Chapter Text
Its the leading days to summer break. 6 stands outside her house, where the sun reaches out for her and warms up her boots. She's spent most of her days cleaning the yard, pulling out weeds and throwing out the trash. These past few months something had shifted within her small little family. Gone where the early mornings where Mother would cook. Gone where the days Brother would wait for her to go to school. Gone where the days spent under the gentle wing that was her Father.
After New Years, things took a turn. What had happened?
Father, went on a trip without her. Instead Mother went with him and Brother was left in charge. The only rule? No leaving the cabin. Her parents left at 3am one night and returned after 3 weeks. When her parents returned, their bags were stuffed full of items; the first bag she handled was full of fabrics and what she can only assume is blankets. "They looked pretty!" Mother claims out when 6 unfolds a blanket. Soft and fluffy with patterns printed into the fur.
What happened?
New charms and other things where hung around the walls. From new protective charms hung along the cabin's railing to charms nailed inside the walls. 6 stares at the new additions with wide eyes and her skin itches slightly when she gets too close. Mother says its just the needle-like weeds she recently pulled out. Something under the floorboards say otherwise.
What happened?
Then Father presses a charm into her palms one morning. A new job means more money, lately its become a center point for him, gone were the days where her family could relax and get by with living off the land. What happened to that? The job Father is given has him out hunting a 'bear' that has been after pigs. Father has 6 tag along, telling her that it'll be a long job but he needs the help from her. It's there one foggy morning that he presses that charm towards her. She nearly drops the thing onto the floor, but Father's sharp reaction catches the item before she can break it. When she looks up at his face, her eyes trace the look of concern etched on him. "For you...don't go without it."
("Do I have too?" 6 asked slowly reaching out for the charm. She can't answer him when Father asked why she nearly dropped it. She can't. "Yes. Things are changing. Don't. Go. Without. It." Then he turns around to start the tracking. 6 eyes his gun strapped along his back. There's a matching Charm attached to it. Suddenly, 6 wonders, if it really is a bear they're after and not something more human.)
Its the leading days to summer break. 6 sits outside her house, where the sun reaches out for her and warms up her boots. She's spent most of her days cleaning the yard, pulling out weeds and throwing out the trash. Her old boots are covered in grass stains and her knees are smeared with mud. These past few months something had shifted within her small little family. Most days she pretends that nothing happened. Most nights 6 can't help that perhaps, she's the monster that ruined their peaceful life. She fiddles with the charm clipped to her overalls. Lately, her only companion seems to be the charm given to her that fateful day. Never leaving her side no matter what. Her cheek itches slightly as she thumbs at the charm with little thought. Every time her hand finds the small charm, her mind clears. A foggy window wiped clean. Fog waved away. Since...Winter Feast, 6's mind seemed to be hazy and lost. Around the time Father started coughing more often. (Some nights when 6 lays awake, her mind clears without reason, and she remembers the Snake when she was younger. There's something there. The snake and TV static.)
What happened?
After the Winter Feast, 6 had questioned Father about the cough. Most days it doesn't affect him much. Other days he can't seem to stop at all. He refuses to explain further than just a simple, 'my age catching up' but 6 knows there's more to it. Father is just as slippery as herself when it comes to hiding things. But, he timed it correctly, whatever he wishes to hide will stay in the shadows for now just outside of her grasp. It's summer again. With summer means Mono and his class arriving. Mono had missed out one year, not a single Pale City class coming to the island for summer camp. This time? Hopefully Mono will be here. It's her only chance to find him again after losing her phone.
She had her phone taken away after Winter Feast. Father refused to say where he placed it and with that she lost all contact with Mono. She still hasn't found the hiding place. But within a few days, he won't be able to stop her from running into the boy. Once she encounters Mono again, she'll ask him for his phone number then she can talk to him on the land-phone. The one attached closer to the back yard. Its not much but 6 can make it work. She will.
6 will be stuck calling him only. No more texts between them. Hot embarrassment runs through her blood at the sudden thought that, oh...maybe Father did read their texts. Grumbling she digs her heels into the ground. 6 uproots some buried rocks and minor weeds attempting to sprout. Thankfully nothing bad was shared between them, just a bunch of boring simple texts. Even still, embarrassment lingers in her blood at the thought of what Father could've read. These days she herself can't even remember it all but she knows that it was....a lot of texts and random photos.
