Information

White Kousa has a minion!

Minion the Chajin

White Kousa
Legacy Name: White Kousa

The

Glade Ghostly
Owner:

Bauble

Age: 8 years, 9 months, 6 days

Born: July 28th, 2015

Adopted: 8 years, 9 months, 6 days ago

Adopted: July 28th, 2015

Statistics

Level: 1
Strength: 10
Defense: 10
Speed: 10
Health: 10
HP: 10/10
Intelligence: 7
Books Read: 7
Food Eaten: 2
Job: Stock Worker

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_{Kousa is a youkai spirit of a White Dogwood tree, unable to stray far from his home, he protects his tree from evil youkai and at times even humans. His life often consisted of simply existing, he watched the world around him slowly change. Observing the squirrels and birds that took his seeds and the songbirds that ate his fruit and chortled whistling tunes, all to attract the attention of mates. His favorite moments were when the bees and other bugs came and took to his flowers for pollination. Sending a gentle tingling sensation all through his senses, it relaxed him and gave him a peace of mind. Life for him was simple, and he did not have the need for complex thoughts and feelings until the humans came. He still remembers when they came and built a shrine near his tree, at first he had been disturbed from the occurrence. Kousa tried hard to get the mortals to go away and leave, until one day one of the men started to leave offerings at the foot of his tree. It started with flowers, and at times a bowl of cream, and even sweet foods. At first Kousa had been reluctant to touch the offerings, he felt more afraid of the man who laid them at his feet. The silent stand off lasted for two years, before Kousa started to accept the offerings and left the construction of the shrine alone. As disrupting as the sounds were, he tolerated them as long they continued to leave nice things as offerings.

Then one day, the man started to talk to his tree, he would just ramble at first about the people he works with, how construction was going, and problems they encountered. Kousa would spend this hour regiment hiding and listening to the stories. As the days passed by, the man still found things to talk about- sometimes it didn't make sense. Why would he care if the human spilled tea on his futon? Why did he need to know about the cat that was under the porch who refused to leave? What was the point of telling him what he had for lunch that day? It didn't make much sense to Kousa, but he listened and he listened for the whole year. The routine started to feel familiar, and at some point the feeling of comfort from these conversations took shelter in his heart. When the men were away, some of the problems that were mentioned Kousa remedied, various insect pests and unwanted rodents were chased away by his extended ethereal influence. By winter, the construction on the shrine had finally finished and the workers all could move onto their next job and Kousa drifted into his usual light hibernation for the season. Only occasionally, but faintly, aware of a familiar human presence.

As spring came back around and the beautiful blossoms of his tree came into their full splendor the man who has been talking aimlessly brought something new. A wood frame that stood up and held a rather shallow looking box. He even brought a seat to sit on, and bigger bamboo box that held various things inside. The first few days Kousa watched the man from the branches of his tree, and the silence bothered him. Where did all the stories go? What had happened during the time the man did not talk to him during their brief hour. What became of the cat beneath the porch? The tree spirit silently lounged among the branches as he watched the human as he continued to silently focus on his canvas. It took much of the time for Kousa to adjust to the silent presence, and eventually they slipped into a new rhythm. As the last of the white leaves floated to the ground, the man signed his name and begun to clean up. When he finished, Kousa watched as his human companion walked the painting into the shrine and came out empty handed. Gathered his things and left, but not with out taking a moment to gaze at the tree. Several hours went by before Kousa came down from his tree and approached the shrine, he hesitated before the doors before passing through and into the shrine. The building isn't a large one, at the most two people could fit side by side if they stood at opposite ends. There is a simple alter for prayer with a mat for people to kneel upon, and resting against this alter is the painting that the man had just completed. Approaching the picture with care the spirit slowly knelt down and leaned so that he can really take a moment to see the details.

