01x10 - A Lost Curse

[bunniefuu]

[wind rustling leaves]

[snoring]

[suspenseful music playing]

-[yelps]
-[magical chiming]

Merciful heavens!

S... Seimei!

Wh... what are you doing?

Why are you here?

Of course it wasn't you.

Uh... what?

[whooshing]

[gasps]

What... what was that all about?

[rock music plays]

ONMYOJI

EPISODE TEN:
A LOST CURSE

[bird piping]

-[man 1] What? You saw him too?
-[gasps]

You mean Seimei Abe, yes?

He suddenly appeared
before me this morning.

Did he say "It wasn't you"?

[man 2] Yes!

-I have no idea what he meant by that.
-Hmph.

Could it be that he is searching for the
one who attempted to curse him to death?

It would explain
all the people he's paid a visit to.

It is very vexing! Truly!

I may have wished some ill on him,
but never death!

Indeed, I feel the same way.

I can think of only one who might
resent him to such an extreme degree.

[magical chiming]

The demon...

I wonder if it could be Lord Yasunori.

[Hiromasa] Uh, Lord Yasunori.

[Yasunori] Yes?

There is something I wish to ask you.

Why were you at Seimei's residence
that morning? It almost seemed as...

[Yasunori] It almost seemed as if I knew
he'd be attacked and gravely wounded.

-Correct?
-Uh...

[Yasunori] That is
what you were going to say...

Unfortunately, I must inform you

this little notion of yours
holds no water whatsoever.

Sorry.

Wait just a minute!

You still haven't answered my question.

Here is my answer. Onmyojis possess
powers beyond human comprehension.

-Which explains my presence that morning.
-[Hiromasa] But...

[Yasunori] I advise you
to practice more caution in the future.

Uh...

If you're concerned about Seimei's safety,
doubly so.

[snorts]

[music fades]

[birdsong]

[footsteps approach]

[Hiromasa] So this is where you are.

[Seimei chuckles]

It's unusual to see you here
at the Bureau of Onmyo.

Oh! What are you making there?

[Seimei] A tool for finding
the namanari demon.

It should be completed by tonight.

That's a tool?

If you stop by later, I'll show you.

I may require the powers of
your flute playing to complete the task.

Uh...

[sighs] About that...

Is there something pressing
you wish to speak of?

Oh, uh... well, uh...

There are rumors bubbling
among the nobles,

saying you appear at their bedsides,
frightening them.

Ah, yes.

I've heard those.

Uh, is there any truth to them?

Absolutely. You see, Doman is
likely behind the demon's sekisanko.

Therefore, I used shikis to search for
those who seemed prone to being corrupted.

ABE SEIMEI

Oh...

[Seimei] If I'm being honest, however,

I don't believe a demon is among
any of those stodgy court nobles.

[Hiromasa] Mmph.

But putting some fear into them
has its merits too.

The ones who resent me seem to be
growing in number like a horde of gnats.

Would you all not agree?

[all grunt]

[laughs awkwardly]

-By the way, did you meet with Doman...
-[footsteps]

-[Kaneie] Oh, there you are!
-Uh...

[growls] I want an explanation!

Did you visit Lord Kaneie
in the dead of night as well?

He did! And I was the only one
who stood up for you

when you were about to be demoted,
remember?

Those are two separate matters entirely.

So, did you just come here
in order to bellyache at me?

[growls]

Course not. I have news.

[suspenseful music plays]

[Seimei] A festival, you say?

As you well know, the Court was
attacked by monstrous heads the other day.

As a result, this has given His Majesty
ample cause for concern.

[Kaneie] To avoid relocating the capital,

we'd like to hold a grand festival
where all the evil energy can be expelled.

And for that,
we will need your assistance.

-This "festival" will not be necessary.
-Why is that?

[Seimei] Those heads...

they were likely a rogue's handiwork.

I'd say the burial ground's seal
was broken out of mischief.

There is no need
to treat this as a crisis.

[grumbles]

We need not cause an uproar over
such a trivial matter as this.

Now, see here! I will not have you
calling His Majesty's concerns "trivial"!

You sought my counsel regarding this.
And I have given my honest opinion.

[grumbles]

Is it not just as I had feared?

I knew full well it was ill-advised
to turn to Seimei for this.

I told you as much.

-I still think...
-Enough excuses!

Any onmyoji will suffice.

Then let us summon the priests of Toji.

Uh, would that be adequate, Your Majesty?

I would seek the most talented
of the onmyojis. Is that not Seimei?

Yes. You are correct.

Uh, come now, Seimei.
Reconsider His Majesty's request.

