**Revision v.1 Published 03 Jul 17**
Disclaimer:
The characters and setting of Omamori Himari are properties of Fujimi Shobo and Milan Matra. Please support the author and publisher by buying the volumes in your country or region. I'm a fan of the series and all, but hey, it's not mine. And never will be. I only write for fun, not for profits. That's what a fanfic should be all about.
Also, all other characters referenced in the story, including OCs, belong to their respective owners.
Legend:
"Normal (Japanese) speech"
{"English speech"}
Quotes from other characters are centered, regardless of perspective
Note: The Coney Island flashback has full English dialogue.
Third Round – Last of a Dying Breed
Chapter pic: Gordon practicing his shadowboxing routine at his house's backyard. Rika, sitting on a bench, watches him with Kuroka resting on her lap and Shirone nuzzling her arm.
Gordon's POV
Blood, gore, and the sounds of flesh and dismembered body parts being sliced, ripped and torn apart.
Those were the only things I was seeing right before my eyes in this forest. Even with my headphones on full blast to help dull out the noise, the blood and dead corpses still lay before me, and the pungent stench raided my nostrils. It was already a huge pain in the ass just trying to keep myself from passing out.
So who on earth is responsible for this gruesome and macabre gore-fest that may as well put films like Chucky and Saw to shame and make even the Devil himself quake in his boots?
SLICE!
SLICE!
SLASH!
Yep. It was none other than Himari, her blood-drenched katana in hand and her feline appendages exposed who had just cut an ayakashi into three dismembered pieces. There was a small number of ayakashi surrounding her, around nine or so, and Himari stood firmly with her katana in front, ready for another round.
The first ayakashi made its move, but Himari anticipated by cutting its arm off and beheading it. She quickly moved to the second ayakashi and cut its chest open, causing a spray of blood and digestive juices to erupt from it. Then while pivoting her foot she struck two more that were coming for her with a horizontal slash. One ayakashi made the wrong move of attacking Miss Samurai from behind and was quickly met with a serious stab in the throat, followed by a slicing of the torso.
You know, some would find it hard to believe that a kind, soft-spoken, and well-mannered young lady like her would be capable of creating bloodbaths like this with just a few sword strokes.
And here I thought it was just gonna be a regular Sunday outing in the mountains.
It all started yesterday morning while I was watching G1 Transformers on my laptop. It's what I usually do back in Brooklyn every time I finish my morning workout on weekends as a sort-of relaxer. I usually watch an episode or two if I'm in a really good mood, maybe three if I'm feeling lucky. Sometimes I even watch it with Rika and The Crew when they come to visit.
Along with my laptop was a plate piled with three large, freshly baked cinnamon buns, all glazed up and ready to be devoured. For me, there are two foods in the world I like most: strawberry ice cream and cinnamon buns. In fact, I love cinnamon buns just as much as Deadpool adores his beloved chimichangas. You just can't get enough of them once you start eating one.
I grab one of the buns and take a huge bite of it. The lingering scent of cinnamon taking over my nostrils and the taste of it developing my taste buds with each chew. Man, cinnamon buns are just the best, especially with a cold glass of milk on the side. Good thing I brought one over as I took said glass and chugged it down my throat before releasing it.
Ahh...! Man, nothing beats the taste of cinnamon buns in the morning.
Before taking my next bite, I suddenly feel the sensation of two soft objects against my back, followed by a set of white, wide-sleeved arms wrapping my neck and the lingering scent of cherry blossom shampoo infiltrating my nostrils.
Not taking any guesses on who it might be, I remove my headphones and turn my head to see Himari, dressed in her yukata with her hair down, hovering over my left shoulder.
"Good morning, Young Lord," she greeted with a smile.
"Mornin', Himari. Fresh out of the shower, I see?" I greeted back, noting the small droplets of water still lying on her hair.
"Yes," she answered with a nod. "I was hoping you would take yours, as well. You smell of sweat, you know."
I respond with a self-deprecating chuckle. "Yeah. Guess I should. But it'll take a while with my cinnamon buns here."
Himari lets out a lighthearted giggle. "You really have taken a liking to them, have you, Young Lord?" she implied.
"What're you talking about? I've been liking them, Himari," I answered, swallowing my bite beforehand. "Besides, how many times have I seen you with a stick of dango? You're even holding one now."
