[fieldbox=Cade Tormod, green, solid, 8, stencil]
Catching the card as it flew in a breeze, Cade took it in his hand and looked at the back cover before flipping it over to see the front.
Death, huh? I shouldn't be too surprised.
And as he looked at it, a brief spark of light came from the card, reminding him of that glow from earlier...
"Is this the place?"
Cade spoke in plain English as he walked down the path, rubbing his eyes as he was still somewhat jet-lagged, meanwhile the dragon hiding himself from all mortal sight. The grey-scaled giant rendered himself miniscule enough to perch on the seer's shoulders. Puffing smoke from his nostils, the dragon spoke telepathically to the human with a gravelly, sage voice that felt like it could rip the heavens if it wanted to.
"Yes, Cade- this is the place. An old friend of mine who owes me a few favors lives here."
"An old friend? Who exactly lives here?"
"You will see. He fights in a way similar to you, but he hasn't used a blade in a long time."
"So he uses magic, then."
"Yes. He is what you humans call 'ayakashi'- a good spirit. Or, perhaps it is a spirit that chooses to be good? The East has such strange lore to me, at times."
"Got it. So does he live inside the temple?"
"Somewhat. He disguises himself as a tame cat and chases away youkai and mice that slip past the komainu. Here, go to the left."
The American did as he was told, especially as he saw the great lion-dogs began to move from their perches to do their nightly rounds out of the sight of the human priest and his family. Before taking the steps that would bring Cade past their pedestals, Albion had the human take another sharp hand, telling him to follow the small wall and keep a hand on it, Cade doing so until he almost slipped through a portion of it. The human, alarmed, jumped back until a small sword poked through the illusion, a very traditionally-dressed figure stepping through as a single tail waved behind it, a veil attached to a takuhatsugasa hat obscuring the miniscule figure's face.
"Who are you that has found my home?"
The dragon chuckled, looking to the being as he snorted fire, his throat rumbling as he met the Japanese spoken to him, Cade switching to the eastern language mentally.
"Is that any way to great an old friend, Fusao?"
"Albion?"
"One and the same."
"And this human can see us?"
"Yes. He is one of
them."
"I see."
Removing his hat, the feline's orange and emerald hues examined the human, poking him before smirking in a most mischievious fashion before bowing, which Cade reciprocated.
"Well, well, come inside! I've prepared some green tea, and I haven't had guests in a while."
Crouching down and entering the hidden room, Cade looked around as he found himself in what appeared to be an old-fashion tea room lined with tatami mats. Being respectful, Cade removed his shoes and placed them next to the cat spirit's sandals. Unable to keep his tongue bit, he opened his mouth to speak, but the pleasingly soft and wizened tenor of the cat spirit spoke up.
"I suppose, young human, what magic allows this? While only humans sensitive to magic can feel the door, it feels like a wall to all others. It is a youkai magic known as 'pockets.' We can make nice little places for us to live so long as we live in harmony with our surroundings. Many pockets connect to both the human world and to other pockets and spirit worlds."
Dumbfounded, Cade spoke up, nodded.
"You're a bakeneko, right?"
"That's correct."
"Albion brought me here because he said something about making a pact with you."
The cat spirit looked to the dragon who, while still miniscule, was drinking from a bowl of the offered green tea whilst the American drank some to be polite. With a sigh, the spirit spoke up.
"You know I don't fight much anymore."
"The boy needs more guidance than I can give. You won't need to enter much combat."
"...I do this only because I owe you much."
"Thank you, my friend."
The bakeneko then approach the human, putting a paw on his hand as a bright glow passed between the two of them. Rubbing his eyes, the human looked to the spirit and then back at his hand before speaking up.
"What did you just do?"
"I made a pact with you. Call my name, 'Fusao,' and I will appear by your side."
The remainder of the night was filled with pleasant conversation and some training, but still managed to end in disaster as a desperate American climbed into a tree for about half an hour after the lion-dogs smelled the ghostly cat on his person until he could make his escape and return to his apartment.
Rubbing his eyes and shaking his head and speaking in Japanese with a sigh.
"Here you go- this is yours, isn't it?"
And then, feeling the ground shake, he popped his neck, something telling him to rush towards the source, but not before grabbing the girl's wrist and helping her to stand and before moving to run towards it.
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