Father, in the end, thinks he won this little battle between the two of them. What he won't know won't kill him.
"What're you doing?" A voice halts her planning. Looking away from her boots, 6 meets the face of her brother. Just like their father, he appears to be sick with something as well. These weeks he needs a cane to walk around. A bad limp has taken over his right side. Brother often complains about the pain, he tells her that sometimes its so sharp he can't focus his eyes so he has to spend his day within the house. Somewhere he doesn't need his eyesight to navigate. 6 isn't sure when he got the injury but at times she catches him staring at her back.
(What happened? A bad fall.)
"Waitin'." 6 mumbles out slowly letting go of the charm. She leans over and picks at the dying grass near her. Mother needs to water the yard again. But, it may just fall onto 6. Everyone seems to be feeling blue these days. Brother doesn't say anything after her answer. The weight of his gaze is heavy and feels like he is blaming her. Blaming her for what? "Waitin'," Brother echos slowly shuffling forward. When 6 hums in agreement and yanks out the dead grass does he finish his sentence. "Waitin' on that boy?"
Suddenly, his gaze is soft and gentle. His voice is teasing. Looking over her shoulder at him, 6 smiles at his figure. Her doting brother-
"Yeah."
-Vanishes before her eyes.
Brother's eyes snap up towards the forest that surrounds their small cabin. The wind blows and 6 glances up at the rattling the charms above make.
(what happened?)
Suddenly her family doesn't like Mono, like he's some rash that doesn't want to leave any time soon. Just festering back and stronger than ever. Why do they want to cut him out of the photo so suddenly? Was it due to her?
"Yeah," Brother's voice picks up once more.
6 flinches at his answer, whether he's aware of it or not. "You know Father ain't gonna like that. Whatever you're planning." Brother slurs out his words, a palm rubbing along his chest before moving upwards to his throat. Fingers caressing along his jaw as if there's an ache there. These days her family appears weaker and weaker. Pretending that she doesn't seem her family withering before her. That everything is fine. Is it? 6's eyes follow after his movement as he shuffles down onto the grass. His cane catches an uneven spot in the ground and he stumbles for a moment to catch himself.
6 rushes to catch him and is too slow to save most of him from the fall. Hissing, his knees strike into her ankle before scuffing into the sharp rocks below. A hard whack and even 6 can hear the rush of air at the pain that scatters into his nerves. It'll bruise perhaps even scar when it heals. He's all dead weight since he can't properly hold himself now. 6 woefully looks down at her boots. Grass stained and scuffed.
(She'll add that to her list, to clean up any sharp rocks near their house. Every last one. Whatever rock can tear into a sheet of paper must go.)
Perhaps the passing of Grandpa is affecting them all. Grief can take plenty of forms. Perhaps they've all fallen sick and weak from that.
(Why not her? Why isn't she affected like them? Does that make her a monster?)
6 doesn't take the bait from his scolding words. Instead, she holds Brother softly. Nor does she ask if he's okay. That charm Father gave her digs into her hip. Jabs all of its pointy ends into her jeans and stabs into her skin. It feels like a wasp got a hold of her. Stabbing her side. Blaming her for this. The pain she's given and the wounds she gave her dear brother. A special grade charm does that, it has all the sharp points and fancy jingles that any normal crafted one doesn't come with. A gift sought after by her grandparents, bought by Father. She hasn't let go of the charm since. All special grade ward or charm is often crafted by the Medicine Seller. A man whose whole job is centered around Mononoke. His work is often sought after. Plenty of folks on the island gladly go into debt to buy his attention. Usually, he comes around the island for free when a real troublesome Mononoke appears. Any other time? Money.
"6." Her brother wheezes out. Quickly, she stands up and looks downward at the blood that coats the rocks below them. "I understand." 6 finally clips out. Holding her brother tightly to her side.
It'll be fine.
(6 helps Brother gather his cane. She doesn't ask where he's off too and he gives her one last fleeting glance.)
So, long as she doesn't lose the charm. Father strictly said not too.
(She follows Brother, nervously picking at loose threads on her overalls. He'll be back. Surely.)
If she wishes to see Mono, she'll have to keep the charm attached to her. Along with avoiding the ever watchful eye of Father.
(it'll be fine.)
