Tokyo Ravens - Volume SS1 - Chapter 8

Part 8
Subsequently, the cat lived for some time, but its health never improved. Being possessed by a spirit, becoming the existence of the shikigami Sohaya for some of time, created a huge burden to the body which was simply a form to contain the spirit. The cat’s appetite was small, and rarely budged. It died on one warm summer night as if falling into a deep sleep.
When the cat died, Suzuka already made all her preparations.
Suzuka first used the dead cat to conduct ‘experiments’. Sohaya’s ‘main part’ was an adhering spiritual entity, therefore he already cannot be revived again. But if it’s the cat that contained him, then it was still worth a try.
Now, in front of her eyes in a meter wide square class box, a black cat was currently bounding about in confusion, even though at an hour ago, this cat had been in a state of death.
Of course, this was only an experiment, but it already had a result. The rest was waiting for all the conditions to occur. An altar. In addition a ceremonial host——Tsuchimikado Yakou’s spiritual power.
Suzuka connected to an external phone line to confirm Tsuchimikado Yakou’s reincarnation, Tsuchimikado Natsume’s location. The answer she received went outside her expectations.
“Summer vacation?”
She was careless. Recently her opportunities to appear as a spokesperson decreased, she was always immersed in her research, as a result she had nearly no contact with the outside world, she wasn’t aware of her target’s activity schedule.
?……? “……”
Suzuka regretfully hung up the phone, gazing at the coffin placed at the corner of the room. A slight trace of unease flickered in the depths of her eyes.
Suddenly a soft sound came from behind her back. Turning around, it turns out it was the black cat in the glass box collapsing once again, no longer moving.
She ‘looked’ over panicked, the aura already faded. Suzuka unconsciously almost wanted to cry, but she clenched her teeth and endured it. She tried her best to encourage herself in her heart.
“It’s not a problem……Certainly, I can succeed.”
Suzuka had confidence, as long as everything was ready she only had to prepare the perquisites then she was sure to succeed.
At this time.
The carefully prepared enchantments spread inside the research laboratory was suddenly destroyed at the same time. Then at the same moment the door was kicked open, a group of men wearing suits charged inside.
The men used handguns and magic talismans aimed at Suzuka.
“Don’t move! We caught you at the scene practicing forbidden magic, you already don’t have a chance to make an excuse!”
The man in the front row used the muzzle of a gun aim at this side, also he showed an ID card, they were the Magical Crime Investigation Officers——known as the Mystical Investigators. Charging in at this occasion meant they already conduced their covert investigation long ago.
Amami’s face suddenly flashed though her mind, assiduous and fearless, seeing thought the good and bad minds of the ‘adults’. Suzuka didn’t feel this was unimaginable nor did she feel remorseful, instead a fearless smile appeared on the corner of her mouth.
At last she stood the decisive battlefield, her heart probably produced this kind of feeling.
“……Who do you think you are?”

Hence, Suzuka launched the plans that she had long prepared.
?
After Suzuka defeated the Mystical Investigators she escaped the head office building. Immediately moving towards ??? with the coffin, she seized the ‘Armoured Juggernaut’ already there and awaiting for commands, then packed them into the shipping container, placed them on the trunk of the truck and traveled westward.
Her target apparently returned to his old home in the countryside. So in a sense, it’s perfectly suitable. The altar prepared for the ‘Taizen Fukun Ritual’ was next to the Tsuchimikado home. There was a very good chance that the Onmyou Agency will dispatch real pursuers, for instance a certain someone among the ‘Twelve Divine Generals’ from before, she could accomplish the objective in one stroke. This was a good sign, luck was on my side.
“……Just wait another moment, brother……”
The task to drive the car was given to the simple shikigami. Suzuka sat in the passenger seat, watching the nightscape flowing past outside the window.
Soon she can meet her brother again. Meet, chat—-even though she herself will die, but that already does not matter. In her mind she solely pondered on the moment of meeting with her brother.
However, Suzuka suddenly recalled the cat left in the glass box in the research laboratory.
While she was suddenly under attack, Suzuka still had to carry out the coffin, therefore she didn’t have the time to attend to the remains of the cat. Furthermore……that was already merely an ordinary cat, no longer Sohaya.
“……Stop.”
However he was brother’s shikigami nothing more, she was only taking care of him on behalf on him. Originally she was never liked cats, they were willful, also useless, and their lives were short. This kind of thing wasn’t worth raising.
“Exactly.”
She doesn’t need a small and weak cat, after she meets her brother, shouldn’t she recommend a both powerful and an undying pet. Bigger, stronger, even if it was cared for negligently it also won’t matter. For example, a tiger is good.
“……Well, a tiger couldn’t be kept……”
A minor self-depreciative smile slipped though the corner of her mouth.
Afterwards, Suzuka deeply sunk her body into the passenger seat, motionlessly closing her eyes. The simple shikigami was given to drive the car, now she must sleep for a while, she won’t have the opportunity to do so once she arrives at the destination.
The car’s vibration made it difficult to sleep, the unaccustomed smell of the gasoline also made Suzuka unhappy. However Suzuka still remained motionless and her brain was completely blank.
Shortly after—-
Suzuka with her eyes closed, a faint smile appeared on her lips.
The Sohaya in her dream already transformed into a tiger, but he still meowed.
 

Translator’s Notes and References
 

1 Japanese short hand for two bedrooms, living room, dining room and kitchen.
2以不动明王正末之本愿
3 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kotatsu
4 She is referring to her elder brother.