**Revision v.1 Completed 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"}
"Thoughts (Assume character's native language)"
Quotes from other characters are centered, regardless of perspective
Fifth Round – Sun, Sand, and Synyster Snakes!
Chapter pic: Gordon and Himari at the beach, the former lying fast asleep on his beach towel and the latter hovering over his head with a cat-like grin, as if plotting to do something with him in his sleep. Shizuku is seen far in the background, eyeing the two from a distance.
"WHOO-HOO!" an enthusiastic Taizou shouted at the top of his lungs. The perverted redhead was wearing a pair of grey swim shorts with green rally stripes adorned with the number 9 on the sides.
"Check it out, guys! We're finally at the beach! Nothing but the bright summer sun, white beaches and big waves! And let's not forget the main event: HOT CHICKS IN SWIMSUITS! You guys know what to do when all these things come together, right? Heh-heh!"
Gordon and Yuuto were standing right behind the raving pervert, the former wearing a pair of blue and white swim trunks and the latter dressed in a pair of black board shorts with white totem poles adorning the sides and a white tank top that displayed his well-muscled arms. Around Gordon's neck was a beach towel showing New York City's subway map, a gift from Rika's mother before leaving the Big Apple.
"Um...go swimming in the ocean?"
Yuuto was quickly met with a fist to the cheek by Taizou. "Wrong! Something more erotic!" he suggested loudly.
"Hey, aren't you going a bit overboard with this, Masaki?" Gordon began asking while Yuuto rubbed his swollen cheek. "I'll admit the girls here are pretty, but ogling isn't exactly my thing, you know?"
"Aw, come on! And you two call yourselves men!?"
"Heeey!"
The male trio turned their heads back at the voice, inviting different reactions after seeing who was coming.
Yuuto blushed, Taizou started drooling, and Gordon smiled inwardly when Rinko, Shimamura, and Himari approached them. The former was wearing a bikini with bright stripes going across. Despite being nearly flat-chested, the brunette had quite the fit figure as a result of her participating in multiple sports clubs.
Shimamura, the class representative, had on a light blue, one-piece swimsuit. The swimsuit hugged the violette's figure and allowed a considerable amount of cleavage to be seen from her moderate bust. Tucked under her right arm was a green beach umbrella, and around her neck was an orange and pink striped beach towel.
Lastly, Himari had on the red bikini Rinko helped pick out yesterday. The top showed a hefty amount of cleavage from the cat samurai's large bust, while the low-rise bottoms, true to their name, rode low on her hips. A simple red hair scrunchie held up her long ponytail in place of her usual ribbon.
"What took you girls so long?" Gordon asked.
"Geez Skate Punk, don't you know us lovely ladies like to take our time preparing our swimsuits?" Rinko chided.
Gordon's eyebrow gained a subtle twitch. "I'd really wish you'd stop calling me that."
"I can think of many other nicknames for you, you know," Rinko said with a smug grin. "Want me to go through them?"
"Ah~!" Taizou sighed passionately. "Nothing beats the sight of three hot babes in swimsuits, doesn't it, Yuuto? My thoughts are riding waves of naughtiness just looking at them."
"T-Taizou..."
"Aw, come on, Yuuto!" Taizou encouraged, putting his best bud in a headlock while pointing to Himari. "Just look at Noihara-san's chest! See how those giant melons bounce with each step she takes! Doesn't it turn you on?"
"But..."
"No 'buts,' Yuuto!" Taizou interrupted, shaking the boy violently. "Today is the day we witness the Holy Grail that is Himari Noihara! And in a friggin' swimsuit! I swear, you're way too soft when it comes to these things! You seriously need to man up, and I'm gonna show you just what I...!"
WHAM!
Taizou's obnoxious rave was interrupted by a heel drop to the head, courtesy of a very ticked-off Rinko.
"If you don't rein in your perverted thoughts right this minute, your sorry ass is gonna get thrown into the ocean, got that!?" the brunette warned harshly.
"Y-Yes...ma'am..." Taizou gave a weak reply, his eyes spinning.
Gordon couldn't help out release a soft chuckle at Taizou's misfortune. Yeah, that served him right, though he would have a lot more to worry than an ordinary heel drop if Rika were around. He can remember the times his neighbor kicked Brandon either in the nuts or stomped his foot for making inappropriate passes at the female patrons. The expressions the womanizing barber made every time he was kicked in the family jewels were priceless.
"Evans-san?" Shimamura asked with a smile. "Can you help me set up a spot?"
"Hm? Oh, yeah, sure thing," Gordon replied while taking the beach umbrella from the violette. "We'll be right back, 'kay guys?" he told Yuuto and Rinko.
"Kay!" they chirped.
As Gordon began walking along with Shimamura, he couldn't help but notice Himari looking at the ocean with a nervous expression on her face. The skateboarder was going to ask the cat samurai if everything's okay, but merely shrugged it off as a case of first-time jitters and continued walking alongside the class rep.
After helping the violette set up, Gordon laid back on his beach towel, catching a few rays. He received an invitation from Rinko earlier to play beach ball with them, but he kindly refused, preferring to watch them instead. There were a few moments he witnessed, though, like the time Rinko missed a pass and ended up latching onto Yuuto in a tight hug after bumping into him, with Shimamura calling her out for taking advantage. Gordon found it to be quite amusing in his opinion, as it reminded him of what Rika would do to him as children whenever they got caught in the Coney Island tides.
Then there was the time Taizou got his head dunked in the water by Rinko and Shimamura for trying to peek at girls underwater, calling it his so-called "paradise." Seriously, that guy reminded the Brooklyn skater too much of Dante in his "Situation Mode".
After spending many minutes lounging around, Gordon decided to grab some grub at the boardwalk. Along the way, he encountered a crowd of beachgoers gathering at the shaved ice stand. Gordon could've sworn he heard one of them say a really pale-looking little girl had eaten fifteen bowls of shaved ice and showing no signs of brain freeze, but he immediately put that under the rug and continued walking. Whoever that girl was, she would have to get brain freeze sooner or later.
