Act 01
Chapter 02: Trouble
"The external world could take care of itself."
- Edgar Allan Poe, The Masque of the Red Death
Brilliant hues of reds, pinks and oranges filled the sky when the group departed from To-Ho, at almost half past from the set upon schedule.
This dying of the light was the first thing that captured Anna's attention once she emerged from one of the darker corners of the university's cafeteria, after a long session of increasingly complex Muggle card games that she still didn't quite understand. They weren't long into the second round when one of the students on her left, with bright eyes and a grin that could eat the world, whipped out an unsuspecting bottle that was promptly passed around under the utmost secrecy, at the pop of a cap.
"Can you even drink alcohol here ?" she had whispered then, nose turned up and voice dripping with disapproval as the sharp odour of fermented yeast lingered in her nostrils like an obnoxious wart. The clandestine item changed hands again and again , making something worrisome flutter in her chest while she threw furtive glances at the cafeteria staff.
Looking wise beyond her years, Sarah had waggled a finger in Anna's face before producing her own dubious beverage. "Shhhh," she abruptly cut off any protests Anna might have had about ' the rules' . "Can't drink when you've had a nosebleed just hours ago."
"Not a problem, still got some lukewarm tea," and though Anna's retort had only been a half-hearted mutter, her voice was drowned by snorts and giggles as if she'd blurted out an irresistibly witty quip.
Later in the day, outside of the familiar surroundings within the university's campus, Anna thought the metropolis grew into something huge and contradictory the further they ventured into the pedestrian intersections that split Bunkyo and Taito. She skittered to the other side of a massive traffic jam, the tip of her yellow walking stick umbrella clicking against the asphalt surface of the road with sharp, uneven beats.
There were clouds gathering in the distance; she could see them darkening as they walked the narrow, beaten paths that led into the garden park. Up ahead, the seagulls were returning to land.
Anna noted with interest how the scenery blended into a serene oasis as they reached the park at the edge of Taito City, leaving behind the bustle and hustle of crowded streets and the smoke from busy highways. Taking a swig out of her thermos, she looked left and right while strolling and only slightly trudging towards the waterfront deck to enjoy the view; it was like sailing into a hidden world just beyond the city lights.
The irony wasn't lost on her.
The floorboards on the deck creaked under their combined weight as the group crossed the raised platforms over the pond. It wasn't long until a chilly wind blew from the south, whipping at leaves and trees with modest vigour. Even here, deep within lush green gardens surrounded by urban landscape, the wind brought a faint taste of sea and saltwater from the Northern Pacific Ocean. Ripples danced at the pond, its surface disturbed by a soft, steady rhythm that drew away the koi-fish. A dozen or so rowboats were moored along the shoreline, swaying gently with the breeze.
With cold fingers squeezing the iron railing that bordered the bridge, Anna closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She could hear the enthusiastic clicks of five cameras behind her, not quite drowned by the laughter that echoed across the pond, unobstructed. Content, she breathed in the evening air; it was damp and fresh, reminding her of strolls around the brown-coloured beaches of the Black Lake, crunching gritty sand under her shoes as she searched for lone agate amidst the pebbles. If she focused her mind just so, then she could almost feel her fingers kneading into that coarse texture, warm under the late afternoon sun.
A flock of birds crossed the sky, cackling and squabbling so loud that they overpowered the rumble of traffic and the wailing of sirens, now some ways further behind. With a startle, Anna's eyes fluttered open. She looked across the pond, at the looming Buddhist temple up ahead. Her fingertips slithered over the dull, brushed metal as she continued forward, slowly, making her reminisce; it had taken her four years and then some to find a single piece of agate on those still shores, buried under boring jasper and gneiss like Doxy eggs hidden behind old drapes.
She clicked her tongue, a ghost of a smirk on her lips as she stopped halfway through her stroll. And then, little more than a year to figure out who had been leaving them lying around to be found, willy-nilly — despite arguing agates were more underwhelming than common weeds.
"Dear old Millie," Anna mumbled, glancing at the cherry trees where the bridge winded down to a grassy island. She clutched her coat, shielding herself from a chill.
A shuffle and a yelp came from her right side. "Those are some darn cool birds," said Sarah, pointing her camera upwards at an awkward angle. Her speech was a little slurred. "My bet's on swallows. A migrating bunch."
"Or thrushes," Anna added helpfully, looking up as well. The sky was transmuting into deep violet, as the moon, round as a ball of light, shone faintly behind dark clouds.
A full moon? Anna frowned, biting the inside of her cheek.
Eyebrows raised, Sarah followed her stare. "Pretty."
"And auspicious," Anna mused, distracted. "Tonight marks the ides of April. The pink moon."
