Suzume’s mind spun for a moment before the words could come out properly. This has to be a trick, or a dream, or a hallucination. I am not the reincarnation of some thousand year dead priestess. There’s just no way.
Suzume spoke next without thinking: “How do I know you’re not going to use me for my spiritual powers?” She regretted her words the moment they escaped her mouth. She knew there was no turning back now, so she decided to run with it. She placed her hands on her hips and looked down at the small bald man. He didn’t come up much higher than her hip. She gave him a scowl that turned most men into simper idiots –except Kaito, but he wasn’t most men.
The bald man, god -- or whatever he was--- chuckled and smiled at Suzume. “You’ve been hurt before, I can see that.” He frowned slightly as he looked into the distance. It gave Suzume the creeps. “You’ve been hurt many times.”
Is this guy insane? What is he talking about? “What do you mean? I’ve never been hurt, really...” Her father’s impassive face as he delivered her sentence floated to the surface of her mind. She shoved it down where it belonged. I don’t care what my father thinks.
“No? What about when your father disowned you and you were exiled to a remote shrine? Did that not hurt? What about your mother choosing her lover over her children. Did that not sting?” The god said with a raised eyebrow.
Suzume shivered. It’s like he can read my mind. I don’t think I’ll ever get the hang of these immortals. “Hey, I thought you were going to grant my wish, not analyze my personal life,” she said hoping to redirect the conversation away from said personal life.
The god shook his head but he was still smiling.
What’s so amusing? Suzume narrowed her eyes at him
Ignoring Suzume’s suspicious glance, he elaborated “Your wish is not something simple, I fear. Your life has many folds like a lily.” He opened his hand and a white lily was blooming there. It unfolded its multitude of petals revealing a pink center.
A few weeks ago, that might have been impressive to Suzume. After everything she’d gone through with thus far, she was not going to be distracted by a something so simple and non-threatening.
“How do you know what my wish is when I haven’t even asked for anything yet?” She said with her arms now crossed over her chest. He spoke in too many riddles for her liking.
He closed his hand and the lily disappeared. Even she had to admit that was pretty cool. He folded his hands in front of himself placing them into the folds of his sleeves as he spoke. “It is my gift and my power. I am a creator and giver of life.”
She eyed the supposed god up and down. The top of his head would reach her chest and he was thick around the middle with chubby fingers and short stubby legs. This guy is a creator? I find that hard to believe.
“Is it so hard to believe one as small as me could bring life?” His voice was mellow but there was a sharp edge to it, hidden beneath his calm words.
Suzume took an unconscious step back. “You can read my mind? That’s not fair!” She pointed an accusing finger in his direction.
He laughed long and loud this time. His round body shook with the force of his laughter. The sound was absorbed by the silence around them. This place is creepy--why is it so quiet here?
He took a moment to collect his breath before looking at her. “I know what your wish is because I do not need words to grant a wish. How else did you think I granted your earlier wishes, when they were never spoken aloud?”
“But I didn’t mean to wish for anything.” Suzume replied in her defense. “I was just tired and hungry and...”
“Lonely.” The god supplied.
“No,” She shook her head forcefully and her hair whipped around like a curtain.
He clicked his tongue. “Come with me, child.” He swung around and waddled down a pathway that seemed to have appeared suddenly. I’m still not sure if this is a trap or not. The creature that had attacked her was on the ground still. Its blank eyes were staring up at the blue sky.
“I can assure you, I am no more danger to you than that was,” the god had stopped up the path from her and motioned towards the dead creature.
“What was it, did you send it after me?”
He shook his head. “No. It was hunting me until it sensed your greater spiritual power, a foolish mistake on his part.” He shrugged before continuing up the path. “Are you coming?” he called when she did not move from the spot.
I might as well follow him, its better than hanging around this thing. She nudged the creature with the edge of her sandal. It shifted and rolled over. Suzume screeched before blushing and hurrying to follow the god. Stupid dead monster.
“You’ll face many such creatures on your journey,” The god said replying to her thoughts.
“Quit doing that,” Suzume chastised. She looked down at his gleaming bald head it looked shiny enough to reflect but none of the forest was reflected there. “Why are these things after me?” She asked finally.
“Because they desire your power. Your untapped spiritual energy is a tempting prize for those of lower class immortals.” The god explained without looking up at her.
“Then how do I learn to control my powers?”
“That is not something I can answer. I can only grant your wish.”
“And telling me about the creature is part of this wish?” She asked. That’s awfully convenient.
“Yes and I am sorry priestess but these are the laws of my kind,” he sighed and he seemed very weary.
“There are other wish granting... gods?” Suzume asked. Though her ‘wishes’ hadn’t gone to her liking, she might like some conscious wishes, for example, a reinstatement to her previous place at the palace.
“That is not your true wish, if it was I would grant it.”
“Really, you need to stop reading my mind.” Suzume stopped and dug her heels in.
