#airisu — Public Fediverse posts

#Airisu: The Crow and the Witch

Himeji Castle (Airisu POV): Post 55
#Wss366 return #TimeTravelAuthors 8/14 What ever

I’d pictured that once we entered the castle’s gate, we would cross a yard and enter the main citadel, much like a European castle. There was indeed a large courtyard, but I already saw things would be more complicated than I’d assumed. Ahead rose buildings, walls, and sprawling paths. Above us, my nosy, big-billed cousins circled, so I couldn’t even scout.

Sumika unhesitantly followed one of the broad avenues that led around a vast green. I hoped it was the right way.

As if reading my mind, Mistress said, “I visited Himeji when I was a kid. This part’s easy, but it turns into a maze later. I got lost on the #return trip; what a nightmare! Someone found me crying in a dead-end courtyard. So embarrassing.”

I managed a soft coo. “Ohooo oh.” I could picture it. Even though I hated kids, it touched my heart.

“There’s another gate ahead,” she said after walking a good way and navigating two more intersections.

We slipped through this barrier as well, then stopped.

“This is where it starts getting complicated,” Sumika said.

“Starts,” I thought. “I’m already lost.”

#TootFic #NMFic #Crows #Otherkin #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy #TimeTravel #Serial #SlowBurn #Sapphic #Folklore

#Airisu: The Crow and the Witch

Himeji Castle (Airisu POV): Post 55
#Wss366 return #TimeTravelAuthors 8/14 What ever

I’d pictured that once we entered the castle’s gate, we would cross a yard and enter the main citadel, much like a European castle. There was indeed a large courtyard, but I already saw things would be more complicated than I’d assumed. Ahead rose buildings, walls, and sprawling paths. Above us, my nosy, big-billed cousins circled, so I couldn’t even scout.

Sumika unhesitantly followed one of the broad avenues that led around a vast green. I hoped it was the right way.

As if reading my mind, Mistress said, “I visited Himeji when I was a kid. This part’s easy, but it turns into a maze later. I got lost on the #return trip; what a nightmare! Someone found me crying in a dead-end courtyard. So embarrassing.”

I managed a soft coo. “Ohooo oh.” I could picture it. Even though I hated kids, it touched my heart.

“There’s another gate ahead,” she said after walking a good way and navigating two more intersections.

We slipped through this barrier as well, then stopped.

“This is where it starts getting complicated,” Sumika said.

“Starts,” I thought. “I’m already lost.”

#TootFic #NMFic #Crows #Otherkin #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy #TimeTravel #Serial #SlowBurn #Sapphic #Folklore

#WordWeavers AU 12: If your main character had a comfort food, what would it be?

#Airisu: Chicken nugs!
Sumika: No, they aren't good for you.

#NMPrompts #NMWW

#WordWeavers AU 12: If your main character had a comfort food, what would it be?

#Airisu: Chicken nugs!
Sumika: No, they aren't good for you.

#NMPrompts #NMWW

#PennedPossibilities 1093: Name something you love about your MC.

#Airisu: Is a wise-cracking smart-ass. She is fun to write.
#NMPP #NMPrompts

#PennedPossibilities 1093: Name something you love about your MC.

#Airisu: Is a wise-cracking smart-ass. She is fun to write.
#NMPP #NMPrompts

#WordWeavers 2026.07.29 — What’s your MC’s least favorite mode of transportation?

#Airisu: An ambulance. A car is bad enough without that siren and flashing lights. Ack, ack, ack. An ambulance, get it?

#NMWW #NMPrompts

#WordWeavers 2026.07.29 — What’s your MC’s least favorite mode of transportation?

#Airisu: An ambulance. A car is bad enough without that siren and flashing lights. Ack, ack, ack. An ambulance, get it?

#NMWW #NMPrompts

#WordWeavers 7.25 — What wrong assumption do people make about your MC?

Bijou the #TimeTravelingGhost: That she is wacked-out, superstitious, academic. Fact is, she is right.
Emily Pan: That she is a lonely, unhappy spinster. Actually, she is proud of being an independent woman.

#Airisu: She is just a silly bird brain. "Contraywise, I am a brilliant bird brain."
Sumika: She is a bubblehead. She is quite intelligent, only she has learned to hide it as unlady-like.

#NMWW #NMPrompts

#WordWeavers 7.25 — What wrong assumption do people make about your MC?

Bijou the #TimeTravelingGhost: That she is wacked-out, superstitious, academic. Fact is, she is right.
Emily Pan: That she is a lonely, unhappy spinster. Actually, she is proud of being an independent woman.

#Airisu: She is just a silly bird brain. "Contraywise, I am a brilliant bird brain."
Sumika: She is a bubblehead. She is quite intelligent, only she has learned to hide it as unlady-like.

#NMWW #NMPrompts

#Airisu: The Crow and the Witch

Himeji Castle (Airisu POV): Post 54
#Wss366 Steer #TimeTravelAuthors 7/24 What ever

The servants we were tailing gossiped about events in the castle. One woman was talking about something that happened by the well, and the others tried to #steer her away from the subject, especially as we drew near the guards at the gate.

Sumika edged closer to them, trying to eavesdrop, but all we could make out was, “Well, I wouldn’t have turned the Lord down! What did she expect?” This may or may not have had anything to do with Okiku, but it sounded ominous.

One good thing came of the discussion, though. The other ladies looked at the young gossip with distaste and tried to draw away from her. However, she was oblivious and followed them, so they ended up milling just outside the gates.

The guards seemed more interested in watching the show than doing their duty, and we slipped into the fortress.

#TootFic #NMFic #Crows #Otherkin #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy #TimeTravel #Serial #SlowBurn #Sapphic #Folklore

#Airisu: The Crow and the Witch

Himeji Castle (Airisu POV): Post 54
#Wss366 Steer #TimeTravelAuthors 7/24 What ever

The servants we were tailing gossiped about events in the castle. One woman was talking about something that happened by the well, and the others tried to #steer her away from the subject, especially as we drew near the guards at the gate.

Sumika edged closer to them, trying to eavesdrop, but all we could make out was, “Well, I wouldn’t have turned the Lord down! What did she expect?” This may or may not have had anything to do with Okiku, but it sounded ominous.

One good thing came of the discussion, though. The other ladies looked at the young gossip with distaste and tried to draw away from her. However, she was oblivious and followed them, so they ended up milling just outside the gates.

The guards seemed more interested in watching the show than doing their duty, and we slipped into the fortress.

#TootFic #NMFic #Crows #Otherkin #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy #TimeTravel #Serial #SlowBurn #Sapphic #Folklore

#Airisu: The Crow and the Witch

Okiku Part II (Airisu POV): Post 53
#Wss366 Flock #TimeTravelAuthors 7/17. How honorable are your characters?

The shrine priest showed us to a small outbuilding and, we soon possessed a straw cloak. I had pictured something cruder. The woven work on the cloak was elaborate and must have taken time and skill to produce.

At the same time, they brought us rice and boiled greens. “What about me?” I started to say, but Sumika shushed me.

After the priest had left, she explained. “This is so we don’t get upset with them and sic Seirei-tsukai on them. It’s not real hospitality. Besides, I’ll share.”

That seemed unduly honorable to me. If they were cowards, she should demand more. Extortion is a noble, time-honored art. What “weasel” wouldn’t engage in it? But I didn’t complain. I had my dollop of rice. [Note: The priest compared Sumika to a weasel in the last episode.]

Speaking of admirable traits, I took the opportunity to tell Mistress how proud I was of her handling of the shrine priest. Sumika, the silly creature, blushed and pretended she hadn't done anything special. I was again reminded of how funny humans were. I was glad to have finished with that.

Enchanting the cloak turned out to be totally boring, and she soon completed her work, leaving us with nothing to do until evening.

Eventually, the shadows grew longer, and we decided to leave.

“No basket,” I announced. “I’ve had enough of that.”

“Of course not,” Sumika said. “Get on my shoulder, and I’ll put the cloak over you.”

It wasn’t ideal, but it beat that basket, so I did as I was told.

Outside the shrine, people were streaming into the castle. Overhead, a #flock of jungle crows circled. None of them paid us any attention. We were invisible except for our shadows, and even they seemed weak.

Mistress fell into step beside servants carrying baskets. She kept her distance so they wouldn’t bump into us, but close enough that our shadows blended with theirs. And all without my giving her any directions. I was beginning to think that maybe she wasn’t a pigeon brain after all. Could she have been hiding her intelligence when we first met? Women did that, didn’t they? Humans!

Ahead, the castle gates loomed. I hoped she would continue to do well.

#TootFic #NMFic #Crows #Otherkin #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy #TimeTravel #Serial #SlowBurn #Sapphic #Folklore

#Airisu: The Crow and the Witch

Okiku Part II (Airisu POV): Post 53
#Wss366 Flock #TimeTravelAuthors 7/17. How honorable are your characters?

The shrine priest showed us to a small outbuilding and, we soon possessed a straw cloak. I had pictured something cruder. The woven work on the cloak was elaborate and must have taken time and skill to produce.

