The Ceremonial

Candy wrappers were all over the room as Satsu and I fell asleep. I slept beside his mat as he fell asleep in his, both of us had passed out completely and dropped down and fell asleep anywhere. The candy wrappers were artificially colored with yellow on tinfoil. I realized that Satsus father might be coming soon or at any moment, so I picked up the wrappers one by one and swept them right under Satsus mat and dresser. As I sped quickly into action, Satsu sat up scratching his head, and looked over at me. The both of us looked as if a spider woman came into the room and smacked our heads last night and walked away, yet it was still very fun. Satsu rubbed his eyes and then his head leaned against the wall, and mumbled; "Thanks for cleaning those up for me."

"Anytime." I curtsied. I remembered that Satsus father was coming, and I reminded Satsu. He immediately got up, and told me to leave the room so he can get dressed.

"My mother also left some clothes for you. She even left a Furisode made from the finest silk." Satsu said as he led me out of the door so I wouldn't see him get changed into his Hakama. The Hakama he wore were large pants slit in the middle, yet wide out on the sides. He wore a vest with large pleats on the shoulders. His vest was blue while the undershirt was dyed with deep violet from the essence of violet tea tree leaves sent from the higher powers above, as so Utma had apparently told him and went on about the clothing he wore for this occasion.

I went into my room and found dozens of clothes inside a new large dresser Utma must have given me. I opened the door inside, and right on the inside of the door was a long Furisode with long sleeves. It had a tint with light pink with mainly blue in the background. On the long sleeves of the Furisode, it nearly dropped down to my feet; was imprinted with clouds and waves of the see towards at the bottom, where there were sea spirits crawling up from the tidal waves. One looked like a beast from Satsus transformation. I gasped at how big it was, the sleeves were almost 24 -30 inches long.

Servants rushed into my room and helped me put it on. Layer after layer the servants worked slipping the large clothing over me, moments of waiting Satsu waited at my door anticipating. He paced back and forth of the floor of the basement beside the stairs and looked down at his sandals; walking while he was making a clacking sound each time he walked. The servants worked on me quickly. It has been just a few moments of waiting and they are already tying the band on my waist. Finally with a finish they added floral ornaments to my hair, glossed red paint on my lips, and I was done. In the spirit world hardly any make up was needed.

I walked outside where Satsu was nearly going to tarnish the floor from pacing too much; he had stopped to gaze at me. His feet were no longer visible to him. He looked at me and his eyes starry eyed, and we walked on upstairs and into Utmas room to see what will come before us next. Satsu had been overtaken by the fact that I looked formal and no longer looked completely like a human; and his father was coming. I could sense sensitivity and tension from him as we walked.

The servants walked in front of us each in a line. They were formally escorting us as we walked upstairs, and we had reached the large doors of Utmas room. One servant knocked on the wooden door and bowed her head, while waiting for Utma or someone to answer. Instead the doors flew open, and all of the servants bowed towards us, their arms pointing towards the opening as we walked on inside. The drapery laid down on the sides as we walked, and we came to a large dining table that rested on the ground. Pillows laid beside the low table as seating arrangements.

"Satsu!" A small girl cried running up to him, and hugged his legs. She looked just like him, only younger and she was a girl. She couldn't let go of him and she wouldn't stop mumbling his name. Satsu laughed as he patted her on the head, until he looked up and noticed someone. It was a man and Utma. The man had clearly appeared to show as Satsus father.

"You have grown my son." The man curtisied as three of his tails whisked to the side, as Satsus other brother and sisters bowed down to him in unison. After a brief moment of stillness Satsus father stood up.

He looked young, and like a young adult, his eyes were blue as well and his hair was a light shade of blonde. His hair was long and had drooped down the sides of his face, he hade high cheekbones and small vibrant eyes. He had also worn a similar Hakama to Satsus, only with more undershirt and garments.

He looked younger compared to Utma; I had thought as Utma stood up from her seat and announced it was time to eat. Satsus father smiled warmly at Satsu, and he looked at me in the eyes for a long time and smiled and then looked at the both of us together. I smiled gracefully yet nervously since I wondered what Satsus father was thinking about. He seemed to have thought of something of us yet I wasn't sure of what exactly; until several servants came in and brought in plates and handfuls of food; and laid it down on the table as we all sat down together at the large table. We positioned our seating on our knees as we ate; and I sat next to Satsu on one side as Satsus father and some of his children sat next to him and a couple of other children on the other side and Utma sat alone on the front side.

The silence was overbearing. Although the children played with their food and with one another; it was awkward between Satsus father and Utma until after a few moments he brought up the conversation.

