The Tsuchimikado Clan (2)

***LEI***

The door suddenly opened and I felt an unusually strong pressure of power. I felt my leg wobble at the sheer force but I held my ground and stood straight.

"That's enough." said a voice.

Standing by the door was a young woman who looked like the female version of Coby, except she had long black hair while Coby had his hair dyed to dark red due to their comeback.

"Sakura?"

"Welcome back older brother. Okaa-sama (mother) and Otou-sama (father) would like to see you and your friends."

Sakura led us to another room. Unlike the previous one, it was bigger and more elegant. A man wearing a brown suit sat at a wide throne-like chair. Somehow, his aura resembled that of my father's in many ways. He held that same authoritative look and neutral expression that says; 'Obey me.' By his side was a woman in a blue kimono and was serving him tea.

'She must be the madam of the clan.' I thought.

We sat on a cushion on the floor and were offered a variety of Japanese desserts to eat. Nobody touched it though and the entire room was engulfed in silence.

'Talk about awkward.'

"Welcome back Kazuki." said. Mr. Tsuchimikado.

"Father."

"Now tell me, why are you back? I thought you are already happy in South Korea?"

"Father, I…"

'So I'm not the only one who grew up with a very scary father.'

"Father, if I may." inserted Sakura. "One of them healed Hijiri through unfamiliar means. I can feel auras of powers around them."

"Kazuki, the aura of fire has shown again." said Coby's mother, Tsuchimikado Misaki.

"Father, Mother, the aura of fire is not out of control, I assure you. As for my friends… my friends are… we are here for…"

"Tsuchimikado-san." I called. "We are here concerning a relic left by the Maiden of the Stars under your care."

I saw Mr. Tsuchimikado stiffen. His wife and Sakura had the same reaction and their expression slowly turned into that of being furious. Meanwhile, Hayato and Hijiri only had an expression of confusion.

"Father, the relic, we need it." Coby said.

"Insolence!" exclaimed Mrs. Tsuchimikado. "Kazuki-"

"How did you know about the relic?" asked the clan head. "As well as the existence of the Maiden of the Stars?"

"Kazuki, have you been blabbing about our family secrets?" Sakura sneered on his twin brother. "That is punishable by death. Even if you are no longer involved with our affairs, it is already the clan's mercy that we left you alone and this is how you repay us? There is only so much a powerless person like you can do!"

'Now that's just ridiculous.'

Before I could even blow my top and meddle into their conversation, thunder suddenly rumbled and lightning flashed outside. Meanwhile, all the liquid in the room started floating around us. Calvin and Seven both stood up, their eyes hidden behind their hair. I had been translating the conversation all this while so I understood that they had reached the limit of their patients as well.

Mrs. Tsuchimikado fished out some paper talismans but my brother suddenly appeared beside her and snatched it from her.

"How dare you!" Sakura readied her staff but it suddenly flew out of her hands and landed on Leo.

"I've had enough of this." Seven said in English. "I agree with what Lei said a while ago you know. Coby has long been our family, and listening to him being insulted over and over again by the people he used to call family just won't sit still with me."

Either they understood him perfectly or the sudden display of powers, Coby's family was scared. And somehow, I felt a little relieved.

"They said," I stood next to Seven. "People with a difficult past are the kindest. They also smile the brightest. Coby may be annoying at times but as I said, he is family. He is my precious younger brother."

I slowly made my way towards the head of the clan whom I noticed to be shaking on his seat.

"If you are willing to throw him away for not having powers like you, I don't care. But insulting him like that in front of us is too much, don't you think? Tsuchimikado-san?"

"That is… well…"

Thunder roared outside, followed by a flash of lightning.

"So what if he doesn't possess spiritual powers like the rest of you do?" I saw their eyes widened. "So what if he does not have the skills and talent of an onmyoji like the rest of the Tsuchimikado's? He is still a person. He has rights. And most importantly, he has feelings. He is your flesh and blood, yet you treat him like dirt."

"Mr. Tsuchimikado." Seven called. "We did not come here for Coby to be berated and for us to suddenly seem evil to you, so I would appreciate it if you don't go beyond the line."

"That's enough guys." said Coby.

