If she wasn't frozen in place she would've screamed. She saw it all. Oberon. The day Ebonheart revealed herself. Her plan. The Mogwai. The attack on the Yaksha city, his rise through magic, his other kids. His wife and most of all the emotions that came with it all. In all her years she had never seen anyone with such a burden. Not even her mother. She found it a wonder he hadn't gone insane.  She was trembling as she fell to her knees. "So now you know" he said. Keith took off his clothes and disappeared into the bathroom. Hikari sat silent trying to come to terms with what she learned. He emerged clean and climbed into bed. "I felt it. In that storm of pain, grief, and worry I felt it. You love me enough to want to spare me of that" she said. Keith looked at her. "You have the right to be happy. You also have the right to know the truth" he said stroking her cheek with his finger. She climbed onto his chest and laid right over his heart. "Goodnight Keith" she said. "Goodnight Hikari" she said softly.

Kasumi was happy as she could be humming to herself as she drove them to the shrine. Keith and Hikari sat silently. "What do you think is waiting for us?" Kasumi asked. "Nothing easy" Hikari replied holding the star fragment. "Test of knowledge. What does that truly mean?" Keith asked. "Don't worry. I'm an expert on folklore. I'm up for anything!" Kasumi said smiling. "Even giant spiders?" Keith asked. "Don't pick on her. She did very well and got the bruises on her wrists and ankles to prove it" Hikari said taking up for her. Keith looked at her wrists which were exposed as she wore a short sleeve shirt. There weren't any. "Bruises?" Keith asked looking harder. "They weren't that bad. They cleared up nicely with that nice hot bath" Kasumi said. Keith eyed her.

They arrived at the shrine and thankfully not many were around. Just the odd shrine maiden here and there. "Good. Only the Miko are present" Hikari said as they got out the car. The star fragment vibrated before casting off a beam of light towards a tori gate. They walked up to it. "Stars carved in the wood. I think this is it. Do we just walk through?" Kasumi asked. "Only one way to find out" Keith said walking. After they entered, they found themselves in a forest. "A reality marble. Stay wary Keith. Oberon warned. "This an illusion?" Kasumi asked. "No" Keith said feeling the trees. There was a path before them and they walked along it. After five minutes of walking Kasumi stumbled onto the ground. Picking herself up she froze. "Uh...please don't tell me that's a footprint!" she yelled. They looked at the indent in the dirt. "Okay. I won't tell you that's a footprint. I'll tell you that's a big fucking footprint!" Keith yelled pulling out his shrunken sword and growing it. "Do you have any idea how big a person should have to be to leave that behind?" Hikari asked. "About 500 or so feet tall" Keith replied. "Rhetorical! That was a rhetorical question Keith!" Hikari yelled. "But wouldn't someone that big be spotted already?" Kasumi asked. "She's right" Keith said looking around. "Nothing around except the trees and that hill up ahead" Hikari said. As they got near the hill, Keith stopped them. He readied his sword. "That's no hill" he said sniffing the air.

"*yawn* About time you arrived. I actually dozed off" a booming female voice said. What turned out to look like a hill was actually a pair of huge bare feet wide by side. The soles facing them, and toes close together made it look like a hill. The feet moved as well as the legs. Slowly a massive opposing figure rose into the air as it stood. Each one frozen in shock. Their eyes followed the legs to an exposed pussy slit a good 13 ft. tall and a foot wide without even being spread. It could swallow them whole with no effort at all. It wore a loincloth with stripes. Topless exposing tits each bigger than some houses. She was female for sure. Her eyes were green as emerald and on her temples were horns. Her hair black and gold. What they could see of her features could say she was in her early 20's but seeing she wasn't human that was no safe bet. "An oni. A goddamned oni!" Hikari yelled.

Suddenly, the oni sat down. The shockwave sent them tumbling backwards. The giantess rubbed her eyes and stretched her arms. "Oni. Describe fast Kasumi!" Keith yelled. "They're unpredictable. Some friendly some not. Very hard to kill and the higher-level ones can even cast lightning...according to legends" she said. "And they're this fucking big?!" Keith yelled. "Some are human sized, but stories say they can be as big as a mountain" Hikari said. "So you passed the first test. Good job. You're the first. Oh...humans and koonago" she said so loud it hurt their ears. She apologized. "Um...you aren't gonna kill us are you?" Kasumi asked. "Manners. My clan have been waiting for centuries for this moment. You could at least introduce yourself before asking questions" she said. One by one they told her their names hoping to stay on her good side. "Ayumi Soto" the oni said. "I thought oni were extinct. Mother said not one has been seen in over 500 years" Hikari said.

