Sushi, Sake, and Tanuki: Shinto 1

Location: Japan



The sea air breathed life into my human nose. I was in human form except for my raven wing-arms. Hijunaki, the snake demon, was tasting the air with his tongue. While I was getting a feeling of love, the kind I allowed myself, he didn't seem to be feeling anything. Though it seemed he was calming down.


Thousand of years had passed, but we still weren't friends. There are some things that time can't change. Not even after eternities have passed.


"Yomosa." Hijunaki finally said. "Yomosa."


"What is Yomosa, Master Hijunaki?" I asked, deciding it was best to address him with a respected title.


"Yomosa is a person, not a thing." He hissed angrily. "Yomosa is a lovely woman that the Sun himself is jealous of. For she provides more light than him."


"I don't recall seeing her." A horrifying idea suddenly occurred to me. "And if I have already bedded her, I ask your forgiveness."


As I started to bow, Hijunaki laughed. I didn't know what it meant so I finished my bow and held it.


"As much as I love to see you bowing, Rig, it is impossible for you to have bedded her." He said. "I haven't allowed you to leave my palace, unless it was with me."


I remembered finding Yamaka's body. Eaten by some creature or creatures.


I stood up and laughed out of relief. "Do you realize it's been thousands of years since you went after a woman? That you felt love for a woman?"


"It's not love." Hijunaki hissed. Though I knew that Hijunaki could love. He had loved Yamaka and he would probably love Yomosa the same. "But now is not the time to get her. I must think some more."


With that I flew, while Hijunaki slithered, back to Hijunaki's Palace. Once there I went to my room. After getting to my room I felt myself go back in time.


I was running after a woman through a forest. She was naked and I was naked. She was saying something but I couldn't understand it. Finally I caught up to her and she turned around. I saw the stab wound through her heart and knew who she was.


"You killed me!" She said and laughed.


I finally woke myself up and saw a drawing on my wall of the woman. I had drawn it during one of my many lonely nights. And why wouldn't I get nostalgic about her? Sajoki had been my first love. Someone who I had loved naively. Who had betrayed me.


I suddenly realized what I was doing and started painting over the picture with my own blood.
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Sushi, Sake, and Tanuki Blog aka Companion to Rig's World