Chapter 3: Clockwise Metamorphosis
The Kogai bamboo forest: A massive stretch of bamboo trees covering the southern half of the Greater Ashina mountain range. The Shin Jinja road stretches through the dense flora, connecting Ashina Castle to the rest of its kingdom. To stray too far from this singular path would cause any regular person to lose their way. The dense treetop obscures the north star. Unless the traveller was lucky enough to be a travelling sailor with a compass, there was very little hope of returning alive before the wolves, or vengeful pale spirits should you be lost at night, found you.
However, there was nowhere in all of Japan safer for Emma and the Wolf.
Ideally, they should be on the move right now, not resting in the middle of Kogai forest. Alas, the Wolf was the one who demanded that they stop. As it turns out, thirty years of night-immobility had done quite some damage to his cardio. Slightly annoyed, Emma agreed. It was daytime, so at least there wasn't any threat of a spirit ambush. Besides, the infant Divine Heir in Emma's arms was starting to stir from his nap. Emma sat by the Wolf, placing the bundled baby in her lap. They will talk when the Wolf's lungs stop burning.
If Emma were to be honest, she still has no idea where they are even going. So many things need to be done if they wish to slay the Divine Dragon for good. Not only do they need to regather the four ingredients of the divine incense, but they also need to find a way to draw one of the two Mortal Blades without dying. Their journey will take them to Sunken Valley and Mibu Village once again. Even if they were successful up until then, they still need an everblossom branch, a tree that no longer exists outside of the Divine Realm. And even if all that was somehow accomplished within the next decade, they would still be faced with the monumental task of not just injuring the Divine Dragon, but fatally wounding it. Can the dragon even be killed? Neither of them knew. The more Emma thought about this entire process, the more hopeless she felt. Neither the Wolf nor herself were in their prime. She shook her head. No. These thoughts are useless now. Every journey is made one step at a time. Perhaps taking inventory can help calm her nerves.
Before her, she had laid out every piece of equipment the two outcasts had brought with them. Wolf's Kusabimaru, Emma's Gentle Blade, her Healing Gourd, the Shinobi Prosthetic (still attached to the Wolf's left arm stump) along with the Lazulite Shuriken, Long Firecracker, Magnetic Umbrella, and grappling hook attachments. The red Mortal Blade, Gracious Gift of Tears, was slung across the Wolf's back while Emma carries the black Mortal Blade, Open Gate. Neither blade may be drawn without the user suffering instant death. Finally, there was a single Buddhist idol, brought along by the Wolf to help alleviate his karmic debts. Emma gazed upon their baggage with concern. Nothing but steel and wood.
"Wolf… did you bring any food?" Emma asked, hoping the old shinobi would dispel her worries.
"No." A short and cold answer, for sure. A quiet sigh was all Emma could muster. As if this impossible journey couldn't get any tougher. She was already famished, not having eaten since the beginning of the raid last night. It was already late afternoon by now. Though he would never admit it, the Wolf would also clasp his stomach in hunger from time to time, an action Emma caught.
"Well, we must work to find food, then. If there are wolves in this forest, there must be prey for us as well." As Emma took her Gentle Blade and stood up, the Wolf raised a hand, stopping her, his breathing still ragged.
"Food… no concern. I need to… tell you… something." This action surprised Emma. From her memories of him, the Wolf was a rather silent individual. To lengthen a conversation with personal matters was a move most uncharacteristic of him.
"What is it, Wolf?" Emma watched as the Wolf quickly reached for his back and removed the Gracious Gift of Tears. In a strange panic, he also reached to his left shoulder with his right hand and removed the Shinobi Prosthetic, scrambling to undo its tight buckles and latches. After a minute, his eyes filled with a newfound terror, he threw both weapons towards Emma as if they burned his very skin.
"Take them, Emma. I cannot bear to even look at them anymore. Take them and get them out of my sight." The Wolf's agitated demeanor shook Emma to her core.
"Wolf! What is the matter?" She asked. Taking deep breaths to calm himself, the Wolf clutched at his heart.
"The flames… I can feel the flames of hatred." This certainly wasn't news to Emma. From the moment the Wolf sat down in the dilapidated temple and picked up his chisel, she knew that his fate was likely going to be the same as the Sculptor he replaced. One day, he would lose control and become another Demon of Hatred. Was that moment now?
