Chapter 17 The Daughter of the Dragon
Comment Responses:
QwertyKev: I definitely think Rick hinted at it, and as I probably made it pretty clear in the chapter. I think she would have feelings for Percy. I mean think about it, some guy who literally doesn't even know your risks his life to save you, after your dad turns you into a tree. Then he gives up what could have been a life of happiness. And takes on a destiny that was hers, simply so that she could live her life how she wanted. Still while barely knowing her, then he continues to be her friend and ask nothing of her. She clearly cares for him and I think with everyone on Olympus thinking he's dead she might start to realize what he actually meant to her.
So I think it would be totally reasonable for the competitive nature of their friendship to turn into something more. Specifically in this situation, where he was just torn away from her. Most of the Demigods don't consider it possible for him to lose in the Cannon lol. It's just always assumed that he will win, so I really wanted to play with that in this fanfic. "What happens when percy isn't around to save the day" type deal because i thought it would bring out the best and most real interactions between the characters
Ariamcrisis: You're jinxing me man, comparing me to the God Rick himself, the fandom on this site gonna smite my ass. But seriously though, thanks. I really want the story to be interesting no matter who the POV is from, which has been hard, but it's getting easier as things are starting to get a little spicier now.
Hopefully you enjoy the chapter!
Riizze: Just wanted to shout out one first person to follow and the first to review. It really meant alot and gave me a shit ton of motivation to keep writing! So I wanted to thank you! I hope you enjoy the chapter.
Be Lekker: Yea i kinda feel as if those weren't my strongest chapters… But I'm really glad that you are enjoying the story so far! I hope you like this chapter and I'm glad you gave me and my story a second chance haha!
DISCLAIMER: I TOOK SOME CREATIVE LIBERTY WITH CERTAIN RELIGIOUS AND HISTORICAL FACTS HERE. IT'S NOT A 100% ACCURATE HISTORICAL REPRESENTATION SO DON'T KILL ME OVER IT.
Tokyo Japan, 3 Days 10 hours After Eripus
Her feet pounded across the concrete rooftop, puddles of water spraying in every direction as she abandoned all pretense of stealth in favor of speed. Her arms still at her sides, one fist clenched firmly around the sheathe for her Katana, the other clutching the handle of the blade itself. The rooftops of Tokyo were bathed in Neon light as she seemed to fly across them, appearing only as a blur of black and red to the innocent onlooker.
The monsters she and her companions were hunting tonight had made one hell of a commotion in the Edogawa district of Tokyo over the past few weeks. Going so far as to interrupt one of the Iwami Kagura dances on the sixteenth of June. They had killed several dozen civilians and attacked two priests in a temple before fleeing. The council had found a way to cover it up as a fatal gas line explosion, people had still been suspicious of course, but it had made sense given how badly Akiyama had scorched the place.
This had resulted in a swift and immediate response from the elders of the Onmitsu, They had dispatched her along with Tsu Yon and Akiyama, the three of them being the most senior Oniwaban currently within the Edo district. As such they had been sent after the monsters when they resurfaced again on the Twenty-Second. Finding the strange creatures had been easy, initial reports had called them 'Oni' something quite common in Japan, what was strange however, was that they had interrupted a festival honoring the Gods, and she knew from personal experience that no sane creature would willingly wish to invoke any of the Gods wrath let alone her fathers.
Then to add to the strangeness of it all, it had been revealed to them just before their departure that three Niwaban had been dispatched to deal with the issue on the seventeenth, but they had not been heard from since. As a result, with them having been missing for nearly two weeks, the Onmitsu had decided to dispatch her and her two companions. Their mission was simple: eliminate the rogue Oni and figure out why they attacked.
They had figured out why they attacked, at least she had to assume it was because they weren't Oni, at least not any kind of Oni she had ever seen. They were large, tan skinned and they lacked hair or tattoos. Wore more rags than any kind of armor or clothing, and Strangest of all they only had one eye. Not to mention that they were being followed by a group of large pitch black wolves, the size of small cars.
As far as she was aware, no Yaokai clans fit that description, or even came close. Not to mention no self respecting Oni would be caught dead walking around in the rags and loin cloths these freaks wore. Further adding to the mystery of the situation.
The monsters had been holed up in the basement of an old warehouse that stored fuel for the ships where the Ada river meets Tokyo Bay, and tracking them down had been easy. However it had become more complicated when her companions realized their weapons did not work nearly as well as they normally did. So unfortunately they had to resort to alternative methods of dispatching their foes. For Akiyama it hadn't been a problem her powers had been more than enough, Tsu Yon on the other hand was in a rather tough position given his heritage and his weapons.
The sword she held in her hands however, well that was a gift from her father, and seemed to suffer no such limitations. It just gave her an excuse to cut loose, Tsu Yon had objected of course, he was very much 'a stick in the mud' so to speak. He followed the council's mission statements to the letter, She on the other hand much preferred to make it up as she went, at least this time when the council inquired about the damages she would have an excuse.
Which she hoped would be enough to explain why there were sirens screaming about the air as the Tokyo fire department rushed towards the warehouse, which was completely ablaze in the distance behind her. An unfortunate byproduct of Akiyama getting a little too excited, although the half dozen lighting bolts that had ripped through the ceiling at her command had not helped the situation either.
The monsters had split into several smaller groups almost immediately after they realized how outmatched they were, and had scattered off into the city, no doubt hoping to lose their assailants in the stormy weather. Which had forced her and her companions to split up and chase them. Which had left her painfully bored, the Oni just kept running no matter how far they got away, so for the fact that she was soaked to the bone and they were wasting her time, forcing her to chase them instead of fighting like warriors, these monsters were going to die, painfully.
However, it also meant that until she completely dispatched the group of monsters, and returned to the institute she was free. No instructors, no councilors, no one but her and those she really trusted, so she was going to enjoy this. Far too much of her time was spent studying within the Edo Institute, or attending school like any other mortal. When she was anything but any other mortal.
A wide grin split her face underneath her mask as she saw the edge of the roof approaching, her eyes already tracking ahead of her, plotting her path, as sparks started to trail behind her in the air for a moment.
Then as her foot touched the edge of the roof she leapt forwards, a flash of lightning illuminated the Tokyo skyline, and a boom of thunder loud enough to rattle the apartment windows around her roared out.
The rain around her was blasted away as she rocketed into the air, feeling the lighting coursing through her body, as she pushed her powers further and further. Lighting crackling in the air behind her as she soared across the street. She felt more alive now then she ever did when she 'acted' like a mortal.
Car alarms went off below her, and for any mortal who happened to look upwards at that instant they would have seen a girl, illuminated from behind by a sky wreathed in lighting. Practically flying, as she leapt nearly fifty feet across the four lane roadway, five stories in the air.
She landed on the other side with a quick and well practiced roll, coming to her feet at a full sprint, a quick sniff of the air told her that her prey was close. So she took off sparks still trailing off her body as she ran at incredible speeds.
With practiced ease she cut across the rooftops, barely slowing as she moved across every obstacle on the cluttered roofs with practiced ease. She was catching up to her prey, she could almost smell their fear in the air as she came to the edge of the section of buildings. In front of her the Ada river gleamed like a rainbow in the lights of the city.
Stepping out of the shadows she looked down from the roof to the streets below her, the glow of the city reflecting off the Ada River and illuminating her against the skyline.
She stood at 5'11", with a light build. She was wearing a black bomber jacket over a black sleeveless crop top, parts of a large blue dragon tattoo could be seen on her left side, specifically on her ribs and shoulder. The look was finished with a red pair of loose jogging pants and some black Nike running shoes.
Her hair was vibrant bright red, clearly dyed, and would have reached her lower back had it not been up in a large ponytail. However the strangest part of her attire was the Red Kabuki mask she wore to cover her face. It was the likeness of a demon with blue fangs, a wide grin and wild eyes.
