Chapter 03: The Grottoes of Mamorizuru The week went on without a hitch. Ran seemed like a nice guy to Noelle, and Noelle couldn't help but to befriend him. The only people who would talk to Ran (besides Maki and Noelle herself), are those shallow bimbos who only cared about looks and not personality. And the guys outside the Nozawa family? They always mocked Ran and made mean jokes about Ran working at a brothel or a male strip club. But Ran was mature enough to ignore those students and walk away from them. He didn't seem like the type who would huddle in a corner and cry if someone harassed him. Noelle came back home on her motorcycle, unlocking the front door and heading right over to the telephone to give her mother a call. As the phone rang for a bit, an older female voice answered the phone. “Hello?” “Hi Mom, this is me, Noelle.” “Ah, hi Noelle! How did your first week of school go?” “It went fine.” Noelle replied. “Just need to get used to the rules and set ups in Hong Kong society all over again. It's been at least a year or two since I've been back here.” “I understand.” Her mother Hazel said calmly. “Did you make friends?” “Other than the Nozawa family, I made friends with a guy named Ran Kayrahan.” Noelle responded. “He seems like an interesting kid, yet he's so calm, soft spoken, and quiet.” Hazel chuckled in delight. “It's good you saw your old friends and made a new one.” “Yeah, but I do have a boyfriend in America you know.” Noelle sighed thinking about Caleb. “I wonder how he's doing?” “Would you like to call him?” Hazel asked. “I might. Hey, mind if I talk to you later.” “Sure Noelle. I love you.” “I love you too Mom.” “Good night!” “Good night Mom.” After hanging up the phone, Noelle turned it back on and dialed Caleb's number. It was a typical conversation between a long distant boyfriend and girlfriend. Caleb missed Noelle and vice versa. After a good talk for an hour, Noelle heard a car pull up in the driveway. Her father came home. Noelle said good-bye, hung up the phone and greeted her Dad. “Hi Noelle. I brought home some dinner!” Kai Fai cheered as he was carrying a few pizza boxes. Noelle helped carry the boxes into the house and sets them on the table.  “Oooh, awesome! You brought over some pizza! And not just any pizza, but pizza from La La's Pizza.” Noelle squealed in delight. As she checks out a third box, she was even more delighted. “Oh my! Tiramisu. Does my dad love me or what?” “Hoo hoo hoo, Of course I love you.” Kai Fai chuckled as he brought out a couple plates and paper napkins. “I ordered a seafood supreme pizza and a barbecue pork pizza. We will be eating good these next few days.” “I'll say.” Noelle said as she took once piece off seafood supreme pizza and another slice of barbecue pork pizza. Noelle missed the creative flavors of the orient. Sure, pepperoni pizza or Canadian bacon and pineapple pizza were tasty too, but it was a breath of fresh air to try something different in her native country. “Oh, by the way Noelle...” Kai Fai announced. “Hideo Nozawa is coming over this weekend to watch sports with me. He said he will bring his family along, including Yukio. In fact, Yukio has something special planned for you.” “Like what?” Noelle asked, smiling. “He will be taking you, as well as his sister and cousins on a camping trip.” Kai Fai replied. “His father made enough money selling new and used cars to purchase a recreational vehicle.” “Cool!” Noelle cheered as she slightly jumped for joy.  Yukio appeared to be only a year younger than Noelle, but he was taller and heavier. If one were to meet Yukio, he would look like a teenage version of Hong Kong actor Sammo Hung. He had an older sister named Saeko Nozawa, who just got out of secondary school and after struggling through cram school, has made it into college. Saeko was the opposite of her brother, being tall and slender, and being more energetic and ambitious, while Yukio was more timid and peaceful. His mother, Sara Nozawa, has died giving birth to Yukio, so therefore, Saeko was more like a mother to him than a sister. His father and sister didn't hold his mother's death against him. They still loved Yukio and would make sure he would stay safe, happy and healthy. Yukio and Saeko had many cousins on both sides of the family, but three of their cousins on their father's side of the family are going to school at Kwan Yin's K-12 school. That includes Maki Nozawa, Maki's older brother Kenta and her older sister Misaki. Those three were also Noelle's friends for a long time as well.  