Chapter 7: Night Patrol and The Stray

The office workers disappear, sucked into the train stations to be carried back to the suburbs. In their place, a different crowd emerges. The nightlife crowd. Young people in loud clothes, tourists looking lost, and the predators who feed on them-both human and spirit.

We are in human form tonight. It is easier to patrol when you have opposable thumbs and can blend into the sea of faces. We walk through the Kabukicho district of Shinjuku, moving in a loose V-formation that we didn't plan but naturally fell into. We are scanning the crowds, not for pickpockets or drunks, but for that tell-tale dark aura that signals a spirit on the loose.

Yoshi is at the point of the V. He is wearing his favorite black leather jacket with the collar popped up, a white t-shirt, and ripped black jeans. He thinks he looks intimidating. To be fair, he does. He has a way of walking-shoulders broad, eyes sharp, hands loose at his sides-that screams "do not mess with me". People instinctively cross the street to avoid him.

"Stop scowling", Inoe chides him. She is walking arm-in-arm with me, looking like the picture of a trendy Tokyo teenager. She is wearing a skirt that is probably too short for the weather and a fluffy cardigan. "You are scaring the tourists. We are supposed to be blending in".

"I am not scowling", Yoshi grunts, not looking back. "This is my resting face. Besides, I smell sulfur. Someone near here has a bad attachment".

"Anything on the radar, Kenuji?" Inoe asks, ignoring Yoshi.

Kenuji is walking slightly behind us, tapping away on his smartphone. To anyone else, he looks like a student checking social media. In reality, he is monitoring the local spiritual frequencies. He adjusts his glasses, pushing them up the bridge of his nose.

"Background noise is high tonight", Kenuji says, his voice flat. "Lots of minor negative energy-stress, jealousy, exhaustion. The usual city sludge. But nothing that requires an exorcism. It is quiet. Suspiciously quiet".

"Boring", Muji complains loudly.

Muji is lagging behind, kicking an empty aluminum soda can down the sidewalk. Clatter-clatter-clink. He has his hands shoved deep into the pockets of his baggy cargo pants. He looks bored out of his mind.

"I need to stretch my muscles", Muji groans, giving the can a savage kick that sends it skittering into a gutter. "I feel stiff after that nap. My hamstrings are tight".

"You slept for sixteen hours, Muji", I remind him. "Cats are supposed to sleep a lot, but you take it to an extreme. You are practically in a coma half the day".

"It is called conserving energy", Muji argues. "Lions sleep for twenty hours. I am basically a lion".

"You are a tabby", Yoshi corrects him over his shoulder. "A house cat. You chase laser pointers".

"I chase glory!" Muji shouts, earning a few stares from passing pedestrians.

We turn a corner, leaving the bright main street for a narrower, dimmer road lined with vending machines and the back entrances of restaurants. The light here is flickering and yellow. The smell of garbage is stronger.

Suddenly, a hiss erupts from a nearby alleyway.

It is not a human sound. It is a nasty, wet, guttural sound that vibrates in our ears. We all stop dead in our tracks. Our instincts flare. The hair on my arms stands up.

"Did you hear that?" I whisper.

Yoshi holds up a hand, signaling for silence. He tilts his head. Even in human form, his hearing is supernatural.

"Alleyway", Yoshi says softly. "Third one on the left. Something is cornered".

He steps into the shadows, moving silently now. We follow him, our footsteps making no sound on the damp pavement.

The alley is narrow, squeezed between two tall buildings. It is cluttered with trash bags, broken crates, and discarded bicycles. At the far end, backed into a dead end formed by a brick wall, is a cat.

It is a scrawny orange tabby, its fur matted with dirt and oil. It is hissing, its back arched so high it looks like a Halloween decoration. Its ears are pinned flat against its skull.

Looming over it is a dog.

But it is not just a dog. It is a massive, mangy Rottweiler mix. Foam is dripping from its jaws. Its eyes are bloodshot and rolling wildly. But the real problem is the shadow swirling around its head. It is a dark, oily smoke that clings to the dog's fur, twisting into shapes that look like jagged teeth.

"Possession Spirit", Kenuji analyzes instantly. "Class D. A Rage Spirit. It takes over animals and amplifies their aggression until they kill something".

The dog snarls. It is a low, rumbling sound that shakes the trash cans. It lunges at the small cat, jaws snapping shut inches from the tabby's nose.

The cat swipes at it, spitting, but it is shaking with fear. It has nowhere to run.

"Hey!" Yoshi shouts.

The dog freezes. It turns its massive head toward us. The Rage Spirit pulses, making the dog's eyes glow a faint, sickly red.

Yoshi does not even flinch. He steps between the dog and the cat, placing himself directly in the line of fire. He stands tall, his hands open at his sides.

"Pick on someone your own size", Yoshi says. His voice is low, calm, and incredibly dangerous.

The possessed dog barks, a sound distorted by the spirit-it sounds like two pieces of metal grinding together. It forgets the cat. It wants the bigger target. It launches itself at Yoshi, aiming for his throat.

"Yoshi!" I gasp.

Yoshi sighs. He looks bored.

He snaps his fingers.

Snap.

The ground beneath the dog ripples like water. Concrete turns to mud, then instantly hardens into jagged spikes.

"Geomancer Arts: Stone Teeth".

