“Fee’s baffy fiii on fa frain,” Lilian said with a mouth full of waffles.
Polydora wrinkled her nose. “Hasn’t anyone ever told you not to speak when your mouth is full?”
Lilian finished swallowing her food. “Several times. I just don’t always listen to them.”
“Well, maybe you should. Speaking with your mouth full is very uncouth of you, and it’s also quite vulgar. Certainly, it is not the sort of behavior that a young lady, and one who is the heiress to a clan, should commit.”
“I don’t really care about my clan that much,” Lilian declared with a pout. “Most of them are stuck-up jerks.”
Kevin knew that Lilian didn’t really think this way—not anymore, at least. She was just worried. Only sparse amounts of news about the going ons in Europe reached them, and they’d heard nothing about Lilian’s family at all. It was as if her entire clan had vanished.
I wonder how Mom is doing?
Likewise, Kevin had heard nothing from his mother. He’d asked if they could contact her, but Monstrang told him they lacked the resources necessary to open a line of communication with Europe, barring extreme circumstances where such contact became imperative. He hoped she was okay.
A tingling of a bell echoed through the store. The front doors opened and in walked a familiar woman. Long raven hair flowed down her back, and dark brown eyes contrasted lovingly with a porcelain face. She wore a blue kimono, a traditional Japanese gown, which was tied at the waist with a white obi. Geta sandals clacked against the floor as she walked. Following behind her were nine women, all of whom were familiar to Polydora.
“Euryale, Menippe, Thoe, Ioxeia, Oïstrophe, Androdaïxa, Aspidocharme, Cnemis, Thorece!” Standing up, Polydora couldn’t have been more astonished if she’d tried. She looked like she’d been broadsided by a truck. “W-what are you all doing here?”
Euryale stepped forward with a smile on her face. She was a fairly tall woman with a lithe body, long red hair, and purple eyes. She was currently in civilian clothes. The jeans, white shirt, and furry boots suited her.
“We heard about what happened. Surely, you did not expect us to just sit by and do nothing while our friend and leader is imprisoned?”
“You… all of you…” Polydora held back the tears that threatened to spill. While her fellow yama uba surrounded her, Kotohime strode to stand in front of Kevin and the others.
“Kevin-sama, Lilian-sama, Iris-sama, I am pleased to see that you are well.” She smiled at them. “As you can see, I have brought the reinforcements that you have requested.”
“I can see that,” Kevin muttered, biting his lower lip. It was good that they had so many people for this mission, and even better that all of them were skilled warriors, but…
Are they going to be enough?
A hand slid into his. Kevin didn’t need to look to know that it was Lilian’s. She was the only one who could sense when he was troubled. Aside from that, he could tell it was hers simply by its softness, shape, and the length of her fingers.
Kotohime clasped her hands behind her back. “Well, then, shall we begin planning this rescue operation?”
“Not here.” Kevin stood up, gently pulling Lilian with him. “There’s someone that I want you to meet, a former enemy who has all of the information we’ll need to make this operation a success.”
“Very well, then, Kevin-sama.” Kotohime bowed her head to him. “Please, lead the way.”
After everyone passed through the barrier, Kevin turned to Christine.
“Would you mind fetching Cien for me, please?”
“Um, sure,” Christine said before going off in search of their prisoner, who was likely in the company of Orin.
For a man who doesn’t want to have anything to do with us, Orin’s been surprisingly accommodating; letting us stay here, and even offering to watch Cien while we leave. I wonder what that old monkey is thinking.
“I guess we should go over to where we’re staying,” Kevin said.
“Of course, Kevin-sama. Lead the way.”
“Right.”
Because their tree house was on the opposite side of the village, they had to first walk through the village to get there. Kevin blamed it on all of the women he was with, but the number of stares they received as they walked was phenomenal. It was like everyone had come out to see the newcomers.
“Who are they?”
“What are these people doing here?”
“That woman with the four tails, who do you think she is?”
“I dunna know, but she’s a fine piece of ass—owch! You hit me!”