"Almost extinct. My family is the last. Long ago we were charged with the job of guarding the second star fragment in exchange for a promise. A permanent spell to hide among humans" she replied. "You live among humans?" Kasumi asked. "My real job is a bank teller. As soon as I was told that the first star fragment was found I called out of work and came here. My boss is going to be pissed..." Ayumi groaned. "As if the day couldn't get weirder" Keith sighed. "So, there's a test of knowledge?" Hikari asked. Ayumi nodded. "Where exactly is the key fragment?" Keith asked. Ayumi grinned revealing some very pointy teeth. "In my stomach" she replied. "You ate it?! How are we supposed to get it?!" Kasumi asked. "I know a way" Keith said holding his blade. "Try that if you want" Ayumi said. Keith rushed in and slashed her belly. He was shocked to see his blade bounce off her tummy like it was rubber. Ayumi laughed. "Like nobody would've thought of that already" she chuckled. "So how do we get it?" Hikari asked. "You're smart. You know already how" Ayumi said. Hikari sighed. "You have to eat us" she said. "Bingo. Don't give me that look. It's a test. Not supposed to be easy" Ayumi said. "This is a trick" Keith said. "No trick. There is a way to get the fragment and survive...if you know enough ancient lore. Having a koonago will help you immensely" she winked.

"We don't have a choice do we?" Kasumi asked. They shook their heads. "Then it's settled. And you can leave the sword there. Won't do any good inside me if you though my insides would be easier to cut than my skin. Honest" Ayumi said trying to look innocent. She lowered her hand to the ground for them to step in. She raised it up to her face. "Ready? Last time to reconsider" she warned. "Jesus. Can't believe I'm saying this but go ahead and eat us" Keith said. Ayumi tossed them into her mouth and quickly swallowed. "Yummy. Not allowed to savor them but I'm glad there were humans involved. Can actually taste those" she muttered.

They landed with a splat in her stomach. The light from the second star fragment gave them a way to see inside. "Fuck me" Keith muttered. He figured a stomach that size could eat a dozen humans and not even be half full. Kasumi grabbed the second star fragment. "Now how do we get out?" Hikari asked. "Guys!" Kasumi yelled looking at the wet fleshy floor. The level of stomach acids was quickly rising. An inch per second to be exact. "What's that?!" Keith asked. He was pointing to an old chest not far away. He opened it revealing a katana inside. Her grabbed it and ran to the stomach walls. Waiting no time, he slashed it. Nothing. Over and over he slashed and then stopped. Kasumi was trembling as the acids had passed her sandaled feet and up to her calves. "It's starting to burn" she whined. "Think! Okay this is a test of knowledge. She said a koonago would help immensely" Hikari said. "Your water magic!" Keith yelled. "Keith. Her walls aren't even being hurt by these acids" she said. "Alright. A koonago could help...test of knowledge. Wait! Hikari is there any legend or instance of a koonago and an oni?" Keith asked. Hikari and Kasumi looked at one another. "ISSHUN-BŌSHI!" they yelled in unison. "Kasumi look in the chest! It has to be there!" Hikari yelled. Kasumi fished about as the acids passed her thighs. "Found it!" she yelled rushing back. In her hands was something very tiny. "A fish bone?" Keith asked. "No Keith. A needle but not just any needle!" Kasumi yelled stabbing the walls over and over with it. The floor convulsed and they were propelled upwards. The feeling of clean cool air was proof they had succeeded.

"Damn! You didn't have to do that so many times! That fucking hurts you know?!" Ayumi yelled writhing on the ground in pain. "We did it, we got the second fragment! " Kasumi yelled. "Yeah ya did. Good job" Ayumi said. "You okay? I know you were doing your job and all, but I didn't mean to hurt you so bad" Kasumi said creeping closer. "I'll be alright. Oni are tough. Now you have the second fragment, you can go for the last one. Its resting place is in Edo at Sensoji temple" she replied. "And what's the test?" Keith asked. "Don't know. It's different for every one that would get this far as what I was told" she replied. They bid her farewell and left her. Ayumi sighed rubbing her tummy. "Our family debt is repaid. Now for you to fulfill your part of the agreement" she muttered pulling out a very small piece of rice paper. The kanji inscribed on it magically came off and hovered over her. The symbols glowed and Ayumi body glowed with them. Her body shrank down and when the glowing stopped, it revealed her to be fully human. A very pretty naked human. "Human. A real human being. No more spells to hide myself. Thank you..." she muttered crying.      

Kasumi stopped walking and took her sandals off. They were a total loss. The odd pebble and acorn hurt her bare feet. "Here" Keith said after shrinking her down to carry her on his other shoulder. "What's magic like Keith? You know having that power" Kasumi asked. "Thrilling and terrifying at the same time. There are magics out there that shouldn't be known. Magic that twist your soul just by using it" he replied. "I've seen magic but I noticed shrinking magic is really common" she said. "I wondered that too and asked my teacher about it. There are different types of magic out there. Water spells, earth spells, fire and whatnot. Each one draws on a different style but shrinking magic is like in the middle of it all. That makes it one of the easiest spells to conjure" he replied. "He speaks true Kasumi. All magic has common roots. Onmyoji magic is akin to arcane. The same rules apply mostly. Symbols, a medium to inscribe it on" Hikari asked. "Could you teach me magic Keith? I want to know some so I can protect Hikari" she said. Keith paused. I guess I could teach you one or two spells" he replied. The shrunken girl clapped happily at that. Keith took it upon himself to drive.

