only
ones capable of crossing jigoku at will without any lasting
consequences.
The children of a kitsune are said to be fast
growing such that at the end of a season they become fully realized
yokai one with power to create and destroy with immortality as
their birthright. There have been an unspoken rule which must never
be broken this was made when the ayakashi breed with human women
who then gave birth to unusual children that possessed yokai power.
Anyone who was found to have broken the rule was either destroyed
or sentenced to spend a lifetime in the human world.
The dark skies above the yoshiwara district
was alight by the bright celestial lamps surrounding the place,
from the inn voices and music playing could be heard as yokai
patrons seem to be enjoying the company of their companion, for the
kurokumo “dark cloud” inn was well known among the yokai as an
establishment which catered to the unique needs of all who went
there. The Kaze no Yuki “faded purity” whom have been trained from
an early season to bring great pleasure to anyone who pays homage
to the kurokumo inn among whom was Hikari who seem to be well known
for his frequent visits to the place.
The upper level of the inn was reserved for
those of noble birth who were given the privilege of having their
very own Kaze no Yuki attend to their needs, among them was one
whose beauty was highly spoken of as a result of this she became
the companion of Hikari, she was known by the name Kayo.
Chapter 1
In one of the rooms a kitsune with pointed
ears sticking out from long hair of platinum lavender hue, with
matching eyes of dark piercing pupils having razor sharp claws that
seem to extend from slim well tended hands, dressed in pink and
gray flowery pattern kimono with feet clad in a geta “wooden
slippers” for hidden within layers of kimono was a specially made
sensu “hand fan”.
The kitsune seem to be lying on a well made
multicolor futon that was lying over the tatami “floor” while
sipping sake from a sakazuki “wine cup” as his eyes lazily followed
the movement of his companion watching her head slight bent while
playing on the koto with her finger tips dancing all over the
strings causing the room to become alive with notes which seem to
emanate from the instrument, Kayo was one of the few yokai with
delicate feminine features closely resembling those of a human with
silken raven hair held in a finely crafted kanzashi “hair pin” and
soft eyes the color of sapphire for she was dressed in flowery red,
black, yellow and blue yukata with well tended slightly long claws
whose feet were clad in white sock and geta.
After a while her fingers stopped playing as
she raised her head and turned to her patron “Please Hikari-sama
forgive me if you could be so kind, I would like to change my
clothing so that I can always look my best for you”
“Do as you wish, for I do not see the need
for you to change what you are wearing but if it would please you
then get on with it” as he dismissed her with his hand.
Standing up from the small wooden stool she
was sitting on, slowing bowed her head to him as she said “Please
excuse me Hikari-sama I’ll be back very soon”
Hikari watched as she left the room while he
allowed his mind to be filled with the thought of his family, he
remembered not seen Taiki in almost three seasons the only ones
that were within reach was Ayumu and Himiko who were always busy
with so many duties.
Thinking back he remembered his friend
Ritsu-no-kami of the Inari Shrine who had promised to pay him a
visit but he hadn’t seen him in almost a season. “Was life as
guardian of the humans that hard?” He wondered within himself, not
too long after a familiar presence was felt in the room.
“Hikari-sama haven’t I told you to always put
up a barrier, you never know where your enemies may attack from”
said a yokai with hair of golden hue streaked with a hint of brown
with length reaching half of his back
Dean Wesley Smith, Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Martin A. Lee, Bruce Shlain