Suzue knocked on the hotel room door an hour later. She had Moeka standing next to her with a strip of cloth tied over her eyes, and an amused but baffled look on the young woman’s face. Paul had checked the wiki on Baby-metal and the two young girls specifically, it wasn’t too much use as a guide but he could infer some things about them by reading between the lines. He knew that Moeka was the older of the pair, by about a year, despite the young woman appearing to be at the most fourteen years old.

Moeka was also apparently the brains behind the way they’d handled the departure of the former Yui-metal, the third founding girl who’d left for health reasons and been replaced by one of seven other girls who cycled in a rotation. The way the band was arranged, Suzue carried the bulk of singing, with the most ‘metal’ voice. Moeka and one of the ‘seven sisters’, as the rotating substitutes were called, provided backing and dance, or ‘screaming and jumping’ as they put it. Although of late they’d been performing as a duo act, backed by their ‘Hidden Kami’ instrumental group.

Paul got the feeling that it was arranged that way so that the bulk of the high-energy bopping was done by the ones they could rotate out to rest. He also got the distinct impression that Suzue was the one that dragged Moeka into most of their well-publicised-after-the-fact hi-jinks, such as their infamous impromptu pop-up concerts in odd places, such as the subway.

Shoko grinned as Suzue lead the puzzled Moeka into the room where the band had gathered. Inari was keeping an eye on the ‘bomb’ generator which was quietly chugging away on the balcony of her room, charging up her sakura branch battery. Shoko shh’ed the giggling duo of Jiao and Aimi-chan, while Yuri and Yuko lounged on the bed and a chair respectively. Katsu stood behind Tatsuo’s chair, one hand somewhat possessively on Tatsuo’s shoulder, and an impassive look on her face.

Not one of them was wearing their disguise spell bracelets.

Paul wasn’t sure of the advisably of springing them all at once on the young woman, but Suzue had asked… and since it was already late in the evening, getting it over with quickly was maybe a good idea.

Once Moeka was in position in the middle of the room, with the three main members of Yokai Metal in a loose semi-circle in front of the blindfolded girl, Suzue whipped the scarf away, as the three plus Suzue yelled; “Surprise!”

Moeka blinked, looking around, and then grinned, bouncing on her toes in excitement.

“Yokai Metal!! Eeee! You didn’t say they were opening for us Suzue! We’re both fans!”

Suzue giggled

“One of us more than the other.”

Shoko blinked looking surprised, and Jiao began to giggle.

“Hoi! You’re fans of us?!”

Moeka nodded,

“Suzue found your stuff online! It’s… it’s brilliant, a whole new direction for Kawaii metal! And the costumes are super cute! I love them! They look even better in real life though! You must spend ages getting them on! Asagi, that’s our drummer and the tech-head of our group, couldn’t work out how you animated your tail…. Suz, why are you laughing?”

“They’re REAL Moeka!”

Moeka blinked, looking nonplussed. Aimi-chan grinned, and floated up a foot or so, reverting to her more ghastly ghost look. Shoko stepped forward and taking the stunned looking Moeka’s hand placed it on her head, so Moeka could feel her ears.

Moeka stood blinking.. and then exclaimed.

“They..they’re real.. Yokai. Real Yokai! Eeee!!!!”

Paul winced, as did just about everyone else except Suzue, as Moeka’s excited squeal climbed into decibel levels normally produced by jet engines at a pitch that would have bats falling out of the sky, their sonar jammed.

Moeka clapped a hand over her mouth, her eyes shining above it, and bounced excitedly up and down in place. Dropping her hand she took a deep breath.

“Ihavesomanyquestions!”

Shoko nodded, smiling,

“Me too!”

Paul watched long enough to determine that the five young girls weren’t going to run out of steam any time soon as they talked excitedly. Tatsuo and Katsu slipped out quietly, their presence superfluous, while Yuri and Yuko exchanged a look, and the shyer, quieter Yuko beat her retreat leaving her sister to supervise the excited, babbling gaggle of girls.

Paul let himself out, with an apologetic backward glance at Yuri, who smiled resignedly. Once outside, he spotted a familiar silver-haired figure in the hall.

“Hey Rin!”