At the same time, they brought us rice and boiled greens. “What about me?” I started to say, but Sumika shushed me.

After the priest had left, she explained. “This is so we don’t get upset with them and sic Seirei-tsukai on them. It’s not real hospitality. Besides, I’ll share.”

That seemed unduly honorable to me. If they were cowards, she should demand more. Extortion is a noble, time-honored art. What “weasel” wouldn’t engage in it? But I didn’t complain. I had my dollop of rice. [Note: The priest compared Sumika to a weasel in the last episode.]

Speaking of admirable traits, I took the opportunity to tell Mistress how proud I was of her handling of the shrine priest. Sumika, the silly creature, blushed and pretended she hadn't done anything special. I was again reminded of how funny humans were. I was glad to have finished with that.

Enchanting the cloak turned out to be totally boring, and she soon completed her work, leaving us with nothing to do until evening.

Eventually, the shadows grew longer, and we decided to leave.

“No basket,” I announced. “I’ve had enough of that.”

“Of course not,” Sumika said. “Get on my shoulder, and I’ll put the cloak over you.”

It wasn’t ideal, but it beat that basket, so I did as I was told.

Outside the shrine, people were streaming into the castle. Overhead, a #flock of jungle crows circled. None of them paid us any attention. We were invisible except for our shadows, and even they seemed weak.

Mistress fell into step beside servants carrying baskets. She kept her distance so they wouldn’t bump into us, but close enough that our shadows blended with theirs. And all without my giving her any directions. I was beginning to think that maybe she wasn’t a pigeon brain after all. Could she have been hiding her intelligence when we first met? Women did that, didn’t they? Humans!

Ahead, the castle gates loomed. I hoped she would continue to do well.

#TootFic #NMFic #Crows #Otherkin #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy #TimeTravel #Serial #SlowBurn #Sapphic #Folklore

#Airisu: The Crow and the Witch

Okiku Part II (Airisu POV): Post 52
#Wss366 spirit #TimeTravelAuthors Whatever

The shaman had led us to believe that we would be welcome at the Ō-Inari Shrine. This was apparently not true. The castle crows were downright hostile, and the priest frowned at Sumika, pinching his mouth and brow.

“Have you and your #spirit come to cause us more trouble?” the priest asked. He gestured at me, implying I was a spirit.

“Seirei-tsukai told me to ask you for a straw cloak and a place to work till evening. Then I will be on my way, demanding nothing more from you,” Mistress replied.

That was more like it. After her performance dealing with Dōken-Shin, I hadn’t expected her to show any spunk. The word “demanding” might have been a little harsh, but she was firm. Excellent! If the priest thought my mistress was a proper Edo lady who would defer to him, she’d set him straight.

However, that assessment proved premature, as he promptly responded, “What makes you believe we have such a thing, or even if we did, why would we give it to you, a witch from the hills?”

Oh, how I wished at that moment that Mistress could turn people into toads!

Sumika, not rising to the bait, walked to the offertory box, the mist boiling around her, and dropped the last of our coins into it. “Because it would please me, Seirei-tsukai, and Arakawa Dōken. I have come with open hands; I hope not to return to them with empty ones.”

“Bravo, Mistress,” I cheered to myself. I wondered if the priest recognised Dōken-shin’s name, but her threat had been wonderfully worded. Tit for tat, I say.

Not yet conceding, the priest asked, “How should the farmer respond when the weasel demands to be fed?”

To my surprise, Sumika matched his metaphor. I didn’t know she had it in her. “He should remember that the weasel is friends with the kitsune of the peaks.”

The priest’s shoulders slumped, and he took a step back. “I believe we have one. I’ll fetch it as a favor to you. But please tell your mistress that the kitsune and the white egret dwell on the plain, not the mountain.”

I was unsure what he meant by egret, but the rest of the metaphor was obvious: “We serve Ō-Inari, not the mountain shaman,” i.e., "Bug off." So rude!

#TootFic #NMFic #Crows #Otherkin #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy #TimeTravel #Serial #SlowBurn #Sapphic #Folklore

#Airisu: The Crow and the Witch

Okiku Part II (Airisu POV): Post 52
#Wss366 spirit #TimeTravelAuthors Whatever

The shaman had led us to believe that we would be welcome at the Ō-Inari Shrine. This was apparently not true. The castle crows were downright hostile, and the priest frowned at Sumika, pinching his mouth and brow.

“Have you and your #spirit come to cause us more trouble?” the priest asked. He gestured at me, implying I was a spirit.

“Seirei-tsukai told me to ask you for a straw cloak and a place to work till evening. Then I will be on my way, demanding nothing more from you,” Mistress replied.

That was more like it. After her performance dealing with Dōken-Shin, I hadn’t expected her to show any spunk. The word “demanding” might have been a little harsh, but she was firm. Excellent! If the priest thought my mistress was a proper Edo lady who would defer to him, she’d set him straight.

However, that assessment proved premature, as he promptly responded, “What makes you believe we have such a thing, or even if we did, why would we give it to you, a witch from the hills?”

Oh, how I wished at that moment that Mistress could turn people into toads!

Sumika, not rising to the bait, walked to the offertory box, the mist boiling around her, and dropped the last of our coins into it. “Because it would please me, Seirei-tsukai, and Arakawa Dōken. I have come with open hands; I hope not to return to them with empty ones.”

“Bravo, Mistress,” I cheered to myself. I wondered if the priest recognised Dōken-shin’s name, but her threat had been wonderfully worded. Tit for tat, I say.

Not yet conceding, the priest asked, “How should the farmer respond when the weasel demands to be fed?”

To my surprise, Sumika matched his metaphor. I didn’t know she had it in her. “He should remember that the weasel is friends with the kitsune of the peaks.”

The priest’s shoulders slumped, and he took a step back. “I believe we have one. I’ll fetch it as a favor to you. But please tell your mistress that the kitsune and the white egret dwell on the plain, not the mountain.”

I was unsure what he meant by egret, but the rest of the metaphor was obvious: “We serve Ō-Inari, not the mountain shaman,” i.e., "Bug off." So rude!

#TootFic #NMFic #Crows #Otherkin #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy #TimeTravel #Serial #SlowBurn #Sapphic #Folklore

#Airisu Sorry, the wrong post was made to begin with. The one above is the correct one.

#Airisu Sorry, the wrong post was made to begin with. The one above is the correct one.

#Airisu: The Crow and the Witch

Okiku Part II (Airisu POV): Post 51
#Wss366 bastion #TimeTravelAuthors Whatever

The street I saw outside the basket was busy with vendors setting out their goods. People stared at Sumika and whispered to each other. I bet they’d be talking about the fine lady who wandered into town unaccompanied for months.

The scene swayed as Mistress hurried along, and before long I felt seasick. Ugh, I closed my eyes and huddled in misery—“idiotic large-bills, stupid mistress.”

“Here it is,” I heard her say. I hoped she meant we had reached the shrine.

There was the splash of water and the sound of Sumika cleaning her mouth. Thank goodness! We’d arrived at Inari Ōkami’s shrine, and I was still in one piece. I knew what would follow but still wasn’t expecting the violent jerk as she clapped her hands and then rang the bell.

This had been a dumb idea! I should have flown ahead. I could have avoided the clumsy, large-billed crows.

The basket swayed again, and I heard the crunch of gravel underfoot. Finally, we stopped, and the basket settled on the ground.

“You can come out now. We’re in the shrine,” Mistress said.

“Yeah, I know,” I muttered.

I flew out as soon as her sleeve left the top of the basket. “You pigeon…” I began to say, but then shut my beak. I could feel the sacred energy around us, snaking like a thin white mist through the shrine precinct. Facing us was a robed priest. This was no place to draw attention to myself. Instead, I smoothed my rumpled feathers, trying to look inconspicuous.

While I made myself presentable, Sumika bowed and said, “Kannushi-sama, Seirei-tsukai sent us. Please forgive our sudden appearance.”

Since she had things under control, I looked around. The precinct was typical of a Shinto shrine. The kitsune statues with their red bibs, the worship hall’s vermilion banners, and the offertory box all proclaimed Inari’s presence. White mist seeped from the sanctuary and rolled over the box. It swirled in the air, forming halos around the priest and the statues.

In alarm, the words “Jungle crows!” almost escaped me. Were they hiding nearby, spying on us?

I looked around. Above the morning sky arched, bright with the newborn sun. Small clouds drifted across it, but no large-billed crows. Behind me stood a line of scarlet Torii gates, and towering above it all was Lord Aoyama’s #bastion: Himeji Castle, home of Osakabe-hime.

Ack! Those sneaky offspring of a mangy scarecrow were circling the snowy-white citadel.

#TootFic #NMFic #Crows #Otherkin #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy #TimeTravel #Serial #SlowBurn #Sapphic #Folklore

#Airisu: The Crow and the Witch

Okiku Part II (Airisu POV): Post 51
#Wss366 bastion #TimeTravelAuthors Whatever

The street I saw outside the basket was busy with vendors setting out their goods. People stared at Sumika and whispered to each other. I bet they’d be talking about the fine lady who wandered into town unaccompanied for months.

