Ch. 24

Like I said, the rest of the day was better in its own way. I didn't get to fight anything else that day, true, but it was nice to feel something like normalcy again.
~

Two sounds woke Rin: voices interspersed with laughter and the soft patter of footsteps moving closer to her. Seated against the wall in a cozy nook of the pit, Rin remained as still as she could with her eyes closed. She could tell by sound of the footsteps that it was Mrs. Ladybug, obviously coming to check on her wound. Rin waited until the maternal insect was bending down over her arm before hissing,

"Sneaking up on a half-demon is hardly the smartest thing to do."

Mrs. Ladybug jumped back with a gasp as Rin stretched and arched her back.

"Goodness, dear, you nearly gave me a heart attack."

"Nearly? Hmm, I must be out of touch." Rin said, scrubbing the side of her face.

"Oh, honestly." Mrs. Ladybug shook her head before stepping closer to the half-demon. "How is your arm?"

"Oh, you mean this?" Rin pulled the handkerchief away from her arm and Mrs. Ladybug gasped in surprised as she took Rin's arm in two of her hands. The deep scratches had vanished completely; in their place was nothing but smooth unblemished skin with nary a sight of blood or infection.

"You're... you're not hurt."

"One of the many advantages of being half-demon," Rin said, pulling her arm back and standing up. "Trust me, I could get stabbed through the stomach and be fine in a few hours."

"Rin, dear, please tell me you haven't been stabbed in the stomach." Mrs. Ladybug pressed a hand to her forehead.

"Not recently."

"Oh for Heaven's sake!"

Rin chose to ignore this last statement, tilting her ears upward. "I take it the weather's still fine, since everyone else is outside?"

"The weather is holding, yes, but I believe Miss Spider and Centipede are out with James. The rest of us are inside. We too needed a bit of a rest."

"Right. I'll go see if Centipede managed to keep us on course. If there is going to be rain, it'll be more difficult to navigate then."

"Very well, dear. We'll probably join you shortly."

Rin climbed up the tunnel, paying closer attention to the sounds above her.

"Gotcha, kid!"

Rin poked her head out of the peach tunnel in time to see Centipede sweep James into his arms. The little boy was laughing as Centipede roughly tickled him, both of them sporting grins brighter than the sun.

"Be careful with him, Centipede!" Miss Spider was watching the duo, though she herself was obviously amused.

"Aww, he's fine. Aren't ya, Jimmy-boy?" Centipede squeezed James to him as James nodded.

"I am, Miss Spider. I promise," James gasped as he leaned into Centipede's arms.

Crouching low, Rin eased herself out of the tunnel, careful not to make a sound as she crept up behind Centipede. Miss Spider caught her eye and nodded slightly, catching onto exactly what the half-demon was planning.

"See?" Centipede set James back down, "no problem. I don't think there's a single thing that can-"

"RAWR!"

"YAAAHH!" Centipede jumped nearly a mile, whirling around as Rin laughed.

"You were saying?"

"Geez, Rin!" Centipede leaned against the peach stem and Miss Spider and James laughed along with the half-demon. "Oh, real funny!"

"I thought so."

"Yeah, I can tell." Centipede shook his head, but couldn't stop himself from grinning. "That was pretty good."

"Is something wrong?" Mr. Grasshopper was half out of the tunnel.

"Just Rin scarin' the life outta me."

"Oh, is that all?" Mr. Grasshopper stepped onto the peach surface, bending down to give Mrs. Ladybug a hand. Behind them, Earthworm slid onto the fuzzy surface, curling himself close by the stem.

"Thanks for your support."

"Is your arm better, Rin?" James asked, looking up at her.

"Of course." Rin shifted her arm, allowing James and the others to view the fully-healed limb. "As I knew it would be."

"My word." Mr. Grasshopper peered through his monocle in amazement. "You were right, my dear. You didn't need a doctor."

"Never have, never will."

"Eh, never say never there, Rinny."

"What did you just call me?" Rin growled, baring her fangs at Centipede.

"What? I can't give you a nickname?"

James laughed, lightly tugging on one of Centipede's hands. "Rin is her nickname."

"Wait, really?"

"Hai, it is."

"So, then, what's your full name? Rinja? Rinka? Rinzu?"

"Isuzu."

There was a short pause.

"Your full name is Isuzu?" Mr. Grasshopper asked.

"It is."

"Eh, how do you get the name 'Rin' from 'Eee-Sue-Zoo?' You sure your name's not really Rinzu?"

Rin brandished her claws.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, hey, I was just joking-" Centipede's words trailed off as Rin knelt and scratched a few symbols onto the peach stem. James smiled in recognition, having seen his sister write her name several times while the gathered bugs viewed the foreign characters for the first time.

"That's how my name is written. I-su-zu. When written this way it means..." Rin sighed. "It means 'the dependable bell.' It's not usual to write my name this way, but that was what my father chose."

"Oh, I get it. So Rin as in ring?"

"More or less, since 'suzu' can mean 'small bell.'"

"Oh, I think it's lovely," Mrs. Ladybug said. "And I think 'Isuzu' suits you well."

"But you prefer to be called Rin, do you not?" Miss Spider asked.

"Hai, I do."

"Rin you shall remain, then," Mr. Grasshopper said with a smile. "Though I agree with Mrs. Ladybug in that your father chose a lovely name for you."

Any reply Rin could come up with was cut off by the sudden disappearance of the sun. The entire group looked up to see heavy clouds had gathered in the sky. Already, the air was growing heavy with the promise of rain and the wind was starting to pick up.

