The rest of the night went rather quietly. Niamh ended up helping do some sweeping and cleaning around the shrine, and only had to put up with a few snarky comments from Noboru while she did so. Most of them tended to be comments about her tail, which might have meant the actual tail, or her butt; the fox was often rather vague about it. Even by the time Niamh withdrew to bed there was no work about Miyuki. Morning has finally come, and it's so far been quiet. She even was allowed to wake up on her own. It was only after an hour or so after she was awake did anyone knock on her door.
Niamh calls out, "Miyuki?" as she hurries to slide the door open.
"Nope!" comes Noboru's voice instead. "We got a message this morning from town. Your parents want you to come back to the Inn. They're worried about you."
"What? Worried?" Niamh asks Noboru. "Why would they be worried?"
"Because you haven't spoken to them in several days?" Noboru points out. "And you're in a strange land, with strange people."
"I am strange people," Niamh counters a bit petulantly. Then she looks at the ceiling, and runs her hands through her hair. "Nnnnn," she goes. "Is Miyuki back yet?"
Noboru tilts his head, sniffs, then shrugs. "No," he answers. "I can't smell her, nor feel her, so she's not near the shrine."
"Uuggh!" Niamh says in frustration. "If I leave without talking to her she'll think that I've gone because.. I got what I came for! Or something." She then looks Noboru in the eyes, and says, "You will give her a message from me if she gets back before I do, won't you?"
"I don't know. It might be mire amusing if I didn't," Noboru points out in his typical contrary sort of way. "And you did get what you came here for, so it's ultimately true."
"I'm have a hard enough time wondering if Miyuki was just.. friendly to me because she was in season or not," Niamh says, and points a finger at Noboru, adding, "I do not have all that I need, either. I need to learn the chinkon ritual still. Tell her that I'm very sorry for teasing her like that. It wasn't because I had some kitsune energy or anything like that, I'm just very bad at flirting. I really care about her and want to make her feel better, and I will be back as soon as I can."
"If I see her, I'll try to let her know that. She could be back today, or a decade from now. Who knows?" Noboru says and rolls his shoulders. "Do you know how to get back to the Inn your parents were staying at? The road to the town is jus past the main stairs, at least and as long as you stay on the road you should be perfectly safe. At worst you might get kidnapped by a Tengu."
"I know the way," Niamh says, getting out the dress she wore when she arrived. She manages to tuck her tail down enough to get her pantaloons on before getting into the dress. "I make offerings to Badb Catha the Battle Crow, so Tengu should respect that, shouldn't they?"
"Not in the slightest," Noboru remarks and shrugs. "And I could have removed that tail, you know."
"It's my focus for the yokai energy," Niamh says. The talk of Tengu is ironic to her. First, it was dangerous for her to go into the forest, and now that she's an honorary part of it it's dangerous to go to far from it. And not for the first time she wonders why her shoes have to have so many buttons. They're practically boots. "If Miyuki isn't back when I return, I'm going to go look for her."
Noboru rolls his eyes. "She'll be fine. She's off sulking somewhere. I swear, for seventy-five, she sure acts like she's still fifty," he comments and sighs. "So, don't worry about her. She'll be back, eventually. I'd know if she was in danger."
"It's not about whether she's in any danger," Niamh claims, checking that she's mostly presentable. "It's because I'm her friend."
"Are you? I mean, you used her..." Noboru teases. "Besides, you do have a job to do that your family was hired for."
"And was she using me because she was in estrus?" Niamh asks back, a bit sternly. "I choose to believe that she actually likes me and not just because of the full moon and.." She stops, and takes a breath. "You aren't making up the whole thing about my parents being worried just to get me away from Miyuki, are you?" she asks a bit more calmly.
"No? I can go get the letter if you want. Your father has terrible calligraphy," Noboru says.
"I'd like to read the letter, yes," Niamh says. "Maybe he talks about finding that underground chamber.."
Noboru flicks one of his tails around and sticks his hand into the fluff. He rummages around and pulls out a folded piece of paper and hands it over. The writing on it sure does look like her father's handwriting. It's short and simple: "Niamh, why haven't you come back yet? Are you sure you're not imposing too much on that shrine? Anyway, your mother and I would like you to come by soon and we'll update you on what we know. We expect you to do the same." It's signed by her father, as well. Or at least it's a really good forgery.
