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siriannatan · 2 years ago

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Yokai Ryokan - chapter 1

So I sat down and spend most of my day writing and here we are.

Jimmy was glad he regularly exercised. If he didn't he'd never keep up with Gem up the million steps to her family's friends ryokan he agreed to help at over the summer. Not that climbing the stairs was a problem, or the only way, Jimmy absolutely did not mind the harder, full of stairs way. Not with beautiful, lush forest surrounding them and promise of a great view of almost the whole of Sakura Valley (a/n I literally said 'let's be freaking basic' here). At least their bags were going the longer way. "The ryokan used to be part of the shrine, the shrine was actually much bigger several hundred years ago, we have drawings of it," Gem explained as they approached the third torii gate. Apparently, the fifth was the top of the stairs so yay halfway point.

The gates were tall, well maintained and vibrantly red with dark tile on their rooves. As he admired the gate he could swear, just for a second, that he saw someone lounging on top of it. Just for a second. A reddish blur of a person that was gone as soon as he blinked. Was the early summer heat already getting to him? Or was it the myths and stories of mythical yokai and about the valley Gem told him on the bus? No matter the reason he ignored it and quickly caught up to Gem. "That's a lot of stairs," he chuckled and just then noticed she was staring at the top of the gate. "Gem?"

"Nothing, I think I saw a bird," he chuckled back. "We should hurry, who knows how much work Joel already has piled up," she added and Jimmy nodded.

Even if he chose to ignore what he might have seen he checked the tops of the next two gates. Or one. The final torii led to the Stratos ryokan. And Gem was not kidding about the place being beautiful. Well-maintained, traditional architecture that made his breath catch. From the gate he could see the main building, a two storeys tall, with dark wood and even darker roofing tile. But that was not the most impressive part. The most impressive was the lined by a low but sturdy and secure fence, partially covered by a roof over some tables cliff overlooking the valley where Gem pulled him.

The view was breathtaking and showed at least most of the thickly wooded valley and the huge lake in the middle of it. In the distance, almost at the other end, he could see faint temple buildings and bright pink sakura trees. "The legend says that once upon a time the whole valley was sakura trees," Gem said. "There's the town," she pointed to a small town barely visible among the trees by the edge of the lake. "Most people live there and there are couple more inns there but most tourists come here for at least a day during summer. There are marked paths around the valley, connecting here, town, the main shrine and few smaller shrines and points of interest and viewing spots."

Jimmy just nodded, totally dumbfounded by the view. He expected it'd be beautiful but this beat all his expectations. "I hope I have some time to see some of it," he breathed out. He never saw something this beautiful. He was barely listening to what Gem was saying. Trying to take in all the details and places he was interested in visiting.

"As expected of Gem, going to see the views before greeting us," a melodic laugh had them turning around and Gem squealing and running to a medium tall pink-haired woman in a dark blue casual kimono with rolled up and tied in place with ribbon sleeves and dark pink obi. Next to her was a slightly taller than her man with dark brown hair with a green streak, dressed in a similar manner. Jimmy assumed it was the uniform of the inn. He just hoped he wouldn't need to wear similar sandals. Not that he would complain if he did, but he did come here to help and experience something new. "Be nice to her, she was away for a whole semester," the man chuckled as he wrapped his arm around her.

Gem just giggled as she ran up to hug them. "I missed you two so much," she smiled as Jimmy awkwardly walked closer. "Meet Jimmy, the friend from college who offered to help around here. Jimmy, meet Lizzie and Joel, the owners of Stratos," Gem jumped back and introduced everyone.

With the introductions out of the way Jimmy was shown around the inn, the separate kitchen and restaurant building, the staff house and his room where his stuff was already waiting to unpack. And a welcome basket of fruits and local snacks. And a couple of sets of Ryokan's uniform. He didn't have to wear the sandals but was already planning to at least try wearing them. In the kitchen, he met the only chef of the inn, Sausage or 'Mythy' as Joel asked him, and Hermes, about fourteen years old kid who was helping around.

After the tour of the place, he was given the rest of the day off so Gem could show him around the valley. The walking path from the inn to town was maybe mostly packed dirt was nice, with small fences occasionally separating it from the woods, with lanterns. Gem said they weren't used much outside summer since locals rarely left after sundown. Jimmy assumed they didn't have much reason to wander in the dark. Most of the path had an excellent view of the lake and the serpentining up the mountain road for the cars. It was in full sun and looked like no fun at all. Jimmy was glad they decided to walk instead of borrowing one of the inn's mopeds. He had his license with him and Joel mentioned he might send him on deliveries and errands if he doesn't mind. Jimmy did not mind a chance to go around the place.

