Ch. 25

I guess it was inevitable that we would run into other humans during our journey. A shame that they had more sense than all of New York City put together.
~

Where was she? Well, for one thing, she was standing under the light of a single streetlamp, but all around her was nothing but darkness. No matter; sight was never her strongest sense anyway. But Rin knew she wasn't alone. Close by, hidden by the shadows, there were enemies gathering around her.

But why? What was this place? Who was out there and why were they after her? Rin wasn't sure, but what she did know was that she was in danger and had to get away. She didn't fear for herself, though; she feared what she would do.

A movement caught her eye and she whirled around to face whatever was approaching her. Rin's ears twitched as she sensed a crowd growing around her, closing in and trying to stop her from escaping. Stupid humans- they had to be humans- thinking they could catch a Kurosaki bat demon so easily! Hah, it would be the work of a moment to spread her wings and fly off.

But... that would be easy.

Rin felt her mouth stretch into a grin, exposing her deadly fangs. Her hands twitched as she extended her claws. The spikes on her arms bristled as her vision took on a reddish hue. No, she wouldn't be flying away today. The humans wanted a fight and a fight they would get. She would carve them into chunks of glistening meat with her claws and tear them limb from limb while they screamed for mercy!

"Rin!"

A voice cut through her growing bloodlust. A very familiar voice.

"Rin!" Gentle, but firm, calling her back. The half-demon shook her had, trying to clear the red from her eyes as the people in the crowd started to become visible. Rin couldn't see their faces, but she could see the hats and uniforms of police officers, fire fighters, and what looked like a few dog catchers. Rin snarled, trying to hold herself back.

"No, Rin. The time to fight is close at hand. But justice must be tempered with mercy. Always remember that, my Rin."

How could she not remember? Those were some of her father's last words to her, one of the last pieces of advice he gave her before...

"Otousan?"

No answer.

"Otousan? Otousan?"

"Hey, Rin, you okay?"

Rin's eyes blazed open and she woke with a furious snarl. Centipede had been leaning over her, his hand on her shoulder. He jumped back with a startled gasp.

"Whoa, there. It's okay, it's just me."

"Yeah, I can see that," Rin snapped back. The half-demon rubbed at her eyes as she shook the last of her sleep away. "Though, from the looks of it, that's a surprise."

Rin's statement was not an exaggeration. While day had clearly broken, the world around them was nothing but thick grey mist. Heavy fog blocked out the sun, casting the world in a grey haze that muffled everything from the cries of the seagulls above the peach to the murmuring of the waves below. Rin squinted hard, but couldn't see anything except the heavy fog ahead or behind her. While Centipede and the peach stem were plainly visible, Rin could only see a few feet of the fence boardwalk that circled the peach. Beyond that was nothing.

"Tell me about it." Centipede held a few hands to his eyes, peering out into the gloom. "Hate to say it, but I think we might be lost. I'd take the seagulls down, but I've got no idea where we are or if it'd be safe to do so. Also, not sure how I can get 'em to stop flying at the moment."

"Hai, better safe than sorry. This fog is bad; it's even muffling the wind so I can't tell which way it's moving. And the seagulls will be more interested in getting out of it than staying on course. Still, fog tends to stay low; I could probably fly high enough to see where we're headed with little effort."

"Figured you'd have a way to get us outta this. But hey, if you wanna rest a bit longer, I think we can manage."

"Oh, don't tell me you're gonna start with that"

"No no no, if you're good, you're good. I gotcha, Rin. Just makin' sure you're okay and all."

"Why the hell wouldn't I be?"

"Well..." Centipede looked a bit embarrassed. "It's just... you started growling in your sleep and you looked kinda upset. You were saying somethin' in Japanese too. I haven't heard you say it before, so I wasn't sure if you were havin' a bad dream is all."

Damnit! "What was I saying?" Rin asked, narrowing her eyes.

"Sounded somethin' like 'oh-toe-san.' What's that mean? 'Strike and kill' or 'rip 'em up?'"

Rin turned away from Centipede, not wanting him to see her face. Wrapping her wings tightly around her body, the half-demon answered, "It means 'Father.'"

"Oh..."

"Hai. I'm sure you can guess."

