Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Will you take breakfast?" Hayami-san asked in halting English. It turns out the language is a required subject in Japanese secondary schools, but most people lose it from lack of practice, if they ever really learned it at all. Hayami-san, Reiko's mother, had enjoyed learning the language and kept up by consuming English language media and corresponding with a family in Australia she had stayed with during a high school exchange.

"Yes. Please." I enunciated. She set a bowl of soup, another of rice, and a plate of a sort of omelet they called tamagoyaki. It was pretty rather than tasty, but I wasn't picky. She offered a slight smile with the dishes. The older woman was as monochromatic as her daughters, dressed in a similar white kimono and red pants(ish).

Hakima, filled in my passenger. She had been working to teach me Japanese, while offering simultaneous translations for what I hear and phonetic prompts for when I want to speak. It is part of the traditional miko uniform. Mother was a temple maiden and is now a shaman.

You will become confused trying to identify who we are or are not. This body is Yanagi Reiko, but that name means neither of us now. Your spirit is Hebert Taylor. Mine needs a separate name as well. Please call me Emily. She was a lost friend of my childhood. The first spirit who ever possessed me.

It was taking me some time to realize I had a constant watcher in my head who followed my thoughts like a TV show. Your naming convention makes sense, at least internally.

First name and last names mean different things in Japan and it is confusing. Please just call me Taylor.

It had been three days since my summoning to this future Japan. The drama of the first night, including Emily explaining the new reality to her family, had been traumatic. I had not understood what was being said and had insisted my passenger not translate it for me. But words were not necessary to understand the ragged emotions as loving parents learned their eldest daughter had effectively committed suicide.

I had no idea what place suicide held in the Japanese culture, but I couldn't imagine it was good. This family – all of whom seemed to have some sort of spirit-related powers – had an even more unusual relationship with death. But losing their daughter wouldn't make them happy.

The twins obviously thought it all my fault, glaring daggers whenever they were not fleeing any room I entered.

They blame themselves. I could not have performed the ritual without them. They see it as a betrayal that I did not inform them of the scope of my plans. While I have insisted to them that I am fully responsible for this situation, they cannot see how to simultaneously mourn me and blame me. Please be patient with them.

Hmmm … I'd never had siblings. I wasn't sure I was enjoying the new experience. I was glad they were attending some sort of cram school and were out of the house a lot.

It was March, the one month of the year that Japanese schools were off. If I intended to attend U.A., I would need to move to Mustafa City in the next two weeks to settle in before the first day of class. Given that likely move, I made little effort to build my own relationship with the girls. I wasn't the sort of person who should be around kids anyway.

"Would you come with me to store?" Hayami-san asked as I finished my meal. I had not been out of the temple complex since arriving.

"Sure. Thanks." I needed to start exploring the world. Ignorance was dangerous.

I had spent the last two days working to become familiar with my new body. It was shorter than my old one, but more muscular and with noticeable, though not prominent, curves. I missed my long wavy hair. Short and white, with an annoying tendency to fall in my eyes, was quite a change.

I had also spent time trying to harness Reiko's quirk. We actually had to let Emily drive to show me how she reached out, not to the creatures in this world, but to a number of barely aware spirits just on the other side a barrier I could now perceive. Each fuyūrei, or floating spirit, was like my bugs – no individual identity and little volition. Once Emily showed me how, I was able to access the power.

Do you think you can summon the swarm yourself now? Emily asked after walking me through the technique several times.

It turned out I could.

After a day's practice I could wield them, not as well as my bugs, but enough to begin trying tricks Emily had never considered. Interestingly I found that my multitasking seems to have not been wholly part of my Administrator shard. I was easily able to manage small groups of individual spirits to take on separate tasks. I was even able to sense motion and pressure through the spirits. There was no detail yet, but I felt I could work to improve it.

To my delight, I found I could finally fly – in a limited fashion. The largest swarm I could control was able to lift just over 62kg, or about 135lbs, working in concert. I now weighed 115lbs, or 52kg. The difference of 10kg was enough to lift me very slowly into the air, but not enough to fly faster than a person could walk. It is possible to accelerate slowly over time to reach a greater speed, but deceleration would take just as long. That's not responsive enough for any sort of aerial combat.

