

Yokai

By Dave Ferraro

Copyright 2015 Dave Ferraro

Smashwords Edition

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Yokai (yō'kī) n. A term used to describe a class of supernatural being in Japan, ranging from the malicious to the mischievous, or even those who offer knowledge or luck. They can boast animal features, look mostly human, resemble inanimate objects or have no apparent physical form, but exhibit some form of supernatural power. This umbrella term can include virtually any monster or supernatural being.

Prologue

As the sun set, shadows bled over the landscape. Ordinary objects, harmless items by day, became sinister as darkness infected them. Secrets hid in shadows. Nightmares were born from them. The night depleted courage, corroded bravado like an acid, eating away at it as the shadows deepened, suffocating the warmth and safety of light.

And monsters took advantage of man's wavering confidence.

"This will be your room."

Seven-year-old Yumiko Sato looked beyond the small sparsely-furnished room to the window, which was open, allowing in a slight breeze that stirred the red curtains. Beyond was darkness. She'd seen what walked the streets at night, and she didn't dare leave the safety of this house until the sun climbed the horizon again. So this would be her prison during the night.

She glanced at the bed on the floor, then at the small dresser with a mirror hanging beside it, just over a trashcan. That was the extent of what the room had to offer.

"We'll buy you some clothes, and other things, of course," her aunt said reassuringly.

Yumiko turned and bowed to her. "Thank you for all that you've done for me."

Her aunt looked away. "Well, it's the least I could do. You're family, after all. When your mother...well, you must be tired. It's been a long day. The bathroom is just next door, to the right. I'm at the end of the hall, if you need anything."

Yumiko bowed again, low so that she wouldn't have to look her aunt in the face.

"Well, then. Good night, Yumiko."

When she heard the door slide shut, she finally looked up, and watched as the light switched off in the hallway.

Yumiko couldn't stop a few tears from spilling from her eyes, and wiped them away angrily. Her mother hadn't abandoned her. They had it all wrong.

She dropped her backpack and suitcase to the floor and walked over to the window, where she leaned against the casing. Nothing looked out of the ordinary at the moment. That, or the night hid things too well.

"I'll get you back, Mother," she whispered to the night. "I promise I will." She shivered as the night answered in the form of a sudden gust of wind that chilled her skin and sent her hair back over her shoulders. She reached out and pulled the window closed.

With a sigh, she turned back to regard her room. She bent over and unlatched the clasps of her suitcase, throwing it open with little ceremony. She grabbed two t-shirts and walked them over to the dresser, refolding them as she went. She pulled open the top drawer and shoved the shirts inside, closing it with more force than was necessary. She suddenly felt angry. It was so unfair. She hadn't asked for any of this. She just wanted things to go back to how they used to be.

She blinked over at the mirror and issued a snarl before she swatted it from its hook on the wall. It fell a few feet away from the trashcan, shattering into several large jagged pieces against the hardwood. Chest heaving, she stared down at the shards, her anger focused in her gaze, as if she were taking out all of her frustration on the reflective surfaces. Then, all at once, the anger faded from her, and a heavy sadness descended upon her.

She dropped to her knees and sobbed silently as she gathered the pieces of the mirror.

A bump overhead startled her and she looked up. The ceiling was featureless. There was no fan or vent above her, although there was a tile that most likely allowed for access to the crawlspace between the ceiling and the roof. She wiped her nose and returned to the task at hand, grunting when one shard sliced her finger. Blood bloomed over her pale skin and she immediately stuck her fingertip into her mouth, sucking at the wound.

She picked up the remaining pieces of the mirror carefully, sliding them into the trashcan with regret. She'd been rash and felt bad for breaking it. She hoped her aunt wouldn't be too upset about it.

A scraping from the ceiling drew her attention and she frowned as she looked overhead once more. She cocked her head, waiting for the noise to return, but a minute later, all was still silent. She hoped her aunt didn't have mice. Or bats. Yumiko shuddered.

She pulled her finger from her mouth and stared at her wound, which was still bleeding. It didn't look deep, but she should probably find a bandage for it. She hesitated before reaching out for the door handle to the hall. She felt like she was a visitor, like she was intruding or trespassing. As she slid the door aside, she peaked out, hoping that she wouldn't be disturbing her aunt. She didn't want her regretting the decision to take her in. After all, Yumiko had nowhere else to go.

Tentatively, she stepped out into the hallway, skulking along the wall to the bathroom. Once inside, she closed the door and leaned against the door. After a moment, she turned the light switch on, blinking at the feminine colors. Pinks and pale purples. The towels, the shower curtain, the rugs, the wallpaper...even the pink bowl held lavender flowers, sharply fragrant. Back at Yumiko's house, the bathroom had been sunny and warm. Bright and inviting, with yellow walls and rubber duckies, Totoros emblazoned across the shower curtain. The handle of her tooth brush had been the witch Kiki from Kiki's Delivery Service. There would be no room for silly, welcoming touches like that in this house.

Yumiko ached for home, but before she was swept up in despair once more, she put her mind to finding a bandage, and rummaged through the cupboards until she found one. It didn't have a cartoon character on it, but was a plain old Band-Aid. She wrapped it around her finger and quickly left the room, holding her breath until she reached her door, sliding it shut behind her silently.

When she turned to regard her room again, her eyes widened. The clothes from her suitcase had been thrown across the floor, her backpack opened, spilling its contents. The top dresser drawer, where she'd just placed her folded t-shirts had been pulled open, the clothing hanging over the edge haphazardly.

She looked back at the door. Her aunt...she wouldn't have done this. Would she? She didn't really know her aunt. Her aunt had been a woman who would come to her house on birthdays and given her a card with money. She had been nice to her, but not particularly warm. Yet Yumiko couldn't see her going through her things. But if not her aunt, then who?

Kagami.

Yumiko swallowed hard and began to pick up her clothes. She took the time to fold them all and lay them in her dresser drawers with care, an uneasy feeling weighing in her stomach like a rock the entire time. She kept looking around, wondering if she was being watched. Her eyes were continually drawn to the window, but it was closed tight. Still, the monsters she'd seen wouldn't all be kept out by a plane of glass. The yokai king who'd spirited her away could probably walk through it like tissue paper.

A thud sounded from overhead.

Yumiko paused in her folding, and placed a final shirt in her dresser before staring up at the ceiling, thinking. Could something be up there?

She'd barely finished the thought when the panel in the ceiling shifted, and then slid aside.

Yumiko took a step back, heart pounding as she stared up at the darkness that lived beyond the tile. Nothing happened after a moment, so Yumiko licked her lips. "Hello?" she called tentatively.

No reply.

"You don't scare me," Yumiko added, a clear lie, as her voice shook as the words left her mouth. She clenched her hands into fists, digging her fingernails into her palms. She concentrated on the pain it produced, shoving aside her fear for the moment. She took a bold step toward the hole in the ceiling, and then another.

Something suddenly tumbled from the hole. An old woman with wild white hair. She laughed manically as she hung upside down out of the crawlspace. Her tongue was forked, like a snake's, and slithered out of her withered lips in a disturbing way, as if testing the air. "I haven't had anything to eat for so long," the woman proclaimed, laughing some more.

Yumiko leapt back, screaming. She ran into the door and shook her head, as if denying the existence of this thing would make it go away.

"I'm going to chew on your pretty little face while you sleep!" the woman promised.

"Yumiko!" Her aunt burst into the room behind her, eyes wide, breathing hard. Her eyes swept the room quickly before rounding on Yumiko. She grabbed her by the shoulders. "What's wrong, child?"

"The...the woman!" Yumiko stammered. She pointed at the ceiling, where the woman still hung, grinning ghoulishly.

Her aunt frowned and walked over to the woman. The woman made a halfhearted swipe at her aunt, but her aunt didn't even seem to notice.

"Yumiko, there's nothing there."

Yumiko's mouth fell open. "What...but she's right there! She came out of the crawlspace! She's going to eat me!"

Her aunt frowned and crossed her arms as she regarded Yumiko. The old woman crossed her arms mockingly behind her.

"Now, young lady, I know it's been a trying day, but you can't let your imagination get the best of you. And you will certainly not act out in this house."

"But-"

"No buts. Get into bed. Now."

Yumiko blinked back tears as she walked mechanically over to her bed and sat down on it, as ordered. Her aunt waited, gesturing for her to pull the covers over herself.

"Maybe you had a nightmare," her aunt said, softly.

"It wasn't a nightmare."

Her aunt's eyes flashed. "It's those stories of your mothers. She always did love that superstitious nonsense. Yokai." She scoffed. "Well, Yumiko, there are no such things. It would be best for everyone if you just emptied your mind of those stories."

Yumiko bit down on her lip to keep it from trembling. She looked back at the ceiling tile, and saw that the woman had disappeared back into the crawlspace.

Her aunt followed her gaze and shook her head as she walked toward the door. "Goodnight, Yumiko." She shut the light off. "Now, get some sleep."

She shut the door.

Yumiko stared into the darkness around her, heart racing wildly in her chest. Would the woman attack her in the night, as she'd threatened to? Yumiko didn't see why she wouldn't. The woman was a demon. A monster. Yokai.

A scraping sound came from the ceiling directly overhead, and Yumiko squeezed her eyes shut against it. It sounded like nails being dragged over wood.

She would never be able to sleep, knowing that that monstrosity was in the room. But what could she do? Maybe she should leave. Run. But then what? There were monsters out there too. They thrived in the dark streets. They would eat her alive as surely as this woman would.

There was a shuffling sound from across the room, and then a thump.

Yumiko pulled the sheets up over her nose. Maybe her aunt was right. Maybe it wasn't real. Maybe it was all in her head. That happened to people, right? Especially following a traumatic event.

"Yuuuuumiko," a voice mocked from the dark corners of the room. "Are you ready to have your tender meat stripped from the bone?"

Yumiko covered her ears with her hands, but she couldn't keep the monster's voice out.

"I bet that your blood tastes like honey," the creature whispered. "Perhaps I will keep you alive for a while and feast on you every night as you slowly lose your strength. Then, I will have a feast of your skin and fat when you can no longer put up a fight. When you can't call out as your bones snap in my mouth like twigs."

Yumiko opened her eyes to see the woman's face directly overhead. Beyond her, Yumiko could see that her body was like a snake's, covered in rags and stretching the length of the room so that she could hang suspended over Yumiko, poised to strike.

"Do it then," Yumiko said, lifting her chin. She would have felt braver if her jaw hadn't shaken. "I'm going to die anyway. Kagami is going to come for me when I turn eighteen. He will have me for his bride. I'm only delaying the inevitable. At least if you kill me now, I won't have to suffer. I won't have to live in torment, counting the days until he returns to devour me."

The woman stilled, eyes widening. "Kagami, you say?"

Yumiko nodded once, and the woman considered her for a moment. "You lie to try to get me to spare your life."

"No. Just do it. Kill me now. If you don't, Kagami will."

Something came over the woman's face then, something like fear, or perhaps pity. She looked at Yumiko with new eyes. Or perhaps she was going to take Yumiko's advice and kill her then and there, and was pondering what sort of sauce would go well with her flesh.

Yumiko closed her eyes, waiting for the woman to strike. She heard the creature shift and sigh. And then the window flew open, allowing a gust of wind to blow through the room, stirring the sheets and Yumiko's hair.

Yumiko's eyes snapped open to see that the woman had vanished. She glanced up at the window and spied a serpentine tail slip between the curtains and out into the cool night.

"What?" Yumiko blinked, then sat up. She went over to the window and looked out into the dead of night, but couldn't see anything in the shadows. She closed the window tight and stood there, staring out at the dark streets, watching for signs of anything out of the ordinary.

But she saw nothing.

She looked up at the hole in the ceiling, noting that the tile had been replaced. It was like the woman had never even been there.

But Yumiko knew better.

She knew that things were out there, hiding in the shadows, stalking humanity. Terrible things. And most people wouldn't even see them coming.

Unless they had a little help.
Chapter One

The water was still and black as oil under the moonless sky. Yumiko Sato stared straight ahead, into the open sea, as if daring it to offer up its secrets. She breathed in the cool night air, welcoming its cleansing touch.

Leaning against the railing, she watched as a man rushed along the deck toward her. Looking up at the dark sky, her eyes lingered on the white luxury yacht. It was a beautiful ship, bone white, standing out starkly against the surrounding darkness, and she noted that many of the men onboard were scrambling about frantically. She hid a secret smile and turned toward the man on deck as he slowed upon reaching her. He bowed, then stood straight, a cigar hanging from his lips as smoke escaped the right side of his mouth. He adjusted his white captain's hat, his gray eyes sweeping over her. "Pardon me, Miss Sato."

"Is everything alright, Mr. Watanabe?" she asked before he could slip past her, her eyes flickering back to the frantic men behind him with meaning.

"No need to worry. You are quite safe."

Yumiko bowed her head slightly, noting the non-answer with pleasure. She then looked up at the crewman at the wheel of the yacht overhead. "If it wouldn't be much trouble, Captain, could I possibly see the view from up there?"

Mr. Watanabe's eyes flashed briefly with annoyance, but he offered her his arm nonetheless. "Of course. Allow me."

Yumiko blushed prettily and took his arm, allowing him to escort her up a narrow staircase to the wheel. She gazed down at the deck below, before her eyes swept out over the open water again. A few tendrils of fog were tentatively testing the waters from out of the darkness ahead, like feelers, searching. She watched them roil and billow, her eyes narrowing.

"Ah, a little fog never hurt anyone," the captain said reassuringly as he followed her gaze.

She sent him a grateful smile. "I hear that I have a very competent guide, so I'm sure that I'm in good hands."

"That you are," Mr. Watanabe agreed, puffing out his chest a little.

"Unless the Funa Yurei have anything to say about it," the man at the helm muttered.

"What was that, Mr. Arai?"

Mr. Arai cringed under the captain's scrutiny. "Nothing, sir. Sorry, sir."

"The Funa Yurei are nothing but folk tales," Mr. Watanabe barked, crossing his arms and sticking his cigar back into his mouth.

"And what of the ships that have sunk in this area over the past few weeks?" Mr. Arai challenged. "The sole survivor claimed that it was the work of Funa Yurei, the vengeful spirits of men who have died at sea."

"To drag others to their deaths, to join their ranks and become Funa Yurei themselves," the captain scoffed. "Yes, I've heard the tales. You don't sail these seas without hearing murmurs of superstition." He turned to Yumiko. "But rest assured, Miss Sato, no harm will come to you out here."

"Of that, I am certain," Yumiko replied. She arched an eyebrow at Mr. Arai. "But please, what have you heard of these ghosts?"

"Yokai," Mr. Arai corrected her, glancing her way, and withering under the sharp look that Mr. Watanabe sent his way. "It is of little consequence, Miss Sato. I'm sorry for bringing it up."

"No, please," Yumiko protested. "You've piqued my interest."

"See what you've started, now?" Watanabe scowled at Mr. Arai.

Mr. Arai smirked, but didn't reply.

"The fog is thickening," Yumiko observed, her eyes once more drawn out to sea, where a large wall of white cloud had appeared out of the darkness.

Even Mr. Watanabe gave pause at the sight, and withdrew his cigar from his mouth to peer at it. "Yes, it is," he said, softly. He glanced at the helmsman. "Mr. Arai, please keep Miss Sato entertained for a moment."

Mr. Arai nodded. "Yes, sir."

The captain hesitated on his way down the stairs and looked back over his shoulder at them. "And don't scare her with any more of your superstitious nonsense."

"Yes, sir," Arai repeated, hiding a smile.

When Mr. Watanabe had descended the stairs, Yumiko turned to Mr. Arai. "I didn't see anybody at the helm earlier."

"Yeah. That's because it was on autopilot."

"And why isn't that the case now?"

Mr. Arai looked sheepish. "Part of the machine seems to have disappeared."

"It's gone missing?" Yumiko tinged her voice with alarm.

"Oh, there's no need to worry. We still have control of the ship. That's why I'm up here now. To navigate and make sure that you reach Hachijo Island in plenty of time."

"That's a relief. Thank you for your dedication."

Mr. Arai beamed.

Yumiko looked ahead to see something dark rise within the wall of fog. A loud creaking split the air, as if something in the fog was settling.

Mr. Arai licked his lips nervously, and blinked ahead at the fog. Yumiko could see that he was tense, and turned curiously back to the fog as the darkness within took shape. It looked like...a ship. And then the shape broke through the veil of fog, and indeed, it was a clipper ship. It looked old, nothing like the modern ships one saw on the waters today. Its sails were in tatters, and hung limp, the dark wood rotting, and covered in lichen as if it had just arisen from the depths of the ocean. A headless mermaid led the ship, hanging from the prow as the ship sliced through the water beneath her, sending up a fine mist. And aboard the ship, Yumiko could make out dark shapes. Black shadows that roiled over the deck, vaguely shaped like men.

"It's them!" Mr. Arai swallowed hard, and Yumiko turned to see sweat standing out on his forehead. His knuckles stood out white where he gripped the wheel. "The Funa Yurei."

"Yes, it is," Yumiko agreed, her heart skipping in her chest at the sight. "Finally."

"Finally?" Mr. Arai turned to her with a questioning look, but Mr. Watanabe had returned.

"Turn to avoid the ship!" Watanabe shouted. "Quickly, you ingrate!"

"No!" Mr. Arai held his chin high. "If we don't change course, if we sail through them, the Funa Yurei will allow us to pass safely. Otherwise, they will give chase."

"Those aren't ghosts, man," Mr. Watanabe frowned, looking back up at the ship fearfully.

The dark shapes aboard the ship began to glow a sickly green, and a few shapes could be seen on either side of the ship, in the water, hovering over the dark sea, as if escorting the ship. And as it drew closer, Yumiko could make out the features of men. Or, their skulls, at least. They gleamed in the sickly light they gave off.

"Oh, god!" Mr. Watanabe took a subconscious step backward.

Yumiko jumped into action, however, and grabbed the wheel from Mr. Arai, pulling it sharply to the right to avoid the oncoming ship.

"Are you mad?!" Mr. Arai yelled at her. He shoved her to the floor, where she slid gracefully. "You fool! You may have just damned us all!"

Yumiko watched as the ghost ship changed course to follow them, and satisfied, scrambled down the staircase to the deck below. She'd left a guitar case beneath the stairs, and quickly opened the clasps to reveal a sword. She pulled the sword from its sheath and turned the blade in her hand, examining the razor sharp double edge, its surface so clear that she could see her reflection in the steel. A mirror. Her dark brown eyes looked back into her own intently, as if trying to search for something beneath the surface. They were calm and steady, and perhaps a little excited for the coming confrontation.

A crewman ran her way, and she stepped into his path. "I need you to bring me all of the ladles and buckets from the kitchen and closets."

The man blinked at her, and moved to try to pass by.

"If you want to survive this, do as I say!" she ordered, her voice confident and commanding.

The man hesitated, then nodded and turned back the way he'd come.

Satisfied, Yumiko sauntered along the deck to the front of the ship. The Funa Yurei were nearly upon them. From her vantage point, she could see one ghost with a tall black hat standing at the prow, watching the yacht with hunger. Most likely the captain. A strand of seaweed stuck out from between his skeletal teeth, an eye patch lowered over one of the holes in his skull.

Leaning over the railing, Yumiko noted the ghosts floating over the water, robes covering their torsos, appearing radioactive green. Black slime covered much of the side of the boat, leaving little doubt that the ship had emerged from the ocean floor to carry out the nefarious work of this crew.

"Miss Sato!"

Yumiko looked back to see three men, carrying buckets and ladles. They looked to her for direction, eager to do what they could in the crisis, as they felt helpless. "Set them down."

The men obeyed, and with a flash of her blade, she cut out the bottoms of the dozen buckets, and poked holes in the eight ladles. She moved quickly, like one accustomed to handling a blade, slicing through metal and wood with graceful strokes. Her movements were more like an artist at a canvas, running a brush over a painting, than a swordsman accustomed to horror and violence.

"What do you think you're doing?" Mr. Watanabe demanded, stalking up to her.

Yumiko didn't look up as she worked. "One way to outsmart The Funa Yurei is to leave out ladles and buckets for the ghosts that have been sabotaged. They will try to fill the ship with water using them, in order to sink it, but will be unable to. They're too possessed by rage at their deaths to consider that their work is for naught."

He frowned at her. "How do you know this?"

"I have heard stories myself."

He contemplated her for a moment, and when she'd finished with her work, she looked up into the face of the captain expectantly. "Seems to me, you were expecting The Funa Yurei," he said.

"I'm making the most of a bad situation," she replied, noncommittally.

He looked up at the ghost ship, which was almost upon them, and then back at Yumiko. "You're that yokai hunter."

"I'm here to keep the seas safe for crews such as yours," Yumiko told him. "Please, keep your men back, and let me handle this." She turned toward the ship as it slid silently alongside them. It would have been better if the ghosts moaned or shook chains at them. Instead, they worked in utter silence, as if they had no tongues to work with, and their bodies were but fog.

She heard the captain leave her, along with his men, and Yumiko took a deep breath as she lifted her sword in a defensive stance, gripping it with both hands. "Come to me, tortured souls. It is time to end your rule of fear."

A ghostly hand appeared on the railing in front of her, and one of The Funa Yurei pulled himself onto the ship. He floated over the deck by about an inch, no feet apparent beneath his robe. His skeletal hand reached out for the buckets and ladles that Yumiko had laid out, and he tilted his head in Yumiko's direction, as if mocking her, his jaw falling open in a silent laugh.

Then she allowed him to leave her side with a bucket. A moment later, he returned, splashing a few drops of water onto the deck, before disappearing again.

And then ghosts arrived by the dozens. Yumiko stood stark still as they swirled around her, grabbing for buckets and ladles, and dropping over the side of the ship to retrieve water. She didn't move until all of the ghosts had vacated the ghost ship. Then, when the captain stood before her, she looked up into his lone empty eye socket. "I am sorry for your suffering."

The ghost lifted his head, as if considering her words, before Yumiko sliced into his body with her sword. The moment her sword connected with him, he vanished.

And then she went into a feverish dance, her sword flashing over the bodies of ghosts as they reboarded the ship with their buckets, barely wetting the deck. With every stroke of her sword against the ethereal body of a ghost, another ghost vanished. They didn't seem to notice what was happening to their brethren. They were so caught up in their task, in the anger that seethed within them, burning green through their spirit bodies, that they didn't realize what was happening until they felt Yumiko's cold steel. And by then, it was too late.

It was a graceful choreography of death that had her arms arc wide, as if to embrace the dead, her body leaning into them without a shadow of fear flickering across her features. She kept swinging her sword, like she sensed their approaching presence rather than saw them. It was almost like she could intuit where the specters would appear, and their actions. Anyone watching would assume that she was calling them to her, as if she was the very siren who had caused their untimely deaths initially, come to finish the job.

When Yumiko cut down the last of The Funa Yurei, the ghost ship suddenly pitched forward and began to sink into the ocean once more. She stopped to watch the mermaid as it penetrated the water, and was swallowed by it, the rest of the ship following its lead. After the entire ship had once again disappeared beneath the surface of the water, all was still and quiet once more, as if it had all been a dream. Even the fog lifted, bringing them back to reality.

Yumiko lifted her sword and stared hard at the surface for a moment, watching the swirling green figures trapped within as they roiled and protested. And then they disappeared, and she was left staring back into her eyes again.

Sheathing the sword, she turned to find Mr. Watanabe standing behind her. "You used us," he accused.

"I am sorry for any trouble I've put you through," Yumiko said, bowing deep.

Mr. Watanabe watched her for a moment, then sighed. "I can't believe what I just saw. You've made the seas safe for us again." He shook his head.

"That was my intent," Yumiko said, standing straight and looking around at the buckets and ladles left strewn over the deck. "I will pay for the damage I've caused to your equipment."

"You do that," Mr. Watanabe said, crossing his arms. "Now, may I have the part you stole from our autopilot?"

Yumiko reached into her pocket and held out a small cylinder with wires coiling out from each end. Mr. Watanabe accepted it, looking it over with a shake of his head. He glanced up at her with a mixture of annoyance and appreciation. "I am grateful for what you've done, Miss Sato, and don't take it personally when I tell you that I never want to see you again. You put my crew in danger."

"I know," Yumiko agreed. "And you will never see me again."

"See that you're true to your word."

Yumiko watched him as he rounded the corner and disappeared, then turned to stare out over the calm, dark water again. She reveled in the cool balm of the night air following her fight, and felt satisfaction fill her chest. She'd never desired gratitude for her work, hadn't expected it, so the captain's cold treatment hadn't come as a blow to her. But she'd done well. No more sailors would suffer. No more families would be steeped in grief after hearing of their loved ones' deaths at sea. She had made the world a little safer tonight. And she could be happy with that.
Chapter Two

Yumiko dreamed of it often, the day she'd been spirited away.

She was seven years old at the time, drawing on the sidewalk with brightly-colored chalk. Sometimes in her dream, she was drawing her mother and herself, other times an elaborate image of the sun, and still others, large ogre-like yokai called oni, with red skin and intimidating horns curling up from out of their foreheads. Her mother had told her many tales of their foul deeds, and they'd made an impression on her.

The rain came on suddenly. One minute she'd been drawing peacefully under the sunny sky, and the next, shadows had raced over the sidewalk, like a curtain being pulled over the land, sending it into darkness.

She looked up just as the first rain drop fell, hitting her squarely between the eyes and splattering, causing her to close her eyes against the spray of shattering water. When she opened her eyes again, the rain came full force. She squeaked as she ran to the shelter her front porch afforded, but then turned back to see her chalk lying on the sidewalk, the rain beating the color from them until they bled rivulets of crimson, gold and indigo. Unwilling to leave them behind to be ruined, she dashed back out into the rain, squinting against the onslaught of rain, her little blue dress quickly soaking through.

She reached down to scoop up her chalk, but something caught her eye, from up the sidewalk. A woman was standing out in the open in a gray kimono that matched the clouds overhead, her black hair loose and dripping. She didn't seem to mind the rain, but rather enjoyed it. So much so, that she was licking the rainwater as it accumulated on her hands and wrists, like Yumiko imagined a cat would do.

As if sensing Yumiko's stare, the woman looked up and met her eyes. "Hello, child," she greeted pleasantly, as if this were an everyday occurrence. "Come, you should get out of the rain."

She lifted a hand to Yumiko, but Yumiko turned back to her chalk, scrambling for the pieces. As she grabbed for one of them, it slipped out of her reach and rolled away, up the sidewalk. She stood to give chase, and paused when she saw it roll up to the foot of the woman, who stooped to pick it up.

"Very slippery when wet," the woman observed, lifting the chalk and turning it over, as if appraising it. "What a wonderful shade of red. Almost like blood." She looked up at Yumiko and held it out to her. "Here you go. You must want it back."

Yumiko hesitated. The woman, sensing her indecision, smiled kindly. "There's no reason to be frightened. My name is Ame-Onna. What's your name?"

Shielding her eyes from the rain with a hand, Yumiko considered the woman, and decided that she looked harmless enough. She was just a kind lady returning her chalk to her. "I'm Yumiko," she replied, walking up to her and accepting the chalk from her outstretched hand.

"What a beautiful name," Ame-Onna told her, leaning down so that she was face-to-face with her. "I love beautiful colors. Do you want to see more beautiful colors, Yumiko?"

Yumiko looked down at the red chalk in her hand, then back up at the woman. "My mommy will be looking for me."

"It will only take a moment," Ame-Onna assured her. She held out a hand for Yumiko, and the little girl took it instinctively. "That's my girl. You're going to see wonders that few have seen. You are one lucky girl."

Seven-year-old Yumiko smiled.

And seventeen-year-old Yumiko woke with a start.

"That dream again?" an old woman's voice inquired.

Yumiko blinked as she oriented herself. She was sitting at a table, lifting her head from its maple finish. Bookshelves lined the perimeter of the room, while mats were rolled out over the hardwood in the large open space at the middle of the room. Stands held katana and sword, sai and bo, silently waiting to be picked up so that they could flash through the air and do what they were made to do. She eyed a bow that hung over a short bookcase. Yumiko knew that a quiver of arrows could be found in a drawer at the bottom of that same bookcase. It was kept locked, but she'd seen her teacher open it before practice once.

Then she swiveled her head back to look at a woman stooped over one of three desks in the room, her face lit up by a small lamp. Her white hair was tied back in a tight bun, her face lined with deep wrinkles that foretold a long life. She wore a beautiful silk kimono with a floral pattern, in vibrant pinks and oranges.

Yumiko sighed and stretched. "Yes. The same one. Although, I didn't get to the bad part this time."

"Being kidnapped by a yokai as a child isn't the bad part?" the old woman raised an eyebrow at her.

Yumiko scowled. "You know what I mean. Ame-Onna was hardly the most frightening part of that experience." Not wishing to speak about it anymore, she stood and changed the subject, gesturing toward the thick book open in front of the woman. "What are you looking at, sensei?"

"Nothing you need concern yourself with," the woman replied. "Why don't you warm up with the bo?"

Yumiko was till groggy, but she complied. She felt the sturdy wood of the bo beneath her fingertips and couldn't help but begin to whip it through the air, test its weight, and apply the attack and defense moves she'd used thousands of times before. It felt natural in her hands, and made her feel strong, like she could take on the world with that slim piece of wood.

Her sensei, Madame Mori, drove her hard because she knew that Yumiko had an uphill battle ahead of her, and would willingly endure any training put before her if it made her a stronger warrior. When her aunt had died and Yumiko had had nowhere else to go, Mori, whom she'd been training with for years, had offered to take her in, and Yumiko couldn't have been happier. It meant that she could concentrate on her training every day for long stretches at a time, without the interruptions living with her aunt had included. Not that Yumiko was ungrateful for her aunt, but she'd been difficult to live with at times, and hadn't really understood Yumiko or her priorities.

Before long, Yumiko felt sweat accumulate on her brow, and paused to look over at Mori. "Have you had dinner, sensei?"

Madame Mori waved the question away. "I'm busy at the moment. Go have dinner, if you'd like. I will wait."

"Then I'll wait too."

Mori looked up, then scowled. "Very well. Tell Mr. Wada that we will partake in some rice tonight. And look sharp."

Yumiko bowed, then slipped from the room, wiping her forehead casually with her sleeve as she left. She slid into her sandals in the little foyer, where a beaded curtain separated Madame Mori's library from the hallway that led to Mr. and Mrs. Wada's sake bar. The hall was dimly lit, one of the fluorescent bulbs overhead flickering in front of the ladies' room. Yumiko eyed the light as she passed beneath it, then stepped into the bar, where she was met with soft, calming music. Half a dozen patrons were already seated at the bar, with another couple at a table, bowls of ramen in front of them. It was a small bar, but it had its regulars, who enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere and Mrs. Wada's delicious food, if not Mr. Wada's alcohol.

"Yumiko!" Mrs. Wada greeted from the little window to the kitchen where she set food out on a ledge for her husband to bring out to patrons. "Are you and Madame Mori going to be ordering anything tonight?"

"Yes, two bowls of rice, please,"

Mrs. Wada winked at her. "Coming right up, dear."

Yumiko liked the Wadas. They were both heavyset and seemed to enjoy running the little bar, always shimmying about with smiles on their faces. They were as cheerful as Yumiko ever saw people, and they still seemed to enjoy each other's company after twenty years of marriage. Although they were both in their forties, they still flirted with each other over the cups of sake they served. And they seemed rather fond of Yumiko, and would sneak her little treats when she was younger, even when Madame Mori forbade them. She would still find a small treat with her supper sometimes, even to this day.

"Hello, Yumiko!" Mr. Wada called out as he sauntered over to the end of the bar. "Keeping out of trouble, little lady?"

"Trouble is my business," Yumiko replied, her mouth twitching. They always had the same interaction. It was almost a running gag at this point, it was so customary. The Wadas knew full well that Yumiko and Madame Mori were highly-respected in the yokai field. When people had a problem with yokai, they would seek Madame Mori's help, and Yumiko would be dispatched to put an end to whatever it may be. Of course, people didn't believe in yokai like they used to, even though they were a very real threat, but when a person was being terrorized by them, the murmurings on the street seemed to reach their ears, and they would find Madame Mori, at the back of the sake bar in the red light district. In truth, Madame Mori owned the building, and liked having the sake bar as a front.

"Then it's bound to be good business," Mr. Wada laughed, before walking away, shaking his head. He cleaned a glass with a towel as he retreated, heading toward a customer who was trying to get his attention.

Yumiko looked across the room to the entrance of the sake bar. When someone entered the building from the street, there was a little entranceway with two doors. If they went right, they would find the door to the sake bar. If they went left, they would walk into the entryway of a love hotel, also owned by Madame Mori. Love hotels weren't an uncommon sight in the red light district, but Yumiko used to be troubled walking into the building, for fear of being seen by someone she knew. But, of course, if someone saw her enter the building, they were also in the red light district, and people who visited knew to keep their mouths shut. Bars, women, gambling – it was a part of the city made for indulging in vices. Yumiko felt like the Wadas hardly fit in, but their consistent business proved her wrong on that point.

As she was staring at the entrance, a teenaged girl stepped into the room and made a beeline for her. "Hey, Yumiko!" she said happily. She was a thin girl with her hair up in pigtails and dyed red. She wore a high school uniform, which included a white blouse, navy blazer, and a pleated navy skirt that showed off her knees, even though Yumiko knew for a fact that she was out of school. She just liked how it looked on her, and the way guys looked at her wearing it. Especially in this part of town. She had a bright pink bag over one shoulder with Asuka from Neon Genesis: Evangelion on it, giving the peace sign. Several keychains of other anime characters dangled from the zipper, clinking together loudly.

"Hey, Reina," Yumiko said, with less enthusiasm. Reina was one of the girls who worked the front desk at the love hotel, and she thought that Yumiko was a good friend of hers for some reason, often barging into Madame Mori's space and chatting up a storm. She didn't really take hints. And she was utterly boy crazy. "How's it going?"

Reina took a seat on a stool at the end of the bar and dropped her bag to the floor with a loud sigh. "I think I'm going to die an old maid."

Yumiko blinked at her. "I highly doubt that."

"Oh, what do you know?" Reina pouted. "I went to karaoke with this guy I used to go to school with, and after two songs, he said he had to go. And he, like, went! I totally paid for the room and everything!"

Yumiko shifted awkwardly on her feet. She wasn't exactly the sort of person to give out advice in the love department. She'd never even had a boyfriend. She was too focused on her training to make time for one. She'd even dropped out of high school to pursue her calling. Boys were...troublesome distractions.

"You're probably better off without him," Yumiko said, slowly. "At least he didn't waste your time, and you can date other guys now."

"But what didn't he like about me?" Reina whined.

"Here's your rice, dear!" Mrs. Wada appeared in the window, pushing a tray with two steaming cups of rice, and chopsticks, her way.

"Thank you," Yumiko said, bowing her head before grabbing the tray, and thanking her lucky stars that she'd been saved from answering Reina's question.

But Reina wasn't going to let her off the hook that easily. She followed Yumiko up the hall to Madame Mori's library. "I mean, I'm pretty, right? Like, really pretty."

"Of course," Yumiko murmured.

Reina looked away. "I mean, I'm not pretty like you, but few people are. I'm totally above average, though. And I diet like crazy for this figure."

Yumiko paused at the statement. Pretty? People thought that she was pretty?

"If nobody wants me anyway, what am I counting calories for, right?" Reina babbled on as Yumiko slipped off her sandals and stepped through the beaded curtain. "I should just eat chocolate and be fat and happy then."

Yumiko turned to Reina as she reached the opening to the library. "Reina. You're going to find someone else. He was just a dumb guy. There are plenty of others, and I'm sure there's a perfect guy out there, made for you."

"Really?" Reina asked, eyes wide, as she clasped her hands together, as if wishing very hard for Yumiko's words to be true.

"Really," Yumiko said firmly, then lifted the tray in her hands. "Now, I need to have dinner."

Reina nodded, looking relieved. "Thanks, Yumiko." She touched Yumiko's elbow. "You're a good listener."

Yumiko frowned. "You're welcome?"

Reina leaned into the room and waved at the desk in back. "Good evening, Madame Mori!"

"Good evening," Mori replied, without looking up.

Then, with another smile in Yumiko's direction, and a little bounce in her step, Reina skipped back across the foyer and out through the curtain.

Yumiko let out a sigh of relief and walked the tray of rice to the back of the room. Madame Mori stood and pulled aside a sliding paper door that led to a small antechamber, this one with a table low to the floor, with cushions on either side, as well as several more cushions against the wall. When a client called on Master Mori, she would serve them tea here to discuss their yokai problem. But most of the time, they used it as a dining room for just the two of them.

Setting down the bowls and chopsticks, Yumiko kneeled on her cushion across from Master Mori, and bowed her head. "I humbly receive," she said, in unison with Master Mori.

Yumiko smiled up at her sensei, then lifted her chopsticks and began to eat.

"Something smells good."

Yumiko glanced up as a pile of cushions tumbled over the floor, and a little brown furball rolled to a stop beside them. As it righted itself, it shook itself out, and blinked up at Yumiko from the dark patches that surrounded wide eyes, like a raccoon. But it resembled more of a fox, in Yumiko's opinion, with a strong, slender body, although it was small for a tanuki, or raccoon dog, as some people called it.

Madame Mori looked up sharply, a frown lining her face. "Is it that tanuki? He only shows up when there's food involved."

"Your sensei wounds me, little cherry blossom," the tanuki said to Yumiko, feigning pain. "She doesn't yet realize that it's your flowering beauty that keeps me here, does she? I wouldn't want to spoil the fun by letting her onto us."

Yumiko rolled her eyes. "And here, I thought it was the sake."

"Sake?" the tanuki perked up, then realized she was teasing, and pouted.

While raccoon-dogs were certainly to be found around Japan, this particular tanuki was a yokai, albeit a harmless one. Thus, the talking. Since she'd returned from being spirited away those ten year ago, she'd come back altered in many ways. Since she'd been touched by the spirit world, by yokai, she found that she was forever connected to it. She could see yokai everywhere, when ordinary people could not. Yokai allowed people to see them when they wanted, but Yumiko could see them all the time, something that normally only other yokai could do. It's what made her such an accomplished yokai hunter. Humans normally made easy prey for them, given that they couldn't detect the yokai until they were upon them. Yokai were unable to get the jump on Yumiko, however, what with her special abilities.

Of course, some yokai liked that she was able to see them, such as this tanuki. She'd decided to name him Tanuki to keep it simple, and because it seemed to annoy him that she didn't bother to come up with a proper name. And while he could be an irritating presence sometimes, flirting shamelessly with Yumiko, and getting into the Wadas' sake, she kind of enjoyed his company nonetheless. He was sort of a reassuring presence in a way, despite what he was.

"Tell that mangy mutt he needs to cut down on the sake," Mori said, pausing. "The Wadas have been asking questions again, and I won't be covering for him anymore."

Tanuki sniffed. "And you tell your sensei that I'm doing the Wadas a service and drinking their terrible watered-down sake before their patrons have a chance to."

"I'm not getting in the middle of this," Yumiko said, returning to her rice.

Tanuki sighed, and there was a brief golden glow that signaled to Yumiko that he was making himself visible to the human world. Yumiko thought of it as a radio signal. She was attuned to the yokai station following her experience, and sometimes the yokai tuned into the frequency that humans lived on, to interact with them. Otherwise, they chose to remain apart, like ships passing in the night.

"Madame Mori," Tanuki said in a sweet voice as he went to sit beside her. "You look simply beautiful in that kimono. Is it new?"

Mori chewed thoughtfully as she regarded him. "You've the devil's tongue on you, rodent. You could charm a snake out of its skin."

"Oh, Madame Mori, you make me blush with such compliments."

Yumiko hid a smile by holding her chopsticks in front of her mouth for a moment. Then, she set aside her chopsticks and placed the bowl next to Tanuki. "You can have the rest."

Tanuki's eyes gleamed with pleasure, but then he squinted up at her, unsure. "Really?"

"Really."

"You don't have to tell me twice," Tanuki said, before digging his paws into the bowl and slurping rice loudly.

Madame Mori looked away in disgust, meeting Yumiko's eyes. "You aren't feeling unwell, are you?"

Tanuki paused in his meal to listen to her response.

"No, no," Yumiko assured her. "I had quite a feast on that captain's ship last night. I'm still pretty full."

Mori didn't look quite convinced, but nodded and continued eating, as did Tanuki.

The truth was, Yumiko had just turned seventeen two weeks ago, and since then, she hadn't felt much like eating. It made her sick to think that her eighteenth birthday was approaching so quickly. It seemed like she was barreling toward it at top speed, and couldn't put on the brakes, no matter what she did. And she would never be prepared for the day when it came.

Because when she turned eighteen, in less than a year's time, her life as she knew it would come to an end.
Chapter Three

"Um, hello?"

Yumiko looked up to see a man in his early twenties standing in the doorway awkwardly. He was wearing a crisp white dress shirt, and black dress pants, his hands stuffed into his pockets shyly. He was an American, with messy dark brown hair, who always seemed to boast a five o-clock shadow. But it suited him. He was a handsome guy. She knew from her last encounter with him that he was half-Japanese, but having grown up in America, he seemed a little out-of-place and unsure of himself in this environment.

"Mr. Mathis!" Yumiko greeted him, standing up from her desk. "It's a pleasure to see you again."

Mr. Mathis bowed his head stiffly, then smiled at her. "Please, call me Brian." He paused. "It's, uh, the full moon. You said to come a few hours before, to prepare."

