The past could not be changed. It was an immutable fact of the world that history was written before you were born. Jisoo had the terrible misfortune to find herself in a time where her previous incarnations' actions had doomed billions of people to a terrible fate.
In her haste to save the world from what her former life thought were the greatest threats to humanity and the planet itself, ‘Daiyu’ had never put much thought into what it would mean for the unfortunate fifty percent of the population that had to be sacrificed. Although to her credit she had never imagined in her worst nightmares that her own sister would encourage the belittlement of specks and contribute to the discrimination against an innocent, helpless demographic.
Then again even if Baochai had not served as the catalyst to spark violence and bigotry against specks, Jisoo personally doubted things would be different. Humans found small reasons to disparage one another. Tribalism and senseless hatred were attractive sins to terrified, confused people. Fear bred a desire for simple answers to complicated scenarios and built upon an ‘us versus them’ mentality that was easy to fall prey to.
If I shrink the rest of the world… Jisoo thought as she left a trail of harmless destruction in her wake. Originally she had intended to become the continent-sized titan once again to make the journey to Singapore a brisk stroll, but now she had to think about what she really wanted to accomplish today.
Therefore she walked through the American Midwest at a ‘humble’ six hundred feet tall.
Everybody would become specks. It would eliminate the strain humanity puts on the natural environment, which was my original intention a century ago when I enacted The Diminution. And specks would not have to suffer anymore. Everybody would be just like them. Jisoo considered and stepped over a series of small suburban houses. Her quaking footsteps shook houses and entire neighborhoods, but her subtle magic kept the slumbering population oblivious.
Eventually she grew weary and picked an empty field to sit in. Hopefully the landowner would not mind the massive ass print in the grassy expanse. Some crickets chirped aggressively in response, but quickly moved lest they be flattened.
Sure there would still be a lot of tension… But the severe power imbalance wouldn’t exist anymore. Jisoo thought as she tried to envision what that world would look like. A world where every single person was three inches tall.
For equality to truly exist between the normal-sized majority of the population and the smaller, historically oppressed minority of specks, then society itself would have to be turned inside out. Her magic could be used to alter human nature but at the cost of removing what made them human to begin with. It was not right for her to determine how all people should think and with a spell force people to get along.
Even now as her magic was used to keep the population of the planet calm, Jisoo felt… Uncomfortable. Sure, it was for their own safety to maintain this arcane trance upon them, but that didn’t make it right.
What if I swallowed my feelings and just acted as a god? I could punish anybody who stepped out of line and hurt specks severely… Jisoo thought and revisited that earlier idea as well. She sighed and thought against it; even with her current power there was no way she could guarantee every speck would be safe.
Besides, such an action would only cause people to treat their smaller counterparts with fear. They would not come to see them as fellow people, but ‘things’ they were forced to coexist with. The moment Jisoo turned her back things would go back to the way things were. And what happened if for some reason Jisoo lost her abilities or no longer wanted to rule? If anything things would get worse.
Minutes ticked by in the corn field. Jisoo pondered her next move aimlessly until she eventually heard the unmistakable sound of a helicopter approach. She perked up slightly and gazed into the starry sky that appeared especially beautiful without the light pollution from a densely populated city.
Immediately she recognized who it was and considered whether or not to shrink every last passenger. If her family wished to speak with her, it would be from the stature of three inches tall.
A high-end luxury helicopter. Likely the passengers had taken a sonic powered private jet from their stronghold across the Pacific Ocean, then used an equally ultra-modern helicopter to make it this far in such a short period of time. Jisoo observed the iconic crystalline golden flower that represented the Amrita Corporation was emblazoned to the side of the vehicle.
Rows of crops were blown away as the helicopter descended to land a few dozen meters away from Jisoo, and not long after the doors swung open to reveal a familiar face. Both women’s golden eyes locked.
