Spirit Unbreakable

“Are you ready?” Riumi asked as he pushed the visor up on his helmet. Mikomi was nearly bouncing on the street in front of him, her enthusiasm unrestrained. Riumi just shook his head and threw her her helmet. She grabbed it eagerly and squealed.

“So where are we going?” she asked. She put the helmet on and secured it below her chin.

“Here,” Riumi said handing the card that Damian had given him to Mikomi.

“Rumeum’antra? In Osaka? What is this place?” Mikomi asked.

“A lead,” Riumi replied.

“Well I figured that, but what exactly do they sell?”

“Well seeing as I got it from Damian and he mentioned blades, I’m gathering it’s a weapon smith’s shop.” This comment made Mikomi nearly dance. Had she not already been seated on the ’Busa, Riumi was quite sure she would have.

“Well, what are we waiting for?” Mikomi asked.

“I guess just for you to stop squirming around,” Riumi replied. Mikomi went still and instead squeeze her arms around Riumi’s middle. After sliding down his visor, he revved the engine and took off, Mikomi still clinging tightly to him from behind.

When they finally rode into Osaka, they found that the Rumeum’antra was harder to locate than they had anticipated. After many wrong turns and more than a few people giving them directions, as their GPS seemed to be as lost as they were, they finally twisted their way through narrow alleys into the oldest part of the city. Towering buildings surround them on both sides with the occasional traditional style building standing in stark contrast to their surroundings with their intense greenery and blossoming trees. It was at one of these ancient buildings that they finally stopped. The area they were in seemed unusually quite in the sprawling city and when Riumi killed the engine on the ’Busa, they were suspended in an almost unnatural silence, broken only by the light wind blowing through the trees.

Mikomi was the first to take off her helmet. “Are you sure this is the place?”

Riumi got off the bike, took off his helmet and set it gently on the seat. He gazed at the massive gate that stood between him and the residence it held within and pushed aside a very well maintained sakura tree. He read the sign that was concealed behind it and nodded. Mikomi came and stood behind him and look at the sign which clearly read Rumeum’antra.

So if this is such a great place to get a weapon, why is it so hard to find, and why aren’t there many people around?” Mikomi asked.

Riumi suddenly heard the distinct sound of metal being worked with a hammer catch on the breeze and float momentarily to his ear.

“It means that you need a referral to come here, Chiisai.” Riumi walked over to the actual gate and pulled a large rope that was attached to a shrine bell. Giving two hard tugs on it he heard the bells clang together and waited patiently. Mikomi on the other hand looked rather anxious. When a few moments went by and there was no sound stirring behind the gate, Mikomi’s expression changed from anxious to desperate.

“What’s the matter Mikomi-chan?” Riumi finally asked.

“It took too long to get here. I really have to go the bathroom.” Riumi tried not to look embarrassed at this comment and instead turned to look at the gate.

“Maybe I should ring the bell again,” Riumi finally said. He reached for the bell and saw a tiny window open in the gate. A pair of eyes was staring at him from behind it. They looked old and kind. Riumi froze, his hand poised to ring the bell.

“Are you lost boy?” the wizened crone spoke as she glanced from Riumi to Mikomi.

“I hope not, Obaa-san,” Riumi spoke bowing low to the eyes that stared at him. “I was directed here by a man that goes by the name of Damian Ravvon. I was told that I could find a good blade here.”

The eyes that stared at him widened at the name and the little window clanked shut. He heard a series of clicks and he watched the gate swing open. A very old woman hobbled forward with a wide smile showing missing teeth.

“It has been a long time since Damian, my cousin, has sent someone to us. You must be special indeed. Please come in, Enro, my son, and Komichi, his wife, will want to meet both of you.” The old woman looked with kind eyes at Mikomi and ushered her to come closer. “I know just what you need my little Mago.”

Mikomi bowed low and ran to the older woman’s side. They both walked deeper onto the grounds and Riumi followed.

“You,” the old woman said suddenly pointing to Riumi, “can go there.” She pointed to a small building off to the right where Riumi could hear the sound of hammering, now louder than before. With those final words the nameless old woman ushered Mikomi in the opposite direction and out of sight leaving Riumi standing alone on the stone path. With an intake of breath, Riumi walked towards the building. When he stood before the screen, he hesitated. Calming his nerves, he went to knock, only to have the screen slide abruptly away. A tall man stood before him. He looked tired and completely shocked to see Riumi standing there.