"...Can you carry on?" In Emma's head, their journey would be led by the Wolf, given how he had done all this once before. His shinobi skills were also a requirement as a mere samurai such as Emma couldn't traverse the many environmental obstacles that stood between them and their goal. As if to affirm her greatest fears, the Wolf shook his head.
"No. I cannot do this again." He brought his hand up and pointed. "You, Emma. You must be the one to accomplish our mission." The Wolf sat back, gazing upwards. "I felt the flames during the events of last night. I myself wasn't even aware of how potent they've become. It was good that the old man with the scythe stopped my death blow. Otherwise I would have become a demon right there. In other words, Emma..." The Wolf looked back towards his partner. "...I cannot kill anyone. A single violation of this rule and I will burn everything around me to the ground." Emma suspected as much. Orangutan, the last sculptor, faced this exact dilemma. She looked downwards, taking in the Wolf's information.
"...I am assuming that you plan on having me take the lead? You'll teach me the ways of the shinobi and give me the prosthetic?" She asked. The Wolf nodded.
"Any complaints?" Emma shook her head.
"No. I am just as willing as you are to see this task through, however…" She looked up at the Wolf, frustrated. "I am fifty five. You are in your sixties. How long did it take you to master the ways of the shinobi as a child? Five years? A decade?" Then, a strange sound escaped the Wolf's lips. A rough exhale that Emma could almost mistake for a laugh. The Wolf? Laughing?
"What a 'samurai' way of thinking." He said, shaking his head. "You really think that if you, Isshin's personal disciple, began learning another school of fighting, you would be starting back at zero?" Emma considered that fact. The Wolf did have a point. "You're smart, Lady Emma. Ensuring that you learn the basics of the shinobi is the least of my concerns."
"What would be your largest concern, then?" Emma watched as the Wolf gave a large sigh, looking downwards once again.
"Those damned Mortal Blades." His iconic scowl returned to his face as he addressed the issue. "I have a complete plan for every step of our journey except for those. Well, those and that Everblossom branch…"
"Leave the branch to me." Emma said. "But please, tell me you at least have some semblance of a plan for the blades?" Around the Wolf's neck is a small pouch tied to a string, forming a crude necklace. He reached and stroked the pouch a few times.
"The Divine Child of Rejuvenation. Is that name familiar to you?" Emma nodded.
"Actually, the survivors and I have been keeping an eye on her ever since the Ministry invaded, ensuring that she does not fall into their hands." The Wolf raised his head in surprise.
"Do you know where she is?" This sudden revelation brought hope. If the Child was within reach, then his half-baked plan would be that much closer to fruition. Emma gave an unsure expression.
"Um… All we know is that she is somewhere in the Ashina Outskirts. We helped her flee Senpou Temple, but were unable to convince her to stay with us. I suppose that since her creation was such a secretive project, the Ministry wouldn't know about her existence. If that was the case, then she still had a chance to live a normal life instead of being cooped up in a forest like us." Despite Emma's lack of information, the Wolf seemed wholly relieved by the news anyways.
"Ashina Outskirts? That narrows down our search greatly." The Wolf thought for a bit, planning out their next move. "That settles it. We must head towards Ashina Outskirts. Not only can we look for the Divine Child of Rejuvenation, but we can also find an inn to sate our hunger and rest within." The Wolf's plan made sense to Emma. She nodded in agreement. However, as she was packing up their weapons, she still had one final question left.
"Wolf, why do we need the Divine Child?" As a reply, the Wolf simply patted his string necklace. Attached to the string was a small cloth pouch, seeming to contain a pebble of sorts.
"Within this pouch… is a Sakura Droplet. A product of a broken oath between the Divine Heir and their warrior." The Wolf looked to Emma, seeing her confused expression. "I killed Kuro, thus breaking my oath. I saved this in case the Mortal Blades ever needed to be drawn again." Emma gasped.
"Oh my… so does that mean…"
"Yes. This item can bestow you with the power of resurrection… " The Wolf stood to his feet, still clutching the Sakura Droplet "...Provided we can find the Divine Child, the medium needed to use the droplet. Grab the Heir. Let's head to Ashina Outskirts."
