The Lycanthrope Club - An American Werewolf in Japan, Chapter X

Like most large cities Tokyo was not homogenous. It was vast, yes - one of the biggest metropolitan areas on the planet, and the most populous - but when the average non-native thought of Tokyo they would envision one or two famous or panoramic districts such as Minato or Shibuya. Yet Tokyo was a city of many parts, many wards and many neighborhoods, not all of them glamorous or even that densely populated. This point was hammered home to Junko as she walked along the street in western Tokyo. It felt like any other neighborhood, almost like a neighborhood back in their home city of Inuyama. None of the buildings were taller than three stories; most were one. She saw the same franchises, same street signs, same garbage cans; it even had some of the same smells. She still felt a bit out of place, however. She'd never been to this part of Tokyo. 

"Have you ever been to this part of the city, Taro-kun?" asked Junko.

"Uh, no, I have not," said Taro, who was walking next to her. 

"Masae-sempai?"

"Eh, maybe?" said Masae distractedly, briefly gazing down at her phone. She had a map app running. "It says we turn right here but I don't recognize the street name."

"Well, if the map says it's right," said Junko, shrugging. "And if we make a wrong turn we can just head back and start over."

"What if we get lost?" said Masae sourly.

"We can't get lost with a map," said Junko.

"Famous last words," muttered Masae not quite under her breath.

"What did you mean by 'maybe' when I asked whether you've been here before?" said Junko.

"Oh, I used to visit Tokyo a lot when I was younger," said Masae as the group stopped and waited at a crosswalk. "When I was...staying with my grandparents," she added. 

Junko cocked her head. 

"Are you alright, Masae-sempai?" she inquired.

"What? I'm fine, alright?" snapped Masae. "Quit distracting me."

Junko felt a little spark of anger flare within her. She'd been getting better at controlling her emotions - and it wasn't as though she was unused to Masae's sharp tongue - but it took a bit of effort to stay calm this time for some reason. Her smile turned waxen but she said nothing. 

The light turned green and started playing a cheery song. The three high schoolers crossed the street, turned and continued onward. The surrounding homes and tiny apartment complexes gave way to small businesses - bookstores, second hand stores, electronics shops, convenience stores, restaurants and bars. Pedestrians and commuters were trickling out into the sidewalks and streets. The sun was still visible but already sinking into the western horizon. It was about this time Junko realized just how nervous she really was. In fact, the only other time she'd been this anxious was her first full moon night as a werewolf. 

She gulped. She was on edge. They all were, in fact. But...why? They were finally going to meet the mysterious being that had changed everything for them. All their questions would be answered. This was a good thing. Right?

"What do you think it will be like?" she said suddenly. "They, uh, the you-know-what."

Neither Masae nor Taro replied. At least not at first. 

"Do you think it's going to be like those in Twilight? Or, like those from-"

"I'm really not sure," interrupted Masae irritably. "All I do know is that it keeps trying to help us but keeps on failing."

"It did save our lives," pointed out Taro. "And, we know yakuza are hunting it so we can't exactly blame it for not being there for us all of the time."

"We were able to take down an entire squad of yakuza on our first full moon," said Masae matter-of-factly. "Why should it be afraid of them?"

"That's...uh, a very good point, Masae-sempai," said Taro, scratching his head. "Er, that one man did manage to hurt it. Maybe we...maybe we just got lucky?"

"Lucky, hah!" said Junko, smirking. "I don't think proud Taichi-sama would appreciate that sentiment."

Junko had meant it as a light-hearted rib but Taro looked mildly abashed. This, in turn, made Junko feel bad. The collective mood of the group grew slightly gloomier. 

"It should be just down...this alley," said Masae, stopping.

There was indeed a narrow alley to their right. It was sandwiched between a discount furniture outlet - one of the few three-story structures in the neighborhood - and a small, two story building that appeared to be some kind of office or possibly an apartment complex. Junko peered down its mouth. It stretched on for some distance. Numerous bright signs - neon, illuminated, glowing lanterns with characters printed on them - hung on buildings on either side of the lane, advertising food, drinks and other services. She sniffed the air and winced. There were many, many delicious smells coming from the alley but there were also some extremely revolting ones; the latter spoiled the former. It looked deserted at first glance but after a few seconds Junko spied a few figures. 

"Looks a bit...seedy," said Junko.

"I guess it picked this place because it's out of the way," said Masae, shrugging. She adjusted her glasses. Junko wondered why she still wore them; her eyesight had never been too bad in the first place and now it was perfect. 