She had two bracers on her forearms that, unknown to anyone, held several concealed knives, and following tradition she carried a second shorter washizaki, in addition to Sutōmukōrā, the sword her father had given her,
Her father, Raijin, the Shinto God of Thunder and Lighting.
A grin crept onto her face as she looked down to see the terrified monsters running up the main strip along the water. Shoving unknowing mortals out of their way, she was not entirely sure what the mist made them see. But she suspected it was probably a bunch of drunk foreigners or gang members. Based on the shouts of anger she could hear being thrown in their direction.
The sky crackled with lighting as the rain intensified, pouring down in sheets as she spread her arms wide and stood on the narrow edge of the roof, some six or seven stories in the air, swaying in time with the winds that swirled around her.
She felt at peace, almost serene as lightning crackled across the sky. Her father, that's what it was. She knew it in her heart that when she fought, her father fought alongside her, and since he couldn't be here, the skies roared out his cries of encouragement in his place.
She raised both hands into the air as she prepared herself, hardening her will and sharpening her focus. She was a weapon, she was born to protect the land of the rising sun. She was the first daughter of Raijin in generations, and she would make the skies roar with her name before the night was over, she thought with a smile.
It was her time to shine, the road that ran along the Ada river was long and straight without too many sharp turns. Her father was the fastest of the Gods, and that was a trait he had passed down to his child she thought to herself with a smirk as the sparks around her intensified into arcs of electricity as she took off at a sprint that would put some cars to shame.
Leaping from roof to roof, using fire escapes, balconies and terraces she continued her pursuit of the strange monsters, all the while getting closer and closer to the ground. Biding her time for the perfect moment to strike as she had been taught at the institute.
She didn't have to wait long for such an opportunity to present itself.
The monsters reached the bridge in front of Nishimizumon Square and looked about at each other in confusion, unsure if they should cross the river or follow the road further. Unfortunately for them that was not the first mistake they had made in the last few hours, but it would be the last.
The group she was chasing consisted of five of the ugly Oni like creatures, and four large wolves, jet black and the size of small cars. She was outnumbered and had to make sure her first strike not only disoriented her enemies but also removed their ability to strike back at her until she had thinned their numbers slightly.
She leapt from a second floor fire escape, soaring through the air as she reached out with one free hand and snagged a light post above the intersection, allowing her momentum to swing her around the lamp post, as she spun towards the ground.
Leaping off at the last second, the sky cracked with a flash of lightning as she dashed forwards, the arcs of electricity following her now running up and down her blade as she drew it in one clean motion. She was a blur as she flew past the paused group in an instant, spinning around as she slid to a stop, spraying water in an arc behind her until she was some ten to fifteen feet from the group.
Almost as if it had been timed, which it was. A lightning bolt had dropped from the sky and slammed into the ground in the middle of the group right as she had cut the smallest Oni clean in half with a single blow, slicing him apart from his hip to shoulder.
The charred remains of his corpse fell apart into two pieces before dissolving into gold dust, yet again she noted mentally, this was not something Oni did when they died.
The monsters roared out in some foreign language as she looked at them strangely. The large Oni then produced a variety of homemade weapons, mostly tree trunks and light posts, not a single blade was seen among them as she watched in amazement.
Were they idiots?
Trees, clubs and lamp posts? Against a daughter of Raijin!?
The sirens and sounds of the city were drowned out by a dozen bolts of lighting as a thunderous roar ripped apart the skyline of Tokyo. The only warning the monsters had was the sudden spray of water, as the Japanese demigod rushed forwards, a single electrified step throwing vast quantities of water into the air from the puddles on the ground, creating an impromptu smoke screen of sorts as all three of them swung through the wall of water.
Only to realize a second too late that she had jumped clean over them, landing on the other side with a quick roll. Slicing the head clean off one of the Demon Wolves midair as it lunged at her in a frenzy. She then dropped her shoulder and placed her free hand on the ground. Cartwheeling away from the next wolf as she smashed her heels into its jaw, It flipped over onto its back and slammed off the ground with a sickening crack as a burst of electricity ripped out from where her heel had made contact with its skull; both of the wolves immediately began to fade away to dust.
Exiting her cartwheel she immediately threw herself backwards, her feet a blur as her sword worked back and forth in a frenzy keeping the two remaining Demon dogs and their massive snapping jaws away from her. She knew that her time was running out, as the thudding steps of the larger monsters alerted her to their charge without having to look.
She harnessed her Ki, drawing on the power within her fathers domains as the air around her grew heavy with the stench of ozone. Then with a clap of thunder she seemed to disappear to the innocent onlooker. Vanishing in a flash of light as two of the rear monsters stopped moving, twitching uncomfortably as electricity arced off their skin. The demigoddess crouched nearly thirty feet behind them, Lighting arcing off her body as she knelt a grin on her face underneath the mask.
The two twitching monsters suddenly collapsed, arms and legs falling off and flopping to the ground as the two monsters dissolved into dust.
She stood and turned around to reveal that she now held two swords, Sutōmukōrā in her left and her washizaki in her right hand, as both sent arc's of electricity off in waves.
A split second after she stood a deep rumble of thunder echoed out across the skies as she looked up to the heavens. Basking in the fury of the storm, the thunder was a symbol of her fathers approval. Her name was Ren Takahashi, she was a seventeen year old demigod and one of the strongest in her generation, courtesy of her father.
Now she was going to show these arrogant Oni what that actually meant, her father was known as the Dragon of the Eastern Storm and She wasn't called the Daughter of the Dragon for nothing.
Her breath came out in a steady rhythm as she harnessed her power, the sky crackling with power as she called on her fathers domain. The stench of ozone filled the air as the streetlights around them began to flicker in and out in rapid succession.
The air around her pulsed with energy as she maintained her stare down with the strange Oni, who were shouting in that strange language again. Pointing at the wolves and then her as they gestured angrily.
The wolves seemed to understand, if only for a moment as they prowled forwards towards Ren.
She raised her swords in first position, as she prepared to launch into a flurry of blows that would carry her clean past the wolves and towards the two remaining Oni.
However just as she was about to start moving, almost as one the wolves stopped. Their heads whipping to face the east in unison as they froze. Then as one they scattered, running towards whatever shadows they could find and disappearing into the depths.
Ren couldn't say that it was surprising, certain Yaokai possessed the same powers, but the expression on the faces of the remaining two monsters was laughable, as they gaped in horror while their companions abandoned them. However it meant that the path to the last two creatures was clear.
Again a flash of light and an explosion of water was all that gave away her approach, with the blinding speed that she moved, the two creatures resorted to flailing about with their lamp post weapons almost blindly in hopes that they would hit her.
The skies roared out with a massive clap of thunder that echoed across the heavens as the screech of metal on metal rang out several times in an instant. Ren then slid to a stop several feet from her opponents, steam rising from her skin as the electrical waves pulsing from her body vaporized the water on contact.
The two monsters looked at her in fear as they held the glowing stumps of two lamp posts, the metal bases sheared clean through by her swords.
With a roar both monsters threw the damaged poles to the side and charged her, fists swinging as they tried to crush her under their larger bulk.
With a joyful laugh Ren charged forwards, in the blink of an eye she appeared between the two monsters, spinning in a circle as she leapt into the air. Her heel made contact with the face of the monster on the left as she slashed with both of her swords into the neck and back of the one on the right.
Completing her spin in the air as she landed quite gracefully both swords held at the ready.
The same could not be said for either of the two monsters.
When her heel made contact with the face of the first Oni, he was launched backwards like a speeding bullet, flipping head over heels as a boom of thunder roared out around Ren. The Oni then smashed into a bus stop, crumpling the metal and glass frame in an instant as he laid there knocked senseless.
