fics I read

"18: obon"

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The origins of Obon can be traced to the Ghost Festival of China. Which, in turn, is a festival with roots in the Taoist Zhongyuan and Buddhist Ullambana. Given how the very practice of jujutsu itself also holds heavy Buddhist influences, it's unsurprising that the sorcery clans would naturally regard Obon with all the gravity and significance that such a festival was due.

"So Obon is really important?"

"It is, yes," Shiki nods. Tsumiki-san makes a soft sound of understanding, while beside her Megumi-san… doesn't visibly react, but it's clear that he's also listening intently to her words. "Obon is specifically meant to honor ancestral spirits and pay respect to the deceased."

"I… erm, we wouldn't really know much about that, actually," Tsumiki-san scratches her cheek awkwardly. It's understandable, though. Given how the Fushiguro siblings had been largely left to their own devices before Satoru-niichan found them, it makes sense that their knowledge of such traditions would be slightly lacking. "I just know that it's a summer festival, lasts a few days, and there's usually a lot of food! And dancing, too."

The younger girl laughs sheepishly, waving off her embarrassment.

"Well, that's probably the usual impression," Shiki concedes.

Tsumiki-san smiles, eyes bright as she leans in closer. "Are you excited for it, then?"

"I… suppose," Shiki responds slowly. Truth be told, she has only ever briefly glimpsed the flurry of preparations for Obon from the sidelines during previous years. Shiki has participated in the ritualistic chants and prayed in front of an altar, yes, but she has never actually gone out to participate in any of the actual festivities. Part of which also has to do with her particular situation under the purview of the Gojo Clan with her cursed eyes, she's sure.

Shiki admits to some measure of idle curiosity on her part, but it is what it is. Compared to everything else, it's a trivial matter to be bothered over, so Shiki has never bothered putting much of her attention towards this.

That Satoru-niichan is bringing her with him to Kyoto for Obon, however, has her regretting her prior inattention. Hence her mad scramble to brush up on the relevant traditions and various ritualistic formulae for the festival, and later being joined by the Fushiguro siblings halfway through.

Shiki might not know why Satoru-niichan has decided to toss her a ceremonial performance role, but she knows that she does not want to mess this up. Granted, Satoru-niichan might not care even if she did… but Shiki cares!

… Even though she can't quite pinpoint just why she even cares so much about this, exactly. It's not as if Shiki is particularly concerned with upholding the Gojo Clan's reputation, which is really what happens to be the most important thing at stake here this year.

"Is there anything in particular that you're looking forward to? Any games that you like?" Tsumiki-san asks cheerily. "I like playing katanuki the most out of the festival games! Some people make it seem like it's really easy to cut a flower or a star out of the candy, but it's actually a lot harder than it looks."

"Ah… no, there's nothing of the sort that I have in mind," Shiki says, perfectly candid and honest. She realizes half a beat too late that this probably isn't the best response to that question, though, when Tsumiki-san's expression falters. Shiki didn't mean to kill the conversation!

"I apologize," she adds quickly, before any further misunderstandings can occur. "I've only attended the chants and prayers before, never the festivities, so I… don't really…?"

Shiki trails off, mildly confused.

For some reason, both of the Fushiguros are looking at her strangely in this moment. Megumi-san is openly making a face and frowning, while Tsumiki-san appears somewhat stricken, biting her lip.

"… Is everything alright?" Shiki asks, concerned. Was it something she said? Again?

Tsumiki-san snaps out of it quickly enough on her own, before Shiki can make heads or tails out of their strange reactions. The other girl shakes her head and squares her shoulders, her eyes firmly locking onto Shiki's own.

"We should go to the festival together!"

Shiki blinks, not missing a beat. "I appreciate it, but I can't–"

Tsumiki-san instantly leans forward and clasps Shiki's hands in her own, dark eyes wide with earnesty.

"It's really fun, I promise!" she coaxes imploringly, sincerely. "There are lots of stalls in the streets, where you can buy food or play games. Katanuki is one of them, but there are dozens of other games, too! Like ring-tossing and yo-yo fishing and goldfish scooping –you can also win prizes from all of them! I've never been to Kyoto before, either, but I'll bet they have really pretty lanterns along the streets and–"

The other girl's words wash over Shiki in a rambling tide. Part of her knows that she should be paying attention to what Tsumiki-san is saying, but somehow Shiki instead finds herself staring down at where Tsumiki-san's hands are clasped over her own.

Shiki's cursed technique being what it is, no one aside from Satoru-niichan –and Kento-jichan– ever voluntarily reaches out to her like this.

It's strange.

She doesn't know what to make of it.

Tsumiki-san's hands are… warm. Soft. Did Shiki's hands ever use to be soft like this? She doesn't remember anymore. Tsumiki-san's palms and fingers feel soft against her own. There are no scars, no calluses. Tsumiki-san's hands are nothing like hers.

Shiki continues staring.

"–so what do you say?" Tsumiki-san finishes, slightly breathless. It takes a moment for Shiki to register that the other girl has actually finished talking and is waiting for her response, but in that same moment Tsumiki-san seems to have realized that Shiki was staring, and promptly releases her grip on Shiki's hands.

