Ms Etsuko Fumi sat in the van drumming her fingers on the steering wheel. Of all the ways she’d imagined the day ending, sitting parked in the Kabukichō district, one of the largest and certainly the most infamous ‘red light’ districts of Tokyo with three underage girls, hadn’t been one of them.

They were already gaining suspicious glares from the nearby business owners. Etsuko wasn’t sure if they were going to end up being reported to the local morality committee, or whichever of the dozens of yakuza gangs controlled this street.

Of course, it also didn’t help that Akio was sitting cross-legged on the roof of the van, with a map and pendulum, trying to divine the location of the shrine they were looking for… which might not exist any more.

The records that had been emailed to her had indicated a potentially troublesome site in Tsunohazu, specifically a shrine in the middle of the swamp where a troublesome demon had been bound. Etsuko didn’t recognise the name, and it wasn’t until she started digging into the land records did she realise the swap had been drained during the maiji period, first becoming a duck sanctuary, then later redeveloped into an entertainment district as Tokyo had grown up around it.

She’d groaned and laid her head on her desk when she realised that area was now the Kabukichō district, home to multitudes of seedy bars and hostess clubs, as well as illegal brothels, all controlled by the Yakuza.

There was also no mention of shrines actually in the district, although plenty around the edges, some of which were historically important. She’d suggested that perhaps the texts referred to one of those, but apparently the three young witches who used to work for the now defunct division three of the Special Police Divisions Department, were quite familiar with those and adamant that it wasn’t one of them.

It had been Kage Ito that mentioned an urban myth of a hidden and haunted shrine somewhere in the heart of the district. One that could only be found by accident, or seen by those with spiritual gifts. Maaya had suggested at that point that the shrine could be warded, hidden from normal mortal gaze. Which apparently their home village was as well.

The squad leader Akio seemed confident they could see through that, provided they were close enough. Which meant they had to be in general vicinity of the hidden shrine, and that was what they were currently hung up on. Etsuko had forcefully vetoed the idea of the girls all splitting up and wandering up and down the streets searching for it. It had been only last month a young woman had been abducted of the streets and forced to work as a ‘hostess’ in one of the underground clubs.

Etsuko came back to the present with a jolt as with a slithering thump Akio slid down the windscreen and off the van. She sat down in the front passenger seat with a very disgruntled air. Chiyo cautiously asked her team leader .

“No luck then?”

“No, none at all. There’s too much interference from all the talismans and wards that sprung up everywhere when people found out magic’s real, curse the idiots!”

The smallest witch, Dot, (which Etsuko had found out was short for Dorothy) leaned over from the back seat.

“So, whatcha gonna do then, Akio? Can’t jus give up, right?”

Maaya chimed in.

“Perhaps we should for today. Get a night’s sleep and tackle it fresh in the morning.”

Akio’s expression turned mulish and she shook her head.

“No. I’m not calling it quits just yet. I’ve an idea. Mortals can’t see the place, but yokai probably can, or at least sense it. I know of one who lives around here. We’ll ask her, and now would be the best time because she’s only active after dark. I’ll need you help though Kage, she’s wary of other women, so you’ll need to lure her out. If you’re up for it, baiting a yokai?”

Kage Ito grinned.

“Kinda depends. Is she pretty?”

Akio laughed.

“That’s a very good question indeed!”

----------

“So let me get this right… you want me ta be bait for this Kuchisake-onna ? A genuine slit-faced woman? She’s gonna ask me if I think she’s pretty. If I say no, she’s likely ta kill me, if I say yes, she’ll take off her mask and ask me again… and if I say yes, she calls me a liar an’ kills me, but if I say no, she kills me.”

Akio nodded.

“That about sums it up, yes.”

Kage sighed, rubbing the back of his head.

“So… how in hell do I not get killed then? Jus’ askin because I don’t want to die, you understand?!”

Akio sighed.

“Well, most people run away and she doesn’t pursue, but in this case firstly we’ll be there, so if she tries, we bind her. But secondly, if you can convince her you’re not lying, then we won’t need to step in. You can be convincing, right?”

“Well, if my life’s on the line, then yes. Still don’t see how this gets us closer to findin’ the temple though?”

Akio nodded.

“Because the slit-mouthed woman is one of those odd cases, she’s part yokai, partly ghost, and partly an urban legend. As such, she falls between boundaries, making her unique. Also, she didn’t exist when it was set up, so it won’t be set to block her perceptions as a unique case either.”

