Chapter 32
There and Back Again
Even Akechi had no idea which alley he was in by now, which part of Kamurocho he had run off too. And even with his highly conditioned physique, the minutes and minutes of sprinting caused him to wheeze heavily as he leaned against a dirty brick wall, desperate to catch his breath. His use of the Signs had increased the strain on his body at least threefold; his muscles burned and ached, as did his lungs and his head. His mouth was dry, and his vision blurred. Akechi wiped the sweat from his face before pulling out his walkie-talkie from his belt.
Breathing heavily, and his throat scratchy and sore, he said, "What's the status of the package?"
"Secure," the snake-like voice of Terumi replied. "What's your status?"
Akechi breathed out slowly. "I was intercepted but managed to escape. As far as I can tell, I lost him."
"Who's him?"
"A witcher," Akechi replied slowly. "Plain as day. Must have been tracking me for some time."
"If it was a witcher, then how can you be sure he's not tracking you now?"
"I know how they work, what to do to avoid them. I'm going to make the call and disappear, and that'll be the end of it."
"If you're sure, then by all means. I'm sure Shido-san would like to know why the kid isn't in your custody as well."
"Just do your goddamn job," Akechi spat back.
"Ooh, touchy tonight, aren't we? Fine. See you… whenever you get back." The mic clicked, and Terumi was heard no more.
"Don't count on it, asshole," Akechi muttered. He punched in another frequency. "Package secure. All necessary agents accounted for. Ready to exfiltrate for Phase Two. Everything has proceeded exactly as you planned, sir."
Shido's voice came over the radio next. "Copy. Good work, Agent. Anything exciting I should know about?"
"I was intercepted by a witcher but managed to avoid him. Unfortunately, Kurusu was able to escape during the encounter."
Shido paused before responding. "Unfortunate indeed, though not threatening to our goal. There will be other times to acquire him, I'm sure. As long as he isn't dead."
"Not that I'm aware of, no."
"Good. I will make the call for Phase Two. Your contributions to our efforts have proven invaluable, Agent. I am pleased to have you aboard."
Akechi paused this time before responding. "About that…"
"Yes?"
"I… will be leaving for a while, now that Phase One is complete. A personal matter has come to my attention that requires my immediate presence. Don't worry though, I will return for Phase Three, potentially with additional gifts."
"There's probably no point in me asking, but may I be privy to the nature of this matter?"
"Unfortunately, I cannot allow that, Shido-san."
"I see. Sounds pretty important. Well, your mind is already made up, and I'm not exactly in a position to stop you at the moment. Do what you must, but make sure to come back alive for Phase Three. If you abandon our contract, you will simply wish you had died in a ditch with no name wherever it is you're off to."
Akechi's spine and hands shivered at that. "I understand completely, Shido-san. You will hear from me when I return."
"I'm glad we could come to an understanding. Thank you for your efforts, Agent. Your payment for Phase One will be deposited into your account by tomorrow morning. Good luck."
"Thank you. For your generosity and guidance, Shido-san."
"You are one of the few proven capable enough to deserve it. Now leave, before you get swept up in Phase Two as well. Until next time." The radio cut off.
Akechi wiped even more sweat from his face, though this was much more from mental stress than physical. He put the radio back on his belt and hobbled to his feet, ignoring his hands going numb from the irresponsible use of the Signs. Before they could go completely numb, he fumbled around in a small satchel attached to his belt and pulled out a small vial of translucent purple liquid labeled "Tawny Owl".
It took him multiple attempts to unscrew the cap, then took a small drink, throwing the liquid past his tongue and down his gullet to avoid the abhorrently acidic flavor. He was mentally prepared for the shocking pain when it hit his gut, but the severity of it always surprised him, causing him to double over and clench his jaw, his eyes shooting wide open as dark veins traveled up his neck, the potion taking its effect. It was only about five seconds of this torment, but felt much longer than that before it subsided, and Akechi felt sensation and strength begin to flow throughout his limbs and unnatural speed of rejuvenation.
And this was an extremely diluted dose compared to what proper witchers take.
Putting the empty vial back into his satchel, now with much more finesses, Akechi's fingers graced a piece of paper beside it, his hands pausing mid-motion. His lips pursed as two of his fingers rubbed along the paper before grabbing it and pulling it out. He looked down at it slowly: a letter in an unsealed, unsigned envelope, lightly stained and in deteriorating condition. Akechi walked out from the alley and stood under a streetlight to look at it better, and slowly pulled the letter out of the envelope. This was not the first time he had read it, yet felt compelled to reread it, as he not looked at it since he received it in his mailbox late at night two nights prior. The handwriting was, as expected, impeccable:
My son,
These past two years you've been gone have left me with much to consider, to look out for, to watch over my shoulder for. I am pleased to inform you that I am yet safe, and through my own connections, I am aware that you are safe as well, which pleases me greatly. However, I regret to inform you that both our safety may be at risk, as I have received greatly concerning news from my dear apprentices. What few are left, at least.
While I am pleased to hear you have resolved the Shinjuku issue with Meria and her, in what I'm sure was a great lapse in judgment, informing someone of how to perform the Call of the Midnight Wind, the Camarilla have been agitated by your antics as of late. They are coming out of the woodwork, searching for both of us, and anyone else who would dare question their precious tenets and Masquerade. The Wild Hunt moves, my child. Geralt yet tracks me, and I'm sure Cloud has his sights on us as well, especially you. Oh, you boys just never could quite get along, could you?
