"Hisaishi-san, she's in the rice cooker again!" Hebiyama complained loudly upon finding Sayo yet again loitering. "Here, come on-" The slayer clumsily grabbed around the space, only to get her hand scratched up by the claws of the demon.
"Ow! You little-" She sucked in air and squirted water on her with a syringe. "Bad."
"Hebiyama-san, why don't you check to see if the fish is cooked?"Gyomei slipped next to her and carried Sayo out of the rice cooker. "Ah, you're wet. Come on, I'll dry you off." He wiped her face dry with a clean dishcloth.
"Oh, so he doesn't get scratches." Sarumei glared at the girl when he wasn't looking. Sayo responded with an equal glare and hugging onto the man closer.
"Come on, she's just four, she doesn't understand." Gyomei turned around. "Is it bad? Could I check it?"
"When I was four I knew damn well not to hide in a cooking implement." Sarumei walked off to find water to wash her wounds with. "I'll take care of it myself."
Gyomei set Sayo down on the ground again. "Listen, Hebiyama-san's not here to hurt you, be a little nicer to her, alright?"
The demon merely let out a "hmph" in reply.
I guess she's the same. He couldn't help but smile a little. Despite her age, Sayo had always seemed to bear grudges towards other adults. It was fine if Gyomei tried to stoop down to pick her up or give her a firm scolding, but if the nun from the next temple or even a visitor attempted to approach her, they would risk a sharp kick to the knee.
Perhaps she really does have a grudge from their first meeting.
"Right, where's Kaigaku?"
Sarumei found the boy crouching underneath the staircase.
"Oi, you comin out?" She waited for a while until he tossed a pebble at her. When he did not respond still, she shrugged.
"Suit yourself."
She walked away to wash her cut.
Meanwhile, Kaigaku struggled to wipe the saliva that started to drip down his chin. It had diluted the saltiness of his tears.
"What's wrong with him?" Sarumei off-handedly asked as the three settled down for dinner. Gyomei had been the one to retrieve the boy, who sat quietly behind his caretaker, clutching onto his hakama tightly.
"Sarumei, that's rude." Hisaishi took another hasty bite of the broiled saury. "All kids are gonna be different."
"I agree with Shihan, but...Hebiyama-san, what do you mean?"
"He hides under the staircase and doesn't move. I mean, not sure if that's a demon thing, the other one sure doesn't do it." She gave a bow before starting to eat. "Thank you for the food." She took a few quick bites of rice and started talking again after swallowing them.
"Something happen to him? Do I need to call CPS?"
"I...don't know what that is."
"I just don't wanna get arrested...you know, designated reporter..."
"Hebiyama-san, perhaps I hit you too hard back then?"
"Right, you can't see it. You don't have the good kush." She stopped eating again to cough into her fist. "You think he does that...cause something in the past spooked him?"
Her companion paused. He had known that the story of the temple massacre had been an old story by now, so much so that he had forgotten that no one outside of Sayo, Kaigaku and himself knew its origin.
"He-"
Killed his entire family.
"-He...his home life wasn't the best. I..." Gyomei moved his hand behind to squeeze Kaigaku's hand. "...I never let his guardians know that we never headed back."
This wasn't a lie. Yet, it was far from a complete truth. Kaigaku had only started hiding after...that day.
The weight of knowledge pressed more on his shoulders, yet he could not muster the courage to shed it.
"Huh, you abducted a kid, then?"
"Not exactly-"
By now, even Hisaishi seemed to look at him strangely. Perhaps with a hint of suspicion. Gyomei could only focus on chewing his food, lowering his head.
"You're more of a nutso than I thought." The silence was broken by a wheezing laugh from the slayer.
A long silence of chewing followed.
The evenings at the cultivation residence were lax. Hisaishi usually was more interested in her dessert time than forming any disciplined regimen for those under her roof. Dishes could always be washed at the pace she desired. Usually, Gyomei still offered to do it for her.
The cleanup rhythm was disrupted this night. Sarumei's first activity was to head out for her first evening smoke. Instead of heading towards the sink, Gyomei approached his teacher.
"Sensei, I know what I said may have shocked you." He paused, not knowing how to go on.
