The train deep into the Izu peninsula was completely different from any train Hisako had ever taken.
The biggest difference was how it looked.
Each car was smaller and had plush, cared-for seats. Some of the cushions had handmade patches, and some chairs had untouched little stickers on the plastic edges. The triangular handles all hang lower than in the city, and no banner ads were hanging between them or pasted to the ceilings.
The ride was also longer, which allowed Hisako to take in the train and their surroundings.
Hisako had known that Chubu had beaches and endless forested mountains, but she hadn't known until then.
The train slithered along Japan's coast, chugging through mountains in moss-occupied tunnels and between hills in valleys carved by small waterfalls and streams. The towns at each stop were small, but each station seemed equally popular.
Most stops felt like the ingress and egress of locals alone, but some of the more scenic venues, where the mountains met the water, had tourists with their bags.
Closer to their destination, down on the shores of the Pacific, Hisako got to see beaches. It was everything and nothing like the movies.
The sand wasn't sparkling white, but it stretched on in beautiful curves with dark, dancing waves beckoning her to them. Fishing boats clumped together in packs, a few lone one or two-man vessels bobbed just off the sandbank, and surfers or hardy swimmers in wetsuits tested the waters, even as winter began to settle into Japan's bones.
Hisako wondered how cold it could be, and if it was worth the plunge just to say she'd done it. She looked across the train to where Kohaku sat next to Eiji, listening to a very watered-down story about how he'd met Hisako.
Kohaku would dive into freezing waters without question if she brought it up, so maybe she ought not to, she thought with a smile.
"And Sasaki-san? How did you and Hisako meet?" Kohaku asked.
Hisako snorted and looked at Nanae, who looked about as pinched by the question as Eiji had when he'd been pitched it.
"Wasn't it at Hisako's entrance exam?" Eiji asked. "That's—That's what I'd always figured."
Nanae cleared her throat. "Yeah, if I remember right, Amajiki contacted me shortly after your rescue, Morimoto-san. He knew I needed to help a first-timer, um—with an entrance exam, and he told me to be ready when Hisako was cleared by medical."
Kohaku chuckled and sent Hisako a humored glance—Hisako may have warned them that asking for stories like they loved to do so much might end up becoming an interrogation.
"I, well—After the initial exam, we didn't really see each other again until a while later. My cousin and I helped, um, Eiji and Hisako during a shift. Then, recently, they helped us."
Hisako chuckled. "That's the whole story. Since that one shift, though, Nanae has been going out with us. She's cool. She paid for sushi a bit ago. Her cousins are cool too."
Kohaku smiled. "Sweet."
Hisako glanced at Nanae, who was slowly figuring out Kohaku. Nanae noticed her and cracked a smile back.
"Kohaku," Hisako said, "how have you been? How was Hawai'i?"
Kohaku lit up once again. "The group I went with had a lot of friends in Hawai'i, so we went around a lot more than I thought. They took me around Waikiki, and we went surfing and swimming.
"There are so many Japanese people in Hawai'i—I never knew! We got really good Japanese food, like, every day, and they have our convenience stores!"
Kohaku continued about the scenery, the activities they did, and the people they met. Hisako let it wash over her, going on the mental journey back with them. Eiji was somehow more interested than Hisako was, asking two follow-up questions for each detail.
As the train ride ended, they stood with their bags and exited the train into, frankly, the middle of nowhere.
Kohaku paused their story as they all took in the countryside.
The station was the end of the line, stopping at the end of a hill that slumped down into a pebbly tombolo. A bridge crossed the water-lapped shore, offering safe passage to one last large mountain before Japan finally fell into the Pacific.
Spiralling up the mountain was a towering structure. It was more of a web than a single structure, composed of larger traditional buildings and smaller modern buildings. The highest building was the largest—a sprawling resort building puffing out plumes of steam. The whole mountain was steaming, but it was the feather in the cap of the crown building.
"Wow," Hisako breathed. "Like something from a movie."
"Mmhmm," Kohaku hummed before hurrying down to the shore.
Hisako watched, too enthralled by the experience of it all. The ocean was a low roar in her ears, and the air was crisp, salty, and smelled a bit like fresh fish. The breeze rippled across the landscape, tousling the leaves on the countless trees and her hair.
"First time on the coast?" Nanae asked quietly.
They watched Eiji hurry down after Kohaku, making a beeline for the water while pulling off his shoes and socks. Kohaku joined him in wonder, as if they hadn't considered touching the water.
"Yeah. I never traveled as a kid, and I definitely didn't travel when I worked."
"How does it compare to the countryside?"
Hisako chuckled. "So far, not as action-packed. I really liked the orchard—it's pretty—but this is pretty breathtaking. I'll have to give you my official comparison when we leave."
"That sounds fair."
Eiji ran into the tide, feet jumping up with surprise at the first touch. Kohaku bailed at the evident chill of the water, retreating onto dry sand and rocks. Eiji rolled up his slacks and stood at the meeting of the ocean and the beach, almost knee-deep in freezing water, but he looked at peace.
"This has got to be one of the strangest groups around," Nanae murmured. "A thirtysomething salaryman, us, and your young friend."
"Ah, they're older than they seem," Hisako replied. "But yeah, this is the coworker special. When we worked construction, we'd be hanging out with people who had kids—grandkids, sometimes. It's nice, knowing so many different people. It makes you see the world a certain way."
"A range of wisdom," Nanae agreed, "but a lack of diverse worldviews."
"That's true… They were all in it for life, you know? It made me think I had found where I was meant to be."
