Pitch passed out as soon as he got in the tub in the bathroom, quickly slipping into a dream. For the first time in years he found himself back in first grade during the day of that field trip. The field trip that started it all. Except this time his vision jumped from his own perspective to that of the monster's. It was after something, drawn to something. The other humans were just in the way, covenant snacks between it and whatever was drawing it. The source of what drew it, a child. One Pitch recognized immediately as Yuri Ishwada.

  Pitch's perspective shifted to his own as he reached out to grab Yuri as she was grabbed by the monster. Trying the best his little body could to pull her from its grip. “Hold on Yuri, I won't let you go!” Yuri reached a hand down her shirt and pulled out a necklace, handing it to young James. “Raitoburingā.” She was then pulled away and torn to bits in front of James. Pitch then saw from the monster's point of view as it became curious of young James’ lack of fear and started to prod him.

  Pitch awoke with a start, but before his mind could even process his existence his phone rang. Pitch shifted into the mask form and picked it up with a crappy stereotype Italian accent. “Big Tony's Pizzeria and Abortion Clinic where yesterday's loss is today's sauce. How may I help you?” It was Ishwada at the other end. “Farm animals have been found emaciated at the edge of town with clear signs of having been attacked by a Chupacabra.”

  Pitch groaned. “Send me the address and I'll be right there.” He quickly got ready, checking a jewelry box for the strange looking necklace and grabbing it. “I forgot I had you, I should give you back to your rightful owner. Once ready he went to check the farm that got attacked. When he arrived Ishwada greeted him. “You know, I wasn't going to call you in since I already know what I'm after.” Pitch took one look at the wound on one of the animals and recognized the three toothed bite marks from pictures he had seen on Cryptid conspiracy site. “Yeah, Chupy is one of the better documented Cryptids among normal people. So… why'd you call me in on the case?”

  Ishwada sighed. “It's less that I needed your help and more because it's on the list. I thought you'd be upset if I left you out.” Pitch pinched the bridge of his nose. “To be honest, I'd rather be moving Kathryn in with me than deal with Cryptids right now. Especially after what happened with the Whispering Despair. I still haven't fully recovered yet. Now everytime I enter a crime scene or situation to help you I can't help but feel like everyone is staring at me. Waiting for me to mess up and give you a big I told you so. Even the Dopplegangers can't look at me straight after the Banshee case. Oh, and I dreamt about the night your daughter passed for the first time in ages. Remembered she gave me this with her final words. Raitoburingā.” Pitch handed Ishwada the strange pendant.

  Ishwada looked at the necklace a bit perplexed. “Eh? Oh! That's where I left that. Thanks for returning it as well as delivering her final word. Lightbringer.” Ishwada then refocused on the case. “Anyway, sorry for dragging you out for this. But, since you're already here, you might as well help out.” Pitch looked over the different animals. Mostly goats but the Cryptid attacked a few sheep as well as a cow and a pig. “Is it normal for a Chupacabra to go after cows?” Ishwada shook his head. “Normally they only aim for small livestock with goats being their favorite for some reason. We also have no idea as to a possible origin outside a fear of predators eating one's livestock but that feels too specific. Especially considering how many there are. It has among the highest population of any non-citizen Cryptid I know of.”

  Pitch put his hand on his chin. “It might be an example of a regular animal turned Cryptid and thus it would be able to breed like an animal still. All the Cryptid types with high populations seem to have the ability to reproduce sexually.” Pitch looked up at the overcast sky and listened to distant thunder and frowned. “The weather is about to turn. In about an hour it'll be pouring buckets. A storm is coming, and not just the one in the sky.”

  Ishwada gave Pitch a perplexed look. “What do you mean by that?” Pitch blinked a few times, perplexed himself. “I don't know, but I'm getting this anxious feeling. Could just be frayed nerves from yesterday. Doesn't help that I already feel like I'm being watched by everyone in Black Eagle.” Ishwada nodded. “Right. Let's try and focus on the case for now. Here's a map of farms that have been hit. This one's the most recent.” Ishwada hands Pitch a map with points marked.

  Pitch looked it over, looking for a pattern. “Is it… circling the city?” Ishwada looked at the map. “Looks like it. The city is surrounded by farmland so it makes sense. However, Chupacabra normally don't hunt alone. This one is likely doing it because it was separated from its group. It's drinking a lot for a single entity though. This is just a few days' progress.” Pitch cursed under his breath causing Ishwada to give him a look. “The most common cause for a sudden increase in appetite in animals.”

  Ishwada looked confused. “You lost me, but it might be because I haven't had my morning tea.” Pitch let out an exasperated sigh. “I think the damned thing is pregnant.” Ishwada looked at the carnage of this farm, one of many. “It would check out with what we know, but when? Did the lab have a second Chupacabra and allow them to interact for… science?” Pitch shrugged. “That's not important right now. Let's try to head this thing off, go two farms up and flank it when it gets there.”

  Ishwada nodded and started to issue orders, the two then went in their own vehicles and quickly drove to a different farm in the path the Chupacabra was taking. The Black Eagle personnel took up hidden positions ready to take on the Cryptid. After a bit of waiting as it started raining it arrived.