"Oh, boy, so much for passing by the storm," Centipede said, glancing up at the darkening sky.

"Rin." James had grasped Rin's hand and was looking fearfully up at her.

"We'll be okay," Rin assured him. "Seagulls fly through storms all the time and the peach is as good as a house."

"Quite right, my boy," Mr. Grasshopper agreed, laying a hand on James's shoulder. "We've nothing to worry about. And we may even not encounter the thunder and lightning, if we're lucky."

"Too early to tell for sure, but like I said, the seagulls should be able to handle it." Rin gave James a reassuring smile, but she too felt her own resolve weakening. The sudden bad weather, the wind picking up, the rain that was sure to last into the evening... this was all too familiar. James obviously felt the same, as he didn't respond to Mr. Grasshopper's words, but merely tightened his grip on his sister's clawed hand and gave a half-hearted nod.

"Perhaps, we should go inside now," Miss Spider said, putting her own arm around the little boy. "There is no sense in getting caught in the rain."

"Good idea. It is getting rather chilly. No sense in standing around and catching a cold."

Mrs. Ladybug led the way down the peach's tunnel. Rin watched as everyone filed in, taking a moment to feel the wind currents. A small drop of water fell from the sky and landed on her head. A few seconds later, another hit the peach stem.

"Rin!" James was waiting for her. "C'mon."

"Hai, I'm here." Rin jumped down the tunnel and shut the hatch. No sooner had she done so than she could hear a few more drops hitting the top of the peach. Within a minute, the steady pattering of rain, accompanied by the annoyed squawk of the seagulls, was beating a tattoo on the top of the flying fruit.

"Rin?"

"Hai, James-chan?"

James dropped his voice as the two siblings followed the adults into the spacious main room. "The rhino won't come from the storm, will it?"

"No, of course not. Nothing can hurt us in here. I'll make sure of it. I promise."

James wrapped his arms around his sister's waist. "I know. You always do. But, Rin?"

"Hai?"

"It's okay if you want our friends to help you. You don't have to do everything anymore."

Rin blinked in surprise before giving her brother a rueful grin. "Hai, I know. I guess I'm still getting used to that idea, is all. But you know what?"

"What?"

"I'll bet no one else here can start a fire without matches."

James returned his sister's grin. "You're right. You better show them how."

"C'mon, let's go."

"And exactly where are we supposed to build a fire? We don't have a fireplace." As Rin and James joined the group in the main room, Earthworm was indulging in his favorite hobby: finding problems.

"In that." Rin gestured to the metal tub, which was back in its usual place in the middle of the room.

"In what? What's she pointing at? What is she planning on setting on fire? Is she- oh." Earthworm's newest rant was cut off by Rin tapping her claws on the tub as she dragged it into the center of the room. "Oh, well, that makes sense."

"Glad you agree. Now then, do you want a fire or not?"

"Hold, Rin." Mr. Grasshopper studied the ceiling before looking back at the half-demon. "I agree a fire would be ideal, but there is the question of smoke. Unless we opened the hatch, there's no way for any smoke to escape."

"Not necessarily." Rin sniffed at the gathered wood before selecting several thick branches with few leaves.

"These. I know this wood; it burns hot and barely gives off any smoke. And even better, look." Rin snapped a branch, nodding with satisfaction. "Dry, which means it'll burn clean. Azura's doing, most likely, as you need to season wood to get it this way, but I'll take it. So we can keep the hatch closed for now."

"Rin, I must say, that for someone who professes to hate education, you're very skilled."

"I don't hate education," the half-demon replied as she set the branches in the metal tub. "I just hate school. They sure as hell didn't teach me this!"

"And you always said you learned better by yourself," James said. "You know everything about the history of demons and humans."

"Eh, I don't know if I know everything about that, James-chan," Rin said, unable to stop herself from smiling. "But what I do know has helped me quite a bit. Everything I've learned has helped me, actually, including how to start a fire without matches."

"So how are you gonna start the fire?" Centipede asked. "Rub two sticks together?"

"That doesn't work nearly as well as people think it does. I have a better method." Rin pulled her flint shard from her pocket.

"Ah, you are proficient with the flint and tinder method then?"

"The what?" Centipede glanced at Mr. Grasshopper and then back to Rin.

"Watch." James stood next to his sister with a smile. "Rin's good at this."

Kneeling down, Rin struck the flint against the side of the metal tub. Two strikes of the flint was all it took to produce enough sparks to catch on a few of the dried branches. Rin blew softly on them, coaxing the embers to burn and sure enough, bright flames jumped to life, cracking merrily as it tasted the wood.

"There. That should last a good amount of time. But we have plenty of wood, so if it goes out, we can just start another one."

"Hey, that was pretty good. You able to do that too, Grasshopper?"

"Sadly no. I've only heard of the method. As such, we should be thankful that Rin has the experience using flint and tinder."

"You should also be thankful I know how to cook over an open fire." Rin was already retrieving her catch of fish and the glove full of vegetables.

"Perhaps you could show us," Miss Spider said, walking over to stand next to the young half-demon. "I think this is something we should learn."

"Now hold on, you're not planning on cooking over an open flame when we settle in New York, are you?" Earthworm asked.

"Maybe." Rin flashed Earthworm a fanged grin he couldn't see, but certainly sensed, given his indignant expression.

"Of course not," Miss Spider affirmed. "But it is good to start somewhere."

"Well, this will be different than just throwing food in a pot or in an oven."

"Thankfully, I'm sure we can learn plenty of basic household skills once we get to New York. But Miss Spider is right; anything we can learn now will be an advantage. In the meantime, Earthworm, would you mind helping me with the water?"