"So, perhaps we should go inside?" said Taro. Something about the tone of his voice hinted he was hoping the answer would be a no. 

Masae's lips tightened. She strode into the alleyway. Junko and Taro exchanged worried looks and hurried after her.

The alley was cramped, dirty at places, but not as sordid as Junko had feared it would be. Most of the people around them were locals or salarymen out enjoying an early meal or drink. There were conversations sprinkled with bouts of laughter but it was all subdued and respectful, not riotous or obnoxious. The smells of cooked meat, vegetables, fried breading, sweets and species were stronger inside the alley, masking the other, more insalubrious aromas Junko had detected earlier. Her mouth was starting to water. 

Around sixty or seventy meters in, Masae stopped. 

"This is it," she said, gesturing at a restaurant with her phone.

It differed from many of the other eateries by size alone. It occupied a dark, near-windowless medium-sized two-story building with large double doors; most of the other establishments were the size a large broom closet with five to six counter seats at most, the kitchen often consisting of little more than a single stove occupying the same room as the dining room. The alleyway actually widened a bit in front of the restaurant, creating an open space for customers to linger while waiting for a table (currently there wasn't anyone waiting). 

"How much money did you bring?" asked Junko. "I have fifteen hundred and some change."

"Er, a few hundred," said Taro.

"I have a thousand yen note," said Masae. 

There was a pause.

"Not enough," said Masae, shaking her head. 

"Well, maybe we can just share an appetizer or something," said Junko. "Or maybe the werewolf will cover our bill."

"It'd better," said Masae. "We've come all this way." She checked the time on her phone. "It might already be in there."

Junko took a deep breath. 

"Well, let's not keep it waiting," she said brightly. She opened the door and slipped inside. Masae and Taro followed her. 

The inside of the restaurant was smoky and dim. It had western style furniture and decor - an approximation of a 1920s nightclub. There were booths against the walls to the right and left and rows of black tables and chairs. Unseen speakers played a soft, jazzy tune. There weren't a lot of customers. A hostess in a silky dark dress regarded them curiously. 

"Welcome," she said. "Are you kids, ah, here by yourselves?"

"Uh...no," said Junko carefully. "We're meeting another party."

"Ah," said the hostess cheerfully. "Their name?"

Junko blinked.

"Ah...that is, their names are..."

"They'll be arriving in thirty minutes or so," cut in Masae. "So we'll just wait for them."

"Very good. This way, please."

The hostess took three menus from a stack and led them to a booth in the back near the kitchen doors. Junko smiled weakly as the hostess described the specials; the place was clearly high-end and she felt underdressed. And the price of even the cheapest item on the menu was exorbitant. If the werewolf didn't pay their bill, or worse, didn't show up, things would get very awkward. The three of them ordered a small appetizer they could barely afford, stating they would order their meals when the other party arrived.

"Okay, we're here," said Junko once the waitress had left. She checked the time. "And it should be here in ten minutes. Maybe."

"Do you think it'll come this time?" said Taro nervously.

"If it doesn't, I don't think we should trust it again," said Masae. 

"Don't even say things like that," said Junko. She surreptitiously sniffed the air. "I don't smell anything unusual." She paused. "But whatever's in the kitchen smells nice."

"Please don't mention food," groaned Masae. "The appetizer's barely enough for a snack - for one of us - and if the werewolf doesn't have any money that's all we're going to have to eat."

Junko sighed and looked around. The customers were mostly businessmen plus one affluent looking older couple. No one looked even close to their age. As her gaze wandered across the restaurant she spotted a man in a suit sitting in the booth opposite theirs. He was staring at her. Junko immediately looked away. She sat there for a few seconds and then glanced back at him. The man was still staring at them.

"Masae-sempai, Taro-kun," whispered Junko. 

"Huh?"

"That man over there," she hissed. "The one at the booth to the left. He's watching us."

"What?" said Taro, turning.

"Don't look," said Masae quickly. Taro froze. "Did he just come in?" she asked. 

"No. I mean, I don't think so. It looks like he's been here since before we arrived."

Masae hesitated. Her eyes darted to the left and back.  

"He's gotten up," whispered Masae. "I think he's coming over here."

Junko felt her heart pounding in her chest. Someone was indeed approaching them and it wasn't the waitress.

"Excuse me."

Junko swallowed and looked up. It was indeed the man from the booth. He was tall and impeccably dressed in a trim, dark-grey three-piece suit accented with a blue tie. He had a youngish, round face with wide, expressive eyes though his hair was starting to turn grey. He looked like a manager or possibly an executive or politician. 

