E2 — CLOUDS & CURSES (Part 1)

Red and orange fight off the last grips of purple as night becomes day. A massive tree wrapped in rope with zigzag strips of white paper towers above me, its trunk and branches gnarled from centuries of growth, its bark covered with soft grass. A courtyard extends around the tree. Worn stones and gravel cover the earth. A boulder spitting water sits behind me. To my left are two large fox statues guarding a small wooden box. To my right is a wall of painted wooden plaques hung from lines of string; they rattle together as a gust of wind blows ginkgo leaves across cold stone.

It’s quiet here. Peaceful. Lonely.

Crows caw in the distance. The rumbling of a massive metal snake comes and goes. The smell of burning incense and brewing tea whispers through the air, accompanied by the stink of car exhaust. I breathe it in deeply. Although altered, I recognize the scent. At least I’m still in the same city, even if this area is—

Clanging metal crashes through the stillness, sending me airborne. Whatever made that racket is close. Curiosity tugs at my whiskers. It’s an allure that often brings misfortune, but risk does not dampen its magnetism. Besides, I can’t just stay here. So I shake the startle from my paws and set off towards the sound.

Low to the ground, I stalk quietly. There’s no telling what I’ll find. Danger or direction? Desperate as I am, I don’t have the luxury of abundant options here. Perhaps thinking I might uncover answers from the sound-maker is just overthought curiosity. Then again, it could be instinct.

Creeping along the edge of an ancient building, I sniff at the air for answers. Nothing definitive. Two claps force the breath from my lungs. Muscles tense. My shoulder presses into wood and shadow. I strain for silence, waiting for more noise. Nothing comes. Did it hear me jump back? Whatever it is, it could be waiting for me to make a move. 

Still nothing.

With arduous caution, I risk a peek around the corner.

Is that a…?

Before a roofed platform with a ceiling gilded in intricate gold, stands a cat unlike any I have ever seen. Bipedal? I shake my head, trying to fix my vision. He's still upright. My head tilts. What manner of cat is this? The new angle doesn’t change things. Long fur, snow-white and billowing in the breeze, covers the mysterious creature still standing tall and proud on his hind legs. A haori jacket made of midnight silk with a strange human symbol on the back drapes over his shoulders. A smoldering pipe sits loosely on his lips; its trail of sweet smoke dances through the crisp morning air, twisting and rolling towards the heavens.

I blink hard, still unsure if he’s some feline apparition.

He offers the building a deep bow, then meanders to a path that twists past swinging lanterns and fragrant shrubbery. Instinct screams, urging me to follow the strange cat. It’s no longer a mere matter of curiosity. No, there is something undeniably important fueling this feeling. Something I can’t place. It begs me to take action, to uncover the hidden importance. So I cling low to the shadows, darting from one bush to the next, slinking after him as he lazily strolls towards a gargantuan red gate at the end of the path, all the while remaining upright, walking on nothing but his hind legs. Apparently, without a care in the world.

His strolling takes us to a sidewalk not unlike any other. Concrete jammed between more concrete, metal, and glass. Though foreign, the neighborhood looks similar enough to my own. What a relief. Perhaps I’m not too far from home after all, but I know better than to dive into humanity’s maze without thought. For now, I must stay my course. Besides, each time I consider letting the abnormal cat saunter out of my mind, instincts push me forward. So I follow him, rounding block after block, ducking in and out of alleyways until I’m on the brink of insanity.

“Do you plan to follow me all day?” The fluffy white cat says between clouds of pipe smoke; his peaceful stride uninterrupted, his relaxed gaze fixed ahead.

I duck behind a vending machine. No way he spotted me. Since the shrine, he’s done nothing but hum and puff his pipe without a care. The only thing that changes is his stance when humans pass within view.

“Your technique could really use some refinement,” he calls out again without turning to look for me.

Damn him. Mocking me? Or perhaps he’s just crazy. I mean, look at him.

Wait.

Where’d he go?

I leap from my hiding spot. Nothing but buildings and empty concrete. I sniff again, long and hard. A multitude of scents flood my nose. Only unhelpful details. The stench of human fumes from a block away, the perfume of sandalwood and charred ash from an open window above, the sweet aroma of fresh fish from around the corner, but no pipe smoke. Where the hell did he…

“Hey.”

The voice sends me leaping. Laughter accompanies my descent as I spin to find the mysterious cat leaning against the vending machine right beside me, upright, forelegs crossed comfortably across his fluffy chest, pipe smouldering between his smirking lips.