Kage scratched his head in confusion. However Etsuko brightened.

“Oh! I get it! It’s like the spam filter on your email, Kage. It can automatically block 90% of spam emails because they’re all more or less the same, so it knows the pattern. But there’s always some spam that gets though because they’re nothing like the others, and of course if the program hasn’t seen it before it won’t know what they are , so you have to block it manually by telling the program, it’s spam. But in this case the slit-mouthed woman is unique, and the blocker doesn’t know her.”

All three girls nodded in agreement, but Kage and Maaya just looked even more confused. Etsuko belatedly remembered that Kage was known as something of a tech naive, and she’d already realised that Maaya wasn’t used to technology, living in something akin to an Amish community somewhere in the countryside.

Akio nodded.

“Well reasoned Etsuko, the outer layer of the wards is a ‘perception filter’ I suppose you could call it. But since Kuchisake-onna isn’t something it’s weavers would have encountered before, it’s likely she wouldn’t be affected by it. So, first we capture her, then we ask her where it is.”

Etsuko frowned, thinking about it.

“And if she won’t tell us? Then what? I know she’s… well, not human. But non-human citizens have rights now. We can’t just force her to tell us… using coercion or torture is illegal now.”

Akio shuddered and glanced at the other members of her squad.

“Yeah.. no. If we were working for division three still that’s exactly what they’d force us to do. But we’re not and we won’t, not ever again. No.. we’ll explain why, and if that doesn’t work, we’ll let her go. We’re only detaining her to give us a chance to talk to her.”

Etsuko frowned.

“Ok, that’s good. I’ve no wish to be part of an illegal vigilante squad.. but then what?”

Akio grinned.

“Wellll… this parts sneaky. We can put a ‘tag’ on her… a tiny spell that Chiyo can track. See, one thing we do know is that the yokai of Tokyo have a refuge. Somewhere they can hide, that we can’t find them. We know it’s around here, somewhere, and the Akuma shrine is the most likely place. So…”

Kage interjected.

“Got it, it’s like putting a radio collar on a wild animal so you can find it’s lair. But what if she don’t go to it?”

“Then we think of something else… she’s not the only yokai who probably isn’t affected by the wards, just she’s the one most likely to know where it is because she haunts this area. One of her roots is a Onryō of a murdered brothel worker from here. So she has ties.”

It was a couple of hours later, approaching midnight, when Kage finally spotted a white dressed woman wearing a mask. Inwardly he sighed, he’d been wandering up and down streets near the river for hours, and although he’d been approached by a couple of women, they weren’t the one he was looking for.

He stared at the woman, the girls had failed to mention that she had blue eyes and long, long black hair that shone like silk in the street-lights.

He stood, almost mesmerised, as she approached him. She was almost close enough to touch before she spoke.

“Can I ask you a question?”

“Uh.. sure.”

“Do you think I’m pretty?”

Kage found his head empty of the carefully rehearsed words he’d been turning over time and time again as he’d walked.

“Uhhh… beautiful would be a better word. Pretty ain’t strong enough.”

She laughed, and Kage was sure she was the Kuchisake-onna. The movement of her flesh under the plain white mask didn’t look right.

“Flatterer… but.. what about now?”

He watched her unhook her mask like a rabbit watches a snake, or a deer a pair of approaching headlights, anticipating a similar outcome. But he was startled to see that it wasn’t as gruesome as he’d expected. Yes her mouth had been slit open all the way up to her ears, revealing teeth and jaw bone. But it was a clean cut, and seemed to have healed around the edges. He found himself wondering how she ate and drank, even assuming she did. It was odd, he mused, the slit mouth really should be off-putting but the symmetry and beauty of her face just somehow made it seem almost natural. As if something so achingly perfect had to have a flaw to make it seem real… Belated he realised she was talking.

“Hmm? Sorry… whatcha say?”

She blinked, seeming taken aback.

“I said… do I look pretty now?”

“I stand by what I said. You’re beautiful.”

Her face contorted in rage, and from nowhere a pair of large black iron shears appeared in her hand.

“Liar!”

Kage did the first thing he could think of, taking hold of her face between his hands, he lent forward and kissed her soundly.

Dimly he heard the clatter of the shears hitting the ground, but he was preoccupied by the way the Kuchisake-onna seemed to melt against him.

After a moment he let go and raised his head… and took in the shocked and bewildered expression on her face.

