(We were all fools to think we knew who Lucrezia was. None of us knew. None of us were even remotely ready to find out. When I decided to help her square off against Amatsuki, I was tasked with verifying the bag of remains handed to us. I didn't think much of it. Lucrezia herself told me that those were the bones of a dear friend of hers. If only I knew back then what strange secret those bones held.)

(I suppose, though, we should start from the beginning. It was a burdensome task, but together, Lucrezia, Shinju, and myself were able to fulfill Satori's final wishes. We saved Kagutsuchi, we protected Amatsuki, and we made it look like Satori was the villain the whole time. Lucrezia's ruse successfully fooled her superiors. Things went back to normal for a while after that. Well, excluding the fact that both Yoko and Izanami were pregnant with our children. The girls decided they wanted to return to Kyoto, to our neighborhood. And so, by winter, we were all back in the first house.)

Legions of snowflakes lazily descended from the pallid, cloudy sky, covering the neighborhood in a thin veil of white. The cold kiss of the wind chilled Lucrezia's cheeks as she stood in the backyard with Tsukiakari, both of them cocooned by leather jackets and wool scarves. The rule of Yoko's household was simple. If it snowed, it was Christmas. As such, the house was aglow with multicolored Christmas lights, and every door was decorated with a vibrant, green wreath and red baubles.

Lucrezia and Tsukiakari enjoyed glasses of eggnog spiked with coconut rum, as well as some warm, oven-baked, pumpkin spice cookies on the side.

"Yoko never misses with these cookies." Lucrezia fawned. "So, are you guys just visiting?"

"Oh, no." Tsukiakari said. "We've actually come back for good. It's still early, but we agreed to have the kids here. Our Hokkaido home will be our vacation home from now on."

Lucrezia smiled. "I'm happy for you guys. It's been, what, three months since conception?"

Tsukiakari nodded. "Yep, first trimester. That's part of the reason we came back, too. Yoko's doctor and her favorite hospital are both here. When it's time for the delivery, everything should go smoothly."

"Has Osamu read the baby books yet?"

Tsukiakari laughed. "Of course he hasn't! You know how he is, always shooting from the hip."

"Yeah, that sounds just like him. Don't worry, though. I'll give him a stern talking to about it."

"I'd appreciate that. If I did it, I'd probably end up killing him by accident."

"And I'd have to bring you down for manslaughter..." Lucrezia giggled. "Hey, thanks again for taking care of Shinju and I."

"Oh, you mean that whole Amatsuki fight? No need to thank me. I wasn't going to just let you guys die."

"No, it requires proper thanks. I know you're not particularly found of us exorcists, especially not after I roped you guys into that business with Satori. You looked out for us even though you had every reason not to. Thank you, Tsukiakari."

Tsukiakari's eyes drifted away from Lucrezia for a moment. "...I hope you don't mind my asking..."

"Yes?"

"What happened to you? I had to disrobe you when I was treating your wounds. I removed your bandages, too. I never would've guessed you arms and left leg were stricken with shikome’s curse. You also had a lot of lacerations on your back."

Lucrezia's eyes briefly widened in surprise. She then closed her eyes, obscuring her reaction. "That wasn't my first encounter with shikome. My limbs are afflicted, yes, but it's not life threatening. The curse itself was halted long ago. It hasn't spread to my other limbs or organs since then. It doesn't hurt or anything either, it's just rather unsightly. I'm sorry you had to see that. As for my lacerations, you can thank the higher-ups for those. Corporal punishment with the Exorcist Program is still at a rather barbaric standard."

Tsukiakari remained silent. It was almost as if she wanted to say more, but backed away from the opportunity. "I get what you mean. I've actually got similar scars on my back."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, from my Senkumo days. It was the only time Bishamon ever punished me like that. The scars never went away, even after I reincarnated."

"...I'm sorry. At least the bastard is dead now."

"You're telling me." Tsukiakari chuckled. "It's not like I have to look at them everyday, but knowing that the scars are always there...it reminds me of how I earned them. It's my punishment for shifting a commander's burden onto my subordinate. There was something I was supposed to do, and I had to do it myself. It was my responsibility. Instead, I had my friend take over the task. Because of that, she was never the same again."

