As amazed the guy was, Mr. Williams gets his weapon bag and stands next to me. "I got not much to live for so I'm going. Can't let this young one outshine the leader." He laughed. Both Rebecca and Tyrell sighed. "I think we're better off lifting Rin when he's passed out than you, old man." Rebecca argued.
"Yeah. Probably your back would break at the first attempt." Tyrell added to the fire.
"Hey! Give your elders a little pride will ya!" He exclaimed.
Tyrell and Rebecca started to laugh as they playfully teased each other. "I guess that means we're tagging along. After all one's is a fainter while other one is close to a decade and a half to retiring age." Rebecca suggested to Tyrell. He agreed with a nod. "Well I could use a good hunt. I'm in." Gram agreed.
We left in an hour as we re-equipped our weapons and armor and were about to leave the room. I then put on my mask and stretched a little. I even allowed my arm to turn into a demonic claw and reverted it again. Richard then knocks on wood and gets my attention. "We really need to get going." Richard says, "I don't wanna be in a crowded train."
"It's all you man. Your plan, your rules." I told him.
"Just no magic out of you. Remember, it's just rest and relaxation for you." Richard said.
"I'm not promising anything." I told him.
"Either way just don't push yourself." Rebecca told me.
"I'll try to keep a low profile." I assured them.
A few moments later we were at the train with all the seats taken. It was as if we were transported back in time as the train looked like something that came out of a western. This continent still doesn't fail to impress me. The only thing modern about the steam engine was the LED lighting on the message boards and the speaker system installed at the sides. But what stood out was the large ivory snakes carved at the sides of the interior. Carved by hand and with an emerald gem for an eye. A conductor came and asked for my ticket. I gave mine and he soon goes to the other passengers. It looked as if the guard wasn't startled by the array of weapons in the cart. But soon I saw the reason why as one drunken passenger was about to pick a fight with him. Just about the time the drunk was about to give a punch, the ivory snakes came to life and expanded into a longer, puppet like form around five feet long. Two of them wrapped around the rowdy individual and dragged him into a glass closet, suspended there for everyone here. "Nothing to see here." The conductor says, "He will be dropped off at the next station for the guards to arrest him."
Turns out that next station was our stop. We head out of the train as the glass closet opens and the puppets roll to the door and throw the man out of the cart. There the municipal guard was there to drag him away. Magic really doesn't have any bounds of innovation, doesn't it? "I'm guessing that's magi-tech... right?" Tyrell asked. "Yep. Interesting ain't it?" Richard replied. But Tyrell was still speechless. Gram then taps Tyrell at the back. "Relax, you can do stuff like that too. You really don't need magic to make magi-tech." The lizardman said. Me, Mr. Williams, and Rebecca raised our looked surprised by what we just heard. "Well with a bit of training of course. All he needs is a few proper tools and a good hand and he'll be fine." He assured us.
"I'm guessing you wanna try?" I asked Tyrell.
"I could use something that might help me at the forge." He implied.
I then nudged Tyrell with my elbow. and joked, "Better not make a waifu."
The black man smirks as he got the joke. He then wrapped his arms around my head and messes up my hair. "Relax! I'll make one for you too. Someone has to take care of your blue balls." He joked around. Once we exited the station we were greeted to a shopping district. Reminds me of when I used to study at Tokyo back at highschool. Most of the time I would have gone for some ramen or a food stall with my uncle if practice at the dojo was too long. Now there were constant restaurants and store fronts, mostly of homemade wares. There was even some magi-tech and weapons for sale. "If we were gonna head here then I would have just ate breakfast at this spot." Rebecca said. "We would but there isn't really that many eyes for Hanami to put on." Richard mentioned.
"So there's a limit for their little birds to fly?" Mr. Williams asked.
"Hanami is an exclusive guild after all. It's not like we have a lot of members to spy on everything that happens around the capital." Someone butted in.
We look in front of us and Magna was there. Despite his large physique it was hard to notice the guy. I guess he isn't a rank three for nothing. "Right on cue. Everything checking out in the Belief Center?" Richard asked. "It's still the same. Offerings are different but the people are still praying." Magna replied.
"So all clear? Then what comes after?"
"Some protests here and there's probably around two."
"Is it gonna be a problem?"
"Not really. But hopefully they don't force their way in."
Richard looks at his pocket watch with some thought. The man then closed it and starts to move forward. "I guess that means we need to hurry. I don't wanna get caught up at that shit again." He says, "Besides, I wanna stop by at a bar here first before we go home." The guy then starts to walk ahead and all we could do is follow. Eventually he stops at a hat shop and buys a cap. He then puts it on my head and pulls my hoodie over me. "At least this would make things easier." He said. "For what?" I asked.
"That way nobody would recognize you. People know you as the 'samurai with the demon mask'. All we need to do is just change the face mask and do something about those samurai swords." He insisted.
