Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10
Reizo and Suki arrived at the at the granary at noon. It was a tense and quiet ride after Reizo assured her that Gogo was invisible. No one would see a fancy cart arrive at a granary. Suki rested her hand on the clothing and shoes Reizo had let her take. Each of the Kitsune had one new outfit. She wasn't sure exactly how old they were because Reizo’s description was vague, so what she selected had to do.
On the cart’s high shelf was a small bag of dried chicken, one small jar of pickled eggs, and several water gourds. Suki had tied these in place herself after sending Rai away with a glare at Reizo daring him to contradict her.
“You picked out two nice outfits for those Kitsune,” Reizo said to fill the silence that settled over the cart since he’d directed Gogo down a fairly deserted street to the granary.
“Thank you,” Suki said without looking at him. She pulled the curtain aside and looked out at the poorer part of town. It was noon and almost every one was eating. Some on the side of the road by their labors, some in front of simple houses, and some sat on the ground by food stalls. Her stomach growled. In all of today’s excitement, she hasn’t eaten anything. I forgot because Reizo fought with me.
“Suki, did you pack any food for us?” Reizo asked. His voice wasn’t impatient. She looked at him. He wasn’t pinching his nose or grimacing like he often did when he spoke to her.
“No, did you?” she replied. He shook his head.
The cart pulled in to a deserted alley. Reizo patted his yellow robe on the seat next to him and stepped out of Gogo. He returned shortly with several rice balls.
“Thank you,” Suki said. “How did you tell Gogo to go down the alley?” She’d been wondering the entire time he was gone. She’d even asked Gogo via Junko’s paper, but got no response.
Reizo stopped chewing. “I didn’t,” he replied around a mouth full of rice. He hadn’t gotten to the meat and vegetables in the center yet and his meal was interrupted. “Huh.”
“Taru, are you encouraging Gogo?” Ministry Head Fujiwara had asked the quiet man last night.
Gogo was behaving strangely indeed, but there were more pressing matters ahead. Always something else that is more important than what I really want to study, Reizo resigned himself to not solving this mystery and turned his thoughts to the day ahead.
Gogo stopped in front of the granary. The smell of cherry blossoms drifted into her interior. Suki inhaled slowly, savoring each second of the wonderful scent.
“Pull around to the other side and show yourself, Gogo,” Reizo said. It was time to collect his retainers. He looked at the neatly folded clothing. Naturally Suki wants to take care of them. But that’s better than having a silly wife who shrieks about Kitsune like most of them do.
Before he reached the granary door, it opened and two apprehensive Kitsune stepped out. The smell of cherry blossoms was stronger here, almost overpowering. Ichiro had a new undyed kimono instead of the old rag he wore yesterday.
“My wife, Lady Taira is accompanying us. Don’t do anything to upset her. That means don’t talk about being Kitsune. Don’t do any of your little tricks.” he said sternly. Gin’s expression turned from apprehensive to sullen. Ichiro’s grew fearful.
“Everything upsets humans,” Gin grumbled. “Even flowers upset humans.”
“Quiet, Gin!” Ichiro squeezed her hand.
“We have one more joining us, Taru Papermaster. Don’t ask him too many questions, either. It will upset Lady Taira. And if Lady Taira is upset, I’ll be upset.” That should keep them quiet on the trip out so I can think.
“When we arrive at Crossroads, Ichiro will see what there is to see. Save your tricks for that.” Ichiro nodded.
“I’m good at sneaking. Way better that Ichiro. I sneak up on food every morning,” Gin said.
“No Gin, you stay with Lady Taira and protect her,” Ichiro said. “She’ll need someone brave like you.” He’d been thinking about how to keep Gin out of harms way since yesterday, and Lady Taira was the perfect excuse.
“Ok,” Gin sighed. “What’s a Papermaster anyway?”
“See for yourself,” Reizo gestured towards Gogo. Gin’s eyes lit up and she walked towards Gogo
“She’s made of paper!” She touched Gogo gently and walked around the carriage until she was in front of the window Suki looked out of. “Lord Taira says I’m not supposed to talk to you,” Gin told her.
Suki smiled and said, “Oh he did, did he? You must be Gin.”
“I am Gin!” Gin beamed because the man in yellow remembered her name.
“Come on in, I’ll brush your hair,” Suki’s heart broke when she saw the too-skinny girl and her tangled hair. She hasn’t had a mother in quite some time and older brothers aren’t good at things like that.
Ichiro’s eyes went wide in horror. He sneaked a glance at Lord Taira. The man glared and stomped towards the cart. Ichiro hesitantly followed.
“Gogo, I need quiet and a place to write,” Reizo snapped. A piece of paper peeled itself off the wall and turned into a tiny wooden desk. A few of Gogo’s sound eating kami drifted from the ceiling and whirled around him. Their fish mouths started opening and closing immediately.
“Oh my,” said Suki. It was the most wondrous thing she’d ever seen. Last night, Reizo described all the kami he saw, but the paper turning itself into a little writing desk was the first thing she could see.
Even Reizo was impressed. He had no time to enjoy it because he had to create Ofuda. He sighed and got to work.
“Ichiro, look at them! They’re like ours,” Gin pointed to the kami.
Just then there was a knock on the side of the carriage. “Hello, I am here,” a calm voice said.
Ichiro pulled the curtain aside and saw a middle aged man with faint smile lines etched into his pleasant face. “Welcome, Taru Papermaster,” he said.
Introductions went around, except for Reizo who didn’t realize Taru had arrived. He was surprised when he put his pen down and saw everyone was ready. After he waved away the sound eating kami, he said, “We’re all here, let’s get going.”
Their journey began a little after noon.
Picture by Daphne Zaras - http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/headlines/dszpics.htmlOriginally uploaded at en.wikipedia; description page is/was here., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2130165