Rin turned around and grinned at the sight of Paul.

“Hoi, Paul-san. I was just coming to look for you. How was the trip?”

“Long! How are you finding Tokyo?”

“Tiresome and smelly...and exciting and wonderful..and All Too Much!”

Paul laughed.

“Yeah, that sounds about right. It took me a couple of days just to get over feeling overwhelmed by it when I was here, and I’m from London! Good grief, I just realised, that was only a couple of months ago! Feels like a life time. Mind you, if you think it’s a bit smelly now, you should try it in summer. It’s not as bad as London, but still...”

Rin shuddered and shook their head.

“Thanks, I pass… I begin to see the advantages of country living. Even Osaka’s not this bad. A few weeks clean living, and I think my nose has gotten more sensitive.”

“More like living in Osaka numbed it.”

“Could be… so, you settled in here ok?”

“Mostly. Inari’s napping, I got the generator set up on the balcony. There was a hiccup though with Aimi-chan’s mirror being delivered to the wrong room, but we caught a break. Turns out, Suzue isn’t easy to scare… and those two are just as big fans of Yokai Metal, as our three are of them! They’re back there, talking up a storm and generally just being excited happy young girls and to heck with the fact half of them aren’t even human.”

“Oh… well that could have gone worse.”

“Yeahhh…you know, now that I think about it, I have my suspicions about that.”

“Oh?”

“UmHm.. Rin, could you ask around a bit if you’ve got a minute. The reception desk had no idea who delivered the case containing the mirror up here.. but they didn’t think it was one of their staff.”

Rin nodded slowly.

“You think someone was trying to sabotage us?”

“Maybe, but if they were they had to know exactly what they were doing and what the mirror was. Although, they did screw it up because I’m pretty sure that fan-girl squealing wasn’t what they were aiming for.”

Rin laughed, nodding and then lowered their voice to reply.

“I’m glad I bought us some extra protection now. I wondered if I was perhaps being excessively paranoid, but not any more.”

“Protection?”

“Yes. Certain of the local… clubs.. know about yokai. Not everything, but enough. A few even have Other members. So, I had a word with some people I know, who moved up here from Osaka when they were recruited out of the local colour gangs. There was an exchange of information, I gave them the design for the small mana convertors like you suggested, as a sign of good faith and to distribute to the needy among the Other community. You were right by the way, they do smuggle Others into Japan.”

“Yeah, I thought so. Someone had to have done so with the Oni. Soon as I looked at the earthquake density maps, it was obvious Japan had to be a mana hotspot. So if it’s fading as bad as it is here, it’s got to be worse elsewhere in the world, and although they might not know why, certain people would know Japan was a haven for those Others who couldn’t survive without it. Ergo, they’d come here by any means possible.”

Rin nodded.

“There’s whole clans of Others out there. A lot are further North along the coast at Fukushima, taking their chances with the radiation. Most are in the mountains, like us, or up in Hokkaido. Anywhere where the humans aren’t really. It makes them useful for the ‘business gentlemen’ for running things like illegal operations that need factories, labs or chop shops, that sort of thing. Anything that pays under the counter. But they can and do get sick from the lack of Mana like you thought. So, the gangs like the idea of something that will stop that, so they don’t have to keep recruiting and running the risk of picking up an undercover cop.”

Paul smiled a sort of twisted smile.

“Yup, some things are the same wherever you go… much as I hate it, using their organisations is the fastest way to get the small mana convertors into circulation. It buys us some muscle as well I take it?”

“Yes. We got twelve of their best, the sort they usually use for protecting corporate types, staked out in and around the hotel. If they’re doing their job, you’ll never know they’re there, and nothing will disturb you or Inari. At least, not in the hotel.”

“Someone slipped though, Rin.”

“Yeah... it’s possible they were in place before we got here though. I’ll let our detail know what happened. They’ll follow up, do you want to know about it if they find something?”

“Yes. I need to factor in who else has pieces on the board, so to speak. Then I can make my plans accordingly.”

Rin gave Paul an odd look, then shook their head.

“You know… if you’re not trying to sound like some sort of evil mastermind, you’re going about it the wrong way.”

Paul chuckled.

