Chapter 5- Unexpected Guests
My blood ran colder than the sake I'd been drowning my sorrows in just a few nights ago. But it wasn't the embarrassment of being half-naked, panting like a marathon runner, with Tohru barking orders at me. It wasn't even the obviously lethal aura radiating off the silver-haired woman in the striking violet and red kimono, her sharp eyes narrowed, hands resting on the hilts of her swords. And it definitely wasn't the brief, terrifying spike of pressure Tohru had unleashed, a silent snarl of protective instinct aimed at the newcomers.
No, what actually froze the sweat on my skin was the unbelievably adorable little fox girl peeking out from behind the intimidating samurai. When Tohru had told me most myths and religions were accurate to some degree or another. I hadn't really considered Kitsune or Yokai in general.
Her eyes, golden,wide and bright with pure, just like her hair, filled with unadulterated curiosity, were fixed on us as if we were some fascinating new exhibit at the zoo. Didn't she realize the tension in the air? Didn't she see the barely leashed power emanating from the two beautiful, dangerous women who had just shattered their barrier? Her innocent wave was directed squarely at us.
It seemed like I wasn't alone in my assessment of the adorableness. The samurai woman, despite her earlier battle-ready stance, let out a soft chuckle and offered a small wave in return to Kunou. Tohru looked like she was still considering continuing the hostilities. "Knock it off," I muttered under my breath, giving her a pointed look. A dramatic eye-roll was my reward, but thankfully, the threatening aura around her dissipated, the palpable magic receding back into her body with an annoyed huff. Crisis averted, thanks to the unexpected power of cute fluffy tails.
The odd duo made their way towards us in the center of the clearing. "Hello, strangers!" the samurai woman called out as they approached, a surprisingly cheerful tone in her voice that quickly shifted to a more official one. "I'm Musashi. Miyamoto Musashi. Yes, like the famous guy. No, I don't wanna talk about it. This here is Princess Kunou, and I am her bodyguard within her mother's territory, of which you are trespassing. So if you would kindly state your business then…"
"Musashiiii! Stop! Why are you interorogating them?! " the little girl whined,and struggled on the large word, tugging on Musashi's hand. "I'm Kunou, and this is Musashi!She is the strongest Swordswoman ever! What is that glowing thing?" She pointed a small finger at the still-pulsating mana orb near my feet. "And why aren't you dressed?" Her innocent gaze then swiveled to Tohru. "Miss, your eyes are very pretty, but you smell kinda scary." Her curiosity, it seemed, was a force of nature, launching a barrage of questions before either of us could even open our mouths.
Her fluffy tails were swishing uncontrollably as I lifted the grey sphere. "This?" She nodded her head rapidly, her bright eyes fixated on it. I moved it up, down, left, and right, and, amusingly enough, the little whirlwind just followed the orb's movements, her head swiveling like a kitten chasing a laser pointer.
Musashi chuckled softly, a wry smile on her lips. "Please," she said, directing her gaze towards me, "for the sake of my own… well-being, perhaps you could allow the Princess to maintain some semblance of dignity?"
Tohru, who had been silent throughout the initial chaotic introductions, suddenly wore a pensive expression, her brow slightly furrowed. It was like watching a particularly intelligent dog trying to recall where it buried a bone. "You okay, Tohru?" I asked, a touch of curiosity lacing my voice.
She blinked, then shrugged it off. "Can't be that important if I don't remember it." Her face brightened suddenly, her usual cheerful demeanor returning. "You asked for introductions, correct? I am Tohru, and this is Kobayashi Takumi-sama, my master. Due to… health concerns and my master's newly awakened status as a wielder of a Sacred Gear, I thought it prudent to train him away from prying eyes. We meant no harm if you felt threatened."
I stared at Tohru, a genuine surprise washing over me. Respectful?Everything that just came out of her mouth was pretty well mannered… she must be up to something…
"So," Tohru continued, her grin taking on a distinctly sharper edge, the kind that usually preceded some form of glorious chaos. "Who would like to help my young master train back to health?"