The other Oni was not so lucky, as the first strike of her sword took its head clean from its shoulders, the second strike severed his spinal cord and dropped his headless body like a limp sack of potatoes.
"Pathetic…." Ren muttered to herself as she stalked towards the final monster. Struggling to free himself from the wreckage of the bus stop.
"You would dare to interrupt the Iwami Kagura and kill monks? I have no doubt the niwaban died by your hands as well…" she said as she came to a stop ten or so feet from the flailing creature.
It roared out in its strange tongue once more, clearly saying something to her and struggling to get to its feet even as dozens of metal pieces punctured its arms and legs due to its pained thrashing.
"Perhaps it is time I put you out of your misery, I doubt you have anything to say to me that I can understand?" Ren asked curiously as she began to gather her Ki once more.
The monster just glared at her hatefully with its single eye. "Kaloúpi imítheos" The creature said weakly in its strange language.
"I'll take that as a no.." She said vehemently as she lifted Sutōmukōrā, lighting crackling the length of the blade as she prepared herself. Calling on the powers of the storm as she charged towards the fallen Oni. Leaping into the air and bringing down her sword right on top of its head as a lightning bolt raced down to meet it, the very air around her exploded when the two met.
A wave of electrical discharge rolled out from her and the monster as it was summarily fried to a black crispy corpse, its head simply gone, vaporized by her strike. The shockwave that rolled out from her threw bits and pieces of the shattered bus stop away from her, superheated into hazardous projectiles as they embedded themselves in the road and surrounding roar of sound like some ancient dragon waking from a thousand year slumber screamed out across the city and shattered most of the windows on the first and second floor of the building directly in front of her as well as several in the buildings on either side.
For an instant it was as if the rain had stopped, then like a bubble popping the torrential downpour resumed. It felt like a giant wave of water had been dropped from the sky, as suddenly the superheated ground of the square was soaked with water again. Throwing large clouds of steam into the air.
Ren had slid to a stop several feet past the bus stop panting slightly, looking around with a slight bit of guilt at the absolute wreckage she had caused as the distant sound of sirens rang out through the din of the storm.
The center of the square was caved in with a series of craters, courtesy of the lighting strikes she had called down, Dozens of lights up and down the street had simply exploded during the surge of energy she had put off prior to killing the last Oni.
Add to that the superheated and rapidly cooling metal fragments scattered everywhere, and the glass that was still raining from the shattered windows and it could have passed for a scene out of an action movie.
However she couldn't suppress a slight giggle at the thunderous rumbling that echoed across the sky, Her father laughing along with her, Exactly how a true warrior should react to a battle well won. As she sheathed her swords and walked into one of the alleyways leading back into the Edogawa Prefecture, and away from the Ada river and the destruction she had wrought while killing those strange Oni.
With lighting speed she almost seemed to run up the side of a wall before leaping to the fire escape, and climbing up the side quickly as she rushed towards the rooftops once more. She had no desire to test the limits of the mists any further as mortals came running from all around in a panic at the absolute devastation in the Nishimizumon Square would probably cost the council several million dollars in repairs.
They could afford it, she thought to herself with a shrug, as she finally reached the top of the apartment building, walking to the edge and sitting herself down on the side so she could watch the mortals begin the cleanup below.
She knew Tsu Yon and Akiyama would find her before too long, and she figured she may as well reserve some energy for the verbal lashing she would no doubt receive when her stickler for the rules companion showed up. But at least she wouldn't be alone this time, Akiyama had set fire to an entire warehouse district by the looks of the glow in the distance.
She had only been waiting maybe four minutes when she heard him approach from behind her.
"Ren… that was excessive to say the least" the haughty voice of Tsu Yon rang out, filled with disapproval as he walked towards her from the other side of the apartment's roof. "You broke nearly a dozen rules, not to mention all the damage you caused. We'll be lucky to get out of this with our heads still attached…" Tsu Yon said angrily.
The Demigod in question was Tsu Yon, the eighteen year old son of an Okami named Fuyu. He had black that was cropped close to his head. A white suit jacket and pants, which he adorned with a white shirt and black tie. Tsu Yon didn't even look like he had been in a fight, His black shoes were still spotless and shining as if they had been freshly polished. A white Kabuki mask, in the image of a wolf, with gray and silver scattered about its muzzle, and a single blue Kanji written on its forehead covered his face.
He held a large Ninjata staff by his side casually as he walked towards her angrily.
"You worry too much, Tsu… we did what the council asked" Ren replied casually with a wave of her hand.
"NO REN!" Tsu replied angrily, "you did what you wanted to do, rest of us be damned. Do you have any idea how much damage you caused!" She could hear him panting under his mask and she knew his face was probably flushed in anger.
With a sigh Ren turned around to look at Tsu, just in time to see Akiyama walking up behind him.
Keeping a straight face with a mask on was pretty easy, Ren thought to herself with a grin as she could practically sense the anger rolling off the female demigod that stalked towards Tsu.
Akiyama at sixteen was perhaps the second strongest demigod in Japan, of course Ren considered herself stronger than her best friend but that's what kept their competition so friendly. Akiyama also thought she was Stronger. But being a descendant of Kagu-tsuchi God of Fire had its benefits, she had to admit. Akiyama was a genuinely terrifying individual who wielded fire as a weapon the same way another might wield their words in a conversation.
Her entire clan was gifted with the ability to control fire in some way, but Akiyama was the strongest in generations, and last year she had been made the heir to her clan's leadership position. Her grandmother had died making her the next in line after her mother, something which Akiyama was not happy about.
The girl had jet black hair, which was coiled in a very intricate braid that ran to her lower back. She wore high heeled boots that ended at her knees with gray skinny jeans that hugged her narrow hips. The look was completed with a black sheer bodysuit top that did little to contain her 'considerable' assets, and a shiny gold leather jacket with a fur collar. Which she wore with rolled up sleeves. Her Kabuki mask consisted of a sorrowful gold colored face, with red fangs and horns.
She had several sections of chain wrapped around her forearms but no other visible weapons.
"Tsu, did you really just leave me behind? With all those ugly creatures?" Akiyama said in a sickly sweet voice.
Tsu reacted by stiffening up nearly instantly as he whipped around to look at Akiyama, "N-no o-of course not Aki… I just wanted to check on Ren… because you know…." he sputtered to a stop as he began to gesture to the wreckage below.
"So… Ren is more important, I get it, it's okay…." She said with a slight sniffle, Ren had to struggle not to burst out laughing at the stunned silence coming from Tsu.
"I guess I'll forgive you, or I would have if you hadn't shouted at me so much about starting such a little fire." Akiyama said and Ren could almost hear her pouting under the mask.
Unfortunately for Akiyama, that was when the fire decided it wanted to spread to the rest of the fuel storage warehouses on either side of the original building, and her statement ended with a rather large explosion in the background.
All three demigods stared at it in shock for a moment before Akiyama turned around and bounced happily over to Tsu as she grabbed his arm, "its okay, on second thought I forgive you" she said happily while completely ignoring the massive column of fire in the distance, and the scream of the sirens which had now become almost deafening across the Edogawa district.
"... I hate both of you so much…." Tsu said in an exhausted voice as he hung his head in defeat.
Which immediately sent Ren into a fit of giggles, thunder rumbling softly in the skies above them as Tsu shook off Akiyama and walked away to stand by himself, muttering angrily about women being crazy.
After a few moments a soft whistle from Akiyama drew Ren's attention back to her best friend, who was currently looking down on the absolute carnage in the square below them. "I still think mine did more damage," Akiyama said as she gestured to the roaring pillar of fire in the distance behind them.
