Draft version.
C&C is most welcome.
Warning: The following is by no means dark by my
standards, but I am aware that other people judge the same
tag by different standards, so I will give fair warning
that there is a scene within this chapter which may cross
the boundaries for some people.
Disclaimer: Ranma 1/2 is the property of Rumiko Takahashi
and her publishers. I am merely using the characters for
the purpose of profit-free entertainment and make no claim
on them.
The following people have been kind enough to create a page
to host my fanfics, so please take a look:
Vincent Seifert:
http://www.csus.edu/indiv/s/seifertv/kagami/
Yoshiro_san: http://members.xoom.com/Yoshiro_san/mother/
David Pascal: http://www.davidpascal.com/smj/
You can contact me at: kagami@jeack.com.au
---
"Shukumaru-sama, your litter awaits," Jakuten said
obsequiously.
"Very well, Jakuten." Shukumaru sipped the last of her tea
and set the cup down. She adjusted the folds of her
traveling oba. It was white, she noted absently. Only the
flower patterns and richly embroidered sleeves offset the
harsh single colour. All of her clothing was restricted to
that one colour, she realized. When had it been since she
had worn a different hue?
She turned to look at temple room that had been her home
for the past few months. She would not miss it. A quick
stroll past the dead holy fire of the main shrine brought
her outside into the dim morning light of cloud-covered
Fuji-san. "Well, Raijin, I return to you your temple,
Kaminari-jinja. I thank you for the loan," she murmured
sardonically.
Her litter rested on the ground in the temple courtyard.
Possibly one of the simplest forms of transportation
available, the litter consisted of a wooden framework
enclosing a seat within. However, it was a masterpiece of
workmanship and design, crafted from sandalwood and inlaid
with pearls and jade. Yet its majesty paled beside its
bearers: four white-furred kyubi-kitsune of the highest
rank and power. The nine-tailed foxes were famed and feared
for their cunning and deviousness amongst demonkind. That
four such creatures would consent to serve Shukumaru as
mere litter-bearers was a sign of her growing status. She
believed their positions to be entirely appropriate. It
would hardly do for her to travel in less than complete
style, after all.
Shukumaru strode to the litter and sank gracefully into
the soft silk cushions within. The only other inhabitant of
the transport uttered a low growl of welcome at her
arrival. She stroked a hand along his blue-furred neck.
"Raiha, we shall be on our way now." The Thunderbeast, who
had currently assumed the shape of a wolf of ordinary size,
albeit of extraordinary colour, merely rumbled his
contentment. "Jakuten, follow us."
The litter rose swiftly into the air, borne on the
shoulders of the nine-tailed fox demons, and sped towards
the north. Inside, Shukumaru rested her head against the
warm fur of her companion and remembered a time when white
had yet to become the colour of death.
---
An Awakening of Demons
A Ranma 1/2 Fanfic
By Kagami
Chapter 7: Shukumaru
---
"I will not marry him!" Shukumaru spat out the words in
outrage.
"You will do as I tell you!" Yami-no-Tsume thundered at
his only child: his daughter, who should know better than
to argue with him on this matter. The solution was obvious
to him and seemed perfectly reasonable. Why was she being
so obstinate? "Masakado is perfectly willing to align
himself to us in order to marry you. You should be honoured!"
"I should prefer to be dead! He's nothing but a fat slug!"
Shukumaru sneered. Palpable disgust dripped from her tone.
"What do we need him for? Does the Demon Lord of the East
rely on the South to maintain his rule?"
"Be careful, Daughter. I am not known for my patience."
The Demon Lord of the East glared fiercely at his daughter,
determined to drive his message home. "You will marry
Masakado, and that is my final word on it!"
Shukumaru paled, trembling with deep rage. The claws on
her hands bit into the soft skin of her palm as she curled
her fingers into tight fists. Blood trickled from between
her clenched fists. "Very well, Father." She spun on her
foot and strode through the doorway of the living room. She
slammed the door shut behind her.
"You were hard on her," a low rumbling voice observed from
beside the Demon Lord.
"Ahh, what am I to do, Raiha?" Yami-no-Tsume asked mildly.
He stroked the Thunderbeast's fur with his right hand. "If
only I had a son, then I wouldn't have to play these games
with the others." He shook his head in annoyance. "Using my
child as a pawn, what has the East become?"