On the canvas is a rather pretty illustration of his tree in a rather whimsical style, the whites and greens were very well balanced. Even the little green flowers, but his eyes soon caught onto something else that he hadn't expected to see: himself. Carefully blended in among the branches and foliage is a gently painted figure, if not for the paper mask with the Dogwood flower he would not have noticed this vision of his portrayal. Stunned, Kousa stared at the painting for an hour before he could come to identify the multitude of emotions that came over him. Happy, scared, and even a little angry. Many of which subsided quickly into a realization that he isn't invisible to someone. That the whole time, the man had been able to see him and wasn't at all talking to the tree... At least not in a direct sense. Tears plipped noisily onto the tatami mat from the realization of just how alone he had felt before this human begun to visit him.

Fear doesn't fade so quickly, and though the human returned often during the summer when the weather permitted. Kousa didn't come forth as often, no more than a peak here and there until the stories started to return. The painting and it's depiction of Kousa were left unmentioned, and the conversation often covered moments of his life and some of the difficulties he's been having in terms of financial stability. None of these things Kousa had the power to remedy, but he did at least listen to the man. At times lounging on a tree branch and watching the dark green leaves sway in the warm breeze. There were many times where Kousa had felt an urge to say something, but a cautious voice in his mind beckoned him to remain silent. The stories he liked the most were ones of the festivals, and often his unstated friend have brought him different treats from these celebrations.

---

Autumn came and brought to his tree a deep red to purple hues to every leaf, it is a slow progression and in this season Kousa felt his power and energy waning. Even so, Kousa awaited the man's visits and to hear what has happened since the last time he had seen him. A week went by without a visit, and at first Kousa hadn't given it much thought, but by the second week the spirit grew concerned and annoyed. He is trying harder and harder to stay awake in the absence of the human story teller and he felt nearly ready to give up. Nearly. Kousa stood on the path that leads down the road from the shrine, waiting for the man's return. When footsteps lumbered up the path, Kousa felt a brief sensation of an energy rush and quickly vanished as he returned to his tree. Watching from between a few leafless branches as the human slowly came into sight carrying a package. Sitting at the base of the tree as usual, the man started with an apology for the absence and spoke of an accident that involved his mother. He has been taking care of her and hadn't been able to come and visit. Kousa frowned but he slowly drifted to the ground and stood on the other side of the tree leaning around just enough to watch the human and his mysterious gift. The conversation this time went a little longer than an hour, and soon the man stood and turned to face the tree and for a moment the two made eye contact. Lasting for several seconds before the man smiled and set the box down, as he explain that it was an offering in exchange for Kousa's forgiveness. Kousa blinked and vanished, this is the first time that the human had directly addressed him with a name... Was it meant to be his own name?

Once alone the tree spirit emerged, bewildered, he had never been addressed with a name by a human before and he isn't sure whether he liked it or not. Looking down upon the gift the spirit leaned over to pick it up and begin opening the package. Keeping in mind it is supposed to appeal to his kinder side, and he sort of hoped for more festival treats. Instead what he found, wrapped in delicate paper is a dark green and white Yukata. The colors match his tree foliage during the spring season but the material is heavy and felt warm in his hands. Smiling softly he pulled it out from the box and held it up to eye level, many other pieces that had been folded up in the fabric dropped onto the ground. By this moment, the man who Kousa had thought had left, had only gone a little ways down the path before returning. Then eventually emerged to show himself to the tree spirit. Kousa was startled at first, but he was caught and there didn't seem to be any point in disappearing. Slowly, Kousa offered a low bow of thanks to the human and eventually they begun their first two sided conversation. While getting some help with the yukata, Kousa learned that the man had noticed his lack of activity in the winter and had thought maybe he was too cold to emerge from within the tree. The idea of it amused the spirit, and though to an extent he can feel the cold it wasn't to the same degree as a human. It is here that Kousa explained the cycle of his power, starting with the summer season. Explaining that he is stronger and at his best during the summer months, but with Autumn his energy and power begins to wane and gro weaker. Winter he has minimal energy, because most of it is reserved for the tree itself to keep it alive for the next year. Spring, he explained last, is the season for which he is recovering and his strength replenishing from the stagnant winter.

