Once more, Eitsu sat in the dark.

There were no bars this time, but neither were there plush cushions, or toys, or delicious food.

There were only memories.

Her memories were hazy, some more clear than others, like flashes of sunlight on water. The pair of them throwing snow at each other, the winter when they were sixteen. Eating roast fish together at a market the spring when they were twenty-one.

A heart-shaped birthmark.

Tsubaki? If it was her, why hadn't she said anything? Why did she so thoroughly hide her neck with high collars?

Rei? If it was him, why had he given her nightmares? And why did he too wear an undershirt that hid his neck?

Had Tsubaki really not said anything?

Had Rei actually explicitly admitted to giving her nightmares?

What are they hiding? What do they want from me?

She flexed her fingers. She felt... different. Her brief attempt at interfering with Rei's mind had made her tired, and she was only slowly regaining her energy. But the mere realisation that she had this abilities, the feeling of a kaibyou's power...

Her thoughts were interrupted by the appearance of two doll-like girls, identical in appearance from their jet black bobbed hair to their red dresses.

"Eitsu-sama, we have come to dress you."

Eitsu looked at them coldly. "For?"

"Rei-sama wishes for you to attend the auction with him today."

An auction? It couldn't be anything good.

Since that day, Rei had not come to see her again, leaving her in the room alone. She was provided with good food and comfortable bedding, and a place to bathe, but she was unable to leave.

Eitsu thought of the last look she had seen on his face and smirked darkly to herself. "What if I don't want to go?"

"Rei-sama said that he has personally invited Tsubaki-dono."

"… Fine. Get on with it."

The girls got to work, leading Eitsu to the bath and carefully cleaning her. She observed them closely as they worked, realising that their hair was made of fine black silk. These girls truly were dolls, tsukumogami¹付喪神 (tsukumogami) – tools that have acquired a spirit over many, many years..

When they were done, Eitsu was dressed in an exquisite set of gold embroidered robes. Her hair, now long enough to reach her shoulder blades, was neatly trimmed and brushed, and a little red eyeliner applied at the outer corners of her narrow golden eyes. The dolls showed her a mirror, but she merely glanced at her reflection with disinterest.

They led her to a sitting room where Rei sat at a low table, a pot of gyokuro²玉露 (gyokuro) – a very high grade of green tea. by his hand. He paused in the middle of taking a sip of tea as Eitsu entered.

They considered each other in silence for a moment.

Rei broke it with a rueful sigh and gestured for Eitsu to take a seat. She ignored him.

"How are you?"

"..." Eitsu raised a single eyebrow, as if to ask, how do you think I am?

Rei smiled apologetically, fiddling with his tekkou. "Is it really so bad, being here with me?"

Again, silence.

"You've faced unhappiness over and over again. Don't you want to be happy?"

"And you'll give me that?"

"... we yokai³妖怪 (yokai) – supernatural beings, sometimes good, sometimes evil, sometimes mischievous. should help each other, Eitsu."

"That doesn't mean you and I are right for each other," Eitsu pointed out lightly.

"Ah... that's true. That's true..." Rei knocked back his tea as though it were wine. "Are you sure you're not a kitsune, Eitsu-sama?"

"Are you drunk?"

"Nothing, nothing... Well, even if this is all the case, I'm afraid you must put these on." He stood and walked towards her. Although she looked calm, Eitsu fought the urge to take a step back. Her slim frame was dwarfed by the tall and muscular form of the kitsune. His long-fingered hands took her reluctant ones, and he kissed them gently, almost reverently, before slipping some golden chains around them. They joined to a golden collar, and another long chain that essentially served as a leash. Eitsu glared at Rei with loathing, and he merely smiled sadly back.

He leaned close, resting his forehead on her shoulder. A light scent of pine washed over her. Not floral.

"I'm sorry."

"So take this off and let me go."

"I can't do that."

"Then you're not sorry."

"Stay close to me tonight."

"No."

He tugged lightly on the chain as he stood, causing her to tumble into his arms. "You have no choice, little treasure."

---

Rei led Eitsu from the rooms, taking twists and turns through dark corridors lined with candles. Not once had Eitsu seen sunlight since she had woken – there were no windows, not even gaps in the walls, apparently. In the low light, however, they could both see easily.

Wood panels gave way to pale rock, limestone, and the strange air suggested to her that perhaps they were far underground. That was all very well for a fox, but as a cat, she felt uncomfortable.

She thought about asking where they were going, and why, but she decided she would not indulge him with her curiosity. She remembered, vaguely, long hours seated on a soft cushion in the sun, offerings spread around her. Her patience, as she sat and slept and dreamed and held herself and... and...

