Enid had been in Okinawa for three months. It hadn’t taken much to find an appropriate apartment. The ability to walk in the sun was a boon in such things. She had managed to find one that was near the karate dojo she was studying at and the school she’d started attending. It wasn’t a great apartment, but it overlooked the South China Sea and had a beautiful view and given that she was accustomed to living in abandoned churches it was plush in comparison. Eyre had furnished her with a valid ID through her third party contacts unfortunately it had not met her exact specifications.

Enid was still dressed in a school uniform. Eyre had thought it would be amusing to make her fifteen on her ID. She had meant to start university right away, but now she would be stuck in high school for three years. She was musing appropriate revenge pranks when she heard a gunshot from down an alley she was walking beside. It was dark out, she’d stopped at the dojo, but hadn’t changed to train. Junpei just had her clean. She looked down at her paper bag full of groceries and was about to continue on her way letting whatever was going on, just go on without her when she heard a strangled cry for help.

Fuck.

She put her groceries and school bag down, leaning them against one of the building walls. She started down the alley. Slowly stepping over bits of refuse and saw a dumpster shift. She crept around the edge of it and there was a wolf-like creature drooling over an injured man. The man had been shot, and the creature was licking its blood red teeth. Its mouth was full of them. Further down there was a woman’s body, she was dead, and her body was torn apart. She could see another person far off down the alleyway running.

No idea what the hell that is, but guy is Yakuza can see the tats.

“Nice doggy?”

It turned to her licking its teeth again, much more interested in her then the Yakuza. It growled out words in Japanese. Enid was still learning but she was pretty sure she understood the meaning.

“Female flesh so tasty”

“What are you?”

“Hunger.”

Enid let her night vision kick in, she could see it in full color now. Maggots slid through it’s flesh and it’s fur, wasn’t fur, it was mold and fungi.

“You are a bad dog.”

It growled and lunged at her she jumped to the side. It skidded and clawed as it landed trying to get purchase on the wet pavement.

Of all the of the days to decide it was safe enough to leave Bloodseeker at home.

“Hey, I just got this uniform. Not cool.”

She backed away cutting the wolf-things angle attack by using the dumpster as a shield. She saw a knife in the hand of the Yakuza and reached down to grab it.

“Just going to borrow this for a few minutes, don’t worry I’ll kill this thing and we’ll get you some help.”

The Yakuza looked up at her a bit wide eyed. She nodded then took the knife crouching down on all fours keeping low the knife was in a reverse group in her left hand. She could hear the wolf sniffing around.

Glad it’s night or this would have a completely different outcome.

As she heard it about to round the edge of the dumpster, Enid willed blood to her muscles and altered the flow of time around herself lunging at it and sliced through the two legs on the wolf’s right side. It howled in pain. She spun around dropping the knife from her left hand to her right and plunged the dagger into it’s head slamming it down on the pavement. She quickly pulled the knife out and sprang backwards landing in a low crouch. The wolves body began to twitch and melt turning into a puddle of slime that oozed through a sewer grate. She shivered despite herself and turned the bleeding Yakuza member. She tried to give him his knife back, but he was already unconscious from blood loss. She sighed again and looked around and pressed both hands on his wounding chanting the words that would transfer the wound to her. He woke with a gasp and she held her side.

“Fuck, I only have one uniform. Blood sucks to get out.”

He seemed to snap out of his delirium quickly. Looking up at her. He stood quickly and the bullet he had been shot with fell to the ground. He reached and picked up looking at it then back to Enid who was leaning on the wall trying to get her wound to heal. He then looked back at the dead girl.

“We do not forget those that help us.”

Enid nodded.

“I’m just going to go get my groceries and try and get this cleaned off, I only have one I can’t go to school with it like this tomorrow.”

He smiled and nodded. He turned and walked towards the other end of the Alley. Enid turned and went her own way.

She spent the better part of two hours trying to get the blood out of her white blouse. She gave up. The Japanese instructors were unforgiving for excuses. Truthfully, she should have gotten more than one uniform, she had meant to but had gotten distracted. She heard a knock on the door. She moved over and answered it. It was a Japanese mean in a suit, he was maybe twenty. He had three clothing boxes with him.

