Soul Shaking
TITLE: Soul Shaking
PAIRING: Shige/Pi
RATING: PG
WORD COUNT: 6,855
NOTES: I was notified today that I have an interview at a place I really want to work! It got me super excited and gave me the energy to finish editing this! This is a Shinto god AU.There are tons and tons of references to Shinto deities and Japanese spirits/demons. If you need a refresher, or didn't know them to being with, here is Wikipedia's list of the major deities (though, I only used a handful of them). Knowing the spirits and demons isn't of much importance to the plot, but Wikipedia's list is here. Anything else that pops up that you don't know, I recommending Googling/Wikipedia-ing. If there's something you still don't get: comment, and I swear so fucking hard that I will reply in a timely manner.
Ryujin, the Dragon King of the Sea, sits upon his throne, bored and uninterested in the tides as his jellyfish and sea turtle aides putter about. His misses his youth when his mother, in her vast kindness, would let him play in the shallows and venture up onto land and speak with the humans that beloved him so. The ancient days were the great ones for his family and clan of gods, but now with all those fancy toys, he is forgotten on his throne and the humanity he was always so interested in have forgotten him.
He's jealous of his friend, Inari, who still walks among the humans and watches them from his many statues.
"Be not so sad, Ryujin," Inari always says. "You may be well surprised who still remembers and says your name in awe."
"Such as?"
And then, Inari will stumble on his words, turning a shade of red.
"I wish to be seen again, even if by only one human. I wish to be reminded of why am I protecting these seas for them."
"Then go," Hachiman snaps, though everyone knows he will miss Ryujin. "At least so that I don't have to hear your whining anymore."
But, there is a throne to consider, and it cannot simply be abandoned. He slinks into sadness, until his mother comes to visit him, unexpected.
"My son, I feel your sorrow, and I am troubled. You miss the humans so much?" She asks.
"I miss feeling needed," Ryujin clarifies.
The mother studies her son, and after a long moment, cups his jaw gently. "Then, go, child. I will watch your throne while you travel. You are at that age where such wanderlust is not so uncommon."
Ryujin smiles.
"Will you take that old form you once held, before you became my son and the Dragon King?"
"It's the easiest," Ryujin says. "Though, it may be difficult to hold myself in such a form for long."
"Stay near the sea, child. It will keep your soul at peace while you walk upon the dirt and stone."
Ryujin leaves his palace, swimming towards the shore, inadvertently creating a bit of a gale behind him. When he breaks the surface of the water, takes his old form and steps upon the land, the suddenness of his change is a shock for his old human body, and he collapses, face in the sand.
When he wakes, he's tucked in a futon that smells like mold and old wood, and on the other side of a shoji screen, he can see the rough silhouette of a man moving about. Next to him is a yukata, and Ryujin wonders if it's summer, or maybe his host had nothing else to offer. So, he dresses, and steps into the other room.
The man jumps in shock and drops something. Ryujin just keeps standing in the doorway.
"O-oh, you're awake," the man says. "I'm glad. I was starting to think about calling a doctor..."
Ryujin looks around -- it's a small home, built like the ones of old with a living room centered around a firepit and a small entryway where there are a few shoes lined up.
"Are you... feeling alright?"
"Yes, quite, thank you," Ryujin says, stepping forward and sitting next to the little firepit with much authority.
The man looks a bit awkward, like he isn't sure what to make of Ryujin's behavior. It has been awhile since he's walked among man, so perhaps things have changed.
"What is the year?"
The man's jaw drops. "Seriously? The year? Did you hit your head? It's 2011."
This time, it's Ryujin that is surprised.
"You didn't remember that?"
Far more time has passed than I thought would have. "... Perhaps... I did hit my head."
The man frowns. "Do you remember where you're from? Your name?"
"My name...." Ryujin thinks back, the syllables of his old, mortal name forming and rolling back off his tongue. "Is Yamashita Tomohisa."
The man looks relieved to have that at least. "I'm Kato Shigeaki, but 'Shige' is fine," he says. "Um.. Is there... any reason why you were naked and unconscious on the beach?"
Yamashita shakes his head, and asks if he might get some rice.
Shige, he learns, is a law student from the city -- Tokyo -- who is spending his summer on a photography project in a coastal town. The home is being rented just for a few months.
"There's not much to do here, so I've taken up fishing as well. It's very rewarding."
Ryujin frowns, wondering if his man has eaten any of his aides or servants.
"You're not quite my build," Shige says, rubbing the back of his head. "So, I'm not sure what to do about the clothes thing..."
"For now, that is the least of the issues."
".... I guess you're right."
For the time being, while he gets his land legs and sense back, Ryujin decides that it's safest to stay with Shige, who has proven to be utterly harmless. Once he is comfortable on land again, he'll go about reminding these people of the grandeur of the Dragon King.
"I told my one neighbor that I'd clean her roof today, but you can stay here if you want to rest more."
"No, I will go with you. There is no point in staying alone."
Shige still looks at him like he thinks this Yamashita guy is a weird one, but is probably attributing to the vague, blunt head trauma he must have suffered to forget everything but his own name.
The neighbor is an old widow a few kilometers away. From the looks of things, Ryujin judges this place as having a distinct lack of young people. The old woman thanks them both profusely for coming, and the entire time they're working on her roof, there is a steady stream of cold water and sliced oranges. After a few hours, they climb down, sweaty and moss stuck under their finger nails. Her attention is solely on Yamashita, her eyes dreamy as she looks at him.
"It's so wonderful to see young men wearing the old styles. It makes my heart warm."
"Kimono are perfect for the Japanese form," he answers. "I do not understand why it has been so forsaken."
Her eyes light up. "I still have some of my late husband's, and I have no use for them. Would you...?"
Yamashita bows. "You are far too kind."
By the end of the day, they're walking back to little home, Shige's armed filled with a giant bowl of curry and Yamashita's with yukata and kimono and hakata.
Shige is patient and unhurried with Yamashita as he unknowingly familiarizes the god with modern devices -- cellphones, digital cameras, radios and the like. It's all so exciting to him, seeing the things that humans have thought up to make their lives a little easier. Yamashita feels almost a swelling of pride over the little humans, until he asks Shige about shrines, and falls depressed once more.
"Do you go pray often?"
Shige looks confused, then shakes his head. "I only really go at New Year's. I knew a lot of people in high school we went to pray for good grades, but.... Praying won't do a lot of good. Isn't it better to use that time towards a productive end?"
Yamashita frowns, and Shige leans back a little.
"You must be from one of those, old really traditional families," he says. "It's the only thing that makes sense."
"I'm sure you'd find a lot of peace if you visited the shrines more."
Shige shakes his head, a gentle smile on his face, and pours Yamashita more tea.
One day, while they're out in the woods, taking a break from Shige's photo project, Yamashita is caught intently looking at Shige's camera.
"You can take some pictures if you want," Shige says, struggling with the cap on a bottle of water. "I have more than enough film and memory cards."
Shige, though, is completely unprepared for the flash going off in his face, and he drops the bottle. He looks up, and Yamashita is looking over the camera at him with shy eyes.
"Why would you want to take a picture of me?"
Yamashita shrugs. "I just kind of felt like it."
Originally, Ryujin planned on staying with Shige for only a few weeks at most, but as June melts into July, and August grows ever closer, he finds he can't bring himself to leave. He had told his fellow gods once that he was fine with only being recognized and humbly loved by a single human -- that would be enough for him -- and, as he plays a game on Shige's cellphone, and Shige reads an analysis of the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki (at Yamashita's insistence), Ryujin realizes that he wants Shige to be that person and that every other human is inconsequential to his happiness.
One afternoon, just their finishing taking some pictures and picking mushrooms along the way, it begins to rain, and the two dash back to their little house. Shige is trying to shield his camera from rain, and Yamashita is keeping a firm hand around the mushrooms. Shige darts off their little path through the yard of a shrine, and Yamashita frowns. He takes the long way back, and when he arrives at the house, Shige is already there, drying off and handing Yamashita a towel.
"Shige," Yamashita says, voice stern. "You can't just do that."
"Sorry. I thought you were right behind me."
"It is inappropriate to use a shrine as a short-cut. That is a holy place. Show it more deference."
Shige pushes his hair out of his eyes and looks confused. "But. It was raining."
"That is no excuse."
"Why are you making such a big deal out of this?" Shige asks, just short of a snap.
"The gods would be upset."
