Chapter Hundred and Five

Spirits Savage and Serene

 

 

Nekohiko had never felt so tranquil after awakening as the tree.

The Ise Shrine priests knew what they were doing. Not that they needed to do a whole lot since the Shrine itself promoted healing. Now that Nekohiko had experienced Ise's sacred springs and purifying waters, he regretted not being able to come here earlier -- even when he had only been fifteen years old and utterly lost in life.

Of course he wouldn't be able to reap benefits from Ise healing since his body and mind hadn't been truly wrong back then. Yes, even right after opening the seals. If anything, the seals put him into a serene mindset as most deeply Spiritual events did.

But he still wished... he'd had access to such a genuine, soothing atmosphere, five years ago.

It even hurt to recall how many tragedies and miseries he had encountered and how little he knew about how to handle them.

Now, even the pain of all those betrayals and hurt flowed through and past him like forgotten water.

Peace. Quiet.

Beauty.

He sat within the enclosure of the curling vapor on all sides like within a translucent tunnel of mist. The world outside the water curtain was blurry and insignificant, but not so within.

Within it, Nekohiko felt whole and in focus. And when he squeezed open one eye, he could see Abihiko nearby -- just as calm and soothed.

And just as happy.

Most of the time, they were wet through all the layers of their robes, and Nekohiko liked to force Abihiko's gaze on himself. Just to see him watching.

He wondered if Abihiko was fully aware this was meant as a threat of more punishments to come and that Nekohiko relished in teasing him with this.

But Abihiko once again was pretending to be above it all, albeit not as devotedly.

More and more, his old self was peeking through his immaculate facade of Imperial seriousness. The very next day after their "torture", he was almost like the Abihiko of their ritual seclusion time together.

Playful, eager, and only slightly shy with poking fun at Nekohiko.

Baby steps, but oh well.

At least now Nekohiko knew for sure why Abihiko's behavior had changed so drastically between the seclusion and now.

He'd realized it just today, when he and Abihiko had entered the purifying enclosures in the Shrine. After the purification of water, now came the purification of steam and vapors.

Or in other words, from the spring -- and into a bathhouse.

Nekohiko had gone straight to the steamy spring in the distance to get the first generous whiff of sacred vapors on his face and chest, but Abihiko had lingered behind.

The priest was telling him something about the healing procedures for today and the Shrine schedule and other things Nekohiko didn't care about. He never listened to what the priests told him about his healing, because -- duh -- he was one of the most Spiritual people here. So close to the Spirits, great and small, that dwelled in this place, he didn't need the guidance of mortals.

He could just communicate with the Spirits directly.

Which he did, every time he came to the Shrine grounds for his dose of Spiritual purification.

But Abihiko wasn't quite as Spiritual. He cared a lot about what the priests could tell him and, odd as it were for him -- scribbled down all their instructions and followed them to a letter.

Yes, he -- the man who had previously ignored all kinds of instructions and guidances -- was now desperately cautious and diligent in following them through. This intrigued Nekohiko so much, he waited for Abihiko to be done with the priests, and only entered the waterfall screen once Abihiko could come, too.

Together, they dashed through the swerving shower of steam, and emerged on the inner side of it, drenched, and sputtering, and shivering with the chill after the hot vapor. But not unhappy.

Because inside, the rows upon rows of Spirits were hanging out, seemingly bathing or lounging around the steaming spring. Above all -- enjoying their bath.

And Nekohiko was obviously very welcome in their midst.

"Heeeeey!" one of the giggly small Spirits of Foxes called him as it twirled in the water with all its many tails. "The Emperor! Come over here, let me sit on you!"

The Ink Spirit waved at him while the Spirit of the Incense only wallowed around the air, insubstantial. "Smell me, Emperor. You do like the way I smell, don't you?"

Nekohiko nodded and bowed to them all as he picked a spot in the water that the Spiritway guided him to, instinctually. Most of the Spirits didn't even talk to him, only watched him with their wise, quiet expressions. But he felt their benevolence and attention on himself nonetheless.

It flattered him, honestly. It made him feel loved and wanted, exactly as he had always dreamed to be.

But there was a capacity for hurt, too. Because for every emotion of joy sent toward him, a glimpse of hatred or suspicion was always reserved for Abihiko.

Most Spirits despised him.

And those that didn't, were repelled by his proximity like oil in water. They just... simply couldn't be next to him without squirming and wanting to flee.

