True Meaning of Love | Kamisama: Spirits of the Shrine Season 2 Rewrite

Retrieving the Spear

As Ai followed Shirogitsune through the grove. He was uncharacteristically quiet and had no trace of amusement in his eyes. The silence was killing Ai and she had no idea on how she should break it.

'He must be thinking about his reception in the village.' Ai thought, 'I can only hope that their anger has cooled over the centuries and they're more accepting of him than before. Although, I am sure having a human in tow wouldn't help with that.'

Ai frowned and bit her lip, "When we get there... how do you want to play it?"

Shirogitsune froze and turned around to look at Ai, "Excuse me?"

"Well, given what happened, I—" Ai soon broke off her sentence realising she said too much.

Shirogitsune soon took a step towards Ai and stared intensely at her, "What do you mean "what happened"? Did someone tell you something?"

Ai grimaced, "Maybe..."

Shirogitsune scowled, "Of course! It was probably Akanojaku! That stupid, no-good cheat!"

"It wasn't him!" Ai objected, "It was Kyo! But he was only trying to help! I was worried about you so I—"

Ai put her hand on Shirogitsune's shoulder but he shook it off.

"Well, whatever he told you, it's the truth." Shirogitsune replied, "After I was banished from my village, Kyo and his father took me in and then I lived happily ever after. That's all there is to the story."

Shirogitsune soon turned away from Ai and kept walking up the path. Ai soon stared at him. She didn't want to make him more upset but at the same time, she couldn't let it go.

"But that's not true now, is it?" Ai inquired, "What about Akanojaku?"

Shirogitsune looked back at Ai with a slightly grimaced expression, "What about him?"

"Well... You became friends with him earlier in life." Ai stated, "Why did you do it?"

"I... Akanojaku came into Sankiya Inn one day. I presume it was after he finished burning down a village. But he overheard me and Kyo talking about that day. So, he pulled me aside and offered me the chance to blunt my pain, to wreak havoc on humans the way they did onto my life. And of course I did, it felt fitting for me, somehow. Like the only thing I am suited for is death and chaos."

"But then... Why did you accept his apology? You clearly don't like what you did." Ai asked.

"Akanojaku in all probability only recruited me because he needed a strong person working with him or just people working with him. And besides, it's not like apologising to him would actually do anything... Even though I have joined Kagura and tried to amend my ways... I still haven't washed the blood off my hands and I never will be able to... Nothing I can do will change what I've done." Shirogitsune lamented.

"Oh, Shiro..." Ai soon took Shirogitsune's hands into hers, "That's not true... Your past actions do not define who you are right now—not if you're making the decision to try and make up for your mistakes. You, Kagura and Akito have protected the shrine and town more times than I can count. And now, you're working to save the entirety of Japan!"

Ai stared at Shirogitsune with hope, "I can't speak for all of humanity but for what it's worth... I've already forgiven you, Shiro. And in time... I can hope you can forgive yourself as well..."

Ai looked down at Shirogitsune's hands and gave them a squeeze.

"You may look at your hands and see them as bloodstained... But when I look at them... I see the hands of my friend who has protected my home and myself."