My Pawfect Rebirth

30: Hide and Seek

"No, he's more powerful than that. Actually, Monk Bankei is a Grim Reaper."

Katsuki looked down at Aster and then back to look at Bankei. 

"He's a what?" 

"Monk Bankei is a Grim Reaper. He may not be a Reaper for the longest, but he's experienced many things in his life that led him to become a Reaper. One thing that's different about Monk Bankei is that he was actually a spirit; a Shisa to be exact, and soon became a Grim Reaper for his impressive actions. That's how Monk Bankei knows of your disguise and that you were turned into a dog." Aster said. 

Katsuki stood there dumbfounded by what he just heard, this old man was actually a powerful Grim Reaper.

"And I'm the only Reaper except those young-ins that know about that stupid disguise of yours, boy." Bankei said. 

"Wait- the other Reapers that're out there don't know I'm actually human? Except this old geezer?" 

"Yes, nobody but Monk Bankei. The only people that can tell that you are human though are the spirits that're assistants to Grim Reapers. So I'm not the only one who knows. So do you really wanna annoy Monk Bankei for knowing the truth?" Aster said. 

Katsuki looked at Bankei and soon sat back down. 

"Going back to what we came here for, Monk Bankei, have you noticed any kind of activity involving the League?" Aster asked. 

"Hmph, hardly. Ever since that meeting we had, our purification has been doubled so it's practically impossible for bad spirits to appear in this area." Bankei said.

Katsuki tried to think back to everything that happened the day before and remembered the riddle Mr. Compress gave them. 

"Wait-" 

Aster and Bankei turned to look at the blond. 

"How'd you know if it was this place that they'd show up? How'd you solve the riddle?" Katsuki asked. 

"Riddle, what riddle?" 

"A member of the League gave us a riddle as to where we could locate them, and this place seemed to have matched with the riddle. And it's actually pretty easy to figure out." Aster said. 

"Explain."

"Hmph. I am rich on the outside, but poor on the inside. As I float amongst the weak, I am strong and brilliant above. I may be Black on the inside, but I fly Golden overall. When putting some things about this temple into the riddle, it makes sense. I am rich on the outside, but poor on the inside. It's pretty easy to explain. The outside of this temple is practically covered in Gold, but the inside is empty, as furniture is practically impossible to be seen. As I float amongst the weak, I am strong and brilliant above. That one is talking about the pond that this temple is sitting over. I may be Black on the inside, but I fly Golden overall; it's talking about the Phoenix that sits on top of this temple as it shines Golden overall even when the inside of the temple is Black and empty. Pretty easy to figure out."

Katsuki just stared at Aster and was amazed at how he figured it out and how easy the explanation was and how it made sense. 

"But wait- you said there was another location similar to this riddle. It's the place Deku's at right now, isn't it?" Katsuki asked. 

"What place is the dog talking about?" Bankei asked. 

"The other location I could think of was Hotel Lily, which just happens to be walking distance from here." Aster said. 

"Can you explain how you got that one?"