*Revision v.1 Completed 03 Jul 17*
Disclaimer:
The characters and setting of Omamori Himari are properties of Fujimi Shobo and Milan Matra. Please support the author and publisher by buying the volumes in your country or region. I'm a fan of the series and all, but hey, it's not mine. And never will be. I only write for fun, not for profits. That's what a fanfic should be all about.
Also, all other characters referenced in the story, including OCs, belong to their respective owners.
Legend:
"Normal (Japanese) speech"
{"English speech"}
"Thoughts (Assume character's native language)"
Quotes from other characters are centered, regardless of perspective
Ninth Round – Home, Part Three: Roots! (Bloody Roots!)
Chapter pic: A silhouette of Gordon holding his fists up from behind, his Touki aura flaring up. Standing off in the background is Himari with a violent purple aura surrounding her.
General POV
"Haa...! Haa...!"
Rinko was busy hightailing towards the source of the explosion she and the others witnessed earlier. It's been a few minutes since they left the Benigawa estate (except for Kaya because the house would be left defenseless), and she was beginning to show worry for Gordon and Himari.
"Rinko!"
The ribbon girl turned her head to Yuuto, who was running beside her.
"Do you think Evans-san and Himari-san will be okay?" he asked, panting.
"I don't know, Yuuto," she answered with uncertainty. "That explosion was pretty big. How much further, Loli-snake?"
Shizuku, who was running ahead of the two humans, glanced back at them. "We're almost there...you know," she notified. "I do, however, sense an unknown presence there...you know."
"What? Another one?" Can it be another ayakashi? Rinko was really hoping that wouldn't be the case.
"Stop."
Halting on Shizuku's orders, the brunettes' eyes widened when they saw a large crater hundreds of meters in diameter in front of them. Multiple trees were either felled, uprooted, or completely vaporized by the effect of the explosion.
"H-Holy shit!" Rinko gawked. "You can stare at that thing for hours!"
"Rinko! Look over there!"
Rinko directed her eyes to where Yuuto was pointing and gasped upon seeing an unconscious Gordon and Himari in the crater's epicenter, their bodies ridden with bruises and scratches.
"Aah! Oh my god! Gordon! Himari!"
"Evans-san! Himari-san!" Yuuto shouted. "Are you guys okay!?"
"Duh, of course they're okay, Yuuto! We just need to go down there and... Huh?"
Upon further inspection, Rinko spotted a girl with long, bright red hair making her way down the crater.
"Wait, who's that girl?"
Shizuku, on the other hand, didn't hesitate to go after the mysterious redhead as the little mizuchi sped down the crater, creating an array of water orbs and firing a few shots to keep her from reaching Gordon.
Seeing the incoming shots, the girl raised her arm up and a wall of fire erupted from the ground, vaporizing the shots before quelling it and conjuring a basketball-shaped fireball.
Shizuku cursed while a dome of water appeared around her. The moment the redhead's fiery projectile collided with the dome, it resulted in a thick layer of billowing steam that greatly obscured the snake's vision. Fortunately, she can track the fire-using redhead's movements with her innate sensing of youki.
"There!"
She pointed her finger gun at her target, hoping to shoot the girl at point-blank range. However, she stopped at the last minute when she saw the same girl copying her move with blue flames. Shizuku was also quick to notice a pair of fox ears matching the redhead's hair and the four fox tails swishing behind her.
"Tch! A kitsune. And with four-tails at that. How annoying, you know."
The kitsune had an annoyed frown when she banished her flames. "Jeez, at least ask what someone's doing first before you start attacking."
"Right back at you...you know," Shizuku shot back, looking at Gordon who was tucked under the kitsune's arm. "Now tell me where you are taking the Benigawa, you know."
"Duh, back to the estate. I was going to take the Crimson Blade back there too, until you started shooting me with your water."
Shizuku's eyes narrowed suspiciously at the foxgirl. She can't just leave Gordon and Himari in her hands, not after the fact she apparently knows about the Benigawa estate. There's no telling what she might do when she steps foot in there.
"I don't know who you are or how you came to know this place, but if I suspect you of making one wrong move when we reach the estate, I'll terminate you on the spot...you know," the mizuchi threatened.
"Yeah, yeah," the fox ayakashi said sassily while going back to pick up Himari. "Besides, I saw what I needed to see, anyway."
Shizuku's eyes narrowed further before following the foxgirl up the slope, taking Himari's Yasutsuna with her.
At the edge of the crater, Yuuto and Rinko had their mouths open in slight surprise.
"Yuuto, she's..."
"I know. She's an ayakashi, too. A kitsune, even."
The two humans then got a close look at the red-haired vixen's clothes when she emerged from the slope. First and foremost that brought about Rinko's envy and ire was her ample bust that stretched across the plain yellow tank top the kitsune had on. Other than that, much of her outfit was fitting for the season, save for the cropped red leather jacket that stopped at her torso. Both brunettes were wondering why she would be wearing it until they were seen by the (literally) foxy redhead.
{"Hi~ How's it going?"}
Yuuto and Rinko were thrown off by the foxgirl's English greeting after she walked past them. Not wanting to get left behind, they followed her and Shizuku back to the estate.
Upon arriving, the quartet was greeted by a worried Kaya who, upon seeing Himari in the kitsune's arm, rushed out of the house to meet the battered cat.
"Eeeeeeee! Himari, what happened!? Who did this to you!?"
The Zashiki-warashi's expression soon fell flat when she saw Gordon's unconscious form in the kitsune's other arm.
"Riiiight," she drawled out. "The mutt's still alive. I was hoping he'd be dead by now."
