Invisible String. Stiles Stilinski (1)

xvii. silverfinger

     Isaac hummed in return, as Argent sighed heavily in front of them. "What is it?" Allison said worriedly.

     "Katashi won't do the buy in person," Argent shook his head. "But he's a paranoid recluse—shouldn't you be a little less surprised?" Isaac retorted.

     Looking at the beta through the mirror, Argent raised his brows. "I was trying to remain optimistic that we wouldn't have to go to my plan B."

     "Plan B? And what's plan B?"

     "How tall are you?"

     No way.

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     Argent showed Amelie and Allison a map of Katashi's home on his phone. "Katashi's office is here—"

     "Guys, this isn't going to work," Isaac called out from behind the car. "I look ridiculous. I mean, I look like I just stepped out of the last period of a Catholic prep school." He stepped forward and Amelie couldn't keep her laugh in. His shirt was outside his pants and his sleeves weren't cuffed.

     "And there's no way that I'm going to be able to remember all of this," He said hysterically, raising the notes that Argent gave him. "I mean, what does this even mean? "Revolving over and under barrels?"

     "All you have to do is keep them talking long enough to allow us to get inside and find Katashi," Argent tried to calm him down. "He may not be there for the buy in person, but he won't be far."

     "You look great," Allison tried to comfort.

     "I am sweating all the way through my jacket!" Isaac exasperated. "I didn't even know that I could sweat this much!"

     "Trust me," Amelie giggled, "Neither did we."

     Allison turned to Amelie and Argent. "Give me a second?" She asked before turning back to the beta, tugging him away.

     "She really likes him," Argent mumbled to the girl next to him. "He really likes her, too," Amelie replied, her eyes trained on them.

     "Yeah, well, if he tries anything—"

     "He won't," She turned to ex-hunter. "He knows better."

     Chris gave her a wary look before nodding. He looked like he had so much to say but very little words. Turning back to look at the duo, she found them kissing, to which she let out a loud 'YAY', making them break the kiss. Grinning, she raised two thumbs up, to which they chuckled.

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     "All I want to do is talk."

     Allison and Amelie emerged from behind the wall, after beating up almost every security guard they encountered. Amelie loved the high she got every time she kicked a guard to the ground or landed a successful punch.

     "Taking out my security is not what I call a good conversation starter," The old man snarled, his gun raised at the Argent.

     "You don't remember me, do you?" Argent hesitated to approach. "Allison, take the man's gun."

     Obediently, Allison raised her lasso and threw it at the gun, pulling it back into her hand. "Can I have that?" Amelie whispered, making Allison laugh quietly and giving it to her.

     "Now, can we talk?"

     "Guys...?" The voice of Isaac emerged through the room. Around him, two other guards stood and a werewolf threateningly pressed his claws to his neck.

     "They have a Werewolf, too."

     Quickly, Argent pulled out the cloth carrying the broken pieces of the shadow mask— which resulted in a stunned look from Katashi. "Starting to remember? It was twenty-four years ago," Argent reminded. "You know what they are, don't you?"

     "They're called Oni. They are demons, and they are almost unstoppable."

     "Almost?" Amelie asked, as she stood next to Allison.

     "Nothing. Or, at least, no man-made weapon. The Oni are a force of nature," Katashi explained.

     "But—" Allison hesitated for a moment. "You said almost unstoppable. What can actually stop them?"

     Katashi sighed, eyeing the girl for a moment. "The Oni are neither living or dead— so, possibly, and this is just a theory, the only thing that can stop them is something that can control both. An anchor."

     This made everyone turn to Amelie. "I think we know one," She sighed to herself, flashing her lilac eyes. Katashi shifted in his place uncomfortably, turning back to Argent.

     "If I am wrong, and the anchor can't stop them, then there is nothing that can. You don't fight a tsunami— you endure it, and you hope that you are not destroyed in its path."

     "Then how do we endure it?"

     "Two of you already have," Katashi walked to Isaac, revealing the 'S' behind his ear. "This is Japanese kanji for "self." This means he is still himself. The Oni are looking for one who is no longer themselves."

     "What do you mean, "no longer themselves?"

     "Possessed— by a dark spirit," Katashi sighed. "There are thirteen kinds of Kitsune: celestial, wild, ocean, thunder... But there is one, a dark Kitsune. They call it void, or Nogitsune."

     "A kumicho."

     "That's right. He was possessed by a Nogitsune. It's what helped him rise through the ranks of our Yakuza family. Nogitsune draw its power from pain and tragedy, strife and chaos..."

     "Do you know why I'm missing this finger?" Katashi asked Argent. "Penance," Chris shrugged.

     "There's a ritual called yubitsume— Removing the joints of the little finger weakens your grip on a sword. When a katana is gripped properly, the little finger is the strongest."

     "Why did they take your finger?" Isaac asked.

     "They didn't take it— a Yakuza performs the ritual himself and offers it to his superior. It was penance for a mistake. And it wasn't my only one."

     "I don't know what it was about the way I moved or stood that suggested to them that I was going to take them on," Katashi said, a glazed look covering his eyes. "Because actually, I was... preparing to run for my life."

     He turned to Chris. "That shot you fired saved me from looking like a coward before the survivors. For that humiliation, I wouldn't have to have given up my finger— I would've had to give up my head. I wish I could give you the answer you need, Mr. Argent. I owe you more than my life— I owe you my honor."

     "I will tell you one thing, however... If there is a Nogitsune among you... Let the Oni destroy it. Even if it is your own daughter."

     Warily, Amelie glanced at Allison who had a horrified expression on her face. She placed her hand on top of the huntress', trying to comfort her, making the girl smile back at her.

     If Amelie does stand a chance against the Oni, then she won't hesitate to take it— especially when it's at the cost of her friend's dying.