Ren snorted and laughed and held her hand out as they quickly clapped hands and giggled together for a moment. Enjoying the peace, because for the moment she wasn't under constant supervision and guidance, she wasn't being trained and molded to be the perfect warrior.
The institute had been her home for her entire life, and she loved her adopted family. But the endless trials and lectures were beginning to irritate her. She wanted to experience real adventure, she wanted to see the world and if the council had their way she would sit with them someday soon.
When that happened she would lose all her freedom, forever tied to Japan and its fate as one of the nine Onmitsu. While Ren would never admit to anyone it was a fate she feared worse than death, it would be the death of her soul. She would fight to defend Japan and the Gods, but she wanted the freedom to live her life how she wanted.
Which was what had really drawn her and Akiyama together so quickly. Akiyama as the next head of her clan had been set up with an arranged marriage. Luckily for her it was someone she knew, unfortunately for her it was Tsu Yon.
Not that Akiyama hated him, in fact Ren was pretty sure iif Akiyama had been given the choice she might have even picked him herself. But the crux of the matter resided in the fact that she didn't have a choice. It was political and as far as her parents were concerned they didn't really care if she was 'happy'. Just that they had secured the favor of the council.
The two girls shared eerily similar fates in the fact that neither of them wanted to follow the path that had been set out, but both of them loved their families and Japan too much to abandon the ranks of the Oniwaban. And as long as they remained within Japan as members their lives were not their own to choose.
However it was nice to dream, Ren thought to herself sadly knowing Akiyama shared her sentiments on the matter.
"I suppose we should apologize to Tsu huh?" Akiyama said as she put her hand on Ren's shoulder, shaking her from her thoughts.
"Don't expect me to apologize, after all, just like you said. You did more damage, go make up for it" Ren replied with a shit eating grin on her face as she could almost feel how irritated Akiyama was.
'REEEEEENNNN!" Akiyama said with an angry stamp of her foot as she crossed her arms over her chest and glared at her.
"... Fine, but you owe me.. Four bowls at Asakusa's… deal?" Ren said as she held out her hand to her friend.
"...you're a glutton, I have no idea how you stay so skinny" Akiyama said as she reached out and grabbed Ren's hand "Deal, but you talk first"
".. fine…." Ren said with a sigh as she walked over towards Tsu who was still muttering angrily to himself. This was how it normally went, Ren thought to herself with a grin. Akiyama's family was loaded and the girl seemed intent on bankrupting them herself. So she didn't mind buying dinners if Ren broke the ice with her soon to be husband, usually when he was mad at the pair of them.
She walked up behind him and gently tapped him on the shoulder, "Hey Tsu, … I'm sorry about the uhh collateral damage…" Ren said with basically zero conviction in her voice.
"No you aren't... she bribed you with food… didn't she…?" Tsu said emotionlessly as he held his head with one hand.
"Yep" Ren replied, if nothing else Tsu knew her pretty well by this point.
"Yea, I'm sorry about the fire too, but don't worry Tsu! I'll tell the council it was our fault!" Akiyama called out from behind her.
Tsu just sighed in frustration and turned to walk away "you two are utterly hopeless, but at least there's a reason to explain this away to the council, not like my weapons or powers could really do much." He straightened his back and turned around to face them, his voice still weary but not as angry, "Don't worry guys I'll deal with the council, after all my grandfather absolutely dotes on me and you both know that. Thank the Gods I'm your partner and not someone else"
That was something Ren liked about Tsu, he would get worked up so quickly. Specifically in the heat of battle, but once it was all over and he'd had a chance to vent. He would return to the casual laid back friend she had known most of her life.
Tsu and Ren had known each other almost their entire lives, Ren had been an orphan after her mother died in childbirth and Tsu's father had died when he was only a year or two old. So both of them had been raised collectively by Tsu's grandfather. The Shujin of the Council and eldest of the Onmitsu. Which had its benefits, mainly in the fact that most other members of the Oniwaban would have been punished severely for the damage they had caused today, but Ren, Tsu Yon and Akiyama would likely receive next to nothing in the form of reprimands.
"Awwww don't act so angry Tsu, I know you made those demon wolves run off." Ren said with a smile on her face as the three of them started to walk across the roof back into the Edogawa Prefecture.
"What are you talking about?" came the confused voice of Tsu as he stopped and turned to look at Ren. "I didn't do anything, I wasn't even there to see anything but that final attack you launched. You know the one that blew up half the street?" Tsu said with more than a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
"What are you talking about Tsu? The wolves I was fighting ran off as well. I assumed that was your way of saying sorry when you ditched me" Akiyama said in a slightly angry tone of voice.
"No that wasn-"
CRACK
The resounding sound rang out as Akiyama punched Tsu in the face, blasting him right off his feet mid sentence.
"Forgiveness revoked! you actually did abandon me!" Akiyama raged as flames licked at the edges of her clothing.
"Ohhh for the love of…." Tsu groaned from the ground.
"Enough, I thought they were convinced to abandon their allies because of you Tsu, if they ran off like that all at once. Something called to them…. That makes this more serious, because it means they might not be working as a single roving band, there could be more" Ren said passionately as she was starting to put together more details on this confusion situation by the minute.
"... shit …." Akiyama said quietly as the flames around her died out.
"I take it neither of you followed the directive of capturing one of them for interrogation? So we could at least figure that out?" Tsu said in frustration, from his position on the ground.
"Nope" Replied Ren and Akiyama almost in unison shaking their heads as the boy on the ground groaned out again.
"Well this is great, so not only did we cause millions of dollars in damage, risk exposing the Onmitsu and blatantly ignore orders. We also don't have any kind of way of establishing if this was a lone group or part of some larger operation….. Grandfather is going to kill me" He said as he stumbled to his feet.
"Could be worse…" Akiyama said in a quiet voice.
"... how, how could this possibly be worse" Tsu replied angrily.
"The fires could spread to the boats," Ren said impassively.
"Seriously!" Tsu all but shouted as he turned to look at the fires.
"Maybe, anyhow let's get something to eat. The food at the institute sucks… plus you owe me Aki.." Ren said as she walked to the edge of the roof and looked out over Edogawa.
"Same as usual?" Akiyama replied casually. But already Ren could feel the immense amount of Ki the girl was channeling as the air started to sizzle around her.
"Hey.. what's going on?" came the hesitant voice of Tsu as he jogged back towards the pair of them after he had run over to take a closer look at the warehouse fire.
"Ren wants Ramen at Asakusa's…So we figured we would get food before we went back to the institute" Akiyama said innocently as she looked at Tsu. However Ren noticed the subtle shifting of her weight as the girl tensed up.
Tsu stepped forwards raising both hands up as he looked at them "Please…. Not today…. We already set the harbor on fire…. Don't do this to me" Tsu said almost pleadingly as he looked between the two of them.
"Awwh don't think like that Tsu, last time was fine…" Ren replied quickly, already grinning underneath her mask as she cast a look sideways at Akiyama. "Plus sometimes his information is useful."
"Yami is barely tolerated by the council let alone the Onmitsu, and every time you go there the three of you get so fucking drunk you can barely stand and IM THE ONE WHO HAS TO PAY FOR ALL THE- OHHH FOR FUCKS SAKE!"
Ren laughed as she heard Tsu's shout fade into the distance, she had sensed Akiyama leaping into the air and she had simply chosen to fall backwards off the edge of the building.
No matter what Tsu Yon thought, she and Akiyama took these races seriously. After all, bragging rights only went to the winner.
Lighting crackled out across the sky as she saw Akiyama literally soaring through the air, a wide arc of flames trailing behind her having scorched the roof and launched the young demigod into the air out above the city of Tokyo.
