Fuel to the Fire

Chapter 4


The stars flickered in the sky over the Yasukuni shrine. This was a relatively new shrine to Tokyo. It was said to house the spirits of the Emperor’s warriors, those who have fought in his name, including men who fought and died during the Sengoku period. The temple’s aura weighed heavily on the grounds, giving any patron a sense of what men went through to get enshrined here. The spirits were restless, aching for the next battle to come. Tatsu approached the stairs leading to the main building, pausing to scan his surroundings. The grounds were quiet since the caretakers had already retired for the evening. Wind chimes tinkled their cheery tune to the wind, silencing the spirits for only a short moment of peace. Tatsu turned his face to the wind, letting his hair move freely in nature’s grasp.

“So, you’ve come,” a voice said from behind. Tatsu’s natural reaction to an unseen enemy is to remain tense and ready to draw a weapon. Only he had left without his weapons, and this phantom was no threat to him. “Did you think I would decline this invitation?” Tatsu asked, turning to face the woman he once took on the Kyoto Yakuza for. Two days had not warmed her to his re-emergence. Even in the darkness he could see she kept herself veiled from him. Her hair was unrestrained, falling in her face as she bowed formally to him. At least she seemed unarmed this time, but something was still amiss. She was wearing the garments of a shrine maiden, a white haori coat with red hakama pants. Yume motioned them to head down the main path.

The moon had crested above the main temple building, a half moon that splayed their shadows in front of them. Crickets chirped in the nearby woods, and the trees creaked in the wind. The graveled path crunched under Tatsu’s steps, but Yume made no sound, gave no indication of her presence. “I see you’ve taken on another role, Yume. What game are you playing this time?” he asked, walking slowly next to her. Yume looked up as Tatsu took her hand in his. “These were the only clothes available to me when I got here,” Yume said, turning to face him directly. “I play no games with you, Tatsu. You came here for answers that I am willing to provide. What questions do you have?”

Benches were erected on the edge of the wooded area. Tatsu kept her hand in his while he led them to a bench under a large maple tree. The tree hid them from the moonlight, but they were still able to view the night’s splendor. Yume sat very proper, her hands folded in her lap and her feet crossed. These were such ladylike movements and mannerisms that his Yume had never exhibited. Every movement sent up a red flag in his mind. Something wasn’t right. Was this the person she had become, or was this just another façade for her amusement? He had reviewed his list of questions before setting off to this rendezvous, but watching her now, he forgot his entire line of questioning, so much for his investigation skills. A tendril of her hair was caught in the breeze, and before he could move, she had caught it with her hand and slid it behind her ear. What was it about this woman that turned him into a complete idiot? Tatsu opened his mouth to speak, but Yume looked his way again, her eyes glassy with tears she was fighting not to shed.

“I’m sorry, Tatsu,” she said, leaning into his chest. Tatsu wrapped his arms around her, rocking her as she quietly sniffled. “Yume, please, you have to tell me…” Tatsu’s words ceased and his body slumped over. Yume pulled herself free from his embrace, holding his body steady so he didn’t fall over. She stood up to face the figure approaching from the woods. “It is done, Yume, your horse is ready. Leave him to me,” he said. Yume nodded, “Thank you, Miki, can we be there before sunrise?” “If you leave now,” said the dark man as he hefted Tatsu’s limp body over his shoulder. “Your home is awaiting your return.” Yume nodded again as she stripped from the maiden’s clothing and ran to her horse. The ride was going to be hard and fast, but it was necessary. ‘Please Tatsu, I hope you can forgive me…’

~*~*~

The smell of a fire burning low was the first thing he noticed before opening his eyes. He waited and listened for movement, and hearing none, Tatsu opened one eye to look around his surroundings. The hut was small, simply four walls with a dirt floor and a raised area for the fire pit. Sitting up from the futon, Tatsu immediately grabbed his head. The pounding in his head caused his neck to throb. Reaching around, Tatsu found how he got to where he was. There was a puncture wound with dried blood around it. Then the events from the night flowed back into his clouded mind, causing his head to pound even more. ‘Yume, where is she?’ he thought.

