The Island
At the evening dawn of Japan ed and other has arrived in Nagasaki. Ed was still in deep thought of his dream.
He was haunted by the things he saw at the dream. He thought " is it was a really a dream? " his legs was tighten by the thought of it
He was trying to clam himself by the telling the action that his body is doing subconsciously it because of the cold weather but he knew because what it is really meant.
While they were walking out of the sation Tunki saw the gloomy face of ed, to make him feel better he offered him a pack of chip.
Ed appreciated the effort and care also concern that Tunki showed, but he refuses the chip packet.
They reach out of the sation they were back into the crowd and choas, the sun was sleeping and moon was waking up.
Ed mind click something and to get solution he go to the inari who was standing beside .
Ed look at him and ask with a questioned face " what is kakuri law is? "
Inari glanced at the ed for a while there was moment of silence .then ed get replied.
" well you well know it eventually "
And ed face moved in different direction.and inari silently mumbled to himself " even i don't know "
Ed hear the whispers and siad " did you said something? "
Suddenly the face showed the expression of regration and mistake, ed was shocked and deeply confused by this reaction.
Inari grit his theth and said with a clam but regret expressing face it was look like child who done an mistake and get caught and didn't acknowledge his mistakes" nothing " he said .
Ed look at him for a second and then inari leave saying he is going to find where there taxi has stuck.
Tunki sees this and chuckles ed ask what happened? Tunki look at him with a big happy smile " it is really weird that inari behaved like that, it was really unlike of him "
Ed look at inari and move away.after the some while there taxi arrived. The inari was not like inconvenience so he furious with fire, but the driver was an old man so he makes an exception .
The old man was to Ernest and kind he apologise for his inconvenience. Ed and other understand him and tell them to not worry.
The old man thank them for understanding him and then Tunki come and help the old man to put the luggage. Ed , lan and Jihgen put there luggage in by themselves.
Jake doesn't do that instead he tell inari to do that. And inari do it in respect.
Old man appreciate the young people who help him and start the ride. the ride go through the Nagasaki crowded filled with people were people live and work in mass to the unknown Vally of building near port.
It was frankly dark for a city like Nagasaki with big population.
The building in that apartment was mostly look empty as shell and emotionless and Motionless as rock in dessert.
They were in front of an apartment.
lan look over the apartment and siad " isn't it looks like it is empty? "
Tunki nods and he explained the reason for this "it because of the port "
lan said " but I don't make any sense "
Tunki chukle " yes but because of the port there is no chance of peace I mean for peace of mind because of the noise produce by the port ship and dock good loading and unloading "
lan noded when he get why there is so dead atmosphere here.
Then inari go to pay for fare but old man give him Change. Inari was quite confused by the action taken by old man so he asked him respectfully.
" why? Did you give me a change ?"he slightly chukle in confusion after saying that.
The old man laugh joyfully and look over inari.
" because you all kid are of same age as my grandchild !"
Inari blush in embarrassment ,Old man get amuse by the looks at the inari face.
"..and also I was came late to. So think this as a token for it "
And old man give him a bright smile and leave saying " have a good time here !"
And then old man insert the key in the car and leave.with big smile.
Inari look at the car leaving through the Vally he just stare the car no emotion no word from his word his eyes were stuck on that old man leaving the Vally.
He look at the car until it disappeared from his sight.
He turned around and join other after the old man leave.
Then he take out a key out of his pocket the key was pretty normal and in look.
He look at ed and other " our second floor is where our apartment is. "
Then ed and other start to follow him. They go through the stair way which seems to be not cleaned might be because of no contact with human for long.
Ed and other reach up to second floor of the apartment, inari opened up the apartment. The scene inside the apartment was telling different story.
It was neatly Cleaned and everything was working.
They came in and took off there shoes invertly. And then ed investigate the apartment it was not that big as expected from the view from outside.
There was a one really small bathroom with a shower and ironically it was the only thing that seemed to be a old, because all the things in apartment was clean neat and new and well maintained.
But the shower has a little bit of a rust on it,ed think " it adjustable by seeing the area around us. "
But Tunki said loud " hey ed what are you doing there? "
Ed stop the analysing stupid things and Came to other.
" we are going to leave the apartment in midnight when the port will be busy in ship arrival and depart, and when the people will be in deep sleep. "
After hearing this ed eye moved toward the the clock which was held on the wall which was in right side of the door. The clock was ticking and says 7 o'clock.
Ed thought after seeing that " so we have to spend all night here ? So it's mean no sleep for the night "
Then everyone take there seat since apartment only has one bed room so no one decided to sleep there.
It will be unfair for other. So they just seat on sofa. Jake sleep while seating on sofa lan just sat there without doing anything he was more like doing mediation without meditation. And inari was reading a book on the self and Tunki was eating his chip as normal.
Ed look everywhere and didn't see Jihgen.
By seeing ed stressed and burn out face Tunki offer him chip, but Ed kindly refuses. But ask him something
" where is Jihgen? " Tunki answered while crumbling some chip "oh, he said he is going to have a some cup of coffee "
Ed thought " from when he started to drink coffee? "
Ed sighs and settled down. lan ask " did you smell something sinking? "
Tunki also agree that something was really stinking ed said " I don't think so? "
Both lan and Tunki started to glare at the ed, ed smell himself and it was coming from him it was really gross that ed allmost puke out, but the weird thing was that the smell was nothing like sweat smell rather it was more like a ....