After Kai Fai and Noelle finished dinner, Noelle packed her belongings for the camping trip, and looked forward to the weekend camping trip. Weariness overcame Noelle as she went under the covers and got some sleep. --- Today was a warm and sunny day, with barely a few wispy clouds in the sky. Noelle and Kai Fai heard a motorcycle and an RV pull up into their driveway. It was the Nozawa family stopping by. The father, Hideo, was an older looking man with black hair and a mustache peppered with white hairs, a slightly heavy build, and wore sun glasses, a denim vest with a plaid button up t-shirt, leather boots and a pair of slightly worn out denim jeans.  In the RV, Saeko, Yukio and their three cousins popped out and couldn't wait to meet Noelle again. Kenta was slimmer than his bulky cousin, and appeared to be the same age as Yukio. Kenta's sister, Misaki appeared to be a year younger than Kenta and a year older than Maki. Kenta wore a light weight blue hoodie jacket, a pair of khaki shorts, white socks and a pair of black and white tennis shoes. Misaki wore a pair of red overall shorts with a pale blue, lightweight, long sleeve shirt with red and black floral prints, and wore a pair of leather Grecian styled sandals that zipped up to the side. Her hair was a short brown pixy cut with a daisy beret in her hair to brush the bangs out of her face. Maki was wearing a white sun hat with a fake sunflower on the side, a sleeveless red sun dress with a white denim jacket on the outside, and wore a pair of knee socks with her favorite pair of Mary Jane styled shoes. Kai Fai opened the door for Hideo and his family and greeted them, making them feel welcomed as per usual. “Hi Hideo. Glad you're stopping by.” “Hi Kai buddy.” Hideo shouted as he shook Kai Fai's hand. “So I heard you have a couple days off. I'm just going to be over these next two games to watch sports with you, while my son, daughter and their cousins take your little lady on a camping trip.” As Noelle brings out her belongings, she decided to ask Hideo a question. “Where are Yukio and Saeko camping out at?” “They are camping at a spot around the Kwan Tei river banks.” Hideo explained. “What are you waiting for little lady? The kids are waiting to see you again, especially Yukio.” “See ya later Dad. Enjoy the games.” “Have fun on your trip Noelle!” Noelle made her way out and greeted her friends in their newly purchased motor home. It was a used British import motor home that was fixed up as good as new. It was silver on the outside and was rectangular with a rounded curve at the front of the vehicle. Like with every British import sent to Hong Kong, the motor home was designed to drive on the left hand side of the roads. When Noelle got into the motor home, Saeko made her way over the steering wheel and started to chide her brother. “Sorry Yukio, you haven't got your license yet.” “Awww Saeko....” “Sorry Yuki, I'm the adult here. Since I am the adult, I get to drive.” “Humph! Fine...” Yukio stomped off to the back of the motor home and sat next to Noelle. “Hey Noelle. How have you been?” “I've been okay.” Noelle said as she was going through pictures on her digital camera. “Have you been drawing or painting any new pictures recently?” Yukio asked as Noelle eyed her digital camera. “I've been making art for art class.” Noelle replied. “I've been practicing with my style everyday. I'm sick of people cyber bullying me on art sites. I want to prove to them that I can be talented too.” “Ha ha, don't let those jack asses get you down.” Yukio laughed as he patted Noelle on the back. “Those losers have no lives anyways.” “I'll say.” Noelle sighed as she looked at pictures of Caleb. Maki peeked over Noelle's shoulders and giggled. “Keh heh heh, Who's that lover boy?” Maki giggled. “Did you have a boyfriend while you were in America?” Misaki asked as she got a peak at the pictures. “Yes, I have a boyfriend in America.” Noelle replied. “His name is Caleb Cooper and I miss him so much.” “Ah, I know how you feel there.” Yukio sighed. “I just broke up with my girlfriend.” “You mean you broke up with Fang Li?” Noelle asked in a serious tone of voice. “Yeah.” Yukio groaned as he started to explain things. “Once upon a time. I was in a happy relationship. Things were going smoothly and it seemed like nothing could come between us. Then suddenly, Fang discovers a popular series of books known as the Moon Shine saga. You know, they are soft core porno novels disguised as tween fiction.” “Oh god, not that book...” Noelle groaned. “Yes, that book.” Yukio replied. “At first, she talked to me how she loved that series and loved the main protagonists: the Mary Sue named Ambrosia Desire and her boyfriend Fabio Seville, who (get this) is a vampire whose white hair becomes rainbow hair in the sunlight and dresses oh so flamboyantly. “Lucia tried to get me into that series, and I mourned for the hours of my life I couldn't get back.” Noelle explained. “It was so poorly written