The Red Hand

Interlude 17 – The Tokugawa Family’s Secrets.

"Why do I gotta look through dusty old books..." Mika complained as she, Momo, and Naomi walked down one of the massive and luxurious hallways of the Tokugawa estate. Mika was under the impression that they were going to do something fun today, but was quickly smacked with the reality that they were going to be doing 'spring cleaning.'

"I treated you to lunch, so I think this is an appropriate payment." Naomi snickered. She'd invited Mika to lunch and fed her before asking her to help knowing that the blue-haired girl wouldn't have the courage to say no after being given food.

"You tricked me!" Mika hissed.

{But that hoagie was really good...} (Mika)

"Listen, Akagi and Kana were gonna do this with me, but the literal otherworldly invasion put a halt on those plans." Naomi continued as they went up a large flight of stairs. “So don't blame me.”

"I know, I know..." Mika sighed. "Kana wouldn't stop texting me about how she's terrified that Akagi's gonna die to those Heroes 'cause she's a Demon Lord and blah, blah, blah.”

{I told her that it would be fine. I mean, Akagi kicked their ass already, didn't she? Not to mention the fact that she's never one to underestimate her opponent, almost to the level that her paranoid would be over the top... If it wasn't warranted...} (Mika)

"I don't blame her for being worried though." Naomi gave a wry smile. "Akagi's been fighting for nearly five years, and even after waking up from FWO, she's never really had a truly peaceful time." The three approached her father's office. "Kana just wants to spend time with her sister without the threat of world-ending doom looming over head, and do you blame her for fearing that she'll never get that chance?" She was also worried about Akagi but was hiding it a bit better than the others.

"Yeah... I know." Mika shook her head as Naomi pulled out a very old key and opened her father's office.

"Take it from me, as much as Himari gets on my nerves, losing her is not a pleasant thought." Momo commented as Naomi opened the door. "For someone as obsessed as Kana is with her sister, I can only imagine just how terrifying it must be... The thought of losing the person you hold most dear in the world."

{It... It must be awful...} (Momo)

"Alright, it's open." Naomi said as she flicked the key into the air and caught it before putting it in her jacket pocket.

{That was kinda cool...} (Mika)

*HACK* *COUGH* *WHEEZE*

Mika started coughing as they entered the study. Naomi hadn't touched it since her parents were killed, and no one, not even the cleaning staff was permitted to enter. Things were left as they were the day her family was murdered and Naomi couldn't bring herself to enter, until now.

"Jesus this place is stuffy. Can we open a window?" Mika continued to cough. "Or you know what, lets get a leaf blower! There's way too much dust in here!"

"I don't think any of the windows actually open." Namoi shrugged. "Just deal with it. A little dust won't hurt us anyway."

{It still sucks though...} (Mika)

"Interesting." Momo said as she looked around the room. "This place reminds me of a similar study in the Tokugawa estate in Edo." The study was a large two-story room with stairs on each side that led to a second floor with a series of bookshelves that went all the way to the roof on either side of the room. On the right-hand side of the study sat what looked like a small meeting area with luxurious chairs and couches made of what Mika assumed were high end material. But the most striking feature was the massive floor-to-ceiling family portrait that dominated the back wall between two massive windows. It depicted the Tokugawa family as it was six years before the death of all its members sans Naomi, and Mika could easily pick out her friend.

{They looked so happy...} (Mika)

"Once my family fell from power, most of its assets in what became Tokyo were seized or were sold off." Naomi said as she looked at the massive shelves filled with books. "My father said that, in the past, we had such lavish homes that even visiting Europeans were impressed." She figured that there was a bit of embellishment of those stories, but from some of the old photos she didn't doubt a few were truly impressive, with Akagi's current home being chief among the examples of truly awe inspiring estates.

"I mean, the Tokugawa were basically Royalty after all." Mika said as she poked at a Newton's Cradle on the desk. "Your family controlled the country, so it kinda makes sense that you'd have tons of money and a bazillion homes."

"The Tokugawa's actions stabilized the country after the destruction of the Sengoku Jidai." Momo commented as she looked through a book. "Not to mention that they were the first clan to take the threat of Demons and Yokai seriously in a very long time. Some didn't like how much control they had over the country or the Emperor, but I've always felt it was necessary." She shrugged. The two sisters were supporters of the Shogun, though they also held reverence for the Emperor but usually tried to avoid human politics.

