Preparation passed in a blink. A horrible blink.
One moment, she was in the captain's office, hearing her orders, and the next, Shouhei was raising an ornate gate key, and they were standing at the top of a hill, a scenic walk away from the grand black gates of a countryside estate.
"Estate", Hisako imagined, was a weak word for it.
It was bigger than a town—it stretched as far as the eye could see, from hill to hill and the valley between. Packed like a real town, it would comfortably fit a hundred people. Instead, there was a sprawling mansion atop one hill, surrounded by beautiful cherry blossoms, and then a series of smaller houses and structures on the other hill. A casual persimmon orchard, winding streams, and fields of farmland and trees separated the two worlds.
The main family and the branch family members.
She'd seen Hachi's version of it all in his world—a maze of doors across a cut of the estate. It put her on edge. She eyed the buildings, looking for the gymnasium where Miu breathed her last, but she couldn't distinguish the traditional buildings from each other.
"Everything alright?" Shouhei asked quietly.
She glanced at him.
His cutting gaze softened, just a little. "People don't always make good choices," he told her quietly. "Don't be disappointed when they let you down."
She paled, mouth drying. "What does that mean?"
He turned to his family's estate and gestured to it with a resigned bitterness. "It takes a stupid person to betray this."
"You did. Hachi did," she pointed out.
Hachi laughed and kicked at the pebbles on the side of the meticulously manicured dirt path. "I'm barely part of this family," he said. "Purity means something here."
Hisako blinked in confusion. "Purity?" she echoed.
"Racial purity," Shouhei said. "A Japanese mother and a Japanese father. Hachi's mother is Filipino. Nanae's mother—my sister-in-law—is African American."
"They care?" Hisako asked, incredulous.
"About me? Not that much. I'm already on one of the lowest arms of the tree," Hachi said dryly.
"Nanae and her father are different."
"He's the heir," Hisako recalled.
"Yes. He nearly didn't become the heir when he insisted on marrying Nanae's mother," Shouhei chuckled. "It's the most defiant he's ever been."
"And ever will be," Hachi snorted. "Your older brothers are shameful."
Shouhei smiled amicably. "Takes one to know one."
Hachi chuckled. "I know plenty. They could come in handy, later."
"Along with your friends from Enforcement," Shouhei said.
"You think we'll need them…" Eiji prompted.
"I do," Shouhei said. "Tell me, Eiji-san, are there people in this world you're sure you'll never be able to change?"
Eiji pondered and found no answer.
Hisako found one immediately: herself.
Herself, before Kohaku went into their door. "Progress" had been given up at the slightest chance of difficulty. Even things she was interested in—as soon as a game became frustrating and was no longer "playfully difficult"—she gave up.
She hadn't bothered to do anything but give up on any chance of change because she'd convinced herself she was happy.
"You, my friend," Shouhei chucked to Eiji. "Don't seem to know enough people." He eyed Hisako thoughtfully but didn't raise any ideas. "My point is that I know my eldest brother will not stand down."
Amajiki watched him thoughtfully, silently. Hisako could see thoughts swarming behind his sharp eyes, but he held his tongue.
Hisako didn't have the liberty, so new to this game. "At the Captain's office, a 'Captain Sasaki' was mentioned. This is Nanae's father?"
"No," Shouhei replied. "It's my other brother. Captain Masashi is Hideki's full sibling."
"And he's also compliant with the plans?" Eiji asked. "If what you expect happens, who would be the heir after all this, if you don't mind me asking?"
"The line for the clan head ends with me. The current heir is, of course, Hideki, then Nanae, Masashi, Yasuko—Masashi's daughter—, and then me. Seeing as how all the people before me are involved, it would fall on me."
"An unwilling recipient," Amajiki prompted.
"Indeed. I would rather destroy the system my family operates on than try to fix it from the inside."
"That's… radical," Eiji said slowly.
"A word used to describe my politics often. I hold the same view on the bureaucracy that the voting system is meant to help 'fix'." He smirked. "I'd rather be considered a radical and never achieve the goals I work toward than die a centrist."
