Furyo couldn’t stop thinking about the adopted girl left to be eaten alive by animals in the forest. Why was he dispatched for the bullshit corrupt social worker who only felt bad when outed by news media and not the girl sold off to feral beasts who abused her until she died alone in the woods? Divine intervention only for the corrupt or half way redeemable? Fuck that! The Miyazawa clan had extensive holdings in Japan, South Korea and Hong Kong. They controlled a multinational conglomerate that owned several news papers, hospitals and military contract firms specializing in medical technology. There has always been a stigma over the family going back to their ancestors who were the feudal governors of several prefectures. Ancestors known for torture, mass execution and cruelty kept the little people around their gated compounds wary of walking alone after dark. Rumors of experimentation, radical religious beliefs and child abuse haunted members of the clan in the post war period.
The public image was far different with large donations to orphanages and running their own summer camps for unfortunate children was supposed to clean up the image. Disappearances and runaways telling stories of vivisection and murder was never taken seriously by local government that was easily influenced by their lobbyists and lawyers. Little Emi Noda’s death was the final nail in the coffin of the clan. A scandal that lasted years in the papers, a little girl was so traumatized she fled the abusive foster family and was torn apart by wild animals. This led to many of their business contracts being abandoned, inheritances squandered on PR firms and several deaths. This led to their grand family home being left abandoned. The house had sat unoccupied, falling to the elements since the early 1970’s.
Furyo found the estate around dawn. The wrought iron fence in gothic neoclassical style was heavily vandalized. Gargoyles, angels and grim reaper figures. Graffiti in English read “Pedophiles! Murderers! Demons!” Along with endless similar diatribes in kanji. Once formal western style gardens are overgrown with native trees. Now it is a home for owls, where eerie bird songs haunt the morning light that breaks the dense darkness of the land. Putrid ponds, leaning Greek statues and the ruined edifice of the main house give Furyo shivers. He is not one to be spooked but he wished the sun would come up a little faster. Furyo’s spirit was able to see easier in the dark than he did in life, but no supernatural pedigree would cut through the blackness of the house. The main Japanese feature was the roof of the mansion, heavy traditional tiles crack under the centuries since they have been repaired.
Furyo can hear running water inside the home, leaves litter the floors, priceless art and sculpture lie smashed by decades of teenagers breaking in for parties. Furyo instantly has a bad vibe. The walls are covered in tapestries of bizarre subject matter, Buddhist demons, ghosts, rituals and torture scenes show a mix of history and fantasy. Trying to remember cleansing chants taught to him by the monks, he forgets whole stanzas and feels like his usefulness as an exorcist could be far undermined by some deep rooted curse on these grounds. Evil ancestors or generational curses are things beyond his depth. Besides the fact this spirit is not one of the ones requested for contact by the monks. For all he knew she could be on the wings of paradise with no stage in this hateful place. Sounds from deeper in the house and creaks from walls about to fall down make every fiber of his being want to run the other way.
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Even if a ghost cant actually smoke, he feels like he should try while he steels her nerves. Back out front he sits on the edge of a stagnant fountain and lights a smoke. Its a kind illusion to be able to have small distractions from the heaviness of the ghost world. Feeling lost in a perpetual predawn, he curses under his breath. Calls of owls and coyotes strike a cord with him, making him survey the forrest around him. He is paralyzed with fear as he sees grim faces staring at him. Humanoid figures who seem far taller than humans should. These are not Cannibal Giants, something different, more feral like apes or wolves. Remembering he is a spirit, he approaches the figures who seem to be in a ring around the property. Dozens of white furred creatures whisper quietly, Furyo realized they are chanting a protection mantra, hands clasped and holding Buddhist prayer beads. Their eyes closed and giving a less threatening impression than he initially thought.
Walking to the one standing in the middle of the path he came on, he asks. “Are you demons?” The creature opens its eyes, not smiling but not hostile it replies. “We are 怪物 Monstrosities. Ancient Kami of the highlands and mountains. We guard places with dark histories, battlefields, places of injustice and cruel magic so evil spirits cannot flee and trouble outside the spirit world.” Furyo thinks about this and ask. “Are you Yeti?” The creature smiles. “No, we are Japanese. Our species is called ヒナゴン, (Hinagon) I suspect we have similar reasons for being here.” Furyo feeling more bold asks about the state of the little girl and who they think mauled her to death. The creature appears offended, rearing back in a howl. Suddenly dozens of the things circle Furyo. Their leader says. “You know very well what manner of Beast attacked the human child. The Master of the 獣流空手 Kemono-ryū Karate Style! Your father, The Black Wolf!” Furyo feels like his mind just broke. Could the Miyazawa clan have something to do with the Akuryō-kai and Yajū-gumi? Furyo loses his footing and closes his eyes anticipating a ferocious attack. Nothing comes, opening his eyes, he is alone.