Tsukiakari leaned against the glass door, smiling as she recalled her bitter memories of the past. "She became a complete monster. We all saw it happening before our very eyes, how she was twisting and contorting into someone unrecognizable, but we needed that monster. It was Japan's most brutal era. We needed our own demon to stand up against the other demons trying to kill us. That's exactly what she did."

"It sounds like you really admired her."

"You'd never guess that our friendship ended in the worst way possible. Somehow, we eventually ended up becoming enemies. The last time I saw her, we fought to the death."

"I'm going to guess you won that fight."

"Nope!" Tsukiakari said. "I actually lost, miserably."

"Huh?!" Lucrezia recoiled "How is that even possible? She was just a human, right? Or was she a goddess?"

"Nah, just a regular old human. She was pretty smart. She had something I needed to retrieve, so she stuffed it into her robes before we fought. That way, I couldn't use any of my usual powers. It would've destroyed the document."

"Oh, that is pretty smart."

"Decades later, I found her remains. It was a huge part of why I did what I did."

"Right. The massacre."

Tsukiakari nodded. "For years after that, I was so conflicted about her death. I hated her for betraying me and my clan, but I also loved her. She was my light, my little angel. Losing her was unlike any heartbreak I felt before. In the end, the conclusion I reached was that I ultimately killed her. I killed her the night I had her shoulder my responsibility. Bishamon was right to punish me for it."

"Thank you for telling me all of this. It's an honor to hear a piece of your story." Lucrezia said.

Tsukiakari's cheeks turned red as she suddenly realized what a tangent she went on. "I'm sorry about that. We got to talking about the scars and I just...kinda went on about nothing."

"Not nothing!" Lucrezia shouted, grabbing hold of Tsukiakari's hand. "You went through an enormous amount of hell. You saw death and suffering in their rawest form, and you still carry the scars that tell that tale. And now, here you are, living a peaceful life with a family you love. Your tale is something you should be proud of. And Gekko, no one who passed away back then is thinking about punishing you. Your scars are not punishments. They're reminders that even in the face of such extraordinary threats, their love was still strong enough to protect you. That's what I believe, and I'm lucky to be here with you now talking about it all."

Tsukiakari's eyes dazzled with wonder and tears. Lucrezia's outpouring of understanding left her speechless. Tsukiakari suddenly realized she wasn't breathing and released a sigh of surprise. Her face and throat were burning hot, and the nerves in her fingertips went off with the slightest touch of her cold glass of egg nog. At first, she thought it was just the alcohol, but she hadn't even had that much to drink.

"Oh...I'm sorry if I'm being pushy." Lucrezia lamented.

"I must've heard what you've said a thousand times now, and only once did it ever have an impact on me." Tsukiakari gasped. "But for some reason, when you say it to me...I truly do feel it. I shouldn't have judged you so harshly, Lucrezia."

Lucrezia smiled. "I'm glad you feel that way."

The glass door behind them suddenly opened, and Osamu poked his head of thick, raven hair out to greet them. "Hey, I'm heading over to Shinju's now."

"Okay, babe. Make sure you wear a scarf. Don't want you catching a cold out there." Tsukiakari said.

"Yeah, I will!" Osamu assured.

"Osamu, you still haven't read the baby books?" Lucrezia asked, a sinister smile on her face.

(She knows!)

"Uhh, I was gonna get to them...soon..." Osamu said.

Lucrezia's cold, deathly stare pierced right through Osamu and gripped his soul. "I've got my eye on you, mister. You better be doing your utmost to take care of your family. You're going to be a father in half a year. It's time to get serious."

"Tell 'em, Lucrezia." Tsukiakari giggled.

"I know, I know. Really, I'll get to it soon. I promise."

Lucrezia sighed. "All right then. See you later, Osamu."

"Yeah, see ya!" Osamu sang.

Osamu slipped his black boots on and wrapped his scarlet scarf around his neck. The dreaded thought of reading baby books sent a chill down his spine. Did a man like Osamu even have time for baby books? The more he thought about, he definitely had time for it. It just took a while for it to sink in that he was really having kids.