Yes, Father, Shukumaru thought as she snuck away from the
thin door. What has the East become? If only you had a son?
Why am I not worthy of assuming your place as Demon Lord?
Masakado only wishes to marry me in order to gain a second
Quarter. Only a fool would grant him the opportunity.
Licking the blood from her torn palms, she strode towards
the entrance of the apartment. The night was too fine to
spend sulking in her rooms. Perhaps she could find an
interesting mortal or two to play with.
---
Dance clubs were the latest fad in Tokyo. With the
migration of Beatles music a decade after the height of
their popularity in the West, the nightlife in the capital
hummed to the tunes of 'A Hard Day's Night' and 'All You
Need is Love'. Club Yellow in the Roppongi district was no
different. Heavy guitar chords and fastpaced cheerful
vocals assaulted Shukumaru as she passed through the door.
Even with the light earplugs, the music fairly pulsed
against her sensitive ears. Shukumaru was dressed
completely in black, highlighting her pale skin and
flawless features. She made for the dance floor, determined
to lose herself in the swaying rhythm of discomania.
Coloured lights flashed off the large silver globe
overhanging the crowded floor, and bodies shook and boogied
to the songs of the Beatles.
Shukumaru joined the crowd, blending in with artless grace
and natural talent. Her third decade as a demon should be
just like this, full of carefree wonder and fun, and not
flung to the mercies of an unwanted marriage to an
overweight piece of slime. She banished the dark thoughts
and focused all her attention on the music.
"Can I have this dance?" The shouted words belonged to a
dark-haired boy who appeared to be in his late teens. He
shot her a grin as he eased his way in beside her, taking
her silence as permission. He proved a masterful dancer,
effortlessly matching her twisting and gyrations. Shukumaru
hid a smile as she contemplated his handsome features.
"Haven't seen you here before," he yelled, bending close to
make his words audible over the deafening melody of
'Magical Mystery Tour'.
"How original," she replied, smiling slightly. Only five
minutes since she had entered the club and she had already
snared her prey. It had to be a new record. The night was
looking up.
"But it's true!" he said, grinning widely. "I'm Hikaru.
Nice to meet ya."
"Shukumaru. Nice to meet you." She spun, arms raised above
her head, using the motion to bump and grind against him.
>From the glitter in his eyes, he appreciated the moves she
made. The last bars of 'Magical Mystery Tour' died away,
and the club resounded with cheers and claps from the
dancers. As the refrain to 'Tell Me Why' started up, she
whispered into his ear, "Meet me around the corner in ten
minutes." She pulled away from him and was lost amidst the
crowd in moments.
Extracting herself from the dance floor took only a
minute, and then she was walking out into the clear night
air of Tokyo. Shukumaru took a deep breath to disperse the
stink of sweaty humans clogging her nostrils. It was a
wonder that they failed to simply expire from water loss.
Her head slowly cleared from the clamour of the club and
she started toward her destination. 'Around the corner' was
the common euphemism for Aoyama Park, next to the Cemetery
of the same name. The short walk took her less than five
minutes to cover. Aoyama Park was dim and quiet, full of
secluded locations and well-suited for her purposes.
"Hey there, babe."
Shukumaru turned and smiled welcomingly. Her smile widened
when she saw four street punks standing there instead of
Hikaru. Ahh. An entree course before the main meal. It
appeared as though life was planning to compensate her for
her earlier distress.
"Why, hello there. Can I help you?" she purred with artful
innocence.
"Sure, babe," said the lead thug. He looked barely out of
his teens, obviously a school dropout who had graduated to
the low end of the gutter. "Take off your clothes, and we
can have a real party." He leered at her in what was
obviously meant to be a threatening fashion. It was all she
could do to avoid laughing. Their scars and spiked hair had
evolved to induce an aura of menace. Their clothes were
ripped, metal-studded leather obviously copied from an
American movie. The leader wore a well-used pair of bronze
knuckle dusters. His expensive sunglasses were quite likely
looted from a previous mugging victim. The others carried
an assortment of common weapons ranging from knives to
links of heavy chain. All in all, the thugs came across as
an intimidating group in a flashy and showy manner.
They were just so much dead meat. Shukumaru licked her
lips in anticipation.
"Leave her alone, you scum!"