"Right, right," Yumiko agreed, stepping around her desk. "It came so suddenly."

Brian nodded in agreement. "Yes. Yes, it did."

Yumiko offered him a sympathetic look.

"Madame Mori hasn't found anything, has she?" he asked hopefully.

Yumiko hated to disappoint him, but shook her head. "I'm sorry, Mr. Mathis." She caught his eye and amended, with "Brian."

"I didn't think so."

"But it's a top priority," Yumiko assured him, reaching out and touching his shoulder. She paused when she came into contact with his arm, not knowing why she'd done it. Then she looked up into his piercing blue eyes. It was strange to see such eyes with his features, even if he was only half-Japanese. She knew that it was a rare genetic quirk, but she thought that they suited him. They complimented his features, framed by his long dark lashes.

She realized that she'd been staring and looked away quickly, dropping her hand.

"I'm sure it is," Brian said, clearing his throat. "And I know that finding a cure for a man who turns into a creature isn't the sort of thing that she typically deals with."

"Well, we don't just deal with ridding the world of malevolent yokai. We study them as well. Your unique situation is one we haven't come across before, and it presents an opportunity to examine a foreign concept."

"Why take the time to help me?" he ran a hand back through his hair. "I'm sure you have your hands full already."

"There aren't a set number of yokai out there," Yumiko said carefully. "No matter how many of them we face, we will always encounter new ones. Understanding what is happening to you may aid us in a battle further down the line." She shrugged. "Besides, using research as a weapon can be just as powerful as using a sword. And it gives me a small respite from the grueling jobs that Madame Mori sends me on. If I am to outwit...well, if I am to face dangers to come, I will need more than reflexes alone."

"But why a fox?" Mr. Mathis ran a hand back through his hair. "I just don't understand. And why me?"

"These things happen. But we will get to the bottom of it."

"It just seems like there's no reason for this to be happening. It seems so random."

Yumiko licked her lips. It did appear random. There had been no warning before he had transformed for the first time. No contact with a fox, that he knew of, let alone a yokai. "You can find meaning in anything, Mr. Mathis. We see it all around us every day. It's in the objects we surround ourselves with, and in the actions we take. Kami is in everything."

"Kami?"

"Spiritual essence," she clarified. "The divine."

Brian blinked at her, and Yumiko smiled at him reassuringly. "Don't worry, Mr. Mathis. We will find a way to drive this creature from you."

"Brian. And I'm counting on it," Brian said softly. He looked up and tilted his head. "Where is Madame Mori?"

"She stepped out for a moment. But I reserved the, uh...the room we'll need to keep you safe tonight."

Mr. Mathis nodded. "Well, I guess we'd best get to it then."

"Yes," Yumiko agreed, and ushered him from the room. She loved the way that Brian spoke, pronouncing every word succinctly, as if trying very hard to make sure that everything came out correctly. It made his Japanese sound a little awkward, but he'd actually caught on quite well, especially for a man who'd only been in the country for two months. Yumiko actually found it rather endearing.

As they passed through the Wadas' sake bar, Yumiko paused, noticing a man hunched over, a yokai riding his back. It was a short, troll-like thing with a pig's snout and a naked, hairy body, round and squat. It looked like a bothersome creature, but not particularly ferocious. It probably fed off of the pain derived from the man it forced to walk hunched over. Yumiko turned her eyes to the man, who drank sake, a look of obvious discomfort on his face, and Yumiko knew the reason why, even if the man had no clue that a yokai, invisible to all save herself, was to blame.

Taking in the room at a glance, Yumiko decided that she could dispatch the yokai with no one being the wiser. The man sat apart from the others in the room, drinking his sorrows away into his cup, trying desperately to lose himself, and his pain.

She stopped and touched Brian's shoulder, then gestured to the man. "Distract him for me."

"Distract him?" Brian looked confused.

"Talk to him."

"About what?"

Yumiko sighed. "I don't care. The weather. Anything."

Brian rubbed the back of his neck, a frown on his face, but he did as he was told. He sauntered up to the man and sat down across from him.

The man's eyes flicked up to him briefly, before returning to his sake. "What do you want?"

"You look like you could use some company," Brian said after clearing his throat.

Yumiko pulled her sword from her side quickly and quietly, eyes darting around the room briefly to make sure that she hadn't attracted any unwanted attention.

"Well, I don't," the man scoffed dismissively. "Leave me be."

Brian looked up at Yumiko with a shrug, as if to say "Hey, I tried," and his eyes widened as she slashed her sword across the man's back, not quite grazing the man's shirt. She saw the yokai disappear with a startled gasp, but she knew that it looked very different to anyone unable to see the little monster.

The man caught Brian's startled look and glanced back at Yumiko, but she'd already sheathed her sword. She smiled sweetly at the man, then looked expectantly at Mr. Mathis. "Brian, leave the man alone. We have an appointment to keep. Or have you forgotten?"

Brian opened his mouth, then closed it. He seemed to take the strange interaction in stride, however, and walked out of the sake bar with her, just as the man they'd left behind stood up straight behind them, letting out a joyful exclamation.

Brian looked back and raised an eyebrow at Yumiko. "What was that about?"

"Nothing you need to worry about," she replied mysteriously, escorting him through the next door into the entrance of the love hotel. Yumiko wasn't accustomed to walking into the lobby with a man in tow, and felt a little blush creep into her cheeks, but she set her jaw and walked up to the counter with determination. She would remain professional. Mr. Mathis had come to her to keep him safe this night, and every night of the full moon until they could find a solution to his...problem. He inevitably transformed into a fox every full moon, and it seemed that the creature's mind dominated his own for the duration. He couldn't remember a thing he did while in fox form, but would wake up naked in a trash bin or some other strange place. Who knew what the creature was capable of if left unchecked? It appeared to be a mere fox, but katsune were sly yokai, and it could be carrying out a very convincing lie.

The truth was, this was a rather interesting case. It wasn't every day that they had a human walk through their doors who was attached to the fate of a yokai. In fact, they'd never come across it before at all. But Yumiko had seen the results of the curse firsthand last month when she'd gone to check in on him. A fox had taken his place then, and was sure to tonight as well.

Kitsune typically were known as shape-shifting yokai. They could assume human form, but for one flaw: They could not transform their tails. When Mr. Mathis has first relayed his story, that had been the first thing that Madame Mori had checked. It was especially strange since this case had more in common with lycanthropy than anything in Eastern lore. But Mori seemed convinced that his tale was true, and reminded Yumiko that yokai came in all shapes and sizes, and would continue to do so.

Yumiko recalled the moment Mr. Mathis had walked through their door two months ago, looking around in awe, as if he'd stumbled onto a Hollywood set. Drunks were known to stagger into the library from time to time, having gotten lost on their way to the lavatories. Yumiko assumed the same of him at first, as well. But she was immediately struck by his features. They were open and kind, handsome and a little edgy. She may have stared, because Mori had cleared her throat before approaching the stranger, arms crossed. "Is there something I can do for you, sir?" Mori had asked sharply.

Brian seemed able to focus with her words, and his eyes found Yumiko and intently drank her in, as hers had done to him a moment earlier. It was as if he'd never seen a woman before, and Yumiko looked away, her face on fire. It didn't hurt that he was so attractive, and when he spoke, Yumiko's heart began to race, as if trying to chase each syllable that dropped from his lips. "I'm sorry to intrude," he said with a bow. "I am seeking the aid of the renowned Madame Mori."

"And you have found her," Mori sniffed, lifting her head. Her posture changed then, as she realized she was addressing a client. She gestured toward the back of the room. "Please, come have some tea."

"Thank you," Brian said, bowing again.

Mori sent Yumiko a look, which told her to fetch the tea, and Yumiko obliged, heart hammering as Brian's face swam before her eyes the entire time. When she'd returned, Mori was making small talk, and took the tea kettle from Yumiko, who lowered herself to a cushion.

Mori poured the tea carefully, but even still, her hands shook slightly. She was getting older, and the teapot was heavy. If Yumiko intervened, however, she would get a severe look and retort: "I'm not feeble in mind or body yet, Miss Sato."

Brian, however, smoothly took the teapot from her. "Allow me," he said, easily taking it from her hand. "I'm afraid in America, I'm not accustomed to serving tea. Any practice I can get is much appreciated."

Mori had looked pleased, and Yumiko had been impressed. As he'd poured Yumiko's tea, he'd looked up into her eyes, yet still somehow filled her cup perfectly. If she didn't know better, she would say that he'd been serving tea his whole life.

"Yumiko, this is Mr. Mathis," Mori introduced them. "He has a job for us. One that could take us a while." She turned to Brian. "Mr. Mathis, this is Yumiko Sato. She is my apprentice and will be on the case, as well."

"Pleased to meet you," Yumiko said, bowing low.

"The pleasure's all mine," Brian assured her, watching her intently. "Believe me, the pleasure is all mine."

Yumiko blinked the memories away and threw a smile in Brian's direction, who flashed dimples back at her in response. He made it difficult to concentrate. At least when he was a fox, she didn't get all flustered. She could feel removed and assess him as a subject. The only thing she could assess when he was in human form was how handsome he was.

At the frosted glass window, Yumiko tapped on a bell, and she saw a figure step up to the desk, features blurred to make the guests more comfortable visiting such an establishment. She glanced up at the rates listed, for an hour's "rest," or two hours' "rest." Up to six hours. Of course, what they were doing was renting rooms out to couples wishing to have a place to have sex. It was an embarrassing business, for both the employees and the customers. Many love hotels took money through vending machines to make the transactions even more discreet, but Madame Mori was worried about vandalism, and liked to have somebody on site, especially since the rooms needed to be cleaned and...sanitized anyway.

"Hello," Yumiko said. She glanced up at the pictures of the rooms, each themed, from a carnival, with a carousel circling the bed, to a cave-like room with simple furnishings. "The key to the dungeon, please."

"I'm sorry, but that room's been reserved for the night," a voice replied. "May I suggest the nurse's office or the rocket ship?"

Yumiko scowled. "No. I reserved that room. Now, the key, please."

"Yumiko?"

Yumiko blinked, then stepped back as the door beside the desk opened.

Reina peeked out, then came out into the lobby. "I thought that was you!" she said. She looked Brian up and down, like he was a piece of meat. "You naughty girl. I didn't realize you used the rooms. And the dungeon? I wouldn't have pegged you for the type."

Yumiko was too stunned to speak, but thankfully, Brian stepped in.

He bowed to Reina. "I'm a client of Miss Sato's," he said.

"Oh," Reina seemed to lose all interest at once. "So, she's not restraining you to take advantage."

Yumiko sighed heavily.

"I'm afraid not," Brian replied. Yumiko glanced over at him, and he averted his eyes.

Reina noted the reaction, and smiled knowingly. "Well, let me get that key for you."

"That would be a splendid idea."

Five minutes later, Yumiko led Brian down to the only basement room. The door was solid oak, with bars over a sliding metal plate that was firmly closed. She quickly unlocked the door and led him inside. Along one wall, whips, feathers, leather masks and other various torture/pleasure tools were displayed. There were restraints on the bed, several cages of various sizes, as well as slings. Yumiko tried not to think about what the objects in the room had been used for, and turned to Mr. Mathis. "The large cage again?"

Brian's eyes darted toward a cage built into one side of the room, bars steel and sturdy. "I think that would be best."

Yumiko nodded in agreement. She approached the cage and undid the latch. Madame Mori had done this for him the last time, but Yumiko had come in to check on him during the night, so she knew he'd been contained in this cage.

Turning to him, she saw that he'd taken off his shirt, and was unbuttoning his pants. She looked away, cheeks burning, and waited for him to slip on a robe. But she couldn't deny that she'd seen a powerful chest. And nicely built arms. He looked like the action stars she'd seen in some American movies.

After he'd stepped into the cage, Yumiko locked it firmly behind him. She didn't dare look at him again, even in his robe. "Do you require anything else, Mr. Mathis?"

"Brian," he reminded her.

"Brian," she agreed, with a small smile. She chanced a look upward and met his blue eyes.

He looked like he was about to say something, but decided against it. "No, thank you. You have been most kind, Miss Sato. Tell Madame Mori that I appreciate the hospitality and all that she's doing for me."

"You appreciate that she's locking you away in a dungeon?" Yumiko teased.

Brian chuckled. "You know what I mean."

Yumiko nodded, and turned to leave.

"Miss Sato."

She turned back to him, and he hesitated. "Yes?"

"It's nothing," Brian said, then shrugged. "I just...thank you."

She bowed her head and left him.

***

A seven-year-old Yumiko blinked into a dingy mirror in a shrine near her house, then she looked up at Ame-Onna uncertainly.

"The mirror," Ame-Onna said gently, pointing back to the mirror.

Yumiko tilted her head as she stared back at her reflection. Then, hesitantly, she reached out a hand and grazed the surface with a fingertip.

Ame-Onna suddenly disappeared from the mirror, and there was a small flash of light. Or was it the scenery shifting? Yumiko turned to see snow all around her, and no shrine in sight, although the mirror was still there, hanging from a simple stand. She peered back at her reflection in wonder, and as she watched, her reflection broke out into a grin while she did not.

"Don't be frightened," Ame-Onna put gentle hands on Yumiko's shoulders and faced the mirror.

Yumiko glanced up at Ame-Onna, just behind her, then back at the mirror. Yumiko's reflection mimicked her movements again as they should. But she could see the shrine through the mirror. And where she was now...there was no shrine. The mirror stood alone. She was not where she'd been a moment ago.

"What is this place?" Yumiko asked, voice trembling.

"A magical place," Ame-Onna replied, patted her back reassuringly.

Yumiko couldn't tear her eyes away from the mirror that they'd just traveled through. It had been a normal-looking mirror, but they'd used it like a doorway. It wasn't normal, and it frightened Yumiko, and left her feeling unsettled.

"I shouldn't be here," Yumiko stated.

"Oh, hush." Ame-Onna gestured around them. "Look at all of this! Isn't it wonderful?"

Yumiko looked around. It was a beautiful mountain pass. And even though everything was covered in snow, it wasn't cold. The snow glistened under the bluest sky that Yumiko had ever seen, reflecting back pinks and oranges that seemed to wink at her. But it was strange. It was supposed to be summer, not winter. How could there be snow here? And where had the mountain come from? Yumiko felt disoriented, and had a million questions bubbling up within her, but had no idea where to begin, so she remained silent, taking it all in as Ame-Onna ushered her up the snowy path.

"Where are we going?" Yumiko wondered, tilting her head to the side. The whole world seemed silent, like it was holding its breath, making her voice sound all the louder. She frowned as she realized that there was no noise here. She couldn't hear other people, or animals scavenging. She didn't hear the wind howling or a breeze spray snow over the path. In fact, she didn't feel any wind either. Everything was still and quiet. Static. If it weren't for the breathtaking scenery, Yumiko would call this place...lifeless.

"I'm taking you to see a very important person here," Ame-Onna told her. "He's the king of this place, and he wishes to meet you."

"Meet me?"

"Of course."

"But why?" Yumiko asked, eyebrows drawing together. "I don't know anyone."

"Well, he knows you. You see, Master Kagami sees everything that takes place in the world, through mirrors. Every time you look into a mirror, or walk past one, even when you don't notice one is there, he sees you."

Yumiko felt a chill run up her spine at her words. "What does he want?"

"Why, to meet you, of course!" Ame-Onna said, eyes crinkling as she smiled. "Aren't you excited to meet a king?"

Yumiko considered. "Okay, but then I really need to go home. Mommy will be mad."

Ame-Onna nodded and walked her up the path until a castle came into view.

Yumiko stared at it, her eyes wide. It was a huge, sprawling building, snow white and five stories high, with several tiled roofs that illustrated its depth, and turrets at corners of an immense wall, that seemed to scrape the sky. It jutted out of the rocky mountain as if it had grown there, a wide drawbridge lowered to allow entrance into its vast walls. "Wow!"

"It's breathtaking, isn't it?" Ame-Onna asked, delighted by her reaction.

Yumiko didn't reply, but allowed herself to be escorted within. She felt like she was floating, in a dream, as she walked through a tiny town, with cobblestone streets. There were stores and bars, and houses and inns. There were stables and beautiful fountains that sprayed water that didn't make a single sound, when Yumiko would have expected a loud splashing noise. It was eerie, but the effect was kind of dazzling. But, she realized, she didn't see any people. It was as if the castle existed only for them.

At the end of a large courtyard, Ame-Onna stopped and knelt before a building with a low roof. Stone komainu sat on either side of a raised floor, dog guardians, and Yumiko wondered if this was a shrine.

But then a paper door was swept aside and a man stepped out. He paused to regard them for a moment. "Welcome," he said cheerfully.

Yumiko squinted at the face of the man, but it was hidden in the shadows of a jingasa of lacquered wickerwork. She caught glimpses of his features, but was never able to recall them following her encounter with him. He wore a black robe, a sword at his hip. And his voice was soothing, yet gravelly.

"Is she not beautiful, my lord?" Ame-Onna asked, bowing deeply. "Did I do well?"

The man stepped forward. "Yes, you have. And what is your name, girl? I am Kagami."

"I'm Yumiko Sato, sir," she replied. "Are you really a king?"

The man chuckled. "That, I am. A lonely king, looking for companionship." He swept his arms out. "Do you like what you see, child? Is my kingdom not beautiful?"

Yumiko looked up and swiveled her head, taking in the beautiful sights, and nodded. "It's beautiful," she agreed. "But where is everybody?"

Ame-Onna sucked in a breath.

The man took another step forward. "I see anyone I wish to see, at nearly any time. Through my mirrors." He gestured for her to approach, and she obliged, stepping up onto the raised floor. He turned his back on her and walked through the door he'd opened a moment earlier. She took this as a sign to follow him, and stepped into a bright room. It was a long hallway that seemed to go on forever. And along the hall, mirrors hung of every shape and size. In those mirrors, Yumiko saw different people, in different places. They were doing all sorts of different things, and obviously came from different countries and continents.

"How do you see them?" Yumiko asked, in awe as she watched a little blonde-haired girl lick a chocolate ice cream cone at a birthday party, her party hat tipped precariously on her head.

"Magic," came the reply.

"But they aren't here."

"No, they are not."

"Don't you want them to be?"

The room darkened and several creatures suddenly appeared, as if rising from out of the floor, which suddenly looked like water to Yumiko, even though she could stand on it as if it were solid ground. They were green creatures, slimy like salamanders, but with a shell over their bodies that they wore like armor. Their leathery faces were wide with jaws that formed powerful beaks, and beady black eyes that blinked calmly from beneath flat heads, slightly indented and wet with water.

"I have friends," he said. "The kappa do everything I wish. But they aren't lively. They don't fill these corridors with the sounds of their voices. They just aren't very good company." He cocked his head. "I think you might be."

Yumiko took a step backward, eyes glued to the kappa. They didn't make any hostile movements toward her, but they were monstrous, and she didn't like them. "I think I should go now. My mother will be very worried."

"Your mother," the man repeated, looking her over. Then he nodded. "Perhaps you are too young yet. But you already have a keen mind. I sense a fire within you, and I believe that your mind will only grow sharper. Yes, I believe that you are the companion that I seek to break me from the monotony of this place. I will return for you when you have matured. On your eighteenth birthday, I will take you to live with me in my world. Then, we can be together."

Yumiko shook as she stumbled from the room, the man chuckling at her back. She tripped over Ame-Onna, who was still bowing.

"He will consume you, body and soul," Ame-Onna said in a raspy voice, not looking up.

Yumiko scrambled away from her and tore out through the castle gates, only pausing once as the drawbridge lifted behind her, chains pulling it upward steadily until it finally snapped closed like a dragon's mouth. It was an eerie sight, as it made no sound as it closed. She felt like she were underwater or had earplugs in her ears. But she'd heard the voices clearly enough.

Slipping and sliding, she made her way down the mountain path, until she was sure she'd arrived at where she'd entered this strange world. But no mirror waited for her. She stopped and stared, wondering if perhaps she'd gotten turned around, but there was only one path.

"See what sort of a life you can make for yourself out there," a man's voice said from behind her, and she turned to see Kagami standing there, arms crossed. "I think that by the time you come of age, you will come with me willingly. You will beg to be mine."

He waved his hand and a mirror appeared beside him.

Yumiko swallowed hard, and approached him slowly, hesitantly.

When she was nearly beside him, he leaned forward and stared into her face intently, shadows making his face dark and sinister. "Go on, then! Get out, you ungrateful creature. But remember, I will come for you, and you will be mine."

Yumiko leapt through the mirror, and tumbled out of a mirror in a shrine. The same one she'd entered with Ame-Onna earlier. She breathed hard as she stood up, and looked behind her, half-expecting Kagami to give chase. But no one was there. She swallowed hard and stared into the mirror, but only saw herself reflected back at her.

"Every time you look into a mirror, or walk past one, even when you don't notice one is there, he sees you."

With a shudder, she turned and ran home as fast as her legs could carry her.

And seventeen-year-old Yumiko opened her eyes, allowing the dream to fade away. But the images of the kappa, disgusting creatures she'd dealt with several times since, filled her head. She sat up and looked around the room, realizing that she'd fallen asleep in Madame Mori's library. She had a kink in her neck and stretched it carefully as she stood.

"Yumiko?"

Yumiko glanced over at Tanuki, who padded over to her slowly. "What is it?"

"Someone's coming."

Yumiko looked up and heard the sound of the beads from the curtain being pushed aside. Shoving a strand of hair out of her face, she walked toward the doorway just as a young Japanese man appeared.

He was handsome, and blinked in at her with wide eyes. "Madame Mori?"

"She is out."

He pursed his lips and nodded. "Who are you?"

"Her apprentice, Yumiko Sato. Can I help you?"

He looked her up and down, uncertainty crossing his features, and perhaps disappointment. "You'll have to do, I suppose," he said, stepping forward boldly.

And then Yumiko noted a green thread that stretched out from behind him, disappearing into the wall. She gave the man a second appraising look as she realized that he'd been marked by a yokai.

The man bowed. "I need your help."
Chapter Four

Yumiko had just poured tea for herself and her guest when Madame Mori returned. She entered the antechamber with a bow and allowed Yumiko to wait on her, as she appraised her client.

"I am Madame Mori," Mori announced as soon as Yumiko took a seat across from the young man. "What can I do for you?"

The man seemed to be appraising Madame Mori with as much scrutiny as she did him, but then he bowed his head respectfully. "I've come seeking help. Protection."

"Protection?"

"He is marked by a yokai," Yumiko told her.

The man looked up at her sharply, and nodded confirmation.

"What is your name, young man?" Mori asked.

"Forgive me," he bowed his head again. "I am Shou Fujiwara."

"Well, Mr. Fujiwara, why don't you start from the beginning."

Shou nodded. "It happened just an hour ago. I was getting off of work, and walking along the streets toward my house, as usual, when I noticed a woman nearby."

"An hour ago?" Yumiko interrupted, looking at the clock. It was presently two in the morning.

He scowled. "I work at a host club."

Yumiko nodded politely as it clicked for her. It had only occurred an hour ago, which meant that he worked in the red light district somewhere. Being a handsome guy, probably eighteen or nineteen, it made sense that he would be a host, and working this late.

Host clubs were where women went to literally buy attention from attractive men. A man of their choosing would shower them with attention in the club, flirting with them, filling their drinks, that sort of thing. The same sort of thing existed for men, seeking the attention of women – hostess clubs. Of course, an attractive man like Shou would be in his element at a host club, where he was paid to have fun and flirt. Sex with clients was strictly forbidden in the club, but Yumiko was sure that many hosts and hostesses brought clients to the love hotel after hours. It was just one little push from what they were doing at the clubs, although it was considered rude for a client to ask a host or hostess to see them outside of club hours.

"So, you left the club as usual?" Mori prodded.

Shou recollected himself and nodded. "Yes. Like I said, I was walking along, minding my own business, when I noticed a woman up ahead, in a white kimono. She had a fan held up to her face. It's been pretty hot, so I didn't think much of it."

Yumiko nodded, already knowing where this was going.

"So," Shou continued, licking his lips, "She stepped into my path and looked up through her eyelashes at me, almost shyly, and asked 'Do you find me beautiful?' To be polite, I answered 'yes, of course,' and went to step around her, but she stepped into my path again. I was ready to tell her off, that I'd had a long day and just wanted to get to bed, but then she...she lowered her fan." He swallowed hard. "Her face was still bleeding from the cut. It ran from one ear to the other. At first I thought it was makeup, that it couldn't be real, but...it was." He looked away.

"You weren't a believer," Mori commented.

"No, I...I wasn't. Not until this happened. I've always been interested in yokai, but as myths and legends, not as....reality. I just never considered that they were actually out there."

"Most are non-believers until they experience it for themselves," Mori nodded. She waved to Shou. "What happened next?"

"Well, I've heard of the Slit-Mouthed Woman before," he told her. "As a kid, I was pretty obsessed with yokai actually, and I always thought that she was one of the creepiest."

Madame Mori raised an eyebrow and he looked away before continuing. "Anyway, she asked me 'Do you still find me beautiful?' I knew from what I'd read that there was no right answer. If I'd said no from the beginning, she would have slit my mouth to match hers. If I said no or tried to run after being asked the second time, she would do the same."

"So you bought yourself some time," Yumiko said, finishing for him. "You said yes again, knowing full well that she would let you walk away, but would come for you when you fell asleep tonight, and would cut you in two."

Shou nodded. "I'd heard of Madame Mori, and as soon as I left the yokai behind, I came here for help. You're my only way out of this."

Madame Mori considered him for a moment as she sipped her tea. "Very well." She glanced at Yumiko. "He is definitely marked?"

Yumiko glanced at the green thread that seemed to stick out from the center of his back, and followed it up to the wall beside the sliding door, where it disappeared. "Yes."

Mori tapped her cup with her pinkie, as if thinking.

Yumiko took a moment to examine Shou, who seemed calmer than someone who was marked for death should be. He almost seemed...excited. Most people who came to Madame Mori were pale, sweat breaking out over their forehead, or at the very least, their hands trembled when they accepted their teacup. Shou was the picture of calm, awaiting Mori's reply to his entreaty patiently, confidently. He knew that she wouldn't turn him away, and he was looking forward to seeing how it played out.

"You are very clever, Mr. Fujiwara," Yumiko complimented him carefully. "Most people wouldn't have kept a cool head when confronted with such a grisly yokai, even if they knew how to respond."

"I was just so...shocked to see that she was real," Shou said, his eyes lighting up. "She was...amazing."

"Be careful, Mr. Fujiwara," Mori spoke up. "You're stupid if you're not afraid for your life right now."

Shou ducked his head into a bow. "My apologies, Madame Mori. I meant no disrespect."

Mori's eyes snapped to Yumiko's. "I think my apprentice can handle this."

Shou stiffened and sat up straight. "Your apprentice?" He glanced at Yumiko briefly. "You don't think you should-"

"This is a cut-and-dry case," Mori interrupted him. "You will stay in a room together in the hotel and when you fall asleep, Miss Sato will take care of the yokai before any harm comes to you."

Shou pressed his lips together, and seemed to be debating some retort, but instead, he wisely bowed his head. "Thank you."

Madame Mori nodded, then turned to Yumiko with a discreet wink. "Please see to his safety, Miss Sato. And collect payment when the job is done."

"Yes, sensei," Yumiko agreed, bowing as Mori stood.

Without another word, Madame Mori left them, and Shou sat up straight, watching the door for a moment before turning his head to regard Yumiko.

"I hope you're good at what you do," he told her. "I'm rather fond of my face."

"I'm sure that you are," Yumiko replied boldly, then stood. "And I'm the best there is at what I do, Mr. Fujiwara. You have nothing to worry about."

He didn't look very convinced, but nodded and stood as well. "Okay. Show me the way."

Yumiko led him out of Mori's library and through the sake bar, entering the love hotel for the second time that evening. She had nearly protested when Madame Mori had mentioned the love hotel, but there were few options. She certainly wasn't about to suggest that she go to Shou's house. That seemed a worse option than the love hotel. And she wasn't about to allow him into her own room either.

Yumiko stopped before the reception desk, hesitating before tapping the bell. She glanced up at the rooms, the available ones were illuminated, while those currently in use were darkened. "Do you have a preference?"

Shou grinned, flashing perfect, white teeth her way. "I always did fancy nurses."

The door beside the counter opened with a creak and Reina poked her head out, grinning. "I thought I heard your voice. Twice in one night, huh?"

Yumiko scowled. "Just get me the key to the nurse's office."

Reina looked Shou up and down with interest. "Who's your friend?"

Shou smiled brilliantly at her. "Shou Fujiwara. And you would be?"

"Reina Arai."

"She's single," Yumiko helped, wincing at the glare Reina sent her way.

"Recently single," Reina amended. "You caught me at a good time."

"Pleased to meet you, Miss Arai," Shou said politely. "You've probably handed me dozens of keys here in the past, and I've never had the chance to behold your beauty." He bowed, and Yumiko was impressed with the smooth way he turned Reina down, making it appear to be Reina's decision by suggesting that he was a player.

Reina nodded slowly. "Let me guess – host?"

"Guilty."

Reina sighed, then retrieved the key for them, handing it to Yumiko. "Have fun, you two." She narrowed her eyes at Shou. "And Mr. Fujiwara, if you lay a finger on her, you have me to deal with."

Shou looked amused by the comment, but bowed before turning to follow Yumiko up the hall.

As they waited for the elevator, Shou looked back at the lobby. "Interesting setup you have here," he commented.

"It works," Yumiko mumbled. She tilted her head, noting that Tanuki was trotting up the hall after them. She raised an eyebrow at him.

"Something about this guy rubs me the wrong way," Tanuki explained, entering the elevator behind them. "He's a slick one."

Yumiko agreed that he was clever, but she wasn't sure that he had ill intentions. He just seemed to know what he wanted. And he did not want Yumiko involved in this. He'd wanted Mori. Why was that?

She decided on the direct approach. "Why did you want Madame Mori to rid this yokai for you?"

Shou shrugged. "It doesn't matter to me who does it."

"He's lying," Tanuki said, frowning.

"You're lying," Yumiko agreed. She crossed her arms as she took him in. "You wanted to impress her."

He glared at her. "So what if I did?"

Yumiko blinked. "But, why?"

He snorted. "Are you kidding me? I just found out that yokai exist. I've studied them my whole life, and when I come to see the expert after this experience I have, I come to find that she has an apprentice." The elevator stopped on the third floor and he quickly exited. "What makes you so special?"

Yumiko was a little baffled as she followed him into the hallway. "You're jealous of me?"

Shou stopped in his tracks and turned to look at her. "My father trained me with a sword. I'm good. When he died, I lost everything. The only reason I'm at that stupid host club is because it's easy money. What I really want to do..." He shook his head. "Yes, I want what you have. I want to be an honorable man, not this..." He struggled to find a word, but threw his arms up in the end. "Just...forget it. You wouldn't understand."

But the thing was, she sort of did. And she kind of admired the passion that he'd just demonstrated. However, he'd only discovered that yokai were real less than two hours ago. It was a fresh discovery, exciting and enticing. Once the novelty wore off, he would probably gladly go back to his host club, and make plenty of money doing it. It probably wouldn't be much of a stretch for him to attract a cougar, and marry into a rich lifestyle.

"Here we are," Yumiko said, gesturing toward a white door with a red plus symbol painted on it.

Shou took a deep breath and looked at the door, then turned to Yumiko with a grin. "Are you ready for this, little yokai hunter?"

"Always," Yumiko told him, tossing him the key.

He unlocked the door and stepped inside, Yumiko at his heels.

Tanuki whistled as he scampered in between her legs, making for an open closet with nurse uniforms hanging from a dowel. "Yumiko, you've got to put this on. You would look simply ravishing in it."

"I'm not wearing that."

Tanuki pouted. "No fun."

"I didn't ask you to," Shou said, frowning at her, unable to hear Tanuki.

Yumiko looked at Shou, slightly embarrassed. "I know. I'm just...stating facts."

Shou seemed to be biting back a laugh, but he turned his back on her to look at the hospital bed. It was clean and white, with fake IVs and heart monitors alongside it to give off an air of authenticity. Cold steel cabinets lined the walls, with plenty of instruments to play doctor with.

Shou sat down at the edge of the bed and grinned at her. "I'm ready for my checkup."

"He's stealing my lines," Tanuki grumbled. "Just ignore him, Yumiko."

Yumiko glared at Tanuki, to let him know that he was stating the obvious. Then she turned to glare at Shou as well, who smiled back at her innocently.

When Shou noted her serious expression, he sighed and lay back on the bed. "Well, this is going to be fun," he murmured.

"You're telling me," Yumiko agreed. She pointed toward a restroom with a clear view of the bed. "I'll wait in there, with the door open a crack. Just relax and try to sleep."

"Try to sleep, knowing full well that there's a psychotic spirit who's on her way to slit me up the middle with a pair of bloody scissors. Okay, no problem." Shou fell back onto the bed with a grunt. "Just...be vigilant."

"I always am."
Chapter Five

"He's not sleeping," Tanuki observed as Shou turned over on the bed again, and punched his pillow, as if it were the real threat.

Yumiko continued to peer through the crack in the door. She could tell that Shou was angry at himself for not being able to sleep on command, but she could hardly blame him, given the situation. Who would be able to sleep soundly, knowing what was coming for him?

"At this point, even that yokai is probably annoyed," Tanuki muttered.

It gave Yumiko a chance to observe Shou, so she didn't mind the hour wait. He really was a good-looking guy. He had thick, healthy hair, shaped with care to give it volume, although it was starting to get a little messy as he tossed and turned. His body was wiry and strong, toned beneath his dress shirt, which he'd unbuttoned at the top, allowing a glimpse of smooth skin.

Suddenly Brian's face appeared before Yumiko's eyes, and she imagined that it was him lying on the bed, his strong jaw tense with worry, covered in enticing stubble. Swallowing hard, she looked away from Shou, shaking the image free. Brian was a nice guy. Handsome and pleasant. He seemed caring and thoughtful. But she couldn't get swept away with a guy. She had far greater concerns. Concerns of the life-and-death variety. Any high school crush she felt toward a handsome American had to be set aside.

"Do you want me to hold a pillow over his face until he passes out?" Tanuki offered.

Yumiko sighed and sent him an amused look. "Would you do that for me?"

"Anything for you, my delicate rose petal."

Yumiko rolled her eyes. "He will fall asleep on his own, sooner or later."

"Well, let's just hope it's not much later then."

Yumiko perked up as Shou stopped moving. She cocked her head and strained to listen across the room. When Shou's even breathing came to her ear, she nodded to herself and unsheathed her sword. Tanuki noted her movements and snuck in front of her to peer into the room as well.

And they waited.

The Slit-Mouthed Woman entered through the wall where the green string disappeared, walking through it like an apparition. She stepped slowly over to Shou's bed, the string pulling her along until she stood over him, where it disengaged itself from Shou's body, and returned to the yokai.

The woman entered the room wearing a white kimono, a fan with images of cherry blossom trees spread open and held up to her face. As she gazed down on Shou, she slowly lowered the fan, and Yumiko caught her first glimpse of the woman's hideous disfigurement. It was apparent that she had once been a very beautiful woman, before she'd been brutally sliced by a jealous husband, who'd doomed her to this fate. But Yumiko couldn't pry her eyes away from that open wound, which weeped blood down her cheeks and chin. The cut journeyed up her flesh from the edges of her mouth to each ear, extending her smile gruesomely, like a demonic circus clown. It wasn't cut straight all the way, either, but was jagged in places. It was the work of a brutal, detached hand. The hand of a man who hadn't stopped as his wife had screamed in agony and had begged for him to stop.

Yumiko let out a deep breath, trying to calm herself from this sight, and watched carefully as the woman hid her fan in her kimono, coming up with a pair of scissors in its place. It was a large set, rusty with age, and crusted with dried blood, blades open wide, eager to cut through soft flesh like butter.

"Now, you suffer for your lies, and what you've done to me," the yokai announced in a clear voice, lifting her scissors high into the air above her. As she spoke, her mouth, along with the sides of her face, opened to reveal the bloody pulp of her cut flesh, and flashed the white glistening bone of teeth beyond.

Shou's eyes snapped open and his mouth fell slack with fear. He struggled to scramble up in the bed.

The Slit-Mouthed Woman then stabbed her scissors downward, with all of the fury and hate that consumed her behind the thrust.

But Yumiko intercepted it with her sword, which made a loud clanging noise when it met the scissors. "No, Kuchisake-Onna," Yumiko said, using the yokai's true name. "You have made enough people suffer at your hands." She paused. "I am truly sorry for what has happened to you, but you must be stopped."

Kuchisake-Onna growled and pulled her scissors back. She regarded Yumiko for a moment, before chuckling eerily. "Very well. You will share your lover's fate."

"Lover?" Yumiko frowned, then gasped as Kuchisake-Onna threw herself at her, swinging her scissors fast and furious. Yumiko was able to easily deflect each attack, but she was slowly being backed into a corner, which didn't sit well with her.

Tanuki suddenly leapt at the yokai, but Kuchisake-Onna saw him coming, and with a heavy fist, swatted Tanuki into the far wall, where he slammed into it at an alarming speed, and slid to the floor, limp.

"Tanuki!" Yumiko cried. She saw his body flash gold, indicating that he could now be seen by all, and Shou's eyes snapped to the creature, confused.

"You will pay for that," Yumiko promised the Slit-Mouthed Woman.

Kuchisake-Onna merely smiled her gruesome smile, folds of skin hanging over her cheeks as her upper lip sagged disturbingly over her lower lip, like they were consuming each other.

They continued to exchange blows, but Yumiko wasn't able to get out from a defensive position, and was growing a little worried at the yokai's skill. She spied a standing mirror against the wall and decided that perhaps this wasn't going to end with her blade cutting through Kuchisake-Onna, after all.

When the yokai brought her scissors down on Yumiko's sword once more, Yumiko used the momentum of the thrust to carry them both into the wall, where both of their weapons clattered to the floor.

"You just made a terrible mistake," grinned Kuchisake-Onna.

"That's what you think," Yumiko retorted, and grabbed the yokai roughly by the kimono, and pushed her into the mirror so that they both tumbled into the glass. But the mirror didn't shatter against Kuchisake-Onna's back. She went through the mirror, followed by Yumiko.

The yokai screamed as she fell to the ground in a grassy field. She jumped to her feet, forgetting Yumiko, and slammed her fist against a lonely mirror that stood in the field.

Yumiko watched her for a moment, then looked around at the long yellow grass, dead from the change of seasons. It wasn't cold, however. It never was here. And the wind that rolled over the field, stirring the yellow blades, made no sound as it rippled across the landscape.

Kuchisake-Onna stopped pounding on the glass and took a deep breath, wielding on Yumiko with a glare. "What are you?"

With a chuckle, Yumiko shrugged. "Just a girl who inherited some pretty amazing powers. Comes in handy, sometimes."

The yokai took a few more calming breaths and looked around her. "What is this place?"

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

Kuchisake-Onna tilted her head. "Yes. It is."

"Well, this is going to be your new home. Where you won't be able to torment the unfortunates who come across you anymore." Yumiko bowed to her. "I hope you like it here."

The yokai watched Yumiko as she walked up to the mirror. "Wait. What am I supposed to do here? You can't just leave me here."

Yumiko smiled sadly. "I hope that you find the peace you've been searching for." Then she walked through the mirror.

When she stepped back into the nurse's office, Shou looked up sharply, eyes wide, mouth hanging open. Yumiko nodded to him, then turned to look back into the mirror. She caught one last glimpse of the Slit-Mouthed Woman as the yokai gazed into the mirror, then turned to regard the field she'd been left in. And then, the world beyond the looking glass disappeared from view, and Yumiko was left to stare back into her own face.

"What did you do?" Shou asked quietly.

Yumiko turned to him. "I left her some place where she can no longer hurt you."

Shou blinked, then nodded.

She noticed that Tanuki was cradled in Shou's arms, and stepped forward, placing a hand to his furry back. She was relieved to feel the rise and fall of his breathing. "He's okay."

"Is this a yokai too?" Shou asked.

"It is."

Shou nodded slowly, then tilted Tanuki so that she could see a cut on the side of his head. It was still bleeding. "He's going to need stitches."

Yumiko swallowed hard. "I don't-"

"I can do it," Shou said. "But we need supplies. This may look like a nurse's office, but there's nothing in these drawers of use."

"Yes, there is." Yumiko pulled open a cabinet above a sink, empty of supplies, then tapped on a false back, which popped open and swung to the side. There were several bins behind it. "In our line of work, we get into scrapes every so often that leave us in need of medical attention," she explained as she sorted through one of the bins. She nodded and handed it to him. "This room is useful for that."

Shou looked over the supplies, then glanced up at her warily. "There's more to this place than meets the eye. I suppose you use some of the other rooms in your line of work, as well."

Yumiko thought of the dungeon, and nodded. "We do."

Shou set Tanuki down on a stainless steel table, and pulled out the supplies he needed. Yumiko watched him clean the wound carefully, before threading a needle.

"So," Shou said, clearing his throat. "That was some trick."

With a sigh, Yumiko nodded.

"You want to tell me how you did that? It's not every day that you see someone swallowed by a mirror." He met her eyes, then looked away.

"I was spirited away when I was little girl," Yumiko told him as she watched his fingers work deftly and quickly. "I was brought to another world through a mirror. I found that when I returned, I was different."