“Course I did! You didn’t think I was just gonna stand here, listening to you talk about another woman, did ya?”
Letting go of his hand, Lilian fell back until she was striding alongside Kotohime. “Ne, ne, how’ve you been doing, Kotohime?”
“It has been difficult, but manageable,” Kotohime answered placidly. “I must admit, I was quite upset when I had been told that you, Kevin-sama, and Iris-sama were given a mission, especially one so dangerous. However, it seems that my worries were unfounded. You have grown quite strong, Lilian-sama.”
“Ufufufu, naturally.”
“Well, now, if it isn’t Iris,” Mennipe greeted the raven-haired girl with a smile. “How’ve ya been?”
“Oh, you know, same old same old,” Iris said, grinning. “Aside from being sent on a mission I really don’t care for, nothing has changed a whole lot—except my sex life. I’m not getting anywhere near enough sex for this.”
Menippe and Euryale, who walked alongside Iris, blushed and giggled at the girl’s words.
“Does that mean that you, Lilian, and Kevin are still…”
“Uhuhuhu, what do you think?” Iris’s eyes gleamed wickedly. The two girls held their hands to their cheeks and squealed.
“Kevin Swift.”
“Hm?” Kevin looked at the person who marched up to his side. “Oh, Thoe. It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”
Thoe was a tall girl with pink hair done in drill-like curls. She, along with Euryale and Mennipe, had journeyed with him, Phoebe, Polydora, and Iris to rescue Lilian from the Shénshèng Clan. Having never had much association with her outside of that rescue mission, he didn’t know a whole lot about her. What he’d seen, though, she was an awfully stoic girl. He found that strange, considering her vibrant hair color. Weren’t pink-haired girls often supposed to be ditzy and cute?
“Indeed, it has. We do not see each other very often. I am pleased to see that you are in good health.”
“Likewise.”
“You are acting awfully friendly toward Kevin Swift, Thoe,” Polydora huffed, flinging her hair over her left shoulder.
“Much like Phoebe, I hold a good deal of respect for Kevin Swift,” Thoe replied. “Few humans are capable of fighting one-on-one against yōkai, as you well know. I think that merits my respect.”
“I-I suppose that is true,” Polydora said, looking at him. Kevin turned his head to look at her, but when she caught his eyes, the woman squeaked and looked away. “I-in either event, do you not think that the way you are speaking of Phoebe is inappropriate and lacking in respect.”
“Phoebe told us not to grace her with any titles after we agreed to move here, as you well know. I am merely abiding by her wishes.”
Polydora couldn’t seem to think up a good comeback for that, so she huffed and crossed her arms.
“Kevin-sama, you will have to inform me of what you three have been up to during this mission,” Kotohime said as she and Lilian closed in on him. Thoe gracefully stepped aside as Lilian claimed his hand again. Iris was still chatting with Euryale and Mennipe, but it seemed the other yama uba were also listening to her words of wisdom. Kevin believed from their blushes that Iris was sharing the details of their sex life.
That vixen…
“I will,” Kevin assured her. “A lot has happened so far, though, so it will probably take a while.”
“I have heard
a little bit about what happened from Kuroneko-dono,” Kotohime informed him.
“Did she contact you guys?” Lilian asked.
“She and Davin-dono have established a form of contact as of two days ago. Through it, we learned that you three were involved in a major battle in California, where you fought against an entire battalion of Yōkai Killers. I apologize for not being there to help you.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Kevin said. “We survived the battle just fine, so everything is good.”
“Ufufu, indeed.”
They arrived at the tree house they were residing in for the moment. Kotohime entered with the others and studied the interior with a keen eye. Kevin wondered why he felt self-conscious as she observed the barren room, with naught but its single desk and two futons as decoration. It wasn’t like this was his place or anything.
“What a quaint little hut,” she said after some time.
“It’s tiny,” Euryale agreed.
“I think it’s cute,” Thoe argued.
“You think everything is cute.” Euryale rolled her eyes.
“You mean miniscule,” Iris corrected. “This place is so depressingly midgetized that microscopic organisms would find it claustrophobic.”
