Chapter 55

14 “Now, Mr. Actagawa, sir. Your claw seems to be in excellent shape.” On the former site of the Six Towers shopping district, Actagawa gave his newly regenerated claw a few swipes and held it proudly overhead. But that was not all. Raskeni had also given him a makeover, and now Actagawa’s entire carapace bore a golden pattern of paint that lent him a most majestic air. “These are the markings given to those brave warriors who fought against the evil Immortal Monk… Tee-hee, though it is a bit pretentious of me to say that, is it not?” “Wow! You look amazing, Actagawa! Like a kabuki actor!” “Tch. It’ll all come off once he molts anyway.” Bisco yawned. As Milo pinched his ear, Tirol smiled at the familiar scene, now a traveling merchant girl once more. She turned to the happy-looking mother and child, and asked: “I dunno if y’all helped us or if we helped you, but either way, it seems things are settlin’ down at last. What’s next for you two?” Amli crossed her arms behind her back and gazed over at the two Mushroom Keepers…before she felt Raskeni’s hand on her shoulders and turned around and smiled. “To tell you the truth, I would love to go on a journey someday like my brothers. But first, I must stay at the towers…no, in this new city. I have a feeling that its journey is only just beginning.” Tirol followed Amli’s gaze and saw that, with the Vigilante Corps’ help, the destroyed shops and restaurants were reopening. However, now in place of their old goods, all the trinkets they sold were based on mushrooms. “Mushroom amulets, mushroom prayer beads, mushroom incense… How mushroomy can ya get?!” “Well, I can hardly blame them,” smiled Amli. “After all, our temple is a mushroom now.” The two looked up over the rubble of the city, to the magnificent Rust-Eater that towered far overhead. Now, it had been adorned with brightly colored rope and wholly accepted as one of Shimane’s holy symbols. “All the faith in this city was no match for the faith those two had in themselves…and in each other. That mushroom there is proof of that, and Amli and I are witnesses to it. Perhaps it can’t make up for all my sins…but I should like to take a leaf out of their book and preach their way of life. Everyone believing in themselves…wouldn’t that be nice?” “You startin’ up another religion again, after all that?! An’ who’s gonna lead this new religion, huh?” “Tee-hee. You would do well to lower your head in the presence of the head priestess, Ms. Tirol, ma’am,” said Amli, sticking out her chest. “You are?! Of all the friggin’…” Tirol began as she grabbed Amli’s shoulder, but the young girl easily slipped free with a playful smile on her face and gently skipped over to where Bisco and Milo were. Raskeni turned to Tirol. “…I have you to thank as well,” she said, looking a little apologetic. “If you had not uncovered my wickedness, I shudder to think how many more lives would have been lost. I am only sorry that I have nothing to offer in thanks.” “Eh. I wasn’t hopin’ for a reward or nothin’ anyway. I don’t need one.” “You mean to say…” “Now, now, now. That don’t mean I’m just gonna let the smell of money pass me by.” Tirol turned and flashed her a devilish grin before reaching up her top to the oddly large lumps in her chest and pulling out a golden Gananja statue she had hidden there. It was encrusted with sparkling gems of all different colors, clearly an incredibly valuable item. “Th-that is the sacred idol of the Gilded Elephants…! When did you…?” “Well, ya won’t be needing it in that new religion of yours. Don’t worry, I’m happy to take it off your hands!” “Lord Akaboshiii!!” yelled Kandori, throwing himself at Bisco’s feet just as he was getting ready to leave. “Must you leave us so soon? Will you not lead us to glory as our new god?” There were tears streaming down his rugged face as he pleaded with Bisco. “Get real. I’m just a Mushroom Keeper, none of this fancy god business…,” he said. Suddenly, Milo whispered into his ear, “Bisco,” he said, and Bisco cleared his throat and straightened his posture, before turning to the man at his feet. “Kandori. Are you telling me that in all the country, across all of Japan, the only place worthy of my blessing is right here in Izumo? Is that it?” “N-no! I’m not saying that at