Kami Cursed (Dragon and Phoenix)

by Julianne Price

  He pounded a fist on the bench. “I can feel him. He’s around here somewhere!”

  I sank down next to him and tried to catch my breath. “Look. It’s probably a good thing we didn’t find him. We aren’t ready for this.”

  Ryuu’s eyes met mine. “You need to carry your bat.”

  I sighed. “I know. I’m sorry. I just felt stupid lugging the thing around.”

  He stretched and stood. “It’s okay. At least we know he’s around here. This probably means he lives in Pine Rapids. So all we have to do now is be prepared. We’ll come back tomorrow and see if we can find any antique canes in the stories. And we can start looking for antique stores. Maybe someone will remember selling it to him.”

  I took his hand and let him lead me home, remembering the malignant intent that seemed to lurk behind the big man’s jovial voice. I just hoped he didn’t decide to come looking for us first.

  “Ryuu,” I said quietly when we got to my house. “I think we should leave him alone.”

  He opened his mouth to argue, but I held up a hand. “Did you hear what he said? He knows what we were doing. And he doesn’t want help. You know what that means, don’t you?”

  His shoulders slumped and all the fight went out of him. “Yeah,” he sighed. “He knows what that thing is, and he’s keeping it with him on purpose.”

  I nodded. And he knew that Ryuu could see.

  *****

  “It’s not like this kind of thing comes with a user manual,” Ryuu said testily.

  I sighed, not blaming him for being short with me. We had spent all morning trying to figure out how to destroy the coin, and I knew he was just frustrated. I ran a hand through my short hair, liking the feel as it tumbled about my shoulders in a wavy mess. I didn’t know if what I was about to say was going to go over well.

  “Well… that might not be true,” I said hesitantly. I met Ryuu’s eyes determinedly. “You said it yourself- that your grandmother had always been a little odd. That your mom even refused to talk to her because of it.” Maybe there was a user manual.

  Ryuu raised a dark brow at me. “You want me to ask my obasaan for help?”

  I shrugged. “What other options do we have?”

  He shook his head decidedly. “No. We don’t know for sure that she or her mother actually had any sort of spiritual powers- that’s all just guesswork on my end. And I’m not going to go around telling people what we’re doing. They’ll lock us up.”

  I frowned at him, wondering why he was so against this. I doubted very much that Ryuu’s family would have us institutionalized- though the thought did make me shrink a bit mentally. I didn’t want to end up back at Birch Hill.

  “Look, what’s the worst that could happen? We ask her, she laughs at us because she thinks we’re just silly kids. But if not- what if she actually knows something?”

  Ryuu opened the door and shooed me in. “No. We’re not bothering that old lady.” His face was childish, but his tone of voice was very adult, and very final.

  “Fine,” I sighed, following him to his room.

  I waited until he went to use the bathroom, then I riffled his desk for a post-it note and a pen. There was an old box sitting next to his desk. He was using it as a make-shift trashcan, by the looks of it. But when I lifted the flap, I found exactly what I had hoped for, a postage label with an address on it. I hastily stuffed the post-it in my pocket and started picking at the label instead. It came up without too much effort, tearing away a little of the brown paper of the box with it.

  When Ryuu returned, I was sitting on his bed with my notebook in my lap, frowning over my notes, the little scrap of label burning a hole in my pocket.

  That night when I got home, I took out some paper and wrote a letter. It was hard to decide where to begin, so I just wrote down whatever came to mind.

  Dear Ms. Nakatomi,

  I am a friend of Ryuu’s, here in the U.S. He doesn’t know I’m writing to you- he’d probably be upset with me if he did, but I just couldn’t help myself.

  I think Ryuu is special. He can do special things, and I’ve found that I can too. I hope you know what I mean- but if you don’t, then please just ignore this letter from a couple of kids.

  If you do know though, I think we could use some help. I’m worried about Ryuu. I don’t want him to get hurt have to do these things alone, but I don’t know what to do to help. Hopefully writing you was something.

  I know this all probably sounds like nonsense. If it does, then please just have a good laugh.