If you were to ask Gehrman to list his most prized possessions, he would ponder for a moment, exhale sharply, and then reply with "My many students, my Burial Blade, my signed copy of "Dreary Souls" by Gwyn Weisse, and my pocket watch." Yes, the pocket watch. A true showcase of Yharnam's scientific prowess. Gehrman was honored to be the recipient of the first ever functional pocket watch days before it was available even to Laurence himself. But alas, there came a day where every church hunter had one, the once revolutionary technology becoming an essential part of their kit. Yet, out of all the hunters, Gehrman cared for his watch the most, a trait rooted in his need for punctuality.
And so, here he stands. Half-watching, half-admiring his pocket watch's delicate, yet sturdy platinum hands as they crept closer towards noon. The second they pass the deadline Ludwig established for himself last night, Gehrman shall take to the field to find, and subsequently nag, his hunter companion.
11:58. Gehrman had already refilled his ammunition, blood, and rations fifteen minutes ago. If Ludwig, the admirable-yet-scatterbrained brute, miraculously showed up in the next two minutes, Gehrman may just yell at him anyways for making him pack all that gear for nothing. Really though, there is no way Ludwig would show up now. Just as the old hunter was about to leave, the sound of rustling branches caught his ear. Much to his surprise, Ludwig emerged from the treeline, decheviled and covered in dirt. His knapsack seemed to be full of blocky, hefty, rectangular objects. His movements were sluggish, his eyes bloodshot as if he hadn't gotten a wink of sleep. Stopping just before Gehrman, Ludwig fell to his knees, painting with exhaustion. Just as Gehrman opened his mouth to commence his flow of berations, Ludwig held up a hand.
"I know, I know." He said. "I got you worried sick, you've already packed, I should've returned earlier, eaten my vegetables, so on and so on… but please listen! I have retrieved crucial information at the cost of… my beauty sleep." Gehrman froze, not sure how to react to Ludwig depicting him as an overbearing mother. A moment later, he sighed and chuckled.
"I have no reason to lash out. You made the deadline, after all." Gehrman crossed his arms. "Go on. Tell me." Ludwig looked around the tent, worried.
"First, uh… is Maria fine?" Gerhman nodded.
"The Blood Saints have all but dedicated their existence to ensuring Maria's recovery and comfort. They've been doting over her ever since I brought her back last night." Ludwig smiled in relief.
"I suppose I'm not the only unrested person in this camp, then." He joked.
"You and those fanatical nuns may all pass out in a pile after you tell me what you recovered." Gehrman said, attempting to steer the conversation back. The smile crept off of Ludwig's face as he tried to recall the events of the past half-day.
"During my little sabbatical, I had followed those japanese bandits who interfered with our raid back to their camp. There, I launched an ambush in order to bring one of their elite back with me. You know, as a hostage to exchange for that Divine Heir." Gehrman was hardly surprised. This was the exact sort of rash and headstrong behavior he expected out of Ludwig. "I almost succeeded, but was driven off by the same warrior who cut off Maria's hand." The mere mention of his existence stirs rage deep within Gehrman.
"That bastard… How did you escape?" He asked.
"I narrowly avoided death and ran into the woods, drinking blue elixir to throw him off." Of course. Blue elixir was one of the many creations of the Healing Church's Choir. The hunters have brought crates of the stuff to Japan as it is a vital ingredient in their truth serums. Though its primary use is to numb the brain and slow thoughts, those with strong wills can resist its mind-dulling effects and instead harness its secondary, stranger power. Blue elixir renders its users nigh-undetectable. That was what allowed Ludwig to escape.
"I see. But that sounds like an hour's worth of work, more or less. What did you do from then until noon?" Ludwig chuckled at Gehrman's question. He knew the answer to that would prove most comical.
"Those lowlifes prowled the surrounding area, so I covered myself in leaves and hid until they gave up. Whenever a patrol approached me, I would drink more elixir and try not to faint." His reply made Gehrman raise his eyebrows.
"My! And you did this from nighttime until noon?" The elderly man couldn't help but stifle a laugh of amazement. How was Ludwig not comatose right now? Perhaps his size helped increase his resistance to the drug.