all…!” “I must travel to spread the spores of salvation. The seeds here have already been sown, but they need careful nurturing if they are to grow. I cannot do that, but…hm…oh, I know.” Bisco’s solemn pretense having worn out already, he raised Kandori to his feet and looked him straight in the eye. “Amli and this new religion can take care of that. She’ll be this city’s seed of hope. She’s our precious little sister. So, Kandori, with your might, and your wisdom, please watch over her.” “Y-yes! I will protect her with my life!” “And try not to fight with Raskeni too much. I know there was a lot of shit between you, but that’s in the past now. Try to get along.” At the sound of her name, Raskeni looked up from picking through rubble and locked eyes with Kandori. She looked a little uneasy because of the contents of his conversation but still smiled back her most beautiful smile. “L-Lord Akaboshi! Your wish is my command!” As Kandori choked up with emotion, the two boys shared a grin. Behind him, the grateful monks of the Wizened placed their hands together in thanks. Kandori turned to address them in a booming voice. “People! From now on, the Wizened are under the command of Her Eminence Lady Amli! Let us put our knowledge and virtue to good use once more for the prosperity of this fine land!” ““Yes, sir!”” replied the priests in unison and began setting about restoring the city to its former glory. “You know, for a sect supposedly obsessed with knowledge, they’re pretty easy to boss around,” said Bisco. “It’s a shame we can’t stay and help, but we have to keep going,” said Milo. “We need to replace your bow, and for that we must continue on to Shikoku and return to your hometown.” “Wait, what happened to the one you made? It just kinda disappeared while I wasn’t looking.” “Yeah. I guess that only exists as long as I’m concentrating on it. It was quite tiring to keep up, too… I’d say I’d only be able to manifest it for about a day at most.” “Damn, I liked that bow. Make it for me every day.” “What am I, your wife?” “Mr. Bisco, sir!” Amli suddenly ran up and leaped onto Bisco’s chest, looking up at him with wide, innocent eyes. “Brother, you are going away now, are you not?” “Yeah. I need to get back to Shikoku…and after that, wherever the wind blows. Perhaps it’ll bring me back here; who knows?” “Have you heard that Master and I…I mean, Mother and I, are to lead the city along a new path to enlightenment?” Amli smiled. She looked as though she had somewhat grown up over the last few days. “From now on, we will worship your way of life, sirs. To nurture the god inside ourselves…and to someday share them with another…” She stroked Bisco’s cheeks in a rather seductive manner for her young age before giving Milo a similarly precocious smile and asking, “I would like for you to name our new sect. Would you happen to have any ideas…?” “Any ideas?! Er…I don’t know… Bisco, anything come to mind?” “The Kusabira sect,” declared Bisco, completely undeterred by Amli’s overbearing behavior. “Lord Kusabira was an old god of mushrooms worshiped in Tottori, but Kelshinha destroyed all traces of him. Now the old man’s dead, I think it’s the perfect time for him to make a comeback, don’t you?” “The Kusabira sect… What a wonderful name…” murmured Amli with rapt devotion as the flames of passion swirled in her violet eyes. “Mr. Bisco, sir, I think we should allow polygamy in this sect… What do you think…?” “Gwaaagh! Milo!” “No, no, and no!!! Absolutely not, Amli! One husband, one wife!” “Oh well, if that is what one half of our god says, then I can hardly argue with that,” said Amli, skipping back and giggling from the bottom of her heart. It was as if all the sad and lonely times she had experienced so far were nothing more than grains of sand to be washed away by the sea. From then on, crabs came to be considered divine creatures in Shimane, and the eating of their meat was forbidden, much to the chagrin of all the restaurants who had made a name for themselves selling such cuisine. Amli and the Kusabira sect took in all those citizens of Shimane who had lost their way, and their praises were sung in public, but this one backward tradition always continued to attract criticism, the sole blot on an otherwise spotless reputation.