"It is nice to see you looking well Utma. You look so vibrant and healthy as you have aged over billions of years yet you still look beautiful. I am much honored to attend this ceremony." Satsus father smiled as Utma had looked at him with a one sided grin.

"And I as well Kusubata." Utma said as I noticed that she had mentioned Satsus fathers name.

"Yes. The children are much obliged and greatful to see Satsu. He is also aging very well." Kusubata looked over at Satsu and he still continued to smile with reassurance. He had noticed me again and he said something.

"And who this must be? You seem to be accompanying Satsu on this occasion." He had asked.

I looked up startled by the sudden occurrence of being asked a question by an important father figure of Satsu. I nodded and grimaced. "I'm Eyra, yes I will be accompanying Satsu on this important day of ceremonial." I curtsied; again in my own respectful sense of unison.

"I see." His eyebrows rose as he sipped his tea. "I sense good aura coming from you. You are good for my son. He will be a lucky man I'm sure." He said as Satsu and I looked at each other unaware of we he meant. Utmas eyes opened wide and her hair stood up at Kusubatas sudden remark.

Utma leaned over and whispered into his ear. Satsu was blushing intently as Kusubatas eyebrows rose even higher than before by complete surprise. He looked at us and smiled again. "I apologize. I just remembered that the both of you are still much too young at this moment. Although in the spirit world anytime is good to celebrate marriage-" Utma smacked her fan down at the table trying to stop Kusubata to speak any further. Kusubata coughed; "Yet thank you for being kind to Satsu." He closed his eyes as he smiled again yet frivolously at Utmas orders of not speaking; and he hurriedly sipped his tea. I looked over at Satsu and his eyes were down at his lap as his hair drooped down over his eyes; I could see his cheeks were red; and gradually my cheeks grew pink as Satsus father and Utma talked to each other. It was interesting to see how they were the exact opossite of each other. Utma was very disoriented and mean spirited whilst Kusubata was kind, soft-spoken, and sensationally quiet. I could see where Satsu gets his quietness and compassion. Both Kusubatas personality traits and from Utmas nagging that may have caused him to morph into and become of what his personality is now. Which I will forever accept for Satsu is no matter what.

Kusubata closed his eyes trying to ease himself from Utmas frequent sarcastic remarks and her overbearing attitude as the children played with each other and pulling on Satsus sleeve; crying out playfully yet loudly causing ruckus. It didn't go well with Utmas hasty fighting with Kusubata. It was obvious why they were never together as a family. Satsu began to look even more awful as the day went on; Kusubata got up from his seat in frustration and took the baby in his arms to calm it down beside the large window and antique interior. Utma sat with her hands set upon her face in refusal splendor while the children smacked toys at each other's heads. Luckily Satsus little brothers were sound asleep clenching to the straw dolls I had made them. I was beginning to feel worse; so I tugged on Satsus sleeve.

He looked up.

"Yeah?" He mumbled with his hand propped up against his face to keep his head up.

I hesitated on what to say and mention; yet I finally had said something.

"What should we do about... Kusubata and Utma?" I asked.

Satsus eyes looked up from dismal. "I don't know." He droned.

I looked down at my lap until I heard a crash. The drapes flapped in the air as a large statue of a woman with wings and a long spiked tail made out of marble nearly fell as one of the children happened to walk by and propped it up by catching a paper figure of a dragon that had been thrown at him without knowing.

"Children go to the other room." Kusubata announced as Utma was already standing beside him arguing amongst herself. The children shuffled to their feet toward the largest room next door until Satsu took my hand and pulled me right under the table. It was very low; so we had to lie down next to each other; yet I was panting not knowing what was going on.

"Satsu what is going on?" I asked him. My eyes were shacking as my pupils were studying what was going on over us. Satsu whispered to be quiet against my ear. His breath trickled the soft hairs against my ear causing me to shiver. I stopped my feelings of rage and fearful thoughts and I had not made a sound. I had begun to drift away into silence and I had been quiet. Kusubata had started to roar beneath his breath as he spoke.

"Utma I had came here for treason to become full at peace towards one another. I did not come to be accused of my wrong doings. I should not be criticized for wanting to see my son. Yes I know- I know. I have many children- yet Satsu is my oldest and he is very special of the others. No. I didn't say anything of the sort. I meant that Satsu is a perfect influence towards my youngest spirited children. Utma please not now. All I want is to be respected. Why do you have to treat me this way?"

