CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Thalia was relieved to find, when she dropped Daishiro off at Kirito’s place again for her shift that evening, that there was none of the morning’s trauma over her departure. Dai-chan had enjoyed himself so thoroughly with them that he went back happily and waved at her from the door. Thalia warned them that she did not know what time she would return, and Kirito assured her that as well as she paid them, she could come back in ten years if she liked.

***

Seizo remembered her clearly now, Thalia knew when she saw him that afternoon; but only the bad part. He would not meet her eyes, and there was such confusion the one time he did that it hurt her to see it; she wished there was time now to take him aside. She knew the time had come for a painful but healing conversation between them, but it had to wait at least until this meeting was over.

She also figured it would be better if she let him approach her in his own way and time. He would only be on the defensive if she approached him.

Harada smiled just a little when he saw her, and everyone noticed; Thalia smiled back and blushed. This was all anyone needed to see in order to know how the wind blew, though the Vice-Chief himself was still in denial.

He began the meeting as he always did – without nonsense of any kind. “It turns out the dock leads back to a few different business owners in the city who are known associates of Hellfire Rising,” he said when they were all seated. “The name on the deed is an alias the leaders of Hellfire Rising have used occasionally over the past decade, usually for money-laundering. They don’t know we’ve discovered it.” With this, he handed Thalia a file. She opened it at once, dividing her attention between it and him.

“There is an expectation at the dock that the owner is returning in the next week or so, and open rumors flying around the ranks of local arms dealers that the originally intended buyer of the weapons that were eventually sold at huge losses to our hijackers is due to receive a special visit. Hellfire Rising’s leaders detest deal-breakers, so I would imagine this doesn’t bode well for whoever that buyer was. I’d like to set up a stakeout at the docks between now and whenever the ‘owner’ arrives; Hellfire Rising are wanted for many crimes far more serious than what we’ve dealt with so far in this case.”

“That is news,” Kato said, impressed. “Stakeout is an excellent idea; if we can catch even one of the leaders, it’ll be a great victory, and a little more peace in the universe.”

“Thank you, Commander. I’ve got two guys over there now,” Harada said. “We’ll do six-hour shifts of two people at all times between now and whenever they show up. Yamamoto will be at the docks during the day posing as a seasonal worker, picking up whatever he can. Thalia and I will circulate at least once a day so she can pick up on what sort of blood-guilt is around there – Hellfire Rising should stand out to you like a pile of shit on a bridal gown, I think,” he said, still focused on his notes.

Thalia looked so appalled it made Kato and Yamamoto laugh.

“What?” Harada demanded of them. “Isn’t this serious enough for you?”

“It’s the Lieutenant,” Yamamoto said, smothering his smile.

“What the hell is so funny?” he demanded of her.

“Do I look amused to you?” she retorted, looking deeply disturbed. “That was the most inelegant, vomit-inducing metaphor I ever heard in my life.”

“Moving on,” Harada said, ignoring the fresh snickers from others in the room. Even Seizo was smiling, despite the horrifically evil mood he was reported to be in. “Anyone seeing anything or otherwise gaining any information that might remotely be relevant must report back immediately – preferably to either the Chief directly, or to me. Questions?”

“What about these local arms dealers?” Thalia wanted to know. “Is there any ongoing connection between them and Hellfire Rising, or was it just a convenient business arrangement?”

“Yes, a definite connection – the arms dealers were part of how I discovered Hellfire’s involvement,” Harada said. “Hellfire Rising are radicals who wish to destroy the established system entirely and let whatever survives start all over again. Their passion for ever-more-powerful weapons is unparalleled, so they’ve been known to smuggle alien armaments in to sell as well as smuggling ours out to offworld buyers. These arms dealers work with Hellfire Rising on several levels, including but not limited to sale and exchange of illegal weapons.”

“I see,” Thalia said, her brow furrowing in thought. “In that case, are we really certain that our hijackers” –

“ – that our hijackers are not somehow connected as well?” Harada finished for her, smiling in approval. She nodded, and he continued. “That’s another thing I want to find out, but I suspect they must be. I don’t think all of them know what’s going on, but a few in the group are manipulating the rest.

Harada looked up at the rest of the Shinsengumi. “Thalia-san and I discussed this, and we conclude it’s not the obvious leader, he’s an idiot. We need to find out who the real leaders are and what their motivation is, preferably before Hellfire Rising arrives. We suspect the mountain disguised as a man; hopefully he can write, since his jaw isn’t healed from his last meeting with the Lieutenant. Seizo, you’ll be in charge of conducting interrogations as well as directing the stakeout schedule.”

“Got it,” Okada agreed.

“Definitely start with the sumo wrestler,” Thalia said, agreeing with Harada. “He pretends to be a lot stupider than he is, and he’s got real cruelty in him.”

Okada nodded and made a note of this.

