Chapter 27: Berries and Tanukis

  Ace could hear the hum of the car engine, the ticking of his watch, the sound of his breathing and the soft babble of the newscaster over the stereo. He tapped the toes of his boots together and looked at the rearview mirror, accidentally making eye contact with Dante. He quickly looked away, feeling the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.

  "You have questions,” Dante said.

  Although Ace tried to deny it, he was sure that his expression gave it away. “Dante is my given name. My family name is Higashino. I am half-British, half-Japanese. I have turned thirty,” Dante said stiffly, as though he were reading off a script. "I will be training you for the next three months."

  “You’ve already said that.”

  “What do you want to know then?”

  "I wanted to ask about where we are going…"

  "Yokohama,” replied Dante. “I have already said that.”

  "I know that, but why aren't we using the Beacon? Isn't it faster?"

  This time, Dante did not answer his questions. The two rode in silence until Ace decided to open his mouth again. "Are we there yet?"

  "No."

  Less than ten minutes later, Ace asked the same question again when the car slowed. He could swear that Dante tightened his grip on the steering wheel.

  "No. Not yet." Dante’s voice had no trace of annoyance. It was far too level, and Ace could not help but shiver slightly.

  “Uhm… Which part of Japan did you grow up in?”

  “Kumamoto.”

  Breaking the ice was turning into a Herculean task. It was like speaking to a brick wall. Dante offered no follow-up to his answer. Surely some details could lighten the mood.

  “Will you be teaching me how to use different weapons? Felix did teach us the basics...”

  “I will teach you as I see fit. If I do not see the need for it, you will wield a staff for the rest of your life,” Dante answered without giving one glance at the windshield mirror. “Furthermore, I can already tell that you do not have the mettle to be a swordsman. You do not have the balance for it.”

  Iced out.

  Ace stared out of the window and let his mind roam. First, he imagined little ninjas doing backflips above the trees and shrubs. Then, he thought about how he should have taken driving lessons when his exams ended.

  “Ace.” Dante interrupted Ace’s train of thought.

  “Hm?” Ace sat up a little. “Yes?”

  “What can you gather of me?”

  “But I just met you–”

  “Put more thought into it.”

  “Is this an assessment?”

  “If you see it that way.”

  Ace rubbed his chin and let out a weighty sigh. “I thought you were older than Felix at first. You definitely used to be an English teacher, but you don’t seem to teach in a public school. You don’t strike me as someone who is too fond of Felix. But Felix said that you are his good friend…”

  There was a click, and the news started to blare through the stereo, drowning his voice. Ace flinched and flicked his eyes toward the rearview mirror, expecting Dante to be glaring at him. However, Dante’s eyes were fixated on the road ahead, betraying no emotion. Ace fished out his wired earpiece and stuffed the earbuds into his ears, opting to tune in to some music.

  Maybe he has some cool dojo somewhere, Ace thought as his eyelids became heavy. Dante’s driving was steady and smooth, unlike Felix’s heavy-footed braking and butt-clenching manoeuvres.

  The rhythm of the road eventually lulled Ace into drowsiness, and his head slowly sank against the window.

  ***

  A sharp rap on the window snapped Ace out of his dreams, and he sat up groggily with drool running down his cheek, blinking at the blurred figure beyond the glass.

  Dante was staring back at him from outside. Beside him stood a lanky and bespectacled man who waved meekly.

  Ace rolled down the window. “Are we here to sightsee?”

  The bespectacled man let out a quiet laugh that ended with a slight wheeze. “He’s got a nice sense of humour,” he remarked.

  Yokohama Zoological Gardens?! His eyes were not deceiving him; he was at the zoo.

  Half-stumbling, half-clambering out of the car, Ace collected himself to greet Dante’s partner. So he does have friends, he thought. But he can't even hold a proper conversation!

  “You will be working here for the next three months,” Dante explained. “It seems that you are quite the animal lover, so I thought it would be better for you to add to your shikigami collection.”

