迷いの森

The  descriptors  are  all  correct  in  one  way,  wrong  in  others.  Kami  is  a  term  he  had  not  heard  in  centuries  ever  since  Hisui's  name  changed,  though  it  was  the  closest  in  its  broad  meanings  that  fit  him.  "YOU  CAN  VIEW  ME  AS  A  'KAMI'  OF  NIGHTMARES."  So  far,  he'd  done  nothing  to  use  his  own  powers  and  already  turned  into  a  waking  bad  dream  that  evoked  long-buried  fears...  whether  the  Kitsune  knew  of  his  own  nature  he  couldn't  guess  at.

Slowly, the pieces of the puzzle begin to click into place. While what the creature said was true about light and darkness, there still was a deep, lingering doubt that clung to the wolf's heart. She had never known a creature like this. Never.

A god of nightmares. Mornings brought wide awake, blind, hands clawing at her face as panic ruins her. The curse of her heritage, to witness such terrible visions and be rendered blind from the power before being allowed to see again.

It was like viewing the cause of those painful mornings, having a face to blame. A bump in the night made manifest.

"What do you know of me, dark kami-sama?" Even for her distrust, he was given the barest of respects. A god was a god. It would not be wise to disrespect one.

"The fox, Aishireiko. You met them. I can smell their stench on your shadows. They're a cruel and evil creature. You'd do well not to trust a word they say." Out of habit, her voice turned formal, brought tight from a growling throat.

You drool in your sleep.

Don't you dare sleep in those clothes!

Did I wake you?

You're going to end up with a sore neck if you sleep like that.

You're supposed to turn off the alarm clock, not break it.

Are you always this grumpy in the morning?

Keep your cold feet away from me!

The bed's big enough for both of us.

You can rest. I’m here.

Just how many pillows do you need?

Now that you're awake, can you let go of me?

Oh, so even you get bedhead.

You talk in your sleep, you know.

When was the last time you slept?

You kick in your sleep.

If you're not tired why do you keep yawning?

You were having a nightmare.

I'm going to smother you with a pillow if you keep snoring.

Would you stop stealing all the blankets?

I can leave the light on if it helps.

You can use my shoulder as a pillow if you like.

I hate morning people.

Please tell me your not just now going to bed.

Do you often have nightmares?

Five more minutes…

Ugh, somebody turn off the sun.

Can I sleep here tonight?

Can you even find your bed in this mess?

You’re exhausted. Go to bed.

You don't need more coffee, you need a nap.

You can have the bed, I'll take the couch.

You look way too comfortable for someone who has to be at work in twenty minutes.

You're warm. Don't move.

You always look so peaceful when you’re asleep.

Your desk is not a bed.

You sleep, I'll keep watch.

While he didn't know many stories, he was always a good listener. The Keepers kept most tales tucked away in the annals of time, hidden away from him. Whenever he'd grow to curious and ask why, Tasheen would tell him that he would have to wait until he was old enough. But, for what it was worth, his uncle would fill his head with stories of their gods; of the Great Bird, of the dragons and the heights they climbed. He even told anecdotes from his and his father's youth. Nata devoured such knowledge greedily.

Robin ran her fingertips along the old ink, translating the words into English as she went. She knew the story by heart by now, having performed the same nightly ritual for years growing up. It was a tale that clung to her hide tight as thorns.

"Long, long ago, there lived an old bamboo wood-cutter. He was very poor and sad also, for no child had Heaven sent to cheer his old age, and in his heart there was no hope of rest from work till he died and was laid in the quiet grave. Every morning he went forth into the woods and hills wherever the bamboo reared its lithe green plumes against the sky." She spoke gently, but enunciated where it was best appropriate.

"When he had made his choice, he would cut down these feathers of the forest, and splitting them lengthwise, or cutting them into joints, would carry the bamboo wood home and make it into various articles for the household, and he and his old wife gained a small livelihood by selling them." Within her own mind, she could recall the image of bamboo, considered an invasive species. There were certain groves of it in the Lost Woods, but not nearly to the extent of her ancestral home's.

