The Zoo

 That Sunday, I went to the zoo with Aunt, Uncle, Hana, Kenji, Junichi, and Junichi’s parents. I saw animals I’ve never seen before as well as some I recognized. I asked one of the animals (a python), “Why are you guys in cages?”

“This is the way I always lived,” the python said.

“But why tho—” I started, but was interrupted by Hana.

“Ryusuke,” she yelled. “We need to get to the lions!”

“Your friends are calling,” said the python.

“Yeah, I can tell,” I said. “See you soon.”

“Maybe,” said the python.

I caught up with my host family and Junichi’s family, and we went over to the lions together. There were three lionesses, two of which were smaller than the other. I knew the smaller ones had to be Harmony and Melody. I knelt down in front of the enclosure, and the others stood behind me. The lions were discussing whether or not the zookeeper will bring a new type of meat or a familiar one. The two younger ones were play-wrestling while talking, so they weren’t hungry.

“Harmony,” I said. One of the younger lionesses looked at me, so I continued. “Do you remember your previous life?”

Harmony cocked her head a little, and studied me for some time. I wondered if she was going to answer. “No,” she finally said. “Well, I remember liking a game that involved hitting a ball with a big stick.”

“That’s all?” I asked. “Do you remember them?” I gestured toward Junichi and his parents.

Harmony studied them for a minute. “The younger one has come to the zoo before.”

“Yeah,” Melody interjected. “With a bunch of other kids.”

“I see,” I said. “Do you remember what you were in your previous life?”

“No,” said Harmony. “I told you. All I remember from my previous life is a game with a stick and a ball.”

“I bet you were a house cat,” said Melody. “Or a chimpanzee!”

“If you liked casing sticks,” the adult lioness said. “Then you were probably a dog.”

“Mom was panda,” said Harmony. “And Melody was a frog!”

“I wasn’t a frog!” said Melody. “I remember flying.”

“A bird then,” suggested Harmony. She turned to me. “So what were we?”

“Well,” I said. “I have reason to believe, you were related to those three, Harmony. As for you two, I have no idea.” I didn’t tell Harmony how she was related to Junichi, for I felt if I gave her too many details, the other two lions would insist I tell them everything about their previous lives to. I probably could dig that information up for them (the same way I found out about Harmony), but I really didn’t want to. Besides, it was clear the lions were using the conversion solely to entertain themselves, and if they found out who they were in their previous lives, they would simply find a new topic of discussion.

“How am I related to those three?” Harmony asked.

“I don’t know,” I lied. It felt weird doing so. “The younger one said he felt something the day he first saw you.”

“Ah,” said Harmony. “I understand. I’ve felt something like that too. Do you think I was his grandma?”

“You were probably his dog,” the adult lioness said.

The lions continued to talk, and I dismissed myself from the conversion. I told Junichi what Harmony and the other lions said. He looked sad, but he sat down next to the lions’ enclosure and gestured to his parents to do the same.

“Can you give us some time alone?” Junichi asked.

“Of course,” I said.

We agreed to meet back at the front gate at noon. Junichi and his parents stayed by the lion enclosure, Aunt and Uncle went one way, Kenji went another, and Hana went another way. I decided to stick with Hana (she had the map).

We encountered an animal with a long neck. The sign on it’s enclosure said it was a kirin*, but I’ve seen kirin in the spirit realm and they looked and smelled nothing like this creature. Kirin have a boar-sized body, long deer-like horns, a long feathery tail, are covered with green dragon-like feathers, and they smell beautiful. This animal had golden-yellow fur with brown spots, a long neck, long legs, a short tail, and two little stubs for horns. Although, it didn’t smell bad, it didn’t have a kirin’s beautiful scent.

“Do they have the wrong sign by your enclosure?” I asked. “It says you’re a kirin.”

“I am a kirin,” the animal said.

“Are you sure?” I told it about the kirin I’m familiar with.

“Maybe there’s a different kind of kirin,” the animal suggested.

“Maybe,” I said.

I didn’t speak to every animal I encountered. Some of them didn’t want to talk. Some of the animals didn’t let themselves be seen, and others were begging for attention from guests. The penguins especially loved attention. Any time someone looked away, they would do something “cute.” Sometimes one of the penguins would shout a command: “Yo, Waddles, twirl while water-flying; humans love that.” or “Hey, Choko, slid where the biggest crowd can see you, not the smallest.”

