Samurai Awakening Page 23

  “It was definitely Chul Soon, he made sure I knew it was him,” Takumi said.

  “When you say destroy, are you saying we have to kill Rie?” Kou asked. David was surprised at how repulsed Kou was by the thought.

  ‘You do not yet understand, but she has already made enough sacrifices. It is our turn to be there for her,’ Kou thought, answering David’s curiosity.

  “I hope it does not come to that,” Masao said, his voice breaking. “I just lost my father. One of your classmates has paid for our negligence. I do not want to lose a daughter too. There may be a way to exorcize the corrupted Kami within her, but I will need time to find out how.”

  David’s sudden look outside alerted them to Ryohei’s approach.

  “I searched the entire mountain range. I couldn’t find a trace of them anywhere, and the only other ghost wouldn’t tell me anything. If they have a new den, it isn’t around the Estate,” Ryohei said as he drifted through the doors. His willowy voice filled the air within the main room, while his aura chilled the three mourners.

  “Thanks Ryohei,” David said with a shiver. “Ryohei agreed to double check the mountains after Masao-sensei and I checked them. We didn’t find anything either.”

  “Huh, I can see him. Nice to finally see you Ryohei… you do look like me.” Takumi stared into the obake’s face as if looking into his own.

  “I’d say you look like me.” Ryohei smiled widely. “If I remember correctly from my own training, the yūrei won’t be able to summon any oni for a while yet. The ōkami will begin to grow stronger immediately, but the yūrei will take a long time to learn the host’s body and gain the knowledge necessary to summon an oni.”

  “So then we need to find Rie before she can unleash an oni?” asked David.

  “Yes, that is the first task for us once the more pressing matters are taken care of… We also have to prepare for the Nakano Festival. We cannot cancel or postpone that since the festival is for the Kami that visit our shrine… there has never not been a festival since the shrine was built,” Masao said, growing more calm and collected with every passing minute. As the list of things to do mounted, he became more his old self.

  “Speaking of us… What does all this mean? Is Takumi a Jitsugen Samurai now?” David asked, confused that one of the most obvious questions had yet to be answered. Masao sighed, the pressures hardening him like carbon into a diamond.

  “No. There was no metal. The Kami, while corrupted must have had at least some part of it that was still good. That part would have escaped into Takumi before it would possess an unwilling host. Only the corruption would seek to dominate. Without the metal though, there was nothing to bind them together. As you know, part of your soul is in the honshitsu, as is part of Kou. That is the bridge between you, and without it, Takumi will be far less.

  “He did, however, die during a summoning ceremony at which a Kami was present, so the part of the Kami that was pulled apart became a new entity. That new entity saved Takumi’s life. He is possessed, but not fully, and not by a mature Kami which is how the ancient monsters were created. He will be a shape shifter. As for the form and power of the Kami, and any other powers he may have, well, we will just have to wait and see.”

  Despite himself, Masao smiled, looking at his son with pride. Takumi unconsciously reached up, touching where Chul Soon had ripped at his neck. A jagged scar betrayed the savage injury that had caused his death just hours before.

  “I don’t think this scar is going to go away like your injuries did,” Takumi sighed. “I guess I know how you felt. Even with years of stories and training, even after seeing you, it’s always someone else that it happens to. It’s always someone else’s story. It is hard to believe a Kami lives within me… It seems there’s a lot I can’t believe… Grandpa is gone.” Takumi looked to Masao, his eyes full of the essential bond between twins, the complete understanding the two had. “There’s no way Rie would willingly be a party to what they did to Grandpa. We have to find her.”

  “We have already found where the ōkami had been staying in the mountains. Ryohei confirmed they are no longer nearby. If I am right, they will lay low, recover, and wait until the yūrei can use its powers. Yes, we should attack before the yūrei can summon an oni but we too must wait until we find them, and grow stronger ourselves.” Masao stood. The echoing crash was the only warning David and Takumi had as Masao brought his fist down onto the ōkami statue.

  The table below shattered while the statue remained unharmed. Masao took the statue and walked outside as blood flowed from his hand. That night a fire burned high into the trees before the Matsumoto shrine. Green flames swirled as the evil departed forever.

  Family Friends in Kyoto

  July,

  We were failures. Grandpa—Masato, we finally learned his first name—Misaki, and Rie all lost. David and I vowed to do whatever it took to right those mistakes. Masato had been like a cagy old tiger, tired with matted fur, a ruse, a lesson taught with sharp claws and a powerful swipe…

  Grandpa’s funeral was, like most major events, at the Matsumoto shrine. The estate was opened to the public, with mourners coming from all over Japan to pay their respects to the renowned sword maker as incense infused the clearing. Masato Matsumoto’s death was attributed to an animal attack, which meant he quickly became just another statistic. The number of such attacks was, as many pundits mentioned, up 15% across Japan from a year earlier and 40% from two years earlier.

  The guilt David felt was made all the worse by the attention Yukiko and the others showed him. David wanted to call Jessica, he knew his little sister would be the only one other than Kou that could completely understand him, yet due to the circumstances around Masato’s death and Rie’s disappearance, he could not think of a way to tell her his problems without giving away the Matsumotos’ secrets.