I then pull back my swords away from him. "The swords stay." I said. "Alright, fine. Just keep one of swords then. I know most of your techniques just require a katana alone." Richard said. It was hard to accept but eventually I had to let it go. I put my mask away and Richard gave me a surgical mask. In his excuse it would, 'mistake the guard for me being sick and just come for prayer to be healed by a healing god' or something. Untying the wakizashi short sword from my frog strap was kinda painful on its own. He then goes to steal a mop and screw the head off for a makeshift walking stick. I then had away my short sword hesitantly. But then again I did have my doubts to hand it to Richard and had a hard time letting go. "Ehh? Can you loosen your grip or something? I don't have demonic strength." He insisted. "I'm just worried that you might do something stupid with it." I replied with an aura of doubt.
"Come on...since when did I do something stupid with your stuff?"
"You were doing a dare only drinking game and were about to cut an apple on top of Kondo's head with my swords. "
"That was one time and I don't remember! Can you accept that I'm a different man now?"
"I don't know, you tell me with that stalking thing this morning. Turns out that was my invisible cloak."
"I did return it, didn't I? I don't see what's wrong with that"
"Then get my permission then that way I don't think it was stolen."
My grip kept on tightening every time the man tugged on my sword. But soon Rebecca put her hand on the sword and tugs it at her direction. "How about I take this with me for now." She insisted. Knowing how the both of were acting kinda ridiculous right about now, the both of us let go and gave it to her. She then started to look around her body on where to put it. "Where can I even put this thing?" She asked. "Let me…" I offered. I then take some Paracord and wrap it around the sword. After that I fastened it onto her left side around her belt. "There, now you can use it too." I said. She then takes the goggles on my neck and puts them on my eyes. "Now people won't be able to recognize you." Rebecca said as she was rubbing my head. But just like that a memory then kicked in. Another from world war two. This time it was about that girl I saw this morning at my vision. Her face was blurred and her presence was warm. I could hear the Japanese girl's voice mixing with Rebecca's saying in unison in English and Japanese, "I wonder if I still need to worry about you when you're out there." At that memory and the current time I was red and was about to trip backwards as I went a step away. My past life tripped on a rock but I tripped on a box and fell backwards.
Rebecca then goes towards me and attempts to helps me up. Another one memory syncs with that same girl. Again Japanese and English pair up with each other and both of them say, "I guess without the dangerous facade you still need to be taken care of." I then let my hand out with a blushing face and said in Japanese by accident, "Quit making me look like the devil. I'm not that bad, you know...." It was just like that I just realized that I said that. But by that time my face was already close to Rebecca. I looked away as I couldn't stare at her at the eye. Even with my mask on for sure everybody could see bits of red. But everybody looked confused on what I said. Richard on the other hand was snickering. I only realized now that he is the only one in the group that understands Japanese. That cheeky annoying smile was kinda annoying. At often times it is something that he pulls when he looks entertained. One of these is finding possible couples and tinker to play matchmaker. Yeah...another thing you don't read at the history books.
I then turn away and started to scratch my head. "Anyways... I think I might need to do a few prayers too..."I made up. Richard then puts his best foot forward and takes a few steps. "He's right. Lots of religious guilds come here too. Some people with their own selfish intentions. Hopefully they might listen to us." Richard said.
Only a few blocks away I started to see the destination where we needed to go. Up ahead was a structure made of stone and wood with glass stained windows. It was big as a mall and around four stories high. It makes me wonder how the capital even had the funding for this. But then again this floating capital had been here for a long time. Gram then noticed my gaze. "You know, this city has been here for twenty years." He says, "Cletus was the first city to come to Laputa when it was still Ventus."
"Yet how was this city able to sustain itself?" I asked.
"I was here for my internship ten years ago when this continent was still at Aria. When the catastrophe you call HAPs was starting, Cletus on its own was used to monster attacks when it was on the ground. So the city was pretty used to HAPs on its own. Back when it was still at the surface it was known as the 'Monster Hunting Capital." He answered.
"There were monster attacks even before?!" Tyrell asked shocked.
"Yeah but that's because a few kilometers away was an ancient research facility with magic bio-organic weapons. You know, beast like saurians." He explains, "But the facility had been in ruin for decades at that time however the monsters kept on breeding and became feral."
"How the hell did that happened?" I struggled to ask.
"I really don't know... I was there as a research intern to analyze the feral species present at Ventus. Eventually the monsters were breeding so fast that it was organized to kill these things once sighted." He told me.
"But if there are so many how is it I haven't seen a saurian here near the capital?" Tyrell asked.
"Well most saurians aren't actually like their ancient counterpart that derived from birds. Most of them are from cold blooded reptiles. Only time you'll see them is at hot areas that are dry or humid at the south of the continent." Magna said.
"So what were you doing here at your internship for?" I asked Magna.