"How so?"

"Well, you just witnessed firsthand what I'm capable of. I can travel through mirrors. I can reenter that mirror world anytime I wish."

Shou paused in his work. "What's it like?"

"The mirror world?" Yumiko pondered for a moment. "It's different every time. Each mirror I go through seems to lead to some strange landscape, almost like they've been placed there to show off the beauty of it."

"Placed there? By whom?"

Yumiko pursed her lips. "By its ruler." She shook her head. "Anyway, I found that while I can go through mirrors, the people I bring through can not. I can send a yokai there, and they can not leave."

Shou looked up. "I was wondering how you killed a yokai. You can't do it very easily, can you?"

"Not often," Yumiko acknowledged. "Most yokai are tied to the spirit world by a totem of some sort. It can be difficult to unearth them. The Slit-Mouthed Woman's may have been the scissors used to cut her face. The Funa Yurei, the ship that sank with them aboard it. For oni, any mortal wound to their body will do, as their magic is in their armor and once it fails them, they have failed as warriors. Destroy the totem, destroy the yokai." She licked her lips. "It's not always easy to identify the totem, however. Another way to rid the world of yokai is to perform a proper exorcism, which can also be a tedious process. I'm good at what I do because I can rid our world of them in a much simpler, quicker way. I can control mirrors. As long as I touch a yokai with one, I can send them through it." She gestured toward her sword. "Which is why I use my mirror sword for most battles."

Shou stared at her fallen sword for a moment. "So, what happens to the yokai you leave there?"

"I don't know. I don't exactly schedule follow-up visits." She shrugged. "I assume they find peace. It really is beautiful there. But either way, they can't bother humans any longer. They're trapped there."

Shou looked thoughtful, then cut the end of the thread, admiring his handiwork. He tilted Tanuki a few times, then nodded. "He should be fine, at least if he's as resilient as other yokai."

Yumiko smiled. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it." Shou narrowed his eyes at her. "You can see them, can't you? You talked to the tanuki when I couldn't see him earlier."

"Yes. I can see yokai everywhere, when others can't. Another reason I'm good at what I do."

"That's quite an advantage," Shou said. "What else is different about you? I mean, how else did you change when you came back?"

Yumiko hesitated, then lifted a hand and pressed it against her left breast. "I came back a mirror image myself."

"What does that mean?"

"I look the same on the outside, but not on the inside. My organs have switched sides. My heart is on the wrong side of my body now."

"Wrong side?" Shou frowned, then his eyes drifted down to her hand over her right breast. "Everything is symmetrical on the outside," he said. Then he reached forward, pushing her hand out of the way, his hand flat against her chest. She gasped and made to slap his hand away, but he caught her wrist with his other hand. "You're right," he said as he dropped his hand and looked at her more closely.

Yumiko was blushing scarlet, and turned away, covering her chest. "Of course I'm right," she snapped.

"I just didn't..." He looked her over, from head to toe, then ran a hand back through his hair. "Amazing."

"Well, it's not amazing having gone through what I have, Mr. Fujiwara." She stood tall. "Thank you for looking after Tanuki. I will consider that payment for services." She turned and scooped Tanuki up in her arms, rushing from the room. "Please return the key to the room on your way out."

Once in the hall, she leaned back against the wall. She didn't know why she'd shared all of that with Shou. Perhaps because she'd been so lonely for so long, it felt good to let it out. Master Mori and Tanuki were the only ones who knew the truth about her condition. And now Shou. But it wasn't like she was going to see him ever again. She'd just needed to...talk to someone, she supposed. And it had been a mistake.

Shaking her head at herself, she walked up the hall to the elevator, absently stroking Tanuki's back. When she'd returned from the mirror world, she'd come back different, all right. But her world had been different as well. It had turned upside-down on her. She'd come home to find her house ransacked, her mother missing. The work of Kagami, she was sure. He'd probably taken her mother, or worse...whatever it took to ensure that Yumiko returned to him when she was eighteen.

"See what sort of a life you can make for yourself out there." That was what he'd said. And so he had taken her mother from her. And her life had become that much harder to endure.

She closed her eyes, ignoring the tears that slid from her eyes.

"You will beg to be mine."
Chapter Six

The love hotel may have been used by Madame Mori and Yumiko for their line of work, but it was more than that to Yumiko. Yumiko called it home, as embarrassing as that was. On the top floor was a lone room with heated floor tiling, a small toilet, and a kitchen area on one side. There was a small entryway cut off from the rest of the room by a paper wall, a sliding door permitting entry into the room. Within, there was enough space for a queen-sized bed, a desk for her computer, and a small area for a sofa and loveseat, facing a television. There was a small table near the kitchen for dining, and a bathtub behind a silk screen in the corner. It wasn't much, but it was what Yumiko had, and she had made it her own. One feature she liked about the room was the huge floor-to-ceiling windows that allowed the space to fill with sunshine during the day, and stars at night. She often found herself staring out at the city, her face tilted up to the sun. She couldn't have asked for a better view.

One thing noticeably missing from the room were mirrors, something Yumiko gladly went without. She could hardly look at her reflection without thinking of her fate, or of prying eyes running over her body like greedy, unwanted hands. Reina's comment about Yumiko's beauty the other day had caught her off-guard because she never took the time to admire herself for any length of time. She would glance in a mirror every so often, when she was meeting with clients or going out in public, but for the most part, she trusted her hands to do the work her eyes could not, and she'd been doing it for so long that it was almost an art at this point.

Recalling the previous night, Yumiko left her room with regret. She wanted more than anything to just curl up in bed and read, or take a nice, long luxurious bubble bath. But time wasn't on her side. She had less than twelve months before she turned eighteen, and she was reclaimed by the yokai king, to devour for his pleasure.

Dressed in a plain t-shirt and jeans, Yumiko took the elevator to the basement, where she approached the dungeon hesitantly. She hadn't checked on Mr. Mathis during the night as she'd planned. She'd been too caught up in her other assignment. But as the morning sun had chased away the shadows of night, and the full moon with it, she would see that he was safe, and free him from his temporary prison.

She pulled the key out of her pant pocket and let herself in, closing it behind her quickly before turning to assess the room.

Everything was as she had left it. She was half-afraid that the fox would have escaped his cage during the night, but it seemed he had been confined to his cell without incident. She walked over to the cage, relieved, and stopped short when she saw Mr. Mathis's form behind the steel bars. He was sprawled over the floor, faced away from her, but he was completely in the nude, his robe cut to ribbons in the corner. She turned around quickly, blushing, but then peeked back over her shoulder. His back was nicely-muscled, with one arm hanging back to show off his biceps, which bulged with strength. His legs were powerful as well, and his butt...well, she could hardly stop looking at it. She didn't think she'd ever seen a man's bare butt before, at least not in person. She couldn't help but let her eyes drink in the sight, until she heard him cough, and she whipped around with a start. She immediately felt shameful for her breach of trust. He had been vulnerable and she had taken full advantage of the situation to ogle him. What was wrong with her?

Kitsune couldn't shapeshift until they turned a hundred years old, whereupon they earned their first tail. They could grow up to nine tails, one for each century. Clearly, it was harder to hide the tails the more they grew, but they also got better at impersonating humans as time passed. Only one kitsune had nine tails, one of the great evil yokai.

Mr. Mathis felt far too human, and he definitely had no tail. Even if she felt a little suspicious of the fact that he changed into a fox, she had now clearly seen with her own eyes that he was not kitsune. And even as she stared at the wall across the room, she found that Mr. Mathis's behind danced across her mind, despite herself.

"Um...Mr. Mathis," Yumiko said, clearing her throat. "It's Miss Sato. I've come to see how your night was."

She heard him move around the cage. "Good morning, Miss Sato," he replied, sounding a little bewildered. "I'm sorry. You must have...I must have been quite a scene to walk into."

"Not at all."

He cleared his throat. "Well, I seem to have...uh, destroyed my robe. Could you hand me my clothes?"

Yumiko stiffened.

"I'm covering myself," he added, and she turned to see that he had his hands covering his unmentionables awkwardly. He bit his lip, his face beet-red. "Sorry about this."

Yumiko strode over to his clothing, trying her best to look professional as she handed them through the bars to him. The sight of his powerful chest would forever be burned into her retinas, as would the image of his muscled arm reaching toward her. She looked away as he reached to grab the bundle from her, and she accidentally dropped the pile of clothes before he could get hold of them. This made him scramble to his knees for them, and Yumiko turned away, utterly embarrassed. "I'm...I'm sorry," she stammered.

"It's quite alright," Mr. Mathis assured her. "My fault. This isn't exactly an everyday situation. Thank you for your hospitality, though. I do appreciate what you're doing for me."

Nodding, Yumiko turned until he cleared his throat, and seeing that he was clothed, she unlocked the door to his cage.

He exited the cage with what dignity he could manage. "I hope I wasn't too much trouble."

"No, sir."

"Good." He scratched the back of his head. "I would like to see Madame Mori, if she has a moment, to check on any progress she's made."

"It won't be much, I'm afraid," Yumiko told him, then sighed. "Follow me. She should be in her library."

He nodded and followed her through the love hotel and the Wadas' sake bar. "I apologize for making you uncomfortable," he said softly as they pushed past the beaded curtain.

"Not at all, Mr. Mathis."

"Brian."

"Brian."

He smiled tightly, and let her usher him into the library, where Madame Mori was at her desk...and Shou was in the middle of the room, swinging a sword with confidence.

Forgetting Mr. Mathis all at once, Yumiko stepped forward. "Sensei? What is he still doing here?"

"He's right here," Shou said, swinging his sword and sending her a smile. "I know you missed me. You don't have to pretend."

Yumiko ignored him. "Sensei?"

Madame Mori looked up, unconcerned. "Yumiko, Mr. Fujiwara is to be an apprentice under me."

Yumiko's jaw dropped. "Wha...are you...what?"

"That's what I said," Tanuki said from the corner, where he was curled up into a ball on a pillow, recovering from his injuries. "I think your sensei's going senile."

Scowling, Yumiko stomped over to Madame Mori's desk. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Just as I have related it," Mori replied, voice confident. "And you need to remember yourself, Miss Sato."

Yumiko swallowed hard and bowed slightly. "Sensei, may I speak to you for a moment...in private?"

"Who's the foreigner?" Shou asked, gesturing toward Mr. Mathis.

"Brian Mathis," Mr. Mathis replied, bowing, his eyes hard.

"Mr. Mathis is a client," Mori announced. "Perhaps you could serve him tea in the other room, Shou?"

Shou stopped swinging his sword and frowned, but complied, ushering Brian into the antechamber with little ceremony.

As soon as the door slid closed behind them, Yumiko turned to Mori with crossed arms. "You're going to teach that spoiled pretty boy? Why on earth would you condescend to such a thing?"

Madame Mori watched her for a moment. "Yumiko, sit."

Yumiko closed her mouth and sat across from Mori, ready to hear her sensei laugh at the practical joke she'd played. Anything but admit to its truth. Unfortunately, Mori looked quite serious as she leaned over the desk and spoke in low tones.

"Yumiko, Mr. Fujiwara felt helpless last night. He realized that this is the path he wants his life to take, and what right do I have to tell him otherwise?"

"Sensei-"

"No. Listen to what I have to say."

Yumiko grumbled, but sat back.

Mori, satisfied, continued. "He has studied yokai his whole life. He is well-versed – I've even cross-examined him. And his swordplay is advanced. He could be a real asset to you."

"He can't even see yokai."

"You forget that neither can I." Mori sighed. "Yumiko, I am getting old. I can't teach you techniques with weapons. I can't go into the field with you to ensure your safety. We need to think of the future. Shou, under my tutelage, can be formed into a strong yokai hunter, one who will be able to assist you in battle. He's strong and confident."

"And arrogant."

"Perhaps. But that doesn't eradicate his assets. We need this, Yumiko. You know it, even if you don't like admitting it to yourself."

Yumiko looked away. "He begged for you to take him in, didn't he?"

Mori chuckled. "He said he wouldn't leave until I agreed to take him on as apprentice."

"I figured as much," Yumiko said, looking back at the door to the antechamber. "Alright. But we cut ties if it ends up not working out. If he's a danger to either of us, he needs to go."

"Of course."

"Then I guess I have no choice but to reluctantly go along with this."

"That's how I see things."

They grinned at each other, before the sliding door opened, Shou appearing with a wide smile. "Did you want a cup of tea as well, sensei?"

Mori glanced at Yumiko. "We could both use a cup, I think."

Shou glanced at Yumiko uneasily, then nodded and disappeared back into the room.

"I expect you to play nice," Mori said softly.

"Sensei, I don't play nice with anyone."

"That's my girl," Tanuki piped up, cheerfully.

Shou returned a moment later with two steaming cups of tea. He bowed, then looked up at Mori, unsure. "He transforms into a fox? He could be a kitsune."

"He is not a kitsune. His situation is...unique, but we help with any and all supernatural threats, if we can," Master Mori told him. "That includes Mr. Mathis's affliction." She glanced at Yumiko. "Even if we're not fully versed in the supernatural threat, the same rules generally apply to them. You need not worry about your safety."

Shou stiffened. "I'm not worried."

Yumiko hid a smile. "It's alright if you are. Just know that I'll protect you." She took a sip of her tea and smiled over at him. "Well, Mr. Fujiwara, at least you make a good cup of tea."
Chapter Seven

The next day, Yumiko sparred with Shou for the first time. They used wooden swords, and Shou bested her nine out of ten times. She suspected that if he'd been the one battling Kuchisake-Onna, he could have defeated her without resorting to tricks, as Yumiko had. But she would never admit that to him. If anything, his successive wins made him even cockier. When Mori left to run an errand, they had lunch together, and Shou studied her carefully.

"What?" Yumiko asked, shoving aside her bowl of ramen.

Shou shrugged. "I was just thinking that if you didn't have that gift for seeing yokai, Mori may never have given you the time of day."

"What do you mean by that?"

He shrugged. "I just mean that you're adequate with a sword, but nothing special."

"Well, there's a lot more that goes into hunting yokai than stabbing things."

He chuckled. "I know. And word on the street is that you're hot stuff. You're almost an urban legend – the girl who hunts yokai. Fearless and brave." He shook his head. "Maybe you are. But you just seem like any other girl to me."

"And you've seen plenty of girls, I presume," Yumiko said.

Shou winced. "Ouch."

Yumiko smiled sweetly at him. "Don't mistake me for the girls you're accustomed to charming."

"No, I wouldn't do that." Shou looked her over lazily. "You're far less refined."

"If you're trying to insult me, you're going to have to do better than that."

"Then I'll keep at it."

"Will you two give it a rest?" Tanuki asked, sauntering slowly over to them. "Some of us brave warriors were injured in battle, remember?"

"That was rather brave of you," Yumiko agreed.

Tanuki perked up. "Brave enough to warrant some sake?"

"Don't push it."

She looked up to see Shou studying her. "What?"

He shook his head. "What I would give to be able to see them like you do."

"It's overrated," she assured him. "And don't let Tanuki fool you. He's usually just a pest."

"A heroic pest," Tanuki grumbled, shimmering briefly as he made himself visible to human eyes.

Shou blinked at him. "How's your head?"

Tanuki sat up and shrugged. "Feels like it was slammed into a wall."

Shou sat back. "How do you ever get used to this?" He gestured to Tanuki. "He talks, and you act like it's nothing."

"I think your talking is more distressing to her," Tanuki said with a grin as he grabbed the remains of Yumiko's bowl of ramen.

"Yumiko?"

Yumiko looked up to see the sliding door being pushed aside. Reina stepped in and smiled at her, then narrowed her eyes. "What's he doing here?" she asked, accusingly, pointing at Shou. "Oh, my god. You guys are seeing each other!"

Shou sat back, beaming. "The doctor's office brought us together. She plays a mean nurse."

Yumiko rolled her eyes. "He's...Madame Mori is teaching him."

Reina's eyes widened. "She's teaching a host?"

"Tell me about it."

Reina pointed past Yumiko. "And what is that thing doing in here? Is that a raccoon-dog?"

Tanuki looked up briefly from his ramen. "Howdy, toots."

Yumiko watched Reina's eyes widen even more, the color draining from her face. "Now you've done it," Yumiko murmured.

Tanuki looked up again, unconcerned. "It's what she gets for being so nosy. She'll deal with it."

"Is that a..." Reina's eyes darted to Yumiko. "A yokai?"

"Guilty."

"He is," Yumiko said, glaring at Tanuki. "But he's harmless. Don't worry about him."

"So, all this stuff is real?" Reina asked. She dropped onto a cushion and leaned back against the wall. "And here, I thought you were just weirdos."

"Yumiko is a weirdo," Shou helped.

Reina rolled her eyes. "And you're, what, learning the trade now too?"

"Something like that."

"Wait," Reina pressed a hand to her cheek, as if to make sure she wasn't hallucinating from a fever. "So, all of those stories I've been told as a little girl...like all of them..." She looked at Tanuki, who paused to stare back at her. Reina shook her head as he resumed eating. "No."

"Suit yourself," Shou shrugged indifferently.

Yumiko turned her knees so that she was facing Reina. "Reina, I know this is hard to accept. It took me a long time to accept it too."

"How long?"

Yumiko hesitated. "That's a story for another time."

"One I would like to hear," Shou interjected.

"Quiet." Yumiko shot him a dirty look before turning back to Reina. "You see evidence right in front of you. You have to believe your own eyes."

Reina glanced over at Tanuki again. "Can he sing too?"

Shou turned his head and laughed into his hand while Tanuki pretended to look offended.

"I'm a big fan of Lady Gaga," he said with a sniff.

"Really?" Reina looked doubtful.

Tanuki decided to ignore her, and turned his back on the inquisitive girl.

"So, Betobeto-San is real?"

Shou looked up at that. "When you hear the sound of footsteps on the pavement behind you, following at a distance, in the dark of the night, but no one's there. Or is there? You stop, you listen, and don't hear a sound, but the moment you start walking again, the sound resumes. Betobeto-San is following you in his sandals." He smirked.

Reina looked uncertain. "So, he's not real?"

"He is real," Yumiko confirmed. "Just as Shou described it."

"Really?" Shou frowned.

"Really." Yumiko tilted her head. "A lot like Greek mythology, our ancestors in Japan came up with their own creatures to give reasons for unexplainable phenomena. The footsteps that follow you in the dark when no one is there is Betebeto-San. The squeaking sounds in the house at night when no one could be up are yanari. Those sandals that you neglected that you can no longer find? They turned into yokai – Bake-zori." She paused. "Like with most legends, there is truth in them. In the case of yokai, I have seen most of them with my own eyes and know them to be real. Some would even argue that humans gave yokai strength to exist through their imagination, and through their beliefs as they were handed down from generation to generation."

"Like, we willed them into being?" Reina's nose scrunched up.

"Very philosophical," Shou said, looking unimpressed. "I take it that Mori ran that one by you?"

Yumiko rolled her eyes.

Reina sat up and looked at Shou. "Hey! How come you get in on this?"

"He begged," Yumiko said.

"I did not," Shou protested loudly, scowling her way. "I was a logical choice."

Reina didn't look convinced. "Logical to who?"

"I'm clearly going to make a better yokai hunter than her," Shou snarled, sticking his thumb in Yumiko's direction. "I'm a natural warrior. I'm smart on my feet. I have a face that people trust."

"You'd stick out too much," Tanuki chimed in. "You're too pretty."

"So's she," Shou protested.

Yumiko fluttered her eyelashes at him. "You think I'm pretty?"

"What about me?" Reina asked, sitting up and leaning toward Shou. "Do you think I'm pretty?"

Shou threw up his hands. "I am so sick of everybody asking me that."

"She's not a yokai," Yumiko said, crossing her arms. "Am I going to have to start pointing them out to you now?"

"What is this?" a voice asked as the door slid open.

Yumiko sat up straight and bowed as Madame Mori entered, face stony.

"Hello, Madame Mori!" Reina greeted cheerfully.

Mori nodded to her and looked around the room, taking in Tanuki at the table. "So, Reina knows too." She shook her head. "We must be discreet in this business."

"I'm sorry, sensei," Yumiko said, automatically dipping her head low again.

"I just sort of barged in here," Reina admitted.

"She did," Shou agreed, earning a glare from her.

"What's done is done," Mori said, taking a seat. "Reina, how would you like to assist in research in addition to your chores at the desk?"

Reina blinked. "Really?"

"Really?" Yumiko echoed.

Madame Mori smiled. "I could use some help on my end of things. In fact, Mr. Mathis is going to be helping build our resources with some contacts he has who are experts on rare texts. We must be better prepared to address the uncommon problems that find their way to our door."

"Is he the one you brought to the dungeon?" Reina asked Yumiko.

"The dungeon?" Shou asked, smirking.

"I know, right?" Reina tossed back her hair.

"Yes, that was Mr. Mathis," Yumiko said, ignoring their implications.

"He will be here shortly," Mori said. "I expect you to assist him in any way you can. If he's going to be in Japan for the foreseeable future, until we find a cure, he wants to help us."

Shou glanced at his watch. "Oh. I have to go."

Yumiko raised an eyebrow. "Where?"

"Work."

She blinked. "You're keeping your job at the host club?"

He paused at the door. "Some of us have to earn a living, Miss Sato. But don't worry, I'll be back."

"I wasn't worried."

He winked at her, then disappeared.

Reina turned to Mori. "Why is he here?"

"Why are you here?" Yumiko asked her.

"I was invited."

Madame Mori chuckled. "It's certainly getting lively around here. It's going to take some getting used to."

***

"Research is boring," Reina whispered to Yumiko as she flipped a page in the huge tome that lay on the desk before her.

"You'll get used to it," Yumiko assured her.

"That doesn't mean it's going to get any less boring."

Yumiko looked up as Mori approached Brian's desk. He was leaning over two books and seemed to be cross-referencing something. Mori held an object out to him, and Yumiko leaned forward, squinting to make out a silver wolf's head. It looked like a paperweight.

Brian accepted the item and turned it over in his hands, examining it briefly before he handed it back to Mori, clearly not giving the item much weight. Mori, however, looked troubled.

"So, he's kind of like a werewolf," Reina said.

"Kind of. His situation certainly seems to have more in common with lycanthropy than anything we've dealt with before."

"Maybe vampires are real too," Reina mused aloud.

Yumiko blinked as she glanced back at her friend. "What?"

"Vampires. You know...Twilight?"

"What's that?"

Reina stared at her for a moment. "Honey, I know that you don't get out much, but...you really don't get out much."

Yumiko shrugged. "I keep myself busy. As for vampires, don't you expect that they exist now, after what you've seen and heard?"

"But have you fought any?"

"No."

"Oh," Reina looked back down at her book, disappointed.

"But in yokai lore, there are vampire trees. Allegedly. Jubokko. I've never seen them, and from what I gather, they must be rare, if they even exist."

Yumiko glanced up at the sound of a zipper, to see Madame Mori packing up her things. Yumiko stood. "Are you leaving?"

"I think it's time we call it a night," Mori answered. She sent a look in Brian's direction. "Wouldn't you agree, Mr. Mathis?"

Brian looked up, distracted. "Hmmm? Oh, we're leaving?"

Mori nodded, a smile in place. "Walk me out?"

"Yes," Brian agreed, scrambling to leave placeholders in his books. "Let me just..." He quickly arranged his desk, then stood, looking around at his mess with some satisfaction. "Alright. I think that will do until tomorrow."

Mori smiled and led him out the door. "Don't stay up too late, ladies."

"We won't," Yumiko promised as they left.

"Good night!" Reina called after them.

As soon as they heard the curtain beads clink together, Reina wheeled on Yumiko. "I can't believe he turns into a fox!"

"Careful, he might hear you," Yumiko teased.

"Really?" Reina stiffened.

"Probably not, but..." Yumiko shrugged.

"He's definitely cute though," Reina said. "Even if he does go all feral once a month."

"He is," Yumiko agreed without thinking, then blushed at letting her guard down. "I mean, if you like that sort of thing."

"That sort of thing. Uh huh," Reina wiggled her eyebrows suggestively. "Well, he certainly seems into you."

"He does?"

"Of course he does. Aside from his books, you're all he seems to notice."

Yumiko tried to ignore the satisfaction Reina's words brought her, but she couldn't help but imagine his crooked smile, his flawed Japanese that she loved. She found him very likeable and attractive. Perhaps, if things were different, something could have sparked between them. But she didn't have time for anything more. Boys were distractions.

"Do you have any snacks?" Reina asked after a few minutes of silence.

Yumiko caught herself still thinking about Brian and scolded herself. "I can get something from the Wadas, if you'd like."

Reina nodded. "Something sweet." Her eyes widened. "Do you think they have Green Tea Ice Cream?"

"I'll see what I can do," Yumiko said with a chuckle as she ducked out of the room.

She heard the music from the sake bar before she turned the corner into the room. She paused in the shadow of the doorway to watch the scene, as Mr. Wada wiped down a table, his head bopping slightly to the music. Mrs. Wada set a bowl of rice in the window and called out an order number, before disappearing back into the kitchen.

Mr. Wada cheerfully sauntered over to the window and whisked the rice away almost gracefully, bringing the food to a patron on the far side of the bar.

Yumiko walked over to the window and waited for Mrs. Wada to reappear, her eyes sweeping the room. A figure leaned over a small table nearby, far from the other patrons in the bar. Based on the dark brown hair, she assumed for a moment that it was Brian. She quickly decided that it couldn't be him, however, if he'd left along with Madame Mori. She tilted her head, staring at his back and how the white t-shirt he wore stretched taut over his muscles. She admired his form, wondering who he was. Then she frowned, recalling seeing Brian in the dungeon, his naked back to her, and felt a blush creep back into her cheeks. But the image, it seemed, was burned into her mind. Once she'd conjured it up again, it was difficult to banish.

"Daydreaming, Yumiko?" Mrs. Wada's voice tore her from her reverie.

Yumiko bowed her head lightly. "Sorry. I was just...thinking."

"About American boys?" Mrs. Wada asked innocently, a knowing smile on her face.

"N-no," Yumiko stammered, then crossed her arms. "Reina was wondering if you had any Green Tea Ice Cream?"

Mrs. Wada smirked, then nodded. "I should have some. I'll get two bowls."

"Thank you," Yumiko said as Mrs. Wada disappeared once more. She turned to look back at the man and saw him lean back, revealing another figure at the table, albeit much smaller. Tanuki.

Eyebrows shooting up in surprise, Yumiko took a hesitant step in their direction, wondering what on earth they would be doing together. As she neared the table, she heard Tanuki say "They're all creatures of habit around here. It's the same thing, day in, day out."

"Is that how you see us?" Yumiko couldn't help but ask.

Tanuki started, and the man turned around to greet her with a smile, dimples folding into the shadow of his scruff. Yumiko felt a shiver run down her spine that she tried to ignore, although she couldn't squelch the delight she felt at regarding Brian.

"Mr. Mathis," she bowed. "I thought you'd left with Madame Mori."

"Brian," he reminded her with a smile, leaning back in his chair. Yumiko tried not to notice his arms as they crossed over the white t-shirt. "I was going to leave, but I noticed Tanuki here, and came back in to chat for a bit."

"Oh? You two know each other?"

She glanced at Tanuki, then frowned as her eyes swept the sake bar overall. "Wait a second," she said, putting a hand on the back of Brian's chair. She accidentally grazed his shoulder and pulled it back as if it had been burned. Trying to look as if the contact hadn't affected her, she nodded in Tanuki's direction. "No one here can see him. He's not showing himself to mortals."

"You can see him," Brian pointed out.

"But I..." Yumiko let her voice trail off, then chuckled. "Of course. You have been touched by the supernatural too. You can see them also, can't you?"

"I can."

Yumiko let out a breath and actually smiled. "That's...I mean, I've never met anyone else who could."

"It's nice to know that you're not alone," Brian said softly.

Yumiko met his dark eyes, and nodded. "How long have you known that you could see them?"

Brian shrugged. "Oh, since almost right after I began changing. I've seen demons following people, specters passing through walls, and these pale scarves floating around the skies of Tokyo at night, swooping down every once in a while like live origami birds."

"Ittan-Momen," Yumiko told him. "They are bolts of cotton, animated by spirits. They tend to wrap themselves around people's mouths and necks, to suffocate them, or strangle them."

"That's..." Brian shook his head and turned to Tanuki. "Does she ever talk about anything that doesn't want to kill people?"

"Not that I know of," Tanuki said, and Yumiko glared at him, taking in the sake sitting in front of him for the first time. He was on his third cup.

"You've been busy," she observed.

Tanuki allowed a slow smile to creep over his face. "I could be busier."

Rolling her eyes, Yumiko glanced back at Brian. "If you want to join us in the library, Reina and I are just about to have some ice cream."

"Thank you for the invitation," Brian said, standing. "But I should really be going. I'm sure Madame Mori wouldn't appreciate me keeping you girls up until all hours of the night."

"That's my job," Tanuki wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

They both ignored him.

"At any rate, I'll see you tomorrow," Brian promised, bowing. He glanced at Tanuki. "Good talking to you."

Tanuki let out a loud belch. "Yeah, sure."

"Goodbye," Yumiko said, watching him dart out the door. She stared after him for a moment, thinking, until she heard Mrs. Wada call for her. She rushed back to the window to collect her ice cream. "Thank you."

"No problem," Mrs. Wada grinned out at her. "And tell Reina that I know a boy I would like to set her up with. A nice boy, with good grades. He wants to be a doctor."

"I'm sure she'll love that," Yumiko said, forcing herself to sound enthusiastic. She bowed and turned back toward the library, Tanuki ducking between her feet.

"What were you boys talking about?" she inquired, glancing down at him.

Tanuki snorted. "Wouldn't you like to know."

"Did you know that he could see you?"

"Of course."

"You didn't say anything."

"And you didn't ask."

Yumiko frowned at this as she pushed aside the beaded curtain and slipped off her sandals.

"Hey, Yumiko?" Tanuki looked up at her.

"Yes?"

"Do you like me, even though I'm a yokai?"

Yumiko nearly laughed off the question, but paused when she saw the serious expression on his face. With a frown, she sat down beside him on the raised floor, setting the ice cream aside for a moment. "Of course I like you, Tanuki. Why would you ever doubt that?"

Tanuki looked away. "Well, you dispose of yokai for a living. And I know that what you went through...really made you hate my kind."

Yumiko blinked, and sat still, thoughtfully, as she absorbed what he was trying to tell her. "Tanuki, I know that not all yokai are bad. It's the ones who mean harm to humans that I need to get rid of, to make things safer for people, so what happened to me never happens to anyone else, ever again."

"But..." he hesitated.

"What?"

"Have you ever stopped to wonder about the motives of yokai? I mean, you seem to stab first, ask questions later. Or better yet, you don't question things at all. You see a yokai, do your duty, then leave them in the mirror world without a second thought."

"I think about it," she said defensively. "I don't just attack yokai for no reason. I didn't attack you when I first met you."

"No," Tanuki agreed. He shrugged. "Just...sometimes it's not always black and white, Yumiko. Sometimes you may not understand the intentions of others. It's not always apparent right away. I just...don't want you to make a terrible mistake someday, one you'll regret."

"I can't imagine how I would."

He looked so sad that Yumiko had to wonder where this was coming from, but before she could ask, he got to his feet and sauntered into the other room, a smile on his face, as if the conversation had never happened.

Reina looked up as Tanuki glowed, allowing her to see him. "Oh, hey Tanuki."

"Hey yourself, Gorgeous," Tanuki purred.

Yumiko shook her head, but continued to watch him, for some indication of the source of his uneasy feelings. But before long, she was swept away by conversation and forgot about it herself.
Chapter Eight

A ten-year-old Yumiko sat in the hospital waiting room with her chin resting on her folded hands. She leaned forward, and slowly rocked herself. Was she cursed? Is that why terrible things kept happening to people around her? She needed to be stronger. For everyone around her, and for herself. And she should never get close to anyone again. It only put them in danger.

Yumiko looked up and saw a man with a pink, glowing snake wrapped around his chest. A yokai. The man leaned over, trying to catch his breath, but the snake held fast, not giving an inch. Yumiko looked away and closed her eyes. She didn't want to see them. She didn't want to.

"Yumiko?"

Opening her eyes, Yumiko looked up into Madame Mori's face, who had come with her to the hospital. When they'd received news of her aunt's attack, she had been in class. Yumiko had been learning to disarm men as her aunt was being attacked by a monster.

Blinking back tears, Yumiko stood up to face her sensei.

Mori watched her warily, and shook her head. "I'm sorry, Yumiko. Your aunt doesn't have much time left. She would like to say goodbye."

Yumiko bit her lip to keep from sobbing. Or wailing. She bit so hard that she tasted blood. Her aunt had taken her in, following her mother's abduction. Now, she had...no one. What would happen to her?

With a brave face, Yumiko allowed Mori to guide her down the hallway to her aunt's room, feeling like she was floating, or in a dream.

She stepped up to her aunt's deathbed and looked past the blood-soaked cloths on her cheek and neck. "Auntie?"

Her aunt smiled back at her and held up a weak hand, which Yumiko took. "My girl. You've been a good girl, a joy since I took you in."

Yumiko couldn't help the tears that slipped from her eyes. She wiped them away with her free hand.

"I remember wondering what I'd gotten myself into when I brought you to your first doctor appointment," her aunt said. "When they told me about how you were different...your defects." She shook her head. "I still can't believe your mother never told me about it. Your organs all switched around. The doctors didn't know what to make of you at first." She smiled. "And then all of your talk of creatures and monsters...it was a bit much to take."

"I'm sorry," Yumiko said, lowering her head.

"Don't be sorry, child," her aunt whispered. "The woman who attacked me wasn't human. Her face..." She shuddered and closed her eyes briefly. "She was a monster, Yumiko. Some sort of demon witch."

Yumiko's eyes widened.

"You were right," her aunt said. "There are things in this world, living among us, that we don't understand. And I'm only sorry that I didn't believe you."

She dropped Yumiko's hand then, to cover her mouth as she coughed. She didn't stop coughing for a full minute. The heart monitor grew agitated and beeped louder, until she withdrew her fist from her mouth, a trickle of blood escaping from the corner of her mouth.

"I love you like a daughter," her aunt said, smiling at Yumiko. "You were always special." She swallowed hard. "You listen to Madame Mori now. She will keep you safe."

Yumiko frowned at this, but didn't reply. "Auntie..."

"Be strong, now, honey." She looked past Yumiko. "I'm tired. I think I need to rest."

"Come along, Yumiko," Mori said softly, gently pulling her from the bed. "Let your aunt rest now."

Yumiko followed Mori quietly from the room, until they reached the lobby once more, and Mori stopped.

"You will work hard under my guidance," Mori said. "And you will hide nothing from me. If you can agree to these terms, I will take you in, as your aunt has requested."

Yumiko looked up at Mori, with hopeful eyes. "Truly?"

Mori nodded. "It will not be a luxurious life-"

"I agree," Yumiko cut her off. "All I've ever wanted was to train, to be strong."

"And you shall be," Mori promised.

Seventeen-year-old Yumiko sat up straight and snatched the dagger from her bedside. She looked around her dark room, wondering what had awakened her. She didn't move for a minute, waiting for the disturbance to return, when she heard a soft knock on the door.

Exhaling a sigh of relief, Yumiko slipped out of her bed and pulled a robe around herself on her way to the door, wondering who it could be. When she opened the door, Madame Mori looked in expectantly.

"Sensei," Yumiko bowed, opening the door wider. "Please, come in."

Mori smiled and stepped into the room, an envelope in hand. "I don't have much time, Yumiko. I have a flight to catch."

"A flight?" Yumiko blinked, wondering for a moment if she was still dreaming. "What flight?"

"I'm going to America. I have some colleagues there who may have answers to Mr. Mathis's condition."

"I see," Yumiko said slowly, watching her closely. "And you have to travel overseas to be able to communicate with them?"

Mori chuckled. "Mr. Mathis isn't your typical yokai. I think that in order to understand his condition, I need to become more familiar with lycanthropy." She hesitated. "There is something very odd about it."

Yumiko recalled the item that Brian had turned over in his hands. "What was the item you gave him to look over?"

"It was a mystical object made of silver. Werewolves are highly allergic to silver. Usually a blow of silver to the head, or a silver bullet through the heart is even enough to kill them. So, I made some calls, and apparently there are several different breeds of werewolves. I need to explore them all if I'm going to be able to connect Mr. Mathis's affliction to something that the experts in this sort of thing are familiar with. It could be catastrophic if were-foxes began to infect Japan. Kitsune are one thing, easy to identify if you know how to look for them – but hiding in a man's body to cause mischief once a month..." She shook her head. "It is very sly of the fox."

Yumiko released a deep sigh. "Okay."

Mori glanced around the room. "You still have no mirrors in your room?"

"You know that I don't."

Mori nodded. "Good. Keep it that way. And cover every mirror in the library."

Yumiko raised an eyebrow. "What? Why? Kagami won't be coming for me for nearly a year."

"No need to show him any more than we already have just how much you have grown," Mori said. She licked her lips. "And mirrors can only transmit images, not sounds. If you cover it, no one on the other side can read your lips, and they will not hear you."

Yumiko recalled her walk through the mirror world, how everything was silent when there should have been noise. She shuddered. "Okay." She cocked her head. "Has something happened?"

Mori smiled reassuringly. "No. I just have a feeling. It may be that I'm getting paranoid in my old age." She shook her head. "Just promise me that while I'm gone, you will trust no one." She grabbed Yumiko's wrist. "And I mean no one."

"I promise," Yumiko frowned, unsure, as Mori dropped her hand. Mori seemed to be hiding something from her, but why wouldn't she just come out and say it? "Sensei?"

Mori shook her head. "Don't worry. I will be back in a few days." She handed Yumiko the envelope she held. "See to it that Shou gets this. Put it into his hands directly. He will be wondering where I've gone, and what he should concentrate on while I'm away."

Yumiko nodded and accepted the letter. "As you wish."

Mori nodded and sent her one last smile before slipping through the door, and disappearing.

***

The first thing that Yumiko did when she stepped into the library an hour later was to cover the mirror that hung near the door. She stopped to stare at it for a moment, wondering if someone was watching her, even now. Was Kagami assessing her skills? Searching for weaknesses to exploit? Or was he no longer paying attention to her at all, and wouldn't for another eleven months, and twelve days? She shook her head, recalling the repositioning of mirrors each time she entered the mirror world. He was watching her, and waiting for his moment. She wouldn't give him any more advantages.

She was feeling more stressed this morning than usual. Mori leaving so abruptly had left Yumiko feeling uneasy. She had a terrible foreboding that something was about to happen, and that she wouldn't see it coming. But it was most likely her nerves. Since Mori had taken custody of her, she'd never gone far, had certainly never traveled halfway across the world for days, leaving her alone.

There was a crash from the antechamber, and Yumiko bolted upright. In one fluid motion, she slid open the paper door and flipped the lights on.

"No, no, no, no," an exasperated voice greeted her. "S'bright."

Yumiko sighed as she watched Tanuki attempt to sit up at the table, empty sake bottles littering the floor around him. "Really, Tanuki?"

Tanuki smiled, then grunted as he grabbed hold of the table with his paws and hoisted himself up. When he only fell over a moment later, he didn't bother attempting to sit up again. "The room...I think the room's a yokai. Won't stop spinning."

"That would be your head, from the sake," Yumiko chided. "You only have yourself to blame."

"Yumiko?"

Glancing back over her shoulder, Yumiko saw Reina enter the library with a smile, as she tossed a duffel bag casually to the floor.

"What's that?" Yumiko asked.

Reina looked down at the bag, then shrugged up at Yumiko. "Mori said I should train to fight too. She says I lack discipline or something, but she has no idea how disciplined I am. I do yoga every morning, and totally eat rice cakes for days on end if I start to feel bloated. For days."

"She's only looking out for you," Yumiko assured her. "If you're going to deal with yokai, you have to learn to handle yourself."

Reina grunted noncommittally and stepped up to the doorway, peeking inside. She raised an eyebrow. "Looks like somebody had too much fun last night."

"You can never have too much fun," Tanuki told her, then rolled his head her way. "My stomach is doing flip-flops."

"Poor thing," Reina said, stepping into the room. She lowered herself to the ground and gently pulled Tanuki into her lap, running her hand gently over his stomach. "Is that better?"

Tanuki's eyes widened. "Yes. I mean, it's a little better. I'm cold though."

Reina pulled him closer and looked down at him with pity. "Poor fellow. Yumiko, you should get some water for him. And something to eat."

"I'd rather not think about eating right now," Tanuki disagreed.

Yumiko rolled her eyes, but fetched a bottle of water. When she returned, Tanuki looked as if he was enjoying himself immensely. He was staring up at Reina's chest like it held the secrets of the world. "He's a pervert," Yumiko told Reina, handing her the water. "You've been warned."

Reina looked down at Tanuki, but the raccoon-dog averted his eyes. "How can you say such a thing? He's just a helpless little furball."

"He's a yokai who consumes twice his weight in sake on a regular basis," Yumiko corrected her. "Just don't say that I didn't warn you."

Reina snorted, skeptical.

"I need to run an errand," Yumiko said, recalling the letter she'd left on the desk in the other room. "Do you have things under control here?"

"I think I can handle it," Reina muttered.

"Okay. I shouldn't be gone long."

"Oh, take your time," Tanuki called after her. "We've got this."