Damn. Her date had shown up at the worst possible time.
She glanced right to see Hikaru standing there, arms raised
and fists clenched. Shukumaru wanted to scream out at the
injustice of life. The punks had been hers! Was that really
so much to ask of fate?
"Don't worry, Shukumaru! I'll protect you," Hikaru
cheerfully added.
Obviously so. The boy was smiling, eyes dancing with
anticipation. He flickered his fingers in a come hither
fashion at the thug leader. "Let's rock and roll!"
"Fool! I don't know who you think you are, but you'll
regret stepping on the territory of the Roppongi Scorpions!
I, Hatamei Hanzai, swear it!" the lead punk exclaimed.
"Say, aren't we in Aoyama?" Hikaru pointed out. Shukumaru
wanted to groan at the utter banality of the conversation.
Life just wasn't fair.
"Shut up!" screamed Hanzai, before waving on his valiant
minions. "Get him!"
The three underlings charged in, viciously waving knives
and spinning chains. Hikaru sidestepped the first punk and
his knife, and snapped a low kick into the back of his
knee, sending the thug tumbling away. The move forced him
to block an incoming chain, and he grimaced as heavy links
of metal slammed into his left forearm. The end of the
chain snapped around the shielding arm and narrowly missed
his head. Hikaru smashed his right fist into the chain-
wielding punk's face, dropping him like a sack of flour. He
ducked beneath a hasty stab by the final underling, grabbed
hold of the shirt and used the thug's momentum from his off-
balance lunge to hurl him overhead. The thug crashed into
the ground a full five metres away. Hikaru glanced over at
her, grinning confidently.
"Watch out!" Shukumaru shouted as Hanzai charged in, his
face purpling with fury at the quick manner in which his
underlings had been dispatched.
Hikaru turned back to receive a knuckle duster in the
mouth, spinning him about, spitting blood. He stumbled
back, barely avoiding the next two devastating punches.
Shukumaru was tempted to step in and rip Hanzai apart there
and then, but it wasn't necessary. Hikaru slapped aside the
next roundhouse from Hanzai with his left palm and rocketed
a right cross at the thug leader's chin. Hanzai's head was
snapped back by the blow, eyes glazing over and footwork
faltering. A thundering left from Hikaru directly into the
solar plexus sent the breath whooshing out of Hanzai's
lungs and sent him sagging to the ground.
Hikaru smiled cheerfully at her and took one step towards
her, before staggering to one side. Shukumaru caught him
just before he hit the pavement. His lip was gashed and
bleeding badly, and his left sleeve was ripped from the
chain strike, exposing bloody skin. Bruises were already
beginning to purple. She brushed aside the hair covering
his eyes and he stared up at her with slightly dazed
pupils. She could kill him now, Shukumaru realized. It
would be easy... and totally without meaning.
"Fool," she chided, "why did you do it?"
"I'm a martial artist," Hikaru replied as though that
explained it all.
---
I have always hated martial artists since, Shukumaru
realized with a pang.
Her litter rocked slightly as it passed through the black
head of a thundercloud. Lightning played around in dazzling
arcs as the skies geared for a storm of epic proportions.
The charged air raised the hairs on her skin, and Shukumaru
reveled in the closeness of potential death, though the
threat of the gathering storm was hardly a real danger with
the presence of Raiha by her side.
The memories of her first meeting with Hikaru were bright
sharp knives in her mind. She had originally meant for him
to die, and yet something had stayed her hand that night.
She had not even slept with him, but instead, had patched
him up and delivered him back to his apartment in Aoyama.
Somehow, he had wormed a contact number from her before she
left, and had called her the next day.
Shukumaru sighed as she snuggled into Raiha's warmth. It
would have been better if she had killed him that first
night.
---
Fukuzushi was the site of their second meeting. Hikaru had
invited her to dinner at the elegant and expensive sushi
restaurant in Roppongi. Shukumaru felt at home amidst the
traditional Japanese decor and well-appointed surrounds of
Fukuzushi. It was strange how the class structure of humans
reflected that of demon society. As the daughter of the
Demon Lord of the East, Shukumaru had been raised in luxury
and taught the manners that reflected her highborn status.
It also reflected on her worth as a breeding consort, she
realized sourly. A motion from her partner interrupted her
bleak mood.
