The Japanese Self Defence Force, or more correctly the Ground Self Defence Force, i.e Army, had offices in town that consisted primarily of a set of one story pre-fab buildings put up on an empty building plot.
Of course, senior ranks got an actual office, in an actual office building… but when Paul had approached the Colonel who had command over the contingent in town, he had referred Paul to a Major in the logistics branch, and apparently majors weren’t sufficiently senior enough to warrant an office with luxuries like windows or apparently heating…
Paul blew through his fingers, warming them up, before knocking on the door. There was a crash followed by a somewhat panicked sounding...
“Come in!”
Paul stuck his head around the door, because it wouldn’t open fully. It felt like there was something jamming against it.
The room inside was packed with file boxes, all full with paperwork. It looked as if his knocking had disturbed the balance of one of the stacks, causing it to topple. There was a young woman, her short and somewhat plump frame ill-suited to her surroundings, struggling to squeeze past one of the stacks.
“Ah… Major Yagi? If this is bad time?”
“No, no.. just..”
Paul backed up, as Major Yagi managed to escape the confines of her office, and shut the door behind her, wincing as there was a protracted thump as another stack collapsed.
“I’m sorry, it’s not normally this chaotic, but I had the entire company’s paperwork pulled out of the offices it was stored in due to a beetle infestation, and there was nowhere else to put them.”
“Beetle infestation?”
“Paper weevils.”
“Oh. Ok… um, there’s a spell for that...”
“We have bug spray. Anyway, what can I do for Inari’s Herald today?”
Major Yagi flashed a smile, which made her eyes light up behind the large round glasses she wore. She was a shortish, plumpish woman of middle years, with a short bob of brown hair and a face that spoke of mixed ancestry. Paul found himself smiling in response.
“Please, call me Paul, otherwise you make me sound like a newspaper.”
“Oh?”
“You know, The Herald..”
Major Yagi laughed briefly, nodding.
“Sorry, very well Paul-san, how can I help you today?”
“We need a bit of logistical support for a project. You see, Inari is substituting for Santa-san this year, delivering presents to yokai who otherwise may not have anyone else, and ...”
Paul paused as the Major was looking at him wide-eyed…
“Ah.. is everything... ok?”
“S..s..Santa-san?!”
“Oh! Oh no... sorry to ruin Christmas, but no, I didn’t mean that literally. As far as I know, he isn’t real.”
The Major sagged, leaning against a wall, looking both relieved and faintly disappointed. Paul chuckled.
“Sorry for the confusion, I guess all things considered I probably should’ve been a bit clearer there.”
“Yes! I mean, for a horrible moment I thought he was both real, and that I was going to be permanently on the naughty list for thinking he wasn’t...”
Paul grinned.
“I’m sure he’d understand… Anyway, since we’ve got something of an influx of Yokai, many of whom fulfil the definition of refugee, with little or no family or social network, we figured we’d do a sort of combined ‘welcome to the neighbourhood’ and Santa Claus thing, and ask for donations of gifts to the temple. The JPS are happy to take the donations and funnel them here, same as regular parcels. Inari is handling delivery and distribution of presents… but we need someone to handle unwrapping the parcels of donations, and gift wrapping them for delivery. I’ve managed to organise a storage and handling facility, well, technically it’s an empty warehouse but it’ll do for now. We just need a small army of people...”
“...and you’d like the JSDF to provide that small army?”
“If it wouldn’t be too much trouble, please. I’ve already asked the Colonel, and gotten the ‘ok’ from him, and he said to talk to you, since logistics is your division.”
Major Yagi thought about it a moment, then nodded and pushed her glasses back up.
“We can do this. I’ll start by asking for volunteers to give up their off-duty time, but if it turns out we need more personnel I can put a request in to one of the nearer bases for a squad detachment.”
Paul nodded slowly.
“That sounds like a plan, I’ve no idea how much of a response we’ll get. So, it would make sense to start small and scale up the operation as much as needed, rather than mobilising enough people to mount a full-scale invasion and have most of them stand around idle.”