I gesture my head towards the aforementioned stick of dango Himari held in her hand. She then lets go of me, stifling a laugh while chomping on the first ball.
Normally, people like me would find it strange for two teens of opposing genders living under the same roof. But since Himari was bound by oath to protect me from ayakashi I couldn't turn her away even if I wanted to.
And believe it or not, I actually enjoy her company, even if she does have the habit of teasing me sometimes. Though that itself could be a bit of an understatement.
Now for my weekend routine, I usually wake up at around seven or so to go to the backyard and do my exercises (some warm-up stretches, push-ups, sit-ups, high knees, bicycle kicks, planks, and squats), then go straight to shadowboxing. My routine usually lasts an hour or so before I go back in where Himari would already be taking her morning shower. It also explains why I smell like sweat now as Himari pointed out.
"Young Lord?"
I turn my head to Himari who was sitting on my bed. "Yeah, what is it, Himari?" I ask her.
"Let us go to the mountains together tomorrow," she suggested, smiling.
I pause my Transformers episode beforehand and turn my chair around. "The mountains, huh? You did say you were raised in the countryside. Any reason you want to go there?"
After Himari finished munching on the second dango, she stood up and approached me, leaning her body forward until she stopped two inches from my nose. I almost jumped back at her advance, but I shouldn't be surprised because again, both of us share the same bed so I have gotten used to seeing Himari's face up close.
Her sleeping face, that is.
"That is a secret, Young Lord."
Himari had a sly tone to her voice while pressing a finger to her lips.
I give Miss Samurai a queer look as she left the room, chewing on her dango. I simply shrugged as I turned my chair back to my laptop, putting back my headphones and resumed chomping on my cinnamon buns.
So it turns out Himari brought me over here to lure out and kill enemy ayakashi that may be lurking about. And given the numbers, it turns out I make good bait for these guys. I understand she's doing it to protect me, so I have no worries.
But still, what did she mean by "secret" right at the end? Did she have something else planned after this, or...?
I quickly snap from my reverie when one of the wounded ayakashi began limping towards Miss Samurai in hopes striking her from behind. Unfortunately its attempt was thwarted after getting cut in two by Himari's sword, the halves falling on the ground with unceremonious thuds.
Well, shit. She didn't even need me to warn her about it. Must be instinct or something.
Himari swings her katana to the side, causing some of the blood on it to fly off and hit the ground in rapid spatters. Then with one swift movement she brought the katana over to its sheath and slowly ran the blade over some kind of cloth before sliding it in there.
I take off my headphones and paused my music, no longer needing them for the time being while watching Himari take a deep breath.
"Eh?"
She then took notice of some blood spilled on her wrist and forearm. I'm guessing it must have been from when she was battling those ayakashi just now.
What she did with it next, however, almost scared the living shit out of me.
Himari sticks her tongue out and began licking it off. I wasn't joking; she literally just licked it starting with her wrist. And she actually enjoyed it given the way she had her other hand on her chest!
A cold and frightening chill rushed through my spine. Yeesh, and here I thought psychotic serial killers get a thrill out of killing people. If Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees ever caught a glimpse of this, they'd both run for the hills.
I shake my head to banish the disturbing image before looking up to see Himari approach me with her usual smile.
"It is finished, Young Lord. I no longer sense any more ayakashi in this area."
I simply gave a short nod in reply, trying my best not to remember what I just saw her do with her foes' blood. "Y-Yeah, good work handling all those ayakashi back there, Himari."
It was at that moment Himari's cat ears perked and Miss Samurai herself had a sly smirk on her face, along with a seductive gaze coming from her half-lidded eyes.
Nuts. I can already tell where this is going.
She grabbed me by the waist and held me tight, making sure her breasts were pressing against my chest as she looked up at me, still holding that grin and look in her eyes.
"Yo-u-ng Lo-rd~" she coaxed to me in syllables.
"What is it now, Himari?" I asked in a flat voice.
"I would really like it if you were to pet my ears again," she requested, tilting her head while her cat ears perked again. "Would you?"