"Y-Yes?" said Junko.

"Are you kids here by yourselves?" inquired the man. 

More than a little shocked by his directness Junko found herself at a loss for words. Taro seemed equally nonplused. Masae, however, just scowled.

"Uh, pardon me, but are you an employee?" she asked, her tone superficially polite belying disapproval. 

"No. But it's unusual to see people your age here, at this hour, let alone unaccompanied," said the man. There wasn't a lot of accusation in his voice; more than anything, he sounded curious.

"Sorry sir, but what business is it of yours?" said Masae.

Saying nothing, the man reached into his coat pocket and produced a wallet. He flipped it open, revealing a golden badge. Junko's eyes widened.

"So, are you here alone or are you meeting someone?" asked the man, tucking the wallet back in his coat.

Flustered, red-faced, Masae opened her mouth and shut it. 

"We're...meeting someone here," she managed eventually. 

The man stared at them for a few, excruciating seconds, his face betraying nothing. The jazzy music hung in the air.  

"Alright," he said, nodding. With that he turned and walked away.

Junko exhaled and slumped back in her seat, relieved but paradoxically still incredibly nervous.

"What was that about?" she whispered frantically.

"I don't know," said Masae, shaking her head in disbelief. "That was a cop, right?"

"I-I think so," said Taro, who looked even more frightened than the two girls. "Are we...are we going to be arrested? Is he going to call our parents?"

"We weren't breaking any laws," said Masae quickly. She hesitated. "At least...at least I don't think so," she added uncomfortably. "This...isn't a bar. It's barely night out. The hostess would have told us to leave if we were under age. School is out, so it's not as though we're truant. "

"Maybe he was just checking on us," said Junko desperately. "Making sure we're not in any trouble. We do look out of place here."

"It was still weird," said Masae, shaking her head. "Really, really weird."

"Really, really weird," agreed Junko. She risked a glance over at the man's table.

"Hey, he left," she whispered. 

"What?"

"He's gone. His table is empty," said Junko. 

Sure enough, there was no sign of the man. His plate and drink were still on the table. There was still food on the plate. 

"He probably just went to the bathroom," said Masae. "Otherwise he wouldn't have left his meal."

"Or he's getting ready to arrest us," groaned Taro.

"Knock it off, Taro-kun," snapped Masae. "We're not going to get arrested. Even if he did take us in they don't arrest minors like that."

"I don't think I can take much more of this," said Junko gloomily. 

There was a soft gurgling sound. Masae and Taro stared at Junko, who blushed and sank deeper into her plush seat.

"And I'm getting really hungry," she whimpered. "Can't we just order something? I don't care if we get in trouble. I just want to eat!"

"Hold it together, Junko-chan," said Masae, rolling her eyes.

"Hold it together? Come on, Masae-sempai, have a heart!"

"You can have all of the nimono when it comes," sighed Masae. "If Taro-kun is alright with it."

Taro hesitated, but then nodded.

"T-Thank you so much," said Junko.

The three sat there in silence for a time. Masae took out her phone once to check the time but otherwise did nothing. Occasionally, Junko would glance over at the table the man had been seated at. He never returned and the waiters did not bus his table. 

Suddenly, Junko's nose twitched. The kitchen door opened and their waitress returned carrying a large tray crowded with steaming dishes. Junko practically swooned in her seat. It all smelled so delicious! 

The waiter smiled, set the tray down on its collapsible legs next to their table and started serving the dishes. 

"Wha-" said Taro as a plate of fatty tuna sushi was set down in front of him. 

"W-Wait, hold on," protested Masae as the waitress placed a platter of still-hot vegetable tempura on the table. "What's all this? These can't be the otsumami."

"They're the appetizers you ordered," said the waitress. 

"But we didn't order any of this," said Junko even as she hungrily eyed the food.

"Oh, ah..." the waitress paused. She brought out a small slip of paper and read it. "This is the right table," she said. Then, she smiled brightly. "I think your friends ordered all this in advance."

"Friends?" said Masae.

"Yes," she said. She placed two more plates on their table. "I'll come back once the rest of your party has joined you and you're ready to order." She bowed slightly and walked off.

Junko stared at the bounty before her. There were both traditional items like gyoza and deep fried tofu as well as western style foods like tiny burgers and thick sweet potato fries. She dug in.

"Stop it," said Masae angrily. "This...this isn't our food. We can't afford it. Taro-kun!"

Taro was holding a gyoza inches away from his mouth with chopsticks. 

