Kayatsubo (カヤツボ) is a Youkai who lives in a pot. She held a grudge against Reiko Natsume, whom she believed stole her doll. Kayatsubo returns to confront Reiko, demanding her doll back, though encounters Takashi Natsume instead. She demands that Takashi finds the doll for her, threatening to take away everything he treasures.
Appearance
Kayatsubo lives in an old brown pot with a wooden lid. The pot has small cracks and a hole from which an eye can often be seen. She can stretch her arm or half her body through the top of the pot.
When she comes out from her pot, Kayatsubo's form resembles that of a human. She has long, light pink hair with the front bangs clipped back, leaving only short fringes.
She has slanted, pale blue eyes, a pale complexion, and wears a white and pale blue Japanese dress.
Personality
Kayatsubo is vindictive, holding onto a grudge and seeking out Reiko Natsume to get back her doll. She can also be very emotional, as seen when she comes to Takashi's home full of anger and hatred for Reiko, whom she claimed was a thief.
Kayatsubo is also seen as rather playful, pretending to be a different Youkai when Takashi comes to her shed in order to tip him off about the doll that she's looking for.
She seems to be very lonely living by herself in her pot. She becomes possessive over the doll which she called her "friend" and her "treasure," and even expressed her wish to have Reiko to live in her pot. She also seems to have a fondness for pretty things, such as the doll she picked up, and even Reiko.
History
Kayatsubo had picked up a doll that a little girl accidently left behind after she fell into the woods, claiming it to be hers after the girl dropped it. She encounters Reiko Natsume, who came to find and bring the little girl back home. She takes a liking to Reiko and tries to bring her into her pot. However, Reiko was saved by another Youkai who rushed her away from Kayatsubo.
After discovering that Kayatsubo always falls exhausted and sleeps after the sun sets, Reiko sets out to retrieve the doll. She finds Kayatsubo's pot, and dauntlessly reaches in and successfully retrieves the doll while being careful not to wake the Youkai. Reiko then immediately goes to return the doll to the mother of the girl, who insists that she keep it.
Seeing that the doll is best in possession of someone who will love and care for it, Reiko returns to the forest to give Kayatsubo the doll. Unable to find her, she leaves the doll on a tree for the Youkai to find it.
Unknown to her, however, the doll had fallen and gotten so dirty that Kayatsubo was unable to recognize it.
Plot
One night, she rolls herself to Takashi's home and startles him as she slaps the glass window. She hauntingly says she has found "Reiko" and demands that "she" return her treasure. And no matter how much Takashi tries to reason with her, she won't listen leading her to threaten the safe return of her treasure or she will take something Takashi treasures. She rolls back which prompts Takashi to chase her down, fearing the worst will happen to Touko and Shigeru.
She hides in a shed and opens its doors when Takashi tried himself. Not knowing she was the one in the pot, Takashi asks about the pot youkai. She responses with innocence, concealing her thirst for revenge but doesn't hesistate to tell Takashi that Reiko had stolen that pot youkai's precious doll out of loneliness. She then tries to convince Takashi to serach through his belongings as it might possibly be in Reiko's possession.
Takashi searches for the doll and finds it buried in soil. He is able to retrieve it and Kayatsubo approaches him. Kayatsubo complains that it is not the doll as it is dirty, revealing herself to be that pot youkai. She is infuriated and now proceeds to take Takashi's treasure, charging towards his home. This prompts Takashi to chase after her but meets a youkai who knows why Kayatsubo is so furious. According to him, Reiko found a little girl lost in the same forest looking for that same doll. Reiko directs her safely out of the forest and also finds the doll in Kayatsubo's pot after the youkai had fallen asleep. But Reiko's attempt to sincerely return the doll was rejected and so she tried to return it back to Kayatsubo. The doll was then lost since she was unable to find Kayatsubo.
Thankfully, by the time the youkai finishes his explanation, Kayatsubo had fallen asleep. Takashi is safe for now and won't have to deal with her late that night. Once Takashi returns home he asks Touko to help him clean up the doll. They do well and while everyone is asleep, Takashi places the doll at the doorstep. He and Madara stay up guarding the door and when Kayatsubo returns, she sees the doll and is elated to have her friend back and takes her home.
Relationships
Reiko Natsume
- Main article: Reiko Natsume
Kayatsubo has a deep seeded hatred for Reiko because she strongly believes that Reiko had stolen her doll out of loneliness. This hatred of hers eventually led her to find Takashi and demands (and threatens) him to return her doll.