Today was the day. Osamu and Shinju scheduled to have the ritual at the bowling alley at midnight. Osamu spent the early afternoon laying down on the couch, sinking into the depths of his own thoughts.

(Kagutsuchi's ritual is tonight. I really hope I was able to get through to her. If this goes wrong...no, don't think like that. I do wonder, though. Why do her powers have such negative effects on those she loves? Was she really born with it? Could someone have tampered with Kagu when she was born?)

(None of the other gods or goddesses I know inflict curses unwillingly. Why are her circumstances so irregular? Even if I knew the answer to all of this...I'm in my early twenties. I have wives to look after, and soon, I'll have children too. How much longer can I really keep doing things like this? Eventually, when someone else is in trouble, I'm going to have to make a decision between staying safe and putting myself in harm's way.)

Yoko walked over to the couch, hanging her head above Osamu's. Her scarlet hair completely surrounded his face, shutting out any sight of the living room.

"Yoko?"

"I can tell when you're troubled. What's on your mind?"

"It's just...Yoko, let's say, hypothetically, I were to die rescuing someone from some sort of problem. How would you feel?"

Yoko was visibly disheartened to even hear of such a scenario. "Osamu. You're a brave person. In fact, I'd even say that you're a hero. Not just to me, but to everyone. Just hearing about the possibility of you dying makes me want to cry, but I'll try to answer your question honestly. You may be brave, and you may be a hero, but every hero has to hang up his cape someday. Every youthful, powerful man eventually grows old, and realizes when continuing his lifestyle might be too risky.

You've helped a lot more people than the average man ever could, but even you will have to stop someday. Lately, I've permitted it, because people like Kagutsuchi is Izanami's daughter. With Satori, however, I almost wanted to just cut our losses and run away. Izanami could've taken us anywhere had I told her to, but we all wanted you to save Kagutsuchi."

Yoko put her hands on Osamu's cheeks, focusing his attention on her. "Do you love me?"

"Of course I do."

"Then, after this, you won't ever risk your life again. We're at that age where we have to start walking on the path we want for our future. We can't keep meandering and switching paths, taking dangerous routes and crossing treacherous terrain. That kind of life is a privilege of the young, and just like all other things, it's supposed to end so that we can take fond memories with us to the future and lay with them in the grave."

(As I thought. She has a point. Honestly, I want to keep doing these things. I want to solve as many problems for people as possible, but...I think I owe it to Yoko, and to the others to think about myself before anything.)

"Yoko, I'm glad I married you. Don't ever leave me, okay?"

"I won't. And you better not either."

Osamu smiled. "Of course I won't. You won't ever be a widow."

(I keep thinking about Satori, who threw away his own humanity and moral code just to try and save one girl. Isn't that the more heroic thing to do? But if so, is being a hero always the right thing to do? Is trying to be everyone's angel ethical? Is it a virtue when it also threatens the well-being of others?)

Later, Osamu called Shinju as Yoko and the girls began cooking dinner. He sat outside, watching them through the glass door as Shinju answered the phone.

"Hello hello, I don't know why you say goodbye, I say hello." Shinju said.

"Damn, which album was that? It wasn't Sgt. Pepper, was it? Or was it Magical Mystery Tour?" Osamu asked.

"It was released alongside I Am the Walrus, if I'm not mistaken. It was their single of the Christmas season of 1967."

Shinju laughed. "My bad, I'm derailing our conversation before it even starts. How rude of me. I humbly apologize, Osamu. So, what did you call me for? Confirming the date we set?"

"Well, yeah, that's part of the reason."

"Well, I've double checked, and I have no obligations at the time we selected. I'm all good for midnight tonight."

"All right, good. We're ready too."

"Excellent. So? You said confirmation was only part of the reason. Though, judging by your tone of voice, talking speed, and sentence phrasing, you've been doing a lot of thinking. You sound...despondent, tired, and perhaps crestfallen."

"You really do know how to read me like a book, don't you?"

"It's because we're so alike that I can read you so well, Osamu."

"Hey, Shinju. You have a good concept of right and wrong, so let me ask you this. Is it always right to be a hero?"

"Hmm? That's a deep question. Are you feeling conflicted about helping others and maintaining your family as it is now?"

"Yeah."

Shinju sat on the roof of her house, letting the wind blow through her hair as Mimi rested on the collar of her poncho.