"Bah. That's beside the point." He said dismissively. "Back on topic, now. After they passed me, I took advantage of the residual effects of the elixir and snuck into their camp, left wide open due to their absence. And I took…" Ludwig grabbed his knapsack and dropped it to the ground with a heavy thump. "...these!" Gehrman bent down to undo the knapsack's string. Opening it, he saw a great number of thick books, all with Japanese titles. Quite a curious sight.
"What the devil is this?" He asked. Ludwig shrugged.
"I'm not too sure either. I looked in all the huts, but couldn't find the Divine Heir anywhere. But then, I realized that if these bandits were after the infant, then surely they would also know about Etul and the Dragon's Heritage. I couldn't take a hostage, as I didn't want to risk death again by invoking that warrior, so I instead stole every single book I could find." He glanced over at his knapsack with hope. "One of these texts must be at least somewhat enlightening, correct?" That was true. Maria, whom Gehrman knew to be a voracious reader, could likely blaze through all these texts in a single day.
"Hmm, perhaps this really is our best option…" He mused. "You go get some rest, Ludwig. I shall go check up on dear Maria and the Blood Saints. Hopefully, those ladies haven't bled themselves dry by now…" Without warning, Ludwig suddenly collapsed with an earth-shattering thud, finally overwhelmed by the drugs and his drowsiness. It was as if even hearing the word "rest" flipped some unconscious switch in his brain. Gehrman chuckled. Ludwig was far too massive for the old hunter to pick up, so he instead grabbed his ankle and began dragging him to his tent.
Once there, Gehrman rested him onto his cot and drew the Holy Moonlight Sword from his back. Once the blade was in his grasp, however, Gehrman could not help but admire it for a bit. Yes, moonlight. The light of the Great Ones. The antithesis to the darkness that is beasthood. This blade's glow, along with moonlit nights, reminded Gehrman of his old mentor. How she'd spend her nights gazing at the moon, longing to return home. A cold shiver crept up Gehrman's spine. Unable to look at it anymore without invoking painful nostalgia, he placed the sword next to Ludwig, which prompted him to reflexively turn towards it and bring it into a snuggle. Like a child with their stuffed animal. Gehrman left the tent feeling quite somber. He has a feeling that tonight will be restless. Instead, he will be staring at the moon, recalling the phrase... no, the warning, his mentor said to him.
"Do whatever you want with moonlight, Gehrman. For the sake of humanity, however, leave the moon itself alone."
Ashina Outskirts is a strange place these days. Over the last thirty years, the once quiet village had transformed into a bustling tourist's attraction. From Nagasaki to Hokkaido, many middle-upper class folk (along with Ministry soldiers assigned to the area) had come from all across Japan just to witness Ashina's infamous Sea of Fire. Stretching all across the field next to Ashina Castle's gatehouse, this unending blaze defies all logic. The Ministry had done everything they could to extinguish it, but alas, water just turned to steam and sand was flung back out as bits of glass. Eventually, the Ministry had noticed that the flames didn't seem to spread. So they just simply built a stone wall around the Sea of Fire, complete with observation decks for tourists. They too, saw the economic potential in this fearsome phenomenon.
And economic potential was indeed unleashed. Food carts selling all sorts of raw seasoned meats lined the observation decks, allowing tourists to stick their product on incredibly long iron stakes and cook them over the Sea of Fire. The merchants claim that meat cooked over these strange flames invigoratåes, energizes, invokes good fortune, and increases libido. Throwing things into the flames as offerings to the gods was also common practice. When it came to other attractions, gambling houses, archery stalls, and other sources of fun times littered the surrounding town, taking full advantage of the area's high foot traffic. All of these establishments, however, competed against each other. The dozens of food carts, the five gambling houses, etcetera. Not a single market was free from fierce price wars and aggressive advertising.
Except one.
Noon Sun Inn. The only inn by the Sea of Fire. The owner, a kind, unassuming old man, was as shrewd of a businessman as he was wholesome, despite his rough-sounding kansai accent. One day, he would be giving free food, rooms, and perhaps even jobs to the unfortunate. The other, he would be making sure that any and all new innkeepers eyeing the Ashina Outskirts would be driven away before they could even get set up. In his eyes, his good deeds could only be tolerated as long as he remained the area's only choice when it came to accommodations. The obscene amount of money he makes from this arrangement is just a mere side effect.
Every night, the owner patrols the streets, looking for unfortunate people with nowhere to stay. He always finds a few every night, usually the homeless or street runts. Tonight, however, he'd found something that touched his kind, old heart dearly.
