Please note that the following Japanese characters have yet to be cross referenced with actual physical fact. Names, descriptions, etc., have been taken from Wikipedia articles.
Also, this chapter is shorter than the others. Don't be alarmed, I'm not making this a habit.
5
And the plot thickens
Victim #1
I died on Friday.
Nothing but ribbons of flesh, blood spilled across the hot pavement.
It was your typical Friday night: Shopping around five, then dinner at a cafe. Afterward, more shopping, then off to the dance club. Loud, pounding music, bodies pressing all around you, the adrenaline and euphoria that you get when around that many people. At about one in the morning, I get claustrophobic, and head outside to get some fresh air. Some drunk near the door pukes beer and potato chips all over my brand new mini-skirt, top, and heels. I move toward my car.
“Little darling one, why are you in the dark alone?” A voice says. I jump, and a spike of fear shoots up my back.
“Who's there? I have the police on speed-dial!” I respond, trying to keep the shake out of my voice. It's generally a bad thing when a stranger approaches you in a dark side street. A tall bald man stepped out of the shadow. He had pierced ears, and was wearing a black leather jacket. He laughed.
“Police? Not to worry, pet. It will be quick.” Suddenly he wasn't a man anymore.... He was a tiger, orange and black a bold statement in the blues and purples, large sharp claws shredding the night.
Bright neon green eyes glared at me.
Before my eyes closed for the last time, he was a man once more, and was leaning over me. He pulled a knife out of his boot, and cut a hank of my hair. After gently tucking it into his pocket, he turned once more into a tiger, and ended me.
My name is Emily Gardner.
I died.
Nothing but ribbons of flesh, blood spilled across the hot pavement.
**
Darwin
I hate filing. It must be the single most awful job, on the planet. The one upside is that I get a fair amount of insider info on some pretty nasty stuff. For instance, last year when the Level Eight patients got out last year, two were killed, three almost made it to the News, and one evaded capture all together.
That can't be right.
I scanned farther down the file. Hah! It says here they are still hunting for either a body, or....
Dropping the file, I shuddered, and decided to leave it be. I was not going to be the one to point out that it was a Djinn that had escaped.
**
Destra
Ah, another lovely afternoon at the Institute.
Not.
At nine Zahncliff yelled down the stairs to prep the Hospital wing for incoming patients. Shortly after Milly had called the chief of medicine, helicopter blades could be heard.
“We have a helicopter pad?” The things I didn't know about this place. We headed up to the roof, where a military banana copter was just setting down. The sides were thrown open, and stretchers carrying bloodied figures were being lifted out by our medical crew. Adam joined them. Milly turned to me.
“Lass, you'd best run along to the kitchens, tell them they'll need to prepare for guests.” I moved toward the stairs when she stopped me again. “Also, go get Nickolas. We might need help with some of them.” She gestured to a frightened Jorōgumo (Spider woman), who was thrashing angrily, and getting herself tangled in her own golden web. Her children clung to her, hissing at anyone who came near. I nodded, and ran.
When I got back with Nickolas, they were still fighting the she-spider, who was hysterical by now, black ink tears streaming down her beautiful human face, her whole body quivering.
Nickolas sighed, and began shrugging off his work uniform.
“What are you doing?” I asked. He pulled off his undershirt as he spoke to me.
“You don't really expect me to tear my clothes, do you?” I was silent. “I need something to wear afterward.” He grinned doggedly (pardon the pun.), and started to change. His whole body rippled, and began sprouting fur all over his skin.
He twisted and cracked and popped into his new form. After a few seconds, he stood before me, a seven foot monster, sharp teeth gleaming in the sun, hazel eyes now wild.
“Pardon ladies, I have some business to attend to.” He said in a deep, rough voice. He then launched himself at the spider. The Medics and Security stepped back, and stood at the ready. Nickolas pinned each of her eight legs, and ignored the nips of her children as he slowly brought her to the ground. She still fought, and was now screaming a high, piercing wale. Nickolas stroked her black hair, and spoke quietly to her. Eventually, she calmed, and let herself be led to the Hospital wing. He turned back into a human as he strutted over to me, pulling his clothing back on as he went, so as not to be indecent.