Yumiko sighed.
Chapter Nine

The host club that Shou worked at was located on the opposite end of the red light district, near the train station. Yumiko enjoyed the noise of morning traffic as people milled about the streets, talking loudly into cellphones as they hurried along, and cars honked at each other, hastening one another.

At night, the buildings glowed neon, businesses vying for attention to attract customers, but most storefronts were silent and dark as the sun rose steadily into the sky. A few places boasted early hours, but they were few and far between on this side of town. But there would always be places open to collect money from men and women desperate to seek comfort in the arms of others, no matter what time of day they could manage to sneak away unnoticed from their loved ones.

Yumiko stopped in front of the host club, and turned toward the sound of a train rumbling along in the distance, although she couldn't see it with so many buildings in the way. She glanced down at the envelope in her hand and, with a heavy sigh, pushed open the door to the club.

She paused in the doorway. It was dark inside, the lights low and curtains drawn, but it was a lot classier than she would have expected. There were booths lining the walls, with high backs to allow for privacy, as well as a dozen tables in the center of the room, with white table cloths and wine glasses. A man played piano on a dark stage, two couples dancing in a small open area before it.

To her left, Yumiko heard a woman shriek happily at the advances of a man, but Yumiko couldn't see what was going on exactly, which was probably for the best.

"Hello," a perky girl with a ponytail greeted her, dressed in a long black dress with a short jacket over it. She flashed a smile at Yumiko and walked over, carrying a black wallet.

"Um, hi," Yumiko replied awkwardly, offering her a reluctant smile. "I'm looking for Shou Fujiwara."

The girl squinted at her, then shrugged. "I'm sorry, but Mr. Fujiwara is already engaged at the moment. He's a very popular man." She handed Yumiko the black wallet, and Yumiko opened it, curious, to see headshots of dozens of beautiful men gazing back at her. "We have a wide variety of men to choose from, one of the widest in town. If you like Shou, may I suggest Akira? He has a beautiful singing voice, if you enjoy karaoke."

"No, I'm...good," Yumiko said, politely handing the menu back to the woman. "I'm actually here to deliver a letter to Mr. Fujiwara."

The girl put out her hand. "I can give it to him."

"Unfortunately, I was told that I had to hand it to him directly," Yumiko said, standing her ground. "I can wait."

Sighing, the girl looked Yumiko over. "He might be awhile. You may as well hand it to him now. Just don't linger. He has a paying client who doesn't deserve the distraction."

Yumiko blushed and bowed to the girl as she pointed out the booth Shou was at, in the far corner.

As she approached the booth, Yumiko slowed, tilting her head to listen to what Shou might be saying to his client, but his voice was low and intimate. When she drew closer and saw his head near a young woman's, Yumiko paused to study the scene a moment. Shou was dressed casually, in a cotton t-shirt, but one that showed off his chest and arms. The girl was obviously dressed to impress, in a stunning dress, her hair and makeup done flawlessly to showcase her attributes and hide her flaws. She was a beautiful girl, however, and Yumiko had to wonder why she sought unattainable men, whom she had to pay for affection.

The girl giggled at something Shou said, and he leaned forward to fill her wine glass, smiling at her easily. Yumiko didn't know why she felt so troubled by the sight. Was it because Shou was so good at being so charming? Or was it because Yumiko didn't like seeing him in that position, forcing enthusiasm for strangers, no matter what they looked like?

Shou looked up suddenly and met Yumiko's eyes. She glanced away quickly, flustered at having been caught staring. Pretending that he hadn't seen her watch him, Yumiko stepped up to the table politely and bowed. "I'm sorry to disturb you," she said. "But I have a letter for Mr. Fujiwara."

"Oh, what is it?" the girl asked, eyes sparkling as Shou accepted the envelope and opened it. His eyes scanned a single page quickly, before he looked up at Yumiko sharply.

"Mori is leaving?" he asked.

"For a short time," Yumiko replied. "If you need anything in her absence, please let me know." She bowed again, hesitating as she noted the troubled look on his face. But as soon as he noticed her eyes on him, his face melted into an easy smile, even as his eyes narrowed.

"Thank you," he told her. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm busy at the moment." And he turned back to the girl, pushing a strand of hair out of her face. The gesture was so intimate that Yumiko flinched, and quickly turned to walk away. She had to force herself to keep from running from the club. She didn't know why, but it left her with a bad taste in her mouth.

"Have a nice day," the girl by the doors said cheerfully as she exited.

Yumiko paid her no heed, and stopped to catch her breath outside, leaning back against the wall beside the door. She didn't know Shou. He could do what he wanted with his life. Seeing him engaged in...whatever he wanted to be doing was none of her business. But she couldn't rid herself of the uneasy feeling that he wanted to be in that room even less than Yumiko.

***

"You naughty, naughty thing!"

Yumiko froze as she stepped into the library. She watched as Reina chased Tanuki around with a broom, swatting at him with angry, wide strokes. "I did warn you," Yumiko said, trying her best not to sound as if she were gloating.

Reina looked up, frowning. "Well, you could have warned a little harder. This little perv copped a feel. And right after I was holding him for like, an hour, thinking he was looking up at me all thoughtfully. But no, he wasn't even looking at my face."

"It was one moment of weakness!" Tanuki insisted desperately as he gasped for air, hopping around the room to avoid her blows.

Yumiko sighed and crossed her arms. "Reina, stop it before you break something."

Reina threw the broom at Tanuki, who easily dodged it, and scampered past Yumiko, and out of the room. "Horrible little thing."

"It's just how he is," Yumiko shrugged. "You'll get used to it."

"I don't want to get used to it," Reina replied, fuming. She took a few calming breaths before dropping into a chair. "He's just so cute. You want to protect him and comfort him. And now I feel all violated."

"I'm not making excuses for him. He deserves your wrath."

"Ever thought about getting him fixed?"

"He could make it so the doctors couldn't see him."

"Good point," Reina sighed. She cocked her head. "How's Shou?"

"Also a pervert."

Reina rolled her eyes. "Men."

"Um, hello?"

Yumiko looked up as Brian's voice drifted up the hall.

"Speaking of," Reina mumbled, leaning back in her chair.

"Brian's nice," Yumiko said.

"Brian?" Reina grinned at her. "What happened to calling him Mr. Mathis?"

Yumiko chose to ignore her as Brian entered the room with a bow.

"Good morning," he said, then looked around. "Where is Madame Mori this morning?"

"She left," Reina announced.

"Left?"

Yumiko smiled reassuringly and walked over to greet him properly, taking his briefcase from him. "She'll be out of town for a few days. It seems that she may have a lead on your condition."

"Oh?"

"Yes. You should be pleased. Perhaps we can break this curse more quickly than we imagined."

"That would be wonderful," Brian said, although his countenance didn't seem to agree with his words. He blinked, and gave Yumiko a curious look. "So, you have the day off."

"What?" Yumiko set his briefcase down on a desk, and glanced back at him.

"You can get out of this stuffy library," Brian told her. "What do you plan on doing?"

"Well, I have to keep up my studies," Yumiko said. "Practice and...research."

Brian cocked an eyebrow. "I think you could use a break. Everyone needs to unwind once in a while."

"I...really shouldn't."

"Come with me to Kakunodate, in Akita Prefecture."

"Kakunodate?" Yumiko echoed weakly. "That's at least-"

"Three hours from Tokyo," Reina interrupted. "Perfect! You need to get away, Yumiko."

"I-"

"You're going."

"You-"

"I'm staying here," Reina said determinedly. She smiled sweetly at her. "I'll hold down the fort while you're gone. You should go have fun."

Yumiko looked skeptical. And obviously, Reina fancied herself a matchmaker.

"If it makes you feel any better, it's a business trip," Brian told her. "I have to pick up a book, for research. Mori should really have it in her collection, and it's hard to track down."

"A book?"

Brian grinned at her. "Of course, we'll have some time to take in some sights while we're there."

Yumiko turned to Reina, but at the resolved look on her friend's face, Yumiko realized that she would have little chance of getting out of this. She looked to Brian and nodded. "Thank you, Mr. Mathis. I would love to accompany you on your trip."

"Wonderful!" Brian said, his smile wide. "And please, it's Brian."

Yumiko could feel Reina's triumphant grin without having to look at her. "Well, Brian, let me grab a few things and we'll be on our way then."

"And take your time," Reina said, walking them to the hall. "You should make a full day out of it. I'll do enough reading for the both of you."

"We appreciate it," Yumiko muttered.
Chapter Ten

"Your friend doesn't do subtle very well," Brian noted as they took their seats aboard the train that would whisk them to Akita Prefecture. He let Yumiko have the window seat, and gripped his armrests tightly as the train began to depart.

"No, she doesn't," Yumiko agreed. She lifted an eyebrow. "You don't like traveling by train?"

"Not by bullet train. It's unsettling," Brian said. "But it's much better than traveling by airplane."

The mention of flying brought Yumiko's mind back around to Mori and her mysterious trip to America. Yumiko had the feeling that her sensei was being intentionally vague. But what reason would she have?

With a frown, Yumiko watched the train station disappear from sight, then buildings and concrete fell away in favor of rice paddy fields and forests. Yumiko was lost in thought, and didn't discern the stops that they made along the way, and barely paid heed to the scenery that passed by as she stared vacantly through her reflection.

"You're always so serious, Yumiko," Brian said, drawing her out of herself much later.

Yumiko blinked and turned to find his blue eyes boring into her own, steely and hypnotic. His eyes were so beautiful, framed by thick lashes. She felt like she could lose herself exploring the hues of periwinkle and turquoise. It was like staring down into a vast lake, the water clear and rippling with the current.

Swallowing hard, Yumiko forced herself to look down, focusing on Brian's hands, folded neatly in his lap. "The world is a serious place."

"Not all the time. Or, at least, it doesn't have to be."

"It does for me. If I'm to survive, I can't lose focus."

There was silence for a few minutes before Brian touched her cheek, and she flinched.

Brian pulled his hand away, looking guilty, and Yumiko instantly regretted her reaction. To salvage the contact in some small way, Yumiko offered him a shaky smile. "Sorry. I was lost in thought."

He nodded and looked past her, at the whir of green and brown flowing by the train. "Tanuki told me about your past. About being spirited away, and returning to find your mother gone."

Yumiko stiffened. "Tanuki has a big mouth."

"Don't blame him," Brian shook his head slowly. "I asked him. I wanted to know. I wanted to know more about you."

She chanced a look up into his face and met his serious eyes. They held hers, as if holding on with an iron grip. Now that they had her attention, they refused to let go.

"I want to know why such a beautiful girl walks around with the weight of the world on her shoulders. Why she seems so sad all the time."

"I'm not sad," she said automatically, then recognized it for the half-truth that it was. "I'm determined."

Brian's lips drew into a pressed line. "Yes, determined to be isolated and driven by your quest. But do you even really know what you're fighting for?"

"My life."

"Are you sure about that? Are you even sure your mother was taken from you?"

"She was gone," Yumiko shook her head. "She wouldn't have just left."

"Not without a reason."

"She wouldn't have. Ever." Yumiko sighed and leaned back against the headrest, tearing her eyes from his, no matter the amount of pain and loss she felt from losing contact. "And when I turn eighteen, I will die if I can't fight Kagami and come out triumphant."

"So you think."

"So I know," Yumiko said, her voice ringing harsher than she'd intended. "He said that I would be his. He will consume me, body and soul."

"He said that?"

Yumiko frowned. "Ame-Onna did."

Brian looked thoughtful for a moment. "Do you think that perhaps, it's not what you think? Why go to the trouble of waiting until you're eighteen if he's just going to devour you?"

"Because he's a yokai. He feels superior to humans. We are food to him."

"That's not how Tanuki feels, and he's a yokai."

Yumiko swallowed hard, recalling her earlier conversation with Tanuki. Why were his words still troubling her?

"That's different," she whispered.

"And maybe so is this situation you've decided is your horrible fate," Brian told her.

The train slowed to a stop and a man's voice came over the loudspeaker, announcing that they had arrived at Kakunodate. Yumiko looked out to see a neat, clean station with vending machines and advertisements plastered over the heads of passengers as they marched to and fro like ants, hurrying to their destinations. As she stepped off of the train behind Brian, their conversation dispersed from her mind. The sound of cicadas greeted her and she smiled at the warm air that brushed her hair from her shoulders. It was spring, but it felt like a summer day with the sun high in the sky, warming her skin, and the happy chatter of people filling the space around her.

As they walked past the station and toward the compact town, Yumiko couldn't wipe the grin off of her face. She spent so much of her time in Tokyo, especially holed up within a one-mile radius on the bad side of town, that it did wonders to have a change in scenery. It felt like a nice, quaint suburb, with wide open streets and lots of greenery. The air was fresh and clean, and the view wasn't distorted by the harsh glow of neon lights, or disturbed by the incessant honking of impatient cars.

"You look like you're enjoying yourself," Brian noted, watching her.

Yumiko pursed her lips, then shrugged. "I suppose I am."

Brian looked happy at the admission, and led them down a street lined with traditional samurai houses. "This town in amazing," he said. "It's been untouched by war since it was built in the early seventeenth century."

Yumiko watched a man pulling a couple in a rickshaw as he passed them, before glancing up at one of the samurai houses, a sprawling estate beyond a tall wooden fence. "It's beautiful here."

"Would you like to visit one of the houses?"

Yumiko debated for a moment, but shook her head. "We're here on business."

"But we can indulge ourselves a little since we're here."

Yumiko chuckled. "Mr...Brian. Let's take care of your business first, then we can determine if we have time to sightsee."

"I can agree to that," Brian grinned at her. He touched her back gently to usher her forward, and she swallowed hard as a shiver of pleasure ran down her spine. She felt like a normal girl for the first time in a long while. It was easy to forget one's self in a place like this, with a handsome man.

But there were reminders of her quest everywhere, as well. A supernatural green glow emanated from one samurai house, while small creatures danced on the rooftop of another. Houses as old as these were bound to be infested with yokai, having seen so much history.

At the end of the street, Brian took a left and Yumiko heard the Hinokinai River up ahead, and then she caught a glimpse of it through the trees. However, she was too distracted by the trees to focus on the water. She nearly froze at the sight of them. Cherry blossom trees, in full bloom, their branches overflowing with bright pink flowers, as if they held armfuls of beautiful bouquets in their arms.

"Beautiful," Brian breathed.

Yumiko gaped at the trees, their branches hanging low, their trunks old and thick. "Yes, they are."

"I wasn't talking about the trees," he said softly, and brushed a strand of hair out of her face.

Yumiko met his eyes, then looked away, knowing that her face was on fire. To save herself some embarrassment, she stepped forward so that she was in full view of the street. The branches of the trees formed a tunnel of pink, and without waiting for Brian, she walked along the tunnel, head turning up to take in the breathtaking scene. She felt surrounded by the flowers, their sweet scent invading her nostrils and making her think of spring. She caught another glimpse of the river through the trees and slipped between the trunks, hearing Brian's footfalls muffled by the grass as he followed her.

More cherry blossom trees bloomed near the river, the petals so pale they nearly looked white from where she stood, giving the trees the illusion that they'd been covered by snow.

"Not everything in this world is ghosts and demons," Brian said from behind her, so near that she had to resist her body's impulse to lean into the heat he gave off. The scenery was so romantic that she didn't trust herself around it; she didn't think that she would remember herself and who she was if she looked at him again. But Yumiko knew that she wasn't a normal girl, and she couldn't give in to this temptation, to the illusion of...whatever this was. Because that's all it was. An illusion. A respite from her real life, which was teeming with ghosts and demons.

"Let's get your book," she said, her voice steady, although her heart thumped wildly in her chest. She tore her gaze from the beauty of the world around her and stared at the ground. It nearly brought tears to her eyes to turn her back on this, but this couldn't be her life. She had less than twelve months to prepare for the upcoming battle, and she couldn't pretend that it wasn't going to arrive, that Kagami wouldn't come for her.

"This way," Brian said, defeat heavy in his voice.

Yumiko turned and followed, watching his back as he led her to the bookstore that was their destination, for fear that her eyes would wander and she would be tempted by the life that could have been, but wasn't.
Chapter Eleven

"What is this book that you've traveled to Kakunodate for?" Yumiko asked as they walked along a street of small shops. "Is it something that may address your curse?"

Brian looked over at her hesitantly. "No, not so much. It holds legends that are not in Madame Mori's library, ones that I think she needs to see."

"Yokai legends?" Yumiko frowned. "I'm sure that Madame Mori knows about them. She is a yokai expert. None know more than her."

"No human is all-knowing in any subject. And some legends prefer to remain hidden."

Yumiko mulled this over for a moment. "Okay. Let's say I believe you. How did you stumble upon this treasure trove of knowledge?"

Brian grinned. "That's a polite way of saying that you don't believe me, but you don't have to. You'll see it for yourself soon enough." He paused at a stall with several trinkets laid out. The shopkeeper was beginning to pack up her things, as the sun was beginning to set.

"This is nice," Brian said, touching the purple frame of a hand mirror.

Yumiko glanced over its simple design. "You think so?"

"I do," Brian said, then fumbled for his pocket, pulling out his wallet.

"No, I..." Yumiko put a hand out to stop him. "Not for me."

"Are you sure?" he stopped to look at her.

"I'm sure."

"Okay." He bowed to the woman of the stall, who quickly packed the mirror away.

With a sigh, he led her two doors down, where a small bookstore was tucked between a supermarket and a shop boasting souvenirs. The sign on the door proclaimed that the store was already closed, but after Brian knocked on the door, it was opened quickly by a friendly old man with a white mustache and a marshmallow fluff of thin hair atop his head.

"Mr. Itou," Brian bowed. "Thank you for having us."

"Certainly, certainly," the man said, waving away the formalities. "It's always a pleasure to speak to one interested in folklore." He raised an eyebrow at Yumiko. "And this is Miss Sato?"

"A pleasure," Yumiko bowed.

"Please, come have some tea," Mr. Itou said. "And excuse the mess. Since my granddaughter went to college, there's no one to pick up after a scatterbrained old man like me."

He led them past an entryway with magazine and newspaper stands overlooking a cash register, and down one of the many claustrophobic aisles of book shelves crammed to overflowing with books.

"You have a lovely shop," Yumiko commented as she was led through a door and into a small kitchen area.

Mr. Itou scrambled around a counter, preparing tea, and insisted they have a seat. "Yes, we have many rare and first edition books," he told her. "I specialize in Japanese folklore, but it seems that all anybody wants these days is popular fiction and manga." He shook his head sadly. "Youth have no sense of history."

Yumiko looked around the room to see books and papers in piles on nearly every available surface. As Mr. Itou put a tray down before them, he swept his hand over the low table to empty it of several musty-looking volumes. But Yumiko liked the old books. She loved the old smell and yellowed pages. And she was intrigued by Mr. Itou. If Brian was correct, he might have something important for them. Yumiko had accepted knowledge from Madame Mori over the years, but had never been able to give anything in return. Perhaps this was her opportunity to do so. She wasn't very optimistic, however. Even if Brian assumed that Mori wasn't aware of some text, she most likely was. If Mr. Itou was aware of it, Master Mori must have been too.

The tea was watered-down and bitter, but Yumiko politely sipped at it. As she set her cup down, she caught her reflection in a mirror above the door to the bookstore, and looked away quickly. She shifted uncomfortably and ignored the questioning look that Brian sent her way.

"Mr. Mathis tells me that you are quite a yokai aficionado," Mr. Itou said after a moment of silence.

"Mr. Mathis is too kind," Yumiko murmured modestly.

Brian snorted.

"There are three great evil yokai," Mr. Itou stated. "Do you know them?"

Yumiko cleared her throat. "Of course. Tamamo-no-mae, the nine-tailed fox, Emperor Sutoku, who became a Daitengu, and Shuten-Doji, king of the oni."

"Very good," Mr. Itou looked pleased and rubbed his chin as he studied her. "Madame Mori has taught you well."

"You know of Madame Mori?" Yumiko perked up.

"Of course. Her knowledge is legendary. I have conversed with her on yokai myself a number of times. I like to think of myself as a resource for her...line of work."

Yumiko nodded.

"You are the yokai hunter that I've heard so much about, aren't you?" Mr. Itou asked bluntly.

Yumiko glanced over at Brian, unsure, but nodded again.

Mr. Itou let out a deep breath. "I thought as much. You hold yourself like a warrior, one who is used to battle and being always ready for the unexpected."

"Thank you."

Mr. Itou looked at her warily. "Forgive me for saying so, but your line of work brings death. I suspect that this old town is home to many yokai, and they will note your presence before long. I will give you what you seek, and ask that you to be on your way."

Brian blinked, surprised. "Mr. Itou-"

"I suspect that my company won't be missed when I give you what you seek," Mr. Itou interrupted him. He stood abruptly. "Please, enjoy your tea. I will be back in a moment."

Yumiko stared down at her teacup as the man left them, ducking back into the bookstore. When she raised her eyes, she saw Brian gazing back at her. "I'm sorry," she told him.

"Don't be. He's a fool."

"Is he? I find him to be rather wise."

Brian sighed. "Yumiko..."

"You could learn a thing or two from him," she said quickly.

"And keep my distance from you?"

Yumiko shrugged.

"I don't think I could do that. I wouldn't want to. I've been away from you for long enough."

Yumiko frowned at his choice of words. While flattered, and a little happy if she was honest with herself, she thought that she detected some meaning hidden in them. Suddenly, she realized that she knew very little about Brian. His past was shrouded in mystery. Just who was Brian? What secrets were buried in his past?

"We've only known each other a little over a month," she murmured.

Brian pursed his lips. "That's true. But doesn't it feel like longer than that?"

"And here we are," Mr. Itou said, returning, and saving Yumiko from further discussion.

He held a scroll in one hand, and a leather-bound book in the other. Both were yellowed with age. Yumiko concentrated on them to get her mind off of Brian. She pointedly turned away from him.

"I asked you about the three great evil yokai for a reason," Mr. Itou said. He set aside the book, and unrolled the scroll carefully, stretching it across the floor beside them. Yumiko leaned forward, squinting at the words on the page, although she didn't need to, as Mr. Itou read them aloud: "When Shuten-Doji was just twelve years of age, he was known throughout Echigo as a pretty boy, even though he was an unplanned bastard. He was known for his long lashes and hair the color of chestnuts. All the girls loved him and wanted him to be theirs. Shuten-Doji, however, refused the love of all of the females who approached, and they all died, they were so distraught over his indifference. Soon, Shuten-Doji earned a reputation that kept people away from him. Lonely and bitter, he burned all of the love letters that the females of Echigo had given to him, but the smoke enveloped him and poisoned him, turning him into a grotesque creature. An oni."

"I have heard this before," Yumiko told him. "It's not an uncommon legend."

"No, it's not," Mr. Itou agreed. "But you do not know the entire story." He gazed down upon the scroll and unrolled more brittle paper carefully, revealing more kanji.

Yumiko, startled, glanced at Brian, who didn't seem surprised at all. Frowning, she turned to Mr. Itou as he continued:

"Fueled by rage, Shuten-Doji earned the reputation of the monster he had become, rampaging and destroying villages, and devouring people as he came across them. His appetite, and his fury, knew no bounds. Soon, other blood-thirsty oni followed him, and the terrible army shook the earth where they marched, foretelling massacres across Japan. Shuten-Doji was so frightening that one glimpse of his reflection in a mirror startled the mirror into breathing life into his reflection. It became a yokai itself, and would never willingly gaze on Shuten-Doji again. Meanwhile, Shuten-Doji led his troop of oni to Mt. Ooe, where he plotted his next move, to take over the human world, and punish them for his ill treatment."

"And what of the reflection?" Yumiko asked, eyes wide.

"That's one of the reasons I wanted to come here today," Brian said, meeting her eyes. "It seems that this is how Kagami was created. A mirror image of Shuten-Doji, because the oni king was so terrifying."

"That's..." Yumiko shook her head as her voice trailed off. "I never even considered how he came to be. A reflection of one of the three great evil yokai." She watched Mr. Itou roll up his scroll carefully, before gesturing toward the book he'd brought out. "And what is this?"

Mr. Itou licked his lips and handed it to her. "Allegedly, it is a book for yokai."

Yumiko arched a brow. "A book for yokai?"

He nodded. "A book written by yokai, for yokai. The pages are blank, but supposedly, it holds legends sacred to their kind. Legends not meant for human eyes."

Yumiko ran her fingers over the blank spine, then over the edges of the pages, which were cut roughly. She took a deep breath before she opened it.

A great gust of wind blew open a window at the back of the room, and papers flew around the room, causing chaos.

Mr. Itou hurried over to the window to secure it, just before the lights winked out.

Yumiko blinked in the darkness. A crop of trees beyond the window, thick with foliage, blocked most of the sunlight from illuminating the room, allowing for only a soft cold luminescence to filter in through the small pane of glass. It wasn't much to see by, and she let her eyes adjust to the sudden dark as Mr. Itou scrambled for a flashlight.

She hadn't had the chance to look at the pages of the book before the power had gone out, but she felt something from the book. Some sort of power. She was almost sure that by being touched by a yokai before, she would be able to read it, just as she was able to see their kind. It was her curse as well as a blessing.

The hum of metal caught Yumiko's attention and she turned back toward the door that led to the bookstore. The door stood open, a black mouth yawning wide, as if swallowing what little light surrounded it.

She stood slowly, and unsheathed her mirror sword, a sound uncannily similar to the hum of metal that had just come from the doorway. Someone was there. And that someone was holding a sword as well.

"Come out," Yumiko commanded, voice strong as she faced the unknown. She fell into a defensive stance, shoulders tense as she waited for a flash of blade from the intruder.

She heard a tearing sound behind her and swiveled around to see Mr. Itou gasping, his back arched as a sword thrust out from the center of his chest, splattering blood across the papers and books audibly. The sword was quickly withdrawn, and Mr. Itou tumbled to the floor, dead, blood oozing across the floor quickly, emptying his body of life.

She looked up from the body into the face of a monster. A red-faced ogre, with swollen lips and cheeks, wild, unkempt dark hair, and black eyes with red pupils. It was nine feet tall, dressed in samurai armor and holding its sword steady, eyeing Yumiko with interest. Samurai used to wear masks depicting oni, much like the creature that stood before her. But this monster wore no mask. The corners of its mouth lifted into a smile, revealing rows of yellow, elongated teeth, and a chuckle welled up from deep in its chest.

"Yumiko," Brian breathed.

"Get behind me," she ordered. And then she heard a shuffling from the door at her back. She glanced over her shoulder and saw another oni standing in the doorway, its bulk nearly filling the space. This one had blue skin, but was equally as terrifying. Many yokai were ghost-like or impish. These were demonic and truly monstrous. And Yumiko knew that they were strong and brutal in their attacks. She could perhaps beat one of them, if she was on her A-game, but she would never be able to best two of them. While she had speed and agility on her side, they were rock-hard and durable.

"I'm going to attack the one in the doorway," Yumiko said softly, low enough for the oni not to hear, but loud enough for Brian. "You run like hell when I engage him, and don't look back."

"You can't beat them by yourself," he said, as if reading her mind.

"No, I can't," she agreed. "Which is why I'm planning on striking the one and running after you."

Brian considered. "I can fight."

"No, you can't."

"We have to. We can't let them escape."

"What?" Yumiko looked over at him, confused, but saw that he'd armed himself with a skillet. "Brian, you can't-"

"Behind you!" he cried.

Yumiko had just enough time to lift her sword to ward off a blow from the blue oni. She grunted at the force of the blow, then pushed him back and quickly sliced at his torso, a blow that nearly landed, but was blocked just in the nick of time by the oni.

The oni's eyes burned with hate as he swung his blade at her several times, with no break. Yumiko met his steel with hers every time, then showered him with several blows in quick succession herself, forcing him to step back. She smiled at the little give, but in the back of her mind, she was imagining Brian being torn in two, so she needed to end this match quickly, so that she could come to his aid. All she needed was one slice of her mirror sword against his flesh, and he would be imprisoned in the mirror world. But she was finding that it was increasingly difficult to even block his blows.

Then she remembered the mirror over the door.

Without betraying a glance in its direction, Yumiko feigned an attack to the oni's left, but leapt up into the air, swinging her sword wide, easily over the beast's head. In mid-air, she caught half of the mirror in her free hand, which she'd split in two with her sword, and, blocking a blow of the oni's sword with her own, she shoved the mirror into the oni's cheek with a grunt. And it disappeared.

Yumiko rolled as she tumbled to the ground, then sprang up quickly, sword at the ready, as she assessed Brian's battle with his enemy. But the oni was on the floor, its own sword embedded in its stomach, loosing black blood over the floor to mingle with Mr. Itou's. She looked up at Brian, who gazed down at the oni with a troubled expression on his face, the skillet still held loosely in one hand.

"How did you do that?" she asked.

Brian looked up and tossed the skillet aside casually. "Beginner's luck, I guess."

"Beginner's luck?" Yumiko echoed, incredulous. "Are you kidding me?"

He shrugged. "What do you want me to say? I got a lucky hit in. He fell on his own sword."

Yumiko couldn't decide if she believed him or not, but she was interrupted from having to come to a conclusion. A sword thrust through a paper sliding door and cut sharply downward.

Without waiting for another oni to appear, Yumiko grabbed Brian by the hand and yanked him into a run. She hesitated at the doorway to the bookstore, and looked back.

"What is it?" Brian asked, his voice high.

Yumiko leapt back into the room to grab the yokai book, looking up as three more oni clambered into the room, swords drawn. They stopped when they caught sight of Yumiko and Brian.

"We have to kill them," Brian insisted, stepping forward.

"No, we don't," Yumiko said. She pulled him out of the room and, stumbling into bookshelves along the way, sprinted toward the exit and burst out into the sunshine. With birds and cicadas making their music around them, it was hard to believe that they'd left such a nightmare behind. It seemed like a bad dream in the stark light of day, where shadows were confined to dark-paned windows and alleyways. But the oni had been as real as the sunlit streets and tourists taking pictures of samurai houses, happily ignorant of monsters in claustrophobic bookstores. Yumiko felt Brian's solid arm in her grasp, heard his heavy breathing as he kept pace with her and they avoided the carefree bystanders. And she didn't stop or look back once until they reached the train station.

They didn't have to wait long before the bullet train, bound for Tokyo, arrived, and they boarded silently, each lost in their own thoughts.

Yumiko stroked the cover of the book she'd procured, and wondered if it was worth the life of the man who'd given it to her.
Chapter Twelve

"Why aren't you in any afterschool activities?" Emiko asked Yumiko when she was just nine.

Yumiko looked up from the homework she was working on during lunch, and blinked at the girl. Beyond Emiko, three other girls watched the interaction with interest. "I'm busy. I take a martial arts class."

"Why?" Emiko demanded. "You don't like the people here?" She gestured back at the girls behind her, who snickered.

"I like you just fine," Yumiko told her, trying to smile. "Maybe you'd like to come over some night and have dinner?"

Emiko laughed, and looked back at her friends. "Yeah, right." She walked away, as the other girls snickered. "Like I'd want to hang out with a freak like you."

"She's so weird," Yumiko heard another girl say as she pretended to be intent on her homework. She blinked back the tears that gathered behind her eyes, not willing to let them see that they affected her so. The math problems before her swam in her vision, her hand gripping her pencil so tightly that it nearly snapped in half.

She knew that she could wipe the smile off of Emiko's face with one kick, but that wasn't going to solve things. And Madame Mori would be very disappointed. If she was going to have a life, she would have to forego the frivolous parts of childhood. She couldn't afford to waste time building relationships with her peers. They weren't going to help her ward off Kagami when he came for her. She could only look to herself for the strength she needed. And she was all that she needed.

Yumiko blinked as she awoke on the bullet train. She was disoriented for a moment as she sat up, dark scenery passing in a blur of black and brown outside of her window. She turned her head to find Brian asleep, his head on her shoulder, mouth open as he breathed deeply.

She watched him for a moment, his eyes flickering in sleep, and wondered what he dreamed about. Probably not being bullied by children, she decided bitterly. Not with a face like that. He stirred and leaned deeper into Yumiko's shoulder, causing her to blush. She didn't dare move, for fear of waking him.

Brian was an enigma, she decided. She wondered: if pressed, would he tell her about himself? He seemed to genuinely care about her, but it was almost like he was completely comfortable with her, and knew what to expect from her, like they'd grown up in the same neighborhood. But she knew nothing about him, couldn't even fathom the mystery of the man. He was kind and handsome. He seemed to know the right things to say around her. But who was he? A spoiled trust fund baby? A frat boy who'd inadvertently been cursed by a kitsune? A brilliant folklore student who'd been at the wrong place at the wrong time? She couldn't imagine him as any one of those things. She couldn't picture him without her. Which was...troubling. Why had she attached herself to his life? The moment Madame Mori found a cure for him, he would be gone. And where would she be then? Heartbroken. She shook her head. Why should she be left heartbroken when they weren't even together? What was she thinking, fawning over this guy? Just because he took her on a walk through a boulevard of cherry blossoms, and made her smile, and made her feel happy...

I am so in trouble, she decided, hanging her head. Why did he have to be so damn nice to her? And why had he shared such a beautiful day with her? A day that could stand out as the single happiest moment of her short, doomed life.

Swallowing hard, she watched his eyelashes, fluttering softly. Why, she wondered, did she have to find him when she had so little time left?

Yumiko sighed. She had to get a grip. She was terrible at being around people. Just being in the vicinity of this guy was turning her inside out. Maybe he was just showing her kindness. Maybe he didn't even find her attractive. What did she know? Shou seemed to be able to tell what Yumiko was thinking and the best way to make her feel tiny. Maybe she was just really easy to read. And when it came to Shou, she didn't know what to think either. She didn't understand him, how he could do the things he did, how he acted so entitled and arrogant. Was it all an act, or was he really that confident in his abilities? Did he really think he could be a formidable yokai hunter? Even Yumiko had had her doubts growing up, and she'd dedicated her life to the art.

She glanced back at Brian again, and started when she met his open eyes.

"Hey," he greeted with a slow smile. "I didn't mean to startle you."

Yumiko looked away as he sat up and stretched. "We're almost to Tokyo," she said, not knowing how to respond.

"Did you crack open the book at all?" he asked, watching her. She refused to meet his eyes again, but she could feel his gaze on her, willing her to turn hers to him, to face him. She refused to indulge him.

"Not yet," she said. "This book...feels powerful. Almost forbidden. It wasn't meant for my eyes, for human eyes, at all."

"But you have to be curious."

"Of course I am."

Brian grabbed her hand and squeezed it, causing Yumiko to stiffen. A heat crept up her hand from where his skin touched hers, and ran up her arm, warming her whole body. She knew she had to be blushing bright red. Her own body was betraying her when it came to Brian. "I'm right here, next to you. You can trust me, Yumiko. I'll be beside you when you open it."

"Can I trust you?" she finally relented, and lifted her eyes to his. "I'm not sure that I can."

He tilted his head. "You don't mean that."

"I know nothing about you. And things you've said...it's like your words have another meaning beneath them. I don't...I just don't understand you."

"Then understand this: I like you, Yumiko. I'm glad that I met you, and I want to be by your side. I know that you don't understand things, that you don't understand me, but just know that what I feel for you is real. And I hope that you can return the feeling someday."

Yumiko felt like her face was on fire. "Brian, we barely know each other."

"Don't tell me that you haven't felt a connection to me."

"I..." Yumiko hesitated. "I don't know what I feel."

"Then just enjoy being with me," he said. "And trust me when I say that I will never intentionally hurt you."

Yumiko didn't know what to say to that, so she focused on the book on her lap. With a nervous deep breath, she flipped it open.

At first, the pages appeared to be blank. Yellowed pages stared up at her, as if mocking her for the trouble she'd gone through to procure the empty book. Her heart sank and she wondered how she could have been so wrong. She could have sworn that she'd felt something when she'd touched its binding. She turned a page to another blank page, then another, willing some sort of writing to appear, some hidden message. And then kanji began to spread over the pages in flickering blue and orange, as if they'd merely spilled into the book from some unseen source. Yumiko stared as they fell into focus.

"You're seeing this too, right?" Brian asked her, his voice full of awe.

Yumiko nodded and her eyes drank in the words before her. It was a tale of Hyakki Yagyo – The Night Parade of One Hundred Demons. Once every year, during the summer, the yokai Nurarihyon led a precession of yokai across Japan, and anyone in their path died. Allegedly. As far as Yumiko knew, there had never been a Night Parade, but it was a popular folktale. During this time, Master Mori and Yumiko made hundreds of hand-written scrolls that were supposed to protect people. Yumiko felt sort of strange indulging people in this manner, but people seemed to appreciate the scrolls, even if it warded off evil that wasn't actually there. The tale before her presently, however, wasn't so much a recollection of the legend as a call to join the parade. Yumiko blinked at the words as she realized that it confirmed the Night Parade's existence. This book was definitely meant for yokai eyes only. And Madame Mori definitely did not have this book in her library.

Flipping through the pages, Yumiko saw many familiar stories, but written for yokai rather than human consumption. It was strange to lay eyes on stories she was so familiar with, but from such a different perspective. Rather than reading a book on legends and myths Yumiko knew to be true, it read like a strange, magical memoir of a community of people. Spirits and monsters. It was only until she reached the back of the book that she came across a legend that she'd never heard of before. A prophecy.

"What is it?" Brian asked, when he saw Yumiko pale. He leaned closer, trying to read the kanji, but Yumiko cleared her throat and read it aloud to him, softly:

"While the three great evil yokai call their brothers to arms, plotting to overtake the world and make it their own, only one common yokai prophecy stands in their way. Yokai are a diverse people, and while many yearn for war and domination, most are content with cohabitation with humans, and even prefer it. Shuten-Doji insists that yokai can not live together in harmony with humanity, and deserve to take their place as rulers. But the words of yokai seers hold back a tide of yokai from taking up arms, hoping that war in not necessary. Words of peace. For, one day, a human girl will appear, one with a brave soul and keen mind, and a will so radiant that she will melt the heart of a yokai king. It is in her image that humans will be represented. And upon her union with the yokai king, their bond will extinguish the rage and fury of the great evil yokai and their followers, letting the world prosper, ushering in a new era, one of peace."

Yumiko sat still after reading the words, then reread them, letting the prophecy sink in.

"So, good news," Brian said, nodding.

Yumiko could hardly think, the roaring in her ears had grown so loud. "Unless that human girl is going to be devoured by the yokai king to solidify the union."

"Devoured?" Brian frowned. "No. You've got this all wrong."

"Do I?" Yumiko stared at the page in front of her. "It seems clear to me. I'm this girl. Kagami is the yokai king. I was chosen for this fate, to save the world. How can I...how can I deny the world this peace?" She looked to Brian helplessly. "For the world to prosper, I must die."

"You're reading into things," Brian said softly. "Look, let's take this apart piece by piece with what we know, and..." He stopped and stared at Yumiko. "Are you...?"

He reached over and ran a finger over her cheek, and Yumiko was amazed to see his finger come back wet.

Yumiko swallowed hard and swiped at her eyes angrily.

"Yumiko..."

"What?" she snapped, turning on him. "What does it matter? All of the hard work, all of the preparation I've done?" She laughed bitterly. "None of it matters. I have to go through with this. I can't even fight Kagami unless I want to see the planet burn at the hands of Shuten-Doji."

She'd been so caught up in the book that Yumiko hadn't realized that the bullet train had come to a stop until people started to pass them on their way up the aisle to the doors.

"We're here," she mumbled, standing and joining the throng of passengers exiting. She didn't wait to see if Brian followed, although she knew that he was behind her. She made sure that she regained control of her emotions, breathing deeply several times, and letting each breath out calmly and evenly. By the time she stepped out onto the platform, she was able to turn and face Brian again as he rejoined her.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"I'm fine."

He watched her, but didn't push the subject.

She turned on her heel and began walking away from the train station, Brian falling into step alongside her.

"So, what now?" Brian asked after a few minutes of walking.

"I don't know," she answered honestly, too tired to come up with something. She eyed the host club that Shou worked at as they passed by, wondering what he would make of the prophecy.

The sky growled overhead and Yumiko looked up, just in time for the rain to begin pouring.

She gasped, then jogged along the street, squinting through the sudden deluge.

"Well, this sucks," Brian said, keeping up with her. "What else can go wrong?"

"You're tempting fate," she said, then laughed when she looked at him sideways. His hair was flat against the top of his head and dripping into his eyes. His yellow t-shirt was soaked through.

"You look just as wet, you know," he told her, raising his voice to be heard above the roar of water as it pelted the pavement.

Ducking under the awning of a convenience store, Yumiko ran a hand back through her hair to try to smooth out some of the excess water. She watched the rain hit the pavement, windshield wipers furiously whisking the water aside as cars passed them. It was dark and with her clothes wet, she was suddenly much colder than she'd been a moment before. She wrapped her arms around herself and glanced at Brian to see how he was faring. He was also watching the rain, water droplets still running down his face and collecting over his lips. She stared at him for a moment, thinking about how breathtaking he looked, then glanced down, and noted that she could see his skin through his wet shirt, clinging to his chest and abs like paint.

"Maybe they have an umbrella here," he suggested, and she looked up from his body, meeting his steely blue eyes, which watched her with humor. And maybe...hunger?

She turned away and glanced into the convenience store. "Perhaps."

"Or we could wait out the rain."

She turned back to him and he was suddenly much closer than he had been a moment ago. "We could get sushi. There's a place just up the street."

Yumiko smiled. "Are you asking me to dinner, Mr. Mathis?"