"So we need to head back to Tokyo. That is where she said to go since Edo is the old name for the city" Keith said putting it in drive. "Very good Keith. That is where we need to go. I'll let the flight crew know we need to head back. What's the time anyway?" Hikari asked. "23 hours remaining if that's why you asked" he replied. "We're making good time" Kasumi said poking her head out from on top of his chest pocket. "There" Keith said taking her out and placing her next to Hikari. "Does it hurt?" Hikari asked looking at her reddened feet. "Just sensitive right now" Kasumi replied. Hikari took her tiny feet in her hands to heal them. "Uh oh" Keith muttered as heavy rain began to fall.  They were halfway to the airport when a call came through. "Air traffic control grounded all flights due to the heavy storms passing through the prefecture" a man said over the Bluetooth. "Override them with our government authority! We're not some commercial flight!" Hikari yelled. "Already tried princess. There is evidence of wind shear on their Doppler radar. All flights are grounded at least till late tonight. But I can book passage on the next Shinkansen" he said. "...do it" Hikari sighed. The call disconnected but he called back shortly after. "Done. The train will leave the station at 17:00" he said. "Good job" she said before the call ended.

"Might as well get lunch" Keith said pulling over to turn. They returned to the hotel to clean whatever stomach bile or at least the smell of it off and fresh clothes. Kasumi giggled as she used the blow dryer to dry Hikari off. "Nothing strange? Nobody hanging around the mansion?" Keith asked on the phone. He listened in. "Alright. Be safe you guys...and I love you. Love you very much. I'm alright. I... I’ll talk later when I'm alone" he said hanging up. His hand shook as he put the phone down. "Something The matter?" Hikari asked almost shouting over the dryer. "Just checking in on Aspen and Claire. Apparently, Claire's grandmother took them shoe shopping and then to this trendy frozen yogurt shop" he replied smiling. "Everything is fine..." he quietly muttered. Kasumi turned off the dryer. She saw him staring at his once again tiny sword deep in thought. "So, who's ready for some tasty gyoza?!" she yelled happily. Keith raised his hand. "Then we should get dressed.  Fine Nara cuisine waits for no one" Hikari said smiling.

Keith was scarfing down food. "You weren't kidding Hikari. This is amazing!" Keith said. "For a long time, Nara was the cultural center of the nation. Chinese cuisine influenced traditional dishes. So much has changed here in the last 150 years but some things stayed the same" Hikari said. "What was it like way back then?" Kasumi asked. "A time of great change. The old regime has just ended a decade before and the first westerners appeared. I remember being scared of one when I was 8 years old. I thought him a demon with such red hair and green eyes. Speaking a weird tongue that I know now was English. I was with my mother enjoying a bath when he appeared. My mother pulled me away and I remember my bare feet slipping on the wet rock. I tumbled right into the water hitting my head as I did. I sank right to the bottom and would’ve drowned for sure, but the foreign giant saved me. Scooped me right up and placed me on the edge of the bath. Mother said she hadn't been that scared in centuries" Hikari smiled. "And he didn't hurt you at all?" Kasumi asked. "Nope. Mother said he looked extremely worried for me. Thing was he was an Irishman and knew stories of Fae. He just assumed I was a native variety. If it wasn't for him I wouldn't be alive today" Hikari said.

"It's amazing we share the world with species we are still discovering to be real once thought just stories. The fae, oni, tsuchigumo, koonago, even the Yaksha" Kasumi said. Keith paused eating. "...that's true Kasumi. You never know what's out there" Keith said. "I'm very curious to what the next test is" Hikari said. "She said it was different for every person" Kasumi said. Keith nodded. "We have to be at our best" he said. Two hours later they were on board the bullet train heading back to Tokyo. The rain zipped by as the train passed 200 mph. Kasumi and Hikari fell asleep leaving Keith alone. He stared at Hikari asleep on a folding tray before him. Her tiny sneakers diligently placed together near her socked feet. He was extremely worried as something had occurred to him as they ate. He kept it to himself as speaking about it would cause trouble. "What am I to you?" Hikari asked softly. Keith paused. "Please tell me" she said looking up at the giant. "Didn't know you were awake" he said. "You breathe loudly but don't change the subject" she said. Looking around to make sure nobody could see them, Keith cast a spell shrinking him down. He climbed up on the tray and took the empty coffee cup he had been using and turned it upside down. Placing it over them, they had some privacy.

"That's hard to answer" he replied. "I deserve one. I see how you look at me. Last night..." she muttered. "Last night I was very rude to you. I'm so sorry" he said. "That's not why I brought it up. The sake just brought your feeling to the surface. When you look at me, when you're this close to me, what do you see?" she asked. "The mother of my child. A brilliant girl. Pretty as the snow on Mt. Fuji. Good genes. Ample breasts the nourish my son. Healthy supple feet and toes. An excellent mate" he muttered. "So I'm more than a friend?" she asked. Keith nodded. Hikari took her clothes off. She sat quietly before him. Even though hidden under a coffee cup, Keith was still worried about her being naked in public. "Do you know my greatest fear is?" she asked. Keith shook his head. "Turning into my mother" she replied. Keith chuckled. "I'm serious. She's ancient Keith and no husband. Alone on a throne with no mate to share it with. I don't want to be that person..." she said sniffling.

