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  The little man led Tonbo towards one of the ponds. Kuno nodded, then leaned in to quietly speak into Sura’s pointed ear.

  “He is under the misapprehension that we are customers. I must enlighten him.”

  Sura put a hand against Kuno’s heart. “Not so fast! This calls for charm, sophistication and bald-faced lying.” The fox immediately swept forward. “I’ll handle it!”

  Kuno rubbed at his temples. He flicked an anxious glance to Chiri.

  “I hate it when she says that…”

  Sleeves fluttering and fangs flashing, Sura swept over to Gujo. She clapped the man joyously upon the shoulder.

  “Gujo san, your establishment’s reputation fails to do you credit! Never have I seen such splendid specimens.”

  The little man puffed up with absolute pride.

  “But these are only a few of our varieties.” Gujo linked arms with Sura, tugging her towards the rear of the yard. “Come, honoured guests! Please stroll with me so that I may show you our most prized acquisitions.”

  Gujo led his guests through ranks of gigantic fish tubs, while maids scuttled along behind bearing little trays of cakes and tea. Sura kept a pleased and fascinated expression upon her face, while somehow managing to avoid several fish dragged out of her deepest nightmares. Gujo, however, seemed determined to show her the most bizarre, the weirdest, the very oddest creatures ever to blunder through the deeps. The little man made certain that the fox had a cake in hand and a view of his most outrageous specimens.

  “Gujo’s! Land of dreams! Here, honoured guests, we breed fish into spectacular new shapes.” He hustled Sura toward a tank that stood in pride of place beneath a willow tree. “Through selective breeding and a sense of high art, we create not fish, but living, moving sculptures! Artworks to grace the palaces of the mighty!”

  The group of fish inside the urn were great blinking things with eyes like plums and tails like the robes of a drowned mother-in-law. Sura kept well back and away from the rim.

  “Uh, yes! Quite so!” The fox moved Gujo back towards the realm of more balanced, attractive and sensible fish. “And you even have carp spirits as the local samurai! Tell me, are they your patrons?”

  Gujo positively overflowed with pride.

  “We rank them amongst our customers, priestess! Why only last week, the carp lady herself came to consult with me on medicines and health!”

  Sura looked back towards the tubs of weird mutant fish.

  “And they approve of… this?”

  “Of course, my lady! Who could possibly find fault with my little beauties?” The man waved his fan. “Any rumours of harsh words between us and the Tosakingyo family have been grossly misrepresented!”

  “Of course! Of course.”

  Sura paused and examined the many dozens of fish tubs. She thoughtfully swirled her tail.

  “Gujo san – my temple finds itself faced with a problem. We are a water temple, and great face has always been gained from our peerless water gardens.” The fox manoeuvred Gujo out of Kuno’s earshot. “A rival temple claims that it has the purest, most astonishing shade of gold bred into its new pond carp. They claim these creatures are almost as long as an arm! Their abbot comes to visit us soon. Where might we find a fish that can out do their so-called prodigy?”

  Gujo sighed heavily.

  “Ah… Alas, there is no such fish, priestess. For a creature of that size, you would need a spirit of the carp themselves! And even they are rarely so pure in colour. There is probably no more than one such creature in all the empire.”

  Sura stroked her chin. “But there is one?”

  “As I have said, my lady – it is not a fish, but a person.” Gujo was enraptured – utterly worshipful. “The son of Lady Tosakingyo is a child so perfect in his beauty that he is said to be a gift from the gods.” The man gave another sigh. “Alas, I have only been vouched a single chance to see this prodigy. I treated the child only last week – and truly, he was beyond perfection.”

  “And yet he was ill? He needed treatment?”

  Gujo nodded.

  “A stomach complaint caused by bad food. Children will eat such trash! I provided her ladyship with our own finest fish food, and a stomach medicine of the highest quality.” Gujo waved a hand. “As I was telling another fair guest only yesterday, our medicines for carp are beyond compare! I am certain her ladyship has had splendid results by now.”

  Sura quirked up one ear.

  “A lady was here asking about the golden carp child? What did she look like?”