"Here, try this one," Hikaru said as he offered her a rice
roll wrapped in dried seaweed.
"What is it?" Shukumaru asked as she stared dubiously at
the innocent sushi roll. Her ideal in cuisine was raw and
bloody meat, preferably warm and fresh off the bone. Sushi
was an acquired taste that she hoped would not poison her.
"Kappamaki," he replied. "It's a rice and cucumber roll. I
think it was named after those water demons that live in
rivers. You know, the ones that carry water around in a
hole on top of their heads? Pure legend, of course. Haha!"
"Haha," Shukumaru echoed, surreptitiously rubbing a five-
inch long white scar on the side of her right thigh,
inflicted by a 'mythical' kappa in the last border dispute
between North and East two years ago. She ate the kappamaki
and found it marginally palatable. By its crunchy texture
and the horrible taste flooding her mouth, cucumber was
likely a part of the vegetable family. Spitting it out in
such an expensive restaurant would undoubtedly disgrace her
and insult the cooks. Bravely, she swallowed and resolved
to avoid both food and real kappas in the future.
She took a piece of sashimi, a slice of raw tuna,
glistening red and moist in the low candlelight. Dipping it
into a mixture of light soy sauce and wasabi, she inhaled
the rich aroma of the raw fish and delicately popped it
into her mouth, savouring the exquisite flavour and
texture. Fish, she could handle and even enjoy. Some cat
demons preferred to consume only fish, but Shukumaru was
not that sort. Still, she could see the attraction.
Shukumaru looked up to see Hikaru gazing at her with a
soulful expression. "What?"
"You don't smile all that much, do you?" he asked softly.
"There isn't all that much to smile about," she replied.
"That's not true. You're young, you're beautiful, and--,"
Hikaru paused dramatically, "--you have me by your side!"
He said it without a trace of embarrassment or self-
consciousness, grinning brightly at her. The silly
statement made her smile involuntarily, and his grin
broadened into a matching smile. "You look wonderful when
you smile, Shukumaru. So smile more often... for me," he
said quietly.
"I'll try, Hikaru. I'll try." Despite her words, the smile
stayed with her for the night.
Hikaru took her out seven more times in as many days and
nights. He lavished money on her as though it was water,
and Shukumaru, daughter of a remarkably wealthy Demon Lord,
was both amused and suitably impressed. They visited
amusement parks, movie theatres, restaurants, took walks on
crowded beaches since deserted beaches were rare in Japan,
played games, and indulged themselves thoroughly. Each
night, they returned to Aoyama Park, drawn there to renew
their fragile bond.
He lay there, resting his head in her arms and lap,
staring up into the night sky, and to her surprise,
Shukumaru felt a warm contentment. It made her uneasy. "My
brother is getting married next week," Hikaru remarked
casually. "Come with me."
A wedding. The words conjured up her own impending
nuptials, due wherever her father wished to seal the pact
with Masakado. The taste was bitter on her tongue, even
more so now than before. Why? What had changed for her? "I
don't--" Hikaru reached up and touched her lips, and she
fell briefly silent. The warmth of his fingers was a shock.
Confusing emotions surged making her feel giddy as if the
very tides peaked within her body. "Yes," Shukumaru found
herself saying, without really knowing why.
---
"I don't understand it, Jakuten." Shukumaru thumped her
hand into the silken pillow by her side. She collapsed back
into her large bed and fiercely hugged an embroidered
cushion. "Why can't I just kill him and end it once and for
all? It's like he has some kind of hold over me. It... it
aggravates me!"
"I'm sorry, Shukumaru-sama," said her personal servitor
fawningly. He stepped from foot to foot nervously, eyes
bulging as he contemplated the ceiling. "You know I'm
terrible at answering such questions. Why not pay a visit
to the Old Woman and see if she can answer your query?"
"The Old Woman?" Shukumaru inquired sharply. "Hmm. That
does seem a sound idea, Jakuten. I believe I will do so at
once!"
The Old Woman's rooms were at the back of the apartment
complex ruled by her father. True to her name, the Old
Woman was not a demon. Instead she was a mortal woman who
had lived on beyond her years. Formerly a Shinto priestess,
she had dabbled in demonology and fallen from grace. She
was powerful, well-versed in arcane knowledge, and this
expertise had led her father to recruit her. Her reward for
joining the Demon Lord of the East was continued survival
and some measure of protection. In return, she provided
advice and information upon command.