"Brian. And yes."

She blinked, and swallowed hard. "I shouldn't. I have my-"

But she was cut off as he leaned in, so close that their lips nearly touched. She held her breath as she felt the heat radiating from his lips, and her eyes flickered up to his own, which were so beautiful that she couldn't help but lean in, and complete the connection.

His lips were soft and tender, and her heart beat loudly in her ears as they consumed her. For a moment, there was nothing but his lips, but the two of them. And then he deepened the kiss and she let him, feeling that if she couldn't get closer to him, she would drown. She felt one of his hands in her hair, and another fitting into the small of her back, and she leaned into him, touching his chest through his wet shirt. A shiver ran through her body at the desire that rushed through her veins.

When he pulled back, Yumiko was both glad and regretful. She looked at his lips, yearning to meet them again, but he turned away and ran a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry," he told her. "I couldn't help myself."

"Neither could I."

He smiled, his dimples making her heart skip. "I'm going to get an umbrella. I'll be right back."

She nodded and turned to gaze out into the rain again, her thoughts not far from the kiss. She had never been kissed, and the sensations were much more intense than she'd expected. She didn't think it could be like that with just anyone though. It was just...she liked Brian. A lot. She'd wanted him more than anything just now. She'd let somebody in, and the world hadn't fallen apart around her.

She smiled to herself, feeling content and happy, even with the weight of the book still in her hands. And then she looked across the street. And froze.

The woman who stood there in the rain, not bothered at all by the downpour, was staring at Yumiko. She wore a gray kimono, her hair sopping wet.

Ame-Onna.

The woman smiled at Yumiko before lifting a hand to her lips and taking two quick licks of rainwater, as if she couldn't help herself. She then turned and disappeared down an alley.

Without thinking, Yumiko took off after her. A car honked angrily as she ran in front of it, briefly illuminated by its headlights before it narrowly avoided hitting her. But she barely noticed. She sprinted down the alley she'd seen Ame-Onna slip into. And watched as the yokai stepped into a mirror leaning against a dumpster.

Yumiko stopped and stared at it a moment before she noted the shadows shifting behind her. She turned and punched a green creature in the throat, and it fell to the ground, gasping, hands at its neck. A kappa.

Her eyes flickered to the indentation on the top of its head, wet from the rain. Kappas' totems were obvious, as it was part of their body, a weakness that was well-known. They died when the indentation dried. But a downpour was an ideal time for them to be out and about, away from running water.

While the creature was down, Yumiko pressed her advantage and stepped on its chest, pinning it. It wore a protective shell, so she knew she was doing no real harm, but it wouldn't be able to get away while she held it in place.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded, glaring into its face.

The kappa stopped struggling and swallowed hard, looking up at her with wild fear in its wide dark eyes. Its beak was open, breaths coming heavy, as if it were afraid for its life, which it most certainly was.

She almost felt sorry for it, it looked so terrified, but she didn't relent. She dug her foot into its chest even harder until it grunted.

"It is only watching over you, child."

Yumiko looked up sharply at the voice. Ame-Onna had reemerged from the mirror and stood with her hands on her hips, watching her.

"Watching me?" Yumiko asked between gritted teeth. "Why?"

"You know why. I watched you through mirrors on that train as you read the prophecy."

Yumiko blinked, then sent a dirty look the kappa's way as it began to struggle harder. When it saw her eyes, it stopped, emitting a small whimper. With a sigh, she let the kappa go, and it scrambled away from her on its knees until it reached Ame-Onna, who helped it to its feet. She gestured for it to go into the mirror, and it complied, then she turned back to Yumiko.

"You have questions," Ame-Onna said.

"No shit."

Ame-Onna smirked. "He was right, you know. You did blossom into a courageous, fiery young woman. He must be pleased."

"I will not let him devour me. I don't care if the world has to burn."

"No?" Ame-Onna chuckled. "I doubt that very much. All you've done since you've come to this world is train to help protect humans from yokai. You care very much for them." She paused and tilted her head. "And why is it that you think that my lord would eat you?"

Yumiko blinked. "I...you said so yourself."

Ame-Onna watched her for a moment. "You will be consumed by him, body and soul. Your entire body will be on fire, you will be so in love with him. He will be your whole world, child. And you, his."

"So...he won't kill me?" She sagged with relief. "If I do this...if I marry him, he will let me go?"

"Let you go?" Ame-Onna frowned. "You will be by his side for eternity."

"In the mirror world," Yumiko concluded. She looked away. "And if I don't want that?"

"Then I won't force you to stay."

Yumiko stiffened at the voice at her back. Her eyes widened as Ame-Onna bowed to the figure behind her, then stepped back through the mirror and disappeared.

Yumiko turned around slowly, eyes not believing what they saw standing before her so clearly.

Brian held his head high. "I told you that I would return for you."
Chapter Thirteen

"No," Yumiko shook her head. "It can't be you."

"Why not?" Brian demanded, taking a step closer to her. "Because you actually like me?" All signs of an accent were gone. He spoke Japanese like he had his entire life.

Yumiko squeezed her eyes shut, recalling the little signs she shouldn't have ignored. How he'd tried to convince her that she was misunderstanding the intention of yokai and the prophecy. How he'd claimed that they were meant for each other, even hinting that he knew her. Of course he knew her - he'd been watching her since she was seven years old!

"Do you have any idea what you put me through?" she asked him, ignoring the rainwater that continued to drip into her eyes. "How you turned my life inside-out?"

"I know," Brian said hesitantly, his voice so understanding that Yumiko wanted to punch him. "I saw it all. I never meant for you to go through those trials. But I can explain everything to you, if you give me a chance."

"I'm not eighteen yet," she protested, taking a step back. "You can't have me yet. I haven't...I haven't had enough time."

"I think you have," he said. "I came to try to ease you into the transition, to make you see things properly. I know you misinterpreted things. I don't want you to be scared. I never did. I was...angry when you rejected me initially, but I understand that you were just a child then. When I first laid eyes on you...everything changed for me. My perspective on life changed. You don't know what you've done to me, Yumiko."

"I have an idea," Yumiko told him, looking away. "Everything changed for me too. My life became a nightmare. A time clock, ticking down to the moment when I would die at your hands."

"Yumiko..."

"I know," she snapped, not daring to meet his eyes. She could imagine the hurt she would see there, given the pleading she heard in his voice. But she just couldn't. Instead, she laughed. "I should have seen it. Turning into a fox on the full moon. Very convenient cover. Inspired by the werewolf myth, were you? Of course, it would take time to figure out what to do with you, since that's not even a thing. And since you claimed to only change once a month, it would be a very easy thing to fake. You must be able to shape-shift?"

"No. I traded places during the night, using a mirror. With a kitsune."

She nodded. "Of course. Very bold using a known trickster as your cover. But appropriate. You're just a different breed of trickster."

"Yumiko, please don't do this. You can't deny what you felt just now."

"I felt betrayal," Yumiko shouted, looking up, eyes fiery. "That's what I felt just now, a dagger buried in my back."

Brian closed his eyes as if she'd slapped him, then opened them to gaze at the murky ground. "I love you, Yumiko. I'm sorry for the pain you've gone through. I want more than anything to make it go away, to take you away from here so that you never have to feel angry or hurt again."

Yumiko clenched her jaw, pushing down any sympathetic emotions threatening to well up. "If I marry you, it will be for the peace it brings. And then I will leave. But I'm not going near you again until I turn eighteen."

"Yumiko..."

"Get out of here. Now."

She looked away, but felt him standing there for a moment, watching her, unsure of how to proceed. She could feel his dejection in the distance between them, but she sloughed off the feelings of sympathy that clawed at her to take notice. She was so angry and sad and stunned that she was nearly shaking.

Brian must have realized that he wasn't going to convince her of anything just then. A minute later, she looked up and he was gone. And everything she'd been holding in bubbled to the surface. She sank to her knees in the rainwater and choked out a cry from deep in her soul. She felt broken, and couldn't stop crying, couldn't get enough air.

Nothing made sense anymore.

She wouldn't be destroyed at the hands of a yokai king. She should have been grateful for that. But she couldn't help but feel a gaping wound in her heart, a loss for the man she'd thought Brian was, when he had merely been yet another monster in the end, the most cruel kind, having pretended to care for her.

Yumiko lost track of time as she headed home. Only when she found herself suddenly standing outside of the front doors, in the night air, damp but no longer raining, did she realize that she'd never asked about her mother. She'd been so caught up in what things meant for herself that she'd forgotten what she'd come home to that day. Her house in disarray, her mother missing. But if Kagami was indeed the noble yokai that he pretended to be, then perhaps her mother hadn't been hurt. More than likely, he had whisked her back to his mirror world, one more reason for Yumiko to give in to him.

"What happened to you?" Reina asked when Yumiko stepped into the library. She stood up from a desk, looking almost frightened.

Shou was there, as well. He frowned when he saw her. "Where's the were-fox?"

Yumiko scoffed. "What were-fox?"

Shou raised an eyebrow, then turned to Reina for an explanation. Reina shrugged in response. "Mr. Mathis?" he specified. "Or do you prefer I call him Brian too?"

"Call him whatever you want."

Reina walked up to Yumiko, concern written on her face. "Yumiko? Did something happen?" Her face darkened. "Did he-?"

Yumiko exhaled loudly. "No, nothing like that. I...just need a little space. I'm tired and...I'll fill you in in the morning, okay?"

"Okay," Reina agreed, looking uncertain. "If you need anything, let me know."

Yumiko saw the look that the two exchanged, but couldn't bring herself to care. She dragged herself up to her room and quickly fell asleep.

***

When Yumiko awakened and looked out of her window, she assumed that she'd slept for a few hours. They sky was still dark, and the rain had returned, its gentle hum offering to lull Yumiko back to sleep, should she desire. But Yumiko felt awake and alert, and wasn't going to let Brian – or Kagami – dictate how she felt. She dressed quickly and went down to the library, forcing an enthusiastic greeting with the Wadas that she didn't feel. On her way, she saw a kappa lingering in the doorway, wide eyes blinking into the harsh light of the sake bar. Yumiko sent it a withering look as she passed it by, and it retreated into the shadows. Brian could send as many minions to watch over her as he liked, but she wasn't going to go along with it happily. Nor was she going to kill the stupid beasts.

She'd been very reliant on her powers over mirrors as a yokai hunter, but of course sending Kagami to the mirror world with her sword wasn't an option. He had more control over that realm than she did. She would have to destroy his totem, whatever that was, or exorcise him traditionally if she was going to defeat him. But did she even want to do that? If the entire world's future hung on this union, could she just turn her back on it? As much as she wanted to, she couldn't do that. Countless people would die because she couldn't stomach the betrayal, the life he'd forced upon her. And that wasn't an option.

Thinking about her mother again, Yumiko was annoyed that she'd thought of Brian as noble, how he wouldn't kill her. She was being too kind to his memory, after what he'd done. If she didn't harden herself to what he was, she might regret it. But then, why couldn't she stop thinking about his lips on hers? About the look of desire on his face? About the shirt that clung to his body in the rain? She shook her head to disperse these thoughts. She was confused. She couldn't think about this now. She wanted to discuss this with Mori to get a fresh perspective, if only she would hurry with her fool's errand.

"There she is," Shou greeted as Yumiko entered the library. "All bright-eyed and bushy-tailed."

Reina stood from her desk. "Yumiko, we were getting worried about you."

Yumiko scowled. "I'm fine."

"You slept for a whole day!"

That gave Yumiko pause. Had she really spent an entire day in bed? She hadn't spent more than six hours asleep for as long as she could remember.

Shou sauntered over to her. "You know, Madame Mori didn't trust Mr. Mathis."

Yumiko frowned. "What do you mean by that?"

"That note you gave me. Mori told me to keep an eye on you, to watch Mr. Mathis. She didn't believe he was who he said he was."

"She could have told me that," Yumiko snapped.

"I think she wanted somebody a little more removed from the situation to see how things played out." Shou wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "The chemistry between the two of you was rather obvious."

"I'm sorry," Reina said, slowly walking over to them. "I thought I was helping. I thought you deserved...someone." She looked away, and Yumiko couldn't help but smile.

"I get it," Yumiko told her. "You were trying to set me up."

Reina looked up shyly and nodded.

"Even though you have terrible taste in men."

Reina's mouth dropped open, and Shou laughed. Yumiko joined him, then sent an apologetic smile her way. "Sorry. But that was a terrible move."

"What happened?" Reina asked.

And Yumiko filled them in over tea. She left out the ways that Brian had been kind and flirtatious. She left out the kiss. But she told them everything else. The further into the story she got, the darker the look on Shou's face. By the time she'd concluded her tale, Shou looked visibly angry, while Reina looked guilty and sad.

"I'm going to kill him," Shou announced.

"Don't be stupid," Yumiko said, then sat back with a sigh. "He's too powerful. And I have to do this."

"It's so tragic," Reina murmured, not looking up from her teacup. "Like an arranged marriage."

"It's screwed up, is what it is," Shou said.

"But," Reina hesitated. "Maybe he does really like you."

Yumiko looked up at the ceiling. "Even if he does, after this, all the lies and deceit...I could never return his feelings."

"He's a monster," Shou said resolutely. "I say we kill him. And if the three evil yokai plan to try to take over the world, we meet them head-on and kill them too. I'd rather fight then watch you marry an evil bastard like Kagami." He turned to Yumiko, eyes hard. "Wouldn't you? Don't you want to fight back?"

Yumiko hesitated. "I don't know what I want. But I can't let people be massacred because I have mixed feelings. Whether I want to or not, I'm going to Kagami when I turn eighteen, for the sake of peace."

"How noble," Shou returned bitterly, the word like a slap in the face, given how Yumiko had been throwing it around.

"What do you care?" Reina asked him. "That will leave you as Mori's sole apprentice. Isn't that what you want?"

Shou blinked. "It's what I deserve. I don't want to be her star pupil by default."

Yumiko's lips twitched and she laid a hand over Shou's. "Thank you."

Shou gazed down at her hand, and seemed to be warring with himself over something that he couldn't give voice to, but it was written all over his face, a range of emotions that Yumiko couldn't interpret.

Yumiko tilted her head, then looked around the room. "Where is Tanuki?"

"I don't know," Reina sighed. "I think I may have chased him off."

"Small favors," Shou murmured.

"He's just gone?" Yumiko frowned.

"I haven't seen him since you left with Brian," Reina shrugged. "Maybe he's around here somewhere and just isn't showing himself to me, but I haven't heard a peep."

"And the Wadas aren't missing any sake," Shou added with a smirk.

"Hello?" a voice called out from the other room. "Madame Mori?"

Yumiko jumped up and traipsed into the library, a smile on her face as she bowed to the woman who stood in the middle of the open space, looking uncertain. Shou and Reina followed, mimicking her welcome. "Greetings," Yumiko said. "My apologies, but Madame Mori is out at the moment. But I am here in her stead. I am Miss Sato, and these are my associates, Mr. Fujiwara and Miss Arai."

The woman, in her early twenties and very pretty, bowed to them, and offered a shaky smile in return. "I am Miss Mie. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt you. I work just a few doors down and I've talked to Madame Mori in passing a few times. I know that she...well, I wanted to warn her."

"Warn her?" Yumiko frowned.

Miss Mie nodded and averted her eyes. "There have been men watching the entrance. I noticed them yesterday. They're in samurai gear and they're..." She hesitated. "There's something wrong with their faces."

Yumiko let out a deep breath. "Thank you for telling us. We will handle this. Go about your business as usual, Miss Mie."

She bowed and turned to leave, but suddenly a form stood in the doorway, blocking her exit. In the shadows of the door, Yumiko couldn't make out any features, but given its height and bulk, she had no doubt that it was an oni.

"Secure them," a female voice ordered from behind the yokai.

Six oni entered the library then, and as their faces came into light, Reina gasped and looked away. Shou brandished a sword, and Yumiko drew hers silently, eyes watching as they filtered into the room, four with blue bloated faces, two red and swollen. Miss Mie stumbled into the room and hid behind Shou, who stood before her protectively. Yumiko would have been annoyed if not for the dire situation.

The oni stopped a few feet shy of them, but it was clear that there was no getting past them. And with six in all, even with Shou's help, it would be pointless to try to fight. It would only take one hit from her mirror sword to dispatch an oni to the mirror world, but likewise, it would only take one strike with the strength of the oni behind it to dismember her as well.

An old woman entered the room after the oni, her skin wrinkled and hair thin. She looked like a witch, her body slightly stooped as she leaned on a cane, a fur coat covering her body. But her eyes were alert and clear, and took in Yumiko with admiration.

"So, here is the mirror girl," the woman said, in a raspy voice. "I'm impressed that you've gone undetected this long. My powers are potent, but you have remained a mystery to me, until you went to collect that book."

Yumiko stiffened. "Who are you?"

"I am the right hand of Shuten-Doji. An oni myself, but with powers beyond your comprehension, girl." She smiled. "My name is Oni-Baba."

"The witch-hag," Yumiko sneered.

"Sticks and stones, Miss Sato," Oni-Baba sniffed. She looked sharply at an oni to her left. "Bring me the snitch. I tire of this form."

One of the red oni stepped forward and eyed Shou warily.

Shou gritted his teeth and stepped into a defensive stance, holding his sword before him defiantly.

The oni swung his sword at Shou, who deflected it with his own, but the oni pushed on the blade with his immense strength and caused Shou to stagger backward. The oni seized the opportunity to chop a hand between Shou's neck and shoulder with such force that it sounded like his collar bone may have snapped. Shou fell to the floor, limp.

Reina covered her mouth with both hands, eyes wide, as the oni grabbed Miss Mie roughly by the arm. Yumiko shifted her stance, planning on stopping the oni herself, but three other oni mirrored her movements threateningly. It would be useless to resist.

Miss Mie cried out and struggled in the oni's grasp, but her efforts were barely noticed by the oni, who shoved her to her knees before Oni-Baba.

Oni-Baba seemed to revel in the girl's terror, and smiled down at her with pleasure. She ran a gnarled hand down Miss. Mie's smooth cheek, almost fondly. "Come now, dear. No one likes a girl with no manners. Your young blood will not go to waste."

And before Yumiko could follow what she planned, Oni-Baba had slashed the girl's throat open with a dagger.

"Ah!" Oni-Baba purred, throwing off her cloak. She slashed at the girl again as the oni held Miss Mie up, and blood splattered over Oni-Baba's sagging breasts and loose flesh, painting her face and torso crimson. The arterial fountain of blood lasted longer than Yumiko would have imagined, and pulsed to life with each beat of Miss Mie's heart, growing weaker until it finally stopped. Then she was tossed aside like a bag of trash, left to spill the remainder of her blood over the hardwood floor. Meanwhile, Oni-Baba dug into her wrinkled flesh and tore it open with a wet ripping sound. She sloughed off her old skin like a snake, revealing firm, young skin and perky breasts. She tore at her face, revealing renewed skin beneath, supple and healthy. Her white hair came away to be replaced by radiant black hair, as if the old skin had been a rubber mask and this was her true form.

"Much better," Oni-Baba said, sighing, as the same oni as before helped her shrug back into her fur cloak.

Yumiko recognized the woman's black eyes, with red irises, and the cruel set of her mouth, but otherwise, she was a beautiful young woman now, boasting a slim waist and delicate features. Yumiko's eyes darted to Miss Mie's crumpled form, and she mourned the loss. She had been an innocent bystander who had merely been doing what she felt was right, and she'd paid with her life. Yumiko looked up from the pile of discarded flesh that Oni-Baba had left behind and met the woman's cold eyes.

"Now that we have that unpleasantry behind us, let's get down to business," Oni-Baba said, crossing her arms.

"What do you want?" Yumiko snarled.

"You're a feisty one, aren't you?" Oni-Baba noted. "I like that. But it won't save you in the end. You see, not all yokai want this peace to come about. We will not stand by while this union takes place, forcing us back into the shadows. And if Kagami has no bride, we have nothing to worry about." She shrugged and grinned. "It's as simple as that."

Yumiko swallowed hard. "What would you have me do?"

Oni-Baba chuckled. "You mistake this for a negotiation, my dear, when it is an execution." She nodded to the oni and stepped back to watch as they marched forward.

"Yumiko..." Reina said, shrinking back. "You can take them, right?"

Yumiko didn't answer. She held her head high, and kept a steady grip on her sword. She wouldn't go to her death without a glorious fight. But death, she was certain, would come for her.
Chapter Fourteen

The moment before the oni crossed their blades with hers, Yumiko felt regret. The kiss she'd shared with Brian flashed before her eyes. Had that been the single best moment of her life? Or had it been the walk along the lane of cherry blossom trees? Or waking up on the train with his head on her shoulder? She'd been blissfully unaware of anything else during those moments, and they all had one common theme, as much as she tried to deny it.

As she held up her sword to deflect the blade of the first oni, a rushing sound filled the air. Yumiko didn't let herself get distracted, but took advantage as the oni did. She sliced its arm, and it disappeared. This got the other onis' attention however, and they renewed their focus on her. Yumiko was faster than the yokai she faced, but she found that with two of them closing in on her, it took all she had to block their blows, and still more were coming.

Then she noticed the smoke. It didn't come with a burning smell, which was her first instinct of what its source could be, but was heavy and smelled of coal. In a moment, the room was so thick with blinding gray, that Yumiko easily dodged the blades of her adversaries, ducking low to the floor, where the air was cleaner. Apparently, the oni weren't very flexible, for they didn't follow her lead. That, or they were just confused or stupid. Whatever the reason, Yumiko pressed her advantage and took out the two oni near her with swift blows to their legs.

Glancing toward the door, Yumiko saw several figures enter the room through the haze, and hop in the direction of the remaining oni. Kappa. Of course Kagami had come to the rescue. He had to protect his delicate fiancee. She looked up to see a ghost-like figure floating overhead, causing the smoke in the room to thicken. Another yokai. Enenra. He was made of smoke, so that mystery was solved. And she had to admit that using him in this situation was a rather good strategy. The oni were only powerful if they could see what they were fighting. And scanning the room, she saw that with the sense of sight removed, they were easy pickings for the kappa, even if the kappa were significantly weaker. They were knocking oni down left and right, pummeling them, and dancing out of the way of blows. And even if they were no match for the oni's strength, they were still much stronger than they appeared. One kappa leapt onto the chest of an oni that fell to the ground with a roar, and quickly turned its neck nearly all the way around with a loud snapping noise. They almost made defeating the oni look easy.

Yumiko's eyes narrowed as she saw the form of Oni-Baba escape through the door, and she leapt at the chance to follow. She was intercepted, however.

Blinking, she stared into Brian's face, who looked resolved, his arms crossed over his chest. His sudden appearance startled Yumiko, and sent her heartbeat racing. But she was also resolved, and clenched her sword tighter.

"Get out of my way," she ordered.

"No," Brian replied. A cheek muscle flickered, and Yumiko realized that this was painful for him. It gave her pause.

"Kagami, I-"

She gasped as she felt pressure in the back of her neck. She slapped her hand over her flesh and felt a syringe come away. Her vision immediately began to fade and her muscles became heavy. She heard her sword hit the ground but didn't feel herself let it go.

"Please, call me Brian," he said, looking at her sadly as she fell to her knees. "And I'm sorry. But this is my mess. They found you because I wanted you to know the truth, so you wouldn't hurt anymore. And I'm going to make sure that you're safe until I fix this."

Yumiko's vision blurred, then turned black all at once.

Yumiko was twelve and fell to the floor with Mori's chest heaving over her. Mori watched her for a moment, and Yumiko couldn't help but glare at the woman. "I never beat you."

"That's because you're so full of hate and anger," Mori replied. She held out a hand to help Yumiko up with a grunt.

"You said that anger was good," Yumiko protested, wiping the sweat from her brow and getting a better grip on the wooden sword she was using during practice.

"It is," Mori acknowledged. "It keeps you going. It drives you. But you can't feed off of anger alone. It won't nourish you. You won't win when you burn with hate. It makes you sloppy and it blinds you."

Yumiko scoffed and circled Mori, taking a swing that Mori dodged easily. "Then what do you suggest? I pick wildflowers and skip around a meadow?"

With a smirk, Mori attacked Yumiko with three successive strikes, which Yumiko was able to block, but just barely. On the last block, she'd felt her sword slip in her grasp. She tightened it again as she fell back into a defensive stance.

"This is nothing to joke about," Mori said. "When you face Kagami, do you expect you'll best him if you come at him hard and fast? If you channel all of the pain and hate that you've been feeling into your blade? No, Yumiko. That is not how you win."

"Okay," Yumiko said, watching Mori's hands for any indication of her next move. "Then what will help me defeat Kagami?"

"Focus," Mori replied with a shrug. "Instead of fighting with your mind and all that rage that you have pushing you on, fight from your heart, from your soul. Feel out your opponent, intuit their intentions. Because if all you are is anger, you may as well be a monkey shaking a stick at him." And with that, Mori swept her sword at Yumiko's legs. Yumiko leapt and flew at Mori with the intent of landing a blow. Mori had guessed her move, however, and stepped out of her way, following Yumiko's vulnerable body as she sailed past her and smacking Yumiko across the back with her sword. Yumiko imagined that the blow was harder than it needed to be, for she fell onto the mat with a loud grunt, her sword flying from her hand and clattering across the floor.

Yumiko sighed and turned to be helped up by Mori, who looked her up and down. She gestured to Yumiko's sword, lying at the base of the far wall. "Again."

With a gasp, the memory dispersed, and Yumiko opened her eyes to stare up at the ceiling of her room. She winced as she stood, since her head was throbbing slightly. Recalling the syringe, she touched the back of her neck, which was still tender, and cursed.

She looked around her room, and frowned as her hand went to her waist. Her sword wasn't on her. Why would Brian take her sword? Did he think she would try to harm him? She smirked, realizing that she would probably at least try, given this stunt. Who did he think she was anyway? She wasn't some helpless damsel in distress. Sure, she'd needed a little assistance with the oni, but she could hold her own against whatever he had planned to stop further movement against her. She could have taken out that witch Oni-Baba with little trouble, she was sure.

A glance at the window told her that it was still dark outside, so not much time could have passed. She wondered what had gone on downstairs. And what of Reina and Shou? She walked over to the door and pulled on the handle, frowning when it didn't open. She yanked harder, then let go with a sigh. She was locked in her own room? Brian was going to have to do a hell of a lot better than that to keep her out of the fight.

Her head still throbbed, so she went into the bathroom as she decided her next move. She turned the faucet on, then stiffened, hands hovering over the water she had been about to throw into her face to slough off the lingering fog from her head. She stared at the water as it swirled in the sink, running down the drain in a counter-clockwise pool.

It made no sound.

Her eyes widened as she turned the faucet off, and was met with the same silence as before. Nothing came to her ears aside from the sounds of her own breathing and her own heartbeat. She cocked her head, realizing that the door handle hadn't made any sound earlier when she'd jiggled it.

She stepped out of the bathroom and stared around her living space, acknowledging the truth.

She was in the mirror world.

With a deep, shuddering breath, Yumiko walked back over to the door and yanked on it again, then pulled on it harder. She stepped back and stared at it, her hands going to her hair as she looked around wildly for something to get past the obstacle.

She eyed the screws in the handle and nodded to herself. She would just have to take it apart. She returned a moment later with a screwdriver and got to work. It was slow and tedious, and with each minute, her resentment built. Brian had been clever, she'd give him that. But this was not going to deter her. She would get out of this place and she would kick his butt along with the evil yokai.

When she finally got the door open, she shoved the door aside and left it hanging open, not caring if anyone went into this sanctuary that looked like hers, but wasn't. She had no mirror in her room, otherwise she could have easily slipped back into the real world. And that was why she didn't have her mirror sword, she realized. She chuckled and shook her head. She almost had to admire the move. Almost.

She took the elevator down to the first floor of the love hotel, just like she normally would, and paused at the glass doors leading outside. They were boarded over with heavy-looking wood. She considered them for a moment, then moved on, walking through the empty sake bar. When she reached the library, she wondered why she'd even bothered to check there. The oni hadn't attacked them in the mirror world. And, of course, the mirror by the door was missing. She looked around nonetheless, and thought carefully about mirrors. Where were they? She was so used to avoiding them, and Mori had very few on hand. She tapped her lower lip, then went back down the hallway leading to the sake bar. She turned into the women's restroom and stared at the small mirror over the sink. Or rather, the place where the mirror used to be. It was now empty, framing a blank back panel. Just to be thorough, she checked the men's room, but it was the same there.

"I am going to kill him," Yumiko decided, then raised her voice. "You hear me, Brian? I am going to gut you for this!"

She sighed. Yelling had made her feel a little better, but she still felt caged. She needed to come up with a plan of escape. And preferably, before she turned eighteen. Tilting her head, she looked up at the fluorescent light that flickered in the hallway, just like in the real world. For the mirror world to have so much detail, somehow mirrors had to have been introduced into the building. Into her room. She frowned, wondering if he'd been sneaking around with a mirror over the past month, absorbing everything, filling in the gaps of the mirror world. Would this have just been a blank space in the mirror world otherwise? And did this mean that everything in the mirror world also existed in the real world? Even Kagami's castle?

She shook her head. Answers would have to wait. Right now, she had to find a way out.

She turned the corner into the sake bar and jumped as she nearly ran into Reina.

"Oh, thank god," Reina gasped, then threw her arms around Yumiko, who awkwardly patted her on the back in response. "I thought I was alone here. It's..." She pulled back and looked around them. "Nothing makes any sound here. I mean, nothing but me. And you. I could hear you screaming from up the hall."

"Oh," Yumiko bit her lip. "Sorry about that."

Reina shrugged, and looked past her. "The windows are all boarded up. At least the ones on the first few floors."

"So I noticed," Yumiko sighed. She frowned as they returned to the boarded-up entryway. She stared at it while Reina pushed on the boards. They had been solidly installed. "I'm sure we can find something to tear this down, but it'll take time."

"This is the mirror world, isn't it?" Reina asked.

"Yes. It is."

"So, can't you just take us through a mirror to get us out of here?"

Yumiko nodded. "I'm sure there are plenty of mirrors through that door. But searching for one may even take some time. In here..." She cocked her head. "They had to have gotten us in here somehow. And they mean to come back for us. There must be a mirror around here someplace."

Reina brightened. "The restrooms!"

"I already checked."

Frowning, Reina looked through the glass door into the love hotel. "Well, I'm sure that some of the hotel rooms have mirrors."

"Of course," Yumiko agreed, recalling the mirror she'd used in the nurse's office to dispatch The Slit-Mouthed Woman. "Let's go."

Reina followed her into the hotel, where Reina grabbed a ring of keys from the counter before heading into the elevator.

"What other rooms have mirrors besides the nurse's office?" Yumiko asked.

Reina pursed her lips as she thought. "The island retreat might. And maybe the carnival. I think there are mirrors on the carousel."

"Good," Yumiko nodded as the doors opened. "We'll check them all." She stopped in front of the door to the nurse's office while Reina sorted through the ring of keys for the right one. After a minute, Yumiko frowned at her. "What's taking so long?"

"It's not here," Reina told her, stopping to stare dumbly down at the keys. "I've been through them three times. I can't find the key to this room."

"Then we must be on the right trail," Yumiko observed. She stepped back and looked at the door. It seemed very sturdy.

"You girls might as well give up now," a voice on the other side of the door advised.

Yumiko and Reina exchanged looks.

"Who's there?" Reina demanded, pressing her head against the wood grain, as if to hear better.

"The only mirror in this place is in this room," the voice continued. "And if you try to get in here, I'll smash it to pieces."

Reina wrinkled her nose and pushed herself away from the door. "Tanuki? Is that you in there?"

"You got it, toots," Tanuki's voice replied. "And I'm sorry, but you girls aren't going anywhere."
Chapter Fifteen

The only weapons that Yumiko could find were the wooden swords that they used for practice, which would make getting out much more difficult and tedious.

"Why are they doing this?" Reina asked as they ascended the elevator to the nurse's office once more.

"They think they're protecting us," Yumiko said, as if the words she was speaking were distasteful.

Reina considered. "Well, I can't say I can fault them there. Those oni were scary as hell. I thought we were going to die for sure." She winced under the withering look Yumiko sent her. "No offense. I know you're all...girl power and Miss Independent, but you can't do everything yourself. Sometimes you need help."

"Exactly," Yumiko agreed. "And Brian is denying my aid."

The elevator door opened and they walked purposefully up to the nurse's office.

"Is Shou with Brian?" Yumiko demanded, speaking into the wood of the closed door.

There was silence, and then "maybe."

Yumiko swore. "That traitor."

Reina leaned against the wall and slid down it to the floor. "I'm sorry I was mean to you, Tanuki."

"That's quite alright," Tanuki replied.

"If you open the door, I'll let you cop a feel."

Yumiko rolled her eyes at the same time that Tanuki scoffed.

"Why are you doing this?" Yumiko asked. She leaned her forehead against the door frame and slapped the wooden sword against the wall, satisfied that it made no noise.

"Because this isn't your fight."

"It's not Shou's either," Yumiko argued.

"No, it's not," Tanuki agreed. "But this is his choice. Reina has no fighting skills. She would only get in the way."

"Thanks a lot," Reina mumbled.

"And you, Yumiko," Tanuki continued. "You're too valuable. If you're killed, this is all over."

"And what if Brian is killed?" she challenged. "It takes a bride and a groom for a union."

Tanuki was silent for a moment. "He can handle himself."

"So can I!" Yumiko shouted, slamming the door with her fist. It made no sound, but the door trembled ever so slightly under her weight. She hoped that the sight frightened Tanuki.

Reina stood up quickly and ripped part of her sleeve off. She tied it around Yumiko's knuckles, which had been cut open when she'd punched the door. Yumiko stared at the cloth as the blood soaked through it slowly. She welcomed the sting it produced. Without sound, she felt almost like she was in some sort of void, a nightmare. At least the cuts gave her something to focus on. Pain.

"Remember when you first arrived?" Yumiko asked through the door. "You were exploring everything, interested in every little thing that me and Mori did."

"I remember," Tanuki said quietly.

"We welcomed you into our home without question."

"Oh, there were questions," Tanuki recalled. "I remember Mori telling you to throw me into a mirror."

Yumiko smirked. "Yeah. I remember that too." She was quiet for a moment, then her mouth twitched at the corners. "But you were a constant friend for me when I had none. And I trusted you. You could be a handful at times, but I trusted you with my life."

"Right back at you," Tanuki said.

"Then trust me now. This is wrong. Brian is wrong. We can't beat this by being separated, by shoving me into a drawer and locking it closed. This is my battle too, Tanuki. Please. Let me have this."

Tanuki didn't reply for a moment. "You can be very convincing when you want to be" was all he said.

Yumiko sighed and stared at the door, willing it to open. What could she do to convince him? What were the right words to make him understand?

"So, you work for Brian?" Reina asked. "Like, this whole time?"

Yumiko blinked. "Of course. He had you watch me, didn't he? He sent you here."

"I'm sorry, Yumiko," Tanuki said, his admission of guilt.

"You were using mirrors to complete the image of this building for this world," Yumiko accused.

"No. The mirror world doesn't work like that. It can fill in images through walls, see the insides of things. It gets the visuals down perfectly. It just can't get other things right. Like noise. You must have noticed that."

"Yet Brian speaks."

"Yeah. Magic, right? Obviously when it copies a living thing, it isn't bound by the same rules as inanimate objects. Maybe because it copies the vocal cords exactly? Who knows? I'm sure Brian appreciates it. It would be hard to win you over without saying a word."

"It's proving difficult with a voice." Yumiko gnashed her teeth, mad at herself for not seeing this sooner. "I really should have thrown you through that mirror."

Reina bit her lip and looked away, and Yumiko stomped to the end of the hall, taking lungfuls of air to calm herself down. She stared at the closed elevator doors and recalled how Tanuki had jumped into the fray when she'd battled with The Slit-Mouthed Woman. He hadn't hesitated to help her out. He hadn't worried about getting hurt in the process. He had done it for her, to keep her safe. Just like what he was doing now was what he thought was in her best interest. That was what friends did.

She sighed, thinking of Brian, of how he was trying to protect her, misguided as he was. And then she thought of his lips again. She leaned forward and yanked on her hair, concentrating on the pain. She didn't want to feel sympathetic for the creature who'd destroyed her life, who demanded her hand. But she couldn't help herself. Whether she wanted to admit it to herself or not, she liked Brian.

Lifting her head, she looked up the corridor to where Reina was trying to tempt Tanuki with a bottle of sake. For a moment, Yumiko felt hopeful that it might work, given the yokai's affection for alcohol, but then she scowled. "It won't have any taste."

Reina paused and glanced down at the bottle in her hand. She pulled out the stopper and sniffed it. "Doesn't smell either." She took a sip. "Yep. No taste." She leaned back against the wall and set down the bottle. "Man, this world blows."

Yumiko approached her slowly, then cocked her head. "Of course, the effects are the same, even without taste. It'll be nice and warm as it goes down, and sits in your stomach. Makes you feel numb and fuzzy."

Reina looked down at the bottle and picked it up again. "Huh. You'd need something like that to make it in this place."

Yumiko waited for Tanuki to say something in response, but he didn't. She considered her next move. Maybe she could cut herself, exaggerate the extent of the wound. He wouldn't let her bleed to death. And he wouldn't smash the mirror if she needed a hospital. She looked down at her knuckles that were already bleeding, and wondered if it would work.

"Alright, alright!" Tanuki shouted. "I give!"

Yumiko blinked as Reina looked up at her, astonished. It couldn't be that easy, could it?

"What? Really?" Reina stood up.

The door unlocked and Tanuki peeked out. "Just don't hate me, okay? I was doing what I thought was best."

"Like spying on me and pretending to be my friend?" Yumiko demanded, pushing the door open wider. The nurse's office looked just like before, with the same full-length mirror standing in the corner, gleaming in the light, as if with mischief.

Tanuki looked hurt. "I am your friend."

Yumiko ignored him and watched Reina hand the sake to Tanuki, who began to drink it greedily. "You ready?"

Reina nodded, but Tanuki grabbed her leg, stopping her.

"Nope. She stays here," Tanuki said.

"What?" Reina frowned down at him.

"The deal was for you and you alone," Tanuki said to Yumiko. "You can't let Reina get involved in this."

"That's sweet," Reina said, patting him on the head. "But there's no way I'm going to stay here with a perverted little beast like you."

"Yumiko," Tanuki looked at her.

Yumiko sighed. "Look, Reina. Maybe it would be best for you to stay here."

Reina scowled.

"Hear me out," Yumiko told her, throwing her hands up in defense. "You don't have the skills to defend yourself like me or Shou. You could get hurt. If you don't want to be caught in the middle of this, you should stay here. However, I know what it's like to be taken out of the fight unwillingly. From firsthand experience." She stopped to glare at Tanuki before turning back to Reina. "So, the choice is yours. Although I would recommend you stay here until things settle down."

Reina chewed on her lower lip. "And what if something happens to you and Brian? I can't just walk back into the real world like you can. I'd be stuck here."

"Would you?" Yumiko frowned, thoughtful. "I wonder. Try it."

Reina opened her mouth, then closed it. "You mean I should...see if I can walk into the mirror?"

"Yes."

Reina looked doubtful, but walked over to Yumiko and stared at the surface of the mirror. "How does it work?"

Yumiko smirked. "You put your hand to the surface, and it should go right through it."

"That's it?"

"That's it."

Reina looked down at her hand for a moment, then up at Yumiko with a little half-laugh. She put the palm of her hand up against the surface of the mirror. Then she pushed it into the glass.

And nothing happened.

Yumiko frowned as Reina pulled her hand back, leaving a smudge of oil behind on the surface.

"Well, that didn't work," Reina shrugged. "I guess you're taking me back with you."

Yumiko touched the mirror and felt her hand go through it to the real world just like it normally did. Was Reina not able to do the same because she wasn't the chosen bride of Kagami? Or had Kagami merely given Yumiko that gift?

She glanced back at Tanuki. "You coming? The sake tastes a hell of a lot better where we're going."

Tanuki looked down at the bottle in his hands, then set it down with a sigh. "Just don't let Brian kill me."

"No promises there."
Chapter Sixteen

"Shou is our top priority," Yumiko heard Brian say as she paused outside of the library. "If all else fails, we will retrieve him. We've caused enough harm here."

"That's going to leave you vulnerable," a male voice said.

"Then it leaves me vulnerable. I have no other options."

"Yes, you do. The boy means nothing. You could leave him."

There was a pause. "That's not our way, Enenra. A human life is precious."

Yumiko frowned and pushed through the beaded curtain. All conversation stopped as she rounded the corner, Reina and Tanuki behind her.

Brian leaned back against Madame Mori's desk, facing half a dozen kappa, who knelt before him, and a man who was gray, from head to toe. His t-shirt, his jeans, his shoes – all gray. As was his skin and the ruffled hair atop his head, like he'd stepped out of a black-and-white movie. Otherwise, he appeared to be a rather good-looking teenager with high cheekbones, full lips and a lean build. His smooth skin, coupled with the drab color, gave the impression that he was made out of stone, but at a closer look, little black threads swirled beneath the surface of his skin, making him look more like he'd been chiseled from marble. But Yumiko hardly noticed the others in the room. Her eyes zeroed in on Brian. He looked confident in his role over the others, his head held high, his eyes serious and commanding. Yumiko felt her heart rate pick up and she averted her eyes.