There must be...

-I cannot help.
-But why not?

Overseeing something
whose purpose eludes me...

it would yield you no fruitful results.

Hmm...

[Seimei] I'm sure another onmyoji
will be able to provide assistance.

Therefore, I must beg your leave.

[Kaneie] Wait! Seimei...

Don't you think you're being a bit too
comfortable in your position as of late?

[music stops]

You need to consider these things
with an open mind.

If you do not, tragedy will befall you.

[Seimei] Nearly losing your body

has prompted
a great deal of introspection, I see.

-Your words carry much more weight now.
-[Kaneie grunts]

Oh, curse you, Seimei!

-[footsteps]
-[bird cawing]

[flute plays mystical tune]

[Atsumi] Hiromasa?

Forgive me.
I didn't mean to interrupt you.

No, it's fine.

I didn't know you were listening.
How very rude of me.

[Hiromasa] Come now, I... I'd hardly say
it's rude to play such beautiful music.

You say that,
but doesn't it bring you pain?

I know it was for your friend,

but to lose your talent for the flute,
which you so loved...

And, perhaps even worse,
your playing was unrivaled.

None of that really
matters to me in the slightest.

-[poignant music plays]
-What?

[Hiromasa] Not once have I ever cared
to compare my playing with someone else's.

I played only because
it brought me joy to play.

[gasps]

The thought that I can't play ever again...
it does make me feel a little sad.

But if that's what I had to do
to save Seimei, I'm at peace with it.

[chuckles]

Of course. You've always
been that kind of man.

I was thinking I might try my hand
at some new hobby, or field of study.

Of course, I could never be as excellent
at any of them as you would be.

[laughs]

Hiromasa...

About your flute. If you wish,
I could hold onto it for you.

You mean Two Leaves? But why?

After what happened, surely looking
upon it can only bring you anguish.

[Hiromasa sighs]

I appreciate the sentiment, Lord Atsumi.

But I cannot.

This flute here was left in my care
by a demon.

I can't just give it away.

And besides... you never know, right?

Maybe, just maybe, there will come a day
when I'll be able to play it once again.

It could be ten years from now,

or perhaps it'll be closer to 30
for all that I know.

However long it is,
I'll hold onto it until then.

[gasps]

I understand.

-That sounds very like you.
-[music fades]

[dramatic music plays]

On Mayura Kirandhi Sowaka.

On Mayura Kirandhi Sowaka.

-On Mayura Kirandhi Sowaka.
-[magical chiming]

Hold on, Seimei. What is that thing?

-The sekisanko that attacked me.
-It is?

[Seimei] I purposely remade it.

Are you sure it's safe to be doing that?

-Maybe this isn't a good idea...-
-Too late.

[squelching]

There is no danger.

-[gasps]
-It's docile now.

Though it did take me quite a bit
of time and effort to raise it to be.

[buzzing]

With my spell, it should return
to its owner. At least, in theory.

So, if we follow it back, that means...

We will locate the demon who attacked me.

[high-pitched ringing]

[Hiromasa gasps] This sound!

What's wrong?

That day, I... I heard it!

Is that so?

Be ready to play your flute tonight.

Uh... Mmm. [sighs]

I have something to tell you.

-I'm not able to... [gasps]
-[crashing]

Apparently, it wants
to return to its master.

Now's not the time for chit-chat.

[buzzing]

-After it!
-Right.

[leaves rustling]

[growling]

-I hate him...
-[crunching]

[hisses]

[roars]

[buzzing]

[sighs] Do you have any idea
where it could be going?

I do not.

For all I know, we might end up chasing it
until we see the rays of dawn.

I certainly hope you're not serious!

[Seimei] You should be able
to hold out that long, right?

-[Hiromasa] This again...
-[Seimei] Hmm?

I have a name!

It's Hiromasa.
You could stand to use it now and again.

But you always find some way
to avoid it altogether!

Why is this important now?

[Hiromasa] You once told me that not
answering by name prevents a connection.

And all this time, I've never once
heard you call me by my name!

Oh my...

You're more sensitive
than you look, aren't you?

-See here, I said I...
-It's turning!

[buzzing]

-[Hiromasa] Shinsen-en temple?
-[Seimei] Indeed.

Something feels strange here.

-Stay close to me.
-All right.

[gasps]

Seimei...

-[Seimei, echoing] Did you hear that?
-Uh...

[music fades]

Where is he?

Careful...

This marsh looks treacherous.

Oh no...

[buzzing]

[grunts]

-[clang]
-[Seimei gasps]

-[gasps]
-[thudding steps]

Remaking the sekisanko was
quite the surprising move, indeed.

