Part Three
“Whatcha doin’?” Hokuto danced over to her fully recovered brother to lean over his shoulder as he stood peering down at his ofada.
“What’s wrong, Seimei-san?” Hayashi, standing on the other side of the wards, asked.
Omi and Ame looked on in silent concern.
“Apparently we were in the nick of time,” Seimei said. He pointed to one of the ofada. “Look.”
Hokuto knelt next to it and looked down. “Huh. It’s moved.”
“What’s that mean?” Hayashi asked, voice slightly panicked.
“Something tried to get in.” Seimei began to walk around the house, picking up the ofada. Everyone else trailed after him. “If these hadn’t been here, you probably would’ve been killed.”
Hayashi blinked. “I would’ve been . . .”
“Yeah, you heard what my brother said,” Hokuto said. “Toasted, crisped, done in, pick your popular term.”
“Hokuto, be nice to the man,” Ame said. “He was just informed he could be dead right now.”
“Oh, fine.” Hokuto pouted. “But he’s not dead, so what’s all the fuss?”
Seimei rolled his eyes and examined the pile of ofada. They were crinkled. One looked a little scorched. “Think we could get anything useful out of these, Hokuto-chan?”
She shrugged elegantly. “I dunno. Call Dad. He’s the one with his head buried in old smelly textbooks all the time. He’d know if anyone did, and if doesn’t, he and Father can figure it out for us.”
“Aa, good idea,” Seimei said. “Can we call him from inside?” he asked Hayashi.
“Of course,” Hayashi said, showing them in.
Seimei picked up the phone and dialed. It rang quite a few times.
“Think they’re not home?” Hokuto asked.
Seimei frowned. “Maybe . . .”
“Oh, wait,” Hokuto said, eyes suddenly going wide. “What time is it over in Japan?”
“Uh oh,” Seimei said.
Before he could think further, the ringing stopped. There was some fumbling noise, then a very, very sleepy voice said, “Sakurazuka desu.”
“Uh, hi, Father!” Seimei tried to sound innocent. “Did I, uh, wake you?”
“Seimei, it’s the middle of the night.”
“Yeah, well, we kinda forgot about the time difference,” Seimei said. “Should we call back in a few hours?”
Seishirou gave a resigned sounding sigh. “No, now that I’m up, I may as well talk to you. How are things going?”
“Fine, fine,” Seimei said hurriedly. “Uh, actually, we need to talk to Dad.”
“Really.” Seishirou’s voice was amused. He looked over at the lump in bed next to him. “For that, you may have to call back in a few hours. Your Dad is not overly fond of being woken up in the middle of the night.”
“Eh . . .” Seimei said. “I know. I’ll ask you. If we put up wards to protect somebody, and the next day the wards are dented and moved, can we use that to trace the whatever-it-is?”
There was a pause. “I’m not sure,” Seishirou said. “I’d wake Subaru and ask him, but I doubt he’d be coherent enough to remember what his name is, let alone complicated magic spells.”
“Well, uh, what time is it over there?” Seimei asked cautiously, not sure he really wanted to know.
“Only midnight,” Seishirou said. He smirked at the apprehensive note in his son’s voice. “We hadn’t been asleep for more than a half hour, you can quit worrying.”
“Good,” Seimei said. “Can you tell Dad this and call us back this evening? Uh . . . I don’t know when that would be for you guys.”
“We’ll figure something out,” Seishirou promised. “We can call you sometime tonight.”
“Okay.” Seimei gave him the hotel number. “Sorry to wake you again,” he said.
“We’re the ones that told you to call,” Seishirou said. “Good luck, Seimei. Tell Hokuto-chan I say hello.”
“I will. G’night, Father.”
“Oyasumi.” Seishirou hung up the phone and crawled back into bed after writing the number down.
Seimei hung up his phone. “It’s midnight there,” he reported with a wince.
“Oops.” Hokuto looked chagrined.
“Anyway he said in the morning he’ll get Dad to look it up for us, then he’ll call back tonight and let us know.”
“So what do we do today?” Omi asked.
“Uhh . . . stand around and look pretty?” Hokuto suggested.
Seimei rolled his eyes and whapped her over the top of the head. “Hayashi-san, what do we have to do today?”
Hayashi looked blank.
“We could do a little research of our own,” Ame suggested. “They have to have libraries here, correct?”
Everyone blinked at her.
“Yeah, we could do that,” Seimei said.
“Can we go shopping for at least a little while?” Hokuto wheedled.