"Doesn't look pink to me," said Sarah, screwing her eyes to look at the sky better. The moon donned its usual glimmering shade of white.
Anna hummed in agreement. "No, I suppose it doesn't."
Contemplative, she surveyed the starlit sky; there was something feeble, almost illusive that gave her a sense of foreboding, like a sliver of clarity under the peaceful moonlight. Threads, entangled among threads.
Whether this would influence a twist of fate only time could tell.
Sarah bent backwards, in what looked to be a very uncomfortable position. "Do thrushes even migrate during nighttime?"
"Who knows, I'm not the All-Knowing Master of Birds," said Anna with a poorly disguised chuckle, arms crossed as she leaned against the cold rails. She tapped the heel of her foot against the floorboards. "Reckon you happen to break your back before dinner, then where'd you suppose we'll eat?"
"I'll point you to this real nice restaurant just off the station if you get me a cab to the hospital," she answered, almost swerving to the side like a ninja in order to get a panoramic picture of the moon-lit pond.
"Well, I did bring some money; might as well pay the fare," she patted the right inner pocket near her breast, making a supple amount of coins jingle.
Anna heard the floorboards creak faintly, as the others made their way to them from across the bridge.
With one last click, Sarah adjusted the lenses on the camera. "Much obliged!" she grinned, just as Anna pondered in silence the strange meanders between art and lunacy. "So, why didn't you bring your camera? I did say so, didn't I? Is that more booze?"
She pointed at the thermos in Anna's hand. In turn, Anna gave her a strange stare that went blissfully unnoticed.
"Still the tea, I'm afraid," she said, shaking the container. "Had to decide whether to stay hydrated or take pictures."
Sarah rotated the lens and it stirred closed in response. "You can get a really cheap camera at one of the gadget stores downtown. I'll come with you, if you'd like," she offered, throwing her an understanding look before jumping slightly at an involuntary hiccup.
"Oh, I wouldn't even know what to do with one," Anna said, inwardly cringing at the half-truth. "All those — buttons , and clicks. Might break something the moment I step out of the shop, and then there goes a pretty Sickl- I mean, penny."
Scratching her head, Sarah turned around. "There's a thirty day warranty and repair shops all over if you mess up the camera, you know. Besides, I can — hic — help you get the hang of these buttons," she pointed at several bits and pieces that made up the body of her own camera. "It's really easy once you figure out what everything — well, most things are supposed to do."
Anna blinked. "What if I lose it at uni? I've this nasty habit of misplacing things."
"You're in Japan; someone's probably going to deliver it to the closest Lost and Found, so you're most likely safe."
"And what if it falls into the pond?"
"Then we'll fish it out somehow; though I'm not sure the warranty covers water damage. You might — hic — need a subscription for that," she answered. Pleasantly — which made the whole exchange even more baffling.
"You're awfully nice to someone you've just met properly and whom, mind, snapped at you earlier in the day," said Anna, the tilt in her voice torn between gentle admonishment and surprise.
"That's 'cause I've got a good feeling about you. And I'm not usually wrong about these things," replied Sarah, though she smiled like she was holding back a laugh. "Besides, today wasn't the best of days, yeah? Gotta live and let live, otherwise we'd all be at each other's throats the whole time."
"I suppose there's some truth to that," Anna nodded, a warming fondness pooling in her chest. "Though you might be tipsy. Just a smidge."
And with that, they laughed together. Under the moon, in a fleeting moment where the barriers between them had started to unfurl.
As a light drizzle curled the ends of her hair, Anna walked in silence with the others through grass and stone, her legs already a little sore by the time they reached the train station in Taito City. She rubbed her hands to generate warmth; in an ideal scenario, she'd have charmed a pair of gloves beforehand, but alas. It would be risky to whip out her wand in public when so many Muggles kept going back and forth during rush hour. Much to her chagrin, her actions would be restricted further for the time being.
A witch bereft of magic — by her own imposition, no less , the words echoed in her mind, beckoning feelings of irritation that Anna quickly shrugged off.
This area, they were roughly an hour's walk from the university, further into the eastern part of the city that she had never visited. Intrigued, Anna studied the sleek lines and concrete surfaces that made the exterior façade of the station, so unlike the late 19th century Victorian architecture of King's Cross with its striking red-brick walls and dirty floors. There were large glass panels all around that would bathe the lobby with natural sunlight during the day; once they stepped inside she saw steel beams climbing up into high ceilings, all polished surfaces and cool reflections that caught her attention.
Crowds of Muggles walked past them without sparing a glance. As they left the station, Anna made sure to activate the motion sensors on the automatic doors herself with a subtle motion of her leg, finding it hard to keep the smile off her face as they slid open.
