The Waning (GojoHime) - Part 2

The Lost Child

"Mai," Utahime urged, "maybe it's time to call your—"

"No!" Mai hissed, frustration etched on her face. "I almost have it!"

Dusk seemed to be settling faster than usual, or perhaps it was just the oppressive density of the woods around them. The air, heavy with the scent of impending snow, chilled Utahime to the bone despite the luxurious fur lining Cousin Ayumi's gift of a coat and winter boots.

"But I'm sure Maki would..." Utahime tried again, just to be cut off by Mai once more.

"...do absolutely nothing, as always," Mai spat. "I know far better than her how to get in, Sensei. Trust me."

She strained against the hidden door, her face contorting in exertion. Utahime clenched her fists, her knuckles turning white. She was this close to starting to chew on her nails! Coming here was a gamble bordering on madness. If they failed... With a triumphant growl, Mai slammed her weight against the panel one last time. The latch finally gave way, revealing a sliver of a neglected patch of garden beyond. The overgrown expanse was a chaotic tangle of tall sasa bamboo, thorny bushes, and thickets of wild, untamed vines reaching out like skeletal fingers.

"Told you I could do it," Mai looked at her triumphantly. "Here we go."

Gained entry, Utahime sent a message to Nanami, who was waiting on standby near the main gate. He would start his countdown now: It would take them approximately thirty minutes from here to their first destination, the servant's quarters, and then ten to maximum twenty minutes to locate Chia.

"Alright, sensei," Mai announced, squinting up at the sky. The air had grown even colder, thick with the scent of damp earth and a faint metallic tang. "Follow me."

Utahime nodded, clenching her fists one last time for fortitude. They could do this.

Ducking through the opening, they entered the Zen'in compound. Mai moved ahead, deftly skirting around half-frozen puddles and kicking aside debris with practiced efficiency. Mai and many of the other children had frequently sneaked out by using this door, which was never guarded. Deliberately so, perhaps, because daring adventures was exactly what a Zen'in offspring should embark on.

"Watch your step, Sensei," Mai pointed at a section that looked like a bog, carefully balancing on stones protruding from the brown, half-frozen mess. Overhead, a crow cried mournfully.

"So we'll just pretend we belong here if someone addresses us," Mai said, trying to mask her anxiety behind a gruff tone.

"Yes. But won't people wonder when they recognize you?" Utahime asked carefully.

"There aren't many servants who stay on for long," Mai replied, bitterness flashing across her face. "And I haven't paid the family a visit in quite some time, so it's unlikely. But even if... it's not like I cannot visit!"

Utahime regarded her with a mix of emotions. Despite Mai's display of confidence, Utahime knew how much courage it took for her student to face a place that had caused her so much pain. She had seen the fear in Mai's eyes—quickly suppressed—when she had asked her student to help her gain entry to the Zen'in compound. The level of abuse both Zen'in girls had endured at the hands of their clan was never openly discussed in the Jujutsu community, but everyone knew that being born a Zen'in woman with little cursed energy was one of the worst fates imaginable.

Suddenly, they emerged from the overgrown section, before them meticulously raked gravel paths, perfectly pruned bonsai trees, and a dark koi pond reflecting the gray sky.

"Alright," Mai's eyes scanned the area. It appeared empty. Dinner preparations, Mai had explained, made this a good time to walk around without attracting attention. "The servants' quarters are straight ahead."