Seimei brightened. “Sure! Omi-kun, you’ll take us sight-seeing, right?”
Omi’s head ached at the thought of trying to deal with so many people and places. “I’ll follow you anywhere,” he moaned in a long-suffering tone of voice. “I followed you here. I’d follow you to the ends of the earth. I’d follow you to Hell, and I suppose, if pressed, I’ll follow you to the shopping mall.”
“Wai wai!” Hokuto glomped him. “Omi-chan has a sense of humor!”
“You doubted?” Ame asked. “He hangs around with the two of you.”
“Oh, be quiet.”
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
“Subaru-kun . . . are you awake?”
“Uhhh?” Subaru opened his eyes to see Seishirou hovering over him. “G’mornin . . . what time is it?” He yawned and half sat up, rubbing his eyes.
Seishirou glanced at the clock and came within inches of lying, then decided to pretend he hadn’t heard the question. “I brought you breakfast.”
Subaru accepted the tray with as much good grace as being half-asleep would allow, and took a sip of the tea. “What do you want?” he asked.
Seishirou put a hand to his chest. “I’m wounded, Subaru-kun. I’m not allowed to simply bring the man I love breakfast in bed?”
“You’re allowed to; you just never do. Don’t give me that wounded act. You bring me breakfast in bed when you want me to get up, because it’s the only way you can wake me at an early hour without me hitting you.” Subaru glanced at the clock and nearly choked on his tea. “Seven thirty?! Why on God’s green earth have you gotten me up so early?”
“We have work to do,” Seishirou said calmly.
Subaru folded his arms over his chest and glared. “Explain.”
“Your children need you. Eat your breakfast.”
Subaru blinked. “What happened?” He began to automatically shovel the food into his mouth. “Did they call?”
“Hai, last night after we’d gone to bed. It didn’t wake you.” Seishirou made a face. “They forgot about the time difference.”
Subaru’s lips twitched in a smile. “Was it Hokuto?”
“Seimei, actually. I was surprised; he usually has more common sense than that. He sounded tired, though.”
“They’re probably finding out that ‘work’ isn’t all it’s cut out to be,” Subaru said with a yawn.
“Aa,” Seishirou agreed. “Anyway, Seimei asked if there was any way to trace disturbed wards back to the source that disturbed them. I told him that I didn’t know, and if I woke you, you’d not only be too tired to remember your own name, but you’d probably try to kill me. So I said to let us sleep for a little bit and we’d get up early, look up the spell for him, and call him this evening, their time.”
Subaru rubbed both hands over his face. “That doesn’t give us that much time.”
“That’s why I got you up so early.”
Subaru made a face, which made Seishirou chuckle. “Are you laughing at me, Seishirou-san?”
“I’m laughing with you, Subaru-kun.”
“That seems difficult. I’m not laughing.”
“It’s only because you’re so cute.”
Subaru sighed and took a drink of his tea. “If I had a yen for every time I’d heard you say that . . .” He climbed out of bed. “Let’s get the books.”
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Hokuto pressed her face against the window display and goggled. “Ooh, let’s go in here,” she said eagerly, pushing the door open.
“Your parents are going to kill you when they get the credit card bills,” Ame remarked calmly, following the twins into the twentieth store.
“Ah, they know the way we blow money,” Hokuto said calmly. “If they cared that we spent it, we wouldn’t have the credit cards.”
“Trust her, she knows, Father took hers away for a little while,” Seimei snickered, poking through a rack of pants.
“You’re not supposed to tell anyone that!” Hokuto protested.
“He got really mad when she stole mine afterwards.”
“SEIMEI!!!”
“Can you two maybe not fight in public?” Omi asked. His arms were loaded with shopping bags. “You know, to not draw any more attention to yourselves than is absolutely necessary? You’re going to make me have a heart attack.”
“It’s ‘cause you worry so much, Omi-chan!” Hokuto chirped, apparently recovered from her fight with Seimei.
“Self-preservation,” Omi defended himself. “Don’t forget that if you two die, I’m expected to commit ritual suicide, and I’d really rather not have to do that.”
“It’s not our fault that your Clan has weird rules,” Hokuto pouted.
“Who’s talking?” Ame remarked dryly.
Hokuto glared. Another world war was narrowly prevented as Seimei called, “Hey, Hokuto-chan, look at these!” He brandished a pair of purple vinyl pants in her direction.
Hokuto’s eyes lit up like twenty watt Christmas bulbs. “Sugoi!!” She ran over to his side and began to paw over them with him. “Are they in our size?”
