Holiday Magick (12 page)

“I see the mailman!” She waved.

“Mei!” her grandmother cried. “Get down from there before you fall.”

Crow breathed a mental sigh of relief when Mei jumped down and ran inside. She hopped out from her hiding place and flew up onto the railing to resume her surveillance.

Raven glided down next to her. “That was close. I thought for a moment I'd have to swoop in and rescue you.”

“I would have gotten away,” Crow said absently. As she spoke, a glint of gold just inside the window caught her eye. She hopped closer to the window to get a better look.

The shrine was a three-tiered platform covered in red cloth. The lower two levels were currently unoccupied. Two dolls sat on the top level, one male and one female, dressed in traditional kimonos, made of fine silks with gold thread woven in elaborate designs.

“Yes, dear.” Raven preened his feathers. “If you say so.”

“Though a distraction might have been handy, dear heart,” she conceded.

“I'll keep that in mind.” Sunlight glinted off the gold paint on the dolls. “What has caught your eye this time?”

“Do you know where to find those dolls?”

Raven bobbed his head. “Indeed. Those are the Emperor and Empress dolls. They are part of a traditional set, put out in honor of the annual Doll Festival, or Hina Matsuri. You can purchase them in most stores this time of year.”

“And they are all that shiny?”

“Oh yes. They are dressed in costumes typical of the Heian period court.”

Crow looked at him blankly. “Heian?”

“Yes. The doll shrine custom originated then, about a thousand years ago, and, being creatures of tradition, they've continued to use dolls in the style of that time.” Raven was just warming up to his history lecture when the phone rang.

Crow said, “You can finish your lecture later, love. I want to hear this.”

Raven ruffled his feathers. “As you wish. Although I'll point out I never do have the opportunity to finish one as you always seem to have something else that requires your attention.”

Crow shushed him. “Quiet. I'm trying to hear the phone call.”

Mei ran to answer it. “Hello?”

“Hello, my cherry blossom,” said the voice on the phone.

“Papa! Guess what?”

“You've grown ten feet taller?” teased her father.

“No,” She giggled. “I learned to juggle today! My friend Fox is teaching me. I met her at the park.”

As Grandmother came back upstairs from getting the mail, she asked, “Who are you talking to?”

“It's Papa.” Mei handed her the phone.

“Michi?” Grandmother asked, “Where are you?”

“I'm still in Chicago, Mother. Did the new doll arrive?”

“Yes. I was just giving it to Mei.” She handed a package from the mail to the girl.

Mei carefully pulled the tissue paper open and picked up the porcelain doll. She was dressed in a red and white kimono and holding a sake tray. “Oooh…pretty. She can have tea with Fish!”

Grandmother said, “No, her job is to serve the Emperor and Empress. Go put her on the shrine in the middle of the second row of the display.” She waited until Mei had run off before saying, “That doll won't solve the fox spirit problem.”

“Fox spirit? What are you talking about?”

“That creature teaching Mei to juggle! Trouble is what it is. She's taken an interest in Mei. I don't like it.” She sounded worried.

“What does this fox look like?” Michi sounded more amused than worried.

“It has six tails.” She checked on Mei; the girl was still playing with the doll shrine. The new doll was serving tea to the Emperor and Empress.

Michi was silent for a moment. “Maybe you need to get your eyes checked…”

“It's true! One fox with six tails. It was a spirit!”

He sighed, changing tactics. “I thought the dolls averted evil spirits.”

“Only if you float them down the river on the 3rd day of March.”

“You aren't floating those dolls down the river!” Michi sounded exasperated. He drew a deep breath and continued more calmly, “They are a collector set. I'm adding one a year for her. Just…don't do anything with them. I'll take care of this when I get home.”

“Oh, I know you won't let go of those fancy dolls,” Grandmother said irritably. “That's why I made a rag doll. I'll trap the fox spirit in it come morning and we'll go to the river.”

“Really…”

“Don't you be so dismissive,” she hissed. “I saw that fox today at the park. She lured Mei away from me with a shiny ball. When I went to fetch her, the fox slipped off into the forest, but I saw that she had six tails! Means she's a fair bit powerful. But don't worry; I'll take care of it.”

“Very well. Just be careful. I need to go; the band is ready to do a sound check.”

She hung up the phone and called Mei over. “I have something to show you, child.” She took the new rag doll from her sewing basket. It looked like Fish, though much cleaner and dressed in a blue kimono. White cloth talismans imprinted with symbols for protection were sewn into panels of the cloth.

Mei reached for the new doll. “Is that a sister for Fish?”

Her grandmother said quickly, “She's just visiting for today. She's on an adventure and needs to sail away on her boat in the morning. We'll see her off at the river.”

Crow flew up into the sky and turned back to the park. “We need to warn Fox.”

Raven pulled at the wind chime once more. Cords snapped and the chimes fell to the ground in a cacophony of clangs and tinkles. He took wing and followed after Crow.

Crow and Raven found Fox deep in the forest surrounding the Meiji Shrine, curled up in the roots of a gnarled camphor tree. They landed in the branches above her, the ever-present murder of crows settling around them. Fox didn't seem to notice. Crow cocked her head to one side then broke off a small branch and dropped it on Fox's head. An ear twitched but there was no other response. Raven ruffled his feathers in a shrug.

Reality twisted as Crow glided down to the ground. She nudged Fox with the tip of her parasol. “You aren't fooling anyone.”

Fox opened one eye. “Oh. It's you.” She sat up, yawning and stretching into her juggler persona.

