Chapter 1View OnlineBeatChapter 1The rain hammered on the roof of the car. Occasionally, lighting and thunder cracked the night. Hagane admitted that he probably shouldn’t have removed the insulated headliner. He sat in his car at a rail crossing, barely able to see the flashing lights through the rain and the night. Foot on the brake, he took his hands off the wheel and stuffed them in the pockets of his jacket. He shouldn’t have removed the car’s heater, either. It was tough balancing his dream of being a racecar driver and his reality of being a ramen delivery driver. Particularly because he only had one car. At least he had a car. A scooter would be terrible for this weather. The train rolled by, barely audible over the rain. The lights went out and the crossing guards lifted. Hagane put the car in gear and crossed the tracks. The mansion of apartment rooms where he stayed was further on, a few blocks away. There was half a parking space along the street that he squeezed the car into. Shutting the engine off, he paused to look at the rain, sighed, and got out of the car. He spent an agonizing second locking the door as the rain poured on him before dashing for cover. His domicile was on the first floor, the entrance covered by an awning about the same size as the doormat. As Hagane ran towards shelter a flash of lightning lit up the front of the building, casting a shadow of a creature standing between him and the door. Despite the rain, he stopped short. What was it? He’d gotten a brief glimpse, but whatever it was seemed to be the size of a large dog. Did Nakagawa-san’s shiba inu get out again? he wondered. Wow. He took a few steps forward, seeing its silhouette under the awning. Seconds passed. Water was already running down his back and faced with confronting a possibly dangerous animal or losing his cell phone to water damage, Hagane made his choice. Moving forward again, he wasn’t attacked. The creature stepped to the side, attempting to remain under the awning while leaving him room. Polite. Hagane returned the consideration, staying to the other side as he unlocked the door. He took half a step inside and reached for the light switch. With illumination, he realized his visitor was a miniature pony. Hagane, being Japanese, immediately knew cute things when he saw them. Even rain-plastered, the grey-colored pony was clearly well groomed. Someone’s pet? Nobody in his neighborhood had anything like that. “Where did you come from?” Hagane wondered aloud. He glanced out at the rain again. He could hear water dripping off his clothes onto the floor. The pony made a small noise. Hagane looked down again. The two of them stared at each other for a moment. Hagane stepped back and opened the door wider. The pony came in. Hagane closed the door. The pony seemed domesticated, comfortable indoors. Someone had even tied a pink bowtie around its neck. Hagane hung up his jacket. It continued to drip. He plugged in the space heater to help warm up. Remembering his phone, he quickly pulled it out of his pocket and set it on the kitchen counter. There was a little bit of moisture on it, but it seemed fine. He sighed with relief. Behind him, he heard cautious steps come into the kitchen area. He turned, seeing the pony for the first time in a brighter light. He bent forward to get a closer look. The eyes, surprisingly, were purple. Hagane knelt and put a hand on the pony’s withers. It was a female, he’d decided, though that was mostly based on looks. He didn’t know anything about ponies. She moved a little under his touch and kept watching him. His eye caught something on her hindquarters. It was a pink treble clef. “What’s this?” He touched it. The pony neighed and jerked away from him. She didn’t go far, but her attitude had changed. Hagane raised his hands. “I won’t do that again.” The pony glanced away, looking around the kitchen. Her tail switched, dripping more water on the floor. Hagane stood “We should both get dried off.” He headed for the bathroom to fetch a towel. To his surprise, the pony followed along. “Since you’re here, do you want to get into the shower to keep water off the floor?” he asked. She stared at him. Hagane gestured to the shower. Surprising him again, she seemed to understand his motion and stepped in. Hagane picked up a towel, but heard his phone began to ring. “Wait here.” Back in the kitchen, he picked it up. It was his girlfriend, Blue. “Hagane, have you seen the rain? I could use a ride from the station.” The nearest train station was a ten minute walk away. “I can pick you up,” he said. In the other room, Hagane heard the shower turn on. “What’s that?” “Hagane?” “Hang on, Blue. Something strange just happened.” He walked to the bathroom. The door was closed and he didn’t remember shutting it. Going inside, he noticed that the shower curtain was pulled and the pony seemed to be humming as she showered. Her bowtie was carefully folded on the counter. Hagane pulled the curtain back. The pony gasped, and punched him in the face. Falling backwards, Hagane cracked his head against the wall and went out like a light. The sound of the front door lock opening brought him back. Hagane lay on the futon in the front room without any idea how he had gotten there. Blue walked in, soaking wet and angry. “Where were you?” “Uh…” Hagane wasn’t sure. His head throbbed as he sat up. Blue put down her guitar case beside the door and the bag with her concert outfit beside it. “I thought you said you were going to come get me. I had to walk in the rain! This is just like you. What else did you have to do that was so important?” “I’m sorry, Blue, I really am. I would have come, but-” The pony walked into the room as if on cue. As a woman who’d changed her name in order to better fit her role as a rock and roll guitar player, Blue understood how important image was. The appearance of a bowtie-wearing pony had her speechless for a few seconds. Her eyes lit up and she started forward. “Oh my! Did you get this for me, Hagane? So cute!” Hagane got to his feet and stopped her. “You may want to give her some space.” More slowly, Blue knelt and offered her hand. The pony glanced at it and resumed looking between Blue and Hagane. Blue started to pet the pony’s neck. “Where did you get the money?” “I didn’t, actually.” Blue glanced at him and Hagane shrugged. “She just kind