horrified ones when the servant Turned and several more in pursuit, but it had all been so sudden, so abrupt, that the castle had no time to even determine the nature of the threat. The courtyard was full of the ashigaru trainees -- the common soldier of the Japanese -- who had been in the middle of their lessons with Kaoru-sama's Macaque bodyguard. Tetsuo-sensei had time to don his daisho, but he still held a naginata in his hand. The spear had a katana blade at its end and measured a good two metres in length. The naginata was the favoured spear of the samurai, and arguably the second most popular weapon after the katana.

I called out to him, "Kaoru is with Hamataro and going someplace safe!"

Tetsuo-san nodded and yelled, "Ashigaru! Box the courtyard! Keep it here! Use your reach!" The young ashigaru ran along the edge of the courtyard, spacing themselves out to provide maximum coverage. I could hear the sentries on the wall relaying the information farther along the wall; soon the entire castle would descend on the Demon, if we could keep it contained.

The Demon paused in the centre of the courtyard and turned around in a circle; its six legs thudded heavily on the stone, and the hooks at their ends scratched deep gouges as it rotated. It was obviously sizing everything and everyone up. It rose up onto its last pair of legs again. "Ohtori."

Sakura-dono walked out of the castle in full samurai armour; the bright red lacquer threatened to overwhelm the soft brown of her fur, but the fury in her eyes dwarfed them both. "You have found the Ohtori, Demon, to your detriment." She drew her katana and pointed it at the Kabutomushi. "You will die today in the stronghold of your enemy." Yukiko-san looked less than pleased at the bravery of her mistress; she looked positively incensed, in fact. The ashigaru were another matter, as were all samurai present, including Tetsuo-san.

The Demon chittered in what sounded like laughter. "Ohtori. Other. Ohtori."

The yari -- common spears used by the ashigaru -- would be useless against this armoured monstrosity unless the Fates themselves guided the weapon to a chink in its armour. A katana might be able to harm one of its legs, but the naginata Tetsuo-san wielded was the best weapon for this foe, or perhaps better yet would be an Oni wielding a kanabo.

The Kabutomushi Demon dropped down and lowered its horn toward Sakura. She gripped her katana in both paws and crouched slightly, ready to leap aside or charge. Before either could attack, I moved. I did not wish for this thing to escape the courtyard, and once it was at full speed it would be far too difficult to stop. I darted forth with my paws encased in Hades' flames.

The Demon's wing case cracked open once and those wings began to hum their infernal song. *Kill.* The ashigaru began to turn toward one another, weapons ready to strike. Sakura-dono wavered and looked behind her to her most trusted handmaiden; the sudden fear in the Snow Leopard's eyes cut deeply and stirred the memories of Tai Lung. His master's eyes bore the same fear the night he was murdered.

Tai Lung woke. "Demon!" I placed the heels of my paws together, with the palms facing the nightmarish entity, and shot a ball of Soul Fire sheathed chi at it. The monster merely turned so the Fire splashed harmlessly over its horn and wing case. The wings barely ceased droning. I leapt high into the air and called upon the techniques I had learned a millennium ago.

First to drown out the wings if I could not silence them. I gathered my chi and utilized the Shout of the Celestial Dragon. To my sight, it appeared as if I spewed forth a torrent of fine jade dust, but I knew that it was only in the ethereal that such things could be seen. The Demon was too fast and closed its wing case before the burst struck it. The shout staggered it momentarily, and the force spread out, banishing the effects of the Demon's drone; the dust lingered in the air and would serve to diminish any further attacks of that nature.

With my comrades spared, I focused all of my attention upon the Demon. It must be destroyed. Still in mid-air, I flipped over and stooped like a striking hawk. The Demon did not seek to avoid my strike, but instead appeared to brace itself by placing all six legs beneath itself and tilting its head so the large horns pointed upward. It was fortunate I was not aiming for its head, but at the join of the wing cases and the body. I gathered chi to my paws and prepared to create a spear of chi upon the moment of impact, to drive it in the weak point of its armour.

It was to my misfortune that it decided where I was to strike. Just as I neared my target, the Kabutomushi scuttled back so its large horn was directly in my path. I could not alter my trajectory, so I grabbed the smaller back horn with both paws and flipped my body over. That put its largest horn in the path of my groin. Most unpleasant. I swiftly twisted, put a hindpaw on its horn, and suddenly found myself flung aside with far greater force than when I was struck by the Oni. The Demon, noting it had failed to impale me, had thrown me aside in the hope of splattering me upon the walls of the castle.

It was then that Tetsuo-san struck. At the very moment I dodged the first horn, he had run forward with his naginata raised high. As the Demon twisted its head to throw me, he swung down using the full length of the staff to give greatest leverage, and the blade struck true -- right between the wing cases and into the abdomen. A huge gout of ichor spewed forth, but the Macaque drew his wakizashi in such a way that it sliced his sash apart, and he flung his outer coat off, catching the spray. He scooped up his katana off the stones and flicked it to send the scabbard flying across the yard.

I, meantime, called upon another forgotten art:Flight of the Dragon. It took great quantities of rapidly diminishing chi, but rather than using it to create a cushion and slow my momentum as I did against the Oni, I focused it into a narrow band like the 'wings' of a Sugar Glider. I tilted my body and let the wind catch this emission of chi and found myself rocketing up into the sky. I surpassed the great height of my lover's castle before I could adjust my flight and turn around.

Tetsuo-san, holding his katana in his left hand, swung at the Demon's leg, and when the terror turned to face this new threat and dodge his attack, the Macaque stabbed at its eye with his wakizashi. The Kabutomushi was taken greatly by surprise and scuttled sideways with little control. Tetsuo-san pressed his advantage and chased the Demon with swift and shockingly precise slashes at the joints in its legs so it never had an opportunity to fully regain its balance or turn.

Sakura-dono and Yukiko-san now made an appearance. The Snow Leopard launched a barrage of thrown daggers at the Demon's face; it was unbalanced and unable to react swiftly, but it managed to deflect all of the knives aimed at its eyes. Two daggers slipped past its mandibles and cut at its delicate mouth parts. Sakura-chan had moved around it and struck at its rear leg from the side opposite Tetsuo-san. The Beetle was forced to raise that leg and attempt to parry her attacks like it was a sword. The tough armour protected the leg sufficiently so that it was not sliced off, but the thick covering began to crack. Far above, I stooped at the beast once more, with far greater speed and force.

Then it countered. The non-demonic kabutomushi have long had a connection in lore with lightning, and the Demon variant showed why. Its largest horn, the forward one, began to glow, and crackles of reddish energy danced along its metre length. In a tiny fraction of a second, the crackles became arcs that bounced across its entire helmet, but primarily back to its secondary horn.

Still dodging Tetsuo-san and forced to now face Sakura-dono on the opposite side, the Beetle dropped flat to the stone, immobile, and sent the arcs of energy back along its wing cases. The two swordsmen were forced to leap back lest they be struck by the dancing bolts. When the first bolt struck the naginata still stuck within its body, the wooden haft exploded, and the metal blade flew violently back.

The Demon rose once more onto its six legs and whirled to face Tetsuo-san; the arcs of tainted lightning grew deeper and more frequent. It appeared to have forgotten me or assumed I had died, but I drew close and prepared to remind it most forcefully of my presence. I altered my chi with a technique called Scales of Shenlung, and struck at the join of the wing cases. The technique redirected all force of the impact from my arms back into the Demon, both protecting me and doubling the damage, and as I flipped over the horn, the electricity was drawn to me. The energy danced harmlessly over my body, which was the reason the technique was named after the Storm Dragon. The Kabutomushi's forward legs collapsed from the force of the impact, and its wing cases fell off, exposing the softer body beneath. I landed facing the Kabutomushi and swiftly struck at its eyes. The beast was in great pain but reacted swiftly, turning its head enough that my blows bounced harmlessly off its nigh-impenetrable helm. An arc of energy bounced from its horn to its unprotected wings, searing them, and the Demon quickly stopped radiating its foul lightning. It scuttled back, forcing Sakura-dono to leap aside, and shrieked in pain and fury.

I flicked my arms down and outward, letting the reddish electricity flow over them and bounce off my claws to the stone beneath. I strode forward toward my prey, allowing my flow of chi to return to normal. The fight needed to end soon or I would be forced to see how well I'd wrought when making my chi-lozenges. Tetsuo-san moved to my left, preparing to strike at its unprotected flank.

The Demon had had enough. It knew when it was beaten, and it sought to flee. It jumped up a half dozen metres and began to flap its wings. It hovered for a moment to get its equilibrium -- being a terrible flyer -- and turned toward Mount Ashitaka.

Tetsuo-san raised his katana high. "Archers!_Bring that thing _down!" The sound of bows being drawn echoed over the walls as scores of archers answered his orders. The Demon was having none of that, and a great ball of electricity grew between its six legs; the arcs of energy from it seemed to be drawn toward the mortals facing it.

I rolled to where Yukiko-san's throwing knives had fallen to the ground and hurled them at the muscles of its wings. The Demon did not expect an attack from behind, and the knives thudded solidly into their intended targets. My prey screamed in surprise and pain as its wing muscles were severed. It crashed back to the stones and unleashed one final scream when Sakura-dono and Tetsuo-san drove their katana up under the edge of its helm and into its brain. The great monstrosity quivered once and went still.

I sagged to one knee as the battlements and courtyard filled with cheers of triumph. The cheers were short lived. A servant jumped from a tower high above, shedding her -- its -- flesh as it fell. A new Kabutomushi Demon arrived, and it grew to a size far greater than the last. 'Mother' was here to avenge its spawn.

The monstrosity landed with the sound of an earthquake, and the impact knocked many down. The Demon stepped out of the holes its legs made in the stone and surveyed us in apparent impassivity. I ate one of my lozenges as I studied it in turn. It was a deep -- almost black -- mahogany and stood three metres high and five long. That did not include its horn, which was two metres in length. I could sense Taint radiating powerfully from under its wings like bags of concentrated Demon essence; these may be the trap that the unfortunate Hamster sprung. In that case...there could be dozens more Kabutomushi Demons forming inside the castle right now.