Centipede was silent, drumming some of his fingers against the stem of the wood. Rin took advantage of the silence to stand up and stretch. The thick fog swirled around her, cool and damp on her exposed arms and legs. Looking up, the seagulls' tethers seemed to vanish right into the mist.

"Your dad..."

"What about him?"

"Well, you said your neighbors were pretty bad to you and your mom when you were little. How old were you when he..."

"Four. I was just four years old."

"I... I'm sorry."

Rin scowled, keeping her face averted from Centipede. "Yeah, well, save a bunch of humans from an invading swarm of demons and it turns out they're just a bunch of ungrateful bastards."

"What?"

"Hai. Low-class youkai, but there were a lot of them. They blocked off any attempts my father could have made to contact the rest of our family. They wanted him to fight alone. Otousan... he didn't have the reputation of the rest of the Kurosaki family, so they thought they could overwhelm him and use that to their advantage. They would have killed a Kurosaki; surely they would be feared. But Father used every bit of his power to kill them all first." Rin shrugged. "It ended up being too much for him; even youkai have their limits. And... Father knew it."

"So, he sacrificed himself? To save England?"

"Southern England. But hai, that's what happened."

"Geez, you dad was a hero!"

"Pity only three humans would agree with you. And two of them are dead."

Centipede was silent, his blue eyes staring into the fog. "Hmm," he muttered. "You were right."

"About?"

"Your old neighbors were a bunch of ungrateful bastards!"

Rin stated at him and then, before she could stop herself, started laughing.

"Haha, yeah. Yeah, they really were!"

"Hah! Serve 'em right you ain't there anymore. Gonna have to deal with invadin' demons themselves now!"

"Yeah, right, they wouldn't last five minutes." Rin shook her head. "The sad part is, I'd probably still help them if demons attacked, but I wouldn't be happy doing it."

"Yeah, well, you're a good person. And seein' how they didn't bother checkin' in on you and Jimmy after what happened to your parents, I say make 'em feel guilty. They deserve it!"

"Hmmm, maybe I will. But right now, getting out of this fog is our biggest concern."

Rin's ears twitched as she caught the sound of the peach tunnel being opened. Mr. Grasshopper stepped out, pulling his coat closer to him as he felt the mist's chill.

"My word, this fog's as thick as pea soup. Do we even know where we are?"

"Not too sure, but Rin's got the solution."

"Would that have anything to do with flying above the fog to get our bearings, my dear?"

"Hai. That's the idea."

"Oh, my, this seems dangerous." Mrs. Ladybug walked slowly over to the stem, grasping it tightly as she called behind her. "Be careful, James dear. It's hard to see."

"I will. I promise!" James stepped out of the tunnel, closely followed by Miss Spider. "Whoa. It's like the fogs back at home."

"What fogs?" Earthworm was content to barely pop his head out of the tunnel. "This has happened before?"

"Yes," James answered. "Sometimes, I'd wake up and see the whole beach covered in fog. It was like our whole house was wrapped in clouds."

"Didn't happen often," Rin added. "But yeah, it was always nice when it did. Much more peaceful."

"I should think so." Mis Spider had closed her eyes, letting the cool grey mists swirl around her. "It is though the whole world is still sleeping, yes?"

"Lovely, yes. But I imagine it's also far better when we don't run the risk of falling into the ocean." Mrs. Ladybug said, still looking nervous.

"I agree. I'm staying here." Earthworm stubbornly hunkered down in the tunnel.

"Shhh! Listen!" Rin's ears stood straight up. The half-demon twitched them carefully, doing her best to catch the faint sounds that had managed to penetrate the heavy fog.

"What did it sound like?" Mr. Grasshopper asked softly.

"I'm not sure. But... wait... it sounds like voices."

"There! I hear it too!" Earthworm said, cocking his own head. "But who would be out in the middle of the ocean in this weather?"

"We're not in the middle of the ocean." James was already consulting his travel book. "Look, we're close to the city! There's probably a fishing boat close by. And we're probably not up too high either; Dad always told me fog banks can't rise too high without the sun burning it away."

"Then someone may have gotten caught in the fog," Miss Spider said, peering at the book over James's shoulder. "Perhaps they need help."

