By Ben Kelly

Translator's Note: On a recent trip to Japan I was lucky enough to discover a series of documents encapsulated in a shrine, decimated by the Kobe earthquake. Rescuing them from the elements, I began to read through them to discover they were original documents written by none other than Miyamoto Usagi.

This is a much abridged version of Miyamoto Usagi's original transcription, edited to fit the size of this forum. Many of the stories and background related to Usagi have been removed for the sake of space and many of the Hideyokazu Onishi's own thoughts and dialogue have been replaced simply by events that transpired. If events seem discontinuous when compared with actual history, this is the reason.

"My name is Hideyokazu Onishi." In the dim light of the room, the wings of the bat threw an impressively daunting shadow against the far wall. He watched Usagi's awe struck face and smiled just a little.

"Don't worry," he said, moving to look out into the inky darkness "I'm not going to harm you Usagi, I am simply going to tell you of myself as you have asked.".

Usagi felt his samurai pride bristle as the bat talked about him as though he had the power to do as he pleased. He found the slightly amused look on the other's face just a little annoying and that prolonged his battle for internal composure.

"Go on", he finally said "I'm listening".

"Firstly, do not feel that you have failed, Usagi. No one could have saved Lord Hirano. You were hired to protect him and he is now dead, this is true, but I should let you know, none save my own kind can stand against me. I could assassinate the shogun tonight if I so pleased."

"Your own kind?" Usagi seemed puzzled "You mean other Komori ninja?"

Onishi laughed. "No. I have not been a Komori ninja for many many years. They know me, but they fear me. I hold all of their secrets and yet even they cannot destroy me."

"Who then? Who are your own kind?" Usagi frowned.

"I am," he said simply "a vampire".

Usagi's intake of breath was barely audible to himself. Onishi heard it as a great rushing wind.

"Perhaps it is my folly, Usagi, that I have a conscience. I could have such power as I never had in my mortal life, and yet, what good would it do me? I am content with whatever I have, for I may have whatever it is that I want.

"No I much prefer a simple working life. I call no place home and I go where I please, so I work as an assassin. Only those that can afford me know where to find me. I'm known only to a select few in all of Japan. They do not know what I am, that really would be folly. I have only ever told one other person and allowed them to live. I don't quite know why I tell you now except you have an honest feel about you Miyamoto Usagi.

"I work for whom I please and I have my meals paid for" he smiled softly "and I will kill no one that is good of heart. Not for pay anyway. I did far too much of that when I was mortal. Still, When the hunger is upon me, I will feed on whomsoever is at hand."

"Why then did you kill Lord Hirano? I knew him to be a good and fair man"

"Once perhaps. But no longer. I fear the soft whisperings of Lord Hikiji entranced him, swaying his loyalty. The message he was to deliver to the Shogun tomorrow was scribed on paper laced with poison made from chrysanthemum blossoms. Only the shogun would have handled the page enough to be killed by it, and there would be no mark at all upon the body. Those that hired me knew of the plot and the method, so justice has been done.

"You can only trust what I say is true, otherwise your honour will dictate you must try to kill me," The vampire turned from the window and looked upon Usagi "No, I see that I need explain no further. You believe me."

"How is it that you became a vampire? Are you cursed?". Onishi smiled then chuckled softly.

"You might say that, but that was not how this came about. No this was something that I chose to become. Are you comfortable? I think this tale may take much of the night.

"I had become chunin of my faction of the Komori ninja, however I had become disillusioned about my family. Perhaps it was one child too many needlessly slaughtered, but whatever it was, my conscience that was seemingly killed in my childhood, rose from the dead to haunt me. And it did haunt me Usagi. I no longer revelled in the fear I saw in people's eyes as they died. The ease of killing children was no longer sport. I see you are revolted. This is good. You can perhaps glean a small amount of empathy for the way I came to feel about myself and my brethren.

"They suspected nothing, however I began to make plans for my escape. I was to fake my own death upon my next mission. An easy feat. Many of us were to die then. A large outing to massacre everyone in a daimyo's fortress. None were to be spared so we would be assured of clearing our own dead away. No matter, a fire would consume any body. Torching the keep, while not part of the primary plan was an assured way of completing the job.