The aged crone was pouring over an ancient dust-covered
text when Shukumaru entered her rooms. She was dressed in a
traditional and old-fashioned black kimono, well-worn and
patched with countless squares of newer fabric. Gnarled
fingers traced over a strange cursive script that Shukumaru
failed to recognize. She cleared her throat.
"Ahh, Shukumaru-sama, what may I do for you?" The Old
Woman's wizened features gazed upon her kindly. It was a
masterful piece of deception, but Shukumaru was not fooled.
The stench of evil clung firmly to the Old Woman's soul. It
did not matter to her; she could trust the Old Woman to
provide the best advice possible within her power.
"Well, there is this human that I met a week ago," she
began.
"A human? And still alive?" the Old Woman sharply asked.
At Shukumaru's answering nod, she smiled hideously, without
apparent surprise. "A male?"
"Yes," Shukumaru replied reluctantly.
The old crone cackled fiercely, and Shukumaru tensed with
outrage. How dare the Old Woman laugh at her? Her problems
were not to be mocked so! Her fingers curled into an
instinctive claw, and the Old Woman broke off her laughter
to wave a weak hand of conciliation. "Your pardon,
Shukumaru-sama. Please forgive this old one's folly." As
Shukumaru slowly relaxed, still smouldering, the crone
continued her explanation. "Oho, but who would have thought
that Shukumaru-sama would fall in love? And with a human no
less?"
Love?! It was not possible, Shukumaru thought numbly. The
foolish crone had to be mistaken! But she wasn't, Shukumaru
realized with sudden clarity. It was she who had blinded
herself to the reality of her liaison with Hikaru. She
opened her mouth to speak, but soft footfalls from the
hallway distracted her. The Old Woman looked up at the
sound as well and glanced at the wall clock.
"Hmm. Yami-no-Tsume-sama approaches for his requested
meeting," she noted with interest. "Again I crave your
pardon, Shukumaru-sama, but I must ask you to wait next
door." She pointed to a side room, and Shukumaru availed
herself of the direction, not eager to meet with her father
whom she had assiduously avoided the past week. She closed
the door and pressed her ear against the wooden panel,
curious to learn the reason for her father's visit.
"Welcome, Yami-no-Tsume-sama," the Old Woman said, bowing
low.
"Ahh, Old Woman, I wish to--" Yami-no-Tsume broke off
suddenly and sniffed the air. "Has my daughter been to see
you?" he demanded.
"A minor matter, my Lord. Of no great concern and easily
dealt with. What brings you here to see me?"
"Very well then. I wish you to search out a mate who will
provide me with issue. Male issue," the Demon Lord of the
East clarified. "I have conjoined with dozens of willing
female demons, and not one has given me a male child. Only
my wife has provided me with a child, but that was a
daughter. I want a son! An heir to carry on my great name
and sit upon the Eastern Throne!"
"Your wife would kill me should I locate her replacement
for you," the Old Woman pointed out.
"Bah! I will handle her myself! She will not harm you in
any way," Yami-no-Tsume promised with airy assurance.
"Remember who holds the power in this Quarter, Old Woman!"
"Very well, my Lord. I will do as you command." The old
crone bowed low as Yami-no-Tsume swept out of the room. Her
eyes narrowed and a frown crossed her ancient features. "It
will not be that easy, my Lord," she murmured. A noise
startled her, and she looked around to see Shukumaru easing
out of the side room, face taut with suppressed fury.
"A son!" Shukumaru snarled. "That is all he thinks about
these days. I could rule the East just as well as any son!"
She turned to glare at the Old Woman before pushing down
the black rage deep within. Her face became icy cold and
remote.
"Do you still wish my advice, Shukumaru-sama?" the Old
Woman asked. At her solemn nod, the crone sighed and looked
grim. "Then kill your lover. You do yourself and your
family no justice by loving a human. Your father would be
most displeased should he find out."
Shukumaru shook her head slowly. "I cannot," she said
somberly.
"Try hard," the Old Woman said.
---
A week later, Hikaru was still alive.
Shukumaru was discovering the delightful intricacies
involved in a human Shinto wedding. Like the necessity for
guests to produce gifts of money to the marrying couple.
