Hefty chapter incoming! Would have had it out a week or two sooner, but I got the flu so that delayed me.
Chapter 06: Opportunities
Sunday, October 26th, 2008
"So that's what happened that night?" Asked Takeharu.
"Yes Kirijo-sama, they both fought excellently. Their combat skills have definitely improved since we started, and last night proved it in my opinion," answered Ryuden.
"Good, I expect all three of you will continue to improve as you train and fight together." Ryuden remained silent, "Now then, let's go back to something you mentioned previously. You said something was bothering you after the fight?"
"Yes, there's just something bugging me. It's not a debilitating feeling, it's just…"
"Something feels wrong, right?"
"Exactly, and even though it's been a few days I still feel it."
"I see, well let's try and isolate the problem. What's this off feeling regarding? Is it the Laochra?" asked Takeharu, trying to help.
"It's definitely regarding them. They were more of a challenge then the previous group, but just that fact doesn't stand out too much."
"Who were they again? Orlám and Maenén?"
"That's who we fought, yes."
"Hmm…give me a minute," said Takeharu as he put the phone down. Ryuden could hear the sound of papers ruffling. "Yamamoto, you just beat Orlám and Maenén, correct? Just confirming once more."
"That's correct Kirijo-sama,"
"And prior to that?"
"Dúngals,"
"Hmm…I think I found what might be putting you off," said Takeharu.
"What would that be, Kirijo-sama?" Ryuden was hoping this would help.
"If we don't include Meslir as an alternative to Dúngals, you and the others skipped a fight in the story."
The moment Takeharu said what he did, Ryuden felt the alarm bells going off in his head, as if everything clicked into place.
"That's it! That's what's been bugging me!"
"Well, glad we've gotten that sorted, but what does it mean?" Takeharu raised a valid point.
"I…I don't know…" Ryuden admitted. What exactly DID it mean? Was there a reason a fight was skipped? "Which fight was it? It's been a bit since I read the Táin."
"I took notes, I'll send them to you. The fight that was skipped was Lon, Ualu, and Diliu."
"Three named Laochra…" that would be a major test for SEES, as they'd all be forced to fight solo.
"More so than that, they were riding chariots at the time. Let's hope that doesn't translate into their shadows having them," Takeharu said with a grimace.
"That's…" Ryuden didn't like the sound of that at all. Fighting shadows was one thing, the Laochra another, but Laochra in a chariot?
"Yeah, I don't like the idea either. Perhaps we can work something out for training, just in case you three do end up having to fight these guys," Takeharu said, trying to think of something to aid the group.
"Any assistance would be welcomed. Thank you, Kirijo-sama."
"You're welcome. By the way, next week I want you and Mitsuru here by your usual meeting time. I have something I'd like to discuss with you in person."
"Understood, Kirijo-sama, I will relay the message, and we will be there."
"Good. Thanks again for your hard work," Takeharu hung up before Ryuden could reply.
Ryuden had been sitting at his desk for the duration of the call. He put down his cell phone before putting his head down on the desk.
'Why didn't I think to reread the book?' he asked himself.
"Fret not Ryuden," spoke Setanta, "I didn't realize it either, and I LIVED it."
'That doesn't quite make me feel better, but thanks for trying…'
"Then let's think, does this knowledge give us anything else?"
'...none that I can think of. This was our third encounter with Laochra, but I haven't seen any patterns in their appearance.'
"I remember you tried looking at the dates, trying to match them to something of significance."
'Right, I also checked the locations we've fought, but with only three fights I haven't seen anything that stands out.'
"Anything else?" Asked Setanta.
'I looked to see if there were any astronomy alignments, like the stars or phases of the moon, nothing. Nada. Zip.'
Ryuden lightly banged his head on the desk.
'It still feels completely at random. Like we have to keep our guard up every single night. It's exhausting always staying up so late.'
"Then just go to bed early one night. I'm sure Kirijo will wake you in case of an emergency."
"...maybe I should," Ryuden said while getting up and out of his chair. "As long as it's not a training night of course…"
'Speaking of Kirijo-san, we got distracted this morning and never did the geas,' Ryuden went to his bedroom door and opened it. He was surprised by Mitsuru who looked like she was about to knock, and was just as surprised as he was.
"Oh, Yamamoto," she said, startled.
"Sorry, didn't mean to spook you. Everything okay?"
"I have some shopping I wish to do and was going to ask you to join me," he was still supposed to be guarding her after all. If she wanted to go out, it was his duty to follow her.
"But of course. Oh, but before I forget again, we never did the geas," Ryuden pointed out.
Mitsuru looked surprised again, "Oh, right. Between the call I got this morning and then your call with my father I suppose it got away from us." She gestured to living room. "Shall we?"
"Yeah, let's head to the couch." The couch was their meeting spot of choice for fulfilling the geas. If they had to maintain contact for a minute straight, then being comfortable worked best.
The two sat next to each other and the sides of their pinky fingers touched, their hands in between the pair.
"So, your dad wants us at HQ next week during my usual meeting time," Ryuden said, relaying the message.
"I'm aware, I spoke with my father before he had his call with you." From the multiple times they'd done this, the initial tension from physical contact had diminished to the point where they were seemingly unbothered by it. They'd often engage in small talk to pass the time.
"Really? Wonder why he didn't say anything?"
"I'm afraid I couldn't say. Father's been very busy as of late. I don't see him as often as I'd like."
This had come up before. "You really care about your dad, don't you?" Ryuden had asked the question before, but it came up again up every now and then.
"Of course I do. Given your past, I'm sure you can relate," Mitsuru said gently, they both knew Ryuden missed his father.
"Yeah…maybe we can convince him to take some time off. You two should go on a family vacation or something," Ryuden said with a smile. "Somewhere warm would be nice, it's already getting cold here."
"Hmm, that would be nice, though I've never been bothered by the cold."
"Gee, I wonder why?" Ryuden said sarcastically.
Mitsuru chuckled, "It's very fitting, isn't it?"
"Very fitting. So, do you have any idea why your father wants to meet with us next week?"
"I do."
"...you're not gonna tell me, are you?"
Mitsuru smiled, "I'm not."
Ryuden sighed, but was still smiling, "Figures, but can you at least tell me my job is not in jeopardy?"
"Don't worry Yamamoto, your job is not in question. You've done an excellent job escorting me during the day, and your battle prowess at night is unquestionable."
As they were talking, they both felt a tingle. Whenever they reached the minute marker, they would feel a strange sensation, and a tingle where they were connected. It was strange when they first started, but as with the entire situation they became accustomed to it.
"All done. Ready to go, Yamamoto-san?"
"Ready as always, ojou-sama."
After a bit of shopping, Mitsuru and Ryuden had stopped in a Cafe for a late lunch.
"You have to stop treating me to all these meals, ojou-sama. I'm going to start feeling spoiled." Ryuden said before taking a sip of his drink. He opted for some hot tea today.
"You know as well as I do that money isn't an issue. Besides that, if you paid for me then I'd have you write it off as a business expense and fill out paperwork," Mitsuru also had a cup of tea.
"Haha, good one." Mitsuru didn't laugh with him. "Wait…you're serious?"
"I am. Now quit worrying about money."
"Sorry, ojou-sama. It's just the frugal part of me talking. Been that way the last few years for obvious reasons," Ryuden scratched the back of his head as he spoke.
"I understand your reasoning."
There was a pause in their conversation.
"Yamamoto-san, you've spoken about your father at great lengths before, but what about your mother? Do you know if there's anything special about your family name? Maybe one of your ancestors had a…unique power," Mitsuru said as she tried to keep persona related topics hidden when in public.
"This again, huh?" Mitsuru nodded, "From what I've been told, there's nothing special. I can ask mom again when I talk with her next if you'd like."
"I would appreciate that, thank you Yamamoto-san."
"What about yourself? Any luck talking with her?" Ryuden didn't need to mention who it was, Mitsuru knew, and she also sighed.