  Sincerely,

  Katherine

  P.S. Thank you for always sending things to Ryuu. I know it might not seem like it, but I know he appreciates having something to help him remember his parents.

  I didn’t let myself read and re-read the letter, as I was tempted to do. Instead, I put it in the envelope and took it out to the mailbox right then. I felt both stupid and excited. She would probably think I was crazy. But what if she didn’t?

  For the next couple of weeks, I spent far too much time checking the contents of our mailbox and asking Dad if we’d gotten any letters. Nothing came, though, and I finally accepted that my silly letter had been seen as a joke. Ryuu was right, there was no one who understood what we were doing. We would have to figure it out on our own.

  *****

  Fumio strode through the park, hunching into his heavy coat and pulling up the collar against the crisp chill in the air. He would have felt more comfortable at the temple, but there was always the chance that Ryuu would show up, and he thought that maybe he should shield the boy from The Order, for at least a little bit longer.

  Fumio had been approached by The Order about a year or so after he first met Ryuu. They were mysterious and obtuse in their dealings with him- never just coming out and saying what it was they did, or what they wanted with the little boy. But it was clear enough to Fumio that they wanted to use him. How and for what purpose, he wasn’t sure.

  The first man he’d met from the order had hinted that the bits of knowledge Fumio had managed to acquire in order to help Ryuu hadn’t just come into his hands by chance. They never said that they had planted the old books and internet sources, but Fumio had a strong suspicion that they had done just that. He had often found it strange how he eventually always found whatever it was he needed, hidden away in some dusty book he found in the archives, or in some shady corner of the internet.

  For the most part, Fumio had tolerated their shadowy presence. For some reason, the Order wanted him to help Ryuu. They had never made a move to interact with the boy, but Fumio was always on the alert. What if one day they just up and decided to snatch him? He had no reason to believe that an organization as strange as The Order would have any difficulty making one young boy disappear.

  He crunched over the frosty leaves to a little stone bench and sat down, careful to keep his coat between him and the bench. Still, he felt the cold leaching up into his skin. He hoped this meeting wouldn’t take long. He hoped he wasn’t doing something utterly stupid in asking for their help.

  He hadn’t sat there long when a light scuff of sound drew his eyes up and he saw the old man coming his way. It was the same man who had visited the temple before. He still moved with that same slow pace which most people probably attributed to age, but Fumio knew better. It was the slow pace of a lion stalking prey.

  The man glanced down at the bench, then away at the sidewalk that wended its way through the deserted park. “Shall we walk?”

  Fumio nodded, glad for the opportunity to remove his frozen bottom from the icy bench. The two men walked in silence for a few moments. Finally, Fumio decided to speak before he lost his nerve.

  “I think…” he cleared his throat and tried again. “I think I need your help with something.”

  The older man’s gaze was fixed on the path ahead of them. “Is that so?”

  Fumio licked his lips nervously and tried to pull himself together. Why was it that this old man always unnerved him s
o? “Yes. It’s about the children. The girl particularly.”

  The old man’s inscrutable eyes studied Fumio’s face. “The girl? Is she in some danger- has she been influenced by an object again?” He frowned. “Maybe she’s not the one we believed her to be.”

  Fumio shook his head, wondering to himself just who they believed her to be. He’d always just assumed the Order was only interested in Ryuu, that Kit was just an added bonus.

  “No, nothing like that,” he said hurriedly. “It’s just that she’s under some pressure and there might be a chance- though I’m sure it’s not really a very big chance- that she could be removed from her home or placed back in the institution.”

  The old man shrugged. “How is this something to trouble us?”

  Fumio tamped down the first indignant reply that sprung to mind. Instead, he strived to appear as calm as the old man. “She means a great deal to Ryuu- and I’m not sure how her removal would affect him.”

  The old man nodded, and Fumio thought he saw a spark of amusement in his dark eyes. “It is important that the boy’s powers keep developing as they are. We wouldn’t want to disrupt the environment that is causing him such growth. But what’s to say,” he said with a glance in Fumio’s direction, “that The Order won’t use this opportunity to take the girl away ourselves? If she does have some spiritual power, we could train her, coax that power into development…”

  Fumio shrugged, though inside he was a wreck. “If you did, then the boy would never forgive you. He would never join your little club. If you want to ensure he will use whatever powers he develops to destroy you, then by all means, do something to Kit.”