Shige looks shocked for a moment, and then starts laughing, holding his stomach and tears leaking from the corners of his eyes. Yamashita watches and grows morose.
Shige's complete lack of respect and disregard for the old ways is upsetting to Ryujin, to say the least. He'd recognized that modern people weren't much interested in the gods of old, but he'd held out hope that Shige was more enlightened than his peers. But, such did not turn out to be the case, and Shige only knows the bear minimals of shinto rites. Ryujin tries not to let it bother him, but it does, and it makes him feel alienated from Shige and consider returning back to his mighty throne among the gods.
Ryujin finds himself going for long walks along, in an effort to clear his mind, and one evening, he runs into another young man, with dark brown hair and wearing flashy clothes, leaning against a torii gate near the road. He greets Ryujin with a simple, "You look troubled, friend."
There is an aura around him, and Ryujin can tell he's not a human -- perhaps a fox spirit, or maybe a bakeneko. Ryujin figures he can see the might and glory of the Dragon King, even in a human shell.
"I'll listen if you have such awful worries to make you look like that."
"I have no such need to seek advice from a simple demon-beast."
The man laughs, high and happy. "Friend, I have much more experience walking among the peoples of this land. I can hide much, even from mighty gods that take a little breather to trek upon sand and earth."
Ryujin stares again this man, who looks like he wants the Dragon King to see something special.
"You can't be serious," Ryujin eventually murmurs. "Inari?"
"In these lands, I'm known as Koyama."
Ryujin laughs, and Inari seems glad to see it. "You're going by your old, mortal name too, I see."
"So, tell me. Why do you look so troubled when coming here was supposed to alleviate you of such things?"
Ryujin steps closer, leaning against the other pillar of the gate. "Humans have changed a lot. They look so little towards the gods and the old ways. It's disheartening."
"We stepped away from them years ago, don't you remember? They were so dependent, and the Masterful Counsel Omoikane determined it was making them weak. We had to leave them so they could grow."
"I think we left them for too long. These people know so little."
Inari sighs. "You might be right. They forgot us and learned to live without our guidance. But, that's not their fault. We're the ones that wanted them to grow."
"So, what should I do?"
"Teach them," Inari says. "It's a simple answer. You should have thought of that yourself."
"Will Shige care to know, I wonder," Ryujin mutters, and Inari leans closer.
"Shige? Who's that? You're getting attached, aren't you? Humans are fun, and we're inherently drawn to them, since we used to be of them."
"That was a long time ago."
"Doesn't change the fact we were people once too. We can't help but like them." Inari pushes off from the torii pillar. "Teach him the old ways. There's no harm in it."
And, in a blink of an eye, Koyama's form is gone, and instead, there's a fox, mature and strong with nine tails, that gives a little yip before bounding off.
Inari, while nowhere near the level of the Masterful Counsel and prone to boughts of airheadedness, is still quite adept at advice, and Ryujin feels much better after having talked with him.
"I want to teach you about the old ways. Of our ancestors and the gods they looked upon with reverence," Yamashita says a few days later over dinner.
Some rice falls from Shige's chopsticks back onto the plate. "What? Why?"
"It's important to know."
"How? That sort of stuff is irrelevant to the modern world."
Yamashita frowns, and Shige feels the air of their little home grow cold and uncomfortable. "It's important to know these things. It's part of who we are as Japanese."
Shige looks confused, and like he still doesn't see the point, but he acquiesces, mostly because he hates seeing an unhappy expression on Yamashita's face.
August -- the last month Shige had planned to stay in the little town -- is spent with Yamashita teaching Shige in between photos.
About what the variances in architecture style mean, and what minor differences on otherwise identical statues means, and how ancient legends and myths are told in the details of the walls and ceilings.
Shige, at the least, seems impressed that Yamashita knows this. And, after a time, he finds himself asking further questions, and Yamashita glows whenever he does. Shige starts to follow the rules of reverence and respect when he passes near a shrine, and even finds himself leaving little things for the jizo statues that litter the pathways in the town.
Yamashita looks so happy nowadays. He smiles all the time and watches Shige with soft eyes. The housewives start to whisper about them -- the two boys who ignore the interested gazes of the few young girls -- but, Yamashita shields Shige from these things, unleashing bits of his grandeur, so that when he passes by the women, they just swoon and compliment him.
He's happy in this little world he's made with Shige, in such a tiny little town on the coast. But, as August winds to a close and Shige starts thinking about what day to head back to Tokyo, Ryujin finds himself craving his throne -- but only if Shige is there with him as well.
Late one night, Ryujin is woken by an ethereal push. He lies awake for a moment, Shige snoring quietly next to him, until he can identify who it is. He stands and quietly exits the house.
"Inari, what couldn't wait until morning?"
"You must return to your throne, Ryujin!" The fox says, looking frantic.
"I'm not quite ready."
"There is no time! The Masterful Counsel has been lost, and our god-fellows are in turmoil!"
Ryujin yawns. "Omoikane is known for wandering. He'll be back."
"He won't," Inari snaps. "The Masterful Counsel Omoikane has ascended to the stars! We are lost without his guidance! You must return to your throne. It is the only way our god-fellows will have their worries assuaged!"
Ryujin well understands the turmoil that surrounds the gods when one of their own becomes one with the heavens. It's always a joyous occasion, but when it's a figure as crucial and depended-upon as the Masterful Counsel, anxiety will often override the celebration of the ascension.
"I understand," Ryujin says. "I will return shortly."
Just hearing it, Inari seems calmer, his aura less agitated. "Thank you, my friend. I'll tell the others. We will be waiting for your homecoming."
Ryujin is awake the rest of the night, sitting in his futon, trying to figure out how to tell Shige.
He could just lie, and say he's remembered where home is, and he's going back. But, something about it feels wrong; he doesn't want to lie to Shige, even though few humans can gaze upon the radiance of a god and comprehend what they see. Ryujin can't bring himself to leave and just let Shige forget him as some guy from the summer he did the photo project.
Shige jerks in his sleep and rolls over.
Ryujin decides.
Shige is smart and of a deep mind. He will be able to look upon me and know what stands before him.
Shige isn't even done with his first cup of coffee when Ryujin can't take it anymore.
"I have something to tell you."
Shige grunts and nods.
"... Do you remember when I told you about how the Dragon King of the Sea, Ryujin, came to be king and holds the might of the seas in his hand?"
"Umm, yeah. Mostly."
"That story was about me."
Shige blinks. "Like, a metaphor?"
"No," Yamashita whines. "That was me. I did that. I came to hold the seas in my hands."
"You're confusing me. You mean you wrote the story? You told me it was more than a thousand years old."
"It is."
".... What?"
Ryujin sighs. "I guess it would be easier to understand if I just showed you."
"Showed me what?"
"That I am the mighty Dragon King of the Sea, and have so judged you to be worthy of seeing my glory and might."
Shige laughs, gently, like he's humoring Yamashita. But, Ryujin just stands, and with a burst of light, sheds his human shell and lets his light fill the little home.
Somewhere in there, Shige drops his coffee, spilling it upon the tatami and his pajamas. The light and grandeur is almost too much, like he's just come out of a tunnel. But, just like Ryujin had expected, Shige is of a deep mind, and once his eyes and minds adjusts, he can see Ryujin, in all his divine radiance.
"I was once a man named Yamashita Tomohisa, but through work and enlightenment, I become something more, and earned the title of Dragon King of the Sea."
Shige trembles and says quietly, "Enlightenment?"
"Yes, that is how one becomes a god. If the timing is right."
"Timing," Shige repeats, but Ryujin gives him no clarification. "This is why you wanted to teach me about shinto stuff."
Ryujin nods. "I must return to my throne, as there are matters for me to address. But, I could not leave without giving you the truth."
He's just about to disappear and sit once more upon his throne, but something changes in last moment, as Shige looks up at him in awe and shock, like he's trying to find Yamashita again.
Ryujin can't bear to leave him, this little human. So, he takes Shige's expression for consent, and whisks them both back to his coral palace under the waves.
Shige awakes, distressed and confused. A jellyfish greets him and says the Dragon King had commanded him to take care of all Shige's needs. A pufferfish floats by the in the background with a bunch of parchment, and Shige thinks he might have a panic attack.
"You brought a little human home with you?" Ryujin's mother asks, curious. "Do you think he'll be safe here?"