The young girl, with a vague facial resemblance to Hikaru,
looked at her in anticipation. No, she couldn't kill her,
Hikaru would likely be most disappointed and upset with her
if he returned and discovered her standing over the
butchered remains of one of his relatives.
"Uh, a gift?" Shukumaru asked, stalling for time as she
looked around desperately for Hikaru. A cousin or some such
had snagged him the moment they had entered the Ceremony
Hall, and he had been dragged off to accomplish some
errand, leaving her without a single clue as to what to do.
She really would kill him the next time she saw him. A yell
saved her from committing mass mayhem on the innocent girl.
"Hold on!" Hikaru cried out as he charged out of the large
inner doors. He hastily adjusted his hakama as he slid to a
stop next to them. "She's with me, Yumi. Go and pester
someone else for a change," he said, waving the girl off.
"You've already drained me dry." He noticed Shukumaru's
annoyance and bowed solemnly in apology. "Sorry, Shukumaru.
I came back as fast as I could. Can you believe they almost
forgot the wedding sake?" He took hold of her hand and his
good cheer bubbled on. "Did I mention how good you look in
that kimono?"
"About a hundred times so far," she replied soberly,
hiding her amusement.
Hikaru sighed. He cradled her hand within his own and
attempted a mournful and miserable expression. It worked
fairly well on his narrow face. "Forgive me?" he asked in a
plaintive tone.
"Idiot. Yes, I forgive you." Shukumaru smiled dazzlingly.
"Good. Otherwise, I wouldn't dare attempt this." He bent
and abruptly kissed her. His lips were remarkably warm on
hers, Shukumaru absently noted. It was the only rational
thought she had as feelings long locked within erupted in a
flood of passion. A distinct clapping sound disturbed her,
and suddenly embarrassed, she pulled away. She felt her
face flush as she saw a slightly older version of Hikaru
and an exquisitely demure young woman by his side standing
there. The formal wedding clothes also cued her to their
identity.
Hikaru's older brother cheered lustily. "At last, my
little brother shows some taste. I was beginning to think
he hadn't inherited the family talent for spotting the
prettiest girl in the crowd. Of course, his talent is no
where close to mine." He glanced proudly at the blushing
bride beside him.
It was in that manner that Shukumaru was introduced to
Hiro Gosunkugi and his bride, Shura.
"That isn't fair, onii-san!" Hikaru hotly protested.
"Shukumaru's the most beautiful girl to me!"
"Yeah, yeah, tell it to someone who doesn't already know,"
Hiro said smiling. "I'm Hiro, and this is Shura. Thank you
for coming with this idiotic brother of mine. It's nice to
meet you." He and Shura politely bowed, and Shukumaru
reciprocated the gesture.
They were a young couple by mortal standards, barely out
of their teens. Hikaru's older brother was studying to be a
photographer while Shura was pursuing a position as a
librarian. The Gosunkugis were obviously a wealthy family
since Hiro was marrying early, without first establishing a
career. Hikaru certainly had no problems spending money on
her.
The wedding ceremony was solemn but delightfully brief,
interrupted only by frequent toasts by guests to the bride
and groom. A Shinto priest blessed the couple with various
prayers and incantations, while offerings of food were
presented on an altar. Fortunately, none of the chants were
demon-specific, nor were they directed at her, Shukumaru
noted with relief. There would not be any unpleasant
incidents to interrupt the ceremony. Hiro and Shura sipped
from shallow bowls of the wedding sake to seal their
marriage. The rest of the sake that Hikaru had saved
through his efforts was consumed with gustow amidst a storm
of hearty cheers from family and friends. Shukumaru
wondered if all Shinto weddings were as boisterous as this
one, or if it was merely Hikaru's family that partied so
well. She drank far too much, and Hikaru was more than
moderately drunk by the time they staggered out of the
reception. They stood there, holding hands and drinking in
the evening air to clear their alcohol-fogged brains.
"Come home with me," he suddenly said, tightening his
grasp on her hand. It wasn't painful, only intense,
conveying his fear that she would say no.
"Is that what you want?" she asked.
"Only... only if you want it too," he replied. His hand
loosened its grip, ready to withdraw.
She squeezed back hard. "I do."