“The question is not of right and wrong, but rather, it's a question of knowing your place. The Ancient Greeks generally held a belief that everyone should do as they are naturally inclined of and capable of doing. Only a fool would doom himself by trying to achieve something he clearly wasn't capable of.

“A police officer patrols the precinct and is solely responsible for serving justice wherever justice is foregone. Though we measly little citizens may also take it upon ourselves to stop crime wherever it is present, we understand that we do not have the same societal role as the police officer, and thus, most of stay in our homes at the sign of trouble, dialing the phone to alert the authorities.

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Osamu, in this case, you are the civilian. You've been a very eager civilian, I imagine. Perhaps more of a vigilante?"

"Hey, come on, trouble often landed on my doorstep. I didn't go actively searching for it."

"The point is that you probably could take it easy more than you have been. I'm the police officer in this case. It's my role to correct all the wrongs. Well, the severe ones that concern that world of the divine, anyway. However, even I tend to go beyond that and serve justice wherever it needs to be served."

"I see...so I'm the civilian. Shinju, after we cleanse Kagutsuchi, the girls and I will eventually go back to Hokkaido if they don't want to stay here for a while. This neighborhood will be left alone. If something else happens over here, I won't be there to fix it."

"I understand. Don't worry, Osamu. I'll make sure everything stays the same while you're gone. You can count on me!"

"Thanks, Shinju. I'm gonna go now. We'll see you tonight."

"All right, handsome. Kisses. Ba-bye."

(Again with the kisses...)

Eventually, the hands of the clock struck twelve, and midnight had come. It was finally time to rid Kagutsuchi of her dreaded curse. Osamu, Kagutsuchi and Izanami got ready to leave for the bowling alley, bringing the gourd and several other items that Shinju said they would need, including a sheet, a towel, black paint, and a brush. Yoko and Tsukiakari saw them off at the front door, both of them half asleep.

"You guys have everything? Are you warm in those sweaters?" Yoko asked.

"Yeah, we're good." Osamu said.

"And you have everything you need, right?"

"I've got everything." Osamu answered.

Yoko smiled, and then turned her head towards Kagutsuchi, who hung her head as she fidgeted with her fingers. The poor girl was visibly nervous about the ritual.

"Kagu." Yoko began. "We may not have known each other for very long, but I want you to come home safe and curse-free. You're Izanami's precious daughter. If she cares for you, then I do too. Please, come back safe, all right?"

Kagutsuchi bowed. "Thank you very much for your warm words and treatment."

"Ready, dear?" Izanami asked.

"Yeah..." Kagutsuchi muttered. "And Gekko?"

"Yeah?" Tsukiakari responded.

"I'm sorry for everything I did...back during the Warring States. I did horrific things to you and your friends."

Tsukiakari smiled as she slapped Kagutsuchi's shoulder. "Come on, you're still worried about that Phantom Maiden stuff? Don't. It's all water under the bridge. We're friends now, Kagu."

Those words lifted Kagutsuchi's spirit and brought back the color in her worried face. "Thank you, Gekko. That really means a lot to me."

"Well, it's midnight, so let's go. You two can get some sleep while we're out. Don't wait for us. It might take a while." Osamu explained.

"No promises." Yoko said.

"Good luck, you three! Call us if you need anything!" Tsukiakari sang.

"All right. Off we go. Come on." Osamu said.

Izanami and Kagutsuchi held hands as they walked down the street with Osamu, the dim street lights illuminating the way towards the bowling alley. Kagu was busy looking up at the moon and was startled as Osamu spoke to her directly.

"Kagu?"

"Yeah? What is it?"

"Are you scared?"

Kagutsuchi blushed and hung her head. She was more see-through than cellophane.

"It's okay to be scared. Moving on is always tough. But I promise you, Kagu...live through this, and you won't look back." Osamu said.

"I'll...I'll do my best."

"And remember, your mother will always support you, no matter what you're going through!" Izanami chimed. "You can lay it all on us, Kagu."

A slight smiled blessed Kagutsuchi's face as they continued to walk and finally made it over to the bowling alley. Osamu brought along Yoko's electric lanterns to light the way as they went inside, where Shinju was already waiting for them.

"Oh good! You brought lanterns! I was afraid we'd have to use our phone lights." Shinju said, her voice reverberating in the darkened bowling alley.