“Why, Nickolas, I didn't know you had such a way with the ladies!” I smiled at him, and he grinned back.
“Wolf Song can be very calming.” I widened my eyes in mock-shock.
“And now he sings!” I said. He shook his head.
“It's not as girly as it sounds. Come on, let's head downstairs. I'm pretty sure I deserve a coffee.”
**
Adam
“.....the East wall at Shangri-La fell early this morning. The Naga moved to the forward, but was chopped down within minutes. A brigade of enemy southern Trolls entered the plaza, and slayed all in sight.”
“Southern Trolls? What were they doing in Thailand?”
“We don't know yet, but we believe they were imported for the sole purpose of attacking Shangri-La. We are still investigating the matter.”
I sighed. The rotund, wide-eyed Chinese informant stood across from me, speaking in hurried English, and bearing several battle wounds. He continued.
“We evacuated as many as we could into three helicopters. They sent a squadron of Harpies after us, and copter one and three fell. We lost many rare species, and friends.” He bowed his head. I pondered over this for a moment.
“Southern Trolls? Grecian Harpies? In Thailand? There is more to it.... Did you see who was leading them?” I said, taking a seat at my desk. The Chinese man shook his head.
“No, sir, I saw only the beasts.” He paused for a moment. “Who do you suspect? Burma, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia have been quiet for many year, Indonesia and Malaysia have been our friends for many more year. China? Russia? India? There is no reason!” he ran his hand over his balding head, and stared off for a moment. I crossed my hands.
“I don't know..... But whoever it may be, we don't know if this was a freak attack, or if it will happen again.” I stood, reached for the phone, and dialed the main desk.
“I need to set up an emergency meeting with the African, Arabian, Russian, Australian (Do you need a paper and pen?), Celtic, Indian, UK, Antarctic, Oriental, and Islander Sects. Please stress the 'emergency' part of that please. Thank you.” I hung up, and sighed heavily.
“Jaw-Long, go down to Milly and request a room,” I placed a hand on his shoulder, “You need to rest, friend.” He nodded, and stumbled out of the office.
**
Destra
Before I left that evening, I decided to swing by the Hospital wing and see how the refugees were doing. As I walked through the main hospital door, a bedpan flew past my head, and hit the other wall with a loud clang.
Luckily that was empty....
I swerved around cots, and ducked under hammocks that had been put up for the newcomers. And new they were! Most had more than two limbs (Even the humanoid ones), and many were strange and bizarre animal combinations. I hadn't gotten a good glimpse at most of them during their chaotic landing, and now I found myself in the same state of shock I had been in when I first came to the Institute. Hanging overhead in a golden web was the spider woman, her twenty children clinging to her legs and back. The lower half of her body was a deep black, and was immense compared to rest of her body, and her eight long legs were folded up gracefully underneath of her. Her dark hair flowed down her fit upper back, and her large slanted eyes had multiple pupils, each sparkling in the sterile hospital light. She smiled and hissed gently at her children, showing thin, translucent, pointed teeth. She caught me watching her with her kids, and glared at me in an almost predatory manner. I looked down and moved on.
Sitting on one of the cots was a small boy, no older than seven, almond shaped eyes the color of a storm staring into the distance.
“Hello!” I said, perching next to him. He stared blankly at me. I looked at his ragged rice farmer's tunic and pants, all blue and gray, and his straw coolie hat perched on his head. I tried again.
“I'm Destra.... What's your name?” He looked up at me. Then he smiled, and began jabbering off in Japanese. I tried to catch the drift of what he was saying, but couldn't, and instead settled myself into staring apologetically at him. He finally understood, and lowered his head. When he looked back up, he began talking in a garbled English that was just understandable.
“Destra? Hear the rain? Clean, new.”
“It's not raining....” I said.
“Yet. Rain will come. I dance, rain will come.” He smiled, stood up, and dusted off his tunic.
“Will you play music? Biwa, or Sanshin?” I shook my head.
