I stop at the door to unhook King from his lead. “Yo. Want to cook breakfast with me?”
“Sure. Just let me feed the chick and do my write up,” Megumi emerges from the kitchen with her fruit-infused water bottle. “What about dinner? Tammy is gone all day right?”
I nod. “I was thinking of asking Regi to bring something to cook since he’s coming over.”
Megumi’s cheery smile fades. “He’s coming over?”
“Is that okay?” I ask.
“Yeah, it’s fine.” She fingers the bottle cap. “Is he staying overnight?”
“No. I’d ask you beforehand for something like that.”
Her frown stays. “Alright. Well if he’s bringing food, we could all chip in for Tohenian BBQ. Jin eats that right?”
My face heats. I feel like should know something like this. “I hope so.” What time is it? Regi is bound to be awake by now. I should call him.
The doorbell chimes.
Regi can’t be here already, can he? I head to the door and check the Dao panel.
Mai Fujiwara, Tamotsu Kazuma. Give entry?
I forgot that Mai said that she’d be coming here. I press the open button. The door slides open.
She’s everything you’d think an assassin isn’t. Sunny warmth shines in her light brown irises, matched only by her smile. A russet brush fleece cardigan cloaks her small frame. Tortoiseshell shades resting atop her neck-length feathered hair. Caramel drizzled frappucino in her right hand. Black cast for her left. Behind her the bearish form of Tamotsu, her boyfriend and another member of the Silent Seven, holds a suitcase in one hand and has his other around her waist. Mai waves with her pinkie. “Good morning.”
I bow to them both and step aside. “Good morning, Sensei. And Mr. Kazuma.”
Mai lays her briefcase on the dining room table while Tamotsu looks around. “Who’s here besides you?”
I push the lock key. “Megumi and Jin. Regi is coming in a little bit.”
She looks up. “Tammy left already?”
“Yeah, for work.”
Mai clicks her tongue. “I guess I’ll have to catch her later. But as for you…” She nudges Tamotsu with her good arm. “Open the suitcase for her.”
I peer over her shoulder.
Tamotsu puts the suitcase on the table and unlatches it. He peels away the blue velvet cloth inside, uncovering a model of the inner Ise Shrine. It's got everything: surrounding forest, the Isuzu River, the bridge, the basin for cleansing, the priest’s quarters the prayer hall after the second torii, the stairs of the main shrine, the gates, a tiny pilgrim and priest with their hands clasped together, and the actual shrine.
My breath catches in the base of my throat. My puzzle box! The last time I saw this I was only maybe what, twelve? I remember coming home every day twisting the trees, sliding the roofs, and rotating walls to try to solve the puzzle. It’s an old model; the shrine grounds are more paved than the overgrown forest it’s been turned into now. And there isn’t a priest’s quarters anymore either. “Where did you find this? I thought I lost this.”
“At home,” Mai says. “I was cleaning and I found it.”
Tamotsu puts his arm around her good shoulder. “More like she made me clean. And I found it for her.”
Mai tilts her head back to look at him. “Made you? I said please.”
He grins. “Because please makes all the difference when you’re getting screamed at.”
She swats him playfully. “Shut up. You love me.” Her attention shifts back to me. “But, I remember you used to play with it when your mom was still around.” She sips her frappucino. “And last I checked, it’s pretty valuable. Don’t give it to anyone.”
I lift the model puzzle box out of the briefcase. My hand drifts over the landscape, testing. Gut familiarity stops my hand at a tree before the river. Pushes the pilgrim into a bowing position. I touch the basin’s roof. The right field slides. I pull at the shrine. It doesn’t give. Inside, my stomach is twisting. No, that’s not right… There’s a special sequence, I think. Do the sequence and the shrine should pop out for the second part of the puzzle.
But what is it?
“Stuck?” Mai asks.
I study the model with a thinned gaze. “I don’t remember the solution. But I’m sure that the solution has something to do with the real shrine.”
My mentor chuckles. “You’ll figure it out, I’m sure. You’re a Hound.”
