ARC IV: The Life of Hajime Shirayama
Bright lights, colored boxes, sweet smells, cool temperatures. They surrounded young Jouji as his mother carried him in her shopping cart around the crowded supermarket. Grownups shuffled around, each with their own worries, trying to shorten their shopping visit as much as possible. Night had just fallen upon the city of Sagakin and it was collective wisdom not to spend much time after dark. Despite their home being rebuilt and life resuming its usual course, deep in the adults' hearts lied a fear that their safety would be yanked away from them one day. But Jouji paid no mind. He never saw the news, he was not even alive to witness the great catastrophe that had plagued his home city five years ago. To him life consisted of fluffy toys, colored drawings and singing children. The worst he ever feared was his own mother scolding him for being naughty, a rarity in and of itself.
The shopping cart stopped to an abrupt halt as the worried woman immediately counted all the small carton boxes inside.
"Of course I forgot the detergent," she hurriedly muttered to herself then looked down at her beloved offspring. "Jouji, you stay here and take care of the food. Mommy will be back in a few minutes."
The young child nodded and received a loving kiss on the forehead before his mother disappeared in the crowd. Carrying the heavy cart back three aisles would have been too much of a hassle when they were approaching the cash register. Jouji paid no mind to her absence. He watched all the tall grownups around keep moving, cooking up random melodies in his mind to keep himself entertained as he rocked his feet back and forth against the cart's metallic bars.
"Psst, Jouji..." a voice called from the nearby exit door. It sounded like a boy who was ten-to-fifteen years older than him at best. "Over here..." it spoke in a playful tone and he turned to find a most peculiar sight.
There was a purple lion standing in the opened door! No, it was a man in a suit. It looked like one of those silly furry pajamas Jouji saw in commercials in-between cartoons. The lion mask had a puffy black mane around the neck, a long friendly smile drawn on its face and what seemed like small horns on the top of its head; they reminded him of the oni horns from coloring books depicting the story of Momotaro. But this was no brutish monster that had to be slain by heroic samurai, this was a goofy lion man who would have looked at home in one of his favorite cartoons.
Unable to contain his excitement, Jouji jumped out of the shopping cart and walked to the stranger.
"How do you know my name?"
"I came from far far Wonderland just to meet you, Jouji! I was wondering if you would like to join me back home."
"I don't know," his voice became shyer as he looked down at the floor. "Mommy said don't talk to strangers."
"Oh but I'm not a stranger, Jouji!" The suited man reached out a paw and patted his chest. "I am Mashi, the friendly lion! And I didn't come just for you. I also came for your kindergarten friends. They're now my friends too, did you know that?"
Jouji gasped, his mouth agape. "They are?"
"Yes, I know Minoru, Taichi, Yukio and even mean old Ayumu," he listed them while counting on his round fuzzy fingers.
"Is that why they don't come to kindergarten anymore?"
"Yes, Jouji, they're now in Wonderland. There they don't have to follow any rules or listen to their parents. They can go to bed whenever they want, get whatever toys they want, eat whatever they want; and do you want to know the best part?" the excited Mashi asked, Jouji nodding with a smile. "There are no rules in Wonderland! Isn't that exciting?"
"How fun!" Jouji jumped with excitement. "Can I come too?"
"Of course you can! Don't worry, you'll be back to your mommy before dinner time - pinkie swear!"
Happy to hear that his mother would not know of his little adventure in Wonderland, Jouji grabbed Mashi's paw and the two went out the door. Behind the supermarket was a cold and dimly-lit alleyway. Shrouded in the darkness, where nobody else could hear or see them, Jouji was unnerved until he saw that the building facing them had its door open. Was that the rabbit hole through which Alice fell? Out came a figure dressed all in black with a hood covering half of its face. It looked no different from the shadows that the toddler saw on the back of his eye. Before he could ask anything, Mashi put a handkerchief over his face. The strange smelly substance made him dizzy and everything became blurry as he lost control and fell.
The next thing Jouji knew was the tightness of ropes around his wrists and ankles as he awoke strapped on the floor in a circle. Around him burned red candles, the only source of light in the claustrophobic room wherein he was trapped. In front of him were two new strangers: a plain-looking dark-haired young man holding a camera, the other a beautiful young woman with long raven-like hair and with a patch covering her left eye. If he would have been more conscious, he would have mentally compared her to a pirate. But there was nothing jovial or adventurous about her mood. She fixated him with her yellow cat-like eye and flashed a knife above his stomach.
"Keiichi, it's time to begin the live sacrifice," she coldly announced.
"You're good to go, Shinobu!" the cameraman gave the cue after putting a classical orchestral piece in the background.