"No such luck I'm afraid. I've tried meditation a few times and feel like there's something there, but I just can't get a grasp on it," she explained.
"Hmm…want to try meditating together some time?" Ryuden offered.
"Together? How would that help?"
"I don't know, to be honest. I'm just throwing out ideas," admitted Ryuden sheepishly.
Mitsuru sighed again, "Well, thank you for the assistance, regardless." They were interrupted when a waitress brought them their meals. They both ordered some sandwiches to keep things simple. "I'm not giving up on communicating with her, just as I haven't given up on digging into your past for some answers."
"I won't stop you, but I'm convinced you'll find nothing of value."
"Good, because I'd insist on trying regardless of your answer," Mitsuru wore a victorious smile on her face.
They both enjoyed their meal for a bit before Ryuden spoke again. "So, did you want to try meditating together? We could try roping in Akihiko too if you want?"
Mitsuru paused, "I'll…I'll think about it. I won't make any promises for now."
"That's fine. It was simply an idea, no need to do it if you'd rather meditate alone."
"I appreciate it, Yamamoto-san…I have to say, your professionalism in all of our conversations is commendable."
Ryuden smiled, "Of course, ojou-sama. I am nothing if not dedicated to the cause."
Mitsuru nodded and the two continued eating. Though they wouldn't say it out loud, they both enjoyed how easy it was to talk to each other, even though the employer/employee dynamic was always present.
'He's always willing to talk about himself for the sake of my research. I'm grateful for it but…maybe there's something I'm overlooking?' Mitsuru pondered as the two ate their meal.
Wednesday, October 29th, 2008
"So, mostly old school stuff?" Asked Junpei.
"I wouldn't call it old school when it's 10 years old. We could go back twice as far and hit a good mine of games," Ryuden countered.
"Well yeah, but look at how many good games came out this year!" Junpei said with enthusiasm.
"Yeah, but we got some MAJOR stinkers too, as well as a flop to be remembered for all time," countered Ryuden.
Junpei sighed, "Yeah, won't argue that, but there were plenty of bad games back in the day."
"Oh for sure. I know I've got a few of them in my mom's basement."
"Ooooh, got any rare ones?"
"Not that I recall. Mostly the ones everyone has, and the classic RPGs."
"Dang, well, we can't all be sitting on a gold mine."
Ryuden chuckled, "No, no we can not." He looked over to the stairs and saw Mitsuru descending. "Well, that's my queue. Talk to you later Iori-san."
Junpei waved, "Later, Yamamoto-san."
Ryuden waved back while walking to Mitsuru's location. She noticed his approach.
"Ready to go? We were able to finish on time today," Mitsuru was very pleased with this information.
"Ready as always," Ryuden said with a small bow.
The two of them departed the school without any distractions. As they walked through the entrance to the crisp outside air, Mitsuru spoke up again.
"So, it looks like you made a friend at Gekkoukan," she observed.
Ryuden nodded, "Yeah, he's Junpei Iori. Good kid, but still a bit awkward. Probably still trying to figure himself out. We like talking about video games and such. Typical boy stuff, haha," he smiled as he explained.
Mitsuru smiled too, "Well, I'm glad you're not letting your job dedication distract you from having a personal life as well."
Ryuden grimaced, "I wouldn't define having one friend outside of my job as 'having a personal life.' To be honest, between dropping out and working for you, I never really went out for those two years."
Mitsuru frowned, "Two years without anything?"
"Yeah, it sounds sad when you say it out loud, but those were the cards I was dealt. Thankfully, I've been in a much better mental state since taking this job." They reached the end of the pathway and were standing on the sidewalk, "Honestly, I think I have you to thank for that, ojou-sama."
"Me?" Mitsuru asked, surprised.
Ryuden took a deep breath, then turned to face her, "I haven't had the chance to talk to someone, and I mean REALLY talk to someone, in a long time. I enjoy talking with you, ojou-sama. Being able to talk openly about my past feels…refreshing; and working alongside you at night makes me feel like I have a goal in life. I know that I quite literally work for you, but I still consider you and Sanada as my comrades, as well as my friends." They stood there for a moment, neither moving, only the sounds of other students in the area could be heard. "Sorry, I guess I got a little heated there," Ryuden said, turning away, clearly embarrassed by what he had said.
"Yamamoto," Ryuden looked towards Mitsuru but only slightly. She, thankfully, looked happy, "Thank you. I also enjoy conversing with you. I always thought my prodding into your background was an annoyance you simply put up with due to working for me. I know I've said you're a valuable asset at night, but having you around during the day feels…reassuring. I know that you're here in case anything DOES happen. I would be honored to have you as my friend." They were both smiling, now knowing they felt similar. "However, there's one thing that simply must change if we are to be friends," said Mitsuru, her face turning very serious.
Ryuden turned fully towards her, "What would that be, ojou-sama?"
Mitsuru then looked very annoyed, "Quit calling me that! Do you know how embarrassing it feels to be called that by someone hardly older than me, especially in public?"
…
Ryuden burst out laughing.
"Wha?! Stop laughing! I'm being serious!" Mitsuru was suddenly much more embarrassed by being next to someone laughing like crazy.
Ryuden took a moment to compose himself.
"I'm sorry," He said while still laughing, "I'm not laughing at you, I promise." He took some deep breaths to collect himself. "I was laughing because the whole reason I called you that was my own assumption that you'd want me to do so. When you never corrected me I just stuck with it."
…Mitsuru covered her mouth, trying to stifle a laugh. "To think it was as simple as a lack of communication."
"Shall we head back to the dorm, Kirijo-san?" He motioned like a butler.
"See, isn't that much better?" They both smiled, basking in their newfound friendship, "Yes, let's head home."
Sunday, November 2nd, 2008
Mitsuru and Ryuden had just entered her father's office in Kirijo Headquarters. Despite her not caring for it, she insisted Ryuden call her "ojou-sama" when meeting with her father, as it would be easier when he needed to distinguish between the two Kirijo in the room.
"Good morning, father," said Mitsuru as she approached her father's desk, with Ryuden right behind her. Ryuden bowed respectfully as he entered. Two chairs were already prepared for them.
"Glad you two could make it, please take a seat," Takeharu motioned to the chairs. Mitsuru and Ryuden wasted no time settling into their seats. "I've got a couple things I wanted to discuss with you both today. I cleared the next hour of my schedule so we shouldn't be too pressed for time."
Mitsuru nodded, "I know a little bit about today's meeting, but where would you like to start?"
Takeharu turned to Ryuden, "Let's start with you, Yamamoto."
Ryuden sat up as straight as he could, "Yes, Kirijo-sama."
"Did you read over the notes I sent you?"
"I did, Kirijo-sama."
"What do you make of them?"
"It's very detailed. Having a list of potentially all our enemies should make things easier, but there's two facts that keep bugging me." Takeharu nodded, encouraging him to continue, "The first one is when the story branches due to incomplete records."
"You're referring to your fight with Dúngals instead of Meslir, correct?"
Ryuden nodded, "Right, we only have hypotheses on why that is. Even Setanta isn't sure about why that is."
"And the other fact?" asked Takeharu.
"It's the fact that we skipped a fight," Ryuden said with a frown.
"Right, from your first fight with Fraéch, the fights had gone in order with the book," Takeharu continued.
"Yes, but like you pointed out last week, we passed over a fight that IS in the book," Ryuden emphasized.
"While I'd normally be grateful for not having a fight on our hands," Mitsuru spoke up, "I do agree that the order of events changing is strange. So, what does this mean moving forward? Which Laochra are we supposed to fight next? Will it even follow the supposed order of events?"
Takeharu frowned, "That, Mitsuru, is a good question. Let's look at it logically. The way I see it, there are three possible outcomes."
"I'm guessing the first is that we continue to follow the order, ignoring the one we skipped. That would mean fighting…"
"Etarcomol" Setanta reminded him.
"Etarcomol. It should be a solo fight, but I doubt shadows play by the rules," Ryuden finished.
"You better not try to fight him yourself, Yamamoto," Mitsuru chastised.