"One morning as usual he had gone out to his work, and having found a nice clump of bamboos, had set to work to cut some of them down. Suddenly the green grove of bamboos was flooded with a bright soft light, as if the full moon had risen over the spot. Looking round in astonishment, he saw that the brilliance was streaming from one bamboo. The old man, full of wonder, dropped his ax and went towards the light. On nearer approach he saw that this soft splendor came from a hollow in the green bamboo stem, and still more wonderful to behold, in the midst of the brilliance stood a tiny human being, only three inches in height, and exquisitely beautiful in appearance."

The image on the page revealed just that; a tiny doll-like woman emerging from the bamboo, cast in a divine light that caused the old man to stare in disbelief.

. . . Would she be fit to be called a mother of sorts? . . . No, a sister. They are siblings in loneliness, in sorrow and uncertainty. They both carry scars that they bore at ages far too young for them to have, inside and out.

With a semblance of a sister and guardian figure, Nata at least feels safe here, and the yawning of the forest all around them doesn't seem so scary. In a wood infested with demons and monsters, Robin's home is a sanctuary, and he feels he can sleep to her stories.

His warm, small body produces a wave of comfort she had thought impossible of having again. Within her own mind, Robin remembered her beloved twin sister Haruka... The eldest by several minutes. Yet she had been small and skinny, when Robin had been well built and sturdy from a very young age. They had snuggled up to read bedtime stories just like this, especially after their parents died and all they had was one another...

And despite Nata quickly fawning to avoid any conflict, the wolf girl can't help but want to do the same. Maybe it would be good to read such stories, to build a better skin against the wounds of grief...

"This one... Is called the Tale of the Bamboo Cutter." Robin began, opening the faded book and sliding the one side for Nata to hold, while she held the other. The old book sat heavy in their laps, smushing the old futon blanket.

"It doesn't have any swordsmen or adventurers, but it is about love and a princess..."

“that version of me is gone.”

“this changes nothing.”

“i was counting on it.”

“watch me.”

“it wasn’t like this before.”

“i can’t pretend anymore.”

“it’s a promise.”

“say it again.”

“don’t do this.”

“you’re late.”

“this is your last chance.”

“i made my choice long ago.”

“it was over the moment you left.”

“i had to see it for myself.”

“i’ve made worse mistakes than this.”

“you changed.”

“tell me the truth.”

“you look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“you owe me.”

“you followed the wrong path.”

“this isn’t over.”

“i warned you.”

“you’re hiding something.”

“you’ll regret this.”

“they recognized the weapon before they recognized the person holding it.”

“is this a threat?”

“some things can’t be fixed.”

“help me understand.”

“it ends however you decide.”

“you don’t understand.”

“you can’t stop this.”

“you came back.”

“it doesn’t have to end like this.”

“you’re making a mistake.”

“we never make it out clean.”

“maybe it was the only one.”

“you remember me, don’t you?”

“you lied to me.”

“you’re shaking.”

“silence would have been kinder.”

“you shouldn’t have followed me.”

“i trusted you.”

“say my name.”

“i’m not afraid.”

“you knew, didn’t you?”

“is this goodbye?”

“things change.”

“you don’t have to be alone.”

“i mean it this time.”

“that was your first mistake.”

“you’re not who i remember.”

“we don’t have much time.”

“was any of it real?”

“that’s not what you said before.”

“listen to me.”

“and yet, here we are.”

“put it down before this gets worse.”

“look at me.”

“i regret a lot of things.”

“you’re bleeding.”

“i didn’t think you’d survive.”

“don’t say my name like that.”

“you knew i’d come.”

“maybe you never knew me.”

“why are you here?”

“you wouldn’t like it.”

“people like us don’t get happy endings.”

“you followed me into ruin.”

“before everything fell apart.”

“there’s always a choice.”

“we could still fix this.”

“you’ve said that before.”

“i never meant for this to happen.”

“you promised.”

“what did you do?”

“before you chose a side.”

“don’t turn your back on me.”

“before you betrayed me.”

“you shouldn’t have.”

“i’m trying to help you.”

“you’ve always known the truth.”

“say something worth hearing.”

“i’m not backing down.”

“help me, or get out of my way.”

“don’t be foolish.”

“you should have run when you had the chance.”

“i owe you nothing.”

“i had no choice.”

“i walked away when it mattered most.”

“i crossed a line i can’t uncross.”

“i remember you too clearly.”

“you still care?”