Hisako glanced at Amajiki. He had no visibly strong reaction. He simply held his jaw straight and said nothing.
"Is everyone ready?" Shouhei asked.
"The gathering will be at the main house. If we beat the escort, we may catch the leaders of this scheme without the entourage," Hachi reminded them.
"Yeah, of course," Hisako nodded.
Eiji nodded, visibly steeling himself as he did. Amajiki simply gestured for them to continue.
The long walk from the end of the path to the gates of the estate was a welcome one. Along with calming herself, Hisako thought on the deluge of information the conversation had offered her, along with the risks of what they were about to do to Nanae and her loved ones.
The Sasakis, she thought, were the big traditionalists, along with the other big and old clans. They seemed to compose a minority party, albeit a loud one, as every Doorkeeper she'd met agreed with the democratic approach to captain-choosing.
That made the general leaning more progressive, if she was reading things right. For a generation of Doorkeepers intent on overthrowing an old power system to think Shouhei radical…
His ideas were absolute change—destruction of everything to rebuild anew. It was the right thing to do, Hisako felt, but the bigger the community, the harder it was to convince them to want change.
She'd have to learn more. Just not today.
She would ask Nanae to reject the clan that had never loved her, and if Nanae couldn't see the truth, she'd stop the conspiracy and do her best to save Nanae from the harsh punishment that might await her.
They arrived at the gate—twin ebony posts with carved tops designed to look like Japanese maple trees. The tree was likely the family crest; Shouhei wore it on the back of his red kimono.
Of course, there was no door or actual gate door—only two guards in their path, who perked up with unease but calmed a little at the sight of Shouhei leading them.
"Sasaki-sama…" one of them said cautiously.
"It's alright. They're my guests," Shouhei assured.
The other looked at their companion. "I'm not sure your mother wants guests on the property right now."
"We have a meeting with her," he replied. "We're going right to her."
They stood in the way still, but they hadn't summoned their weapons.
"No trouble will come to you," Shouhei promised simply. "Just continue guarding the gate, and nothing will go wrong."
After a long moment, they nodded and parted.
Shouhei led them along the dirt path that meandered through the persimmon orchard. There were more family members, sorting through the fruits and tending to the trees. Some glanced as they passed, but they didn't call out or question them.
Not a single brow was raised until they reached the main house. The cherry blossoms around the house were shedding their leaves as winter began to settle across Japan. It made the castle-like traditional mansion look a little more gloomy, but it was no less grand, especially up close.
At the main house, a man was waiting in the red kimono of the clan. He was leaning against a tree, nearly nodding off until they arrived. He heard them from a ways off and perked up, eyes raising.
"Sasaki-sama," the man chuckled. "You're here." A grin split his face slowly. "Perfect timing. Only the early birds are here right now."
"Anyone you wouldn't fight?" Shouhei asked.
"Spiral and Misao."
Shouhei chuckled. "Ah, oh well. Thanks for the heads-up, then."
"Mmhmm."
Shouhei continued onward, into the stone walls of the main house's property. Hisako glanced around as they approached the house.
The house was garnished with rock gardens, small ponds, and beautiful flowering plants. Even in the fall, they bloomed. Hisako eyed them, watching them sway in the gentle breeze; they didn't look fake. Everything was so picturesque. So plastic and fake.
The house was sprawling—it had clearly been added to over the years without a final goal in mind. It had little alcoves for the larger ponds and gardens, as well as an open-air building for tea ceremonies. Shouhei took them there, where a small gathering of people had begun.
Nanae, this time in a red kimono over her black undershirt; an older, proud-standing man; a young woman about her age; an elderly woman seated in the structure; and two peculiar middle-aged men standing a few meters away from the rest. Aside from Nanae and the oddest man, they were borderline homogeneous in appearance—fair skin, dark hair, defined features, and those sharp eyes all Sasakis seemingly shared.
One of the peculiar men wore his kimono without the hakama—his uniform looked more in line with Koko's outfit. He had a distant look in his eyes, like he was thinking about something else even as he prepared himself for the "escort."
