Identity
Hopefully adding another two chapters makes up for my recent laziness (it wasn't all laziness though, I swear, I WAS busy). I have a feeling that I'll be finishing off soon so please stay tuned. And, as always, thanks for taking the time to read…
Chapter 6: Ties
"Another dimension?!" Fuuko yelled. "Are you sure?"
"Very."
"How? Did you do this?"
"Me? Sai laughed. "No way. That's the work of my partner."
"You're not alone?"
"No, but don't worry Fuuko-san, Narumi won't be interfering."
"You call this 'not interfering'," Fuuko grumbled, kicking the ground in annoyance. "Why am I always the one who gets stuck in other dimensions? Why couldn't this have happened to Mikagami?"
"Oh, your friend, Mikagami Tokiya?" Sai asked, startling her. "Don't worry. He's safe back in the real world. In fact, if he's in the warehouse now, he can hear what we're saying."
"Oh, can he?" Fuuko said. "So I can talk to him?"
"Well, you can talk and he'll hear you, but you won't be able to hear him. I'll give you a few minutes to pour your heart out to him." Sai's eyes narrowed. "I suggest you use this time to say your farewell."
"Hmmm," Fuuko didn't appear to be listening, "a one-sided conversation. That's the way I like it actually."
******
"Mikagami."
The enusi-wielder started as a voice came from right beside him. "Fuuko?"
"Mikagami if you're there (and knowing you, you probably are), you're an IDIOT!! Didn't I tell you to wait for me outside?! But anyway, I guess it was a good thing that you didn't or you wouldn't be able to hear what I'm going to say.
"Get out of here. There's someone else out there – I mean, back where you are – who can transport people to other dimensions. She might do the same with you and you might not be able to get out. So leave now and go back to the usual spot. If I get out of this, I'll meet you there. Go!"
Up until now, Mikagami had restrained himself to listen peacefully, but he just could not take it anymore. "Kirisawa!" he yelled, "Find a way out!"
"Didn't I tell you that won't work?" the woman's voice said, amused. "She can't hear you, no matter how loud you shout."
"Shut up," he said quietly. "Your name is Narumi, isn't it? Why don't you come out and fight?"
"Oh, I would, but your friend was wrong. I'm not here with you in the physical sense. My essence is, of course – just as it is in the dimension your friend is in at the moment. But right now, I'm somewhere else. So why don't you do as your friend suggest and leave? I can't really stop you."
Mikagami didn't even bother to reply. He just raised his ensui.
"I see. So you really care about your friend. You don't need to worry though. I won't attack you or transport you to another dimension – not yet anyway. Besides, it'll be more fun if we wait until Sai finishes with your little friend."
******
"Is that all you wanted to say?" Sai asked, surprised.
"Actually, I've been meaning to ask you – why is it so light here?" Fuuko asked, squinting up at the cloudless, blue sky.
"No, that's not what I meant – but time moves differently in this dimension – what I meant was is that all you wanted to say to your friend?"
"Yeah, what else did you expect me to say?"
"Aren't you going to say goodbye?"
"What for?" Fuuko said, puzzled.
Sai was taken back by her question. "I guess because Narumi won't let you out of here whether you defeat me or not, so there's almost no chance of you getting back."
"Almost?"
"Well, close to zero chance."
Fuuko grinned. "So that means that there is a way, right? Where there's hope, there's hope."
"Is that a saying?"
"It's Fuuko-chan's saying," she replied. "Besides, Mikagami and I always avoid saying sad things. It makes us all embarrassed."
"Yeah, me too," Sai agreed, cheerfully. "So, now that that's over, are you ready?"
"One question," Fuuko said, suddenly serious. "Who ordered the kidnapping of Yanagi?"
"Why don't you fight me and maybe I'll tell you."
"I don't want to fight you, Asagi."
"Sai," the other girl corrected. "Anyway, you don't have a choice. This is the only way you'll get any answers." She watched in amusement as Fuuko slowly raised her gun. "You're not going to try and defeat me with that, are you? Why not use you Fuujin? Didn't Kagehoushi manage to restore some power to it?"
Fuuko looked up at her sharply. "How do you know all this?" she asked in surprise.
"I saw you use up your last crystal at the Urabutousatsoujin. Yup, I was there. I know a lot of things about you, Fuuko-san."
"Well, I guess you're right," she said, dropping her gun into her bag and taking out what appeared to be an elegant, bracelet-like ornament. "I guess I should be using Fuujin in this fight."
"Waaoow!" Sai exclaimed as she spied the gleaming, red sphere at its centre. "I've never seen a restoration crystal up close before!"
"Yeah," Fuuko said proudly, "it's beautiful, isn't it? I guess it'll do for now until I find the main crystal." She clasped it on her hand and kicked her bag away.
She couldn't help it. With the feel of the Fuujin on her hand for the first time in years and the prospect of a challenging battle before her, Fuuko smiled elatedly. "Let's go."
Her smile was mirrored on Sai's face. "Alright, but since your Fuujin is only a shadow of itself without its main crystal, I'll lower my level in fairness."
