Spirit Unbreakable

“The most effective way to get you to France without suspicion is for you to go there with the pretence of doing a job,” Enro said.

Riumi could feel how close he was getting to the truth. It was within his grasp. After so many years of searching, he was getting so close to understanding who he was and where he had come from. A place for him was within reach.

“I guess that means that it’s the end of my adventure,” Mikomi said. She had been so excited before now. Riumi could see that the reality of what was happening was finally setting in. She was beginning to feel out of place.

“Do you want it to be, little Mikomi-chan?” Yancha asked, “You’re part would be hard to fill.” Mikomi looked up with interest at the old woman.

“What do you mean?” Mikomi asked.

“Like I was saying, Riumi-san needs a job. It would be easiest if the job were not real. If we adopt Mikomi-chan she would be the perfect accompaniment for you, Riumi-san. The Ravvon family is spread wide over this Earth and it would be easy for us to arrange for Mikomi-chan to meet some relatives. Say the Ravvon’s of France,” Enro looked at Mikomi solemnly, “It’s not without its dangers, Mikomi-chan, anything could happen.”

Mikomi was already shaking with excitement, “But I would be with Riumi-san. Nothing bad would happen if Riumi was there. Right?” Mikomi was looking at Riumi. He had been silent through the whole conversation. I don’t want to put her in danger. If the UNG really has the meaning of Levanith so highly guarded I’m bound to run into them at some point, and I don’t think it will be just a friendly exchange.

“I’m against it. I would rather take someone or something else,” Riumi said.

“But Riumi-san, we have to do this together,” Mikomi said.

Riumi looked away from her, trying to ignore her, and instead looked directly at Enro.

“Having Mikomi-chan with you might prove to your advantage. Having a civilian at her age might deter pursuers. I think the UNG would tread more lightly with her around. You could possibly avoid a lot of trouble that way,” Enro said.

Can the advantages outweigh the potential risk? If the UNG finds out whom I am, which is most likely, than they will find out about Mikomi. It would be easier to protect her if she is with me than by leaving her behind. I don’t pull it past them to use her as bait. Riumi nodded. Mikomi jumped up and embrace him. Her weight on his back made him sigh.

“We better make the arrangements,” Komichi said and left the room.

“How long will all of this take?” Riumi asked.

“With the influence that our family has? No more than a couple of hours. You should be on your way to France, and hopefully the answers you seek by tomorrow,” Enro replied. He poured Riumi more tea.

Riumi’s house was not easy to find in the chaos of back streets that lead to the more residential areas of Kyoto and the lack of data on the GPS. Shanahan was about to stop and ask one of the neighbours for direction when he spotted Mr. Takahashi walking down the road towards his home. Shanahan pulled the car over and jumped out gesturing for Sira and Yul to wait in the car. He didn’t want to overwhelm the man.

“Takahashi Eiji?” Shanahan said as he matched his pace with the older man.

Eiji stopped and glanced at Shanahan with confusion, “Hai, Takahashi Eiji desu,” Eiji said bowing slightly to Shanahan.

“Do you speak common by any chance?” Shanahan asked.

“I do,” Eiji replied, “I mistook your good pronunciation to mean you knew Japanese, friend.”

“Only passable phrases,” Shanahan said.

“What brings you to my fine neighbourhood good sir? Are you perchance lost?” Eiji asked.

Shanahan took Eiji’s reply as a courtesy as the man already knew that Shanahan was there for him.

“I was actually looking for your home, Mr. Takahashi. As I have not found it, I guess am I a bit lost. Do you have a few minutes to talk?”

“I think that our business would be better conducted without the watchful eyes of my neighbours, yes?” Eiji replied gesturing to a nearby house.

“Yes, of course,” Shanahan replied.

Shanahan soon found himself seated in the Takahashi’s living room cradling a cup of green tea.

“What is it you wish to speak of ah –” Eiji stopped waiting for a name.

Shanahan, who had been sipping the tea, quickly swallowed and set down his cup, extending his hand to his host, “My apologies, how very rude of me, I’m Shanahan O’Reilly from the Fifth Branch of the UNG.”