“Hello there,” Enro said. He gave a stretch and began again. “I gather Yancha let you in.”

“If you mean that Obaa-san, then yes, she did,” Riumi replied. “I’m very sorry if I have interrupted you. I understand that the sword making process is delicate.”

“Very. However, you have made no interruption at all –” Enro faltered realizing that they had not in fact exchanged names.

“Takahashi Riumi, sir,” Riumi replied bowing.

“Takahashi. I am Ravvon Enro,” Enro replied.

“I was sent here by Damian Ravvon,” Riumi replied trying to cover up his surprise.

“Ah, my cousin. Sent another hopeful I see. This is a rare occasion. It has been years since he has sent someone my way.” Enro replied.

“Cousin?” Riumi replied. He was more than a little startled by this news seeing as Enro was distinctly Japanese and Damian had been Caucasian.

Enro nodded. “Yes, the Ravvon family tree is quite extensive. Please, enough of that; let us go to the main house. Yancha probably has tea prepared by now.” Enro said and gestured for Riumi to follow.

They walked in to laughter. Mikomi was sitting at a low table as Yancha poured her a cup of tea. Mikomi looked more at ease than earlier and that made Riumi visibly relax. Another woman sat with Yancha and Mikomi, and Riumi assumed this to be Enro’s wife, Komichi, that Yancha had mentioned earlier.

“Ah, Komichi, you must meet Takahashi-san, he is sent to us by my cousin, Damian,” Enro said as both he and Riumi sat at the low table.

“Please, call me Riumi,” Riumi replied. He sometimes tired of the formality in Japan even as much as he admired their respect.

“Riumi-kun,” Komichi said smiling, “it has been a long time since we have had such young people visit us here at Rumeum’antra.” The entire Ravvon family seemed to be staring at Riumi with some hidden knowledge. It almost felt as if they were waiting for him to reveal something to them. He felt that if he could find the right words that this subterfuge would be over and the mystery veiling his life would be pulled back. He could feel the answers like tangible things in the air. He had the feeling that if he just reached out he could grab hold of them and his real life could begin. At the same time, he felt that they were fleeting and breakable. That even one wrong move and they would be lost to him forever. It made him wary to talk. His indecision made silence hang in the room. Even the normally talkative Mikomi was quite as she waited for Riumi to find what he needed to say.

“I have so many questions,” Riumi started. “I’m not sure if I want to know the answers.”

Enro stood again and walked to Riumi’s side. “Before anything is said, I first want to see which weapon has chosen you. After that we will see what questions can be answered.”

Riumi nodded and stood. Enro walked across the room and opened a screen. A room full of more weapons than Riumi had ever seen in his life stood before him. He was unsure if he could choose just one. He stood at the door staring in, unable to move.

Enro prompted him with a smile. “Please, take as much time as you need.”

Riumi walked into the room, about to reply that he could spend days in this room and never know which to choose, and instead he stood staring at a daisho pair of swords across the room. They were buried in the corner, barely visible, but they bore a now familiar symbol, and instead of days, it was mere moments that it took Riumi to know which sword had chosen him. He walked deliberately across the room and grasped the katana. Riumi looked at the hand grip. A blood red tsuka-ito was wrapped around the black hand grip, which led down to an intricately engraved tsuba; the round hand guard was engraved with Levanith dragons. The saya was a uniform black with only a silver Levanith dragon near the top scarring this otherwise perfect scabbard. Riumi grabbed the saya and, using his thumb he pushed the tsuba and watched the blade slide smoothly free. Gripping it in both hands, he revealed the top of the naked blade and looked at the engraving that was just below the habaki. The kanji that graced the blade read Ichi no Tsubasa, winged one. Riumi slowly forced the blade back into the saya and looked at Enro who was now standing beside him.

“This is it,” Riumi said. “There is no other blade in this room that will satisfy.”

“Are you sure of that, Riumi-san? That blade carries a heavy responsibility with it.”

“I have no doubts. I won’t turn back,” Riumi replied. “I can’t,” he whispered.

