by Yuriko Taira
“I’m not hungry,” Shinkichi said, lying still in bed, holding the Jade Seal tightly.
“Let’s have a drink if you’re not hungry.” Sean stood up and left the room.
A few minutes later, he came back with a bottle of Russian vodka and two glasses.
Shinkichi got up and put the Jade Seal into his pocket. The two men sat by the window, drinking to sunset. Shinkichi temporally forgot about what had happened, and became a bit livelier.
Mikhail came in and told them that the police had found the bodies in the forest, and declared the scene to be a Chinese gang fight.
“Did they find a girl’s body?” Shinkichi asked anxiously.
“No, all the bodies were male,” Mikhail answered.
“Mate, the kid is alive.” Sean patted Shinkichi’s shoulder with confidence.
“But where has she gone?” Shinkichi was puzzled.
“I’m here, in your pocket!” I kicked Shinkichi.
“Ouch… Jade Seal, if you don’t stay still, I’ll throw you out,” Shinkichi said, in a threatening tone.
“Mate, you had better not or the kid will never marry you when she comes back.” Sean teased him.
“Ah… I’m not winning neither ways.” Shinkichi sighed.
Night had fallen, Mikhail drove Sean and Shinkichi to the airport.
“Goodbye, comrades. Let’s live to fight another day.”
“Who Dares Wins,” Sean said, hitting Mikhail’s right fist with his.
Shinkichi did so, too.
Mikhail waved, until their chartered private jet disappeared into the clouds.
CHAPTER 17
The warning lights to fasten seat belts turned off. Sean got up and went into the cockpit. Shinkichi opened the window blind. It was total darkness outside.
“Babe, are you alive or dead?” he murmured.
“I’m alive. Please let me out!” I kicked Shinkichi’s stomach from his pocket.
“Ouch… why do you move around so often? It hurts me a lot each time you move.” Shinkichi took the Jade Seal out of his pocket. He put up a small table, and put the Jade Seal on the table.
“I’m alive. Please let me out!” I pushed the walls of the Jade Seal and it fell over on the table.
Shinkichi put it back to a standing position. I pushed the walls of the Jade Seal again and it fell over again.
“Ah… the table isn’t stable.” Shinkichi sighed, picked up the Jade Seal and put it back into his pocket.
After having a chat with the pilot, Sean returned with two glasses of champagne.
“Mate, what’re you going to do with the Jade Seal?” he asked, handing one of the glasses to Shinkichi.
“I think I’ll take it to the Yuwen tomb. It belongs there,” Shinkichi answered, having a sip of the champagne.
“Good idea, will you come back to Perth with me afterwards?” Sean asked, sitting down in a seat opposite to Shinkichi.
“No, mate. I can’t face Missus Shilbury after losing Yuuko-chan. I’d better stay in Japan for a while.”
“I’m sure she won’t scold you. Please come back to Perth when you’re ready. She loves you like a son and my brother.” Sean said, drinking up his champagne.
“Thanks, mate.” Shinkichi drank up his champagne, too.
Their chartered private jet arrived at Haneda airport in Tokyo, Japan around 2.00 am. On their way to the domestic terminal, they walked past a sign of Airport Temporary Storage.
“Hmm, shall we put babe’s luggage into temporary storage?” Shinkichi asked, motioned at the two suitcases in his hands.
“Good idea, let’s go.” The two men followed the sign to the storage area, and put my suitcase into a storage locker.
By the time they sorted out their tickets to Sapporo, the needs to rest occupied their minds. They had not closed their eyes since the fight in Blagoveshchensk. They found a quiet corner of the airport and slept in chairs until they were called to board their flight.
Now, Shinkichi and Sean were on the highway to Rausu in a hire car. It was snowing heavily. Shinkichi put on the windscreen wipers. Sean was excited by the views of the snow-covered mountains, frozen rivers and lakes, which he had forgotten about when they were in Blagoveshchensk.
“Shall we stop somewhere on our way back?” he asked.
“What for?” Shinkichi inquired, not taking his eyes off the road.
“Go skiing, mate. I haven’t done that for a long time.”
“Ah… okay, if that is what you want,” Shinkichi replied, sounding absent minded.
Sean sensed the grief in Shinkichi’s voice. “Mate, I think the kid is still with us.”