“I've never played those instruments......” he looked sad again, and I had an idea. “But is a guitar close enough?” He nodded, and I ran to the art room to grab my acoustic guitar. When I came back, He asked for the guitar. He plucked several strings, and nodded.
“This will do well. Like this?” He played a few more strings, and I got the drift. He handed it back to me, and I began to play as instructed. As only a child can dance, he started twirling and spinning, jumping and pirouetting. One of the other refugees started beating on a small animal skin drum, and another to clap. Suddenly I caught the smell of rain on the air. I glanced outside, and large droplets began to descend from the heavens. I stared in awe at the small boy, and kept playing. Finally, he stopped and bowed. It continued to rain, and the boy had a smile from ear to ear.
“You play well, yes? The rain has come! Praise U-shi!” he walked over to a window, and threw it open. Leaning against the sill, he stared out at the falling summer rain, and let himself be still. I smiled.
"You still haven't told me your name, young man.” he turned to me.
“I am rain child, Ame Ochiru, spirit dancer, in service of great U-shi.” He said. I stuck out my hand.
“Nice to meet you.” He took my hand, and shook it. Picking up the purse I had dropped earlier, I grabbed my guitar. “I have to go now, but I'll see you tomorrow, okay?” he bowed his head to me.
“I will look forward to the dawn of day next, Destra Ame No Ongaku.” he waved, and I left the hospital wing, walked down the long hallway, out into the warm rain, and to my car.
**
Adam
After seeing to it that the refugees were all fed, and had a bed to sleep in, I retired to my office with a hot mug of fresh coffee to read up on some files. We had an interesting group of refugees here.
Apparently, we had three Ningyi, a Byakko cub, and a Yakshini, as well as multiple spirits, Catazoni, Dhumavarna, Kirata, Hibagon, Apsaras, Centicore, and an Enenra. Most of those could cause issues, but the one that worried me the most was the Yakshini. We would have to make sure she was properly contained. And it was about to get more interesting. Several of the larger creatures are being transported tonight, and most, if not all of them will have to be kept in the basement so as not to draw attention.
**
Destra
The next day was totally nutty; apparently another huge shipment of creatures arrived late that night, and were now residing in some hidden location. Room was being made for the refugees in more permanent quarters, because, as Zahncliff said, he didn't know when Shangri-La would be able to sustain life again. After introducing a smelly, Japanese, Sasquatch like creature to Munro, he asked me to come with him to check on the refugees. What I found out that means, is 'You hold the clipboard and pen, and take down names like some flirty secretary, while I do the actual talking'. Eventually we came around to the bunk of a pretty girl in her late teens, with the same long dark hair and almond eyes as the other Japanese creatures. But her eyes were a vibrant blue, and she had a mischievous smirk. Something told me I was going to like her.
“Name, age, sex, and species, if you don't mind.” said Adam, standing business-like in his suit.
The girl smiled, and stood in front of him.
“You're very old, aren't you?” She said, swishing her long brown skirt back and forth.
“Yes--”
“I like older men, they are so much more tender then silly young men.” she said. Adam sighed.
“Please answer the questions.” She grinned, and turned to me.
“Ni Hana, ten and nine years, female, Yakshini.” Adam's head snapped up.
“So, you're the Yakshini..... I'm afraid we're going to have to move you to somewhere more..... Secure.”
She laughed, and stuck her hands forward.
“You had best restrain me, I'm feeling a little..... Hungry.” I guess this was some sort of joke I wasn't privy to, but she was definitely messing with Zahncliff. He shook his head, gently grabbed her arm, and guided her toward a member of security.
“Dan, take her to Level Eight.” the man nodded, and led the still flirting girl off down the hall.
I spun around toward Adam.
“So..... What was that about? Why does she have to go to Level Eight?” He raised his auburn eyebrow.
“A Yakshini is a creature of two personalities, with a nasty habit of eating travelers.” I looked at him like he was crazy.
“What, her? She's like, four-foot nine, and looks like a gust of wind could knock her over.... Are you sure you've got your critters right?”
“Quite sure.” he said, taking the clipboard from my hand.