"S-Sorry, Masae-sempai," he apologized. He swallowed the dumpling. 

"What's going on here?" said Masae weakly. "Who...who ordered this food?"

Junko swallowed another mouthful of fries and then froze, staring at something behind Masae and Taro. 

"I think it was them," she said quietly. The other two high schoolers looked over their shoulders.

The man in the grey suit had returned. He was standing a meter away with a solemn look on his face. And he wasn't alone. He had been joined by a woman. 

Junko could sense she was a werewolf even before she got a whiff of her. It was, to be fair, an easy inference given that a) she was the only foreigner in the restaurant and b) they were expecting just such an individual. There was something ineffably...potent about the woman. She was tall, but not so much as to be intimidating, and had a well-built body - not too thin and not too thick, impressively curvy at all the right places. She had long, curly, bouncy black hair and skin the color of milk chocolate. She wore a dark brown jacket over a black shirt and had loose-fitting black jeans. Her face was ovoid bordering on round with pouty red lips, full cheeks and dark, seductive eyes. She would not have looked out of place on the cover of a fashion magazine. The woman carried herself with a confident, self-assured manner that reminded Junko of Masae.

The woman gazed down at the three of them. She sniffed the air and then nodded at the man in the grey suit.

"It's them," she said in English.

The man nodded gravely, turned and addressed the stunned high schoolers.

"I apologize for earlier," he said, bowing stiffly. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Yoshikawa Kensaku, Public Security Intelligence Agency. This..." he gave the woman an inquiring look. She nodded. "...Is Lily Forger. Thank you for meeting with us. May we sit?"

Breathless, Junko glanced at Masae and Taro, who looked similarly overawed. 

"I, uh...yes," said Masae.

Kensaku sat down next to Junko. The woman - Forger...no, Lily; foreigners used their family name last, Junko corrected mentally - took a seat next to him. The five of them sat together in uncomfortable silence for a few seconds.

"Please, enjoy your food," said Kensaku, gesturing at the table. "We will cover the bill."

"I'm...not that hungry," lied Junko, biting her lower lip.

"Uh, yeah," said Masae uncomfortably.

Kensaku gave the trio an odd look before continuing.

"You are Fujimori Taro, Takahashi Masae, and Hayashi Junko, residents of Inuyama and students at Inuyama High School," he said, nodding at each of them as he recited their names. 

"Er, yes," said Junko quietly, trying to avoid his gaze.

"First, is anyone other than us aware of your...condition?"

"Our condition?" said Junko, confused.

"What you become under the light of the full moon. Anyone at all? Do not lie." 

"Oh, uh, no," said Masae, shaking her head. 

Kensaku turned to Taro and gave him an expectant look.

"N-No, sir," he said.

"I haven't even told my mom," said Junko.

"Has anyone spotted you?"

"Spotted us?" 

"You know what I mean."

"Er, well, there were these...yakuza in the park-" began Junko nervously. 

"Besides them," interrupted Kensaku. "We know what happened. Very unfortunate. You should have hid or retreate-"

"How did you....But we-" began Junko.

"Junko-kōhai!" said Masae sharply. 

Junko shut her mouth and lowered her head in apology.

"In any event," continued Kensaku as though nothing had happened. "You survived, though the syndicate may learn from the encounter. Again, has anyone - apart from them - seen you?"

"...Not that we're aware, sir," said Masae. She glanced at Taro and Junko, who nodded in affirmation.

"Good. Now, before we continue, you must promise not to discuss what you hear today with anyone. Not your friends, not your family, not the police or even other government officials - Japanese or otherwise. What we are about to share is, well, beyond highly classified. Our national security is at stake. Do I have your word?"

"I...I promise," said Junko.

"I promise not to share anything I hear today," said Taro firmly.

"You have my word," said Masae.

"Good," said Kensaku. He cleared his throat. "About two months ago I understand you ran into Ms. Forger while walking home from school. She appeared to be injured so you attempted to assist her, despite her warnings, and were all of you near fatally shot. The man who shot you was Shibusawa Chojiro, formerly a yakuza wakagashira."

Junko's heart skipped a beat. A wakagashira was second in command - fairly high ranking in the byzantine hierarchy of the yakuza. 

"He's...dead, right?" asked Taro.

"Yes. His body was fished out a river near Kuwana some time ago."

"That's right," hissed Junko. "We read about it in the news."

"Hm, you made that connection," said Kensaku, sounding mildly impressed. 

"Did you kill him?" said Masae, leaning forward.