"Not only am I taken, I'm not king material" Keith said. Keith eased her clothes back on for her. As much as he wanted to fuck her on that tray, he knew it would be wrong. He held her from behind. "I love you. Love you so much but I'm not the one for you. It would be so wrong for me to string you along" he said. "Being nice to me makes this more difficult. But...I can move on. I have to" she said. "You ovulating and lactating makes it hard for me too. You forget I'm a borrower and we got needs" he said. Hikari chuckled. "Is that all borrowers think of? Sex and making of babies?" she asked. "Well the dream of finding the perfect strawberry or a nice cozy house with no cats" he laughed. He kissed her gently on his lips before flipping the coffee cup over. Keith unshrank himself and held her in his hands as he looked outside. He brought her to the window. "We've seen so much in the last 24 hrs. What else do you think is out there?" she asked. "Things we need to protect" he replied.

The rain had just stopped as they approached the temple. Visitors had just left as the sun had begun to set. Hikari took the two fragments and locked them together. They hummed to life and vibrated before shooting off a beam of light. It was like a beacon to them as it led them into the temple. Those inside oddly seemed to not notice them. It led them all the way to an altar with a carving of Buddha on top of it. "There" Hikari said as the beam pointed down to a star carved in the altar wood. "What is that gold thing next to...WHOA!" Keith yelled as they were blinded with a flash. Their vision cleared and before them sat a gigantic girl dressed in white. "Did we just shrink?!" Kasumi asked. "Moreover, why is a Shinto priestess in a Buddhist temple?" Keith asked. The giantess opened her eyes.

Her black hair cascaded down past her shoulders. Her face said she was at most 15 years old. She gazed down at the tiny visitors before her. She smiled at them. "Not that strange. Shintoism and Buddhism have existed side by side for over a thousand years. In fact, onmyoji was said to have influenced both in Japan" Kasumi said. "Correct girl. Even back in my time we embraced other ideas. We didn't choose to suppress them" the giantess said. "Your time?" Hikari asked. "Yes. My name is Kana. I am the final guardian of the Tamakushige and have awaited a candidate for ownership since 1582" she said. Keith looked around. "Are you a koonago?" he asked. "No, I'm human" she replied. "Then hoe have you lived so long?" Hikari asked. "The power of Tamakushige has suspended time for me allowing me to enact the final test" she replied. "And what is the test?" Kasumi asked. The giantess rose to her feet. Her tabi socks making thumping sounds through the wood floor as she walked.

"Each test is different for those that seek ownership. Since there is three of you, only one can claim ownership and therefore take the test. "I'll take it. It's my responsibility by office and birthright" Hikari said. Kana looked at each one before raising her hand and dropping a scrap of paper. Shimmering into view was three distinct things. "Behold the instruments of your choosing. The magatama (sacred bead), the kusanagi (sacred sword), or the kagami (sacred mirror)" she replied. "What's the difference?" Keith asked. The sword will test you on valor. Your courage. The mirror on truth. And the sacred bead with judge you on how you treat others" she replied. "The three sacred treasures of Japan are here?!" Kasumi asked. "Only their kami" Kana replied. "Forgive me but how do you judge such things? Aren't they kinda opinion based?" Keith asked. "There are fundamental aspects gaijin. Water is wet. Sun shines. No words can change that. Such as you will see when the test begins. As for myself, I can sense the nature of others.  There is one here that feels conflicted. Another one fears the future, and the last hides their heart" she replied. Keith looked at the others. "Enough. Let's begin the test" Hikari said. "Then choose" Kana said. "I don't lie so I choose the mirror" she said. The giantess clapped her hands loudly twice and stepped back.  "What if she fails?" Keith asked as the huge mirror sat down before Hikari. "Then she will die along with you" kana replied flatly.

The mirror reflected Hikari's form. It was human scale and the woman gasped as her own reflection stepped out from it. Hikari trembled as a version of herself towered over her. "Her size reflects the lies you have told yourself and others over the years. No sword or spell will vanquish her other than the power of truth. Be warned. Just as she appears, she is your reflection. Tell enough lies and she will gain the power to snuff out your life...and theirs" Kana said. Giantess Hikari looked at her. Why are you lying to Keith?" she asked. "I didn't lie to him" Hikari said. The giantess took a step forward to her. "Yes, you did by saying you would move on. In your heart you can't accept him not being with you. Worse yet you use Kasumi as a crutch" the giantess said. Hikari shook her head. "You dishonor him and her with your selfishness" she said.