A homeless father, mother, and infant, dressed in tattered cloaks and carrying their only belongings in a large bag. The father, missing his left arm, carried their possessions over his back, while the mother held their crying child, desperately trying to calm them down. If the owner would even give worthless drunks a free meal, this sight almost sent him into hysterics.
And so, here they are. A strange turn of events had whisked the Wolf and Emma into this fine establishment, sitting on lush mats around a stone slab table. The owner had sat them there and told them that they could stay the night. He promised he would send his best waitress over to take their order shortly, and that their meal was free. He had also offered to stow away their bag, but knowing its contents, the Wolf insisted he keep it by his side. When he was sure they were alone, the Wolf leaned across the table and spoke.
"I am uncomfortable here. After thirty years of isolation, I will admit that perhaps this is a bit much for my first social outing..." Here was a man who could get poisoned, burnt, impaled, and slashed all within five minutes without batting an eye, complaining about there being too many people. Emma at least admired his honesty about his discomfort.
"Listen, let's just each get a small bowl of miso soup. Then we can perhaps search this inn. I do not know the Divine Child's precise location, but if she really has been living here for three decades, then she must have gotten settled somewhere secure." She said. The Wolf nodded.
"Agreed, but we must be careful. Who's to say that the old man isn't loyal to the Ministry? I already saw his brow furrow when he saw my missing arm under my cloak. If he finds us out, we will likely not leave this town alive, given all the soldiers stationed here." He said, his eyes shifting to their bag. "No civilian may own weapons. One single peek into that bag will immediately land us in prison. Once they realize who we are, then we die..." Emma sighed. She can't blame him for being a bit paranoid.
"Welcome to the Noon Sun Inn! May I take your bag and cloaks?" As if to deliberately startle the Wolf's frayed nerves, a cheery, female voice cut through his worried ramblings. The Wolf, despite being the trained shinobi he was, jumped at the sound and shot the poor serving girl a menacing glare. Instinct made him reach for his hip to draw his sword, but luckily, it wasn't there. Emma placed an arm between the Wolf and the startled serving girl.
"Madam, please excuse my poor husband…" She doted. "He hasn't been the same since the Ministry takeover all those years back." In response, the serving girl gave a professional bow.
"Oh no! It is my fault entirely!" She proclaimed. "My own father fought in that war, so I know very well what that conflict can do to someone." She straightened her posture and gestured towards the exit of their stall. "After you, dear guests!" The duo became confused. Neither Emma nor the Wolf knew what she was gesturing towards.
"Um… aren't we supposed to be ordering food right now?" Raised as a noble, Emma had only stayed at an inn once in her life. The Wolf never even stepped foot inside one without the intent of killing someone. Cleary, their extremely unusual upbringings are starting to show their flaws right now. The serving girl chuckled.
"Not until after your baths! Then, after some sake, the owner himself will bring you your meals. No need at all to order!" Emma glanced at the Wolf, not sure how far he should be pushed when it comes to doing things he's clearly uncomfortable with. She shouldn't forget the fact that the Wolf is practically a walking firebomb, able to burn everything to the ground should the flames of hatred overwhelm him. In fact, was bringing him so close to the Sea of Flames really a good decision? Before she could come to any conclusions, another woman's voice rang out from outside their stall.
"Yuna! The hell you doin' here?" The Wolf and Emma looked towards their stall's entrance. Another serving girl stomped in, an angry expression on her face. Her kansai accent coupled with her ruder demeanor provided quite the change in atmosphere. However, the moment she noticed that her customers had heard her outburst, she froze up. Yuna cracked a sly smirk. Wordlessly, she slipped out of the stall like a snake, whispering to the other serving girl as she passed her.
"Gotcha!" Snickering like a school bully, Yuna departed. Nobody said a word for a few moments, not sure as to how to break the silence. The uniform this serving girl wore was much more colorful than Yuna's. Despite her rough personality, her face was much gentler as well, seemingly untouched by stress or age unlike many of her colleagues. Unlike the others, however, she wore a cap. Eventually, the serving girl began to laugh.