"S-Sorry for getting a little carried away!" Tsumiki-san hastily apologizes, flushing slightly in embarrassment. Beside her, her brother scoffs, which promptly earns him an elbow to the ribs, courtesy of his sister.

Megumi-san rubs at his side, faintly chagrined, then turns towards Shiki. "So? Are you going to come with us to see the festival?"

The white-haired girl shakes her head. "No. It's not permitted for–"

"Do you want to?" the boy cuts her off, pointedly.

Shiki pauses.

… There are very few things that Shiki truly wants. She wants the elders to stop making any clan-related political schemes involving her. She wants Satoru-niichan to get a full night's sleep. She wants to spend Obon with Kento-jichan. She wants to see him. She wants to see him every day.

But none of what she wants will ever happen, especially when she doesn't possess the strength to reach out and take it by herself with her own two hands. Her time with the Gojo Clan has taught her that much, at least.

Does Shiki want to join the festivities during Obon?

She… doesn't know. Does she?

Food and games don't matter much to her. The food that the Gojo Clan provides is good, and Shiki doesn't care too much for games. They're fun, of course, and she enjoys her time with Panda. Panda is a joy to be around. But it's something that she knows she can also do perfectly fine without, no matter how adamant Kiyohira-sensei and Jihei-san seem to feel otherwise about it on her behalf, mystifyingly enough.

"Would you join us for Obon, Shiki?" Tsumiki's voice is soft. Earnest. "Please?"

… She shouldn't. It's not permitted. There's a reason why the Gojo Clan has been doing their best to keep Shiki in the clan compound, and there's a reason why sorcerers generally don't participate in large-scale festivals like this in the first place.

But…

"If you insist on going, then you're going to have to sneak out," Shiki says after a long pause. Actually, now that she's really thinking about it, it's vanishingly unlikely that the Fushiguro siblings would succeed on their own at sneaking out to the festival. Unless they can somehow get Satoru-niichan's approval, but Satoru-niichan is so busy these days –dealing with the elders, the Zenin Clan, and having to sort out Obon preparations on top of that– and Shiki also doubts that they would be able to ask Satoru-niichan without any of the elders becoming aware of it.

And, should any of the elders learn of this, they would definitely do their level best to arrange things so that the children would obediently stay put. Even Shiki doesn't have the confidence to reach Satoru-niichan without alerting any of the elders at this juncture in time… come to think of it, the elders would probably be a lot more concerned about Shiki looking for her cousin than the Fushuguros doing the same.

Hmm.

Shiki glances up and across towards the Fushiguro siblings. Tsumiki-san's eyes are bright, hopeful. Megumi-san… is looking off to the side in apparent disinterest, but his hands are pressed together on his lap, fingers tapping anxiously against each other.

Keep an eye out for them from your end too, yeah? Unprompted and unbidden, Satoru-niichan's voice echoes in her ears.

And Shiki…

…

"Only for an hour," she finally acquiesces. "We'll attend the festivities for only an hour. Would that… be alright?"

Tsumiki-san grins, a blindingly bright expression, and even Megumi-san seems to perk up a bit, straightening in his seat.

Well.

That's that, then, Shiki supposes.

.

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In its entirety, Obon lasts for three days.

Like she'd mentioned to the Fushiguros –Obon is, at its core, a festival that honors the dead.

During the three days of the festival, the first is when deceased spirits return to the mortal realm, guided by mukaebi. These small, individual bonfires are lit in front of one's home for the express purpose of guiding spirits home. Horses and cows made from cucumbers and eggplants are also set out to ensure a "swift return" and "slow parting." Graves are cleaned, and prayers are made.

Then, the second day is for ritual mourning. Some people would invite priests to their homes, or head out to visit temples and shrines. The second day is meant for remembrance.

And finally, the third day is when Obon comes to a close, and departed spirits return to the netherworld once more. The okuribi is the last event, as the "send-off fire."

To most people, Obon is merely a celebration of family reunions. It's simply a time to come together and pay respects to their ancestors. To cherish those who are still living, as they make merry in the nighttime festivities.

For sorcerers, it's a rather different case.

It's one thing to receive a harmless 'visit' from a regular spirit. But to be visited by the spirit of a deceased sorcerer? The majority of whom all died horribly painful, grotesque, traumatic deaths in the line of duty? Sorcerers who were set apart from non-sorcerers by their high level of cursed energy? Who risked becoming cursed spirits themselves in death if they were not killed properly?

Obon was considered to be a delicate time in the jujutsu world, and for good reason.

Every step of the pacification rituals had to be perfect. The purification ceremonies. The calming chants. After all, the very last thing that anyone wanted was for a cursed spirit to be born from the collective pain and suffering from countless generations' worth of deceased sorcerers. It was a thin risk, but one that nonetheless could not be overlooked.

The dead should be allowed to rest.

Shiki arrives at Kyoto with the rest of the Gojo Clan entourage a week before Obon begins. There are quite a lot of preparations to be done –the majority of which do not require Shiki's direct involvement, small mercies– and everything is a bustling hub of activity. Shiki only glimpses Satoru-niichan once during this entire mess, and is given a brisk headpat, before her cousin and clan head is off and moving once more.

As for Shiki? She's meant to continue studying up and practicing for the role that she is responsible for on the last day, the okuribi. Which she does study and practice for; this is something that Satoru-niichan has asked of her, after all.

