Yokai Calling

12. Hidekazu

7

Hidekazu

Benri guards flanked the bridge leading to the Benri clan’s famous lotus gardens. The vast waters covered their land, and at the height of summer, the flowers dotting the waters below matched the flags bearing the Benri crest. They flapped in the breeze as the group of teenagers passed, with Aihi and Torra’s presence more than enough to allow them passage without question.

The shoji doors within the airy halls were open to abate the summer heat. Within minutes of arriving, Hidekazu, Masanori, and Aihi were kneeling across from Benri Torra and Benri Yui, her mother and clan leader.

Yui had the round, wrinkled face and eyes of a wise woman, but she lacked the serene kindness of one. Many years of ruling and diplomacy refined her commanding presence; her experience rivalled Aihi’s unshaped authority.

“Greetings, Your Exaltation.” Yui lowered her forehead to the floor, tapping twice before rising again, as was expected to show proper respect in the presence of the princess heir. “How might our clan be of service to you?”

After their brief meeting with the attendant at the Tsukiko Guard barracks, Hidekazu wasn’t sure what to expect of the Benri clan. Aihi and Torra were usually close—the four of them had always been best friends. Now, an uncharacteristic tension existed between the two women, visible in how they wore stiff formalities as armour, their guarded and suspicious gazes.

They should band together to rescue the missing woman—potentially multiple women—and stop the kan’thir. Instead, they acted much like the noble families of Seiryuu at the first sign of failure: they withdrew from alliances that could help them.

“We are investigating a kidnapping that took place during the Midsummer Festival,” Aihi said, her voice calm. “One the Tsukiko Guard failed to investigate.”

Yui’s smile faded. “We are glad to supply majyu, soldiers, or whatever resources you require to resolve this tragedy.”

“Yes. By the end of the day, I expect to have the Benri troops and the Tsukiko Guard under my control, working together to locate the missing woman and her captor. Unfortunately, we do not know who was taken.”

“And what about the attacker?”

“We hoped you might have more information about that.”

Yui gave her daughter a sidelong glance. “Why do you suppose I know anything?”

“Lady Benri, please recall what you told me.”

“Last month, I witnessed the Tsukiko Guard cleansing the streets of an unusual purple substance,” Torra said. “These traces, whatever they are, are laced with corrupted energy. We found a similar essence left where the latest victim was taken.”

“You suspect more than one missing person?”

“Please, Mother. You expected me not to put the pieces together? Since before the Exalted Dragon Princess’ birthday celebration, Imai Fuyuto and Satō Manami have been absent from their social lives.”

Aihi straightened atop her cushioned seat. “To be clear, I do not yet accuse you of anything. You and your family have served the Furahau clan well, and you have been true to the people of Tsukiko for many years. I seek only the truth. Tell me what you know while we still have a chance to save these young women.”

The pleasant, floral scent of the nearby gardens coasted on the breeze. Sheer curtains flitted about in the moments that passed as Yui made her decision. “Very well. I cannot refuse the request of our Exalted Princess, eight times blessed by the Goddess.”

“Then it’s true.” Hidekazu pressed his hands to his knees to keep his spine from curling forward under the disappointment of this news. “More than one person is missing.”

“I am aware of six young women. However, I was asked early in the investigation to leave the case in the hands of the Tsukiko Guard.”

Six missing women and yet few people seemed aware of their absence. If it wasn’t for their encounter with the kan’thir last night, neither would Hidekazu, Masanori, Aihi, and Torra. They would have carried on with their lives none the wiser.

“What for?” Masanori said. “The Benri clan resources outweigh the Tsukiko Guard’s by a considerable margin. If six women are missing, why would anyone ask you to withdraw?”

“Let me guess.” Aihi folded her hands in her lap, but as Hidekazu was beside her, he was in the line of sight to notice how, beneath the fold of her sleeve, she tapped her fingers with evident irritation. “The families made the request. They did not wish for the reigning clan of Tsukiko to intervene in their struggles; they chose to save face rather than utilize Benri support in locating their missing daughters.”

“It is as you say, Exalted Dragon Princess.” Yui reclined her head with what seemed to be genuine apology. “Until you brought this evidence before me, I believed the investigation fared well in Captain Todoroki’s capable hands.”

If only one person was missing, perhaps Hidekazu could agree with the justification of privacy. But how long had the kan’thir been roaming Tsukiko if six women were gone, and possibly more? That number vaulted across the line of irresponsibility and into neglect. The Tsukiko Guard’s failure to announce the attacks enabled more young women to be taken unawares.

“Where did Captain Todoroki go?” Masanori said. “According to his assistant, he’s been gone for six days.”

“I was not aware he had left the city,” Yui said with a frown. “Perhaps he is following a lead regarding the investigation—he has focused on nothing else since Lady Imai disappeared last month.”

“This investigating is under my control moving forward. I require the spellcode for Captain Todoroki’s office.” Aihi rose to her feet, but everyone else remained seated, as none but Yui had been granted permission to follow. “Whatever information he has on the attacks so far, I would see it with my own eyes.”

“My wish is your command, Your Exaltation.”

