Prologue
Foulstaff, Baltimore, US, 1924
"Dad! Dad! Hurry up I want to see the new neighbors." "Kristine, you know I can't move as fast since losing my leg in the war." It was too late by that time she was already far beyond her father's vision. "Ah, Kristine."
"Hey! Let go of me! Let go!" "You don't belong here chinq." yells a man in a KKK uniform. "Plus, those clothes make you look like a tramp!" 'They are from my village." "Then why don't you go back there?"" Hey, let her go! "Kristine drew her revolver. "Mind your business. God you are the biggest troublemaker in this damn town." She fires a warning shot. "Fuck off or I'll shoot."
"If you weren't white, we'd lynch you by now!" She shot him in the shoulder. "Ah, damnit!" "If you were really a man you would treat me the same was as her!" "She's a chinq?" "Your point?" "They don't belong here. We only accept whites here. And you know that." "Technically this land was stolen from the natives." "They are just savages." "You're wrong! My father said they were more hospitable than you."
"Your daddy's a liar, bitch!" She shoots again but misses. "That's it. If you want me to act like your version of a man, then I will." He takes the revolver punching her in the face. She hit him in the stomach. He trips her and starts beating her on the ground. Eventually she finds a stick and stabs him in the eye. "Ah, damn it!" He quickly puts his hands around her neck. "What the hell?! Get off my daughter!" Her father takes his gun shooting at him. "Get off or I'll shoot to kill." The man ran off frightened of the former veteran. "I'll get the cops next time she gets out of hand!"
"Kristine, are you okay?" "Yes, dad you trained me after all. I'm more concerned about the neighbor." She turns to the shocked girl "You alright miss?" "Yes, Arigato." "Arigato?" "Sorry I'm still getting used to English but it's Japanese for thank you." "Don't worry about it. What's your name?" "Nanatsu Fuiji." "Kristine Smith. What was that asshole talking about anyways. That dress covers up more than mine. Love the fabric."
"It's a kimono. People wear it a lot in Japan although western dresses have started to become popular especially in the capital." "Kristine? Kristine? My goodness what happened?" "Some asshole was attacking the neighbor." "Kristine, that is dangerous! Also, language young lady!" "Oh, come on mom. I'm not five or anything. Besides dad curses too." "Thomas!" "Sorry Elaine force of habit." "So, you're the new neighbors. My name is Elaine Smith, my husband Thomas, daughter Kristine and behind me my son Trevor. Nice to meet you all."
"The honor is ours." The family bowed. No need to bow we are just like everyone else." "We do this all the time in our country." "Oh, hey want to have dinner with us." Kristine pipes in afraid of her mother going on a religious rant. "Sounds good." A few hours later a large dinner of fried chicken is served. "Wow, that's a lot." Nanatsu said. "Yeah, it's an American thing." "Kristine, you need to eat a little more it's concerning." "Mom!" "I don't want you to develop anorexia, honey." "Quit coddling me!" "I'm your mother!" "Elaine, go easy on her. I'll handle this. Eat one more piece and I'll get you some Oreos for dessert." "Oreos." Her eyes lit up.
After dinner she and Nanatsu start talking to each other. "Oreos, no offense but they are too sweet for me." "Oh well more for me. Let's tell some ghost stories." "Ok." "This one was told to me by my dad. He said it was a true story. Apparently in 1879 in Alberta Canada, there was this native Cree man named Swift Runner. Who had a huge family. The family stayed in a hunting lodge for a whole winter but only one came out alive. Swift Runner, He made it to a fort not too far from the lodge claiming his entire family starved to death. The authorities didn't believe him. For when they saw him, he was about 300 pounds. Not exactly a starving man. They went to the cabin to find a grisly site. Swift Runner had killed butchered and eaten his wife, mother, brother and six children. All of them were hacked to pieces, the flesh stripped from their bones. With some even being crushed for marrow."
The authorities were disgusted and immediately arrested him. During his time in prison, he kept waking from nightmares and proclaim, "I am the Wendigo." He later confessed that during that long winter he had heard the voice of the Wendigo, an evil spirit. It's as tall as a tree, with sunken eyes, grey skin just barely covering its bones, the scent of decay abounding and its lips torn off. It is said to be cursed with a hunger that never ends every time it eats it grows in proportion to the meal. Its heart is made of ice. And it will possess people who come across it. That is what Swift Runner said happened to him. The authorities not believing him had him sentenced to death and he was hung. With many of the natives believing his story."
"What's yours?" "In Japan we have a creature a lot like the Wendigo. We call them Oni." "Oni?" "Yes, they are flesh eating demons that stalk Japan looking for their next meal." "What stories do you have of them!" "I have many, Kristine. Once upon a time there was a demon slayer who had blonde hair with red tips." "Oh dreamy. Blondes are so attractive." "He was from a family that had been slaying the Oni for centuries. He had just passed his final exam and was on his first mission. He came upon the bodies of other demon slayers slashed to pieces though still moving a bit and four children with their innards sucked out. He encountered an Oni of elderly resemblance. He had in his hands a flute." "Like the pied piper?" "Yes, the demon laughed in presumed triumph.
He bragged to the slayer mocking his comrades for trying to save the children only for them to die anyways. There was one still alive crying next to one of the dead slayers. "Oops I missed one. No matter my dogs will eat you." He took out his flute playing it. The demon slayer covered his ears quickly bursting his eardrum. The demon continued to laugh saying he can't cover his ears and swing his sword at the same time. If he heard the music, it would affect the nervous system making him squirm on the ground helpless. However, he quickly swung his sword instantly cutting the demon's head off. "How could this be?" He said, "My flute should have paralyzed you." The slayer stated "My fellow slayers in their final moments used sign language to communicate your demon art. It was scrambled but enough for me to understand. I busted my eardrums to not hear your flute." "No! This can't be! I was-" he faded to dust. The slayer picked up the surviving child taking her to safety and hoping to be as admirable as the comrades who sacrificed themselves."
"Whoa, that's some story." "And that's enough for tonight, Kristine. Time for bed." "Yes mom." she groveled going to bed. "Thomas, she must learn to control herself better. She almost got killed." "Elaine more martial art and gun training will help her control herself more." "Why are you so insistent on such things." "One it's something she loves and two I don't want some guy raping her. The least she can do is defend herself." "Nothing is going to happen to her." "That's what a lot of people in France thought before the war." "Honey, please not another one of your war stories you know I can't handle those." "The point is we never know what's going to happen next. There could be another war around the corner." "There won't be." "Considering the bad hand Germany was given I wouldn't be too sure. And anyways we can't protect her forever. You know that." "I know I just can't help but be concerned." "I am too but I promise she will be fine."