Ryujin flicks a storm away from Okinawa. "Shige is rational. He will be fine amongst us."
"For a human, beings like us aren't rational!" Inari nearly shouts.
"Such little faith you all have in our distant cousins, the humans."
A pufferfish delivers more papers to Ryujin, and whispers to him, "The Dragon King's guest seems stressed. Perhaps you should visit him when a free moment arises."
Ryujin frowns, though, it's not over the report from the Viceroy of the Mariana Trench. "Inari, go see him. You understand humans better than any of us. Assuage his concerns."
Shige can't figure out where he is. With all the fish, he thinks he might be under water, yet, there seems to be no water and he has no trouble breathing. He wonders if he fell ill and is hallucinating.
A fox bounds in, tails swishing, and asks Shige if he is well.
"No," Shige whines. "How could I be well? I think I might be dying."
"Oh, that is no good. The Dragon King would be devastated," the fox says.
Shige frowns and stares at the fox.
"Would my human form be more reassuring to you?"
The fox doesn't wait for an answer and with a twirl and a second-long wind storm like a vacuum, the fox is no more, and there is a tall, lithe man standing before Shige.
"Like this, you may call me 'Koyama'," he says.
Shige is still frowning. "Where am I?"
"The palace of the Dragon King of the Sea, Ryujin. He is very fond of you, and could not stand to leave you when he had to return."
"What gave him that right?" Shige snaps.
Koyama pouts, like he can't fathom why Shige wouldn't take it as a compliment. "But... He's the Dragon King. It's a sign of honor, that he wanted you to see and fathom the might of the forgotten gods that, in our benevolence, continue to protect the home islands of Yamato."
Kurage, the jellyfish servant, floats in and says he was unable to find aspirin for Shige. He apologizes profusely.
"I shouldn't be here," Shige says, quietly, like he's tired. "I can tell that."
"The Dragon King asked me to see to your worries, but it seems I've done a poor job. Perhaps it would be best to talk to him directly. Come, I will take you to him."
Ryujin hears Shige's worries, while Inari hangs in the corner of the throne room. Shige pleads with the Dragon King, begging and looking up like he is again trying to find Yamashita in the eyes of Ryujin.
But, Yamashita is nothing more than a shell that Ryujin used to walk among the mortals.
"You would have been distressed if I had just left you. This is better."
"Ignorance is bliss," Shige says. "Please. I shouldn't be here. I know that."
Ryujin just shakes his head. "I need you here. You're too important for me to just let you wander. I wish for you to find solace and peace here amongst the gods."
Shige looks like he wants to reply, but Ryujin sends him away for the time being, claiming that much work piled up while he was gone.
Shige loses complete track of time and date. It is always daylight in the palace, and Shige knows logically that he should grow tired after a time, but he doesn't. There are moments when he feels drowsy, but he never actually sleeps -- just perks up after a time and Kurage brings him tea.
Inari -- as Koyama -- visits him occasionally, and even brings the youngest of the gods, hoping that Shige may find some comfort in the presence of the god-fellow that remembers the ways of humanity best.
"This is the Laughing Buddha, Hotei."
"I was called 'Tegoshi' once," the young man says.
"And, what crazy god-form do you have?" Shige asks, tired and staring out a window.
Hotei laughs. "I'm a buddha. This is my only form; I'm not like the old gods. You're not as smart as the Dragon King said you were."
Shige frowns. "Koyama, you brought him here, why?"
"He's the Laughing Buddha. I thought he might cheer you up....."
"I'm wasting away," Shige murmurs, and even Hotei can't keep up a happy expression.
"You're really not happy here?" Ryujin asks when he comes to see Shige.
"No."
Ryujin frowns and returns to his shell, Yamashita. "Does this make you feel any better?"
Shige regards him for a moment, eyes drooping and complexion pale.
"Let me go home," he pleads.
The lady-god that took in the young Ryujin when he had just earned the title of Dragon King is a very old god, right at the cusp of ascending to the stars, but unwilling to leave until she feels Ryujin is ready for it.
"You're more than a thousand years old, yet you still act like a child, keeping something you shouldn't," she says, jellyfish and turtles diving out of her way as she moves towards Ryujin's throne. "You must let him return to the islands."
Ryujin frowns. "Since the Masterful Counsel Omoikane ascended, we have been troubled with nought but short-sighted actions that have inadvertently turned the world ever more into chaos. I will not throw Shige into that terror which now envelopes man."
"You have seen how weak he grows, Ryujin. It cannot be denied."
"Shige looks upon us and knows. He is simply stubborn."
"Such is the nature of man," his mother snaps. "Yes, his eyes and mind know. That alone makes his something special among humans. But, his soul is a different matter, Ryujin. An unenlightened man, such as Shige, has no place here. He will wither into nothing and you will lament your foolishness in keeping him close."
Ryujin crumples a parchment in his hands, but will not look up at his mother.
"I am an old god. I have seen much. Do you think you're the first? The only one to to connect so deeply with a human and make what you think is a good decision on their behalf?"
"Mother-"
"We have done much for the humans, so that they might be strong. We made ourselves distant so that they could grow their own will, independent from ours. If he wants to return, you must let him, Dragon King."
Ryujin slumps in his throne and realizes the truth behind his mother's words.
Shige is in a drowsy state when Ryujin comes, and Kurage flutters worriedly nearby.
"I am sorry for the misery you have felt here," Ryujin says, crouching next to Shige. "But, I do not regret wanting to keep you within these safe walls."
"You are selfish," Shige mutters.
Ryujin looks upon him and sees the weakness in his frail, human body. "Stand. I will take you home."
Shige's head whips around, his eyes wide. "Really?"
"Take my hand." And, Shige does.
There's a sound like an explosion, and a pressure all around him, similar to the feeling of taking off in a plane, only stronger. When he opens his eyes again, he is standing on a beach with Yamashita.
"... This isn't a hallucination?"
Ryujin shakes his head. "It's the town where we spent that summer."
Shige exhales and shakes, like his body can't control its excitement about being back in familiar territory.
"You must be careful, Shige. There are troubles about in the world of the gods and spirits. Evil things have been leaking out."
"Evil things?"
"Demons and spirits that would do harm upon people. You're strong enough to know a god when one stands before you, so you should be able to steer clear of such trouble."
Shige nods and sighs. "I suppose this is goodbye."
"It doesn't have to be. You have a deep mind. If anyone amongst humans is worthy enough to reach enlightenment and be bequeathed the title of a god, it is you."
"That's-- What-- I. You're kidding," Shige sputters, but Yamashita just looks at him with soft eyes and wishes Shige luck.
The world is a mess, just as Ryujin had warned. Oni smash storefronts and terrorize people, harionago entrap people in their barbed hair, kappa drown men and rape women, and nue plague people with nightmares.
The human world comes to crashing halt, where people are doing just what they can to survive and ward off the demons. Few people have any real defense against the demons and suffer greatly. But, just as Ryujin had said, Shige is able to avoid trouble, can see the demons coming and prepare for them adequately, so he keeps himself safe.
He takes refuge in a high, abandoned pent-house. The elevator doesn't work any more, and the demons that would terrorize him don't like the idea of climbing up 24 flights of stairs. The walls are covered in photos of a more peaceful time -- dew drops on a flower, a vine crawling up the trunk of a tree, a sleepy seaside village filled with old shrines and jizo temples.
Shige stands on the balcony and watches through binoculars as a Raiju causes havoc down on the street.
"I can't keep up with all this!" Hachiman complains. "I know I'm the Divine Protector, but I can't keep going on my own."
"Hachiman is strong," Hotei says, smiling. "You can do it. With your might and Nishikido's heart, there's nothing that is beyond your reach!"
Ryujin sighs. "Without our Masterful Counsel, it seems we really are cursed with making nought but poor decisions."
Other gods murmur and look downtrodden.
"All we can do is look after humanity as best we can."
Shige is sitting on his balcony, looking up at the sky. Somewhere, a woman screams, but Shige doesn't hear it. He keeps looking up, and even though the sun is shining brightly, the stars twinkle back at him.
Hachiman wipes the blood of a Wanyudo off his face, stomping out the last of the demon's embers. He curses at Hotei's and Ryujin's ability to convince him to come back out here. He knows it's his duty, but it still sucks. There are more demons than he could ever hope to defeat, and with humanity in such despair, new demons rise out of the ground just as quickly as he can strike them down.