Stone spikes-small and blunt-shoot up from the pavement in a perfect circle around the dog. They interlock, forming a cage in the blink of an eye. The dog crashes into the stone bars. It yelps, confused, snapping at the rock. The Geomancer power is precise; the cage is tight enough to hold the dog but loose enough not to crush it.

"It is stuck", Muji laughs, leaning against the alley wall. "Nice shot".

The spirit is angry now. Realizing its host is trapped, the dark smoke begins to expand, trying to seep out of the cage and find a new body.

"Haruka, if you please", Yoshi says over his shoulder, not taking his eyes off the beast.

I step forward. I can feel the warmth of my Divine energy gathering in my chest. It feels like a miniature sun. I channel it down my arm, into my palm.

"Release", I command.

I thrust my hand forward. A beam of pure white light shoots out. It hits the dog-and the spirit clinging to it.

The dark shadow screams. It is a high-pitched sound, like a kettle boiling over or a balloon letting out air. The light burns away the oily smoke, dissolving the Rage Spirit into harmless grey mist.

The dog stops snarling instantly. It shakes its head, its ears flapping. It looks around, confused. The red glow fades from its eyes, replaced by a soft, brown confusion. It whimpers, tucking its tail between its legs. It is just a normal dog again. A scared, lost dog.

"Go home, buddy", Yoshi says gently. He waves his hand, and the stone cage sinks back into the ground, leaving the pavement perfectly smooth.

The dog doesn't need to be told twice. It scrambles backward, slips on a trash bag, and bolts out of the alley, running toward the main street.

"Problem solved", Kenuji says, checking his phone. "That was efficient".

Yoshi ignores him. He turns around and crouches down. He looks at the corner where the orange tabby is still huddled.

"You okay, little guy?" Yoshi asks softly. His voice changes completely. The tough yakuza edge is gone, replaced by a warm, cooing tone that he usually only reserves for Naomi.

He reaches out a hand slowly, palm up. "It is okay. The bad dog is gone".

The stray cat hisses at him. It swipes at Yoshi's hand with its claws extended.

Scratch.

Three red lines appear on the back of Yoshi's hand.

"Ouch!" Yoshi pulls back, shaking his hand. "Ungrateful brat. I just saved your life".

"It is a stray", Inoe says, walking over and leaning against the graffiti-covered wall. She looks at the cat with sympathy. "It does not trust anyone. It has been fighting for food and territory its whole life. Especially not a guy who looks like a gangster".

"I do not look like a gangster", Yoshi argues, looking at his bleeding hand. "I look stylish".

He looks back at the cat. The cat is staring at him with huge, green eyes. It is trembling. It is skinny-ribs showing through the dirty fur.

Yoshi sighs. He reaches into his leather jacket pocket.

"What are you doing?" Muji asks.

"I have a sausage", Yoshi mumbles.

"You carry sausages in your pocket?" Kenuji asks, raising an eyebrow.

"It is a snack!" Yoshi defends himself. "For emergencies!"

He unwraps the convenience store sausage. He breaks off a piece and tosses it gently toward the cat.

The cat flinches when the food lands, but then the smell hits it. Its nose twitches. It looks at the sausage. It looks at Yoshi.

It creeps forward. It sniffs the meat. Then, it gobbles it down in one bite.

Yoshi breaks off another piece. He holds it in his fingers this time. "Come on. It is okay".

The cat hesitates. It creeps closer, belly low to the ground. It stretches its neck out and takes the sausage from Yoshi's fingers. Its rough tongue brushes his skin.

Yoshi smiles. It is a genuine, soft smile that transforms his face.

"See?" Yoshi whispers. "We are friends".

The cat finishes the sausage. It looks up at Yoshi. Then, slowly, deliberately, it blinks. A slow blink. A sign of trust.

It steps forward and rubs its cheek against Yoshi's combat boot. Once. Twice. Marking him. claiming him.

Then, it turns and darts away into the darkness, vanishing through a hole in the fence.

Yoshi stands up, watching the spot where the cat disappeared. He puts his hands in his pockets, trying to hide his smile, but failing.

"Yeah, whatever", Yoshi says, clearing his throat. "Run along. Stay out of trouble".

"You are such a softie", Muji teases, poking Yoshi in the ribs. "The big bad Geomancer, feeding stray cats".

"He marked you", Inoe points out, pointing to the dirt and oil smear on Yoshi's expensive boot. "Now you are his territory".

"Shut up", Yoshi grumbles, turning away and fixing his jacket collar. He wipes the blood from his scratch on his jeans. "It looked hungry. That is all".

"You named it, didn't you?" I ask, grinning. "In your head. You gave it a name".

Yoshi pauses. He looks back at the alley.

"...Kintaro", he mutters. "Because he is tough".

"Kintaro", Kenuji repeats, shaking his head. "Classic".

"Let's go", Yoshi says, walking back toward the main street, his pace a little faster now. "Fighting hellhounds makes me hungry. Let's go get ramen. I am starving".

"You just fed your snack to the cat!" Muji laughs.

"Exactly", Yoshi says. "Now I need a real meal. Extra chashu pork. On Muji".

"Why on me?!" Muji protests.

"Because you kicked the can and woke the dog up", Yoshi says.

We walk out of the alley and back into the neon lights of Tokyo. The city is loud, busy, and full of dangers. But as I look at my siblings-bickering, laughing, and walking shoulder-to-shoulder-I know we can handle it.

We are the stray cats of this city, after all. We look out for our own.