“How did you sleep?” asked Bao upon Obake’s arrival to the kitchen the following morning.

“Great. What about you? Still drunk?” he replied with a comedic undertone.

“No, of course not. Although, I wish I were. My back is killing me.”

Obake circled behind her and initiated a delicate back massage.

“You’re such a sweetheart.”

“Where’s Papa at?”

“He had to run out. He’ll be back any minute.”

Obake discovered his breakfast and began devouring the buttery pancakes, scrambled eggs and congee.

“Good. Because I need to talk to you guys,” he said with a full mouth.

“Is everything okay, Froggy?”

The front door creaked open and in came Yokai with a fist full of fresh herbs. “Fantastic. I don’t have to wake Sir Lazy Bum over here.”

“I’m surprised you’re not hung over, old man.”

“Hangovers are for the weak. Besides, I can’t be hung over on a special day like today, Green.”

Like a curious cat, Obake tilted his head.

“Ceremony time.”

“What? Today? Right now? Doesn’t that take a while?”

“Don’t worry. We have enough time.” Yokai glanced at the clock on the wall. “It’s only 6:07 a.m.”

Yokai went to the sink and gave the black herbs a quick bath.

Maybe I should bring it up later.

Obake regarded three framed photos on the mantle above the fireplace. One depicted Yokai and Bao smiling from a boat in the ocean. Another depicted Obake, Bao, and Yokai playing cards together on the porch. All great memories, but it was the last photo Obake admired most. It depicted dozens of warriors standing side by side, each wearing a ghost-like green mask. The terrifying ghost from Bao’s puapo canister mirrored the masks exactly.

“Well. I wanted to talk to you guys about something.”

“I’m sure whatever it is can wait.”

Bao interrupted with concern. “Surely we could—”

“Absolutely not, this is far too important.”

 “This is important, too,” said Obake, determined to get answers.

“Patience, you’ll get your chance. Now get dressed.”

Obake pouted all the way to his room. With a begrudging attitude he put on his kekogi then met his grandparents in the front yard.

Yokai pointed to the peak of the mountain. “Rare flowers are growing at Cliffs Edge right now.”

“I know. They’re used to make Puapo Elixir. What about them?”

“Your task will be to retrieve one of those flowers.”

“One? That’s so easy.”

“While Bao and I do our best to stop you.”

A lump found its way in between Obake’s vocal cords, he gulped it down.

“We will show you no mercy. You will be treated as an enemy. Don’t go easy on us. We will not offer you the same courtesy. Now that your wounds are healed, I expect a stellar performance.”

Obake glanced at his grandmother, whose demeanor was also serious.

“The last thing I want to do is bury my only grandson. Don’t let us down.”

Yokai fetched the naginata leaning against the cottage wall and handed it over. Mizuchi’s cold steel supplied a supreme level of confidence to Obake.

“Are we using—”

“Yes. Soul energy will be required if you want to survive this. I know you’ve had a hard time using it under pressure, but your enemies will not care about your stage fright.”

Obake didn’t like when his grandfather went from witty old man to fierce warrior.

“I don’t know why I have trouble with it. I just… choke.”

“You’ll get better. It’s like I always say. Soul energy is like a muscle.”

“Or like breathing,” added Bao.

“Even better,” said Yokai as he continued.

“You’re born with muscles and you’re born inherently knowing how to breathe, right?”

Obake nodded in response.

“However, you have to work out in order to build those muscles. You have to train if you want to hold your breath longer underwater. All it takes is a little practice.”

“I understand, but I’m no good at it.”

Bao spoke with an air of intensity. “Have some faith. This test should help you. If it doesn’t, then I worry nothing will.”

Obake never saw his grandparents so serious before. Not when he broke valuable decorations by accident, not when he got poor grades in the academy, not even when he failed to make curfew. They were all of a sudden behaving like people going off to war.

“This should go without saying, but never attempt to harness soul energy without a conduit. A well forged weapon, a well-crafted piece of jewelry, a sturdy set of armor. Anything like that will do.”