"Right then, Rin. I believe that's your cue," Mr. Grasshopper said, nodding at the half-demon.

"Oh, fine. But if they start complaining about being saved by a half-demon, I'm tipping their boat over."

"Rin! The very idea!"

Rin ignored Mrs. Ladybug's indignation, unfurling and spreading her wings. With a powerful sweep, she propelled herself upward and was los in the mist. She rocketed past the seagulls, all of whom were gliding on whatever updrafts they could find and cawing softly in exhaustion. Rin knew they would have to rest soon too; she only hoped they could find a place for them to do so that didn't involve her having to fight an oni.

Bright sunlight burst into her eyes and the half-demon wheeled around in mid-air as she tried to clear her vision. Blinking furiously, Rin steadied herself as she allowed herself to glide slightly above the flock of seagulls. She had James had been corrected; only a few feet above the peach were blue skies and bright sunlight. Okay, good. Now, to locate the source of the sound.

Unhindered by any muffling mist, Rin's sharp ears quickly caught what sounded like three men's voices accompanied by the clomp of heavy boots over wood.

"Anything?"

"No. The engine's shot. We're stuck."

"Wouldn't be so bad if we didn't have the fog. Let's just hope it passes quickly."

"Can't count on that, Johnny. Fog might be heading out to see, but it could easily be headed to shore."

So, it was a boat. And with only three men, not a very big one either. Alright then, might as well test the water, so to speak. Rin positioned herself above where the voices were coming from and then slowly began to descend. As she did, the fog grew thicker and thicker around her, covering the half-demon in its cool caress.

The Realm of Death is a land of mists. And while Death rarely stops a demon, no mortals may ever return.

Rin shuddered a bit. Was this fog all her father could see now? Her mother? Her stepfather? Rin doubted it was true, but there were demons who could peer beyond Death's Door and they always described the same thing: a land of mists. A peaceful place, yes, but cold and ominous all the same.

"Of course, that is what living eyes see," Father had said the first time he'd spoken the words to Rin. "When our lives come to end, we may yet see something entirely different."

Rin certainly hoped that was the case. And she certainly hoped that being caught in this fog wasn't an ill omen of sorts. The half-demon snorted; no, no, of course it wasn't! Besides, this kin of heavy fog never lasted for long. By afternoon, it'd be long gone. She was sure of it.

A shape was appearing out of the gloom. A two-level fishing boat was anchored in the still waters, its white paint almost glowing in the heavy fog. The shapes of three people milling about over its wooden decks were becoming more obvious and even as Rin came level with the top half of the boat, the men caught sight of her.

"Ahhhh! Look!" One of them staggered back, pointing at Rin as the half-demon alit on the top deck.

"Oh, God, what is that?" the man called Johnny asked, eyes popping nearly out of his sockets.

"May I remind you that if I wanted to hurt you, I would have done so already? You know, without making myself so obvious?"

The three men stared back at Rin, no doubt trying to grasp the fact that the half-demon before hem wasn't currently using them to sharpen her claws.

"You're... you're half-demon, aren't ya?" The man standing next to Johnny asked.

"Hai. My name is Rin Kurosaki. I heard you through the mists. Sounds like you're in trouble."

"We are." The man in question stepped forward and, to Rin's surprise, bowed to her. "My name is Robert MacDavis and I'm the captain of this boat, the Alexa. I've heard of the Kurosakis and if you're offering your help, we'd be honored to accept it. And, of course, we'd be in your family's debt."

"Well." Rin scratched the side of her face with a claw. "I have to say I'm surprised. Most people just run away screaming when they see me. I know you can't leave, but I didn't expect you to be this sensible."

"Any port in a storm."

"Hai, my stepfather would say the same. He captained a boat too, back home."

"Did he? Is he-"

"He's dead. Along with my mother and my father. My half-brother and I are traveling to New York City with... let's just say they're our adoptive kin and leave it at that."

"Are they half-demons too?" the third man asked.

"Matt!" the captain all but hissed.

"No... but you'd be forgiven for thinking so," Rin admitted with a grin. "Let me get them for you and we'll work out a way to get you home. I presume you don't mind heading in the direction of New York?"

