To Carlisle,
My dear godfather, I never thought I would get the chance to communicate with you again. It seems like an eternity since that most regretful day when I was banished from our home.
Thankfully the Abyss did not claim me, I was merely trapped in a coma for the past few centuries, left alone to rot in the putrid caves of the Twilight Kingdom. That was until my mother's secretary stirred me awake. Kamijishi is serving me now, and together we wish to right the wrongs of that fateful day.
The Dawn Kingdom's throne is rightfully mine; my mother should've ceded it in the precise moment of my father's untimely demise! Back then everyone claimed that I was too young to assume a king's mantle. But even when I finally came of age she would not surrender the crown. This is precisely why I attempted a coup.
I know you were part of the crowd who witnessed my public humiliation. I'll never forget that frown on your face. You wished to help me, but your position as the queen's advisor meant that your hands were tied. I understand and bear you no ill will.
Carlisle, please, you always were like a father to me! I'm stuck here in the Twilight Kingdom and need your help. Returning home is not an option as long as my mother remains the sole ruler. I would be most grateful if you could aid us in any possible way.
Signed,
Tenshiyoku, Forsaken Prince of the Dawn Kingdom
The crimson moon was shrouding itself in day's clouds by the time Hyouma and the Oni King reached the southeastern woods. The change in climate was more than welcome. They both took deep breaths, enjoying the clean air. At last, the hardest part of their journey was through. Yet the Oni King's heart was burdened with great worry for his only son. Akamaru was still young and reckless, there was no way he could match Rufu's strength or Sazansho's magical attacks. A part of him yearned to go back and aid his son before the worst happened.
Pushing away those dark thoughts, the Oni King returned to the matter at hand. He needed to ensure that Hyouma was safe, the Twilight Kingdom's future relied on her survival. Fukurokuju's teachings had built their realm and helped bring stability even in times of war. On the other hand, Koushishi greatly rejected those teachings and sought to exploit the kingdom in the name of a militaristic dictatorship. If he wanted his side to win both ideologically and physically, then the last royal couple taught by Fukurokuju needed to reunite and resume the fight. Yes, the future lied in the hands of Shishima and Hyouma.
Reaching out his clawed hand, he gently patted Hyouma's shoulder and said, "They may catch up on us, we need to move on."
She nodded and they both pushed forward, trying to ignore the increasing fatigue in their bodies. As they advanced, the surrounding trees stretched their branches to block the path behind them, ensuring nobody would follow. With a proud smile, the Oni King added:
"It seems that even our kingdom's nature is showing gratitude for your benevolent rule, my queen!"
"That's good to see," Hyouma replied.
"You know, back in my younger years when I assumed the title of Oni King, there were times when I doubted myself. I greatly feared failing my people and thought that they deserved someone better than me. But as the years went by, I realized the error in that way of thinking. So I strove to become a better person, one worthy of leading the oni. They say that power is leadership's reward, but I beg to differ: the true reward comes from the people's gratitude. This is what makes a truly good leader."
"And yet the people could not prevent the curse and coup which transpired tonight," Hyouma bitterly replied, allowing her emotions to transpire. "Even with Fukurokuju by my side, it all ended in failure."
"Don't blame yourself for factors that were out of your control," the Oni King softly said. "A true leader makes sacrifices for their people, who in turn will be compelled to do the same."
"I sacrificed the crown, it was too big a price."
"And those truly loyal to you will make similar sacrifices. Even Koushishi knows that there's no returning to the way things once were. Your rule was the most peaceful we've ever had in what feels like forever. There will be protests, both in the senate and regional councils. Many youkai will be vying for your return. In due time, you will fix tonight's wrongdoings."
Hyouma remained silent for the rest of their journey, meditating on the Oni King's words of advice.
Warmth was the best word to describe the atmosphere at the Shirayama mansion. Tsugumi took the news of a new family member better than expected. At her insistence, Hajime brought her to meet the baby. Hanashishi rested in his bed and looked at her with curiosity. then laughed in a friendly manner. She responded in kind.
"Hi there, my name is Tsugumi. What is yours?"
Hajime took the infant in his arms and cradled him, feeling warmth seep into his heart. It was the same kind of happiness he experienced when he got to hold his daughter for the first time. Did those emotions belong to him or Shishima? No, the love he felt for the boy was his own, he was certain.
"His name is Dominic," Hajime finally responded, thinking of a French model named Dominique he once met in Paris on a business trip. He noticed the grown poppy flower and was taken aback. Are his powers already developing? He needed to have another talk with Shishima to ensure his family's safety. "Your brother is a very special boy. He can't go to kindergarten or school, he will learn from home."
"Not fair, I also want to stay home!" Tsugumi protested.