“Can I help you?”

“Delivery for you, you can put them away then get dressed and come with me, boss wants to see you.”

Enid raised an eyebrow. And shrugged.

“Thank-you, come in.”

Enid took the boxes and put them aside and went into her room and pulled on a black t-shirt and jeans and her doc martins. She pulled on her hoodie and put her hands in her pockets.

“Alright take me to your leader.”

“Like that?”

“He wants me he gets me like this.”

He shrugged and left the apartment waiting for her to lock up. He led her down to a waiting black car. Was a classic as cars go, sixties she thought. The man lit a cigarette and puffed on it as they rode through the city of Naha, stopping at a seedy looking Pachinko parlor. The man led her through the row of machines and to a back room. He knocked on the door and it opened and inside there was an actual casino filled with older Japanese men with beautiful white women hanging off their arms. One of the men grabbed Enid’s ass on the way by and laughed Enid was about break it but her escort slaped the man in the face before she could really react.

“Sorry.”

“Better you then me, I’d have broken his arm.”

He laughed and showed Enid into another backroom that was actually a bar. There was a table at the back, she saw the man she’d rescued smoking a cigarette and drinking a glass of whiskey. His shirt was untucked and still covered in blood. He laughed when he saw her. He addressed Enid’s escort first.

“Did you find Kenji?”

“No boss.”

“You find him, and you bring him back here, tell all the boys. Shoot me and run like a coward he’s going to regret not killing me.”

He turned to Enid. Motioning to a chair in front of him.

“Please, sit. Edo get the lady a drink before you leave.”

“Just some sake please.”

Edo nodded and came back with a cup, and a bottle for her. Enid opened the bottle and poured sake into her cup. The boss pushed his cup forward she filled it as well and he nodded she sealed the bottle again. The boss lifted up his cup of sake.

“To happy coincidences.”

“To happy coincidences.”

The pair drank the sake down. He watched her for any sign of shock at the taste he laughed when he saw the drink had no effect on his guest.

“You did not seem surprised by the Furutsubaki-no-rei.”

“I have no idea what that is, but if you’re talking about the fungus dog thing, I’ve never run into one before but it’s not the most disgusting thing I’ve fought.”

He laughed again.

“It’s been hunting the streets for weeks, the police did nothing so we stepped in, thought was a wild dog.”

“Next time call me my sword will kill anything.”

He laughed slapping the table.

“I will remember you said that.”

“It’s not dead though, I just destroyed the body it was using. Escaped into the sewers. Probably means I’m going to have to go hunting again.”

“You fought that thing like you have no fear, you walked in here like you have no fear. For a Gaijin you sure remind me of a Yakuza.”

“I just have a big dick.”

He slapped the table again laughing.

“I like you.”

“That’s good. I’d hate to have made an enemy of Yakuza having just moved here.”

“You made a friend. I am Boss Nobuyuki, I control all of Okinawa. If anyone gives you trouble, you come see me. If you want to drink you come, see me.”

“I’m Melonie Stuart, high school student. And Karate student.”

“I asked about you. You are at Junpei’s school. He’s a good man. You also have no parents.”

“Oh, I had parents, they’re just long dead.”

“You have me now. You’re family. You saved my life. To the Yakuza you are daughter.”

Enid poured another cup of sake and chugged it.

No still not doing anything, oh well.

“I replaced the uniform you ruined saving me and gave you two extras. If you need anything else you come here and ask and I’ll make sure you get it.”

“Actually, I could use a couple of things.”

The boss motioned for her to continue.

“One promise me if your men see or run into that Furutsubaki-no-rei again, you’ll call me so I can kill it. I don’t like that it’s running around tearing women apart. And second, do you know about other things like the Furutsubaki-no-rei, creatures of the night? If you could make an introduction for me…”

“It sounds dangerous for you, and since your daughter to the Yakuza, we’re supposed to protect you, not the other way around.”