Spinning around Ren closed her eyes and allowed herself to fall blind, trusting her senses to bring her back into focus, feeling the speed, the water hitting her face as she fell and the noise of the city. Her city.
Her eyes snapped open as lighting cracked across the sky, and a blast of thunder shook the city streets. For the briefest of instants she felt her body superheat and then Ren appeared on a nearby roof with a wild grin on her face as she saw Akiyama drop out of the air gracefully. Ending her fall with a slide along a pitched roof, unfortunately for the roof her feet were still on fire, and she left two molten trenches across the whole thing.
"Still trying to raise that bill huh? You're future father in law isn't going to be too happy with you Aki" Ren called out with a laugh as she exploded forwards into movement, feeling the lighting coursing through her veins.
"Shut up, and race. We can talk about how shit my life is once I'm out of this rain…. It's bad for my hair." Akiyama said in an intentionally high pitched and girlish voice as she flipped her sopping braid over her shoulder exaggeratedly. All the while running at full speed in heels, a skill that Ren had never masters let alone had the desire to.
"Alright, you asked for it, lets see who actually gets there first" Ren said with a laugh as she took off, feeling the lighting coursing through her veins as she heard the roar of fire behind her, even felt the heat on her back as Akiyama launched herself into the air after her, shouting angrily at her.
This was how she wanted to live her life Ren thought happily.
With nothing more on her mind than the next meal, and how much fun she was having. In this moment she felt alive, running free in the middle of a storm with nothing and no one to tie her back.
She was Ren Takahashi, Demigod daughter of Raijin, Shinto God of Thunder and Lighting.
And tonight, the city had roared her name as her father had watched with pride, and now it was time for her to visit the best information broker she knew. Who also just happened to run the best noodle shop in town.
Time to head to Asakusa's, home of the Tengu Yami. Master swordsman, who also happened to be a bit of a filthy drunk and a pervert. Ren didn't mind that so much, so long as the food was good and he gave her booze, but most importantly of all, Yami knew everything that happened in Japan.
So if anyone knew what these strange creatures were, or where they came from, Yami would.
Somewhere in Greece, 3 Days 10 hours After Eripus
Lupa:
The Oak forests of old Arcadia were dark and powerful, some trees here had seen the rise and fall of empires, and still they grew taller, deep in the wilderness of the Peloponnese region of Greece. This is where Lupa had tracked her greatest foe, Lycaon.
The forest floor was carpeted in thick mosses leaving her and her pack's footfalls nearly silent as they charged through the forest. The foul scent of Lycaon and his mangy pack of man eaters hung thick in the air of the forest, drawing Lupa and her pack deeper and deeper.
Lycaon had once been a king of these lands; he had long ago been stripped of his throne and cursed by Zeus, forever roaming the world, hungry and alone. But Lycaon wasn't alone, he had his pack and now it seemed that he served a master.
Lupa wasn't a fool, Lycaon wouldn't have dared come back to his old hunting grounds, his old kingdom without some sort of plan in place. The Gods were still strong here, stronger than some halfbreed mutt that's for sure.
When Lupa caught him she was going to rip him apart, painfully and force him to explain what the hell was going on, a feat she had expected to accomplish within a day or so. However, after having chased him for nearly two days across the breadth of Greece.
Lupa knew something was up.
She could smell whatever trap Lycaon was cooking up, but unfortunately for him, Lupa wasn't interested in a drawn out game of cat and mouse anymore. Something felt wrong with her domain, like something dark had arisen within it over the last few days.
Lupa knew of the other beings who were members of her domain, she was an old goddess. She knew that the domain was held by several very powerful ancient beings: Apollo, Leto, herself as well as, of course, the worst one of them all. Umbra, first born of Nyx, Alpha of the Shadow Pack.
Whatever it was that had awoken within the domain it was a dark nightmarish presence and every wolf in her pack seemed distressed by these events. It had been going on for a few days and then just several hours ago it had stopped completely.
At first she had suspected that Umbra himself had woken, which had not happened since the people of the wolf had descended from the steppes to sack rome. She knew that Umbra had been behind it, the Huns revered Wolves, believing that they were descended from them.
Lupa had been unable to stop the horde of barbarians and the fierce Hellhounds that rode with them as they had burned her city to the ground. So she knew the stench of Umbra's presence, and what his rise would mean for the mortal world, and her pups in New Rome.
However, now her domain felt strange, like there was a gaping hole cut in it.
Lupa wasn't sure what it was exactly that Lycaon had done, but she had sensed his presence within her domain of wolves as well, not long after the presence of Umbra had disappeared.
Under normal circumstances Lupa might have brushed it off as Lycaon being nosy like usual, But as of right now she couldn't afford to risk not reacting in time. She wasn't sure what it was he was doing but she wasn't about to let him destroy or corrupt a domain of nature, especially one she held herself.
Those were the circumstances that had led her to chasing Lycaon with such a single minded focus.
Her brief meeting with Artemis had already informed her that the war with Gaea was not progressing well and Lupa knew that soon her and her pack would be called upon to fight the armies of the Earth Mother.
Lycaon needed to be dead before that happened, otherwise Lupa genuinely feared he would continue with whatever machinations he had for her domain, and for the wolves of the world.
Suddenly Lupa and her pack burst into a medium sized clearing, dominated by a large mound of earth at one end. Upon the top of which Stood Lycaon.
"So kind of you to join me Lupa" Lycaon called out with a wide grin on his face. "It's not as if my pack and I have been waiting long, you gave us quite the chase." He said as his fangs flashed in the late evening sun.
"You were a fool to step foot in Greece Lycaon, when I finish with you, you'll wish you had stayed clear of my domain and my pack." The goddess all but snarled in reply.
"Lets see you try it this time you old hag" Lycaon said with a growl as suddenly dozens of werewolves emerged from the forest around her pack. "This grove will be your grave Lupa, and when I'm done with you and your pack, Rome will burn, just as Gaea wants!"
For a moment it was quiet and then the clearing was filled with the fierce sounds of a hundred wolves and werewolves clashing, While their leaders lunged at each other in the middle of the battlefield.
Lupa charged at Lycaon, leaping into the air and changing into her human form as she did so.
She crashed into Lycaon who yelped in surprise as she began to slash at him with her razor sharp claws, driving the werewolf backwards as he tried to stay out of her range.
She drew her spear, lunging to the side to avoid a riposte by Lycaron who blocked her final swing and attempted to lunge in underneath and gut her like a fish.
Several quick thrusts of her spear had driven him backwards, as he now nursed several wounds on his arms and legs. However, Lupa knew they would prove superficial.
Now the two apex predators circled each other warily.
Lupa had a long mane of Auburn hair that reached down to her knees, she wore a set of leather roman armor and carried herself with an air of superiority as she flawlessly executed several attack combinations against Lycaon before throwing the spear at him as he leapt back out of her range.
She was rewarded by a grunt of pain from the werewolf as she launched herself at him instantly, turning back into a large wolf as she did so and batting him across the clearing easily with one paw.
Lycaon bounced off the forest floor before slamming into a tree, but that didn't even seem to faze him as he whipped his head about to look at her and grinned evilly, blood dripping down his chin from a large cut across his face which was rapidly closing.
Reaching up with one hand he ripped her spear free with a grunt of pain, tossing it to the side as he dropped to one knee.
"You can't beat me here Lupa, not with my new friends." he gasped out evilly as suddenly the shadows of the forest seemed to stretch and waver as dozens of massive hellhounds began to move out of them. Their flaming red eyes locked on her pack, who were rapidly being outnumbered by the forces Lycaon had rallied against them.
"How!? You don't command the Shadow Pack" Lupa snarled as the sound of growling began to grow unbearably loud as dozens of Hellhounds joined in all at once, sounding like a hundred chainsaws starting up with a loud rumble..