Outside, the world around transformed into a tapestry of dazzling lights that painted the skyline with a kaleidoscope of colours. There were millions of them, tiny and popping out of windows dotted across the horizon. Neon signs flickered and shimmered to life, casting a vibrant glow upon bustling streets, though this liveliness would become more and more subdued as they crossed district boundaries.
Just as they were about to turn a corner, Anna picked on some shouting; standing on her tiptoes, she unashamedly held onto Sarah's shoulder to hoist herself up and get a better glimpse of the crowd. Narrowing her eyes to lessen the glare of the neon lights, she saw at least two dozen people gathered around a lone man with a hard face, who seemed to be engaging in some form of street preaching.
Anna's nose wrinkled in an expression of apprehension as she looked on; among the crowd some cheered, others held up a fist in the air and repeated the name 'Kira' with fervour, though many people walked past, heads down, as if nothing was going on.
A long-ignored fear twisted in her chest.
"What's happening over there?" she urged, feeling deeply troubled by the wary faces in their little group. "Is it a rally?"
She felt Sarah squirm a little under her touch. "Those are Kira supporters. Let's go before things get heated."
Anna nodded, letting go of the other girl's shoulder. She did linger for a moment, looking up at the moon with a frown.
"Of course. Best not to interfere," she mumbled, crossing the street with the others — but not without looking back at the commotion one more time.
~o~O~o~
A chilly wind blew as they journeyed up the hill road that led to the residential suburbia outside the metropolis. Wrapping her coat closer to her body, Anna glanced over her shoulder, observing how the cacophony of the city faded into the background. Her attention was drawn to the unobstructed view just to her left, a colourful twinkling against the dark sky. It was quiet here, getting quieter still as they traversed dimly lit paths further into the heart of this landscape of serenity.
She wasn't quite sure where they were; after close to an hour on foot, through unknown roads and walking past tall buildings that slowly lost several storeys, her sense of direction had all but given up. A long time ago she'd have nightmares like this — of losing her way, bare feet bleeding while she tracked through mud and twigs, until the trees became a maze and the sky nothing but a blur, out of reach.
She grimaced at the recollection; if memory served her, this had usually preceded an exam.
Anna shook the thermos, lips pursed when not even a few droplets splashed inside; the tea had run out a while ago, somewhere between a towering flowering maple tree and a dodgy intersection where she had almost tripped on a loose stone, while listening to the others talk about the undergoing murders.
The faces around her were more solemn now. The mood had dropped and the discussion turned sombre before it picked up again, though there was still an uneasiness lingering in the air. Lost in thought, Anna stroked the embroidery on the hem of her sleeve with her thumb; she wondered how many criminals would die tonight, while she and the others supped and laughed, bellies full and eyes bright. She plucked a bit of stray lint from her overcoat that clung near to the folds near her elbow, and then trailed over the soft petals on yellow chrysanthemums and blue iris flowers, the tip of her nail grazing over the threads.
Further back, the captain of the ten-nis team — which she assumed to be some kind of Muggle sport — was boasting in broken English about his skills to pick out talent and take it to the next level. Uninterested, Anna breathed into her hands to conceal a yawn.
A familiar arm wrapped around her shoulders. "Go easy on the sake tonight," Sarah suggested, still a little wobbly from the impromptu mid-afternoon binge. "Okami-san will keep pouring, but you don't have to drink. Just pretend you do, if it helps — remember that. So you don't have to deal with more nosebleeds so soon, you see. I still think it's — it might be the humidity, but you won't get used to the climate until after summer. Ain't that it, Yasunaga? I can get you some tea."
There was a grunt of approval from behind them.
"Who is this Okami-san?" asked Anna, distracted by her own musings.
Sarah gave her a radiant smile. "You'll love her! She's been hosting me for the past three years, didn't I tell you?" she exclaimed, squeezing Anna's shoulder as they walked past a number of houses displaying meticulously manicured gardens. "Lovely, lovely lady; she's been living alone since her husband died and her only son moved away to Kyoto. She makes the best —" a hiccup "— pardon, the best ramen I've ever had. From Melbourne to Boston, from Berlin to Tokyo, no one can beat her. She's the shit, Anna. The absolute fucking shit ."
Anna chuckled. "And you're telling me to go easy on the drinking. Me , the only one here who doesn't drink a drop of alcohol."
"There's always a first time for everything!" Sarah let out a guffaw, joined by the others. Anna shook her head, amused.
"If any of you feel the need to throw up at any point, aim for the grass," lectured Anna. "Never on the pavement; it will splash your shoes."
Hands behind her back, she hummed the chorus of a sappy Celestina Warbeck song under her breath and walked on.
