Over and over, Shichi flipped his hands from back to palm. Each time they looked the same — fair, human skin with traces of blood vessels beneath the surface. Fingers trembling, he touched his own face. He took in a sudden breath, nearly choking as he inhaled. His face was flat. His beak had been replaced with a small, soft mouth and a mere nub of a nose. His fingers curled, gripping his temples as he struggled to keep from screaming. At first, he could only hear his own panicked breathing. After a moment, there was one more sound — footsteps.
“Chiyo,” he whispered, finally looking up. The door to their room opened with a crack as he stumbled out, catching sight of the kitsune down the hall.
“Chiyo!” he repeated, rushing forth to grab her by the arms. The monk was wide-eyed before her, his pupils dilated in terror.
“Hey, get your hands off of—!” she spat, tightening her hands into fists. It was only after a second look at his face that she paused. It was a human that was grabbing her, yet there was something terribly familiar about his eyes.
“…Shichi?”
He could only nod, caught in a state of speechlessness.
“AAahh!” she blurted, recoiling back against the wall of the corridor. The kitsune stared back at him, unable to do more than blink. So aghast were they both that neither noticed the innkeeper as he passed by in the hall.
“Ah, Miss,” the old man said as he walked by. “If you’re going to bring strange men into your room, I’ll have to charge you for two people.”
Chiyo immediately reddened, the hair on her nape rising to a point. Her shock was replaced with flushed anger as she forcefully shoved the monk back into their room.
“Put some clothes on!” she cried, slamming the door shut behind him.
Shichi winced at the sound of the door, taking a moment to realize what she was talking about. A glance down told the story quite succinctly. He fumbled for the pile of clothing beside the futon, not realizing that his face was now just as red as hers.
A minute later, the door cracked open to reveal the now-clothed monk.
“O-okay,” he murmured. “I’m decent.”
“What did you do?” she asked, not bothering to hide the accusation in her tone.
“Me? I didn’t— It… it must have been the tea.”
“Argh,” she groaned, frowning up at him. “You’re still taller than me.”
“Everyone is taller than—,” he started, then shook his head. “I-it doesn’t matter. Change me back. Change me back to a bird!”
Chiyo snorted, her mouth quirking in amusement. “What’s wrong with being human? I thought you liked humans.”
“I like radishes, too, but I don’t want to be one!” he insisted.
“Is it really worse than being a bird?”
“Look at me — I look terrible! And it’s so cold… I feel naked without my feathers.”
“You were nak-“
“And my face is so flat and I keep- ow!” Shichi said, cringing. “B-biting my tongue. These… these teeth. Why do I have so many of them?”
“I think I like you better this way,” the kitsune smirked.
“Please, we have to go back to the fortune teller. There must be a way to reverse this.”
“Can I watch you try to eat breakfast first?”
“No!”
As entertained as Chiyo was with Shichi’s predicament, she was just as eager to face the fortune teller. They made their way directly to the market, ignoring the calls of merchants and throngs of travelers. Shichi’s spine was stiff as he walked. As conscious as he was about his own form, not a soul on the street so much as glanced at him. It was almost as if, as a human, he was simply invisible.
The shop door rattled open, revealing the same walls of trinkets and spiritual oddities. The fortune teller was arranging a shelf of books, taking a moment to glance in their direction.
“Ah,” he said, his mouth curling in satisfaction. “I see it worked.”
“What are you talking about?” Chiyo barked, quickly invading his personal space. “It didn’t work at all!”
“B-but look! He’s human!” the man insisted, gesturing wildly to the monk in the entrance. Shichi froze, making a quick realization.
“He wasn’t human before,” the kitsune spat, now grasping the man’s collar in her fist.
“…What.”
The shop fell silent — only a hard swallow from the fortune teller’s throat could be heard.
“W-what was he before?” he asked after mustering the courage.
“A tengu,” she replied, forcing him to bend forward to meet her eyes.
