So, it’s been a week and a half and I guess it’s time to step up and finish this arc.
---------------------------------------------
“Trust me…I’ll think of something.”
“Hey Cross Boy! I hear you priest friend is in for it now!”
“Yeah, they’re going to throw the freaking book at him.”
“I’m glad he’s out of our way. If he came near me, my dad would kill him!”
“He didn’t anything wrong. He’s only being investigated.”
“He didn’t harm me. I’m an altar boy. He didn’t come near me.”
“Yeah, I hear ya.”
“Junichi? What are you doing out of school?”
“I could say the same for you, but it seems pretty obvious, unfortunately.”
“You shut up! Father Akari is a good man and he hasn’t been accused of anything! He’s just…being evaluated.”
“I get it, I get it. It must be tough, being Catholic.”
“You don’t even know. Shintoism must be perfect for you. Let the gods have all the fun. Pray and let the magic happen. I have to work for my happiness! I go to church, I keep my head down, I read the Catechism. I pray, I pray, I pray! And where has it gotten me? My dad’s in the Yakuza, my mother’s health isn’t good, my grades are low, and the only person I had left to talk to is now sitting in a prison. What happened to me, Junichi?”
“Heiji, listen. I can help you. You can keep your Catholicism and I will accept it. You can live you life and I will aid it. You can find someone else. There are people who can help you. When Mom died, they gave me strength. They knew how you struggle. We all struggle with something. We’re human. Things happen.”
“Who are these people?”
“Just some friends. You know that guy Hiroshi Maebure?”
“The high-school drop out?”
“Yeah. He’s actually really nice, once you get to know him. Meet us at the Tozai Line where it intersects the Arakawa River.”
“Yeah, sure.”
“Lord, help…”
“お父さん！お父さん！どこにいる！助けて！”
Kuroshiro opened his eyes. His katana was unsheathed. He stared at it for who knows how long. The days that passed. The days he spent working on this blade. Were they worthless in the end? It did just save Griffin and Akira.
Akira.
What was her business? Why did she do the things she did? Why the club?
Griffin.
What happened to him after Cyrus was killed? How did he react? What would happen now?
And the demon.
"Very soon, you will know the truth. Kuroshiro, you are a good soul. I almost regret that you and the others have had to suffer. The truth shall be made known, but you will not like it. None will."
Perhaps it was time to step out for a bit. Kuroshiro sheathed Yurokibō stood up and phased through the walls. Reaching the main door, he turned around. No one was awake. He phased through the doors and walked outside.
The morning dawn peeking across the horizon, Heiji could see the main road down the hill. That should lead into town.
黒白
St. Paul Miki Parish of the Valley.
Kuroshiro needed to discuss these matters with a trusted source. The parish was not large by any standard, just a small thatch of land that invoked the light of the horizon. No flying buttresses of European standards, no art deco shard of glass like in St. Mary’s Cathedral, Tokyo. It was calmness and simplicity coming together in a manner endorsing the process of Jesus Christ.
It was just what he needed.
Kuroshiro phased through the door and looked around. “Hello?” His voice carried throughout the narthex. The light carried its way through small stained glass that adorned the walls, shooting an array of Technicolor shades around. The small alcoves giving homage to the great St. Paul Miki and Mother Mary were beautiful by themselves. The colors of stained glass only added to their beauty.
Once again he called for a person. A young face answered his call.
The priest wore the basic clerical garb and a fresh face that had aged from a decade of work in the Church. His light face was adorned with glasses that increased his wisdom by not so many years. He looked up to see Kuroshiro. “Well hello. The next Mass doesn’t start for another two hours but I’m currently working with the preparations. Can I help you with anything?”
“Yes. I would like to have a Confession. If you don’t mind.”
“Oh, of course. Though, would you to know the actual Reconciliation hours we have?”
“No, I need a Confession as soon as possible.”
The priest’s face changed. “Forgive me. I did not know it was serious. Please right this way, sir.”
Kuroshiro followed the priest into the back of the inner church. From a glance, he could see the modern relics throughout the sanctum, the tabernacle bare, the candles extinguished except for the one that burned throughout the year. It was a simple setup that gave him warmth not felt in many months.
Filing through the Adoration chapel, the priest unlocked the confessional and walked to the other side. Kuroshiro sat down in front of him, floating slightly in order to appear human. He made the sign of the Cross and began his penance.
“Bless me father for I have sinned. It has been five man-tsu since my last confession. These are my sins. I have re-aku-tedu with malice. I have been vain towards friends. I haven’t gone to church in two weeks. I killed a man. These and my other sins, I am heartily sorry for.”
“You killed a person?”
“Well, no. It was a demon.”
“You mean an Akuma?”
“But that’s…”
“A Japanese term. Yes, I could tell by your accent. Though, it helps that I studied Theology in college with emphasis on Shintoism and Zen Buddhism. The one question is how you killed a demon.”
“Well…the truth is… I’m a su-pirito.”
“A spirit. My, my, that is certainly different. So you are here regarding regrets of your life?”
“No. These are ri-sentu sins. There are many sins I eku-supiri-entsu-du during my life. Ones that take more than forgiveness; they take an entire peru-gatori.”
“So, by my knowledge, you are a yūrei, the spirit of a person between the living and dead. Do you experience strong emotions?”
