A little girl paced back and forth beside a door in the form of a giant lotus petal. Her pitter-patter of footsteps rang with impatience and anticipation. Even her dainty little fingers were cringing together tensely.
"Big Sis, you ready? We're going to miss the start of the festival!" The little girl was Tsumi, her odango-style hair were wrapped together with small, luminescence vines. She was dressed in an ocean blue kimono and filled with a sea of flowers. It was elegant and perfectly appropriate for her shape.
"Mhm, one second." A gentle voice sounded behind the lotus door. It was truly one second as she walked out immediately after. A violet kimono perfectly matched her violet hair with an orange sash. Her hair was a little messy, but done purposefully as it seemed only to accentuate her beautiful face. A kanzashi in the shape of a white violet lotus was placed at the side of her hair, giving her a unique and natural aura.
When she appeared, Tsumi's little mouth was wide open in shock. "Yo-you're beautiful, Big Sis!" Her words were from her heart as she spoke.
Akane smiled as she lightly blushed, "thanks." She wasn't one to take compliments too close to the heart, but this little girl truly caused her to feel a bit embarrassed. Her shy look and blushing face would drive any man wild with thoughts and burning desires.
"Let's go." She grabbed the young girl's hand and walked out. A night sky greeted her lit up by lanterns that littered the village. It created a cascade of beauty as some of the flowers reflected that light and emitted their own.
She had a surge of happiness and pride within her heart. Her village truly was beautiful, even when sometimes it was bothersome.
As they walked down the streets, they were greeted by men wearing yutakas and women in their kimonos of various styles and colors. The canocophy of beautiful women and men made the sight look like a natural utopia of heaven and earth.
The laughter and smiles that went around were infectious. Tsumi was also laughing as she looked about, her eyes never seemed to settle on one thing for too long. They saw many booths filled with various games and foods that gave off a sweet and delicious scent.
"That smells so good! And that! And that! Oh look at that! Oooh...ouch. Rejected!" Tsumi was reacting endlessly to the surroundings, pointing here and there with such enthusiasm that it seemed her energy was unlimited.
Akane gently laughed. This little girl.
"Sis! Sis!" A young boy looking cute yet oddly handsome appeared with his little legs nearly skipping. It was Akio. He was joined by Elder Hiroji who seemed a little tired. He had a piece of cloth which only purpose was to soak up sweat, and it seemed that it was nearly drowning.
"Aiko! Why are you always running around like a little mouse! Can't you just not cause trouble for others?" Tsumi scolded with her immature voice. Her words caused those in the surrounding to want to fall down and spray blood.
Who ran around? Who caused trouble?
"Harrumph! Who's talking to you little dumpling head?" Akio bitingly said.
Putai!
A few people in the distance actually fell and sprayed blood.
Are we going to witness a murder?! They seemed too accustomed to Tsumi's violence and mischievous nature. Even the Clan Leader had a headache over her, yet this little fellow was so fearless. Oh, how it feels to be young.
"Oh?!" Just as everyone thought she was going to explode, she actually blushed slightly and touched her hair. Shyly, she said, "y-you noticed?"
WHAT?!
Even Akane was taken aback, her expression a little absentminded.
"Of course I noticed? Who could miss those things!" Akio replied matter-of-factly causing Tsumi to blush further.
"Oh? Then, for saying that, you're going to take me to walk around!" She swiftly escaped Akane's hand and grabbed Akio's. He looked a little confused as she pulled him violently away, but a small satisfied gleam in his eyes couldn't be hidden away. In his heart, he felt relieved and thought, "so she still chose me."
Elder Hiroji warily smiled and deeply sighed, "Kids…" He looked towards Akane and smiled, "Don't forget to be at the main stage. We'll see you there."
"En," Akane nodded.
Hiroji hurriedly followed with his old body creaking slightly along the way. The two young couple was so swift that he had to skip awkwardly to catch up.
Akane took a deep breath, "today's just a day. Let's do this." She walked forward with calm and gentle steps. A glimmer of silver light flashed briefly in her sleeve.
-----
Badonk Boom! Badonk Boom!
The sounds of drums being beat resounded in the surroundings. It originated from a set of taiko drums with outstanding young men and women fearlessly beating away. The sound seemed to carry a trace of law that moved the heart, allowing one to experience the emotions the drums wish to produce.