"Mind?" Captain MacDavis returned Rin's smile. "Miss Kurosaki, we'd be most grateful. We're headed for Montauk."

"Montauk?" Rin titled her head, tasting the strange word in her mouth. She couldn't say why, but she liked the way it sounded.

"Yes. Montauk's the easternmost town on the southern tip of Long Island. If you're coming to New York by sea, it's usually the first place you see."

"Hmmm, alright then. We'll get you home to Montauk."

"Wait, do you have a ship?" Johnny asked.

"No. We're flying on a giant peach."

Rin swept back into the sky before any of the men could ask if she was speaking truthfully.
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The fog was getting thicker as Rin made her way back to the peach. Thankfully, even the heavy mists couldn't completely muffle a bat's ears when it came to an entire flock of seagulls. Soaring above the fog cover, Rin circled above the gulls and dropped out of the sky. A moment later, she opened her wings, brushing the fog aside and heralding her return.

"Is everything alright?" Mr. Grasshopper and Centipede were standing by the stem while Mrs. Ladybug and James had joined Earthworm in the tunnel. Miss Spider was standing by the tunnel entrance and the small group of them stood huddled together, almost floating in the fog.

"Hai. James-chan, we were right. We are close to the water; the fog doesn't go much higher."

"Is there a boat nearby?" James asked.

"Yeah, it's called the Alexa. There's a captain and two others and from the looks of it, they're stuck. According to the captain, they're headed to Montauk."

"Montauk? That's a peculiar name," Mrs. Ladybug noted.

"That's Long Island for you; it's covered with odd names." Centipede smirked at everyone's expressions. "What? I know the Island. Most New Yorkers do, even if they're from the city."

"It seems then you have some knowledge of the world after all, Commodore," Miss Spider said, returning Centipede's smirk with a cool smile of her own.

"Hey!"

"Long Island, here it is!" James pointed to a spot on his map.

"Ahh, the lovely fish-shaped Paumanok."

"...what?" Centipede stared at Mr. Grasshopper, who was doing his best to clear his monocle.

"That's from 'Leaves of Grass," by the celebrated poet, Walt Whitman. He was born on Long Island and how lucky are we that we get to see some of it."

"Provided you can," Earthworm piped up. "I presume the fog hasn't lifted."

"I think the fog might be heading out to sea, but I didn't get of a chance to make sure before I spotted the Alexa." Rin tugged on a few strings. "I can lead you there, but the seagulls may keep flying past it. I don't know how we're going to keep them still."

"Miss Spider, could we use your we again?" James asked. " I think I have an idea."

"For one of your ideas, James, I am happy to help."

"We all are," Mr. Grasshopper agreed. "So then, my boy, what do you propose?"

"If we lay the web-net on the peach, we can pull the seagulls down one or two at a time and push them under it. The peach will start to sink, but it'll happen slowly."

"Perfect!" Rin grinned down a her brother. "The seagulls are already pretty tired; they probably won't even resist us pulling them down into the net!"

"Oh, James, dear, you are such a Godsend!" Mrs. Ladybug was already squeezing the little boy tightly.

"Geez, kid, you're gonna be outthinking everybody in New York before we even get there!"

"A brilliant idea indeed, James. So then, Miss Spider, would you be so kind?"

"Of course. And Earthworm, I do not think anyone will mind if you stay in the tunnel this time."

Earthworm declined to comment.
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James's plan worked like a charm. Miss Spider and Mrs. Ladybug spread her web out on the fuzzy peach deck while Centipede and Mr. Grasshopper began pulling the seagulls down one at a time. The birds, having spent all night flying through rain, put up little to no resistance as they were herded under the sticky threading. Once they were caught, most of them just shuffled about and went to sleep. One of two of them cawed indignantly, but they were silenced after awhile by a few well-timed pecks from their immediate neighbors. Above them, Rin circled around them until the peach began to sink and then she flew behind them, guiding the drowsy birds in the right direction.

"See anything, kid?" Centipede asked James, pushing another bird under the web. The little boy was acting as lookout, using his map as a guide.

"I think so! We're still on course for Long Island and... there! I see it!"

Sure enough, the silhouette of the Alexa was growing more and more visible in the gloom. Rin took the opportunity to grab several strings on her way back down to the peach, throwing the birds under the net and causing the peach to fall even lower.