  The little man put a hand across his mouth in embarrassment.

  “Forgive me! I have said too much! Hush hush – my lips are sealed!” Gujo nervously fluttered his fan and attempted to be the very heart and soul of discretion. “Understand, priestess, that discretion is an integral part of our service to our customers! Rivalry and intrigue are the piquant sauce that spices up the entire hobby!” Gujo gave a bow. “It therefore pains me to say that I cannot recall the lady’s name or face. I hope you will understand.”

  The fox pressed forward. “But she was asking after the carp child’s health?”

  Gujo crossed his hands across his heart and wore an expression of apology. “I deeply regret that I cannot recall our conversation.” The man clapped his fan into his hands and pointed over towards the nearby fish tubs. “Now then! We do have some extraordinary new breeds. Even the emperor’s ministers have not yet seen our latest. We might not be able to match your rivals in size and colour, but we can awe them with the pure art of shape and form!”

  A bevvy of newcomers appeared at the gate – a high-ranking samurai escorting a grand, silk-bedecked matron and a pair of young women. The two greeting girls cruised forward to meet the new guests, ushering them towards the porch where refreshments were waiting. The new arrivals clearly came with a great deal of money in hand. They also had come with a pair of pack horses equipped with huge empty wooden tubs on either side of their packs. Gujo started at the new customers, instantly alive with interest.

  “I see new customers are arriving. Please take your ease amongst our ponds. Our prices for these fish would be in the range of ten koku.”

  Sura felt a shock run through her from nose to tail.

  “Ten…!” She somehow managed to keep a straight face and a semblance of calm. “Yes! Quite within our budget. Allow me to wander the fish ponds with my associates and see if any of your new breeds catch our eye.”

  Gujo bowed and hastened off to meet with his latest visitors. Tonbo, meanwhile, peered into one of the tubs and inspected a bug-eyed fish. He pondered for a moment, then reached into his pack for coloured paper. He began to carefully fold an origami of the fish, working with careful precision.

  Chiri and Kuno walked along the rows of tanks, looking down into the waters. Kuno examined a shoal of goldfish coloured a smoky bronze – creatures that had been bred with great broad bodies and no dorsal fins.

  The samurai planted his fists upon his hips and gazed down at the fish in disapproval.

  “Art has made these creatures almost untenable.” He nodded slowly. “I believe I shall write a poem on the subject.”

  Sura looked out from around a tub. “Not now – you’ll scare the fish!”

  She was too late: Kuno was already in the grip of inspiration. The man cleared his throat, then struck a meaningful pose.

  “Ah!” He raised one hand.

  “Fish fish. Very weird.

  Googly eyes and strange of fin.

  Doesn’t swim so good…”

  Sura sat and leaned against a pot.

  “I may weep openly.”

  Gujo had taken his new guests to show them his latest acquisitions. The two greeter girls remained behind, looking a little tired. One gathered up empty cups and trays, while another began washing teacups in a little trough of water. Chiri wandered over with her little elementals bobbing in the air beside her. She very kindly helped the girls gather up their trays.

  Chiri handed the
taller of the two women a cup that had been hidden down between two goldfish tubs.

  “Greetings, maiden san. I was wondering whether you are on duty here every day?”

  The elegant greeter girl had rolled back her sleeves. She paused in her work, looking just ever so slightly harassed.

  “I am, honoured guest. It is a good job, except on days when Gujo insists we clean the filters.”

  There were an awful lot of dishes – there seemed to be a stack left over from several lunches, and also breakfast and dinner dishes only just been carried out to the tub. The girl sighed unhappily. Chiri bowed to her, and held up her hands.

  “Please – allow me.”

  The rat spirit interlaced her fingers. Her magical power sparkled gently all about her, tingling down to light the waters that glimmered all around her.

  “Little friends from water’s dream.

  I beg you, please help a friend to clean!”

  A pair of water elementals peeked up from the water tubs nearby. The two little creatures plunged into the wash tub and began thrashing about and gleefully washing all the dishes. The greeting girl sat back, quite astonished. She beamed as she saw her tedious work being handled in a trice.

