"Hey, doc? How come I've never seen you here when you have a clinic in town?" Hasumi asked. "I've lived in Sozosora my whole life. And I know everybody."
"I don't know, milady," Meioshi answered. "I come here at least once a year, especially in the summertime when the sunflowers are in bloom. But you know what? This summer was a bit different. I went elsewhere and completely missed a proper vacation."
"You're always working, though, sensei," Yuko commented, smiling. "How do you even find the time to take a vacation?"
"Au contraire, my Yuko," Meioshi said, looking ahead at the gorgeous field of sunflowers they were approaching. She stopped to inspect one of the blooms to admire its vibrant color and healthy leaves. She then said, "I take a vacation twice a year when work starts slowing down. If we continue to have warm afternoons back home for the next couple of weeks, I may squeeze one in for the summer I missed."
"Whatcha gonna do on your vacation?" Hasumi asked, eyes full of curiosity.
"I wanted to go to the beach one last time before the cold front arrives," Meioshi said with a sigh, placing her hand on her cheek. "But I may visit my other pilgrimage site instead. It's a nice, little distance from here, but it has one of the most stunning views of the stars in the sky, and it's actually ideal for the fall season. The colors of the leaves should be changing fairly soon."
"Another pilgrimage site?" Homugi questioned, looking at Meioshi. "What's it like? Is it surrounded by flowers, too?"
"By water and cliffs, actually," Meioshi responded, leading the way forward once again. "It has a hot spring that's surrounded by obsidian stone, lush shi shi gashira camellia bushes, and windmill palms. Ugh, so delightful! The very tip of the foot of a volcano had managed to reach out that way. Unfortunately, the water that was present in that area either burned up to make the obsidian stone or pooled elsewhere to dry when an earthquake shifted the land. You can still find the cooked remains of the marine life along the cliffs! The cottage that I had help in building there is directly in-between two pools: the upper pool is essentially a reservoir for rainwater, and the lower pool is where the water from drains down a waterfall to fill the heated basin. Both pools are quite perfect to rest yourself in. My garden there is probably destroyed since I haven't been that way in some time, but I enjoy my time there and find peace with the world. Oh! If only I had the right wardrobe to go there!"
"You're worried about clothes in that kind of wonderful place?" Yuko questioned. "That sounds great for a foot massage and a good bath. You should be practically naked there."
"Are you kidding?" Hasumi snapped, walking backwards the entire time. "Who cares about the bath? What about the water animals? Are there any rare fish in the cliffs?"
"I'm not sure if they're rare, per se, but you can find plenty of bones in them. I find new fossils almost every trip. Some of them I can't identify and don't appear to be natural fish for humans to eat or catch. I've hypothesized that they may be demons. I do remember finding a fossil of a demon fish. It appeared to be petrified. I'd say they're all exquisite for rock collections," Meioshi replied, exciting Hasumi. She seemed to have a heightened fondness for rare items. "I think after this silly riff raff is over, I'd very much like to show you the cliffs, milady. Of course, that's only with your parents' or caretakers' permission."
"But..." Hasumi started, looking down at her feet. She stopped walking, gaining the ladies' attention, and said quietly, "I don't have a swimsuit for the hot spring."
"We can go shopping for one, milady!" Meioshi replied, kneeling down to Hasumi's level. "Besides, I need new clothes for the occasion. I rather miss clothes shopping for vacations! Oh! And food shopping! Only the best cuisines on my vacations."
"Can I keep my fossils?" Hasumi asked, tilting her head cutely.
"Of course, milady," Meioshi replied, waving a hand quickly. "I don't own any of them. Just the cottage that's there. You can take as many as you can carry!"
Hasumi was quiet for a moment before she asked an odd question, "Can you make a crown with the demon fish fossils?"
"A crown?" Homugi questioned, analyzing the girl's words.
"Only the petrified ones," Meioshi replied, chuckling gently and gaining the miko's attention. "They weren't trapped in volcano ash or lava like the others. Something else turned them into crystals. You'd have to purify them first before making them into fine jewelry for a crown. Their bodies may be unusable, but their spirits can be quite vengeful and may terrorize the wearer of such a crown. But I did meet a friendly gent named Totosai who crafts impressive weapons for demons using rare objects. He mentioned having an apprentice who wasn't picky about what he used to craft weapons as well. They might be able to make a weapon or crown with the fossils."
