Human World, Japan, Kuoh.
After the school day ended, like always, everyone either went home or attended their club activities. And in the MMA Club, the club members had their first taste of Scathach's teaching methods.
First of all, instead of form training, there was a lot more sparring involved in Scathach's training schedule.
"Why are we sparring?" One of the MMA Club's female members asked when Scathach told them about the changes she would be making to their training program. "I mean, it's not like we're interested in fighting. We just want to be able to protect ourselves."
Scathach nodded her head at the girl's question. Things in the modern era like this were taking some getting used to. In her day, no one would learn fighting techniques if they had no interest in using them. But in a peaceful era like this one, she could understand, slightly.
"I think I know what you mean." Scathach said while nodding her head. "You want to be able to protect yourself, that makes sense. But if you were to be attacked without any experience in using the techniques, would you be able to protect yourselves with what you learned?"
To that question, the girl who asked the question and all the other girls who were also confused about the sparring sessions that were added to their training schedule did not know what to say. They understood that Scathach was trying to enable them to protect themselves better. But at the same time, as girls of the modern era, they were afraid of the pain and bruises that sparring would inevitably bring.
Eventually, Scathach was able to convince the girls to spar. Time would tell how well they would be able to protect themselves, if necessary, though. More importantly, Scathach did as she did with the P.E. classes with the supernatural members of the club. She forced them to wear seals much like James and Cu Chulainn did before they graduated from her training. That did not include just the regular members of the club either. Shuna and Mio also had to wear those seals for the duration of the time they spent in the club.
And just like that, Scathach's first day at Kuoh academy came to an end. After returning home, Scathach was seated with the rest of the Alaverus mansion's residents watching television in the living room.
"So, how was the school experience, Master?" James asked with a smile. "What did you think of this era's youths?"
"Weak, unfocused, and unambitious." Scathach replied flatly. "But I must admit, life seems to be much more enjoyable than the struggles people went through back in my era."
"Well, the advances in technology will do that." Shuna said softly.
"That is true." Scathach replied with a nod.
"Anyway, Scatti." Leona said, inserting herself into the conversation. "I think you need to go shopping. I mean you have clothes to go to work in, but you don't have anything to wear on days you don't have to work."
"I do not find it necessary to have so many sets of clothing." Scathach refused.
"Absolutely not." Leona said vehemently. "As a woman, you have to take care of your appearance. Isn't that right, James?"
"I won't go as far as to say that women need to dress up and what not." James replied to his mother. "But I think you would look nice in some casual clothes. I mean it would be a waste of your beauty to wear nothing but track suits."
Hearing James comment, Mizore, Moka, Shuna, and Shion nodded their heads in agreement. Even though Shion was not all that interested in fashion, she too thought it a shame that Scathach did not dress up a little more. And seeing that she was outnumbered, Scathach decided to give in.
"Fine, if you all say so." Scathach said. Then, she looked at James. "Since you think I should dress differently, my disciple, I would assume you intend to accompany me on a shopping trip, correct?"
At that moment, James froze. He was unsure if Scathach was one of the dreaded shopping demons. But his instincts were screaming at him. Unfortunately, because he was one of the instigators, he could not deny Scathach's request. Not this time at least.
"Of course." James said in a theatric tone with a bead of sweat running down his forehead. "I would be honored to accompany the lady."
Seeing the sweat on James' forehead, everyone was doing their best to hold in their laughter. Over the years, James has made no effort to hide his fear of shopping with women. However, this was one time that he could not run. Cu Chulainn, on the other hand, was laughing hysterically on the inside.
'Finally, I get to see you be sacrificed to the shopping demons.' Cu Chulainn thought to himself. 'And my instincts are telling me that Master is the Shopping Demon Lord. I look forward to your suffering, James.'
Just as Cu Chulainn finished with that thought, James happened to look in his direction. As they made eye contact, Cu Chulainn smirked. Then with his eyes, he said: "Finally, karma has come to bite you on the ass."
Understanding what Cu Chulainn was saying with his gaze, James' grit his teeth. Then, he replied with his own gaze.
"Don't worry, Lancer." James said with his gaze. "You'll get what's coming to you for mocking me."
Cu Chulainn only looked at James disdainfully before they both broke eye contact simultaneously.
"Enough about shopping." Shion said energetically. "Master Scathach would you mind sparring with me? I really want to improve my sword technique."
"I don't mind." Scathach said calmly before she rose from the sofa and began to walk toward the backyard.
"Yes!" Shion exclaimed before she also stood and hurried to follow Scathach.
The rest of the group simply watched Shion and Scathach leave. Then, Leona, Mizore, Moka, and Shuna turned their attention to James.
"So, this will be your first date with Scatti, right?" Leona asked excitedly.
"I don't know if I can call this a date." James said with a wry smile. "I mean if Master doesn't see it that way, then I'd look dumb making a big deal about it by myself."
