Kiyohime has long ago physically moved on from this plane. Her essence morphed, she transcended into a Shinigami, or death spirit. For filling what she is charged, seeking souls in the world she once physically lived on. The souls she seeks are the ones that have spurned the love of another, like the love she had for the man that tossed her aside. Relentless in her duties, she would appear to them as she first was, a young beauty of a middle class merchant. She grew a knack of finding those who would toy with the affections of others. Once her eyes were set on their prize, only then did they know who she really was. Changing into a sleek beautiful dragon, she would stare into them and swallow their souls to deliver to Yomi.
On one such excursion for a soul she happened upon what she thought was such a soul. Karasu No Megumi, hair as black as midnight, but shone with the brilliance of the heavens. Skin smooth as fresh cream and eyes that gleamed as pure jade. She lived on the outskirts of a small rice village, alone and secluded. She was spotted heading to the village for supplies. Her weekly commute, bartering or selling with what she makes at her tiny home. She only just caught Kiyohime's attention, for she was following unseen a group of young men boisterous about their exploits and conquests of women. For which Kiyohime new they had not a one among them. But when they saw Karasu, they became quiet save one who tagging along. Chuckling to himself as he was listening to the tales of exploits. He had a little blush in his face when he saw Karasu and Shyly walked up to her, trying to get her attention and muster the will to ask for a visit. She quietly looked at him, gave a short but curt nod and passed on by. Leaving him slightly embarrassed as the rest of the guys watched.
For the next few weeks Kiyohime watched Karasu and studied her habits. Always with her trips to the village she would give a curt nod and pass on by all gentleman who wished to talk to her. So Kiyohime decided to follow Karasu to her homestead.
Thinking she might have her next target. But that night she found her reason. For every night, Karasu would come home, either from the village or from working the gardens on her homestead. She would cry herself to sleep. Karasu was once married, but after a losing a child in birth, and then finding that she was no longer fertile her husband left her. Karasu's heart was broken from the loss of her child, then her husband. Kiyohime found an endearing soul that was almost kindred to her. Instead of anger that filled Kiyohime when she was tossed aside, Karasu was filled with love and sorrow. Kiyohime, in that moment and guided by her essence spectrally place her hand on Karasu's abdomen. She was given a blessing, that in a gift of a child.
Karasu grew radiply. Showing signs of child in a matter of weeks. Kiyohime had moved on to find her prey. Taking but a quick minute now and then to look in on the child's progress. For the first few weeks the bump was easily hidden on the trips to the village. One day though her pregnancy was noticed as she was slipping in between shop stalls. Rumors flew fast here and before her day was over in the village she was gathering all eyes and hearing murmurs as she shopped. Before long she was being turned away by the vendors. As she was gathering to leave some of the village people came up behind calling her names. Since she was unwed, they assumed that she was selling herself. She was told not to come back to the village. Tears streaming down her face she ran back home losing half of her supplies along the way. She either drop some in her hurried escape or they were knocked out of her hands by some of the villagers. Now, she was truly alone. Being exiled from visits to the village, she had to live on what she had on the homestead.
Three months had passed and surprisingly the baby was due. Kiyohime has not been back in a while. Busy doing her charge. So she had no knowledge of what had transpired or that the baby was being born. Only at the moment of birth does she feel a tickle in the back of her mind. She paid it no mind at that time. But what was to transpire, she had no knowledge of would be truly shocking and mortify her. She would use her powers like she thought she never would. Four years have now gone by, for quick years. Karasu never did name the baby. Just called him child or boy. She did not know what to name him. He was humanoid but definitely not human. Skin is dark as alabaster and somewhat cool to the touch, with a patch of hair atop his head. Wider at the brow and narrowing down at the base of the head. When the sun glistening across the scale hide a tinge of green can be seen across his flesh. As dark as he is with highlights of blood red. The boys eyes shine brilliantly whenever he looks at his mother. They are the color of Crimson though with flex of Jade. And the shape of a serpents. Something his mother must've given him. A long slick tail starting from the tailbone and ending a foot longer than his legs. This too has a tuft of hair at the tip black with blood red highlights. His feet are oddly curious. They look like human feet but with elongated toes. When he first learned to walk it was on the front parts of his feet that he was dominant on. It made him more quiet and more quick that way but he was taught to walk properly as well.