On the first day, Shiki does everything that is expected of her. The chants, the prayers. Splashing water over gravestones that she does not recognize. Kento-jichan will be visiting the Nanami family grave on his own this year, since Shiki is away in Kyoto.

As the twilight turns to dusk on the second day, Shiki follows through on what she'd promised the Fushiguro siblings.

"What is that?" Tsumiki-san asks, leaning curiously over Shiki's shoulder. "You're… cutting paper? Little paper people?"

"Yes," Shiki replies. She sets down her scissors, and gingerly picks up the little paper cutouts. Concentrates, and carefully twists her cursed energy into them just so–

Tsumiki-san gasps delightedly when the loosely people-shaped slips of paper leap up in Shiki's hands, and begin moving on their own. "That's so cool!"

It is?

"… Thank you? It's just an elementary paper shikigami spell, and it has nothing on proper shikigami binding," Shiki sets the newly-made paper shikigami down on the table. "Yuzuki-san and I sometimes use them to run messages to each other, but in this case, I imbued them with a… presence, you could say. So long as no one opens the door to this room, they'll think the three of us are still inside."

To… to be perfectly honest, Shiki isn't entirely sure if the other girl is even paying attention to her explanation anymore. Tsumiki-san currently looks to be completely engrossed by the animated paper shikigami. The brown-haired girl pokes one of them gingerly, and giggles when the paper cutout pretends to collapse dramatically, before rolling into a small tube and rising back to its feet.

A quick glance towards Megumi-san confirms the same reaction; the boy is also staring intently at the paper silhouettes, with a genuine sense of curiosity and wonder about him.

Which is more than a little weird, considering that the Ten Shadows is said to be the most powerful shikigami cursed technique in the recorded history of jujutsu.

Why are they reacting like this? The two of them have been with the Gojo Clan for a while at this point –surely this isn't their first time seeing a jujutsu art?

Something to look into, perhaps, after the hectic mess of Obon is over.

"… Would you still be interested in heading out to the festival?"

The siblings' heads jerk up simultaneously in tandem.

"Yes! Yes, we are, sorry," Tsumiki-san scrambles up to her feet, clumsily mirrored by her little brother.

"There's no need to apologize," Shiki says.

And then, they're off.

It doesn't take too long to arrive. The temporary dwellings that the Gojo Clan has in Kyoto aren't located too far from the city proper, and the lanterns lining the streets show a clear path to the festival stalls. There are many people out and about, smiling and laughing, and…

It feels strange, standing amid so many people like this.

Shiki… really isn't used to standing in crowded areas. In the Gojo Clan, she and Kiyohira-sensei were often left to their own devices for training, with individual tutors for various other subjects rotating through. On missions, it's usually the assisting Window who deals with clarifying mission details and consoling surviving victims in the aftermath.

Furthermore, being in the middle of a crowd makes Shiki acutely aware that she is different. No one in the Gojo Clan stares at her anymore. But here and now in the streets of Kyoto, there are passersby who keep glancing at her, their attentions undoubtedly caught by the sight of strange white hair and unnatural blue eyes… if not outright disturbed by the distinct echo of cursed–

"Is everything alright?"

Shiki blinks. Tsumiki-san has doubled back for her, and the smile on the other girl's face is fading rapidly, replaced by something that looks much more concerned.

"It's… nothing." Part of Shiki is sorely regretting everything right now, but she'd given her word to the Fushiguro siblings that she would attend the festivities here with them. It's only for an hour, she reminds herself. She'll live.

Tsumiki-san frowns, biting her lip as she looks at Shiki. Then something finally seems to click in her mind; the girl promptly swivels around to take in their surroundings. There are a few people who immediately drop their gazes and look aside, clearly embarrassed to have been caught staring so obviously, but others clearly have no such compunctions.

At this point, even Megumi-san catches on to what's happening. The boy scowls at a man who is particularly blatant about the staring, which makes them give a small jolt in surprise.

It's sweet, but, "It's nothing to be concerned about, really. Shouldn't you be enjoying the festival?"

… For some reason, this only makes Tsumiki-san frown even harder.

Shiki doesn't understand. She knows that the Fushiguro siblings have been looking forward to Obon festivities, Tsumiki-san more so than Megumi-san, so didn't it only make sense for them to go ahead and enjoy themselves now that they were finally here? To make the most of their time? They'll only be here for an hour, after all, so wouldn't it be–

"Wait here," Tsumiki-san says firmly, and turns on her heel, taking off at a brisk run as she disappears into the crowd.

Shiki stares blankly for a moment, then makes to follow–

"Just wait here," Megumi-san tugs her back by the sleeve of her blue yukata, and sighs. "She'll be back before you know it."

"It's best for us to stay together," Shiki murmurs distractedly, preoccupied by the task of keeping track of the other girl. Tsumiki-san does not possess the ability to become a sorcerer, which makes it difficult to follow her solely by cursed energy.

The younger boy tilts his head. "We're not helpless. Tsumiki and I were completely fine on our own even before Gojo-san came along."

