The Other World

Chapter 15 - Akuma

Shika stood in the mist. He was lost. He had never tried to find anyone else in the mist before. He had never seen anyone else in the mist before Kitsune had followed them into it. He had never even heard of anyone else using it. But she had been travelling through it a long time, just like him. It occurred to him that there could be infinitely many people behind the clouds and he would never know. He tried walking around in it, but emerged into his forest in the mountains after a few steps every time. So he just stood there. The mist seemed to close in on him. What had seemed obvious just a few days ago was now unknowable. The whiteness was identical on all sides, except...there was a red dot in the distance.

Kitsune? Shika thought, striding toward it. The next moment, they almost ran each other over.

"What's going on?" Shika demanded. "Where did you come from? What else don't I know about this place?"

"I have a theory," Kitsune said. "Want to hear it?" She blushed.

"What is it?"

"I don't think this place really exists. At least, not when no one is in here," Kitsune said. "Every time we enter it, we call it into existence. A separate one for each of us. When we're here, we're disconnected from reality, like a soap bubble that's just floating in the air. We call to the place that we want to go with our minds, and the mist connects to that place again."

"So as long as there's a consciousness in the mist, it's a real place and we can get to it," Shika said.

"I think so," Kitsune said. "I'm guessing that's what happened just now. It seemed like you were a long distance away when I first saw you, but I don't think these...bubbles of space have any real sense of size. So as soon as we connected, there was no distance between us at all."

"But how did I see you, if these bubbles weren't connected?"

"When I thought of you, they touched and I could see you. That's what calling is, it's just the thought of the place."

"What about other people?" Shika wondered. "Can they get into the mist on their own? Does the mist exist for them if they're alone?"

"I don't know," Kitsune said. "How would we ever find out? No one would ever risk his life like that."

"Maybe no spirit would," Shika said. "Humans, though, with their fleeting lives must know something that we don't. They're always doing something dangerous. Speaking of humans, we're wasting time. Will you help us?"

"Time doesn't pass while we're in here," she said. "Only when we're connected to the real world and coming and going. I used to hide here and play by myself when I was young." She looked around them at the fog warily, but there was only white. "What is it you want me to do?"

"We need your help communicating with Chihiro," Shika said. "There's someone I want you to meet. She's waiting for us, in Ueno Park."

"Alright," Kitsune said.

They walked together out into the park. Paper lanterns illuminated the blossoming trees from below with a warm glow as people strolled about. No one paid them any attention. Shika led Kitsune to a bench where a girl sat alone, reading. The girl looked up from her book as they approached, and stood up to greet them.

"Kitsune, this is Risuni. Could you take her to Chihiro for us?"

Risuni bowed to Kitsune. "Please, take good care of me," she said.

Kitsune took a deep breath. "You know how risky this is?" she said. "He is very sensitive to intruders."

Risuni nodded. Shika did as well, more reluctantly.