Ever since that day on the rooftop at school, she would sometimes ask me to pet her. It usually happens whenever I'm chilling in the living room either listening to my tunes or watching TV after finishing with schoolwork or right before I go to bed. And she would often tease me with her ears and tail unless I do so. It came to be a bit annoying at first, but I keep reminding myself that she's no different than Kuroka and Shirone back home, given all three of them are the affectionate type.
That if you can get past the fact that Kuroka and Shirone are plain old house cats while Himari is a cat that can somewhat transform into a hot teenage bombshell.
"Aaagh. Fine, fine."
I place my hand on top of Himari's silky black hair and began stroking it gently, hearing a light purr from her in response. Even though I've been around cats for a long time, I still find this to be a bit nerve-racking. I mean, I'm petting a girl who's got a set of real live cat ears and a swishing tail, for crying out loud. How can it be any stranger than that?
...
...
...
Okay, maybe I shouldn't be the one asking that, considering I've seen a lot of things back home. Flash mobs, crazy street preachers who can't wait for the end times to come any sooner, wannabe rappers promoting their mixtapes on the subway hoping to get noticed, I've seen them all.
Then again, Japan has its own fair share of quirks, too. I'm not gonna lie.
"You really do know how to treat a cat such as myself well, Young Lord," Himari said blissfully, nuzzling her head and giggling as her ears twitched in excitement.
I let out a sigh while using my other hand to stroke her chin. "Yeah, Guess I do."
Himari continued giggling before letting out a satisfied meow, telling me she must really be enjoying herself. Man, at this rate, a catgirl fetish is sure to develop anytime soon. I really don't want that to happen.
As I continued petting Himari, my mind flashed back to what she said to me the day she explained my Gramps' ancestry.
There will be a time when the Young Lord's power shall be awakened, but as of right now...I shall protect you.
That time, I wanted to tell Himari I want to fight alongside her, but couldn't at the last minute because she may not approve of it. Plus I realized I was almost acting on pride which only made it worse. I know it's a bit rude of me to not respect Gramps' wishes, but I want to prove to her I can fight, too. Even without my demon slayer powers awakened.
But there was one major detail I forgot to look over. If I possess Gramps' demon slayer blood, then by definition shouldn't Pops be a demon slayer, too? I know from Himari that Gramps didn't want me and Pops bearing his family name out of fear of it going extinct if we both were to die, but it needed to be addressed before I forget it completely.
"Hey, Himari?"
"Yes, Young Lord?" she replied sweetly.
It was then I ceased petting Himari's head and gently released her hold on me. "Do you remember...the promise we made a few days back?" I remind her. "That you wouldn't act recklessly while performing your duty?"
Himari smiled and nodded. "Indeed I do," she answered. "And you can rest assured that I will keep it."
That's good to hear, I thought. "You told me that you'll be my shadow, my sword and shield, that you'll protect me from all sorts of evil. Right?"
Himari nodded again, still keeping her smile. "Of course," she responded. "It is my duty, after all."
I guess that settles it, then. Now I can tell her how I really feel about this. Don't hold back, Gordon. You can do this.
"What if I were to say...that I want to fight alongside you, Himari," I began suggesting. "I'm not saying that you should stop protecting me. In fact, I'm glad Gramps sent someone like you to protect me. Really I am. It's just...I think I should be able to put in some work, too. You know, as backup? Like how we took care of that spider the first day we met. You already know I can fight well the way I knocked it out of Masaki. I know I'm saying a lot here, but if you say no, then I won't bring it up again. I just need your honest opinion, Himari."
Himari's smile began to widen. I couldn't tell if it was a smile of approval or not, but I think she at least understood what I was trying to get across.
Then she said her answer.
"I admire your courage at you wanting to fight alongside me, Young Lord. However..."
Her smile quickly faded into a look of concern while looking down and away from me. I can already tell that wasn't a good sign.
"I'm afraid I cannot risk endangering you with your powers still dormant after the omamori's seal has been broken." she finished, closing her eyes.
You think I don't know the obvious? You already said you'll be protecting me until they awaken, anyways. The only question is, when?
"And while I do admit we make an appropriate team after defeating the tsuchigumo, that was a relatively weak ayakashi you took on, Young Lord," she continued speaking, opening her eyes again. "The ayakashi you will be seeing me slay will be much more dangerous, even more so than the ones I just slew. So long as your powers remain dormant, you are at their complete mercy. Your fighting skills alone would simply not do for them."