---

They were a boisterous group; their noise broke through the collective calm of his hibernation. Though he tried hard to open his eyes all that came through was a blur of motion and twisted flickers of light. Voices echoed and followed Kousa into his dreams and further until morning came. The sunlight that graced the icy woods begun to give Kousa the energy to emerge into a semi-psychical form. By the time he was able to inspect the area around his tree it is well into the afternoon and he found his human friend already cleaning up. Even so, there is still a lot of trash laying around and the remainder of a camp fire. It angered Kousa, and he quickly turned to inspect his tree. Fearing that who ever had been here the night before could have caused damage. A blight of color caught his eyes first demanding his full attention to be pinned upon the hanging swaths of miscellaneous articles of strangely shaped garments. Kousa let out a startled but angry exclamation at the sight of the brasserie and other articles of clothes hanging from his lower branches. The sight had the spirit grasping at his hair and he moved around his tree to try and start yanking things down. Kousa only got half way around when he stopped and found himself staring at what looked to be writing with a heart around it, painted upon the trunk of his tree. He leaned in real close, squinting at the characters painted upon the jigsaw bark. He doesn't recognize the shape of the writing, it doesn't look like anything he's ever seen before. Kousa frowned as he reached up to try and rub away the painted image but to no avail. It didn't even smudge under his fingers and this made him all the more upset. Enough that there was a small swirl of a breeze stirring up some fallen leaves from the ground. The man came and assured Kousa that he can remove the paint, and that he planned to after cleaning everything else up and promised him that he will be more vigilant in the future. As much as Kousa wanted to stay and help, the spirit didn't have enough energy to hang around for too long before returning to his slumber.

Though he couldn't linger long outside of the Dogwood, Kousa still held onto some awareness of his surroundings until the presence of the human faded away. He isn't sure how long he had slept before a distant, but gentle, sensation pulled him from his sleep. Kousa lifted his head slowly and then gripped the warmth that soaked through the layers of his yukata against his side. Outside, Kousa's human companion had brought a bucket of warm water with a bit of soap and had poured some of the solution against the paint. He has brought a soft horse hair brush and gingerly scrubbed away the passionate vandalizing heart off the pale bark.

---

Spring, the season of renewal and rejuvenation of life across the world and bringing Kousa back from his long winter sleep. Ghosting from the spiritual core, Kousa yawned and stretched his arms up and back. Then looked up towards his tree and it looked as if the leaves have just begun to bud, dotting the limbs with soft green spirals. The first thing Kousa did was inspect every inch of himself but he did not find the horrid graffiti or any remainder of evidence that the site had been defaced. Then his attention drifted towards the shrine and down to the ground and discovered a plate with three rice balls with pickled plum centers. Kousa stared at them for a long moment before settling down besides the plate and picked up one of the rice balls to take a small tentative bite. They are delicious. Looking up towards the sky, he simply didn't understand why a human has been so kind. He hasn't exactly carried out any sort of great acts for the human, nor can he grant wishes. All he can really do is listen, and perhaps engage a little more during the times that the man visits. Perhaps, even continue protecting the shrine that had been build near by. It is several days before Kousa saw the man again and this time the spirit sat besides the human and begun to actively engage in the conversation. Eventually, Kousa had to ask why the man has been kind to him even though he hasn't done anything significant for the human to warrant his friendship. The answer he received had left Kousa in deep thought, and what he had said was: "At first, my goal was to finish the shrine. But the more I observed, I begun to see a good, but lonely, spirit and I was lonely. I had also noticed a decrease in problems during the construction project after I had mentioned the problems we were experiencing. It is then I realized that you were really listening to what I was saying, and that made me happy."

