Susanoo’s Diner

We speak of Susanoo. We speak of His-Swift-Impetuous-Male-Augustness. Brother to Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi — brother to the Sun and the Moon — all birthed from the face of Izanagi. Susanoo, who wielded his father’s sword. Susanoo, who was cast out of Heaven. Susanoo, who slew the eight-headed dragon Yamata no Orochi.

When the patterns are locked into the paradigm, they echo through the Age iterations.

Bending the frequencies. Swing the Grasscutter Blade! Swing the Blade of the Gathering Clouds of Heaven!

RECALIBRATE.

Initiate the hearth frequency. There is a diner. The sound and smell of cooking sooths your mammal ears. The ritual: communal — communing — consuming. Outside, everything is apocalyptic vibrations and covered in the spiritual ash of past screams. But inside it is warm and bright. This is a safe place. Written prayers to Shoki the Demon Queller are hidden between the walls.

Akashi, a corpulent sweetling, cuts vegetables. He sharpens swords. His past was not congenial to him. But Gozen, the Lady of a Thousand Wise Words, found him. She taught him. She inspired confidence and pride. He would march into all the lesser and greater hells for her. Conveniently, he no longer has far to go.

Akashi and Gozen are surrounded by the lost generation of samurai. They share lessons and jokes and detoxify from the horrors of the world without. Soon they will don ill-fitting samurai regalia, pile into the van, and perform a drive-by attack on the demons at the bathhouse. If they survive another night, they will feast on noodles.