Destined to Collide - Inumaki Toge

44. Akihiko, The Bright Prince

The competition between Tokyo and Kyoto was halted then and there.

It was unknown how the intruders managed to enter the grounds of Tokyo Metropolitan Magic Technical College. There was the barrier master, Tengen-sama, but apparently, it proved to be nothing to the intruders.

It piqued Gojo's interest as to how the intruders found ways to enter the grounds undetected. Either they are so strong Tengen-sama's barrier does nothing to them, or perhaps a-

"A mole," Maguro replied to his thoughts, her eyes staring at the dark veil distantly. It was as if she was distant, somehow not here, but then she blinked and shakes her head sharply. Like how one would do so when one's thoughts strays. Gojo didn't thought or say anything else. Merely, he looked at her oddly glowing surrounding through his all-seeing eyes.

A golden glow.

Something is hovering around her.

Lowering his tone, Gojo whispered to Maguro. "Find Fushiguro and Inumaki. From the last we've seen them on the screen, I assume they are in deep shit with an S Class Spirit- no, no, don't fret too early yet." He quickly assured Maguro. She looked as if ready to scream in fear for her friend's life. "They might have escaped. Inumaki is there after all, but still, watch out for those tree roots. They aren't as easy as it looks."

Maguro nodded her head, worriedly frowning and biting her lips. Toge. Her beloved Toge. Toge and Fushiguro and the third year. They're in deep shit. Toge has a limit as well, and if there is an S class, then he...he...

Her gut feelings were right after all. She should have warned them. She need to get to them and get them out there quickly.

Quickly...

Quick...

As quick as the wind blows...

"My name," an unearthly voice called out in her mind, jerking her out of her trance.

She looked up. It was as if everything was halted right at this moment. The layout was greyish, and everything becomes colourless.

"I can bring you there, as quick as the wind blows. You just need to call my name," the voice continued, drifting in and out around her.

Lifting her hand, she was surprised to see the stark contrast between her hand and the colourless world around her now.

Has something happened? Did she fell into some sort of dimension?

"Very good, Lady Tsukigami," the voice returned, and this time, a bright golden light jumps out from somewhere and lingered in front of her. "This is indeed, a dimension not of the World of the Living."

The outline, the shape, this voice – it reminds her of Byakko, the white wolf that had saved her before. But there were no fire marks around. Could it be the same one, or some other wolf?

Is there even another one around?

"You have good memory, but that is not my name," the voice replied to her, swishing closer to her, bringing her a sense of warmth and a familiar incense scent.

The scent of kunko*, the preferred incense her family uses.

Oh, how lovely that memory was. She remembered she used to sit in front of the altar, cleaning and talking to the wolf, or more towards herself since there is nobody around. Of her days in school, of the weather, of how lovely the chestnuts in autumn tasted this time round. And she would light that incense after she has done cleaning and dusting up the altar.

The altar that hung the guardian of her house.

Maguro blinked out of her thought as her mind started to float back to her family. "What?" she started. "I-I'm sorry, I don't know your name, Great Guardian. I just gave you one because you reminded me of a white wolf painting I had back at home. I am sorry if it offended you."

"You know my name," the voice insisted again, drifting close and closer to her each time it drifted away from her and did a turn back from the skies, imploring for her the right name to call it out to reality. "Remember my name and call me by the right one."

Maguro notices the silhouette of this beast is getting clearer, and it again, indeed, reminded her of the painting her family has of a great white wolf with magnificent flames pattern drawn on its bodies and feet.

She closes her eyes, willing her mind to drift back to the time when she is kneeling in front of the altar, admiring the beautiful fire wolf with the name of the painting written at the small corner of the painting. "You've seen my paintings before in the Tsukigami's altar room. I am worshipped as your family's guardian."

And this prompt again brings her back to a time when she was still young and sat herself next to her grandmother. Her grandmother is very wise and knows a lot of legends pertaining the Tsukigami name.

"Behind the moon (Tsuki), there is a God (Kami)," Maguro whispered, and the surge of memories came flooding into her mind.

"One of your ancestors was a Fire Wolf God," her grandmother had said, making tea for her first granddaughter. "The Great Fire Wolf God had married your grand ancestor's miko, the one with the power to speak to the afterlife. Her name was Mizuki. For the love, devotion, and happiness she brings to the Fire Wolf God, the gods above granted her with the moniker 'Tsukigami'. It was a long line of family generations ago, but if you call upon them, they will help you. Afterall, they now belong in a world not of ours. And that, is the Fire Wolf God's painting.

With that said, her grandmother gestured with her head to the painting hanging in the altar room, where it hung there looking every bit majestic, beautiful, and timeless as the moon.

There, clear as day, the name of the fire wolf painted upon the silk paper hung on the wall.

Maguro opened her eyes. Realization dawned upon her.

It wasn't just a painting on paper. And it wasn't just one wolf with nine tails.

In the corner, right in front of the Fire Wolf, there is a small figure of a woman in white painted on right next to the name of the painting.

It was her ancestor and her family's Guardian painted on a piece of silk.

"Akihiko," Maguro whispered. The white wolf's ears perked up. Glowing brighter, the wolf's silhouette drifts right in front of her and there, Maguro saw the molten gold eyes of her family's guardian.

"Your name," she said, lifting up both hands to caresses the jaws of the great being. "-is Akihiko. You are the Nine Tailed Fire Wolf God." called out the Fire Wolf's name and her world erupted in flames.

A/N: I was thinking of splitting up the chapters to have both Maguro's side of the situation as well as what's happening to Inumaki at the same time on the other side of the veil. But it would be very confusing to keep having to go back and forth just to get the gist of the story. So I'll try to ram as much information as I can on what's going on with Maguro and her guardian as well as closing in onto Inumaki and co trapped behind the veil. 

Bear with me gais. Our favourite boi is coming up soon. :)

Found this pic of a wolf associated with Amaterasu. This would do as an image for Akihiko. Super lovely.  
Hiko Lg612, Okami, Amaterasu, Issun-Boshi, Pixiv, Fanart