Major Yagi nodded, then grinned slightly.
“So, any specific personnel requirements for Operation Northpole?”
Paul snorted in laughter at the name, and grinning replied,
“Well, some people who are good at origami would help. Inari has this trick of magicking up messenger foxes using an origami fox mask… which means we’ll need a few hundred of them folded.”
Major Yagi nodded, her eyes wide and shining.
“I know how to do that! Um.. can we watch when she does that?”
“I don’t see why not. I’m sure that’ll be ok.”
Major Yagi grinned.
“Real magic… it’ll be worth it just to see that. Oh! I know! The post service sells these blocks of origami paper in blue and white, with their logo embossed in it, for folding envelopes. We could use those!”
“By all means, that seems very appropriate! Oh, by the way, since I’m landing you with more work, I could perhaps have a word with the School Principle Ms Mitashi, and ask her if you can borrow the sports hall to store all those boxes of paperwork in for awhile, if that would be helpful? Quid pro quo, you know.”
Major Yagi sighed.
“That would be most helpful, thank you. I’d have to post a guard, but it would be better than not being able to use my office.”
“Ok then, I’m off to see Mitashi-sensei next, so I’ll bring it up when I see her. Hopefully you’ll be able to reoccupy your office by tomorrow. Thank you for your time...”
Major Yagi bowed slightly.
“We’re here to serve! Please convey my respects to Inari Okami!”
Paul grinned.
“I’ll do that, although you know you’ll probably end up meeting her.”
“Meet her!?” Major Yagi squeaked in surprise.
Paul nodded grinning.
“Yup… although I’ll give you plenty of notice first. I wouldn’t worry about it too much though, she doesn’t stand on formality with people she likes. Anyway, I’ll see you later.
Major Yagi nodded numbly as Paul departed.
Paul was walking, or rather ambling since he was early, through the town on his way to see Ms Mitashi when from somewhere behind him someone called his name. Paul sighed inwardly and turned around… and blinked in surprise.
Walking towards him was a witch.
Paul corrected himself, she was an older woman, maybe in her late thirties, with long brown hair and brown eyes peering at him through a pair of half-moon glasses with black rims. However, what made Paul think she was a witch was the fact that she was wearing a broad-brimmed pointed hat, and a black cape.
That and the fact she was also carrying a broom was something of a hint too.
Paul waited for her to catch up, and bowed slightly as she stopped in front of him.
“Is there something I can help you with, Mistress?”
The witch looked slightly taken aback at being addressed politely for some reason.
“Ah.. Herald of Inari, I have come to entreat with you for the release of my daughter...”
Paul held up his hand, interrupting her.
“Hold on… I’m guessing this isn’t a conversation for a public street. There’s a decent cafe nearby, perhaps we could be civilised about it, and talk over a cup of tea?
“Ah… yes. That sounds… better.”
Paul led them to the harbour side cafe, which despite being a gimmicky ‘maid’ cafe, laid on a decent cup of tea, as well as a rather nice line of patisserie cakes and pastries. The young girl in faux maid’s uniform greeted them at the door.
“Welcome home master, mistress!”
Paul grinned slightly, it was silly honestly, but it amused him. He spoke to the young girl in English, as he knew she welcomed the opportunity to practice it and had confessed to finding his accent ‘charming’ on a prior visit.
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“Hello Airi, is my usual table available?”
“Ah.. yes, Sir. Do you want your usual tea?”
“Yes please, and whatever the chief recommends in the way of cakes.”
Paul half turned towards his guest, addressing her in Japanese.
“Ah, forgive me, is English tea acceptable?”
The witch nodded, still looking a touch nonplussed. Paul rather suspected that she hadn’t expected to be treated politely for some reason. Once they were seated in the corner table for two that Paul preferred, Paul feeling a touch more comfortable with his back to a wall and clear line of sight to the rest of cafe, he steepled his fingers and regarded the nervous looking woman.
“Perhaps introductions are in order? Paul Holmes, Herald to Inari Okami and author, at your service Mistress. And you would be?”
