I woke up from a restless sleep feeling the same as when I fell asleep late night not too long ago. It was the sort of restless sleep that you have that the moment you fall you wake up a second later. I rolled over with a sudden urge to kill something or someone. My body was heavy and I mean extremely heavy for some reason. I leaned up or tried to because the weight was too much at the moment. Usually my body isn't like this in the morning but this isn't the first time I couldn't move the minute I woke up. It takes a minute for the body to wake up fully this early in the morning after all so I laid there waiting for the feeling in my arms and legs to come back.
I closed my eyes and knew that once I wake up there is no going back to sleep so instead I kept my mind on yesterday. I did much in the span of one day. I met and gained two sekirei though the so called emergence thing is still confusing to me. From what Mutsu told me it was used in conjunction with the reaction process. A sekirei would react to a human male or female in a way that seems like a sort of strong attraction that I couldn't make sense of. For Mutsu he just told me he was reacting and the only thing that made it a little obvious was his constant staring at either me or my lips which got to me after a while. He has a slight blush but it faded away after a minute as it nothing was there. The way he walked was a little faltered after a time but not too noticeable.
Then I have the reaction Uzume made. Her reaction was much more apparent than Mutsu's. She was red as a cherry, panting like a smoke stack, and falling over herself like a sex drunk or something. She pushed herself to me and took my lips by a storm. I could just barely understand just about anything about her and her reaction. I remember her stifling arousal that probably exceeded Karasuba and that woman was eager. It was enough to make me willing and I've hunted succubus before and never batted an eye. It was so bad she could just barely walk that I had to come and support her during the entire thing. The moment I was in her grasp she ensured that I couldn't escape. I was hers and she wanted me to know that. Both of them are domineering in their own way and I find that strangely… invigorating?
Uzume is the reincarnation of Kuu that is for damn sure. I have spent a long time hoping to escape that woman but it seems she is keen to follow me no matter where I go. That woman always kept me on my toes. Oh gods if she saw me now, and I mean if she even got a peek on me now, I'd never hear the end of it. She'd for sure take advantage of my vulnerability and immobility right now and have her way with my effects. I don't mean me but my gear, my money, my clothes, and anything else I have worth a king's ransom. The real reason I have my knapsack and it's designed the way it is because of her. She'd steal from the elderly without a care in the world.
I yawned lightly before getting to my feet in a sort of graceful manner though with how sore my legs and arms are from all the constant walking, running, and jumping, including holding off that woman Karasuba, I have just about had it for a month at the most. I just left one war for this situation. I must say I do have terrible luck even if I get myself a beautiful woman here or there as consequence. Then again one of those beautiful women is a sociopathic mad woman more blood addled than a Jäger suffering from The Fallout. The other is a near overwhelmingly clingy women with a loose end that can easily be used against her and now me plus is wanted by MBI as a criminal. I'm stacking on the weights right now but don't feel pressured yet. I feel this will change in time if I know women.
For now I suppose it was time to get up and do some form of exercise to start the morning up for a body that isn't well balanced is one that will fail you in the end. I have to sustain what I have or suffer from my own ignorance in the fact. I, with my black pants and comfortable dark grey shirt on, took Love and Hate in hand and made my way down stairs to the back yard. I doubt the Innkeeper will mind me using her little backyard area for my own wishes and maybe I can find a good area in the yard to make a work station of sort. In the past I have learned that having professions outside of that basic assassination, sabotage mission, or information gathering task you can make the mark you are on much easier because you can blend in more efficiently if you have a job. And the extra money you get as you go is a fitting bonus to mission pay.
I remember this one time I had to pose as a master chef in order infiltrate into a ruthless lord's castle to kill him. The man was paranoid and always watched his back at all times, especially during dinner. The man would switch his plates around like a deck of cards making it difficult to plan the poisoning but like most men they all have a pattern they use after a time and one of the servant girls there was nice enough after a little "persuasion" to tell me the pattern he took. I must say it was impressive because the man had a certain pattern used once a day per year and she knew exactly which plate was going to be his that day.
Like all plans there was a setback. The man decided to use the next day's pattern instead because he was more paranoid and smarter than I thought. Good thing I slipped the poison in all the meals, the catalysts in the drink, and the antidote in all the bread. Something he refused to eat for some reason. I would pay to have seen his face once more when his ate the mushrooms and drank the alcohol to trigger the poison reaction.
Priceless.
Speaking of priceless it seems that the space outside of the inn is larger than I first assumed. I started to check the boundaries for any suitable places to put traps or those camura things I have seen in MBI around the gates. From what I was able to gather these camura things are able to act as eyes from someone that sees what the thingy sees. I must say if I had some of those in early missions it would have made things a little bit easier. I've actually took notice of one or two in the hallway of the Inn, in the dining room, three in the kitchen, two at the outside porch, and who knows how many more. It wasn't hard to find them, I just had to follow use spirit sight to see the energy they radiate. These things send a signal almost akin to the echolocation of a bat or have wires that lead up. I can trace it later and get rid of the ones in my room as well.
A second building was outside in the backyard I noticed just as I started going through the movements my master taught me. I created mental projections of different monsters I've fought from the past and went through the moments I performed before to kill them. I always find a hole I didn't mean to create or notice a different way to evade that would have wasted just as much energy but left me unscathed. I know this method can only help with simulating the actual battle and the wounds from these "simulations" are quiet real but not life threatening. I rubbed the cut I sustained from the spike the flesh chimera used against me and felt the rough friction of the blood oozing out the cut. I wiped the blood away from my neck and the cut closed in seconds.
My attention turned from my foe as it barreled at me with a screech. I leaned to the left and twirled around bisecting the monster at the waist. I twisted back around and stabbed into its neck and brought my sword down until I stabbed the ground with the tip of Hate. My right arm was charging with Od during the entire confrontation so with a strong pulse fire flowed through my blade into the beast and engulfed it with fire from the inside out until it burst. My first hunt was that thing. Before I was even 14 it came to devour my soul and I didn't even know then what I know now. I killed it but almost died. I was in a coma for five days after that.
I sighed and lifted my sword up from the ground which was perfectly fine. I didn't actually cast anything after all it's all a projection and a training simulations. We are capable of reliving out hints and learning higher forms of wisdom and knowledge on our foe because of this capability unlocked from our minds. It's limited to what we saw and was he imagine I prefer to think everything is stronger than me but that doesn't stop me from realizing that the instinct of monsters aren't like humans'. They have limitations and we have barely scratched the surface.
My attention turned back to the building and curiosity got the best of me. I approached what looks to be the size of a house but made of metal on the outside. I rose Love and Hate up and sheath them into their scabbards and pulled them off my belt. This shack has one single door with two windows. The door wasn't locked making things much easier for me. The door opened out instead of sliding open which I found surprising but didn't let it stop me from seeing what was inside. As I stepped inside I noticed quickly that is was dark inside and not much could be done about that, or so I thought at first. One of those lamp things are above with a wire coming out of it that I led me to a white pad to my left at mid chest level. I reached over to it and fiddled with it until it clicked up and the lamp lit up. I clicked it up and down a couple more times to get used to it and then left it on. The wonders of the modern age.
The inside of the hut was not lit up and it seemed that light was the only thing filling this thing at all except this one thing in the corner. A couple different tools where here or there or hanging on the wall and that thing in the corner was the only thing I couldn't recognize right away. I walked over to it and sat my swords down on the counter to examine the thing.
What in the underworld was this thing?