Tai Lung was having none of that. I sprang to my hindpaws and charged yelling in Chinese, <<For the dragon!>>

Sakura-dono, Tetsuo-san, and even a yari-wielding Yukiko-san yelled, "Honour to the Ohtori!" as they ran at it from three other directions. The Demon's multifaceted eyes saw us all. It flicked one leg out at Sakura-dono, catching her lengthwise across the body, and sent her flying onto the roof of the barracks. She cracked the tiles on impact and lay there motionless. Yukiko-san stopped out of reach of its legs, but the Demon was completely unconcerned by her. The spear was as threatening as a piece of straw and skidded harmlessly over its heavily armoured body. When it struck at Tetsuo-san, the Macaque crossed his blades and lowered them to catch the leg as it rose. In a supreme display of training, he kept his stance as he was lifted, but before the Demon could throw him he flipped up and around, slashing mightily at a joint of its leg. He drew a thin line of ichor from the wound; it penetrated, perhaps, a couple of centimetres. He continued his rotation to cut at the same spot with his wakizashi, and deepened the gash imperceptibly. The Demon's middle leg flicked out with blinding speed and hit the Macaque; he tumbled past me and came to rest by the gaping hole in the castle wall.

While he yet tumbled, the beast sought to end me. The Demon's horn flared with red energy, and a metre-wide ball of electricity zipped toward me. It took no time to charge or prepare. I called upon the Scales of Shenlung and braced myself to catch the attack; if I dodged it would hit Tetsuo-san and may kill many more within the building. It struck me with the force of a charging bull. I kept my stance but found myself pushed backwards. I directed all the demonic energy I could to the stone beneath me as I slid through the hole and into the castle. A deep scar lay etched into the stone from the redirected lightning, and shreds of scorched bandages fell from my right paw. The pads on both paws were now burnt and bleeding.

We were doomed. Or at least the castle was. I _might_be able to bring it down if I cared not for collateral damage, but it would be nigh on impossible if I sought to save the lives of any around me. If I caught any more attacks like the last, I would deplete my restored chi in two blasts.

The Demon did not pause to see how I fared but instead dug its horn into the stone and spun. A wave of stone flew out around it in a great circle, killing or wounding every ashigaru in the courtyard and many upon the walls. Yukiko-san avoided the barrage by using her spear to vault upon the back of the Kabutomushi, but a minor flicker of its wing case dislodged her and sent her soaring over the outer wall of the castle.

A faint hiss of metal upon metal from beside me drew my attention to Kikyo-san. The priestess crouched behind some broken barrels of pickled radish and spun a ring on her staff as she worked through a spell. It had better be a god-like one if she hoped to stop this thing. She looked up at me in surprise. "Perfect!" She reached for my paw. "I need you to do that thing to my staff again."

I drew my paw away in vexation. "Cleansing it won't do a thing. We need to kill it."

She growled at me. "I know, shinigami... or perhaps the elder was right to call you child of Ryujin, but I think I can cast this spell with your help. It's the most powerful spell my master taught me. I need you to bless my staff and then go out there and distract it. It'll take some time to cast, but it'll be worth it."

The Demon looked like it was about to start wading through the castle. "Fine." I grabbed the rings with both paws, hiding a wince from the pain, and channelled over half of my remaining chi into it. I popped a second lozenge into my mouth and muttered, "You better be right." I chewed and swallowed the second lozenge, then saw five tiny Kami run into the kitchen from the hallway carrying pebbles. I dearly hoped they did not plan on attacking this thing.

The Kami were shaped like tiny rodents made out of stone or rice stalks. One of them came up to me and raised her pebble. I lowered my paw, and she climbed on before placing the pebble in my palm. She lifted her tiny, mouse-like head and twitched her whiskers. "Weapon! Use against evil!" The other four scurried forward crying, "Weapon! Weapon!" and placed the pebbles by the first. The first Kami wrapped her tail around one of my fingers and pointed at her mouth. "Evil eat weapon!" Now how in all the hells was I supposed to accomplish that!? "Weapon smell like Kami. Yum, yum! Trick evil. Kami smart!" I could sense that some of my chi and blood lay in the middle of each pebble. That must be why they'd gathered my blood from the road earlier.

I stared in a measure of disbelief at the small nature spirit. "I...thank you, Kami. I'll try to kill this thing. Run and hide somewhere safe, now." The five ran off just as the second lozenge began to take effect. As my chi replenished, I could feel my body shaking from all of the caffeine, and Tai Lung fell silent within me. The Kami faded back into indistinct swirls. I slipped the stones into my sash.

Kikyo-san spun one of the rings on her staff and began tapping her fingers. "I...think I'm ready. Get going before anyone else dies."

I struggled to maintain control of my chi with that horrendous racket from her staff, but I still hid my presence and darted forth. It was almost as difficult to ignore the jitters caused by my medication. I rolled under the Demon, rose into a pawstand -- leaving bloody pawprints on the stone -- and struck upward with all my might. The armour was much thinner here, and my double-kick cracked the carapace as well as knocked the Demon off its front two legs. I quickly rolled out from beneath it before it could drop onto the stones and squash me.

Kikyo-san stepped out into the courtyard, staff held before her. She spun the first ring. "Guardian of the West Gate." She whirled her staff and began her casting-dance. "Metal claws spring forth. Baihu, the White Tiger, rend my foe." The western wall began to hum.

The Demon did not seem to notice and instead focused on destroying me. It did drop as I expected, but then great streams of electricity ran down over its full length. I rolled back, but the Kabutomushi spread its wings wide. The energy did not hurt the transparent membranes as it had the spawn, but instead ran along its wings and arced out in dancing bolts over a great area. I was forced to continue rolling back to evade.

The second ring spun, multiplying the noise they made tenfold. "Guardian of the East Gate." The lightning dancing over the Demon flickered and nearly ceased. "Wooden coils spin 'round." The Demon stood. "Qing Lung, the Azure Dragon, trap my foe." All four walls now hummed.

The Kabutomushi now ignored me and began looking for her. I was off to Kikyo-san's left and saw the leg Tetsuo-san had injured. I took my chance and sheathed my paws once more in Timeus's Soul Fire. I dashed to its hurt leg, grasped it with both paws, and forced the ethereal flames into the wound. Without the nigh-indestructible carapace to protect it, the fire did its work; the leg began to creak and flail as it burnt from the inside out. The same noise that accompanied the destruction of the Oni -- shrieks similar to those of tormented souls -- came from within the great Demon's leg. The noise had no escape, except from for the crack in its armour, and from there they escaped as steam escapes a kettle. The piercing noise drowned out the staff.

That was until the third ring spun. "Guardian of the North Gate." The sound, rivalling the fiercest of tempests, drove the Demon mad, and I could not blame it. It rose onto its rear legs and tore off the leg I had ignited. It threw the limb at me and charged toward Kikyo-san, screaming. The priestess danced on heedless of the danger and chanted, "Water rise in torrents. Xuanwu, the Black Tortoise, drown my foe." The ground beneath my hindpaws began to buck and heave as if the wrath of the Great Carp had set out to sink all of Japan.

I had to stop the Demon before it reached Kikyo-san. I stepped through the Veil and ran past the Demon to stand before the dancing Marten. Reappearing in the mortal realm, I drew out two of the pebbles and hurled them at the clacking mandibles in desperation. The Demon almost seemed unaware of them, yet snapped them up and continued forward.

The fourth ring spun.

The Kami weapons unleashed their power.

The Demon froze in place as the sound of muffled explosions came from its stomach, but the noise was lost under that of the rings. It fell to all five legs and vomited forth a geyser of ichor and bile. It shook and rocked back and forth as the rings spun with the noise of Mount Fuji erupting. "Guardian of the South Gate." I, too, fell. I could not control my chi, not even in subconscious thought. My limbs would not respond, and my heart began to beat out of tempo. "Fire fall in fury. Zhuque, the Vermillion Bird, burn my foe." Now, the very air shook.

Her finger rose in agonizing slowness as I tried to reach out in a plea for mercy. She tapped the fifth ring and it, too, spun. Stillness fell upon the Earth. Her voice drifted through unnatural silence. "Guardians assembled, flanking the centre. Emptiness gathers all. Void, consume my foe." In the realm of spirits I could see tentacles, great limbs of the kraken, appear from all directions and grasp the mother Kabutomushi. They pulled it farther from the realm of mortals toward what may have been the mouth of some nameless, unidentifiable being. Some...thing older than the eldest god. The Demon was gone, consumed by the emptiness of the centre.

I dropped my head to the cold stones below me and closed my eyes. The silence. The sweet, sweet, silence. My heart resumed its steady lub-dub, my chi resumed flowing about my body as I willed, and I yet lived. Then, of course, Kikyo-san had to fall over and drop that despicable staff.

That was not the only noise, even if it was the most vexing, for approaching the courtyard was the sound of many hindpaws -- more samurai were arriving to reinforce those who yet lived...or should they be traitors, they would be arriving to slay those who yet lived. I must present myself as unharmed and capable of anything.

I stood and surveyed the courtyard. Kikyo-san laid sprawled face-first on the stones with her staff two paces away. Tetsuo-san slouched in a crumpled heap against the castle wall near the hole. All of the trainee ashigaru were half-buried in the stones of the courtyard, many of whom were certainly dead. Up on the castle walls the surviving samurai were moving about with purpose, providing first aid to their comrades and gathering servants to bring the dead outside of the castle. Then, atop the roof of the barracks, there was the still form of Sakura-dono.

My knees shivered violently, almost spilling me upon the stones once more, but I locked them and stiffly staggered to Kikyo-san. If I could rouse her then I would have another person able to provide emergency treatment for the wounded. I used my katana's scabbard as a prop and eased myself down to kneel beside her, ignoring the pain in my paws. She was in grave danger; she had used all but a trace of her energy, leaving her unconscious. I do not think I had ever depleted myself as thoroughly as she did, though I obviously had no means of making a comparison, but if I could somehow keep her alive then she would eventually recover. Regardless, she could not help at the moment.

Five samurai cautiously entered the room behind her, swords drawn. I raised my head and met the eyes of the closest one. The Himalayan Cat puffed up in fear, stepping back, but I cared not. I said, "The Demons are dead. Get the servants out here to start cleaning up, and pass the word that no one is to open any doors or go into unoccupied areas. There may be demonic traps scattered throughout the castle." The samurai recoiled in terror. "Send someone to fetch Yuuto in my workshop; tell him to bring any salves I have up there with him." I pointed at two of the samurai before they could move. "You two take Kikyo-san up to a room near my workshop. Take her staff with you." I pointed at the other two. "You, find some way to get onto the roof of the barracks. Sakura-dono is up there, and she's injured." My paws shook as I braced myself on the scabbard, and pain lanced through my joints when I forced myself to my hindpaws. The lozenges were effective, but the side effects were most unpleasant.