“Sorry.. just channelling one of my recurring characters. Doyle had his Moriarty, I have Sir Henry Gosling… who is definitely a Mastermind, and ruthlessly amoral, but not evil, as such. Just happens to have some clear ideas what’s best for his England, and himself of course. A spider at the centre of the civil service.”

Rin shrugged.

“That would mean more if I had read your stuff… but mystery novels never appealed.”

“And that’s me put in my place. Thanks. Ok, anyway. You’ve done a bang up job Rin, keep it up.”

“Bang up job?.. That’s good, right?”

“Yes, that’s very good, Rin. Well done.”

Rin grinned, some of his boyish nature showing through the businesslike face he’d been wearing.

“Hoi, Paul-san… they got an amusement park here you know.”

“I know, I’m hoping the girls won’t notice it until after we’ve run through the rehearsals tomorrow morning.”

“Okay, we’ll go to the dome through the underground walkway then. Guess I’d better go have a talk with Baby-metal’s management team, see how they feel about their girls having a slumber party with ours.”

Rin turned to go, their long legs carrying Rin several strides way before Paul replied.

“Oh, hey Rin! Point out to them, that if all the girls are all in one place having fun, they’re not getting bored and going out without telling anyone.”

Rin grinned, and turning around to walk backwards for a couple of paces, gave Paul a thumbs up as they headed off.

The following morning found them all inside the Tokyo dome stadium. The roadie crew were hard at work, assembling the stage; most of the actual stage and lighting was finished, but they were installing what appeared to be a Torii gate at one of the tunnel exits to backstage, a good hundred yards across open ground which would be filled with concert goers on the night. There were sections of runway nearby, and what looked like an arched bridge under construction.

Rin frowned at that, striding over to the long haired crew boss.

“Hoi, that wasn’t in the sketches I saw of the set up, was it?”

The crew boss looked over his shoulder at Rin, and shrugged, turning back to keep an eye on the work crew.

“Take it up with girls. If they’re awake yet that is. All I know is I got an email last night with a sketch and got told to build it today.”

Rin sighed.

“Right, dammit… thanks.”

Back stage, Rin headed for the changing rooms and hospitality suite. Both bands were in the common lounge; Shoko was braiding a very sleepy looking Suzue’s hair while Moeka and Jiao had teamed up to take on Yuko and Yuri at Mario cart. The keyboard player from Baby-Metal, Asagi, was running Katsu and Tatsuo through the music they would be playing, all three huddled around a synthesiser with headphones on.

“Hey, anyone know anything about a twenty foot tall Spirit gate the stage crew are installing?”

Suzue raised a hand.

“Yes, me! We all thought Yokai Metal deserved a better entrance. So, they’ve got their own way in now.”

“How are they supposed to get from the gate to the stage though?”

“On the walkway that will be built. Like one of those wooden walkways through marshland and with a half-moon bridge over to the stage. We can set up fog machines to make it look like water with the crowd being drowned souls and Shoko says she can light the walkway using foxfire. It’ll look creepy-cool.”

“Your crew boss ok with this?”

“Yeah. Daichi’s cool with it. He grumbles but knows we wouldn’t ask anything completely impossible. We told him Yokai Metal do their own effects too… but they’re top-secret with a ninja crew. He’s going to hang around to see what you come up with.”

Rin shook their head.

“Ok.. well, if you know what you’re doing I guess it’s ok. Do I need to hire some guys to pretend to be our effects team?”

Suzue giggled.

“Not unless you know some actual ninjas Rin-san... ah.. you don’t do you?”

Rin grinned.

“I couldn’t tell you even if I did.”

By mid-morning the stage crew had done their work, and there was a walkway and bridge from the Torii gate to the stage, which apart from the underpinning of modern scaffolding, looked as though it was about 1000 years old at least. Rin had to admit, they knew their stuff.

Yokai Metal, while they were backstage, used the same disguise spells they’d used at the Halloween festival, so if anyone got an ‘up close’ look, they’d see costumes, make-up and prosthesis. Rin had gotten hold of the running order for Baby-metal, and found that the second to last number was entitled ‘Metal Fox’ composed by their eponymous ‘Kitsune of Metal God’, which was to say, Rin’s friend and their manager.

