Fourteen
Festival
"So... this is what the town's people have been up to since the start of Arashi Week." Isamu spoke aloud, directing his awe to the elder holding his arm.
Around him, children followed their parents or moved in groups, chasing the heels of individual warriors as they asked for stories. Most of these kids had been hidden during the rainy days, their parents no doubt trying to keep them from getting wet and horribly maiming themselves by the water. But now, these young ones had been let loose, if nothing else to help with the decorations they had made in their free time inside of their private homes.
Isamu watched as older Inklings raised banners around the town's main road, leading to the center of town where a gathering was taking place. Each of these banners were different, but shared the similar qualities of having their town's name written somewhere on it, along with a symbol of a seared fish. Isamu couldn't help but to stop at the last two special banners that guarded the start of the town's center and the gang of children who surrounded them.
"Did you all make these ones?" Miss Frog asked, hunching over as she leaned in to hear the children. Quickly being surrounded by the kids, Isamu chuckled as all of them spoke in a single chorus, happily squealing as the elder took note of their work. "Well aren't they just wonderful? This must have taken you all a lot of work!"
"It did!" One shouted.
"We made them at Ry's house!" Another cheered.
"Did you?" Miss Frog asked, getting another crowd made affirmation. "Did you thank Ry's parents for letting you make such fine artwork at their home?"
Suddenly, these children seemed nervous, looking in between each other.
"No? Well you all better go do so now, while you still can!" Miss Frog cackled, the kids quickly scampering off while she laughed maniacally.
As Isamu inspected the masterpieces that were children's' artwork, along with all the tiny hand prints on the back of the banners, he asked why they seemed so afraid at forgetting such a simple thing.
"Ha! Oh, that's nothing sweetie. I've a legend about me for the youngsters who are still old enough to believe it."
"Oh?"
"Oh yes. Their parents tell them that if Miss Frog hears them be disrespectful or having bad manners, she'll send her pets to gobble them up!" Miss Frog explained, laughing in her usual crazed fashion, getting Isamu to join in at the noise.
"How long has that been going on?" Isamu asked, having his arm retaken by the elderly woman as they entered the center where the crowd was gather. From what he could hear from the hammering, it sounded as if many people was constructing something which on intrigued him further to investigate.
"Since the town's foundation, I presume." Miss Frog eventually answered, needing a great deal of thought on the subject, apparently.
"I see. What are they building?"
"Oh, a stage I believe. On the last day of Arashi Week, we build a large platform for contests to take place all day long. When the sun sets, we light bonfires around the town center, and the men carry a big wooden carp, all the while being stripped to the waist."
"Stripped?" Isamu asked, bafflement clear on his face.
"Oh yes. I can't remember who exactly started it, but all the men were happy to show off their muscles."
"I think I understand." Isamu said, remembering all of the flexing competitions Tae and Souta had orchestrated.
"Oh-ho? Are you going to participate, young Isamu? We allow anyone to join in the reverie, you know!" Miss Frog exclaimed, apparently enjoying the idea of him without his under armor on.
"Uh, I don't know about that."
"You should! This is the first time the Tenth's stayed with us. Usually it's just the Twenty-First who shows up." Miss Frog sighed out, getting Isamu to halt.
"The Twenty-First? Under Commander Kikimo?" Isamu asked.
"Yes, dearie. He's been coming here for the past… well, just as long as I've had legends about me, so twenty some odd years now! Shows up a few days before the festival. Strange how he hasn't shown up yet, if I do say so myself!" Miss Frog stated, apparently unaware that the commander had actually arrived two days ago.
"You're kidding."
"Nope! He patrols around here during the start of spring. Ends up in battles with a fish-tribe or two. Usually wins with heavy losses I'm told!"
"Would… would you mind telling me more about that?" Isamu asked, getting a confused look from the elder.
"Of course, Isamu. What would you like to know?"
