Hooray for back-to-back updates! This chapter's title was inspired by the theme of Geirin (of the same title, hahaha!). Love this game's OST.
Previously on Sparks...
"Yes, in a basin," said Kotone, regaining the little composure she had lost. "We should get going. We don't want to stay here until dark, after all, when it's most dangerous."
Narumi almost laughed. "Raidou, it's barely noon. What makes you think we won't find that basin before the sun sets?"
Sparks
Chapter 5: The Summoner of Tsukigata
"Something tells me we won't find that basin before the sun sets," said Narumi glumly.
They had been going around the Woods for what already felt like days, though his watch said otherwise. It wasn't that he didn't appreciate nature, but the former military man just couldn't understand why the people of Tsukigata village hadn't cut a clear path towards their chief's home yet. Everything looked the same. The same trees, the same shrubs, the same creepy vines that seemed to follow them around everywhere. For all his and Raidou's and Gouto's expertise in their own fields of knowledge, the Narumi Detective Agency was lost.
"You all right back there, Raidou?" he called, and looked back just in time to see the devil summoner slip. She regained her balance quickly, jumped backward and stabbed something in the air before her as soon as she landed. Whatever Raidou had stabbed, she turned over to the side with her sword, now dripping with violet blood.
"Thank you, Dominion," she said to the demon beside her.
"You are most welcome, Kotone," replied Dominion. "They don't make those Fury order Turdak like they used to. Are you all right? You've been quite clumsy of late."
"I'm all right. In any case, I suspect the Turdak usually prey on villagers, and have become lax in their training," the devil summoner thought aloud.
"Quite possibly," said Dominion. "You must take care not to let that happen to you, Kotone."
Raidou agreed and returned Dominion to his tube. She caught up with Narumi, using one of the enormous leaves in the forest to clean her sword, and said, "You called, boss?"
"Interesting conversation you were having there," he muttered. "Anyway, we've been here for almost an hour. Something's not right."
"I agree," said Gouto, before yelling out, "Show yourself, you trickster!"
Narumi tried not to snicker at the loud meowing Gouto was doing and turned to his assistant. "What did he say, Raidou?"
"A demon is likely the reason why we're lost like this. He's trying to correct the situation, boss."
"Why are you getting in our way?" Gouto continued to shout.
A black and blue flash of light signified their trickster's arrival. It was a High Pixie, clothed in a pretty blue and red kimono, not that Raidou understood nor cared for the semantics of fashion. She appreciated the pretty shimmer of the demon's wings, however, despite how it now reminded her of Jiromaru and bugs.
"Umm, how do I say this," said the High Pixie in its uncertain, high-pitched voice. "I'm helping out a friend?"
"Your helping out a friend is hindering us," said Raidou, finished with admiring her wings. She didn't mind not having to leave the woods immediately—the demons here provided for a good fight every now and then—but she didn't like being led around. "I suggest you stop immediately."
"W-Wait," said the High Pixie, catching Raidou's trigger hand reaching for the gun holster, "you met the girl at the entrance to the Woods, right? Na—I mean, she wanted to warn you that going to that house would be dangerous. That's why I was helping her."
"But you must have known that just getting us lost wouldn't stop us from going through the woods…" Gouto said, groaning in exasperation.
"What's happening?" asked Narumi, staring at the space where the High Pixie should have been.
"That blue-eyed girl is a devil summoner," Raidou whispered to him as Gouto spoke, "or, at the very least, she's persuaded this High Pixie to trick us into going around in circles."
"Either way," Gouto continued, "we're heading to the Tsukigata Mansion. Unless you have any objections, Ms. Fancy Faerie?"
The High Pixie glanced from the stern cat, the girl with the gun, and the man with a lost look on his face. "…Fine, then," she resigned with a helpless sigh. "She didn't say you couldn't go. She just wanted to make you understand that it's dangerous. Please, just understand that about her…"
Before either Raidou could reply, the High Pixie disappeared. Gouto grunted in annoyance. "What was with that faerie? Was she really stalling us because she was worried?"
"The blue-eyed girl did seem very peculiar. And now there is an even greater possibility that she's a summoner."
Gouto shrugged. "Probably. No use pondering it now. We have places to be."
"What's happening now?" Narumi said, with a tone that might have made Raidou wonder if Gouto's irritability was contagious. He hated being out of the loop. At least he could understand things in the hazy Fukorutsubo.
"Let's just go, boss," said Raidou, guiding him forward. Once they stepped out of the cluster of bushes and trees, they were in the clear. Below the cliff on which they stood was a basin with a mansion in its center.
"We're here, Raidou," said Narumi, waving at her hurriedly. "That's the Tsukigata Mansion! We finally made it to Dahn's old homestead."
"Does it call for a celebration, boss?" asked Raidou, checking for the amount of triumph on his face.
Narumi shook his head, however, and carried a grim expression. "…The Tsukigata clan is a family of assassins, right? And we're heading right into the heart of their base…"
Raidou chose not to add how Gouto had mentioned that these assassins used bugs to carry out their missions. It would only unnerve…people. "Don't worry, boss," she said, clutching the tubes on her chest. "You, Gouto, my demons, and I…we're a force to be reckoned with. Not even Sukuna-Hikona could deny that, and he was a deity."
"…Yeah," Narumi said after some thought. "Yeah, we thrashed that little god something fierce. But it's always good to stay on our toes."
"Right."
From above the basin, the Tsukigata Mansion seemed to be named aptly. Up close, Raidou thought it should have been called the Tsukigata Palace. The ramps at the façade led up into the main mansion, and from there one could reach the smaller buildings with little ponds and miniature parks in between. Raidou saw none of this, of course, but Dominion had never been one to lie, so the devil summoner took his descriptions to heart.
When Dominion returned to his tube, Raidou approached Narumi, who seemed to be locked in a staring contest with an almond-eyed servant standing outside the mansion.
"Please leave, strangers," the servant spoke when Raidou was close enough to hear her. "This is the place closest to the heavens. What business have yew at Tsukigata Mansion, home to the chief of Tsukigata Village?"
"We are on a search for a young man named Dahn," the summoner explained. "We were hoping we might find clues as to his whereabouts here."
The almond-eyed servant looked away for just an instant, trying to hide the shocked expression that had taken over her features. And then she looked at them again, the unwelcome line on her mouth set back in its place. "Please leave."
"We're here from the Capital on business," Narumi repeated, taking out the photo Akane had supplied and showing it to the woman. "Looking for this fellow called Dahn, like Raidou said. A little bird told us that this is Dahn's home, so—"
"Ah don't know this Dahn yer referrin' to," said the woman, turning the photo away after catching the slightest glimpse of it. "He's a stranger to me, ah'm afraid. Please leave."
Narumi backed off, as did his apprentice and her cat. When they were out of hearing range, he asked, "You catch that, Raidou?"
His assistant nodded. "She was shocked when we mentioned Dahn. She knows."
Narumi bit his lip in deep thought. "We've gotta provoke her into admitting she knows something, somehow…"
"I know just the thing," said Raidou, whipping out a tube from her chest. With a flash of green light only she and Gouto could see, Lilim hovered over them with an angry pout.