of showed up. I don’t know who owns her.” “Well, she can certainly stay with us.” Blue smiled. “What’s her name?” Hagane shrugged. “Well, I really like this,” Blue said, gesturing to the mark on the pony’s hip. “It’s perfect! We should name her something musical.” “We’re keeping her?” “Well, why not, especially if we don’t know the owner. She’s perfect, like a perfect octave. That’s it! We’ll call her Octavia.” As long as Blue was happy. Hagane’s head still ached. But then, he supposed he couldn’t blame Octavia for that, him walking in on her in the shower. He frowned. Was he remembering that correctly? She was actually using the shower? As he contemplated that, Blue said, “What do ponies eat?” Hagane frowned. “I don’t know.” “What do we have? Is there ramen in the fridge?” “There’s always ramen in the fridge.” Ignoring her wet clothes, Blue beckoned Octavia to follow her and walked into the kitchen. She found a takeout container of ramen in the fridge and set it on the table. Returning to looking in the fridge, she asked, “Are you hungry, Hagane?” Hagane didn’t reply, focusing instead on Octavia, who had taken a seat at the table and opened the takeout box. Blue glanced up, looking at Hagane for an answer to her question. She was just in time to see Octavia take a pair of chopsticks from the holder in the center of the table and lift some noodles out of the takeout box. Octavia noticed both of them staring at her. She gestured her thanks for the ramen before transferring the noodles to her mouth. Blue said, “You got me a magical pony?”
Chapter 2View OnlineBeatChapter 2When Octavia was finished eating, she gave Hagane and Blue a bow of gratitude and placed the empty ramen container in the trash can. Rearing up on her hind legs, she washed the chopsticks in the sink and set them to dry. She had yet to demonstrate any obvious magical ability, but she definitely wasn’t a normal pony. “She doesn’t talk?” Blue asked, almost dissapointed. Hagane shook his head. “Not sure she understands, either.” “I wonder if she can talk. It would be a shame if she could but no one taught her to speak Japanese.” Blue got her attention and spoke slowly. “Hello. Can you understand?” The way Octavia’s ears flicked, perhaps she didn’t. Blue tried a different tactic. She indicated herself. “Blue.” She pointed at Hagane. “Hagane.” She then gestured to Octavia. The pony raised a hoof to her chest and whinnied. Hagane and Blue looked at each other. Turning back to Octavia, Blue did her best to repeat it. Octavia shook her head and corrected, but it didn’t seem human voices were meant to pronounce pony names. “Octavia it is, I suppose,” said Hagane. He yawned, the late night catching up to him. So did Blue. So did Octavia. They showed her to the futon and she tucked herself in with the blanket In the bedroom, Blue had trouble falling asleep. A couple of times as she lay beside Hagane, she started to ask a question, before breaking off. That was fine with him. He wasn’t sure if he knew the answers. Octavia had seemed comfortable on the futon. If she was still there in the morning, then maybe Hagane would believe he had actually seen a pony taking a shower and using chopsticks. When Hagane woke up the next day, it was late morning, or he thought it was. It was hard to tell from his dark bedroom at the back of the apartment. Blue wasn’t there. Perhaps she had gone into work at the Beat Nightclub early. The house band she was apart of had been working harder than usual lately. Blue was optimistic that they could get a record deal. Hagane got up and left the bedroom. The lights were on in the other room. Octavia sat on the futon playing Blue’s guitar. It wasn’t plugged into an amplifier, and Octavia didn’t seem to be particularly well practiced, but she knew the chords. The strings buzzed softly under her hooves. There was a piece of paper and a pencil beside her, a few rough ledger lines drawn out with notes. Hagane stared until she noticed him, pausing in her playing. He looked away. If Octavia knew how to play a guitar, she might also have a concept that it was rude for him to stare. He looked around. Where’s Blue? If she doesn’t have her guitar, she must not have gone to work. However, he noticed that the bag with her wig and clothes was gone. Hagane heard a ring from the other room and went to retrieve his phone. “Hello?” “Hagane, I forgot my guitar.” Aha. “So I saw.” “Can you bring it by Beat later? I still have to do the show tonight.” Hagane could hear thumping bass in the background. “What are you doing now?” “We’re organizing a few things. I told you we got an agent. It’s paperwork.” “Okay. I’ll bring the guitar by before your show.” Hanging up, Hagane calculated how much time he would have. He could drop off the guitar on his way to work. That left hours. He went back into the other room. Octavia had put the guitar aside and came over to him with the paper she’d been using. On the other side from the notes was a sketch. Hagane took it as she offered, examining the drawing and trying to make sense of it. At the top of the page, two ponies stood together. One was apparently Octavia, based on the treble clef. The other also seemed to have a musical mark but looked much different. There was a point on its head and sunglasses on its face. The two figures stood next to a machine or something. Further down the page, the equipment seemed to be putting off sparks or something. The last panel showed Octavia standing next to what Hagane realized must be him. Did another pony build some contraption that teleported Octavia from wherever she came? Accidentally or on purpose? Where did ponies even get matter transfer technology? Hagane looked at her and deliberately traced his finger down the page, following the chain of events. Octavia nodded and gestured for the paper. Hagane handed it over. Octavia picked up the pencil with her mouth, circling herself in the last panel and drawing an arrow back to the first. “You want to go home,” Hagane realized. There were a lot of problems with that. Aside from the lack of readily available teleporters, Hagane had no idea to what location a sapient pony would want to return. He puzzled on it. Finding a place to find the answers he was looking for was another good question. The university, maybe? If no one there could help, then perhaps they could tell him who else