“I guess it is time that we exchange stories,” Enro replied. Riumi slid the katana back into the saya and picked up the wakizashi companion sword, it was shorter than the katana and completed the daisho pair. Riumi had rarely had the chance to use the kendo style he was most familiar with, but now that he had a daisho pair, he could more readily use Nito-ryu, the two sword style.

They were sitting at the low table; Yancha was pouring tea for them. Riumi, who had been so quiet and secretive all his life, felt words bubbling forth, springing from his mouth as if they had a life of their own.

“Much of my life before I was ten is sketchy, that’s why I am here. I have flashes of things that don’t exist, but when I see them, they feel more real than anything that I see in front of me every day. I feel as if I am leading a life that is not my own. I want to search out the life that I see in my dreams. The life before the cold,” Riumi began.

“Before the cold?” Enro asked.

“Yes, that’s the first thing I clearly remember. It was cold. It felt like there was ice in my veins and slowly I began to feel warmer, but the warmth that replaced the cold burned like fire. I remember crying out and feeling hands grabbing hold of me gently. After that I must have blacked out again because the next time I opened my eyes, I was in the orphanage that I stayed in until the Takahashi’s adopted me.”

“What of your life before that?”

“Just flashes. Images. I remember a woman with wings. She looked so much like an angel. She had a little girl with her. The little girl was so frightened. I remember her trying to be brave. I remember trying to be brave as well. I remember explosions. Pain. I remember dragons flying overhead and terrible creatures the likes of which I have never been able to describe. I keep hoping that if I can hold on to those images for just a moment longer than I will be able to remember more.

“Lately though I’ve been having visions of things I don’t remember. They all feel very new to me, as if I am watching them happen through someone else’s eyes, but they are of the same things. Flying, dragons, and landscapes I’ve never seen before. Does any of this make sense to you?” Riumi asked suddenly. He gazed at Enro with desperation.

“I will tell you what I know, Riumi-kun. Unfortunately, I can’t help you with your memories before you woke here in Nihon. But I can tell you stories that have been handed down from my ancestors. I was told that the stories that my mother told me were true and she was told the same, but not until this day did I believe that they were.

“A long time ago, my ancestors were laid with a task. We were told to watch over two sleeping children. Many generations passed faithful to this task, but with each generation the extended family of the Ravvon tree grew until there were factions in it that believed the two children should not be kept asleep for the purpose that their parents had laid for them. They had a plan to spirit them away, wake them, and let them lead their own lives rather than doom them to their destiny. Their plan was foiled, but not before they had stolen one of the children. That child disappeared from the Ravvon’s history. They searched for the defected group for hundreds of years, but no one ever found a trace of the child. In fact, the defectors all died with the truth to his whereabouts still secret. Some of the Ravvon family was given the task of going to the farthest reaches of the world in a vigilant search for this child. My family was given that task a long time ago. Nihon was our assignment.”

Riumi looked at Enro. “I was that assignment. I am that child.” There was no doubt in his mind.

“I believe that is true, Riumi.”

“I don’t understand. If this happened so long ago, why was I only awakened nine years ago? Who are my parents? Where am I from?” Riumi was standing now, his mind full of more questions than he could voice.

“We don’t know, Riumi. So many things could have happened. You were asleep for a thousand years. Maybe they couldn’t figure out a safe way of waking you before the scheduled time. You were stolen far before technology even made sense to anyone, and with World War 3 regressing our technological advancement even further, it’s a wonder you survived at all.

“As for the rest of your history, my branch of the Ravvon family doesn’t have that information. Your existence, as well as the other child, was a closely guarded secret. Only the head of the Ravvon family has that information. We have not been in contact for many years. They could be anywhere.”

Riumi sat. “Do you know of anyone that could lead me in the right direction? I need to talk to the Head of the Ravvon family. He’s the only one that can make sense of my life.”

“I can give you their last known location,” Enro said and gestured to Yancha who nodded and left the room.

She returned with a large book. It looked ancient. Riumi stared at it with hope in his eyes. Enro reached for it and laid it on the table. Turning the pages he stopped halfway through and scanned the page.

“Here it is, the last communication.” He looked at Riumi. “This communication is over 200 years old. Do you still wish to know?”

Riumi nodded. “At the very least they must have left something behind. It’s a start.”

“The Ravvon family head was last seen in the nation of France in a town called Clamecy, near the Morvan Mountains.”