I could see that there is a motor on top and below the motor is are two blades connected together by a screw thing. I shook my head and laid the machine back on four wheels. I pushed it out from the corner and took the handle in hand. I saw on the left side a grip to pull on and some sort of lever that had lines on it that grew larger the more I pushed it away. I pushed it to the top and took the handle in hand to test it. I yanked it back and the motor made a noise so I must be doing something right. I did it again but harder and the motor noise grew. I did this a couple more times to the same thing as before but I noticed that every time I did this the blades at the bottom spun around as well. It was some sort of cutting equipment I guessed. Every time I pulled back on the sting the pulley inside contacts the blades or something close to that and allows them to spin. It's not powered by steam that much I could smell but neither is it oil but there has to be some sort of fuel for the engine if not steam or oil. I mused over this for a while and tried a couple things to see if it would work but nothing I did came up with different results. I sighed and stood back up to my feet.
"Morning Innkeeper." I greeted the woman spying on me from behind the door like a stalker but didn't once turn around to face her. I waited for her to come to me but while I did this I looked around to the many tools in the small building.
Hammers, nails, screws, wrenches of different sizes, and sockets too but in a mess. Tools are everywhere in the building and every which way inside the cabinets and tool chests. Who or whatever uses this shack doesn't take care of it or the tools inside which is a real shame. If given the chance I'll have to change this but first I must claim this space as my own territory. Once that happens first things first is the care and handling of these tools. Sometimes a worker is only as good as the tools he uses and the man that worked in here was a hard worker but sloppy. With the way things are placed everywhere I could spot his work a mile away. I think I remember seeing a couple modifications to the house now that I think of it but hidden in only a way that someone ignorant of what to look for wouldn't notice.
"Morning Otieno-san." She greeted.
"Got tired of watching me from a far have you?" My words where devoid of emotion so she couldn't predict what was thinking or on how I thought of her right now. The Game is truly fun to play with a man or woman who believes they have the higher hand but on day someone needs to come and remedy that.
My words were blunt and rude to some but I was looking to put this woman on the spot for the way she treated me like I was ignorant of what's around me. Even now I can still pick up the scent of blood and death on her person but unlike Karasuba the regret and remorse from her actions seem to be leaking through polluting the smell making me gag. I don't wish to be anymore rude than I have to without proper cause so I swallowed my cough but the disgust was still there. I hate to see someone that doesn't come to terms with her actions and reeks of it.
I took a couple tools in hand and began to place them in piles. It was a habit. I see and work space I want I begin to fix it up little by little and these tools have to be organized. They have to be. There need to be order in this small area.
"I wasn't spying on you," the woman finally revealed herself to me by walking into the building right up behind me.
"Funny, I said "watching from afar' not "spying' Innkeeper. Convince yourself before others." I glanced back and noticed that smile she seemed to have on her lips before was gone. An even line of a frown now remained in its place.
"Before I fix myself tell me what you are doing in my shed? I didn't say you could come in here or near here."
"Neither did you say that I couldn't but that's beside the point I suppose. I came in because of pure curiosity mainly but to see how this shed as you call it is," I opened up a small box and the shelves and started to wipe down the wrenches that fit into the slots. "I must admit I expected," I placed my hand down on a wrench covered with surface rust and shook my head. "Organization and cleanliness seeing that this is Your shed Innkeeper."
The woman's frown grew until it became more apparent. "The state in which I have what belongs to me or how I keep what's mine in what condition is none of your business." I frowned and turned away from the tools. She made a valid point that this lot belonged to her and anything on it does as well but I made it know that the bar that was set hasn't been reached yet. I made it known in a subtle but not so subtle way and she knew that which is why she's not amused with me right now just like she was last night.
I gestured to the machine I was messing with before. "How do you make it work," I paused when I noticed something. Before it wasn't apparent but now it was easy to see the frown on her lips I must have hit a sensitive spot a couple times to do that. This woman comes off as someone hard to disturb but doing so placed an evil smile on my inner lips. 'Let's see how far we can push her,' I heard a whisper in my ear. That's not a bad idea. "Because as you saw while you were spying I was having trouble?"
"What makes you think I was spying?"
"Well," I dragged it one a moment while letting my eyes wander a bit. "You were watching me since the moment I walked towards your shack and hide behind something every time I turned your direction like a stalker. And then when I left the hut here you hid away again instead of confronting me. If that is not spying then please enlighten me on what you were doing watching me from a far?"
"It's as I said, I was up early and saw you. Seeing that you are new to the Inn I wanted to see what you were doing."
"So information gathering?" I said simply.
The Innkeeper's eyes opened. "Sure, why not? I am curious of "Uzume's man' after all and to see how far she lets her man go."
Wait is she insinuating that I am the lesser in the relationship and that I am in fact collared like a dog? Now that was going a little too far. I mean sure, I was calling her spy or a bit of a stalker but to call me this was a little much. I didn't show my contempt. No, instead I let a faint smile appear my face that rarely does when I am out of character. It's more akin to the smile she gave me last night when warning me against violence while within the confines of her establishment.
"You were still spying and that is quite unbecoming of someone, especially women." I have heard many times from other strong women with a backbone that the "them" of the female race are unlike normal women. They fall under a different sort category with their own set of rules and ethics. They have solid beliefs that men are the only sort that stopes as low as spying on others, and if caught, like most women always do anyway, deny doing it even if caught in the act. The fact that they can't admit to their actions is what sets them apart. They do divert any accusations elsewhere to save themselves having to explain as well. That sort is interesting to toy with.
I let my smile go to the emotionless and bored look I have prior to all this but inside the look that Innkeeper gave me couldn't stop the smirk from forming in my mind.
"Moving on," she noted totally avoiding the conversation. As I said a proud woman would never admit to spying, stalking, or anything that falls below their little list of ethics. As consequence my inner smirk grew. "You had the right idea before but you missed a few crucial steps."
Innkeeper knelt down and shamelessly I watched as the miko she wore tightened around her navel and chest area. Her curves of her upper thighs and rear as well became more pronounced.
"I see," I responded though my eyes are on a different things.
"You need to turn this red nod here by the oil cam to let gas to flow to the engine."
"I see," turn red knob to get the flow going was now committed to memory.
Innkeeper nodded and continued. "You also didn't push the throttle all the way forward as well," she said while pushing the lever aka the throttle all the way forward until it clinked.
"I see," I responded with again.
She stood back up and looked back to me to see if I was paying attention instead of just saying "I see" again and again. My eyes met her own with a serious stare that made her frown thinking on maybe she was imagining things.
"You take the release handle here and pull it back to the handle."
"I see," I said but thought with a smirk 'I bet heh heh heh.'
"Then you take the "Handle" as you called it and as you did before pull it back until the engine starts."
"I see."
The engine started right up and then the Innkeeper pulled the throttle back making the engine run smooth. "There, you see how it is done?" Innkeeper asked to no immediate answer. She looked back and found me gone and looked around until she felt something lift up on the mower. I lifted the front and saw the blades spinning at high enough speeds to mow down the grass not problem and it shut off when Innkeeper let go of the front. I turned the red knob the opposite direction and pushed the throttle to the end toward the turtle. I moved the Innkeeper away the picked the thing up and made it a corner machine again.
"I see." I said finally satisfied with the morning with what I learned and exited the hut. Miya had a nice butt, but Uzume's is the best that I have seen up close so far. Too bad she hides it behind those roomy cloths she wears.
"Do you usually use this thing Innkeeper?"
"Oh no, I pay a ruffian to do it for me?" I rose an eyebrow at this. I knew what a ruffian was so why would she have one around at all? Most of the ruffian or rift raft I have seen in life don't live it quite honorably.
"Oh, he doesn't. He persists to always come to my home and mooch food off of my without even a promise to repay me for my kindness fully." I looked back to the shed with the grass cutter I mind then the work he did on the Inn that I have seen so far like hiding the one room close to the stairs. It seems like this 'ruffian' that the Innkeeper talks about is the disorganized sort but comes around to do odd jobs around the inn. I believe he might earn his keep well enough. Someone had to rake the leaves, trim the hedges, scale up the tree and pick up the sticks, and keep the inn in shape. I can see the signs of this 'ruffian' everywhere around me including on the doors up and downstairs. This man probably renovated this entire building by himself and takes care of the yard when he has time along with dealing with a woman that could just think about killing him and he would just die.