  Now he knew the old man was amused. “I’m sure you’re right. Bribery works on some- but not a man of that caliber. Given his past, we have always thought it prudent to tread lightly where the boy is concerned.”

  He glanced up at the steely grey sky. “So, what is it that you need help with?”

  Fumio explained the situation. The old man laughed lightly when he described Kit’s injuries, and the impossibility of explaining them away.

  “Our people will take care of this,” the man said easily. “We will make the suspicions go away.”

  Fumio sighed. “And…what will this cost?”

  The old man laughed again. But Fumio thought it was purposeful, this display of amusement. “Cost? Nothing.” His dark eyes crinkled at the corners as he met Fumio’s eyes. “But there will be consequences, have no doubt about that.”

  Fumio left the park with even less idea whether he had done the right thing than when he set out. Maybe Kit would be better off, all things concerned, if she were tucked safely away at Birch Hill. He immediately reprimanded himself for the thought. But his mind was filled with disquiet.

  Chapter 14

  Thanksgiving that year was a little more lively than usual. Dad and I were joined by not only Ryuu and Dawn, but Dawn’s new boyfriend as well. The turkey was still cooking, and Ryuu and I were watching It’s a Wonderful Life while the adults chatted. I pulled my attention away from the TV, however, when I heard Dad let out a low whistle.

  “Congratulations Dawn, that’s quite the rock,” he said, laughing.

  “What’s he talking about?” They were clear across the room and no one was paying attention to us.

  Ryuu glanced toward them and away. “Dawn and George are getting married.”

  I stared at him, surprised. That explained why Ryuu was so quiet today. “Really? When did this happen?”

  He shrugged. “They told me today, right before we came over.”

  Ryuu was lying on his stomach on the floor. I scooted toward the edge of my seat on the couch and nudged him with my foot. “And? I mean, how do you feel about it?”

  He sat up and folded his legs, Indian-style. “I don’t know.” A crease appeared between his brows. “I guess if it makes Dawn happy, that’s great. George doesn’t seem like a bad guy.”

  I nudged him again. “But?”

  “But I just hope Dawn isn’t doing this for me. You know, she thinks I should have a dad and all. George is a lot older than her…and even though he’s not a bad guy…I don’t trust him for some reason.”

  “Kit, Ryuu,” Dad called, gesturing at us. “Come on, dinner’s ready.”

  Ryuu and I helped Dad bring out the spread. There was turkey and creamy mashed potatoes, mushroom and green bean casserole, sweet potatoes with brown sugar and marshmallows, and fresh, steamy bread. We’d even managed a really nice dessert- little individual molten chocolate cakes that we would bake after dinner. I had to admit, it had been fun spending time with my dad, just the two of us, as we prepared the meal. It reminded me of the good old days before nonsense had taken over my life.

  We passed dishes around, filling our plates while the adults kept up their steady stream of chatter. I stabbed a slice of turkey and passed the platter to Ryuu who passed it right on to Dawn. I glanced at his plate. He’d taken potatoes and vegetables and a couple of rolls. “No meat?”

  He shook his dark head, his eyes on his plate. “No. I’m, ah… going vegetarian.”

  I was surprised. I had seen him eat meat before. “Why?’

  He straightened and opened his mouth to reply, but Dawn cut him off. She gave a light laugh and passed the tray of meat back his way. “Don’t start in with your craziness today, Ryuu. It’s rude to refuse the food Kit and her dad made for us.”

  Ryuu clenched his teeth for a minute. I could see a muscle flex in his cheek. I thought maybe this wasn’t the first time they’d had this argument.

  I took the tray from Dawn and set it down on my other side before Ryuu did what it looked like he wanted to do and flung it at her. Then I put my hand on his arm to get his attention. He was going all black and broody. “Hey, what’s the big deal? If Ryuu doesn’t want to eat meat, he doesn’t have to.”