Hisaishi sighed. "Just go to sleep. I don't want to think of it now." She looked at Kaigaku who had followed her student over. "Doesn't even matter anymore."
He gave her a polite bow and slipped into the washroom.
Hisaishi prepared some hot sencha and unwrapped a pair of ohagi gifted to her yesterday. Some snacks and tea would clear her mind, or so she hoped.
Sip.
She was shocked, that was for sure. Sarumei's report had told her he raised orphans, but she never expected him to do such a thing. to procure one. Did she doubt his entire character? Unlikely. Having lived as long as she did, the cultivator had grown masterful at registering the hearts of people. A slightly too saccharine tone or the small shift in the eyes of a nearby child could easily give it away. She did not find cracks in Gyomei's sincerity, despite the hidden scrutiny she performed for the past few days.
Sip.
No, it was more about the past. He had a history far less than fitting for the innocence of an ascetic.
Sip.
She was not afraid. He had given her nothing to fear for, not herself, nor the children, nor Sarumei. But her comfortable position with this stranger-turned-acquaintance was diverted.
"Ah, my cup's empty."
Gyomei's head rested in a warm lap. The hum of a shakuhachi enveloped the sunlit room.
A lazy afternoon. Just them and I.
"I wonder if I could stop time."
"My child, we all wish that." Someone stroked his hair. He started to feel heavy. "But you know better. Decay, growth, change. That defines every being's existence."
"Would it hurt to just wish?"
"You get injured, you risk blinding your eyes. You wish recklessly, you risk blinding your heart."
The voice let out a small sigh.
"And so I am worried..."
"Sensei."
"Nayu."
"I want to pick wildlflowers, but..."
"You're a bit scared, right? I'll go with you."
"...Really?"
"Don't worry, I'll protect you."
He fumbled with the small hair tie underneath his hands. She placed her own chilly palms on his.
They arrived at a field of golden canola plants. Nayu wandered off to gather some flowers, the sound of her sandals softening as they padded away from him. Occasionally he could hear her brushing the plants loudly to let him know her location.
She really is going further than the last time.
A bit of pride swelled in his heart. Yet another feeling lingered.
"Sensei...here you go." Her voice wavered yet again in front of him. Something thumped onto his head.
"Oh? Another crown?"
"Y-yeah..."
"It's sturdier than last time." He gave it a few pats. She was silent for a moment, possibly smiling at her accomplishment. He reached out to put two fingers on her face. It was warm. She was bashful but pleased.
"I-I'll make another one, for myself..." She stammered a bit before shooting off back into the vegetation.
He waited.
Her occasional rustles at first still sounded periodically. She was doing alright.
Then they died down.
"...Nayu?"
He shot up. "Nayu?"
"Nayu tell me you're there."
"NAYU!" He got up to run to where he thought she had headed. Gradually, the scent of canola flowers drifted away to be replaced by a sickly sweet aroma of wisteria.
"NAYU!" He groped around field of wisteria to find her. As he ran, the firm blossoms turned softer, then drier.
Eventually, he tripped over an object.
"Nayu?" He turned around and groped, eventually feeling the familiar hair ribbon. He reached for her, only feeling his body becoming heavy, as if there were vibes wrapping around his limbs. The flower crown on his head started to bore into it.
Wisteria.
The only thing he could feel. The blossoms tickled his body, the scent pierced through his nostrils. The wind rustled their petals. His tongue burned with their venom.
Nayu.
Her flesh began to feel more like vegetation. Petals sprung out of any orifice they could find-eyes, ears, nose. He couldn't take the taste anymore.
He retched up fresh petals at first, barely taking time to even breathe. The fresh stiffness of the initial petals was soon replaced with the crinkled dryness of their wilted variety. Everything around them turned dry, limp, wilted.
Wisteria.
Gyomei woke up. He needed water.
He went down to the kitchen and drank from the kettle that Hisaishi had boiled earlier in the day.
Something was off. Something was missing.
Something did not smell.
The wisteria incense
They were supposed to light it every night. He went to check and found the incense holder toppled over on the ground.
Kaigaku-
As if his thoughts had been telepathic, the boy's footsteps sounded next to him. He cocked his head, oblivious to the accident scene. Gyomei froze before shaking his head to clear it.