"No," said Kensaku. 

"Did she?"

Kensaku said nothing. 

"So, who is she?" asked Masae, gesturing at Lily. "What is she?"

"Lily Forger is...here on a special assignment," said Kensaku carefully. "As for what she is...I think you already know the answer."

"A werewolf," breathed Junko.

Lily, apparently recognizing the word, nodded slowly. She then turned to Kensaku.

"What are you telling them, Ken?" she asked.

"I told them a little about Shibusawa, nothing more," replied Kensaku in accented English. "They pieced together that the body floating on the Kuwana was his."

"Maybe I should take over from here. We should focus on helping them manage their, um, condition, not the investigation."

"Hm. Point taken."

Lily turned back to the high schoolers. She smiled faintly.

"At least one of you can understand what I'm saying, right? Well, don't be shy. Ken here will help with the translation. I'm sure you have lots of questions."

"Um..." 

Junko leaned forward and waved diffidently. 

"Hello," she said in English. "My name is Junko. I, uh, I was speaking with you on phone."

"Hi Junko, nice to meet you," replied Lily. She had an odd accent that made it a bit difficult for Junko to follow her words. 

"I...have to ask," said Junko as a thousand questions jockeyed in her mind. 

"Yes?"

"...Why put your pee in a cup?"

The table was silent for a moment. Kensaku and Lily stared at Junko in disbelief. Then, Lily started laughing. 

"What on Earth is she talking about?" asked Kensaku, bewildered. 

"Did you just ask her about...urine?" exclaimed Masae. 

Junko squirmed in her seat. Why had she started with such a stupid question? She'd opened her mouth and that was the first thing that came out. What was wrong with her? The werewolf probably thought she was an idiot. 

"It's...it's fine," chuckled Lily, waiving a hand dismissively. She turned back to Junko. "Because it was the easiest way to...leave my scent for a long time. I didn't want to leave blood and wasn't sure my clothing would smell strong enough. I know it seems gross, but it worked, didn't it? And even if someone else had smelled it the locker was near the bathrooms so it wouldn't have seemed odd. Did you understand that?"

"Uh...yes," said Junko, who had caught most of what she had said. 

"I'm asking the next question," said Masae. "She's American, right?"

"Uh, yes," said Kensaku somewhat reluctantly. 

"Are werewolves actually magic or is there a scientific explanation? Are there any native werewolves here in Japan or are they just in America? How are you organized?"

"Uh...she's asking...um..." said Junko uncertainty, frantically trying to translate Masae's questions into English. "She...wants to know..."

"The young lady wants to know how lycanthropy works," supplied Kensaku. "And about werewolf society."

"Uh, whew, that'll take a while," said Lily. "But I guess that's half the reason we're here. Ken, please translate as best you can."

Lily started speaking. Every so often she would pause and Kensaku would translate. It was, as Lily had warned, quite a lot of information, so Junko quickly stopped trying to follow her words and just listened to Kensaku. 

"Ms. Forger belongs to an organization called NALA - the North American Lycanthrope Association." Kensaku paused. "I should explain. Lycanthropy is a word for the condition of being a werewolf and a lycanthrope is another word for a person who is a werewolf. Anyways, NALA is a society dedicated to protecting werewolves and advancing the understanding of lycanthropy. NALA consists of both werewolves and ordinary people. It is a non-government organization but there are some in the United States government - and other governments, including ours of course - aware of its existence. It has not been around for too long - just under two decades, in fact. Lycanthropy emerged in the United States in a town called Pinebrook when a girl called Melinda Cooper contracted it from what we believe was the last werewolf on Earth at the time. Since then it has spread from individual to individual, usually voluntarily, sometimes under duress. While there are some werewolves living outside America there is no equivalent organization in any other country. As far as I know you three are the only Japanese citizen werewolves in existence."

"So, we really are the only ones," murmured Junko more or less to herself. 

"As for how lycanthropy works, we still do not know. There are many theories and none of them offer a satisfying explanation. It breaks the laws of physics yet follows strange rules all its own. There does appear to be some...causative agent - a strange virus or virus-like particle - present in the blood and saliva of werewolves. This is why those bitten by a werewolf become one. It can also be transmitted by blood transfusions and sexual intercourse. Once infected, the light of the full moon or, in some rare cases, a perfect image of a full moon, triggers the initial transformation, as you all experienced not too long ago." There was a pause as Kensaku asked Lily to repeat something. "Ms. Forger would like to...thank you for your discretion - for not revealing your condition to anyone, even your families. She says she was forced to do the same thing for a time and knows how hard it is. She also wants to apologize for putting you through all this, even if it was to save your lives." Kensaku frowned as he listened to her. "You may, in fact, have saved hers when you distracted Shibusawa long enough for her to regenerate."

