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Reality Fault

Realms: Fukusei Crystals Logs

Episode 1 and 2

(OOC) Sat Sep 10 1905 06:09 PM by "FukuseiGM" at "Fukusei Soundstage" (OOC)

Episode 1: Fish Rescue Squad and Late Night Ofuda

Once upon a time in a small coastal town in Japan, there was a school.

The town, Kaijou, is an ordinary town. It has docks for shipping and piers for fishing. Every morning a tiny fleet of fishing ships sails out to practice the fisherman familys' ancient trade. In what was once the center of town is a shinto temple that's been there since before Kaijou was founded as a small fishing village. Stone walls kept clean of vines fence in a large garden and a number of small shrines. In the main building, attendants sell good luck charms and hand-painted prayers. The priest at the temple is always ready to tell visitors about the many unusual items left behind as offerings and keepsakes by travellers in the past.

The school is Fukusei High School, the only high school in the area. Today is the first day of classes after an all-too-short summer vacation. Students arrive in clusters of two and three, some on foot and some on bikes. They mill about in the quad, greeting old friends and catching up on the events of the last few weeks.

"Did you hear about Murasaki?" "Yeah, her parents called the police and everything. What do you think happened?" "You think she could have drowned?" "Maybe she ran off with a boy." "Murasaki? You kidding? She can't even talk to boys. All she does is squeak at them." "Hey, be nice." "But it's true...."

Tara sighs mentally, then deliberately straightens. She'd been looking forward to the new school, despite having to move in the middle of high school... and then this. Gold colored eyes.

Tara takes a deep breath and reminds herself -- she's an Alcyone. Sunglasses just delay the inevitable. She walks quietly into the schoolyard... firmly quashing the small voice in the back of her head which snidely asks when she's going to show her parents, then, if sunglasses just delay the inevitable?

Tara looks around with interest, her usual curiosity starting to reassert itself despite the nervousness.

Daichi has taken up a post against a low wall, half lounging against it as he looks around the school yard. Even in the midst of the crowd he seems to manage to have a relatively clear spot as other students hurry past or try to avoid him.

Among the sea of black and brown hair, a boy with shiny silvery hair stands out. He's taller than most of the students, and has a slow, soft smile that has garnered him a small crowd of younger girls.

Tara's golden hair and deep tan also gather attention. One of the more outgoing girls walks over with a big wave and a smile. "Hi! You must be the American girl!"

Tara blinks -- then her face lights up with a smile and she nods politely, "Hi! Yes, my name is Ta- er, is Alcyone Tara." She adds apologetically, "It's Greek -- that's why it sounds funny here."

"I'm Nakayama Akina. How long have you been in town?"

Seiichi's summer vacation passed by much as how every day does: in a wafting breeze, over and -- not quite -- forgotten almost before it's complete. And so the beginning of school comes on him a touch unexpectedly, and it kind of shows as he meanders through the front gates, drifting through Daichi's 'bubble' mostly without seeming to notice him there, and seeing if Nakayama and anyone he was reasonably friends with in the past school year are about the school at this time.

Tara says, "Umm, well, we moved here around the end of last school term, but then my father took me with him on a dig. So I've actually been here about a week now?"

Tara adds shyly, "I've been working on my Japanese. I hope I don't sound too awful."

Nakayama nods. "Oh, you're fine. It's kind of a neat accent." And then, she brightens all over again. "Seiichi-chan!" She gives Tara a quick, polite little bow and hurries over to say hi to Seiichi.

Tara smiles at the other girl, asking, "What's your name? And, um..." She grins a little, watching the two reunite. Okay, she has a name for the boy now, at least... oh, wait. That was a 'chan,' which means they're really good friends, which she can't call him yet. She sighs softly to herself -- so many rules in Japanese! -then looks interestedly over at the silver-haired boy. He stands out almost as much as she does. She pulls a strand of her long pony-tail over her shoulder and regards it with some amusement. Gold. Not just blonde, but incredibly metallically looking gold. Well, at least she can say she dyed it.

Seiichi perks a bit, his name and Akina's voice impinging on his consciousness enough to seem to wake him up. He looks around, and brightens as he sees her. "Akina-chan! I was hoping to see you, hello!"

Daichi shakes his head a bit as he spots former classmates and former teachers. Ah well, perhaps this time he'll spend more time in class than out of it...

Tara frowns thoughtfully. Well. She's shy of butting in where others are already gathered, which counts out the silver-haired boy. So... who doesn't have an audience. She looks around thoughtfully, and then her gaze settles on the boy standing alone. She takes a deep breath -- maybe he's lonely too? -then firmly walks over and smiles, "Hi! My name is Alcyone Tara, and I'm new here. Are you new too?"

Daichi looks at the golden hair girl seriously for a moment as if sizing her up. "Not for a very long time. Dozo yorishiku, Alcyone-san, you must be the girl from america."

Akina walks with Seiichi, sneaking a quick hug. "Oh, I'm so excited! They say they have new equipment for metal working now. How've you been?"

Tara beams, tremendously pleased not only that he got her name almost perfect, but also that he didn't flinch at her pronunciation or word choice. She nods, her pony-tail bobbing, "Yes, that's me! It is very exciting to be here. Um... but I'm still learning. Is it rude to ask for people's names right away?"

Tara adds carefully, "Dozo yorishiku too."

Seiichi blushes a little with the hug, though only a little concerned if anyone saw it, even as he returns it. He simply feels happier at this moment. "I've been well, there were no problems with the summer fishing. Mother and Father are hoping you're well." He adds a little quieter, but if anything more warmly, "And I've missed you greatly. That's good news about the metalworking parts! Do you have anything planned for them?" He says it without any doubt that Akina will be laying claim to said parts.

Daichi shakes his head, "It isn't rude to ask, it is rude to use first names too soon."

Tara nods, relieved, "All right. That one I know." She tilts her head inquiringly, watching the boy and wondering if he'll introduce himself.

Akina nods to Seiichi. "I'm well. Mother and Father are, too." And moves on to answer the second half, "If I can, I'd like to try out the new welding tools. They have some cold welders that'll work on things that are too small for a regular torch."

Daichi blinks at the look and smiles wryly. "Forgive me, I am used to everyone knowing who I am, Alcyone-san. My name is Gensai Daichi."

Tara grins and gives a polite nod, "Thank you, Gensai-san."

Seiichi beams, "I'm glad. That you're well, I mean. And that your parents are well. I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with in the shop!"

Daichi looks up from Tara to scan the school yard again, as if seeking something out.

Tara senses Gensai-san seems reluctant to talk, so she'll smile and nod again, excuse herself, and wander around a bit, watching and listening to the other kids in the yard. It's a chance to practice her Japanese and pick up a few names, hopefully, before school begins.

Akina smiles. "I'll show you as soon as it's finished... but I don't know what I'm going to make, yet." She gets a slightly dreamy look as she thinks over the possibilities, for a moment matching Seiichi very well.

Daichi frowns a bit and pulls a scrap of paper out of his pocket, taking a moment to write a few things onto it before resuming his visual search.

Near the entrance to the yard, another bicycle comes to a crunching halt. A tall young man steps off the machine, sliding it into place and striding into the crowd. He's greeted by several groups, and settles into animated conversation with a group of young men.

Near this group of young men is one that seems to have been waiting for just this moment. He walks over to greet the new arrival. "Are you trying out for the swim team again, Ryoushin?"

Ken slowly shakes his head thoughtfully and says, "No, I thought I'd give the chess club, or the calligraphy team the benefit of my broad experience." After a beat, a wide grin sneaks through and he says, "OF COURSE I'll be trying out!"

Okamura gives Ken a lopsided smile. "Tryouts are weekend after next. I'll see you there." And, his mission accomplished, he turns and heads towards the doors.

Ken waves to Okamura, "Good for you! Always good to have someone so dedicated with us!" He turns to the group and says, "Nice guy, but a bit intense, don't you think?"

If you listen closely, you might hear Okamura's teeth grinding..

There are a few more minutes of chatter and movement, but then the bell rings and the mass of students hurry into the building. Most of them, at least. The new student with the silver hair lets his admirers go first, then strolls after.

Tara gives the silver-haired boy a curious glance, but figures she'll get plenty of chances to talk to him during the year. Better not to be late on her first day of school in a new place.

Daichi seems content to let most of the student body head for the doors before he starts moving towards them. Giving the silver haired boy a slightly more thorough look over now that the crowds have dispersed. He figures it won't make any difference how early to class he is, given his reputation so he takes his time to get there.

The boy notices and just gives Daiichi a nod.

First period is the usual back to school murmur. Roll call and seat assignments proceed like every year. One seat is conspicuously empty. New students are remarked upon, revealing that the boy with the silver hair is Tenshi Shinsetsu, who has studied abroad until recently. Daishi gets a pause and a significant look after his name is called. And Tara also gets introduced; the girl from America with a father in archaeology.

Tara smiles shyly, reacting the same as everyone else when their name is called.

Tara is pleased to hear there are other new students, even if they're returning.

Daichi responds without so much as a flinch after his name is called, seemingly ignoring the quiet whispers he knows are floating somewhere in the room.

And those whispers do drift, quiet enough to escape the teacher's direct notice but audible to those in the student desks. "Thought he'd get left back, cutting all the time." "I thought it was because he got suspended so much."

Tara listens, a bit startled, then suddenly puts two and two together -- so that's why the boy was standing alone! She gives him another curious glance.

Seiichi glances at the empty seat now and then. That's really unsual, isn't it? How strange. He's had dreams like that before -- at least he thinks they were dreams -- but he's reasonably sure that this isn't a dream, and there's never an empty desk in the cla-- Belatedly, he realized the teacher called his name twice, and he hurriedly stands, reciting his name the same as the others... just a bit rushed.

After roll call, a stern look from the teacher quiets the whispers back down, and the class work begins. This being the first day back to school, homework is light. But there is, of course, homework. Lunch comes right after gym class, with clusters forming similar to those before school. One of the girls in the hall walks with Tara just long enough to mention, "You don't really want to be seen around Gensai a lot," and moves on, leaving the new girl to figure out why.

Tara nods silently, watching the girl walk away. What a reputation the boy must have! She sighs silently again, then determinedly squares her shoulders and firmly reminds herself it's the first day -- she shouldn't be surprised if folks are as shy of her as she is of them. She'll just have to try harder.

Daichi spends most of lunch absently tossing a deck of cards into his bag, he only misses a couple out of all his throws. His eyes, however, are still looking around the other students.