Eiji, who has been smiling just moments before, froze. His demeanour suddenly became cold, “A pleasure to meet you O’Reilly-san.”

“I was actually hoping to see your son, Takahashi Riumi. Would he be home?”

“I am afraid that my son is not.” Eiji’s reply was curt. Shanahan could tell he has his guard up. Legally Eiji could not refrain from answering Shanahan’s questions without being detained, so he would answer, exactly what he was asked and no more, which meant that Shanahan would have to be blunt about his questions.

“Do you know where he is?”

“He has gone out of town?”

“For how long?”

“As he is a Guardian now, my wife and I are no longer aware of the length of Riumi’s trips. We also do not pry into his business,” Eiji replied. In other words stop asking about him, Shanahan thought. On to the next tactic.

“I see that Riumi is not you or your wife’s biological son, when did you adopt him?”

“We adopted Riumi eight years ago.”

“Did you notice anything unusual about him?”

Eiji paused. Shanahan could see that the man was hiding something. “Other than that he was not of Japanese descent?”

Shanahan nodded.

“Well he was a rather reticent boy and he did not speak Japanese well.”

“Didn’t speak Japanese well? His parents must have been foreigners to the nation. Why was he not sent back to his home nation? He must have had some relatives back where he was from.”

Eiji hesitated again. “They were unsure where he was from.”

“I’m sorry?” Shanahan asked. He felt he was getting close to something.

“Riumi had amnesia when they found him. He couldn’t speak Japanese well and Common was almost no better.”

“Could you not get an interpreter?”

“Unfortunately, no,” Eiji replied.

“Why not?”

“No one knew what language he was speaking.”

This is it. This boy is the one. He is one of the lost Levanith, Shanahan thought. His heart was racing as fast as his mind. He was so close to the truth and yet still the boy proved to be untouchable, unless he could get him to cooperate.

“Mr. Takahashi, I have a feeling that you have the wrong impression of me.” Shanahan replied.

“I think I have a rather accurate picture of you, O’Reilly-san,” Eiji said. His eyes narrowed, “You like to understand all that is incomprehensible to you, no matter the cost.”

“I don’t want to harm your son, I just want to talk to him,” Shanahan replied.

Eiji went to reply but suddenly the front door opened. “Tadaima,” they heard a voice call. Eiji’s eyes went wide and Shanahan ran to the front door. He saw a young man with wind swept white hair, a Guardian tattoo on his neck. He was looking down, taking off his shoes, when Shanahan entered the foyer. When the boy finally did look up, his expression remained unchanged. He looked at Shanahan without a word.

“Riumi Takahashi,” Shanahan asked. Eiji ran into the room and stood just behind Shanahan looking at his son.

Riumi took a step backward and grabbed the handle of the door, nodding as he did.

“I’m Shanahan O’Reilly; could we sit down and talk?” Shanahan was looking at Riumi. The boy was unreadable to him, and reading people was something that Shanahan was very good at. It was how he had come to be where he was now, and yet, staring at this young man, he could not gauge how he would react. It was as if Riumi himself was unaware of what he was going to do. If he doesn’t know, I don’t know what I should do next to have this situation play out the way I want it to. Shanahan did know that he was one false move away from losing this boy completely. This was the last chance he would have at surprising him.

Sira had been trying to sleep in the back seat. She was having severe jet lag. She couldn’t understand how Yul could have so much energy after that long flight and the time difference. He was typing infuriatingly on his Flimsy and it was starting to fray her nerves.

“Would you stop that? What is so important that you have to be typing right now?” Sira finally shouted.

“Oh good, you’re awake. I thought I would have to go back up Shanahan alone,” Yul replied.

“What do you mean back up?” Sira said sitting up straight in her seat and looking intently at the front door of the house that Shanahan had entered earlier. She watched the outline of someone as they closed the door. She could see a small girl running down the street towards them. She looked ecstatic. Sira was looking at her trying to figure out where she had seen her before when the girl noticed Sira’s intent gaze and slowed. Sira quickly smiled and waved. The girl paused for a moment, confused as to why a foreigner was in a parked car on a residential street, and waved back smiling shyly. After the brief encounter the girl ran off down the street and Sira turned to Yul, “did you get a picture?”