"Oh, er, you are welcome," said Junko.

"Y-Yeah," said Masae, blushing slightly. 

"Getting back to your question, you should know that silver is now toxic to you. Even a small amount will burn your skin - whether you are human or werewolf. Any such injuries will heal very slowly."

"Does that include silver compounds," asked Masae. "Like silver chloride, silver nitrate, silver iodi-"

"Some of them, yes," replied Kensaku without translating the question. "There is a list and no, there is no clear pattern." He glanced warily at Lily. "More importantly, you must understand you are not invincible. You have no idea how fortunate you were when you fought the yakuza. Your central nervous system does not regenerate like the rest of your body. Had a bullet struck your head or spine you might have been rendered an invalid or even killed."

A chill ran through Junko's body. 

"K-Killed?" said Taro.

"Yes," said Kensaku. "Think twice next time you act like superheroes."

"What are you telling them, Ken?" said Lily suddenly.

"That injuries to the brain and spine are still potentially deadly," replied Kensaku.

"Oooh, yeah, that's important." She paused. "We should also explain variant morphs, too, and figure out what kind they are."

"Very well," said Kensaku. He listened to her and translated.

"There is a phenomenon called variant morphs," he said, using the English word."A good translation is, er, different shapes. In brief, there are five different types of werewolves, each with their own distinct physical characteristics and abilities."

"Abilities?" said Junko. "You mean, we do get superpowers?"

"We may be able to determine what type of werewolf you are right now," said Kensaku, ignoring her last question.  "We just need to ask you a few questions."

The three high schoolers exchanged glances.

"Alright," said Masae. 

"Go ahead," said Junko, excited. 

"First, were any of you unable to speak intelligible Japanese while transformed?"

"Huh?" said Junko.

"Did any of you have trouble speaking?"

"Uh, no, we could all talk just fine," said Masae.

"Hm. That means none of you are beasts." Again, he used an English word. Junko recognized it but didn't quite remember the meaning. It had something to do with animals or monsters. Maybe both. 

"What are beasts, sir?" asked Taro.

"A type of werewolf that resembles a normal, albeit gigantic wolf," explained Kensaku. "They walk on four legs and are the only type that cannot speak."

Masae glanced at Junko and smirked.

"Too bad you didn't wind up a beast, Junko-chan," she said. 

"Hey!"

"Second questions," said Kensaku. "Were any of you significantly larger or smaller than the others?"

It was Junko's turn to smirk. "Masae-sempai was certainly very...big," she said. Masae gave her a nasty look.

"Big? Do you mean she was very tall or very massive and muscular?"

"The latter. Very muscular very...massive."

"Junko-chan!" snapped Masae.

"What?" said Junko innocently.

"Then there is a good chance your friend is a guardian," said Kensaku, ignoring the interplay between the two of them. "Guardians are the most physically powerful werewolves. They are capable of incredible feats of strength and are very resilient. Some in NALA call them berserkers because they can enter a sort of battle trance when fighting."

"So...I am a guardian?" 

"More than likely. We would have to observe you transformed to confirm it, but it seems so."

"Oh," said Masae, sounding strangely taken aback. 

"But none of you were just very tall?" continued Kensaku. "Very long legs and arms, almost gangly?"

"...No, I do not believe that described any of us, sir," said Taro. "I'm sorry."

"Then none of you are shaman," said Kensaku, sounding relieved. "Good. They cause trouble."

"They do?"

"Yes. One translation for the word is priest. But they are not holy. They have very strange powers and are poorly understood." He took a deep breath. "That leaves one more possibility. Were any of you noticeably smaller than your fellow students?"

"Junko-chan," said Masae instantly, nodding in Junko's direction. "She was the smallest."

"Everyone is small compared to you," pouted Junko.

Kensaku hesitated. He turned to Lily, whispered something and nodded in Junko's direction. Lily leaned in closer, suddenly very interested in the high schooler. Junko shrank under her stare.

"Er, is there something wrong?" she asked.

"Were you...faster than the others?" said Kensaku slowly. "Were your senses sharper than theirs?"

"I...maybe?" she said shyly.

"Was that a yes?" said Lily eagerly.

"It was a maybe," said Kensaku, frowning. "Is there any other way to test her?"

"Test me?" said Juno, who had understood the last bit.