Yuuto, Rinko, and Shizuku all had sweat running down their faces at Kaya's rude sentiment, while the foxgirl had an annoyed scowl.
"Also, who invited this four-tailed fox hag here, anyway?" Kaya demanded, pointing her thumb to said ayakashi.
All of a sudden, the temperature dropped rapidly and everyone save the kitsune was frozen in place.
"Wh-Wh-What the?" Rinko shivered. "I c-can't move!"
"M-M-Me neither," Yuuto added, his teeth chattering. "Wh-Wh-What's going on?"
Shizuku had her eyes focused on the scarlet-headed vixen, whose hair and tails were flying all over the place.
"I see... So that's her killing intent...you know. It's so cold and dense I'm having a hard time moving my body...you know."
The kitsune gently placed Gordon and Himari on the ground and slowly made her way over to Kaya. The foxgirl's footsteps left small craters in her wake, and her deep amber eyes couldn't be made out due to them being completely shadowed by the bangs of her hair.
The Zashiki-warashi was unable to move her body but nonetheless feigned courage as the red-haired kitsune drew close to her.
"What...did you call me just now, brat?" she spoke in a low and menacing tone.
Kaya let out a defiant growl, which only allowed a dark and sinister smile to come from the vixen's lips as she leaned ever so close to the frightened child.
"I'll say this again, little girl. What...did you...just call me back then? Hmm?"
Kaya bit her lip. "Y-You think I should be s-scared of you?"
The vixen gave an unsettling chuckle before opening her eyes to reveal a pair of slit pupils. "Very."
Kaya quickly found herself tucked under the kitsune's arm, causing the twin-tailed brunette to flail and thrash and use every curse word under the sun until she was brought to a nearby tree stump. The Zashiki-warashi was then forced to lie down on the kitsune's lap, stomach facing down while she looked up and growled at her assailant. However her face quickly lost all color the moment she caught a glimpse of the fox's hand crackling with demonic energy.
"N-No! You wouldn't! Please, anything but that!"
SLAP!
"Eeeek!"
Yep. It was none other than a good, old-fashioned spanking.
"Little. (*SLAP!*) Girls. (*SLAP!*) Shouldn't. (*SLAP!*) Call. (*SLAP!*) Young. (*SLAP!*) Ladies. (*SLAP!*) Old. (*SLAP!*) Hags!"
SLAP!
"YEEEEEOOOOOOOOOWWWW!-!"
With one last slap on Kaya's delicate derriere, the kitsune promptly stood up, letting the Zashiki-warashi fall on her rear which caused her to yelp and wince in pain.
"Hmph! That'll teach her. No one calls a pretty young fox like me an old hag and gets away with it," she declared, hands on her hips.
"Haa...! Haa...!" Yuuto panted after the atmosphere returned to normal. "I seriously thought...I was gonna freeze to death."
"You're not...the only one...Yuuto..." Rinko wheezed. Just who on earth was that girl? Her killing intent was not unlike what she had witnessed in the numerous martial arts tournaments she attended.
"Okay, now with that out of the way..."
The scarlet-haired vixen went back to pick up Gordon and Himari's bodies before tilting her head back with a playful wink. "Let's take these two inside, 'kay? Heh-heh."
Beads of sweat rolled down Yuuto and Rinko's faces. "Boy, talk about a 180," they thought simultaneously.
Gordon's POV
It was dark once again in my world the moment I woke up. Unlike before when I couldn't see squat or make out my entire body, this time I can see clearly. Again there was solid ground beneath me despite the bleak and limitless black space surrounding me.
What was I doing, exactly, that made me come to this kind of place?
I suddenly felt a huge headache coming to me, forcing me to clutch my head while numerous images bombarded my brain all at once like a broken levee.
Your friend...needs some saving of her own, as well.
Is this...my demon slayer power...?
RRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!-!
Stay back!
Kuh! Guh! Agh! Aaargh!
Dammit Himari, it's me, Gordon! Pull yourself together!
DIIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEE!-!
SNAP OUT OF IT!-!
A loud gasp slipped my lips in realization and shock while my heart sank like a metric ton of lead. Th-That's right. Himari...somehow went berserk after Ageha nearly killed me. She didn't even recognize me no matter how much I pleaded so...I had to fight to get her out of that.
And I fought her...with my demon slayer powers...
I gaze down at my hands with regretful eyes. Apparently I still remember what I had done to her during that skirmish. In fact, one of the punches I threw at her face reminded me of that guy from the cover of Pantera's Vulgar Display of Power. Who'd have thought I'd reenact that?
But...what the hell was I supposed to do back then? I couldn't let Miss Samurai kill me, especially in that state where she can't even tell friend from freakin' foe. And I didn't want her to be the first ayakashi I have to fight with my powers, but I did anyway.
Haah... God, some Young Lord I turned out to be. I'm not even sure Himari will forgive me after what I did to her.
Upon lifting my head, I was taken aback the moment I saw Himari standing in the distance, her silky black hair greeting me. I was happy, but at the same time anxious. Not from finding out she made it out in one piece, but from what I should say to Miss Samurai now that I know.
Resisting the urge to swallow the huge lump of saliva in my throat, I place my foot forward and began walking towards Himari at a slow pace until we were a few inches apart.
Then with all the courage I can muster, I open my mouth to speak.
"Himari. Look, I don't know how I should put this, but when I came to, you...were different. Completely different. Everything was different about you. That dark, twisted aura you had around your body, and that crazed look in your eyes. And also, you were..."
I bite my lip in a struggle to let out my last sentence.
"You were just hellbent on killing anything that moves, Himari. Killing Ageha, killing me. Just...what on Earth happened that made you lash out like that?"