And by observing the reactions of Spirits around Abihiko, Nekohiko could truly understand the full extent of Abihiko's miseries in the past years.

His Binder's corruption hadn't simply come from him having spent incredible amounts of power to save him. Yes, that had obviously been the case, but even so, Nekohiko could not believe a powerhouse like Abihiko wouldn't be able to recover fully from such a spell, as well. As long as he rested for a few days or maybe weeks, he would have been fine, and the damage wouldn't be so severe as to result in corruption.

Now, it made sense. Abihiko hadn't been able to use his magic fully in the past few years. Spirits had shunned him. For every smallest spell that he had cast, he'd need to spend much more energy than average Binders did. And him, posing as the Emperor with incredible reserves of power...

Small wonder he'd overexerted himself.

But... why did Spirits shun him?

There must have been something that Abihiko had done. Something that had earned him the reluctance of Spirits to engage with him.

But what could it be? Not merely Nekohiko's murder, right?

That would have been unpleasant to the Spirits, of course, but not so vile that it would garner a reaction such as this.

Sometimes, Nekohiko grew quiet and had a quick desire to just... ask the Spirits about the corruption inside Abihiko. After all, just look around -- how many Spirits are around you, he told himself.

Just ask them. What would be the big deal?

But he stopped himself.

This truth wasn't even related to him, only to Abihiko. He did not feel comfortable going behind Abihiko's back about something so personal.

Pensive, he watched Abihiko sit down nearby and assume a meditating pose in the heated water of the spring. The quiet, resigned peace in Abihiko's features. His resilient gaze.

Everything about him -- gave Nekohiko the feeling of security and... yearning to trust him. Trust blindly and without any trickery.

Abihiko had told him to wait and not push the truth out. It wasn't much time left to wait, either, and Abihiko was direly scared about Nekohiko finding it out sooner than necessary. Hells, he was bent on protecting Nekohiko from the early truth whatever the cost.

Perhaps... Nekohiko could just let him do what he thought was necessary?

Nekohiko had attempted to seek the truth with Arata behind Abihiko's back. He'd toyed with the idea of asking Morokata. He was now wondering about asking the Spirits...

And truly, nothing was stopping him.

But...

Softly, Abihiko reached out a hand to brush Nekohiko's wet bangs out of his eyes. The bathhouse was hot and the air hazed with humidity all around. Nekohiko's skin beaded with sweat and his hair curled up from all the moisture, ticking his eyes.

The nearest flock of googly-eyed Koi Spirits who looked like fat little children gave Abihiko a glare.

"Do not touch the true Emperor, heathen. You will dirty him," they grumbled, pouting.

And, ashamed, Abihiko drew his fingers away.

Yet Nekohiko didn't let him.

He leaned into Abihiko's hand, like a cat rubbing its head against its master.

"He already dirtied me last night," Nekohiko told the fussy Spirits with a sigh. "He better clean me now by himself, or that would be straight out irresponsible of him."

"..."

Even in the light of day and sitting among literal Spirits who would never care about any of the sexual references in the world, Abihiko found a way to get flustered.

His lips thinned. He turned away with a dismissive huff. "I did everything you told me, and now I'm the bad guy... Sure."

"You didn't look like you hated following my orders. If anything, it seemed like you rather enjoyed them."

...

"This is a Spiritual healing session, why are we--"

"My Spirit felt very healed last night, too," Nekohiko answered brightly. "Trust me, there are different ways to heal one's Spirit. Right?"

The rows of Spirits of all kinds and denominations nodded eagerly to everything Nekohiko said. He was basking in their attention and encouragement.

And he was basking in Abihiko's proximity, too.

"You got healed by sex?" Abihiko squinted, his eyebrow arching most majestically. "Seriously? You, a person who told me countless times you never once felt the urge to? Aren't all Spiritually-attuned indifferent to sex, mmm?"

Ah.

Nekohiko pondered that over.

"I got healed by dominating you. Sex was just the side dish, trust me."

A desperate blush spread over Abihiko's ears and cheeks as he stared.

"You like... dominating me?"

...

"I guess I do. Why? I am the Emperor, don't I dominate everything by my very nature?" Nekohiko did not understand Abihiko's vast fascination with this topic. Domination was his natural calling. What so weird about this? "And you are such an... annoying, stubborn, and... tempestuous person. You're too wild and unruly. The idea of dominating someone like you is..."