"What are you doing here?" Brian sighed, crossing his arms. He glowered at Tanuki. "You had one job."

"And I will not be held against my will," Yumiko said defiantly, lifting her head. "Don't blame your pet."

"Hey!" Tanuki protested. He shook his head and looked away. "Sorry, boss. She's rather persuasive."

"It was the sake, wasn't it?" Brian asked.

"Of course it was the sake," Reina chirped. She stepped forward angrily and jabbed a finger at his chest. "You are one sexist jerk to think that we can't handle this. Just because you're some yokai king doesn't give you the right to decide who will fight and who gets left behind in some...pocket dimension."

"Pocket dimension?" Brian grinned, making Reina scowl.

"I like this one," the gray man said, appraising Reina. "She's feisty. She will be a good match for you, my lord."

Brian blinked. "Ah, no. This is Miss Arai. The other girl is Miss Sato."

"Miss Arai," the gray man purred, walking around her and looking her up and down. Little wisps of smoke swirled in his wake, like dust motes taking to the air.

"It's Reina," Reina snapped. "Who are you?"

"That's Enenra," Yumiko said, walking over to stand beside her. "The yokai who filled the room with smoke. He's made of the stuff."

Reina looked Enenra up and down. "Too bad."

Enenra smiled slowly. "I'll take this one."

"Humans are not prizes," Brian told him gruffly.

"No?" Yumiko asked him with a challenging look. "Sure feels like that to me."

Brian ran a hand back through his hair. "Yumiko...I'm sorry about all of this. I would like the chance to explain things to you properly."

Reina scoffed. "You're going to explain holding her captive? I would like to hear this too."

"It was...for your own good. This is a fight between me and mine, and Shuten-Doji. If you are anywhere accessible to him, he will hunt you down until he has you." He looked at Yumiko pointedly. "He will kill Yumiko. That is his main goal."

Yumiko pursed her lips, and decided to shift topics. "What's this about Shou?"

Brian let out a deep breath. "He has been captured by Shuten-Doji's oni."

"So much for the men doing all the fighting," Reina said.

"This isn't about..." Brian shook his head helplessly. "I would have had Shou join you if he hadn't been captured. I didn't want any bystanders hurt."

"Well, I am not a bystander," Yumiko declared, standing tall and meeting Brian's gaze with conviction. "This battle is over me. I am at its heart, and I have the right to fight."

Brian held her eye. "You do. I am sorry for making that decision for you. It's just that if you are killed, it's all over. I couldn't bear it." He hesitated and looked away. "The world will fall under Shuten-Doji's rule if you die."

"You're just as vulnerable," Yumiko challenged him.

"But I know what I'm getting myself into," Brian insisted.

"Boss, let her fight," Tanuki spoke up. "It's who she is. If you don't let her do this, she'll never forgive you."

Brian looked at Tanuki warily, then turned to Yumiko. "Miss Sato, you can do whatever you wish. I won't stand in your way. I just...hope that we can work together and be smart about strategizing."

Yumiko glanced over at the kappa, still on their knees and staring forward, but obviously hanging on every word. Enenra made no show of pretending. He was enjoying the exchange with a cocky grin on his face.

"I will work with you to get Shou back," Yumiko said carefully. "After that, I want you gone. I...will do what I must when I turn eighteen, but not a moment sooner."

Enenra scowled. "Foolish girl. If you marry now, this whole thing will be over."

"No, it won't," Brian clarified. "I can have her in my domain until she turns eighteen, and keep her protected from attack, but only at that age will she be free to make her intentions clear by yokai law."

"We have to keep her safe until that day," Ame-Onna said, stepping out of the ante-chamber and bowing to Yumiko. "Or we will suffer dark days." She walked up to Yumiko. "Madame Mori is on the phone. She wishes to speak to you."

Yumiko nodded, and swept past her. She paused beside Brian. "Whatever your intentions, never do that again, or I won't marry you, consequences be damned."

Brian nodded weakly and looked away as Yumiko proceeded to the antechamber.

Once inside, she slid the paper door closed for privacy and took a calming breath. She almost felt sorry for Brian. She understood why he'd done what he had, but she had to make it clear that she wouldn't allow such behavior again. She had to be able to trust that he wouldn't up and stow her away at any hint of danger.

It was odd to see so many yokai in the library, when she'd spent so much of her life tracking them down and dispatching them. She felt a flutter of panic in her stomach as she wondered how Mori would react.

Licking her lips nervously, Yumiko picked up the phone and touched the receiver to her ear. "Sensei," she said, by way of greeting. "It is good to hear from you."

"Yumiko," Mori said, sighing. "Who was that on the phone before?"

She decided that truth was the best option. "Ame-Onna."

Mori was silent for a moment. "So, Brian is Kagami, after all."

Yumiko bit her lip. "Yes. Why didn't you make me aware of your suspicions?"

Mori chuckled. "I had to make sure. I could tell how you felt about him."

Blushing, Yumiko was glad that Mori couldn't see her. Yumiko had assumed she'd kept her feelings hidden well, but obviously that hadn't been the case. "Yet you told Shou."

"I felt it best to keep someone informed who could watch over you," Mori explained. "And I confirmed my suspicions shortly after I landed. I...have other news to share, but I would like to discuss them with you when I'm back in Tokyo."

"We have things that must be done here anyway," Yumiko said carefully, deciding that she wouldn't worry Mori with Shou's abduction for now. "When will you arrive?"

"I will be boarding a flight back shortly. Please, Yumiko, stay safe until I arrive. I hesitate in saying this, but perhaps it would be best to let Kagami see to your safety."

Yumiko blinked, then pulled the phone from her ear and stared at it for a moment. Was Mori really telling her that she should entrust a yokai with her life?

"Yumiko?"

"I will discuss our next move with Mr. Mathis," Yumiko told her. "I will see you soon."

"Yes. Be careful."

After Mori hung up, Yumiko slowly replaced the receiver and sat, thinking for a minute. It was strange the way things had turned out. She never would have imagined her life being thrown into such chaos a month ago. Her whole life had been upended once, but this was something else entirely. This had worldwide consequences. This meant life and death for countless people. She was starting to feel the pressure, when she'd been completely ignorant of her role a few days ago.

"Where are they holding Shou?" Yumiko asked as she stepped back into the library.

Brian turned toward her. "There's one way to find out."

Yumiko frowned, wondering what he was alluding to. And then she recalled that he could see everything happening around the world through his mirrors.

"The Hall of Mirrors," Ame-Onna stated. "You will find your answers there."

Yumiko nodded and met Brian's eyes before quickly looking away. Since she was seven-years-old, she'd prepared to fight Kagami, for the right to live, for her immortal soul. And now she'd come to find that she wouldn't have to do that. But never in a million years had she thought that she would willingly return to the place where she'd been spirited away.

"Very well," Yumiko said, the slightest wavering audible in her voice.

Brian continued to watch her, but she refused to look up into his eyes and let him know how he affected her. "Alright, Miss Sato. Please, lead us to a gateway."

Yumiko turned on her heel. "The restroom mirror will do."
Chapter Seventeen

Yumiko's first meeting with Kagami when she was seven-years-old ran through her mind as she stepped through the mirror. Looking up into the face of the man from her memory, she now clearly saw Brian's features in the shadows of the jingasa the yokai king had worn: the planes of his cheekbones, the curve of his lips. His face suddenly fell into focus, like the image in a telescope sharpening. A decade of fear lay behind her and now she walked alongside the man who'd instilled such fear in her. And to top it off, she felt...something for him, deep in her breast. Things had not turned out as she'd imagined they would. But then, they rarely did.

When she came out of the mirror on the mountain path, she didn't dare breathe. She stood frozen as her eyes absorbed the area. It was covered in snow, as before, and the winding path was worn down with muddy slush. Again, she had no sense of temperature, and she didn't hear a sound aside from the breathing of the others as they followed her. But it felt so surreal to be there, like she'd stepped into a dream that shouldn't exist. Everything looked nearly the same as she remembered it.

"I've been so afraid of this place," Yumiko breathed.

"You needn't be afraid," Brian said softly from beside her.

She looked up into his kind blue eyes and felt her heart stutter. She was trying very hard to stay mad at him, but he was so well-intentioned, and just so damn cute. She lowered her eyes. "I was always afraid when I passed through a mirror that I might end up here someday. But instead, the mirrors always brought me to the most beautiful places."

"I...wanted you to know that there was beauty here. I wanted to show you that this place was nothing to fear. Obviously, I failed." He stepped away from her, and Yumiko almost reached out to stop him, to tell him that she should have seen it. But she didn't. She let her hand drop and she looked back as Tanuki shook his fur out.

"I hate that way of traveling," Tanuki murmured.

"So, this place exists in the real world then," Yumiko said, gazing around at the sky. "I mean, it must if my apartment exists here."

"Yep. It's Shuten-Doji's castle on Mount Ooe."

"Of course," Yumiko nodded. Why wouldn't Shuten-Doji's reflection occupy the same place in the mirror world? It probably seemed only natural to Brian that he should settle down here. "Is that where they're holding Shou?"

"Doubtful. Shuten-Doji's no fool. He doesn't have mirrors on Mount Ooe. And if he's using Shou as bait, he's going to want to show him off."

"So, it's a trap."

"Of course."

Yumiko processed this, wondering what Brian was thinking for a plan of attack. She looked up the slope to see him walking ahead of the kappa confidently. She stared at his back, as if she would be able to read his mind that way.

"Wow!" Reina breathed behind her as she stepped out of the mirror alongside Ame-Onna. "So pretty!"

Yumiko turned to see the girl looking around with rapture, then narrowed her eyes as a pair of kappa stepped through. "How come the kappa can walk through the mirror without a guide?"

"They are water-based yokai," Ame-Onna answered, sidling up to her.

Yumiko glanced at her. "Like you."

Ame-Onna bowed her head in answer.

"Because water can cast reflections?" Yumiko hazarded a guess.

"Quite right," Ame-Onna replied, smiling as she looked up at Yumiko. The yokai was more beautiful than she remembered. She had smooth skin and kind eyes. No wonder Yumiko had been so trusting of her as a child.

"It's weird," Reina said as they began to follow the procession up the mountain slope. "It's like one of those sensory deprivation chambers here. I can't feel the cold. I don't smell anything. And aside from our voices, there's nothing. Just a big vacuum." She tilted her head. "But it is beautiful."

"Made ever the more beautiful by your lovely presence," Tanuki added, looking up at her with a sly smile.

Reina rolled her eyes. "Don't think I forgot what a perv you are just because you got us out of that mirror building."

"You'll be won over by my charming personality soon enough, my sweet water lily."

Reina turned to Yumiko so that Tanuki couldn't see and stuck her finger down her throat mockingly. Yumiko ignored the both of them and turned her head to the side to find Enenra staring at her.

"Enenra," she said softly.

He grinned at her, continuing to stare.

Yumiko frowned. "What is it?"

"I'm just trying to figure out what makes you so special," he said bluntly. "You have a rather pleasing humanoid figure, I suppose."

Reina snorted. "She's probably the prettiest girl I've ever met."

"She's definitely the prettiest I've met," Tanuki said. "Can you blame me for hanging around?"

"Hey, what about me?" Reina protested, stopping to glare at Tanuki. "I thought I was pretty!"

"You are! Just not Yumiko-pretty."

Reina crossed her arms and scoffed.

Tanuki rubbed his torso against her leg as he passed by her. "But don't worry, my little tulip, you've captured my heart."

Reina pretended to try to kick him, but Yumiko could tell her foot intentionally went wide. "I think what you're trying to say is that you're not picky."

"Ah, you understand me so well," Tanuki grinned up at her. "We're going to make quite the pair."

Yumiko felt her hair catch on something and put her hand up to find fingers near her temple. She flinched and pulled back to see Enenra rubbing a strand of her hair through his fingers. "What?" she demanded, yanking it away from him.

"It's strange," Enenra said. "Why does your hair only grow on top of your head?"

With a sigh, Yumiko turned her back on him without a reply. His hand had felt solid enough for someone made of smoke, so he must be able to change his mass as well as shape. Probably a good thing to keep in the back of her mind.

Soon, the castle came into view and Reina grabbed Yumiko's arm. Yumiko thought that the sight of it had instilled fear in her friend, but when she turned to Reina, her eyes were wide and sparkling, admiring. Yumiko recalled having a similar initial reaction, but it had been so lonely and foreign within its walls that she'd wanted nothing more than to go home.

As they passed over the drawbridge and swept through the courtyard, there was a notable difference from the last time she'd been there, a decade ago. It wasn't merely a silent, beautiful tomb. It was bustling with people. Everywhere she looked, Yumiko saw people strolling the cobblestone streets and stopping at little stores, or going about their business, sweeping and gardening, or sitting at one of any number of fountains, enjoying the day. The sounds of their voices breathed life into the scene, even if Yumiko couldn't hear the water burbling or doors closing or people pushing wheelbarrows over the rocky road.

"What?" Yumiko found that she'd stopped, looking around in awe. And then she realized who these people were. Yokai. She saw monks without faces walking together, women with heads floating over their bodies conversing with one another, cats chasing each other through the legs of the crowd, heckling loudly. And then she saw The Funa Yurei, their dark forms drifting through the throngs of people, somehow more solid than when she'd seen them days earlier. She even recognized the captain she'd dispatched, with his eye patch, as he nodded her way politely, burning green briefly.

"You were right."

Yumiko turned to find herself staring into the eyes of Kuchisake-Onna, The Slit-Mouthed Woman. Yumiko stiffened, but the yokai was smiling warmly at her, giving her pause. "I was right?"

Kuchisake-Onna nodded, her horrible mouth stretching even wider. "I found peace here, like you said." She clasped Yumiko's hand, startling her. "I didn't think it was possible, to escape being a slave to my nature, from my drive for revenge. Thank you." She bowed deeply, then stepped back and disappeared into the crowd. Yumiko stared after her stupidly, not quite believing the encounter as she tried to make sense of it.

"You did this," Ame-Onna said, suddenly at her side.

Yumiko looked at her curiously. "I don't understand."

"Every time you sent a yokai to this world, Lord Kagami would bring them here, and created this place for them to thrive, and live with one another. He created this community for them, where they could be happy."

"You mean that these are all yokai that I sent here?" Yumiko asked, blinking at the creatures around her. But she could tell that Ame-Onna was right. She recognized each yokai she focused on: Kejora, the woman with hair hiding her face, had been a victim to Yumiko's blade at a hostess club. Mikaribaba, a kindly-looking old woman, had been pushed through a mirror in her cottage in the woods. Yumiko had sent them all here. And they'd found a place to live, apart from humans, where they could actually enjoy their lives, without their innate need to terrorize humans in the real world.

"Well, nearly all of them," Ame-Onna amended. "There is Tanuki, Enenra, the kappa, and a few others that Kagami brought here himself." She nodded toward a kitsune, who caught Yumiko's eye and winked. The very kitsune who'd replaced Kagami to make it seem like he was a were-fox.

"Amazing."

"He took your words to heart, you know," Ame-Onna told her.

"Hmmm?" Yumiko found it difficult to focus. She was overwhelmed by the crowd, at looking into each and every face as she remembered having faced them with her sword.

"Kagami. Brian. He heard your words that day. About it being lonely here without others around."

Yumiko turned to stare into Ame-Onna's face, noting the small smile on the yokai's lips. "I remember."

"Then you know that he did this for you. He could have just as easily escorted all of the yokai you sent here back into your world. But instead, he built this."

Yumiko blinked, forcing herself to look around the crowd again. Her eyes fell on two oni she recognized from Oni-Baba's crew. "Wait a second. Is this a good idea?"

Ame-Onna followed her gaze. "Their strings have been cut from Shuten-Doji, so they have nowhere to channel their rage. They won't harm anyone here, not when they're so outnumbered. Even the most unruly yokai have learned to adapt to this place in time. It truly is magical. One would say peaceful."

"Peaceful," Yumiko echoed, frowning. Something tickled the back of her mind, and she turned toward Ame-Onna with suspicion. "I am supposedly going to bring about peace between humans and yokai."

"As it was foretold," Ame-Onna bowed to her.

"And in order to have built this little peaceful community, this beginning to a world of peace, I needed to have my power over mirrors, and the drive to fight yokai, to send them here."

"What are you saying, Yumiko?"

Yumiko jumped as Brian materialized behind her. She met the concern in his eyes and opened her mouth to reply, but couldn't get the words out.

"She means," Ame-Onna said, cocking her head, "that my comment about you consuming her body and soul was meant to motivate her to fight yokai, and to inadvertently, build this paradise."

Brian's eyebrows furrowed. "But...what? Why would she think...." He frowned, then lifted a finger. "Why did you say that, Ame-Onna?"

Ame-Onna closed her eyes, the smile still playing at her lips. "I said that you would consume her body and soul because it's true. She will be consumed by passion and love for you. It will envelope her and be her light in the dark. She will do anything for you, in time. I have seen it in the waters as I've scryed." She opened her eyes and stared into Yumiko's without apology. "However, she needed a push. My words were truthful, but I knew when I uttered them how they would be interpreted by her. Her quest for vengeance led her down this path, and now, she is where she needs to be for the prophecy to be fulfilled."

Yumiko couldn't believe what she was hearing. She stared at Ame-Onna wide-eyed. She'd always imagined the yokai as playing a passive role in all of this, but it seemed that she had been all but instrumental. She had chosen Yumiko's path for her. "You used me," Yumiko breathed. "You...you shoved me headfirst into this life of...of pain and bitterness and vengeance."

Ame-Onna lifted her head high. "And I would do it again. It was necessary. In time, you will see that."

And with those words, Ame-Onna turned and disappeared into the crowd. Yumiko watched her back until she couldn't see it through the throng of yokai. And she hoped she would never see her again.

Her fists clenched tightly, Yumiko turned to Brian, barely holding back tears that wanted desperately to taste the mirror world's blue sky. "You..." she choked out, unable to finish.

"I didn't know," Brian looked upset too, almost desperate. "I knew that you were holding on to this anger, this resentment. I knew you would fight me to the death, that you longed for it. But I didn't know that Ame-Onna manipulated this. I swear to you."

"And what of my mother?" Yumiko was ashamed that a tear betrayed her, and swiped at it angrily. "Where is she? Hidden in your fortress?"

Brian opened his mouth, then closed it. He seemed at a loss for words, then just shook his head. "Your mother is unharmed."

Yumiko blinked. "What? No. You kidnapped her! You...you did something to her."

"I didn't." Brian looked away. "I never touched her, Yumiko."

"Then..." Yumiko frowned. "Shuten-Doji? Or another yokai? Something happened to my mother!"

"Yumiko," Reina put a hand on her shoulder, her voice low and sympathetic.

Yumiko glared back at her, then stopped when she saw the look of concern on her face. All of the yokai in the vicinity had stopped to stare, and Yumiko looked away, ashamed.

"We'll find out what happened to your mother," Reina murmured, close to her ear. "But first, we need to work with Brian to rescue Shou."

Yumiko took a deep, calming breath that made her whole body shudder. She felt herself calm slightly and nodded sharply. "Yes." She looked at Brian. "I'm sorry for my outburst."

Brian looked wary, and tired. He nodded. "We'll talk once we find Shou."

"Yes. We will."

He held her eye for a moment, then turned and led them to The Hall of Mirrors.
Chapter Eighteen

The Hall of Mirrors was just as Yumiko remembered it. When she stepped through the doorway, she saw a shimmering floor that resembled water, but felt solid beneath her feet. It stretched down a hallway that was long and curved, and it made her wonder vaguely just how far she would have to walk to find the end, if it really did contain the other side of every single mirror in the world. That would be a lot of mirrors. Billions of them. And as Yumiko swept into the hall alongside Reina, she saw strange places reflected back at her in mirrors of different shapes and sizes. Most of the mirrors didn't have frames, but some ran from the floor to the ceiling, which was twenty feet overhead. Others were tiny silver circles that twinkled like snowflakes. Along the ceiling, huge mirrors could be seen, and through them, Yumiko saw museums and historical sites.

Reina was silent beside her as she peered at mirrors of strangers' bedrooms, the insides of student lockers, full-length views of bathrooms, and the dark outline of makeup in closed cases. "This is...weird."

Yumiko nodded in agreement. It felt like she was peering into people's lives, spying on them. She felt like she should be averting her eyes.

Reina paused before a square mirror and pointed to the image within. The front desk of the love hotel. "He can see everything."

"Yes, he can."

Reina swallowed hard. "I feel violated. I am never walking in front of a mirror again."

"Now you know how I feel," Yumiko chuckled, looking ahead to find Brian watching her. She looked away quickly, realizing that he'd overheard. Well, he should feel bad. And ashamed. She'd been in constant fear of Kagami's eyes on her for over a decade, avoiding mirrors as much as possible. He should know how much it hurt her, how it had affected her life. Even if it hurt him to know, he needed to understand what her life had been like, what he had shaped it into following their encounter. It had been unnerving never knowing if she was being watched.

"Look at all of these bathrooms, you pervert," Reina said loudly, to lighten the mood.

A few kappa turned to stare at her, but then continued about their business, shuffling along the hallway, peering into mirrors as they looked for Shou.

"It's like a dream come true," Tanuki mumbled, eyes wide.

"You would think so," Reina scoffed.

"This could take us forever," Yumiko said, crossing her arms, not feeling particularly good about herself for peering into these people's lives unbidden. She saw a little girl brushing her teeth at the instruction of her mother, and a strange longing came over her. Had Brian watched Yumiko in mirrors and longed for her? Had he averted his eyes at the appropriate moments? Yumiko found herself looking at Brian again, wondering, when he lifted his eyes to hers again.

"I've always respected your privacy," he said softly.

Yumiko nodded, but looked away, embarrassed at the implications.

"The female is right," Enenra sighed, loudly. "I can cover more ground much faster."

"Then do it," Brian invited him, gesturing up the hallway.

Enenra smiled, like he'd just been promised chocolate, then winked at Yumiko. He turned to run up the hall, and jumping, twirled mid-air as his body seemed to disintegrate, losing cohesion and turning into smoke. Before long, a roiling cloud of gray smoke floated purposefully down the hallway, tendrils roiling from it, brushing the surface of mirrors as it passed them. And then Yumiko could no longer see the cloud at all.

"How do you manage this many mirrors?" Reina wondered. "It's overwhelming."

"It is," Brian agreed, offering her a smile. "And I don't watch them all, or care for them. This hall does it all. New mirrors appear overnight, others vanish without warning, and some merely become fragments of what they once were. They are always free of dust and streaks." He shrugged. "But I only stroll through the hall every once in a while. I don't sit and stare for hours on end or anything too creepy. I promise."

"Wasted opportunity," Tanuki shook his head, stopping as a woman stepped out of a shower.

Reina nudged him along with more force than was necessary. "But you checked in on Yumiko."

Yumiko didn't lift her head as she felt several eyes settle on her at once.

"I did check on Yumiko," Brian agreed, voice low. "But only long enough to make sure that she was safe."

"How noble," Yumiko couldn't help but mutter.

Brian sighed and Reina pursed her lips.

After another minute, Reina gasped. "How pretty!"

Yumiko peered over her shoulder to see a vast darkness filled with twinkling lights and pink gaseous nebulas. "What is this?"

"Some probe in space," Brian said, a smile stretching across his face slowly. "I've seen some very beautiful sights from that mirror over the years."

"I believe it," Reina whispered.

Brian noted the interest in her eyes and gestured to another mirror across the hall. "And what do you think of this one?"

Reina followed his direction and stopped before another mirror, her mouth hanging open.

Yumiko, curious, stepped up behind Reina to stare into what appeared to be a blue forest, teaming with strange, twisting mushrooms made of glass, and flowers that swayed back and forth. "Where is that?"

"Another dimension," Brian shrugged, like it was no big deal.

Reina blinked and then shoved him. "You're putting us on."

"No, I'm really not," Brian assured her, chuckling. "Many yokai have gone to different dimensions over the years. As long as a mirror from Earth makes its way there, I can see it as well."

"But a different dimension?" Yumiko couldn't help getting caught up in the idea. "Is that even possible?" She stared into the mirror as something like a seahorse floated across the surface and was suddenly swallowed by one of the moving flowers. She gasped and grabbed Brian's arm instinctively. When she realized what she'd done, she slowly let go of him, but not before she saw the tenderness in his eyes. The longing.

Swallowing hard, she turned away. "I can't believe that it's another dimension," she said, softly.

"It's just a place," Brian told her. "As long as it's a place, and as long as a mirror can get there, it will appear on this wall."

"And you could walk into that dimension," Reina said, suddenly excited. "Like, you could bring us there?"

Brian bit his lip. "Yes, I could. However, that particular world has an atmosphere that wouldn't support your delicate human body."

Reina frowned. "Delicate human body? Really?" She turned to Yumiko. "I think he just insulted us."

"It was more of a compliment, really," Brian tried, but Reina stalked away. Yumiko, amused by the exchange, just sat back and watched as he followed Reina, trying to reword how he described their bodies.

And then the room filled with smoke as Enenra returned.

"That was quick," Reina commented.

The smoke seemed to converge on a single point, like being sucked into a vacuum, and after a moment, the smoke pulsed and formed into the previous shape of a handsome young man. He smiled triumphantly at them.

"Well?" Brian asked, crossing his arms.

"It's not much further ahead," Enenra announced, voice full of pride. "The human appears unharmed."

"His name's Shou," Reina said, stepping past him rudely and stomping up the hall.

Enenra watched her retreating form. "Don't I get a reward?"

Brian smiled tightly. "Thank you, Enenra. But people don't do good deeds for rewards. They do them because they should be done."

Enenra seemed to mull this over as Yumiko followed in Reina's footsteps.

"Shouldn't I be praised, at least?" Enenra asked, confused. Brian didn't even bother to answer and they fell into silence as they walked up the hallway.

Yumiko gestured for Enenra to lead the way, and he obliged, finding pleasure in leading them, at least.

"I'm sorry," Brian said quietly as he fell into step beside Yumiko. "He can be a little-"

"He's fine," Yumiko interrupted, not looking at Brian. "He's a strong warrior. That's what we need right now, no matter what form they come in."

Brian blinked, then nodded, matching her steps until they saw Enenra stop ahead, and Reina pause to lean over as she peered into a mirror.

Silently, Yumiko stepped up to the mirror and saw Shou tied to a chair and gagged in a desert, a sand dune rising behind him. The sun beat down on him, pasting his hair to his forehead as sweat covered every inch of his skin. His head kept drooping, but he didn't seem to be harmed. He seemed to be struggling to stay awake and alert, shaking his head to ward off unconsciousness.

"That is definitely a trap," Reina muttered, fixing her eyes on the lone figure in the mirror. "He's at least a hundred feet away from the mirror, which gives anyone lying in wait plenty of time to attack."

"And we can't see behind the mirror," Brian said slowly. "There could be an army waiting, ready to step between us and our chance to escape."

"It doesn't matter." Yumiko lifted her chin. "I'm going to rescue him, no matter the odds."

"No," Brian said, frowning at her. "I'll go."

Yumiko glared at him. "No offense, but that's my friend out there. I'm going in to save him, whether you say that I can or not."

"And what if we're both captured?" Brian demanded, stepping up so that they were looking each other in the face. "What then? Who's going to rescue both of us if whatever's waiting out there is too much for us to handle? We need you here."

Yumiko pressed her lips together in a hard line to stop herself from offering some sort of retort. She knew that he was right. If they were both captured, this would all be over. They couldn't really rely on Enenra or Reina to launch another rescue attempt.

Yumiko's eyes darted to the kappa, who stood to the side, half-hidden in shadow. "They aren't going to be able to help you in the desert. They would die too quickly."

"I know," Brian touched her shoulder affectionately, and before Yumiko knew what she was doing, she covered his hand with her own and offered it a squeeze. His eyes met hers and held it. "I'll take Enenra with me. We'll save your friend. I promise."

Exhaling deeply, Yumiko nodded, and was disappointed when he dropped his hand from her shoulder. It still felt warm for a moment as her skin and clothes retained his body heat, but it faded quickly. Her heart began to beat faster as she realized that she wanted to feel his warmth now, more than anything. She wanted to be comforted in his arms. She wanted this whole thing behind them. She was tired of battle. So tired.

Brian nodded to Enenra and they both stood before the mirror, facing the harsh desert with resolve, unseen enemies waiting in the wings.

"Alright," Brian said softly, gripping a sword tightly in hand. "Let's do this."

Enenra nodded and they charged through the mirror.

Yumiko watched as they stepped through the mirror, their bodies wavering like heat over asphalt. Reina clutched her arm anxiously, and Yumiko offered her hand a reassuring squeeze in return, but Reina didn't seem to notice. Her eyes were glued to the mirror and the scene unfolding before them.

Once they'd stepped cautiously into the desert, Brian and Enenra looked around slowly, searching for signs of trouble, but apparently, they didn't see any, for they took off for Shou at a run.

"Ge! Ge! Ge!" Enenra yelled into the sky, to Yumiko's alarm.

"Shut up!" Brian told him, punching him in the shoulder.

Enenra laughed like he'd never had so much fun. "You think they don't know we're here already? Just waking them up in case they fell asleep!"

Brian scowled and they continued in silence.

It seemed to take them forever to reach Shou, their feet sinking into the sand with each step as they ran together. Yumiko watched them, trying to remain expressionless, while her heart hammered within her. Reina gripped her arm tighter as the kappa watched the proceedings silently behind them.

Yumiko noted that Shou was shaking his head vigorously, but that didn't deter Brian. He kept barreling through the sand, Enenra at his heels.

And then they reached him.

And the sand exploded around them.

Oni pulled themselves out of the sand, where they'd lay hidden beneath the dead soil. Their bulky forms slowed them somewhat and Brian took advantage of this, beheading four of them before they ever had their bodies free of sand. But there were dozens. They had no chance of besting them all.

Reina turned away, hiding her face in Yumiko's shoulder with a moan of dismay. But Yumiko couldn't look away. She watched Brian as he fought the oni with conviction, bravely meeting their steel with his own, barking orders to Enenra to get Shou to safety.

"I'm going in there," Yumiko said, standing tall.

"Oh, no, you don't," Tanuki said, leaping into her path. "I won't let you."

Yumiko grinned down at him, a little surprised by his boldness. "You think you can stop me?"

"Long enough to keep you from throwing your life away," Tanuki said through his teeth.

Blinking, Yumiko watched him for a moment, then stepped down. Tanuki was right. If she threw herself into the fray, she would be helping no one. She would only be making Shuten-Doji's job easier.

A cackling from the mirror drew Yumiko's attention and she saw Oni-Baba, in the form of a beautiful geisha. She charged Brian with two hand fans tipped with wicked razor-sharp knives, poking out from her long white kimono sleeves. She viciously attacked him, twirling and tumbling as if she were performing some exotic, but deadly dance. Brian met her blows easily enough, but the other oni also took advantage of his split attention. One blue-faced oni slashed Brian's shoulder easily, and blood splashed to the sand as he grunted. The oni was dead a moment later, but already Brian was weakening, his blood soaking through his shirt.

Meanwhile, Enenra was getting away with Shou, who leaned heavily on the yokai. They were making good time, however, as Enenra's lower body had turned to smoke and seemed to be propelling them forward quickly. The smoke also served as a screen to deter would-be attackers, who kept their distance, practically allowing Shou's escape. And why wouldn't they? They had who they really wanted surrounded.

Yumiko stepped forward subconsciously and Tanuki growled at her. She stopped and glanced at him briskly before returning her eyes to the fight.

Another blow was delivered to Brian's right forearm, and he hissed in pain as he deflected another array of strong blows from Oni-Baba, who was cackling loudly, certain in her victory.

"Damn it," Yumiko swore, clenching her fists.

Enenra reached the mirror and held out a hand. Yumiko frowned, then realized that he couldn't walk through the mirror himself. He needed help, and shook his hand impatiently at her again.

Yumiko stumbled over to the mirror and pushed her hand through, grabbing hold of Enenra's wrist roughly, then yanking him and Shou through, and into The Hall of Mirrors.

Shou fell to the floor with a grunt, and one of the kappa leaned over him, offering him some of the water from the shallow dip on top of its head. Shou didn't seem picky, however, and drank it down greedily. Reina grabbed his hand and Shou flashed her a reassuring smile. "Miss me?" he asked, voice hoarse.

Reina nodded, biting her lower lip. "Yeah, you idiot."

He nodded and lay his head back on the floor, exhausted.

Yumiko looked up at the mirror in time to see Oni-Baba thrust a dagger into Brian's shoulder. She gasped, drawing everyone else's attention.

"I'll help him," Enenra offered, walking over to the mirror again.

Tanuki frowned. "No, wait. What is that?"

Yumiko squinted as she stared into the mirror. Something seemed to be approaching the mirror. It was small, like a bird. And fast, determined to run into the mirror. Eyes widening, Yumiko glanced up at Brian again. At the moment she realized that his sword was no longer in his hands, the sword slammed into the mirror, shattering it. Yumiko had just enough time to look up into Brian's blue eyes one last time before the mirror vanished, as if it had never been there.

The hall was silent for a moment as they all stood there, gaping at where the mirror had been just a few seconds earlier. Brian was gone.

"He knew it was hopeless," Tanuki said, voice soft. "He made sure that none of us would do something stupid."

"Fool," Yumiko shook her head. "What gives him the right to be a martyr?"

Reina looked up at her sympathetically, which made Yumiko even madder for some reason. She didn't know what she felt. Brian was...lost.

"We're going to have to rescue him too, then," Yumiko decided.

"You think he sacrificed himself just so you could throw your life away?" Tanuki asked.

"I don't care why he did it," Yumiko snapped. "I'm getting him back."

"Why?" Enenra asked her, crossing his arms and looking amused. "Could it be that you actually care for him?"

Yumiko glared at him. "People don't just turn their backs on their friends when things get hard."

Enenra grinned at her, and she met the smugness in his eyes with a scowl.

"We'll get him," Reina said, suddenly looking determined. "We will."

"Count me in," Shou added, sitting up.

"Shou," Reina pushed him back down. "You need to rest."

Shou closed his eyes and lay his head back down. "Give me one night. One night to get my strength back. Then we can go after him."

Yumiko was about to protest, but he opened his eyes and stared into Yumiko's with such intensity that she was taken aback.

"Please, Yumiko," he pleaded. "Let me do this. He saved my life. I owe him."

Yumiko bit her lip and looked away. As much as she wanted to charge right in and rescue Brian immediately, she knew that they needed to stop and assess the situation more carefully. They needed a plan of attack. Grudgingly, she nodded. "We leave tomorrow morning then."

Enenra rubbed his hands together happily. "Another fight so soon. How exciting."

Yumiko blinked at him. "You're coming?"

"Of course I'm coming," Enenra scoffed, looking offended. He tilted his head and looked down at Shou. "And I want this male as my reward."

Yumiko rolled her eyes. "Like Brian said, you don't get to own humans."

Shou gestured to Enenra to help him up.

Enenra obliged, watching him curiously.

"You can't own me," Shou told him, leaning into him. "Humans are free to do what they want."

Enenra looked disappointed, but shrugged nonchalantly. "I will come to accept this. It is unfortunate though. I like pretty things."

Shou laughed lightly and leaned in closer to Enenra. "So do I. And I never said that you wouldn't be rewarded." He pushed his lips to Enenra's, and the yokai, startled at first, kissed him back with enthusiasm.

Yumiko was so shocked that she stared. After a minute, she lowered her eyes and elbowed Reina to do the same.

Tanuki frowned and tilted his head. "So, uh, Yumiko. Did you...?"

"No," Yumiko replied curtly.

A moment later, Shou and Enenra pulled away from each other and Shou grinned at Enenra openly. "My hero."

Enenra looked back at him with interest. "That was a sign of affection."

"Yes," Shou said, shyly looking away. He glanced at Yumiko, then turned his eyes from her quickly. "And there's more where that came from."

Enenra blinked, then smiled at them all. "I'm keeping him."

"You can try," Shou snorted, pushing him away. "But for now: rest."

"For all of us," Yumiko added. She tried to catch Shou's eye, but he wouldn't look in her direction. She sighed as she gave up trying. "Let's see if we can round up any more volunteers to help us. We leave at first light. And then we're going to show Shuten-Doji what happens when he messes with our friends."
Chapter Nineteen

"The guest rooms are through here," Enenra said, gesturing down the hall. He looked back at Yumiko, eyebrow raised.

Yumiko watched Reina walk ahead, then pause, looking back curiously.

"Tanuki," Yumiko glanced down at the raccoon-dog. "Show Reina to her room, would you?"

Tanuki hesitated, but nodded, scurrying ahead of Reina. "This way, my lady. And I can show you where you can take a bath too."

Reina snorted. "You wish." She looked back at Yumiko, and nodded to her, before following Tanuki.

"What would you like?" Enenra asked, cocking his head, once they were alone.

Yumiko turned to look him square in the face. "If Brian was going to have me marry him, and live with him here, he must have had a place set aside for me."

Enenra grinned slowly. "You would have stayed in one of the guest rooms until the union. I think what you're asking to see is his rooms."

"And what if I am?"

With a shrug, Enenra turned around and led her up the hall in the opposite direction. After a series of turns, he stopped before a paper door. He slid it aside and gestured for her to step within. Hesitantly, she obliged. She slid off her shoes as she gazed around a sparsely furnished living room. Bamboo trees grew in cream pots at the periphery of the room, while beautiful watercolor paintings hung on the walls, boasting orange and black koi, as well as trees and mountainsides.

"The great Kagami's rooms," Enenra swept his arm before him dramatically. He pointed to the left, at another sliding door. "Through there, he has a dining area. Beyond that, a bedroom and bath."

"And what is that?" Yumiko asked, gesturing toward the back of the room, where a table sat low to the ground in front of a cushion. On the table sat an ink stone and ink stick, as well as a black brush with white bristles. On the floor beside the table were sheets of pristine white paper.

Enenra nodded. "I often find Kagami...or Brian, if you prefer, at that table when I come to visit. He uses sumi ink when he does this. Zen brush calligraphy. He says it calms him, helps him focus."

Yumiko's eyes narrowed at the supplies, then darted up to the walls, covered by paintings. "But not just calligraphy. He did those too."

"Of course."

Yumiko stepped over to a painting of black and gold fish, taking in the confident forms of the koi, slippery as if truly submerged in water. "They're beautiful."

Enenra shrugged.

"What do you mean, 'when you come to visit'?" Yumiko asked, turning toward him. "You don't stay here?"

"Nope. I like to roam the world here, scattered as smoke, drifting over the beautiful plains and forests. It's peaceful, makes me feel like I'm one with this world as it takes me where it will."

"How did you come to be here? Did Brian send you here?"

"Yes," Enenra answered, leaning against a wall. "He found me aimlessly swirling over a dead fire, and thought that I might like it here, with others like me."

"And do you?"

Enenra considered. "I like it well enough. Humans don't bother me here. They can be irritating and...everywhere. In Kagami's world, it's so...peaceful."

Yumiko nodded. "Thank you, Enenra. That will be all."

Enenra frowned and stood straight. "Are you dismissing me?"

"You catch on fast."

He blinked for a moment, then chuckled. "Very well, your highness. Have fun poking through your fiancee's private things." He closed the paper door behind him.

"He poked around in my life," Yumiko muttered, looking around. "It's about time I return the favor." She looked at all of the paintings on the walls carefully, scrutinizing his talent, and decided that he was a good artist. He really had an eye for creating nature images, and making them dream-like and vivid. Walking over to the table, she gently caressed the ink stone and imagined Brian sitting on the cushion, leaning over the paper, brush in hand as his arms made ink strokes, strong and sure. His arm muscles would stretch and bunch, his back would grow taut. The expression on his face would be...focused, his eyes flashing as the image before him came to life.

Yumiko let herself into his dining room, sparse and empty, aside from the wall of beautiful china in a cabinet at the back of the room. One cup with swirls of painted cherry blossoms had been left behind on the table, remnants of green tea at the bottom. She envisioned Brian lounging, sipping at a cup as he sloughed off his grogginess each morning.

And then she walked into his bedroom. It was very utilitarian as well, bright and open. A door at the back of the room had been left open, allowing in a glimpse of dusk as the sun set for the evening. She stepped outside and smiled at a wide balcony. Untouched snow covered the stone floor, and clumped together atop a railing that looked out over the mountain. It was quite a breathtaking view. It was still strange not to hear the wind in her ears as it blew the snow into a frenzy, or to feel the cold on her exposed face, but she could see how Brian could enjoy it here.

She stared to the west as the sun sank, a red orb in the sky, dropping behind a stony outcropping, stretching shadows over the mountainside. With a sigh, she turned back to Brian's bed and sat on the edge, smoothing her hand over the cream cotton sheets, which had been pulled tightly and smoothed meticulously as the bed had been made.

She dropped her head onto the bed and stared up at the ceiling, knowing that Brian had stared up at this ceiling night after night while she'd been terrified of him. Only to find that she couldn't help but like him. She closed her eyes tightly and inhaled deeply, willing to smell him in the room, but finding that the mirror world wouldn't indulge her small request. So she imagined him instead. Imagined his smile, that sent her heart skipping, his laugh that made her blush. She imagined his hand pushing a strand of hair out of her eyes, and coming into contact with her skin just briefly, enough to send a shiver through her body. His soapy clean smell and spicy aftershave. His beautiful, intense blue eyes, trying to read what she was thinking. She imagined his gentle voice as he told her that he loved her. And his emotional response as she told him that she loved him too.

