Chapter 12: Reconnecting with an Old Friend! The Bitter Reality of Change
Despite everything, Akane Isesaki cares what Natsuru Machida thinks of her.
PREVIOUS: Chapter 11
NEXT: Chapter 13
It's all falling into place.
In my haste to carry out the ceremony, I had forgotten to give the signal.
But it did not matter in the end. My attack on Gaikyo had succeeded, and it was only a matter of time before full control of the Republic fell to me.
I was sitting on my knees at a table in my study, drafting the new laws I'll put into place once I pacified Gaikyo. My dear cousin Shuhei burst in, his massive, muscular bulk taking up most of the doorway. In his hand was a neatly rolled-up piece of paper.
"The scout has returned, my cousin. The chieftain of Iwamori is willing to speak with us, but he requests your presence. A representative is unacceptable, to hear the scout tell it," Shuhei said. He laid the piece of paper on the table, and I opened it; indeed, it requested a direct audience with me.
"I'll tell him to wait a week. Fetch some paper for me," I said.
"I will, but there's one other thing as well: the men are awaiting your orders regarding the Temple of the Sacred Flame," Shuhei said.
"My orders are this: Prevent all entry and exit from the Temple, but do not invade it. Keep the Temple well-provisioned. Except to keep everyone in, do not put your hands on the Abbess or any Firekeepers. Any indecent contact with the Abbess or any Firekeepers will be met with summary execution," I said.
"Write that down; I'll deliver the orders," Shuhei said.
"Good; for my agenda to be carried out, no harm must come to the Abbess or her temple. There's also the simple matter of keeping her flame from being snuffed out. Should that happen, Venus will become a dead world once more," I answered.
"I happen to agree, cousin. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to get your paper," Shuhei said.
"Please do," I told him.
So far, everything was coming up roses.
#
I had sent out both my response to Iwamori's leadership and my orders regarding the Temple when I stepped out for some fresh air. The streets of my fair city had been bustling with excitement ever since the war began, so convinced were we of our inevitable victory.
But today, the crowds were more excited than usual. At first, I was glad -- had Gaikyo finally fallen? Had Natsuru come to surrender?
When I finally saw it, however, my blood ran cold.
Kei and his men rode down the street in triumph; the former errand boy was now a victorious commander. However, it wasn't Kei's pride that worried me.
It was the fact that he had Natsuru Machida bound across his saddle, unconscious and without her skirt.
The other men weren't much better. They had the lower witches bound across their saddles with their skirts hitched up and their underthings removed. I knew that this was a consequence of declaring war, but I had fond memories of my time as a lower witch in the Onodera Estate. It hurt to see this, and to see Natsuru in this state, though at least she got to keep her underthings.
Kei rode up to me, proud of his new captive. "Behold, the Chief Witch of Gaikyo is now my prisoner!"
"Give her here," I said.
"Gladly," Kei answered. He dismounted, then removed the unconscious Natsuru from the saddle and laid her at my feet. Her wrists were still bound together.
"Fetch a large cloth," I said.
"With pleasure," Kei answered. It didn't take him long, because a weaver handed him a large brown piece of cloth that was just the right angle.
At once, I tied it around Natsuru's waist, restoring her dignity. Satisfied with that, I laid my hands on Natsuru's back and channeled my power through her. The power healed her, and she slowly got up, now fully conscious and full of energy.
Once she got to her feet, she realized where she was -- and what was happening.
"If I'm here...this means...no..." Natsuru said. Kei smiled at her despair.
"That's right, Chief Witch. You are going to love me every hour of every day. I've been waiting so long for this; to think I had to make do with Shiori!" Kei said.
"I'll cut my own face before sharing a bed with you," Natsuru bit back.
"You have no choice in the matter. You are my captive now, so I suggest you get used to it," Kei said.
I had heard enough.
"You have no choice in the matter either, because you will not be holding Natsuru Machida," I said.
"Why not?" Kei whined.
"As chieftain of this city and a priestess of Moloch, I can make that decision. If you're looking for a toy, go kidnap a different women," I answered.
"How can you deny this to me? I finally have her, and this is what you do?" Kei asked.
"Machida is off-limits to EVERYONE. Likewise the lower witches. You will take them to the academy -- unsullied," I said.
The men glared at me, their displeasure clear. But I did not want my friend to despair, and my cavalry knew that my commands were absolute.
Kei turned to the other men. "You have your orders. Now move!" Kei and the men rode away.
Now I turned to Natsuru.
"Don't worry; they'll be protected," I told her.
"Akane, why? Why attack Gaikyo? Why do all this?" Natsuru asked.