"You've met Kaijinbo then?" Homugi asked.
Meioshi shook her head and said, "Only Totosai. We met after you returned home to stop the attack."
"I don't ever want to see Totosai," Hasumi said, darkly and angrily. "I don't wanna meet any man who'd make weapons for demons! Only mikos."
"I don't think I know anyone who makes weapons for mikos," Yuko said, putting a finger to her lip with thought. "That might be a question for Yamashi. He has a good network of blacksmiths."
"We'll see about fixing up your sunflower staff there with rarer items then," Meioshi said with a hum as she inspected the angered miko's weapon. "Prince Yamashi just might know the best blacksmith for your needs. For now, let's make our way to the clinic. Lady Fukuyama probably should return home to her family in the village. We're at the gates."
"Eh?" the girls all chirped.
Beyond the sunflower fields were golden Neolitsea sericea trees making a border around the holy village of Sozosora. An expanse of blues and purples surrounding the trees resembled the sky while the village represented the sun just as Meioshi had described and just as Meioshi remembered it in her past. Though she didn't visit Sozosora like she did Ketsueki Shirudo when she was little, she did visit it while was training to be a doctor. She had just graduated from Kaede's extensive teachings when she visited Sozosora for the first time with her father and paternal grandmother. Here is where she met the Fukuyama clan, actually. They were the first people to allow her to practice medicine on a larger scale at the time when one of the clansmen mysteriously had taken ill. The cobblestone pathway inside of the village was lined with curtains made of yellow-orange fabric and fur trimmings in a pattern. At the very tops of the curtains were long white tassels underneath a crimson red fabric tent layer. As Meioshi led the girls to the red torii gates, Shinto priests ran in front of the girls to move poles from one side to the other. The priests quietly extended the curtains and made them dance before Shinto papers took a life of their own. Symbols and stringed instruments started playing before the papers transformed into a Chinese windmill butterfly!
Dazzled by the presentation, Yuko blushed at the paper butterfly fluttering to her to touch her nose before flying off to the spinning mirror in the center of the village. Meioshi wasn't going to enter the village gates this time, but she was waiting for someone to greet her. When the man she was looking for released a breath and slammed his foot on the ground, she turned her head to the direction of his voice and smiled. She bowed before the priests, watching them return her greeting, and placed her hand on Hasumi's shoulder before walking away. The little miko looked at the priests, but she didn't want to go inside of the village and narrowed her eyes at their disgusted looks. Homugi caught sight of this and committed the transaction to memory before following Meioshi.
"Did you forget where you're supposed to go, my darlings?" Meioshi asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Huh? We're going to the clinic, right?" Homugi replied, furrowing her brow.
"Hasumi has to ask her parents for permission to come on vacation with us, remember?" Meioshi reminded them, not turning around to look at them but just turning slightly so they know she's addressing them. "Just to be sure she's safe, you're supposed to be acting as her bodyguard, my Homugi. It shouldn't take either of you long. I'll wait for you at the gates."
"Why can't all of us go together? Wouldn't that be easier?" Homugi tried.
"Do you still want to learn how to be free, Homugi? Or have you changed your mind?" Meioshi asked, not turning to look at the girls. When Homugi was silenced and looked down, the doctor continued, "In order for you to be free, you must remember who you are. You are a soldier, Homugi. You upheld your code of honor for the House of Inu with pride whether it was challenged, shaken, or solid. The day you became a rogue was the day you adopted a new set of principles called the Bushido Code. This is what I follow in both medicine and life. Know it well if freedom is what you truly seek. The first one of the principles you must learn is honor. Value the duties and privileges of being a warrior, my Homugi. Learn to bear the unbearable. Fail this small test and you will not only disgrace me but yourself. For you have not only lost the consciousness necessary to redefine what it means to have dignity but also what it takes to regain your self-worth. Be honest with yourself, Homugi. How did you feel when the House put a human child above you despite all the years of service that you've contributed flawlessly?"
