#Rinko Akai

[ibukidoji-blog]

epilogue ~ therefore, the world is full of treasures

Once all was done with and over, the survivors of the grand Echo Express adventure eventually went about on their separate ways. To tie up loose ends in their lives, fulfill promises, end some stories.

As for Kiyoko Ibuki, she chose to travel back to her homeland. Back to Japan, to the mountain of Ooeyama the mountain hermit called home. Hidden deep within its forests is a grand house, the old home of a vicious band of demons, long gone. A house filled with countless memories. Countless, foggy memories.

Silently, with a smile that remembered, Kiyoko torched the house. Treasures, old and new, burned with the structure. The many old treasures, each dedicated to one of those demons in her memories, their names long lost. And eleven new treasures, each dedicated to those who had left this world in the Echo Express.

It’s alright, she had made precautions for the fire to not catch onto the mountain. And people would have eventually noticed something burning in the distance, and they would take care of it.

She stood right outside, watching the flames engulf the massive funeral pyre, solemnly drinking from a gourd of sake. She watched as the flames reached the sky, and Shuten-douji was no more. Those days were over. They were long over. Only these failing memories remain...

And so, after over many, many decades since then, the girl who lost everything finally shed tears. The smile she wore was weak, and she could feel it breaking. There was no more noble band of raiders. There was no more Ibaraki-douji. And there was no more Rinko. The children of the Echo Express, little Akai-douji, none of them were here anymore. And time will pass, and eventually they wouldn’t even be in her memories--no. 

No, no. Kiyoko shakes her head and wipes her tears. The smile returns in full, filled with determination. She’ll hold onto them. She’ll hold onto what’s left. Kiyoko empties the gourd of sake, then tosses it into the flames. There was no more mountain hermit.

And she’ll create new memories. New memories, new treasures for her to one day fondly look back to. Kiyoko smiles at the funeral pyre one last time, its flames roaring violently in the night. She’s been here too long, and she could hear panicked voices growing in the forest. 

Quietly, Kiyoko Ibuki leaves, not once looking back.

**********

The fire in Ooeyama had cause quite a stir. The stories flocked to the charred, burned down mansion that no one knew about save for a lucky few. It seemed it was the source of an urban legend that told of a young maiden luring those lost in the forest with a haunting tune, into her ominous home.

Historians were more excited about discovering the home of the bandits who had revived the legend and fear of Shuten-douji back during the Taishou era. Theories flew around over how it was only recently found, why it was burned down, and who had done it. There were many, but all must ask the question: does the band of oni in Ooeyama live still?

And still there were more profound discoveries yet. Close to the ashes of the mansion, was a cave leading deep within the mountain. There, they found the remains of a village, long ruined by an attack many, many decades ago. 

But it wasn’t as abandoned as it seemed, as every house in it contained a treasure of sorts, varying from old dolls to precious coins. They each were laid there with flowers and a new bottle of sake, as if someone had recently passed by to visit graves.

In their scouring through the ruins, one researcher found an old book, and scribbled in faded letters: a tale of the oni that dwell in this mountain. Outlaws that raided and stole from those of corrupt desires, bandits that took in the vulnerable and impoverished to share their loot with. 

A band of hero--

The tattooed woman shuts the television off. “Goodness. Do they not feel any embarrassment digging so deeply into someone’s past? And that fool; as if coating the deeds with something as dull as heroism would make something sweeter,” she gives out an exasperated sigh. 

“What can I say? I can’t blame anyone seeking to enjoy a good story,” she giggles, before looking over to the woman, hands tied and on her knees in front of her. “Right?” she grins.

“Captain... Kim Jo Yoon.” The tattooed woman looks to her phone, fiddling with it, then showing her a picture of herself. “This is you, correct?” Taking another look at her, the tattooed woman nods, then takes her phone back. “My, my, that’s a huuuge bounty you have there.

“What do you have to say about that?” She bends down, eyeing the captain, smiling cheerfully. “Oh, right. A conversation is between two people, hee hee.” Kiyoko violently rips off the tape on her mouth.

“Who... the hell are you?” Captain Jo Yoon demands once the pain wears off. She chooses her words and tone carefully, as it’s evident that the tattooed woman in front of her is not just a random bounty hunter. No random bounty hunter by their lonesome could just waltz into the ship of one of the most dangerous pirates today and live, much less capture the captain.

“Kiyoko Ibuki. A random bounty hunter. Freelance, a beginner.” Kiyoko shrugs. “Thinking of being a pirate. I have to earn money somehow, though, so yes, I find myself playing bounty hunter for now. Alcohol doesn’t pay for itself.”

“What are you here for?” Kim narrows her eyes at her, sounding infuriated.

“I’m glad you asked!” Kiyoko claps her hands together, beaming. “I have a rendezvous with some friends in around a month. It’s all the way in New York, though. I’m here to borrow your ship. Or steal, if I’m to be a pirate.”

“Just take a fucking plane!” the captain snaps. 

But Kiyoko looks away, rubbing her head with a weak laugh. “Alas, I’m out of funds. I wouldn’t know how to fly one, either. I was wondering how to get there and decided to look for the pirate bounty closest to me, hee hee.”

“Unbelievable,” Kim exhales, closing her eyes. You couldn’t have just asked, she almost says, but that’s an ultimately pointless question. “And? What do you plan to do if I say no?”

Kiyoko pats the captain’s shoulders, smiling. "Do you feel like you’re in a position to say no?” she exclaims cheerfully.

Although her smile is friendly and she’s acting, annoyingly, overly familiar, Captain Kim Jo Yoon felt then that her crew and her ship are in a very real danger. Kiyoko would likely blow up the ship and forget about collecting the bounty. Perhaps not, but from the less-than-an-hour time she’s spent with this insane woman, it’s not hard for her to imagine. Fighting her has already proven impossible, else she wouldn’t be in this situation.

“You’ve grown quiet,” Kim hears her speak. “Have you made your decision?”

Her brows furrowed in extreme annoyance, the captain sighs. “Fine. New York, right?” She holds up her bound hands. “Cut me free and I’ll take you there, and hopefully be rid of you forever.”

Kiyoko smiles, looking as if she’s about to hug Kim, causing the captain to recoil. But she just nods and swiftly brings out a knife, cutting the ropes. 

She then opens her mouth to say something but Kim cuts her off. “And no, you can’t drive the ship,” Kim sighs, rubbing her wrists. “Well then. If you’d come with me, ‘honored guest,’” she adds sarcastically as she gets up, dusting off her clothes, “I’ll have to introduce you to the crew and you can make yourself at home.”

“Uwah... honored guest?” Kiyoko echoes, scowling. “That was gross. What do you think you are? Some shitty conductor?”

“Just. Fucking shut up. Do you ever fucking shut up?”

“Get your ‘honored guest’ some wine and I’ll think about it.”

[minahoo]

"For normal people, about one unfortunate event occurs in an one day period. But it's different for me. Unfortunate events seem to pile on top of one another."