Always There {3}

Chapter 21: The Fox and The Wolf

Liv's at Kira's and Liv gives her the photo Malia gave her. Kira says, "This looks just like me. This has to be my grandmother." Liv says, "You remember when I told you about Malia? She's the last one who saw Stiles at Eichen House. This picture and this. They found it with a body buried in a wall. The same back wards five that the Oni put on me and my friends was on the wall. It sounds like it all goes back to your family. Your grandmother, your mom." Kira's phone buzzes and Liv says, "What is it?" Kira says, "My dad." Liv and Kira rush to school to see her parents. Noshiko says, "Kira, did you bring it?" Kira says, "What is it?" Noshiko says, "Reishi." Kira says, "Your not seriously giving Dad magic mushrooms?" Mr. Yukimura starts coughing and Noshiko says, "Are you okay?" Liv says, "Stiles did this?" Mrs. Yukimura says, "He wanted the last Kaiken. I've kept this near me ever since your brother disappeared." Kira says, "Mom, you need to talk to us, about everything." Liv takes out the photo and gives it to Noshiko and she says, "Where did you get this?" Kira says, "Is it Grandma?" Noshiko says, "No. It's me." Liv says, "If that's you, then you'd have to be like 90 years old." Noshiko says, "Closer to 900." Kira says, "Okay, sure. Why not? Dad, how old are you?" Mr. Yukimura says, "43, but I've been told I look mid-30s." Kira gives her mother the sword and Noshiko says, "The blade was shattered the last time it was used." Kira says, "When was that?" Noshiko says, "1943. Against a Nogitsune." Liv says, "All this, it's all happened before, hasn't it?" Noshiko says, "Yes." Mr. Yukimura says, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." Kira says, "Where did it come from?" Noshiko says, "It was an interment camp during World War II. In Oak Creek. Not too far from here." Liv says, "Hold. You told Allison and Isaac that there no interment camp at Oak Creek." Mr. Yukimura says, "Allison's family has a certain history of violence. I didn't know if she could be trusted. There was a camp, yes. But all the records were erased." Noshiko says, "They covered it up." Mr. Yukimura says, "When I was a grad student, my passion project, actually more like an obession, was trying to dig up the truth on Oak Creek. It's how I met your mother, Kira." Kira says, "So, where did the Nogitsune come from?" Noshiko says, "Is it obvious yet?" Liv softly says, "It came from you." Noshiko nods and says, "Yes, it did. Kira, I need your help on this. There isn't much time and this is something that needs to be done in the daylight." Kira says, "Not until you tell us everything." Mr. Yukimura says, "Tell them, Noshiko. Tell them what they need to know." Noshiko says, "Wolves and foxes tend not to get along. Not just in fables and stories." Mr. Yukimura says, "But allies, however unlikely, should be welcomed. Especially in times of war." As Noshiko is telling the story, Kira says, "Okay, stop. Just stop. We don't want to know your Casablanca story. We wanna know how to save Stiles." Noshiko says, "I'm trying to tell you." Liv says, "You're trying to stall. When the sun goes down, the Oni are gonna come after him again, aren't they?" Mr. Yukimura says, "Your brother's gone, Liv." Liv says, "No, he's not there has to be away we can bring him back and I don't think you know that for sure. You brought the Oni. Can't you call them off?" Kira says, "It's not his fault." Noshiko says, "Stiles may be your brother, but he is the Nogitsune now. He is void." Liv says, "Can you call them off or not?" Noshiko says, "When you hear the rest of the story, you won't want me to. Rhys and I found ways to find each other. Sometimes at the barracks. Sometimes in the bunkers where they parked military vehicles. He was being transferred to North America in a few weeks. I was teaching him some French. We watched Merrick Hayes talking with the camp doctor. They were whispering talking quickly." Mr. Yukimura says, "Noshiko." Noshiko was accidently cutting her hand. Kira says, "Mom, what are you doing?" Noshiko then healed her self and Kira says, "How'd you do that?" Noshiko says, "It's one of our talents. Something you'll learn