Yoko and Izanami looked just normal right after conception, but they changed their diets and abstained from alcohol immediately. After three months, their bellies expanded outwards and forwards as their babies grew inside of them. That was when it really started to sink in for Osamu. Moving back to Kyoto for better access to doctors and hospitals only made him even more nervous and excited.

Osamu released an exhausted sigh as he stepped out into the snow-veiled streets. Snowflakes fell and melted into his hair as he trotted down the road, his hands stuffed in the pocket of his black, cotton coat.

(As you all know, Shinju is a very eccentric girl. She loves justice. In fact, she lives and breathes it. Being a descendant of Izanami's daughter, Mizuhame, it's in her blood to think like a god. That day, she called me over without telling me what she needed me for. But of course, I knew that Shinju had a mystery she wanted to solve.)

When he arrived at the house, Shinju buzzed him through the gate and opened up the front door to her orange house of wonders. Seeing as winter was right around the corner, Shinju wore black, skin-tight base layers beneath her white poncho, a stark difference from her usual panties and bralette underneath. It was actually a bit off-putting not being able to see Shinju's bare arms and legs.

"Oi, Osamu!" Shinju greeted with a wide smile. "Come up to my room, handsome. We've got a situation on our hands and I'm gonna need your help."

(Yep. It's gotta be a mystery.)

The two quickly hurried upstairs into Shinju's bedroom. Osamu plopped himself down on her bed as she brushed through her voluminous, orange hair in the bathroom.

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

"S-so, Shinju..."

"Yes, Osa?"

"You want to tell me why you called me here?"

"Oh yeah, there's something I wanted to talk to you about."

Shinju emerged from the bathroom and glided over to her nightstand, withdrawing an opened letter from the drawer. "Read this. I received it late last night on my doorstep."

Osamu curiously opened up the letter. "Greetings and Salutations, my name is...Total Occupying Forehead? But you can simply call me Forehead. Shinju Miyakawa, I know exactly who you are. I know the history of your bloodline, and I know what your duty is. You're a practitioner of justice. You punish the overtly wicked, destroy forbidden artifacts, and seal away cursed ruins. Well, I'd like to make a deal with you. I've left several clues around your town ascertaining to my identity, location, and what divine artifact I want you to retrieve and bring to me. I'm afraid I cannot be more direct about this, as I am currently in a very dire position. The first clue I've left is in a very well known place between you and your friends. It's adorned with curtains of solitude, yet it is in plain sight. Please, Ms. Miyakawa, I need your help. Only you can provide it, descendant of Mizuhame. Blessings, Total Occupying Forehead."

Shinju took the letter and threw it to the side, tackling Osamu onto the bed and focusing her blue, lustful eyes on him. She took Osamu's Male Symbol necklace and wore it around her neck as she sat on his stomach.

(Be calm, Osamu! Be tranquil!)

"Honestly, now that you're here, I'm more inclined to just forget about this silly riddle and just have some fun with you. You're all alone with me, in my house, on my bed, in a neighborhood completely devoid of residents." Shinju said.

"Good lord, buy me dinner first, why don't you?" Osamu protested.

Shinju got off of Osamu and laughed. "Well, that's what I would say if I wasn't an arbiter of justice. Though, I must say, I am jealous of Yoko in the fact that she nabbed you up all to herself."

Shinju snickered with a smug expression. "Oh, my bad. Did I say, 'all to herself'? I forgot you've turned out to be quite the harem hero, Osamu."

"I won't deny that I've become a harem hero. In fact, I embrace that title. I worked hard for my harem, and if anything, I deserve every inch of their bodies. I have no shame in admitting that whatsoever. However, Shinju, just because I have my harem members, it doesn't mean I can't make room for one more."

"Is that an invitation?" Shinju gasped, her hands covering her lips.

"It's whatever you want it to be."

"Oh my, it looks like you've turned the tables. Now I'm the one who's all hot and bothered. You win this time, Osamu." Shinju tittered.

Osamu picked up the letter and read it over to himself again. "I don't know what to make of this. Total Occupying Forehead? What a weird name. How could this guy know where you are and where you live too? And more importantly, what artifact could he possibly want?"