"What was that? Did some threads snap?"

"No, we're fine," Mrs. Ladybug assured him. "Careful, though, Rin."

"Hey, we don't want to crush the ship." Rin jumped off the side of the peach, watching as the huge fruit skimmed the water's surface. "A few more feet and we should stop!"

"Got it!" Centipede waved back and pulled another seagull down. Rin swept back to the Alexa, landing lightly on the top deck. By now, all three men were standing on the bottom deck, clutching the side of their ship and staring as the great golden peach materialized out of the gloom like the rising sun.

"You... you weren't kidding about a giant peach," Captain MacDavis said, scratching at the red stubble on his cheeks.

"Now why would I joke about such a thing?" Rin asked. The half-demon turned at the sound of the peach splashing into the ocean. A few waves rose and rocked the ship, but none of the men lost their balance. If anything, the familiar feel of rocking waves snapped them back to attention.

"Well, good morning to you all!" Captain MacDavis called. "And thank you for offering your aid." To his credit, he managed to keep his composure, even when he spotted James surrounded by several large, well-dressed bugs.

"Our pleasure, Captain!" Mr. Grasshopper called back. "Are any of your men hurt?"

"No, thank goodness! We'd been fishing since last night and while we managed to net a load of stripers, our engine died on us. We also had to deal with a rogue great white; it gave up chasing us after a while, but we got turned around a few times and aren't sure which way to go."

"A great white shark?" Earthworm was back in panic mode. "Where? Is truly gone? What if it comes back?"

"It ain't comin' up here! Calm down!" Centipede shook his head.

"We haven't seen any more sharks, but we do need to get our catch home as soon as possible," Captain MacDavis called back. "We told Rin we're headed to Montauk, but we can't tell which direction we're supposed to go."

"Thankfully, Rin can find out, can you not?" Ms. Spider called down to the half-demon.

"Easily."

"Wait, Rin!"

"Hai, James-chan?"

"Could you find a way to tie the ship to the peach? We don't have an anchor and if a shark does come back, the crew will need to make sure they can climb onto the fence without the peach floating away."

"Once again, James, good thinking." Mr. Grasshopper said, squeezing James's shoulder affectionately. "Can you do that, Rin?"

"Here, these are already secured." Johnny and Matt were already brining over long heavy ropes that Rin. could see were knotted securely to the deck.

"No problem." The half-demon slung the ropes over her shoulders and flew toward the peach. Unfortunately, they weren't long enough to reach the stem. The half-demon managed to make it just over the rim of the peach, but the ropes wouldn't stretch any further.

"Here, there should help." Miss Spider was already handing the half-demon a length of her own string. Together, the two of them affixed strong silk tethers to the rope ends and knotted them firmly around the peach stem. The peach bobbed securely on the calm waters, anchored to the Alexa.

"That should hold. Anything else?"

"I think that should suffice until you return, my dear," Mr. Grasshopper confirmed. "But, as always, be careful."

"I know, I know. Oh, is the fire still burning? Should I make another before I leave?"

"No, I added extra kindling when I woke up." Mrs. Ladybug waved to the men below. "We have plenty of vegetables below, so I can make a nice soup for us."

"Much obliged, ma'am. But if you'd like, we can catch a few fish if you want to add that in." Matt and Johnny were already baiting fishing lines. "I know I spotted a few seabass through the waves."

"Fish stew and vegetable soup it shall be. I'll get it started."

Rin waved and quickly flew off. Hey, the sooner she got back, the sooner she would have breakfast!
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Flying above the cloud cover again, Rin was pleased to see the sun was behind her. Good, that meant they were still headed west. And... yes! The wind was blowing in her face! That meant the fog was being pushed out to sea. Good, they wouldn't be caught in it.

Although, Rin mused as she ducked back down into the heavy mist, maybe they should try to keep themselves shrouded in the fog as long as possible. So long as they were certain of the direction they were headed in, staying hidden was probably their best bet. Okay, yes, the humans on the Alexa had been surprised, but not hostile. But again, any port in a storm; those who worked the sea were used to taking advantage of good fortune, no matter how strange aid fortune may be. Even Henry keifu-san had mentioned taking shelter on a rocky outcrop during a bad storm when he was a new captain and yet, hard as tried, he had never found those rocks again.