Be on your guard, Vergil. They hunt us both still. I do know if they are yet aware of what happened to the Anathema, but it is only a matter of time before Philemon finds out what you've been doing the past couple years. I know you are strong, but do not underestimate the skills of a truly angry witcher. We will never be forgiven for what we did, and they will never forget. Be safe, be wise, and when your work is done, find me in Fuyuki at Fuuyu Temple. I will be in the area waiting for you for a little while yet, watching your little war intently on the news. You've done well of fooling them so far, but don't get cocky and let your guard down.
I wish I had more comforting things to write, but time is short for us both. I will be waiting, my son. Come back to me alive.
With love, Your Mother
Akechi sighed and put the letter back in the envelope, certain words and phrases echoing in his mind. If the Wild Hunt are truly moving, he thought, then I may already have wasted too much time on here on this crusade. This city has softened me. He put the envelope back in his satchel and looked off to the East, the direction toward where Shido was certainly looking down on Tokyo from his twentieth-story office with that signature, insultingly smug, half-lipped smirk of insufferable, bullshit superiority. "I'll be back to clean up your mess," Akechi said aloud. "But you'll have to figure out the rest on your own. Hope you haven't forgotten everything we were taught."
Akechi undid his jacket and pulled put a black cloth mask on his face, making him look just less enough like an assassin to avoid much suspicion, and walked off down the street. Finally, after entirely too long, he would be out of Kamurocho, out of this war, out of the yakuza for at least a little while. Mother was calling, and far be it for him to just shrug her off in her time of need. Not that it would be any less complicated than the best lain plans of yakuza and police.
Sirens sounded off all over the city, yet there was no more indication of battle, only the screeching tires of the few Omi members lucky enough to flee the city back to Osaka. Everything had proceeded exactly Shido had planned, and Akechi may yet be the only one left to reap the benefits when all was said and done. Such a thought brought a ghost of a smile to his face. "It's not because I'm intelligent," he said to himself, "but only because everyone around me is a complete fool."
And it was the rich fools, the confident fools, the influential fools, the proud fools, that were the easiest to manipulate, and the most rewarding. He had many of these fools in his time as a yakuza, and even before that, in a past life, in a different life, as a different young man with a different name. It had been some time since he last heard that name spoken aloud: Vergil. Hearing it stung him, stabbed through him like a blade, yet still felt nostalgic, almost comfortable – a memento of a life long, long past. This city truly had made him go soft, and he pushed such foolish thoughts from his mind.
"Coming, Mother," he said, a thought that intermingled with many more memories. That of love, of training, of shame, of pain. But he would not be the man he was today without such things. Some part of him was thankful, another was not. But is that not what family truly is? Love and pain, raising and shame. That was true family.
At least, that was his guess…
…
Sae no longer registered the police and ambulance sirens sounding off from all directions, nor the frantic and exasperated chatter of her colleagues. Everything around her was only white noise as she worked on the most recent of her multiple cigarettes, mulling over the events of the last hour for what must be the hundredth time. She was shocked, awed, and dumbfounded at the reports that had started rolling and continued to do so – almost enough to distract her from seeing Makoto one hour ago, in the company of yakuza.
It had happened almost simultaneously: calls from every part of the greater Kamurocho area informing each squad that the Omi attackers were either fleeing the scene or surrendering to the police. The violence stopped immediately, the gunshots and screams fading to eerie quiet. Some primary targets continued to elude the police force, but the additional reinforcements from the Tokyo Metropolitan PD, under advisement from Captain Kuroiwa, made the effort of rounding up the attackers and securing the district far easier than it would have been with just the Kamurocho Police Department, even with all divisions involved. Unfortunately, there was little to no information to be gleaned from the surrendering yakuza, with most uttering not a word as they were hauled away.
This did not sit right with Sae. The sudden surrender did not match the M.O. of a proud yakuza organization, especially one as large and powerful as the Omi Alliance. The last thing she would expect the Kansai organization to do would be to freely surrender to police in Kanto. There were not many that they were able to capture (at least alive), but it was enough that surrendered to make her immediately suspicious. She in small part looked forward to getting to put the screws to some of the higher profile targets and interrogate them for all they were worth. Something was going on here, and she was going to find out what, come hell or high water.
Then there was the Makoto issue. Just thinking of it made her heart race with anxiety and emotion. Sae had searched for her for a few more minutes, but was called back to deal with the Omi's surrender before she could get too far. She rubbed her forehead, wondering where Makoto could have run off to, or what she was doing with Akira and his companions. True, what slight glimpse she caught of them let her guess they were all about the same age, but this did not change the fact that they were yakuza, and the young man that had whisked her sister away was a murderer. It pained Sae that the current situation would need to be dealt with before she could go after Makoto, leaving her only to agonizingly speculate, but such was the nature of her position as some sort of hero to the people.
Someone walked up beside her, and it was Commissioner Murakata, seeming exceptionally tired, as was everyone else. "Niijima," he began, "looks like you landed one of the biggest catches of the day. That Shimano kid will be invaluable in our investigation, as well as perfect leverage against another attack from the Omi Alliance."
