Kumiko managed to find Ichiro later in the afternoon and tracked him from a safe distance so that he would not become aware of her presence. This soon proved more difficult than expected, for he chose to pass through a peasant village and occasionally stop to ask residents if they had food to spare.

He was refused each time for good reason, but Kumiko still felt sympathy. The monks in Daigo Temple had barely given him enough to eat that morning, and she wished it were possible to come to his salvation by conjuring a meal out of thin air.

Instead, she watched his hope diminish until he gave up with a sigh and continued his journey to Kyoto in silent misery. The lack of subsequent interruptions allowed Kumiko to remember her true goal with a heavy heart.

Not only would she have to explain her presence to Ichiro before plotting to kill him, but she would also have to go about this business without being discovered by the other kitsune who had made the capital city their home.

Although many of the elders had ascended to heaven a century prior, their positions were eventually filled by those next in the age hierarchy, regardless of whether they were qualified. The siblings Harue and Sora came to mind, for they had been hostile towards her ever since she'd dared to call them haughty and vain.

Nevertheless, there was a good chance of evading their attention if she kept quiet and left quickly, which seemed possible when Ichiro would only be staying here temporarily. And, so, with that matter put to rest, she kept following him while becoming aware that the deed could very well be done today.

******

Ichiro was in desperate need of money, so one of the first things he did in Kyoto was approach strangers and offer to sell them his oni mask. All refused until he crossed paths with an elegant woman whose face was painted the color of snow and whose lips resembled a rose petal. She gazed at him with her narrow yet sharp eyes before expressing interest.

"That mask would make a fine addition to my brother's collection. He fancies himself a skilled performer and always seeks to play a new character."

"I'm glad to hear it," Ichiro replied, assuming that this woman's brother was some sort of actor. "For your thoughtfulness, I am willing to decrease the price to one hundred mon."

The woman gave him a modest smile. "You're quite generous for one so handsome. If you want, I could let you stay free of charge in our home. Guests are always welcome, and my brother will enjoy having another young man around."

Ichiro hardly knew anything about them, so he declined despite feeling flattered by the compliment. "Thank you for the offer, but I do not belong in your world. Purchasing this well-crafted mask is how you should support me."

"Whatever you say." The woman sighed and unfastened the orange pouch that rested against her waist. She pulled out a long string of copper coins before passing them to him. He slipped them into his bag with a clink, then gave her the oni mask as promised.

She turned and began to walk away, only to stop a moment later and utter none other than a warning. "By the way, you should watch your back. There is someone after you with ill intentions."

"What?" Ichiro wondered if she had mistaken him for somebody else. He couldn't think of anyone who would want to hurt him this far from Sakai or the forest where those bandits had roamed. His pulse raced as he looked behind him and saw only people lost in their own business.

However, he couldn't put himself at ease now that the seeds of doubt had been planted in his mind, and the addition of his empty stomach soon drove him to hurry off in search of the nearest lodging.

******

Curse you, Harue! Curse you, I say! Kumiko thought in a rage while weaving her way through the busy street. She didn't know which upset her more - being discovered so soon after arriving in Kyoto or the fact that the older kitsune had made a clear attempt to flirt with Ichiro.

In any other circumstance, she would have confronted Harue regardless of the difference in their power. Unfortunately, she was currently naked, invisible, and faced with a cruel assignment that was supposed to make everything else seem trivial.

Perhaps, such obsession over piddling matters resulted from her heart's refusal to accept that Ichiro might die by her hand. She racked her mind for a way to remedy this and resolved to enjoy his company to the fullest so that her regrets would be few.

Just one more night or two. Then, I'll do what must be done...