Brother Junso found a number for the church and called to let them know he was in town and coming over. Upon arriving, Reverend Matsumoto greeted him heartily and took him into an office where five men were waiting for him.
"Brother, these are the church elders, we are all very anxious to lean what you intent to do about these mountain devils." Reverend Matsumoto said as he offered Brother Junso a seat.
Brother Junso smiled benevolently at the men. Remaining standing, he asked, "Do any of you watch the news?"
Heads bobbed. One man said, "Yes, Brother, and we fear our Mayor has made a critical error in letting the mountain devils come to live right in our city! We are sure they have gotten to him somehow."
"I was referring to the plane that went down and landed in the water last week," Brother Junso said.
Another shrugged and said, "I heard about it. Thankfully almost everyone got out alive."
"God was with them, even the flight crew survived except for one man," Reverend Matsumoto agreed.
"God was with them, "Brother Junso said, "But so was Lady Kanae. She was the reason they managed to make make a successful landing, and get everyone out of the plane. Lady Kanae is an apprentice White Robe of the Yukaita Sect. The ones you refer to as mountain devils."
"And how do you know she didn't cause the plane crash?" one man asked.
"Because I know Lady Kanae," Brother Junso countered. "These people you refer to as 'devils' are nothing of the kind. They have saved many lives in Kamakura, and are directly responsible for the lower crime rates, and helping the common people. If anything, Kamakura is a much better place to live now that the Yukaita sect are there."
Reverend Matsumoto frowned at him and asked, "Brother Junso, do they not have horns on their heads? It that not a direct mark of the devil?"
"It is not," Brother Junso said firmly. "I will agree that they do not believe as we do. God knows how many debates I've had with Lady Kanae, and Lady Himari over religion. Although their views are different, I do know that their basic belief system is founded solidly on the same ideals God has decreed in his commandments. There is nothing to fear from them at all. If anything we should welcome them with open arms."
"Did they not attack a church in Kamakura?" one man asked in an accusing tone.
"Yes, because a Father and Brothers of a radical group were attacking people. The police tried to stop those brothers also, but they did not have the ... ability to be effective. Sir, if I would have been able to help, I would have assisted Lady Lucy. True men of God do not go around mutilating innocents."
"Let's say you're right," an older man asked with a raised eyebrow. "If these ... what did you call them?"
"Yukaita Sect."
"Right, Yukaita Sect. If they are so beneficial, why haven't they come down from their mountains already?"
"They have, Sir," Brother Junso stated. "Before I came here, I had dinner with several sect members here in Sapporo. They stay in hiding from the fear of what may happen if people knew who they are."
"What!" Reverend Matsumoto said in a round-eyed gasp.
Brother Junso lifted a hand and said, "Please listen, and do not practice such theatrics. They are fearful of the very bad rumors you men are creating. They mean no harm to anyone, they wish to live in peace."
"Brother, have you considered what may happen if they are only pretending to be friendly?" Reverend Matsumoto asked. "Once they are in the city, they could ... destroy everything!"
Becoming irritated, Brother Junso said, "They could to that whenever they wish! They don't need to live here to cause harm, if that is what they desired. I have seen what a single sect member is capable of. Both the helpful, and the destructive power they wield. I must say, Reverend, that the attitude you are promoting is more damaging than anything I have seen from a member of the sect! As I told you, they are already here. It is they, not you, who must keep themselves from discovery in fear of reprisals. Does not God say 'love thy neighbor'? Did Jesus not say 'Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you'?"
Reverend Matsumoto flushed. "Brother, if you have been around these devils, how can we trust your word?" he asked heavily.
"Trust God's word," Brother Junso stated. "Do not read into the bible things you believe, but believe in what is written. Love thy neighbor, and if anything try to help those who are lost see the light. As holy men, we are tasked to help those in need, not discriminate against or shun them. Surely you agree that if anything, the Yukaita sect needs our help to save their souls."
Nods of agreement with through the room. Reverend Matsumoto folded his hands together and was silent for a moment.
"Reverend, may I address the congregation this Sunday about the Yukaita Sect?" Brother Junso asked.
Reverend Matsumoto looked at the other men and said, "We must vote on such an important matter."
Brother Junso stood by as the vote was taken. He thanked the men for hearing him out, then left to go find a place to stay and compose his sermon for Sunday morning
.
Raku awoke to a violent shaking. As she came to consciousness, she immediately knew what the strong vibrations were.
Earthquake!
Her first though was to go protect Nana. Stumbling up, she got out of her room to see Mariko flying down the hall in her nightgown. Lucy was coming from the other way. Chika came out of her room, eyes wide.
"What's happening!" the little girl cried.
"Where's NANA!" Lucy cried as she pulled her head out of Nana's room.
"HERE!" Kouta yelled from farther down the hall. "Nana said we're going to have a Tsunami."
The shaking subsided. Raku looked over her head to be sure the ceiling was solid, then said, "We're high enough, the water won't get up here."
"But there are low areas in Kamakura," Lady Himari said from behind her. "People will be in danger. That is, if Nana is right."
Lucy looked at Himari, then in a commanding tone, said, "I'll take the blame if she's not. Yuka, start calling people, community center first. Everyone who has mind hands, down to the beach! Junior! Go see every sect home we know, be sure everyone who can, gets to the beach, then get there yourself. Raku, stay with Nana."
Nana stumbled up and held onto Kouta. Her eyes wide, she said, "We don't have much time, and this is a big one!"