Himari remained silent for a few moments, which further drew my concern. I tried reaching for her hand but she quickly swatted it aside. My expression then changed to that of worry as I grabbed Himari's wrist, just when she was about to walk away.
However, I was quickly met with something sharp piercing through my stomach and intestines and exiting my back. Blood and gastric juices quickly filled my throat before I was forced to cough some of it out, leaving a mess of red liquid on my shirt. I then gaze down and all feeling was lost from my body upon seeing Himari's katana, its steel blade drenched and dripping with blood.
My blood.
What...the fuck?
It was then I finally get to see Himari's face when she revealed herself to me. She didn't bear any expression whatsoever, not of regret nor of sorrow. Her purple eyes were dull, lifeless, empty, stripped of any and all emotion. It's as if I'm staring down two black holes that were about to suck me straight into the deepest depths of space.
Himari withdrew her blade from my stomach, causing my weakened body to slump and collapse to the ground with an unceremonious thud. Blood continued pouring out my punctured stomach, and my vision started to get cloudy from severe loss.
I extended my hand and held on to Himari's ankle with a firm grip, completely disregarding the state I was in.
Himari stopped and looked down at me with unconcerned eyes. She didn't seem to care at all about the fact she was gonna leave me for dead.
Was this her way of punishing me for throwing away my life so recklessly? But isn't that something she should ask herself? Why? Why would she do this? If it weren't for me kicking the Swallowtail out of the way, her head would be rolling in the dirt. Heck, I was lucky to even see what was about to happen to her.
But...why? Why can't Himari understand...that both our lives were at stake back then? It's not all about her, or me for that matter. I wanted us both out alive. That's why I told her earlier not to die.
Because... Because I...
SLASH!
Nothing. I couldn't feel anything below my neck anymore. My hands, my feet. Heck, I can't even speak right now due to my vocal cords being severed.
However I was able to hear Himari's voice one last time.
"I'm sorry."
...
...
...
Those two words reverberated inside my dying brain, over and over...until I can no longer hear them anymore.
General POV
Gordon immediately shot up from what appeared to be a terrible and mind-numbing nightmare, a loud gasp passing through his lips. Cold sweat rushed through the New Yorker's body while his hyperventilating gradually became slow and steady breaths.
After relaxing for a few moments, Gordon looked around and found he was confined in a room and that he was on a futon. It didn't take long for him to realize he was back in his grandfather's estate, the traditional Japanese styling of the room being a dead giveaway. The sounds of chirping birds and cicadas penetrated the airspace, and door leading outside was wide open to welcome in the midsummer breeze.
A long sigh escaped the Benigawa descendant's mouth before hearing a familiar snarky voice.
"Well well well, look who's finally back from the dead."
Gordon turned his head and spotted Kaya standing in the doorway.
"Ka...ya?" he said groggily.
"Hey Kaya, is the Skate Punk up yet?"
As if on cue, Rinko entered the room, followed by Yuuto and Shizuku.
Gordon faked a wry and humorous smile. "Whaddaya know? The gang's all here to see little 'ol me. I'm speechless, y'know. Hahaha."
Rinko's lips curled into a dissatisfied frown. "Jeez, this is no time to be laughing! All of us were worried sick after we found you and the Cat Princess in that huge crater!"
"Huh? Crater?" Gordon asked, puzzled.
"Yeah. After seeing that huge explosion, we all rushed over there and found you and Himari-san beaten up and unconscious," Yuuto explained.
Gordon's eyes drifted away for a brief moment. That would explain why he couldn't remember anything past his skirmish with Himari. Still, he was a bit shocked to learn his newfound powers would cause that much damage.
But wait. If he's here, where's Himari?
"Oh right. In case you're wondering where the Cat Princess is, she's resting in another room."
Gordon nodded slowly at Rinko's statement before getting up from his futon, removing the blanket beforehand. He then put his hand inside the back of his shirt and reached to where Ageha had pierced him. To his surprise it wasn't there anymore, not even a scar. Only smooth skin was what he felt.
"My water has special healing properties, so I used that to treat that scar you had on your back...you know."
"Yeah, right. You just used that as an excuse to try and do something indecent with the Skate Punk when he was out cold! I was lucky to have seen it coming!"
"Can't I have a little fun while I'm at it...you know?"
"No, you cannot!"
Gordon shot a questioning glance at Yuuto, who in turn shook his head as if saying, "Trust me, you don't want to know."
Kaya shrugged indifferently at the whole affair. "Well, all that matters is that the mutt's finally awake from dreamland. I'm going back to see if Himari's up."
Without missing a beat, Kaya exited the room, closing the shoji behind her. She must really be concerned about her feline companion to have gone out so quickly. Gordon wanted to go along with her too but refrained from doing so given his current situation.
"You guys mind filling me in...on what happened while I was out?"
It all sounded a bit sudden, but after hearing what Ageha said about her accomplice attacking his grandfather's home, Gordon couldn't help but worry about their state of wellbeing.
Thus he received a thorough explanation from Yuuto and Rinko on what happened while he and Himari were away. As it turned out, the Swallowtail's accomplice did attack Gramps' home, and it sounded like the two were really frightened judging by how they told what it can do, from summoning huge pillars out of the sky to firing a powerful laser beam capable of destroying multiple buildings from its one eye. They even showed him the ayakashi in question, all bound and blindfolded like a rounded-up goat ready to meet its doomed fate at the slaughterhouse (Rinko explained it was to restrain its powers).
Then there was the fact she (judging by the tone of voice) was insisting on them playing with her, which made Gordon shiver uncomfortably. Still, who would've thought one monopedal, cyclopean little girl has the potential of causing so much destruction? Thankfully he was glad to hear Shizuku and Kaya were able to prevent Gramps' estate from becoming a wasteland.