"Complacency in stagnation," Nanae echoed absently.
Hisako let the moment steep, words brewing. She hesitated for too long—
A boxy new SUV came puttering down the bridge, rolling to a stop just a few strides away. The driver stepped out, leaving the engine running. Nanae strode up to greet her.
She showed Nanae her Doorkeeper badge, and Nanae showed hers. Hisako patted her pocket to assure herself she hadn't forgotten her own.
The Doorkeeper wore only a loose yukata and slippers, which Hisako wondered were meant for outdoor use. The yukata was rather plain—just a faint blue fabric with the occasional sparrow printed on it with a plain dark blue sash.
The woman herself was stunning enough to make up for the bland dress. She had tanned skin unpainted by makeup and unmarked by tattoos, with relaxed dark eyes. Her face was soft but had defined, traditionally beautiful features. Her hair was done up effortlessly, held in a dark, circling nest by several long metal pins. There was a mature agelessness to her, but she was undoubtedly older than Eiji by several years.
She looked as though she was ripped right out of an old tapestry, sans the striking makeup and lavish kimono. It fit the tone of the rest of the Chubu Doorkeepers.
Nanae walked away to rein in the other two, and Hisako took the chance to greet the Doorkeeper.
"Good afternoon," she said with a bow.
The woman bowed deeply in return; Hisako hurried to bow deeper. "Good afternoon. Welcome to my sector! Soon to B-Grade, Aiko Okumura, at your service."
Hisako blinked—freezing up before she could process the joke and smile at it. "I'm Hisako Mochizuki. Recently promoted to E-Grade. Nice to meet you. Your sector is very beautiful; do you ever get tired of it?"
She smiled. "Time has no meaning here, until you're picking up guests," she chuckled. "But no, I don't think it gets old. I still always find something new to love." She pointed to Eiji and Kohaku returning from the beach. "Which one of them isn't a Doorkeeper?"
"Kohaku," Hisako said. "The shorter one."
She nodded. "Some of the current guests at the resort are riskier than others to be around. Amajiki-san called ahead a few hours ago to make sure I kept a closer eye on your friend."
Hisako nodded. "Thank you very much. I hope it's not too much trouble, them being here."
"No, no. It's certainly rare," she said, "but Doorkeepers aren't isolated from the rest of Japan. We all have friends and family we care for and want to spend time with."
"If I may ask, which guests are more of a risk?" Hisako asked quietly.
She waved a hand dismissively. "I wouldn't worry about it. This mountain is crawling with perfectly capable keepers, even if most can't currently use their abilities or weapons. Aside from the headquarters and satellite complexes, this is the safest place in Japan."
"Ah, thanks," Hisako said.
Okumura had not answered her question; Hisako would just ask someone else.
Okumura walked to the back of the SUV and popped the trunk for their bags. Hisako helped toss them in, then climbed into the passenger bench. Kohaku bounded in after her, followed by Eiji, drying his legs off by shaking like a dog.
Nanae got into the passenger seat next to Okumura and then began the drive.
"Hey," Kohaku whispered.
Hisako peeled her eyes from the ocean. Kohaku pressed a small, beautiful stone into her hands. It was cool and damp from the ocean, and it rested neatly in her palm.
"Thanks for inviting me."
"It was Nanae, actually. We're all her guests, but she told me Amajiki suggested she invite you."
"I'll have to thank her," they whispered. "And him, I suppose, for the best idea all year," they added with a smile.
Hisako nodded. "It doesn't take too long to warm up to her," she promised, "and I think she's already warming up to you."
"No worries. You have good taste in friends. You're like a dog that way—don't laugh! I mean that you're a good judge of character."
"I know, I know. Thanks. Just, uh, be careful, okay? The guests here are all like, well, my coworkers. They're… weird and stuff."
"Copy that. I'll be on my best behavior."
"Pfft. It's vacation; live it up. Just don't, like, go into any more Doors or anything like that—nothing too freaky. And if you see something… let Okumura-san or someone know."
"No problem! Hey, on TV, people eat ice cream after going to the onsen—"
"I plan to try every type of ice cream available. Multiple times," Hisako replied.
Kohaku beamed.
"I recommend the matcha soft serve," Eiji added.
Kohaku stared at him. "Dude, how old are you?"
"You have a sweet tooth, then, huh?" Eiji sighed.
"I'm a matcha fan," Nanae said. "The stronger, the better."
"Everything at the resort is on the boss's dime. The other resorts make enough money to pay for it all and more," Okumura said. "His way of supporting the Do—the organization."
They began to spiral up the mountain, passing little micro-towns. Some were definitely for utilities and non-housing purposes, some looked like luxury rentals, and some seemed to be more like comfy staff lodgings.
"Oh, man, maybe you shouldn't have said that," Kohaku said.
"Along with the onsen, dining, and housing, we also have an extensive series of gymnasiums and training grounds for any exercise desires," Okumura said. "Pools, climbing facilities, sparring rooms. If you can think it, we probably have it."
They crested the mountain and reached a gravel lot sitting before the face of the grand hotel.
"This place sounds like paradise," Kohaku breathed. "How does one stay here forever?"
Okumura killed the engine and hopped out of the vehicle. "To stay here forever?" she chuckled darkly. "Fail to overcome the darkness within and either give up or toil endlessly over that failure."
They all fell silent.
"But no one's ever done that!" she laughed. "Not for lack of trying by the current star guest, though," she muttered under her breath.
They all glanced at each other warily as they retrieved their bags.
Okumura went on ahead, holding the doors open for them.
"Well? Aren't you all excited to begin?"