Little did Gordon know the aforementioned pale-skinned girl eating the shaved ices was the same girl he encountered at the river the other day. The girl's red eyes narrowed at the dark-skinned foreigner passing by before shifting her focus to the ocean.
"Hmph. That boy is a fool coming to a place like this, that has a lot of water...you know. I'll make sure his corpse rots at the bottom of the sea when I'm done with him."
The greenette then proceeded to eat the rest of her shaved ice at a very quick pace until it was completely dry.
"I'll take another...you know," she ordered the waitress beside her, earning shock and awe from the crowd. That was the sixteenth (or seventeenth. They probably lost count somewhere) shaved ice the girl ate today! A regular person would have gotten severe stomach poisoning from that much a quantity, not to mention probably dying from a major case of brain freeze.
Even the waitress was starting to get worried on how much more shaved ices this girl can eat before the freezer in the back runs empty.
"What am I going to do~?" she thought, a sweatdrop appearing on her forehead.
"Here you go, Miss. Your fresh order of abura-age."
"Ah, thanks. Wow, it smells really good~!"
Nariko Fujima left the tofu stand with an anticipating grin while holding a small container in her hand. The moment she caught a whiff of the fried tofu treats while strolling down the boardwalk, she knew she had to have one. Plus she was feeling a bit hungry after arriving at the beach.
The young lady's beachwear consisted of a white bikini with ghost flames printed on, the top featuring a halterneck design and the bottom with decorative silver rings keeping the front and back together. An opal bead necklace was worn around her neck, along with a matching bracelet on her left arm. Overall, the swimsuit did an excellent job revealing the young woman's smooth, cream-colored skin and buxom figure that leaned a bit towards the athletic side concerning her abs and thighs. She was also quite tall for a girl of high school age, at least by Japanese standards, standing at an impressive five foot six.
But the most distinguishing feature for Nariko was her long, scarlet hair that gave the illusion of fire when the sun's rays struck it. Some locks hung over the girl's right eye before sweeping it away, revealing a pair of caramel-colored orbs that blended well with her very attractive-looking face.
After approaching the wooden fence separating the beach and boardwalk, Nariko placed the container down on its ledge and opened the lid, revealing five deep-fried, triangular patties inside. The mere sight of them caused the scarlette's mouth to water.
"They even look good, too!" She exclaimed in her head as while separating her chopsticks. With an "Itadakimasu!" Nariko then proceeded to eat her aburage while admiring the vast ocean view.
"Mmm~! So delicious~!" She sighed, the sensation of bliss overtaking her taste buds. As a kitsune, there's no resisting the taste and scent of abura-age, even after living nearly 400 years of her life.
Yep, you heard that one correctly. A kitsune. An actual fox in the form of a sexy and attractive young lady with a killer beach bod.
Okay, I'll stop now. Ahem!
Nariko licked her lips in preparation for her second aburage portion until her heightened sense of hearing picked up something from afar.
{"Haah... Man, I wish I brought my board out here. Would've given the boardwalk a hell of a shred if I did."}
Nariko looked off to the side and spotted a familiar sight not too far from her.
As it turned out, it was that Benigawa foreigner she spotted the other day at the department store, popping a bite of takoyaki into his mouth with his eyes drawn towards the horizon. The kitsune's amber eyes then drifted down towards the young man's dark-skinned frame. Even with the tank top on, she can clearly tell he is quite athletic from the looks of his arms and shoulders.
A soft blush appeared on Nariko's smiling face while her heart began pounding like a jackhammer. It was also fortunate the Crimson Blade wasn't near the boy as well, else there would be a great chance of her being exposed by that cat.
Realizing her chance, Nariko slowly made her way over to the Benigawa foreigner, her face now bearing a mischievous smile as the distance between them grew closer with each step taken. The fox ayakashi was very careful not to let the boy spot her, using the crowd as camouflage until she was directly behind him.
Then, just as the dark-skinned foreigner was about to consume another bite of takoyaki, she quietly leaned into his ear.
"Fufu~ Hey there, hot stuff."
"Huh?" The boy turned his head back and as soon as he caught eye of Nariko jumped back in complete surprise, almost dropping his takoyaki in the process. "W-Whoa, what the hell!?"
Nariko let off an amused giggle. "Did I surprise you there, sweetheart?"
"What was your first clue, Sherlock?" The foreigner shot back. "Who the hell are you, anyway?"
"Come on, is that any way to ask someone for their name?" She asked with an innocent smile.
"Uh, yeah, when they go all Solid Snake on me," he retorted.
Nariko let out a (not-so) embarrassed chuckle. "Heh-heh. Sorry, sorry. It's a little habit of mine whenever I want to meet new people." She leaned back on the railing, resting her arms on it. "It's Nariko, by the way. Nariko Fujima. Pleased to meet you."
"Gordon Evans," the foreigner introduced himself before his attention slowly shifted over to Nariko's swimsuit.
Nariko quickly caught eye of this, her lips curling up into a sly grin. {"Like what you see?"}
{"Hm?"} Gordon's attention was brought back by the vixen's switch in language. {"Wait, hold up, you can speak English?"} he asked, sounding a bit surprised.
{"Fufu. Of course. Why wouldn't I? Plus you're the first foreigner I've met in a while."}
Of course, that was a partial bluff as her kind are well-known for being polyglots, in part due to some of them expressing a desire to seek out foreign partners. English is just one of the handful Nariko has learned and mastered over the years.
{"I see. Guess I'm also the first black dude you've met as well, huh?"} Gordon assumed with a self-deprecating chuckle.
{"Pretty much, yeah,"} Nariko replied, tucking her hair back. {"So what'cha doing out here in Japan? You on vacation or something?"} she asked, changing the subject.
{"Not really. I'm actually staying here as part of an exchange program back home. And for a whole year, too."}
An entire year, huh? That certainly made things easier for Nariko in terms of getting to know the Benigawa better. For a second, she thought he would only stay in Japan for only a few months. Now that she knows, she can take it easy...for now at least.