Aunt Min appeared surprisingly calm despite the circumstances. When last they had spoken Jisoo had just returned from Norwich, and begun to plummet even faster down the moral black hole that had taken her months to crawl her way out of. The matriarch of the family since then had been rather passive, and allowed events to play out while she simply watched.
Nobody else emerged from the helicopter except for the normally fearsome woman who commanded the respect of nearly every person on the planet. Min approached her ‘niece’ dressed in a warm sweater that kept her cozy on a nippy summer night.
No sooner had she stepped foot onto the soil when she was snatched off the ground by a gigantic hand. If anybody in the aircraft meant to keep her safe from the giantess, Jisoo did not really care. Nor did she particularly care for the ‘godly’ aura that surrounded her Aunt Min.
She would not allow her to approach with a little smirk as if this was all according to some convoluted masterwork of a plan. Min would know what it was like to be utterly dominated by someone infinitely stronger for the first time in her life.
Her elephantine fingers closed tightly around Min’s torso and legs to restrict her movement. Jisoo brought the woman up to her scowling face and squeezed her tightly, threatening to pop her like a grape. “Did you come all this way because you couldn’t wait your turn?” She asked sarcastically. “If you came here to talk me down or persuade me to stop, don’t bother. I’m going to shrink all of you.”
“By all means my dear, please go ahead. I can’t stop you.” Min replied calmly even as Jisoo’s insurmountable strength was wielded against her. Her cheeks turned red from the lack of oxygen, but otherwise the tiny woman did not appear particularly bothered. “I am not here to change your mind about anything, and I’ve already made my peace with your plans for me. However, I would appreciate it if you were willing to listen to what I have to say.”
“What exactly do you think~?”
“You can shrink me now and be done with it if you like.” Aunt Min cut in before Jisoo could retort. “Afterwards I can explain some things I think you should know.”
None of the company chauffeurs were in any mood to take her anywhere. The spell had broadly avoided employees of the Amrita Corporation, and unfortunately that extended to even the janitors and drivers.
After a few bothersome attempts to locate a ride, Satsuki determined it would be faster to just take a train. She located a bullet train en route to Kyoto, found a quiet seat away from anybody else that happened to be near a window, and simply gazed outside as they began to move.
I wonder what the omikami will think of this concrete hellscape humans have turned her sacred motherland into? Even in eras of the past, humans respected the natural beauty of the world. Satsuki thought sorrowfully.
The Japan she knew as it was now was nothing like the Japan of her youth. Instead of bountiful fields of silvery grass, bamboo and cherry blossoms, everything was bright neon, metal, and stonework. Humanity in their feeble attempts to reach the height of their betters had never appreciated the world as it was.
Yokai had once inhabited all aspects of the world. The environment itself was their domain. Rivers, trees, the wind and clouds… All of it lost and stolen by human savages that sought to destroy what they could not understand. To think her people had been reduced to such a pitiful state. It pained Satsuki to even think about it.
Just a little longer. The omikami will be freed from her shackles and tear down the ruinous veil. Satsuki told herself and touched the outline of the blade her father had entrusted her with. This one in a million chance to use a kitsune to our advantage will not be for nothing.
Jisoo watched her aunt with no small measure of suspicion. The woman was dangerous regardless what size she was, and had garnered her reputation for a reason. Every word out of her mouth was meant to manipulate, each action was its own scheme.
So if that’s the case, why can’t I just shrink her and be done with it? She thought in frustration, but did not allow the emotions to seep through her stone faced expression. Despite her earlier intentions she had allowed Min to preserve her size.
For now. Min used the opportunity to produce a small box from her pocket once Jisoo returned her to the field below.
To the giantess’s surprise, it was a package of cigarettes. “You smoke?” Jisoo asked in bewilderment when she saw Min also retrieve a lighter. “I had no idea.”
“You’re about to shrink me and they don’t make cigarettes at that size. Allow me my little pleasures before that happens, my dear.”
“What exactly did you come here to accomplish? What information could you possibly have that would interest me now?” Jisoo asked and ignored that last remark.