A grand plaza with tens of thousands of people surrounded a central platform where the drums were playing. A rectangular block of white jade was the platform. It was large enough to allow thousands to stand shoulder to shoulder, but only the drummers and various ornaments remained.
"I announce the arrival of our Clan Lord! Lord Kaito Nanabi!" A powerful voice capable of penetrating the hearts of all the spectators resounded. The crowd was cheering, their bodies energized by the upbeat tune of the drums and atmosphere of the festival.
A man walked onto the stage from the only set of stairs that allowed one to ascend. He was dressed in ceremonial chief attire, a unique outfit that seemed almost like an eastern empire. His clothes were etched with thousands of foxtails that seemed endless and alive. They flickered about as if real, giving one a feeling of disbelief and awe.
He was handsome, young, in his early thirties, and had a natural disposition of a leader. The charisma was effusing from his body like air from the lungs, present yet unseen. Even his seven-tails behind him that moved about contained a unique and mind-drawing aura.
The cheers raged on until he reached the center whereby he raised his hand outwards with a gesture. The drums immediately went silent, and as if understood, so did the people.
"I, Kaito Nanabi, am ever-grateful for your presence on this day of remembrance!" His voice was powerful and heart-stirring as if he was speaking directly to you and not the crowd.
"The day where we remember and honor our ancestors and further our heritage, further our humble line in their name! I thank every one of you for being here today. Let the moon gods grant us light, so that we may seize the night!"
He calmly reached into his sleeves and pulled out an incense. It looked very ordinary, but it gave off a very ancient aura. As if on cue, everyone in the crowd pulled out an incense, whether woman, child, elder, or man, they universally took out an incense.
If one looked closely, the incense were of varying sizes. The older one was, the shorter the incense.
"I ask you all to join me to commune with our ancestors, to pay our respects, so that we may, on this day, tell them our stories!" Clan Lord Kaito solemnly said. However, the incense didn't light. Instead, he turned towards the sole stairs and shouted, "Bring out our Ancestral Hope!"
A young man appeared. In his hand was a stone. It was jet black and gave off a calm aura, as if sleeping. This stone was about the size of one meter in length and a third of a meter in width.
At the top was a handle. It would be more accurate to say that it was a sword's hilt.
The young man was the son of Kaito and the one who went to Akane's house, the Young Master of the Clan, Kaiga. He had a strong expression and proudly brought the sword in the stone forward. He arrived next to his father and placed it gently down at his feet.
Clan Lord Kaito nodded to him. He raised the incense into the air, prompting everyone else to raise their incense as well.
Akane, Tsumi, and Akio were together, they looked onwards with respectful expressions just like the others in their surroundings with their hands held out holding incense.
Shockingly, Akane's incense was different than the rest. Hers was violet and had nine patterns etched on its side. She looked to the sword's hilt, and her eyes flickered endlessly in thought.
"I ask for our own Kyūbi no Kitsune to rise and do the honors." Kaito shouted. His voice was not commanding but as if pleading.
Akane's heart trembled as the gazes of everyone turned towards her. The nine-tails behind her accelerated their movements and seemed to have a mind of their own. She calmly inhaled and exhaled before stepping forward. Akio and Tsumi had looks of pride on their faces as they watched Akane make her way towards the stage, onto the stage, and besides the father and son duo.
Kaito slightly nodded.
Kaiga's eyes was calm, but within was flickering hot emotions.
"I accept this honor," Akane arrived next to the sword in the stone and closed her eyes. She placed her incense in the air above the stone and let go. An odd scene occurred. Without any visible force being applied, it remained in the air.
With power, she gripped the hilt, the only visible part of what's expected to be a sword. However, she didn't pull.
"I, Akane Kyūbi, seize the night. Ancestors, please honor me with your strength, build a bridge so that we may pay our respects." Her words were serene and tuned with the natural forces of the world.
Suddenly, a unified cry within the crowd as every living soul said these words, "I, a member of the Kitsune, ask you to build a bridge, so that we may pay our respects. Lend us your strength, so that we may seize the night!"
Thrumm!
The sword seemed to vibrate and a miraculous sight was birthed!