"I'll explain everything to you, but first, you must freshen up. I already bathed earlier today, but I'll guide you to the bathhouse," I said.
"Thank you...for what it's worth..." Natsuru answered.
"Mark my words: you will not be treated as a prisoner here. You will be part of my household staff, and you will act as my personal maidservant, accompanying me everywhere I go. No harm will come to you while you are with me," I said.
"And if I refuse this offer?" Natsuru asked.
"The lower witches will become the personal property of my men," I answered.
Natsuru's expression told me that she got the hint.
"Very well, but you better not deceive me on this; I will give my life for my girls," Natsuru said.
"Please, allow me to show you that I keep my word."
It pained me so much that Natsuru didn't believe me, but she had agreed to my offer, so I had gotten that much out of her. Satisfied with how our conversation went, I ushered her to the bathhouse.
#
Once Natsuru had her bath, I took her to my quarters inside Isesaki Castle. She only had on a simple yukata, so I brought her to my room to get her properly dressed.
"It's been such a long time since I've come here," Natsuru said.
"And I'm glad to have you back. If only we could have reunited under better circumstances than this," I answered. The last time Natsuru was her was for Shuhei's wedding.
"But why? Why destroy Gaikyo if you just wanted to talk to me?" Natsuru asked.
"There was no other way. This Republic could be so much better than it is, but all I would get from you is high-minded sanctimony about how our forebears messed everything up. I want the people of Venus to have the kind of life they had; we were not meant to crawl in the mud and live in wooden shacks," I answered.
"The witches of old killed children. Why repeat their error?" Natsuru asked.
"Please understand: the new Venus is happening whether you want it or not. Just let me show you what is possible. It's not as if things are going back to the way they were," I answered.
That did the trick. Natsuru slumped her shoulders, since she knew I was right and nothing she says would change the facts I have laid down with horse and arrow.
"Can you take me to wherever you're keeping Hinagiku?" Natsuru asked.
"I will show you, but first, you get dressed. Here, I made something for you," I said. I headed to the closet and pulled out the outfit I had made for her.
Natsuru unfolded the gray-striped cloth, which was a dress that wrapped around the waist; I even made a wooden star-shaped pin to hold it up.
But wrapped within it was a top-and-underwear combination that I was especially proud of. It crossed the chest diagonally and attached at the neck, leaving the back fully exposed. Natsuru studied this part of the outfit for a little while.
And before I knew it, Natsuru had put the entire outfit on.
All doubts I had were unfounded. She threw her hair forward and posed in front of my mirror, hands on her hips and admiring the back of herself. The wrap dress had an opening that allowed Natsuru to show a leg, and Natsuru took full advantage of it. I couldn't help but smile.
"It's wonderful," Natsuru said.
"I meant to give it to you when we met up last time, but I forgot. How silly of me," I said.
Natsuru continued to admire herself in the mirror. "If only Toya could see me like this..."
"I'll tell my men to capture him alive, and I'll give you free access to him, if you know what I mean," I said.
"As if you can promise that," Natsuru answered. I guess there was no escaping the reality of our situation.
"I'll be honest with you -- considering what he's been saying about me, he'd likely be killed. But there is something I can promise you -- my vision for the Republic. I want to show you what Venus can be, and I want you to be by my side as our land rises to heights undreamed of," I said.
"I'm not so sure this is the right thing to do," Natsuru answered.
"But you can't change it. Better to accept the new reality," I shot back. She had no answer for that.
"That may be so, but I beg you to reconsider," was all Natsuru could say.
"No, I want you to reconsider. Follow me," I told her.
We stepped out of my room, and I could see Natsuru making the best of her situation. She was standing tall, walking with a certain dignity; I've always admired that side of her. Even when we were lower witches back at Onodera, guys just liked her more. I mean, I was no slouch, but Natsuru was on another level. The only thing that kept her from fully taking advantage of her looks was how strict her father was.
Thing is, we could have many more days like that right now, once I've secured my victory. I'd be able to spend the rest of my days with my good friend by my side, living in the lap of luxury as we made handsome men explode in white.
And speaking of handsome men, she had caught the eye of one of my Tempest Archers.
"Whoa, you're the Chief Witch of Gaikyo, right?" the archer asked.
"That's right. And who might you be?" Natsuru asked with the unmistakable tone of seduction.
"Ren Kanai," the archer said with pride.
"Well, let me just say this: I like what I see. The men here are just built different, you know?" Natsuru said.
"What are you aiming at?" Ren asked.
"I'll be dancing for you guys. Wouldn't you like to be the one I pick out of the crowd? We can share the stage together -- if you prove yourself to me, that is," Natsuru said. She was not holding back.
