/jp/ - Otaku Culture

>>45104338
(2/4)
When I awoke, the first thing I noticed was the scent of tea.
The second thing I noticed was that the whole Myouren Temple fighting force had assembled as if it was a family meeting, plus that annoying Taoist brat Futo. Feh, I’d like to thrash her again if I could.
I was bound to a chair, and I felt weak, whatever they used this time I don’t think I could flip out of it too easily even if I was on a roll. That, combined with the barely lit confines of what I could only assume was a tea house made it clear that I was up for interrogation.
How long had it been?
“Seija Kijin” Hijiri spoke, approaching me.
The woman was clearly pissed. You could tell by that gait of Her’s, so practiced and refined, not as calm and serene as she usually walked, even if she did have that little smile of hers on.
“Congratulations!” She happily said, holding my cheeks and smiling.
I expected a lot, but this was far down the list.
“You all surprised that it took all of you more then a few tries to bring me down?” I spat on the floor “How about we have set of ‘fair’ bouts okay? You’ll be singing my praises as I level each of you one by one.”
“Oh no, not your evasion” She said, waving her hand “you formed a connection, didn’t you?”
“Connection? What are you on about? Some Buddhist nonsense? Sorry I don’t speak in riddles and sutras. Now let me go, I’ve got a life to save, see? Nothing you religious nuts have the right to get in the way of.” I commanded.
“Ah, how admirable.” Hijiri said, laying her check on her hand.
“You were once again charging ahead to save a loved one? This is the second time if what I learned is true.” She remarked.
Something about this whole situation was wrong. While Hijiri was seemingly all smiles, the rest of the peanut gallery was quiet, as if she was about to let me know I’ve been kicked out of the family and was just making small talk in the meanwhile. Plus, those bucket heads were still around. What was their deal?
“Yeah yeah, I’m a regular Buddha, if you understand that, then untie me and I’ll leave without pummeling you all as a courtesy.” I jeered.
She pulled up a chair and sat in it all lady like.
“You see Seija,” Hijiri began as if I hadn’t said anything. “I’ve been trying to figure out how to guide Youkai like yourselves who’s very nature makes it hard to co-exist with humans. I’ve tried several methods and observed several situations, but unfortunately it was all I could do to simply turn away Youkai who seemed trapped in their evil nature.” Her shoulders slumped.
“Can’t fix what isn’t broke.” I remark, shaking my head.
“One such method was a sort of ‘exchange’.” She started again, ignoring me. “You see, if a human being willingly offers an evil youkai their flesh and eats the flesh of an evil youkai in return, then they might form a bond. The youkai subsists on the human’s consumed flesh and the human, having consumed the youkai’s flesh, sustains a mutual existence. Just like a marriage, the two are bound to each other by love and by that method even an evil youkai may become good and wise.” She explained.
“Feh, what kind of quack methods are you taking about.” I joke. “Ain’t no way just eating an arm or leg is gonna satisfy something like an Oni.”
“Very observant Seija!” She said, clapping her hands. “That’s why the human must give it willingly. By doing so, the emotion of sacrifice elevates the value many times fold for the youkai. Oh, but this isn’t something like a god receiving faith or the like, it’s more like the human giving a gift of love that only one person can receive.” She clarified.
“However, to consume flesh is taboo and human flesh doubly so.” Hijiri clarified.
I could see the youkai in the back looking in other directions as if they didn’t all eat and drink and use the Sutras as napkins after the fact.
“What’s more, this method could lead to ‘Gaki-ai’ a ‘Ghoul Love’. It’s the height of destructive lust and attachment that leads only to pain, even subsuming pure love itself.” She spoke.
“Bleh, could you please stop talking about ‘love this’ and ‘love that’? It’s annoying to see someone so old go on and on about it.” I sneer.
“What I’m pursuing is a way to establish ‘Hou-ai’ or ‘Principled Love’ between man and youkai.” She continued, ignoring me once more. “Which I believe you’ve managed to create between Goro and yourself.”
“What?!” I yelled, rocking my chair as I did. “Hey you perverse granny! How many times do people gotta tell you to stop trying to play matchmaker and up and die already!”
Her fist struck me as soon as I finished speaking and I flew across the room before her hand grabbed my collar moments before I impacted the wall and tossed me gingerly to the other side of the room, landing on my side.
“It’s such a shame then, how you achieved such an end.” Hijiri spoke, slowly approaching me in that measured gait once again.