“Ah.. sorry… I’m not good with words, so I couldn’t think of any better way of convincing you I wasn’t lying.”

Those beautiful blue eyes stared up at him, almost lost looking, and full of conflicting emotions, like a storm tossed sea.

“You...you really think I’m beautiful? Even...even after seeing my mouth?”

“Yeah… I don’t lie. It’s easier that way, less to keep track of. And yeah, you’re hands down the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen… and before you say it, I do get out and have seen my fair share.”

She giggled, an oddly youthful and girlish sound, and blushed all the way up to her hair.

“I like you! What’s your name?”

Kage grinned, it looked like he was off the hook now.

“Kage Ito… can I ask yours?”

The woman paused, frowning.

“I don’t… it’s been so long, I can’t remember it.”

Kage shrugged.

“Well… gotta call you by something and ‘slit faced woman’ jus’ isn’t polite! Umm.. I know! What do you think of Hana as a name?”

“Hana?… Blossom? Really?!”

Kage grinned.

“Sure, on account of that pretty smile of yours.”

Hana’s fingers flew to her mouth, and she blinked. Unnoticed the gaping gash had sealed itself shut, leaving her cheeks whole again.

“Oh! That… that hasn’t happened in a long, long time.”

Hana hesitantly smiled up at Kage, running her fingers across her face as if to reassure herself that it wouldn’t split open again. Kage grinned at her, then his smile faded as he belatedly remembered why he was there.

“Uh… Hana. I gotta be honest with you. I was actually out looking for you.”

“You.. you were?”

Hana’s eyes darkened and her smile vanished. Kage made a placing gesture.

“Easy… I truly wasn’t lyin’ ta you when I said what I said. I was supposed to get you to hold still so the girls I’m working with could ask you some questions. They’d only get rough if it looked like you were fixing to kill me. But… I jus’ plain forgot about the plan when I laid eyes on you. Everything I said was honest reaction.”

Hana relaxed a bit...and she nodded.

“Alright, I believe you. Although I wouldn’t have killed you. I’ve never actually killed anyone, just made them think I was going to. I feed on emotion, fear mostly… killing someone would be a stupid wasteful thing to do. What did you want to ask, and where are these girls you work for?”

With a rush of air and shower of motes of light Chiyo landed a short distance up the path. Hana stiffened, alarmed again, and without thinking Kage moved to protect her, standing in front of her.

“I know you, traitor!”

Hana hissed from behind Kage. Chiyo raised her hands.

“Relax… we don’t work for the monster hunters any more. They’re in jail and our families aren’t held hostage now so we’re free to act how we choose, and we choose not to harm anyone.”

“Why should I trust you? You betrayed your own kind!”

“I had no choice! They would’ve hurt my family if I didn’t do as I was told. Besides, ask all those yokai I could’ve turned in, and didn’t. I did try not to go along with those vermin that called themselves people...despite the risk.”

Kage chimed in.

“Easy Hana, easy… they’re good girls really. They were made to do bad things by bad people, but they’re not bad themselves.”

For a few moments a strained silence filled the air, and then Hana sighed.

“Alright… I trust you Kage, mostly because you’re as easy to see though as water from a mountain stream.”

Chiyo relaxed, nodding.

“He is that. Mind if I let the rest of my friends know we’re ok? There’s only the three of us, plus another two who are staying in the van.”

Hana nodded, stepping a bit further out from the safety of behind Kage’s broad back.

“Alright… but only because Kage says so, and you don’t come any closer than that!”

Chiyo nodded, and then whistled two short piercing blasts. After a moment Dot and Akio appeared out of the shadows and came over to stand in a loose half circle around Kage and Hana. Hana looked nervously at them, shrinking closer to Kage, who without thinking, put his arm around her waist.

Akio raised an eyebrow at the scene.

“Kage, you were supposed to convince her you weren’t lying, not actually fall for her!”

Kage grinned sheepishly, laughing slightly. Akio sighed.

“I guess there’s no predicting who or when love will strike… Anyway, we need your help. We’re trying to find the Akuma Shrine, to check if the spells binding the demon there are ok, or are wearing out.”

Hana frowned at the young technowitch.

“Why?”

“It’s our job now, protecting everyone. If the demon breaks free, it’ll be a problem for everyone. So, since we’ve been given an Imperial Directive to check on things like that, we’re starting with the riskiest ones first and that one hasn’t been checked in the last two centuries as far as anyone knows..”