I might be able to use it for long distance flight. I could probably reach a top speed of 50-60mph with long ramps at the beginning and end of the trip, sort of like an ocean liner.

What I could do more easily was surround myself with my spirit swarm to manipulate my body. I could make myself light enough to leap distances or bounce around in close combat. Useful, but something I would have to practice. I could also effectively double my strength for lifting and striking. Not exactly a Brute, but it gives me an enhanced close combat capability that will surprise foes the first time.

"We will leave at 1000," Reiko's mother stated, drawing my attention back to the present. I quickly translated that to 10am. "The twins will come along. Dress … ah … normal clothes. Not kosode. Understand? Wakatta?"

"Hai, wakatta." Between the near total immersion and Emily's translations I was picking up individual words and phrases in Japanese quickly. But I was nowhere near ready to solo.

"Mr. Yanagi wants to speak with you in the … temple hall." She points towards one of the buildings around the courtyard. I offer a bow and went out to see Reiko's father.

Mr. Yanagi, or Yanagi-san, was a priest of some religion that combined both Buddhism and Shinto, the two largest religions in Japan. Emily had tried to explain some of the specifics of her family's faith, but it went right over my head. Mr. Gladly hadn't exactly prepared me to discuss the details of comparative Eastern theologies.

Emily also explained that her father's quirk was called Redemption and it involved easing the passage of the spirits of the recently dead into the next world. While my new passenger had not said her father was the one who could exorcise me, I imagined if anyone could it fell within his powers.

When I found him, he was kneeling in meditation in the middle of a largish empty room, the sort with the traditional rice mat floor and paper walls. He was facing a small statue of Buddha set in the wall.

He nodded when I entered. I made sure to remove my sandals. It was a hard habit to get into, but Emily was certain to remind me each time. At her prompt I bowed to him and took to my knees, sitting seiza.

Yanagi-san started speaking. Emily translated. "I have seen you practicing kata in the yard. You have training?"

Parroting my passenger's words I responded "I was trained in some close quarters combat in my world's military. It was not formal martial arts, but I try to practice what I was taught." Over the years, I had learned a lot more martial arts than just CQC from the PRT but Reiko's body wasn't trained in those forms. I didn't want to claim what I couldn't deliver.

"I am not a warrior monk, but aikido is a common practice in my sect and family. Reiko had trained with me since she was five. If you would like I can show you some of the basics before you leave for U.A." This is the first effort on his part to reach out to me. I felt like he was trying to make a connection, or keep what he could of his daughter.

"The world will see you as Yanagi Reiko, an untouchable," he continued. "The better you can succeed in her place the better for all untouchables. You have the potential to be a symbol of all our plight. And a reminder for those that have forgotten our existence that we continue to face daily discrimination both quiet and overt."

He looked hard at me, his eyes glowing. I could feel a spiritual pressure emanating from him, pressing at me. A hard push might dislodge me from the body.

I called up a swarm, but the floating spirits were repulsed by his power. I let them ride the pressure, turning their movement into a circle around us. "You do still intend to attend U.A. under Reiko's name, do you not?"

Got to love subtle threats, I thought.

The pressure he put on me, while of a different nature, was no less burdensome. Emily's 'voice' was subdued.

I am tempted to tell him he drove his own daughter away through such actions.

It would change nothing and only cause him pain. I have no wish to hurt my family. Or for you to do so.

I never thought the voice of your better nature whispering correct behavior in your ear was a real thing. Do you have little angel wings? And a halo? I've seen the white robes.

Does that make you the little red devil? Emily snickered and showed me a cartoon picture of me with the tiny angel and devil on my shoulders. It was my original body in the image, not Reiko's. Her ability to share images with me was growing as we settled into our new partnership. I was somewhat concerned about progressive personality bleed at this rate.

"Hai," I said, not needing Emily's translating.

"Then let me help you, and all our people, succeed." He stood, motioning for me to do the same.

As I stood, I checked Reiko's watch. It was 8:45a.m. "Yanagi-san, your wife has asked me to go shopping with her at 10."

