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cHImAirA DanCE: Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five

I been looking at the stars tonight
And I think oh, how I miss that bright sun
I'll be a dreamer 'til the day I die
But they say oh, how the good die young
But we're all strange
And maybe we don't wanna change
~The Strumbellas, Spirits

All has ended well. They've exorcised the nue that had spawned in the spiritual disaster the practical exam had turned into, and did it on their own without the aid of the Onmyo Agency. Better yet, at least for Touji, Natsume hadn't even flinched when he'd show up ogred out. In fact, they'd been joking about how his horns had looked when they spotted a car driving up the street deserted by the Onmyo Agency in order to limit the danger to civilians.

Thinking the streets were just opening up again, the four (Touji, Natsume, Harutora, and Kon, Harutora's familiar) stood and stared as the car approached them. As it drew near, they noticed the car was floating above the ground. Stunned, they did nothing but watch as the car stopped before them and the rear window rolled down to reveal an elderly man wearing red tinted glasses. They all could feel the power coming from the man.

"I was planning on retrieving some of its essence," the old man said, "but your successful exorcism means I won’t find a trace. No point crying over spilt milk. After all you did let me enjoy myself tonight. I’m looking forward to it all. The anticipation is killing me. You’re all just baby chicks in this world. Freshly hatched, completely unaware. You should study diligently. And when you’re finished with that, perhaps we’ll find a place for you."

"But we don't know who you are!" Natsume managed to say.

"Then let me introduce myself. I'm Doman Ashiya."

Then, it was as if reality stuttered and the car was gone.

"What just happened?" Touji asked.

Current Music: Strumbellas - Spirits

I'm-a make a deal with the bad wolf
So the bad wolf don’t bite no more
~AWOLNATION, Hallow Moon (Bad Wolf)

Touji returned to consciousness and his first thought is that he didn't kills Harutora, even as an ogre and even though Harutora did nothing to defend himself. He didn't even scratch him, despite the ogre being fully manifested. It was more than he could ever have hoped for.

Then he realized he was in the school's infirmary and the principal was sitting in a chair beside his bed; reading with her cat on her lap.

"Oh good, you're awake. And calm I hope? We have some business to discuss."

Dread returned as Touji was certain this business was him being expelled. No matter, he'd find a way to live near Onmyo Prep and still be there when Harutora messed up and needed him. "I guess I am." Grunting and rubbing his jaw, Touji sat up to listen.

"Your seal is broken, as I am sure you are aware. No matter how well it was originally crafter, I believe it was always fated to fail. It is the nature of things."

"I will leave. May I gather my things first? Say goodbye?"

"No. You are not expelled and I cannot in good conscious allow you to withdraw from the school. You have too much potential to allow such a waste."

Shocked, Touji just stared.

"Still, we must do something about your seal. We could remake it, but I think I have a more useful, and perhaps lasting, idea. You are familiar with Kintsugi? The art of repairing pottery and using the cracks to make something even more beautiful, and unique, than the original? I think we can do this with the seal as it is. Would you like to try?"

Despite being stunned, Touji replied immediately. "Of course! What must we do? Can we do it now?"

"We can start right now. All you need do is gain the cooperation of your ogre."

Deep in the mediation, Touji's awareness opened. He 'sat' in a broken down tea house. There where many shadows and the place was badly in need of dusting. Through the light of a full moon, Touji looked around but all seemed empty, at least until he heard...no, more felt a heavy breathing. He turned to the shadow behind him and saw the ogre's eyes; one a blue flame, the other glowing yellow..

Touji bowed from his seated position, head touching the floorboards out of respect, before rising. He reached forward and laid out the pieces of a broken bowl. "I have been fighting you for several years now and it has been of no advantage to either of us," he began. Nervous, he swallowed saliva to speak again when he remembered Abe no Seimei's words for dealing with ogres. He continued with steel in his voice, his head tall and back straight, "You are strong, but so am I. We can keep fighting each other until one of us breaks. It may be you, it may be me.
I tell you now, if it is me I will take you to my death."

He paused to give the ogre a chance to respond. It did not oblige. So he continued, tilting his head rakishly, "What if we found another way? What if we work together? We can learn together. Grow stronger together, so that when we part, we are both the stronger for it. We do not need to be enemies. Share your time on my plane with me and I will share it with you."

Touji paused again and waited.

From the shadows, a great hand, large enough to crush a man's skull, reached out and collected the broken pottery pieces, pulling them back into the shadow. A moment later, the hand was back, now holding a bowl made whole, azure ceramic and silver veins.