When she arrives at his campsite, there's less kids than when he last came over. 6 can't recall them all as she never truly met any of them but she still spots Mono first. He's standing next to a girl and listening to the rules before anything is set in stone. 6 clutches at the charm and frowns down at the shape when the sharper edges dig into her palm. She doesn't usually get nervous but suddenly this meeting feels too much. Would it be too late for her to flee now? He hasn't spotted 6 just yet. Her boots stay rooted to the ground. Idly, 6's thumb rolls along the edges of the charm as she watches a black snake slithers around her ankles. Was that snake really there? The point of a charm pokes at her palm and she snaps back to attention.
When she glances back up Mono is staring right back at her. Finally, it feels as if everything is back into place. That nothing has changed between herself and the world. All thanks to the shape of this boy. 6 is along the fence walls by the entrance. She must look like some stray cat, lingering there looking lost and confused.
(The snake slithers away, uncoils and edges away. Slowly it slips away. Unseen by her.)
From this distance, 6 can't fully take in the details of him, yet she still begins to smile. Slowly, her hand lets go of the charm and her mind is mind up. She decides to stay, she's not some lost stray cat. No matter how long it takes, she'll wait around. Even if he can only come over for a simple hello and goodbye. 6 will wait for him.
(It'll be fine.)
Without her phone to check the time, 6 thinks hours have gone by before finally everything appears to be covered over by the teacher and camp consulers. Under the summer haze, Mono makes his way over quickly after dropping his bags off by his tent. He dodges the girl that hangs by his side and rushes over with a wide smile. The girl's face is familiar in a way, but 6 can't be bothered to remember as Mono is getting closer. "6!" He calls once he's close enough and he opens his arms to hug her before hesitating a second. "Uhm, can I hug you?" He asks just as he comes to a stop in front of her. She lets the question linger in the summer air.
There's june bugs screaming in the air. Wind blows through the forest around them. And Mono is finally here.
The fence is in between them but, 6 grins at the boy before leaning over and flinging her arms around his neck. without much hesitation she lugs him into the fence (he grunts at the impact of the fence knocking into his gut). Just as quickly, her skin burns and scalds her like hot water and she pulls away. "You've grown!" She shouts out all teeth. Mono was taller than last time they saw each other but 6 is still taller than the boy just by a few good 4 inches she reckons. "Not by much it looks like." He hums all teeth too.
He's just as happy upon talking to her as she is him! When he goes to step away, its 6's turn to grunt at her gut hitting into the fence. Glancing downward they both look at the charm that has them tangled up. Perfectly threaded through a gap in the wooden fence, the special charm snagged into Mono's sweatshirt. Faintly, she worries that they've broke it. After so many days of keeping it safe.
"Oh, sorry." Mono apologizes right away reaching down to free them.
6 freezes as Mono's fingers graze the surface of the charm. Her skin raises with goose-bumps and her spin stiffens as he gently plucks free the strings twisted into the charm. Nervously, and suddenly shy, 6 glances away and meets the face of that girl. She's a still a bit away, slowly making her way towards them but her face is sort of pinched together. Worried. She looks worried. Who was she. 6 focuses on the other girl in hopes that she can ignore the weirdness of this situation. Because its weird right? (It's not, and later in her life 6 will realize why it felt so off. It was the charm.)
Mono's voice murmurs softly as he focuses. "What is this?" Mono asks freeing one of the charms tiny bells. It rings out sharply and 6 relaxes at the bell. Faintly, 6's bones start to buzz and her mind gets a little foggy. She can't seem to focus suddenly as Mono pulls slightly on the charm. The clip that attaches it to her outfit groans with the stress. "A charm, its pretty isn't it?" She responds and her voice has Mono loosen his hold on the object. He picks at the shape of it. Its starling silver, with different bead shapes, patterns and bell types strung into it. All together it forms a vague butterfly shape. Mono's fingers roll the beads and even thumbs at the bells. He's admiring it like some artwork hanging in the Pale City. But it isn't. It's just some charm.
Mono's sweatshirt is now threaded in-between the beads and bell shapes.
He doesn't say much after her answer. Mono just examines the charm awhile longer, attempting to un-thread it slowly. "Can I unclasp it? then untangling it will be easier." He says.
At his words, 6's mind becomes clear. Her eyes snap downward at the charm before frowning at how much it has knotted into his shirt. Mono, that kind boy, waits for her approval as 6 admires the threads of his shirt woven into the charm. Before she can open her mouth for an answer, that girl from before finally reappears.