Rin figured that was probably the ideal time for Inari to show herself and emailed Paul the estimated end time of the song…

Inari and Paul were taking the guided tour of the Imperial Palace grounds when he got Rin’s email. Paul glanced at his phone, and grinned.

“Looks like the girls decided to make some changes.”

He showed the attached image of the Torii gate and walkway to the stage to Inari, who smiled.

“That’s a good idea… do they know who I am yet?”

“I don’t think so. Shoko was saying it might be a bit much. They know you’re her mother, and I got the impression they think you’re named after the goddess.”

Inari giggled briefly.

“Well, in a sense I suppose that’s true….this incarnation is named after my prior one.”

“Yeahh… I’m not thinking about that whole business. Ascension, incarnation, reincarnation, regeneration... it’s all a bit much to keep track of. You’re just you, and that’s that…regardless of what body or name you’re using right now.”

Inari hugged Paul’s arm, pressing her cheek against his shoulder.

“That’s a very kitsune way of looking at it.”

“I’m learning. Speaking of which, shall we press on? I know this bit’s boring for you, but I do need to check out the Shrine grounds.”

“Mm. Let’s catch up with Kiko.”

Inari couldn’t help thinking it was boring, with all the changes that had happened and all the differences between her memory and reality… and this place looked more or less exactly the same as it had the last time she’d seen it. Which, in a way, was remarkable… but boring.

As usual when she was bored, she began to think of ways to amuse herself. Kiko immediately sprang to mind. Inari wondered what her lover’s reaction to being dragged off to a secluded corner would be. Probably scandalised, outraged, and secretly delighted. Kiko loved the fact that Inari dared to do things she never would.

Inwardly Inari giggled, thinking of dares made her think of Paul. Idly she wondered if she could arrange it so Paul caught her and Kiko together. Maybe the sight of them together, naked, would finally overset his resolve. Inari had a sudden fantasy of being taken by Paul, roughly and urgently from behind, while she was making love to Kiko at the same time.

She swallowed hard, her knees trembling.

“Inari, are you ok?”

Inari shook her head slightly.

“It.. it’s nothing Paul-san. I think I need some air...”

“Memories?”

“Umhm… could you go look for Kiko, I’m going to sit down for a bit in the garden.”

“As you wish Inari-san.”

Inari watched Paul go, feeling a certain hunger beating an insistent drum in her lower regions. Glancing around, she spotted a quiet corner with a bench. A few moments work weaving a net of privacy, and she could set about relieving herself...

Paul found Kiko praying at one of the shrines. He waited until she had finished, turned, and noticed him before speaking.

“Praying for success?”

“Just paying my respects. Where’s Inari?”

“Taking a breather, apparently being here has stirred up old memories.”

“Are you sure it was wise to leave her alone?”

“Pretty sure they weren’t bad memories. I think she might need some ‘alone time’… unless you want to go keep her company?”

“Oh!”

Kiko blushed, looking down at the ground. Then sighed… and made no move to go. Paul frowned.

“Hey, Kiko, is everything ok between you and her?”

“Yes...no… I don’t know. I thought it was, but...”

Paul looked at the young woman in concern, then glanced around.

“Okay.. let’s find a private spot and talk. Something is obviously bugging you..”

Kiko nodded, and allowed herself to be led off to a corner of the gardens. She sighed, and having swept it clean of bright yellow leaves, sat down on a bench at the base of a ginko tree, while Paul leaned against the tree trunk next to her. After a moment Kiko spoke.

“I thought I could be happy, you know… that being second was enough.”

Paul frowned down at her.

“Second?”

“Mm.. Inari loves you Paul, or at least greatly desires you. I’m… I’m just her second choice.”

Paul sighed, thinking, Ok, so we are going to have that conversation after all.

“I get it… I mean, I really do. I know she wants me. Although I’m not at all sure why. The fact that I’m the first guy that has flat turned her down only makes it worse apparently. She’s obsessing just a bit, over me. And I.. just.. can’t.”

Kiko sighed, and nodded.

“I know. I’d give anything, everything that was in my power, if she’d just love me. But she doesn’t. I’m just… conveniently available.”

