Kenji Tanaka stopped the motorcycle in front of the abandoned amusement park. He turned off the engine, put up the side stand, and took off his helmet. His gaze wandered over the entrance gate, or what was left of it. Had it been damaged for some time?
He dismounted his machine and stepped over, then he carefully inspected the gate. Apparently, it had been broken since the metal rod was destroyed and the ground was strewn with metal pieces. He also noticed that the whole ground was wet, although it hadn't rained for days. Thoughtfully, he frowned and stepped through the hole. The metal splinters crunched under the soles of his biker boots.
"What the hell has happened here?"
He once oversaw the whole scene in his field of vision. He discovered the former park, which was overgrown by the vegetation. Some branches were shattered on the ground, presumably as a result of the century's storm, which had raged on the day of Tirr's death.
The Oni sucked the air into his nose. He could smell some beasts. He opened his leather jacket and pulled out a machine gun. With one click, he turned the safety. Better safe than sorry.
Carefully, he followed the sidewalk and took in all the information of the environment. As he approached a group of trees, he discovered a strangely shimmering coating on a tree trunk. He stepped closer and sniffled on it. Subsequently, he put his unclothed hand on it to confirm his suspicion. Indeed, it was ice. He drew back his hand and wrinkled his nose. How was that possible in the middle of summer?
"Well ..."
He was a Pyromant, and had often to deal with Oni, who commanded the other elements. Obviously, it was an Ice-Oni. But who was it? He knew Kiyoshi Sasabuchi, who had fought with Tirr at the Oni assembly. But he couldn't imagine what Kiyoshi would be looking for at this place.
Perhaps another beast had become humanoid and wandered lost through the park. Possibly he could recruit a new member for the community. It would be the first time for him, since he usually didn't bother about hunting. Kenji preferred to enjoy his life by following his job as a doorman, getting drunk in the Pitstop and getting pretty women laid.
"Well ... I wanted to be the sheriff. Now I have to shoulder the responsibility."
He marched from the tree group further into the center of the park, where he actually found more signs of fighting. Smashed ice blocks lay around and slowly melted in the warmth of the night. There was a trace, which he could easily follow.
On his way, he passed a signboard for the fairy-tale castle. Yuna had mentioned in her report that Tirr used this building as his shelter, but it was partially destroyed during their fight. Now he would probably have an opportunity to look at the place, something he had planned to do, but hadn't yet found the time to get it done.
He strolled comfortably on with his drawn machine gun.
The path led to a tree-lined avenue that marked the way to the castle. He peered at the castle gates and could make out more ice blocks there. Outside the gates stood a person with long, blue hair, who apparently looked at the building. Was that Yuna?
"Hey, Yuna-chan!" Kenji shouted in surprise and walked a bit faster. After her dismissive attitude before, he had really not expected that he would see her so quickly. Obviously, it was not as easy for her to stop hunting as she had said.
When only a dozen meters separated them, the person whirled around. Kenji paused as he was caught by a pair of red-glowing eyes. Abruptly he stopped and looked at the woman. Her skin had a bright, blue-white complexion. Her lips were dark blue, even almost black. Rime covered both her cheeks and her uncovered forearms and lower legs. On the left side of her head she had a wide, white streak in her hair. As her hair moved, fine snow trickled down.
She wore a wide top with a low neckline, knee long leggings and sneakers.
"Who is Yuna?" asked the Oni, which she obviously was. As Kenji looked at her, he caught a glimpse of her human form. Her girlish style of dress didn't really fit her, as she looked a bit older.
"Please excuse me. I've mistaken you," he confessed.
"Okay." Her gaze remained attached to the gun in his hands. "Are you hunting here?"
"I was, yeah. Who are you?"
She wrinkled her nose. "Yukiko."
"My name is Kenji Tanaka. I'm the sheriff," he introduced himself.
"A sheriff? Hm." She turned away from him and looked at the gate again.
Kenji cleared his throat. "You're not a newbie, aren't you?"
"I once lived here. It's been a couple of years."
"I don't know you," the Oni admitted.
"I don't know you either." She nodded to the castle. "Here lived Tirr, right?"
