| [Aug. 29th, 2017|03:57 am] |
The stone statue of old Tanuki-san was nearly invisible by now, obscured by the gathering villagers. Full dark had fallen, and crackling torches lit the night with a sweet resinous perfume. Someone banged a drum. Young men chanted, and women answered them.
A band of children came running, rice-straw baskets on their backs heaped with fist-sized steamed buns. The crowd surged around them as they handed out buns. Kurenai dropped her voice-muffling jutsu hastily. A teenage boy came up, red-faced, and pressed several buns into Ka-chan's hands. "Enjoy the festival," he blurted, and sprinted back to his giggling friends.
Ryuu bristled. Ka-chan blinked down at the offering, and her face softened into something that was almost a smile. Then she turned, dropped all the buns into Ryuu's lap, and went back to the puzzle.
Ryuu stared at her. "I'm gonna throw 'em," he announced loudly.
Ka-chan's shoulder hitched. Gendou chuckled, got to his feet, and scruffed a hand over his son's hair. He patted Ka-chan's head more gently and told Rie and Kaede, "I guess it's time. I'll get enough buns so we can all throw some."
"At the statues, please," Rie put in. "Not the poor local boys."
"Awww…" But Ryuu stuck with them, as the crowd began to form up. The young men with torches circled the big stone tanuki statue while the local priest gave his blessing. Then there was a rattle of drums and a flurry of shouts. The first soft buns pelted the tanuki statue, and the young men were off, waving their torches and chanting on their way through the village to the next stop.
Villagers streamed after them, throwing buns as they passed. Apparently the objective was to hit the statue without stopping to take aim or impede the parade. Even Kaede's elderly informants joined the throng, sandwiched between a troupe of drummers and a band of young women with elaborate fans. Children dodged in and out of the parade, handing out buns and only occasionally eating them.
Another band of torch-bearers passed, and Gendou led his little family into the line. Ka-chan tucked her unfinished puzzle box into her sleeve and reclaimed two buns from Ryuu. She tossed them with deadly accuracy, one into each of the tanuki's beady eyes. Kaede aimed for the broad belly, a reasonable target for an old woman. Gendou's bun bounced off the tanuki's nose and pattered to the growing heap at its feet.
Rie, giggling evilly, pelted her bun straight at the tanuki's enormous testicles.
"Mom," Ryuu complained. "You stole my idea!"
"Baby," Rie said sweetly, "you should know by now that all your ideas are mine." It had the ring of a direct quote. Kurenai suspected Raidou was channeling one of his own mothers heavily tonight.
Ryuu heaved an exaggerated teenage sigh and turned, walking backwards, to toss his bun. It landed in the hollow bowl held in one enormous paw. Ryuu looked startled for a moment, then delighted. He pumped a fist in victory, nearly tripped over his own feet, and scampered to catch up with Ka-chan. "Did you see—"
The parade wended on. Through the village, with bun-throwing at two more statues; then beneath a torii gate and up a rough stone path, hung with lanterns that glowed pink and green. Up and up, with the drums banging ahead and behind them, and the cool mountain breeze streaming the torch-flames sideways.
Kaede's feet ached in unsupportive wooden sandals, but the wind was in her hair and the fresh mountain scent in her nose, and when she slipped on the mossy stone Gendou took her elbow. A dutiful son, of course. She smiled at him. He grinned back, torchlight in his eyes. |
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