Liability (5)

The chauffeur slowed down the busy lane adjacent to Seibu Shinjuku Station Road for a slight turn straight down Yasukuni-dori Avenue. 

I glanced through the tinted window of my Toyota Rav4 to study the lively people around. A far cry from the deadpan faces in the business district. Women were chatting with shopping bags in hand. Teenagers were shoving each other playfully. 

Arahabaki was sitting quietly next to me, looking at the sights on his side with a wicked smile. 

I would much rather take out the Maserati through tinted windows to watch their envious faces. However, the Maserati is rare, compared to the more common RAV4. Hence, easy to track down.

"I smell three wolves," he said, then sniffed a few times. "Wolves with McDonald's... large fries... burgers, chicken nuggets."

"Where?" I looked towards the McDonald's across the road from the shopping mall. A few foreigners were walking along the pedestrian paths. Some looked like teenagers from expatriate families,except for three men walking in suits, clutching the McDonald's brown paper bag. Yet no aura was emanating from any of them. 

"Them?" I gestured towards the three, who were laughing and chatting. 

Arahabaki shook his head. "Ordinary humans. We will see the werewolves soon."

"Make a turn to Central Road," Arahabaki ordered my chauffeur, who obliged.

Arahabaki is hunkering for a fight. His fingers and hand were now curled up in a fist. He needed an outlet for venting his pent up aggression and wrath.

Something to hit at. Eve Online was only a partial release for his destructive nature. Now, Shinde Inc. has turned into an additional vent for the volcanic temper simmering in him. I could feel the anger emanating out of his being. 

"Them meat chunks there," he pointed at three foreign males with the built of lightweight body builders in casual t-shirt and jeans. One is a blonde and the other two are brunettes. A mild aura is present.

They towered over the average locals, who were scurrying past. Approximately around two meters in height. Arahabaki himself is tall by Japanese standards. With a slender built. Perhaps around 1.75 meters?  

"Why are you looking at me?" He moved closer to my face as I backed against the car door. "Are you interested? I don't mind banging for fun… after I did thousands before. Mortals, yōkai and even lesser gods. Very experienced, you might say."

A shudder ran through my human form spine as his tongue licked his lips slowly. His eyes had a wild fire in them. It is almost attractive if not for his nasty reputation of unpredictable volatility.

"I think it is best…," I trailed off as his head turned away to peer at the window. 

Then he moved away. 

"Okay, they stopped looking," he spoke as though nothing had happened. 

The satisfied smirk on his face is clear. He enjoyed making me uncomfortable.

***

Cowardly chicken shit is too cautious of toying with the new and unknown, Arahabaki thought as he looked in front. Kuro with her arms akimbo and some fidgety small time kitsune were waiting for him. 

Old Tsukuyomi will bring the moon into full bloom. That foreign god warned of the werewolves changing into their true forms during the full moon. 

He could feel the stare of the watching werewolf in that not-so-discreet foreign human appearance. His godly senses told him that two were lurking somewhere in the alley. All six werewolves were working in a shift like order. Those fools are going to attack at full form. 

"Can they recognise you?" Kuro dragged him by the arm quickly into the dark entrance of the club past four kitsune who are masquerading as bouncers. 

"No."

None can recognise him because he never attacked in his human form. Why was she acting like those nagging human mothers whom he has observed in parks? 

Females. Regardless of mortal, yōkai or even gods, they are all mouthy bitches who should mind their business. If she is not Yamata-no-Orochi's daughter, he would kill her on the spot for the annoyance.

"If you are interested in me, say so," he whispered near Kuro's ear. 

Her head turned and faced him, while his eyes roamed slowly from her gripping arm to her chest.

In an instant, her hold on him loosened, and she stepped away. Yup, Kuro's weakness is being intolerant of lewdness. Opposite to her father. 

Once freed, Arahabaki took a look at the garish decor of the spacious club. The lights were on. He hated the whole artificial industrial interior. No nature in sight.