Niamh sniffs the paper as well, in the hope it isn't entirely saturated with Noboru's scent. She know the scent of her parents. "It looks genuine," she says, with a tone of resignation. "I'll go back to the Inn, hopefully I won't be too long."
It smells like fox, alas. So very much like fox. Now Niamh will be smelling that for days. "You intend to come back?" Noboru asks. "I was going to clear the rooms once you left."
"So you don't want me to come back?" Niamh teases Noboru now. "What will you have to torment then?"
"The petitioners and their children, of course," Noboru answers as if that should be perfectly obvious. "I guess if you don't come back you'll be stuck with that tail forever, though I doubt you care."
Niamh closes her eyes for a moment, and sighs. "It doesn't matter because I'm coming back anyway," she says. "Just because I'm no longer energy-starved doesn't mean I can take on the Koma-inu yet."
"Maybe your parents have already dealt with it while you've been here," Noboru points out. "They might be planning the trip home now..."
"Unlikely," Niamh says, and bites her lip. "Hopefully they haven't been possessed. Now I'm worried about them," she declares and tries to get around Noboru. "Maybe I can use the letter as a ward, since it smells like you."
"Well, if you really want to smell like me, I could arrange it," Noboru jokes. And wow, can he fill up a doorway when he wants to. It's got to be all those bloody tails!
"You're going to shave your fur so I can carry it in a sachet around my neck?" Niamh suggests.
"I was going to wee on your clothing," Noboru counters.
"No, thank you," Niamh says politely. "I don't want to be chased by dogs in the street. I'll make do."
"Just your shoes?" Noboru suggests next, grinning.
"If you pee on me I will no longer be able to find you charming," Niamh threatens, and tries to push through the curtain of tails.
"Oh, so you finally admit you find me charming?" Noboru asks, pointing out the big flaw in her statement. She also fins herself wrapped up completely in his tails, now.
"Do you want to come with me?" Niamh finally relents and asks, otherwise she won't get past him.
"No, I'm trying to get you to quit scowling. You look like you either sucked a lemon, or haven't pooped in a month," Noboru answers simply.
"Then.. please let me go, so I can find out what my parents have uncovered?" she asks Noboru. "Saying that I might get abducted by yokai along the way or that Miyuki could be off hiding for years does not make me cheerful."
Noboru finally does unfurl his tails and let Niamh go. He even steps to the side. "Miyuki will be fine. Don't worry so much. I know she doesn't look it, but she's lived many of your lifetimes," he reminds.
"I hurt her feelings, and I have to fix that," Niamh says. "It doesn't matter that she isn't in any danger." She heads down the hall to the outer door.
Nothing else tries to obstruct her way. The walk is quiet, and the shrine is, more or less. Just the general sounds of a few people, the wind in trees, and some wind chimes.
So it's down past the torii gates to the road, then along towards the inn while avoiding getting near any house gates. She doesn't want to get water thrown at her again.
Well, the walk down the road seems pretty quiet! Though there are several instances of ominous crow calls and the beating of wings that sound all-too-close. Maybe Noboru actually wasn't joking about Tengu coming after her? Still, she does make it to town without any kidnapping mishaps, nor doe she get drenched by the locals doing the ritual watering of the land near their gates.
Once past the 'danger zone' she picks up her pace as she heads for the inn. She also thinks she should get some corn to give to the crows. Getting on their good side is always worthwhile.
Something feels wrong. As she gets closer to the Inn, she suddenly realizes why. The building, its surrounding fence, and any of the statuary that was near it looks like itt has been completely pulverized. Splinters and stone fragments.
Niamh stops cold and stares. Then looks around to see if anyone else is reacting to the scene of destruction.
The people nearby are acting like nothing at all is amiss. The only thing they tend to stare at is Niamh; who probably does look like a yokai to them.
Thinking it might be an illusion, but needing to investigate anyway, Niamh takes a deep breath and heads for the where the gate used to be, and tries the trick of using an ectoplasmic lens over her eyes to see if she can spot chicanery. It's daytime so it isn't like anyone is going to notice the glow.
As soon as Niamh crosses the threshold where the gate was, everything looks back to normal. Nothing at all is wrong with the inn or its older stonework. Even the old trees are still present. It looks exactly the same as it did the day she left.