  “Amazing!” The girl bowed to Chiri, now utterly pleased. “Thank you, thank you traveller san!”

  As the water elementals danced and thrashed, the girl carefully removed clean dishes from the tub and inserted more that needed washing. Chiri sat beside her, happy that the girl was so well pleased.

  “Please forgive me, but I am aiding a person in great distress. It would help me immensely if you could tell me something about the woman who visited here yesterday. Gujo san said she was a wealthy customer?”

  The greeting girl gave a shiver, and shot a fearful glance towards the gate.

  “Alas, I would be too frightened to spread gossip, honoured guest. The lady in question has a duelling scar upon her face. I fear she would do me harm!”

  Chiri pursed her mouth in though. She leaned in, and sketched a line down the left side of her own face.

  “A scar like this?”

  “Yes, lady…”

  “Thank you, maiden san. You have been most helpful.”

  The water elementals finished washing the dishes then skipped off over the pipes, peering down into the tubs below until they disappeared from view.

  Chiri whispered to Daitanishi and Bifuuko. The two little creatures faded into the shadows, flitting off to search beyond the walls. As the greeting girls disappeared to prepare more snacks for visiting guests, Chiri hastened back to her friends. She gathered them all up in the shadow of a cherry tree, making certain that they were out of Gujo’s sight.

  Chiri kept a careful eye upon the other customers.

  “The greeting girls remember the woman from yesterday.” Chiri ran a finger down one cheek. “She had a scar along her face – like this.”

  Kuno blinked.

  “The ninja woman. The Akai Nami ninja!”

  Only a few weeks before, the Spirit Hunters had tangled with the Akai-Nami secret society. The ninja had been led by a woman – an aggressive, cold warrior. Sura had cut the woman’s face with her spear. The Akai-Nami ninja had been stealthy, vicious opponents. In the end, the Spirit Hunters’ victory was won by guile.

  Chiri kept an eye upon the shadows and walls.

  “I believe so, Kuno san. The kidnapping was no casual affair. Poisons, scouting – and total silence. The ninja may be our culprits.” She nodded towards the walls. “Bifuuko and Daitanishi are checking the area for spies.”

  Kuno nodded.

  “An excellent precaution. Thank you, Chiri san.”

  Tonbo leaned upon his tetsubo, brows creased in thought.

  “Why would ninja steal a carp spirit?”

  Chiri looked back towards the fish tubs.

  “I have an inkling of an idea.”

  Sura thrashed her tail.

  “Me too.” She thoughtfully glanced from fish tub to fish tub. “Collectors… A collector would do almost anything to get one up over their main rival…”

  The fox moved forward. Gujo was nearby with his other customers. Sura motioned for the man to join her, and he hastened to her side.

  Kitsune Sura walked with the man, turning to inspect the rows of fish tubs. She gave a slow, careful swish of her tail.

  “Gujo san. My temple wishes only the most expensive and magnificent fish. Tell me – what are the highest priced fish that you can offer?”

  Gujo was positively thrilled. He grandly led the way over to a row of huge tubs made from superbly glazed porcelain.

  “Noble priestess! These here are twenty five koku. And here, a new breed for fifty each! And here – for two hundred koku…!” The man halted beside a tub filled with vast great frilly fish. “…But no, I cannot offer them.”

  Sura gazed thoughtfully at the fish.

  “Why not?”

  “Lord Bunjen has bought the entire stock! Every single one!” Gujo seemed wonderfully happy with the sale. He gave a rich, ripe chuckle. “His rival Lord Raiden gives a water banquet in a few days’ time, and Lord Bunjen thus prevents Lord Raiden from outdoing his own collection. Lord Raiden’s fury will know no…” Gujo suddenly felt that he had gossiped enough. He waved his fan as if to cover his indiscretion. “I say too much! But these colourful rivalries are what make our hobby of such interest! I’m sure you agree!”

  The other customers were calling. They had clearly made some interesting and expensive selections. Gujo raced away once more. Sura turned to look at her friends. They all shared the same cold thought.