"I hate you, Kotone!"
"Now isn't the time, Lilim," said her devil summoner, waving dismissively again. "We need you to read that old woman's mind."
Lilim glared at her, crossed her arms, and turned her head with a great harrumph.
"All right," said Kotone, holding her hands up in defeat, and continued perfunctorily, "forgive me, Lilim, for returning you to your tube while you were speaking."
"For the umpteenth time!"
"For the umpteenth time."
Lilim narrowed her eyes at Kotone. "Do you mean it?"
"Yes."
"Promise not to do it again?"
Kotone stared at her skeptically. "Lilim, we've known each other since childhood. Given your penchant for chatting and my constant need to be on the alert, you know I cannot promise you anything."
Lilim frowned again, but considered her friend's words and sighed. "Oh, all right, all right. This investigation is taking way too long, anyway. Here I go!"
Narumi felt that ear popping sensation again, but he wasn't taken by surprise this time, having heard Raidou's instructions before she had gone into some silly conversation with her demon. This time, the servant woman's voice was amplified in his head: "Th-That photo…! That's the photo they asked me to take… The picture of the young master… Ah thought ah gave it to the young mistress. Why…" the woman's thoughts were becoming frantic. "Why would these people have the photograph she was carrying?"
Narumi and Raidou met eyes, and then with Gouto. "There's no way she doesn't know Dahn," said the cat. "This is it…!"
"Well, well," said Lilim, pretending to shine her nails with her right thumb, "looks like another job well do–"
"Much appreciated, Lilim," said Kotone, returning her to her tube. She approached the servant glaring at her as though hoping it would stop her in her tracks and cause her to spontaneously combust. "Ma'am," said Raidou, "about the photo my boss tried to show you…"
It seemed to take the almond-eyed servant all her energy not to stomp her feet and thrash about. "Come now!" she nearly screamed, "Who do yew think yew are? Yer irritatin' me! I-If yew don't leave now…ah can't guarantee yer safety!"
Narumi stepped forward. "Whoa, whoa…our safety…? That's not very friendly… If Raidou said something rude, I apologize for the kid. What'd you say to her, Raidou…?"
"I was going to ask about the photo," Raidou whispered, leaning forward. She was beginning to think all the old women in this village were crabby and bitter. Then again, the teachers in her high school weren't very kind about her skipping school to save the Capital, either. "The one she took, boss."
Narumi pulled back and turned to the woman. "Doesn't sound like Raidou did anything wrong to me."
The old woman appeared a little guilty. Raidou wasn't surprised. It wasn't the first time her boss had managed to calm an older woman down with just his tone of voice. Gouto said it was actually because they found him attractive, but she didn't understand the concept of it. She found that Louis attractive, for example, but she certainly wouldn't bend to his will.
"Anyway, I'd kinda like to hear more about this photo myself…" Narumi showed her the photo once more. "You said you don't know the man, right? Yeah, I remember hearing that…so how do you square that with being the one who took this photo? It was you who took it, right?"
"E-Er…No, uh…"
Raidou would applaud her boss if they had a larger audience. He had the old woman cornered. It didn't sound as glorious as it was, but it was a feat. Like she had thought earlier, the old women in this village were terrifying and rude.
"Maybe I should tell you?" Narumi said, with a tilt to the head that added to his excellent delivery, "The cat's out of the bag, I'm afraid."
Gouto smirked. "I am, you know."
The woman fumbled over herself for words. "I-I…I…!"
"What's all this racket…?" an elderly voice called out. It was aged, but stern. Not unlike Councilman Narita's, but this time with real authority.
A balding old man dressed in more slightly more ceremonial clothing than the rest of the villagers emerged from the bushes surrounding the mansion, his hands clasped behind his back; his old age clearly affected him, as evidenced by his slouch. Raidou wondered what he was doing in there, but was distracted by the old woman's gasp and low bow.
"Ch-Chief!"
The old man seemed not to hear the servant and instead cast his gaze on the grown man, the little girl dressed in boy's clothes, and the black cat that stared back at him inquisitively. Running a hand over his scalp, he remarked with perfect standard diction, "Ah…guests from the Capital. I apologize that you had to come so far, but…unfortunately, Dahn Tsukigata isn't here."
Narumi forced his head not to incline the way it did whenever he saw something to take note of, like the way the old man's eyes flashed when he mentioned Dahn's name, or how his features seemed gentle but his eyes were full of distrust and hostility. "Sorry, Chief," he said, "but did I just hear you say Dahn Tsukigata?" he glanced at Raidou. "This really is Dahn's house."
"Yes. I wonder what he's doing so far away from home," replied Raidou.
The Chief watched their exchange with growing aggravation. "I think," he said, "it's best you went home while I'm still smiling. Those in this village who ignore what I, the chief of the Tsukigata clan, tell them… They must be dealt with. I'd hate to have to resort to rough stuff. No matter who that may be. Wouldn't you agree, Devil Summoner from the Capital?"
Scratch that, Raidou thought, choosing not to reply again. All the old people in this village were more hostile than demons themselves. Narumi, too, was shocked, and allowed the Chief to finish.
"Our guests are leaving now." With a clap of his hands, two big, burly men came out of nowhere, like a pair of Orthruses ready to pounce.
Narumi wouldn't understand the reference if his apprentice told him, but he got the message. "This isn't looking good. Let's cool it for now, Raidou."
After leaving the basin with the chief and his guards breathing down their necks, Narumi, Raidou and Gouto temporarily parted ways. Gouto decided to rest in the inn and mourn over the privacy of his notebook, Narumi decided to relax in the Shirahige Hot Springs right beside the inn, and Raidou decided to do a little more investigating.
It was a failure, of course. It was as if the villagers had all disappeared, even the two little girls playing outside earlier. Raidou wondered if there was some demon that plagued them at this certain hour, but she didn't sense or see any dangerous demons loitering outside the Tento Woods. The villagers had just barricaded themselves into their houses, like they just couldn't stand the presence of the ungodly outsiders anymore.
It was a little offensive, but Kotone didn't care much if it was true. She was accustomed to receiving odd looks in school, especially once after the Red Cape incident when Lilim had escaped her tube and followed her to school. It was total chaos, what with Lilim possessing teachers and teaching her classmates the art of seduction and Kotone seemed to be the only one with whom the 'teachers' spoke normally, but thankfully the demoness returned to her tube right before the school authorities called on the Kuzunoha clan for further investigation.
After an hour of searching the village for possible acquaintances (to no avail), Kotone decided to join her ancestor at the inn for a snack. Snack turned out to be early dinner when Narumi arrived, and after a healthy traditional Japanese meal, the three were stuffed. She didn't remember much after that—Narumi said something about missing Miss Asakura, Gouto felt woozy, she felt woozy, Narumi felt woozy, and Raidou thought of how foolish she was for accepting food from a village whose chief had just threatened their lives before her consciousness slipped away completely.
