The Hidden Scholar - Part 2

Life, Supernatural

As Aotsuki Tsukamoto departed on his own business, it fell to Fubuki to confirm her* plan of action with Abe no Seimei. The Black Blade would take her* cohort to the capital and attempt to bring Sugawara no Michizane back to his proper burial place. Meanwhile, Seimei would go about making the preparations for a sheele ritual. So long as Fubuki could provide the required magical energy on her* return, it would not take long to bring a new aspect of her* into the world.

Taira no Tokuko expressed some doubts about bringing Phenex, a literal demon, into the Imperial Capital. While Fubuki echoed those doubts, it was better than leaving her to her own devices, and so Phenex came, along with Aka no Kitsunebi and Tokuko herself.   Once Shigeaki Fujino had deposited them in the rear gardens of the Imperial Palace, the hunt began. Aka no Kitsunebi was yet blind, deaf, and mute, but that left her remaining senses refined to a higher level. So it was that she was the first to detect the scent of plum blossoms on the air. Fubuki soon caught it as well, and the fragrance brought them to an unassuming section of the Palace’s exterior. When looking at it unaided, Fubuki saw only a stone wall. With her* senses linked to Kitsunebi’s, however, and looking through the symbol on Tenman Tenjin, the wall instead opened into a beautiful garden and stream, all surrounding a plum tree in full bloom.   Fubuki led the way, and her* companions followed. Phenex at this point seemed preoccupied with the amber seed in her hands. From her fragmented mutterings, she found the palace gardens almost, but not quite an ideal place for it. Those musings were soon lost, however, as, drawing closer to the opening in the wall, Tokuko and Phenex faded away. Fubuki and Kitsunebi were left alone. Or, not quite alone. Another presence had appeared: a man in ancient imperial garb whose translucent form marked him as a yūrei, a ghost. The man’s expression was stern as they approached, bordering on hostile. He gave his name as Fujiwara no Yorimichi, and stated that Sugawara no Michizane would never find rest in these gardens, nor would his yōkai-tainted offspring enter.   Fubuki quite reasonably pointed out that the Emperor of the time had pardoned Michizane, and prepared this grave for him. However, Yorimichi was unmoved. It was not his concern, he expressed, if the Emperor had made foolish decisions in a flight of fear and desperation. As Ichi no Hito and Kampaku, he would do what was right.   Aka no Kitsunebi and Fubuki were in agreement: a fight was inevitable. Drawing Jigenmaru from its sheathe, Fubuki advanced on the man, who answered by producing a ghostly katana and wakizashi. Before he could put them to much good use, however, Aka no Kitsunebi blinded Yorimichi with a flash of supernatural light. This left him largely helpless against Fubuki’s attacks, but the Black Blade focused instead on wearing down Yorimichi’s weapons. Ethereal though they were, Jignmaru cared not for such things, and accurate strikes with infusions of ki soon saw them worn down to a fraction of their former quality. The fight appeared fully one-sided, but Yorimichi began suddenly to exhibit the signs of accumulating magic. Fubuki could tell naught but that it was not for a spell, but Jigenmaru recognized that the Kampaku was attempting a ritual to control Kitsunebi.   Fubuki tossed her* Jorōgumo’s Stump to her* companion as a precaution, then ceased to hold back. Jigenmaru’s flaming edge came down on Yorimichi once, than twice, setting him alight with ghostly flames that devoured his being. With one final exclamation, the Kampaku raised his hands into the air and uttered a curse upon Aka no Kitsunebi; a curse from all the Fujiwara Clan. With that, he was consumed. Fubuki swatted at what flames remained, but they seemed not to so much as affect the garden they stood in, nor were they acknowledged by the evil-eyed koi that flitted through the stream. Aka no Kitsunebi felt no different, but curses are rarely something to take lightly. Still, little could be done about it now, so Fubuki and Kitsunebi took the casket together and brought it to the grave at the base of the plum tree. In response, great roots rose up from the plant and drew the coffin down, even as they receded from Aka no Kitsunebi’s aching hand. Sugawara no MIchizane had come home.   Indeed, a new ghostly figure had appeared to them: Michizane himself. The scruffy man with glasses and a green cloak welcomed them, and offered his thanks. With a sadness at what she had been through, he cured Aka no Kitsunebi with a wave. Finally free of the blindness, deafness, and voicelessness that had been hers since birth, the new Kitsunebi was exultant. It seemed that even more passed between them, but soon Michizane turned back to Fubuki.   When he enquired after his other child, the Black Blade could only sadly shake her* head. Ao no Kitsunebi had died in Kuzunoha’s realm, but a part of him still lived on in Tenman Tenjin, the dagger that had brought them here. MIchizane took this solemnly, then expressed that he did not have much time, but would willingly answer a question of Fubuki’s before his departure. Such a question seemed obvious to the Black Blade, who did not hesitate in querying how one might remove a curse placed by Izanagi-no-Mikoto himself. The answer was just as quick in coming. Inari no Ōkami, the goddess of freedom, could do away with such a burden.   With that, Michizane was gone. Having never truly known her father, Aka no Kitsunebi was not saddened by his departure. Some part of her, however, might have been glad that the scholar finally found peace. Any such musings on either’s part were interrupted, however, by the sudden arrival in the garden of a girl wearing a familiar green cloak and a cheery expression.