Ayakashi that are stronger than I am? But the only reason I had to take on Masaki when he was possessed by that giant spider is because I didn't want him to hurt Yuuto and Rinko. I had to protect them, even if it meant having to hurt their friend.
"Also..." Himari narrowed her eyes at me while her voice grew stern. "Not only are you endangering yourself, Young Lord, but you are also running the risk of rendering the entire Benigawa family extinct because of your actions."
"Okay, then what about Pops? How come he didn't become a demon slayer like me or Gramps? There has to be an answer to that, right?"
I need to get to the bottom of this. Why didn't Pops become a demon slayer if he, too is a Benigawa by blood?
The moment I saw Himari close her eyes and breathe a heavy sigh, however, I knew it just had to be bad news.
"It is because his powers were sealed away after his birth, as requested from your grandmother."
That explanation alone was enough to shock me to the core. Pops' powers were sealed? As in "not being able to use them again" sealed? Then that means... I'm the only Benigawa remaining?
I can feel the entire weight of the world crumbling down on me as Himari expressed her sympathies.
"I understand that you are upset, Young Lord, but as it stands now in your current state, you will only do more harm than good. Again I am sorry."
...
...
...
The air between us grew stiff and desolate like a Nevada desert in July. Deep inside I was furious at the fact that I was the sole survivor of a demon slayer clan all because Pops had his powers locked away. I can understand Grams wanted to protect her one and only son, but at the cost of leaving me to do all the heavy lifting?
It was too much for me. Way too much.
I angrily turn my back on Himari and walked away, drawing Miss Samurai's concern.
"Where are you going?" she asked.
"To do my workout," I answer brusquely, stopping without looking back. "I haven't been able to do it since this morning."
With those words, I quickly head off into the forest. Sorry Himari, but I need to clear my head for a bit. Nothing personal, alright?
A few minutes later, I was at another part of the forest, recalling what Himari said to me while sitting near a riverbank.
The ayakashi you will be seeing me slay will be much more dangerous, even more so than the ones I just slew. And so long as your powers remain dormant, you are at their complete mercy. Your fighting skills alone would simply not do for them.
It is because his powers were sealed away after his birth, as requested from your grandmother.
Not only are you endangering yourself, Young Lord, but you are also running the risk of rendering the entire Benigawa family extinct because of your actions.
I understand what you told me about Pops, Himari. He needed to be kept under wraps so ayakashi wouldn't go after him. I should be thanking Grams and Gramps for that, else I would've never been born in the first place.
But again... why? Why did they have to leave me with all the burdens of becoming a demon slayer? And with the omamori no longer working, I'm pretty much a needle in a haystack filled with them with no way out. And no doubt they want me dead.
I have been thinking to myself that there has to be least some nice ayakashi lying around. Himari's a good example of that. She has a friendly air around her and she gets along well with Yuuto and Rinko when we go to school.
And speaking of school, Miss Samurai's becoming quite a hot topic around the boys at Touryou. I even heard some students from the other classes refer to her as, and I quote, "The mysterious, beautiful transfer student with the big breasts."
...
...
...
Haah... Alright, seriously, do they let their hormones run free like that? Grow up, will ya guys? Else every girl you're gonna meet will just knock your lights out if you even think of making a perverted pass at them. I know this from experience. Just ask Brandon, or Dante when he enters his Situation Mode.
I stood up and opened the drawstring bag I had on my back, revealing a pair of black boxing gloves. After putting them on, I began stretching for a few minutes to loosen the joints, then slipped into the traditional boxer's stance: fists held in front, legs spread to my shoulders, and bouncing on the balls of my ankles.
I began picturing one of the punching bags from the local Y, the slightly worn black vinyl and the faded Everlast logo I remember all too well.
Then I threw a right hook at it.
BAM!
The imaginary punching bag began swinging to the left in a pendulum motion as I threw some more punches at it.
BAM! Left hook.
WHAM! Right straight jab.
WHUD! Low left uppercut.
BAM! Another right hook.
As I continue hitting the imaginary bag, my mind flashed back to the days after my mom was shot and killed the day of my ninth birthday. I still remember the time I locked myself in my room for a week after hearing the horrible news before Pops dragged me out in time for the funeral. It was a rather small funeral, just me, my friends, Aunt Angelique, the Golden Groomers staff, and a few of mom's colleagues from the hospital.
