Saving Scott

17: Broken Pieces

Beacon Hills High School, the History Classroom

Very Close to Sunset

"The gunfire nearly killed me," Noshiko continued telling her story as Kira, who had finally given in, helped her mother assemble the broken katana. Kira looked over at her mother, her expression neutral; it was impossible to tell if Kira was still angry with her mother for withholding all of this from her, or had forgiven her for what she had done. "I don't know how many bullets made their way into my body, but I fought every one of them." She took a deep breath.

"It left my body so weak, my heartbeat so slow, it appeared as though I was dead. But even then, I was still better off than Reese. His screams could be heard throughout Eichen House, echoing through every room, every hallway. He died soon after me. The doctor, it seems, also sold the morphine," Noshiko reminisced sadly.

"Merick and Haighes were tasked with 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, Merick, Haighes, they were going to get away with murder. By chance, I guess, Reese's body had been put next to mine." Noshiko inhaled shakily, not because she was upset, but because she was angry.

"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 barely 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 that they would get away. So I called out to our ancestors, the Kitsunesuki, for possession by a fox spirit. For a powerful Nogitsune. One that feeds off of chaos, strife, and pain. To take control of my weakened body, imbue it with power, and use it as a weapon." There was strength, power in Noshiko's every word as she spoke.

"But calling on a trickster spirit is a dangerous thing," she told the group, a sadistic smile taking over her face. "It can have a very dark sense of humor. Because while the Nogitsune did come to possess someone, it wasn't me."

"What happened?" Scott asked, intrigued.

"My body was beginning to heal," Noshiko reluctantly answered the wolf. "And I managed to pull myself up from the ground. But by then...it was too late."

"What did it do?" Malia asked.

"It brought chaos, strife, and more pain than you could ever imagine," Noshiko told them. "I had to fight. I had to stop him." Noshiko turned to the windows, lining the wall. "Kira, hurry. Night is coming."

She told the group how after she, with the help of Satomi, had defeated Reese, he had said, "'Coeur le futa.'"

"The literal translation is 'a bolt of lightning,'" she informed them all with a smile. "But in French, it can also mean 'love at first sight'."

Malia found herself looking at Scott; to her surprise, Scott was looking right back at her. She blushed - blushed, really, Malia? and glanced back at Noshiko and Kira.

"But a bolt of lightning happens to be exactly what we need right now," Noshiko was saying.

"For what?" asked Kira.

"Exorcising the Nogitsune from Reese's body shattered the katana. But you can put it back together," Noshiko told Kira.

"Why don't you just do it yourself?" mumbled Kira, glancing off to the side.

"Because I am not a thunder kitsune!" snapped Noshiko angrily. "Do you trust me?"

"I just found out you're nine hundred years old," Kira retorted. "I don't think I'm ever going to trust you again."