Teen Titans New Gen Presents – Tokyo Knights
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Chapter 32: Clouds of Miasma Over Us
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Sun Woo and his partner now had to divide from their chase; the boy in their hold was young, he looked fourteen with delicate features so if the cult fantasy was the truth, then this child needed their protection badly.
Ichiro had fooled them. He believed it, therefore, he was. Iyori wasn't safe as herself, but as a boy, she could get out if danger quickly…
She, had cut her hair. She went to pull at the now short strands as if tears would magically bring it back to life. Her mother's hair. She turned to the road as the backseat of their taxi gave no reason to have the two spooked. Sun Woo made sure Ichiro was guided to the cop's workplace where the Tokyo crew was a 24-hour establishment. Phones rang, while staff answered them with belts and badges at the ready.
This really was just like a story from some manga to her, Iyori thought.
Ami was a fan of those, too…
"Ichiro – kun?" Sun Woo pulled the boy away from their fears as the child looked up, hoping to hear their prayers answered; what came next, if Kohaku wouldn't come searching with his demon allies for her scent…
"I –
"Detective?" Kazuya was there with his eyes sharp and awake. "Who is this child?"
"Ichiro, sir…" Iyori swapped voices with a trick she'd learned from her classmate in transmutation. "I'm Nanakusa Ichiro." She Dumbledore thought of one of her favorite soups and dishes made by the child's grand parent long ago. It took the demons right out of your body in moments with its warmth. "Ah, I see. And, you do know a youkai appearance started within Shibuya, right?"
"It did, it was pretty vile from what the witnesses are seeing so far." The papers handed to Sun Woo had the images of bodies bathed black by a spore coating of something organic. Ichiro was unable to look away from it. "I'm, so…is your partner ok going on their own to see to the wounded? Why –
"He is not alone and my partner knows Youkai from a young age, believe it or not. I come from a family that is devoid of the ability to see them. Some believe it a curse, yet Hisao – san uses his ability to talk to the spirit beings on earth here, to see what can be done – and his background as a Onmyou from a young age still can push the threat far off. It's a double win! I simply counter then, while Hisao can integrate and eliminate."
"Who is, or what is fighting right now?" Ichiro coyly asked.
"We, think some sort of large insect."
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Ami left her seven cuts at a stronger level, only because she had to keep alive. Her ripped sleeve had to be used to cover her nose and mouth, yet Aya and Kaede were still facing a great threat, even while Ageha had fled to keep them trapped in Shibuya. "We can't destroy it! It has to revert back!" Ami realized that the more it go hit, the angrier the demon moth creature became, more spores looked as ashes in the air. Anyone that entered the area was infected and turned purple and black from inhaling the spores off of the demon's body. It was getting stronger as more fed its ill wish; that the humans would suffer to feed its desire to thrive on their plane.
Kaede gave her greatest fox fire yet, until a should from below turned out to be a howl from one dog in particular.
"Eiji??" She gasped as he lunged at the creature, kicking it back without transforming yet. "The demon's must be banished at this point or more will be cursed and killed in the process of trying to wound it. Can your miko do that?"
"We need to get away from the spores. She can't focus."
"Wait!" Ami pulled out the red crystals and stuck the to the included arm and finger cuffs at her hand. "I can…cough!...try one more time. Stay behind me…"
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Hisao sensed a dark energy starting to weaken as he followed his abilities. The few he'd hoped to find, being buried in moth dust and lost to their case. Eaten alive by maggots as he banished all he could, being the weaker demon.
~ The winged and foul, ye shall be cast forth unto the realm of light and released! No longer shall –
"A mantra?" He turned towards it as the red light stunned his eyes, his walkie coming up as he told the other officers to not come in. He had protection from the gods right now and damn well, whoever was working on this turf of war…
~ Take with you this pestilence, these curses and ills upon the kin of my own – let ye never return!! Begone!!~
It was finishing up, almost done so well but lacking a slight piece that was essen –
The light!
It was glowing, white, a portal.
He ran to it. Ami holding her ground as the others held onto something. The mother wailing and spores receding from those bodies that did not die, yet had not held life until the end. ~ Never return!! Vanish as you are bidden!!~
The moth roared out and tried to charge, yet Hisao had a set of hands to Ami's back, his mantra giving her even more power as sge grounded her teeth and let her eyes glow of light, her hair cascade down, until all he saw…
Was a small goddess.
Of the sun. Of hope and light.