"Oh yeah, you were alive back then, huh?" Mika had partially forgotten that both Momo and Himari were old enough to remember a time before the Meiji Restoration.

{I should try calling Himari grandma and see what happens.} (Mika)

"My sister and I were forged not long after the Tokugawa solidified their control over the nation." Momo said while helping Naomi pull a stack of papers out of her father's desk. "They wanted weapons to aid in the destruction of Yokai, and thus we were made." They'd been told of the chaos that had unfolded during the Civil War and how Japan's Yokai had taken advantage of those turbulent times to cause chaos.

While Momo continued to explain some history to a very uninterested Mika, Naomi began flicking through the different documents that she pulled from her father's desk.

"Nothing..." Naomi said, frustration clear in her voice. "Some of these papers are correspondence between my father and the Tomogawa clan, but it's just reports." She continued flicking through a large binder which contained a variety of documents. "Discussions on the state of the seal on the scared weapons, confirmation on the lack of Yokai activity, and back and forth about the other Onmiyoji clans." She sighed. Naomi was hoping for more information about the brainwashing used by the Tomogawa, but was beginning to think that they weren't going to find anything of use.

"Maybe one of those other houses would know about things?" Mika asked as she sat on one of the chairs, kicking up a bunch of dust. “I think I recall hearing something about there being more than just one Onmiyoji clan in Japan still. So maybe they know? We could try asking them.”

"It's possible that they may have some useful information, but if it's as Himari and I suspect, then whatever technique that was used on the Tomogawa parents was likely something developed by the clan." Momo shook her head as she put down a set of documents. "Other clans would have no knowledge of such things as proprietary skills like that were a closely guarded secret."

{Not to mention that the Tomogawa was an offshoot of the Tokugawa meant to fight Yokai. Other clans wouldn't dare stick their nose into their business without good reason, and based on what Akagi dug up about them and their activities they would've been too afraid to take any action that could've been seen as hostile.} (Momo)

"I could try and contact them." Naomi said as she read through a paper. "I can't imagine they would ignore me, but..." Something told her that they wouldn't find anything of use from the other clans. "Just keep looking for now. My father had all kinds of documents in here, and if he was really keeping tabs on our both families, then he'd have to have documents pertaining to their darker activities." She knew that her father was an organized man who had a high attention to detail. If he spoke with the Tomogawa about Akagi, then he definitely would've kept a copy of that correspondence.

“Right!” (Momo x Mika)

Getting back to work, Naomi, Momo, and Mika practically tore the entire study apart, and after several hours they were starting to run out of patience and hope.

"Dammit!" Naomi yelled as she threw a book down onto the desk. "There's nothing! ARGH!" She ruffled her hair in frustration and was about to call it quits.

{Why is there nothing?!? I know that our family would've keep our records in here! Dad always told me this room contained a ton of old books and stuff!} (Naomi)

"Easy." Momo put her hand on her shoulder in an attempt to calm her mind. "There's no need to get frustrated." She shook her head. "Let's take a break. We've been at this for a while and you're frustration will only impede our search."

"I know... I just... I wanted to help Akagi." Naomi said quietly. "She's done so much for me... I... I wanted to give her answers... and maybe even some hope..."

{If we could find out what exactly happened to her parents, then maybe... just maybe...} (Naomi)

As Momo and Naomi discussed what to do next, Mika stood in front of the massive family painting in the back of the room. Her eyes were transfixed on the large portrait, and as she scanned her eyes over it, something caught her eye.

"Hey, Naomi." Mika called out to her friend.

"Yeah? Did you find something?" Naomi turned around.

"You said this was painted in the house, right?" Mika asked as the other two walked up alongside her.

"Yeah. We had a painter come in, and he took a photo of us, then made this." Naomi said as she recalled her surprise when her father brought the massive painting into the house. "It was, I think, when I was like seven or eight. I don't really remember all too well."

"Then... This is the foyer, isn't it?" Mika noted the massive chandelier and the large staircase behind the family.

"Yeah, we had it taken right in the main entrance of the house, why?" Naomi didn't see her point.

"It's just... If this was based on a picture of the foyer... Why is there a staircase that leads down?" Mika pointed out a small set of stairs in the upper left portion of the picture, to the right of the grand staircase. "That's not actually there. At least I don't remember it being there in the real thing."

Naomi paused as she looked at the stairs in question. "No, you're right..." She knew for a fact that no such thing existed. "Maybe the artist messed up... No." She shook her head. "Iwami is a master painter, and he would never make such a mistake."