Any sane and insane person could see that the Innkeeper is a killer and for the best of your health to say on her good side. I know how to rein in a woman like Karasuba and Uzume for I have seen their kind before even, including Innkeeper here, so I have no problem with planning out the ways to get on her bad side but promote our relationship.
The man that takes care of this house probably doesn't have this luxury like I do. The 'ruffian' takes care of her like a man should for a woman and even though she doesn't voice it I believe she appreciates him. Being a powerful figure she might be used to a princess like lifestyle and does really appreciate fully when that man does for meager sums. Or maybe he takes too much and over stayed his welcome. I am not sure but it isn't my business now that I think of it. I most likely will meet this man sometime and if I don't well it is what it is.
Now that I am on the thought of men in the house I wondered where the Mr. Asama is. Sekirei have a name and a number at their identity and yet this one has a surname. She must have married her ashikabi like she said but seeing that she doesn't have a tether and is alive maybe this isn't the case. "Innkeeper."
"Hm," the woman hummed for me to continue.
"Your husband, has he passed on to the afterlife?" It was a personal and very direct question but one I had to get an answer to anyway.
The woman lost her teasing smile for one of a sad nature instead and nodded. "Yes he has." I didn't say I was sorry for her lost because I wasn't. I have lost many of my family and my friends including my first love as well during my dark times so her pain is nothing new to me. It did leave a couple more questions for me to ask though.
"Did this inn belong to him?"
"Yes in fact it was his. I have lived here even before his passing."
"How long has it been since his passing?" The innkeeper's eyes turned a shade dark as they rose up to meet my own. I am not sure what she saw when she looking into my eyes but it cause her to look way in revelation if that makes any since. Then again I have been told many a times that I wear my heart on my shoulder when it comes to eye contact. I can't hide my thoughts from anyone who looks into my eyes and I don't know what she saw because I don't feel much at the moment to begin with. Maybe it the emptiness of my heart that has her on edge or maybe that I don't really care for her plight or woes. I don't know and can't know.
The innkeeper took a breath before facing me again. "I could say 5 years now."
"You feel for his loss still but have yet to move on. Why do you wallow in the past?"
I noticed a sharp narrow of the woman's eye but felt nothing for the visual threat she decided to send me. "Are you saying that I should just forget about my husband? That I should just forget about him and move on?" She asked dangerously.
I walked up to the woman and looked down to her being a good seven or so inches over her so she could no longer look at me like I was below her anymore. The entire time she talked I could see that like Karasuba she held a resentment for the human race and I cannot blame her for this, but I refused to be looked down upon by a woman that believes she's untouchable. I looked dead into her eyes and holding nothing back in the way of my feelings or emotions about what she did or what she said. The innkeeper's eyes widened before they averted again from my own slightly.
"I-I'm sorry," she whispered. "I placed those words into your mouth and have been a dishonorable host."
"I hold no ill will towards how you feel to look at me for I have suffered worst in my time in the west Innkeeper."
"I should have more control over myself and that is inexcusable. I rudely interrupted you as well." She placed us back on topic away from this incident and I followed along with it.
"You are right about placing those words in my mouth. All I wish for you to do is make sure to honor his passing into the next world and live not in the past but ahead of the troubled times that come. Any good husband would want that from their wives; to live and find happiness in all of its wonders."
Miya looked up to me again in surprise as I bowed in a small nod her and walked away but made sure to grab my swords before I exited the shed. I felt that maybe I left a good impression on the woman as I left but it was the least I could for ogling a mourning widow after all. Wouldn't be the first time I had to give a widow support in some way to walk past their loss and become stronger. Hopefully this helped.
But one more thing before I forget, "If you no longer wish to receive the services of the "ruffian' you spoke of then would you allow me to take his position as maintainer?"
"I'll...I'll think on it Mr. Jäger."
I looked back at the woman and responded to her earlier greeting. "Good morning to you as well Ms. Asama," I waved back to the woman and returned to the inn.
Mutsu was already downstairs in the dining room when I walked in. I could feel him in the other room and if I wasn't mistaken then he was dosing off in the middle of the house which is strange. He was asleep before Uzume and I so that leaves me to the question why is he asleep right now. The Innkeeper remained outside so I best get him up before she takes offense to his loitering, if that is the right word for it or maybe lounging. I don't know but it has to be something like that.
I can see now that he's asleep but Uzume on the other hand was away and doing something in her room, the question was what. First thing is first I suppose and that is to make sure Mutsu is awake long enough to eat then he can do whatever he wants afterwards. I made my way to the dining room silently and pushed my way into the room. I found him inside with his back to the wall and his head down. He bangs blocked his eyes from view so I could see them but I know he's in a daze right now. He probably doesn't know I'm here right now. I sighed and walked up to my second sekirei. His head rose up only to fall in a small bobbing. I snapped my finger in front of him and in a jolt he woke up.
"Huh? What happened?"
"I could ask you the same." I kneeled down to the man's level and sighed. Mutsu looked up but still I couldn't see his eyes because of his bangs. With one finger and reached in and pulled them away from his eyes to him giving me a startled stare. "Don't let her see you dozing off like this Mutsu. It speaks ill of your upbringing." The male sekirei rose an eyebrow at me. In response I persisted with my own glare down at him. After the fated staring contest he sighed and crossed his arms tighter around his chest.
"You are starting to sound like her and you just met the woman." I snort once at his statement.
I wouldn't call it a compliment for I have yet so see much complimentary about the woman but I suppose I can, "Call it a gift." I leaned back up but didn't break eye contact with my second but only male sekirei. It's strange, of all the sekirei I have seen, being mostly woman, one of the few males comes to me to become his ashikabi. Me, a man from a time long past and anything but normal, instead of one of the many females in the city. Not many females in this city are all that appealing but maybe I'm comparing them to the sekirei I have seen who are like gods in comparison.
If what I gathered is true at least one should have jumped Mutsu at least five times to get a kiss in. Even I can see how handsome the man with is strong and stern gaze, the way he keeps himself and walks with a powerful confidence, and him being foreign as well with a sort of German accent should have him plastered in the hearts of many girls here. On the way through the city I could see most of the Japanese and a few foreign girls looking his way with hearts in their eyes. It's a wonder why a male sekirei, or any sekirei to begin with is compatible with me like to this extent we can bond so easily. I suppose I could count myself lucky. At least I won't be bored or without a good fight with all the super powered beings that will so be walking this city.
I can tell Mutsu is powerful just with a glance, maybe as powerful as Karasuba now, but still I wonder about his swordsmanship. I could test of his power if needed to, at least get a gauge of where he's at.
"No," he said quickly and I just narrowed my eyes.
I forgot that I left the bond between us open subconsciously. My mind shuts off and erects walls to protect itself from mental manipulation and from other Mind Breakers like myself but only when threatened. Mutsu's bond doesn't threaten me and to be honest it feels different to have this lighter presence in my mind. I'm well balanced for the moment. The black spot in my mind is of course Karasuba and her influence upon me. The bright spot has to be Uzume. She's mostly sunshine and pure unadulterated optimism with a powerful warmth. That's a few of the many reasons I'm proud to have her as my sekirei and in my mind. Last I have Mutsu. He's the one at the fence watching the two mingle but keeping them separate. He's the one keeping the foundation together. With his help my mind feels a little more 'together'. It's slow but the feeling it building. Because of just how much I am opening my mind to him he can feel what I think when my thoughts are strong enough. He felt just how anxious I was to see him in action. My gaze on his sword doesn't help defend the claim.
"Really?"