~ So commands the goddess of this country! May your kind only remain when thou hath allowed! Be it so, NOW!~
She grew a height taller as Hisao let the sanity return to this time. The portal shut, the beasts erased…until they could return. The girl collapsed and reverted to herself as Aya and Eiji growled and pointed as Hisao, as he caught Ami upon her fall into him. "She, houses the sun goddess. All this time? Reinca-
"That is none of your concern." Kaede snorted..
"She is our charge, not your –
"I don't care about that. You, will tell me everything. Right now, the city is hurt because of whatever might have your names on it." The officers that came behind him had wards and things of light blasted to cuff Eiji, Aya and poor Kaede as she watched Ami being scooped up and carried by this lone Onmyo – hack.
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The dead will rise, was once a case for alarm.
Slade walked in the door of the safehouse of an old ally, his eye on the black shadow in the corner as it materialized. "Grayson."
"Nope."
The merc blinked expectedly. "Takahara it is then. You ran away with your tail between your legs, so I didn't have to come alone. Not really." Out from building Slade, Grayson did in fact show himself. "Shoji. You got kicked out of your seat, but there is more to this. The news. They have my daughter. She's been tracked by the police in Shibuya!"
"I have an inside man. Remember how I said that know every druid, daily and mystic in the modern era? They used to work for me, you know. We worked with Isa, and the rest was in Tokyo where I first met Veronica as Takahara 's double."
"When she had you join a society in the 1990's." Slade nodded. "I remember a few names: the Scarlet Chorus, the Red Blooded Witch of Baphomet, things like that stick for a long time. Barely."
"Thank you Mr. Elephante." Dick grumbled. "Shoji, you kept a lot of secrets as Robin from us then. What else do you have to say? That you didn't know about Kohaku coming after –
"He's using my place to scour it for, parts. Magical. He wants to find a way to bring back his wife. He was promised her that, by Jorogumo. It's a long story. I remember because before there was a case on it, the other Kyoto prints like Iyori's family were a bit less open than they are now, if fact…"
"What?" Slade dragged forth the thought. "Come on, mutt. Any information at this time will give us reason to banish her for good."
"This is good for you too, Slade. You're loving your pseudo retirement years. Saving the world is pretty fun, riget-
"Dog." Sniffed the merc. "Talk, or I'm off your pay roll from herein out, I'll even leave Anna to you."
Dock turned to the man. "You. Can't tell us that. She's not going-
"She's an adult, Grayson. If she wanted to leave, there is nothing stopping her –"Oh , yes there is! You hung over her head that you are the ONLY one who knows how to help her stay in control. I know what you did, you did the same to Rose. To Terra, only Rose can but chooses to stay. Anna, is afraid because you told her she'd fall apart without you to guide her. That's-
"We'll leave the melodrama for whenever your dear ally wants to start talking. If he does, I have every right to make a suggestion unless its of some origin I'm unfamiliar."
"Like magic."
"Um, are you two…ok?"
"SHUT UP." Both men said in unison. "Verra, just tell me what we need to do, what I can do. For one, why are we here? Are you being tracked by –
"The last piece once again, go to the station and see for yourselves. Raku's case is being handled as well. They didn't have to be that divided, and if Roko ended up hurting anyone through her pain…" Verra sighed. "I'll handle things with them, just go get Ami back. We'll talk."
"Then, how do we contact you, Takahara?" Slade watched the dog hop on all fours to idly stretch himself out like a pup. A lazy one, with big plans.
"If you would rather I follow –
"Might be best." Vee turned to Dick as the cop looked his old friend over. "Richie, Slade is right. If he walks in, there will be cats and dogs fighting over a new chew toy. Slade can meet my connections, but you have to go save Ami before she 'activates".
"Activates??" Dick gawked. "She's a teenager and….no, you said she wasn't-
"Amaterasu is mysterious and can appear if she needs that ability to banish darkness from our world. She also trusts Ami to be the next leader of her sect in the future. Your kid is going by guidelines in Japan. She ages faster due to her role than in the west, and because of her ability, she's going to be very well sought."
"It wasn't just a one time event when she…she's not going to leave, like Ava did. I can't tell her to stop –
"She'll make that choice." Verra shrugged. "Ready, DS?"
"Say that name again, I dare you." Snorted the mercenary as he left Grayson's side. "I'll contact you later with what we can share. I'm sure this pup will have me sworn to secrecy anything his cult of followers might know."
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So, Ami got taken by the popo, the spirit familiar have to step in line and Ichiro won't reveal who they are because it would mean Ami coming to try and save them. Will the masks ever come off? Will Shoji reveal who he knows inside the precinct? Is Slade really going to let Anna go from their agreement, or it s it all true? That he's emotionally blackmailed her into staying. Like father like daughter.
Find out!