The Sleeping God

Street Smarts!

After he had told stories of Sally and Paul for hours, Estelle stood, bones creaking. "You can stay at my house, if you don't want to sleep at the shrine. Be prepared for a lot of questions if you do. My grandchildren are staying with me until my son in law returns." 

Percy stood, and gave Estelle his arm. "I really am sorry I wasn't there." 

 "Yes you were, Percy." Estelle scolded. "I talked to you every day. And you kept me safe, happy, food in my belly. You chased away raiders and bandits and greedy nobles, stopped a tsunami from destroying the villiage, the earthquake that threatened the fields. I could feel your precense, in the air, in the earth, in the carefree laughter of children as they played in the rain. Just because you weren't able to talk to me, doesn't mean you weren't there for me. You protected me all my life, just like Mom asked you to." She squeezed his hand and looked at him with their mother's eyes. "I love you, big brother. Nothing can change that. Now, are you ready to meet your nieces and nephews?" 

Percy laughed. "Lead the way." 

Estelle smiled and lead him back towards the villiage. "This was my adopted families home. They couldn't have children until you started affecting the world, so I got a little sister when I was 15 but she died around the same time my Renji did." 
"Was he a good man?" 

"The best. I think you would have liked him." She said, smiling softly, just like Mom had done when speaking of either of their fathers. 

"Good." Percy said as they stopped in front of a simple home, with paper doors and tatami mats. 

"Welcome Home. " Estelle smiled, taking her shoes off and putting house saddles on. 

Percy cleaned his bare feet with a thought, something he was getting used to, and stepped inside. 

Kneeling in front of a table with an elaborate feast were three children, all younger than 15 and each with the red hair Percy had noticed was pretty prevalent in the village from everyone jockeying to get a glimpse of him. It was kind of like when he went to New Rome after the war, but this time it was just him instead of the seven and a few others. 

"Nemuru Kami." The priestess whispered, now dressed in a kimono with simple fish on it. 

"I think I'll need a new name." Percy said. "I don't plan to sleep that long again for a long time."

The girl grinnedas Estelle went to introduce everyone. "This is Kenjiro. My oldest grandchild and the villages best hunter. Why, you brought down the boar we are having today, yes?" 

"Thank you for our bounty, Nemuru Kami-sama." Kenjiro said, bowing. "It was a mighty beast." 

Percy got flashbacks of the Sow he and Blackjack had taken down and glanced at the table, the boar nowhere near the size, and sighed in relief. 

"And this is my middle grandchild, Hanatarou. He wanted to become a swordsman like you. He has defended the village from many raiders seeking the bounty of the land." 

"Thank you, Nemuru Kami-sama. Without you, I would have fallen long ago." 

Percy blinked, a vague memory coming back, more a dream then anything else. "Something about a tree." 

Hanatarou perked up. "Yes. A great tree fell on the bandit about to finish me off several years ago. Thank you!" 

Percy nodded. "It was nothing."  

"And you've already met Ayako." 

"Hello, Nemuru-sama. I'm very glad I get to meet you. Do you like your pins?" 

Percy pulled the long braid from behind his back, smiling as Ayako pointed out a crane. "Nagushi-san helped me make it for you. I found the pearls myself and Hanatarou brought the black rock from the volcano and Kenjiro gave me the red stone from the forest." 

"Its beautiful. Thank you, Ayako." Percy said, studying the pin. It was near the end and Estelle had said it had become tradition to make offerings in the form of animals, and that pins were braided into his hair each year. Dozens of pins snaked their way around the braid, finishing at the top with an older one in the familiar shape of a black pegasus.

"Now that introductions are out of the way, let's eat." Estelle said. "I'm not getting any younger after all."

Percy's face fell but he sat down next to Estelle and Ayako, who was embracing her newfound uncle with all the fervor she could muster, asking him about all sorts of things.

Eventually Kenjiro and Hanatarou realized he wasn't going to smite him, and asked for stories. 

Estelle was finally busted in her little prank when Ayako very carefully sang the first few verses of Under the Sea in English and Percy grinned widely and told the story of his other Niece Ariel. 

"And so my brother used his powers so she could live on the land with her husband. They married and had a child, one who could live on both land and sea and found the most beautiful shells in all the sea." 

Ayako grinned widely. "I liked that story, Oji-san." 

"Your welcome, Ayako." 

Estelle stood up. " It's starting to get late. Percy, you can use Harutora's room. The rest of you, bed." 

"Yes, grandma." The kids said, vanishing elsewhere in the house.

"I think I'm going to go for a walk. I'll be back in a few hours." 

Estelle gave him an understanding smile. "I know it's a lot, Percy, but we really are glad to have you here." 
"I know, I just need some space to wrap me head around everything. Eighty years. I'm lucky it wasn't a century. I don't think I would have taken finding your grave well." 
"Like I would let myself die before seeing you again." 

Percy laughed. "That's all Jackson, that right there." 

Estelle promised. "I'm glad I got to see you again. Good night, Percy. I love you." 

"I love you too. Good night, Estelle."