Smile, The Worst Is Yet To Come

Chapter IIII
Smile, The Worst Is Yet To Come
 

“How do you know about that?”

“I saw it on the monitor. My job is to watch; the only reason I was the one who came to collect you is because one of the Technology Department is on maternity leave and we’re short-staffed.”

Turning around to face her company, Rin rested her back, the edges of her elbows on the handrail. “Talk about coincidence.”

“I don’t believe in coincidence,” the bear shook his head. “Rin Tan...” Kumata’s tone lowered with his line of sight. “I will do everything I can to help you. Really, I mean that. So,” beady eyes met hers as he looked up. “s-so please, come to me if you have any problems with your Contract. Or anything else.” Folding in half, Kumata held the pose.

Easing up on the barrier, Rin advanced for the bear. “I know I’m a little conceited but see,” taking his shoulders, she pulled Kumata into an upright position with a contented expression. “I could tell that Ayakashi have even more humility than the humans do.”

“Not all of us are so passive. I hate to agree with what he said, but what Shimizu Tan said wasn’t that far from the truth.” He looked away, as if he’d seen the dangerous results first hand. “Those of higher ranks tend to take advantage of their power.”

Patting his shoulder, Rin shook her head. “I’ve decided to deal with my problems as they come: not worrying before, nor running away from them when they do.” Smiling, the redhead ran her hand through the super-soft fur. “Kumata San, please explain what you’re supposed to before we get there.” Mimicking the gesture for moments ago, Rin released her grip and took a step back. Leaning forward, the female gave a formal bow in gratitude.

Seeing that girl’s smile, and the way she had lowered herself as if she was no better than them reaffirmed something he’d long forgot. Kumata had once been something much less than what he was now - He had been inanimate but loved still...by a human. Rin reminded him of that, of her, which was probably, definitely, why he held so much faith in her. That expression on her face solidified his feelings - he was going to help her no matter what.

Returning the favour of straightening the female into an upright stance, Kumata huffed his shoulders stiff. “The passport is only used in the human world, but it’s best to keep it with you at all times, as - with your sector - you can be called to a job at any time. The device,” he pointed at the silver object in her hand. “Is one of the three things you need to survive in this plane.”

“What are the other two?” She blinked at him, waiting to absorb all of the information she could.

Scooping his paw, asking her to follow, Kumata began to walk. Prodding the button on the wall at the end of the corridor, the pair waited for the elevator. “Excuse my bluntness, but brass…” His words teetered off and the woman quirked her brows.

“Brass?” She asked and the bear nervously leaned in. Getting close to her ear, he covered his mouth with his paw and whispered the continuance. Rin let out a howling laughter at the word coming from the passive plush toy. “The other?” She tried to reign in her giggle when she noticed the bear recoil in embarrassment.

“A powerful Ayakashi.” The metallic door pinged open and the pair stepped inside the metal box. “You, Rin Tan, have already shown your tenaciousness when you stood up for us without knowing anything about how this world works. If you can convince Yataga Tama to make a contract with you, you’ll quickly become known.”

“Yataga?” She asked as the bear pushed the B2 button and the elevator descended.

“Yatagarasu Tama,” Kumata told as they waited for the box to descend.

Brow raised at the familiar name, Rin asked, just to make sure. “The Ten Sun Crows?”

“Wow, your knowledge is nothing to laugh at.” The metallic doors slid open to reveal a subway-like space of bare brick and frigid temperatures. “But Houyi Tama killed nine of them.” Walking out into the stale underground air, the bear waddled over to the yellow line painted a pace before the platform ended.

Stopping by his side with anticipation, the redhead tried to balance her senses as she was overtaken by the suffocating smell of earth and oil. “Then?” She asked, already imagining a tiny black crow with tattered feathers that could barely fly. She just couldn’t see how such a thing had sent everyone who saw the name on the screen into madness only moments ago.

The train that had been clattering down the line didn’t ease into a stop like in the human world, but instead came to a metal screeching dead-halt in front of the pair. “With each death, those remaining received the powers of the others. Now, there is only one.”

Still holding her hands over her ears, the redhead hunched and yelled without knowing how loud she was being. “With the power of all of them?”

Waiting until the both of them were inside the cart which was decorated in high-class velvets and miniature chandeliers, the bear took a seat on one of the deep coloured wooden benches and gestured for the female to sit opposite him. “After watching your trial, I can understand why you were paired with her. You both have the same outlook on life – un-life - but you’re both still waiting.”

Dropping down on the plush cushion of the bench unlike anything you’d find on any human subway line, the redhead prodded the salt pot which was beside a leather-bound menu on the table separating them. “Waiting for what?”

“Someone who will love you - someone strong enough to not die so easily.”

Head down, yet celedon irises focused on her company, the redhead played serious. “For a teddy bear, you’re awfully annoying at working things out.”

Keeping his eyes down, Kumata continued softly. “Yataga Tama is a difficult Ayakashi to get along with, regardless.”

“I’ll deal with her when I meet her.” Rin flapped her hand dismissively.

“I suppose that’s your only difference...”

“What?”

“She always plans ahead. By now, she would have been notified that she’s in cue to be Contracted.” The bear raised its head to look the female in the eye.

“You make her sound like some kind of supervillain.” Rin turned to look out of the window, remembering how it felt to be described in such a way.