He thought for a minute. "Very well. Come to me after lunch, at 1330. We will work for two hours and another hour for your meditation."

I almost sighed out loud, but I had practice dealing with both overbearing trainers and adults that thought they had the right to organize my life. I had no idea which, if either, Yanagi-san might be. He was certainly more involved with his daughters than my father had been for the last part of my life.

I bowed and headed to the edge of the forest surrounding the temple complex. There were paths leading into the trees, but I didn't have time to explore them. Instead I started juggling leaves, sticks, and rocks in a complex pattern using dozens of invisible groups. Once I had that set in motion, I tried to maintain it while bouncing from tree to tree. The cloud of moving debris following me as I moved along the edge of the wilderness.

I never thought of having the spirits move me like that. Was this something you did with your old powers?

No, but I knew others that did.

That remembrance opened my mind to a flood of people I had known. People I had killed in the attacks on Scion – Eidolon, Clockblocker, Grue, so many others. I missed a bounce, hitting the tree hard, and dropped to the ground. Lying in the grass, I relived the horrors I had caused as Khepri.

Taylor! I felt a pulse of spiritual energy wash against me.

I had no idea how long I had been locked in my memories. I hoped it had only been a second or two. Thanks. I can't let that happen in combat.

Meditation may help heal such wounds. My mother or father may be able to offer useful advice. Both have training as counselors as part of their pastoral duties, though they specialize in grief counseling.

I have plenty of grief. Care to walk me through the basics of meditation while we wait for your mother?

We should dress first. Informally.

Alright.

Dasumiru-mura was a village of about twenty or thirty families, living mostly along the mountainside south of the valley. There were a few small shops, but most people drove to the town in the valley, Kesuru-machi. That was where Mrs. Yanagi took us.

The twins claimed the back seat. They giggled when I tried to get in what turned out to be the driver's side. Japan drives on the wrong side of the road so the driver sits in the right hand seat.

As we parked outside the small supermarket in Kesuru-machi, I saw several people gave us frightened or unfriendly stares. Hayami-san ignored them. The twins gave rude glares back. I did not understand the muttered comments people made as we passed near, and Emily chose not to translate. I assumed they were not complimentary.

I was surprised to find that in a small mining town out in the mountains of central Japan the local grocery store was five times nicer than the best supermarket in Brockton Bay. It was amazingly clean, and everything shined. Food, much of which I could not identify, was presented in a way to make it all look delicious. The personnel were all friendly.

When we were back out in the parking lot someone started to pelt us with small stones. I looked around after the first pebble hit me. Several boys around in their mid-teens were snickering, but I couldn't see anything to suggest one had thrown the rock. A moment later – while I was still watching the boys – I was struck on the back of my head by a second pebble.

I summoned my swarm, spreading them out in a hemisphere around me. Through my link I felt several small objects moving through the air in an unnatural way, orbiting me and Reiko's sisters. When an object was behind us, out of everyone's sight, it would move in and plink one of us on the head. Whoever was responsible had the good sense to ignore the adult in the group.

Able to feel the movement of the objects, I started directing individual spirits to push against the stones when they started approaching any of us directly. It became a battle of attacks and pinpoint counter-attacks, mostly invisible to the people watching. The stones could be seen, but they were small and moving quickly. The spirits were invisible outside of the family. While that was happening, I looked at the people more closely.

One of the boys, larger and dressed more expensively, or so I assumed, looked frustrated while his companions still laughed.

That is Inoue Goro. He is the leader of the bigots and bullies at Kesuru Middle School. He can manipulate small rocks and stones with his quirk.

He's behind this attack?

No one else in town has this capability, except you.

It seems I need to teach him a lesson.

You cannot. Even what you are doing now is against the law.

What?

Unauthorized use of quirks in public is a criminal offence.

He's using his.

His father, Inoue Kisho, is the magistrate and makes the determination of authorization. And Inoue-bugyo is very protective of his family. Not the individuals in it so much as its reputation and prerogatives. It is best we simply leave.

I seethed inside. This was too much like the Trio, bullies protected from consequences by their connections. It wasn't right, but this sort of thing seemed to be a constant, even in a different world and time.