"Ninja are the masters of illusion. Thus I was even able to deceive my fellows, appearing to take a mortal wound from an arrow I fell into a burning building. The keep was surrounded my a water filled moat; an essential part of my plan. It became a matter of waiting in the moat, nursing my burns and using my blowpipe to breathe underwater.

"The raid was a complete success and the fortress was razed. The Komori were satisfied that my body was incinerated, and they flew away carrying the rest of their dead. I was free it seemed.

"Dawn began to break and I flew to a dark cave at the mouth of mountain spring. It was small enough that no one else would be there, and deep enough to keep the sun from hurting my sensitive eyes. I fell asleep, my mind drifting away with the flowing water beneath me.

"It came to pass that the Komori ninja learned that I was not dead. I was recognised by one of my brethren as I surveyed a town for food. By this stage I was far from the jurisdiction of my own faction and he was immediately suspicious of my prescence. I managed to fend him off with stories of an urgent mission to our people on the southern island about the black ships, due any day now. He seemed satisfied but would no doubt send word back for verification. Depending on his sense of urgency, I figured I had two to five days. I refused his offer of hospitality, saying that I had only stopped to feed, but must be off again. He nodded curtly and was gone.

"As it turned out I had two days. They caught up with me on the fourth. As I headed westward toward Kyoto I was intercepted by Komori, some from my original group, the others were of the Kyoto prefecture. They circled me warily, one of my own finally approaching me.

"'Why did you not return after the mission. We could not find your body and some said they saw you slain.'"

"It was Shuji, a lieutenant I had promoted from the ranks. 'how is it we could not find your body and yet you are alive and well here?'

"'I took an arrow to the head. I must have glided unconscious for a time, for it was daylight when I came to.'

"'So then,' he reiterated 'why did you not return?'. When I did not immediately answer, he attacked me. It was not him that worried me, for he fell dead already to the earth below. It was the twenty or so others that now came for me that would prove my worth.

"They were merciless in they attack as they were relentless, screaming loud and often to confuse my hearing. Periodically one of them would fall away screaming or gurgling, my best and only defence to use their numbers to confound each other.

"A rip appeared in one of my wings where I came off second best in a joust. Seven remained and I was tired. It was all I could do to stay in the air. The trees below offered no comfort, they were too far away to safely reach. I considered myself dead from that moment and decided to take them all with me, or as many as I could manage. I was certain that I would die and the knowledge of this coursed throughout my being, death permeating all.

"The next one to come at me did not sense the change and he fell to ground in three pieces. The others kept their distance in a half-pretence of having sport with me. Encircling me, they would rush be from my blindside, howling gleefully as each time I managed to parry their attack. My parries became later and later until one more cut would assure my fate.

"What happened next still never fails to astonish me. The remaining six were suddenly three. I had seen nothing and yet I could make out the descending, disappearing forms of three Komori. The three remaining stopped short, looking around for the thing which so easily killed their fellows for they could not believe it had been me. I seized upon the opportunity to down one of them. He had drifted too close in his confusion and I killed him.

"The other two screamed in fear and frustration, rushing at me. Facing certain death, I looked into their eyes and started badly when both faces dropped smartly toward the earth. parrying blindly, I realised almost too late that although their heads fell, the bodies glided onward. It would have been too ironic to survive an onslaught of twenty ninja only to be killed by a corpse.

"I flew in a lazy circle looking for my rescuer only to encounter one more of the shocks I was to receive that evening. A weasel, looking handsome and resplendent in full samurai battle armour floated before me, his katana glistening liquid black in the light of the moon. His chiburi and noto were lightning quick so that I neither saw nor heard his saya slip over his sword.

"'Well youngling, this should teach you not to bite off more than you can chew' he boomed.

"'What are you talking about. How is it you stay aloft?'