Isamu sighed inwardly, unsure where to even start. Briefly, Isamu wondered if his general somehow knew in advance that the elder would have a wealth of knowledge to share, or had just guessed. Either way, Isamu would try to get as much useful information from Miss Frog.
"Could you tell me more about their battles? I don't know that much about this area." Isamu asked, getting a knowing nod from the elder.
"Battles? My, my, of course you'd want to hear about the battles of another company! Oh, let's see… I can tell you the time where…" Miss Frog started, Isamu listening to every word carefully for as much detail as possible as they continued to walk through the town.
A whole night of sneaking from inn to inn, and Rafu hadn't heard anything of importance. There were only two common things in each conscript's story, namely the heavy downpour and the one sided slaughter they had been faced with. Rafu was beginning to wonder if he should forsake discretion and just ask one of the older looking warriors to just tell him what happened, or have one of his squaddies do it for him.
Rafu sighed to himself, unsure what to do. He could cozy up to some of the kids, and be the fatherly figure they secretly desire, or find someone he trusted in his platoon to speak with them on equal footing. That, or he could be like a good many of his fellow platoon leaders and ignore his general's orders.
"Sir." Leiko leaned in, making him halt in his staring at one of the orange headed conscripts.
"What, squad leader?" Rafu asked, slowly leaning back and turning to the girl.
"You seem out of it." The girl pointed out, wagging her brows at him.
Using his hands to support his head, Rafu stared the younger girl down for several seconds, before asking her a question. "Why is it this company gives so much lip to their leaders? My old post was dead silent save for behind closed doors. Not only that, but everyone's humping each other! What the hell is with you all?"
Rafu understood he was turning heads in his direction, which was very much expected. Of course these perky children would instantly drop what they were doing to hear about things unrelated to their platoon leader giving them orders. The unassuming squad leader before him shrugged at his question.
"Probably because our general doesn't care what we do in our free time, so long as we do what he says when he needs us. Uyeda, remember in winter when we sat in on a leadership meeting?" Leiko asked, partially yelling across the common area, and getting a loud grunt in confirmation.
"And what's with that? Why the hell are squad leaders sitting with their general and speaking openly with them?! Not only that, but our meetings are ridiculously short! This is just so dang strange." Rafu asked, getting louder as he continued.
"Why would you say 'dang'? What are you, five?" Leiko asked, immediately making fun of him at the first opportunity. Before Rafu could get the next part of the banter going, she continued. "And it isn't all the time. Just when we aren't doing anything major, and to give us experience for what's expected of us in the future."
"What? When's a squad leader going to need…?" Rafu started, his words trailing away as the realization took place. As the face of Leiko found the table between them very interesting, Rafu understood that a majority of his platoon had been in the company since winter, and he had not. "Oh. For when I die, yeah?"
"Yeah." Leiko quietly confirmed, the only one to speak as all other conversations ceased to exist. Rafu had forgotten that he was in a patrolling battle company. He had tricked himself into believing they would be staying in Kamakessai as a garrison, just because of them weathering the stormy days. Sometime soon, they would be departing from this tiny town, and make their way somewhere where fierce battles were taking place.
The silence in the room was palpable, Rafu decided. Knowing what to do, he slammed his cup down and inhaled deeply, ready to sing the first verse of a happy drinking song. He would raise these suddenly low spirits as suddenly as they had lowered!
"In the -"
"At least you guys have a backup plan." A voice suddenly barked, venom on the tip of his tongue. Rafu led the room in staring at the source of noise, which had rudely interrupted his jolly tune he was building up. "If Kikimo had taught even one squad leader what to do-"
"Gorou, shut up." Another voice piped up, coming from the same location, towards the back of the room near the liquor shelf.
"We're all thinking it, aren't we?!" Gorou, apparently, shouted back. "He got us killed, Hotaru! Your squad, my platoon, over half the damned company! DEAD! Because of what?! Huh?!"