Kusubatas tone of voice went from calming sense of awareness to misunderstood deeply hurt feelings; and had become more angered by Utma. Satsu was looking out beneath the table with luring sensational deep-set eyes nearly in tears. The ground shook by the stomp of Kusubatas foot. Gradually Kusubatas voice went from neutrally deep to dark and excessively monotone. He had started to growl and droning his voice as a tone of roaring that had came from beneath his abdomen.

I looked under the table with Satsu. Our heads were leaning next to each other as we looked. We saw paws; large like paw feet instead of a normal humans. Satsu and I had looked out from fearful curiosity. Kusubata had turned into a Kitsune.

Utma started to cry and was screaming from the top of her lungs, holding onto Kusubatas chest. His nine tails had grew as dark essence of aura came from him. His eyes had turned red and his pupils turned to crimson. He was growling as he had changed into his form; his fur was white with stains of orange colored blood from spirits. Utma had caused this for herself.

"I'm sorry," she cried. "I had become more hatred towards you because you're with another woman. When will it be enough and you can come home? I feel alone with all of these spirits around me. I don't know what to do. I feel so left alone and desolate; I had been caught in redemption of desolation. Please Kusubata come back I'm sorry. I am so so sorry. Those women will never love you as much as I have." Tears were streaming down from her face as she had fell to her knees. Her head leaned against the inner calve of his long hind legs and she wept. This didn't stop Kusubatas decision and his mindset because of his form. His neck broached up within the air to call as the windows flew open and the moonlight pierced down into his eyes.Utma had started to weep more and more which grew into uncontrollable melancholic dimension within her own mind.

Satsus expression was motionless. He did not know how to feel at this point. Either had I.

Moments after Kusubatas call; spirits flew into threw the windows and into the other large room to take away the children. Utma had started to scream as she clung against Kusubatas hind leg as drool seeped from he corners of his mouth. "Don't take Satsu away from me. Please!" She cried over and over again as the flying ghostly spirits looked everywhere as most of them took say the children to send them to their homes. Spirits knocked over plenty of expensive antiques and interior not caring for the cost of things or the fact that they had been around for millions of years. Spirits drifted and swayed around the room as Kusubata roared in the setting moonlight for them to find Satsu. Satsu started to pant heavily as his hands clenched into the flooring. His nails dug into the rug we had been laying on. Tears were no longer visible. We didn't know what to feel. Scared. Sad. Or even angry or solemn; we had no emotions during this moment. We didn't know what to feel. Kusubata roared as the spirits surrounded himself and Utma, as Satsu transformed.

Aura seeped through under the table. The table began to shake and his form had started to grow and pounded under the table. He was transforming more and more. He started to growl and hiss from his mouth and had begun to roar loudly. Kusubata howled as the spirits surrounded the table as it flung out the window and I was clenching onto Satsu.

He flew into the air as I hovered in the air; and he catched me as I slid on his back. Kusubatas fangs went out toward Satsu as he smacked his head against his face; causing Kusubata to fly within mid air backwards; hitting into the large bookshelf. Utma crawled towards the crib as Satsu had started to fight back once more drawing blood; and then we flew straight out the large window. We flew farther from the large house. Spirits went after us as Kusubata wasn't to be found. He had been unconscious as so it seemed, and Satsu flew higher and higher than ever before. His tail smacked away the spirits as one fell into the bushes ways below.

Eventually the spirits were gone. Some had trailed away giving up as otherswere wounded and some had drifted away in cowardice. My head was dug into his back and the fur drifted beside both sides of my face, as I was afraid to fall. Satsu was flying farther and farther and he wouldn't stop. Until we eventually fell and drifted down beside a hot spring with a waterfall spewing ways across. Satsu had given up from going any farther. His fur had been tattered as he grew back into his human form. His eyes were closed; I ran over to make sure he was alive.

I checked his pulse. It was beating. Softly my head fell onto his belly as he was breathing. Tears had started to fall. I wept; for I had felt shocked and in dismay. My head shook as it dug into Satsu. I was holding onto him and I had cried. He was alive; yet I was still in shock. I didn't know what to do. What have I gotten myself into? Why did I decide to ever do this in the first place? I had started to wonder why I listened to the voice. I wouldn't have ever bothered Satsu.

"But you didn't bother him." Said a voice.

No. Please don't let it be the same voice. I didn't want to experience conflict or evil ever again. I had been done with everything. I didn't look up. Until the voice proceeded to speak.

"I know how life is. One minute you are out of water until you fall in; driftly falling away into the deep bottom. And before it you noticed that you are ways underwater." The voice was soft and feminine. It had also seemed demonic; yet her words were carefully prosed into a sensitive feeling of kindness.

