Iya Valley, Shikoku Island,
Tokushima
"At least we can ensure that the spirits that possessed the doll were not spirits from Hiromi-san, Kusagi-san's grandmother," Rui said.
We have gathered at the base. Ayako and Naomasa already left to find information about Akane-chan from the previous owner. Sakuya and Sensei are walking around the house.
"Whoever it is, it's children spirit. That's what I heard from her voice," I said, "Like an Okiku doll, right? But, the Okiku doll is not possessed, right?"
"It is said that the doll was originally purchased in 1918 by a 17-year-old boy named Eikichi Suzuki while visiting Sapporo for a marine exhibition. He bought the doll on Tanuki-koji, Sapporo's famous shopping street, as a souvenir for his 2-year-old sister, Okiku," Kiyoharu said, "The young girl loved the doll and played with it every day, but the following year, she died suddenly of a cold. The family placed the doll in the household altar and prayed to it every day in memory of Okiku,"
"Is the doll haunted by Okiku after that?" Rui asked.
"Sometime later, they noticed the hair had started to grow. This was seen as a sign that the girl's restless spirit had taken refuge in the doll," Kiyoharu said, "In 1938, the Suzuki family moved to Sakhalin, and they placed the doll in the care of Mannenji temple, where it has remained ever since. According to the temple, the traditional doll initially had short cropped hair, but over time it has grown to about 25 centimeters long, down to the doll's knees. Although the hair is periodically trimmed, it reportedly keeps growing back," Kiyoharu sighed, "Nobody has ever been able to fully explain why the doll's hair continues to grow. However, one scientific examination of the doll supposedly concluded that the hair is indeed that of a young child,"
"I wonder why the family left the doll in the temple even though they there's possibility their daughter possessed the doll," I said.
"Well, every family have their own circumstances. But, Okiku doll is harmless. It just the hair keeps growing," Kiyoharu nodded.
"I wonder what really happened," I said, "Rui-kun, when Akane-chan appears in the living room, do you feel the presence of spirits?"
"No. Isn't that strange? But, I feel another presence," Rui said, "Like the feeling when Sakuya-kun's Shikigami appeared,"
"Shikigami don't act by themselves. Onmyōji is the one who controlled them," Kiyoharu said, "What if Akane-chan is Tsukumogami?
"You mean, objects or tools that get souls after service their master more than 100 years?" I asked. Tsukumogami, huh?
"Yes," Kiyoharu nodded, "Tsukumogami, Kami (God) of the tool, is a term used to categorize a type of yōkai (Demon). The Tsukumogami was a concept popular in Japanese folklore as far back as the tenth century, used in the spread of Shingon Buddhism," Kiyoharu explained, "The most accepted definition of the term says that tsukumogami are inanimate objects that once they have served their owners for 100 years, they receive a soul and therefore become alive and self-aware,"
"You mean Akane-chan received a soul and became alive?" Rui looked a bit confused.
"I just want to say, there's a possibility," Kiyoharu said, "But, tsukumogami are usually harmless, though they tend to play small pranks. Still, they have the capacity to get angry and can group up to take revenge against those who threw them away or didn't treat them well. For this reason, jinja ceremonies are performed in Japan to console broken or unusable objects," Kiyoharu explained.
"Even so, isn't if Tsukumogami changes form, their original form will disappear? And vice versa?" I asked and took a deep breath, "I have this uneasy feeling. It's like getting a sign of something bad happening,"
"No matter how you look at it, she is just a doll possessed by an evil spirit," Rui sighed, "And again, isn't what Akane-chan said is confusing? She said 'if you try to get rid of me, I'll expose your true self' isn't that like warning someone?"
"You might be, right? Ichinose-san said the poltergeist that happened was the first. That means she going berserk because of our presence?" Kiyoharu asked, "If it's like that, who is Akane-chan wants to exposed?"
"She said, there is an evil spirit in this house," I murmured, "Do you think there is an evil spirit coming with us?"
We looked at each other.
"Could it be that... Sakuya's Shikigami?" Rui asked, "But, I don't think Sakuya's Shikigami is an evil spirit, especially because Sakuya is the master, "
Kiyoharu nodded, "But, indeed, the Shikigami is Yokai. Some of them become evil spirits, who die with revenge. The teaching about the practice of calling and sealing the Shikigami comes from the Onmyōdō teachings. Shikigami are creatures that are invisible but can sometimes become visible by sealing them into pieces of paper that have been given spells and then summoned with special rituals and ceremonies that are very complicated," Kiyoharu explained.
