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

28 - Jihi

A/N: NSFW

Jihi nodded. "I do, in fact. What is it you wish to ask?" Her voice was light but mournful.

"How long has he been a shinigami for? Where was he from, originally? Who is he?"

"He's been a shinigami for one hundred and forty-seven years," Jihi answered. "I don't know where he was originally from, but it wasn't Yamato. As for who he is, he is a kitsune, and a shinigami."

"Two hundred and seven... that's not very long."

"It isn't."

"Not from Yamato..." Something was scratching at the back of Eitsu's mind.

"Perhaps he is from the same place as you. Although I do not think it is likely."

"Me?"

Jihi didn't seem to blink much, but she did now. "Yes? You are not from Yamato either, I can tell."

"If that's the case, it's been so long that I can't remember."

"That happens," Jihi agreed. "I myself cannot remember much about who I was before I was a shinigami."

"What's it like? The job, I mean?"

"Well, it is fulfilling work, at least, for myself. Sometimes the dead are angry or upset, but in the end I am there to take them where they need to go. Or to leave them alone, if that's what they need."

"It sounds... relaxed."

"Oh yes, there's a lot of autonomy in the job, but we still have rules. There is only so much we are allowed to make our own judgement on."

"Is there a shinigami rulebook then?"

"Not really. There are only a few rules to remember. One – do your paperwork. Two – be respectful. Three – don't kill anyone and give us more work to do."

"'Don't kill anyone'? So Rei should have been fired already."

Jihi's placid eyes became suddenly sharp. "What do you mean?"

"He's killed me several times. I'm on my last life thanks to him."

"Hm, that is serious." Jihi frowned. "As you are a kaibyou with nine lives, with each death you bypass the usual channels of reincarnation and proceed straight to rebirth. Only once your nine lives come to an end would you actually descend to Yomi for processing. So we did not realise what he had been doing."

"Oh, is that how it works? Good to know."

"I will have to bring this up with the regional supervisor. I am afraid your case is not so serious as kaibyou hold the benefits of instant rebirth, but this may be a sign of other misdemeanours of his. Is there anything else we might need to know?"

"Hm... I don't know the details, but there are humans from the Four Kingdoms who are investigating him for legendary beast poaching. There's a ryuu after him too..." Eitsu haphazardly filled Jihi in on the things she had seen and learnt at Yuhai.

"I see... Well, those things are likely out of the jurisdiction of Yomi, but it is not a good impression for others about the overall character of the personnel. I will have to report this. Thank you for telling me."

"I didn't even know there was someone I could tell. I'm glad I met you."

"Likewise, Eitsubyou-sama. Please excuse me. I must be on my way."

The shinigami bowed and vanished.

Winding her way through the revellers, Eitsu pounced on Tsubaki. "Enjoying yourself?"