I looked up. No one was there. It was too dark all around, yet I noticed that the water was bright and lit with glowing light. I looked closer.

"Over here. I'm in here." Her words whisked into my ears as I could feel the beating of my heart against my chest.

I looked closer and deeper until a figure emerged from the water. It was a young woman; she had been the spirit of this hot spring. She had a a tail that was long and scaly and she had little fangs as she opened her mouth and breathed. Her skin was the color of the aquatic water. Her dark hair fell against the sides of her face; and she had a small snout yet beautiful lips and nose. Her eyes were dark blue as her pupils were the darkest shade of violet.

Her head pressed on top of her arms as she leaned herself up from the deep water. Her tail lifted as she hoisted herself.

"What brings you here Halfling? Ah yes your friend is emotionally hurt. How sad." She mimicked.

My eyebrows scowled upon her as Satsu was asleep as I held him in my arms.

"Like you would know." I snapped back at her.

She giggled as she held her scaly hand against her mouth. "Oh silly me. I shouldn't come off this way to over emotional beings. Forgive me my dear for I have always been this way. I am so terribly sorry." She couldn't help herself from giggling until she had sensed that I was becoming more annoyed by her. Eventually she stopped.

"I saw your friend flying from above. I was fixing up my water necklace sent from the spirit ways from here. He's in charge of heat. He likes me even though we are the exact opposite. Hot springs of water and he's heat. I suppose we aren't exactly set the opposite. But he lives with the fire realm with his distasteful mother. I heed hatred towards her." She rambled on as I looked down at Satsu in my arms. She tried to speak again to catch my attention.

"Your friend seems to be very important to you." She said.

I looked up at smiled at her. "Yes." I nodded as tears fell.

"You know, I think the both of you are more than that." She went on, "The two of you are connected with a bond. The both of you are very kindred; kindred spirits. Thus, the two of you are meant to be together. The presence and the time you put in being together makes you stronger." She explained as she motioned her hands in the air. I looked at her overtaken by her knowledge.

"You seem to know a lot lf this world." I mentioned.

She thought for a moment and then she spoke. "Ah well yes. You seem to pick up quite a few things that spirits say that come by here. One time a spirit from the east of the monastery ways up from the hill left a bundle of books beside that tree." She pointed towards a large tree with roots that grew on the ground close by to my feet. "Some were quite religious while others were informative. I learned to speak by heed I swore to never speak against solely I had lost my very eyes from poetic verses." She started to swim in the water, as my eyes grew wide. She was very intelligent for a spirit. I grew interested to know more about her.

Her head pulled down underwater as she whipped her head up and spewed water from her mouth playfully. Satsu didn't wake; as the sun was nearly setting.

"Here is something so you don't get tired." She motioned for me to get closer. I hesitated.

"How will I know if you're going to pull me under water and drown me?" I asked protecting myself.

"I'm not that kind of spirit." She shook her head at my ridiculousness.

I walked closer. She lifted a bottle from up the water. It was dust. She sprinkled it on my hands.

"Now rub your hands." She informed me. I did.

"All right now rub them under your eyes and cheeks. Slowly now. You don't want the dust to get trapped inside deeper into your pores." I tried to rub slowly. She went under water and grabbed my hand. She pulled me in. I gasped for air.

Was she drowning me? I started to hit her across the head. She looked at me and motioned to me that she wasn't going to drown me. At least I thought that she wasn't. She pulled me into a deep crease beside the dirt wall of in the water of the hot spring. She reached her hand in and pulled out some books. She set them into my arms. She pulled out some clothes. She set those into my arms. Until she pulled out a necklace, She grabbed my hand and pulled me above surface. I crawled up on the dirt ground and heaved myself and sat by Satsu.

"See? I didn't drown you. Calm down." She told me. I was calm. How was I not calm? I looked down at my lap and at the clothes.

"Your friend is naked." She pointed at Satsu from behind me.

I noticed. My cheeks felt as if they were burning as I looked away. I didn't realize it until now. It must have been from Satsus transformation. He grew out of his Hakama. I had also noticed that I was still wearing my furisode; yet it was all torn and the sewing was beginning to rip even more. I realized the long sleeves were all ruined and had holes in them. The spirit had given me what a hot springs spirit would most likely wear. A dress with beads hemmed at the bottom with a silk wrap to cover over your breasts and neck. I also held the necklace in my hands. I looked down at it and then the hot spring spirit spoke.

