Making Peace in Gensokyo

"Ayakashi, Mononoke, Mamono… there are many ways to call them, but Yokai is the broad term to use when referring to their kind."

There are many legends and folklore that tried to pin down the true origin of Yokai spirits.

As far as I know, the concept of Yokai spirits started from the time when Japan is yet to be unified and all that existed in the island nation are sparse settlements and rice kingdoms that passed on the belief of them for superstition or entertainment purposes.

There is a passage in Shoku Nohongi, a book about Japan during its early days, when a Shinto purification ceremony had to be held because a Yokai is appearing in the imperial estate. There are many more tales and legends like the Yamata no Orochi Momotaro and Koubu that detailed their kind, but one thing they had in common is how they described these creatures.

"Sometimes, they will be helpful. But most of them, either due to immaturity or hostility to humans, casts curses or gives them minor inconveniences in daily life while some outright exists to kill humans."

As we entered the forest of Mori where the Yokai spirits live, Kyo-san drew out his katana and Kurumi took a gourd from her hip belt whose water she poured over the sword to cleanse it.

"What was that for?"

"Just like Master Ku said, some Yokai are passive or even helpful to humans, but many of them still seek vengeance on humans due to the events from a hundred years ago, while there are also some who exists solely to injure or even kill humans."

"But isn't this a Sanctuary overseen by Inari-sama? If they did any mischief, she would surely punish them."

"Inari-sama can only punish them. But if in some case, which is usually always the reason, they decide to throw away the safety of their own existences for this one particular act of vengeance or a call of their murderous instincts, then Inari-sama can only give us justice and not save our lives."

As Kyo-san sheathed his blade, it made a low ringing sound like a finely tuned bell. But my attention was more attached to what I was hearing about which made me involuntarily swallow in nervousness.

"As for you, Hiro… Wear this mask."

From Kurumi's hand, a fox fire transformed into a mask that resembles a fox's face.

"What is this for?"

"To protect you from all except for the most powerful malevolent Yokai in the forest. Since you are the only man in our-"

"Ahem!"

Kurumi was abruptly cut-off when Kyo-san cleared his throat, seemingly asking her to not forget about him with that mention.

"…I mean, only living man in our group, we might come across a particular yokai called a Kuchisake-onna who would ask you some questions. If, in some kind of mistake on your part, you end up answering in a wrong way, this mask will protect you and buy you some time to escape."

"Why are you wary? Aren't we going to stick together in there?"

"We are. But since this is the Forest of Mori, it is better to be sure than sorry."

It took me a moment to recognize what she is talking about and then, I remembered what happened to me and my men before we entered the forest.

"The forest may play some tricks and split us up?"

"Exactly."

With that, I wore the mask that covered my face completely and I gave Kurumi a nod so we can enter the forest already. She transformed into her fox-eared form and led us into the depths of the forest.

"Watch your step. Some Yokai sleep in the morning and usually lay down on bare ground with no grasses."

"Mm."

If everything that happened before was already weird, the forest was something of another level. I looked around us and saw that the forest canopy that is usually green was instead colored as purple, yellow or white. When I looked up to check it, the trees really had those differently colored leaves.

Also, the ground felt strange to my foot as I felt that I did sink my feet on grass, but my boots felt like it stepped on warm mud. I looked down, only to see that the patch of ground we were walking at was a body of a Yokai salamander that is sleeping so soundly for so long that soil and grass grew over its body.

As we continued on, the air felt cold and almost still. It made me hold my breath in some moments, but Kyo-san kept on patting my back to help me breathe more easily. As the stillness of the air felt greater and greater, Kyo-san pointed at a woman with a pale complexion standing on a water puddle that is frozen solid. It was a Yuki-onna or snow lady. Kyo-san pulled me away from her probably to not make her aware of our presence.

Further and further into our walk inside the forest, the sun seemed to disappear as the forest canopy blocked its light and for a while, we depended on the fox fires that Kurumi sent out to illuminate our surroundings.

"Wait… this is…"

When I suddenly felt that I was no longer walking on soil, but instead, natural rock, Kurumi dispersed her fox fires and all around us, luminous mushrooms glowed and gave us the light to continue on our path.

"Don't even think of taking or even touching one of them. Those look like interesting mushrooms to you, but they are eggs of a local Yokai spirit that only hatches its eggs several times per 100 years."