“I’ve that feeling, too. But where is she?” Shinkichi asked.
“Shinkichi-san, I’m here, in your pocket!” I poked Shinkichi.
Shinkichi put on the indicator and stopped the car by the roadside.
“Do you want me to drive for a while?” Sean asked.
“Yes, please.” Shinkichi released the seat belt, and got out of the car.
He took the Jade Seal out of his pocket, gave it a wash in the snow; and hopped into the other front seat; then took out his creased black silk handkerchief, started polishing the Jade Seal.
“Isn’t it clean enough?” Sean asked with a cheeky smile on his face, starting the engine.
“It’ll be, after I finish the polishing,” Shinkichi answered.
Late in the afternoon, they arrived at the Umon house. Kaga came out when he heard the sound of their car, followed by his wife and son. They bowed as Shinkichi coming up to them.
“Shinkichi-san, welcome back.” Kaga greeted him. “Is Princess Yuuko not with you this time?” he asked, noticing my absence.
“Ah… hmm… she isn’t.” Shinkichi hesitated, not knowing what to say to the big beard man. Then, he saw Sean walking towards them. “This is my friend, Sean.”
“How do you do, Sean-san?” Kaga bowed to Sean.
“How do you do, Mister Umon?” Sean said, putting his hand out to Kaga. They shook hands.
“Is Princess Yuuko unwell?” Kaga enquired about me again, leading the men into the house.
“No, she isn’t well,” Sean answered for Shinkichi, following Kaga and sitting down on the tatami.
“No, that’s not true. Kaga-san, I’m well and I’m here!” I kicked Shinkichi’s stomach again, from inside his pocket.
“Ouch… the Jade Seal doesn’t like me.” Shinkichi stood up, took the Jade Seal out of his pocket and put it on the tatami.
“This is the Yuwen Imperial Jade Seal?” Kaga leaned forward to have a closer look.
“Kaga-san, I’m here. Please help me to get out!” I pushed the walls of the Jade Seal, and it rolled down on the tatami.
“Kaga-san, is there an earthquake coming?” Shinkichi asked.
“No, we haven’t received any alert.”
“Mate, maybe the Jade Seal is trying to tell us something?” Sean leaned closer to the Jade Seal, and fixed his eyes on it.
“Yes, I’m telling you to get me out of here!” I yelled to them.
“Well, if it does, it’d be something I don’t understand.” Shinkichi picked up the Jade Seal, wiped it with his handkerchief, and stared at it.
“Get me out of here!” I yelled.
Shinkichi ignored me. “Kaga-san, I want to take the Jade Seal to the Yuwen tomb,” he said, putting the Jade Seal back into his pocket.
“No problem. Please stay here tonight. We’ll leave early tomorrow.”
“Thank you very much,” Shinkichi said.
After a restless night, Shinkichi and Sean waited for Kaga by their car, watching the front door to the small wooden house anxiously. Finally, the door opened; and Kaga came out in his rice-straw hat, cape and snow straw sandals. They got into the car, and waved ‘goodbye’ to Kaga’s wife and son, then heading to Mount Rausu.
Sika deer ran around them as they were getting closer to the cave.
“We’re near the Yuwen tomb,” Shinkichi said to Sean whe
n he saw the huge sika stag in a distance.
“Ah wow,” the stag roared, running towards them. He stopped in front of Shinkichi, scratched the soil with his hooves, and knelt down beside him.
“Ah, Prince of Xianbei!” Kaga exclaimed, also knelt down in front of Shinkichi; hands on the ground, lowering his head between his arms, and facing down.
“No, I’m not a Prince of Xianbei although I was going to be.” Shinkichi bent, taking Kaga’s arms to pull him up from the ground.
“Yes, you are. The stag only does this to members of the Yuwen imperial family,” Kaga said, not moving from his position.
“Kaga-san, I’m telling you the truth. I don’t know why the stag is bowing to me.” Shinkichi pulled Gaga up by force.
“It’s because I’m in your pocket, you idiot!” I kicked Shinkichi’s stomach.
“Ouch…” Shinkichi took the Jade Seal out of his pocket.
When the stag saw the Jade Seal, he rose, taking Shinkichi’s hand and the Jade Seal into his mouth.
