The demon sent Kai to their converted storage room like an angry parent would an unruly child. Kai slipped away from a dumbfounded Rubi despite her protests, asking to know more about what he had just told her.

"I'll be back, my demon needs to yell at me because I am, and I quote, disrespectful and out of line." he said, leaving her up on the deck and disappearing down the stairs.

"No, you come back here ri-" Rubi hissed but the lock on the door clicked shut. There was no lock on the inside. "Damn it."

The demon loomed inside the cabin, practically steaming. Sama sat right next to it without a flicker of fear, staring at it as fondly as she did Kai. It was her second closest friend and they enjoyed a silent relationship much of the time. It played sentinel, watching her closely.

The demon was in a sour mood, its socket-like eyes narrowed in a frown, all four arms crossed in displeasure.

You shouldn't have told her, the demon sighed to Kai. What can a human do with that knowledge? It's just a depressing memory and a liability to us.

"If Tsuki can understand, so can humans." Kai said back to him. "We're not all that different."

The demon shot him an especially annoyed look.

History would say otherwise, the demon muttered. Tsuki have served and protected this world for countless generations. They have preserved the natural order that this planet depends on throughout the ages. Humanity just wants to gouge out its heart and let it burn for a cheap payoff. They revel in compulsion and hedonism with no regard for their impact.

"This crew still treats us well, even though they know I'm not like them. These people are different."

The demon rolled its eyes.

"They're not the kind to be happily walled up in their cities and fed lies." Kai continued, ignoring it. "Rubi is the only Collector on her ship and she's organised all of them together under one flag. Collectors know what it's like to be different and persecuted. We can make allies. Allies are a good thing, you know. That's why they're called 'allies'."

That's not the point. I told your father I'd protect you from their idiocy and I've kept that promise. I will do anything I am capable of to keep that promise, as you well know. We've done just fine not telling anyone about what we're trying to do. Allies are potential traitors. Our mission is far too important to risk that.

"I'm not telling her about our mission." Kai said insistently. "But we're not going to get anywhere if we keep treating humans like they're stupid."

I watched your father die at the hands of humanity's stupidity. He thought very much the same way until mankind came crawling along to stab him in the back. Humanity never fails to come full circle. It's in their nature.

"I'm not my father." Kai said sternly. "And nothing will change if we don't try to do things differently. I like these people. Every last one of them. There's no politics to twist people's priorities or wealth to cheat for. They just want something better, like my father did."

There's something wrong with all of them, the demon grumbled. A male forest sprite? A winged boy? Whatever the other girl is? And Rubi... there's something deeply strange going on with her. There's something in her aura I've not seen before.

"What do you mean?"

A sickness. Rooted deep in her body.

"I know. She takes medications."

It's not an ordinary illness, I can tell you that. I've never seen a distortion in an aura like hers.

"My aura isn't ordinary either. You know that. Maybe someone else with an unusual aura is exactly the person we need with us."

I don't get sick, Kai, but I know what I can see. You need to understand, there is something wrong with her that you can't detect. I am formed from the planet's energy, I can sense when energy is wrong. Her energy is wrong. It's not because she's a Collector. It's something else. Something similar to when a planet is suffering an imbalance.

"Is it what's hurting her?" Kai asked.

I don't know. I have no other person to reference to.

Sama perked up.

"Is Rubi going to be alright?" she asked, looking up at the demon. Kai patted her gently.

"Rubi has an illness. You've seen her taking tablets with her tea, right?"

Sama nodded.

"Sometimes humans, and even Tsuki, get illnesses. Some of those illnesses never really go away but we can use medicine to help us live with them."

"I can tell she's in pain." Sama said quietly. "I want to help her."

"No." Kai said immediately. "You need to stay hidden. We don't want the wrong kind of people becoming alerted to you. They might take you away from us."

Exactly why you need to keep your mouth shut about the inner workings of the world, the demon said.

"I think my nai was sick too." Sama said, sniffling. Her eyes were wet with tears. "I don't want Rubi to be sick like my nai. But I don't want to be taken away."

What sickness did her mother have? Ask her what sickness her mother had! the demon urged.

"What sickness did your mother have?" Kai asked.

"I don't know." the little girl said. "I was too little to understand. When I was in her belly, I made her feel better. But the man she lived with scared her. The man with a hole in his head. Sometimes he would hurt her but I could protect her. That's why she gave me away to her friend in the temple. Then you found me. I don't remember her much, but I miss her."

The tears started to flow.

"I wish I remembered what she looked like. Or if the man with a hole in his head went away so she didn't have to be scared anymore. I think... I think I'm like him."