A Tofu-Kozo walks by, and Ryujin tells the child spirit to leave. "The Aobozu will eat you up." The child gasps and scampers off.
He's just about to head off again and find another demon to hunt, when there's a pull and something calling to him. It's an old feeling, nearly unfamiliar with how long its been. He follows it and finds a young man on a balcony. Hachiman watches him for a long moment, and the feeling of familiarity only goes stronger.
"I don't know your name," the young man says suddenly, and it startles Hachiman. "But, I know where you'll be going back to. Give my regards to the Dragon King."
Hachiman's eyes grow wide, and he stares for a long moment before whisking himself back to Ryujin's palace.
He comes stumbling in, rushed and awkward like the whole first century when he'd just become the Divine Protector. "There is a man near enlightenment!" He shouts, and the throne room turns to consider him.
"That doesn't mean he's of a deep enough mind to become fully enlightened," Fujin says.
"Or, that he'll be deemed worthy of a godly title," Raijin adds.
"They're right," the Dragon Kings sighs. "Though, it pains me to say."
"He told me to give you his regards."
Ryujin looks up and his face steels. "In that case, I feel quite confident in saying that we well be hearing from the Great Goddess Amaterasu soon."
"Is the Dragon King, right? Will we have a new brethren soon?" Hotei asks, curling against the back of Byakko.
"He certainly felt quite close. And, he knew me as a god," Hachiman answers.
Hotei smiles widely. "It's promising, isn't it?"
"You're both getting ahead of yourselves," Byakko rumbles. "And, for all we know, he could turn out to get a useless title -- we have been without Daikokuten for a long time. There are few titles that would be of any use to us now."
"Massu is so negative sometimes," Hotei murmurs, poking him in the side.
"It's Byakko," the white tiger insists.
"You were Massu since before you revealed your radiance to me, and you're going to keep being Massu," Hotei answers.
Byakko frowns, and Hachiman smirks.
"If you're both so convinced, then fine. I will go judge this human myself."
He shakes off Hotei and jumps upon the wind.
Byakko doubts the hopes of Ryujin and Hotei, and does not believe the excitement of Hachiman's reporting. He will judge this human with his own eyes, so that, whatever might happen, he have his own memory of these events.
But, once the winds taken him above Yamato, to the skies above the greatest city on the islands, he feels something -- like a tiny spark that is about to erupt into a mighty storm. It's intriguing, and Byakko follows it, wondering if it is the spirit of the near-enlightened man getting ready to burst forth.
He lands on the balcony, and the building shakes from it. The man doesn't stir in the least; his lotus position is unbroken and his breathing remains even. The only acknowledgement he gives Byakko is a simple, "I'm allergic to cats."
"... You're the man the Dragon King and Divine Protector have such faith in."
The man turns to regard Byakko. "Isn't the white tiger a Chinese legend?"
"Originally, yes. But, it is not so strange a thing for different places to nurture their own Tiger of the West."
The man goes back to his mediation and ignores a flock of Tengu that perch for a rest a few verandas down.
"... There is growing hope that you will become a great god."
"I have little interest in that," the man whispers, but his lips barely move. "I am simply trying to escape this hell that has surrounds me."
Byakko leaves, impressed beyond measure. Upon his return, Hachiman and Hotei tease him for not trusting them.
"Shige will awaken to his own grandeur soon," Ryujin says. "I will go, and be there to greet him when that happens."
His mother and the other aged-gods frown and call him back.
"You mustn't, Dragon King, for it could ruin him."
"Your very presence could break his trance."
Ryujin frowns. "Hachiman and Byakko did not."
"They are not you," his mother says. "They do not have such a connection as you do with him. Leave him to his own mind. You cannot rush these things, Ryujin."
And, again, when faced with the wisdom of the gods, whose experience he cannot hope to overturn, Ryujin is forced to stay his hand.
Inari comforts his friend, but it does little to calm him.
"It will feel like an eon waiting for him."
"You are the mighty Dragon King of the Sea! Waiting an eon is nothing!" Inari chirps, curling along the back of Ryujin's throne.
"I have never much liked waiting," Ryujin sighs. Inari laughs and ponders aloud how Yamashita was ever able to reach enlightenment and become the new Dragon King.
It is raining, but Shige does not feel it upon his face. The wind is howling, but he does not hear it. There is a fire down at street level, but he does not smell the smoke. He has not eaten or drunk in days, but he does not want for either. The world is falling apart, yet he does not see it.
The only thing that fills his senses is the woman perched on the railing of the balcony, smiling softly as light shines out from behind her.
"You have been much waited for," she says, her voice like a song. "Please, come with me."
She reaches out her hand, and Shige judges it. He thinks about what this choice means and weighs it in his mind. Once he's made his decision, he takes it.
She smiles. "So fitting. This is a very auspicious choice."
They arrive in a flash, every god in Ryujin's throne room shielding their eyes from the brilliance they so rarely behold.
The room and those who fill it are a familiar sight, but this time, Shige's heart does not feel heavy, nor is his mind troubled.
"Amaterasu, while we always welcome your presence, a forewarning would be much appreciated," Ryujin's mother says, recovering slightly quicker than her peers.
"You would not want to wait to hear this news, for it has been that which you have all looked so longingly for. Our Omoikane ascended only shortly ago, and without his guidance, we have all been lost."
Ryujin's eyes clear, and he gasps when he sees who is there.
"Shige!" He shouts and moves across the throne room. "I am most glad and humbled to see that you walked the path of enlightenment that I asked of you."
Amaterasu smiles and puts a hand on Shige's shoulder. "The man named Katou Shigeaki is no more. His name is nothing but a lost whisper now, for he has become something far greater."
Ryujin smiles widely, and Amaterasu steps back, exploding into a soft, yet celebratory light, her voice singing out, "This is the 8th Masterful Counsel Omoikane. May his thoughts be clear and his judgements swift in their justice."
"I didn't do it for you," Omoikane says to Ryujin over the cheering shouts of their god-fellows. "I did it because the world of man is hell. Most people won'tt be able to escape into the depths of their mind like I did."
"We can help them now that you're here."
Omoikane looks around. "We all must do our part. It's unfair to make the Divine Protector take up this work alone."
The gods quiet down as they hear Omoikane speak.
"We all have something to offer to the suffering of the people there."
"Normally, after a new god is titled, there's a bit of a celebration," Inari says, looking meek.
"We can celebrate when the demons and rouge spirits are back in their rightful places," Omoikane replies, voice stern and absolute, and the gods take much comfort in his words and determination.
Raijin is sent out to control the raiju, and Ryujin the bake-kujira and kappa. Fujin steals the wind out from under the tengu's wings. Inari brings the mischievous, but otherwise harmless, foxes back under his control. Byakko and Hachiman and the other mighty sword gods strike down the demons that will not peacefully return to their holes and caves. The buddhas see to comforting humanity and of giving them solace.
All while Omoikane stands on the dais of the gods, considering his old world and where the demons are regrouping and how he will counter their attempts. Those who cannot fight, or have little control over the demons in their fold even on good days, watch in awe as the young Omoikane never stops working, calling out new orders and movements and decrees. Hachiman, Byakko and Inari -- really, all the gods and buddhas -- complain about being overworked, but Ryujin never does. He always returns with a smile and good news and ready for Omoikane to tell him where namazu are causing earthquakes, or where the amemasu are being treacherous.
With the 8th Masterful Counsel's guidance, the demons and evil spirits running rampant are brought under control quickly. And, for just a short period, the mortal humans again look upon the gods. Men and women and children throw themselves at the gods' feet, thanking them and offering their devotion. It's an old feeling for some, and new for others. But, either way, there's something wonderful about knowing there are people who love you and look to you with wonder. Even when the gods retreat back their homes, they can still feel the love of the people continuing on from afar.
"Anyone else as our 8th Omoikane would not have resolved the problems so quickly," Ryujin says, lounging against the coral of his palace. "I'm glad it was you, Shige."
"Aren't I Omoikane now?" He scoffs.
Ryujin laughs. "Maybe so. But, when I look at you, I still that young man with the camera in the little village."
"Watch it, or I'll go off traveling."
"No, no, no," Ryujin calls, grabbing him by the arm, unaccustomed to such teasing. "Shige is always welcome in my palace. You can stay here forever."
Omoikane -- Shige -- smiles, and lets himself be led along the water's currents to the tropics, where colorful fish float by, and Ryujin invites himself along on all of Shige's travels.