Homugi balled her claws into fists at the memories and started to shake. She would not disgrace her new mentor. She couldn't! Turning to Hasumi and seeing how uncomfortable she was, Homugi walked over to her and kneeled in front of her. Looking at the little miko, she could see that her clothes were dirty, and she had scars and bruises that were discoloring parts of her skin. The priests looking at her had visible sneers on their faces.
She called out to the miko and said, "Hey! I'm going with you to see your parents. Where do they live?"
"Y-y-you... are?" Hasumi questioned, eyes welling up and shifting with hope in them.
"Doctor's orders," Homugi joked, smirking a bit. "Mind leading the way?"
"My house isn't in there," Hasumi replied, quietly.
"Well, then, take me wherever you wish. We can't go on vacay together if we don't speak to your family first, remember?" Homugi said, holding out her hand for Hasumi to take.
Hasumi brightened up at this and looked at the priests bravely before poking her tongue out and flipping them off. She then stomped and shouted, "You can keep your old village, stuck ups! I'm going home with the cool girls!"
Homugi paid close attention to the dark looks coming from the priests before they scurried off. Narrowing her eyes again, she followed Hasumi in another direction while Meioshi and Yuko quietly continued their trek to the familiar voice recognized by the doctor. As the medical attendants rounded a corner, they were met with four people contorting their bodies to wrap around the bordering trees. Two of them were adult men while the other two were young children. Yuko made an interesting face as she looked at the four people wrapped around trees but only managed to produce a "huh?" noise at the visual. Chuckling at the image, Meioshi smiled brightly until the eldest of the four unwrapped himself from the tree and slid down its bark to stand calmly. He walked up to the girls and bowed respectfully.
Rising, the man smiled and said, "You're running late, doctor."
"Shishou!" Meioshi called, running up to him and tackling him in an excited embrace that knocked him on his back. Thrown off-guard once again by Meioshi's zealous hugs. She then said in his robes, "I missed you!"
"Oh?" he said, laughing with glee. "You saw me not long ago. It's only been a few months!"
"Hey, what about me?" the younger man asked, standing over Meioshi and Shishou. "Don't I get a hug, sis?"
"Brother Liuxian!" Meioshi cheered, popping up and reaching out a hand.
Liuxian was a striking young man and the adopted son of Shishou. He and Meioshi trained together in their youth and after the doctor returned from the bowels of hell years ago. He, and Shishou, were a crucial part of her life and restoration to being human again. That and they tended to get into trouble a lot when they were little, but they always coached each other through whatever hard time they faced from being bullied to being punished and even to relationships. Liuxian didn't have the typical dark hair or lighter brown hair of a human male, but he seemed to have dyed it a light blue to gray almost. It was a good look for him coupled with his muscular body and charming smile. He and Meioshi shared a love of adventure and individuality, so he gave himself a matching quirk with his playful personality. Like Meioshi, he had tattoos on his person, but he covered them up under his monk's clothing as per tradition. He also loved kids, hence why his two little bundles of energy were with him and their grandfather.
Liuxian laughed then jumped into the group hug with his father and sister. He then turned and said, "C'mon, kids! Come hug your auntie!"
"They've gotten so big! Look how beautiful!" Meioshi complimented as the kids ran into her arms and laughed.
"Hi, aunt Zhe-Zhe!" the kids greeted.
'Zhe-Zhe? Odd nickname...' Yuko thought.
"Hello, my darlings! Let's get Cousin Yuko together on 3!" she said mischievously, eyeing Yuko with a pounce look.
"Wait, what?" Yuko responded, flinching. She couldn't even brace herself before she was glomped by the kids and snuggled by the doctor. She blushed at the contact, however, and simply said, "You're so silly, sensei."
Meioshi laughed then asked, "You predicted I'd be here so soon, Shishou?"
"Of course," the master replied, folding his arms behind his back. "Same way I predicted that you have reached your transition. You have fully returned as the hell traveler and faced an undeniably powerful opponent to complete this test. This... demigod has gifted you with great power. Take care not to abuse it."