{"That sounds exciting,"} the kitsune smiled. {"Where from?"}
{"New York. Brooklyn, to be precise."}
{"Hmm, nice,"} she nodded. {"I've been thinking about going there, but I heard it can be a bit hectic."}
{"For the most part, yeah. Though things have gotten a bit better ever since this new mayor who runs a major company out in Scandinavia got into office a year ago. Really depends on where you go, though,"} Gordon stated, taking a swig from his water bottle to ease his hydration. {"What about you? You live around here?"}
Nariko rested her forearms on the railing with a giggle. {"Yeah, I wish. I actually live near the Iriya outskirts."}
{"Aren't there a lot of forests near there, though?"} Gordon asked with a raised eyebrow.
{"Are you saying girls like me can't enjoy nature once in a while?"} she implied with a playful scowl, partly because kitsune primarily are forest dwellers. With some exceptions.
{"Huh? No, I didn't mean it like that. Sorry. Guess I'm a bit biased, me being a city kid and all."}
He's actually quite modest, this boy.
Nariko responded with a mirthful laugh. {"It's okay, don't worry. To be fair, you're not exactly the first one to tell me that."}
{"Oh. Haha. Thank goodness."}
It was getting difficult for Nariko to contain her excitement of being this close to her would-be mate. Already the redhead can feel her heart set to burst at any given moment, but she endured for the time being.
That didn't, however, mean she can not tease the demon slayer at all. It's one of the main staples of a kitsune, after all. To not even consider it would be madness!
{"Fufu. I don't know if I said this or not, but has anyone ever told you you're a really cute guy?"}
Gordon's face bore a surprised look before turning his head away with a grunt, in turn causing Nariko to erupt in laughter.
{"Ahahaha! Aww, what's wrong, sweetie? Can't handle a bit of teasing?"} she asked, raising her eyebrows with a sultry smile.
{"Go to hell, will ya Red? It's not like that at all,"} Gordon shot back with an irritated scowl. {"It...It just reminds me too much of what lovers would say to each other is all."}
That and he's already heard that kind of line all too often from Aunt Angelique. Even now he still hasn't been able to recover from it.
{"Are you saying we are?"}
An annoyed grimace appeared on Gordon's face at Nariko's implication, at which the kitsune responded with a mischievous grin. If he's that easy to mess around with, then...
{"You know, we can start acting like lovers right now, if you like. I have no problem with it."}
The redhead's suggestion rendered the Benigawa foreigner almost speechless. {"You can't be serious, right Red? We just met."}
{"And? Like I said, I see no problem with it."}
Nariko emphasized her point by drawing herself closer to Gordon and pulling him close. The kitsune's slender fingers danced along the dark-skinned foreigner's chest and abs, in turn making him freeze on the spot.
{"H-Hey, what're you-!?"}
Nariko continued running her fingers up and down Gordon's upper body, ignoring his protests. She was quite impressed at how fit and toned he was as a demon slayer who has yet to emerge. How any ayakashi would want him dead is beyond her comprehension.
Also, his reactions are just too cute to pass up!
The kitsune then decided to up her tactics by looping her arms around Gordon's neck and pushing her breasts against his pectorals.
{"W-W-Whoa! Hey Red, cut that out! We're in public!"} he protested.
{"I can see you blushing, though~"} Nariko countered in a sing-song tone, noting the faint hint of red on the foreigner's cheeks.
{"Why wouldn't I when you're this damn close to me!"}
Nariko's eyes narrowed into a seductive gaze. {"So you do like it is what you're saying,"} she hinted. {"You're a bit more honest than I thought you'd be. I like that in a guy."}
The scarlette grabbed Gordon's right hand and placed it against her stomach, then slowly guided it up before stopping at her bikini top.
It didn't take long for the Brooklyn teen to figure out what she was planning. {"H-Hey, are you serious right now!?"}
{"Fuhuhu~ What if I am, sweetie? Just try me. I dare you to."}
Gordon tried pulling his hand free from Nariko's grip but had a hard time when it turned out she had a very firm hold. Jeez, just how strong is this girl if she has this much a grip?
{"Nnngh...! Dammit, girl! Leggo of my hand! Seriously, this stopped being funny a long time ago!"}
As his hand drew dangerously close towards Nariko's bikini top, Gordon clamped his eyes shut and prepared for the worst.
SPLASH!
"Aaah! Ahh...!"
However, the sound of a loud splash and yelp forced the Brooklyn teen to open his eyes. He soon became surprised after seeing Nariko and the state she was currently in.
The scarlette's head and shoulders were dripping wet, and her vermillion tresses were sticking to her body as did part of her bikini top. Expression-wise, her mouth was gaping open like a fish out of water, and she was taking slight gasps trying to make of the situation.
In contrast, Gordon only had parts of his face wet, which led to him licking his lips to taste what was splashed onto them.
"It's...only soda. But who...?"
"Hey, would you mind not harassing one of my classmates?"
Recognizing that stern voice, the New Yorker looked over Nariko's shoulder and spotted Shimamura with a large empty cup in her hand, hinting she was the one who dumped the soda over Nariko's head.
"Shimamura...-san..."
"Step away from that girl, Evans," the violette ordered.
Gordon didn't hesitate to do as the class rep said, quietly backing away from the redhead.
Meanwhile, Nariko was seething with fury at what the four-eyed asshole just did to her hair and turned to face her.
"You rotten little bitch, do you have any idea how long it'll take to get all of this soda out of my hair?" she growled in a low voice.
"No, and frankly, I don't care. I just wanted you to stop making my friend do something he'll regret," Shimamura replied, putting an edge on the word "friend".
This girl was really starting to piss off Nariko. She didn't like it when people thwart her plans, especially when it comes to finding a potential mate. She can easily knock the crap out of the four-eyed bitch and that will be the end of it, but decided against it since her sweetheart was in the vicinity and didn't want to give him a wrong impression.
As if what she did earlier to him wasn't bad enough in his eyes.