Nekohiko thought about it, genuinely pleased with this idea.

"...nice," he ended, smiling to himself with the fuzziest of feelings inside him.

But for some reason, his smile must have appeared as something quite different to Abihiko.

"Oh my god," Abihiko said under his breath. "Of my god, the things I discover about you now... First, you make yourself a wooden dick and... other things, for whatever reason. Then you tie me up in our bedroom and leave me hanging--"

Eeehh?

That had been for some strategic reasons!

"Then you do to me... what you did yesterday." Dramatically tired, Abihiko shook his head. "Do I even know you, Neko? You bit me while you were a cat, and you stabbed me as a human. You really like it rough, don't you?"

...

Nekohiko still had no idea where Abihiko was going with this.

He suspected some vague innuendos, but so far -- he couldn't parse it.

"Well, after it all, you still keep coming back to me," Nekohiko said, unsure. "So I guess you like it when I am rough with you, too?"

This time, Abihiko could not help a full-out laugh.

He lifted his right hand to show the side of his knuckle.

A small crescent shape of a teeth mark silvered across it in a faint scar, having healed many years ago. Nekohiko froze, seeing it after such a long time.

The teeth mark he'd left on Abihiko's hand when he and Abihiko had been forcedly Bonded together by Suminoe! Abihiko hadn't healed it with Binding because he'd said he wanted to guilt Nekohiko with the naturally-formed scar till the end of time...

And the scar was still there, subtle yet obvious to Nekohiko's eyes.

After all, he was the one who'd left it there.

"I'll tell you a secret," Abihiko whispered at him hotly, his nose almost touching Nekohiko's. "Yes."

...

Yes... what?

Nekohiko blinked. "Mmm?"

"Yes," Abihiko repeated, lower. His eyes, dark and velvety, pinned into Nekohiko's as his lips slowly quirked up in one of his most charming smiles. "I always liked it. Ever since the day you bit me the very first time. I just never told you back then."

And he winked.

Nekohiko observed him out of the corner of his eye, deeply perplexed.

Was... Abihiko making fun of him?

Was he back to his teasing self?

What was this with that smirk on his face and the smug look he gave the Spirits who kept throwing stinky gazes at him, in return?

"Yes, keep going," Nekohiko drawled in reciprocation. "Keep acting more and more unruly and obnoxious. This won't at all make me want to tame you and dominate you to teach proper respect of your Emperor. Absolutely."

Most of their days in the Ise Shrine went by like this. Meditating, talking, spending a lot of time with Spirits. Never before had Nekohiko hanged out so much with Spirits!

Fluffy ones, worm-like ones, teeth-and-fins, humanoid, enormous ones, scaly ones, tiny and cuddly ones. All kinds of Spirits! And each one of them wanted nothing more than to snuggle up to Nekohiko and to stare at him with adoration.

Frankly, he was ecstatic. At first.

But after the first three days, he slowly decided that he wanted far less time with the quiet or else nonsensical Spirits and more time with...

...Abihiko. Who else?

There were so many other things to do aside from hanging out with Abihiko and the Spirits.

Nekohiko had to train his newfound tricks with pain redistribution. If they wanted to destroy the dummy twin in Morokata's hands, they couldn't postpone training.

So Nekohiko did his best. Abihiko hated these training feats, but what choice did they have?

Right before each healing session in the Shrine, Nekohiko attempted to do some small damage to his body -- injecting needles into his wooden fingers, slicing his legs with a knife. Burning his toes with fire.

The first few tries had given him scars and tiny etchings on his wooden surface here and there. But the more he trained himself to outsource the damage to all those small insignificant woodchips of him that were kept hell knew where -- the more he could control this ability.

And soon, he was no longer damaging the doll body he was in.

Everything translated smoothly and thoroughly to any of his other bodies as long as he was concentrated and attentive about it. How many of his small woodchips and wood blocks had he destroyed by doing this?

Ah, he didn't care. He had always wanted to get rid of most of them anyway. It was annoying to have his consciousness be split into so many disparate parts.

Apart from this, there was the issue of checking on his and Abihiko's allies, too.

The first morning in Ise, he had shifted to one of the woodchips he had given to Mikawa to tell him that he and Abihiko were all right and coming for Kasuga in a few days. Then he'd done the same to Aomi through the ladybug. He had received their news from them, in return, but there wasn't much that he'd needed to know.