It’s not like trade secrets of the company mean anything to me anymore. Jisoo thought whilst Min inhaled a lung full of toxins from her first puff. “You told me everything years ago.”
“Not everything. I figured you should know the truth of the matter before you make any more decisions, and before my time comes.” Min replied cryptically with a shrug. “So will you listen or choose to continue without hearing what I have to say?”
“Just spit it out before I lose my fucking temper.” Jisoo shot back thunderously and folded her arms.
Min did not flinch as the enormous woman’s voice boomed across the fields like a bomb. She appeared strangely relieved. As if an immense burden had been removed from her shoulders.
Somehow those mannerisms gave Jisoo pause. It made her question everything about her current actions and prevented her from just shrinking Min and moving on. After all she had to have something interesting to say if she had come all this way.
After blowing a circle of smoke between her lips, Min sighed and spoke wearily. “I am sure by now you realize that our family bloodline is special. Sure, we are not necessarily gods as we would like to imagine ourselves. However it is erroneous to say that we are simply human.” She began. “Our lineage is descended from a different species altogether.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“The Fang Bloodline is descended from a different race of creatures that are completely unique from humans. A species that goes by many names which varies between human cultures.” Min continued. “Yokai, yao, gwisin, spirits, monsters, demons, ghosts…. There are hundreds of names for what our ancestors were. Although to be more precise, what you are.” She revealed.
Jisoo furrowed her brow, confused. “Speak plainly. Why are you talking as though I’m not a human?” She demanded. “Baochai made changes to our genetic code to make our bodies react differently to the Peaches of Immortality. That doesn’t make us an entirely different race of people.”
“Of course it doesn’t. Human sciences, alchemy, and pitiful attempts to recreate magic could never accomplish such a feat. But you are not like me or any of Baochai’s descendants who only possess unique traits and characteristics because of her alchemy from just before The Diminution.” Min said pointedly.
She doesn’t mean to say that…? Jisoo said to herself. “I’m… I’m not one of the blood descendants of the Fang Sisters.” She said aloud and realized what Min was trying to explain. “Unlike you, Grace, Ruiwen, Lihua, I’m a direct reincarnation.”
“Precisely. The lineage that flows through from Baochai to her many daughters and descendants is special for a different reason than you or your biological sister.” Min said affirmatively. “I suppose you can refer to us as ‘pseudo-spirits’ since we are just pale imitations of the real thing. Those who trace their ancestry by blood back to Baochai are not really spirits. We are humans that have been heavily modified by Baochai to possess some spirit-like qualities. Greatly enhanced physical strength, longevity, speed, and durability were all things that Baochai coded into us like we were thoroughbreds.”
“But since I’m a reincarnation I’m an actual ‘spirit’?”
“And not just any spirit. Not all spirits are equal in terms of strength and power. You my dear are a type of spirit unique to the East known as a ‘kitsune’ by your forebears. A nine-tailed fox.” Min said and gestured towards the tattoo upon Jisoo’s arm which she instinctively touched.
I am… N-No… That doesn’t make any fucking sense! Jisoo thought angrily and remained unconvinced. “I don’t believe you.” She snarled. “Nothing of what you're saying can possibly be true. If spirits have always existed then~!”
“Then everybody would know about them? Could you not say the same for magic?” Min asked with a smile. “Yet you weave spells all the same.”
“That doesn’t explain why nobody has ever seen spirits or ghosts. They’re just superstitious myths.”
“All myths have some kind of basis, otherwise they would have never been told. You aren’t a literal fox with nine tails, of course. However over thousands of years humans who came into contact with your ancestors began to associate you with them. Beautiful shape-changers that were sly and cunning, hence the name as interpretations changed with oral tradition.”
“So where exactly are these other spirits? Why are me and Suji the last ones?” Jisoo asked, still not entirely sure what to make of the reveal.
