Foxfire: Veil of the Nine Phantoms

24: Crawl II - Tunnel Monsters

January 4 - Melanie

We found ourselves in Cabbagetown's main commercial area past midnight walking along the quiet streets as soft flurries fell like white petals blown by the wind. It was a silent night, the snow absorbing all sound, leaving Hoshiko and me wandering a calmingly empty scene under the glow of lonely street lamps. We passed the Winchester Hotel, a heritage landmark of the locality made of red brick in a Victorian style. Snowflakes fell steadily, each reflecting artificial light. On nights like these, I usually felt at peace, the silence enveloping me in the serene embrace of a sleeping city, just the two of us patrolling the narrow tree-lined streets of the neighbourhood, strolling past the closed shops that huddled around Parliament Street with their compact brick storefronts. But tonight I couldn't relax; we were looking for monsters to crawl out of the woodwork.

Hoshiko sauntered with her hands clasped behind her head, chin high in the air with her smoking pipe in her mouth, relaxing like she was going for a morning walk in the snow. I controlled my breathing, my warm breath mixing with the cold air to form visible condensation. My body felt tense, like a spring about to unwind. We weren't even in any danger yet, but the nervous excitement was already getting to me.

"You're not scared."

The vixen pulled out her smoking pipe from her mouth. "I am afraid of things worth being afraid about. You're scared because you don't quite understand what we're dealing with. When I feel afraid it's because I know exactly what we're dealing with. Yet there is courage in facing your fears," Grandma said.

"So you are scared then. You don't look like it."

"Would you prefer it if I looked afraid?"

"No."

She smiled slightly, patting my shoulder. "The Japanese giant centipede can use its venom to paralyze its prey in a minute. Imagine how dangerous a gargantuan Ōmukade can be with its venom. Plus, their armour is nearly impenetrable, only human saliva can pierce it."

I frowned.

"Don't worry too much. Right now we're not looking to fight yet. We're going to investigate the threat we're facing first."

"Right. But isn't it odd that you'd feel apprehension? You've been doing this for a long time."

"Maybe that's why I've been successful. If you're afraid, that means you're aware of your enemy's threat. You should acknowledge the strength of your foes, and have the mettle to rise to the challenge they represent."

"What about Satsuki? She seems fearless."

"She's a battle-hungry monster."

A crow perched on a nearby lamppost cawed. It swiftly flew away. Grandma giggled.

"Looks like someone was listening..." I said.

Grandma sniffed the air, and we stopped in front of a bakery. The interior space was small and dim. On the hours of operation sign it said the shop closed at 8 PM.

"Do you smell that?" she asked.

I shrugged.

Hoshiko jumped up two storeys to the roof of the bakery and scampered away. After a minute of waiting, she dropped from the roof and returned with a cherry pie in hand.

"Want some?" she said. "It smells delicious."

I raised an eyebrow. "Where'd you get that?"

"I got it from their trash bin."

"You got it from their garbage? What are you, a raccoon?" I asked incredulously.

"One man's trash is another man's treasure!"