The path from the Three Palaces shrine was down the middle of what was effectively a backwards J shaped hook of land sandwiched between moats, and over the ancient Seimon stone bridge, which let out into the other end of the same carpark the monster hunters had to pass through to get to the main way in, through the Sakashita gate.
Currently the bridge was closed for renovations, with a set of simple metal barriers and a scaffold structure over the gatehouse. The barriers were easy enough to hurdle, and as they approached the metal-mesh clad scaffolding, Paul dug around in his messenger bag for the set of lockpicks he’d bought online. He was no expert, but the door through the scaffold was secured with a heavy chain and padlock, and the postern door in the 17th century iron-bound wooden gate was unlocked and ajar.
Paul skidded to a stop, and knelt in front of the ordinary padlock.
“What are you doing?”
Paul glanced up at the black-clad figure suddenly standing next to him.
“Picking the lock, unless you have the key?”
The female agent reached over his shoulders, took either end of the heavy chain in her gloved hands, and with no discernable effort, yanked. The loop of the padlock stretched with a metallic screech and snapped.
“...or you can do that. That works too.”
The agent shrugged.
“It’s clear the other side. The fools only left one guard with their vehicles. I disabled them.”
“Guard or vehicles?”
“Both.”
As they ran across the ancient stone bridge, they were in fact running in the exact opposite direction to the Sakurdamon gate… but to get to that they had to go though the carpark, and make a right over yet another bridge and moat. But then, they were in the grounds of castle, and what was designed to make life difficult for anyone trying to get in, also worked in reverse.
Once they were through the Sakuradamon gate, which was open to foot traffic only, and past a row of flat-topped stone bollards shaped a bit like nikuman, or pork-filled steamed buns, they headed for the small bus-shelter-like hut half way long the promenade, which offered a place to sit and look at the flower gardens.
It also allowed someone to stash a couple of motor-bikes behind it out of sight.
Paul whistled, and Ash stepped out of the shadows, where her black catsuit had hidden her. The female agent rested her hand on the hilt of her katana, and glanced at Ash. Ash’s hand hovered near the pocket where Paul knew she’d stashed a butterfly knife.
“Ladies. Ash, this is … actually I don’t know her name, but she’s on loan for the Emperor’s personal guard.”
Ash flipped her visor up, and regarded the agent..
“Can you ride a bike now?”
The agent shook her head.
“My combat driving skills course didn’t cover motor bikes.”
Paul sighed.
“Ok, change of plans. Inari, you ride pillion with Ash, she’s better than I am. I’ll take our protection detail, and we’ll run interference in case they had back up.”
“Would it not be better if we took point?”
From what he could make out from the narrow strip of uncovered face, the female agent was more curious than anything.
“Nope, it’s a tail end chase. If there’s a threat, it’ll be behind us. Besides, Ash could probably outride the devil. Come to think of it, Inari, can you alter your illusions so you’re wearing the same as no-name here? Confusion to the enemy and so on.”
Inari nodded, and in a trice Inari was also clad in black head to toe.
As she mounted behind Paul on the big Yamaha, the female agent murmured.
“Nōnēmu, I like that. Call me that.”
Paul snorted in brief laughter.
“Seriously, you want ‘no name’ to be your name?”
“Yes. Unless you object.”
“It’s your life, lady. Nōnēmu it is then.”
One of Paul’s contingency plans had involved escaping with Kiko, so they had a spare helmet for Nōnēmu to wear. She pushed back the hood of her coat and pulled down the scarf thing that covered her lower face.
Nōnēmu was actually quite pretty, probably about Kiko’s age, although that wasn’t much guide because even Inari looked younger, at times. At first he thought it was trick of the light, but Nōnēmu’s eyes were an unusual shade of red. He guessed she was some form of Yokai, although what exactly remained to be seen. Her hair was also done up in a complicated knot and pony-tail ‘do’… which Paul had half a notion was something samurai or akin to that.
Nōnēmu straddled the bike’s pillion seat as the bike with Ash and Inari aboard roared off. Paul shouted, “Hold tight!” and the big bike’s engine snarled as it leapt forward.
They were looping around the top end of the Dome when Paul’s phone buzzed. He tapped the handlebar control that routed the call through the bike’s hands-free system.
“Narrator.”
Aimi-chan’s voice came though a bit indistinct on account of the fact she had to keep a couple of feet way from the phone so she didn’t fry it’s electronics… but that and a chopstick with some tinfoil wrapped around the end to act as a stylus and she managed.