"I know, ojou-sama, I won't do anything reckless. Although, if I recall correctly, I might have to reign my temper if we fight him," Ryuden said, but it sounded more like a joke.
"Why's that?" Asked Mitsuru.
"To put it bluntly," Takeharu interjected, "Etarcomol is what I think you'd refer to as a 'shit-talker'," even Takeharu had a small grin on his face as he said it. "That said, he's only one of the possible outcomes."
"I have a feeling," said Mitsuru, "That another outcome is the fight that we skipped."
"Right," Takeharu nodded, "I'm glad you skipped the fight, but you should prepare in case it does happen."
Mitsuru was really regretting not having the time to read the book like Ryuden and her father. All she had to go on was the reports they made.
"There's also one last possibility, the worst one in my opinion," Ryuden spoke again, "The possibility that the previous fights being in order were coincidental, and we could face any Laochra from any point in the story at any time."
Ryuden was confident in the skills of SEES, but he'd be lying if he said he wasn't afraid of some of the later fights in the story. Especially Fergus mac Róich.
"I know I'm asking a lot from you two," said Takeharu, "but please keep these outcomes in mind moving forward as you prepare to fight."
"We will, father," Mitsuru said with conviction.
"I'll do my best to ensure our safety, Kirijo-sama," Ryuden said in kind.
"Good, that's one topic off the table. Let's move to the next one, though I imagine it'll be a short one." Takeharu leaned back in his chair, "We still don't know how and when these Laochra appear. All we know is they're after Yamamoto."
"Pardon me for interrupting," Mitsuru said, raiding her hand slightly, "but wouldn't this conversation be better suited with the chairman present as well?"
Takeharu nodded, "I understand your point. However, past naming them, Ikutsuki hasn't shown much interest or progress into researching the Laochra. As such, I've assigned him to focus his research on Tartarus."
"I see," commented Mitsuru.
"I don't," Ryuden spoke up, "I still haven't been inside, but even I can tell there's something big going on with that place." The two Kirijo looked to each other, "Now I'm not saying you're keeping secrets, but I have the feeling that I'm being kept out of the loop regarding that place's importance."
Mitsuru looked very uncomfortable but Takeharu spoke next, "No, you're right, we haven't been telling you about Tartarus. We don't know what's at the top, but we do know how it came to be, as well as the dark hour."
"Father," Mitsuru started.
"It's fine, Mitsuru. Yamamoto is an important asset. Both to the company, and to you and I. He has the right to know."
"..." Mitsuru still looked unhappy, her head turned down. Not displeased, but almost…guilty.
Takeharu sighed, "It's a very long story, perhaps longer than we have time to tell, so I'll keep it brief for now…this is all the doing of my father, Kouetsu Kirijo. Nine years ago, he was experimenting with shadows. The resulting experiment took his life, the lives of countless others, and the created of both the dark hour, and Tartarus."
Ryuden leaned back into his chair, tilting his head back and staring at the ceiling. He took a deep breath, "Jeez…I'm…I'm not sure what to make of that. It sounds more like a sci-fi movie trailer rather than real life."
"Mitsuru," Takeharu spoke, and Mitsuru looked back up to her father, "None of this is your fault. Please stop blaming yourself for something you didn't take part in." His words seemed to have little effect on her, and Takeharu realized this. "Getting back on track, we're still no closer to figuring out the source of the Laochra. Does Setanta have any ideas?"
"Nay, I know nothing of what occurred in your world before signing a contract with you," Setanta chimed in.
Ryuden shook his head, "He said he doesn't know of anything that happened prior to joining me."
"Another dead end then," Takeharu sighed. "We'll drop that topic for now then, and reconvene on it once we have a breakthrough."
"Understood, Kirijo-sama," Ryuden nodded. "What's next on our agenda."
"Your geas," Takeharu said, his face serious as ever. Ryuden knew he had nothing to worry about, but he couldn't help but tense up. "You've informed me before of your three geas, as well as the new one you have that allows you to communicate with the Laochra." Ryuden nodded, "How many more geas can you have? What can you get in exchange for them?"
Ryuden was unsure how to answer, "That's…complicated."
"Don't forget," Mitsuru added, "There's also the rules that must be followed associated with each one."
Ryuden took a deep breath to calm down. Explaining geas was already hard enough, but he still wanted to try not mentioning the Velvet Room unless absolutely necessary. "Well, Setanta and I usually negotiate when it comes to the geas. He offered me one not too long ago that I turned down."
"Turned it down? What was it?" Takeharu asked.
"Something very strong. Something that could make me unstoppable on the battlefield, but could have easily backfired on the team," Ryuden said.
"Hmm, I think I know exactly what he offered you," said Takeharu.
'I seriously need to read this book,' thought Mitsuru, who hadn't caught on to the others' meanings.
"For the sake of being thorough, let's recap what geas you currently have, and their ramifications before moving on," Takeharu said. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but you have Setantas strength, speed, and knowledge."
"You're correct. In return, I can't decline a meal offered by a girl, unless I know she's an enemy. I can't eat dog food, but I'm allowed to ignore the previously mentioned meal promise if someone offers me dog food." Takeharu nodded, knowing how Cu Chulainn met his end, "Lastly, I…" Ryuden stopped before finishing. He knew what revealing the last one meant...
"Something wrong, Yamamoto?" Takeharu asked.
"Yamamoto-san has told me that he's uncomfortable revealing the last stipulation of his geas," spoke Mitsuru, "Given that we've hidden things from him, I find it only fair that we don't prod him any further. I've already made him promise to reveal it to me only if he's fully comfortable with it."
"Hmm, well, I'll trust him if you do Mitsuru. Besides, we-"
"I'm ready. I'll tell you both," said Ryuden, interrupting Takeharu.
"Yamamoto-san, are you sure? I already told you, you don't have to tell us if you aren't ready," Mitsuru said, testing to see if she could dissuade him.
"No, I'm ready; but Kirijo-sama, ojou-sama, what I'm about to tell you two can't leave this room. If it got out...it might ruin my life," Ryuden had to be sure no one else found out.
"Hold on then," said Takeharu as he reached under his desk and flicked a switch. "There, I've killed all electricity going into this room. All cameras and microphones are off. Whatever you say will not leave this room. I swear that I won't tell a soul."
"As do I," Mitsuru echoed.
"Thank you, both of you," Ryuden took one last breath. 'This is it,' he thought. "In exchange for his knowledge, I must complete any request made by a woman, barring similar exceptions to before."
After hearing Ryudens great reveal, both Kirijo thought to themselves.
'That explains his hesitation, especially with Mitsuru present. Him telling us is a great sign of trust. I won't break this trust Yamamoto,' thought Takeharu.
'Any request made by a woman? That's absurd! If any woman knew about this they could theoretically have complete control over him…oh God, I could have complete control over him," the realization hit Mitsuru like a ton of bricks. 'No wonder he was so hesitant to tell me. Him acknowledging this fact directly to me…I won't betray the trust you've placed in me Yamamoto. I won't betray my friend.'
After a few seconds of silence passed before Takeharu spoke, "Alright, that fact stays between the three of us. There's only one other geas, right? The one that lets you understand the shadows?"
"Yes, but only with the Laochra, the other shadows are like mindless beasts," said Ryuden.
"Although, the Loachra did seem to have at least a little control over the other Laochra that acted like shadows," said Mitsuru.
"Yeah, it did, but the control seems limited. When I did that sneak attack back when we fought Dúngals, they didn't exactly follow his instructions," Ryuden elaborated.
"So their control might be limited," Takeharu observed, "Not that we have the option to test any theories, but it's something to be aware of." There were nods of agreement from the two SEES members. "OK, that takes care of all the persona related talk. Only one last thing to cover. Yamamoto," Ryuden straightened up when he heard his name called. "How would you like the opportunity to finish high school?"
Ryudens eyes widened, and he looked taken aback, "Wh- what?"
Takeharu and Mitsuru both looked amused at his reaction.
