What was watching Flash and CandyCane high on the mountain? Is it scary or friendly? Thanks again to LT , from https://luminousaether.wordpress.com/2026/01/04/home-in-a-flash-part-3/?_gl=1*16u2hz*_gcl_au*MTM0NTAzNjc2MC4xNzY1NzE2Njk1 for letting me share her story with all of you. Enjoy the continuing adventure and exciting conclusion, as well as learning more about Japanese legends. Do you know what a Kirin is? I love how LT brings it into this adventure. You always learn something from LT’s posts.
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The Kirin first appears in ancient Chinese texts dating to the Zhou Dynasty (1046 BC – 256 BC), where it was known as the “Qilin” and depicted as dragon-like and covered in fire. It’s appearance was considered a good omen and a herald of peace.
In Japan, the Kirin was first mentioned in the “Kojiki” (711 AD), a collection of Japanese myths, legends, and histories. In the Kojiki, it is described as resembling a deer, but with a dragon’s scales, a tail like an ox, a fiery mane, and a single antler or horn.
The Japanese Kirin is seen as a serene being, moving through the world without harm. Consequently, they tend to appear during times of great peace, and only in the domains of wisdom and benevolence. They appear in Japanese carvings and paintings as symbols of peace and of virtuous leaders. And holy images of Kirin can also be found in temples and shrines.
The Kirin watched Santa’s two elves silently. And for several minutes, Flash and Candy Cane just stared back astonished, and not really sure what to do next. Candy Cane thought she saw a slight amusement in the Kirin’s expression, but decided that she must be imagining things. Eventually, the Kirin turned and began to walk away. The two elves followed.
The Kirin led them onto a ledge along a high cliff. Candy Cane looked down and it made her feel dizzy. After that, she kept her eyes focused on the tag on the back of Flash’s inside-out shirt, and followed closely. Eventually, the ledge widened to an amazing sight…
To their right was the entrance to a magnificent sanctuary carved directly into the granite cliff!
“It’s the Kirin’s refuge!” said Flash.
Candy Cane, being the more focused and observant of the pair, pointed toward a figure of a peacefully sitting elf carved into the the stone at the far side of the entrance. “Then why is there an elf?”
Flash thought for a moment. “I barely passed Elven History. But I think that’s the first chief-bureaucrat of the Unmei no Kuromori… the Black Forest of Destiny.”
“I mostly know about Elf history from Pennsylvania,” replied Candy Cane. “One was famous for hiding magic in the sounds of bells… like cowbells, and bicycle bells… and a big one with a crack in it that nobody rings anymore. Is the first chief-bureaucrat famous for something?”
Flash was looking intently at the carving. “He was supposedly a really good negotiator. There’s a legend about him haggling someone down to zero. ‘I cannot tell a lie. I have nothing in my coin purse.’ ” Flash looked at Candy Cane. “I don’t think it’s a true story. But what if he made a deal with the Kirin?”
“What kind of a deal?”
“This,” said Flash, pointing to the magnificent shrine carved into the side of the mountain. “A safe refuge in exchange for the good fortune, peace, and blessings that come from the Kirin’s presence.”
The Kirin looked directly at Candy Cane, and then turned, walking into entrance of the sanctuary. It was clear that he wanted the elves to follow.
Trailing behind the Kirin into a large room brightened by light let in through an arched window cut into the cliff, the two elves could see the reason for the Kirin’s recent absence. Sitting on the soft, sandy floor were the Kirin’s family… including two young fawns.
Suddenly, a very large crow flew in through the window. Gliding across the room, it circled the group before settling onto Flash’s shoulder. Candy Cane was surprised by its sudden appearance. But Flash didn’t seem to show much concern as the it spoke quietly into her ear.
Flash held out her arm, and the shiny black bird jumped onto it. “Tell my sister not to worry. I have an idea!” And with that, the great bird flew back out the window.
Turning toward Candy Cane, “A karasu… a messenger bird,” said Flash. “My sister sent it. Somehow, Jynx Shadowheart has found the trail toward the mountain. We have to hurry!”
Jynx Shadowheart scanned the mountains with her binoculars. There was little that escaped her sharp eyes. Then she petted her two massive dogs. “Bruiser, Thor… It seems our hunt is nearing its conclusion.”
Removing her custom, .450 magnum Smythe and Easton unicorn gun from its case, Jynx looked through its high-magnification scope. She could just make out two tiny figures in its cross-hairs, dangling precariously from a thread on the high cliff. “It won’t be long now. The cannery is going to pay us well for this one. And you two can have the scraps.“
Meanwhile, Flash and Candy Cane returned to the team of reindeer waiting on the mountain trail by expertly rappelling the 970-foot drop. By the third pitch, Candy Cane had gotten pretty good at not opening her eyes while she was being lowered by Flash.
Before Candy Cane could even recover her composure, they were already careening back down the winding mountain trail in the speeding sleigh. “Somehow, we have to throw Jynx Shadowheart off the Kirin’s trail,” said Flash. “She’s a good tracker. I have an idea… But it could get messy.”