"That wasn't what I meant." Truthfulness of Megumi-san's words aside, Shiki is less concerned about Tsumiki-san getting lost and more concerned about her being jumped by a stray cursed spirit, or something along those lines. While curses were typically drawn to areas saturated with negative emotions, large-scale events such as festivals still ran a slight risk, since they involved the sharp intensity from heightened emotions. Another reason why it wasn't wise to be out and about on their own like this, but…

Ah. Tsumiki-san is returning, looking none the worse for wear.

"Look!" The girl skids to a stop in front of them, slightly breathless. Tsumiki-san looks up with a grin, "I got masks for all three of us!"

Shiki has seen various painted masks before. Not at festivals, but on several occasions within the Gojo Clan, when certain rituals called for them. The white fox masks that Tsumiki-san is holding in her arms are nowhere near as fine as the ones that Shiki is used to, cheap plastic instead of lacquered wood or porcelain. If Tsumiki-san liked masks, she'd would be able to find something better with the Gojo–

"I think that if you tie up your hair and wear a mask to hide your eyes, then maybe people will stop staring so much," Tsumiki-san explains. "That way, you can enjoy the festival normally , too!"

… Oh.

Is that… the reason why she suddenly ran off?

Shiki slowly takes one of the plastic fox masks proffered out to her, unsure of what to think. While being stared at is… discomfiting, it's nothing that she can't deal with. She can ignore it, it's no big deal. Satoru-niichan turns heads no matter where he goes, and given their similar colorings, Shiki is resigned to the very real possibility that things may be the same for her in the future as well.

Tsumiki-san had brought back three separate masks, one for each of them. But the fact that she thought to get them specifically because of Shiki in the first place? Because she wanted Shiki to be… comfortable?

It's…

The little girl stares at the mask in her hands. The smiling fox-face stares back at her, swirling lines of red and black dark against the white backdrop.

Shiki quietly affixes the mask to her face, and murmurs a quiet 'thank you' when Tsumiki-san hands her a hair tie and some extra hair pins.

(Where did the other girl even get these? Did she already have them on her, or had she gotten additional hair accessories while she'd been acquiring the masks?)

Long hair is a hassle to put up, but Shiki is used to working with its length. It would be easier with a comb, but it's not too hard to gather up the loose strands by hand and twist it all into a semi-neat bun at the back of her head. Tsumiki-san's hair pins help greatly.

And it… works.

With her hair tucked in and no longer flowing out behind her, and with her eyes mostly-hidden by the mask… there aren't as many glances directed her way, once they step back out into the festival streets.

Even so, the fox mask is cold and hard against her face. Part of Shiki wants to take it off already, but that's actually less due to the discomfort and more because it greatly restricts her field of view, which is inconvenient. But she can admit that it's… nice, not having to worry about unnecessary attention directed towards her. And it seems to make Tsumiki-san happy as well, so Shiki leaves the mask on as she follows the Fushiguro siblings in a winding path through the festival stalls.

And there are many stalls lining the streets. The air is rich with the scents of various delicious-smelling foods, many of which Shiki struggles to place. She knows familiar ones like takoyaki and yakitori, but there are a number of them that she does not recognize. Tsumiki-san merrily skips ahead again and comes back with three sticks of dango, pressing one into Shiki's hand with no room for refusal and handing off another to Megumi-san just as easily.

Shiki hesitates. Then, she cautiously lifts up the bottom of her mask and tentatively bites into the rice flour dumpling.

It's… sweet. Shiki isn't particularly fond of sweets, by and large, and if she's being perfectly honest, the taste is nothing special. But even so, for some reason she… doesn't dislike it.

How odd. Was there actually something else to it, other than just 'sweet?'

Shiki takes another mouthful and chews a little more slowly this time.

It's sweet.

She bites into it again, feeling baffled.

"Good, isn't it?" Tsumiki-san's voice sounds excitedly beside her ear. Good isn't exactly the word that Shiki would use, but somehow it's… "There's also kakigori! I wonder what flavors they have for their shaved ice… oh! Look, look, castella cakes!"

The other girl takes off at a run for the castella stall. Shiki takes another bite of her dango, trying and failing to pinpoint why this particular sweetness isn't something that she's averse to.

"Aren't there any stalls that you're interested in?" Megumi-san asks her as he wanders back with a small box of takoyaki in his hands, and several toothpicks. He skewers one of the fried octopus balls and hands it out to Shiki, who accepts it mechanically. "You haven't gone for any of them."

"… I'm good. It's… a little overwhelming," she admits distractedly. It's a lot to keep track of with her senses. There are so many stalls, and so many people present; both shopkeepers and festival-goers alike. So many people, much more than Shiki could ever have anticipated when Tsumiki-san brought up the idea of coming to see the festivities in the first place.

And for all that she's ostensibly here to enjoy herself with the Fushiguro siblings, it's never once slipped Shiki's mind that her foremost priority is to keep a careful hold on her cursed energy and watch for–

"Castella!" Tsumiki-san returns triumphantly with a small platter of bite-sized castella cakes. "These are really good; here, try one!"

"Thank you," Shiki says politely. The castella is… even sweeter than the too-sweet dango. But the texture is nice, airy and fluffy, and it makes her think–

"… Can we bring some back for Satoru-niichan?" And maybe some for Kiyohira-sensei and Jihei-san as well. Shiki would also like to bring some back for Yuzuki-san, but she knows that the sickly boy has a strictly-controlled dietary intake, due to his fragile health. Maybe there was something else that they could bring back for him instead?