“Ow… let go of my hand!” Shinkichi was surprised by the stag’s attack, pulling and twisting his hand inside the huge animal’s mouth.
Sean came over quickly, but before he landed his hands on the sika stag, the animal opened his mouth slightly. Shinkichi pulled his hand out. The stag turned and ran towards the cave.
“Hey, give it back!” Shinkichi yelled, realising that he had lost the Jade Seal inside the stag’s mouth.
He caught up with the stag, and got hold of his tail. The animal kicked him with his back leg. Shinkichi fell to the ground.
Sean ran to Shinkichi, helping him to get up. “Mate, the stag’s kick can kill you. It’s better you don’t get too close.”
“No, I want my Jade Seal back.” Shinkichi pushed Sean away, and ran after the stag. Sean had no choice but to follow him.
“Shinkichi-san, stop!” Kaga called out loudly behind them. They stopped.
Kaga ran up to them. “There is no need to chase the stag. He guards the Yuwen tomb. The Jade Seal is safe,” he said, running out of breath.
“You should have told me sooner,” Shinkichi said, and sat down on the grass, rubbing the cuts on his hand, and the bruises on his leg.
Sean let out a deep breath. “This is good news. I truly don’t want to kill that beautiful animal in order to save Shinkichi,” He sat down on the grass, too.
Kaga also sat down to rest.
Sensing no one was chasing him, the stag slowed down and walked into the cave. He put the Jade Seal in front of the Yuwen stone, licking it gently. Flashes of green light from his eyes shone onto the Jade Seal and it exploded into thousands of green stars, the bright green light filled the cave.
“Mate, the Jade Seal is showing off its magic again!” Shinkichi said aloud, raising his arms to cover his eyes.
Sean and Kaga also raised their arms to shield their eyes from the bright green light.
In a column of bright green stars, I had descended on the sandy soil in the cave, wearing the coat that was stained with blood and bullet holes. A man in ancient warrior’s armour knelt in front of me.
“I’m at your service, Your Highness,” he said, lowering his head.
“Who are you?”
“I’m Sikaichi, Captain of the Yuwen Imperial Guard.”
“How do you do, Sikaichi-san? Please rise.”
The man stood up. He had broad shoulders and over six feet tall.
“Did you get me out of the Jade Seal?” I asked him.
“Yes, I did, Your Highness.”
“Why did the Jade Seal trap me inside it?”
“Did you use its power for someone not related to you?”
“Yes, I did use its power to save my friends.”
“The Jade Seal will imprison you whenever you use its power for someone not related to you.”
“No worries, I’ll ask Shinkichi-san to bring me here if it happens again.”
“No, I won’t be able to release you again.”
“Why not?”
“I have to live in the Yuwen stone for a hundred years for releasing you today.”
“No, that’s not fair!” I exclaimed.
“This is the law of the universe. You can’t take something without paying for it.”
“Then, I’ll go back inside the Jade Seal. I don’t want you to be a prisoner of the Yuwen stone for a hundred years because of releasing me today.”
“If you stay inside the Jade Seal, who will fulfil your duty as the Princess of Xianbei?”
“Shinkichi-san will do it for me.”
“Shinkichi-san?”
“Yes, Shinkichi-san. He’s my future husband, the future Prince of Xianbei. You’ll take the Jade Seal to him, won’t you?” I asked Sikaichi.
“Yes, Your Highness.” Sikaichi bowed at 50-degree.
I waved to the green light. The human-sized Jade Seal appeared and sucked me inside. The green light extinguished.
Shinkichi, Sean and Kaga ran into the cave, and saw the stag kneeling in front of the Jade Seal with tears in his big green eyes. When he saw Shinkichi, the stag picked up the Jade Seal; stood up and walked to him, pushing the Jade Seal into his hand, then knelt beside him.
“You're giving back my Jade Seal, you're a good boy.” Shinkichi grinned, patting the stag’s antler gently.
The stag lowered his head, and waited till Shinkichi put the Jade Seal into his pocket; then he lifted up his head, “Ah wow,” he roared.
Kaga immediately knelt down in front of Shinkichi, hands on the ground, lowering his head between his arms, and facing down.
“Your Highness, I’m at your service.”
“Kaga-san?” Shinkichi looked down at Kaga with a question mark in his eyes.