"What? Oh, yes. I'd like to get myself some dirt anyway."

"I'll set out the plates."

"I can help you, Mrs. Ladybug."

"Thank you, James, dear. You are such a help.

The fire crackled away as everyone set about their tasks. James and Mrs. Ladybug set out utensils, cups, and plates while Mr. Grasshopper and Earthworm distributed the fresh water the group had collected. Meanwhile, Rin showed Centipede and Miss Spider how to spit the fish and vegetables on thin branches and set them over the flames to roast.

"Right through the gills is the best way. And if you wrap a piece of wild onion around it like this, it'll absorb the flavor."

"Now that looks good," Centipede agreed as he watched the fluke's skin start to crisp.

"It will be. Onions are good for seasoning most meats and they're easy to find."

"We will have to remember that," Miss Spider said, following Rin's example with another fish. "Though is is not better to use some kind of seasoning as well?"

"If you can. But unless you want me to strain seawater, we don't really have salt or pepper."

"I think I can be of help there." Smiling, Mrs. Ladybug rummaged about in her purse before pulling out two tiny salt and pepper shakers. She held them out to Rin, who took them with a bemused smile.

"That bag of yours isn't a kitsune-made one, is it?"

"A what?"

"A kitsune bag," James said. "Rin has one, but she's the only one who can pick it up."

"What, that?" Centipede asked, nodding at the tiny pouch tied to Rin's waist.

"Hai, this one." Rin untied the bag and set it on the floor. "Go ahead, try and pick it up."

"Uh-huh, there's a trick to this, right?"

"See for yourself." Rin sprinkled the cooking fish and vegetables with salt and pepper, watching Centipede out of the corner of her eye. Sure enough, he tried to whisk the tiny pouch off the floor with one hand, but stumbled.

"What the- this thing weighs a ton!"

"Not quite," Rin said, turning to face him.

"You have to look really closely at it," James said. "Then you'll see."

There was a brief silence as everyone peered closely at the tiny bag. Then-

"Oh, hey, I see it."

"I say, that is fascinating!"

"Why, I've never seen anything like it."

"Like what? What's happening!"

"That little pouch of yours, it is not truly little, is it?" Miss Spider asked.

"No. It's actually a lot larger, but it just looks small. The idea is that something like that wouldn't be able to hold a lot of gold or valuables, so no use trying to steal it."

"Very clever. And you said it was a 'kitsune' bag, Rin?"

"Made by a kitsune," Rin clarified as she tied the bag back onto her belt. "A fox demon."

"Ahh, sly as a fox indeed," Mr. Grasshopper said with a nod. "And I'm guessing you have more than just a bit of gold in there?"

"Mainly what I managed to take from home before... well, just what I thought we would need."

"And you carry all that around as though it was nothing?" Earthworm asked.

"For me? Not even an issue."

"Well, I certainly have never met a fox demon," Mrs. Ladybug said, looking down at her own red purse.

"Maybe the crocodile tongues helped," James said.

"You're right, dear. That was probably it," Mrs. Ladybug agreed. "It certainly has been a help."

"Well, that should do it." Rin turned the fish and vegetables over on their spits. "And with the salt and pepper, they should be perfect."

And so, by the light of a merrily burning fire, the strange little family shared out a delicious dinner. The fresh fish was all crispy skin and thick flaky flesh that melted on the tongue. The vegetables, too, were hot and crunchy, their flavors blending together perfectly. Accompanied by both fresh cool water and sweet peach juice, no one could have asked for better.

One by one, though, everyone finished and sat back. Mrs. Ladybug had set out a small bowl for everyone to wash their hands in, but Rin had yet to bother. Reason being was that the young half-demon was blissfully gnawing away on her fish's bones and sucking down the marrow within.

"Careful you don't crack a fang there," Centipede joked.

"On a fish bone? Not likely. But if I ever did crack a tooth, I'd just pull it out and have a new one in half a day."

"Seriously?" Centipede shook his head. "Still, guess we'll save on dental bills."

"Something to be grateful for, then."

"We are grateful to have you both here," Miss Spider said, stroking James's hair as he smiled up at her.

"We're happy to be here too. We weren't sure when we would get away from our aunts," James said. "Rin could have left, but she wouldn't."

"Never, James-chan. Not without you."

"And now, lucky us. We got the two best kids in the world," Centipede said.

"Indeed. I don't think the word 'lucky' even does our having Rin and James with us justice."

You sure about that? The words ran through Rin's mind, but she couldn't bring herself to say them. Instead, she merely remarked,

"Considering what could have happened with those crocodile tongues, I'd say we're pretty lucky too."

"Hey, Jimmy, is that Rin-talk for 'I like you?'"

"Yes."

"Hah, knew we'd get you to warm up to us, Rin!"

"Don't push your luck."

"Why? That's what I do best!"

"Well, now, that we know."

"Hey, I've come through fine. There was this one time-"

Outside, the rain continued to fall. Inside the peach, stories were traded back and forth. Rin continued to chew on her fish bones as the adults around her traded gentle banter. James, meanwhile, was slowly falling asleep as the day's events caught up with him. Thankfully, Miss Spider had clearly woven a second blanket for James during the day and she easily wrapped it around him as he rested his head against her shoulder. Mrs. Ladybug contributed a second blanket, folded several times over which served as a pillow. Rin watched as the two gently laid her brother down, allowing him to drift easily into sleep.

