April 21st, 2012, Fuji-Q Highland (Supernatural Side), Afternoon.
The director's office of Fuji-Q Highland was a study in surreal contrasts. The air, thick with the scent of sandalwood incense, was filled with the gentle, relaxing strains of a lute playing a traditional melody from a hidden speaker.
This serene auditory backdrop clashed wonderfully with the visual of two figures engaged in intense concentration over a short-legged table, upon which a game of mahjong was unfolding.
The first figure was the office's owner and co-manager of the park, Daugouc Emberseeker. He was a svartálfar, a dark elf, the stout, industrious counterpart to the more ethereal ljósálfar, or light elves.
Middle-aged by elven standards—which placed him at several centuries old—Daugouc possessed a muscular build that was beginning to soften with time, young muscle fibers gradually yielding to a more comfortable layer of fat.
His skin was a pale, almost marble white, etched with the first fine lines of age around his eyes and mouth, though these did little to diminish his experienced, lived-in smile. He was dressed in the uniform of a mundane business magnate: a impeccably tailored black suit jacket, a crisp white tie, dark brown trousers, and polished black leather shoes, a stark contrast to his inherently magical nature.
"I must confess, I never truly understood mahjong," Daugouc admitted, his voice a low, gravelly rumble as he contemplated the tiles before him. "It is very different from the games of strategy and craft we are accustomed to in Nidavellir."
His adversary was a yokai. The figure had a predominantly human-like form, save for the sleek, black cat ears atop his head and a few distinguished patches of fine fur on his cheeks and the backs of his hands.
His face was intelligent and sharp, with bright, perceptive green eyes that peered through a pair of stylish, modern glasses perched on his nose. He adjusted them with a delicate, taloned finger before selecting a mahjong tile and holding it up for the dark elf to see.
"You see, Daugouc, mahjong is the quintessence of strategy," the bakeneko yokai explained, his tone that of a patient lecturer. "I should note it is ideally played with three or four, but we must await our remaining guests. This game is cardinal to us yokai and the Shintoist factions as a whole. I dislike making simplistic comparisons, but think of it as chess is for the devils. Mahjong has always been a fantastic way to test one's ki."
Daugouc hummed, nodding his large head slowly. "Isn't Ki akin to life energy? How does it relate to a game of tiles?"
The bakeneko snapped his taloned fingers. "An excellent question! In summary, you need only know that these simple pieces of wood are, in essence, talismans. Some sages use this game to teach their students the foundational principles of senjutsu. Obviously, it does not substitute for physical and spiritual training, but it can help a student reach higher levels of understanding in the sage arts." He picked up two of the tiles, his touch almost reverent.
"You seem to have a great fondness for this game, Lord Bushin," Daugouc commented, observing the yokai's clear passion.
The bakeneko, Bushin, nodded enthusiastically. "Indeed! Lord Tenjin himself taught me how to play. And please, just call me Bushin. You do not belong to the Japanese factions; there is no need for such formality with me."
Their conversation was interrupted by a soft, yet firm, knock on the heavy oak door of the office.
"Come in," Daugouc proclaimed.
The door swung open to reveal three new arrivals. The first was the imposing, venerable tengu, Sojobo, his presence commanding immediate respect. Beside him was Yasaka, the renowned leader of the Kansai yokai, her beauty and power radiating from her like a gentle warmth.
And clinging to her leg was a much smaller, yet unmistakable version of herself—her young daughter, Kunou, a kitsune pup whose bright eyes were wide with curiosity.
"Lord Sojobo, Lady Yasaka. I'm glad you made it," Daugouc said, nodding his head in a respectful greeting.
"Oh, look who we have here! Yasaka and Lord Sojobo, it is a pleasure to see you again," Bushin said, rising from his seat with fluid grace to shake hands with the newcomers.
"A strange place for a meeting, Bushin," Sojobo remarked, his keen eyes scanning the unusual office. "Why did you choose an amusement park?"
