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The Gift

Daniel's Storyline, (First Try) Concludes

copyright comidacomida 2018

Smiling, the young man placed the final period on the lengthy collection of pages he'd spent the better part of a week putting together. Daniel Serrit had never been much of a writer, but he was no longer in control of his body; he hadn't been in control for over five years. He was, if anything, a fading dream from a lengthy night of ignorance, a figment of imagination that took more than twenty years to finally disappear. Kon was looking forward to that.

Collecting the compiled narrative, the Fox Spirit casually perused the hand written pages; it had been more than two centuries since he'd last held a pen for any great amount of time and he certainly hadn't bothered trying to write a story of any length using the English alphabet, but the exercise had served its purpose, and, as far as it was concerned, his job was done. The story was complete... or as complete as it needed to be.

Oh, plenty had happened since the night he'd made Daniel his. He'd returned to the apartment, kicked out the remaining Spirits, and started to take control of the Human's life in all the right ways. He quit his job at the movie theater, began spending more time at a open mic nights, and spent Daniel's meager savings preparing some demo tapes. He'd taken a chance, and it got him far... much father than Daniel could have hoped for.

A knock at the door to his dressing room pulled the Fox-in-Human-Clothing from out of his musings. He turned to regard the closed portal, calling out "What?"

It was whatever-his-face, one of the production staff's many aides. "Mr. Serrit... five minutes til show time."

Possession was not an easy feat but Kon had managed it with near perfection in a most ideal situation, and Daniel's body was as good as his own. He kicked his feet up on the desk next to the pile of papers and he shouted over his shoulder "I have a clock in here, thanks."

Waiting until the staff member left, Kon put his feet back on the ground and stood, kicking his seat back and out of his way. He leaned forward, picking up the numerous pages and carefully folded them before grabbing a large document envelope from the top drawer. Reverently, almost as if part of a ritual, Kon slid the manuscript into the sleeve and sealed it. It was early winter so none of the production staff bothered asking why Daniel had demanded a fireplace in his dressing room; that made things so much easier.

With the flick of his wrist, Kon sent the paperwork into the low burning fire, letting out a long, liberating breath as he did so with a smile. "Well, Danny... now you can be free of all of this like I'm free of you."

To anyone without The Gift the fire spreading across the paper would have been the same as any other but to Kon's awakened eyes he was able to appreciate the greenish blue flames as they consumed the last remaining vestiges of all that had been Daniel Serret... except for the body; that was Kon's. The Fox Spirit ran his hand along his fleshy form. "You had eighteen years to get your act together, Daniel... looks like all you needed was a Yokai who could do it for you. I guess we owe each other thanks then, don't we?"

Daniel didn't answer, and Kon certainly hadn't expected to. The burning of Daniel's final story was the final step for the Yokai to take complete control and banish the teen's soul from his body forever. It was a fitting end, in Kon's mind, as Daniel had, at least as if living a waking dream, been able to experience all of the things that his life had lacked when he was the one in control. Daniel had been uncertain, meek, and weak willed; he wasted all of the gifts that Humans had, and Kon had stepped in to make things right.

Daniel Serret had become a household name in the Pacific Northwest within two years and his concerts had sold out regularly ever since. By the third year, Daniel had signed on with a large recording studio and, even though Kon was unable to create on his own, there were vast, untouched reserves of possibility stuck within the same body as the Spirit, and the Yokai knew just how to use them to best effect. By the fifth year Daniel's fame had began to spread into foreign markets and that meant touring... lots of touring.

Smiling to himself, Kon looked down at the letterhead of the hotel he'd brought with him; it had been such a long time since he had been in Tokyo, but it was time for Daniel to stretch his legs and the eastern hemisphere was the perfect poetic choice for the first step. Hundreds of years past, everything had ended for Kon, so why not choose the same venue for it to begin anew? Checking his face once more in the mirror, Kon grinned, admiring his vulpine countenance; any Human, of course, would only see Daniel.

It was a shame that Kon only had perhaps 50 or 60 more years to enjoy the nigh invulnerability provided to him by a Human body but, during that time he would not have need for Spirit Energy, allowing him to build up a store of it as he continued to affect the world around him with Daniel's fame and the songs he released. He had no concern for what came after that; perhaps he would find a new host, or perhaps he would finally be able to pass into oblivion, For the next several decades, however, Daniel's life was Kon's to live, and he planned on making the most of it.

Grabbing the pair of sunglasses off of the desk, the Yokai headed out to the stages with the intent of doing just that.

* * * * * *

The first two nights of concerts went as well as he'd expected; the people of Japan were worshiping at the feet of their new idol with so much Spirit Energy that the Yokai knew he would want for nothing. Although Daniel didn't know Japanese, the same wasn't true for Kon, and the moment he began to speak to his fans in their native tongue they were his-- they were his for life in a way that he had never known. They were loyal, and fanatical, and, most of all, they hung on his every word, worshipping his image through countless pieces of merchandise. Fights broke out for chances to get their picture taken with him or to meet with him back stage, and he reveled in it.

The third night was different; it was better. Daniel had finished his entire set with two encore songs, including the one that he and his Spirit companions had created in the studio so many years past, but that was only the start of his night. He posed for several dozen pictures with fans, answered some questions for the local media and then retired to his trailer to meet with whatever fans were going to get 'special time' with him. That was where the schedule changed; there was only a single visitor... and two unconscious security personnel.

She was probably a year or two younger than Daniel and she didn't hold herself like a fan girl. When she spoke, it was with formality, and the distinct accent of an old family. It was Japanese, perfect and unsullied by the outside world; it was the language she knew he would know. She spoke her question like an accusation. "You are the one she called Haru?"