Hikaru's apartment in Aoyama was very much a bachelor pad,
though remarkably clean. Shukumaru only had eyes for the
bed. Sex was not a commitment to demons, and yet this
coupling weighed heavily on her mind. It was a commitment
to her, she realized, because of her emotions. For the
first time in her life, Shukumaru wanted to love and be
loved. How strange it was that those feelings were due to a
human.
She found she did not care that he was human and not
demon. Only her feelings for him mattered and his for her.
She kissed him long and hard, and sank down on the bed. The
sheets were cool against her body, and Hikaru devoured her
with eyes that gleamed with fire.
He switched off the bedroom lights, and the night hid them
both from prying eyes.
The light of dawn seeped in through the eastern window and
woke her. Shukumaru brushed Hikaru's hair with a curiously
gentle gesture as he murmured and turned over onto his
back. He was still more than half asleep. "I must go," she
whispered.
That woke him up. "Wait, come back tonight," Hikaru said,
yawning mightily. He grabbed her hand and kissed it, eyeing
her lovingly through sleep-mazed eyes. He started to nuzzle
up her arm, and she had to pull her hand away firmly,
before she succumbed to another bout in bed.
"I will," Shukumaru promised, laughing.
---
Night fell as Shukumaru returned to Hikaru's apartment.
She raised her hand to knock upon the door and suddenly
froze, sensing the presence of a ward: a seal of silence
and secrets, powerful and meant to hide the doings of
demons. Her heart pounded furiously. No, it could not be.
Surely life would not be so unjust. They had only the one
night together. The door handle turned easily in her
unsteady grasp, and she opened the front door and stepped
through.
She walked into a nightmare of blood and anguish.
Scarlet splashed the walls of the small apartment. The
living room was stained and soaked in glistening crimson,
forming bizarre images upon the walls, ceiling and floor.
Look, was that not a dull red sun pictured on the far wall?
And that splotch seemed distinctly shaped like a broken
heart. Trickles of the thick liquid had slowly trailed down
the pictures, forming claws of blood. She took another step
and stumbled over an object on the floor. She looked down.
It was a hand.
Shukumaru calmly bent and lifted it up slowly. The hand
was perfectly formed and cleanly severed at the wrist.
Blood, fresh and red, still oozed from the cut. She walked
further in, still holding the hand and remembering how it
had felt, warm and alive, when she had last held it but a
day past.
She turned aside to avoid a leg, and then an arm, and then
the pelvis with the other leg still attached. Blood
squelched with every step she took. So much blood in a
single human body. She reached the bedroom door and swung
it open. It ground to a halt halfway, bumping into the left
arm and hand.
Hikaru lay on the bed. Or rather what was left of his body
lay on the bed. It was merely the upper torso, the neck
ending in a red stump. Her breath caught in her throat and
she sucked in the tainted air in an effort to clear it. The
smell of blood and bowel stained the air: Hikaru's blood.
She closed her eyes and opened them again. Why did the
scene hurt her so? She had seen similar ones before, and
built similar altars of depravity and evil herself. Because
this time it is the person you love, her mind answered.
"Shukumaru, do you like what you see?"
She kicked the door aside to reveal a silver-furred demon
wolf, resting on all fours, who was licking at the crimson
stains on his tail-blade and uttering odd yips of laughter.
"Heizen-To?! You will die for this!!" She darted forward,
right claw raised to wipe him from the face of the earth.
"Why?! Why did you kill him?!"
"I have merely performed my duty as my Lord commanded,
Shukumaru," Heizen-To said with a savage and joyful grin as
he leapt back gracefully to avoid her wild and furious
blows. "Desist your foolish attack, or will you face your
father and tell him why we battled?" He smiled craftily at
her, lupine jaws gaping and tongue lolling. "Yami-no-Tsume-
sama sits upon the Eastern Throne awaiting your arrival
even now."
Shukumaru stood paralyzed as a raging inferno of anger
consumed her. Her father had ordered this! Her father!
Heizen-To casually knocked forward a round object with his
right forepaw, before fading into the shadows. His vulpine
grin was the last to disappear and he spoke for a final
time. "Remember, he awaits your arrival with little
patience. Oh, and don't forget to clean up." His insane
giggle hung in the air as he faded completely from sight.
The rolling object came to a halt by her right foot. Blood-
matted black hair framed a pair of dull blue eyes that
stared up unseeing at her. Hikaru would never lovingly gaze
upon her face again.