"Sakuya-kun is truly extraordinary," Rui nodded his head, "But, it's not like Sakuya hiding his Shikigami. I still don't understand the intent of 'exposing'," Rui sighed, "Is it possible for one of Sakuya's Shikigami to have evil intentions?"
"Shikigami power is connected to the spiritual force of their master, where if the invoker is well introduced and has lots of experience, their Shiki can possess animals and even people and manipulate them, but if the invoker is careless, their shikigami may get out of control in time, gaining its own will and consciousness, and can even raid its own master and kill them in revenge," Kiyoharu said, "This means that as long as Sakuya can control them, they won't be able to do evil things,"
I still don't understand what Akane-chan said. For some reason, those words made me uncomfortable. I felt my whole body shivering. There is something hiding inside this house. Something scary.
"We are back!" Sensei returned to base with Sakuya.
"Welcome back, thank you for your hard work, Sensei," Rui smiled.
"Did you discuss about the doll?" Sensei asked while sitting on the couch.
Rui nodded, "Sensei, about Akane-chan. Is there a possibility that she is a form of Tsukumogami?" Rui asked.
"Hmmm ... Tsukumogami," Sensei murmured, "If indeed she is Tsukumogami, then, as long as the owner takes good care of her, she won't be dangerous. But, if she holds a grudge, the story will different," Sensei said, "Akane-chan lives with different people, doesn't she?"
"That's how it is," Rui nodded his head, "The doll maybe have a grudge against the previous owner who thrown her away,"
"The idea of tsukumogami, or yōkai of tools, spread mostly in the Middle Ages, and declined in more recent generations. Especially after the Bakumatsu period. Only a few people believe in the idea of Tsukumogami," Sakuya said, "Modern people will not believe an object can have a soul after living a hundred years. Well, it sounds like a joke,"
"But, many people still keep things from their ancestors, don't they? Even take good care of them. Although some may sell them to antique shops," I said.
"By the way, when is the Bakumatsu period?" Rui asked.
"It was referenced to the final years of the Edo period when the Tokugawa shogunate ended. Between 1853 and 1867, Japan ended isolationist foreign policy known as sakoku and changed from a feudal Tokugawa shogunate to the pre-modern empire of the Meiji government," I explained.
"You're amazing Yui. I wondered if Naomasa could answer that," Rui chuckled, "I also wondered how he could save a lot of memory in his small brain,"
I took a deep breath when someone knocked on the door.
Kasagi-san came in and smiled at us, "It's time for Akane-san's dinner. I want to ask if you want to see it?"
"Of course," Sensei then got up from the couch.
"I will observe from here," Sakuya said.
We then left the room. We walked through a corridor filled with many paintings. Most are European-style paintings.
Again, we passed a large mirror on the corridor wall.
And again, I stopped my steps because of those uneasy feelings.
But, I don't know what that is.
I looked at the mirror, my reflection is clear. There is nothing there. Then why did I feel uncomfortable every time I passed the mirror?
We arrived in a small room. The room is connected to the main dining room. It seems that this room is specially made for Akane-chan. All furniture is doll-size. Starting from chairs, tables, and tableware.
"This room is like a miniature that we usually see in a theme park," Rui said as he looked around.
"This room used to have food storage, then it was renovated by Hiromi-sama and made a dining room for the dolls," Ichinose-san explained.
Shortly thereafter, Akane-chan came along with several maids. One of the maids carried her and another maid brought 2 other dolls.
Akane-chan sits at the front chair, and the other dolls on her right and left. The servant then enters to bring food with a trolley. These foods are then placed at the dining table.
"Can I take a photo?" Rui said, "This looks like a miniature,"
"I don't believe this," Kiyoharu shook his head, "Is the meal really eaten?"
"We will know if they have finished eating, now we have to leave this room closed for up to an hour," Ichinose-san said.
"Ehhh ?!" We were surprised.
"Nobody is waiting in this room?" Kiyoharu asked.
"Hiromi-sama said privacy is also important for Akane-chan. She might want to have time to be alone with her friends," Ichinose-san said.
"That's how it is," Sensei smiled.
"Please, the dinner is ready for you all. Oh, it looks like 2 staff members haven't returned," Ichinose-san said.
"They will be fine," Sensei just keep smiled.
Kiyoharu and Rui looked at each other. I think we have the same thoughts. This house and the owner of the dolls are going to far from being normal. Just like Naomasa said, the owner seems to have a mental problem.
We left the doll's dining room. And get ready for dinner. As Ichinose-san said, the food is the same as the food eaten by dolls.
I still can't get rid of my uneasy feeling.
Should I sleep to get a vision?
Or should I use psychometry by touching Akane-chan?
Akane-chan indeed gives us a spooky feeling, but I still think there's something else.
***