I moved to Tetsuo-san, unobtrusively watching the samurai remove Kikyo-san. Her bearers were most careful with her. Tetsuo-san had numerous scrapes and cuts all over him -- he had rolled over very sharp debris -- but they were minor. He broke his left arm in two places, as well as two of his small ribs, and he bled internally, albeit slowly. The greatest concern, however, was a major concussion and some more bleeding in his brain. I channelled my chi and applied some temporary 'patches' over the internal wounds; I would need to craft some potions to properly treat them, and it would be foolish to waste chi unnecessarily prior to that by making more substantial patches.

The shaking and pain caused me to take far longer at that than I expected, and by the time I had finished the normally simple task, Yuu-kun stood beside me. Over two dozen servants were also moving about the courtyard, digging out the injured and the dead. The pup had a satchel stuffed full of bandages, stitching thread, and three vials of salve. He even had two flasks of water and a small bowl for washing. Kitchen duty was truly wasted on him.

He went to pass me the salve, but I shook my head. "Wash your paws; you'll be doing most of the work." I glanced at my own visibly shaking ones. "I can't handle anything so delicate at the moment." He gulped and nodded before setting the bowl down and doing as I asked. "Did you bring any splints?"

The Shiba flinched. "No, Takahashi-sensei; I had no more room, and I dared not delay to find any. I asked another servant to find some and bring them to you."

"That's fine. There should be a lot of kindling that should suffice in the kitchen." I raised my head and looked at a servant that had just stepped into the room beyond the hole in the wall. "You, fetch some bamboo or wood that'd work for splints. We'll have a lot of broken bones to set." The young Pig nodded and dashed off; between two servants working on that task, I should get some quickly. At least he didn't try to pass off the staves from the broken barrels of pickled radish as splints...though if it came down to it, they would work, despite their aroma. I set the bones in Tetsuo-san's arm and laid it down as carefully I could.

I, with Yuu-kun's help, went about the courtyard directing the servants in helping the injured ashigaru, though I limited myself to diagnosis. The worst ones -- the ones that could be saved, at least -- I personally directed my assistant in stitching, applying the salves, bandaging, and setting bones. Four veteran samurai were also assisting, though many would deem helping peasants below their station, by directing me to the wounded that needed my aid the most but could still be saved. As time went on, they even began helping the servants provide emergency treatment. It took almost fifteen minutes before Sakura-dono was finally rescued from the rooftop.

She regained consciousness minutes prior to her rescue, but she remained in great pain. She was fortunate, however. She was a mass of bruises, but nothing was broken. She had a concussion, too, but it was not as grave as Tetsuo-san's. The way the leg of the Kabutomushi caught her meant the force of the blow had spread almost perfectly evenly across the length of her torso -- from groin to shoulder -- rather than across the width like Tetsuo-san. The potion I planned to make for him would work for her as well, and it would see her back to normal in less than a week.

The Otter's tone spoke of her gratitude when I gave her my diagnosis. "Oh, that is marvellous. I trust Jinta-san will recover as swiftly, other than his broken bones. How soon will you be finished down here? I worry for him." She looked around, noting the numerous wounded. "I worry for many, and grieve for those lost." I noted she did not demand I stop treating the ashigaru to aid her or Tetsuo-san, though I knew she was in great pain. I also noted that many servants and soldiers made the same observation. She uttered not a single complaint and carried herself as normally as she could.

"I don't know. I believe the worst of the wounded have been brought to me; these samurai have even 'stooped' so far as to provide first aid and saved me lots of time. I commend them and hope Kaoru-sama does, as well."

Yukiko-san called out from the doorway to the courtyard, "My lady!" The Snow Leopard used the spear she had wielded as a prop to keep herself upright. She sighed when she caught sight of the young Otter and began hobbling toward us. "My lady, you're unharmed!"

Sakura-dono looked around again. "I am in better health than most of those who faced the Demons, but I will require the care of my sensei. I was just about to enquire about you; I was unconscious until just recently. Where had you gone?"

Yukiko-san looked shamed as if her master had accused her of dereliction of duty or cowardice. I answered for her. "The Demon threw her over the walls seconds after you were knocked out. I'm surprised she's in as good condition as she appears." She probably broke her fall the same way I had when the Oni knocked me into the rice fields.

Sakura-dono nodded. "I assumed such must be the case; Yukiko has earned my trust many times over." She tipped her head to her handmaid and teased...one of us, I am not sure which. "It pleases me greatly that you managed to surprise the shinigami."

Yukiko-san overlooked the teasing and came to a stop by us. I began examining her as she said, "Where is the mother Kabutomushi?" Sakura-dono looked at me expectantly, as well.

"Gone. Kikyo-san used a spell that cast it into the Void." I shivered mightily, though I know not how much of that was memory of the tentacles or the effects of my medication. "You weren't here, but I told the samurai and servants to pass around a warning. The mother Kabutomushi had what seemed like bags of concentrated Demon Taint on it -- likely the same type of thing that turned one of the servants into the small Demon." I pointed at the 'small' Kabutomushi still lying in the courtyard. "She could have placed many more of those anywhere in the castle. Don't open any doors or go anywhere someone else hasn't been after the fight. Oh, and Yukiko-san, you'll be fine as long as you take it easy for a bit. You have quite a few bruises, including one in the muscles of your left thigh, but nothing serious. It'll hurt to walk while it heals, and you won't be able to run or jump till then." I wavered a little and had to brace myself up with my scabbarded katana. I was most grateful my healing salve numbed pain or using the scabbard as a cane would be excruciating with my injured paws.

Both ladies were watching me in concern; the shaking of my bandaged paws was most difficult to miss. Sakura-dono opened her mouth but obviously changed what she was going to say. "I assume you will tell us that only you are able to check for these bags of Taint, unless that is what Kikyo-san is doing right now. If the former is the case, then I believe we must do that now. We cannot risk you becoming bedridden for weeks while over half of the castle is closed to us. With this many injured, we cannot have people sleeping out of doors or in cramped quarters. Disease may take more lives than the Demons. Leave...Yuuto, I believe his name is, behind to continue treating the injured while we assist you."

I nodded; she was right, though I also had other duties to fulfil. A potion for Tetsuo-san and something for Kikyo-san were high on that list. The Macaque had been splinted and sent up to a room near my workshop to wait for me, already. I turned to the small Shiba; he was carefully applying salve to a deep cut and looked to be preparing to stitch the wound closed. He had most certainly heard everything we said. "Yuu-kun, Sakura-dono is right. I need to clear the castle while I still can. When you finish here, I'll need your help in the workshop." I turned to the door of the barracks -- they could be cleared quickly and would be a good place for the ashigaru to rest -- and nearly tipped over. Sakura-dono and Yukiko-san both caught me. My pride would not allow me to walk about the entirety of my lover's castle supported by them. It would be best to take the least humiliating option. "I need a cane." They helped me onward while a servant went to fetch one.

It took almost two hours for me to fully traverse the building, and the side effects of the medication hadn't abated yet. The potion -- or rather potions -- I needed to craft for Sakura-dono and Tetsuo-san would have to wait until after the one I needed for Kikyo-san, but I did not know how to make something for her. I pondered that dilemma the entire time I walked. I was informed shortly after I entered the main structure of the castle that Kaoru-sama waited for me by my workshop, and that he had been notified of my current activity.

Thus, it was with great consternation and relief that my sweet Otter dashed over and flung himself into me when I entered the corridor containing my workshop, leaving behind an uncomfortable Hamataro-san. "Yoishi! I grew most worried when it took you so long to appear! My castle is not so great that it should take that length of time to walk about it." He noticed the tremors wracking my body, though I took pains to hide the discomfort caused by his tight embrace. He released me to step back and stare wide-eyed. "You shake most violently, Yoishi-kun. Are you unwell? Both your paws are now hurt? You must rest!"

Yuu-kun walked out of the room next to my workshop at this time, sparking an idea. I may use the bamboo chips to make an inhaled potion similar to my lozenges for Kikyo-san. The extra side-effects would be negligible when compared to saving her life. The Shiba opened his mouth to say something but closed it again. He lowered his head deferentially.

I held my paw up to stop Kaoru-sama from continuing. "Yes, Yuu-kun?" He was about to speak again, but froze when his lord jumped and turned around in surprise. "I assume this is about Tetsuo-san or Kikyo-san, so that is worth interrupting us."

Kaoru-sama nodded. "Kikyo-san is in that room. Yes, please, the care of patients must come first, though I fear we may have to count our healer amongst that number."

The Shiba did not like all the attention directed at him but still spoke in a clear voice. "She is fading, Daimyo."

Sakura-dono nodded. "Then we must check this last hallway and let the healer work." She looked at her older brother. "I do not know how much you have heard, but I will tell you what I know in the western sitting room. We have much to work on. It is unfortunate Jinta cannot give his advice, but we may still consult with your chamberlain." She was obviously thinking of the repairs needed for the castle as well as finding out how much food was destroyed by the combat.

Kaoru-sama looked at me remorsefully as he answered his sister. "We cannot lose our priest on top of our healers, nor can we afford to have Jinta laid up for weeks. But neither can we lose Yoishi-sensei for a like period of time." He put his arm around my waist and helped me walk along the corridor toward the stairs by the western sitting room. "I think we may no longer delay sending word to the neighbouring daimyo, Sakura." He held up a paw to forestall an argument. "I know you disapproved, as did Jinta and my other advisors, but that was before two Demons infiltrated the castle, destroyed my training courtyard, killed many of my ashigaru, and nearly killed my best samurai. That is on top of you, Yukiko, Kikyo, and Yoishi. I count all four of you as valuable as Jinta -- though Yukiko is your handmaiden -- but the daimyo will weigh Jinta's life far more valuable, and thus give his near-defeat more attention. We may appear more vulnerable, but the risk this poses will cause them to be more cautious in the deployment of their troops. We may even delay war by a few seasons, if not years."