No...he's a demon, he wouldn't be able to get near it.
Regardless of who had put it out, he needed to get it lighted again. Gyomei rushed inside to retrieve a few matches with their box and started to re-prop the holder into its original position with fresh incense sticks. He hastily attempted to light one, only to have the match fall out of his shaking hands.
"Come on, come on..."
Kaigaku growled at something behind them. The foliage rustled.
Another demon already? Hurry up
He managed to successfully hold one on the second try, and lit the sticks with them while attempting to slow his shaking.
Kaigaku's growling only intensified as the boy turned towards something trodding towards the two of them. It seemed like an eternity as Gyomei waited for the smell of wisteria smoke to waft into his nose.
Come on, light! Light!
He jolted as whatever was approaching him seemed to have attacked Kaigaku. There were sounds of two bodies struggling on the dirt path, until the attacker's footsteps echoed softer and softer, eventually disappearing.
Gyomei barely noticed as the scent of wisteria hit his nose.
There were no more sounds from Kaigaku either. No more growling, no more grunting, not even footsteps.
He's been gotten rid of too, it seems.
He should have felt relief. The only thing he felt, though, was a gnawing pit in his stomach.
"I promise."
"You do?"
He went back inside and stopped by his yari.
Eventually, he reached out to take it.
"Kaigaku!" Branches crunched underneath his shoes. "Kaigaku! Where are you!?" He stopped to listen for any sounds other than those of rustling leaves and skittering animals.
This is stupid, you'll never find him.
He shook his head and continued to run. At least he was going in the direction of those echoing footsteps. Unfortunately, they were the only lead he had.
"Kaigaku-" He had to stop to cough. The pneumonia was long gone, and yet his lungs were still unused to yelling. He crouched down to regain his breath. Maybe he needed to go back. If he could get Hisaishi and Sarumei to help, they could find Kaigaku a lot faster.
His thoughts were interrupted by a blood curdling screech that rang through the trees. It could be an owl, but still-
"Kaigaku!"
Gyomei sprinted in the direction of the sound. He was greeted by a loud snarl and whimpering. Kaigaku was still alive.
He ran towards the whimpering sound and grabbed a sleeve on the floor, thumbing over the familiar blue pendant. He could feel a few scratch wounds on Kaigaku's neck and back, although it seemed they were already clotting.
Something then ripped into his arm, prompting him to drive them back with a quick but cautionary swing of the blade.
"Great, another brat, huh?" A man's voice resounded through the ragged breaths of the boy. "But I see... you're a human, aren't you?"
"Stay back." Gyomei instinctively pushed Kaigaku behind him.
"Me, or the kid?" The other demon laughed wheezily. "I've seen slayers before. You're just a trainee, aren't you?"
"I...I am...but there are graduated slayers coming." He tried to keep his voice steady to boost his bluff.
"But they're a long way from here. I can't hear anyone else." The demon started to lick one of the scratches Kaigaku had caused him. "By the time they get here, I'll have carried you off-"
"Stone breathing, first form-" The demon then felt something searing through his stomach as a spear drilled through it twice, leaving two large wounds. Despite coughing up some blood, he did not seem the slightest bit phased.
"Ah, I see you forgot we can regenerate, right?"
His wounds closed up in seconds, followed up with the demon swiping at Gyomei, only to be blocked by his weapon. This did not phase the assailant, who merely yanked the weapon out of the surprised wielder's hands and followed this up with kicking him into the trunk of a nearby maple.
Gyomei felt the air knocked out of him from behind and attempted to regain his oxygen supply with total concentration breathing. His attempt was interrupted by another swipe from the demon, which he only survived by dodging under as the tips of his hair were severed off by his attacker's claws. He followed it up with a sharp bodyslam into his opponent's torso. The diversion was apparently enough for him to run off to find where his weapon had been thrown. It wasn't until a minute later that a hand seized him from behind, tripping him onto the ground. The demon's nails dug into his ankle, drawing blood.
"Where are you going, my pot roast?"
A concerned cry arose from Kaigaku as he attempted to get up to assist, but his wounds were healing slower. The pain made it difficult to stand. Gyomei groped wildly as he started to be pulled back. He needed a weapon, anything...