"Shenanigans," she says aloud, then continues on to the inn door.
"Welcome home, meat," wafts the answer in the wind to Niamh's proclamation of 'Shenanigans'. The door opens and the next thing Niamh sees is her mother's neck as she's being squeezed within an inch of her life! "You're alive!" Comya declares. "We were so worried!"
"Oof!" Niamh exhales. "Mom.. not so tight.."
Which only makes the hug tighter! It's approaching corset levels of hug, really, that only a mother can do. Thankfully she does eventually let go. "So, you got your father's letter," Comya says as she does so. "Did the Priests and Priestess' treat you well? Were you well-behaved, lass? Didn't offend or upset anyone?"
"Everything is fine," Niamh assures, smiling. "The Miko helped me connect to the forest, so I'm feeling much better now. But coming here.. there was an illusion that it all had been wrecked, and I heard the Koma-inu as well. They could only do that in dreams before. Are you and father alright here?"
"I'm sure you're just tired from the walk and are just seeing and hearing things. We've heard nothing at all since we've been here. Everything has been quiet and peaceful," Comya explains in lilting tones as she lets Nimah come further into the Inn. "Your father is down in the old anti-chamber we finally were unable to unearth, examining the relics there."
"He's using protection, I hope," Niamh says, looking around to look for bleeding walls or any other warning signs. "He mustn't open the urns. I still have to learn the purification ritual for them."
"Your father isn't new at this work, lass. His experience is greater than yours," Comya points out and pats Niamh on her head. "Would you like some tea? A snack?"
"Not just yet," the girl says, smiling a bit. "I want to see what you've uncovered."
"Well, this way then, dear. I imagine it would like to see you too," Comya comments, all smiles. She gestures, then turns and walks deeper into the Inn, towards the back entrance. Swaying from her backside is a long, shaggy, dog tail. It's somewhat translucent, but it's definitely there.
"They're messing with me," Niamh notes, her smile fading.
"What was that, lass?" Comya asks as she looks backwards.
"They're trying to show me illusions," Niamh claims. "Like that you have a dog tail."
"I do, dear. And once you reunite with the family, you will too. Isn't that wonderful?" Comya says, all smiles. My, does she have bigger teeth than Niamh remembers.
"I'm trying to help you spirits," Niamh says through gritted teeth. "Let my parent's go, and wait for me to purify you."
"You've been listening to the foxes lies, lass," Comya says, her eyes shifting to being a bit ore ... empty. "They're the monsters here, not us. We protect people, they do not. Surely you've learned that much around them? Like the scarred one? She was just bait to lure us into a trap. It's a pity, though, we were unable to kill her. It was so close, too. We sensed the trap before they sprung it and we almost got her; but her shrill cries summoned that horrid five tail. Come along, soon you'll understand everything, when you're one of us."
Niamh closes her eyes again. Then she opens them and holds out the letter. "This five tail?" she asks, and tries to push the paper against her mother's nose.
Comya's face twists in disgust and anger and she steps back, growling. "That one. His rage could have shattered mountains over that worthless young one. He wasn't just trying to trap us then, he was making us hurt. Do you have any idea of how cruel and capricious those creates can be? You can't trust any of them, ever."
"I can make the pain go away," Niamh says. "Or I can call him here to finish what he started. You need to stop acting like bad dogs."
"The moment you crossed that threshold, you entered our world," Comya says, returning to all smiles. "They can't hear you here. Not even if you'd have mated with one could you reach beyond our barrier. So, do be a good little girl and listen to your mother. We know what's best for you."
Angrily, Niamh tries to smack her mother across the nose with the letter, as if she were a literal dog. Then she turns and runs towards the front entrance.
The hit actually lands and causes the mother to reel back in shock and disgust, which gives Niamh more than enough time to run to the entrance of the Inn and back out! Blocking the gate to the Inn grounds, though, is her ... father? Well, it sure has the same general shape as Flynn, and coloring ... except it's hunched over and covered in fur, and looks a bit more like a werewolf than anything. "Pity you didn't warn him about the urns earlier, I suppose. But if you're siding with those foul beasts, I guess you will not accept our embrace and become one with us," what's left of her Father rasps. "It's a pity you can't see the truth. What, did his sleek body and smooth movements draw you to him? His beauty and mystery? Those creatures, they think they're so much better than the inu. They're just misshapen ..... cats."