The scene swayed as Mistress hurried along, and before long I felt seasick. Ugh, I closed my eyes and huddled in misery—“idiotic large-bills, stupid mistress.”

“Here it is,” I heard her say. I hoped she meant we had reached the shrine.

There was the splash of water and the sound of Sumika cleaning her mouth. Thank goodness! We’d arrived at Inari Ōkami’s shrine, and I was still in one piece. I knew what would follow but still wasn’t expecting the violent jerk as she clapped her hands and then rang the bell.

This had been a dumb idea! I should have flown ahead. I could have avoided the clumsy, large-billed crows.

The basket swayed again, and I heard the crunch of gravel underfoot. Finally, we stopped, and the basket settled on the ground.

“You can come out now. We’re in the shrine,” Mistress said.

“Yeah, I know,” I muttered.

I flew out as soon as her sleeve left the top of the basket. “You pigeon…” I began to say, but then shut my beak. I could feel the sacred energy around us, snaking like a thin white mist through the shrine precinct. Facing us was a robed priest. This was no place to draw attention to myself. Instead, I smoothed my rumpled feathers, trying to look inconspicuous.

While I made myself presentable, Sumika bowed and said, “Kannushi-sama, Seirei-tsukai sent us. Please forgive our sudden appearance.”

Since she had things under control, I looked around. The precinct was typical of a Shinto shrine. The kitsune statues with their red bibs, the worship hall’s vermilion banners, and the offertory box all proclaimed Inari’s presence. White mist seeped from the sanctuary and rolled over the box. It swirled in the air, forming halos around the priest and the statues.

In alarm, the words “Jungle crows!” almost escaped me. Were they hiding nearby, spying on us?

I looked around. Above the morning sky arched, bright with the newborn sun. Small clouds drifted across it, but no large-billed crows. Behind me stood a line of scarlet Torii gates, and towering above it all was Lord Aoyama’s #bastion: Himeji Castle, home of Osakabe-hime.

Ack! Those sneaky offspring of a mangy scarecrow were circling the snowy-white citadel.

#TootFic #NMFic #Crows #Otherkin #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy #TimeTravel #Serial #SlowBurn #Sapphic #Folklore

#Airisu: The Crow and the Witch

Okiku Part II (Airisu POV): Post 50
#Wss366 Warp #TimeTravelAuthors Whatever

“Hurry,” Sumika said, holding out the basket. “Lady Osakabe’s crows are coming.”

I looked towards the castle and saw black dots growing larger by the second. It was too late to escape, so I did the only thing possible: I hopped into the basket.

“Clicky, clack, crolark.” It was cramped and smelled nasty in there. The only saving grace was that I could peer through the #warped weave.

Mistress draped a kimono sleeve over the basket, and my panic swelled. I had to use the human portion of my brain to force it down, reminding myself that if I struggled, I would damage my wings and feathers.

“Ack!!!” I cawed.

“Quiet! They’ll hear you!”

This was hard. I considered sticking my head out. That would make things much better. Then I heard a jumble of large-bills cawing.

“I don’t recognise her,” cawed the first voice.

“She's an outsider,” responded a second voice.

“I sense magic. Has a kitsune possessed her?” asked a third jungle crow.

“We must tell the Lady,” the second large-billed cawed.

“Clicktoo, look for a kitsune,” a commanding voice said. “The rest of you fly to the Lady and inform her a spirit summoner lurks in the town. I’ll watch her and come later.”

There was the sound of wings and then silence.

“Ha ha,” I thought. “My mistress is so smart! We showed those stupid spawn of a cowbird.”

I peeked out between the willow lathes and saw we were moving down the road. That explained the basket’s rocking. Up and down, I bounced, knocking against the sides. It was all I could do not to swear or say, “Stop that, you lumbering ox!”

#TootFic #NMFic #Crows #Otherkin #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy #TimeTravel #Serial #SlowBurn #Sapphic #Folklore #Yokai

#Airisu: The Crow and the Witch

Okiku Part II (Airisu POV): Post 50
#Wss366 Warp #TimeTravelAuthors Whatever

“Hurry,” Sumika said, holding out the basket. “Lady Osakabe’s crows are coming.”

I looked towards the castle and saw black dots growing larger by the second. It was too late to escape, so I did the only thing possible: I hopped into the basket.

“Clicky, clack, crolark.” It was cramped and smelled nasty in there. The only saving grace was that I could peer through the #warped weave.

Mistress draped a kimono sleeve over the basket, and my panic swelled. I had to use the human portion of my brain to force it down, reminding myself that if I struggled, I would damage my wings and feathers.

“Ack!!!” I cawed.

“Quiet! They’ll hear you!”

This was hard. I considered sticking my head out. That would make things much better. Then I heard a jumble of large-bills cawing.

“I don’t recognise her,” cawed the first voice.

“She's an outsider,” responded a second voice.

“I sense magic. Has a kitsune possessed her?” asked a third jungle crow.

“We must tell the Lady,” the second large-billed cawed.

“Clicktoo, look for a kitsune,” a commanding voice said. “The rest of you fly to the Lady and inform her a spirit summoner lurks in the town. I’ll watch her and come later.”

There was the sound of wings and then silence.

“Ha ha,” I thought. “My mistress is so smart! We showed those stupid spawn of a cowbird.”

I peeked out between the willow lathes and saw we were moving down the road. That explained the basket’s rocking. Up and down, I bounced, knocking against the sides. It was all I could do not to swear or say, “Stop that, you lumbering ox!”

#TootFic #NMFic #Crows #Otherkin #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy #TimeTravel #Serial #SlowBurn #Sapphic #Folklore #Yokai

#Airisu: The Crow and the Witch

Okiku Part II (Airisu POV): Post 49
#Wss366 Pointer #TimeTravelAuthors What's a lie a character believes about themselves?

The path to Himeji Castle descended steeply, and we soon lost sight of the shaman as the mist closed in around her. It was hard to imagine that she was a previous incarnation of my mistress. Their levels of competence were so different. Still, it gave me hope that Sumika would mature. A classy, wise familiar like me needed a fantastic mistress.

We walked to town mostly in silence. At first, I tried to give Sumika some #pointers to help her mature, but stopped after she told me I was being egotistical. Me egotistical? I can’t imagine a more modest crow, but I shut up rather than rekindling her earlier animosity.

In the town, people had begun to stir. I could already hear the ring of an anvil in the distance and the cawing of large-billed crows, nasty things, from the castle’s rooftops. Even without Seirei-onna's warning that they served the castle’s kami, I wouldn’t have wanted to meet them: an event that seemed almost predestined.

Despite the early hour, Sumika drew a crowd. An unaccompanied woman in a gentlewoman’s kimono wasn’t something people here saw often. She was sure to draw the kami’s spies.

I glanced toward the castle’s roof. “Mistress…” I began in warning.

“Shh.”

“Maybe if I fly ahead…”

“I said, hush. I have a plan.”

“A plan? This pigeon brain has a plan? Perhaps I was rubbing off on her!”

“There one is,” she said, turning in at a hut on the town's outskirts.

What did she want there? No one had risen yet, or the occupants had already left for the fields, so she couldn’t have come to request something. Was she planning to hide in the house until evening? That didn’t seem likely. This new turn in Mistress’s behavior had me stumped.

I watched as she picked up an old willow basket, replacing it with a string of coins.

“Please hop in,” she said to me.

“Ack!” I cocked my head and looked at the container. After my reaction to the car, did she think I let her shut me up in that thing? Time had broken its weave in places, and feathers were caught on the snags. I could imagine what it must smell like inside.

“Trust me. It’s for your own good. I’ll let you out as soon as I can.”

The castle wasn’t far. I could fly there and wait, I thought. That was a much more attractive idea than getting into a cramped basket where I might catch some fowl disease. Ack, ack, ack. Even at a moment like this, I was a hilarious comedian.

Basket or castle; that was the question.

#TootFic #NMFic #Crows #Otherkin #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy #TimeTravel #Serial #SlowBurn #Sapphic #Folklore

#Airisu: The Crow and the Witch

Okiku Part II (Airisu POV): Post 49
#Wss366 Pointer #TimeTravelAuthors What's a lie a character believes about themselves?

The path to Himeji Castle descended steeply, and we soon lost sight of the shaman as the mist closed in around her. It was hard to imagine that she was a previous incarnation of my mistress. Their levels of competence were so different. Still, it gave me hope that Sumika would mature. A classy, wise familiar like me needed a fantastic mistress.

We walked to town mostly in silence. At first, I tried to give Sumika some #pointers to help her mature, but stopped after she told me I was being egotistical. Me egotistical? I can’t imagine a more modest crow, but I shut up rather than rekindling her earlier animosity.

In the town, people had begun to stir. I could already hear the ring of an anvil in the distance and the cawing of large-billed crows, nasty things, from the castle’s rooftops. Even without Seirei-onna's warning that they served the castle’s kami, I wouldn’t have wanted to meet them: an event that seemed almost predestined.