"You barely started your 3rd year before circumstances forced you to drop out. Mitsuru is in her 2nd year at Gekkoukan, she'll have one more to go. Would you like to join her and finish your high school education?" Takeharu said, still smirking.
Ryuden was still stunned, his brain trying to comprehend the offer just made to him. He turned to Mitsuru, "You knew about this, didn't you?"
Mitsuru smiled proudly, "It was, in fact, my idea. After our discussions, I wanted to see if there was any way we could help you finish your general education."
Ryuden was still flabbergasted. He had to try and say something, anything really. "Wow," was all he could muster.
Takeharu chuckled, clearly enjoying the moment. "Take your time, I'm sure you'll have questions once your brain starts working again."
After a minute, Ryuden started thinking properly again. Once he did so, he indeed had some questions. "So, how would this work exactly?"
"I'll pull some strings, and get you into Mitsuru's class," Takeharu began explaining, "You'll be able to fulfill your role as her bodyguard while also becoming a student once again."
"Okay, what will happen between now and the next school year?" Asked Ryuden.
"You'll continue as you are until March. Once school starts up again in April, you'll be enrolled as a student," answered Takeharu.
"That said," Mitsuru spoke up, "I highly recommend studying between now and then to ensure you haven't forgotten anything, and are ready for the curriculum. It wouldn't do for my bodyguard to stumble in his studies." She smirked at the end, clearly egging him on.
"Hmm," Ryuden was too deep in thought to notice the bait, "Say I accept the offer, what happens after graduation?"
Takeharu folded his hands, "That's for you to decide. For my part, I'd like to keep you on. We're all aware how few persona users we have."
"Which begs the question, would you be making this same offer to me if I didn't have a persona? If I was just a regular old bodyguard?" It was a pointed question to ask, but Ryuden figured now was the perfect time to ask.
"Yamamoto-san, we want-" Mitsusu started, but was immediately cut off.
"No. I would not be making this offer otherwise."
"F-father?" Mitsuru was surprised by his sudden admission.
"There's no point in lying. Yamamoto is a persona user, which makes him more valuable than any other employees hired. That's not even including the fact that he's also a special case in terms of persona users. So yes, Yamamoto, I'm doing this because you're worth spending time, money, and effort on if it means keeping you around," Takeharu said unflinchingly.
Ryudens eyes narrowed, he and Takeharu staring each other down… Ryuden sighed, "Alright, I appreciate your honesty. I accept your proposal, it's back to school for me. By the way, I have no intention of leaving my post."
Takeharu nodded back, "Appreciated… That about wraps up everything I wanted to discuss today. Just one last thing before you go." Mitsuru and Ryuden had their eyes on Takeharu, "The geas that lets you talk with Laochra, you didn't mention what rule or restrictions it comes with."
Ryuden flinched, but even he didn't know why. It's not like he and Mitsuru were doing anything inappropriate. 'Hell, we're not even holding hands, it's just the bare minimum of contact.' "It's, umm, contact Kirijo-sama."
"Contact? Explain," Takeharu could see Ryudens reaction, and thus was suspicious.
"May I explain, father?" The men's heads turned to Mitsuru. "Yamamoto-sans geas requires him to have contact with a non-blood related female for one minute each day. He brought his concerns to me before agreeing to the geas, and I offered to help him complete it each day." Mitsuru raised her hand and extended a finger towards Ryuden. Understanding her intentions, Ryuden raised his own finger and met hers. "Since we're never far apart for more than a few hours during the day, we've made it a routine to have that contact in the morning before we leave the dorm."
Takeharu looked between the two. As he did, for just a small instance, he saw Mitsuru's mother sitting in her place. He closed his eye and sighed. "Very well, it seems you two have a good grasp on the situation. However, please run any potentially new geas by me before accepting them. Yamamoto, you can use the emergency number for that if it comes down to that."
"Understood, Kirijo-sama," Ryuden answered.
"Good. That's all then, you two are dismissed. Keep up the good work."
At his words, Mitsuru and Ryuden stood up. "Take care of yourself, father," Mitsuru said before departing. Ryuden bowed politely before following her. Takeharu watched them leave, then rubbed the bridge of his nose.
'She's more like her mother with each passing day.'
"Well, that was stressful," said Ryuden as he settled into his seat in the limo. "Thanks for the save with the last geas, by the way. I wasn't sure how to phrase it without…well, you know."
Mitsuru nodded, also getting comfortable in her seat, "I imagine you panicked when you realized how poorly wording the requirements of your geas could have made it seem like we were…" Mitsuru began explaining before stopping and blushing, realizing what she was able to imply, "Regardless, you're welcome."
"Yeah…" Ryuden also noticed how awkward things had gotten, so he decided to change topics, no matter how abrupt it seemed, "Well, looks like I'll be back to hitting the books."
The shift in topic had the desired effect, as Mitsuru looked relieved, "If you like, you can look over some of my notes as a refresher."
"That would be helpful, thank you. It's been a bit, but hopefully it comes back to me quickly."
"If you don't mind me asking, how did you do back when you were in school? Academically," asked Mitsuru.
"I was usually in the top 25 or so students. Usually around 18. One time I managed to break the top ten, but it seemed to be a one time thing, unfortunately."
"Hmm, then we shall ensure you study properly and thoroughly. We'll get you into the top ten again," Mitsuru had set his goalpost.
"I'll certainly do my best, but just being able to finish and graduate would be enough for me," Ryuden wanted a more laid back approach.
"Make sure to do your best. I won't allow any member of SEES to slack on their studies," Mitsuru said firmly.
Ryuden could see how serious she was getting, "All jokes aside, of course I'm going to do as much as I can to succeed. On that same note, do you think they'll have me join a club?"
Mitsuru thought about it for a moment, "I don't see why they wouldn't. Is it safe to assume you'll join the music club?"
"For sure, but what am I going to do for gym and physical activities?" His inhuman strength would need to be well hidden. The last thing he wanted to do was injure someone on accident.
"I see your concern…I'm afraid I don't have a good solution at the moment," Mitsuru admitted.
"We've got time to think of something, so let's not stress about it for now."
"If you insist. We'll discuss your studying habits another time then."
"So, what's the game plan for the rest of today? Anything else special planned?" Asked Ryuden.
"Nothing grandiose, I'm afraid. I was going to do some reading back at the dorm," answered Mitsuru.
"Alright, I'll find something to occupy my time."
"You could always start studying early," Mitsuru offered.
"Hmm," Ryudem didn't mind the idea, he needed something to do, but he wasn't going to simply accept the idea outright. "How about this, I'll study for a bit today, but only if you make a cup of tea that'll help me focus." He remembered Mitsuru's enjoyment talking about tea, maybe this will help them with the newfound friendship.
"Oh? Are you trying to bargain with me, Yamamoto?" She had noticed what he was doing.
"Yeah, I guess I am. So what do you say, Kirijo? Do we have a deal?" He asked while putting his hands together like a shady businessman.
"Hmm, you drive a hard bargain, but if tea is necessary to make you study, then there shall be tea," Mitsuru said with a smile. She couldn't resist it when it came to her favorite hobby.
Friday, November 8th, 2008
"Really?!" Junpei yelled a bit too loudly.
"Geez, not so loud dude, no need to alert the whole school," chastised Ryuden.
"Err, sorry, but most students just want to escape school, why would you wanna come back?" Asked Junpei.
"You know why, we've talked about it before," Ryuden took a drink of soda. He had a craving for something sweet and unhealthy.
"Right, right, you never finished your third year…" Junpei thought over everything, "All joking aside, I guess it's a pretty awesome opportunity, huh?"
"Exceptionally, my mother practically broke all the glass in the house from screaming when I told her over the phone."
"So, umm, don't take this the wrong way, but…why you? Why'd they offer you this job?" Junpeis question was very logical. However, Ryuden obviously couldn't tell him "It's cause I have a special persona." He had to make something up, and quick.
"It was…mutual benefit."
"Mutual what?"