Mikawa and Kasuga were fine. So was Aomi.

Kataji... was a separate issue, but he was also seemingly all right. Nekohiko preferred not to dwell on that for now, in the fear of disrupting his healing process.

He was trying so much to forget recent failures to connect with Mikawa or Kataji. They were genuinely good people, and perhaps he didn't mind being their friend. But at the same time -- they were both so much younger than he was. And ultimately, he didn't have a history with them.

Or sparks.

Too bad Abihiko didn't recover as quickly as Nekohiko in the Shrine's purifying grounds. Perhaps because the Spirits didn't favor him, or because the Binder's corruption in him was so severe, but he didn't seem to get much better after the healing sessions in the waters. Only calmer and in a great mood.

But what did having a great mood matter if one's health was in such a horrible state?

Plus, did all this good mood come from the Ise's healing springs or from the fact that Nekohiko enjoyed being here so much? As more days passed and all Abihiko did here was look after Nekohiko's recovery, Nekohiko realized it, at last.

Abihiko was simply enjoying a bit more time spent with him outside of all the qualms and political manipulations between them and Morokata.

Because to him, this time might be so limited, it was a treasure.

 

 

---

***

 

The purification rituals in Ise were divided by the Great House powers and Spirits that served them. The waterfalls of Towa, the humid hot springs of Hisome, the holy fires of Hira, and lastly -- the airless wells of Nagare. Everything, to get the person clean of all the clinging evil or taint that clouded their auras.

The Utsuro method was also employed in the healing process, but merely as the meditation of the mind. Nekohiko did it in every other House purification rituals. Just sit and chant and pray with the Spirits of the Land -- to nothingness. To properly rid one's mind of all impurities.

It helped, this steady process. All of these rituals, combined.

But Nekohiko still grew impatient of following all the procedures when his and Abihiko's plans were looming on the horizon and while their enemies still schemed against them.

More and more, he couldn't avoid peeking at Abihiko during the healing rituals and wonder what Abihiko was thinking about.

Today, it was the Hira purification turn. The two of them were taken into the empty cavern with obsidian walls all around them, as though melted by countless fires erupting inside. Then, as they sat next to each other, the first Hira-type Spirits flocked over to them, awaiting the purification flames to come.

And, expectedly enough, the Hira Spirits did not shun Abihiko like all the others did.

Which filled Nekohiko with a sudden tenderness.

"Did someone bring firewood?" a few Spirits mocked Nekohiko the moment they saw him here. "How thoughtful of you."

"Protect your tree, Demonic Prince," one of the fiery horse-like Spirits told him. "Or this'll turn from a purification ritual into a bonfire."

"Ha-ha, very funny," Nekohiko snapped back at the cheeky Spirits.

He was the true Emperor, damnit. Did he have to hear stupid jokes about his tree-like nature from his own subordinates? Tch.

"This log doesn't need any Hira spells to catch on fire," Abihiko answered the Spirits with a sly smirk. "He can rub it out the old way, like the ancients."

...

"He certainly looks like it now," the Flame Spirit said, brightening. "If looks could incinerate a person, his might as well."

Abihiko cracked a smile when he checked to see that Nekohiko was, indeed, burning him with his eyes. "You seem to get the Hira purification methods so quickly, ah."

"The purification hasn't even begun yet." Nekohiko turned away in indignation. "Unless all Hiras do is roast people for no reason."

"Awww." 

Abihiko still caressed his shoulder with his fingers, forming a spell to fireproof him. Nekohiko smacked him aside, not so much because he had already fireproofed this wooden body the moment he could cast magic. But because he did not want Abihiko to use any magic, whatsoever.

Each spell Abihiko would use in this condition could only worsen his health. And Nekohiko wanted none of that. Not until he was certain Abihiko's corruption was reversible.

The purification ritual began, and the infernal fires blazed through the room. Not enough to harm Abihiko or Nekohiko in it, but just enough to force any of the malignant aura stains from them.

Or at least, from Nekohiko.

So hyped Nekohiko was after the Hira purification that he couldn't stop beaming once he and Abihiko were done there. He strolled through the twining corridors of the Shrine, greeting monks and other pilgrims, and paying close attention to the enormous Spirits that had wandered here from afar.

