The Friends Return

“I must warn you, Big Sis Kasane’s friend is a nine-tailed fox,” Kenzō said, holding Yumi like a princess in his arms and running through the dark tunnel. “He’s older and stronger than Kasai. He knocked out the bastard with a single kick!” He chuckled, remembering the satisfying scene.

“Oh…” Yumi muttered, trembling at the thought of a bigger and stronger fox than Kasai, her kidnapper. She cuddled tighter with Kenzō. “H-How did Big Sis Kasane befriend such a guy?”

“Oh, he’s a softie at heart.” Kenzō smiled. “Don’t freak out when you see him, okay?”

“I-I’ll try,” Yumi stammered.

Kenzō crossed the dungeon tunnel, and he and Yumi emerged into the hotel reception room. Kazuya, Kasane, Ginrei, and Inuko were waiting for them.

However, just as Kenzō predicted, Yumi grew frightened of Ginrei. The size of his nine white tails and the menacing spark of his crimson vulpine eyes reminded her of Kasai. The latter lay unconscious at Ginrei’s feet with a bleeding forehead.

“Yumi!” Kasane’s and Kazuya’s anxious cries sounded.

Kenzō carefully put Yumi down, and Kasane and Kazuya embraced her. Inuko also approached, wagging her tail with a timid smile, trying to reassure Chief Shinemori’s daughter that she was friendly. Yumi returned the hug to Kasane and Kazuya somewhat numbly. She barely noticed Inuko, whom Kazuya introduced as his girlfriend and colleague. She only nodded at Inuko’s respectful bow. Her gaze was fixed on Kasai and Ginrei, with her heart throbbing.

“I was so worried, Yumi!” Kasane exclaimed. Her voice barely registered in Yumi’s mind, but it didn’t stop Kasane from examining her. “Are you alright? Any injuries?”

She passed her gentle fingers on Yumi’s cheeks, then her shoulders and arms, and observed her from top to bottom. There were no wounds.

“I healed her when I found her,” Kenzō said. “She did have injuries,” he added solemnly.

“What?” Kasane widened her eyes. She snarled and glowered at the unconscious Kasai. “I swear, I’ll kill that guy!”

“I’d love to shoot his brains out,” Kazuya said in a shaky, vengeful voice, his eyes filled with disgust. “But we have to deliver him to Uncle Dairyū for a proper trial. All of his crimes must come to light.”

“Agreed.” Kenzō nodded. He took off his pearl bead bracelet, tore off three pearls from it, and imbued them with his energy. “I’ll carry him and those two meat loaves,”—he glanced at the dead nine-tailed fox, Kinnoko, and her tanuki subordinate, Shintarō, lying in the puddles of blood—“in my magical pearls.” He threw the pearls at the three bodies. They glowed white and blue, absorbed the bodies and locked them inside in miniature forms. Then, they returned to Kenzō’s clawed palm, and he reattached them to his bracelet. He grinned as he stroked the pearls harbouring the yōkai bodies. “Dad and I will have a feast!”

If Yumi had heard him, she might’ve questioned her preference for dragons over knights. But she didn’t register either Kenzō’s or anybody else’s words. She had stared, motionless, at Ginrei and the unconscious Kasai before Kenzō’s pearl locked up the latter. But even then, Yumi couldn’t quite process what had just happened. Vile memories from the past few hours flooded her mind, stealing all her focus.

She remembered Kasai’s high-pitched, screechy laughter as he clawed her cheeks and licked her neck, purring with delight at the prospect of “savouring every morsel of her”. He tied her up in that cold, damp cell and fondled her with his abhorrent, furry scarlet tails! He promised to come back for her to “have some more fun”, and Yumi had dreaded every moment since. Thankfully, Kenzō came to her rescue. But now, she discovered that her hideous oppressor was knocked out with a single kick from a stronger one of his kind. And that other fox looked giant and terrifying.

I should get a hold of myself! Kenzō said this fox is Kasane’s friend. She thought, but her trembling limbs didn’t obey. Panic had long seized her heart. She clasped her hands to her chest to silence it, but it only banged louder. Stop! Don’t cry…

Tears overflowed from her eyes. In a few moments, she broke into frantic sobs. She dashed at the startled Kasane and buried her face in her chest, so that she wouldn’t see the monstrous fox any longer.

“Yumi, dear…” Kasane raised her eyebrows in the inner corners. She embraced the girl and gently rubbed her head.