My back arches, my tail puffs.

“Who are you?!” I hiss.

“Hmm, strange…” He scratches his chin contemplatively. “I was under the impression that you were the one following me… So shouldn’t I be asking you that?” He shrugs lackadaisically.

“I, er… My name is Bokuden.”

“Well, Bokuden, you’re pretty shit at stalking,” he laughs, choking out a puff of smoke. “If I were your meal, you’d surely starve. Luckily for you, we’re not enemies, or else I could’ve taken care of you the second you passed out of the torii gate,” he sighs. “You really should bow, you know? When you leave. Especially after the Mikoneko guided you to her shrine.”

“Bow? Wait… Hold on! Who’s the Mikoneko?” I pry, the sound of the spirit cat’s holy purr replaying in my ears.

The white cat rolls his eyes. A buzz of energy builds in the air around him. I step back, readying for an attack. “Always bow. The kami deserve respect.” His massive white tail puffs up even more. I unsheath my claws. He scoffs, pressing his tail against the vending machine. The mysterious charge in the air magnifies. Lights flicker. The snack fortress whirrs louder and louder, as if struggling to breathe. Like a bolt of lightning followed by rumbling thunder, a can plummets to the bottom of the machine, forcing me to jump again.

“Careful of the road, you just got back. It may get easier, but I doubt you’d like to go through all that again.” A car speeds by as I move away from the curb. The strange cat turns his attention back to the vending machine, squeezing his top half under the flap. He emerges with a grunt, dragging out a red and white can scrolled with human symbols.

“Whoa, whoa! Hold on!” I say as he walks away. “Wait! What do you mean? How do you know I woke up there? And who is the Mikoneko?! Do you know about the spirit in the void?”

“Hmm, the void? Oh, you mean the dark place? The land of nothing?”

“You’ve been there too?”

“The Void… I like that. Shorter, simpler. Simple is good, especially when dealing with lost cats like this one,” he murmurs to himself.

“Hey! Quit ignoring me!”

“Shhh…” He holds up a paw at me. “All cats have been or will go there. To the Void. Nine times, in fact. That’s not the concerning bit. It’s the memory of that place that’s problematic. That’s your issue, and, unfortunately, it is quite a dire one as far as your soul is concerned… Well, good luck,” he smiles and turns away.

“Hold on,” I spring forward, cutting off his retreat. “What are you saying? Please, I’m… I’m so lost. I need help. Please, I beg you,” I bow deeply.

“Alright, alright, just… lift your head. You’re embarrassing me.” He sighs and takes a deep pull of his pipe. “Here’s the thing: most cats never consciously remember the Void. Most simply go at the end, then, by the next beginning, have already forgotten. That’s the natural cycle. The way of balance. The path to peace… Understand?”

Oh great… He is insane. 

“Not at all.”

“Then there’s another problem for you to come to terms with… Sorry,” he shrugs and turns away, again.

“Wait! How do you know all this? You woke up at the shrine, too, didn’t you? You’ve seen the spirit, the one with the lotus! Right? Is that the Mikoneko?”

He huffs over his shoulder, “This can is quite heavy and getting warmer by the second. I need to get back home so I can enjoy my drink without humans flocking to me with those damn flashing rectangles pointed at my face… Besides, these questions don’t have simple answers; at least not simple enough for someone who can’t even properly conceal their presence.” 

All I can do is grit my teeth as he heads for a nearby alleyway with his precious can hoisted high above his head. Senile fool. Doesn’t he have anything better to do than puff out vague riddles?

Oh well, let the old bastard go. Clearer answers can surely be found elsewhere. There must be another path. But the city before me is a sprawling expanse of unfamiliar concrete and glass. A world of hard things and hardships. A monument to aimlessness. A blatant reminder of how limited my options truly are. If only Oda were here; he always had the sharper nose. But he’s gone. His memory stokes the flame in my belly. Get back home. That’s the first step in restoring my siblings’ honor. Then I can cut down Zei Sho. But first I must find my way back…

Damn it.

As bothersome as he is, the upright cat may be the only one with any idea how I got here or what happened to me. Ugh. For now, my options are painfully limited.

“Hey! Wait up!” I rush for the alley, chasing down the can-carrying cat.

continue with CLOUDS & CURSES (Part 2) + ILLUSTRATIONS - out now!

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