"That's a great idea!" Tsumiki-san brightens, "Wait here, I'll be right back!"

The girl spins and dashes into the crowd once more. Dark brown hair fans out behind her, blazing a fiery gold-crimson for a split second beneath the lantern-light. The colors blend perfectly with the red yukata that she is wearing, patterned with white and yellow flowers as it is. A perfect match with the white-gold hem of Megumi-san's own yukata, as he follows after his sister.

"Come on! Let's check out the games, too!"

… As it turns out, Shiki is absolutely miserable at the candy-cutting game that Tsumiki-san is so enthusiastic for. She's given a rectangular square of hard candy with the faint outline of a cat, and instructed to use a toothpick to carve out the round cat-face. It sounds simple, but–

The entire square of candy turns into candy dust beneath her hands in a heartbeat.

"Huh, that's a new one," the middle-aged man running the stall scratches his head, casting a faintly nervous look towards her.

… While Shiki is capable of controlling her perception so that her world isn't perpetually full of gleaming red lines, this does not mean that they are any less present. Which means that accidentally severing lines she does not mean to cut remains a very real concern. And given that she had been using the sharp point of a toothpick to try and cut a specific shape…

"How did you even do that with a toothpick?"

Shiki shrugs noncommittally in lieu of an actual response.

Tsumiki-san glances down at the five-pointed star she'd carved from her own square of candy, looks towards Shiki's pile of candy dust again, and winces. "Um… want to try again? You just need to be a little gentler with how you use the toothpick to cut it!"

"I appreciate the advice," the white-haired girl sighs as she sets down her toothpick, "But I think discretion is the better part of valor, in this case."

"Ah, you really think so? That's a shame, I was rather hoping to see you try again."

Shiki whirls around.

When did someone–?

Who–

A dark-haired woman smiles down at her, a stranger whom Shiki does not recognize and had not even sensed coming up behind her; she most certainly hadn't been standing there before when Shiki first sat down.

"No need to look at me like that," the woman laughs, and takes an empty seat beside them. Shiki doesn't take her eyes off of her for a single second, not even when the lady flashes her another disarming smile.

It's… it's hard to explain. The dark-haired woman smiles and laughs, and it's a perfectly normal, natural expression. But there's something about it that sets Shiki on edge regardless, and that unsettles her more than she would like to admit.

Beneath the sleeve of her yukata, Shiki's fingers linger over the hilt of a knife. Megumi-san is currently off getting something for his sister from one of the food stalls –she hopes that the younger boy takes his time and does not come back too soon.

"I truly mean no harm, my dear, and I'm sorry if I startled you," the strange woman makes no indication of having noticed Shiki's movements as she continues smiling. She reaches up, casually running a hand through her hair, and for a single instant Shiki glimpses a line of stitches in what seems to be a neat circle around her head. But it's only for a brief moment, before the woman's bangs fall back down and cover everything behind a dark curtain once more.

"To be honest, I actually didn't expect to come across you so early here," she says conspiratorially. "Having fun skirting your clan's rules, are we?"

That confirms it, then. This woman knows who Shiki is beneath the paltry disguise offered by the white fox mask, and she also knows that Shiki is here without the Gojo Clan's permission.

The little girl blinks, and shifts her perspective in a way that's almost second nature by this point. Red lines unfurl before her eyes in a heartbeat.

And in front of her, the woman is no different.

Just like any other person, there are dozens upon dozens of lines scored across her body, over her arms and around her torso. But… perhaps unsurprisingly, the lines are most densely concentrated around her head. So much so that it was difficult to see her face like this anymore, when Shiki was observing the lines in the world around her.

Was it something to do with the woman's cursed technique, perhaps? But that didn't seem quite right, either. The lines… the colors…

"What do you mean, skirting the rules?"

Shiki tenses when Tsumiki-san's unwitting voice pipes up between them, drawing the stranger's attention.

The woman's gaze slides to Tsumiki-san, whose head is tilted curiously towards them. "Well, you usually don't see sorcerers attending festivals like this, and the clans tend to be rather strict about keeping their sorcerers away and out."

The brown-haired girl frowns, glancing briefly towards Shiki for a split-second, "Really? Why?"

"You don't know?" The sorcerer's voice is clearly amused. "… No, I suppose you wouldn't, given that you're only a regular human. Do you know what cursed energy is, at least?"

"Y-yes," the other girl nods. "It's… you need it to be a sorcerer, right?"

"Something like that," the woman responds with a vague wave of her hand. "The basic requirement for becoming a sorcerer is possessing the ability to see curses. This requires a certain threshold of cursed energy, which most humans lack. But even though the vast majority of people lack the cursed energy that's necessary for clear vision, they still notice when a sorcerer walks amongst them. So it means that–"

"That's enough."

"… Shiki?" Tsumiki-san looks towards her, confused. However, Shiki does not allow herself to be distracted, and remains focused on the new arrival in their midst.

"Why are you here?" Shiki asks straightforwardly, "And who are you?"

The woman leans forward and props her arm against the table, chin resting easily on her hand. "Me? I was just passing my time with this festival while I waited on an acquaintance."

