#corpse groom

To be perfectly honest she wasn't sure wasn't to expect after Kyojuro ran off like someone lit his clothes on fire, but he acted completely normal the next few days like their talk didn't happen. Perhaps Tengen had talked sense in him to not worry about it? The final repairs were still being done on the home as they're was still a few smaller ones here and there that Shinjuro insisted get completely fixed and most of the men were out starting to repair the massive fence around the property. Mitsuri and Gyomei would LITERALLY pull the old fencing out by large sections and then the others would slowly fix that section until it was fixed before moving onto the next part. Tengen whined once about all the wood he needed to completely burn but other than that, things were going right in the world as the fall whether was starting to become colder and colder.

Until Kyojuro pulled you aside as you were helping Ruka make lunch for everyone. "Come with me to the garden!" He insisted with a big grin. "I wanna take one last look at the flowers before they completely wither away."

She blinked in the middle of literally chopping a carrot. "Kyojuro, I'm a little busy right now-"

"Please!" He begged. "I promise just a quick walk! Just us."

She looked from him to Ruka who waved her off. "It's alright. A few minutes away isn't going to hurt me."

"Alright then. Just a short walk. I still have chores to do."

Kyojuro practically carried her out the door with how fast he pulled her out to the garden where most of the flowers were already withered away from the autumn's coldness affecting them. Too bad. Kanae and Shinibu had worked so hard to get everything to grow just months ago, hopefully they'll grow back next summer. Kyojuro pointed out one in particular, a bush of a red roses that were mostly gone that he wanted her to look at and she did out of politeness. When she turned around she found Kyojuro not there- Oh wait. She looked down and found him on one knee beaming up at her.

"Kyojuro?" Her eyes widened suddenly. "Are you-?"

He cleared his throat. "Y/n, my Darling." Grabbing her hand he looked completely worried, maybe scared. "Ever since the day you saved me from my eternal slumber on that night by chance, I knew you would be the love of my life!..Um. Afterlife! Now that we've been together for so long and shared so much, I ask you now and please-" He immediately held up his other hand. "-if you're not ready or have changed your mind you are more than welcome to say no." She already smiled widely at his stuttering. "But will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"

"I already said I would you silly man."

"...Is that a yes?"

You chuckled. "Yes. It's a yes."

"PERFECT!!" His voice boomed out into the air as he suddenly jumped to his feet with a huge smile on his face! "Now that we're officially engaged now, we can finally get into preparations for our wedding ceremony!!"

"Oh, is that it?" She crossed her arms amused. "I thought you had forgotten all about that."

He shook his head. "NEVER!! I was just planning out the proposal first because you deserved a proper proposal and a chance to say no again." He held up his hands gesturing to the spot they stood. "I wanted to pick somewhere special to me. My father proposed to my mother in this very garden, and had their wedding here as well. So I wished to do the same to honor them!"

"Oh. You want the wedding to be in the garden?"

"Actually I was going to let you decide most of what we do for the ceremony." He tilted his head.  "It's just as much as your wedding as it is mine! You get a say in things too! Unless you'd rather have it somewhere else, then I'm sure we can work it all out!"

She stood there for a moment thinking. "...I..never actually thought of getting married before or where I wanted my wedding to be, but everywhere I can think of is back at my town. So.." She looked back to him. "Let's just have the wedding in your garden. I think it'd be the easiest place to have everyone."

"EXCELLENT!! WE SHOULD GO INFORM TENGEN THEN!!"

Her brow rose. "Tengen? Why?"

"He and his wives agreed to help us plan the wedding and engagement party after I proposed to you!" He proudly said. "They have experience with this much more than anyone else, so I thought they'd be the perfect wedding planners!"

"That's actually really relieving. What about your parents?"

"I'm allowing them to help too in respect of them being my family! My mother is in charge of the wedding feasts and my father is currently trying to find a priest..Hm. We should probably go talk about what foods we want at the wedding!"

"Maybe I should help her finish making lunch for more than ten people first before we talk to her about wedding food."

"Oh. Right! I'll help you!"

She didn't exactly expect THIS much planning to go into a wedding. She didn't even have any idea where to start when she was dragged to meet the only other married couple in the house and Makio asked her bluntly what she wanted for decorations. 

"Um. I don't know..Maybe we could ask Kanae and Shinobu to grow flowers?"

Makio looked at her like she was crazy. "You're having a WINTER wedding! That would completely clash with the snow!"

"Oh..I guess you're right. Sorry. I never planned a wedding before. My last wedding was just going to be a quick ceremony in a garden without a reception and only four people as witnesses for it which includes the priest."

"Makio, don't be so rude." Hinatsuru gave her wife a stern look before turning back to you with a smile. "I know." She held up a finger in suggestion. "Since's it's a winter wedding at night, we could light lanterns and place candles around the garden. Simple but beautiful!"

"OH!! We can have Tengen place small flames everywhere too!,'' Suma suggested. "It would light up everything and be so beautiful!"

She smiled widely. "That sounds perfect! Although you should probably ask Kyojuro what he thinks in case he doesn't like it."

Kyojuro was ON BOARD with the idea and Tengen was more than pleased with finally being able to use his fire for something else other than just burning massive piles of junk and wood now. When talking about the engagement party she was a bit more confused. 

"But didn't we have an engagement banquet when I first arrived here?", she pointed out during one of his family dinners, "Why have another one?" 

