In a corner of the mind [Inner World / solo]

There was a curious thing that quite promptly caught Hanako’s attention: Many pictures and paintings hung along the walls or were standing on small tables. Only that they weren’t paintings or photographs or anything. They were just empty frames and blank canvases. It was quite odd, why would somebody decorate their house with such bleak items? Was it a special sense of humor? Or maybe a philosophical statement? Oversight? Maybe a new owner moved in just recently and hasn’t had time to hang up anything yet? No, the last possibility didn’t make sense. Why bother to hang up empty frames?

Other than that the house was as cozy and homey as it had appeared on first glance. The floor made small creaking noises, but felt reassuringly stable. The walls doors gave off a faint scent of an oil, used to treat the wood. Somewhere a fire was going and the pleasant and fine scent of tea was hanging over all. Jasmine tea. The scent shouldn’t carry this far, but Hanako was sure that’s what she was smelling. She loved jasmine tea.

At the moment she was standing on the porch. From the front door the small corridor had opened up to the porch that went around the building on it’s right side, probably also encompassing the rear end. The shutters were all closed to keep out the mist. A few steps ahead a sliding door was cracked open a few centimeters. She had passed a few more doors, which she hadn’t dared to open, and was now almost at the back of the house
Hanako approached it and peered inside. It was the living room, the largest room, with tatami mats on the floor and one small table almost perfectly in the middle. On it was a beautiful, matte-black teapot and two matching cups. She could see steam coming from the pot, indicating freshly brewed tea. So, there was the source of that inviting fragrance.

Slowly Hanako slid the door open and slipped into the room. Contrary to the rest of the house, or what she had seen of it, it was only dimly lit, mainly with a candle on the table. Hanako’s hand was already reaching for the teapot when she froze. On the table there was another thing standing. It was a picture frame, like many others she had seen hanging and standing around the house. This one was not empty.

It was a photograph, showing a house much like this, surrounded by forest. But the skies on this picture were clear and there were other houses, right and left, and a road. The scenery stirred something inside Hanako. Something from deep within, something that made her almost dizzy, but it slipped away as fast as it had come.

Behind her the sliding door was shut with a soft, wooden sound. Hanako turned. Someone had entered the room. The figure was talk, even taller than Hanako herself, and shouldn't have been able to move inside a traditional house. Yet he did so with apparent ease. He was bulky and the proportions weren't quite right for a human. However, it was impossible to see what he really was, because he was clad in a complete suit of old japanese samurai armor, complete with helmet and mask. For a moment Hanako just stood there, staring at the samurai, while he also stood there, staring at her.

After a few moments, he hadn't said a single word, the huge samurai shuffled past her and picked up the teapot surprisingly gentle. Without so much as glancing at Hanako he poured two cups and handed one to the bewildered woman. She took it, without really realising it. Then he took the second cup and strolled to the far side of the room, opened another sliding door and stepped outside.
Hanako still stood where she was, utterly perplexed. She had expected anything to live here, even ghosts, but not an oversized samurai that served tea in full armor. It was...it was...what in the universe was it?
Whatever the answer to that question would be, Hanako still didn't feel threatened. The feeling of security she had felt since she had appeared in this forrest was still there. She was still sure, even without any evidence, that no harm would come from the samurai.

She didn't hesitate another moment after she came to this conclusion and followed the person that was obviously her host.