Presidents Can Open Their Own Doors

Freshly cleansed of magical essence. I made my way to the lobby. Vice-captain Kirigaya was waiting for me.

“Ms. Kawashima over here! We finished your request.”

She handed me a large file, labeled Kawashima. I had gone to the file archives to put in my request before my visit with Dr. Kawaguchi, but this was quicker than expected.

“Captain Kawakami expedited your case; we figured you were anxious to see it. I’m sorry if your brother isn't open to talking about his work. There isn’t much we could say to a low-mid rank hunters. Again my condolences for your father.”

The files labeled “Kawashima Hidei” and “Kawashima Keisuke”, my dad and my brother's hunter files. Listing their essence, notable hunts and projects. These files were only given out if deemed necessary. Could be useful ways for hunters to use their essence, or tactics on hunting specific monsters. For me it was finally a clue on where my father went missing. I started to tear up, but not in front of the Vice-captain. She would understand but I didn’t want her to think I wasn’t tough enough for platinum rank.

“Thanks, thank you so much. I’ll return these as soon as I can.”

It was finally a step forward.

We walked out of the lobby, and she held the door open for me. Outside was a middle-aged man, in a large cloak over a designer suit. I recognized him from posters and television. I was surprised to see that the vice-captain made kind of a sour face when she saw him, but seeing that I noticed quickly corrected herself.

“These pests. I thought I told them to keep the streets around here monster free. It’s bad for our image.”

The President of the MaMA, Sukimoto Tomoki was wiping his shoe clean. There was mist around his foot, a few motes of magical essence. He had just killed a low rank monster. Turning to see me and Vice-Captain Kirigaya, he walked forward thinking she was holding the door open for him.

“Ahh thank you Vice-Captain Kawagaya, I don’t see why these monster sympathizers want to protect these vermin. Before we had rats and now we just have rats with flowers on their heads, or made of jello. They're still in the way.”

The vice-captain pursed her lips, but she didn’t bother to correct the man on her name. I knew captain Kawakami was a monster lover from the way he talked about his beloved cloud monkey, Marco Frederic. I didn’t know about his vice-captain, what I did know from this brief interaction is that she wasn’t fond of the president. She held the door open still, because she was a woman of class and elegance.

“President Sukimoto, may I introduce to you one of our new platinum rank hunters Kawashima Rei, Codename Pet Rock. Rei this is president Sukimoto, the Thousand Spell Hunter.”

She said the last part a little dryly, but the president perked up anyway as she listed his title.

“Yes the thousand spells is a little exaggerated, but I’m very close to it! No need for introduction, I know the Kawashima family very well.”

Oh no, as Meika would say it’s going to be one of those things again. Of all people to know my brother, I wouldn’t have suspected the president. I didn’t really brush shoulders with big wigs before this, but being a platinum rank was beginning to feel much different.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you Mr. Sukimoto.”

A weird smile crept up onto his face.

“I wasn’t exaggerating when I said I know your family very well. Your brother’s codename is Jackpot, but anyone who knows him calls him Crackpot.”

The President chuckled at that.

“Do you know your brother crackpot happens to be the only mage in the world to come close to casting the same number of spells as me. All mages are capable of only five Epiphanies in their lives, except”

I interrupted:

“Except if they have an Essence that allows them to use other people’s spells. Like your imitation essence.”

This guy really needed to speed things up, the way he talked was just so pompous, and the look I got from the vice-captain was worth it. His look on the other hand was a slight twitch, but he remained his composure.

“Yes exactly right. My magic allows me to recall someone else’s spell chant if I have seen it done and memorized the chant perfectly.”

His ability was widely recorded and televised; the President’s Essence was of great national importance to Japan. Allowing us to compete with magical powerhouses like China and America, who had larger amounts of land to hunt monsters in and no shortage of Diamond Rank Hunters.

“I once considered your brother one of my rivals, his spell was also one of the only ones I couldn’t copy. How is he doing these days?”

I didn’t like the way he asked that, like he already knew the answer. If he already knew who a mid-rank hunter like myself was, he probably knew my brother hadn’t left the house in years. There was no way a guy as pompous as him would care to memorize every hunters name if he didn’t have a reason.

“He’s fine. I really should get going.”

I held the files closer to my chest, hoping he wouldn’t’ see the names listed.

“Thank you for today Vice-Captain, President Sukimoto it was very nice to meet someone I’ve only seen on television.”

Even if he gave me the creeps, it wouldn’t do any good to let him know that. He was still the president of the Association.

“Yes, please take care Ms. Kawashima. And do give your brother my regards. It is a shame to lose such a big talent.”

I gritted through another smile, and gave a nod to the poor lady still holding the door for the president. There would be no regards given.

I looked through the folders as I walked down the street. My father’s file was thick, but the file on my brother was even thicker.

I couldn’t begin to think what I was going to tell my brother about today. I had met four people from his past. The two running my rank up I could definitely tell him about, they seemed harmless. The other two not so much. The desk guy and the monster dispatchers who recognized my last name seemed like acquaintances at best. The President and the Doctor, these were people with memories that could hurt him. I would probably just wait till it was relevant, like in a couple years or never.

“Errrt, errrt, errrt”

I turned around and across the street the Magic and Monsters Association building was in an uproar. Red lights blinking as the emergency alarms sounded off. The side of the building exploded and dust began to fill the air. Emerging from the rubble was a herd of monsters, led by a large flaming bull. Some flying up into the sky, others pouring out into the street in all directions. I walked backwards hugging the wall as a small stampede made its way towards me. Civilians running into the stores. Cars honking and breaking suddenly. 

“Ride em cowboy, oh hey it’s my dance partner!”

On top of a fiery bull monster was Hyottoko, in his lap was a small girl in shabby robes. She was giggling wearing a little mask over her eyes and bubbles coming out of her ears.

“Sorry for the tummy ache, couldn’t have done this without you. Say hi to my little sister!”

The little girl waved at me, I waved at her. I could feel my eyes get big, my mouth hanging open. How on earth had it snuck into the Hub of every hunter in Japan. Surely, I hadn’t been of help like he claimed. If I did who could prove such a thing, please someone tell me!

The vice-captain and the president emerged from the lobby, they began chanting moving to engage, but the bull was past me; charging down the street. There was a throng of grand and elite rank monsters following behind it and rushing to escape in every which way.

The MaMA was now in chaos, researchers and hunters hurrying to chase after the escaped monsters. But I was done with my shift today, and I was running low on Magical Essence. There were plenty of hunters around and in the association's building, and even the thousand spell blowhard was there. I held the folder tighter.

I continued my walk home; you can’t solve every problem.