"You will... once the summer holiday begins. Then you will get to play with Dominic here all you want."
"Daddy, can I hold my brother?"
Hajime blinked, surprised by her reaction. She had already accepted Dominic as part of the family; did she want a sibling that badly? He fell on a knee and left the baby in her hands, ensuring she could handle his weight. Dominic raised his small hands and grabbed her cheeks, softly pulling them into an overstretched smile. She laughed and spun around with him as if he were one of her dolls. Hajime could not help but smile, as his daughter finally had someone else in the world. Seeing both children smiling and laughing brought him joy and helped ease the pains he had endured for so long.
"Sir, Count Kage is waiting for you downstairs!" shouted a maid from downstairs.
Hajime and his mansion staff had already grown accustomed to the count's sudden visits. Picking up Dominic, he and Tsugumi went to greet their visitors. Count Kage rested on the large plush sofa in the living room, enjoying a cup of tea. Sitting next to him was Shinji, who was silently inspecting their surroundings.
"Good afternoon- or is it evening already?" Hajime jovially welcomed them.
"It's still bright outside, so I'd say afternoon," Count Kage replied with a similar tone. "My friend, you have to forgive my sudden intrusion, but I wished to drop Shinji here to play with your children. We both know how lonely it gets up there at my mansion."
"Are you sure Shinji will be safe here?" Hajime asked, his tone betraying the actual question he was posing.
Count Kage nodded and replied with a slight whisper, "His powers are under control, he won't cause any harm. You have my word."
"Then I don't see a problem, he can stay as long as he wants. I got a separate guest room where he can spend the night if he so chooses. But it's a good thing you came here, because I wanted to talk to you about-" Hajime was suddenly interrupted by the count, who offered him a letter. "What is this?"
"The truth. Make sure your son reads it when the time is right."
The pain in Count Kage's words hurt Hajime like a pang in his heart. Just how dire was the Twilight Kingdom's threat that he was willing to jeopardize his family?
The portal to the mortal world was circular, glowing with a pale blue color - a stark contrast to the one opened by Shishima when he renounced the crown and left with Nekohana to start a new life. How quaint that such an important secret had been well-hidden by the trees inside that moonlit grove. Hyouma had read about dimensional travel during her studies. Crossing through such portals allowed youkai to change the shape of their bodies. Considering the size difference between them and mortals, the best course of action was shapeshifting into smoke until she found a suited form to fit in.
"This is it, my queen!" the Oni King solemnly said. "Our ways must part here, I wish you-"
Out of the blue, their backs burned terribly, causing them both to crash face-first into a nearby bush. General Rufu's laughter echoed from behind, the reinstated military head standing tall and proud.
"And where do you think you're going? Queen Koushishi has decreed your arrest and execution, traitors!" he said while unsheathing his katana.
The Oni King roared monstrously and got up, immediately lashing at General Rufu. His calm, wise attitude had been replaced by a violent rage more suited to a berserk soldier. As she got back up, Hyouma witnessed their physical struggle. The Oni King had managed to knock the katana out of General Rufu's grip and they were currently engaging in hand-to-hand combat, throwing punches and scratches wherever they found an open spot. At first they seemed like equals, but as the battle raged on, Rufu's centuries of experience began to show and he managed to outlast and overpower his foe who was left a bloodied mess. The stalemate they were caught in was turning to his favor slowly but surely.
"What are you waiting for?" shouted the Oni King as he caught sight of Hyouma with the corner of his eye. "Go now, so our sacrifices won't be in vain!"
Hyouma did not waste another moment. She ran into the grove, heading straight for the portal. General Rufu shoved the Oni King aside and went after her. He was too late, all he found was an empty grove in which the portal still shined defiantly. Before Rufu even stepped closer to the portal, a powerful flame went past him, eviscerating the dimensional gateway before his very eyes. He snarled and turned to face the Oni King, who although heavily wounded was still smiling triumphantly.
"If you think this will protect her, you're wrong! We'll open another path to the mortal world and hunt her down!" Rufu threatened, but the Oni King remained silent, his smile persisting. "Unless... she didn't even run there? Tell me in what dimension she's hiding, now!"
"You'll get that answer over my dead body," the Oni King replied while taking out his deck.
General Rufu did the same, accepting his challenge. Two dueling tables arose from the ground and they both set their cards, materializing their shields and thus beginning their duel.
"I cast Faerie Re:Life." General Rufu put the top card of his deck into his mana zone.
"I summon Kangoku Nyudo." A dungeon warden oni arose by the Oni King's side. "I end my turn and Kangoku Nyudo returns a shield to my hand without shield trigger."
"I summon Dis Zorro Star." A white-robed cultist appeared by Rufu's side. "With his effect I gain a shield, self-mill a card and ramp another. Then I also cast another Faerie Re:Life and ramp again."