I remained quiet during the memorial service, and I couldn't cry when it was time to put her to rest. All of my tears were dried up the time I was holed up in my room. Almost everyone at the burial cried but me. Even Pops shedded a few tears here and there, knowing for fact he will never see the love of his life again. Even after everything's been said and done (the police found my mother's killer a few weeks after the funeral; he was later sentenced to 25 to life in prison), I was still upset about it. I felt that if I don't do something to clear my head I'll eventually end up hurting somebody, or worse, myself.
That's where boxing came in. It proved beneficial to me at first because I can take out all my pent-up frustration without hurting someone in the process. Or at least it started out that way, but as the months passed it developed into a hobby and a way to keep myself fit. And to be honest, I actually quite enjoy it, and I even took part in a few local tournaments as I grew older.
But not even a few trophies and plaques can replace the person who gave birth to you. And back home I still visit mom's gravesite every so often to pay my respects.
After nearly a half hour's worth of exercise, I decided to pack my gloves and meet up with Himari. However the sounds of bubbling water forced me to look back at the riverbank. I don't remember this part of the forest ever having a geyser, else there would be signs posted beforehand.
{"Something's not right here,"} I mutter to myself as the bubbles grew and grew until a head of green hair emerged from the water. It then rose a bit, allowing a pair of bright red eyes to peer directly at me.
The head slowly approached me, revealing more of itself with every step until reaching dry land. I was surprised when it turned out to be a little girl wearing a white dress with red accents across the chest. Her hair barely reached her shoulders, and she had ridiculously pale skin, almost greyish in color, like I was staring at a drowned corpse that had been in the water for several weeks.
Then her mouth began to move.
"Forget...demon slayer..."
There was absolutely no emotion in the little girl's voice whatsoever. Her tone was dead, cold, lifeless. And the way she addressed me as demon slayer was a clear giveaway that she was an ayakashi.
Nonetheless, I continued listening to what she has to say.
"If you choose to stay on this path...you will die."
The little girl's body then started to turn transparent, dissolving into water that splashed down to the ground until she vanished from sight.
I regain feeling in my body following that chilling moment. I'm not sure if that was her killing intent I felt just now, but it was sure as hell frightening. And those eyes of hers... I feel like I was staring into pools of deep-seated hatred based on how intense her gaze was.
I quickly put on my bag and started running. I have to warn Himari about this, and fast!
Himari's POV
I was busy washing myself at a nearby lake. As a cat, I am not too fond of water, but since my feet were touching the shallow part I was not worried. It was a pastime I did back in Noihara where I was born and raised. There was a large lake I usually go to after a long day of training, and I often take my baths there. It was as refreshing then as it is now.
As I continue with my bath, my mind flashed back to how the Young Lord reacted when I told him his grandmother requested his father's powers be sealed away for her safety. It is without a doubt he was upset, based on how he carried himself when he went off to do his workout.
"Hmm..."
Still, I cannot blame the Young Lord for reacting that way. He has just learned about it recently, after all. Even I was a bit uneasy when Grandpa Tai first told me about it.
And while I will admit I was being a tad strict with the Young Lord when he requested his aid, but it was for the best. I simply cannot allow him to put himself in danger like that when his powers have yet to awaken. In fact while I fighting the onslaught of ayakashi earlier I did not sense any of the Benigawa's power emanating from him at all. I would expect the omamori's seal to release his powers upon breaking, but...at this rate, I am worried about what the future may hold.
"Haah..."
I shake my head before splashing some water onto myself and began rubbing my skin with it. However I quickly stopped when my ears picked up some rustling.
Was it another ayakashi?
No, that cannot be the case. Otherwise I would have sensed their youki beforehand.
Then again, there are certain ayakashi can make themselves undetectable by concealing their youki. Perhaps they were waiting until I was vulnerable to make a move.
Refusing to take any chances, I turn my head towards the trees behind me and became surprised upon seeing the Young Lord emerge from them.
Gordon's POV
My body immediately froze the moment after seeing Himari at the lake. Turns out I caught her at the worst possible time, as she was still in the middle of her bath.
{"..."}
"..."
{"..."}
Both of us stared at each other in bewilderment at this sudden development.