"Thank goodness we didn't have to deal with thunder and lightning," Mrs. Ladybug said, gazing fondly at the little boy. "With luck, he won't have another nightmare."

"If you don't mind me asking, Rin, was James prone to nightmares before your..." Mr. Grasshopper paused, looking for the right words. "Before you were sent to live with Spiker and Sponge?"

"Every so often. He's always been a vivid dreamer, but I wouldn't say he had a lot of nightmares when my mother and stepfather were alive. Afterwards, though, it was another story."

"Can't say I'm surprised," Earthworm said softly. "If I'd gone through what you two had, I'd probably never leave my home again."

"We didn't exactly have a choice in the matter," Rin said dryly, wrapping her wings around her body as she leaned against the peach pit wall. "And Spiker and Sponge had no problem making the problem worse, particularly when it came to what they knew scared him."

"Actually, Rin, that's something else we wanted to ask you about."

"Hmm?" Rin sat up a bit straighter, looking at each of the bugs seated close to her. "Nande? What is it?"

"It is... James has mentioned something about a rhino several times," Miss Spider said softly, looking down at James with a worried look. She smiled at the little boy before turning back to Rin. "We are not sure how to ask him about why he is so nervous about such a thing. Perhaps you could tell us why he seems so worried about a rhinoceros."

"Oh, that," Rin sighed. "I guess I should give you the full story."

"Does this involve an actual rhino?" Earthworm asked. "Because if it does-"

"No, nothing like that," Rin answered with a wave of her hand. "It actually has to do with a book."

"A book?"

"Hai, a children's book."

"Oh, this should be good."

Rin tapped a claw against her chin. "I don't know the full details, but from what I do know, this woman who came from our town wrote a children's book. I guess that would have been enough, but from the way my mother and stepfather talked about her, she had been in the Olympics and won quite a few events. My mother said a lot of women were looking up to her."

"And who was this woman?" Mr. Grasshopper asked.

"Oh, I don't remember. I think her first name was Agnes or Agatha or something along those lines, but I don't remember her last name."

"So, an Olympic athlete decided to write books for kids? Sounds like a publicity stunt to me."

"It probably was," Rin agreed. "I think Henry keifu-san said she wanted to "give back" to the community. Like I said, I didn't really pay attention, but the whole town was interested."

"And this book had something to do with a rhino?" Miss Spider asked, running a hand over James's sleeping face.

"Hai. The book was called 'Randy the Rhino's Rainy Day' and it was written for really young kids. James had only just turned four when the book came out and plenty of other people had kids his age, so a lot of parents were excited to buy it." Rin gave a half-hearted chuckle before continuing,

"James-chan was always happy to get new books, so Okaa-san read it to him as soon as they got home from buying it. Or rather, tried to."

"Oh, no, how awful was the book?" Mrs. Ladybug asked, a hand hovering near her mouth.

"Well, the book was about a rhinoceros that got bored because it was raining, so it decided to jump into the sky, create thunder and lighting, and eat the children it scared, so why don't you tell me?"

There was a stunned silence as the adults exchanged shocked glances.

"Let me get this straight," Mr. Grasshopper said slowly. "Someone decided it would be a good idea to write a book about an herbivorous animal going on a supernatural rampage with the explicit purpose of eating children?"

"And it ended with Randy Rhino saying how much he learned to enjoy rainy days and hoped to have another one soon. Oh, and the illustrations looked like something out of a gory fever dream. I'm guessing the author did that herself because I don't think anyone else could have drawn those pictures."

"And James saw all of this?"

"More like half of it. He was terrified and our mother wasn't happy with it either, especially once James started having nightmares. And he wasn't the only one."

"From the sound of it, it sounds like every child who took one look at the awful book would have nightmares," Mrs. Ladybug said. "Goodness, from what you described, Rin, I might have had bad dreams from that."

"My mother did, at least once," Rin said quietly. "And I know some of the other parents did too. My mother had a few of her friends over for tea once and I heard them complaining about it. One of our neighbor's kids even had to get a doctor to give her sleeping pills because of how bad her dreams got."

"Any chance you kept this book?"

"Centipede!"

"What? I'm kinda curious now."

"Well, after the first attempt at reading it went so badly, I offered to scratch it up in front of James, but my step-father said it might be a good idea to put it away where James couldn't find it and see if he wanted to look at it again when he was older. That was before all the nightmares started, of course. After James started having nightmares, Henry keifu-san didn't even consider letting James see the book again. We just hid the stupid thing in the attic and forgot about it. Unfortunately, James found it again about month before..." Rin paused, then added,

"He had another bad dream and Okaa-san decided to just throw the book away. I don't think it's going to be missed."

"Poor boy," Mr. Grasshopper murmured, reaching down to stroke James's hair. "No wonder he was so nervous about the storm."

"There's another reason." Rin averted her eyes, curling a little further into her wings. "The day our parents died, a storm hit out of nowhere. James and I were at home and it got late. I thought they were waiting for the weather to get better before they came home, but..." Rin shook her head. "According to the policemen who gave us the news, a car came out of nowhere and knocked them off a bridge. They never found any of the bodies, so I guess it was like the storm ate them. At least, that's what James started having dreams about after it happened."

Rin started as she felt Miss Spider lay her gloved hand on the half-demon's toughed palm. Centipede followed suit, putting one of his top hands on top on Miss Spider's. Mrs. Ladybug and Mr. Grasshopper moved closer to Rin to add their own hands. Even Earthworm timidly laid the tip of his tail across their joined hands, offering Rin a shy smile as he did. Rin looked up at all of them, feeling her own clawed hand grasping those holding her. For a moment, just a moment, the young half-demon allowed herself to feel the familiar connection between herself and this strange group of creatures that had, for whatever reason, chosen to accept her as they did her little brother. And though it was but a moment in time, Rin knew it was one should would never forget.