“A… a-a tengu? You never mentioned-“
“Aren’t you supposed to know that yourself, fortune teller?”
“How was I supposed to know that?” he sputtered, making a weak effort to loosen her grasp. “It was a human spell! For humans!”
“Well, give us a different one,” she said, now baring her teeth. “For tengu!”
“Why would I have something like that?” the fortune teller scoffed. “Who wants to be a tengu?”
Shichi’s shoulders tensed as he narrowed his eyes at the man. His opinion of the human was descending with each minute that passed.
“Then give us a refund.”
“I’ll do no such thing,” he replied with a smirk. “The spell worked exactly as it was supposed to. You’re the one who neglected to mention-“
“You give us our money back or I’ll wipe that slimy grin right off your face,” Chiyo snarled, now butting her forehead against her victim’s.
“You should be happy!” the fortune teller insisted. “Being a human is much better, isn’t it? I think you-”
Before he could finish, there was a blur of movement as Chiyo’s fist pounded into his jaw. The man’s head knocked against the shelf with a crack, toppling a few books to the floor. Just as she reeled back for another strike, Shichi hurried forth to grasp her by the wrist.
“Chiyo, let’s go,” he asked, his voice gentle.
“No, we have to-“
“He can’t help us,” Shichi said, keeping both hands on her arm. “Let him be.”
The kitsune took in a deep breath, allowing her chest to rise and fall. Her pupils flickered as she focused on the fortune teller. The man shivered beneath her stare, too afraid to wipe the blood that was trickling down his swollen lip.
“Fine,” she answered, opening her hand to release his collar. He stumbled back, swallowing as he watched the two turn to leave. The door shut with a clack, leaving the fortune teller alone with his trinkets and scattered books.
“You shouldn’t have stopped me,” the kitsune muttered as they made their way back through the market.
“He didn’t intend to deceive us. It was an honest mistake.”
“So you’re fine being human?”
“W-well no,” Shichi replied, lowering his eyes. Unconsciously, he rubbed his arms, still not used to the feeling of bare skin. “But hurting him wouldn’t fix anything.”
“It would have made me feel better.”
With no other options, they returned to the inn. Though Munetoshi had recovered, he was still in no shape to help his father. Upon seeing the ‘strange man’ return to his doors once more, the innkeeper seemed less than thrilled.
“A monk?” he asked, eyeing the staff in Shichi’s hand. “Your visitor… is a monk?”
“It’s not what you think,” Shichi said, shaking his head. “I’m just a physician. A… fellow physician.”
“He was giving me some advice about treating your son,” Chiyo added with an awkward smile.
“Ah. Well, I’m not sure what part of that required him to remove his clothing, but I suppose he can stay.”
“Thank you,” Shichi said, lowering his head gratefully.
“I wasn’t kidding about the extra charges, though.”
“O-of course.”
Soon after, lunch was served in their room. After ensuring that none of the ingredients were spoiled, Chiyo immediately set into her meal. Shichi was slower to start, only gazing down with both hands in his lap.
“What am I going to do?” he murmured. “There must be some way to change back.”
“I already told you — you can probably do it yourself. You just need to practice,” Chiyo said before lifting a bowl of miso soup to drink.
“I suppose.”
“It will be easier for you to get around this way, anyhow. Maybe you can even treat human patients.”
Shichi’s eyes rose at her words. She was right — in this form, humans would have no qualms accepting him into their towns and shops. It might be possible to offer his services as a doctor to a great number of people.
“Now quit moping and eat something,” she continued, tilting her head back to gulp down the rest of her soup.
Hesitantly, Shichi reached for a pair of chopsticks. His hands still worked the same way — perhaps eating wouldn’t be as difficult as he first thought. Carefully, he lifted a piece of carrot to his open mouth.
“Ow,” he said, instantly wincing. Somehow, he had poked himself in the face. Knitting his brow, he tried again. Chiyo made an admirable effort to control herself, only bursting into laughter when he dropped food into his lap for the second time.