PAIRING: Shige/Pi
RATING: PG
WORD COUNT: 6,855
NOTES: I was notified today that I have an interview at a place I really want to work! It got me super excited and gave me the energy to finish editing this! This is a Shinto god AU.There are tons and tons of references to Shinto deities and Japanese spirits/demons. If you need a refresher, or didn't know them to being with, here is Wikipedia's list of the major deities (though, I only used a handful of them). Knowing the spirits and demons isn't of much importance to the plot, but Wikipedia's list is here. Anything else that pops up that you don't know, I recommending Googling/Wikipedia-ing. If there's something you still don't get: comment, and I swear so fucking hard that I will reply in a timely manner.
Ryujin, the Dragon King of the Sea, sits upon his throne, bored and uninterested in the tides as his jellyfish and sea turtle aides putter about. His misses his youth when his mother, in her vast kindness, would let him play in the shallows and venture up onto land and speak with the humans that beloved him so. The ancient days were the great ones for his family and clan of gods, but now with all those fancy toys, he is forgotten on his throne and the humanity he was always so interested in have forgotten him.
He's jealous of his friend, Inari, who still walks among the humans and watches them from his many statues.
"Be not so sad, Ryujin," Inari always says. "You may be well surprised who still remembers and says your name in awe."
"Such as?"
And then, Inari will stumble on his words, turning a shade of red.
"I wish to be seen again, even if by only one human. I wish to be reminded of why am I protecting these seas for them."
"Then go," Hachiman snaps, though everyone knows he will miss Ryujin. "At least so that I don't have to hear your whining anymore."
But, there is a throne to consider, and it cannot simply be abandoned. He slinks into sadness, until his mother comes to visit him, unexpected.
"My son, I feel your sorrow, and I am troubled. You miss the humans so much?" She asks.
"I miss feeling needed," Ryujin clarifies.
The mother studies her son, and after a long moment, cups his jaw gently. "Then, go, child. I will watch your throne while you travel. You are at that age where such wanderlust is not so uncommon."
Ryujin smiles.
"Will you take that old form you once held, before you became my son and the Dragon King?"
"It's the easiest," Ryujin says. "Though, it may be difficult to hold myself in such a form for long."
"Stay near the sea, child. It will keep your soul at peace while you walk upon the dirt and stone."
Ryujin leaves his palace, swimming towards the shore, inadvertently creating a bit of a gale behind him. When he breaks the surface of the water, takes his old form and steps upon the land, the suddenness of his change is a shock for his old human body, and he collapses, face in the sand.
When he wakes, he's tucked in a futon that smells like mold and old wood, and on the other side of a shoji screen, he can see the rough silhouette of a man moving about. Next to him is a yukata, and Ryujin wonders if it's summer, or maybe his host had nothing else to offer. So, he dresses, and steps into the other room.
The man jumps in shock and drops something. Ryujin just keeps standing in the doorway.
"O-oh, you're awake," the man says. "I'm glad. I was starting to think about calling a doctor..."
Ryujin looks around -- it's a small home, built like the ones of old with a living room centered around a firepit and a small entryway where there are a few shoes lined up.
"Are you... feeling alright?"
"Yes, quite, thank you," Ryujin says, stepping forward and sitting next to the little firepit with much authority.
The man looks a bit awkward, like he isn't sure what to make of Ryujin's behavior. It has been awhile since he's walked among man, so perhaps things have changed.
"What is the year?"
The man's jaw drops. "Seriously? The year? Did you hit your head? It's 2011."
This time, it's Ryujin that is surprised.
"You didn't remember that?"
Far more time has passed than I thought would have. "... Perhaps... I did hit my head."
The man frowns. "Do you remember where you're from? Your name?"
"My name...." Ryujin thinks back, the syllables of his old, mortal name forming and rolling back off his tongue. "Is Yamashita Tomohisa."
The man looks relieved to have that at least. "I'm Kato Shigeaki, but 'Shige' is fine," he says. "Um.. Is there... any reason why you were naked and unconscious on the beach?"
Yamashita shakes his head, and asks if he might get some rice.
Shige, he learns, is a law student from the city -- Tokyo -- who is spending his summer on a photography project in a coastal town. The home is being rented just for a few months.
"There's not much to do here, so I've taken up fishing as well. It's very rewarding."
Ryujin frowns, wondering if his man has eaten any of his aides or servants.
"You're not quite my build," Shige says, rubbing the back of his head. "So, I'm not sure what to do about the clothes thing..."
"For now, that is the least of the issues."
".... I guess you're right."
For the time being, while he gets his land legs and sense back, Ryujin decides that it's safest to stay with Shige, who has proven to be utterly harmless. Once he is comfortable on land again, he'll go about reminding these people of the grandeur of the Dragon King.
"I told my one neighbor that I'd clean her roof today, but you can stay here if you want to rest more."
"No, I will go with you. There is no point in staying alone."
Shige still looks at him like he thinks this Yamashita guy is a weird one, but is probably attributing to the vague, blunt head trauma he must have suffered to forget everything but his own name.
The neighbor is an old widow a few kilometers away. From the looks of things, Ryujin judges this place as having a distinct lack of young people. The old woman thanks them both profusely for coming, and the entire time they're working on her roof, there is a steady stream of cold water and sliced oranges. After a few hours, they climb down, sweaty and moss stuck under their finger nails. Her attention is solely on Yamashita, her eyes dreamy as she looks at him.
"It's so wonderful to see young men wearing the old styles. It makes my heart warm."
"Kimono are perfect for the Japanese form," he answers. "I do not understand why it has been so forsaken."
Her eyes light up. "I still have some of my late husband's, and I have no use for them. Would you...?"
Yamashita bows. "You are far too kind."
By the end of the day, they're walking back to little home, Shige's armed filled with a giant bowl of curry and Yamashita's with yukata and kimono and hakata.
Shige is patient and unhurried with Yamashita as he unknowingly familiarizes the god with modern devices -- cellphones, digital cameras, radios and the like. It's all so exciting to him, seeing the things that humans have thought up to make their lives a little easier. Yamashita feels almost a swelling of pride over the little humans, until he asks Shige about shrines, and falls depressed once more.
"Do you go pray often?"
Shige looks confused, then shakes his head. "I only really go at New Year's. I knew a lot of people in high school we went to pray for good grades, but.... Praying won't do a lot of good. Isn't it better to use that time towards a productive end?"
Yamashita frowns, and Shige leans back a little.
"You must be from one of those, old really traditional families," he says. "It's the only thing that makes sense."
"I'm sure you'd find a lot of peace if you visited the shrines more."
Shige shakes his head, a gentle smile on his face, and pours Yamashita more tea.
One day, while they're out in the woods, taking a break from Shige's photo project, Yamashita is caught intently looking at Shige's camera.
"You can take some pictures if you want," Shige says, struggling with the cap on a bottle of water. "I have more than enough film and memory cards."
Shige, though, is completely unprepared for the flash going off in his face, and he drops the bottle. He looks up, and Yamashita is looking over the camera at him with shy eyes.
"Why would you want to take a picture of me?"
Yamashita shrugs. "I just kind of felt like it."
Originally, Ryujin planned on staying with Shige for only a few weeks at most, but as June melts into July, and August grows ever closer, he finds he can't bring himself to leave. He had told his fellow gods once that he was fine with only being recognized and humbly loved by a single human -- that would be enough for him -- and, as he plays a game on Shige's cellphone, and Shige reads an analysis of the Kojiki and Nihon Shoki (at Yamashita's insistence), Ryujin realizes that he wants Shige to be that person and that every other human is inconsequential to his happiness.
One afternoon, just their finishing taking some pictures and picking mushrooms along the way, it begins to rain, and the two dash back to their little house. Shige is trying to shield his camera from rain, and Yamashita is keeping a firm hand around the mushrooms. Shige darts off their little path through the yard of a shrine, and Yamashita frowns. He takes the long way back, and when he arrives at the house, Shige is already there, drying off and handing Yamashita a towel.
"Shige," Yamashita says, voice stern. "You can't just do that."
"Sorry. I thought you were right behind me."
"It is inappropriate to use a shrine as a short-cut. That is a holy place. Show it more deference."
Shige pushes his hair out of his eyes and looks confused. "But. It was raining."
"That is no excuse."
"Why are you making such a big deal out of this?" Shige asks, just short of a snap.
"The gods would be upset."