Sometimes, Spirits did that. Came to Ise to purify themselves if they felt the need to. Even the Savage Beastly Spirits could sense their auras becoming corrupt and would thus want to come to Ise for help.

So yes, the Shrine not only helped heal people, but Spirits as well, which was why there were so many Spirits swarming all around the blessed city.

"I wish I could live here," Nekohiko said when he and Abihiko walked out of the shadowy hallways and into one of the tiered terraces made of giant branches of pines. The terraces were like balconies into the upper reaches of Ise city, opening out into the streets and the fluffily-clouded sky above. From here, one could sit down and dangle their legs at the edge of the branches as they looked out into the city.

Nekohiko did so, letting out a peaceful sigh. The day was rolling over, and the sky over Ise was swept with the clouds of violet, purple, and gilded rose before the brilliant sunset. The leaves and needles of the canopies above the city whispered with the breeze, and only the large shadows of roaming Spirits -- of the Boars, of the Sea Monsters, or the Swarming Hives -- disturbed the outline of the city as the Spirits phased through the trees, approaching the Shrine to get healed here.

Nekohiko regarded the serene landscape with a smile wandering his lips.

The union of Spirits and humans that Ise represented gave him the biggest hopes about his Empire and about his reign. He sometimes wished... to never have to leave Ise again. Ise, or Izumo. Any place where there were thoughtful and tranquil people like Spiritway monks and nuns, coexisting with Spirits and wanting nothing more than to help each other.

The rest of the world was such a depressing vortex of human pettiness and Spiritual savagery...

"If only I could rule here and not have to deal with anyone from the human realm at all."

Quiet, Abihiko sat down next to him. But his gaze wasn't directed at the city or the picturesque heavens. Only at Nekohiko.

"I bet most Spirits would want that too," Abihiko said. "Otherwise they wouldn't come here from so far away."

Yeah.

Most Spirits that had become corrupt or pained with the turmoil of the realm seemed to come from the Hisome Kingdom, and the Towa Kingdom, and the Nagare Kingdom. All the Kingdoms that were in a state of war with each other.

Not that Hira Spirits or Utsuro Spirits also didn't happen around, but the three warring Kingdoms were the absolute majority in fleeing, helpless Spirits coming for the needed healing.

Nekohiko's mood dipped when he realized something far more painful.

Not every Spirit could leave its Kingdom or land. When he'd been traveling through Nagare, he had seen one of such Savage Spirits attack the millipede Line he was in. That Spirit had also been innocent, deep inside. It also probably hadn't wanted to attack anyone.

But it hadn't been able to stop itself.

It had been too far away from Ise to come heal itself before it was too late.

And it had been just one. How many were there actually?

The luminous gold of the sunset dyed the treetops into mellow dapples, but Nekohiko's heart already grew chilly.

"We have to do so much, to put the Empire back together," he whispered into his raised knees. "This here is just a respite... a small one. We need to..."

Gods, he felt helpless once he actually thought about it.

They had to take care of Kasuga's trial and, depending on how that turned out, they had to plan a way to overpower all the Lords.

To make them rescind their authority and stop Splitting the Empire into smaller, warring states. They needed to unite them, whatever the cost.

"How much do we have left before the trials?" he asked.

"At least two weeks." Abihiko smiled, as if refusing to take this seriously at all. "Don't worry, Neko. It's enough time. I know exactly what we need to do."

"Can you tell me?"

Abihiko's eyes narrowed into slits. Yet instead of shutting Nekohiko down like he'd done before whenever Nekohiko prodded him for answers, he only grew playful now.

"No."

"This is my Empire. I am the true Emperor, and you are just..." Nekohiko thought about it. "Actually, who are you, state-wise?"

"I am the Emperor's spouse, am I not?"

...

"Is that a governmental position, even?"

"It is now." When Nekohiko wanted to bicker more, Abihiko shook his head in dejection and pressed a finger into Nekohiko's forehead to push him back. "Neko, you need rest. Before we go out and do our job of restoring the Empire, we need to make sure you are healed. Do you understand? Do you know what the High Priest of Ise told me about your recovery?"

Aaagh. Nekohiko had it under control; he was certain of it!

"He said that the Dark Sisterhood only latches onto the darkest emotions within one's Spirit because we feed those darkest parts of ourselves. It latched onto you because there still is a lot of resentment inside you. You might not be aware of it, and you might not care -- but it's there."