"You of all people know how lonely I feel! He will be gone one day like any other not like us! I just want him to say I'm his...for a time" she muttered. "Is that why you despise being a koonago? To loathe your heritage?" the giantess asked. "I don't loathe it. Being a koonago means being a guardian to Japan. To see the people grow" Hikari said. The giantess took another step forward slamming her foot down. The tremor caused Hikari to fall on her ass. "Liar. Have you forgot the last day we saw our father? What you felt when he tried to kill you?" the giantess asked. Hikari burst into tears. "Of course not! He tried to show loyalty to his council by crushing me! No way could...I..." she said before falling to her knees. The giantess grabbed her up bringing her perilously close to her mouth. "Now tell me. What will you do if our son doesn't inherit our gifts? You know the law concerning that" she said. "Hikari tell the truth baby. She's going to eat you if you lie" Keith muttered. "Run away with him. He's my gift from someone precious. I'll abdicate and live as an outcast" she replied. The reflection shed tears. She placed Hikari back on the floor. "I'm not a good person. I want to keep a man to myself like he's a possession. He's not. He has made his choice and I must live with it. A human girl loves me and I made love to her thinking of another. I hated humans for decades wishing I was one of them."

"I don't deserve the power of The Tamakushige" she muttered. The reflection smiled and nodded before disappearing. "You passed the test. We all have lies we tell ourselves, but it is through truth that our true character is revealed. Only those that acknowledge their faults know humility and tolerance. Only those are worthy of a power such as is. This man here knows what I speak about. The sword in his pocket considers him to be its master because he chooses to wield it not to kill but to protect. Beyond valor, beyond truth, even beyond how you treat others lies the greatest aspect of them all. Self-sacrifice. To shoulder the burden of others. This box was meant to protect your kind and the burden of having it means to be the beacon that inspires others. By the power vested in me by the family of Seimei...I renounce ownership of The box and give it unto you" Kana said bowing.

"Thank you but time is short for me. Where is it" Hikari said. Kana chuckled and three her hands up. "You haven't noticed yet? Look around" she said. They all did. "No doors. How does a room have no doors?" Kasumi asked. "Is it a room?" Kana asked innocently as she picked them all up in her hands. Due to their small size, they hadn't noticed that the floor and walls were not just wood but very nicely polished wood as if it had a life of its own. Even the wood grain seemed to shift and move as if it was fluid. Gold and pearl inlay in the walls. "This is the box. We're inside the box" Hikari gasped. "That we are. The last test was literally inside the box" Kana said. "And you been inside this thing for over 400 years?! Alone?!" Keith asked. "That I have. As the last living descendant of Abe no Seimei, it was my duty to act as guardian. I have not seen the outside since" Kana replied.  "For such a burden for a 15-year-old girl. Forgive me" Hikari said sadly bowing.

The teen giantess used her finger to prop her head up to see her. " Do not pity me my princess. It allowed me to live long enough to see koonago and humans sharing the world as equals. A dream over a thousand years in the making. Come. Your prize awaits" she said raising her hand. A flash of light blinded them once more and they found themselves in front of the altar back to their normal sizes.  The third and final fragment appeared before Hikari. She took it in her hands and joined it with the others. A gold star now completed drifted to the carved star marking fusing into it. A tiny click of a lock was heard. Kana slid the gold latch off and pulled out The legendary box. When she handed it to Hikari it shrank down to her scale. Once done, kana took off her tabi socks. She wriggled her toes as her bare feet touched the wooden floor. They followed her out of the temple and she stopped. "Doesn't that hurt?" Keith asked looking at her stepping on pebbles with her soles. "Gloriously" she softly replied looking at the full moon.

Kana softly wept at the sight of it. "After all this time I still see the rabbit in the moon" she said. "We been to the moon. No rabbit though" Kasumi said. "We have?! I would've liked to see that day" she said. "You have all the time in the world to catch up on what’s happened since you been in there" Keith said. Kana shook her head. As she did they could see her shiny back hair turning silver. "No. Free of The box, my time is now catching up to me" she said as her body rapidly aged. Mercifully, she didn't age into an old woman. She just...aged. Her youthful eyes grew dull. Her milky skin blemished. Hikari cried as the inevitable came. "I appreciate you crying for me. I was scared nobody would when the day came. Princess?" Kana asked. "Yes Hikari?" she said. "I'm scared. Can you sing to me?" she asked. Hikari didn't know many songs but there was one she was very fond of. She opened her mouth and the song "Voices" by Yoko Kanno began to come forth. 

"The first word was "dream" from my sleep which secretly accompanies the darkness in my heart. The second word was "wind" directing my journey into God's waiting arms..."

Kana never looked away at the moon and night sky as Hikari sang. Even as her vision faded away and her heart began to give out, Kana didn't look away. Her gaze at the moon and twinkling stars stood fixed even after she had departed this world. Hikari didn't stop singing. Even as her voice broke as tears fell from her eyes she kept going. Kana's clothes disintegrated as well as her body and Keith and Kasumi looked on. Not daring to dishonor her memory by looking away. Her form stayed intact even though it was just dust until a lone cherry blossom floated through the air touching it. Once it did, all that was left of her collapsed into a heap of aged dust. Not even bone was left. It was a solemn sight indeed and an eerie one as cherry blossom season had passed months ago. It was as if this tree stayed in bloom for this very moment. Kasumi went to the car and returned with a box for. Her luggage. She emptied out the makeup she had kept in it and quietly collected the remains of Kana. "She deserves to be honored properly" she said softly. No nod of agreement was even necessary. Now the deed was done, the only thing to do was wait for the time to expire and meet at the designated coordinates for the handoff.   

