__Part 13__
to Part 12; to Tobajan Mahjong 11; to Part 14
Kasha: Fufu... I let that one slip by, didn't I?
Kasha: Hahn... You've gained in power, Jango...
Kasha: Haaah!! Jango-san! Take me, please!
Kasha moans, fully in my power.
''Master, you're incredible!''
''You did it!''
''Ugh...''
Kasha looks at me with tender eyes.
''Mr. Jango, can you feel the power fill up your body?''
''Yes...''
''It is the fruit of your training. However, you cannot win against the half-tiger with that alone.''
''Ehhhh? Is that still not enough?''
''You must have wild power in order to fight wild power...''
''Wild power?''
''You must get a new Shikigami, Mr. Jango.''
''I have heard of a wild Hitokata who lives to the west of Shinjuku, in a place called Tokyo Dream Island.''
''Go and get that Shikigami...do you understand?''
We arrive at an open space in a valley surrounded by tall buildings.
This is the place that Kasha described to us about...Tokyo Dream Island. It's a very odd name for a garbage dump.
''Is this the place Kasha was talking about?''
''Yes it is.''
''Wow. This is incredible.''
''Yuck! What a filthy place!''
''This is not a real garbage dump. A skyscraper was originally supposed to be built here...''
''I see. I thought that it's strange to have such an open space in a place like this.''
''You said 'originally'. Is it different now?''
''Yes...this lot was cleared to construct the building, but...''
''After the breakdown of the bubble economy at the beginning of the 1990's, the construction plans were scrapped...''
''Bubble!? Is it from soap?''
''...No it is not.''
''...It would take too long to explain it to her, so explain it some other time.''
''Okay.''
''That is the reason why this land is left as a vacant lot...''
''After that, people who wanted to discard large, unwanted junk started doing so illegally...''
''Because it costs money to dispose of large items, like cars, refrigerators, and so on.''
Kumi nods enthusiastically...
''And once someone does it, it's easier for others to throw things away, too.''
''I don't understand.''
''To construct a building, the builder became vacant first, and the soap broke next, then the constructor died, and finally this place became a garbage dump? Why?''
''...It seems that we require a long time in order to make Miss Rakushi understand...''
''...Stupid girl!''
''You're being mean again...''
''Let's set it aside for now, please......''
I look around.
''There is a Hitokata who has wild power around here somewhere, right?''
''Yes...Kasha never lies.''
But I can't see any movement.
''What kind of Hitokata possesses wild power? Do you know, Rinka?''
''A Hitokata who is a descendent of the holy beast, 'White Tiger' ...the embodiment of the tiger, or so I've heard....''
''The spirit of the White Tiger is the most noble animal in the wild...''
''...Can such a wild Hitokata play mahjong?''
''This Hitokata is a descendent of the holy beast. The only reason that this Hitokata has the heart of a wild animal is because she does not desire anything more of her existance.''
''The reason she does not play mahjong is because she does not want to play...she does not understand because she does not want to think...''
''So you mean that if she wants to play, she can play?''
''Exactly.''
''Is this really the place?''
Rakushi is looking around restlessly.
''It's as quiet as death here.''
''Yes...it certainly appears that way.''
''Koukaku, do you feel anything?''
''No....nothing at all...''
''As any other animal, maybe she is good at hiding her aura...''
''Shit! I could find her easily if I can feel her aura...''
''She's hiding somewhere in this huge and empty area, right?''
''Find her is going to be a problem...''
''What if we set fire to the garbage? If she doesn't want to be burned to death, she would come out.''
''Do you want to become an arsonist now? Idiot!!''
''I thought it was a good idea....''
''...Master does not want Shinjuku to turn into a sea of flames...''
''...Fortunately, despite the size of this area, there are not that many hiding places ...''
''You're right. There're five of us. I'm sure we can find her in no time if we split up.''
''...Actually, you can only count four and one half people, not five.''
''You're so mean!''
''Oh! So you can recognize yourself after all.''
''Wahhhh...''
''...We are wasting time...we should start searching now.''
''Yes. Good luck, Master!''
We split up and start to search the mountain of garbage for the hiding place of the wild Hitokata.
''If you find her, let us know at once.''
''Yes, I understood.''
''Master!''
''Did you find her?''
''Er...no, but there're so many things here that still look useful. It's so wasteful...''
''You don't have time to worry about it right now.''
''Humans just don't appreciate what they have...these things are crying due to such bad treatment... Look, here's a perfectly good toaster oven, that still works...''
Kumi is still mumbling.
''Kumi looks like a middle-aged lady when she does that...''
''Miss wild Hitokata...are you here?''
Rakushi is looking into the refrigerator.
''Be serious while looking.''
''I am looking seriously...''
Suddenly, Koukaku nervously shouts out to me.