Kousa didn't know what to say at first, bound by a silence that held his tongue and extended to his mind. It bewildered Kousa with just how much value the man had put into all those years and had even brought to him a sense of comfort. Their conversation lasted nearly two hours before the man had to leave, but not before Kousa had arranged for a date for the man to return. He wanted to show him something that he hoped he'd appreciate but it took some time to put together but the man needed to be back on the day of the arrangement at an early hour. Up until then, they enjoyed several conversations and lunches. On the morning of the arrangement, Kousa had everything ready and it was a great struggle to keep it all together. Once the human arrived, Kousa positioned him so that he stood at the best place to view his gift and rushed back to the Dogwood. By now many of the dark green leaves have filled out the once barren branches, and was speckled with long, white, spiral cones.

Closing his eyes, Kousa lifted his hands up and extended his fingers towards the sky. An inhale, and a calm exhale grounded Kousa's mind as a glow climbed up along the tree trunk with a steady pace that outlined the tree in a shimmering pale outline. Within seconds all the white cones blossom elegantly spiraling open and exposing the green, bulbous, flower centers. A splendid sight, what usually takes days happened in less than a minute. Lowering his arms at his side and observed the human's dumbstruck expression. It seemed he had amazed the man and this pleased him, and he isn't about to show just how exhausting this gift was to execute without error. Although, he did find it disappointing when he had not moved the man to tears. He wanted to see the human cry, from happiness, purely from happiness. Kousa had wanted to move the man as the man had pulled the emotions from his own heart when he had seen the painting for the first time. It simply did not seem to work.

The next couple of years the two grew closer in their friendship, and though the human's life became busy he always put time aside to visit his spirit friend, Kousa. Even if the visits occurred less often, they simply lasted longer to cover the time that the two missed. For Kousa, everything was great, he felt happy and cared for in a way he couldn't ever remember experiencing. This joyful existence came to an abrupt stop when the man he had grown attached to brought a woman and introduced her to him as his fiance. Kousa had expected a prettier girl, not one so plain, and though he had been told of a woman he did not expect the man to truly pursue her. He had believed it to be a whim of fancy and that the man would find her a fruitless pursuit and return to him. His friend looked happy, and so did she, but the spirit can tell with the way that she is looking upon the great White Dogwood that she cannot really see him. Like all the others, the few visitors that occasionally came to the shrine for prayer... None of them can see him like his friend could, and she is not any different from the rest. Despite the jealous anger swelling inside, Kousa gave the man the best smile he could, though it still soured his mouth with a bitter flavor.

Kousa couldn't help but evade the man's visits over the next few months, and it only made him more angry when the man brought his fiance for romantic lunches under his tree; even if they cleaned up after themselves. As much as he hated to watch them, Kousa couldn't bring himself to chase the couple away and simply turned away in disgust and retreat back to his spiritual core. Where he remained until he heard a voice calling him from the human realm, a very familiar voice that ignited an annoyance to tug at his thoughts. Kousa aimed to ignore the human, but the man did not relent to his scathing silence. The spirit came bursting forth, in a heated out lash against the man who wouldn't shut up. The shock wave of power knocking the man right off his feet without warning. Kousa glowered at the downed human and watched him scramble back to his feet, dazed and filled with such shock it nearly moved Kousa into feeling some guilt. However, not nearly enough, especially when the man expressed that he didn't understand why or how he had angered the spirit. Prompting Kousa to lash out again but verbally: "You abandoned me first! With all that you had in your basket and you choose the rice ball of all things! She isn't even pretty and I don't forsee her baring any fruit."

Despite the man's furious expression, Kousa didn't feel regret for what he had said because, he is much too angry to feel anything but resentment. He wanted the man to see the girl as he did, she simply wasn't any good. However, what came from the man shook Kousa to his core and filled him with a terribly horrid feeling that wrenched at more than just his gut. It felt like his heart had been grabbed and squeezed until it simply fell apart.

"I do not have a future with you, Kousa!"