"You can predict all of that?" Yuko questioned, impressed by the man's knowledge.
"Mm-hm," Liuxian replied, nodding his head. "You should've seen him when we were younger. He could predict when you'd steal cookies from the kitchen and have a shoe ready to bop you one good time."
"Can we make cookies with Aunt Zhe-Zhe, daddy?" the little girl in red and pink robes asked.
"What kind of cookies would you like, little Xinya?" Meioshi asked, bending over to the girl's eye level.
"Biscuits!" the boy in red and blue robes answered, shooting his hands up.
"What'd you put in my baby's cookies to make him want those things all the time?" Liuxian asked, pointing at Meioshi and pointing his chin up in a sharp nod.
"He likes jujube filling," Meioshi replied innocently, smiling cutely.
"Well now Delan's addicted to the stuff!" Liuxian complained.
Shishou chuckled before saying, "Unfortunately, I've predicted more than rambunctious children being spoiled with their aunt's pastries this time. You are searching for something of importance."
Meioshi stood straight at Shishou's words and said, "Something called the Meido Stone. One of hell's titans had stolen it from a group of demons. I don't know where she would've gone with it or what she could use it for, but it's supposed to be capable of great things. It has resurrected the dead once before, but I don't know if that's all it's meant for. Once it performed its use, it seemed to be forgotten as simply a piece of jewelry. I don't think Rakuyama wants to resurrect anyone. She has no use for such a power. She has to be using it for something else. This titan is parasitic by nature and pleased with her position in the Netherworld. Even though I promised to help find it, I really don't care about giving it back if it's worth more as a power source."
"Was this stone made or found?" Liuxian asked, folding his arms.
"I don't know its origins and neither does the supposed owner," Meioshi answered. "Lord Aka has mentioned that it was made from moonstone. The power of resurrection itself was taken from a deity somehow. It was not something that was already there. While the Meido Stone's creator was a guardian spirit, he didn't possess heavenly powers, only fighting power. His heritage had been disrupted years prior. Having divine strength in his line would have been fairly unlikely, but it sounds like it could be gained."
"What kind of demon was the creator?" Liuxian asked out of interest.
"Surprisingly, an inu," Meioshi answered, looking at Liuxian. "I've never come across one of them before. At least not that I remember. They are dangerously powerful, however, and are apparently reliant on yoki energy in battle. An inu is representative of a lot of things in myth, but I've never heard of them being the masters of life and death like that. It makes sense that such mastery has to be taken, but if they were more powerful in ancient times then... I don't know."
"That's what... bothers me because inu aren't masters of life and death. In the natural world, dogs are not 'apex predators' as you've called them. They don't rule over the ecosystem. You can introduce them to an environment to control the populations of certain animals, but dogs can still be eaten by other predators. They're simply not as low on the food chain as maybe a wild cat or fox. A demon similar to an apex predator is a master of life and death. I'm thinking this inu demon, or the creator of that Meido Stone, must have successfully challenged and killed an apex predator type of demon. Not necessarily a deity but maybe the guardian of a deity," Liuxian guessed. "It's also possible that this inu may have mixed blood. Maybe he was born with divine strength because one of the parents was an apex predator type of demon or a guardian of a deity."
"Oh! Maybe an owl or bird!" Yuko suggested. "That jerk, Sesshomaru, can fly, right? He could have some mixed blood with a bird demon and not know it."
"Hm..." Meioshi thought, looking to the sky. "That's a thought. I'll consider this for a later hypothesis on his heritage. Do you think it's worth finding the opposite to this Meido Stone, Shishou? That's why I'm here."
"An opposite?" Liuxian questioned. "There's such a thing as a stone that brings death?"
"I know of the Sessho-seki stone that does this, but Lord Aka said that the Meido Stone is closest in characteristic to a crown jewel and is located in a holy city. Sozosora is the only holy city that I know of with a history of monarchy. While I'm on the subject, who killed the members of the Fukuyama clan?" Meioshi asked, gaining Shishou's full attention.