The town was small. Housing maybe a few hundred. With a few small hotels and inns and restaurants overlooking the lake. Near a flower shop with an impressively colourful display, and one of those small restaurants they saw a man performing on a shamisen. Dressed in a haori decorated with a colourful, flowery pattern, golden lining and a flat straw hat on his head. Some early tourists were listening to him play. There was no box for coins, interestingly.

"Oli," Gem grinned as she waved to the man. "He plays during the more public, festival-y rituals," she added as the man bowed to his audience before walking up to Gem, shamisen on his back and hugging her and even picking up slightly.

"I missed you so much, red, I thought fWhip would rip me apart whenever I had to tell him there was no letter from you," he laughed but there was a hint of annoyance at that latter bit. Jimmy filed the name 'fWhip' for later. It made his skin tingle a bit like it have never done before. Too much sun maybe?

"And where would my lovely twin brother be nowadays?" Gem asked with the happiest smile she ever had on her face and Jimmy knew Gem as a happy and friendly person who's hard to bring down.

"Probably bothering Scott, around the woods," Oli shrugged. 'Scott' also made Jimmy's skin itch again. He'd have to hydrate more. "And who's this young man?"

"Jimmy. A friend from college, he agreed to come with me and help Lizzie and Joel," Gem introduced him with a beaming smile and was about to say more but Oli stopped her.

"Orion 'Oli' Sound, a performer and a helpful soul," he introduced himself with a cat-like grin. For a second it looked like it didn't fit on his face but once Jimmy blinked it was just a normal smile. He definitely needed to be better about hydrating. "Young man?"

"It's nothing, I think I need to hydrate a bit better, sorry," Jimmy laughed it off.

Oli nodded and said he'll go to the ryokan to see if there was anyone to entertain there, and with another bow sauntered to the path Jimmy and Gem took down the mountain. Once he left Gem took Jimmy to the general store where they got a couple water bottles each and some snacks. And a box of chocolates, 'for a friend' Gem said as she picked them out. Jimmy guesses she meant someone at the temple. Or her brother, fWhip. Jimmy never heard that she had a brother but she rarely talked details about things back home, here. And Jimmy never pried into her business.

Once they were properly hydrated they climbed another set of stairs up to the temple. There was no visible car access but Gem pointed him to where there was a secret car access. 'Since the temple is a bit of a tourist location it's slightly hidden' she said as he might have to deliver food from the ryokan to the temple. This path was more decorated. With more torii gates along but these ones were decorated with thick braided ropes with talismans and bells attached to them and flowers at the bases. Nice decoration for the tourists Jimmy guessed as the wind gently shook the bells. Gem was smiling the whole way, talking about how much time she'd spent on the temple even before joining it.

The temple was a beautiful sight. Red rooves and pale pink together with dark detailing. A couple of shrine maidens milled about the main courtyard watching some early tourists. One of them walked off as soon as she spotted Jimmy and Gem and soon returned with a different shrine maiden. Dressed in slightly different, more complicated and decorated robes with a pale purple shawl. Long hair tied in two low braids. coming forward over her shoulders.

"Gem, it's so nice to see you again," she said approaching them. "And this must be your friend we've heard so much about," she smiled, offering Jimmy a slight bow. "I'm Katherine, the head of this shrine, welcome to the Sakura Valley."

"I'm Jimmy and thank you, it's really beautiful here," Jimmy returned the bow.

"Here, a gift," Gem grinned as she gave Katherine the chocolates she bought earlier. "I'l finish..." she started saying but suddenly stopped and turned around. Two figures at the Torii gate on the other side of the temple. One dressed in light blue and cyan yukata with vaguely aquatic themes, with an umbrella over his shoulder, long, loosely tied cyan hair and a fox mask. Others dressed in black yukata with bright red spider lilies decorating the lower part and sleeves. No umbrella, ginger hair and a Ryu mask. Both in the geta sandals. The redhead froze and pulled his mask to the side. and quickly approached and... Jimmy could swear he saw something wag behind him but that was probably just wind moving the foliage. "Hi sis," he smiled as the other man followed.

