Consolation

13| Quasi Adiago (Or, the Fourth Consolation)

The rain battered mercilessly against the windowpanes.

Three weeks had passed since the recording of Howl's Moving Castle. Three dull weeks. The transition from winter to spring always affected Asuka's mood; this year was especially bad. There was little to distract her from the gloom that settled on her heart. A gloom reinforced by the weather.

Asuka watched the water run down the windows.

Her and Kurama's conversation about the yokai who showed up at Orchard Hall ran through her mind again. Even after three weeks of nothing happening, he was still on edge. He still believed the yokai meant her harm, but Asuka felt differently. She felt the yokai was trying to deliver a message. The issue was, neither had definitive proof to support their theory.

"I'm not upset you went and investigated. That's what you do," Asuka said to Kurama. "I was distracted. In fact, I was feeling downright apathetic to the whole potential danger. I love you and appreciate that you always take care of me and want to protect me." Asuka paused. "But maybe...just maybe...part of my apathy was because I had subconsciously worked out I wasn't in danger. Miyazaki's ki flared during the most beautiful part of the performance. Maybe if I had been giving it more thought, I would've realized that connection."

"But a yokai showing up there, Love. That sort of thing doesn't happen, and your dreams. What if someone is manipulating them?"

Asuka thought for a moment. "Perhaps? But I've dreamed of that lake a few times. And think about it, Kurama; I've never had an issue with yokai."

Even though Kurama still believed her to be in danger, he conceded that without proof, he couldn't ask Asuka to live without freedom. But he worried. Some part of him always worried, she supposed. The possessive part.

Meanwhile, she hadn't had any more ominous dreams, and perhaps that was for the best. It's not like she wanted them or wanted to think about what they meant.

The rain continued to pour.

The only truly bright spot in the past three weeks was tea with Joe Hisaishi. Their conversation reminded her of the days she used to spend with Franz Liszt. In fact, Hisaishi and Liszt had lots of similarities. They were both composers who favored the piano as their favorite instrument, and while Joe Hisaishi was more demure than Franz Liszt, his love for music and composition was infectious, just like Liszt. He smiled a lot, laughed, and was kind and encouraging. He even invited Asuka to his and Miyazaki's next creative meeting.

Asuka was so grateful to have met them, and he cheered her up....somewhat.

No babies.

The thought still stuck like a splinter.

Asuka sat at her piano again. She needed to keep working and perfecting the Consolation pieces for her solo recording. Although they were "easy" in terms of technicality, the emotion of them and how she pressed her fingers to bring clarity to the melody, was of the utmost importance. She needed this recording to stand out. For herself, and because she felt she owed Liszt. He'd given her such a gift.

Dear Liszt.

She needed to get to work.

Consolation number four was sad, slow, and delicate. Asuka thought it sounded like a regal queen walking behind the casket of a decorated war captain who had been her lover in secret. The queen couldn't show the world the pain she felt, but inside she felt broken by the loss.

Asuka understood that feeling. Yesterday met up with Keiko, Botan, Yukina, and Shizuru for a hangout day. Kurama had encouraged Asuka to tell her friends what she'd been going through, but after seeing the glow on Yukina's and Keiko's faces, she couldn't bring herself to.