"That is a magatama necklace with special powers. Be sure to take good care of it. The spiral beads are made with jade with an essence of fertality. I felt as if you needed it, and there you go." She bowed at me and then her head sunk down into the water again. I waited to see if her head would pop up and come back out. She didn't. I looked out to the side of the hot spring. She was not there and the hot spring was now hollow. The deep dark bottom had been sealed up. I was astonished. I dipped my foot inside and my toe reached the murky bottom. Eventually I was now walking inside.

I decided to take off my Furisode until I noticed Satsu was awake. I jolted upwards and pulled my dress back over me.

"What happened?" He moaned. He looked down and noticed his bare skin. He froze.

"A water spirit was here and gave me those clothes for you." I quickly said so Satsu wouldn't get any wrong notions if I had done anything or any further ideas.

"Oh." He said and walked fast into the bushes and changed. He came back out wearing another Hakama pants but white. He also wore a vest that was light blue and he had an emblem on his collar. Hakamas must be common in the spirit world for male figures I imagined. His cheeks were red and he looked down again. "You can take a bath in the hot springs if you want. I won't look I'll go away. Far away if you want." He mumbled. I did seem dirty; so I trusted him. Satsu found a large band of trees if you walk further, and it was almost like a hut made with branches. Satsu waited inside as I bathed. I got dressed into my clothes the water spirit gave me. And I went on inside the hut. Satsu had a fire burning and he made mats out of bamboo and straw. He looked up and smiled.

"You look nice." He acknowledged.

Moments passed as Satsu and I sat by the fire. I told him what happened. He wasn't surprised. He had a feeling of what was coming for us but he didn't say anything before. He said that his father had a higher chance of turning into his form with being around Utma. They were the opposite of the sexes. Fire and ice. Water and fire. Satsu began to grow more quiet as things became too personal for him to speak any further. We layed down and looked at the branches as they branched out over us. Through the tiny spaces; we could see the stars. We were at peace.

"Look at the stars and how they-"

"Shine for us." Satsu finished my sentence. I looked over at him and the corners of his lips slowly parted into a grin. We laughed as the stars shone bright, and the fire slowly changed colors of violet and blue. The fire was made out of different particles; different chemicals at could not be indentified. Many things of this world was different. Some spirits hardly paid attention to the small things of the spirit world. All that had mattered to some was the beauty and significance of nature itself.

"I don't remember how I got here." Satsu said to me unexpectedly. "All I know is that Utma had given birth to me as her son. I don't even know what type of spirit she is or her purpose or mine.Yet I have a power to transform of the good side of the beast figure. I fly but I'm not a dragon. Sometimes I want to just disappear. Fade away. I don't know how. I can't die. I'm immortal. I live to work. Somtimes I wish instead of turning into a helpless beast I want to have the power to be invisible. To hide away from everyone. To be free. Sometimes I wondered what would happen if I can just be gone from the whole world and go and hide away." He started to trace the branches with his finger as if he were drawing or making the branches himself.

I thought for a moment until something hit me on what to say.

"If you disappeared from the spirit world, how would I have met you?" I asked. His head turned to me and I had caught him unexpectedly at the sounding sensation of what I said meant.

"I don't know." He thought for a moment.

"If I hadn't met you, I wouldn't have survived in this world. I would probably be crying all the time working for Utma. I would have probably been dead. I would have been made into food for the spirits. Yet because of you I picked up my feet and dusted myself off. You gave me hope. And I finally had courage to do what's right and to set me free."

I looked over at Satsu and his silence was overpowering. I began to wonder what he thought. His eyes had bursted with realization. He sighed.

"I know."

"Satsu If only you knew..." I whispered to myself as tears dripped from the side. Satsu looked up at me again. He looked to make sure if I wasn't crying. I quickly wiped my tears with the back of my hand. He laid back down.

A brief moment of silence came over the conversation until I decided to put my say.

"Satsu?"

"Yeah?" He moved to his side and looked over at me.

"Your important to me." I said as I looked up at the stars. They shined brightly. They were giant prisms set in the blackness of the spirit world and the crimson color from the mountains. Satsu looked up at the stars and rubbed his eyes. Nothing was said for the rest of the night yet I was content. In the back of my mind I had been worried about Satsu on what he might of thought. Since he was quiet and not sure of what to say himself, I still cared for him. No matter what happens I will always be there for Satsu as he always has been for me. As the water spirit of the hot spring said, we were kindred spirits and nothing could come pass us but ourselves and we had given each other power. It wasn't forged into stone, yet deep inside I knew that Satsu was close to me as he had been kept inside my heart as he worked his way inside; helping me every step of the way through the spirit world. I closed my eyes as the night drifted on as I parted into my sensual night of dreaming.