The Hot Seat

The walk up was a nice bit of fresh air. It helped to clear the mind, which was exactly what Cliff needed right now. Sable too, but she wasn’t enjoying it as much. Being in the know wasn’t always meant to make you feel better. Of course, he had heard the stories about the Company. The spooks were always hard to read, which was a prerequisite in that line of work. That meant it was hard to trust them, even if they were supposed to be on the same side.

Cliff would never completely trust Susan. Nor should he, given what she really was. He didn’t have any clue as to why she was really here, but the things she did and said to him betrayed his usual assumption of her kind. Perhaps she was an outlier. Or maybe she was an outcast. Whatever her reason for being here, Cliff wouldn’t let her fool him. A demon and a spook. That was perhaps the most venomous combination he could imagine.

Cliff also wondered why they hadn’t been given any gear yet. Maybe Susan was still testing them, seeing if they could really do this before handing them some nice toys. It sounded like an easy first assignment. Go to the onsen and have a chat with the proprietor. Sounded simple enough. Cliff kept Sable in front of him and started slowly scanning their surroundings as they walked. Sable was very much ‘ooo’ and ‘ahhh’ing at the sights, but the more they looked the more dreary it became.

It was nighttime. Whatever nightlife was out was big in places like Tokyo, Osaka, and the like. Here it was rather calm. Cliff had never been to Japan, but he had talked with many of the guys in the military about their time on leave or deployment to these places. As they moved on, Cliff looked back at the note Susan gave them for the address. He put a hand on Sable’s shoulder and pulled her back.

“See if you can get us a bus to this place. You can read it, right?”

“Yeah. I’m sure we can grab a bus to it. It shouldn’t be too hard.”

“Well then, let’s make tracks.”

Between the small roads and one-ways that looked almost like better kept alleys, Cliff was surprised. There was a paradox of similarities that stretched to reach the example of the American way back home, but it was still just different enough that it made walking around a bit of a culture shock. Of course, that’s how it was when you went to an entirely different country. As they approached the main road, Sable pointed out a sign she knew as one for a bus stop. She and Cliff dug into their given bags and pulled out enough yen for the bus fare before waiting for it to come around.

Thankfully it wasn’t too late in the night. The bus showed up and whisked them off towards the base of Mount Fuji. It was a picturesque scene as they rumbled along through the countryside. The sight of the mountain was very beautiful, though Cliff found it less so on this foreboding kind of night. It wasn’t too chilly, though. In fact, for both of them, it was rather pleasant. They were used to harsh cold and winds that bit through layer after layer. But here in Japan it was still mild, despite it being late October.

Sable patted Cliff on the knee to indicate their stop. They got off and convened. The address was up into the wooded countryside. A bit hilly for them, but they both used the walk to stretch their legs. It took them a good twenty minutes to get to the onsen. Cliff had never been to one before, leading Sable to explain to him that an onsen was a hot spring that usually was included with an inn. Cliff rolled his shoulders, wondering if they could get some time in the hot spring later. It would definitely do him some good.

The two entered and the clerk at the desk welcomed them. Sable conversed with her in Japanese, asking to see the proprietor. The woman was reluctant and tried to dissuade them before Cliff stepped up with his imposing figure. Sable once again reiterated the importance of the request and apologized for the inconvenience it caused. The clerk, having had her arm substantially twisted, gave in and asked them to wait. She disappeared around a corner for an uncomfortable amount of time before she came back and showed them the way to the owner’s office. Sable motioned for Cliff to take off his shoes and put on the guest shoes before they went any further.

Cliff spoke to Sable as they turned into an empty hallway. “What exactly is a…yuki-onna?”

“Their name means “snow woman” in Japanese. They're yokai who generally are seen in the mountains.”

“And…what’s a yokai?”

“They’re the Japanese version of like…supernatural entities. Some are ghosts, some are creatures.”

“Like cryptids?”

“Kinda but not exactly. They’re very interesting as there are so many different kinds. But the yuki-onna is a spirit yokai. We must be very polite.”

“Right. Don’t need to upset Frosty’s wife.”

Sable turned to Cliff and, for the first time since their meeting, gave him an expression that wasn’t shrouded in a cautious mask. She narrowed her eyes and pouted for a second, showing her disdain for his joke. Cliff said nothing and the two approached the door. Sable knocked lightly and waited. She heard a soft voice call them in and opened the door.

The inside office was very traditional. It fit the motif of the inn with all the architecture, and the two briefly wondered why they hadn’t noticed earlier. It was as if this place had been untouched by the modern world. In fact, Sable couldn’t remember seeing any actual lightbulbs on their way in. It was rather odd, but not nearly as odd as the woman before them.