"Because you weren't actually engaged then!", Shinjuro argued back pointing his chopsticks at her. "If you're going to be married then you're going to do this properly." Shinjuro then looked at Kyojuro who was still eating the stew Ruka prepared for them to eat that night. His eyes narrowed. "*ahem*" Kyojuro looked up cheeks full. "I said if you're going to be wed then you're going to do it properly!"

Quickly his son swallowed what was left in his mouth before she turned to him confused. Kyojuro quickly cleared his throat before looking at her. "Y/n. I have your father's blessing to marry you!"

She was shocked looking at him before at Shinjuro before looking back to him again. "You what? HOW!?" She looked horrified. "I thought you said you weren't ever going back there!" 

"I didn't!" He proclaimed proudly. "I sent him a very strongly worded letting asking for his blessing, and if he didn't I would personally take his dishonor as an offense!"

...Her face deadpanned. "You threatened him?"

"....It was a very strongly worded letter!"

"You threatened him to get his blessing. Kyojuro-"

"I did not threaten him!", Kyojuro quickly stated. "I merely wrote him that the way he behaved towards both of us was disrespectful and I would only not take it as an offense against the Rengoku family if he gave us his blessings in exchange."

Her brow rose higher. "Then how do you know he gave you his blessing?"

"I wrote him to leave a whole crate of his finest fish at the nearest Inari shrine as an offering if he agreed to give us his blessings!...Tengen picked it up! Now we have plenty of dried salmon and catfish for winter!"

She wanted to facepalm. Her father probably only did it because he was scared out of his mind that the Yokai would come back and kill him after he totally did not low-key soft threaten him. "That could've still been a trap! Why on earth did you think that was a good idea?!"

He tilted his head. "It was Father's idea!" Ruka stopped in the middle of pouring more stew in Senjuro's bowl as Shinjuro paused spoon halfway to his mouth and mouth open. "He insisted that we do this the proper way and obtain your father's blessing one way or another!"

.....Ruka slowly turned a glare at her suddenly nervous looking husband as Senjuro shrank a bit in his seat. "Uh oh."

"Shinjuro, we will have a talk after dinner. Privately."

This time she did facepalm with a sigh. She was so glad she was only going to have one wedding. This was already too stressful for her to deal with. 

The days that followed say that the fence was finally fixed along with most of the minor mansion repairs that Shinjuro kept nagging about. The mansion was looking absolutely better than what she had first seen it as months ago. Speaking with the girls and Ruka helped her decide on what exactly what kind of food she wanted for her wedding, since again she had no idea what kind of food would be appropriate for a wedding. The redo Engagement party was just going to be another big Engagement Dinner with his friends a week before the wedding. Although you only agreed to it to settle Shinjuro's constant insistence on doing this properly which already got him in trouble with Ruka. Then came the biggest hassle of all. Deciding a guest list.

"Is there anyone from your village you'd want to invite?" Kyojuro asked looking up at her from the pieces of paper he was writing on. "I would suggest inviting your parents as a formality but-..Well it speaks for itself doesn't it?"

She shook her head. "No. I didn't really have any friends or anyone I was close to, and you're right. Inviting my parents is not an option, even as a formality. It would only be too dangerous, as was getting my father's blessing by underhanded tactics."

"Yes. My mother yelled at me and Father for over three hours." He winced at the memory of the onryo laying into them harshly just a few days ago. "Of course my family and friends will attend."

"Then why are you still giving them all invitations if they already know they'll be attending?"

"To show appreciation! I want them there as they're all near and dear to me! Besides, it's proper etiquette to send all the guests invitations regardless. I was hoping you would agree to allow me to invite some of their families as well! I know some of them even before dying and it feels right to me."

"Oh." She nodded. "Of course, Kyojuro. You can invite anyone you want."

He lit up immediately. "REALLY!? Does that also include some of Senjuro's friends? I didn't want him to feel left out so I informed him he could help invite guests to make this a bigger wedding!"

Senjuro? That adorable sweet boy had friends? Aw! Of course he could help and bring some friends. She smiled at him. "Of course he can! He can invite anyone he wants too!"

"That's perfect! Now all we have to do is assign Obanai as 'Mitsuri's watcher'."

Her brow rose. "Huh? Why?"

"Mitsuri is a wonderful friend!...But sometimes her bottomless appetite can get the best of her and she ends up eating everything before anyone else can have it. Obanai has to make sure she doesn't do that whenever they attend formal events together."

A flashback to the double date they had with said couple popped into her mind. ...That was probably for the best. Time seemed to fly by WAY too fast. The first snow fell. The redo engagement banquet was had, much more enjoyable now that she wasn't terrified out of her mind like last time and then the days ticked by slowly until December arrived. Kyojuro suggested waiting for all their guests to show up before they had the wedding which she agreed. However she was shocked by the amount of Yokai that showed up in JUST one day. A whole family of Tanuki and Gyukuto, a yellow tengu, a family of enenra- She screamed out in fright when a Katakirauwa wearing a wild boar's head suddenly jumped out at her throwing rice and cackling up a storm!

"Inosuke the mountain God has claimed this wedding as my own! I'll become the King of Weddings!!"

"You crazy pig! You don't scare the bride at weddings!", the blonde tengu ended up shrieking at the other boy before dragging him away. "AND YOU DON'T THROW RICE AT HER!! YOU THROW IT OVER THE COUPLE WHEN THE CEREMONY'S OVER!!"

"Huh? There's a specific way to pummel them with it?"

"IT'S NOT USED TO PUMMEL ANYONE, YOU HOG BRAIN!!"

You quickly found out all these children were Senjuro's friends when the embarrassed kyonshi came to apologize to you for his friend's behavior. Looks like they would need a 'Inosuke Watcher' too.