“You have many similar life experiences, which I think will be your relationship’s saving grace. I believe you can help each other. It’s whether she will let you try that’s going to be the issue.” The train jolted to a stop and the fixtures clattered, sending the redhead into defensive panic. Squeezing out of his seat, Kumata waddled down the aisle and out of the electronic doors.

Giving chase as to not be left behind on such strange transport, Rin leapt out onto the empty platform. “Everything looks familiar, yet the feeling is completely different.” She made a note of the crisp air cold with the scent of dirt in winter.

Suddenly stopping, Kumata spun around. “That’s your senses are getting used to this world. I’m sure you’ve heard of the Mind’s Eye?”

Rin also stopped when the towering toy loomed over her. “O-of course.”

“It’s a weapon to a Contractor. Many of them train for centuries to be able to use it, but it seems like yours is already a scab waiting to be picked at.”

“Please don’t call any of my body parts a scab.” The redhead’s stomach churned while her hand wafted away the visual image.

“Maybe you really are the Goddess of Luck.” He chuckled, but Rin still could remove the mental image of being a giant scab. “We’ll soon see.” Stopping in front of another elevator, Kumata pressed the first-floor button.”

“We’re going shopping? Don’t tell me she’s a part-time cashier.” She asked sceptically but the bear didn’t humour her with a look.

“The placement of the tracks is one of the few things we share with your remembrance of Japan. Besides that, the only things in the same place are the regional borderlines, natural waterways, and holy places.”

“You ca-”

“Floor damaged: Use emergency stairs,” the electronic voice of the elevator spoke.

“Wednesday nights are always so troublesome here.” Shaking his head, Kumata waddled over to the fire-door off to the left. Pulling open the heavy-duty door and stepping into the lightless stairwell, the tawny Ayakashi muttered. Turning back to face the female, the bear shrugged as best it could. “Unless you want to wait until Monday, I’d hurry up if I was you.”

Seeing no other way around it, Rin hurried into the darkness. “What’s going on?”

Unfazed by the usual for that time of the week, the bear plodded along up the steps. Reaching the floor they were after, he pushed the door open and stepped out into the pitch-black hallway with no windows. “There are some certain Ayakashi that only fight mid-week, and wager currency so they can live an irresponsible weekend. The utilities in this building are old and hardly any of the resources go into upgrading because of the use of it.”

“It’s like a real government; if the big wigs don’t like something, they don’t bother with it.”

“Except this government doesn’t tolerate nay-sayers, and they actively persecute them, so please be careful, Rin Tan.”

Huffing and puffing as she climbed towards their destination, the redhead stopped on the landing to fix her hair. “Kumata San, can I ask you something personal?”

The addressed halted with his paw on the door handle as bass from high tempo music thumped and the reverberation of caterwauling became clearly apparent. Eyes fixed on the barrier, the bear nodded.

“You weren’t always like this, were you? What happened?”

“I was a mundane plushie with no ability to communicate with people. My owner was the kindest, most hard-working human I’ve ever come across. All she wanted was to make her parents proud of her. At the end of her day at school, she would pick me up off her pillow and tell me her day. Everything, she would tell me every minute detail. And then place me on her table as she studied and ask me for good luck.” Gripping the handle tighter, Kumata hung his head. “She was consumed by an Ayakashi, and I was infected in the attack. I watched her die and I could do nothing about it. The most use I had was mopping up her blood before her parents threw her things out.” Pulling open the door, Kumata held the barrier open for the redhead.

Placing her hand over the paw with a grip on the handle, Rin inclined her head. “Whether people die, or abandon you, they still leave you; I know how that feels.”

“I’ve never been on the receiving end of a person’s sympathy. But I feel like this is a bad time for you to be thinking of my downfalls or anything besides trying to convince Yataga Tama. Rin Tan, before we go in there,” he removed the female’s hand and shut the door again. “I have to tell you as much as I know.” The addressed nodded in acknowledgement. “There are things about this world which are completely different from yours. Contractors are not immortal - Going against Yataga with no knowledge or experience is suicide. In any normal situation, there’d be several options to choose from. As your advisor, I’m ashamed to say that I have no idea how to help you.”

“I’ll win.”

“I hate to disrespect any Contractor - let alone you - but, no,” the giant bear’s head fell from one side to the other, “you won’t.”

“Okay, maybe I won’t win.” Rin rubbed the back of her head, knowing that even her cockiness couldn’t save her right now. “But I definitely won’t lose without trying, either.” Pulling a silver elastic tie from her wrist, Rin dragged her hair up into a high ponytail.

"I wish I could help you, but I have no information on her besides her element, rank, and that you shouldn’t mention the man she still claims as her master.”

“Things like rank have nothing to do with it. And I’m not so low as to open the old scars of someone I don’t know to gain the upper hand.” Tightening the new hairstyle, Rin cocked her head with a grin. “Just make sure to call an ambulance if I look like I’m about to cark-it.”

“Please don’t joke about that.”

“Don’t worry so much; there’s always tomorrow.” She cut her company off. Exhaling a sigh, Rin opened the door. “Let’s hope that this place has booze.” She strut out into the huge open space filled with smoke and jeering thugs.

Trying to follow her, Kumata coughed despite not having any lungs. “That’s not all-” He had lost the redhead within the fray of Ayakashi and Contractors placing five-figure bets. “Rin Tan?” Kumata reached out, but the redhead was already gone.

Updated: 8th February 2020 - 16:21