Your Sister, His Sister, I'm a Sister Too

There was too much happening, I was going to have a panic attack.

I could hear the strange mirror monster from inside yelling terrible things, demanding to be set free. The kite-dragon and the fishing-toad monster were still tussling on top of the house, lightning crackled as Thor and Resize did their best to disperse them. Hatman was still yelling and directing civilians away from the area.

Daichi my brother’s best friend was muffled inside of a box created from his essence, trying to defend himself from the mirror image of President Sukimoto. The real President Sukimoto was in the middle of a strange battle of rebounds with Hyottoko. The president would cast magic on the arch joke monster, the joke monster would reflect it back, and then the president would reflect it with one of his spells, causing Hyottoko to hilariously dodge.

I was sunk to my knees on the front porch, reveling in the words of the association’s leader. Had Meika betrayed me, had she really sold me out to her uncle. She once told me she knew someone high up, but it was just one of those things as she would say. Like how everyone knew my brother, but I didn’t expect anything from them. 

She had been my best friend for the past seven years, since we were twelve. Since we started hunting low rank monsters. She had been there for me when my father disappeared, when my brother shut himself away. She helped me laugh and enjoy life between all of the things I couldn’t change.

“Rei you need to get a hold of yourself.”

Daichi was staring at me. His essence was low and he was sweating. He had been imprisoned and suppressed for years. Physically he was fit from lifting a ball and chain around, but not having connection to his essence was hard for a person. It was like losing a limb, reaching out for a part of you that wasn’t there.

“My sister, Rei! The house it’s crumbling. My sister, Rei please!”

Daichi’s muffled cries were heard from inside the box. This was all for my dad, because Daichi had refused to cooperate, himself and his family are in danger. What was the president even really after. Why would he go to such lengths. What could I really even hope to do. Daichi’s sister was still in the basement. We had elite monsters fighting around us. 

The biggest problem of all was the thousand spell hunter, Japan’s most valuable asset right in front of us. Sukimoto summoned flaming swords and hurled them at Hyottoko, who sprayed water out a flower on his chest. He then dodged behind some bushes reappearing on top of the kite monster, trying to steer into the president.

“Rei it’s going to be fine, we need to get out of here.”

Daichi had his face to the glass, while the other Sukimoto was preparing a longer chant.

“Breathe Rei! Use your surroundings. Stand up!”

The fake Sukimoto raised his hands, mud poured out of him and onto the box, covering it in an earthy blanket.

There was a terrible roar and a burst of essence filled the air. It felt like fresh sea air, with a little bit of slime. The hunters had taken care of the fishing toad and had now turned the corner coming back to the front of the house. Now able to focus on something besides the monsters, taking in the circus of a fight that was happening in front of the house.

“What the, Pet-Rock when did you get here? Why’s the president here?”

He pointed at me and then the second president. Daichi was covered by the cascading mud.

“What’s the joke monster doing here.”

He shrunk back down to normal size. Him and Resize looked worn out from keeping two elite monsters penned in by themselves, where it would normally take a group of five. These guys were good, and they were just following orders.

 I needed to take a chance.

“There’s no time. The president has been tracking the Joke-monster, it’s working with another arch-monster chained up inside. I need you to ignore it and go save the woman that’s locked up in the basement. Quickly! Please!”

Resize scratched his head, but nodded. I was livid with emotion, and most men knew not to argue with a woman carrying conviction. Or a crazy look in their eyes. These were smart men.

“Um Okay, we’re on it. Can you keep the house up till we get out?”

Pointing up at the kite monster ridden by Hyottoko, the other president Sukimoto had grown wings and was chasing after it.

“Yes, I’ll animate the whole house if I have too!”

Thor took another look around, staring at the box covered in mud and the twin-presidents. He rolled his eyes at the thought of more hard work but nodded his head. It was always a weird day for hunters.

“Yeah, we got it! Leave it to us!"

He summoned a lightning sword and raced into the Kawaguchi’s residence, Resize following after him. I could hear the copy monster try to negotiate with them. Without a key, it was going to be tough for it to free itself. I peered in after the boys, the monster had only managed to drag the ball halfway towards the front door. I almost wished the house would come down.

Daichi’s barrier was almost completely covered in mud, I could see him close his eyes, trying to muster up more essence. He opened them again, finishing his chant. And suddenly the president was in his place, pouring mud out his hands.