It is not right, but it is the reality of the untouchables. No one in Shinso will take our side over the family who owns the valley. Who runs the mines. Who provides jobs. Who keeps the local economy running. Not even All Might could punch this injustice.

While this conversation took place, the battle had escalated. A veritable cloud of pebbles, rocks, and stones surged around the parking lot, centered on the Yanagis and me. People stood outside the cloud gawking or cheering. I managed to defect every missile, but unless I was willing to go on the offensive, I didn't see this ending soon.

My initial reaction was to rain fire and destruction on the boy's head. If I couldn't get away with direct action, I would have to think strategically. Reiko's phone had video recording capability. I caused a dozen spirits to push it out of my pocket and activate it. I brushed against the screen, triggering the recording function and directed the spirits to carry it to the edge of the stone storm. I kept it at eye level, hoping it was pointed at the action I was hoping to record.

"Get in the car!" Mrs. Yanagi yelled, shocking the twins into action.

"Yeah! Run away – He used a bad word for untouchables I will not repeat – We don't want you polluting our town," yelled Inoue. His crowd of cronies repeated the slur and orders.

I wanted to yell back, but my lack of fluency in the language would be noticeable. Inoue knew Reiko and would recognize the difference. I didn't want the questions that would bring.

Instead, I started towards the car. Inoue gestured towards me, something he hadn't done before. I think his blood was up as I started to get away. Five of the largest stones zipped towards me. I blocked two into each other. One I let hit me in the head hard enough to draw blood. It hurt, but I've had so many worse pains I barely noticed it. The last two I directed towards the car, shattering a tail light and denting a door.

I was the last into the vehicle. Mrs. Yanagi slammed into gear and got us out of there. I made sure the camera was back in the car and not recording.

Then I forced all the stones to the ground. Inoue tried to lift some of them, but my spirits were stronger than his quirk. If he were smart, he would realize I could have done that at any time. Or sent the stones back at him and his friends.

As we drove back up the mountain, I checked the video. It looked like it was taken by an excited spectator. Not perfect, but good enough – and authentic looking. It caught the stone hitting me and the splash of blood. The damage to the car was also easily visible. Emily told me Inoue's outburst was intelligible.

If the local government was in the Inoue's pocket, I would wait a few weeks until I was in Tokyo to send this to the media and authorities. It might not be much, but I was hoping to spark some public outrage targeting the Inoue brat, hopefully his family, and possibly the whole corrupt town.

"You're bleeding!" Miyoko almost screeched. The friendlier of the twins whipped out a handkerchief and reached towards me. Intercepting her, I took the cloth square and, checking that it was mostly clean, pressed it to my wound.

"I'll be ok," I said through Emily. "It looks worse than it is. Head wounds always bleed heavily. White hair probably makes it look worse too."

"You were blocking the rocks?" Yanagi-san asked in Japanese as she pulled over on the side of the road. We were out of the valley and halfway up to Dasumiru-mura.

Reiko's mother got out of the car and came around to my side. She reached out and at her touch, all the blood on my clothes and hair vanished. Part of her Preservation quirk, I guessed.

She removed the handkerchief and quickly examined the injury. "You let him hit you. Why?"

"I … wanted proof of injury," I said quietly. I would rather the twins not hear this, but they were part of the bullying, so they had a right to listen. "Emily tells me that the Inoue are above the local law. I wanted this to be more than an instance of simple harassment. If I had not blocked the rocks in the first place this kind of injury was inevitable. It was an attack meant to do real harm. With damage to me and to the car, we can escalate this."

"It won't do any good. The Inoue are the law here. No one outside will help." Hearing an adult confirm the injustice of the situation made my blood boil.

Calm yourself. The fuyurei will become agitated. Either release them or control your emotions.

I started at Emily's sharp chastisement and turned my attention to the floating spirits. They were swarming angrily, searching for a target to attack. I took several deep breaths, caging my anger and sending calming thoughts to the spirits.

"Perhaps," I admitted aloud. "But I have to do something."

"No," she replied sadly. "You do not. In fact, you should not. The enmity between the Inoue and the Yanagi is part of these mountains, and has been for centuries. It is best for you to leave it behind when you go to U.A. High. Leave it all behind and build a better life."