“Yup, I think our contact has come home. Let’s go see if we can’t help Shanahan reason with him,” Yul said finishing up on his Flimsy. He stepped out of the car, Sira quickly following him.

“Do we know each other?” Riumi asked.

“No, we don’t. I know about you though, about your past,” Shanahan replied. He could hear Eiji shuffling behind him. Shanahan watched as Riumi’s hand slipped from the door handle. Good, I think I have you figured out now Riumi Takahashi.

Riumi stood staring at Shanahan silently.

“I was told by your foster father that you have amnesia. I was wondering if you would like me to fill in a few of the blanks.”

Riumi was staring at the man trying to get a feel for him. He couldn’t tell if this man was telling him the truth or was just telling him what he wanted to hear, so I don’t run. Who is this person? Does he really have clues to my past? If he does, how did he find me? How can he know more than the Ravvon’s? Is he a Ravvon?

“Who are you?” Riumi asked.

“Shanahan O’Reilly, I believe I said that once before,” Shanahan replied.

“That is your name yes, but it tells me nothing more about you than what you wish to be called,” Riumi replied.

“He’s from the UNG, Riumi,” Eiji supplied.

Riumi’s eyes flicked from Eiji back to Shanahan. The library? They found me already? Riumi grabbed the handle again and began to turn it.

“Riumi wait, please. I only wish to talk to you, nothing more. I’m sure we could enlighten each other.”

“You’re from the LD right?” Riumi replied.

“Yes, I am.”

“What does the government want with me?”

“We want to understand you, Riumi.”

“Understand me?” What does that mean?

“We want to know where you came from, why you are here.”

“So do I,” Riumi replied. He looked at Shanahan and out of sudden desperation, a sudden want to trust this man he asked, “What is Levanith?”

Shanahan smirked at this and replied, “I think Levanith is you, Riumi.”

“Me,” Riumi averted his eyes to the floor suddenly lost in thought, questioning his own mind for more answers to this sudden revelation. Me? I am Levanith? What does that mean? Am I not human? I don’t understand. Riumi felt sudden resistance under his hand as the door handle twisted fully and the door opened wide. Riumi looked at the two people standing on his doorstep and reflexively drew Ichi no Tsubasa. Sira and Yul reacted to the sudden threat, also on instinct, training their stun weapons on Riumi. Riumi turned back to Shanahan, “This conversation is over.” He cocked his head slightly to the side emphasizing his position as a Guardian.

Shanahan gazed at Riumi and reluctantly gestured for Sira and Yul to lower their weapons. Riumi moved out of the foyer and allowed Shanahan to take his place there. As Shanahan walked past Riumi, he held out a card and placed it in Riumi’s free hand.

“If you ever wish to finish this conversation, Riumi, call me,” Shanahan whispered, and after putting on his shoes, he left the Takahashi home.

When the door was closed behind them and they were back in the car, Shanahan let out an aggravated yell. Yul and Sira remained silent.

“I was so close,” Shanahan yelled.

“Sorry, boss,” Sira replied.

Shanahan shook his head, “Don’t worry about it. It was a long shot that he would cooperate with us. I think we are going to have to resort to different means.”

“What did you talk about?” Yul asked.

“There is no doubt in my mind that he is one of the Levanith that we are looking for,” Shanahan replied.

“Whoa there,” Sira replied, “You think he is a Levanith? What gave you that impression? It couldn’t possibly be that simple, not after all those endless years of searching.”

“He has amnesia, he couldn’t speak a recognizable Earth based language when he was found, and he reacted to the thought that he was a Levanith with acceptance. As to the easy part, I think it is far from it, Sira.”

“If he isn’t a human than the laws governing him as a Guardian are void,” Sira replied, “Which means that we can go in there and do whatever we please with him.”

“We need proof for that,” Yul replied.

“Like a genetic sample?” Sira replied.

“Yes, like a genetic sample,” Yul replied.

“Well, has he never been to the doctor?” Sira asked.

“As a matter of fact, no,” Yul replied.

“What? Seriously? Who doesn’t go to the doctor?” Sira asked.

“Aliens I suppose,” Yul replied.