"Heh heh... Whatever. Joke's on her." She muttered. Her eyes fell upon the Wolf. "Lemme tell ya, shinobi. These girls have been tryna sabotage me for a loooong time." The serving girl stared at the duo's shocked expressions with amusement. She called the Wolf "shinobi"! Is she… As if to respond to that unspoken question, the serving girl reached for her cap and took it off. A mop of black and white, unruly, medium length hair fell down her neck and reached her shoulders, assisted by a shake of the serving girl's head. For every three black hairs, one was white. "It's really been a while, huh? How ya doin', you two?"
"Well. You've changed." The Wolf remarked. Everyone present knew that the paper screens walling off their stalls provided absolutely no sound dampening. To openly talk about the things they've come to tell the Divine Child here would be reckless. "Tell me, what is your name, waitress?"
"Akari. Pleasure to meet'cha again!" Akari offered a handshake towards the Wolf. When he took it, Akari leaned in close to his ear. "I've got plenty to say. We'll talk in your room." She whispered. The Wolf gave a silent nod in return. He nodded to Emma and pointed up, a gesture that she understood. Together, they both rose to their feet. The Wolf grabbed the bag and Emma cradled the heir, who had fallen asleep again. Putting her cap back on before exiting the stall, Akari led the duo through the packed lobby. The Wolf and Emma watched as patrons interacted with her. It was like she was some sort of idol. The reactions she received for her presence ranged from excited greetings to bold attempts at flirtation. To the greeters, she flashed a friendly smile. To the flirters, she winked and blew a kiss. Her change in demeanor from thirty years ago is indeed unmistakable and quite shocking.
Akari led the duo upstairs. She must have passed a dozen rooms before finally arriving at their destination. "Busy night?" Emma asked. Akari nodded.
"We're always busy. Japan just can't get enough of the Sea of Fire." She fumbled around with the key ring in her hands for the key to the room. "No one really knows how it came to be. Some folks think that these flames came from a god. Others think it's some failed last-ditch ritual performed by Ashina to save their country." Finally managing to find the key, Akari inserts it into the lock and twists it. "...but we know what happened, don't we?" She said with a knowing smile. With a click of the lock, the door opened. Inside, a small, nicely furnished room presented itself. The Wolf couldn't tell if the walls were orange themselves or if it was just the glow from the Sea of Fire. On the floor was a single large tatami mat with a smaller one for the baby. Upon the larger mat, a bottle of Ashina sake sat along with two cups. Vases with bonsai trees rested in the corners and a set of kimonos hung by the door.
The Wolf and Emma walked over to the window and saw the view. The inn is built into the iron walls, allowing patrons to enjoy a full, unobstructed view of the Sea of Flame. "If the two of you are done gawkin' at the scenery…" The duo looked back. Akari had moved the sake aside and sat herself down on the tatami mat, ready to talk. The Wolf set the bag on the floor, while Emma lay the sleeping Heir on the smaller mat. Soon enough, they joined Akari on the larger mat. "So, where do we start?" She asked. The Wolf reached for his necklace and pulled out the Sakura Droplet.
"Do you know what this is?" Akari's eyes widened at the sight of the pink crystal.
"Woah! One of those things! Uh, I know what it is, but… the name's slipped from my head." She held out her hand to accept the droplet. "So, you got another adventure to set out on? Need the Mortal Blade? Alright. This won't take long. Just close your eyes." The Wolf recoiled his hand.
"Not for me. For her." Akari looked over at Emma.
"Alright, whatever." She scooched over towards Emma, positioning herself in front of her. The Wolf then presented her with the Sakura Droplet.
"Um, is there really nothing I need to do?" Emma asked, a bit anxious.
"Nope! Just close your eyes." Emma did as Akari told. She closed her eyes, semi-bracing herself for any unfamiliar feelings.
"Give this woman strength, weird pink pebble." Akari paused. Silence filled the room. A full five seconds passed as no one moved a muscle. Akari cleared her throat. "Give this woman strength." She repeated, a bit louder. Emma felt the Wolf nudge her.
"Say 'I accept'." He urged. Feeling internally flustered, Emma blurted out.