"Yes," he defiantly said to me but I slammed my hand on the wall next to his head. His stare never wavered an inch even when I got into his face.
"You think you have a choice?" because later I checked I was the ashikabi and him the sekirei. That means that when I give a suggestion the sekirei do their utmost to complete it. Takami I'm like such and yet he refused me. Even know he holds an air of defiance that I've broken from men greater than even him. I don't wish to do the same to Mutsu as I have those men.
"You think you can make me?" This time he read my intentions and not my mind. That sounded like a challenge and I'm too prideful not to indulge a little. My frown turned into a grin so cruelly evil that I could feel Karasuba shivering her in boots right now in anticipation of our next meeting soon. I think I'll meet her tonight and give her my answer. I'm sure she will be both annoyed and pleased with my answer.
I felt a dark aura resonate from the pit of my soul and my hand pressed further into the wall. This time Mutsu's eyes quivered as his slunk deeper into the wall behind him. "Would you kindly humor me Mutsu after all," I felt my smile shrink and my eyes narrow with a darkly amused grin. "We don't wish to find out the hard way now, or do we?" I mattered little to me which choice he made. In the end he and I will spar and I'll see what he's capable of.
"Ah," he grunted then turned away from me. "You must have picked that up from Karasuba." Mutsu signed and turned his gaze back to me. "Fine, whatever you need Ashikabi-sama."
"I appreciate this Mutsu and I find the bit about Karasuba ironic." I leaned into his ear and all so whispered softly. So softly that only he could hear and just barely at that. "It would make sense why because… she's also my sekirei." Mutsu stared blankly at me frozen stiff in place. The composure he so hoped to keep up broke in a glass store with a bull in it. His mouth hung open and his eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. I lifted myself back up with my smile gone and my stoic expression equipped.
"I'm going to retrieve your younger sister now." I stood back up and walked back to the door way towards the hallway. It wasn't until I reached the stairs that I heard something fall and hit the ground in dismay. I felt shock and distress from somewhere in the Inn and it's coming from the room Mutsu is in. Up the stairs I went past the fake wall towards Angel's room. My angel.
I reached her door and knocked three times. With a cross in my arms I waited for her to answer the door but I wasn't in any hurry. I had nothing better to do yet or anyone I had to kill seeing that I was no longer in my time and all my previous contracts are now dead anyway so there isn't really any reason to search the plains or go castle hopping anymore. And so my schedule was a little empty. I'm not sure what exactly I should do with all my free time. I am not an assassin, a witch hunter, beast tamer, or Templar in this time but maybe that doesn't spell of end of my system. I am a contractor still. I take a job, do the job, set up roots, and earn renown to get even more contracts to fulfill. I take people by the hair and grasp their heart right before I attach the strings and like a puppeteer I make them dance to my tune until I get exactly what I want. Everything comes with a price and the price weighs on your actions.
This sekirei game, the businesses that are involved, and the people that participate in it seems like one big contract and something tells me I am in deeper than I first thought. The emergence of a woman like Karasuba will surly making attention fall upon me. She ranked number 4 of all the sekirei then there is Mutsu. Mutsu personally knows Karasuba and how she works with also ranking at the number 5 of all the other sekirei. I have been in contact with Kazehana and by her age she's within the ranking top five and she's another that Mutsu knows personally. Miya is ranked at the least two and at the most zero. Her power can be minuscule or even infinite and I live under the same roof as her.
That leaves Uzume and I can tell just by the way she looks at me that she's holding something back. What that could be, I don't know. While I could interrogate her about it, but she first has to open the door and let me in. Both figuratively and literally. Uzume is keeping something from me same with the Innkeeper. Uzume didn't even tell me of the other tenant in this inn they have yet to tell me about as well. I wonder why.
I clenched my fist and took a breath before knocking a three more times.
"One moment," I heard in a gruff tone from a woman that just got up and isn't a morning person. The door slid open a moment later like she said before. "Okay what do you…oh…Otieno! Hehehe, hiya," a half-naked Uzume only dressed in pink panties and nothing up top giving me a very good look of her amazing breasts said. They are of the S class that much is for sure. Gods and spirits above I would love to rub those.
Uzume turned a shade red when she looked upon me then a saucy smiled blessed her lips. "You like what you see?" That chest of hers pressed hard against my own as she stood up until her face was up close to my own. She was seducing me and it was working on my more primal side. As I told Karasuba before, I'm probably the most sexually frustrated man in the world right now. Over two years of hunting succubi does that to you. As a rule of thumb don't have sex and attempt to have intercourse to sate your beastly urges because that just opens the door for them to walk in and take you. I have to deprive myself of any kind of mental or physical stimulation in order to strengthen my immunity to their charms. Even after the hunt was all said and done I had job after job and more monsters to hunt. I haven't had a mental experience in a long time and anything physical twice as long. I can't really feel much in the way of emotion but I do know what it's like to be attracted to treasure.
"Love," I whispered back in her ear and stepped up to her into the door way.
Uzume chuckled and pushed me back out the door. I narrowed my eyes at her but she just winked at me playfully and closed the door to a crack.
"Give me a few minutes," she said seductively in a way that caused my spine to shiver.
"Just a few?" I almost growled and Uzume's grin grew same with that feeling in my stomach grew in heat.
"To get ready. I have something to show you koi-bi-to."
I gulped hard. I wanted to say to the void with waiting. I wanted her now. Whether in her room, the hallway, or (so not to break the rules) in the shed next to us. I found myself not caring where, but this "surprise" she has in store has me curious. Uzume winked once more at me before closing the door in my face leaving me alone in the hallway. Is it just me or was it easy for her to break my masterful self-control just like Karasuba. The way they came at me broke down my walls one at a time and I couldn't help but wish to indulge in physical intimacy with them.
I have played the game with a plethora of females that used a man's primal desires against them. The more notorious one happens to be the succubus I mentioned before of course. They targeted me and so far when it comes to self-control they are one of my greatest challenges to take on, but like the rest I have defeated them and their wiles. That is until I met Isabela, but that's because we here destined to be one flesh and one mind. The sekirei remind me of the succubus for they search for their true mate in which they can only bare children for and she found that in me. I realized five years later that the reason by I felt dead on the inside is because we had a bond much like the one with my sekirei.
When I refused to be with her she died without my life energy to keep her alive. Once she found me and we "danced" I leeched it from her every step of the way I went away from her. I felt her pain when I assumed it was my own, and when I felt her die it killed everything inside of me. I felt as if y body was ripped into pieces only to be put back together in a deformed shape. Just when I felt like it couldn't get worse it did worse for me. A hole was formed in my heart after a week of torture. A void that could only be filled with one thing. Succubus are creatures of emotion so at the cost of killing one I was bonded to that was my payment. My emotions were lost to me turning me into the shell that I am now. I can't feel happy, sad, angry, or even excited.
I only have my primal instinct now. The instinct to mate, to kill when threatened, to promote my standing, and so much more. That is one reason I can't sleep and don't sleep. My body feels soulless and many times I have been called a monster in the eyes of even monsters themselves. They were right, I don't care for other people's plight and I am not a hero like some believe. Uzume sees me as something that I am not but Mutsu and Karasuba can see what I am. I am a contractor and kill without mercy if someone got in the way of my mission. I take hearts of any and all that I believe I can use.
Heartless, that is a word I would use for someone like me and only two of my sekirei can see that. Its been a minute since I last killed someone and I can smell the corruption in the air of this city. My blade hungers for it. Maybe that's why Karasuba is compatible with me same with Mutsu. They counter each other perfectly. Attack and defense, madness and sanity, and both have a firm sense of understanding plus adaptability like myself.