“Well, I’m trained demon hunter, I was trying to put that behind me but apparently life has other plans, I’m like an exterminator for stuff like the Furutsubaki-no-rei. I have the tools and equipment to make it safe.”

The boss started nodded as she spoke.

“I see, I see. We will call you if we find it, or anything like it. There are many dark corners in Japan that hide things even the Samurai feared. We run into them more than most because we share the darkness with them. Most keep to themselves and we let them. Some like the Furutsubaki-no-rei need to be stopped. We usually manage but it is usually costly.”

“Well let me help you Boss Nobuyuki, I promise you won’t be disappointed. I do need to get home though; I have studying to take care of.”

“I’ll get you a ride.”

******

It was late October and an unexpected thunderstorm was rolling in. Enid rubbed her temples as she tried to wrap her brain around the complicated math she was looking at. She had figured high school would be simple, but these humans had turned math from a simple prospect into this insanely complicated landscape of symbols and numbers. She was enjoying the challenge but at the same time debated the merits of learning it. She could hear the thunder rolling in over the ocean and heard the waves crashing on the beach below. She reached up and closed her window. Then sat back down to ponder more at the numbers in front of her. She was rescued by a knock at her door. She slammed her math book shut and answered the door pencil in hand. It was one of Nobuyuki’s Yakuza associates.

“Melanie-san, Boss Nobuyuki told us to summon you when we found, the plant-hunter.”

Enid nodded.

“Let me get my sword.”

He nodded then did a double take at her words. Enid came back with Bloodseeker in its sheath.

“I thought you had meant a Katana.”

“I mean no disrespect, but no Katana can do the job Bloodseeker can.”

“None taken. We have it cornered in an alley. It has already killed one of us.”

“I told Nobuyuki to get me right away when you saw it. It’s too dangerous for you.”

“We did not know what it was, once we did though we came and got you.”

“What’s it look like this time?”

“Rats, a swarm of giant plague rats.”

Enid’s eyes went wide.

“A swarm?”

Fuck.

“Yes Melanie-san.”

“Alright let’s go.”

The driver sped along the rain slick streets getting to an Alley with several motorcycles and other cars blocking it. Yakuza were gathered at either end. Enid stepped out the car, holding Bloodseeker by the sheath and started to walk towards the Alley. Nobuyuki was there, arms crossed. She could see his muscles bulging even through his suit jacket. He looked at her sword appraisingly. Truthfully Bloodseeker was no piece of art. The hilt had been covered with silk and silver wire bindings. The red crystal that formed the pommel was a rough uncut thing. The blade was carbon scored and pitted silver.

“Melanie-san that doesn’t seem like much a sword.”

“Bloodseeker was never a pretty blade Boss Nobuyuki, but it doesn’t have to be, it eats souls. Which means that everything it kills dies a true death.”

He nodded giving the blade a second glance.

“That being said it sounds like we need a flamethrower, not a sword.”

He laughed and nodded.

“Are you sure you want to do this.”

Enid nodded.

“Please keep your men out of the alleyway. If you see lightning come down, it probably means its dead.”

Boss Nobuyuki looked at her appraisingly. His men moved to allow her passage to the alleyway. It was shorter than the last she could see the car lights at the others side shining down the alley. It made the scrambling swarm of rats clear as day, the seemed trapped by the bright car lights.

Doesn’t like light, could be fungus based.

Enid saw gnawed remains of two Yakuza and a woman. She slung the strap for bloodseeker over her shoulder and it hung diagonally across her back. She sensed it had no wish to partake in this particular enemy and she could understand that. Each rat was a pulsating fungal host. She wrinkled her nose. The rats swarmed up when she moved close enough and started to ooze towards her.

“Okay fuck this.”