Candy Cane looked at Flash’s wild hair, inside out-shirt and unmatched socks and shook her head in agreement.
“I can help!” said Candy Cane. “But I need to get back to the North Pole. I can use the golden key to get there in an instant. But I don’t know how to get back!”
Arriving at the snowy meadow, Flash had Candy Cane help her pull the big red sack out from the back of the sleigh. It was a lot heavier than it looked!
“Is that Santa’s..?” asked Candy Cane.
“I needed something that was bigger on the inside than on the outside in order to fit everything into the sleigh,” said Flash.
“What’s in it?” queried Candy Cane.
“Probably better if I don’t say,” Flash replied. “But with the lighter load, you won’t need all the reindeer. Shred and Vexen can stay with me. We make a good power-trio!”
Flash handed Candy Cane the map they’d used to get to their starting point for the trip. “Rebel and Raven will know how to lead the team back here from the little town where we started. See you soon!” And just as Candy Cane, the sleigh, and the ten reindeer vanished into a cloud of golden glitter… “Just watch out for the swamp!”
With a little help from Shred and Vexen, Flash had soon emptied the contents of Santa’s dimensionally transcendental toy sack. Flash was very familiar with how it worked, having helped in its design. She actually got her job at the North Pole because of her degree in transcendental geometry, or shapes that are bigger on the inside than the outside.
Soon, a collection of massive black cabinets was stacked in a neat row at the edge of the meadow. Flash, Shred and Vexen were ready. Now all Flash needed was a crowd worthy of stirring up a mosh-pit.
Just then, a shrill voice echoed up from the trail. “What’s this? My welcoming celebration? It might as well be, since you’ve led me right to the unicorn’s lair!“
Flash turned to see Jynx Shadowheart, with Bruiser and Thor at her side. “Shred!” she called out. “Give me a G-sharp ten!”
The reindeer quickly tightened up the high string on his guitar until it almost snapped, and struck a note… that no one could hear. At least, no one standing on two legs.
Bruiser and Thor Howled! They could hear the note. Jynx suddenly realized what was happening and raised her rifle. “Looks like there’ll be reindeer on the menu tonight,” she bellowed.
Just then, a loud hum broke through the forest. It sounded like a swarm of bees on an eight-shot caffeine buzz, and it was getting closer. Suddenly, a river of tiny lights poured out of the trees. They were fairies… seemingly millions of them, called out by the sound of that G-sharp 10 that Shred had blasted across the valley from his guitar amplifier.
Drawn by their whining, the little buzzing lights swarmed the dogs like a monstrous cloud of hungry mosquitoes.
“Shred, Vexen! Full punk doom power!” cried Flash.
As Shred cranked out a round of down-tuned power cords, Vexen thundered on the drums. A huge clump of snow shook out of the trees, piling onto Jynx. Then Flash grabbed a guitar, turned her amplifiers up to full Concorde take-off power, and unleashed a solo that knocked the unicorn hunter right off her feet.
Falling backward as the entire forest began to tremble to the awesome, thundering sound, Jynx’s rifle hit the ground with a loud “BOOM!” And at that, Bruiser and Thor had had enough and took off like two frightened rabbits, with the huge swarm of overstimulated fairies in hot pursuit.
Having come prepared for the sound of a .450 magnum anti-unicorn round, however, Jynx had brought hearing protection. Slipping on her Shell-Shok, -180dB, active noise-canceling headphones, she stood up and brushed off the snow. There was nothing more Flash could do as the now infuriated unicorn hunter picked up her rifle and reloaded.
They were doomed!
When what should appear, but a sleigh pulled by ten flying reindeer! If not for the 50-cycle hum from the wall of amplifiers, the forest would have gone dead silent as the band stopped mid note. Even Jynx stared as the flying entourage landed in the meadow and pulled up between her and the three questionable musicians.
Candy Cane jumped from the sleigh before it had even come to a stop. “I’ve brought help!“
Behind her followed a large, serene and leisurely… cow, with big brown eyes, and a cowbell hanging from its neck. Both Jynx and Flash spoke simultaneously, “A cow?“
“Jynx!” called Candy Cane. And with that, the cow walked right nose-to-nose with the hunter.
“Stupid cow!” shouted Jynx. “Get out of my way!” She reached out and swiped at the cow, smacking the bell with her hand, causing it to ring out.
“POOF!” A huge cloud of purple and pink smoke suddenly appeared right where both Jynx and the cow had just been standing. They were gone!
“That was Betsy, the Pennsylvania wonder cow!” explained Candy Cane. “She used her magic bell to take Jynx off to someplace where she can’t cause any more trouble. I don’t think we’ll be seeing that awful unicorn hunter again.“
“So where did… Betsy take her?” asked Flash.
“Where’s the nearest swamp?“
Flash grimaced.
“Anyway, I think this was a perfect vacation,” said Candy Cane. “I got to see Japan, go sledding, meet your sister, learn some history, climb a mountain, and save a family of magical animals!
Where should we go next?!“
Flash grimaced again.
“Oh!” said candy Cane. “I almost forgot to tell you… Your shirt is inside out.“
Nuggets of Gold 