The Life You Live

Chapter 13

When night stirred a few hours later, so did the yokai, and Bunji became aware of a new presence moving around within his area of reception. Enough that his indigo eyes return to their ruby hues. It only took him a moment to tap into this energy to recognize it. For lack of a better term, they’d come to be referred to as kyuketsuki even though they weren’t anything like what mortals had written them to be. And with that kyuketsuki, there were two dodomeki as well; immortal women with a hundred bird’s eyes all over her flesh, and unusually long arms. The Kyuketsuki was wearing a black samurai getup with the traditional straw zori and black kasa; coupled with a terrible, black mask that seethed with rage.

These three yokai, though moving gradually, were hovering around the academy and much too close to Kaya’s apartment for comfort so he dashed into his room, threw on soft leather pants with soft leather sleeves, and cowl-necked shawl (no shirt beneath), whipped out his long, black, ornate ax, and flew out of the apartment with a pair of knee-high boots; the door closing behind him through it’s own volition, startling poor Mohii as the lock slipped into place.

He leaped off the balcony without hesitation, black wings ripping away from the flesh of his back and unfurling with a heavy, leathery sound; seconds before they pulled down and cast him into the air; a long, skeletal tail peeling into reality. It was the same with the skeletal ridges that pressed through the flesh of his back and the way that black feathers took place of his hair and ran down his neck, on to his shoulders and down his back…

Bunji’s ruby eyes, framed by feathery lashes, scoured the world below him. Because it was modern day with modern worries, it was easy to influence people to miss him; no matter how many or few.

And when he spotted the yokai, swept down from the sky like a nightmare.

His great ax met the kyuketsuki’s blade with such force that a sharp, metallic sound would resonate shortly before a gush of energy rolled off of them. And it was then that these two beings would parry and lash. The kyuketsuki, with measured and accurate force and skill, and Bunji, with analytical swiftness and technique. His face, devoid of emotion. His strength, often casting the kyuketsuki away from him with such force that he’d either collide with a wall or building; all while avoiding the terrible screeches that accompanied the flaming whips from the dodomeki.

Even, Bunji smiled a cold, dark smile.

. . . .

She found herself that evening practicing different terms of endearment that could be used by her to address him as. Nothing sounded quite right. Google had like 499 recommendated nicknames that proved to feel unfit. Perhaps she was forcing it. Just let it happen. Like when she almost did shortly after he arrived.

She let it go for now and busied herself with working on a bit of a inspirational song she had started in regards to Iehiro.

The unseen voices were restless tonight. Even with ear phones in use she still managed to hear them as they hollered, while passing by her window. She tucked her head down and ignored it as the night went on. Until she heard the tap tap tap with no reasonable explanation for it in sight. Passing voices were easy enough to ignore, but tapping. Like that of a sharp claw etching into the glass, that was driving her mad.

She stood up and stocked over throwing her hands up in exasperation at the window pane. "Will you stop that?! Please?! Go bother someone else already."

his scent lingers here

Kaya heard the unseen speak, this time with more deliberation the the usual wails, screams, and fleeting chatter.

"What do you mean?" She asked in response and the scraping voice spoke again.

but now his scent is there