"Uh, I accept!" Suddenly, a strong pink glow started to emerge from Emma's body. The Wolf, quick to react, leapt backwards and threw the window blinds shut in order to avoid drawing attention. Akari stuffed the Divine Heir's tatami mat next to the door in order to stop the light from escaping under it. A feeling of vigor emerged from Emma's core, gradually overtaking her entire body. The Wolf and Akari watched as Emma's dark hair began to whiten, her joints loosen, her wrinkles disappear. After a few moments, she seemed to have reverted back to her mid-twenties appearance-wise, with the only difference being that every last strand of her hair had turned bright white. Taking deep breaths, Emma couldn't believe the energy she felt. An energy that had been absent for far too long. Rising to her feet, Emma couldn't help but feel giddy. Raising her left arm into the air, she spun it around. Just as she thought, the numbness was completely gone.
"So, how is it?" Akari asked. A smile spread across Emma's face.
"Good. So good." She whispered. Suddenly, she reached over to the bag and pulled out her Gentle Blade. With fluid motions too fast for anyone in the room to stop her, she performed an Ashina Cross. No aches! No pain! Emma laughed.
"Emma! Calm yourself!" The Wolf demanded. Emma instead looked him dead in the eyes, an ambitious fire burning in her eyes.
"Wolf, now is the time." With that, Emma reached for her left sleeve. With one clean move, she tore the sleeve off right at the shoulder, revealing her left arm. "I'll do it! I'll cut my arm off! I'm ready for the prosthetic!" Akari's eyes widened in surprise.
"Hey! Woah now! Can't you, like, do this in the woods or something?" She pleaded. Blood all over the floorboards would certainly invoke a customer complaint or two. Ignoring her, Emma held her Gentle Blade up to the base of her arm, a confident fervor coming over her. Akari turned to the Wolf. "Come on! Help me out here, shinobi!" In response, the Wolf unhitched the Healing Gourd from his belt. He stepped behind Emma and plugged the gourd's nozzle into her mouth.
"Cut on three. Drink from the gourd to reduce bleeding." Akari couldn't believe her eyes. In no way is this what they're doing sensible. The Wolf began counting down. "One… two…" Both Emma and Akari clenched their eyes shut, bracing themselves. "...Three!" With a slice and a swallow, the deed was done. The Wolf caught Emma's arm before it touched the ground, holding it cut-end-up in order to keep as much blood in as possible. In order to completely patch up the bloody hole that has replaced her arm, Emma downed at least five full gulps from the gourd, at least, that's how many she managed before passing out from the pain and shock. Akari caught Emma, being sure to place her fainted form upon the tatami mat.
"Well, that was clean, I'll admit." She said. Barely a few drops of blood had been spilled. The Wolf opened the window blinds, pushed the window open, and began waiting for other people to start throwing things into the fire. During this, Akari pulled out a rag from her pouch and wiped away the blood before it could coagulate. When the time came, the Wolf slung the arm amidst a flurry of other offerings, ensuring that the appendage blended in and drew no attention. He turned back, closing the window and blinds again.
"We shall depart in the morning." He said. "Sorry for making a mess." Akari chuckled.
"No problem. The owner's an Ashina loyalist anyways. I'm sure he wouldn't mind the mess if Lady Emma was the one who caused it." With a lazy stretch, she reached for the Ashina sake beside the mat. "Well, my shift's over, anyways. Mind if I chill here for now? I'd love to catch up." The Wolf shrugged.
"Sure." He replied nonchalantly.
"So, uh… You're probably wonderin' what happened to that pious little temple girl you met thirty years ago, huh?" Akari asked as she poured herself a cup of sake. She glanced at the Wolf. "Want some?" Out of respect, the Wolf accepted her offer. He sat down across from her and took a second cup.
"Thirty years have passed. You should be in your forties, correct?" He estimated. Akari nodded.
"My forty-first birthday passed two months ago."
"And yet…"
"And yet I look like a chick in her early twenties. I know." The two of them glanced at the newly youthened Emma. "Back when you were under what's-his-name's service, did the Dragon's Heritage also make you younger?"
"Perhaps. I had only just turned thirty back then, so if there was any effect, it certainly wasn't too noticeable." The Wolf took the bottle of sake from Akari and poured himself a cup. The two began sipping at their drinks.
"Hmm, cool. Anyways, I've been workin' here for about ten years, but I got picked up by the owner since the beginning." She reminisced. "We escaped Ashina by stowing away in the same oxcart, travellin' all the way down to Osaka." Akari took another sip. "The old bastard adopted me, and Osaka became our new home. He was the one who named me. You've seen what a good businessman he is, so it really didn't take long at all for us to get settled."