  Lord Raiden…

  Bifuuko and Daitanishi returned. The little rock shook his head – he had seen nothing suspicious. The Spirit Hunters took their chance, and faded off and back out through Gujo’s gate. They vanished off along the river path.

  Chapter 3

  Tosakingyo Manor had alert retainers guarding the gates. Inside the walls, however, the place was filled with a terrible sense of panic. Two carp samurai and a page boy sat on the porch, looking rather lost – waiting in case orders should be given. Neighbours had come to help man the walls in the place of samurai and retainers who were off guarding the borders against the Raiden.

  The Spirit Hunters sat with Tosakingyo Asuka and her husband, the samurai Tosukingyo Chikaaki. Reiju attended the carp spirits – as ever offering comfort and support.

  Kuno bowed to the carp samurai, greeting him as a colleague. He kept his voice calm, trying to still the parents’ fears.

  “Tosakingyo san. From your description, the nun who visited you was most certainly this female ninja. Clearly she was scouting out your house. This same woman was seen at Gujo’s, disguised as a customer. She had been making inquiries about your child’s sickness.” Kuno sat back and scowled. “We have asked at the inn. The staff there say that a team of lacquer merchants departed the inn before first light. The stableboy carried a lantern to see them to the gate. They were headed along the road into Raiden territory.” Kuno’s face was set. “They had a woman with them answering the ninja’s description. They have a cartload of jars and kegs, all easily large enough to be carrying your son.”

  Tosakingyo Chikaaki was a tall man – handsome and self-possessed, with a steady, reliable air about him. His hair was golden, and there were slight webs between his fingers. He had removed his body armour, but still retained his shin guards. He kept close by his wife, holding her hand. The elegant leaves of their tails blended and interlaced.

  The carp samurai leaned quietly forward, listening carefully to his guests.

  “Can you be sure that this woman is really a ninja, Kuno san?”

  “She has become recognisable to those who know her, Tosakingyo san. Her facial scar is a liability.”

  Kitsune Sura cracked her knuckles.

  “You ought to see where I’m planning to give her the next one…”

  Her long tail gave an expressive thrash.

  Chiri kept calm an
d spoke to the carp spirits with quiet certainty.

  “We have asked amongst the fish traders. Lord Raiden is the most avaricious of the fish fanciers. We believe that he plans to belittle his rivals by displaying Chōisai as part of his collection. He has the resources and the honourless cunning to steal your son.” The rat spirit bowed. “Forgive me – but I believe your son has been taken to Lord Raiden’s castle.”

  The carp woman sagged. She stared at the tatami mats, absolutely lost and empty.

  “Then we are lost…”

  Kuno gripped his sword.

  “Please do not despair, Tosakingyo san.” Kuno drew in a breath. He carefully considered Lord Raiden, pondering the man. “I wonder at Lord Raiden’s motivations. Would Chōisai not simply change into human form in a few months’ time, and ruin his use as a fish?”

  The carp samurai shook his head.

  “No, Kuno san. These formative months are terribly important! Without us to guide him, he will slip deeper and deeper into being a fish. Soon he will forget that he has a human side at all!”

  Sura nodded. “And Lord Raiden gets a prize fish second to none. The most magnificent carp in the empire. A prize now deep inside his castle…”

  Reiju clenched her fists. Beside her, Tosukingyo Chikaaki stared at the floor in anger. His wife wept, covering her face with her sleeves. The mood was grim – all save Sura, who was slyly flicking her tail.

  Tonbo spoke, his voice huge and strong.

  “We must take action immediately.” He flexed big hands inside their mail gauntlets. “Can we intercept them upon the road?”

  “No, this was a raid.” Sura seemed quite undisturbed. “They’ll have cover parties behind them, watching the road.”

  The other Spirit Hunters nodded. But Kuno scowled, trying to see a way to forge ahead.

  Lord Raiden was new to his position, and definitely no friend to the Spirit Hunters. The man would definitely not respect the warrant of an Imperial Deputy. Kuno slowly clenched his hand about his sword.