But Nariko's revenge can hold off for another day. Right now, she desperately needed to get every drop of soda out of her hair as soon as possible. She can already feel some of it sticking to her back.
"Hmph. Fine, fine, I'll back off. I already had my share of fun, anyway."
The redhead quietly left while giving Shimamura a sharp bump on her shoulder crossing paths with her, at which the violette scowled before taking a breath.
"Haah... That took a lot out of me," she sighed, shaking her head. "More importantly, are you okay, Evans?"
"Yeah, barely. Thanks. Where were you just now?"
"I was planning to meet Yuuto and Rinko over at the arcade when I spotted you with that girl," Shimamura explained before adjusting her glasses. "You really should be careful around girls like her, Evans, especially given your appearance. Who knows what she would've made you do if I hadn't stepped in."
"Ugh...don't remind me. I sure hope neither of us don't run into that vixen again."
"Preaching to the choir there. Anyways, I gotta get going. I'll see you around."
"Yeah, see ya."
Shimamura left the scene, leaving Gordon to carry on with eating his takoyaki. Thankfully none of them dropped during the whole affair. However, the New Yorker heard some whispers and glanced back to see a few beachgoers still standing, probably curious about his so-called "relationship" with Nariko. Great. Just what he needed after going through what equates to a living hell with that redhead.
"Ignore them. Just ignore them and hopefully they'll go away," he told himself while popping one into his mouth.
Elsewhere, Nariko was busy washing all of the soda Shimamura dumped all over her hair via the showers. Thankfully someone was stupid to leave their shampoo in one of them, else it would've been a real nightmare. It was also citrus-scented, too. Her kind of shampoo.
"Grr... I'll remember that four-eyed bitch next time I see her," she grumbled while rinsing the shampoo off her scarlet locks. Seriously, who the hell does that bitch think she is, spilling that sticky soda all over her hair? All that work she put through maintaining it, gone in an instant!
The kitsune's mind then drifted back to her teasing of Gordon and the reactions he displayed, at which a lascivious smile appeared on her lips.
"Fu. Fuhuhu~ Well, at least it wasn't a total waste in the end," she commented, wondering if she'll run into the Benigawa again in the near future.
After finishing his takoyaki, Gordon decided to head back and meet with Himari and the others.
Upon returning to the beach, the New Yorker quickly spotted Himari along the shoreline, sitting down with the tide constantly reaching her knees.
"Don't tell me she's still scared to go in," he muttered in his head. "She's okay with taking baths back home, yet..."
Gordon then slapped himself on the head for not figuring it out already. Of course! This is the ocean she's dealing with, not the bath or shower! They were two different things!
The young Benigawa breathed a quick sigh before going up to approach her. {"Yo!"} he called out.
Himari quickly turned her head after hearing her master's call. "Oh, Young Lord," she spoke.
"Looks like you've seen better days," Gordon smiled while sitting next to her. "So what's up?"
"Nothing is wrong, Young Lord," Himari smiled back. "I am right here for you, so please, go enjoy yourself."
"Heey!"
The two looked back and spotted Rinko and Yuuto approaching, the former holding an inflatable whale under her arm.
"I was wondering where you two ran off to," Gordon said.
"We were down at the arcade with the Class Rep," Rinko explained. "She's still there, by the way," she reminded.
"Oh, okay. I thought you left her behind."
"Now why would we do that?" the brunette asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Himari-san, any reason why you aren't getting in the water?" Yuuto asked.
That question instantly caused Himari's face to pale.
Gordon could have sworn she just meowed.
Rinko, on the other hand, couldn't resist the urge to taunt the busty kitten. "Aww~ Don't tell me the little puddy-tat is afraid of water, is she~?"
"F-Fool! Th-That is not true at all!" an irate Himari protested while standing up. "I am perfectly capable of taking baths, I will have you know!"
"Himari-san has a point there, Rinko," Yuuto chimed in. "Maybe it's the depth of the ocean she's afraid of instead of just the water itself. You know how cats are when they're in deep water."
"Oh yeah!" Rinko realized, remembering the time she tried to get Ranmaru in the tub and got her face scratched for it (not that this has ever stopped her as she still tries to do it). She then looked at the inflatable whale before presenting it to Himari.
"Here! Cats like fish, right? You can use this in the meantime. You did come a long way here so you can at least enjoy yourself."
"Thank you, Rinko," Himari nodded as she took the inflatable whale. "And yes, I will enjoy myself. With the Young Lord, of course." She turned to Gordon with a smile. "Right?"
"Uh...yeah, sure," he answered, blushing while looking away.
"Be sure not to go too far, you two," Rinko advised while linking her arm with Yuuto's, catching the boy's surprise as he was dragged along.
She does know that killer whales are mammals, right? It's basic biology, for crying out loud.
Gordon and Himari were floating in the ocean, the former swimming by the latter who was laying atop the inflatable whale. Despite Himari's incompatibility with deep water, Gordon thought it was okay having a swim with the cat swordswoman for once.
Holding his breath, Gordon took a quick dive into the water and swam to Himari's right before resurfacing, shaking his head to rid himself of the seawater.
Himari let out a small giggle while watching her master do a backstroke. "You seem to be enjoying yourself, Young Lord," she told him.
"Hell yeah I am. Been waitin' to cut myself loose here. Sorry you couldn't swim along, though."
Himari shook her head. "No, it is all right. I myself may not be fond of this kind of water, but..."
"But?"
A light smile appeared on Himari's lips as she leaned her head on the whale toy. "Watching you have fun is what really matters to me, and nothing more."
Gordon felt his heart skip a beat for a moment before looking away. "Damn, Himari. Am I...really that important to you?"
"Of course," she replied. "You are my master, after all. And a rather affectionate one, I might add."
"Right back at ya, Miss Samurai, given you're the one who's been teasing me with your ears and tail all the time," Gordon stated, flipping the argument back. "And asking me to pet them when you do."
"Oh? You do not like them?" Himari asked with a coy smirk that got Gordon blushing a bit.