As most of his own warriors were sitting down, it was fairly easy to identify who Gorou was, due to him standing and grabbing another young Inkling by the collar. While Rafu's platoon nervously glanced between him and the two guests across the room, this Gorou seemed oblivious that he was making a scene. Seeing as the kids were both unarmed, and weren't actually fighting yet, Rafu decided to let the situation play out, lowering his hands in a gesture for his platoon to keep seated.
"I… I don't know." Hotaru, quietly answered, his eyes darting away from the angry warrior before him.
"Don't you want to know why?! Don't you want to ask Kikimo, 'What the fuck'? You'd ask your platoon leader, but oh wait! You can't, cause' they're dead! All of them are fuckin' dead!" Gorou shouted, his voice shaking heavily as he fought the tears in his eyes.
Rafu felt his heart break as the barely sixteen year old boy tried not to break down in his grief, perhaps noticing that the entire building was staring at him. Despite the audience, Gorou didn't back down from his fellow company warrior, even if his hands were pulled off of the other boy's under armor.
"Of course I want to. But what am I going to do? Walk up into the hall and yell at my commander? He'll kill me… He's executed Inklings for less." Hotaru quietly said, unintentionally bringing the attention of the room towards Rafu.
Before he had even realized he was moving, Rafu was charging the duo, grabbing the second boy by the cheeks and yelling directly into his face.
"HE'S DONE WHAT?!" Rafu bellowed, his voice forcing the tearful Inkling back a few paces and into a barstool. Unsure of what to do, with face in hands of another older and taller Inkling, who was a platoon leader no less, only shook where he stood.
"W-w-w-what? Who, what, why –"
Calming himself down and letting go of the boy's face, Rafu took several deep breaths before speaking. "Hotaru, are you telling me your commander has executed a subordinate for disrespecting them?"
"Y-y-yes?" Hotaru fearfully answered.
"Did you see this for yourself?" Rafu asked once more, sensing that his platoon was beginning to stand.
"O-once. He had the sub-commander do it, though." Hotaru slowly explained, scanning the room.
"Why… why hasn't anyone said anything? Have you not been in any cities or fortresses?" Rafu asked, crestfallen. "Have you not been near any other companies?"
"No. We haven't. We supply at outposts and small towns, like these. Then we're off again." Gorou interjected, understanding that something was amiss. "We don't usually come into contact with other companies either, and when we do, it's in passing."
"Is… is something wrong?" Hotaru asked.
"Does he reinforce at villages, instead of fortresses as well?" Rafu asked, slowly backing away from the two as he scoffed at a thought that crossed his mind. If he hadn't started this conversation and ruined the mood of the room, he probably never would have realized just how bad this Kikimo actually was.
"Yes." The both said in slow unison.
Pinching his nose, Rafu sat down to think. He knew he needed to get this to one of Range's bodyguards, but if he was caught snooping around the hall by someone other than one of the guards, he would probably make a scene.
"Why are you making this such a big deal?" Hotaru asked, obviously fearful.
"Because, you fucking moron…" Rafu stopped himself, knowing his anger wasn't directed at the poor kid. "Sorry. You wouldn't have known. Hell, half of my own platoon probably doesn't know the Rights of Command, or the code that all officers are ordered by. Most veterans learn about it early, if they think they're going to last the full ten year conscription."
"Rights of Command?" Gorou asked, sharing a look of doubt with his friend.
"Laws, kids. Commanders don't get to do whatever they want. They aren't allowed to waste any property Strategic Command entrusts them with, including bodies. The only time a commander or general is allowed to execute a fellow Inkling is if that Inkling commits murder, or deserts. Your commander probably just kept this information to himself, and doesn't keep intelligent Inklings around to usurp his authority."
"Are… you kidding?" Gorou asked, his emotions shifting between confusion and anger. "What do we do then?"
"Nothing." Rafu instantly ordered, ignoring the shocked looks of the two as he stood and began giving out orders. "Every Inkling here is going to keep their mouths shut and remain in this building. No one is to say a single thing about this to anyone outside this room, understand?"