“Spotter. The ball is on the home plate, but you got bad guys inbound.”
“Dammit, how far?”
“About seven intersections back. They’ve got spare cars from somewhere, they’re heading for home plate but not on your tail.”
“What the hell…? Ok, Plan C for chaos. Take up point 2 and use the firecrackers to block their path, see if you can time it to take them out, so they’re stuck on foot.”
“On it.”
Aimi-chan hung-up and Nōnēmu spoke, Paul having forgotten she’d be able to hear the phone conversation too.
“Firecrackers?”
“Mini EMP grenades… sort of. Magic based. All pulse and almost no bang. Effective radius is about thirty to forty feet, but if you put them in a road intersection it’ll fry all the cars electronics as well as traffic lights. Several of those and you can create quite the snarl up. Force the hunters to proceed on foot you see.”
“I’m impressed. Never heard of anything like that before.”
“Came up with the design when something I was working on went bang unexpectedly.”
“You’re remarkably good at this for an amateur.”
“Used to smuggle food into war zones and people out.”
“Oh...”
Paul glanced into the wing mirror as the set of traffic lights they’d just passed through suddenly went dark. The ‘firecracker’ plan called for Aimi-chan to drop one of each of the disposable lighter sized, bomb-type mana generators at a series of road intersections in a line between the Palace and the dome, firewalling one from the other.
Paul had been a bit concerned that the EMP, or electro/mana pulse as he called it, might affect devices like pacemakers or insulin pumps. But the human body provided enough shielding by absorbing the weak transitory mana field that a person would need to be literally on top of one of the fire-cracker powered devices to be affected.
Paul slowed as they roared into the carpark for the dome, seeking Inari and Ash, pulling up alongside where they were parked, having recognised the bike, he took his helmet off and cast around for them. Nōnēmu dismounted, and stood ready.
Taking out his phone Paul dialled Ash’s number.
“Narrator. Where the heck are you?”
“Back stage. Fox wants to go ahead with her appearance on stage.”
“What the hell?! Ok, be with you in five.”
Hanging up he called Aimi-chan.
“Narrator. Hows the boogy-men doing, Spotter?”
Paul could hear Aimi-chan’s amusement in her voice.
“Oh they’re really pissed, bagged all three of their cars. One of them didn’t have automatic brakes so it kept rolling when the engine died. Got into a fender-bender with another car.”
“Casualties?”
“Nope, but it was right in front of a police box, so they got involved and now it’s one big shouting match. They’re not going anywhere anytime soon. You’ve still got a half dozen on foot though. The rate they’re going, you have twenty to thirty minutes.”
“Understood. Good work Spotter, head back to home plate.”
“Are you sure? I haven’t even taken my toy out of it’s box.”
“I’m sure, that was always going to be a last ditch contingency and you know it.”
“Awww, ok Narrator. On my way in.”
Paul hung up, and sighed.
“Never should have given her that rifle.”
Paul realised he’d spoken aloud when Nōnēmu looked a query at him. Paul shrugged..
“Imagine a blood-thirsty vengeful ghost of a murdered teenage girl, who’s played way too many first person shooter video games and has a .50 cal sniper rifle.”
“Only in my worst nightmares.”
“Yeah. Luckily, she’s also a nice kid, and on our side. Ok, let’s move, we’ve bought ourselves some time but not stopped them.”
“I could. Permanently.”
Paul shook his head.
“No. It’s a knife’s edge we’re walking. But as I explained to the others, we’re going to be trying to convince people we’re not scary blood-thirsty monsters and that the hunters are the bad guys. So, no killing, not even them.”
“Bit difficult when some of us are scary, blood-thirsty monsters.”
Paul gave her a look as they headed back-stage.
“At some point, we’re going to have a little chat about what you are, because you’re not human.”
“Nothing much to say. Most of it’s classified.”
“I’m sure I heard the Emperor say something about ‘protect and obey these two as you would me.’ Didn’t I?”
Nōnēmu’s steps faltered momentarily, and then she strode alongside Paul determinedly.
“He did.”
“I could order you to tell me.”
“You could. I would have to obey.”
“But you’d prefer it if I didn’t.”
Nōnēmu didn’t answer. Paul nodded.
“Ok, I shan’t then. In your own time, if ever.”
“Thank you.”