"Thanks," she muttered, looking off into space again with another puff of her cigarette.
"I have also been informed of your personal matters in all this," Murakata continued at a slower cadence. "Do you believe your sister is in danger?"
"I don't know," Sae replied flatly. "She didn't seem to be, from what little I saw."
"I don't know if that makes things more or less complicated. It indicates she may have willingly gone to the other side, in which case she can be tried as a criminal." Sae did not say anything, but looked up to him with strange, wide eyes. Her expression was pleading, threatening, and terrified all at once, the emotional shock of the situation bleeding through as well. "Know that I will do everything in my power to avoid that outcome," said Murakata, though Sae wondered if he was backtracking on his original intention or not. "She's a Niijima daughter just as much as you are. I'm sure she has her reasons."
"Sure," Sae nodded, looking down to the ground.
"I've already alerted the remaining patrols to keep an eye out for a group of young adult men and women, just in case they find her. If they do, I will make sure she is at least safe and comfortable, regardless of her ties."
"Thank you, sir."
"Just know that that is all I can do," he emphasized. "Once an investigation is under way, I won't be able to help her anymore."
"I know."
"Is there anything else I can do for you? If you'd like, you can head back home, or sleep at the precinct if you feel unsafe going back into the city. Anything you need caught up on can be dealt with in the morning."
"Isn't there a lot of work left to do?"
"Processing of perps and paperwork, yes, but that doesn't concern you. Your responsibilities are fulfilled for the night."
Sae breathed out deeply, tossing her used up cigarette to the ground. "Are you just trying to contain me so I don't go looking for my sister, sir?" she asked, consequences of such a question be damned.
Murakata paused, scrutinizing her with a knowing nod. "Perceptive, Niijima. Perceptive indeed. That is part of it. I understand that you are quite rattled at the moment, and I don't want one of my stars going off and getting hurt before the situation is entirely controlled. But I also just want you to be safe and rested up for a very busy week ahead of us, as well as to get a medical check for any potential injuries."
"Barely got a scratch, sir."
"Just procedure, Niijima. You know that," he said casually. "You run yourself ragged enough, and this is by far the most extreme situation you've ever—"
"That's my sister out there," she interrupted. "My family. The only part remaining of it. I need to make sure she's okay. I have to."
"I understand your concern, Niijima, but it's too risky right now. The Sakura Clan is still on high alert, and we are certain that not every combatant has been detained or fled the scene. Even if you had Noble Team backing you up, I'm afraid I cannot allow it. You'll only be putting yourself and your sister in more danger."
Sae shook her head and breathed sharply. Without noticing, she hugged herself, wrapping her arms around her midsection like a scared child. "But she's out there…" she repeated half-mindedly.
"And we will do all in our power to ensure her safe return to your side. But we have to do this properly or else more people than just her and yourself can get hurt. I'm only doing this to protect us all, Niijima. I'm terribly sorry."
Sae nodded again, slowly and contemplatively. "Fine. But only until the city is secure."
"Are you making demands of me, Niijima?"
"Are you denying it, sir?"
Murakata nodded with a smirk. "I'll see what I can do. Now go get some rest. Would you like an escort back to the precinct or your apartment?"
"No," she shook her head. "I can make it back on my own. And don't worry about me running off to find Makoto. I wouldn't even know where to start looking if we weren't cleaning up a yakuza war."
"You can say that again," said Murakata. "If you're absolutely sure, I'll respect your wishes. Just get home safe, please."
"Yes, sir. Call me if anything changes."
"You'll be the first to know. Oh, and don't aggravate any Sakura Clan members if you can avoid it. They have proven rather… cooperative with our cleanup efforts. Many captured Omi members have been brought to us as a sort of peace offering, no doubt to Sakura's humored pleasure. Whether we will crack down on his clan or not is a matter for another time, once this whole mess is cleaned up. But for the time being, we are graciously accepting his offers, as much as it pains me to say it. It certainly has helped us in our efforts, that much is sure."
"Is that his idea of a joke, sir?"
"I can't say for sure, but if there was anyone else in this city as passionate about driving out those scum once and for all, it's Sakura. However much he's enjoying this, I can say with certainty that our goals are at least mostly aligned."
"Protecting the city? Or protecting his city?"
"Matters for another time," Murakata repeated. "Get some rest. We have a busy week ahead of us."
Sae did not respond verbally, only nodding to him and turning around. Luckily, her apartment wasn't far, and she appreciated the chance to think in relative solitude. The same thoughts, the same feelings, the same fears, anxieties, and the same anger, all spun up in a painful maelstrom within her. She was thoroughly exhausted in every way one can be exhausted, and it was not long before her normally confident stride degraded into a melancholy trudge toward her apartment complex.
She spied not a soul as she made her way home, not that she was trying very hard to notice anyone. Her vision was blurred anyway from the tears welling in her eyes, thinking of how Makoto going so far off the good and true path may be her fault. Sae had, in retrospect, done about everything she could have possibly done to push her dear little sister away – the expectations, the lectures, making her choices for her well into her late adolescence, pushing her own views onto Makoto at every turn. This hurt her the most, causing her to feel further weakened and nauseous.