"I know, I know. The Utsuro method of emptying my soul and my mind," Nekohiko groused, turning back to the landscape like a scolded child.

"Part of why I keep my plans away from you is... that they will drag you back into that darkness and resentment," Abihiko went on, quieter. "And I want to keep you as far from that as possible."

...

Too late for that, isn't it?

After everything that had happened between us. Five years ago and now, too.

"I am an adult person. I can handle myself without becoming resentful," Nekohiko said, without believing it fully himself.

"Neko. You are the most powerful person in the world. If you become overcome by darkness, it's..." Abihiko's voice stirred, and he tensed his jaws against the breach in his calm. "It's over, for us all."

Nekohiko stilled.

Slowly, he trailed his eyes over to Abihiko, a suspicion worming through his mind.

This sounded almost like a sliver of truth.

Of truth about the origin of all those labels that Daichi, Etsuko, Okinaga, and Arata had thrown at Nekohiko's name. "Monster". "Calamity". "Horror."

Forcefully, Nekohiko gulped. "What do you mean by that? Abihiko--"

"I mean that you can just trust me, for now," Abihiko cut him off. "I will make sure we face this in such a way that you will be able to rule your Empire and pull it back together. You will make it as peaceful and united as this place right here."

He nodded at the Ise grounds spreading out before them like a blessed haven amidst the turbulent storms. Even the plains and forests in the distance beyond Ise borders seemed darker and grimmer in comparison.

"But you have to maintain who you are, Neko. A good person."

Am I...?

I always wanted to be and always tried, but...

What if... not? What if Mikawa and Kataji and Sakami were right? What if he had always been only good to himself while trampling everyone else?

"You are a good person," Abihiko said as though reading his mind. "Don't you ever doubt that. But you have to raise your guard against everyone who will force you to play by their rules and on their field. Who would push you out of your element and poison your mind and actions. Morokata. Is toxic. Sakai. Is toxic. All the Lords, whether they like it or not -- are toxic as well."

...

"I am toxic, too," Abihiko said at last, much lower. "You have to keep as far away from people like that, as you can."

Nekohiko frowned. Something rude and snappy was only moments away from tipping off his tongue.

"What I mean by that is that I'll handle them. All those other toxic people. Without you having to come near them." Once again, all of Abihiko's graveness subsided, revealing the scorn and smugness beneath. "One kind of poison can usually cancel out another, pfff."

"..."

Nekohiko didn't believe him.

Abihiko had become too good an actor to tell when he was trying to play it off for Nekohiko's sake.

"You need to be punished," Nekohiko said abruptly. "Right now. Let's go."

"Yeah, sitting with you amidst all those dull Spirit prudes for days is punishment enough."

And Abihiko dared to roll his eyes at him, reclining back on his elbows over the branch terrace.

Appalled, Nekohiko had to check around if there were any people or Spirits nearby. People -- no, but Spirits, unfortunately -- yes. As everywhere in Ise.

He rolled closer to Abihiko, putting his hand against Abihiko's chest. Gently, he pushed him to lie back, while his other hand twined in Abihiko's hair, pulling his ribbon out.

This time, Abihiko knew exactly where this would go.

He reddened up to his hair roots. "Your Majesty, how dare you! Tying me up again?!"

"You are misbehaving. And all the Hira Spirits today were misbehaving, too. I have to punish somebody, so--"

He was only jesting. He didn't have it in him for any true punishments or tortures because what had happened two days ago was still fresh and raw in his memory.

Truly, doing it twice in one night was a severe shock to his body, unused to such excesses. But it didn't mean he couldn't intimidate or taunt Abihiko with this, no?

"Neko." Abihiko caught him by the waist to hold him off. "You need rest. This is a meditative environment. Calm. Soothing. Transcendent. Got it?"

"It will soothe me greatly if I was in control of everything that is going on around me. But..."

"Wait, just wait a little bit more." Abihiko gazed into his eyes, tender. "Can you?"

...

It took so much patience and effort from him to do this. But finally, Nekohiko smiled.

"Mn."

The High Priest of Ise was right.

The Dark Sisterhood curse had only latched onto him because he gave it fuel. With his own ambitions, his desires, his yearning for revenge... Ultimately, even Kataji had been right all along.

His anger and frustration hurt him the most.

He had to learn to let it go. And learn to trust someone else who was, perhaps, much better at handling it. At least, according to Abihiko's words.

