《Blood & Paint》Chapter 7: Moonlight's Shadow
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Rembrandt sighed, tired after a night away. "How was Uncle Tezuka?" Ōi asked.
"Same old, the guy sure knows good food."
The two of them had a short chuckle before Ōi returned to her bedroom, Rembrandt stared into the vast midnight sky, painted in dark hues, decorated with bright stars. "What are you doing out here, Rembrandt?" Hokusai asked the exhausted detective, sitting next to him and watching the night sky as well. "Tired, the night sky always reminds me of Vincent," Rembrandt replied, letting out a little laugh. He opened his phone, showing his wallpaper to Hokusai. A group photo of the members of Mercurius standing outside their headquarters.
"You really miss them don't you?" Hokusai asked. "Well, being far from home always makes me feel a little homesick," Rembrandt commented, "At the very least, Escher and Caspar are also helping out with the investigation."
"That's great news I suppose," Hokusai replied with his gruff voice. He grabbed a glass and filled the cup with some tea he brewed earlier, using his Talent to easily move it from the faraway pot directly to the cup. “Care for some tea?”
"Your green tea is the best, Uncle Hokusai."
"You can ask me anytime."
The two reminisced about their past, the training Rembrandt went through when he was younger and slowly gaining his mastery over his Night Watch. Suddenly Rembrandt's phone rang. A call from Escher in the middle of the night, Rembrandt picked it up without hesitation. “I may have found a lead, but you may not like it,” Escher spoke. "What is it?" Rembrandt replied, signaling Hokusai to listen in on the conversation. "I saw a bunch of unmarked vans driving by the area, looks like they're heading towards the Port of Osaka." Escher stated, "maybe a shipment of illegal goods?"
"Considering it's the dead of night, maybe they're making their move now." Rembrandt stopped to think, "whatever it is, can you update me through text?"
"Will do." The phone clicked off and Rembrandt looked at Hokusai, something clicked within Hokusai's mind, a familiar memory within him. "Whatever it may be, we should head there."
"Why should we?" Rembrandt asked his mentor about this situation. "Well, you see. This organization controls Osaka's underbelly. They have eyes all over and so do I. I know for a fact that they receive weekly shipments over at the port." Hokusai explained. "How do you know about this?" Rembrandt asked. "It is a very long and convoluted story, we should get going." Hokusai tapped Rembrandt's shoulder, signaling him to be ready. Both of them quickly got into Hokusai's car and sped off towards the Port of Osaka.
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“Did Tezuka tell you?” Hokusai asked Rembrandt
“Tell me what?”
“The boy used to work for me, in an agency similar to yours, but something went horribly wrong and we ended up splitting." Rembrandt nodded, wondering what happened in the past. Hokusai bit his lip and sped even faster, taking Rembrandt by surprise. The two of them finally reached the port not too long after, Hokusai seemingly furious and Rembrandt on edge.
The two of them stepped out of the car, standing atop one of the warehouses is a person, illuminated by the light glow of the moon shining upon the figure. “So you're the bastard that killed Kyosai, huh.” the figure asked. “And who do you think you are?” Rembrandt asked. "Don't make me laugh, Dutch Maestro!" The man shouted as he jumped from the roof, the clack of the geta screeched through the air, "You may know me as Yōkai, my name is . . . Yoshitoshi!"
Yoshitoshi smiled, sword in hand. "Ahahaha! I see the old man has also come out of hiding, hello there Hokusai."
"Great meeting you again, Yoshitoshi. Tell me, how did you escape jail this time?" Hokusai calmly asked. "Escape? C'mon old man, you know I'm better than some petty lowlife scum." Yoshitoshi chuckled. “I'm more surprised you got that Dutch Maestro joining your ranks.”
"Just tell me why you're here, I’ve wasted enough time handling the likes of you." Rembrandt sternly replied.
“Little miss bitch-ass doesn't like me huh, tell me, Dutch Maestro. We're one and the same, right?” Yoshitoshi continued to taunt the two.
“Tell me, Yoshitoshi. What are you doing here.” Hokusai continued to ask Yoshitoshi, albeit not too much avail. Yoshitoshi giggled which then turned into a loud cackle, “You know our activities, so we decided to tip off one of your informants to get you two here."
“Why are you doing this?” Rembrandt half-shouted his inquiry. Starting to be a little more than ticked off.