knew about that kind of high level science. Blue wouldn’t need her guitar until the evening, so that gave them time. But if Hagane was going to have such an active morning, he was going to need fortification. Opening the door, he glanced outside. The rain had stopped and while the ground was still damp, the sun was out. He put on his shoes and glanced at Octavia. Maybe she would like to go for a walk. She took his hint and came over to follow him out the door. Stepping outside, now that the rain had gone, she took an interested look around. Hagane thought her attention rested for a moment on his car. He walked her down the block where a vending machine was set up on the corner. Tommy Lee Jones scowled at him from an advertisement on the front of the machine. Dropping a couple of coins in, he got a can of Boss Coffee in return. Octavia seemed interested, so he opened the can and let her smell. It was apparently not to her liking and she politely shook her head. Hagane turned, sipping his coffee. They stopped to get the guitar from the apartment. Hagane also picked up the paper Octavia had been using, folding it and putting it in his pocket. They walked across the street to his car. If anything, it looked dirtier after the rain. The gun grey paint needed waxing. Or a complete respray. It was about the same color as Octavia. She wore it better. He unlocked the door and put his coffee down. Octavia stood, visibly unsure. “Oh, sorry.” Hagane walked around to the passenger door and opened it for her. With his gesture, she climbed in. The car was low and the seats deep. It took a little gymnastics for Hagane to get in, much less a quadruped. She looked ridiculous, hind legs splayed and forelegs hanging limply, and based on her expression probably knew it. Hagane hid a smile as he buckled her seatbelt. He walked around and got in the other side, starting the engine. The can of coffee sloshed a little where he’d put it in a pocket of the center console. He finished the rest of the beverage and put the can back. Releasing the handbrake, he shifted the car into gear and edged out of the parking space, the racing clutch jittering. Octavia tensed at the vibration and sound of the engine, but appeared to take a cue from Hagane’s unconcerned expression. Heading down the block, Hagane shifted into second gear, knocking over the empty beverage can with his elbow. It tumbled into Octavia’s lap. “Sorry.” He made to grab it, but she blocked his hand. Realizing where he had been reaching, his face went red and he stuttered another apology. Octavia saw his expression and didn’t seem to take it too personally, but she lifted the can and crushed it between her hooves. The average Japanese beverage can was stout enough that Hagane couldn’t hope to smash one with his hands. Octavia dropped the crumpled aluminum back into the pocket from where it came. Hagane went back to focusing on the road. Driving on Japanese streets could sometimes resemble the trench run on the Death Star, and paying attention was paramount. He made it to third gear, not straying too much over the forty kilometer per hour speed limit. There was a soft pop from under the hood and a whistling noise began. Hagane groaned and gave the throttle an experimental jab. Sure enough, the car wouldn’t rev correctly. He knew exactly what the problem was, because it had happened before. It wouldn’t require too much money or effort to fix, but it put them off schedule. Octavia tensed again, realizing that there was a problem, but again took her cue from Hagane that it wasn’t a serious one. Ten minutes later, he limped the car into the parking lot of Sam’s Garage. Sam, the burly Australian who owned the place, walked outside as Hagane was getting out of the car. “The idle air valve hose is leaking,” said Hagane in English. “Again?” Sam asked. Hagane shrugged. Sam looked past him into the car and frowned. “Is that a horse? Part of your girlfriend’s show?” At the moment, it seemed to make the most sense to say yes. Hagane nodded. “I moved here for two reasons,” said Sam. “J-spec cars and J-spec women. I’ve already met your Skyline, so one of these days you’re going to have to introduce me to the other.” “I have her guitar,” said Hagane. It was in the back seat. Considering they would be there for a little while, he should let Octavia out of the car anyway. When he opened the door, she seemed to understand and unbuckled the seatbelt herself. Sam saw her and shook his head. Hagane took out the guitar and opened the case. The azure metalflake paint sparkled in the sun. Sam glanced at it. “Nice. You said she was Blue?” “Yes.” “I might have to visit that club sometime.” Sam turned to go into the shop. In a moment, he came back out with a hoseclamp and a screwdriver. “That crimp-type clamp keeps slipping. Why don’t we just replace it?” Hagane translated it in his head and nodded. It would take more time, but offered a more permanent solution. He popped the hood for Sam, who went to work. Hagane closed the guitar case and set it aside. Octavia glanced at the engine with disinterest and looked elsewhere. A faded Mobile Oil sign on the wall of the shop, with its flying red pegasus, seemed to hold her attention for a moment. A faint whistle came from inside the shop. Octavia’s ears perked up. “Take the kettle off, would you?” said Sam. He was up to his elbows in the engine bay and already greasy. Hagane turned, but saw Octavia already tending to the hotplate. She seemed disappointed by the rough mugs, but poured a cup. She sniffed the available teabags, choosing one and setting it to steep. She looked back at Hagane and tilted her head towards the kettle. “Would you like tea?” Hagane asked Sam. “Sure.” Hagane nodded to Octavia, who poured a second cup. She held up the box of sugar cubes. “Sugar?” Hagane asked. “Two.” Hagane flashed two fingers. Octavia finished making both cups and brought them over, balanced carefully on her back. Stopping beside the car, she took hers and blew on it. Sam heard her and glanced to the side. He paused for several long seconds while Octavia took an experimental sip of the tea. Seeing him looking, she flicked an ear at the other cup resting on her back. Sam straightened up from the car and took the cup. “Thanks.” He turned to Hagane. “Good timing, too. Get your tiny little hands in there and finish up.” The hoseclamp