Chapter 2:

Hands stuffed in her coat pockets, Kaze gripped the thoroughly crumpled note within. Grumbling to herself as the cold wind bit at her nose and cheeks, she paced the sidewalk of Tokyo Japan.

Digging into the paper in her pocket with her nails, Kaze chewed her lip.

Just feeling the note between her fingers filled her with agitation.

Aimed towards her own aunt.

'Change of heart? Really now? Who would believe that bullshit.' Kaze grumbled mentally as she recalled the contents of the letter.

Her aunt, whom she has had no contact with since she was a young girl, had suddenly seen the woes of her ways and wanted to change before she passed away.

More like she suddenly seeing that she needed someone to take over Sukaidansu: Tokyo's leading fashion firm.

'Sure, why not just send someone who has no idea what they are doing…?"

Kaze shuffled to the side as another couple came onto the sidewalk, fumbling with her phone as she went. Flipping the screen up and dialing an unfamiliar number on the pad then waited with the phone close to her ear.

"Yes this is Mastuori speaking?" A voice cracked through the speaker in a chillingly familiar way that made Kaze want to hurl the piece of technology into busy traffic.

Instead, Kaze pulled the phone closer, "This is Kaze, calling about the document." 'That you could most definitely could not get yourself.'

The older woman on the other line sighed irritably before speaking. 'Yeah you sure sound pissed.'

"Yes, Kaze," Mastuori said the name like her mouth was as dry as her humor, "the Miho Issue 26 made 55 years ago by the-"

"Yes...that." Kaze interrupted, biting her tongue and preventing her from lashing out at the old hag. 'Yeah I don't give a shit about it I just need the name.'

"It should be at the National Library." She said in a dry, clipped tone, "just tell the lady at the front desk my name and everything will come together."

Kaze sneered at Masturoi's grossly self-centered tone, "Yeah, sure."

Kaze looked around and to the darkening sky, "Are you sure my aunt needs this now?"

Through the phone Mastuori clicked her tongue and groaned loudly, Kaze quickly pulled the phone away from her ear and raised an eyebrow, 'is she….dying…? Or…?' Kaze grinned at the thought.

'That was the most disgusting noise I've ever heard….'

"Yes you- you- bimbo! We need it now!" She screeched into the phone. Kaze could practically feel her wanting to claw her way through the phone and strangle her.

Grimacing and not wanting to hear another word, Kaze slapped the phone shut and stuffed the demon-tainted phone in her coat pocket once more.

Not caring about the fuss Mastuori would kick up at Sukaidansu about Kaze hanging up on her, Kaze stomped to the train station.

Weaving her way through the busying streets of Tokyo, Kaze kept her head down and hands in her pockets; her mind brewing with the things she would do if the world were without consequences.

Not even paying attention half the time, Kaze harshly stomped past people, closing in on the train station.

Stopping before a redhead who was leaning up against the counter to talk to the older gentleman, Kaze faced the train clocks, 'looks like they are all on time today….'

"Hello? Miss?"

A older voice drove Kaze out of her thoughts, "Yes! I'm sorry."

The woman before her was gone and Kaze took her place before the ticket master, "Hello, one for the 6:40 train." Kaze said and placed the 830¥ on the counter and pushed it through the window.

The older man just smiled and accepted the money, and fiddled with the machine at his side.

Hitting it once on the left side and twice on the right, before ripping out a faded ticket and passing it through the glass, " Safe travels Miss."

"Thank you." Kaze said, hearing the train approaching and running to meet it.

Pushing through the crowd of people, Kaze squeezed onto the train and fought to grip one of the railings. But because of her shorter stance, she settled for a cold pole to cling onto as the train lurched into motion.

Swaying in unison, the people on the train chatted among each other as Kaze fiddled with the lines on her phone through her pocket.

Within a few minutes, Kaze felt the train slow beneath her feet and everyone around her swayed and lurched forwards with the movement of the train. The train made an awful creaking as it slowed to a stop before Hideaki Port Station.

