Han Guan was stunned. Something about the black furred wolverine reminded him of... something, but nothing he ever knew. It was like he was living someone else's life. The one holding the katana towards him was someone he should have known, but at the same time did not know. Han Guan was burning with questions. Why was this whole place so familiar ? Why was it so de ja voue ? Instead he went for a plain and simple one.

"Who are you ?" He asked, almost innocently, but with an undertone that so badly craved answers.

The glare only increased a hundred-fold. "Do not pretend ! You know who I am Han Guan and you will suffer for what you did to my brother !" The wolverine swung madly, with enough force to slice Han Guan's head off. Of course Han Guan was not stupid enough to stay in it's path. Han Guan dived forwards, catching the other wolverine off guard and knocking the katana out of his grip.

The two tumbled on the ground, with the black furred wolverine's foot connecting hard with Han Guan's nose, and pushing him off. Then the black furred wolverine leapt onto Han, who had a fist ready, and punched his opponent across the face, knocking him away.

The room had gotten quiet. Kunjingle was too depressed to use his own language. Miss Guan seemed lost in her own memories. Li I was avoiding his own, and focusing purely on the silence. Some things were made to be broken, and silence was one of the many things on that list.

Li I opened his mouth to break the overwhelming quiet. Miss Guan stopped it before he could. "What brings you to Japan ?" For once Li I could note down her impeccable Chinese, her accent was perfect, she didn't even seem to use honorifics, as was typical with the Japanese accent.

For a moment Li I was stumped... if Han Guan had a dying message to tell his mother, now was the time to say it... but he couldn't say he was dead now, after all he had just lied his butt off. He went with the truth. "I'm searching for my father. He's... a rabbit-like me."

"Most of them are." She muttered. "That does not narrow down your search. Do you know what time your father came to Japan ?"

"Um... no. I'm not even sure whether he's in Japan. It's mostly a hunch."

Miss Guan would have blinked again. "So you are searching an entire country, for one rabbit ? That is like finding a fish in the sea. Not as easy as you'd think. Japan is not as you Chinese have always believed- a small, irrelevant island- it has cities as large as yours, villages everywhere. Unless you have fate and the Gods on your side you will not find your father."

It felt like a hammer had come and crashed into his ribs, and sent a thousand pieces of splintered bone flying into his heart, but that wasn't the worst part, the worst part was that she could be right, and Li I was searching a haystack for a needle that wasn't even there.

Han Guan's mother must have realized she had hurt the rabbit, and continued more kindly. "I won't be able to narrow down your search- but I do know someone who might. She is an old friend of mine, tell her you're from me and she will help you with anything you ask."

Li I jumped at the opportunity. "Okay, take us to her and we'll be out of your fur !"

"Nothing is ever that simple. She lives many miles away, in a small, remote village called Kentikarukage. The only way you could arrive is through an Orb."

Danzaburo had lost sight of the Chinese as soon as they had gone into the Guan's grounds. He could have and would have snuck in after them, but a brawl had attracted his attention. The combatants were a pair of wolverines, one with the typical Guan black fur, and the other with a shade of brown fur. Neither seemed particularly adept at fighting, beyond throwing a couple of swings and kicking out from under them. The fight was clumsy and boring, but Danzaburo had found something else to interest him.

There was a white rabbit and a black cat with one arm, both watching the fight but taking no part in it, save for the rabbit's occasional support. Standing next to them, and radiating a strange kind of energy was what appeared to be a lion. It was pitch black all over and clad in black as well, but there was something off about it's mane. It was too spiky, almost sharp, and didn't even seem to sway like normal fur. It's back was turned to him, but Danzaburo could still recognize it's distinct lack of movement, that and it didn't appear to be breathing.

Suspicious, he decided he would need a closer look.

Two minutes later

The wolverines were pulled off of each other, rather roughly, by a strong, burly ape, with a greatsword strapped to his back. "What do you pair of numpties think you're doing ! Not only are you incapable of even fighting like men, but you're also causing a great big ruckuss ! Do I look like the type of guy who enjoys his peace and quiet ? Well, do I ?"

Han Guan blinked. "Um- no?" He was promptly flung into a tree.

The other wolverine however struggled in the gorilla's vice-like grip. "Sir, this is no business of yours ! This feud is between me and that wretch !" All of this was shouted in Japanese.

