The Florist vs the Yakuza Foxes

Kasane Hattori went out to the balcony. The wind hummed, blowing her long, brown hair. In the distance, the engines of the Kagenashi Clan’s cars and bikes roared. Kasane raised her hands, channelling her magical energy. Her younger brother, Kazuya, and his junior half-dog-yōkai colleague, Inuko Takeda, watched her, curious.

Green light flowed out of Kasane’s fingers and imbued the soil around her flower shop, making massive black thornbushes with purple venom emerge. They reached the second-floor balcony, where the three friends stood.

“Just a precaution for when the Kagenashi thugs arrive,” Kasane smirked. She turned to Kazuya’s colleague and warned, “Miss Takeda, be careful not to touch these thorns! They contain deadly venom for yōkai. It won’t kill a halfling like you, but may injure you.”

Inuko’s ears and tail were set upright. She stepped back from the balcony rails, hiding behind Kazuya so that she wouldn’t touch the thorns by accident.

Kazuya was amazed by Kasane’s magic. Now, he regretted sneering at her choice to become a florist.

I guess her flowers can save the world. He thought. If she’s this strong at twenty-five, she’ll summon forests when she’s older.

The three friends looked at the street. The many headlights of the Kagenashi Clan’s cars and bikes had appeared. Their roaring engines deafened the night. Kazuya clutched the balcony rails, sweat streaming down his brow. He hoped Kasane’s powers would be enough to deter those foxes. After all, wood was the weakest element against their fire.

The black cars and bikes stopped at Kasane’s flower shop, and the fox thugs dismounted, dressed in black suits. A black, nine-tailed fox woman, Kurone, was leading them, carrying purple fans with built-in venomous knives. She saw Kasane on the flower shop balcony with Kazuya and their target, Inuko Takeda. A mocking smile ran through her lips.

“Look at that! It’s Miss Hattori, Wakagashira’s little pet.” She screeched. She alluded to Kasane’s relationship with their kumichō’s heir, Yukihiro Kagenashi. “Wakagashira has ordered us to kill that mutt.” Kurone pointed to Inuko, who was peeking at them from behind Kazuya. Kurone turned back to Kasane. “Give her to us, and we’ll spare your brother.” She swung her fan, making a crimson foxfire appear, smelling of burning spider lilies. “We wield flame, so don’t even think of stopping us!”

“‘Wakagashira’s little pet’, you said? Projecting much?” Kasane chuckled, raising her eyebrow at Kurone. “You’re his errand girl. And my brother’s friend has a name.” Her eyes glimmered with fury at the notion of ‘mutt’. “It’s Inuko Takeda. Use your filthy mouth again, and I’ll paralyse your tongue, you vixen wench!”

Kazuya couldn’t help smiling. Kasane talked to a nine-tailed fox woman like she were a misbehaving teenager. His heart pounded with pride.

She’s so cool! Inuko wagged her tail, hearing Kasane defend her from the foxes. So firm and elegant! She’s my new idol.

Kurone snarled at Kasane’s impertinence and readied her purple fans.

“That dog girl has gravely injured Hikari,” she said. “I won’t hesitate to attack even you to avenge him, Miss Hattori. This is my last warning: step aside!”

“She hurt Hikari?” Kasane widened her eyes. She glanced at Inuko. I didn’t know a halfling like her could use Raijū’s Bark so well! Hikari is a five-tailed fox. Hurting him is difficult. She looked again at Kurone and the thugs down below. Yukihiro loves Hikari like a little brother. He must’ve been furious. Outwards, however, she kept her composure. “I can heal Hikari. Tell Yukihiro to bring him here!”

“Heal a five-tailed fox with deadly injuries?! You’re a lowly human. Remember your place!” Kurone shrieked, losing her temper.

She whirled her nine tails and sent crimson foxfire at Kasane’s thornbush barrier. To Kazuya’s and Inuko’s fright, the bushes caught fire. But when Kurone thought she’d destroyed Kasane’s defences, the black thornbushes absorbed her foxfire and emitted more venom. Kurone and her fox thugs gasped.

“How can this be?” Kurone cried. “No plant should resist my fire. I’m a nine-tailed fox!”

“Ever heard of seaweeds?” Kasane smirked. She caressed her black plants. “These thornbushes are my invention. Their venom can kill any yōkai upon touch. If they catch fire, they’ll absorb it and release more venom. Now, knowing all that, how do you plan on climbing up here?”

Kasane’s smug posture of leaning on the balcony rails with her chin on her palm infuriated Kurone. She bent her knees, about to jump.