“You son of a!”

His muffled screams grew quieter as the mud drooped down around sealing him in. A worn out Daichi hobbled from around the corner of the box.

“I got no gas left in the tank. Please Rei! My sister!”

I ran over to him, puling his arm around my shoulder, and turning him in the direction of truck-kun.

“Don’t worry, I sent two platinum rank hunters in after her. They’ll rescue her and take her to the hospital. With the arch-monster shackled they have no reason to keep her right?”

Daichi looked worried but nodded.

“I think most of this Sukimoto kept behind the scenes. I wasn’t allowed any visitors beside him and his circle of supporters. Captain Kawakami tried a few times at first, but they kept turning him away. Saying he was too biased to handle my case.”

We got to the truck and I threw him in the passenger seat.

“That’s probably true, I’ve only met the guy I few times, and he doesn’t really think with his brain.”

Daichi smiled at that.

“That’s what makes him better than me and Keisuke.”

Okame peered at from the front seat.

“All aboard? Ready to roll?”

“Not yet Okame, I need to get you brother!”

I turned back towards the house. There was a chunk of the second story missing, glass and shingles covered the ground. There were pieces of the road missing from the toad monster’s big jumps. A large clay like box was constructed in the middle of the road. 

The president was tangled up in ribbons and kite materials, but was now the one riding behind the head of the Kite-dragon monster. He steered it right into the ground. A large Burst of essence and mist appeared, the president appearing on one knee silhouetted in the middle.

“Rei, take my sister and get out of here!”

Hyottoko had a hand cupped around his mouth, gently floating down on a parasol. He was covered in dirt, and bleeding essence from several wounds. His smile a little weak but still always present. It was a mask how much could he really get rid of it.

“I already escaped this clown once it’s no problem! I’ll meet you back at the spot! Take the nerd, and my sister and leave!”

People had been yelling a lot about their sister’s today. He had escaped once, he should be fine. Hyottoko gave me a wave and threw a smoke bomb on the ground.

"No! Please just come with us!"

The clay box in the middle of the road exploded with a sonic boom on one side. The second Sukimoto emerging, looking haggard, his nice suit and styled hair all in disrepair. He looked around for Daichi. He stared at me angrily, holding onto the side of the earthen wall. 

Hyottoko appeared smiling behind him, grabbed him by the ankles and flipped over doing a somersault. They rotated a few times before hyottoko hurled him into the smoke cloud where he collided with his original form. 

Essence started clumping around Hyottoko, a large scary amount of essence. Despite his personality. Hyottoko was after all, an Arch-monster. Only diamond ranked hunters could think about dispersing one, and a team of them at that. The air was getting thick and I could feel my hair standing on end, wanting to laugh. 

The first four chants a person or a monster could use, were about the same level, varying in chant length and power. The fifth chant, the final epiphany was in a class of its own. Rising to that level was a mountain peak few had seen. It couldn’t be used every day. The fifth was something capable of changes unthinkable and power unstoppable. It embodied what the essence really wanted to contribute to the world.

The president was now standing, his mirror image gone. I could feel that he was still primed with essence. The thousand spell hunter always had tricks under his sleeves, his essence began clumping, but compared to the viscous amount surrounding Hyottoko, it looked kind of pathetic.

“Take care of our family Rei! See you in a jiffy”

Hyottoko gave me one look back, and behind Sukimoto a large cartoonish red door appeared. There was a triangle awning that said “Home is where the heart is”, a large scratchy door mat read “Welcome.” On the door itself were three gold words that read “Live, Laugh, Love.”

The door opened and inside was a bright animated world, full of talking inanimate objects, extinct animals, and things I could only describe as living puns. Just like the first time I saw him a couple days ago, doing a running kick into the hunger monster. Hyottoko launched himself and kicked the president straight in the chest. He gasped and his essence dispersed, his chant interrupted.

“Welcome to joke world, Mr. President!”

There was combined laughter of Hyottoko and the angry screams of the president as the red door closed behind them. The door faded away. And the street was much quieter.

I almost thought of animating my pants to help me walk.

There was a beep of a horn. Hiyori’s truck pulling up with Okame in the driver seat, Daichi shrugged in the passenger seat.

“What? She said she could drive?’