Something hard became caught on his hand.
The demon had expected to end his prey with a swift slice to the throat upon reeling him in. He did not expect to be greeted with a hard blow to his face which caused it to cave. He let go in his newfound pain.
Gyomei scrambled back to his feet and rolled the object between his fingers. It was an old chain, possibly tossed in the forest as scrap metal.
The demon was now thoroughly pissed and attempted to charge his target again, only to be met by another whip of the chain to the face.
Huh. It's more accurate than a yari. I can hear its movements a lot better to guide it to hit.
"You're only going to fend me off for so long with that thing." The demon growled as he rubbed his face, which was healing faster at the second blow. "I've already acclimated to it."
He heard a growling behind him and was greeted by a searing pain in his leg. Kaigaku had managed to, despite his injuries, hobble over and scratch their opponent in his calf. "AGH! YOU LITTLE SHIT!"
He proceeded to grab Kai by the neck, attempting to break his windpipe. The younger demon writhed violently against the older one's grip.
"Kai! Let him go!" Gyomei again whipped his chain against the demon, but the damage he was dealing seemed to bother him less and less. He could hear a gurgle coming from Kaigaku as his heart started to pound in terror.
Fuck.
He couldn't go to punch him. That would even be more risky. He needed something to deal more damage.
As Gyomei took a step, something hard was under his foot. He stooped down to pick it up. A hefty-sized rock. As if gears in his mind had clicked, the man scrambled to tie the chain around the stone.
The demon let out a sick grin as Kaigaku's throat started to give way under his grip. Until his head miraculously burst into a bloody pulp.
Kaigaku dropped from the other demon's grip, wheezing as he struggled to regenerate his throat.
"Don't touch him."
As the demon started to reform his own, head, he was greeted yet again by a stone smashing through.
"SARUMEI!"
The slayer woke up to Hisaishi yelling in her face. She groaned.
"What is it, old lady? I need my beauty sleep."
"Gyomei's gone."
"Maybe he's training."
"The older demon's gone, too."
"...Shit. The corps is gonna kill us."
"They won't if you get your ass moving."
This is not good.
Himejima's breath became ragged. His makeshift weapon, which at first was quite effective against the demon, was quickly becoming useless with its increased regeneration.
"I told you, kid, that's the fundamental difference between us. No matter how much you hit me, I can bounce back. You cannot." He shrugged off yet another blow. "So it'll be easier for you to give it up."
Kaigaku attempted to pounce on him again, only to be batted to the side. His stamina had been sapped as well, having to regenerate from his initial injuries and his throat injury.
"Come on. That thing's not gonna do anything to me. You're at you're wits' end, aren't you?"
"...no."
"What?"
It was a last-ditch effort, but one that was the most reliable. The demon certainly did not expect his prey to slam a fist into his face.
Even if I can't defeat him, if I could just keep him busy until sunrise arrives...
He used his opponent's surprise to shove him to the ground and get on top, punching continuously. He resisted the buildup of bile in the back of his throat. Just because this was his second demon did not make it any easier to pound his head in. Unfortunately, this one was much more intelligent than the demon at the temple, and after a few destructions of his head, pulled himself together and managed to buck the man off of his hips.
The demon rose slowly, panting. His head still only reformed the muscle.
"The fuck are you-"
He never managed to get an answer, as in the next second a blade whizzed through his neck. His body bounced into the grass.
Sarumei kicked it away, ignoring the body as it started to crumble.
"Where's your yari?"
"Huh?" Gyomei took a while to catch his breath. "I don't know."
"You don't know?"
"The demon...threw it away."
"Look, you gotta stop fighting by punching your opponents. There'll be a point where they won't work. What if you run into an upper moon?"
"I didn't just use my fists, though..." He showed her the chain and the rock.
Sarumei examined it closely, her one good eye narrowing. "Man, I swear that old lady is a know-it-all and a fool at the same time. How did she never think of that?"
"You see, Sarumei's nearly blind in one eye, so she has chains attached to the blades of her spade to help her pinpoint their position." Hisaishi gave them a rattle.