Obake became impatient.

“Yes. We can’t emphasize that enough. Soul energy is extremely demanding on the body. Conduits drastically reduce the toll it takes,” said Bao.

“The better the conduit, the better the results,” Obake cut in, an effort to speed up the conversation. “I know all of this already.”

Yokai grimaced. “We’re just making sure. Plenty of warriors have taken this lesson lightly and paid the ultimate price.”

Obake rubbed a hand through his hair. “I’ll be careful.”

“I knew a kid growing up that used a metal spinning top,” Bao cocked her head. “Crazy girl.”

With a burst of speed, Yokai was off, moving faster than Obake had seen anyone move in his seventeen years of existence.

“Good luck,” said Bao.

Her waddle turned into a nimble dash as she followed in her husband’s wake. They both entered the Tree Corridor and disappeared without a trace.

Where did that come from? They’re not playing around this time. Mizuchi slipped in his sweaty hand. This is it. Now or never.

As if the wind were propelling him forward like a sailboat, Obake bolted after them. He still couldn’t see them or even sense their presence as he traversed the land. The Tree Corridor fast approached and… nothing. Obake entered expecting to find them hiding among the treetops, but they weren’t there.

Fatigue of a long-distance sprint stung his legs. I should’ve paced myself. He looked to either side of the corridor, into the forest and still no elder ninjas in sight. Where are they?

A slimy, purple blob, like something found in a bog, rolled onto his path. Before he could evade the strange object, it exploded. The vibration sent him rolling through the dirt as a cloud of dust inundated him. Seeing beyond a three-foot radius became impossible. Obake’s ears rang so loud he couldn’t rely on them either.

Shrill screeches broke through the ringing seconds before sonic waves knocked Obake into a tree. While he crawled to a crouch, another bog bomb landed in front of him. It burned as he hurled it through the air. His head soon slammed to the ground thanks to the bomb exploding above it.

Dust cleared and Obake saw him. Yokai was hiding among the trees after all, behind a camouflaged cloth that he tossed away before dropping down. A three-fanged, claw-like weapon was strapped to each of Yokai’s arms. They glinted against sun rays peeking through the leaves. Like an owl descending on a mouse, he stabbed at Obake. The young ninja barreled away just in time.

Obake swung his naginata and winced as it came mere inches from Yokai’s throat. “No!”

He imagined blood spraying out, but Yokai blocked the attack with little effort. Mizuchi struck several more times, stronger and faster with each consecutive blow.

Yokai deflected them. All the while, a disappointed demeanor developed. “Not good enough!”

As the clang of metal resounded, Bao leapt from underground, a kodachi firm in her grasp. She too had been hiding by way of a camouflaged cloth. After a long inhale, she intonated a potent shriek. With the ringing gone, Obake heard every piercing octave. The volume was almost loud enough to shred his eardrums. More sonic waves came spiraling. Flipping over top of them, Yokai let the waves slam into his grandson. Obake’s feet left trenches in the dirt as he skidded backwards. In that moment, he allowed himself to view his grandparents as enemies.

I won’t let them beat me.

Yokai and Bao stood side-by-side. Bao took another deep breath while Yokai raised his arms overhead. A bog bomb, double the size of the last two, formed between his open palms. When her lungs reached capacity, Bao unleashed another sonic wave. Obake ran straight at it and went airborne, letting it spiral under his legs. Yokai reeled and chucked his purple bomb. Upon releasing Mizuchi’s chain, Obake rotated his entire body like a typhoon. Mizuchi’s blade slashed the bomb, repelling it back from where it came. It exploded between the old couple, sending them opposite directions. They crashed into the turtle statues on opposite sides of the corridor.

After retracting Mizuchi’s blade, Obake ejected it once more. The chain wound itself around a distant tree branch. Obake pulled himself to it by retracting once more. Over and over, he repeated the action until the Tree Corridor was in his wake.