on the Idle Air Control Valve was located beneath the intake manifold and was awkward to access. Sam liked sporty Japanese cars, but was almost too big to drive one. His personal vehicle was a customized Toyota HiAce van that he used for shop work and commuting. He’d once told Hagane that while he liked Nissan Skylines, enough of them came through the shop to satisfy his itch, and Hagane’s more than most. Sam watched Hagane wrestle with the hose clamp. “The Yank soldier who owned this car before you sure did a number on it.” Hagane couldn’t disagree. He managed to tighten the hoseclamp and extracted the screwdriver. He had smudges of dirt up to his elbows. It wasn’t the first time he’d helped Sam, and knew where to find the hand cleaner inside the shop. When he returned, Sam and Octavia were still drinking their tea. Sam appeared to be doing his best not to openly stare. Remembering they were on a timeline, Hagane asked, “How much?” “A hundred yen for the clamp.” Hagane gave him the coin. Octavia took a last sip of tea and gave Sam her empty cup. She lowered her head in a bow as thanks. Sam still looked a little perturbed by the exchange, but nodded in return. He and Hagne traded goodbyes. Octavia saw they were getting ready to part ways and went around to the passenger side of the car. Hagane didn’t see how her hoof opened the door handle, but she let herself in. She buckled herself up, too. Hagane sat in his seat and started the car. It had stopped making the noise. They still had a lot to do today. He shifted into gear.
Chapter 3View OnlineBeatChapter 3Hagane had never been to the University of Tokyo. According to Yahoo, the University, better known by its nickname, Todai, was one of the top schools in all of Asia. Hagane couldn’t think of a better place to go for answers about Octavia’s situation. As they drove downtown, she seemed fascinated by the moving GPS picture on his phone. He let her hold it, since there was no place in the car to put the phone. After a while, Octavia had gotten used to the other cars in traffic. Occasionally another driver would do a double-take, but most of them were focused on their own driving. The university had trees and grass, which set it apart from among the other city buildings. Parking wasn’t easy to find and Hagane didn’t know where he was going anyway. Driving around for a few minutes, he spotted someone pulling out and snatched the parking spot. Happily, there seemed to be a few minutes left on the parking meter. No telling how long their visit would take, though, so Hagane dutifully loaded the meter with coins. Now all they had to do was figure out who could help them. Hagane ventured into campus, trying to determine what each building held inside. “Library, athletics, computers, foreign languages...actually, that might come in handy.” Octavia said nothing, but seemed to appreciate the architecture and the landscaping. Hagane wasn't much for either, but he had to admit that it was a nice looking place. “Physics,” Hagane read from the building. “Close enough, I suppose.” The two of them walked into the building. There were a few students around, but as Hagane passed the windows of classrooms, he saw most of them inside. A couple of people stared at Octavia, but the rest were on their phones and didn’t notice. Hagane found a directory board. It looked like most of the professor offices were on the upper floors. He picked one. The professor’s door was open and Hagane knocked on the frame. The man looked up from his desk. “Can I help you?” Hagane gave a short bow. “Sir, I have an important question. Do you know who I should talk to about, uh...teleportation?” The professor looked Hagane up and down and then his eyes went to Octavia. Addressing Hagane, he said, “Say that again?” “This pony came here from another dimension and I’m trying to return her home…” Hagane trailed off as he realized how crazy it sounded out loud. The professor stood up. “I think I can help you. Go to the end of the hallway and down the stairs. The front door is close by. Go through it and get out of here.” He wasn’t even willing to send Hagane to another colleague as a joke. To appease him, Hagane backed out of his office. Octavia looked concerned. It was easy to tell the conversation hadn’t gone well, even if she didn’t understand the words. Hagane resolutely led her down the hallway, searching for other professors. He tried experts in theoretical physics, quantum physics, and relativity. All the responses ranged from amusement to outright rejection. It didn’t look like there was anyone in the building who would or could help. “There has got to be one nutty professor around here that believes me,” Hagane muttered. Even if such a person existed, however, he didn’t manage to find them. He didn’t want to tell Octavia the search had come up bare, but she got the hint when they left the building emptyhanded. Hagane felt emptybellied, too. Pulling out his phone, he realized how far past lunchtime it was. The university had a few Lawson Station convenience stores on campus and one was nearby. Walking in, Octavia’s eyes widened at the variety. Hagane looked around, trying to figure out what he wanted. The really good manga was covered up, but at any rate, he should instead be focusing on food, specifically something Octavia would eat. Let’s see...plain onigiri should be fine. Maybe a vegetable bento. CalorieMate is kind of dry. Snacks? Is chocolate okay for horses? He decided to stick to the basics. Loading up an armful of food for the two of them, he paid and they went back outside. There was a convenient tree and Hagane sat down beneath it to eat and plan out their next move. Octavia seemed agreeable to the rice and seaweed onigiri balls. Hagane ate his own meal. He’d gotten a Crunky chocolate bar to share. It was probably good that Octavia, being a proper musician, didn’t speak the language or she might have questioned his choice. He wouldn’t want to accuse her of being crunk, after all. Hagane chuckled to himself. American music. When they were finished, Hagane got out Octavia’s drawing from earlier. He had been working on how to break the news to her that he wasn’t sure how to get her home. He still didn’t have any idea how to communicate it. Octavia, however, had seemed to grasp that already from watching Hagane’s futile conversations inside the