The climate of the weather changed. I could tell from the stuffy smell and the smell of incense that I was back at the mortal realm. All that was left was to remove the blindfold and see I was at the same place. As expected I was at the mortal plain. I went to check on my watch on how long I was gone. But as I checked my wrist, the watch was gone. Seeing that was proof that I just came the heavenly realm. Soon Tyrell approaches me at my line of sight. "You've been at it for awhile." He said. "How was I out?" I asked.
"For a few minutes."
"That long? I thought I was out longer."
"Time in the heavenly plain runs differently compared to that of mortal realm. I guess you can say it barely exist...that's what my seniors tell me."
I look at the corner and find Rebecca sleeping near the arch. We both developed a blank stare at her. "She really gets bored very fast, does she?" I asked. "Staying in one place isn't really her style. If I remember well...the reason why she's in the research team was that she liked moving around and getting occupied." He replied.
"It's really easy to forget that she's like this, huh?"
"Rebecca was always on contract with most of her jobs. However all of them had to do with video games."
Tyrell then give it a lot of deep thought. He nodded as he started to get what was going on. "That explains why she's so gunho about getting a lot of skills." Tyrell points out, "Yeah…she's really getting kicks out of learning a lot of skills from her guild and her books. I guess she's just really bored."
"Ehh…? What are you trying to say?" I asked out of curiosity.
"She's been doing the same thing as you. Gaining skills anywhere and play them as if it's like an RPG." Tyrell replied.
"EHH?! How exactly is she doing that?! But then again...HOW THE HELL IS THAT THE SAME WAY AS ME?!" I overreacted.
"You are both reckless and tend to geek over a lot of things more than you do with me." Tyrell says, "If you weren't so tone deaf with the ladies, I'm sure you would have been a couple by now."
That felt like it pierced my ego. Just to be told that was kinda embarrassing. What did we look like...a bunch of hermits? "Yet didn't the Japanese have a term for that…something like geek?" Tyrell monologues, "Yeah...it was like...shut in...Otaku, isn't it?"
Again my pride was hurt. Tyrell went closer to my face. He then looks at me with a straight face and says, "Richard's right. It's funny to tease you. It's like I can read you like a book." The man started to crack up in laughter as it was getting hard to hold. "Sometimes I wonder if you're part cat." Tyrell added.
The man then directs her gaze at me. It looked very bland and had a bit of disappointment. "Come to think of it...sometimes I wonder where the demon part goes whenever your curiosity comes to play." Tyrell says, "Maybe we should put some cat ears on you and a tail if the theory works." That was an eye opener on its own. Hearing that out loud sent shivers down my spine. 'As if that would happen.' I tell myself, 'Good thing that this isn't an anime.' But my eyes were wide open and my jaws dropped. Tyrell was holding a cat ear headband, pet collar, and tail . "Wait...what are those?" I asked, suspiciously. "Rebecca just wanna see you with these on."
"Then what's with the rope?" I asked frantically.
"Just in case you use magic to escape."
"Like I can! And don't look at me like that!"
"What look?"
"That leering look! It's gross!"
"This is payback for that one time with the bachelor party!"
"How the fuck am I supposed to remember that!"
That's when I decided to run for it. But just under the arch somebody threw a bola at my feet. I fell at the ground hard. Rebecca then woken up with all the noise. She wipes her eyes and tries to take a good image. A blank look came into her eyes. Turns out she was the one who threw it. She then stands up and stays behind me. "You are doing it all wrong." Rebecca mumbled. Without warning the girl started to tickle me from behind. I started to jitter and laugh as Rebecca started hitting my ticklish parts.
But that was when I heard a clicking sound. It turned out to be a pet collar in place around my neck. I took a gaze and all the stuff Tyrell was holding was gone. Which meant the cat tail and ears were already on me and I reacted in shock as I heard handcuffs click. "That is how you do it." She said. Tyrell then starts to look at her impressed. "It looks like you improved with sneaking." Tyrell complemented Rebecca. "Hehehe, now we just have to put on the leash." Rebecca said as she held the rope. But as I stepped back I tripped on my butt. With that, it left me wide open and made me vulnerable. "NOw...lets bag us a kitty cat." Tyrell weirdly uttered. I let out a scream.
It was later that I was tied at my arms and was stuck in Indian sit with my hands on my back. I tried to snap with an ignite spell, but sadly the spell didn't conjure properly. It looks like the rope had anti-magic properties. "I know you want to restrict me from using magic but is this really necessary?" I asked them. "We did warn you not to use magic but you just keep on pushing it." Tyrell told me. "Then why the cat ears?" I asked.
"That was extra for me." Rebecca butted in.
"Then can you take them off?...it's embarrassing." I insisted.
"No way! I've been in a rut in studying those books. I need this!" Rebecca declined.
"Take off the cat stuff! Somebody's gonna get the wrong idea!" I demanded.
