“Well, did she send you or not?”

Inari and Hato stood there, frozen, as they were given the strangest information of the day. Yes they thought that perhaps she would be around his memories, but to be in the one that they just so happened to drop into was insane…

“Well?”

The long haired man waved a hand in front of Inari’s face, and she was brought back to reality.

“Um! We’re actually looking for her!”

“Oh, whose battalion are you from?”

We’re from… Gen’s group.”

“Oh, he’s under Orchid, so you should be able to find her back that way.”

The man pointed in the direction of the middle of camp, and they thanked him, walking away. Hato looked back at him, and noted that he was staring quite intently at the open field out front of the camp.

“Do you think they’re waiting for battle Inari?”

“Well if they were there would probably be a lot more soldiers running around right now. Maybe they’re just scared that there might be something soon. Either way we need to find Kuun as soon as possible.”

“Should we ask Oku? If we find her at least.”

“If we find her yes, but I think we probably don’t really have the time to go searching for her first.”

They found the Youkai named Gen and were pointed out of the camp by him after asking where Kuun might be. As they walked into the forest they smelled something. Sake?

“Is that sake?”

“Hato this is no time for-”

“No, really! This way!”

Taking Inari’s hand, Hato let her through the weaving trees on a small path to a round little encampment. At it was a tiny campfire, and two Youkai. Sitting in front of them were Oku and Kuun, from over a thousand years ago. Immediately, Oku looked up and stared them down.

“What are you doing here? Go back to camp unless you have a message for me.”

“Actually, we’re here to talk to Kuun.”

“Me? I don’t… wait. Ohhhh!”

The slightly drunk Youkai stood up and walked over to them.

“Yeah! They’re with me, sorry but this is kinda private. I’ll get back to you later, ok?”

“Get back to me… fine, just get back to the camp soon alright? Idiot.”

Oku walked back off towards the camp with a grin. Seconds later Kuun dropped the drunk act and looked them dead in the eyes.

“How did you get here.”

“Hi! We’re Oku’s friends, she was put in jail by the Youkai king, so we need you to testify for her!”

“Hato! Don’t tell him stuff he won’t understand…”

“Oku? She really started calling herself that? Haha!”

“What’s so funny?”

“Nothing nothing! You’re telling me she’s in jail? For what?”

“The king says she killed you.”

At this the Youkai’s face went a bit slack, and he sat down on one of the stumps near the fire.

“The king… so they weren’t lying when they said he won, huh? Hmm… it would be a pretty big trophy to him if he retrieved Orchid, err, Oku. He wouldn’t let her go easily.”

“Yeah! So if we bring you to him and explain how you really died she’ll be freed!”

“Not so fast dove, if I know one thing about that Enma ripoff it’s that he has a temper, and that he flings it willy nilly. My word against his would be pretty, how should I put this… they would fall upon deaf ears.”

Inari expected that she needed to bring him up to speed on how the courts worked, so she did.

“Nowadays they use sleepfathers in court, and if you can convince them of innocence you’ll be off the hook. The king simply didn’t give Oku any time to explain herself when he accused her of war crimes and the sleepfathers had no time to react, except to find her guilty.”

“I see… sleepfathers… Perhaps I can help you then. I can only hope that it isn’t too late. Wait, how the hell do you expect a dead Youkai to get to the king?”

“You’ll have to take over my body when we get there.”

“What? How?”

“I’ll come back, and you just need to take my hand. I’ll initiate the transfer, and get you out there to testify. They’ll be able to prove it’s you as well, since your spirit energy will be transferred as well.”

“Amazing… a lot’s been discovered in a thousand years hasn’t it?”

“Two thousand actually.”

“Whaaa!? Two thousand years? Damn… It’s been awhile since I’ve seen anyone! But don’t worry, I’ll be damned ready to support you with all that I’ve got!”

Suddenly they heard a rustle in the bushes. Hato readied herself, and looked towards them, covering Inari. Kuun simply looked sadly at them and sighed.

“No danger, only destiny.”

Two large boars jumped out of the brush, followed by a third who looked like a human, but extremely large. Not to say that he was tall, he was just bulbous. Fat.  He approached Kuun, and put a hand on his shoulder.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

“I see you’re ready, no reason to delay then! I’m glad that you were man enough to give yourself up over the Orchid. That isn’t to say that either one of you would have been an effective hostage. She survives for today, no fear there.”

Kuun smiled nervously and followed the large men into the underbrush, and strangely enough he nor his men were able to see Inari or Hato. Maybe if Kuun was supposed to be alone they couldn’t be seen? It was strange at least. As he walked away, Kuun stopped one final time and yelled back to them.

“I’ll be there, don’t worry!”

Hato and Inari nodded in unison, but were dumbfounded as to what just happened. Is this where he died? They were finished with their business here, but somehow Inari couldn’t leave yet.

“Ok Inari, let’s go, we succeeded!”

“Wait just a second… we may be able to see how Kuun died.”

“Why would you want to see that? Can’t we just leave and have him tell us about it later?”

Inari took Hato’s hand the pulled her back towards the camp. On the way they found Oku, who was walking back towards where Kuun was a few moments ago. She gave them a look, but didn’t stop walking the opposite way of them. If they were lucky, she wouldn’t pay them any more heed. At the camp, they met the ponytailed man again, and learned that he was a commander. They also learned, from Gen, that they expected an attack tomorrow and were gearing up for it. Omoikane was fast approaching with his army, numbering a bit larger than their own. But Hato was curious again, and asked Gen about Omoikane.

“What does Omoikane look like?”

“Oh he’s a big big Youkai. Not extremely tall, but really fat. Nasty god of knowledge.”

“That thing is a god?”

