Ch. 20
Looking back, I admit I'm a little surprised that no one bothered sending a search party out to sea to look for the peach. Then again, I've yet to meet more than three competent humans in positions of authority.
~
Free at last! Rin flapped her wings harder, increasing her speed. The sunny skies and deep cerulean seas melded together as Rin barreled past, savoring the feeling of unfettered flight. Spiraling in midair, Rin relived what it had been like to tear through the shark's metallic body. Folding her wings, the young half-demon dropped like a stone, relishing the rush of air around her ears and the speed of her fall. At the last second before she hit the waves, Rin spread her wings and pushed upward.
Whoosh!
Rin shot upward like a rocket. Twisting about in mid-air, Rin sped off in the opposite direction from where she had come, ears twitching and nose a-quiver for any sign of danger.
Rin bared her fangs in a savage grin. Danger? Hah, like anything around here could hurt her! Even that metallic shark- whatever the hell that had been- hadn't stood a chance! Let the world throw what it wanted at her! Rin could handle it!
And now, I don't have to worry about James. True, the unexpected could happen, but Rin knew she had left her little brother in good hands. If something did happen, the young half-demon was certain that her strange new companions would protect James until she arrived.
Still, Rin cocked her ears and... yes. They were faint, but Rin could hear the murmur of her companions back on the peach. She couldn't hear what was said exactly, but judging by the pitch of the sound, everyone was calm. Good, but she probably shouldn't go too much farther. All seemed... wait, what was that?
Rin glided on the air currents as she sniffed the salty ocean air. She could smell the peach many miles west, but there was something else. Oil and metal... a ship? Yes, and it was close too.
Wheeling east, Rin followed the scent. Almost immediately, she heard the murmur of men's voices, but no motor. Hmm, the ship must be anchored in place. If that was the case, then there was a greater chance of her being spotted.
Closing her eyes, Rin flew upward directly into the sun. Swiveling her ears, the young half-demon tried to pinpoint exactly where the ship was... there!
Still swathed in sunlight, Rin slowly descended until she was just above the waves. Opening her eyes, Rin was confronted with the red and black sides of a large cargo ship. Above her, she could hear the men's voice's clearly and, as luck would have it, they all seemed grouped in one place.
"Turn it on!"
"It's on! Let me just turn up the volume!"
"Well, hurry up. I don't want to miss this!"
Extending her claws, Rin dug them into the sides of the ship and carefully climbed up until she was just below the deck's railing. Chancing it, the half-demon poked her head over the railing. The ship's crew, roughly fifteen in all, where gathered around a large table on which a radio had been placed. One of the men, presumably the captain, was fiddling with the dials. He grinned in triumph as a voice burst through the static.
"... hard to asses the full extent of the damage caused by the peach. Authorities are asking for any and all available to aid them in the numerous reparations. Meanwhile, the owners of the miraculous fruit, Ms. Sponge Worthington and Ms. Spiker Worthington, have yet to be located. Police believe that they may be attempting to flee the country, as their car was missing from their home along with the money the two had taken in from displaying the peach. Anyone with any information concerning the Worthington's whereabouts are encouraged to come forward immediately.
"In other news...
Rin dropped back out of sight, biting her lip to stifle her laughter. Hah, she had known the damage caused by the peach would be placed fully on Spiker and Sponge's shoulders! Serve them right, too!
Releasing her hold on the ship, Rin allowed herself to drift away from the vessel. The young half-demon waited until she was far enough away not to be spotted before fully extending her wings and darting away. Heading back in the direction of the peach, Rin mulled over the information she had gathered.
So, Spiker and Sponge were gone, were they? Not surprising that they had taken their money and run. Nor was it surprising that neither she nor James had been mentioned. Although, that might not last too long. Sooner or later, someone would remember that Spiker and Sponge had custody of her and James and that would raise some questions.
Rin growled as a new thought occurred to her. If anyone knew where Spiker and Sponge where, she would stake her life it would be their damn lawyer Fred Sanders. Why not? Hadn't the old hags threatened her with legal action more than once during the near-year she and James had lived with them? For all Rin knew, Spiker and Sponge could be running to Sanders now and spinning a story that would shift all the blame for the peach's destruction onto her!
Yes, she could see it now! Spiker and Sponge would claim that Rin had sent the peach on its destructive path through the countryside and then taken advantage of the chaos by kidnapping her poor innocent brother! And who knows where their wild, unmanageable monster of a niece had taken the little boy? Once more, the half-demon would get the blame!
No! No! No, she was not going to let that happen! But if Spiker and Sponge were going to try and get he law on their side, what could she do? True her new friends would vouch for her, but, well, who would believe them? Cruel though it was, Rin knew all too well how most people would react to seeing giant bugs in their midst. If you were different, you were bad. End of story.
As far as Rin was concerned, there was only one solution. She had to contact her uncle and the rest of the Kurosaki bat demons. But how? True, with James safe, she might be able to locate one of the demon communication points, but if her theory about a war was correct, her message might be intercepted. Worse still, if her uncle's enemies learned that she was alone and cut off from the rest of the Kurosaki family, they might try and attack her! Rin shook her head; one half-demon trying to protect her human brother and group of overgrown insects? The odds weren't exactly in her favor in that fight.
Zsst!
Rin jerked to a halt in mid-air, hovering on an air thermal. Was that what she thought it was?
Zssssssst!
The familiar tingle brushed against her skin, stronger this time. Rin growled, angling off to the south. Oh yes, there was another demon demon in the vicinity. Not one of her family, but perhaps this demon was an ally of the Kurosaki family. And if not? Rin grinned, flexing her claws. If not, then she was up for a fight!
