had met the god of foxes?"

I rubbed the back of my neck. "Androgynous god. And they aren't really a god of foxes..."

"That just proves Alexander's hunch. So we're going on the right track." Martha whispered beside me. I was sandwiched between the twins with a mother with her back in-front of me and her one-year old child staring at me, and a man talking on the phone with words blurting out of his mouth past the speed limit at my back.

"This train will get us to Portland, right?" I whispered softly.

"Well, not exactly Portland, but-"

I cut Lucas off. "No. Don't waste your voice with directions I can never understand. Just don't." I felt around the fox brooch that was inside my pocket. The train ride was quiet besides the occasional cough and beeps of Messenger notifications. The child in-front of me continued to stare those big, blue eyes at me. Getting an idea, I blew air in my cheeks and smiled, making me look like a chipmunk. The child began to smile and laugh a little. I used my free hand and stretched my cheek. It made the child laugh even more which made the mother turn back and I quickly ducked my head.

"Smooth moves." Martha muttered. When the mother turned away, I glared at Martha and continued to stare at the child. What Inari said still rang in my mind.

"Just know that some of the kami are going to stop you. Especially when it's the 3rd of May. That's when things will go awry."

I shouldn't be surprised that doomsday is on my birthday. Most quests are like that, but I couldn't help it; What was going to happen on May 3?

I winced when more colors appeared in my eyes. I really need something to help me with these color problems.

Then all things peaceful had to go bad.

The train jerked to a stop as everyone stumbled from the sudden inertia. Lucas grabbed my hand and I grabbed Martha's in turn and quickly went back. People glared at us when we pushed so I had to mutter apologies to each of them. We opened the back door and wind whipped behind us. Since when had it started getting windy?

"Can you fly us off?" Lucas asked. I nodded and willed myself to turn into my dragon form. The twins hopped onto my back and I stretched my body and took off.

Well, almost took off.

The train jerked forward once more. I hurried upwards but something pinned me down on the roof of the train. I quickly shielded the twins and looked ahead. Dust clouds started to form ahead as the sound of metal screeching rang, making me nauseous. Sleek, brown fur zoomed from the clouds and ran around us. Suddenly my head felt heavy and the twins groaned.

"Kasumi... What's happening!?" Martha yelled through the wind. I took the risk and blasted a torrent of water in front. I didn't know if it helped but the heaviness in my head did seem to lighten.

"My my! Look how adorably weak my darling imouto is!" An annoying, rich girl voice rang out. I uncoiled myself from the twins and saw that a girl around eighteen stood casually on the train like she'd done this everyday.

Her long, black hair billowed against the wind and it didn't made her look bad (what kind of magic is that, seriously). Her green eyes shimmered with mischievousness and her skin was an ivory white. Her clothes consisted of a green sleeveless dress that reached her knees (I think. It's hard to tell with the wind) that had little squares that made it look like wearable graphing paper. She wore 3-inch high heels that seemed way too painful even for me.

But the one thing that made me hate her instantly was her smile. It was like when a show introduced a new character and when they smile, you will instantly hate them with a passion.

I blasted water at her.

She dodged to the left, her hair and dress whipping.

"Really now? Is that any way to treat your sister?"

I grunted. "I just hate your face."

If possible, her smile became wider. "Aww, don't be like that Kasumi-chan." She drawled out the last bit. "It's not my fault that I'm the pretty one in the family. After all, you look like a zombie just standing there." She pointed a dainty finger at me.

I turned back quickly and whispered to the twins. "Go back inside. Make sure everyone safe."

Martha glared at me. "You don't-"

"Trust me. I know a hostage situation when it's about to happen. Make sure to take care of the conductors." Martha opened her mouth to make a witty remark but Lucas grabbed her arm and dragged her back. My gaze lingered on their backs until they we were gone, not before Lucas mouthing 'You can do this.'.

"Well isn't that sweet? Little miss nihilist protecting innocent civilians." The girl smirked.

"They just have lives to live out. I'm not exactly protecting strangers." I yelled over the wind. "I suppose you have a name?"

Her eyes shimmered with mirth and that made me have conflicted feelings about green being my favorite color. "Where are my manners?" She bowed her upper body, but her head still turned to me. "I am Otohime. Or in other variations, Toyotama-hime, the daughter of Ryujin.

I raised a brow. "The car company is after me?"

That made a reaction as Toyota's eyebrow twitched. "No. It's Toyotama. There's an extra -ma at the end."

"Eh, your name is too long. I'm just going to call you Toyota instead."

I was never going to admit it, but I enjoyed teasing her name about it. Seeing her having a reaction makes me want to tease her more.

Toyota's face twitched even more and she breathed in and out through her nose heavily. After that, her expression calmed. "I am a demigod just like you. Something that catches your interest perhaps?"

I pocketed my hands and summoned my tessens. "Not really. More like a dictator to her subordinates-type."

She went back to her smirk and took a step forward, making me tense.

Then, all in a blur of dark green, my body skidded across the roof and I had to use my tessens to stop myself. I stood up shakily but stopped when I felt my throat constrict.

"Wow," Toyota tightened her dragon-clawed grip on my neck. "I thought you would have more fight in you."

I growled and scratched her hand and wrists. She quickly let go as bad marks started to form on her arm.

I turned my hands back and bared my fangs. "Don't worry, car manufacturer, I'm just getting started."