To Han Guan's great surprise he had understood every word of it, and he replied in his own, spotless, Japanese. "I don't even know who you are ! You just attacked me and now you're saying there's a feud ! Get off the alcohol you two-faced son of a-" He caught himself speaking a language he wasn't meant to know, and blinked in surprise, before looking at Badr with a look of fear and questioning mixed onto his face.

Badr stepped forwards, and put a paw to Han Guan's shoulder, before addressing the gorilla. "I'm sorry, there was a misunderstanding. It won't happen again." He was about to leave when the gorilla stopped him.

"You seem familiar ? Are you from around these parts ?"

"This is my first time in Japan. I am traveling with my close friends," He waved a paw at Li II, the Thing and Han Guan, "We are searching for a rabbit and a bear that go by the names Li I and Kunjingle. They were both wanted criminals and killed my daughter. I have come here for revenge, any help and support I receive in finding them will reap great reward."

The black furred wolverine's eyes widened. Badr noticed this.

"Any who hide them from me will suffer a fate worse than death." He said, and as expected the wolverine cracked.

"They went to Kishimiwage. It is far south from here. Up in the mountains." He blurted out. His aunt had wanted the pair for a reason. Miss Guan was the head of his clan, anything she said (that was not related to Han Guan) was law and fact, surely his aunt would not have let two murderers into her home. The lie had come easily. Kishimiwage was far away and remote. They would probably die trying to get there. And even if they arrived all they would find was Lord Kunbatsu.

Badr smiled. "Thank you for your help." This time he turned and left without interruption.

Miss Guan opened an old door that creaked to the side so loudly the whole mansion could have heard it. She lead them through the passageway it opened into, past old doors, long since locked. She reached one near the end of the hall, and put an old and rusted key into an equally old and rusted lock, she turned it once and pushed to no avail, so just rammed her shoulder into the old wood instead. Inside was an old table, coated in dust. The room was alive with cobwebs and there was a strange light coming from the object on the table.

It was an orb, and shone light blue. It was otherworldly and reminded Li I of the stories he used to be read to in the orphanage, about witches who saw the future in crystal balls.

"These Orbs are practically extinct. Many hid them away after the tanukis were cleared away, and many have never used them since. They are a form of transport. This Orb will take you to the main one in Kentikarukage, and only from that one can you return here. It only works two ways. For it to work you have to place your paws on the orb, and they will take you to the other one." Miss Guan explained.

"Wait, wait, wait hold up. I had to take a two week boat ride from China to here but there are magical balls that can take me anywhere I want at just a touch ? And this thing hasn't been commercialized because ?" Li I asked.

"Because many fear retribution for using them. The tanukis were exterminated for being a potential threat. With one of these you could transport an army anywhere. What do you think the Daimyo would do if they found out this was being used extensively ? And in secret ? And it is unwise to commercialize this, it leaves you more exhausted than a three month boat ride. Granted it will tire you less as there are two of you."

"Riiiiiiiiiiiight. So I just put my paw on it, say some magic words and puff, I'm transported ?"

"No, there are no magic words, just put your paws on it."

Li I and Kunjingle did as they were bid and placed a paw each on the Orb. They could feel slow, pulsing power rising through their arms, steadily growing stronger.

Miss Guan bowed to them. "Thank you for bringing me news of my son. I hope your quest ends well."

"You're wel-" A sudden, huge pulse of power came from the orb, flashing the whole room light blue. When the blinding light disappeared Li I and Kunjingle were gone. Miss Guan walked out of the room, and closed the old door behind her. They had lied to her, that much she knew. Han Guan was too much like his father to change, Miss Guan just hoped he would come home soon.

His infiltration as the gorilla had gone smoothly. Neither party had suspected the illusion, and he was now hot on their trail, watching from the tree-tops. He had to be careful of the dead thing. The lion had not breathed up close either, and it's movements seemed almost... mechanical. The rabbit and the bear had not appeared to be murderers, they had spared the bandits, and what reason would they have to kill an old, one-armed cat's daughter ?

This whole thing was too suspicious. Danzaburo followed silently. He would get to the bottom of this.

Footnote: Yeah, finally a decent-sized chapter, eh ? Well this should keep you happy for now anyways. The Kentikarukage Arc should be more fun, I promise.