“Would you two please stop,” Shanahan said. Sira and Yul both stopped mid-sentence.

“There has to be something we can do,” Sira finally said as the silence in the vehicle dragged on.

“As soon as I get information on that girl that was with Riumi than we will just need a few rogue Guardians and we will be set,” Yul said.

“What do you have in mind,” Shanahan asked.

“We kidnap the girl. Whatever Riumi is doing, she is in it with him. If we have her, I’m sure that he will come for her. Once he enters a UNG facility we can get a sample of his DNA and his status as a Guardian will be revoked, therefore no longer immune.”

“We can’t kidnap a little girl,” Shanahan replied, “It’s out of the question.”

Yul looked at Shanahan sternly, “Afraid to play a little dirty for what you want?”

“You make us sound like the bad guys, Yul,” Sira replied, “You are seriously willing to do that, Yul? If so, you are not who I thought you were.”

“Having never had access to my files, Sira, I don’t expect you to understand that I don’t mind playing dirty.”

“What do you mean?” Sira asked.

“I am not in the LD division of my own free will. I guess you could call it a sentence of sorts.”

“Sentence?” Sira asked.

“Yul was arrested for hacking 6 years ago. Hader Johnson was the one who finally caught him. He told Yul that he could either go to jail for his crimes or work for the UNG. Obviously you see what Yul chose,” Shanahan supplied.

“This is to say that I was put on the LD to find the Levanith. Therefore, if I tell Hader about this and get my plan approved by him, which I no doubt will, than my sentence will be considerably shorter and I can go back to doing whatever the hell I want,” Yul replied.

“What I am asking you for, Shanahan, isn’t approval of what I want to do, but whether you would like to join me in gaining credit for this?”

“I think there is a better solution to this if you would just think it through, Yul,” Shanahan replied.

“I’ll take that as a no. What about you Sira? I’m sure you are just itching for a fight,” Yul said glancing back at Sira.

Sira glared at him, “Unlike you I enjoy being one of the good guys, Yul, and that does not involve kidnapping little girls.”

“Well I guess we’ll just have to see who can get to him first,” Yul replied.

Riumi closed the door and held onto it trying not to shake. He had almost believed that man. He had almost given in to him. I need to be less desperate about this. If I let my pursuit of my past lead me blindly, I’m going to get myself hurt.

“I never thought I would be so glad that you were a Guardian, Riumi. It saved us,” Eiji said.

Riumi turned and looked at Eiji, “I think this is my last goodbye, Eiji-san.”

“Why?”

“I have to go find Mikomi, she walked back home from here. Those two people with Shanahan saw her I’m sure. Unlike me, she doesn’t share my immunity. If they get to her before I do, I don’t know what will happen. Tell Ayumi thank you, for everything.”

Eiji grabbed Riumi in a tight embrace surprising Riumi. “Take care Riumi. If ever you need anything, please remember that Ayumi and I are always here for you.”

Eiji released Riumi from his grasp and Riumi put on his shoes. Before he reached the door, however, Eiji stopped him.

“There is one thing that I never mentioned to O’Reilly-san, Riumi, about your past. He was asking about anything unusual in regards to you when we first adopted you,” Eiji touched Riumi’s back in two places. “Right about here there were some strange bumps. Before we could take you to a doctor to get a scan though, they vanished. When I felt them you cried and said a strange phrase, repeated it over and over, di’ soba lo i’ta shoma. You seemed even more reserved when those two bumps went away.”

Riumi looked at Eiji, “Why did you never tell me?”

“I thought you would have remembered, but as you looked so confused when he mentioned Levanith, I thought maybe you had forgotten.”

“You know Levanith?” Riumi asked.

“It was one of the words that you always used to address yourself. You stopped when you started learning Japanese and Common. I had always thought that it was your last name before we adopted you. Riumi Levanith. That man seemed to think otherwise. His comment and those strange bumps… I just want you to know that whatever happens, Riumi, you will always be my son. Nothing can change that.”

“When this is over, Eiji-san, I will come back. I’ll tell you everything. I promise.” Riumi vanished through the door. Now to find Mikomi. I just hope I can get to her before they do.