"And pretend this never happened?" Leiko asked, confused.
"Yes. I'll get this to Range, and he'll move from there. If we can keep this quiet, we'll be helping our general significantly. If this somehow slips to the company, emotions of anger will act and accusations will start flying, and more importantly, their shitty commander will have the jump on Range. Our general must act before we do." Rafu calmly commanded, his heart racing as he tightened his fist in anger.
Rafu knew he had stumbled head first into a very dangerous situation, undoubtedly the most serious in his entire military career. Wondering if his new company had a habit for sniffing out traitors like the one in Ishigaki, he braced himself mentally as he ordered the doors and windows barred, making sure all twenty five of the Inklings remained within his sight. He would wait until the crack of dawn, then hope his own Inklings wouldn't rush out and spread the word to the entire town, right before the festival started.
Kichi was beginning to grow tired of all the mock duels and shows of strength from her and her general's company. As there were several dozen children spectating as well, she had asked all participants to keep from going to 'first blood', or using real weapons. The last thing she wanted to do was have parents form a band to remove their guests from their town.
In fact, these villagers had been the most hospitable people she had ever met, even going so far as to shrug off the fact she had destroyed one of their amazing tables. When she had tried to apologize to their town's group of elders, they hadn't even allowed her the chance to suggest some form of repayment, saying that wood always has a use, no matter the form it's in. Initially believing that the town's leaders were just being polite, she had gone directly to the source of the carpentry, to apologize and ask if there was any recompense she could offer for the lost woodwork.
But even the old artisan, who rivaled the age of their brigade's Kaji of the River, had waved it off, even while standing over the shards of the construction he had made. When asked how he could simply not care about such a thing, he had shrugged, told her if he had meant for the table to last forever, he would have made it out of steel. The old man had then just patted her softly on the arm, asked if the destruction of the table had helped her in some way, and then proceeded to continue onto his next project. That had been an interesting day, after a short talk with the four logistic officers of the brigade.
Four logistic officers, with a noticeable gap in age and experience had all but said Kikimo was not to be trusted. She knew that commanders and officers could choose not to bring logistic officers into their company, but the benefits of having a pair was very significant. Whether they were biased or not, her advisors had explained that the only reason not to allow logistic officers into a company was if you didn't want to be reported about by said logistic officers, or if you were confident you wouldn't be in any reinforcing area for over a year. With the latter only being taken one by a single Squid Lord in an expedition through the northern barrier of the Kurage Mountains, where most Inkling maps ended, the former was more likely. The only other information the four logistic officers could be certain about was that Kikimo's company tended to wander between the southern provinces and the eastern ones, usually at the frontiers where most of their skirmishing was done.
With nothing else to say that was anything more than their own speculation, she had dismissed the four logistic officers, Kichi still not convinced she should tell Range not to trust the rescued company's leaders. Sure, there was a reason to doubt, but just because she could doubt them, surely didn't mean she should, right? All Kichi knew was that the more she thought about it, the more she believed that her general was waiting for her to negatively report on their two guests anyways.
"So general, are you enjoying the festival?" Kikimo asked, breaking the silence from their shared table where they watched the stage in the setting sun. Kichi glanced at the burning torches that were being set up around the town's center, fairly certain it would be a few more hours of games and spectacles before the main event.
"I am! Drink in hand, ladies dancing around me, what's not to like?" Range chortled, taking a sip from the cup that never seemed to empty. "It appears this is not your first time being to one, here."
"It's not. I suppose I frequent this great town of Kamakessai, now that I think about it." Kikimo offered, before standing and shouting, "To our gracious hosts, who have the best festivals in the entire south!"
A chorus of cheers erupted from the dancing crowd immediately, drowning out any attempts of conversation for several seconds before the mass of Inklings became a few hundred smaller conversations. As the rhythmic beating of the drums and brass picked up once more, Kikimo quietly spoke, directing his voice towards Range, who Kichi was sitting next to.
"So I've heard an interesting rumor."