Nobody said a word that night. The loss of kana weighed on their hearts. For such a young girl to sacrifice her life and live in a way that would've drove anyone insane spoke to how serious she honored her vow. Hikari would’ve wished to have known her. Keith figured to have been lucky to have her as a friend. Kasumi...she was awed at how dedicated Kana was. She didn't think she would ever meet someone like her again. She shed a few tears in regret as she knew the adventure would be over tomorrow and she would go back to her regular boring life. No mythical yokai, no puzzles to solve.

The time had come and Hikari held the ancient box in her tiny hands. Keith and Kasumi stood carefully in place. Pier 13 was the netting place and snipers were in hiding all around waiting for the mysterious shrinker to reveal themselves to gain the relic. "So we tag him after the handoff?" Kasumi asked. "That's the plan. By no means are they going to leave this place with this box" Hikari replied. Time passed, and the person didn't show. "Were they frightened off by the snipers?" Kasumi asked. Keith clenched his teeth. "This farce has gone on long enough" he hissed as he pulled out a note casting a spell. A huge blast of wind through Kasumi right into a shipping container. "KEITH! ARE YOU CRAZY?!" Hikari yelled. "Nope. Get up. The fact you're still alive proves my suspicion" he spat. Kasumi stumbled to her feet. She wiped blood from her mouth. Keith pulled his sword out and enlarged it. He pointed it at her. "Go ahead. Try something. Last one of your kind to fight me I cut them down like a fucking bonsai tree" he said coldly.

"Kind?" Hikari asked. "She's not human. She's a fucking Mogwai" Keith said. "Keith please you're scaring me! I'm not whatyoucallit...a Mogwai" Kasumi said. "If you're not then prick your finger in the tip of my sword. This blade can cancel any spell including a growth spell. Come on. Draw a bit of blood and we can see what happens" he said. Kasumi looked at him and then sighed. "And here I was so careful. What gave me away?" she asked. "A few things. One was when Hikari said you had bruises but the next morning you didn't have a single one. Possible you knew some kind of healing spell. Arcane magic and I'm betting onmyoji magic includes that, but the other explanation is you have a natural ability to heal faster than a human. Second, your scent is very pronounced. More pronounced than a human's. A trait I found in homo smallicus. Third and the most damning of all is when you mentioned Yaksha and Fae. They're still considered myth. Hikari knows different from last night but she never got the chance to tell you that. So, the only why you would know that is by your superiors telling you about my dealings in the UK and in Thailand."

"Which family sent you Kasumi? I'm curious to know how commanding a nation works if you're the size of a fucking cookie crumb" Keith said with blazing eyes. Kasumi looked stunned. "Oh? Didn't get the memo? I shrank your elite fucking government" Keith said with a sinister grin. "All of this was to get the box?" Hikari asked. "My mission was to acquire it by any means. You were just a convenient tool" she replied. "Was there ever a real Kasumi?" Hikari asked trembling in Keith's hand. "Yes. She tasted great with soy sauce" Kasumi said blankly. The sound of ocean water churning violently filled their ears. The wind picked up considerably. "You lied to me. Used my feelings and goodwill. Murdered an innocent child! I will see you die for this! COME FORTH KAGATSUCHI NO MIZU!" Hikari shrieked glowing so brightly and hot Keith dropped her. Hikari hovered in the air as a huge dragon made of seawater rose from the ocean.

The daylight made it look as if it was glowing with the power of the sun itself as it arched. It's cry shattered windows nearby. Trained snipers pissed themselves at such a sight. "Strike me down and those big sized brats you can kiss goodbye" Kasumi said calmly. Hikari paused. "I wasn't lying when I said I would exchange them for The box. Hand it over and I'll text you the GPS coordinates for their location" she said. Hikari didn't know what to do. Handing over such a powerful artifact was trouble and then some but the death of 14 kids would cause irreparable damage to human koonago relations. Not even the Japanese government could keep that under wraps forever. Keith and Hikari knew full well they would be blamed. They wouldn't see any distinction between the species. A tiny Asian is a tiny Asian. She could imagine the pain and loss their parents would feel as she was a mother herself now. No bodies to even bury and never knowing how they died. Insects? Mice? God only knows how a centimeter-tall high school kid would meet their fate alone in some place nobody would know where to look. She looked at Keith for guidance. He looked at her.

"Every dog has his day but in the end they're still just a mangy fucking dog. This is NOT over" Keith said nodding to hand it over. Hikari floated over to Kasumi and placed The box in her hands. Immediately it grew proportionate to her size. "Now The coordinates" Keith said. "When I'm safely away. Goodbye Keith and Hikari" she said walking away. Kasumi paused and turned around one last time to look at them. "It was fun" she said. Her last words to them were strange as they were not sarcastic. There was sincerity in her voice and their eyes could see tears on her cheeks. She turned a corner. "We lost sight of her" a sniper said over the radio. Minutes later, Keith got a text message. "GPS coordinates and an address?" Keith said. "We're heading back to HQ" Hikari said landing on his shoulder.