"I summon Jyadokumaru, Oni of "Orochi", return a shield to my hand without shield trigger and destroy Dis Zorro Star." A horned serpent slithered across the battle zone and coiled itself around the cultist, crushing him. "Kangoku Nyudo, break his shield!" The dungeon warden oni fired a lava ball from his hand which melted away an opposing shield. "I end my turn and Kangoku Nyudo returns another shield to my hand."
General Rufu smirked. "You're rushing to achieve Onitime, aren't you? I'll put a stop to that plan right now - I cast Heaven's Gate and bring out Grateful Ven, Connected Breaker Horror!" A gate of light flashed above them and out emerged a white-armored dragon wielding a spear and a shield shaped after the Sol key, the lower part of his body haphazardly connected through bolts and screws to that of an enormous green insect with three pairs of legs. "Ex Life, I gain a new shield. With his effect I send all cards from my graveyard into my mana zone tapped! More so, once per turn I may summon a creature from my mana zone, and if that creature is a Distas, it gets summoned for free. Come back, Dis Zorro Star!" The white-robed cultist reappeared, causing the top three cards of his owner's deck to once more go to his shield zone, graveyard and mana zone. "Heh, I end here."
"Don't think that adding more shields will slow down my deck for long!" the Oni King threatened back. "I summon Bakurohoshi, Oni of "Musabori" and return my last two shields without shield trigger!" A red oni with two pairs of black wings coming from his back descended into the battle zone. "Oniend has now activated! Kangoku Nyudo, attack and... Oniend, I summon Jaouga Ogre, Oniga Villain for no cost!" A sharp-headed one with dark red skin and his limbs replaced with bladed weapons appeared as well. "With his effect I destroy one of your blockers, meaning Grateful Ven!"
"I burn the Ex Life shield to save my creature," General Rufu calmly stated and watched how his shield was torn to pieces.
"Onitime has activated! But until then, I have another Oniend - Hyakki no Jaoumon!" A gate with six flowing kanji above its doors and Jaouga's head painted in the middle arose from the ground, causing the top four cards of its owner's deck to go into the graveyard: Kangoku Nyudo, Gokensai, Oni of "Outrage", Bakurohoshi, Oni of "Musabori" and Kizugui Henge. "I revive a second Bakurohoshi and force battle him with Dis Zorro Star, destroying your creature! Now go, Kangoku Nyudo, break his shield! Then Bakurohoshi, triple break his shields!"
"Grateful Ven, block!" The fused dragon rushed to block the winged oni's path and stabbed him in the chest with his spear.
"My second Bakurohoshi, triple break his shields!" the Oni King ordered and the creature flew through three opposing shields, shattering them all. "Jyadokumaru, break his final shields!" The horned snake spat a toxic gas upon the remaining two shields, melting them.
"Shield triggers, I summon two Hyakume-4, Spirit Treasures!" Two golden treasure chests standing on mechanical limbs emerged from the ground. "I'll ramp twice and then discard two cards from your hand at random!"
The Oni King winced as he lost Kangoku Nyudo and Balad Vi Na Shura. Still, he persisted, "Jaouga Ogre, todomeda!"
"I block with Hyakume-4!" Rufu replied and watched as the treasure chest got hacked into pieces by the sharp-headed oni. "What a pity that your turn ends here, it means I get to lay waste to your strategy now. With Grateful Ven's effect, I now summon a creature from my mana zone. Arise, king of the Connected Dispectors - Romanogri-La 0, Zero Prison Connected King!" A horned, caped knight wielding two guns and whose lower body was being fused through bolts and screws to a monstrous spaceship materialized in the battle zone by Rufu's side. "Ex Life, I gain a new shield. With Romanogri-La 0's effect, I check the top three cards of my deck, send G.O.D.Z.A, Connected Extreme World to my graveyard and both Gyaia, Ground Seal Dragon and Holy, Flash Guardian to my mana zone. Mach Fighter, I attack Bakurohoshi with Romanogri-La 0 and revive a creature that costs equal or less to the number of cards from my mana zone. Arise, G.O.D.Z.A, and I gain a new shield with Ex Life!" A silver-armored angel with three pairs of golden wings who was fused with a tribal statue through bolts and screws appeared as the horned knight gunned down the winged oni. "Grateful Ven destroys Jyadokumaru as well!" The snake oni was cut in half by the dragon's spear. "I told you I'd lay waste to your strategy and made good on my promise."
The Oni King ignored his taunts and declared, "Onitime - I summon Jaouga, Oniga Overlord with 5 mana instead of 10 and destroy all other creatures!" A tall, dark red oni with a single horn coming out of his head, skull shoulder pads, a chest armor made of ribs, a battle axe attached to his left foot and a kanabo attached to his right foot appeared and unleashed a wave of darkness upon the battle zone.