Tatsu slowly got to his feet, and found the pain in his head start to wane. While keeping his hand against the wall for balance, Tatsu led himself through the doorway and into the morning sunrise. So, he had been out all night. Anything could have happened to her in that amount of time. The fog was lying thick through this wooded area, but he could hear people in the near distance. Children’s voices laughed and women were scolding unseen assailants. Only the woods were so thick that he couldn’t tell which direction the voices were coming from. “Hey mister, you lost?” Tatsu wheeled around to see a young boy in his path. He looked young, dark hair and dark skin, and a smile that showed off his missing teeth. “Whatcha doin’ by Miss Yume’s house?” he asked.

‘Yume’s house? She lived here?’ “Actually I was looking for her. Do you know where I might find Miss Yume?” Tatsu asked, lowering himself to one knee to get level with the boy. The boy laughed at him, “She’s at the river, like every morning!” Tatsu patted the boy on the head. “I’m sorry, friend, I’m new here. Can you take me there?” The smile disappeared from the boy’s face as he shook his head. “Oh no, she’ll kill me if I interrupt her!” Tatsu scrunched his forehead at the boy’s response. Tatsu quickly put another smile on his face before the boy could see his concern. “Well, how about you just point me in the right direction, and I won’t tell her a thing?” The boy looked away, pondering Tatsu’s offer. He turned back and smiled, pointing to behind the hut. “There’s a path behind her house, it will take you there. But don’t let he see you, or she’ll kill you too!” Tatsu stood to his feet and the boy took off down the path, disappearing into the fog.

Once Tatsu was a good distance down the path, he heard the sounds of rushing water. Staying away from the banks, Tatsu edged along the river until he found himself at a waterfall. The fog was still thick, but he could make out a figure in the water. It was Yume, sitting inside the flow of the water. The falling water beat against her body, but she sat still against its surge. Her eyes were closed, her hands clasped in her lap. This was a strengthening exercise he had seen monks perform before, said to strengthen not only the body, but the spirit as well. As Tatsu sat among the brush, he wondered what had actually happened to this woman in the last five years. Who did she meet on this path? It was not long after he was comfortable that he watched her rise from her position. She walked with the river’s current, and stripped her body of the simple white robe that she was wearing. She approached the bank just upstream from Tatsu’s position, and placed the robe on the ground before wading back into the water.

“You going to watch me all day?” she asked, “You know it’s rude to spy on girls!” Tatsu stopped breathing, but Yume didn’t look in his direction. She continued into the water, sinking to sit in the current. Then she turned her head to the brush that hid Tatsu. “I know you’re there, Arashi! What have I told you about following me?” Tatsu jumped up at the sound of another man’s name. “Arashi? Who is this Arashi?” Yume laughed at Tatsu’s conclusion. She rose from the water again, slicking her hair back with her hands, thrusting out her chest with the movement. Yume stalked toward him, the water level just high enough to keep her main assets hidden. But he did observe a new mark on her body. The water was lapping against it, making it hard to see, but there was definitely a new scar, lengthwise across her stomach. She stopped at the bank, and offered her hands up to Tatsu. Grabbing at her offering, he heaved her body from the water, but he used too much force and ended up throwing them backwards. Tatsu landed on his back as Yume crushed herself against his chest.

Cold water soaked through his clothing, and her body began to shake with the chill of the morning air. Yume pushed herself up with her arms, and looked down on Tatsu. She couldn’t help but laugh at the shocked expression and slight blushing on his face. Her wet hair dripped water onto Tatsu’s face, cooling his suddenly heated skin. Feeling his body awaken, Yume began to press her hips into him, grinding against him hard enough to drag a moan from him. “Is that all you can think of?” she asked, winking at Tatsu. He quieted her by sitting up, taking her lips, kissing away the cool water. She sucked on his bottom lip once, then pulled away. “Not here, we’re not alone,” she whispered. Yume got up and collected her robe. As she moved to wrap herself in the wet garment, Tatsu stopped her hand. Taking it away, he wrapped her in his own coat. It was just long enough to cover the important areas, and she didn’t need to give their audience a free show. Leaning over, Yume kissed him on his bare chest, then led the way through the woods. “Hey!” he yelled, running after her. “Who’s Arashi?”