"But dude!" Chen complained. "They've been insulting since a while ago! Is the ten year old kid the only person with a sense around here?"

"I said… that's enough!" his fire powers flared in the room and engulfed him in blue flames.

We heard the Tsuchimikado's gasp.

"They're still my family guys; my parents and my siblings. I don't want you to hurt them."

They cancelled their powers and we finally calmed down. We all returned to our seats, but Sakura started charging at us. She was stopped by Coby who melted her staff with the blue fire on his hand.

"Kazuki!"

"That's enough Sakura. If you don't respect me as your older brother, at least back off for the sake of your life. My friends aren't the normal bunch. I'm no longer that powerless kid from back then and I won't hesitate to hurt you if you do something to them."

Sakura huffed in disbelief and walked out of the room. Coby was then called by his father so they could talk privately and we were sent to a guest room to wait. Nobody was really keen on leading us, except for Hijiri.

"But miko-sama-"

"I will lead them if you guys aren't willing. Now just go." she said proudly at one of her family's servants.

She led us to the guest room. When we got there, she immediately bowed, dogeza-style[1].

"Hijiri-chan!"

"I am very sorry about how my family treated you! Kazu-nii-chan never really had a good reputation, that's why the members act that way. On behalf of them, I deeply apologize."

For a ten-year-old kid, she was very mature. Well, she did cry a while ago, but I immediately forgot about it because of her actions.

"And even so, please don't harm any of our clan members."

My brother and friends only looked at me.

"You're the one good with kids as well as our current reader. You deal with this." said Seven.

I sighed at their reaction. I only smiled and ruffled Hijiri's hair.

"We don't plan on doing so, now stand up Hijiri-chan. Why don't you tell us why your Kazu-nii-chan has a bad reputation?"

"Well…"

Tsuchimikado Kazuki was born without spiritual powers, a very basic requirement to be an onmyoji. As the eldest son, the clan had high expectations from him, but he disappointed them. Instead, the aura of fire was very strong within him. Even without meaning to, he would burn anything and anyone.

"Father said a phoenix chose him to be its host, but his mind could not handle it. That's why he often lost control."

Many clan members hated him for that and alienated him. When he was six, the aura of fire and the phoenix was sealed and he became a normal person. Too normal. He couldn't use talismans or spiritual magic, so he was regarded as useless. His father sent him to study in South Korea when he was thirteen where he was scouted by MME. And that was how I met him.

"Even after all these years, he is still nice."

Hijiri asked us for stories about her older brother. Of course, being the nice older brothers we were, we shared a few of them.

Later that night, Coby came to the room we were staying in. Hijiri was picked up by Hayato and had already gone to bed.

"Dad told me the current identity of the Maiden of the Stars. He said she will be the one to tell us where the codex is. Anyway, her current identity is a psychiatrist in the Philippines, Dr. Skye Lesfar."

I was speechless and dumbfounded.

'You have got to be kidding me!'

"Lesfar? As in Lesfar Industries?" Leo asked.

"She's the third child and the eldest daughter of the family." Chen answered.

"You know her?" I asked.

"Father told me about them. They invest in our business."

"Right. Well, let me make a call first."

For the first time in the last few days, I took out my phone and turned it on. I also took out the calling card Dr. Lesfar gave me the last time we met at Seoul.

"Dr. Skye Lesfar speaking. Hello Lei Zhang."

"How did you-"

"Kimihiro gave me a call a while ago. I was already expecting your call."

"Then that actually make things easier. Are you aware of what we need from you?"

"He also gave me a summary of what happened. At least to what Kazuki told him. It was interesting that you and your friends stood up against him by the way."

"So, you'll agree? You'll help us?"

"Yes."

"That's great! I'll book a flight for you. I'll pay for everything!"

"I could just tell you where it is you know."

"Coby's father told us f your identity instead of revealing where the codex is. That means you're the only one who knows where it is and how to get it."

"Smart. You're good. Ah, you don't have to book a flight or anything."

A sudden breeze passed behind me and I heard a few gasps from my friends. I suddenly felt a hand on my shoulder.

"I can just meet you directly." said a familiar voice behind me. I turned around and saw Dr. Lesfar with a smirk on her face.