Sae looked up the night sky, the light pollution obscuring most of the stars. There were small pillars of smoke visible to her in the distance, proof that everything that happened this night was in fact true, and not some disgusting, terrible dream she was yet to wake from. Victory was theirs tonight, true, but it felt hollow, shallow, even preposterous for how everything had gone. And the final insult was seeing her sister accompanied by yakuza, the enemy. The people that had taken their father from them. And Makoto now aided them, ran away from her with them. There was no greater insult than that Sae had ever experienced in her life.
Akechi, where the hell are you? What she would give for the slightest comfort, even if only some warmth against her body, to remind her that there was at least one thing in her life she had done right for herself.
I miss you, Akechi. I miss you, Makoto… I'm so sorry…
…
Then Tenkaichi-Taihei corner was usually one of the busiest streets in Kamurocho, but not now. Akira and his friends were the only ones to be seen all around. The lights of the various restaurants, businesses, and clubs were all turned off, something not even Ryuji had ever seen before. The red-light pleasure district was no more than a depressing ghost town, the only sounds around them being the distant sirens and their own heartbeats drumming in their ears.
"You think it's safe now?" asked Haru.
"There's no one else around," said Ryuji. "Probably the safest place in the city, unless some other magic asshole comes poking around."
"At least we have our own magic, uh, friends," Ann added with a forced smile.
"That is pretty cool," said Futaba. "I can't imagine how strong this Akechi guy is if he could beat you, Akira."
"Kicked my ass so hard that I barely remember most of it," Akira said. "Probably because of the blow to head that I remember pretty clearly."
Ann replied with concern, "You honestly look like you tried to headbutt a wall."
"Probably would have hurt less if I did," Akira groaned, rubbing the back of his neck. "C'mon, let's go."
They reentered the hotel, this time taking further effort to ignore the dead bodies around them. Up to the penthouse, they went in silence. They filed out of the elevator and quickly took seats around the untouched suite, save for Makoto, who walked up to the window overlooking the city, her arms folded in front of her.
"Look at them," she said. "They're still out in force trying to quell the battle, arrest the invaders. All those red and blue flashing lights… I wonder which one sis is at…"
Akira, not yet seating himself, asked, "How do you feel about that? You holding up okay?"
"Not a bit," she immediately replied. "I'm still shocked, reeling. I'm… barely holding it together, if I can be honest."
Ann said, "Of course you can be honest. We're all in this together. You're allowed to vent what must be a lot of frustrations."
"We're all ears," Yusuke added with a nod.
Makoto caught a glimpse of her friends in the window's reflection. They all were sat around together, watching her intently, waiting for her to pour out her feelings. It felt incredibly uncomfortable and awkward, having so many people so genuinely dedicated to hearing her own feelings on the situation – a prospect she was entirely not used to. Then she saw her own reflection; the dirt, the bruises, the dried blood and grime on her face, arms, and clothes, and her hardened expression softened into forlorn sadness.
"I left her, my sister," Makoto said slowly. "I've always known there was a possibility I would see her again here in Kamurocho, like crossing paths with an ex from a bad relationship at the store. I thought I could handle it, that I could look her in the eyes and not even care about what happened between us, just focus on my goals. But when I saw her," she did not notice the single tear falling down her face as she watched the police cars drive past below, "I was stunned. Every single argument we ever had replayed in my mind in an instant, and I don't even know for sure if me actually running away from her felt worse than that."
She continued, "I know we've helped stop a war, we saved many lives, but my sister is out there, and I couldn't even find the strength to face her. And somewhere else, Kaneshiro, my father's killer, is still out riding high with the Omi Alliance. I know how horrible it is for me to say to all of you, but I feel like I've gained so little from just trying to do right by my family," her voice quivered. "I just wanted to set things right, prove that I wasn't useless like she said I was," her voice cracked amidst whimpers, "and I didn't." Tears flowed more freely as she wrapped her arms around herself. Seeing her crying reflection in the window only made her feel more ashamed, represented by more tears.
"Do you think you failed at something?" asked Haru in that sweet, almost maternal tone she exhibited when she genuinely cared for someone's plight.
"Didn't I? I just wanted to avenge my family, maybe even heal it, and look at what's happened! The city had to be evacuated, my sister is stuck cleaning up this whole damn mess, and what do I have to show for it!?"
Yusuke added softly, "You act like this is somehow your fault, Makoto."
"Maybe…" Makoto shrugged weakly. "Maybe if we had just killed Kamoshida when we had the chance, or maybe if I had dome something different before I even met you guys, maybe none of this would have happened! I'm sure I could have done more! I could always have done more!" She fell to her knees and sobbed quietly into her hands, the shame and guilt rising even more completely out of her control, which made her cry more, which made her feel greater shame and guilt.
There was then a hand on her shoulder, small and soft. A woman's hand. Then another on her other shoulder, larger and rougher. A man's hand. She looked up from her own hands and saw Akira and Ann putting their hands on her shoulders empathetically as the rest of her friends gathered around her, looks of genuine care and sympathy in their eyes, and that sympathy paused the sobs for a moment.