“One question though, just so I know the parameters I’m dealing with here. When you say you would have to obey, is that, you promised and your sense of honour compels you… or are we dealing with some sort of magic based free-will overriding spell, and you don’t have any choice?”
Nōnēmu didn’t say anything for several long moments, not until they were in an elevator. She sighed, and nodded.
“The last one. It’s supposed to be just the Emperor who can order us, me, like that. But he gave me an order to obey you as I would him, so it transferred. He’s not supposed to do that, or at least, not unless he’s entrusting us to a new commander.”
Paul shrugged.
“He’d know that, wouldn’t he?”
“He’s new. I’ve met him once before. Until today we’d never spoken. I don’t know if he thought of it.”
“He didn’t strike me as someone who acts before thinking things through. I suspect he knew what he was doing.”
“I hope so. It would be best if you think of me as a highly trained sociopathic assassin. I will do what you tell me to, with no regrets or moral judgement. I leave ethical considerations to my commanding officer.”
“The hands and sword are blood-stained, so the heart may remain forever clean. Although in this case, more the reverse, as the heart bears the weight of your actions.”
Nōnēmu gave Paul a sharp look, then sighed.
“You are an observant man. Yes, we are Shinobi, Oniwaban, Keepers of the Chrysanthemum Garden, or what you Westerners call Ninjas.. although that is an insult, as the ninja were mercenaries, swords for hire. We are not.”
“I get it. You’re the elite Imperial protection force, who are all too aware of the existence of yokai.”
“That too. You know, if I were not sworn to protect you, I would have to kill you for knowing that much.”
“Ok, well evidently you’re a potent weapon as well as bodyguard, I’ll try to use you sparingly and with due consideration and respect.”
Nōnēmu, placed her fist against her open palm and bowed fractionally.
“Thank you, master.”
“Please don’t call me that. It makes it sound like we’re characters in a cheap manga.”
She snorted.
“I’m a Shinobi, you’re Herald to a Goddess, and we’re on the run from a shadowy government department of monster hunters. How is this not like a dōjinshi manga?”
“That’s as may be, but I dispute the cheap part at least!”
Nōnēmu was still chuckling when they reached the changing rooms.
Inari had evidently relaxed a bit, as she was showing her Divine Self again, although not as much as before since her feet were actually touching the ground.
“Hey, Inari!”
“Paul-san!”
Paul found himself abruptly with an armful of blonde Goddess, who was hugging him tightly.
“Hey, I’m ok, you’re ok. It’s alright.”
“I was worried! You didn’t call.”
“I was busy, sorry. Listen we are going to have to go, the hunters were only slowed down not stopped.”
“I know, but I can’t! Not yet. I have to be on stage in five minutes.”
“Inari, now is NOT the time to be worrying about putting on a performance.”
Inari shook her head.
“That’s not the problem. Think Paul, they weren’t following us, they knew where I was. They were tracking me somehow. They didn’t start doing that until I took on my Divine Aspect.”
“Oh.. bloody.. hell! They’re somehow tracking your Divine power, aren’t they?!”
“MmHm, but they won’t do anything if it’s in public, will they?”
Paul looked doubtful, and then sighed.
“Maybe not, but what about afterwards? Then what?”
“You’ll think of something my Herald!”
Paul pulled a sour face.
“I’m glad you have that much confidence in my abilities Inari. I wish I did!”
He got a dig in the ribs from her for that, but he only half-heartedly pretended to be injured as he was thinking furiously.
“Inari, didn’t you say you could put aside your ‘pearl’?”
“I can, but under the circumstances I wouldn’t dare! If they captured it, I would remain human for as long as I lived… which would not be long.”
“Ok forget that then. Hmm, their detection has to have a threshold limit because they didn’t pick you up before you ‘powered up’… can you reduce the power level somehow? Drop it to where you were before.”
“That’s what I’m trying to do! If I can use up enough mana and keep going it will drain my Divine energy.”
“That’s inefficient, plus if I recall correctly that’s like draining your life force, right? Misjudge it and it’ll kill you.”
“Not... exactly, but yes something like that. What are you thinking Paul-san?”
Paul was pacing…
“You’re basically emitting a signal. They had to have used some sort of triangulation to pin down where you were quickly enough to track you. We need to increase the signal and split it, give them multiple targets to track. Can you do that?”
“Do what?”
“Can you split your Pearl, share your Divine power?”
“I...can.. yes. But I have a lot of energy right now. More than would be safe to share.”