“I meant, why you?”

Akio stopped for a moment to consider that, then sighed, looking down at the ground.

“Honestly… Atonement. We were made to do a lot of bad things by the Monster Hunters. Yes they threatened our families if we didn’t cooperate, and they bound our powers so we couldn’t use magic unless we were given a direct order from one of them… but we could’ve committed suicide rather than do what they wanted. We could’ve denied them that way, if we’d had the courage. But we didn’t, so now we must pay for that, by helping those we used to hunt. Besides, Paul-sama, Inari’s Herald, asked us to and he was the one who freed us. We couldn’t say no.”

Hana stared at her for a moment, then sighed.

“Alright, I’ll help, if you promise not to harm any of the yokai that might be sheltering there. I can show you where it is. I’ll have to go with you anyway… things may have changed, but you three still terrify yokai beyond reason. Someone has to reassure the poor things you’re not hunting them.”

Akio nodded slowly.

“Ok, agreed. And thank you. We aren’t looking for a fight, but if the resident yokai attacked out of panic we’d be forced to defend ourselves. I’d rather it didn’t come to that. You letting them know we’re coming and we mean no harm, should prevent anything bad happening.”

------

It was an hour past midnight, and the three girls plus Maaya and Etsuko were sitting in a small raman bar in the Shinjuku Golden Gai district. Kage and Hana were at the Akuma temple, reassuring the resident yokai and assorted other beings that they weren’t about to be raided by the Monster hunters of division three. Hana had assured them that Kage would come to no harm.

The Golden gai area was made up of six long, narrow and winding lanes, and countless tiny, twisting and even narrower alleyways and passages interconnecting them in a bewildering maze. A preserved slice of pre-modernisation Tokyo. Allof which were lined with odd shops and eateries of all sorts, none much wider than their doorways, catering to the entertainers, poets, writers, and other artistic sorts that thronged to the area seeking inspiration, authentic ambiance or rather dubious substances, all crammed into the wedge of life between Shinjuku City Office and the Hanazono Shrine which marked the outer edge of the Kabukichō district.

Etsuko was watching the three girls eat, each were on their third or fourth helping and their separate table was piled high with empty bowls. It was probably just as well they were the only customers in the place, not that it could’ve held any more it was so small, or the cook and owner probably couldn’t have kept up with them. She was wondering if and when they were going to stop eating when Chiyo leaned back with a sigh.

“I’m full… anyone else want this?” She said indicating the untouched portion of pork cutlets in front of her. Dot gestured in a ‘gimme’ wave of her free hand, the other being occupied with the noodles she was slurping up on an industrial scale. Akio passed the unwanted pork to Dot who mumbled something that might be thanks.

Etsuko shook her head slowly, and leaning to one side at their table for two, murmured to Maaya.

“They always have such healthy appetites?”

Maaya made a small affirmative ‘Hm’ sound and nodded.

Etsuko watched for a moment more then asked.

“Why is it always the smallest, that eats the most?”

The older woman sighed.

“She’s still growing, and the amount of magic she can channel makes greater demands on her body too, but her small size means she has not the reserves to meet that easily, so she needs to eat to replenish them. But look you, none of the girls are what one wouldst call fat and in truth I still worry if they be eating enough sometimes. One of the ways their ‘handlers’ kept them under their thumb was to feed them a diet that verged on starvation. I fear it has had a permanent affect.”

Etsuko shook her head at the cruelty.

“I hope everyone from that division never sees the light of day again… it’s almost enough to make one wish they’d bring back public executions.”

Maaya glanced at Etsuko sharply, surprised at the venom in her tone.

“Not that I disagree with thee, but why wouldst you care?”

Etsuko shrugged.

“I just think it’s wrong! Deliberately starving growing girls. Besides that the saying, ‘those that do not work, do not eat’.. works the other way around. They put their lives in jeopardy and work hard, and their reward is to be starved? That’s utterly wrong!”

Maaya smiled slightly.

“It was not so very long ago I would be greatly surprised to hear that from one such as you… but I have learnt that there are good people still in this world. Even among those wearing suits and working for the government. Thou has not lost your soul yet.”

Etsuko snorted.

“Gods, you have no idea how often I’ve heard that! None… well, very few of us government workers are soulless drones. We’re just trying to our jobs, serving our country the best we can. We’re people too you know, just like yokai.”