Instead of hooking a right and descending into the valley, he hooked a left, ascending toward the summit. Cliffs Edge awaited him in the distance. His heart filled with hope. He was eager to hear his grandparent’s praises, eager to tell Yumo about his triumph.

While grabbing hold of the first rocky ridge, another sonic scream struck. The ridge crumbled to powder in Obake’s hand, forcing him to hit the dirt. Another bog bomb blasted him back; he flopped around like a fish in a net.

Bao and Yokai gained on him, heaving more bog bombs and sonic screams. Persevering through the onslaught, the young ninja shoulder rammed Bao. Two additional bombs released. Obake sidestepped the first and repelled the second, Yokai suffered the impact.

The ascent to the summit left Obake feeling prideful until he heard another sonic scream. He turned to brace for it when the day light dimmed. Overhead, a black silhouette passed under the sun. His grandmother was flying! Her sonic scream allowed her to maintain a steady altitude. Yokai peered from atop her backside. Dozens of explosive bog pellets dropped from his hands. It was impossible to dodge them all. Clenching his eyes, Obake dug deep within himself, summoning strength from his very essence. As the pellets rained and explosions went off around him, he vanished in a cloud of shadow. Shock overcame Bao and Yokai as their grandson re-emerged above them.

Obake double kicked Yokai in the back, hard. “Was that good enough for you?”

The elder ninjas crashed down in pain. On the other hand, Obake landed softer than a feather. For a split second, he thought about checking on them, but teleported all the way to the summit instead.

Radiant ocean water met Obake’s vision the moment he burst from the Shadow Cloud. There it is, the Hoitunji Ocean. Never fails to impress.

At his left, a small distance away, sat the Yokai Ruins. To the slight right, a thin strip of rock extended over the blue water. A bed of magenta flowers swayed at the very edge. Behind them stood a slab of stone with an inscription on the top: Those who have fallen in this life will rise in the next. Hundreds of names were listed below that. Two of which made Obake forget why he was there. Vai, Bakemono. He read the names again and again until he heard footsteps approaching from behind. That very instant, he ran over to the flowers, pried one from its roots and held it high.

“Yes!” he screamed.

Bao and Yokai came over the ridge, smiles of glee on their faces.

         

                                                                          ♦♦♦

 

In his front yard, Obake sat cross-legged in a circle with his grandparents. They each kept their eyes shut while black herbs burned from a bowl in the circle’s center. A sweet fragrance encapsulated every one of his senses. He felt relaxed beyond what he thought possible. All of his worries fled to the back of his mind; his parents, Meilana, the samurai, the undead bear, the bullies, all of it. The worries fled so far they were almost nonexistent.

“A Yokai Ninja’s duty is to protect his home, his clan and his family. The Yokai Ninja takes no joy in the killing of others, but must sometimes do what is necessary to maintain peace.”

His grandfather’s words swam around his mind like a shark at play.

“Emotion is not your enemy. The Yokai Ninja is fueled by it. Emotions are powerful tools when controlled. Unstoppable when used wisely. A Yokai Ninja controlled by emotions is doomed to fail.”

Bao’s words were striking as well.

“A Yokai Ninja who values these principles can overcome any and every obstacle.” Yokai and Bao now spoke in unison. “Do you swear to uphold the values and traditions of the Yokai Clan?”

 “I do,” said Obake, speaking with pride.

“Do you swear to strike down those who threaten peace whenever and wherever they reveal themselves?”

“I do.”

“Do you swear to always protect your family and clan?”

“I do.”

“Then you’re hereby bestowed the mantle of Yokai Ninja. For now, your training is complete. You may rise.”

Obake sat down a boy, but stood up a man. He became empowered, ready to accomplish feats deemed impossible, prepared to take on the realm.

“This is... I’ve wanted this since I was a little kid. I don’t even know what to say right now.”

“You don’t have to say a word,” Bao’s eyes gleamed with admiration. “Just know that you deserve this.”