Despite the early hour, Sumika drew a crowd. An unaccompanied woman in a gentlewoman’s kimono wasn’t something people here saw often. She was sure to draw the kami’s spies.

I glanced toward the castle’s roof. “Mistress…” I began in warning.

“Shh.”

“Maybe if I fly ahead…”

“I said, hush. I have a plan.”

“A plan? This pigeon brain has a plan? Perhaps I was rubbing off on her!”

“There one is,” she said, turning in at a hut on the town's outskirts.

What did she want there? No one had risen yet, or the occupants had already left for the fields, so she couldn’t have come to request something. Was she planning to hide in the house until evening? That didn’t seem likely. This new turn in Mistress’s behavior had me stumped.

I watched as she picked up an old willow basket, replacing it with a string of coins.

“Please hop in,” she said to me.

“Ack!” I cocked my head and looked at the container. After my reaction to the car, did she think I let her shut me up in that thing? Time had broken its weave in places, and feathers were caught on the snags. I could imagine what it must smell like inside.

“Trust me. It’s for your own good. I’ll let you out as soon as I can.”

The castle wasn’t far. I could fly there and wait, I thought. That was a much more attractive idea than getting into a cramped basket where I might catch some fowl disease. Ack, ack, ack. Even at a moment like this, I was a hilarious comedian.

Basket or castle; that was the question.

#TootFic #NMFic #Crows #Otherkin #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy #TimeTravel #Serial #SlowBurn #Sapphic #Folklore

#Airisu: The Crow and the Witch

Okiku Part II (Airisu POV): Post 48
#Wss366 Crossing / #Tanabata or #StarFestival (JP) #TimeTravelAuthors Memorable weather in your story

That settled things, and after another round of tea, stew, and barley grain, the shaman led us out into the night fog. She turned and began following a shale-littered trail that climbed to the top of a ridge. On the far side, the murk parted, revealing Himeji Castle below. It stood white against the velvety black sky, glittering. Mist swirled around it, like ghostly arms embracing the fortress. Above, a slender moon and bright stars shone. As we gazed, a comet streaked across the heavens. I would forever remember the beauty of that scene.

“The cowherd seeks his lover,” Seirei-onna said. “#Crossing for one night is more than I shall ever have. Now go. The way is open for you, as it is closed to me.” She gestured to a path leading down to the lights of the castle town below.

#TootFic #NMFic #Crows #Otherkin #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy #TimeTravel #Serial #SlowBurn #Sapphic #Folklore

#Airisu: The Crow and the Witch

Okiku Part II (Airisu POV): Post 48
#Wss366 Crossing / #Tanabata or #StarFestival (JP) #TimeTravelAuthors Memorable weather in your story

That settled things, and after another round of tea, stew, and barley grain, the shaman led us out into the night fog. She turned and began following a shale-littered trail that climbed to the top of a ridge. On the far side, the murk parted, revealing Himeji Castle below. It stood white against the velvety black sky, glittering. Mist swirled around it, like ghostly arms embracing the fortress. Above, a slender moon and bright stars shone. As we gazed, a comet streaked across the heavens. I would forever remember the beauty of that scene.

“The cowherd seeks his lover,” Seirei-onna said. “#Crossing for one night is more than I shall ever have. Now go. The way is open for you, as it is closed to me.” She gestured to a path leading down to the lights of the castle town below.

#TootFic #NMFic #Crows #Otherkin #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy #TimeTravel #Serial #SlowBurn #Sapphic #Folklore

#Airisu: The Crow and the Witch

Okiku Part II (Airisu POV): Post 47
#Wss366 Rank #TimeTravelAuthors Whatever

“From the fourth floor,” the shaman said, “you’ll need to climb to the top of the fortress. Find your way into the walls as soon as you can. The princess of Himeji Castle is known as the Lady of the Walls for a reason: she is to be found there, not in the open. She’ll try to drive you off with #rank odors of the grave, corpse orbs, and fearful specters. Ignore them all. Know your sutras and repeat them; then fear of death will have no hold on you.”

Sumika shifted uncomfortably under me. I would need to teach her some basic mantras.

“If a young woman in a jūnihitoe kimono approaches you, make your request, but if a crone accosts you, show her this.” The shaman withdrew a bow-shaped catalpa wood talisman from her robes. “Tell her, ‘As you have failed to protect what your mistress Seirei-tsukai holds dear, she commands you to help us.’”

Mistress’s hand shook as she took the charm. “What if she refuses?”

“She won’t, but if she does, you are undone. You have yet to reach your full power and still lack the skill to bind her. One last warning: Lady Osakabe is cunning. She will find your desires and use them. Deal with her honorably, but don’t agree to anything unless you understand exactly what it is.”

#TootFic #NMFic #Crows #Otherkin #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy #TimeTravel #Serial #SlowBurn #Sapphic #Folklore

#Airisu: The Crow and the Witch

Okiku Part II (Airisu POV): Post 47
#Wss366 Rank #TimeTravelAuthors Whatever

“From the fourth floor,” the shaman said, “you’ll need to climb to the top of the fortress. Find your way into the walls as soon as you can. The princess of Himeji Castle is known as the Lady of the Walls for a reason: she is to be found there, not in the open. She’ll try to drive you off with #rank odors of the grave, corpse orbs, and fearful specters. Ignore them all. Know your sutras and repeat them; then fear of death will have no hold on you.”

Sumika shifted uncomfortably under me. I would need to teach her some basic mantras.

“If a young woman in a jūnihitoe kimono approaches you, make your request, but if a crone accosts you, show her this.” The shaman withdrew a bow-shaped catalpa wood talisman from her robes. “Tell her, ‘As you have failed to protect what your mistress Seirei-tsukai holds dear, she commands you to help us.’”

Mistress’s hand shook as she took the charm. “What if she refuses?”

“She won’t, but if she does, you are undone. You have yet to reach your full power and still lack the skill to bind her. One last warning: Lady Osakabe is cunning. She will find your desires and use them. Deal with her honorably, but don’t agree to anything unless you understand exactly what it is.”

#TootFic #NMFic #Crows #Otherkin #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy #TimeTravel #Serial #SlowBurn #Sapphic #Folklore

#WordWeavers 7.6 — Which of your MCs would be most likely to win a dance off?

Shish, she was a professional idol, took tons of dance lessons, etc.

Unless #Airisu beat her out, being a cute crow. Who could resist a crow dancing in the middle of a dance floor?

Oh! A dance off! Still Shishi. She would have the stamina to just keep going, and she would feed off the audience's energy. (Crows don't have the stamina for it.)

#NMWW #NMPrompts

#WordWeavers 7.6 — Which of your MCs would be most likely to win a dance off?

Shish, she was a professional idol, took tons of dance lessons, etc.

Unless #Airisu beat her out, being a cute crow. Who could resist a crow dancing in the middle of a dance floor?

Oh! A dance off! Still Shishi. She would have the stamina to just keep going, and she would feed off the audience's energy. (Crows don't have the stamina for it.)

#NMWW #NMPrompts

#Airisu: The Crow and the Witch

Okiku Part II (Airisu POV): Post 46
#Wss366 Fourth #TimeTravelAuthors Whatever #ScribesAndMakers 4th sample

I didn’t know whether to be proud of Mistress’s resolve or to be terrified that she agreed to rescue Okiku so easily. What I knew was that she should have consulted me. My feathers were at risk as well as hers.

“You understand Okiku-san can’t be your girlfriend,” I interrupted.

She shrugged. “Where did you get the idea that this was a romantic thing? Someone needs help, and I want to do it.”

“Bloody hero,” I said and would have shrugged if I could. Some people just can’t be honest with themselves.

“Sorry for the interruption,” Sumika said. “She can be peevish at times. I would be happy to aid you.”

The shaman stirred the fire before speaking again. “As you pass through the town, keep your familiar close. Lady Osakabe has many retainers. Among them are great, large-billed crows that watch the town and drive away wandering spirits. Her Ladyship does not care for curious eyes.”

The old lady eyed me; the warning was as much for me as for Sumika and I took it to heart. I had no wish to tangle with my larger cousins, nasty, vicious brutes that they were. And if they served Osakabe, they wouldn’t be ordinary crows.

I huddled closer to Mistress’s head. This was bad news.

“Pass through the castle gates in the evening along with the final rush of servants,” Seirei-onna continued. “If you mingle with them, your shadow will remain unnoticed. Provided you avoid torches or other lights, you should have no trouble reaching the #fourth floor. After that, Lady Osakabe’s retainers keep sentinel in the shadows, and your passage will be observed. It will be your turn to guard your mistress, Karasu-sama.”

Again her gaze fell on me.

I cocked my head and peered at her. “Guard Sumika?” I asked.

“You sense what she can’t. Be her eyes.”

“Ack! More bad news,” I thought.