I tap the puzzle box base. People call me Hound because I specialize in cracking chi-guards: funny Rubik’s cube type puzzles that go on building security systems, locks, and safes to “retrieve” valuables. I suppose mechanics-wise it’s the same as solving a puzzle box. But puzzle boxes are arguably harder because they come in so many different custom shapes and variable solutions.
Mai’s attention slides to the patio door briefly, then to me. She touches Tamotsu’s hand, lowering her voice, “I need to talk to Jun for a little bit. Do you want to wait in the car?”
I stiffen a little. There’s only two situations that bring out that tone in Mai: either she’s going to deliver bad news to you, or you are the bad news and she’s going to go off on you. And gods, I hope it’s the first one. The last time someone got yelled at, my ears were ringing, and I wasn’t even the one who got in trouble!
“I’ll wait in the car,” Tamotsu says. “Do you want me to take the suitcase?”
Mai nods. I follow Tamotsu, and lock the door behind him.
I head out to the verandah and sit hip-to-hip on the porch swing bench. The sparrows chorusing outside on the stone fencing stop as if they feel our need for quiet too.
Mai stoops to set her frappucino down, then sits up. Hands on her knees.
My fingers thread together, thumbs fidgeting. “Is it bad?”
Her head tips, eyes casting down into her lap. “I just wanted to ask what’s the real reason you’re leaving Showguns?”
My pulse comes to a quivering stop. “What do you mean?”
Mai’s attention shifts to me. Creases striate her eyebrows. “I know you, Jun. You’ve always told me how much you wanted to be part of the Silent Seven. Why are giving it up all of a sudden?”
I’m caught in her question like a fox in a snare. I should’ve known she’d ask it now when she could see me in private. No phone to hide behind. It’s just like Mai to want to see your honne: the deepest feelings and thoughts you keep inside. Any other time I wouldn’t hesitate to confide in her about anything. I want to confide in her so much, but it’s like a pig asking the butcher to save it. I’ve seen Mai execute protocol-violators, and it’s not pretty. Targets get the fortune of dying instantaneously. Violators die slowly. “It’s… I think it’s better that I quit.”
Mai squints at me. “Better why?”
I reach up to move my hair from my neck. “My boyfriend has been wanting me to quit for a long time.”
Mai exhales through her nose, looking out towards the fence. “A boy then, huh?”
My legs cross and uncross. It’s not a complete lie, but it still makes my stomach twist tighter and tighter like a wrung out towel. “You think I shouldn’t leave?”
She sighs. “It’s not really about what I think you should do or not. If you want to leave, no one has any right to stop you. But it works the other way around too. If you really want to stay, no one has the right to make you feel like you have to leave.” She puts a hand on top of mine. “I’m just worried that this isn’t coming from you.”
“But I was the one who decided to do it.”
“Yes, but…” She squeezes my hand. “There’s a big difference between making a decision with your head and your heart.” Motherly tenderness softens Mai’s gaze. “But this boy…He loves you?”
No, the Geisha hates my guts, and I hate his. “He does.”
“And you love him? Enough that giving up Showguns is easy?”
Strain tightens the chords of my voice. No. Truthfully, Regi doesn’t like me being in Showguns, but it’s
not an instant deal-breaker for him. We’ve already compromised; I get to stay in provided that I lay off on the killing jobs. “Yes.”
Mai’s hand remains. “You know I’m only drilling you because I care, right? A lot of good assassins about your age have been retiring all of a sudden.”
A lot? “What do you mean?”
“You remember Tamotsu’s last apprentice, Jiro?”
Ah yes. Mr. Breath-Smells-From-Across-The-Room. “He’s retiring too? Wasn’t he the one who started the switchblade scanner project?”
“Yes. He was supposed to get a promotion too. And all of a sudden, he’s going. Same for Nami’s apprentice. There’s a shit ton of others.” She clasps my hand tighter. “And now you. I wanted to be sure that nothing shady is going on.”