Now while I may have seen Himari in her school uniform and in her yukata multiple times, this is the first time I've ever seen her naked, let alone a girl naked.
And I know that somewhere back home Brandon is giving me a thumbs-up for passing the so-called "first step" into becoming a man. I oughta grill him when I get the chance.
Part of my conscience told me to turn back, walk away very slowly, and pretend I didn't see anything at all, but my body was just too stiff to even move. It wanted me to stay put and gaze at Himari's wet, naked body. It wanted me to bear witness at the curves she's got on her waist and hips and her flat, toned stomach, one that many girls (and women) try so hard to achieve.
But most of all, it wanted me to look at her large, ample mounds of flesh that she is well-known for amongst Touryou's male populace.
"AAAAAAAAAAAHHH!-!"
WHACK!
{"Gwah!"}
I was struck square in the face by Himari's katana sheath, Himari having thrown it like a spear. I quickly lose consciousness from the blow as my body fell backwards to the ground with a sharp thud.
Ugh... Man, that was so painful.
"Myah~"
A soft meow, followed by some nuzzling on my cheek.
My eyes crack open to show a little white cat with yellow eyes staring at me. Her being here can only mean one thing.
I get up from my bed and saw a girl of Asian descent with long brown hair in a side ponytail leaning on the door frame, dressed in a white V-neck tee with a black Union Jack in front and dark blue capri jeans.
This girl was Rika Hayashi, my best friend who lives in the house next door to mine.
"Had a good night's sleep?" she asked with a wink.
"Yeah, before Shirone woke me up," I chuckled, rubbing the white cat's ear before getting out of bed. "So what's up?"
"Come on, Gordon. You know it's the start of spring break, right?" Rika told me with a look that was along the lines of, "You're kidding, right?"
Oh right. I forgot we were heading out to Coney Island today. Jeez, how can I forget that, of all things to remember?
"Now come on, get dressed. The rest of us are all waiting outside."
I gave a quick nod as Shirone got off my bed and leapt towards a kneeling Rika's arms, where she got her chin stroked. They soon left my room, giving me time to change.
After a fresh change of clothes, I went downstairs to meet Rika and the others, grabbing my longboard along the way.
Then after a lengthy subway ride, we were at Coney Island tearing up the boardwalk.
"Fuck yeah, bitches!"
I look to my left and spotted Dante Marcello riding on his skateboard. He's an Italian dude who with a blue sleeveless hoodie, grey jean shorts, and red Adidas shoes. Around his neck were a set of rosary beads. He's best known for his self-proclaimed "perfect spiky blowout cut" and cocky, loudmouthed attitude. Not to mention his tendency to swear a lot. He also fancies himself as a Casanova of sorts, as such he often gravitates himself towards women of his liking.
"Man, I can't fuckin' believe it's spring break already!" he said, his voice filled with excitement. "One whole week of skatin' all up for grabs!"
"You said it, Dante! Nothin' but skating, skating, and more skating to get the blood pumping!"
I shift my attention over to Ishani Gupta, an Indian girl with long, choppy black hair dressed in typical scene girl fashion, which consisted of a lavender striped tank top, aqua blue zebra jeans with a pink studded belt, and white Chuck Taylors. She may be The Crew's midget, just barely reaching five feet, but she makes up for it with endless amounts of energy, and it shows.
"You two do realize we have homework over the break, right?" Ronald Connors, better known as Ronnie, told them, riding a longboard. He's a Dominican dude with short black twists wearing a red Magneto t-shirt, grey jean shorts, and red and purple Adidas hi-tops to match. He's also the tallest of The Crew, standing a few inches away of six feet, and has a heavy build due to him being on the school's wrestling team. Ronnie is usually a down-to-earth kind of guy, always keeping his cool and almost never getting angry. In fact, I can't remember the last time I even saw him mad, which is ironic given that I've known him since first grade.
"Boy, Ronnie, you just have to point that shit out, didn't ya?" a bitter Dante asked.
"Yeah, quit ruining it for us!" Ishani said harshly. "I just wanna ride!"
"I'm only stating facts, you two," Ronnie told them.
"Well, keep 'em to yourself, will ya?" Dante shot back, his hands resting inside his hoodie pockets. "Man, that's the last thing I need to hear, especially coming of your mouth."
