act44side

That was for my uncle.

<i>Kono bakayaro.</i> His murder would not have gone ignored all these years, if you didn't stupidly claim responsibility for your stupid yakuza honor.

Sorry...

It's a little too late for that. There's nothing I can do about Mifune now.

He's in cahoots with one of the most powerful Diet member. How else could a yakuza have gained so much influence over the police?

The best I can do—the best the police can do is to let you go, so he won't get what he wants.

And Uncle Tessai's death will be nothing more than a footnote in the Ao-Oni kaidan legend and the Haunted House, and nothing will ever get resolved. Same as it was back then, am I right, Detective Koretou of the Spiritual Affairs Station?

You say you don't want him to get what he wants, but all you're doing is helping him.

You think Mifune is behind the kaidan.

You don't sound surprised.

A cop is a cop, even if he's from the Spiritual Affairs Station. I can smell where the rot is coming from, even with this chained collar around my neck.

So you've made peace with the chains?

All you need to worry about is filling your own stomach with fried meatchop with rice. Not all of us are the same.

Do you know how much it costs to get a house that can barely squeeze a family of four in Mitsukue?

I'm not sure I want to know.

If you're willing to pay off my loans and take my wife and kids to Lungmen, sure, I'll turn your old home upside down.

Or, if you're absolutely certain that it'll be a fatal blow to Mifune, I could potentially see myself jumping on this gamble of yours.

Now, it's your turn to answer.

Do you plan on paying off these loans that I'm not even sure I could free myself of before I die, or is there a greater power than the Diet, enough to take Mifune out once and for all?

I'm doing my best to help you. Recognize good faith when you see it, Ao-Oni.

The policeman angrily downs the last bit of liquor left in the cup.

Come with me.

No.

Give me a reason.

I...

I want my sacrifice to mean something, but everything in Mitsukue is denying it.

What else is left for me in this empty city?

It's time to go.

It's time to go home.

I hope Missy had a better summer in Siesta than I did here—

...guma!

Who's there?

Who's what? What are you talking about?

...Hoshiguma!

Ghost-san!

Momoka?!

Do you hear Momoka's voice, Koretou?

Momoka? The idol? Isn't she supposed to be with you? I was going to ask where you hid—

I'm over here!

This way!

Hoshiguma runs in the direction of the voice.

Koretou sighs and follows her.

There's no one here. But the voice is getting closer—

Over here! This way!

Momoka?!

What—

...What are you doing in a TV?

Neither Hoshiguma nor Koretou say it out loud.

A shabby TV set lies outside a tiny shop. It is hard to tell what the shop does, or if it is even open at all.

Inside, Momoka is yelling something at Hoshiguma.

She is not looking at Hoshiguma, but knocking on something in front of her, as though she is trying to break the TV screen and climb out.

You're there, right, Hoshiguma?

I'm here! Can't you see me?

I can't see you, but I can hear you!

Oh, I'm so relieved... I thought it was all over...

*sob*...

Hold the tears. Where are you? What's going on with this TV?

Kichisei and I are being held prisoner at Kinbee's base—

Bzzt.

Momoka?!

The TV goes dark.

A cold wind blows through the gaps between the buildings, and Hoshiguma's sword hums in its sheath.

Koretou.

I was agitated by Uncle Tessai's death and forgot a few things. My bad.

But what about you? Did you really think I'd hidden Momoka?

Kichisei too. I guess she's not important to you, nothing more than an inveterate pachinko gambler.

Hoshiguma—

What's one or two innocent lives to you, as long as you get this troublemaker out of town? After all, they're already knee-deep in this Kinbee mess. Why bother?

We'll do our best to protect them—

The people who died in the Haunted House, Uncle Tessai, that yakuza killed in Kajimachi a few days ago... since when have you been any good at protecting anybody?

It is Hoshiguma's turn to punch the detective in the face.

The detective stumbles back a few steps before steadying himself.

I don't need you to remind me of my failures.

But you're not a troublemaker to me. You're my trump card, the only thing that can hurt Mifune, the only thing standing between him and total control of Mitsukue.

And the way you play it is to get me out of the city?

It's the best a cop can do.

A cop, eh?

You're a cop too. You know the limitations.

Go back to Lungmen, Hoshiguma. Your 'particular individual' and the L.G.D. will take care of things for you.

Hoshiguma instinctively reaches into her pocket, where her L.G.D. badge is.

But the first thing she feels is something soft, the ribbon that Tessai gave her after removing it from Hannya. A gift from her friends, bearing their best wishes.

For some reason, she feels like she can smell the sea breeze of Siesta.

The haystacks of the Victorian plains.

The aroma of Lungmen's downtown restaurants.

...And the scent of Kajimachi's old wooden houses.

You're right.

Good, you've seen the light. Now hurry up and—

I mean, you're right that the L.G.D. would take care of things for me.

Maybe I've been too cautious... too concerned about bothering my friends.

What do you mean?

Hoshiguma does not answer. She takes the sword and sheath from her belt, and begins wrapping the ribbon around the handle.

You're going to use the sword? For what?

I have a promise to fulfill.

You're going to rescue them?

Don't be sil—

Missy would probably be angry enough to burst a few blood vessels if I just went back to Lungmen with my tail between my legs, assuming I had a tail. And I'd never be able to look Lin Yühsia in the eye again.

As for Ch'en... I still have to fight Chi Xiao with the reforged Hannya. I can't very well go back empty-handed.

Aren't you afraid that you'll regret it for the rest of your life, like twenty years ago?

Uncle Tessai said that Hannya was imbued with the secret art of the temples. But I didn't have the discipline to suppress the madness in my Oni blood.

Discipline, madness... don't you think all that's a little vague?