"A neutral area is best for these kinds of discussions, am I right?" Bushin replied with a sly smirk. "Moreover, I did not want little Kunou here to feel bored." He winked playfully at the young kitsune.
The girl tugged insistently on her mother's elegant kimono. "Mother! Mother! Can I go to the park? I saw so many fun attractions from the window!" she whined, her twin tails swishing with excitement.
"Now, dear, I cannot leave you alone. You are still a child, after all. Put yourself in my shoes; what would a mother do if something happened to her little treasure?" Yasaka said tenderly, ruffling her daughter's soft, silver hair.
"No fair! Uncle Sojobo, can I go?" Kunou pleaded, turning her wide, hopeful eyes to the stern tengu.
"Your mother is right, little one," Sojobo replied, his voice firm but not unkind.
Kunou puffed out her cheeks in a dramatic pout, thoroughly displeased with the unanimous verdict of the adults.
"You do not have to worry!" came the excited, melodic voice of Cornelian, who chose that moment to hurry back into the office, his entrance as flamboyant as his departure had been.
"Lady Yasaka, Lord Sojobo, Lord Bushin, and Lady Kunou, good afternoon! Cornelian the Peacemaker here would be more than honoured to look after the young lady while you adults talk about all that dreadfully boring stuff." His playful offer earned a gleeful chuckle from Kunou and a long, weary sigh from his business partner, Daugouc.
Yasaka shook her head, a warm, trusting smile gracing her features. "Thank you, Mr. Cornelian. I am grateful for the offer." She gently nudged Kunou forward. "Be good for Mr. Corvis."
"Your daughter is in the most capable hands, Lady Yasaka," the elf said with a flourishing bow. He then knelt before Kunou, bringing himself to her eye level. "Young Miss, could you please wait outside for just a couple of tiny minutes? I need to have a very quick, very boring word with the adults in here, and then we shall embark on a grand adventure."
Kunou nodded eagerly and skipped out into the hallway, the promise of fun making her instantly compliant. The moment the door clicked shut, Cornelian's theatrical smile faded into a more serious expression as he turned back to the assembled yokai and his colleague.
"Before you begin your discussions on that agreement of yours, I feel I must inform you of something that just occurred. I suspect the Shinto Gods may already be aware," Cornelian began, his usual flamboyance subdued.
"This matter does not concern the gods directly. Why do you say this, Peacemaker?" Sojobo asked, his brow furrowing.
"The son of one of the Noble Children is here in the park. I encountered him at the gates. I thought perhaps they had sent him to observe your meeting," Corvis explained.
"The son of a god? That would make sense. When we are finished, we should perhaps seek him out and inform him of our proceedings," Bushin suggested, stroking his chin thoughtfully.
"The son of a noble child?" Yasaka interjected, a hint of skepticism in her tone. "Before coming here, I agreed with Lady Amaterasu herself to apprise her of our results as soon as we concluded. She would have informed me of any such envoy. What makes you so certain he is a godborn?"
"Let us not lose our minds over this matter, Yasaka," Bushin said, waving a dismissive hand as he settled back onto his cushion. "We can attend to it later. For now, let us finish our discussion about uniting the Kansai Faction with my Chubu Faction." He accepted a piece of ice cream mochi that Daugouc offered from a small porcelain plate.
"The mochi is fantastic, Daugouc," he praised, his mouth full.
"I agree. Let us not waste any more time," Sojobo stated, his voice brooking no further delay.
"Then I shall take my leave to attend to the little princess. Enjoy your stay, milords," Corvis said with a final bow before dismissing himself.
"Before we begin," Yasaka said, turning her attention to the dark elf, "I want to thank you again, Mr. Emberseeker, for allowing us to use Fuji-Q Highland for our meeting."
"There is no need to thank me, Lady Yasaka. We are allies, after all," Daugouc replied, his smile genuine. "Strengthening your allies is to strengthen yourself. And even though my colleague and I are not politicians, we are here as ambassadors of the Norse Faction. We want peace, just as you do."
