[The End of Osamu Ashikaga]: The Soldier's Condition

That night, Taeko took a visit to the Ryōzen Kannon, a temple on the east end of Kyoto. It was a suitable place to be on the eve of the Third Great Holy War, for the Ryōzen Kannon was a war memorial built in commemoration of the Japanese soldiers and civilians killed in the Second World War.

The temple was a magnificent piece of art. A pristine statue of the Buddhist goddess of mercy, Kannon, sat in repose atop the square-shaped shrine building. The eighty-foot tall statue sat in front of a backdrop of two hills covered in trees with golden and red leaves. A rectangular pond filled with calm, clear waters reflected Kannon’s gentle face and the crescent moon glimmering in the sky.

Taeko sat on the stone steps of the shrine building, Kannon’s shadow looming over her. She held Cyanide’s silver lighter in her hand, constantly turning the sparkwheel with her thumb. The lighter sparked over and over again, but it didn’t produce a flame. She was so fixated on the lighter that she didn’t notice Shinju approaching her until her Pancho-wearing comrade was standing right in front of her.

“Taeko…” Shinju murmured, her eyes glimmering with worry. “Are you okay?”

Taeko stuffed Cyanide’s lighter in the inside pocket of her leather jacket. “Sorry. I didn’t see you there.”

Shinju looked around her left, then to her right. “When you said you wanted to meet, I was expecting it to be at my place, or the bowling alley. Why did you have us go all the way out here?”

“Two reasons.” Taeko responded, sitting on her hands to keep them warm. “One, I wanted to make sure we weren’t being spied on by exorcists. Two, I wanted to pray.”

“For what?”

“Forgiveness. From the soldiers that died in the fight to protect this nation, and from you. You put your trust in me. You believed I could save the world. In the end, this war is all I can do. I can’t even promise you that you’ll survive it.”

Shinju sat down next to Taeko. “I haven’t forgotten what you did for me that day.”

Taeko turned her gaze towards Shinju, confused. “That day?”

“After the Inari Standoff, when we were being dragged off to our deaths. I heard the shots that killed Black Maria and Cyanide. I felt so small, and death felt so big. It was like I was an ant coming face-to-face with this titan. To be honest, in those few minutes when I was just sitting there, waiting my turn, I regretted being part of the standoff. I didn’t want to die. But then you switched places with me, just to give me a little extra time.”

Taeko blinked repeatedly as she turned her head away, the memory of it all bringing her to tears.

“I’ve thought about that moment every night for the past seven years, and every time I remember it, I’m ashamed that I regretted being by your side that day.” Shinju explained, wiping tears from her eyes. “You said you’ve lived everyday of your life with love in your heart. I think that was the day I truly understood what you meant. That…was an overwhelming kind of love. I don’t think I can ever repay you for that.”

“You were the only one I managed to protect. You don’t have to repay me.”

“And you don’t need my forgiveness either. I’d follow you through hell itself. Though…I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t scared. I have no idea what you and Osamu are planning. Whatever it is, the fact that you won’t tell me is the most terrifying part.”

“I’m sorry. I still can’t tell you anything. We can’t risk our plan being leaked in the event any of you are captured during the war.”

“My god…” Shinju gasped, a chill traveling down her spine. “So you two have even thought about the grimmest details…”

Taeko rubbed her neck as she leaned her head to the right, an audible crack coming from her spine. “Yeah. Things are going to get bad, Shinju. I just wanted to make sure that you knew that. Japan will no longer be safe for us. Our home is going to become enemy territory as of tomorrow.”

Shinju nodded as she nervously rubbed her hands together. It felt as though her blood was boiling inside of her palms and fireworks were going off in the tips of her fingers. The weight of the world pressed down on her shoulders. The Third Great Holy War was close at hand, and an ominous aura permeated in the cold, night air.

“I’m with you, Taeko. Until the very end.” Shinju declared.

“Thank you, Shinju.” Taeko said, unsurprised by Shinju’s unyielding loyalty. “It’s decided, then. We’re definitely doing this.”

Hearing footsteps behind her, Shinju shot up onto her feet, turned around, and pointed her finger gun at a young woman at the top of the stone steps. The woman held up her hands and stood deathly still. Shinju quickly scanned her from head to toe. She wasn’t wearing exorcist robes, but Shinju figured it must’ve been an agent in casual clothes.

“It’s okay, Shinju.” Taeko said. “You’re late, Anne.”

Shinju’s brows shot upwards in surprise. “Anne?!”

Anne stepped out of Kannon’s shadow and into the moonlight, the breeze tugging at the synthetic fur lining the collar of her brown aviator jacket. She lowered her hands, which were kept warm by snug, black gloves. She didn’t sit, as not to dirty her white, bell-bottom jeans.

“Good evening, Taeko.” Anne said with a smile. “And you too, Shinju.”

“What’s going on, Taeko?” Shinju questioned.

“I can’t tell you what Osamu and I have planned, but I can tell you how we got to this point, and what’s going to happen tomorrow.” Taeko began. “Seven years ago, after you and I were spared the death penalty, Manami mysteriously disappeared. She was taken out of exorcist custody and never seen again. Anne was in charge of that operation.”

“That was you?” Shinju recoiled.