Shinju spun around on the ball of her foot, stopping when she finally had an idea. "Ooo! I think I've figured something out. In fact, I may have just figured out this entire letter."

"Hey, don't go ruining the plot now..."

"Give that to me."

Osamu handed Shinju the letter. Her eyes quickly scanned through the words and lit up as she immediately parsed the meaning. "Ha, he was smart."

"What is it?" Osamu asked.

"First, the name. Total Occupying Forehead. Though he wrote this letter in English, what would we get if we wrote this name in kanji instead?" Shinju asked.

"Hmm...I don't really follow."

Shinju took out a small whiteboard and orange marker. She began writing out the kanji and showing them to Osamu. "Now, you could write it like this."

すっかり 占領額

"However, I'm more inclined to believe that this is simply a trick. He wrote the name using 'Total' in a context that would make us think that he meant 'all' or 'encompassing'."

"Huh?! What makes you think this is a trick?" Osamu asked.

"The final kanji is what gave me that clue. Recognize it?"

額

Osamu stroked his chin. "Of course, that's the kanji for forehead. I don't see what's...wait a minute..."

Osamu immediately realized what Shinju was getting at. If the kanji 額 was read as 'hitai', it would mean forehead. However, if you were to use its other reading, 'gaku', it would mean a sum amount of money.

"Ah, you see now, right? The kanji for 'Sum amount of money' and 'Forehead' are the exact same." Shinju observed. "I don't think he meant 'Total' in the other context. He's trying to tell us that money is on his mind, hence the deliberate connection between the 'Forehead and 'Sum of money'."

"Nice catch, Shinju! So, does this mean he wants money out of this?"

"This could me just looking into it too much, but there's another play on kanji in the works here."

"Another?"

"This one, right here." Shinju said, pointing at the kanji.

占領

"Do you know what the first character is?" Shinju questioned.

"Yeah, to write 'Occupying', we use the characters for 'Take' and 'Dwelling'. I don't get it, is he going to steal money?" Osamu asked.

"No, you special needs child." Shinju tittered. "Although, I guess I can't call you stupid for getting this wrong. The first kanji can also mean 'Fortune Telling' or 'Divination'. You would read it as 'Ura' in that case."

"Money, forehead, fortune telling..." Osamu muttered.

Shinju erased the whiteboard and snickered. "After we settled our business with Satori and Amatsuki, Lucrezia and I turned our attention to our to the two criminals we've been playing cat and mouse with for all these years. Himushi and Magatori. Obviously, Lucrezia still isn't in any condition to fight, so the task of taking them out was left on my shoulders. I sought help from a man named Cyanide."

Shinju picked up the letter again and smelled the back of it. "Osamu, smell your fingers."

"Oi, Shinju, you're not doing some sort of finger-banging joke here, are you?"

"No, but I wouldn't be against making it one."

"I will admit. That statement is getting me excited."

Osamu smelled his fingers, noticing a strange, fruity scent. "Odd, it smells like oranges. I made sure to wash my hands before I came here."

"Not only is the author of this letter clever with his usage of kanji, but it seems he's in such a desperate position that he resorted to steganography in order to conceal the message on an already highly secretive letter. I reckon he wrote something on the back in invisible ink."

"You usually have to apply heat or some sort of chemical in order to reveal that kind of stuff. The most ideal invisible ink doesn't reveal itself through heat, doesn't have multiple developers, and won't show under ultraviolet light." Osamu said.

"Ah, true. If he was really careful, he'd also use something that wouldn't react with iodine. Normally, a well concealed invisible message also doesn't produce a smell. However, he chose to scent it with orange, an unnatural smell for invisible ink. He wanted us to know something is there without it being too obvious."

Shinju snapped her fingers, a light bulb suddenly turning on above her head. "The bowling alley. I think that's what he meant by the first clue. We should go there."

"Y-yeah...you're right..."

And so, the two of them set off to the quiet, suburban streets, marching their way through snow and wind to the abandoned bowling alley. The cold weather made the inside of the building feel like the inside of a refrigerator.

Osamu and Shinju saw their own breaths escape from their lips as they arrived before the row of multicolored, stained glass shining their rainbow of dull light upon them. Osamu had thought of it before, but it seemed that, somehow, the bowling alley always ended up being the center of everything.

