CHAPTER 22: CROSSROADS

Now, walking with her by my side, I couldn't imagine how incredibly lonely Shin'yume would be without her.

 And I wasn't sure if that was a problem or not. I already had enough problems.

 Suddenly, she stopped.

 "When Shion bites you, it's stressful, isn't it?" she asked.

 "Shion is stressful. But, yes. Her bites are…" I suppressed a shudder.

 Yuki's eyes grew wide. "Oh. Oh no. Ryu… you're becoming… a mutant!"

 I stopped mid-step. "What? You've got to explain."

 She bobbed up and down, her blue eyes darting left to right as she tried to find the words. "I remember reading in this comic book about this school for people like us…"

 "Okay… and what happened?"

 "Well… when the characters are teenagers, they go through something stressful… and they get powers, but they… mutate!"

 She was so serious that I wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry.

 "I'm not turning into a mutant, Yuki."

 A few moments later, Yuki spoke up again. "You can see me now, Ryu? Color and everything?"

 "Yes. Well, almost. You look like a picture that's been in the sunlight for too long."

 "Oh… like at my grandma's house."

 Then.

 "Do you think I'm pretty?" she asked softly.

 The question hit me harder than it should have, echoing in my chest. I hesitated, words suddenly elusive.

 Seeing my pause, her gaze dropped. "Never mind. It doesn't matter," she murmured, turning away slightly. "I know I'm not supposed to be here anyway, but…"

 She glanced back at me, her blue eyes hopeful yet uncertain. "It would be nice if you thought I was pretty."

 She was beyond pretty.

 I was never good at telling people much of anything. How could I describe her?

 Yuki was as beautiful as untouched snow, glowing like moonlight reflecting off ice in winter. She was as soft and delicate as breath misting on a frozen morning.

 And just as fragile.

 I forced myself to look away, heart pounding, and stared ahead. "I think you're pretty, Yuki," I said.

 Breathless. "You do? Ryu! You just made my whole day!"

 She floated in small circles as we walked. I tried to hide my smile.

 I stood at the crossroads.

 One path led toward Shin'yume. To work and responsibility. The other stretched toward the tunnel, toward home—or whatever home meant now.

 Provided it would let me leave this time.

 What would Andy do?

 Andy would go back. Andy had a life elsewhere.

 But what about Ryu Kazeyama? What would the mighty dragon of a windswept mountain do?

 Would he abandon a friend? Would he let a tanuki die?

 Was he even human anymore?

 I inhaled sharply, unsure which path to take.

 Then I felt it.

 A vibration.

 It came from deep beneath my feet, spreading up through my bones, urgent and unmistakable. I knelt quickly, pressing my palms flat against the ground. The earth spoke clearly—three figures, heavy footsteps, purposeful strides.

 Someone was coming. Someone familiar.

 "Ryu? What are you doing?" Yuki asked nervously, drifting closer.

 Then I knelt down and placed my palms flat against the dirt beside the road. I'm not sure why I even knew how to do what I was doing. It just felt right. Like I should be doing this.

 "Are you okay?"

 "Shhhh. I need to concentrate," I said.

 I closed my eyes, focusing.

 And I could feel each step as it drew closer. The weight, the distinct characteristics that each vibration carried almost as if I could see who it was.

 Heavy. Thudding.

 Threatening.

 Ken.

 And he wasn't alone.

 My pulse quickened. I stood swiftly, brushing dirt from my palms, heart hammering like a drum against my ribs.

 "Ryu?" Yuki repeated.

 I snapped back up, breathing hard.

 "Yuki…" I started, but I had no words. I stammered before my brain could catch up with my mouth. "I… I… I can feel them. I can feel their footsteps."

 "Whose footsteps, Ryu? What are you talking about? Are you feeling okay?" Suddenly Yuki's voice became a little sharper. "Did Shion give you a fever? I swear."

 "No! It's not a fever… I can feel their footsteps. Through the ground. That's why I put my palm on the dirt. Three people. Coming this way. Now. It's Ken—and he's not alone."

 She blinked once. Her icy, blue eyes glowing as she thought about what I just said.

 "Well, then we'd better go at once."

 Right. But which way.

 Then I had an idea.

 If the tunnel wouldn't let me near it, then I'd get Inego to use magic to bring me closer. I just had to wait until I'd see him tomorrow!

 "Yuki, can you help show me what I'm supposed to do at Shin'yume?" I asked.

 Her eyes lit up again, stars twinkling in the winter sky.

 "You need my help again?" she asked, her smile fading quickly. "But I don't know how much help I'd be at the onsen. It's not like they ever asked me to help with duties or anything. You'd be better off asking Natsumi."

 Yeah. I was afraid of that.

 But not nearly as scared as I was of the orc and his two goons.

 I turned away from the tunnel and began walking towards Shin'yume—towards whatever awaited me next.

 But then I came to a dead stop.

 "Ryu?" Yuki asked. "What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost," she teased.