Winter was coming, they were out in the fields getting the harvest ready for storage. Helping his mama whenever he can. He looked up and down the road he saw something he's never seen before, another person. It was a gentleman that had a fondness for his mother. He had finally made its way up to see how she was doing. The young boy not knowing any difference, smile that the man and waved at him. But the man's face changed when he saw the boy. Look on his face was one of fear. He stumbled backwards and fell to the ground. This caught Karasu's attention. When she saw the man and then seen the look in his eyes she herself begin to worry as he ran off back down the road. She knew would not be safe for her or the child anymore where they were. So she grabbed the boy and ran back inside her house. She currently began packing whatever she could. Making sure to take as much food as they can as well. But too much time was wasted. He did not take long to get down to the village and to tell the tale of the demon child. Before long some villagers showed with the village elders. She was just making her way out of the Homestead and on the road heading away from the village when the villagers caught up to her. Send her exile from the village, they have been in a drought and famine. When tales of the demon child came to them they knew it had to be him that had caused it. So they came to end it. At first they were all taken aback at looking at him and the mother pushed behind her as some of the villagers made a grab for the boy. She quickly looked at his eyes with tears streaming down her face and said, "Run as fast as you can boy, I love you.". With that she looked back to the mob and tried to fight them off. The boy ran as fast as his legs will take them. In the distance he heard a woman screaming and then was silent. Tears running down his face as he ran through the woods. Then he started to hear the sounds of the villagers pursuing him. He tried to hide when he ran out of breath and knew he could no longer run. Night was coming so he might have a chance of hiding successfully. The sounds of the villagers can still be heard searching the forest all around him. Did he hurt something different, the sounds of barking. He had heard about dogs from his mother but he had never seen one. Frankly all the animals on the homestead were afraid of him. But the sounds of the barking got closer and closer. The light from the torches got brighter as it came closer. He had been spotted by some of the villagers the dogs had him cornered. Roughly dragged out of his hiding spot. Then a blinding pain hit him on the side of the head. As one of the villagers trucking with a torch. He curled up into a ball as they thrashed him.
Kiyohime felt that tickle again. Been years since she felt it. But here it was again. She was trying to remember the last time she felt it and what could it mean. But she had work to do. So she went on with her duties. A little while later though, it wasn't a tickle anymore. She had a searing pain on her temple. Flashes popped into her head. Torch light and barking dogs. In the sound of a boy whimpering. Fear actually struck her core. She let herself be carried by his cries. In a flash she was led right to him. Time slowed for her as she took in the site. Never seen this child before she knew who he was. But where was his mother. Where was Karasu? But this had to end now. Before the boy died. In a flash she formed her self into that giant dragon form of hers. Quickly dispatching the villagers there and the dogs. She put ward over the child as he lay unconscious now in the forest floor. She followed her senses it came across the mutilated body of Karasu. She made only one step into the woods before the villagers killed her. Kiyohime was enraged with this sight. That night vengeance would be hers, that power that she feared would be unleashed. It was the night entire village went silent. A short time would pass when merchants came across to the village and seen the entire village dead. Their bodies untouched they had just simply died. The merchants quickly fled and the village and was marked as cursed grounds. Never to be entered again. Slowly over time the village and surrounding lands would be lost to nature as it gets reclaimed. Kiyohime gathered Karasu's body and takes her back to the homestead. There she cleans her body and lays her in the bed. Silently leans forward kissing her on the lips. A tear falls from her eye and lands on Karasu's mouth. Kiyohime closes the door to the small house and walks away. Years later if anyone ventures so close to the cursed village might find a cherry blossom tree growing from the center of a ruined house. What is more peculiar is the blossoms are black petals with jade stamen.
Kiyohime went back to the boy and gathered him up in her arms. She needed to find somewhere safe. She couldn't care for him, wouldn't know how to. She thought of one man, a man from her past. He was the shogun from the province she grew up in. He was honest, fair and loyal. In a blink her and the child was at the gates of castle. She wrapped on the door waited a bit and finally a Messenger appeared. Sliding the porthole open to look at her and the child, she asked for Tokugawa Ieyasu, the messengers lord and the Shogun if the lands. He was an ancient man by now but still strong and loyal with a good head on his shoulders. After moments wait, the gates were open and she was let in. Cradling the boy in his arms they were led to the palace courthouse. There waiting her was Tokugawa Ieyasu. At first he was dumbstruck for he remembered her, but he also knew she was no longer living. He immediately called the guards thinking it was a trick. With the boys still cradled close to her she let her body change into that of the dragon. Tokugawa Ieyasu fell back into his throne as seeing her presence. She look down at the child and then to the shogun. Then she gaze at the child sleeping in her arm,and spoke. This is my blessing to a person that was pure. This night she was taken from us while trying to protect this blessing. I will leave him with you for I know that you are loyal, honest and fair. Take care of him for somehow I know when he is in trouble. Raise him, train him and be fair with him. In a way he is partly my child. Treat him as such. do not go soft on him, but do not be cruel to him. She then looked down back at this boy and as she speaks to them softly and quietly she reverts back to her human form. She whispers to him, you were partly mine. You were my gift and blessing to your mother. When the day you need me, I might not be there physically but I will be there for you to help you and guide you. She lowers her face and gives them a kiss on the fore head. Though he is asleep in her arms he somehow hears her words though not knowing who they are from. She walks forward and places the child in the Shogun's arms and quickly walks away. Tokugawa Ieyasu calls out after a quick glimpse at that child and asks for his name.
She looks back over her shoulder as she's walking away and says, " his name is Shi no kakusei-sha." Then she fades away.