She choked back a sob and grabbed a pillow, hugging it tightly against her, like it was a life preserver. Because she was drowning in emotion, and she didn't know what to do.

***

"So, why the act?" Yumiko asked, crossing her arms as she stared at Shou the next morning in the guest bathroom.

Shou was combing his hair carefully, avoiding her eyes. "I wasn't acting. I'm just flirtatious by nature."

Yumiko rolled her eyes.

"What do you want me to say?" Shou demanded, turning to look at her. He waved the comb in his hand like he was a conductor. "Being a host...it makes me feel good about myself. It makes me feel wanted. Women want me, and I give them the attention that they're starved for. It's win-win. And I make a lot of money doing it. That's all."

Yumiko shook her head in disbelief. "Just when I think I've got you figured out, you go and surprise me."

Shou grinned and leaned back against the sink. "Yeah, like you're one to talk."

"What does that mean?"

"Nothing," Shou shrugged and turned his back on her again, forcing his hair into compliance. "None of us are who we pretend to be, you know. That's why I empathize with Brian. Hiding who he was, trying to make you understand, wanting you to understand so desperately. I was like that too. But do you know what I got from people around me? Ridicule. I confided in my best friend, hoping that someone would understand and...and would get it. But no. She told everyone. I was gay and the kids at my school despised me for being different. I was harassed constantly. I was beat up a few times. Called fag up and down the halls. I barely got through graduation."

Yumiko hadn't expected such a confession and held her breath, for fear that she would break the delicate spell of the room. "That must have been terrible."

Shou shrugged. "Not as bad as it was at home. My mom raised me. I could never do anything to please her. She always called me a screw-up, came home drunk. She expected me to do all the chores and clear out when she brought yet another guy home." He took a deep breath. "Is it really any wonder that I looked for attention from anyone who would give it?" He turned to Yumiko. "I mean, do you get why I went to Madame Mori? You have...everything I want. A family, friends. People who understand you and want you around. Yet, you take it all for granted. You're so caught up in your future with Kagami that you don't even realize what's around you. It's just...sad. And even that is perfect. Your life's like a goddamn fairy tale."

Yumiko was stunned into silence. As she absorbed what Shou said, she watched him continue to fiddle with his hair, then smooth out his shirt, even though it was unnecessary.

"Maybe I do take it for granted," she admitted softly. She hesitated. "But...we rescued you for a reason, Shou. You're my friend too. Reina, Brian, Tanuki...we all care about you."

Shou stiffened, and still had his back to her, but he didn't resist when she walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him.

"We're glad that you're back," she whispered. "Even if you can be an ass sometimes."

Shou chuckled and turned, embracing her as well. He laid his cheek against the top of her head and they enjoyed each other's solid presence.

"How touching."

Shou struggled out of Yumiko's arms like he'd been slapped and scowled at Enenra. "What do you want?"

"What?" Enenra asked innocently. "No good morning kiss?"

Scowling, Shou stalked past him and slammed the door shut. Without sound, it just didn't have the same impact, however, especially since the door hit the frame and reopened in his wake.

"Was it something I said?" Enenra wondered, and Yumiko had to try to decide if he seriously didn't understand or if he was mocking. It was hard to tell with him.

"Is everything ready?" Yumiko asked him.

"I think I need a hug too."

Yumiko sighed deeply and watched the smile slide into place on Enenra's ashen face. "You are really pushing it, you know. I get that you don't understand humans very well, and you can't really grasp the whole emotional spectrum, but you need to be more sensitive."

"Is that right? I think you're more like me than you care to admit," Enenra claimed boldly. He crossed his arms as Yumiko frowned. "Shou's right. You're closed off from the people around you. You hide inside yourself. You have ever since your mother ran away and left you as a little girl."

"She didn't run away," Yumiko said, eyes narrowing. "She was taken from me."

Enenra chuckled. "If you say so. But let's be honest for a moment, shall we? You act cold, like nothing can hurt you. You put up a wall to push people away, because you've been hurt. And you buried yourself in learning to fight yokai because you didn't want to be hurt again. You've had as little to do with humans over the past decade as I have."

Yumiko tried not to let his words affect her, but she found herself shaking with rage. Even if there was truth to his words, he had no right to rub her face in her faults. She stomped out of the room without another word. She was too angry to keep herself in check. And she didn't trust that she would be able to reply in a steady voice.

"You felt no control in your life," Enenra's voice followed her out into the hall. "Your future had been decided for you, so you chose to hunt yokai and become an expert at killing them so that you could control something."

I control my destiny, Yumiko thought heatedly as she stormed away from Enenra. Not a day goes by that I don't act how I want to act. And if I decide that I want to hunt yokai, I will. If I decide that I want to risk my life saving Brian, I will. And if I feel like I could learn to love Brian...then perhaps fate hasn't dealt such a bad hand, after all.

I love Brian.

Yumiko stopped suddenly and leaned against the wall for support as the realization hit her. She was determined to save him. She would sacrifice herself. She would sacrifice her friends. She would do anything to save Brian from Shuten-Doji. Because she loved him. She didn't know why. It was just a feeling, an urge to protect him fiercely, then fold herself into him. She didn't know if she would be okay if she didn't save him.

Taking a deep, shuddering breath, Yumiko realized that that scared her to death. And she also realized that Enenra was right. Because being in love meant that she wasn't in control. And she very much wanted to be in control of her emotions. But it seemed that her emotions had plans counter to her rational mind's.

But she would learn to live with that. If she could hunt down and fight the most fearsome yokai out there in a desperate bid for control, then she could look herself in the mirror and face the truths that she found there.

Even if she didn't like what she saw.
Chapter Twenty

Yumiko pulled her hair back into a ponytail to keep it out of her face, and pulled on her freshly-laundered jeans and t-shirt, choosing a light jacket to throw on over it. She stared into the mirror in Brian's bedroom for a moment, tilting her face to and fro. She was usually so self-conscious of who was watching her when she looked into mirrors that she never took the time to really look at herself. She was striking, but she also noticed the intense eyes, the serious set to her mouth. Her beauty was apparent, but so also was her burden.

She stepped back and looked at her outfit, noting that it fit her snugly. She looked like she was ready to fight a horde of evil monsters to win back her love. The smile that she caught in the mirror was startling. Her whole face lifted and seemed to brighten the room. Was that how other people saw her?

Shaking her head, she turned from her reflection and focused on the swords hanging over Brian's bed. She pulled a dagger from its sheath and admired the curve of the blade. She spied a holster on a stand, and decided that it wouldn't hurt to take it with her. Brian would need something to fight with, once they freed him. And should anything happen to her mirror sword, another option would be appreciated.

Satisfied, Yumiko stepped out of the bedroom and started. Two steaming cups of tea were set out on the dining table. She hadn't heard anyone come in, but of course she wouldn't have, would she? Alarm clocks, doorbells, simple knocks...how did Brian stand the deafening silence of this place? She wasn't sure she was suited to this world, even if she went through with her obligations.

"Yumiko."

Turning her head, Yumiko's eyes widened as Madame Mori stepped out of the little kitchen area.

"Sensei!" Yumiko bowed, relief flooding through her. "I wasn't expecting you."

"Apparently," Mori sniffed, gesturing toward the table. "Sit. We have matters to discuss."

Yumiko obeyed and watched the steam rise from her teacup as Mori took a seating position. "How did you get here?"

"Ame-Onna came for me," Mori said, taking a sip of tea. She made a face and set it back down. "This place isn't exactly comforting," she noted. "But it has its charms."

Yumiko took a sip from her tea and saw what she meant. The tea tasted like nothing and had no temperature, despite the steam. It may as well have been lukewarm water. She wondered how Brian tolerated it.

"So, you are going to rescue Kagami," Mori said bluntly. "Rather ironic, wouldn't you say?"

Yumiko licked her lips. She hadn't really prepared how she was going to justify her actions to Mori, strange as they were. But her priorities had shifted, as had her feelings. "He's not who I thought he was," she said carefully.

"I know," Mori agreed. "I've been talking with Reina for a few hours since I arrived."

"Reina?" Yumiko looked up, confused.

"She was the first person I came across," Mori waved the question away. "She filled me in on what has transpired. And I'm happy for how things have turned out for you. Your future looks much brighter."

"Assuming that we save Brian," Yumiko allowed. "Otherwise, it looks as if none of our futures will be very bright."

Mori smiled thinly at this. "You've changed, Yumiko. Over the years. The anger you were filled with when you first came to me melted away as you trained. It has become strength of character and discipline. But it has left you isolated and lonely. You deserve happiness." Mori lifted her teacup, then thought better of it and set it back down, placing her hands in her lap. "Do you truly love him, Yumiko?"

Yumiko looked away as she felt the heat rise to her cheeks. "I think so."

Mori let out a deep breath. "That is good to hear."

"Is it?" Yumiko asked softly. "You aren't...disappointed?" She chanced a look up at her sensei to see a kind expression on Mori's face.

"Of course not, Yumiko," Mori replied, her lips trembling. "You're like a daughter to me. All I've ever wanted was your happiness."

Yumiko felt her eyes filling with tears and simply nodded, not trusting her voice. She had felt the same about Mori, that she was like the mother she'd never really had. She hoped she conveyed that with the look she gave Mori in return.

Mori reached out and touched Yumiko's hand. "Yumiko, there's something you need to know. I wanted to tell you as soon as I returned from America."

Yumiko looked at her expectantly, and Mori seemed rather hesitant, which worried her. "What is it?"

"I didn't go to America just to confirm my suspicions of Brian. I went because of something a colleague of mine sent my way."

Yumiko frowned, wondering what she could be alluding to.

"Your mother, Yumiko. I've had people searching for her since you came to me."

"My mother?" Yumiko sat up straight, eyes wide. "What? You...found her?"

"She's in America," Mori confirmed. "She's been there ever since she left."

Her mother was alive and well! She hadn't been taken by yokai or killed outright after Yumiko had been spirited away, as she'd feared all these years. She had fled to America! Yumiko's breath caught as she turned this over in her mind. But why would her mother have left her? Why had she left everything behind in a hurry to flee halfway around the world? The revelation seemed to bring more questions than answers. She looked up at Mori, and saw no smile lining her face, and suddenly Yumiko dreaded what she was about to hear.

"You're sure it's her?" Yumiko asked softly.

"Yes."

Yumiko nodded and bit her lip. "Why did she leave? Did you speak with her?"

Mori shook her head. "I didn't have to, Yumiko. I know why she left."

Yumiko blinked, swallowing hard. "Okay. Tell me."

"She fled Japan to keep her daughter safe."

Yumiko let out a deep breath. She didn't know what she'd been expecting, but she'd been filled with tension at the answer. "I am safe," she said, smiling. "I think..." She let the thought fade at the dark look on Mori's face. She looked sad, defeated. "Sensei?"

Mori took a shuddering breath and looked Yumiko in the eyes. "Her daughter was with her, Yumiko. You were with her."

Yumiko froze. "I don't understand."

"You're a reflection of that girl, Yumiko," Mori said, looking away. "You always have been." She swallowed hard. "You are a yokai."
Chapter Twenty-One

Her mother disappeared without a trace, out of fear for the life of her daughter.

Her organs were on the wrong side of her body.

She could see yokai and command mirrors.

Of course she was a yokai. She hadn't merely been touched by the supernatural world. She was supernatural. Why had she imagined herself the exception all of these years? Because she'd escaped a yokai king and lived to tell about it? Because she'd had a purpose to her life, a drive to survive?

Her mind whirled.

One day, a human girl will appear, one with a brave soul and keen mind, and a will so radiant that she will melt the heart of a yokai king. It is in her image that humans will be represented.

She was the image in the prophecy. The image, but not the girl. She represented humanity, but wasn't human. Yumiko frowned. Of course. She'd lived alongside humans her entire life. She was living proof that humans and yokai could co-exist. And if she married Kagami, she was also proof that yokai could live in both worlds.

"Yumiko?" Mori said, softly.

Yumiko looked up.

"Are you alright?" Mori asked. She frowned at her choice of words. "Of course you're not. That was quite a-"

"I'm fine," Yumiko interrupted her. "It makes sense. Everything makes a certain amount of sense now." She stood up, and Mori followed suit, looking concerned.

"Yumiko," Mori shook her head. "You can't pretend that you didn't just have your world turned upside-down."

"That's been happening a lot lately. Maybe I'm learning to roll with it." Yumiko crossed her arms. "I remember things, you know. I remember what it was like when I grew up with my mother."

"You retained her memories when you were made in her image," Mori nodded. "That's why you were so confused."

"See what sort of a life you can make for yourself out there."

Of course, Kagami had assumed she wouldn't be able to build any sort of life for herself in the human world. He hadn't understood why she'd rejected him, when she was a yokai herself. Why hadn't he told her? Why had he let her believe the lie?

"You're still Yumiko," Mori said, watching her. "You're still like a daughter to me."

Yumiko stiffened at that, and looked up at Madame Mori. She saw kindness in the woman's eyes, affection in her smile. Nothing had changed. She was right. Just because truths that had been there all along had been revealed didn't change everything that had occurred over the past ten years. "And you're like a mother to me," Yumiko told her, and managed a smile.

She was glad that she had a mission to take her mind off of things. If there was something she was good at it, it was throwing herself into work, closing herself off and focusing. It probably wasn't the healthiest way to deal with discovering that you were actually a monster and not a human being, but Yumiko didn't exactly have the luxury to rock herself on the floor of a shower and cry for hours. And she wouldn't if she did. That wasn't who she was. Maybe the other Yumiko, the one who had fled with her mother, who'd grown up to live a normal life as a normal human being had that luxury. Maybe that's who she was. But it didn't matter. When Yumiko had been created in that girl's image, she had taken a different path. A harder path. Looking back, she doubted she would find any remnants of that innocent girl left within her. She might as well be a stranger, even if they had shared memories once upon a time. Her mother was a stranger, if she could even call her mother. It would be more appropriate to call the mirror she'd sprung from her mother.

Swallowing the bitterness she tried to deny that she felt, Yumiko strode confidently into the courtyard to greet her friends. Reina and Shou were there, as were Enenra and Tanuki. A half dozen kappa stood alongside them, the brave, ugly beasts. A beautiful woman stood beside Enenra, with long, flowing black hair. She was dressed in casual attire similar to the others, and while her face seemed familiar, Yumiko couldn't quite place her.

"Is this it?" Yumiko asked, surveying the group with mild disappointment. She'd thought that other yokai would feel inspired to join them in freeing the man who'd built such a beautiful sanctuary for them.

"Well," Reina shrugged, exchanging a look with Shou, "the two oni wanted to come, but seeing as how they were recently on Shuten-Doji's side, we kind of nixed that idea."

Yumiko nodded her approval on that decision.

"And I didn't feel particularly comfortable with The Slit-Mouthed Woman fighting alongside us," Shou admitted, sheepishly scratching the back of his head. "Call it a grudge, if you must."

"Okay," Yumiko said, taking a step toward the mystery woman. "You will be joining us?"

The woman looked down her nose at Yumiko and flipped her hair. "I will help you because I like Kagami. I owe him for his hospitality and it only seems honorable." She smiled. "And I haven't had a chance to stretch my tresses in ages."

Yumiko's eyes narrowed and she eyed the girl's hair closely. Each strand ended in wicked-looking barbs that she'd at first mistaken for curls.

Standing up straight, Yumiko bowed to her. "We appreciate the help, Harionago," she said politely, recalling a rather feverish skirmish with the yokai before she'd sent her to this world. Harionago had complete control over her hair, and had been skinning a man alive with it, and very meticulously at that, when Yumiko had caught up with her. She hadn't been named The Barbed Woman for her sharp tongue.

"And you as well," Yumiko bowed to the kappa, who looked pleased at her attention. Her smile stiffened when she stood upright to see Ame-Onna hanging on the arm of one of the kappa. "And what are you doing here?"

Ame-Onna flashed a smile her way. "I can't very well let you save my master without my help."

Yumiko glared at her. "Too bad. You're not coming." She looked to the others, and waved them toward The Hall of Mirrors. "Let's move. We're going to come out of a mirror in a shrine at the base of Mount Ooe. Since Shuten-Doji has no mirrors anywhere on the mountain itself, we're going to have a very long hike ahead of us."

Ame-Onna sighed as they began marching away without her. "Very well. I guess Kagami must have also told you about Shuten-Doji's totem, after all."

Yumiko stopped in her tracks and closed her eyes briefly. Ame-Onna would happen to know the one piece of information that she needed. Destroy the totem, destroy the yokai. In Shuten-Doji's case, sending him to the mirror world wasn't an option. She needed to destroy that totem.

Turning and stalking back over to Ame-Onna, Yumiko had to clench her hands into fists to keep from wiping the smile from her smug face. "What is the totem?" Yumiko asked, through clenched teeth.

Ame-Onna's smile widened. "I will tell you. But you're taking me with you. I deserve to be in this party."

Yumiko stared into her eyes for a moment, trying to conjure up as much intimidation as she could, but Ame-Onna didn't flinch. She knew that Yumiko needed her.

"Fine," Yumiko spat, turning on her heel. "But you'd better hold your own."

Ame-Onna chuckled at her back. "I always do."

***

The trek up Mount Ooe was arduous. By late afternoon, they took a break by a mountain stream to rest and partake of provisions. The kappa took the opportunity to leap into the stream and frolic. They spit water at each other and splashed about playfully like little children. Yumiko enjoyed watching them, and sat at the edge of the stream, munching on an apple.

They were nearly halfway up the mountain, and already it was growing chilly. Even though it was Spring in Japan, the higher they climbed, the closer they got to the snow-capped peak, where it was bound to be downright frigid. Yumiko was glad that she'd had the foresight to bring a jacket, as had Shou. Reina, however, looked like she regretted her poor choice of attire, and already hugged her arms around herself.

"You can turn back now, if you want," Yumiko offered softly as Reina took a seat beside her, eyeing the kappa with a wide smile. "I can have one of the kappa escort you back down."

Reina shrugged. "I'll be fine. We have sleeping bags and blankets for when we break camp for the night. If I get really cold, I'll just throw a blanket over my shoulders."

"Let's hope there aren't any cute boys at the top then."

Reina rolled her eyes and nodded toward Shou. "I think you and Shou won this round. I'm left out in the cold again."

Yumiko scoffed. "You call Enenra a prize?"

"He's hot," Reina said, glancing in his direction admiringly. "Even if he is made of smoke." She cocked her head. "You don't think Shou's getting in over his head with that one, do you?"

"I think Shou can handle him."

Reina chuckled. "I still can't believe he's gay. I was totally crushing on him."

Yumiko smirked. "Don't tell him that. He has a big enough ego as is." She bit her lip and sent Reina a mischievous look. "And what guy haven't you crushed on?" she teased.

Reina pretended offense and slapped Yumiko's arm half-heartedly. "I don't know what you're talking about. Just because I think Enenra's cute. And Shou's cute. And Brian's cute."

Yumiko giggled. "Tramp."

"Hey, I'm desperate at this point."

"Tanuki?"

"Not that desperate," Reina amended, trying to hold back her laughter. "But seriously, you think I'm totally boy crazy, don't you?"

"Yes. Because you are."

Reina nodded, sobering. "I'm just...exploring my options. It's empowering." She shrugged. "Not everyone can be as confident as you."

"As confident as me?" Yumiko asked, bewildered. "Boy, have you been reading me wrong. I'm a wreck."

"We're all wrecks. We just have to be happy with who we are."

"Exactly. You don't need a boy. You're great without one."

"Really?" Reina beamed.

"Really," Yumiko said firmly, then sighed. "I can't say that I've always appreciated your presence. I kind of took you for granted. But you really are a good friend, Reina. Thank you for doing this."

Reina blushed and glanced away, then grinned as she looked back at her. "Hey, it's not like I had anything else to do."

***

The sun began to set a few hours later. When the path began to grow dark and the terrain flattened out enough for a suitable camp ground, they stopped and set up their tents. Haronago built hers by herself, and finished before any of the others, as she used tendrils of hair like limbs, holding stakes steady with strands and coiling them around mallets, effectively demonstrating the incredible strength each follicle wielded. And then she disappeared into her tent without a word to anyone, or offering to lend a hand elsewhere.

"Real sociable, that one," Reina muttered, walking past Yumiko.

Yumiko smirked and looked up to see a full moon shining overhead, silvering the mountainside, and providing enough light to be able to watch their immediate surroundings, should anything decide to take advantage of the night to attack. As of yet, they hadn't encountered a single threat, which unnerved Yumiko. What if Shuten-Doji had left his mountain fortress in favor of a safer location to dispose of Brian? It was too quiet. She'd expected some form of resistance by now.

"What do you think?" Shou asked quietly as he sidled up to her, having just finished erecting his tent. He wiped an arm across his forehead, then gulped at a water bottle greedily.

"I think that something has to be watching us," Yumiko decided. "I just don't know why they haven't attacked yet."

"Maybe they're waiting for the right moment," Shou suggested.

"When most of us have fallen asleep?"

Shou shrugged.

Enenra appeared behind Shou like an apparition, most of his body foggy as it dispersed into smoke. "I'm going to take a look around."

"Good idea," Shou nodded.

Yumiko tapped her lower lip. "Look for satori. They would be somewhere nearby, but would keep themselves well-hidden."

"Satori?" Shou asked, surprised. "Why satori?"

"Because that's who I would send out here," Yumiko said as Enenra nodded to her and faded into the darkness. She turned to Shou. "The satori can read people's minds. It would be the perfect way for Shuten-Doji to gather intelligence on us, and assess the threat. He doesn't know how many people are coming after him, or what our plan of attack is. One well-placed satori would change that and give him quite an advantage."

Shou pressed his lips into a frown and looked around at the bushes and shrubs that surrounded them, jutting out of the rocky hills and crags. The shadows were deep and inky black, and any number of things could be hiding nearby and they would never know, especially if those things were much more familiar with the terrain than they were.

A rattling sound from nearby caused Yumiko to pause and tilt her head. Shou frowned and was about to say something, but she put a hand on his arm for quiet. He looked around for the source of the noise, eyes widening when he gazed beyond Yumiko.

Yumiko whirled to see a mammoth figure, several stories tall, pushing through the evergreen trees to the east of where they stood. In the moonlight, white bones gleamed ghostly, making the giant skeleton stand out starkly against the surrounding darkness. It was apparent from the noise that the sound they heard was its bones creaking, its teeth clanking.

While Yumiko didn't necessarily consider it a threat presently, she nonetheless ushered Shou to the thick shadows beneath a nearby boulder, and quietly watched the behemoth until it disappeared, although they heard its bones rattling long after they could no longer see it.

"Did you guys see that?" Reina whisper-shouted, skulking over to them and ducking into the shadows. "That was crazy!"

"It was beautiful," Shou said, still gazing in the direction they'd seen it disappear.

Yumiko nodded. "It was beautiful, in a way."

"What was it?" Reina asked.

"Gasha-Dokuro," Shou answered before Yumiko could. "It's a yokai fueled by the remains of hundreds of bodies. It's usually found in remote areas, near mass graves."

"Or during wartime," Yumiko added. "I've never actually seen one. They're quite rare these days, since the amount of death needed for them to form is so extensive. And they have to continue to consume dead bodies, or perish."

"Which means that Shuten-Doji has been quite busy," Reina said thoughtfully.

"I would say so."

The air thickened suddenly, and Enenra appeared outside of their haven of shadows. He looked amused to find them hiding, but he didn't comment on it.

"Did you find anything?" Shou asked, stepping out into the moonlight.

"A satori," Enenra reported with a nod. "There were tracks of two others, but I wasn't able to find them."

"So, he's going to know we're here," Reina said, sagging. "And who's here."

Yumiko frowned. It was a blow, but perhaps something could be salvaged from this setback. "Where is it?"

Enenra cocked his head. "I trapped him half a mile from here."

"Bring me to it."

Enenra raised an eyebrow. "Giving orders like a queen already, are you?"

Yumiko glared at him, but he picked her up in his arms gently. His hands felt solid and somehow warm where he touched her, which she wasn't necessarily expecting. And as he crouched, and launched himself into the air, she closed her eyes, the feeling of rising into the sky unsettling enough for her without having to see it.

It only took a minute for them to reach an old pine tree, its trunk solid and firm. A creature ten feet tall was pinned to the tree by what looked like tent stakes that had been run through its hands, shoulders and thighs. Yumiko sent Enenra a look, but didn't say anything about the brutality he'd shown the prisoner. If this mission was successful, she would let Brian be the one to explain the concept of humane treatment to the yokai.

The satori looked vaguely ape-like, with thick hair so brown that it was almost black. Its face was a patch of raised brown skin, with unsettlingly human-looking eyes set in it. The creature struggled fervently against the stakes, and by the looks of its strong arms, it wouldn't take long to free itself, although it would be a painful experience.

"Would the queen like to cross-examine the prisoner?" Enenra asked mockingly as he set her down.

Ignoring him, Yumiko stalked up to the creature, who stopped moving at her approach. Its eyes took her in at a glance and quickly grew wary.

"The yokai hunter," the satori said softly.

Yumiko didn't bother with pleasantries. "Where are your companions?"

"Like I would give up that information willingly."

Enenra stepped forward eagerly. "How about unwillingly?"

"Enenra," Yumiko warned, putting up a hand as a sign to stay back. He complied, begrudgingly.

"What are they reporting to Shuten-Doji?" Yumiko asked, stepping closer to the creature.

The satori snorted. "Everything in the heads of your human friends. You are doomed."

Yumiko smiled triumphantly. "You've been cooperative already. You've given me two pieces of information. I now know that Shuten-Doji is indeed at his castle. And that you can only read the minds of humans, not other yokai."

Blinking, the satori looked stricken. "You...what are you?" He blinked, then his face darkened. "I can't see into your mind either."

Yumiko quickly unsheathed her sword and struck it across his cheek. He vanished in an instant, leaving bloody stakes embedded into the tree in its wake. She gazed into her sword, where the image of the satori remained for a moment before it disappeared.

"Why couldn't he read your mind?" Enenra asked, then crossed his arms, watching her thoughtfully.

"I am protected from his kind of attacks," Yumiko said vaguely, and not really telling a lie. "My visit to the spirit world as a young girl gave me many advantages."

"How convenient."

Yumiko smiled at him, then stiffened as a flash of light caught her attention over his shoulder. She stepped forward and squinted through the trees. Something orange, something burning. And it was heading straight for their campsite.

"It looks like Shuten-Doji didn't waste any time," Enenra observed, scooping Yumiko up with less care than before. "He must have heard something he didn't like."

"Must have," Yumiko agreed with a frown.
Chapter Twenty-Two

"Are you alright?" Yumiko asked, running up to Reina, who was stomping the remaining fire out of a tent.

Reina nodded, eyes wide and frightened. "I am. It just rolled through camp and went after the others."

"Went after?" Yumiko stopped and frowned, looking back as Enenra drifted over. "What was it?"

Reina shrugged. "It was...the most disgusting thing I've ever seen in my life."

"I think she wants a more detailed description," Shou said, rushing over from another tent. He met Yumiko's eyes. "It was Wa-Nyudo. He was chasing the kappa, burning them."

"Burning them?" Yumiko frowned, then looked around the campsite more carefully. The forms of two kappa were lying around the grounds, skin blistered and blackened. All at once, the scent of burned flesh hit her and she covered her nose and mouth automatically. "He's killing them. Evaporating the water on their heads with fire."

"He seemed mainly to be after Ame-Onna," Reina said, stepping back to examine the smoke that billowed out from the tent she'd extinguished. One side of canvas hung limply, angry black burn marks staining the edges of tattered cloth.

"Ame-Onna?" Yumiko repeated.

"Yeah. But the kappa were protecting her. And Harionago."

Yumiko blinked, processing this. There was only one reason that Shuten-Doji would have sent a yokai after Ame-Onna specifically. The satori had reported back to him, and from Reina and Shou's minds, he'd gleaned that Ame-Onna was the only one among them who knew the totem that could kill him.

"Damn," Yumiko muttered. "Which way did they do?"

"This way!" Tanuki said, leaping over a log nearby and skidding to a stop. He nodded back the way he'd come. "He's got them cornered."

Yumiko quickly unsheathed the dagger she'd taken from Brian's bedroom and laid it in Reina's hand. "Just in case."

Reina looked down at the dagger with wide eyes and nodded.

Yumiko smiled tightly at her, then pulled out her own blade as she ran, following Tanuki as he darted over the forest floor, dodging trees and leaping over rocks. He was quick, but Yumiko managed to keep up, although she couldn't see the terrain as well as he could and stumbled a few times.

When the smell of burned flesh hit her again, Yumiko almost gagged, and missed a rather treacherous hole in the path. She felt her foot sink into it, and suddenly she was sprawled over the ground, her knees stinging. She recovered quickly and jumped to her feet, wincing at the pain in her ankle. But she didn't have time to indulge her pain. She was lucky enough that she hadn't fallen on her sword.

Darting around a large boulder, Yumiko stopped to stare as two kappa darted out of the way of a huge ox-cart wheel that was consumed by flames. Two other kappa lay on the ground, dead, although Ame-Onna and Harionago seemed to be in fine shape, keeping their distance as the kappa drew the attention of the flaming wheel. They were all trapped, however, as stone walls rose on all sides, with the exception of a narrow stretch of earth between two boulders where Yumiko stood with Tanuki.

As the wheel shifted, Yumiko saw the head of a man at the center of the wheel, wooden spokes painfully driven through his flesh. His head was shaved, like a priest, and while his flesh seemed to be burned in patches of painful red and black, blistering and peeling to reveal bloody flesh beneath, he still had a black beard, full and unruly, that seemed untouched by the fire, but gave him the look of a terrifying wild man. His eyes were white orbs, his dry, cracked lips hanging open in a stupor. Yumiko had never seen such a horrid creature in all of her encounters, and would second Reina's earlier claim.

Wa-Nyudo made a sharp turn and drove toward one of the kappa unexpectedly, catching it before it could leap out of the way. In a manner of seconds, the kappa fell to the ground, limp, skin sizzling.

"Enough!" Yumiko roared, stepping off of the path and holding her sword before her. "That is the last yokai you murder, fiend."

Wa-Nyudo paused and turned toward her, his white dead eyes staring, as if assessing her.

"Yumiko, get out of here!" Ame-Onna ordered.

"Not an option," Yumiko muttered, but Wa-Nyudo seemed to have made a decision, and barreled toward Ame-Onna at top speed.

"No!" Yumiko gasped, rushing forward to stop him. But Harionago stepped up, swinging her hair out wildly. As if she'd thrown grappling hooks its way, several tendrils of hair struck Wa-Nyudo, grabbing hold of the spokes, and swinging him off course. Harionago screamed as her hair began to catch fire, like the strands were indeed limbs, but she didn't release Wa-Nyudo until he slammed into one of the stone walls.

As Harionago reeled her hair back in, Tanuki stomped on any strands that were on fire, effectively extinguishing the flames. What she left behind was a splintered ox-wagon wheel, struggling in vain to pull itself out of a pile of debris. The horrible priest's head sneered, grimacing as Yumiko approached.

"You will die alongside Kagami," Wa-Nyudo informed her in a deep, otherworldly voice, although his lips did not move. "Then you will join him in the realm of the dead." As the last of the fire along one spoke died, the head seemed to disintegrate, flesh melting away like candlewax and dripping onto the earth, until all that remained was a skull, its jaw hanging open in silent laughter.

"Revolting," Tanuki muttered, padding over to the remains of Wa-Nyudo. "What is this thing anyway?"

"Wa-Nyudo," Yumiko sighed. "Supposedly, it comes from Hell."

"As do the oni," Ame-Onna said.

"The oni?" Yumiko frowned. "Then how does Shuten-Doji seem to have such a steady supply of them?"

Ame-Onna looked thoughtful for a moment. "He must have an agreement with someone in that dimension."

"Dimension?" Tanuki tilted his head. "What do you mean? Isn't Hell just...Hell? The afterlife? Death?"

"It's where our souls go to atone," Ame-Onna told him. "It's a place where demons rule. Where oni rule. Some would say it's worse than death."

Tanuki shuddered and looked up at Yumiko as she turned, wincing at the weight she put on her ankle. "You okay?"

She nodded briskly. "I'll survive." She glanced over at Harionago, who was fussing with her hair. "Are you going to be alright, Harionago?"

The yokai shrugged. "As long as another wheel from Hell doesn't ambush us."

Ame-Onna helped the last kappa to its feet and bit her lip. "Only one kappa remains." She wiped the dirt from its back as it gazed down at its fallen comrades.

"We were fools to come here," it croaked.

Yumiko blinked. "You can speak?"

The kappa nodded, meeting her gaze. "When it suits us." It shook its head. "The price for saving Kagami was steeper than we imagined."

"But it's worth it, so long as we save him," Ame-Onna said confidently. "With him, we can bring about an era of peace. We are all expendable as we work toward that goal."

"All except for her," Harionago corrected her, nodding toward Yumiko. "She'd better be worth it."

"She is," Ame-Onna assured her. She turned to Yumiko. "Wa-Nyudo was after me, which means Shuten-Doji knows that I'm aware of his weakness."

"Yes." Yumiko agreed. "I think that's a safe assumption."

"Then there's no point in keeping it a secret any longer. Shuten-Doji wears his totem around his neck. It's a pouch that contains the one love letter he never burned all those years ago. The smoke of the others transformed him into a yokai before he had the chance to add a final note to the pyre. Destroy the remaining letter, and you destroy him."

"Sounds simple enough," Tanuki commented, eyes flashing.

"Getting that close will be nearly impossible," Ame-Onna cautioned, frowning at Tanuki. "He is the best there is with a sword."

Yumiko considered. "Then we have to be smart about this. Perhaps we won't even have to confront Shuten-Doji at all. All we need to do is rescue Brian. After that, we return to the mirror world, where he can't follow. He won't be able to stop the ceremony from taking place."

"You would remain in the mirror world until you turn eighteen?" Ame-Onna asked, surprised.

"If it means no more death," Yumiko told her. "Then, yes."

"Then I'm sorry to be the one to put a damper on your plans," a voice rang out from behind Yumiko.

Yumiko turned to see Reina standing in the narrow path that was their only escape route. Yumiko frowned as Reina was pushed forward, revealing that her hands were tied behind her back. She sent Yumiko an apologetic look as Shou was shoved forward behind her, also bound.

Then two oni filed up the path and stepped aside, each clasping the shoulder of one of Yumiko's friends in an iron grip.

Finally, Oni-Baba appeared from out of the shadows and grinned around her as she took in Yumiko and the remaining yokai. "Your little rescue party has failed, Miss Sato," the witch proclaimed. She met Yumiko's eyes and smiled, utterly delighted. "Shuten-Doji requests an audience."
Chapter Twenty-Three

"Faster," Oni-Baba hissed, poking Yumiko's back with a hand fan. "No point in delaying the inevitable."

Yumiko winced as she tried to pick up her pace, and glared back at the woman. "I hurt my ankle. I can't go faster."

Oni-Baba scowled and gestured to one of the oni bringing up the rear of the party. "Carry her."

Yumiko stopped and lifted her chin. "I refuse to be carried."

The oni hesitated and looked to Oni-Baba, who watched Yumiko warily. She gestured for the oni to step back and approached Yumiko herself. "Sit down," she ordered.

Yumiko frowned and, looking around, decided to sit on a low stone. She eased her bad foot forward and Oni-Baba took it in her hands roughly, causing Yumiko to bite back a groan of pain.

Oni-Baba turned her foot first left, then right. As she did so, Yumiko examined the yokai. She was still dressed as a geisha, and seemed all female elegance at a glance. But as she moved, and looked at things, Oni-Baba gave away what she truly was, with cunning, cruel eyes and impatience. Crudely, Oni-Baba cleared her throat and spit into the palm of her hand, then rubbed her hands together and laid them over Yumiko's hurt ankle.

Yumiko scowled and looked away, trying not to think about the slippery feeling of Oni-Baba's saliva as it was smeared over her flesh.

"There," Oni-Baba said, dropping her foot unceremoniously and standing up. "Now, move it."

Yumiko frowned and gently tested her foot on the ground, putting little pressure on it at first. When she found that no pain radiated from it, she stood up and pushed her full weight against it. It was like she'd never been hurt in the first place. She turned an impressed gaze on Oni-Baba, who tried to appear as if she didn't find satisfaction in the look, but Yumiko noted that the witch held her head a little higher after that, and seemed more confident than before.

Yumiko found the mountain pass leading up to the castle to be much less appealing with frigid temperatures made even colder by a brisk wind. After walking the pass in the mirror world, it was strange to experience it with sound and sensation, but Yumiko decided that the howling of the wind did little to improve its beauty. Even less impressive was the courtyard of the castle. Instead of a clean, bustling area, this one was filled with filth. Bones, picked clean of flesh, lay strewn about the cobblestone streets, discarded and forgotten, and resembling bones that Yumiko knew were normally found in human beings. The fountains burbled with blood, water no longer pouring from the neglected spouts. Everything was dirty and disheveled, many of the buildings missing doors or with broken windows that no one had bothered to fix. It was a pigsty. It stunk of rotten meat and death. In short, it was the sort of place one imagined monsters would live.

An escort of two dozen oni marched Yumiko, two humans, two female yokai, a kappa, and a raccoon-dog through the halls of the castle, which, while cleaner than the courtyard, was still filthy with dirt and cobwebs.

There had been no word on Enenra, and as Oni-Baba hadn't mentioned him, Yumiko held out hope that he had somehow escaped Shuten-Doji's grasp. It would appear that the yokai made of smoke might be their only hope, which left Yumiko feeling rather pessimistic.

"Your pretty friend will keep me young for months," Oni-Baba noted, jarring Yumiko from her thoughts, before the witch sent a knowing look Reina's way. "Such soft skin and beautiful features."

Yumiko swallowed hard, trying hard not to take her bait and give her the satisfaction of a reaction. And truly, she didn't want to think of Reina's lifeblood rejuvenating this monster.

"You might want to act fast then," Reina spoke up, causing Yumiko to groan inwardly. "You're starting to look a little rough around the edges, you old hag."

Oni-Baba cackled, sounding delighted. "Yes, I might bleed that one for days." She winked at Yumiko. "And, of course, this lovely souvenir will go right on my wall, in remembrance of you, my dear." She held Yumiko's mirror sword up triumphantly. "You won't be needing it anymore, after all."

Yumiko clenched her jaw as they were led up to a doorway at the end of the hall. Two silver double doors connected to form the body of a dragon, its body serpentine and scaly. The oni at the head of the procession pushed open the doors, and a gong sounded within, the sound of a harp falling quiet suddenly. The oni up ahead all filed to the left and right, and stood tall, facing forward like dutiful servants. Yumiko passed their cold stares with her head high, taking in the throne on a raised platform ahead. A harp stood to the right, where a human girl, pale with dark circles under her frightened eyes sat, and shrank back, as if willing to be forgotten by everyone in the room.

Brian was chained by his wrists to an iron ring set into the floor beside the throne, and the moment that Yumiko caught his eyes, he closed his, clearly upset and disappointed. When he opened them again, he offered her a shaky smile that did little to comfort her. It was obvious by his expression that he expected this to be the end, that they were already dead.

Once she'd set eyes on Brian, she found it hard to tear them away. He had terrible cuts over his arms and legs, as well as one on his side. A gaping wound on his shoulder looked painful and swollen, and bled freely, while a large bruise was painted prominently across his forehead.

"Master," Ame-Onna whispered, lowering her eyes, her voice choked.

"God, Brian," Reina murmured, turning her head away from him, then sending a sympathetic look in Yumiko's direction.

"There is only one master here," Brian said, voice booming through the room as Yumiko came to a stop at the foot of the raised platform. Her eyes traveled up a dozen steps, carpeted in a deep red, with stains that were slightly darker, before she took in the throne. Then she realized that Brian hadn't been the one who'd spoken at all.

From behind the throne, a figure stepped out to gaze upon them, hands behind his back, body outfitted with gold and silver plates of armor. His arms were covered in chainmail, but were otherwise bare, allowing a glimpse of the muscle they boasted, and his head was free of adornment, allowing a clear look at his visage. Yumiko was hesitant to peer into his face, but once she did, she found it hard to look away. She saw Brian's face there, but it was so clearly not Brian's that it nearly took her aback. It was like looking into The Picture of Dorian Gray. Shuten-Doji wore every diabolical sin he'd ever committed on his face. His eyes were vacant and dead, humorless. His lips were cruel and twisted. His jaw clenched with rage and jealousy. Murder was in the gleam of his eyes. Cruelty, in the way he held his head. His glance was like a snake slithering over Yumiko's skin. His words were delivered icily, with a promise behind them of how terribly he wanted to slowly torture her and everyone she loved. And while he boasted the same beautiful features as Brian, how he wore them was so ugly that Yumiko could only describe his appearance as monstrous. He was just as ugly, features distorted with cruelty, as the oni he commanded.

"On your knees," Shuten-Doji said, eyes meeting each of the prisoners in turn before stopping on Yumiko. "All of you. Your new master waits."

If Shuten-Doji expected resistance, he was disappointed. Yumiko indulged him, because she knew that he would find a sick delight in refusal. She knelt and lowered her head, eyes flickering backward to make sure that the others followed her lead. They did, even though Shou did so with a scowl on his face, refusing to bow his head.

"You've already tamed them for me," Shuten-Doji told Oni-Baba, who climbed the stairs to meet him. He kissed her on the lips and she wrapped an arm around his broad shoulders, squeezing lightly.