~o~O~o~
They arrived at a house that, under different circumstances, could have easily melded into the serene elegance of its neighbours. However, unlike the concrete structures that surrounded it in adjacent plots of land, this one wore the marks of age and weather unapologetically on its wooden facade. Paper lanterns hung from the sloped roof, their gentle light casting a soft glow upon the stone pathway leading up to the entrance. With each sway in the evening breeze, the lanterns created dancing shadows that played across the garden.
Anna trailed behind the group as they entered the property, her shoes crunching beds of dry leaves that had fallen on the ground. Up ahead, a wooden structure strewn across the pathway drew her attention. With careful steps, she sidestepped the obstacle, feeling a shiver ripple down her spine that prompted her to hug her overcoat closer.
Inside the entrance hall, Anna marvelled at the merger between the traditional Japanese architecture of the Taisho-style period and Western influence, which made the decor very welcoming in her eyes. She sat down on the raised woven tatami flooring for the house proper and removed her boots, storing them neatly inside a cabinet available for all of them to use. As she stood up, she noticed a small, elderly lady dressed in a dark coloured kimono beckoning them with a smile.
" Hai , getabako (05)," she said, eyes twinkling with genuine approval. Once her gaze landed on Anna, she opened her arms wide.
Sarah chimed in: "That's Anna, Okami-san," she said cheerfully, and then repeated the same message in passable Japanese. The old lady opened her arms wider and Anna was quickly enveloped in a hug, then promptly pulled down to receive a wet kiss on each cheek.
"Hello to you too, Okami-san," she said, feeling a little squished but surprisingly content. Anna returned the greeting good-naturedly and then, bowing slightly, with both hands she offered the lady a box of chocolates wrapped in beautiful red velvet. Her face was flushed from all the attention.
"I taught her some European manners, sorry about that," explained Sarah apologetically, but still with a bright smile. "She's never properly met a Brit before, so she was very excited to see you and Alex."
Amused, Anna watched the old lady repeat the process with everyone in the group, reserving a polite bow for the so-called captain . "It's fine; mum's side of the family is Italian. I'm very much used to this. Missed it, even," she confessed. "My intimate circle back in England can be a tad…distant in comparison."
"Mustn't grumble," Alex gave her a friendly pat on the shoulder, then waggled a finger in a (not quite) sober display of wisdom. "The trick is to wait until everyone's rightly pissed. That's when the madness starts."
Anna shrugged good-naturedly. "Still fun to watch everyone else get absolutely wankered from the sidelines, while you're sipping tea."
"A thought: what if vodka's my hobby and you're just stopping me from getting out of this world gassed by being the only one sober," he asked, a little wobbly himself, hanging both their overcoats inside a dark wooden closet.
"Gird your loins, then," Anna chuckled. She briefly wondered what kind of magical mayhem would happen if, in some alternate universe, she got tipsy, or worse, outright sloshed in the company of Muggles.
As Sarah disappeared into the kitchen, they were ushered into the first division on the right, where a spacious room greeted them with a long, low table positioned at its centre. There were several pillows on the floor for them to sit, while a small heater hummed quietly in the corner, warding off the chill of the air. Upon the table sat a modest spread of plates and glasses, already accompanied by an assortment of crunchy snacks, setting the scene for a cosy gathering.
When Anna stepped into the room, she sensed a shift in the atmosphere. Uneasy, her gaze wandered over the television in the corner and the Buddhist altar standing across on the other side, then paused briefly at the row of framed black-and-white portraits hanging high on the wall, displaying men and women with severe expressions. A moment passed, long and uncomfortable, until she felt her eyes snap down as if drawn like a magnet, landing upon an elderly man seated at the head of the table.
Imperceptibly, the lights flickered. She narrowed her eyes.
"Cheers," said Alex, entering the room alongside her. While the others followed suit and gathered around the table, Anna was the only one who stayed put; perplexed, she remained at the threshold with her arms crossed. The man shouted something at them, which she vaguely understood as a most fervent command to get him sake, post-haste.
"Who's that?" she asked Sarah discreetly, as the other woman came back with their first amuse-bouche for the evening: two full plates of gyozas and a big bowl of shrimp tempura. It smelled divine.
"That's the Master of the house," she said as a matter of fact. Anna noticed how her eyes were a little unfocused. Surely they hadn't indulged that hard before dinner; it would've been tremendously rude to the host.
Puzzled, Anna looked at the old man and then at Sarah: "I thought you said Okami-san lived here alone with you?"
