Chapter Two
Eight Years Later
Eight Years Later
It was a calm spring night again and Kaori found herself wandering back to the small bench beneath the sakura tree.
Before this place had been where she silently cried over her forgotten past and the incomplete promise of her dreams. Over the years it had developed into her safe haven. Somewhere she could lie quietly gazing at the dancing sakura petals and contemplate life’s issues. She had vowed never to think about her past and the dream but today she would break that vow after eight years.
Now as she lay there, an anxious teenager about to cross the threshold into adulthood she couldn’t help but think about those things.
Sitting on the bench Kaori looked at her surroundings, a blank look in her eyes. The garden and surrounding rooms had hardly changed over the years, which calmed her for a previously unknown reason. The only changes were the small reflective pond besides her bench and the fact that the garden was now exclusively under her care.
Laying on her stomach she stared into the reflective pond. Her father had built the pond according to instructions from his friend at a nearby shrine. Supposedly if it was built by a strong, spiritually gifted priest the reflective pond would be able to show visions of the future. So far Kaori had never seen anything besides her reflection in the pond.
Small breezes caused small ripples to spread across the pond’s surface but it didn’t make a difference to her. She wasn’t trying to look for her future after all. Kaori was merely staring at her reflection.
Her facial features were nothing too extraordinary. She had the typical Asian look with the high cheekbones, pale skin, small mouth, and almond shaped eyes. What could be considered unique was way they blended to make her look delicate. The way her straight, dark brown hair framed her face, and the gentle look in her eyes made her seem fragile.
However if one looked closer they could see that Kaori hid something deep within her. Every so often the emotions that lay locked deep within her being sprung to the surface through her eyes allowing a person to see a different face to the sweet girl.
Today her eyes dark brown eyes reflected a mixture of emotions. Fear, sorrow, anxiety, everything she had been keeping locked within her for the past week. Her graduation had woken her up to the reality that she had feared the most.
She had to change.
The shrine and her adoptive family had been her stable ground. She had built her life around them refusing to see that one day she’d have to leave them and start anew. Those were probably her two worst fears: change and being alone.
Now though, with graduation behind her and her eighteenth birthday steadily approaching she knew she’d have to do both. The crumpled diploma in her right hand only proved that. On top of that her repetitive dream with an unfulfilled promise had stopped occurring. About a year ago the dream had stopped appearing only to be replaced with another. Images of a mirror, sword, and gemstone shrouded in shadows stood in place of a familiar silhouette and soothing voice.
I wish my life made sense. I wish I knew what waited for me in the future.
Rolling over she placed her left arm over her eyes breathing in deeply the sweet smell of the sakura as she let her right arm hang over the side of the bench. Tension and lack of sleep mixed with the heady fragrance eased her into sleep at last. Before she fell asleep though Kaori thought she heard the faint sound of bells coming from somewhere.
Not understanding anything she fell into a dreamless slumber.
Behind her the waters of the reflecting pool began to churn wildly. A small circle dyed the same silver color as the moon appeared and began to widen. A sakura fell into the middle of the circle and the water abruptly shot up creating a curtain the size of the circle.
As the water calmed down and the curtain vanished the form of a seven tailed fox was revealed.
The fox calmly shook itself and jumped from the pool to Kaori’s side. Its silver fur gleamed with water droplets and the bell collar around its neck chimed gently creating a hypnotic melody. As its crimson eyes surveyed Kaori’s sleeping form it gently nuzzled its head against her hand a small content sound rumbling from its throat.
Stepping back the fox closed its eyes and shook its head. The bells made a different noise and when the melody faded so did the foxes form. Gone was the eerily beautiful creature. In its place a mysterious man stood.
Tall and lean the man easily stood above seven feet in height. His silver hair was pulled back in a ponytail accentuating the strong features of his face. Eerie crimson eyes stared at Kaori with an unnerving focus and his moon pale skin only served to add to the inhumane feel he projected. A pair of silver fox ears tinged with black and crimson on the tips sat on top of his head.
He wore a silver haori and hakama with designs of red cherry blossoms and foxes. Seven fox tails tinged the same color as his ears swished to and fro behind him in a lazy fashion.
One clawed hand reached out to gently remove the arm covering her eyes. As Kaori began to stir the other hand came up to gently stroke her hair as if he were comforting a small child. Before she could awaken he placed a hand over her eyes and whispered a short incantation. Sure now that she was asleep he knelt down and gently scooped up her slight frame into his arms and walked back to the pond.
Turning to face the garden and sleeping household the man, or rather fox deity grinned. Moving his head down he whispered gently into Kaori’s ear.
“Say good bye Kaori. It’s time I kept my promise…it’s time you found out the truth.”
As another sakura drifted off the tree to land on the water the crimson circle once more appeared and the man and young woman disappeared beneath the curtain of the churning waters.
Soon there was no trace of anything out of the ordinary. The water was as calm and placid as it had been before, only occasionally being disturbed by light breezes of wind. The garden was in the same flowering state. Everything was back to the way it was before.
However there were two things out of the ordinary. A crumpled diploma on the side of the bench along with the faint sound of chiming bells.
Upon a full spring moon I wished to know what lay before me…
Now I only wish I could return.
Now I only wish I could return.
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