''Jango! I feel something...there, where the tires are...she's over there! ''
''There!''
As if trigger by my voice, a white shadow jumped out from the pile of used tires.
The shadow is passing straight through the vacant land with great force.
''Don't let her escape!''
''Yes, Master. ''
Rinka spreads her wings and flies powerfully up the air. Then she takes off after the white shadow.
''I see! She can easily keep track of the white shadow from the air.''
''That's true...''
''Stop standing there admiring her, chase after them! You have wings too!''
''But I can't fly as fast as Rinka.''
''...As I thought, you really are a bug, you bug!''
''Wahhhh...''
''......Stop fighting and follow Rinka!''
''Yes, sir!''
Because Rinka is so easy to see, we can tell the location of the wild Hitokata easily.
However, we can't catch up to them because they're moving too fast...
Rakushi is up in the air, but she can't move fast as Rinka or the wild Hitokata. She's just hanging in the air and looking flustered.
''What are you doing, slowpoke!''
''But both of them are moving too fast...''
''...I don't have any more words to say to you...''
''Koukaku...you look exactly the same as Miss Taeko.''
''Shut up!!''
''Dammit...stop moving around so much, you annoying Hitokata...if only she runs little slower, I can trap her in a barrier...''
''Koukaku, you just need to stop her for a little while, right?''
''Easier said than done.''
''Yes, I know, but....''
''I didn't want to do this...but I have no choice...''
I took my mahjong set out from the holster, and took out a tile. I aimed it carefully.
''Master...what are you going to do?''
''Hush!''
I concentrated and threw the mahjong tile at the running Hitokata.
Whack!!
The mahjong tile that I threw hit the Hitokata square on.
''Gyah!''
The Hitokata screamed and stopped running.
''That was great, Master! You have great control...uh oh.''
Grrrr...!!
The Hitokata glared angrily at me, and then rushed at me.
''Koukaku! When the Hitokata gets close to me, put up the barrier and trap her.''
''But, then you'll be...''
''It doesn't matter! This is our only chance to catch her!''
''O- Okay...''
''Rrrrrr!''
The Hitokata jumped into the air and reached for my throat with her claws.
''Barrier...up!''
''..........................................................''
I stand ready to protect myself from the Hitokata's attack.
''Nooooo!''
Suddenly, Kumi rushed in and slammed her body against the side of the Hitokata.
''!!!''
''Kyaa.....''
The Hitokata loses her balance, and drops to the ground in the middle of her attack.
''Master, are you all right?''
''Kumi...don't be so reckless. That was very dangerous!!''
''...But, Master was going to be...''
Kumi sounds a little sulky, and glances up at me.
Her eyes are filled with tears.
''If anything happened to you...I...''
''Kumi...''
''Oh!...Kumi, you're bleeding...oh dear...''
Crash!!
''Ouch!!''
''Why are you the one who faints? Idiot!''
''I get weak when at the sight of blood....''
''Oh, shut up!''
As Rakushi said, Kumi's arm is bleeding.
''Kumi, are you all right?''
''Yes...the claw just grazed me. It's not serious.''
''I'm sorry, it was because of me...''
''It's not your fault, Master.''
''Now hurry...that Hitokata...''
''I understand.''
We're inside the barrier that Koukaku created.
Nothing appears to be changed, but this area is completely isolated.
There is no way for the wild Hitokata to escape from here.
''....................................................''
The Hitokata is watching us warily.
For now, the Hitokata is more surprised than angry at Kumi's intervention...
''...Can you understand my words?''
''................................................''
We can't tell from it's expression whether or not the Hitokata understands my words.
''I'm feeling tremendous energy... Is this the power of the wild Hitokata?''
''Just like fire...you can easily get burned if you're not careful.''
''If I knited a wool scarf from this Hitokata's tail, it would be nice and warm.''
...There is only one person here who lacks seriousness, but I'll leave her alone for now...
''Master, the name of that Hitokata is Hyoko.......''
''Can you read its mind, Rinka?''
''...There are no clear thoughts inside this Hitokata's mind...just feelings and emotions...''
''However, her name, Hyoko, is very clear in her mind.''
''...Hyoko.''
''Grrrrr.....''
''Can she understand my words at all?''
''No...but she can understand the meaning even if she can't understand the words...there is no need to worry about it.''
''Hyoko...my name is Jango Abe. I am a Shikigami Master who handles Shikigami and plays Tobanjan, a special kind of mahjong fighting.''
''................................................''
''I need a Shikigami who has a wild power...to make it short, I need you.''
''Grrrrr.....''
''Even you don't understand my words, you know what I mean, right? I want to have a match and make a contract with you.''
''Grrrrrr...''
''I need your power. Let's go!''
''Roar!''
__Part 13__
to Part 12; to Tobajan Mahjong 11; to Part 14