and nothing ever happens in that book other than Ambrosia going on non-stop about how Fabio is perfect and how she wants him to beat her black and blue in his secret chambers.” “I know right?” Yukio rolled his eyes. “Fang Li started to take a liking to Fabio, and I was okay with that, because you know, Fabio isn't real. He's a fictional character. But then...THEN... Fang started to treat Fabio like a real person. Getting all the merchandise for those novels and even going far as getting a tattoo of Fabio Seville on the back side of her body. Then it went downhill from there as Fang wanted me to be like Fabio.” “What a loser.” Noelle said as she shook her head in shame. “So I couldn't take it any longer. Kenta and Misaki dressed me up as a traditional western vampire with the wrinkly makeup, fake blood, fake fangs and a tuxedo and red cape costume stained with ketchup. Saeko then took a picture of me in that costume attacking a cardboard cut out of Fabio Seville. There, Fang Li dumped me for a guy named Tae Soo Park. But little does she know that Tae Soo is actually flaming gay, and shows no interest in Fang Li's sexual desires.” “You deserve better than that bimbo.” Noelle said as she got done listening to Yukio's break up story. “Oh, speaking of, there is a rumor that Moon Shine will be made into a multimillion dollar movie in Hollywood.” Kenta groaned in disgust. “How the hell can they make a novel about nothing into a blockbuster film?” Maki asked. “Humph! Beats me.” Kenta grunted as he rolled his eyes in disgust. The conversations continued until Noelle and the Nozawas made their way to the camping spot. --- After they got to the secret camping spot, Yukio grabs out a lantern as he and his family beckon Noelle to follow them. “Come, follow us. We want to show you something special to us.” “Where are we going?” Noelle asked as she followed her friends through a trail overgrown with thick bushes and other plant life. There, across a shallow stream, there was a channel of caves with an embossed mural of a rather beastly looking, canine-like god carved on the outside of these caves. This was the legendary grottoes of Mamorizuru, a place thought to be just a legend to mere humans. “Is this what I think it is? I thought it was just a legend.” “Lo and behold Noelle. This is the grottoes of Mamorizuru.” Saeko announced as she faced Noelle and had her left arm spread out. “Come. Follow us!” Yukio exclaimed. “You learn so much, as well as the secrets of my family and many more.” One by one, everyone crossed the stepping stones that were peacefully, yet firmly laying above the cool stream water. Noelle just could not believe this. What she thought was just a mythological location was actually a real place. Everyone climbed the moss filled stairs to the head cave and entered, but not before Yukio lit his lantern. “This grotto is a pilgrimage to our clan who live in this human world.” Yukio announced as he led everyone through the dark hallways. The tunnel everyone walked through was a dark place, the rank stench of mold and fungus permeating through and through. Every once in a while, Noelle could hear a squeaking rat or see a scurrying cockroach through the dim light. It was obvious that modern day humanity has never touched this place, let alone heard of this place. There was a moment of silence when suddenly, the group entered a room filled with crystals, gems and metals of unknown origin. Right there, the whole room lit up as the lantern touched it. This was the chamber of gems and Yukio waved the lantern into this room intentionally, making the room glow and shimmer with intense light. Noelle noticed how humongous the cavernous shrine was. Kenta turns over to Noelle and points out some of the faded paintings and murals on the dusty walls. “This is the shrine of our clan, the Obake clan!” Kenta exclaims as he points to the paintings and sculptures. These paintings and idols showed such odd images, from regular people transforming into giant animals, to a couple, slightly worn out tapestries that showed an image of two world trees. The tree tapestry on the left showed the old world and the tree tapestry on the right showed the world as we know it. As Noelle cocked her head to the side in curiosity, Saeko started to explain more things to the human girl. “The Obake clan is a type of yokai clan who can transform from humanoids to animals upon our wills.” Saeko started to explain. “The Obake clan did not originally come from Earth. We came from the world of Yoseitochi, the land of Yosei and Yokai.” Noelle started to feel very curious. “Yosei and Yokai? Isn't that what the Japanese call faeries and goblins?” “Yes, indeed.” Kenta added. “You're kidding me!?” Noelle said in surprise. “I thought they