"'What?' He was clearly suddenly confused. He stared hard at me then threw his head back and roared with laughter. I must say, confused as I also was, with a weasel, floating in mid-air with no obvious support, laughing hysterically, I could not keep a straight face and laughed with him. I simply could not stop, not even to ask him what he found so amusing.

"Eventually his humour subsided to the point where he could speak, albeit punctuated periodically with a stifled chortle.

"'I felt your mind from below. I thought you were one of the kindred in need of assistance. Your mind told me you were dead yet living. Perhaps not expecting to for much longer, but dead nonetheless.

"'I did not realise you were ninja.'

"'Kindred? What are you talking about?'

"'Look at me Onishi and tell me I am a natural creature. There are not many of my kind and we are close enough that we call each other kin. You should feel honoured that I mistook you for them. Still I like you. Perhaps I should extend the invitation.'

"'I still don't understand' I said 'What manner of spirit are you? What do you want with me? How do you know my name?'

"'I am a vampire Onishi. You have looked upon me and have now two choices. You may join me and be my companion, or you may die. It is your decision.' There was no need for him to demonstrate his power - I had already seen it. I did not want to die just yet and I told him so.

"'Either way you will die Onishi, only should you become my companion you will continue to exist in the mortal world.'

"I chose to join him of course. He explained everything to me so clearly I could not help but want what he offered me. It is difficult for me to accurately describe events from here. Hard it is to tell you how intense his gaze or how brilliant his eyes, glowing fiercely and magnified in the moonlight. It would take more time than I have to tell you how completely I surrendered myself to him then, collapsing against him as he sank his fangs into my neck.

"He must have descended as he took me, for I found myself lowered to the ground and he staggered away from me. I cried out to him and he turned, smiling. His canines were longer than I had imagined possible and I wondered how he had hidden them from me before. Putting a wrist up to his mouth, there was a soft creak of tearing flesh and blood welled from his arm. Immediately he put it to my mouth and I drank. Again you must forgive me Usagi, for I cannot describe what it was like. More intense than the most passionate coupling it was and many there were of my orgiastic utterances, all the while I drained him of the crimson he had taken from me.

"This continued for who knows how long, draining and being drained in turn. I noted with detachment the death of my mortal body. My wounds healed, my matted fur became clean but inside, everything slowed down and then stopped. Finally he deemed the transformation complete and he left me alone for a while. I found that my eyesight had improved dramatically. Improved so much that I realised that even if my hearing be confused, my sight would more than make up the difference. This may not sound like much to you Miyamoto Usagi, but all of by senses were thus improved. My hearing improved so that I can pinpoint in a second where the footfalls of a cockroach fall". The vampire demonstrated by flinging a wing out to one side, neatly bisecting an insect crawling up the wall without moving another muscle in his body.

"I wandered, hearing and seeing, all of my senses very much alive even as my body died. I could not believe the detail with which everything appeared. It was some time before I noticed the other vampire standing nearby.

"'My name is Kiyofumi Yoshizawa' He that made me spent many years here but was originally from England, far far to the west. He spent much time in Spain and Portugal and eventually came out here on one of the first black ships. I wa one of the first people he had contact with upon reaching Japan and it was I who taught him our language and culture. He inturn made me what I am as I have done to you."

"'The names of which you speak are mostly unfamiliar to me.

"'Perhaps that is something we shall have to remedy. Not now though. Not for a while. We shall wait until you have become acquainted with your new self.' He grinned his toothy grin and motioned me to follow him. 'Come, we haven't much time before day breaks. You may have thought the light was harmful before, well now it is deadly. You must not be caught in the open near to daybreak. It and fire are your only concerns now. You cannot be killed by the frailties of mortality'

"He sped off at unnatural speed and I flew after him. My vocal cords had also gained strength, for the first time I sent a screech to track him, the very trees shook with the sound. Kiyofumi stopped, putting a paw to his forehead and chuckled softly as I circled above.

"'Perhaps you should be content for now with tracking by sight' he said, then he trotted off again, his armour making not a sound.

