DISCLAIMER

The following is a fan-based

FICTION

Bishoujo Sailor Moon + Other series in this story are not owned by me.

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Chapter 47: Among Ninjas (and Rescuee)

P.S. I now have a discord server! Discord .gg/ceBMM2Zz6c

I really should stop owing favors to others, especially individuals that can very easily put me in the spot when I already had bigger concerns to deal with. I thought I was done with the Taimanin situation for the time being, but no, Seishu wanted me to 'visit' Gosha Village on the ground I had to defend her clan's honor.

At least she had the decency to tell me what this was all about and let me have Usako as my 'guest' for the trip. The girl was a bit confused on whose of my friends we were visiting, but she realized it wasn't exactly a visit to a classmate as I had told my parents.

The pinkette was glancing around as the car paid by Seishou took us through the village, interest flaring at the rural town we were at, but I paid it little attention since this wasn't the first time I checked it - that happening when I visited for Igawa Sakura's 15th birthday. Senshu was driving it, the woman stealing glances at Usako as she seemed amused by the young girl's reaction to the village. I had yet to tell Usako this is where I would find some stuff for her tortu- I mean 'training' for the days to come.

If I was going to get jumped by Taimanin shit, then the least I could do was get something to make up for the missed day of training. Gosha Village itself was nothing to scoff at, and while some would reasonably think that anti-demon ninjas would have issues making money in this new world, most of the more prominent clan leaders were also known to the public as heads to keiretsu and successful companies.

Shiranui herself had her family's apple-making fields being tended by experienced farmhands, giving the Mizuki family a prominent role as the 'bankrollers' for the Igawa Clan.

Speaking of the Igawa Clan, I still couldn't believe Seishu's idea was to just hurl me at her son to 'preserve' her Hattori pride. Well, that and her pseudo-clan's independence. As far as I was familiar with it, nothing had ever said that Seishu had any claim to preserve the Hattori knowing it had somewhat been integrated in the Igawa Clan with her own marriage.

Being the last clan leader, she was also bowing her title when she became an Igawa consort. And if she really wanted to make a case that it was still around, then common sense would have urged her to make Senshu her heiress, even just for time's sake.

Having a heir to the Hattori clan meant that the Igawa had no foothold to encroach and demand proper integration, but no, Seishu had something that was pride, and another reason to refuse Senshu's claim - Her daughter lacked the Hattori affinity. In fact, it was rare for a clan member to have the affinity, so much so that it was the reason the clan declined as badly as it did to the point of only Seishu being around as the only wielder of that style.

This reason I could understand, and it pained me to admit but I was also the 'young generation candidate' that could acquire the skill due to my own affinity being so close to the Hattori's.

Here's where my issue truly was: as cool as Uho 'Nurikoboshi' was and I knew it was the first of many cool jutsu, I doubted that it was all worth it with the enmity of the leading clan of Gosha Village. In fact, I would even go as far as to say that I really didn't want to fight Asagi - ever. Why? Let's put it in a most Jojo example - Tusk Act 4. Asagi's main affinity was to literally cut through dimensions.

No physical attack can counter that shit, and if I somehow ended up so much as killing her father (doubtful considering Shuzen was still stronger than me), I was going to get killed without a chance to fight back.

I may have stats and skills over Asagi, but a bullshit OP affinity made all of that very irrelevant if she got a good reason to come at me with everything she got. There is a reason the entire Taimanin series (especially the first three) worked around first weakening Asagi or hitting her from an unexpected spot - any fair confrontation is going to turn deadly very fast.

So, with that in mind, I had to think a way to 'win' that fight without either 1) kill and 2) seriously maim the leader of the very place we were visiting. I wasn't going to avoid some hate for the entire mess, but from what I was told by Senshu, some of the 'older guards' were looking at this with open minds. Something about 'looking to adopt' their successors rather than surrender themselves to 'weaker descendants'.

Old men? They were happy. Young people? I was going to be the role model to never follow if that meant seeing their birthright claimed on 'dumb reasons'.

"We are here," Senshu said, her voice drawing me out of my musing as Usako and I got out of the vehicle and found ourselves walking with the woman. "I was thinking we could stop at the grocery store. I need to buy some snacks-"

"Candy!" Usako squeaked, fists up and truly immersing herself in a behavior suited for her appearance. I sighed and nodded.

"Candy is fine, I guess."

It was also a way to distract myself and not be too hyperfixated on what is to come. If I kept being so focused on that duel, I may end up getting too paranoid and clumsy, to the point of losing. Would losing be bad? Depends on how I wish to keep my privacy as I could see Seishu being as petty and vengeful to have my true identity as Moon Knight flagged around for all to know about. And that was not an option.

The store we entered was pretty regular, a mini-market sort of thing that had plenty of general goods that were needed by most people in the daily. And as Senshu walked behind us, Usako took off to check the candies with utmost attention, inquiring what each of those was flavored to be. It was adorable, but my wallet was already hating me for allowing the girl to make her own supply for the month with this visit.

I wasn't going to have her eat it all within a few days, but candy was a tool of persuasion that could be used to get Usako to train more or harder. By the time we were done, however, I felt like someone was watching me. I had noticed it within the store, but now that we were on the streets, I could feel it more.

"Someone is stalking us," I pointed out quietly, drawing a confused look from Usako as she was mid-way to devour a chocolate bar, and a nod from Senshu.

"Yes."

Why was she smiling? How come this troublesome development made her amused?

Before I could ask her more about it, I was soon turning around at the noise of rapidly approaching footsteps and I was soon looking at a familiar face. A girl about my age, blue hair and green eyes-

Fuuma Tokiko
HP: 400/400
Age: 12

It's the girl I saved a while ago together with her brother! (From 15: Housing and Saving)

Still, for her to be there, looking for us (actually, me) was a bit unexpected since... no one but a few in Gosha knew about my real identity. So, for her to be there-

"You-You are the boy that saved us, aren't you!? I recognized your voice and-" She soon found a hand onto her mouth.

Eyes went wide open as she saw me holding my free hand in a hushing gesture.

"Quiet, and yes. Don't bring this to anyone else, it's my secret identity."

I want to say this was the best way to solve this sort of interactions but, seriously, how the hell was I supposed to see someone that was meant to be reclusive due to her clan's most recent rebellion being around as of today, notice my voice, and connect dots before pretty much calling me out in the streets?

Now that explained Senshu's amusement - she was aware of who she was and, drawing assumptions, expected her to be someone I knew. And, of course, she completely misinterpreted the situation!

I slowly removed my palm from her mouth and Tokiko spoke up with a strong whispering tone. "Why are you here?"

"A duel?"

She frowned. "What?"

"It's private matter,Fuuma-chan."

Tokiko blinked as she noticed I wasn't alone. First, a most amused Senshu, and then Usako who had taken to hug my arm in a most protective way.

"...I don't follow."

"All I can say is that I am busy. I am glad you and your brother are well, but I need to go."

Her mouth opened, but we started getting going, leaving a very confused Tokiko on our wake, and one that soon narrowed her eyes at my retreating form.

It was proper she contemplated thanking her savior one way or another, and she didn't intend to let such opportunity to slip out of her hands.

AN

A bit of a short chapter, but next one will be about 3k (at least). So there's that.