"I may not command the Shadow Pack, But my mistress commands Umbra, and so the Lord of Wolves was more than willing to lend me enough Hellhounds to finally crush you Lupa." Lycaon grinned and showed off his fangs.
Lycaon staggered to his feet, cracking his neck as he walked away from the ruined tree Lupa had launched him into, the gaping wound in his shoulder knitting shut before her eyes. "Before the sun rises Lupa you will be dead and I will finally have won this little war of ours." Lycaon said in a growl.
"You can't fade me Lycaon, that is if you can even kill me. I'll still come back to end your life mutt" Lupa snarled out as she crouched low, prepared to spring at the werewolf king.
"Ahhh my dearest Lupa, once this battle is done your Olympians have a few hours at best until Gaea crushes them like the insignificant bugs they are '' Lycaon cried out as his fingernails extended slightly like claws. Then he launched himself at Lupa and the battle was on once more.
Lycaon and Lupa crashed at the heads of their respective packs, their battle far too destructive and dangerous for their followers to do anything more than watch or fight amongst themselves.
A series of slashes by Lycaon forced her backwards, as she tried to avoid the incredibly fast and powerful werewolf.
Lycaon howled with glee as he rushed forwards, his claws glinting in the moonlight as he ripped a series of jagged slashes open along Lupa's flank, she was much stronger as a wolf. But not nimble enough to keep up with Lycaon's hybrid form she thought to herself with a grimace as she threw herself away from Lycaon, striking him with her leg as she did and launching him off into the trees.
With a groan she shifted back to her human form, touching her side hesitantly only to find it come away covered in ichor. "Shit…." Lupa muttered to herself as she looked around for Lycaon carefully, holding her hand out as her spear flew back to her from where it lay on the ground.
The sound was horrific as dozens of wolves, werewolves and Hellhounds collided in the middle of the clearing. Blood and fur flying through the air as they began to rip each other apart. Lupa could feel her domain flaring up as hundreds of wolves did battle, the most recent of many clashes which Lupa and Lycaon had taken part of over the Millenia.
Lupa thrust her spear through a werewolf's neck, nearly severing its head in the process as she ripped it clean out the front of its neck. Watching with grim satisfaction as its blood poured out onto the forest floor before it faded away into dust. That's when she noticed that something felt strange within her domain.
It felt like her domain had just woken up, it was humming with power and she could feel a new presence within it, she could hear the cacophony of howling and growls echoing about within the domain as the two packs struggled for supremacy. But Lupa was slowly losing, her pack dwindling as the superior numbers began to overwhelm them.
Lupa was almost lost in her rage at the situation, she bounded from Hellhound to werewolf, slashing and stabbing in a frenzy around her as she Wolf Goddess showed why she was considered the protector of Rome. Lycaon had tricked her, lured her into a trap, knowing she would believe she was the superior fighter. So of course he had found more allies, and now her entire family, the whole pack was going to perish here and at the very least Lupa would ensure their sacrifice wasn't in vain. She was going to end Lycaon and his filthy bloodline once and for all.
In moments she had killed half a dozen of Lycaon's pack, leaving her hands and spear stained with their blood, and yet still more hellhounds were exiting the shadows around the grove as the press of numbers against her began to become overwhelming.
Lycaon stood on the hill watching with a grin on his face as slowly the circle of Hellhounds and werewolves grew tighter around Lupa's pack. Until suddenly they found themselves isolated in the middle of a sea of Hellhounds.
Hundreds of flaming red eyes glaring at them as Lupa panted heavily from the middle of her pack.
"Do you not see how pointless this is Lupa? Just give up… The Lord of Wolves will send me as many of his children as I desire in order for me to see my vengeance through!" Lycaon screamed out in rage as Lupa slashed apart two more Hellhounds who had stepped too close to her pack.
Lupa would have responded had she not been busy dealing with two Werewolves who had leapt past the Hellhounds at her, trying to get to her vulnerable throat. However they clearly hadn't been expecting her to change shape back to her wolf form.
In one instant she grabbed the first werewolf out of the air by its leg with her jaws spinning around and using her claws to slash the other one to ribbons before it made it within five feet of her. All the while shaking her head like she was playing with an oversized toy, the first werewolf howled in pain for a few moments as his leg was shattered, but he faded into inky shadows shortly after Lupa ripped the limb clean off.
Lupa stood, her chest heaving as several trails of Ichor wound their way down her chest and arms from a dozen cuts and scratches that covered her body.
She knew this was a dire situation but for whatever reason she couldn't contact any of the Gods, almost as if there was a barrier of some sorts blocking her.
"No help for you this time Lupa" Lycaon said as he stalked forwards. "My mistress has plans for the Demigods. Even as we speak an army of Titans is marching on the demigods, who are locked in the midst of their petty little war." Lycaon gloated.
"Once they are all dead, there will be no one, and nothing left to stop Gaea's rise. And for helping her I will be greatly rewarded Lupa, Perhaps i'll even take you as my wife. Once you learn a little respect." the king all but spat out in her direction.
"To think that these are the final moments of Lupa, Mother of Rome. To die in Greece knowing that I will return to Italy and watch Rome Burn while you reform in Tartarus. Perhaps ill keep a few of your precious Romans alive as slaves" He mused and began to laugh
The hellhounds and his own werewolves joined in with howls and growls as the entire forest seemed to reverberate with the noise. Lupa was frantic with concern for her pack, the few that were still alive. She knew the situation was hopeless, that she had fallen for the trap hook line and sinker. But she wasn't about to stop hoping for a last minute miracle.
However she hadn't quite been expecting what came next.
At first it was quiet, she had been in control of the domain so long she had long ago gotten used to the noise of the world's wolves howling at the moon each night. So perhaps she had simply gotten used to it, or maybe she drowned it out.
But the voice that rang out clearly over the domain did not seem to have the same mentality or control that she did.
It was faint, but she heard it.
"Shut up…."
However it appeared that she was the only one to hear it as Lycaon and his allies continued to gloat. Lycaon even goes so far as to march right up in front of Lupa and stare her down with a haughty expression on his face as he got into a fighting stance.
"Once last fight Lupa, I'm sure you don't want to give me another reason to gloat by dying on your belly. So fight me!" He roared out as he launched himself at her once more.
The noise of the Hellhounds and Werewolves skyrocketed.
And then the clearing around them exploded.
"I SAID SHUT UP!" A voice roared out across the domain as a blast of energy surged out from around Lycaon and Lupa. Launching both of them away from each other like bullets from a gun.
The ground in the middle of the clearing rippled and cracked as a wave of power roared out from where Lupa and Lycaon had been standing.
Lupa rolled to her side, looking at the chaos around her.
The werewolves were running around in absolute chaos, as were her wolves. The Domain of Wolves was going mad, as if something had seized control of it and was in the midst of shaking the entire thing like a snow globe.
She could feel it flexing, straining to resist whatever power had laid its hands on it. Then almost as if it was a rubber band, the resistance went away. The pressure she had felt within the domain vanished in an instant and she was able to release the breath she had been holding.
However, that wasn't the only development.
All of the Hellhounds, each and every single last one. Was gone.
They had vanished in an instant, which unfortunately for Lycaon had once again turned the tides of battle in Lupa and her pack's favor.
Something he seemed to be keenly aware of as he struggled to get up from the heap of rubble he had created when he slammed into the ground.
"Wh-..NO!" Lycaon screamed in anger as he looked around at his few remaining Werewolves who were stumbling around in confusion. "WHAT DID YOU DO!?" he shouted at Lupa who was equally confused.
The two locked eyes for a moment, and Lupa could see the hate in the eyes of her rival as he turned and ran into the woods, abandoning the remains of his pack to their fate as Lupa's wolves went to work with deadly efficiency on the confused and leaderless foes.