Rotten peach.
Ed was feeling really gross so he changed his clothes and a thought came in his mind " but why my clothes have gross smell like a peach..? "
And he came on and sat down on sofa thinking about how dose his clothes got the scent of peach. He absorb himself in deep thought he thought for one, two and for allmost four hour.
His mind get cooked...
"what the hell! "ed said to him self and then he something it was inari who has completed his book.
Ed eyes turn on the clock it it was 3 am. It was there departure time. Ed thought "is he robot or something? " he was thinking about inari.
Inari said to Everyone" are you redy? I think everyone must have a great break. "
" Ha! It was. " Jake wake up from his sleep.
Ed said " but Jihgen..."
Inari cut him off and said with a clam face " sorry for interrupting you but he told me that he will meat on the departure point. "
Ed was shocked that Jihgen is out alone for more than a five hour!
Ed think about it " he is surly has something but I can't force him I think it will good to leave him alone. "
"so how do we are going to travel to the destination? "ed said to inari.
" by walking." ed expression changed like he just taken a cold bath. "what! "
Jake " it will be good walk. I wanted to stretch out my legs anyways. "
" but why we can't use teleportation magic ?"ed ask with a lame smile obviously it was clear that he is trying to make excuses.
lan sigh and slap on the ed " you should not use magic for everything it is common sense. "
Ed siad with a voice of pain " why that? "
And they take there luggage Tunki carry both his and Jihgen luggage. They then leave the apartment and get out of the stairs and start walking in Nagasaki night .
They was going through the unknown Vally. The night sky was clear as a water from glacier and the Vally was quite as there is no human.
Through the cold ed was not feeling well allready and he has to walk.
And they reach to the port around the 4 o'clock.
There was a boat waiting for them. On the boat Jihgen was all ready present. Ed look at the boat there was a middle age man with a big sharp mustache.
He welcome them saying " welcome back!, inari! I directly go into main context we have to leave now or we can cross road with other fisherman. "
Inari noded and onboard other also follow him up Tunki put all languages in there separate compartment.
The boat wasn't that big it was a really small and one important thing is that it was a fisherman boat so it had a salty and fish like aroma, that wasn't pleasing.
The boat engine started and they start there journey.
Ed ask him " where are we going? "
Inari don't answer him because he was told to not tell until they reach the destination.
The only word he said was "we are going to take long rout so it is going to be a little longer than I expected. "
Ed start to question himself that what did inari said was for him Ed ignore him and join other.
There was a really cold wind blowing up so ed was really uncomfortable but then the captain less a operator said " I have some soup if you want. "
Ed was feeling good after hearing that he ask where the soup can are the captain reply " in the my luggage "and then ed go to take it but for his supprise Tunki was all redy made it.
I'm the cold weather ed slip a hot soup. It was getting alive again. Ed ask captin his name the captin reply with a big happy chukle, " Ha...! Ha...! My name is yoshimura , you can call me Yoshi. "
Ed think about he can get know about the destination through the yoshimura.
"so where are we sailing,? "
Then the big smile disappeared from his face and look at ed " you will get now after we reach. "
lan thought why they are building so musch suspense around it?"
After the voyage for a two hours of voyage the sun rays clear the pathway the mist got clear and an island emerged from it.
It was hasihima Island all so known as the ' battleship Island "the boat stop at shore of the Island.
lan notice that they are on the opposite side of the island.
Then Jake and other get off borad and Tunki unload the luggage.
Then inari said" please follow me carefully the island is unstable so if you got lost it will impossible to find out your whereabouts. "
Everyone takes it seriously and then yoshimura leave .
Ed and other enter in the island while following the inari.
Then ed notice that the Island was quite werid .
It was look as if a war happened here. The building where on verge of collapse and the island was abandon on the island everything look dull and covered in coal black. It was giving ed a aplocytic vibe.
By following the path lead shown through the inari they reach to a mine. The mine looks really old all through the lift was installed recent years.
Ed and other get in the lift and then inari press the button on. The lift start to go down in mine.
And the darkness spreads and lighti in the lift on. They go more and more deep it was looking like a endless journey to the earth. The darkness was everywhere the only light was in the lift.
After the the some time motor of lift stoled and they hit the ground deep. The door of lft opened up and infront of them was a dark passage or phrases a tunnel.
Ed ask " are you sure it's the right rout? "
Inari noded and he takes out his foot out the lift, and lamp illuminated from the darkness.
light wasn't that glowy but good enough for to see the path.
Inari stech out his hand and said " shall we move forward. "
Ed think about it for moment but he sees that Jake all ready taken his feet out lan and Jihgen also follow him and Tunki put his hands on ed and said In sarcastic way " hey we are not going to kill you "
And ed also take his feet out of the lift with a sign of hesitation.
While going through the unknown passages of the tunnel ed ask a question to Tunki " by the way what is momotaro are? "
Tunki scratch his forehead and said with a smile " I really bad at history so you should ask inari about it "
Ed look at inari expecting The answer but He got silence.but inari said " you want to know about the momotaro huh...,but before that you have to get what is Oni"
And then inari Walk some steps ahead and by following him ed sees a Big light glow that was bright than the torch as if it was electric.
Ed opened his eyes and see an extrodndry view of a city which was undergorund.with building and people
Tunki smile " welcome to the onigishima! "
Ch 38 end.