"Th-The hell do you mean by that? Of course I like 'em, jeez," he responded hastily while turning his back. "I like 'em a lot, as a matter of fact. Though to be fair, I was a bit skeptical seeing them the first time. But when I touched them, they...more or less feel like the real thing. Almost like Shirone's fur now that I think about it."
"The cat from the video chat you had with Rika the other night, correct?"
Gordon gave a light nod. "Yeah. Kuroka's the other one, but she can be a real pain in the ass sometimes. I can't tell ya how many times she ruins the curtains back at Rika's place."
Himari stifled a giggle as Gordon went on.
"But if there's one thing I've learned about the two of them, is that they're inseparable most of the time. Almost like they're sisters. In fact, Rika even told me that when laid her eyes on Shirone at the pet shop, Kuroka just went up in front of her, almost like she's begging to be taken along with her."
The New Yorker took a brief dive in the water before resurfacing with a gasp. "But yeah, that's the whole gist of it. It was really nice seeing them on Skype for the first time, too. Though I can't be sure Rika approved of you and me living together given her tone."
"I am sure she will come over it eventually."
Gordon rubbed the back of his head. "I sure hope so. Last thing I want when I get home is to get grilled over something like that. And also, I..." he lowered his head and sighed. "I don't know if I can keep my family's demon slayer history from her. I mean, I've been friends with Rika for as long as I can remember, but... But..."
"You are not sure if she deserves to know the full truth," Himari finished.
Gordon lowered his head in response.
"But you already trust Rinko and Yuuto-dono with your secret, no?"
"That's because they were caught right in the middle of it," he argued. "I may not have known them at that time, but what else can I do? They had a front-row seat to it."
"But not of Rika?"
Gordon felt his heart sink. "I...I just can't, Himari. At least not yet. I need time before I can tell her. Same goes for all the others."
Himari gave a short nod. "I understand. But I want you to remember this in advance: the longer you keep the truth hidden from them, the more danger it will present to them. There will come a time where you must tell them everything you know, including myself."
"Hmm..." Gordon turned his head away in silence. As much as he would hate to admit it, Himari hit the nail on the head. Becoming a demon slayer means having to assume responsibility for the welfare of his friends and family if ayakashi were to attack them. That is, if there are any back in New York.
But the most difficult part about it is the how. He just can't tell them, "Hey, guess what? Turns out I came from a family that kills demons for a living and the girl who follows me around happens to be a cat demon forced to serve my family for all eternity." They'd all assume he lost his marbles.
Then came about the issue explaining it to his father. What would the old man think after Gordon tells him the truth? About his old man being a demon slayer? And about his powers having been sealed away at birth? Would he be able to take all of that in?
"Young Lord?"
Gordon's train of thought was cut off by Himari. "Look, I'll...think about it, okay?" he told her before taking another dive.
As the dark-skinned teen continued his swim, Himari's ears picked up something faint, almost like a rumble. Concerned, the cat samurai darted her eyes left and right to locate the source of it.
But so far, nothing.
"Perhaps I am imagining things," she murmured with a sigh.
"Yo! Himari!"
Himari lifted her head up and saw Gordon not too far off from her, keeping himself afloat with his arms.
"What's up?" he asked. "You were a bit tense for a moment there. Did something come up?"
"I...could have sworn I heard the sound of rumbling just a moment ago," she answered, looking back.
"Really?" Gordon wondered. "I sure as hell didn't hear anything. Must be my ears clogging up from all that swimming I did." A quick sigh. "Anyways, we should probably head on back," he said, changing the subject. "I don't want Ribbons and the others to worry about us."
Himari gave a silent nod at Gordon's suggestion, the New Yorker swimming over to her and turning the whale back. It was at that moment a growing rumble was heard, followed by a shadow looming over them. The master-servant pair turned their heads and their eyes quickly widened at what was approaching them.
It was a tidal wave.
A huge 50-foot tidal wave.
A huge, fast 50-foot tidal wave that looked like it can render a small village and leave hundreds dead in a matter of minutes!
The spectacle left Gordon with only three words.
{"WHAT THE FU-!?"}
The tidal wave crashed down heavily on the Brooklyn teen and his cat guardian, sending them plummeting into the ocean.
Gordon's eyes snapped open while beginning his search around the sea for Himari. It didn't take long for him to spot the kitten not too far from his position, flailing and thrashing about in an attempt to get herself to the surface. Feeling the need to get Himari out, the New Yorker kicked himself forward to aid the troubled cat. However upon approaching her, his head was yet again stuffed inside her ample chest.
"Geez, can't I catch a break for once? Oh well, that's not important. Let's get you up, Himari."
Gathering strength from his legs, Gordon kicked up to the surface with Himari clinging onto him. Both gasped for air after reaching the surface, their erratic breathing steadying over time as brown eyes met violet, and it was then Gordon saw the state Himari was in right now. The buxom kitty was still panting to the point she could have a heart attack any given second, and her cheeks were flushed a bright pink.
The New Yorker's heart nearly skipped a beat at what he was seeing. The day before, he saw Himari fearlessly cut down numerous ayakashi without a second thought. Now for the first time, he was seeing this vulnerable and helpless side of her.
"This is bad," he thought worriedly. "I gotta get her out of the water somehow."
"Young Lord?"
"Huh? What is it?"
"I do not see the killer whale anywhere," Himari said, looking around for it.
"Damn, must've splashed off when that tidal wave hit us," Gordon ruled out before his eyes widened at Himari's bikini top the moment he looked down. It was hiked up a bit, allowing her breasts to be partially seen. No doubt it happened while Himari was flailing about.
"Um... Himari?" he asked, averting his eyes from the tempting sight.
"Yes?"
"Your bikini top...it kinda, y'know, slid up. Can you try fixing it?"
"No, I do not wish to. If I let go right now, I will certainly drown! I will drown to death!"
Fear. That was what Gordon was hearing from Himari at the moment as the cat samurai hugged him tightly. Her facial expression also spelled it out for him, and the Brooklyn teen can almost feel her body shake like a twig.