After all has been said and done, Gordon stood outside the bounded Ippon-datara's room with Shizuku.
"Haah... Man, this whole trip's been nothing but havoc," he sighed, expressing his lament. "At least nobody got killed in the end."
Though he was quite close to knocking on heaven's door himself.
"Listen, shit-for-brains! I don't give a crap about what you want! Once I kill you, I'll be made a living legend! All what matters to me is how far I go up the ranks! That's all I care about!"
A saddened look slowly appeared on the New Yorker's face. Despite his best attempts of preventing a conflict from happening it inevitably did, and Gordon himself almost got killed in the process.
Shizuku was fortunate enough to catch on to Gordon's change in demeanor. "Is there something bothering you...you know," she asked.
Gordon gave a slow and silent nod. "Do you think...I was being too idealistic when I said I wanted humans and ayakashi to coexist again?"
The little Mizuchi glanced up at Gordon with a curious gaze.
"The ayakashi Himari and I encountered - the Hinoenma, Ageha. I tried talking her out of fighting and explained my ideals to her, but she flat out rejected them. All she cared about was taking my life for the sake of seeking fame."
"There are many kinds of ayakashi...you know," Shizuku explained. "I'm one of the more sensible types...you know."
"Yeah, of course you are, Red-Eyes. Nothing says 'sensible' like trying to drown me and Himari in a whirlpool screaming for our lives."
Shizuku's brow gained a subtle twitch at Gordon's sarcastic remark before brushing it aside with a quick exhale. "Anyway, I think it's time you knew about your powers, now that you've had a harsh taste of reality as a demon slayer."
Gordon seated himself on the tatami crossed-legged, Yuuto and Rinko entering the room soon afterwards.
Satisfied at the turnout, Shizuku began speaking.
"Each of the twelve demon slayers has their own unique set of powers. For the Benigawas, their ability is Touki, a mystic energy that grants them enhanced physical abilities, far beyond that of a normal human."
Gordon held his chin in thought. "Touki, huh?"
"Uh, you mean like those enchantment spells in RPGs? That's what you're implying, right?" a confused Rinko interjected, scratching her head.
"However," Shizuku continued on, "the problem is that Touki itself is an offshoot of Senjutsu, and Senjutsu can only be used by high-level ayakashi. In fact, the three strongest ayakashi in Japan are considered to be masters of this skill...you know."
"Wait, so are you saying I have..."
Shizuku promptly shook her head at Gordon's presumption. "No. As far as records go, none of your ancestors possessed any ayakashi blood to begin with. The origin of your powers instead has something to do with the first head and founder of the Benigawa family, Juto. Juto wielded powers that mimicked Touki to an extent. But Touki can only be used for close-range combat, and his version was so different in terms of abilities that we ayakashi began referring to it by a different name, the Toushi no Chakra...you know."
"Toushi no..."
"Chakra?" a puzzled Rinko finished Yuuto's sentence. Since when did this explanation step into Naruto territory all of a sudden?
Gordon remained quiet for the most part, but at the same time was intrigued. Could that mysterious armored person he met in his near-death experience be the Benigawa's founder? And the incredible speed and power he gained after coming to. That was the Toushi no Chakra at work?
Still, that didn't explain why Himari went berserk that time.
"Despite having no prior skills in weaponry, magic, or martial arts, the Benigawa family only rose to prominence as demon slayers because they had this power. In fact, they have risen so significantly up the ranks that they and three other high-ranking families began calling themselves..."
"Hang on a sec."
Shizuku looked up at Gordon with a passive look on her face. "What is it?"
"There's...something that's been bugging me for a while. It's about Himari's ancestors. I want to know what they were like before they began serving my family."
Yuuto and Rinko were also curious as well, as neither of them knew where the cat descended from. It just didn't come to mind until Gordon brought it up.
Shizuku's eyes peered into the Gordon's before letting out an uneasy sigh. "It's not my place to say this, but...I am certain the cat's ancestors were definitely the kind of ayakashi that harmed humans, you know. They were so vile, in fact, that they resort to killing and eating them...you know," she admitted grimly.
Gordon's face gradually began losing color after what he just heard. That means the Himari he saw when he came to with his Touki...was in fact her true self? She was really hell-bent on killing him?
Yuuto and Rinko bore similar expressions, as they also couldn't believe what they heard, either. How can someone like Himari have ancestors that would commit such vile acts?
"I'm also still certain that even after centuries of subjugation the blood of such malicious ayakashi still flows in the cat's veins, you know. They are, by nature, creatures who hunt and lose themselves in the bloodlust. And the longer she fights, the more those instincts easily come to light...you know."
Gordon's fingers were digging deep into the tatami flooring to the point of tearing it up with his nails. The truth was too much for the Benigawa heir to bear, but until he has all pieces to the puzzle he has to endure it for the time being.
"Hey, Shizuku. Were there any accounts...of things like that happening in the past?"
Shizuku took a long sip of her drink before removing her lips from the straw. "There are...you know. There was one such instance where the Benigawa family's cat became so entrenched in her own bloodlust that she was deemed uncontrollable, and as a result had to be put down by the family head...you know."
What followed the grim statement was a stunned silence that quickly filled the room, with all three listeners bearing uncomfortable expressions.
"N-No way..." Yuuto gasped.
"Y-You're kidding, right?" Rinko said in disbelief. "Please tell me you're joking."
Meanwhile, Gordon was completely overwhelmed at what he just heard from the green-haired snake. One of Himari's ancestors was so out of control that she had to be killed by one of his own? That's outrageous! Absurd, even!
