Wolf and Keeper

Chapter 34: Elegies in Thunder

"You're a shinchu," Maru stared at Hoshiga as he sat down across from them in the primary meeting hall. 

The Gyoubu chuckled and waved a dismissive hand, "Of course. This place would not nearly be so safe if not for my presence. I fully plan to deal with Namikionna on my own since my initial plans seems to have been, shall we say, less than ideal."

Tsukimatsu snorted, "I'll say! You let the Sayonakidori get a foothold!"

"Not my intention," Hoshiga nodded with a furrow of his brow, "and outside of my view, oddly enough, and that is what troubles me. Which leads me into the reason why I have assembled you all here for this."

"Is it about Hashi?" Hachirou leaned forward with a serious loo on his face. "Can he be cured?"

Hoshiga tapped his folding fan against his hand and let out a long, humming sigh. "Well... Where to begin? There are several items to discuss with all of you that are of the highest importance, but I do believe that Hashi may be a good starting point. As for Hashi," Hoshiga turned his attention to the yokai sitting across from him, "I am afraid that his condition is beyond my capabilities. The Rot is... not as easily devoured like many illnesses. I run the risk of harming myself in the process, and considering my duties, that is not something that I can afford to chance."

"Then..." Sen felt a knot of anxiety coiling in his stomach as his hands flexed on his knees nervously, "Is there anything we can do?"

Hoshiga's eyes crinkled in a smile as he nodded. "Fret not," he nodded, "for there is a light. That light is, however, Heishi no Kohaku in the capital."

"Heiankyo?" Naoyuki blurted out from beside Maru. "We have to go all the way back there?"

"Your best chance for finding answers to both of your problems - the answer to the Rot and to Sen's condition - lie with Kohaku. He is a far more powerful magic user than myself and serves as the authority on all matters, both magical and demonic, to the Emperor and the Shogun," Hoshiga gave another nod, this one for emphasis more so than agreement. "I understand that the journey will be long, but you must take it."

Emi frowned, "I heard of him. The rumors that come from nobles from the capital about Heishi no Kohaku are concerning."

"Moreover," Nobuhiko jumped in with a frown, "how are we going to get in to see him?"

Hoshiga chuckled and leaned forward, his eyes smiling above his face veil, "I have a way for that as well. Seek out Seikogimi of Murakami. Not only can she give you faster transport to Heiankyo, she can also get you in to see Kohaku."

"You said that there was something else," Tsukiyoru pressed and Aoi nodded across from him.

"I believe that Sen here might be the Hachiman no Deishi," Hoshiga turned to direct his full attention to Sen. That made Maru pause. More than that, he saw Hashi pause and look at the other man as well. The thing that struck Maru was that Hashi didn't seem particularly surprised unlike just about everyone else in the party. "It is just a hunch for the time being, but the fact that he was able to sense the magatama and see visions of Watatsumikome leads me to believe that there might be something more going on here."

A silence fell over the group before Naoyuki stood up, "If that's the case, then I need to send a message to Magoichi. This is something that he'll need to know about."

"Why?" Yuzuha snapped her head to him and went to stand, ready for a fight. "You got some problem with Sen now, bird boy?"

Naoyuki blinked at her, "Wha- No! The Saika-ikki and our sister organizations used to run favors with the Deishi. We took on a few members of the Blades of Hachiman after they started getting wiped out. Magoichi wanted updates as soon as we heard anything."