Kaigaku was curled up on a nearby cushion, sleeping off his injuries. Sayo came by with a warm bowl of water.
"And you couldn't have thought of this for him earlier?" The slayer raised an eyebrow.
"I didn't anticipate what happened last night. He wields a yari perfectly."
"I think Shihan meant well-"
"-Shut it. Fuck your bushido. We're not here to be honorable, we're here to be functional."
"Says the one who wants all her fights to be one on one." Hisaishi coughed so that her disciple couldn't hear. "Anyways-" She dusted off her pants and stood up. "-Can't be helped. What's in the past stays there." She shrugged at her former disciple without much care. "Gyomei, do you want to try out a new weapon?"
"Yes-"
Unfortunately, at that moment, a pungent smell filled the room. Hisaishi paused, and her eyes widened in horror as she realized where it was coming from. She also caught Sayo slipping through the bedroom door at the last second.
"Why that little!" She took off one of her slippers. "Making him soil the bed like that-"
"Whhheeeeewww this fuckin stinks." Sarumei went to head outside.
"Shihan, wait, she's just a kid-"
"I'll teach her!" Hisaishi started to storm up the stairs, flanked by an anxious Gyomei who was trying to convince her to spare the girl.
"Let's not be cruel."
"CRUEL!? As my mother called it, tough love! Nothing cruel about that!"
"I'm sorry, Hisaishi-san..." He grabbed the bottom of her hakama but tripped, causing her to trip into his back. "Sayo! Run! Run!"
A small blue shape zipped past them. Hisaishi, now even more riled, pinned his neck with a sharp downward kick. "I swear, the amount of disrespect today!"
She left her student on the stairs and went to chase after the demon.
"Ahhh...Sayo I'm sorry." Gyomei stroked the girl's hair as she sobbed (?) into his neck. "But shihan's letting us stay with her, we shouldn't be naughty like that, either."
Kaigaku had also slept through the whole ordeal. How he never woke up while he was moved onto a new cushion or his clothes were exchanged for dry ones was a mystery. Maybe he was just so tired.
"Come on, let's cheer up now, huh?" He tried to console her, but the sounds of her little whimpers were so painful he started to tear up as well.
She likely was not used to the treatment after spending time under his care.
"Ah, there you are. Come on, I have a surprise for you." Sarumei leaned against the doorframe. "Actually, two surprises."
"In a minute. I'm kind of...busy here."
Sarumei made an impatient sound. "Just leave her, she'll be fine."
"But-"
"Kids gotta learn on their own." She pulled Sayo away by her collar and set her on the ground. "Here's a tissue. Blow ya own." Sarumei also handed her a hankerchief. "K, let's go."
Before he could even reply, she dragged him over to the doorway, where a young man of three years younger waited for them.
"So this is the man I am gifting my kusarigama to?" The youth stretched up and took a good hard look at Gyomei. "Hm. He's a bit drab for my taste, although that forehead scar is weirdly flamboyant."
"Himejima. Meet Uzui. Uzui, Himejima."
"How do you do?" The elder gave the younger a polite bow.
"Eh, good as ever." The ninja shrugged his shoulders before bowing back.
Uzui's voice was lively, though the youth seemed to be going through his own struggles at the moment. It rang as clear and virile as a single crisp thunderclap during a tempest.
It was actually a welcome change from Sarumei's foggy slurs and the blunt words of Hisaishi.
"You mentioned a kusarigama? Is this your idea, Hebiyama-san?" The trainee turned to his senior.
"Well you used a rock tied to a chain last night, right? This is the closest thing I thought of..." She made a click with her tongue and a turn of her neck, gesturing to Tengen to hand over the kusarigama.
"Fine, but break Aki-chan and you'll regret it." Tengen gave him a small glare even though the latter obviously would not have noticed it.
"I will keep..."Aki" safe, I promise." Gyomei felt the dangle of chains in his hands. As they swayed in the wind, he could hear each link ringing out like a chain of bells.
"Does it feel different?" Sarumei leaned against the house wall.
"I think I need to swing it around a bit to be sure." He started to whirl the weighted end as he did with the rock, which caused the clinking of chains to increase in volume. As he got used to spinning it slowly, Gyomei attempted to do it a bit faster.