"And do you see the way that maid looks at Nakamura?" Kaya asked, peering at her servants below from the second floor of the Daidouji mansion. "He looks at her the same way when she isn't looking. Don't you think it's sweet, Kotone?"
"I've seen my parents look at each other the same way," said Kotone. "It's love, yes? I suppose one could find it sweet…"
"How did your parents meet?"
"My parents…? They lived in neighboring villages," she answered. "My father was training to be a Devil Summoner and my mother was training to be, well, a wife. There lived a rich young man in my mother's village who wanted my mother's hand, but my mother had seen my father during his errand-running to buy food from their farm and was quite smitten. When the young man could not accept my mother's rejection, he pretended to agree to friendship and invited her family to his home. Her parents accepted because of his wealth, and he drugged them all and kidnapped my mother, saying he would never release her until her parents coerced her into marrying him."
Kaya gasped. The ending to that story stood right next to her, but she liked to pretend she was a normal, giddy schoolgirl who didn't know any better. It made her forget all about the Red Cape incident, but not everything, because then she and Rin never would have met Kotone otherwise. "And what did your father do?"
"As it turns out, my father was smitten as well, which was all well and good for them, so as soon as he heard of the young man's treachery, he set upon the mansion she was held captive in and destroyed the young man."
"...Destroyed him?"
"Oh, yes. He knocked the young man unconscious after a little beating and tied him to a post for the two villages to see, until the young man's relatives claimed him and set him down. Naturally, my mother later accepted my father's proposal, to which the Clan had no objections."
Kaya smiled. "That's very romantic."
"My mother says that, too," said Kotone. The Kuzunoha Council had earlier reminded her that her father's actions were excessive, but she left that part out, as well as the part where her mother nearly died giving birth to her, knowing that would have turned the whole thing into something quite morbid.
"You don't seem very interested at all," said Kaya, noting the nonchalance on her friend's face. "Thanks to you, my curse has been lifted and I can think of things like this freely. I can never thank you enough for that, Kotone. But I'm curious. I see romance in this story, but what do you…?"
Kotone gave Kaya a pleasant smile. No one had ever asked about her thoughts on such a matter before. "A lesson," she replied. "Don't accept a meal from someone when you know they've had intentions for you in the past."
Kaya blinked. "That…is very logical."
"Yes," Kotone nodded, though only those close to her would know the pride in her calm voice. "It is."
It was foolish when her mother had fallen for it, and it was foolish now. Though it shamed Raidou to admit, her mother's case could still be forgiven. The young man had pretended to have no malignant intentions for her. The Tsukigata Village and its people, on the other hand, had openly expressed their hatred and their desire to purge their world of the Devil Summoner from the Capital and her boss and her cat and her friend, that nosy woman with the purple bonnet, and yet she'd accepted the food laid before her because she was hungry. Foolish. Now they were trapped in this dark wooden prison with sacks and dirt for companions with only a dim lamp to serve as light.
Narumi had been blinking in and out of sleep, the effects of the drugs those wretched locals had placed in their food (and most likely his tea) still taking a toll on him. When he saw Raidou awake, though, pinching the bridge of her nose in obvious irritation, his eyes snapped open.
"Hey, mornin'," he said. Raidou inclined her head and stood with an almost unnoticeable wobble. "They got us good…probably mixed some sleeping pills into the food. They knocked us out, then tossed us in the slammer…" He threw his gaze over to the brighter part of the prison where the dim lamp was positioned. Tae was sleeping on the sacks with Gouto beside her. "Tae must have been kidnapped somewhere too and tossed in along with us."
"We did enter the village with her."
"Who would do this to us? And why?" asked Narumi, though Raidou thought the answer was clear enough.
"Please…no more questions." That elderly voice. The Protector of the Capital wasn't surprised. The chief of Tsukigata Village held a lamp that illuminated his tired features. Above the little light they had, Raidou could see every wrinkle on his face. She wondered if he did this to everyone who visited their seemingly quaint village.
"Chief," said Narumi, somewhat unsure of how to act. It ticked him off that he'd fallen for the oldest trick in the book, but he didn't want to sass the old man too much. He liked his head on his shoulders, still. "I knew you didn't think much of us ever since we met at the Tsukigata Mansion, but I didn't peg you as the type to go this far. Is this some kind of practical joke?" The chief narrowed his eyes at Narumi, who continued. "Is it really that big a deal, us looking into this Dahn guy?"
The chief waited a while before he spoke, just to make sure Narumi wouldn't interrupt. "The villagers here hate dogs. We don't like the way you sniff and root around. Consider this your last warning. When I come back, I want your assurance that you'll forget about the Tsukigata. It would be in your best interests to do so."
Without waiting for a reply, the chief exited the way he came, not that they could see where the door was in the darkness.
"We only just got here and we're already in a pretty fix. But I guess we should count ourselves lucky the chief took pity on us," Narumi remarked.
Raidou frowned. It must have been the pride of the Kuzunoha clan, but she didn't like being pitied. She had heard all about how the reeds must bow to the strong winds, how the stubborn tree broke because it forced its own way, but this didn't have to be that sort of situation. And she was a Devil Summoner. All Nue needed to do was ram these wooden bars and they would be free. Granted, that would send most of the building crashing down, but it was better than waiting under this old man's mercy.
It was a good thing Narumi had a different plan, however, because she was about to summon Nue and destroy the place all the same. Ever since that bright light had taken that thing – whatever it was – away from her, she felt more reckless, more like she had to get her own way. Or it could have been all the head trauma that accumulated from walking into doors and slipping on everything.
"Also lucky that this lock pick's a simple padlock. Should be easy enough for me to bust open," said Narumi, pulling something shiny out of his hair. It was a piece of wire. Highly unhygienic, but very effective. Raidou appreciated the presence of her boss even more as he unlocked the door with relative ease. "Hah. Knew I still had it in me. In a way, it's lucky we got tossed in here alongside Tae, too…"
"How was that lucky, boss?" asked Raidou, but Tae's sudden groans interrupted their conversation.
"N-No…" she cried out. "Too many…bugs…"
Raidou shook her head compassionately. She understood such a nightmare.
Narumi collected Tae, who instinctively wrapped her arms around his neck, while Raidou shook Gouto awake and explained the circumstances. The very first Raidou Kuzunoha was extremely disappointed in himself and dismissed his protégée's apologies, finding too much fault in himself and his trivial sulking about his notebook to blame her.
"If you're done," Narumi called from the prison door, "there's no need to leave ourselves sitting ducks for the chief to get back. Let's ditch this place."
"Escaping is a very good idea, boss, but wouldn't they try to capture us in the village again when we go to collect our belongings?"
Narumi shrugged. "I don't imagine that chief'll be too thrilled, but we did come all the way from the Capital. There's no way we're going to up and abandon Ms. Akane's assignment to find Dahn now. And couldn't your demon friends just snatch them up for us?"
"Good idea, boss." Raidou picked up the dim lamp and led the way to the door. It was locked, too, so there was a bit of switching to be done with Raidou carrying Tae instead and Narumi picking locks and thinking of teaching Kotone what he learned in the military and switching back, but they escaped eventually.