"Yeah, yup, that's right," Sarah nodded, hurrying towards the table. The old man immediately stretched over fine porcelain cups like an elongated monkey and snatched two gyozas with his chopsticks, grumbling and snapping pointedly. With a startle, Sarah then returned to the kitchen, presumably to get more sake after being yelled at. "He's very polite!" she exclaimed, walking past Anna.
Unconvinced, Anna took her place at the table and made sure to sit as close to the old man as she was able. He greeted her with a nod, bowing his head with an almost regal bearing. For some reason, an odd sensation overtook her as she observed the way he swung the sake in his cup, as if she was looking but not quite seeing.
Everyone else seemed… numb, somehow. Anna tapped her fingers on the dark wooden surface of the table, observing the various interactions happening around her: there was undeniable merriment, lively jests and laughter at the occasional silliness on her side of the table; all blatantly ignoring the outbursts of temper from the one individual. Not out of awkwardness or courtesy, she noted, — but as if under a sort of cherry-picked anaesthesia.
Anna cocked her head to the side, a flicker of curiosity mingled with apprehension in her gaze. "Interesting," she muttered to herself, though her voice was tinged with a bristling edge. Her lips pressed into a thin line.
"Here's some sushi for y'all to try," said Sarah, jolting her out of her reverie. Anna's eyes widened in surprise just as a plate of nigiri and sashimi with fresh tuna was placed in front of her. As expected, the old man immediately attacked the appetisers with gusto, all pretence of manners gone at the sight of food. Surreptitiously, she gave him the side-eye and then poured herself a cup of matcha green tea which she sipped slowly, her thoughts straying back to something she had read a long time ago.
The high spirits were contagious. Though Anna was unable to fully relax, she tried to engage with the others in more lighthearted conversations while they still had their wits about them. A few seats down to her right, she heard several voices trying to sing Ein Prosit (06), but it was so out of tune that Anna couldn't help but to chuckle, almost choking on her tea. It didn't take long for the lady of the house to join them once the ramen arrived at the table, served in large bowls filled with mouthwatering braised pork, shiitake mushrooms and a salty broth that rendered everyone silent in appreciation for the culinary delights.
"So good," Sarah mumbled, audibly slurping the broth. Anna hummed in acknowledgement, adroitly cutting a piece of pork with her chopsticks.
Throughout dinner, Anna kept an eye on the old man. At least twice, she effectively prevented him from stealing food from other people's plates by clearing her throat and then glaring very pointedly. He didn't shout at her or make demands after being caught; rather, he seemed to slink back to his seat, clearly vexed at these restrictions, but gradually mellowed under her watchful stare.
Anna tapped her fingernails in a rhythm that failed to be quicker than the tapping of raindrops on the windows, soft despite their constant humming. The more she observed this strange specimen, the more she was reminded of a gourd. Perhaps it was the head; was it truly shaped like —
"Oi, arre you listenin'," slurred one of the others from across the table, the roughness dripping through the poor imitation between a South London accent and a pirate. Anna whipped her head around, amused. The conversations had restarted now that everyone had eaten as much as they could. "Wut classes are you takin'?"
"Me? Oh, loads," she used her fingers to make a list: "Out of the top of my head, there's this one on introduction to criminal psychology that sounded fun, then there's japanese literature, something about crop cycles in agriculture during the industrialisation era, chemistry, drawing the human figure based on renaissance standards of course, and this one about developing snakes and webs for the good of science, I suppose —"
" Snakes and webs ? What are you on about? Are you" — hiccup — " joshing me?" blurted Sarah, cutting in. "You can't be taking all of those units, they're from different courses! Not to mention that intro to criminal psy is an elective third year class."
Anna scratched the back of her head, trying to wrap her head around this new information. "Well, I wasn't too sure about the snakes…but, why? What's wrong?"
"Because that's against university policy, you can't take more than one course at a time; otherwise you'd be enrolled in Computer Science, Law, Arts, Physics and only God knows what else," she looked one step away from a small seizure. "What's your minor? What are you majoring in?" Sarah pressed, seeing Anna's confusion.
"…all of those?"
There was a moment of silence before everyone at the table burst into laughter. Even the old lady let out a chuckle before going back into the kitchen to get more tea. Anna's eyes narrowed, craning her neck towards the door; she thought she saw the old lady bowing and waving as she reached the threshold, a bundle of elegant robes —
The closest person to her right, Alex, gave her a firm slap on the back. "You're alright," he guffawed, throwing his head back, lost in mirth at her expense. They all thought she was pulling their legs!
Anna felt her cheeks flush. "I really don't see the problem," she muttered, hiding behind her cup of tea.
"The problem's that you're a hoot and a half and I'm way too drunk for this," Sarah pointed at her with dirty chopsticks. "You're going to kill me faster than Kira, mark my words."