Even Hana was pulled in by the penguins attention grabby ways. I didn’t want to stay by them long.

“Can we continue on to the next animal?” I asked.

“You don’t have to stay with me,” Hana said.

“Yeah, but you have the map.”

“Here.” She handed me the map.

I saw many more animals before eventually coming to a wolf. He was by himself, which made me sad, for I knew that wolves lived in packs. He was lying on the dirt of his enclosure as if asleep. He would occasionally move his ears when someone passed or approached his enclosure. I watched him for a little while. Eventually he lifted his head, sniffed the air, and looked at me.

“You’re not human,” said the wolf.

“I’m a dragon,” I said.

“You understand me?” asked the wolf.

“Why wouldn’t I understand you?”

“Ah, so you haven’t been around humans for very long then.”

I wasn’t sure what he meant by that, but I didn’t ask him to clarify either. Instead I asked, “Did I disturb your sleep?”

“No,” said the wolf. “It’s impossible to sleep here anyways. Too much noise.”

“You’re lonely?”

“I am, indeed. They have animals from all over the world here, and they couldn’t provide me with another wolf and maybe a noise muffler. They could also let the dirt go a little deeper, so I can dig a more comfortable den. Nothing against the concrete den over there; I just like digging my own dens! Not to mention that mountain sheep. You have no idea how badly I want to kill that mountain sheep. Whose idea was it to put her enclosure within hearing distance of mine?”

“You don’t want to kill the penguins?”

“Not as badly as that fucking mountain sheep!”

Before I could say anything else, a three-year-old kid ran up to the enclosure and yelled, “Mom, Dad, look, the wolf’s awake!” The kid’s parents weren’t far behind.

“See you, Dragon,” the wolf said as he walked over to his den. “I really can’t stand the little ones.” After the wolf went into his den, the little kid started to cry.

I told the kid, “The wolf doesn’t like noise. Maybe if you’re quiet, he’ll come back out.”

The kid wiped away her tears. “Thanks Mister,” she said.

Mister!? The girl’s mom probably saw the look on my face, for she said, “Not used to being addressed as an old man, are you?”

“Should I be?” I asked.

The woman laughed. “I should hope not! You look like you’re still in elementary school.”

“Well,” I said. “I am. Fourth grade. Hinotori Elementary.”

“Mom,” the little girl said. “Quiet. For the wolf.”

“Of course,” the woman said.

I waved goodbye, and moved along. I saw a few more animals before it was time to get back to the fount gate. Junichi and Hana where already there.

“Have any penalty ideas?” asked Hana.

“For what?” I asked.

“The person who gets here last,” Junichi explained. “I suggested they have to speak like an anime cat-girl for the rest of the day.”

“And I suggested they do a silly dance,” added Hana. “Right here at the zoo.”

“Alright,” I said. “They have to lead a jail break for all these animals.”

Junichi and Hana looked at each other, and then to me. “You do realize,” Junichi began.

“That would be illegal…” Hana finished.

“Ok,” I said. “Why not have them wear a leaf on their head like a transformed tanuki?”

“Now there’s an idea!” said Hana.

We continued to discuss penalty games, when Junichi’s parents showed up. They also had suggestions.

“Well,” said Mr. Takimoto. “If it’s one of the remaining adults, they have to buy us all lunch. If it’s Kenji, then he has to do something silly.”

“If we were going to have a penalty for the last person to show up at our meeting place,” said Mrs. Takimoto. “Shouldn’t we have told everyone this before splitting up?”

“You’re no fun, Mom,” said Junichi.

“We didn’t come here to have fun!” said Mrs. Takimoto. “We came to see…”

“How was your time with Harmony?” I asked.

“She seems happy,” said Mrs. Takimoto.

“Do you really think she’s Eriko’s reincarnation?” Mr. Takimoto said to me.

“I’m pretty certain,” I said. I looked towards Junichi. I assumed he had told his parents what I really was and about my quest, but he never said he did. He saw my look and gave me a quick nod, so I knew it was safe to continue. I was in the middle of telling them about my trip to Lord Enma’s realm, when Kenji arrived.

“Kenji,” Hana said. “Do you think Mom and Dad deserve a penalty for being late?”

“Absolutely,” Kenji said.

Aunt and Uncle were the last to show up at our meeting spot. They took us all out to lunch.

*The Japanese word for giraffe is “kirin.” They were named after the yōkai, kirin, do to their appearance.