“Well yeah, how didn’t you know that already?”

Hato turned to Inari and started whispering to her, forgetting her manners.

“Whoops, thanks Gen!”

“Thanks Gen? Eh, whatever.”

The Youkai walked away, leaving Hato to discuss the knowledge they had just gained.

“That weirdo that took Kuun! He must have been Omoikane!”

“I don’t want  you to be right but… you’re probably right. The only thing that I don’t understand is why he went with them so willingly?”

“Maybe they were threatening Oku, she’s his commander so it would make sense that he would take her place as hostage.”

“But that doesn’t make sense… we saw Oku not that long ago, she didn’t look like she was in danger to me. What could have prompted Kuun to just do what that fat idiot said…”

“I don’t know, but I think if we forwarded to tomorrow we would find out.”

“Good point.”

Hato and Inari left the memory for a second, and Inari took it in her hands, rotating it. Suddenly it looked a bit more hectic, and she stopped it there.

“You know how to fast forward it?”

“Not really, but when I try to do something here it just usually works…”

Hato shrugged, and reentered the dream, Inari doing the same.

They were lightly set down next to the trail that they had seen their first time here. As they walked along it they heard muffled yells and loud voices, causing them to start running. Once they’d finally made it back to the camp the same ponytailed commander stood on the overlook next to the trail and saw them coming.

“You two again? Are preparations ready down there or not?”

“Y-yes sir they are, we will be engaging the enemy soon.”

The man sighed and looked back towards the battlefield, causing Inari and Hato to look as well. They could scarcely see anything, but staring hard enough they could both make out the fat Youkai from before, or god as they’d come to learn. Omoikane stood upon a small overlook in the middle of a field, surrounded by his army. The commander looked back at them sadly.

“I’m not really liking the odds of this last stand… but I suppose that’s why they call it that isn’t it? If you would.”

He motioned for them to walk in front of them and they started walking back towards the camp in a group. Nearing the tents Inari thought of something. They’d left the memory, so shouldn’t the commander have forgotten about them? Or maybe memories were only reset when they ended… which meant that Oku would remember them as well. Would she think that they were the reason Kuun was abducted?

“Oh!”

Hato made a small sound as Inari realized they were about to find out the answer to that question. She was yelling at men and Youkai alike, and Gen stood beside her.

“Where’s Kuun?”

“He hasn’t been seen since yesterday…”

She glanced at them with the commander and simply continued her vague search. At least that didn’t mean she thought they were the cause of his disappearance. At this point the commander took the lead and they approached the wooden gate at the front of their small encampment. Something was approaching the gates from Omoikane’s army, a messenger most likely. The commander received him and they walked back to Oku. He’d had a message about Kuun’s abduction, and Oku didn’t take it well. She looked out at the army with wild eyes and Hato followed her gaze. The messenger returned, but it seemed as if it was too late. Was this really how he died? Hato looked at Omoikane’s bulking shape and saw the god lift a saber-like weapon, along with Kuun himself. He was bloodied, but appeared to still be alive. At seeing this Oku leapt into action, passing her army and meeting the enemy army head to head. They heard shouts, and the men and Youkai in the army followed after her. Though they couldn’t really see what was going on, Inari realized something. War was terrible. A few men and Youkai had stayed behind, most likely the commanders of the army, and the ponytailed man remained beside them as well.

“She thinks she can save him? Does she not know he was the bait in the first place?”

“What do you mean?”

Inari sincerely wondered, since it seemed like Kuun had given himself up as a hostage when there appeared to be no reason. The only plausible thought was that Oku’s life had been in danger and the only way to save her at the time was through Kuun’s sacrifice.

“Oh you don’t know? The false king’s prize has always been Ukano’s. And lady Ukano’s prize is Orchid. He may have been able to assassinate her, but that would have served little purpose. Defeating Orchid in battle is the only way that the false king will ever truly win, according to his own pride at least. Pride…”

The man made a snort, but continued to watch the battle.

“Inari, did Kuun…?”

“Yes, I believe he gave himself up so Omoikane wouldn’t pull the trigger on an assassination plot.”

“Why didn’t he just expose the plot?”

“Perhaps it involved some big commanders around here, and getting them involved would have destroyed what little alliance they have here in the first place. Maybe giving himself up was truly the only way to allow this army to even survive.”

Hato looked out at the ensuing battle, wondering what could have caused a Youkai to think that much about another. She’d known that Kuun was a strategist, so if he thought this was the only way things must really have looked bleak. The commander sighed again and looked back towards them.

“Yes, just a shame they never told each other.”

Inari’s mouth twitched.

“Told each other what?”

“Well it was obvious to all the men that they were in love. I’m just sad that it came to this without them confessing it to each other. Hopefully she does save that dumbass…”

The commander continued to talk, but the memory was starting to become hazy. This must have been when Kuun died. That was quite a bombshell to leave off on, but it was Kuun’s life that the memory depended on. If he died, that was it. Moments later they were spit back into the living room of the inn, Mitch and Elaine watching their shows over the girls’ heads.

“Oh, you two finally come to?”

“Mitch we did it!”

“What did you do?”

Inari looked back down at the crystal clear orb in her lap, still thinking heavily about what they had learned from the memory. Not only did they find out how Kuun had died, but they learned about that too… Kuun and her were an item. Inari just hoped that it wouldn’t get in the way of the trial.

“We succeeded with our end of the deal. One down, two to go.”

“Didn’t only one of you need to succeed?”

“I think that the tables have turned on us, and if we don’t get all three under our belts we might not even have a chance.”

Elaine put a platter of cookies down in front of them as they got up from their stiff sitting positions.

“You kids won’t fail, you haven’t yet!”

Hato ate one happily.

“Of course not!”