There was more, something about having a future with this woman- and how she is plenty fruitful and more beautiful than even a cherry blossom. This human wanted a family, and that he couldn't do such a thing with a spirit and a male spirit at that. (However, the man didn't mention that the couple had been arranged to be wed by their parents.) The man expressed his love of her and that he had hoped that, being a spirit of a tree, that Kousa could have been more giving and understanding of their relationship. He expected Kousa to be happy for him and look upon them more favorably. However, this is not the case and the two had a bitter parting, and the man stormed off throwing his hands up in frustration. Kousa stood silently a little longer before he faded away, retreating to the safety of his inner self where he remained for a very long time. There were times when the man returned to the Dogwood and though he called for the spirit he didn't even get a rustle. Not an ounce of a stir to show him that the spirit is at all present. Deep down, he wanted to apologize and though he had left things for the tree nothing had been touched. Still, over the years the man returned, sometimes by himself and other times with his family to pray at the shrine or to have lunch under the tree.

---

It is the season of new life, buds gathering along his branches as leaves begin to fill up the space along his boughs and smaller limbs. Kousa felt a stirring, and when he opened his eyes he is greeted with the sight of a clear sky with birds flittering over and soon gone from his sight. The air filled with the sweet serenade that is the delicate balance between the rain and earth after a shower. Yet, Kousa can only wonder how long it had been since his retreat, he had felt so empty after his fight that he simply didn't have the will to cross into the human realm. So, why is he here now? The spirit's mental wondering were interrupted by happy squealing of young children making him jump and jolt up into a sitting position. Eyes turning quickly towards the ground where he saw two young children, a boy and a girl, running around two parents who are spreading out a blanket along the ground. At first, he didn't recognize them, not until the man spoke and the memory of his visage returned. Though, the man looked much younger then and now... Well, he isn't as youthful as he used to appear. Thinking back, even then the man had a slightly roughen image from the hard work he did to make his living. Kousa frowned softly, but he observed the family in silence... He can see now, what the man had been wanting back then- that this is the future he couldn't have given him. A measure of guilt settled over his heart as he reflected on how he had been back then. Selfish, jealous, and immature. Yet, it still hurt a little to see the man happy with someone else.

The day was spent watching and listening to the family. He is still trying to understand how this is better than what they used to have. Somehow, it felt shameful that he could not fathom an inkling of understanding of the level of fulfillment that his old friend might be feeling at this moment. Kousa shifted and leaned forwards a little as his attention drifted from the couple and to the kids at play. Perhaps- she isn't as barren as he had desperately hoped, and it is difficult for him to admit that the children did come out nicely. Lifting his chin up, Kousa frowned deeply, that made it harder to accept. Not only did she bare him fruit, but they were worthy of admiration. Kousa's quiet observation of the family eventually came to an abrupt stop when the little girl's attention seemed to have gotten distracted. She stared at Kousa for a moment before pointing up towards him and loudly exclaimed that there is a boy in the tree. Startled, Kousa jerked back and disappeared from their sight; he did not linger to see if the man turned to look or not.

---

Summer fireworks painted the sky with colorful blooms of glimmering Strontium, Calcium, and Sodium salts. From the tops of his tree he can see this display against the starry sky and found it to be beautiful. Drifting from the village is festival music and the decadent scent of festival treats that brought to Kousa memories of their taste. Inhaling, he closed his eyes and imagined himself being able to eat them again. Kousa wished that he could attend one of these festivals as a person, and perhaps play some of the games and eat festive Dango. Kousa's thoughts are interrupted though, by the sounds of scuffling and a sound of distress. Turning his upper body, Kousa fixed his attention towards the ground but the summer foliage got in the way. Floating up above the tree, Kousa drifted over the clearing to get a better look at what is going on. At first his first instinct is to be concerned about himself, but when his sight caught onto the pair stumbling from the thicket of the near by trees a protective motivation took a hold of Kousa. On the ground below is a man carrying a little girl in a colorful Kimono, this isn't an unfamiliar child either. She is crying and struggling to escape her captor but the man is stronger and even a little rough with the child as he carried her towards the shrine.