Feeling more whole and at peace than he'd felt in years, Touji stood outside the Onmyo Prep with the principle getting ready to mount Yukikaze, the Tsuchimikado family's horse familiar which was specialized for quick travel. How Harutora's father had known they'd need the familiar was beyond Touji and he didn't really care. He needed to get to Harutora, who of course had gotten into trouble while Touji was unconscious. Something about a powerful nue that spawned from the miasma of the failed practical exam this afternoon. It seems the Onmyo Agency was out of ideas and so was using the other Tsuchimikado family familiar, Natsume's dragon Hukuto, as bait. Which meant Natsume had to be present, which meant Harutora wasn't far behind.

Stepping up into Yukikaze's saddle, Touji heard his name called out and looked up to see Tenme running through the school's main entrance, carrying Harutora's ringed staff. Touji tried to meet Tenma's gaze but, not knowing how his friend would react to his transformation, couldn't help looking away in shame.

"Huh," Tenma said, which caused Touji to look back. "Listen, I wasn’t sure how I felt after I found out. I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to act the same around you any more. Sometimes I can be a little awkward around stuff like that you know? But everything’s fine. I mean, you’re still just Touji, half-ogre or not."

Touji couldn't help smiling. "Thanks, man."

"Can you give this to Harutoa?" Tenma lifted the ringed staff. "I'm betting he's going to need it."

"Sure." Touji reached down to take the staff. "You have my promise."

"That's good enough for me."

Touji nodded and then leaned forward in the saddle to reach the horse familiar's ear. "I've heard you're supposed to be pretty fast. Well, don't hold back this time."

As the horse took off into the air, Touji couldn't help feeling immense relief that the saddle had stirrups. Otherwise he would've tumbled out of the saddle straight away.

[OOC note: In canon, the principle teaches Touji to tame the ogre. I've elected to have him negotiate with it instead as taming a sentient entity seems wrong to me.]

Current Music: AWOLNATION - Hollow Moon (Bad Wolf)

Might go to Hell and there ain't no stopping
Might be a sinner and I might be a saint
I'd like to be proud, but somehow I'm ashamed
Sweet little baby in a world full of pain
~The Neighborhood, R.I.P. to My Youth

Touji walks the streets of Tokyo lost and not caring. What did he think was ever going to happen? That he might have friends, a future? He was cursed ever since that day he'd went to go and check out that spirit disaster. Stupid thing to do, even for a punk kid but the world had been before him then and he'd been invulnerable. No not invulnerable, bored. Nothing ever moved him back then and so he kept pushing to find something that made him feel.

Touji had to laugh at himself. So pathetic. That asshole divine general was right, he was a waste. And where the hell had the Divine General come from anyway? Just walked up into the practical exam like he owned the place. As if that weren't bad enough, he didn't do shit to cleanse the spirit disaster sparked from the simulated spiritual disaster, just bullied his way about, mocking everyone and jeering. He even backhanded Harutora which was too much for Touji. Corrupted or not, no one bullied his best friend.

Well, he'd tried to put a stop to it. The Ogre Eater, as he called himself, was too strong and threw Touji aside as if he were a puppy, despite his ogre manifesting and taking over Touji's body.

And that was all. Any chance he'd might have pretended to have had was gone. He'd lost his future, his place at Onmyo Prep, his friends, and Harutora.

"I don't have a special way I wish to live." Childish words that were now his life.

"There you are." He heard Harutora say from behind him. "Now will you drop this crap and come home? We've got enough we're dealing with."

Touji froze and didn't bother to turn back. "Just leave now here, Harutora. We both knows how this goes if I turn around. Let me go."

"Sorry man, can't do that. Guess that's just my bad luck kicking in again."

"Damn it, I said go!" Touji yelled, turning and manifesting the ogre again to scare his best friend away. Harutora didn't even flinch. "Fine, you want to play it that way?" Touji said advancing and raising his fist to strike.

Current Music: The Neighborhood - R.I.P. to My Youth

The morning of the first year practical exam was crisp, bright, and a little chilled. The students stood in their assigned groups outside Onmyo Prep while representatives of the Onmyo Agency completed the wards to ensure the safety of the simulated spiritual disaster. Soon enough all students were lead to their examination areas and told to stand at the ready while the Onmyo agents, exorcists all, cast the circles that began the test.

Touji stood with his calligraphic charms ready and looked across to gauge the readiness of his team and friends. Kyouko stood calm and composed, as always. Too think, not so long ago she resented Touji and Harutora for slowing down the class. Tenma seemed nervous, but had his charms ready. Quiet and shy, he had been the first to welcome them to the class (aside from Natsume). And finally, Harutora stood, hands trembling slightly as he reviewed his charms. Their circle would have been stronger had they had their five member, which would mean a representative for each element, but Natsume's familiar was too potent and would interfere with the simulation; too much a risk of something being drawn to the breach.

