Kaede follows Tsubaki out the dojo, not daring to look back. The legend… It cannot be true!
Twenty years previous, and a nine‑year‑old Kaede Himura is in Tsuchi‑dojo's extensive library, bored out of her young mind. "Why do I have to study these stupid legends? It's all just stories to scare children."
"Kaede, focus!" the young pika's mother, Keiko Himura, snaps in disapproval. "This is important to know if you're ever going to lead this dojo!"
"But mom‑" Kaede starts to protest.
"But nothing!" Keiko interrupts. "The legends of the Genso No Yōkai are a core part of Gotoshan culture, and you must learn them! How else will you stay honourable to our ideals and traditions?"
"Traditions are stupid," Kaede mumbles.
"I'll pretend I didn't hear that," Keiko admonishes. "Now start reading."
Kaede suppresses a sigh of frustration and reluctantly obeys. "'Blaze Kitsune. The yōkai of fire is the most temperamental and judgemental of all the Genso No Yōkai. It is very rare to see this yōkai manifest itself, as her actions are normally tempered by her companion yōkai, especially Aqua Okami. However, for those who have been exceptionally malevolent or malicious, the other yōkai stand back and allow Blaze Kitsune to exert her full power. There are very few descriptions of her, as most who see her do not survive her incandescent wrath. The few who have survived her punishments describe her as a kitsune with a pelt of pure flame and a magnificent tail to match. One account describes her as having multiple tails, and rumours abound that she can have up to nine, but this is not confirmed…"
Kaede pushes the memory from her childhood to the back of her mind, but she cannot ignore the parallel between the legend of Blaze Kitsune and the incandescent vixen chasing her. Ignoring the shooting pain in her calf from the bullet still lodged within, Kaede pushes herself to the limit to outrun Hanna Skarlett, and to keep up with Tsubaki Moto.
"The more you run, the worse it'll be!" Hanna promises. "Surrender now, and I'll make it quick!"
"I can't promise to stop her!" Rob adds.
Hanna sighs in frustration. So much for being threatening.
"What are we gonna do?" Kaede asks in desperation.
"You hold them off," Tsubaki suggests.
"And how will that help me?" Kaede demands.
Tsubaki remains silent.
"You want me to sacrifice myself for you!" Kaede concludes. "Heartless bitch!"
"Do you have a better idea?" Tsubaki snaps back.
"You hold them off!" Kaede suggests. "This is your war!"
"You contacted me!" Tsubaki reminds.
She's got me there. "Whatever."
Now out of the dojo, the chase continues through the city, Tsubaki and Kaede weaving down side streets and alleyways to try and lose Hanna and Rob. However, both vixen and hare follow their every twist and turn.
"I have an idea," Kaede reveals.
"What?" Tsubaki asks.
"We need to get to my car," Kaede explains. "I have stuff I stole from Arata Bando."
"What sort of stuff?"
"Weapons and shields."
"We already have weapons."
"Not like these. These will beat the Crystal powers."
Tsubaki almost stops in surprise. "Why didn't you tell me about them before?"
"You weren't interested."
"Where's your car?"
"Back the other way."
"I… Lead the way."
Tsubaki lets Kaede pull slightly ahead. Kaede then turns hard down an alleyway, vaults over the fence halfway down, then turns onto the next street, now running towards her car instead of away. Tsubaki stumbles slightly after vaulting the fence, but recovers quickly.
Hanna simply runs through the fence, the Fire Crystal vaporising the metal to carve a hole that's just short enough for Rob to have to duck.
High above the chase, Agent Akairo keeps a watching brief. I should probably help. Akairo checks her belt. Four impact grenades. I can do something with that.
"We're closing on them!" Hanna calls to Rob triumphantly.
"Remember: no killing," Rob reminds.
"Yeah, yeah," Hanna dismisses. "I know what‑"
The ground in front of Hanna suddenly explodes, showering the vixen with rubble and debris, and knocking her off her feet and into Rob.
"What the fuck was that‽" Hanna exclaims, jumping to her feet.
Rob points to the sky. "Up there!"
Hanna looks up to see Akairo readying another impact grenade. "Forget her! Let's get‑"
The second grenade hits Hanna, the force of the explosion throwing her ten feet before she crashes to the ground.
"OK, now I'm mad," Hanna growls, forming two small fireballs in her hands.
As Akairo's third grenade strikes the shield Rob raised just in time, Hanna fires her fireballs at the bat. Akairo sees the fireballs just in time and dodges them, but Hanna doesn't wait for a second chance. Tapping as much of the Fire Crystal's power as the Fire Headband will allow, the vixen fires a constant stream of fireballs from both hands and the tip of her tail.
Akairo does her best, but eventually, one of the fireballs hits, causing her to drop her last grenade. The grenade lands between Hanna and Rob, throwing up a thick dust cloud. By the time the cloud dissipates, Akairo has vanished.
"Get back here!" Hanna screams at the sky.
"It's no use: she's gone," Rob informs.
"Fucking coward!" Hanna yells.
Hanna's bellowed curse hits Akairo's ears as she makes her escape. Not a coward, just knowing when the fight is lost.
"We'd better get back after Tsubaki and Kaede," Rob suggests.
Hanna looks around, but cannot see the tanuki or pika. "Where did they go?"
Now it's Rob's turn to look around. "Shit. We lost them."
"If I ever see that bat again, I'm clipping her fucking wings," Hanna vows. "Permanently."
"Wouldn't mind doing that myself," Rob admits. "Lead the way."
With a sigh of reluctance, Hanna drops to all fours, and soon picks up the scent trail. "This way."
A few blocks away, Tsubaki and Kaede are resting.
"My leg is killing me," Kaede complains, massaging her wounded calf.
"Stop being such a baby," Tsubaki snaps.
"It's your fault I got shot," Kaede reminds.
"You should have been faster," Tsubaki counters.
"Without my diversion, you wouldn't have got far into the dojo."
Tsubaki remains silent, knowing she doesn't have a comeback.
"I hear explosions," Kaede announces.
"That'll be Akairo stalling the vixen and the hare," Tsubaki informs.
"Hanna and Rob," Kaede corrects.
"Using names only serves to create attachment," Tsubaki retorts. "We'd better get moving."
"Can we not rest a bit more?" Kaede protests.
"The explosions have stopped," Tsubaki informs.
"Crap."
Tsubaki and Kaede resume their escape, Kaede leading the way to her car.