"They enjoy tormenting me, I admit," Niamh spits. "But they aren't trying to steal my parents." She twitches her tail, but.. what could a deer yokai accomplish? Does she have any of Miyuki's kitsune essence, since it's what unlocked the link to the forest? With no better plan at the moment, she tries to summon and remaining bits of it. Maybe it will penetrate the barrier.. or scare the inu long enough to let her escape.
As Niamh starts there's the sound of air parting for something, then a loud thud!. Flynn-Dog's eyes go wide, then roll back in his head. He falls forward onto the ground in a heap. Standing behind him is ... a really big crow-thing. It just smacked Flynn's head, hard, with a collapsed umbrella. "Guess the old fox was right about keepin' an eye on you," it squawks. "Thought there was somethin' funny going on, but wasn't sure. The Shrine's been sending updates to your parents every day of how you were, after all. That they'd demand you come back seemed a might odd, but they couldn't say anything to raise suspicion. So ... just sent ya back, but asked me to keep watch. Not like they're looking for us, they're all paranoid about the foxes."
Niamh just stares, and starts to tremble a bit. "We can take them out, can't we?" she asks. "Away from the inu?"
"You and I alone? Naw," the Tengu caws as it rests its paper umbrella back on its shoulder. "But we now know what their game is. They're slipping their bonds by binding themselves to others. Don't you worry, your folks are okay, they're still in there," the bird-thing notes and pokes at the unconscious Flynn with some rather scary-looking foot-talons. "Jus' means we'll need the spirit-cutter blade to sever the ties they've forged before they can be re-sealed."
"Those are real?" Niamh asks. "Of course they are! What do I need to do? How long do I have?" She's getting a bit more panicky now, and looks back towards the doorway to see if her mother is there.
"I'll have to ask the elder to loan 'is to the shrine, is all. Simple enough matter; we're on good terms with the Kitsune there. Noboru and the Elder play Mahjong every month or so," the Tengu explains. "As for time, you got plenty, it would take years before it wasn't reversible. Though if you stay here much longer you might become one too," it comments and gestures to the now open gate. "So, we should probably be going."
"I'll be back, dad," Niamh says and runs through the gate.
The Tengu thumps the dog-thing on the head again with its umbrella, and follows after. "Taaakiko," it says from behind Nimah. "I'm Taakiko. And I know you've got to be upset now, but ... please try to breathe and stay calm. I know the tailed ones can be a huge pain in the tail-feathers, but the ones here do actually care for the people and watch out for them. They just can't always directly intervene. Ever since you went to the Shrine Noboru's had me watch the Inn. Nothing seemed to happen much, but it never felt quite right. Noboru's been worried, wondering what move they were going to make. When that letter arrived, he suspected they were makin' it, and bade me follow you and keep you safe, no matter what. An I did. An now we know their plans, which means we can make ours. I know things seem bad, but ... it'll work out. He's a right arse sometimes, Noboru is, but he's also wiser than he acts and very kind. If he hadn't have been missing with you so much, and infusing you, they would have taken you the moment you crossed that threshold. So, try not to be too mad at him."
Niamh is not calming down. She falls to her knees in the road and starts crying.
"Yah, he predicted that too," Taakiko admits. He tucks the umbrella onto a sash as his waist. Quickly, he's to Niamh's side, and then she;s up into his arms. "Lets get you out of here first, 'kay? I know it's hurtin' I do," the Tengu admits as it spreads its huge wings out and takes to the sky. All the while people continue to mill about town as if they're not seeing any of it.
"Why didn't he warn me?" Niamh blubbers. "The dogs must have known that he wouldn't."
"Well, what would you have done if he had warned you?" Taakiko asks as it, well, he, carries her out over the forest for the time being.
"I'd have dragged him along!" Niamh insists. "I'd.. have brought my belt and sickle.."
"And you would have never gotten in there, and we would not have known what their plan was," Taakiko points out. "They had to think you were clueless, but you being clueless. You know he's right that ytou'd never have been able to fake not knowing."