“Haruna Maaya...um…”
“Would I be correct in assuming your profession, or vocation at least, is what is commonly referred to as ‘witch’?”
“Ah, yes. Although until recently I owned and ran a shop, selling herbs and..”
Paul held up his hand, forestalling her longer explanation.
“You mentioned a daughter?”
“Ah, yes! I have come to beseech and entreat you to...”
“Release her.. yes. I know, you said. Except I have no idea who you’re talking about. Perhaps if you could start at the beginning? I now know who you are, who’s your daughter?”
“Oh! Er, her name is Akio. She… she’s not a bad person, she was just doing what she had to.”
Paul sighed… whatever the problem was, this was not going to easy. He leaned back, as Airi came up with a tray laden with the tea things and a plate of fancy cakes. Maaya was silent, except to answer Airi’s questions about how she liked her tea, as they were served.
Once Airi retreated Maaya asked.
“Why does she talk to you in English?”
“Hm? Oh, she’s hoping to travel once she’s old enough, so I offered to let her practice her English on me. Now, have a drink of the tea, it’s really rather good, and gather your thoughts before starting at the beginning.”
Paul waited, emptying his mind of other considerations as he studied the woman in front of him. Her accent and manner of dress marked as her being from a rural area somewhere up north he thought, although he was still learning the distinctions in accents. However, the hat style was not Japanese, nor was the cloak. It was a stereotypical ‘witch’s’ hat… which now that he thought about it, was based on an old sort of European hat, or so he seemed recall.
“So, Mistress Maaya, if you are feeling a bit more centred?”
“Ah, yes. Thank you. I was not expecting to be met with politeness.”
“I gathered… perhaps if I ask a couple of questions to get you started?”
“Yes, that might be best. It’s hard to know where to start it’s so tangled.”
“Hmm. So, the hat and cloak are not normal articles of clothing, and appear to be European in origin. I’m guessing they’re traditional, formal, wear for witches. So, when did your ancestors come to Japan?”
Maaya blinked in surprise, and then shook her head.
“Of course, you’d be more familiar with them.. Yes, you are correct. As far as we know the five families fled persecution in Belgium some time between 1630 and 1650.”
“Ah, not long after the Pilgrims sailed for the New World. I suppose going in more or less the opposite direction made sense.”
“Exactly, yes. It had been divined at the time that the lands to the East would be most hospitable to us. So the five families travelled the old Silk road routes, and took ship to arrive here almost three years later.”
“And you’ve been living quietly somewhere in the Northern regions ever since?”
“Ah, yes. A secluded, almost hidden village, known to only a few, until recently… but about ten years ago the agents of the Special Security Division found us, and threatened us with extermination unless we worked for them. We… supplied them with magical items, at first, and then they demanded children, those with magical aptitude, to work for them.”
“They trusted them to work as agents?”
“Not fully. They never trusted us completely, because of our ability to use magic. They were servants, at best. Mostly they were treated as a necessary evil. They had to wear special collars that bound our power, so they could only use it if they were ordered to. The rest of us were monitored all the time, our powers bound, so we couldn’t rescue them. If any of them... ‘misbehaved’... those of us at home would be punished for it.”
“So, the hunters enslaved them in effect. Forcing cooperation upon pain of reprisals.”
“Yes… my daughter is... was, one of those enslaved. Forced to use her magic in their service, to hunt down what they called ‘monsters’.”
“Ah… I think I know who your daughter is now. She was captured trying to restrain Suzue, yes?”
“If that is the young Goddess’s name, yes.”
“I thought she was released though? I’m sure Ash said she was relatively uninjured but when Division three fell apart she was taken to a hospital to be on the safe side.”
“She was, but the police arrested her.”
“Okayyy… so why approach me? Wouldn’t you be better off talking to them? After all if she was acting under duress then she is not responsible for her actions.”