Other yokai showed up too. Sanemi's whole gaggle of younger kamaitachi siblings and their mom, the second oldest one Genya went completely red when Sanemi was making them say hi to her. Completely red faced mumbling a high before giving an excuse to go thank Kyojuro for inviting them and quickly left, long black weasel tail between his legs. The Kocho sisters also brought all five of their younger adopted sisters. The youngest three of which immediately squealed and asked when they were going to see her in the pretty dress, little flower buds growing out of their heads not yet in bloom, however the older two girls were around Senjuro's age. Kanao, she had momo flowers growing from her head. Aoi also had blue nemophila growing from her head. All the cooking preparations, and decorating as you agreed to greet the guests was being handled by everyone else so you were faced with so many. However you never EXPECTED a blind DRAGON to come out of the woods being lead by a tsurara onna and have their young brood of children toddling after them like a pair of ducklings. You were starting to feel a little bit overwhelmed by all the different yokai seeming to come out of the wood works for this one wedding. How many yokai did Kyojuro know?!

You were only relieved when Hinatsuru came to get you. "It's almost sunset. It's time to get you ready for the ceremony. Don't worry about the guests. I'm sure Mr. Shinjuro can take over entertaining the guests for his son's wedding."

Next thing she new she was tossed in a bath and then dried off soon after to be fit into a VERY familiar get up. Hinatsuru held up the shiromuku as Makio was already too busy styling her hair.

"Ms. Ruka stored this away for this very special day! It still looks so brand new."

"I've only worn it once before, and even then it wasn't used."

"Well then it should be a perfect fit now."

Her hands were scrubbed once and her mouth made to be rinsed out starting the first ritual of her ceremony as her body was prepared however the girls were MUCH more gently about her body purification ritual than her mother was. Afterwards she was placed in the beautiful Shiromuku her parents had ordered custom made from the tailor. It was tight around her body hugging her frame but still just modest enough and the trio assured her that she looked absolutely beautiful in it.

The wataboshi was gently pulled up over her head by Suma as they made the final preparations to her ensemble. The kaiken secured into place. The suehiro and hakoseko tucked away in her folds. They gushed over her as she just..stared at herself in the mirror, a feeling of utter happiness instead of the existential dread from the first time she wore this dress an obvious contrast. 

Was this truly happening to her?

"Aw. Hey. Don't cry. I just got done with putting your make up on."

"A-All brides cry on their wedding day, Hinatsuru!," Suma said already crying tears.

"You cry at ANY wedding!"

A knock on the door got all four women's attention. "Girls." Tengen. "The ceremony's about to start. All we're missing is the blushing bride!"

"We'll be right there!" Hinatsuru tugged her lightly to get her to stand up. "Come. Your big day is about to start."

The outside air was beautiful. Floating lanterns and small flickers of fire floated about like little stars. All the small children had made a game of chasing all the floating lights until their parents and older siblings called them over to make them sit down for the ceremony. Inosuke was sat between the blonde Tengu and the oldest tanuki boy to watch over him and given a whole bowl of shrimp tempura to keep him quiet during the ceremony. Obanai ha to reach up every so often to push one of Mitsuri's wondering tentacle braids back down from where they faced the inside dining hall where the reception was going to be held with the food. A mountain of wedding gifts stacked high on a long table nearby.

And in the middle of it was Kyojuro dressed up in all black Kuromonpuku.

He nervously stood there face a bright red, and nervously fiddling his hands. Until someone turned and lit up. "Here comes the bride!"

He looked up- And he swore he died again right then and there as the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen in his life- AFTERLIFE was walked up in the beautiful colors of red and white. A small shiver from her was given as the cold night was upon her, but he couldn't speak. Only stare wide eyed as she smiled at him- And he gulped. A third presence at the alter cleared their throat silencing everyone and she was lightly surprised by the man with blue skin and one eye wearing priest robes. An ao bozu.

"Dearly beloved, and departed," he spoke loudly as they were shushed. Briefly however she wondered where they had gotten so many chairs. "We are gathered here this night to bare witness to the union between this corpse and this woman, but first please follow me in a moment of sacred silence as we call upon the holy deities Izanagi and Izanami to come bare witness to this holy union."

The silence was deathly, no pun intended, as everyone was silent allowing this yokai priest to perform the sacred ritual to invoke the two primordial Gods to come witness and recognize the two here as a married couple. Including lighting incense and placing a small offering on the alter between them and the ao bozu.

"The san-san-kudo shall now commence." He went silence as he reached for a bottle of sake already placed on the alter with six cups placed before the both of them, three for Kyojuro and three for her. "Three sips each from each cup, symbolizing their past, present, and future together in sacred harmony!" He spoke as he poured before looking at Kyojuro to do his share first. The sake tasted sour- bittersweet as they drank. Kyojuro shaking so much that he was scared to drop the cup and stain her beautiful dress in the red liquid. "The vows will now be exchanged starting with the man before the exchanging of the rings!"

"R-Right!" He cleared his throat and turned to her- But anything he rehearsed went flying from his head as soon as she smiled at him. "I-...Uh-....M-Marriage is a sacred rite!"

The blue man rose his single brow. "Yes. We all agree, Young man. The vows are an important part of that."

A few giggles were given making him go red. "Yes! I-..." He took a deep breath. "Y/n...You have been very patient and understanding with me, e-even when I know I messed up very badly." It was hard to keep eye contact. Oh good Buddha. She was so beautiful. "And I don't deserve that from you. G-Going forward, I promise to always bring your own say in things and treat you as the woman I don't deserve." 