{But then why...} (Naomi)

"Ok, I've got a really crazy idea." Mika looked over at her friend. "I've seen an anime where this worked, so please don't get mad if I'm wrong." She slowly walked toward the painting, which confused Naomi.

"Wait! What are you doing?" Naomi tried to stop her, but Mika continued forward until she walked straight into and through the painting, appearing within it.

"I KNEW IT!" Mika cheered, happy that her idea was spot on.

"WHAT?!?" (Momo x Naomi)

"Mika, what's going on?!?" Naomi rushed over to her friend who appeared to be part of the massive portrait.

{IS SHE OK?!?} (Naomi)

"In an anime that I saw once, there was a secret door hidden in a painting like this." Mika walked back out of the painting. "The hint was that something in the background didn't match how it was in reality." She had a massive smile. "I'm so smart!" She made a V sign with her fingers.

"An illusion." Momo's eyes went wide. "It's so intricate yet so simple. How did I not see it?!?" She kicked herself for not noticing it. "What did the inside look like?" She asked Mika for details.

"Hmmm. When I went inside, nothing felt different, and when I turned back toward you guys, it was basically like looking at you through a doorway." Mika shrugged. It wasn't like she actually became part of the painting like Naomi feared, it was more that she just walked through an invisible door.

"Remarkable!" Momo started to get excited. "I'd heard stories that the Tokugawa's master craftsmen could create portals and other similar things, but I never imagined that it was real!"

{THIS IS AMAZING! Himari and I need to study this! Just think of what could be done with such magic!} (Momo)

"But... Why?!?" Naomi didn't understand what the purpose of this was. "And does this mean that Iwami was some kind of mage?!?"

"If he was the one that made this, then he is likely affiliated with the clan in some way." Momo said. "But right now, let's focus on this." She approached the painting. "I have a feeling that what we're looking for is down those stairs."

"This is so cool! Its like we're in one of those mystery shows!" Mika's eyes sparkled as the three of them entered the painting.

{I am the Great Detective Mika!} (Mika)

"This is crazy..." Naomi looked around, stunned by the fact that they were inside the painting. "It's like an exact replica of our home in here.” Looking outside showed nothing but an endless white expanse, which was to be expected. "I suppose if they could make an entire world, that would be even more impressive..."

{I suppose that really goes to show how powerful Akagi is if she can do something like that at will... I remember one time she had us on some kind of Ocean Liner and mentioned that a whole Edwardian Europe was moving along back on shore.} (Naomi)

"Here, the stairs are actually here!" Mika pointed at the small staircase that lead down. "Let's go!"

"Hold on!" Momo grabbed Mika shoulder to stop her. "This place is probably trapped to prevent intruders." She reached out with her spiritual power, which told her that there was a substantial quantity of energy welling below. "Mika, you should transform, and Naomi I think it best that you wield me for now." She hopped into Naomi's hand, reverting to her staff form.

"Is there an enemy down there?" Mika asked after she transformed.

"I' not entirely sure. I do detect a large amount of magical power and it reminds me of Shikigami energy, so I suspect that some kind of security measure is in place to deal with unauthorized attempts to enter this place." Momo figured that it wouldn't be easy or safe.

"I am of Tokugawa blood, surely this place wouldn't harm me." Naomi figured that any enemies or traps would exclude her.

"I would not bet on that." Momo denied that optimistic notion. "If anything, the traps would be calibrated to require some kind of passcode or signal since blood verification is subject to problems like betray from within."

{Or use of a dead body to enter. I've seen that before.} (Momo)

"Alright, but if it gets too dangerous we'll back out and call Akagi. I'm sure she'd be interested in what we've found and there's no reason to risk our safety for no reason." Naomi nodded and she and Mika headed downstairs being sure to take things slowly.

The dark and creaky wooden staircase slowly illuminated as they descended, with torches on the walls activating as they approached. It felt as if they were descending in a spiral, and after a few minutes, they reached a wooden door that was locked.

"I don't suppose you have a key?" Mika asked knowing full well that Naomi didn't.

"I don't think one is needed here." Momo commented. "Mika, use your strength and knock the door down. I detect no magic on it, so it should be safe."

{Sometimes using force is the best way to move forward.} (Momo)

"You don't have to tell me twice!" Mika winded up a punch before letting it go. “Magical Star BREAKER!”

"Wait!" Naomi tried to stop her, but it was too late.