Tara decides now is as good as any time to see the silver-haired boy. She walks over, then pauses outside his ring of admirers, wondering how to introduce herself into the conversation.

Tenshi himself solves that issue, looking over the heads of his entourage to smile at Tara. "Hello." He favors her with his soft smile, but none of it reaches those deep green eyes.

Tara smiles a bit uncertainly, "Ah... hello, Tenshi-san! My name is Alcyone Tara, and I couldn't help but notice your hair." She grins, then diplomatically adds, looking at all the young girls around him, "I was hoping to meet you all?"

The other girls bob their greetings. One of them sighs. "He won't let us braid it. I think it'd look good that way!"

Tara grins, "I think so!" She looks curiously at the pretty boy with the cool eyes, "Why don't you want it braided?"

Tenshi's voice is also habitually soft. He reaches up and ruefully runs his hand through his messy bangs. "I don't like the pulling. Even just a little hurts." The smile turns slightly apologetic.

Tara studies the boy thoughtfully, then smiles politely at him, "Ah." She grins more sincerely at the girls, "Well, good luck!" There is perhaps only the slightest hint of ruefulness in her voice... and after she's bobbed a polite goodbye to them all and is walking away, she wonders if the girls realize he's 'playing' them... not letting them do what they'd like so they'll hang around more. She shrugs mentally -- not her issue, she guesses -- and decides to try getting to know Nakayama-san. She came up and said hello, which was nice. Maybe she'd like another friend.

Nakayama sits with Seiichi, of course, and a couple of other girls- friends and lab partners. Every single person at the table wears glasses.

Tara slows a bit as she walks up. It's a little hard for her to walk up to an established group... but she takes a deep breath, then says cheerfully, "Hello, Nakayama-san! May I ask you to introduce me to your friends?"

The outgoing girl favors Tara with a cheerful smile and makes introductions all around. She stumbles a little over Tara's family name, but pulls it off in the end.

Tara is delighted at apparently being accepted, and happily bows and greets everyone as they're introduced. It's as she's bowing, in fact, that her pendant slides unnoticed out of her collar -- a small golden gem on a thin chain.

Once Daichi is finished with the cards he reaches into the bag and pulls out a single golden square of paper. His fingers seem to be making the movements automatically as his attention is focused elsewhere.

Nakayama's eyes widen at the pendant. "Oh, wow... that's not amber, is it. What is it?"

Tara looks down, then blinks as she realizes her pendant has slid out into view. She smiles, "Um... actually, I don't know. I found it on a dig with my father, but he said it was obviously a later addition -- possibly from grave robbers, since it didn't match the known jewelry techniques of the time."

Seiichi takes a moment to realize as Tara comes up -- oh, right, not a dream, forgot! Though he manges to have conversations with people, his tone and the pattern of his speech has a faintly slow quality. It's not that he seems to be rebelliously laid-back, but rather as if there's plenty of time to consider what he's going to say, and what he says isn't necessarilly even profound. He smiles and greets Tara politely. He seems to gain some focus in the conversation, particularly as Akina notices the golden pendant.

Tara holds up the pendant, studying it curiously, "It turned gold, too -- when I found it, it was sort of dirty-looking, so I tried to clean it off."

Tara grins, adding, "Daddy said I could keep it, since it was my first find, but it wasn't part of the actual excavations."

Tara is crowded momentarily as the girls at the table all lean forward to get a better look. "Where was the dig?"

Tara says, "In Mongolia, near the Pazyryk kurgan. They're excavating some of the old kurgans of the steppes nomads." She adds happily, "It was an awful lot of fun!"

"Oooh, what's it like out there?" And the conversation flows away from the pendant to digs and tents and tools.

Seiichi leans over, interestd as well, but not too close for impropriety. Besides, the girls have mostly flocked -- someone else might say 'swarmed' -- upon Tara. But the pendant catches his eye, and he frowns a little in thought, listening to her explaination.

Tara adds, "Near the Altai Mountains," then happily tells them stories about the dig. Something in her warns quietly to focus attention on others, so none of the stories are about her.

Tara is also careful not to monopolize the conversation -- if someone else wants to talk or ask questions, she's happy to let them. She'd like to figure out how to fit in, not be the obnoxious newcomer.

Tara will quietly tuck the pendant back into her shirt at some point while talking. As she recalls, standing out isn't a good thing in Japan, so no need to accentuate her strangeness any more than it does already.

Daichi gathers up his things, the cards returning to the pack and the pack vanishing somewhere onto his person. His bag is slung over a shoulder as he carries a small golden something carefully, avoiding others almost as much as they avoid him as he makes his way towards the table Nakayama, Seiichi, Ken, and Tara are at. A brief pause next to the American girl as the golden origami crane is set in front of her. "Gomen kudasai, Alcyone-san, I didn't want you to think I was ignoring you this morning."

Tara blinks startledly at the crane... then looks up at Daichi, her golden eyes alight with delight, "Oh, a good luck origami crane! Domo arigato gozaimas, Gensai-san!"

The usually confident Akina seems a little uncertain about the intrusion. She doesn't seem angry or frightened so much as at a loss.

Tara picks the little crane up and admires it, "A golden one! It's my favorite color."

Nakayama recovers relatively quickly and gives Daichi a little bob of a bow.

Tara grins, gently tugging a curling lock of her hair as she adds, "Which I suppose is fortunate, all things considered. It'd be awful to have your hair and eyes turn a color you hated, neh?"

Daichi bows to Nakayama and Tara, "Do itashimashite, Alcyone-san." He smiles and nods, "Hai." He lingers a moment longer before slipping away from the table and back into the building.

"Rehh? We all thought you dyed it!"

Tara says, "Er..." She's momentarily at a loss, then simply adds, "Well, would you want your hair dyed a color you hated?"

The consensus is no, of course not. But if Tara didn't dye her hair, who did?

Tara smiles and cheerfully tells an amusing story about the village women near the dig competing for the most delicious and unusual meal to offer in trade to the dig team for their trade goods, and how one of women's husbands' tongue turned blue because he loved the dried blueberries so much.

And the matter seems successfully tabled for now.

Daichi pauses at the doorway and turns to look between Tara and Akina intently.

Seiichi is more than a little surprised at Daichi's polite not-intrusion, and gives a slight, polite bow to him. He doesn't really have any ill feelings towards him, all told. He listens to Tara's anecdote, but his mind keeps drifting back to the pendant. How strange. He found a pendant of similar shape, but different color -- a misty turquoise -- when swimming a few weeks ago to haul up a snagged net.

Tara carefully sets the golden crane on her pile of books so it's safe, and makes a mental note to find out what sort of return gift is appropriate. After several months with the barter-minded nomads, and strict training on Japanese protocol, she very much doesn't want to accidentally offend by not returning a suitably nice gift to the first person who was nice enough to give her one!

Tara curiously asks, once she's done with her story, "Um... may I ask a question about another person here at the school?"

Some of Seiichi's uneaten rice turns into a small, flopping fish.

Tara says, "I was just noticing that Gensai-san doesn't seem... er..." She blinks, suddenly startled at the sight of the fish, "Oh! Where did that come from?! Does anyone have any water for it?"

Seiichi glances down at his plate. Oh, right. It was in that fish.

Tara looks around a bit frantically... water, container, anything suitable anywhere?!

Over near one of the window tables, Ken looks up from the conversation. His head swivels a bit, looking around the room. Puzzled, he looks again. "How odd," he thinks, "the new guy seems to have wandered off. How the heck (and more importantly why!) did he get past his entourage?!? It's not like those girls to let someone escape without a fight..." He grins, and turns back to his buddies, occasionally checking to see where... what was his name? Ah! Tenshi-san may have wandered off to...

One of the girls at the table with Tara produces a bottle of spring water, but the fish obviously won't fit in through the neck.

Tara brightens, "Ah! Moment," and dashes over to the group at which Ken is sitting, "Dozo yorishiku your pardon please Ryoushin-san, but we have a small emergency may we borrow that glass please?" The sentence comes out all in a rush.

Ken sees the commotion, takes a mostly empty soup bowl and downs the dregs. He splashes a bit of water into the bowl, then shrugs and drinks that as well. He pours the rest into the bowl and hands it to Tara. He looks serious and says, "Sashimi doesn't keep well. I'd eat it before the next bell."

Tara blinks -- then laughs as she hastily seizes the bowl and whirls away, the pendant flying wide on the chain. "Domo arigato gozaimas!" floats over her shoulder as she dashes back to the table with the fish. "Here we go! Can we save it?" She holds the bowl low and steady so someone can pour in the water and someone else can try to neatly flip the poor fish into it.

Seiichi blinks a little, wondering what the fuss is. The fish doesn't need to be in -- oh, wait, yes, it does need to be in water if this isn't a dream. He looks around for a glass... then pauses, a tiny little shiver up his back. But... that fish wasn't there a moment ago, and it shouldn't have just appeared unless this was a dream, but since it isn't.... He rouses himself as she comes back with the bowl. "Oh, thank you, Alcyone-san!" He very carefully lifts up the fish to put it in the bowl she brings over.

The fish just floats in the water for a moment, then slowly wriggles back to life.

Daichi watches Tara dash from her table over to Ken's and back with a bowl. He blinks when the fish is slipped in, most people don't bring in live fish for lunch.

Tara whews softly, relieved the poor fish is all right. She pushes back a loose-curling strand of hair... then blinks, "Er... is that your fish, Kazamora-san? How, um, why did you bring a fish to s-" She pauses, glancing puzzledly over at Ryoushin-san... maybe he was serious?! She had no idea Japanese school kids had such a fixation on freshness in their food!

A little anxiously she hopes she's not going to be expected to adhere to that culinary standard.

Ken looks over her shoulder and cheers, "Success! So, is this someones pet? Food? Petfood?"

Tara giggles in relief.

Tara says, "It's, um... I think it's Kazamora-san's?"

Nakayama nods, "It was in his lunchbox... but.. I didn't see a fish in your box before, Seiichi-chan...."

Ken eyes Kazamora, "You're bringing live fish to school, now? I can never tell when you're joking, which is no mean feat. How are you going to get this home, Kazamora-san?" He eyes the out-of-luck fish. "We can't just send you flying home now, can we..."

Tara laughs! -then grins, "Why not take it to the temple? I passed the temple on the way to school -- it's not far. Can we get there and back in time?"

Tara says, "They have a fishpond, right?"