“I’m glad you’re so amused,” he muttered. “This mouth is just… so small.”
“Want me to feed you?” she snickered.
“I can handle it, thank you.”
With intense concentration, he brought the tip of his chopsticks to his mouth. The carrot piece set carefully onto his tongue, filling him with a profound sense of victory. Triumphantly, he swallowed, then doubled over in a choking fit.
“Hck!” he groaned, drawing both hands to his throat. “Ghhk!”
“You idiot,” Chiyo groaned, giving his back a solid thump with her fist. The piece of food dislodged, freeing his throat to breathe.
“Remember those teeth you were complaining about?” she said, tilting her head. “Use them.”
Squinting, he moved his jaw, being careful not to bite his tongue once more. Awkwardly, his teeth moved up and down, making a stiff attempt at grinding his food.
“Use your back teeth.”
Finally, he gulped once more, relieved when the food moved smoothly down his throat.
“This is so much work,” he breathed, rubbing the side of his face.
“Get used to it,” the kitsune huffed. “Not everyone has a gizzard.”
“No wonder humans get so angry,” Shichi said, closing his eyes. He supposed he should consider himself lucky. At the very least, he still had hands and fingers. As long as he could continue practicing medicine, these inconveniences mattered little. Feeling the approach of a headache, he poured himself a cup of freshly brewed tea. He lifted the cup, appreciating the warm, familiar scent.
“Well, at least I can-“
“Shichi, watch your-“
“Aaahh!”
After the catastrophe that was lunch, the pair decided to rest one last night before continuing on their journey. Adjusting to two different bodies in the span of several days was exhausting, to say the least. As Shichi organized their provisions, his hand stopped on the frayed ribbon that had been thrown hastily into the bag. Moving automatically, he rewrapped it over his wrist, making sure it was firmly tied at the ends.
His sleep was restless. Once more, he could see the same old farmhouse, its walls standing proudly beside wide fields of rice.The sky was dark and starry, heavy with the sound of summer crickets. A woman was walking under the moonlight, carrying a wrapped bundle with both arms. From beneath the cloth, the cat looked up at her, his eyes wide with apprehension. His tail was flicking, its tip already beginning to fork into two parts.
“It’s all right, Gin. We’re just going for a walk,” she soothed, stroking behind his large, pointed ears. The cat relaxed at the contact, purring as he bumped against her hand.
She continued for hours, leaving the road and moving deep into the forest. Her geta were unsteady on the mountain terrain, yet still, she pressed on. The cat soon fell asleep in her arms — it seemed the drop of bone poppy sap she had used in his dinner had finally worked.
The woman knew that this wasn’t right. Most cats of Gin’s age were put down, killed long before they had a chance to transform. Having a nekomata in one’s household could mean ruin for an entire family. Even so, she couldn’t bring herself to do it. No matter how she tried, she couldn’t harm her pet. This — her long trek through the woods, was the only other option.
“Oh, Gin,” she whispered, kneeling to set the bundle down beside a tree. “I hope you can forgive me. Be strong out here — I know you can make it.”
The cat didn’t move, too deep in his slumber to hear her voice.
“You were such a good boy,” the woman said, gently running her hand over his head. Her vision blurred, obscured by the tears that had welled in her eyes. As she bent forward to kiss his forehead, a drop landed just between his eyes. She made no move to dry her tears, only standing to watch him for a moment. The wind rustled the trees, reminding her just how high in the mountains they were.
Without another word, she turned to leave. Though her heart longed to glance back, she knew that doing so would be a mistake. From then on, she could never look upon her pet again.
Poor, poor Chiyo… How’s she going to adjust from sleeping on a feathered bed to a weird skin one?
That said, another excellent chapter, and I can’t wait to see how this deal with Gin goes down. Also very cool that Shichi is getting to see both sides of the Yokai/Human differences.
Thanks again, Ji!
