Going Home

The airport was crowded. The heat of the summer was beginning to die down, yet the strength of the crowd still kept the atmosphere warm and slightly uncomfortable. Harry shifted his bag from one arm to the other, staring down Reo and Hinata as they tried to find the words necessary for the situation.

“So…” Harry said.

“So…” Reo said.

Hinata looked between the two men in her life and sighed dramatically. Then she pushed them together and moved their arms around each other.

“Quit being emotionally constipated, you two!” Hinata said, patting them both on the shoulder.

“Alright, fine,” Harry said reluctantly, patting Reo’s back a few times. “You know what, Reo?”

“Yeah Harry?” Reo asked as they continued their awkward embrace.

“I’m gonna miss the natto,” Harry said. Hinata barked out a massive laugh, leaning over with her hands on her knees, her two tails swishing joyously. Reo pushed Harry away, adjusting his tie and glasses while he tried to reassemble his cool and stoic guy persona.

“Please stop making fun of my breakfast,” Reo said.

“Not gonna happen,” Harry said, joining Hinata in laughing. It felt good, natural, normal.

It didn’t feel like an end.

It had been two weeks since the end of Gouki Kageyama. The paperwork had been finished and the shouting had all been done. Lots of people in high up positions were mad about the plan to have a massive brawl across several blocks of Tokyo real estate, but Harry had let them scream their bureaucrat heads off. He had other questions which bothered him.

“Spill,” Harry said to Reo as they all drank in a Tokyo bar.

“The Super Sentai thing?” Reo asked.

“No, how you get your tie so straight. Yes, the Super Sentai thing!” Harry said, getting a round of laughter from the other exorcists.

“I don’t know. I’ve been trying to trigger it again since the fight,” Reo said. He held his hand out and his katana appeared. “Simple, right?”

“Relatively speaking,” Mayumi said.

“We don’t know how we know how to summon our weapons, or how to create containment stones. We simply can. My transformation…it felt like discovering a new sense.” Reo vanished the katana, flexing his fingers, looking at his hand like the costume would appear again.

“It’s like my demon. I know there’s a difference between me and her, but…” Hinata trailed off.

“You can’t explain it,” Reo said. Hinata nodded.

“Yes, exactly. I will my powers into activating, even if I’ve never used them. Like instinct,” Hinata said.

“Either way, it’s a new wrinkle we all have to consider,” Harry said slowly. “Like whatever the hell Gouki turned into…”

The voice announcing passengers should begin making their way to their planes broke Harry from his memory. “Thinking about your unfinished business?” Reo asked.

“Nah. Gouki is in a cell raging about not being a god or some crap, you five plus Hinata are good on handling whatever is left of the Kageyama crime family. I’m good to go home.”

“Home. Yeah…” Hinata said softly. “I’m sure you have a lot of things to do back in New York. Lots of demons and criminals and girls…”

Girls. The word seemed to stick in Hinata’s throat like a chicken bone. “True. If I don’t come back soon Wallman will get depressed. In fact, did I change his litter?”

“Well, it’s good to see you treat your friends at home as well as you treat us, Harry,” Reo said.

“You should come and visit sometime,” Harry said, scratching the back of his head anxiously. “Both of you.”

“Maybe I could, since I’m…not dying. I could…I…”

Harry wrapped Hinata in a hug, holding her close to his chest. “Okay…” he said softly, letting her have the moment she needed. They stayed still and silent in the crowd until Hinata pulled away, her eyes red but steady.

“I’m okay now,” Hinata said.

“You sure?”

“No. But I will be.”

“Alright. Get going. I’ve gotta get felt up by security,” Harry said. He turned quickly, not wanting them to see a hint of sadness on his face, trying to merge his large American self into the crowd.

“Goodbye!” Hinata called out, her voice echoing through the airport. Harry waved behind him.

“Goodbye,” he said quietly.

A short while later he was patiently waiting in line to board the plane. Harry tapped his foot nervously, full of energy he didn’t understand.

“I’m going home. My job is done. Settled some old scores, reconnected with some old friends. I’m happy,” Harry said. An old Japanese man in front of him nodded. “Yeah. Damn right.”

Only three more people were ahead of him.

“New York needs me. I have responsibilities.”

The old Japanese man turned to Harry. He expected some words of wisdom from him, something to soothe his soul.

“Crap or get off the pot, boy. If you have to convince yourself you have to go, it’s probably only a fart.”

The old man turned back, entering the bridge and walking away with a quaint little waddle. Harry leaned against the entryway, laughter pouring out of him.

“Sir?” the stewardess asked him, a slight look of concern crossing her face.

“No, it’s only…of course he uses a crap metaphor. I love this place,” Harry said, straightening back up. The little bastard had been right. It was time to go home.

*

Reo and Hinata sat in the ramen restaurant, slowly picking at their bowls. Neither one of them knew what to say. Neither knew if they should say anything at all.

“He’s not dead, you know,” Hinata said.

“I know,” Reo nodded.

“He'll come back someday,” Hinata said.

They finished their meal, walking out to the street. Night was starting to fall. The restaurant had been a favorite of the three, but tonight it felt smaller, quieter. It was odd. Harry had been gone for years, yet the few weeks he had been back made life seem brighter.

Reo opened the car door, then paused. “What?” Hinata asked. She peered around him and saw Harry in the front passenger seat.

“I have some more time to kill. Also, lock your car door, dumbass,” Harry said.

Reo and Hinata eagerly sat in their seats. She bounced a bit in the back as Reo loosened his tie slightly.

“Let’s go home,” Reo said.

The car drove off as the streetlights came on. The city moved on, not a monster in sight. It was quiet, peaceful.

Normal.