In an attempt to comfort the scaredy-cat (no pun intended), Gordon wrapped his arms around Himari's waist and held her tight, surprising the blackette who slowly began to calm down, eventually resting her head on her Young Lord's shoulder.
"Feeling better now?" Gordon asked.
Himari gave a slow but reassuring nod. "Y-Yes. Just a little, though."
"Good," Gordon nodded back. "Man, this is just my luck. I can't believe we lost that whale," he berated himself. How is he going explain to Rinko without having his ass kicked? And he highly doubts she will believe the whole "tidal wave coming out of nowhere" part.
Little do Himari and Gordon know that a hand was making its way towards them from underwater. It grabbed Gordon's ankle and forcefully brought him and Himari down into the ocean. Both of them held their breaths in but their efforts proved futile when they quickly ran out of air and ended up passing out under the pressure. Everything just went pitch black for them.
"Nnnh... Ugh..."
Gordon slowly began to stir awake after an extended period of unconsciousness. However, the New Yorker noticed something odd after moving his fingers. He was on solid ground given the rock-like texture.
But how? Didn't he get dragged down the ocean a moment ago?
The New Yorker let out a small {"Oof"} after feeling something heavy on his stomach, and upon opening his eyes he gasped when he recognized a familiar figure in front of him.
It was the drowned little girl Gordon met the day before, green hair and all, only this time wearing a dark blue school swimsuit in place of the white dress she had on previously. Just like last time, her expression was as emotionless and passive as ever, and her carmine eyes pierced right through his own in the most creepy way possible.
Gordon's eyes then widened after learning the position he was in upon closer inspection. The Brooklyn teen was lying flat on his back while the green-haired child straddled his waist, her hands pressing against his chest.
For one reason or another, this particular position had the phrase "amateur child porn" written all over.
Then Gordon realized an important element was missing: Himari. His eyes scanned around for signs of the cat samurai but found no luck thus far. Did he end up getting separated from her when they got dragged down? If that's the case, then she's practically already...
"Demon slayer of the Benigawa..."
Gordon's attention was brought back to the moss-haired child speaking to him in her usual monotone voice. "Wh-Who are you?" he demanded, his voice wavering a bit.
"I am...Shizuku...you know," the red-eyed girl introduced slowly before narrowing her eyes. "And you, foreigner, failed to heed my warning."
"What, that you'd kill me if I keep learning my demon slayer roots?" Gordon told her.
"That's exactly right," Shizuku answered coldly. "If you awaken as a demon slayer now, the balance between humans and ayakashi will be forever disrupted, and we ayakashi cannot allow that to happen."
"Balance? What?" Gordon thought before his body jumped when Shizuku leaned close to him, stopping just a few millimeters from his face.
"I will give you two choices, foreigner. Would you rather become an invalid who cannot speak...or would you like to just die?" she threatened. "It's your call...you know."
"How 'bout I go with neither, Red-Eyes?"
Shizuku's eyes narrowed at Gordon's defiant response. "Very well. In that case..."
An icicle formed in the greenette's left hand before raising it above her head, preparing to stab Gordon with it.
"You shall die."
Gordon began bracing himself for the worst until a familiar voice rang in his ears.
"YOUNG LORD!"
The black teen turned and saw Himari come in with a flying roundhouse kick, forcing Shizuku to jump away to avoid the blow. The red-eyed child proceeded to unleash a salvo of icicles from her mouth, but the cat quickly deflected the projectiles while catching one that almost went for her neck.
Gordon quickly got himself up as Himari stood in front of him, taking on a defensive stance. "Haah... Man, for a second, I thought you were a goner," he said, relieved.
"I would not be called a bodyguard if I were to leave you in danger, Young Lord," she smiled, looking back at him. "Tell me, are you uninjured?"
"Y-Yeah, I'm fine. Mostly."
Himari smiled once more before facing Shizuku with a serious expression. "So you can turn water into icicles. I take it you are a Mizuchi, then?"
"Mizuchi?" Gordon repeated.
"They are water dragons well known for their reverence as river gods," Himari explained briefly.
"I most certainly am...you know," Shizuku answered. "And I see you still continue to serve the Benigawa to this day...even if one shares foreign blood...Noihara Crimson Blade," she sneered, narrowing her eyes.
"Noihara...Crimson Blade? Wonder why she never told me about that," Gordon thought while shifting his eyes back at Shizuku. After what Himari said about her ayakashi species, no doubt she was the one responsible for creating that massive tidal wave earlier, and her dragging them down to this cave!
Himari, on the other hand, was in a predicament all her own. Not only was she unarmed, having left her Yasutsuna back at her house, but she was facing an ayakashi that controls water and had the home field advantage with the ocean nearby.
"I have no choice," she decided before summoning her ears and tail. "Young Lord, you need to run, now!" she ordered Gordon.
"What? Hey! Hold on a-"
Himari began her sprint before the New Yorker could finish, her fingernails becoming sharp claws as she prepared to do battle with Shizuku.
Shizuku herself, on the other hand, wasn't having that as she summoned a raging whirlpool from underneath Himari's feet, trapping the demon cat's movements.
"Nblurgh?!"
"Himari, no!" Gordon shouted.
"W-What are you doing!? Run, no-!"
Himari's words were completely cut off by the whirlpool eventually consuming her, a meow being the last thing heard.
"Heh-heh. Gotcha, didn't I? Thanks to all those shaved ices I've eaten, I have more than enough water to use on you...you know," Shizuku explained with a smug smirk. "I can even drown a fish if I wanted to."
"Dammit!" Gordon cursed in his head while staring at the whirlpool Himari was trapped in. She'll be sure to die in there if this keeps up!
"You know, you should probably run while you can. If that cat wasn't here, I can kill you at any time."
Gordon turned his head back at Shizuku, the mizuchi still bearing the same expressionless stare since this whole ordeal began. The young skater then turned his attention back to Himari in the water pillar. The distressed kitten was holding her breath for dear life to preserve what remaining oxygen she has left, and her bikini top was starting to come off due to the raging G-forces.