  Dante turned towards his partner and cocked his head, cueing him to speak. “The name’s Shiro Kusakabe, and I work here as a zookeeper,” Shiro said and bowed his head slightly. His words came out in a soft, rapid stream. Ace had to strain his ears to hear him over the hubbub.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  “Throughout your study here, you will be staying at Shiro’s residence,” Dante briefed. “For today, keep your valuables with you. I will bring your personal effects to your lodging.”

  “Just ring up Aimi when you’re there. I’ve told her that a work colleague is dropping by. She will show you to his room,” Shiro instructed Dante before diverting his attention to Ace. “Come, I’ll show you around.”

  The summer heat seemed to radiate from the ground. Ace shielded his eyes from the glaring sunlight. “You must be worn out,” Shiro remarked as he walked by his side with his hands clasped behind his back.

  “What do you mean?”

  “The two of us ironed out all of the details and arrangements while you were asleep,” Shiro replied. “Even filled out some administrative forms.”

  Before Ace could reply, his phone started to vibrate. His eyes widened when he clicked on what Dante sent. “WAH!” He smacked his palm against his forehead.

  Shiro peered over his shoulder, catching a glimpse of the colourful images. “Oh my, he arranged everything, down to your meal times. He split it up into odd and even weeks as well,” he chuckled. “He told me to remind you that we’re on Week 1, so you should be following the odd-week schedule. Dante-san mentioned that you should know how it works.”

  “T-Two hours of physical t-training after work,” Ace gulped. “I’m going to die…”

  “It won’t be that bad, trust me,” Shiro hummed merrily. “He should’ve given you the weekend to rest.”

  Ace flicked the screen, and his heart fell when he saw that the weekends were just as packed. Shiro made a small noise. “Oh my."

  Ace groaned, his excitement deflating rapidly. Shiro clicked his tongue and tapped his shoulder, directing him toward the enclosures. “Don’t worry, there’s still much to look forward to. Working in a zoo is not an experience everyone gets,” he said excitedly, tapping the tips of his fingers together. “Truth be told, I was shocked when there was a second Aberrant after Dante-san. Only twelve years apart, I think?”

  “You’re his…”

  “Senior. By a year. Hard to believe, I know. I don’t look the part.”

  Shiro led him into the back of an enclosure. “This is the tanuki enclosure. You get a first-row seat to what happens behind the scenes. You’re supposed to be in uniform, but since it’s your first day, it doesn’t matter,” he winked. “I’ve sent a couple for cleaning. God knows how long they have been sitting in the storeroom.”

  A tanuki stared curiously at Ace, its eyes peeking through from under its bushy brows. It sniffed at the ground, its nose and whiskers twitching slightly. Shiro bent down and picked it up tenderly. “Isn’t she a cutie?”

  Ace nodded and held out his hand. “But,” Shiro turned his body slightly, bringing the tanuki away from him. “I have to check, does your ability involve controlling animals or taking away their souls? Dante-san mentioned something about shikigamis…”

  Ace shook his head vigorously. “I wouldn’t dare to if I could.”

  “Hm… Good, very good,” Shiro heaved a sigh of relief and handed him a berry. “Let’s see what you can do.”

  Ace reached out his left hand, but Shiro turned away again, his eyes falling on the light armour. “On second look, that is a very strange thing you’re wearing…”

  “Ah, er…” Ace stammered, his mind scrambling for excuses. Did Dante not tell him?

  “Dante-san told me that your arm is weak and this provides mechanical support,” Shiro continued.

  “Ah, yes!" Ace nodded furiously. "I have a weakness in my arm, so they made me this for extra protection. It’s been like that since I was little.”

  Shiro held out the tanuki for him. “Sorry, I was afraid that she might scratch or damage it.”

  Ace changed hands, and the berry inched towards the raccoon dog, its paws reaching out for the berry. “There’s no need to be scared,” Shiro reassured him. “She won’t bite.”