#TootFic #NMFic #Crows #Otherkin #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy #TimeTravel #Serial #SlowBurn #Sapphic #Folklore

#Airisu: The Crow and the Witch

Okiku Part II (Airisu POV): Post 46
#Wss366 Fourth #TimeTravelAuthors Whatever #ScribesAndMakers 4th sample

I didn’t know whether to be proud of Mistress’s resolve or to be terrified that she agreed to rescue Okiku so easily. What I knew was that she should have consulted me. My feathers were at risk as well as hers.

“You understand Okiku-san can’t be your girlfriend,” I interrupted.

She shrugged. “Where did you get the idea that this was a romantic thing? Someone needs help, and I want to do it.”

“Bloody hero,” I said and would have shrugged if I could. Some people just can’t be honest with themselves.

“Sorry for the interruption,” Sumika said. “She can be peevish at times. I would be happy to aid you.”

The shaman stirred the fire before speaking again. “As you pass through the town, keep your familiar close. Lady Osakabe has many retainers. Among them are great, large-billed crows that watch the town and drive away wandering spirits. Her Ladyship does not care for curious eyes.”

The old lady eyed me; the warning was as much for me as for Sumika and I took it to heart. I had no wish to tangle with my larger cousins, nasty, vicious brutes that they were. And if they served Osakabe, they wouldn’t be ordinary crows.

I huddled closer to Mistress’s head. This was bad news.

“Pass through the castle gates in the evening along with the final rush of servants,” Seirei-onna continued. “If you mingle with them, your shadow will remain unnoticed. Provided you avoid torches or other lights, you should have no trouble reaching the #fourth floor. After that, Lady Osakabe’s retainers keep sentinel in the shadows, and your passage will be observed. It will be your turn to guard your mistress, Karasu-sama.”

Again her gaze fell on me.

I cocked my head and peered at her. “Guard Sumika?” I asked.

“You sense what she can’t. Be her eyes.”

“Ack! More bad news,” I thought.

#TootFic #NMFic #Crows #Otherkin #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy #TimeTravel #Serial #SlowBurn #Sapphic #Folklore

#WritersCoffeeClub 6/25. Share a passage you've written containing onomatopoeia.

Snip from "#Airisu: The Crow and the Witch

I saw a pattern and burst out, “Sumika’s got a girlfriend. A mushy, crushy girlfriend.”

Mistress raised the book as if she were about to bash me with it, and I took off for the shelf again, screaming, “Oggily, puggily, pie. Your blush is as bright as the summer sky.”

And it was. Her cheeks had flushed a brilliant crimson. If I’d still been human, I would have said she was cute. Ah, heck, even as a crow, I thought she was adorable, all flustered.

End Snip

#NMWCC #NMPrompts

#WordWeavers 13.06.2026 What are the next steps for your current project?

Publishing a serial, there isn't a single next step in my projects. I am writing, editing, polishing, publishing, and revising for reprints all the time.

At this moment, I am editing EP for beta publishing to the Fedi. After that, I need to write the next installments of #Airisu.

#NMWW #NMPrompts

#WordWeavers 13.06.2026 What are the next steps for your current project?

Publishing a serial, there isn't a single next step in my projects. I am writing, editing, polishing, publishing, and revising for reprints all the time.

At this moment, I am editing EP for beta publishing to the Fedi. After that, I need to write the next installments of #Airisu.

#NMWW #NMPrompts

#WordWeavers 10. Your MC turns around in the last scene you wrote. What do they see?

#Airisu: Fog creeping through the branches of the shaman's lean-to.

#NMWW #NMPrompts

#WordWeavers 10. Your MC turns around in the last scene you wrote. What do they see?

#Airisu: Fog creeping through the branches of the shaman's lean-to.

#NMWW #NMPrompts

#Airisu: The Crow and the Witch

Okiku Part II (Airisu POV): Post 45
#Wss366 Gauge #TimeTravelAuthors Whatever

Sumika passed her copy of Madousho Mōrō, aka Grimoire Obscuriea, to Seirei-onna. The firelight played across its pages as the shaman leafed through them. The turmoil reflected in her countenance while my mistress had told the story of Banchō Sarayashiki had faded, and it was hard to #gauge what she was thinking.

She closed the volume, saying, “This is my book. A Nanban sorcerer gave it to me. A foreign thing but powerful. The spells I don’t recognize.”

“There aren’t many,” Sumika said.

“They will come with time if you are worthy.”

“A plan. A plan,” I broke in. How long would these two fiddle-faddle? We had a mission to complete!

“Yes, little one.” She leaned across the fire, reached out, and stroked my head.

I froze, somewhere between terror and sheer bliss. My eyes rolled back as the ecstasy won out. Did I trust Mistress enough to allow her this pleasure? Umm… Warm… Fuzzy… Indeed, I could reward her that way.

The shaman resumed, “As I said, you should find Osakabe-hime. I will teach you how to pass through the castle unobserved.”

The old woman withdrew her hand and returned to her place. She opened Sumika’s grimoire and passed her fingers across a page. “Weave a straw cloak and follow these directions exactly. As long as you wear it, you’ll be invisible to most people. Osakabe-hime won’t be one of them.”

“How can I make a straw cloak?” Mistress asked.

“There is a shrine to Inari Ōkami in the town outside the castle. Tell the priest that Seirei-tsukai sent you and that you require a kakuremino.”

“I am grateful.”

“Wait, there’s more. There are risks involved when you’re dealing with one such as Osakabe-hime. She is a nine-tailed kitsune: powerful and wise. They say those who see her face die, and even if they don’t, she can manipulate their minds to do her bidding. Only a powerful person can withstand her. Knowing this, do you still wish to continue?”

“Yes, please proceed,” Sumika said without hesitation.

#TootFic #NMFic #Crows #Otherkin #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy #TimeTravel #Serial #SlowBurn #Yuri #Folklore

#Airisu: The Crow and the Witch

Okiku Part II (Airisu POV): Post 45
#Wss366 Gauge #TimeTravelAuthors Whatever

Sumika passed her copy of Madousho Mōrō, aka Grimoire Obscuriea, to Seirei-onna. The firelight played across its pages as the shaman leafed through them. The turmoil reflected in her countenance while my mistress had told the story of Banchō Sarayashiki had faded, and it was hard to #gauge what she was thinking.

She closed the volume, saying, “This is my book. A Nanban sorcerer gave it to me. A foreign thing but powerful. The spells I don’t recognize.”

“There aren’t many,” Sumika said.

“They will come with time if you are worthy.”

“A plan. A plan,” I broke in. How long would these two fiddle-faddle? We had a mission to complete!

“Yes, little one.” She leaned across the fire, reached out, and stroked my head.

I froze, somewhere between terror and sheer bliss. My eyes rolled back as the ecstasy won out. Did I trust Mistress enough to allow her this pleasure? Umm… Warm… Fuzzy… Indeed, I could reward her that way.

The shaman resumed, “As I said, you should find Osakabe-hime. I will teach you how to pass through the castle unobserved.”

The old woman withdrew her hand and returned to her place. She opened Sumika’s grimoire and passed her fingers across a page. “Weave a straw cloak and follow these directions exactly. As long as you wear it, you’ll be invisible to most people. Osakabe-hime won’t be one of them.”

“How can I make a straw cloak?” Mistress asked.

“There is a shrine to Inari Ōkami in the town outside the castle. Tell the priest that Seirei-tsukai sent you and that you require a kakuremino.”

“I am grateful.”

“Wait, there’s more. There are risks involved when you’re dealing with one such as Osakabe-hime. She is a nine-tailed kitsune: powerful and wise. They say those who see her face die, and even if they don’t, she can manipulate their minds to do her bidding. Only a powerful person can withstand her. Knowing this, do you still wish to continue?”

“Yes, please proceed,” Sumika said without hesitation.

#TootFic #NMFic #Crows #Otherkin #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy #TimeTravel #Serial #SlowBurn #Yuri #Folklore

#ScribesAndMakers 4. @#$&!?

#Airisu: @#$&!? I'm not allowed to say that. @#$&!? magical contract.

#NMSAM #NMPrompts

#ScribesAndMakers 4. @#$&!?

#Airisu: @#$&!? I'm not allowed to say that. @#$&!? magical contract.

#NMSAM #NMPrompts

#WordWeavers 2 Let the funniest character describe the world they live in.

#Airisu: Ack. So much motion, treats, shinies, and a silly pigeon of a mistress. Just watch out for those nasty cats and big-billed #crows. Not like us humble crows.

Ack, ack, ack. Gives us a peanut!

#NMWW #NMPrompts

#WordWeavers 2 Let the funniest character describe the world they live in.

#Airisu: Ack. So much motion, treats, shinies, and a silly pigeon of a mistress. Just watch out for those nasty cats and big-billed #crows. Not like us humble crows.

Ack, ack, ack. Gives us a peanut!

#NMWW #NMPrompts

#Airisu: The Crow and the Witch

Okiku Part II (Airisu POV): Post 44
#Wss366 Buzz #TimeTravelAuthors Whatever

My mind #buzzed with astonishment at the sight of the shaman’s book, especially when Sumika revealed an identical copy, only older and more battered-looking.