"Otieno," I heard from behind and door. She was done I suppose with her surprise. It had better be worth all this waiting. I hate waiting even more than I hate running. I pushed off and wall and waited for the woman to get off her butt and open door but I have the feeling she wants me to open instead and come in of my own violation. I took a breath and gripped the door and opened it. The surprise had better be worth it and if not I will… I closed the door to get my thoughts.
"Hey! The hell Otieno!"
I blinked a couple times but the image of what I just saw happened to be trapped in my eyes and mind. I couldn't believe what I just saw.
"D-did you not like it?"
I opened the door revealing the most spunky and enticing woman in this entire city and probably the world with a thing for strange foreign attire. Maybe I was seeing things and having hallucinations from hunger. Yeah that could be it. I took a deep breath and opened the door once more to the surprise Uzume had for me. A surprise she decided to give me the honor of seeing first hand. Uzume stood there in her outfit annoyed and a little disappointed by my previous reaction to her outfit, but I answer her question with a grin much like her own before.
When Uzume saw this her frowned turned into a smile. She beckoned me forward with an also subtle wave gesture with both hands and me being the healthy young man in body I am I took the invitation in seconds. I closed the door and wedged my swords along the frame behind me because I was the only one allowed to enjoy the sight bestowed upon me today. That and I didn't want any interruptions. Uzume giggled at my antics.
"You must really like my outfit," Uzume's smiled turned sensual in nature with a downward tilt of her head and sly narrow of her eyes. "Or maybe you like the thought of me being your little maid, honorable master." She leaned forward drawing my eyes to follow. I heard her giggle again and I willed my eyes up to hers once more.
It was true. Of all the outfits she could have worn she choose a French maid. The color scheme was white with hot pink frills. I have spent a very good amount of my time in France and never understood why they call it a French maid outfit here in Japan; I happen to be getting most of my knowledge of the Japanese culture from the man's minded I practically melted not too long ago for information. I have seen the Europeans dress their female servants or house slaves in this sort of outfit if they have the right amount of money or what not. I have seen it in America as well but that was over two hundred years ago. But why a 'French' maid not a regular maid? I can see the modifications to the outfit from the norm I have seen many a times in mansions of rich families.
The skirt happened to be much shorter, too short actually, enough to show off her finely sculpted legs and the small stockings with gothic like stripes she decided to wear with them. The top blouse held nothing back. It was tight on her body if snug I suppose but one thing I noticed the most of is the ample amount of cleavage the top showed me. I could tell just from a glance she didn't wear anything undergarments at the top because I could see her nipples through the fabric. The head dressing in the shape of some sort of tiara was the same color as the rest of her outfit with cute frills. It was probably the accessory the kept her hair up.
Unlike the single side pony tail that she wore all her hair she must have tied up into a bun on back her head. It have her a more sophisticated but also a more unrestricted view of her neck. So bright and delicious looking. I wanted to bite her but maybe that's the vampire blood in me talking. Uzume was beautiful in her white outfit but appeared to be hard to recognize and approach because of the way her face is shadowed. Her civilian outfit makes her more down to earth and easier to approach but isn't eye catching at all so easy to overlook. This outfit made her seem more servient and open for my commands but it goes against her personality harshly. Uzume is the one that takes not the other way around.
Uzume seemed to take my silence as I thought this through positively and approached me. The space between us became to miniscule. Suddenly I didn't care about any negatives or the positives when her hands softly slid up my hands all the way up to my shoulders. They brushed along my markings earning an involuntary shiver from me. Uzume giggled heavily in response. I could feel the light in the back of my mind grow. I caught the scent of something sweet and steamy that had my fingers twitch. Any walls that I had previously that protected me from mental insurgency turned brittle.
I could feel her, though not that potently, but enough to know enough what she was feeling. I have felt it from Isabela during our walks at night. I have felt it from Bethany when we conjoined our minds so she could teach me how to have sex without being physically intimate. I have felt this from Dehilia whenever her golden brown eyes, glistening from the energies of her witch like ancestry, molded into my own. This I feel will be dwarfed by what Uzume offers me.
I gulp when Uzume placed her hands atop of my own. She slowly slide back down my shoulders to my chest and leaned forward before taking my hands in her. Our alike colored eyes met each other mutually. Uzume tip toed up to my ear eliminating the remaining space between us and whispered in my ear, "Master."
My self-control battled with my now raging drive to show this woman that I truly am the master. I would be a liar if I said I didn't have fantasies about bedding a French maid in her outfit once or twice. I found it a bit foolish in the past, but now I think I'm the foolish one for not taking advantage. Oh how easily I could pull that blouse down and assault her breasts or maybe aim a little low or higher to her neck or maybe her navel. So many options and pressure points I could exploit. She has no idea but should I is the question. This might not be a good idea. I'm beginning to see just see what Mutsu meant. Mutsu knew how much trouble Uzume was going to be for me and warned me about meeting her for good reason and this is why he said it. Now I am struggling to not waste time with these meaningless musing of mine and take action. Any action.
Uzume smirked at my internal battle and decided to tip the scale a little. Her breasts mashed against my chest. So much so that I could feel the nipples through it the thin fabric. Her arms came up and wrapped around to my back in a soft hug with a tight unescapable grasp. Her lips hovered just above mine. And her eyes... Slowly I was losing myself in them. This woman is good. Really good. I lost all remaining control over the situation. If Bethany were here now she would probably kill me for being so easily swayed but I no longer cared.
My hands began to lift up to the point that fingers intertwined together when they found the small of her back. I leaned down but not too much. Uzume was the third tallest when it came to my sekirei, I could tell. Karasuba was closer to my height that Uzume not that I minded. My lips found Uzume's with a feverous tenacity. Uzume moaned with that blush on her cheeks growing as her wings spread out from her back. I didn't care about any of this though. I let my hand fall down from her back to her rear and squeezed enticing another moan into my mouth. Uzume let her hand fall from over my shoulder and rose it up to my cheek. The other wrapped further around the back of my neck to the opposite shoulder. She rubbed my cheek drawing circles and I'm not sure why. What was she looking to accomplish?
I groaned when she found a sensitive spot on my cheek and caressed it gently focusing in that one spot. That's her ploy; to find the sensitive points of my body but I can play this game as well. I let my hand slip from her rear and rose it to her torso around her area her ribs are. I gently placed a single finger between the third lumber and traced down in a small curve to her hip. The groan she returned was more than satisfying.
"That wasn't... Fair," she said between kisses. I didn't answer her though. I was focused in this sensation assaulting my barriers right now trying to get in. Despite my body following through with her wishes I found that my mind began to clear. I was focused now. A challenge or competition excited an old part of me and I need to gather information on this bond and how it effects us anyway.
Uzume was a better and more controlled kisser than Karasuba. I felt that maybe she practiced or witnessed more kissing than was more of a teaser, very eager, and made it a competition but just as sloppy and amateurish with it. Uzume is much more gentle and slow building than the black sekirei. We are both testing each other's threshold and learning instead of jumping into the ocean without testing the water first. I preferred this from Uzume and like the fact she wasn't in a hurry or trying to impose her will upon me. It felt mutual between us.
My desire to destroy Uzume and make her scream as roughly as loudly as possible seemed to fade away the more I felt from her. Uzume isn't Karasuba. They are opposites from one another in every way it seems. I saw this a little immature to treat them the same.
'I want to enjoy this intimacy with my one and only. He didn't wish to sleep with me and it hurt at first. I thought that he truly didn't want me, but I can feel different. I know different now. He is responding to me so easily. It feels…so good. I never knew... I want more and so does he. He wants me and I want him. This feel so… right.'
I opened my eyes and broke the kiss. Uzume moaned as if she didn't wish me to stop. To bad for her I don't wish to stay at the lips the entire time. She desired to feel good after I hurt her yesterday. I never thought rejecting such a small offer would hurt her emotionally. I don't see reason why but I suppose it doesn't matter right now.