Seiichi glances at his lunchbox, suddenly very acutely aware that everyone's attention is on him, not to mention the subtly (to him) intimidating but friendly Ryoushin. "I... didn't think I'd packed any fish quite that fresh this morning, no." He thinks for a moment about the temple's fishpond -- 'in time' is a concept he knows he has trouble with.

Daichi nods as he walks back up to the table. "Hai, we have a fishpond at the temple."

Tara giggles again at Seiichi's joke... then grins at Daichi, "Oh, you know the temple? Do you know if they'd mind if we added a fish?"

Daichi smiles wryly, "I'm sure my uncle wouldn't even notice if we slipped it in."

Tara blinks... then smiles, "Oh, even better!" She studies the fish, then looks back at Daichi, "So is it close enough, do you think, that we can dash there and back and not be late? Or do you know a shortcut?"

Daichi shrugs, "We may be able to, and I know several shortcuts, but I'm not sure how well a salt water fish is going to do in a freshwater pond."

Ken says, "A plan begins to form, then. We need a sandwich bag..." and looks around, and someone offers one up. "Excellent! Your sacrifice will not be in vain!" He turns to the fish rescue squad and says, "Now we need some water and a box or bag to hide our charge while we make our escape."

"Here," offers somebody behind Ryoushin, offering a handkercheif.

Tara giggles again at Ken, then studies the fish with a smile, "Well, it can't be a saltwater fish if it's surviving just fine in fresh water, right?" She grins at Daichi, her golden eyes dancing with mischief, "Will you show us a shortcut? You're an important member of the Fish Rescue Squad too, after all!"

Ken nods sagely, "Perfect. Now, we need someone who can fold these much, much better than I, so our fishy friend has some chance at life. If I do this, he (or she) will surely plunge to their doom," and looks around for a volunteer.

Daichi peers behind Ken, distracted for a brief moment by something yet again. He looks at Ken again, "I'll do it, it's not like I'll have to cencentrate too much."

Tara hastily gathers up her books and her pretty little origami crane, then offers to carry Akina's and Seiichi's books also so their hands are free to carry the fish.

Akina turns down the offer with a smile, shrugging on her bookbag instead.

Daichi slings his bag over the other shoulder before encasing the fish carefully in the handkerchief. "Still going to need water..."

Tara thinks a moment, then happily re-fastens her hair clip so the little gold crane is now proudly riding on the base of her pony-tail. She slips her own bookback on and grins, "Lead the way, Gensai-san! The Fish Rescue Squad cannot be stopped!"

Seiichi is swept up in the events (as usual) but is trying to think of how the fish will survive in the freshwater pond when it's a saltwater fish. He wonders briefly if he brought it home to prepare it for dinner (like he did that day) if there would be another pendant in it -- but he decides that the concensus has been that O-Sashimi here is going to grow a bit longer in the temple fishpond.

Daichi chuckles and makes his way to a side door to the cafeteria. After that he slips through back hallways with practiced ease, navigating parts of the school most others don't see until he reaches the door out. "We're going to have to hurry..." With that he's out the door and moving unnerringly towards the temple.

Ken counts off on his fingers, "We have our fish, we have a bag, we have him (or her) wrapped up, we know where we're going, and we have every expectation we will be back by the next bell. What could go wrong? If we don't return, we will have given it our best shot..." and follows Daichi out the unnoticed side door.

Tara hastens along behind Daichi, occasionally taking a few dancing steps to keep up. She grins over her shoulder and beckons the others along, enjoying herself.

And with many giggles, the group dashes for the temple...

Getting the fish into the fishpond unnoticed isn't that difficult. The gates are open, the attendants are mostly at school, and the priest himself is conducting a tour of the place for some visitors. The air is cool between clusters of flowers and trees, and the pond is circled by benches and pebbles and shells.

Tara kneels next to the pond, watching the fish swim away, "There he goes! O-Sashimi, good luck to you!"

Tara adds, smiling up at Daichi and Ken, "Domo arigato gozaimas for helping Kazamora-san save his fish."

Seiichi is still mildly confused. Is it really his fish? It must be, of course, but he's still a little dazed as to where it came from.

Daichi looks around, "Do itashimashite, but now we ought to get headed back to school before my uncle shows up. I really don't need another lecture on the first day of school."

Tara nods emphatically, bouncing lightly to her feet, "Oh, very true! Does anyone have a watch? How are we doing for time?"

Daichi looks curiously at the ofuda hanging from some of the trees. "Those are new..."

Tara blinks, then looks curiously at Daichi, "Anoth-? ah, later, hai."

Seiichi blinks to Daichi, and looks up into the tree. "What are new...?"

Daichi points to one of the trees, "The ofuda, er wards against spirits."

Tara looks up and smiles, "You have such pretty customs here. I don't think we pray enough in the US."

Ken glances at his watch, and shakes his head, "Hm. Mine seems a bit fast."

Tara says, "Well, how are we doing for time to get back to school?"

Daichi says, "Probably cutting it close..."

Ken says, "Well, according to my watch, schools out for the day already. Either we're in a lot of trouble or I just need to get a better watch."

Tara goes pale for a moment -- then takes a deep breath, "Goodness, you scared me!" She sets her backpack down, "That's all right, I have the time on my cell phone, moment!" She pulls it out and checks.

Ken nods, "No need to dawdle. We've done our duty," salutes the fish and says, "Tactical Retreat, Fish Resuce Squad?"

Tara giggles again, "Good point!" She tucks her phone back into her backpack and bounces back to her feet, "Tactical retreat!"

Seiichi blinks at Ken. If school's out, then why are they going back. Oh, wait, no, that was a joke. Even so, he nods, "Yes, we should start heading back--"

Daichi leads the way back to school, taking a different set of twists and turns to get there.

********

The crew makes it back just in time to be late. As a result, the janitorial staff gets an evening off.

Ken limbers his bicycle, "Ugh. Eau de Pine-Sol. I'm so very, vary late! My game clan will think I've abandoned them! They'll never believe a fish story..." and starts off... "Later, all!"

Tara sighs as she heads home much later, wondering how she's going to explain to her mother that she messed up on the first day of school. Well... maybe mother will be busy with work, like usual. Dad's off on a dig already, thank goodness.

Tara smiles, patting her hair lightly. At least she got a pretty golden origami crane.

Daichi makes it back just in time to change into his gi and help with classes before settling in to do his homework... After another lecture from his uncle.

Daichi puts up his books and goes to the clearing by the Torii at the entrance to the temple grounds. Taking a deep breath he tries to let the days events slip from his mind as he goes through his katas one after another. Sometimes picking up the metal capped staff on the ground and practicing with it.

Seiichi somewhat wonders how he's going to explain this. As it stands, it seems like Father might just be pulling his boat to the shore, and Mother will wonder why they took all that time to go to the temple to save the fish. Still, he hopes they'll be glad to know Akina is doing well. And he suspects there'll be some extra net-tending come the weekend in store for him for this little mess.

Tenshi Shinsetsu joins Tara in her walk home before she gets there. "Hi."

Tara blinks, startled out of her reverie, and smiles, "Tenshi-san. Hello."

Tenshi looks up at the sky. "Do you like to ride horses?" he asks Tara.

Tara laughs, tossing her head back with amusement, "Oh, dear, does it show so clearly?"

For a moment, Tenshi looks startled. "Oh, really? No, I just like to ride, so I thought I'd ask."

Tara grins cheerfully, "You too? I didn't know there was anyplace to ride around here." She adds a little wistfully, "We rode everywhere on the steppes! Well, some of us did -- the others rode in the trucks. But the horses were much more wonderful and enjoyable, and the nomads thought we were fun."

Tenshi smiles, this one entirely genuine. "Well, there are places to ride around here, but you have to get pretty far out of town. You interested?"

Tara brightens interestedly, "Really?! Ooh, that'd be lovely!"

Tara says, "What kind of riding?"

"I usually ride bareback," answers the boy, "but we can get saddles, too."

Tara blinks a bit startledly -- she'd not considered that option, actually -- then smiles, "Sounds wonderful, and thank you. When do you go ride?"

Tenshi gets a far away, kind of sad look. "Whenever I can."

Tara looks curiously at him, "How do you mean?"

For a moment, he seems very serious, all wistfulness gone. "I didn't really want to come here. I'd like to be home."

Tara pauses, really looking at the young man this time instead of just seeing someone a bit too pretty for his own good. Quietly and with some sympathy she says, "Where is home for you?"

He glances to one side. "Far away."

Tara says pragmatically, "Sounds like someplace not on this earth." She smiles, remembering, "For a while mine was Narnia." Then she blinks, putting two and two together, "Ooooh, I get it. Your hair isn't dyed either, is it?"

He laughs. "No, no it isn't."

Tara smiles, tilting her head consideringly at him, "So it just changed one day, right? What else changed for you?"

He laughs again. "Oh, no.. it's always been this way. I was born with it."

Tara blinks, reassessing, "It was?! Wow... what an unusual color! So where is home for you, then, that you have such interesting genetics?"

He shrugs. "Geography isn't my strong suit. I don't know if I could find it on a map." He takes another long look at the sky. "The sun doesn't shine like this there, though. It's always twilight."

Tara raises an eyebrow, "Always?" She tries to think of anyplace like that... and can't. "Do you mean above the Arctic Circle?"

He shakes his head. "Like I said, I don't think I could find it on a map.. but the forests go on for days and there are moors full of birds and mountains that go up forever."

Tara has been heading for the temple so she can ask to join the aikido class, but at that she stops again. She doesn't know of anywhere like that... but she does know people who're isolated will often make up places in their heads to retreat to. Gently she says, "Did you go there alone?"

He gets serious again. "Not many people leave there, anymore. Or go, for that matter. I was sent here alone." He looks up at the temple ahead and chews his bottom lip for a moment.

Tara feels a sudden rush of pity at this poor boy's isolation... followed by confusion. How could someone with so many admirers feel so isolated?

"I could take you there," he offers suddenly. "If we went riding. I think I found a path. But it won't open for me. I don't have the right key."

Tara considers, then says carefully, "Well, I hope you find the best place for you to call home. Hai, I'd love to ride with you, Tenshi-san, and if you'd like to talk more I'm happy to do so." Maybe a bit more human contact would be good for him, to help him ground more in reality? Politely she adds, "What sort of key do you need?"

Daichi is lost to himself in his katas as the pair heads towards the temple, staff flashing and spinning as he moves with it. He looks to have been at it for a while since his shirt is damp with sweat and there are bead of it on his forehead and arms.

