Kurou woke up the next morning, slipping into his usual routine. He went about his day with a sense of ease, like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. The night before had been full of questions that kind of didn't get answered, but today, he felt... lighter, almost as though he'd finally found his soulmate, for a person to help him save his friend. That's all he wants.
As he reached his front door, his gaze landed on the red beaded bracelet. It sat on the floor, just as it had been left the day before. This time, he didn't hesitate. He picked it up and slipped it onto his wrist. It fit perfectly.
Kurou stepped outside, the cool morning air brushing against his face. Soon, he was back in the bustling city of Tokyo. The towering buildings, the crowded streets, the relentless noise—it felt like a different world from his quiet home in the countryside. As he made his way to the café, a hand suddenly landed on his shoulder.
"Where are you going? No ghosts are going to show up in a café unless they're disguised as humans," Inari said, his voice smooth but with a teasing edge.
Kurou turned around, his heart racing slightly at the unexpected appearance. Inari stood before him, exactly as he had the night before. His presence was both comforting and unsettling.
"Oh, we're doing it now?" Kurou asked, surprised. "I thought you'd give me at least until the afternoon."
Inari let out a cold laugh. "You don't get to decide that. Let's go." He began walking, and Kurou followed without a word.
They walked for a while, the city noise fading as they reached a quieter area. Soon, they found themselves sitting on a bench in a nearby park.
"Don't say anything stupid, and don't yell," Inari warned, his tone sharper now. "Nobody can see me right now. I don't want people thinking you're crazy. Don't get me wrong, I couldn't care less what people call you, but I have standards."
Kurou sighed and nodded. "What spirit are we dealing with today?" he asked, eager to know.
Inari grinned, pulling out a picture and placing it on the bench. The photo showed a tall woman in a forest, her long black hair blowing in the wind. She wore a white dress and hat, and her face remained hidden as she faced away from the photo. The woman appears to be in the woods.
"This is Hachishaku-sama," Inari said, his voice low. "The 8-foot-tall woman. She preys on children, luring them in with her appearance. They're more vulnerable, and she knows it. People can hear her by the sound that she makes. Which I'm not going to say because it's too embarrassing."
Kurou frowned, recognizing the name. His parents had warned him about her when he was a child.
"She's a pedophile then?" he asked bluntly.
Inari laughed and tucked the photo into his kimono. "You could say that, but really, she just wants to kill them, or eat them. It's actually never really been confirmed on what she does with the children. Our best bet for catching her is to use a child as bait."
Kurou's eyes widened. "But where are we going to find a child?"
Inari smirked. "Right here," he said, tapping a finger on Kurou's forehead. A cloud of black smoke surrounded Kurou, and he coughed, his body shrinking as he gasped for air.
When the smoke cleared, he was no longer an adult. He was a child. His mind screamed that this wasn't right, but his mouth couldn't find the words to argue. He was a child—helpless, vulnerable. A bait.
Inari grinned, picking him up effortlessly. "Now we have a kid as bait. You'll play the part well. After all, you act like one already."
Kurou squirmed in Inari's arms, protesting. "No! I don't want to be the bait!"
Inari ignored him. "Too bad. You're already a kid now, and I'm not turning you back until we catch Hachishaku-sama."
They started walking out of the park, with Kurou being held by Inari like a little child with their father. "Oh, I almost forgot."
Inari pulled out a black box and opened it, revealing a knife. Kurou stiffened, eyes widening.
"Please don't hurt me with that!" he cried.
Inari merely cut his own palm, and red blood began to seep from the wound. Holding it out to Kurou, he said, "You have two choices: drink this willingly, or I'll force it down your throat. What'll it be?"
Kurou hesitated, his eyes fixed on the blood. After a moment, he raised a brow. "What's this for? Don't tell me this is to track me."
Inari shook his head. "No, this blood will help you absorb the spiritual aura I collect. If I have to capture yokai for you, it's only fair that you gain something from it since you're going to be my accomplice." Kurou hears that and decides to just drink it, what could go wrong? "Besides, I've been tracking you since last night." Inari added while saying it like it was the most natural thing to confess to when talking to a person.
He choked slightly as he heard the last part. "You what...?" he gasped. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"
Inari rolled his eyes. "Kitsune are tricky. I've been tracking you the whole time. And no, I'm not going to tell you how." He snapped his fingers, and the wound on his palm healed instantly, his skin smooth again.
Kurou blinked in amazement, completely forgetting that Inari literally just said he's been tracking him. "That's... amazing! Could you heal me if I got hurt?"
"No," Inari replied bluntly. "You're on your own for that. Now, let's get moving."
In an instant, Kurou found himself standing in the middle of a dense forest. He looked around in awe, then at Inari, who shrugged.