“What if you split it more than once? Can you do that safely, for you as well as the recipients I mean?”
“I… Yes! Yes I can! I can create a new seed of Divine power, one that doesn’t share any of myself, my soul, but will take a portion of my energy to do. Three of those and my own energy will be greatly reduced, close to what I was. But… I would need people to act as recipients.”
Shoko and Rin stepped forward immediately. But Inari shook her head.
“Dear ones, beloved children, no. It cannot be a yokai. That much raw divine energy, it would kill you. It has to be someone who’s human, or at least part human, who’s body can safely contain the power without using it.”
Paul stepped forward, at the same time as Kiko, and only fractionally ahead of Katsu, but only because Tatsuo caught her arm with a wordless, worried look. Inari looked at the three of them, and sighed.
“Paul-san, not you. Your Sight makes you unsuitable. Your body would try to use the power and it would be more than you can contain. You would see everything. Which I fear would be more than a mortal mind could stand.”
Paul ruefully mimed his head exploding, making Inari giggle.
“Yes my Herald, something like that. Even the smallest trace of yokai blood can have unpredictable effects. There could be side effects for you Kiko, are you sure?”
Kiko nodded.
“For you Inari. I would walk into hell. It won’t kill me? Will it?”
Inari shook her head.
“No, at your level it will just enhance what is naturally present. If it does anything.”
Tatsuo caught hold of Katsu’s arm
“Hoi, you heard her! No, it’s too dangerous. I forbid it!”
Katsu shook Tatsuo’s arm off.
“We are NOT married yet! And I am not a Yokai.. You said you’d know if I had Oni blood in me. So I am NOT going to stand idle if I can help.”
Tatsuo opened his mouth… looked into her eyes, and then sighing, hung his head.
“Ok. If you are determined. But, allow me to be worried? I love you, and you’ll be a target.”
“I can defend myself and I’ll have you to watch my back, won’t I?”
“Always. At your back, or by your side. Together.”
Inari nodded at Katsu as she stepped up, but then frowned.
“But that leaves us one short still.”
There was silence for a moment, and then Kiko spoke up.
“What about one of the girls from Baby Metal?”
Inari and Paul exchanged a look; Inari spoke..
“Dare we ask them?”
“I don’t think we have a choice, but how? They’re on stage.”
“Then I must put in an appearance. Katsu, Kiko dearest, you’ll go first though, perhaps two may suffice and I shan’t need to trouble Suzue or Moeka?”
At Inari’s direction, Paul used the remaining chalk and crystal powder from earlier to create a circle, with three smaller circles joined by a triangle, small enough all three could stretch out their arms and join hands. With the remaining talismans, they could create a channel for the packet of purified and crystallised mana energy, or pearl, to travel along safely.
Inari, Kiko and Katsu stood in the circles, as Ash activated them. Joining hands with the other two, Inari closed her eyes… and glowed…
At first it was subtle, like the reflection of sunlight on a wall, but it brightened and concentrated, until it seemed as if a small star was trying to burst forth from her chest. A bright point of light, hazy gold in colour formed in front of her; slowly it spun, changing in colour from gold to pure white and then it split, each spark travelling along the direction of the linked arms, until it reached Kiko and Katsu and penetrated between their breasts, sinking through cloth and flesh alike as if they were no more than mist.
Both girls seemed to light up, like statues made of translucent glass with a small sun inside them. Kiko glowed a warm pink with gold edges, whereas Katsu’s light was blue-green with only a tiny hint of gold, like late afternoon sunlight seen through a clear ocean wave. The light faded quickly, and all three gasped, as they let go of breaths they hadn’t realised they’d been holding.
Paul half stepped forward, stopping at the edge of the circle.
“Inari, you ok?”
“I..I’m fine Paul… although I will need to do that again. Kiko, Katsu?”
Kiko nodded.
“I’m ok… that was quite a rush!”
Katsu was slower to answer, frowning, until Tatsuo spoke.
“Katsu..?”
“I’m… ok… although I think I bit my tongue. It felt a bit… strange, like a current flowing through me. But I’m not as used to magic as the rest of you.”
Inari smiled.
“I was worried more about you Kiko, after all you have a tiny trace of kitsune blood in you. But it seems that just made you more receptive.”
“Or perhaps your inner-light knew where it would be welcome?”
“Ah! Yes, or that. Familiarity helps.”