"What do I gotta do?" Ren asked.
"Here in the castle, we will share meals and have tea. I want to see if you can make good conversation," NAtsuru said.
"So all I gotta do is talk? Sounds easy," Ren answered.
"Show me when the time comes. I've got high standards, you know," Natsuru said.
"Don't worry -- I'll meet them."
"Good -- I'll be waiting. Now if you'll excuse me..."
When Natsuru and I walked off, Natsuru swayed her hips as she went.
I waited until we were out of Ren's earshot to ask my question. "What was that all about? What appened to Oshima?"
"He's probably not gonna live long, so I thought, why not enjoy myself? You said it yourself, after all -- Gaikyo will be conquered," Natsuru answered.
"But this all seems so sudden. Besides, if Kei gets wind of it, he'll murder that guy," I said.
"Then make sure that doesn't happen. I have made my choice, and Kei Kaneshiro is not it," Natsuru answered.
"I'll go my best to make sure," I said.
Something still didn't seem quite right about Natsuru's sudden change in behavior, but as we descended through each floor, I cast such thoughts aside as I anticipated her reaction to what I was going to show her.
At last, we reached the central chamber where my mural of the history of our people adorned the walls. Amid the light of the lanterns, Natsuru marveled at my awesome work of art.
"This is..."
"Our ancestors in all their glory. It took me three painstaking years to create all this," I said.
Natsuru walked up to the section with the samurai warriors.
"It's beautiful," she said.
"It took centuries of struggle for Nihon to become powerful. Understand that we are the inheritors of that legacy; my dream is to reach the heights they did, then exceed them," I said.
"And you think Moloch will help you do this," Natsuru said. She had returned to the way I had always known her.
"I know he will. H has shown me the enormity of my task, but he has also given me the means to accomplish it," I answered.
"What's the bag for?" Natsuru asked, pointing at a bag situated in the center of the chamber.
"It's a means of travel, to a vision of Nihon at its height. You have to see what it is we can become, if only we have the will," I answered.
"But is it worth...killing so many children?" Natsuru asked, again bringing up that annoying topic.
"It is worth defying the Abbess and her closed-minded rules -- and what makes it even more insulting is that the Abbess was born and raised in Nihon at its height," I answered.
"And yet you intend to spare her," Natsuru said.
"I'm going to show her the new Venus just as I'm going to show you. She'll come around when she sees that I have brought the splendor of our ancestral homeland back from the dead," I answered.
"You said we could travel there. Show me, then."
"With pleasure. Join me in the center of the room."
I went to where the bag was, and Natsuru followed close behind. Careful not to reveal too much of the bag's contents, I scooped up the thick black dust.
"Is that...wood ash?" atsuru asked.
"All will become clear in due time. Now follow me," I answered.
I led Natsuru to my favorite section of the mural: the section well after the mushroom-shaped fire, featuring a glittering land of enormous towers and unparalleled plenty. Keeping the ash cupped in my hands, I spoke the incantation in the magical tongue.
Lord Moloch, I have brought a friend whom I seek to convince of your benevolence. Show us the vision of our ancestral homeland at its height, as depicted in this mural I painted out of devotion to you.
The incantation now spoken, I threw the ash against the mural, and all went purple as the chamber disappeared and there was only a haze all around us.
"This is like when I spoke to Pan," Natsuru said.
"Lord Moloch is far greater in every way that matters," I answered.
"My chosen priestess speaks the truth. Are you the one they call Natsuru Machida?"
Lord Moloch appeared in glorious form, his part-man, part-bull body towering over both of us in a majestic display of power. I dropped to my knees, overcome with sheer ecstasy at the sight of my master. Natsuru, on the other hand, did not drop, only offering an insolent and impotent glare to the conqueror of all and the true ruler of Venus.
Natsuru answered Moloch's earlier question. "I am, but understand this: I am only doing this as a favor to an old friend. I am no devotee of yours, and I will never worship at your feet. You have led the people of Haiirosen astray, and a reckoning will come for you and those who follow you."
Lord Moloch merely laughed at Natsuru's empty boast.
"Your home city struggles to fight off my forces, and yet you speak of a reckoning? I never knew such foolishness was possible," Lord Moloch said, his booming voice exuding a power that defied words.
"Regardless, you and your acolytes will be destroyed," Natsuru answered, as if she was speaking to some common ruffian instead of the one who will bring our Republic to its great apotheosis.
Lord Moloch reached down and grasped both of us in each of his mighty hands. His grip was strong yet careful, aware that human bodies were fragile things. I relaxed in his tender embrace, grateful for the protection he brought, while Natsuru squirmed and struggled in vain.