And what? She couldn't quite remember, but that feeling of centredness, of spaciousness, of a stillness of mind, washed over her, and she let herself fall into it with peaceful familiarity.

Ah.

At last, others began to appear, humans and yokai and all manner of other beings scurrying about, moving objects busily, or examining papers. All of them bowed to Rei as he passed, and cast curious glances at Eitsu. Some asked questions of Rei in a language that Eitsu didn't recognise, although the prying looks they gave her were easy to understand.

Rei answered the questions, and glared with a humourless smile at those who stared at Eitsu. The starers moved along quickly, that usually lazy light brown eye fixed on their backs like a hamaya⁴破魔矢 (hamaya) – a charmed arrow, used for dispelling evil yokai..

They made their way to the side of a stage, beyond which Eitsu could sense a huge space, filled with the hum of a crowd. Her keen hearing picked up a variety of sounds – different languages, different emotions. Rei tenderly tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.

She barely felt it. Something was waking inside her.

"Eitsu-sama?"

She didn't even hear him.

"My treasure, are you ignoring me?"

How can you ignore something that doesn't even exist?

Before Rei could call her again, an assistant scurried to his side and whispered something to him. He nodded, and pulled lightly on the chain.

"Let's go, Eitsu-sama."

Her only indication that she might have heard him was that she drifted in the direction of the stage. Rei eyed her uncomfortably, but stepped out before the audience.

A huge hall had opened up before them, filled to the brim with humans, yokai and spirits of all races. They fell into a hush as Rei strolled out, but the tension (Excitement? Anger?) was palpable. Eitsu noticed it, but it rolled off her like water.

Rei was speaking in a common language that had been developed to encourage trade across countries. His voice projected through the hall, but Eitsu understood none of it.

A small group of people near the front bared their teeth like dogs and murmured anxiously amongst themselves at his words. They looked malnourished and ill under their dark skin. Eitsu felt their desperate desires reach out like dark, grasping hands.

There was an ambiguous murmur from the crowd. Eitsu could hear it, their fervent, greedy, despairing wishes. Desire transcends language.

Please, let us bring her home.

I want! I want Iwant Iwantiwantiwantwantwant

Gods give me the luck to win what I need today!

Rei gently tugged the chain that led Eitsu, and she followed as if bewitched, her eyes empty. She was not in her body. She was not her body. She was kami.

Just let us bring her home.

I hope that today I find my sister.

We'd better find the fecking answer to our investigations today.

And then, a familiar voice, amongst the din of prayers and cries echoing through Eitsu's soul.

I must save her.

Tsubaki sat in the front row, her eyes fixed on Eitsu. Eitsu glanced at her for a moment, then looked away. In that brief moment, she felt a surge inside her. She was kami⁵神 (kami) – deity, god, spirit, supernatural force..

And as Rei led her back into the shadows beside the stage, Eitsu let her godhood free.

---

In the wings, Rei carefully placed Eitsu into a comfortable chair, deep and soft, and offered her various foods. She didn't even seem to notice.

Rei, on his part, ignored the comings and goings of the assistants around him, who all seemed to be moving like clockwork without instruction anyway. He rubbed Eitsu's hands anxiously, trying to re-call her attention.

It wouldn't work. 

Rei grew increasingly agitated, provoking further curious looks from the assistants around them. The kitsune was too distracted to even notice them. He pressed a hand to Eitsu's forehead, lightly pinched her ears, whispered all manner of things directly into her mind.

They meant nothing.

"Rei-sama?"a nervous voice tiptoed over.

"What?"

"The shishi⁶獅子 (shishi) – guardian lions or temple dogs, they stand outside buildings to protect the place. have just been auctioned off. We're coming up to the last item, Rei-sama..."

"..." Rei stood from his kneeling position beside Eitsu, and after a brief pause, gently tugged the chain. She stood, eyes blank. An involuntary sigh filled his chest. "I didn't want you to become like this."

Eitsu didn't respond.

"Let's go, little treasure."

After a deep, steadying breath, Rei walked onto the stage, Eitsu trailing behind him. He thanked the auctioneer and sent her away to rest, then his eye coolly swept the room and everyone fell silent, despite their nervous expectation.

He spoke again, in that common tongue, and a roar rose from the crowd, as those who had been on the fence found themselves swayed by the mood. Some roared with excitement, some with anger.

He gestured, and an enormous cloth-covered mass was wheeled onto stage, eight assistants straining to push and pull it. A wondering murmur rose from those watching.

With a huge tug, the eight assistants pulled away the cloth to reveal what was below.

There was silence.

There was noise.

Even Eitsu came back to the moment, her narrow eyes widening in shock.