We'll see if they hold true, Nekohiko decided, finally calming all the myriads of turmoils in his heart about this.

"I'll wait till the trials for the whole truth," he promised Abihiko, reclining onto Abihiko's shoulder so that both of them now lay under the gorgeous sunset clouds in the sky, with the shimmering leaves of the trees rustling above them softly. "And I'll wait till the end of all the Ise rituals to hear your plans about our defense against Morokata. All right?"

"All right," Abihiko answered.

A brilliant, gentle autumn day they spent almost entirely outside, enjoying the scenery and each other's closeness. Even without any of the punishments.

 

 

---

***

 

The next day was their last day of the cleansing rituals. The Nagare chamber of airlessness. Though it wasn't just the air that was absent from it. It was everything.

Even gravity didn't seem to work there.

No living thing could survive within, so pure and clean the environment inside the empty glass well was. But aside from that, and seeing as Abihiko and Nekohiko could Bind their breaths to still reach them even within the well -- the Nagare purification was one of the nicest.

Once they jumped into that well, already filled with the glowing Moth Spirits, Nekohiko realized that the lack of solid ground beneath him wasn't scary at all.

The well, translucent and glimmering with the glaucous color of rainclouds -- let him float. The absence of gravity and air was only utter freedom of movement. Nekohiko's hair and clothes swam around him like they would underwater, and as he turned around in the airless space, he saw just how beautiful Abihiko looked next to him, also suspended in nothingness.

Nekohiko smiled, pointing upward even though it was hard to say where up and down were, here.

"Doesn't this feel familiar?" he mouthed. "The well, you and me, floating within it... suspended."

They couldn't communicate in any way other than Binding sound of their words directly into each other's hearing. But that also was quite familiar.

"Yes, that time you and I both jumped into that well during our first Wayfaring fiasco?" Abihiko winced, remembering.

But he remembered wrong.

Nekohiko caught him in the vacuum space. First -- by the wrist, stopping Abihiko from drifting too far away from himself. Then, by his elbow to pull him closer. And at last, pressed tight against his chest so that they each had something to hold on to, in this place without up and down, or left and right.

Something solid and certain, for once.

"I was dragged into that well. I didn't jump", Nekohiko whispered into Abihiko's ear. "Why do you keep lying and undermining what happened and what you did for me?

"You didn't have to jump after me, but you did."

"..."

And though I do not yet know the truth about what happened five years ago, I think... it is the same exact situation.

Something bad happened to me five years ago. I fell... somewhere deep and dark. And you didn't have to jump after me.

Yet you did.

And I think where you have jumped in order to save me, it is much darker and much deeper than I have ever fallen. And you prefer that I don't follow you there.

...

But... why?

Why, Abihiko? Why did you jump, in the first place?

Amidst the fleeting, luminous moths and the free-fall space of the glassy well, Nekohiko and Abihiko slowly twirled, floating. Their clothes and hair waved around them like algae.

Nekohiko stretched his neck to reach Abihiko's lips with his own and closed his eyes in pure trust.

His trust was justified, too.

Because Abihiko did kiss him back, sweetly and timidly.

Even if it had taken him quite a few painful moments to dare.

 

 

---

***

 

 

The Ise Shrine stay was over with just a few more rounds of exorcism and magical cleansing by the Priests. Like before, they only told Nekohiko that it was a way to soothe all his grievances and resentments. To return his soul to a calmer state it had always been most comfortable in.

It could not erase the pain and misery of everything bad that had happened to him. Therefore, it could not completely extinguish the Dark Sisterhood's curse within him.

It would stay in his body forever, like the seeds of bitterness and distrust would remain forever in his soul, marring his Spirit.

But he didn't have to give them power anymore.

He could now choose not to.

And that was all that mattered, in the end.

 

 

---

***

 

 

It was the last night in Ise when Abihiko and Nekohiko sat before each other in their room, ready for nothing short of a battle.

The curse was no longer an issue.

Morokata must have eased out his guard on Nekohiko's dummy twin body in Izumo.

It was time.

Time for them to act on their plans. The very first step of taking their lives from under his control. Nekohiko had trained days for this, teaching himself how to deflect pain and damage -- just to do this.

To finally destroy the dummy twin in Morokata's hands and not let him use it against them.

Abihiko gave him a weary, long gaze.

"Ready?" he asked.

...

Always, Abihiko.