A quick glance to Tengen earned him a nod from the man with him mouthing, "Nice save!"

"Now the woman may say hers."

She smiled widely at him. "I honestly do not have much to say. I just love you so much that it's hard to put into words." Oh he swore he was gonna die again right now- "But I promise to always cherish you and to never allow anything to happen to you again. You showed me what it was like to have a friend let alone love, and I am forever grateful." She gave a little smirk. "And I can't wait to have children with you.~" She whispered the last part for only him to hear before winking teasingly.

Kyojuro BURST out so red he could combust there as a choke escaped his mouth. 

"Please bring forth the rings and final offerings."

Kyojuro's hand were shaking as he was still cherry red as Senjuro handed him the rings from the side. She was giggling when it took him two tries just to get it on her before she did the same. Sakaki branches were then passed to them both as they turned, and both placed it on the small alter.

"I now pronounce you spirit and wife."

EDO SECRETS: 

Their parents, Kanae, Shinobu, Aoi, and Kanao are Furutsubaki-No-Rei since flowers attract butterflies and according to the wiki, their fragrance can become poisonous which fits Shinobu.

Giyuu is a male Akugyo.

Mitsuri is a futakuchi onna because it matches her appetite.

Obanai is a male nure onna.

Gyomei is a humanoid torakoishi.

Sanemi is a humanoid kamaitachi as are his siblings and mother.

Tengen is a Kitsune, Suma is an Ame onna, Hinatsuru is a Yarahime, and Makio is a rokurokubi.

Kagaya is a eastern dragon in human form while Amane is a tsurara onna. Their children are also these creatures.

The Kamados are made of tanukis being the boys, and the girls are Gyukuto(moon rabbits).

Zenitsu is a tengu.

Inosuke is a humanoid Katakirauwa.

Ruka is a yurei and Shinjuro and Senjuro are Kyonshi like Kyojuro being reanimated by Ruka. 

The Tokitos are a family of Enenra.

Akaza is a nekomata.

-YOKAI USED-

Furutsubaki-No-Rei: In Japanese folklore, almost anything, upon reaching an old age, can develop a spirit and become a yokai. When a tsubaki tree (Camellia japonica, or the rose of winter) reaches an old age, it's spirit gains the ability to separate itself from its host tree, along with other strange and mysterious powers, which it uses to bewitch and trick humans.The tsubaki is an evergreen tree which has the strange behavior of not losing its flowers gradually, petal by petal, but dropping them all at once to the ground. As a result, it long been associated with death and strangeness in Japan (and is also taboo to bring as gifts to hospitals or sick people).

Akugyo: Enormous species of mermaid found in the waters surrounding Japan. Their head and arms resemble those of human women, but the rest of their body is fish-like. They are covered in gold and silver scales, and they have two white horns on their head. They can spit fire from their mouths.

Futakuchi onna: Families who notice that their food stocks are shrinking at an alarming rate, while the women in their houses hardly eat a bite, may be the victims of a futakuchi onna. Futakuchi onna appear as regular women until their terrible secret is revealed: in the back of their skulls—buried beneath long, thick hair—is a second mouth, full of teeth and with large, fat lips. This second mouth is ravenous, and uses long strands of its hair-like tentacles to gorge itself on any food it can find.

Nure onna: Nure onna are vampiric sea serpents who haunt shores and rivers looking for humans to eat. They are most commonly found on the shores of the island of Kyūshū, but there are stories of nure onna encounters as far north as Niigata Prefecture and as far east as Fukushima Prefecture. There are two variations of this yōkai: one without arms, which resembles an enormous sea serpent with a woman's head, and one with human-like arms. Aside from this difference, the two look and act in exactly the same manner. Their faces are hideous and betray serpent-like features such as a forked tongue. They have long black hair which sticks to their dripping bodies. Their name comes from the fact that they always appear soaking wet.

Torakoishi: Torakoishi is a large stones with the legs and tail of a tiger. It is found in the village of Ōiso in Kanagawa Prefecture.

Kamaitachi: The mountainous regions of Yamanashi, Nagano, and Niigata are known for a particularly meddlesome kind of itachi. In these areas, grandparents warn their grandchildren to beware of kama itachi, or "sickle weasels." These itachi have learned to ride the swirling whirlwinds of this cold region. They have claws as strong as steel and as sharp as razors. Their fur is spiny like a hedgehog, and they bark like a dog. They move so quickly that they are invisible to the naked eye. They come and go with the wind.

Samebito: The Samebito, also known as the Kōjin, is a Japanese mythical creature described in Lafcadio Hearn's story "The Gratitude of the Samebito" and inspired by earlier folklore, particularly a tale by Kyokutei Bakin. These shark-like, emotional beings, not to be confused with the Kōjin god of fire, dwell in the ocean, have human-like heads and shark-like features, and their tears magically transform into valuable gems.

Yarahime: Yamahime are yōkai women who live deep in the mountains all across Japan. Although their appearance varies from account to account, they usually take the form of beautiful, long-haired, fair-skinned young women. They usually appear half-naked in tattered rags or in clothing woven from grass or bark, but sometimes they wear twelve-layered kimono.

Rokurokubi: Rokurokubi: A type of Japanese yokai (supernatural creature) known for having necks that can stretch to incredible lengths, sometimes even detaching from the body entirely. They are often depicted as women, and their behavior can range from mischievous to predatory.

