by Paul Kidd
A shout came from the gates. A carp spirit – magnificently armoured and mounted – came racing through the gateway and into the yard. The handsome man flung himself out of his saddle. Asuka leapt to her feet and flew rushing into the man’s arms.
Clearly it was her husband. The Spirit Hunters and Reiju faded back into the shadows of the porch, leaving the couple to their privacy. Reiju bowed softly, and summoned a maid to accompany them all towards the rear of the house.
“The nursery is this way, my friends. Come – I shall take you.”
The porch lead around towards the rear of the house. Another beautiful pond stood beneath a shade tree – this time a smaller one with a bottom made from bright glazed tiles. Several toys hung above the pond on cords – painted moons and stars, and a brightly coloured carp kite. Reiju ushered her friends quietly over to the pond. Kuno stared at the water and was clearly utterly astonished.
“A pond?”
Chiri gently inclined her head.
“They are carp spirits, Kuno san. Some animal spirits are born in their animal forms and must learn to take on human form as they grow older. Tosakingyo san’s son must have lived here in the pond.”
Reiju nodded.
“His mother would normally sleep in the pond with him, I believe. But the child has had a stomach illness, and so the pond currently has medicine in the water. Tosakingyo san has slept in the house for the last week.”
“Has she…” Sura felt an instant spark of suspicion. She looked to the porch. “Here?”
“Yes, Sura san. Just here, in the room beyond – with the screen doors open so that he knew she was near.”
Chiri knelt beside the pond, peering down at the coloured tiles across the bottom. The nursery pond was quite beautiful. Screened from above by both a net and a shady tree, it was too deep to allow a heron to stand in the water, with banks too high to allow a passing predator to reach the water’s surface.
“How old was Chōisai, Reiju san?”
The priestess gave a sigh.
“Six months old – a mere baby. I am told he is the most astonishing golden colour. The carp spirits consider him a true prodigy of beauty. And he will clearly have a talent for magic!” Reiju looked to Kitsune Sura. “I had thought to ask your help in sending him to be educated at Fox Mountain, when the time came.”
Chiri and Sura began carefully searching the edges of the pond, moving with absolute minute care. Kuno sought out the guards who had been on duty the night before, asking them if anything had been sensed, seen or heard. But the men were of little help. Two had walked their rounds in peace and quiet, while two others had kept guard at the gate. They had heard nothing move – so sight or sound of predators. Nothing had disturbed the mansion in the night.
As the others moved carefully about the gardens, Tonbo came over to sit on the porch with Reiju. He bowed to her almost shyly, and she bowed back quietly in return.
“It is good to see you again, Tonbo san. Even under such circumstances as these.”
“Reiju san. It is good to see you, too.” Tonbo leaned upon his iron tetsubo. “You are very kind to help Lady Tosakingyo.”
Reiju kept her vice quiet, so as not to disturb the household.
“It is mere luck of circumstance that I was here. Her husband regularly visits our temple. I have met her many times. I came to the village here to arrange business with Lord Shida. I happened to be staying during the week.”
“So you were here in this house last night?”
“Yes, Tonbo san. I was sleeping in a room on the far side of the house. Like Lady Tosakingyo, I heard nothing until the servants woke me this morning.”
Tonbo gave a frown. “And the crow spirit – was he here too?”
“No, Tonbo san. When news spread to the village, he came flying to offer to help. I sent him to find you.” The priestess was very fond. “He is really a very nice and helpful crow. I do not believe for a minute that he actually eats carrion.”
Sura had been grubbing about the soil at the inner edge of the garden wall. The fox wiped her brow, then looked over towards Tonbo in irritation.
“Tonbo? Oh great outdoorsman! A little help? There’s some tracks on the ground over here.”
The big samurai arose, armour softly rattling. Shouldering his weapon, he strode over to meet Sura at the palisade. She motioned to a patch of soft earth beside the wall, and Tonbo was immediately intrigued.
A footprint showed beside the wall – right at the base, facing away from the palisade. It was heavy on the ball, light on the heel – as though someone had jumped and landed with a cat-like flex.