She rejoined the conversation, saying, "Dōken-Shin said that he was returning something you gave him." She held up her copy of the book.

“Then I must give it to him with instructions to return it when the time is right, that the debt is mine, not yours,” Seirei-onna said. “I have been the wild crow all my life, calling no one lord. I see you are the same, a Karasu-tsukai.”

Her eyes moved from Sumika to me and said, “Is it not so, little one?”

I fluffed again. I liked this woman; she recognized my value.

Her gaze returned to Sumika, saying, “Keep the upper hand with Arakawa Dōken.”

“Yes, Mistress,” I cawed in agreement. “He needs you, more than you need him.”

Sumika responded by giving me the eye, but said nothing.

There was another spasm of coughing, then the shaman resumed speaking.

“Do you have a plan to rescue Okiku?”

“We were hoping you could help us with that,” Mistress replied.

“I will do what I am able, but I’m old, and my powers are slipping away from me. I suggest you seek aid from Osakabe-hime. She has lived for centuries, secretly in the upper part of the castle. She is a wise kitsune and knows everything that goes on there. I have bound her, so she will help.”

“How can we do that? I don’t think we can just wander around in the castle.” Mistress’s question was good; I was proud of her.

Seirei-onna didn’t answer and instead said, “Let me look at your book, Karasuko.”

Now, that was a fitting name for my mistress, Crow Child. Indeed, I would raise her well.

#TootFic #NMFic #Crows #Otherkin #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy #TimeTravel #Serial #SlowBurn #Yuri #Folklore

#Airisu: The Crow and the Witch

Okiku Part II (Airisu POV): Post 43 Part 2
#Wss366 Spit #TimeTravelAuthors Whatever

“He is an ally,” the shaman said. “After a mob executed him, malice drove his spirit to cause floods and famine along the entire length of the Koma River. I tamed and bound him to a shrine, where he is now honored. For this, I am called Seirei-tsukai or Seirei no onna.”

I stretched out a wing, preening as if to say, “Look, Mistress, how clever I am!”

Next, I asked, “And that’s what you were referring to when you said, ‘He had finally listened.’ You meant, ‘Dōken-Shin sent me and my mistress?’”

“Yes, though my voice has weakened, I hoped he would obey. He was always an upright man, upholding his liege’s honor.”

This time I crowed out loud, “See, Mistress, we are here on the kami’s behalf. Don’t let him convince you he's doing you a favor.”

“Huh?” she said.

I didn’t explain. Instead, I hopped onto Mistress’s shoulder and resumed interrogating Seirei-onna. “How close was Sumika-sama to the truth? How far have things progressed?”

“I don’t know,” the woman said. Then she paused as a coughing fit bent her double. When she recovered, she #spat into the fire before continuing. “The lord pursued her, and I could see no good coming of it. The ox bones tell of tragedy. But what can I do about it? I can’t find my way off this mountain; the fog is too thick. And when it parts, so the stars are visible, they are all wrong, leading me off the path. The pages of my book have faded, and of my spirits only Dōken-Shin answers when I call. And he just tells me to wait.”

Sumika and I stared at the grimoire the shaman pulled from a bag. It was a twin to the one Mistress had found at her bookstore.

#TootFic #NMFic #Crows #Otherkin #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy #TimeTravel #Serial #SlowBurn #Yuri

#Airisu: The Crow and the Witch

Okiku Part II (Airisu POV): Post 43 Part 2
#Wss366 Spit #TimeTravelAuthors Whatever

“He is an ally,” the shaman said. “After a mob executed him, malice drove his spirit to cause floods and famine along the entire length of the Koma River. I tamed and bound him to a shrine, where he is now honored. For this, I am called Seirei-tsukai or Seirei no onna.”

I stretched out a wing, preening as if to say, “Look, Mistress, how clever I am!”

Next, I asked, “And that’s what you were referring to when you said, ‘He had finally listened.’ You meant, ‘Dōken-Shin sent me and my mistress?’”

“Yes, though my voice has weakened, I hoped he would obey. He was always an upright man, upholding his liege’s honor.”

This time I crowed out loud, “See, Mistress, we are here on the kami’s behalf. Don’t let him convince you he's doing you a favor.”

“Huh?” she said.

I didn’t explain. Instead, I hopped onto Mistress’s shoulder and resumed interrogating Seirei-onna. “How close was Sumika-sama to the truth? How far have things progressed?”

“I don’t know,” the woman said. Then she paused as a coughing fit bent her double. When she recovered, she #spat into the fire before continuing. “The lord pursued her, and I could see no good coming of it. The ox bones tell of tragedy. But what can I do about it? I can’t find my way off this mountain; the fog is too thick. And when it parts, so the stars are visible, they are all wrong, leading me off the path. The pages of my book have faded, and of my spirits only Dōken-Shin answers when I call. And he just tells me to wait.”

Sumika and I stared at the grimoire the shaman pulled from a bag. It was a twin to the one Mistress had found at her bookstore.

#TootFic #NMFic #Crows #Otherkin #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy #TimeTravel #Serial #SlowBurn #Yuri

#Airisu: The Crow and the Witch

Okiku Part II (Airisu POV): Post 43 Part 1
#Wss366 Spit #TimeTravelAuthors Whatever

Sumika’s version of Banchō Sarayashiki was muddled, but essentially correct. And there were her dreams, which definitely pointed to Okiku becoming a counting-obsessed onryō. Depending on how far events had progressed, we needed to either prevent the plate’s theft or reconcile Okiku to her fate.

Before returning to the Edo-era, I’d assumed it was the former, that it was another gift from Dōken-Shin, the romantic girlfriend Sumika dreamed of. But what if this was actually paying off part of our debt? If he owed the old woman, then we were acting as his agent.

I almost crowed; it was a wonderful theory! There was no way my mistress would gain a lover from this adventure. Honor prevented Okiku from abandoning her fiancé for someone else. The shaman was clear on that. The maiden had died a horrible death rather than dishonor herself.

Both stories and Sumika’s dream told of Okiku's murder. I bet we would be dealing with a vengeful ghost. And I ask you, what kind of relationship can you have with an onryō? That isn’t something that a vengeful spirit is capable of. Besides, Mistress might be silly, but she wasn’t a total pigeon. Not even she would want to be lovers with an Edo-era, grudge-bound ghost.

I cocked an eye at her. “Would she? No, impossible!”

I cackled to myself. Boy, was I glad I’d ceased to be a human, homo-messy-us. This was just the kind of screwed-up disaster they were prone to.

Despite Mistress’s instructions, I couldn’t keep silent any longer and burst out, “What’s your relationship with Dōken-Shin?”

Sumika glared at me, but did I care? Contrariwise, I was the brains of this team.

#TootFic #Crows #Otherkin #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy #Serial #SlowBurn #Yuri #NMFic #TimeTravel

#Airisu: The Crow and the Witch

Okiku Part II (Airisu POV): Post 43 Part 1
#Wss366 Spit #TimeTravelAuthors Whatever

Sumika’s version of Banchō Sarayashiki was muddled, but essentially correct. And there were her dreams, which definitely pointed to Okiku becoming a counting-obsessed onryō. Depending on how far events had progressed, we needed to either prevent the plate’s theft or reconcile Okiku to her fate.

Before returning to the Edo-era, I’d assumed it was the former, that it was another gift from Dōken-Shin, the romantic girlfriend Sumika dreamed of. But what if this was actually paying off part of our debt? If he owed the old woman, then we were acting as his agent.

I almost crowed; it was a wonderful theory! There was no way my mistress would gain a lover from this adventure. Honor prevented Okiku from abandoning her fiancé for someone else. The shaman was clear on that. The maiden had died a horrible death rather than dishonor herself.

Both stories and Sumika’s dream told of Okiku's murder. I bet we would be dealing with a vengeful ghost. And I ask you, what kind of relationship can you have with an onryō? That isn’t something that a vengeful spirit is capable of. Besides, Mistress might be silly, but she wasn’t a total pigeon. Not even she would want to be lovers with an Edo-era, grudge-bound ghost.

I cocked an eye at her. “Would she? No, impossible!”

I cackled to myself. Boy, was I glad I’d ceased to be a human, homo-messy-us. This was just the kind of screwed-up disaster they were prone to.

Despite Mistress’s instructions, I couldn’t keep silent any longer and burst out, “What’s your relationship with Dōken-Shin?”

Sumika glared at me, but did I care? Contrariwise, I was the brains of this team.

#TootFic #Crows #Otherkin #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy #Serial #SlowBurn #Yuri #NMFic #TimeTravel

#Airisu: The Crow and the Witch

Banchō Sarayashiki (Sumika POV): Post 42
#Wss366 Quarry #TimeTravelAuthors Whatever

The woman examined the crow carefully, then nodded. "If your tsukai speaks the truth, I will release my quarry. Now, tell me the rest of the story. The crow says you are not done."

There isn't much more, and I'm sorry to have to relate it. Okiku couldn’t rest. The grudge she bore was so great that she haunted the well as an onryō, loudly counting the plates at night. When she reached the last and missing tenth plate, she screamed so horribly that anyone who heard it was said to go mad.