“That’s right.” Anne confirmed. “Manami wasn’t expecting to survive her confrontation with you two, but she somehow managed to pull through. We got her out of the country so she could recover. She was in a coma for four years. By the time she woke up, we had moved her to Italy, far out of reach from Japan’s exorcists.”

“Manami’s alive, then?” Shinju gasped.

“Yeah.” Taeko said. “I’ve been in contact with her for the past three years. Aside from Anne, Manami has a few former exorcists guarding her in Italy. She also still has a few men hiding within the Exorcist Program. They’ll be lending us a hand for the big day tomorrow.”

“I hope you packed your bags, Shinju.” Anne quipped. “Wales should be quite interesting.”

“Wales?” Shinju repeated, confused. It took her a second, but her eyes lit up once she understood what Anne was talking about. “It worked? You got Hima on our side?”

“Taeko and Carmilla did all the work, really. Be sure to thank her once you see her.” Anne said.

“The tricky part is getting out of Japan alive tomorrow.” Taeko said. “That’s why we’ll be stationed outside Osamu’s house in the morning. His executioners are going to make their move tomorrow. Anne’s men and the Shoku Twins will handle the exorcist reinforcements, but it’ll be our job to protect Osamu once the assassins spring their attack.”

“So the Shoku Twins are joining us as well?” Shinju asked. “But they’re not used to real combat, are they? What are they going to do to help?”

“Anne and the Shoku Twins will be working together to take out six targets across Kyoto.” Taeko explained. “The destruction and chaos will disorient the Exorcist Program and leave the assassins without backup. We’ll have them right where we want them.

In order to do that, the twins will be undoing Izanami’s seal so they can return to their original age. That, in turn, brings back their original fighting strength. When they were made into deities, Izanami placed that seal on them at the request of the other gods. And before you ask, no, we do not have Izanami’s permission to do so. We don’t need it, either.”

“My men already have the vehicles loaded.” Anne said. “We packed them nice and tight.”

“Good.” Taeko sighed. “That ought to buy us more than enough time once we’re in Wales.”

Shinju’s head spun like a windmill. Her eyes darted back and forth between Taeko and Anne. Every word they said made less sense than the last. It was as if they were speaking a completely different language.

“Hold on, do we even know who’s being sent to kill Osamu?” Shinju questioned.

“Yeah. Manami leaked their identities to us a while ago.” Taeko said.

“You’re welcome, by the way.” Anne snickered.

“Whoever they send would have to be able to deal with Izanami and Gekko. So…who is it?” Shinju asked.

Taeko gazed into the shimmering reflection of the crescent moon in the pond ahead. “You wouldn’t believe it if I told you…”

A dark blue glow slowly rose from the eastern horizon. The sun was making its ascent, the darkness of the night sky slowly bleeding away to make room for the golden monarch. Osamu was already up. He quietly ventured downstairs and sat at the kitchen island. Half of his raven hair was tied into a top bun, while the other half in the back of his head remained unbound. He didn’t say a word. He just sat and waited.

Osamu closed his eyes. He thought back to one of his fateful meeting with Taeko at the abandoned bowling alley. It was the day he learned who his executioners would be.

“There’s something I’ll need to do around the time your referendum gets voted on.” Taeko said. “I’ll be meeting with my source and clearing some things up with them. I won’t be gone long. In the meantime, there’s something you need to know. I know who your executioners will be.”

“…Why do you say that like I really don’t want to know who it is?”

“Because you don’t.”

“But I need to know, don’t I?”

Taeko nodded. “ Yeah, but I’ll need your word first.”

“My word?”

“You cannot say a word about any of this to your wives. Do you understand? I’ll tell you who your executioners are, as well as the plan for the next few months. In order for any of this to work, you have to follow my instructions. You’ll be keeping secrets from your family, and I’ll be keeping secrets from Shinju. Partners in crime, right?”

Osamu nodded and locked eyes with Taeko. “Tell me.”

The memory faded as he heard multiple bar stools being dragged across the kitchen tile as people took their seats around him at the island. He opened his eyes, seeing his children, Kiyoko, Yuuto, and Chiya sitting before him, each of them still dressed in their white pajamas with red maple leaf patterns on them.

They exchanged silent glares, the air in the room growing so cold it hurt to breathe it in.

“Today’s the day I face my killers.” Osamu said. “Lo and behold…I’m looking right at them.”

Yuuto, Chiya, and Kiyoko stayed silent. Chiya got off of her stool and closed the kitchen curtains, ensuring that no one on the outside would be able to see what was about to happen.

“So you knew.” Yuuto growled. “Who told you?”

“It doesn’t matter who told me, Yuuto, you foolish boy.” Osamu chided. “It was a clever plan. We never would’ve suspected they’d use my own children to kill me. Had they sent someone else, that person would have to face against Gekko and Izanami, and they’d definitely lose the fight. There was no need to do that, because they already had three agents in my household, three agents that could get close and kill me once they received the order. If I didn’t have help, you would’ve most certainly cornered me.”

“Help?” Kiyoko repeated with a concerned tone.

“Who was it? Who helped you?” Chiya interrogated, keeping her voice down as not to wake Yoko and the other girls upstairs.

“Like I said, it doesn’t matter.” Osamu retorted. “All that matters…is that we talk. This is our last chance to back out of what’s coming. If you carry out your mission here and now, there’ll be no going back.”