The fire crackled, breaking the silence, but Rin couldn't stop the grateful smile from stealing across her face as she pulled her hand back. She twitched her ears, glancing upward as she did.

"Anyway, it sounds like the rain's passed. If anything, it'll be a light drizzle. We should make sure the seagulls didn't veer off course."

"A good idea. Miss Spider, I can take James to his bed."

"Yes, thank you. And Rin, there is still a bed for you close by."

"Arigato desu. I'll... I'll keep it in mind."

"Well, now, that's good to hear," Mr. Grasshopper said as he gently picked James up. "Perhaps you'll get a full night's sleep yet."

Rin scowled and slumped against the wall as Miss Spider and Mr. Grasshopper left with James. "Not this again."

"Oh, now, you did have quite the day. A proper night's sleep would do you good," Mrs. Ladybug said as she started to clear away the dinner plates.

"I slept nearly the whole afternoon. That's good enough."

"You usually stay up nights? You know, since you're a bat and all."

"I don't really have a set schedule. I sleep when I'm tired; it just takes a lot to make me tired."

"And fighting a... what was that thing again?"

"An oni."

"Right, an oni," Earthworm said with a shudder. "Fighting that didn't wear you out enough to sleep more than a few hours?"

"An oni, a match for me?" Rin cackled. "I may be a half-demon, but oni are lower-class brutes at best! I've been fighting demons like them since I was eleven."

"And your mother knew about this?" Mrs. Ladybug asked.

"I'm guessing you told her after you got back from the fight," Centipede said, a knowing grin on his face.

"Pretty much. But I'm sure Okaa-san knew what kind of holiday I was having with my uncle and the rest of my family. Besides, I needed to learn how to fight. And it was a good thing I did."

"Girl's got a point," Centipede said before Mrs. Ladybug or Earthworm could reply. "Learnin' how to handle yourself in a fight is somethin' everyone should learn. I sure did!"

"And yet, it was you who needed to be saved, Commodore." Miss Spider had returned, followed by Mr. Grasshopper.

"Hey, I held my ground. And like I was gonna let Rin here face that thing alone."

Rin ignored Centipede, sitting up to address Miss Spider. "Is James alright?"

"Fast asleep," Miss Spider assured the young half-demon. "And I will be close by him in case he does have a bad dream."

"From the looks of it, he'll sleep through the night," Mr. Grasshopper said. "And hopefully, so will we."

"Don't we need to put the fire out?" Earthworm asked as he started to crawl away from the main room.

"The fire's low; it'll burn out before dawn, so you should be fine. If you need me to start another one, just come get me. I don't mind."

"I think we can last until morning. That should give you time to sleep in."

"Like I said, there's a full moon tomorrow. I plan to sleep through the afternoon and be alert for night flying."

"Unless we run into another disaster."

"You call what happened today a disaster? That was barely an issue."

"We were attacked by a monster and you got badly scratched!"

"I beat the monster and I'm fine now!"

"Alright, you two, that's enough of that." Mrs. Ladybug was shaking her head at the squabbling pair. "I think we all should call it a night."

"Indeed. I take it, Centipede, you and Rin will keep watch?"

"Whaddya think? I'm gonna abandon my post?"

Mr. Grasshopper polished his monocle on his sleeve. "Mr. Centipede," he said coolly. "While I will most certainly question your expertise, I will never question your dedication."

Centipede opened his mouth, considered the words, then grinned. "Oh, well, uh, thanks." With a grin, Centipede actually managed to throw two arms around the passing half-demon's shoulders. "Looks like it's you and me, Rin-girl!"

"You have five seconds to let go of me before I kill you."

"Wow, I am making progress tonight!" Nonetheless, Centipede pulled away from Rin and allowed her to lead the way up toward tunnel.

"Hey, Rin?"

"Hai?"

"Whatever happened to that woman? The one who wrote that book?"

Rin paused, frowning in thought. "I don't know. Like I said, a lot of parents were furious with her and they started to form some kind of protest group, but before they could do anything, she left."

"Left?"

"Hai. She had been living in town, but all at once, she sold her house and left. We never saw her again and the shops in town just got rid of any copies of her book. No one really mentioned her after that. Good thing, really, because if I ever catch her, I'm gonna flay her alive."

"Isuzu!"

"Oh, really, now?" Rin asked, turning to face Mrs. Ladybug.

"The very idea-"

"-is one you need to get used to. All of you should, actually," Rin said, turning to look at the five bugs. "The Kurosaki family is not known for showing mercy to those who cross us and while I can't... officially execute a certain author for scaring my brother, I can't say the same for Spiker and Sponge."

"What?"

"Oh yes. Takashi oji-san will be the one to make the final decision, but I know my uncle. He's not going to let them walk away from what they've done."

"Well, that'll endear us to New York," Earthworm groused. "I'm sure they'll love hearing about how their newest residents stood by while-"

"Unfortunately, I believe Lord Kurosaki will be well within his right to... to execute Spiker and Sponge," Mr. Grasshopper said with a heavy sigh.

"You know of that law?" Rin asked.

"Some."

"Well, I know all of it. Trust me, it helped when dealing with a few particularly nasty ex-neighbors. And yes, if a human directly and knowingly causes harm to a demon's family, said demon family is the one who decides the punishment. And with Spiker and Sponge being my mother's half-sisters, what they've done to James and I would be considered treason against our family. That'll be all my uncle needs to know."

