Obon

Helena finished tying off the decorative red bow on the white haori jacket before stepping away from her friend and nodding in satisfaction.  “There.  It looks good on you.”  The flowing sleeves and the red pleated hakama pants fit the tall, dark skinned, woman well.  The seamstress had done a good job given how rushed the order had been. 

“Thanks!”  Camila raised her stiff arms and hopped to the side to look at herself in the fitting tent’s mirror.  “But are you sure it’s okay for me to help?  I am kinda undead.  Which means I probably can’t be a priestess.”  She nodded, causing the ornate paper slip on her forehead to flutter.  That talisman would tell everyone she was a jiang-shi.  A hopping corpse reanimated by magic.

Helena chuckled.  “True.  But apparently you can still be a volunteer shrine maiden.”  She grinned over at Aoi.  “They even let crazy foreign women from Thebes help out at big ceremonies.”

“Crazy witches no less,” Aoi replied.  The graceful Japanese woman carefully checked the ribbon keeping her long hair in a ponytail before stepping up to tweak Helena’s belt.  “Besides you won’t be helping with the human guests.  Neither of you are suited for that, no offense.  We need you to help with the ghosts and youkai that will be participating in the festival.”

“Eh?  I thought all the mystical creatures who couldn’t pretend to be human stayed below ground,” Camila said.  “At least when they aren’t in the market.”

Helena nodded.  “It depends on the creature and the realm they’re from but usually that’s right.  But today is Obon.”

Camila blinked.  “That’s like the Japanese Finados isn’t it?  Or All Saint’s Day?  They celebrate that down in San Paulo.”

“They’re similar festivals,” Aoi said.  “We gather to remember those that have passed on, calling up their memories.  Our prayers summon the wandering spirits to roam the realm of the living.  That brings the youkai out to mingle with living and dead humans.  So we have a festival.”

“And we make sure everyone stays friendly,” Helena finished.  “Though most of the time we just walk around and enjoy the party.”

“Gotcha.  Sounds fun.”  Camila smirked.  “So how badly can I hurt the jerks who have to act tough because there’s a woman running things?”

Aoi shook her head.  “That shouldn’t be an issue.  The older ghosts only accept a woman’s authority.  It’s a little complicated.”  Helena suppressed a snort.  Complicated didn’t begin to describe it.  Helena wasn’t even sure she understood.  “In any case, a few threats should settle down unruly youkai.  If not, let Helena handle it.”

“We have to stick to subtle magic to punish idiots.  Nothing that won’t heal by morning.”  Helena shrugged.  “I’m sure the oni would enjoy a fight, but that could get out of hand.  It’ll have to wait until later.”

“Yes it will,” Aoi said sharply.  “Now I think we’re all ready.  Shall we head out to the festival?”

“Sure thing!” Camila said, hopping to the door.  Helena opened it for the woman, then followed her into the slowly darkening night.

The Immigrant Realm was almost entirely city.  Parks and empty lots were few and far between.  But somehow the residents of Japantown had maneuvered their festival stalls to create the illusion of a vast park on the small shrine grounds and surrounding streets.  Red lanterns were strung throughout the air, while blue ghost flames floated in between.  The smell of hot grills cooking takoyaki and okonomiyaki infused the area.  And through it all the sound of taiko drumming pulsed from the high platform sitting on the shrine grounds.

The crowds were a sight to behold as well.  Creatures from all over the Realm of Illusion walked the streets in summer kimonos.  A turtle shelled kappa was running a goldfish catching stall, occasionally refilling the water in the bowl depression on his head from the fish pool.  Next to him a passel of sparrow youkai in human form were selling sweets and alcohol, the ruffling of feathers and stretching wings the only sign they were different then the humans around.  Further on a yuki-onna with eyes and hair as pale as the shaved ice she was selling was drawing a crowd, ghosts without feet queuing up behind the braver living humans.  

Helena soaked in the feeling of the festival.  Gatherings like these had been some of the best parts of her summers.

Camila hopped up next to her.  “Now this is a party!”  She looked over the streets.  “I figured this was what a magical realm would be like.  Not just the market.  I mean other than the fact that I’m undead and cell phones don’t work it’s kinda hard to tell this is an alternate reality and not just part of New York sometimes.”

“Well humans are cautious around monsters,” Helena said.  “Sometimes for good reason.”  She waved a hand to catch Aoi’s attention and pointed to where a two tailed fox child, a long nosed tengu fledgling, and a human boy were playing together.  The three masked children seemed to be acting out some radio play.  “I’m sure those kids don’t mean any harm, but if that human decides to visit his new friends tonight, he might end up staying for a decade or two.”

“That’d be kinda bad,” Camila admitted.

Aoi sighed.  “I tell people to keep track of their children at these events.”  She pulled out her gohei rod.  “Looks like I need to be the big mean adult.  You two go ahead, I’ll catch up.”

“Good luck,” Camila said as the shrine maiden walked off to scold the kids.  The jiang-shi turned to Helena.  “Still kinda sad they can’t relax together.  They looked like they were having fun!”