The only problem was, as soon as they stepped out of the prison, those already conscious lost their consciousness again.
Kotone resisted the temptation to remove her shoe and throw it at the butterfly wing of a wall before her when she woke again. "The Fukorutsubo," she said with the slightest groan. Forcing herself to stand, she glanced around and saw the others scattered about. She hoped to Yatagarasu that there wasn't going to be another bug waiting at the end of this tunnel.
"Yew fell for it…just like the chief said," said an unfamiliar voice behind her. Standing against the wall that her shoe should have broken was a grey-masked Fukoshi. And not just his mask; his entire ensemble was grey, almost white, a bright contrast against the black of those assassins in Mannen-Cho. "There's no escape once yew've been marked by the Fukoshi of Tsukigata Village!"
As in the Fukorutsubo she had reached through Mannen-Cho, this Fukorutsubo also had two Fukoshi assassins, only in grey. Raidou couldn't really tell the difference between their accents, however. They were all the same to her: opponents she needed to defeat to return to her real mission. She had to take care not to have that thing come out of her again. Her recklessness was beginning to cause her pain.
The second grey-masked Fukoshi who hadn't spoken drew his sword. Raidou Kuzunoha never backed down from a challenge, so the summoner unsheathed hers as well. And then the Fukoshi spoke, "Yer that devil summerner from the Capital, right…? We've heard a lot about yew. Yew met some Fukoshi in the Capital too, didn't yew? They were masks like ours, remember? Though they were a different color…"
"I noticed."
The Fukoshi nodded. "Yew came here because of what those Fukoshi were up to in the Capital, right?"
"That wasn't the primary reason, but—"
"Meaning…yer here to punish us?"
"No," said Raidou, though she wouldn't mind them getting out of the way so she could wake her friends and escape. "We're here on a missing persons case."
"Interesting…" said the first grey-masked Fukoshi, "Seems the infamous devil summerner is more understanding than we figured. What happened in the Capital really wasn't our idea, y'know… Lord Dahn, our young leader, was acting on his own against the Chief's wishes. He attracted a group of the younger Fukoshi to his cause and took the luck locusts to the Capital." The Fukoshi seemed to consider this a cause for panic. "Those luck locusts are forbidden…to bring 'em into the Capital…!"
"Luck locusts…?"
Raidou turned around. "Gouto, you're awake."
"So am I," said Narumi, raising his hand and rubbing his head. Putting his hat back on, he sighed. "Fukorutsubo again, huh? And it looks like Tae's still out like a light…"
"Come on, boss, Gouto," said Raidou, hoping that perhaps their short conversation had changed the minds of the assassins before them. "We're going to leave soon. With Miss Asakura."
"Actually…no," said the grey-masked Fukoshi, and at once Raidou began to think of how she would shoot him and behead his partner at the same time. "Unfortunately, yer gonna have to disappear now. Yew might have beaten Lord Dahn's neophyte's in the Capital, but we're not gonna be that easy. Yer about to see the 8th Fukoshi clan in all its glory, devil summerner… Ah'm not as lenient as our young leader or his followers. We'll send yew on a swim in the River Styx with yer kitty-cat and friends!"
"Whoa," said Narumi, having just picked Tae up again, "I thought we were having a nice little conversation here…?"
"Kotone," Gouto ran to his descendant, clawing at her pant leg in a panic. "These guys are serious! They aim to kill you!"
"I understand," said Raidou, bending into her battle stance. "This should be quick."
"Smug little girl," one of the Fukoshi snorted. "This is what yew get fer sniffin' around the Tsukigata! The penalty is death!"
A sweet scent filled the air. Kotone breathed in and tried not to let a dazed smile reach her lips. It was familiar, yet a fragrance unlike anything she had ever inhaled…
"Kotone!" Gouto shouted, seemingly far away. "You should know this scent. It's…It's one of the first poisons the Kuzunoha clan trains you against!"
"Ah," Raidou mumbled, forcing herself to keep her ready stance. The smell made her want to lie down and rest forever. "They must have improved on it…the effects are so much stronger…"
Gouto stumbled backwards and fell on his kitty rump. "Y…you're right…"
The Fukoshi laughed. He was alone now; or had there only ever been one of him? "Yew smell that sweet smell? Ah scattered some numbin' poison in the Tento Woods. Once yew smell that, yer goose is cooked. Yew won't be able to control yer body none. Just give up and let us kill yew, Devil Summerner."
It was tempting to nod off and just rest, but from the corner of her eye Raidou could see Narumi doing his best to stay on his feet and keep Tae from falling from his arms. The scent proved too strong, however, and Narumi fell to his knees and set a still unconscious Tae down before attempting to fight against the effects of the poison himself.
"No," said Raidou Kuzunoha the 14th, hardening her grip on her blade. "The Capital needs my protection."
The Fukoshi shook his head in disappointment. "It's yer funeral. Well now…I'll leave yew a boat to get across the Sanzu River with." He put his gloved fingers to his lips and let out a familiar ear-piercing whistle. "Come, Jiromaru!"
Again, there was a loud screeching as one of the pores falling from the webbed sky expanded and grew brighter as each second passed, until right before Raidou there was a grasshopper twice or thrice the size of their prison and it was roaring right in her face.
Kotone gingerly wiped off the saliva that had splattered on her face with her sleeve, resisting the childish urge to cry. Her hatred for bugs was something no Japanese word could encapsulate. Especially for bugs named Jiromaru.
"Not again…" she muttered, her head still spinning. With a swing of its steel arm, Jiromaru sent Raidou flying across the Fukorutsubo and into one of the butterfly wings. She needed something to wake her up. The poison was so powerful…
Tae had just the thing.
"AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!"
Raidou jolted upright, suddenly forgetting about her aching back. "Miss Asakura?" To her left, Tae had finally awoken. Unfortunately, at the hideous sight of Jiromaru, all she could do was shriek, and then she fainted again. Understandable.
Gathering all that was left in her, the summoner stood and reached for a tube. "Pyro Jack!"
"Hee-ho!" said the little demon, swinging its lantern about. "This hee-bug again, Ko-ho-ne? I ho-thought you hated bugs, hee!"
"I do," Raidou replied, struggling to speak without a slur, "but you…don't, do you, Pyro Jack? …I don't believe this is the same Jiromaru who…who cried and ran away from us, but it may have the same…weakness. Set it on fire for me…would you, please?"
"My plee-heasure, Ko-ho-ne!" Pyro Jack grinned. He flew around Jiromaru, irritating the bug to the point that it tried to swat him away like a fly (ironic, Narumi thought with the energy he had left as he crawled over to Tae), but before it could reach him, the demon inhaled deeply, put his lantern to his face, and blew as hard as he could.
Jiromaru screeched and covered its head with its steel arms, giving Raidou the chance to attack, but as soon as she raised her sword against the bug, the sweet scent in the air intensified and she froze.
"Ko-ho-ne?" Pyro Jack whizzed around her curiously. "What's hee-happening, Ko-ho-ne?"