After Kyo-san scolded me for getting too close to the mushrooms growing on the fallen tree logs, I scrutinized it more and saw that what he said is actually true. The things that looked like mushroom caps are actually oval-shaped eggs the size of a long grain of rice that is supported by some stem that looked like it is seeping natural energy from the ground.

"Come on, the Mujina Mori Shrine is nearby."

I followed Kyo-san and after we passed through a circular field of luminous white lilies and a bridge over a circular lake that has a seemingly uncountable amount of Koi fishes that all swim together in the same direction endlessly, we finally arrived at the Shrine in the middle of the lake that looked like it wasn't being maintained given the overgrowth of some shrubs on the Torii gates and the piles of leaves that haven't been swept and burned in a while.

"Master Rei! We have come to pay our visit!"

"…"

Kyo-san was the first to speak out by shouting towards the shrine, but no one answered.

"Master Reiha of the Mujina Mori Shrine, we have come to pay a visit!"

"…"

"Tsk! This useless racoon dog brat… Is she sleeping again…?"

After I heard Kurumi cursing under her breath, the Shrine doors opened and out of it came a girl wearing an oversized Shrine maiden outfit that made her drag one of the sleeves on the ground while rubbing her eyelids that is slightly darker for some reason.

"Fuwaaaahhh~! What are you stupid Yokai shouting for? Did a kappa pick a silvervine and riled up the Nekomata again-"

Her complaints were cut short after her vision cleared up and she saw Kurumi's enraged expression that she is hiding beneath a placid smile.

"Hello there, you brat…"

"AAAAHHHH!!! IT'S THE STUPID FOX AGAIN-mujina!"

As soon as she realized who she was talking to, a badger's tail and ears popped out of her head and back whose hairs stood on its ends.

"Who are you calling a stupid fox, you useless brat? Haah?! You want a whooping?!"

"Uwaaaaa! This is why I moved my shrine here! Why can't you let go of such little mistakes, you petty vixen-mujina?!"

Interestingly, she has this kind of verbal tic where she says "mujina" after every sentence, which can either be cute or annoying… Nevertheless, the sight of a fox-eared young woman scolding this badger-eared girl temporarily convinced me to just forget about logic and accept that things are just incomprehensible like this.

"Master Ku! Master Rei! Can you please act your age and behave in front of our guest?!"

"Ngrngrngrngr!!!"

"Mumumumu!!!"

After being shouted at by Kyo, the two didn't seem keen on stopping their feud as their furred appendages stood on its ends, both seemingly wanted to appear more ferocious than the other.

"Haah… I'll just apologize to Inari-sama later…"

Kyo-san drew out his sword and I started to fear that he will interject between the two and injure them a bit to make them listen, but instead, he gave me the blade and took the scabbard.

"You two! Listen to me!"

"Ungya!"

"Itaaa! Mujina!"

As the two were scaring each other on all fours like their animal counterparts, Kyo-san was able to easily spank their butts using the scabbard and the two held their bottoms while writhing on the ground in pain.

"Kyo! Why did you have to hit me too?! She started this!"

""She started this" my butt! You're the first one to shout at me-mujina!"

"You two, shut up for a moment or you'll have another whooping!"

"Is… Is this… really how such important figures in the Sanctuary behave?"

"O-oi, human! Don't think about ridiculous stuff about me like that-mujina!"

"Can you really blame him, you racoon dog brat? You're more immature than he is."

"Grrr!! Why, you-"

"Master Rei… what did I just say?"

"Eeeek!"

After being threatened by Kyo-san with another spanking, the little badger girl hurriedly clasped her hands and the leaves around the shrine fluttered around her as she changed her clothes from the oversized and droopy-sleeved Shrine maiden outfit to an orderly Priestess uniform that has Tanuki paw print patterns on one side of the haori coat and light green leaves on the other.

It looked like Kurumi's Priestess uniform that has fox fires on one side and red maple leaves on the other.

"A-anyway… please just forget about what you saw earlier and let's formally talk from this point onwards, human-mujina…"

"O-okay…"

"Hm, hm… My name is Tanukichi Reiha. The master of Mujina Mori shrine and the keeper of the balance of all Yokai folk in Mori forest's Gensokyo reserve. As you can see, I am a half-Mujina yokai, but as my family is more attached to the Tanuki Yokai folk, I mostly identify as a Tanuki."