Maaya blinked owlishly at Etsuko for second, then began to laugh, wagging her finger at Etsuko, who after a moment began to grin herself and then joined in the laughter.

Maaya waved to the shop owner.

“Ho! Good proprietor. Two beers if thou would! Etsuko, this calls for a toast.”

Etsuko looked surprised, but readily accepted the large glass of foaming golden brew. Maaya grinned at her.

“To new truths, and new friendships. Kampai!”

“Kampai!”

Etsuko downed a third of the glass in one long swallow, and exhaled.

“Haaa!… I needed that, but I’d better only have the one. Jobs not done yet!”

Maaya nodded at her.

“Sensible too… I see why your boss assigned you to this work.”

Etsuko snorted a rueful half-laugh.

“You’re wrong there.. I got given this job because I was too junior to refuse it, no one else wanted it, because no-one knew what to do with it. Not that I did either until Inari’s temple emailed a whole load of documentation. Then all I did was put aside the weirdness and treated it like I was dealing with a hazardous waste issue and complied a database, with a spreadsheet sorted by age and potential danger. Simple. I have tools for that!”

Maaya shook her head.

“So you say, but I would not know how to do thy work. To me, it seems arcana of the highest order.”

Etsuko laughed.

“That’s rish, coming from a witch!”

Maaya raised one finger.

“Technomage, if thou please.”

“Sorry, sorry.. technomage. Not that I understand the difference.”

Maaya grinned, and leaning closer whispered.

“Truthfully, neither do I! But names have power, and this is a new thing that deserves it’s own name. So, we are technomages now, or so Paul-sama says.”

Etsuko stared at the bottom of her now empty glass, and shrugged.

“Aw, what’s another one more?… Hoi! Two more beers please!”

By the time Kage stuck his head though the curtain over the entrance, the table in front of Maaya and Etsuko was littered with over a half dozen large empty glasses. Maaya was looking slightly flushed, and was trying to teach Etsuko a drinking song from her village, hampered somewhat by the fact that Etsuko was slurring her words and singing with more enthusiasm than skill. The girls were sitting at the far end of the place, watching the scene like three wise monkeys.

He paused, blinking, and caught Akio’s eye, who shrugged grinning sheepishly as if to say ‘what could we do?’ Kage sighed.

“Hoi, you pair of drunken reprobates. We’ve a job to do!”

Maaya turned to look at Kage, and slowly stood up.. Kage suddenly felt like he was a young lad, with the school teacher looming over him. Reflexively he took a step back.

“Young man, I wouldst have thee know that the ale brewed in my village is far more potent than this, and it would take more than a paltry three or four of such to put me in my cups!”

Kage grinned, albeit nervously. An annoyed witch was a terrifying sight, and one that was just tipsy enough to not be in complete control of herself was even more so!

“A-right mistress. You’re totally sober. Etsuko there however, is a lightweight, everyone in the department knows that. Reckon she was half-gone before she finished the first.”

Maaya glanced down, and nodded, slowly.

“Thou speaks truth. But the child has worked hard, and slept little in the past day or two. She has earned the right to relax, and truthfully, it would be best if she sleeps in the car for the remainder of this. These are some things no unprepared mortal should see.”

Kage frowned.

“Does that mean I should stay behind too?”

Maaya laughed.

“Thy is at little risk! I know you for what you are, mountain spirit!”

Kage grinned broadly.

“Haa.. when did you see though my act?”

Maaya grinned.

“Even before thou entered the room. I am the Mistress of the Elements, how could I not sense an embodied earthen elemental? However, does Etsuko know of thee?”

Kage shook his head.

“Naw… weren’t no need to tell her before now, and precious few chances ta besides. I’ll tell her on the morrow, after she’s sober and not so hung-over. Anyways… we talked to the temple guardian, you’re cleared and folks know you’re coming an’ mean no harm. So shall we rock?”

Maaya laughed slightly.

“Aye, we shall rock… although thee will needs carry Etsuko, if thou please.”

Akio spoke up.

“I’ve got talisman that’ll at least make sure she doesn’t puke.”

Kage grinned.

“Could’ve done with that last office party… thanking you! I’d better settle the bill first though, being as I’m the only other person authorised to use the expenses card!”

Akio looked at Maaya.

“You know… we should ask Paul-sama for one of those.”

Maaya rolled her eyes.

“Tis not a bad idea, but it would be in my name, young lady.”

“Awww...”