Thus Shinobu's blade descended into Jouji's flesh like a hungered feline devouring its prey after a day-long chase. The little boy's screams of utter agony were drowned by the eerie and pleasant symphony that filled the room, a swansong for the child who dared to follow a dream which led to his untimely demise.
Police sirens resounded outside the supermarket. The panicked citizens who were ushered out had already fled the scene, seeking the safety of their homes. Only one remained - a crying mother who was blaming herself for leaving her son out of sight for a few minutes. In her mind raced a million 'what ifs', each darker than the last. But somewhere in the back of her head lied the small flicker of hope that maybe her son was safe and sound, and they would soon reunite once she found him. Perhaps he just wandered off and while lost, was still close to the premises.
"Sir, we've found something in the alleyway!" shouted a police officer.
"Jouji, my boy!" the panicked woman rushed past the law enforcers right into the alley's darkness.
When lights were shined upon the scene, her screams of terror pierced everyone's ears. Hanging from a trash bin were the butchered remains of Jouji, the expression on his bloodied face betraying the pain he felt in his last moments. And behind him, written in blood on the brick wall was but a single sentence that petrified everyone present: 'GLORY TO SHISHIMA'.
Twenty-five-year-old Hajime Shirayama stared at the TV absent-minded. The news of the recent murder in Sagakin had quickly spread around the media. To most it was a grim reminder of life's frailty and an assurance that Shishima's evil had never truly left. But to him it was another Sunday night. He had investigated so many murders committed by the Spawns of Shishima that the shock factor had long since faded. It had been five years since the monster who ruined his life had left Earth. Although Shishima's reign was short-lived, the damage had been done - he had awoken the worst aspects of the human psyche and had given a voice to the most depraved of murderers. Now his followers were out there, committing heinous crimes in his name all over the world. This was the reason Hajime had founded his own detective firm and investigated the cult's activity all around Japan. This was the reason why he was working out in his spare time and had put on muscles after the last encounter with his mortal enemy. But most importantly, this was the reason why he barely if ever had a good night's sleep over the last five years, and on the few occasions he actually could dream, it was always the same nightmare - two glowing red dots staring at him in the darkness and a hissed voice whispering that he would return one day to finish the job. It seemed that even when out of Hajime's life, Shishima still managed to find ways of tormenting him.
"Hajime, are you alright?" his date Audra asked, giving him a concerned look while stirring her hot chocolate. Snapping out of his contemplation, he regarded her. She continued, "You haven't been paying much attention on our last few dates. Did something happen?"
"No, nothing of the sort..." he grumbled.
"It's your work, isn't it? It's starting to consume you," she remarked, he had no comeback.
Hajime remained silent as he contemplated his girlfriend. Audra was an average-looking dark-haired woman, no different from his previous romantic flings in high school. She was definitely not as outstandingly beautiful like Sayo. Despite all the lies and the fact that her priestess persona was but a sham, on some level perhaps he still longed for her. By contrast, Audra did not wear traditional garments like kimonos or yukatas, but she opted for long-sleeved sweaters and conservative skirts - nothing too fancy or expensive. Her small golden earrings and butterfly necklace glistened in the restaurant's lights, the only indication that she indeed came from a wealthy family. Despite this, Hajime was certain that she did not date him for his money. They shared courses together at college and had spent a good portion of their spare time together ever since they had first met three years prior upon starting their master's degree. She genuinely did care for him, always being worried whenever his obsessive attitude began to show up. This was why he made an honest effort to sustain their relationship, for on some level he also felt safe around someone whom he could fully trust.
But on that particular night he had come to the conclusion that said relationship had grown dull. Over the past few months it consisted of the same old hellos and goodbyes, the same repetitive conversations regarding their parents' health, their family businesses, their college work and future prospects. The same could have been said about Hajime's life routine after Shishima's departure: college and homework, working out sessions and deck building, all followed by nightly surveillance on a hunt for the murderers who festered the streets and claimed innocent lives on a moment's notice. Everything had become utterly dull. He could not move forward in that state, he had to take action and change something about his life soon.
Hajime rose from his seat, pulled out his wallet and fetched his credit card which he used to pay on the contactless screen right next to their table.
"Don't worry about dinner, it's on me," he began. "Audra, I'll be honest with you - I don't feel like I can continue being together with you for the time being."
Her black eyes grew wide. "Why not, Hajime? What's wrong? Did I do something to hurt you?"