"Would you two just knock it off already?" an annoyed Rika told them, riding her pintail between them with Shirone clinging onto her leg. "We're here to cruise, not start a fight."
"Hey, the big dude started it, alright? Blame him!" Dante countered, pointing at Ronnie.
Rika merely scoffed at Dante's reply before slowing down a bit to meet up with me.
"Yo," I greeted with a smile.
"Hey," she smiled back, Shirone meowing after her.
I let out an affectionate laugh at the white cat. "Enjoying the ride, Shirone?" I ask her.
"Myah!" she meowed happily.
"That's good. Wish your sis could come along for the ride if she didn't have that bath. Just won't be the same without her."
Shirone nods in agreement before jumping to my board and clinging onto my leg, to my own surprise.
"Looks like she wants a ride," Rika giggled.
"I'll say," I said laughing before looking down at Shirone. "Whaddaya say, Shirone? You wanna ride?"
An excited meow from her was all I needed.
"Alright, better hold on tight, then."
I kicked harder on my board, carefully weaving my way through the crowd. I can feel Shirone clamping my leg tightly as I continued carving on the boardwalk.
Traveling to Coney the first day of spring break is almost tradition for us Crewmates. Going on the rides, playing carnival games, eating shit-tons of food, and chilling by the beach. It's the perfect place to cut ourselves loose after those long, stressful days at school, you know?
And to top off our day, we always take a group photo by the Cyclone rollercoaster before heading back...after we ride it, of course.
Well, not really all of us since one of us had to sit out and watch the cats. Can't let them run off on their own, you know.
Man, I'm really starting to miss The Crew already.
{"N...Nnn..."}
I can feel my consciousness slowly returning after many moments passed. My eyes were immediately blinded by the sun's rays before something eclipsed it. The image was hard to make out at first, but when it cleared up it turned out to be Himari, who had a look of concern at first before her lips curled up into a warm smile.
"Are you all right, Young Lord?" she asked.
Oh yeah. Now I remember. I was gonna tell Himari an ayakashi showed up, but I accidentally caught her naked in the lake and she knocked me out with her katana sheath. Man, that shit hurt like hell. I don't even want to know how long I was out for.
Nonetheless, I gave Himari a nod before realizing the position I was currently in. Turns out my head and shoulders were resting right on Himari's thighs, which would explain her looking down at me when I came to.
I try to lift my head up, only for Himari to gently caress my face, stopping me from going any further.
"Please, stay as you are."
Despite the pain inflicted on me having already passed, I had no choice but to listen as I once again rest my head on Himari's lap.
Then I realize something was missing. My bag. I had it on me before when I left the river, so I couldn't have misplaced it back there. Not with my gloves inside.
"Where's my bag?" I ask Himari.
"I had it placed next to Yasutsuna," she told me.
"Yasutsuna?" I question with a raised eyebrow.
"My sword," she explained.
"Right, of course. Thanks."
A long pause ensued between us while a few gentle breezes zip through the air.
"Look," I began saying, breaking the silence. "I'm...sorry for what happened at the lake earlier. I didn't know you were taking a bath."
"Huh? Oh, um... Th-That is because I had worked up a sweat earlier," Himari answers with a stutter, obviously sounding surprised and embarrassed. "B-But then you came so suddenly and..."
"Hey, it's all right," I say with a chuckle. "I know you didn't mean to almost give me a concussion back there. I'd be pretty embarrassed, too if someone catches me naked."
Himari lets out an easygoing giggle, hiding her mouth with her kimono sleeve while looking away. Man, I hope she doesn't get any ideas from that. I really mean it when I told her that.
Then again, I have my doubts, given this is Himari we're talking about.
Later on, we had lunch at a hillside looking over Takamiya, with Himari providing the food (turns out that was her secret all along). The two of us were busy chewing on some rice balls. They're no substitute for cinnamon buns, but I do find them to be quite good. It's Japan, after all. I might as well get used to the local cuisine. Though I have tasted a few Japanese dishes back home thanks to Rika's mom.
Even though I still can't fight with Himari just yet, what with my demon slayer powers still inactive and all, that didn't mean I was still looking forward to do some sparring with her sometime. Something tells me that she's not just skilled with her katana. She must've somewhat been trained in close-range combat. No way was she going to turn tail and run if her sword ever gets broken.
