The Way of the Fox (34 page)

A family of merchants were sitting in the house, eating their evening meal. They stared in
astonishment as a frizzled fox came bounding through their missing wall. A moment later, the ghost appeared in the opening, tearing the gap wide and crackling with power.

A
tetsubo slammed into the ghost from behind, crashing it to the ground. The end of the staff plunged down. Sparks chasing and searing about his armour, Tonbo heaved downwards. Somehow he kept the writhing monster pinned to the floor

Chiri came bounding
through the wreckage holding Sura’s fallen robes. She flung a bundle of paper seals towards the fox. Sura leapt to catch them, changing into her fur form mid-air. Orange furred, tall and naked, she landed on the dinner table between the soup and the rice, swiped two fingers along a fan of seals and charged them with power. The ghost saw her, gave a huge wrench of its bones and jerked out of Tonbo’s reach. Kuno slashed at the creature, but it took off, fleeing swirling off into the air. Chiri flung Sura her spear.

“
It’s heading for the brothel!” The rat sped off into the dark. “Hurry! We can catch it!”

“Go!” Naked and armed with a spear, Sura leapt from the dinner table. She paused in the broken wall
space and saluted the terrified family.

“
Sorry! A paranormal moment! Just go on about your lives!”

Sura ran off in pursuit of her
friends. Chiri tossed Sura’s robes back over her shoulder, and Sura scrabbled to catch the garment as it flew.

“Did anyone get my sword?” Sura
called as she raced after her friends. “Did anyone get my pants?”

Kuno was in the lead as they raced back down the street. The ghost looped up and over
decayed old houses, past a tree, then over a fence behind the brothel yard. Armour clanking, Kuno broke through the rear gate and plunged into the back yard of the brothel. Chiri and her elementals were hard upon his tail.

Hanako lay sprawled
just outside of the brothel laundry, slumped half against a pillar. Chiri, Sura and Tonbo arrived, eyes on the ghost as it swirled overhead tearing in anger at the trees.

Id
ē Benten came running from inside the busy brothel, having heard the disturbance in the garden. He froze as he saw the skeletal, raging ghost, then staggered back, utterly aghast. He drew his sword and tried to stand over Hanako and protect her. Sura wrapped her robe about herself, eyes fixed on the monster overhead.

“Benten! Get back!”

The ghost gathered itself into a stream of light. It plunged straight into Hanako.

Power thundered over
the garden, then vanished – sucked into the semi-conscious girl. The ghost had vanished – the garden was dark once more. The sudden silence was deafening.

Hanako was weeping.

Benten ran to her, holding her. The Spirit Hunters approached slowly, utterly appalled. The power in their weapons flickered as spells ran their course, and the elementals re-emerged, flying free.

A cold wind blew. Out in the town, distant shouts of alarm echoed
through the streets. In the garden, the only sound was Hanako’s tears.

Hanako knelt in misery on the ground. She
finally looked up at Sura with tears of horror streaming down her face.

“Yes, Kitsune
Sura. It is inside me.” The girl swayed. “I see it now. They were not bad dreams after all...” Hanako looked sickened – horrified at herself. “There was a time when it seemed so kind. So very kind…”

The girl drew away from Benten’s arms.

“I am host to this spirit of evil. It will kill again and again and again, as long as I am alive.”

Hanako bowed, then d
rew her hair away from her neck. She knelt, neck bared and her hands in her lap.

“
I beg you, Spirit Hunters. Please kill me, so that the curse will end…”

Chapter 7

The girl knelt in calm dignity, waiting for the end. Kuno stepped back, lowering his sword.
Chiri looked at the girl in horror.

“Hanako san – no!”

Hanako kept her eyes focussed on the ground before her. Her tears fell in the grass.

“
Kitsune Sura. I know you have felt some friendship towards me. I beg you to release me.” The girl’s shoulders were still – she was unafraid. “I can at least die as a samurai, even if I could not live as one!”

The fox was having none of
it.” No! No – there will be another way.”

“
There is no other way!” Weeping but suddenly fierce, the girl whirled to Benten. “Idē Benten – if you love me, you will kill me. I beg of you! These people are my people. I cannot bring them harm.”

Weeping and horrified, Benten ba
cked away, shaking his head.

Hanako moved like lightning. She
leaped and snatched Benten’s short sword from his belt. The girl sped past the laundry and into the front garden. Benten and the Spirit Hunters started after her, but a great crackle of power seared in the girl’s path. The ghost seemed to reached out of her and sent arcs of power rippling across the grass. Benten and Sura ducked back, eyes dazzled. By the time they looked back, Hanako had gone. Benten raced into the front gardens, past a terrified customer who hid behind a rock. Benten looked wildly about himself, utterly horrified.

