Part 6
Aoki: And so, they traveled to Nakaari’s house, where the magic jewel was kept.
Kagetsu: Everybody excited to finally see the jewel?
(Cue the stock cheers from the audience.)
Kagetsu: Y’know, the powerful thing that Shina is after? Wanna learn more about that?
(More stock cheers.)
Kagetsu: Alright! (to the annoyed Aoki) Continue.
Aoki: ...Okay, then.
(Scene: Ryumi, Nakaari and the others stand before a large house, awestruck.)
Ryumi: Wow...
Shigeto: This isn’t a house, it’s a mansion!
Hisaaki: You live here alone, or...?
Nakaari: No, I do have family. You’ll meet them soon.
(Cut to the interior of the house, where...)
Fox Boy: HEYA, NAKAARI!
(Everybody except Nakaari jumps.)
Nakaari: Hello, Bunto.
Bunto: You won’t believe what happened while you were out! This lady with a face on her belly came and... (notices the others, gasps) OH, WOW! Three humans! Well, two humans. I’m not sure about the girl. Anyway, glad to meet’cha! My name’s Bunto! Ya wanna hang out together? It’ll be fun!
Akako: Yeah! Heh-heh. (to Nakaari) Who is this guy?
Nakaari: My grandnephew. (to Bunto) Bunto, this girl is Ryumi, your cousin.
Bunto: (gasps) You’re kidding! I have a half-fox cousin?! C’MERE, COUSIN! (hugs Ryumi) OOOHHH, THIS IS THE BEST DAY OF MY LIFE!
Ryumi: Okay, uh... Nice to meet you too... You can let go, now.
Bunto: Oh, sorry, sorry! Am I... (notices Maka) How about you? You wanna hug?
Maka: No, no, don’t-AAAAAAAAGGGHHHH!!!
(Bunto chases Maka around, trying to hug her.)
Maka: SOMEBODY GET THIS CRAZY FOX AWAY FROM ME!
Akako: I’m Ryumi’s adopted sister! HUG ME INSTEAD!
(Bunto, upon seeing Akako, immediately runs over and grabs her, embracing her in a hug.)
Bunto: OH MY GOSH, AREN’T YOU THE CUTEST LITTLE THING!
Akako: ACK! TOO MUCH HUG, TOO MUCH HUG!
(Akako is saved by Ryumi, who pulls her out of Bunto’s grip.)
Ryumi: I think that’s enough hugging for today. (to Akako) You okay, Akako?
Akako: Yeah. A little bit more, and I would be “Aoko”.
Kagetsu: Hey, that’s kinda like your name, Aoki!
Aoki: Yeah, I’m aware of that-
Kagetsu: If you had a twin, she’d be named that. Or maybe “Aomi”...
Aoki: Can we just get back to the story?
Kagetsu: Oh, sure.
Shigeto: Any more foxes here? ‘Cause I can’t imagine only two of ‘em living in a big house as this.
Nakaari: I’m glad you asked.
(He opens a door onto six fox people. All look up from whatever they were doing, seeing the newcomers.)
Nakaari: Everyone, this is Ryumi, Sana’s daughter.
Ryumi: Nice to meet you all.
(The foxes whisper amongst themselves.)
Fox Twin#1: She married a human?
Fox Twin#2: C’mon, don’t act like it hasn’t happened before.
Fox Lady: Oh my, what a pretty girl she raised.
Fox Gent: Don’t get too jealous, now.
Fox Sister: (staring at Shigeto and Hisaaki) Are those two actual full-blooded humans?
Fox Brother: If you’re considering doing what Sana did... (to Shigeto and Hisaaki) Please excuse my... special sister.
Fox Sister: You think I’m special, brother?
Fox Brother: In the other sense of the word, yes.
Nakaari: Now, I hope you all treat Ryumi and her friends well. She is part of our family, after all.
Akako: Ryumi adopted me! Do I count as a family member?
Fox Brother: If you do, then that would make us an unusual family.
Nakaari: Fumito. (to the group) Please don’t mind his insults. Fumito may seem cold, but he has a good heart deep down.
Akako: That was supposed to be an insult?
Shigeto: Makes ya wonder what his complements are like.