“Kyōsai was like a brother to me. It's a terrible decision for you to kill him." Yoshitoshi scratched his head. “Now answer to my Ten'imuhō!” Yoshitoshi unsheathes his sword and held a stance, ready to attack the two of them. Hokusai prepared a fighting stance and Rembrandt pulled out his gun. "You dare challenge a Savant?" Hokusai asked the grinning Yoshitoshi.
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"Come, old man, I want to see if your claim is true!" Yoshitoshi charged towards Rembrandt, the tip of Ten'imuhō by the nape of Rembrandt's neck in a near-instant. "You're just another shitty detective!" Rembrandt jumped back and activated his Night Watch, creating a mannequin of himself to act as bait for Yoshitoshi. Rembrandt then fired his gun missing Yoshitoshi by a few inches. Yoshitoshi grinned devilishly, laughing at Rembrandt's attempt to kill him.
Hokusai came to assist Rembrandt, focusing himself and creating a huge wave, his face furious with anger. "This is my Talent, Great Wave off Kanagawa!" The wave crashed around the port area washing away Yoshitoshi and Rembrandt. Rembrandt coughed and tried recovering himself from the tidal assault, looking across the port Yoshitoshi was also recovering himself from Hokusai's wave.
Yoshitoshi slowly stood up, his Ten'imuhō still grasped firmly around his hand. "You know why I named this sword Ten'imuhō?"
“What do you mean?” Rembrandt asked.
“We are all vassals of our own imperfections, this blade right here. Its curve, its length, and its sharpness. It perfectly matches its purpose doesn't it.” Yoshitoshi looked at his blade, lit by the moon overhead, "This blade's name is idiomatic I suppose, tell me, Dutch Maestro. What makes this sword, not 'Flawless'?"
"A sword is only as good as it's wielder," Hokusai commented, "your blade may be flawless, but you're not."
“I realize that it's naïve to consider myself as a flawless person, old man.” Yoshitoshi continued talking, "I grew up alone until I began to kill, only then did the world saw me. This sword is my ideal self and I am its extension; a ruthless edge that kills whatever comes its way." Yoshitoshi raised his blade, reflecting the gleam of the moon, "I must act for this sword, that way I can be Flawless."
Yoshitoshi looked at the two of them, "Now, tell me Ten'imuhō. Who should I kill?"
Yoshitoshi charged at both of them, like a wild dance he swept the ground with his sword at incredible speeds, catching Hokusai and Rembrandt off guard. Rembrandt once more pulled out his pistol and began to fire which Yoshitoshi quickly dodged then immediately hitting Rembrandt in the stomach with Ten'imuhō's pommel, sending Rembrandt to the ground, screaming in pain.
Hokusai turned the ocean into his plaything, turning the seawater into projectiles that barrage onto Yoshitoshi, like a rain of needles. "So much for a Savant, I won't be defeated by the rain!" Yoshitoshi shouted, continuing his attack, just as his sword was about to touch Hokusai's torso he disappeared, reappearing nearby a puddle. "I don't like to show all of my tricks in one go." Hokusai then walked towards Rembrandt, checking his condition. The weakened Rembrandt fired his pistol, injuring Yoshitoshi's foot. Yoshitoshi's expression turned sour, "Why you little!" Just as Yoshitoshi was about to continue his attack, a voice called from the rooftop of one of the warehouses, "Hold right there! Yoshi, return to base. Right now.”
“Why are you here?!” Yoshitoshi shouted glaring at the figure, "Return with me, now." the figure calmly replied. Yoshi sighed then stored his sword, looking at the two of them, "Take me to the hospital too." Yoshitoshi leaped into the night, leaving Hokusai and Rembrandt sitting on the ground.
"That Yoshitoshi, he's a friend of Kyōsai." Rembrandt spoke, panting.
"Twisted ideals and great sword fighting technique too." Hokusai looked at the place where Yoshitoshi stood. The two of them quickly got back on their feet. Hokusai still wondering what the grand plan is behind all of these attacks.
Hokusai picked up Rembrandt, still soaking wet from one of Hokusai's previous attacks. “I'll ask Ōi to help you wash that coat tomorrow, sorry about making it wet.” Rembrandt smiled and laughed, "Don't worry too much about it. But yeah, that Yoshitoshi. He really is dangerous."
The pair got back to Hokusai's car, tired of their encounter with Yoshitoshi. "Sometimes I wish I can just bring Piranesi here." Rembrandt sighed. "Everyone wishes they could but let's be fair. He's an extremely busy person."
"Well, for now, we should go back. You need to sleep too." Hokusai chuckled, starting his car and driving back home.
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