Her hair was smooth and white as the purest silk. She presented it in a traditional hime cut. Her skin was paler than a fresh sheet of snow. She wore a traditional kimono robe that was a very stark contrast to her form, being that it was made from black fabric. She regarded the pair through closed eyes with a calm demeanor and a small smile. Sable tugged on Cliff’s jacket sleeve as the snow woman raised her hand and gestured to two zabutons in front of her. They sat in the traditional seiza way, much like the snow woman did across from them.

Cliff knelt on the cushion that kept them off the floor. He put his knees together and sat on his calves under him, just as Sable showed him to do. It was already hell on his knees that had seen a lot of battering from combat jumps and training in the airborne. He was glad to be out, but it still had taken a toll. He now battled that as he endeavored to show respect in this setting. Sable bowed, and Cliff followed, as she began speaking in Japanese.

"Thank you for meeting with us on such short notice. We do not wish to intrude any more than we already have."

The snow woman nodded and returned their bow before saying, "Would you like some tea?"

"We would. Our trek up left us rather parched."

The snow woman nodded and waved her hand. The clerk from before immediately entered with three fresh hot cups of tea. It surprised the both of them, but Cliff had a better poker face. He was swiftly becoming ill at ease with the way things went, but he couldn’t let on with that.

"Your guard is up," the snow woman said to Sable. "Have you come on behalf of the police? I can feel the energies radiating off of you. You have protective auras, though I am not entirely familiar with them."

"My sincerest apologies, Miss…?"

"Ichibashi."

"Miss Ichibashi. We do not come here with intent to harm."

"Of course not. You think me a fool?"

Sable bristled. Cliff caught it even though they were both speaking Japanese. He could sense there was a tension in the air.

"We wish to inquire about your patrons."

"My patrons are under a strict confidentiality policy."

"Miss Ichibashi, we understand that you have a duty as a business owner to your customers. However, we believe that some of them may be involved in very unsavory practices."

The snow woman opened her eyes and her calm demeanor vanished. An icy chill settled on the room. Cliff reached for his tea and went to take a drink but was stopped by Sable. He put it back down with a bit of confusion still on his face.

"Your friend is very hasty."

"Please, Miss Ichibashi. We need your help."

"I refuse to disclose any information that may lead to the arrest of my clientele. If you’re not with the police, then you may go."

"We have reason to believe that certain men frequent your establishment. The kind you wish to not have around your other guests."

The snow woman raised her head and looked down her nose at Sable. Yet, she wasn’t stopping her from speaking. Sable continued.

"Rather, not men. But monsters come over from other worldly places. Perhaps they have made themselves known?"

"You speak of the ones with cursed blood, do you not?"

"Those who partake in the blood of others, yes."

"I am familiar, and I wish to see them gone. Will you have a hand in that?"

"We will do our utmost if you point us in the right direction."

The snow woman lowered her head and closed her eyes in thought. She sat long enough for Cliff’s knees to start screaming at him. He must’ve been obvious in his discomfort, as Miss Ichibashi looked at him with soft eyes.

"Very well. They come in often enough and reserve the whole onsen for weekends at a time. With the money they give, I can hardly say no. They have propositioned me for their games, but I refused. I have all I want already."

"Can you give us a description?"
"They are definitely yakuza."
Cliff perked up. He didn’t need to understand Japanese to know that the yakuza was the Japanese version of the mafia, he had heard about them before.

"Yakuza?"Sable asked.
"Yes. We don’t allow those with tattoos in our hot spring, unless they make a private reservation. These men moved here from a different prefecture. My employees overhear quite a lot. They don’t care to mince words."
"Is there anything in particular they were talking about?"
"They were working on something big. It sounded like they were going to do a prison break or something. That’s all I know."

"Thank you, Miss Ichibashi. If you come across any other information, we will be around."

"Take care."
Sable bowed and prompted Cliff to do the same. The three sat and drank their tea before the pair left. They exited the onsen, headed back down the trail, and caught the bus to their next destination: Iwata. Sable led Cliff to the address. It brought them to a small house. A young Japanese woman approached them and bowed. She was wearing a business suit but it was devoid of any sort of insignia. Her brown hair was cut in a short bob which paired well with her dark brown eyes.

“I have been expecting your arrival,” she said to them in almost perfect English. “The embassy has requested that I aid you with your ongoing investigation. My name is Ikumi Machida. I work closely with members of the police force.”

Ikumi bowed and the pair matched it. Cliff stuck his hand out in true American fashion, to which Ikumi took it gracefully. Another chill went up his spine.

“I understand you two are supernatural experts brought in to assist our police force, correct?” Ikumi asked.

“That’s right.” Cliff answered immediately.

Ikumi didn’t say anything, but her eyes played over the two of them suspiciously. She probably doesn’t know about the CIA angle. Best keep it that way. Cliff thought to himself.

“We should converse inside before it gets too cold,” Ikumi said unprompted.

Cliff nodded and let her show him the way. For some reason, he didn’t feel any more at ease with Ikumi’s presence.