Crow sat down, primly arranging her skirt. “I was going to warn you about something, but now I think I'll just watch events unfurl unimpeded.”

“That is more your style,” Fox said wryly. She eyed Raven. “So what's happening?”

“Someone is setting a trap for you.” He told her about the grandmother's plan.

“How do you keep track of six tails anyway?” interrupted Crow.

“I don't,” answered Fox.

“It is unfortunate for you that the hatchling's grandmother remembers the origins of the doll festival,” said Raven.

“Why six tails?” Crow could be quite focused on little details at times.

“It's a ranking system for the Fox clan. I know my fair share of tricks but not enough to be actually put in charge by the others.” Fox took a peach from her pocket.

“How many tails do the top foxes possess?”

“Nine.”

Crow raised an eyebrow, trying to form a mental picture. “Where…”

Raven interrupted. “Aren't you even the least bit concerned about this trap?”

“Eh,” said Fox with a yawn. “She'll rub the doll on Mei to trap me inside it, and then float it down the river in a toy boat so she can be rid of me. Should be easy enough to avoid.”

Raven looked at her over the top of his sunglasses. “Really? Is that all? Well then, we'll leave you to it. Shall we go shopping, dearest Crow?”

Crow brightened. “I did see the most adorable coat in the window of…”

“Why go shopping when there are so many other games to play?” asked Fox.

Crow and Raven stared at her in disbelief. Crow said, “But that's the entire point of coming to Tokyo.”

“I'm hurt,” pouted Fox. “I thought you came to see me.”

“Ah, you certainly are one of the most charming features of this fair country,” said Raven smoothly.

Crow rolled her eyes.

Fox stood up and brushed some dirt off her pants. “It was just a bit of mischief. I've been working on setting up this prank for weeks and thought you might enjoy being part of it. But if you'd rather go shopping…”

Raven's eyes narrowed. Something didn't add up here. “Weeks?”

Fox shrugged. “Days? Time is so…irrelevant.”

“But…” Raven stopped when Crow caught his eye and shook her head.

“Very well. What is it?” asked Crow.

“Steal the doll Mei's grandmother wants to trap me in. Just imagine her surprise when she finds it here for their afternoon visit to the park.”

“That's it?”

“That's it. You'll need to grab it just before dawn, before she does the ritual, but too late for her to make another one.” She spread her hands wide. “Nothing to it.”

“Isn't that cutting it a little close?” asked Raven.

“The ritual will be right after dawn,” said Fox.

“Right after? I thought it was right before,” he replied.

“No. Right after,” Fox insisted.

“As you say.” Raven sounded doubtful.

“Why don't you steal it yourself?” asked Crow.

“I don't have wings. It will be much easier for you to get in. Mei and her grandmother have bedrooms on the third floor. The doll will most likely be with one of them. If not, look in the living room on the second floor. I doubt it will be on the first floor since that's Michi's…er, her father's room.”

“You know quite a bit about their house,” observed Crow.

“Mei told me about it,” Fox said off-handedly.

“I wonder,” mused Raven, “why you risked a friendship with the hatchling in the first place.”

“Oh, you know. Befriend the mark before the prank,” said Fox airily. “Common fox
modus operandi
.” She stretched. “Let's go find dinner. I could really go for some red bean ice cream. We can go shopping, too. Where did you say that coat was?” Fox finished the peach and tossed the pit over her shoulder as she walked away.

Crow raised an eyebrow at Raven.

He shook his head slightly and murmured in Crow's ear as he wrapped a curl of her hair around his finger, “Something isn't right.”

“Hmm. True. But it
is
interesting,” whispered Crow. “Let's just see what happens.”

“As you wish,” Raven reluctantly agreed.

Just before dawn, Raven and Crow circled Mei's house. Crow sent her murder off to nearby trees so that their racket wouldn't wake the house while Raven searched for a way in. He located a partially open window and landed on the windowsill of Mei's room. Crow followed.

She poked at the narrow gap. “I think I can just fit.”

“Do you want me to come in with you?” asked Raven, though he doubted he would be able to squeeze through.

“No. I'm sure I can handle this alone. Don't worry. I'll just leave if it looks like a trap.”

“Perhaps a bit more planning is in order. A distress signal of some sort?”

“Well,” Crow pondered the options. “I suppose if they leave the house with two dolls, then you'll know that they've trapped Fox.”

“I was rather hoping for something more…proactive.”

“You worry too much. The trap is for Fox, not me. The worst that happens is Fox gets wet.”

“You are assuming much about the situation. The outcome will depend on the strength of the grandmother's will. She could be trapped for a very long time.”

Crow shrugged her wings. “And Fox gets bored while plotting revenge?”

“Or worse. She might fade away.”

“I doubt that old woman is that skilled.”

“Hmm,” he seemed skeptical. “I still think Fox is up to something.”

“I'll be back soon,” said Crow dismissively.

“Then I shall eagerly await your return.” Raven hopped to one side, giving her room to squeeze under the window. He anxiously watched her progress. Crow hopped down onto the floor. The room was small but neat, with brightly colored posters on the walls. Crow perched on a table lamp next to the bed so she could get a good view of the room. The only visible doll was a mass-market toy sitting on the dresser. Crow dismissed it and examined the sleeping child instead. Mei was clutching two dolls. One was stained and had knotted yarn hair. Crow recognized it as the one called Fish. The other was newer and wearing a blue kimono. It looked to be her target. She considered how best to steal it. Perhaps swap in the thing on the dresser?