"They want to test you, Junko-san?" said Taro curiously.

"What for?" said Masae.

"It's a bit tricky since the physical differences aren't as obvious," said Lily. "But we could give her some blood...see if she reacts." 

"You think she could-....like you can?" said Kensaku. The once stern and reserved intelligence agent had sat up in his seat, eyes wide and mouth open. 

"Probably not as well as I can, if she even is a tracker, but if she is, she will at least feel a...vague pull in the right direction."

"Let's test her," said Kensaku, nodding. He turned to Junko. 

"What's going on?" said Junko, confused.

"I want you to do something for me," said Kensaku, sounding almost eager. "It will seem strange and somewhat distasteful but it is important."

"Um, okay..."

Kensaku unrolled his napkin. A set of utensils slid out onto the table. He selected a small but sharp steak knife from the cutlery and pressed its tip against his left thumb; he did not wince in the slightest. A tiny red bead formed in the corner of his thumb where flesh met nail. He then took a chopstick and lightly dabbed its tip on the drop. 

"Please take this and put the blood in your mouth," he said, proffering the chopstick. 

All three high schoolers stared at him in shock. 

"What?" 

"You want her to...?"

"Ewwwww."

"Keep it down. Please, just do it," said Kensaku. "It is not dangerous."

Junko grimaced. She looked at Masae and then Taro; both looked uncertain. Her gaze met Lily's, who gave her a slow nod of encouragement. Junko swallowed and took the chopstick from Kensaku. She held it for a few seconds, staring at the tiny crimson dot, and then stuck it in her mouth. She shuddered as the metallic tang of blood enveloped her tongue and mouth. She reached for a glass of water and took a long drink.

"Eeeeh, I can't believe I-....eeeeh," she said as she put the glass down. Kensaku hadn't taken his eyes off her the whole time.

"Do you feel anything?" he asked. 

"I feel really gross," snapped Junko. "Er, sorry sir."

Masae glared at Kensaku. "What was that for? Why did you make her do that?"

"Never mind. Do you feel...connected to me in anyway? Drawn to me in a way?"

"What? What are you talking about?" said Junko, bewildered and not just a little disturbed.

"Please," said Kensaku. "Just...wait. Do you feel unusual? Anything at all."

Junko hesitated.

"No, not really," she said finally. "A little queasy but that's probably just because of...well, you know. Sorry."

Kensaku turned to Lily, who shook her head.

"If she hasn't felt anything by now she's not a tracker. Sorry Ken." 

Kensaku sighed. Junko put the chopstick down and slid it back towards him.

"You were going to recruit her, weren't you?" said Lily, grinning. "She's still in high school."

"So were you when you started, according to your files," said Kensaku absently. "I suppose this means you and your other friend are hunters," he said, now addressing Junko, switching to Japanese. "Hunters are the most common type of werewolf - the standard, you might say. I thought you might be a tracker but it doesn't appear to be the case."

"What is a tracker werewolf like?"

"The rarest type of werewolf. They are smaller and weaker than all the other types but they have some very special abilities. Very...useful abilities. Ms. Forger is a tracker."

"Oh," said Junko, now feeling shade disappointed. "So I'm a hunter? And Taro is a hunter?"

"By process of elimination, yes, it appears to be the case."

"The most common type of werewolf?"

"Yes."

"But...Taro is so different from me," protested Junko. "He's bigger and stronger but I'm a lot better at transforming than he is. Are you sure I'm not some other special type?"

"What are you going on about, Junko-chan?" sighed Masae. 

"It's just...just..." Junko trailed off. Her face reddened. "N-Nevermind," she sighed.

"You've practiced changing forms?" said Kensaku. "Where?"

"At an old temple in Inuyama that was closed for renovations," said Masae. "Don't worry, no one saw us. We would have smelled them."

"I...see," said Kensaku, frowning. "Still risky, but I suppose it's a good thing you're learning control."

"It hasn't been easy, sir, but we're trying," said Taro. "Junko is the best. She can already transform parts of her body without changing all the way. Masae-sempai and I can only go from werewolf to human."

"Change...parts of her body?" said Kensaku, surprised.

"Yes. Like, her arms, legs, or even her ears," said Taro. "She's very good." 

Kensaku stared at him. He turned and whispered something to Lily. Her eyes slowly widened as she listened.

"That can't be right," she said. "The only hunters I know who can pull that trick off are Rachael, Patrick, Simon, and of course Melinda. And they're all first or second generation. And it took THEM at least a year of practice."