Tonbo went down onto all fours and looked along the length of the footprint. He gave a thoughtful scowl.
“That’s a soft sole…” The samurai rose and looked back towards the gates. “The soldiers here all wear straw sandals…”
The yard beyond the wall was strewn with gravel, and well-trodden. There was no way to follow the footprints further. Tonbo searched in any case, moving slowly forward upon his knees.
At the edge of the nursery pond, Chiri knelt and slowly spread her hands. Power sparkled beneath her fingertips, twinkling like countless tiny stars.
A water elemental rose up out of the pond, glittering like a tiny sapphire dragon-eel. But the creature seemed furiously angry. It gestured to the pond, pulsing and flickering as it spoke to Chiri’s mind.
The rat-spirit gave a frown. She leaned in and touched the water, scooping with her hand. Chiri carefully tasted the merest drop.
She quickly spat out the water, then hurried to wash out her mouth from her canteen. The rat spirit looked swiftly over to Kuno.
“Fish poison!”
Kuno was quite taken aback.
“Poison?”
“A root thrown into ponds to stun fish.” Chiri had grown up amongst river peoples far inland. “It makes them stiff, then they rise to the surface where they can be caught.”
Kuno looked at the innocent little pond. “It kills them?”
“Used wrongly it might. But no – the fish are stunned.” Chiri soothed the water elemental with her hand. “The effects can last for hours. It is very damaging to the ponds – everything from frogs to insects are affected. The water spirit of the gardens is furious!”
Kitsune Sura sniffed at the water for herself. She moved over beneath the shade tree, and squatted down beside a strange, round mark that marred the gravel.
The fox carefully swished her tail.
“A container was set down here. A big, heavy pot. A keg?” She looked over to Reiju. “How big was Chōisai-chan?”
The priestess came swiftly to Sura’s side. “His body would be about the length of your forearm? And his tail almost as long again.”
Sura stood, planted her spear beside her and looked at the garden wall.
“Our villain came over the wall right there, and left a footprint. They stunned Chōisai with poison so they could catch him quietly, scooped him up, and put him in a keg of fresh water.” She nodded softly to herself. “They brought a keg. This is a kidnap – not a murder.”
Reiju closed her eyes in relief.
“Thank the gods. But why would anyone kidnap the child of a minor family of retainers?”
“There may be something your friend Tosakingyo san has forgotten – or has not realised…” The fox bit at her lip in thought.
“A week ago, there were men loitering outside the garden wall. A week ago, Chōisai becomes sick and his mother medicates the pond and sleeps indoors…” Sura flicked a glance from the pond towards the house. “Does she keep the medicine she gave Chōisai in the house?”
“No, Sura san. There is a dealer in ornamental carp and koi in the village. She sent to him for the ingredients.”
The group gathered by the porch, mulling their ideas. Kuno walked slowly back and forth. He finally nodded, then gestured to the pond.
“If someone made the child sick to isolate him, then they would need to check and see if the ploy
had worked. They might check at the fish dealer’s residence to see if medicines had been ordered. We can inquire there.”
Tonbo bowed in agreement. “And we can ask Lord Shida if any enemies are moving against him.”
“Yes, Tonbo san.” Kuno turned to Reiju. “Two chances of leads, at least. Please ask Lady Tosakingyo and her husband not to despair. We shall work diligently to retrieve their child.”
Reiju bowed to the Spirit Hunters in gratitude. She hastened off to attend to Tosakingyo Asuka and her husband.
It was best to follow the trail swiftly. The kidnappers already had many hours lead. The Spirit Hunters headed to the front on the manor grounds, where Tosakingyo Asuka and her husband stood together upon the porch. They were holding one another – desolate and utterly at a loss.
Reiju came to speak with the carp spirits – comforting, quiet and reassuring. Asuka’s husband looked over to the Spirit Hunters. He bowed to them in gratitude.
They returned the man’s bow, looking competent and calm. Then the four companions moved out through the gates and off onto the river road, walking off into the sun.