Tenshi looks back up at the sky. "A golden crystal that isn't amber... or a white one that isn't a pearl. There are others, too."

Tara pauses at the gate, not wanting to cut poor Tenshi off when he so obviously needs human contact... and not wanting to interrupt the martial artist within. She's watching Daichi silently as Tenshi speaks, but at his comment her head jerks around suddenly and she stares at him.

Tara blinks once, considering... then sighs quietly, "Ah. That's why you walked up and talked to me." She looks back at the martial artist -- then suddenly back at Tenshi, "You have a white one?"

Tenshi continues to stand there, looking away from the temple. "No. I don't have any of them."

Tara is starting to worry for this poor kid, but tries gamely to play along so his feelings aren't hurt, "Them? How many are there?"

Daichi finishes with a strike and a yell, snapping the staff to his shoulder and bowing to an unseen opponent. His necklace hanging in the air, a deep pure white. Wiping the sweat off his brow he turns towards the voices, his crystal visible against his chest because of his tank top.

Tara blinks again, staring at Daichi, and whispers softly, "Oh. White. Of course."

Tara looks back at Tenshi and says bluntly, "Who are you really?"

Still avoiding the temple with his gaze, Tenshi bows to Tara. "You may call me Shinsetsu, if you like. Chances are, I'll hear if you call for me." And he turns and walks off.

Daichi looks at Shinsetsu, as if trying to figure something out by sheer force of will.

Tara folds her arms, staring after him. Aggravatedly she thinks, Figures he'd dodge the only important question! Now what?!

Tara sighs as Tenshi- er, Shinsetsu-san, she should be courteous even if he is exasperating -- and turns back to the temple -- where she looks a bit taken aback herself, realizing Daichi's staring at her as hard as she was just staring at Shinsetsu!

Tara says, "Um... hi? Am I interrupting something?"

Daichi shakes his head, "No, I was just finishing actually."

Tara says, "Ah... all right. So..." she regards him curiously, "why are you staring so hard at me?"

Daichi blushes a bit, "Gomen nasai, I wasn't trying to stare. I'm just not used to people being here this late..."

Tara looks a little embarrassed, "Oh! Hai, that's my fault, I, um..." she hastily bows, then continues, "I was wondering if there were any spots left in the aikido class? And, um, may I come in?"

Tara says, "And..." she looks over her shoulder for a long moment, then back at the young man in the temple. Maybe he knows mythic religious stuff? "And may I ask you some questions?"

Daichi returns the bow, "Of course, all are welcome to the temple." Reaching down he grabs his jacket and slings it over a shoulder, staff held loosely in his other hand. He chuckles, "There's always room for more in the classes and you already are so why stop?"

Tara opens her mouth to say something, then pauses, considering... then grins sheepishly, "I'm sorry, I don't want to be rude, and I'm still learning conventions." She steps lightly into the temple gardens, walking over to Daichi so she can walk next to him if he goes someplace else in the gardens, "Let's see..." She ponders, then asks in a rush, "Are there any mythic Japanese creatures which can't enter or even look at temples? Or have silver hair? And where did you get your white pendant and what is it the key to and do you know how to get to the other land where um where forests go on for days and there are moors full of birds and mountains that go up forever?"

Tara pauses a moment to collect her thoughts, then continues, "And do you see what cats see? Is that why you keep looking behind people?" She grins, adding cheerfully, "Well, you did say I could ask!"

Tara studies Daichi's sweat-slicked hair and adds puzzledly, "Was your hair silver too, but it changed to black?"

Daichi blinks as he sorts through the questions, making his way towards a less public corner of the grounds. "In order, yes, not sure, here, no, and which things cats see?" Taking a deep breath he settles onto a stone bench. "Uh no, it's always been black as far as I know."

Tara sits next to him, carefully smoothing her skirt under her, and considers, matching up answers to questions.

Tara nods happily a moment later, "Oh, good! Okay, which ones have silver hair and can't look at temples?"

Daichi smiles wryly, "You want me to list them all or write them down? It's a long list."

Daichi says, "But I don't think it was the temple, I'm thinking it was the ofuda..."

Tara says slowly, "Well... we know a few other things about this creature. Are there any which can look human, but come from another land?"

Tara says, "Oh!" She tilts her head curiously at Daichi, "So you've noticed him too?"

Daichi nods, "Yes, mostly all of them can look human." He looks up at the sky, "All day... wasn't sure it was him until just now though."

Tara says, "Really?" She looks fascinated, "So what is he?" A bit worriedly she adds, "He's... not dangerous or mean, is he?"

Tara blinks, realizing she's assuming mythic creatures are real... she frowns, wondering if this is an elaborate joke for the crazy American. It wouldn't be the first time... but it's certainly the most convincing one she's seen.

Daichi looks back into Tara's eyes, "My only guess would be a spirit of some kind since I've had a weird feeling all day, which could mean any number of things. Most are just mischievious, some are trouble makers, and some are helpful, it just depends."

Tara says slowly, "Should we... avoid him?"

Tara can't help adding, "But... he seems to want to go home so badly. Is it wrong to help spirits do that?"

Tara says, "Er, if he's a spirit, that is?"

Daichi shrugs, "Again it's a gamble, but he was telling the truth when he said you could call him and he'd probably hear you."

Tara considers... Shinsetsu was pleasant to her, true... although that could simply be a ploy to gain her help. She blinks, "You can truth-tell?! That must be convenient!"

Tara confusedly asks, "Was the fish a spirit too?"

Daichi shakes his head, "I can't..." He holds up the staff, "This can. No, it was a fish."

Tara nods once, thinking hard. Finally she points at his pendant and says politely, "May I see?"

Daichi sets the jacket onto the ground and leans closer. "I don't see why not, it's not like I could do a good job at hiding it right now."

Tara smiles, gently reaching to rest the white pendant in her palm so she can hold it up a bit to see it. After a moment of examination she says softly, "It looks just like mine... but white. Was it a different color when you first got it, and then suddenly it changed colors... and weird stuff happened to you?"

Tara gently lets it fall back against Daichi's chest as she adds, "Well, mine's on a chain and yours is on a leather thong, but aside from that... same metal mounting, same cut, same size." She pulls hers up, the chain letting it swing free from her fingers, "See?"

Daichi smiles, "Uh no, it's always been white. It was just hanging in an alcove dedicated to a minor kami in the temple and it started to glow one day when I was cleaning." He nods, "But weird stuff? I guess so, I started having dreams and sensing things that weren't there. Shortly after that I found 'Tzuin Kizu' here on a stand in another out of the way corner."

Tara tilts her head, curiously regarding the staff, "What's it mean? Can I touch it?"

Daichi keeps hold of the staff but holds it out to her. "It means twin cut, which is deceptive at first..."

Tara adds a little enviously, "Nothing like that has turned up for me." She grins, lightly (and cautiously) brushing her fingertips against the worn wood, "Why deceptive?"

Tara says, "Seems well made."

Daichi pulls on either end of the staff, which gives way to reveal metal gleaming within. He continues to draw the ends apart until just the tips of the blades are still sheathed. "Extraordinarily so..."

Tara looks a bit startled, leaning back slightly in spite of herself.

Tara says, "Ah... hai, I'd have to agree!"

Tara says, "Is, um, that sort of thing common for staffs around here?"

Daichi shakes his head, "This is the only one I'm aware of." He snaps it closed with a deft motion of his arms, "And as far as I know it only works for me."

Tara is suddenly acutely aware she's alone in the twilight in an unfamiliar place with a strange boy... who's now holding two very sharp pieces of metal! She takes a slow breath as he re-sheathes the blades, firmly telling herself not to be an idiot. "Um. That's... different." A bit self-consciously she adds, "All I got was strange colored hair and eyes."

A voice carries from the direction of the temple building itself, "Are you slacking off, boy?"

Tara blinks, looking around, then gives Daichi a worried look, whispering, "Are you going to get into trouble for talking to me? Should I leave?"

Daichi yells back, "No, Old Man!"

Tara blinks again -- then has to cover a sudden cough of a laugh!

Daichi grins, "Nah, you're fine. I'll just tell him you were asking about the temple and joining the Aikido classes, which is true."

The priest of the temple marches out. "I'll believe it when I see it!" He spots the two on the bench and heads over. "There's some extra work that needs to be done; you ought to know that!"

Tara grins at Daichi, her eyes sparkling -- then starts at the sudden entrance of yet another stranger.

Tara hops hastily to her feet and bows politely, "Your pardon, um, san..." Desperately she tries to remember what you call an unknown male, "Er, sensei? I was just asking about aikido?"

Tara winces mentally, wondering how badly she mangled that.

Daichi nods and sighs, "There's always extra work once school starts, most of the miko aren't around." He looks at his uncle, "So what is so dire it need my immediate attention, Old Man?"

Daichi whispers to Tara, "-sama."

Tara blinks, looking between Daichi and the man. Isn't that... rather disrespectful? Maybe they're relat- "Oh! You must be the uncle-sama!"

Tara politely bows again.

He gives a curt nod to Tara, then looks sternly at Daichi. "I can only cover so much ground myself, boy. There's wards to be placed." He pauses and gives Tara a slightly warmer nod at her exclamation.

Tara manages not to grin, but surreptitiously whispers towards Daichi, "Thanks!"

Tara looks startled, "Wards? Oh, the ofu-" She bites her lip, then says with chagrin, "Forgive me, I didn't mean to interrupt; I'm still learning, uncle-sama."

Daichi nods, "Right, so which ones are we placing this time? Bad fortune, bad harvest, poor catch, or just the 'Keep out' signs?" He winks at Tara, an impish grin dancing at the corners of his mouth.

The priest frowns at Daichi. "Not those."

Tara blinks again, then grins a bit in spite of herself. This is certainly not the type of relationship the Japanese textbooks talk about... but it is interesting and fun!

Daichi blinks, "Oh.... those... this may take a while then..." He sighs, "All the entrances, windows, walls, and private rooms, right?"

The uncle nods. "We'll be up all night if we're going to get this done properly."

Daichi nods, "Hai, school will be painful tomorrow..." He looks between his uncle and Tara all trace of mischief gone, "You mind if I give her one before I start on the grounds if it's that serious?"

Tara looks back and forth as the two talk, remaining politely standing. She wonders if the uncle can see spirits too... and, suddenly, she wonders if she could get a small ofuda to carry with her in her backpack for just-in-case. Then again... would the spirit Tenshi be able to 'feel' it there? She smiles uncertainly at the nice offer.