“When did you start using such big words?” Lilian teased.
“That’s mean, Lily-pad.” Iris crossed her arms. “I’ve always been capable of using big words. Don’t go saying something that makes me sound unintelligent.”
“So you say, but I’ve never heard you use that kind of vocabulary before,” Kevin said. “You sure you’re not having an out of character moment?”
“Owch. You guys are being harsh again.”
The group of yama uba observed the bantering trio, who seemed to have forgotten about everyone else. Menippe wandered up to Kotohime, who also studied her wards with the tender eyes of an older sister.
“Are they always like this?” Menippe asked the kimono-clad femme.
“They are indeed,” Kotohime admitted with a smile.
Thoe pressed a finger against her lip as she studied the three. “Perhaps it is simply because I have not had much contact with them, but I do not remember Kevin Swift being this friendly with Iris Pnevma.” She paused, her drill-like curls fluttering as she tilted her head. “Then again, after we rescued his mate, I only ever saw them from a distance.”
“Iris-sama and Kevin-sama are quite close,” Kotohime told the girl, “though I would say that, between the three of them, Kevin-sama and Lilian-sama are closer. If you wanted to think of it in human terms, Lilian-sama is like Kevin-sama’s wife, while Iris-sama is their mistress.”
“How romantic,” Thoe mumbled as she placed her hands on her cheeks and sighed.”I wish I could become someone’s mistress… what? Why are you looking at me like that?”
“No reason,” the other yama uba said as they slowly looked away.
“Don’t you mean she’s Kevin Swift’s mistress?” Androdaïxa, a somewhat older woman with brown hair and dark eyes, asked.
Kotohime shook her head negative. “No. I mean their mistress. Iris-sama is just as, if not more, interested in Lilian-sama as she is Kevin-sama. I do not even think Iris-sama has been sexually intimate with Kevin-sama without Lilian-sama present.”
“Are you all right, Polydora?” Euryale asked. “You’re blushing.”
“I am most certainly not blushing!” Polydora turned her head and placed her hands against her face, as if doing so would somehow hide the redness in her cheeks. “You are clearly imagining things.”
“Um, no, I’m pretty sure that you are—”
“You’re imagining things!”
“… You’re right. I must be hallucinating,” Euryale deadpanned.
The door to the tree house opened, and in stomped an angry Christine. Following behind her was Cien and Orin. Kevin, having ceased double-teaming Iris with Lilian, noticed that the monkey yōkai had a large handprint on his right cheek, which had hoarfrost covering it.
He must have done something perverted. Again.
“I’ve brought the dog like you asked,” Christine said with a huff. “I hope you appreciate how much trouble I’m going through for you.”
Kevin gave her his sunniest grin. “Of course. Thank you, Christine!”
Chu!
Christine’s entire face exploded with color. “W-well, j-just so long as you understand that.”
“What an interesting young man you are,” Orin chuckled. “I’ve never seen Christine act like this until you arrived.”
“S-s-s-shut up you, ya damn perverted monkey!” Christine sent Orin packing with a powerful punch to the face. Kevin, for a moment, wondered why Orin, who was a member of the Four Saints, just took her hits. Surely, a man as powerful as him could dodge her attacks, or even negate them entirely.
He must be a masochist, Kevin determined.
“Hmm…”
Unlike the others, who were more interested in watching Christine beat the crap out of Orin, Kotohime studied the inu who’d entered the room with them. In return, Cien glared at her, as if daring the woman to say something.
“Ara, ara. Is this the dog that you were speaking of, Kevin-sama?”
“Hm?” Kevin looked away from the vengeful Christine as she tried to kill her benefactor to Kotohime. “Oh, yes. That’s Cien. He’s the one who’s going to tell us about where Phoebe is most likely being kept.”
“It seems you cut off this mutt’s arm, Kevin-sama.”
Cien growled at being called a mutt. “I’ll have you know that I’m a purebred, fox! I am not a mutt.”