Hikari gave the coordinates to the team near the area where the bus originally disappeared. She looked up the address. "A shop that specializes in funeral urns" she muttered. "For Kana I guess" Keith said. "Why would that bitch even care? She treated this as a game" Hikari said looking at the ground feed. Precious 20 minutes passed. "We found them! Checking...they're alive!" one said on the feed. "Now to see if she fucked us by using a curse to shrink them" Keith said taking a picture of a note he had. "Have them draw this on the road and place the bus in the middle of it. If she used a regular spell, that arcane circle will cancel it" he said as he messaged them. They placed the tiny bus, with the shrunken kids still inside, in the middle of the etched roadway. The circle glowed brightly and slowly the bus grew back to normal size. "Make preparations for the cover story to proceed" Hikari said. "What did you decide on that?" Keith asked.

"There is a river not far from that area. They will drive the bus over the edge into it turning it over. It will look like a horrible crash that knocked out the kids. The one...the one that was crushed as an example, so I’ll be explained as she was swept away by the river not to be found. Excuse me. I need to make preparations on erasing their memories" she said leaving him. Keith left her alone as she went to her office. A half hour passed before he dared to enter. He found Hikari getting dressed. "I was worried" he said. "I'll be alright. If it's anything I have learned recently, it's how to carry on" she replied softly. She struggled with her nylons and her helped her with his fingernails. Her dainty toes scrunched as the nylon hugged her feet and legs. She looked at him sadly as he slipped on her tiny high heels. "Downstairs please. We need to go to the police station" she said. Keith carried her down to the lobby where they pushed through the throng of reporters. The rode to the station where the students were being held.  

"Their condition?" she asked an officer. "Scared out of their minds wanting to go home. Dehydration and hunger but that's it" he replied. She looked at the teenagers. She had trouble looking them in the eyes as the pain and fear was plain as day in them. They had seen a fellow classmate crushed like an insect and now told they couldn't leave. "Out" she said to the officers and doctors present. All of them looked at the glowing tiny woman on the floor. Keith waited outside with the others seeing bright light through the door crack. "For what it's worth, I am so sorry. Chibi Yume (little dream)" she muttered. Each kid went rigid as her spell took effect. They couldn't scream even as their memories of the last two days was scoured from their minds.  It was not the first time a koonago had erased the memories of a human but Hikari had not done it on such a large complicated scale. For she didn't just erase memories. She gave false ones.

The bus missed the turn and the driver took a narrow road hoping to get back. He took a curve too fast and the bus went over the edge. It tumbled down the hillside crashing on its side into a river. Kids groaned as water halfway filled the bus. Cell phones were out as river water had destroyed them. One girl elected to find help as she looked skinny enough to slip out a window and swim free. She went in and they saw her not come back up. The current too swift for swimming so they prayed and waited for help. It took two days before they were found and were brought to the station to be checked before being released. They knew not why they weren't sent to a hospital but were glad to be found nonetheless...

That was the memory Hikari gave them. A gift of blissful ignorance. "Help...please" she called out. Keith rushed to her side. She lay limp on the floor. The release of so much magic at once had exhausted her. He scooped her up and carried her out. Of course, reporters were outside. "Stop. I'll speak to them" she said. "Not long ago, search teams found the missing bus. It had veered off a narrow road crashing down into a river. How it landed prevented the children from exiting to seek help. Right now, they are being checked over" she said. "Any casualties?!" someone shouted in the onslaught of flash photography. "Yes, one student was swept away by the river and her body was not found. Her name will be withheld until her parents are notified" she replied. "Did any koonago help with the search?" someone asked. Hikari paused. "Yes, yes they did. Now excuse me. Further questions will have to wait" she replied. Keith took her away from there and by her asking to her home back at HQ.

Her temporary home was in a lone soundproofed room. On the floor was a very intricate old style Japanese estate. It reminded Keith of his home with Lawan in some fashion. It was perfect in scale for her as she entered. Keith shrank himself down to follow. "Nice" he said. "It's adequate" she said slipping her heels off. She took a shower as a regular bath felt too tedious. "I'll prepare some food. Clean up" she said walking past him in her robe. Keith did but sensed her somber mood. She said not one word as they ate. She doesn’t notice Keith excuse himself as she washed dishes. She asked for him afterwards and got no response. She felt like crying thinking the recent hours was too much for him to linger in her company. She went to her bedroom anxious to get the day over with.

"Somebody help! A rampaging koonago!" Keith screamed from her futon. He had taken upon himself to shrink down even smaller leaving her towering over him. Hikari smirked as she began trying to step on him. She missed him intentionally until she pressed her sole on his small body. Rolling it around a few times under her toes and then sat down. She snatched him up. Keith struggled in her grip. "Please don't eat me mighty koonago!" he yelled. She burst out laughing at him. "So you can still laugh" he said. "Thank you. That stupidity of yours cheered me up some" she said. Keith ripped up one of his noted growing him to her size. "Aww...I wanted to have fun. There's a pussy that needs filling" she said. "Why do you think I grew bigger?" he said to her. "No strings" she said as he hesitated. "Gimme your foot" he said. The last time he said that was out of drunken anger but this time there was true feeling involved. This was the person she loved.