"I…I can't move," said Raidou, straining to even speak. "Jack, return…return to your tube."
"But Ko-ho-ne—"
"Be obedient now…Jack," she ordered, and with a reluctant squeak, Pyro Jack returned to his tube.
"Raidou!" Narumi called out, frozen in his spot as well, "What is this…?"
"I don't…"
Raidou could only widen her eyes as Jiromaru uncovered its head and flew into the air. She forced her body to move, at least to the side where the impact would be lessened, but she was truly frozen to her spot. Jiromaru swept down and kicked her with one of its hind arms, crushing her beneath its slimy body. She could barely breathe, and Jiromaru bobbed its antennae together at her, its face opening and its pincers snapping like jaws…
Gouto and Narumi shook their heads in horror, and that was as far as they were able to move.
"Raidou!"
"Kotone!"
Light. Like a sudden camera flash. Flash, flash flash… Like a thousand camera flashes.
Kotone felt the hard ground under her cap, back, and knees. This felt familiar. Only now she could feel her cape under her hand. Her throat was still dry, however.
The flashes subsided, leaving the sound of noisy crickets in their wake. Somehow she knew that that would subside, too, though a high-pitched yee would stay stuck in her skull. This time she couldn't ignore it and stayed on the ground.
She didn't need to look up from her position on the ground to know she was in that world with the soundless, blazing storm again with the swirls on the ground and the spheres with the eyes in the sky, but she did anyway. She'd had this feeling it was that place even before she opened her eyes. It reminded her of when she had handled her first sword, and the hilt seemed foreign, at first…but the next time she held it in her eight-year old hands, it seemed to just fit. Not perfectly, and the angles of her hand and fingers were still wrong in some ways, but it fit.
Kotone had a strange feeling this was going to become a routine.
When she accepted this, the noise in her skull softened. Kotone stood and saw the air beneath her feet ripple like waves, leading to something further out, further…behind her. There was that presence again, and again her sword sheath and holster were empty.
It wasn't her anymore. The presence, that was. It was a man with long, white hair, a black overcoat, white trousers, and black boots. The presence appeared to be different, but when she sensed it, it was still the same…thing. Whatever it or she or he was. And it still wore the mask. That mask – it registered in the back of her mind, because at the moment all this place would allow her to think of was the figure before her – it was that watermelon mask the people of a certain village treasured greatly. Tsukigata Village, her mind suddenly recalled. The events prior to her arrival here returned to her in that moment, but she knew there was nothing she could do to leave this place.
The world pulsated like the last beats of a dying heart when the man began to speak. He was old, judging by his voice, but still strong. "You who play the role of Raidou and witness this spectacle…" he started, "Worry not. This is the first time you have met me in this form, but in the process, I have met you twice. You will witness the mask I wear worshiped as an incarnation of myself…and soon after, you will have the good fortune to meet with a trustworthy compatriot."
Kotone could only nod as the old man paused. His shoulders slumped, but so little that she had barely seen it. "It seems that in theory," he continued, "the day of misfortune cannot be avoided. If you have witnessed this spectacle, the theory is bound to be proven. However, someday you will go through the process of being a living witness along with the others. There will come a day when this world is overcome by misfortune. You will bear witness to this."
Kotone frowned. The presence was at it again, and speaking of misfortune…
"It is an ironic theory," said the man, "but casting people down into the abyss…even the day of misfortune itself…is an action born of hope. I ask that you not despair at the difficult contradiction espoused in this theory. Think of this mask's 'sorrowful' face as the combined feelings of the people. Your determination to be Raidou is already a beacon of hope. Your actions are hope… Kotone."
The storm blazed on. A flash of white, and then black again.
Kotone felt dizzy to the point of desiring to vomit, but she held back. On one hand, her throat was no longer dry. On the other, her face was moist and there was a great rumbling noise in the background that disturbed her greatly.
"OH! SUMMONER AWAKE NOW!"
Kotone groaned and realized that the reason why her face was so moist and why there was a rumbling sound was because Nue was licking it repeatedly, and because the poor beast was crying. It touched her, though it did seem somewhat ridiculous. Did monkeys even lick their own kind? The demon really was starting to become her own pet dog. But never mind that; how had he gotten out of his tube?
"Nue…" she managed to speak, and pushed the chimera off her. "How did you get out of your tube?"
"OUR FRIENDS HELP. I SAY I CHECK KOTONE'S CONDITION FOR US. SHEER FORCE OF WILL!"
Ah, sheer force of will. Lilim had done that before, but she never expected Nue to be able to come up with it himself. "All right," she said, wiping her face with her cape, "thank you, Nue."
The events in the world with the blazing storm and the Fukorutsubo muddled her thoughts and threw off her equilibrium, but with Nue's help she was able to stand. Before her was Narumi, now carrying Tae, and Gouto at his feet. They were back at the entrance of the Tento Woods, beside that supply cabin which she now realized was their prison not too long ago.
Narumi and Gouto were watching something before them. She moved to the right to see and caught sight of the two grey-masked Fukoshi she had seen earlier (so there were two of them) dismissing that evil bug Jiromaru, who seemed to sneer at her and snap its pincers again when it saw her awake. Her companions noticed this and whirled.
"Where have you been?" Narumi asked, giving her a quick glance to check for wounds.
"You disappeared right before Jiromaru could crush you completely," said Gouto. "You woke her, Nue?"
"I WAKE HER, KITTY, YES!"
"I…I was where I was before." Upon receiving even more confused looks from her two mentors, Kotone gave a slight wave. "I will explain another time. What happened?"
"That old man over there," said Narumi, pointing ahead, "he—"
"Yer one lucky skunk, little miss Devil Summerner," said one of the grey-masked Fukoshi, approaching her. After tilting his head curiously at Nue, he waved his arm. Kotone's vision blurred again, and then the Fukoshi disappeared before Nue could snarl at them.
"I'm still confused," said Kotone, the pain from being crushed under a gigantic bug catching up with her body, until she heard the chrl-thopp of boots against the ground and looked up to see long white hair, a black overcoat, white trousers, and black boots. She recognized him as the man from that world with the blazing storm, but without the mask. He was truly old. Now, what had that presence said about meeting a compatriot…?
Kotone wasn't given the chance to remember, because the old man began to speak, appraising her from behind his words. "I heard there'd been a commotion at the Tento Woods this morning, so I came to see. They told me you'd be coming: a black-caped student, come to stand against the Fukoshi. You are…the renowned Raidou Kuzunoha?"
"I am, indeed," answered the Great Summoner, giving a sort of uneven bow. Her stomach hurt especially. Truly a devoted pet, Nue noticed her flinch ever so slightly and nuzzled his soft head against where it hurt.
"…The Fukorutsubo spell is broken," said the old man, eyeing Nue. Raidou could tell he was a real man and not the presence in that odd world. "You needn't worry anymore."
Kotone nodded, but she still felt better with Nue around and kept her hand on his head.