I stopped by Yuu-kun and my workshop just as Kaoru-sama finished speaking. "I need you to set up the following ingredients," I rattled through a list but made sure to clearly enunciate and give him time to process each one. "And put some water on the boil."

Yuu-kun nodded. "The bamboo chips and the water means this is going to be a-an inhaled medicine? Steam?" I smiled as I confirmed his guess.

Yukiko-san glanced at me from her spot beside her mistress. "You seem to gather students, Takahashi-sensei, despite your claims about being a temporary guest." The small Shiba's ears turned coral pink, and he ducked his head. I waved him off, and the servant scuttled away for the safety of my shop.

Sakura-dono watched him thoughtfully as we resumed our slow walk down the hallway, now joined by the silent Salamander. "There would be little the servant could learn of value in the short time Sensei will be here, unless he revokes his promise of leaving before my brother's wedding."

Both Kaoru-sama and I flinched. My sweet Otter's arm tightened around my waist, so I gently rubbed his shoulder with my wrist as I answered, "No, I couldn't stay... I-I'll be gone before then." I took a deep breath to still the quaver in my voice. "He isn't my student; he's learning just by watching. I've already mentioned this to Kaoru-sama, but I think he should be trained by whoever the next healer is. He has the intelligence and temperament to make a great healer. He may even have the will to become a chi-adept and learn to craft potions to rival my own." The thoughtful expression on the noble lady's delicate features became more pronounced.

Kaoru-sama stopped between two guards outside the western sitting room and turned to look in my eyes. "Be most careful, Yoishi-kun. Do not do more than you can handle. It would be better to wait and recover some and be certain of helping those in need than try to do too much and help no one. If Jinta must wait a few days to get a potion, but that delay means you are not confined to a bed for several weeks, then it is a delay most well spent. I need all of you. It is something I should have said before you made a potion for Akemi."

I shook my head. "It wouldn't have mattered; his ribs needed to be set or he'd never be able to twist around properly. He'd be able to fight, but at nowhere near the level he can now. In Tetsuo-san's case, it's his small ribs that are broken, and they aren't splintered or threatening his lungs. However, he's bleeding internally and has a serious head wound. I need to treat him or he may die. Kikyo-san is uninjured but in just as precarious a position. Having me out of commission for a few weeks is nothing compared to them dying." I paused as a particularly violent shiver possessed me. "And the medication I took would make the delay you wanted last far longer. If I pass out, it also means I'll be unconscious longer, too."

Sakura-dono studied me. "And this medication is worth it? Do not even seek to pretend the effects it has had upon you are unnoticeable. Prolonging your recuperation after a crisis is far worse; you work miracles while awake, but the amount of time it takes for you to wake afterwards is already...substantial."

"We'd be dead, the whole castle, if I didn't use it."

Kaoru-sama looked at me in concern. "You had not answered when I asked about your tremors. It is caused by this medication you spoke of? I...cannot say it was not worth taking when faced with the death of my whole castle, but it appears to be a most bitter brew." He sighed. "Go, do what you must. I cannot lose Jinta; he is valued as a guard, but even more for his advice and stewardship. I hope you do not fall into a deep slumber, but should you do so, know I shall be beside you as much as I may."

I smiled at my lover. "And that knowledge buoys my heart, Sweet One." I leant forward, taking care not to lose my precarious balance, and gently brushed my lips over his. I turned and caught Sakura-dono in the midst of an eye-roll, though a trace of laughter danced across her whiskers and at the edges of her muzzle. Yukiko-san had her eyes partially averted. "I should start."

Kaoru-sama flicked his fingers at one of the guards. The Pika gulped audibly but stepped away from the door and helped hold me up. My sweet Otter looked at me beseechingly before turning abruptly and entering the room followed by Hamataro-san, Sakura-dono, and Yukiko-san.

At the door to my workshop, I stepped away from the samurai and turned to him. "I need one of the cooks to come up and help. There is a lot of chopping to be done, and I'm in no condition to do it." The Fur bowed quickly and scampered down the hall, squeaking _'chu'_in relief.

Inside, Yuu-kun had just finished setting out the ingredients. All of them were on the table, but he had divided them into three groups. The leftmost one seemed to be for Kikyo-san's potion and contained the bamboo plus all of the ingredients I had used for my medication -- those that would be in this potion, at least. The rightmost pile contained those I assume he guessed would be for Tetsuo-san, and the middle was either the crossover or unknown pile. His memory was astounding. He had everything I had asked for and correctly remembered my medicine. Yuu-kun's judgement was logical, though if I guessed the meaning behind his piles correctly, he underestimated the amount of crossover. Regardless, I was impressed.

I sat gratefully on a stool. "We'll begin with Kikyo-san's potion. Take three bamboo chips and pound them in the mortar until the fibres separate," As he did so I added, "You remembered everything I asked for. Well done." He ducked his head, embarrassed but happy. I continued to direct him, and ran through what would be needed in my head -- focusing on what the cost to my chi would be. The potion for Tetsuo-san would be far less effort than the salve and potion I needed for Akemi-san; blood vessels were far easier to heal than bone, as was tissue damage, and the clean break on Tetsuo-san's arm would receive a substantial boost from this without altering the potion. The Macaque's small ribs were of little concern at the moment. Making the potion for Kikyo-san would be more problematic, as it would take a greater chunk of chi to activate it, but I judged I would have enough to make both without risking unconsciousness, and I would not need to take another lozenge. Even making extra medicine for Sakura-dono and Yukiko-san would be a negligible additional cost.

Once the cook arrived, the preparations went very quickly. Yuuto was competent, but he lacked the confidence and practice the older servant possessed. The mature Serow was very skilled with her blade and prepared all of the ingredients faster than even I could. The Goat-like woman was afraid to be in my presence, but hid it well with a professional demeanour and shrugged off my thanks.

It took a mere ten minutes to prepare Kikyo-san's potion once the cook arrived, and five more to administer it. The priest did not wake, despite my expectations, but she did move from weakening unconsciousness to restorative sleep. The potion for Tetsuo-san and the extra draughts for the ladies involved more ingredients and took a bit longer to prepare. Once it was made, I sent the grey-furred Serow back to the kitchens, and went to the Macaque's temporary room.

The red-faced bodyguard was still unconscious but stable; the patches I had made with my chi were holding and would do so for about another hour. That should cover the time needed for the potion to take effect. I placed my shaking paw on his bare forehead and sent a small trickle of chi into his system to wake him.

The golden brown eyes flickered open and a soft groan escaped from him. "Artist. We live. I assume that means we won?" I smiled and motioned Yuu-kun to help him sit up. Tetsuo-san noted the tremors. "We won, but with a price, it seems. How long were we out? What of casualties? Our lord?"

Yuu-kun carefully raised Tetsuo-san up, though I was forced to caution the Macaque to keep his movements slow and smooth. The Shiba piled some pillows behind the samurai to prop him up. I took the opportunity to answer some of the questions. "It's the same day, but a couple hours later. We won but lost most of your ashigaru students; it's fortunate the samurai students were out of the castle training with Akemi-san or we might have lost them, too. Kikyo-san is exhausted but recovering, and Sakura-dono and Yukiko-san were very lucky and suffered relatively minor wounds. The Demons never left the courtyard."

He sighed heavily and sagged as a great tension left his body. "Good. When I saw the child..." He caught himself and shook his head over his slip in referring to Sakura-dono as 'the child.' The rapid motion sent violent ripples through his chi down to his stomach and nearly caused him to be most ill. Even though he did not succumb, the pain and vertigo silenced him.

"Be quiet and stay still, samurai; you're in bad shape." I held my paws out to Yuu-kun. "Pour the water into the cup and hold it out for me." The pup did so, though he took pains to keep his paws off the hot porcelain. "Keep it steady for me as best you can. I'll need to move it in front of his face once it's activated." I looked at the widely dilated eyes of the Macaque, noting one pupil was far more open than the other. "Samurai, breathe in when I blow this in your face, and then you'll have to drink it. It'll make you sleepy, but that's just a side effect. This isn't the same potion I gave Akemi; it's just administered the same way. The lungs absorb it faster than the stomach so it begins working that much sooner." I wrapped my paws around the porcelain, hid a smile when Yuu-kun winced, and sent some chi into the liquid. It took longer than normal to trigger all the alchemical reactions I wanted, but once it was done I blew the medicinal vapour into Tetsuo-san's face. After two more breaths, I released the cup and leant back. "Drink."

Tetsuo-san took the cup from the pup. He grimaced at the liquid before sipping it and scowled even more fiercely after. "Thank you, Healer Takahashi. I'm surprised you aren't flat on your ass right now; you already looked close to it when I woke up."

I stepped away from the bed and went to make a most sarcastic response over my shoulder as I left, but my legs almost gave out and I had to catch myself on the bed post. I was glad this room had a bed and not a bedroll on the floor like most of them. I took up the cane again. "Your potion was simpler than Akemi-san's. You're welcome." I carefully tottered toward the door watched closely by the two Furs. "Yuu-kun, make sure he drinks as much as he can and then help him lie down again. I'll treat Sakura-dono and talk to Kaoru-sama for a little bit before lying down till supper." I stopped and glanced over my shoulder. "Sleep, warrior, yes? Will be checking on you later. Much better in the morning, but be still careful, hmm?" I did not have the will or strength to fight Song Li, so I merely prodded him aside to resume control and left him peering about curiously in my mind. I ignored the confused expressions directed at me.

Tetsuo-san merely deadpanned, "As long as I'm not waking up naked next to you, Healer, I'll do my best to be a good patient. Just don't teach the pup any of your bad habits along with your healing skills." He took a drink of the bitter brew and arched an eyebrow at Yuu-kun. "You don't need to be naked or sleep next to your patients to heal them. Promise me you'll remember that."

*No, no. Bad practice that is. Sleep not with patients, disturb their rest -- and rest of healer -- it would. Rest is good, yes. Naked? Nudity is no medicine, no, and necessary it certainly is not.* I ignored the continued prattle of the old monk.

The Shiba flipped his pink-tinted ears back and licked his muzzle. "Y-Yes, Tetsuo-dono. I promise, sir." He looked over at me in obvious concern. "I-I think the daimyo will want me to sleep on a mat in his room tonight."