"Still, it just seems..." Mrs. Ladybug couldn't bring herself to finish the sentence.

"Would it not be the same if Spiker and Sponge were sentenced in a human court?" Miss Spider asked.

"I suppose not, but I would far prefer they spend their lives in prison, paying for what they've done."

"As would I," Mr. Grasshopper agreed. "Would Lord Kurosaki take our wishes into consideration, Rin?"

"I've no doubt he'd let you plead your case. But I can't promise he'll agree."

"So we're gonna plead with a demon lord to keep those old hags alive?" Centipede shook his head as he followed Rin back up the tunnel to take his place by the compass. "Wow, now I really have heard everything."

Rin kept silent as she climbed up the tunnel. The young half-demon didn't really care if her new kin wanted Spiker and Sponge sent to jail instead of the grave, but she didn't have the heart to tell them that their fate was already sealed.
************************************************************************************************************************************

In the southern lands of Japan, there is an expanse of forest and meadows few dare to approach. Those who do will quickly hear the rustle of leathery wings and spot several pairs of glowing golden eyes. And should anyone attempt to enter the thick foliage in order to find the heart of the forest, they would quickly be confronted by the owners of said leathery wings and glowing golden eyes. For this is the territory of the Southern Bat Demons, led by Lord Takashi Kurosaki.

Unlike the past humans who once held the title of daimyo, Lord Takashi answered to no one. His law was absolute, his temper was fierce, and his anger was legendary. While the ancient Kurosaki manor at the heart of the forest was shielded by powerful magic, very few actually dared to try and enter Kurosaki territory unless they absolutely had to. Those who were foolish enough to try and challenge Lord Takashi never left Kurosaki territory alive.

Minoru was all too aware of this fact as he was escorted to Lord Takashi's manor. The tanuki tried to stop his teeth from chattering as he followed the two male bat demons to the edge of the barrier. One of them, a one-eyed male named Shigure, reached out to a gnarled tree with a clawed hand and spoke a few words. The tree vanished, revealing a worn path through the dense dark forest. Minoru gulped and followed his escorts down the path, painfully aware that the barrier closed behind him, cutting off any possible escape.

"You seem nervous, tanuki. Perhaps there is more to your story than you are telling us." Shigure had turned to regard Minoru with his one eye.

"No, no, I promise everything I've said is true!" Minoru's voice came out as a panicked squeak. The tanuki glanced up at the other demon, who was a younger male. Said demon merely shrugged, making his wings rustle.

"He can speak his piece in front of Lord Takashi. If he is lying, his Lordship will deal with him personally."

Shigure scowled, but only commented,

"His Lordship is currently holding an open court. I suggest we not make him wait, Hiroshi."

The three demons made their way down the path and within a few minutes, Minoru was standing on the grounds of the fabled Kurosaki manor. Though he had been here several times, the tanuki never failed to be awed by the sheer splendor of said manor. The grounds were well-kept and dotted with trees, flowers, and a few ponds. The entire residence was surrounded by a fenced-in deck that was polished to a high gloss. But the manor's crowning glory was the high pointed roof, designed to resemble folded bat wings. Despite the darkened sky, Minoru could still make out numerous shadowy forms flitting about the roof and darting in and out of the upper levels of the mansion.

As the three ascended the front steps, the front door slid open to reveal a young bat-demon girl holding a basket. She did not speak, but instead held out the basket, which was filled pairs of uwabaki. Shigure, Hiroshi, and Minoru each took a pair of the indoor slippers and slid them onto their feet. The young girl stepped to the side, allowing the three to pass.

The hallway was narrow and dark, lit only by a few candles. Minoru could hear a few whispered voices from behind the occasional door they passed, along with the ever-present rustle of wings. One door was slightly ajar and as they passed, Minoru caught a glimpse of a fresh human skin stretched over a tanning rack. The tanuki gasped, stumbling a bit. The demons inside the room glanced up and hissed laughter at Minoru before slamming the door. Before they did, Minoru saw a row of skulls set upon poles at the end of the room. Wrapped around each poles were the preserved skins of the former bodies of those skulls. Judging by the power he felt radiating from the skulls, Minoru knew they must be the skulls of witches who had tried to challenge the Kurosaki family. The tanuki briefly wondered if the fresh skin also belonged to a witch, but he didn't have to wonder long.

"A foolish man, that one," Hiroshi noted, nodding at the door. "I don't know why he he thought challenging Lord Takashi regarding his tribute was a wise idea, but I can certainly say that his attempting to conceal a firearm was his last foolish act. And my, how he screamed. Not as much as the others in that room did, but he paid for his last foolish act."

"His family will get the message once his skin is prepared," Shigure snorted. "Hopefully," he added with a glare at Minoru, "yours will be spared the same."

"I promise I speak the truth," Minoru insisted. "I came as fast as I could after speaking with Lord Takashi's niece."

Neither Hiroshi nor Shigure responded to Minoru's plea. A moment later, they were standing in front of an ornate wooden door guarded by two other bat demons. Without a word, they pushed the door open, allowing the the small group to enter. As soon as they had passed through, the door was slammed shut and Minoru could only stand and watch the scene before him.

The large room was dark, but warm. While the main source of light were the numerous candles scattered throughout the room, there were also four large braziers with fires crackling away and giving off plenty of heat. Despite this, Minoru could still feel himself shaking as numerous pairs of golden eyes turned to stare at him. The bat demons who made up the court kept to the shadows, seated comfortably on cushioned benches set against the walls. However, the bat demons quickly turned their attention back to the center of the room. Kneeling on a mat and facing a raised bench was a human.