"What plan though?" Niamh asks, trying not to look down. "Just.. take over me and my family? What does that get them?"
"A way out, and then they could infiltrate your lands through your family connections," Taakiko explains. "Once you were taken, easy claim the area was purified, and they could be on a boat home before the real situation was discovered, and months on the sea and the possession would have been completed."
"They'd need their urns for that, wouldn't they?" Niamh asks, since that's what's she's familiar with. "They wouldn't try to get revenge on the kitsune?"
"You need to think long term, not human term. Imagine the power they could wield against the kitsune if they made it to your lands and recruited the magic and people of those lands against them," Taakiko clarifies. "Did it never seem strange that half-humans from half a world away would be summoned to deal with a local spirit issue? No, they were looking for a new land to claim and raise an army in. You were the gate."
"They would not fool the Sidhe," Niamh says softly. "They're worse than the kitsune."
"Perhaps. But again, do not think in human terms of time. Grudges can last millennia," Taakiko says as he glides down and lands in a clearing near the river, then eases Niamh back down to the ground. "It should be safe here, we are near the territory of the river dragon, no one would dare harm anything here."
Niamh stands a bit shakily. "You don't happen to know where Miyuki could be, would you, Taakiko?" she asks the Tengu.
"Noboru's sister? No, I've not seen her in some time. Why?" Taakiko asks. "I'm sure she's fine, I'd have heard otherwise."
"Just.. another mistake I've made," Niamh mutters.
"Mistake? Nothing that has happened to day was a mistake of yours," Taakiko says and tilts his beaky head much like birds do.
"No, today was just when they all became apparent," the girl claims, looking away from the river. Being next to it isn't making her any calmer.
"What aches in your heart?" the Tengu asks as he sits down nearby. His head tilts again a few more times as he observes her. "I will not judge, or tease," he promises.
"I tried to flirt with Miyuki but upset her instead and she ran off," Niamh babbles. "And I told my father where the inu were being sealed just.. just to show off to him, so he'd take me more seriously. And I really just can't do anything, even after finally getting my strength back after making a promise to Daiki-sama, and I needed Miyuki's help for that too!"
"No one ever works alone. I know when you're young you want to be able to do everything yourself. You want to stand and show that you can do anything. Those aren't mistakes, those are merely the moments of growing up and growing wiser. All, be it yokai or human, go through things like that; it's part of all our paths. Do not whip yourself for simply being a real person," Taakiko offers. "No one thinks less of you. No one hates you for it. Even Miyuki, whom you fear might I am certain does not. She has her own struggles and personal demons to face. Many know of her as the scarred one, you know. Kitsune are supposed to be beautiful, and she sees herself as broken and hideous because of the injuries her mistakes put in her path."
Niamh sniffs. "So.. can you tell me about this blade?" she asks.
"I could. There's not a lot to tell, though. It's just a short sword that was blessed in ages past to cut away the ties that bind one spirit to a host. It was last used to sever a nogitsune spirit from the wife of one of Japan's emperors some centuries back. It now just rests in my village under the care of the elder there," Taakiko explains. "It does not seem like much in person, just an old worn sword with little adornment."
"But.. who can use it?" Niamh asks. "Noboru?"
"Oh, anyone can wield it, but he would likely be the best; he actually knows how to use a sword," Taakiko says with a headbob.
"I need to talk to him then," Niamh says, sounding a bit dazed.
"Not until you calm down," Taakiko says. "You feel like you want to start beating on him."
"I.. don't know what I feel right now," Niamh admits. "Maybe I should stay in the forest for awhile. Or find Kasumi. She can keep me from doing anything stupid."
"How can that one keep you from doing something stupid?" Taakiko asks.
Niamh thinks about that. "She could sit on me?" she wonders. "I have't talked to the yosei yet. Or should I return to the shrine?" she asks, looking to Taakiko for advice, looking a bit lost.
"You need to calm first, then the path that seems the right one should reveal itself to you," Taakiko offers. "Only you can make this decision, only you know your heart."
So the girl sits down, closes her eyes and tries to focus on her breathing and the flow of energy through her body. It may help that she feels emotionally exhausted at the moment.
After a few minutes, Niamh opens her eyes and stands up. "Alright, I'm.. calm," she says, and smiles to the crow. "I'm going back to the shrine."