Kousa didn't wait for the man to reach the small structure as he appeared in front of the criminal. The man didn't see him, but the girl certainly did and she gave him a pleading look that begged him to help her. Lifting his hand up, Kousa focused on the stranger intently and drew up every ounce of magical power that he could muster. Just when the man passed through him the criminal's soul did not, and the body stumbled as its grip on the girl loosened; dropping her as he crumpled onto the ground. Kousa stared at the writhing soul as he used both hands to shape it into a small Dango sized ball and brought it to his lips to be swallowed whole. It didn't have a good flavor and even made him feel a little sick to his stomach, but he didn't focus on this detail for long as he turned to face the little girl that has by now gotten to her feet and is staring at him with wide, tear filled, eyes. A soft sigh left Kousa and he approached her with caution as he knelt before the little girl, he needed to make sure that she isn't hurt. Even taking a moment to fix her small Kimono, and just as he had straightened out her clothes the small child threw her arms around him and hugged him close. Startling Kousa greatly and he froze up, eyes widening under his paper mask. He did not expect this, but it felt nice and he slowly with great hesitation hugged the girl back. Lifting her from the ground, Kousa carried her over to the tree and sat on the ground, setting her beside him. At least he's trying, the girl's grip is strong and she isn't willing to let him go but he managed to convince her to at least seat her self besides him. With promises that he'd stay with her until her parents found her and he assured her it is going to be soon. There is no way that her parents couldn't notice her absence and that they are already looking for her now.

He learned a lot this evening from the little girl, she told him many things and all sorts of stories of her family. Even learning that she had just turned seven years old the day before the festival. Her dad painted her a picture of a pretty scene with a pony, and her mom had gotten her a pretty doll with a painted face. Kousa listened, he is glad to hear that the human is still painting and so far it sounded like they have had a good life together. Eventually, the little girl that has been leaning against him with his arms entwined between her own, feel asleep against his side. It's been a few hours now and Kousa was starting to get concerned that maybe her parents wouldn't be able to find her where she is now. It's nearly sunrise when the desperate footsteps came rushing up the path and a man carrying a torch came calling for his little girl. In the distance he heard shouts of the girl's name drawing closer from others who are participating in the search. His shouts awakened the child and she recognized her father quickly and didn't waste time rushing to her father, shedding tears of relief along the way.

Kousa stood up and watched the reunion, the heartfelt display sent a warmth through him and he couldn't help but feel their happiness. Even when the little girl pointed towards the fallen man and himself, and for the first time in years Kousa and his friend made eye contact. Gratitude.

The next few days human officials were all over the shrine grounds they were investigating and Kousa had no doubt that they are trying to find the cause of the human's death. Eventually, this commotion became a memory and when they allowed the public back on the shrine grounds it became even more hectic. Many people came to the shrine to pray and many others left gifts of thanks at the base of his tree. Flowers of all kinds, food, and small straw dolls. They even lift strips of red paper that had their wishes and prayers written upon them... Kousa spent a lot of time reading them, but there was really nothing he could for these people who seemed to be calling him a holy spirit... Some even going as far as a guardian spirit, and there was speculation that he might be a minor god. It was amusing at best, but he didn't like all this blind attention. Well, not anymore. What he did enjoy, however, is the fact that he had been able to renew his friendship with the human even if it was going to take time for them to repair the damage their words and actions have inflicted. These were good years, and the human's daughter (among other girls and maidens) have taken upon themselves to tend to the shrine. Calling themselves priestesses of the shrine. The small shrine has been expanded since then, it has gotten bigger but they were mindful to give him his space. But he doesn't like that they have tied a thick rope around his trunk that has tassels and jagged papers hanging down. From what had been explained to him, it marked him as an important and sacred tree.