  From the distance it looked like a mangy canine of medium size, similar to that of a labrador. Although the exact species wasn't clear as it looked like it could be anything from a ratty dog, to a coyote, to a hyena, to a tasmanian wolf or a mix of multiple things. Its long, canine-like face had two fangs coming up the sides of its mouth and one going down over the middle and almost looked like small tusks rather than fangs. The ratty, mangy looking creature stalked slowly onto the farm. It slowly made its way to a sheep and got ready to pounce, but as it leaped a Black Eagle fired a Faraday net at it. The Chupacabra was easily captured and subdued.

  Pitch got up from his spot as the Black Eagle personnel started making sure the thing couldn't break free and loaded it into a containment van. “You guys didn't even need my help.” One one the Black Eagle soldiers snapped back. “Well yeah. We're trained and equipped to deal with these sorts of things. We don't need your help. Ever.” Ishwada took a stern tone with the soldier. “Holden’s insights and instincts have saved lives and reduced casualties. Speeding up cases and has done nothing but help us.”

  The soldier snapped back. “Yeah? And how is he being paid for his services? What price could a demon like him be asking for his services?” Ishwada crossed his arms. “You work directly with a Succubus in your squad and have had no complaints.” The soldier pointed angrily at Pitch. “This… thing makes Wendigos look safe. At least I know what a Succubus is and how to deal with one. I don't even know what he is.” Ishwada grumbles. “I have faith and trust in him, that should be enough.”

  Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

  The soldier grumbled before going back to the containment van. Ishwada pinched the bridge of his nose. “Just give them time and they'll see, you're just trying to do your best.” Pitch sighed. “Whatever, it's fine. I'm not here to be everyone's friend. I'm here to do a job.” Ishwada nodded. Then five Black Eagle men carrying a large barrel they grabbed out of the containment van run over and dump the liquid contents onto Pitch like Gatorade at the end of a football game win soaking him way more then the rain already had.

  “What the fuck?!” Pitch shook the water off himself. “What was that for?” He then felt a slight tingle on his skin. “Wait… what was in that container?” The man that was causing issues earlier stammered. “That… should have worked. You should be in flames right now.” Ishwada growled at his subordinates. “What, was, that?” One of the men mousily responded. “Holy water.” Pitch shook himself off a bit more before laughing. “You know, it kinda tickles. I might have to take some home.” Ishwada orders his men to take the Chupacabra to containment. “Are you okay?”

  Pitch chuckled lightly. “Yeah, in fact I feel great. That anxious feeling that's been weighing me down is gone and I feel lighter than before. I think the holy water actually helped.” Ishwada tilted his head, making a perplexed expression. He cycled through a few expressions as his mind sorted through things. “Well, I'll table that for later. Let's get you home and in dry clothes.” Pitch chuckled. “What, before I catch a cold? I don't have to worry about that anymore.” Ishwada knitted his brow. “Right… well this case is solved so either way-”

  Pitch suddenly gets a different tingling sensation followed by a sound of something ripping. He immediately grabbed Ishwada and leaped to the side as lightning struck the spot they were standing. “That was a close one.” Then, out of the smoke of the impact came a small blue furred creature. It had six limbs and six blue eyes and looked like a weasel mixed with a bit of wolf and a small dash of insect. Its size leaned closer to the size of a weasel and it let out a strange sound that could be described as a slightly distorted high pitched chuckle. Like a clown chuckle from a low budget haunted house attraction.

  Ishwada cursed under his breath. “Shit, Raiju. And right after sending everyone else out.” Pitch shouted. “What the hell is the Raiju doing here?! It seems really pissed off at us for some reason.” Ishwada looked at his Humvee and back again. “Not us, me. I was the one that originally captured it. Just a week before the breakout happened. Bosses offered a bonus if I could get one alive from Japan and bring it to the facility here.” Pitch frowned slightly. “I can't believe that you went on a mission to Japan and didn't even think about calling me.”

  Ishwada looked at Pitch. “I don't call you for every mission, that would mean near daily deployment.” Pitch raised his voice a bit. “Yeah but… Japan. I've always wanted to go.” Ishwada grumbled. “If you can hold that thing off long enough for me to get a classic Faraday ready for containment, I'll buy you two tickets to Tokyo. Deal?” Pitch cracked his knuckles and neck, somehow. “Man, for two tickets I'll knock the thing out myself. Come on you oversized spark ferret, I'll show you the business end of my fist.”

  Pitch picked up a rock and tossed it at the monster’s head to get its attention off of Ishwada. “You may look like a mutated Pocket Monster, but the only thing you're going to catch is these hands.” Ishwada making his way to the Humvee shouts back. “The people catch the monsters, your pun doesn't quite work.” Pitch shouts back. “Shut up, they can't all be bangers.” The Raiju growled at Pitch before it seemed to turn into a lightning bolt that shot right at him. Pitch was caught off guard and unable to dodge in time considering the monster moved at the literal speed of lightning.