Ginrei realised that he was the cause of Yumi’s breakdown. His ears drooped, and his nine tails sank low. He slumped his shoulders and hid his clawed hands under his long sleeves. He reduced his energy pressure to a minimum, but it was still overwhelming. He sighed and cast his eyes down.

No wonder she sees me as a monster… He thought, dejected. I’m no better than that wretched pup, Kasai. I’ve eaten my share of humans and killed many more than he ever could.

For a few moments, all of the friends were lost for words. But then, Kenzō suggested that they return to the human realm.

“Other demons might appear here if we dawdle,” he explained. “And the faster we get Yumi back to her family, the better.”

So, they put their shoes back on at the hotel entrance and exited the building. The latter was quite run-down and burnt in some places, after Ginrei’s and Kasai’s brawl and the friends’ battle with the ogres and demons. The square outside was deserted, for all the demonic yōkai had fled the area after the nine-tailed foxes’ fiery duel.

Ginrei and Kenzō joined their hands because Ginrei couldn’t teleport into the Kagurayama Estate with his powers alone. Dragon God Dairyū’s protective barrier was impenetrable for him. However, with Kenzō’s assistance as Dairyū’s son, it was feasible. So, having taken Kenzō’s hand and borrowed his energy, Ginrei released the purple smoke of burning wisteria fragrance, and they teleported back to the Kagurayama mansion in the human realm.

The family received the children happily, relieved that they were alright. But the fact that Kasane’s friend, Yukihiro Kagenashi, was Ginrei – the ancient nine-tailed fox and the founder of the yakuza clan – frightened them. Kazuya’s and Kasane’s grandmother, Rin Hattori, was especially troubled. She covered her mouth with her hands, looking at Kasane and Ginrei in disbelief. It was unsettling to hear that her granddaughter was dating a 1133-year-old man-eating fox. On the other hand, Rin’s marital niece and Kenzō’s mother, Nene Kagurayama, took it lightly. She shrugged and crossed her arms, glaring at Ginrei.

“If you break her heart, I’ll make sure Dairyū eats you!” she threatened in her deep, androgynous voice, making Ginrei gulp and even put one of his tails between his legs. “But if you love her and mean her well, I don’t see what the issue is,” she added nonchalantly.

“Yeah, I knew you’d say that, Auntie…” Kazuya rolled his eyes. She married the bloodthirsty dragon god. He smiled fondly at his aunt’s prideful posturing, despite the many worries in his heart. Of course, she wouldn’t mind!

Overall, the family’s main focus was on Yumi. Rin hugged her tightly, shedding happy tears. The Kagurayama family were also relieved to see her unharmed. Yumi felt safe and comforted in their company. Dairyū’s companion, guardian fox Shiroki, had long departed home, so there was nothing to trigger Yumi’s trauma of foxes again. It was a peaceful, heartfelt reunion.

Kenzō’s grandfather, Hiroto Kagurayama, phoned Chief Shinemori about his daughter’s return. In half an hour, the police chief’s car was admitted to the Kagurayama Estate with those of the special forces. Akechi Shinemori and his son, Jin, the head of the special forces, exited their vehicles and entered the house. Kazuya went into the vestibule to meet them and took Yumi along. In a few seconds, the Shinemori family were hugging each other in the Kagurayama Estate, with Yumi shedding tears of joy.

Meanwhile, in the private shrine of Dragon God Dairyū on the third floor of the mansion, Kenzō was talking with his divine father.

“There was a dead girl in Yumi’s cell,” he said, revealing the corpse he had locked in one of the pearls in his bead bracelet. “She must be of the Hanabira Clan like Auntie Ameko, judging by her green hair. And, as you can see, her heart was also torn out.” He pointed to the miniature form of the corpse inside the pearl. “It must be the same beast that killed Uncle Jin and Auntie Ameko.” He frowned, and his pupils narrowed to slits. He looked at Dairyū, who was gazing out the window at the crescent moon hidden in grey clouds. “I reckon that Kasai will give you some clues when you torture him in our island prison,” Kenzō went on. “But I hear the police have a certain case on their hands now, the one Kazu mentioned today, if you remember… about women with their hearts ripped out and their house burning. So, suppose you could ask Chief Shinemori for details? – He won’t dare deny you! You’re a god.”

“Yes, I was thinking that.” A faint, enigmatic smile appeared on Dairyū’s blue lips. He put his hands on his back, his purple claws shimmering under the lustre. “I guess I’ll have a little chat with Akechi Shinemori… and with Ginrei, too.”