Akira spoke quietly yet strongly, "No matter what's happened between you and your sister, she wouldn't have wanted you to take revenge like that, I'm sure of it. That's a line you didn't need to cross, and you didn't, and we're all proud of you for it. Remember what I said? You didn't need it. Your dad didn't need it. Your sister didn't need it either," Akira shook his head with the slightest smile. Makoto was too wrapped up in trying to process his words and the situation to properly react. "None of this was your fault, Makoto."
"Y-yeah," Futaba spoke up awkwardly from behind them. "You did everything you could. You d-did okay, Makoto." This warmed Makoto's heart even more, seeing the young girl try her best to reassure her.
Haru added, "I'm sure your sister would be proud of you if she knew the kind of person you've grown into. And I pray you both can reconcile one day. But until then, just know that you're okay. You're doing your best," she nodded with a smile.
"You're a real badass," Ryuji said with a smirk and thumbs up. "You're part of the Six Black Heavens Guns, remember? Wouldn't be with us if you weren't a real hero."
Kasumi understandably had the least to say on the matter, but still nodded Makoto's way in reassurance.
Yusuke finally said, "Your struggles are entirely understandable. You don't need to be ashamed of them. Just know that we all will help however we're able, even if it's just like this."
Makoto nodded slowly, then began to cry again. But before anyone could offer her more reassurance, she only said, "Thank you… so much," the weight on her heart becoming the slightest bit lighter. "I've… never had such… support from people before," she slowly admitted, and that admittance prompted further tears.
"You deserved more then," Akira said immediately. "I'm sorry you didn't receive it."
Makoto leaned back into Ann's arms, who embraced her in a tight hug. Haru came around and added to it, holding her as she cried. The hour grew later, and everyone was very, very tired. With nary another word, they soon found spots to sleep in bedrooms and on couches, all trying to ignore the blaring sirens.
All except Akira, who could not fall asleep no matter how he tried. His mind continued to wander, pondering in a drowsy haze everything that happened since he arrived in Kamurocho. He leaned against the window, watching the police cars come by less and less frequently, until the elevator opened once again, and out walked Sojiro, careful not to wake the girls who decided to all sleep next to each other for emotional comfort on a futon.
Akira and Sojiro locked eyes before the old yakuza scanned the room. His eyes fell on Futaba, comfortably asleep next to Haru, and he nodded calmly. He then beckoned Akira to follow him upstairs into his own bedroom.
"Can't sleep?" Sojiro asked, partially closing the door behind them.
"Not a bit," Akira shook his head. "I'm ready to fall over, but I can't calm down."
"Sounds like you need some liquor. I'd make an exception tonight if you wanted to steal some from my fridge."
"I might take you up on that," Akira smiled. "But what did you want to see me about? Can't wait until morning?"
"It could, but you're already up, so might as well scratch the last item off my to-do list for the day. And trust me, it was a hell of a list today."
"I can imagine."
Sojiro sat on his bed and rubbed his eyes under his glasses, sighing slowly. "Thank you, kid," he said.
"For what?"
"Saving my granddaughter. I… am forever in your debt."
"Happy to help. You know that."
"Still. What you did meant more to me than you can possibly imagine. If I lost her… oh God above, I can't even imagine it. And it was Kuze of all people. My own sworn brother, my last brother. He… betrayed me in a way only a true family member can."
"Do you know why?"
"I can speculate. He didn't want to see the yakuza die, kid. Being a yakuza was his entire life, and he didn't want to see that way of life fade away. Guess he was just one of the many that thought it would do just that under my watch."
"But why kidnap Futaba?"
"That, I don't know," Sojiro shook his head. "And frankly, I don't give a shit. Just trying to get to me, probably. Maybe wanted to goad me into a showdown for all the chips. I sent his sorry ass off to the Kamuro P.D. to be delt with. As betrayed as I am, I couldn't bring myself to kill him. And I knew that serving time like your average schlub would be the best way to humiliate him, to get revenge on him. He'd have wanted to die in a duel with me. Now he'll never have that chance."
"I understand."
"But that's not what I wanted to talk to you about." Sojiro sat up straight, though doing so seemed painful. "I want you to take my granddaughter away for a while, Akira."
"What?" Akira asked.
"I know you want to go home. You wanna see your parents, you wanna get the hell out of this city. Well, I think she could use a bit of a vacation while I get everything settled here, just in case something else comes up. I want her far away while I rebuild our defenses. The Omi may be driven off, but we're in a weakened position right now. If they try another attack, I doubt we'd be able to fend them off immediately. That's why I want Futaba gone until I know she'd be safe here."
Akira narrowed his eyes at Sojiro. "Isn't it your job to protect her?"
"I am."
Akira looked away. "Are you sure? I don't exactly have an army at my beck and call back home."
"That's just what she needs. She doesn't need a damn army, or war plans, or blood feuds. She needs safety, stability, rest. And I know for damn sure that your lakefront property your parents have has quite the relaxing atmosphere about it."
"If I did say yes, how long would it be before she could come back?"
"I don't know, but not too long. Just enough that we know the Omi won't try another attack, and we'd be ready if they did." Akira crossed his arms pensively. "Please, Akira," Sojiro pleaded, much to Akira's shock. "This is the last request I'll ever make of you. I swear it."