"Have you?" Range asked, his gaze not even moving from the stage where a group of towns people were doing a local dance routine with the aid of a drummer, with kids as young as four joining them. Kichi had to admit that there was a certain enthralling factor to the simultaneous movement, not unlike a shield formation moving in sync.
"That an entire building has been voluntarily locked up, with a platoon of yours stuck inside. I hear that the only communication is through a closed door." Kikimo said, making Kichi turn, intrigued.
"Oh. Yes, that's my third harquebus platoon. They had an incident." Range simply sighed out, which begged for further explanation. After having been asked to continue, the general quickly elaborated. "There was a bad keg of something that they got into, which made them sick. Their platoon leader sent a runner to me yesterday morning, remember? He thought it best for them all to ride it out together, to prevent anything spreading to the rest of us during the celebration."
"Ah. So that's why your guard came. Sickness, huh?" Kikimo eventually asked, his doubts being very clear to everyone at their table.
"So I am told." A very disinterested Range said, changing his features immediately to applaud the bowing stage dancers. Soon, the hyped grudge match between two fat residents of Kamakessai would try to push each other out of a ring in nothing but a loincloth, or so Kichi had been explained to. "I don't really have a want or need to check up on them. Do you?"
"No, I was just wondering. What of the cloaked ones, always hiding within the tree line?" Kikimo asked, bringing up the Night Blades, which Kichi had been told not to talk about over the course of these past few days.
"I'm afraid I don't know. Probably villagers overly prepared for the rain? Are you going to inquire about Kantoku next?" Range asked, clearly annoyed.
"No, no. Just trying to keep updated, I suppose. I would like to know when we'll be striking out to get vengeance for my fallen, though." Kikimo eventually calmly said, his question not unreasonable, Kichi believed. In fact, she had been asking the same question whenever she had a brief moment alone with her general. For whatever reason, this question suddenly made the aggravated Range smile, as if happy to be asked.
"Tonight, you'll hear. I plan to address that question to all."
Kichi glanced, and saw that Kikimo and Tetsip were sharing a small look with one another, some mixture of concern and confusion.
"You're planning to… tell everyone? At once?"
"Yes. You'll be in for a treat, I believe." Range answered calmly, Kichi already having an idea of what was going to happen in a few hours-time.
Several curious Inklings of all ages had initially swarmed them as the three masked Inklings had more or less appeared inside the middle of Kamakessai. Under the cover of darkness, along with their very powerful creatures willing to do whatever was needed of them, they had scaled the town's perimeter wall within a single moment, and had quickly integrated themselves within the crowds, careful not to draw to much attention to themselves. Now that they couldn't be discretely removed if a certain someone wanted to block entrance to the festivities, their sneaking mission had ended.
Whether it was the alcohol or just the ambient good mood that surrounded them, the town's people seemed completely undeterred at their appearance. Being asked questions of why they wore the masks and if they were going to do a routine on the stage, Kaito had originally thought their words were meant to be hostile. His feelings of being an outsider would evaporate as soon as his mentor opened his mouth, however, the general loudly addressing those who came to them and happily speaking as opposed to identifying themselves.
"Yes, thank you for hosting this magnificent party! Our routine will be shortly after the carp burning, if you would believe it!"
"Ain't nothin' after but watchin' the embers, friend-o." A clearly drunk citizen asked, heavily leaning on what Kaito assumed was his wife.
"There's always something after the fire's dies, new friend! Now, shoo, shoo. Find your way home, before you stumble into a blaze!" Kantoku kindly ordered, placing a hand on the arm of the drunk, who just seemed confused as he was patted firmly by the friendly masked warrior.
As the one supporting the nearly lame man was asked if that was a threat, the older woman only smiled, nodding at the kind warning as she continued to head away from the torches, undoubtedly going to call it an early night. With the other adults shrugging away their suspicious guises, that left only the throng of children that circled them, a few dressed in almost tribal outfits.
"Who are you?"