Kensaku hesitated. 

"Do you...mean she can slow her transformation so that parts of her body change before other parts?" he asked. 

"No, sir. She can change her hands into paws and keep them like that for hours," said Taro. 

Masae nodded. 

"Like Taro-kun said, she's good very at transforming."

Junko smiled smugly. 

"They insist it's true," said Kensaku, turning back to Lily.

"That's...that's incredible," breathed Lily. "If it's true...well, I've never heard of this sort of thing before, but lycanthropy is odd. She's a prodigy. A genius. If she's already so far advanced she could develop new powers we haven't even seen before. Just like Melinda."

"Really," said Kensaku, raising an eyebrow.

"All the more reason for them to get them to the summer camp," said Lily firmly. "Sooner rather than later."

Kensaku frowned.

"Listen," he began. "We could talk all night and the next few days about werewolves and NALA but with the yakuza hunting you it isn't safe for you to remain in Tokyo. Or Inuyama, for that matter." He took a deep breath. "Therefore, we would like to send you to America for a few months."

"America?" said Junko.

"For your protection and so that NALA can train you," continued Kensaku. "You will go to a special NALA compound in the state of Oregon and remain there until the situation here stabilizes. A government representative will accompany you to insure you are taken care of."

"But what about school?" said Masae quickly. "Our...the entrance exams are coming up soon! And...and what about our parents?" she said almost hysterically.

"We will make arrangements with your school and the Ministry of Education," said Kensaku. "We will say the three of you were awarded a highly prestigious international scholarship and will be studying abroad for a few semesters. The agency will pay for everything. Your education will not suffer."

Excitement welled up in Junko. They were going on an all-expenses paid trip to America! Not only that but they were going to be enrolled at a special school for werewolves! She had, at times in her life, imagined what it would be like to be the star in an anime or manga - to become a magical girl, be romanced by some handsome supernatural creature or transported to another dimension - for something amazing or at least interesting to happen to her. Well, she had gotten her wish, and it had for the most part been a terrible, frightening experience. That is, until now. Things were finally looking up!

Junko glanced at Masae. The senior student still looked a little uneasy but a smile was forming on her lips. She probably wasn't as much excited by the prospect of visiting America as much as the prospect of receiving a prestigious scholarship she could put on her college application, even a fictional one.

"What is this compound in America like?" asked Taro.

"It is a converted luxary hotel located in the middle of a large forest," said Kensaku. "It is said to be quite beautiful. It is close to the city of Portland."

"So, Ken, are they on board?" inquired Lily. 

"Ms. Forger would like to know if this is acceptable," translated Kensaku.

"Yes!" said Junko a little louder than she had intended. She covered her mouth but kept on grinning.

"It seems like the smart move," said Masae. "Taro-kun?"

Taro still seemed uncertain.

"If...If I could ask one question," he said.

"Go ahead," sighed Kensaku.

"Why can't you protect us from the yakuza?" he asked. "I mean, yes, we can kill two birds with one stone if we go to America now - escaping the yakuza and learning from the American werewolves. But you act like the yakuza are everywhere and unstoppable. They aren't that powerful any more. Surely you could keep us safe. It just seems a bit...extreme to have us leave the country. I...I'm sorry," he finished, sounding miserable.

Kensaku said nothing for a time. His expression gave away nothing. Lily looked askance at him.

"Ken?"

"I suppose you deserve to learn a little more about the investigation," he said at last. "The truth is the yakuza are not acting alone. They have allied with a foreign syndicate - a very powerful and dangerous group involved in the drug trade, cybercrime and human trafficking in Southeast Asia." He paused. "I say 'allied' but perhaps it would be more accurate to say that the foreign syndicate has co-opted this yakuza clan and is using them. As you observed, the yakuza are not as influential as they used to be. Perhaps the clan sought out the foreign criminals because of this. Perhaps the foreign criminals took over the clan because they had been weakened. Ms. Forger has some unique abilities and has been helping us track down the leader of the foreign syndicate. That's why she's in Japan. In any event, the forces working against us must not be underestimated. In truth, I doubt you will be completely safe even in America. Even under the protection of NALA. But it is still safer than staying here." 

The table was silent.

"I...see," said Taro.

Kensaku cleared his throat.

"You...you three should eat," he said, gesturing at the plates of cooling appetizers. "There's still a lot we need to go over."

Junko bit her lips. Funnily enough, she wasn't that hungry now. Nevertheless, picked up a shrimp tempura, dipped it in soy sauce and took a bite. It was actually pretty tasty.