“Yamamoto, go rest. Good work today,” Harada said. “Thalia-san, will you come to the dock with me?”

“Of course,” she agreed.

“You haven’t been down there at all yet, have you?” Harada asked as they got into the carriage. She shook her head. “We should really do a full tour of some kind, get you acclimated to the layout of the city,” he said.

“Yes, that would be helpful,” she agreed.

He took the most direct route to the dock, since she might need to find it on her own in the near future. He pointed out a few things in passing, but it was a short trip, about ten minutes in light traffic.

When they got out of the carriage near the piers, Thalia took a deep breath of briny air and smiled. “It’s astonishing how some things are exactly the same between worlds,” she remarked. “This is how every pier in every city I’ve ever been to smells.”

“Of all things to have in common, that’s not a very appealing one,” he said.

“It could be a lot worse,” she replied.

The air was cool and clammy; there was mist, but not yet the dense fog they could often expect during this season. During the day, Thalia knew it would be noisy with the raucous screeching of seagulls snatching meals from the fishermen’s bounty wherever they could, and men’s rough voices cursing at them. For now, it was quiet save the creaking of the piles beneath the docks and the lapping of water.

“If it’s always this deserted at this hour, I can see why they’d choose to dock here,” Thalia said.

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Tetsuya nodded. “Exactly, yes.”

They walked past several weathered, unpainted wooden buildings, including Number 442, neither of them giving it a second glance; Harada appreciated that he did not have to teach her how to behave. He led her around the next corner, away from the water, and into a building that faced the dock on one side. Sequestered on the third floor were the two officers Tetsuya had left on duty for the first six-hour watch. They reported that all was still quiet, nothing happening at #442.

They continued Thalia’s tour of the docks, Tetsuya pointing out various buildings, areas, or individuals as they occurred to him.

It was a typical dockyard, Thalia thought with relief at the familiarity between worlds; the tall spires of masts punctuated the air above the flat roofs of boathouses and sheds along the piers, the creak of boats rocking gently in the waves punctuating the monotonous sound of the waves slapping and sucking at the docks.

Salt was so thick in the air she could taste it on her lips; the mist made a hazy halo of light around each street lamp. It was not unpleasant in its own way, she thought, and idly wished she could take Tetsu's hand as they walked. Then she laughed to herself as she thought how mortified he would be if she tried any such thing, especially in public.

When they reached the intersection of an alley like many others with the street that lined the piers, Thalia’s instinct prickled, and in the same moment Tetsuya unsheathed his katana and thrust her behind him, taking a defensive stance.

“Quick as ever, I see, Harada Tetsuya,” said a woman’s insolent voice from the shadow of a cowled cloak. “And what is this? The demon lord has found his demon lady, I hear – but she looks more like a sprite than a devil.”

Harada knew better than to allow himself to be distracted by the Tigress when her henchmen were busy surrounding him and looking for weakness. He did give her an answer, however.

“I wouldn’t insult her, if I were you – she’s out of your league. You may well find yourself declawed and toothless, just another mangy stray,” he replied nonchalantly, even as he coiled himself tightly like a cobra ready to spring.

Two of them came at once from opposite sides, one aiming for Thalia and the other for him. It was hardly a challenge; his blade was coated with blood and their bodies were falling into the water before they knew what had hit them.

Thalia was impressed; she had no skill with a katana, though she was deft with her knives, and Tetsuya moved with his faster than she could see.

No further attack came. The Tigress laughed and clapped. “Nicely done, as always, Demon Vice-Commander. I had to check your reflexes, you know, and those two were expendable.”

Thalia smelled the guilt of a callous murderer. Her eyes changed, her teeth lengthened, and she stepped forth.

“I smell blood on you, and coming from an old hag like you, it’s not likely to be your monthly flow,” Thalia said, her voice falling like a rain of ice. “Tell me, how many have you killed?” she asked, stalking forward, heedless of the nervous henchmen making motions of defense around their queen.

“Hag?” Tigress gasped, and though she made a brave attempt to pretend it was in outrage rather than stark terror, Tetsuya almost felt sorry for her. “Has no one taught you how to address your betters, insolent brat? How dare you!” Tigress was stepping hastily backwards, brave words or no, shoving her men in front of her one by one. “Fools! Attack that bitch!” she shrieked at them. Finally, one of them ran at Thalia ready to strike, but she feinted and tripped him, then drew a knife from its sheath on her thigh and buried it in his throat as quick as thought.

“Bad idea to come between the Demoness and her prey,” Tetsuya said, grinning at the gangsters. He cleaned and sheathed his katana, making it clear to them all that he felt no need to contribute further to this fight, let alone defend the avenging goddess.

The Tigress was no longer the hunter. Her men were cowering, not even trying to defend her, and had begun to desert her. “Please,” she whispered. “Mercy, please,” she said, then tripped on her gown and fell.