Lupa breathed a sigh of relief as she realized that they were going to win the battle, but she couldn't help but worry. Whatever it was that had invaded her domain, was so powerful it had mentally separated Lycaon and Lupa, somehow picking them out from the thousands of creatures who were associated with the domain.
That kind of power was hard to find, Lupa had to assume it was Umbra, the Lord of Wolves himself who had interfered. Perhaps their battle had woken him from a nap? Lupa was unsure but this was not something she would forget. She had every intention of speaking with Athena and Hera on the topic as those two understood more about the history of the Gods than any others could even hope to.
Lupa wanted to know what had woken within her domain, and more importantly. If whatever it was, was against them or not. However for now, she and her pack needed rest, Lycaon may have escaped but his pack had been thinned substantially. That would have to do for now.
She had to make all haste to Olympus, and warn them of the impending disaster.
Tokyo Japan, 3 Days 10 hours and 38 minutes After Eripus
Ren Takahashi
The tiny ramen shop was crammed full of people, every tiny chair taken up with even more standing in the crowded waiting area as Ren and Akiyama walked right past the line, and instead walked around the corner to the back and behind the counter. Waving at the two mortals who were working the storefront.
The air was thick with mist from the stove tops, and almost immediately Ren felt a sweat break out on her forehead as she looked around the room. Noticing that most of the boys in the room were watching her and Akiyama with more than a few looks of unreserved lust.
Akiyama even went so far as to throw a wink and blow a kiss at the two of them as she walked past. Ren and Akiyama had long ago taken off their masks, since it made them stand out a little too much in public. The mist normally hid their weapons but the Kabuki masks seemed almost completely unaffected by the mist, not that she really cared.
Akiyama had left the boys completely speechless with a simple smile as she walked past. Her bright yellow eyes were equally unnerving and beautiful, but when paired with her petite features and small yet somehow well endowed frame, she was a hit with the boys around Tokyo.
What made matters worse was that Akiyama was a ruthless flirt.
"Down girl, I want food, sake and a talk with Yami… in that order preferably." Ren said with a low growl as she flashed a look over the two boys.
One which clearly said, 'back off or die'.
They seemed to get the message clear enough as they immediately stopped staring at Akiyama's ass and went back to making ramen.
Ren had always enjoyed how intimidating her fathers genetics had made her look, her eyes were a striking blue, but speckled with flakes of amber, and when paired with her hair it gave her a rather striking, if not fierce look she thought to herself happily.
Ren pushed past Akiyama with a shake of her head as she opened the door to the back room and walked inside. Allowing the door to shut behind her and Akiyama if only for a moment, then Ren pulled out a brass key from a pocket in her jacket and fit it into the lock on the inside of the storage room door.
"And where exactly did you get that Ren?" Akiyama asked with a smirk on her face.
"Yami gave it to me…" Ren replied
"Oh so now you're a regular at the illegal Yaoki bar?" Akiyama said jokingly, as she fished a key out of her own pocket and dangled it in the air. "How dare you dishonor the great Onmitsu by associating with demons!" she said in a mock voice of the Shujin, even getting his wheezing disapproval spot on.
Ren chuckled lightly as the doors made a series of weird clicks and whirring sounds before swinging open backwards to reveal a room that was roughly the same size as the Ramen house they had just left.
However, that's where the similarities ended.
Instead of a cheap takeout bar, and a half-dozen tables there was a long single bar, made of oak wood. The bar was split open in the middle to allow passage to the center of the room. Which was dominated by a massive irori, in the middle of which a hearty fire roared away and a collection of pots, and pans bubbled and simmered in the heat.
The rest of the room was decorated with tapestries, weapons, relics and other memorabilia. It told the story of Japan, because Yami had been there to see it all, he may be a Tengu, a Demon or more specifically one of the Yaokai. But once you got to know him he wasn't too bad.
A large figure dominated the area behind the bar, his skin was cherry red, and his traditional Haori seemed like it could barely contain the muscles that strained underneath it. He had a very long nose that stuck perhaps twelve inches out from his face, his eyes were cold and hard, a vivid shade of green so unlike his skin tone.
His hair was black and fell in long sheets down his back, however his most striking feature was the large pair of red wings on his back. If he opened them he probably would have had a wingspan nearly twelve feet wide Ren thought with a grin. Imagining herself flying in the air, above the clouds.
The bar currently had a few customers in it, all of whom were residents of the magical world in some shape or sense. Yet none of them paid the two Oniwaban any mind, likewise Aki and Ren ignored the Yaoki. Asakusa's bar had long been known as a neutral zone, no one fought here, in fact. When you were in here you acted as if you were a simple customer of the great Yami himself, any official business conducted on his premises would be sorted out by the Tengu himself.
The Seven foot long Dao blade on the wall had seen plenty of use, on monsters and men alike, and it was often more than enough of a warning to keep the peace within the restaurant.
"REN! AKI! My favorite customers! What can old Yami do for you today!?" The tengu shouted out almost in joy as he turned to face them and quickly moved over towards the end of the bar. Gesturing for them to pull up seats.
Ren hopped into her seat and just stared at the Tengu intently, who looked at her and matched the glare with equal fierceness for a moment. Then Ren set her arm on the bar, waiting patiently for the Tengu who nodded and grinned, pulling up the sleeve of his Haori as he set his elbow on the edge of the bar opposite her.
'Today's the day you lose, old man" Ren said with a grin as she gripped his hand and flexed her arm, watching the veins in the back of her hand bulge. "And after today I drink for free!" she all but shouted out as she immediately tried to force Yami's hand to the bar.
The Tengu grunted in concentration as his arm bent over backwards at an awkward angle before ever so slowly it moved farther and farther back until they were even once more and Ren was sweating with exertion.
"I thought you said I would lose today, Ren?" Yami said with a wide grin showing off his fangs as Ren muttered dryly under her breath.
Then Yami promptly slammed her hand off the bar in one smooth motion, nearly cracking the wood as Ren jolted to her feet and stared at the Tengu in anger.
"Are you two going to quit this weird ritual you have going on? Or is this going to happen every time we come in here to drink Ren." Akiyama said impatiently as she spun around on the barstool.
Ren and Yami both looked at the demigoddess and laughed, out loud as they clutched at the side of the bar, wiping tears from their eyes.
"Why would I ever stop that?" Yami said with a grin, "The girl reminds me of her father, with the exception that he threw me through the floor of heaven and down to earth the last time i arm wrestled with him" Yami replied with a roar of laughter as Ren giggled away like a madwoman, clutching her ribs.
Yami mimed a plane falling out of the air and an explosion after his comment which event caused Akiyama to snort with laughter if only briefly before she regained her 'decorum' Ren thought miserably, she hated the concept of decorum.
"All right, alright enough messing around. I know you don't come here often, so what brings you around my shop?" Yami asked with an eager grin.
"Well first you know what I want" Ren said with a grin as she looked at Yami.
"Yep one Dragon's Daughter Special coming up" Yami called out with a grin as he walked away.
"And a miso soup!" Akiyama called out loudly as the Yaokai marched over to the firepit humming away merrily to himself.
Within minutes he had returned, with two large bowls filled with simmering broth, one filled with noodles, pork, chicken, vegetables and a healthy splash of chili flakes. The other with seaweed and chunks of tofu.
In addition Yami brought over a large bottle of sake and three small shot glasses which he quickly set down on the bar, pouring three shots of the steaming hot liquid as he lifted his towards the demigods.
Ren and Akiyama picked theirs up, gently touching the china glasses against Yami's as all three of them called out "Kanpai" and downed the piping hot liquid.