A giant peach crewed by a little boy, a half-demon and human-like bugs was a bit stranger than vanishing rocks, but no sailor would turn away that kind of help. An entire city, on the other hand...

The low boom of a foghorn broke Rin out of her thoughts. Peering through the mists, the half-demon could see a tiny circle of light twinkling in the gloom. It vanished briefly, then reappeared. The half-demon knew what that meant: a lighthouse!

Flapping her wings harder, Rin heard the tell-tale signs of waves whispering over a beach. The fog, still heavy, had thinned somewhat and Rin spotted the shadowy figure of a massive tower standing proudly on a rocky outcrop. The waves pounded against the small cliff, drops of water landing on the clipped emerald grass. Keeping watch over the ocean, light still circling, was what could only be the lighthouse.

Holding out her wings, Rin hovered in midair, staring at the magnificent structure. The lighthouse dwarfed the half-demon, its foghorn a low melancholy cry in the cool morning air. Yet, nothing about this building held any hint of sadness. The lighthouse's bright white paint was broken only by a large swarth of light brown circling its middle and it wore its observation deck and lamp cover like a crown. Below it, a cluster of buildings and a flagpole stood huddled, but the lighthouse stood proudly above them, ignoring everything but the ocean in front of it like a king surveying his beloved domain.

Rin bowed her head slightly before landing lightly on the observation deck. She couldn't hear any other humans nearby, but she knew someone had to be tending this lighthouse. Rin's bare feet made no noise as she circled around the deck. To her surprise, the fog here had nearly vanished and Rin was able to peer down at the town below.

Still and silent, Montauk was, as Miss Spider had noted about the fog-covered ocean, almost asleep. Rin wasn't sure what time it was, but there was barely any activity in the town below. A few odd steps, the lone car's engine and the soft caws of seagulls were the only sounds she could clearly make out. The single main road split off , vanishing from sight and surrounded by trees and Rin was certain she could see the glimmer of a lake in the distance. Small shops lined the main road and the half-demon caught the lingering scents of fried dough and fresh bread. Not too surprising; this was a seaside town and such foods were sure to be popular. But the scent of seaside treats was faint compared to the more natural scents of salt water, fresh leaves, and cool morning air.

"I like this place."

True, it wasn't the Kurosaki manor or the surrounding territory belonging to the bat demons, but there was something special about Montauk, something mysterious and almost sacred. Rin wasn't sure how or why, but she could feel that there was something about this little coastal town that held its own power. The beaches and its surrounding land seemed not to care that humans walked upon them nor that tar roads had been built to carry cars and trucks. No, Montauk was indifferent to all of that. It simply existed and Rin was certain that it would go on existing long after humans were gone.

Wishing she could stay longer, Rin nonetheless spread her wings and took to the air again. As she did, the lighthouse boomed out its familiar call.

"I'll bring them home!" Rin called back. Looking below, she could see the fog retreating from Montauk and skimming over the sea. On one hand, that meant her kin were still hidden, but that also meant they probably wouldn't be able to see much of Montauk. Oh, well, maybe they could take a trip out here once they were fully settled in New York City Rin certainly wouldn't mind having a holiday here! And perhaps they would at least be able to catch a glimpse of the lighthouse! If nothing else, Rin knew James would like that!

Rin's stomach growled and she pushed herself harder to reach the peach. She hoped the fish stew would be ready by the time she got there. Of course, if they were this close to land, she wouldn't have to do much hunting for the others, but she had little doubt she'd be feasting on seagulls as well as fish today.

A familiar green light, along with a savory smell, cut through the heavy fog, followed by Earthworm calling,

"Here she is! Think she's brought good news or bad?"

"Oh, for Heaven's sake, Earthworm!"

Rin landed lightly on the fuzzy peach surface. To her surprise, the entire peach crew were seated on the peach surface, along with the crew of the Alexa. Everyone held steaming bowls of either thick fish stew or hearty vegetable broth, including Glowworm who was now hovering in the tunnel, her tail light shining brightly in the gloom.