The god turned around to face her. “I am sorry, Suzume, it is not often I meet a priestess of your caliber and one whose mind I can read as easy as an open book. You must forgive me for peeking at the pages.”
She wasn’t sure if she should be flattered or offended so she decided to move on from the subject. “At least tell me why you chose me to grant wishes to?”
He did not reply at first and they continued walking down the forest path. Suzume did her best to remain patient but her patience was wearing thin. As they walked, the path changed and became more refined and gave way to a courtyard garden.
They were standing in the center of a grand compound. The walls surrounded them were pure white and the roofs were topped with slanted red roofs. The garden itself rivaled the emperor’s in its opulence. The shrubbery had been sculpted in geometric shapes and a large maple tree overlooked a koi pond. This is just like the garden from my spider dream. Suzume shuddered.
“Are you sure you’re not trying to steal my soul or anything?” Suzume walked over to the maple to inspect it. This was much more lifelike than the one from the dream. She reached out and grabbed a waxy leaf from the tree. She rubbed it between her fingers marveling at the tactile sensation.
The god shook his head. “I promise, I am not. Please have a seat.” He motioned to a bench beneath the maple tree that over looked the koi pond. Suzume sat down hesitantly and the god jumped up beside her. “You know this place?”
“Yeah. It’s Daiki’s home. I went there one fall for a poetry reading.”
The god shook his head again. “No, think harder.”
Suzume gave him a puzzled look. “What else could it be? I was attacked by a spider and this is where I was trapped. It’s the exact same place.”
He patted her hand. “This place,” he motioned across the courtyard and towards a manor house. “Is the home of Hatoru, more specifically, Hatoru Kazue, your past life.”
Suzume shot to her feet. “No. I don’t believe you.”
“It’s true,” he said. “You’re the reincarnation of Priestess Hatoru Kazue.”
Suzume groaned. “Then all those sappy things Kaito has been saying, they’re true? He really...” She couldn’t finish the sentence. The feelings wrapped up in it were much too confusing for her to face, yet.
The god smiled. “Yes and no. He is currently fighting within himself, his feelings and his own realization of who you are.”
“Is that why he hasn’t killed me yet?” Suzume’s stomach sank.
He nodded gravely. “You, or rather Kazue, sealed the dragon away at great risk to herself, and that has incurred his wrath. If he were to break free of the wish and realize who you are then, he would kill you.”
“Great. So he’s looking for revenge and I am the reincarnation of the woman he hates.” She sat back down and cradled her head in her hands. Then an idea hit her. “But he doesn’t have to remember does he, he doesn’t have to realize who I am!” She turned to look at the god fully. “You could make it so he forgets that I’m Kazue, that way he won’t kill me!”
“Therein lays the problem. Kazue did not intend to seal him away permanently. She was working to stop a dangerous immortal; she did it to protect him. If he were not to realize your true self, then he could never find redemption and forgiveness.”
“So he’ll keep searching for her, forever then?” Suzume asked.
He nodded.
Suzume sighed. “There’s no winning is there? I either die now or die later when can’t find his vengeance.”
The dragon had a temper, especially when it came to Kazue. Could Suzume risk her own life in hopes he could find it in him to forgive Kazue?
“And here we come to your wish.”
Suzume peered at the god. “What about my wish?
“Your soul’s desire, is to protect Kaito –“ Suzume snorted but he held up his hand to stop any interruption. “You must choose, risk your own life and let him learn the truth or let him forget and allow him to wander for the rest of his days in a quest for vengeance.”
“Great, more riddles.” Her knee jerk reaction was to protect herself but in either scenario she was doomed for death. Kaito had sworn to devour her if he couldn’t find his vengeance.
“Why do these things happen to me!” Suzume huffed and ran her hands through her hair. It was tangled and dirty. I should have stayed at the temple, at least I wouldn’t be in this mess.
“Whether you will it or not, it is your duty as Kazue’s reincarnation, to finish what she began. Her task –destroying the immortal-- was not complete. You must find it and destroy it and save Kaito –as you call the dragon.” He smiled and his eyes crinkled.
“I don’t want to. I don’t want any of this. I just want to have my normal life back.”
“You cannot say that. This is your destiny.” The god looked frazzled for the first time since their encounter.
“I refuse my destiny. You said I have one wish left, well here it is: I wish Kaito never remembered that I was Kazue. I wish he went back to the way he was before.”
The god’s expression grew pale. “Do you understand what this means? He will never heal. This could mean dire consequences for both of you.”
“I don’t care.” Suzume glared. The god said it himself. I’m a powerful Priestess and if Kazue could seal him away, so can I. I’ll just find a way to lock him up again and be done with it.
The god lowered his head. “Then I have no choice. Your wish shall be granted.”
A/N: Uh-oh what has Suzume done now. What do you all think? Will dire events cause ruin for our sassy heroine or will everything really go back to normal for poor Suzume?