Level? Fuuko wondered. She didn't wonder for long though, as Sai held out her hand. A dagger slid out of her palm, blade up.
Fuuko whistled. "That is cool," she said, impressed. "The blue is a nice shade too."
"I know," Sai said with a smile.
"Too bad you use them to kill," Fuuko said, no trace of a smile on her face now. The two looked at each other in a stalemate. Then –
"I'm coming."
"Come."
******
"Uh…" Domon said hesitantly as he looked around at the neat lawn in the fading light.
"What? I thought you said that you wanted to help."
"It's not that. It's just…"
"What is it?" Recca asked exasperatedly.
"It's scary – going to a teacher's house, I mean."
"He's not our teacher anymore," he said emphatically. "Besides he doesn't really act like one, so chill, okay?" The ninja looked sternly at the other man. "What would Mikagami say if he saw you now, cowering over a little thing like this."
Domon straightened immediately. "You're right," he said, resuming his walk up the stairs. He was even the one who knocked on the door.
The door flew open and –
"Hanabishi-kun!"
"Tatesako-san!"
Domon watched in amazement as the two danced around on the doorstep joyously.
"You haven't changed a bit!"
"A few more grey hairs, but apart from that you're still the same as ever!"
The two stopped as Tatesako caught sight of Domon.
"Tatesako-sensei," Domon said in greeting, shifting uncomfortably.
"Oh, there's no need for that, Ishijima-kun," the older man said cheerfully.
"You remember me?"
"Of course. You're the one who always slept during my classes."
Recca, who had not been in the same class as Domon, scowled and swiped a hand at the big man's head. "You slept during History?! You big moron!"
"Ow!" Domon nursed his head and bared a fist. "You trying to pick a fight?!"
"Alright, alright, I was just joking," Tatesako intervened quickly. "Why don't you two please come in?" He held the door open for them. "Now, have you two had dinner yet?"
"Yeah," Recca replied. "I hope we didn't interrupt you or anything."
"No, no. We just finished eating actually. Mrs Tatesako just went to clean up in the kitchen."
Domon gawked at the displays of historic weapons which hung on the walls of the house. This place looks exactly like Recca's room, he thought to himself.
"By the way," Tatesako remarked as they sat down at a small table, "I believe you are friends with Koganei Kaoru-kun?"
"Yeah," Domon said, surprised. "How did you know?"
"Oh, that rascal's always disrupting my class. I'm afraid that he doesn't hold the same interest for history as Hanabishi-kun."
"I'll make sure I speak to him," Recca said, scowling.
"So, how are your other friends? I remember little Sakoshita-san – and that boy one year above you – Mikagami-kun I believe, and also Kirisawa-san. How are they all?"
"Fine," Recca lied, throwing a warning look at Domon, who also had opened his mouth to reply. "We haven't been in contact with Fuuko, though. I believe she's working somewhere in Hokkaido and studying part-time."
"Wow, Hokkaido," Tatesako said softly. "You're all independent grown-ups now, aren't you?"
"Uh, there's something we came here to ask you actually," Recca said. "Have you heard of the name Mitsukawa?"
"Mitsukawa?" Tatesako repeated slowly. He jumped up excitedly. "Actually, I have! Hold on." He rushed out of the room, leaving Domon and Recca staring at each other. A few moments later, they heard a number of thuds in the room above, an exclamation, then footsteps rushing down a set of stairs. Seconds later, their teacher flew back into the room – one hand clutching a cylinder to his chest, the other clutching his right knee.
"My legs aren't what they used to be," he explained breathlessly. He uncapped the cylinder and carefully extracted what appeared to be a scroll.
"What is it?" Domon asked, reaching down to touch it.
"NO!" Tatesako yelled, slapping his hand away with lightning speed. "It's centuries of years old. Be gentle." With trembling fingers, he slowly unrolled the piece of yellowing parchment. "This is an extract from the writings of Genjiro Kakyo, a monk who lived in the Tensho era."
"What does it say?" Recca asked, looking at the centuries-old scrawl before him.
"Well, it says what they had for breakfast..."
"I mean about the Mitsukawa family."
"Hey I wanted to hear about what they had for breakfast," Domon mildly protested before the other boy turned his glare on him.
Tatesako looked at them both grimly. "He mentions them in passing. I'll paraphrase for you.
"'News came from town that the body of the young officer Niwa was found, stabbed through the heart with a blue dagger. Nobody saw or heard a thing. I fear that the Mitsukawa have struck again. The others laugh and call me an old fool. That this is the work of a common assassin who uses blue blades – not of an imaginary, cursed family. I am not convinced.
'They can be found. I am sure of it. How else can they be hired or paid if they shun all contact? However, it would be impossible to find out the means of this. Anybody who reveals the Mitsukawa's secrets know that they face horrible consequences. If I was younger and did not have the duties I have now, I would set out to rid the world of this evil.'"
Recca and Domon looked at the older man expectantly. "That's it?" the flame-master asked when he remained silent.