Helena nodded as she started down the line of stalls.  “If the kid’s parents were around Aoi would have looked the other way.  But if there isn’t an adult around to supervise we have to intervene.  They aren’t old enough to understand the consequences.”

Camila floated along, not trying to hop through the crowded streets.  “Suppose so.  Lazy parents are a problem everywhere, no?  Our landlords are a lot better about that.”

As they walked through the crowds most people parted respectfully, though Camila got a few questioning looks.  Helena was a known quantity here, but the Brazilian jiang-shi had only arrived in the city recently.  And the woman had spent most of that time as an assassin puppeted around by the sick asshole who’d raised her.  People were probably wondering what Camila’s connection to the shrine was.

Her musing was interrupted by an inugami walking up and bowing to her, the dog headed man’s stretched neck twisting as he tried to maintain his balance.  “Great Curse Gunner, please accept this offering.”  He held out six sticks of dango.

Helena bowed in return and carefully took the sweets.  Then she pulled a silver coin from her sleeve and marked it with a rune of fortune.  “Thank you.  I offer you my blessing and the blessings of Hecate.  May you never go hungry again.”  She handed the token to the long necked humanoid dog who carefully accepted it.

“Many thanks, Curse Gunner.”  The inugami backed away and the crowds turned away from the scene.

“Okay, like… what was that all about?” Camila asked, staring at the dog spirit as he left.  “I’m sure that’s not what happens with normal shrine maidens.”

Helena shrugged.  “It’s complicated.  But technically I’m a god.”  She held one of the treats she’d been offered in front of her friend’s mouth.  “Dango?”  Jiang-shi couldn’t bend their arms,on their own, making the festival food hard to eat without help.

Camila blinked for a few moments before hesitantly biting off one of the three sweet rice dumplings.  “Thanks,” she muttered as they started down the stalls again.

Helena alternated between letting Camila eat and feeding herself as they continued.  It seemed things were still orderly at the festival.  The drunks were loud, but no one had gotten inebriated enough to cause trouble.  Hopefully the example of the tengu who’d shamed themselves falling into the river two years ago would keep people from overindulging.

“So technically a goddess?” Camila said as she finished off her second dango stick.  “You’ve gotta explain that one to me.  Especially since people should probably be running away from Greek gods.”  The undead girl grinned.

“A good strategy.”  Helena shrugged.  “Godhood means different things in different places.  Back at home everyone’s part god.  Certain deities who shall not be named don’t have any self restraint.  So me being the great great granddaughter of Hecate is a point of pride, but not much more.  Gods are Olympians and Titans, not mortals with god’s blood.  

“In the Realms of Illusion, gods are anyone with a touch of the divine.  So me being the direct descendant of a goddess makes me a living goddess.”  Helena winced at the memory.  “I was a little loud about defending Hecate when I was a kid, so word got out fast.”

“Must have been real popular back home.”  Camila chuckled, but her eyes were serious.  “Can’t imagine that kinda hubris played well.”

They turned at the end of the line of stalls and turned to follow the river down the second line.  Helena gave a loud Futaguchi no Onna a glare until the demon woman shut both her front and back mouth, before turning back to Camila.  “It was a problem, yeah.  Fortunately the Olympians don’t pay much attention to the Realms of Illusion.  And Hecate gets most of the worshipers.  I just get people seeking blessings.  So my goddess is happy!”

Camila shook her head.  “This whole rules being different everywhere thing is weird.  How do you keep track of everything?  ‘Oh here I’m a god, and here I’m a demon, and here I’m a monkey.'”  She gestured to the crowd.  “Like, it’s gotta be a mess for everyone.  Sure, it’d be nice if there was somewhere where I could bend my arms and legs, but I don’t wanna have to worry about suddenly winding up dead dead instead of undead.”

They’d reached the end of the festival line, so Helena walked over to the riverway.  The paper lantern boats built to guide the souls of the dead were floating by, transforming the river into a glittering mass of reflected lights.  “The rules change, but we mystical beings can break the rules.  That’s the heart of witchcraft.  And it’s innate to you as well now.”  She took a deep breath and looked up at Camila.  “There’s only one place where the rules are strong enough to kill you.”

“My home.” Camila said quietly.  The woman’s cheer washed away, leaving only melancholy.

Helena nodded.  “The ‘real’ world.”  Camila was one of the few people that had fallen into the mystical realms, stolen away by a magician to be transformed into an undying assassin.  “Everywhere else, reality bows to you.  Which is why you’ve paid such a high price.”

They leaned against the railing side by side, watching the lanterns float down the river.  The ghost flames above occasionally dropped down, some fusing with the lanterns, others returning to the sky.  Helena wondered if those were the spirits whose names were on the boats, or if the ghosts were just drawn to the symbols of death and passage to the afterlife.

Camila tapped her on the shoulder.  “We should get back to Aoi.  Wouldn’t be fair to let her do all the work.”  The jiang-shi’s smile was back.  The seal that gave her self control made her emotions mercurial, but Helena was starting to get used to it.  It was, as Camila herself had said, far better than being a mental wreck all the time.

“You’re right.” Helena replied.  They turned back towards the noise of the drums and started to patrol the stands again.

