Sureiyazu

Episode 53: His Stained Memories

Kasai hadn't walked a few feet when she felt it coming. 

The tingling in her soul could only mean it was a demon, and a powerful one at that. 

Her senses sharpened, readying for a fight, and her hand instinctively went to the hilt of her katana. Turning around, Hachirou's face was white as a sheet of paper. 

Faintly, there was a tapping, repeated as someone came across the long red bridge, seemingly in no hurry, and, from the sound, in bare feet. 

Hachirou stuttered incoherently, his breathing coming in faster. 

"What is it?" Kasai asked. 

He didn't answer. 

"You know this guy?" Kasai guessed. But judging on the feeling still in her, this man coming across the bridge was the demon. Interesting . . . 

"K-kasai," Hachirou began shakily. "Run. Run far. Run fast. Run away." 

"And why would I do that?" asked Kasai, without taking her eyes off of the figure that was becoming clearer as he came closer. "I'm not afraid of this demon." 

Hachirou swallowed. 

"It's like I said," Kasai grinned then. "Give me a real reason and I will. Then again, I'm not easily swayed." 

He didn't take the humor, fixated on the man who was making steady progress across the bridge. Instead he drew is sword again slowly. "Yuudai. Rot in Jufuku, you demon." 

~~~

"Aya . . ." Akuma asked. "Have you ever . . . felt like you were missing a piece of yourself?" 

Aya poured herself another cup of tea. "Literally or figuratively?" 

"Either," Akuma replied airily, trying not to make the topic sound too significant. 

"Why?" Aya asked by way of response. 

Akuma hesitated. "It's . . . well, I keep having these visions." 

Aya had taken a sip of her tea, and she raised an eyebrow over the cup. 

"First, it was when I was helping Taichi with Hayato. I . . . saw this town that was falling into the sky, and all the citizens were Hayato, telling me that a part of him was gone and I needed to find it." 

"What?" 

"Exactly. It doesn't make any sense. I thought it was a dream. Except . . . it does make sense, because we could all feel it. He's alive, but there's something off about him." 

"And you've had other visions?" 

"Not as long - or as weird - as that one," Akuma admitted. "But the other day I was just sitting there and I had a sudden memory or something. It was powerful, not like the other one. It was momentary, but infinite. I don't know how to explain it." 

"Infinite and momentary?" Aya repeated. 

"I could only remember half a second of it, but I could remember everything about that moment. I could feel everything." 

Aya thought. "Master Shi was the only person I can remember ever being able to see visions. It's a rare ability." 

"Add that to the list," Akuma said sulkily. 

"Visions . . ." Aya trailed off. "There must be a reason for them. You were caring for Hayato when you had the town vision, right?" 

"Yeah," Akuma nodded. "But the other one doesn't make as much sense as that. Ryou asked me what I would wish for if I had only one, and I asked for peace between humans and demons and -" She cut herself off because suddenly something in her mind clicked.