Ren enjoyed the gentle burn and the heat that spread through her chest every time she drank the sake Yami made. Which he claimed had at one point been good enough for the gods. Ren couldn't really find it in herself to disagree, the stuff really was Godly.
"Ahhhhhh…" Yami said as he smacked his lips in pleasure, "So what brings you to my bar? Business or pleasure? I know the food and drink is just part of the deal." Yami replied with a fanged grin.
"We ran into some strange creatures, thought they might be cousins of yours" Ren said between mouthfuls of ramen, gulping it down at near inhuman speeds.
"Yea…. The Onmitsu called them Oni, but they were the weirdest Oni I've ever seen. All tan and wearing rags, They only had one eye… plus they were being followed around by a bunch of giant black dogs…" Akiyama said as she watched Ren eat with a mild look of disgust on her face.
Yami looked confused for a moment, turning to Ren as if to ask for clarification but she just shrugged and went back to eating the massive bowl of ramen in front of her.
"So I'm guessing these 'Oni' aren't around for you to ask where they came from?" Yami said with a chuckle, "and you're hoping I can tell you? What do I get out of it?" He asked, and for the first time since they had come in his eyes flashed almost maliciously.
"This" Ren said as she slammed several solid gold coins onto the bar. "But first I want another bowl, and I want you to tell me everything you know about these things" Ren finished as she pushed the bowl away from her and burped loudly. Yami quickly snatched up the coins with a grin.
"Ren, that's disgusting…." Akiyama said as she scrunched her nose up.
"What…. It was good…." Ren said with a half pout as she looked between the Tengu and Aki.
Yami simply burst out laughing and grabbed the bowl away from Ren before walking away, he was only gone for a few moments before he returned with a fresh piping bowl of Ramen. Which Ren eyed hungrily, as well as a book.
"You said they were one-eyed monsters, accompanied by Giant demon dogs who wore rags and had tanned skin." Yami said as he looked between the two of them. Ren just nodded, her mouth to fully of noodle-y goodness to speak.
"Did they speak Japanese?" Yami asked curiously.
"No," Akiyama replied as she sipped her soup. "They spoke some other language, but I didn't recognize it."
"Anything you can remember about what they said?" Yami asked once more as he opened the book.
"Kaloúpi imítheos" Ren said suddenly.
"That's what one of them said to me before, I uh, Dealt with him." Ren finished as politely as she could.
Yami froze, his features twisting somewhere between fear and confusion as he looked at Ren.
"Impossible" he stated flatly as he looked at her.
"Nope I'm pretty sure that's exactly what i said as i blew his fucking head off" Ren replied dryly as she refilled her sake cup and looked at Yami with a level gaze. "Want to tell me why that scared the pants off you Yami?"
Suddenly not only did the Tengu look nervous, he was actually fidgeting. "I don't know what you mean Ren, you just caught me off guard is all"
"Yami, you took payment, you accepted the deal, don't make me bind you to it old friend. Just tell me what you know and I swear it won't come back to you. Not from me.`` Ren said earnestly as she looked at someone she considered a mentor.
Yami had actually known her father, and was the closest she had to a direct connection with Raijin, As such she would never willingly betray the Tengu, and he knew it.
"Alright, ALL OF YOU OUT!" Yami bellowed out as he glared at the other Yaokai who immediately dropped what they were doing and dashed for the exit. Not sparing a second glance at the two young girls in front of the raging demon.
Within a minute the bar was empty save for Yami, Akiyama and Ren.
"That's Greek… Ren" Yami said quietly as he looked around the room nervously. "You said it spoke Greek to you? Here?" he asked almost in a panicked voice.
"Yea, what's the big deal… so he spoke Greek or whatever. He's still dead." Ren said offhandedly as she continued to eat her second bowl of Ramen.
"But he was a monster…. So would that make him a Greek one?" Akiyama said in confusion as Yami turned to her and nodded slowly.
"But how is that even possible?" Akiyama said as she practically jumped from her seat.
"That I can't tell you my little Lotus' ' Yami said sadly as he looked at the two of them, "Though I will give you this back as I cannot truly answer your question. I am bound by an Oath." Yami said quietly as he placed the coins on the bar.
"No, it's okay Yami. Keep it. I got what I needed anyway." Ren said as she grabbed the bowl and slipped down what was left of the broth. Grabbing the bottle of sake as she jumped off her stool and started walking back towards the door.
"Wait Ren- Why can't you tell us? What Oath?" Akiyama said in a rush as she looked at the Tengu.
"I am afraid that powers much greater than me have deemed this knowledge forbidden Akiyama. I would highly advise you and Ren to simply forget about this, it would be wise to not risk your lives over this." Yami said as he slowly turned away from them and looked into the firepit with a far off gaze.
"Too late Yami, you know me" Ren said with a wild grin as she grabbed Akiyama and started dragging her towards the door.
"Indeed, you are every bit your fathers daughter Ren '' Yami said softly as the two demigods crossed the threshold of his magical domain and left him alone in silence.
"Ren, where the hell are you dragging me off to?" Akiyama said angrily as she looked at the daughter of Raijin who had a wild look in her eyes.
"You hear Yami Aki! They're Greeks!" Ren said with an excited giggle.
"The council gave us permission to chase them as far as we needed to in order to determine the threat was dealt with." Ren said as she looked at her best friend knowingly.
"...and some of them got away…" Akiyama said as a small smile started to split her face.
"And since we know that they're Greek, since both of us clearly did well in our ancient history class…. We need to ensure the threat is properly dealt with." Ren finished with a grin.
"Ren… Greece is almost halfway across the world. How do you think we are even going to get there?" Akiyama asked in confusion.
"Well maybe that's something for the council to figure out, when we tell them a bunch of Greek monsters invaded Tokyo '' Ren said with a giggle as she walked towards the door back into the mortal world. Akiyama followed her as she always did.
Ren couldn't deny she was excited, if what Yami had hinted at was true, then there really was a whole world out there for her to explore. A whole world that needed to hear her name scream out across the skies she thought with a grin.
Authors Notes:
Terminology:
Sutōmukōrā = Stormcaller
Ojiisan = Grandfather
Raijin = Japanese God of Thunder and Lighting
Onmitsu = Nine Eldest or most powerful members of the Oniwaban (a council of sorts)
Oniwaban = Elite Ranked Demigods
Niwaban = Standard Ranked Demigods
Shujin = Master
Irori = Large sunken Fireplace for cooking
Tengu = Red Winged Demon in Japanese Folklore, Swordsmen Tricksters.
Kanpai = Sorta like saying Cheers in Japanese.
Kaloúpi imítheos = Die Demigod (in greek)
Okay so I know its a little late, but something came up with work so I was a tad busy and couldn't edit it as fast as i would have liked.
BUT, the new chapter is here now! AND OMG 11k Views and over 100 follows and 80 favs? You guys are too kind! I'm still in awe that people want to read what I write but I'm so glad that you do and as long as you guys want to read it I'll keep writing!
Obviously, wow Japan. Big change. What do you all think of the tie in? I hope I pulled it off okay, I really wanted it to feel like a part of the PJO world in a sense. Just from another perspective obviously.
Secondly, Ren and the Japanese Demigods, what's going on with this whole Onmitsu organization they have going on.
Hopefully you all understood where the Hellhounds went, but if not I'm not going to spell it out any clearer than I did in that chapter.
Also I know there were a lot of Japanese terms and words in this chapter, but it felt wrong to write about Japan and use the English translation for such key titles.
Beyond that I may have over exaggerated, I'll put up the Poll for who Percy ends up with after chapter 21 or 22. I may have miscounted but I'm not quite sure yet hahah!
Hopefully you are all looking forwards to some Percy action, and getting to see what Annabeth, Jason and Piper are up to in Manhattan. IF so stay tuned for the next chapter. As always folks! Until Next time!