Fanfic by Steven Biggs
Chapter Nine – Lost
Friday Afternoon.
Amalla grips the totem tightly, causing the purple glow to erupt once more. Maru's grasp on the woman from Molmol tightens, her nails piercing into her antagonist's flesh. Sweat dripping from her brow, Amalla completes her incantation.
"Spirits of Molmol, return these beings to whence they came! And step on it, already!"
An explosion, as violent as it is violet, shatters the ground. Keitaro is flung backwards through the destroyed foyer, across the common room, and through the dining room door. He crashed into the table and slides off the far end.
Friday Night.
Keitaro opens his eyes. After a few moments, he quickly sits up, and then falls back to the couch as pain shoots through his back. A firm hand presses his left shoulder to prevent him from rising again.
"Please rest, Keitaro, you took a fairly hard fall."
He opens his eyes again and looks to the left.
"Hikari-san?"
The doctor nods her head as she reaches into her bag and lifts out a small bottle.
"Take these pills; they will help ease your pain. You will be fine, as long as you do not exert yourself."
He sits up slowly and takes the pills and a glass of water that Hikari holds out to him. After swallowing the medication, Keitaro looks around. On one of the other chairs is Amalla, her right arm in a cast and a bandage on her right temple. She smiles at him.
"It's good to sees ya up and around, Kaytro.
"A-amalla-san! Are you alright?"
She looks down at her arm and then wags a finger at him.
"Ya is so sweet ta be concerned about me. But, don't worries yourself too much. This little scratch aint nothing! Ya shoulda seen the time I had to tame a group of rabbits. Now THAT was a real challenge!"
Keitaro scratches his nose.
"Uh, yeah."
Amalla stand up and raises her left fist."
"Ya gots that right, Jack! These was huge rabbits! About twelve feet tall at the shoulder, with big tusks and ears as big as truck tires! Their long noses could snap a tree in half!"
He shakes his head.
"Those are elephants, Amalla-san."
She tilts her head.
"Ya aint never seen Molmol rabbits, haves ya?"
Keitaro looks around and spot his aunt.
"Haruka-san, what happened to Maru? Is everyone alright?"
Haruka, standing at the counter with the phone in her hand turns to him.
"Well, it seems that Amalla's spell worked. Literally. The girls were sent back where they came from."
Keitaro stands up.
"What do you mean?"
She rests the receiver in its cradle.
"They seem to have been sent back to the cities where they were born. I just received a phone call from Kitsune. She is in Osaka and will catch the next train back to Hinata-sou in the morning. Shinobu-chan called earlier from Tokyo and should be here soon."
Haruka lights a cigarette and sits on the couch.
"Ishida-san is here because she was born in Hinata City. Su is back in Molmol and is arranging a flight for tomorrow morning. Mutsumi-san and Tama-chan are back on Okinawa. The next flight from there isn't until tomorrow afternoon."
She takes a puff from her cigarette and looks at the table.
"We haven't heard from Naru, Motoko or Kanako yet."
"What about Moe?"
Haruka points to the corner of the room. Leaning against the wall is the mannequin, unmoving and silent. She is wrapped in a blanket, as a human would be to stay warm.
"We found her outside just after the explosion. She seems to have reverted to her doll form. My guess is that she was originally made at Hinata-sou, that's why she is here."
Keitaro hears something in his aunt's voice.
"There's something else. Am I right?"
Haruka nods her head.
"Moe, the doll was damaged in the blast. A hole was burnt through her chest, and some of her internal workings are destroyed."
He smiles and looks hopefully at his aunt.
"Su can fix her when she gets back! She helped her before, right?"
Haruka nods her head.
"I hope so. I know how much she meant to you."
At that moment, the telephone rings. Hikari walks over and answer it. After a few moments, she looks over at Keitaro and raises a thumb.
"It is Narusegawa-san. She is in Yokohama and is wondering if we could wire her some money for the train."
Haruka rises and moves to the phone.
"I'll take care of it."
There is a noise at the front of the inn and everyone looks over. Shinobu steps carefully over the debris while supporting Kanako. Hikari moves quickly to help them.
"Shinobu-chan, where did you find Kanako-chan, and why is she soaking wet?"
"I found her lying at the bottom of the steps near the Tea Shop. She looks exhausted."
Keitaro moves off the couch. They place the girl down and he brings a towel from the closet to dry her off. After a few minutes, she stirs and opens her eyes.
"Oni-chan, I am happy to see you again."
"What happened to you, Kanako-chan" why are you all wet?"
She sits up as Shinobu brings her a glass of tea. Kanako takes a sip and looks at her stepbrother.
"There was a bright purple light. When I could see again, I was falling into the water. It was near the seaside Tea Shop and I swam to the beach."
Amalla stares at her.
"Aint that strange?"
Kanako nods her head.
"It is odd. I fell into the water near where I was born. My first tutor at the orphanage told me that I was born on a ferry in the bay."
Over the next two days, the residents of Hinata-sou return. The only one absent is Motoko.
Sunday Morning.
Hinata-sou is unusually quiet during the morning meal. Keitaro picks at his breakfast, occasionally eating small bites. The telephone rings and Haruka leaves the room to answer it. A minute later, she opens the door and looks a Keitaro.
"It's for you, Keitaro."
He slides his chair back and walks to the door. Haruka places a hand on his shoulder.
"It's Aoyama-san."
As Keitaro moves to the counter and lifts the receiver, Haruka returns to her seat and Naru looks at her.
"What did she want Keitaro for? Is it about Motoko?"