The priest looks at Tara. "Well, if you think it's needed. You know her better than I do." And now, he addresses her, "You're certainly welcome to the aikido classes, and to stop by whenever you feel the need. That's what this place is for."

Tara's face lights up, and she bows again, "Domo arigato gozaimas!"

Daichi nods and stands, bowing to his uncle before scooping up his jacket. "Right, this way, I'll have to get my ink and paper to do this right..."

Tara says politely as she follows Daichi and his uncle, "Dozo yorishiku, uncle-sama, and domo arigato again for your kindness."

The uncle leads the way back into the temple. "You were off scampering around somewhere a couple of days ago, boy, but something came through and stole the entire day's offerings to Inari."

Daichi blinks, not quite sure how to respond to that. "All the rest of them were untouched?"

The priest sighs. "Yes.. At first, I thought it was someone" and this is accompanied by a strong look at Daichi "pulling a prank. But I checked everything and found that it wasn't anybody who works here. And no visitor could manage to steal that many bowls of rice without being noticed."

Daichi looks a bit sheepish, "It was only the one time, and I didn't take anything, I just moved it around."

Tara looks back and forth between the two men, listening and thinking and worrying a little. Is Shinsetsu so alone that he has to steal food?

Tara hesitantly she says, "Pardon me... but what would steal food just from Inari's shrines? Does that mean the thief is someone Inari would permit to do this? Or someone who doesn't like Inari?"

The old priest grins. "Either one. Though odds are, it'd be somebody who's allowed- even the most rascally spirits don't like to offend kami like Inari."

Tara nods thoughtfully, "So... this is likely a mischievous spirit, or... or a well-meaning-but-hungry one?" She crosses her fingers that Shinsetsu isn't a bad person -- he'd seemed so nice and sincere when he talked about his home.

Daichi nods, "That's the problem with spirits, you can't ever be sure who's side they're on." He explains, "Inari is the kami of rice, mountains, foxes, torii, and a few other things. She's not really someone other spirits would want to offend."

"Likely a mischeif maker. I'm not concerned so much about this one, as that it came out of a room that locks on the outside and never gets opened.... Once a door gets opened, you never know what it's going to be used for."

Tara blinks at the priest, "Oh... and it's locked again, and the spirit doesn't have the key. I understand now."

This bring the priest to a halt. "What?"

Tara says, "Er... I'm sorry, did I conjugate that wrong?"

Daichi stops and looks at Tara, "I think it's more that you gave more information...."

Tara looks apologetic, "Is that bad?" She bows politely, "Please forgive me; I'm still learning proper behavior, uncle-sama."

He waves it away. "It's my business to know what's going on... so tell me: what's going on?"

Tara looks faintly relieved that she's not accidentally said something stupid like there's a spirit in the mouse, instead of spirit in the house -- and says, "Well, you said there was a door which is always locked but it wasn't, and someone came out of it, and now it's locked again. You have someone who stole rice, and you're putting ofuda up. So that means you believe the spirit is still here, right? And wouldn't a spirit want to go home if it wandered through a door into another world, and then couldn't go back through it?"

"Maybe. Depends on why and how it got through in the first place."

Tara glances worriedly at Daichi, unsure as to whether it's okay to talk about the pendants or not... but it's not her secret, so she decides to not mention Daichi's. "So... um, on my way here something was talking to me about keys, and said it needed a key to get back home, which it really wanted to do, and I had the key." She smiles, "That's it."

The old man gives her a hard look. "And did it tell you why it came here in the first place?"

Daichi looks at his uncle, "Do they ever?"

Tara answers promptly, "No, sir. But it did say it was sent alone."

Tara adds a little worriedly, "He won't starve, will he?"

The priest snorts at Daichi and then looks speculative. "Sent...." He grins at her. "Oh, no.. if he's one of Inari's in any sense of the word, there's no way he'd starve. Every ramen shop in town would be emptied out first."

Tara looks, if anything, more worried, "But... that means he's stealing from people who can't afford it!"

He shrugs. "Possibly... but that's better than having the place burned down, isn't it? That's the reality of dealing with spirits."

Tara looks aghast, "Burned down?! He'd burn people out of their homes?!" She goes silent, thinking hard for several minutes, then says carefully, "Wait. How do we know he's a bad spirit? Maybe he's a good one? He did come here first, after all...?"

He shrugs again. "It's true that the nicer ones steal from those who can afford it first. But there are those that don't care. Best to take precautions until we know for certain."

Daichi umms, "Well if he's one of Inari's it belongs to him already so he's not stealing, he's just taking what's his."

Tara sighs, feeling a bit foolish at having fallen so easily for a smile. "All right. So... what should we do? Is there any way to send him safely home without anyone getting hurt?"

The old priest sighs and enters the temple. "I don't know the answer to that. The most important thing to remember about spirits is that they don't live by our rules. They have their own." He stands aside and gestures them inside.

There is a polite cough from Ryoushin Ken, who is waiting a few yards away. "Good evening, Gensai-sama, Tara-san, Daichi-san. I do not mean to intrude, but my father was working late and I have been sent to accompany my sister home this evening. Could you tell me where I might find her?"

Tara smiles, "Hello, Ryoushin-san."

Daichi looks at his uncle, "Where did you put Yousei-chan to work tonight, Old Man?"

"After she finshed sweeping up, out to feed the fishes and birds," the old man answers.

Daichi looks between his classmates with a smile, "The fishes and the birds, huh?"

Tara grins quietly, remembering O-Sashimi. She hopes the little fish is doing well.

Ken grins, "Thank you. I think I know where to find her, then. Good night, sir."

Tara wonders if she can check on the fish surruptitiously, "Would you like some company to find your sister, Ryoushin-san?" She looks at the priest, "Does she need an ofuda too?"

Tara gets another shrug. "It wouldn't hurt her. Though if you have one, it might not be willing to approach you, you know."

Ken looks puzzled, "A charm? I didn't know you were religious, Tara-san. Why would Yousei need a charm?"

Tara says, "Oh." She considers carefully, remembering Daichi said it was telling the truth, then says, "But... if we're going to try to help him go home, and I have a key, then he needs to be able to approach me, right?"

Tara adds to Ken, with a smile, "I am a pragmatist. I may not know why something works... but if it does, I'm happy to use it."

The old priest nods. "If you're going to try to help him go home." He gives all assembled the appropriate slight bow and heads deeper into the building.

Tara bows politely to the uncle, then grins and murmurs to Daichi after they're out of earshot, "Wow, your uncle's a fierce old dragon!"

Tara adds puzzledly, "Why would he not want to help the, um... the spirit go home?"

Daichi nods, "He can be, but he means well." Another shrug, "My only guess is that spirits are trouble even if they're helpful."

Ken says, "OoooKay. Would somebody care to explain what we're talking about?"

Tara says, "Oh." She worries about that, even as she turns to Ken and smiles, "So... shall we go find your sister? Do you take aikido too?"

Ken shrugs, "Aikdo's OK, but I'm more the kendo type. I think it runs in the familiy, or something..."

Tara grins, teasing gently, "Sounds painful!"

Ken raises an eyebrow and says, "Only when you're doing it wrong."

Tara laughs, leading the way out of the temple, "So where are the fishponds and birds, Gensai-san? And... is there anything we can do to help with your, um, ofuda-making tonight?"

Daichi motions, "This way." He shakes his head, "Aside from making sure I have ink and paper? Not really, besides the Old Man would probably just say you were getting in the way."

Tara nods, "All right. Had to ask, though." She trots along after Daichi and Ken, deep in thought... then says suddenly, "So is there anything about spirits not being able to enter houses unless they're invited, here in Japan?"

Daichi says, "Sometimes."

Tara looks worried, "A-ha. Do they keep their word if they make promises? Is there any way to be sure my family's safe, now I've attracted attention?"

Daichi sighs, "Some do, some don't. Ummm, offerings can work, as can placing wards, of course he may just be interested in you."

Tara shakes her head, "Neh, Gensai-san. I think he's interested in anyone with one of the pendants. He knew yours and mine, and he said there were more."

Daichi says, "You do realize there's well over a thousand kami so it's hard to set anything in stone..."

Tara grins ruefully, "Hai. What can I say... I'm new to this, so I'm probably worrying too much."

Daichi smirks, "Heck, I'm even going to be a kami when I die, my name is on the list at this temple and the one in Tokyo. Of course so are Ryoushin-san and Seiichi-san."

Tara blinks in astonishment at first Daichi, then Ken, "Er... what?!"

Ken says, "Tara-san, do you think you've met a kami or something? When could this have happened?"

Daichi nods, "Yep, when a baby is born it's name is added to the list of local kami and you can always have it added at other temples... My uncle insisted."

Tara says, "Uh... walking to the temple." She gives Ken a fascinated look, "Do you know you're going to be a kami?!""

Tara gives Daichi a very puzzled look, "Wait... people want their babies to become kami? I... don't get it?"

Ken looks uncomfortable, "Well, I knew about that, sort of, I guess. I know my mother thinks..thought it was important, but it's pretty common, I suppose."

Daichi ers, "Well according to Shinto philosophy everything is descended from kami in the first place. So going back to being one isn't a large stretch."

Tara thinks very hard for a few moments, remembering the sudden appearance of Seiichi's fish... then grins at Ken, "Okay, where's your pendant?"

Tara says, "Seiichi must have one too, right?"

Tara grins, "Did you guys set this up?"

Daichi blinks, "Set what up?"

Tara says, "Having pendants like mine. You're teasing the American girl, right?"

Daichi shakes his head, "No, we're... or at least I'm not, ask my uncle. He saw mine glowing and he can't for the life of him pull the staff open. Try it yourself if you want." He offers Tara the metal capped piece of wood.

Ken says, "Oh! I noticed you both have one. Where did you get them? I found one the other day near a burned out tree, but I just figured someone had lost it. I've asked at some shops, trying to find someone that sold them, so I could at least try to find the owner, but no one seemed to have any idea."

Tara grins expectantly, looking between the two boys, "All four of you, right? You two, Kazamora-san, and Tenshi-san?"

Tara says triumphantly to Daichi, pointing at Ken, "Ha! See?"

Daichi blinks, "Tenshi-san is new, I've never met him before, in fact I didn't even talk to him today."

Tara grins cheerfully, willing to play along, "Sure, I'll try it, Gensai-san... and let's see yours, Ryoushin-san."

Ken says, "Tenshi-san? The new guy? Never saw him before. Kazamora-san is an old friend, but he's not the kind to (hm. intentionally) try to pull a fast one. What are you talking about?"

