Time Traveler Katsumi

The Border Between This World and The Next

[[Oh!]] Katsumi said when she put up a barrier. [[It's so much easier now...]] All she had to do was think it, and it happened. She didn't feel the same strain as before.

[[That's because you've learned your True Name,]] Fearghal said. [[It unlocked your powers so you can use them freely. Before, it's like trying to get blood from a stone.]]

[[You can say that again,]] Katsumi said wryly. [[Before, It felt like I used up half my energy just raising the shield, and maintaining it was just exhausting.]]

[[I'm impressed you were able to do it all, especially without training,]] Tadgh said. [[Usually the only thing babies can do is fly, glamour, and enthrall. Sometimes they can also heal, but it's rare.]]

[[Babies? Glamour? Enthrall?]] Katsumi asked.

[[You're considered a baby until you learn your True Name. Faerie children mature quickly, so they usually learn it by the time they're ten-years-old,]] Fearghal explained.

[[What about 'glamour'?]] Katsumi asked.

[[You saw your true faerie self in your vision quest, didn't you?]] Fearghal said. [[Pure-blooded faeries don't look human. From a young age they instinctively use magic that gives the illusion of a human appearance. That's glamour. I wouldn't bring it up with them if I were you. They're vain and don't like being called out on it. Some of them will even pluck out the eyes of humans who can see through it.]]

[[Yikes! And what's this 'enthrall' you mentioned?]] Katsumi asked.

[[Ah, that's something that happens automatically,]] Tadhg said. [[Faeries release pheromones that make other species feel protective of them or attracted to them, to prevent them from attacking. Sometimes even do their bidding. It gets stronger when a faerie is in danger or feels a strong attraction to someone. In the later case, it usually results in infatuation. It's especially effective against humans. Once they're in enthralled, they're usually hooked for life.]]

[[Eh? Then... if someone falls in love with us... it's because of our pheromones?]] Katsumi asked. [[I don't want that kind of artificial love.]] She wondered if it had affected Sesshoumaru in any way. Probably not, since he didn't return her feelings... but it still worried her.

[[Aww, she's so pure~]] Tadhg said. [[Hard to believe she's part of this family.]]

[[Don't worry,]] Fearghal told her. [[You're only one-fourth faerie, so the most it'll do is make you memorable. You can't actually enthrall anyone to that degree.]] He was giving her a knowing smile. Katsumi blushed. Her grandpa must have picked up on her feelings for Sesshoumaru when her mind wasn't shielded and told them.

'Thanks a lot, Grandpa,' she thought, feeling a little chagrinned. Did everyone know?

[[All right. Time to get serious,]] Fearghal said, rolling up his sleeves. Tadhg followed suit. Katsumi felt a stir of power in them and suddenly sensed all the power that they had been suppressing.

[[Now,]] Tadhg said, smirking deviously. [[Let's see what you're made of.]]

{Back in Japan...}

"Jaken-sama~! Jaken-sama~! Why, oh why are you green~?" Rin sang as she picked flowers in a meadow while Jaken watched over her.

"How should I know?" Jaken said. He sighed.

"I guess we have to stay back again today," Rin said. "Isn't it boring, Jaken-sama? I hope Katsumi-nee comes back soon."

"It really is boring," Jaken agreed. 'If I didn't have to baby-sit this kid, I could accompany Sesshoumaru-sama,' he thought. A flower petal flew by him. "Hm?" Suddenly the wind changed, and a strong gust swept across the meadow.