"Mutual benefit. I'm able to finish my education, and they have me watch over Kirijo-san while she's in class," Ryuden said while thinking, 'Please buy it.'
"Huh…I guess that makes sense. Though I can't picture her getting into too much trouble in her classroom, or school in general," Junpei said while shrugging.
"I can't either, but I'm just doing my job. Not my place to say no for something like that," Ryuden continued. 'I think he bought it?'
"Yeah, I wouldn't complain either, and I'm not even a bodyguard. Hey, maybe one day after class you'll find some free time and we can hit the arcade," Junpei said with optimism.
"That would be awesome. Before that, maybe we can arrange something for a Sunday? Those are the days I have the best chance of having off. Kirijo-san sometimes stays home or goes to HQ where she doesn't need the extra security detail."
"Dude, that'd be sweet. Oh, you know what you need then," Junpei pulled out his cell phone, "You, sir, need my phone number." He said it with a bit of tease.
"That WOULD be helpful, oh great Iori," Ryuden said while taking out his own phone. The two swiftly exchanged contact info.
"I'm surprised I didn't think to give this to you earlier," Junpei said.
"Well, our conversations usually go right into games or anime, then one of us gets pulled away by a friend or my boss," reasoned Ryuden.
"Right, guess that's on me then," said Junpei.
"Nah, it's fine, we've got each other's numbers now," said Ryuden, "But full disclosure, I'll most likely be busy both the next couple Sundays. Kirijo-san is helping prep for the school trip, so I'll either be tailing her, or occupied with something else the next three Sundays."
"Three Sundays? In a row? You got some hot dates or something?"
Ryuden laughed, "No, nothing quite so spectacular."
Sunday, November 9th, 2008
Ryuden was SO glad Mitsuru was staying in the dorm today. She was making calls and helping finalize the school trip. As such, he monopolized the TV, and had been fully engrossed in watching it all day, stopping only to use the bathroom and make some food. It was now getting late, and the part he'd been waiting for all day was about to start.
The Makuuchi Division matches in the Kyushu Basho.
He knew he wouldn't get to watch much of it during the week, so he wanted to watch as much as possible during the opening day.
Every shove, slap, and thrust, he was fully immersed.
Every Yorikiri, Oshidashi, and Hatakikomi, he cheered on or moaned when his rishiki of choice won or lost.
So engrossed was Ryuden, that he didn't even hear when the front door opened.
"I'm back," called out Akihiko, who closed the door and took notice of Ryuden, "Hey Yamamoto, you watching anything good?" He asked as he got closer to the TV.
"Huh? Oh, hey Sanada-san. Yeah, it's basho time," Ryuden looked away as they were between matches, he had a little time before the next match started.
"Oh, sumo is on? You're a fan?" asked Akihiko.
Ryuden, who normally didn't share his sumo interest, didn't bother hiding it from his comrade, plus he was distracted.
"Yeah, avid fan. I'm pulling for Hakuho to win another championship. It's the perfect way to end the sumo year, in my opinion."
Akihiko, big into fitness as he was, had watched a few matches before. He was more into boxing, but figured he'd watch a match or two before heading upstairs. Ryuden had clearly made his home on the couch, so Akihiko opted for one of the chairs.
…
"Damn, that was a great throw," Akihiko commented.
"Yeah, the whole match shifted the moment he got his arm grabbed," Ryuden said, trying to contain his excitement.
"I don't think I've seen you this fired up before. Not even when we're out training."
"As I said, I'm an avid fan. I'd marathon the whole tournament in front of the TV if I could, but I've obviously got an obligation to watch Kirijo-san. As such, I'm taking advantage of today to watch everything," Ryuden explained.
Akihiko smirked, "Can't help but notice you finally dropped the whole ojou-sama thing. What spurred that on?"
"A good discussion about communication, a funny misunderstanding, and newfound friendship," Ryuden summarized.
"Friendship, eh? So you and Mitsuru are officially friends now? Is that it?"
"Yeah, is there a problem with that?"
"No, not at all. I just thought the three of us were already friends, or something. We've been together as a team for the last four months," Akihiko pointed out.
Ryuden stopped paying attention to the TV, "Huh…when you put it like that, I guess you're right…I guess I was too busy trying to maintain my professional image as a bodyguard."
"I wouldn't sweat it, Yamamoto. Just remember, you're one of us now. The three of us will protect this city. Shadows, Laochra, you name it, we'll stop it."
"Heh, you got that right,"
A voice emanated from the TV, "Hakkeyoi!"
"Ah! The match started!" Ryuden looked back to the television in a hurry, causing Akihiko to laugh.
'Man, I think he and Shinji would have gotten along great…if only I could convince him to join,' thought Akihiko as he stood up from the chair. 'Maybe…maybe I should try that whole talk to your persona thing. Wouldn't hurt to give it a shot.'
Tuesday, November 18th, 2008
With Mitsuru and Akihiko away on their school trip, Ryuden was left with time off. No matter the level of authority, there was no good excuse they could come up with for having Ryuden join Mitsuru on the trip. Ryuden couldn't just follow either, as his face was known by the students. Takeharu's plan was to have someone more "discreet" follow them.
Before they left, there was only one issue that needed discussion, Ryudens geas. With Mitsuru away, she wouldn't be able to help him complete his geas every morning. Thankfully, Mitsuru knew of someone who would be able to stand in for her for a couple days, someone on the Kirijo payroll. The two of them were currently sitting on the couch in the dorm.
"Thanks again for agreeing to help me. Saikawa-san."
Kikuno Saikawa nodded, while putting her finger against the back of his hand, "It's my pleasure. Once ojou-sama explained what was needed, I volunteered my services without hesitation." Her dark purple hair and hazelnut colored eyes went well with the modern maid outfit she was currently wearing. Hell, if circumstances were different Ryuden would have totally tried to flirt with her…but maybe it was just the outfit making him think that.
"And you're in the know-how, right? Regarding what happens at night?" Ryuden tried to ask without divulging any information.
"Be at ease, Yamamoto-san, I am aware of the dark hour. Though my lack of persona annoys me to no end," Kikuno said with frustration. "However, ojou-sama explained to me that you need to maintain contact with a woman for a minute a day, otherwise you'll lose your powers. I've also heard that you're an exceptional asset to the team. As such, if I can't directly help ojou-sama in combat, then I'll help her by ensuring you're still able to fight."
"T-thanks," her dedication was admirable, if not a little unnerving. Before he could say anything more, Ryuden felt that tingle that told him the minute had been reached.
"Oh, was that a minute?" Kikuno reacted as well.
"Yeah, that's a minute," Ryuden raised his arms, stretching them, while Kikuno removed her finger. "It sure helps having that little feeling act as a completion timer."
"It was a…strange feeling…how do I describe it?" Kikuno wondered briefly.
"I'm not quite sure myself," admitted Ryuden, "but you have another three days to figure it out while experiencing it."
"Hmm, then I shall give it some thought. Thank you Yamamoto-san," Kikuno stood up from the couch and bowed.
"Please don't thank me, I haven't really done anything to warrant it."
"You fight shadows and protect ojou-sama. To me, that's the most important thing in the world." Kikuno looked at her watch. "I'm afraid I must be going now, but I will be here tomorrow morning to assist you again."
"Okay, thanks again Saikawa-san," Ryuden said, standing up and walking her to the door.
"Of course. Take care, Yamamoto-san," Kikuno departed the dorm, leaving Ryuden alone in the whole building…on a Tuesday…during a basho… "To the TV!" Ryuden jokingly shouted as he went to turn the TV on. Once he did, he took note of the time.
8am
He and Mitsuru usually fulfilled his geas before they left for school. Even if it was later than normal, Kikuno came early to help him. This gave him the whole day to do whatever he wanted, and today, it was bingeing more sumo.
"Maybe breakfast first," he said out loud.
…
…
It was around 2pm. Ryuden was just getting out of the bathroom when his phone rang. He took a look at the caller ID and immediately picked up. It was his boss.