"I tracked him easily enough and he led me to a small temple. It was deserted and had obviously been so for years. It was to be my home for many months while Kiyofumi taught me what being a vampire meant.

"'At night I would awake to find he had been up already for several hours. We would take our pick of the surrounding villages as the temple was reasonably central to seven or eight sizeable towns. Mostly he would run and I would fly behind him but very occasionally he would fly with me. He told me I no longer needed to use my wings, but I preferred to. They were part of me.

Feeding was easy then. The shogun had not yet come to power and those that would hold the mantle still vied for power. This meant unrest and violence was rife throughout the country. It was not uncommon for people to simply disappear so we were never even suspected. I fed clumsily at first, dragging some hapless soul high into the air before their screams even began, silencing them by rending their neck and drinking the sweet hot liquid. Then I became more choosy. Peasant folk I found did not taste as good as standover men like Yakuza for whose blood I came to crave. Samurai blood is strong and rich, but like any fine food, I do not like to have much of it so I found my staple fare on the scum of society. Even now, those that are especially cruel, who like to kill or have done so in the past I find especially good. There is just something satisfying about ripping the throat of a malicious person, tasting their blood.

"Kiyofumi was a ladies man. He told me he was at a point in his existence where the blood was not essential. He took in small amounts from geisha that he had entertain him. They were fascinated by him. Often he wore a cherry purple kimono and his fur seemed to run together so that it almost appeared solid and very smooth. The light played upon it like veins through marble. Using his gaze, he could hold them spellbound as he drank from them, using his own blood to heal the marks his teeth made and waking them when he was done. I did not understand it. I was maddened if I did not feed regularly through the night and I would feed almost until they died, their heartbeat slowing and making me groggy. I marvelled at his control.

"We would separate at the beginning of the night, meeting at the temple to retire before the dawn. Early one morning many months after I became what I am, I arrived to find Kiyofumi not there. This was strange for he had previously been, without fail there before me. I decided to give him the benefit of the doubt and waited there for him. I waited until the sky began to grow light and I could feel my flesh beginning to heat. I stayed until I could bear it no longer and I retired.

"He was not there when I awoke and I held grave fears for his safety. I did not stop to feed that night so frantic became my search. Nor did I feed the next night and I had to stop. I was mad with hunger and still I had seen hide nor hair of him. The Geisha asked me where he was, for they had not seen him either and I could find no other trace.

"I am quite sure there would have been much talk about the towns should he have been slain, therefore I could only assume he had deserted me. I was upset and so very bitter and I am afraid I took my rage out on the mortals around me. I flew from town to town, causing havoc and not caring if I was seen or not. I rent flesh and gorged myself openly. I did not try to count the number I killed that night, but in excess of two hundred would be my estimation.

"I could not return to the temple, indeed when I looked upon it a week later it had been decimated by the convergence of townspeople upon the area. They knew an evil being was in their midst and they sought out all possible hiding places for such a being.

"They must have been satisfied with their efforts, for the killing did not reoccur and life returned to normal I am sure. I myself, was long gone. I headed for Osaka. I became a gargoyle at the top of the castle there, watching the city below me. I would fly far each night, making my home in a deep cave I found on koya-san - a great mountain where many great warriors have been buried. It seemed somehow fitting.

"I was content merely to exist for a time. I suppose I was somewhat lost without my maker, but he had taught me enough to make my way in the world and even interact with mortals, although I did this rarely, for many thought I was still a ninja. This was perhaps my greatest lodestone.

"As it turned out it was also a great benefit. As I was having clothes tailored for me, I was approached by a merchant seeking the services of 'my order'. He promised a princely sum should I kill a man for him. Dismissing the tailor, I spoke to the man further.

"'Normally I would not stoo- uh would not be in need of your services, however this is my last resort. Perhaps you can succeed where professional assassins have failed' He looked nervous and fingered the collar of his kimono.

"'Hired assassins are clumsy at best' I told him 'the only true professionals are ninja'. I convinced myself that it was not my pride refusing to die, just the need to correct his apparent ignorance

"He went on to explain that the man he wanted killed was a samurai in his province. An evil an callous man charged with governing the local lands. He hates merchants and would see us all dead.