“Mate, it looks like you’ve just been crowned Prince of Xianbei,” Sean said cheekily.
“Me…? Prince of Xianbei without babe?”
“I’m here, Shinkichi-san!” I kicked Shinkichi from inside his pocket.
“Ouch… how can I be Prince of Xianbei when the Jade Seal doesn’t even like me!” Shinkichi cried out, taking the Jade Seal out of his pocket.
“Get up, Kaga-san. Let’s go home.” Shinkichi ordered Kaga.
Kaga got up, leading them off the mountains. The stag had followed them all the way to the foot of Mount Rausu.
CHAPTER 18
Early morning of the next day, Shinkichi and Sean said goodbye to Kaga and his family; and went on their way to Sapporo.
“Mate, would you please accompany me to Osaka? My parents will want to know why Yuuko-chan isn’t with me. I'm afraid I won’t be able to calm them, especially my father,” Shinkichi said to Sean while driving, without taking his eyes off the road.
“No problem, mate. Let me do the talking, and you do the interpretation.” Sean patted Shinkichi’s shoulder like a big brother.
When they stepped into the arrival hall of the domestic airport in Osaka, Mr and Mrs Abe were waiting for them.
“Mum, Dad!” Shinkichi embraced his parents.
“Where is Yuuko?” Mr Abe asked, looking around with his wife.
“I’m sorry—” Shinkichi became tearful.
“What do you mean you’re sorry? Where is she?” Mr Abe cut him off.
“Mister and Missus Abe, I can explain to you when we get to your house.” Sean said calmly. “It’s best we talk there.”
Although eager to know what had happened, Shinkichi’s parents were too polite to push for an immediate answer. They got into Mr Abe’s car, and no one spoke a word on the way home. The car went from wide roads to narrow streets, Sean had not taken his eyes away from the car windows, as if he was trying to remember every road and street from the airport to the Abe house.
As soon as they got inside the house, Sean picked up the telephone and turned it upside-down. A little black button was visible at the base of the phone. Shinkichi’s eyes were wide and his mouth opened. Sean immediately put a finger on his lips. Shinkichi shut his mouth without making a sound. Sean put
the telephone carefully back in its original position. Mr Abe watched in silence, and puzzled.
“Would you like to have a cup of coffee or tea?” Mrs Abe asked, looking at the three men. She obviously did not understand what they were doing.
Sean pointed to the ceiling. Shinkichi nodded.
“Mum, we want to get change first,” he said.
They went upstairs, into Shinkichi’s bedroom. Shinkichi took off his coat and threw it on the tatami as usual. Sean went to the front and back windows, surveying outside quickly with his eagle eyes. He then drew all the curtains, and started checking everything in the room: desk, cushions, linen and wardrobe; ceiling, tatami and walls. When he had finished, he took out a small note-pad and wrote quickly, then showing it to Shinkichi. It read, ‘The house is surrounded by suspicious people, hide the Jade Seal’.
Right at this moment, the doorbell rang.
“I’m sorry, my son—” Mr Abe’s voice was buried by the sound of heavy footsteps.
Sean quickly tore the piece of paper off the note-pad, put it into his mouth and swallowed it. He opened all the curtains, then leant against the front window, looking fixedly at the doorway.
I sensed danger and pleaded, ‘Jade Seal, please hide yourself… please!’
A few men appeared at the door. One of them had stepped forward and held up a badge. “I’m Police Inspector Kondo. Are you Shinkichi Abe-san?” he asked, staring at Shinkichi.
“Yes, I am. What can I do for you?”
“Abe-san, I arrest you on charges of suspected murder and theft of an ancient artefact,” the Inspector said, and turned to his men. “Search him!” he ordered, stepping aside.
Two plain clothes police officers came forward. “Raise your arms,” they ordered Shinkichi.
He raised his arms above his heads. The police officers patted down his entire body, from top to bottom and from front to back. Then they turned to the Inspector, shook their heads and showed him their empty hands.
“Search the entire room, the entire house, leave no stone unturned!” the Inspector yelled.
The police officers ran to different directions in the house. One stayed with the Inspector in Shinkichi’s room, who picked up Shinkichi’s coat which was on the tatami near the wardrobe, and turning the pockets inside-out, one by one.