He smirked and handed her a pair.
“Are there two?”
His smirk grew wider and he held up a pair for himself.
“Let’s go try them on!” Hokuto scampered for the dressing room, Seimei close on her heels. Omi followed with a long-suffering expression; Ame with one of somewhat horrified amusement. The aide that Hayashi had appointed to show them around was looking bemused. These were the future government officials of Japan . . . and they had been shopping all day long, and most of what they had been buying was mesh, velvet, vinyl, and leather.
Omi put down the shopping bags and, somewhat dismayed, eyed himself in one of the store’s many mirrors. He looked like a mess, blue-black hair disheveled and hanging in his eyes. He didn’t look very imposing; he was too tall for his own good with limbs that all looked like they were going in different directions. His eyes were too wide and deep-set. He looked almost innocent, and definitely no older than his seventeen years.
Half an hour later, Seimei and Hokuto carried their armloads of purchases up to the front. Seimei caught Omi’s horrified look and reassured him, “Don’t worry, Omi-kun, we’ll carry these.”
“Thank God,” Omi said. “Could we maybe stop for dinner somewhere?”
“Ah, why don’t we order from the hotel?” Ame suggested. “That way we’ll be sure to not miss your parents’ call.”
“Good idea,” Seimei said, thanking the woman at the counter and walking over to them. He looked at the aide. “What kind of food is delivered . . . pizza, right?”
“Yes, of course,” the aide answered, looking as if he wished he hadn’t been assigned this duty.
“Pizza sounds good,” Hokuto said. “Let’s go.”
The aide made sure they got back to the hotel, then left, saying that Hayashi would call them later that evening.
Hokuto ordered pizza with glee. Seimei went to the vending machines and bought several bottles of soda. Omi was given caffeine. Omi liked caffeine. It helped with those awful early morning hours. The pizza arrived and was quickly devoured. The phone rang just as they were finished eating. Hokuto dove for it. “Hello!”
“Hi, Hokuto-chan, it’s Dad.”
“Hi Dad!” Hokuto said, waving despite the fact that he couldn’t see her. “Did you find a magic spell for us? Did Father get you up early?”
“Stop waving to the phone, he can’t see you,” Seimei instructed firmly.
Subaru couldn’t help but smile, remembering all the times his own sister had admonished him for bowing to the phone. “Can I talk to Seimei, Hokuto? Since he’ll be doing the spell, that seems to make more sense.”
“Okay . . .” Hokuto pouted, then handed the phone to her brother. “Dad wants to talk to you about big important magic type stuff.”
“Thanks,” Seimei said, rolling his eyes and accepting the phone. “Hi, Dad. Find anything?”
“Well, there’s good news and bad news,” Subaru said. “The good news is that it can be done. The bad news is that it’s kind of complicated.”
“Oh good.” Seimei stopped in the middle of a huge yawn and tried to pretend he wasn’t tired. “Explain away.”
Subaru detailed the spell while Seimei listened carefully and took notes. “You sound tired,” Subaru said. “Is it late where you are?”
“Aa, we just finished dinner,” Seimei said.
“You probably shouldn’t try this if you aren’t feeling awake,” Subaru advised. “If you mess up, you lose the damaged ofada and it won’t work again.”
“All right,” Seimei said. “I’ll do it in the morning. I still have to go set up more ofada for Hayashi, too . . .” He yawned again.
“Don’t tire yourself out too badly, okay?” There was a muffled voice in the background. “Yes, Seishirou-san, I’m perfectly aware that I’m being hypocritical and I would’ve worked myself to death if it hadn’t been for you. Now be quiet. I’m trying to talk to my son.”
Seimei snickered.
“Anyway, now that your father is done interrupting us,” Subaru said, “you two take care of yourselves, okay? Call if you need anything else.”
“We will,” Seimei promised.
“We miss you. It’s quiet here without you.”
Seimei laughed. “I’m sure you’re enjoying it.”
Subaru grumbled. “My first morning of peace and Seishirou hauls me out of bed at seven thirty to do research . . .” He sighed. “Anyway. Go get some rest.”
“Aa, we will.”
“I love you both.”
“We love you too, Dad.”
“Jaa ne, then.”
“Jaa.” Seimei hung up the phone. “He gave me the spell but told me not to do it until I’ve rested. I’ve only got one chance at it, because the damaged ofada get destroyed for the spell.”
“Okay,” Hokuto said. “Let’s go get Hayashi some wards, and then we can go to bed.”