The human- a man dressed in a ceremonial kimono- kept his head bowed. His hair was bound in a topknot and he wore a pair of Kurosaki-loaned uwabaki on his feet. Minoru felt his ears prick up as the man- who was shaking nearly as much as he was- continued to speak.

"... and that is why we have been unable to pay our tribute, my Lord. I promise, I did all I could, but we did not anticipate the blight. We have barely enough food to feed ourselves, let alone sell. I can only ask your forgiveness."

In the silence that followed, Minoru raised his eyes to the opposite side of the room. A large wooden platform, decorated with red velvet cushions, was where the Kurosaki family held court and today, all were present. Minoru immediately spotted the Lady Suzume, who was kneeling on one of the thick cushions. She was garbed in a red and gold kimono and her thick fawn-colored hair was loose around her shoulders. Nestled in her arms was a little bat-demon girl; Minoru knew this was the little princes Sumiko who had recently reached her fifth year. The little girl was watching the scene with half-closed eyes, but her gaze was focused not on the kneeling human, but on Minoru.

Gulping, Minoru turned his attention to the left side of the platform. Seated side by side were Lord Takashi and Lady Suzume's first-born children. Twin males, Kenta and Sosuke were identical in nearly every way, from their long fawn-brown hair, pointed ears and golden eyes down to their identical garb of dark blue haori and black hakama. One of them, however, had a small shamisen strapped to his back; Minoru knew then that must be Sosuke, as he was told the younger of the twins had an aptitude for music.

A low growl interrupted Minoru's thoughts and the tanuki forced himself to turn his eyes to the center of the platform. The kneeling human did not even attempt such an act, only pressing his forehead to the mat as though hoping he could vanish entirely.

"Look to me." The voice that hissed from the top of the platform was soft, but full of steel, like a blade being drawn from its sheath. The human raised his head, forcing himself to look upon the demon who sat above him. Garbed in a black haori and blood-red hakama, his clawed hands resting on his crossed knees, Lord Takashi Kurosaki started down at the human through narrowed golden eyes. Like his wife and children, the Bat Demon Lord's hair was a glossy fawn and while he sported the traditional topknot to show his rank, most of Lord Takashi's hair flowed freely down his back, exposing his long pointed ears. Lord Takashi's sharp angled face, framed by a neatly trimmed goatee, was impassive as he asked,

"You have three sons, do you not?"

"Yes, my Lord."

"And how old are they now?"

"My oldest is eighteen and studying to be a doctor, my second-born is twelve and my youngest is just now six years of age."

"Has your second son shown aptitude for any particular skill?"

"Yes, my Lord. He is showing talent for woodwork."

Lord Takashi nodded. "I will send some of my demons to your home. They will help clear the blight from your fields and plant new crops, as well as bring your family sufficient food. In return, your twelve-year-old son will spend the summer here. He will help with any woodwork and learn as much as my workers are able to teach him. If his work is sufficient, I will not only consider your tribute paid in full, I will see to it that your son is apprenticed to a human woodworker, as well as cover his expenses. However, your son must remain at my manor until the autumn leaves show. Should you or your wife wish to visit him, I will be happy to permit that. But he may not leave. Do you understand?"

"Yes, my Lord," the man said in a choked voice. "Oh, thank you, my Lord. I will be forever grateful to you for this."

Lord Takashi inclined his head slightly in acknowledgement of the man's words. At the same time, a few bat demons emerged from the shadows and gestured for the human to follow them. The man rose, bowed once more, and left with the entourage. Minoru watched them leave the room, the man's head still bowed in relief. The tanuki felt his heart skip a beat when Lord Takashi's voice reached his ears.

"Approach me, tanuki."

"Yes, my Lord," Minoru squeaked out. On shaking legs, the tanuki made his way to the middle of the room, removing the scroll and pouch from his belt. "I bring my tribute and urgent news from your niece."

Takashi started, nodding at his sons. Immediately, Kenta darted forward and snatched both pouch and scroll from Minoru's outstretched paws. The tanuki hunkered down on the mat as the young bat demon approached his father, bowed, and handed both over before resuming his place next to his brother. Takashi hefted the pouch once, nodded in satisfaction and set it aside before unfurling the scroll. Minoru watched as the bat demon's eyes scanned the hastily scrawled kanji, waiting to see how Lord Takashi would react.

He did not have to wait long.

Within seconds, Takashi's golden eyes flashed blood red and anger unlike anything Minoru had ever seen flooded his face. The Lord's fanged mouth opened and a piercing screech echoed throughout the manor before the words exploded from his mouth.

"MY SISTER AND HER HUSBAND ARE DEAD?! DEAD FOR NEARLY A YEAR AND MY NIECE AND HER BROTHER ORPHANED?! AND NO ONE INFORMED ME OF THIS?!"

Before Minoru could blink, the furious bat demon had leapt from his seat and into the middle of the room. His spiked wings flared as he snatched the hapless tanuki from the floor and held him before his rage-filled face.

"SPEAK, TANUKI! WHERE IS MY BROTHER'S CHILD? WHY HAS NO ONE REACHED OUT TO ME?!"

"Please, my Lord, Lady Rin told me everything. She has been caring for her brother and stuck with cruel relatives. She couldn't leave him!"

"Miranda and Henry had relatives?" Lady Suzume's voice was soft, but it was enough to cut through the haze of her mate's anger. Lord Takashi's eyes lost their reddish hue and he let Minoru drop to the floor, but his wings didn't fold and Minoru could still see him shaking with rage. Takashi glared at Minoru before uttering one word,

"Speak."