were the things of myths and legends.” “No, we are dead serious.” Saeko told Noelle. “Our families never lied to those who are close friends to them.” Noelle puts her fingers on her chin and hums. “Ah, Hideo told my dad and I these stories of the yokai and yosei. I didn't know they were true though. This is very intriguing. Carry on.” “In case your wondering, the Obake have their own animal clans.” Saeko continued on. “Since my father is a raccoon dog (tanuki) and my mother is a fox (kitsune), I inherited the Fox genes while my brother, Yukio inherited the raccoon dog genes.” “Our father is a raccoon dog and out mother is a badger (mujina)....” Maki explains. “I am a raccoon dog while my older brother and sister are badgers. But don't worry, despite how fierce badgers can act, they are not mindless rage machines. They do know how to distinguish friends from foes pretty easily.” “Hmmm...” a grin formed on Noelle's face. “If I were an obake, what animal would represent me?” “You...? Hum.......” Saeko thought to herself, twirling her hair between her fingers and eying Noelle closely. “I think....you would be a raven (karasu).”  “A raven? A RAVEN?” This somewhat surprised Noelle. She wasn't exactly the most alert person at her school. With her short attention span and her notorious sleepiness, it surprised that Noelle would be a raven if she was an Obake. “Well...” Saeko hummed. “It just seem like you would be a raven, that is all.” Noelle started to have a huge grin form on her face and laughed really loud. “Whatever floats your boat.” As she looked around the shrine, she noticed a somewhat worn out tapestry of an androgynous female warrior taking on a group of monstrous creatures that looked like something out of a Hieronymus Bosch painting. Behind the creatures and the throne, there was a figure of another female warrior frozen in a block of a lapis lazuli like stone. “What's this tapestry all about?” “Hum...well, its kind of a long story.” Saeko sighed as she started to play with her hair. “Stop beating around the bush sis!” Yukio growled impatiently. “I think Noelle needs to know about this.” “Oh okay...very well....” Saeko started to explain. “There is this story of a forbidden relationship between a devil and a Valkyrie.” “A Valkyrie?” Noelle pondered. “Isn't that one of the classes of gods in Norse legends?” “Exactly!” Yukio exclaims. “Now, where were we at?” “This Valkyrie fell in love with one of the seven royal devil gods of the Helheim kingdom of Niflheim, which is ruled by Queen Hel.” Saeko explained. “Without Odinn nor Frigga's knowledge, this Valkyrie secretly freed a group of demon prisoners from Odinn's brig and led them back to Helheim. As she took refuge there, she got along with Queen Hel and her family....Then...one day.....twenty years later....” “Another Valkyrie who served Odinn found out about her comrade schmoozing and falling in love with the oldest of the Devil Princes behind Odinn's back, and threatened to seal the gate between Godheim and Helheim, as well as sealing away the Valkyrie's memories and emotions.” Yukio added. “Finding out about this, the Valkyrie pleaded for her Devil god lover and his royal family to seal her in a magical lapis like stone called Mithrite. So the royal family sealed the Valkyrie in this stone.” “Then, her rival comrade found out about this, and planned to slay the oldest Devil god Prince in Niflheim.” Kenta added. “But the foolish rival bit off more than she could chew, and the Devil God defeated her and she was never seen again after that.” “Rumor has it that after the Twilight of the Gods, the rival Valkyrie was put in a human body cursed with immortality and eternal youth.” Misaki added on to the story. “Some says that she wanders around the world tree, seeking the right time to plot revenge against those that oppose her.” Noelle was in awe over the story, as well as her surroundings. “Amazing story. I've been in World Mythology classes before and I never heard of that story being told.” Kenta looked down at his watch and noticed the time. “Let's go back to our campers. It's going to get dark soon.” So everyone left the grottoes and headed back to the camping spot. As the sun was setting, Noelle felt awe struck. It was a rather interesting day for her. After hearing that the story about her long time friends being actual yokai from myths and legends, she was even more amazed. Then again, Hideo was an honest man and would never lie to Noelle and Kai Fai Wong. But at the same time, Noelle wondered if her father knew the story was true. All those thoughts got into her head as she headed back into the camper and played some hand held video games and card games with her friends before their weariness overcame them and they called it a night.