"Oh, Sama." Kai said, pulling her into his lap for a hug. She sobbed into his shoulder, squeezing him tightly. "You are not like him. It's gonna be alright. We'll find her one day. I know she's still out there and she's thinking of you too."

The demon sat awkwardly to his side. It's face and posture softened, and it wrapped it's four arms around them both in a clumsy embrace. The air hummed around them where skin met the strange blue mist.

"Can your book tell us if my nai is safe?" she sobbed.

"No, Sama, I'm sorry. The book only tells me about my family, no one else's."

You're half way through your page, the demon said. Don't waste it.

Kai looked over Sama and gave his demon a knowing look.

What Sama said, the demon spoke into Kai's mind. About her mother. Is it possible the sickness is a sign of... that?

I don't know, Kai thought back. We have a sample size of one. It's not exactly a science.

Kai stroked Sama's hair until she fell asleep in the blanket nest they had made. Kai could remember building blanket forts as a child. He would tie the corners of the sheets to the dining room chairs, drape it over the drying rack and fill it with his pillows and toys. The more he made, the bigger and grander they became. Sometimes he and his parents would eat their dinner in the fort next to the fire, the rain pattering on the leaves and the roof outside.

There were too few materials in their little store room to build a real fort. But one day he would show her.

He carefully detached her arms from his torso and tucked in the blankets around her like a little cocoon. She was a good kid. All he needed was for her to grow up safe before she started using her gifts to help others. A seven year old, even one with extraordinary powers, could not defend herself against the real horrors of the world.

The kind that could kill a child without a second thought. Or worse. Someone like the 'man with a hole in his head' could do so much worse than kill you.

Kai wondered what he would say to Rubi when he inevitably ran into her again. He and his demon did not disagree particularly often, and he understood that his friend only wanted to keep them safe. Something needed to change if they wanted to live a safer life. Being on the run non-stop was no way to raise a child.

He unlocked the door with an ice shard, ascending the stairs slowly, careful not to let the boards beneath his feet creak too loudly. There was no light coming from inside of Rubi's quarters. She had to still be on deck. He could hear Mimi humming in the engine room.

Up on deck, he saw Rubi busying herself with a length of rope, unwinding it and recoiling it to be a tidier series of loops. Kagemaru approached her and leaned up against the mast.

"How's Mimi been?" Kagemaru asked.

"Bored, I think. But other than that I think she's fine."

"Did you talk to her about the fight on the dock?"

"I did. She said she assessed it was necessary to use force in that scenario."

"Enough force to break a guy's arm bone out the skin?"

Rubi shuddered a bit at the memory of the white bone and spraying blood, the splatters of crimson on Mimi's smooth, unmoving face.

"I guess." she said. "I was more scared she had frozen and was going to get hurt. I know she can hit back, I just didn't know she could or would go that far."

"I remember her punching those two guys in that barfight a while back." Kagemaru recalled. "But she was merciless to the police on the dock."

"They were armed." Rubi posited. "It was just fists at the bar."

"And a table."

"Yeah. And a jug, and whatever else got broken. It's just odd that she had that outburst right after she froze at the window. I don't know if those things are connected. Nothing like this has happened before. It's so unusual that for once she has no idea what's happening. She knows something about literally everything."

Rubi thought for a few moments. If Mimi was acting no different otherwise, was there a reason to worry? If there was a reason for concern, was there anything they could do?

"I know we're safe with her." Rubi added. "That's not even a question. Mimi is a good person. The first sign of danger she would tell us." She thought for a moment about her conversation with Kai. "Kage, you're my favourite pessimist, y'know."

"Why thank you." Kagemaru said, nonplussed.

"I need your advice."

"Sure. Don't swim for an hour after eating. Brush your wings. Always use your legs when lifting something heavy."

"Very funny." Rubi said sarcastically, humouring him. "Kai told me the end of that story he told the passengers. The true story has a different ending."

She relayed the story to him as best she could. He listened, frowning and nodding as he did, stroking his chin.

"That's pretty dark." he said. "Wrath really went overboard. Having your friend targeted like that sucks but it doesn't justify mass murder and scattering the survivors across the world. Not a very sympathetic character. It's just a story."

"That's the thing, Kage. I don't think it is a story. Kai said it's the world's true creation story. His demon was there when the world was made. And then right after that, he told me something. He said Sama isn't a Tsuki. He found her in a ruined temple. Do you think we can trust that she's disguised as a Tsuki for a good reason?"

"Wait, wait. Disguised is one thing." Kagemaru said pointedly. "If I disguised myself as Take'Ichi, I wouldn't look exactly like him. Or any sprite for that matter. Sama looks exactly like Kai does."

"He said she transformed."