This time, some stranger he had never met before left a clue for him and Shinju to find.

"Hmm..." Shinju moaned.

"See anything?" Osamu asked, rubbing his gloved hands together.

"Of course not. It wouldn't be a very good clue if we could see it right when we walk in."

"Yeah, you're right. So then, he found a way to hide it."

Osamu checked the stained glass and under the seats to no avail. Shinju searched around on the walls and between the bowling lanes, also to avail.

"So, did you say this Cyanide guy is a teammate of yours?" Osamu questioned. "Why's he going through all of this crap just to talk to you?"

"Usually, he wouldn't. That tells me he needs to reach me, but he thinks he's in danger. The guys we're going up against are no joke."

"Right, Himushi and Magatori, you said."

"Truth is, Lucrezia and I have been fighting a cold war against them for some years now. Magatori has been on our shit list for about twenty years or so. Himushi is a new addition."

"What exactly do they want with you and Lucrezia?"

Shinju scoffed. "What don't they want? Magatori wants revenge against Tsukiakari for killing his father, and he wants to kill Lucrezia for using Satori to sabotage Bishamon so that she could do it."

"Man, it's crazy to think you and Lucrezia have been lending us your aid before any of us even met."

"A lot of people wanted Bishamon dead, including Amaterasu herself. We already knew he was a traitor."

"So then, what about Himushi?"

Shinju sighed and put her hands on her hips. "If I had to guess, revenge against the Exorcist Program, and me specifically, for abandoning her. Nowadays, it's just me, Lucrezia, and Cyanide, but we had more squad members before. Most of them were killed during the mission to apprehend Magatori. For a while, we thought Himushi was one of them. We learned from Satori that Himushi was still alive, and she was working for Bishamon the whole time."

"Why on earth did she join that bastard?" Osamu gasped.

"That's a good question. Even if she hated us for not knowing she survived...why him?"

"Anyway, don't you have anymore backup you can call? Can't you reach out to the different squads for help in taking those two down?"

Shinju nodded. "Yes, we could do that, but we're not going to."

"What?!" Osamu recoiled.

Shinju stuck out her flat, pink tongue and gave Osamu a playful wink. "See, this is also a bit of a secret operation. I'm afraid I can't tell you anything about it. Lucrezia might get a little angry with me."

(Kinda sucks to get left out when we're this close...)

"You said Magatori wants revenge against Tsukiakari. When do you think he'll strike? A few months from now?"

"Months?" Shinju laughed. "More like any day now!"

"Shinju! You didn't think to tell us sooner?!" Osamu shouted. "My family is in danger and you let us come back to the one place they know we'd be!?"

"I'm telling you now, aren't I?"

"That's the problem!"

"Okay, drama queen, calm down. Why do you think Lucrezia has been visiting you guys almost everyday? She's there to make sure you guys are safe. And, of course, to celebrate the holidays with you. She is thankful, after all. Now, I had spent the past few weeks trying to get a hold of Cyanide so we could handle Himushi and Magatori, but I couldn't find him at any of the usual places. Then, I got that letter. Right now, the objective is to find him and get first blood on Himushi and Magatori. We want to get rid of the threat as quickly as possible, before the other exorcists do."

"First Lucrezia, and now you use me as bait." Osamu sighed. "Or rather, Tsukiakari is the bait this time."

Shinju closed her eyes and smiled. "Don't worry. Lucrezia would never let anything happen to your dear Tsukiakari."

"That's not the most reassuring thing to hear, honestly..."

"If I had to trust anyone with protecting Tsukiakari, it would be none other than her grandmother, Izanami. However, since Izanami's pregnant with your child, she won't be able to fight or even teleport your family to a safe place. It'll have adverse effects on the baby. Tsukiakari is the bait, yes, but the people we're really protecting is Izanami and your unborn baby."

Osamu stroked his chin as images of Izanami's smile and pregnant belly flashed through his mind. He hadn't even considered the possibility that Izanami would be rendered powerless during her pregnancy. Izanami must've known she was taking a monumental risk in having Osamu's child, that she wouldn't be able to help him or anyone for at least nine months.