physics building. It seemed like she had a new idea, however. On the paper, she drew what looked like a sparkly star and looked up. Hangane said, “Star?” and pointed to the sky. “Astronomy?” Octavia shook her head. She drew a sketch of her friend from earlier, a larger drawing this time. It was a horse with a horn. A unicorn? Octavia was friends with a unicorn? This time, Octavia drew the star or spark or whatever it was coming from the unicorn’s horn. Hagane got it immediately. “Magic.” Transdimensional travel was one thing. Magic was another. But honestly, once he got over having pictorial conversations with a guitar-playing pony, magic wasn’t too much more of a stretch. But that created even more problems. Exactly where was Hagane supposed to find someone who knew about magic? Real magic that worked. The new situation was better than having nothing to go on, but only just. At any rate, Hagane should probably be getting to the club to give Blue her guitar before investigating anything else today. The guitar! Hagane remembered taking it out of the car at the garage but not replacing it. He groaned in frustration and got up. Octavia had already collected the lunch leavings and hurried after him. There wasn’t a trash can nearby. There was never a trash can nearby. They found one beside a vending machine near where they had parked. Sensing Hagane’s urgency, Octavia quickly got into the car as Hagane started it. She gave him a questioning look and he responded by miming playing a guitar. She touched a hoof to her forehead. “Right,” Hagane muttered. He merged into traffic.
Chapter 4View OnlineBeatChapter 4It was getting late when they arrived at Sam’s Garage. Hagane only planned a quick stop to pick up the guitar. He didn’t realize how quick it would be. “Haro has it,” Sam said. “He asked, and I told him it was Blue’s. He said he would take it to her.” “Haro?! Do you trust him?” Hagane demanded. “He pays his bills.” Sam frowned. “I take it you two have a history.” That was putting it mildly. “When was he here?” “Just a minute ago. I’m surprised you didn’t see him.” Hagane ran for the car. The easiest way to get to the club was along Wangan. He had to make it to the club ahead of Haro to explain things to Blue before she got the wrong idea. The Bayshore Route of Shuto Expressway ran along the northern edge of Tokyo Bay. Shuto Kōsokudōro Wangan-sen, or simply Wangan, was built as a bypass of downtown Tokyo and connected the artificial islands along the edge of the bay, some sections of pavement being entirely over water. It was one of the straightest roads in the country, and had developed a reputation around the world as a haven for street racers. Hagane was not a member of a racing gang, but he liked to think he could hold his own. His foot was on the floor and the Skyline charged up the entrance ramp. He remembered his first time taking the car out on the Wangan. His first experience with the twin turbo engine singing at 7,500 RPM was like hearing a lover’s voice for the first time. The car had turned out to be less than perfect, but when it ran, it really ran. Traffic was heavy with people going home for the evening, but as night fell there were enough gaps between cars that he could make his way through. Octavia was not pleased with any of this. Her head was pressed back against the seat and her eyes were wide open. Her hoof was digging into the padded cover of the center console. Hagane was sorry to scare her like that, but as long as she didn’t interfere with his shifting, he could apologize to her later. Up ahead, the distinctive taillights and tall wing of a bright red Toyota Supra came into view. A grab handle stolen from a Tokyo Metro subway train dangled from the rear bumper. Hagane knew the car, and it wasn’t the first time he had met it on the Wangan. In many ways, Haro was a lot like Hagane. He liked 90’s sports cars and Hagane’s girlfriend. And, even if he hadn’t intentionally taken the guitar to spite Hagane, past history indicated he wasn’t above it, either. Hagane flashed his high beams. A small puff of fire came out the Supra’s exhaust as Haro downshifted. The race was on. On the long straightaways, the slick Supra could carry more speed, but the traffic helped Hagane keep Haro within sight. A couple of horns sounded as the two cars sliced through traffic, often with less than a meter to spare between vehicles. If Octavia was concerned before, she was petrified now. The police were less of a concern. The heavy traffic would help conceal the two speeding cars. Still, a street race got more risky the longer it continued. They took the exit for Rainbow Bridge. In the distance, Hagane saw the orange and white spire of Tokyo Tower lit up with spotlights. The club was nearby. Blue had once told him her ambition to have her music broadcast from the landmark tower. Hagane couldn't afford to be distracted by looking at the scenery. He had only caught up with Haro a few exits before the intended turnoff. Taking the ramp, Haro struggled to hold his Supra to the curve, allowing Hagane to close the gap. He was more confident now. The tighter streets as they got closer to the club would give the lighter and four-wheel-drive Skyline the advantage. The problem, however, was actually making the pass. There simply wasn't room without crossing the centerline, and oncoming traffic could not give way. Hagane gritted his teeth and grabbed another gear. Headlights ahead filled the windshield, and for the first time that night Hagane shared Octavia's tension. Hagane stuffed the Skyline into a space a hair longer than the car was, nearly causing an accident but completing the pass. He stabbed the brakes and wrenched the car around the last corner. Tokyo Tower came into view between the buildings and the club was on the next block. Through the next intersection, Hagane got on the brakes again. The ABS jittered against his foot as the car slid to a stop beside the building. There was no time. Hagane threw open the door and darted inside the club. There were only a few people around, but the night was still young. He spotted Green and Magenta onstage setting up their instruments and went that way. “Where’s Blue?” he asked. Magenta pointed. “She‘s in the back with Yellow talking to the record man.” Hagane went the direction she had indicated. As he crossed the room, he saw Haro