Hanabi

Chapter 28: Master and Pupil

Tomomi just kept looking up at Sojobou in absolute confusion, and he moved his hand away from her shoulder.

- I saw you holding a bamboo flute the other night. - the tengu started, still staring straight at the brunette - A shakuhachi. Are you good at playing it?

- N-no, not really, I just…

- She’s awesome. - Mami interrupted Tomomi, earning a very surprised look from her and a glance from Sojobou. - I heard you playing, I might not know anything about your technique but I know that something’s good when I listen to it.

- I have to agree on that one. - now all eyes were on Haruna, and she wasn’t sure if she liked that. - What? I’ve been listening to that flute for months, I know what I’m saying.

Sojobou crossed his arms and nodded a couple of times, looking at Tomomi again. He stayed silent for a minute, then let out a sigh and nodded his head again.

- I’ll trust your friends Ogawa-san, since you don’t strike me as a very confident person. But you’ll see just how useful you can be. Maybe that changes your self-perception a little bit. - he stopped for a second, seeing just how nervous Tomomi seemed to be - Your music will be very handy to keep your friends alive.

- How? - Haruna asked suspiciously, and the tengu looked at her again - None of us ever found a song that could have effect on Oni, she could just barely annoy one from what she told me…

- Oh, but that’s how it starts. - Sojobou cut her words, making her frown - You have already established that music from her flute can irritate the Oni. You just have to play the right things.

- So you’re saying there really is a song to get rid of them? - Tomomi asked eagerly - Then we didn’t even had to get that katana?!

- Slow down Ogawa-san, it’s not that simple. You really need the katana, without Akai a fight would be impossible. - the tengu took some steps in another direction, seeming thoughtful - But judging from the way you phrased your question, you already suspected there was a song to use against the Oni? Where did you get that idea?

Tomomi looked down, scratching her arm.

- I read that in the same book where we found out about a katana that could kill Oni.

Haruna felt so dumb at that moment. She completely forgot about that small piece of information. She had been feeling so edgy for not knowing what to do next, and there was Tomomi remembering such a detail.

She looked at the kitsune still some steps behind her, and Rina returned her look in a way that made it clear to Haruna just how fast her mind was processing that and putting pieces together.

- You got your hands on a very good book then, I must say. - Sojobou stated, still walking around absentmindedly - In the past we would have tengu or more commonly great samurai wielding Akai and the other three, their abilities were so refined that they could fight like the youkai. They could counter the Oni, they could follow their speed. However, sometimes there weren’t such great warriors around. So, still in a short period after the four katana were forged, we understood the need of another instrument to assist those not so gifted warriors when they were needed. Thus a song was composed after a period of trial and error.

- Are you saying that you and the Onmyouji composed a song? - Rina asked, and Sojobou nodded while still taking his steps. She exchanged looks with Haruna again, and this time both of them had their eyes wide.

So this was why Myogibou sent them to see the King.

- The song has to be played using a flute, though it wasn’t originally composed for a shakuhachi. - he continued his explanation while facing the ground - We made tests and the song’s efficiency was proved. It has an effect on the Oni, it irritates them so badly to the point where they can’t focus on anything quite right, it destroys their ears if played for a very long period of time. Their movements, their reactions are hindered; it turned the fight doable for the lesser warriors. As for the truly gifted samurai, the song would make the Oni easier to kill. One way or another, after a while there was always a monk with a flute to accompany the warriors. - he then stopped and looked at Tomomi again - Do you have your flute now?