Now we're going to create a barrier." Midoriko said.
"A barrier..." Yahiko rolled his eyes. "Not more defensive magic!"
"Yes! You have to learn to defend before I'm going to teach you offense!" Midoriko hissed. "Like this! Swan Feathers!"
The ofuda surrounded her and a barrier was formed.
"However I can do it without ofuda, most impressive don't you—" Midoriko whirled and found Yahiko talking to Kenshin again.
"Kenshin come on let's have a match!" Yahiko said. "I know I'm strong enough now."
"Oh I don't doubt it." Kenshin said, a tomato plant depositing it's fruit in his basket.
"Then!" Yahiko said.
"No thank you." Kenshin said. "I think the Kuri-Dono is calling you."
"YAHIKO!" Midoriko began chasing him and hitting him with ofuda, giving him little shocks.
After running around a few times, Kenshin stopped the two of them.
"I heard you're having a Harvest Festival, little miko." Kenshin said.
"Yes. I need to go to the market." Midoriko said.
"I'll go." Kenshin said. "I want to get some rice for onigiri."
"Yeah! Onigiri!" Yahiko yelled.
Kenshin headed out, and Midoriko began sweeping the shrine. "Do you know we sweep west to east to respect the deosil movement of the circle? If you are ever low on reiki, sweeping like this, even with just your arms, can ignite a spark of—"
"Midoriko Watanabe! Get your fraudulent miko face out here!" Toshio Mikabe, mayor of Musashi, called her.
He had always called her a fraud, a cause for bad luck, and used her as a scapegoat for all the bad that happened in Musashi.
"You stay here." Midoriko said to Yahiko.
Yahiko, however, stormed off to find Kenshin.
Midoriko came out and bowed. "Mayor."
"Those kidnappings." Toshio said. "You whisking children away now? And letting a demon live under your roof."
Kenshin was standing under the shrine entrance with Yahiko, listening.
"Not to mention that undesirable Yahiko whelp." Toshio said. "You know his ancestry?"
"Hikawa Jinja." Midoriko said softly. "Sunset Shrine. I believe in the bylaws it states clearly that we are not under your jurisdiction, being a religious institution and a sanctuary."
"You think I care about that?" Toshio said. "You will always be under my protection, child."
He shoved her to the floor and kicked her.
"I have taken care of you for so long! So this shrine operates in the way I want! In a way that makes me look good!" Toshio shouted.
He stopped. Kenshin and Yahiko were between him and the girl.
Yahiko gripped his foot and threw him across the field.
"Sure. We're demonic. But who's really worse, us, or slimeballs like you?" Yahiko growled.
"You will do well to never set foot in the Kuri-dono's shrine again." Kenshin said, hand on his sword. "Unless...you would like to find out why I used to be called merciless."
Toshio cowardly scrambled away.
Kenshin went to help up Midoriko, but Yahiko had already done it.
"I think I'd love to be student to someone brave like you." He said.
Midoriko paused, and patted him on the head, looking from him to Kenshin. "We all have our demons, and all are welcome in Hikawa Jinja."
The sun set over the mountains as she spoke, and they all went inside for onigiri.