"What are you wearing?"
"Are you here to celebrate too?"
Other similar childish questions that needed no answering if they would merely think before they spoke, were asked a few keener faces peering around and through Kaito and Kantoku, where the girl was taking cover.
"Do you want to play with us?" One of these kids asked, towards the masked girl out of view. Kaito and Kantoku both turned towards their companion, who met each of their concealed faces with her own.
"I won't stop you from having fun!" Kantoku joyfully explained, patting the girl's hooded head.
"Is that wise?" Kaito asked his general, unsure what sort of misunderstandings their parents might have once the radically different girl would join the rabble.
"Do as you wish, young one. Worrying about the consequences is for grown-ups like me!" Kantoku told the one still looking for permission, Kaito eventually nodding his own agreement to the girl, who obviously didn't want a split decision.
As their smaller masked one slowly pushed past the small gap her adult companion's legs created, she carefully tried to unbuckle her sword's belt that was wrapped around her chest, only getting Kantoku to 'tsk' at her in disappointment.
"You asked for it, so you must hold onto it. Now go! Before the night ends early!" Kantoku then lightly pushed the girl forward into the large concave of fellow children, who didn't seem to care that a fellow kid who revealed no skin and carried a weapon nearly as large as their body had joined them.
"Hi!"
"What's your name?"
"Your parent's let you carry a sword? That's awesome!"
Kaito briefly stood as Kantoku began to move past him, gesturing for him to follow and leave the girl to her fate, briefly hearing the word 'hello' come from under the metal mask. He was briefly worried that she wouldn't be able to deal with children her own age, but it seemed that had been a pointless endeavor, as their gang leader immediately cried that they were beginning the march.
As their band of three became a pair, Kaito asked his general if she would be alright, his own voice barely audible over the massed drum beats that were synched to one another. Pushing past the pressed crowd, every face turning to the northern road, Kaito could see the looks of a large shirtless mob begin to form, and a large swathe of land empty between the mob and the grand stage.
"'One' will be with her, so probably! I don't truly believe there's anything certain in this world, young Kaito!" Kantoku more or less shouted, the mass of conversations slowly dying down as the drums continued to beat as if they were being hit by a single entity all around them. Kaito supposed his general wasn't wrong in his statement, and decided not to press the situation. At worst, the Colossal would eat the gang of children.
Halting when his general had, Kaito realized he had quite a view before him, his height barely allowing him to see the procession taking place. Several dozen topless males were carrying a massive work of art, the wooden construction resembling that of a giant fish. Even though he was rather far away, Kaito could see that the fish had been painstakingly detailed, the thousands of small carved scales flowing into a swirling design on the flank that faced him. With the tail of the great carp high in the air, Kaito also realized that it would have been a very great burden, as many Inklings who weren't holding it were hard pressed to keep it balanced.
As the burdened Inklings moved with each step of the unified drums, he couldn't help but feel impressed as they skillfully made it up the steps of the stage, carefully setting the work of art down. Once their task had been completed, a few older, fully clothed Inklings began to take brushes to some liquid and start making large swathes across the wooden scales of the carved beast. While the elders continued their task, Kaito couldn't help but notice a single pale Inkling slowly make his way through the crowd that seemed to make a path for him.
As he watched his old commander perform a small bow to each of the Inklings who were descending, Kaito glanced at Kantoku, who was standing perfectly still with those around him. Only after the last of the fish carriers had left the stage's steps, did Range begin his own ascent, eventually coming to stand before the giant carp.
Once he had shared a bow with the elders who had finished their own role, Range raised his glaive high in the air, and began to shout to the gathering of two thousand some odd countrymen.
"Inklings of Kamakessai! Fellow kin and gracious hosts, I would like to personally thank each and every one of you for allowing us the opportunity to spend Arashi Week with you, and share in your spring festival! You all have shown us nothing but kindness since our first day here, and I hope those in my brigade have done everything in their power to reflect their gratitude! Warriors, please, cheer those who have provided a roof over your head during the storms!"
