When Cross and Ren had packed up their stuff after finishing breakfast, Tiedoll came up to them and said they would be traveling together. He worded it as if they had no say in it, all with a genial smile. Cross scowled and asked him why, and the artist only said he didn't trust a man like him with a young girl. Plus, they were also heading toward Europe and it only made sense to stick together on the long journey.

Looking between them, Ren wondered just how long it would take to get to Europe. Weeks, months even? It had already been a week since they left Guangzhou and they had only made it to the beginnings of Central China.

Marie and Yu didn't seem to care, and the former was happy to converse with her as they traveled. They talked about a lot of things; what they liked to do in their spare time as well as what they didn't like. Marie liked listening to music as well as to the people around him, especially his comrades. Given that he had lost his sight only about a year ago, he still had some difficulties in navigating the road and used his headphones to help amplify sound for him. Like echolocation, he explained, though it wasn't as effective since this was just a prototype.

Fascinated, Ren asked if she could perhaps try them out herself, and found herself wincing from how loud everything became. She could hear everything; from the sound of hair whistling in the wind to the very heartbeats of the people around her, and had to take them off after a few seconds.

Yu scoffed at them and stayed silent at the very back of the group. Ren turned to him and asked him what he liked, and he only answered with a scowl.

Crestfallen from his cold shoulder, she still continued to try to draw him into their conversation. Telling both Marie and Yu that she really liked koi, and in her free time would practice traditional dances so that she wouldn't forget them. Even though no one outside of Japan knew of their significance, she was still more than happy to keep the tradition alive within her.

Yu only stared at her before looking away.

Wanting to keep the conversation going, Marie asked what those dances were, and Ren was happy to explain. There were a few simple ones danced at Bon Odori to respect the dead, and then there were complicated ones like the kagura dance which were performed during large ceremonies. She was actually supposed to perform it when she had graduated into being a Miko, but circumstances changed.

"...Miko?" Yu asked, trying to seem nonchalant even though there was genuine curiosity in his eyes.

Perking up, Ren explained. "A Miko is a shrine maiden, priestess, healer, and messenger of their patron god. My duties to Amaterasu-sama include helping the ill, purifying evil, protection, and blessings. Actually," She looked behind her at her bow with a fond smile. "I used to hate it."

Marie tilted his head. "I find that very unbelievable. From what I can tell, you are very devoted to being a Miko. I heard your prayers last night and when you were gutting the deer."

Even Yu looked interested in her reasoning. "Yeah." He chimed in flatly. "I thought you were just some crazy girl who wouldn't stop muttering to herself."

Ren pouted. "It's not crazy since I'm communing with Amaterasu-sama, OK? To answer your question, Marie-san, I found it stupid." She chuckled mirthlessly. "I have known about Akuma all my life, and there were no exorcists to come save us. My town's populace slowly dwindled, and even my parents..." She looked down at the ground, walking automatically without pause. "All that was left of them was dust and blood."

Marie bowed his head. "I'm sorry for your loss." He murmured respectfully.

"Thank you." She accepted graciously. "It hasn't even been that long, two years at most. But when you grow up fearing for your life every day, it's hard to believe in higher powers. In fact, I still didn't believe even when I was performing my Miko ceremony."

"What changed?" Yu asked from behind her, frowning thoughtfully.

"A Level 3 attacked." Ren explained with a bitter frown. "It killed...so many people." She could still feel their warm blood on her hakama, hear the sounds of their screams as they ran in fear. "Shishou- master wasn't around so my grandfather who is a priest tried to fight it off. His sutras worked but the Akuma pushed me into the bonfire. I..." She looked down at her small hands that were covered in callouses. "I was supposed to die, I think."

"And you think this ama-whatever saved you?" The Japanese boy snorted and crossed his arms. "That's a load of shit."

Ren turned to glare at him. "She did! And her name is Amaterasu-sama, goddess of the sun, heaven, and the universe." She gripped her strapped bow tightly with one hand. "It was because she accepted me as her Miko and protected me from the flames, that I can use the Innocence. It chose me because of her. The power to destroy Akuma may lie within this God's crystal, but my heart that desires to destroy them comes from her."

"Ren, you don't know that." Marie said gently, though it was accompanied with a bluntness that she hadn't expected. "Innocence work in mysterious ways. For all you know, it could have all been because of the Innocence responding to the presence of a Level 3. Perhaps the adrenaline from such a harrowing situation made you believe your goddess had reached out to you."

She shook her head. "No, that can't be true." She refuted passionately. "The Innocence didn't respond until Amaterasu-sama had protected me in the fire. If it really bonded with me because of the Level 3, then it would've merged with my weapon as soon as Shishou handed it to me. I know she's watching over me." She paused when she realized she was getting too heated and took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get so worked up over this. There's no wrong in asking for explanations."

Marie shook his head and gave her a sheepish smile. "No, but I shouldn't have judged you on your faith. I apologize." He sighed. "Perhaps your Amaterasu does exist. Look at us, we all have a mysterious power called Innocence helping us fight Akuma," He gestured to the whole group, even the two Generals who traveled at the front. "And there's no clear explanation as to where it came from, or who created it. There are many mysterious forces in this world, and your goddess is probably one of them, so...I apologize if I offended you." He bowed his head.

Blinking in surprise, Ren smiled softly. "No, it's OK. I...probably come across as too devoted, but it's really all I have left connecting me to my homeland. That culture doesn't exist out here," She gestured to their surroundings of rural China. "The clothes, the food, the language...I'm probably the only one out here who knows it all. It's lonely, so...I try to remind myself of it."

"...Is that why you were speaking to me in Japanese?" Yu asked quietly with a contemplative frown. "Because you thought I was a native?"

