Chiyoko: The 1 000 Generations Child

Chapter 22: Yokaji

Chiyoko took Ru-rock out of her cassock and surplice, stood on her toes and carefully placed her on reverend Sei's oak desk. She then reluctantly took out Yusei-rock and placed him with a loud BANG next to Ru-rock.

As she placed the rocks on the desk she noticed that the spell she had written was not where she had left it.

Chiyoko cleared her throat. "Mom, this is going to sound crazy and I'll understand if you don't believe me, but please follow my instructions nevertheless. It's utmost vital for my survival as a human being and for the survival of the Yokai King in that flask in your bag."

She looked around the study. "Did you find the spell I wrote you and placed on your desk? Where is it?"

Reverend Sei walked over to the desk and opened a drawer filled with all the drawings, cards and art Chiyoko had given her over the years.

She took out the paper and handed it to Chiyoko. "Here it is," she said, "I kept it safe. Now what do we need to do that's vital for your survival, Chi?"

Chiyoko gave the paper back. "We have to follow these instructions and quickly."

Reverend Sei looked at the words that weren't words, at least not in any human language. She hesitated for a moment. "Can you read them out for me?"

Chiyoko looked confused at her mother. "I wrote it in my best yokaji, isn't it clear?"

"I don't know yokaji."

Memories about all those years at school whirled through Chiyoko's mind.

Her frog-like teacher knocked on the school board. "Now children, pay close attention. I'll be teaching you the unified scripture of the Yokai."

Yokai echoed in her mind. Yokai, Yokai, Yokai. Everything she had learned over the years, every bit of information she had crammed inside her mind... It was all about the Yokai.

She grabbed her head and an agonizing screech left her lips.

Reverend Sei watched in horror. "Chi? Are you alright?"

"I have to do it all over again. Stupid Yokai school!"

Yusei-rock managed to roll down the table and launch himself at the back of Chiyoko's head. "Focus!" he said and fell with a THUD on the ground. "Remember why we're here, Kizuna Chiyoko."

Reverend Sei stared in shock at Yusei-rock's moving lips and blinking eyes.

Ru-rock scolded Yusei-rock for being too hard on Chiyoko who was clearly having a rough time.

Reverend Sei's mouth fell wide open when she realized the lapis lazuli too had a moving mouth and blinking eyes.

Chiyoko rubbed the back of her head. Blood trickled down her fingers. She kicked Yusei-rock to the other side of the office. "Stupid Yusei!"

Yusei-rock came to a halt near the door as Sakura appeared in the door frame. She looked at Yusei-rock who blinkingly looked back.

Sakura then looked in the room and noticed a shocked reverend Sei, a bleeding Chiyoko and another rock with blinking eyes.

"Thank goodness the Fuyu family has left," Sakura sighed.

"Well, then. Let's sort this out, shall we?" Sakura clapped her hands.