I kissed he forehead and smiled at her like I've seen Bethany use every now and again on a mark and Uzume anxiously bit her lip. I returned the winking gesture before sinking down to her neck. I licked along the nerves and her jugular from the bottom of the collar bone to her ear. Uzume made a sharp intake of air and kissed my cheek and ear. Her hand left my own rose to my chest. I felt her rub my chest and grind herself against me. My free hand fell down and took her other cheek in hand. Uzume has a slightly smaller hips than Karasuba. Her hips aren't as wide or her waist but still Uzume's butt was nice to grab on to. More to work that's for sure. More than likely Uzume is going to prefer few positions that forces all her weight on her lower back compared to Karasuba.
I took this into account as I picked Uzume up by her rear much like I did Karasuba with the dresser as my target. I noticed that Uzume is heavier than Karasuba by a decent amount to. Maybe a stone. It's just an observation but not negative one. I was gentle with Uzume unlike Karasuba and she responded positively to this. I can't imagine anything between the black sekirei and I being gentle or soft like between me and the veil sekirei. I saw an empty spot, for the most part free of cosmetics, and walked towards it. Uzume's legs wrapped around my waist and she purred. Her eyes met my own again. Both filled with so much…I can't identify it. It's wasn't like anything I have seen before with any other woman I have had in this position. Something tells me Uzume likes this display of my strength.
Her hands found the cheeks of my face and rose my head up to mash her lips to my own again. I felt another connection between us spiritually when she did this. Our energies seemed to swirl together like a whirlpool cycling two different pools of water together until they flowed in unison. I have never felt something like this in my body before. Something like it could be when a spirit and demon within my body found some sort of mutual understanding but its rare and nothing compared to this.
I reached the dresser and set her gently down on top of it. She smiled in the kiss at this and deepened it. Her tongue swirled around in a dance with my own.
I have never really kissed other woman like this before. My mother once told me that a True kiss is one with someone you felt you could spend the rest of your life with; someone you feel they will be unforgettable and will always love you. I listened to my mother and never truly kissed a woman once in my life until now. I've had a peck here or a small kiss there but nothing was connected to it. It was an action as meaningless as a hand shake with a man you don't respect.
This is different. It was like instinct. I couldn't explain it but my body seemed to have all the answers.
I fell down and kissed her neck again and slowly made my way down. I kissed where her heart is and even felt it race when my lips touched skin. I reached for the first stocking and pulled it straight down to see her beautiful legs.
I am not sure if it's a sekirei thing but like Karasuba, Uzume's legs are sculpted and well muscular but not in a masculine way. Her legs look amazing and feel soft. I kissed my way down the more I pulled down on her stocking off until it was free of her foot. The whole time Uzume rubbed to top of my head and muffled her own moans. I repeated for the last leg and looked up to see her every expression. I massaged the outside and inside of her legs and found that her spot is on the underside of the left leg along the hamstring but inside thigh of her right.
"Otieno," she moaned when I made another move. I licked her toes and cafes. Her blush increased. I think this was more a mental simulation then a physical one so I moved on.
I looked up and noticed something. "You're not wearing underwear." Uzume just grinned.
I rose up to her with the stockings still in hand. I rolled the fabric around my hands then made a mock blindfold. I pressed this around her eyes and before she could protest took her lips again. She groaned and took the fabric of my shirt in her hands. I broke the kiss and kissed her nipple through the fabric. I gripped both the flaps of the fold with one hand used the other for her opposite breast. Uzume's moans excited me enough to press on. This fabric is getting annoying as well. I reached up to the top button and slid my finger down popping out one button to the next. Without hesitation I slip my hand under the fabricated finally felt her.
"Ah," Uzume sort of yelped and moaned I'd say from shocking pleasure.
Her breasts were so soft and yet firm in my hands. This feels much more different than any other I've hand in my hands and it's a decent amount I'm comparing these two. I pulled the fabric of her clothes out of the way until nothing stood in my way to witness her generous bust with my naked eyes. Though I saw this earlier I can't fault the bit of excitement I felt from working for it a bit. Like opening a finely wrapped present on Christmas if you will.
I leaned forward and bite gently onto one of her nipples and suck on it. The taste is strange seeing that their is a taste to begin with. Uzume doesn't reek of that perfume stuff and furlong any makeup so this sweetness must all be from her. From skin? This must be another sekirei thing or maybe a psychological reaction to the bond between us. I feel from my light ministrations when I really shouldn't be getting the signals I'm seeing. Her moans and groans, while sexual in nature, are a little too loud for what little I've done. I've for the most part kissed her, took advantage of a couple pressure points including the few in her breasts, and applied stimulation at odd areas just to get a gauge of where everything goes. I've learned that Uzume prefers intimacy. Emotional attachment to the action itself. She loves to kiss as well. Every single kiss felt as if a part of me was siphoned away from my soul but replaced once more. I didn't look too far into it. She likes to be surprised and has a decently open mind. I feel though that since I have taken the lead right now she will pay me back twice fold once she gets her turn.
The wait and see approach? I see. Might as well end this here for now and witness what she has in store.
I licked my way back up to her lips and took small peck on her lips before discarding my make shift fold. Uzume's smile and the glaze in her eyes spoke volumes of just how amusingly satisfied she was.
"That was a little kinky master." So my assumption was close. While I did satisfy her to a point she's been abiding her time. I know her kind well enough and this might be easier than I thought. It haven't even begun yet.
I chuckled, "I am here to please Angel."
"Ah-ah-ha," she shook her finger in front of me. "I'm your maid not your angel master. Please remember this."
Role playing now? Interesting.
She wants me to act as the master of the house and her my sultry and relentless maid. I couldn't really do that because I have never had a maid before so I came to the consensus just to keep doing as I was doing just with different words.
"Well then what does my little maid wish to do to please her master?" I rubbed my cheek against hers.
Uzume swallowed a purr. "I want master to raise his arms up." I felt this was a fair demand and followed through with it. I let my hands fly up overhead. My shirt flew up and off my body but stopped at my eyes. Uzume giggled at this and I sort of smiled when I felt her amusement. She pecked me on the lips. I didn't see it coming and almost caused a spike in my reactions but it wasn't a bad one. I felt something warm and wet on my neck hitting a good amount of the places that had me groan softly.
I felt her kiss my chest among other things. It seems she wanted revenge for my early ministrations and it was working. Uzume took pleasure in the small grunts and strain from my attempt to cover my body's reactions. Not seeing what was happening was really turning my mind into a hurricane and I was driving me insane.
Her tongue rose up to my neck again then her lips took my own again. Salty but sweet. I must be sweating from the heat. It was so hot in this room right not. I needed to get my clothes off. I let my hands drop down from my shirt and took it in hand. I yanked my eyes free to playful ones that Uzume held. I let my shirt fall down to the floor and rolled my shoulders and sighed in relief as my body relaxed a bit more. I was a little tense for I'm not yet accustomed to this but I'm adapting.
"That sounded good." I rolled my neck one last time with my eyes closed before looking back at her in the eyes again.
"You feel much better."
Uzume looked taken back from this giving me the window I needed. I rose my hands up to her blouse at the shoulders and pulled it downward. The fabric her breasts were holding up fell to her nipples. They appeared to be the only thing keeping her top up.
I licked my lips in anticipation until I felt something sour in the back of my mind. Before when I had the walls up I could feel a drop of this from last night. I dropped my eyes down and noticed her hand wandering from one scar to the next on my torso. Many of my scars from my hunts or battles. Most come from things that aren't human because there are worse monsters out there than man.
"How did you get all these?" The light from her eyes faded the more of my scars she saw and just how severe they really were in the past.