Enid reached the sky and started chanting she pulled two bolts of lighting now causing the ground the shake she held out her palms and sent of a sheet of electricity along the top of the thin coat of water on the pavement. The rats squeeled and twitched and popped each one that exploded made several others explode. The slime that was keeping the dead rats moving sizzled and fried. It turned into a humanoid form and Enid didn’t wait for it to fully form. She slowed time and speed up her movements drawing Bloodseeker as she pounced. She left a crackle of lightning where she leapt from and seemed to appear from another ball of lightning when she landed. Her sword had passed through the middle of the slime and it disintegrated Bloodseeker started puking out a black puss on the ground which dissolved shortly after. She could feel its annoyance with her.

“I’m sorry it was the only way. I’d do it again.”

She held the sheath in one hand and pushed Bloodseeker into it. She turned and started walking back towards Boss Nobuyuki. His men parted for her readily. All stared at her mouths agape. He watched her approach. She stopped in front of him. He bowed in respect.

“We are honored and humbled in your presence, Raijin.”

Enid quirked an eyebrow. Then realized he was referring to the Japanese God of Thunder. She bowed.

“It is an honor to be daughter to the Yakuza.”

“Please ride with me.”

Enid got in the car with Boss Nobuyuki and it pulled away from the curb. She turned to him.

“I need something now from you. Doing that used up my energy, to restore it I need to drink blood. My sword also demands tribute. I must feed for it as well. May I hunt in your protected territories?”

“Will you kill?”

“No, I have only done so once, and it was an evil man who I was going to kill anyway.”

“And does your victim suffer?”

“No, they won’t remember anything was taken, it is like donating blood.”

“Can you use donated blood?”

“Yes, I just never thought of doing that.”

“I will start a blood donation drive for you, it should supply you with whatever you need and we can provide money for the blood and then nothing is taken and not given back.”

“Interesting idea.”

“In the meantime, I will send men to your home so you may take what you need from them tonight.”

“Thank you, Boss Nobuyuki, and this needs to stay between us.”

“Your secret will go to my grave, daughter. Shall we go toast our victory with sake?”

“I am sorry Boss Nobuyuki, I need to study for a math exam tomorrow.”

He laughed.

“You are the Goddess of Thunder, and you are bound but such a pedantic thing as a Math exam. I could just ensure your instructor gives you a perfect score.”

Enid laughed.

“Thank you, Boss Nobuyuki but I want to earn my mark.”

“You are just as honorable as you claim to be. Driver, take us to Raijin’s home.”

“Tell me, daughter, have you ever used the power of thunder against another human?”

Enid nodded, and frowned.

“One time in anger, the other out of necessity.”

“You seem upset about that.”

“The first time I used it on fellow humans was in a battle, they were sacrificing people to a dark god. I do not regret that. It is the second time I called down the sky’s wraith on humans that I am ashamed of.”

“Why? It is your power to wield.”

“At the time I felt no guilt. I am coming to realize though, that I should always feel guilty if I have to kill someone. In another life I was boss, much like you. And there were people who wanted to harm me, usurp my position and they manipulated some poor wretches to rebel. I was angry at their leaders, but I punished the rebels. I called down a massive rain of lightning bolts, powerful enough to incinerate them. They were just farmers with pitchforks, no threat to me, no threat to my power. I should have found another way.”

The boss nodded patting her on the back.

“Regret is like a bag of heavy stones. Each stone can teach us something, but once have learned the lesson we must throw it away and keep the knowledge it taught but stop carrying its weight. Or we can never move forward.”

Enid nodded, and chuckled.

“You are a wise man Boss Nobuyuki.”

The car pulled up to her apartment building. Boss Nobuyuki looked out the window the area she lived in he was quite familiar with it. It was smack dab in the middle of the slums. He put his hand on her arm when she was about to get out.

“Do you live here because you cannot afford better daughter?”

“No, I live her because I feel like I belong.”

“I can get you a better apartment. Safer area.”

“Well if I move there; Will it really be a safer area?”

Enid laughed. Boss Nobuyuki nodded with a smile.

“Good luck on your exam Raijin.”

“Thanks Boss Nobuyuki, enjoy a cup of sake for me.”

Enid got out of the car and entered her building. She made her way back to her apartment and leaned Bloodseeker on the wall. She started studying again waiting for her order in to arrive.