[dramatic music plays]

What are you doing here?

[Yasunori] For a junior disciple,
you can be most vexing, Seimei. Truly.

[grunts]

[Seimei] So it was you, after all.

[sighs] You're even more dim
than I originally thought.

Huh?

-[magical chiming]
-[blows]

You really think I would go through
the trouble of becoming a demon

just to k*ll you?

[Seimei] You wouldn't?
I thought you resented me.

[scoffs] Why would you think that?

Because of your father.

Is that your hypothesis?
That I believe you to be his k*ller?

You would never do such a thing.

Then explain what you are doing here.

I will admit it,
I don't like you very much.

However, I cannot defy my father's orders.

Orders?

It was on the day that I first met you.

[Tadayuki] I want you to look after him.

Yes, sir.

[music fades]

I see, so that's why.

Exactly. I am here
because I sensed that sekisanko.

But there should be a demon
around here somewhere.

If it's not you, then who could it be?

-[Yasunori] I have one thought on that.
-[gasps]

When you were lying on death's doorstep,
I transferred Kuromaru into your body.

I was attempting to dispel the grudge
held by the demon's sekisanko.

[Seimei] You speak of a counter-curse.

[Yasunori] Yes,
and it hardly had any effect on you.

How are you still alive?

I had nothing to do
with it at all, actually.

[Seimei] So you couldn't counter
the curse placed on me, after all.

But if that's the case,
how am I still alive now?

I do not know.

But I do have a guess
as to the sekisanko's true target.

-Most likely, it was...
-[Seimei gasps]

[magical chiming]

You there...

[wind gusting]

[gasps]

[thinks] I can't believe
that I never put it together!

[echoing] A man who became a demon
due to jealousy...

It's my apology for nearly k*lling you.

There was this... odd sound I heard.

[thinks] He was the demon all along!

[Hiromasa] What exactly are you after?

Why do you resent Seimei?

[demon] Huh. You really are
as innocent as a child, Hiromasa.

What's that? How... how do you know my name?

[dramatic music playing]

Uh... it can't be!

Lord... Atsumi?

[gasps]

[flute notes resonating]

Then that odd sound I heard...

The one coming from that sekisanko was...

[in growling, demonic voice]
Finally, you understand.

What have you done?
Why did you transform into a demon?

[Atsumi] How very like you,
to live blissfully unaware

of other people's scorn for you.

Huh?

[Atsumi] There has been one man,
and one alone, whose death I've sought.

-And that would be you... Hiromasa!
-[grunts]

Hey! Answer! Where are you?

-[thinks] If he was after him, and not I...
-[magical chiming]

...of course Lord Yasunori's
counter-curse would fail.

But then why am I still alive?

What could have intervened?

He was worried for you. He even
sought my help in the middle of a storm.

He wouldn't...

[Atsumi] It ended up being fortuitous
that Seimei swallowed the sekisanko.

It made you give up
your skills at the flute, after all.

[Hiromasa] Wh... Is that why
you and Lady Doman told me

to pray to Taizan Fukun?

You can be relied upon to sacrifice
for your friends. And you did.

[grunts]

-[Seimei] Where are you?
-[gasps]

Say something!

Where have you gone to?

I'm here, Seimei!

[gasps]

[music fades]

Seimei!

[sighs] What a relief. You're here!

-[groans]
-[gasps]

[emotional music plays]

Why?

[Atsumi] "Why?"

Aah...

Why indeed?

[voice returning to normal]
What reason did it have to end this way?

It's you, Lord Atsumi.

[urgent music plays]

[Hiromasa yelps]

[in demonic voice] Finally!
I chose the flute over my friend!

And now my wish has been fulfilled!

[growls]

[yells]

[roars]

Get back here!

[gasps]

No... wait...

[music fades]

[wind blowing gently]

I'm sorry. [gasps]

You did tell me to stay close to you.

Save your breath! I'll stop the bleeding.

I've never seen...
you look like this before.

-[gentle music plays]
-You look worried...

[sobs]

I said, save your breath!

[Hiromasa] Seimei...

I have a... a favor.

[shakily] And I won't trouble you
with any more...

Stop! Do not speak like that!

If you would, please forgive Lord Atsumi.

Enough! You will not die, you hear?

This is not the end!

[Hiromasa] Please save him.

Do it for me.

Hiromasa!

Huh!

You called me...

[gasps]

...by my...

name...

[Seimei gasps]

No.

[shakily] Hey...

Hiromasa...

[gentle ballad plays]

[music fades]