Yes, poor Chiyo. She’s the one who’s truly suffering. Also you’re wonderful, thank you.
One must always keep the long suffering Chiyo in mind… Truly, her tale of keeping a foolish bird alive is a harrowing one.
I am really interested in seeing how all of this ties together with Shichi and Gin.
Oh, I hope I don’t let you down!
AHAHAHAHAHA.
…HAHAHAHA. HA xD;
Jisuk, your comedic talents are going to kill me at this rate!
Shichi looks really cute as a human, by the way. I like the hairstyle that you chose. It is reminiscent of the tengu head shape but still subtle.
The dream sequences regarding the nekomata are very interesting. It is also alarming, because nekomata have the ability to enter dreams, according to legend (I think?). Looking forward to the next update!
Ah, I’m glad you found some parts to be funny! Anything that worked especially well for you? And thanks so much for commenting on the art, it’s really helpful to hear your thoughts on it and I’m happy you like his design!
The way that you set up the Fortune Teller’s misunderstanding and the consequent punch to his face was awesome. I also liked how Shichi’s eating manners are entertaining but also help us understand just how hard it is for the tengu to adjust to a human body. The physical humor and dialogue are perfect.
Aww, this chapter ended on such a sad note. I feel so sorry for poor Gin :(
The rest of it…just perfect. So perfect. At the time, I absolutely did not think anything could be funnier than poor Shichi being turned into a raven. I was so wrong. And I think “Can I watch you try to eat breakfast first?” is the line that perfectly describes the new book.
Yeah sorry for the emotional ups and downs… I didn’t want the chapter to be TOO silly, you know? And thanks so much, I hope he ended up looking how you imagined!
I take back what I said in the last chapter; Shichi as a human is quite a cutie.
This chapter overall was so awesome and funny and sweet, I can’t wait to see how everything plays out!
Also, random thought, humans don’t have a set mating season or a penile sheath. Will we see some awkward moments involving his male-parts?
*I mean, funny and sweet aside from the part with Gin, that was very sad, but still some amazing character development.
Well, he just spilled hot tea on it so that’s Step One. I’m happy you like the illustration of him, thanks!
Huh, I wouldn’t think Chiyo would care much if she saw a guy naked or not being 300 years old. Unless she finds him vaguely handsome now. Oh, dear…
She doesn’t care that he’s naked, she just didn’t want the innkeeper to get the wrong idea about her.
I didn’t realize that I had several chapters to catch up. human!Shichi is hysterical. Also the banter between them when she tried to get him to be a performing bird had me cackling.
Thanks for catching up and for commenting!
I burst out laughing when Shichi choked. I’m terrible.
It’s okay, he is meant to be laughed at. Always.
Either Chiyo is right and Shinji will learn to be a genuine transforming anime boi or Shinji will keep suffering.
…
I see no downsides to this.
A+++ chapter. Eagerly awaiting suffering and physical comedy.
Thanks, glad you enjoy it! (small note: his name is Shichi)
Ooooh, that was good! I find it hilarious that he wanted to go back to being a bird at first considering the human form gives him a lot more freedom. What made him want to change back? Panic?
The lunch scene was awesome (poor Shichi, destined to be laughed at) but the dream makes me sad. I wonder if Gin will ever know he was abandoned because his owner couldn’t bring herself to end his life. Maybe Shichi will tell him?
Yay, it’s back up! Sorry people were being d-bags. Shichi’s human form is too perfect. You somehow retained all his Shichi-ness despite changing him so much. Although you do the same thing with Chiyo, so I shouldn’t be surprised.
Anyway, hilarious antics + intriguing backstory = my kind of sandwich. Thank you so much for sharing this story with us.