Exiting the busy train onto the equally busy station, Kaze squeezed herself out of the station and made a beeline for the looming building directly in front of her.

'Okay, make this quick Kaze. In and out and you're done.'

Gliding up the steps, Kaze reached the top and grasped the door, pulling it open.

Upon entering the grand building, Kaze gazed at their polished marble floors and high ceilings.

Walking slowly to take in the sight she was seen few times before, Kaze made she way over to, what she imagined to be the front desk.

The woman sitting there was resting her chin on her palm, looking down at the collection of papers on the wide desk, but looked up as Kaze approached.

"How can I help you?" She said in a soft, tired voice.

"I'm here because Mastuori Sato sent me." Kaze said, doing what the older woman on the phone said to.

A pregnant pause.

The lady at the front desk blinked, chin still on her hand, she looked at Kaze with an air of confusion.

'That's what I thought.'

Kaze sighed, "Nevermind, i'll find it myself. Thank you."

Turning on her heel, Kaze stalked away to the large shelves, 'Okay, now how hard can it be to find a fashion magazine?'

Going straight for the catalogs, Kaze thumbed through the cards, looking for first letters of the issue.

Finding something close, Kaze strolled over to the left-most wall shelf and browsed through the shelf, starting low then making her way up.

"Oh come on…." she murmured, raking her fingers through her hair.

Coming up empty for the magazine issue, Kaze turned back to the catalog to try something else.

'Author…?' Kaze hummed, wringing her hands together as she thought.

'Who even wrote it?' Kaze scowled, 'who even writes this shit?'

'Oh yeah, I do.'

Kaze, not wanting to call up Mastuori again, she glanced around the library.

'Maybe someone here would know….?"

Spying another wide desk with a woman behind it near the back of the library, Kaze almost pumped her fists in victory as she saw the badge hanging onto her shirt.

Straightening her back and pulling down on her shirt, Kaze walked over, planning what she was going to say.

Looking around, then looking back, Kaze was rooted in her tracks. From where she saw the woman sitting at the desk and now, the woman was still there but behind her anything but ordinary.

The woman was hunched over, her red hair falling around her face and around her, hovering and holding her was-red.

Velvet wings folded themselves around her shoulders and feathers of ruby red hovered around her like halos. The-bird- looked up sharply and its eyes connected with Kaze's, pale jade and olive green clashed. And it was gone. Like there was nothing there in the first place.

Kaze blinked. And blinked again. But it was gone.

Kaze rubbed at her eyes and stood by one of the far shelves, questioning what her eyes just saw. Looking back again, everything was normal.

Sighing and rubbing the bridge of her nose, Kaze knew she was tired and chalked it up to nothing more than that.

'Okay just go get the damn magazine…'

Unlike the woman at the front desk, this one didn't look up when Kaze approached. Her wine locks were swept back by her fingers as she wrote something in a notebook.

'A student huh? She doesn't look any older than I do I suppose.'

Kaze cleared her throat, "Excuse me?"

The woman's head snapped up and Kaze was met with wide, honey brown eyes and an immediate smile.

"Yes ma'am? Do you need anything?" The redhead said with a slight drawl and a wide smile.

'I mean-come on 'ma'am'? I can't be any older than you.' Kaze thought sourly, 'do I look old….?'

Kaze shook out the thoughts and put her hands on her hips, "yes, do you mind pointing me in the direction of the fashion literature section?"

The other woman's lips curled up into a crooked smile, "Anything you are looking for in particular?"

'Oh boy, she's a smiley one….'

" Yes, it is an older document, printed about 50 years ago." Kaze said.

Now standing, the redhead paused as she thought and hummed, raking her fingers through her hair and sweeping it back.

"Listen, it's late and there's hardly anybody here," the redhead said, letting down her smile and pulling off her badge, "and you're not gonna find a document that old down here."