Moloch brought us both to eye level. "Natsuru Machida, we shall go to your ancestral homeland, the land of Nihon. Be warned that detailed though it may be, it is only a vision born from my recollection of this glorious period in that land's history. Once you have seen it, you will come to appreciate what my priestess wants the Venerian Republic to be." I hoped that Natsuru listened to him.
"Then show me," Natsuru said.
"Understand that what I show you is the truth, very much consistent with the information contained in the Onodera Estate's library," Moloch said.
Moloch closed his eyes, and a white light overtook us.
#
I found myself in a familiar place: a very large street covered in both people and carriages. The number of people, it must be noted, was truly staggering; even Gaikyo would be a mere speck compared to the size of this one section of the city, never mind the city as a whole.
This place, this city called Tokyo, amazed me, and I had seen this vision before. But Natsuru? She stared in sheer open-mouthed shock at the scale of this place.
"It was one thing to read about Nihon and see the pictures, but to see such splendor up close...did you build this, Moloch?" Natsuru asked.
"This city was built by human hands, not divine ones," Moloch answered, his disembodied voice echoing all around.
"That's not possible, unless...on the mural, I glimpsed lower witches. They seem to be everywhere here, yet they aren't doing any sort of work," Natsuru said.
I laughed. "I thought the same thing when I saw them for the first time, but believe it or not, they aren't witches of any kind."
"This air...what are these smells?" Natsuru asked.
"The smoke from the carriages creates a distinct aroma. You'll get so used to it you won't even notice it," I answered.
We walked through the streets of Tokyo. The sheer size of the buildings blew Natsuru away, but I'll be honest -- they still amaze me too.
"How do they build them so high? Some kind of magic must be at work here," Natsuru said.
"I assure you it's not magic," I answered.
"But if these people aren't using magic, what could be making all this possible? Several of the books back in my library detail ways to manipulate the forces of nature without asking for help from spirits, so maybe they're just really good at it?" Natsuru asked.
"Something like that. For example, look at the people in the carriages. One of your upper witches uses something similar, right?" I said.
"If you're talking about Yahara, then yes. But what's your point?" Natsuru asked.
"When they stop and get out, you notice that their exhaustion is minimal. They're not moving those carriages with their own energy," I answered.
"And they're doing this without any magic," Natsuru said.
"Correct. The knowledge the people of Nihon made use of was of a fundamentally different type than what we use, so imagine how glorious things can be once we apply Lord Moloch's power," I said.
"But there are some things we're just not permitted to do. Even if we could harness whatever it is these people are using, Vesta's laws forbid us from making vehicles that don't require human or animal exertion to run," Natsuru said.
"That's what's so great about Lord Moloch -- we don't need to worry about that. Once our great and powerful savior takes over, Vesta's laws will be dumped out like the contents of an outhouse," I answered.
"These laws exist for a reason!" Natsuru said.
"Well, look around you. The people of Nihon were not limited by such laws, and don't forget -- this place is where the Abbess spent her formative years. The Republic could have looked like this, but instead, she creates a sad mockery of this land's ancient history! She wants us to suffer," I said.
Natsuru had no answer for this; she knew I was right. "Let me see more of this place," was all she could say in response.
"With pleasure," I answered.
I showed her the boxes and discs that contained music. I showed her the train, which I admit was my least favorite aspect of Nihon. ("It was so crowded, and I swear someone placed his hand on my bottom," Natsuru said. I told her that the same had happened to me.) I showed her 'movies' and 'television,' which allowed the dramatic arts to go further than anyone dared imagine. I showed her the rich variety of foods, for Nihon was a land where famine was not possible.
To be honest, I did not want to leave, but I knew that my time here would have to end, and I would have to return to Haiirosen, which was a mere mouse hole compared to what the ancestors had achieved. Revisiting this vision of a vanished land only heightened my resolve to remake the Venerian Republic into a place that would awe even people such as these. Yes, once I pass from this mortal coil and join the ancestors, they will celebrate me for bringing our nation out of squalor and into untold prosperity.
But Natsuru interrupted my thoughts with a curious question.
"If the girls are not learning magic in those buildings, what are they learning? I think we should look," Natsuru said.
"They're learning how to survive and thrive in this society. Youngsters in neat clothes become adults in neat clothes, performing the thankless yet vital tasks needed to keep this grand society afloat," I explained. I pointed to the boys and girls in their neat, identical clothing, then pointed at the several men and women in neat, identical clothing. To give Natsuru a closer look, I led her inside, showing her the many rooms these large edifices had.