Acquaintance? This woman was waiting for someone? At the Obon festival?

"Imagine my surprise, then, when I noticed something interesting," she murmurs with a gleam to her eyes. She lifts her hand and reaches out towards Shiki, who finally fully grips the knife beneath her sleeve. "Y'know, I wonder if I can–"

"Kaori."

The unexpected voice that suddenly cuts through the air is deep, masculine. Tinged with a hint of something that's both reproachful and… warning, almost. But Shiki doesn't have long to dwell on that, as a new arrival suddenly steps in between them.

Shiki hadn't noticed his imminent presence, either.

The man is tall. His dark-colored hair is pulled back into a low ponytail, with loose bangs framing the sides of his face. There is something distinctly heavy and dispirited to the air around him, although Shiki struggles to describe it in words. It's not grief, there is a sense of… silence. Solitude.

Which is a sharp contrast to the buoyant air of bustling festival-goers around them, some of whom are beginning to shift uneasily while others abandon all subtlety in distancing themselves and giving an even wider berth to their corner of the table.

Shiki clicks her tongue disapprovingly.

"Ah, there you are," the woman waves amicably to the man, but makes no indication that she's about to stand up to leave. "I was beginning to think that you were going to stand me up! Good thing I've found some interesting company on my own, wouldn't you say?"

"I apologize," the man says. Not to the woman –Kaori, had he called her?– but to Shiki. Still, she does not allow herself to lower her guard. "She should not have approached you. We will be taking our leave now."

'Kaori' sighs, a put-upon sound. "You never change, Souren. Must you cut my fun short? I haven't even–"

"Remember your promises," the man says gravely. "A sorcerer who goes back on their given word–"

The woman raises her hands in a clear gesture of surrender, laughing. "Alright, alright! I wouldn't have done anything –like I said, I was only curious."

"Rein in your curiosity, then," the man responds flatly. "Come, let us depart. I would discuss business with you elsewhere."

"Really? You're in that much of a hurry to get me out of here?" Sounding amused, the woman finally stands up. But instead of leaving immediately, she looks back down towards Shiki.

"Sadly, it looks like we'll have to cut things short tonight. But it was a pleasure to meet you all the same, Gojo Shiki. I look forward to seeing you again in the future," she smiles. Pauses, and glances over at Tsumiki-san, almost as an afterthought. "And… you as well, Fushiguro Tsumiki. Say hello to your brother for me too, won't you?"

"What–?"

Shiki takes it all in with a cold eye, not saying a single word while Tsumiki-san rears back in confusion. Kaori shakes her head with another small laugh as she strides away, followed by Souren who gives Shiki a perfunctory nod before he turns to follow her.

And then they're gone, swiftly swallowed up by the ebb and flow of passing festival-goers beneath the evening lantern-light.

Shiki does not relax her grip on her knives even after the two suspicious sorcerers are long out of sight.

"Is… is everything alright?"

… Nothing happened. They had not been attacked, nor had the woman actually done anything untoward; neither had her acquaintance, for that matter. But… the way she'd approached them, the comments she had made, the sense of wrongness that Shiki had felt…

…

A sorcerer trusts their instincts.

"… Maybe I should've done a little more than just leaving a note with the paper shikigami when we left," the girl mutters to herself. If only it was easier to get ahold of Satoru-niichan without alerting any of the clan elders at the same time…

"Shiki?"

"Yes?" She blinks back to attention, turning towards Tsumiki-san at the call of her name. The other girl looks… concerned.

"Are you okay?" Tsumiki-san reaches out a hesitant hand to her. "Who was… who were those people? Do we need to call anyone?"

"No," Shiki shakes her head. There is no one to call at the festival –there wasn't much that a non-sorcerer civilian could do against two sorcerers like that, if push came to shove. Shiki might not have their full measure, but going by her instincts… it might've been difficult, if the situation had actually come to blows. Which definitely would've caused a lot of trouble in regards to the ongoing festival and Obon as a whole, which meant that Satoru-niichan would–

"Um, can I ask…" Tsumiki-san's voice falters for a moment, before firming as she continues with her question. "What did that lady mean, earlier? When she… when she said that sorcerers aren't supposed to be here at the festival? I mean, she's a sorcerer too, isn't she?"

The girl shakes her head dismissively, "It's nothing important."

"Please. I'd like to know."

Shiki regards Tsumiki-san quietly for a moment. "… It's about the cursed energy. That's why you don't usually see sorcerers attending festivals of any kind, least of all Obon."

"Wait, what?" The dark-haired girl's brows furrow together in confusion, "I don't understand."

"Look around us, Tsumiki-san," Shiki gestures patiently to their surroundings. Their distinctly empty surroundings –their corner of the table is very pointedly clear and devoid of people, despite the other tables being full and packed with festival-goers picking at their own candy squares with toothpicks. A very clear indication of something off, and one that the other girl finally seems to be picking up on herself, if her wide-eyed look of bewilderment now that she notices is any sign of things.