  David and Takumi attempted to distract themselves from their losses by finishing Natsuki’s sword. Takumi made a rough handle and scabbard in the traditional manner so that David had something clear to focus on. Then over a few days and several tries, David finally succeeded in creating a sheath and handle to perfectly match Takumi’s blade. Using the elemental form of the Seikaku, David coaxed the un-finished handle to grow around the blade so securely that it needed no other fittings. The scabbard matched and David devised a locking mechanism so that when finished, it did indeed appear to be nothing more than a practice sword.

  That task complete, to the astonishment and joy of Natsuki, David continued his nightly searches with Kou. A few days after the funeral, Masao was waiting for David when he returned.

  “Anything?” Masao asked from the shadows as David crept into the main house. Though he was secretly relieved not to have to crawl under the house anymore, his searches, direr than ever before, left David more worried with each night.

  “Not a sniff, track, or sight of any of them,” David said, disgusted. “It’s like they disappeared into a black hole.”

  “I think they are probably smart enough not to leave anything for you to track. We will have to find some other way of locating them,” Masao said calmly, his old manner completely recovered after the outburst with the ōkami’s statue.

  “I assume that is not why you are up at three in the morning?” Kou asked.

  “No. I have spent the last few days going through every record we keep. I cannot find anything on destroying yūrei apart from killing them.”

  David stepped closer. Although calm, Masao’s face betrayed days without sleep. He was close to the edge. Losing his father was bad, but David could tell he would be destroyed if he had to kill his own daughter, even to protect Japan.

  “Is there anyone else we can ask, any other information?” David asked, trying to control his voice.

  “Yes actually, and that is why I am up at… well now,” Masao said. “We are all going to Kyoto tomorrow, today. We leave in a few hours. Some of the oldest Matsumoto records and other books are Imperial Treasures. We have to go to the o
ld imperial palace to get permission to view the materials. I think I am going to have to introduce you to some people as well. I can explain it better later. Go pack. We will have to leave quickly and quietly… We do not want the ōkami to know we are gone. Natsuki-chan will have to come to practice as usual, just in case.”

  “How long will we be gone?” David asked, eliciting a growl from Kou for his tone. “I can’t look for Rie if I’m not here.”

  “We will be there as long as it takes to find a way to save her. Even if you found her tonight, we could not help her. Go, it will be alright.” Masao’s smile told David he understood better than the young American did what was at stake.

  The three Matsumotos and David waited for Natsuki to show for her normal practice. When she arrived, they told her all about their plans, asking her to watch over the Estate while they were gone.

  Since his only experience was with trips within the United States, David assumed the traveling and all its preparations would take far longer than they did. It turned out that the ancient city of Kyoto was under two hours away from Himeji by train. Once the house was settled David and the Matsumotos drove through the mountains surrounding Nakano to Himeji Station. They were there before the first train of the morning to Kyoto.

  “I have called ahead to the Imperial Palace,” Masao said to the group before getting to the station. “There will be a car waiting for us at the station to take us directly to the palace. The Emperor is currently in Tokyo, however, we will need to make introductions to the Crown Prince Nakahito, and seek access to the records.”

  “By Crown Prince, do you mean the next Emperor of Japan?” David asked incredulously from the back seat of the Matsumotos’ car. Takumi, in his stoic mode, merely stared at David.

  “Yes. The Matsumotos have maintained close, if discreet ties with the Imperial Family for hundreds of years. As Crown Prince, Nakahito will be aware of the true history of Japan. Even if we did not need his help, we would still have to inform him that a Jitsugen Samurai has awakened. He will need to know there is danger, and that both you and Takumi have been possessed. I was planning on waiting until you were older, better trained, but we need those books, which means explaining the situation. The Imperial Family may call upon you at any time once they know you exist.” Masao eyed the pair in the back seat wearily as, with his usual disregard for traffic rules, he swerved into a parking spot before the station.

  David spent the hour and forty-five minutes while on the train talking with Kou. Since the family was in a public place, they had to keep their conversations to the realm of their guise as tourists. While the family chatted, David brooded on his upcoming meeting. He had never even met the Mayor back home, let alone a prince or anyone famous. It also disturbed him that the prince might not just meet him, but expect something from him. After all, though far more than he had been, he still did not feel like he was a Jitsugen Samurai—defender of Japan.

  As promised, a car was waiting for them at the station… if you could call a stretch limo with dark windows a car. David stared at the city as the limousine wove through the tight streets of Kyoto. The modern buildings were mixed with classic architecture, buildings reminiscent of the Matsumoto Estate.

  They entered the Imperial Palace grounds from a side entrance, the beautiful buildings matched by stunning gardens, ponds, and tree lined paths. The family was quickly taken into an ancient yet well-maintained security office. After their identities were checked, David’s several times, they were asked to change into ceremonial robes for the occasion of meeting the Crown Prince.

  It took David several tries and many suggestions from Kou to struggle into the voluminous garment. After ten minutes, a well-spoken valet came and showed David to the rest of the family, helping to fix his sagging belt along the way. Afterward, the family was back together and seated at a low table, where they were served green tea while they waited. A few minutes later, another valet came in and described the procedures and etiquette for the meeting. By the looks on the Matsumotos’ faces, David was sure the information was for him.