Shige looks shocked for a moment, and then starts laughing, holding his stomach and tears leaking from the corners of his eyes. Yamashita watches and grows morose.
Shige's complete lack of respect and disregard for the old ways is upsetting to Ryujin, to say the least. He'd recognized that modern people weren't much interested in the gods of old, but he'd held out hope that Shige was more enlightened than his peers. But, such did not turn out to be the case, and Shige only knows the bear minimals of shinto rites. Ryujin tries not to let it bother him, but it does, and it makes him feel alienated from Shige and consider returning back to his mighty throne among the gods.
Ryujin finds himself going for long walks along, in an effort to clear his mind, and one evening, he runs into another young man, with dark brown hair and wearing flashy clothes, leaning against a torii gate near the road. He greets Ryujin with a simple, "You look troubled, friend."
There is an aura around him, and Ryujin can tell he's not a human -- perhaps a fox spirit, or maybe a bakeneko. Ryujin figures he can see the might and glory of the Dragon King, even in a human shell.
"I'll listen if you have such awful worries to make you look like that."
"I have no such need to seek advice from a simple demon-beast."
The man laughs, high and happy. "Friend, I have much more experience walking among the peoples of this land. I can hide much, even from mighty gods that take a little breather to trek upon sand and earth."
Ryujin stares again this man, who looks like he wants the Dragon King to see something special.
"You can't be serious," Ryujin eventually murmurs. "Inari?"
"In these lands, I'm known as Koyama."
Ryujin laughs, and Inari seems glad to see it. "You're going by your old, mortal name too, I see."
"So, tell me. Why do you look so troubled when coming here was supposed to alleviate you of such things?"
Ryujin steps closer, leaning against the other pillar of the gate. "Humans have changed a lot. They look so little towards the gods and the old ways. It's disheartening."
"We stepped away from them years ago, don't you remember? They were so dependent, and the Masterful Counsel Omoikane determined it was making them weak. We had to leave them so they could grow."
"I think we left them for too long. These people know so little."
Inari sighs. "You might be right. They forgot us and learned to live without our guidance. But, that's not their fault. We're the ones that wanted them to grow."
"So, what should I do?"
"Teach them," Inari says. "It's a simple answer. You should have thought of that yourself."
"Will Shige care to know, I wonder," Ryujin mutters, and Inari leans closer.
"Shige? Who's that? You're getting attached, aren't you? Humans are fun, and we're inherently drawn to them, since we used to be of them."
"That was a long time ago."
"Doesn't change the fact we were people once too. We can't help but like them." Inari pushes off from the torii pillar. "Teach him the old ways. There's no harm in it."
And, in a blink of an eye, Koyama's form is gone, and instead, there's a fox, mature and strong with nine tails, that gives a little yip before bounding off.
Inari, while nowhere near the level of the Masterful Counsel and prone to boughts of airheadedness, is still quite adept at advice, and Ryujin feels much better after having talked with him.
"I want to teach you about the old ways. Of our ancestors and the gods they looked upon with reverence," Yamashita says a few days later over dinner.
Some rice falls from Shige's chopsticks back onto the plate. "What? Why?"
"It's important to know."
"How? That sort of stuff is irrelevant to the modern world."
Yamashita frowns, and Shige feels the air of their little home grow cold and uncomfortable. "It's important to know these things. It's part of who we are as Japanese."
Shige looks confused, and like he still doesn't see the point, but he acquiesces, mostly because he hates seeing an unhappy expression on Yamashita's face.
August -- the last month Shige had planned to stay in the little town -- is spent with Yamashita teaching Shige in between photos.
About what the variances in architecture style mean, and what minor differences on otherwise identical statues means, and how ancient legends and myths are told in the details of the walls and ceilings.
Shige, at the least, seems impressed that Yamashita knows this. And, after a time, he finds himself asking further questions, and Yamashita glows whenever he does. Shige starts to follow the rules of reverence and respect when he passes near a shrine, and even finds himself leaving little things for the jizo statues that litter the pathways in the town.
Yamashita looks so happy nowadays. He smiles all the time and watches Shige with soft eyes. The housewives start to whisper about them -- the two boys who ignore the interested gazes of the few young girls -- but, Yamashita shields Shige from these things, unleashing bits of his grandeur, so that when he passes by the women, they just swoon and compliment him.
He's happy in this little world he's made with Shige, in such a tiny little town on the coast. But, as August winds to a close and Shige starts thinking about what day to head back to Tokyo, Ryujin finds himself craving his throne -- but only if Shige is there with him as well.
Late one night, Ryujin is woken by an ethereal push. He lies awake for a moment, Shige snoring quietly next to him, until he can identify who it is. He stands and quietly exits the house.
"Inari, what couldn't wait until morning?"
"You must return to your throne, Ryujin!" The fox says, looking frantic.
"I'm not quite ready."
"There is no time! The Masterful Counsel has been lost, and our god-fellows are in turmoil!"
Ryujin yawns. "Omoikane is known for wandering. He'll be back."
"He won't," Inari snaps. "The Masterful Counsel Omoikane has ascended to the stars! We are lost without his guidance! You must return to your throne. It is the only way our god-fellows will have their worries assuaged!"
Ryujin well understands the turmoil that surrounds the gods when one of their own becomes one with the heavens. It's always a joyous occasion, but when it's a figure as crucial and depended-upon as the Masterful Counsel, anxiety will often override the celebration of the ascension.
"I understand," Ryujin says. "I will return shortly."
Just hearing it, Inari seems calmer, his aura less agitated. "Thank you, my friend. I'll tell the others. We will be waiting for your homecoming."
Ryujin is awake the rest of the night, sitting in his futon, trying to figure out how to tell Shige.
He could just lie, and say he's remembered where home is, and he's going back. But, something about it feels wrong; he doesn't want to lie to Shige, even though few humans can gaze upon the radiance of a god and comprehend what they see. Ryujin can't bring himself to leave and just let Shige forget him as some guy from the summer he did the photo project.
Shige jerks in his sleep and rolls over.
Ryujin decides.
Shige is smart and of a deep mind. He will be able to look upon me and know what stands before him.
Shige isn't even done with his first cup of coffee when Ryujin can't take it anymore.
"I have something to tell you."
Shige grunts and nods.
"... Do you remember when I told you about how the Dragon King of the Sea, Ryujin, came to be king and holds the might of the seas in his hand?"
"Umm, yeah. Mostly."
"That story was about me."
Shige blinks. "Like, a metaphor?"
"No," Yamashita whines. "That was me. I did that. I came to hold the seas in my hands."
"You're confusing me. You mean you wrote the story? You told me it was more than a thousand years old."
"It is."
".... What?"
Ryujin sighs. "I guess it would be easier to understand if I just showed you."
"Showed me what?"
"That I am the mighty Dragon King of the Sea, and have so judged you to be worthy of seeing my glory and might."
Shige laughs, gently, like he's humoring Yamashita. But, Ryujin just stands, and with a burst of light, sheds his human shell and lets his light fill the little home.
Somewhere in there, Shige drops his coffee, spilling it upon the tatami and his pajamas. The light and grandeur is almost too much, like he's just come out of a tunnel. But, just like Ryujin had expected, Shige is of a deep mind, and once his eyes and minds adjusts, he can see Ryujin, in all his divine radiance.
"I was once a man named Yamashita Tomohisa, but through work and enlightenment, I become something more, and earned the title of Dragon King of the Sea."
Shige trembles and says quietly, "Enlightenment?"
"Yes, that is how one becomes a god. If the timing is right."
"Timing," Shige repeats, but Ryujin gives him no clarification. "This is why you wanted to teach me about shinto stuff."
Ryujin nods. "I must return to my throne, as there are matters for me to address. But, I could not leave without giving you the truth."
He's just about to disappear and sit once more upon his throne, but something changes in last moment, as Shige looks up at him in awe and shock, like he's trying to find Yamashita again.
Ryujin can't bear to leave him, this little human. So, he takes Shige's expression for consent, and whisks them both back to his coral palace under the waves.
Shige awakes, distressed and confused. A jellyfish greets him and says the Dragon King had commanded him to take care of all Shige's needs. A pufferfish floats by the in the background with a bunch of parchment, and Shige thinks he might have a panic attack.
"You brought a little human home with you?" Ryujin's mother asks, curious. "Do you think he'll be safe here?"
Ryujin flicks a storm away from Okinawa. "Shige is rational. He will be fine amongst us."