"Most people are… unsettled, in the presence of cursed energy." How does she explain this? How had her tutors explained this to her, again? Shiki doesn't understand it very well herself, but it's probably–

"Like when a person feels scared or uneasy in a hospital, or a cemetery," she attempts to articulate. "Even if they can't use cursed energy themselves, they still know when something is wrong. It's part of the reason why a significant number of unaffiliated sorcerers end up becoming curse users; it's a rare sorcerer who's able to fit themselves in as a regular member of society…"

Wait, no, she's getting sidetracked. Tsumiki-san's question had been, specifically, 'Why don't sorcerers attend festivals?'

Shiki coughs, lightly clearing her throat to hide her embarrassment. "So, sorcerers usually don't attend festivals because of the potential effect they have on non-sorcerer civilians. It's especially sensitive if it's a festival like Obon –if too many people were to be negatively affected by the cursed energy, it could potentially disrupt the festival as a whole, and that would be… not ideal, to say the least."

"Wait, wait, wait," Tsumiki-san looks distressed. "Is that… is that why you didn't want to come at first?"

"Yes," Shiki admits. There's no point in hiding it anymore, and Tsumiki-san had said that she'd wanted to know, so… "Cursed energy has a way of affecting everything in its surroundings. Humans included. So it's not wise for sorcerers to come to festivals like this. But as long as it's… limited, in terms of duration, the repercussions can be appropriately managed and reduced to a minimum."

Hence why Shiki had specified one hour, and had honestly been more preoccupied keeping track of the Fushiguro siblings and the cursed energy in the air than exploring the festival herself. Megumi-san was more of a concern than Tsumiki-san, given that the boy still couldn't control his cursed energy very well, so Shiki had been keeping an extra eye on him as well.

But still, even despite her distractions, it shouldn't have meant that other sorcerers could easily sneak up on her without her noticing at all until they'd spoken up directly behind her. Just who was this 'Kaori' and 'Souren,' that they could–?

"I-I'm sorry, I never knew. I mean, I remember that you tried to stop us, but I didn't think…" Tsumiki-san swallows roughly. "I didn't realize that sorcerers weren't supposed to come. I-It's never been an issue in the past, Megumi and I have been to festivals together plenty of times before!"

"Perhaps," Shiki allows. One child sorcerer, even a particularly gifted one, likely wouldn't cause too much of a disturbance on their own, not immediately after coming into their cursed technique. But… "Can you really say that you haven't noticed Megumi-san's cursed energy affecting any non-sorcerers around him, though? When you visit a festival stall together, are there people who avoid talking to him and address you instead? Are there people who seem to be uncomfortable around him, but are perfectly fine if it's you?"

With each example she throws out, Tsumiki-san seems to lose a bit of color in her face.

"I… thought that was just his personality," she swallows roughly, her voice barely above a quiet whisper.

Shiki hums.

"That's possible too, I suppose. Megumi-san isn't exactly very friendly," she allows. And honestly, neither is Shiki herself, for that matter. She's peripherally aware that her own demeanor is oftentimes considered… off-putting. As Kiyohira-sensei had once commiserated with Jihei-san over, Shiki's personality is apparently an 'acquired taste,' whatever that means. Probably not anything complimentary. "But I believe I've made my point. You're his sister –you should know these things regarding Megumi-san very well."

Indeed, it seems that Tsumiki-san knows things very well, if the look of dawning horror and guilt that filters through her expression is any indication to go by.

There's only so much that can be explained away by an unpersonable personality, after all.

"Don't blame yourself, Tsumiki-san," Shiki says after a beat of silence, not entirely unsympathetically. "You didn't know anything about cursed energy before. And… you seem to be rather resilient against the influence of cursed energy yourself. I'm sure Megumi-san appreciates your company more than he allows himself to admit."

He wouldn't have asked Satoru-niichan to make sure to keep his sister out of the Zenin Clan's hands, otherwise.

Tsumiki-san nods mutely, but still seems distressed. Shiki mentally grasps for more words to console the other girl with, but ends up drawing a blank on this front. What else is there to say?

… Maybe she would've been better off not having explained anything in the first place. But Tsumiki-san had asked, and–

"I'm back! The line was a lot longer than I expected." Megumi-san suddenly slides into an empty seat beside them, holding a steaming plate of okonomiyaki in his hands. Then flounders in panic, as Tsumiki-san suddenly turns and grabs him in a tight hug without a single word.

The boy's eyes narrow, and cut accusingly to Shiki. "Did something happen? What did I miss?"

"… Nothing important," Shiki responds, and reaches over to take a piece of the okonomiyaki for herself. Despite her evident distress, Tsumiki-san's energies had settled significantly upon catching sight of Megumi-san. Things would turn out alright between them.

Probably.

… Maybe she should ask Yuzuki-san for advice about this at a later point, just to be sure. The older boy would definitely have a better idea of things than her, and Shiki had promised Satoru-niichan that she would look out for the Fushiguro siblings.

Her cousin would pout at her if Shiki 'broke' either of the Fushiguro children, no matter how unintentionally it was on her part.

.

.

Surprisingly –or perhaps, not so surprisingly– Tsumiki-san gives a watery smile and not-so-subtly suggests that it's about time for them to be heading back, after the three of them leave the katanuki stall together. Originally, Shiki had expected them to stay out for the full hour, but considering their run-in with the suspicious 'Kaori' and her associate, and the conversation that had taken place afterwards…

Suffice to say, there's certainly been enough excitement for one night.