Metal beams above them like some jungle gym of lights. Even the gold trimmings were fake - probably plastic or some alloy painted with faux gold. 

Even in the Internet cafes which he invested in, he made them add a few plants or a fish tank. His reserved corner always had a natural living plant nearby. In this club, the only plants stank of plastic.

Some of kitsune scattered over the large floor are just pretending to do chores. The club reeked like a hospital. He is aware that they are sizing him up very discreetly.

Two are sweeping the clean floor, others wiping tables or chairs and another mopping the stage. To the right was a kitsune polishing the glasses.

There are more hiding in the back. All are above three centuries old. 

Arahabaki smirked - the kitsune are expecting a fight. 

Safety in numbers or bullying in numbers, Arahabaki wondered. Against six werewolves? Still, they will be outnumbered by his momonofu if they try him personally. 

He won't mind watching several kitsune against six werewolves. That will be a hoot.

His eyes spotted the three oldest kitsune elders waiting at a stairway for him. With a small child like yōkai trembling behind them. Fear has never tasted sweeter. 

Good old Yako. Arahabaki winked at the jittery kitsune. 

A smile can easily unsettle him. A curl of his lips and Yako's face turned pale. That paranoid fuck was fun to play with. 

Good thing that Yako could still shit his pants at the mention of his name. The now naturalised kitsune yōkai had mistaken his small shrine as an easy punching bag for his frustration after trashing two neighbouring sacred trees, traumatising the timid kodama.

In return for the damage done to his shrine and having to listen to the irritating wailing of his neighbours, Ahabaraki unleashed his wrath by stomping repeatedly on him mercilessly until Yako begged for mercy. He had taught Yako the precious lesson of underestimating one's opponent. 

The other two are not of interest. No point remembering their names, as he has no need of using them or their incessant ass kissing. Mouths are moving. Arahabaki remained smiling but not listening. So fun to see Yako trying to hide behind the other two old kitsune farts.

***

"Light up your cigarette," Arahabaki held me back before we approached the entry way. 

"Huh, why?"

Isuki clutched at my jacket in fear. The injuries on him were not regenerating as fast as they should.

"Who is the god here?" 

"Fine." I pulled the iQos out. 

"FOR FUCK'S SAKE…," Arahabaki shouted and snapped his fingers. "CAN SOMEONE GIVE ME THE TRADITIONAL CIGARETTE?"

Shintaro, who is the nearest to us, rushed forward with an offering of one cigarette. 

"Smoke this," Arahabaki gestured for me to take the cigarette while waiving away the rest with the same offering. 

I took it gingerly and shoved my iQos back in my side pocket. Planting it in my mouth, I asked. "Lighter?"

A flame appeared on Arahabaki's finger and he lighted it for me. 

"Whatever you do, just walk straight to the car with this tiny yōkai of yours and get your asses in. Don't look back. Don't hesitate." He barked the instructions out. 

I puffed and suddenly he vanished. The smoke was thicker. That cunt had shape shifted into a small whitish aura, camouflaging himself with the smoke exhaled.

Taking Isuki by hand, we both walked quickly to the waiting car. Four werewolves had appeared around ten meters and approaching slowly. Still in human form. The skies are darkening as the moon faintly appeared.

Just a few inches away from the car now, ,my hand reached out for the door handle. They were running forward. I shoved Isuki in and hopped in, just in time to see a large swirling haze around it.

"NOW GO." His voice echoed loudly.

The chauffeur immediately stepped on the pedal and went straight into the empty road, in the middle of nowhere. Trees were surrounding us. Was this the actual method of how gods could obfuscate views and spirit away humans? 

"Arahabaki is scary," Isuki whispered to me as I examined the claw marks and the leaking of the greenish yōkai energy from it. 

"Yeah, but you need to regenerate and heal your wounds." 

Arahabaki's presence was gone. 

"Find out where we are and get back to the office," I urged our chauffeur. He nodded and drove onwards on the isolated road.