  Pitch was tossed a solid distance before sliding down the wet grass as lightning and thunder boomed in the distance and the rainfall got heavier. He picked himself out of the grass with a groan. Ishwada made it to the Humvee and started shuffling through it. “You okay, Pitch? That looked like it hurt.” Pitch looked at the claw marks in his chest making a nice X that cut through to his true body. “Considering I just got Volt Tackled by Chernobyl Pikachu, not bad. Though I'm kinda glad all the Black Eagle grunts left because I'm leaking out of the mask over here. Try to go faster, though. I'm not sure how much energy I can take from this thing.”

  Pitch fired a purple bolt of lightning out his hand at the ground. “If it hits me hard enough I might not be able to discharge it fast enough.” The Raiju tilted its head back and forth as it started to circle Pitch. Suddenly seemingly curious about the other Cryptid facing it. Pitch waits for it to make its move. “(As long as it's not going after Ishwada while he prepares the Faraday, that's all that matters. Then I just gotta keep it still long enough for Jiryu to take the shot.)”

  Pitch stretched out his arms to the sides. “What's the matter, you scared? Never fight someone who could tank a hit from you and keep tickin’? Come at me, you oversized rodent!” The Raiju was struck by lightning, growing twice its original size. It then made another attempt at an attack, moving as fast as lightning in a zig-zag pattern. This time Pitch is ready and is able to dodge to the side. When he does he sends a fist straight into the monster's about causing it to let out a yelp as it is sent a distance away. “Holy shit! You catch that, Jiryu? ‘Cause that was awesome!”

  Ishwada shouts from the Humvee. “I'm a little busy preparing things, so no.” Pitch shook his arm and hand, having still taken in some electricity despite being the one that attacked this time. “I do a “faster than lightning” feat, and you missed it.” He than readies himself for the Raiju’s next attack. Ishwada finally comes out of the Humvee with a Faraday net gun in his hands and a katana strapped to his hip. “Keep it still for a bit.” Pitch looked at Ishwada and scolded him lightly. “You took the time to pull out the katana? I thought you lost the key.”

  Ishwada chuckled. “Yeah, it was on the necklace I gave Yuri. The one you returned to me a while back. Now hold the monster still long enough for me to get a clean shot.” Pitch nodded before making a run at the Raiju. It responded with its own tackle only to find itself grabbed mid-attack by Pitch. The monster started discharging lightning at Pitch and after a while Pitch started shooting purple lightning back at the monster causing it to start growing and turning purple. Pitch continued to hold it in a sort of bear hug as he looked back at Ishwada. “Any day now Jiryu.”

  Ishwada steadied his aim as rain, lightning, and thunder continued to increase and drown out other sounds. He fires the cage with Pitch devolving his mask just before it lands, reforming himself on the outside as the large Raiju struggled inside the cage it barely fit in. It shook and rattled the cage making all sorts of animalistic feral noises. “Cutting it kinda close there, Jiryu. Any longer and it would have gotten too big for the cage.” Ishwada sets the gun down and starts walking over, calling in the request for a containment van. “Sorry about that, I had to adjust for the wind.”

  Pitch looked at the creature in the cage and chuckled. “Halfway down the list already thanks to this twofer.” Pitch started to walk to his jeep. Then he turned back suddenly as he heard a loud strange sounding cry from the monster followed by the distinct sound of electrical discharge and the deployable cage being destroyed. The monster was free and instead of going after Pitch who was fighting it earlier dashed at Ishwada. “Jiryu!” Pitch shouted as he reached out his hand, too far away to do anything even if he was in his true form. Ishwada however, reacted with the reflexes of a trained fighter, grabbing the handle of the ancient katana and pulling it out with great speed and force.

  The sword came out and a small red gem embedded in the hilt near the guard glowed as flames flicked off the sword boosting the speed and force of the already impressively fast and powerful attack. The sword made contact with the Raiju mid air with its claws out aiming for Ishwada's throat but its many eyes widened as its body was cut in two. The two sides then broke down into small bolts of lightning that struck different points of the blade. A second of the gems, once clear, turned a glowing purple before the glow died down. The hilt now had two different colored gems and three colorless gems.

  Pitch stood there stunned, frozen in shock for a moment. Then after several seconds of them both standing in freeze frame as the storm raged Pitch finally spoke. “What the fuck was that?!” Ishwada looked at the sword. “I don't know man! The family legend spoke of it stealing off a fire demon spirit but I wasn't expecting it to be able to use the powers of Cryptids it's killed.” Pitch pointed at the sword. “That is some anime shit right there. I don't care if it doesn't make sense, nothing related to Cryptids follows normal rules. That shit’s bad ass. Now you just need your armor to lean into a modern interpretation of samurai armor using Black Eagle’s tech and you'll be slaying demons in no time.”

  Ishwada laughed. “Hahaha… yeah, no. I'm not going out of my way to dress like a stereotype. I'm definitely having the sword on me at all times while I work though.” Pitch nodded. “Well I guess we can cancel that containment van. I'll see you for the next mission or whenever I see you next. I'm going back home before I get struck by lightning.” Pitch was finally able to make it to the Jeep and start driving home, slowly due to the weather.