Ren turned to him and nodded quickly, glad that he understood. "Yes! I thought you were a nihonjin- a Japanese person, and well..." She smiled, embarrassed. "I suppose I overstepped my boundaries. I'm sorry, Yu-san."

He looked away with a frown. "Must've disappointed you, huh." He muttered petulantly.

She looked down at herself. "A little..." She confessed reluctantly. "But I don't blame you. The disappointment is my fault. I shouldn't have expected you to know-"

A vein pulsed in his temple and he turned to her with a mighty scowl. "Are you trying to say I'm dumb or something?!"

She blinked at his sudden shift in mood. "Um, no...I just-"

Grabbing her by her shoulders, Yu shook her none too gently. "I'll show you!" He barked, ignoring her swirly eyes. "Start fucking teaching me!"

"Yu!" Tiedoll turned around from his spot at the front and frowned disapprovingly. "Watch your language, and take your hands off Ren! You shouldn't be so rough with girls."

Turning around to watch as well, Cross only scoffed and blew out his cigarette smoke. "Renren, you don't have to entertain the pretty boy." A sly smirk spread across his face. "I know you're desperate, but you don't have to stoop that low."

Yu turned to scowl at him instead, letting his hands fall from her shoulders. "As if you have room to talk, you fucking pervert!" He retorted. "What kind of old guy like you travels with a little girl, huh?! Who's the real desperate one?!"

"Wha-" Cross held a hand to his chest, offended. "Watch your fucking mouth, kid!"

"You fucking watch your mouth, old man!"

"You little shit!"

Looking between the two as they traded crass insults at one another, Ren heaved a sigh and prayed to Amaterasu-sama for the patience she'd need. Instead of any peace however, she instead was answered with an explosion a little further down the road.

They paused in their argument just in time to unsheathe their weapons. A blast like that wasn't caused by anything except by Akuma, and judging by the following scream, it had found a victim. Without waiting for any of them, Yu rushed ahead with his sword held in his hands, leaving the rest of them to scramble after him. For his small size, he was fast, and quickly outran them to reach the Akuma first.

It was a measly Level 1; its plate-like gray outer shell slowly turned around to show the black and white devil mask that was its face, forever frozen screaming in agony. Underneath it was a pile of clothes with dust being the only thing left of the person it had killed.

It pointed its various barrels at the Japanese boy and opened fire, loud bangs filling the air. Yu dodged each and every bullet and jumped high in the air with his sword held up, Innocence activated. "Mugen!" Angling himself downward, he was about to slice it open when a barrel pivoted and aimed right at his face.

"Shit..!" He cursed just before the bullet exploded in his face and he was blown back, skidding on the ground. Black stars slowly covered his exposed skin as he shakily got back to his feet.

Finally arriving, Ren widened her eyes at the sight. "Yu-san! Your skin..!" She was about to rush up to him but he held an arm out.

His hair hung around his shoulders, covering almost all of his vision as he panted. With a clench of his fists around his sword, the virus began to disappear and he dashed forward once more, sliding underneath the Akuma to strike upward. His sword pierced through its tough shell and came out the other side unscathed, slicing it in half. As he sheathed Mugen, the Akuma exploded, leaving no traces of it ever existing.

Combing his long hair out of his face with a hand, Yu scowled at it. "Che..."

Running up to him, Ren looked him over worriedly, eyes wide at the sight of his flawless skin. "But...the virus..." She knew without a doubt that the virus was 100% fatal. Whether it touched skin, or was inhaled, there was no escaping a fate of dissolving into dust. Yet the Japanese boy had just recovered from it like it was nothing, and whatever scratches he had obtained from being blown back had also disappeared. How..?

"I'm fine." Yu snapped at her. "I won't die that easily."

She frowned, putting the thought away before rummaging through her pack. Finding what she was looking for, she held it out to him in her hand. He looked down at the white piece of cloth with a confused frown. "What..?"

"To tie your hair back." Ren explained. "I notice you keep your hair down, but it looked like it was getting in the way of your eyes. If it had obscured your vision for a second longer, that Akuma could've killed you."

Scowling, he crossed his arms and turned away with a huff. Frowning at how petulant he was, she struck her hands out and quickly pulled his long hair back into a high ponytail, tying off the knot just as his sword was about to cut her. "There. Isn't it better like this?" She wasn't going to mention just how silky soft those indigo strands were. Did he use any special hair oils?

Glaring at her, he sheathed Mugen once more and patted his new ponytail. He wasn't going to admit that yes, it was a lot easier now that his hair was out of his face. "Whatever." He bit out, an embarrassed blush taking up most of his face. "Don't touch me again."

"Yu! Ren!"

Marie rushed up to them, Tiedoll and Cross walking leisurely behind him, and placed a hand on his headphones. "Are the both of you all right? I only heard one Akuma, but I also heard Yu shouting..."

"I'm fine!" Yu quickly answered before she could, and turned away. "I took care of the ugly thing. Let's just keep going." As he turned, his ponytail fluttered behind him like ribbons, catching the sun's rays at the right moment to shine like cerulean.

Ren could admit he did look better with his hair tied up like that, and it almost seemed like he was a samurai. Or as her master would say, "a pretty boy wielding a kitchen knife."

"What the fuck does Akuma even mean?" Yu muttered, strapping his sword to his back.

She sighed. If only he could stop using such crass words. "It means demon in Japanese."

"And sword?"

"Huh?"

"How do you say sword in Japanese?"

"Katana."

"...What about-"

And so on and so forth. It seemed like she had her work cut out for her, if he was actually serious about learning their native language.

She smiled though. It was nice that he wanted to learn, even if it was just to spite her.