Akira glowered at him. His eyes stung with exhaustion, and his face was pale as a sheet, yet he still hung on Sojiro's every word. The old yakuza could see on his face Akira weighing the possibilities and consequences of such a personal request as his brow furrowed, his eyes narrowed, and his lips pursed before he finally spoke, though his voice was just as tired as his eyes. "She deserves better," Akira stated coldly. "You know that."
Sojiro slowly nodded, maintaining his cool and collected demeanor, but only barely. Even Akira was able to spy tiny cracks in his unshakable decorum, and to his surprise, he felt the slightest twinge of pity for Sakura as he considered what everything that had happened recently must mean for him. "She deserves so much better than the hands she's been delt. She doesn't need any more bad luck."
Akira looked to the floor in thought, putting his hands in his pockets and leaning on his left leg. He clicked his tongue as he further considered the implications of this most recent request, but he already knew in his heart the right thing to do. After all, helping others was his purpose. At least that is what his parents always told him. "When can we leave?"
"First thing in the morning. I'll provide a vehicle and any necessities you may need. And I'll also be giving you this." Sojiro reached into his breast pocket and produced a small sealed envelope. Holding it up in front of Akira, he explained, "This is for your mom's eyes only. A bit of explanation and compensation."
"And it somehow doesn't have anything to do with me?"
"It's for your mother only, kid. That's all. When you get home, and when you feel the time is right, I want you to give this to her. Whatever she does with it is up to her then." Sojiro handed Akira the letter, who inspected it curiously before shrugging.
"I'll see what I can do," Akira said flatly.
"Good. You… have no idea how thankful I am for this."
"Just make sure she has a home to come back to," Akira replied sternly. "Futaba didn't deserve any of this."
"No. No she didn't."
Akira looked back out to the foyer through the doorway. Everyone was still asleep, and he was becoming increasingly jealous of them. "I'm going to get some rest," he said. "First chance I can, I'm shipping out tomorrow. I've had enough of this damn city to last a lifetime."
"I don't blame you. And I hope you'll never have to come back."
"You dislike me that much, huh?"
"Just like my granddaughter, you deserve better too. Your whole family does."
Akira had no response to that, and Sojiro seemed not to need one. They simply nodded to each other, and Akira went to his room. Despite his thoughts racing through the myriad horrible events of the night, he did not even remember laying on the pillow before he was asleep.
…
The smoke from Shido's cigar briefly obscured the view of neon-washed Sotenbori below his fortieth-story office suite. He stood tall, proud, stalwart as he looked down on the vagrant tourists and oblivious locals beginning to retire for the evening, the highways in the distance yet aglow with many headlights from coming and going cars.
Behind him was Amon, still donning his sunglasses in spite of his otherwise professional demeanor, even denying Shido's offer of an expensive Cuban cigar. "Color me impressed, sir," he said. "Everything went exactly as you said."
"Did you ever doubt it, Amon?"
"Not at all. Still quite impressive though. Your plan was not exactly orthodox, and I'm sure you received quite a bit of pushback from even the most loyal of your Clan."
"Shimano certainly had objections, but Goda was surprisingly ready and able to assist. I guess even in a more business-minded clan like the Omi, they still have a sense of loyalty to their superiors, even when being asked to carry out such a mission."
"When will we begin the next stage? The Amon Clan is ready whenever you call."
"Give them a bit of time to settle, and then we'll move in. We have some business to take care of within the Omi itself before we put Sakura in the grave."
"What sort of business?"
Shido smirked as he took another puff of his cigar. "Would you not agree that we have not quite written our names into history enough yet, Amon? There are many more pages upon which we can still sign our names."
"I see," said Amon, nodding. "I assume we will be adequately compensated for such an endeavor."
"With your level of compensation, you will be able to comfortably disband your entire clan, should you choose to. Change your name, move to the tropics or wherever else you might like, and live the easy life, imparting the same luxuries unto the next four generations of your family with savings to spare."
"Such a life does not suit me nor my clan. I could have had that exact life you described five times over now. But I'd go soft, and my skin crawls at the notion."
"Suit yourself," said Shido. "My point is simply that your compensation will be more than adequate."
"Then we await your orders, sir."
The phone rang, and Shido picked it up. "This is Shido."
"Where is my daughter?" the voice of Okumura began.
"I beg your pardon?"
"My daughter is not yet in my care. Where is she?"
Without even pretending to consider his answer, Shido replied, "Seems that our schedule has been shifted, Okumura-san. You know how it is when you're writing history. It can't all go exactly to plan."
"I was promised my daughter's safety, Shido!"
"Well, as far as I know, she's not dead. I'd have been notified if she was."
"I didn't just want her alive, you bastard! I wanted her safely back at my side! That was the deal!"
"And the deal was shifted, as was our schedule. I implore you to put your faith in me and my clan, Okumura-san. I still guarantee your daughter's safe return, just perhaps not now. Be thankful she is at least in the company of so-called heroes."
"She is in the company of a goddamn murderer! The Butcher, right? She is with him!"
"Well, perhaps you should have taught your daughter to adopt better taste in men."
"You son of a--!"
"Do not take that tone with me," Shido interrupted sternly. "I promised your daughter's safety, and it will be made so. I apologize that fishing one young woman out of a warzone was made unrealistic through the proceeding of circumstances, but I have not come close to taking my part of the deal off the table. I hope you have not experienced a lapse in faith because of this, sir."