"Hey, be careful, she can bite back-"
With an accidental shift of hand, the weight changed trajectory to head for his leg. Had it not been Sarumei stopping the chain in its path, it would have hit him.
"Alright, let's take it a liiiiiiitle slower." She set the weight down. "Uzui. Give us a hand."
"I don't know, I need to go back to the clan soon." The ninja rested his arms behind his head and turned to leave. "You know, the old man will have my ass if I don't."
"You don't have to. My offer still stands. Join the corps." Sarumei shrugged. "You're fourteen after all, right?"
"I'm getting married real soon."
"Bring your wives over when you do." She walked over, putting her arm over his shoulder. "I'll go back with you later. He won't dare lay a finger on you."
There was a moment of silence before Uzui eventually sneezed. "Ok, fine, get your shabby hemp breath away from me." He shoved her away and walked back over to Himejima. "You're not holding Aki right. You learn to hold your weapons like you learn to hold a woman."
"...I have a vow of celibacy, you know-" The trainee squeaked upon feeling the weight of Tengen's arms around his.
"Oh. So you're an ascetic, huh?" Tengen started to guide Gyomei's hands to the ends of his chain. "What's it like? I've heard it's awfully dull. All that reading and sitting all day."
"It's not bad if you like a quiet life." Gyomei frowned. Who was this guy to call the temple life dull? It was nothing short of lively, especially with...
"Let's not get off track." He guided the older person's fingers to wrap around the handle of the scythe. "This thing is used for hooking, parrying and cutting. It's her teeth. The weight-" Tengen moved Gyomei's hand to sway the weight back and forth. "-is for pounding into people. It's her fist."
"I'll teach you how to get her to not turn on you. Aki can be temperamental." He moved to position Gyomei's right arm for him to spin the weight properly. "You need to keep spinning her rapidly, or else she will become confused."
Sarumei watched for the next few moments as Tengen's tensed up form eased with the two starting to move in unison with each other. Gyomei's movements started to become smoother, and if he did risk hitting himself, Tengen was there to catch the chain in time. His reflexes were quite well trained despite his age.
"Uzui-kun, you're fourteen, correct?" The older youth eventually opened his mouth after quietly listening for about half an hour.
"Yeah, didn't you hear Hebiyama?" The younger boy's ruby eyes could only focus on his elder's shifting back. "How old are you?"
"Seventeen. My birthday should be coming up." He paused for a second. "Are you not a demon slayer? You're quite skilled."
"Nah, I'm a ninja." He could sense a surprised silence from his partner. "...yeah we still exist, although I don't know for how much longer."
"Is there still a clan of them out there?"
"What's left of it. "
The weight suddenly tangled around both of their legs, sending them onto the ground. Tengen had unknowingly loosened his grip on Gyomei's wrist as his bicep started to ache.
"Brooo..." Sarumei squatted next to them. "I could watch this all day."
"Agh! Shut your mouth and get us out of this, peasant!" Tengen writhed around and attempted to grab the end of the chain to free both of them. "Jeez, do I have to do everything around here!? This is not fitting for the God of Festivities!"
"Uzui-kun-" Gyomei wheezed as the boy shifted on top of him. "Uzui-kun, please-"
"This is better than 90% of harem anime." Sarumei yawned at the spectacle.
Eventually, Uzui managed to find the weight and unwrapped both of them from the weapon. The two took a minute to sit down and recuperate.
"Uzui-kun, is your arm alright?" Gyomei gave the ninja a worried expression.
"Yeah, why wouldn't it be?" Tengen snorted and turned away. "I'm pretty tough, you know? Earthly things can't hurt me."
"You loosened your hand suddenly. Can I check your arm?"
"...Guess there's no going past you, huh?" He held out his arm.
"I just tend to have a dependable sense of touch, since I can't see." Gyomei's fingers slid up Tengen's arm, feeling for any patches of tender muscle or skin. "Ah, is it here?" He lightly drew circles with a finger on a deep blue bruise. Despite the pressure, there was no pain from the touch, which surprised Uzui.
All of a sudden, fat teardrops started to fall down his pensive face, as if something had physically struck him. Tengen froze.