Kitsune: These beings are closely associated with the Shinto deity Inari, often serving as Inari's messengers. Kitsune can possess various magical powers, including shapeshifting, illusions, and even controlling fire (kitsunebi). They are often depicted as tricksters, but can also be benevolent protectors or messengers

Tsurara onna: Tsurara onna are beautiful woman that are created from the loneliness of single men during the winter time. When a man gazes longingly at a strong, beautiful icicle hanging from a roof and reflects upon his loneliness, a tsurara onna may appear shortly afterwards. On the surface, a tsurara onna appears to be an ordinary—though exceptionally beautiful—woman. They are very similar in appearance and behavior to yuki onna, which inhabit the same areas during wintertime. When the winter snows melt and icicles can no longer be seen hanging from roofs, tsurara onna disappear along with the cold weather.

Gyukuto:(moon rabbits) The dark spots visible on the full moon are said to resemble a rabbit who lives in the moon. Behavior: In Japan, the rabbit is described holding a wooden mallet which he uses to pound mochi (rice cakes) in an usu, or mortar. The mallet and mortar as also visible as dark spots on the moon. In China, the rabbit is believed not to be creating mochi, but is instead mixing the medicine of eternal youth.

Tengu: Mythical creatures from Japanese folklore, often depicted as powerful, bird-like beings with long noses, or as humanoids with long noses and wings. They are associated with mountains and forests, sometimes acting as protectors or tricksters, and sometimes as dangerous demons. Their nature is complex, embodying both good and evil, wisdom and mischief.

Katakirauwa: Katakirauwa is a malicious spirit of a piglet with one ear and red eyes. They have no shadow and most often have black skin. They can steal a person's soul by running through their legs.

Yurei: There are many different types of yūrei. In most cases, how they appear depends on the circumstances on their death. They retain the features and the clothing they wore when they died or were buried, which means they are dressed in white burial kimonos or the uniforms of fallen warriors. Occasionally, they have bloody wounds indicative of the way they died. Their hair is usually long and disheveled, often obstructing their face and adding to their disturbing appearance. Their hands hang limply from their wrists. Yūrei are translucent and only faintly visible. In most cases they are so faint that they appear to have no feet

Ame onna: A Japanese yokai thought to call forth rain, illustrated as a woman standing in the rain and licking her hand. In modern usage in Japan, "ameonna" (or the male equivalent "ameotoko") refers to an unlucky person that seems to be jinxed to have the rain follow them wherever they may go, thus gaining a reputation for ruining special events such as weddings or sporting events.

Enenra: This is a yōkai composed entirely of smoke, darkness, and mist. It most often appears as wisps of smoke rising from bonfires and chimneys, taking on human-like faces. It is said that only those with a pure heart can see the enenra. In some interpretations, it represents the spirits of the dead rising with the smoke.

Tanuki: A tanuki is a shapeshifting, mischievous trickster from Japanese folklore, resembling a raccoon dog, known for its ability to transform into objects and people. Depicted with a round belly, a straw hat, and a large scrotum (often used as a charm), the tanuki plays pranks, creates illusions, and drums on its belly to make sounds.

Nekomata: A Nekomata (猫又, "forked cat") is a mythological Japanese yōkai (supernatural being) that appears as a domestic cat with a forked tail. These creatures are said to gain powers like speaking human language, shape-shifting, and necromancy as they age, with their abilities often linked to their age and the length of their tails. Nekomata are often depicted as malevolent, associated with strange fires and the resurrection of the dead, though some tales portray them as wise or even protective.

Ao bozu: Ao bōzu are generally depicted as large, one-eyed, blue-skinned priests with a strong connection to magic. However, local accounts vary greatly in details such as size, number of eyes, and habitat. In Okayama, they are described as two-eyed giants who take up residence in abandoned or uninhabited homes. In other stories, they appear in wheat fields, or on dark, lonely roads.

Izanagi and Izanami:  The primordial, creator deities in Japanese mythology who formed the Japanese islands and many other kami (gods). After being ordered by heavenly superiors, they stirred the ocean with a jeweled spear, and the resulting drops that fell from the spear formed the islands of Japan. They married and had children, including the sun goddess Amaterasu, the moon deity Tsukuyomi, and the storm god Susanoo. 

-VOCAB-

Wataboshi: The hood on a traditional shiromuku.

Shiromuku: Traditional Japanese wedding dress.

Kaiken: Decorative dagger symbolizing the bride's readiness to protect her new family.

Suehiro: A special folding fan used with a bride's wedding attire.

Hakoseko: A decorative women's wallet.

San-san-kudo: The San-San-Kudo (or san-san-ku-do) is a traditional Japanese wedding ritual that serves as the formal exchange of nuptial vows and symbolizes the union of the couple and their families. The name translates to "three-three-nine times".

Kuromonpuku: Kuromonpuku is a formal Japanese wedding attire for a groom, consisting of a black kimono and overcoat (haori) with a striped hakama, featuring five family crests embroidered on the garments. The name translates to "black crests" and the ensemble is designed to be dignified and elegant.

Sakaki Tree: The sakaki is a flowering evergreen tree native to East Asia, most notably Cleyera japonica, that holds significant cultural and religious importance in the Japanese Shinto faith. It is considered sacred for its evergreen nature, symbolizing immortality, and is used in rituals to demarcate sacred spaces, as seen in the decorated branches called tamagushi offered to deities. The name itself, 榊, combines the characters for "tree" (\(木\)) and "god" (\(神\)). 

Nemophila (Baby Blue Eyes): These are Japan's most iconic blue spring flowers, creating "blue seas" on hillsides.