  After another hour of waiting, the Matsumotos and David were finally led from the security building to the main complex. They walked through corridors few foreigners had seen. Walls and sliding doors were covered in stunning murals depicting scenes from Japanese history. Finally, after much bowing and set phrases they were before a man sitting stiffly in an elegant chair.

  The forty-nine year old Crown Prince was black haired and smiled warmly through the greetings. Dressed in a modernly cut suit, appearing as any diplomat might, his face remained in a pleasant mask through the lengthy words demanded by etiquette. Once the attendants were gone, however, his face fell as sadness creased his eyes.

  “I am so very sorry about Masato-hanshi,” the Prince said, his head hanging a little in sorrow. “You being here, and with a foreigner no less, tells me he did not die by an animal attack. I would have liked to attend the funeral. I am sorry circumstances kept me away. I remember my boyhood training fondly.” The Crown Prince spoke in regular Japanese, a distinct change from the formal and ancient words used during the greetings. “Sorry about the clothes as well, but my security guards thought it best, good to keep up appearances you know. Now, I have an inkling why you are here. The Imperial House has been monitoring world events, and the news of late, when taken together is disturbing.”

  Standing upright, Masao spoke formally to the Crown Prince, despite the common speech used by the latter.

  “We came to warn the Crown Prince that indeed, Evil has returned. Masato Matsumoto was killed by a pack of ōkami. What is more, we now know there is a yūrei as well. We bring good tidings as well. A new Jitsugen Samurai has awakened,” Masao said bowing low.

  Nakahito eyed the boys, gauging them with intelligent scrutiny. “Where is Rie? Why have you brought a foreigner?”

  “Are you the Jitsugen Samurai?” asked Nakahito, suddenly switching to Oxford accented English and staring pointedly at David.

  As Kou took control, David’s eyes changed to orange. David bowed. “Yes, we are David and Kou.”

  “Really! A foreign Jitsugen Samurai, no wonder you came,” Nakahito said. Sitting back, his carefully crafted demeanor broke as he laughed. Nakahito then turned back to Masao, leaning towards them in interest. “Tell me more.”

  “How did the Crown Prince know it was him?” Masao bowed again, a smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

  “You brought him, and he watched me while I spoke, he understood the ancient phrases during the introductions,” Nakahito said simply.

  “You still remember your training well, very observant,” Masao said with another bow. “David is not the only one who is changed. Takumi also has been possessed, though this happened only a week past. He will be a shape shifter. Rie… Rie was captured by the ōkami and turned into a yūrei. They lured us away from the Estate by torturing Masato, and then turned Rie before we could stop them. David has only been a Jitsugen Samurai for a few months, shortly after he arrived in Japan as an exchange student. We have come to humbly request access to the Imperial Treasures, so that we may find a way to destroy the yūrei without killing Rie.”

  Masao fell to the floor, the rest of the Matsumotos and David followed suit and bowed, nearly prostrating themselves when Masao gave his request.

  “Please, stand,” Nakahito said, betraying the agitation he had hidden so well by standing. “Masao, we have known each other all our lives, of course you can search the records. I hope that for all our sakes you find what you need. Where there is one ōkami there are more. David, Takumi, you need bow to no one but the Emperor, and then only as friends. I am well aware what you must have gone through. Now, unfortunately, I have pressing matters, but I want to hear everything. Masao, you know where to go, you have free reign anywhere in the grounds. David, Kou, Takumi, I will talk to you later, I hope. Until then, please enjoy this beautiful city. Masao, let your attendants know what you find, I will see you all again before you leav
e.”

  The Prince stood and left. They were soon met by new attendants and guards. Masao hurried away to do his research while Yukiko, David, and Takumi were taken on a tour of the grounds, before heading to a residence for the duration of their stay.

  Masao did not join them again until dinner, which was brought to a room for the family to eat together. Masao looked tired, and although the food was lavish and beautifully displayed, he ate quickly, barely stopping to appreciate the artistry behind each of the small dishes.

  “I wish the two of you could help me look, there are so many books to read through, and David has a better understanding of ancient Japanese than I do. Even though I am known around the palace, it has caused a bit of an uproar among the staff, me being given complete access. The two of you will have to pretend to be nothing more than my sons in front of anyone but the Emperor or Crown Prince.”

  Finishing, Masao left quickly to continue his search of the Imperial Treasures late into the evening hours. His parting remarks were to David.

  “Do not forget, no changing into Kou…” Masao said. “We do not need Natsuki-chan getting drawn away from the Estate.”

  David, Takumi, and Yukiko did not see much of Masao Matsumoto over the next two days. Although he was obliged to return to their lodgings every night for at least a few hours’ sleep, Masao was driven in his search for a way to save Rie. While the rest of the Matsumotos and David were given relatively free access to most of the Palace grounds they were constantly accompanied by attendants. David soon realized from the way they orientated themselves around him and Takumi that they were there as much for his protection as for general security of the grounds.