 She wasn't far off.

 I saw the name of the crossroads.

 "Fox's Crossing."

 As soon as I walked through the onsen's door, Hibana.

 She stood beside the front counter, leaning over an old computer with an exasperated look that could have stripped the varnish off a gym locker.

 "Oh. It's you."

 I sighed. Deeply.

 "Hey, Hibana. Everything okay?"

 "No. Everything is NOT okay," she said. "You're late. Again. You missed supper. Again. As if I don't have enough to do without looking after your stupid face. Natsumi skipped school. She was supposed to be here an hour ago to help."

 Hibana's eyes narrowed at me. "You haven't seen her, have you, baka?"

 I shook my head. "Not since this morning."

 "Ugh! Stop standing around! Hurry up and get ready! I need help, even if it's from a baka like you."

 I ran up to my room. I got my key out, but I didn't need to bother.

 My door was unlocked.

 Cautiously, I pushed it open.

 "Careful, Ryu!" I heard Yuki whisper.

 I peeked inside.

 Everything looked completely normal. The way I'd left it before school that morning.

 I stepped inside, wondering if I'd simply forgotten to unlock my door, when, suddenly, my futon came to life and I screamed.

 The moment my futon moved, I knew I was in trouble.

 I barely had time to suck in a breath before a black blur shot out of the blankets with a shriek.

 "NYAAAA!"

 Natsumi.

 She moved so fast that my brain couldn't keep up. All I knew was that something sharp raked across my arm.

 I looked down at my left arm. Four fresh lines, blood already welling.

 At least Shion wasn't here, I thought.

 Then I looked up at Natsumi.

 But she wasn't even concerned. She was already mid-stretch, arms over her head, arching her back like a lazy house cat waking from a deep nap.

 Fifteen-year-old me immediately noticed her cut-off tank top and the way her black biker shorts hugged her hips.

 Then my brain registered pain. The cut burned. Four fresh claw marks.

 "Ow! What the hell, Natsumi?!"

 She let out a long, satisfied sigh, her fluffy twin tails flicking behind her. Her ears twitched as she ignored me completely.

 "Natsumi already told you that she hates loud noises," she whined, her voice raspy with sleep and an undeniable feline inflection that grated.

 "You clawed me!" I shot back, pressing a hand to the wound.

 Natsumi barely cracked open one golden eye before casually shrugging.

 She closed her eyes again and gave another long stretch, this time rolling her shoulders, spine popping audibly.

 I saw one of her eyes roll towards me as the faintest hint of a grin pulled at her mouth.

 I did everything in my power to keep my gaze locked on her face.

 Because of course, she was wearing nothing but a cutoff tank top and tiny shorts. Or, well, not even shorts—the kind of thin, tight shorts that were meant to go under a skirt, but she had just… skipped the skirt.

 Natsumi, evidently, thought this was amusing.

 I forced my gaze to the wall. The ceiling. Anywhere but Natsumi.

 "Why… were you in my futon?" I asked, as calmly as I could manage.

 She gave a sleepy yawn and flicked an ear. "Natsumi waited for you to leave. Then Natsumi got in your futon. It was warm."

 She said this as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

 I blinked. "You were here all day?"

 "Mmm." She nodded, rubbing one eye lazily. "Natsumi likes being lazy. Natsumi slept. But now—" She perked up suddenly, "Natsumi is hungry."

 Her ears twitched forward, her tail curling expectantly.

 "Did you bring Natsumi food?"

 I scoffed. "No? How was I supposed to know you'd be hiding in my bed like some kind of oversized stray?"

 Her golden eyes narrowed. "Hmph. Then you're no use to Natsumi."

 With that, she turned on her heel and sauntered toward the door—her tails flicking once, sharply, like she was mad at me.

 For not bringing her food.

 She left. She didn't even bother shutting my door.

 I glanced down at my arm. Blood was still welling from the scratch.

 And I suddenly realized, Natsumi hadn't said sorry. Not even once.

 A sigh escaped me.

 "Oh! Oh no, Ryu! You're bleeding!"

 Yuki floated closer in a panic, scrambling to help. She reached toward my bedside table—and immediately knocked over my box of tissues.

 Tissues everywhere.

 Yuki gasped, looking horrified. "I-I was trying to—!"

 She bit her lip, looking from the mess to me, utterly crushed.

 I exhaled and smiled despite myself.

 "Thanks for trying to help, Yuki."

 The moment I said it, her entire expression lit up like a festival lantern.

 "…thank you," she gasped, voice breathless. "I've been waiting to hear that for a long time."

 I picked up a tissue and pressed it against the scratch to stop the bleeding.

 "What do you mean?" I asked.

 "You… you noticed me. Not just the tissues…. But me."

 And then—because she couldn't contain herself—she floated in a happy circle above my bed, giggling and humming.

 I sat down at my desk to get ready for work.

 Yuki. You help me so much.

 I just wonder… am I helping you?