My chest unclenches a little. It’s not just me? But if it’s not, then does the Geisha have a hold on other assassins too? I could understand why he would out for me with Mai’s retirement and all, but Jiro? And Nami’s apprentice Mimi? Jiro sort of makes sense if the Geisha is just hungry for advancement, but Mimi isn’t moving anywhere career-wise. And I highly doubt they’re anything more than acquaintances, if they interact at all. Maybe they’re worth talking to at the retirement party after I talk to Shig. Shig should be back from his vacation overseas in time. I shift my attention to Mai. “Sensei, why are you leaving Showguns then?”
She sits up, grabs her frappucino, and sips. “I’m old.”
I fight the urge to roll my eyes. Mai is only fourty-five; it’s too young to retire completely from Showguns. From being an assassin, I could see. However, as leader of the Silent Seven there’s so many more options. She could go back and teach courses at Red Dragon Academy; she could take on another apprentice; she could even say no assassin jobs and keep her position like I do (well did). It pays well enough. “You’re not even close. What’s the real reason?”
She stares into her lap, then at her cast. “Getting shot made me put some things into perspective.”
“But you’ll get better right?” I ask. Mai is the only person I know—maybe even the only person in the world right now who has the pure strain of the Akuma gene, a powerful regenerative agent, and resists Devil’s Disease one hundred percent. “The Akuma genes stop—”
“Jun, just because I’ve got the pure genes in me doesn’t mean I’m invincible.” Mai clenches her frappucino tighter. “There’s something I’ve been putting off. And I need to be alive to do it. Shit like this can’t happen again.”
“My offer still stands, you know.” I nudge her gently. “I’ll get them for you.”
“And my answer still stands. No. Besides, didn’t you promise to lay off killing?”
“Yeah, but—”
“No. And I mean it, Jun. This is something I’ve got to handle on my own.” Mai frowns and gives a small head shake. “The guys who hit me…” She blows at a loose strand of hair in her face. “This is between me and them. If I don’t do this with my own hands, then I won’t live it down.”
My gaze drops to my hands. You can’t do everything on your own, you know. Then I remember the Geisha’s request. I swallow first, then ask, “What about your position then? Who are you considering?”
A smile curls her mouth. “Don’t want the position, but still asking, hmm?” She puts an arm around me. “Honestly, it’s hard to pick. My back up choice was Mimi. And my next back up was Kai, but they’re both retiring.”
“You mean you’re not picking the Geisha?” I ask.
Mai frowns. “The what?”
Oops. “Genji.”
“Genji is…” She looks away, hair curtaining her face. “He’s good, I’ll give him that, but he’s not upfront with me about everything, and I don’t like that.” She pulls me into a one-armed hug. “But, I can trust you.”
I hug her with both arms, inhaling her freesia scent. I’ll miss it. I’ll miss her. And her guidance. Her complaining that her morning coffee tastes like “fuck-all”. "What am I going to do without you?"
She pulls away. “What do you mean? I’ll still be over every once in a while to visit. Not as often, maybe, but I’ll see you.”
“I know, but as a teacher,” I say. “Who am I going to learn from now?”
She tsks at me. “Jun, you don’t need to learn much else from me. Anyway, I need to get back home. The Shogun added you to the retiree list so you’re in the ceremony too.”
I stand up. “Do I need to do anything special?”
“No, just make sure you’re in proper attire.” She gets up too. “There’s no ceremonial script or anything like that.”
I walk Mai to the door and let her out. As I lock the door back, I feel my own mouth shrinking back into its frown, like a stiff rubber band reverting back into its shape. I head upstairs with the Ise puzzlebox.
Megumi streams The Red Hood on her laptop while one chick rests in the valley of desk surface between her hands. The other roams about on top of her desk. Yesterday, they were only red fluff balls, but they it actually look like birds: amber-rimmed eyes, a strong falcon build, crest like a cockatoo, smoky gray face, vermilion plumage, tail feathers like a peacock, but instead of those beautiful greens and blues their feathers are peach, vermilion, yellow, orange, and gold like tongues of flame.
They’re growing so fast. Have they been inhaling steroids. “What kind of bird is that?” I ask, lingering by Megumi’s chair.