'Ah great, thanks for the help .' Kaze raised an eyebrow and frowned.

"Well do you know where I can find something like that?" Kaze said irritably, not wanting to go back empty handed.

"Sure I do, but don't tell the staff I let you up there." And the smile is back.

"Go to the lobby and to your right should be a vending machine and a stairwell behind it. Go up and swipe the card. I'm sure you'll find what you need." The redhead said, handing Kaze the badge.

Kaze raised her eyebrows in surprise, 'okay, it's under lock and key? And you're giving me your badge?'

"it's locked under a card?" Kaze voiced her thoughts.

The redhead shrugged, "it's just old and fragile stuff but," She flashed Kaze a smile," I think you can handle it."

Kaze felt gratitude swell in her chest and guilt for the rude monologue she was providing for the young woman before her.

"Thank you," Kaze bowed and clutched the badge, "I'll return it immediately after I am finished with it."

The redhead's lips curled upwards again and she wished Kaze well on her search.

Kaze turned on her heel and walked back out of the shelved area and into the lobby of the National Library.

Listening to her heels click on the marble floor, Kaze paced over to the place the woman pointed her to.

Returning to the entrance of the library, Kaze passed by the-now passed out- woman at the front desk. Chuckling at the sleeping Burnett who still had her head propped up on her hand, Kaze tiptoed past her.

Moving to the immediate right, Kaze found the vending machine. It's dim, fluorescent lights flickered in and out, casting shadows over its contents and the small room around.

Above it was the darkened,wooden staircase, just as the staff member had described.

As Kaze took her first steps up the stairs, they creaked and groaned under her feet and the whole stairwell was filled with a heavy, pleasant but odd, warmth as she walked.

Reaching the top of the staircase and standing on the small landing, Kaze swiped the card through the red blinking machine attached to the door.

Successfully unlocking the door, Kaze stepped into the room and was instantly swarmed by the musky and harsh scent of the aging books around her.

Looking around and feeling the walls beside her, Kaze looked for a light switch but found nothing. But upon bumping into a tall pole, Kaze found a light and turned the knob right and watched as the room flooded with a warm yellow light.

'Okay, the Miho….' Kaze wandered the dark shelves and ran her fingers over the old spines.

Pacing up and down the restricted section of the library, Kaze shuffled among the dead and forgotten in search of the magazine.

'Ah! Here's a start, fashion magazines!' Kaze grinned at her discovery.

'The Horo issue 19….Megumi issue 34….the Isu-'

A loud thud came from behind Kaze and jolted her out of her thoughts and she spun around on her heel.

Startled, Kaze clutched at the sleeves of her black coat and scanned the room for anyone or anything.

But upon seeing nothing, Kaze let out a sigh of relief and went to go back to searching the shelves. But as she went to turn on her heel, she spotted a lone book lying on the floor behind her.

With nothing else around it, the red book just sat on the floor, open to the first page.

Kaze turned to face it and took a few paces before picking it up to put it back on its shelf. Looking at the spot where it fell, Kaze looked for some sign about how it got there, but not finding any, she placed it back on the shelf and went back to browsing.

Touching the next few spines of the books on the shelf, Kaze pushed past some in search of the issue.

'Oh come on, how hard is it to find a damn magazine!?'

'Okay, now here is the M section…..the Maku issue.. and the universe of the four gods...oh here's the-' Kaze stopped, fingers rest on the old and battered spine of a familiar red book.

"What the hell….?" Kaze pulled the book out of its place and turned it over, confirming her fears.

The cover read the same as the last time, "The Universe Of The Four Gods" in black ink. Kaze gasped in shock and watched as the book forced itself open, emitting a bright red light, preventing Kaze from seeing anything. Putting her hands over her face, Kaze felt a scream coming up her throat as she felt her limbs become weightless. Her body burned for the inside out, starting in the pit of her stomach and spreading like a wildfire through her.

Soon all went numb and that was all Kaze felt.