I don't like the rot

I use my newly acquired vital energy to create a thick air mattress, which successfully absorbs the inertia from the fall, along with the impact of the humans on the metal plate. The man's sharp hands impact the plate.

If I use more energy, I will be putting myself in danger once more. But safety is still far away. The train and the tanuki must have noticed our escape, and we don't know where we could be.

I approach the kitsune, hoping to awaken her.

~Rustle~

Something is on the bushes. It can't be the tsukumogami. We escaped just a few seconds ago.

"Who dares to sneak towards me? Show yourself!"

The bush stays still.

"Wow! You found me. This wind of yours is truly amazing. It makes me proud."

A voice behind me? Is it a trick? Can it interact with others' minds? No, the wind is telling me that, whatever it is, it is truly behind me. How? It didn't move at all.

I look back. An unreal smile greets my gaze. Excited breathing, staring eyes, and an oni mask covering the rest of his face make the image even more unsettling.

It looks like a man wearing traditional monk robes, but he got so close without alerting the wind of his movement. Could it be he just appeared? Is there a monk like him out there?

The monk moves his hand towards me.

I have neither my blades out nor the energy to use them. Is there really anything I can do right now? Biting is improper, but I made a vow. I must do all that my body is capable of.

I distract myself by thinking deeply, not noticing that the hand is almost on my head. When the hand inevitably lands, I receive a headpat.

"Hahahaha~ Calm down, buddy. I know how strong you are, but there is nothing you could do against me right now. Am I wrong?"

How does he-?

I go away from his hand immediately.

"You did this."

"Yes, I did."

He smiles even more. Next, he disappears.

Where? Where is he going to manifest himself this time?

The wind begins to act weirdly, disobeying me.

Is he manipulating the wind? That could be why I do not sense him moving. That would mean he can move unrealistically fast.

I watch, terrified, as the wind encircles us, moving faster without me being able to counter anything. Eventually, leaves and sticks denote the wind's strength.

Is he making a whirlwind around us? Why? I'm unable to understand.

The wind ceases.

Nothing happened. No, I sense something different. The man's hands are back to normal. Why? Wait, am I feeling… better?

"Because I healed you."

The monk was standing at the top of a tree, with the moon beneath him.

You! You can read minds.

"Of course I can."

"Why would you do that?"

"Shhhh~ Wait."

I try to interact with the monk's mind, but I can't. He goes silent, and I follow.

I notice it immediately. Something is manifesting itself. Something different.

~Phew~

The kitsune forms its body with translucent orbs emanating from the woman, whose fox traits disappear.

"That was HORRIBLE."

The unaware fox stretches. Then, it looks at the monk, and it is left speechless for a few seconds. Meanwhile, the monk just continued smiling creepily.

~Ugh~

The woman puts her hands on the ground, but the man doesn't move.

He probably does not have the will to wake up, or he might be too mentally exhausted.

"Where are we?"

"We escaped. I made a pact with the man to make a hole in the wagon's floor."

"A pact…?" The woman looks confused, as it is natural. "Where is the kitsune?"

"Right there."

The woman stares silently, as if she understood something.

The kitsune, which hadn't said a word all this time, finally reacts.

"Is that… you?"

"I? Oh! Of course! Yes, I'm absolutely me."

What could they be talking about?

"And you, are you going to come back?"

The monk glares at the kitsune fiercely.

"No. I won't."

"Why?"

"Why would I do so?"

"Your dream… What about it?"

"I'm sorry. Could you please tell me what it was? I fear I forgot."

"… Did you forget about me?"

"I wouldn't be able to talk like this with you if that were the case, would I?"

"Then why? Why didn't you come back to the shrine? Why did you leave me behind? I waited for years."

"Wow, wow! You're acting like it is a big deal. I brought you here when I needed someone."

"You brought us here? I was scared, and I thought I was going to die. Why did you do this to me?"

A blast of air strikes. The tsukumogami has arrived, as well as the tanuki.

"You see, Lady Kitsune, you don't need to take my departure as something too personal."

The train obscures the moon, revealing a centipede-like form with sharp claws instead of wheels and two pitch-dark eyes, as well as a long tongue covering his entire mouth. The tanuki, meanwhile, settles into the monk's shoulder, similarly to a squirrel.

"It's just that, when you are someone like me, your ambitions can't help but grow bigger and bigger until, finally, I found the ultimate purpose." The monk makes a light pause. "To save Japan. And with this new and bigger goal, I needed assistance. That's why I brought all of you onto the train."

To save Japan? How would putting the four of us on a train help with that end? No, the man is a human after all. Could this monk have planned my pact with him? It is hard to believe.

"Are you going to return to the shrine if I save the humans?"

"No."

"Am I going to see you again after I save the humans?"