"Raidou," said Narumi, mistaking her hand on Nue's invisible head as her preparing to reach for her revolver, "this man saved me and Tae. He even talked to the Fukoshi for us…he's not the enemy."
"I know, boss," said Raidou, looking back at the man and sensing his power. Was he a Devil Summoner? He could see Nue, but then so could the Fukoshi. "Thank you, sir."
When the old man inclined his head in acknowledgement, the blue-eyed girl appeared, still twirling a strand of her chest-length, ebony hair.
"Hey," Narumi said upon seeing her, "you're the girl we saw earlier."
"This was within the bounds of my conjecture," said the girl, "Although…well, I apologize for sounding rude, but you seem rather less impressive than the rumors preceding you. Are you really the Capital's summoner?"
"RAIDOU GREAT SUMMONER. RAIDOU GREATEST SUMMONER. YOU DOUBT RAIDOU? FOOLISH GIRL!" Nue roared, snapping his teeth at her. His eyes narrowed to angry slits and his snake tail hissed angrily.
"Now, now, Nue," said Raidou, rubbing his head and giving him a little shush. "It isn't wrong to express one's opinion." An opinion, clearly, that was misguided to the point of being wrong. And it seemed that everyone in this village was rude, though the white-haired old man seemed to be an exception. Raidou met the girl's eyes again. "However, I suggest you attempt fighting a Jiromaru after inhaling ounces of numbing poison before forming your next opinion."
Having taken a tiny step backward at Nue's enraged outcry, the girl regained her composure and her icy eyes returned to their normal size. "Very well."
Narumi glanced between the girl, Raidou, and the space she was patting with her hand. Nue, she had said. That was the beast, right? He wondered what it had said; the blue-eyed girl had seemed surprised, while the old man was fairly amused, judging by the smirk on his lips. The detective cleared his throat. "I see you've already heard of Raidou here…but how?"
The old man adjusted his collar. Narumi did think it was a bit too tight. "My name is Geirin Kuzunoha," he said. "I am one of the Four Great Summoners."
"One of the four…" Narumi nodded. "You're a Devil Summoner too?"
"I am, yes. Geirin Kuzunoha the 17th, to be precise."
"Geirin Kuzunoha the 17th…" Gouto repeated. "The highly skilled Summoner who underwent advanced training in America – I've heard of you. So you're that Geirin."
"I am Nagi," said the blue-eyed girl. "I would be honored if you would remember my name alongside my Master's."
"Now then," Geirin spoke immediately after his pupil finished. "I know you may still be somewhat drowsy, but I have some questions for Raidou. Foremost among them being, why is the Capital's protector out here in Tsukigata Village? I would like to know what process brought you here…"
Raidou wondered what stance she should take with Geirin. Age demanded respect, obviously, but they were equals as two of the Four Great Summoners. He could demand nothing of her, and neither could she of him. "As I explained to those Fukoshi earlier, we are on a missing persons case. A lady by the name of Akane Narita hired us to find Dahn, whom we have come to believe, through our investigations, is the son of the chief of the Tsukigata Village. Although," she turned to Narumi, "I'm beginning to understand why the servants may be inclined to deny Dahn's existence, boss. The grey-masked Fukoshi mentioned that 'Lord' Dahn went against the Chief's wishes."
"Ah," Narumi said, shifting Tae's weight to his other arm, "Dishonor and all that. I get it."
Geirin cleared his throat, reminding the Narumi Detective Agency of his presence. "You were hired by this Akane, and the process of your investigation has led you to Tsukigata Mansion. What a strange theory…it connects the Capital to Tsukigata Village." The white-haired summoner nodded. "I see…Nagi."
"Your request is already within the bounds of my conjecture," said Nagi, who approached Narumi. "I will tend to the fainted woman."
Narumi held on to 'the fainted woman' protectively. "Her name is Tae."
"An excellent conjecture, Nagi," said Geirin. "The Fukuroku Inn should suffice."
Nagi reached out for Tae. Narumi took a step back. "Uh…no..."
Gouto rolled his eyes. "Tell him to give the dame up. I think we can trust a Great Summoner like us."
Raidou tilted her head in Narumi's direction, though she kept her eyes on Gouto. "Boss, Nagi will take care of Miss Asakura. Like you said, these people aren't the enemy. To assure you of her safety… Nue will accompany them, won't you, Nue?"
"OKAY."
"Here." Narumi willingly passed Tae on to Raidou, but nearly jumped when the devil summoner passed his friend into an empty space. It was an empty space that turned out to be a demon's arms, however, and though the sight of Tae floating around in the air unnerved Narumi, it was better than having a complete stranger carry her.
"Be polite, Nue," Raidou commanded. "And make sure no harm comes to Miss Asakura."
"NUE KNOWS MANNERS. NO HARM WILL COME TO SLEEPING LADY."
There was some offense to be taken from a man preferring his woman in the care of a demon he couldn't even see to hers, but Nagi didn't take it as much as she could have. Neither of them knew it, but like the teenager before her, she was accustomed to ostracism and cared not for the strange stares and mistrust of others. Before leaving with Nue and the fainted woman, Tae, she said to Raidou Kuzunoha the 14th, "My master Geirin is here, so you can safely return to the Capital. In theory, it isn't proper to have two Great Summoners in one region."
Gouto noticed Geirin's already pallid features further lose color. "Nagi," he said, more sternly than before, "there is a time to speak and a time to act. Which are you, theoretically, supposed to be doing right now?"
Nagi's shoulders slumped immediately. "M-My apologies," she said, bowing to her Master. "Uhm…please forgive me. I will take the lady and the demon to Fukuroku Inn at once."
Nue's red eyes stretched into lines. He stifled his snicker, remembering his summoner's order to be polite, but his snake tail couldn't help but hiss in amusement as he followed the pale girl out of the Woods.
Geirin turned to the three left in his company. "You will forgive my pupil. I have not curbed her habit of speaking out of turn."
"Oh, we understand. Teenage girls and all that," said Narumi, thinking back on the times that Kotone talked back to him. He didn't actually mind it all that much; at least he knew she was using her brain. Gouto's comments, on the other hand… He would have asked if his statement made him sound old, but this Geirin didn't seem like the type of person who laughed. Or even smiled.
"Yes," said Geirin humorlessly, true to Narumi's suspicions. "Now, please come with me. I will arrange a meeting with the head of the Tsukigata family."
Raidou hadn't changed her mind about the Tsukigata Mansion. It really should have been called a palace. Now that they were allowed entry inside, she could see that everything was as Dominion had described, though she'd only caught a glimpse of the little gardens and ponds on their way to the Chief's office. The room was small compared to the rest of the estate, but even then the rare scent of ripe nashi pears spread around the place gave it a grand feel.
"…So that is the process, Akijiro," said Geirin, who had brought them to the chief to explain their peaceful intentions. "I believe that my fellow Devil Summoner's wishes, in theory, should be met."
Akijiro Tsukigata, the chief, ran another hand over his bald head. "This…is all rather serious to deal with in the morning. You came at an unlucky time…"
Narumi thought waking up after being drugged and imprisoned wasn't something he liked to deal with in the morning, but he'd had to anyway. And he kept that thought to himself.