*BANG*

The door was sent flying down a long hallway, alongside which were numerous paintings.

"Never mind..." Naomi sighed as she entered the hallway. The paintings on the walls were of past family heads, and she recognized most of them, including her father and grandfather.

"Kinda spooky." Mika said with a nervous laugh. "I feel like all those paintings are gonna attack us, or something."

{Also, the self-activating torches are super fucking suspect...} (Mika)

"Please don't say things like that..." Naomi sighed. "That's how you-"

"HALT INTRUDERS!" A voice rang out from around them.

"I hate you, Mika." Naomi groaned as she glared at her whistling friend.

"YE WHO HAVE ENTERED THIS PLACE SHALL PERISH BY MY HAND!" The voice continued, speaking in an old dialect that Mika and Naomi thought sounded like something out of a period drama.

"I am Naomi Tokugawa, Daughter of Haruki Tokugawa and Granddaughter of Kyojaro Tokugawa! By birthright I demand that you grant us safe passage!" Naomi hoped that her family connection would grant her access.

"IF YOU ARE WHO YOU CLAIM TO BE, THEN PRESENT THE KEY!" The voice demanded an item.

"Key?" Naomi parroted. "I don't know what that is..."

"IF YOU DO NOT HAVE THE KEY, THEN YOU ARE AN INTRUDER!" The voice thundered. "LEAVE THIS PLACE AND NEVER RETURN!"

"I'm sorry, but we can't just leave." Naomi shook her head. She was determined to find out what was hidden down here and wasn't about to back down that easily. "My father and grandfather died before they could pass down our family secrets, and I will know what they hid from me!" She assumed a battle stance, but was slightly shaking as she'd had very little combat training.

"THEN YOU SHALL PERISH AS THEY DID!" A swirling vortex appeared in front of the girls, out from which a green shadowy Samurai warrior appeared. "I am oath-bound to defend this place, and all who seek to trespass will be destroyed!" He drew his blade, pointing it at the girls. "Now, die!" He zipped forward at an extremely fast speed, but to Mika, he seemed to move quite slowly.

*TINK*

Mika blocked his blade with her hand before channeling power into her palm and blasting the Samurai, vaporizing it in an instant with a small energy attack.

"Eh?" Mika, Naomi, and Mika were surprised.

"W-Was... Was that it?" Mika turned to Naomi, confused.

{Was Miracle Cannon really that strong?!?} (Mika)

"I... Umm..." Naomi had no answer.

"I do not detect any more Spiritual power..." Momo paused as she reached out with her senses. "I think Mika was just too powerful for that Samurai spirit..."

"What the hell..." Naomi let out a deep sigh.

{Mika, why are you so strong?} (Naomi)

"Well... that happened." Mika started nervously laughing as she rubbed the back of her head.

"Let's just continue onward." Naomi shook her head as they continued to walk down the hallway, with Mika pointing out that the further they walked, the older the portraits got until, at the end, they were greeted with a small door that sat beneath the famous painting of Tokugawa Ieyasu that they'd seen in museums and history class.

"I hope whatever is down here was worth all this pomp and circumstances." Naomi sighed as she slowly opened the door.

{I swear if its just dusty old books again...} (Naomi)

"Wow!" Mika exclaimed in awe as they looked inside.

"Oh my!" Momo was similarly surprised.

"Dad... When were you ever going to tell me about this..." Naomi could only sigh again. The room behind the door was filled with cultural artifacts protected within glass cases, tapestries that Naomi figured were older than her clan, swords hung on every wall, and there were safes around the room that Naomi had no doubt contained a treasure trove of valuable items.

"I see!" Momo leaped out of Naomi's hand and reformed in front of the two girls. "This must be the Tokugawa family treasure vault!" She was practically giddy as she looked around at the many different artifacts.

{It has too be! I never thought it was real though! This is a wonderous find!} (Momo)

"Vault?" Naomi noted the use of that specific term. "Did you know about this stuff?"

"Yes! I only heard about it once before, but I was told that the family stored away so many valuable items within a magical vault that only the head of the clan could access!" Momo was visibly excited and on the verge of rambling. "I'd always wanted to see the wonders that lay within, but I never thought I'd actually get to see it!" She stared intensely at the many full suits of Samurai armor along with what looked like dozens of Spiritual tomes and other books that were placed within special glass cases.