"Don't even get me started on that showdown with L…"
"Ja, it was so, uh, gruselig , scary —"
Smiling sheepishly, Anna suddenly remembered the old man had been much too quiet. When she turned around, he was gone from his seat, plates and cup wiped clean as if no one had used them.
Glancing at the sliding doors she saw a rustle of robes dragging heavily across the floor, disappearing from sight.
"Excuse me, where's the loo?" she asked, quickly standing up.
"Just go down the hall and then turn right," Sarah informed her helpfully, still clutching her sides.
"Thanks," Anna said, crossing the dining room with determination.
Once she reached the main hall, she heard a creak and saw the front door closing with a soft click . Cautious, she looked over her shoulder for any accidental onlookers and took out her wand, rushing out into the garden. The old man approached the wooden structure at a slow pace, cane tapping on wet stone. It was the one she had seen earlier, strewn across the path to the house.
Constant vigilance indeed, she exhaled raggedly.
" Wait ," she called, raising her wand in caution as her socks sloshed with rainwater and crunched the undergrowth beneath. To her surprise, as she closed in the distance, the old man seemed shorter now, definitely smaller than her; and when he turned around in response to her voice, she was stumped to see she hadn't been wrong about the gourds at all. "You're one of them ," she whispered, stunned. "I knew it, I knew something was off!"
Staring up at her in silence with dark, beady eyes, was a humanoid being with the largest head she had ever seen: it seemed elongated, gourd-like in shape, carrying a face wrinkled like an old man's. Those eyes glimmered with the sort of sharp intelligence not unlike that of goblin-kind she had grown to be wary of. She quickly looked around, her heart beating fast.
"You're not supposed to be here, you know," Anna said in a gentler tone, lowering her arm. She felt it shake, aware that her every move was being closely inspected. "Consider the law: it says that 'each wizarding governing body will be responsible for the concealment, care and control of all magical beasts, beings and spirits dwelling within its territories borders' , that sort of thing. I reckon you wanted a bit of freedom, but it's dangerous to come into the Muggle world like this. Especially now, with that Kira waddling about."
Once more, she was met with silence. Though Anna was certain that it understood her meaning, if not her words.
Gritting her teeth, Anna lowered herself to one knee, so they were more or less at eye level.
"It would be negligent of me to ignore your presence in this household, you know. Your Ministry goes to such lengths to provide you lot with replacements for the monthly festivities so you can enjoy them properly, out of sight of the Maguro," she explained, noticing how dark eyes widened as they followed her wand. "Yes, they're Maguro . I'm a Majo ," she raised her wand ever so slightly, a spot of blue light flickering from the tip. "The full moon is beautiful tonight, so why are you here and not elsewhere? You should be celebrating with your own, not causing mayhem,"
She shivered, as a chilly wind swept over a bundle of leaves on the ground. Her feet felt miserably cold. "The rules are in place for a reason, even if you don't like them. Times have changed and we must adapt, witches, wizards and your lot alike."
The moonlight cast strange shadows across the garden. If not for the street lights, it would've been pitch black outside, though Anna could still tell apart the straight lines from the modern stone walls belonging to the houses surrounding Okami-san's. Feeling a surge of pity, she glanced over her shoulder at the paper lanterns hanging from the roof, gently illuminating the dark wood on the pillars. A remnant of the old ways on the outside while the new world kept spinning, forgetting all the things that hid beyond the city lights.
Anna sighed. "Go along, then," she mumbled, standing up. "I should go back before I'm missed. Just, please, don't return to this house."
The creature didn't utter a word. With one last glance, Anna hid her wand inside her sleeve once more and turned around, walking slowly towards the house with a heavy heart. Once she reached the front door, she glanced over her shoulder for a peek; she saw both the strange fellow and the wooden structure blocking the path were gone, the gate hinges creaking as if it had just closed.
Anna then turned her whole body, shivering from the cold; as she stared at the road, she thought she could almost discern a figure elevated several feet above ground, going down the hill on what appeared to be a palanquin.
"I wonder if this is an ill omen," she mused out loud, watching it disappear. The moon was high in the sky, overlooking the city with a cold glow.
Blinking twice, Anna turned the door handle to let herself back in. With the coast clear, she subtly cleaned her feet and socks with a quick spell and then marched to the dining room where the others sat around the table, laughing. She could hear their voices even before sliding open the door. She stared at them; there they were, Muggles, without a care in the world, unaware of what they had just been compelled to break bread with.
"Hey, Anna," called Sarah. "Did you see that old man out?"
"Yes, I did. He's on his way home."
Wherever that is, she thought to herself.
Sarah paused. The others looked at her, equally confused. The lady of the house nodded to herself, as if she had understood something very important. "But…who was he?"