Okumura paused, barely keeping himself from flipping the bedside table the phone rested on. "I assume that if I did, my daughter's safety would no longer be your concern."
"It would certainly be dropped lower on the priority list, yes."
"Then… I will relinquish this exchange. You are sure she has not been harmed, right?"
"I have heard nothing of the sort from any of my reliable sources. I am sure she is safe."
Okumura sighed. "Just make something happen. I will not stand for our agreements being shirked in any capacity."
"Of course, Okumura-san. You have my word. Simply maintain our shared ideals as you campaign, and your daughter will be delivered untouched."
"Fine. Good evening, Shido-san." He immediately hung up.
"Crotchety old politician," Shido remarked as he hung up the phone. "For a man who touts himself as a visionary, he is certainly tunnel visioned at times."
"Do you judge him for being worried about his daughter?"
"I only wish he were able to see the bigger picture and focus on it. This is why we have a backup plan. We will keep closer watch on Okumura from now on. I sense his faith in the cause is shakier than he lets on."
"As you wish, sir. Is there anything else?"
"No, that will be all. You are excused, Amon. You will hear from me soon." Amon nodded and exited the office. Shido put the cigar out in an ash tray as he sat down at his desk, folding his hands in his lap contemplatively. "You're missing the party, Anri," he thought aloud. "And your son has been the life of it. I wonder what your dad would say if he could see us now." He smiled to himself and leaned back in his chair. "Probably would have some speech about power and fighting for others, and whatever other shit. He's lucky he was strong enough that people could actually take him seriously. Then again, if he had just become the chairman of the Sakura Clan like everyone wanted, none of this would have had to happen."
…
Akira nearly fell out of bed as he tried to wake up, completely unaware of what time it was or how long he had been asleep. All he could tell through his blurry vision was that he was in his bedroom alone and sunlight was peeking through the crack under his closed door. He forced himself to stand up and stumbled out into the foyer and saw his friends all gathered around the dining table preparing to eat breakfast. The wall clock read 7:39 a.m., indicating that he only gotten about five hours of sleep, even though he felt like he had gotten two at best.
Ann smiled at Akira as he approached, being the first to notice him. "Good morning, sleepyhead," she greeted him. "Needed some extra sleep?"
"A lot more than I got, that's for sure," Akira rubbed his eyes, but managed a smile her way. "What's cooking?"
Kasumi was busily cooking something on the griddle, and said, "Eggs and bacon and some pancakes. I made some extra with you in mind, so don't worry about getting a serving."
"Thank you very much," Akira took a seat at the table. Futaba and Ryuji were already eating, and doing so with considerable enthusiasm. Akira remembered the conversation he had with Sojiro the night before, and knew this may be the best time to explain the situation to everyone. "Hey," he began, "can I talk to you all for a moment?"
"Is something the matter?" asked Makoto.
"Kind of. You see, Sojiro and I talked last night while you were all asleep, and he had… another request for me."
Ann scowled. "Greedy old man, isn't he?"
"It's not quite like that," Akira continued. "See, he asked me to, well, take Futaba away for a while. Back to my home, to keep her safe."
Everyone looked to him in surprise, especially Futaba. "Grandpa asked… what?" she asked with exceeding concern.
"He wants you somewhere safe while they secure the city, Futaba. Somewhere you can be with trustworthy people like my parents, I guess. And since I'm going home, and I don't want you to get hurt anymore than you already have been, I said yes, if you want to. I can take you home for a while, and you can have a bit of a… vacation," he smiled calmly to her.
Futaba looked down to her food and began rubbing her elbows with her hands anxiously. "Grandpa is worried," she muttered. "We're not safe here, even with the Omi gone. I… I don't wanna be here right now. I was thinking about it last night. Even Kuze-san took me."
"Then do you wanna go home with me? I live on a beach, you know. You can walk along the sand, through the forest, whatever will help you feel happy."
Futaba met his gaze, and her eyes were a bit brighter than before. She nodded twice. "It sounds nice," she said.
"Okay," Akira smiled. "Mom and Dad will be happy to have you, I know it. It could be good for you."
"Hmm-hmm," she hummed in agreement.
Haru added, "Sounds like a lovely vacation. Quite relaxing indeed."
"Well, it is a nice time of year to go. The autumn festival is around the corner, but it's still warm enough to enjoy the water. It's kind of a little slice of paradise back home."
Ryuji said, "You could be on their tourism board, buddy. You do a good job of selling it."
"You wanna come too?" Akira asked.
Ryuji paused and thought for a moment, then took another bite of his pancake. With his mouth still full, he murmured, "Ya, kinda."
"It would be a nice change of pace," said Yusuke. "And likely a fount of artistic inspiration for myself. I would be glad to accompany you as well, Kurusu."
"What?"
Ann excitedly said, "Some R&R is just what we all need! Let's all go on vacation!"
"Huh?"
"It sounds lovely," said Makoto wistfully. "It's been too long since I've had a good forest walk or read a book by the waterside."
"Uh, hey—"
"I was already heading there with you," said Kasumi. "I wouldn't say no to more friends along for the ride."
"Um—"
"I agree, of course," said Haru. "I… need to lay low for a while, it seems. And I'd rather do it somewhere I can be both safe and relaxed."