"'This is not a crime. It does not even sound much like a bad thing' He totally missed the intended sarcasm and fell to his knees.

"'Please! I beg you listen to me. He kills children for sport, he starves them then throws them scraps of food so they fight each other for them. He has regular executions and has the local authorities under his thumb so they sing his praises to the daimyo.

"'Why do you not simply leave the area?

"'Because I am a rice merchant. The fields in my province are the most productive in the country. Even under the heavy taxes we endure we can still turn a profit.

"'I'll take half now and half when the job is done.' He agreed and left me then. That night I flew to his province and slipped easily into the house of the mark. I wanted to slay him immediately for he was at the time beating his wife for not having the sake hot enough. I waited however until he decided to retire.

"He entered the bath and dismissed everyone, wallowing in the hot water. He never moved from when I entered the bath chamber to the moment before his head fell from his body. I was not one for tormenting him before death. He had the rest of eternity for that. I just sped him along his way. I fed on the blood and I watched the bath water turn red as he stopped twitching then I left, returning to my mountain retreat just as the sun peeked over the horizon.

"I met with the merchant the next night to claim my pay, I sought him out at the inn where he lodged. He would not believe me but was afraid and paid me anyway.

I saw no reason to discontinue my current existence. I thought of Kiyofumi less and less and I was content, watching the ebb and flow of people around me, occasionally toying with them, pulling the strings of their lives, a shadowy puppet master, but this is perhaps a tale for another time.

"While at the same tailor, I was approached by the same man. He had been thinking and offered me a business proposal. He would act as an unofficial agent to customers who wished to use my services. I had told him that I worked freelance and alone, which he said was what got him thinking in the first place.

"I became the assassin I am now and by the time the merchant died, an old man and very wealthy, he also knew my secret. He became a great friend to me over the years and he was a good and fair man, calling me his un ga ii bakemono - lucky monster. His family were used to seeing me, although I never spoke with them. They also considered me a good omen. By the time the old man died, others knew how to reach me when I was needed. The old man helped me secure property to build a dwelling fit for me to live in and secure enough to hide me during the day. A shrine grand enough that many came to pray, but no one would dare enter was my abode and up until several years ago was too.

"I learned through one of my sources that there had been deaths occurring west of Kyoto with victims drained of blood and teeth marks in the neck. I went immediately to investigate.

"I found a vampire there all right, but it was not Kiyofumi as I had hoped. I spotted him feeding one night as I circled a small town looking for food of my own.

"Landing behind him, he immediately dropped his meal and hissed at me, then laughed. He was a dog, but like no other I had before encountered. He was brown furred tinged with black, with pointed ears and like Kiyofumi, his eyes were brilliant and reflected the moonlight. He was not dressed as a Japanese but similar to those that came on the black ships.

"'I knew you'd come eventually. Didn't think it would take you this long though' he growled, as he turned back to his meal, throwing it away in disgust when he discovered it cold.

"'What do you want of me? Who are you?' I asked him. I felt my hackles rise.

"'I am a messenger from Kiyofumi. He has long left Japan and wishes you to follow him'

"'You've seen him?' I was astounded and confused. I had thought never to see him again.

"'Oh yes. He leads a coven in Belgium and has sent me to bring you to him.' I did not know what to think. He was obviously counting on this for he attacked me then, lashing out at me with sharp claws and bared fangs. I was bowled over, for I truly did not see or hear him move.

"'What are you doing?' I yelled at him, kicking at him, unable to bring my wing blades to bear.

"'You are his favourite. He tells the entire coven tales of you and his infatuation with you. When he was called away, he had to leave you behind, but now all is well again and he sent me, his most trusted, to fetch you.' He held me while he spoke, fierce eyes only inches from mine. The blood on his breath making me wild. 'I was hoping he would send me. For I refuse to play second fiddle to one as young as you. You will not take him from me! I will report back to him that he left you unable to fend for yourself and that I heard many tales of your death. Now die!'

