The Pink Pearl

Chapter 4: So, What's The Plan?

  The elderly woman introduced herself as "Grandmama" and only "Grandmama". She took the two men down the hallway and to her own chambers.
  She reached into her robes and took out what Itsuki and Chikao assumed was the missing piece of Hayate's horn. Then she set threw it in a drawer that was already overflowing with countless other shiny objects.
  "Wouldn't you rather collect pearls?" Chikao asked as he put his free hand on his hip.
  "Nope," she sat down on her knees. "Now, it's story time so sit down."
  Chikao and Itsuki felt very compelled to sit down. She wasn't a very charismatic old woman but she spoke with such authority...
  Grandmama still wore the same tired smile even though she was wide awake. Her eyes seemed to be permanently squeezed into crescents, too.
  "When I was young... when *the world* was young... I was a naive girl. I thought that everything I saw was mine for the taking." Her smile grew, "I thought I could have whoever I wanted. I was heartbroken when I discovered that I would have a husband chosen for me, and so I ran away. I went to the top of the volcano at the edge of our waters, meaning to throw myself in. Now, I'm not entirely sure it would even kill me, but I was certainly going to try.
  "That is... until someone stopped me," Grandmama's posture became more relaxed. "They cried out to me that I would burn my skirt. They said it was such a lovely color and it would be a shame if I were to tarnish it. I looked around, but couldn't see who was speaking.
  "'Down here, your highness,' came the voice again. I looked down and saw by my feet the tiniest little centipede. 'Do not despair. Isn't the heat of our mother comforting? That's why you're here, isn't it? To feel her warmth?'
  "I crouched down saying that I didn't think bugs could talk. The little thing explained that it's 'mother' gave it speech because it lived so close to her. 'She's lonely down there all by herself...' it said, turning its head towards the cliff's edge. 'I try to go to her, but I would burn up. How I wish to see her, even if it is just once.'
  "I took pity on the insect. 'Maybe I can never have what I want, but I can at least help you,' I held my hand out and cast a spell. I made that tiny centipede as large as I possibly could. It was so large that it encircled the entire mountain. It laughed with joy as it plunged into the fiery depths of the volcano, continuing downwards until I could no longer see it. I was glad that I could at least make someone happy, even if it was just a lowly bug...
  "And then that centipede came rushing right back out. It circled around me, lifting me up into the sky with it. It thanked me profusely and said, 'I wish to return the favor. Tell me, what has made you so sad? Surely, I can help in some way.'
  "I told the centipede that there was nothing that could be done. My case was a hopeless one. 'I may be but an insect, but you and my mother have shown me great kindness, blessing me with both intelligence and strength. Surely, even Seta can lend you something.'
  "And so I told him of my woes. There wasn't anyone I even *wanted* to marry, I was just throwing a fit because I didn't get a choice to begin with... I really should have just excepted my fate..."
  Grandmama heaved a sigh, "after I told Seta, they grew angry. Far angrier than I imagined. They set me back down at the top of the mountain and said, 'watch, I will solve your problem. They will not force you to marry anyone. They cannot if they are dead.'
  "I tried to stop them... but I was young and stupid. I had used all my power to give that centipede it's size and strength. I ran home as fast as I could, but I was too late. Seta had already devoured my grandfather. I tried to reason with them, saying this isn't what I wanted at all. But they wouldn't listen. Their eyes were as red as the blood on their mandibles. They scurried away and I thought that was the end of it.
  "Until it returned the following week and ate another of my family members..." Grabdmama now sounded as tired as she looked, "and you can guess what happened after. Seta meant well... but they were only as young and naive as I was..."
  Itsuki nodded slowly, feeling a bit depressed now. "Oh... I'm sorry..." Grandmama probably thought it was all her fault...
  "Don't be," she smiled, "fate has a nasty way of always getting what it wants. No matter what, Seta would have somehow became big and started to devour my family one by one."
  "What do you mean?" Chikao asked.
  "Exactly what I'm saying. Fate is very real, and you can't run from it." She fixed her gaze on Chikao in quite an intense way.
  Chikao actually started to feel nervous.
  "Though you may not be able to run from it, you can fight it." She held her fist out, "do absolutely everything you can to have the future *you* want. Don't let anyone take it from you. But just be prepared for the consequences. I wanted freedom from an arranged marriage, and I got a rampaging centipede in exchange."
  Chikao's eyes went dark, "I'm afraid it's too late for that..."
  Grandmama's expression softened, "oh dear... what have you done?..."
  Chikao felt incredibly compelled to tell her everything. But there was no way he could do that.
  Itsuki squeezed his hand, curious as to what he meant, as well.
  "I sold my name." Chikao said.
  Grandmama nodded, "I suspected as much... To me, you look like a swirling mess of emotions. An open bag with a missing drawstring. Whoever you sold your name to hasn't given you a new one. Do you know what you've done?"
  "I didn't at the time..." Chikao said heavily, "I was young and naive... like you..."
  Grandmama chuckled, "I understand. What did you sell your name for?"
  "Revenge of a loved one, and I still haven't even gotten that." Chikao clenched his fists.
  "A noble thing, but it seems maybe it wasn't worth the trade. I pray your drawstring isn't a broken one, nobody wants to clean up spilled rice, now do they?"
  Chikao shook his head, "no... nobody..."
  Itsuki squeezed his hand, whispering, "I wouldn't mind..."
  Chikao's ears twitched, but his expression didn't change.
  Grandmama continued, "you can't be purified because you don't have a name. Don't let yourself be overtaken by the darkness inside you. Find yourself a sturdy drawstring, child."
  Chikao shook his head, "I don't know what to do..."
  "Do what you can. Stop Seita. They're name was changed when they were reawakened. Or, rather, brought back from the dead. Find whoever did such a crime and bring them to justice." She smiled, "and get yourself a new name."
  Chikao was filled with determination from her words. He nodded firmly, "I will."
  Grandmama smiled, "good. Now, about Shin'ichi. He evaluates anything and everything that comes onto the property. There are only a few exceptions. That Oni, for example, is allowed because Giichi has granted him his blessing and has given him access. But Shin'ichi still evaluates him every time he visits, he just cannot force anyone out if they have a blessing. He reports to me if anyone needs to be dealt with. So whatever is allowing the Seita onto the property must be stronger than a dragon's blessing if Shin'ichi hasn't even felt the Seita's presence at all."
  Itsuki hummed in thought, "stronger than a dragon's blessing? Is that even possible?"
  Chikao paused, "only a god could have that kind of power... but for a god to personally grant the Seita that kind of power... Why would they? Seita has a personal motivation, why would someone revive it?...
  "We may be dealing with something stronger than we thought," Grandmama shook her head. "I hate to send children to do the work of adults, but I cannot leave the palace and only a human can stop the Seita."
  "Wait, why can't you leave?" Itsuki asked.
  "Whenever I try, the Seita immediately emerges and tries to take me away... It may be almost mindless, but it remembers me fondly. Whenever I got in the way of it trying to devour anyone, it always avoided me..."
  "I'm sorry..."
  "It's alright," Grandmama chuckled, "I've always been quite pathetic for a dragon. I hope that will change some day..."
  Chikao got to his feet, "it will. I have a plan to kill the Seita. Can you lure it out tomorrow night?"
  Grandmama nodded, "of course. Anything to help you return them to the earth. Dead things should stay dead."
  Chikao pulled Itsuki up, "here's my plan..."