Akijiro continued. "Under normal circumstances, as elder of Tsukigata Village and chief of the 8th Fukoshi clan, I would never acknowledge the disgrace of a fellow Fukoshi, even should the world turn upside down. But with Geirin here, head bowed…how can I refuse such a request?"
To Narumi and Raidou, he said, "You're lucky to know our Geirin, guests from the Capital, and that's the truth. Now then. Narumi, was it? I can guess at what brought you here." He took out the photo that Narumi had presented at the start of Geirin's explanation. "The girl who hired you to find this man. Her name was Akane, yes?"
Narumi crossed his arms. "Huh. Pretty sure none of us told you that, Chief. How'd you know?"
By the sad expression on his face and the way his wrinkles creased deeper, Gouto knew Akijiro had just withheld a sigh. "When I heard a detective from the Capital had come here, I knew it could mean nothing good, but…That Akane…doing this without my permission…"
"So, sir, you do know Miss Akane Narita," said Raidou, leaning against the table in a more than unladylike manner. Narumi wondered if Geirin expected him to scold his assistant for speaking out of turn in an adults' conversation, but Raidou was free to express her thoughts so long as they helped the investigation, in his opinion. And Geirin had seemed to consider her words as opposed to Nagi's for her position as a Great Summoner.
Akijiro didn't seem to mind her speaking, either. "Narita…? Don't buy into that nonsense," the chief scoffed. "She's my daughter, make no mistake. The pure blood of a Tsukigata runs through her veins… Do I know Akane Tsukigata? As well as I'd know any woman who grew up in my household."
Narumi repeated that in his head. "Akane…Tsukigata?"
"That explains the chaotic curls," said Raidou, and explained further upon receiving curious glances. "Dahn and Miss Akane…they have the same hair. I had wondered if it was coincidence."
"Yes…Dahn." Akijiro finally released his sigh. "Just like Akane, he hails from this household. My good-for-nothing son… They are siblings, yes. Blood relations. The Dahn you're looking for…he's Akane's older brother."
"Well, now, that's a shocker." Narumi met eyes with Gouto and Raidou, checking if they were as surprised as he was. In retrospect, it should have been obvious – young mistress and young master? How could that have gotten by him? "Dahn and Akane, both Tsukigatas, and brother and sister to boot… This looks like the tip of one big iceberg. You still with us, Raidou?"
"Of course, boss."
Having been prowling around during Geirin's explanation, Gouto jumped into Raidou's arms. "What this all boils down to is that Akane hired us to find her brother. But to think a dame as calm and gentle as she seemed… How could she be a daughter of the Tsukigata clan? How could she have an assassin's blood…?"
Narumi and Akijiro exchanged clueless glances, though the chief didn't seem as interested to hear what the cat had to say. The former asked, "Care to share, Raidou?"
"Gouto was expressing his shock about how delicate Miss Akane could have hailed from a clan of assassins."
"Hmm." Geirin nodded in agreement. "In theory, it would seem…outrageous."
"Right," said Narumi. "If you wouldn't mind, Akijiro…why would Akane give us a phony name?"
Akijiro hesitated. "There is…a reason why Akane had to remain outside of Tsukigata Village and hide her identity for now. It's the same reason I can't keep Akane where I can see her. She's staying with a relative right now – a Mr. Narita, in the Capital. You see, if Dahn finds Akane, he'll probably try to shelter her…"
"Shelter her?" Narumi quirked a brow. "From what?"
The chief looked like he would rather fasten his lips together than speak any further, but he answered anyway. "What Dahn wants to do is to stop Akane's Marriage Ritual."
"Miss Akane is getting married?" asked Raidou.
"Well, that's good, right?" Narumi added, "I don't quite get what all this 'sheltering' malarkey is about. Is there some sort of problem with the arrangements? For instance, maybe Dahn's not too keen on his sister's fiancé?"
Raidou would have offered to fasten the chief's lips together out of pity. The very thought of this entire ordeal seemed to destroy his spirits. She didn't, however, when she remembered his orders to kill her just that morning, even if it was for the safety of his clan.
"Pardon me," said a tiny voice by the door, behind Geirin. It was Nagi. Raidou never realized how small her voice was until Geirin had scolded her. Before that, she appeared so knowledgeable that her voice seemed trivial. When her Master acknowledged her, she continued, "The process of escorting the woman to the Fukuroku Inn is complete. I've returned, Master. But enough of that…I heard a theory that caught my attention, so I wished to join the conversation." She brushed her hair thoughtfully. "A question for you, Lord Akijiro… On my way here, I undertook the process of asking the villagers about the luck locusts. My understanding is that…Dahn stole them?"
Akijiro had been ignoring Nagi's presence until that very moment.
Encouraged by the chief's attention, she added, "I hesitate to bring my own feelings into the process of a brother unhappy with his sister's engagement, but… it seems to me that taking the luck locusts is, in theory, overdoing it a bit. Is my conjecture correct? Please answer me, Lord Akijiro…"
Akijiro was at a loss. "That's…!"
Without looking at his pupil, Geirin frowned. "That theory was uncalled for, Nagi. I would prefer that you wait outside."
Finally, some color painted Nagi's face. It was a rather charming shade of pink, and Raidou could almost feel the frustration she refrained from expressing. Kotone had gone through that stage as a little girl, when she thought she was good enough to become the next Raidou Kuzunoha just because she had become friends with Lilim and was frustrated because her father would not give her the title even in his older age. That had all ended when her father…when she began training to earn the title, of course.
"Master," said Nagi, clenching her fists, "You shut me out, but you let Raidou stay?"
Geirin's white eyebrows furrowed. "Nagi," he repeated with a tone meant to reprimand, "Wait outside. I will not tell you again."
Nagi felt the heat of her irritation slip away as the chill of embarrassment caused her a slight shiver. "I'm sorry," she said, avoiding the eyes of the others in the room, and hastily exited.
Geirin shook his head. "I'd prefer if you could overlook my pupil's insolence. My apologies. Do resume the process."
There was an awkward pause that Raidou decided to break. "If what Nagi said is true…there must be a reason why Dahn would go to such lengths – though I don't understand them myself – to prevent his sister's wedding. Is there?"
"My piece on this is… so I understand there's a problem at the Tsukigata household about Akane's engagement. What Nagi said aside," said Narumi, "isn't that something to be settled between your family and the groom's? No need to shelter Akane at the Capital. She and Dahn are family; they can work it out."
Akijiro shook his head. "The Marriage Ritual shouldn't be taken lightly. Failing to complete it is unthinkable. Akane's marriage is not a simple wedding. It is a sacred ritual; a blood pact with our god."
Raidou found a grimace creeping into her usually unaffected countenance. A god…she imagined Sukuna-Hikona, that little monster shrieking out of General Munakata's mouth, getting married to delicate, beautiful Akane. If Akane were her sister, she would probably do all she could to stop such a disgusting thing, too. Kotone shook her head. Sympathizing with the supposed enemy was never a good idea. There must have been a reason, too, as to why Akane was agreeing to avoid Dahn and go through with the ritual.