"Wise words, Daugouc," Bushin exclaimed. "That is precisely why I could not contain my excitement when Takamagahara and Asgard agreed to establish this amusement park! A symbol for all to see!"
"Please, Bushin," Sojobo chastised, though a hint of amusement touched his eyes. "Let us get back to work."
Bushin sighed dramatically. "I am a scholar, Sojobo, not a politician."
"And that is exactly why we proposed to place you in charge of the Confederation's culture and research management," Yasaka said with a knowing smile.
"When I said I am not a politician, it did not mean I am a fool," Bushin retorted, though his tone remained good-natured. "Oh, do not misunderstand me; I am entirely in favour of uniting our factions into one under the wise rule of Sojobo. Who am I to question the worthiness of Lord Izanagi's most trusted mortal servant? However, I would like certain guarantees."
"Of course," Sojobo agreed readily. "As we explained during the last meeting with all eight yokai leaders, we would create a council formed by each leader and their most trusted advisors. My role would be largely symbolic; my true function would be that of an emissary who reports directly to Takamagahara as a unified entity, not with each individual god as we do today." His explanation held Bushin's complete attention, while Daugouc continued to listen as a silent, neutral observer.
"Yes, I agree with that part as well," Bushin said, nodding. "My primary concern lies in more diplomatic matters. While every one of us, even the most isolationist like Toku, is favourable to an alliance with the Norse, the other factions are a completely different story. Especially the Christian Pantheon." He spoke the last words with uncharacteristic seriousness, idly playing with one of his long whiskers.
"It is understandable," Sojobo conceded. "This has been a matter of great discussion across all of Japan since the death of our Great God, and even before. If we desire greater diplomatic weight, the Confederation will be the ideal vehicle to make our voice heard against devils, angels, and fallen angels alike." He skillfully redirected Bushin's distrust of the Christian factions to bolster his own argument for unity.
"This obviously does not mean we seek war," Yasaka added smoothly. "It will simply serve as a deterrent, a show of unified strength."
"We do not want war, but we must be prepared, especially against the devils," Bushin pressed, his green eyes narrowing slightly behind his glasses. "They overpower us both in numbers, due to their Evil Piece system, and in raw strength. I heard rumours of a conflict in Kansai between you and the House of Glasya-Labolas. Am I mistaken?"
"It is true," Yasaka answered without hesitation, her gaze steady and her voice calm, revealing nothing more than the simple fact.
Bushin fell silent for a long moment, and a palpable tension settled over the room. The lute music seemed to grow quieter.
"Sorry to interfere," Daugouc's calm, rumbling voice cut through the stillness, "but we are not enemies here. The 'devil question' is a delicate matter for all supernatural factions. There is no need for such tension."
"Thank you, Daugouc," Yasaka said, nodding gratefully.
"I am sorry," Bushin apologized, bowing his head slightly. "I simply hold... personal reasons for my distaste. It clouds my judgement at times."
"You do not need to excuse yourself," Sojobo said. "We understand, and to a degree, we share your concerns, Emberseeker."
Meanwhile, outside the office, Cornelian closed the door behind him, his cheerful expression ready to greet his young charge. However, his smile faltered and then vanished completely. The hallway was empty.
"Oh, good Asgard," he muttered, his eyes scanning the vacant corridor. Kunou was not where he had told her to wait. He glanced hesitantly back at the closed office door, behind which the most powerful yokai leaders in Japan were deep in discussion.
"I obviously cannot tell Lady Yasaka I lost her daughter if I wish to go to sleep tonight in one piece," he whispered to himself, a bead of sweat tracing a path down his temple. The consequences of such a failure were too terrible to contemplate.
So, instead of returning to the office and admitting his lapse, the Peacemaker made a decision. He would find the missing kitsune himself, and he would do it before anyone was the wiser.