On the Transfer of Energy from One Object to Another

There was a pause after Arthur hung up the phone. Neither Arthur nor Matsumoto seemed to know what to say. The two of them stood by, waiting for instructions. Hazuki looked at the clothes he had set aside and knew he needed to get Naoe warmed.

“Could we light a fire?” he asked Arthur.

“Certainly,” answered Arthur, who immediately set off to get the hearth prepared.

Matsumoto followed Arthur without a word. Even though neither of them could see Naoe, Hazuki felt a sense of relief that they would not be in the room for the upcoming moments. Hazuki knelt beside Naoe and began to undo her obi belt.

“I’m sorry, Naoe,” he whispered as he set about removing her cold, wet clothes.

His fingers trembled slightly as he worked, and he didn’t know if it was nerves, embarrassment, or cold. Still, he continued about his task, completely focused on drying her and changing her garments as swiftly as possible.

The obijime, obi-age, and obi belt were undone and removed. Hazuki lay it beside him as gently as possible. The haneri collar was removed. Hazuki blinked and looked away as he undid the ohashori then slid the fabric from Naoe’s body, leaving only the white nagajuban undergarment. Hazuki folded the kimono and set it on the ground beside him. Heat began to emanate from the hearth and Hazuki knew the fire was ready.

Arthur returned to the room and paused when he saw the kimono on the ground.

“I can see that now,” he said in shock.

“You can? Can you see her?” Hazuki asked in modesty and genuine curiosity.

“No, just the fabric. But I will excuse myself nonetheless,” answered Arthur.

“Can you bring me three more towels?” asked Hazuki as he returned his focus to Naoe.

Arthur nodded and left the room. Hazuki’s trembling fingers undid the nagajuban belt and paused as he waited for the fresh towels. Arthur returned and set them on the floor beside Hazuki, then exited once more. Hazuki did not hesitate. As soon as Arthur was gone, Hazuki fully undid the belt and then removed the white fabric. Towel cloth immediately pressed against Naoe’s skin, dabbing up any remnants of frigid water from her small frame.

Hazuki removed the upper portion of her garment completely and padded her entire torso, chest, and arms before gently hoisting her up so that he could dry her back. Damp, cold hair hung on his shoulder and he immediately pivoted to drying that once Naoe’s back was finished. Hazuki patted as gently as possible before wrapping groups of hair in the towel and pressing to remove any trapped moisture. This lasted for a minute until he felt he had done all he could. A fresh towel was wrapped around her head and tied in place, then Hazuki’s shirt was pulled over her body and finally covered by the hoodie jacket.

Hazuki shifted his weight and moved to position himself best near Naoe’s legs. He looked away once more as he slid the garment fully away from her waist and legs and set it on the floor with the other clothes. Another towel was picked and Hazuki returned to drying her feet, legs, thighs, and stomach. He moved as quickly as he could and focused on his hand placement as politely as possible while making an effort to dry her as well as he could. Once he was finished, he slid the towel under her hips and folded it over her waist while be began to slide the sweatpants over her feet and up her legs. Then she was covered and dry.

Matsumoto and Arthur returned.

“We’ve laid a futon by the fire if that will help. We can move her in there if you’d like,” said Matsumoto.

Hazuki nodded and the two of them slowly lifted her under his guidance then relocated her to the futon that was next to a pleasant and warm flame in the sunken hearth. Hazuki had just sat down beside Naoe when Sayane’s key unlocked the front door.

“We’re here!” called Sayane as she entered the house.

“We’re by the fire!” called Arthur.

Footsteps approached and Hazuki felt his heart rate increase with nervous anticipation. Sayane rushed into the room with curious concern and turned to welcome her follower. Behind her was an elderly man in a pink shirt and a khaki bucket hat. Even in the freezing cold, he was in short sleeves. Something about him felt familiar to Hazuki, and to Hazuki’s surprise, the man glanced directly at Naoe when he entered.

“Kannushi, thank you for coming,” said Arthur.

The Shinto priest bowed slightly and then looked to Hazuki with an indecipherable gaze.

“Can you see her?” asked Hazuki.

“Her?” asked Sayane, who was trying to catch up with everyone else.

“Slightly,” answered the priest as he approached Naoe and Hazuki.