Ash checked, and used the small whisk broom to clear away the circle. Inari looked wan, and tired. Paul considered and handed her the Sakura branch with a frown.
“Are you up to this? You’re minting three new goddess in effect. I don’t know how it works for Kami but I’d imagine this is a bit like giving birth.”
Inari chuckled.
“Not quite the same my Herald. I can do this, one more to go, and I can use putting on an appearance to burn off the excess mana as well. Do we have any more of the golden powder left?”
Paul checked his messenger bag, and nodded.
“A little, maybe a quarter of a bag.”
“Just enough for a cloud for one or two people then. That will have to do. Will you accompany me, my Herald?”
“Gladly Inari, wherever that may be.”
Paul took a deep breath, and continued.
“Ok. Yuko, Yuri, Rin see the younger ones back home safely. Aimi-chan, you’ll take point on that. Katsu, Tatsuo take the train and head out. Ash, Kiko you take one of the bikes and use a different route.”
Paul looked around, looking for their new bodyguard. She’d been right behind him hadn’t she?
“Nōnēmu?”
“Yes?”
Paul jumped, that voice was right behind him, inside the room!
“Yip! Geeze! Please don’t do that! If I died of a heart attack you’d have some explaining to do.”
Nōnēmu shook her head.
“Unlikely. You heart is sound.”
Paul gave her a look, but pressed on.
“Ok, I want you to go with...”
“No.”
“What?!”
“My duty is to protect and obey you. Guess which comes first.”
Paul sighed.
“Ok, then you’re coming with us I guess. Wait by the torii gate in the stadium. If you see hunters, do not engage unless they’re a direct threat. Understood?”
Nōnēmu nodded, once, and walked past him out into the corridor, Paul turned round to watch her go, and the corridor was empty.
“I have got to ask her what she is, other than creepy as all hell.”
Paul took out a sports bag from under the table and opened it, inside were a bundle of phones, each with a strip of masking tape with one of their names written on it. Passing out the phones to each of the group Paul spoke.
“Ok, phone protocol, use the code names listed for everyone. Use the phone sparingly and only use it to text the numbers in the contact list. If you think you’re going to be caught, burn the phone. And I mean that literally. If you can’t do that, take the sim card out and snap it in half and throw each half away in different directions.”
Tatsuo spoke up.
“Where are we going Paul-san?”
“Wherever you want, the idea is to lead them on a merry dance. However, we should all head some place safe, even if the route is a drunkards walk, and no, don’t say where. If we don’t know we can’t tell anyone.”
Out of the bag Paul produced false papers for everyone, and wallets with cash.
“Ok, this should be enough for three days. If I haven’t contacted each of you in three days, assume I’m not going to, in which case, take these papers and head for some place safe.”
Kiko looked as if she was ready to burst into tears.
“Inari?”
Inari hugged Kiko.
“Don’t worry dearest one, you know I’ll always find you no matter what.”
Paul added.
“If you think you’re going to be taken, there is a panic button. It will text everyone your location. We will come. Aimi-chan, hang onto your toys, you may need them. Understood?”
Aimi-chan’s grin was mirthless and shark-like.
“Understood. I’ve got your six, Narrator.”
Paul grinned.
“Think of it as Ghost recon, live action edition, and your mission is bodyguard.”
Paul looked around the assembled group, and nodded.
“Ok, we may be going our separate ways, chased by mortal enemies. But we are stronger than them, for we are family, and we will be together again. Never fear, we will prevail.”
Tatsuo, and the other Oni as one, bowed with a clenched fist over heart. Kiko hugged Inari hard, and stepped back, wiping at her eyes, before standing next to Ash. Inari swept Shoko and Rin into a hug, holding both of them tight as she spoke
“Rin, look after your little sister, I’m trusting you with her.”
Rin choked, and nodded, unable to speak...and Inari continued.
“Shoko, look after Rin. And try to behave!”
“Yes mother! I… I’ll be good. Unless..”
Inari nodded.
“Unless it’s necessary, of course.”
Shoko nodded, and then looked around at everyone, and stuck her hand out, saying as she did.
“We are Yokai, we are family.”
Quickly everyone placed their hand over her small hand, repeating the phrase. Inari put her hand on top lastly, adding as she did.
“We are Yokai. We are family… forever.”
Paul glanced at the clock in the changing rooms.
“Ok everyone, Inari. It’s time. Good luck and stay safe. Inari, let’s go show those metal-heads what a real fox goddess looks like!”