The Macaque's other eyebrow rose and flicked his gaze over to me, but kept from meeting my eyes directly. "It looks like he's learning your presumptuousness, Healer, even if he's probably right." He waved a paw at the terrified serving boy. "I'm not upset, pup, and I want you to tell Kaoru-sama I recommend you sleep in his room. The healer may need you to run a few errands tonight, like checking on his patients, or to get your help in drafting more of his vile concoctions."

I ignored Li's muttered complaints about the slight on 'his' medicines and instead considered the unspoken reasons behind Tetsuo-san's orders. He must be afraid the wrong people saw me in this weakened state and -- with him out of commission for an unknown length of time -- that may provoke further attacks on Kaoru-sama. He did not know that I had spent hours staggering around the castle checking every door and hall so everyone knew what state I was in. He also did not know how terrified everyone was and how only the most zealous of Ichiru's supporters would even consider attempting such a move. If Ichiru had any brains he would realize that the mere rumour of such a command would harm his support...

*Spreading rumours is not honourable, no. Not honourable at all.*

I snorted in my mind at the naïveté of my past life. *And assassinating your older brother is? Risking civil war when enemies surround your family's lands? When Demons and Oni strike at the very heart of your home? Ichiru is working with the Demons!*

Li fell silent for a moment. *Kill him. Cutting off a diseased limb is at times necessary to save the life, yes? Yes, yes, kill him. Now. Words are not enough. Potion or blade work faster, hmm? Cancer must be excised. Tainted wounds cauterized. Kill him.*

"Healer?" The caution bordering on fear in Tetsuo-san's voice jolted me out of the near-trance Li was drawing me in to. "Are you...all right?"

I shook my head and tried to convince Li to rest. "Yes, sorry. I was lost in thought." I heard a pair of servants walking down the hall. I pulled the thin door open a touch as if I was about to leave. "I don't know if it's safe for Yuu-kun to sleep on the floor near Kaoru-sama's bed; I heard disturbing rumours while checking the castle for more Demon Taint. It sounds like the assassins plan on striking while I'm weakened from the fight against the Kabutomushi Demons." The servants froze outside the door in horror, an emotion marked plainly on Yuuto's face. Tetsuo-san struggled to overcome the fatigue brought on by my potion and the weakness from his wounds so he could climb out of bed. I raised my paw. "Stay, samurai. I may look weakened, but I'd still welcome the chance to kill a few more of those honourless cowards. It's almost sad that people still support Ichiru when Sakura-dono has proven her valour many times over this summer. _She_has honour and supports her lord. Perhaps I'll get a chance to unmask the brat tonight; I almost succeeded last time."

Tetsuo-san growled and tried to get up again, but Yuuto took the empty cup from him and put a paw on the muscular chest of the warrior to keep him down. "Let me up, boy! I need to be with my lord. I'll lie dead before anyone gets close to him!"

I smirked. "I'm close to him, samurai, but not the way you mean. Only a fool would try to strike at him when I'm forewarned, and I've killed many fools. You can rest easy." I loosely grasped the hilt of my katana. "I swear on the sword my sweet Otter has given me, no one will harm him tonight, least of all Ichiru."

The Macaque lay back, grumbling, and pressed his hands to his aching head. "You should be careful talking about Ichiru like that, Healer, if you even know what 'careful' means. He does have support, and no one can prove any of these attempts are linked to him. Most daimyo wouldn't need or want indisputable proof, but my lord refuses to believe anyone would betray him until the treason is shoved into his face. If he hears you saying--"

I cut him off by sharply raising my paw. "I_know._ It's obvious to everyone but Kaoru-sama, but he's the lord. I could wander the halls listening to samurai almost bragging about an upcoming assassination, and everyone would know who's behind it. Kaoru-sama just believes in the rule of law too much; I need proof of treason."

Yuu-kun began to help his patient lie back down. "C-Can't you...force him to confess? Get into his head l-like--?"

I, again, interjected, though Yuu-kun's temerity amused me. Perhaps I was teaching him more than I realized or intended. "No, not without some sort of physical or indisputable evidence. A living assassin naming his patron would work. It wouldn't be enough to kill Ichiru over, but it would be enough to...talk to him about."

Li's echo swirled back up in my mind. *No honour, no value. Demon slaves are like the diseased, yes, spreading Taint. But worse. No cure for willing slaves. No protection from Taint. No quarantine will work, no, no. Only death stops them. Yes, only death. He must die. Healer's duty, yes, to excise what cannot be cured. Duty to kill the irredeemably tainted. To kill Ichiru. Kill him now.*

Tetsuo-san's eyes were sliding closed despite his best efforts. "You don't look good, Healer. You should lie down. Be warned, I will hold you to your vow. Protect the boy; protect him with your life."

Yuu-kun lowered the Macaque down and picked up the pot and cup. I rattled the door a bit and the servants in the hall quickly scuttled off; in less than a half-hour the whole castle would have heard the rumour. I nodded to my patient. "Sleep well." I opened the door and stepped into the hall, softly requesting over my shoulder, "Yuu-kun, could you bring the rest of the medicine we made to the western sitting room?"

"Yes, Takahashi-sensei." He returned to the workshop to fetch hot water from the cauldron, the remaining medicine, a teapot, and two cups. I went the other way as rapidly as I safely could, but I figured the Shiba would be a mere few seconds behind me once I entered the room.

Indeed, he was trotting down the hall with a tray when I knocked on the door, ignoring the guard on duty there. "Kaoru-sama, it's Yoishi."

"Enter." I opened the door and left it open for Yuu-kun. My sweet Otter smiled up at me from his cushions by the window. "You still walk, Yoishi-kun! I am greatly pleased to see you remain with us." I glanced around the room. Kaoru-sama was there with Hamataro-san standing behind him. The chamberlain, a Moon Bear, knelt beside the small table containing the tea set. Across the table sat Sakura-dono; Yukiko-san was pouring a cup of tea for her. Kagura-chan stood close to the door with one paw resting near the edge of her other sleeve; she looked most tense. Kaoru-sama gestured to the chamberlain. "I do not believe you have been introduced, though you must have seen each other at meal times. Fumio-san, this is Takahashi Yoishi. Yoishi-sensei, this is my chamberlain, Fumio."

No family name was given, though chamberlains were rarely samurai; it was usually the highest rank a servant could obtain, and his authority did not officially extend to the samurai within the halls. In practicality_this could be of little distinction, depending on the tolerance of the lord. A competent chamberlain could be most difficult to acquire -- and woe betide the fool who slew or injured such a rare commodity -- thus chamberlains were usually given the same deference afforded to one who caught the lord's eye. However, if the lord held the life of those beneath him in poor regard, the samurai would follow his example, and the chamberlain would be slain out of paw if they thought he was overstepping his lowly position. Fumio dined at the high table with his lord and the highest ranked samurai, making his position in_this castle most pointedly clear. In comparison, the chamberlain in my lord Takeda's castle ate with the servants after the samurai had finished; I expected there to be a new chamberlain upon my return.

I bowed my head. "Fumio-san, a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance."

The black-furred Bear stood and bowed. "Takahashi-dono, the pleasure is mine."

Yuu-kun entered the room deferentially. I gestured at the table. "Place it there, Yuu-kun." I nodded at Sakura-dono. "I made extra medicine for you and Yukiko-san. Your head injury isn't as dire as Tetsuo-san's, but this will help it heal quickly, along with your other wounds, and remove most of the pain. I still want you to move slowly and rest a lot for the next two days."

A shift in her expression and posture showed she was relieved to hear that. She still remarked drily, "I expect this potion will be far less pleasant than nii-sama's favourite tea, sensei." 'Nii'_meant _'older brother.'

I grinned toothily. "And it'll pack more punch than his sake; this will go right to your head." I lost the smile. "You won't need to drink as much as Tetsuo-san did, but you will find yourself quite groggy. I'd be surprised if you weren't already feeling out of sorts after the hits you took, and this will just add to it." I gestured to Yuu-kun to pour the hot water into the pot with the medicine.

Kaoru-sama moved over to his sister and knelt beside her. He placed his paw on hers. "You should sleep if it would help. I can draft the letter and wait for you to read it before making copies for our neighbours." He looked up at me. "Will Jinta rouse, soon? You mentioned he drank, so he must have regained consciousness."

I wrapped my paws around the hot teapot and closed my eyes to focus. Yuu-kun answered for me. "Takahashi-sensei woke him to drink the medicine, but he has fallen back to sleep, Daimyo. Sensei said he should feel better tomorrow but needs take it easy. Tetsuo-dono said I need to tell you that he thinks I should sleep on the floor near Takahashi-sensei, tonight."

The potion did not take as long to activate this time, and I lowered my paws before Kaoru-sama could answer. "Pour two cups, please." Yuuto did, and I passed one to Sakura-dono while the Shiba passed the other to the Snow Leopard. "Inhale the steam. Take a deep breath, hold it for a count of three, and release. Do that three times." The ladies did as directed while I spoke to the daimyo. "He did say that, and Tetsuo-san should be able to walk around tomorrow. He won't be teaching class or be fit to guard you alone for two days, if he can work with a broken arm. That will still take a long time to heal. Also, I recommend extra, trustworthy_guards in these halls for tonight. My perceived weakness and Tetsuo-san's injuries may prove too tempting to the forces targeting you." I turned as if checking on my patients and flicked my ear at Sakura-dono in a subtle hint that I hoped _she would ensure the loyalty of the guards. She twitched her whiskers in acknowledgment.

Kaoru-dono twisted the belt on his kimono. "Would... Would anyone dare such a thing after today? You fought Demons, Yoishi-kun! Is that not...? C-Could anyone be s-so dishonourable as to strike at a person in this castle after they rendered such a service to all of Japan? Is not a respite warranted in such a case?"