The moment those words left her lips, I felt two sets of eyes lock onto me. Kunou was practically bouncing with undisguised glee, like this was the most exciting development of her young life. Musashi's gaze, however, was far more intense. It felt like a full-body scan, her sharp eyes lingering on me for a long moment, taking in my less-than-stellar physique. Then, she closed her eyes briefly, a small smile playing on her lips before she opened them again and nodded. "He seems… worth it," she said, her voice carrying a hint of amusement. "And it sounds rather entertaining. I'm in."
I tried to do anything to get us off this dangerous topic, so I used the only tactic I had available, Deflection. "So, Princess Kunou. Being a Princess must be pretty amazing," I offered, picturing a small, perhaps slightly spoiled, leader of a local yokai clan.
Kunou's fluffy ears flattened against her head, and her bright eyes lost some of their sparkle. "Not really…" she mumbled, kicking at a loose pebble with the toe of her tiny sandal. "Mama is always too busy to play or go out, and I can't even go to a normal school because she says it's too dangerous. She says she has too many enemies."
The casual weight in her words hit me like a physical blow. Enemies? What kind of tribal leader amasses so many enemies that her daughter can't even attend school? "How big is your mama's territory?" I asked, my curiosity now tinged with a genuine concern.
She sniffed softly, then looked up at me, her clear golden eyes surprisingly serious. "Half of the space afforded to the Yokai of Kyoto… but she rules over half of all the Yokai of Japan."
Half of all the Yokai of Japan? My brain stalled. This wasn't some small tribe. This was… a major power player. And her enemies made it too dangerous for her daughter to go to school. Suddenly, the presence of the formidable Musashi at her side made a whole lot more sense.
A cold sweat broke out on my forehead. Half of all the Yokai in Japan? And I'd been addressing her like she was some kid I'd bumped into at the local park. My face probably resembled a ghost. "So… Princess…" I began, trying to inject a newfound level of respect into my tone, but was immediately cut off.
"Kunou!" the little fox spirit chirped, her tails swishing playfully.
I glanced at her guardian, the legendary Miyamoto Musashi, hoping for some kind of backup, some guidance on proper royal etiquette. But the famed swordswoman just shrugged, a wry chuckle escaping her lips as she shook her head, her expression clearly conveying, "Give it up."
Tohru, ever the instigator, caught on to my growing unease and decided to crank the chaos dial up a notch. "Well," she purred, her smile almost beatific… if it weren't for the distinct sharpness of her canines glinting in the sunlight. "Since we are using the princess' backyard to train, I guess that means my master has to listen to whatever Princess Kunou wants."
I saw the exact moment the realization dawned in Kunou's golden eyes. It was like a light switch flicking on, a mischievous glint replacing her earlier innocent curiosity. Oh, great. This was just perfect. My training regimen, already bordering on torture courtesy of a dragon with a penchant for fly swatters, was now going to be dictated by an eleven-year-old princess.
Not five minutes later, I found myself in a rather undignified sprint, being pursued by a giggling eleven-year-old who was gleefully lobbing blue foxfire at my head. And just to add insult to injury, I had five active stacks of "Collapse" on the grey ball, making it feel like I was playing dodgeball with a bowling ball that wanted to set me on fire.
"HAHAHA! Yes! Dance, Takumi, dance! If you don't get strong, you'll get burnt!" the little fire demon shrieked with unadulterated glee.
"What the hell is this?" I yelled back, dodging another blast of blue flame that singed my hair. "I feel tricked! Where was the innocent little fox girl hiding behind the buff samurai?!"
"Who the hell you calling buff?!" Musashi roared from the sidelines, briefly drowning out Kunou's laughter.
"Remember, Takumi-sama, every time you drop the ball, we switch," Tohru singsongs, her voice laced with a hint of sadistic glee. "Next is Musashi-san… and I don't think that will be very pleasant." She punctuates her threat with a warning smile, her golden eyes gleaming.
Musashi, the subject of Tohru's ominous prediction, looks pensive. "You know… I haven't known you guys very long, but I'm starting to think you both think I'm some kind of buff gorilla."