(What was she gonna say? Yes? No? She can't answer.)
That girl seems unhappy at the sight of 6. As if she's the rash that festers.
What's the deal with other girls and 6? Why do they always assume the worst from her when she hasn't even done anything yet. Let her at least do something for them to wear that look at her. "Mono, what're you doing?" She hisses out grabbing the boy by his elbow. 6 frowns at the harsh movement and glares over at the shorter girl. The girl's action makes Mono shuffle his feet backward a bit, and in turn it pulls on the charm. Lowly, 6 makes a soft sound at the strain on the charm and her belt. Yet her feet are rooted at her spot and 6 can't seem to think as she stares down at the charm tangled up.
"Just untangling the charm." Mono coolly answers back with a huff. He yanks his arm back and steps close to stop the strain between the charm and the clasp that keeps it to 6. She studies the other girl a moment or two before looking at the charm as well. Rain leans over and peers at the charm before also settling her eyes on the clasp that keeps the charm secured to 6's overalls. "Why not just unclasp it?" She offers whilst reaching towards the charm. Striking fast like a rattle snake, 6 takes hold of the girls wrist and glares down at the point of contact between them both. Her palm begins to warm slowly. "No." 6 growls out thinking of smooth inky scales that coil hidden in tall grass.
The Black Snake.
"Rain." Mono scolds out like he's tired of the girl and her needling urge to trail him. Shoving her away, 6 glares at the other girl as she begins to bicker with Mono. During their little argument, 6 swiftly curls her palm around the charm and clutches hard at the object. Even if it stabs back at her. Her free hand comes up and gathers the point where Mono's shirt is tangled in. Her fist curls into the woolly fabric and holds it tightly. With a twist of her wrist and a hard tug, she rips the threads free from Mono's shirt. The movement is strong enough to unbalance Mono and he fumbles a moment before catching himself. Rain had her arms out to catch him yet, oddly, 6 thinks he stumbled away from her arms. "Sorry." She murmurs stepping away finally, only a little, from the fence. Mono looks down at the spot now with warped and messy threads. Both girls watch as his fingers rub at the tiny little spot she left behind. "Its just a shirt." He says just as that other girl starts to fuss over it. 6 watches as Mono's thumb slips into the gap left behind the hole and his pointer finger draws it into a small pinch.
(If she were her mother, 6 would offer to close it with some cross-stitching.)
How annoying.
With a grumble 6 finally looks behind her shoulder and remembers she can't stay out long. It's an excuse, really, as suddenly 6 feels shitty and horrible after the way she tore up his shirt. Even if Mono is fine with it. Still, night time has suddenly become the worst time for her, it makes her head ache and her skin itch. 6 becomes snappish and angry more during the nights she's awake still. Plus, she still has errands to do. "Mono, I have to get going now." 6 hisses out glaring at the girl. That classmate just had to come along and ruin their time together. Months and days waiting for this and a third wheel was not apart of her plans. "So soon?" Mono frowns as well, his eyes stare back at her before slowly he turns to side eye Rain. Mono's eyes seem to understand her displeasure. When Rain turns her stare from 6's frame and towards him, Mono is already looking away. Looking towards her instead.
(Is he thinking the same? That she ruined our short time together?)
"Well, good thing." The third wheel pipes up with a snotty huff. "Mono can't hang around you. He knows better."
"Excuse me?" 6 growls back. Her hands curl into a fist and her skin begins to itch again. "Say that again, bitch?"
"OKAY...." Mono's nervously cuts in. It ruins her anger and 6 huffs through her nose. Letting it fizzle out and smoulder out slowly. Only slightly upset Mono is cutting this short. "Be glad this fence is between us," 6 threatens out stepping away from the fence. "Else, I would've beaten your ass." She threatens out. Mono's hand fly to his mouth and he stifles out whatever he was going to say. Rain looks frightened at the threat and more worried when Mono does nothing after that other than to smile like a dork at 6. "Let's meet up again, 6." Then he leans over the fence, covers the side of his mouth with one hand and loudly whispers out, "Without Rain too."
Without much flare, 6 smiles bashfully at Mono, and she flees.