Kon was used to seeing Daniel's reflection in the eyes of the Humans who saw him; when he saw his own visage in hers he knew that she saw him for who he was. That didn't, however, mean he had to make it easy for her. Addressing her in English, he announced "My name is Daniel. Daniel Serret... with two 'r's and just one 't'. What's your name?"

She frowned-- her expression was so deep and severe that Kon could only compare it to the oni masks Samurai had worn the last time he had actually been called by the name she suggested. Her response was just as severe. "You were once the Yokai guardian of a Kitsune mochi here in Japan-- in Tokyo."

Denial was still within his capacity but, Kon reasoned, it wouldn't have been as much fun. "They disappointed me. Now... you know me... so who are you?"

She scoffed and, rather than answer his question, she reached into her loose flowing dress. He recognized a Human-born glamour trick immediately, pausing to appreciate the way she made the wakazashi appear from almost nowhere. It was readily apparent that she, unlike the vast majority of Humans, was familiar with spirit magic. "You have fallen very far, Yokai. It is time to stop your descent."

Although Kon was able to admire her weapon, glamour, and combat stance, he was not about to let such a statement go unchallenged. "If you know me, then you must know that the Kitsune mochi I claimed failed me-- no the other way around."

Her attack came without warning; had Kon been a normal mortal then it surely would have landed, but, as a spirit possessing a mortal body, he was anything but normal. The blade struck empty air and, with a subtle shift in his stance, Kon settled his weight evenly, taking up a position right behind the young woman as he reached out and smacked her with an open hand on the back of her head. Without missing a beat she spun around with her wakazashi leading the way; Kon easily stepped back and out of the range of her swing, but he couldn't dodge her accusation. "You possessed her!"

If she'd expected the statement to give him pause she was right... but for the wrong reason. Roaring out as well as his Human body could allow, Kon lunged forward, using just as much Spirit Energy as physical force. His hand connected with her shoulder but his Spirit attack was more than enough to catch her fully and heft her off the ground and slam her against the wall. Separated by several feet, Kon kept his hand up despite it holding nothing but the air; his assailant was pinned against the wall even as he growled out his declaration "I loved her... Kotomi was my everything. They. took. her. from. me."

He ignored her hand as it slid into the folds of her clothing; she'd already dropped her blade and the fight was won. The girl, he could tell, had a hard time breathing and, if he kept up his Pull she would suffocate from the sheer force of it; he didn't mind the thought. Even so, she still somehow found the strength to speak, wheezing as he threatened to push the breath from her. "They... freed her... from you."

Kon released his grip, ending his Pull and letting her fall to the ground. "You think you know the truth, but all you know are lies."

Even though she was still wheezing, shaking and riddled with palsey as her body threatened to give into unconsciousness, she still somehow managed to stand. "You asked who I am, Yokai? My mother named me Kotomi... after my mother's mother's father's mother's father's sister. I am here to avenge her... and I will not fail."

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Kon had always wondered why he had not felt at peace after destroying the remnants of the family that had wronged him by taking his beloved Kotomi from him and, as he stood facing the belligerent girl who had come to mistakenly avenge his act of vengeance, he knew why. "You are a descendent of Kaito... so he survived the fall."

The singular family member who had escaped Kon's wrath. The boy had fallen into a river in Winter; by all rights he should have died. No, he realized-- his vengeance had been stolen from him. He glared at the girl as she rose back into a combat stance; commendable, he had to admit, but misguided nevertheless. Her hand finally came free and Kon was already prepared to dodge whatever weapon she would draw... but it wasn't a weapon; in her hand she held a little charred wooden fox. She declared in a voice that was surprisingly clear considering her condition. "Makenai."

Kon stared at the little figurine; it was the Netsuke his beloved Kotomi had crafted for him-- the very same one that had fallen into the flames that took her from him at the order of her father. He continued to stare at it, even as the girl knelt down to retrieve her wakazashi from the floor. The Fox Spirit was frozen in place, unable to believe that it had survived the fire, or that the foolish little girl in front of him had somehow come into possession of such an important totem. It wasn't hers to have-- it was his. Even as she drew the weapon back for the final strike, he closed his eyes, murmuring softly "Mou genkai da."

The sound of blade sliding through flesh filled Kon's ears and he released his held breath, realizing it was finally done. Opening his eyes, he was face-to-face with the stupid girl who still didn't understand what she'd done. Reaching out, the Fox steadied her, even as she looked down in disbelief at the hilt of the weapon sticking out of her abdomen. He offered her a genuine smile. "Humans are so foolish... totems don't protect you from charms when you don't understand what it is you're holding."

He pulled the Netsuke out of her stunned grasp, her mind still fighting to figure out how she'd stabbed herself rather than him. Kon didn't bother trying to explain it to her; she wouldn't survive long enough for him to give her the full run down anyway. He was more interested in figuring out the narrative for when the police arrived. It didn't take him long-- she subdued the security staff so she could confess her love to Daniel. When he turned her down she committed suicide; any investigation would show he didn't lay a hand on her and she had indeed killed herself. "Kotomi... sayonara."

Letting out a long sigh, Kon took a seat at his desk. It had been a long few centuries; it had been a long few years; it had even been a long week. Everything was coming to a close and he welcomed the closure. Pulling out a cigarette, the Yokai contemplated how much time smoking would take off of Daniel's life span. Shrugging, he lit up anyway, reaching out afterward to take in the last remnants of the girl's Spirit Essence left after her soul vacated her corpse. Yes, eventually Daniel would die-- all Humans did... but by then Kon expected he'd have a very admirable store of Spirit Energy.

Chuckling, the Yokai kicked his feet up onto the desk and exhaled serenely. "Finally, everything's coming up Kon."