Kaito had to cover his ears as over half of the town exploded into cries and cheers of barely legible words, along with hundreds of hands being brought together as the occasional confused face would scan the crowd with awe. After several seconds of nonstop yelling and cheering, Range raised his glaive, slowly silencing the crowd.
"I believe it is safe to say we have all made plenty of happy memories in this town, and I hope for nothing besides its continued growth and prosperity!" Range shouted, being interrupted by another cacophony of cheering and excitement that had made the pale general laugh in surprise. Once the cheering died down once more, Kaito's old commander continued. "Though not all had such a blissful experience during this year's Arashi Week."
"I'm sure you've all seen the faces of the remnants of the Twenty-First, suffering great defeat at the eastern coast of the Minami Delta! It will be no surprise to any of you when I say that this was the cause of one of our many enemies, a barbarous fish-tribe, intending to invade our lands in force this year." Range spoke, his voice easily carrying over the silence surrounding him. "Their sacrifice will not be in vain! We shall move out at dawn, avenge our fallen, and destroy such a force for daring to come so close to this wonderful town! We will not let them do as they please, and allow them to slowly spread across this delta, and threaten Kamakessai! We will show those damnable bastards what it means to kill our fellow warriors! We shall show them what it means to kill our friends and family! We shall show them the death they so obviously crave!"
The first cheer had been nothing in comparison to what Kaito was bearing witness to. Instead of joy, righteous anger had absorbed the crowd, rage emboldening every voice turned into a single roar, calling for one thing.
War.
A hungry chant for death and violence. Not even the townsfolk were spared from joining in the blood call, Kaito believing he alone was silent in this single army, their pale general stoking the flames by continuously yelling promises of future violence.
A single, twisted thing crept into his hearing, something Kaito had never heard in his life, and turned to find the source. The wretched noise was barely noticeable under the screaming frenzy that deafened them, but it was soon clear who was distorting the crowd's shared roar. As the calls for death began to slow, the majority of the massed Inklings burning themselves out of aggression, others soon began to investigate what was still making the twisted laughter that could only be described as maddening.
Not even Kaito felt safe as Kantoku reeled his head back, the metal not even dampening the crazed laughter that seemed to change pitch and frequency the longer he continued. It felt as if an invisible force was strangling the joy out of the masked general, the laughter that of a long dead creature not meant to create noise.
A moment after Kaito realized the laughter was the only thing halting the encroaching, disturbed silence that engulfed them, the mad fit ended, Kantoku coughing several times before seeming to recover.
"General Kantoku." Range called from across the crowd, apparently unfazed by such a scene that not even Kaito had been prepared for. "Thank you for sharing whatever that was."
"My apologies, General Range! I was consumed by my joy, at the sight of your follower's cheers! The Ninth Monster Corp Division of course, stands with you!" Kantoku happily cried, getting a very unenthusiastic clap from a few brave souls in the crowd.
"I thank you, general. Now we have wasted much of these people's time and interrupted their tradition for far too long! Thank you, Kamakessai, for all you have done!" The pale one told the crowd, choosing to jump down from the edge of the stage rather than walk down the steps. As the crowd parted for both generals' ease of movement, Kaito quickly followed behind his retreating mentor as an elder lit the engulfing fire that would consume the wooden fish.
As the Inklings soon began to disperse or slowly recover to their original festive state, Kaito knew that the festival had all but ended despite the drums begin to beat in loose rhythm. With the speech, the roar, and the mad laughter, Kaito could no longer think of anything else he wanted to do, save for quietly wait for the sun to rise. There was only anticipation for Kaito's return to a real battlefield, instead of the small hunting ventures he had grown accustomed to.
He would show those in his old company what he could do. He would show their demented leader what he had accomplished in the months since his departure. Kaito suddenly felt his own breast fill with a certain happiness, his eyes darting to the back of Kantoku, and wondering if he too had once felt this way.