"fWhip!" Gem smiled and hugged him. "I heard you were mean to Oli," she huffed as she pulled back.

fWhip just shrugged. Jimmy wasn't paying much attention after that. The itching came back and he could swear the fox mask was watching him. And the weird itch was back. 'Scott' the name Oli said came back to mind. He did say fWhip could be near someone like that and it would seem the redhead was fWhip. He did look a bit like Gem once his mask was off. But his eyes were slightly unnervingly blue. And they didn't seem like they were watching Gem, or Jimmy as he was introduced, but somewhere else, deeper, both past and into him.

"I'll walk Jimmy back to Lizzie and Joel's and be right back?" Gem turning to Katherine and fWhip pulling his mask back on broke Jimmy from his deep muddled thoughts. He had no idea what all that was. Maybe he was just tired... That had to be it.

"We can walk him back, we're going that way anyway," Scott offered, hand on fWhip's shoulder as the redhead tensed slightly. Did he not like his sister's association with the temple? Or Jimmy? He chose to not think too much about it. "We were visiting Pearly and Shrub," he added with a shrug.

"Would you be okay with it?" Gem asked Jimmy.

"Of course, I came to help at the inn since you said you'd be busy here, I'd hate to make you even more busy," Jimmy shrugged, pushing down his worries. Maybe he could convince fWhip he cared for Gem, she was his best friend. He wanted her to be happy. She was very kind to him.

And just like that he ended up awkwardly walking higher up the mountain, the shrine was a bit lower than the ryokan, following Scott with fWhip staring daggers into his back. Or at least it felt like that. That weird itching seemed to permanently settle into tips of his fingers. Goosebumps refused to leave his spine. The slowly darkening sky bathing the valley in warm sunset did little as a distraction from this unsettling feeling that something bad was about to happen.

He had those bad feelings before. And they usually proved correct and listening to them helped him avoid certain misfortunes. But it was never this strong. Now that he thought about it, he had this feeling since he and Gem passed that third torii gate. And it just got stronger and stronger. And... they had nothing to do with fWhip...

"Careful," Jimmy has shaken away from his thoughts as he tripped on the last few steps and was caught by Scott and fWhip. "You okay?" one of them asked. Jimmy wasn't sure which.

"Yeah... Just tired," Jimmy lied with a tense smile.

They looked at each other, he was pretty sure they did, hard to say with the masks on. Even if they didn't believe him they didn't press. They did stay a bit closer but that could be them being off the stairs. fWhip on his left, between him and the forested mountains. Scott on the right, between Jimmy and the valley. They walked in silence.

One minute. Two. Three.

Jimmy's head slowly started to hurt. Barely a noticeable pang at the base of his skull at first. Slowly getting stronger and stronger.

Four. Five. Six.

The headache got too strong. Jimmy fell to his knees. And... "Danger..." Jimmy whispered but his conscience wasn't in control. It was like he wasn't even in his own body as Scott and fWhip panicked. The cyan-haired man shook him as the redhead looked around for the danger. He could hear them as if he were drowning. Distant, muffled, only a few words reaching his ears. "fWhip... I don't know... what... is he really... spirit... energy... too much..."

Wild howling erupted in the woods. Not like wolves should sound according to nature documentaries.

Jimmy had no idea what to do. He felt like he was overheating. Like he was about to explode. "Let it go..." he heard a voice he could not connect to anyone he knew. A calm, soft, warm familiar voice. A voice he trusted so he let it go.

Just as he let it go he noticed weird shadowy wolf-like creatures prowling around the three of them. Some with two, some with three heads, baring their teeth, some without heads. Some with more than four limbs. Not natural. Not something that should exist. And he let go and they were pushed back, some vanished into smoke. Some ran away yelping in pain. As a ring of golden energy all but exploded out of him.

For a moment the balcony over the valley they were on was silent. Dark. Leaves swaying in the wind being the only sound. Golden butterflies flying around. Jimmy wasn't sure if they weren't just in his brain. But slowly he regained control and looked around. None of the balcony was damaged. But... "You got..." he blinked looking up at fWhip and Scott. When did he fall back? They discarded their masks and...

"You got fox ears?" he asked dumbly pointing at fWhip who indeed had two fox ears. And nine massive fox tails behind him. "And you... you're a dragon?" he turned to Scott, who now had two, light blue horns poking out his soft hair and a long tail with light cyan scales. And pretty mismatched cyan and gold eyes and...

Before either of them said anything in their shock Jimmy fainted.

#my stuff #my stories #empires smp #empiresshipping #fanfiction #empires shipping #empires fwhip #empires scott #empires jimmy #yokai au

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