"Well, I guess I won't mind a bite. I haven't eaten for a whole day." Hotaru quipped. Shut it, fledging. It was not my fault you decided to skip meals.
Kuro unwrapped a portion of his secret recipe deer meat roast. There was an explosion of fragrance , as he revealed and presented it toward the kitsune, still seated leasurely on the steps. He had spent a better part of the dawn hours to complete this very dish. I was simply tired of field rations, but perhaps this will turn out a good day after all.
Yatogami shrine stairs While I was distracted by the fox ears and the fluffy tail (hey, who wouldn't?) I also couldn't miss the way she handed herself. She was not an immature, definitely not easy to beat, and with those floating fire to help her........ Let's not get on her bad side, for now. Just as both of us began climbing the stairs and pass the officer eating his meal he called out to us and offered us to join him in finishing the dear meat. I took a small piece and put it.in my mouth without swallowing to check it for poison, I might be bad with lies but I am not.guilible enough to take free food from a stranger, especially one so suspicious. The meat tasted alright, and my intuition didn't ring any warning bells so I judged it was safe. "Looks like you are serious. It's not poisened" I started eating the rest of the offered meat. The small fox girl also took one, adding that she didn't eat an entire day like an after thought. Immediately after her face crunched a bit, like someone reprimanded her. I didn't hear anyone else speaking though. I decided that calling her a small fox girl was somewhat long and tiresome so I chose to ask her. "Do you have a.name little fox jouchan? Even ana alias will do, it's gonna be tiring and awkward to always refer to you as [the little fox girl]"
On the Steps "Mm. I like the taste, frankly, but now I also want more. It can't be helped, maybe I'll prepare something the next time I hit the road, lest I end up missing meals again." Hotaru was busy chewing on a piece of lamb meat, her mouth full as she mumbled. Youngling, you've felt it too, haven't you? Someone else is coming. It seems like this meat hasn't appealed to your senses alone. Got it. Sure enough, just as she was finishing up the lamb, a voice spoke from the right, under the shade of trees. "Smells quite good, I'll say. So, may I know what the three of you are doing on the steps of the Yatogami Shrine? A Yokai and two humans...An amusing combination. If you tell me honestly, I will not kill any of you." Hidden in the tree's shadow was another girl dressed in a blue yukata. Her arms were folded as she watched on, floating about two feet off the ground.
"Heh, how about I trade my life for a feast?" Kuro joked, patting the bulky baggage laid beside him. "But if you insist, I'm looking for somebody, perhaps you know her?" He felt he would lose, if he got surprised.
"A life is of no worth if I don't know who it belongs to. Perhaps some introductions are in order. My name is Kaori. And if you are looking for someone, then feel free to enter. As long as you come here with a purpose, you are welcome to look around." Kaori shrugged. "As for the kitsune over there, you are somewhat familiar, so I will attempt to guess your name. If I'm not wrong, it should be T---" "It's Hotaru." "I see." Despite having been cut off rather rudely, Kaori didn't seem to have any visible reaction.
"Kaori, huh." He looked at the dead eyes, trying to understand her character. For a moment something underneath his consciousness awoke screaming, he first felt longing, then regret, a thirst for vengeance? He felt like there was something he should ask, but the rational part of his mind threw all that away, focusing on the present. This one is also a yokai, Kuro concluded. He couldn't get a read on her, but judging by the pattern today, it would be better to be honest: "Name is Kuro. Glad to meet you." Kuro had a flash Maybe I shouldn't have told her, or maybe I shouldn't have offered a trade. The tales show you could accidentaly enter a contract with yokai. Well, thankfully this one is easy to resolve. The swordsman opened his baggage, and took out the three remaining portions. When did the kitsune eat hers? Those were pretty large, as one could see by the other human still eating his. Kuro unwrapped another one, and paid attention to Kaori's eyes, checking for interest. Meanwhile he got to the point: "Has a girl with a blue cloak and fox mask passed through here? This is who I'm looking for," Kuro said, casually moving the meat around.
Kaori glanced at the meat with no particular emotion, and then resumed eye contact. "Oh, you could say she has done more than just passed through. This is where she lives, after all. If it's urgent business, I could call her out right now, otherwise, you're free to enter and look for her personally. The fox there should be able to tell the difference between the shrine buildings, yes? You'll find her in the Haiden right now." Unfolding her arms, the girl reached out to catch a falling leaf. Staring at it with just about as much interest as she did the meat, Kaori tossed it aside, causing the leaf to disintegrate and fade away completely before it could fall to the ground.
Kuro observed the death of the leaf with the same dead expression, as the one who caused its destruction. He leaned his head to the side to alert the kitsune nearby, whispering loud enough for it to count as normal speech: "Oi, what was that? It looks like anything she touches would end up like that." Kuro said, pulling back the gift he had prepared. I might be screwed. He had a few more questions, maybe a lot of questions to ask. It would be good if somebody at least explained what to do at the temple, as Kuro had rarely entered any after his childhood. As he returned to his normal posture, he carefully observed Kaori, memories of his death flashing at a corner of his mind. They felt more serene, than he had experienced. He opened his mouth to speak, but was clueless on how not to offend this deadly creature.