"Well, I would tell you that there's a huge horde of monster rising up from the sea headed this way-"

"WHAT?"

"-but I can't because that would be a lie!"

"Rin" James was trying hard not to laugh around a mouthful of savory stew.

"You nearly gave me a heart attack! Ugh, I don't know how much more of adventuring I can take!" Earthworm flopped onto the deck, his tail clutching a bowl of vegetable soup mixed with dirt.

"Um, pardon, but is he always this gloomy?" Johnny asked.

"Nah, he's usually worse."

"Oh, hush, Centipede."

"Now, Rin, could you please tell us what you saw without trying to scare anyone?" Mrs. Ladybug asked as she passed the half-demon a bowl of stew. Rin took a gulp from her bowl, savoring the thick white flesh of seabass and chunks of tender vegetables.

"Ahh, that's good. Arigato desu. We're close to Montauk; I saw the lighthouse and it's not far from here. Now, the fog is headed back out to sea, so we'll probably be caught in it for a while yet. But it should be gone by the afternoon."

"Do what soon?" Glowworm asked.

"The fog will be gone by the afternoon!" Mr. Grasshopper called back.

"Oh! That's good." Glowworm went back to her vegetable broth, serene as ever.

"We're really not that far away from shore?" Matt asked as Rin drained her bowl.

"No, not at all." Rin licked her lip free of stew. " It only took me a few minutes to spot the lighthouse and I wasn't flying fast at all. If you keep heading that way," Rin gestured the way she had come. "You'll probably reach the lighthouse in less than an hour."

"That is good news, thank you!" Captain MacDavis exclaimed.

"But how will you get there? Isn't your engine broken?" Earthworm asked.

"Maybe we could tow them to shore," James suggested. "The Alexa is still attached to the peach."

"Good idea, kid, but I don't think the seagulls are on board with that."

Everyone paused and stared at the next of seagulls. Every one of the birds was curled up and fast asleep, their heads tucked beneath their wings.

"Oh, they must be really tired, then," James said. "I'd feel badly waking them up."

"They have helped us quite a bit," Miss Spider agreed. "We should let them rest while they can."

"If all they need is rest, then you're welcome to stay with us until the seagulls are refreshed," Mr. Grasshopper offered.

"Thank you all, for everything, but we do need to get home. Thankfully, we do have oars."

"You can row that ship?" Mrs. Ladybug asked.

"Not far, not with the weight it's carrying," the captain replied. "But we usually row in to shore if the tide is particularly low or even out at sea of we spot any rocks. It's tiring, sure, but if we're this close, I think we can manage. Right, crew?"

"Aye aye, sir," Matt grinned back. "Plus, I was watchin' the tides earlier. It should be comin' in, so the waves will help carry us a bit."

"Then we should go before we lose the tide."

"Will you really be alright?" James asked as everyone stood up to see Alexa's crew off.

"Don't you worry; now that we know where we're headed, we'll be just fine. But, you said you were headed for New York City?"

"That we are," Centipede confirmed.

"Once we get home, I'll radio the city and let them know to look out for you." Captain MacDavis chuckled. "They won't believe everything, but I'll make sure to let them know a member of the Kurosaki family and her kin are headed their way. They'll be looking out for anything out of the ordinary, so that may well help."

"That would certainly save quite a bit of explaining," Mr. Grasshopper agreed. "Thank you."

"The pleasure is mine." Once again, Captain MacDavis bowed to Rin. "We're in your debt."

Rin shrugged. "Just... say, you owe my family some fish. My uncle enjoys seabass and I have a feeling he and several of my full-demon kin will be paying the city a visit as well."

"You have a deal. And I wish you all the best of luck!"

Together, the three men made their way back down the fence and onto the Alexa. Captain MacDavis retrieved three heavy-looking oars from the deck and passed them around. Johnny took his place at the end of the boat facing west, peering out into the still-heavy gloom.

"Cast off!" Captain MacDavis called.

With a flick of her claws, Rin sliced the silk tethers attached to the ship's ropes free of the peach stem. The heavy fruit drifted slightly back as the crew of the Alexa began to row with steady even strokes. Still calling farewells, the the ship was quickly lost to the fog, headed home for Montauk.