Anna shrugged. 'No idea. Just some poor chap in need of a nice, warm meal,' she said, sliding over to her seat and pouring herself some tea. "So, what were you saying about this Kira business before I left?"
~o~O~o~
It was raining when, around one in the morning, an exhausted Anna entered a cheery bakery located in the middle of the Ginza district. She made a face as a bell, strategically placed over the entranceway, tinkled the moment she opened the door. The unnecessary announcement made her feel rather irritated; it was far too late for such loud noises. Regardless, she took it with grace and walked over to one of the empty tables, setting her coat on the back of a chair. The yellow umbrella she left hooked on one of the arms. Other than a lone table hidden behind a pillar, there were no other patrons at this time of night. She closed her eyes tightly for a few seconds, holding onto the edge of the table with both hands as, for the hundredth time that night, she considered her next course of action.
After dinner was finished, everyone bid their farewells and see you tomorrow's, going off on their separate ways in high spirits. That is, everyone except for Anna, who broke off with the group earlier than the district crossing into Bunkyo. Citing late night plans as her excuse, she made for a dimly lit alleyway where she could Apparate into one of the safe wizarding spots in Ginza. It took her a while to find the overly colourful bakery she and Millicent had come across during one of their walks; she would fully admit not being in her right mind after the very odd encounter she had had hours prior, but there it was. Half an hour in the rain with nothing but a flimsy Muggle umbrella, walking past high-end clothes shops and thirty story hotels, had at least given her some perspective.
Anna would have to report the sighting directly at Ministry headquarters. There was no way around it; one rogue individual, no matter their class or race, could spell catastrophe for the Status of Secrecy. She had to report it. Especially given current events.
But she so hated the utter incompetence of government bodies nowadays.
Tapping the heel of her left foot on the wooden floor, Anna took a deep breath and then turned around, glancing at the sweets on display. She could go for a cheesecake and chamomile tea, if only to help improve her mood. The Ministry was, after all, a problem for the next morning.
She picked up her coin purse and crossed the room with heavy steps, giving the drowsy man behind the counter a tight lipped smile. "Hello, er, ohayō ," she waved, fairly certain that this wasn't what she was supposed to say, given the look of polite bemusement aimed at her. "Can I have some cheesecake? And a pippin' hot cup of chamomile tea, I mean, ocha . Hot cha-mo-mi-le ocha ."
The man nodded, giving her a thumbs up and then started typing at the machine. Anna clutched her coin purse in her right hand, distracted, looking out the window at the illuminated signs for restaurants and hotels outside in the rain. She allowed herself the briefest of daydreams, thinking about her soft bed, the warm covers that kept her comfortable while she embraced a certain orange fluff throughout the night —
Startled, Anna's head whipped around to look at the cashier. Chairs dragged across the floor, some ways behind her. "Hmm? Oh, sorry. Give me a second," she opened her coin purse and fumbled inside for a bit, taking out three coins: two Japanese silver Mon and one shiny English Galleon. Heart beating fast, Anna looked up with wide eyes at the cashier's perplexed face and quickly tried to shove them back, but instead dropped the purse with a loud noise, scattering several coins across the floor — and none were of the Muggle kind.
" Galloping gargoyles ," she moaned, red as a tomato, ignoring how the cashier craned his neck over the counter as she kneeled on the floor and tried to collect the closest coins. It would've been easier — and far less embarrassing — to use magic to swiftly gather all of them, but she was reduced to this, to behave like a Squib.
She heard footsteps approaching, and then saw someone clad in a dark suit crouch, picking up a stray galleon that had rolled under one of the tables near the window. Anna froze at first, but then slowly looked up into the kind moustached face of one Mister Smith, the older gentleman she had met at the parking lot in To-Ho, making his way towards her.
"A pleasure to see you again, Miss Green," he greeted, though the smile he gave her didn't quite reach his eyes; Anna could see a hint of apprehension behind them. "You seem to have dropped your…coin collection?" He gave her the Galleon back but not before subtly studying its anatomy and substantially bigger size compared to non-magical currency, as if entertaining thoughts she couldn't even begin to understand. Nervous, she noticed how his gaze lingered on the Gringotts Bank inscriptions and dragon motif.
Still on her knees, Anna coughed into her hand. Maybe, after everything tonight, she had been cursed without her knowledge. "Thank you," she muttered, quickly shoving the coin inside her purse. "Though we're meeting under slightly better circumstances this time, I hope," this tentative strain of optimism was, in itself, arguable at best; there were still quite a few coins scattered around the floor.