Akira rubbed his eyes, processing what just happened. "Sounds… like a great idea," he conceded. "There's a nice hotel not far from my house anyway, and I'm sure they'd let you stay for a discount since you're friends with me. The family that owns the hotel are friends of me and my family."
"Oh, I can take care of that," said Haru. "No one has to worry about a thing," she beamed.
"It's settled then," Makoto said. "Let's get packed up and head out. Akira, where is your hometown?"
"Shimonosuke, about two hours from here by highway."
"Alright, everyone," Makoto continued with authority, "get fed and get packed and make sure to use the restroom before we leave."
"Yes, mom," Ryuji joked, prompting some tired but genuine laughter from the group of friends.
Breakfast was quiet yet pleasant, with little conversation passing among the friends. They also made a concerted effort to not turn on any TVs or radios, as hearing the news coverage of the battle the previous night would be more exhausting than necessary. As the young adults were packing their things, Akira called his family house, which was a considerable personal effort for him.
The phone rang, yet to his surprise, no one answered, and the answering machine prompted him to leave a message.
"Uh, hi, Mom and Dad. It's me… I know we… haven't talked in a while, but I just want you to know that… my work here is done. I'm coming home soon. I'll be home in a few hours, and I'm sorry to spring this on you, but… we're having company. Quite a bit of company. Don't go to any trouble, they're just friends. Good friends, you can trust them. They… we… all need a break. One of them in particular. We're not bringing any trouble home with me, but… well, yeah. Everyone needs a break. I can tell you more when I see you. I miss you both. I'll be home soon. … Love you. Bye."
Behind him, the door to Sojiro's room opened, and out came both him and Futaba. Her eyes were red from crying, and she embraced her grandfather tightly. She said something into his chest, but Akira could not hear. Her smile as they separated told him that things were at least mostly okay. She caught his gaze and he gave her a caring smile and nod, which she beamed brightly at.
Yusuke had been particularly quiet since the night before, understandably so, and no one deemed it appropriate to press him on those matters. They knew he would come around in due time, if he felt comfortable with it. Best to let him get his own relaxation in, they thought.
They made their way to the garage, carrying what little luggage they had. Ryuji took it on himself to help pack the girls' luggage into the back of the passenger van, and they graciously accepted his gesture. As they were packing, Kashiwagi arrived in a sports car. He did not speak to them, giving them space, intuiting what must be going on, but he did give Akira a thumbs up in passing as he went inside the hotel.
Sojiro was sitting in the lounge across from reception, the dead bodies having been cleaned up overnight. He smoked a cigarette as he sat on a leather seat, mostly untouched from the fighting.
"Holding up, Boss?" Kashiwagi asked as he approached him.
"You could say that."
"Futaba's leaving with them?"
"She needs to be safe. Anri will take care of her; you know that as well as I."
"Do you think you should tell her about Wakaba beforehand? They were like sisters, after all." Sojiro did not respond. "I see," Kashiwagi nodded, not pressing the issue further. "Well, if anyone would take care of that girl, it's Anri. Seems to have taken good care of her own son, at least." He looked out toward the garage, glad to know the kids were safe, headed for quiet waters and calming forests.
They packed into the van, with Makoto taking the wheel. They did not turn on the radio, but stayed in quiet company with each other. Ann sat next to Akira in the back of the van, and as if checking to make sure he was alive, she lightly squeezed his hand. He looked to her in surprise, but she was looking out the window. He squeezed it back, and then their hands parted. The sun shone brightly that morning, illuminating her flowing blond hair beautifully. Akira wanted to hold her hand once more, but did not. Some things could be saved for later.
Kashiwagi sat beside his old friend and lit another cigarette for Sojiro. "You think we're gonna get through this, Boss?"
"If we don't, then Saejima and Kiryu, and everyone else whose served with us, will have died for nothing. Whatever Shido is planning, we'll be there to stop him."
"Even without the dragons?"
Sojiro shook his head. "I don't know, Kashiwagi. I just don't know," he took a mournful drag of his cigarette, and said a silent prayer for his granddaughter's safety. He hoped his wife and daughter would give him strength, even if they may be ashamed of the man he had become in their absence.
Kashiwagi looked out the window and saw the van driving off down the road toward Tenkaichi Street, and he faintly smiled. "You know, that Akira kid…" He and Sojiro met each other's gaze, and Kashiwagi's was surprisingly… confident. "He really is like a dragon."
… Just where will this era go?
This is only the beginning of our party
And nobody else can ever imitate it!
This way of life is about flashy dancing
And I don't want to leave behind any regrets!
Carving out a path that once didn't exist,
Now what I hold in my hand is my own answer!
Like a Dragon soaring across the night sky
Wager your pride and shout out to the future!
Wasshoi!
It's the kabukimono's party night!
Couldn't care less for the image, contrasting shows and—
It's like the era has gone completely off the rails
No air of serene and so it rides on!
On and on, every night
Wasshoi!
On and on, every night
Wasshoi!
- Bubble – Shonan no Kaze (Yakuza 0)
Families divided, bonds forged and reforged. Friends new and old will unite to face themselves and seek the truth both within and without.
Legends rise Like a Dragon in The Phantom Dragon Part 3: Truth and Justice