Chapter Twenty-Nine: Innervision:

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Innervision:

-A Few Minutes Earlier-

Nobu pulled up at the end of the pathway and put the car in park. He straightened up his appearance and got out. He went over the plan once more in his head as he walked up to the door. Nobu kept his calm demeanor as he knocked. He took a step back as the door opened. Willow looked at him, blankly.

"Can I help you?" she asked. She's American, Nobu thought. Interesting.

"Excuse me miss," he said in English. "I'm looking for Anna Kimoto. I heard she lived here. Is she in?" Willow blinked at first.

"Why? Who are you?" she asked.

"Her uncle," he said. Willow didn't seem to believe him. She disappeared into the house. Willow made it to Anna's door.

"Anna," she said. Her friend looked up in a sour mood.

"What?" she asked. Willow fidgeted as she tried to find the right words.

"There's some man at the door claiming to be your Uncle," she said. "What should I do?" Anna's anger changed to alarm as she froze.

"What did you say?" she asked.

"Some guy said he was your uncle and wanted to talk to you," her friend repeated. "What should I do?" Anna rose to her feet and walked by her. Willow looked confused.

"Anna?" she asked. The other woman didn't listen. Anna came to the front door. Nobu looked up with a smile.

"Ah, my niece," he said. "So glad to see you." Anna glared at him.

"What do you want?" she hissed. Nobu pretended to look hurt.

"Aww, Anna," he said. "Why do you have to be like that? I just want to talk." His niece kept up her guard.

"About what?" she asked. Nobu glared around inside.

"Not here," he said.

"Why?" Anna asked with gritted teeth. Nobu kept his calm look.

"Your friend, she's American, am I right?' he asked.

"Wellï¿½ yeah. Why?" his niece replied.

"Interesting," he said. "And how much does she know?"

"I told her everything," Anna said.

"Everything?" he asked.

"Yeahï¿½" Anna lied.

"Really?" Nobu challenged. "So if I asked her about the kitsuneï¿½" He paused when he saw the panicked look in Anna's eyes. Nobu smirked in his mind.

"I see," he said. "And you don't want her to know, am I right?" Anna clenched her fists at her sides.

"Fuck off," she mumbled.

"Ooo, language," he said.

"Don't drag her into this!" Anna barked.

"Then it's in your best interest to come with me," Nobu suggested. Anna puffed up her cheeks.

"Fine," she grumbled.

"Good girl," her uncle said. He patted her on the head. Anna sneered at the set-up alone. Willow looked up at the last minute to see Anna heading out the door with Nobu.

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-Now-

During the whole drive, Anna plotted her escape. She didn't have her cell phone on her. The best way would be to create a distraction and run. But how? She came back to earth when she felt someone tap her on the shoulder. Anna looked up to see Nobu smiling at her. She resisted smacking him in the face.

"What?" she grumbled.

"Get out of the car," her uncle said. His niece rolled her eyes, thinking, like I have choice. She unlocked the door and got out with Nobu following behind. They had driven out to the neighborhood park. Anna kept her guard up the whole time. Nobu found a bench near the playground and took a seat. Anna watched him as she stood. Her uncle couldn't help but notice her face.

"Aww, why don't you trust me?" he asked.

"Let's see," she said. "You killed Meixiang while she was inside of me. You, my other uncles, and cousins killed Papa ten years ago. You killed all of Meixiang's friends. Grandma had me killed once and wants me dead. Oh yeah, you killed both of my aunts. Anything else I missed?" Nobu only nodded.

"Fair enough," he said. "Stay standing if you want. I won't force you." Anna kept her eyes locked on him.

"What do you want?" she asked, unimpressed. Nobu brushed his fingers together.

"Aw yes," he said. "The kitsune."

"What about her?" Anna asked.

"I believe you have her locked inside of you," he said. Anna's face didn't change.

"Okayï¿½ so?" she asked. Nobu smirked as he ran his finger in circles on the bench.

"I just have to see to know," he said. His hand froze in the circle. Anna's body went stiff in a daze. Nobu smirked as he walked up to his niece. The old man pushed down on her lower eyelids.

"This won't take long," he murmured. Nobu looked deep into her empty eyes.

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Airless darkness all around. Anna opened her eyes and looked around.

This again? The woman tried to move forward. Come on! He did this to you before. Try and focus! Easier thought than done. A bright light flashed over her face, nearly blinding her. Ack! What the hell? She squinted her eyes for a better look. A pair of ruby kitsune eyes stared at her. Anna felt her heart speeding up.

Oh shit! She tried to stay still as the eyes looked deeper into Anna's own.

Nobu focused his energy in deeper. His discovery shocked even him. "Oh what's this?" he asked. "A core? How did sheï¿½?" The old man smiled to himself.

"Oh, I see," Nobu murmured to himself. He began to take a deeper look.

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Anna started at the kitsune eyes when she figured out what they were. It makes sense now! He and his kitsune are one in the same in this realm. So there must be a way to drive them out. I just need to find the anchor point to drive out the bodyï¿½ Anna kept looking deep into the eyes. Where is it? The anchor has to be set somewhere in here. It's the only way he can stay stable in someone's mind. Anna kept searching through the blinding fiery lights. Suddenly, her eyes caught the point in question.

Of course!

Nobu smiled, impressed. "I see," he said. "It all makes sense now." The old man looked at a dazed Anna. He smiled and shook his head.

"My part's done; now to finish up," he said. His eyes looked deep into Anna's blank ones. "Farwell, my niece," Nobu whispered. He put his hands around her neck and squeezed tightly.

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Anna felt herself choking in her prison. He's trying to kill my body. I have to crush the anchor point or I'm dead! With little time to think, she started chanting a Japanese incantation.

"Rin, to, shin, kei, sha, retsu," she mumbled while gasping for air. "Rin, to, shin, kei, sha, retsu. Rin, to, shin, kei, sha, retsu." Her soul felt lighter.

Nobu paused when his hands burned at her neck.

"What's happening?" he shouted. A red light with black streaks of lighting shot up from Anna's body and hit Nobu right in his own mind. The old man found himself in a disturbing shock.

"Stay out of my head," Anna and the kitsune said together in his mind. Nobu's soul took a step back in his own mental prison his victim had trapped him in.

"Forgive me, Mother!" he cried out as he fell to his knees at her feet. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

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When Tsuzuki made his way over to the neighborhood park after following his messenger fuda bird, he found Anna standing over an out-cold Nobu at her feet, panting.