Shinji Shiba sat at his desk and checked a quotation for a funeral. He reached for a glass of water on the table, drank a sip, and set it back down before he focused again on the document.
At the edge of his mind, the thoughts of his employees whispered. Having spent some years with them and getting used to them, they were easier for him to ignore.
"A client? - What does she want? Stand still!"
The red-scaled Oni looked up. He felt the desire to kill. He saw himself in his Oni form. What the hell did she do here?
"STOP RIGHT THERE!"
His office door was rudely pushed open, and a blue-haired woman entered. Behind her, Shinji's receptionist scuttled in and spoke to the visitor.
"You can't go in here!" Her eyes fell on her boss in his office chair. "Forgive me, Shiba-sama. I couldn't stop her."
"Send your hen away, Shinji," the guest growled.
Shinji looked into her red glowing eyes. Indeed. Yukiko was in his office. He thought about the call from Kenji last night.
The undertaker was also in his office, watching television and enjoying a glass of sake. Suddenly his mobile phone began to vibrate in his jacket pocket. He reached inside, pulled the device out, and looked at the call detection. He leaned back in his office chair and took the call.
"Yes?"
"Hey, Shi-chan." Kenji breathed heavily.
"Everything okay?"
"No. I had a fight."
"You really do your job for once, sheriff." He giggled.
His conversation partner snorted furiously. "Fuck you. She almost killed me."
Shinji leaned forward on the table. "Who?"
"She called herself Yukiko."
The undertaker paused for a moment. "An oni?"
"Yes."
"What power did she have?" He had a clue about who it could be, but he couldn't make a proper guess what she would want here.
"Ice magic."
The scaled narrowed his eyes and rubbed his deformed nose. "Okay."
"Okay?" hissed the fire devil.
"Thank you for the notification."
For a moment the sheriff was silent, then asked, "That's all?"
"Should I pick you up somewhere and then take care of my little baby?" Shinji grinned a little bit.
The fur carrier groaned furiously. "You're such an asshole. Do what you want."
"Take it easy. Heal up completely before you go hunting again." Kenji snorted. "Be glad you are still alive."
"You know her?" The voice of the fire devil was rising with surprise.
The undertaker thought about what he could entrust to his friend. He knew Yukiko. And he wondered what she could want here. She had disappeared from the city years ago. That was when Tirr had his meteoric rise and had begun to kill the hunters. And then there was the other thing.
The problem was that he himself was not here at the time and didn't really know the story.
"Yes. I've heard from her," the undertaker confessed.
"She was talking about a Shi. I should greet Sachiko from him. Whoever that is."
Shinji held his breath. What was that bitch thinking? "For real?"
"Yes. I should greet her from her, or him. She didn't care. She was not quite right in her head."
Slowly, Shinji nodded. "It's good that you called me."
"What am I to do?" the sheriff asked.
After a brief reflection, the Telepath said, "Go home. Let your wounds heal. Sign up with me when you're back on the dam. I'll inform Haruka."
"Okay. See you, Shi-chan."
"Yes." For a moment, the undertaker paused. "I'm glad you're fine, my friend."
"How touching." Kenji hung up.
The female Oni stood directly in front of his desk and looked at him defiantly. The Telepath looked at his receptionist. "It's all right, Amari-chan. You can return to the reception. I take care of this."
"Y-yes, Shiba-sama." The woman bowed politely and withdrew from the office.
The ice Oni dropped onto one of the chairs in front of the desk and crossed her legs. With her left hand she stroked the wide, white streak in her hair. "Pretty office."
"Leave this city."
She narrowed her eyes. "No. I want to know..."
"I'm not telling you." Yukiko already wanted to reply. "Tirr is dead. You're too late with your revenge." The other Oni growled. "Trust me. Go back home. Here's only death for you."
She jumped up and shouted, "HAVE YOU THE LEAST..."
"Yes. I know the story. I'm sorry, but you're too late."
The breast of the ice Oni rose and fell quickly. Angrily, she stared at the other Oni. Within a few moments, Shinji's breath became visible and small ice crystals began to form in his water glass. The scaled raised an eyebrow.
"For real? Are you so uncontrolled?"
Yukiko gritted her teeth. "I'll kill you if you don't tell me!"
The wide shark grin appeared. "I doubt that this is in the sense of Kuro-sama." The Oni shrank at the name and instantly lost her aggressive attitude. His grin grew broader. "He doesn't know that you're here."
The blue-haired shook. Helplessly she clenched her fists. "I hate to talk with Telepaths. You think you're better than the rest of us."
"Not really. I really don't wish you any harm. It is for your own sake, when you return home immediately."
"Tell me ... please." Her eyes were pleading.
"No. That would be your death."
She snorted. "Was it Sachiko?"
"I will not tell you. And now go. Go home and leave it be, or you'll die. I guarantee that to you."
Now Yukiko had to grin. "You threaten me? You of all?"
A cold smile appeared on his face. "I'm not threatening you. I just warn you. The community has some very strong members."
With her left hand she made a throw-away gesture. "Pff. The matchstick? I admit that he's strong, but he can't fight."
"They have stronger people. He's still a rough diamond."
"Tell me ... or you're dead," Yukiko snapped.
"No."
Several spiked ice thorns protruded from her body and hissed at the other Oni. Right in front of his face they came to a halt.
Unmoved, Shinji stared at the ice Oni.
"Wow. You don't even blink. I'm impressed," she said.
He smirked. "In my position one needs nerves of steel. Kuro-sama wouldn't have sent me here if I didn't meet the requirements."
The ice thorns returned to their mistress's body. She turned away and went to the office door. "Hmpf. I'll find someone who talks. I will find out who has killed Tirr, and then destroy him. Tirr's soul belongs to me alone."
"Tirr's soul doesn't exist anymore."
"His power and his prisoners belong to me. Nobody takes them away from me. Whoever you want to protect, tell him I'm coming." She glanced over her shoulder again. "I'll come and kill him."
Carefully, Shinji pondered over his next words. "Go home, Yukiko-san. Here's only death for you."
She lowered her head and looked down. "For me there is only death anywhere. For decades. I'll stay. I'll get what I'm entitled to."
"I know ... what Tirr did to you was cruel, but..."
"DON'T!" She whirled around, and within a matter of seconds her whole body was wrapped by a thick, prickly icecap. "DON'T YOU DARE!" Tears came into her eyes, which were instantly frozen in the air and trickled as ice crystals. The undertaker swallowed empty and nodded hesitantly. The female Oni breathed heavily, trying to regain control. "If you really want to help me, tell me who it was."
"No."
She turned away from him again. "Then I'm out of here."
"Take care, Yukiko-san."
"Fuck you, Shinji." The ice disappeared, she opened the door, stepped out, and slammed it shut behind her.
The male Oni took his water glass and put it on the lips. Of course, it was still frozen. Now, for once, he might need the fiery power of his friend. He put it back on his desk and picked up the cost estimate. As if he hadn't been threatened with death, he continued with his work.
"Yukiko vs. Yuna. Who would win?" he asked himself.