"He began to pull at me, trying to tear my wings from their sockets and I screeched at him with all I could muster. Blood founted from his nose and ears and he staggered, letting go of me. I sliced at him with my wings, but they caused me excruciating pain where he had held them and my blows were ineffectual.

"From the unbalanced way he stumbled then drew his blade it was clear he was now deaf. He wielded a heavy, double-edged French blade, but swung it with amazing skill despite his obvious pain. The pain in my wings ebbed but they were still unable to support my weight.

Still the advantage was mine. I had a blade on each wing and the only thing that kept him from being disembowelled was his superior speed. I blocked his heavy blows, counter swinging and keeping him on the defensive, but I would not gain an upper hand unless I could take to the air. I used my wings, but they still did not improve enough for me to take flight. I thought of Kiyofumi and then suddenly burst out laughing. I did not need my wings to fly! My maker had told me as much.

"I sprang into the air, screeching again and he followed me, his blade whistling at my feet. He was in my territory now. He was obviously no stranger to flight, but this is where I had spent my entire life and even superior speed could not save him. I dodged whatever he sent at me and cut him, ripping flesh from his body and making him cry out in anger. He tried to run then and I pounced upon him, bearing him to the ground and sinking my teeth into his back. He struggled weakly for a while and was still. I felt his vampire blood coursing through my veins and could not believe the raw power it contained. I expected many mortals to flock around us, but when I checked the town, many of the people were dead, the lucky ones simply comatose - all from my initial scream. The look on those faces remains still in my mind. I left that place quickly, and have not raised my voice since.

"I left the body where the sun's light was sure to find it before anything else did and returned to my dwelling. I did not know where Belgium was, nor did I know how to get there. I continued working, but spent much time at the docks absorbing information from foreign sailors. Rats mostly, they are rough and smell badly. I would not feed from them unless desperate, but I learned their language. It took me several years standing in the shadows, but I gradually came to understand what it is they said.

"I befriended a captain of a Spanish ship who told me about his home in exchange for items I obtained that were not normally allowed to foreigners. He gave me the name of a man who was certain to captain the black ships in the near future and told him I was to mention his name should I ever be in need of a favour.

"It has been five years from that day to now, and in that time I have learned enough to guarantee safe passage to Portugal. I could not travel there alone, I have no idea where I am to go, so I shall book passage on a black ship back to Europe and seek my maker there. I still feel there is much I have to learn and forever to do it but there is a sense of urgency with which I must now travel. I realise now why I have told you this Usagi. The payment from tonight's job will be enough to book passage with the foreign devils, no questions asked. The loyalty of the Spaniards is expensive neh? But when the ships arrive, I shall have the price they ask and I shall see Japan again no more. Perhaps not for many decades. Probably you will be dead a long time before I next soar above the mountains of Japan, so once again Usagi I will tell you that you have not failed, merely observed justice being done.

"I shall think fondly of you Usagi, for you have been the only mortal to wound me since I was made. Evil things will fear your blade, for no matter how you clean it, it is steeped in vampire blood. A mortal eye will not see it, but the spirits will know it and fear it. This is the gift I impart to you Usagi, this and one other thing."

Usagi did not see the vampire move, only felt pain as the creature pierced his neck. As the vampire drank from him, Usagi shared his thoughts and ambitions. He understood the vampire, then he was placed gently back on the tatami floor.

Usagi watched the vampire slide open the shoji through heavy lidded eyes. He crossed the threshold into the darkness and was gone. Usagi also slipped into darkness. It was daylight when he awoke, and he stood after a time, his steps groggy and uncertain. He went to the window, standing there where the vampire had related much of his tale. He wondered at how a being of supposed evil could have a conscience and feelings. It seemed impossible. Usagi could not see Onishi as evil no matter how he tried. More a case of an immortal individual who caused death as the gods did - indescriminantly and upon occasion to those who deserved it. He left the room, walking outside into the sun. As he travelled away from the fine Edo inn, he whistled a tune and felt a new appreciation for the warmth of the sun of his back.