Rage and grief overwhelmed her, and she screamed her
anguish into the uncaring night.
---
Shukumaru flung the doors open and strode into the throne
room of Yami-no-Tsume, Demon Lord of the East and her
father. Demons of all shapes and sizes lined the path
before the Eastern Throne as Yami-no-Tsume sat in audience.
Powerful oni, chattering fish-like kappa, laughing kitsune,
cat demons and dog demons, spider demons and tentacled
fiends were all present; each and every one gathered to pay
homage to their ruler. Shukumaru ignored them all as if
they did not exist. Only Yami-no-Tsume commanded her
attention.
The great Demon Lord sat brooding on his throne. Not an
iron-forged monstrosity laced with skulls for Yami-no-
Tsume. No, while that might satisfy the barbaric natures of
gaijin demons, Yami-no-Tsume was a refined demon. He sat
upon delicate construct of teak and ivory, inlaid with
mother-of-pearl and tomb jade. Yet the culture and
refinement was merely a thin veneer of civilization over
the horrific lusts that welled up in every demon's
corrupted essence. He had commanded the death of Hikaru,
after all.
"Father!" she shouted over the throng of gibbering demons.
"You wanted to see me?! Well, here I am!"
The throng fell silent. Yami-no-Tsume raised his head and
stared at her. Black eyes, darker than the night, stabbed
into the core of her being. Shukumaru felt a distant fear
twist within, held back by a storm of churning fury and
pain.
"Shukumaru! Remember who you are!" Yami-no-Tsume did not
raise his voice, but it echoed in the room, channeled and
amplified by his own ire. "You are the daughter of the
Demon Lord of the East! How dare one of your blood consort
with a mere mortal?! Especially when a marriage to a Demon
Lord awaits you! You seek to abrogate my wishes!"
She flinched, for his anger was palpable, and it was never
wise to become the focus of a Demon Lord's wrath, even when
he was her fath-- No, especially when he was her father.
"No, Father. I did not mean to defy you, but you had no
reason to kill him."
"No reason?! Daughter, I have chosen to turn a blind eye
to your mortal dalliances because none of them ever
mattered to you. They were all slain by your own hand, and
I felt great pride in knowing that my blood flowed truly
within you." Yami-no-Tsume's voice sunk to a grim whisper.
"But when you spared the life of this human, then it became
my prerogative. He chose to love you, and so he chose to
die. You may have felt affection for him, Shukumaru, but
understand this, no daughter of mine shall soil herself so."
Shukumaru shook in the grips of a silent rage. Her father
would control her thus, and she was powerless to prevent
it, for now. But it would not always be so, she promised
herself. No, things would change and her time would come...
and soon. "Very well, Father," she said. Her voice sounded
cool and calm, untouched by the hidden rage. "If you will
excuse me, I believe I will travel to Rashamon and visit
Mother."
Yami-no-Tsume reclined into his throne and relaxed his
stiff spine, pleased that his point had been made. "Very
well, Daughter. Return in a week's time. The plans for your
marriage to Masakado will proceed then." He waved a hand to
dismiss her.
And Shukumaru departed.
---
Author's Notes:
1) 'oba' - this is an outer covering, similar to a kimono
but heavier and designed for outside wear.
2) 'Raijin' - the Japanese God of Thunder.
3) 'kyubi-kitsune' - literally 'nine-tailed fox'; fox
demons are ranked by the number of tails they have; the
maximum being nine.
4) 'Club Yellow' - a real club in Roppongi.
5) 'Roppongi district' - a central district in Tokyo; part
of Shibuya Ward and famous as the foreign nightlife
playground of the capital.
6) 'Aoyama Cemetery', 'Aoyama Park' - Aoyama Cemetery is a
large and fairly famous cemetery in Tokyo; Aoyama Park is
situated on the southern end of the cemetery. Both are
located in Aoyama, very close to the border between Aoyama
and Roppongi.
7) 'Aoyama district' - a central district in Tokyo; part
of Shibuya Ward and famous as a cosmopolitan locale.
7) 'Hatamei Hanzai' - roughly translates as 'obnoxious
crime'.
8) 'Fukuzushi' - a real and expensive sushi restaurant in
Roppongi though I have no idea whether it actually dates
back to the 70s.
9) 'hakama' - formal men's trousers.