"For a human, beings like us aren't rational!" Inari nearly shouts.
"Such little faith you all have in our distant cousins, the humans."
A pufferfish delivers more papers to Ryujin, and whispers to him, "The Dragon King's guest seems stressed. Perhaps you should visit him when a free moment arises."
Ryujin frowns, though, it's not over the report from the Viceroy of the Mariana Trench. "Inari, go see him. You understand humans better than any of us. Assuage his concerns."
Shige can't figure out where he is. With all the fish, he thinks he might be under water, yet, there seems to be no water and he has no trouble breathing. He wonders if he fell ill and is hallucinating.
A fox bounds in, tails swishing, and asks Shige if he is well.
"No," Shige whines. "How could I be well? I think I might be dying."
"Oh, that is no good. The Dragon King would be devastated," the fox says.
Shige frowns and stares at the fox.
"Would my human form be more reassuring to you?"
The fox doesn't wait for an answer and with a twirl and a second-long wind storm like a vacuum, the fox is no more, and there is a tall, lithe man standing before Shige.
"Like this, you may call me 'Koyama'," he says.
Shige is still frowning. "Where am I?"
"The palace of the Dragon King of the Sea, Ryujin. He is very fond of you, and could not stand to leave you when he had to return."
"What gave him that right?" Shige snaps.
Koyama pouts, like he can't fathom why Shige wouldn't take it as a compliment. "But... He's the Dragon King. It's a sign of honor, that he wanted you to see and fathom the might of the forgotten gods that, in our benevolence, continue to protect the home islands of Yamato."
Kurage, the jellyfish servant, floats in and says he was unable to find aspirin for Shige. He apologizes profusely.
"I shouldn't be here," Shige says, quietly, like he's tired. "I can tell that."
"The Dragon King asked me to see to your worries, but it seems I've done a poor job. Perhaps it would be best to talk to him directly. Come, I will take you to him."
Ryujin hears Shige's worries, while Inari hangs in the corner of the throne room. Shige pleads with the Dragon King, begging and looking up like he is again trying to find Yamashita in the eyes of Ryujin.
But, Yamashita is nothing more than a shell that Ryujin used to walk among the mortals.
"You would have been distressed if I had just left you. This is better."
"Ignorance is bliss," Shige says. "Please. I shouldn't be here. I know that."
Ryujin just shakes his head. "I need you here. You're too important for me to just let you wander. I wish for you to find solace and peace here amongst the gods."
Shige looks like he wants to reply, but Ryujin sends him away for the time being, claiming that much work piled up while he was gone.
Shige loses complete track of time and date. It is always daylight in the palace, and Shige knows logically that he should grow tired after a time, but he doesn't. There are moments when he feels drowsy, but he never actually sleeps -- just perks up after a time and Kurage brings him tea.
Inari -- as Koyama -- visits him occasionally, and even brings the youngest of the gods, hoping that Shige may find some comfort in the presence of the god-fellow that remembers the ways of humanity best.
"This is the Laughing Buddha, Hotei."
"I was called 'Tegoshi' once," the young man says.
"And, what crazy god-form do you have?" Shige asks, tired and staring out a window.
Hotei laughs. "I'm a buddha. This is my only form; I'm not like the old gods. You're not as smart as the Dragon King said you were."
Shige frowns. "Koyama, you brought him here, why?"
"He's the Laughing Buddha. I thought he might cheer you up....."
"I'm wasting away," Shige murmurs, and even Hotei can't keep up a happy expression.
"You're really not happy here?" Ryujin asks when he comes to see Shige.
"No."
Ryujin frowns and returns to his shell, Yamashita. "Does this make you feel any better?"
Shige regards him for a moment, eyes drooping and complexion pale.
"Let me go home," he pleads.
The lady-god that took in the young Ryujin when he had just earned the title of Dragon King is a very old god, right at the cusp of ascending to the stars, but unwilling to leave until she feels Ryujin is ready for it.
"You're more than a thousand years old, yet you still act like a child, keeping something you shouldn't," she says, jellyfish and turtles diving out of her way as she moves towards Ryujin's throne. "You must let him return to the islands."
Ryujin frowns. "Since the Masterful Counsel Omoikane ascended, we have been troubled with nought but short-sighted actions that have inadvertently turned the world ever more into chaos. I will not throw Shige into that terror which now envelopes man."
"You have seen how weak he grows, Ryujin. It cannot be denied."
"Shige looks upon us and knows. He is simply stubborn."
"Such is the nature of man," his mother snaps. "Yes, his eyes and mind know. That alone makes his something special among humans. But, his soul is a different matter, Ryujin. An unenlightened man, such as Shige, has no place here. He will wither into nothing and you will lament your foolishness in keeping him close."
Ryujin crumples a parchment in his hands, but will not look up at his mother.
"I am an old god. I have seen much. Do you think you're the first? The only one to to connect so deeply with a human and make what you think is a good decision on their behalf?"
"Mother-"
"We have done much for the humans, so that they might be strong. We made ourselves distant so that they could grow their own will, independent from ours. If he wants to return, you must let him, Dragon King."
Ryujin slumps in his throne and realizes the truth behind his mother's words.
Shige is in a drowsy state when Ryujin comes, and Kurage flutters worriedly nearby.
"I am sorry for the misery you have felt here," Ryujin says, crouching next to Shige. "But, I do not regret wanting to keep you within these safe walls."
"You are selfish," Shige mutters.
Ryujin looks upon him and sees the weakness in his frail, human body. "Stand. I will take you home."
Shige's head whips around, his eyes wide. "Really?"
"Take my hand." And, Shige does.
There's a sound like an explosion, and a pressure all around him, similar to the feeling of taking off in a plane, only stronger. When he opens his eyes again, he is standing on a beach with Yamashita.
"... This isn't a hallucination?"
Ryujin shakes his head. "It's the town where we spent that summer."
Shige exhales and shakes, like his body can't control its excitement about being back in familiar territory.
"You must be careful, Shige. There are troubles about in the world of the gods and spirits. Evil things have been leaking out."
"Evil things?"
"Demons and spirits that would do harm upon people. You're strong enough to know a god when one stands before you, so you should be able to steer clear of such trouble."
Shige nods and sighs. "I suppose this is goodbye."
"It doesn't have to be. You have a deep mind. If anyone amongst humans is worthy enough to reach enlightenment and be bequeathed the title of a god, it is you."
"That's-- What-- I. You're kidding," Shige sputters, but Yamashita just looks at him with soft eyes and wishes Shige luck.
The world is a mess, just as Ryujin had warned. Oni smash storefronts and terrorize people, harionago entrap people in their barbed hair, kappa drown men and rape women, and nue plague people with nightmares.
The human world comes to crashing halt, where people are doing just what they can to survive and ward off the demons. Few people have any real defense against the demons and suffer greatly. But, just as Ryujin had said, Shige is able to avoid trouble, can see the demons coming and prepare for them adequately, so he keeps himself safe.
He takes refuge in a high, abandoned pent-house. The elevator doesn't work any more, and the demons that would terrorize him don't like the idea of climbing up 24 flights of stairs. The walls are covered in photos of a more peaceful time -- dew drops on a flower, a vine crawling up the trunk of a tree, a sleepy seaside village filled with old shrines and jizo temples.
Shige stands on the balcony and watches through binoculars as a Raiju causes havoc down on the street.
"I can't keep up with all this!" Hachiman complains. "I know I'm the Divine Protector, but I can't keep going on my own."
"Hachiman is strong," Hotei says, smiling. "You can do it. With your might and Nishikido's heart, there's nothing that is beyond your reach!"
Ryujin sighs. "Without our Masterful Counsel, it seems we really are cursed with making nought but poor decisions."
Other gods murmur and look downtrodden.
"All we can do is look after humanity as best we can."
Shige is sitting on his balcony, looking up at the sky. Somewhere, a woman screams, but Shige doesn't hear it. He keeps looking up, and even though the sun is shining brightly, the stars twinkle back at him.
Hachiman wipes the blood of a Wanyudo off his face, stomping out the last of the demon's embers. He curses at Hotei's and Ryujin's ability to convince him to come back out here. He knows it's his duty, but it still sucks. There are more demons than he could ever hope to defeat, and with humanity in such despair, new demons rise out of the ground just as quickly as he can strike them down.