The nearby village was clearly some distance upstream. The Spirit Hunters walked onward up the dusty road – on beneath great, shady willow trees. Many peasants had a superstitious avoidance of willow trees – they were said to be the favoured haunting places for ghosts. Kitsune Sura had no time for such nonsense. She walked along beneath the trees, head down, brow furrowed, occasionally muttering to herself in thought.
She swiped at a few weeds with her spear. Chiri sped her pace, and caught up with Sura to march with her.
The fox was clearly ridden by a nagging, irritable mood. Chiri walked alongside with Bifuuko gleaming in her hair and Daitanishi bobbing along beside her head.
Sura gave a fretful sigh. Chiri turned to her, eyes filled with quiet concern.
“Sura san – you have been very silent. Is anything wrong?”
“What? No. I’m concentrating on the case! Unlike some people...” The fox fretfully threw her spear across her shoulders and scowled. “Kidnapping a child. That’s low.”
“I thought you were not fond of children?” Chiri gave her friend a considering glance. “This mood is not because of Reiju san and Tonbo?”
“Eh? No!” Sura irritably waved the thought away. She gave a frustrated sigh. “Let’s just find this kid.”
They walked onward along the road ahead of Kuno and Tonbo. Sura sighed again and frowned down. She picked at the edges of the puzzle with her thoughts.
“No demands have been issued. Why haven’t they sent a ransom demand?”
It was a nagging thought. Kitsune Sura scowled, wondering what exactly had happened to little Tosakingyo Chōisai.
A dozen paces behind Chiri and Sura, Kuno and Tonbo pondered the same question. Kuno frowned, then looked off towards the river as he walked.
Two old men were sitting on a rock, companionably fishing by casting little nets into the river. Both were clearly overjoyed, having just landed considerable fish. They measured the wiggling fish with a length of cord, wrote a record on a wooden board beside them, then both men carefully released the captured fish back into the water. They watched their catches disappear and clapped each other on the back happily.
Kuno and Tonbo diverted from the main path and walked up to greet the two old men. The fishermen bowed to the two samurai, who bowed in return. Asodo Kuno looked at the men in great interest.
“Honoured grandfathers… Please excuse me, but I have noticed that you return the fish you catch to the river. This is quite unusual.”
The closer of the old men had a wispy white beard and eyebrows of extraordinary length. He nodded in thoughtful acquiescence, before speaking in a wheezing, husky voice.
“Yes, samurai. It is out of respect for our local samurai family. They are carp spirits, and greatly beloved. No one would want to risk harming them or their visiting relatives – and so we eat no fish.”
Kuno was profoundly impressed. “The entire village respects fish in this manner?”
The second old fisherman wore the cap and ink-stained robes of a scholar. He wrinkled his nose in thought.
“The true villagers do, oh traveller.” The man shot a glare of distaste to a point further up the river, clucking his tongue in annoyance. “There are newcomers who show entirely less reverence.”
Tonbo listened with interest.
“Where?”
The first old man looked at Kuno and Tonbo. He seemed to approve of their good manners. He wheezed as he showed the samurai the quiet lands beside the river.
“This is an area famous for its carp, samurai. Several breeders of ornamental goldfish have always lived here. But recently, goldfish have become high fashion.” The old man shook his head at the strange ways of the world. “We have many wealthy visitors these days.”
Kuno was quite amazed. He stroked at his moustache and looked at the old men in bemusement.
“Fish are a fashion?”
The old scholar shook his head in absolute disapproval. “Truly, samurai, you have not lived until you have seen these fools prancing about and boasting of their collections.” The scholar jerked his chin off towards the far end of the village road. “Down there is the worst of them all. Gujo. He has driven almost all of the traditional old breeders out of business!”
Interesting… Kuno looked off down the road, and then turned to the old men once again.
“Tell me, honoured grandfathers… Where would one go to buy medicine for fish?”
“To Gujo, samurai san.” The fisherman with the long eyebrows made a noise of extreme disapproval. “His wages are high enough to have brought all the experts into his employ.”
Kuno bowed to the men.
“Thank you, my friends. Your advice has been most helpful.”