His sister slammed her cup on the table. The scorn in her voice said more than any speech could, and no poet could place as much meaning into the greatest work as she did in her single exclamation. "Hah!"_The entire room stared at her as she continued. _"Honour holds no meaning to that monster, nii-sama, except as a noose to tie around the neck of those who place value in it. Duty is only a means to power and discarded more easily than a cloak." She swayed in place as if drunk. The head wound and my medication had hit her with greater force than the most potent sake. I truly did not expect that; I had thought it would fatigue her or, at worst, render her unconscious. The Otter lady's speech slurred in near-incomprehensibility. "Tha... That knave -- no, knave is...is too good -- that butcher isn't wo-worth a bowl of rice. Shoulda killed him." She giggled and looked at the greatly aghast Shiba boy. "Now, you are worth lotsa bowls. Really cute, 'specially when you blush like that. But you're not Akemi." She laughed coarsely and pushed at Yukiko-san when the handmaiden tried to shush her. The Snow Leopard tipped over and landed heavily on her rump. Sakura-dono laughed again. "Now, he's got a blade..." She trailed off and slumped forward, snoring softly.

Now all those shocked faces turned to me. Kagura-chan whispered, "Sweet Amaterasu. What was in that?"

Kaoru-sama was a bit louder with his inquiry. "Yoishi-kun? She is drunk? You did put sake in the medicine?"

Yukiko-san struggled to her hindpaws, favouring her wounded leg. "No, nothing that I could taste. I feel sluggish, but not drunk."

I shook my head. "No, no sake. I expected her to fall asleep, yes, but the...behaviour was unexpected. Head wounds can cause some very odd problems, and the medicine may have merely loosened the guards on her tongue." I checked my medicine to make sure I had not erred in its activation, but it was as it should be. I leant over the table and placed my paw on the Otter lady's head. There was a larger pool of blood in her brain; the delay in treating her while searching the castle had rendered a comparatively minor wound into one far more serious. I put my other paw on her head and applied a temporary patch made of chi over the damaged vessels. The room remained silent until I sat back and opened my eyes.

Fumio-san stirred and rose. "By your leave, daimyo, I'll send some servants to help Sakura-dono to her room, and begin my work. Do you want me to send up a scribe, or will you be going to your office once she is cared for?"

Kaoru-sama ignored the question for the moment. "She will return to good health, Yoishi-sensei?" I nodded, and he sighed mightily. "That is a great relief." He flicked his paw toward his chamberlain. "Yes, send her maids over. She will need to sleep this off, I believe, though I pray she does not suffer a hangover. I will go to my office." He glanced at Kagura-chan and nodded; the Iriomote shinobi slipped silently out of the room, likely to ensure the guards were suitable.

I held my paw out to Yuuto and, with his help, stood. "By your leave, Kaoru-sama, I will nap until supper."

Yuu-kun began gathering the objects from my workshop, but stopped when his lord flicked a finger at him. The small Dog stepped away and lowered his head. My lover looked at me with worry and gestured to Yuu-kun as he spoke to me. "Have him help you to bed. I have heard today was most trying for him, too, so he may wish to rest as well. I believe his bedroll is still beside my bed." He rose smoothly and preceded everyone from the room, though his eyes frequently darted back to his little sister.

The next few days went quickly, and with little to note in detail. Sakura-dono woke long enough that evening to eat in her room before returning to sleep. The next morning found her in almost perfect health. Yukiko-san's leg troubled her for just the one evening, and she, too, spent much of that time asleep. Tetsuo-san did not wake until the next morning and found himself unsteady on his feet but mostly free of pain; his small ribs would take time, even with medication, to heal enough to allow him to turn freely. Thin strands of bone already ran between the broken pieces in his arm, and I allowed him to remove the splints after two days, though he still couldn't use the arm for training or lifting anything. Kikyo-san woke periodically over the next two days, but only long enough to eat and drink. On my part, I meditated before supper using my meagre chi stores to quell the worst of my pain and tremors while slowly healing my overtaxed chi-producing organs. Over the next few days, I took my production from roughly forty percent to fifty-five; a vast improvement, but it still left me feeling vulnerable. My meditations also healed my paws sufficiently enough to remove the bandages, though they remained tender. I took Yuuto-kun with me and made routine checks on all of the surviving ashigaru; those still alive would remain so, but three of them would be forced to live with crippled limbs.

Outside of health matters, I think it need not be said that there was no attack upon Kaoru-sama that night...not even an amorous one. I was greatly fatigued and found Yuu-kun's presence to be a surprising deterrent. In the morning after the Demon attacks, Kaoru-sama met with his advisors, including Tetsuo-san and Sakura-dono, to review the letter he had drafted. I found it to be suitably...diplomatic, as in greatly over-written, but the warnings within were not only true but stated in sufficient fashion that only the most daft of nobles would ignore them. I believed, though I was hardly an expert on the inner workings of my lord Takeda's mind, that he would take them to heart and would ensure his troops remained within his borders until he was certain the threat had abated. Likewise, the Imagawa Clan would most likely remain vigilant by moving troops from their western bases to the largest castle they had in Suruga province: Imagawa Kan in Sunpu -- Suruga being the province the Ohtori were in. The i lands ran along the southern part of the Kai province, which was to the north of Suruga and the province my lord mostly ruled, and the north face of Ashitaka. Thus, they faced the greatest danger from the Demons and Oni. With the upcoming marriage, they may send troops to help bolster the Ohtori defences, or they may withhold them to defend against an assault on their lands and consider the marriage-alliance worthless if Kaoru-sama could not hold his own lands. I knew too little of the i daimyo to make a judgement.

The people of the castle and the town were justifiably on edge and refused to move the bodies of the Kabutomushi and the two Furs who gave 'birth' to the Demons, or burn them, until I personally oversaw the process. The fear I saw in all of the servants so drafted made me uncertain of what they were afraid of: the bodies, the Taint they could still hold, or me. All three bodies were most rank with Taint, and as I could not cleanse them, I had the servants use long sticks to push the flesh of the Furs into waterproof bags. I then fastened the bags to bamboo poles so they may be carried out without anyone actually touching the corrupted offal. The Kabutomushi was too large to be carried out whole and had to be chopped apart to be removed. I had to supervise that, as well.

As for the event I wished to mention on the third day after the fight, it was centred around Kikyo-san. I was taking a break from my meditation that morning, and sat with Kaoru-sama in the garden. I had just put my flute down after playing a song and sipped some delightful tea when I saw the Japanese Marten step onto the covered walkway surrounding the garden.

I gestured to the servant to retrieve another cup and flicked my ear toward the priest. "We have company, Sweet One."

The Otter lord turned his head and saw her. His deep brown eyes widened in delight, and a great smile spread within the pale cream fur of his muzzle, showing off his large lower canine teeth. He squeaked adorably before exclaiming, "Kikyo-san! What a most unexpected pleasure it is to see you walking about! You had given us quite the scare." I heard her step upon the stones leading to the gazebo, but the delight upon my lover's face was too entrancing for me to watch her progress.

That was a fact not missed by the priest. She laughed, and the tone of one of witnessing a most delightful scene filled her voice. "Daimyo Ohtori, your kind words honour me, but it seems the son of Ryujin has found something more important to do than checking on the progress of his patient."

I tore my eyes away from my lover's face to grin at her. "If he gets any cuter, then yes, I will have something -- or some_one --_ more important to do." Kaoru-sama squeaked again, this time in embarrassment, and put his paws before his mouth.

Kikyo-san nearly stumbled in shock on the gravel, and her small triangular ears turned bright pink. It was my turn to laugh, and she wrapped her fluffy tail around her waist. She resumed following the path to the gazebo and chided me. "I don't know how Ohtori-sama puts up with you, Takahashi-dono. You're far too insolent for the consort of a lord."

I reached across the table and scooped up one of Kaoru-sama's paws. I stared hungrily into his eyes. "If I wasn't so insolent, I'd have never convinced him to so much as kiss me, let alone become my lover. I think we're both happier this way."

My sweet, timid lover hunched his shoulders up and half turned away, whiskers twitching madly in delight. He made no move to remove his paw from mine. Still staring down at the floor of the shelter, he quietly asked, "Do... D-Do you wish to join us for tea, Kikyo-san?"

She stopped at the doorway, one yellow paw resting on the red timber. "I feel as if I'm interrupting something." She did not look upset at that, but she sounded genuine in her regret that we may feel intruded upon.

Kaoru-sama went to protest, but I spoke first. "You are." I smiled at the shock on their faces. "We could be engaged in idle banter and anything that stopped it would, technically, still be an interruption. You aren't interrupting anything important or that can't easily be resumed later. Please, sit and have a cup or two." A servant fished a spare cup from her sash -- a wise or experienced servant would always have a few of the small porcelain cups on them or nearby for just such an occasion -- and poured a cup of tea for her. I relinquished my sweet Otter's paw and reached out to Kikyo-san. "May I see your paw for a moment? I wish to check on your recovery."

She reached across the table, asking, "How soon can I cleanse the castle?"

I took her paw and traced my finger along some of the larger energy-lines in it before releasing the dainty paw. Her recovery of chi, as expected, was very low. Now that she was awake and felt strong enough to walk it should improve, but the medication I gave her would still prove a hindrance. It would be worse than mine, even though I took two_doses to her one. "Not any time soon. The medication I gave you saved your life, but it came at a price. Your production of...magic, I guess you'd call it, will be hindered for a while until your body has a chance to rest and recover. If you know any recuperative trances or meditations, I recommend you spend a few hours in them, both in the morning and evening. If you _don't, then I'd say you'll be too weak to even think about casting anything that draining for at least a week, but more likely two."

The Marten's head drooped, as did my sweet Otter's. She sighed morosely. "Then I will be making that trip to Kofu to trade ofuda, if you can make a copy of the cleansing scroll, Takahashi-dono. There's no point sitting around doing nothing."

Kaoru-sama looked up at me worriedly. "This will not harm you, or drain you, will it?" I shook my head; the baths and inks for the scroll would take some energy, but the main cost was that of the ingredients. They could be quite rare and expensive. He sighed in relief and looked between the two of us. "What of my castle? This trip will take some time, and we have no guarantee that this priest will even be in residence. We have many places that need cleansing. My people live in fear that_they_ will suddenly turn into Demons."

There was little I could do other than grimace. He was right; the cleansing must be done, but we had little alternative. I could find the tainted places but not cleanse them. I recalled how the Taint burnt or exploded when it came in contact with my chi, but such was not a..._safe_means of cleansing the castle. I also doubted it was thorough.

Kikyo-san's expression mirrored my own. "If I'm to fight Demons, then I need the proper tools, Daimyo. I can get at least one of those tools if I make this trip, and I might get the information Takahashi-dono wants, too. The alternative is sitting around doing nothing for a week or two while I recover."