She had just convinced herself that she was not a goddess, but an ordinary person. Now that lesson she had drilled into her mind had been stolen away. There was the possibility that this was Min’s intention, to sow doubt into her mind, but for some reason she could not discern any deception from the woman even with her magic.
Min exhaled deeply and coughed on the smoke from the cigarette. It had burned through and she dropped it to the floor and crushed the ashes beneath her feet. To Jisoo’s disgust, she then took out another one and lit it as well. “Most of them are dead, and the rest sealed away through a variety of means.” Min remarked. “I am sure a few remain at large in the world. Though those exceptions are either so weak they are unaware of their own nature, or more likely they stay hidden for fear they will suffer the same fate as their ancestors.”
“Meaning?”
“Humans despise anything they cannot understand, or perceive as different. Spirits are no exception and since the birth of humanity the two races have always been at odds. So over the course of the history of the world, humans destroyed spirits. Witch trials, exorcists, inquisitions… Spirits do not reproduce as easily as humans do. Although humans power is nothing compared to spirits, every spirit slain is almost irreplaceable.” Min stated darkly.
Mother said that the identity of my biological father was ‘complicated’… For her to conceive me and Suji was more of a ritual than an ordinary birth. If what Min is saying is true, then Keqing must have intentionally ensured we would be spirits. Jisoo realized. “Let’s say I believe you.” She murmured. “Then explain why any of this actually matters. It doesn’t change what you attempted to accomplish with Operation Deliverance.”
“It’s merely meant to provide some context for what I wish to discuss next. The history of our family from before the Fang Sisters.” Min remarked. “You see, both Daiyu and Baochai were spirits that initially were completely unaware of their heritage.”
“Very little is known about the mother of the two Fang Sisters. We believe her name was Baoyu. From what we do know about Baoyu, she was born at some point in the city of Harbin, in the midst of the War of Resistance against Japan.” Min explained.
She knew that city quite well from her history courses in school. “That’s the site of Unit 731.” Jisoo murmured softly. “Was she…?”
“We don’t know whether or not she was born into imprisonment, or taken from her parents and then incarcerated. However we do know that she was a victim of human experimentation by the Imperial Japanese for most of her early years. Some have theorized she was even conceived as a result of the torture her mother likely endured at the hands of the scientists and soldiers.” Min said morbidly.
She appeared distant for several moments before Min continued. “It was at this time when the scientists discovered something very unusual about the baby; Baoyu was a spirit. Frankly there is no way to discern how that came to be, but I believe her lineage was likely a cross between human and spirit and she was a culmination of the energy that manifests within spirits when they are subjected to severe duress.” Min went on. “I believe you likely experienced something similar in your fight with Grace. The energy within you was awakened due to a strong physical and emotional reaction of some kind. Young love is especially powerful.”
“Get to the point.”
“The revelation that Baoyu was a spirit attracted the attention of the one remaining group of spirits in the world we know of, known as yokai, which happened to be in Japan as well living amongst humans in disguise. Before they could acquire her for their own purposes, Baoyu was rescued from her abuse by the Chinese Red Army towards the end of the war. In the chaos that ensued across the globe, the yokai had no choice but to cease their search and assumed she was dead or not worth the trouble of searching for.” Min recounted.
“In reality, Baoyu survived and went on to live a simple life as an illiterate serving girl at a tea house, and married a fisherman who, according to the records, treated her very well and they were truly in love. Unfortunately her tale does not have a happy ending as she died in childbirth. Miraculously her twin girls were spared; Daiyu and Baochai.”
“They were spirits as well? Even though they weren’t reincarnations of her?” Jisoo asked.
Min nodded her head. “Both girls were spirits, and that is likely why Baoyu died in labor. Whatever experiments had been done on her made it possible for her children to possess a greater portion of her spirit lineage.” She replied. “Perhaps the Japanese wanted to figure out a way to clone or breed more spirits? I doubt we’ll ever know. Regardless, you know most of what comes next. Both girls were academic prodigies and had graduated with doctorate degrees before they were even adolescents. Baochai married a wealthy man who owned Amrita Pharmaceuticals, and Daiyu spent her lifetime working towards The Diminution.”
