Chapter 13: A Prophecy and a Swimming Lesson

"Hark! The call of the heavens, the earth, the sea… they summon me to defeat evil!" Iris looked up in the direction of the voice, then the area around it, before spotting him among the treetops. He spun, and faced her, the area around his face sparkling like he had stepped out of the manga where he was the main bishie. "Waka, the gods' gift to man, is here! Bonjour, baby!"

"Man" in this situation meaning "Waka", Iris thought to herself.

"That blue streak in your hair, and the blade strapped to your back… you look kinda weird, but I reckon you pack a punch, baby," Waka said as he looked at her, crossing his arms and sparkling as if his life depended on it. The pink shirt, purple pants, and tall sandals were NOT helping.

"Look who's talking, buddy!" iris shot back, when it occurred to her where she recognized that voice from. "Hey! You're that jerk who didn't help me when I was being kidnapped!" She snapped, and Waka pushed the… wing of his hat off of his shoulder, hand leaving a trail of starlight that faded after a moment.

"Jerk? Moi? I was simply assessing your abilities," he shrugged, and pointed at her with his flute. "The fortune teller has informed you of the task ahead, oui? It won't be easy, ven if you're already better-prepared for it than the original Ayame."

"Who is this Ayame everybody is talking about?" Iris demanded, holding both hands out. "First the kidnappers, then you, and then the fortune teller… what does that name even mean?"

"Iris."

"Yes, what do you want?" She looked at him.

"No, ma cherie, Ayame means the same thing as iris." Iris stared at him in disbelief. "If you don't believe me, ask anyone." Now," he jumped down, and unsheathed a glowing green sword… from his flute.

Iris felt her hand go for her blade, and pulled it out, clutching it in both hands and holding in front of her "Watch it, pal! I'm already on the edge!"

"Magnifique! I would not have it any other way!" He held his sword out, pointing it at her. "We shall simply have to see how you can handle anything stronger than those sorry imps, then!" He pulled out his other sword, and brandished both, doing what Iris assumed was some sort of martial arts dance before looking at her, poised for a fight. "Just go for it, baby!"

Surreal seemed like a good word to describe today. Iris quickly jumped out of the way of the first blow, only for Waka to pin her sleeve, barely missing her wrist, against a tree trunk with the normal blade. She took the opportunity to slash at his arm with the free hand (the one holding her sword), than pulling her arm out of the sleeve when he let go and grabbed at the wound. He quickly shook it off, and pulled the sword out of the tree as Iris ran around behind him. The sleeve fell to the water nearby as the two returned to trading and blocking blows. Iris managed to swipe at his stomach, knocking one of the red decorations off and leaving a tear in the front. Waka retaliated with an x-shaped cut with both swords to her back when she twisted away from a blow – and, in the process, slicing off about 6 inches of her hair, causing it to form a V-shape that came to a point at her waist.

"Hey!" Iris glared. "I was growing that out!" Waka simply smirked, stepping back onto the water and sending a floating dagger at her. She quickly knocked it back at him, and when it hit, stunning him, she knocked both blades out of his hands and stepped behind him, bringing her own blade to the front of his throat.

"Alright, ma cherie," Waka said, holding up his hands, "You win." Iris pulled the blade away from his neck, re-sheathing it as her called over his own two blades. "You are better than I initially thought… but better than I thought isn't enough to handle your "nine-headed monster", as the fortune teller calls it." He turned to Iris.

"Can you please just tell me what that has to do with Ayame, or those two kidnappers?" Waka smiled.

"I have a prophecy for you, am cherie. I can see the future, you know. How did it go… ah, yes." He turned his sword back into a flute, and pointed at her with it. 'I foresee a path found in water's grip! Au revoir, baby!" And with that, he jumped off, leaving Iris to stare in disbelief.

"Wait a minute! That doesn't tell me a darn thing! WAKA!" She dashed after him, stopping when the path was blocked by mountain. "Darn it, help me! … Sparkly prophet!" Iris shouted after him, before turning around. "Will nobody explain to me what is going on?" She turned around, and walked back to where she had seen a merchant.

The bag was much lighter, Iris noted, after she had sold all of the useless pottery they'd collected. After counting the money she'd made and putting half into the small bag she'd bought to keep her own things – her notebook, pocketbook, and some food – she returned her attention to contemplating the prophecy. A path found in the water's grip… what in the world does that even mean? She handed the enchanted bag to the merchant. "If you see a white wolf, give it to her and tell her Iris went exploring." The man nodded, and Iris returned to the path she had seen the kidnappers flee towards the night before.

"I'd hate to be caught in this river," Iris muttered as she watched the raging torrents. "How did those two get across…?"

"Ume! Ume, come back!" Iris looked up in time to see a large dog barreling towards her, and tried to step out of the way. The ground beneath her foot crumbled, and she fell backwards as the dog stopped short in front of the river. The rapids swallowed her as she fell, and she found herself unable to fight back as she was dragged under and away from Agata Forest.