coming in the front door. Hagane could have confronted him, but that would lead to a public scene. Better to get to Blue first and explain. He had been in the club's back rooms a time or two before, visiting Blue. Still, without a clear idea where he was going, Hagane got turned around and arrived at the office just steps ahead of Haro. Shoving the door open, Hagane burst in on Blue, Yellow, and a man in a suit. There was a piece of paper on the table and Blue had her hanko stamp in her hand, about to sign it. There was an awkward silence. The man in the suit coughed, drawing Blue’s attention. “Sorry!” she said, quickly stamping the paper. “That should be everything. Please pardon me, I need to take care of this.” She got up and ushered Hagane out of the room. “What is wrong with you? That was important!” “I brought your guitar-” Hagane began before Haro elbowed him. “Here’s your guitar, Blue,” said Haro. He smiled. “He stole it,” Hagane said. “I put it down for just a minute, and-” “I called you to bring it to me hours ago,” said Blue. “This night is important. You could have ruined everything.” “But I was helping Octavia,” Hagane protested. “But that’s not as important as my future! Our future,” Blue shot back. “How much help does she need?” “She wanted to go home, and-” Haro interrupted. “Some other woman?” “Shut up!” Blue put her hand on Hagane’s chest. “I’m just about to go on. I need to get ready. And if you don’t hurry, you’ll be late for work.” She was right, and knew it. She gave him a last look and walked away with the guitar. Haro shot him a grin. “Drop dead.” Hagane stuck out his tongue and pulled down his eyelid. He turned around and walked out. The front of the club was lit up brighter than the inside, even at night.. The bright primary colors and pink sign drew the eye as the most colorful building on the block. In the street, Octavia had gotten out of the car. The club patrons entering the building had gathered around, snapping pictures. While not preening, she looked resigned to the attention and had posed for photos. Hagane noticed that everyone seemed to be angling to keep his car out of the background. He looked around for Haro’s car, pulling out his keys. There were too many people within view, though, so he settled for spitting on it. Hagane instantly regretted it, however. The Supra was a beautiful machine. It wasn’t the car’s fault that it belonged to Haro. He caught Octavia’s eye and opened the passenger door for her. She loaded up and the picture-taking crowd began to disperse. Hagane got into the car and headed for work. The ramen-ya that employed him was possibly the worst one in Tokyo. Nobody actually seemed to eat there. Pulling into the parking lot, he spotted a man leaning on an elderly Yamaha XJ650 motorcycle. That would be his coworker, who called himself Dan the Bullet, a ridiculous nickname if Hagane had ever heard one. The kanji for Dan’s name meant “shot” and so the bosozoku’s name was effectively “Bullet the Bullet”. Still, he was a good guy. Dan wore an untidy leather jacket and was lighting a smoke as Hagane got out of the car. He held up the pack of unfiltered Golden Bats. Hagane took one, thanking him as Dan lit it. They were terrible cigarettes. It was partly why Hagane never bought any himself. Octavia got out of the car and came around. “What’s this?” Dan asked. “Can’t I have a pony if I want one?” Hagane chuckled. He coughed. “What does your girl think?” Hagane’s mood changed. “She likes Octavia. The two of us are having a rough patch. I should be with Blue right now, fixing it.” “Work sucks,” said Dan, agreeing. “I just wish I didn’t need money.” Octavia gestured, putting a hoof to her lips. Hagane leaned over to let her have his cigarette. A few puffs had been enough for him. She recoiled at the smell, making a face. Dan chuckled. “Fancy, huh? I think I have some Pianissimos my girl left in the saddlebags.” He rummaged in the bike’s bags. As he leaned over, Hagane saw the butt of an airsoft gun in a shoulder holster beneath his jacket. Dan pulled out a pink pack and lit a cigarette from it for Octavia. She was much more receptive to the new choice. The three of them stood quietly for a few minutes. True to her nature, Octavia smoked like a lady. Hagane thought she would look good with an ornamental cigarette holder. “You don’t think it’s strange?” Hagane said, mostly to avoid inhaling any more of his Golden Bat. “Think what’s strange?” Dan said. Hagane decided not to push it. “Never mind.” The door of the restaurant opened. A balding man in an apron came out with two plastic bags. He stopped short, seeing Octavia. Hagane quickly intervened. “Good evening, boss.” He got a bag shoved into his hands for his trouble. “Mr. Kobayashi,” said his boss curtly. He handed the other bag to Dan. “Mr. Takei.” He glanced at Octavia again and then went back inside. Dan tossed his cigarette on the ground and crushed it. “We have got to get better names.” Hagane nodded. The two of them went their separate ways. Dan secured his bag to the motorcycle’s rack. Hagane put his in the back seat. Octavia got in the car with Hagane. She glanced at the bag and the takeout containers inside, looking back to Hagane with a question in her eyes. “Don’t ask.” Hagane started the car.
Chapter 5View OnlineBeatChapter 5Hagane figured he was probably serving up more than ramen as he made his deliveries. It was out of the question to ask his boss about it, or even worse, dig through the ramen containers to find out what was inside. Still, what he didn’t know he couldn’t be made to testify about. And the money was good. He got the faint sense that Octavia had her suspicions and disapproved. Hagane had no uniform to wear or sign for his car. The restaurant was almost laughably shoddy. The deliveries he made went to places that were even worse. If nothing else, he at least knew that his boss didn’t work for the boyroukudan; they would never run a mess of an organization like this. Despite Octavia’s position in the ill-fitting passenger seat, she slumped back and managed to fall asleep just before midnight. Hagane drove cautiously. What was the trick about gently driving a racecar in the rain? Pretend there’s an egg between your foot and the pedal. Octavia did not snore, or if she did it was too quiet to hear beneath the ambient noise of the car. Hagane thought