---

Decades pass like hours to Kousa, he watched as his friend grew very old and his children mature into adults and they too soon had their own children. At least, the son did, their daughter had found her calling along a spiritual path and has committed herself to becoming a high priestess even if it meant that she had to move away. Other young aspiring girls though have since filled her place. The spirit sat high in the tree as he waited patiently for his human friend to return, the man had fallen into a consistent schedule through the years and today was one of the days that he was suppose to come visit. Kousa waited and he waited until the sun begun to set and slowly sink below the horizon. Perhaps he will come tomorrow, but even then the day passed and still he didn't see his friend, nor did the man show himself on the third day. It was weeks before he saw someone, and the person who came to his tree is not the human he wanted to see: The man's wife.

She looked heart broken and in her arms she held an item wrapped in a cloth and a bundle of flowers. She did not bring them to the shrine, instead she traveled to his three where she stopped and knelt down onto the ground. Shaking with age, she leaned the wrapped painting up against the tree and laid the flowers at the base of the gift. Kousa frowned softly, this is not the person who he wanted to see. Even so he waited quietly for her to leave, and looked out towards the path. "Tree spirit... If you are there, I've come to let you know that my husband will no longer be coming." She called out, her voice filled with a deep sadness and she even started to cry before her words were finished. "He had died peacefully in his sleep. He would want you to have these things." Slowly she bowed her head, and then eased her self up from the ground; turned and hobbled away.

The news left Kousa unsettled and nearly in tears himself, but he desperately didn't want to believe her. It couldn't be true, his friend looked fine the last time he had seen him... He only had a few new wrinkles, he still had life in his eyes! Appearing on the ground Kousa grabbed the wrapped painting and he wanted to throw it away, but he couldn't bring himself to toss it. Shakily, he held it above his head with his eyes fixed on the colorful flowers. Lifting his foot, Kousa stomped them over, and over, and over again until the petals lost their color. Lowering down to his knees, Kousa held the painting against his chest for a while before unwrapping it and taking the time to see what the man had created. It's a portrait of Kousa, and this time the man had painted him with his yukata on. Still, Kousa could not bring himself to believe his friend's wife, they were only human and prone to mistakes. Surely, his friend is going to be here and tell him that he had just slept a little too deeply and apologize for causing so much trouble.

For once time felt stagnant, months felt more like years and the years felt like decades and for every day the man didn't come brought Kousa further into his denial. He made up reasons of why the man hasn't came to visit. Kousa preferred to believe that the man simply couldn't make it up the hill any longer. That maybe he's being held captive and cannot escape because, they have broken his legs to the point that they were useless. However, none of these stories helped him feel any better and after several years Kousa had to succumb to the truth that his human friend had in fact, passed away. It left Kousa in a terrible despair and he had no choice but to understand, begrudgingly, that human lives are short. A fleeting moment compared to the life of a youkai.

Time passes like the wind through his leaves, there was a moment of reprise when his friend's daughter had returned. She had not quiet achieved her goals the way she had intended but she had grown home sick and had decided to return and take care of their local shrine and mother instead. Kousa was at the time still plunged deep in the sadness of his loss, and it had taken a grave effect on the health of the Dogwood. It's leaves have lost it's luster after time, and there was considerably a lot less flowers and fruits. Even leaves were beginning to grow in thinly, slowly starving the tree of sunlight. It took a lot of tender care and attention, gentle conversations, and some gardening to bring the life back to Kousa and his tree. This did not happen quickly and Kousa felt afraid to get too attached to her, because he knew that soon she too will pass and she did. She lived up until her late sixties before she too passed. Leaving Kousa embittered by the shortness of human lives, did not wished to become friends with anymore people. The weight of the loss sits too heavily upon his shoulders, even watching the people he didn't know well slowly disappear left him feeling ill-at-ease.

These days, no one really comes to the shrine the structure has become dilapidated despite his best efforts to keep it intact. Even the paintings have deteriorated and have become but a dirty mess inside the shrine. The path that leads up to the building has broken in many places with plants over growing much of the paved stones. Grass has taken over the clearing and shrubs have been encroaching, even the rope that had been wrapped around his trunk has long since fallen away and decomposed.}