"It's nothing of the sort, you've actually been the most caring girl I've ever met. It's just..." He paused for a moment, looking her straight in the eye, a regretful expression betraying the broken man that lay beneath the façade of a well-adjusted handsome rich student, "...you're right: work has been consuming me lately, and I love you too much to let you be consumed by it as well." He reached beneath his chair and picked up his suitcase and umbrella. "Let's just stay friends for the time being, okay?" Audra said nothing, she remained silent and stared back at him, still unable to comprehend the idea that their relationship had just ended in a matter of seconds. "I'll see you tomorrow at college. Good night!"
Audra watched him walk out of the restaurant and could not help but sigh out her pain. She was well aware that Hajime had had deep emotional issues even before Shishima had first come into his life, hence she had tried her best to be supportive, to be the shoulder he needed to cry on and the ear that would listen to his problems. But it seemed that the nightmares which haunted his life had such a strong grip on his psyche that he had started to shut himself off even from her. Perhaps on a certain level she had failed to help him overcome his inner demons, and all she could do was feel sorry for him. This was Hajime Shirayama: a man with a heart greater than his fortune and yet who always was so alone...
Perhaps either of them should have cried. Somehow deep inside they both knew that a breakup was on the horizon. Rain poured heavily outside almost as if the sky itself mourned what could have been. Hajime opened his umbrella and waited by the sidewalk for a bus to arrive. Immediately he heard his cell phone buzz and was quick to answer it.
"I sure hope you saw the news," a young man of his age spoke on the other end with a dry English accent.
"How could anyone miss it? Each time the Spawns decide to butcher someone in cold blood, the news headlines blow out of proportion," Hajime replied in an equally dry tone, fed up by the repetitive cycle they were all caught in.
"The Spawns are spread all around the world, but statistics are showing that in the past few months their murders have been centering around Japan. It can't be a coincidence."
"No, it surely isn't. I'm heading to the crime spot now."
"Stay where you are, I've already asked Takeshi to pick up the limousine and bring you home."
"What?! Why'd you do that?"
"There's an important update that's happened in the online sphere. I need to show it to you urgently."
"Can't you just send me a screenshot or something? What could be more important than investigating that poor kid's death?"
"You'll see."
As soon as their phone conversation ended, a black limousine hit the breaks and stopped right in front of the restaurant. Hajime folded his umbrella as he stepped in, greeting his driver Takeshi. In a matter of moments they were making their way through the rainy weather. Even under those circumstances, a drive to the Shirayama mansion would have taken ten minutes at best. Curious as to what the latest development was, Hajime checked his phone and saw that he had indeed received a screenshot as promised. His mood immediately changed upon inspecting it. The main Spawns of Shishima website that was hosted on the deep web had changed its front page to a single message in large bright red letters. It read 'THE MASTER IS COMING SOON...'
Keiichi Satoshi got up from the computer screen after having properly updated all of the cult's websites with the same message. He glanced at his leader, who like him was wearing black robes and the same college uniform from five years prior when they were forced to go into hiding once again. Gone were the days of defiling churches, temples and shrines, gone were the massive crowds who flocked to them for ceremonial sacrifices in the name of Shishima. All they had was the safety of shadows and the guidance of his peer Shinobu. She sat in the same occult circle surrounded by burning candles, now cross-legged and in trance, staring blankly at the ceiling. It had become common for her to stay entranced in the past few years, for she claimed it was the only way she could reach their master from across dimensions. Her efforts had been utterly fruitless up to that point.
"Are you absolutely certain of this, Shinobu?" Keiichi skeptically asked.
"Yes, there is no doubt," she replied, breaking out of trance. "After five agonizing years of praying with all my might, at long last I got an answer," she continued while rising from the floor, "Shishima is returning, I always knew our patience would be rewarded! The time of hiding in the shadows for fear of the authorities is drawing to a close. We must increase the number of sacrifices to properly welcome back the master!"
"I don't know about that, police activity has grown in the past few months. Lots of Spawns have been taken into custody, either arrested on the streets or their circles were infiltrated by government spies."
"Then you must vet through our upcoming emails from potential newcomers and weed out all the spies, Keiichi! You've studied honeypots ever since we were in college, I know you'll not fail us," her tone of confidence was ever so slightly threatening. "We need to prepare an all out massacre not just in Sagakin, but all around Japan. This is the best welcome we can offer to our glorious master. And I will be the one who personally brings Hajime Shirayama's dead body as tribute to Shishima!"
Keiichi nodded and returned to his computer work while Shinobu went to the bathroom in the small theater where they were currently hiding. Performing their sacrificial ceremonies in random parts of Sagakin was the best way to throw the police off their tracks while ensuring they would never be able to guess their true hideout. There had been one or two agents in the past who investigated their building and found nothing due to them hastily packing their bags and hiding in the back alley. To all newcomers the theater was just as abandoned as any other building in the historical center.