But that also means what Himari said to him a while back may actually come...
Unable to fathom such a horrendous act, the distraught New Yorker quickly got up and left the room.
"Ah! Hey, Gordon! Where're you..."
"Leave him be...you know."
Rinko turned to Shizuku, who was taking a quick sip of her drink.
"He should have some time to himself. I did give him quite a mouthful after all, you know."
The ribbon girl nodded understandably before looking back at the shoji Gordon exited from. "I sure hope he'll be okay," she thought worriedly.
"Hey Rinko, don't you think we should check up on the Ippon-datara?" Yuuto suggested.
"Huh? Oh right, I almost forgot about her. I bet she's hungry too, so let's get her something to eat first."
After finding a few snacks in a nearby pantry, the two headed to the room where the Ippon-datara was held.
"Uh, h-hey, you awake in there?" Rinko asked shyly, slowly opening the fusuma leading inside. "I figured you might be hungry, so I brought you some... Aah!"
Standing in front of her and Yuuto was a young woman with short brown hair and green eyes, wearing an outfit resembling those worn by miko, but with detached sleeves and the addition of a red hat. Tucked underneath one of her arms was the Ippon-datara, who was squirming and saying variants of "Let's play!" but the shrine girl was too busy having her eyes fixated on the two humans to notice.
"Hmph! This place was a snag to get into once the Zashiki-warashi went away. And the fact she hasn't raised a barrier just proves how incompetent she really is."
"Crap, don't tell me she's an ayakashi, too?" Rinko assumed.
"And also, be sure to tell that foreigner of yours this," the shrine girl ayakashi continued. "I'm not thanking him for saving my life or anything, but I'll at least give him some important info."
"What kind of info?" Yuuto demanded, eyes narrowed.
Ageha turned her head back at the pair with a sly smirk. "Another surviving demon slayer is looking for him."
Yuuto and Rinko's eyes widened in surprise. There was another one like Gordon coming after him? Why?
"Anyway, I'll be taking Sasa back with me now. See ya."
With those parting words, the shrine girl ayakashi leapt through the window, taking off with the Ippon-datara in tow.
"Ah! Hey, wait!" Rinko shouted, only to find her gone after peeking out the window. "...Rats, she got away."
"Do you think she might be bluffing?"
The ribbon girl shook her head. "I don't think so, Yuuto. She sounded like she's serious. Uuuugh...! Aw man, what a day. There's so much that went on it's hard to keep track of it all."
"You and me both," Yuuto exhaled, running his hand through his hair. How were they going to explain this to Gordon?
Gordon's POV
It took all that I had to stomach everything Red-Eyes told me about Himari's ancestors. How they would come to harm, kill, butcher, and even devour humans like they were just mere appetizers at an all-you-can-eat buffet.
And to make matters way worse than it should be, one of my ancestors killed one of them all because she got hooked on slaughtering so many ayakashi. I know Himari kills ayakashi for a living to protect me, but I didn't know it would actually have this much of a negative effect on her in the long run.
But for me to take down Miss Samurai should her natural instincts take over one day is just... There's no way I can do that without feeling I've been slapped hard in the face afterwards.
In an effort to relieve myself, I take out my cell phone and went through some of the pictures I took thus far. One of the pictures I stopped at was actually a short clip from over a month ago. It was from that time Himari wanted to try out my skateboard on our way to school. I wanted to help her in case she falls since it was her first time on it, but Himari refused outright.
I am quite confident I can ride your skateboard without much problem, Young Lord. I have seen you on it countless times, so I know what I am doing.
Somewhere along those lines. Unfortunately for her, she couldn't keep her balance and fell right on her butt, sending my board rolling down the hill (fortunately one of the townspeople stopped it).
Then when Miss Samurai found out I was shooting the whole thing she got really embarrassed and upset, urging me to delete the clip while aggressively reaching for my phone (luckily I beat her in the height department). I promised Himari I'd delete the clip right away, but thankfully she hasn't heard of cloud storage and I uploaded it back on my phone. I think that was the first time in my life I've seen Himari get mad over something like that. Maybe it has something to do with the fact cats always land on their feet somehow.
But come on, you'd have to admit that was hella funny.
The first ayakashi you slay shall probably be me. Right?
My hand had a firm grip on my smartphone to the point I might actually crack the screen by accident. Dammit! Why do those words always come back to haunt me! Why the hell would Himari say that with such a relaxed look on her face! Doesn't she realize I'm gonna suffer the most should that day ever come?
"Ah. Young Lord."
Lifting my head up, I spotted Himari and Kaya approaching the house. While Kaya had on her usual clothes, Himari was dressed in a white yukata with some cleavage showing. I also notice a few droplets of water resting on her skin, hinting she must've taken a bath somewhere.
I get up from the veranda and approach the two girls, pocketing my phone along the way.
"Ha! Too bad for you she's already done with her bath, mutt!"
Kaya says with a smug look, which I return with a derisive snort.
"I couldn't more or less give a damn, Implants." Besides, I've seen Himari naked once. I don't need to see her naked another time. Especially with this brat hanging around.
Kaya's cheeks quickly flush a ferocious bright red from shock and embarrassment. "I-I-I-I-Implants!? Y-Y-Y-You take that back! My breasts are all-natural, I'll have you know!" She quickly hid said objects with her arms while turning her body away from me. "And if you even think of copping a feel, I'll chop your balls right off!"
"Oh, you sure you wanna do that? I may not know how to get my powers working, but I can spank your ass real hard if I want to."
As if on reflex, Kaya covered her rear with clenched teeth and a menacing growl, prompting Himari to intervene.
"Please you two, that is enough. Kaya, I need for you to go inside. There are some important matters I wish to discuss with the Young Lord."