“At some point before The Diminution, Baochai encountered the same collective of spirits from Japan. The yokai had been weakened over the course of millenia through the conception of a ‘veil’ which acts as a barrier between spirits and the natural world they draw strength from. The mass genocide of spirits throughout history had permanently damaged the balance that exists between them and humans, and made it more difficult for magic to even exist.” Min mentioned.
If the ‘natural world’ is the resource for spirits to draw strength from, then that would be another reason Daiyu decided to enact The Diminution. Jisoo considered and thought back to the few memories she had seen of her past life. “So Baochai agreed to work with the yokai?”
“They came to a mutual agreement. Baochai was unbridled by the same limitations of the veil that restricted the yokai, but she lacked any knowledge about the true extent of her powers. In exchange for sharing what they knew about alchemy, Baochai agreed to allow the yokai into her own family and in future generations pretended they were her actual descendants, which gave them refuge and immense wealth.” Min explained. “Both Baochai and the yokai wanted to return spirits to the world, but ultimately disagreed on how it should be done. Whereas Baochai attempted to use the knowledge they had given her to manufacture more spirits from her own blood, the yokai sought to tear down the veil entirely and force spirits to re-emerge. However such a feat seemed impossible until today.” Min said and gestured towards Jisoo.
Jisoo blinked in surprise. “You mean to say I could tear down the veil if I wanted to?” She asked in confusion. “How could I possibly remove something I just learned about?”
“You’ve already begun the process, my dear. You just did not realize it.” Min replied. “Satsuki thought this out very meticulously. Everything went exactly according to her plan in the end and I was too arrogant to think she had deeper ulterior motives.”
“I haven’t started anything! Like I said I just learned about all of this, so how is it possible that I’ve already removed the veil?”
“Humans and spirits used to live in a delicate harmony with one another, and eventually humans destroyed spirits and ruined the natural balance of the world which first created the veil as a consequence. Now after hundreds of years, an unprecedented degree of magic has been used in a very short span of time. Intentionally or not, your actions today have greatly weakened the veil and made it possible for spirits to re-emerge into the world for the first time in centuries.” Min informed her.
Okay. Let’s suppose what she’s saying is true. If I’m actually a spirit and by using my magic so frequently, what are the possible consequences? What would be so bad about spirits existing again? If anything it just sounds like they are victims to ordinary humans, the same way specks are as a matter of fact. Jisoo thought. If I decided to go through with my plan to turn everybody into specks, that would probably destroy the ‘veil’ and bring magic back into the world… Is that really so bad?
Aunt Min seemed to read her mind and puffed one last bit of smoke from her cigarette before it finished. It was alarming just how fast she was going through them. “I suppose it’s debatable whether or not it would be a bad thing for spirits and magic to return.” She mentioned. “Some would likely attempt to possess inanimate objects or locations as they once did. Stronger ones that have been sealed away would either take on a corporeal form or try to be born into the world from a human.”
“Would anybody be hurt?” Jisoo inquired.
Although she was tempted to carry on with her original intentions, if it would mean further violence and destruction upon innocent people then she would never allow for spirits to return. Even if they were victims of humanity’s fear of the unknown, it was not right that an entire generation of humans that were only guilty of the sins of their ancestors had to suffer the ultimate price.
Min shook her head in response.
“The vast majority of spirits are completely harmless; with few exceptions the most violent among your kind were slaughtered generations ago by humans. Some are tricksters and can be somewhat dangerous if repeatedly provoked, but spirits lack the same affinity for cruelty humans do. Perhaps that’s why even with all their power they died out.” Aunt Min responded reassuringly. “But as with all things there are exceptions to every rule. The spirit responsible for bringing us to this moment is likely to desire vengeance upon humanity for her imprisonment four hundred years ago… the omikami.”