"Yeah, Yoko’s got us covered." Osamu said. "Is Lucrezia coming?"

"Yeah, she's on her way here." Shinju answered.

Osamu sat the lanterns down and handed Shinju the backpack full of materials, including the gourd. "Do whatever you have to do."

"All right then." Shinju said. "Kagu, it's good to see you. I hope there are no hard feelings between us. It was simply my duty to...you know."

Kagutsuchi shied her gaze away from Shinju's sapphire eyes. "I-it's fine..."

"Very well. Please step to the side. I'm going to make the preparations." Shinju said.

Shinju laid down the sheet on the floor and then readied the paint and brush. With the brush, she wrote the kanji for 'Pure', 'Heaven', and 'Freedom' onto the sheet.

"Crap, that sheet was expensive..." Osamu sighed.

Shinju snickered. "My apologies. I'll reimburse you if you want."

You could almost see the life leave Osamu's eyes as he internally mourned the sheet. "Yeah...yeah, that's fine..."

"All right. Kagu? In order to do this properly, I'll need you to remove your clothes." Shinju said.

"Heh?! All of them?!" Kagutsuchi recoiled.

Shinju nodded. "Yes. Though, I don't believe the underwear will be necessary."

Kagutsuchi sighed with sadness in her breath. "All right."

Kagutsuchi removed her clothing, save for her underwear. Shinju made the final preparations by painting a circular seal on Kagutsuchi's stomach. As the cold paint was smeared on her stomach, her mind raced with memories of Satori.

Her memories took her back to that big mansion and Satori's beautiful garden. She saw his face again, before her curse ravaged him and his household. As painful as this all was for her, she remembered one very important thing. Satori gave his life for her. He was willing to sacrifice everything so that she could have another chance. Moving on from him had become the greatest way of honoring him.

Kagutsuchi clasped her hands and motioned a silent prayer with her lips. "Hey. Do you remember the spring when you and I met? Will it all go away? Are you sure we should live apart? Am I sure I can do this? Can I go on without you? You were everything. My everything. I don't want to lose you.

“I don't want to forget you. But if I don't...neither of us will have truly lived, or truly loved. And so, with a heavy heart, I proceed into this vast valley of life, missing you, wishing you well, weaving my moments without you like a beautiful love letter.

“I hope, somewhere in the next life, you and I can meet again, try again. And even if we never leave each other, we can stay together. Two souls in this vast universe. That's all I will ask from you. Until then, this good bye. My first true love, and my first true heartbreak...goodbye."

Shinju straightened out the sheet after finishing the seal on Kagutsuchi's stomach. "Step onto the center of the sheet. Don't mind the paint."

"All right." Kagutsuchi said.

Izanami watched with immense anxiety. Her eyes were glued to Kagutsuchi the whole time. As a mother, she wanted nothing more than to help her daughter, but the success of the ritual was entirely up to her. There was nothing more Izanami could do to help. Osamu kept his arm around her to comfort her. His warmth and confidence calmed her shivering and slowed her breathing.

Kagutsuchi stood in the center of the sheet, with the electric lanterns at the corners in front of her. She gazed at Osamu and Izanami with tears welling in her amethyst eyes and a confident smile on her face.

"Mom, you'll always be here, right? You'll watch over me?" Kagutsuchi asked.

Izanami nodded. "I always will, my love. You have me, forever and ever."

"Osamu, I'm doing the right thing, right? Will Satori be happy? Will he be proud of me?"

"Yeah. He will." Osamu responded.

Kagutsuchi closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "Okay. I'm ready."

"All right." Shinju said. "I'm going to release the water in the gourd. It will surround you and wash your entire body for a prolonged period of time. Remain calm and maintain peace of mind while this happens, okay? It might be best to think of a happy place or memory while you're being cleansed."

"All right. I can do that."

"Then here it goes."

The blessed waters flowed out from the mouth of the gourd and coiled around Kagutsuchi like a massive snake. It then engulfed her in a sphere and lifted her off the ground . The ritual had begun. It was all up to Kagutsuchi now.

(Satori...your girl is about to move on. I hope you're watching along with us. Kagu, it might be hard at first, but I know you can make it. You'll find happiness somewhere, as long as you just live through this. Live through it, bear it, and never look back.)