Yui approached with a cursory bow, raising her sleeve to reveal a string of small blue lotuses tattooed on her forearm. Her position was one of the few exceptions when an irezumi was granted to a non-bushi. The spiritual connection the ink forged between the wielder and the royal family assured loyalty of vassals and government officials and made treachery far more challenging to conceal.

Aihi revealed the sleek, crimson dragons on her flesh and grasped Yui’s arm. Spirals of sparkling, azure ki flitted around them, exchanging energy and knowledge as Yui passed the necessary spellcode to Aihi.

Hidekazu only dealt with spellcodes made by himself and those inherent to his family or clan. He wished he had his notebook with him to record the liquid motion of the energy with a brief sketch and description. Instead, he imprinted the visuals into his mind, holding the unique experience in place until he couldn’t anymore.

A moment later, the light dwindled, and Aihi withdrew her hand. “Thank you for your continued cooperation, Clan Leader Benri.”

“It is my pleasure to assist in any way I can, although I am unsure how much it will help,” Yui said. “Captain Todoroki is known for his confidentiality. Whatever you find in his office will undoubtedly still make it difficult to identify those already missing or how to locate the culprit. You will need to hear the truth from him, I fear.”

“We will perform an independent search, nonetheless.”

Torra folded her hands and bowed to Aihi. “Your Exaltation, I do not believe for a second that my mother would so easily bend to the whims of the other families and wipe her hands of this investigation altogether.”

“My perceptive one.” After a flash of fire, pride shone in Yui’s eyes. “I confess, considering the circumstances of the disappearances”—she placed a warm arm around Torra’s shoulders—“and my own daughter to worry about, I did no such thing.”

“You know more than you’ve told us?” Hidekazu said.

“I entrusted the public investigation to Captain Todoroki, but not the safety of my family. I directed Headmaster Meki of Tsukiko Academy to conduct a secondary investigation in secret. Unfortunately, as I am sure you are aware, Your Exaltation, he is selective about what information he reveals.”

Aihi’s fingers twitched, her posture stiffening at the mention of Meki Barame, the legendary headmaster of Tsukiko Academy and former bushi general. She studied, for a time, under Barame, but the arrangement had been short-lived, the details kept under wraps. Hidekazu had always wondered what happened between the two.

“Meki Barame,” she said, voice so sour Hidekazu’s lips puckered. “Indeed, I am far more familiar with him than I care to be.”

“As am I. Unfortunately, in Tsukiko, he is an indispensable and valuable ally, albeit a difficult one. Regardless, he feeds me pertinent details when he sees fit, but I suspect he knows far more. Should you crack him, I believe the secrets you seek will come rushing out.”

At last, Hidekazu and Masanori joined the others standing. Blood rushed through Hidekazu’s ears at the prospect of meeting Meki Barame in person. Despite Yui and Aihi’s obvious distaste for the man, Hidekazu had grown up on the poems about Barame’s time as a bushi. He helped lead Furahau Takeha, Aihi’s father, to victory over the rebel occupation in Nagasou during the Reunification Wars.

Barame, even amongst legends, stood tall. He slew countless demons who sought to infiltrate the Cedar Palace and assassinate the emperor, as they did his sister, Fujiko, who was supposed to become the empress a long time ago. After her death and Emperor Takeha’s rise to power, Barame tamed the mighty hō-ō now nestling in the kiri trees in the emperor’s personal gardens. According to myth, the fiery hō-ō was a manifestation of Shirashi’s providence and quelled dissent toward his reign.

Hidekazu dreamt of rivalling those accomplishments. Now that he trained as a bushi, perhaps that would be possible.

“I have no desire to see Meki Barame again, lest it is at his funeral,” Aihi said. “We will investigate Captain Todoroki’s office first. Should we come up with nothing of note as you suggest, I will consider putting my reservations aside for the sake of those who have been taken.”

Aihi’s response dashed Hidekazu’s hopes. Should they meet Barame, it would be only under the guise of cordiality. Still, a chance to glimpse the grounds of Tsukiko Academy and meet the legendary Meki Barame was not an opportunity he would pass up, regardless of the circumstances.

But that decision rested in Aihi’s hands. Locating those taken by the kan’thir, and the kan’thir himself, were far more critical.

After receiving the spellcode, they returned to the barracks to open the doors to Todoroki Akihiro’s office. Hidekazu released a held breath when the barriers blinked off, and the doors flew open with a flick of Aihi’s hand.

A healthy layer of dust lifted from the shelves and desk as Aihi strode inside the room. She investigated the rack of scrolls behind the desk, where Chika, Akihiro’s secretary, had indicated the open case files were kept. Hidekazu gravitated toward the bookshelf. Masanori and Torra pored over the other two corners of the room.

“What if we don’t find anything, like Clan Leader Benri suggested?” Masanori said.

Hidekazu had a feeling Masanori asked for the same reason he might: because he, too, wanted to meet Meki Barame. Although Barame was often called by ‘Headmaster’ now, he was one of the few surviving motobushi—those like Barame who were once bushi but retired through choice rather than death. Few did so because of the honour gained by dying in battle.