“Actually, she isn’t a ‘real’ bird,” Megumi say, making air quotes. “She’s actually a composite bird made up of a bunch of different ones.” Megumi points to the chick’s face, making the bird tilt her head the other way. “Feathers of a dusky lorry.” She strokes the wings. “Peregrine falcon body, crest of a cockatiel, talons of an African Crowned Eagle, and of course her tail feathers are from a peacock. She’s our attempt at making a phoenix. Sadly, I don’t know if she’ll ever riiiiiise from the ashes.” Megumi punctuates her statement with campy jazz hands worthy of an organ riff from Hiro.
At least I was half right about the cockatoo part. I watch the chick strut around the desk and test things with her beak. A phoenix, huh… “What do you do at that job again?”
Megumi scribbles a few more lines into her notebook. “I’m only an assistant, so most of my work is just usually taking care of the cell cultures involved. Right now, I’m just documenting her growth and behavior while Heaven meets with the head honchos over at ZenGaming.”
“Serious?” ZenGaming is the company that made Lords of Earth. How the hell did she get a working deal like that? “But wait a minute…I don’t get what that has to do with this chick.”
“Well, the genes we’re working with are going to get inserted into mechs if that makes any sense,” Megumi says. “And those mechs will go into the virtual reality simulator that we’re working on.”
“Virtual reality simulator?” I echo. “Then is it going to be some kind of big video game?”
“That’s what I’m hoping,” Megumi says. “I’ve got a good feeling about it. Everything is mostly done so, we might get to see Lords of Earth in virtual reality soon!”
My lips spread in a grin. Trolling noobs in virtual reality? What fun. “Is the chick going in the simulator?”
“Dunno.” Megumi tickles the chick’s belly. It gives a few quizzical peeps. “I know she’s talked about getting an Alpha team together to test it, but she hasn’t really said much else.”
I turn, slip a hand under my Tora doll, and grab my phone. “An animal team?”
Megumi frowns. “From what Heaven told me, I got the impression that it would be people testing it. I don’t know what she’s planning to do with the chicks, honestly.” She shakes her head. “I just hope the they get a good home, you know?”
“Yeah, I get that. Anyway, I'll wait for you in the kitchen and call Regi. Is there anything specific that you want him to bring from the store?”
"Pork belly, kobe beef…” Megumi puts the chick back into its cage and fills the feeder dish. “I think we might’ve
run out of sauce. Tell him to bring more of that.”
I emerge from the room, dialing Regi's number.
He picks up right away. “Heyooo! What’s u— Ack! No Mina! I don’t want your butt in my face!” Mina mews into the phone.
I suppress a laugh. “Having your mistress over?”
Regi laughs. “Hey now, she came onto me! I’m gonna have to see about taking Mina to the vet to get spayed. She might be acting funny because she’s going into heat.”
“You’re coming over today, right?”
“Yeah, anything you want while I’m out and about?”
“Megumi and I were talking about splitting the cost for Tohenian BBQ for dinner here,” I say, shooing King off the sofa with a hand.
“Sounds good, What should I bring?”
“Pork belly, kobe beef, marinated chicken, kimchi, marinated short ribs, sauce, a little more rice since I think we might not have enough for five people.”
“Five?” Regi echoes.
“Tammy has to eat too, you know.”
There’s a brief pause on the other side. “Gotcha. What about breakfast?”
“We’re just making omelets, maybe some hash browns—”
“I’ll be over before you can say, 'Hey, Mina, put your butt down!'” I can’t tell if he’s actually talking to me or the cat. “See you when I get there.”
As soon as I hang up, Megumi scoops the table-roaming chick up and puts her in the coop. “Alright, in you go.”
“Are the chicks gonna be okay by themselves?” I ask. “If they act like they did last night—”
“Jun it was only one chick that made noise. And she was probably just scared because she can’t see us in the dark.” Megumi points to the chick staring at the anime version of Red Riding Hood on the screen as she leaps onto her wolf mech companion and cracks her whip blade. “This one just does its own thing.” She tucks it back into the coop along with the other chick, ignoring her protesting peeps. “Yes, yes. Don’t worry. You can still watch The Red Hood.” She turns the laptop screen towards the chicks and gets up to walk downstairs to the kitchen with me.
“I can’t believe you got them to watch anime with you,” I say.
Vicissitude Yang Side Page 8