Momo: another word for peach blossoms.

Don't play with things your mortal mind can't comprehend.

Never make promises you can't keep.

There's an old graveyard within the mountain top to which people used to pay respects to.The spirits are said to reside there in ever slumbers, but overtime the legends faded and twisted to something much darker. You know not how true this is but the fear enough that they might've actually been tricked into worshipping something evil was enough for the shrine to lose followers.

Slowly people and future generations stopped going to the cemetery up the mountain. Slowly it had started to be forgotten. Slowly people forgot about it. Until finally there was no more shrine maidens or priests that took care of it. People stopped going altogether after that. Eventually most didn't even believe it was there anymore. Most didn't care and didn't bother to go see if it was true. The ones who did believe the tales didn't go either too scared of the demons that lurked there still to this day, written off as an urban legend.

Most were.

But you weren't.

As a child you'd often run from home none too interested in the duties of a woman that your parents tried to teach you and mold you to be. One day after they figured out all of your usual hiding places, you ventured deeply into the woods and stumbled upon the old walls of the garden surrounding the old cemetery and the shrine abandoned next to it.Old rocks crumbling away slowly from the elements and overgrown by vines. The state of the inside was like a gold mind for a curious child such as yourself as you climbed over the wall. Giant grass and wild flowers growing up and taking over the stone walkways that cracked badly with neglect, and covered the long since crack tombstones with words too fades to make out anymore.

Tiny footfalls were the only things that sounded around the garden as you toddled around in awe at the pretty place. The old shrine was still there as well waiting for use as the child's tiny form walked up and pushed the nearly falling doors open with a loud creak to poke your head in. Only to cough and sneeze at the amount of dust accumulated inside. But what might've been the most mysterious thing in the garden was a giant old wooden shrine gate jutting out of the earth. Misshapen by the elements over time and overgrown like everything else around the place.

You had found your new hiding place.

From then on you'd sneak up to the mountain to your secret haven to escape. No one ever suspected this place was where you'd be running to. And so you're childhood was bliss hours spent playing away with your adventures and discovering new things whenever you went. Your parents were horrified whenever you came back dirty and bringing back frogs and snails from your adventures scolding you for such unladylike behavior. You did grow out of it by the time you got into your teens. But you still went when your parents' pressuring got too much. It was only then you became aware of what a shrine truly was.

It was explained to you by one of the elders when the old woman caught you sneaking back through the forest late in the day. She scolded you harshly about journeying where demons lied in wait in their shrine.

A shrine huh?

It seemed wrong to just trespass on an ancient shrine without at least leaving offerings to the olden deities. What you didn't realize was that would be your undoing. For when you returned to your secret sanctuary a few days later, you brought a bottle of sake for an offering. Seemed appropriate. You left it in the shrine's crumbling small temple..but it seemed like no one was occupying it because the bottle remained untouched other than dust. You had figured this proved that the superstitions weren't true at all and you didn't have any need to worry about anything after all. If there was any spirits here they most certainly weren't demons. What you had failed to notice was that even though the bottle remained unmoved, the same within had been drained over the course of a few days.

For the moment you set the offering upon the threshold of that forbidden sanctuary, unimaginable forces stirred from deep within the earth.

You were unaware of their presence. Sometimes you felt like you were being watched and at first you thought someone had discovered where you've been running off too but always found yourself alone. Eventually you brushed it off as paranoia and just the animals that were around you. You chalked the disappearing food and flowers also to the animals getting hungry or taking the flowers as building material for their nests and burrows. However some strange things would happen. One instance you were in search of roses but couldn't find any to take back home with you, however you suddenly found a rose bush growing near the entrance you never saw before. You chalked it up to not paying good enough attention. Another time you were reading and a humongous wasp had landed on your arm causing you to shriek only to be stunned as it was repelled backwards from your sleeve. As if a strong force had slapped it away...You only could conclude that your arm waving must've thrown it off and your scared brain was playing tricks on you.

Sometimes you would be doing nothing but weaving a flower crown to place it onto your head before looking at your reflection in an old pond giggling at how the soft petals tickled your skin. Imagining yourself as a princess and waiting for your prince to compliment you-

"pretty-"

You had jumped out of your skin at the sound of a man's voice and whirled around only to see that there was no one and nothing there. .. Your mother might've been right about your imagination running wild. You didn't bother to notice the large reflection of a man with rainbow eyes softly gazing at your retreating form from the pool before rippling away. Another time you had fallen asleep for a nap but jolted awake swearing you felt a hand caress your cheek and a man's voice speak out.

"You're beautiful."

You jolted awake, a hand slapping your cheek where the touch was felt, but once again you were all alone except for the chirping birds and a squirrel running away from you. You stared at the nothing then looked at the open romance novel next to you...You stopped reading romance novels after that. You had no idea of the eyes peeking at you from the shadows before closing and disappearing once more. However you hardly let these things detour you from your one sanctuary. Smiling and placing a small home made woven flower wreath as an offering under the old shrine gate you were sure the squirrels would just take for their burrows.

A little groan Cascades across the tombstones.

You had jumped turning around in surprise at the man's voice once more but again finding no one there. Alright. Time to leave. You left right after, being sure to pick up the pace from the feeling of eyes staring down your back as you retreated home.

*******""

A vow is your word.

A promise. An undying oath. A something you ultimately agree too.

Remember that what you will. Do not take lightly the things spoken as a contract with words for there are things you can not undo.