Hidekazu ran his fingers over the books, scanning for anything of note. Most were tomes on military strategy and civil matters, topics a city guard captain was expected to be familiar with. When Aihi didn’t respond to the question, Hidekazu glanced at her from the corner of his eye. She was pulling out scrolls one-by-one, loosening their ties, scanning the contents, and then returning them to their original state. Her movements were measured and precise, providing no hints about her state of mind besides her confidence that they would find something.

“If that is the case,” she said at last, “we may have no choice but to meet with Meki Barame.”

Masanori poked at a golden, floating crystal on the other side of the room. A minor aki, a crystal of pure ki. “Am I missing something? How do you know Headmaster Meki?”

“I was once his student.”

“And you didn’t tell me?”

“Masanori,” Torra hissed, tugging at his arm.

Aihi’s movements had turned rigid, and it was too late to stop whatever Torra foresaw. “I saw no point in celebrating the wickedness of such a man. There are far better teachers out there, ones who do not rely on unnecessary violence, or disregard the safety of their own students, or—or—leave you questioning the next day how you’re still alive.” While she said this, she stuffed scrolls back into the rack, each action more violent than the last. “There’s nothing here.”

“Aihi, if you want to refrain from visiting with Headmaster Meki, I will go in your stead—”

“No!” The sound came punctuated by crunching paper when Aihi’s fist closed around the scroll in her possession.

Torra winced. Of all four of them, she looked the most uncomfortable. What did she know about what happened between Aihi and Barame? Why hadn’t either of them said anything before? Hidekazu always figured that the pair hadn’t been a good match as student and teacher.

Now he felt guilty for wanting to meet the man who was supposed to be a legendary hero, but he couldn’t erase that desire or all the hours he spent memorizing tales of Barame’s feats. Not without hearing the facts, and Aihi didn’t seem too inclined to share.

“It has to be me,” Aihi said once she calmed. “Meki Barame will already know we are looking into these disappearances. If I send someone else to meet him, he will turn them away, and we have no time for his games.”

Near the entrance of the office, the shadows darkened and vibrated in place. Ki wavered in the air, and Hidekeazu touched a hand to his breast, prepared to draw his minimized staff from beneath his robes. Although the weapon held the same weight no matter what form it was in, he kept it small most of the time for convenience.

“Who is there?” Torra said. “Show yourself.”

The darkness shifted, peeling away from a crouched figure like layers of skin and dripping onto the floor to reveal a young woman. A glossy, lacquered fox mask obscured her face as she fell into a bow.

“Exalted Dragon Princess,” she said. “Please accept my apologies for my intrusion, but I have an urgent summons for you from Headmaster Meki Barame.”

Aihi scoffed. “Meki Barame has no authority to summon me.”

“It is a matter of great importance, regarding the disappearances of several young women in Tsukiko.”

“Oh? How convenient for him to desire my presence so soon after I learn of his involvement. If it is so urgent, why does he not come to me of his own free will?”

“He will tell you everything he knows, including what he withholds from Benri Yui, on two conditions.”

Aihi crossed her arms. “My patience wears thin, but I will humour you. Tell me his conditions.”

“To avoid word reaching Benri Yui, he requests that her daughter, Lady Torra, not be brought to the meeting. Second, he instructs you to bring Genshu Hidekazu and Masanori.”

Hidekazu blinked, believing he must have misheard. He was being asked for by Meki Barame, the legendary bushi and last survivor of the Meki warlock clan? Never had he thought such news to leave him so conflicted. He couldn’t go without Aihi’s blessing. After gleaning what little she shared about her time as Barame’s student, Hidekazu feared the encounter would end up more lukewarm than he once envisioned.

“Absolutely not,” Aihi said. “We will meet on my terms. Torra comes with me; the twins do not.”

“What!” Masanori burst out.

“Meki Barame is not the type of man you meet unprepared. He will eat you alive, should he wish to, with his words alone.”

“Apologies, princess,” the masked woman interjected. “But my master instructed me to warn you that, should you refuse, he would not refrain from disclosing the true nature of your visits to Tsukiko to your father, the emperor.”

Crimson light spiralled around Aihi’s arm. An orb of azure energy formed in her palm, and from it, she drew the katana stored within her irezumi, the tattoos that enhanced her significant power. In an instant, the blade flashed toward the kneeling woman.

“How dare you? How dare he?” She nudged the woman’s throat with her blade. Blood beaded from the tip where skin and steel met. “Did you not think better of delivering such a threat?”

Torra placed a hand on Aihi’s arm, but she barely responded to the touch. “Aihi, for the sake of the investigation, you must go. Bring the twins. What is the worst the Headmaster can do to the progeny of the Genshu clan? I will return to my mother and convince her to bring the city into a state of emergency should the Headmaster prove incapable of tracking the monster responsible.”

The hilt of Aihi’s blade rattled in her hand. For a moment, she seemed as though she would still swipe the edge across the woman’s throat. Then the katana glowed blue, dissolving into specks of light and absorbed into her arm.

“Very well. Do as you suggest.” Her glare lingered on the crouched woman. “Well? What are you waiting for? Bring us to Meki Barame. You do us all a disservice by taking your time.”