Under the sparkling night sky, the village bathed in a gentle hue of light blue, with none of its inhabitants stirring at such a late hour. The serenity of the sleeping villagers in their futons contrasted with the nocturnal exploration undertaken by Hoshiyo, Hachiman, and Tanuki. As they traversed the darkness, Hoshiyo's gaze caught the solitary figure of an older man seated on a weathered stool outside a house.
The man's glazed eyes seemed fixed on Hoshiyo, creating an uncertain tension in the air. Intrigued and slightly unsettled, she paused to observe him closely, prompting her to ask, "What's wrong with him? Can he see me?"
Standing beside her, Hachiman focused on the elder and explained, "That's the village elder, a man of great pride for his small fishing village."
The Tanuki added, "Village elders possess a unique awareness; they can hear and see everything, including Yokai and Kami."
Approaching the elder with caution, Hoshiyo greeted him respectfully, "Hello, sir. Are you alright?"
With a distant mumble, the village elder remarked, "What a beautiful young lady." His eyes glazed over, and his life force waned. A Shinigami emerged from behind him, hidden beneath his jacket collar. Witnessing the inevitable passage of life, Hoshiyo recoiled in horror, her knees trembling.
Hachiman nodded solemnly, "He was 55 years old; it was his time. Let's move on." The trio continued their journey, leaving behind the village elder in the stillness of the night.
"His family doesn't know that he's dead. Shouldn't we do something?" Hoshiyo questioned.
"Like what?" The Tanuki retorted. "He's dead; the humans will find him tomorrow morning."
"No," Hoshiyo exclaimed, "He deserves better than this."
Driven by compassion, she rushed to the lifeless form, using her hind legs to knock over a nearby ceramic pot. The pot shattered, prompting the Shinigami to scatter and retreat behind the house. As lights flickered inside, Hoshiyo instinctively darted away, concealing herself from prying eyes. The Tanuki chuckled, holding his tiny paw against his chest, amused by her antics. Despite the laughter, Hoshiyo only intended to offer solace to the departed soul.
A middle-aged woman wearing an apron slid open the door to the house. She whispered, "Daddy, are you out here?"
With no response, she slipped on her shoes and stepped outside. Her gaze fell to the right, where she discovered her father leaning against the house with vacant eyes. In that poignant moment, she called out to the rest of the family, who rushed out to surround him with expressions of love.
It was a scene Hoshiyo couldn't walk away from—an intimate family reunion amid the mourning of a beautiful life now etched into a memory that would fade from everyone else's recollection. Observing this, Hachiman gave Hoshiyo a noticeable smile, recognizing the emotional strength within her—a person physically fragile yet emotionally resilient, standing apart from the rest.
The island of Matsushima, renowned as the smallest yet most formidable, held a special place in Shizuka village. Hachiman dedicated much of his free time to safeguarding the villagers from human disturbances in this secluded haven. In gratitude, the villagers, with pride, offered numerous tributes at the mountain's summit to honor their guardians.
Satisfied with her role, Hoshiyo trailed Hachiman, anticipating their journey to the shrine atop the mountains.
The entrance to the dense Matsu Forest lay on the outskirts of the village—compact yet potent, mirroring the island and its resilient inhabitants.
"This place is so eerie," Hoshiyo murmured. "Why do I sense this weight on my shoulders?"
Hachiman explained, "There are Yokai here more formidable than the average. Many fear to tread upon Matsushima island, but our shadow companion doesn't shy away from anyone."
"Alright, let's get through this," Hoshiyo whispered.
Guiding his newfound companions, Hachiman led them through the lush expanse adorned in a vibrant maroon-hued moss. The dense carpet covered the forest floor and enveloped the tree bark. Under the towering canopies, the trio moved, surrounded by the tranquil beauty of nature's peculiar offerings.
Above the treetops, visible from their vantage point, massive ropes extended to the mountain's summit. Dangling ornaments crafted from the same rope adorned the length of these lines. Hoshiyo recognized these ropes, having encountered them before, and speculated about their possible role as a spiritual barrier. Though she intended to inquire about them someday, Susano's pressing matter took precedence.
