Eitsu's Nine Lives (永津の九生) [yuri/GL yokai reincarnation story]

21 - Cheng Guk Lung

I swear I will get around to doing the edits for this story. It's the only one out of my four that has not had the review treatment...-_- Anyway, please give the story a rating if you're enjoying it. Let me know I'm not losing out on sleep for no reason ^_^;

CW: NSFW

***

There was no way of answering that question, of course. Eventually, Eitsu dragged Tsubaki out to enjoy the summer sun, despite the former's intense disinterest in anything other than lying in bed and staring at the ceiling. Ayame came running anxiously to meet them, and Eitsu quickly diverted her into talking about what she had learnt over the past few days; the girl eagerly showed them the blisters on her hands from practising with a spear, told them how she felt asleep the first time she meditated, and rattled off a string of names of new friends.

"How does she do it?" Eitsu wondered aside to Tsubaki. "She can't even speak the same language."

"Some people are just born to live well," the dancer remarked.

"... there's Gāo Lì Méi, and Chén Yí Rán, and..."

"It sounds like she's even picked up the tones. What on earth..."

It was a rest day for the disciples. After lunch, Tsubaki was prevailed upon by some of the younger disciples to dance. They stared openly as she performed a simple routine, a dance that portrayed a girl scooping for goldfish at a festival. Many of the older disciples, despite having chosen to continue their training that day, curiously popped their heads around the sides of buildings and the frames of windows to watch too. Tai Kikuryuu emerged from the library, clapping, as Tsubaki finished.

"Your dance is very different from anything I've seen. Amazing control. It's almost like a martial art."

"I suppose it is my martial art," Tsubaki reflected. The young disciples crowded around her, asking questions she couldn't understand and trying to imitate her movements.

"Tsubaki-dono, would you be willing to tell me about your experiences? I want to hear from you, both of you, and write a record."

Tsubaki's response was a long 'hm'. Eitsu's was a grin and "Sure, but I'm still recovering my memories."

"Let's sit somewhere comfortable, then. I'm going to turn into a ghost, sitting in the library."

"There's a comfy stretch of grass nearby," Eitsu recommended. "It has dappled sun at this time of the say; not too hot, not too cool."

"Of course you've already found the most comfortable napping spot."

"There'd be something wrong with me if I hadn't."

When the other disciples heard that the three of them were headed to a comfortable, sunny spot, plans for a full-blown picnic immediately exploded. Disciples excitedly ran about, organising food and blankets. Somehow all of the five schools of Hanasan were ready to take part, and a sprawling picnic was laid out in the clearing at the foot of the mountains that Eitsu, Tsubaki and Ayame had first stumbled on two weeks ago.

Eitsu recounted some of the things she remembered, and left out many other things that she did. If Tai Kikuryuu noticed when she unnaturally switched between events, he said nothing.

A disciple from another of the schools, his robes trimmed in black, lightly bumped a flask of light wine against Tai Kikuryuu's head. "Hey, Cheng Guk Lung, have a drink!"

"Ow. You didn't have to hit me with it, Chén Shī xiōng."

"You're too delicate. That shouldn't have hurt."