_____________________________________________
Kirameku Ha was eating a pretty hearty dinner. For whatever reason, he was in the mood for a good stew. Part of him wondered what happened to Sesshomaru and Jaken since the dragon decided to follow him to a ryokan run by an old friend of his. Since Meioshi had decided to participate in this year's festival, Kirameku Ha decided to let the maritime soldiers know. Many of the soldiers still don't know that their beloved taisho, Arimasa, had passed on. It was going to be up to Meioshi to admit what happened to him. Even he didn't fully understand what happened. He only knows that everyone in the Jigoku family is gone. The girl couldn't say more. She experienced too much trauma and was being haunted mercilessly. Speaking of said girl, Meioshi entered the ryokan's front room to speak to the clerk. She timidly walked up to him and bowed low in apology.
She then whispered, "I'm sorry, great uncle. I don't think I've said it yet, but I apologize for my wrongs."
Kirameku Ha was quiet as he looked at the doctor then chuckled. She did this exact same thing when she was a little girl. She took a knife of his to get some apples out of one of his trees. Umehana gave her a proper spanking for stealing and she bowed low just like now to apologize. Rubbing her head to muss her hair, she popped up cutely and softened her features to smile. He then said, "Still that same troublemaker after all these years. What ever will I do with you?"
Meioshi then smiled brightly and nodded before rising to sit up straight. She then said, "Why are you and the dragon way out here? You don't need a new campsite from the looks of things."
"The boy got a pygmy curse placed on him and refused to deal with it, so he's lost," Kirameku Ha replied, rubbing his temples with her hand. "The boy's imp is still in a hole somewhere, and we had been walking in complete circles for what was going to be a week or several at the rate we were going. I came here on my own. I don't know how the dragon snuck off to find me."
'You have our food...' Aa and Un mewled from outside. They were laying down in some hay next to Kirameku Ha's bedroom.
"What were you searching for before he found the pygmy? Did you just trespass somewhere?" Meioshi asked.
"No. The boy just stumbled upon the pygmy. He mentioned something about a wasteland, however. We were looking for a floating boat riding around an island. He never specified what the island looked like or why we were even going to this wasteland," Kirameku Ha said. "You're probably faring better than he is right now."
"Well, I've a bit of information to relay in relation to his missing stone," Meioshi said a bit more seriously. "The origin of this Meido Stone goes a bit deeper than I thought. Right now, I'm testing the plausibility of one such origin. Lord Aka mentioned that this stone was similar to a crown jewel he once called the sun stone. An opposite to moonstone, which presumably is what the Meido Stone is made of. Supposedly, the Meido Stone is capable of resurrecting the dead - a fact Lord Sesshomaru failed to mention - and only able to be used by a demon of the creator's strength or more. I'm in the process of searching for the sun stone in order to see if it can lead me to the Meido Stone. I believe a hell titan has it now."
"How is this sun stone supposed to find the Meido Stone? Does it fire off a beacon?" Kirameku Ha asked.
"I'm not sure. If it's an opposite, I imagine a clash of power would be summoned up. That's my biggest fear because hell's doors would fly open and terrorize everybody. I can't risk that. However... if it's a counterpart... I think it would seek it out to rejoin with it. This is assuming the sun stone is either one of these options," Meioshi informed.
"Where is this stone located?" Kirameku Ha asked.
"That's my other concern, I'm afraid. I believe it's possibly located in Sozosora, the sunflower city. It was run by a monarchy some hundreds of years ago. A gluttonous demon attacked the holy city potentially for the sun stone, but it was stopped by some variety of forces. Furthermore... there was a group of holy warriors known as the Fukuyama clan that guarded the royal family from such demons. I have reason to believe they perished in recent years. We may have found one lone survivor," Meioshi replied. "And I think... the demon that was hunting for the sun stone is still alive and... that he's using that survivor to feed it rare and powerful demons..."
A gust of cold air blew into the ryokan, interrupting the two warriors. Aa and Un roared before rising to stand and sinking low on the defensive. Laughter was heard before small voices started saying, "I know this scent! Brothers, it's the doctor! She'll help us find more souls to feed off! Come!"
"Doctor... doctor..."