Tara will cheerfully take the staff and try opening it, using the same hand gesture/twist motion she watched Daichi use earlier.

Tara blinks when nothing happens as she gives the staff a tug. She tries twisting a bit, wriggling it, and peering intently at it where she knows a seam should be... except... there isn't one.

Tara gives Daichi a suspicious look, trying to tell if he's stifling laughter at her.

Daichi watches silently for a moment, "Kazamora-san, yeah, him I know. Saved him a few times from bullies and Ryoshin-san, well his sister works here so I see him all the time."

Tara looks more puzzled... then perplexed. She studies the staff again... he could conceivably have palmed a new one... but when? She frowns. If it's really a trick, Ken will be visibly unable to open it -- ah! She holds the staff out to Daichi, "Okay, you open it now."

Daichi reaches out and places his hands on Tara's and pulls, causing the staff to open, once again showing the gleam of metal. "I told you it didn't work for anyone else."

Ken says, "I've got it here, if you'd like to see it," and rummages in his pockets a bit. "I've got it in this old jewelry box. I didn't want to scratch it, or lose it again." He pulls out a palm sized case, and opens it to reveal a deep orange stone. "It's like yours, but not quite the same. Can you tell me where you got them, please?"

Tara stares at the blades, too boggled to even consider whether it's polite to be doing this or not. Then, a little blankly, she looks up at Ken, "Uh? Uhm... on an archaeological dig near the Altai Mountains?"

Daichi looks at Ken, "Found mine in the temple, as well as the staff." He looks at Tara seriously, "Tara-chan, why would I lie about something like this? You think I talk about ofuda and finding a glowing stone or a staff that has blades in it to everyone?"

Tara gently brings her hands back together to re-sheathe the blades, and quietly says, "I'm sorry, Daichi-kun. I just... well... here, this is yours -- I shouldn't be playing with it." She holds the staff out towards Daichi, her hands still under his.

Tara will, once Daichi has taken back the staff, sit abruptly down on a bench as what's going on really hits her.

The blades don't move as Tara pushes, only once Daichi helps does it close again. He sits down next to her, setting the staff on his lap.

Tara takes a few deep breaths, then looks up at Ken, "So have weird things been happening to you too?"

Ken ponders Daichi and thinks, "I understand his commitment to the spirits, but the American? This makes no sense." He looks up and says, "Other than being a proud member of the Fish Rescue Squad, and this conversation, No."

Tara is boggled enough still that she says in English, //Oh, shit... this means the spirit may really be there and malicious too.//

Ken says, "You both found these stones? And this weapon? Is there a maker's mark on it? Is is possible they were gifts, and you just don't know who left them for you?"

Daichi regards Ken, "The crystal and staff have been in the temple for as long as I can remember. The staff belonged to some hero or other, I forget his name and it was in a shrine to him way in the back."

"Don't worry about it, really." Reaching out, Daichi places a hand on one of Tara's, "Well, if it makes you feel any better none of this kind of thing started happening around here until a few weeks ago."

Tara takes a deep breath, pulling herself together, then smiles a bit weakly at Daichi, "Um... it doesn't really help, since it's here and now with us, but thank you for trying -- I do appreciate that." She considers a moment, then tells both boys the whole story regarding her conversation with Tenshi Shinsetsu, concluding with, "And then he left, and Daichi-kun said he was telling the truth."

Tara turns her hand over and gently squeezes Daichi's, adding, "Thank you for helping."

Daichi smiles weakly, "It's what I'm supposed to be here for... not that I've managed to do much of that, well not much that the Old Man approves of."

Tara adds in a sudden rush of worry, "So now I want to figure out if he's malicious and if he's likely to hurt anyone especially my family and how can we tell if he's nice or not and why would we not want to help him go home, you know?"

Ken says, "Well, if that's what you saw, that's what you saw. I don't know about Tenshi-san, though. Other then him being homesick, what makes you believe him?"

Daichi nods, "I understand, and really the only way to find out is to help him, or trap him, but that could cause problems too." His eyes flit over the staff. "Tsuin Kizu let's me know if someone is lying if I'm holding it."

Tara says, "Daichi-kun said he was, and that he can tell truth. That's why I suspected you all were in some elaborate joke at first, in fact -- because else why would I believe him?" She blinks, a sudden flare of curiosity lighting up her eyes, "Which reminds me -- why does everyone keep glaring at you like you're a horrible person, Daichi-kun? You've been very polite to everyone I've seen so far?"

Tara adds pragmatically to Ken, "I thought Tenshi-san was too pretty for his own good at first, actually."

There's a faint hint of color to his cheeks as Daichi replies. "I have a habit of standing up for those who can't do it for themselves...." He mentions offhand, "Tenshi means angel by the way, so it's probably not his real name."

Tara considers, "So his name translates as... kind angel?" She sighs, adding, "I'd consider that a good sign, except were I trying to deceive someone I guess I'd use a similar name too." She frowns, then says, "Maybe we should just ask him!"

Ken snorts, "Have you seen some of the romance comics? It's like he stepped right out of one." He shrugs and says, "So long as he doesn't act like the Doubly Doomed Prince of the Thousand Sad Blue Rose Petals, we'll get along."

Tara bursts out laughing!

Tara covers her mouth hastily, looking embarrassed.

Tara giggles quietly.

Daichi grins, "I didn't know you read that Ryoushin-san?"

Ken rolls his eyes, "There's plenty in the house. You've...met my sister, right?"

Tara says, "Oh! That's right, she's waiting for you, isn't she? And I wanted to check on O-Sashimi too!"

Daichi nods, "Speaking of your sister you should probably get her home, knowing your mom she might be doing something trying to make sure you're both safe."

Tara bounces to her feet, determined to take today's shocks in stride, "We can talk to Tenshi-san later, true."

Tara will kneel by the fishpond, scanning it thoughtfully while Ken calls his sister. She murmurs under her breath, "So, are we all happy healthy little fishies, I hope, mmm?"

Ken slaps his forehead and says, "I've got to get her home! I'll see you both in school tomorrow! Good night!" and wanders off, whistling... 'o-sashimi had a pond, ia! ia! ooOOooo...'

Tara giggles.

Daichi watches Tara quietly, somewhat surprised at her reactions to everything. "If you really want to know the rest of why I have a such a reputation it's because I get into fights when I'm standing up for people, and that's looked down upon here. Last year I wasn't in school much and they suspended me for missing school so much that I got held back, so, yeah, I'm not exactly your golden boy..."

Tara beams delightedly -- lots of swimming fishes, still dipping after floating bits of bread and rice. She sits back on her heels, obscurely relieved, and tilts her head to listen thoughtfully to Daichi.

Daichi shakes his head, "At least my mother gets spared hearing most of it."

Tara settles cross-legged on the grass next to the fishpond, neatly tucking her skirt under her, and gives Daichi a curious look, "It's the fighting, isn't it? Funny... in the US you'd be considered a bit of a hero."

Tara giggles, "Eh, it's okay -- I think I've got the golden part down!"

Tara adds curiously, "Is it really that, um... pervasively gossipped about? Er... if you don't mind my asking, that is?"

Daichi nods, "Pretty much. Well that and I didn't join a gang. Or maybe no, I guess it might not be a factor but it's the whole lone wolf thing, I guess." He chuckles a bit, "That you do, Tara-chan."

Daichi says, "I've learned to ignore it by now so I don't notice, but probably."

Tara pauses, parsing those answers carefully, then replies, "So... fighting is okay here if you're in a gang -- but not if you're defending others? How... odd!" She grins at the compliment, then asks, "How does your mother get spared? Is it a courtesy thing?" She adds (a bit confidingly), "Japanese courtesies are really hard to all keep straight! I was worried I'd accidentally insulted your uncle earlier."

Daichi shakes his head, "She lives in Tokyo with my little sister. I was a bit too much of a handful after..." He trails off a bit and looks up at the sky. "Don't worry about him, he puts up with me all day, you're harmless by comparison."

Daichi says, "No, if you're in a gang it's understandable. With me there's obviously something wrong."

Tara giggles, saying cheerfully, "Well, it's a relief to hear I'm harmless!" She grins teasingly and adds, "Well, it's obvious what's wrong! You're a kami whose hair and eyes haven't changed color yet!"

Daichi chuckles softly, "I'm glad, that would imply I'm dead, well if I were a kami." He glances back at the temple, "I should get started helping the Old Man, if not he's going to start yelling, and I still have school tomorrow."

Tara nods, bouncing lightly to her feet, "I'm sorry, Daichi-kun -- I don't want to get you in trouble." She pauses, then says slowly, "I... realize I'm a gaijin, and I know what that means. But... you seem both nice, and honorable, to me, and... well, I'm glad I know you, and thank you again for the lovely origami crane!" She's a bit pink by the end of that, and hopes a bit anxiously that he doesn't laugh at her opening up like that... aren't you supposed to always hide your emotions or something in Japan?

Daichi smiles, "No trouble." He shrugs, "Gaijin or not you're certainly different and much bolder than most of the other girls in our year." A faint twinge colors his cheeks, "And the only one who doesn't listen to rumors about me, so far." He offers her a hand up, "Sleep well, Tara-chan."

Tara smiles ruefully, understanding boldness isn't seen as a good thing in Japan, but still pleased he's not offended or derisive of her comments. She accepts the hand up, rising easily to her feet, and replies, "You too, Daichi-kun. Er, no, wait... um... well, I hope you won't be too tired tomorrow. Did you get your homework done?"

Daichi nods, "Hai, before Aikido."

Tara says, "Okay. That's the only thing I could think of to offer to help with... so I guess good luck getting all your ofuda done, and I'll see you tomorrow at school."

*********
Episode 2: Noodles and Homework
********

The next day is another school day, much like the one before. Tenshi is surrounded by his gaggle of girls most of the time when people are free to talk. Daichi falls asleep several times in class- after the third time, the teachers make him stand by his desk for the rest of the day. Lunch for him is a nap under a tree. And more homework is assigned. It's with some relief that school is let out after the pressures of homework and tests begin to set in.

Tara sighs and stretches as she walks out of school. She feels both sorry for poor Daichi, and relieved nothing bad happened today.

Tara looks around thoughtfully -- she never did get an answer from Seiichi about where his fish came from, now that she thinks about it!

Seiichi is, for his part, a little nervous about homework again. He tries, he really does try, to get it done on time, and mostly he succeeds, though more often than not he doesn't really recall clearly finishing his homework from one day to the next.

