Fuyuki Ghost (Chapter 4: Stranger of the Forest)
A whisper of wind could be heard and only the footsteps of Daitan and the crows filled the forest. Daitan and Fuyuki didn't speak; they only walked toward the place where Fuyuki had died... After about ten minutes they reached the spot. Daitan just stared at the place where Fuyuki had died. After a few moments of silence he looked at Fuyuki, who was lost in thought, and said:
"This is where I found you. The scene in front of me was the worst thing in my whole life...! You left me alone..."
Fuyuki, hovering slightly above the ground, drifted closer to the earth and said to Daitan with a sad tone:
"I'm sorry... I should have listened. I shouldn't have gone after that voice in the forest, and I'm especially sorry for leaving you alone... But I'll always be with you, even if I'm dead!"
After a short pause, a smile formed on Daitan's lips and he replied:
"Idiot... haha, you don't need to be sorry about that!"
Fuyuki was a little surprised, then smiled again and said:
"Huh? You put away that grumpy, bitter attitude again? You're being kinder!"
Daitan took a step forward and said:
"Okay, stop being spoiled."
Fuyuki, with a mischievous smile, moved closer and teased:
"Hey, remember how you made such a fuss at my funeral?!"
Daitan blushed a little and answered:
"Hey, enough! Do you even know what it felt like when you died?"
Fuyuki laughed and didn't answer.
As the sky grew darker the forest's atmosphere grew heavier, and it felt like nothing was there except Fuyuki and Daitan.
Daitan felt a little afraid and realized it; he turned to Fuyuki with a worried tone:
"Hey, wouldn't it be better to go back? We haven't found anything so far."
Fuyuki grew a bit serious, moved closer to Daitan, and replied:
"Hush — this is the same presence I felt in the forest before."
While Daitan and Fuyuki were talking, a strong gust of wind blew, and about two meters from them stood a woman with long black hair that reached the ground, wearing pale white clothes. In an inhuman, calm voice she said:
"I sensed the presence of a wandering spirit... but my guess that it was familiar was right! Fuyuki Inoue, you shouldn't be a wandering soul!"
Fuyuki stood close beside Daitan and said:
"Woah—this is the one I said! The one who caused my death!"
The long-haired woman continued:
"I hadn't fed on a spirit in some time... and your spirit was already near its end — it seemed like you were about to die very soon... but when I tried to swallow your soul, there was a strong will preventing the devouring..."
Daitan's voice shook in his throat as he asked:
"Okay... can you tell me how I can bring Fuyuki's spirit to peace?"
After a short pause the spirit answered:
"Hmm... very brave of you! I can help with that, but there's a condition!... While you're with Fuyuki, bring several wandering or vengeful spirits to rest... then come back here and I will give you two choices..."
The sky had become completely dark and the wind intensified. The long-haired woman's spirit faded away. Daitan sat down, leaning against a tree, let out a sigh, looked at Fuyuki and said:
"I can't believe I saw all that... Let's go home and tomorrow we'll go see that Oba-san fortune teller."
Fuyuki was a bit surprised by his words, and after a moment's hesitation she replied:
"I didn't think you'd deal with it so quickly!"
Daitan looked at her, stood up and said:
"I still can't believe it."
Twenty minutes later they had left the forest and were close to home. It seemed no one was inside, so Daitan opened the door with his keys and entered. Without saying a word he lay down on his bed; his eyes grew heavy. Before falling asleep he said to Fuyuki:
"Good night... I promise I'll bring your spirit to rest... Fuyuki."
He fell asleep. Fuyuki's eyes widened a little; she smiled, came to his side, looked at him, and murmured:
"Good night."
---
The sun was high in the sky and the sunlight bothered Daitan's eyes. He slowly opened his eyes, got up, and looked around. After a moment he called Fuyuki's name—and she answered from right beside him:
"Hm?!"
Daitan glanced at Fuyuki and, exasperated, asked:
"What are you doing in my bed? Wait—do spirits even need sleep?!"
Fuyuki smiled and said:
"Of course not... I just sat and watched you sleeping!"
Daitan jumped up and stepped back a few paces, suspiciously:
"Eh! Wait—don't tell me you—oh my—pervert!"
After Daitan's reaction, Fuyuki tucked herself in, stood up and laughed:
"Haha! I'm kidding, geez! Go get ready, after school we'll go see that Oba-san!"
(15 minutes later)
Daitan was ready and opened the door. As the door opened a light breeze blew; the air felt warmer than before. They walked in silence and Daitan kept looking at Fuyuki. His stares bothered her until suddenly she said:
"Hey, seriously, what are you staring at?!... Could it be that my face is attractive?"
Daitan immediately answered:
"Hey—didn't you sleep all night? What were you doing?"
Fuyuki grinned and said:
"Looks like you're the pervert!"
Daitan turned away and said softly:
"Forget it..."
---
During Daitan's classes Fuyuki didn't bother him at all and kept herself busy with other things. It was basketball time, and Daitan was resting when his classmate Taro came and sat next to him, drenched in sweat and out of breath:
"Ahh, what a game! It's not the same without Fuyuki—haven't played with her in ages; she was always so fast!"
Daitan glanced at Fuyuki and replied:
"Yeah, that's true. But you know what? I feel like she's watching us even now!"
(After school, around noon)
Daitan and Fuyuki returned to the market to find the fortune-teller. As they were about to enter the tent, a customer happened to walk out at the same moment. Daitan stepped in and called out:
"Yo, Oba-san — are you here?"
The cloaked woman, still sitting where she was, answered irritably:
"Didn't I tell you... ah, whatever. What do you want?!"
Daitan moved forward, sat down, and said:
"I'm looking for some ways to bring spirits to peace and send them away. Can you help?"
The cloaked woman looked a little surprised, then after a moment answered:
"Aha! I have a method to calm them! The ofuda method — it needs Shinto talismans that only shrines usually give, but fortunately I have a few!"
She went behind the tent and returned with a box. From inside she took out several sheets with sacred writings, handed them to Daitan, and explained:
"These talismans are placed on a door or on the dead body; they cause the spirit to remain at peace... got it?"
Daitan made a questioning face, then, understanding what she meant, took the pocket money he had and handed it to the fortune-teller.
The fortune-teller continued and described other methods:
"Our other method is a purification ceremony, which I don't know how to perform — you'd need a priest or monk. Next is the mirror method for trapping a spirit, because they believe a mirror reveals a spirit's truth! And finally, vengeful spirits and onryō won't calm down until the truth is revealed and justice is done... And also—call me Ms. Selena or I won't help you again!"
Fuyuki and Daitan stepped out of the tent and Fuyuki, after thinking a bit, said to Daitan:
"Hey — you're not thinking of using those talismans on my corpse, are you?!!!"
Daitan looked at Fuyuki in surprise and answered:
"No, idiot! Who in their right mind would dig up a corpse to calm other spirits???!!!... Alright, let's start catching spirits from today!"