Just as they reached the bend a scream rose from a nearby street.  It was followed by another, and the roar of a confused crowd.  “Eris spare us,” Helena hissed.  Something had gone wrong.

“I’ll go ahead!” Camila said.  With a bend of her legs she leaped, clearing the row of stalls.  Helena considered flying after the woman, but the crowd in the back would be placated if they saw someone going to help.

She opened herself up to her power, letting magic pour through her.  Every mythical creature on the street froze and turned as they realized they were in the presence of a true magician.

With that she pushed her way through the crowd.  “Step aside.”  Tanuki, tengu, and humans alike parted before her.  She moved through the people, past the carts, to an open street where people were standing around an alley.  This wasn’t actually on festival grounds.  “Some damn fool had better not have attacked a human….” she hissed as she headed towards where she sensed Camila.

When she finally got through she found Camila and a dark skinned man in spectacles next to a woman lying on the ground.  No, not a woman.  A demon of all things.  She was in a muddy nightgown with a massive slash on her back between her batlike wings.

The man was wrapping bandages around the woman’s arms while Camila was holding a blood soaked rag to the cut on the back.  The jiang-shi woman must have burned some emergency magic to bend her knees.  Helena immediately moved to the doctor’s side.  “Is she stable?”

“No,” the man replied.  “There’s something wrong with the wound.  Like it’s cursed.  I don’t know if a demon can bleed to death but…”

“Well if it’s curses it should be easy no?” Camila said with a weak smile.

“Yeah.”  Helena grimaced then reached out towards the wound with her left hand, trying to sense the curse within.  She was a master of curses.  Banishing a simple one should be nothing at all.

But there was nothing.  No miasma.  She reached out and touched the wound then hissed in pain as the magic there stung her.  “Of course, she’s a demon,” Helena muttered as she started summoning her own curses.  “The wound is blessed.”

“Oh.  Well that’s a problem.  Can you deal with that?” Camila asked.

“Yes.”  Helena poured her power into the cut, desecrating the blessed wound.  It was hard creating the right effect.  She didn’t really believe the universe worked the way the Judeo-Christian faith did.  But she could make the damaged area more less like heaven, and more like Hades’ realm.

After a few moments the wound started fading away.  “Alright.  Her natural healing should work from here on,” Helena said.

The man placed his hand on the woman’s throat.  “Her pulse is still weak.  If she were human I’d say she needed blood badly, but I don’t know about demons.”

“Bet transfusions won’t work anyway,” Camila said.  “Even if you’re O negative.  Got any healing tricks Helena?”

“Healing isn’t my specialty.  And Aoi’s got the wrong type of power.”  She looked towards the crowd.  “Is there any youkai with healing skills?”

A rabbit woman slipped out of the crowd, her long ears quivering nervously.  “I-I have medicines.  If it’s just blood loss they might work.”  She held out a small mochi ball.

The doctor looked at it then shrugged before turning to Camila.  “Turn the patient on her side.”  Helena moved to help the jiang-shi as they did so.  “Okay.  Let’s hope this works.”  He popped the ball into the demon woman’s mouth.

Immediately the demon woman began to chew, then swallowed.  Some color returned to her face immediately, though the woman didn’t wake.  Helena nodded in approval.  Rabbit medicines were legendary, and it seemed this rabbit had learned well.

“Well.  I wish I had that at the practice.”  The doctor pulled out more bandages.  “Thank you ladies.  You can stop pressure now.  A few bandages can cover the rest.”

“Right.”  Camila stepped back, then shot to her feet with a grimace as her emergency magical stores ran out.  “Good thing you came so fast.  I was out of time.”

“Yes,” Aoi said as she moved through the crowd.  “Thank you Inaba no Himi.  The shrine will recompense you for your aid.”  The shrine maiden bowed to the rabbit woman, then to the doctor.  “Thank you as well.  With your help her life was saved.”

The man shook his head.  “It’s my job, miss.  And your friends did most of the actual work.”  He finished bandaging the demon woman’s back.  “If you have a first aid tent or something we should move her there.  She should be healing on her own, and I don’t know if demons can get sick, but lying in the mud can’t be pleasant.”

“Of course,” Aoi said.

“We’ll take her there.  You can help calm down the crowd,” Helena said as she channeled more magic into her limbs.  With her body reinforced she easily scooped the woman up in a bridal carry before placing the demon into Camila’s arms.

Camila stuck her tongue out at Helena but worked to support the demon.  “Why do I always get the heavy lifting?”

“Because you’re the strongest,” Helena replied.  “You fly there, I’ll lead Mr…”

“Collins,” the man said.  “Doctor Collins.”

“Helena Aoede,” she replied.  “I’ll take you to the first aid tent.  You probably want to keep an eye on your patient.  And we’ll all want to be in the same place when the police come.”

Dr. Collins nodded grimly.  “Yes.  I bet they’ll want to know what happened.”

Helena chewed on her lip.  Someone had attacked a demon in the middle of the city with a blessed weapon.  That wasn’t a common occurrence.  The police weren’t the only ones who wanted to know what happened.