It was there that Gram started to wake up from his sleep. He came from behind offering box and slowly stood up and started to stretch. "What the nine realms is going on?" He asked as he awoke. As soon as we were his range of sight, his jaw dropped. He was shocked but soon went sober as he retracted his lower mouth. Gram then lowers down back in the shrine. "Looks like I'm still asleep. Better rest more till I finally wake up." Gram said to himself as he pretended that he didn't see anything. "What the hell Gram! Get me out of this thing!" I shouted.
It was only a few minutes later that I figured out that nothing was going to happen. I was still stuck at my binds, tied up and everybody else was doing their own thing. The girls were talking about the regular stuff while Gram was fixing his equipment for the next hunt. But i soon gave up and decided to humble myself. "I know I'm gonna regret asking this but...why exactly am I still in binds with cat ears and a tail, exactly?" I asked out of spite. "While you were meditating, Richard showed up to check on us." Gram tells me, "He gave us a request while you were in focus."
"And...what were those request?" I asked regretfully.
"I think it went out as…'If Rin does anything applied to magic or is about to, the newbies are free to troll him while or asleep or awake'." Gram told me.
Hearing that ticked a nerve. I think a vein just popped in my body. "If it's a request then why go for it?! Plus I didn't do anything!" I exclaimed. "Yet you were going to read these text weren't you?" Rebecca said as she put some books in front of me. I looked a bit closer and they looked like traditional Japanese books with kanji on them. The title of the book on top read out as 'Basic Onmyoudou Theory and Methods.' Those must be the books Tsukuyomi was talking about, I thought. "Tsukuyomi gave me those books to help me improve with my magic." I answered.
"Yet you were going to use magic to learn, weren't you?" Rebecca wanted to confirm.
"The book on top is the equivalent to a textbook! Books like these don't have spells!" I told her.
Rebecca then takes the book at the bottom and flips a few pages. It revealed a pentagram. "If I remember well the pentagram in Onmyoudou resembles the five elements. Looks like according to the diagram, is some sort of spell. I bet you're just tempted to learn it." She put out.
"All I was gonna do is read them!" I denied.
"Yet you did use magic awhile ago with that jedi mind trick, didn't you?" She asked.
Looks like she got me. I was dumbstruck as I could feel that Luka was reading my face. "I knew it." Rebecca said. I could feel sweat flowing down my veins. "But I was told that using magic won't affect me once I hit the Heavenly plain." I said. "And who said that?" Rebecca asked.
"It turns out some of my reincarnations had experience with gods. Even Hijikata had experience with a god, just no magic." I told her.
"However it looks like you look a lot better now. You look less pale that before." Tyrell pointed out.
Those words clicked onto Gram. The lizardman came closer to me and took a magnifying glass from her bag. The guy starts to pay attention to my eyes and skin. He then takes a tongue depressor and looks inside my mouth. After a final check at my eyes, he folds his magnifying glass and comes with a conclusion. Gram then unties my hands. "Try to conjure a ignite spell with your Magus eyes and light this paper on fire." He told me. I use my magus eye and casted the spell. The sensation of mana started to circle around my hand giving a warm sensation. With a snap of my fingers the mana changed into a physical form and turned into flames and lights the paper on fire. "Looks like the transition of mana looks smooth. If mana spells are good then that should mean the chi spells are good too." Gram said.
"What makes you so sure?" I asked.
"Whether or not you use Mana or Chi based magic, all that matters is whether the caster's body is still fit to conjure. Since your body is able to control mana properly, my guess is your body might be back to normal." Gram hypothesized as he tied my hands back.
"So that's it? All he needed to do is visit the heavenly plain?" Tyrell asked.
"Well… in theory the heavenly realm is pure energy...maybe that energy revitalized him." Gram suggested.
"So basic equivalent to going to church is the same as healing him? That's kinda underwhelming." Rebecca commented.
"Were you expecting something else?" Gram asked.
"A magic circle or something...I guess." Rebecca thought.
"Anyways can we get rid of these binds? I'm getting hungry." I pleaded.
"You did break the rule. But I don't see the point in keeping you like that if you're fully healed." Tyrell thought.
"He isn't fully healed. Rin's body is capable but I think the guy still needs to rest up before we can allow him to use magic again." Gram suggested.
"Then wouldn't it be proper for me to call it a day by heading to an inn and get some rest?" I asked.
"I doubt Rebecca would agree with that." Gram pointed out.
I looked at Rebecca and I suddenly form a confused look at my face. Rebecca had stars in her eyes and looked ecstatic for some reason. It was only there that I noticed that she was reaching for her sketchpad and pencil. She started to breathe heavily and was getting off on this. "Rebecca. Put those things down and untie me." I insisted politely. "Nope! Stand still while I use you as a model. This will only take a few minutes." She insisted. Again the chill at my spine comes colder. I knew what she was about to do but I was trying to deny it. "What are you doing exactly?" Tyrell asked. "I figured since Rin is tied up like this I might as well make him become a model for doujinshi." Rebecca answered.
"Doujin…shi?" Gram mumbled out of confusion.
"They're independent comics and books of drawings done in anime and manga style. They kinda sell a lot depending on the style of the art. They can range from independent, fan fictions, to even art books." Tyrell explained to her.