Shinobu looked in the mirror as she lifted the patch where her left eye used to be, now it was only a flesh hole in her orbit which she had to thoroughly clean on a daily basis with proper antibiotics. Luckily for her, the majority of their cult still had normal lives and could thus go to a drugstore and buy her the necessary medicines. Despite this minor setback, the good news of her master's return was enough to cheer her up. In her mind she swore to make the one who took her eye pay dearly as soon as she fell within Shishima's good graces once again.
The rain had ceased way past midnight, the clouds dispersing to reveal a silvery moon which cast its rays upon Sagakin on that early October night. As most inhabitants slept without worry, a small portal opened above the deserted beach and out of it... fell a yelling Borof, the plushie's wolf head ending up buried in the sand. Two small black clouds of smoke followed suit and the portal immediately closed. One of them took the form of Sayo, dressed in her usual white kimono, red hakama and sandals, a travel bag held in her armpit and her black hair wrapped in a ponytail with short bangs resting over her shoulders. She was quick to help Borof out of the predicament he was stuck in. The other cloud took the form of a tall young Japanese man dressed in a black tuxedo with a white undershirt, a top hat covered his head, his locks resting on the suit's cowl. His gloved hands rested on a walking cane which reached his leather boots.
"Shishima, what is this new form of yours?" asked the surprised Sayo.
"Yes milord, why are you not taking the form of Subaru Geki again?" added Borof.
"Is it not obvious? I will be immediately recognized in that form. You may call this new identity of mine Count Kage." He started walking southward, motioning with his cane for Sayo and Borof to follow.
In the matter of an hour they all reached the outskirts of Sagakin and were on the road which led to the mountains in the east. They crossed said road and climbed a small hill which led to a seemingly abandoned mansion. Count Kage searched his pockets and pulled out the keys which he used to unlock the gates with iron bars, thus setting foot in the yard filled with reddened leaves. Unlike the rest of Sagakin's architecture which was in a postmodern Japanese style, this mansion was built in a Gothic style that would have not looked out of place in a Western Europe of previous centuries. The building's doors opened and out of them ran a maid and butler, both formally dressed. One was a well-built young man with a short haircut, the other a slim and stern young woman with pigtails, both had light brown hair. At first glance they seemed like ordinary humans until one noticed their eyes were black with glowing red pupils just like the majority of the Twilight Kingdom's residents.
"Could it be? The master has finally returned!" the butler uttered with awe.
"Shishima-sama, is it really you?" the maid added, also unable to contain her mirth.
"Nekohana, Borof, meet my trusty servants: Hojo and Ayumi," Count Kage made the introductions with a single hand gesture and a fanged smirk. "They are part of the mansion's staff which I massacred right after I took over Sagakin. But unlike the other mortals, I decided to stitch these two back together and resurrect them with my essence."
"It is true, we were tasked with guarding this mansion for our master's safe return," Ayumi the maid interjected.
"Why would you want this mansion, Shishima?" a confused Sayo asked. "I don't see what use you could make of it."
"Keh, I will show you."
Count Kage walked into the building and everyone followed suit. A red carpet stretched from the entrance all the way to the main corridor's end where the first pair of stairs arose. The walls and windows were dusty, cobwebs could be spotted in a few corners, the only thing that was actually kept clean were the various paintings hung on the walls. One of said paintings was a portrait of a young man who resembled Shishima's new form up to the very last detail, including the clothing choices.
"Behold, Nekohana, this was the real Count Kage. His family was once a rich clan which had ties with both politicians and the yakuza. Fortunately their last heir was a lonely and eccentric fellow from a young age. He had a great fascination with European culture and loved collecting antiques. Needless to say, I slayed the young count and seized his family fortune, businesses and assets. What better way to blend right in to human society, correct?"
"It is a great joy to have you back, master!" Hojo the butler confessed. "I will go prepare you a bath." And so he was on his way.
"May I take your clothes to wash and iron them?" Ayumi offered, just as enthusiastic.
"Later. For now go and prepare the great bedroom for myself and my beloved," Count Kage ordered and thus she also left.
"Wait, you guys, I need to know where the kitchen is so I can cook for the sire!" Borof shouted and ran after the maid.
Sayo took out a napkin and cleaned a window. She saw that they had a full view of Sagakin from the hill they were on. Count Kage came up behind her and rested his hands on her shoulders, offering her a gentle tender massage.
"So, what now? Will you resume your plan with All Over The World and try to reach godhood once more?" she worriedly asked.
"There is nothing to worry about, my beloved," he whispered in her ear. "I decided to make a compromise just for your sake." Sayo gasped and turned to face him, stunned by the revelation. With a warm smile on his face, the count continued, "Come, join me in the living room. Everything will be better explained there."