Kira. You should've noticed by now that you never get sick. Ever. You'll never experience something as simple as a common cold. Something as bad as the flu or something like Pneumonia. Rhys checked his log, but we already knew what was happening. Dr. Liston was using Merrick and Hayes to sell Medicine on the black market. I had realized the mistake I had made by speaking too soon. I wasn't helping anyone. I was inciting a riot. I yelled for them to stop, but so many people were sick and so many were dying. I'd never seen anger like that. It was a living, breathing thing. Now I knew why Satomi was always trying to be quiet. Why she got migraines once a month, why she was always at the game of Go. It kept her calm." Liv says, "She was bitten." Noshiko says, "Bitten werewolfs have a harder time suppressing their anger. One unexpected flare-up and they could lose all control. The gunfire nearly killed me. I don't know how many bullets made their way into my body, but i fought every one of them. It left my body so weak, my heartbeat so slow it appeared as though I was dead. But even then I was still better of then Rhys. His screams could be heard throughout Eichen House, echoing through every room, every hallway. He died in agony. The doctor, it seems, had also sold the morphine. Merrick and Hayes were given the task of getting rid of all the bodies, both American and Japanese-American. They were transferring Dr. Liston out as well, stationing him somewhere else. They were covering it up. The doctor, Merrick, Hayes, and all the others. They were gonna get away with murder. By chance, I guess, Rhys body had been put next to mine. I wanted the soldiers and the administration of the camp to be punished for their crime, but I knew the clock was ticking. I was going to lose my chance. They were going to burn me with the others. I couldn't fight back with my body weakened and still healing. I could barley move. I was going to die. With time slipping through my fingers, I knew I was making a terrible decision. But I could not die knowing they would get away. So I called out to our ancestors for kitsune-tsuki. Possession by a fox spirit. For a powerful Nogitsune, one that feeds off chaos, strife and pain, to take control of my weakened body, imbue it with power and use it as a weapon. But calling on a trickster spirit is a dangerous thing. They can have a very dark sense of humor, because while the Nogitsune did come to posses someone, it wasn't me." Liv says, "What happened?" Noshiko says, "My body was beginning to heal and I managed to pull myself up from the ground, but it was too late." Liv says, "What did it do?" Noshiko says, "It brought chaos, strife, and more pain than you can imagine. I had to find him. I had to stop him. Kira, hurry. Night is coming. The literal translation is "a bolt of lighting." In French, it can also mean "love at first sight." But a bolt of lighting happens to be exactly what we need right now." Kira says, "For what?" Noshiko says, "Excising the Nogitsune from Rhys body shattered the Katana, but you can put it back together." Kira says, "Why don't you just do it yourself?" Noshiko says, "Because I'm not a thunder kitsune. Do you trust me?" Kira says, "I just found out you're 900 years old. I don't think I'm ever gonna trust you again." Noshiko says, "Trust me on this." Kira then puts the Katana back together. Noshiko says, "Go ahead. It's yours now." Kira says, "What if I don't want it?" Noshiko says, "You need it. You see? It gives you balance. Mu power is yours now, Kira. If the Oni can't stop Stiles, you have to. The same as I did and maybe seek out a wolf to help you." Liv says, "You didn't tell us anything on how to save him." Noshiko says, "You want to save Stiles? Kill him. That's the only way." Liv looks to Mr. Yukimura and says, "You agree with this?" Mr. Yukimura says, "Sometimes, history does repeat itself, Liv." Liv says, "Only if you don't learn." Mr. Yukimura says, "But sometimes even then, fate conspires against you." Liv phone buzzes and sees a text from Allison saying, "Derek's loft." Liv says, "There's a way to save him. There has to be. Liv and Kira both walk away and go to Derek's loft.