As quickly as he could, Minoru relayed everything Rin had told him. As he did, low growls and hisses filled the room as each major point came up. Takashi bared his fangs at the mention of the lawyer Fred Sanders, but when Minoru mentioned the names of Spiker and Sponge and how Rin had formally disowned them, a hush fell over the room and despite the heat from the braziers, Minoru would have sworn he felt a distinct chill in the room. As he finished speaking, Minoru could see Lord Takashi's eyes turning back to red. The tanuki braced himself for another outburst, but when Takashi spoke, his voice was as cold and controlled as the stroke of a master swordsman.

"So, despite my sending word to London six months ago that our territory was safe, this lawyer Fred Sanders does not see fit to inform me of neither the deaths of my sister and her husband nor what has become of my dear niece and her brother? And what's more, these so-called sisters of Miranda's have betrayed their own sister's memory to the point where Rin has deemed them worthy of disownment? No," Takashi growled, holding up a clawed hand before suddenly bellowing,

"I WILL NOT ALLOW THIS TO GO UNPUNISHED! BLOOD WILL BE SPILLED FOR THIS!"

Eager growls and hisses, along with the beating of wings, greeted Takashi's words. The bat demon Lord held up a hand and immediately, silence fell upon the room.

"Kenta, Sosuke!"

"Hai, Father!"

The two young males jumped down from the platform and came to stand in front of their father. Takashi looked at each of his sons before issuing his first command.

"You are to leave for New York City immediately. Stay close to the city and be on the lookout for Rin and this peach she described. As soon as you see them, you are to stay with them until I bring the majority of our demons to New York. I will reserve the best rooms I can at one of the finer hotels for you, Rin, her brother and these six... companions. From what Rin tells us, they are to be treated as our kin. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Father. We will do as you command," Souske affirmed with a bow. Kenta bowed as well, but asked,

"Should any humans stand in our way, how should you like us to deal with them?"

"Should anyone- and I do mean anyone- attempt to stand in your way or separate Rin from her brother or our new kin, kill them. If you wish to leave one or two alive, but maimed as an example, I will permit it, but any kind of dissent regarding my ruling must be silenced at once."

Kenta grinned, his long fangs shining by the firelight. "We will see to it, Father. Come, Sosuke."

"Fly strong, my sons," Lady Suzume said as the young princes left the room. "Teach the city of New York what it means to challenge the Kurosaki name." In her arms, Sumiko waved at her brothers. Takashi, meanwhile, was not yet finished.

"Shigure, Hiroshi!"

"Hai, my Lord!" The two males came forward to stand at attention.

"As I said, I will be assembling my forces to fly to New York as well as ensuring our manor still has enough defenders. I hope to leave within the next day, but I have a specific task for you two."

"Whatever it is, we are yours to command, my Lord," Shigure affirmed.

"You two are to fly to England. Find the man named Fred Sanders and bring him to New York. Now, I do not mind if you must... remind of of his place, but I need him alive. Alive and whole. I will be dealing with him personally, just as I will do with those blood-traitors who dare to call themselves kin to my brother's mate!"

"My Lord, we will fetch the the lawyer and rest assured, he will not leave our sight until you arrive." Hiroshi's calm voice was a sharp contrast to Takashi's furious shout, but it had the desired effect. The demon Lord calmed somewhat and nodded at his two soldiers. With a final bow, they swept out of the room to embark on their hunt.

"Hear me now," Takashi said, raising his voice again. "By tomorrow's eve, we will travel to New York City. We will give aid to our kin- both in blood and spirit- and put right what humans have destroyed. We will spill the blood of any who dare to challenge us and show New York the true meaning of fear!"

Amid the eager roars and beating wings, Takashi looked down at Minoru, who was huddled on the mat at his feet. "Rise, tanuki. Minoru, was it?"

"Yes, my Lord," Minoru answered, standing up and gazing at the bat demon's face with trepidation. In a fluid motion, Takashi swept the pouch of gold back down from where he had deposited it and placed the gold-laden sack back in Minoru's paws.

"Return to your home and family, Minoru. For your services here today, not only do I return this gold to you, but you and your immediate kin are exempt from paying tribute for the next twelve years. You have truly proven your worth to the Kurosaki family, Minoru."

"Thank you, my Lord." Minoru bowed as low as he could. "I shall, of course, continue to offer you my services in any way I can. Again, thank you."

Minoru scampered out of the room as fast as his paws could carry him, eager to return home to tell his family the news. Not only had he earned Lord Takashi's gratitude, but now neither he nor his kin would have to worry about being late for tribute for quite some time. Oh, fortune was his today!

Indeed, fortune may have smiled upon Minoru and his tanuki family, but for others it was another story. That night, dark shadows flew over land and sea and across a nearly-full moon. Under the shadow of leathery wings, animals froze in fear and people shuddered in their dreams. Those who were awake when the dark shadows passed over them would remember a feeling of horrible dread, though they would not be able to say why.

Far away yet, New York City, that place where dreams come true, stood in all of its glory. The city never sleeps, so of course, it could not have a nightmare. And yet, unbeknownst to the thousands of people who called New York City home, a nightmare was coming. A nightmare that brought with it creatures of darkness that could make a stalwart police chief or a courageous firefighter fall to their knees in sheer terror.
~

Mind you, I only heard about what happened at my uncle's manor. But like I said, I know my uncle and I knew exactly how he planned to handle our situation.