#kappagolduck

thank you for your cooperation, dear guest. you've been very helpful.

y-yeah, no problem. i hope the clean-up effort won't be too difficult.

don't you worry about that. now, it's about time for the bus to be arriving, and i should report back to lord ninetails.

oh, it's good as new. i'll be back to work tomorrow.

i see. that's good.

[issei pulls a piece of scrap paper from her sleeve and hands it to kappa.]

...? what's this for?

a little exercise. write down all your regrets and worries from today, then tie it to your hook and cast it out along with those feelings. until you think you can let those feelings go, keep casting out your line. or give yourself until the paper dissolves, then save it to worry about another time.

wow. does it really work?

depends on whether you want it to. but if you let yourself get eaten up by negative thoughts, you might turn into a malicious spirit.

that's pretty insightful coming from you. if you've got techniques like these, people are gonna wonder why you haven't passed on yet.

[issei lets out an amused huff.]

i got a lot to make up for. and until my boy goes on ahead, i'm not going anywhere.

so... you ran into the headless spirit again. and then a complete stranger saves you, but you saw them get trampled in the process. not only that, but even the fox lord is involved somehow. are you worried they'll blame you or something?

no, no. i was only interviewed by one of the attendants, and they said lord ninetails would handle things. they told me not to worry about anything, but... i didn't ask for help. that tree spirit didn't have to get involved, and now their entire spiritual presence is just... gone. that's it, there's no chance of reincarnation for them now, and all because of me. i'm not anyone special, and yet they willingly took my place. i just don't understand...

sounds like survivor's guilt to me. trust me, i know all about it.

ah, i'm sorry, issei. i guess you're the last person i should be talking to about this.

don't worry about it. it's better to talk about it than not. besides, that's kinda why spirits like us are here, right? to move on. there's nothing that can be done about it now, so no use getting caught up on it.

is it... always this hard?

you're not in trouble or anything. i apologize if i made you nervous.

oh, uh, it's okay.

but... you must have seen something. am i wrong?

no, you're right, i just...

take your time. it must've been frightening.

[kappa looks down at his lap in silence.]

[more than being frightened, he was more concerned about the tree spirit who pushed him out of the way just in time. they could've had friends and family, or someone relying on them, someone who would miss them if they were truly gone. and kappa just sat there and watched them get trampled. thinking back to otokou, he wonders if there was even a small chance they could've survived. if he could've done something to help.]

i... saw what happened. it wasn't pleasant.

that tree spirit... they can't really be...? no, there's a chance they could still be 'alive'... but just why would they do that for a complete stranger...

[the sound of rustling leaves gets kappa's attention.]

you are one of lord ninetails' guests. leaving already?

ah. y-yes, i...

there has been an incident within the forest. you didn't happen to see anything suspicious, did you?

er... well...

my apologies, but i will ask that you stay and answer a few questions for me. it is very important if i'm going to figure out what happened.

i'll admit, i've only ever heard of this headless spirit in passing. i'd be more worried if it strayed close to the village, but based on what you've told me, it's not targeting us directly.

yeah, it's more erratic, if anything. but if nothing is done about the mess it leaves behind, it could be dangerous. especially its blood.

[kappa grows quiet again, thinking back to how close otokou was to being lost completely.]

hmm... and the spirit that pushed you out of the way, i believe that was a jubokko by the name of kanoko. most likely it was acting on lord ninetails' orders to take care of our guests.

a jubokko? then, the headless spirit's blood definitely isn't good for them...

do not despair. you can't blame yourself for the actions taken by others, understand?

i... y-yeah...

kanoko is capable of making its own decisions. besides, i wouldn't worry.

i've got what i came here for... no sense in sticking around. i didn't see anything here...

[meanwhile...]

messy... someone... left a mess...

master is busy... must tell fishmeat instead...

[it only took a few seconds. kappa had only barely been able to catch a glimpse of the tree-like spirit that shoved him aside before a much bigger, darker spirit careened into it, sweeping it away in a blur of blood and teeth. kappa could only watch in stunned silence as the creature stampedes past him, specks of blood landing near his feet. the ground continues to rumble even after the spirit passes, unimpeded by the walls of trees in its path which snap like twigs from its rampage, leaving behind it a familiar stench and a path of blood.