"Shit! I've only known her for two months and already she's..."
Memories of his encounters with Himari started to float in his head.
Of her kindness...
"My name is Himari Noihara. I hail from the countryside, so I might cause some difficulties, but I do hope I can depend upon your kindness."
And of her bravery...
"My target is none but ayakashi, and I shall slay none but ayakashi!"
"The next time an ayakashi dare tries to lay a finger on you... I will slay them without mercy."
But most importantly, her duty.
"From here on, I shall be your shadow. At times I shall become your sword, and at times I shall become your shield. I shall protect you from any and all evil that may oppose you."
That last part alone caused Gordon's teeth to clench. No matter what, he won't allow it to end like this!
{"Grr...! God dammiiiit!-!"}
Fueled by instinct, the New Yorker let out a loud yell and dove headfirst into the whirlpool, sending Himari into shock.
"No!" the cat shouted in her head. "Why did you go in!?"
Outside of the whirlpool, Shizuku pondered the foreigner's recent action. Strange. Why would a demon slayer like him throw away his own life to save someone like the Crimson Blade? It didn't make any sense.
The Mizuchi quickly dismissed the topic after shaking her head. It wasn't her problem to begin with, anyway. Besides, that boy just sealed his own fate the moment he dove into her water cage. He can perish along with the Crimson Blade for all she cares.
Back in the whirlpool, Gordon was beginning to have second thoughts. The current was just too strong for him to swim against, and his muscles were becoming fatigued due to the resistance. Though none of that even mattered at the moment since rescuing Himari topped the boy's list of priorities. He couldn't afford to let Miss Samurai die like this. Up until her death, his grandmother had always kept Gordon in the dark about his grandfather, and right now Himari is the only link Gordon has to him. If she dies here, all hope of finding out who Gramps was will be lost for good. Some people may call it selfish, but who actually gives a damn at this point when you have to rescue a comrade in distress?
The skater began reaching his hand out towards Himari while fighting the Charybdis-esque current, hoping she would get his message. The cat samurai extended her own hand in response as Gordon kicked his legs as hard as he could against the raging waters. Their fingers slowly began to close in on each other, becoming mere inches, then millimeters away until they began touching, after which their hands joined in a tight vicegrip.
GLUB GLUB GLUB!
Unfortunately, that last effort robbed Gordon the remainder of his air, his vision quickly becoming hazy as water began filling the boy's mouth and nostrils. Things then started to turn dark for the Brooklyn native until he completely lost consciousness.
...
...
{"*Cough! Cough Cough! Hack!*"}
Thankfully it didn't last very long, as the next thing Gordon knew he was kneeling on the ground coughing up seawater, albeit his vision was still a bit foggy.
"H...Huh? How am I...still alive?" he asked, confused.
"That was a reckless stunt you pulled, cat...you know."
Gordon's eyesight then began clearing up, revealing Shizuku a few feet away. He gazed up and took notice of Himari standing right beside him, the cat samurai bearing a subtle grin on her face.
"Heh. So it is just as I predicted. You can only control regular water. If another ayakashi's blood taints it, you no longer have control," she explained with a weak chuckle.
Those words caused Gordon to think for a minute. The only ayakashi in this cave right now are Himari and Shizuku, and he almost got himself drowned in that whirlpool trying to rescue the former.
Which could only mean...
Gordon's eyes searched Himari's body from head to toe until they spotted an icicle lodged in the demon cat's left thigh.
And out of that...came blood. Her own blood.
The mere sight of it alone caused Gordon's fist to clench.
"You had best run this time, Young Lord," Himari warned, wobbling a bit from the loss. "I shall delay her long enough for you to make your escape."
It was at that point rage started to well up inside Gordon. This... This is starting to get outrageous! She expects him to just leave while she takes on Red-Eyes Green Dragon all by herself? And with a wound like that!?
The New Yorker can already imagine the worst case scenario. Himari Noihara, the Crimson Blade, lying on the cold, hard ground, unable to make even the slightest of movements due to her body being in a crippled state. Innumerable amounts of cuts and bruises covered the bikini-clad kitten's body from head to toe while Shizuku closes in for the kill, a giant icicle hovering right above her head. The little ayakashi stares down at the defeated Crimson Blade without so much as to gloat before raising her arm up and directing the frozen javelin to pierce through to her chest, the overwhelming pain forcing Himari to emit a bloodcurdling scream that echoed throughout the cave until it died out, marking her gruesome and terrifying end.
...No.
No. No no no no no NO! HELL NO! He already lost his mother to somebody all those years ago, for crying out loud! And now he's about to lose Himari, as well!?
"Young Lord, are you listeni..."
SLAP!
A loud slap suddenly echoed throughout the cave before quieting down to complete silence.
The once taciturn and emotionless Shizuku suddenly had a wide-eyed look on her pale-skinned face, the mizuchi's garnet orbs becoming awestruck at what they just witnessed.
"Hff...! Hff...!"
Heavy breathing passed through Gordon's clenched teeth while the rest of his face bore the expression of complete and utter outrage. Even his eyes were becoming bloodshot.
Himari, on the other hand, found herself blinking a few times before she slowly reached to touch her right cheek, where a bright red mark had now appeared. The cat then shifted her gaze towards Gordon with a pained and astonished look.
"Young...Lord?" she questioned, stunned.
"Are you fucking with me right now, Himari?" Gordon asked, his voice growing livid. "You get yourself hurt trying to save my hide and you expect me to just run away while you go fight a battle you can't hope to win?"
"But... Young Lord, I am only trying to..."
Himari was forcibly cut off by Gordon grabbing her shoulders and bringing her close to his face, their eyes deadlocked.
"CUT THE CRAP ALREADY!" he barked furiously. "You just promised me weeks ago you wouldn't do anything reckless! Getting yourself hurt to save my ass is one thing, but senselessly sacrificing your own life is where I put my fucking foot down!"