"Ooohh, come to think of it...there were a few selling at the Moving Quill guild." Gram commented.
"Yeah. They sell anybody's even from outside of their guild. I figured that I might as well give it a try." Rebecca mentioned.
"WAIT?! YOU'RE GOING TO SELL SKETCHES OF ME IN THIS?!!!" I overreacted.
"Nonsense! You're just the model. Of course I'm gonna make something else. I just need to sketch you in a couple of poses." Rebecca assured with a perverted smile.
My face turns red. I didn't know how to react. Cheeks were becoming heavy and I just wanted to go away. But most of all that perverted smile when she draws was creeping me out. But the time I started to move, Tyrell stepped in. "I don't know.. Maybe we should let Rin rest. He probably needs it." Tyrell told her. But as Tyrell about to pull Rebecca away, her eyes were caught in the drawing. It was at first a blank stare but eventually it shifted to fixation as he saw dollar signs. Tyrell then squatted at Rebecca's level and whispers into her ear, "Can you make them more innocent when you start making these?"
"OI! Who's side are you on?!" I exclaimed.
"Hmm...I never expected it to look so professional." Gram commented as he looked at the sketch.
"Dammit Gram! Don't encourage her!" I shouted.
"What? It looks good.". He insisted.
"Besides, there's nothing wrong with a few drawings." Tyrell assured.
"You don't get it! She does erotic ones and sells them at Comic Con! When they were making big buck, she wanted to sell them at Komiket!" I told them.
"Komiket?" Gram asked Tyrell.
"Japan's anime and manga version of Comic Con. They also have a panel for independent creators too. Surprising a lot of them are erotic." Tyrell answered with a red face.
"Oi! Exactly which part of Komiket were you at?!" I asked Tyrell loudly, out of suspicion.
"A friend invited me! I didn't even want to be there!" Tyrell exclaimed.
"Well I don't wanna be here either! Get me out of here or I'll break them myself!" I talked back.
That's when Tyrell takes a good grip on my shoulder. Tyrell then goes closer to me. "Don't you dare brake that! You have any idea how hard it is to weave rope with anti-magic properties!? I was close to depression there!" He threatened in a passive aggressive manner. Hairs started to stand behind my back. I looked away as I saw Rebecca and Tyrell occupied with the drawing. It looks like I couldn't do anything at the moment so I decided to deal with it. "Can't you just take a picture of me instead? What if somebody sees us?" I pleaded. "Can't. Phone died." Rebecca replied.
"Didn't you have a solar panel charger and some power banks with you?"
"Well I can't charge them if there isn't any sun. Unless you can use some form of light magic, you're not getting way from this."
All I could do was sigh. I didn't want to break the rope neither did I wanted to cause a ruckus. The more noise I made, the more I would attract people. On the bright side the shrine maiden put out a sign saying that she was out for lunch. Meaning to say that we were the only ones there. The rest of the shrines were empty and had the same notion as well. At least I didn't have to worry about anybody else. "Alright I'll lend you my extra power bank! For all we know somebody else might be coming along." I told her.
But I spoke too soon as footsteps can be heard behind me. I turned my head, only for the rest of the group to be behind me. Mr. Williams and Magna just stood there in silence as they were confused on what was happening in front of them. Outcomes Richard, not aware what was going on. "What are you guys looking at? We need to think of a plan for tomorrow." He asked. But only when the man turns the same direction as the two of them he starts to react the same way. But that slowly changed a few seconds later. He forms a troll face expression then takes out his phone. With a flash of his phone, my eyes started to lose color as shock started to fill in my head. Richard started to laugh his ass off to the point that he started to fall in the floor. "I know your crew had something on them but this way beyond I was thinking!" He laughs out loud, "All we need now is the ball gag and stripping and it's going to be like an anime!"
My face becomes red with embarrassment and anger. In response I ended up using my telekinesis to lift up a rock then threw it at his head. Richard barely dodges it and turns white. "What the hell Rin! That could have fucking hurt!" He shouted. "Delete that photo before I turn you into a eunuch!" I shouted in Japanese.
"Yeah right! This is a chance of a lifetime!" He laughed in the same language.
The both of us ended up arguing in Japanese the whole time. All everybody else could do was stare as we argue. Most of it being low blows and relating it with our past lives at the Bakumatsu. As both me and Richard started to lash out, the rest of the group were caught staring at the two of us. "You know...I can't help but find this a little familiar..." Magna commented.
"I know...yet I can't point my finger at it..." Tyrell agreed.
"Come to think of it...I think I know." Rebecca mumbled.
"You have an idea?" Tyrell asked Rebecca.
"Shounen, comedy anime..." Rebecca answered blindly.
The whole crowd looked at each other. But they soon rationalized on the similarities and nodded in agreement. "All we have to do is identify the protagonist. It's either the happy go lucky idiot or the emotionally dense one." Magna said. "Either way the both of them are idiots." Mr. Williams added. Everybody started to nod except for me and Richard. We then look at them and shouted, "Don't you guys pair him up with me!"