Mikage
Upon hearing that comment from her crush slash mate, Sally, Mikage was totally blushing and playfully hit Sally’s shoulder. She was hiding how red her cheeks were flaming up.
“Oh, I did not do that to impress anyone or you…but can I get a reward for that?” Mikage rolled her eyes as she went on walking but then, shyly asked about some rewards for what she did there.
“No, unless you perform well on your training, I’ll give you plenty of rewards then.” Sally leaned closer and whispered her direct response which made Mikage blush more. The way she blushed was totally different due to the closeness of Sally’s face to hers. It was making her heart rate increase but she was trying her best to just let it be and ignored what effect Sally can send on her.
“You just ruined my mood…but fine, I will do that…” but Mikage sighed upon recalling her other training which she thought that she’s already graduated but technically it was not. It was just a start. Yet, she kept her word even though she complained and whined a lot about it.
“Good to hear.” Sally smiled as they both walked down the hilltop from the shrine when Sally felt the right place to do something - meditation.
“Let’s try on doing the usual meditation over here.” Sally pointed to Mikage a peaceful side in the middle of the slop of the hilltop shrine.
Mikage watched Sally go to the woods slop of the hilltop shrine of the family estate. She was wondering what Sally meant by it.
“Wait, right now? I thought it’ll be later tonight?” Mikage was confused since she thought that her meditation will take place later tonight and yet, she still tailing Sally.
“You will still do that. But what I saw there earlier, you can be flexible in meditating.” Sally stopped in her tracks and turned around to meet a puzzled expression of Mikage.
“What do you mean? I don’t get it.” Mikage almost looked like a pouting kid when she asked Sally about it.
Then she looked at their surrounding, it was typical breathable woods where sunlight still can be seen but there was something else around them. Mikage could sense that there was some energy that was flowing around which made her look at the masked Sally.
“Hm, your mother was good on those times that she gave to you that’s why she was out of the estate in those particular times to tame or seal beasts around. But if I am going to base on what I’ve witnessed and felt there earlier with you, there’s no specific time to meditate. You can control your familiar at will even without summoning them.” Sally caught the interest of Mikage when she tried to briefly explain to her what she just meant.
“That’s easy.” Mikage said proudly yet she felt that there was something else that Sally still wanted to tell her.
“Well, for others not. The strong bond between master and familiar was really hard to obtain but to you, it was easy. Not because your mother’s daughter but because you possessed that made your familiar obey you and even let themselves help you without summoning them.” Sally explained more to her and Mikage wondered about what power she possessed for her familiar easily to obey her.
“What is that I possess?” Mikage wondered as she went closer to a certain tree behind Sally. She placed her hand over it and felt a very calming energy coming out from it that made her smile genuinely.
“Strong will and kind heart. You always see goodness in their hearts.” Sally smiled beneath her mask when she saw what Mikage was doing. She knew that Mikage was feeling the energy of the tree before her.
“But I know not every monster or beast there had it.” Mikage sighed as she turned to face Sally before leaning her back to the tree that she just touched.
“I know which I know you’ll be great on taming one.” Sally said as she could see the undeniable potential radiating around Mikage.
“Why I’ve got the feeling that it will be a difficult task?” Mikage released a heavy sigh which caused Sally to chuckle as she approached Mikage’s spot.
“It will be if you won’t get used to it at all.” Sally put her hands over her arms and made a soothing motion to reassure her that it will work out just fine - Mikage just had to believe that it will be.
“Fine. I will meditate here. But don’t leave me.” Mikage took her seat beneath the tree and looked hopefully at Sally.
“I won’t. I will guard you up from the tree.” Sally pointed her index finger up to the tree behind her.
“Why do you need to be there?” Mikage wondered why Sally has to do that.
“I don’t want to affect your meditation with my presence.” Sally honestly informed her that she might disturb her mediation if she was being sensed. Sally had her own monster side that might be a cause of distraction from Mikage’s mediation.
“Ohh, okay that’s a fair reason.” Mikage understood what she meant there since there were times that she could feel powerful energy that was radiating around Sally. Especially when she talked to Sally’s other side named Serene.
“I know. Go ahead and settle yourself. Remember, this was just a practice for later.” She ruffled slightly the head of Mikage who blushed. But if others do that to her hair, she’ll be sending that person to the moon with one punch to the face.
“Okay, thank you.” Mikage blushed as she thanked Sally for staying with her while she meditates.
“No problem.” Sally shakes her head and gave Mikage one last pat over her shoulder before she went up to the tree.
Mikage took a deep sigh and started settling herself into a very comfortable position. When she finally find it, she went on closing her eyes and relaxing her entire body. She started by letting her mind be freed from any noises in the background or some images in her mind. She cleared it off and in every breath that she took in, she slowly released them until there was something opened in her mind’s eyes.
“Wha-where am I?” Mikage wondered where she was because what she was seeing was totally different from what she know.
Mikage was still in the same place but it was different. Different in a kind of way that everything was just either dead or burning. The tree’s leaves were burning and the ground was filled with bloody mud and some bones were scattered around. It frightened Mikage but being the curious cat that she’s always been, she was more focused on knowing where she was. She tried to move away from her spot and every step she takes up to the hilltop staircase was really familiar to her.
“So much like our estate. Different. Ruins. Flames and blood everywhere…” Mikage muttered to herself and when she reached the top, she saw a ruined shrine.
But that was not the only thing that she saw around the shrine. She saw different monsters and beasts looking at her as prey to devour. She did not care about them but she kept walking toward the shrine as if it was calling her until those monsters around and beasts started walking. They started on approaching her until she started to jog before running fast as she could because she was a portion of food to them.
“FUCK! SO MANY!” Mikage clicked her tongue as she cursed at what was happening to her. But ser recalled that she was not just an ordinary human being because she was a shrine maiden and mate of Sally.
Mikage stopped in her tracks before she could even step on the stair of the shrine when she turned her heels and lifted her both hands. She went into her serious mode which she immediately started to radiate in such power and summoned her familiar without calling their names. Silver fox and a spider queen immediately showed up which frightened the small prey monsters and beasts that were after her.
“Show yourself, fire-blood beast.” Mikage firmly said that made everything around her start to crumble and laughter began to echo around the place. Yet, the beast did not show itself but its voice was enough to make the other small beast and monsters hold their ground and not cause a ruckus around.
‘You’ll be a promising shrine maiden. Let’s meet tonight at the more appropriate time, young Mikage.’
“Then what should I call you?” Mikage asked with her firm and powerful voice that she never knew that she had in her.
‘Only you know what to call me if you are deserving to wield my power, young Mikage.’
“I see, then let’s meet tonight then.” Mikage sighed as she understood what the beast was saying to her.
‘Go back now or you’ll be their food.’
“I know.” Mikage turned her heels as she went back to where she came from while the monsters and beasts were following her steps but since her familiars were there, they could not do anything much.
But as soon as they vanished and went back to their realms, they began charging at her. Yet, it was too late. Sally’s protection killed some of them and made them vanish like they never existed in the first place which made them stop advancing. Then, when Mikage went back to her spot, she started blinking twice and breathing calmly before she drifted back to their own realm.
“What…where did I go to?...” Mikage was panting as soon as she opened her eyes from her meditation and upon opening her eyes, Sally was already in front of her.
Sally was looking seriously at her as if she was trying to read her like an open book which made Mikage blush from that intense stare before flicking slightly Sally’s forehead.
“I’m okay, but what just happened?” Mikage assured Sally that she was okay while catching her breath till she calmed down before asking.