The maddened New Yorker let go of Himari's shoulders while continuing his rant.
"Now how would Yuuto and Rinko feel if I told them how you died? What about the Class Rep, Masaki, or even Kisaragi-sensei when I tell them the same thing? You think they'd be happy to hear that? Huh!?"
Himari turned her head down and away in shame. "Th-That's..."
"For fuck's sake, Himari, wake up already! You're not just some bodyguard or disposable tool; you're my friend, goddammit! So do yourself a damn favor and actually give a shit about your life before I have to make ya!"
The blackette can only remain dead silent while Gordon rubbed the back of his head in frustration and annoyance.
"Urgh...! Haah... Anyways, let's just find a way to get the hell outta here. Together this time," he told her after taking some time to calm down a bit. However, the sound of leaping forced him and Himari to look up to see Shizuku standing atop a cliff.
"I'll withdraw from today, out of respect for the foolish foreigner of a demon slayer...you know. But be warned, next time I will kill you before you awaken and start eradicating us ayakashi. You best remember that...you know."
With those parting words, the little mizuchi's body started to dissolve, leaving just Gordon and Himari in the cave.
The New Yorker then took a glance at Himari's wound, where he can now see its depth thanks to the icicle having melted. It was rather deep, but thankfully it wasn't enough to be considered fatal.
Still, Gordon couldn't help but worry about her condition.
"Think you can still walk, Miss Samurai?" He asked her.
"Y-Yes, I believe so. Do not... Kh-!"
Himari fell sharply on her right knee, holding her wounded thigh as blood began seeping from it again. This was worse than Gordon had anticipated. She can't even walk without tripping herself over. And with a wound like that, no doubt it could get infected.
"Here. Lemme see that wound."
After a few minutes of first-aid, Gordon and Himari began making their way back to the beach, the latter using the former as support while hopping on her good leg. Gordon was forced to use his tank top as a makeshift bandage for Himari's leg wound, and as a result was completely stained with blood. A small price to pay, but better that than to have it get infected, ayakashi or not.
During their walk, Gordon couldn't help but Himari being silent the whole time, her eyes downcast. It worried him at first before realizing why.
"Guess she's still upset about that," he assumed, recalling what he did to her before. "Hey, Himari?"
Himari's eyes glanced up towards Gordon. The mark on her cheek has faded for the most part, but the buxom cat still had that ashamed look on her face.
"You're still not upset about me hitting you, right?"
Himari shook her head, allowing a relieved sigh from Gordon.
"Thank goodness. I was worried you wouldn't forgive me for that. It's just... I was just so damn pissed when you told me you're gonna take on Red-Eyes by yourself, you know? And with that, no less." He cocked his head towards Himari's leg wound. "You know, for a cat, you sure are a loose cannon sometimes."
The New Yorker winced after being given a light punch in the gut by the blackette in response.
"Okay, now was that hit really necessary? I don't have ribs of steel like you do," he said half-annoyed.
"Then you shouldn't have called me a loose cannon to begin with," she contested with a light smirk.
"Oh really, Miss Samurai?" Gordon retorted with a smirk of his own. "From what I saw, you were pretty much rushing in headfirst."
Himari frowned at her master's hypocrisy. "I should be telling you the same thing, Young Lord, for diving in the Mizuchi's whirlpool like a deranged lunatic."
"Hey, don't give me that look, okay?" Gordon defended. "You're the one who got caught in that thing to begin with. I had to do something to get ya out."
"I was perfectly capable of breaking out on my own," she argued.
"Oh yeah, this coming from a cat who can't even dog paddle to save her own ass."
STOMP!
"OW! Son of a mother...!"
"Hmph! Now we are even," Himari huffed after stepping on Gordon's foot.
"Okay, that wasn't cool, Himari. At all," he said, wincing.
"I believe the proper phrase in this situation would be, 'It sucks to be you,'" she quoted while tilting her head slightly. "Right?"
Gordon shot the bikini-clad cat a cold glare before halting his steps upon recognizing the shoreline ahead of them.
"Guess we not too far off now," he thought, smiling inwardly as the pair continued their walk back.
"You had that demon-slaying foreigner and the Crimson Blade well within your grasp, but in the end you let them go," a voice boomed out.
"Why is that, Shizuku?" a second voice hissed.
Shizuku was sitting on a tree stump in an isolated forest, her legs close to her chest as the little Mizuchi reflected on what happened after Gordon and Himari were freed from her water cage. The slap the foreigner inflicted on the cat, him telling her she's his friend...
She knows well that the Benigawas have always been the oddballs in spite of their high ranking, borrowing an ayakashi's power being the prime example, but one of them actually caring for an ayakashi? That didn't make sense at all.
"Shizuku!" the first voice shouted, breaking the red-eyed child's thoughts but still keeping her stoic expression.
"There's something that I need to confirm...you know," she told them.
"We have not the time for that right now!" a third voice cried out. "If we don't get rid of the foreigner and the Crimson Blade, all of us are gonna end up extinct!"
"We cannot let them live," the second voice added.
"That, I concur," a fourth voice chimed in.
"They cannot be allowed to live..." a fifth voice growled.
Numerous eyes of various shapes, sizes and colors then started appearing from the surrounding trees.
"Death to the Benigawa! Death to the Crimson Blade!"
The tribunal of eyes soon vanished after the dreadful declaration was made.
And with that ends chapter five! So to sum it up real quick, Gordon meets Nariko, the flirty red-haired, four-tailed kitsune (he doesn't know that yet), encounters Shizuku for the second time, and almost risks himself drowning to save Himari from her impending death (and giving her a piece of his mind afterwards). The part where Gordon and Himari mention seeing Rika and Shirone on Skype will be featured in an "Extra Round" chapter following chapter 6, and there will be a special surprise waiting at the end of that.
Be sure to leave a comment or two with this chapter. Constructive criticism is allowed, as always.
Next time on The Brooklyn Demon Slayer: "Sixth Round – Maid to Serve"
This is KID2NR, signing off for now. See ya!