*radio announcer voice* “And to your right, ladies and gentlemen, you will find the wild fangirl herd doing their ritualistic dance of excitement, hilarity and sorrow. It would appear they have recently been fed a new chapter of their favourite book…. Ah yes, there it is. Chasing the object of their affection.” *human Shichi runs away screaming while Chiyo fights back the swarm*
XD okay, basically, it started with AAAAH AWWWW HE IS SO CUTE. To Omg, poor Chiyo to 0.0 poor fortuneteller to XD XD XD SHICHI you ridiculously adorable thing and finally… TTvTT Gin… *petting quietly*
Masterfully done yet again, Dahling. Masterfully done. *applauds*
OHHH WOAHH!!! I’m new to reading this story and I’ve only just gotten myself up to date but I can honestly say it is the best story I have read in a really long time ^_^ I’m so excited to see what happens next (now that he’s human he might be able to go back and see Aki or even Kana without being regonized!!)
I love your sense of humor and the deign for human Shichi is so cute!
Your writing is brilliant thank you ^_^
Human-form Shichi is a total cutie~
I might be thinking too hard about this, but would he have trouble speaking as well? Beaks are hard, lips are soft xD Though I’d imagine there’s liberties taken with that (because… how beak drink tea?). Logic part of me imagines them just opening their beaks and making sounds, the way the talking raven videos do it.
Very much looking forward to seeing what’s up with Gin, that poor kitty. No wonder he has a grudge against monks, since that one basically forced his owner to disown him…
Ahhh and now happened the dreaded catch-up moment, where a cliffhanger is a real thing. *snaps fingers* It’s cool, I’m patient. Maybe I’ll cook up some fanart…~
I really enjoy your work! I love Fishbones and when you started Karasu I practically consumed the story. I can’t wait to read more about Shichi’s journey.
Totaly worth pulling a allnighter to read it all the way threw! Gotta love Chiyos sass and Shichis levelheadded ness. And now there’s a nekomata in the story!?! EEEEEE A NEKOMATA!!! I don’t know why but the kitsune and the nekomata are probally my top fave mythical beings/spirits. Cant wait for next upsate ^-^
I’m finally caught up and will be waiting for future updates. BTW whatever happened to that answer stone Chiyo had it last, but we never found out what she asked it.
When I first discovered this, i spent all day reading it. it’s so good, and I’m eagerly awaiting the next update. I hope the author hasn’t died/gone on hiatus/been eaten by velociraptors.
The good news is no velociraptors have eaten the authour!! Unfortunately the story has been put on haitus for a while due to block and some unfortunate discouragement from comments on Tumblr. I don’t think it has been dropped though so we should be able to see more in the future ^_^ Glad you joined our group of growing fans :P
Nooooo!!1
I.. Need… More… Chapters… Now…
Ok, now seriously. I cant wait for next update. When i started reading some time ago i ended at morning, not a single thing i planned was done. Next night looked same, but story ended with such cliffhanger! Stalking this website ever since. :)
Keep up good work!
Although I’ve never commented before, I have been following this since mid book 1 and it kept me up waay late that I had to force myself to stop and carry on the next day.
I have eagerly awaited each new chapter ever since and I love the concept, the characters and story flow. The dialogue feels natural and in character. I get concerned for them and I feel their happiness and I’ll keep checking here every so often for as long as it takes.
I’m sorry you’ve had discouragement from comments on tumblr. But F them. This is your work and “You can please some of the people, some of the time, but not all of the people all of the time.” Please yourself first and foremost and people will sense that and in turn may enjoy it themselves, such as the people commenting on here and myself.
Writer’s block sucks, it happens. All I’ll suggest is take a break and don’t feel guilty. Put up a hiatus notice, maybe draw, write something else outside your norm, do something physical, go for walks, find inspiration from other things, create something with your hands, refresh your mind and energy. Don’t fret. It’ll be alright.
whew -I started and finished this whole thing today, and now I have no idea what to do with myself. I greatly enjoy your writing style and character development! But damn- poor Gin! And those captured eggs feel troublesome (perhaps a plot to keep/train the tengu children as slaves?)
Can’t wait for more~