You step out of the airport, still numb from the blow to your heart a week ago. Shanks drives up, getting out of his red car and coming over, taking your belongings and putting them in the trunk. He comes over as you blink at the passenger seat where Kid would have been. Shanks sees it in your face, catching you as you sink to your knees, tears coming to your eyes again. He hugs you warm and tightly.
"Shhh... Its okay ___... Its okay..." He whispers rocking with you. You just cry into his chest, clutching over your heart. Shanks bites his lip, tears coming to his eyes as well. A tear touches your temple and you look up to find him crying as well. You blink and swiftly hug his neck, fingers combing his hair as you bring his forehead to your shoulder.
After a while, the tears stop and you both get in the car. You felt a bit better but the pain was still there. "I know you're still hurting... But we still have to do the ritual tonight. And tomorrow you will go to receive your first partner." He tells you softly.
"Okay..." You breathe, looking out the window as trees and buildings pass. That's right, you came here to start your life as a Hikari. Their jobs were to keep the balance between the spirit and living worlds. Your family has always been apart of the Hikari so naturally you also joined, training most of your life for it, but the reality of it would come after tonight.
Kid's sudden death still weighed heavily on your shoulders because you knew there was a high chance that he passed straight on. And if he was a spirit now, he wouldn't remember anything about you. The knowledge of him being physically gone still took its toll.
Shanks' temple sat on top of a hill that connected to the mountain. You let out a breath. So this is where Kid had grown up.
"Go ahead and explore. I'll bring your things to your room." Shanks says. You get out, going up to the temple alone. You look over at the town. It was a beautiful sight, but you felt empty. You shake your head and try to focus again. Looking around the temple. Near the back of the temple hidden from public view by a tall wooden fence, was the rectangular pool. From the engravings at the bottom of the pool you deduct that this was the revival pool vital for the ritual.
"This is where I'll see the spirit world for the first time..." You murmur. Tonight... You look up at the already darkening sky.
"You already found it huh.." Shanks steps to your side. "I'm curious.. Can you feel the power coming from it?"
"I feel something... Kinda peaceful." You murmur.
"Then you definitely feel it then... Come on, Ill show you to your room." He leads you into the living area of the temple. You're immediately greeted by pictures of a young and baby Kid. You stop looking at a few and smile. Shanks pauses peering back at you as you walk on, taking in each picture as her grew older in each one. You stop again at the last one and most recent.
In the picture Kid sat smiling softly at a computer screen. "I took that when he was talking to you... Would you like to keep it? As you can tell I have plenty of pictures of him." Shanks breathes taking it down and giving it to you.
"Thank you." You hug the frame to your chest.
"Come on," He leads you to a door, opening it to show a neat and clean room. "He insisted this be your room since his is right across..." He looks back at the door, shoulders drooping slightly. You look at the door then him, taking his hand and going to the door, opening it. Shanks' hand tightens around yours, he was already trembling as you turn on the light, taking in the messy room the smelt vaguely like oil. You cross the threshold and he hesitates. You give him a reassuring smile, pulling him into the room. "His room is so messy..." He tries to smile, tears streaming down his cheeks.
He shook and you hug him tightly waiting for him to calm. You wanted to cry again too but you manage to keep it together. When he's calm again he thanks you for being there and suggests you both get some food from a nearby restaurant.
After eating you go back to the temple. Shanks stops outside the temple, looking up at the red moon. "Go put on the kimono on your bed, meet me at the revival pool." He tells you. You swiftly go in and change into the snow white kimono and go out to the pool. Two large torches sat on either side of the steps. Shanks stood by with a pole with a u shaped end. "Are you ready?" He asks turning your back to the steps.
"Yes... I'm ready." You breathe. He puts the u end to your throat and shoulders.
"Always enter the portals backwards. Youll need to do the same to return here. Following the lights, the object at the end you must touch and then return here. Don't venture from the light ___." He instructs, slowly backing you down the stairs.
You reach the final step and he swallows, suddenly shoving the pole against your throat and pushing you to lay at the bottom at the pool. You knew what was going to happen and didn't panic, opening your mouth and letting the water drown your body however starts to thrash in panic. Then for a moment, everything goes black. When the color returns youre met with a purplish moon.
The rod on your neck was gone and so was the water. You get up and go up the steps, the two torches burned purple. Everything else was dark, but you could still make out the same scenery. Another torch catches your eye and you start for it. You pause at each torch following them throughout the town until you reach a shrine at the end of town. It was lit, everything about it glowed golden. You enter looking around cautiously until you see a scroll and ink brush.
Others names were on it, so many... You add your name and the shrine shudders, losing its glow suddenly. Surprised, you rush back out to a torch looking back at the shrine as demonic beings look down at you from the roof.
'Run.' The voice in your head orders. You dash under the light of the torches at that. A sound that you felt resembled demonic hyenas sounds and you can sense them give chase. Fear seizes your chest as you try to out run them. You look back as one jumps at your back but something tackles it midair.
'Don't look back! Run!' A voice calls. You look ahead again running faster. But the temple was still so far away. Something wraps around your waist and you're pulled onto a seat. You blink down at the sleck figure. A motorcycle? You blink and look at the driver finding a terrifying black demonic face. You look ahead swiftly as they take you under the torch lights at a fast speed. You look back at the face.
"Are you helping me?" You ask. No response, the facial expression doesn't even change. It reaches the temple and stops, putting you down to the side, nudging you forward. You nod and rush ahead, pausing at the top and looking back as the rider vanishes into the darkness.
You run back to the pool swiftly turning around and going down the steps backwards, laying at the bottom and closing your eyes.
The water returns and you open your eyes, grabbing the rod. Shanks pulls you out and you cough up water, gulping for air. "That was fast... Did something happen? Are you okay?" He asks in amazement.
You blink, letting your mind settle down before telling him everything that happened. Shanks stares at you for a few moments before frowning. "That's very ominous... The balance might shift soon." He shakes his head. "You were lucky, there are spirits on your side... Go get dry and go to bed. Try to sleep well, tomorrow is the next trial."
"Yes..." You breathe going to your room and drying off before changing into your pjs and turning off the light. You lay in bed for a bit mind racing. After a bit you get up and wander into Kid's room, climbing into his bed and taking in his scent. You relax and close your eyes. "Was that you Kid...? I miss you...."