"A shapeshifter?"

"Maybe."

Kagemaru sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"If we keep it cool, we can drop them off at port and never find out if they're dangerous."

Kai's heart felt a little heavier. People believing they were dangerous could result in safety, but it was a very lonely existence. People being afraid of him felt so uncomfortable. The crew of the Disaster did not need to be scared of them.

"I'll see what Mimi knows about shape shifters." Rubi said to Kagemaru. "Maybe with what we know about her Mimi can figure out what she is and if she's a risk to us. I want to give them the benefit of the doubt, but I will not put my friends all at risk if I can help it."

Mimi was getting ready to rest for the night in her chair when Rubi found her. Unexpectedly, Take'Ichi was curled up on the rug, wrapped in his blankets, totally asleep. She considered waking him, but he looked so peaceful. This would scare him. She would tell him once they had something they knew for certain.

Mimi rattled through the droves of information locked inside her mind. She mental shifted the facts and lore through her systems, filtering them into smaller clusters and eliminating the outliers.

Humanoid, age affected, speaks, consumes nutrients, sleeps, seemingly benevolent, able to manipulate locks, use a type of invisibility...

"My knowledge of shapeshifters has a lot of folklore in it, with many similar stories." Mimi explained. "Their credibility is questionable at best. If Sama is another kind of creature, she may have powers we are yet to see that could help us narrow down the possibilities."

"What's the worst case scenario in your opinion?" Rubi asked.

"It would be exceptionally unlikely to be that." Mimi said. "The worst case would likely be that we have a Perfect Immortal on board. But the stories say there are only three of those in the world at any given time."

"What's a Perfect Immortal?" Rubi asked, her eyes growing wide at the possibility. "I've not heard this story before."

"The Perfect Immortals are the apex of all living things." Mimi explained. "The three most powerful creatures to ever walk this Earth. God-like but in physical form. Only vulnerable to each other and able to do anything imaginable with magic."

"It sounds like a story about Collectors I was told as a child." Rubi recalled. "People who could raise the dead and stuff."

She nodded.

"The story I read originated from the Eastern continents, written in Proper," Mimi replied. "It is very possible the lore of the Perfect Immortals and the Collectors became mistakenly interwoven over time. They share that both are born to humans, have human form and possess great magical diversity. Given Sama's diverse set of skills that we've seen so far, she could potentially be one."

"So if, hypothetically," Kagemaru said carefully. "Sama is one of these three exceptionally rare creatures and she's disguised as Tsuki, what can we do about it?"

"Nothing." Mimi shrugged. "We are not other Perfect Immortals. Any resistance would be fruitless."

"Why would something so powerful be on the run?" Kagemaru asked further.

"That I do not know." Mimi said. "She does appear to be very dependent on Kai and they have a close bond. Perhaps there is something happening that we don't know about."

"Something that would make a Perfect Immortal feel unsafe?" Rubi puzzled. "The other Perfect Immortals, perhaps?"

"Sounds disastrous." Kagemaru said plainly. "And we have one on our ship."

"Well, they figured it out." Kai said, giving the demon a smug smile as they hid under the stairway with the barrels of fresh water.

I knew this would happen, the demon groaned. That girl is a walking encyclopedia.

"A what?" Kai asked.

Nevermind. She's a library on legs.

"Ah. Well, I'm gonna tell 'em they got it right."

Don't you dare, Kai Sei Tsuki!

"Gonna tell 'em."

He rounded the corner and waved a hand.

"Hey folks. I can, uh, fill in any blanks you might have since you figured it out."

"Gods!" Kagemaru exclaimed, reeling back from surprise. "Stop scaring me!"

Take'Ichi lurched awake at Kagemaru's shout and yelped in surprise, promptly transforming into a stick of bamboo and disappearing amongst the blankets.

"You need to start talking." Rubi said firmly, trying to sound authoritative as Mimi retrieved their friend from the rug. "I don't care how crazy it sounds, you need to tell us exactly what's going on here."

"I'd like to." Kai agreed. "I think it's only fair you know. Sama is indeed a Perfect Immortal."

"Why are you hitchhiking across the world if you have one of those at your disposal?" Kagemaru asked.

"Look," Kai said, leaning up against the door. "I need to make this clear. I have a seven year old demi-god under my protection. She's not disguised as a child to hide anything, she is a child. No matter how you look at it, she needs support and protection from the worst of the world."

"What about the other two Perfect Immortals?" Rubi asked. "There's always three, right?"

Kai nodded.

"I only know of one more." he said. "Though I don't doubt there's a third one out there. I don't know what the second calls himself, but to us, he's known as The Man With a Hole in his Head."