Important matters? Wonder what she could want with me?
Kaya relented but still kept a hawkish glare before trudging inside. Once the screen door slid closed, Himari made eye contact with me.
"Do you wish to go for a walk with me through the forest?"
She suggests, a smile spread across her lips.
"Huh? Uh, well... Okay, I suppose."
Her request was so sudden and out of the blue, I couldn't find the right words to say.
But you know, maybe some alone time with Miss Samurai wouldn't be all bad. I mean, a lot of shit happened here anyway.
It wasn't that long before we found ourselves trekking through the woods. However I was a bit apprehensive in sparking a legit conversation with Himari. Partially because...well, I fought her when she went berserk not too long ago.
Of course, my silence didn't go unnoticed by her.
"Is there something bothering you, Young Lord?"
I shake my head. "Nah, it's nothing."
Himari had a suspicious, "Hmm" going on before a light smile appeared on her face. "Anyway, I am glad you are uninjured. I cannot imagine what I would do if you had been badly hurt."
You would go AWOL and kill everyone in a bloody massacre.
Or at least that's what I want to say, except that actually happened and Himari wouldn't be at all pleased if I were to go along with that. So in the end, I came up with something else.
"Guess I'm just lucky, I suppose."
Himari lets out a mild sigh. "So it seems."
The way she said it made me think she was feeling guilty about something, but I let it slip for now.
"By the way, Young Lord."
"Hm? What's up?" I ask, shooting a sideways glance.
"Did you really mean what you said to me back then? About me being the last person you wish to see dead?"
The very last person I ever want to see dead...is the one who showed me what's beyond the world I'm living in right now.
My eyes drift away slightly. I'm surprised Miss Samurai remembered that, of all things. But I usually stand by my words so I really can't lie to her about it.
"...I suppose I did mean it, yeah. After all, you did go all this way letting me see Gramps, even though he's been dead all along. There were so many things I want to ask him, though."
A lot of things that probably won't get answered anytime soon.
"But hey, at least I get to properly thank him for what he's done. For me, for Grams, and for Pops, too."
Himari produced a small smile. "That's good to hear. I'm glad. And also, I..."
I stopped walking the moment Himari did. She had a bit of a nervous expression going on from what I can tell, and her violet eyes were averting my gaze.
"Th-Thank you...for saving my life earlier."
I blink a few times at her shy disposition. It was the first time I've seen her like this since we went on that shopping trip a couple weeks ago, when I complimented her swimsuit.
After regaining my composure, I flash a wry smile at Himari. "Don't mention it. It's what friends do."
That's right. We're way past being just master and servant now. We're friends.
However...
I'm also certain that even after centuries of subjugation the blood of such malicious ayakashi still flows in the cat's veins, you know. They are, by nature, creatures who hunt and lose themselves in the bloodlust. And the longer she fights, the more those instincts can easily come to light...you know.
What Shizuku told me about Miss Samurai earlier remained in the recesses of my mind. Even if she looks and behaves much like a human, Himari, as much as I'd hate to admit it, is an ayakashi. And one day I'll eventually have to put her down, like it or not.
But do I even have the guts to conduct such a horrific act? I mean, me taking a sword against Miss Samurai? That's the last thing I want to do. How can I call myself someone who wants humans and ayakashi to coexist again if I eventually have to kill Himari in the far future? That's the textbook definition of hypocrisy if I ever heard of it.
No. I can't allow Himari to suffer from such a fate. I value her life just as much she values mine, for sure. Especially after what happened.
Which is why...
"Come, Young Lord! Let's race to the lake!"
"Huh? H-Hey, wait up!"
"Hehehe. Come on, hurry up!"
I'll become strong...for her sake. Strong so she won't have to shoulder that kind of burden on herself anymore. That's a promise I'm willing to keep. I swear on my mother's grave.
General POV
Rinko was on her way to visit the grave of Yuuto's grandparents when she and Yuuto arrived in town. It was quite a long trip, though, but the taxi ride was worth it. Otherwise, they'd have to resort walking in this blistering heat. It would also be the first time the ribbon girl visited Yuuto's grandparents' grave ever since she first heard of their deaths from Yuuto a long time ago. Even she had to admit she was getting a bit nervous. And she knows Yuuto must be, too, given he has quite a painful memory of that event.
Upon reaching the grave site, they placed their flowers and lit up some incense before offering their silent prayers. After a while, they seated themselves on a nearby bench.
"Haah... To think I'd visit Grandma and Grandpa's grave after all these years," Yuuto said with a regretful sigh.
"I guess you're still a little upset about it, huh?" Rinko assumed, which caused the Amakawa orphan to nod a bit.
"Of course. I spent my early childhood with them, after all. Sure they were on the superstitious side a bit, but if it weren't for that I would've never heard about ayakashi from them in the first place, especially now that they're real. It's sad just to see them go."
From what Rinko can hear, Yuuto always had that sense of nostalgia whenever he mentions his parents or grandparents. It doesn't take a genius to know why he thinks that way. Even so, he still manages to get by well without much problem. After all, she did make him open up a lot when he first moved to Takamiya.
But sometimes bad memories of the past are difficult to get over, and Rinko herself is no exception as even she had moments she's not particularly proud of, her calling Himari a monster on her first day of school being one of them. Despite that, as Yuuto's close friend and neighbor it was her job to look out for him, especially during rough times like eight years ago.
But is it, though?
"Just make some progress with him already."
The sheer mention of what Shimamura told her before the summer festival a week and a half ago somehow went through Rinko's mind, causing the brunette to wonder where that suddenly came from.
"What's wrong, Rinko?"