"A-Ah, my name is Iwasawa Hiroshi. I am a guest of Inari-kami-sama and have come here with Kyo-san and Momiji Kurumi-sama. It is a pleasure to meet you."

She gave a low bow and spoke her name which I politely responded to.

"I see, I see… Huh? Can you say your name again?"

"Umm… My name is Iwasawa Hiroshi. Is something wrong, Tanukichi-sama?"

"Hrm-hrm-hrm…"

Suddenly, some tanukis appeared from inside the shrine and began chattering loudly. Reiha looked at all of them and nodded slightly as if she understood all of their chattering and waving of paws.

"This will take some time… unlike our Kitsune envoys, her Tanuki envoys go on roundabout explanations whenever they talk."

Kurumi looked sternly at Reiha as if she is annoyed in some way. I was intrigued with their hostility to each other and gauging that it probably won't be rude to ask her about it, I decided to pry her for some answers.

"Why do the two of you seem so hostile to each other?"

"Hm? Haah… it's a long story, but the gist of it is that it happened when she is still a Mujina spirit that is yet to learn how to turn into a human and have human sensibilities and manners. I am already quite adept with it given that I received everyday interaction with Kensuke-ojii, Tome-obaa and Tohka-chan, so I know that if I did some kind of mischief or mistake, I will be reprimanded… but this girl… no, this stupid racoon dog fluffball-!"

Suddenly, Kurumi's tail puffed up in agitation and her eyes looked like it is burning with anger.

"She escaped from her duties as a keeper of the newborn Yokai spirits just to steal some shiny things she found in the village and the whole village was shocked with their losses. If that is not enough, the newborn Yokai spirits appeared at night to do some mischief and ended up injuring some people and turning almost all of the villagers sleepless for three nights as me and the other fox spirits desperately tracked and trapped the mischievous Yokai spirits just because of her stupidity!"

After hearing that, I can't really blame her for hating her. Even I can't imagine cleaning up after a negligent and irresponsible person.

"Anyways, she was forced to maintain Gensokyo reserve all by herself as punishment for her irresponsibility and a lesson to remind her that she can't bring hardship on others just because she wants to have fun. However, her stupidity won over her again just months after she became the Shrine Priestess of Mujina Mori Shrine when she overslept for a week and forgot about maintaining the seals and mayoke charms that are keeping the hostile Yokai spirits below the forest's surface."

"What… happened next?"

"With the reports of some farmers from nearby that their children keeps on seeing some Hachishaku-onna spirits peering and inviting them towards the forest and a night sentry man who reported about coming across a Kuchisake-onna during his patrol and only escaping from it through sheer luck and running speed, Kyo and I was sent to dispose of them and fighting through the hostile Yokai-infested forest to look if the Mujina Mori shrine was destroyed or if she died in some way which made these hostile ones to appear… I can still remember the feeling of frustration in my chest when I learned that she was just sleeping too much and forgot about her responsibilities again…"

The previously described appearance of Kurumi was now accompanied by her growling that resembled a fox. By this point, I already know that she has more than enough reason to hate the Mujina priestess.

"Oi, brat! Are you done now?!"

"Argh! Quit interrupting them, you petty vixen-mujina!"

"Why, you little shi-"

"Master Ku! Please stop already!"

"Hmph!"

"Argh… why are you two such a headache to deal with…?"

Kurumi was about to charge towards Reiha, but she was stopped by Kyo who told her to not do it. She complied, but not before making a fussy sound and a pout that annoyed the Kyonshi man.

"Eh?! He's a daimyo-mujina?!"

Reiha suddenly shouted after hearing it and the tanukis around her chattered again, seemingly talking about me now after all that roundabout talking.

"…and he's a daimyo with a title? What?! The Kirin Lord-mujina?!"

Reiha slowly turned her head towards me with a nervous sweat going down her face.

"Umm… Yes. I am the Kirin Lord."

"EEEEEHHHHHH?!?!?!"

A few minutes later, we were finally able to talk formally as Reiha-san ordered her Tanuki helpers to bring out a table and four seats where all of us sat down to drink some tea while conversing.

"And that's why you're here-mujina?"