"I was at a non-profit in a research group on Ventus's activity. It was hard to get any info but I managed to get a good job after doing that." Gram answered.
That on its own did make sense. East L.A. was at a desert area and we saw two saurians. But if saurians were only part of the list then my guess is that there were more than just saurians in that facility. Yet the talk about that facility made me curious on what that place looked like. However it wasn't really something to focus on now. Currently the thing to look upon at the moment was this Belief Center in front of me. We were just a block away and there stood guards at watch. However none did any security checks. The stone statues of two knights in front of us had a different all together. Their eyes were glowing blue. Much like the angel carving as well, holding a scale as it dangled above. Looks like magi-tech is also guarding this location as well. Much was the same when we entered inside. Suits of armor from any culture was there being put on life size dummies of different form and material. Some were made of wood while others were made by straw or stone. It didn't matter cause the same glowing eyes were there.
A man then stops to take a look at a golem wearing samurai armor. He reaches for his hand to take the sword. But before it can be taken, the samurai golem gives the man a left hook and knocks him down. All the golems at that side turned their heads towards the man. The man turned bleached white and runs away from the Belief Center. Tyrell was left staring as well as the both of us couldn't believe our eyes. "The golems are here to protect the peace." Magna tells us, "Every once in awhile a riot would occur and go yeti shit. Laputa made their own to protect this place, with a bit of assistance of some guilds of course."
"What do they rebel about?" I asked.
"I forget...most of it is based on some propaganda. Fights start so the belief center would have to rely on the golems to separate them." Magna explained.
"Do they use those weapons on them?" Tyrell asked.
"Only if blood is spilled. But most of the time the relief center is used as a evacuation center and bunker. If a monster shows up then the golems would protect this place." Magna answered.
"Must take more than one hit to take something like that out." Tyrell commented.
"They better, I made some of those and we needed to rely on magi-tech prosthetic limbs to make them move and fight like real beings." Magna answered.
The more we heard about this made me want to know more. All the more for Tyrell. He was the tech guy in the group and this is his interest. "So you can make prosthetic limbs out of this?" Tyrell asked with interest. "Yeah...they move like normal limbs. All you need the right materials and crystal." Magna replied awkwardly. Looks like one thing for Tyrell to look forward to. Yet it makes me wonder when he would be ready for it. But then again I don't really have any doubts. The guy could use something less dangerous that doesn't blow his nuts off. I decided to leave them alone from there. Tyrell needs some space to geek out every once in awhile.
But the silence was broken once we exited the hall. We were greeted to an open air area as high as the same height as the building. There were numerous amounts of people of different religions around. Only at the center we were able to see a map of the area to reveal the locations of different gods by country and continent. "This place is huge. Are there that many gods?" I asked. "There's always been a lot of gods. You need to get use to this too if you wanna pay patronage to your god." Richard said. Something surged in my head again. It was getting annoying. A hallucination appeared. It was me in a hallway full of paintings. It was of many gods of lots of cultures. Each god had a paining and a small altar for offertory. The memory existed for a few seconds. But eventually it disappeared and I returned to reality.
Richard then looks at the map and takes time to read it. Looks like he was thinking of a plan. "Anyways I'll be heading to the shrine of Ebisu. Since they're both at the Shinto section I'd suggest you to head to Tsukuyomi's shrine." He suggests, "I'll be taking a while there."
"Shouldn't you assist the newbie? It is his first shrine visit." Magna asked.
"Well... Ebisu is a bit... difficult. We'll draw lots on whoever is joining who." Richard replied in an unsure manner.
"So what am I supposed to do at Tsukuyomi shrine?" I asked.
"Try getting information from her. Get to know your goddess." Richard says, "All people think the gods make things come true when they ask but in reality they're no different from mortals. She chose you so give time for her."
Richard took my hat and asked for some paper. Those who pulled out paper with a dot on them comes with me. Blank pieces of paper came with Richard. Richard's group was composed of Tyrell, and Magna. My group on the other hand was composed of Mr. Williams, Rebecca, and Gram. "Are you sure this number of groupings are alright? This is all you, you know?" Magna asked. "Rin needs it more. We don't want him to become someone else's investment." Richard replied.
"Yet you're second in command."
"I know but Sakuya has been occupied at the council for awhile. With UTU at our necks, it's our job to make sure things don't get out of hand. All we can do is keep these secrets out of harm's way."
"
"Likewise, old friend."
The Shinto sect was located at the far East wing of the Belief Center. There were a lot of shrines of each God. See were from Zoroastrianism, Hinduism, Ancestorism, even Welch and Filipino gods. Soon we arrived at the Shinto section where I see Shinto shrines and temples made out of wood. After a few meters of walking we approached a small temple shrine with a few Shinto maidens and priest maintaining it. "This is where we part ways," Richard says, "Take a right after the next three minor shrines. You'll find Tsukuyomi's shrine there."