(Fumito shoots them look of “Wh-?!”.)
Nakaari: Well, what say we take the time to get more acquainted with our guests? (to the twins) Yoshiro, Yoshiko, bring out the kotatsu.
Twins: ‘Kay! (They both leave to do so)
Akako: Wait, you got a kotatsu?!
(Scene change to the group gathered at a large kotatsu. Akako has her head poking out from under its blanket, in bliss, while the others talk.)
Ryumi: So, that’s why we’re here.
Fox Gent: You say a giant spider attacked your village? And that monkeys and an ogress attacked you?
Ryumi: Yeah. Why do you ask?
Fox Lady: Oh dear. (to her fellow foxes) You don’t think that...
Twins: Oh no...
Hisaaki: What? What’s wrong?
Fumito: You do realize that what has happened to you means that there is someone after the jewel, right?
(There is a silence, before Shigeto slaps his forehead.)
Shigeto: D’OH, IT ALL MAKES SENSE NOW!
Ryumi: But who would want to steal the jewel?
Fox Sister: Who else but the same person who sent that giant spider that killed your father?
Fumito: TOMOKO!
(Ryumi’s eyes widen.)
Ryumi: W-What...?
(Fumito’s sister, Tomoko, realizing that she should not have said that, cups her hand over her mouth.)
Kagetsu: WHAM LINE!
(There is another pause. Akako awkwardly recedes further under the blanket. Ryumi looks to Nakaari.)
Ryumi: I-I thought... he...
Nakaari: Lost his life in an accident. Obviously your mother didn’t want to frighten you.
Shigeto: Sana, what else didn’t you tell your kid?!
Nakaari: Well, now that you know what really happened to your father, I think it’s time you learned everything.
(Scene change to Nakaari opening a cabinet as the others watch. He reaches in and opens a secret drawer.)
Aoki: And now, ladies and gentlemen, the moment of truth. Behold...
(Inside the drawer is...)
Aoki: ...The magic jewel.
(The group fall silent at the sight of the round, sky-blue crystal before them.)
Nakaari: Doesn’t seem like much, does it? But the truth is that this jewel is much more powerful than it seems.
Hisaaki: How so?
Nakaari: It’s called the “Jewel of Miracles” because it can create exactly what its name suggests.
Shigeto: Wait, so it can do stuff like make Hisaaki’s hair grow? Amazing!
(Hisaaki shoots Shigeto a flustered glare. Akako looks at the jewel in wonder, her image reflected on its surface.)
Nakaari: Ever since it was entrusted to me by the Emperor of the Seven Seas, the unscrupulous yokai who know of its existence have been wanting to get their hands on it. Shina is no exception.
Ryumi: Shina?
Nakaari: The mistress of that giant spider. She will stop at nothing to acquire the jewel in order to abuse its magic. Now you know why it must be protected at all costs.
Shigeto: Not to sound suspicious or anything, but this Shina lady wanting to abuse this thing’s power actually sounds like something I would do.
Maka: In that case, touch it and you’re dead.
Shigeto: I wouldn’t go that far, thankfully.
Akako: Can it bring my mama back?
(The others look at Akako incredulously.)
Akako: What?
Nakaari: Unfortunately, it can only bring back someone from the brink of death, not resurrect them. That’s the limit of its power.
Akako: (crestfallen) Oh...
(Ryumi gathers Akako in her arms.)
Bunto: Ya know, if you do wanna see your mom again, you could try using hangonkō! That stuff’s the number one way to see dead people!
Hisaaki: What’s that?
Nakaari: A special incense. It’s made from the sap of hangonjū trees.
Bunto: Yeah, We use it to talk to our ancestors all the time! See, you just light it up and have a nice chit-chat with whoever ya wanna meet who’s dead!
Ryumi: Could we use it to talk to my dad?
Akako: My mama, too?
Nakaari: Of course. The spirits of the dead summoned by hangonkō can only appear to their friends and relatives if called. Unfortunately, we’ve just run out of it.
Ryumi: Oh. Well...
(Ryumi looks at her friends, then back to Nakaari.)
Ryumi: Where’s the nearest hangonjū grove?
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