“Lady Kurone, maybe we should wait for Wakagashira?” A certain thug, who had driven Yukihiro and Kasane with the limousine that day, asked the black fox. “I’ve just contacted him. He said earlier today that this woman was strong, so…”

“You bothered Wakagashira over this?! Who allowed you to meddle, Hanji?” Kurone snarled at him.

Hanji, the driver thug, retreated with his tail between his legs, afraid of Lady Kurone. But he was more scared of the wakagashira. Yukihiro Kagenashi had stated many times that Kasane Hattori was precious to him. Although his foxes didn’t understand the reasons, they should obey him. Such was the rule of the Kagenashi Clan – the wakagashira’s and the kumichō’s wishes were absolute.

But Kurone had forgotten all about it, glaring at Kasane, green with envy. Ever since this wretched girl appeared in Yukihiro’s life, he had given Kurone less attention. And he had changed a lot, too. Kurone couldn’t stand it.

The Boss was ruthless to filthy humans until Kasane Hattori appeared. She thought. I won’t forgive her for softening him!

Kasane noticed Kurone was preparing to jump. She activated a magical green light in her hand, ready to retaliate.

“Kazuya, Miss Takeda, stand back!” She warned her brother and his friend.

Kazuya and Inuko nodded and retreated from the balcony rails, now completely sure Kasane could handle an entire battalion of foxes. But Kazuya still clutched his pistol, to be on the safe side.

Kurone jumped towards the flower shop balcony. Kasane swung her arm, and a long, thorny green liana dangled out of her hand. It whizzed at the startled Kurone and hit her mid-air. She smashed into the ground, with a large, bloody whip-mark across her chest. She coughed up blood. She took deep breaths and barely managed to lift herself. She staggered on her feet.

How can that lowly human stop me?! She glared at Kasane in indignation.

She wanted to jump again when Hanji’s voice stopped her.

“Lady Kurone,” he said, “Wakagashira has ordered us to wait for him! He’s bringing Hikari and will be here soon. You’d better not make any rash moves!”

Kurone’s pupils narrowed to slits. If Wakagashira was coming, she should stay put lest she anger him. She shut her fans and stood still. She found it hard to steady herself, for her chest still hurt from the injury.

Kazuya let go of his pistol, noticing that the Kagenashi thugs had backed down. Inuko watched Kasane with admiration, her tail wagging, and her ears twitching. Kasane smirked at the cowering Kurone down below.

“What, that was all?” she asked. “I thought nine-tailed foxes would be more of a challenge!”

Kurone seethed with rage, while Kazuya and Inuko laughed at Kasane’s jab. But they stopped when they heard Kasane’s phone ring. Kasane’s smile vanished. She took the phone out of her pocket and looked at the screen. The caller’s profile picture was a fluffy white fox with uncanny crimson eyes. The name was “Yuki”. Kasane knitted her brows. She tapped the “accept call” button and put the phone to her ear.

“You finally deign to show up?” she asked sternly. “Your thugs are pestering me.”

“Sorry for the trouble,” Yukihiro answered gravely, unlike his usual seductive tone. “I’m almost there. Please keep your energy, because I need you to heal Hikari. He’s badly hurt. You’re my only hope, Kasane.”

“I’ll heal Hikari,” Kasane said icily. “But you and I will talk.” She glanced at the startled Kazuya and Inuko, who guessed who was on the phone. Kasane glared down at the Kagenashi thugs again, and her voice sank. “You broke our agreement, Yuki. Don’t expect me to be calm!”

“Your brother is unharmed,” Yukihiro countered. “I didn’t break my word.”

Kasane’s eye twitched. She clutched her phone more tightly. Kazuya got goosebumps at her furious look, while Inuko let out a yelp.

“Listen here, Pup,” Kasane said into her phone, her voice trembling with suppressed rage, “don’t mess with me!”

She didn’t wait for Yukihiro’s reply but dropped the call. She tucked the phone back into the pocket of her jacket. Kazuya and Inuko watched her purse her lips, glaring at the dark street.

“Pup?” Inuko muttered, her ears pricked up. She looked at Kazuya. “D-Did she just call Yukihiro Kagenashi ‘pup’?!”

“You heard her right!” Kazuya laughed. He glanced at his sister fondly. Kasane hasn’t changed at all.

In the distance, the headlights of Yukihiro Kagenashi’s black limousine appeared. The fox thugs, including the frightened Kurone, bowed to it as it drove up to the shop. Kasane made her thornbushes disappear with green light magic because the barrier was no longer necessary. She glowered at the limousine, a tinge of worry glimmering in her eyes. But it was only for a moment. She lifted her chin and crossed her arms, waiting for her opponent – Yukihiro Kagenashi, heir-apparent of the strongest yakuza clan in Tokyo, and her intimate friend.