Daichi trudges alongside Tara, his eyes bleary from lack of sleep, oblivious to the looks and comments they're drawing from school mates.

Tara smiles at Daichi with some sympathy, "You want some tea, or just to go home and sleep?"

Daichi mmmphhs, "Tea? Don't want to think about tea..."

Tara's head lifts abruptly -- ah, there's Seiichi! She waves and smiles, then looks back at Daichi in amused puzzlement, "I thought tea was like the answer to all ills here?"

Daichi mutters, "You perform the Tea Ceremony for tourist during your summer break and you see how much you want to drink tea."

Tara laughs! -then grins at Daichi, "All right, you got me there. Seriously, though... would you like something to eat or drink, or is sleep what you really want?" She glances around again, remembering she wanted to talk to Shinsetsu also... but she really shouldn't do so around his gaggle of admirers.

Shinsetsu is nowhere to be seen, actually. It's as if he simply vanished when the bell rung.

Tara adds cheerfully to Daichi, "At least it's not butter tea, and you're required to drink it or your nomad hosts are insulted!" She looks around curiously, adding, "I wonder where Shinsetsu is?"

Seiichi notices the wave, and brightens, altering his course to come over to the gold American and -- oh! "Good afternoon, Alcyone-san, Gensai-san."

Daichi seems to take some time to process the thought of food. "Well I didn't really have anything for lunch... or I don't remember having anything anyway." He waves tiredly, "Seiichi-san."

Tara beams at Seiichi, "Hello, Kazamora-san! Is Nakayama-san around? I'm trying to strong-arm Gensai-san here into getting some food into his system since he worked all night, and I need all the strong arms I can find!"

Tara giggles cheerfully, gently steering Daichi (if he doesn't seem to mind) towards someplace they can get him some food.

Daichi isn't making any moves to stop Tara from leading him, though it does take a bit of effort as he's not exactly energetic at the moment.

Tara tries being nice and Japanese and subtle, but when that doesn't work she finally just grins, shakes her head, and gently body-bumps him in the direction he should go.

Seiichi tilts his head to the side, and looks around. "I haven't seen Akina-cha-- er, Nakayama-san since the last class, I'm afraid. She was going to be working in the machine shop for a few hours, though, and asked me not to wait for her today."

Tara says, "Ah, okay. Want to come along? We could get some nice noodle soup and work on our homework if you wanted?" She looks around curiously, adding, "Also... have you seen Tenshi-san? I wanted to ask him a question..." She grins, her eyes bright with amusement as she adds, "You too, actually. Where did that fish come from yesterday?"

Daichi allows himself to be pushed, pulled, and prodded towards food. It seems to take most of his concentration to just stay upright and moving right now.

Tara will casually nudge Daichi into a chair at the little noodle stand, relieve him of his bookbag, and politely order soup for all. She doesn't know if what she's doing is polite, but as long as Seiichi doesn't look shocked she guesses it's still okay.

Seiichi smiles. "Noodles sound good. As does homework. Um, that is, doing homework. Or rather doing and getting homework done. I have not seen Tenshi-san, either, actually."

Tara nods cheerfully, "Great! And... the fish?" She grins expectantly at Seiichi, her eyes bright with curiosity.

Daichi manages to order himself a drink after a few moments of blinking at his surroundings.

Seiichi is a bit more reticient about the question regarding the fish. "I'm... not entirely sure. I was thinking of fish at the time, and then... there it was. I am a very forgetful and scatter-brained person, Alcyone-san. I possibly packed it for lunch in the morning and forgot about it. But I do not know why it would still be alive." As he sits, he looses the collar to his school jacket a bit in the warmth of the early fall afternoon, a faint hint of turquoise blue briefly visible there.

Tara looks around a little worriedly as she waits for Seiichi to answer. She hopes the strange kami is getting food without having to steal it... or at least knows someone who can give it food without anyone losing out on the deal.

Tara nods, listening to Seiichi talk, then thinks a bit. Daichi said he knew Seiichi, and he said he hadn't known Shinsetsu, so it's a good bet Seiichi isn't a spirit. However, there's no way that fish was in that lunch box all day without water. Therefore... she narrows her eyes thoughtfully, then says casually to Seiichi, "You didn't forget the pendant, did you?"

Seiichi blinks a bit to Tara. "The pendant? Oh! That's right. I saw your pendant, and that made me think of the pendant I had found in a fish, and then... there was the fish on my plate. But... that still doesn't explain how the fish got there, I'ma fraid."

Daichi's attention seems to be focused on his drink once it arrives. He blinks a few more times before taking a sip. "Thank the kami for no Aikido practice tonight..."

Tara nudges Daichi gently, "Hey, Daichi-kun... Seiich- uh, Kazamora-san has a pendant too, look!"

Tara reaches out slowly enough that Seiichi can move away if he wishes, for the bit of turquoise she can see... is that the pendant?

Daichi turns his head to look at Seiichi as Tara reaches out.

Seiichi blinks at Tara a little bemusedly, and she gets the impression of a sparrow as he cocks his head to the side to curiously watch as she reaches for the pendant. It is indeed of similar if not identical cut and design to hers, except where hers is gold, his is a misty turquoise.

Tara smiles, "Ah, lovely shade. Blue's my second favorite color, actually." She examines the pendant for a moment, then gently lets go and sits back to look at Daichi, "So... should he be warned about the kami too?"

Tara adds in explanation to Seiichi, "Mine's gold, and Daichi's is white." She holds hers up to view.

Tara says, "Ryoushin-san's is bronze-looking."

Daichi thinks again, "Which kami? There's a lot of them out there, or did you mean a spirit?"

Tara says, "Neh, I meant the one I talked to yesterday."

Seiichi blinks in surprise. "Oh. You have ones as well? Did you find them in fish?"

Tara grins at Seiichi, "Not exactly. I found it on a dig -- the one I mentioned to you and Nakayama-san yesterday. Um... they've been found by burned out trees and in shrines as well, I think."

Daichi nods, "Mine was in the temple." He takes another drink, "Tenshi is a spirit, I think, not a kami. Though the line can get blurry at times."

Tara says, "Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't realize they were different. Um... all right, then what's a spirit, please?"

Daichi ummms, "Kami are spirits but not all spirits are kami."

Tara adds a bit worriedly, "I wish I knew where he disappeared to. I'd like to be sure he's eating without having to take it from anyone else... and I'd like to just talk to him, too."

Tara grins at Daishi, "That is doubtless terribly informative, but not very helpful!"

Seiichi nods to Tara, then listens, curiously, to this talk of spirits and kami. There's a spirit going to school? He figures spirits do go to school, but that they would go to... well, spirit-schools. Not the school in the corner of a not-entirely-wealthy prefecture.

Tara thinks, trying to ask helpful questions of Daichi, "So... is a spirit a ghost, maybe?"

Daichi shakes his head, "Ghosts aren't spirits, not really."

Tara frowns thoughtfully, "Are they like... I don't know, elves maybe? Do you have elves and fairies here?" She uses the closest approximations in Japanese for the words she's trying to say.

Daichi says, "Oni-kami?"

Tara says doubtfully, "I... guess? Fickle and not-understandable creatures from another dimension who're sometimes helpful, sometimes mischievous, sometimes malevolent... who are pretty and sometimes deceitful?"

Tara considers... "Silver hair would match. Are his ears pointy?"

Tara says, "And he's very protective of his hair, too."

Daichi says, "That describes most kami and spirits; the oni-kami are destructive and vengeful most of the time."

Tara says, "Oh. Sorry, I was hoping that'd be more helpful." She sighs, putting her chin into her hand, "Well, we know Inari likes him, at least... that's a good thing, right?"

Daichi furrows his brow in thought, "Oni-kami are what you would probably call demons or goblins."

Daichi says, "We think so, but we can't be sure unless we ask."

Tara says, "Oh, ick! Neh, not what I mean there, sorry." She eats very little of her soup, since she's not terribly hungry, and keeps an eye on both guys (one terribly forgetful and the other exhausted) to make sure they both get enough to eat. "The fairies and all are mostly nicer, in a sort of accidental way, if that makes sense." She looks around and sighs quietly, "I wish he'd turn up... I feel wrong just trying to like summon him, you know?"

Daichi does indeed eat, though the prodding helps. "Why? He said you could..."

Tara says, "Well, in western mythology it's usually a bad thing to do. Is it okay here?"

Daichi says, "If you mean unpredictable, yes."

Tara laughs! "Well, this has certainly been an unpredictable week." She considers, then says carefully, "Um... all right, I guess I'll try." She straightens, putting her hands in her lap, and looks around a bit, then says, "Ah... Shinsetsu-kun, if you're not busy... would you mind turning up?" She looks a bit sheepish, wondering if she just looks silly... then firmly decides not to worry about it. Either it'll work, and she'll be shocked and hopefully pleased... or it won't!

The door swings open and the bell chimes, but there's nobody there...

Tara watches curiously, wondering if being invisible is one of the spirit's abilities.

Daichi stifles a yawn. "Something's here, not positive it's him but it feels familiar."

Tara looks surprised and pleased, "Really? Wow... I wasn't sure I believed it would work!" She pulls up a chair and orders another bowl of noodle soup... and some rice, please?

A few moments later, Shinsetsu comes out from the bathrooms in the back and walks over. "Is there room for one more at this table?"

Seiichi tilts his head curiously, listening to the interchange, and a bit cautiously nibbling at his noodles.

Tara grins happily, "Hello, Shinsetsu-kun! Thank you for coming. There's some food on the way."

Daichi drops one hand under the table, shifting a bit in his chair.

Shinsetsu takes a seat, and looks vaguely amused.

Tara will politely chat about school, homework, and other inconsequentialities until Shinsetsu's had time to get some food into him.

While he never actually is barbaric or rude, the food disappears astonishingly quickly.

Seiichi seems to not be at all concerned when Shinsetsu shows up at Tara's uttering of his name. Doesn't that happen all the time anyway? Oh, wait... maybe that's only in dreams, again.

Tara casually orders another bowl of rice for the table, in case Shinsetsu's still hungry. She'd far rather pay for his food and be sure he's well fed, than have him steal from someone in a small fishing village.

Tara will wait until Shinsetsu seems somewhat less hungry before she says, "Um... so you were talking about keys, yesterday, hai? So... I took the liberty of finding a few more folks with keys, at least as you described them. Do you mind if we talk a bit freely about this?"

Shinsetsu looks interested. "I don't, though I'm surprised you don't either."