“We have tried but the police don’t believe us. After all, the only physical evidence is the collars we were forced to wear, which are just a buckle and a short length of leather to anyone without magic. They don’t understand how we were compelled to obey, there’s no written proof that the Agents ever threatened us.”
“Ah. Yes, that does present a problem. Hm. Would you swear in front of Inari that what you said is true? That your daughter was acting under duress, and that you and the rest of your group were unwilling participants.”
“I would so swear, upon my craft, that it was so.”
Paul nodded.
“Ok, good enough for me. Sit, drink your tea. I’ll make some phone calls. I can’t promise success, it’s not like I have any real authority, but I do know a few people I can have a word with and see what they can do. It might take a day or two to get her released; are you staying in town?”
“I..ah… I suppose I can. I only arrived here this morning. I honestly hadn’t thought...”
Paul held up a hand, silencing her.
“Ok, well, the temple complex has guest houses, I think one or two of which are still free. You can stay there, for now.”
“Ah. Thank you!”
Paul nodded, already planning on what to say. For a moment he wondered who best to call, then inwardly shrugged. When in doubt, start at the top…or near to it at least, and he owed a certain someone a call anyway.
Taking out his cell phone he hit two on speed dial, and waited. The phone picked up on the third ring.
“Ah, hello. This is Paul Homes, Inari’s Herald. Is he available? Oh.. yes I can wait a moment.”
Paul took a sip of his tea, waiting. It didn’t take long for the person he wanted to speak to, to come to the phone.
“Ah, good afternoon, sorry to call up unexpectedly but… no, no trouble, not this time I.. oh. Ok, Ok… yes I know, we probably should’ve given you a call about that sooner, for which I formally apologise but we were a tiny bit more concerned with getting the young woman home to her parents at the time. Given that she was in the nude and… Oh? Ah.. yes well, I imagine the Navy probably would be a tiny bit upset about a battleship suddenly just appearing off the coast. What..? No! They most certainly can not have it back. Yes I know it was theirs, but firstly there’s the question of if it’s even the same ship, and secondly, even if it is the original, about which which I have doubts, it is now a Yokai. Yes, that’s right.. she’s alive. The ship has a spirit or soul of her own and is a sentient being, making her alive in all pertinent senses of the word. So, unless the navy has started using enforced conscription… yes, you may quote me on that. In fact Prime Minister-San, if they keep on bothering you, refer them to me, because I have no qualms about swearing like a sailor at them… Yes, you are most welcome. Oh... that reminds me. Could someone from your press office have a chat with the editors of Shukan Shincho Weekly, and remind them that Yokai have the same legal protections as everyone else, including those laws pertaining to libel and slander. Again. Yeah, I’m not sure how a Yokai battleship would react to being called a ‘demon spawned ghost ship here to devour the souls of the living’… but I find it a touch offensive. Thank you...”
Paul paused momentarily, as the person on the other end of the line was speaking to someone in his office, and quietly asked Maaya.
“Do you know where Akio is being held?”
“We were told at a facility with the others... which I can’t imagine is safe for her.”
“No, it wouldn’t be... Ah.. yes, oh thank you. Much appreciated. Anyway now that is dealt with, the reason I called you is that apparently Division 3 were coercing some young women into working with them, providing magical support. Although enslavement might be a better term for it, given that their families were punished if they resisted. Anyway, problem is, at least one of them is being held at the same facility as the other goons...ah, ‘agents’. You can see how that might be a problem, since I’m not sure if witches shouldn’t be classified as a type of Yokai or Other...um, yes. Yes, I’d say there’s considerable risk to them there if they’re in with the other inmates. I’m not sure if they’re even capable of defending themselves, something about their powers being bound unless ordered otherwise.”
Paul paused for a bit, listening, while Maaya watched wide-eyed as she finally worked out who Paul was talking to. After a few moments, Paul interjected.