that her mane was not always so tousled. It had gotten that way after the day they’d had and he guessed she probably had a good brush waiting for her back home. Her large purple eyes were her best feature, but even with them closed she was adorable. Hagane almost ran over a pedestrian and realized he should be focusing on the road. After work, Hagane drove home. Octavia roused herself long enough to go inside. She went to sleep again on the futon. Hagane considered his options and decided to go back out. Blue was getting off work, and would usually be arriving at the nearest train station soon. It wasn’t raining, but Hagane wanted to give her a ride. He got in the car, but was brought to a halt almost immediately by a train coming through the crossing. Hopefully it wasn’t the one Blue was on, or Hagane might already be too late. As the train went on its way, Hagane launched the car off the line as soon as the crossing arms began to move upward. A few blocks later, the station came into view. To Hagane’s horror, a red Supra was parked at the curb. He slid to a halt and jumped out, not taking the time to put on the flashers. Running into the station, he saw Blue coming down the steps from the platform. Haro was at the bottom, waiting. The timing was perfect. Hagane slid in front of Haro. “Hey Blue, I thought you might like a ride.” “Thanks.” She smiled. Was her mood from earlier already gone? Hagane couldn’t believe his luck. “I’ve been wanting to tell you,” said Blue. “We’re having a party at Beat tomorrow. You should see if you can get off work.” Hagane glanced at Haro, who was shooting him a glare. Hagane smiled and escorted Blue out of the station. “Big news?” “I’ll say. The deal’s done. We’ve got a contract!” “That’s great news!” Hagane wasn’t sure if he could justify skipping work, but maybe if he asked Dan nicely to cover for him. Maybe Dan would even be willing if Hagane invited him. Octavia opened one eye when they came in. They left her in peace, however, and she went back to sleep. Now that they had time to talk, Hagane updated Blue on his adventures that day with Octavia. She agreed that abandoning science for magic wasn’t much of an option. Still, the next morning, Hagane was optimistic. If he didn’t find a way to help Octavia today, he would come up with something else. He made sure Blue had her guitar as she was going out the door. She wished him luck. “Kitto katsu.” Speaking of that, Hagane’s first stop that morning was at the 7/11 convenience store around the corner to buy Kit Kat bars. If Octavia’s stay in Japan was going to be brief, she should at least get to try the best things. Based on her reaction, the green tea flavored one was her favorite. Fortified, the two of them got in the car to go find some magic. Despite Tokyo’s reputation as a center of technology and innovation, it was a very old city - or to be more correct, a prefecture comprised of twenty three smaller cities. If one looked hard enough, the ancient could be found, from the Edo period to as far back as when the metropolis was a simple fishing village known as Shibasaki. The first dark, run-down shop Hagane tried may not have been that old, but it probably hadn’t been cleaned since he’d been alive. Octavia wrinkled her nose as they came in. So did Hagane. Still, based on the jars of unidentifiable objects around the room and the marks and charms scattered everywhere, at least there was something to look at to distract them from the musty odor. There was an old woman behind the counter who looked like she was having trouble seeing over it. She squinted at Octavia. “Ma’am, I hope you can help me,” said Hagane. “Did you come for sakura niku?” the woman asked. She rummaged around behind the counter and produced a knife. “What? No!” Old people would eat anything. To be fair, Hagane had also eaten horsemeat sushi before, but now he was reconsidering it. “This is hard to explain, but my friend here-” he gestured to Octavia “-is trying to go home to her own world. Can you help?” The woman shook her head. “This is a magic shop. You need JAXA.” “I don’t think she needs to go into space on a rocket. We’ve already tried science. Her friend the unicorn sent her here somehow and we’re trying to figure out how to send her back, and-” The woman gently laid her hand on his. “I think you need someone else.” It was the same story with the other shops Hagane visited. Some of them were focused on stage magic. Some of them were focused on pseudoreligion, particularly the new fad movements. A few seemed to be tied to Shinto, Buddhism or Onmyodo. But in the end, none of them seemed to know what to do with a teleporting pony. At least they were honest about it. Mostly. Turning up nothing after all day of searching, Hagane at least had the party to look forward to. He sent a text to Dan about it. Dan was in. Hagane and Octavia rolled up to Beat as the sun was going down. Hagane parked in a small lot down the block and held his phone out to have the payment machine scan it and bill him a thousand yen through his carrier. The two of them went into the club. It would be a little while until the band went on. Hagane went over to the bar and ordered an Asahi. He glanced at Octavia, who was hidden behind the bar. “And a glass of red wine.” Another pair of thousands for the drinks. Good thing the latest car repair had only been one hundred. Speaking of, he really should invite Sam to Beat one of these days. Hagane surveyed the room. Octavia stood beside him, drinking her wine. For the moment, she wasn’t drawing a crowd. More people were coming through the front door, however. Apparently the management had been successful in promoting tonight as a special event. Dan arrived. He came over and gave Hagane a fist bump. He gave Octavia one, too. Hagane nodded to the bar. “Did you want something?” “Nah, already got it.” That only confirmed what Hagane often suspected about Dan. In a few minutes, the band would go on. Hagane said, “I’ll be right back.” He headed for backstage. Blue was fully decked out in her wig and outfit. She gave Hagane a smile and a hug, but held back on the kiss. Neither of them wanted her garish lipstick to get spread around. “Thanks for being here. Tonight’s going to be great!” “I'm happy for you.” “Be happy for us both.” She gave him a last grin and stepped through the curtain with the rest of