“Fen-ju-ensu is part of it. Though, I’m not a yūrei by any stretch. I’m actually a psychopomp.”
“Good to hear. Now, what I want you to do for Penance is a Rosary, meditating on God’s grace. Also, attempt to work against your quest of vengeance and learn to trust those around you. If indeed you are in Purgatory, you will need anyone’s support. And now, your absolution.”
God the Father of mercies,
through the death and resurrection of his Son
has reconciled the world to himself
and sent the Holy Spirit among us
for the forgiveness of sins;
through the ministry of the Church
may God give you pardon and peace,
and I absolve you from your sins
in the name of the Father, and of the Son,
and of the Holy Spirit.
“Thank you, Father. May I ask you two kuwe-shuns?”
“Anything, my son. Though, please, call me Father Brannen.”
“Father Brannen, how were you not confused by my status as a spirit?”
“Perhaps you know better than I do. There’s a spirit by the name of Michael Davenport. He’s the first spirit I met and has since told me never to be afraid of those who enter the Church.”
“I…guess that makes sense.”
“You had a second question?”
Kuroshiro shifted in his chair. His stomach choked with insecurity. “Yes. Is it…a sin to love a human while in peru-gatori?”
“Is it in a sexually perverse manner?”
“Well, no.”
“Then I see no reason. It is not lustful, thus it is strong and will give you hope. Though, a word of caution, spirit. Love amidst a time of spiritual battles will test this love. Love, though ever strong, never failing, can be easily scarred with the truth. It can be tarnished with reality. It can even prove deadly when deliberately fought over. Use care when loving in times of uncertainty.”
Kuroshiro, with every word, sunk deeper into the chair. The wisdom bestowed upon Father Brannen came directly from the Holy Spirit, no doubt. Though, they stung like syringes, each carrying a new disease, breaking him from the inside. At the warning’s end, he stood up and bowed with uncertain respect. “Thank you, Father, for being honest. Now, I must return to my friends.”
The priest halted his movement “Spirit, I have a question.”
“Yes?”
“How is the world faring these days?”
Even humans such as he have doubts. “Heaven kon-tinusu to shine each day. It’s how we get up in the morning; it’s how we suri-pu through the night with peace; it’s how we live. Though I will say this. Vigilance is key. Make no mistake. There are still demons.” As an afterthought, he said, “My name is Kuroshiro. Tell Maikeru I said hello.”
With that, Kuroshiro phased through the door behind him and sighed. The Rosary on his finger served its purpose. As he walked he began, “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”
黒白
When he arrived back at the mansion, a person outside the main doors greeted Kuroshiro.
“Griffin?”
“Kuroshiro. I was just wondering where you were. I have something to tell you.”
Griffin walked over with cockiness in stride and punched him in the face. The fist whooshed through Kuroshiro and retracted.
“That’s for thinking of me as an asshole.”
“Yeah. I guess I deserved that. Griffin?”
"Yes Kuroshiro."
"Promise me you'll kon-tinyu being Akira's hogo-sha. I mean, her garu-dionu."
Griffin looked at him, subtly realizing what Kuroshiro was asking for. "I'll protect her. I'll watch your back too, if that's alright. After all, you have better things to do, like get to heaven and whatnot."
"Thank you, Griffin. For once, I don't feel ron-ry anymore."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, for once, I'm making an effort. I now know furendo-shippu takes a little strength to build. Getting out of the city, not having to deal with people being sad all the time. Peru-gatori is a two way street, my furendo. I don't have to suffer all the time. I can remember there's still a God, at least I hope so. I can rememu-beru he wants me to be happy. So that's what I'll try to be. The world is mine, and only I can change it."
Griffin looked on as the sun hung high in the sky. A new day dawned and with it newfound confidence in Kuroshiro. He would not stop until his death. He would not rest until his final breath.
I will have resolve for those around me. Akira, Griffin, Karin, Acacia, Michael, Father Brannen. Even Vevila. I swear to you, Lord, whatever happens, I'll use these powers to aid everyone. This is my last chance, my one shot. I'm not screwing it up.
----------------------------------------------------
So, a couple of things I found out during vacation
1) Candy cigarettes are awesome but you can never find them when you want them.
2) Other people’s beds are ridiculously comfortable.
3) Corn dogs make people throw up.
4) It’s called sun-tan lotion for a reason.
5) Pendleton Ward is a storytelling genius and can do no wrong.
6) Anthony Horowitz isn’t half bad either, especially with Sherlock Holmes.
7) Michael Phelps is a beast.
8) I remember love through Rastafarian beads.
9) KanJam is harder than it looks.
10) The Dark Knight Rises. Just. The Dark Knight Rises. Awesome.
11) The one thing a vacation requires is another vacation.
So, I guess it was time to present a side of Kuroshiro that isn’t exposed as much and that is his Catholic side. Much of this research and language comes from my own experiences as a Catholic. Any weird words that seem different, I can provide the definition.
Plus, Griffin and Kuroshiro are friends now. So yay!
I’m glad WyvernWings continued the arc. Will be writing again soon. Perhaps delving even deeper into Kuroshiro’s past and psychology. This time, I revealed how his classmates treated him for being a Catholic and how Junichi (who will be important later) tried to help him.
So, until next time!