She shivered as his tongue licked between her toes. Sucking on them and biting the ball of her foot, Keith made her quiver where she lay. "Stop teasing..." she said as she spread her legs for him. Keith pulled her to him and pushed inside of her. She gasped as his shaft parted her. Even though she had given birth, she was still tight. Keith bent down sucking her nipples. Drinking her warm milk, Hikari pulled his head right into her and ran her fingers though his short hair. She loved him and knew it would pain her to see him leave once more. She resolved to make this night one she would remember the rest of her life. Keith kissed her. The taste of her own milk invaded her mouth as well as his tongue. When he broke it he saw in her eyes a haunting beauty. Over a century and a half of time in those eyes but right then only this moment mattered. Keith knew what this night would mean to her and he was sorry for it. "I'm sorry I can't be what you want. I'm sorry for causing you so much pain..." he whimpered. She wiped the tears from his eyes.

She took ahold of his left hand and placed it on her cheek. There were callouses on it. Only hours upon hours of sword training would do that. His body was more muscular. Harder but his heart was still soft. "Don't be sorry. You gave me the best part of yourself" she said. He whispered her name as he came. Cuddling in the aftermath of orgasmic bliss, Hikari spoke. "I loved her...I really did" she muttered. "I know you did. I think she loved you too" he replied. She looked at him as if he was crazy. "I'm serious. Those tears in her eyes when she said goodbye said something about her" he said. "Then why do it? Why did she do all those things?" Hikari asked. "Because she had to. From what I learned of them, the Mogwai nation is like fucking North Korea. You don't say no. She did her homework so well we thought the culprit was a rogue onmyoji. That's dedication. Probably why she took it upon herself to gather up Kana's remains. She did it because she saw a bit of herself in her dedication to her duty" he said.

"You sound as if you admire her" she said irritated. "No, I just understand her. Thing is Kana knew about her before we did. She said "one of you hides their heart". We know now she meant Kasumi. No, she didn't want to betray us. If she did she would've done it at the temple as soon as we got the box. She wanted that friendship to last as long as possible" Keith said. "Still hurts" she muttered. "Of course it does. The closer the betrayal, the worse it feels" he said. They drifted off to sleep not long after that. Morning came and Hikari found him missing from her bed. She could hear his voice though. "I'll leave it to you then. Yeah...I'm heading there today. Don’t worry about me. You make sure to rest. Love ya...bye" he said ending the call. "Lawan?" Hikari asked. "Aspen actually. Didn't mean to wake you" he replied. "You were leaving without saying goodbye?" she asked hurt. "No. I would've reached in and picked you out of bed first" he chuckled. "Well?" she said. Keith snatched her up.

"Gajin! Don't hurt me gaijin!" she yelled punching his fingers. "God that does sound corny" he laughed. Both laughed at one another for a moment. "Can I ask you a question?" he asked. She nodded. "Our son's name. I know what it means. Why did you pick that?" he asked. "When he was born, a seer came to my room. She looked at him and said "his voice will save us". That's why I named him Yuusha" she replied. Keith found that a little ominous. "Do I have the support of you people?" he asked quietly. "When the time comes to fight. You will count the koonago as your allies. I know the day and hour. We shall be there to greet it" she replied bowing in his palm. Keith sat her down. "I have to go now. My flight to Mexico will leave not long from now" he said. "Do not turn back. Whatever you hear. Go Keith. Find our hope" she said. Keith began to walk to the door and could hear her sobbing loudly. He wanted to turn back but heeded her words.

Two hours later he was flying to Sydney his first layover. As The plane turned to climb, he could see the sun shining brightly over Mt. Fuji. The koonago homeland at its foot. He had accomplished what he came here to do but felt little better for it. "Care for a drink sir?" a girl asked. He didn't turn to look. "Sparkling water please" he replied. A cup was sat before him and a young woman of tiny size hopped onto his tray. Her hands gracefully poured the large can of sparkling water and there was a very tiny drop that spilled out and with deft magic had it land in his cup. "Very nice magic" he whispered. The stewardess gasped until he placed a finger over his lips. "Impressive" he said looking out the window. "Yes, the mountain shines in the light" she replied. "Not as impressive at what is at its base. Sometimes it's the small things that are most beautiful" he said looking at the girl. She blushed. "I didn't know there were koonago stewardesses" he said. "I'm the first. You know of our kind?" she asked. "Know of? Fell in love with one...and fathered a kid. Keep the last bit to yourself" he whispered. The koonago woman was floored hearing that. She resolved to ask the foreigner how this came about and how he knew of magic. "I can see the wonder in your eyes. Don't worry. The flight to Sydney is a long one. Plenty of time to talk" he said smiling feeling better seeing a koonago other than Hikari living in human society. He sipped his water content that whatever he suffered...there were those out there that were better off because they wouldn't have to. And that...that was something Keith could find solace in.