Thalia stood over her and tilted her head. “I always take pleas for mercy under consideration,” she said. “I will base my reply on the way you replied to those who begged you for mercy.”

This was a death sentence, and the Tigress knew it. She bared her teeth and brought out her last defense, a small pistol. Thalia kicked it out of her hand and stepped on her wrist, cracking each of the bones beneath her boot. Even Harada’s eyes widened at that. Piercing screams of pain rose in the air, and the Vice-Chief stepped forward.

“Thalia, this is enough for now,” he called urgently. He did not want police or gangsters or even just onlookers seeing Thalia’s Fury in large numbers. Let it be reported by Tigress and the henchmen – it would be brushed off as hysteria, but Thalia’s reputation would grow, and that would help to protect her. Large numbers witnessing the Fury manifest, on the other hand, would put her in danger not only from those who would want to channel her power, but from those who feared it and would rather she be dead than a potential enemy.

Thalia paused when he called her, but was clearly torn between her Fury and human aspects. Her Fury was not used to backing down. Somehow Tetsuya knew and understood this; he had a clear flash that could only have been a memory – impossible as that seemed – of something very similar in another time and place. He drew on this instinctively.

“Lyra, come back,” he called, not knowing where that name came from, but knowing it was right.

Thalia’s head whipped around; she blinked, her eyes returning to normal, then ran to him. “You remember?” she said, her face stricken with relief and longing. Before he knew it, she was in his arms, and he was pressing her close against him. He allowed himself one glorious moment to bury his face in her hair, inhaling its light scent, before pulling back.

“We have to leave, right now,” he said, and pulled her along with him at a run in the opposite direction from which they had come. The nightmare that could so easily result from widespread discovery of Thalia’s nature was playing out too clearly in his mind; he could not let it happen. The Shinsengumi had to maintain control of the narrative where Thalia was concerned, or disaster could too easily overtake them all.

They had been seen, though probably not recognized – thanks in large part to the thickening mist – and there were shouts to indicate pursuit. He cursed, then ducked down a dark alley.

“There’s a faster way, you know,” she pointed out. “Just give me a minute and carry my clothes. I really like these clothes,” she said, and began stripping.

“What are you doing?” he said, speaking softly though he felt like screeching. His whole face felt like it was on fire.

“I’ve been wanting a gallop anyway,” she said. “Take me to the ocean, Tetsu.” With that, she grew and changed into her horse form, then stood there tossing her regal head. He did not think he would ever get used to this, but it was a good idea, he supposed. He grabbed her clothing, making sure to leave none of it behind, and mounted. Her scent clung to her clothes, and he was riding her – though not in the way he would really like to. These inappropriate thoughts wouldn’t stop, and his body responded to them, increasing his embarrassment tenfold each moment.

She leaped over a fence, and when she landed the jarring blow was enough to solve his problem. That would ache for a while, he thought, cursing again under his breath while clinging to her mane.

A picture of the ocean came to his mind then, startling him; he realized it had come from her, somehow, and remembered that she had asked to be directed there. He focused his mind on the destination and on avoiding main roads or possible busy intersections. It was not difficult, since the docks led to the ocean if you went south; the docks were fairly deserted at that hour, as they had already seen, and they met with no further incident on the way.

The mist swirled around them in thick clouds as they neared the shoreline; Tetsuya had gotten into the rhythm of riding once the danger was past, and was enjoying the exhilarating freedom, the sense of unreality, as if he was living and walking in a dream-world only loosely connected with the waking world. Her gait was smooth, letting him relax, and he could loosen his grip on her mane. It was softer than other horses’ manes, and so dark it was almost black. It smelled a little reminiscent of her hair in humanoid form, and that thought excited him again.

Her hooves splashed into the water, and she whinnied in pleasure. She continued galloping along the waterline for some time, both of them reveling in the sheer joy of being – even though it was just for a moment – wild creatures unbound by convention or societal norms.

Tetsuya was remembering on some level; she could feel it. When she was in this form, his emotions translated far more clearly to her, as human emotions always convey themselves to horses. She felt his fear like a great smothering cloud, the hate and fundamental distrust of himself that he carried with him every day. This would keep him from her if it could, she knew.

But that fear was distant now, had lost its grip on him somewhere on the wild ride between the docks and the ocean. He was exultant, wild, fierce, and she saw like a great red pulse in his core the unbridled love and desire he felt for her. All these things were of his true essence, the reality of who he was.

It was time; she slowed her gait, then stood and sniffed at the salty clean ocean for a moment.

When she was ready, she shifted back into her humanoid form in a fluid, graceful transition, twisting her woman’s body so that she lay on her back in the sand beneath him. Tetsuya still had her clothes; he’d managed to tuck most of them into each other and into his voluminous jacket somehow, and now he found himself straddling her nakedness, his body responding with instantaneous, focused need.