"I don't know. She sounded more formal than usual, though."
About a minute later, they hear Keitaro's footsteps as he rushes up the stairs. All the girls jump up and follow him. As they reach the manager's room, he is already quickly pushing clothes into his backpack. Su jumps over.
"Where is ya going, Keitaro?"
He looks over at them.
"I've been ordered to Kyoto. To the Shinmei School. Aoyama-san demanded to speak to me."
Kitsune steps into the room.
"Did she have any news about Motoko? Is she okay?"
Keitaro shakes his head.
"She didn't say anything else. I'm just to be at the School as soon as possible. And Aoyama-san wants me to go alone."
Shinobu wrings her hands.
"Aaauuuuu! Aoyama-sama must be mad because Motoko-sempai is still missing!"
Keitaro finishes packing his bag and hurries to the stairs while looking at his watch.
"I'll call when I find out what is going on. If I hurry, I think I can make it to the station before the next train leaves."
The girls move to a front window and watch their manager disappear down the stone steps of the inn. Su perches herself on the windowsill and peels a banana.
"Keitaro sounded kinda scared. Does ya think Aoyama is gonna bust him up?
Naru shakes her head.
"I hope not. It is not as if he's to blame for what happened. If anything, it was our fault."
Kanako stares at the empty steps.
"I cannot wait here if Oni-chan is rushing into danger. We must stand by him no matter what!"
Haruka places a firm hand on her shoulder and turns her away from the window.
"I don't even want you to think about following him. With Motoko-chan still missing, we shouldn't go against Aoyama-san's request."
She smiles softly at the girls.
"I know how you feel, but we have to just wait."
Kitsune looks at Su.
"What d'ya say we try to fix Moe up. Keitaro-san had such a sad look on his face whenever he looked at her sitting in the corner."
Su jumps away from the window and heads to her room.
"Goody idea! I'll gets my tool kit!"
Sunday Afternoon.
Keitaro walks up to the main entrance of the Shinmei compound. He stands there for a few moments, awed by the combination of antiquity and mysticism that the school emanates. He is looking at the carved writings next to the entrance when a voice interrupts him.
"Keitaro-san, it is good that you have come quickly."
"Tsuruko-san! You startled me."
Motoko's sister holds the wooden door open and motions inside.
"Please follow me. My mother is awaiting you."
Keitaro scratches his head.
"Uh, yeah. Could you tell me anything? Have you heard from Motoko-chan?"
Tsuruko continues walking.
"My mother will speak with you concerning the reason you have been called here."
He quietly follows her deep into the facility, passing training rooms, meditation areas and small shrines. At the end of a long hallway, Tsuruko pauses at a door. She nods at him and kneels at the door before sliding it open.
"Mother, Keitaro-san has arrived."
Keitaro awkwardly kneels and bows just inside the door. Aoyama motions to pillows around the kotatsu table and speaks.
"Please, be seated."
Tsuruko motions him to the far end of the table and then sits to her mother's left. Keitaro sits stiffly upright, sweat already starting to drip from his temple. Aoyama looks at him for a few seconds before speaking.
"Keitaro-san, we are aware of what transpired at Hinata-sou from your and Haruka-san's explanations. Though I feel the actions taken by everyone to have been ill-conceived, I do not hold you to blame for the consequences. Is there anything else that you can tell us concerning this spirit that calls itself Moe?"
Keitaro thinks for a moment.
"Naru told me that Moe said she has been protecting me for the last ten years or so. Maybe she is like a guardian angel."
Aoyama looks at Tsuruko and nods. Motoko's sister raises her left hand and holds her palm near Keitaro's forehead and slowly lowers it above his chest. She shakes her head.
"He is indeed different than before. This spirit must have shared its energy with him. That would easily explain Keitaro-san's imperviousness to injury, and also why women would react to him so."
Keitaro tilts his head.
"What do you mean how women react to me?"
Aoyama continues.
"Concerning entities such as this, it is natural for women to react in a strong negative manner to perceived female spirits. It is, but not quite, similar to a jealous reaction. Perhaps a perception of rivalry would be a closer approximation."
He nods his head a few times and them drops his chin to his chest.
"I don't get it."
Aoyama lifts a pitcher of tea, but then hesitates. She lowers it and reaches for an earthenware bottle of sake instead. She pours a small glass and slides it across the table to Keitaro.
"You mentioned that the people that comprised the entity called Maru were sent back to the cities of their birth upon separation."
Keitaro sips the sake and nods his head.
"That's right. All of the girls were sent back where they came from. I just don't understand what happened to Motoko-chan. Our tenant records show that she was born here. Where could she be?"
Aoyama looks up and motions to a door to the side of the room. It slides open and a hooded woman enters. She closes the door and moves to the table, kneeling on the pillow to Keitaro's left. He looks at her for a moment.
Tsuruko touches Keitaro's right arm.
"Motoko-san was not actually born in Kyoto. It is listed on her birth certificate because that is the place where the airplane landed."
"Huh?"
Aoyama looks at the young woman.
"My daughter was born while I was traveling back from Sapporo. It was unexpected, as she was not due for another three weeks."
"But, what, I don't understand."
The young woman raises her head and pulls her hood back.
"What she is attempting to explain is that I was born in the air south of Nagoya. After the separation, that is where I appeared."
Keitaro stares at her.
"M-motoko-chan? Wh-wh-what . . ."
She looks at him with sad green eyes. Moe's eyes.
"Urashima, I did not survive."
End of Chapter Nine.