My sweet lover stared down at his tea cup for a minute as if he wished it contained enough sake to drown his troubles before he looked at me. "The medication you took. You said it gave you strength temporarily. Would it give Kikyo-san enough to cleanse my castle? She could take her trip after that."

I pondered his question for a moment. "It...may._I'd say one pill would give her the strength to cleanse either the pyre or room, but not the courtyard or any _two places. The potion I gave her was very similar to the pills I took, but with different side effects. Hers_hit her magic recovery a lot harder than the pills hit my chi recovery, but with fewer other effects. The similarity between the two means my pills would give her less magic than normal, like they would if she already took some, _and_may give her harsher side effects. I'd be afraid to give her more than two pills; any more might kill her, and _just two would likely mean she would be magicless for a few months." I shook my head. "I'd have to see what a single pill did to her to make a better guess. I don't think it's a good idea though, not with three places needing cleansing."

Kaoru-sama sighed as if relieved; he likely did not wish to order her to take anything that would cause her to suffer as I did that night. "Then our course is clear: you must prepare to leave. I will send a samurai along as an escort." Kikyo-san nodded her understanding.

I finished my tea and rose. "Then I know what my day is going to involve: stinky alchemical work and paw-cramping calligraphy."

My sweet Otter looked up at me in confusion. "Do you not normally do those? It may be painting on most days and not calligraphy, but you spend much time in the workshop when not in my company."

I leant over the table and kissed him, laughing. "Yes, to a degree. I need to run tests on the ink and paper the spell had used, and then copy those. The baths needed for ofuda paper smell far worse than any potion, salve, or pill I've made in a long time." Kaoru-sama's nose wrinkled in distaste; it was so adorable I could not resist kissing him again. I brushed the back of my paw across his cheek, flattening his whiskers against it, and smiled. "I'll see you later, Sweet One." He squeaked, ducking his head in embarrassment, and turned partly away. His whiskers twitched madly as he nodded.

Kikyo-san rose, bowed to the young lord, and followed me as I strode from the gazebo. She moved as one lost in a most delightful dream. Behind us, I heard Kaoru-sama sigh sadly, and whisper so faintly I could scarcely make out the words. "How much time remains? I fear what will happen when it is time, but I fear to live alone even more." Once more I found myself wondering if Kaoru-sama suspected the true reason I was here. The pain those words caused pierced far more keenly than any physical wound I could recall, other than when I grabbed that fistful of tainted soil.

'Why? Why him? If I'd only taken a few more days to get back to Takeda-sama's castle after my last mission this one might've been given to someone else. Even if it hadn't, perhaps the order would have been given properly. Damn my honour. Damn Kaoru's, too.'

It took two days to create the alchemical bath and ink, prepare the paper, and draw out the full ofuda. In addition, I prepared a report on the Kabutomushi Demons, what I knew of the unknown Demon and its magic, and my suspicions for the priest in Kofu in hopes that he might provide some information. I also knew it would be passed on to my lord and serve to verify Kaoru-sama's letter. On the sixth morning after the fight with the Kabutomushi Demon, Kikyo-san rode out on horseback into a grey drizzly day for Kofu. Her escort was Renji-san, the Pika samurai that escorted Kaoru-sama to the shrine on Mount Ashitaka. I hoped he kept guard on his tongue, despite the temptations Kofu would offer; it was a proper city with many taverns full of sake, and venues for gambling around every turn. Who was I kidding? His version of the fights at Ashitaka would make their rounds within an hour of his arrival, and it was to be guaranteed that Kikyo-san would have wanted to hear the entire story ten times at least while riding. *Sigh*

The next week returned to routine: training, teaching, studying, and spending time with Kaoru-sama. The only major change was the need to take a page from Kikyo-san's playbook. Each day, at times more than once a day when the residents of the castle seemed most fearful, I would go to the three tainted areas when I knew I would be seen by many, and check to ensure the Taint was not spreading. It was not, though it was also not receding. The pyre still caused small explosions when touched even after a week, but I did not have the chi to dampen it as I did the Taint in the former room of Ayama. The chi went instead into my meditations as I sought means to fight Demons.

And it was at the end of that week that I came to a conclusion and spoke to Kaoru-sama in the garden before lunch. We sat in the gazebo listening to the last of the rain water drip off the roof from a recent shower, relishing in the sight of the sun breaking through the heavy clouds. The warm light turned each little droplet into a glistening diamond, and the spray sent up by bathing songbirds created tiny rainbows.

We did not sit at the tea table, today, but instead lounged on some pillows. I much preferred this as my sweet Otter rested in my arms with his head upon my chest. I spoke softly so as to not disturb the chirping birds. "I'll be making a series of trips out of the castle starting tomorrow. I think I know how to bless my daisho, but it needs to be done in a sacred natural place or at the very least somewhere with many stronger Kami. I think the waterfall pool you took me to will work."

He tilted his head back to look at me. "Is it safe there? It is not near the shrine, but it still lies upon Ashitaka. And you said sacred,_yes? I love it there, but I do not know if it is _sacred."

I rested my nose by one of his ears and whispered, "It's sacred to_me._ It's where you at last gave yourself to me, and allowed us to become lovers. I can think of no better place to bless a blade to slay the Demon threatening your life and lands." Tears sprung up in my sweet Otter's eyes, and he pulled my head down so he might kiss me. No more was said on the subject, and we spent the remainder of the hour cuddling quietly in between long kisses.

The next afternoon I set out in the sweltering heat for the waterfall. Kaoru-sama recommended leaving earlier, but I didn't want to interfere with the studies of the morning -- both mine and Sakura-dono's. Yuu-kun's lessons took place at the same time I trained Sakura-dono, under the care of her tutor; rumours reached my ears of the displeasure this caused. A servant being taught by the same tutor that taught the noble family -- not only that, but a Dog?

At the falls, however, I put all thoughts out of my mind, removed my clothing, and quickly scouted the area. The bamboo enclosing the clearing stood tall and green -- it's lushness undimmed by the heat. The relatively flat surface of the ledge containing the pool looked to be a favoured grazing spot for herbivores; the wildflowers and grasses covering it were cropped very short. The pools themselves were as pristine as the first time I saw them, though the water cascading down the cliff face was a mere fraction of what they'd been then, since the spring runoff had long since passed. The biggest change had to be the flickers of movement I saw all around me -- many Kami appeared to call this place home.

My safety relatively assured for the moment, I settled in for a long afternoon of meditation. My first task was to learn how to see and speak to the Kami, and for that some visual exercises could assist. I sat by the edge of the waterfall pool and stared out into the crystalline waters. There, I created some imagery of my soul.

A pool, large and deep. The surface danced with light and activity hiding many layers beneath; such was my life as Yoishi. All other lives lay below, shown in my mental exercise as bands of darker, colder waters. The deeper they lay, the harder they would be to reach as I dove down. Gazing out I could see, beneath two other lives, the intense jade-green band of water that was Tai Lung. It contained the warmth of sunlight without crushing heat, the vibrancy of a lush forest without the closeness, and beauty of the crashing sea without the... No, it did hold the ferocity of the ocean. Why could Lung see the Kami, while I could not? When he woke during the fight with the Kabutomushi Demon I could hear and see them clearly, but as soon as he retreated, they faded from sight. What technique did he learn, and how could I?

I plunged into my past life to learn the answer, starting with when Lung was only ten.

Little Lung stood on one hindpaw, the other leg held up as high as he could get it. In either paw he held half-full buckets of water out at arm length. His master had just returned to their hut to fetch more tea, so Lung allowed himself the luxury of looking around. Their home crouched high on the slopes of some nameless mountain near the peak-capping Jade Palace like a child aping his hero. Their two-room building was made of raw wood cut from the forest that surrounded and hid it, the same forest that fed their fires -- and stomachs. Only a small field lay by their home; the rocky soil allowed little to grow except turnips, so Lung was frequently sent out to gather food from the abundance of nature.

The Chongqing Dog's ears twitched toward the hut when the kettle whistled; it'd be less than a minute before the tall Snow Leopard came back out, but his arms already quivered and ached from the strain. It was then he saw a small water Kami dart into the clearing. The blue-green scaled salamander scampered along on its short legs, making a beeline straight for him. It was the spirit that lived in the stream a short way down the hill, the one Lung and his master crossed to reach the village two hours away.

It cried out urgently.*Little Dragon!* Lung meant 'dragon,' so he was never sure if he was being called 'Little Lung' teasingly or 'Little Dragon' as a pet name. He knew his master and most of the local Kami meant it as the latter. *A tiger has eaten some Demon meat and become tainted! It's trying to corrupt my stream!*

The reddish-brown Dog dropped the buckets and dashed toward the hut's door, but his master strode through it before he got there. "Master! The Kami say a tiger has become tainted! It's poisoning the streams!"

So, Lung could see Kami even then. I needed to find an earlier memory. I darted about in the waters of my previous life like an otter chasing fish. It took many minutes and a huge investment of chi, but I found one of the first memories of that life.

Lung was hungry. He was always hungry. The pup was barely four years old and wandered the back roads of China scrounging for food, hoping to find some place he could just stop for a while. It was mid-morning, and he plodded toward a rice field. Fields meant people and, on rare occasions, people meant food. He struggled onward, knowing better to rush, as it could be nearly a half-hour before he actually reached the village. He paused when he saw two small mouse-like beings hop out the tall grasses. They looked like they were made out of grass themselves. The Kami each carried four grains of cooked rice in their forepaws.

*Food! Food!* The tiny squeaks preceded the dancing figures, but soon they reached the weary hindpaws of the young Dog. He knelt and held his paw out. The Kami cheerfully dropped their offerings on the dirt-encrusted pads and mimed eating. *Yum! Eat rice! Good food!* Lung did, though eight grains of rice could hardly be called a mouthful. One of the Kami grabbed a claw and tugged. *Good farmers leave gift for Kami. Kami give gift to you!*The promise of, dare he hope, a whole bowl of rice gave strength to his legs, and Lung rose...