the band. This was where Blue had always wanted to be, on the stage and playing. The recent record deal certainly didn't hurt, either. Hagane watched from backstage as the band kicked off the show. The crowd had come for them. The band hadn’t broken out and gotten noticed by being just another house act. And the show...well, that was almost more impressive than the music. Deciding to experience the smoke and lasers as they had been intended, Hagane walked back out into the crowd. A lot of people had their cell phones out. Maybe a video of the first official performance after getting signed would go viral and boost the band’s visibility even more. Octavia sheltered between Dan’s legs and the bar. With so many people around, none of them looking down for a little pony, it was safer to get out of the way. Hagane joined them and they watched the show. Octavia looked interested in the band, though not particularly moved. The club was already crowded and as it reached the limit of the fire code, people were being turned away at the door. It took the span of several songs for Hagane to realize that Haro had made it inside. It was difficult to spot him among the flashing lights and dancing crowd. He looked like he was making his way towards the stage. Hagane started forward. It wasn’t easy to push through the throng of people, but with everyone in motion, gaps appeared periodically. As he approached, he realized Haro wasn’t alone. Two friends of his were with him. Hagane didn’t know them well, but if they hung out with Haro, that was enough. Dan was at Hagane's side, making his own way through the crowd. Hagane felt better. He would have preferred a larger friend like Sam backing him, but Dan made up for it by being insane. Haro saw Hagane approaching and turned. Both of them had made it to the edge of the stage. Hagane spared a glance up at Blue as she played and sang. He wasn’t sure if she could see him under the glare of the stage lights. He dropped his eyes back to Haro. The two of them stared at each other. There was no point in talking. The music was too loud. Hagane turned to look up at Blue again. Haro bumped his shoulder. Hagane was at center stage. There was no way he was giving up his position. He shoved back. A hand came down on his shoulder. One of the guys Haro had brought with him. Dan’s fist sailed past Hagane’s ear, smacking the guy’s face. The next few seconds went by in a blur. Hagane got hit and threw a few punches of his own. He hit someone. Around them, the crowd cleared like magic. The music stumbled. The vocals faltered. Suddenly, the sound stopped all together and the light show went with it. A moment of pure darkness was followed up by the club’s emergency lights coming on. At the corner of the stage, Hagane saw Octavia holding the electrical cord she had just yanked out. Apparently she was experienced with such things. It did get the attention of the whole crowd. Just as quickly, however, their focus was ripped away as the wall behind the stage caved in. Green jumped for cover, abandoning her drum kit as a robot nearly as tall as the ceiling stomped in. It featured a light show of its own and blared electronic music. A unicorn with purple sunglasses was at the controls. Hagane might have been only slightly less surprised than everyone else, but still gaped at the scene. Standing at the edge of the stage, Hagane noted that Octavia was headed towards the mecha. The two made eye contact for just a second, and that was enough. The pony rushed back to him and with a movement of her forelegs that he couldn’t picture a horse capable of doing, removed her bow tie and offered it to him - a gift to remember her by. He bent down to receive it, and was additionally rewarded with the touch of fur and lips on his cheek as the pony kissed him there. He heard her whisper something, but he wasn’t sure if he’d heard it right. In any case, there was no time to ask, as Octavia raced back towards the robot and jumped aboard. The unicorn turned the bot to face the crowd. Octavia said something to her, lost under the sound of the music. Blue recovered from the shock of nearly being stepped on by a musical mech. She screamed and ran forward, raising her guitar. The robot turned to face the potential threat, the unicorn’s hoof making a subtle movement at the controls. Blue smashed her guitar solidly on the mech’s leg, and at the same instant, a pink glow enveloped the robot. Being so close, Hagane saw Octavia give him one last smile. A fraction of a second later, she, her friend, and the robot were gone in a flash and a scatter of dissipating sparkles. Absolute silence reigned for a moment, and then absolute pandemonium broke out. Screaming, applause, cameras clicking. Someone had surely recorded the whole thing. Blue looked uncertain, but Hagane caught her eye and smiled. Regaining confidence and seizing the situation, she put on her showbusiness smile and strode forward to the microphone stand that was somehow still upright after the commotion. One of the stage hands had apparently discovered the pulled electrical plug and reconnected the amplifiers, because her magnified voice went out over the sound of the crowd. “That’s all!. We love you, Tokyo!” It took awhile to calm down the police, firefighters, and the building’s owner. Fortunately, it was easier to believe the damage had been caused by errant special effects than a teleporting mecha piloted by a unicorn. Tonight would be something to talk about for sure. It was the first thing on the radio when Hagane started the car, the DJ barely able to convey how utterly kawaii it was. Blue sat beside him. The pieces that remained of her guitar were in the backseat. With the contract, she could more than afford a new one. “So, she's gone,” said Blue. Hagane reached into his pocket and retrieved Octavia’s bow tie, the silk hanging limply around his fingers. Without its owner, or perhaps due to the night, it seemed to have lost a bit of color, a bit of brightness fading away as if it were somehow detached from the magic of her world. It wouldn’t have surprised him much. But the color wasn't as important as the memory. Blue touched it, fingers brushing the material. “I wonder if we'll see her again.” Hagane smiled. “You never know what will happen next.” Author's Note Thanks for reading. Shoutout to Shinzakura for the help.