"Eh?" Rinko's thoughts were cut off by Yuuto, who was looking straight at her with concern written all over his face. The ribbon-wearing girl can feel the heat rising up her cheeks before calming herself down with a chuckle.
"Ah, i-it's nothing, Yuuto, really," she said, flustered. "You worry about me too much. Ehehe..."
Deep inside, however, Rinko was already sweating bullets. "Aw man, I feel like a total idiot just now! Gee, thanks a lot, Yuu!"
Yuuto raised a confused eyebrow brushing it off. "Anyway, I'm glad you decided to come with me. To be honest, I actually felt a bit nervous coming here by myself."
"Huh? R-Really now?" Rinko blinked.
"Of course," he nodded. "I think it's much better when you have someone to mourn the dead with. It feels a lot less depressing that way."
A faint blush appeared on Rinko's cheeks as she shyly turned away. "I'm glad I was able to come with you, then."
"By the way, Rinko..."
"Yeah?"
"You're...starting to get a bit close."
"Eh?" Rinko directed her gaze downwards and realized she indeed was sitting very close to Yuuto, almost shoulder-to-shoulder. Upon noticing this, the ribbon girl quickly scrambled back with a bright blush all over her face.
"Wah-wah-wah-wah! I-I'm so sorry!" she apologized profusely. "Aw man, that was so embarrassing! Don't tell me I did it without knowing?"
"A-Actually..."
She quickly got out of her stupor enough to look at Yuuto, who was scratching his cheek.
"I...really don't mind you getting close to me, I guess," he said awkwardly.
Rinko's eyes blinked momentarily before looking away. "O-Okay. Then maybe we can...well...hold hands on our way back?" she suggested, twiddling her thumbs around shyly.
It was now Yuuto's turn to blush. "Uh...sure, why not?" He looked at his watch and noticed it was almost five-thirty in the afternoon. "Aw man, we should probably get going soon. I promised Kaya I wouldn't be here for too long."
"Mhm," Rinko nodded as they got off the bench. While leaving the cemetery, the pair quietly held hands, albeit their facial expressions say they were a bit reluctant in doing so.
However, it was just one tiny step on a long and winding path. A path filled with numerous roadblocks they would need to overcome.
Gordon's POV
The train ride back to Takamiya was just as long as the ride to Noihara. Most of us were tired given all that happened there, and neither of us were really in the mood for talking.
I shoot a sideways glance at Yuuto and Rinko on the other side of the train. Both of them were sleeping peacefully, their bodies leaning against one another. I find it to be quite cute, to be honest, almost like they're a couple.
Shizuku was busy reading a few magazines she found underneath her seat. I couldn't care less as to what exactly she was reading, so I leave her be.
There wasn't really much to do on the train except gaze out at the window and listen to my tunes. I could strike up a chat with one of the passengers to ease my boredom, but I chose not to because again I wasn't really in the mood.
Noihara...really taught me a lot about what I should do. It taught me that not all ayakashi are willing to accept the idea of coexistence, and I would have to fight them if worst comes to worst. I'm willing to go through that if it means having to defend my ideals, but I definitely won't stoop to killing them.
What I do have to worry about, however...
I direct my eyes towards Himari who was sleeping soundly beside me, her head resting on my shoulder. She had on the white dress Yuuto and Rinko bought for her during the shopping trip. The view of her cleavage can be a bit tempting considering she still didn't have a bra on, but I managed to endure.
But still, I never knew Himari's ancestors...would commit such horrible tragedies against humans. And now that I got an up-close look at Miss Samurai's true nature it would be hard to ignore that, especially with her battling all the time just to keep me safe.
Would I be better off if I didn't ask Red-Eyes about Himari's ancestors? Yeah, I probably would. But I can't take it back now, and I've already made my decision on what to do next. I want to protect her just as she did with me. This just isn't about my life at stake here, her's is at stake as well.
I reach for Himari's chin and began stroking it gently. Almost instantly I can hear her purr as she drew herself closer to me.
"Nnnh... Zzz..."
My lips curl into a wry smile while I ran my hand through her hair. Even though she's a white cat, I always admired the bluish black color she has in her human form, and the illustrious shine it presented.
As I let go of Himari's hair and gaze out the window again, I hear her mumble something softly in her sleep.
"Zzz... Young Lord... I will...protect you. I...promise you... Mmm..."
You keep saying that, Himari. But aren't you at least concerned about your fate? Don't you know...that you're gonna...
I was unable to finish my thoughts, as I already had fallen asleep. The clacking of the train tracks would be my source of music the remainder of the trip.
And there goes chapter nine! Whew! It's been a long time since I last been on, and for those who waited patiently for this story to be updated, thank you. I really appreciate it.
So this chapter concludes the Roots Arc, and much like the last chapter a lot of things happened. You have Shizuku explaining the Benigawa clan's power, Gordon spending a little bit of quality time with Himari, Kaya getting her ass slapped by Nariko (note to self: never call Nariko an old hag), and the slow but steady start of the Yuuto/Rinko pairing.
Did I mention Kaya got her ass slapped by Nariko?
There were some deeper portions of this chapter as well, the most significant being Gordon's reaction to Himari's ancestors' dark and brutal history and how it affects Himari down the road, thus setting Gordon's motivation to train and master the Benigawas' Touki ability and therefore be strong enough to save Himari from herself. He may have a long road ahead of him, but to paraphrase Vergil from Devil May Cry, you can't protect anything if you don't have the power to do so. Gordon was already fighting for his life when Himari went berserk, and now that he knows the reason behind it, he has no choice but to walk that path. Where it will lead him, though, is still up for question.