"That's it." Tatesako looked up. "You must know, Hanabishi-kun, that this family was an extremely secret one. There is almost no record of them. In fact, most historians would not have heard of the name Mitsukawa."
"Oh." The two couldn't keep the disappointment from their faces.
Tatesako looked at them curiously. "Why do you want to know about them anyway?" he asked.
"Uh, no reason," Recca said hurriedly and stood up. He nudged Domon with his foot. "Look at the time! We've got to go now, haven't we?"
"Huh?" the big man said. "Oh yeah. For that, um, thing."
"Yeah, we've got that thing on," Recca laughed nervously, almost running to the door. "Good to see you sensei."
"Oh, no probs." Tatesako said. "Come and visit me anytime." He grinned as he waved at them. "It's a good thing for us that the Mitsukawa don't exist anymore, eh?!"
The two wished he hadn't said that.
******
Fuuko stood, alert but breathing hard. Although she wasn't seriously injured, her cuts had begun bleeding afresh from to her exertions. She warily watched the dual blades return to Sai's hands as she tried to slow down her racing heart.
"Why are you playing with me?" she asked the other girl, who didn't even look strained. "We both know that you could have killed me several times already."
Sai looked perplexed by the question. "But you haven't touched the Fuujin in two years whereas I've been training everyday of my life. It wouldn't be fair if I didn't allow you some leeway."
"I don't need you to hold back," Fuuko said, grinning. "It won't be fair unless I know that I've beaten you at your full strength."
A surprised look crossed the assassin's face. "Well," she said, slowly smiling, "I guess you're right."
Before she even finished, Fuuko disappeared in a blur, running across the green field. Sai took off after her, dodging the invisible blades of wind which were aimed at her with ease.
Fuuko looked back as she ran. She was the fastest of the Hokage by a considerable margin, but Sai matched her speed, even surpassed it, as she drew up alongside her.
She has raised the bar, Fuuko thought. She's even faster than before.
She didn't think for long as two glinting blades flew at her. She ducked under the first and in one fluid motion, threw a wide arc of wind. The second blade met it in mid-air and shattered, disappearing immediately.
"Do you ever run out of those things?" she asked, groaning as another dagger slid out of Sai's hand.
"No."
Fuuko's head drooped as she ran – a sign that she was tiring. It was all going to be over soon, Sai thought regretfully, although she didn't know why she was feeling that way. The disappointment that had came with that she could understand, but why was she feeling regret?
She started in surprise as the wind-wielder suddenly swerved towards her with new speed. Her head jerked to the front, and sunlight filled her eyes.
"KAMA ITACHI!"
Sai threw herself to the side impulsively, but not quickly enough, as the one of the long, curved wind blades sliced her side open. She pressed the gash, feeling the wet stain soaking through her shirt, and looked up at the other girl as her eyes slowly adjusted to the sunlight. "That was clever," she said, smiling slowly. "You pretended to be spent and deliberately slowed your pace gradually so that I wouldn't be suspicious. Then you accelerated in front of me, where the sun would be behind you. Tell me. Choosing to run in this direction wasn't a coincidence, was it?"
Fuuko scratched her head. "Well, I was still contemplating whether I would be able to pull it off, actually. Did you like that? Recca used that on me once. It was a bit too dirty for my liking, but hey, I can't really complain."
"But why did you stop?" Sai asked. "Shouldn't you press your advantage?"
Fuuko shrugged. "It wouldn't be fair," she replied. "You gave me heaps of chances so I should do the same. To be honest, I'm also still a little guilty about using that trick."
Sai smiled and wiped her hand on an unstained part of her shirt. "Don't be," she said. "Using tricks are part of a battle – and that was a simple, but effective one. I really do applaud you. You don't have to wait for me to recover though. I can assure you that this wound won't impede my abilities. Shall we continue?"
******
Mikagami listened to the battle, frustrated that he couldn't do anything. From the sound of things, Fuuko was losing badly.
Think. There must be something.
During the Urabutousatsoujin, one of their opponents, Magensha, had used a madougu, the Jigen Kaigyoku, which also sent his opponents into a different dimension.
It wasn't possible that she was using the Jigen Kaigyoku, though. It had been destroyed after the match. Unless…
The two rival madougu makers who made similar madougus. The two Shiki Gamis, the Ensui and the Hyoumaen – one was made to protect, one to kill. Was she using… the other Jigen Kaigyoku?
Mikagami had no doubt that Magensha's madougu had been the killing one. Fuuko had said it herself with a shiver. The question was whether Narumi's was its alter ego, or merely an uncannily similar madougu.
Either way, I have to defeat her to get Fuuko out.
Fuuko had defeated Magensha by finding his physical form in the dimension she had been sent to. This was of no use to him. Narumi had even admitted herself that she was in another dimension, watching over the proceedings. And there was no reason for her to lie, unless…
Mikagami frowned. It was a long stretch, but he had to do something.
Because even a long stretch was better than nothing. He kept his emotions in check and began to hatch a plan.