"Yeah, you're probably right." Leona replied. "So, go ask her."
"Nah." James replied. "I don't remember the conversation very well since I was barely conscious. But I'm fairly sure I said I would give Master the time to consider if she wanted to be part of my harem or not."
"You already talked to her about that?" Leona asked with shock in her tone. "You're braver than I thought."
"Yeah, now that I think about it." James said as cold sweat formed on his back. "I was lying with my head on her lap at the time, too."
Even though they were shocked at James' audacity. They were more surprised that Scathach would ever give him a lap pillow in the first place.
"When did that happen?" Moka asked curiously.
"It was our last night in the Land of Shadows." James replied.
"Is that why she told me that she would take care of you that night?" Shuna asked absent mindedly.
"What do you mean?" Mizore asked.
"Well, if you remember, I was the last of us to return to the common room in the castle, right?" Shuna asked, prefacing the comment she was about to make. "When we all left to go back to our rooms, Master Scathach told me to get some rest and that she would take care of James that night."
Everyone widened their eyes when they heard Shuna's story.
"And when I said I would be fine taking care of James." Shuna said with her cheeks beginning to redden. "She insisted that I needed rest more than anyone."
"Wow, Scatti is sneaky." Leona said with a mischievous smile.
The other girls nodded in agreement. Even James was beginning to realize something. Noticing that James fell into a state of contemplation, Leona and the girls turned their attention to him, determined to hear what he was thinking.
"So, she wants me to take the initiative, huh?" James muttered to himself.
"It looks that way." Leona said.
Then, the room fell silent. Meanwhile, Cu Chulainn looked at the whole situation in confusion.
'How did James go from being a sacrifice to the shopping demons to going on a date with Master?" Cu Chulainn wondered to himself.
"Anyway, we'll have to worry about a date with Master after the alliance treaty is signed." James said with a smile. "I would hate to have to kill someone because they ruined our date."
Even though James was smiling, everyone present knew that he was in no way joking about killing anyone who would interrupt their date. So, instead of commenting on the statement, they all simply nodded their heads. At the same time, Mizore, Moka, and Shuna thought that James' domineering attitude was hot. Eventually, Shuna spoke without thinking.
"I wanna go on a date, too." Shuna said absent mindedly.
The room fell silent again after Shuna's utterance. Then, noticing that everyone was looking at her with gentle smiles, she turned tomato red in an instant.
"I was wondering when she would make her decision." Leona said.
"Yeah, I held off on making a move because I could tell that she was unsure." James said with a nod. "I guess I gotta plan two dates now."
"Shuna's so cute." Moka said.
"Yeah, she's, like, totes adorbs." Mizore said excitedly.
With everyone commenting on it, steam began to rise from her head. Then, Shuna fainted and slumped onto Moka who was sitting next to her.
"Maybe that was a bit too much for her." Leona said as she smiled at the now unconscious Shuna.
"You think?" James asked as he rolled his eyes.
Then, James stood and walked toward Shuna. When he arrived in front of her, he reached down and picked up the Oni Princess in a princess carry. Then, he walked her up to her bedroom.
"I'll put her to bed." James said while walking up the stairs.
As James carried Shuna up the stairs, Leona, Mizore and Moka went back to watching TV. However, Cu Chulainn was completely gob smacked.
'Why is it so easy for him?' Cu Chulainn wondered to himself. 'I mean it felt like I had to do everything I could think of to just get with Tsubaki. Trying for more would be too much. But James doesn't even seem to be trying. Why is life so unfair?'
Naturally, no one knew what Cu Chulainn was thinking. However, even if they did, they would just roll their eyes at him. It is no secret that Cu Chulainn had the habit of sticking his foot in his mouth. So, of course he would have problems getting girls to like him.
A few minutes later, James climbed back down the stairs alone. Then, he took his original seat and looked at everyone before speaking.
"We need to step up our training again." James said with a completely serious tone. "I mean the Khaos Brigade attacked us once. Luckily Ajuka was there. But if he weren't, things would have been much worse."
"But you could have taken that Old Satan guy, right?" Mizore asked curiously.
"Probably." James replied. "But I doubt he's the strongest member of the Khaos Brigade."
"James is right." Cu Chulainn chipped in. "Plus, there's no chance that We'll always be together when they attack."
Hearing that reasoning, Mizore and Moka began to think about it more deeply.
"And since Ri Ri and Sona asked Master to help in their training, I've decided that we will train jointly from now on." James said resolutely.
Hearing that, Mizore, Cu Chulainn, and Moka nodded in agreement.
"Oh, my baby is turning into a leader." Leona said with a smile.
James turned his head and looked at his mother helplessly.
"Mom, do you have to kill the mood like that?" James asked.
"Of course not." Leona replied with a smile. "But the look on your face makes all my efforts worth it."