The fisherman with the majestic eyebrows bid the travellers farewell.
“Good fortune, samurai!”
Chiri and Sura had stopped to wait in the road ahead. Tonbo and Kuno walked up to them, cresting a hummock in the road. From atop the rise, they could see a little village just beyond.
A large walled compound stood just nearby. A stream carried water to the yard, and shady trees grew in great profusion. A wide wooden gate had been carved with images of happy goldfish, and brightly painted fish kites streamed from poles mounted along the walls. Kuno and Tonbo looked the place over from afar – somewhat put off by the place’s air of wealth and gaucherie.
Kuno scowled and stroked at his chin.
“Gujo?”
Tonbo gave a nod. “Gujo.”
Despite the gaudy décor, it seemed to be the best place to begin their inquiries. Kuno led the way onwards down the road.
The pathway from the road to Gujo’s gate had been lined with stones. A row of cherry trees shaded the drive – all now budding with hard, tiny little fruit. The Spirit Hunters walked up the path and into a garden space filled with the restful sound of running water.
A wide yard had been filled with enormous earthenware tubs. Long bamboo pipes ran above the tubs, each trickling water into the tub beneath. In other areas, ponds were set into the ground. The entire yard was screened from above by nets stretched tight between shady trees.
Two shapely young women in bright robes and full makeup hastened forward from the building just beyond. They both bowed low, their voices chanting in perfect, musical unison to greet their new guests.
“Welcome, valued customers! Welcome to Gujo’s world of fish!” One girl brightly bowed again. The air tingled to the scent of her perfume. “Please allow us to serve you!”
Kuno kept to an air of genteel dignity. He faced the two women with calm, measured manners. His pink-laced armour clanked softly as he bowed.
“Greetings. I am Asodo Kuno, Imperial deputy. I wish to speak to Gujo san, if he is at leisure.”
The two women showed great delight. They modestly shielded themselves behind painted fans – each depicting extremely strang
e goldfish. The first girl looked upon Kuno with respectful pleasure.
“Gujo san is always free for such a distinguished customer!”
The second girl elegantly motioned towards a nearby porch.
“Please be seated. Tea and sweets are provided for all our noble clients. Gujo san shall soon be with you.”
Sura sparked up at the mention of sweets. But suddenly she caught sight of the goldfish in the tub nearest to her.
A great flabby pudding of a fish emerged up out of the gloom to stare owlishly at her. The fish had great fluid filled bubbles beneath its eyes, and seemed to have far less fins than were quite right. The thing moved with a sickening shimmy. Sura stared, caught somewhere between fascination and aversion.
“What the hell is that?”
The nearest greeting girl ran happily over and gestured at the wobbling mutant fish.
“That is part of our specialty range. A highly fashionable breed from the far island of Izu.” The woman seemed utterly thrilled by the fish. “It is a ‘floating cloud’ carp. Very rare! Perfect to bedazzle your guests!”
“If they don’t just hit it with a stick!” Sura kept staring at the ghastly fish. Suddenly she recoiled away. She felt physically sick. “Oh ick! Oh – its eyes are wobbling!”
A voice came carolling out from the far end of the yard, it’s source unclear amongst the forest of pots and urns.
“Noble guests! Noble guests, noble guests, noble guests…”
A little round man with a great grinning head came hastening from the back of the establishment. He was scarcely taller than the goldfish tubs all about him. The man waved a fan for attention as he scuttled eagerly out from underneath the water pipes.
“Noble priestess! Honoured samurai! My Lady Nezumi. Your discerning tastes have led you well. Welcome to my establishment! Welcome! Welcome!” The little man bowed to one and all, radiating enthusiasm. He waved merrily to the fish tub beside Kitsune Sura. “You are right to be shocked by the variety you see here! Gujo’s is a legend across the sacred isles! Here we have the most fantastic, the rarest, the most unusual! Here we have the latest, most fashionable breeds from the capital – unusual breeds imported from exotic lands! Breeds that will thrill your guests and wrack rival collectors with pangs of jealousy!”