ZSSSSSST!
There! Rin darted forward, her eyes juts making out a small hovering smudge in midair. The half-demon opened her mouth, about to screech a war cry, fangs bared for the first attack.
"AHHHHH! Please! Mercy!"
The shape began struggling in midair before suddenly dropping. Rin followed the wiggling shape, her ears twitching at the familiarity of the Japanese language. Ducking under the small shape, Rin felt the furry body land on her back with startled cry.
"Ahhh! Please! I'm sorry! I wasn't running from you, Lady!"
"Who the hell are you? And stop kicking like that unless you want me to drop you!"
From over her shoulder, a small pointed face peered back at her. The creature's amber eyes, ringed by a mask of black fur, were wide with fear.
Rin blinked in surprise. "A tanuki?"
"Yes, yes, and please, if you would tell your uncle I am on my way to-"
"Wait!" Rin cut off the little raccoon demon's babbling. "Who are you and how do you know my uncle?"
The tanuki demon twitched his furry nose in confusion. "You... your lord uncle didn't send you to hunt me down?"
"What are you talking about? And get off me so we can speak properly."
The tanuki hopped off of Rin's back, spreading his massive fluffy tail like a glider. He hovered in mid-air as he explained.
"You are Lord Takashi's niece, are you not? Forgive me, I know of only one half bat demon."
"Yes, that's me. And you are?"
"Minoru. My tribe lives on your uncle's land."
"And what did you do?"
"Nothing! At least, I didn't mean not to do anything! That is-"
"That is WHAT? Stop babbling and start talking sense!"
Minoru gulped. "I thought you had been sent after me for not paying my annual tribute. But I have it with me!" Minoru tapped a small pouch tied about his fat waist. "I swear I was delivering it to your uncle. I just... I needed to obtain it first."
"You hadn't paid your tribute so you decided to scam some unsuspecting humans?" A slow smile spread over Rin's face as she imagined various people handing money over to a demon in disguise.
"Well, sort of," Minoru admitted. "A bit of shape-shifting and they thought I was some old sage giving advice. Heh, early summer tourists are rather simple."
"No matter. But tell me, what's been going on in the Kurosaki territory? Is my family unharmed?"
"You don't know?"
"No. I've had to deal with a family tragedy in England so I... wait. You're on your way to my uncle's manor now?"
"Well..."
"Listen, I need you to deliver a message to my uncle. How quickly can you get to him?"
"Well, I-"
"Answer me!" Rin snarled, her fangs on full display. Minoru yelped, flailing his paws in fear.
"Two days! I can be there in two days!" he cried.
"Good. Now listen carefully because this is extremely important. And I promise you that if you deliver this message, my uncle will not harm a hair on your head."
"He... won't?"
"No. I imagine he'll be very grateful. Maybe even reward you."
"Oh. Yes, well, I don't want to anger his lordship." Minoru reached into his pouch and brought out a parchment and charcoal stick. "What is the message?"
"You must let him know that Rin sent you. Tell him my mother and step-father are dead. They... they were killed in an accident last year."
"What? Last year?"
"Last summer to be precise. No one informed him, then?"
"No. Your uncle had been engaged in battle with a tribe of scorpion demons since mid-summer, but he triumphed over them at the start of spring. I left to gather my annual tribute right after and am only now returning. Late," Minoru added fearfully.
"Ahhh. Well, I assure you that he'll forgive your tardiness once he hears this news."
Minoru nodded and scribbled furiously on the parchment. "Continue, Lady Rin."
"A lawyer named Fred Sanders was placed in charge of my family's affairs. He sent my younger brother James and I to live with my mother's half-sisters whom we had never met. They were nothing but cruel to us and used us as a source of labor while taking the money the government sent them for our care on themselves." Rin paused and added, "
"Let my uncle know that as of yesterday, I have formally disowned them."
Minoru gulped as he noted this. "I certainly shall. Er, where is your brother now? And your au... the women?"
"I know not where Spiker and Sponge- those are the women's names- are, but I've no doubt they'll be trying to find James and I. I don't have time to explain everything, but a benevolent sorcerer gave James and I potion that caused a massive peach to sprout in Spiker and Sponge's backyard. It also turned a group of bugs into... well, they're kind of like me now. Half-human."
Minoru nodded as he wrote down the information. "I take it that's where your brother is?"
"Yes. We're heading for New York City.
"New York City. Understood. I will relay the message as fast as I can, Lady Rin. And I am sorry for your loss." Though he was in mid-air, Minoru managed to execute a small bow. Gratefully, Rin inclined her head in a similar gesture.
"My thanks, Minoru. May the ancestors guide your path and lend you speed."
"And may fortune favor you, Lady Rin Kurosaki." Minoru whirled about and sped away like a tiny furry juggernaut. Rin watched him go before circling about and flying back toward the peach. Already, the half-demon could feel a great weight being lifted from her heart. Two days! In two days, her uncle would be informed of her and James's situation and Rin knew that Lord Takashi would be more than happy to come to her aid!
Heh, let Spiker and Sponge try to have Fred Sanders take James away from her! Let anyone try to harm their new friends! Hell, let all of New York City try and separate the small band from the peach!
Rin was eager to remind them of just how powerful demons were!
~
Knowing Minoru was taking my message to my uncle was when I knew James and I were going to have the help we needed when we got to New York. And I was glad my new friends would have the protection of a demon family too.