  Anything with teeth bites! Ace’s mind screamed, but he shook his head, drowning out his inner fear. “Can I carry her?”

  Shiro handed Ace a pair of gloves to put on. Like a father carrying his child, he gently transferred the creature into Ace’s open arms. It squeaked as Ace held up the berry, feeling its little breaths against his gloves. It snapped up the berry and whined loudly as if it wanted more.

  “It’s so fluffy!” Ace marvelled as he stroked its back.

  “You’re a natural.” Shiro tossed him a few more treats, which the tanuki ate greedily as if it had not been fed in ages. Ace could not help but notice that it was eyeing a bucket of berries behind Shiro.

  Maybe I can do it now. Ace imagined the tanuki’s form, and it morphed into being. Its body was the first to materialise, then its fluffy coat. Its stubby legs sprouted from its body, and its tail sprang from behind.

  Shiro clapped his hands excitedly, but his smile vanished when the Vision bolted for the bucket of berries, knocking it over.

  Ace released his technique hastily, apologising profusely. “It doesn’t really listen to what I say when I first manifest it. I think,” he laughed nervously. “I need to get to know them more first and let them grow on me.”

  “What an amazing ability! No wonder Dante sent you here.” Shiro swept up the mess and dumped it back into the bucket.

  “If you don’t mind me asking, what’s yours?” Ace asked.

  “I’m from the Kusakabe family. Our abilities revolve around the mastery of the blade. This is my ability, ‘Snow in Summer’. ” Shiro held out his hand. A katana slowly formed in his hand, starting from the handle. The blunt edge was a shade of plum, and the blade was a brilliant white. “It’s not exactly a physical sword, as you can see."

  Shiro pointed the tip of the blade towards his chest and thrust the blade into it.

  Ace gasped. “WAIT-”

  “Hm? Oh! Sorry, I forgot to tell you that since it’s made up of my Essence, I can put it back like this.” Shiro laughed nervously, making it a point to slide the blade in and out. “It would be different if I did it to other people, of course.”

  That’s a bit weird, Ace thought, scratching the side of his nose to hide his discomfort. “Uhm… You mentioned that you are a part-time sorcerer. But I have never heard anyone mention that there is such a thing.”

  “Oh, that’s kinda the arrangement the Sanctum and I brokered. I quit before my family could disavow me,” he replied meekly. “I didn’t see eye to eye with them and had always wanted to leave. When I met the love of my life, I decided that it was enough.”

  Shiro fished out his wallet and showed him a picture of his family. “This is my wife, Aimi, and this is my daughter, Yua,” he said, all smiles. “Aren’t they the two most beautiful ladies in my life…”

  “But you must promise me one thing.” Shiro’s smile vanished. He grasped Ace’s shoulder and said sternly, “Don’t mention anything about sorcery, okay? I told Aimi that you’re a family friend staying over.”

  “Huh?”

  Shiro drew his lips into a tight line. “My wife isn’t a sorcerer. We weren’t planning on having any children, but we had an oopsie,” he explained. “If she knew that our child would be a sorcerer, she would freak out.”

  “Is that why you came back?”

  Shiro nodded slowly. “I decided to continue being a sorcerer so that maybe one day, she would live in a world that no longer needs to be protected. Sounds stupid, I know, but one could dream,” he sighed wistfully. “Karma works in strange ways. First, I found a job as a zookeeper, which meant that I had to start making amends. Second, I had a kid. I can’t get a break from sorcery, can I?”

  Shiro’s words weighed heavily on his mind for the rest of the afternoon. A world that no longer needs to be protected, huh.

  According to science, a bubble expands as it inevitably floats to the surface. The little bubble of misery that he had been trying to keep down was starting to find its way up through the torrent of thoughts, growing, stretching and straining against the confines of his heart.

  Ace mashed his lips together and kept his head down. It’ll be okay, it’ll be just fine.