"We're building a ridge at the beach, let's MOVE!" Lucy commanded.
.
Raku though they were crazy. Tsumani's were something to run away from, not head towards! Still, she found herself joining the rush to the beach as Nana coaxed her to move faster. By the time Raku got down to the sea wall as she helped Nana along, the gentle slope of the beach was being transformed.
Figures dotted the beach in a line as sand piled itself up to form a tall ridge a few meters back from the waterline. A building ripped itself apart fly over and join the material in the ridge as a horned man watched. White Robed women walked along the top of the ridge that was quickly growing as high as six meters in some places. Many women, younger girls in night gowns, and boys in pajamas stood watching sand pile itself up.
"There, take me there," Nana said as she pointed out a spot where three small girls watched sand fly up onto the ridge that was only a meter or so high. As they got to a set of stairs down onto the beach that was now a ridge with a deepening trench behind it, Nana yelled, "We have to make it twenty meters, HURRY!"
Atop a tall pile of sand that sported boat bows and bits sticking out of it, Lucy relayed the yell. "We need to go twenty meters high! Dig up the beach, reach as far as you can out into the ocean bottom. We need to get higher!"
Raku helped Nana over to the ridge as dirt and rocks now added to the pile in front of them.
"What's going on here!" a male voice yelled.
Turning, Raku saw a policeman watching the scene.
"A Tsunami is coming, get people to high ground!" Lady Himari called to him.
Another Earthquake hit. This one was stronger.
The sand grew fluffy waves that reminded Raku of water. She also felt herself start to sink, almost as if she was in water. The beach turned into chaos, screams filled the air. The long mound of sand shrank down as sand flowed back to where it had been dug from. Frantic calls went up and down the beach.
"Stay above it!"
"Children, get back to the sea wall!"
"Help me!"
"Lift yourself UP!"
Raku's heart was in her throat. Too terrified to even scream, she tried to pick Nana up higher as the sand reached her hips. She did get Nana a little higher, and felt the sand creep up around her belly.
She was going to die on this beach, but she had do what she could to help her daughter live. She noted large hand prints appear and sink quickly into the sand, two and three at a time. Nana raised up farther as Raku held onto her for dear life.
The trembling subsided. The sand around Raku solidified and gripped her in place. She then felt something wrap around her, and the sand flew up as if someone was digging.
From the sea wall, a police PA announced, "Attention on the beach! A tsunami has been detected. Time of arrival is approximately twenty minutes. I would strongly suggest you all leave and go to high ground! I repeat, a tsunami has been detected, time of arrival is approximately twenty minutes. PLEASE leave and go to high ground now!"
Lucy's voice then rang out on the beach. "We only have twenty minutes! Get yourselves up, and DIG! We have to build a meter a minute. GET MOVING!"
"Mama Raku, hold me up, I have to concentrate," Nana said as she stared off at the ocean that bore choppy waves.
Raku got up out of her hole with invisible help. She stood behind Nana and held her. Once again, sand was being piled up at a fast rate. She had to keep stepping up to stay on top, and lift Nana with her. Soon, she noted they were above the sea wall. Between them and the sea wall as a deep trench. The thin line of horned people were indeed making a long barrier against the tsunami. Under a street light, she also noted a man with a video camera.
"Over there, someone help over there!" a White Robed woman called, pointing to a dip in the tall ridge near them.
Raku saw a pair of smaller children were frantically trying to build the ridge up where the large dip dropped ten meters below the rest of the ridge. Looking closer, she saw one was Chika.
"Take me there!" Nana cried.
Raku walked holding Nana up as sand rock and debris continued to pile up around them. Three White Robed women were now on the sea side of the dip, columns of material poured past them to add to the low areas.
"The water's going out!" someone called.
Raku looked to see the bay was draining out to sea. This wasn't good. That meant the tsunami was close, and building up the energy to hit.
"White Robes to the dip over there, everyone else, back to the sea wall. You'll have to stop the water if we can't!" Lucy screamed. A few seconds later, she flew over Raku's head to land in the dip.
Raku hurried to the dip as fast as she could all but carrying Nana. Nana pointed out the place beside Lucy and said, "Take me there."
Seeing Nana and Raku approach, Lucy barked, "Take Nana back!"
"You need me!" Nana replied. "Mama Raku, face the water."
Taking her place beside Lucy on one side, and a White Robe on the other, Raku faced out to sea. The bay was now devoid of water. Even in the dark, she could see fish flopping about. Far out in the bay, it looked like a long mountain was approaching. An island on the horizon disappeared as the horizon rose up. The wave coming at them looked to be fifty meters tall.
"Dear God," Raku croaked. Before they died, she had to let her daughter know how she felt. Holding Nana a bit tighter, she said, "I'm so sorry I wasn't there for you, dear. Please know that I have always loved you."
"Don't worry, Mama. I'm with you," Nana replied in a gentle voice.
The sea floor before them continued to dig itself up and be piled onto their low ridge, as if the bottom itself was trying to escape the oncoming wave. Far out in the bay, white foam raced at them, rapidly filling the bare bottom of the bay.
"Mind shields, lock them together!" Lucy screamed.
Speeding at them, the foam was followed by mounds of rushing water determined to smash through this little ridge they had made and crush them. Raku held onto Nana as impending doom raced at them. She would do so as long as there was breath left in her body.
"Hold this line with everything you've got!" Lucy bellowed as the roaring wave hit the base of the ridge to shoot spray far over their heads.
And then the water smashed into them.