"Izanami's immortal, though. Even in her state..."

"Izanami is immortal, yes." Shinju interrupted. "But now that she's out of commission, Tsukiakari is the designated protector of the family, no? Last I checked, Tsukiakari can't come back if she dies. She's a forgotten goddess, after all. Amaterasu may have accepted her back into the pantheon, but it'll be a while before she regains the privilege to reincarnate upon death."

The hairs on Osamu's arm stood up as he began to realize what Shinju was getting it. "You're saying that if something happens to Gekko, Izanami would completely lose it."

Shinju nodded, confirming Osamu's fears. "The Izanami you know is peaceful, kind, and gentle. That's really her personality now, but she was the polar opposite back during the Warring States era. Tsukiakari was the one that helped her change. In return, Izanami swore to love and protect her, no matter what. A truly wholesome bond, isn't it? Imagine what it would do to Izanami if Tsukiakari were to die and not come back. She'd revert right back to her vengeful, hateful ways. The destruction she's capable of unleashing is truly extraordinary. The last time someone she loved was killed, she nearly destroyed the population of an entire continent. And that was child's play to her."

"Holy shit..." Osamu gasped.

"Yeah, holy shit is right." Shinju said. "To avoid any cataclysmic, world-ending events, Lucrezia is protecting Tsukiakari for the distinct purpose of protecting Izanami and your baby. It might look like Lucrezia's just having a good time, and she is, but she's also keeping the world intact by doing so. It's our job now to finish this business with Himushi and Magatori."

(Honestly, I can't even be mad at the fact they're using us as bait yet again. They really planned this through.)

"Oh, hey, how's Amatsuki been doing? She's still living with you guys, right?" Shinju asked.

"Yeah, she and Yoko are out buying a Christmas tree, actually. It's been great having her. It feels like she's already a member of the family. She's even been helping Yoko and Izanami pick out stuff for the babies."

"I'm glad to hear she's doing okay." Shinju said. "Once all of this is done, I'd love to have a big ol' dinner celebration with you guys."

"Oh yeah? You're more than welcome to come over! It would be pretty nice to gather everyone again." Osamu said, accidentally knocking over a bowling ball. Instead of the sound of a rolling ball droning against dilapidated wood, Osamu could've sworn he heard something rattling inside the bowling ball itself.

"Hey, Shinju, I think I found something. There's something inside of this bowling ball. Can you crack it open?"

"Sure thing."

Shinju made a gun with her hand, stood back, and blew the bowling ball open. Osamu knelt to the ground and sifted through the debris, finding a small piece of rolled up paper with a red string tied around it. A ten yen coin dangled at the end of the ribbon, the culprit of the rattling sound Osamu heard. He opened up the paper and found yet another intriguing set of words.

"'A person and a dollar make a what?' A person and a dollar?" Osamu recoiled, perplexed.

"Don't look at me. I'm stumped too." Shinju shrugged. "Maybe there's more inside of the other bowling balls."

Shinju cracked another one open and found yet another piece of paper. 'A wave and a woman protects that which is made from a person and a dollar'".

"Any more of them?" Osamu asked.

"These seem to be the only two." Shinju answered.

"A person and a dollar...a rich person? I'm confused."

"A wave a and a woman...Osamu! I've got it! I think this is another play on kanji. If you write the 'Person' radical along with the 'Dollar' kanji, you get this.

佛

"Okay, now I'm starting to feel stupid. I don't recognize this kanji at all." Osamu said.

"I wouldn't expect you to. It's an old form of this kanji."

仏

"Buddha?" Osamu asked.

"Exactly. A dollar and a person. He meant the characters for a dollar and a person being combined and forming the old character for Buddha."

"Ah, I understand now! So other one, a wave and a woman. Combine those, and you get the kanji for 'old woman'. An old woman guards the Buddha? It must be referencing the Buddhist shrine close to here."

"What a sly guy." Shinju chuckled. "Well, before we head towards the shrine, let's head back to my place and check out that letter. It's sure to have gotten hot by now."

"Right. Good work, Shinju. I'm surprised you even knew the outdated kanji being referenced to here."

"It's no great feat. A little knowledge goes a long way, after all!"