"Yes… Apparently, Inari-sama has some kind of reason to keep me and my men here for a bit longer."

"Well, you can't blame her. The Summer festival is the most anticipated event in Furuya. Fufu! Even I get a week off for the entire celebration-mujina!"

"Aren't you still banned after you and your tanuki cronies stole the food of some vendors?"

"Urk!"

Kurumi's sharp statement reminded her of some seemingly embarrassing action from the past and this caused her to stop speaking confidently as she awkwardly tried to return the conversation to a comfortable subject.

"A-Anyways, why are you here after all, Kirin Lord-mujina?"

"I actually want to converse with some of the Yokai beings here after our last encounter at the main temple. I was quite incensed back then after I had to fight for my life and in doing so, I tried to turn their logic and hardships to them… it's only after a certain conversation and… self-reflection did I realize that there must be things back then that I could've spoken more politely or appropriately…"

"Hrm… I see, I see-mujina… You are indeed worthy of your title, Kirin Lord-mujina…"

"Huh?"

"I might not be as old as this petty vixen right here who is about to turn t-"

Before she can speak Kurumi's age, the fox priestess lit a fox fire inches away from her face and spoke.

"Do you want me to burn your precious furry tail until it becomes bald?"

"E-E-E-Ekkk! I-It was just a slip of the tongue-mujina!"

"I don't care. An unspoken rule of ladies is about not talking about their ages… Am I understood?"

"Y-yes! I-I understand-mujina!"

After that exchange, Kurumi extinguished her fox fire and let Reiha talk again.

"A-as I was saying… I might not be… of the same amount of experience in life as my fox priestess counterpart, but because I handle the Yokai folk of the enchanted forest, I know how to differentiate the acquired passed-down knowledge of a young human to the wisdom of a Yokai spirit who has lived for thousands of years. Because of that, I can say that you have this side of you who are as wise as the mythical beast that you are named after."

"I see, thank you."

After I took the compliment politely, Reiha continued with her words and talked about what I intended to ask about in the first place.

"I know that the Yokai folk out here aren't fond of your presence because of your title's bad legacy… but if we just leave it as is, it would be unfair for you and end nothing."

"So, what's your plan, Master Rei?"

"As the Shrine Priestess of Gensokyo, I'm not only the keeper of the peace and order in the forest but also their leader. I'll call for an assembly to present you to them, hopefully, the fact that I and Kurumi will be there is enough to keep them in line."

"If ever someone does attack, I'm prepared to protect you."

Hearing Reiha, Kurumi and Kyo-san dedicated to help me make peace with the Yokai spirits, I felt happy. I was always used with being helped around because I am their leader, or I am someone that they need around.

After a long while, I felt like I was helped out because of the kindness of others and not because I was someone to be followed or obeyed. It felt refreshing for me.

"Well then, let me send out my Tanuki envoys to call for the Yokai spirits in the forest. As for you, you should write down your speech for them, some of the spirits here are quite scary-looking so I don't recommend giving an impromptu speech and shaming yourself for getting shaky legs while at it."

"Mm. I understand."

While Kurumi and Reiha are talking to each other about the recent death of old man Kensuke and Kyo-san was meditating at the field of lilies to prepare for a possible battle, I borrowed a sheet of paper and wrote a short speech that I will be giving later at the assembly.

About half an hour passed and I heard the ground rumble from the steps of some enormous Yokai spirits. The airspace around the shrine too, was filled with flying spirits who one by one lowered their selves to the branches of the nearby trees.

"Hiroshi, come out now. They're here."

"Yes."

As I slowly emerged from inside the Shrine's small storage room, I recognized some of the spirits that I saw back in the Main temple when Inari-sama presented me to the others.

"A-Ahem…"

"""…"""

I cleared my throat and adjusted the fox mask to allow me to speak properly while still wearing it. Everyone was quiet, I felt nervous, but I didn't let it get to me.

"Greetings, Spirits of Gensokyo forest. As you may already know after our first encounter at the Main temple of Furuya, I am Iwasawa Hiroshi, the Kirin Lord of the province of Kiko. I came here to seek definite peace that I failed to properly set from our previous encounter."

At the very first part of my speech, I made my intentions clear to avoid going on roundabout ways to do it.