"Markedly," said Mr Smith, gathering a handful to help her. He seemed particularly curious about the ingots of ryõ and and bu , though his expression never wavered from a polite stare. "However, I would question the wisdom of carrying a set of solid gold coins by yourself, at night," he then added in a lower voice, giving her a look heavy with meaning just as the cashier leaned across the counter.
Anna gripped the coin purse tightly, biting her lip. "Some of these were custom made. Exonumia, you understand," she blurted in a tone a little too high pitched, trying to pass as eccentric or capricious. Her heart thumped in her chest. "And I'll get back to my apartment soon; I just need to — well, to pay for my order. I think I'll do with takeaway."
The gentleman nodded, helping her up once all the coins were back in the purse. As Anna patted her skirt and blouse stupidly in search of a different purse, a pouch, anything , the cashier was extending his hand to receive payment from the gentleman, who took out a wallet, explaining something in fluent Japanese. Anna understood his meaning quite well as money exchanged hands.
"There's really no need —" mortified, she stumbled over her words, feeling her face and ears heat up. "My other purse is probably lost in the pocket of my overcoat, I can just go grab it —"
With a calm smile, he took the change handed by the cashier. "Think nothing of it, my dear," he said, an echo of the same kind words uttered earlier in the day. The register closed with a loud click . "Sometimes it is better to accept the help we're given rather than go through unnecessary hardships."
Anna's right hand fiddled with the cuff of her blouse, finding the feel of the soft threads in the embroidery oddly soothing. "I —" she watched as the cashier placed the cheesecake inside a package. "I'm sorry. It's been a hard day," she admitted, suddenly feeling a wave of exhaustion wash over her. "How can I repay you? Do you work at the university? I live not five minutes from campus and will likely be there almost every day for the rest of this year; I'll give you back the money as soon as possible."
"Ah, I must insist. There is no need for payment. I was glad to be of service," he told her gently, hands behind his back as they waited for Anna's delivery.
"But," she started, mouth moving like a fish; she felt utterly embarrassed as the older gentleman was handed a transparent bag with her takeaway and carried it without question.
"Shall I call you a taxi, Miss Green? There is still a long way to go before To-Ho and the roads are dark at this time of night."
"Thank you, but I believe I can manage," she muttered, quickly grabbing her overcoat from the back of the chair and placing her coin purse safely inside one of its pockets. Still blushing, once she turned around to face the older gentleman, she was suddenly struck by the presence of a young man with a rounded back standing in front of the door to the bakery.
Anna stopped on her tracks entirely as if slapped. Holding her coat closer to her middle, she frowned, taken aback by the intense expression aimed at her under a mop of black hair. Slowly, she reached for the handle of her wand, her eyes trained on the young man as he scratched the back of his head with one hand, while the other was shoved inside the pocket of his jeans. The handle of a black umbrella was hooked to his wrist, contrasting with his long, white sleeved shirt.
Anna narrowed her eyes; for some reason he looked oddly familiar.
'Who comes dressed in blue jeans and a white shirt to this kind of event?'
A hand on her shoulder snapped Anna out of her thoughts. "Is everything alright, my dear?" the gentleman asked.
Anna started, taking her eyes off the young man. "Yeah, everything's just fine," she replied, letting go of her wand to quickly put on her overcoat. The hand on her shoulder dropped. With a tight-lipped smile, she turned to the older gentleman and reached out for her bag. "Thank you for everything, Mr Smith. I'll make sure to find you at uni soon, don't worry. Good evening."
"Of course," he acquiesced, though clearly troubled.
Anna took her bag, bowed her head in one final goodbye and walked over to the door, doing her best to avoid looking directly at the young man, now with a thumb hooked on his bottom lip.
"Have a good evening as well," she muttered as she walked past him, more out of force of habit than actual politeness. She thought she heard a soft-spoken reply after her, but the words were drowned by the tinkling of the bell as she stepped outside.
Hugging her coat closer to stave off the mild rain that still poured, Anna walked for a few minutes through the empty main road of Ginza city centre, then turned sharply into a dimly lit street. A few ways in, she finally took out her wand. It wasn't one of the safe streets she had been told about, but it was dark enough, with shadows for her to disappear into the night without drawing attention. Anna brushed wet strands of hair out of her face. Behind her, she could hear one of those vehicles start up, the rumble of wheels against the road getting closer and closer.
As a black limousine slowly appeared into view, Anna closed her eyes and Apparated home.
...
TBC
...
A heartfelt thank you to everyone who took a minute of their time to press that kudos button and comment. You all make my day!
In this chapter, Anna encountered a yõkai; specifically the Nurarihyon.
Notes and translations:
05 - A getabako is a shoe cupboard, usually situated in the genkan, an entryway or porch of the house.
06 - A classic drinking song from Oktoberfest.
