Shounen Onmyouji Vol 10 Chapter 1.2

Chapter One: The end of spring.

Part 2 

The letter that Narachika had sent home ended with a line that had left Masachika in shock for days. "Masahiro has lost his eyes..."

What on earth could have happened ?! 

Losing one's eyes.... Masachika couldn't imagine.... it was worse than losing any other kind of spirit ability they possessed.

Without eyes, what was left was a useless power, strength without focus, sharp and ready, but unable to be wielded. In short, a tragedy. 

The heir to Abe no Seimei…... the little brother that had grown up under his care. 

Narachika and himself were also members of the Abe family. They were both strong onmyouji in their own right....., but their abilities paled in comparison to Masahiro's potential and the raw talent that he possessed. 

Once, when they were drinking together, Narachika had confided in him after a few gla.s.ses of wine. 

"....Brother, lemme tell ya.... I've been fearful of Touda ever since I was a kid.... Now that I'm older it really hasn't gotten any better.... I know yer the same way.... To be honest... and I'm gonna tell you.... It's not just Touda.... I can't help but feel really tense every time any of the s.h.i.+nshou appear. It just chills me to the core, makes me feel like I've got something cold and heavy in my stomach."

Translator note: His language is a little loose here, like he's had a few drinks.

Masachika understood this feeling well. Before the s.h.i.+nshou, he had felt powerless and small, unable to command the power that they wielded. But Grampa and Masahiro had been different, effortlessly commanding them to do their bidding, as if they had always been meant to command the G.o.ds themselves. 

"I guess this is the difference between talent and "skill." Narachika said as he looked away. 

Wrapped up in his own thoughts, Masachika could only nod in agreement. Was it really true? He wasn't sure he agreed. Masachika had always had the inkling that Masahiro "saw differently", his vision sharper and keener than most, picking up on small details and minor yokai that there merely wisps of wind to Narachika and himself. 

But now he had lost his eyes..... what will he do now? 

Masachika sighed, his shoulders felt tight and tense. He shook his head as if to clear away troubled thoughts. He cant dwell too much on this, it was useless and surely to affect his work. The two brothers will be home in a few months. He had much to discuss with his father and grandfather. He was young and inexperienced,but perhaps his father and grandfather will have some way of restoring Masahiro's sight. 

"Ah, that's right, the daily report for the head astrologer is due......" Masachika's thoughts returned to his own work as he departed from the bureau. The head astrologer, was of course, none other than his own father. But Masachika was expected to maintain professionalism at work, so during work hours, he would always be "the respected head astrologer." 

Father may be "respected head astrologer," but Masahiro is always "Masahiro". At one time, Masachika had referred to him as the "bureau apprentice" by mistake. Though Masahiro himself had not heard him, it earned him an angry glare from the white creature that had always sat by his side. 

But Masachika had known that the creature was Touda,.... and that single crimson glare bored into his soul and made his breath hitch in this throat. 

He didn't fear Touda as much as he did back in the day, but it was as his brother had said, an uneasy cold darkness that chills you to the core and settles at the bottom of your stomach. 



Despite being brothers, Masachika rarely encountered Masahiro. Being an astrologer, Masachika primarily worked at night, carefully tracking the movements of the stars and planets from dusk to dawn, while Masahiro, and pretty much every one else, primarily worked during the day.  This meant that Masachika is frequently left out of the loop, and is always the last to be informed should something happen. He hadn't even known that Narachika and Masahiro had been a.s.signed out on a mission in Izumo until hours before they left.  

Narachika was already highly qualified in the field, with qualifications and skills that exceeded his own, there was nothing to worry about. Masahiro would surely be safe with him.

Masachika had found out about their departure and the mission so late, that he was unable to see them off. He was looking forward to their return in hopes of organizing a small family banquet....but now was not the time to be thinking about this. 

He squinted in the darkeness as he made his way into the courtyard. He and Masahiro were far apart in age. Masahiro was only fourteen. It was an age to learn, gain experience and make all that he could of the talent that he had been blessed with..... 
"If only I could give him my eyes."  

Masachika was an astrologer, although he possessed an impressive Kenki ability, it wasn't especially useful for his line of work. He had know that his grandfather Seimei was capable of switching lifespans. Lengthening or truncating a man's lifespan by swapping it with that of another man. Perhaps it was possible to give his Kenki ability to Masahiro. It would be inconvenient for him, but it was the least he could do, and he could manage with out it. Of course, it wouldn't be as good as the ability that Masahiro lost, but it was better than nothing at all.

But deep in his heart, he knew Seimei would flatly refuse such a proposal even if he could. Though he was not Seimei's favorite, he was still his grandson nonetheless, and Seimei's att.i.tudes had always been clear. In addition, Masahiro would definitely refuse as well. 

Masachika had found himself entrenched in such thoughts periodically , ever since he received the letter from his brothers. But it was useless, there was nothing he could do. 

"Young man, what are fretting over now?" 

Masachika was startled out of his thoughts by a pat on his shoulder. 

"Fath.... No... Respected Head Astrologer! " 

The fog in his mind cleared, worries chased away by the cool night air as he noticed for the first time that his feet had already carried him to the gate of the Bureau of Astrology. Yos.h.i.+masa stoof before him, his arms filled with dusty scrolls from the library archives. 

"Ah.... uh.... well... I was just thinking about some things......"

"Yes,... that is apparently to anyone with eyes, I am asking you what preoccupies you so that would delay your daily report."

Yos.h.i.+masa sighed, Though he may not realize it, Masachika often lost track of time like this. 

"Ah... well... it's a private matter,.... now's not a good time."

Yos.h.i.+masa looked at him with a certain skepticism before changing the topic. 

"The Astrology apprentice said that you had something to report. I looked for you but couldn't find you. I thought you might have been in the archives."

"Ah yes... certainly... last night while charting the stars in the eastern quadrant, I noticed some erratic activity. The signs turned out to be very strong and I consulted the manual. It seems that there are some signs of impending turmoil building on the eastern front. The star angles are pretty sharp, it could be big. "

"WHAT !?" Yos.h.i.+masa immediately grew solemn. 

"Did the positioning change? What manner of change? "

Masachika opened his mouth to speak but thought better of it.

"Perhaps it is easier to consult the astrology charts instead. The changes are quite irregular, perhaps a master onmyouji can be consulted."

He meant Seimei of course. 

"Masachika, what exactly is going on? "

"Well to put it simply, one of the key stars has changed color and light direction. It's a silvery white now. Not only that, it's in the same constellation group as Polaris."

The Polaris constellation group, or the group of stars immediately surrounding the north star serves as an indicator of heaven and earth. The stars immediately north, represented the sovereignty of the emperor over the land. The stars surrounding that represented the empress and the chain of succession among her children. 

"I'm not experienced enough to pinpoint the person represented by that particular star. I would appreciate both the help of the respected head astrologer, yourself and that of a master Onmyouji to decipher this sign."

Masachika had a good grasp of his skills and abilities and had confidence in what he had seen, a very good quality in an astrologer. 

All color drained from Yos.h.i.+masa's face at the word "Polaris." Anything that involves the divine emperor concerned the nation as a whole. He nodded wordlessly and motioned Masachika to follow him. 

Countless days pa.s.sed, and winter turned into spring. In mid-April, Fujiwara Chugu's (Shouko) imperial induction ceremony was suddenly canceled.