"There was hardly any resistance at all," Oni-Baba told him as she pulled back, running her fingers over his lips intimately. "I think that without your doppelganger, they've lost their strength."

Shuten-Doji considered her words for a moment, then nodded, turning toward Yumiko. "Hardly any surprise. Even a copy of me must be formidable. And why should they try when the battle is so very obviously at an end, and defeat is assured?" He grunted, then gestured at the prisoners. "Somebody kill that kappa. Disgusting creatures. I can't stand the sight of it."

Oni-Baba threw up a hand in the direction of the kappa, and the yokai was suddenly engulfed in flames. A small cry of pain escaped it before it fell to the ground. Then the room was filled with smoke.

"How tedious," Shuten-Doji said, then waved a hand in front of him. The smoke seemed to grow thicker with every passing second, until it was so dense that it began to burn Yumiko's eyes and she coughed.

"Clear the air, woman," Shuten-Doji commanded. "You don't know your own power."

"I'm..." Oni-Baba squinted into the room, eyes suddenly narrowing.

Yumiko turned her head to see a shape taking form in the smoke. In a flash, five oni fell forward, dead, their armor slashed open, intestines falling to the floor. Shou, Ame-Onna and Reina were suddenly armed with swords from the fallen yokai, and were crossing steel with the remaining monsters. Yumiko tried to follow the movements of the figure in the smoke, but found it to be a blur of speed. In another moment, Yumiko found her mirror sword sailing through the air in her direction, and she caught it easily. A second later, the sound of metal shattering by the throne told Yumiko that Brian had been freed. And then she saw Enenra. The smoke cleared and his body became solid, his chest heaving. She could have kissed him, she'd never been so happy to see somebody in her life. The momentary confusion of the smoke filling the room in concurrence with the fire had given him the opportunity to surprise their adversaries, and suddenly they had a fighting chance.

Tanuki had taken it upon himself to close the doors, and with Reina watching his back, he was able to secure it with various swords and scarabs, although reinforcements rocked the huge doors. Reina wasn't that adept with a sword however, and only really managed to distract the oni. She was able to dodge their attacks easily, given that she was quick and nimble, while they were slow and bulky, but Yumiko was relieved when Tanuki was able to focus on helping her.

Harionago was a force of nature. She whipped her hair into the wall of oni around them and tore them to shreds with her hair. She ripped one oni in two with a loud triumphant howl, and tore the head clean off of another with a terrible ripping sound. But she seemed to be more partial to shooting out tendrils of hair and hooking her barbs into the oni's skin, ripping their flesh off in patches that made them cry out in agony. A little bloody and brutal for Yumiko's tastes, but thankfully, Harionago was on their side, so she was going to overlook it.

Shou and Ame-Onna made a good team, fighting with their backs together mostly, with Shou making short work of the oni, second only to Harionago's bloody display. Only when the battle seemed to be going south for Shuten-Doji did Ame-Onna leave Shou's side. A glance at the throne informed Yumiko the reason for her departure, as Oni-Baba was making for a door at the back of the room. Before the witch could slip away in the chaos, Ame-Onna engaged her, the witch cursing as she deflected Ame-Onna's sword with her hand fans, twirling around in a dance of death, robes flowing beautifully as the bladed tips flashed.

Yumiko, meanwhile, made her way for Shuten-Doji, as did Brian. She expertly wielded her sword, trading blows with one oni, and then another. Brian was of a similar skill set to Yumiko, and was on pace to reaching Shuten-Doji at the same time.

Enenra was a graceful fighter. He slashed at oni quickly, darting in and out between their bodies as he dealt damage. Yumiko paused in her own battle once, startled as an oni swung a sword at his unprotected midsection. But Enenra hardly even registered the attack, and the oni's sword sliced through his body easily, but as it was only smoke, it dispersed for a moment before recollecting. He noted Yumiko's distress, however, and offered her a mischievous wink before returning to the fight.

Shuten-Doji watched the bloody battle going on in his throne room with a detached amusement. He seemed to enjoy the blood as it bathed the floor and walls, but that enjoyment didn't seem to reach his eyes. It was as if he'd truly seen it all, and as brutal as this fight was, it was only of passing interest. A slight entertainment. But he seemed to make his own fun, and found satisfaction in forcing the harp player to watch as dozens died before their eyes. She cringed and tried to look away, but he would shake her and force her eyes on some new atrocity.

When Yumiko killed a final oni standing in her way of Shuten-Doji, she took steady steps in his direction and raised her sword threateningly. "Tell your oni to stand down," she ordered.

Shuten-Doji sent her a patronizing smile. "Really, girl? I can hardly believe the fuss over a little human child such as yourself. It's hardly good sport at all when I know how fragile you are firsthand." He glanced down at the girl in front of him. "Like this." With a quick hand, he broke the harp player's neck and she fell to the floor with a loud thump. He kicked her down the stairs, and cocked his head, as if intrigued by how her dead body rolled.

"Damn you," Yumiko gritted her teeth and took a step toward him.

"Nuh-uh-uh," Shuten-Doji wagged a finger at her. "Don't you know what's at stake here, girl? None of this matters. Your friends, my oni – they're all collateral damage. Cannon fodder. What matters is the prophecy, and making sure that it never comes to pass."

Brian stepped up next to Yumiko and she sent him a sideways glance. He met her eyes, a small grin appearing on his face. He looked out of breath, and despite his injuries, the sweat covering his face, the wild hair and tired eyes, he was spectacularly handsome in that moment.

She wanted to kiss him badly. But first things first.

She glared up at Shuten-Doji. "Well, you can bet I'm marrying this man," she declared. "He's the most selfless, caring man that I know. And I kind of love him for it."

Brian's eyes widened. "Wh – really?"

"Really," Yumiko told him, voice lowering. "It just took me a while to figure that out."

Brian looked so pleased that his smile threatened to split his face in two. But in a moment, his face hardened and his jaw was set with determination as he faced Shuten-Doji. "Only one thing stands in our way."

Shuten-Doji seemed amused, then shook his head, a soft chuckle escaping his cruel lips. "Oh, fools. You never even had a chance."

He lifted something from out of his pocket, the size of his fist, and flashed it at Brian. Yumiko had to squint at the sudden flicker of light it sent into her eyes. But when he held it up, she could see clearly that it was a square mirror, like one that would be fastened to the inside of a locker by a magnet.

Yumiko blinked at it stupidly for a moment before realization dawned on her. Kagami, Brian, was created by a mirror. Shuten-Doji's mirror. This mirror. This totem. And once it was destroyed, so was he.

She glanced over at Brian, and the confirmation was written all over his face. He paled, his eyes wide with disbelief. He turned to Yumiko with something like an apology filling them. "I'm sorry," he told her. Then, "I love you."

And then Shuten-Doji tossed the mirror to the ground at his feet, almost casually, like the life it supported was of little consequence.

But the life attached to that mirror meant everything to Yumiko, and she launched herself at the floor in a desperate bid to preserve the life of the one she loved.

It seemed to fall in slow motion and it seemed like years before she reached it, though only seconds could have passed. And she knew the entire time she watched the mirror that she would never be able to reach it in time. She hoped for a miracle, prayed for one. Wished that it wouldn't shatter, that she could save it.

But it hit the ground out of her reach, an edge soundlessly touching against the red carpeting before the rest of its bulk slammed into the floor.

And her heart stopped.

The mirror broke into several pieces, and the sound that reached her ears was like her own heart shattering.

When she looked up at Brian, his body was cracked like the mirror, like he was a mirror himself. And the pieces fell away like empty husks and rained over the ground, before disappearing, like he had been nothing but a dream the entire time.
Chapter Twenty-Four

Life is fragile, Yumiko thought as she stared at the mirror on the ground in front of her. Too fragile. She reached out and touched the broken glass, and grabbed the biggest piece, lifting it to her face, not caring that it cut her, not feeling the pain, she was so overwhelmed by the pain her heart was causing her. She felt shattered herself, and even with Shuten-Doji a foot away from her, she couldn't find it in herself to care. She felt broken. She felt lost. She felt like nothing mattered at all.

Tears came, and while something tore through her body, something she didn't recognize, twisting her insides, she felt the tears slide down her cheeks.

Am I like this too? She wondered, staring at the shards of the mirror. Am I as fragile as a mirror?

Of course, since she had come into being in the same way as Brian, it would stand to reason that she had a similar totem out there. Where the original mirror was that created her, she couldn't have guessed. But when it cracked and fell away in a rain of glass, she would surely follow.

She hardly cared however. She had just seen Brian fall to pieces in front of her eyes. And she wanted to kill Shuten-Doji very badly for it.

"Master!" Ame-Onna screamed.

Yumiko wasn't sure how much time had passed since Brian had been killed, but it seemed that the whole room suddenly froze. Yumiko looked up to see all eyes on her. Reina had her hands to her mouth. Shou looked angry. Tanuki looked sad. Harionago frowned. Enenra only stared. And Ame-Onna was crushed. She fell to her knees and crumpled into a heap, body wracked with sobs.

Shouldn't Yumiko be doing the same? Shouldn't she be paralyzed with loss and pain? She'd been through enough loss in her life that she was intimately acquainted with the feeling. She knew the sensations that normally followed such loss. She had attempted to close herself off to everyone around her so that she would never feel it again. So, why did it feel so different this time? Why did she feel only numbness? Why did nothing matter suddenly? Had she better prepared herself for it this time? Had the time since her aunt's death allowed her to adapt to the inevitable crippling pain? Oh, she felt pain. She felt a hole where her heart had been only a moment ago. She felt something in her break, releasing tears and dread that roiled in her stomach like a living thing. But she also felt something else. Something that was building from out of that numbness, out of the years of loneliness she'd endured. Strength. Revenge wrapped around her chest and gave her strength. Nothing would fill that hole in her heart better than killing Shuten-Doji with her bare hands.

"You," was all she could manage as she leapt to her feet. She lifted her sword and Shuten-Doji watched her with a knowing smile.

"What a pathetic end," Shuten-Doji said with a sigh. "Don't worry, child. I'm sure the love of your life is making new friends as we speak. I hear Hell is quite wonderful this time of year."

She lashed out with her sword and surprised him, cutting through his breast plate with the razor edge of her weapon. She jerked the sword up and the chest plate flew from him, skittering across the floor, then toppling down the steps with muffled clangs, racing to follow the path of the girl who'd played the harp.

Shuten-Doji sneered, holding a hand over his chest, where Yumiko caught a glimpse of a brown leather bag, drawstrings closing it tightly, hanging from around his neck like a secret. His totem. The object that would bring his death as surely as it had brought Brian's.

But Shuten-Doji wasn't going to be caught off-guard twice. With lightning speed, he shoved Yumiko's blade aside roughly and grabbed her throat. He lifted her up into the air, his fingers digging into her skin painfully. His other hand held her sword arm at bay.

Shuten-Doji's eyes twinkled then, the first sign of genuine pleasure she'd seen in them. His lips quirked into a smile as he watched her struggle for air. "So fragile," he said softly. "Almost like you were made to break."

Yumiko saw black and red dots angrily swirling before her eyes. She heard Reina screaming, someone shouting. But she knew something that Shuten-Doji didn't. She had the upper hand, even if he didn't know it. Because he thought that she was human. He thought that he could kill her without hunting down a totem.

And he was wrong.

A plan formulated in her mind. One last shard of hope that would allow her friends to walk away from this. If only she could pull it off.

And then she heard the snap of her neck breaking.
Chapter Twenty-Five

Her neck breaking hurt. That was for damn sure. It was a hot, sharp pain. It was almost intolerable, nearly making her black out. But she couldn't allow herself to give in to unconsciousness. If this was going to work, she had to take him by surprise for a second time.

Her body fell to the floor like a sack of garbage, already forgotten by her would-be murderer. She forced herself to relax, go limp. She loosened her grip on her mirror sword, and felt it tumble out of her hand. But she didn't relax the other hand, the hand that no one would be watching.

Her vision faded for a moment as oxygen stopped being carried to her brain, but then it resumed again as she felt something knitting together. Something fixing itself with a burst of warmth and a strange tingling sensation.

She had to swallow a sob of relief that it had actually worked. But it also confirmed what she had yet to believe for herself. She was a yokai. There was no denying that now. But that meant that human laws no longer applied to her.

"Can you use her blood?" Shuten-Doji asked. By the sound of his voice, she imagined that he had turned away from her.

"Not after she's dead," came Oni-Baba's reply, growing closer.

"A shame," Shuten-Doji said, his voice clearer again as he faced her.

This might be her last chance, and she seized it for all it was worth.

Gripping the mirror shard in her hand painfully tight, she leapt to her feet, earning a gasp from Oni-Baba. Shuten-Doji merely blinked at her in shock as she thrust the mirror into the tender flesh between his neck and shoulder blade with enough force to drive it deep into his body. She felt some of the mirror splinter upon contact, but it was solid and sharp enough to finish the job. She grunted as she yanked the mirror downward, slicing through his flesh, spurting hot blood over her face. She tugged on the mirror as it sliced the soft flesh of her hands to ribbons, ignoring the pain, determined to see this through. And then she watched with satisfaction as she dragged the mirror through the leather bag that dangled over his heart, tearing it in half.

The color drained from Shuten-Doji's face as he stared at her, eyes wide with disbelief. She shoved the mirror deep into his chest with the palm of her hand and stood back, watching as his body seemed to split, ripped like torn paper. He gasped and stumbled toward Oni-Baba, but the witch turned and backed up against the back wall, staring at the scene in horror. More of his skin ripped open, as if by some unseen sword, and blood ran down the length of his body in rivulets. In the moment of his death, his features relaxed and he seemed almost at peace. Yumiko stared into his face and saw Brian there, a flicker of pity coursing through her veins. Then he collapsed, shattering like ash as he hit the ground.

And Shuten-Doji was no more.

All was silent in the room for a minute, before Reina ran to Yumiko and threw her arms around her, gripping her hard, as if to make sure that she was real.

"But you died," Reina said, pulling back to gaze into Yumiko's face, which was still splattered with blood.

Shou approached with Enenra and Tanuki, and offered her a clean cloth, which she accepted gratefully and wiped her face clean as best as she could.

"I can't die unless my totem is destroyed," Yumiko said softly, voice shaking slightly as she gave voice to the words that related what she was.

Reina's eyes widened. Enenra grinned, as if he'd known all along.

"Yumiko?" Tanuki said, hesitantly. "Have you always..."

"I only just found out," Yumiko told him, then looked up at Reina. "I'm sorry."

Reina shook her head, tears slipping out from her eyes. "You have nothing to be sorry for. I'm glad you're alright." She threw her arms around Yumiko again and Yumiko let her embrace her, looking over her shoulder at Shou awkwardly. He smiled and nodded to her.

"Fix her neck," Ame-Onna said, shoving Oni-Baba forward.

Yumiko blinked and pulled back from Reina to regard Oni-Baba, staring at her in wonder.

"I didn't see this," Oni-Baba shook her head. She seemed to be reassessing Yumiko, eyes roving over her carefully.

"Fix her," Ame-Onna ordered once more, prodding her roughly in the back.

Oni-Baba blinked, then nodded. She reached out a hand hesitantly, as if seeking permission from Yumiko, then gently touched the side of her neck.

Yumiko could feel a bone pushing up against the skin of her neck. It wasn't really painful, but she felt pressure from it. It must have been unsettling for her friends to see, given that it would be a mortal wound, should it have happened to a mortal.

Oni-Baba nodded to herself, then cleared her throat and spit into her hands, as she'd done before healing Yumiko's ankle. When the witch laid her slippery hands on her neck, Yumiko closed her eyes, and bit her lips as she felt the bone magically shift in her neck, as if it had simply decided to change position. And then the pressure was gone.

"Much better," Tanuki said as Oni-Baba stepped back.

Yumiko eyed Oni-Baba for a moment, then crossed her arms. "How do I attach a totem to a yokai?"

Oni-Baba blinked, mulling over her question, probably trying to figure out why she would ask such a thing. "You don't. When a yokai is created, it is because of an event. It's a reaction."

"What sort of event?"

Oni-Baba hesitated. "A...an overwhelming emotional or physical trauma. The yokai is a response to the trauma. But there's no formula. Sometimes the result of the trauma is the creation of a yokai, but most of the time, no yokai manifests." She shrugged helplessly. "It's up to nature."

"Very well." Yumiko looked thoughtful, then turned to Shou. "Can you take care of things here? Bring some order to this mess?"

Shou blinked. "I...yes. I can do that."

"You're leaving?" Reina asked, eyes wide.

"There's something I have to do," Yumiko told her. She glanced over at Enenra and gestured for him to approach. She spoke low into his ear, and he nodded, pulling back. He looked surprised, but answered her question. And when he stepped back, the look on his face was knowing.

She glanced at the floor where her mirror sword laid, blade partially out of the scabbard. She leaned over and picked it up, unsheathing the weapon the rest of the way. She looked into the mirror, saw her eyes reflected in them. They looked determined. They looked confident.

She was a yokai. And she realized the potential in that.

She smiled at Tanuki. "Watch my sword for me."

Tanuki nodded as Yumiko put a hand on the blade, and was absorbed into it.

She stepped out into The Hall of Mirrors, where she had hoped she would come out. It felt very empty without anyone else in the corridor with her, even with the hundreds of people in the mirrors around her.

She closed her eyes and let out a deep breath. She was crazy to do what she was about to do, but it had to be done. She refused to give up now. She had a plan. It was a vague plan, but she'd put it into motion and it could work. And it was all that she had.

When she opened her eyes, she walked along the hall, watching the mirrors for signs of location. She followed Enenra's directions until she stopped before a small mirror that was little more than a jagged triangle. From the placement, it had recently been part of a larger mirror, still relatively small, but more than what this fragment of mirror was now.

Through it, she saw mostly darkness. The little light she could see illuminated the outline of rocky terrain.

She nodded and bit her lip as she psyched herself up for what she about to do. And before she could think about it too much, she reached out and touched the mirror, traveling through it to the other side.

When she was aware of her surroundings once more, she blinked and lifted her head, taking a moment to orient herself. She was in a tunnel. A tunnel made of rock, rough and uneven. She looked down at her feet to see a fragment of mirror winking back at her.

With a smile, she reached down and pocketed the mirror, ignoring the blood that clung to it, making it slippery. Shuten-Doji's blood, from where she'd shoved it into his chest.

But Hell was a place. And as long as it was a place, and as long as there was a mirror from Earth to be found there, she could get there.

And so she had.

She looked up the tunnel, where light could be seen flickering far ahead. And she took the first step of her journey to track down Brian.
Chapter Twenty-Six

Yumiko paused as she approached a torch on the wall, frowning at the shape. Her stomach flip-flopped as she realized that it was another Wa-Nyudo. She walked slowly up the hall toward it, keeping an eye on both ends of the tunnel. When she was directly before the Wa-Nyudo, she tried not to gaze on the painful spokes of the ox-cart wheel as they skewered the head of another monk, his eyes frosted over. The wheel itself was on fire, providing light for the passage, as if it were merely a decoration.

"You will not remain undetected for long," the Wa-Nyudo croaked, then smiled knowingly at her.

Yumiko swallowed hard, then picked up the pace. Once a curve had left the Wa-Nyudo behind, she slowed and looked back. The creature had been right. She would have to locate the new arrivals in Hell, and soon, if she was going to get out of there with her soul intact.

She reached into her pocket and picked up the wedge of mirror, careful to grasp it with a piece of fabric she ripped free from the hem of her shirt. Her hands were throbbing terribly, but the bleeding seemed to have mostly stopped. She would probably have had nerve damage if she were a normal human being, but if she could survive a broken neck, she was sure that she would somehow recover from this as well.

Yumiko held the mirror before her like a weapon, because it was all she had. And when she heard footfalls up ahead, she pushed herself up against the wall as closely as she could, willing the shadows to hide her. She watched, heart racing, as a shadow crossed the light, and a figure drew closer to her.

Drawing in a deep breath, Yumiko watched the creature approach. A bipedal cat, as tall as a human, fur black and fluid like ink in the wavering light. With each step it took, fire rose from the ground beneath its feet. Yumiko recognized it, even though she'd never seen one with her own eyes before. A kasha. A cat from Hell who fed on corpses and walked like a man.

Yumiko knew that she wouldn't be able to control an oni should she cross one, so this seemed like her best chance for information.

When the kasha walked past her, it swung its head toward her, green eyes glowing in the dark, and meeting hers. Yumiko leapt at it, shoving it against the far wall, her shard of mirror at its throat. The kasha let out a yowl, but stopped abruptly when she flashed the mirror at it.

"Okay," Yumiko said, looking into its eyes and conveying as much intimidation as she was able. "This is what's going to happen. You're going to bring me where I want to go, and in return, I won't cut you with this mirror. Do you know what happens when I cut you with this mirror?"

The kasha shook its head, eyes wide.

"I extract your soul and then I eat it," she lied, then licked her lips in what she hoped was a convincing display of hunger. "Now, are you going to do as I say?"

The kasha nodded its head vigorously.

"It takes only the tiniest cut," she told the creature. "So don't you dare try to run."

"I won't," the kasha said, its voice like that of a human male, which was rather unsettling.

Yumiko lowered the mirror and stepped back.

The kasha put a hand to its throat and blinked at her. "What do you want?"

"I want you to take me to the new arrivals here."

The kasha licked its paw and rubbed it against its cheek. "The humans that have just arrived are down two levels. You'll never get to them unnoticed."

"I want the yokai new arrivals."

The kasha cocked its head. "Two levels up. Same problem."

Yumiko blinked, then narrowed her eyes. She had found the mirror along this passage. It had fallen from Shuten-Doji on this level, which meant that the kasha was lying.

She held the mirror before her threateningly. "I don't take kindly to liars."

The kasha swallowed hard. "Alright, alright. It's straight ahead."

Yumiko smiled. "That's more like it. Lead the way." She watched as it turned and began to slowly walk up the tunnel. She searched it carefully for any cues that it might take off running or decide to turn and attack her, but it seemed more than willing to follow her orders. And keep its soul.

They passed several more Wa-Nyudo, but they seemed content to merely light the way, offering no advice or remarks, if they even noted their passage. More troubling than the grotesque heads were the sounds of screaming coming from ahead. Wails of torment, of despair, found their way down the corridors, worming into Yumiko's ears. She tried to ignore them, insistent as they were, but they became increasingly urgent the closer they drew to the screams. Soon enough, it was a cacophony of pain, and she wanted nothing more than to throw her hands over her ears to keep the torturous sounds out. But she had a mission, and if she showed signs of weakness in front of the kasha, she might never find Brian. So, she held her head high and did her best to look indifferent, although each scream made her heart beat a little faster.

After about five minutes of walking, the tunnel ahead noticeably brightened, but Yumiko could still detect the dancing shadows of flames. "Slower," she ordered softly, and the kasha slowed its pace, allowing her enough time to comfortably step into the light as one wall of the rock tunnel gave way to a gaping opening for about twenty feet, before resuming. Yumiko drew closer to the kasha, to make sure that it didn't make any noise, for the opening overlooked a vast cavern, and there were many yokai among the rocks below.

Yumiko gazed into the cavern stupidly, as many large torches lit the uneven ground. It was larger than a football field, with many hills and outcroppings, as well as pools of molten lava. Many of the yokai she saw were oni, or their female counterparts, kijo. While the red and blue-faced oni walked around with large iron clubs, razors fastened to them, the kijo wore monstrous masks with exaggerated teeth and features, their true faces hidden. Yumiko wondered if what was beneath those masks was better or worse than the features of the masks. Most of the kijo brandished whips or lengths of chain, although some had iron clubs like the oni.

Thousands of humans and terrified yokai cowered in the cavern, trying very hard not to be noticed by the oni and kijo, who lorded over them threateningly, mocking them and spitting on them and, ultimately, torturing them. Humans were forced into the molten lava, their screams filling the air, much louder here without the rock barrier muffling their sounds of anguish. As they pulled themselves out of the lava, skin blackened and boiling, the flesh healed, so that they could be tortured all over again.

Other humans were being skewered on large stakes that seemed to grow naturally from out of the cave floor, while still others were merely beaten under the blows of the iron clubs the oni wielded. The oni and kijo seemed to be having a blast, while the humans suffered at their hands in ways no human should ever have to suffer.

Before she could tear her eyes away, Yumiko noted a woman, definitely a yokai of some sort, who wore a simple white dress, her blonde hair flowing behind her like honey. She was barefoot and seemed to be watching the torturous goings-on around her with amusement as she walked around the cavern, carefully stepping on the heads and backs of humans when she could. Before Yumiko turned away, the woman looked up and caught her eye, tilting her head with interest. Yumiko felt her heart quicken at the attention of the woman, but the yokai dropped her eyes after a moment, suddenly taking delight in a kijo who was strangling a woman with her whip. She clasped her hands to her chest and laughed, her voice echoing loudly even over the shrieks around her.

As Yumiko stood there, transfixed by the scene, she suddenly noticed something roiling overhead, and tilted her head to look up at the ceiling of the cavern, where a large disembodied eye watched everything that occurred below, black smoke slowly swirling around it like a storm cloud. Even looking at the eye made Yumiko feel sick to her stomach, like she might suddenly vomit. It made her feel dirty, and filled her with self-loathing and disgust for everything. Her throat thickened with bile, and she choked it back, tearing her gaze from the eye. As soon as she looked away from the eye, she felt much better, suddenly clear-headed again and in control, but for a moment, she had descended into despair, and she knew that she couldn't dawdle, but had to find Brian and escape as soon as possible, or find herself in a similar state of mind in the near future, and perhaps too broken to find the strength to leave.

It was hard for Yumiko to look away from such a terrible scene, but she did, heart heavy, knowing that she would have to leave these people to their torment.

Upon passing the opening in the rock wall, the kasha looked back over its shoulder at her and led her down the right tunnel at a fork in the road. A few steps in, and it took another right, then waved up a short hallway, where the tunnel ended in what looked like a room, glowing bright with fire. "They're in there. They will each have their own cells, as they await judgment."

"Judgment," Yumiko repeated, biting her lower lip. She looked up the tunnel then nodded toward the end. "Go on, then. You're coming too."

The kasha didn't look pleased, but it complied. When they reached the room, Yumiko saw that it had been telling the truth. There were cells built into the stone walls, with thick iron bars keeping prisoners in check.

Yumiko stopped the kasha as they stepped into the room. "Guards?"

The kasha chuckled. "This is Hell. There is nowhere to go." It nodded to the far left of the room, where a large metal door took up most of the wall. "That's where the oni and kijo will take the prisoners for judgment, where they will decide if these yokai deserve to be tormentors or the tormented."

"And the keys to the cells?"

The kasha frowned. "They will have them on them, for when they come for the prisoners."

Yumiko nodded and let out a breath. "Very well. You've done everything I've asked. Thank you."

The kasha relaxed its shoulders and turned to walk back up the corridor. Yumiko didn't give it a chance to get very far, however. She slashed her mirror across the back of its neck and it vanished. "You'll be much happier in the mirror world," she promised, turning back to the prison cells.

At once, her eyes fell on Brian. She felt her chest lighten and she ran to his cell. He wore a gray robe, like all of the prisoners, and sat on a bench behind the iron bars. "Thank god I found you," she said, smiling in at him.

He blinked at her, as if not registering her at first, or trying to decide if she was a hallucination. Then he stood and smiled. "Yumiko. You've come to rescue me?"

As he walked toward the bars, Yumiko saw something in his face. A flicker of amusement on his lips that warned her that something was wrong. She stepped back from the bars and watched him.

"Are you afraid of me?" he asked her. "You know that I love you, Yumiko. Release me and we can leave this place together."

He lifted a hand toward her and his robe shifted, allowing her a glimpse of his shoulder. A deep red cut ran down his chest from the shoulder. In a second, he had covered the wound again, but that one second had been enough.

"Shuten-Doji," she said, crossing her arms. "I'm glad to see that you ended up where you belong."

"I think I'll fit in here nicely," he grinned knowingly. "Thank you for the ticket."

Yumiko lifted the mirror. "And thank you for the doorway."

Shuten-Doji stared at the shard of mirror for a moment before throwing his head back and laughing. "Brilliant! You're not just a stupid human, after all. You cunning little yokai. What a fool you've made of me."

Yumiko offered him a tight smile. "Enjoy your stay," she told him, then walked away, looking into each cell she passed, hoping for Brian at each one. With every step, she grew more pessimistic. Could it be that he wasn't there at all? Had he perhaps already been taken in for judgment? Was she too late?

And then she saw him, sitting in the final cell on the right. He sat on the floor of his cell, chin resting on his knees, which were pulled up to his chest. He seemed lost in thought, and looked heartbroken and sad. The sight made Yumiko tear up, and she grabbed the iron bars that held him with enthusiasm. "Brian!"

Brian's head shot up and he stared at her. Then he blinked and stood. "Yumiko? But how...?"

Yumiko held up the shard of mirror. "I'm here to get you out of here."

"You came for me?" he asked, voice filled with disbelief. "You came to Hell for me?"

Yumiko laughed, the sound coming out a little hysterical from relief. "I did." She grasped his hands like a life preserver she didn't dare let go of, and grinned at him, her smile so wide that her cheeks ached with the effort. "Hold tight. I'm going to get you out of there."

She stepped back and suddenly the mirror in her hand began to shake. Startled, she dropped it to the ground, watching as a form materialized on top of it.

Ame-Onna.

Yumiko frowned as the yokai looked around her, face drawn. "Ame-Onna?"

The yokai wielded on her and smiled. "Miss Sato." She turned to look back at Brian. She let out a relieved sigh. "You've found him."

"I did. But what are you doing here?"

"I couldn't let you do this alone," Ame-Onna told her. "And you don't know what you're doing. He can not leave this place without a totem."

"I know that," Yumiko scowled. "An overwhelming event has to be attached to an object. I think my rescuing him from Hell will do."

"Then you'd be wrong," a new voice announced.

Yumiko looked up in the direction of the hall she had used to enter the room, and swallowed hard as the woman in the white dress she'd seen in the cavern stood before her. She had her hands on her hips and smiled around at them, as if fascinated by what she saw. Ironically, her blonde hair framed her face like the halo of an angel.

"Is this a jail break then?" she asked, then chuckled. "How utterly charming."

Yumiko's eyes flickered down to the belt of her dress, and she noted that it was made up of dozens of vertically-placed pinkie finger bones.

"Who are you?" Ame-Onna demanded, stepping in front of Yumiko.

"My father is in charge here," the girl answered, taking a step closer. She looked into the cell holding Brian. "Ah. Kagami." She looked Yumiko up and down. "You must be the bride that will help him bring about an era of peace."

"You leave her alone," Brian hissed, gripping the bars of his cell so tight that his knuckles whitened.

The girl raised an eyebrow at him, then shrugged. "You've got the wrong idea about me. I'm here to help you."

"Help us?" Yumiko echoed with a frown.

"Sure," the girl said, emerald green eyes flashing dangerously. "My father's kind of an ass. Anything I can do to irk him would be worth doing. Something tells me that by helping you out, he'd blow a gasket."

"Who are you?" Brian wondered.

"The name's Koakuma. Charmed, I'm sure." She flipped her blonde hair back. "You may have noticed my dad keeping an eye on me back there. Literally." She rolled her eyes as Yumiko recalled the eye at the ceiling of the cavern with a shudder.

"I noticed," Yumiko said quietly.

"Good," Koakuma beamed. "Then you know that we won't elude him for long. We need to get your overprotective boyfriend here a totem, and pronto."

"How do we do that?" Yumiko asked eagerly, taking a step toward the girl, despite her best judgment.

Koakuma smiled. "Well, it's not as easy as you'd think. Creating a yokai requires a perfect blend of emotion, circumstance and kami. However, with a sacrifice, a totem can be conjured easily."

"A sacrifice?" Yumiko shook her head. "What sort of sacrifice? I'll do whatever you ask."

"No, Yumiko," Ame-Onna lifted her head. "You won't do a thing. I will. And I believe I understand. You'll need to take my totem and give it to him."

Yumiko's eyes widened. "What?"

Koakuma nodded. "You got it."

"Then take it," Ame-Onna said. She pulled a pin out of her hair and held it out to the girl.

"I don't want it," Koakuma laughed. "You need to give it to your friend willingly, and tell him that it is his."

"And then it's done?"

"Then it's done," Koakuma confirmed. She turned around and began to walk away, but thought better of it and looked back over her shoulder. "Oh, and I'll expect an invite to the wedding. Something tells me it's going to be the party of the millennium." She winked, and then disappeared around the corner.

Yumiko stared after the girl for a time, wondering at what sort of issues she must have with her father, if he was who Yumiko suspected. She was so caught up in her thoughts that she nearly missed the exchange happen. When she turned back to Ame-Onna, she was holding her hairpin through the bars for Brian.

"No, Ame-Onna," Yumiko said, stepping forward quickly. "This is my problem. Let me take his place."

"If you do, you'll never fulfill the prophecy," Ame-Onna told her. "It has to be me." She glanced up at Brian. "I give you my totem willingly."

Brian hesitated, but before Yumiko could stop him, he accepted the hairpin. A flash of green light from Ame-Onna's fingertip ran the length of the hairpin, then settled into Brian's hand before fading.

Ame-Onna sighed and the color seemed to drain from her face all at once. "It is done."

Yumiko reached out to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Ame-Onna...you shouldn't have done that. You...I'll find a way to get you out of here."

"And I'll be waiting for that day," Ame-Onna told her with a smile. "I'm just happy that you're no longer angry with me."

Yumiko swallowed past the lump in her throat. "I was being unfair. You did what you thought had to be done. It wasn't your fault."

"Either way, I gladly pay the price to see that the peace comes about." She smiled at Brian "Now, go be with your bride, Kagami."

Brian seemed to be holding back an avalanche of emotions. His lips trembled, his eyes shone. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

"I know," Ame-Onna told him, running a hand over his cheek. "It has been a pleasure serving you over the years, my lord. Treat her well." She looked to Yumiko. "And don't be too hard on him."

"I won't," Yumiko promised.

Ame-Onna bowed to her and Yumiko bowed back deeply. When she stood upright again, Ame-Onna had stepped back, and offered an encouraging smile her way.

Yumiko hesitated, but picked the shard of mirror up from the floor. Then she approached Brian, who was still gazing at Ame-Onna. "Brian," she said softly. "It's time to go." She held the mirror out to him, through the bars.

He looked up and met her eyes. A tear slipped from his right eye and he nodded, his fingertips brushing the surface of the glass.
Chapter Twenty-Seven

Two weeks later...

"Mirror, mirror, on the wall..."

"Ha ha," Brian said, crossing his arms as he watched Yumiko bow to a mirror in The Hall of Mirrors. "I didn't realize you were such a comedian."

Yumiko flashed him a wicked smile. "Then you don't know everything about me, despite watching me all my life."

Brian frowned and ran a hand back through his hair. "I could never know the contents of that pretty little head of yours. You were always a mystery to me, even when I was watching you." He stopped as he noticed her amused smile. "What?"

"You need to relax."

"Like you're one to talk."

Yumiko chuckled and pointed at the mirror she had previously addressed. Through the mirror, she could see the inside of Shuten-Doji's throne room, where Enenra lounged on the throne lazily, issuing orders to the oni, as well as the kappa who'd joined them there. "It looks like things are going well back in the real world."

"Enenra has things in control," Brian acknowledged, eyes lingering on the mirror for a moment before returning to her. "Even if Oni-Baba disappeared shortly after our return, I don't think she will return."

"At least not so soon," Yumiko agreed. She sighed. "I don't think we've heard the last of her, though. But at least the oni are taking to Enenra, and seem to be mending their ways under his guidance. That's something."

Enenra can be a little much sometimes, but he has a good heart. He'll do wonders for the place. It'll be ready for our wedding in no time."

"Our wedding?" Yumiko blinked. "We're getting married there?"

"It's beautiful there," Brian said, shrugging. "And it's secluded, so any yokai can come and not cause any issues...or raise eyebrows."

"Why, Mr. Mathis, I haven't even had a proper proposal yet. I don't recall saying yes."

"You said you'd marry me."

"In theory. Maybe I was caught up in the moment."

Brian snorted and shook his head as he led her up the hallway a little ways. "I think you've been spending too much time with Reina. She's rubbing off on you."

Yumiko might have agreed with him a little, but she felt so light for the first time in years. This nightmare was behind her. She was happy. And she felt like she could laugh and flirt, like any other girl. Even if she had to remind herself that she wasn't a girl at all. She was a yokai.

"I can't believe that I was afraid of you for so long," she said. "To have it end like this...I never could have imagined. The man I feared makes me so happy."

Brian looked away guiltily. "Yumiko, I-"

"Hush," Yumiko put a hand to his mouth to silence him, then thought better of it, and brought her mouth to his. His soft lips melded with hers on contact, as if made for her, his tongue lightly exploring the inside of her mouth. She sighed as she pulled away.

"You deserve to be so happy," Brian whispered, and she opened her eyes to find him watching her. He smoothed back her hair. "You are going to have an extravagant wedding, and then I'm going to make you the happiest girl in the world."

"I'll hold you to that," she said, trying to make light of the serious expression on his face. She paused before the mirror that Brian suddenly indicated with a wave of his hand. It was one of the few in frames, and this one was framed with gold, with an elaborate floral pattern. She hesitated and reached out to touch the frame. "This is it?"

Brian nodded, watching her.

Yumiko swallowed hard as her eyes drank in the mirror, the frame. This was the mirror that she'd been born from. The mirror that had found her so captivating that it had created her from her counterpart. "I still can't believe that this is how I..." She shook her head, suddenly full of emotions that she couldn't give voice too, let alone name.

Through the mirror, she saw the courtyard of the castle.

"Is this the mirror world I'm looking at?" she asked.

"Yes. I didn't want to risk leaving it in the real world, where it could possibly get damaged. It's much too important for that."

Yumiko nodded as she stared at the image, noting the statue of Ame-Onna that had been created in honor or her sacrifice, standing tall in the center of a fountain. Water rained down over her, much like when Yumiko had first seen the yokai all those years ago.

Since Ame-Onna had destroyed the mirror when they'd left Hell, there was no way to reach her, no way to save her from her fate. But she'd chosen her fate, in the end. And Yumiko had to trust that she'd known what she was doing, and that it was for the best.

She didn't realize that Brian was standing so close until she felt his arms slip around her shoulders. She leaned back into him without hesitation and felt his lips on her ear. She sighed, content.

***

Shou scowled as Yumiko stepped into the library from out of the mirror in the corner. "Do you have to do that?"

Yumiko raised an eyebrow. "Do you find it unsettling?"

"Yes."

She grinned. "Good. Then I definitely have to do it."

Shou rolled his eyes, but she caught the flicker of a smile playing at the corner of his lips before he returned to practicing with his sword.

She turned to regard Reina at one of the desks, Tanuki hunched on the tabletop, enthralled by the book she had laid open.

"What's that?" Yumiko asked, sauntering over to them. She leaned against the desk and peered down at the yellowed pages.

Reina pushed the book away from her, annoyance written across her face. "Mori's got me researching more than ever now," she complained. "Now that you aren't around as often, it's like she's shoveling all of your work onto me."

Yumiko smirked. "Don't worry. I'm back now. I think they have things under control back at the castle. Or castles."

Tanuki looked up at her and blinked. "You're staying here?"

"Of course. I live here, don't I?"

Reina smiled knowingly. "Brian's bed not keeping you warm enough?"

Yumiko felt her cheeks heat up. "No. I mean, it's nothing like that. When I was staying there, I was in a guest room the entire time. Nothing inappropriate happened."

"Sure," Reina winked at her. "Of course, Yumiko."

Yumiko knew better than to attempt to argue with her and just tried to ignore the comments.

"Well, we're glad to have you back, my lotus blossom," Tanuki said, beaming at her. "Someone needs to put Shou in his place."

"I heard that," Shou announced as he swung his sword down quickly in a fierce strike.

"Good."

Yumiko glanced back at Shou. "Well, it's not like all of the yokai problems out there are going to just disappear overnight. There's still work to be done here."

"I'm glad to hear you say that," Mori said, stepping out from the ante-chamber.

Yumiko bowed, smiling. "Sensei."

Mori made her way over to the desk and scowled down at the book that Reina had open. "You're not going to find anything on Onikuma in this volume. Get the book on forest-dwelling demons."

Yumiko watched Reina mumble under her breath as she walked over to the shelf with the book. "Missing horses?"

"Missing horses," Mori nodded, a smile lighting up her face.

"Alright," Yumiko said, standing up straight. "What can I do?"

Mori watched her for a moment, then nodded toward Reina. "You can help whip that one into shape."

"That will probably take some time."

Mori sighed heavily. "You're telling me."

About the Author

Dave Ferraro grew up in Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, where he was warped by a steady diet of comic books, horror movies and young adult novels. He is the author of the paranormal fantasy series "Hunters of the Dark," as well as "Dark Genesis" and the gay teen paranormal romance "Twice Bitten." He graduated with a B.A. in English and creative writing from Saint Cloud State University, and currently resides in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Hunters of the Dark

Her Dark Destiny (Book One)

Night Cries (Book Two)

The Tomb (Prequel)

Face the Dark (Book Three)

Dead of Night (Book Four)

The Shape of Evil (Book Five)

The Abyss (Book Six)

Other Books by Dave Ferraro

Dark Genesis

Secret Santa

Twice Bitten

The Young Adult Book Club