Despite the development of the old capital into a prominent metropolis, there were still many parts of Kyoto Prefecture that were reserved for shrines. Nowadays they were more popular with tourists than locals, but regardless Masaru had faithfully maintained the sanctum for decades.
The elderly man was always especially helpful to newcomers eager to learn more about the ancient site. His colleagues considered him a bit too eager to engage in long-winded conversations with visitors, but they appreciated his care and patience.
Still, even Masaru thought it unusual that they would receive a visitor in the midst of an earthquake. He had only just finished securing some precious artifacts around the shrine when he noticed the woman approach the otherwise empty temple. He felt a twinge of concern when he noticed the scabbard to a curved blade connected to her waist.
Furthermore, she was in a casual stroll towards the karesansui garden that he and the other caretakers painstakingly maintained. With his age, Masaru could not quite discern that the bright green eyes of the strange woman were in actuality glowing. The tattoos on her torso coupled with the blade might have warned him off if he had noticed them earlier.
Masaru hurried over towards the woman as fast as his elderly legs could carry him. “Excuse me ma’am but I must ask you to come back another day.” He said gently once he was closer. “The shrine is currently~.”
The old man’s words clashed with the echo of his cranium bouncing across the gravel of the karesansui garden. Even as the severed head rolled across the small stones to leave a trail of blood in its path that flowed between the pebbles like a crimson river, Masaru’s face was surprisingly peaceful. He had not even felt the pain from the sudden, unexpected decapitation.
Satsuki observed the headless body collapse at her feet, then expertly shook the trace amounts of blood stuck to the blade before she returned it to the scabbard. In the same motion she had drawn the blade, Satsuki had decapitated the bothersome ape with it. Without stopping any further lest she experience more interruptions, Satsuki continued into the shrine unopposed.
Once this very same sword had been wielded as a devastating weapon against her kind. It only seemed fitting that the weapon that had beheaded countless yokai before her would be the tool used to free the greatest among her clan. The blade of this particular sword was hued a bright, luminescent gold. Despite the age of the sword which had been first forged almost six hundred years ago, it had never lost its edge. Such was the power of a sword that had been forged from pure amrita crystals by a master blacksmith guided by a yokai’s wisdom.
And like all deals or arrangements made between spirits and humans, that very same yokai was slain by the blacksmith to ensure the human could take all the credit for the masterpiece of a sword once it was completed.
I suppose it’s very fortunate that my ancestors did not simply destroy this blade when given the opportunity. Otherwise it would have been another hassle to find something to break the seal. Satsuki thought, and stepped into the aromatic interior of the shrine proper.
Before he died, Masaru had lit some incense. It was true that the concoction was rather unpleasant to weaker yokai and spirits, but to Satsuki it was merely an annoyance. With the snap of her fingers to orange flames flared brightly before they resettled as an ominous green. Satsuki walked further into the ancient shrine and noticed that compared to the previous times she had entered, the pain was practically non-existent now.
The veil had weakened even further from the kitsune’s magic. Even though she was across the world thousands of miles away, Jisoo had cast enough powerful incantations to severely damage the barrier that had formed like scum on a thick stew.
Eventually she reached a room that seemingly only held old ceramic pots and other miscellaneous dusty antiques. Satsuki knocked a few over carelessly and approached the end of the dark room, then placed her hand upon the stonework at the far side. She pushed firmly and exerted a tremendous amount of force, which immediately shattered the many tons of concrete.
Immediately the candles in the room behind her she had altered flared up even brighter than before as the ancient power sealed within the supposedly innocuous shrine reacted to her presence. Satsuki could hear faint whispers wash over her and shuddered slightly, not out of fear, but awe at the immensity of the presence just ahead.
Despite all the efforts of an entire generation of humans to keep her sealed, the omikami could never be entirely contained. Now with the veil nearly broken and her vessel just a short distance away, she was anxious to be freed.
And what a sight it would be.