Zack was waiting in the other room for Miu to be decent. He was being lectured by Octavia when Asami appeared. She ushered them into a room where Miu was sitting up on the bed. Her chest was bound tightly with silk bandages, but her stomach was exposed. Being in this state made Miu feel vulnerable, and one could easily tell from the flushed face.
Zack approached and placed his hand on Miu's stomach carefully. He focused to continue the healing process. She wasn't in danger, but there was still some traces of corruption. Yesterday Zack did emergency healing to reserve enough power to save the others. With free time he wanted to ensure there was no discomfort.
"Thank you," Octavia mumbled.
"Sorry, my hearing hasn't been the same since yesterday." Miu tried to hide her smirk.
"You didn't just save me. We're all alive because of you along with so many others from the badlands. That said please don't make a habit out of it because I heal better than you think." Zack smiled at Miu.
"Ensuring your safety is one of our duties," Miu stated.
"You're not expendable so take better care of yourself." Zack caressed her cheek.
'A risky tactic, but tremendous results.' Asami smiled.
"I can't make any promises." Miu smiled.
Through the shoji, a figure rapidly appeared, and Asami called them in. Standing at the doorway bowing was a woman with glistening blue skin and black spots on her face resembling freckles. As she stood straight you could see the toned thighs that allowed her to hop around with ease.
The kunoichi at the doorway is Amanda, and her family has served the Koga clan for two generations. The toxins secreted from Amanda's body paired with her speed, and shurikens were difficult to counter. Zack had to heal a shinobi who pricked themselves on Amanda's shuriken, and its effects were difficult to mend.
"We have a guest," Amanda announced.
'I was wondering when she would catch up.' Zack smiled as he braced himself.
Helena came charging into the room as she jumped into his arms. After the greeting, she quickly looked him over but didn't sense the same issues from before. She approached Miu nervously and revealed some flowers she gathered from the garden.
"Thank you for helping my papa." Helena offered her gift to Miu.
"Your papa saved us all so we're even, but thank you for the pretty flowers." Miu smiled.
"You're welcome." Helena grabbed Zack's hand.
"Can you walk me back?" Helena requested.
Miu nodded at them to go ahead and given the embarrassed expression she had when they entered Zack obliged. On their way to the garden, a few of the children playing in the streets joined. Walking next to them discussing their training was Ashleigh, and Tanya.
"I can do it without chanting now." Tanya gradually formed her fan.
"I've gotten a lot faster, and I'm doing better with the circles." Ashleigh activated her magic.
Ashleigh began speeding around them as lighting crackled on the ground. Zack examined the spell circles that formed around them. They still required some adjustments, but the speed she wrote them was impressive. They both stood before Zack with their chests puffed out.
"It won't be long before your teaching classes of your own." Zack tussled their hair.
Helena waited patiently for them to finish receiving praise before returning to her papa's side. When Elizabeth was busy Helena would often play with the others. Her favorite games involved the older kids because they allowed her to make use of her abilities. This allowed the bond between Helena, and them to grow.
"Do you like the new school?" Zack asked.
"We've been learning a lot, but I don't like the chairs," Ashleigh stated.
"Vanessa taught a class today, and she promised to come back." Helena smiled.
"They even showed pictures from the otherworld," Tanya told Zack.
'Speaking of pictures I still haven't shown Naomi.'
They were exiting the housing district when Risa ran by with a few of the tanuki children. Chasing after Risa was Felicity, and she was fed up with the games. Felicity sprang off a nearby wall to cut off her escape. Risa motioned the children to safety and faced the bouncing bunny with a smirk.
The children hid in the alleys and placed their hands along the wall. Spell circles appeared in unison and activated at their whim. One produced a chain from the earth that bound Felicity tightly along her waist. The other shifted tiles along the roof that rapidly shot forward knocking buckets off the ledges.
"Not bad, but keep it to the training fields." Zack halted the mud, and swamp water in mid-air.
"Base two." Risa relayed while charging Zack.
Noticing Zack in the way, and their master taking the fall they dashed away. Leaving Risa didn't feel right, but they wouldn't let their master's sacrifice be in vain. Risa stood her ground and hurled enough talismans to fill the street. Zack was indeed a powerful foe, but being half-human was his weakness. Her talismans wouldn't last long, but it would allow a brief moment for escape.
"You've been busy." Zack conjured his spear and created an updraft.
The talismans were all vacuumed up into the sky. Zack pointed his spear in their direction incinerating the talismans in an instant. Risa pointed her palms at the ground as two platforms sprung up. One launched Zack towards the nearby building and the other shot Risa towards the garden.
"Be ready." Risa relayed.
While flying through the air Zack appeared beside Risa catching her by the waist.
"Welcome back." Risa looked up with a smile.
"You can just say hello," Zack replied.
A small band of talismans came flying from the canopy. The students completed their objective and returned to save their master. Zack stopped the talismans, but Risa escaped his grasp as she dove towards the forest. While giving chase he saw the children sliding into a tree, and sensing the magic inside it wasn't from Risa. She dove to safety as the green light faded from the trunk along with their auras.
"Getting her home from here is impressive." Zack glanced into the canopy.
"Sorry for the run-around, but this seemed like the quickest way to get your attention." Kurumi dropped onto the forest floor.
Kurumi was clad in black leather with two daggers fastened to her back.
"Heading out again?" Zack asked.
"Just waiting on Amara. Are you still looking for investments?" Kurumi inquired.
"I'm surprised to hear you interested. We can work out the details when you get back, but in the future, a doll can pass along a message just fine. I'm also pointing Felicity to the real culprit so get a headstart." Zack waved as he walked away.