Faerie sinks its claws into Shintarou at an early age, when he is too young, too innocent to think anything of following the glowing lights that tempt him into the forest. Wide eyed and fascinated, Shintarou loses himself among the trees.
He loses himself more than he ever realises. Faerie makes a false copy in his place, a squirming and wicked beast with sharp features and sharper teeth, only softened by the glamour cast upon it so that it resembles a human child.
Shintarou becomes a mask; a puppet for Faerie to return back to his home, back to his bed, pretending that nothing is amiss. This is where Faerie thrives the best, after all, smoothing the edges between the human world and the realms beyond, combining them so seamlessly that it's impossible to tell that one has ended and the other begins.
When Faerie chooses Shintarou, however, it forgets to account for the local youkai.
Shintarou's grandmother sees through the glamour at a glance, sees him for the snarling impostor that he is, and turns on her heel immediately, only returning when she's armed with the proper magic to combat what has been done to her grandson.
Magic, she knows, is about belief.
The less someone believes that it's magic, and the more they believe that it is the true nature of he world, the more likely it is to work.
She teaches Shintarou to follow the Oha Asa with the same dedication he gives to the novels that he's already learning to read, the mathematics equations that his parents are so proud of him for solving at such a young age. She slowly but surely makes it a habit of his, to rise each morning and check the Oha Asa, to acquire his lucky item for the day as soon as possible. She stresses the importance of it and he's young enough to believe her without questioning it. He's young enough that it sticks.
She hovers without being seen, making sure that the Oha Asa is effective enough at keeping Faerie at bay. She nods, satisfied when she looks at Shintarou and recognises her grandson again. She might not have been able to keep him safe from Faerie the first time, but she'll do everything in her power to make sure that it doesn't get its hold on him again.
When she sees him with his druid friend, though, she's relieved to know that at least she's not alone in trying to keep Shintarou safe. Between the two of them, perhaps they stand a chance.
FILL: Team Kyoutani Kentarou/Yahaba Shigeru, G
supernatural themes
word count: 443
remix of
Faerie sinks its claws into Shintarou at an early age, when he is too young, too innocent to think anything of following the glowing lights that tempt him into the forest. Wide eyed and fascinated, Shintarou loses himself among the trees.
He loses himself more than he ever realises. Faerie makes a false copy in his place, a squirming and wicked beast with sharp features and sharper teeth, only softened by the glamour cast upon it so that it resembles a human child.
Shintarou becomes a mask; a puppet for Faerie to return back to his home, back to his bed, pretending that nothing is amiss. This is where Faerie thrives the best, after all, smoothing the edges between the human world and the realms beyond, combining them so seamlessly that it's impossible to tell that one has ended and the other begins.
When Faerie chooses Shintarou, however, it forgets to account for the local youkai.
Shintarou's grandmother sees through the glamour at a glance, sees him for the snarling impostor that he is, and turns on her heel immediately, only returning when she's armed with the proper magic to combat what has been done to her grandson.
Magic, she knows, is about belief.
The less someone believes that it's magic, and the more they believe that it is the true nature of he world, the more likely it is to work.
She teaches Shintarou to follow the Oha Asa with the same dedication he gives to the novels that he's already learning to read, the mathematics equations that his parents are so proud of him for solving at such a young age. She slowly but surely makes it a habit of his, to rise each morning and check the Oha Asa, to acquire his lucky item for the day as soon as possible. She stresses the importance of it and he's young enough to believe her without questioning it. He's young enough that it sticks.
She hovers without being seen, making sure that the Oha Asa is effective enough at keeping Faerie at bay. She nods, satisfied when she looks at Shintarou and recognises her grandson again. She might not have been able to keep him safe from Faerie the first time, but she'll do everything in her power to make sure that it doesn't get its hold on him again.
When she sees him with his druid friend, though, she's relieved to know that at least she's not alone in trying to keep Shintarou safe. Between the two of them, perhaps they stand a chance.