You jumped as a thunderclap in the distance overhead echoed throughout the sky. Your head looked up instinctively and stared at the still lit up sky and the dark grey storm clouds that scattered across it like some shattered jigsaw puzzle. The sight of it worried you making a frown appear on your perfectly make uped face. The chilly wind blowing over you making you shiver and the veil flow in the wind and over your face.

A hand reached up to push the lacey veil away from your face to give a clearer look at the looming figure in front of you.

The stories you've heard about the ancient cemetery, the tales and whispers and rumors. Hone to decadence and luxury in the days of yore, now abandoned and mostly forgotten. The aura of mystery and lost inheritance tainted by misfortune and blood mixed with greedy ambition. It's shadow loomed over your form blocking most of what's left of the moonlight, casting the eerie darkness over your beautiful white dress. None of the rumors have done it justice, only instilling more creepiness to the overall visage. The whole place looked like the stereotypical image of a ghost story made. Old worn shrine. Creaking creepy metal fence. The old rock pathway leading up toit full of cracks and had weeds growing in the crevices. This place was obviously abandoned for most of its existence. 

You've had many fond memories of this place growing up as a child. You remember flocking here in search of solace and peace when no ond else would give it to you. It had felt that way for many years. The garden welcomed you, almost sought you out whenever you were to come here to pray and give offering to the twin deities the garden was said to belong to. Elders always scolded you for going to the abandoned place saying that it was dangerous filled with poisonous plants and wild animals. The real superstitious ones told you that it was full of ghosts that would spirit you away from this world if you weren't careful. You never believed that..The part about the spirits being evil. If there was spirits here then they weren't evil or just went around minding their own business. They certainly never bothered you anytime you were there.

However tonight maybe they were onto something as the red moon shown bright.

The moon shined red as blood tonight as shadows moved.

Quiet night. Unholy night of beasts. Feasting their sights upon the stray women who dare stay out at night when the full moon rises, lighting the pathway for the beasts to claim their prey. Gnashing teeth, snarling fangs waiting to take a bite into innocent flesh where the terrible claws miss. Waiting to snatch you away down into their dark abyss never to return. She was none what so ever concerned about traveling alone tonight. She had better places to be and anyone who dared be foolish enough to tangle with the night would never be heard from again. One look at it would deter most creatures away. But hier business was not with them.

You shivered in the wind that picked up clutching your hydrangeas closer as you rubbed your shoulders in a vain attempt to bring what limited warmth you had back to your body.

Partially through what was left of the limited moonlight, you passed by some wild trees that made your stomach flip but it came a different feeling.

The feeling of being watched.

It didn't start out that way. At first it was just an aspect in the back of your mind you brushed of as paranoia of the shrine's old ghost stories echoing in your mind. The feeling first came around when the sun had just started to set and it wasn't strong enough to warrant anything more than a two second thought and hand waving them off. However thing's changed. The sun soon disappeared over the horizon to be kissed good night by it's counterpart, the moon, and the walking woman was glad that it was a full moon, for it brought moonlight strong enough for you to see the pathway as your feet continued to walk. With it came the feeling but tenfold. You've only felt this way before back at home when your too clingy fiance wouldn't leave you alone, that same feeling also returned with the feeling of being followed, but every time your head snapped over your shoulder towards the Darkness behind you....

There would be nothing.

Literally nothing. Nothing but the cold wind starting to pick up. You brushed it off as just your paranoia getting the better of you and you set your jaw against the wind. There was nothing there anyways so what did you have to worry about?

Someone following you and dragging you back home. Your family would make you marry the most obnoxious man ever and you would never be able to come here again. You'd be damned if you weren't going to give your offerings one last time. And at least say goodbye to your childhood sanctuary.

The overgrown weeds hugged the hem of the bridal dress she wore. A ghost of white in the darkness. A warmth settling in with invisible eyes as you approached the closest stone. It's carvings long since worn away to where you could barely make it out but as always you bowed against the wind and leaned down to place the hydrangea you've brought as a final farewell gift to the deities whom lurked here if any lurked here at all. As if pleased with your gift, the wind temporarily stopped in its path. This was it. Once you returned, the ceremony would already be ready to start and you'd be a taken woman. It was a miracle you were able to sneak out this long.

"Farewell. I appreciate all you've provided for me in my time of solitude."

A hand reached out to brush away some of the overgrown vines from the cold stone. A barely visible carving of a moon was visible in the limited moonlight. You had once asked one of the superstitious elders about it and he had explained the legend of how there had been two deities long ago. One of the son and one of the moon. The moon deity once had everything he could ask for including a mortal wife and children out of his own, however he abandoned them all out of jealousy to eternally chase his brother the sun. That's why supposedly you had solar and lunar eclipses where the moon would be more visible even during the daytime. You didn't think the eclipses were the responsibility of deities but if the rest of the legend was true then it was certainly sad. But you wished your fiance would be jealous enough to leave you.

"I wonder if I was more brash if he would've left me too?", you mused out loud to yourself.

Nothing but the lonely wind and crickets chirping answered you.

You didn't speak at first. Slowly standing up. Wind blowing the veil around you. The blood moonlight giving a reddish glint to the olden shrine.

You snorted at your situation despite yourself being angry. "I still can't believe my family saw anything in him. He couldn't even say his vows right at the rehearsal...I guess that was because he was imagining saying them to someone else the whole time." A different version of you he wanted most likely.