“These statements are going nowhere,” Sira said. She threw the Flimsy with the last statement she had read onto the pile with the others and turned to Yul. “Why are we doing this again?”

Yul threw down his own Flimsy and looked at Shanahan. “I have to agree with Sira. Do you really think with a deliberate hack job like that that whoever did this is really going to fess up to the local authorities?”

Shanahan nodded. “I won’t discount anything. You never know which trivial thing in these reports could lead to what really went on. I think you’re right though, Sira. I don’t think we are going to find anything here.”

“So whoever did this didn’t slip up?” Sira asked. She was just glad to be able to stop reading about why everyone had come to the Kyoto public library.

“Not that they didn’t slip up. I don’t think we have a statement from the culprit at all.”

“How you figure that?”

“Well one of the guards that detained everyone actually let 3 people through the quarantine.”

Sira perked up. “Why on Earth would he do that?”

“Wait, the only way they would let someone through is if they had more authority than the UNG,” Yul replied.

Shanahan nodded. “Exactly.”

“Guardians?” Sira asked.

“Let’s find out shall we,” Shanahan said. “Yul, see if you can get some faces for us from the security camera.”

Yul nodded and walked over to the computer console in the corner of the room. He brought up a series of different pictures on the screen and began to filter through them. “What time are we looking for here?” Yul asked. “And what entrance was that guard at?”

“The guard says that he let them through at about 0745. It was the south entrance,” Shanahan said.

Yul brought up the footage from that time. They watched as a young man exchanged a few words with the guard and pushed past with a young girl in tow. They saw the young man pause and nod. Soon after, another figure passed the guard and they all left.

“Can you get a clear picture of any of their faces?” Shanahan asked.

“Let me look,” Yul said. He rewound the footage and scanned slowly through it. “The white haired kid and the little girl don’t glance in the direction of the camera at all,” Yul said, “but the straggler does.” He brought up a close up of the one boy’s face as he passed near the camera.

“That almost looks intentional,” Sira said. “Why would he do that?”

“Why don’t we ask him?” Shanahan said. “Yul, run that picture through the UNG database, let’s see if we can get a name for that face.”

Yul took the boy’s face and transferred it into another program.

“How long do you think that will take?” Sira asked.

“Could be a few minutes, could be hours, it all depends on where this boy is located in the database.”

“Seconds,” Shanahan supplied.

“What?” Yul said. He looked at the screen and realized that a match had already come up. “That was really fast.”

Shanahan sent the information to his Flimsy and headed for the door. “So? Shall we go pay a visit to this Hiroshi Arai?”

“Wait, I thought these were Guardians we were dealing with. Don’t we have to handle this in a completely different way?”

Shanahan turned back. “If you were watching the tape properly, you would realize that we are dealing with one Guardian, his charge, and a personal friend that asked for a favour.”

Yul nodded his agreement. Sira looked at him confused. “How could you possibly get all of that from a video?”

“The white haired boy is the Guardian; he is the one that got the little girl through. Mr. Aria, had he been a Guardian, wouldn’t have needed the white haired boy to bail him out. But obviously Hiroshi Arai had not hired the Guardian because the Guardian looked as if it was an inconvenience for him to take Hiroshi along,” Shanahan said. “Ready to go now?”

Sira nodded, grabbed her coat, and the three of them left the library.

Shanahan was not expecting the response he got from Hiroshi Arai when the young man opened the door to his house and saw the three LD agents standing on his doorstep.

“That was faster than I expected,” Hiroshi said. He didn’t look in the least bit perturb by the sight of them.

“Hiroshi Arai?” Shanahan asked. The boy nodded. “We are with the Fifth Branch of the UNG. We have a few questions we would like to ask you.”

“Of course, come in,” Hiroshi said and led the three agents into a sitting room in the large house.

“This is about the library incident, isn’t it,” Hiroshi stated when they were all seated and he had sent one of the housekeepers for tea.

“So it was deliberate,” Yul said.

Hiroshi looked at the Korean man. “If you mean looking at the camera, yes.”

“Why?” Sira asked.

“Because my father works for the UNG and I knew it was only a matter of time before you figured out who it was that hacked the system. I thought it would be easier if I cooperated with you.”

“So why did you hack the database in the first place?” Shanahan asked.