As a hint of trivia, the chapter title comes from the Sepultura song "Roots Bloody Roots" off the Roots album.
That's my spiel for now. The next chapter of TBDS will mark the beginning of the series' third arc, the Second Term arc. Look forward to a lot of things happening there.
So before I finally call it a day, here's a more in-depth overview of the Benigawas' Touki and the techniques displayed in this chapter.
Touki (闘気), or "Fighting Spirit", is a mystic energy that augments the user's physical abilities, allowing for an enhanced fighting prowess. The ability is an offshoot of Senjutsu (仙術), a technique that involves harnessing the power of nature and using it to enhance their senses, attack, and defensive power. However since Senjutsu (and by extension, Touki) is an ability that can only be used by certain ayakashi (Japan's three most powerful ayakashi are said to be masters of the skill), many ayakashi have since began referring to the Benigawas' variant by a different name: the Toushi no Chakra (闘士のチャクラ), or Fighter's Chakra.
The origins of the Benigawa family and their powers can be traced back to the middle of the Muromachi Period (1336-1573) with Juto, a mysterious young man with amnesia who was found in a rice field by a girl named Fuuka. The village Fuuka lived in faced constant threat from ayakashi in the form of ambushes, with most of its defenders either incapacitated, crippled, dead, or missing. After discovering his latent powers during an attack, Juto became the village's new guardian. He was later elevated to vice-chief in his adulthood, and became chief after an ayakashi raid claimed the former chief's life, despite his best efforts defending the village.
Juto later married Fuuka and the couple had a child, a boy named Takahiro, but their peaceful days as a family were cut short when Juto was recruited to take part in the Battle of Okehazama (1560) during the Sengoku era (1467-1603), fighting in Nobunaga Oda's army. During the campaign, he slaughtered over 800 of Yoshimoto Imagawa's men before dying from a fatal wound inflicted by one of Imagawa's cavalry. Oda caught wind of the feat, and the general posthumously bestowed Juto the title of Benigawa (紅川, Japanese for "Crimson River"), stemming from the blood of Juto's foes dyeing a nearby river a deep crimson color. Fuuka soon used the title for her married name to honor her late husband. Takahiro later became the village's new guardian after discovering his father's powers, and the Benigawas were eventually welcomed into the demon slayer ranks at #4 for their talents and services. They, along with the other three top-ranking families (Tsuchimikado, Kamizakura, and Kagamimori), collectively became known as the Four Celestial Dragons.
Founder's Scroll:
The Founder's Scroll is one of the Benigawas' Three Sacred Heirlooms, containing techniques Juto and Takahiro learned and developed during the course of their lifetimes. It is required for newly-awakened Benigawas to first learn and master the basics from the scroll before progressing on to more advanced techniques.
Basic Techniques
Overdrive: An ability that gives the Benigawa a momentary power boost (1.5x for around 15 seconds). A cooldown state called Overheat occurs immediately afterwards, where a Benigawa cannot use their Touki for a given period (usually 15-20 minutes). Known as Raging Touki by earlier ancestors.
Aura Burst: A defensive technique where the Benigawa unleashes a short, omni-directional burst of Touki that repels incoming attacks. It can also be used to push back multiple enemies if surrounded, and can even neutralize magic attacks if the burst is powerful enough.
Aura Burst Strike: An offense-based variant of the Aura Burst where the Benigawa infuses one of their limbs with Touki and releases it upon striking their foe, sending them flying. The release of Touki requires a bit of practice, as it can easily backfire if timed too soon or too late. The technique also creates some degree of fatigue for the Benigawa depending how much Touki is used.
Phantom Rush: Gives the Benigawa a quick burst of speed rivaling the speed of sound, leaving behind blue streaks. Best suited for evading attacks on the fly or closing in on enemies.
Intermediate Techniques
Burst Circle: An attack where the Benigawa fires a magic circle at their opponent, exploding on impact. Though they're sometimes used as a defensive tactic like the Aura Burst, they take up a moderate amount of Touki and can only be fired in one direction. In fact, a Benigawa who just awakened their Touki might experience mild fatigue after one use. Burst Circle also has a very limited range (up to 12 feet or 3.66 meters), making it unsuitable for engaging long-distance attackers.
Physical changes:
When a Benigawa uses their Touki, their body becomes shrouded in a calm and mystic blue aura. The mark of the Benigawa clan - a lotus circle - appears behind their neck, and emits a bright glow when using their techniques. The mark (and by extension, the awakening of their Touki) can only be attained in one of two ways: either a Benigawa must experience a tremendous spike in energy that renders them unconscious (this usually happens when they're on the brink of getting killed), or they must undergo a near-death experience. There have been rare occasions of a Benigawa experiencing both and receiving the mark afterwards.
When activating Overdrive, the Benigawa's aura flares to an electric blue color, with distinct, crimson orange markings appearing all around their body. Their eyes take on a sinister and eerie white glow, and a white streak appears in their hair.
Weaknesses:
While Touki does deal a hefty amount of damage to opponents when used to its full potential, it is also a double-edged sword for the Benigawas due to the strain it puts on their bodies the more they try to draw out. If they are not careful with how much Touki they exert, they can suffer from critical - and sometimes fatal - internal injuries after use, often at times leading to death. Such was not the case for Juto and Takahiro but it gradually became a problem along the line. To counter this, the Benigawas began putting a strong emphasis on physical and endurance training, as well as spiritual training in order to better channel their Touki.
Another major downside to Touki is that it can only be passed down to male members of the family, barring any Benigawa female the chance of obtaining the ability.
Next time on The Brooklyn Demon Slayer: "Tenth Round – A Day with the Tea Maid"
This is KID2NR, signing off. See ya!