"Teleportation is easy," Inari said with a smirk. "No chants. No spinning in circles."
Kurou watched as Inari set up a salt circle on the ground, placing talismans around it and lighting incense. "Stay inside the circle. If the salt turns black, don't leave, and don't trust any masculine voices, that's usually how she sounds." Inari warned.
Kurou nodded, feeling a rush of nervous energy. "What's next?"
Inari handed him the box. "Once you catch her, seal her inside this. It's a box that can trap them inside, especially with the right talisman, she won't be able to escape."
Kurou frowned at the box. "Is this really going to be enough?"
"Trust me," Inari said, his voice firm. "Once she's sealed, I'll deal with it. You just focus on the catch. Plus, one of the kitsune's birthdays are coming up, and I was planning on wrapping this up in wrapping paper and giving it to them. It could even be in festive paper for the occasion." Kurou stares at him. 'Maybe kitsune's are weird', he thinks to himself.
As Inari disappeared into the trees, Kurou stood in the circle, heart racing. The wind stirred the salt, and for a moment, he thought it might break. He couldn't afford to fail now.
A sound cut through the silence: po, po, po, po.
Kurou's heart skipped a beat. He scanned the woods, but saw nothing. The sound grew closer, repeating over and over again.
Then, out from behind the trees, the woman in the picture appeared. Hachishaku-sama, in all her chilling glory. Her eyes were hollow, lifeless, and a grin stretched unnaturally across her face.
Kurou froze, stepping back instinctively. Hachishaku-sama's long fingers reached out, begging him to go with her, but Kurou didn't move. This upset her, and she lunged at Kurou, but a force field came up, and she was slammed back down towards the ground as the salt suddenly turned black after creating the shield. Kurou stares at Hachishaku-sama as she picks herself back up and tilts her head to the side like a dog when it's confused. She walks towards the salt again, and when she reaches out. A shield comes up again, causing her hand to be stuck in the air, never to be able to push forward. The wind suddenly picks up, and the salt starts to shift. The circle breaks, and noticing this, Hachishaku-sama lunges.
Kurou barely dodged in time. His heart pounded in his chest as he ran. He knew he couldn't outrun her. The salt circle was gone, blown away by the wind, and he had no idea how to use the bracelet. He threw a talisman, but his aim was terrible, and it fell to the ground.
The wind stopped, and for a moment, it was like the world was holding its breath. The haunting sounds of footsteps drew closer, each one heavier than the last.
Po, po, po, po.
Kurou stopped, turning to face the spirit. He can't outrun her, he repeats again in his mind. Hachishaku-sama stops as soon as he stops. She holds her hand out again, begging him to come with her, he sighs, and takes her hand. The hand was cold, colder than he expected, but in the strange stillness of the moment, he couldn't look away. Something deep inside him whispered that he had no choice but to play along.
As soon as they touched, a blinding light flared from their hands. Everything is still. The eerie noises stopped.
When the light faded, Hachishaku-sama lay unconscious on the ground. Without hesitation, Kurou opened the box and watched as she transformed into tiny ghostly orbs, he couldn't help but be mesmerized by the bright blue lights. He closed the box, sealing her inside, and placed the talisman on the lid.
Inari appeared from the trees, holding the talismans that he probably picked up from the salt circle. He looked at the box, then at Kurou, and smirked. "You did it. But your aim sucks, I thought I was going to have to come save you."
Kurou frowned, but chose to ignore him, as he held the box out. "Can you turn me back now? I hate being a kid."
Inari grabbed the box, and pressed a finger to his forehead, and more black smoke appeared, as he suddenly felt his body growing and taking a new shape. Kurou took a deep breath, feeling his adult form return. A strange relief washed over him, but he couldn't shake the lingering feeling of being out of place in his own skin.
They soon walk towards Kurou's house. Inari walks while shaking the box, a mischievous grin on his face. The box starts shaking, but not from Inari as Hachishaku-sama tries to get out of his hands from the box.
"Careful. You're making her mad." Kurou says to the mischievous Inari.
Inari shrugged. "She's an evil spirit. She's probably been angry for centuries. Besides, I love how you're worried about me. Am I like some damsel in distress to you?"
Kurou looked at him for a moment then down at the box, he didn't say anything as he continued walking towards his house.
Inari snickers as he watches Kurou walk away.
As they arrived at Kurou's door, Inari stopped, his eyes gleaming. "Your house is dangerous. You know that, right? Every spirit from the woods could come after you. Even a pond behind your house could give you water spirits. Like the Kappa from yesterday."
Kurou nodded, a bit amused. "Yeah, well, it's home."
Inari didn't respond, so Kurou looked behind him to see that he just vanished out of thin air.