"They will be okay, won't they?" James asked, looking up at his sister.

"Without a doubt. They know what they're doing."

"But we don't." Earthworm was back to groaning. "We're stuck here until the seagulls are ready to fly again, drifting about in the fog, a sitting target for anything that may come along and-"

"Really, Earthworm, I think we'll be fine." Mrs. Ladybug was gathering up the empty bowls. "And besides, the fog will soon clear. What's more, we're here and safe together."

"Actually, it's probably better we stay in the fog for now," Rin said. "I'm sure Captain MacDavis's report will help, but at the moment, it would be best to stay out of sight."

"A pity really, as I would have liked to have caught a glimpse of Montauk," Mr. Grasshopper said with a sigh.

"It was amazing," Rin said. "I actually liked it."

"Wow, you actually liked something?"

"Can you swim, Centipede? I would be happy to send you into the water if-"

"Was the lighthouse like the one back home?" James's soft question cut through the budding argument. Rin smiled down at her brother, shaking her head slightly.

"No, it was much bigger and a lot more... regal. And the town itself? I'm certain there's some kind of old magic there, something that's been around just long as the youkai, maybe even longer."

"Wow." James's eyes were fixed on the spot where the Alexa had vanished. "I wish I could have seen it too."

"We will have to take a trip to Montauk then." Miss Spider pulled James into a gentle hug. "Once we are settled in the city, that is."

"Oh, I like that. We could have a nice family holiday in Montauk." Mrs. Ladybug smiled as she considered the idea.

"Uh, ain't this a family vacation?"

"No, Centipede, I think this is what we call moving," Mr. Grasshopper replied. "Or, in our case, immigrating, as we are starting a new life in a new country."

"Hard to believe, isn't it?" Mrs. Ladybug asked.

Rin didn't say anything, but she caught her brother's eye and the uncertainty that shone forth. She gave him a small smile and was pleased to see him return it. Still, Rin could feel the same uncertainty James did; indeed, who would have thought they would arrive in New York like this? Atop a giant peach, after fighting a robot shark and meeting a dragon? After escaping the cruelty of two women who didn't deserve to be called kin.

After their parents died.

Rin shook her head, stretching her arms a bit. "Well, it's a good thing the fog will be gone by the afternoon. There's a full moon tonight and I want to fly under it."

"Could I fly with Rin tonight? Just for a little bit?" James asked, looking up not just at his sister, but at the gathered adult bugs.

"Well, now, won't that be late?" Mrs. Ladybug asked.

"Perhaps, but I think it would be good for James and Rin to fly together. And moonlight can be good for you." Miss Spider smiled at James, lightly kissing the top of his head.

"It's fine with me," Mr. Grasshopper said. "After all, it's not as though this will happen every night, I presume?"

"No, special occasions only. We used to do that every so often, didn't we, James-chan?"

"Yes. Remember that time we saw the whales?"

"Wait, seriously?" Centipede raised his eyebrows in amazement. "That must have been somethin'."

"It was," Rin agreed.

"Oh, well, if it's a family tradition, then it's fine with me too." Mrs. Ladybug smiled. "But, if you're going to be up late, then I think both of you should take a rest this afternoon. Goodness knows I'm not letting either one of you go without proper sleep."

"I will. I promise."

"Thank you, James dear."

"Uh, I was planning on doing that anyway, so don't that as a victory."

"You're going to be rested; that's all I care about."

"I think you lose, Rin."

"What was that? You want a swimming lesson too, Earthworm?"

"What? No! Get her away from me!" Earthworm dived down the tunnel, away from both Rin's claws and the amused laughter of the rest of the family.
~

As you probably know, the crew of the Alexa made it home safely and Captain MacDavis did indeed report that a member of the Kurosaki demons was headed for New York.

A shame for the City that his words had little effect on the actions of those in charge.

Author's Note: I actually spent most of my early childhood in Amagansett, which is one town over from Montauk. Montauk is my absolute favorite place in the world and yes, there is a magic to it, especially on foggy days. Stranger things have happened in that town- the show Stranger Things was actually going to be titled Montauk. Look up "The Montauk Project" for more information, but also take it from someone who knows and loves that place. Montauk is special!