Can he sense it? What happened?
However, as if to not disrupt the visitor's privacy, Gyomei asked nothing of the sort.
"I'll go get some ice, ok? Since your injury still hurts, maybe sit down. Don't worry, I can practice on my own afterwards." He gave the ninja a small smile of reassurance.
"You sure? Aki might still be temperamental." If he pushed himself with such an unpredictable weapon, it could cost a limb or eye easily.
"It will be alright. I know, because I've had a good teacher." Himejima headed to the house. Tengen felt his cheeks get a bit warm. Despite his self-absorbed persona, praise from another gave him a certain shyness, especially after living among ninjas which was the vast majority of his life.
And the way his firm arms had cupped around those slender ones...
As a ninja he had always been around hard bodies. Hard bodies which were rugged, scar-pocked, with leathery muscle and veins from years of battering.
Sure, this stranger had meat on his bones. He had his own callouses and scars. Yet it wasn't hard flesh but budding, fresh and soft. A body which was not shaped by death but nurtured to its current form.
Is that what people from outside felt like?
"So...wanna call off the wedding?"
Tengen turned to see Sarumei inches away from his face. Instead of screaming, however, he merely stared back.
"Me!? NEVER! I, a flamboyant ladies' man, will never abandon my lovely wives at the altar!" He gestured with painted nails. "Plus, I am still madly in love with Hinatsuru-chan, Makio-chan and Suma-chan, no matter what! My heart burns for them so flamboyantly my arteries could burst in a flashy spectacle of blood any minute!"
"Eugh. Curb your straightness." She shoved his sore bicep, causing him to yelp in pain.
"Bitch." He grunted. If only she wasn't my weed dealer...
"Hebiyama-san, don't hurt him further, please." Gyomei started to bandage a pack of ice onto Tengen's arm. "I could make you a new one when you leave as well, so you can have a cold compress for longer."
His voice was so soft that Tengen already felt his welt hurting a little less.
Indeed, calling Tengen a good teacher was not just flattery. The ninja watched as the trainee replicated the moments he had guided him to do. The movements first went by slowly and gawkily. The slow and clumsy spin of the weight, however, grew into a continuous blur of movement.
Tengen felt a slight breeze graze his face as the trajectory of the weight drew in air. The weight shot out, then drew in again. The scythe followed in a wide arc. As he turned, it followed and sent the tips of grass flying.
Once Gyomei started moving his feet as well, Tengen found himself unable to look away from both wielder and kusarigama.
As the nearly oversized robe flapped against his slender framed, the an almost looked like a spirit.
Aki's sure getting along with him, huh?
"It's getting late. I think your work here's done, Uzui." Sarumei finally spoke next to the boy.
Gyomei stopped upon hearing her announcement. "I'll give you another icepack for the road, then." He gave the two a polite bow and went back into Hisaishi's house.
"...You're gonna be the one facing down my old man, k? Since you kept me longer than expected." Uzui exhaled to the woman. "But as for your offer...you sure you also have space for three kunoichi?"
"Our turnover rate can guarantee that." She gave him a slick grin.
He turned strangely quiet.
"Oh wipe off that sour patch kid face." The slayer snorted.
Gyomei arrived between them with a new ice pack, which he exchanged for the old one. "Don't move it too much on the way back, ok?"
"Also, give Hisaishi-san my farewells. I won't be coming back." Sarumei yawned.
"You aren't?" The youth blinked in surprise. "Are you going on the road again?"
She thought she could hear a bit of disappointment in his tone.
What a weird kid, huh?
"Yeah, I have a deal with Uzui-san here." She patted the back of the ninja. "Plus, it's getting dark. I'll need to escort him."
"Ah, right." Gyomei bowed to Uzui as a farewell. "Stay safe, Uzui-kun. Ah, also-"
He held out the kusarigama to the boy.
"Aki-chan should probably go with you."
"...Nah. I think Aki-chan would like to sleep over for a few days." Tengen turned around with his back facing the older. "You know, she likes you."
"Is that really ok?"
"Yeah." the boy took a glance at the setting sun. "The scenery at the clan is getting bland. I think she needs a new flamboyant view."