“
Akiko chan! Akiko!”

Tonbo ran to the gate and looked into the deserted street. There was no sign of the girl.

“Quickly – where would she go?” The huge man turned to Benten. “Idē San! She did not kill herself on the street! She will find a place with meaning.”

Benten ran a hand
through his hair, utterly aghast. He turned and suddenly looked to the hill nearest to the old inn.

“
I… The old Usagi family shrine! The ruins. It’s close!”

Tonbo seized the man by the shoulder. “
Lead us.
Run!”

Benten fought for
breath, then sprinted up the street, moving fast. Chiri sped after him, her elementals swerving and weaving beside her. Slower in his armour, Kuno chased behind. Tonbo hung back until Sura caught up with him. The fox was still trying to tie her belt one handed while carrying her spear. She threw the weapon to Tonbo.

“Where?”

“Up the road.”

A fan lay fallen in the
street. Sura finally tied her belt and swiftly knelt and seized the fan. She spread it out and looked over the painting on one face – then at an inscription painted on the other side. She shoved the fan into her belt, grabbed hold of her spear, and began to run barefoot down the road. Tonbo ran with her, pointing to the glimmer of Chiri’s elementals up ahead.

They reached an old half forgotten trail and
surged up a hill slope, following the trail of crushed grass left by Chiri, Kuno and Benten. They found old stone steps amongst the weeds and raced onward, heading for the hill crest up above.

At the crest of the hill, vast old
and charred beams had become overgrown with moss. Tall weeds rattled where once a graceful shrine had stood. Old statues stood in a row amongst the bushes, chipped and hacked – some headless, and some utterly destroyed.

Hanako ran weeping
through the ruins. There was one patch of ground before the statues where weeds and grass had been roughly cleared. She had lain little offerings here in the past – a bowl of rice, a bundle of wildflowers... She finally fell to her knees in the dark night. Placing the stolen short sword in front of herself, she wrenched open her robes to bare her throat. Facing the statues she bowed, then clapped her hands in prayer.

She arched as the ghost suddenly shot out of her body.
The spirit hung above her as she slumped sideways. The ghost swooped and swirled about her in distress, but Hanako looked up at it in misery.

“
No more! You make my life come at too high a price!”

Benten, Chiri and Kuno burst through the weeds. They caught sight of Hanako in the moonlight. The girl instantly snatched up the short sword and put the edge to her throat. Benten flung himself to his knees.

“Wait! Akiko chan! Please!”

The girl was erect, tearful and proud. She took a firm grasp of the sword hilt.

“Do not come closer, Benten chan. I do not control this ghost, but I can at least stop it.” She tensed her arm to plunge the sword into her own throat.

“
At least I know how to die as a lady!”

Sura’s quiet voice carried from the shadows.

“Yes. As a lady.”

Tonbo and Sura came forward into the moonlight before the statues. The fox’s fur shone white and dark, her
pointed muzzle gleaming in the moonlight. She slowly spread open the girl’s fallen fan.

It was painted with a rabbit and a full moon.

“Lady Usagi Akiko.”

Hanako set the short sword aside. Hanging her head, she shimmered. Her ears – always covered by her hair, extended. Her face changed into the face of a beautiful young rabbit. Her body was covered by a fine silken fur.

“How did you know, Sura san?”

“
Benten. He called out to you.” The fox turned the fan. “And a poem:

“Leaping, running, laughing

Smiling eyes and rabbit
’s heart

Sheltered by our love.”

The ghost up above flashed. It spread out claws to attack. Sura lifted a hand, whipping it out towards the weeds.

“Shields!”

Flickering walls of light sprang into life. They were walled in with the ghost, rising to join high in the sky
above. Sura had delayed her appearance so that she and Tonbo could plant seals out in the grass. She held another paper in her hand, and pointed her glowing spear at the ghost.

“Not this time, my friend.”

The ghost backed away, roiling – suddenly wary of the fox holding the magical seal.

Benten crept forward to Akiko’s side. He bowed to her, utterly ashamed.

“Forgive me, my love. I failed to keep your secret.”

The rabbit girl looked up at him, tired and wracked with sadness.

“You could not be blamed, my love.”

The
rabbit turned to the Spirit Hunters.