"Yes, Kirijo-sama?" he answered.
"Yamamoto, do you have anything critical planned on the 20th?" Takeharu asked without pleasantries.
"The 20th. That's Thursday, right? Nothing as far as I'm aware," answered Ryuden.
"Good, I'll have a driver to pick you up in front of the dorm at 6:30 in the morning."
"Y-yes, Kirijo-sama, but there is one important thing I should mention."
"Is it about your geas? Mitsuru informed me that Kikuno volunteered to help you while she was away."
"That's correct, Kirijo-sama." Ryuden was always impressed by how well informed the head of the Kirijo Group always seemed to be.
"I'll make the proper arrangements for a replacement for that day, all you have to do is be ready to go by 6:30. Dress for work."
"I will, Kirijo-sama."
"Good, see you then," Takeharu hung up abruptly.
Ryuden put the phone down.
'Wonder what this is all about…ah well, guess I'll set an alarm now. Last thing I need to do is oversleep.' He thought to himself while stewing over what Takeharu said. He turned and saw the TV was still on. 'Ah, no sense worrying about it. Might as well enjoy my time off.'
Ryuden lazed around for the rest of the day…
Thursday, October 20th, 2008
Ryuden, knowing he'd be up early today, had gone to bed early the night before. To help ensure his safety, Ikutsuki had shown up before the Dark Hour to monitor the equipment in case of an attack. Ryuden was exceptionally grateful that no shadows showed up to interrupt his sleep.
He got up, got himself together and was outside the dorm at exactly 6:30. A limo was already outside waiting for him. Ryuden got into the limo. Other than the driver, there was no one else in the limo.
"Morning," Ryuden said to the driver.
"Good morning, Yamamoto-san," the driver replied.
"So, where are we headed to, today?"
"My instructions were to bring you to the airport."
"Airport?"
…
The limo didn't just bring him to the airport, it brought him deep into the airport, right up to what he assumed was a private jet. This was only reinforced by the Kirijo logo on the side of the jet.
"Holy shit," he uttered as he stepped out of the limo. There was someone standing at the bottom of the stairs leading up to the plane. Based on the outfit, Ryuden thought he was a security guard. He walked over to the guard who led him up the stairs and into the jet.
Ryuden couldn't help but marvel at the posh interior of the jet. Comfortable looking chairs were on both sides of the plane, and sitting in one of them was the man Ryuden expected to see, yet was still somewhat surprised to see.
"Kirijo-sama."
"Good morning, Yamamoto," Takeharu said, looking dapper in his suit, "Glad to see you on time."
Ryuden bowed, "Glad to be here, Kirijo-sama. Where should I sit?" He asked.
"For now, sit in that seat across the aisle. We'll be taking off shortly," Takeharu explained. Ryuden took his seat as instructed. Once settled, he noticed a few others moving about the cabin. Two of them looked like additional bodyguards, while the last one appeared to be a stewardess.
Settling into his seat, Ryuden took a moment to calm his nerves. With the whirlwind of activity going on between getting up early, getting into a private jet, and meeting his boss, there was one fact that he was now painfully being reminded of…
He didn't like flying.
'God I hope this flight is smooth. I hate not having my feet on the ground.'
"I have not flown before," Setanta chimed in, trying to help alleviate Ryudens fears, "Is it really that bad?"
'Well, statistically, it's safer than driving, but I hate being so high up and not in control of my own safety.'
"Hmm, I can't speak for safety; but other than height, how is it different from getting on those trains and cars?"
'Realistically, it isn't all that different, but there's just something about flying that feels scary to me," Ryuden admitted.
"Yamamoto-san," a voice stirred Ryuden, as he noticed another bodyguard taking a seat next to him. She wore the same suit and sunglasses the others wore, but she had short black hair. "My name is Kamisaki. Kirijo-sama said you needed me to hold your hand for a minute." She unexpectedly seemed unbothered by the request. Ryudens face must have shown his confusion, as she continued. "Are you afraid of flying?"
"Oh, umm, yeah. Not a big fan of it," he answered.
Kamisaki nodded and smiled softly, "Don't worry, my cousin is the same way. Sometimes a reassuring presence is all you need to help get over the fear."
Ryuden took a few deep breaths, "Thanks, I'll be counting on you."
After a bit of time passed, the plane door closed, and the jet began to move. Ryuden was nervous throughout the journey to the runway. Eventually, they reached the runway and began to build up to takeoff speed. The takeoff was routine, with nothing unusual occurring from the pilots and passengers perspective. All except Ryuden, that is. Ryuden was trying his best to stay calm, but he couldn't help but feel scared. He felt Kamisaki grab his hand.
"Breathe, Yamamoto. Just listen to me and breathe slow and steady, in and out," she instructed.
Ryuden did as commanded. Good news was, he would have been forced to do so anyway since Kamisaki inadvertently triggered his geas. So now he was breathing slowly, calming himself and regaining his senses. During this process, he felt the tingle that signified his other geas had been fulfilled.
'Two birds with one stone, I guess,' he briefly thought while breathing.
"There, feeling a bit better?" Asked Kamisaki.
"Yeah, doing a bit better," he looked down, "You can let go of my hand now."
"Ah, right," for some reason, Kamisaki seemed more reserved now than she had before takeoff.
"Are, umm, are you okay?" Asked Ryuden nervously. He wanted to make sure he didn't do anything to have made her uncomfortable. After all, he had no idea how long the flight was, as he didn't think to ask where they were going.
"Oh, it's nothing, it's just…" she paused, "I could have sworn I felt something when holding your hand."
Ryuden knew what caused the feeling, but he wasn't sure how much she knew about persona. He decided to play it safe and steer her with a different line of question, "What did it feel like? Was it strange?"
"I…I'm not sure. It felt familiar, but I can't place it…I'll think it over for a bit, okay?" Kamisaki answered.
"Sure, sorry to have been such a bother."
Kamisaki waved her hand, "Don't worry about it."
Ryuden sank into his seat, looking across the aisle at Takeharu, who was in conversation with a different bodyguard. Ryuden figured he'd be notified when he was needed.
After a few minutes passed, a stewardess came up to Ryuden, offering him and Kamisaki an assortment of beverages. Given that it was still early in the day, he opted for coffee. After some more time went by, he was served a hot breakfast, which really helped perk him up. During this time, Takeharu never stopped his conversation with the guard next to him.
"Wonder what they're talking about?" Ryuden asked out loud, trying to start a conversation with Kamisaki.
"Allocation, probably. The man Kirijo-sama is speaking to is Hirako-san, the head of security. You didn't know that?" She answered before asking a question herself.
"No, I did not," he answered truthfully.
"Where are you usually stationed? Everyone has to report to Hirako-san in some capacity."
"I watch over the Kirijo Heiress, pretty much exclusively," it was an accurate description in his mind.
"Really? And you don't report to Hirako-san? Then who do you report to?" It was a reasonable question to ask for someone in her position.
"I report directly to Kirijo-sama."
Kamisaki had to resist the urge to gasp. There were very few people in the company that reported to Takeharu Korijo himself, and most of those people weren't reported to directly either.
"You…you must be a special case, then," Kamisaki realized, suddenly unsure if Ryuden outranked her in terms of authority or seniority.
"I mean, you're right, but I try not to dwell on it too much. I'm lucky ojou-sama is so easy to work with," Ryuden tried keeping things casual, not realizing Kamisakis dilemma.
Lucky for him, his relaxed vibes did have a positive effect, "I've only recently been assigned to Kirijo-sama himself, and have never met the Kirijo Heiress. What's she like?"
Ryuden smiled, "I don't think I could say a bad thing about her if I tried. Sure, we were both a bit stiff at the start, but given the situation I can't blame her. She's very smart and studious. I have a feeling the company will go far when it's time for her to take up the mantle of leadership."
"Well that's good to hear, but I don't plan on letting her start too soon," the voice of Takeharu finally spoke to the pair, having finished his discussion with the head of security.