Following Hachiman's lead, Hoshiyo inhaled an unpleasant, nauseating stench that permeated the air, akin to the odor of decaying flesh. Wrinkling her nose, she exchanged uneasy glances with Tanuki and asked, "What is that? It smells awful."
Nonchalantly plugging a few acorns in his nostrils, the Tanuki replied, "I'd rather not find out. It smells like a human died in the forest."
Hachiman, lifting his head to the sky, sniffed the peculiar scent. "There's an abandoned human graveyard nearby. That might be where the smell is coming from. Let's hurry."
"No way! We have to get to Susano," Hoshiyo whimpered, her four limbs trembling dramatically.
The Tanuki chuckled, "She's a necrophobic Kami. I haven't seen that before."
Approaching Hoshiyo gently, Hachiman, in a soothing voice, asked, "Why are you afraid?"
"I don't know; I can't explain it. I'm afraid to look at the dead," Hoshiyo whispered. "My father was different because I love him."
"That's not living. Don't allow your thoughts to control you. We will take this one step at a time. Lean on me; I will guide you so you don't have to look."
Blushing, Hoshiyo leaned against his sturdy frame and shut her eyes. Instead of relying on her vision, she focused on her other senses. The tiny croaks of frogs in the forest near a water source reached her ears, and she could hear the distant sound of a waterfall not far from their path. She felt the roots of the trees beneath her feet. Her heart pounded, and a sense of fear crept in despite Hachiman's reassurance. While she knew she shouldn't let her fears control her, it was easier said than done. Perhaps, in time, she could overcome the terror that haunted her. Hoshiyo suspected that her fear might be rooted in the death of her friend. Although she had forgotten her name over the years, recalling her beautiful face from their carefree days in the sun brought solace. Thinking about her friend made everything feel a bit more manageable.
The putrid odor intensified as they approached the entrance, and Hachiman unveiled an overgrown, ancient graveyard concealed by the forest's growth. The weathered headstones were barely visible, worn away by time. Hoshiyo hesitated, feeling a discomfort that Hachiman's reassuring presence encouraged her to overcome. With each step, the foul smell grew more assertive.
Hachiman stopped before the source of the disgusting odor and remarked, "Now, what do we have here?"
The creature loomed like a colossal, flabby mass of flesh, exhibiting a grotesque humanoid form with distorted features. Its malformed hands and feet protruded lumpy and undeveloped, sending shivers down the spines of those who beheld it.
Horror reflected in Tanuki's widened eyes as he observed the unsettling beast leaning against a moss-covered grave; his teeth clenched as he inquired, "Is that a Yokai?"
"It was a shapeshifter Yokai like you, but this one might have unintentionally failed and cannot undo its transformation."
"I'm grateful I never tried…" The Tanuki whispered.
"Can I look now?" Hoshiyo asked.
"You may look at your discretion," Hachiman replied.
Hoshiyo's heart raced as she clutched onto Hachiman and Tanuki, her breaths shallow and rapid. Slowly, she opened her eyes and peeked out, revealing the grotesque creature emitting guttural sounds, its presence shrouded in an aura of dread. With alert muscles, Hachiman protected himself in front of Hoshiyo and Tanuki.
"What are you doing? The Yokai won't hurt us," The Tanuki said.
Hachiman growled, "No, but it could pose a threat to the villagers. I will have to put it out of its misery."
With panic, Hoshiyo questioned, "Put it out of its misery? What does that mean? Where would it go when you kill it?"
"You shouldn't have to worry about that right now," Hachiman kindly reassured, "Tanuki, take her out of here. I'll be right behind you."
The Tanuki lowered his ears and responded, "Okay."
Gently rubbing his paw on Hoshiyo's fur, the Tanuki encouraged her to accompany him. Naturally, Hoshiyo looked behind her to see what Hachiman would do to the Yokai. However, the Tanuki blocked her view and gestured to move on.
"Why is there so much death on such a small island?" Hoshiyo asked.
"It's probably for the best; you never know," The Tanuki replied. Before the morning light graced the ocean's horizon, Hoshiyo followed the Tanuki to where the ascent began from the mountain's base. Looking back, Hachiman was nowhere in sight. She expressed concern, "Shouldn't we wait for him?"