"It's so organized," Natsuru said.
"This organization is the key to it all. A lot of people and a lot of things means that everything has to go right, and the teachers here make sure of that. It's pretty similar to what you do with the lower witches," I answered.
"Is this what you're planning to do with the ones you captured?" Natsuru asked.
"It is. These places are good at forming the character of a young person, and all of our Republic's children must learn how to live in the new society I am building. I'm only sad that I'll never get to see it reach the height of its power," I said.
Natsuru twitched. "You're going to teach my lowers to become like you?"
"I'm going to teach them how to be better people, fit for a world unencumbered by foolish dogmas," I answered.
It was obvious what question was coming next.
"Take me to Hinagiku," Natsuru said.
"Are you sure that's what you want?" I asked.
"It is, and you will give her the same freedoms you're giving me," Natsuru answered.
"First off, you're in no position to make demands. Second, I couldn't do that even if I wanted to," I said.
Natsuru's eyes went wide when it dawned on her.
"Is it what I think you mean?" Natsuru asked.
I ignored her for now. "Lord Moloch, please return us to the castle."
"Very well," Lord Moloch answered. The world flashed white again, and we were back in the central chamber of the castle again.
Now Natsuru was furious. "Where's Hinagiku? Answer me!"
"I'll ask you one more time: Are you sure you want to know?" I asked.
"What did you do to her? Is she in some archer's bed?" Natsuru said.
"She isn't," I said. I approached the bag, reached inside, and took out a charred skull, along with a handful of ash. "Here she is."
Natsuru trembled as tears fell from her eyes. "I can't believe you."
"It's Kei who called for it. I just performed the necessary rituals," I answered.
"That doesn't matter. You helped it happen, so you're just as responsible!" Natsuru said.
"I wasn't making some excuse, I was telling you what happened. However you feel about it, it's done -- Hinagiku Kaneshiro has been sacrificed to Moloch. I'll give you some time to sort your feelings out, but I do not want to hear any crying or raging about her," I answered.
"How can you dismiss something this serious? You snuffed someone out like she didn't matter!" Natsuru whined at me.
"Quite the contrary -- she was sacrificed because she did matter. By giving up a virgin daughter to Moloch, Kei gained great power and the right to command my cavalry. Thus though this one action, Kei Kaneshiro has brought my new world that much closer to reality," I answered.
Natsuru stared at me with hate in her eyes. "Don't speak to me again. I'm leaving this place."
"And how do you plan to do that?" I asked.
She didn't answer me; instead, she tried to walk off.
But Shuhei arrived just in time to block her path.
"Get out of my way," Natsuru said.
"No can do -- you only leave when Akane says you can," Shuhei answered.
"And I've given no such command," I added.
"I don't care! I'm not staying here!" Natsuru said.
She tried to push Shuhei aside, but Shuhei just grabbed Natsuru's wrist and lifted Natsuru over his shoulder like she didn't weigh a thing.
"Let me go!" Natsuru screamed as she kicked her legs hard.
Shuhei ignored the squirming witch. "I come with bad news -- a huge stampede of raptors and tyrannosaurs has been spotted. I've prepared your horse and issued orders to the men at Gaikyo," he said.
"Great work. I'll head out at once," I said. Pan had made good on his threats from the sound of it.
"And what do I do with her?" Shuhei asked, indicating Natsuru who now stopped her futile attempts to break free.
"Take her to one of the guest rooms on the top floor. Post two female guards, and do not let her leave," I answered.
"Will do," Shuhei said. He turned to leave and fetch the guards, so Natsuru was now facing me.
"You've gone too far. What happened to you? Did Mamoru really cause you all that pain?" Natsuru asked.
"Stop for a moment," I told Shuhei. He stopped right where he was, allowing me to get close to Natsuru.
She looked up at me, and I slapped her right across the face.
"I don't want to hear that man's name cross your lips again," I said.
Natsuru just glared at me, giving no answer at all.
"Consider yourself lucky that I still see you as a friend, but my patience has limits. Talk about Mamoru again, and I will hurt you," I said.
"You might wanna hurry up," Shuhei said.
"Right," I answered. Shuhei took Natsuru away, and I rushed out of the castle with my emotions swirling. Why did she have to bring up Mamoru? Why did she have to remind me of the worst day of my life? Why?
I figured I'd take my anger out on some tyrannosaurs.
As promised, my horse was waiting in front of the entrance, along with my riding boots and my bow. I put on my boots, then mounted. Bow clutched in hand, I rode out to meet my Tempest Archers.
It was time to beat the wild beasts back.
PREVIOUS: Chapter 11
NEXT: Chapter 13