The young man walked up the steps of the shrine looking around curiously. Seeing the miko sweeping the steps, he headed over to her. "Excuse me," he said. "is this the," he looked down at a grubby piece of paper in his hand, "Hikawa shrine? I heard that the miko here was good at fire readings."
"Yes it is. May I ask who referred you to our temple?" Rei replied.
"Jin-sensei, from the Inari shrine, said that you could possibly help me. He asked me to give you this letter."
Rei took the letter and quickly read it. It was from the head priest and stated that the young man in front of her was of good character and respectfully requested that she help him with his problems. Strangely, it also asked that she not ask his name.
Rei looked back at him, "Please, follow me." She led him into the temple and had him take a seat. "Tell me what it is that troubles you."
The young man frowned, "Everything in my life goes wrong. If there is a way for something to turn sour on me, it does. If there are two ways for something I've said to be taken, it's taken the wrong way. People whom I would normally consider to be very nice do things to me that would be considered cruel. Some people automatically think the worst of me and refuse to listen to any other explanations for my actions. The worst part is how it ruins the lives of others. People have been hurt because the results will hurt me. Don't get me wrong, I have plenty of good moments but it never lasts. I didn't think anything of it, it's been that way all my life, until a priest told that he could sense something was wrong. No one has been able to tell me what the problem is. It's not a curse, I've had that checked. A lot. I just want to know why this is happening to me."
Rei stared at the man for a few moments, not quite believing what she was hearing. 'Just what is Grandpa telling other priests about me?' she wondered before concentrating on the tale she had heard. Finally she said, "If it isn't a curse or some sort of charm then I'll have to consult the sacred fire. Which, apparently, is why you were sent here. While I do so I want you to meditate on your life and the problems you've faced." She stood up, moved into the other room, and prepared herself for a fire reading.
Rei meditated on the flames, concentrating on the question she wanted answered. The flames winked out. 'OH SHIT! OH SHIT! OH SHIT' she thought, feeling an intense distress and a touch of hysteria. Then she was surrounded by light. A female voice spoke and the light pulsed with it. "Tell the young man who came to you that despite the favor of many, none in the heavens are allowed to help him. Neither may they direct their agents in the mortal world to aid him. This restriction does not apply the other way and demons are bound by it not at all." The god sensed the question in Rei's mind and continued, "He is lucky to have asked the question he did, for I have told you what, not why. Tell him also to never to seek to contact the kami again while he lives, and that if he continues on the path he has been he will be welcomed into the heavens when his time comes. And Hino Rei, the dead queen's mandate died with her, the young queen shall never receive one at all."
The light faded and Rei was back in front of the sacred fire, visibly shaken. 'Did I just talk directly to one of the kami?' The sacred fire bobbed in front of her merrily. Rei took several deep breaths to center herself, watching the flames that seemed more alive at this moment than she had ever seen them before. She resolved to think about what all this might mean later, she still had a duty to perform. Walking back out to the young man, who was meditating on his life, she sat down and waited several moments while she tried to figure out what to say. "I have received an answer." The young man opened his eyes. "It was unusually clear. It is not an answer to the question you asked, but it clarifies your situation." Rei fell silent again for a few moments.
"No kami may extend their hand to you in aid. Those who wish may hinder you. Demons can do as they want either way. You have the favor of many in the heavens, but you should never seek out the kami again. And I was informed that if you continue as you have been, then your place in heaven is assured."
The young man waited until it was apparent that Rei was finished. "Do you have any idea why this might be so?"
Rei shook her head, "No. Maybe it was a vow, perhaps one made by an ancestor. I received no indication why this has happened to you."
The young man stood, and bowed, "I thank you for what you have been able to do. Someday I hope to be able to repay you for your help."
Rei bowed back, "You do not need to do anything. It is my duty to help those who need it."
The young man smiled, "Then should you ever need help, I will count it as my duty to provide whatever I can."
Rei walked him to the door and watched him walk down the steps. She would have to think about a lot of things over the next couple days.
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(Posted Fri, 02 Feb 2007 22:22)
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