She takes the longer route to her house. Every time her mind wonders towards Mono 6 becomes shy and bashful. Is this what crushes are like? To fall in love and yearn for the other? She doesn't exactly picture them kissing or anything like that gross stuff, YUCK. Instead she thinks of the moments they splashed in the ocean, or when she fixed his bracelet for him. She dreams of teaching him wood carving, or how to track deer and hogs. Those are what make 6's heart flutter, her stomach get upset (not butterflies!) and shy. Perhaps she is in love. It feels strange when she slows to a stop.
6 lingers close to the marsh. The beginning of the swamp that covers most of the island. Where monsters go to hide away and roam freely. She stares at the Mononoke warning posters plastered everywhere. Some get their own special looking wooden post to hang from. Others are simply slapped onto trees or anything that is sturdy.
("迷っているんだ."*)
The posters are like mock-ups of missing people posters. On an island this call, you can't exactly run away and get lost. Everyone knows everyone here; if you attempt to flee towards the Pale City, the fishermen and market sellers at the port (and the only port here) know your face. Instead these mocking posters become warning posters. Informing ill-informed locals about the newest Mononoke dwelling in the area.
モノノ怪
Monoke, a certain type of ayakashi, that linger in this world. Bound by life to negative emotions. Anything can be given emotion as well, not just humans but animals and objects. If that will is strong enough that is.
6 steps closer to the beaten down wooden post-board. It's splintered and jagged around the edges. The paper for these paintings are yellowed and sun bleached. It's an out dated wooden post. When 6 glances around she spots the signs that point to the lack of human traffic through here. Over grown weeds, trash and litter lay scattered around and so many broken warding charms. Turn back to the post board, 6 lifts a hand and pulls back a few of the older warning signs.
Zashiki Warashi....Umizatou...
Oh wait, that Umizatou was a misread, as 6 squints her eyes she can assume it actually reads as Umibōzu. The image is too sun bleached to see but dread pools in her stomach, chasing away the soft joy that Mono left behind. Humming, 6 pulls away and watches as the papers flutter back to place barely crumbling from her actions. Most of these older Mononoke have been turned into stories and fables for the locals. Long 'solved' by the Medicine Seller, who comes to the island rarely.
This little island, 6 thinks as she wonders away from the forgotten post, has always been festering with yōkai.
Upon her arrival to her house, 6 sees that only Father is home. He glances over her body, checking to see if everything is in order before his eyes settle on the charm clipped to her outfit. The urge to reach over and cover the object is strong, but that'll make her more suspicious if she did it. Instead she holds out her arm that holds a plastic bag.
Inside is food. From fruits, meats and veggies and bread. Everything in-between that her small little wallet could buy. (She rarely spends money, so in reality she was able to buy a lot of stuff from the market today even expensive stuff like cheese and milk!)
Her plan works, as Father grasps the bags to look inside and swiftly away from his attention 6 unclasps the charm and shifts it to the belt loop more on her lower back than her hip side. "Cheese?" Father asks stiffly lifting the block out of its paper bag. Its the type thats gooey and melts easily. Perfect for soups and bread. "Yes, I had some money to spare." 6 explains tugging on the charm to make sure its secure.
Then she steps inside the house dragging along the other bag she had. Seasonings and other minor stuff for cooking. Flour, sugar, baking soda.
"6, what're you plannin', girl." Father's voice follows after her as she shuffles into the kitchen and their storage room. Under her breath, as 6 pulls out flour bags and packs them away, seals away the sugar, she whispers out a sentence. Dazed and confused.
わからない
Returning to the campsite felt weird to her. Like a solider returning to a old war zone. Or perhaps, a grieving wife staring into the graveyard her lover is buried in. 6 is grieving for something human, but what is it?
"What's that?" Mono asks pointing at the box she holds. She looks downward at the white box and blinks. What was it?
"Sweets." She mumbles out around her scarf. It's a cold foggy morning. Holding out the box, she wiggles around the staff (the one she uses when walking in the mornings) on her shoulder and inhales the smoke that bellows out. Mono starts to cough from it before he just waves it away like a pesky fly. "You can bake?" He asks as he's finally allowed to grab it. When he pulls the lid open the smell of freshly made bread floods the area. "Yup, sorta a skill here in the islands. If you can afford it." 6 rushes out as the staff handle snags on the charm.
As Mono lifts a piece of the bread up to his mouth, 6 tugs the staff free.
He bites.
Bells ring out.
Her mind is cleared.
"It's good!" He praises and 6 smiles at him.