Shiki follows a few steps behind the Fushiguro siblings, and it's a good thing that she does, because she is the only one who sees it.

Sudden movement, out of the corner of her eye. Something shimmering–

Shiki reacts instantly. The girl steps forward and nudges a startled Megumi-san aside, then reaches out to grab Tsumiki-san's arm and tugs the other girl away as she does so. A knife drops down into her other hand as she braces herself, and–

Water splashes down harmlessly onto the ground where they'd been standing only moments prior.

Shiki blinks.

There's no cursed energy imbued in it at all. Rather, is that… fish?

"Maki! That's not how you catch goldfish!" A childish voice shouts. A young girl runs up to them –dark hair cut short, wearing a yellow yukata– and bows profusely in apology. "I-I'm sorry for my sister, she didn't mean to–"

The girl yelps when a hand closes over the back of her clothing and forcibly drags her upright.

"We're not in the clan, Mai, you don't have to grovel," the other girl grumbles. The other girl who is… also dark-haired and dark-eyed, and looks the exact same as the first girl. Shiki blinks rapidly a few times, just to make sure she isn't seeing double. "Sorry, my hand slipped."

Tsumiki-san glances down at the newly-created puddle complete with miserably-flailing goldfish beneath their feet, then back towards the stall that the sisters had dashed over from. The stall that's a considerable distance away, actually. "It's… it's fine, none of it hit us…"

Shiki discreetly hides her knife back into the sleeve of her yukata again, blithely ignoring the raised brow from the sister responsible for the fish-puddle mess, and the simultaneous pointed look from Megumi-san. They're the only ones who seemed to have noticed, though.

"We're very sorry," the first girl apologizes again, oblivious to the byplay. Mai, had her sister called her? "It's our first time out together at the festival, so we're not used to any of the games."

"How was I supposed to know that the paper catcher was so fragile?" Her sister complains, folding her arms over her chest defensively.

The other girl shoots her a deadpan look, "It's made of paper, couldn't you guess? And no one else at the stall was using as much force as you did!"

"But even so, I didn't–"

Megumi-san coughs, and points over their shoulders. "I think that's the stall owner coming over here right now."

The children collectively look up. That sure is an unhappy man striding towards them…

Thankfully, the stall owner doesn't ask for much; the twin sisters receive a stern talking-to, and Shiki and the Fushiguro siblings end up helping them carry the hapless goldfish back to the stall in question. The man bans the sisters from trying to scoop goldfish again, but each of them receives a small plastic bag with a single bright orange goldfish as a consolation gift of sorts.

Shiki, Tsumiki, and Megumi also end up walking away with one consolation goldfish each, perplexingly enough.

"Thank you very much for your help with the goldfish," the more conciliatory of the two sisters says. "U-um, my name is Mai. This is my sister, Maki."

'Maki' gives a careless wave at the introduction. Shiki idly wonders if her goldfish is dizzy from getting jostled around like that…

"Oh, you're welcome! It's no trouble, really," Tsumiki-san responds with a friendly smile. It seems like her mood has recovered somewhat, after this small interlude. "My name is Fushiguro Tsumiki, and this is my little brother, Megumi. And that's–"

"Found you, you little brats."

Shiki glances up.

Unlike what had happened with 'Kaori' and 'Souren,' Shiki had been loosely aware of this particular person's approach, but it was… a little strange. The young man striding over to them is most certainly a sorcerer, going by the looks of his lines, but rather than being intently focused on Shiki and the Fushiguro siblings, his attention seemed to be directed towards the twin sisters instead…

Ah. Shiki gives a quick once-over of the two girls' lines. Mai is a sorcerer, too –or at least, she possesses the ability to become one. That explains things a little more, then, although it didn't–

"Sneaking out during Obon like this? Tsk, tsk. Uncle Ogi is going to have your hides," the short-haired young man smirks, and it's a nasty, taunting expression that does not at all hide his anticipation for the 'punishment' that the sisters would receive. "Consider yourselves lucky that I'm the one retrieving you, otherwise–"

He cuts himself off mid sentence as his gaze cuts to Shiki and the Fushiguro siblings.

And then smiles, a vicious, jagged expression.

"Oh? What's this?" he grins. "Well, well, well. What fish have the two of you reeled in for the Zenin Clan, hmm?"

Zenin Clan.

The Zenin Clan, one of the Three Great Families. Also the very same clan that Fushiguro Megumi technically belonged to by blood. The one that Satoru-niichan had been in several talks with recently, in order to ensure Megumi-san's independence from them.

… Honestly, what were the odds of just running into the Zenins like this? They were only here for the festival! A festival that wasn't even supposed to have any sorcerers in attendance… not that Shiki was really in any position to be saying anything about that…

"Naoya-sama," Zenin Mai breathes softly, eyes wide and looking like she's on the verge of fully blown-out panic. She gulps, and swiftly ducks her head in deference. Her twin scowls beside her, but reluctantly bows her head as well.

Shiki valiantly resists the urge to put a hand to her forehead.

'Zenin.' 'Naoya.'

… Seriously? The heir of the Zenin Clan himself?

So much for taking the Fushiguro siblings on a quick, discreet festival outing with no one being any the wiser… although she supposes that any chance of that had been lost quite a while ago.

.

.

…

.