The Forest God's New Familiar

~ Chapter 3 ~

The black-haired female stared at the piece of paper in her hand, then looks up at Takehiko. "What am I suppose to do with this?" She asked, referring to the paper.

Takehiko answered "Since you are practically defenceless right now, I thought it would be best if I taught you how to use your yokai powers."

"You're a god though," Kyoko pointed out.

"Yes, but god powers and yokai powers are much alike, only they use different methods to draw out their own power, but the concept is particularly the same," he explained, taking the paper from her hand. "I want you to sli—" he was interrupted as Kyoko sliced the paper in half with her hands.

A vein popped on Takehiko's head.

Bang!

An anime bump was on Kyoko's head as Takehiko continued on "As I was saying, I want you to slice this piece of paper in half using your yokai powers, in this case, that would be wind. Until you are able to do that, you are not allowed to leave this field," he passed the two pieces of paper to her. "You can begin."

He stood in the middle of the grassy plains as he watches her try to slice the paper in two using her dominant powers.

It was midnight already and the papers were still in one piece, Kyoko was sitting in the backyard of the shrine, her eyes looking at the papers. Takehiko had fallen asleep long ago on the wooden boards, with a blanket on top of him to keep him warm. Akari and Aurora were sleeping beside him, they were suppose to watch over her but they couldn't keep their eyes open and ended up falling asleep.

Since Kyoko was a yokai, sleep wasn't absolutely necessary for her - only a few times will she need to sleep to rest her body, but in all, she doesn't need to sleep at all. So, she spent the night trying to complete her task.

It's been a week and Kyoko still hasn't been able to do her task, or rather, she hasn't tried, she was thinking about ways to do it than rather trying to. Although, when she did try, only a flicker of wind would come but it wasn't enough to slash the papers into two. She tapped her finger on the dirt, trying to think of a solution. Using a power was different to everyone, it may be by thought, or by action or simply emotions trigger your power. However, since she was a practically an emotional creature, emotional triggers was not going to be her key in using her powers. So, it was either by action or by thought. She sighs to herself, before standing up from the ground that she hadn't moved from for a week, deciding to take a break.

"Kyoko," she looked up to see Takehiko. "Why don't we eat some food?" He smiled at her while she raised an eyebrow.

"Food?"

"Alright, eat up!" Takehiko said, placing a plate of dangos on the coffee table.

Kyoko stared at the food, before at Takehiko. She stated "I don't need to eat. I'm a yokai."

"I know, but since you are going to be the guardian of humans from now on, you have to experience what's it like to be a human. Meaning, you'll be having human meals like them," Takehiko said as Kyoko stared back at the food again.

"Live like a human?" She murmured as she picked up the stick that held the dangos.

After staring at it for what seemed like hours, she plopped it into her mouth. Her eyes lit up slightly, and she glanced away from the food, having an annoyed look on her face. Takehiko laughed at her expression, "It's good isn't it?"

She took the stick out of her mouth. ".... I guess..."

Takehiko laughed and said "You shouldn't lie, Kyoko! It doesn't suit you! Now eat up, after this you're going to go out into the village to buy some things!"

"I thought I wasn't allowed to leave until I completed my task," Kyoko pointed out, eating the rest of her 'snack'.

"Yes, I did," he stated. "However, you have a new task. And that is to be a human - not physically of course, but to act like one - if you know what I mean."

"Personality wise?" He sighed.

"No, just do the regular things that humans do. Hang out with friends—"

"I don't have friends - unless that counts you and the two cats," a vein popped on his head.

"Eating food," he continued. "Cooking, shopping, cleaning, learning and many other things. That's what you'll be doing for the whole day, now chop chop and eat."

She finished off her dangos, and next thing she knew, she was cleaning the dishes, washing clothes, learning educational stuff, reading and cooking.

In one day, she managed to learn most of the things that humans do to survive. However, there was a few things that Takehiko left out for her to keep her innocence.

At the end of the day, she was outside in the field again, looking at the papers. She question the God "What was your motive in making me be a human for a day, Takehiko?"

"Hmmm," he thinks about it before smiling. "You cannot protect humans unless you understand them. If you know how they work, you always have an idea of the best way to protect them. You are quite new to human society I believe, so I thought it would be best for you to know what's it like to be a human and not a vicious yokai that kills anything in her path...," he sighs. "Besides, I thought you might wanted a break from training. You seemed to have problems grasping onto the fact that you do not kill anymore, but you protect. You are a familiar of the Forest God, with that title in mind, you must protect this town with your life, that is your duty."

Kyoko stared at him for a few seconds before picking up the two squares of paper in between her fingers. She stood up and breathed in, the two papers were sliced in half, the cut off slices falling to the ground. Her eyes were at the darkened sky. "My life for the town's, huh?" She looked at Takehiko, a very small, almost sad smile playing onto her lips. "I think I can do that. Is that my purpose now?"

"I suppose it is," Takehiko responded.

"If that is my job, then I will protect this town with my life," she said, her face serious as wind rotated around her viciously.

Takehiko smiled. "I look forward to working with you, Kyoko," he wrote the word familiar on her forehead using his powers.

The words glowed gold. "You are officially my familiar - from this time forward, I am unable to form another contract with anyone else. I pledge my loyalty to you, we will be partners, always, until the contract is broken."

Kyoko said subconsciously "I, Kyoko, from now on, pledge my loyalty to you until the end of time. We will be partners, always, until the contract is broken. If this pledge is ever to be broken..."

"Then we shall die as cursed beings," the two said together. "As gods and familiars that do not show loyalty, are not worthy to call each other partners," the words glowed brightly and split into two, fading into the two's bodies.

Kyoko realised she just said some random words out of her mouth. She asks emotionlessly, looking at Takehiko questioningly "What did I just do?"

Takehiko chuckles and pats her head, "From this time forward, you are my familiar, Kyoko," she looks at Takehiko in the eyes.

She stayed silent for a few seconds, before asking "Does that makes this shrine my new home forever?"

"Till the end of time, Kyoko. You are my familiar after all," Takehiko replied.

.

.

.

"I still think you're a pedophile."

Takehiko sulks "Do you even know what does that word mean?"

A smile played on Kyoko's lips, an actual smile. She said "Of course not. I'm just your familiar."

Takehiko just chuckles. Just as I thought, she was going to fit right in.