“Don’t underestimate yourself Kiko… she is genuinely fond of you and I am dead certain that even if she and I were bonking like bunny rabbits, she’d still find the time and energy for you. But Inari is not the slightest bit monogamous, and she herself has admitted that for all the lovers she’s had, she’s never actually been in love.”

“That doesn’t help...”

“Means the fault, if there is one, is not with you. Inari is constitutionally unable to be faithful… and probably as much as she’s fascinated by what she can’t have, if she and I did, she’d grow tired of me and find someone new inside of a year. I’m just an itch she can’t scratch, that’s all.”

“You make her sound terrible Paul-san!”

Paul sighed.

“I know… and she isn’t really. But you must admit, I’m not wrong either.”

Kiko sighed and nodded.

“You’re right… and I wish you weren’t. I love her so much. I’m not... I mean, I wasn’t that way inclined, or so I thought. I never even looked at another woman, not like that, until she came into my life. But I just couldn’t help myself. I fell for her head over heels...and now, even though I know she’s going to break my heart, I still can’t help it.”

Paul nodded slowly.

“So that’s why you’re leaving really.”

“Yes. It will still break my heart… but at least it will be a clean break and of my own free will. I.. I can’t just keep following her around like I was her pet. I mean, I try to say no to her, but… how can you withstand her Paul-san? How do you keep saying no to her?”

Paul shrugged.

“I guess I was already inoculated against that particular fever once. That, and I’m a bit older than you, not as many hormones nowadays.”

Kiko sighed.

“I wish I was like you… she can make me do anything at all, just with a look.”

Paul glanced sharply at Kiko.

“Hey… are you ok? I mean, she hasn’t made you to do anything you really didn’t want to do? Inari stems from a time when consent wasn’t always that important...”

Kiko shook her head.

“Oh no, no! She’s asked me to do certain things I didn’t, wouldn’t, normally do... but, as soon as she saw my reluctance, she stopped. Which is good because I’m sure I would’ve tried… Umm. I know that sounds bad but... Anyway, she has challenged what I thought my limits were, we’ve done things I was too scared to try… even though secretly I wanted to. But nothing I really wouldn’t do.”

Paul studied Kiko for a moment, then nodded slowly.

“Wild ride for a first time...”

Kiko shook her head.

“Not quite first… first relationship yes. A drunken one-night stand doesn’t count after all, nor does experimentation in school.. I mean.. he wasn’t even that good.”

Paul snorted.

“Yeah… contrary to what the films say, first times are rarely all that impressive. Actually, come to think of it, you’ll probably do better next time yourself. I mean, the sex by the sound of it is mind-blowing, but there’s more to relationships than sex. I’m sure you’ll find someone to love you, as much as you love them… and then probably blow their mind with what you’ve learnt.”

Kiko sighed.

“You’re a romantic Paul-san.”

“How could I not be? All things considered.”

Kiko nodded.

“True. I think that’s Inari’s problem. At her core she’s a pragmatist. She’s seen too much, lost too many people she loved, to be romantic. Her heart has become hardened, if she ever was capable of it.”

Paul shook his head.

“Respectfully, I think you’re wrong… although it might just be my own bias talking, but I think although she’s too scared to risk more than just being fond of people, she still yearns for love, still has a little romance left in her. I just don’t know what to do about it. I mean, whatever we do, it’s still going to end in tears for her.”

Kiko nodded.

“True… you might be right. After all, any relationship for her, is one that’s doomed from the start. Everyone she loves will die in the end. No wonder she limits herself to just… mutual carnal satisfaction. That’s how she survives. But, she still keeps trying...”

Paul nodded.

“I suppose we shouldn’t expect her to be any different. Inari is, and always will be, Inari… and all we can do is accept her for what she is. If you want my advice, for what it’s worth, then enjoy it while you can, and look upon it as something beautiful that was never going to last, like cherry blossoms.”

Kiko nodded, sighing.

“That sounds like good advice. But… I can’t accept that. No matter how much my head agrees, my heart wishes for something else.”

Paul smiled mirthlessly.

“I understand that all too well. Good luck Kiko, you’ll need it. Because it’ll take a miracle I think.”

“Just as well I’m in love with a Goddess then.”

Paul laughed, genuinely, but not without a tinge of sadness for her.