“You did it, Green. To be honest, you had me worried there for a minute, but you surprised the shit out of me,” said Yokai.

Obake soaked in the praise like beach sand under the ocean.

“The one critique I have is your lack of stealth. Always keep that in mind,” Yokai tapped his head. “Deception is a precious asset.”

“You’re right. I guess I get over excited and forget about it.”  

Chuckles departed Bao and Yokai.

“Now remember, as of now, you’re a Genin. But you’ll have plenty of time to climb up the ranks,” said Bao.

Obake smiled. “Well in that case, what’re we waiting for?

“No way, slow it down.” Yokai gave a weary laugh. “I’m going to need a nice break after that. My muscles aren’t what they used to be.”

“After what I saw, I don’t blame you. I never knew you two could fight like that.”

Like a pair of little girls receiving compliments, Yokai and Bao blushed.

“We needed you to see how dangerous an actual battle could be,” said Bao.

Yokai gripped his grandson’s shoulder. “There’s no way to tell who’s a Soul Wielder at first glance. It’ll serve you well to always be prepared. You also never know when we might face our next threat.”

“About that, I was in the Yokai Ruins yesterday.”

“You what?” said Yokai, adopting a defensive disposition.

With an undertone of anger, Bao piled on. “You know that’s forbidden.”

“Yeah, but how else am I going to get answers?”

“Answers? Answers to what?” Yokai’s defenses mounted.

“You know, like… what really happened to my parents.”

The elder ninjas fell dumbstruck, unable to look at their grandson.

“Please. I’m begging you. I need this.”

“I won’t,” said Yokai.

“Why won’t you tell me? Huh? I deserve to know. You guys don’t even let me see pictures of them anymore. All I have is a pocket watch, the armor you keep in your room and vague descriptions to remember them by.”

Attempting to close the gap, Bao stepped forward, but Obake took several dismissive steps back.

Bao’s eyes welled up. “Obake please, we—”

“We what? We will tell you when you’re older? We will tell you if you graduate?”

“Calm down,” grunted Yokai.

“No! I’m sick of waiting. No more excuses. Tell me what happened to them.”

Yokai inhaled deep. “You already know the ginyai—”

“Always with the damn ginyai! What does that even mean? All you’ve ever said is that the supposed ‘ginyai’ killed them. That’s it. What’s the rest? I want to know everything!”

Unable to make eye contact with his grandson, Yokai turned his back.

“I searched for evidence of these ‘ginyai’, too. Know what I found? Jack shit. Did you guys make it up?”

Tears streamed down Bao’s cheeks. “That’s utterly ridiculous. We would never invent something like that. The Great Strife was real. It happened.”

“It was the most devastating ordeal we ever experienced. I wouldn’t wish what happened to our clan on my worst enemy.” Yokai spoke with despair ingrained in his voice. “I understand why you’re upset. I understand you feel left in the dark, but trust me. Knowledge can be a heavy burden to bear, sometimes too heavy. You’re better off not knowing.”

“That’s not for you to decide,” barked Obake.

“It is as long as you’re under my roof.”

“Then I won’t be under your roof!”

Yokai whirled around, he couldn’t mask his shock.

“You know you should consider taking a page from your pal Kinichi’s book.”

Bao peeked from behind her tear-drenched hands and glanced between her two family members.

“Oh, yeah, I know you had something to do with the samurai incident. Kinichi basically said so himself. He’s going to start teaching the whole class about it today. Looks like I’m not the only one tired of all the lies.”

“He wouldn’t.”

“Want to bet?” Obake stormed away toward the Tree Corridor.

“Come back, Obake!” screamed Yokai.

With reluctance, Obake turned to meet his grandfather’s gaze.

“I will tell you this. They fought valiantly and died with the greatest of honor. They were the best of us and will never be forgotten.”

Obake’s eyes emulated his grandmother’s, but his fury wouldn’t let the tears fall. Without another word, he shook his head in disappointment and departed.