"A blood pact with a god…?" Narumi repeated, imagining something like what was in Kotone's mind. "And Dahn's trying to get in the way of that, you say?"
Gouto purred slightly, catching his protégée's attention. "If Dahn's a Tsukigata, he oughtta know how important this Marriage Ritual apparently is to the clan. So what's the big idea with trying to stop it? Maybe this Marriage Ritual is the key we need to find Dahn…"
"What?" Narumi asked.
"Nothing, boss," answered Raidou, earning her a little scratch from Gouto.
"By the way," said Akijiro, "Narumi mentioned that you've had a stroke of bad luck. Raidou, when you fought the Fukoshi, did you feel as if something was taken from you?"
"Not necessarily that something was taken, sir," the devil summoner replied, "I remember a bright light coming to me, and when it left, I felt…naked and empty. But only for a moment. Soon after, I started walking into doors and tripping over flat surfaces…"
Narumi stifled a chuckle. That earned him a scratch from Gouto, too.
Akijiro nodded and held up the red cage many of the Fukoshi carried. "That 'light' entered this box, didn't it? This insect cage with the Tento Crest is what we Fukoshi use to store the luck locusts. The sensation you've described…is what happens to the victims of our luck locusts, who have eaten your fortune."
"What are these luck locusts you keep mentioning, exactly?" asked Narumi.
"The luck locusts are a forbidden tool of the 8th Fukoshi Clan: insects that eat a person's luck. If you haven't noticed yet, once your luck is eaten, you have nothing to look forward to but bad luck. Those whose fortunes are eaten by the luck locusts either die by some unfortunate accident…or their despair over their increasing misfortune eventually drives them to suicide."
Raidou frowned.
"Our use of the luck locusts guaranteed a certain kill, but due to an accident long ago, we vowed never to take them out again," said Akijiro, before pinching his nose bridge in frustration. "And then my rotten excuse for a son…he…!"
Narumi snapped his fingers. "It's starting to come together. Dahn took those luck locusts out of Tsukigata village. That's where those scraps of the cage you found in Mannen-Cho came from, Raidou. They held the locusts…which means...the 8th Fukoshi clan's forbidden insects are now loose in the Capital."
"Not only has Dahn broken the covenant, he intends to stop the Marriage Ritual…" Akijiro added. "He's no better than a common traitor now. As a Tsukigata, it is my duty to bring him in. Which is why I'll swallow my pride and ask you, a Devil Summoner…but first, I apologize for the way we wronged you in front of the mansion and at the prison cell. And now I ask that if you find Dahn, I want you to bring him here. Will you agree to this?"
Raidou's eyes narrowed. "I accept your apology, sir, but…" Kotone had her own issues to discuss with Dahn. Her fortune, for instance. He was going to return it to her. And it was under his orders that his men had caused her all this bad luck; her clan didn't believe in revenge, but she believed a little retribution was in store for him.
Narumi leaned in closer to Raidou before she could finish and shook his head. "You know I feel the same way, but let's prove to these fellows that we can be reasonable guys, 'kay? I'll make it up to you later. Come on."
Raidou refrained from sighing and gave a cordial upturn of the lips. "Very well, sir. If he has intentionally harmed those I'm oathsworn to protect, after all, he is under my jurisdiction. And who better to punish him than his own father?"
That set an uncomfortable expression on Akijiro's face, which was what Raidou had been aiming for, but the old man seemed grateful anyway. "Thank you. Please take this," he said, sliding an insect cage and a jar across the table. "Think of it as us pledging our allegiance. You can capture luck locusts to counter the effects of your misfortune using the birdlime in the jar. The locusts you capture will share their good fortune with you."
"Their stolen fortune," Kotone muttered.
"What was that?"
"Nothing, sir," said Raidou, looking back up with feigned indebtedness. "And thank you. Luck locusts…they're a smaller version of a golden Jiromaru, aren't they? With masks that break in half sideways?"
Akijiro nodded. "How did you…?"
"That was what Gouto saw on your shoulder that day you spilled butter on your slacks, boss," Raidou said to Narumi. "He scared the luck locust away before it could bite you."
"I owe Gouto my thanks, then," said Narumi, giving Gouto a crooked grin. The butter still hadn't completely disappeared from those slacks, though…
"He could thank me himself, you know," said Gouto, smirking, but jumped on the table and inspected the insect cage. "So, Kotone…adopting the methods of the 8th Fukoshi clan, eh? Heheh…this should even the odds."
"Anyway," Narumi continued, turning to Akijiro, "we've been here a dog's age…so I think it's time we get going. You've been a real help. Now we know Dahn's target is Akane back at the Capital. And that he's the one who brought those bad-news locusts there. Raidou and I are gonna get back home to check up on things."
Akijiro nodded before glaring at the table. "Dahn was our best Fukoshi…and he's armed himself with those damned luck locusts. Be careful, Raidou. Just in case."
Raidou stood and bowed. "Thank you for your warning, Chief Akijiro."
Narumi rose, too, and bowed to Geirin. "Thanks for all your help too, Geirin. Give your pupil our regards, won't you?"
"Of course, Mr. Narumi," said Geirin, respecting that Gouto and this man were the mentors to the young girl before him, a Great Summoner though she was. To her, he said, "Raidou…I am, in theory, the protector of Tsukigata Village. You may devote yourself to the process of watching over the Capital with no worries."
"Thank you, Geirin. With your presence here, I can rest easy."
"All right, that's our cue to head out, Raidou. Let's pack our bags and head home," said Narumi, and with final goodbyes for the time being, the Narumi Detective Agency made their exit. As soon as they were out of hearing range, Narumi gave his apprentice a sly grin. "You're quite the smooth talker when you wanna be, huh, Raidou?"
Y'know who's a smooth talker? Louis. Nobody convinces a wild and dreamy curly-haired assassin prince to destroy the world for his beloved sister like Louis.
Also, in case anyone was curious (though I doubt it HAHAHA), the song that kept me going for these updates was Oh No! by Marina & the Diamonds. I think the song really fits Kotone (except the TV part, haha! That could probably be replaced by INTENSE CLAN TRAININGGG).
Can't wait for the next chapter! I really love swimming close to the limitations of writing a fem!Raidou. The task of having to keep her calm like an true SMT heroine and giving her a personality and normal teenage hormones (finding the opposite sex attractive, for example, but not really finding the need to act on it) at the same time is really fun. SOMEONE MAKE MORE RAIDOU FICS. I already have another one in mind, actually, haha! Only this involves an actual male Raidou the 14th, but with a girl you barely spare a passing glance in the game (the one who went to the Capital to seek her 'true love' or whatever). Still thinking of how she'd be involved with the Narumi Detective Agency's business, but if someone wants to pick that brain fart of mine up and write something, PM me! I'd love to hear your thoughts. XD
Next chapter quote sneak peek time!
"Oh, your journalist friend was very accommodating."
REVIEW!