Eventually, a priest came, and as she reached nine, he shouted “Ten!” dispelling her.

“That’s it,” I said. “I think I’ve mixed different versions together, but the stories are similar in how Okiku meets her end and how she haunts the castle.”

“And the Lord?” the witch asked.

“The tales vary, but most agree he escaped unpunished,” I said. “It’s very unfair.”

“In tatters, in tatters. His honor was in tatters,” Airisu cawed.

The woman nodded, but remained silent. Then, with a sigh, she dished out a stew of grain and wild greens. Then, finally, said, “I doubt such a trick would dispel a grudge-bound spirit, but let us eat while I consider.”

#TootFic #Crows #Otherkin #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy #Serial #SlowBurn #Yuri #Folklore #NMFic #TimeTravel

#Airisu: The Crow and the Witch

Banchō Sarayashiki (Sumika POV): Post 42
#Wss366 Quarry #TimeTravelAuthors Whatever

The woman examined the crow carefully, then nodded. "If your tsukai speaks the truth, I will release my quarry. Now, tell me the rest of the story. The crow says you are not done."

There isn't much more, and I'm sorry to have to relate it. Okiku couldn’t rest. The grudge she bore was so great that she haunted the well as an onryō, loudly counting the plates at night. When she reached the last and missing tenth plate, she screamed so horribly that anyone who heard it was said to go mad.

Eventually, a priest came, and as she reached nine, he shouted “Ten!” dispelling her.

“That’s it,” I said. “I think I’ve mixed different versions together, but the stories are similar in how Okiku meets her end and how she haunts the castle.”

“And the Lord?” the witch asked.

“The tales vary, but most agree he escaped unpunished,” I said. “It’s very unfair.”

“In tatters, in tatters. His honor was in tatters,” Airisu cawed.

The woman nodded, but remained silent. Then, with a sigh, she dished out a stew of grain and wild greens. Then, finally, said, “I doubt such a trick would dispel a grudge-bound spirit, but let us eat while I consider.”

#TootFic #Crows #Otherkin #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy #Serial #SlowBurn #Yuri #Folklore #NMFic #TimeTravel

#Airisu: The Crow and the Witch

Banchō Sarayashiki (Sumika POV): Post 41
#Wss366 Cable #TimeTravelAuthors Whatever

I hated to resume the story. The romance I sensed between the witch and Okiku should have had a happy ending, but only tragedy lay ahead. I pretended to sip my tea, now grown cold, and then began again:

“All would have been well for Okiku,” I continued, “if Aoyama had been content with that. But instead, he devised a plan to trap the maiden. When she was away, he hid one of the ten plates.”

When he called for them to be shown to him, Okiku was horrified to find only nine. She counted them over and over, but no matter how many times she did this, the tenth plate was always missing.

It was a sorrowful maiden who presented the remaining plates to Aoyama, for she knew the penalty for losing a plate was to be beheaded.

Instead of anger, the lord’s face bore a crafty look. His expression soon turned to rage when she declined his offer of “clemency.” That fury blossomed, turning into a beating, and finally, when she still refused him, he dragged her into the courtyard and hung her over a well.

“This is your last chance,” he raged. “Who are you to refuse me?” She met his demands with silence.

Infuriated, he dunked her into the well, nearly drowning her. When even that failed to break Okiku’s determination, with one final slash, Lord Aoyama severed the rope, and she plummeted to her death.

The witch held up her hand for me to stop; her face had grown grim. With a shaky hand, she poured more tea and threw grain for my familiar. When she’d calmed herself, she spoke. “It is as I feared. She acquitted herself well to the end. A vine #cable could not have been stronger than her honor. No shame will ever be attached to her name. Alas, if I were younger, I would avenge this slight. If her betrothed fails in his duty, then I’ll haunt both him and Aoyama.”

I trembled. This was not why I had come. Instead of rescuing Okiku, I was only bringing tragedy. The ghosts threatened to multiply. I looked pleadingly at Airisu and mouthed, “Do I have to finish my tale?”

“Go on,” she cawed. “The rest is sorrowful enough, but there is no need for the good lady to stain her karma with it. The taint lies upon the house of Aoyama. Even dead at the bottom of a well, Okiku’s name endured unclouded—besides, we’re here to rescue her!”

With these last words, Airisu fluffed up her feathers and strutted across the floor. At a less solemn time, I would have laughed.

#TootFic #Crows #Otherkin #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy #Serial #SlowBurn #Yuri #Folklore #NMFic #TimeTravel

#Airisu: The Crow and the Witch

Banchō Sarayashiki (Sumika POV): Post 41
#Wss366 Cable #TimeTravelAuthors Whatever

I hated to resume the story. The romance I sensed between the witch and Okiku should have had a happy ending, but only tragedy lay ahead. I pretended to sip my tea, now grown cold, and then began again:

“All would have been well for Okiku,” I continued, “if Aoyama had been content with that. But instead, he devised a plan to trap the maiden. When she was away, he hid one of the ten plates.”

When he called for them to be shown to him, Okiku was horrified to find only nine. She counted them over and over, but no matter how many times she did this, the tenth plate was always missing.

It was a sorrowful maiden who presented the remaining plates to Aoyama, for she knew the penalty for losing a plate was to be beheaded.

Instead of anger, the lord’s face bore a crafty look. His expression soon turned to rage when she declined his offer of “clemency.” That fury blossomed, turning into a beating, and finally, when she still refused him, he dragged her into the courtyard and hung her over a well.

“This is your last chance,” he raged. “Who are you to refuse me?” She met his demands with silence.

Infuriated, he dunked her into the well, nearly drowning her. When even that failed to break Okiku’s determination, with one final slash, Lord Aoyama severed the rope, and she plummeted to her death.

The witch held up her hand for me to stop; her face had grown grim. With a shaky hand, she poured more tea and threw grain for my familiar. When she’d calmed herself, she spoke. “It is as I feared. She acquitted herself well to the end. A vine #cable could not have been stronger than her honor. No shame will ever be attached to her name. Alas, if I were younger, I would avenge this slight. If her betrothed fails in his duty, then I’ll haunt both him and Aoyama.”

I trembled. This was not why I had come. Instead of rescuing Okiku, I was only bringing tragedy. The ghosts threatened to multiply. I looked pleadingly at Airisu and mouthed, “Do I have to finish my tale?”

“Go on,” she cawed. “The rest is sorrowful enough, but there is no need for the good lady to stain her karma with it. The taint lies upon the house of Aoyama. Even dead at the bottom of a well, Okiku’s name endured unclouded—besides, we’re here to rescue her!”

With these last words, Airisu fluffed up her feathers and strutted across the floor. At a less solemn time, I would have laughed.

#TootFic #Crows #Otherkin #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy #Serial #SlowBurn #Yuri #Folklore #NMFic #TimeTravel

#PennedPossibilities 1026 — What is your MC’s biggest priority?

Bijou the #TimeTravelingGhost: Figuring out why she is a ghost and what the Lapan Cabel is up to.

#Airisu: The Ghost and the Witch: Arisu: "Snacks, no shinies, no snacks, shinies. I want them both!"

#NMPP #NMPrompts

#PennedPossibilities 1026 — What is your MC’s biggest priority?

Bijou the #TimeTravelingGhost: Figuring out why she is a ghost and what the Lapan Cabel is up to.

#Airisu: The Ghost and the Witch: Arisu: "Snacks, no shinies, no snacks, shinies. I want them both!"

#NMPP #NMPrompts

#Airisu: The Crow and the Witch

Banchō Sarayashiki (Sumika POV): Post 40
#Wss366 Wilt #TimeTravelAuthors Whatever

“I will do my best, Holy One,” I said. “There are many versions of the tale, and I don’t know which one is correct.”

The witch sat across from me. The firelight reflected on her face, giving it a deceptive ruddy glow, even though I knew she was very sick. Airisu had stopped pecking at the grain and was looking between us intently. I was pleased that she hadn’t said anything rude so far.

“So, she is well remembered,” the woman said. “Tell whichever version you please.”

“I’m sure to mix the stories up,” I said.

The witch coughed and waved her hand dismissively, so I took heart and began.

In Himeji Castle, there was a beautiful lady-in-waiting named Okiku. It was her duty to care for a precious set of ten plates. This was a great honor, showing her breeding and how much her lord, Aoyama, valued her. But the lord’s feelings didn’t end there. He lusted after her and wished to make her his concubine.

Okiku #wilted under his attentions and refused his many advances, spurning both offered rewards and threatened punishments, for she was betrothed to a samurai named Takesune and remained faithful to him.

I stopped, first looking at the woman and then at Airisu, and asked, “How am I doing?”

Airisu made a funny, unbird-like gesture that resembled a shrug. I'd need to reward her later for keeping silent as I had directed.

For her part, the witch said, “Good enough. Okiku was fonder of me than of any man." A gentle smile stole over her face, and her eyes grew distant. "But she had been promised, and no pleading would turn her from the path laid before her. We were as husband and wife in all but name, yet she had her duties and I mine. How then would Lord Aoyama ensnare her?”