“Ufufufu, my apologies. I did not mean to insult you, Inu-san. Still, it is quite embarrassing for a purebred such as yourself to be defeated by a human. I know that you dogs have a very strong warrior’s pride.”
Kotohime’s insincere smile made Cien’s bushy tail bristle. Kevin shook his head. He’d become so used to Kotohime’s friendship with Kiara that he almost forgotten that inu and kitsune didn’t really get along.
It really makes me wonder how those two became friends.
“Excuse me,” Polydora intruded on everyone’s activities. “Since everyone is now present, perhaps we can get down to the reason we all came here? I, for one, would like to conceive a plan to rescue Lady Phoebe soon.”
“Agreed,” Kevin nodded. “Cien? Would you mind telling us what you know?”
Cien ceased baring his fangs at Kotohime, who seemed to be taking pleasure in annoying him, and sighed. “Fine, fine. You were the victor in our battle, so I will honor your request.”
At Kevin’s behest, the group sat down in the center of the room. Lilian and Iris sat beside him. At Iris’s beckoning, Christine sat down next to her, blushing bright blue from the roots of her hair. While the yama uba spread out in a semi-circle, Orin and Kotohime stood near the back, observing the entire group.
“W-why the hell are you acting so close and friendly with me?” Christine demanded as Iris placed an arm around her shoulder.
A wicked grin crossed Iris’s face. “What are you talking about? It’s only natural that you and I would be intimate like this.”
“S-stupid fox! W-what are you—”
Iris leaned down until her lips caressed Christine’s left ear. “If you want to be with Kevin, then becoming comfortable enough to be this close to another woman is necessary.”
Christine promptly snapped her mouth shut.
“What are you two talking about?” Lilian asked.
“Nothing,” Iris said, grinning. “Don’t worry your pretty little head, Lily-pad. I promise that I’m not replacing you with Christine.”
The look Lilian gave her sister, as if the other kitsune was a complete idiot, spoke volumes as to what she was thinking. “I don’t really care to know what you’re trying to do here, but we’re about to start planning our rescue operation. Try not to make too much noise.”
“No worries, Lily-pad. My lips are sealed.” Iris made a zipping motion.
�
��If you two are quite done,” Cien muttered bitingly, “then perhaps I can begin fulfilling my end of our bargain?”
“Right.” Kevin gestured to Cien with his left hand. “Please tell us what you know.”
Cien coughed into his hand several times, clearing his throat and causing his floppy ears to bounce against his head. “Three days ago, our leader captured the yōkai that this woman over here was accompanying.” He gestured to Polydora, who gritted her teeth at the reminder of what happened. “While I am unsure of what has happened to her now, I can only assume they’ve taken her to the isolated base located on Beaver Island.”
“Beaver Island?” Iris made a face.
“What the hell kind of name is that?” So did Christine.
Cien glared at them both. “I didn’t name the damn island. Humans named it. If you want to know why it’s named such, then go find a human and ask them.”
“Do not get off topic,” Polydora said. “Continue speaking. What is this Beaver Island? Why do you suspect that Lady Phoebe is there?”
“Because that’s where our other prisoner is located,” Cien told them.
Torture did not work on Heather. It baffled the yōkai who interrogated her. No matter what they did, whether it was prying off her fingernails or grinding salt into an open wound, she refused to accede the information they sought. How could a human possibly remain so stoic while undergoing such traumatic physical strain?
Having proven herself to be inured to physical torture, the Yamata Alliance had turned to psychological torture.
Heather was trapped within her own mind, locked in a struggle that not even she could win. Images were supplanted into her brain, reinforced with youki so as to be unbreakable. The woman screamed as she was subjected to this brutal psychological torture, which tore at the edges of her sanity.
“No… please… no!”
She and Phoebe were strapped to a pair of tables. Both were still naked, and their bodies showed the results of their interrogation. Scars littered much of Heather’s figure. Her legs, arms and torso were the worst areas, which had lateral and perpendicular lesions running across them, as if someone had clawed her body and then haphazardly healed it.
A Fox's Mission Page 21