All three of us freeze. Me, mid-air after dodging a particularly persistent blast of blue flames, still clutching the cursed grey magic weight. Kunou, with another ball of foxfire crackling in her tiny palms. And Tohru, whistle poised between her lips, practically vibrating with anticipation for my inevitable screw-up.
I'm the first to break the silence. "Uhh… didn't you smash Tohru's barrier… with a sword…?"
"Sounds like gorilla strength to me," Tohru chimes in, her grin widening.
Musashi looks genuinely hurt, her gaze sweeping towards the princess, her loyal companion, her confidante. Surely, Kunou, with her innate sense of justice and her adorable diplomacy, would set these barbarians straight on the matter of Musashi's more-than-feminine attributes.
Only to see the eleven-year-old princess look away immediately after making eye contact, her lips pressed together in a tight, guilty line. Utter silence.
The betrayal cuts deep. Musashi straightens, her hand flashing to the hilt of one of her katana. Touki, that swirling energy of life force she wields, begins to erupt around her, a visible manifestation of her rising fury.
"THAT'S IT!" she roars, her voice echoing through the clearing. "You want gorilla strength? Fine! Princess Kunou, switch!"
"But!" Kunou protests weakly, her tails drooping.
"SWITCH!" Musashi's command leaves no room for argument.
"Yes ma'am," Kunou squeaks, shrinking back slightly.
Musashi came charging at me, a blur of motion and flashing steel. All I could do was leap and dodge, a frantic ballet of survival. She didn't seem to be putting her full strength into the attacks, but the katana in her hand was very real, and even if it wasn't, she had shattered Tohru's barrier like it was made of tissue paper. The thought of that level of power directed at my fragile human form was… motivating, to say the least.
"Musashi! What did I do to you?!" I yelped, backflipping over a particularly vicious swing that left a visible afterimage in the air.
"Whoo! Get him, Musashi!"
"Yeah, kick my master's ass! That'll teach 'em!"
The peanut gallery's cheers weren't exactly helping my concentration. Between dodging Musashi's relentless attacks and trying not to get cleaved in half by a woman I'd met maybe an hour ago, I was starting to regret this whole "let's train in the yokai princess's backyard" idea.
"Fight back!" she roared, unleashing a slow, deliberate swing that I managed to duck and roll away from by the skin of my teeth. But then I heard a groaning creak behind me and whipped around to see three trees toppling over, their trunks cleanly severed. That "pathetically slow" swing, the one I could actually see coming, had enough force behind it to clear-cut a small forest.
"Unlicensed deforestation is bad!" I shouted, scrambling to my feet and trying to regain some semblance of composure.
"Shut up and fight!" she charged again, a blur of motion and steel.
"I don't know how!" I yelled in response, throwing up my hands in a desperate attempt to defend myself as her blade hurtled towards me. In my panic, I dropped the magic weight with a thud.
Musashi stopped her swing inches from my face, the force of the air displaced by her halted blade whipping past me and sending me sprawling backwards. I landed in a heap, my heart hammering against my ribs.
"What do you mean you don't know how to fight?" she demanded, her voice surprisingly calm despite the earlier outburst.
I blinked up at her, still a little dazed. "I… well, I haven't really been in a fight since I was a kid," I admitted honestly. "Me and some friends used to, you know, beat up the bullies in the neighborhood. But that doesn't really count, does it?"
"Hmm?" Musashi responded, her voice thoughtful. She glanced at Tohru, a silent exchange passing between them, a brief flicker of understanding. Then, they both nodded sharply at each other, as if coming to a decision.
Musashi's face softened, the earlier intensity fading away to reveal one of the warmest, most relaxed smiles I'd ever seen. It was a complete 180 from the sword-wielding fury of a moment ago. "Well, I guess we'll just have to get you up to snuff then," she said, sheathing her katana with a fluid grace. "Nobody that inherits the kind of power you have, Sacred Gear or not, can live a peaceful life easily. Trust me. I should know as well as anyone."