The fire devil secured his machine gun and put it back in his jacket while he moved closer to the woman. "Yes."
She closed her eyes and nodded. "I've heard he was killed."
"It's true."
She turned back to him, with further snow falling to the ground. "Who did it?"
"Does it matter? Without him, we're better off."
She pinched her lips. "You didn't like him."
"No one liked him."
She smiled dimly. "He was ... misunderstood."
"The understatement of the millennium."
Amused, her mouth twitched. "Have you killed him?"
"Maybe?"
She grinned. "That's good enough for me."
In the next moment, she shot an ice beam at Kenji, who could only dodge barely. He slipped over the gritty ground as the next beam came flying. The sheriff pushed himself off the ground and landed on his stomach.
"No. It wasn't you. You're a miserable fighter," Yukiko mentioned.
"Are you crazy?" Teeth gnashing, Kenji jumped up and tore out his machine gun, which he aimed at the woman.
"I had a score to settle with Tirr." She seemed to be absolutely indifferent about the gun, which was pointed at her.
"So what?! You're too late! Surrender now, or I'll shoot."
A bright laugh with a mocking undertone came from her. "Don't get cocky, little one."
"Little one?! Who is little here?!" Kenji snapped.
Yukiko didn't make the slightest impression that she was intimidated by him or his threat. She laid her head crooked and grinned sweetly at the other Oni. "I'm out of your league, sweetie. Put your water pistol away and go to your mummy, okay?"
"I'll rip you a new one, you beast." Kenji threw down his machine gun, pulled off his jacket, and burst into flames. He immediately threw a fireball at the female Oni.
As cool as a cucumber, she looked at the hissing projectile before she lifted her hand and turned it with her ice beam into a ball of ice that crashed to the ground and shattered. "Cute."
The Fire-Oni screamed and unleashed a flaming wave from his hands, which completely enveloped his opponent and several square meters of the front garden. After a few seconds, the flames disappeared, revealing a slightly melted ice wall.
"I admit that you're incompetent, but at least not a weakling," she whispered from behind.
Kenji whirled around and was impaled by an ice lance. He cringed as the structure drifted into his belly, and his flames went out. Slowly he sank to his knees and pressed his hands on the wound. At first he pinched his eyes in pain, but then he looked up at her defiantly. The lance seemed to come straight out of her arm.
"Guess, you missed," the fire devil growled.
"If I wanted to kill you, you'd be dead. Be thankful that I have a weakness for well-hung men." Again she grinned amused. "I suppose Sachiko still has the saying, yes?"
"Fuck you."
Yukiko sighed. "Just because a girl spoils your butt, you'll be outrageous? Maybe I should kill you."
"Go on." Kenji was prepared for death. It could catch him at any time, he never had any illusions about that.
"Hm." The ice lance fell to the ground and broke. "You're really a sullen, little fur ball." The pyromancer growled furiously. "Greet your mistress, will you? I'll probably visit her soon."
"I'll do shit."
She smirked. "Well, well. If you don't want to greet her from me, at least greet her from Shi."
"I don't know who that is."
The female Oni smiled conciliatoryly and went into a crouch. She patted his cheek, reached into his fur, which she clamped between her fingers and shook his head softly. She grinned at him all the time, so he could understand who was the boss here.
"That just shows how green you really are behind you ears, my doggy." Kenji snorted and stared at her angrily. "Just ask her about Shi. And when we two see us the next time, you will tell me how she reacted. Agreed?"
"Fu..."
An ice-cold grin appeared before she said, "And if you're going to be naughty again, I'll make every single water molecule in your body shock-freeze, which will kill you quite surely."
The sheriff glared at her glowing eyes, but after a few seconds, he looked away. He had to accept his defeat. She had not only defeated him easily and then spared him, but also humiliated him.
"Good dog. I hope we will still become friends. Ask Sachiko about Shi, or greet her from him. Or from me. Actually, I don't care."
"I don't understand," Kenji admitted.
"That doesn't matter."
Yukiko let go of his fur and rose again. She looked at his body one last time, and then pulled away, grinning. He followed her with his eyes until she had disappeared from his field of vision. Then he crawled to his leather jacket, as there was his mobile phone inside.