"Apologies, Kirijo-sama, we didn't know you were done talking with Hirako-san," Kamisaki quickly apologized.
"It's fine, the conversation went on a little longer than we had intended. Kamisaki," she straightened her posture as Takeharu spoke her name, "Hirako-san has said good things about you. You and he will stick to the plan as previously discussed."
"Yes, Kirijo-sama," she said with conviction.
"Yamamoto," Takeharu said.
"Yes, Kirijo-sama?"
"You'll be sticking by my side today. While you technically won't be on the job today, I want you to keep your eyes peeled. I don't want to hear you say you missed anything important before the end of the day."
"Understood, Kirijo-sama. I have a question, if I may?" Said Ryuden.
"Go ahead," Takeharu said, nodding.
"Where exactly are we going?"
After asking his question, Ryuden was met with the rare sight of Takeharu Kirijo, the stone-faced head of the Kirijo Group, cracking a wry smirk.
"We, Yamamoto, are heading to Fukuoka."
Fukuoka International Centre, Kyushu
"This is amazing!" Ryuden exclaimed after another match concluded.
"Hehe," Takeharu chuckled, letting himself relax a little, "That's about the seventh time you've said that."
"And it won't be the last," Ryuden said with energy. When Takeharu had told him where they were going, he almost jumped out of his seat. Takeharu had a business meeting in the afternoon, one that he preferred to be present for rather than conduct over the phone. As such, he used his connections to get them seats to the Kyushu Basho. They were three rows back from the dohyō, in the very center. Ryuden had to stop himself from exploding with excitement. Right now, the lower division rishiki were having their matches, as such there weren't too many people in the audience. The plan was for Takeharu to watch a few bouts with Ryuden, then he'd leave for his meeting. During that time, Ryuden was free to do as he pleased. Takeharu would return in time for the top division matches before the two would then head back to the airport and subsequently home.
"Can I ask you something, Kirijo-sama?" Ryuden said, his voice still excited, but with some slight hesitation. "Is all this because of what we discussed during our meeting earlier in this month?"
Takeharu glanced at Ryuden before looking back at the dohyō. There weren't many people around them. Those that were there were clearly not paying them any attention. "Partly, but…" Takeharu paused thinking over everything carefully. "Did you know Mitsuru also reports to me? Just on a different schedule than yours."
"I had a feeling that's the case, she's your daughter after all."
"Right, and the way she talks about you has changed."
Ryuden grew nervous, "Changed? In what way Kirijo-sama?"
"Less of a professional relationship, and more akin to friendship." The next two rishiki to fight were still warming up, so Takeharu turned to face Ryuden. "Due to her upbringing and circumstances, Mitsuru doesn't have many friends. Besides Kikuno, the only ones she's been close to her own age are Sanada and Aragaki."
"Aragaki?" Ryuden unintentionally asked.
Takeharu heard his unintended question, "They never told you? Hmm, you should ask them when they get back." Ryuden nodded, then the two turned to the dohyō.
The gyōji shouted, the two fighters charging forward. It was a clash of muscle and skill, this time being ended with a decisive slap down, hatakikomi.
"Pretty good footwork there," Takeharu commented.
"Yeah, created the opening to secure the win," Ryuden followed up before the two sat in silence.
"When we found out you had a persona, assigning you to Mitsuru as a bodyguard was the quickest way to get you into SEES. Even if it was a rushed job with the amount of training you received," Ryuden turned to face Takeharu this time. "Maybe it's due to Setanta, maybe you're a natural, either way, you're clearly proven your worth."
"Thank you, Kirijo-sama."
"With all the yakuza rumblings going on in Tokyo and Osaka, I was thinking of having you replaced." Ryuden said nothing, but tensed up, "But Mitsuru trusts you. Combined with what you've done in SEES so far, I've decided to trust you as well."
"I…thank you, Kirijo-sama. I won't let either of you down."
Takeharu didn't reply for a few seconds, "She looks more like her mother with each passing day."
"Kirijo-san?" Ryuden said, referring to Mitsuru.
"Yeah. When the three of us met, there was something in her eyes that had changed. She was always determined, always tried to be strong, but I know how she really feels. She continues to blame herself for the deeds of my father, despite what I say." Takeharu shook his head. "Yamamoto."
"Yes, Kirijo-sama?"
"Please watch over her. Not just as her bodyguard, but also her friend."
"...I will Kirijo-sama, that's a promise."
"Good…I'll have to head out after the next match, but I'll be back before the top division matches starts. Wouldn't want to miss that."
"Don't worry, I'll keep your seat warm for you," Ryuden joked, feeling like he understood his boss a little better today.
Takeharu gave him a smirk, "You better, there'll be hell to pay if I come back to a cold seat."
The rest of the day's matches had been a treat for Ryuden to watch. True to his word. Takeharu came back in time to catch the last few 2nd division matches, then they enjoyed watching the top division matches. Afterwards, Takeharu brought Ryuden, and the two guards from the plane ride, to a high-end looking restaurant. Ryuden was relieved that Takeharu told him not to worry about the prices, he wasn't sure he could even afford a salad in the place.
Now, everything was said and done, and they were headed back home. The flight had been smooth so far. At their current rate, Ryuden was most likely going to get to the dorm just before the Dark Hour.
'Thank God I'm off again tomorrow, I'm exhausted,' he thought to himself. 'Maybe I can squeeze in a little shut eye during the flight…if my nerves let me.'
"Yamamoto-san, do you have a minute?" He looked at Kamisaki, who was sitting next to him.
"What is it?"
"It's about earlier. You know, that whole weird feeling thing?" She asked to make sure he remembered.
"Yes, I remember. What about it?"
"I gave it some thought during the day, about why it felt so familiar." Ryuden listened, interested in what she had to say. "Though I feel it necessary to preface what I'm about to say. I don't want you taking things the wrong way." Ryuden was a bit confused, but didn't want to interrupt her. If she felt it necessary, then he'd let her do so. "I had a boyfriend before, and I'm not currently looking for one. Also, while you seem like a very nice man, you remind me too much of my brother for me to have any romantic interest."
Ryuden was compelled to speak, "Now you have me worried, what exactly did you feel that you had to say all that?"
Kamisaki fought to keep her face from blushing, "It felt…intimate."
…
The word bounced around in Ryudens head a few times.
"Intimate?" Ryuden asked, to which Kamisaki nodded, "Intimate how? Cause there's a few different ways I could interpret that."
Kamisaki fiddled with her hair, "It's like…geez, how to explain it to a guy?...I had a boyfriend, and sometimes we would snuggle on the couch, alright? The way he held me then…I felt safe, secure, and content…that kind of intimate."
"I see…just to confirm for my own sake, there was nothing sexual in nature about it, right?"
"Ha, God no," she was quick to reply, "No offense."
"Heh, none taken, don't worry…Still, you've given me something to think about," said Ryuden.
"...can I ask you something, Yamamoto-san?"
"Sure," Ryuden started thinking to himself, just in case the question was tricky to answer.
"Did you feel it too? That sensation?"
This one, he figured, wouldn't hurt to answer, "I did feel a tingle, but I was too busy focusing on my breathing to really say for certain."
"Hmm, so just remember what I said earlier when I ask this next question. Do you have a girlfriend?"
In Ryudens mind, a girl he hadn't seen in well over a year ran through his mind, "No, not at the moment."
Kamisaki took notice of the way he answered, "But you did at one point, right?"
He nodded, "Right, we had a mutual breakup about…almost two years ago, if memory serves."
"Sorry to hear. Anyway, I asked because I wanted to see if you could think back on any similar moments you may have had with her, and compare it to that feeling this morning," Kamisaki reasoned.
"I see what you're getting at. Mind giving me a bit?"
"Take your time, we have the whole flight ahead of us."
Ryuden closed his eyes, and started thinking. Back to a different time…
Sunday, January 22nd, 2006
Ryuden Yamamoto had been having a great day. He spent the whole day on a date with his girlfriend, Inori Kurojima. They went shopping together, had lunch together, went to the arcade, and now they were relaxing in her room. She lived with her parents, but they were both working late tonight, so they had the whole house to themselves. They were both sitting on the couch, wrapped in blankets to stay warm on the cold winter night.