After finishing the rice ball, I take out a bottle of water from my bag and took a sip from it, then replaced the cap before taking a sandwich wedge and eating it.
"Mmm. They're delicious," I complimented.
"I am glad you liked them," Himari replied with a smile.
"Yeah, they're really good."
Heck, they're almost as good as mom's, believe it or not.
Himari giggled in response while taking another bite of her rice ball.
After finishing our lunch, we decided to kill some time by looking up at the clouds, watching them pass by. I was lying down on the grass with my hands behind my head, while Himari sat next to me. It was something me and The Crew would do after doing some weekend skate runs: find a good spot, lie on the grass and watch life pass before our eyes.
However, something unexpected slipped through my mouth in a minute whisper.
"Why?"
"Hm?"
Himari's face suddenly bore a slightly confused and concerned look. Crap, I didn't know her hearing would be that sharp.
I close my eyes, letting out a dejected sigh before opening them again.
"Why? Just... Why me, Himari? I mean, I'm just a guy who came to Japan from New York as an international student, and on the first day starting school here I already made friends like Amakawa and Kuzaki. Then all of a sudden you show up and say that I came from a family that kills demons for a living, and just now I learned that I'm the only surviving Benigawa because Pops' powers are sealed away."
I sat myself up and fished out the omamori from under my shirt. "And with this old thing no longer working, I'm basically open season for these ayakashi that'll keep going after me until they've got my blood on their hands, right?"
I shake my head at the thought of that while tucking the omamori back in my shirt.
"Tell me, Himari. Why did Grams have to fall in love with Gramps? I mean, did she even know Gramps was a demon slayer right from the get-go? And what about you? Are you really fine serving a foreigner like me? An outsider to this country? A newb?"
Himari looked at me with concern before raising her head up to the clouds, as if gathering her thoughts. Then after a while, she nodded and looked down at me.
"I know not of the reason why Grandpa Tai fell in love your grandmother," she started answering. "But I do know that they have lived happy lives regardless of their differences."
She then flashed me one of her many gentle smiles.
"And besides, if Grandpa Tai had not met with your grandmother, you and your father would not have been born and I would not have met you. Am I wrong?"
Huh. Well, I can't exactly blame her for that. I wouldn't have Pops around if it weren't for them. Or myself, for that matter.
"And even if you do share foreign blood and look like a foreigner," Himari continued, reaching out to stroke my head, "it does not change the fact you are my master and the Benigawa's heir. So you should keep your spirits up. After all, you are a fighter, are you not?"
Could've fooled me with that.
Himari was looking over at the horizon in front of us for a brief moment before looking down at me again.
"You know, the first ayakashi you slay shall probably be me. Right?"
Say wha...!?
Those words alone struck a deep chord of fear inside my heart, and it caused me to leap up and turn my body to her.
"What the hell are you even talking about, Himari! There's no way that would happen! I won't let it!"
My narrowed eyes were heavily fixed on her. Seriously, why the hell would she even think that, saying I might kill her as my first ayakashi? Is she crazy?
Himari's surprised expression then turned into a friendly smile.
"I jest."
...
...
...
Having nothing else to say following that, I swiped another sandwich and took a bite out of frustration. "First ayakashi," my ass. Yeah right. I'll get her for that next time.
On the other hand, you do know how to make a good sandwich, Miss Samurai. So I'll let it slide with just that...for now at least.
If you choose to stay on this path...you will die.
The drowned child's warning echoed inside my head, at which I gave an inward smirk. Sorry to break it to ya, Red-Eyes, but there's no way I'm leaving Japan empty-handed without learning my roots first. You can bet your ass on that.
And that's chapter three, folks! Well, it turns out Gordon is quite shocked upon learning that he's the very last of his demon slayer bloodline thanks to his father's powers being sealed away for protection. In addition, The Crew gets introduced for the first time (albeit in a flashback) and finally, we get the first appearance of the resident loli-snake, Shizuku.
As always, be sure to leave a review on this chapter. Constructive criticism is allowed as always. It'll allow me to improve on my writing and perfect any flaws I may have picked up.
Next time on The Brooklyn Demon Slayer: "Fourth Round – The Cat Princess' New Threads"
KID2NR, out!