A Tofu-Kozo walks by, and Ryujin tells the child spirit to leave. "The Aobozu will eat you up." The child gasps and scampers off.
He's just about to head off again and find another demon to hunt, when there's a pull and something calling to him. It's an old feeling, nearly unfamiliar with how long its been. He follows it and finds a young man on a balcony. Hachiman watches him for a long moment, and the feeling of familiarity only goes stronger.
"I don't know your name," the young man says suddenly, and it startles Hachiman. "But, I know where you'll be going back to. Give my regards to the Dragon King."
Hachiman's eyes grow wide, and he stares for a long moment before whisking himself back to Ryujin's palace.
He comes stumbling in, rushed and awkward like the whole first century when he'd just become the Divine Protector. "There is a man near enlightenment!" He shouts, and the throne room turns to consider him.
"That doesn't mean he's of a deep enough mind to become fully enlightened," Fujin says.
"Or, that he'll be deemed worthy of a godly title," Raijin adds.
"They're right," the Dragon Kings sighs. "Though, it pains me to say."
"He told me to give you his regards."
Ryujin looks up and his face steels. "In that case, I feel quite confident in saying that we well be hearing from the Great Goddess Amaterasu soon."
"Is the Dragon King, right? Will we have a new brethren soon?" Hotei asks, curling against the back of Byakko.
"He certainly felt quite close. And, he knew me as a god," Hachiman answers.
Hotei smiles widely. "It's promising, isn't it?"
"You're both getting ahead of yourselves," Byakko rumbles. "And, for all we know, he could turn out to get a useless title -- we have been without Daikokuten for a long time. There are few titles that would be of any use to us now."
"Massu is so negative sometimes," Hotei murmurs, poking him in the side.
"It's Byakko," the white tiger insists.
"You were Massu since before you revealed your radiance to me, and you're going to keep being Massu," Hotei answers.
Byakko frowns, and Hachiman smirks.
"If you're both so convinced, then fine. I will go judge this human myself."
He shakes off Hotei and jumps upon the wind.
Byakko doubts the hopes of Ryujin and Hotei, and does not believe the excitement of Hachiman's reporting. He will judge this human with his own eyes, so that, whatever might happen, he have his own memory of these events.
But, once the winds taken him above Yamato, to the skies above the greatest city on the islands, he feels something -- like a tiny spark that is about to erupt into a mighty storm. It's intriguing, and Byakko follows it, wondering if it is the spirit of the near-enlightened man getting ready to burst forth.
He lands on the balcony, and the building shakes from it. The man doesn't stir in the least; his lotus position is unbroken and his breathing remains even. The only acknowledgement he gives Byakko is a simple, "I'm allergic to cats."
"... You're the man the Dragon King and Divine Protector have such faith in."
The man turns to regard Byakko. "Isn't the white tiger a Chinese legend?"
"Originally, yes. But, it is not so strange a thing for different places to nurture their own Tiger of the West."
The man goes back to his mediation and ignores a flock of Tengu that perch for a rest a few verandas down.
"... There is growing hope that you will become a great god."
"I have little interest in that," the man whispers, but his lips barely move. "I am simply trying to escape this hell that has surrounds me."
Byakko leaves, impressed beyond measure. Upon his return, Hachiman and Hotei tease him for not trusting them.
"Shige will awaken to his own grandeur soon," Ryujin says. "I will go, and be there to greet him when that happens."
His mother and the other aged-gods frown and call him back.
"You mustn't, Dragon King, for it could ruin him."
"Your very presence could break his trance."
Ryujin frowns. "Hachiman and Byakko did not."
"They are not you," his mother says. "They do not have such a connection as you do with him. Leave him to his own mind. You cannot rush these things, Ryujin."
And, again, when faced with the wisdom of the gods, whose experience he cannot hope to overturn, Ryujin is forced to stay his hand.
Inari comforts his friend, but it does little to calm him.
"It will feel like an eon waiting for him."
"You are the mighty Dragon King of the Sea! Waiting an eon is nothing!" Inari chirps, curling along the back of Ryujin's throne.
"I have never much liked waiting," Ryujin sighs. Inari laughs and ponders aloud how Yamashita was ever able to reach enlightenment and become the new Dragon King.
It is raining, but Shige does not feel it upon his face. The wind is howling, but he does not hear it. There is a fire down at street level, but he does not smell the smoke. He has not eaten or drunk in days, but he does not want for either. The world is falling apart, yet he does not see it.
The only thing that fills his senses is the woman perched on the railing of the balcony, smiling softly as light shines out from behind her.
"You have been much waited for," she says, her voice like a song. "Please, come with me."
She reaches out her hand, and Shige judges it. He thinks about what this choice means and weighs it in his mind. Once he's made his decision, he takes it.
She smiles. "So fitting. This is a very auspicious choice."
They arrive in a flash, every god in Ryujin's throne room shielding their eyes from the brilliance they so rarely behold.
The room and those who fill it are a familiar sight, but this time, Shige's heart does not feel heavy, nor is his mind troubled.
"Amaterasu, while we always welcome your presence, a forewarning would be much appreciated," Ryujin's mother says, recovering slightly quicker than her peers.
"You would not want to wait to hear this news, for it has been that which you have all looked so longingly for. Our Omoikane ascended only shortly ago, and without his guidance, we have all been lost."
Ryujin's eyes clear, and he gasps when he sees who is there.
"Shige!" He shouts and moves across the throne room. "I am most glad and humbled to see that you walked the path of enlightenment that I asked of you."
Amaterasu smiles and puts a hand on Shige's shoulder. "The man named Katou Shigeaki is no more. His name is nothing but a lost whisper now, for he has become something far greater."
Ryujin smiles widely, and Amaterasu steps back, exploding into a soft, yet celebratory light, her voice singing out, "This is the 8th Masterful Counsel Omoikane. May his thoughts be clear and his judgements swift in their justice."
"I didn't do it for you," Omoikane says to Ryujin over the cheering shouts of their god-fellows. "I did it because the world of man is hell. Most people won'tt be able to escape into the depths of their mind like I did."
"We can help them now that you're here."
Omoikane looks around. "We all must do our part. It's unfair to make the Divine Protector take up this work alone."
The gods quiet down as they hear Omoikane speak.
"We all have something to offer to the suffering of the people there."
"Normally, after a new god is titled, there's a bit of a celebration," Inari says, looking meek.
"We can celebrate when the demons and rouge spirits are back in their rightful places," Omoikane replies, voice stern and absolute, and the gods take much comfort in his words and determination.
Raijin is sent out to control the raiju, and Ryujin the bake-kujira and kappa. Fujin steals the wind out from under the tengu's wings. Inari brings the mischievous, but otherwise harmless, foxes back under his control. Byakko and Hachiman and the other mighty sword gods strike down the demons that will not peacefully return to their holes and caves. The buddhas see to comforting humanity and of giving them solace.
All while Omoikane stands on the dais of the gods, considering his old world and where the demons are regrouping and how he will counter their attempts. Those who cannot fight, or have little control over the demons in their fold even on good days, watch in awe as the young Omoikane never stops working, calling out new orders and movements and decrees. Hachiman, Byakko and Inari -- really, all the gods and buddhas -- complain about being overworked, but Ryujin never does. He always returns with a smile and good news and ready for Omoikane to tell him where namazu are causing earthquakes, or where the amemasu are being treacherous.
With the 8th Masterful Counsel's guidance, the demons and evil spirits running rampant are brought under control quickly. And, for just a short period, the mortal humans again look upon the gods. Men and women and children throw themselves at the gods' feet, thanking them and offering their devotion. It's an old feeling for some, and new for others. But, either way, there's something wonderful about knowing there are people who love you and look to you with wonder. Even when the gods retreat back their homes, they can still feel the love of the people continuing on from afar.
"Anyone else as our 8th Omoikane would not have resolved the problems so quickly," Ryujin says, lounging against the coral of his palace. "I'm glad it was you, Shige."
"Aren't I Omoikane now?" He scoffs.
Ryujin laughs. "Maybe so. But, when I look at you, I still that young man with the camera in the little village."
"Watch it, or I'll go off traveling."
"No, no, no," Ryujin calls, grabbing him by the arm, unaccustomed to such teasing. "Shige is always welcome in my palace. You can stay here forever."
Omoikane -- Shige -- smiles, and lets himself be led along the water's currents to the tropics, where colorful fish float by, and Ryujin invites himself along on all of Shige's travels.