Chapter 2 - Black Rain

Written by little song

The last rays of the sun bathed the world in a warm glow. A gentle breeze drifted through ruffling a cape of black feathers as raven hair swayed with lavender robes. A soft smile alighted on her face as ruby eyes blinked from the land to her work and back again searching for any inconsistencies. Satisfied she tested the ink for dryness before shutting the volume and standing.
A gust swirled grabbing the end of her hair and twirling it playfully before falling away. She glanced behind her as he landed; a Storm Herald returning, tall and majestic.
“Haku,” she cried with joy and rushed into his arms. Their wings spreading out to hold the balance, black and white, opposed and yet the same, for he was a rare bird.
Like all Kokkans, Tengu always had hair black as the night. When the Tengu were gifted with wings, it too held that dark tone while their eyes gained the blood sight and turned red. But once every blue moon a white one was born. Both wings and hair for some reason white as the snow, and their eyes were the clear blue of the sky.
Haku, one of tree alive now, not only blessed to be white, but gifted with more than his fair share of talents. As a flyer few could match his speed or grace, in physical strength and endured, he held out when other fell from exhaustion, he observed the smallest details yet could discern the larger picture, and in the rain the wind he resonated powerful. In every way, he was special and she not, an ordinary tengu; yet somehow he picked her out of a crowd.
She pulled back from their embrace to gaze into his clear blue eyes. “I’m glad to see you safe.”
“What can I do to make you not worry?”
“I don’t worry much,” she smiled and let go, “only that you will be reckless and fly too high.”
He reflected her smile, though with a mischievous air. “Well. It’s very cold up there. I wouldn’t want to stay to long, especially with you here.”
“You’re being sappy.”
“Am I not allowed too?”
“You’re supposed to be a strong storm herald.” She teased, raising up in a pose. “The powerful White Wind. But…” she paused, “yes your allowed.”
“I am glad to see you safe as well.”
“Now really, what could happen to me? I never leave Edo.”
“Hmm…” he feigned thought narrowing his eyes, “some young handsome man could come by and capture your heart. Then where would I be?”
“Really?” she cocked her head narrowing her eyes.
“You are beautiful.”
She shook her head blushing.
“Really, Haku, every time?”
“I just like seeing you blush,” he spoke and gently took her hand.
It had been almost 3 years now, since the young storm herald brought his first report here to be copied. Having lost both parents to a down wind and the Deto she had lived with the scribes, for her one talent she seemed to possess was skill with a brush. He would say she had many more talents than that, but that was what she knew she could do. Beyond copying reports much her time was taken up illustrating them and lining important drafts with patterns. He had brought his notebook in that day, to her station. She had looked up sunned to lay eyes on a white one, having only seen then from a distance flying before.
“Hi. Fair winds to you,” he had begun, bowing and giving an awkward smile. “Umm… Sorry to interrupt, I’m new at this. Where do we take these?” He had asked holding up the small black book of a Storm Herald.
“Ohh,” She had voiced, still stunned for a moment, “there’s a drop location on the second floor just… I’ll show you.” She had stood, and bushed past looking down to try and hide the blush darkening her face.
For whatever reason, what was different is always either feared or loved. In white ones case it was love. The Tengu usually considered them the most beautiful beings in Edo, perhaps all of Ashnuw. After that day all the young women had come to her asking for details of what he was like. She barely had spoken to him beyond that though, just taken him up to the second floor and showed him the box for the logbooks.
“… and always put it on the bottom if you don’t mind. They are done in order of arrival in case we get many Herald’s returning in one day.”
“Thank you,” he had said with a smile less awkward now. “And what is your name?”
“Abiru Ashikaga.” She had stated and then hastily bowed for the first time realizing that she had forgotten protocol in the shock of meeting him. “My apologies,” she blurted. “Fair winds to you.”
“And to you,” he had returned bowing again. “Haku Takeda.”
“Pleased to meet you Haku-sama.”
“You as well, Abiru-sama.” he had said honoring her back.
A week later he had returned to her station to deliver his log book saying he forgot where to put it. It was a lie.
Two days later he had saw her in the market and came over offering help.
Another few weeks and he came by asking about how the scribes worked. The conversation had drifted everywhere though, from her family to his, her interests his love of the flight.
Three months later and after so many conversations, he had confessed his attraction. And from then, ever day he was in Edo he had come to see her.
She found herself gazing at the sky, now alight with the orange rays of the waning sun.
“Little rain?” he asked, standing at her side as one white wing wrapped around her folded raven ones. “Is something wrong?”
“No, I’m sorry, I was just thinking. How was the trip?”
“About?” He asked, ignoring the question.
“Oh… us and… I don’t know.”
He nodded, gazing out as well. it was a time when they could… and he was so sure yet… being a Storm Herald wasn’t conducive to settling down. And he didn’t want to stop yet.
“The sun shines, yet… I am worried for Ashnuw.”
“How so?” she glanced up at him, her eyes conveying enough. And putting his mind at ease. She was content to wait.
“It’s only our job to observe and remember,” he sighed, putting the thought away. “But I have a bad feeling. And… I misstepped again.”
She shook her head, but smiled amused. Some days she couldn’t tell if he was just a handful, or if he was purposefully trying to get punished. Most often they would send him to copy the tenants which mean he stayed in the scribe house and she would usually keep him company and help his calligraphy. “I have a lot of work lately so you’re on your own.”
"Oh he didn’t ask me to copy it again.” He chuckled. “But I would.”
“Of course.”
“What are you working on?”
“Just trying to recopy the entire history and illumine it.”
“That’s a big task.”
She offered the book, now only twenty large sized sheets full of perfect elegant characters and intercut ink strokes depicting the scenes described.
“It’s barely begun but I did manage to get control of the project.”
“This will take years he sighed,” and stroked the sunset illumation she had just completed.
”I know, but I’m happy. I just wish it didn’t have to all come from my head for the most part. I do so much better when I can see it.”
“Hmm…”
“Will you model for me sometime?”
“Of course.”
“Thank you. That will make it easier. I’d also love it if you could tell me what you know of the landscapes you’ve seen.”
“I wish I could just show you. I wish you could come with me,” he voiced but his form seemed to drain.
They both know it wasn’t safe. It wasn’t safe for him but he was more equipped to deal with the dangers. If she ever left the ranges of Edo, she would likely die.
“Well. I’m happy just hearing it.”
“You’re lying. Don’t lie to me.” he stated unabashedly. It was almost the first thing he had seen in her. She came to the edges of Edo every spare moment to gaze at what lay beyond. Whenever he spoke of the things he saw she was held captive at every word and heart beat with longing to come. he was never good at detecting lies, but he knew her well enough now to see the patterns. even without looking.
She shook her head looking down, “Sorry, I just don’t want you to feel bad.”
“Someday, I’ll find a way that’s safe, and we can go and see it all, just us.”
“Just us?” She repeated looking down and blushing.
“Well…” he blushed. “There won’t be anything to wait for then.”
“When do you leave again?” she returned redirecting the conversation.
“When I am called.”
“Have you eaten?”
“Not yet.”
“Haku! The day is nearly over. What am I going to do with you?”
“Maybe feed me?” he smirked.
She nodded. “Come on then.”
Black wings spread as the maiden launched it the air heading toward the scribe dorms. White wings followed suit.