“Yes, Prime-Minster-san, I understand all that. And I’m not suggesting we circumvent due process. But I think the same conditions do not apply to these individuals as it does to the other members of Division 3. They don’t represent a threat, to anyone really...well, yes, alright except to the monster hunters, maybe. I’m not suggesting they go free, but perhaps releasing them on bail? Umhm.. yes… well I suppose they might have been indoctrinated, but… ok. Um, just what sort of ‘more positive environment’ are you suggesting… what, here?! Ah.. well. I suppose yes we could supervise them but...”
Paul paused, listening, taking a sip of his tea as he did so. Subconsciously he nodded, then sighed aloud.
“Alright, you’ve twisted my arm as we say. We’ll take responsibility for all three of them, if you arrange release and transport. I’m not sure where to house them but, we’ll manage. Thank you sir… and yes, next time something similar happens I’ll make sure to call immediately. Good day.”
Paul hung up, and grinned at Maaya.
“Ok, problem solved, mostly. Akio, along with two others from your village will be released on bail, and brought here.”
“Only… three?”
“Yes...why, how many were there supposed to be?”
“Five, one from each family…”
“Oh. Oh, dear… that’s all that was found. Ok, I’ll email Abe-san’s office and let them know that. Perhaps there’s an explanation… who knows, maybe they escaped?”
Maaya shook her head.
“They were hunting monsters… the explanation is obvious. But we were never told anything. I only knew my Akio was the one captured because I recognised her from the picture in the newspaper.”
Paul nodded slowly.
“Ok, I don’t have names yet, so perhaps we should hold off on letting the families back in the village know about their release, until we do.”
Maaya nodded slowly.
“That would be best. I would have to post them anyway. There’s no phones.”
“Ah. Hm, I’ll have to check with Inari, but we might be able to use a messenger fox… it’ll be faster, but it’s subject to local magical conditions. Dead patches, that sort of thing.”
Maaya shook her head slowly.
“Using such a spell for such a trivial matter… it doesn’t seem right.”
Paul chuckled.
“It’s more like a test run for it, before we use the spell for something else. Actually, I’d appreciate it if you sent them something roughly biscuit-tin sized, so it’s a proper test run.”
Maaya blinked, taken aback, and then nodded.
“As you wish Herald… although they will think me a bit strange if I send them a tin of biscuits.”
“Biscuit-tin sized.. it doesn’t have to actually be one. You can send them a nice long letter in a box. Actually, that would probably be a good idea. The town hall has been printing out leaflets about Kami’s sanctuary status and what the changes in the law mean. Grab a few of those to send back home, so that they know that the girls are coming to a safe place. You know where the temple is?”
Maaya nodded, and Paul continued.
“Ok then, if you could buy a block of the origami paper the post office is selling and one of their parcel boxes, and grab those leaflets, then meet me back at the temple. I’ll tell Inari what’s going on. That is, if she doesn’t already know.”
Maaya nodded, still looking a bit bewildered. Paul glanced up at the clock on the wall, and decided he’d just walk a bit quicker to his meeting with Ms Mitashi, and if he was bit late he was sure she’d understand.
“Let me guess, still feeling as if someone has pulled the rug out from under you?”
Maaya looked up at him startled, then nodded warily.
“Yes. I ...I expected to have to beg...”
“I got that, hence the formal wear. Psychological armour. Well, I suppose you weren’t to know, I don’t do things quite the same way as elsewhere. I mean, despite having the Prime-Minster and the Emperor’s personal numbers on speed dial, I don’t surround myself in layers of bureaucracy and red tape. My job as Inari’s Herald is to facilitate communication; to serve as her voice, her eyes and her ears if one translates the phrase literally. But I can’t do that if I’m not approachable, can I?”
“But… why? Why would you help me?”
“Why wouldn’t I? You brought to my attention an injustice, one that I could do something about, so I did. I mean, why not? Anyway, sit and finish off the pot… it’s my treat. I’m afraid I have somewhere else I have to be now. I shall see you later, at the temple.”
Paul stood up and turned to go, then a thought struck him.
“Ah.. oh yes, don’t let the guards at the entrance worry you, they’re just there to keep annoying reporters out. I’ll call ahead to let them know who you are. Anyway, bye for now.”