quickly went back to pretending to pull weeds. After the person passed, he peeked back up through the slats of the raised walkway. His breath stilled as the most beautiful girl he’d ever seen appeared in her long, flowing blue kimono. Lady Aya, youngest daughter of the Lord Osamu, smiled as she greeted the priests. Naru wished he could stand beside her and receive one of those heart-stopping smiles. Instead, he was suddenly staring at a weathered old groundskeeper.
“What are you doing here, son?” The old man was usually kind and patient, but right now he gazed at what was clenched in Naru’s hand.
Naru sighed and handed over the weeds to prove he wasn’t up to anything. “I was just trying to thank the spirit Yoshino, in my own way. By pulling the weeds. There’s mushroom growing around the back right corner, near the shrine as well.”
The groundkeeper’s graying, bushy brows rose. “Forgive me. With all feudal Japan at war with itself, one can never be too careful. If you want to go into the shrine, you may do so, son. We will not hold you back.”
Yes, but I’d look like the impoverished street dweller that I am next to her. He bowed. “Thank you for your kindness, sir.” He backed away and headed for the forest, away from Lady Aya. At least no one would stare at his ragged clothes there.
He was just within the veil of trees when a young woman stepped into his path. He jumped back with a start to avoid touching her expensive kimono. “Oh, I almost ran into you. Forgive me.” As he bowed he got a close up view of the silk pattern. It wasn’t Aya’s. Rainbow waves broken by ribbons of gold stared back at him. He knew the pattern of this kimono…
He straightened to see the lovely woman smiling at him.q
“You like Lady Aya , don’t you?” She said in a hushed voice.
Eyes wide, Naru gulped. “It’s you.” He stepped back and carefully sank into a fighting stance.
The girl cocked her head as her delicate hands folded before her. Her eyes held a hint of mischievousness.
He couldn’t believe she was actually speaking to him. “You’re an Oni , aren’t you?”
A scowl shadowed her sweet face. “Do I look like a troll to you?”
Did she? He glanced over her, searching for horns, warts, or yellow eyes. But the woman presented a flawless image. “Uh, no.” He ran through his mind what else could explain this woman’s existence. He lived in the forest and he’d often seen her in the distance. She’d appear like a ghost. Then when he’d follow, she’d vanish.
“You must be a Yokai then.” He swallowed as her brow rose.
“Really? You think I’m an earth-bound demon?”
He nodded mutely. “I’ve heard really powerful Yokai can take the form of a human.”
The playful glint returned to her eyes. “Yes, but they are mostly born of enchanted animals.” She leaned in close. “Do you see whiskers on my face? Or a tail from my backside?”
His eyes searched her face, her ears and hands. Then he blushed. How am I supposed to check her backside without seeming rude?
She smiled knowingly. Putting one foot over the other, she turned slowly. Naru could se e she wasn’t hiding any extra nonhuman body parts under her spotless kimono. Once she faced him fully, he relaxed and stood normally. If she is something evil, wouldn’t she have attacked me already?
She smiled confidently. “Well, have I passed your test?”
He nodded. “Only, it doesn’t make sense…”
Her smile faded. “What doesn’t make sense?”
“Your kimono.” He studied the golden obi wrapped tight around her waist, and the edge of the layers under her sleeves. “There isn’t a speck of dirt on you. How could you be in the forest so often, in that very kimono, and not be even a little dirty?”
“Oh, that.” She checked her clothing, and smiled again. “Well, I can assure you, I’m no Oni or Yokai . But that’s exactly why I came to see you.”
Naru’s brow drew together.
“There is a Yokai here.
“What are you doing here, son?” The old man was usually kind and patient, but right now he gazed at what was clenched in Naru’s hand.
Naru sighed and handed over the weeds to prove he wasn’t up to anything. “I was just trying to thank the spirit Yoshino, in my own way. By pulling the weeds. There’s mushroom growing around the back right corner, near the shrine as well.”
The groundkeeper’s graying, bushy brows rose. “Forgive me. With all feudal Japan at war with itself, one can never be too careful. If you want to go into the shrine, you may do so, son. We will not hold you back.”
Yes, but I’d look like the impoverished street dweller that I am next to her. He bowed. “Thank you for your kindness, sir.” He backed away and headed for the forest, away from Lady Aya. At least no one would stare at his ragged clothes there.
He was just within the veil of trees when a young woman stepped into his path. He jumped back with a start to avoid touching her expensive kimono. “Oh, I almost ran into you. Forgive me.” As he bowed he got a close up view of the silk pattern. It wasn’t Aya’s. Rainbow waves broken by ribbons of gold stared back at him. He knew the pattern of this kimono…
He straightened to see the lovely woman smiling at him.q
“You like Lady Aya , don’t you?” She said in a hushed voice.
Eyes wide, Naru gulped. “It’s you.” He stepped back and carefully sank into a fighting stance.
The girl cocked her head as her delicate hands folded before her. Her eyes held a hint of mischievousness.
He couldn’t believe she was actually speaking to him. “You’re an Oni , aren’t you?”
A scowl shadowed her sweet face. “Do I look like a troll to you?”
Did she? He glanced over her, searching for horns, warts, or yellow eyes. But the woman presented a flawless image. “Uh, no.” He ran through his mind what else could explain this woman’s existence. He lived in the forest and he’d often seen her in the distance. She’d appear like a ghost. Then when he’d follow, she’d vanish.
“You must be a Yokai then.” He swallowed as her brow rose.
“Really? You think I’m an earth-bound demon?”
He nodded mutely. “I’ve heard really powerful Yokai can take the form of a human.”
The playful glint returned to her eyes. “Yes, but they are mostly born of enchanted animals.” She leaned in close. “Do you see whiskers on my face? Or a tail from my backside?”
His eyes searched her face, her ears and hands. Then he blushed. How am I supposed to check her backside without seeming rude?
She smiled knowingly. Putting one foot over the other, she turned slowly. Naru could se e she wasn’t hiding any extra nonhuman body parts under her spotless kimono. Once she faced him fully, he relaxed and stood normally. If she is something evil, wouldn’t she have attacked me already?
She smiled confidently. “Well, have I passed your test?”
He nodded. “Only, it doesn’t make sense…”
Her smile faded. “What doesn’t make sense?”
“Your kimono.” He studied the golden obi wrapped tight around her waist, and the edge of the layers under her sleeves. “There isn’t a speck of dirt on you. How could you be in the forest so often, in that very kimono, and not be even a little dirty?”
“Oh, that.” She checked her clothing, and smiled again. “Well, I can assure you, I’m no Oni or Yokai . But that’s exactly why I came to see you.”
Naru’s brow drew together.
“There is a Yokai here.
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