"It is unlikely."

"What was I for you?"

"An animal."

"Will you pursue your old dream again?"

"It would be too boring for me to do so."

"…"

"You're going to do it anyway. Am I right?"

"…"

"Hahahaha~ I knew it. You're a really reliable fox."

"Wait! What are you saying to her? Who even are you?" The woman stands up and protests as the kitsune goes into a shock state.

"I? I'm a monk. I think it is pretty obvious."

"I didn't ask that. Who are you to her?"

"An acquaintance."

"Is that all?"

"Yes."

"You're lying. You hurt her."

"It is necessary. The hyakkiyagyo is about to begin."

The woman is enraged, but being cautious, she decides not to do something reckless and onlycovers the kitsune from the man's eyes.

Hyakkiyagyo, the oni procession? How? I thought the oni were completely sealed long ago. The seal must have been broken, but its location was secret even for me.

"Are you not overstating the danger?" I interrupt. "It is true the hyakkiyagyo is dangerous, but humanity endured a lot of them in the past."

"This one is quite different. Oni and more yokai are been anxiously longing for years. Being in the shadows had driven them to desperation, just like what happened to you. It's natural that this festival will spread all over Japan's prefectures. Yokai want to reinstate their old dominance in Japan. So, if some of them start the parade, there is no doubt local yokai will follow exponentially."

"What about the sun? It will have to stop when the sun arises."

"The sun is losing its brightness these days. Don't you notice the cold? Oh! Of course you don't. I'm sorry, caves must be cold all year."

He is mocking me. I should not fall into provocations.

"Go to the point. What do you want us to do here?"

"Nothing in particular. I just wanted to talk with you."

"In a forest?"

"Hey, it's not my fault. You fell in here. Where else would we be talking if not here? You escaped, and I followed."

"Followed? Were you watching us all the time?"

"A smart guy, huh? Sadly, you're wrong in this one. As you should remember, I'm unable to hide from you. Did you forget it already? I hope there is not an error in your memory."

The monk sighs.

"Whatever. I was on top of the train all the time, still. That wind of yours isn't omniscient, you know?"

I drop all politeness.

"That is it. Your mockery ends here. I will not help you with anything. I could protect this man by myself even if the world explodes. You are useless."

I relax my body and tense my legs to jump.

"You shouldn't be so sure."

His voice fades, as do I. In an instant, the woman, the kitsune, the monk, and even the forest are no more. Tall human structures stood before me.

I was teleported.

Once more, I don't know where I am or what is to come.

I eventually manage to wake the man up, explaining to him what happened when he was asleep.

The speaks in low voice. "The world is really a horrid place to live in. Everything is constantly rotting and falling from grace. Nothing ever changes for the better for people like me. But I'm starting to get used to it, so it's not that bad. I hope that, one day, maybe, something will finally change for the good. I was extremely scared at that moment, but you said you would help me. I thank you for that."

"It is okey. I would have died without you there."

"Is that so?"

After that little exchange of words, I silently follow him. Asking him to live in a cave would make things worse. Also, we happened to be near his tiny apartment, probably thanks to the monk's courtesy.

We arrive at the apartment. Located in a rickety structure with rusty stairs, it is a simple six-tatami-mat room. Contrary to the neglected exterior, the room is efficiently organized and clean. There is a futon, a tiny table with a metal box and a tiny chair, an strange metal artifact, and a few thin books with drawings on them, figures of girls, and similar objects around the walls. Strangely, I feel right at home, similar to the first time I locked myself up in the cave.

"I know it's small, but I really like it here."

"Yes. It is a nice place."

I lie down in a corner. Meanwhile, the man takes an girl figure and stares while he holds his hands around it, being careful to avoid all contact.

"What are you doing?"

"Ah! Sorry. Before going to sleep. I usually I admire this anime figure for a few minutes. When I first arrived at this apartment it was great. But, eventually, I felt alone in this tiny space. When I needed someone the most, this girl was released in a visual novel. Her life was hard, she lost her home and her parents, but in the end, and with my help, she managed to endure it until she achieved happiness. I have a warm feeling when I look closely at her, so I created this kind of ritual when I try to imagine her giving me strength to work hard another day. I'm sorry if it is silly or pathetic, but, without her, I wouldn't be able to live as I do. An yet, I don't have the guts to touch her, I'm not sure if someone like her would like to be touched by someone like me."

"I don't quite understand it."

"Of course. You don't know what a visual novel is. It's like a new kind of illustrated book."

"I see."

I stare at him.

After all these ages, humans did not change that much. The only variable is what form takes their object of praise. Especially, in hard times likes this, they hope for salvation, avoiding to corrupt what they see as untarnished, seeing themselves as dirty or corrupted. We're really not that different.