"I still feel guilty after I simply rebounded all of your rightful hatred. I was thinking of my own self and didn't consider that unlike us humans, beings like you who live for hundreds or even thousands of years would probably not let go of pains and losses as easily as us who are aware of the shortness of our lives. I do say that your claims are valid and irrefutable… but at the same time, I believe that it is something that we should let go now."

I continued on as they kept quiet. It felt reassuring that they are keeping their attentions to me, but it is also quite pressuring.

"I am not saying this because I am afraid of losing my life or that I do not care of your hardships and losses. I am saying this because I care for the balance of this Sanctuary."

My words raised some eyebrows (I think so since some of the Yokai actually doesn't have them), they seemed confused about what I am talking about.

"Just yesterday, Old man Kensuke died. Someone that, as Lady Momiji Kurumi said, is a friend of both humans and the Yokai of this forest, I had the opportunity of being the last few people that he talked to before he passed away, I will remember it as I was the one who convinced him to give up on his craft and finally find peace… albeit in the way that I didn't expect him to take."

Some of the spirits looked sorrowful with the news, but some, who already knew about this, simply hung their head and continued to listen to me.

"And so, I learned that there are probably things that will keep on hurting us as we continue to take hold of it. I feel bad for what happened to old man Kensuke, but if something that he loves continues to hurt him or keep him away from inner peace, I believe that by the time he passed away, he regretted nothing as he knew that there is nothing more for him to hold on. And thus, I propose a thought for all of us in here in attendance…"

I raised a Figurine. The one that I found in my pocket when I thought about convincing the old man to return to his passion after I made him to finally let it go. This is one of the few things that I remember him by.

"Will you finally let go of the hatred that is keeping your kind down for the past thousand years? Are you willing to fully live with humans again in harmony and not in seclusion like this?"

My question rang out around the place. Everyone there heard me, yet the place became quiet with no one answering me.

"Kirin Lord…"

The old Kappa, the same one who reasoned before towards Inari-sama, stepped forward and looked at me as he spoke my title.

"We also gave your words from before some thought… And lo, we are convinced…"

The words of the elderly Yokai seemed to be representing the will of everyone in the crowd.

"The part of us who wished for revenge, discrimination and indifference against humans, took over our minds for too long. We have lost family, friends and revered figures during that war… but what we forgot is that we have done the same things to them yet are not suffering the same amount of hatred… We were too selfish to think that only us deserve to be avenged."

I looked around the crowd of the Yokai spirits and each of them seemed to agree with his words.

"Kirin Lord… No, Young Iwasawa…"

"Y-yes?"

"There's no reason to be afraid of us now… We have forgiven you… no, that would be wrong since we only forced you to bear that responsibility from your predecessor… The right thing to say is that we have let go of our hatred and wish to live cordially with you and your kind…"

After that, I saw a magnificent scene. Hundreds if not thousands of Yokai spirits and nature spirits gave me a respectful bow which, after I processed in my mind, gave back as thanks.

"Hehe! You did it, Hiroshi-mujina!"

"Heh… You really are something…"

"I guess I thought about this meeting too negatively… It's time to sheathe my sword then…"

The comments of the three people behind me were also something joyous. I was about to turn around to thank them as well when I heard a rustling of branches on a tall tree and felt something coming my way.

*SOK-!*

"Hiroshi-!"

Before I can react, something hit me, and my eyes dimmed. I felt my body fall down the shrine's stairs and to the ground as everyone rushed around me while I am losing consciousness.

"Everyone! Surround the human-mujina!"

"Master Ku! Fox fires and orders!"

"I know! I give you permission to take off your control charm! Look for the one responsible for this!"

Slowly, my senses faded… It felt like everything was heavy and even breathing was difficult.

"Reiha! You have spells that can help!"

"I-I know! Just give me a moment!"

"He's turning blue! There's not enough time!"

I'm turning blue? Oh… not enough oxygen… is it poison or a curse? I don't know… I just…

I feel like I am about to die…

"Tch!"

"Wait… Reiha, you can't possibly-!"

"There's not enough time, right?! This is the only way!"

"But that spell is-"

"This is the only way!"

Suddenly, I felt a pair of warm hands touching both of the temples of my head.

"<Mujinajutsu><Tanuki's Lullaby>."

With that, I entered a world that I have and wanted to leave behind…