“
Idē Benten is the last samurai of the Usagi clan. When my family was destroyed, I became lost in the forest. A brothel madam found and raised me. Benten san searched for me for years, and finally found me when we were both thirteen. He has been my guardian ever since.” She looked at Benten in quiet love. “And now, far more than a mere guardian.”

“The Chariots course no more.

In the river,
our fallen banners drifted like leaves;

On, on upon an autumn current.

Memories of beauty lost shall drench our sleeves.”

Benten met Akiko’s eyes.

“But my bow is a northern bow – strong as iron.

My heart is resolute. I shake my
iron coat,

A
nd it gleams like snow.

The fires of
Yu-Shueh
are strong, and never fade.”

Asodo Kuno, deeply moved, bowed to Benten.

“Chugo
– loyalty transcending the mere fortunes of life. Idē Benten – you are a most worthy samurai.” Kuno straightened. “How is it that you found your lady? How did you know that she was alive?”

Benten bowed stiffly
in return.

“
Kuno san – my father charged me to protect her. My father, Idē Yagorō was the senior general of the Usagi. On Akiko’s mother’s orders, he spirited both Akiko and myself out of the castle as it fell. He swore to defend Akiko. My father led us deep into the forest, but Raiden troops were coming ever closer.”

Benten stared at the weeds. His voice fell.

“We ran far, far into the wilds, with my father bleeding from his wounds. I was sent running onwards to fetch horses. When I returned, he been slain. My father lay with enemy dead all around him. There was no sign of Lady Akiko, and the Raiden never produced a body. They claimed she had died in the castle.

“
So I searched for eight long years. And my faith was repaid a thousand fold.” The young man looked up at his Akiko. Absolute love shone in his eyes. “I found her.”

“
And loved her.”

Sura looked from Akiko and Benten to the ghost swirling watchfully up above. The fox examined the ghost carefully.

“Akiko
himē
. Your bodyguard died protecting you? The last, most loyal fighter in the clan?”

The rabbit girl
looked up at Sura.

“
Yes, Sura san. He fought on and on, even though he was dying. He bought my escape with his own life.”

“
And served you far beyond death.” Sura turned to Benten, and gently bowed.

“
Benten san. I believe this is your father’s spirit – trapped in this world while he continues to uphold his oath to the Usagi family.”

Benten stare
d up at the ghost in shock. Sura walked up beside him, and knelt at his side.

“
Benten san. If you wish, you can release him to the spirit world.” The fox’s voice was firm and gentle. “Take his oath upon yourself, father to son.”

A cold wind blew across the ruined shrine.

Benten looked from Akiko and Sura to the great skeletal ghost hanging above. The figure could be seen more clearly now – dressed in black-laced armour with a moon crest, all slashed and scored from a ferocious battle. Benten walked forward slowly, gazing up at the skeletal face in shock – and then in wonder. He knelt slowly, placing his sword before him, then gave the ghost a reverential bow.

“
Honoured father. It is I, your son Benten.”

Benten remained deep in his bow, hands placed beside his sword.

“For long years, I have served lady Akiko faithfully. I now formally request to take upon myself your oath. I will protect and serve her through life and beyond.”

Lady Akiko came forward. She knelt side-by-side with Benten, and bowed to the ghost in quiet, deep respect.

“With your permission, Yagorō san – we will join Idē to Usagi. I most humbly ask you to bless our union.”

The ghost seemed calmer – clearer. The violent sizzling power
had faded to a gentler light. The scarred armour seemed to clear. The bones seemed to lose their claws, and became merely a skeleton. Akiko bowed to the skeleton once again. Her voice was filled with love.

“General
Yagorō san. Our clan shall live again. We are forever in your debt.”

Sura walk
ed quietly forward and swirled her spear. Power glowed as she drew a symbol floating in the air, filling the old ruined shrine with light.

“Spirit of the restless night

Honoured one who served in faith.

Go now to realm of honoured dead

To rest in peace before rebirth.
”

The fox priestess sliced with her spear and a rift appeared – a gateway that flooded a soft golden light out across the weeds. The way to the realm of the honoured dead lay open, and the air stirred with a quiet scent of flowers.

The Spirit Hunters bowed reverently to the samurai
who had served Akiko through death and beyond. The ghost took on a warm, calm light. The skull and bones clad themselves in mist, taking on the semblance of a great, powerful man.

The
ghost lingered, descending gently until it hovered before Benten and Akiko. It caressed them with its light – sunk down before Lady Akiko as though swaying in a bow – and then swirled up and over to the rift. The ghost hesitated at the edge – then looked briefly at Sura. She nodded to the ghost, and then it plunged through the gateway and was gone.