"How was Osaka?" The Wolf asked. Taking another sip, Akari answered.
"Pretty bad, at least where we lived. The streets were dangerous for innocent little church girls, so I had to leave that part of me behind. Combine my change in behaviour with my change in dialect, and boom. I've basically become a whole new person." She then tried to turn the conversation around. "What about you? You certainly don't look like you're doing too well." The Wolf sighed.
"Thirty years of repaying karmic debts. Thirty years of keeping my inner hatred at bay." He said. "Thirty years of carving those damn Buddha idols. Couldn't even summon the resolve to carve them in interesting positions. Nothing but cross-legged skinny men for thirty, damned, years." The Wolf took a larger sip of his sake, as if to dull painful memories.
"Sheesh, that blows." Akari commented. "You know, I remember Senpou Temple used to be all about gettin' good karma and all that…" The Wolf looked up. Akari had trailed off, her eyes staring at nothing in particular. "God… I wonder how my friends are doin'..." The Wolf raised a brow.
"Friends?" He asked. Akari nodded.
"The other children of the Rejuvenating Waters. They're basically a bunch of ghosts, but they were my only friends back when I was locked up in Senpou Temple." She said. "The last time I spoke with them willingly was when they gave me their final blessings before I made my escape. The Ministry soldiers didn't destroy the temple, but they did offer it to some of their Buhddist monks. I think that place is a legit Buddhist temple these days."
"...And more!" A childlike voice suddenly echoed into existence, startling the Wolf and Akari. The Wolf grabbed Emma's Gentle Blade and assumed a battle stance.
"Who's there?" He asked. Akari sighed. She motioned for the Wolf to lower his weapon with an annoyed expression.
"Shinobi, did you bring any kind of Buddhist relic with you?" The Wolf looked at the bag.
"There's an idol in my bag. Why do you ask?" Akari rolled her eyes and stood up. She walked over to the bag and dug around inside it. In a few short moments, she found the wooden Buddah idol the Wolf brought.
"Hello, sister! Oh heavens, it has been a long time!" The child's voice said happily.
"Don't you 'hello sister' me! I told you to leave me the hell alone!" She shouted rudely. "For the last goddamn time, no! I am not gonna come back! I have a life here! In the real world! I'm not coming back to make-believe la-la land to keep praying to some dead monk!"
"But that is not what we are asking of you!" The child's voice began to shake. Akari's uncaring facade started to break. "Help us, sister! Please help us!" Alarm bells went off in her head.
"What? What's goin' on?" She asked. The child's voice had fully broken down into sobs. A sickening feeling of dread filled the pit of Akari's stomach.
"The-the temple monks! They-they-they've gathered a bunch of-of things and now
there's a bun-bunch of bad people with swords and guns and the-they're killing the monks!" Upon hearing this, the Wolf's attention had been piqued.
"What did the monks gather?" He asked. The child cried for a bit before answering.
"A strange st-stone, some white flower, a-and an incense burner!" That was all the Wolf needed to hear. Those were some of the ingredients for the Fountainhead Aroma! If they freed Senpou Temple from these strange intruders, their journey would be cut short immensely! The Wolf turned to Akari.
"Akari. We must go to-"
"Hold on, Makota. We'll be right there." Akari said with steadfast determination. She looked to the Wolf. "Stay here. I'll be right back." Without another word, Akari barged out of the room and went downstairs, leaving the Wolf with Emma. He looked at the unconscious woman; she is his new shinobi disciple. As soon as Akari returns, they will depart for Senpou Temple. The Wolf will tell Emma as much as he can about basic shinobi techniques, but it will be a brutal first challenge in her training regardless. Emma was already beginning to stir, rousing from her pain-caused fainting. There was still one final thing Emma needed to become a true shinobi disciple. When the Owl took in the Wolf, the first thing he gave him, before any scars, was an animal nickname. The Wolf figures that his first action as Emma's teacher should be to complete her metamorphosis into a dedicated shinobi. By giving her an animal nickname.
It didn't take too long for him to think one up.
An animal that gives life to many beings.
An animal that is intelligent and protective.
An animal that fights only when provoked.
The One-Armed Honeybee.
Sekibo.