{THIS IS AMAZING! I NEED TO READ THESE BOOKS!} (Momo)

"This is nice and all..." Naomi said as she looked around. "But would my father have put anything related to what the Tomogawa did to Akagi's parents in here?"

"Perhaps!" Momo nodded. "There is a very high degree of likelihood that your family would've kept records of their branch family's abilities in here for safekeeping in case the family was destroyed." She looked at the vast number of books and other scrolls that surrounded them. "Though I imagine that it will take a while to find such a thing in here." She gave a nervous laugh.

"Yeah..." Naomi figured there were thousands of books and scrolls in here, and she had no idea where to start. "For now, let's do a cursory check. I'll contact Akagi once we leave and get her to help go through this stuff. She'll be able to do it far faster than we can."

"Sounds great!" Momo smiled before she and Naomi split up from Mika as they searched around the vault. There were a host of documents, some of which Naomi knew were ancient due to the wear on the paper and the archaic language they used. However, out of everything she saw in the numerous glass cases one book stuck out the most.

"Yokai Magic and Its Practical Applications?" Naomi carefully opened up one of the cases and inspected the very strange-looking book. "This is a Wasōbon! I've seen these in museums." She carefully opened the fragile-looking book. "How old must this thing be?" There was no indication of the author, but after skimming through the strange book, Naomi got excited. "This book... It details how to use Yokai Magic to heal people!" It was her dream to merge magic and medicine, and this book seemed to have information on how to do that.

{Why is this down here?!?} (Naomi)

"Momo!" Naomi continued to read through it. "This book! It's incredible! If I can figure out how to replicate what's described within..."

{I could change medicine as we know it!} (Naomi)

As Naomi gushed to her friend about the possibilities, Momo cautioned her that Yokai magic was dangerous and that it shouldn't be used without great care.

"I know, I know, but still!" Naomi was undeterred. "Think of the good we could do! Ugh! Why did my family hide something like this?!?" While she grumbled about her family's stupidity, Mika continued to look at the different documents and scrolls that sat on a desk on the other side of the room.

"Boring. Boring. Boring. Boring." Mika opened and closed the scrolls one at a time until she came across one that was very new by comparison. "Hm?" She slowly opened the scroll, her eyes going wide as she read what was inside.

{No... No. No. No. NO!} (Mika)

"Did you find anything over there, Mika?" Naomi called out to her, which caused Mika to jump.

"Nopers! Nothing but boring old scrolls and dusty books over here!" Mika gave a nervous laugh as she slid the scroll into a spot on her clothing that would keep it hidden.

"Okay, let's look around for a bit more. I want to let Akagi know what we found ASAP." Naomi turned back around, much to the relief of Mika, who was sweating profusely.

After around an hour of poking about, Naomi, Momo, and Mika decided to head back and returned to her father's study. Naomi quickly got to work contacting Akagi and informing her of what she found, while Mika decided to return home, telling Naomi that she had plans with her family.

As she bounced across the Kyoto rooftops the Magical Girl stood atop a highrise building and looked out across the city as she pulled the scroll from her backpack, reading it one more time.

[Dear Kenji.

Regarding your last message about the Demon Child that your Daughter has spawned, here are my instructions.

In order to prevent the great tragedy that is prophesied, I hereby give you permission to act as you see fit regarding its treatment. My preference would be for you to immediately execute the child, but I shall leave that up to your discretion. 

There is no telling whether such a creature is the great darkness spoken of in our family history, and we have gone nearly two hundred years without incident. The timing of its arrival does line up with the family prophecy, but there are few notable differences, which is why I will leave this up to you.

Additionally, I am granting authorization for you to use the Tomogawa family's alteration ritual as needed to ensure that this incident is properly handled, and I trust that you will make the correct decision and use it responsibly. Altering one's memories and personality permanently is not something that I authorize lightly, but we may have no choice if they will not comply with your demands. The feelings of two fools must not override the good of all mankind, so use as much of the ritual as needed to ensure compliance.

Long live His Majesty the Emperor!

Signed February 12th 2038

Haruki Tokugawa]

"Dammit! How could he?!?" Mika bit her lip in anger. Naomi's father had always been described as a good man, but reading this letter made Mika's blood boil.

{He caused all this! He's the one who... He made Akagi's parents...} (Mika)

"I can't let them see this..." Mika used her power to conjure a flame, burning away the document and preventing anyone but her from knowing the truth. "It's better this way... I know it is..." Mika said as she leaped off the building, confident that she'd made the right choice by hiding this document from the others.

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