Tara smiles a bit ruefully, "I'm a stranger in a strange land... people expect me to be weird."

Tara adds quietly, "And... I know what it's like to want to go home."

Tara looks at Daichi and Seiichi, "Is that all right with you? Talking freely, I mean?"

Seiichi looks only a little less bemused now, and nods. "Yes, that's fine with me.

Daichi shrugs, "After last night I can't think of any reason to."

Daichi blinks, "Or not to, I mean."

Tara grins, a bit relieved, then turns back to Shinsetsu -- where she abruptly realizes she has no idea of the protocol of questioning spirits! "Uhh... oh, dear, I'm not really sure where to start!" She thinks with fierce intensity for a moment, then says, "All right, let's try this. We know you want to go home, but you said you were sent here. Do you have to get something done before you can go home? And what is it? Maybe we can help?"

He looks a little distracted for a moment, looking at the table. Finally, he answers slowly, "I can't get back unless I have at least one key. After that, I can do something about those who sent me here."

Tara nods encouragingly, hoping for more information about the 'why' of Shinsetsu's presence here.

Nothing, however, seems forthcoming. Shinsetsu helps himself to another bowl of rice and directs his attention to that instead.

Daichi says, "So who sent you here?"

Tara blinks, then grins at Daichi.

Seiichi tilts his head to the side. He opens his mouth... to ask the exact same question Daichi asks, and he closes his mouth. He's not entirely sure how to react to Shinsetsu's task.

"Muteki-heika and Karei-denka," Shinsetsu replies.

Tara struggles with that for a bit, then says apologetically, "I'm sorry, guys, but can someone translate that for me?"

Tara says, "It's like respectful father and mother, right?"

Daichi blinks, "Those names don't really mean much... well wait... royalty?"

Tara looks momentarily relieved her lack of understanding isn't a sign of her learning badly, since the terms are apparently unusual... then blinks, looking at Shinsetsu, "You're a prince?"

Shinsetsu offers no help on this, remaining determinedly focussed on his bowl of rice, even if he's not eating much of it right now.

"No."

Daichi blinks again, "Splendor... and royalty... Amaterasu?"

Tara considers a bit... then says slowly, "Were you sent here as punishment for something?"

Seiichi looks between all three, feeling a little lost in the rapid-fire questioning.

"No..." He looks up at Tara and shrugs. "Not really. I was just unlucky once."

Tara looks confused, "I... I'm sorry, I don't understand. What does being unlucky once mean?"

Daichi considers, "It still sounds like Lord Moon and Lady Sun are the ones who issued his punishment, or am I wrong?"

Shinsetsu actually looks shocked.

Daichi shrugs, "Well what else am I supposed to think with an Unconquerable King and a Splendourous Queen?"

Tara mutters to herself and rustles around in her bookbag, coming up with a Japanese-English dictionary, "Hold on, guys, let's be careful we don't accidentally say something rude." She pages through it rapidly, whispering under her breath, "Heika, heika... ha... he... here we go, heika!" She reads for a moment, then nods, "Hai, it's like 'your majesty' to a king."

"He's unconquerable because he never stays dead!" Shinsetsu snarls. But then, the burst of anger quickly vanishes, and he stares back down at his rice.

Daichi blinks, "Or wait... those could also be a Queen and a Princess... or damn, just royalty in general."

Tara flips swiftly back a bit, then finds the next entry and reads... "Huh... and your majesty for a queen too." She looks up puzzledly, "So... your royalty sent you here? What's the name of your home? And what does-" she blinks, taken aback by Shinsetsu's anger.

Tara looks a bit creeped out at the thought of an undead king.

Tara says slowly, stifling her horror as she tries to be polite, "He... he's undead?!"

Seiichi gives a bit of a start at Shinsetsu's snarl. "What did he do to you?" he asks simply.

Shinsetsu stays unhelpfully silent, radiating sullen discontent.

Seiichi tilts his head to the side at the silence. "Do you want help?"

Shinsetsu catches his breath and holds it, silently waiting without moving.

Tara is starting to have serious second thoughts about helping Shinsetsu, but she waits for his answer.

Daichi seems to be turning things over in his mind. He looks at Shinsetsu a quizzical expression creeping over his face.

Tara is starting to worry about the boy spirit not breathing... gently she says, "Please, won't you answer?"

Daichi scratches his head as he looks harder at Shinsetsu, some fact naggin at his brain.

Tara adds slowly, "Or... can't you?"

He sighs in response and returns to eating the rice before him in a rather automatic sort of way.

Tara sits back, very confused, then looks at Daichi, "Um... can you explain what's going on?"

Seiichi waits about five heartbeats, before continuing. "A... what is that English word, Alcyone-san? A geis?"

Daichi cants his head to the side, "Silver hair, it can't be.... Inari?"

Tara says, "Oh!" She brightens, "Hai, I understand -- a geas!" She beams, "Thank you, Kazamora-san!"

Tara looks curiously at Daichi, hoping he'll explain too.

This breaks the silence as Shinsetsu blinks at Daichi. "Me? I'm barely older than you are."

Daichi nods slowly, "Ummm... hmmm...."

Tara frowns, thinking, then says slowly, "Well... what can you talk about regarding this situation, Shinsetsu-kun?"

"Not much," he mutters, and it clearly rankles.

Tara gives him a somewhat sympathetic look, but has to ask, "Um... well, how about you? I mean... where are you living, what are you eating? Were you the one in the temple who took Inari's offerings?"

Again, Shinsetsu seems a little surprised. "I live where I can and eat what's in front of me, like I always do."

Tara looks a little worried, "You're... homeless?"

He shrugs. "I suppose you could say that, but I've never lived any other way. Why do I need a home?"

Tara tilts her head, regarding the boy with a critical eye, wondering how he passes muster with so many strict adults around. How does he look?

He certainly looks healthy. Athletic but not starving, with soft shiny hair and bright eyes. His clothes are clean and his school uniform, if not pressed, must at least be hung up at night because it doesn't show many wrinkles.

Tara says, "Hm. I guess. I just know having a house to call home, with people I care about in it, is important to me."

Daichi stifles another yawn and peers into his mostly empty bowl, turning things over in his mind.

Tara thinks a bit, reviewing. If he eats what's in front of him, there's no guarantee he's not unwittingly stealing. She glances at Daichi, wondering what his uncle would think of a spirit visiting for dinner... eh, no. If the old priest didn't mind a spirit taking Inari's offerings, he'd not have put up the ofuda. She frowns into her teacup, then looks up at Shinsetsu, "Um... okay, this is going to sound stupid, but are you a good spirit? I mean like not hurting anyone?"

"Homes also keep you in one place," he replies. "You have to take care of them or they fall apart. Someday, I may find a home for a while, but right now, there's still so much to see..."

Shinsetsu seems bemused at the question. "I suppose it depends on what you mean by hurting them..."

Tara looks appealingly at Daichi, "Help me out here, please? I don't know what to describe for Japanese spirits?"

Daichi umms, "I think she means causing them permanent physical harm, but I'm not sure."

Tara nods, then looks inquiringly at the spirit boy.

Shinsetsu ahs. "Well, only if they try to do the same to me, really."

Tara considers, then says, "Well... actually that sounds reasonable to me...?" She looks inquiringly at the other two, "Um... can you think of anything else to ask?"

Daichi says, "You're asking me to think?"

Tara laughs, then smiles, "All right, point taken." She grins at Shinsetsu, "So, um... when did you want to go riding? And if my key works to open the way, does it work to close it safely behind you too, so I don't have any trouble getting back with the horses?"

Seiichi shakes his head. "There's more we need to know, still, but for now, no." Besides... I'm not sure this still isn't a dream.

Shinsetsu frowns. "You have to know how to use them... if you don't know how to close doors, then I don't. But I think they won't open for long right now, anyway." He stands up. "You're all welcome to come. Any time in the evening. I can show you... what I can't say."

Daichi nods, "Good, because I wasn't planning on letting Tara-chan charge off some errand by herself."

Tara grins at Daichi, "Aww, thank you!"

Tara says, "How do we learn how to use them?"

"I don't know how. Kouketsu does. And Muteki does. Maybe a few others.

Tara admits to herself she wouldn't mind company, actually. This whole thing is... still a little weird to her.

Tara frowns, considering that informatively unhelpful answer -- which she's been getting a lot of lately, sheesh! She fishes the pendant out and stares at it... do something!

Daichi smiles tiredly, "Maybe we ought to talk with Ryoushin-san and see about doing it this weekend. Tonight is out for me and I doubt school nights give us enough time anyway."

Tara nods to Daichi, "Good point. We still have to get our homework done too."

Shinsetsu nods. "I'll see you at school then, and when Friday evening arrives, we'll go riding."

Tara smiles, "Sounds fine." She adds to the other two, "You're welcome to come too, I'm sure, since you have keys too?"

Daichi nods, "Sure, I'm just going to get homework done tonight and sleep as much as I can."

Shinsetsu bows to the others, then heads out. At his place at the table is a handful of crumpled money. The bowl that he ate out of, however, is mysteriously missing.

Seiichi tilts his head to the side, a little unsure, and so he just nods a little. "Yes, homework first." He sighs. "So very much do not want to miss homework this year." He blinks at where Shinsetsu was sitting. "Did he eat the bowl, too?" he asks innocently.

Tara tilts her head, regarding the money, and is obscurely reassured.... although making money out of a bowl is one of the more unusual tricks she's heard of. Hopefully it'll stay money!

Daichi shifts again, hand returning to the table top. "I hope not..."

Tara glances at Daichi, "So... truthful or neh?"

Daichi nods, "Truthful."

Tara breathes softly, "Good..."

Daichi says, "Which means he was telling the truth about the king. Which might not be good news."

Daichi slowly gets up and looks around. "Wait, which noodle stand are we at? I wasn't paying attention when we were coming here."

Tara looks up puzzledly at Daichi, "The one closest to school, Daichi-kun. Why, is there a problem?"

Daichi shakes his head, "No, I just was wondering which way to go to get back to the temple."

Tara says, "Er... all right. We can all do homework together some other time if you'd prefer."

Daichi ohs, "We were doing homework together?" He sits back down again.

Tara blinks... then giggles, "Hai, but if you agreed to something you'd rather not, it's okay to say so."

Daichi grins, "No, I think I need the help tonight."

Tara says, "All right!" She pulls out her books, "You guys ready?"

Daichi rummages in his bags and pulls out his books. "As I can be..."

Seiichi bobs his head, already pulling out his books for homework.

End episode.

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