"What was his vows anyways? I bet they were so bland and and boring." You snickered thinking about his bumble at the rehearsal before you cleared your throat before in a bad impression of his voice you spoke in a cheesy lovestruck tone. "My beautiful love. Bind our blood in ceremony and let me share your name." A hand outstretched to no one as you fake acted out processing your love to an invisible imaginary person. "Under the stars of the heavens, I solely swear, that this hand will always be kind and never cruel. That my voice will only speak truth. That this life is now forever yours." The outstretched hand pretended to take the imaginary person's hand. "Now as yours is mine."

You could hear imagine the look on his face if you told him how predictable his Making you smile and continue. Your engagement ring slipped off your finger as you pretended to use it as the wedding ring presenting it to the stone.

"Bind our souls to infinity and I will promise you love and devotion through sickness and health and beyond the realms of death." You continued to speak remembering the details of the day like it happened yesterday. "I will love you in all your forms now and forever. Through several lifetimes and back." Your voice was low and smooth now speaking it like you meant it with pride. "From now to infinity." You held the ring up as if actually presenting it to someone. "Unyielding. Untainted. Undeniable. With this voice I promise you my love and heart. With this ring, I ask you to be mine!" You held up the ring- only to accidentally again trip on your train and slip. "Crap!"

You ended up landing on just your knees his time. Both rings again falling to the ground and rolling away from sight. Not that you really cared about that as much as you cared about the soreness this goofy outfit was causing you.

You hissed slowly moving to stand back up. "Ugh. I keep tripping over my stupid dress."

You scrambled to grab your hem again and look around for the ring. Where'd they go? You looked around for the ring and eventually found them laying just in front of you in the grass. Ah. There they are. You were half tempted to just leave them there but your family would be angry. Your hand reached out to them-

Until something grabbed your wrist-

It was like the air itself had wrapped around your wrist and PULLED! You yelled out as you arm was tugged forward and you yelled as your other hand shot out to brace yourself against the ground. A horror feeling shot through your body as you looked up and saw..

Literally nothing there.

The moonlight illuminated the area in front of you and you could see nothing but you felt an iron grip on you arm. You couldn't help but let out a little yell of fright before you started pulling back in a panic. Pulling back and yanking at the otherworldly grip keeping you in place. Your other arm flying out to grip your arm and pull back as hard as you could. Pulling, yelling, and fighting back as nothing gave. Panic filled your form as you inch by inch manage to strain your arm back near yourself but the crushing grip never gave. It still felt like there was a fist made of air clamped around your wrist. What was going on?! What was this?! The wind howled around you blowing the veil around like some bridal cape. The clouds increased in the sky and the bloody moon oozed it's light down on misfortune.

THUMP-

Your mouth dropped in horror as the ground under your knees moved, as of a great beast was disturbed by your presence. The ground rumbled and shook as you teetered and looked at the ground in horror. Pupils the sizes of pins as you gave small gasps and yelps as thunder crashed overhead thunder reigning through the sky and cold wind swirling around. Until the monster under the dirt finally ceased and all was still again. You gasped out and sat there panting heavily as everything just..

Stopped.

As if it didn't even happen. You panted looking around yourself but not seeing anything. What the hell just happened?! You tried to yank back again mouth dry and heartbeat thudding in your ears as the grip still was present unwilling to let you get away!

BAM!!

Dirt tumbled away from the ground. All sense of safety vanished. All fear at once swallowing you as a fist smashed up from the dirt and snatched the exact spot on your arm that the air had been holding. Your voice shrieked out quickly swallowed up by the howling wind and echoing throughout the garden as more emerged.

A second hand erupted from the ground in front of you. Eyes going small as something from the depths battered it's way from beneath the surface. A feeling of ice injected itself into your veins as it pushed out from under your feet. Dirt pushed up with each deep push upwards. Cracks formed between old roots and rocks. A shiny ring slowly rolled away from the jostling-

Only to be snatched up as a large hand burst from beneath the soil.

Body froze. Jaw opening. Eyes wide as the moon. Digits old and worn flexed out feeling against the newly disturbed dirt until it receded back. It retreated a few inches back down into the depths of the abyss leaving a disturbed dirt mound behind. Your mouth hung agape seeing the two hands until the second one shot back up flinging dirt and grass over your body. It's claws firmly cementing itself into the crowd before whatever it was came up.

You shrieked once more. Wind howling. AND THEN THE GROUND BEGAN RISING UP WITH MORE FORCE. Ground gave way as the giant rose up from his slumber. The mountain rising to form as first and clumps of grass fell from it's back disturbed from the movement. A few stray roots snapping like little weak threads as whatever it was rose in a similar fashion to someone rising from their slumber and was asleep on their stomach. The form only rose higher and higher dragging you up when the grip didn't relent. You sobbed out as you semi stood up thanks to the iron grip the hand still had on you.

Her eyes were staring up at the blackened face of a figure that was the tallest person she had ever seen. The poor remnants of a suit barely cling onto the body in places, torn and exposing exposed bones or missing flesh in those areas, dirt staining it grey and tumbling off his body. There was silence as the chilling wind blew long strands of hair about itself, then one by one two orbs opened themselves up catching the moonlight reverberating off the shining irises that dawned upon your horrified expression.

"I do."

You once again screamed out not even phasing the man as you pulled and yanked on the unrelenting grip on your arm. "W-Who are you?!"

"Hmm. Good question. I don't suppose lawfully wedded husband would be a good start?" The corpse responded exposing long since missing flesh. 

Your hyperventilating lungs breathed- GASPED for air. Lips. Trembled. Body shook. Tears welding up. "I-I.. Can't accept."

"I'm afraid you have no choice but to honor those vows. Because now-" The grip became all the more deafening upon your skin. "Not even death will do us part."