• A woman's Grudge


    Kiku sat in the daughter’s bed chamber with a black incense jar by the girl’s side to keep the spirit’s influence away from her. Kiku thought she had it figured out but an Aonyobo would never be a pregnant spirit more or less holds that strong of a grudge. The daimio was in his bed chamber moping thinking that all hope is lost. The servant boy was in the same room as Kiku taking care of the sick daughter. Kiku looked up at him and began to wander after all the research she did on the daimyo and the palace. Could it be that the spirit could be…?
    “Where are your parents?” Kiku asked the servant boy out of the blue. The young boy looked up at the Yokai detective questionably. He sighed and made a half smile.
    “My mother and father died when I was very young more than an infant” the servant boy explained. “The daimyo adopted me and I served here ever since”
    Kiku lit a lantern keeping her gaze on the boy. “Did the daimyo know your mother?”
    “He did mention on several accounts. He told me that she was a loyal servant girl that he had taken in. He is really a kind person when you get to know him” the servant replied with a small smile on his face.
    Kiku rested her head on her palm. “She died giving birth to you”
    The servant boy looked at her with wide eyes. “How did you know Miss Kiku?”
    “Because I should’ve notice sooner but this place is being haunted by an Ubume” Kiku explained.
    “A what?” the servant asked.
    “It’s a female spirit with a strong affection towards their children” Kiku explained. “They appear as long black haired woman that follow their children where ever they go protecting them. If their child is not taken care of properly the Ubume takes their rage out on the father. All of this is pointing to the daimyo in other words you are his son”
    The servant stared at her in shock not knowing what to say or react. “But why is she…”
    “Probably because you were treated lowly than his other children and was placed at the serf level” Kiku said. “The only way she rest is for both you and the daimyo is to make peace with her. Ubume is still a Shiryo (spirit of a dead person) only with special abilities its nothing I can’t handle. Once you made peace with her then I’ll handle the rest and perform a passing”
    The servant smiled a bit then tears swelled up in his eyes. “Can I see her? Can I see my mother?”
    Kiku was quiet then a small half smile formed on her face. “Get the daimyo to apologize and I’ll see what I can do”
    The servant boy was instantly off to see the daimyo leaving Kiku alone with the daughter. She lit the incense and sighed deeply. She smiled a bit.
    “You can reveal yourself now your son is gone” Kiku said.
    From behind a young beautiful woman win a white kosode with long black hair, pale skin, and blood trickling down from her waist. She knelt down by the daimyo’s daughter and strokes her bangs then looked up at the Yokai detective. Her face curled up with hate then she broke out in an evil grin.
    “You don’t scare me Yokai detective” she said.
    Kiku merely ginned then opened the incense jar. “Your pretty high and mighty for an Ubume”
    From the jar shot a large vaporous creature in the shape of a snake and wrapped around the spirit.
    “What is this?” the spirit demanded trying to break free.
    “It’s a Shikigami it attaches itself to spirits” Kiku said then the smoke like being disappeared. “It disappears quickly though”
    The Ubume knelt down feeling weak then glared up at the Yokai detective. “I won’t forgive him for what he did to my boy”
    Kiku closed the jar. “There is no reason to take it out on this girl here. Not to mention your son can’t have you over his shoulder for the rest of his life. In the end all things must disappear”
    “NO!” the Ubume snapped. “I love my son and I refuse to fade!”
    From behind the shogi door slide open letting the daimyo and the servant boy into the room. The boy stared bug eyed at his mother that he never knew and fell to his knees.
    “Mother?” he questioned. The ghastly woman spun her head around to look at her son then tears formed in her face. She stood up and walked over to the boy and placed her cold hand on his cheek. She smiled a bit and wrapped her arms around her son’s neck crying her heart out.
    The daimyo dropped to his knees shocked to she his concubine standing before him.
    Kiku looked at him with a sharp leer. “Well? How do you feel milord? This poor woman’s love was so strong for her son and you threw her trust away this is why things are like this”
    The daimyo approached the woman and bowed over and over. “My dear can you forgive an old fool?”
    The Ubume stared at the daimyo her tight face relaxed. She caressed his cheek then got up. The shogi door opened by it and Kiku held out prayer beads then said a few words. Hitodama appeared and began to guide the beautiful spirit out the door. She began to grow transparent then disappeared. The servant cried a bit then Kiku got up and left just as the daughter woke up.
    The next day rumors spread that the daimyo finally found peace and rediscovered his son. When he died the palace went to his servant son and the daimyo were buried underneath a Sakura tree. Every night a woman would appear on the man’s grave weeping for him.