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Omi had always been a light sleeper. He assumed it was something genetic, inbred to his clan of bodyguards. He was out of bed and halfway to the door before he’d even realized he was awake. He plowed his fingers through his unruly hair and pulled out a knife.
“Uhh . . .?” Seimei looked up blearily.
“I heard something.” Omi’s voice was tense, with none of his usual sense of humor. “Get off the bed and get down.”
Seimei wanted to protest, but he knew better than to argue. He rolled off the bed. “What about the others?”
“I’m getting them.” Omi pushed the door to the adjoining room open. “Hokuto? Ame?”
Seimei heard a vague noise from the hallway. “Hurry, Omi.”
“Hokuto!” Omi said sharply.
“Wha?” Hokuto sat up in bed, rubbing her eyes.
Omi glanced at the door as there was a knock. “Get down. And get your ofada ready. We may need it.”
“I’ve already got mine,” Seimei said. Hokuto was fumbling on the bedside table for her own.
“Get ready to zap things,” Hokuto hissed to Ame.
Ame brightened. “Burning things?”
The door burst open.
Omi saw that the first man had a gun and automatically threw himself to the ground. Several shots rang out and punctured the wall, traveling through where his head had been. He scrambled back and threw the knife at the first man. It hit him in the shoulder; he reeled backwards, into the wall. Omi dove for his bed and pulled a handful of tiny throwing knifes. He put his back to the bed and aimed carefully.
Just then, two falcons went shrieking through the air and landed on two people’s heads, tearing viciously at their hair and skin. Hokuto poked her head through the door to check on her shikigami, then quickly drew back as a bullet imbedded itself into the doorframe. Another one of the men let out a yell as electricity crackled through the air in the form of a lightning bolt, heading straight at him.
They just keep coming, Omi thought, scrabbling for another weapon. How many of them are there? And how long before security gets here? Somebody must have heard the gunshots.
Seimei grabbed the knife under his pillow and pressed it against the ball of his index finger. He bit his lip, then traced a symbol in blood on the back of his other hand. Then, knowing in the back of his mind that he was probably going to get shot and Omi was going to kick his ass, he scrambled to his feet and held his hand out in front of him, beginning to chant. A wave of energy flowed from his fingers as he gestured. The front line of men fell to the ground.
“Seimei, get down!” Omi yelled. The next thing Seimei knew, something crashed into him as another gunshot rang out.
“Sei-chan!” Hokuto cried out.
“Omi!” Seimei wailed. He could feel something warm and wet dripping onto his face from where the blue-haired boy lay on top of him.
Omi coughed and said in a hoarse voice, “Daijoubu.” He then began trying to get up.
“Are you crazy?” Seimei gently pushed him back down. His eyes had gone cold. “I’ll take care of this.” He got to his feet again. Another bullet went flying over his head, which he ignored. He retraced the symbol - this time in Omi’s blood - and held out his hand again.
The others could see the distortion as the energy moved through the air and crashed into the remaining men. There were various cries of pain as they fell to the ground.
Seimei knelt next to Omi as Hokuto and Ame rushed into the room and security started to pour through the door. “Omi-chan!” Hokuto cried, falling to her knees beside the older boy.
“I think he’ll be okay,” Seimei said, examining the wound in Omi’s side. “It probably broke a few ribs but I don’t think it would’ve gone through anything too important.”
Ame turned to the security men and said in a sharp voice, “Call an ambulance.”
One of the men nodded and hurried for the phone.
“Omi-chan, are you all right?” Hokuto asked worriedly.
He nodded weakly. “Hai, hai . . . anything . . . to protect you two . . .” His eyes slid closed.
“OMI!” Hokuto shrieked.
“Stop screaming . . .” Omi mumbled. “I’ll live . . . and you’re giving me a headache . . .”
Hokuto let out a whimper. Seimei put a comforting arm around her shoulders. “It’s my fault,” he said quietly. “I shouldn’t have stood up.”
“You’re right,” Omi said. “Next time, stay down.”
“You were out of weapons,” Seimei said defensively.
“Seimei-kun . . . shut up,” Omi muttered.
At this point, EMTs were rushing into the room. Seimei pulled Hokuto away from Omi to let them do their work. Hokuto wiped her eyes and sniffled. “Who gets to go in the ambulance?” Ame asked.
“I’ll go,” Seimei said. “I’m calmer than her.”
Ame nodded and pulled Hokuto into a hug. “I’ll calm her down and we’ll meet you there.”
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++