I left those memories, perplexed, and looked around the clearing to ensure nothing had changed; all was as it should be. That memory was from before Lung met his master. Who taught him to see spirits? I did not have the strength to dive right back in, knowing the search for an earlier memory could be futile; the quality of the last memory I saw, one barely cohesive and spotty in detail, meant anything older would quite likely be mere fragments and not helpful at all. I could search for a memory where Lung talked to his master about his sight and hope the answer appeared there, but such could take time. The alternative looked quicker: call up Lung's echo and ask him directly. Or, perhaps, go farther back and see what Timeus knew. I could see into the realm of ghosts and spirits then, too. Both would be costly, but calling up Lung was more certain.

I sighed, rose from my spot at the pool, and walked around as I coaxed out more chi. After a half-hour, I sat back down, this time in the sun by the rock I had used many times when here with Kaoru-sama, to continue recuperating. It took another half-hour to regain enough chi to feel comfortable. I moved back to the pool, slipping once more into a trance.

The pool of my lives shimmered as it lay superimposed on the real one before me. I reached out in my...dream, as it were, and placed my paw on the pool. *Tai Lung.*

The jade band of water deep in the pool rippled and churned before a geyser of water streamed up, bursting through all other bands, including the thin band of my current life at the surface. The vibrant stream bubbled upward to nearly two metres high and covered over half surface of the pool. The column of water solidified to form Tai Lung. The Chongqing Dog dwarfed me by thirty centimetres and forty kilograms, and his short reddish-brown fur shone brilliantly where my black fur seemed to drink in the shadows. Indeed, he was nearly my opposite in all physical attributes.

He spoke; his deep, lyrical voice soothed, carrying the kindness I found so rarely in this uncertain time, and made even a greeting sound like the opening line of a lullaby. *Blessings of the celestial dragons be upon you, Takahashi Yoishi. Or perhaps I should say, be upon us.*

In my vision, I rose and stood on my half of the pool. I looked up at...me, who I had been, feeling a little out of sorts to be speaking to myself this way, even though I knew I had done so in other lives. Was there a protocol I should be following? I would have to search through the memories of my other lives to find out, which was not helpful in the least at present. Well, I was certain I could forgive me if I erred. *Thank you, or perhaps I should say thank us.* The eyes of my past life twinkled merrily as a smile bloomed on the broad muzzle. *I hoped to ask you a question.* The merriment deepened, perplexing me. *I, uh, wanted to know how I could see and hear the Kami. Who taught you? How can I learn the technique? I saw...* I trailed off as a suspicion dawned on me. The increasing signs of amusement seemed to indicate I was asking all the wrong questions; that Lung knew exactly_what was going on already. _*All right, you know all this already...*

The Chongqing Dog burst out laughing, confirming my suspicions. I appeared to be a bit of a joker in that life, too. Granted, it was rather amusing, and his -- my -- laugh made me feel warm and included rather than mocked. *Of course. I am you. You are asking some of the wrong questions, though, but it was smart of you to summon me rather than wasting our energy looking through Timeus's memories. Both of us were born able to see the minor nature spirits around us. He saw the souls of the departed more clearly than I, but I see through the tricks of the Fey more easily. That's just part of who we were; a gift of the soul that was already in the body we inhabited. A gift that's now in you, should you wish to use it.* Which was exactly what I wished to know -- how do I use it? Fortunately, he continued. *My portion of our soul is only loosely connected to yours. If you want to tap into my inherent abilities, you need to strengthen that connection. You've already begun the process with Timeus, which is why you can see even this much of the Kami. Accessing our memories, using our techniques, calling on us like this, everything_that makes you tap into our soul will strengthen the bonds.*_ He gestured to the pool beneath us. *Stir the waters until there is only one temperature, one colour, and then everything I could do, everything I knew, will be yours.*

Such an endeavour would take a lifetime unless one lived as a hermit. A sliver of fear pierced my heart. It would also spell the end of Yoishi; the being that would result would bear little resemblance to who I currently was. The pool beneath my hindpaws swirled to show my memory of Kaoru-sama braced against the rocks behind the waterfall impaled upon my shaft, his head thrown back as he plunged into the bliss of his release. Then it was dashed away by the sight of the paper my orders had been written on. The loss of Yoishi was not such a bad thing, but whoever I grew to be would still be bound by my oaths. Those orders would still come, and people would still die.

My head drooped in defeat. *It's a task that may be beyond me; I can't even begin to calculate how much chi that would take, and my duties take precedence.*

*I never tried, nor did my previous lives. I didn't say it was required to fulfil your duty, or even to see the Kami or bless the swords you wear. It's only required if you want to_fully _utilize everything you once knew and once could do.*

Yet, to bless the sword I needed to speak to the Kami, to see and hear them. While I may not need to fully 'mix the waters,' as Lung put it, I would_need to strengthen the bonds between us. That would take time and energy, time I may not have. _*What about a technique I could use in the interim? Other people learn how to see the Kami and recently departed.*

Lung smiled at me teasingly, as if I missed something obvious. It came to me just as he answered, *Yes, and why would I -- or Timeus -- learn them?_We _could already see the unseen. Quinn was a druid, and many druids learn how to see nature spirits, so he might know a way, but I'm pretty sure he gained the ability through Timeus. It wasn't something the young druids were taught.*

Well, if druids knew how, priests may, too. I could travel to the shrine and ask there, but if they didn't know how that would waste the rest of the day. As it was, time was running short; the wedding drew close, and I had no idea where the Demon hid. *I think the quickest way would be to keep you sufficiently awake and tap into your sight directly. I just need to find the balance point that will use the least chi but still let me see the Kami.*

Lung's short, thin, tail twitched idly in an almost feline manner. *And how often is the quick way the best way?*

I shrugged, grinning insolently. *It depends on the time frame you have to work in.*

The Chongqing Dog's eyes partially closed as he peered at my memories. *The priests at the shrine have the blessing of the Kami and can use their power. They need to be able to see and hear the spirits to do that. You didn't notice anything unusual about them that would indicate they're anything other than Furs, so it's logical they have techniques to do so. That said, there is a chance they have some Fey or Kami ancestry. I'd still put higher odds on them knowing a technique over possessing some form of magical heritage.*

He had a point. It still came down to balancing the risks: take the time to travel to the shrine and risk wasting the day -- perhaps finding the technique would take too long to master to be of immediate use, if they had_such a technique -- or risk using too much chi and end up placing myself or others in danger. The latter risk was more manageable; I had medication to help in that eventuality. _*I'll remain and use you.*

Lung bowed his head. *It's your life and your decision. I don't agree with it, though. Are you sure you wish to tap into my portion of our soul and not Timeus'? He's more closely tied to you already, since you can see ghosts, if only faintly. It'll cost more, but over the course of the next few days it may allow you to see Kami on your own.*

He had a point, but there was another reason to use Lung. *And if I have questions about receiving this blessing? Like whom do I ask? How long does it take? Will this place work or should I find someplace better?*

My past life sighed. *Any moderately powerful Kami can bless the sword; the Kami dictates the effect the blessing will have. A rock Kami could make the blade stronger and give the swing more power. An air Kami could allow you to cut through any Demon magic or Taint that hangs in the air, and make the blade sharper. Really, just ask the Kami what they will do for you. Be aware that the more powerful your patron, the more likely they'll demand some form of service from you. You could even try to ask the spirit of Mount Ashitaka itself, if you dared, though volcano Kami tend to be very grumpy when woken and liable to erupt. The blessings don't even need to be from a Kami; any powerful magic entity could do it, like a Kirin or any of the dragons. As an Ancient One, you could imbue the sword with your essence -- you saw how effective that was. Your -- our -- chi runs counter to the Demons' Taint and would work better fighting them than any Kami I can see here, except Amaterasu.*

That threw me. *I... What? Why? I noticed my chi behaved unexpectedly, particularly with Kikyo's magic, but why is that? What are we?*

Lung shook his head and chuckled. *You're the Ancient One, Yoishi. I wasn't. Why would I know anything about what we've become after my death? I'm just basing my statement on what I saw in your fights with the Demons and what I can feel. Something more happened after our fifth awakening than just gaining perfect memory; our chi still functions as a Fur's, for all practical purposes, but it's inimical to demonic energy of all forms. Li may know more, but I certainly don't.*

Imbue the sword with my chi? Could it really be so simple? Lung waited quietly while I thought; even his tail fell still. It would still take a few days to channel enough chi through it to attune the metal and prepare it for holding my chi for any length of time. An alchemical bath, in the same vein as those used to prepare an ofuda, would assist in the process and keep the chi from degrading once infused. Jade and silver would strengthen any purifying properties my chi might have. The thought of jade reminded me of the technique I drew from Lung in the fight against the Kabutomushi Demons, the Shout of the Celestial Dragon. Would there be a way of taking the jade-like essence of that -- the opposite of the concentrated Taint the Kabutomushi Mother used -- and applying it to the swords?

My former life laughed. *Time, Yoishi, time. It could take years_of dedicated study to learn how to forge swords designed to fight Demons, and yes, I think you_ would have to forge them rather than trying to tack something on afterwards.*

He was right. The best ofuda were crafted from paper custom made for a specific charm, and I saw even more reasons to believe swords would be the same way. I idly pondered as to who, where, and what my next life would be before drawing myself back to the problem at paw. I bowed to my past life. *Thank you, Lung. You've given me an answer I didn't seek, but one better than I hoped.* Lung bowed in return, smiling, and faded back into the pool of souls.

I roused myself from my meditation and saw, for just a split second, a pair of eyes peering at me from the waterfall before fading into the indistinct haze that marked the location of a Kami -- one indistinguishable from the churning waters. The ability to see remained inside me, it lay just_beyond reach, and to have it reinforced that so _much occurred beyond my vision was vexing beyond belief.

I slowly rose to my hindpaws as I took stock of my strength; it would not do to find myself so weakened that I fell into the pool. I had not depleted myself to such a state, fortunately, but only so far as to feel fatigued as one would be after a long day at physical labour. I felt the same satisfaction one did in work well done, too. The sun had fallen from its zenith, and I judged I had two more hours until supper would be served at the castle. I might as well soak in the cool waters while I recovered.

I enjoyed the chill that penetrated my fur, it was most bracing and invigorated me swiftly such that I soon frolicked in the pool, diving and playing as one would expect my sweet Otter to. I would dearly love to swim with him in a like fashion -- but with more groping. Perhaps once the swords were prepared. Thoughts of Kaoru-sama cut my play short; there was no longer any reason to remain here, and once my fur dried I should return to his castle so I could see him all the sooner.