Work Text:
“Don’t stay up too late or a ghost will show up!”
Ayato sneered when he remembered what Thoma had said to him at dinner. It was also accompanied by a dramatic gasp that came from his sister.
“Don’t say that!” she said.
“Oh well, do say that,” Ayato countered. “If you keep talking about them, they will hear you and actually come to haunt you both.”
Now the gasp became two, those come out not only from Ayaka, but also Thoma.
Ayato shook his head at the memory. It was already so late, the clock pointed at 2.00 AM and the estate is so quiet, just how Ayato likes it. There is no faint sound of the servants conversing with each other, no sound of the plates clanking against each other as they washed the plates, or the sound of broom swiping across the garden as they ushered away the dead leaves from the ground. Ayato can only hear the crickets and the sound of Shishi-odoshi (the bamboo fountain) outside, clacking with the rock.
A ghost is better company than an assassin though. Ayato thought to himself as he read the papers in front of him. His nose scrunched up, as he read a certain proposal. What’s this… a proposal from a clan, to add an entrance fee in Inazuma’s festivals, toward foreigners? 50,000 Mora for each? What kind of bullshit is this? Tear this bullshit of a paper, crumple it up, and throw the crumpled paper to the back of the room. Let it join the rest of the crumpled papers that consist of similar bullshit.
As Ayato were too engrossed in his work, he didn’t notice that the sound of the Shishi-odoshi has stopped, and the crinkets also stopped singing. In his room, Ayato let the sliding door open, letting the moon shines down upon his work and the cold wind blew his face. Therefore, in front of him he can see the garden, and before the garden was the wooden floor that connects to another area.
A shadow walked on that wooden floor fast, Ayato noticed it.
Looking up from his work, he carefully stood up and materializes his sword.
However, Ayato tenses as he couldn’t materialize his hydro blade. He tried again, yet the water doesn’t respond to him. He then took the vision on his waist, and noticed it wasn’t glowing when he let out his power.
So someone stole his vision and traded it for a fake.
An assassination attempt it is then.
But, the assassin must be a fool to assume that Ayato was powerless without his vision, getting his sword in the room, he then stepped onto the wooden floor outside and pointed his weapon at the direction the shadow was going.
There is no one there.
Ayato also just noticed that the Shishi-odoshi has stopped, and the cricket stopped singing. Must be an electricity problem or something… he thought. But where are they? They must be a clever one. Ayato remembered that the doors across this wooden floor were all locked, and there is no way of opening it without making a sound. Ayato then directed his attention at the garden. No… he couldn’t feel a presence in the garden.
Ayato’s eyes wandered at one room that is left opened. He squinted his eyes, and carefully advances there.
This room was the dining room, it is pitch black here because the light of the moon doesn’t reach here. Ayato let out a cold sweat, he gripped his sword tightly, then a voice appeared inside his head. It is the voice of Thoma.
“Don’t stay up too late or a ghost will show up!”
It couldn’t be… right? Ghost doesn’t exist, those who deal with ghosts must be the sly fox that inhabits the Narukami shrine, not the Head of a Commission that deals with tradition! Ayato shook his head, and then carefully walked in.
A cold hand touched Ayato’s nape, as it whispers.
“Why don’t you go to sleep…? It’s late, do you want to accompany me…?”
And then, a voice of a woman.
“Sleep, brot- I mean, young man…”
Ayato deadpanned. He then elbowed the figure behind him, “it” or he, then let out an ouch. Ayato also pulled the ear of the woman, who then ouched as well, before pulling the ear of the man as well. They both ouched louder as Ayato neared the light switch.
As the light turned on, Ayato was greeted by the sight of Ayaka and Thoma, who was holding Ayato’s hand that is latched onto their ear.
“Ow! Brother, it hurts!”
“Milady, why did you slip like that!” Thoma complained.
Ayato let go of their ears. They both held onto their reddened ear. Ayato folded his arm, and looked down at the 2 figures who were kneeling.
“Ghosts huh?” Ayato said, unamused. “Not funny, I thought there was an assassination attempt.”
“We just want you to sleep early.” Ayaka pouted.
“My apologies, milord…” Thoma bowed. “It was all milady’s idea.”
“Hey!”
Thoma was elbowed by the Kamisato … again. Therefore he yelped.
Ayato sighed. He knew that they meant well… but they do it in such wrong way. His eyes then wandered on the tape recorder that is on Ayaka’s pocket.
“I assume that’s why the cricket stopped singing.” Ayato wiped his chin. “That’s also the reason why the cricket’s voice sounded so off.”
Ayaka’s ear went red as she looked away. Ayato then glared at Thoma, Thoma yelped and looked away too.
“You must be the one who stopped the water pump on the water fountain.”
Thoma only scratched his head in shame. “But, milord. We’re not at fault though, you must sleep!”
“Shush. My vision.” Ayato held out his palm. Thoma scratched his head again and gave back Ayato his vision.
“Then, one mystery remain…” Ayato muttered. “The shadow… it must not be you, it doesn’t fit your figure. Because it was so fast, it should be the work of a member of the Shuumatsuban. But I didn’t recognize their shadow. So you both must be hiring a new member without my permission?” Ayato accused them.
However, their reaction was not in Ayato’s calculation. They only looked at each other, seemingly confused.
“But brother…” Ayaka began. “Didn’t you come out of your room to check why the water fountain wasn’t working?”
Ayato’s forehead wrinkled.
“What…? I came out of my room because a shadow passes by. I thought there was an intruder.”
Silence ensued.
“Milord…” Thoma began, fear was present in his eyes. “That… wasn’t us.”
End.