Sayane looked to Arthur in confusion, who in turn looked to Hazuki. Hazuki was too focused on the priest to notice.

“Slightly? Is she fading?” he asked in concern.

The priest shook his head.

“I’ve never been able to see her fully. There was always just a shape, or glow at her tree, and I had heard stories of the young lady at the plum tree. I assumed it was her. That shape is still here, but it is thin,” said the priest.

Hazuki nodded in agreement. Sayane seemed even more confused and inhaled to speak again, but Hazuki finally spoke up.

“Sayane, I’m very sorry to spring this on all of you. There’s so much you all need to know, but for right now, all I can say for sure is that there’s a girl in the room with us that only I can really see. Arthur and Matsumoto felt her when they helped carry her in. Those are her clothes, which I changed her out of because they were soaked and cold. Can you see my clothes on her now?”

Everyone shook their heads. Thoughts rushed through Hazuki’s mind as he tried to piece the logic together. At best, he assumed that meant that anything Naoe interacted with vanished while it was hers.

“Is the girl sick? Why did you need the priest?” asked Sayane.

“She is very sick. Fading fast, it seems,” answered the priest.

Something caught in Hazuki’s throat but he forced himself to speak the trembling words.

“She’s like a spirit of some sort. She’s been confined to a single tree for hundreds of years, which she’s like a guardian or caretaker for. She was supposed to only be caretaker for a generation and then pass the responsibility to others, who would in turn do the same. She never passed the responsibility on, and has been alone for all that time. I have been able to see her since I was a kid. Because I’m the caretaker for this generation,” explained Hazuki.

The priest eyed him with another mysterious look. Matsumoto’s hand raised to cover his mouth in shock.

“I don’t understand, what do you mean caretaker?” asked Arthur.

Hazuki looked to the priest for help.

“In some cases, certain beings are not quite normal kami. This girl feels more like a yūrei,” said the priest.

“Ghost?” asked Sayane.

“So it seems. But that is very interesting that she was only meant to be here for some time. The boy is right, though. His aura is much like hers. Something in him tells me they are indeed connected. If it is due to this caretaker responsibility, that makes sense to me,” said the priest.

“She’s been getting weaker for decades. That’s why the soil is failing, Matsumoto. She nurtures all of the trees in the park, but she can’t anymore. She left to rest for a few seasons. She wasn’t supposed to appear again until the plum blossoms, but I found her today. I think she’s fading, and I need to save her,” pleaded Hazuki.

Matsumoto nodded in solemn understanding. No one spoke, so Hazuki continued.

“But, she won’t let me, or anyone, become the next aeon, I mean, caretaker. So I can’t do that without her, but I can’t let her fade. Please help me save her, for even just a little longer,” begged Hazuki as he placed his head on the floor before the priest.

“What is your plan if you save her today?” asked the priest.

“To try to convince her to let me become the aeon and let her rest. Or find a way to undo this burden that doesn’t involve her fading away in agony. She doesn't deserve that.”

The priest removed his bucket hat and ran his fingers over the bald scalp that was hidden beneath. Without a word, he removed his satchel and began searching through its pouches. After a moment, he removed a small, smooth red stone piece that was shaped like a comma.

“What is your name, young man?” asked the priest.

“Hazuki,” answered Hazuki.

“Just Hazuki?”

“Yes. That is all that is left.”

Aged fingers with gnarled knuckles rubbed along the small stone piece.

“My name is Minenami Shinji. I think I can help you, but she is very weak. It might hurt.”

“I don’t care. I’ve been hurting all my life. Just help me save her,” Hazuki answered without hesitation.

“This should give her enough life force to continue on for at least a little longer. This caretaker burden is beyond my skill to understand. I can give you enough time to search for answers. If this works, you must immediately set out for Gifu as soon as the weather allows. Deep in the mountains, there is a forgotten shrine built into a sacred tree. The last priest stil lives there. They will be able to help you,” said Shinji.

Visions of the enormous, foreboding tree from his nightmares tore into Hazuki's thoughts as he listened.

“Thank you,” said Hazuki as he faced the priest.

“Then, let us begin,” said Shinji as he set his satchel to the ground and began to unpack various tools and talismans.

Hazuki's hand instinctively clasped Naoe's lifeless fingers.

"Hold on, Naoe," Hazuki whispered as he set his mind and body for the coming trial.