"Sama's father?" Rubi asked.

"No. Perfect Immortals can't have children as far as I know. But he has imprisoned Sama's mother for decades. I believe when he somehow found out she was going to have the next Perfect Immortal, he abducted her. Sama was surrendered to the temple I found her in and for some unknown reason, The Man wasn't able to retrieve her. The only thing I know is that her mother was recaptured."

"So what's your plan here?" Rubi continued. "She grows up, you rescue her mother, and then what?"

"The Man can only be harmed or killed by another of his kind. When one dies, another is immediately conceived, no father at all. The Man, my demon says, has killed two already. One older, one younger. Every time he does, he absorbs the abilities they have learned and his powers increase.

Sama needs to grow up to be both a kind person and a powerful sorcerer. I'm trying to help her be both. Some day, she will need to stop this guy for good. The third Immortal hasn't surfaced as far as I know, either deliberately hiding or just plain lucky. Until then, I'm trying to keep undesirable attention away from us. Kids can't handle what some people will do to others. She needs examples of compassion and community to appreciate so that she doesn't become like him."

Rubi felt a wave of guilt rise in her churning emotions. She could see how being ostracised and even demonised for her potential could change even a child like Sama into a monster. Having a childhood was so important to her developing into a good person. Being a normal child could teach her lessons that would prevent her using her powers for terrible things.

"I don't know where her mother is." Kai said quietly. "And even if I did, we can't fight him. Not yet anyway.

"And the Man?" Rubi asked. "Do you know where he is?"

"On the move in the East, last I heard." Kai said.

"Kai, we're going East." Rubi blurted, her stomach lurching once more. "You're not keeping her safe if you move into his territory."

"I know." he replied. "But the forge is in the South East, in Daikoku. I need to make my weapon from the meteorite."

"Why is it so important that you'd take such a risk?"

Kai cupped his hands to demonstrate the vague size of the meteorite he carried.

"This meteorite isn't just rare," he explained. "It was first manipulated by the God of Compassion to make a weapon to protect his people from the war between the surviving gods. There is an ancient and powerful magic in the metal. I believe that if Sama could one day wield it, she may get the upper hand on the Man. Even though she's not absorbed any other skills than what I will teach her."

Rubi rubbed her head in frustration.

"Kai," she groaned. "I don't know what to say."

"I'm sorry, I have that effect on people." Kai said apologetically. He sighed. "I haven't seen Sama this happy in a while. She's really liked being with you. I'm only one person, y'know? She's really enjoyed being around such a good crowd."

"Have we been pulled into this now?" Kagemaru asked, his arms folded tightly across his chest and his jaw tense. "Is there a target on us all now?"

"I don't think so." Kai said. "I can't be sure. I'm sorry."

A puff of spores filled the cabin, leading to a fit of coughing in the cabin. Take'Ichi had reappeared safely, although still visibly shaken.

"Can... can I say something?" he asked after a moment.

"Sure." Rubi said.

"I'm not upset about all this," he said carefully. Kagemaru rolled his eyes. "I think what Kai said is really important. It's hard not belonging anywhere. Trying to find a place to be." He sat on the edge of Rubi's bed timidly, his voice seeming so loud in the deafening quiet of the room. "I'm the only boy sprite I've ever known. It's lonely and no one knew what to do with me when I was growing up because I was so strange. Sometimes it even makes me angry."

The admittance made him shift uncomfortably. Rubi placed a hand on his shoulder to comfort him. He looked at his feet.

"I think if I was brave, I wouldn't be the way I am. If I could be angry easily, I might have turned out to be a horrible person. It's really helped me to be around you all. I think Sama deserves to feel normal too. She's a good girl. I want to help her."

"You're a good kid too, 'Ichi." Rubi said assuringly. "I understand how this makes you feel. For a long time, I felt isolated too. And I very much want to help people."

She looked to Kai, breathing deep to compose her next words.

"You're safe here with us." she said to him. "No one here will put the safety of you or Sama at risk. While I can't say you can stay here forever, so long as you are honest with us and do your best to stay away from danger, you're welcome on my ship."

"Thank you." Kai said sincerely. "It feels good to be honest with you all. I don't want anyone to be in danger because of us. Sama is my responsibility."

"Where is she now?" Kagemaru asked.

"Asleep in our cabin. Long day of being a kid, y'know."

"I think we could all use a rest." Rubi said. "We're making good time on our journey. I'll ask Gaku in the morning if he knows anywhere we can drop anchor and take a break."

You'd better be right about this, the demon grumbled to Kai from the shadows.

Kai looked back at the demon knowingly, hoping it could pick up on his feelings. A weight was lifted a little. Any relief was welcome.