With a nod, the test began. The circles flared to life and a spout of miasma spawned into being within. Touji immediately cast twin charms to seal his side of the square, connecting with Kyouko and Tenma. A solid barrier, though across the way, Harutora fumbled one of his and it fluttered to the ground. Before he could bend to retrieve it, Tenma passed over an extra charm, which Harutora accepted with a grateful smile and triggered into life. Their circle was strong and stable, but a sliver of dread crept into Touji's heart.

Eyes darting, he looked for weak spots in their barrier, but found none. He looked to each of his friends next, but they all were focused and calm; well mostly calm, Harutora was still fumbling a bit. None of the Onmyo exocist agents seemed worried or concerned. All the spirit energy in the area was calm as well. What could have caused....he flinched at a sharp pain in his temple and cried out.

As if in sympathy to his pain, the miasma within their barrier expanded and pushed at their barrier. Surprised, and nearly down to three due to Touji's distraction, the barrier almost failed but they kept it up. The Onmyo agents started to stir, roused by something. Another flare of pain made Touji clutch at his head and cry out this time. He heard voices, Harutora's among them, but couldn't quite make out what they said.

Deep within, the old urge to violence bubbled and his blood began to boil. He wanted to slam his fists into the sidewalk and scream at his fortune. He'd been so close.

"Everyone, get away. RUN!" He yelled through gritted teeth. "Run!"

Before it was too late. Before he turned into the monster and made things worse.

Current Music: The Black Keys - Sinister Kid

“The exam emphasizes fairness, but this exam is unfavorable to you after all,” the principal had said earlier that day while staring directly into Touji’s eyes to make her point. “You experienced a true spiritual disaster first-hand and you’re still battling against the after-effects that linger in your body. Your stars are extremely hard to read, because of the after-effects. There is a lot of confusion waiting for you in the future. I can't help you directly, but I can teach you a way to overcome it yourself.

That you can live the way you wish to live."

"Unfortunately, I don't have a special way I wish to live."

"Not right now, anyway. It's not smart to limit future possibilities yourself, you know."

"Future...possibilities?"

The Shibuya night was brightly lit, and the streetlights still illuminated the night sky like bonfires burning in the night, even far away from downtown. Touji silently stared into the misty night on the roof of the dorm, thinking of the coming final exam in the morning. The night air was cool and blew through his unbound hair; the bandana he habitually wore held in his left hand.
Behind him, the roof door opened and he reflexively brought up the bandana before he recognized his best friend.

“What’s up, punk?” Harutora said, looking about. “The atmosphere seems like you’re missing a cigarette.”

“Shut up,” Touji said with a smile and wave for Harutora to join him at the rail. “I don’t smoke or drink.”

“Can’t sleep?” Harutora asked, tossing a can of soda to Touji as he came to join him at the rail.

Touji caught the can easily and smiled to see it was his preferred brand of barley soda. "Nah. Thought I'd get some fresh air. What about you? Is Natsume's special training over?"

"Yeah, kind of," Harutora answered with a smirk as he opened his own soda. "Natsume fell asleep halfway through the level three banishing glyph flashcards and I beat a hasty retreat."

They stood in silence then, for a some minutes, before Harutora spoke again. "Hey Touji, anything new with you lately?"

"Not really." Touji wasn't quite sure what was being asked but knew his answer would cover most bases.

"No. Not that.."

"Are you talking about the after-effects?"

"Yeah."

"I said, 'Not really'. There hasn't been any change. I have become conscious of spiritual energy though."

Harutora paused long enough to take a sip of soda. "Does this mean you're able to control it now?"

Touji took his own pause and sip before answering. "Probably. I won't turn into what you're worried about. Your dad's treatment is working perfectly. I can't go overboard, though."

"I see." Harutora glanced over at his friend with a worried frown.

Touji tilted his head to make eye contact. "Because it's your job to go overboard," he said, voice completely serious.

"That's about the only thing I'm good at anyway," Harutora replied, his tone dejected.

"At least you're aware of it."

"Woah. You're totally looking down on me!" Harutora said, his tone offended until he broke into laughter which Touji joined in.

Animescreencaps
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For those that can sense or perceive souls:

( Read more... )

For those that are telepathic or empathic:

( Read more... )

Has spirit sight ever since the Spirit Disaster he experienced a few years ago. He can see the difference between people and shikigami (familiars) and can usually spot the differences on sight, in fact it's his "specialty".

Chp 07 of manga explains types of shikigami (1/3 down), also text book titles. Cp 08 also opens with more classification of shikigami types.