"No, we should keep going. The shrine is up ahead," The Tanuki replied.
"I wonder what's taking him so long?" Hoshiyo pondered.
Guiding them through a rough pebble path on the mountain, not far away, they approached an old Torii gate that had been neglected for years. Hoshiyo could only imagine the shrine looked the same way. She began to feel sympathy for the Kami worldwide, who had not been treated fairly. Today, she was going to change that one shrine at a time.
She felt a strong presence lurking near her once she crossed the barrier through the Torii gate. The shrine was covered in maroon moss, and trees overgrew through the stones and wooden shrines.
"Who goes there?" The mighty voice demanded.
Sweating from her tongue, Hoshiyo said, "Hey, you must be Susano, right? Your sister sent me to come to see you. She's worried about you."
An arrow appeared in the sky and landed between the Tanuki's legs. He shrieked, "Watch where you're aiming, buddy. You almost shot off my testicles."
"Leave," Susano yelled.
Hoshiyo scanned the area, trying to spot him inside the desecrated shrine, but he was nowhere to be found. It was as if he was everywhere at the same time. She yelled, "Susano, we're trying to help you. What can we do to help?"
Susano shot another arrow, and a word rose from behind Hoshiyo, splitting the arrow in half and landing on the dirt between them. Hoshiyo recognized the sword and looked behind her. Her eyes widened as she saw Hachiman slowly approaching them with all his limbs intact, though he appeared a little roughed up from a fight. Hachiman smiled and said, "Susano, I returned to retrieve what you borrowed from me, and I have come to return your sword."
Hoshiyo dropped her jaw dramatically. She truly believed the sword belonged to Hachiman. Why did they swap weapons to begin with? Hoshiyo had so many unanswered questions. Hoshiyo whispered, "Hey, I thought that sword belonged to you. Why did you borrow it from him?"
Hachiman, towering and formidable, replied, "The sword initially belonged to the beast known as Orochi, but soon after, Susano defeated him in the battle to protect everyone; he took the sword and has used it every day since that battle. I asked to borrow his sword for close combat in case of trouble on my way to the council. I allowed him to borrow my bow and arrow to protect his shrine from evil-doers."
The Tanuki said, "His home that was supposed to keep him safe was ripped away. That's so horrible."
Hoshiyo yelled, "Susano, we're so sorry for what happened to you. We want to help. Please let us help."
A grey and white wolf from the shrine emerged, wearing bright gold robes over his shoulders like a scarf. His mighty appearance posed a unique threat to anyone who lurked near him.
Susano handed Hachiman the bow and arrows while he picked up his sword and sheathed it to his back. He said, "My sword is called Kusanagi-No-Tsurugi. We've gone through many battles together."
Hoshiyo smiled and asked, "Did you name your bow, Hachiman?"
"No, I don't believe in naming a weapon. It's childish," Hachiman replied.
Susano frowned and said, "Naming powerful weapons is an art. One day, someone will inherit Kusanagi-No-Tsurugi, and it will continue to be one of the most potent weapons in the world."
"Get your head out of the clouds," Hachiman argued.
To break up the argument, Hoshiyo asked, "Wait, so how do you fight with a bow as a wolf?"
Hachiman smirked and replied, "I'll demonstrate." He picked up the bow with his mouth and gripped it tight. His tail suddenly grew longer, and he used it to pick up an arrow. With the arrow he tightly gripped the strong arrow in his tail. Hachiman pulled down his ears and used his eyes to aim in any direction he pleased. Once he released the arrow, he could feel the breeze slice through the fur on top of his head, but thankfully, his hair was still intact. The arrow flew and struck one of the wooden poles, keeping the shrine's structure together. The pole cracked, and everyone had gone silent. Susano growled at Hachiman, baring his sharp white teeth at him. Hachiman lowered his ears again and quietly said, "That was my fault; I am sorry for ruining your shrine more than it already was."
"What happened here, Susano?" Hoshiyo asked.
Susano lowered his head and walked away. He was not yet ready to tell anyone what occurred at the shrine. He had regretted it ever since the day it happened.