  He took a breath. “It’s part of my training,” he said softly. “The Buddhists at the temple are all vegetarians. They say it’s purifying.”

  George cleared his throat and cocked an eyebrow at Ryuu. “Ryuu, you’re not a Buddhist.”

  Ryuu lowered his eyes. “No, sir. I’m not. But I’m a vegetarian.”

  I sighed in exasperation. They were ruining our nice little dinner over something so stupid. I stabbed my slab of meat and transferred it back to the serving tray. “You know what? I think I’ll be a vegetarian too.”

  Dad laughed. “Sure thing kid.” He took my discarded turkey. “Pass me the potatoes Ryuu?”

  I wanted to stick my tongue out at Dawn. My dad didn’t push me to do things his way. After that, the tension eased a little, but I was still a little miffed at Dawn. Couldn’t she even let Ryuu choose what to eat, for crap’s sake?

  When we were done eating, Ryuu and I cleared the table. We finally found ourselves in the kitchen alone and I turned to him with a grin. “Wow, what was that all about?”

  He rinsed plates and handed them to me to put in the dishwasher. “Dawn wants us to be as normal as possible. George is funny about religion. I shouldn’t have mentioned the temple.”

  I shook my head. “Do you really believe it will purify you, or whatever?”

  He shrugged. “I figured it couldn’t hurt.”

  I nodded, thoughtful.

  When we returned to the living room, the adults were laughing and sipping wine. I was proud to see that dad’s glass held only sparkling juice. Dawn turned to Ryuu. “Oh! We forgot the gift. Will you run over and get it?”

  “Sure.” He slipped on his coat and shoes.

  “I’ll help,” I said following.

  “Kit,” Dad interrupted. “Why don’t you stay here and help me with the dessert?”

  I frowned. I thought we were going to do that a little later. “Okay.”

  Ryuu left and my dad gestured to me. “Come sit down for a minute.”

  Dawn and George were sitting on the loveseat looking at me expectantly. I felt like something was very wrong. I slid into the armchair and Dad hi
tched a hip on the arm, sipping his drink.

  “What’s going on?” I looked from face to face, perplexed.

  Dawn smiled at me. “Actually, honey, George and I wanted to talk to you for a minute.”

  I glanced at George and he nodded. I had a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. “You heard that we’re getting married?” Dawn held out her hand so that I could catch the glint of the enormous rock on her finger.

  I nodded, but didn’t say anything. George put his arm around Dawn. “Of course, Dawn will be coming to live with me. I have a big house in Ann Arbor.” Hours away from Pine Rapids.

  My stomach began to hurt. “And Ryuu…”

  Dad put a hand on my shoulder and Dawn leaned forward to pat my knee, but it was George who spoke. “You know Ryuu is an extremely smart kid. Gifted, really,” he said warmly. “Did you know the school called Dawn just before the holiday break? They want to skip Ryuu ahead a full grade next year. It seems he’s been bored where he is, and that’s why his grades have dropped the last couple of years.”

  I swallowed hard, sure that all of Ryuu’s hard work was about to backfire. “Once Dawn and I are married, Ryuu will be my son. I’ve never had children of my own, but I’ve grown to care for Ryuu. I’d like to give him the best opportunities in life.”

  I swallowed. “What?” I glanced up at my dad for support, but he just looked sad.

  Dawn patted my knee again and sure enough- kapow! “We’re sending him to a private school on the east coast- New Hampshire, where George grew up. It’s a place for gifted teens.”

  I put my arm over my stomach and tried to find my voice. “Does Ryuu know?”

  Dawn shook her head. George met my eyes and I very suddenly decided that I hated him. “Kit, we know that Ryuu will say he wants to be here with you. So…we thought it would be best if we told you first. If you really want what’s best for Ryuu, you’ll support our decision and tell him to go.”

  I took a deep breath. “No.”

  Dad squeezed my shoulder. “Honey, I know it will be hard for you, but think about what’s best for Ryuu. You don’t have to decide right now.”