"Kaori, you're a Shinigami, aren't you? What humans would call a God of Death." Kaori turned to observe Hotaru directly. "I suppose any Yokai would have discovered my true nature the moment I did that. Perhaps I should stop turning small objects to ash --- it's a bad habit, after all --- but I suppose it's difficult. It'll be easier to turn larger objects to ash than to stop turning smaller objects to ash, but like I said, I'm in a good mood." Hotaru whispered back to Kuro. "She doesn't sound like she's in a good mood at all."
"Can you really tell?" Kuro whispered back. He decided to ask Kaori directly, "has something good happened, then?" He knew he sounded stupid at this point, but his mind had a slightly hard time wrapping around the current situation. She was totally ruining his pace. I'm supposed to be a hotblooded character, you know! Kuro complained to nobody in particular.
"If you aren't in a bad mood, then you should be in a good mood, aye?" Kaori spoke to no one in particular, she had now started to float while in a sleeping position. "So since nothing has happened to put me in a bad mood, I feel good."
Yatogami shrine stairs- Naraku Douji. Pov change. While immersing himself in the meal, Naraku was silently listening to the conversation taking place nearby. He knew the girl was a death.god the moment she entered his vision. For one, she didn't exude.any presence of a living being. Even the youkai he met until now had some aura of being alive. Yet this one....... His senses.screamed at him to get away as far as possible from her if he wants to live. Second, he was in the verge of death many times in his days on the battlefield. He knew what an existance close to death feels like. She didn't install fear into people's hearts. She installed despair. It wasn't a question of being strong or weak, because death is the only thing obsolete and completely equal in this world. He hoped she was telling the truth when she said she was in a good mood. Right then Kuro asked her a question that could count as small talk. Definitely unlike him, as far as Naraku had.of his image. Her answer sounded to Naraku like something out of a fortune cookie, but whit a being like her who knows. She might be serious.
Kuro shrugged, turning to the Kitsune, as he packed the food in the bag, "So where is this Haiden bulding? Directions would be good, though so would company." The swordsman left some food near the shinigami, just to be safe, and placed the bag on his back. The remaining person was looking a bit nervous. Kuro remembered something, and asked, "I didn't catch your name, brother. Can you tell me again?"
Yatogami Shrine - Xue "...where am I?" After days of traveling, I had a feeling that something was wrong after not catching sight of any human residence. But when I arrived before a shrine which is not drawn on the map, I could finally say with clear cut confidence that I am definitely lost. Knowing that wandering around in unknown lands would simply lead me to my death one way or another, I chose to approach the shrine after tying the reins of my horse to a nearby tree. But after some hesitation, I chose to call out from outside of the torii gate. "Excuse me, is there anyone here?" If there is no one, I will simply leave...
Finished his meal, Naraku stood up and faced Kuro with a half joking smile. "I have no name but since my clients and colleagues call me "blade-storm oni" I took the name Naraku, Naraku Douji. Former solo mercenary. If you ever need my services, ask and I will be sure to charge you double"
"Yeah, I'll lead you there. Have a good day, Kaori." "Mhm." Waving goodbye, Kaori floated backward to the shade of the trees at the side, and disappeared...Or rather, she was about to. "If by here you mean physically here, then no. If you refer to the entirety of the building, then yes, there are people here. Let me guess, you got a letter and are looking for the sender as well? Or are you lost?" Kaori floated down the steps, making her presence known.
"Nice name. If the time comes, give me a half-price discount, eh?" Kuro joked back, when he felt the wind, "It's getting strangely chilly all of a sudden. Good thing we're done with the picnic. Stay strong, brother, you seem to be somewhat shaky." Going up the steps, Kuro missed the new arrival by mere moments. He looked at the kitsune, surprised at how reasonably this sudden encounter turned out.
'Letter? I do not remember receiving such a thing... At any rate.' After taking a careful look at the person before me and making sure there is nothing suspicious, I finally said to her. "I do not remember receiving any letter, but I am indeed lost. If possible, I would like to ask for some directions, or a map if possible. I am willing to compensate you if I must, but I currently have not a shred of wealth on me, so I would need to compensate you in other ways." Saying such, I gave a polite bow.
Naraku's face turned a bit more serious, and answers with a exaggerated sigh. "Ghosts and death gods are an Occupational hazards for us in the trade, unlike soldiers mercenaries gather their enemiy's grudges quite fast since we kill for money after all. And we have close shaves with death many times in our career, especially when you are a mercenary as famouse as me. Not to mention that I am not very proud of the way I died the first time. The more accomplished you are, the more likely to draw bad attention"