A cough interrupted the witch’s speech. Wiping her lips, she said, “Continue.”

#TootFic #Crows #Otherkin #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy #Serial #SlowBurn #Yuri #Folklore #NMFic #TimeTravel

#Airisu: The Crow and the Witch

Banchō Sarayashiki (Sumika POV): Post 40
#Wss366 Wilt #TimeTravelAuthors Whatever

“I will do my best, Holy One,” I said. “There are many versions of the tale, and I don’t know which one is correct.”

The witch sat across from me. The firelight reflected on her face, giving it a deceptive ruddy glow, even though I knew she was very sick. Airisu had stopped pecking at the grain and was looking between us intently. I was pleased that she hadn’t said anything rude so far.

“So, she is well remembered,” the woman said. “Tell whichever version you please.”

“I’m sure to mix the stories up,” I said.

The witch coughed and waved her hand dismissively, so I took heart and began.

In Himeji Castle, there was a beautiful lady-in-waiting named Okiku. It was her duty to care for a precious set of ten plates. This was a great honor, showing her breeding and how much her lord, Aoyama, valued her. But the lord’s feelings didn’t end there. He lusted after her and wished to make her his concubine.

Okiku #wilted under his attentions and refused his many advances, spurning both offered rewards and threatened punishments, for she was betrothed to a samurai named Takesune and remained faithful to him.

I stopped, first looking at the woman and then at Airisu, and asked, “How am I doing?”

Airisu made a funny, unbird-like gesture that resembled a shrug. I'd need to reward her later for keeping silent as I had directed.

For her part, the witch said, “Good enough. Okiku was fonder of me than of any man." A gentle smile stole over her face, and her eyes grew distant. "But she had been promised, and no pleading would turn her from the path laid before her. We were as husband and wife in all but name, yet she had her duties and I mine. How then would Lord Aoyama ensnare her?”

A cough interrupted the witch’s speech. Wiping her lips, she said, “Continue.”

#TootFic #Crows #Otherkin #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy #Serial #SlowBurn #Yuri #Folklore #NMFic #TimeTravel

#Airisu: The Crow and the Witch

Okiku (Airisu POV): Post 39
#Wss366 blaze #TimeTravelAuthors What ever

The two women sipped their drinks while I looked around. I had hoped to find vermin in the bedding, but nothing moved there. The miko kept an exceptionally clean place for a hermit.

“Your tsukai seems hungry,” the woman said. She reached into a bag and scattered a little millet among the pine needles.

I eyed her first, then the grain warily. She made no move toward her offering. Instead, she returned her focus to Sumika. Seeing it was safe, I hopped down and began pecking at the kernels that had fallen farthest from her, all the while keeping watch.

I jumped when she coughed again, then resumed eating.

The fire #blazed as a new leaf went into the flames.

“Holy one, I have something that might help,” Mistress said, removing the antibiotics from her sleeves. “These will cure you of most diseases.”

The shaman made a polite gesture of refusal. “Unlike Han Wu, I do not long for immortality. I am but a carp in a wheel rut. It dries, and my karma is upon me.”

The woman was neither melodramatic nor mournful; she was simply stating facts. Even Sumika picked up on the finality of her tone. Mistress held out the pills for a moment longer, then she put them away.

“But there is something you can do for me before I voyage on the Yellow River,” the elder witch said. “Free my lover from the bonds of the world, and I will pass you my power.”

Sumika sat bolt upright, the cup in her hand falling to the ground. “I–I don’t… can’t kill someone. I came to save them.”

“Could it be? Have you come for my Okiku?”

I stopped pecking at the grain and listened. “Okiku? How had the two of them divined each other’s purpose?” Regardless of how, it was a convenient “coincidence.”

“Yes, I came for Okiku,” Mistress said. “To save her.”

“Then I’ll rest easier,” the elder woman said. “Like the mountain pheasant, though we will sleep on opposite sides of the pass; I will know that she still enjoys the dawn. Now, tell me what you know of Okiku, and then I will help you.”

#TootFic #Crows #Otherkin #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy #Serial #SlowBurn #Yuri #Folklore #NMFic #TimeTravel

#Airisu: The Crow and the Witch

Okiku (Airisu POV): Post 39
#Wss366 blaze #TimeTravelAuthors What ever

The two women sipped their drinks while I looked around. I had hoped to find vermin in the bedding, but nothing moved there. The miko kept an exceptionally clean place for a hermit.

“Your tsukai seems hungry,” the woman said. She reached into a bag and scattered a little millet among the pine needles.

I eyed her first, then the grain warily. She made no move toward her offering. Instead, she returned her focus to Sumika. Seeing it was safe, I hopped down and began pecking at the kernels that had fallen farthest from her, all the while keeping watch.

I jumped when she coughed again, then resumed eating.

The fire #blazed as a new leaf went into the flames.

“Holy one, I have something that might help,” Mistress said, removing the antibiotics from her sleeves. “These will cure you of most diseases.”

The shaman made a polite gesture of refusal. “Unlike Han Wu, I do not long for immortality. I am but a carp in a wheel rut. It dries, and my karma is upon me.”

The woman was neither melodramatic nor mournful; she was simply stating facts. Even Sumika picked up on the finality of her tone. Mistress held out the pills for a moment longer, then she put them away.

“But there is something you can do for me before I voyage on the Yellow River,” the elder witch said. “Free my lover from the bonds of the world, and I will pass you my power.”

Sumika sat bolt upright, the cup in her hand falling to the ground. “I–I don’t… can’t kill someone. I came to save them.”

“Could it be? Have you come for my Okiku?”

I stopped pecking at the grain and listened. “Okiku? How had the two of them divined each other’s purpose?” Regardless of how, it was a convenient “coincidence.”

“Yes, I came for Okiku,” Mistress said. “To save her.”

“Then I’ll rest easier,” the elder woman said. “Like the mountain pheasant, though we will sleep on opposite sides of the pass; I will know that she still enjoys the dawn. Now, tell me what you know of Okiku, and then I will help you.”

#TootFic #Crows #Otherkin #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy #Serial #SlowBurn #Yuri #Folklore #NMFic #TimeTravel

#WordWeavers 22. If your MC came with a warning label, what would it be?

#Airisu "Rude as F*ck"

#NMWW #NMPrompts

#Airisu: The Crow and the Witch

Okiku (Airisu POV): Post 38
#Wss366 color #TimeTravelAuthors 05/21. Do characters meet any relatives when they time travel?

The fog had lifted, and we found ourselves on a narrow mountain path. The moon now hung over pines growing along the bottom of a cliff face. In their shadows, a lean-to of boughs stood between the trees. It was from this rude dwelling that the firelight and voice had emerged.

Sumika took a deep breath. "Let me do the talking. There's no point in freaking them out."

Without waiting for an answer, she stepped toward the shelter, ducked, and entered.

Inside sat a woman with sallow skin, wild hair shot with gray, and weathered robes. She looked up from tending a pot and a teakettle hanging over a small fire and gave a welcoming smile, revealing teeth rotted from age. She might have been a Buddhist hermit, but her clothes were unsuitable for someone of that holy profession. Instead, I judged her to be a mountain witch, a wandering shaman, or a folk healer.

The space was neat with few belongings. Pine needles covered the floor, filling the room with a heavy, resinous scent. Behind her was a shallow cave containing a bed of ferns and a few tattered blankets.

I cocked my head, inspecting the woman. Then, crooning so only Sumika could hear, I said, “I hate to tell you, but she looks like you.” And she did. Age had dulled the #color of her black hair and wilted her flesh, but her oval face and mischievous eyes were the same. The tilt of her chin and the motion of her hands were calmer than Sumika’s, yet had the same natural grace. She could have been Mistress’s older sister or mother.

“As I might,” the woman said, coughed, and wiped the blood that appeared on her lips with a dried dock leaf. “Instead of finding the blessed land, I shall dwell in Kakuriyo until Dōken-shin calls me back to the world. Life is like this leaf,” she said, throwing the red-stained object into the fire, where it briefly blazed. “But the wheel turns, and tender buds spring forth where they once grew.”

“Hmm,” I thought and began puzzling over the metaphors.

“But sit,” she continued. “I forget my hospitality. I have tea and a poor stew. You’ll pardon my humble abode. I never could abide roofs and loathe flattery and insincerity. Here I can listen to the spirits, far from the floating world.”

Sumika lowered herself to the ground and knelt by the fire. “Holy Mother, who are you?”

“I have told you, child. We are the same spark. Gagaimo seeds adrift on the mountain’s wind.”

“Ah,” I thought. “This is the wandering miko Dōken-shin referred to. Not Sumika’s forebear, but Sumika herself at a different time and place.”

The woman coughed again, wiped her lips, and then poured tea into chipped cups.

#TootFic #Crows #Otherkin #Fantasy #UrbanFantasy #Serial #SlowBurn #Yuri #Folklore #NMFic #TimeTravel