Kitsune: A Little Mermaid Retelling

Chapter Thirteen

Rin approached the shrine and the hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. She'd sought this place looking for solace. As a human, her connection with the mystic world of the Yokai had been severed. And as such, she felt the ache of its loss like a hole that had been carved out of her chest. It was growing larger every day, threatening to consume her. As she drew closer to the shrine, the feeling of unease settled in her gut like a stone. The witch had taken Rin's ability to sense her own kind when she turned her into a human, but this place had a hollow dead feeling to it that even as a human she could sense. She could see why the humans thought it was haunted.

Covered verandas boxed it in on all sides. An overgrown maple tree shaded the space, casting long eerie shadows over the ground. The ground consisted of packed earth. Nothing grew apart from the tree. This is not right. If a Kami resided here, everything would be in bloom. The sunbaked earth warmed the soles of her feet as she crept closer. What have they done to cast out even the gods?

Rin looked over her shoulder, her body tense. The four pillars at each corner of the courtyard had markings carved into the wood. She did not know much of the written human word, but all Yokai knew what these words meant. They were binding spells. Someone kept a Yokai here.

When Hikaru had told her the story about his mother, it had disquieted her, and she thought back to Hotaru's tour. Humans often tried to explain away what they could not comprehend. A Kitsune could not possess a human body, but a Kitsune could take on the form of a human. She felt compelled to learn more about his mother; who was she? Her quest led her here, and now, standing in this desolate place, she almost wished she had not come at all. It would have been better to let this ghost lie.

Perhaps she had been hoping to find a reason in all this madness. Why was the witch trying to stop their treaty? Why was there so much hate in their family? Why could she not get Hikaru out of her head? The gooseflesh rose along her arms. Rin crossed them over her chest, but nothing seemed to abate the unearthly chill. She had never thought about the humans keeping Yokai until the witch trapped her. Am I not the first to fall victim to the witch?

She examined the spells, and beneath them were long score marks made by nails. Her hand hovered over them. Who were you? Why did they do this to you? Tears pushed at the back of her lids. She turned her head away and went to the shrine instead.

She knelt down before it. The shrine was small, around the same height as Rin and twice as wide. The roof had been red once until the paint had started to bubble and peel. The figure inside, a fox with golden eyes and red paint for fur, stared forward, both imperial and majestic. They worship the Kitsune, yet Lord Kaedemori fears them. Why is that? Her hands rested against her thighs, but they twitched to reach out and touch the idol. What if I am not worthy in this form? The paint on the feet of the idol had been worn away, exposing the graying wood beneath. Someone prayed here. They begged for their life. She closed her eyes and she could almost imagine her. A beautiful lady, long hair trailing in the dust. She raised her hands up in supplication, waiting for release that would not come. Rin opened her eyes. She too longed for the freedom to return to who she was. She reached out to touch the idol.

"I would not touch that, or you will anger the Kami."

Rin jerked her head backwards. Lord Kaedemori stood along the gallery. He looked down on Rin as one might a rabid dog—with both fear and contempt.

She bowed, pressing her head to the ground. I should have known he would come to me. He has not trusted me from the moment we met. Her heart hammered in her chest. She had never felt this sort of fear when she had her powers.