"And that's when I told her, 'No, it makes you look like Toriumi-sensei!' Hahaha!" Inori had just finished telling him some story about her friends. Pushing some of her wavy brown hair behind her ear, so she could see better.
"Haha, that's pretty good. If she has a helmet she's willing to loan, I'll dress up as Ono-sensei," Ryuden jested
"You wouldn't dare!" Inori replied, "If you did that, then I'd have to dress up too, and we both know how that would turn out."
"Yeah, last time the hair dye wouldn't come out for over a month."
"Yeah, and while I did like rocking the blonde, I don't think I'm ready to go full gyaru yet. Not while I'm still in school," admitted Inori. They both laughed at the thought. "Hey, Yama?" She called him by the nickname she made for him.
"Hmm?"
"Lay down on the couch," she said, getting up.
"O-okay," Ryuden did as instructed.
"Blanket," she reached out, holding her hand open. Ryuden silently complied. Blanket in hand she tossed it onto a different chair. She then laid beside Ryuden on the couch, covering them both in the blanket. The couch had just enough room for the two of them, but Ryuden had to droop an arm around Inori's waist to comfortably fit them both. "Much better."
It wasn't the first time they had done this, but each time they did it made Ryuden's heart race. "Comfy?" He asked.
"With you, Yama? Always."
These shared moments with her made Ryuden happy. He felt complete. He felt…loved.
Due to traffic on the runway Ryuden stumbled into the dorm just a half hour before the dark hour was due to hit. He was able to catch a few minutes of sleep on the plane, but his thoughts were awry from his conversation with Kamisaki.
"Ah, good evening Yamamoto-kun," Ikutsuki called from the chair in the living room. "I trust you had a good time?"
"It was fantastic, but I'm tired as hell. Will you be staying tonight as well?" Asked Ryuden.
Ikutsuki nodded, "My intention is to stay until the dark hour has concluded, then promptly head home afterwards."
"Thank you. I'm going to go to bed now, but wake me up if anything happens."
"I will. Sleep well, Yamamoto-kun," Ikutsuki waved as Ryuden made his way to his room.
He was exhausted. Between getting up earlier than normal, traveling, watching hours of sumo, eating, and traveling back, he was drained. He really hoped nothing would happen tonight…but just in case, he opted to go to sleep with his uniform on. If he woke up after the dark hour, he'd change then.
…
11:59:57
11:59:58
11:59:59
Dark Hour
…
**BANG BANG BANG**
The sound of his door being hit hard made Ryuden bolt out of his bed.
"Yamamoto-kun, we have a shadow heading towards the dorm! Based on the readings, it's a Laochra, and will be here any minute! Are you awake?!" Ikutsuki shouted from the other side of the door.
"I'm up, be out shortly!" Ryuden was tired, dreadfully so, but knowing what was out there got his adrenaline going enough to ensure he was at least awake. "Thank God I chose to sleep in this outfit," he said as he got his straps and weapons on in record time. Once prepared, he left his room and saw Ikutsuki looking nervous. "How long do you think we have?"
"Come out and face me, oh great hero of Ulster!" A voice said mockingly from outside.
"I don't know what he said, but I think that answers your question, no?" asked Ikutsuki.
"Yeah…" Ryuden made his way to the front door.
"Does the hero cower? Does he have no pride in this day and age!"
"He's talking a lot of shit," Ryuden commented as he reached for the door handle.
"Yes, I'm thinking our theory was right. Just thinking about him pisses me off." Setanta said with a bite in his voice.
'Well, time to find out," Ryuden had his shield ready in case of an ambush, then swung the door open.
"There you are, coward! How low the Hero of Ulster has fallen!" The Laochra shouted from the middle of the road.
'This the ass in question?' Ryuden wondered.
"Yes, looks like we're correct. There's that shit stain Etarcomol," Setanta chimed in, "Antagonizing pissant. He did the same thing to me, knowing that I swore to my friend Fergus that I wouldn't kill him…"
The shadow of Etarcomol continued to jeer, "Tell me, will you actually fight me, or are you too much of a child?"
Setanta growled, "My word be damned, I killed him anyway cause he pissed me off!"
'Oh, we'll kill him alright…' Ryuden mentally replied, taking note that Etarcomol wasn't making a move to attack, despite his spear being armed and ready. 'Hmm, I wonder…'
"Hey Etar, you here to clean my bathroom? Cause you seem like the type who loves shit," Ryuden attempted to trash talk, knowing it wasn't his strong suit.
"What are you doing, Ryuden?! Attack him!" yelled Setanta.
'Let me try something, just trust me.'
"Was that your feeble attempt to insult me? Your brain must be as weak as your combat skills," Etarcomol was not impressed.
Ryuden put his spear off to the side, "Well, I figured I'd try, seeing as I can't fight you."
"Ryuden…" Setanta spoke again.
'Trust me, I just need to piss him off.'
"You won't fight, or you can't fight?" Demanded Etarcomol.
"Can't. That promise made to Fergus carried over to me. I shan't fight you," Ryuden said while subtly ensuring his shield was strapped on tight.
"What?! That sounds like a miserable excuse! You're no hero, just a farce!" Yelled the shadow.
Ryuden shrugged, "Call me names all you want, but I won't fight you."
"Pathetic. Just pathetic. Why even show yourself if you've no plan on fighting?"
"Well, you were shouting pretty loudly. Personally, I'd rather go back to bed than waste my time killing you."
"You claim you would kill me, yet you won't fight me?"
Ryuden leaned against the front door, "Nope, not fighting you." He felt he was on the right track, despite Setanta still objecting in his head.
"Coward,"
"Uh huh, sure."
"Worthless excuse of a hero,"
"Whatever you say," he said nonchalantly.
Etarcomol gripped his spear tightly, "Fight me you scum!"
"Hmm…" Ryuden tilted his head up, but only slightly, giving the impression he was looking into the sky, "nah. In fact I'm going back to bed."
Something finally snapped in the shadow, "Then die you useless worm!" Etarcomol charged, thrusting his spear at Ryuden.
'This is it!' Ryuden waited until the last second to dodge the attack. His opponent's spear collided with the thick door. An ordinary door would have shattered from the attack. However, these doors were built to withstand shadow attacks, even if only as a temporary measure.
The spear broke, throwing Etarcomol completely off balance. "Wha-"
He was unable to finish, as Ryuden swiftly pulled out his sword and swung upwards. From the shadows chest to the top of its head, he was cut open. Looking down from above, his head now looked like a grotesque "Y" as he collapsed onto the ground.
"HA! ONE SHOT AGAIN! FUCK YOU!" Setanta mocked.
"Thank God, I don't think I could have held out for a prolonged fight," Ryuden said while rubbing his eyes, and sitting down on the stoop.
"I'll be honest Ryuden, I wasn't sure what you were doing, but that was a genius move. I mostly prefer straight up fights or sneak attacking my opponent. That mind game was a surprise."
"I don't think it would have worked on the other Laochra, they were either brainless or too smart to fall for such a ploy. We were unlucky the attack happened while I was alone, but at least it was only one."
There was a knock on the door behind him.
"Umm, Yamamoto-kun? Is the coast clear?" Ikutsuki called from inside.
"All good," Ikutsuki opened the door slowly once Ryuden confirmed. "How much time is left in the dark hour?"
"Hmm, about 20 minutes." Ikutsuki estimated.
"Ugh, can you do me a favor when the dark hour ends?"
Ikutsuki straightened his glasses, "As long as it is in my power, I'll help however I can."
Ryuden wasn't looking at Ikutsuki, but nodded regardless, "Make sure Saikawa-san knows I'm sleeping in tomorrow.
This chapter got completely out of hand, to the point where I couldn't find a spot to end it. Regardless, I'm glad with the end result. Let me know what you all think!