“Well it wasn’t really me that wanted to do it. It was a friend of mine. He needed some information. I just didn’t think that it was such a classified bit of information that he was looking for. He is a Guardian after all, so I figured it was for a job. But seeing as he accessed something from the Fifth Branch, I guess I was wrong. When I realized what he was doing, I thought it in my best interests if I cooperated with the UNG. My father wouldn’t be too pleased if he knew what I was doing with his access codes.”

“This friend of yours, who is he?” Sira asked.

“Well, I will give you a name, depending on how the rest of this conversation goes,” Hiroshi replied.

Shanahan looked at the boy. He had to give him credit. Despite not telling him anything about the situation, this boy knew exactly how much information they held. It was almost as if he had plotted its course from the moment he decided to help the Guardian, weaving through each outcome with ease. Shanahan could tell that manipulation came easy to this boy.

“What is it exactly that you are asking of us, Hiroshi Arai?” Shanahan asked.

“Only that you don’t press charges against me for my part in the hack of the UNG database. Pretend like it never happened. And maybe a small account in my name that my parents don’t know about would be nice,” Hiroshi said.

“You think a name is worth all that?” Sira asked. She looked at Shanahan incredulous that he would even consider this child’s proposal. This was bordering on extortion.

“I think that I am your only lead to getting his name,” Hiroshi said.

“This is ridiculous. Let’s go. We don’t need him to find this boy. We already know he’s a Guardian, that’s enough to figure out who he is,” Sira said. “Can I cuff this boy and we get out of here?” Sira reached for her restraints, but Hiroshi put his hand out for her to stop.

“Do you realize how many Guardians there are on Earth? Not only that, the Guardians’ files aren’t all that easy to access. You have to be a Guardian or hire a Guardian that will look at the files of one of his own. They are outside your law, which means that you need my help. This is your easiest and, may I remind you, quickest way of finding out which Guardian you are dealing with. Otherwise, have fun trying to get a name from the Guardians. They have that name for a reason. They guard everything, including their own.”

Sira sat down fuming. This kid was starting to get on her nerves. He was far too composed in their presence. She had the sudden realization that this kid was the one that was in control now and not her or Shanahan.

“Are you leaving this little side account’s balance up to us?” Shanahan asked.

“I have a reasonable amount in mind. I don’t want to scare you off,” Hiroshi said and sent the information to Shanahan’s Flimsy.

“Looks like we have an understanding then Mr. Arai. The name?” Shanahan said.

Hiroshi paused and tapped his Flimsy. “Funds first.”

Shanahan quickly finished the transaction on his Flimsy and look to Hiroshi. The young man confirmed the transfer and nodded with satisfaction.

“Riumi Takahashi,” Hiroshi said and got up to leave. “Pleasure doing business with you.”

Shanahan stood up and watched the housekeeper enter with a tray of tea.

“Sorry Aoi, it looks like out business concluded early,” Hiroshi said. “Could you please show our guests to the door?” Aoi bowed low and gestured for the UNG agents to follow her.

When they were outside, Yul spoke, “What a little creep.”

“Agreed. Who sells out their friends like that?” Sira questioned.

“Someone who thinks that he really didn’t,” Shanahan said.

As they got back in their car Sira looked at Shanahan. “What do you mean?”

“While giving us a name does help us, a lot more than Hiroshi Arai thinks, you have to remember that Riumi Takahashi is a Guardian. Hiroshi was completely right when he said that he is outside the law of the UNG. That means that unless Riumi wants to talk with us on his own we won’t be able to get a thing from him. Riumi Takahashi is virtually untouchable,” Shanahan said.

“Why did we pay so much for a name?” Yul asked.

“Riumi Takahashi might be reasonable for one,” Shanahan said as he brought up Riumi’s information on his Flimsy.

“Anything else?” Sira asked. “’Cause as much as you want to daydream that that is going to happen, I highly doubt the boy will be cooperative.”

“Of course not, but even though Riumi is untouchable, those around him are not,” Shanahan replied. He scanned through Riumi’s file and with little effort he had an address for Mr. and Mrs. Takahashi.

“Shall we pay his parents a visit?” Shanahan asked. “With any luck he might even be home.” Clearing the screen on his Flimsy, he put the car in gear and took to the air.