I took her hand and rose it to my lips. I kissed knuckle and licked her finger. "Don't worry about it okay," I seemed to plead her but Uzume shook her head. "But all of this!" She looked down to the deepest scar and a few others like it that mirror around my stomach to the back. Seven in total with three on my stomach, two on my sides, and two on my back. Karasuba seemed to like my scars but these ones also seemed to make her uncomfortable just like Uzume. She didn't say it but I could feel it. With wounds like these I should be dead.
"Who or what did this to you?" I closed my eyes and sighed. "I'll tell you Uzume but not today. I have many old wounds with very old stories behind them." Uzume touched my cheek and I opened my eyes. I noticed her's in the corners began to gather tears.
She leaned in and kissed me again but it was different than the others. This one was one of sorrow and concern instead of excitement and glee. 'What could have harmed you to such an extent? Never again. I swear that nothing and no one will ever hurt you like this again. If they try I will rend them asunder. This I swear.' Her thoughts flowed through my mind. I broke the kiss and wrapped my arms around her. Uzume did the same. We embraced leaving behind all the previous intent we had before. My desire faded away and all that was left was the cold void I carry in my body every day.
I didn't forget about Uzume's state of dress, but I was back in control.
"Uzume," I called down to her. She hummed in recognition to my call. I noticed the compromising position she and I were in and didn't want that Innkeeper to fly off the handle. She seems like the type. She's my sekirei as well so she's not going far away from me. I can put a hold on this for now.
"Breakfast… Innkeeper… waiting." I finally said and caused Uzume to groan a little before kissing me on the cheek.
"Yeah, I guess you're right. I don't wanna have her coming up here and going all hell face on us." We broke our embrace and I fixed what I did before things escalated to this. I stepped back and assisted Uzume off the dresser back to her naked feet. Her eyes traveled down to my chest again before snapped back up to mine.
"Otieno I…"
I caressed her cheek with my fingers and shook my head. "What's in the past is in the past but if you wish to know wait until I have... everything together." Uzume blinked then nodded when she understood me or thought she understood me. I didn't want this to end on a serious note so I answered a question I failed to respond to before. "Nice outfit by the way. A French maid suits you Uzume." The woman answered with a twirl while in the outfit and a smile.
"It's comfortable too. Maybe you atta try it sometime." I snort at the thought of me being in one of those things. "That would be quite a sight but you would looked more beautiful in it than I would." Uzume blushed at the complement and walked to her closet. The atmosphere lightened up which was good to see.
I watched as she opened it to an almost empty closet with very few clothing inside. "That's good but that was a test run. Just wait to see what else I will have in store for you later." I hummed with interest. I liked the outfit in truth and thought it was sexy on her. I wonder what else she will try to dress as next. "Now that I know you like cosplay I can get really creative with my creations." I blinked at the strange word I have never heard of before.
"Cosplay…? Wait you can tailor clothing and make them?" Uzume looked over to me and my confused expression.
"Yeah, to both. I make my own outfits and I guess I can do the same for you if you wish." I nodded furiously.
I am tired of destroying my clothing with my powers and not having a way to get them back without a visit to a tailor or fixing them myself. My coat just needs Od or time and it restores itself but my normal clothing doesn't. If she can fashion me something or acquire clothes of this time and date I believed blending in will be much easier. I noticed quickly that her outfit is outfitted to her body but I assumed she did it at some shop here. Shows what I know. But that left the question on that other word.
"What's cosplay?"
Uzume rose an eyebrow saying 'are you serious right now,' to me. "Cosplay, ya know when people dress up in different outfits and what not and act the part." I shook my head at this making Uzume sigh. A second later she went to her draw and took out a book of some kind then walked over to hand it to me. I looked it over and opened it to different pictures like a piece of someone's life was drawn on paper.
"What is this book?" I asked as I turned the book over to which Uzume rolled her eyes at. "A manga," she answered like I should know just what this maango thing is. On the front cover was a building and it was called Cosplay café of all things. "Read it and you will know what cosplay is, among other things you don't know because seriously," she shouted and pointed bluntly at me. "You dress like some guy from the 18th century, carry swords every where you go, don't know what a bus is or any type of motor vehicle, electricity baffles you, and you carry gold coins and the such that are hundreds of years old. Were you born under a rock from a hundred years ago or something?"
"Does a cave count?"
Uzume sighed again.
I read this maanga thing as I walked to the stairwell and found it to be sort of interesting. I could read it with ease for Uzume has this translated into English so I breezed through page by page.
The elder sister of this café of all female employees is having trouble bringing in money and is being pressured by a loan shark that wants his money. The perverted younger brother comes to the café and brings with him an idea to bolster that places popularity. The Cosplay Café was born with all the girls depending on age to dress up and act the part of what they are dressed as. The younger brother then starts to get multiply girls to like him in an obvious display of affection but he barely notices which made me... annoyed? Upset? Impatient? Maybe a mixture of these three from some reason because of how dense he is.
Then there is one girl name Sanoko that acts like a total bitch to him but from what I have seen likes him more than the rest sometimes. If she likes him why act this way to begin with? Why hit him and call him names for almost no reason or situations in which it was totally her fault an dyet still blamed him?
I read all the way through by the time Uzume came down from her room in her usual clothing. It was five volumes mixed into one book apparently which left a lackluster ending but strangely I'm curious about what happens next in this thing. I feel that I'll get aggravated again if I keep readying but my legendary curiosity is slowly getting the better of me.
I knew what cosplay was like Uzume wanted and I came imagine her in one of those fast food roller skate uniforms or maybe in a miko outfit like the Innkeeper. Her earlier state of uniform has me interested to see more that she has to offer but this book. This book made me aggravated and I wish not to pick it up again. I'll continue the story but never will I open this book ever again.
I sat down and closed the book with a frown as Uzume sat down as well. She saw me place the book down and smiled. "So how what do you think?"
"Of all honesty?" Uzume nodded. "I hate Takashi, the younger brother character, because of how foolish and stupid he is about everything. Honestly I cannot see what any of the girls thought they saw in him." Uzume chuckled and gestured for me to continue. "Sonoko made me angry as well."
"The Tsundere character eh?" Uzume clarified when she saw my confused stare. "A tsundere character is one that acts tough and prideful on the outside but inside she is as soft as a pillow."
"The blushing, stuttering, and awkward attempts to gain Takashi's approval was her being this Tsundere thing?"
"Yep," she answered simply. "Anything else," she asked with a wide grin. She's enjoying my suffering a little too much.
"I thought that maybe he'd get with Koka if he would have looked past her shyness and… Wait why do I care for the characters at all? I know what you mean by cosplay is and what "Traps" are but still why is any of the rest important?"
"Where are you right now?"
I blinked at the questioned but answered anyway. "Maison Izumo."
"Which is in whatcity?"
"What was formally known as Tokyo."
"Which is in what country?"
"Japan, but why does," I was cut off again when Uzume put a finger on my lips. "And what country is does the story take place?" I eyes widened in realization. "Your saying what happened in that maanga is true?"
"Its manga and here in Japan manga are sometimes based on real life occurrences." I went quiet for a moment and letting this all sink in. "I see." I responded before handing the book back to the woman. A second later Innkeeper walked in and looked at Uzume and my close proximity and noticed our intense gazes. She looked over to Mutsu. "Did something happen?"
"I have no idea," he shrugged.
The Innkeeper for now accepted the answer and laid the platter down in front of us. It was now that I just noticed that the table was set with a bowl, a plate, a fork and spoon for me and chopsticks for everyone else. I wasn't sure whether I should have felt happy that the Innkeeper was considerate of my unfamiliarity of this place or angry that she instantly assumed I lacked the knowledge and ability to use the two sticks that Uzume and Mutsu had. I was not the only one to notice my lack of wood no pun intended. Uzume saw the silverware I had as my tool to eat and grinned.