"I burn their Ex Life shields and save Romanogri-La 0 and G.O.D.Z.A! Don't think your victory is sealed, fool, because I can't be attacked while Romanogri-La 0 is tapped!"
"Then Jaouga attacks your creature!"
"You'd wish - I block with G.O.D.Z.A and revive Hyakume-4!" The angel sacrificed itself and its place was then taken by the mechanical treasure chest which sent the top card of its owner's deck to the mana zone and discarded Oniyose's Jutsu from the Oni King's hand. "I told you your efforts were futile. My turn, I summon ACE-Yamata, Eight-headed Dragon. This is your last chance - I will spare your life if you tell me where Hyouma ran off to. Is it the mortal world?"
The Oni King mirthlessly laughed and remained silent, mocking him with his smile.
"So we're really wasting time scouring that place for her. If you won't comply, then your usefulness has ended! Romanogri-La 0, attack and revive another Hyakume-4 which discards your last card!" General Rufu grinned as he saw his opponent lose another Balad Vi Na Shura. "Todomeda!"
The Oni King was blasted and collided into a tree. The pain he felt paled in comparison to what followed, as he was assaulted by a wave of magic claw attacks which melted his armor and burned his skin. By the time they ceased, he caught sight of General Rufu, who with a swift movement drove a katana deep into his heart. Akaga stared into the wolf daiyoukai's eyes, coughing up blood. As his body began to dissolve, his last thoughts were of Akamaru, who he wished had survived the desert encounter and managed to safely return to their village.
"We're here, sir!" a soldier exclaimed as an entire platoon hacked their way through the deep forest.
"You've arrived just in time, men!" General Rufu replied and motioned to the Oni King's fading corpse. "The traitor has been dealt with, but unfortunately Hyouma got away. It's time we returned to the palace and informed the queen!"
It took a while for Shinji to come out of his shy shell and play with Tsugumi and Dominic. Once they were assured that the children would behave themselves, Hajime and Count Kage left the mansion just as dusk settled over Sagakin. The warm summer air was already installing itself, and combined with the subtle sea breeze, it made the semi-crowded streets much more welcoming. Just another reminder that the small beach city forgotten in a corner of Japan would always be Hajime's true home despite him being born and raised in Tokyo. Count Kage interrupted those reflective thoughts by asking:
"Who is our target now?"
"I've got no industrialist on my list of targets for the time being. From my research, the current ones are all clean. So I wish to do a checkup on Sagakin's city council."
"Ho, are you getting into politics?" the count playfully teased.
"Not exactly, I just wish to ensure there's no dire corruption. After all, it's in our best interest that the city's affairs are transparent."
"I'd be careful if I were you, Hajime. Your detective shtick has earned you too many enemies over the years. I'm not sure I can always protect you, either as Count Kage or Shishima, especially since I'll soon have my hands full with the Twilight Kingdom's issues once more."
"We dealt with WEB of all organizations. Now the remaining six heads don't even bother to target me anymore. What I'm doing now is a final cleanup, both of my city and country. If all goes well, then maybe in a few years I'll retire from this lifestyle."
"Keh, that's just wishful thinking! I know you, Hajime. You're too stubborn and obsessed with justice to just step back. Admit it, you'll only retire when that body of yours starts failing you!"
"Hmph," Hajime grunted in response and walked ahead, unwilling to entertain his taunts.
Count Kage stopped and admired him, knowing full well he had figured him out. Even with their truce, Hajime always needed a villain to bring down. Justice gave him purpose, made him a hero and helped him feel like a worthwhile human being. Despite its flaws, it was a view Shishima greatly respected.
To Prince Tenshiyoku,
Tenshi, my boy, you have no idea what great joy your letter brought me! My heart soars knowing that you are alive and well. Then it aches due to the great injustice that you suffered.
Unfortunately my hands are still tied, due to my current position. Enclosed with this letter you will find a crystal necklace which you can use to communicate with me. But there is another gift I have for you: recently I had a rare opportunity to commandeer a damaged Cherub unit before it would be fixed in the church mainframe. I've rewired it and wish to send it to you. I must warn you to be careful with it, as it is a very dangerous high-tech piece of equipment!
While you and Kamijishi hide in the Twilight Kingdom, I will try to pull some strings in the queen's next council meeting in the hopes that they will forgive your actions. Worry not, I will be discrete and not mention anything about your return or our correspondence.
No mother truly hates her offspring, I am most certain that in due time Queen Oureria will welcome you back home.
Signed,
Carlisle, royal advisor of the Dawn Kingdom