The oddest man had a body made of… ice? He was translucent and pale blue beneath his kimono, layered up and heavy as if it were already winter. Maybe, for him, it was always winter.
The proud-standing man turned to look at them, head rising alert when he realized who they were. He had the same look as the rest, down to the business cut of his hair, but he carried himself regally and without room for questioning. He began to move towards them.
"Who's he?" Hisako asked quietly.
"Not Captain Sasaki," Shouhei said carefully.
"Rare for him not to be early for his own party," Hachi said.
Shouhei clicked his tongue. "Our mother is here," he replied as a means of explanation.
It took the rest a moment to realize they weren't there for the escort, then the two peculiar Sasakis became guarded. Even from a distance, Hisako could see Nanae's face go stony as her arms crossed.
"Brother," the man welcomed. His tone was warm, but the address was loaded with something deeply critical.
He was Nanae's father. The acting clan head. Hisako narrowed her eyes, absorbing everything about him.
"Brother," Shouhei greeted back. He didn't bother hiding his intentions behind a polite tone.
"We're not entertaining guests at the main house right now," Hideki said gently.
"I'm not stupid," Shouhei replied dryly.
"No." Hideki's eyes flicked to Hachi, eyes going flinty and sharp. "I suppose I'm the stupid one."
"You have the choice to make up for it," Shouhei offered. "Give up on this 'escort,' and it won't even be a slap on the wrist."
"I could've sworn we have the right to gather. One of the democratic joys of making the Doorkeepers more like the country's government, no?"
"Is that your final answer?" Shouhei sighed.
Hideki didn't reply. He simply clenched his jaw in a disappointed scowl.
"You can't speak for everyone."
Shouhei walked past him, leaving Hisako feeling exposed. A person strong enough to be a captain was standing in front of her—her enemy—, and their team leader had walked away.
"What about you lot? Are you all complacent in this little conspiracy?" he asked loudly.
Nanae averted her gaze, dodging Hisako's burning eyes and icy face.
"Good soldiers follow orders," the absent-minded man said automatically.
The ice man didn't bother responding.
"We're smart enough to stay on the winning side," the young woman replied.
"Loyal enough to stand by our own blood," the old woman corrected. Her face was thunderous as she rose. "I thought I raised you better, Shouhei."
Shouhei smiled coolly. "Mother, go back to your room. There's no reason for you to get involved in combat at your age."
"I'm not that old yet," she snapped, stomping down the steps of the tea-house.
Shouhei scowled, gaze focusing, and she staggered. The young woman sprang up and caught her.
Hideki hurried to her side to help her back on her feet. "Mother!"
"She's just dizzy," Shouhei said. "Take her away from here, Hideki."
Hideki spat at him: "Stop them! I'll return shortly."
"Stop them?" the young woman asked, rolling her shoulders.
"Use whatever force you need, but leave them alive," Hideki ordered.
Hisako hesitated.
The Sasakis didn't.
Hideki rose quickly with his mother, hurrying into the house. Hisako followed him with her eyes, then to Nanae as she dashed toward her.
The ice man flew at them, but was intercepted by Hachi; Shouhei stopped the absent man; Eiji tangled with the young woman; and Amajiki stopped them all as the roulette board rolled out.
Nanae's hands fought the golden wash of Amajiki's Between Rounds. Her teeth were gnashed, and her eyes were furious. Hisako flinched back, feeling the push of Nanae against her.
She squeezed her eyes shut as the roulette wheel rattled, and she summoned Toraichi.
Eiji armed himself with Stinger, Hachi was already engaged in a momentarily paused battle, and Shouhei summoned a round shield and spear. The ice man drew a clawed war-hammer, the absent-minded man a weighty axe-headed halberd, Nanae had her gauntlets, and the young woman had a slender katana.
A beating orchestral melody settled over her bones from within her head, driving the fire of adrenaline hotter; it had to be Shouhei's ability.
The wheel stopped as the beat kicked in, making her bones feel electric, and her muscles feel light.