"Hey Otieno do you know how to use chopsticks." My eye twitched at the stupid question but in the end I had to shake my head. Before it I didn't have anything to eat with I used my hands instead and if I had something like soup or broth I drank it directly from the bowl. Table manners have never been my strong suit and in my line of work why would it matter. I take lives to live and love to fight so proper manners at the table was useless to me. I remember the looks I got in any place I ate at in Edo that had sticks as the means to see and snapped them in half and ate with my hands if it was meat or ate from the bowl if it was anything else. I ignored the woman next to me best I could which only made her smile grow.
"I can teach you if you want?"
"No thank you. You taught me what cosplay was and now I am in a very bad mood so no. I don't wish for you to not teach me how to use wooden sticks."
"Chop sticks Otieno-san," Innkeeper corrected. "I do not care what you call them. I will stick to a spoon, fork, or my hands any day." Innkeeper giggled, "My, my Uzume you really should train your man better."
My eye twitched again. "Now wait a second I…"
"Know but as you can see he is a little hard headed." Uzume said finishing my sentence with her own.
"Hey, no one trains…"
"Oh no its okay Otieno-san if you wish not to use chopsticks but you are not allowed to use your hands at the table. It isn't proper."
"In my line of work proper manners don't even matter so forgive me if my table manners are a little lacking."
"See, born under a rock." Uzume whined.
"Oh my, you were born under a rock. That explains a lot."
"I was not born under a rock." I said in some sort of threatening defense. Uzume and Innkeeper giggled at me and started to serve each other food.
"You mentioned your line of work Otieno-san."
"Huh?" Miya looked back up to me and smiled. "You said in your line of work manners isn't essential. I am wondering what you did before." Uzume stopped eating for a moment and looked to both of us. Mutsu though kept eating not really caring about the subject of my previous way of life. I shrugged and drank my water before answering. "A little bit of everything really. I never stayed in one place for long."
"You traveled to a lot of places?" I thought on whether or not to answer truthfully. I have been to places most will never see and pray never have the option to see. I have traveled to corners of the globe that most people have and never will reach. I have done things that the common man would lose his mind too if he witnessed even half of what I have done. I sighed thinking of the many towns I have seen and people I have met and nodded my head while eating some of the rice and eggs the Innkeeper made for us.
"Really? Like where?"
"Calm down Uzume, yes I traveled but I stayed mostly in this half of the world." The woman grinned filling with questions to ask me about my travels.
"Where have all you gone too?"
"I spent a good time in Europe and the middle east doing odd tasks here or there."
"And they paid with gold and jewels," Uzume asked in a bored tone. "Yes, you could say that."
"Gold and jewels?" Innkeeper asked lightly. I shrugged again and continued to eat and finish my food.
"Well I am done and tired so if you need me I will be upstairs."
"What." Uzume looked down to my plate and the bowl I had to see that it was completely empty and there was evidence that I have seconds and thirds. "H-how…"
"He's a fast eater." Mutsu said before standing up and bowing to Innkeeper before he too left after me to the hallway.
Uzume shook her head when she saw the empty dished neatly stacked where Mutsu sat at. "He ain't the only one." We both heard from behind the wall before Mutsu followed me away from the women of the house.
I sighed and rubbed my head as a slight pressure began to build in the back of it. I can sense just how anxious Mutsu is right now. I told him about Karasuba and I didn't wish too. I meant to keep that bit to myself but still it left my lips. Maybe it's for the best. Secrets can tear a partnership apart and I can't have that happen with my sekirei and I. They are bonded to me and that's us a threat to more than just my barriers. I might have to kill them later in the game if mankind itself become threatened. I don't desire to have another genocide on my hands.
"Ashikabi…"
"You can call me by how I introduced myself with," I stated implying that I prefer not to have more titles than I already have.
"I understand," he said but averted his eyes from me. "But why?"
Such a vague question. I think this is the second one he's given me, or maybe the second gauge response to date. That why can mean anything and he could be asking me anything. Sadly I understand fully what he's asking me.
"Because I needed to answer a question." Before my second sekirei could respond I rose my finger to my lips and beckoned him to follow me. Silently he obeyed and trailed behind me as I made my way to the front door. I could feel eyes on me the moment I left my room and even before. I've found a few camerra things spread out around the Inn so I know someone is watching me. I know that they are listening to me. I know that I will meet them eventually and be forced to confront them about these devices soon. I'm unsure when this will be but I do know I will place traps around my room and my affects as well as in the panels of the ceiling just incase a rat starts to scurry around above. For now I need to distance myself from this Inn and it's watcher bidding her time while behind her little hidden door.
"Did you get an answer for that question?" Mutsu asked with his arms crossed while I pulled on my boots.
"I will in time and whether or not it ends in blood is unknown to me at this time. When finally find an answer you'll see." I paused face moment when an idea crossed my mind. "Would you like to meet her again?"
"No, I don't wish to but I'll follow you as you go."
I get the feeling that the parting of the first Discipline Squad had a bit more conflict than a simple walk away. Breaking up a fellowship is never simple and clean. There's a mishap or conflict between member and leaves unnecessary tension.
"Since you asked why, for that as well, I might as well show you before night falls. I need to explore the city a bit more as well now that I have a temporary safe place to return to when I'm tired."
I pulled myself up to my feet and reached for my coat on the side.
"Are you heading out?" I heard from behind us. That sounded like the Innkeeper and I was right when I turned and saw her next to the stairs. "Yes, I have an appointment," I answered with my coat in hand.
"Dressed like that?" The woman looked down at my clothes then back up to me. "I never saw you as old fashioned to wear something like that daily." I didn't see what was wrong with my clothes but then thought back to that mangoa thing I read before and the style of the humans within. My clothing draws attention in this time and I need an… upgrade. I felt myself die just a little inside from that.
"What do you recommend?"
"New clothes for one. I can get Uzume to…"
"No," I said quickly and shook my head. I need to distance myself from her today anyway. On top of that she's doesn't need to know about my first. It's better for the both of us if she remains ignorant of my first until the time I understand the situation fully. I'm sure I have plenty of resources in the city to assist me with my clothing problems so I can blend in much easier. Mutsu has frequent this city longer than me meaning he must know a place I can get a set of clothes.
"I would offer you a set of my husband's clothing but you'd… fill them up quickly," she said with a smile as if implying something. I'm not the average Japanese man. I'm not the size of the average Japanese man. I'm not even Japanese. I'm African decent and it shows with his dark my skin is, but mixed with French on top of being a prior German servant boy. I'm as far from Japanese as a man can get so of course I won't fill her husband's clothing.
I going to assume her husband happened to be Japanese seeing that most of the Sekirei I've met have such names. Usually the man or woman who discovers a new phenomenon names it in their language being why my Sekirei are named the way they are. Uzume is white along with Mutsu. One should be a Bethany and the other maybe Albert. The only Japanese Sekirei I have met so far are the Innkeeper, Karasuba, and that one girl I stabbed before. The rest are everywhere from all walks of life. One I noticed appeared to be an Indian in my eyes. I suppose it doesn't really matter what their race is based on color. They are all Sekirei and I will treat them as such if I can. I'm going to treat them different depending on their appearance, I can't avoid that, but I will be fair and keep them at a neutral level until given a reason not to. I don't wish to kill one yet either.
"I'll figure it out Innkeeper. No need to worry about my state of dress for long." Before she could continue I turned my back and walked out the door. Mutsu bowed his head to the woman and followed behind me with the city down south in sight.
AN: This took a moment to write but longer to get out. Too much Mass Effect and Persona 5. Recap on what happened so far is a man escaped a different realm back to our world in the future. He's a hunter and found Sekirei as prey until he actually began to understand them. Now he find out that there is a dark history between the current sekirei that he has met and is curious enough to figure it out. I planned to have mostly a story within the original but for the effect of this character's introduction to the world to shift certain powers. I put this as supernatural for a reason.
