Sally
Fujishima’s Estate
Dusk – 4:15
The moment just there was totally serene and Sally loved being surrounded by it since it was like it was her first time to feel very at ease and relaxed too which always happened whenever Mikage was around her. It might be too soon for anyone’s sight but to someone like Sally, it was totally different case. It was her first time.
“I hope to see you while I perform.” Mikage sounded hopeful but it was more like she hopes that Sally and her will stay close like how close they were or maybe even more. Sally sensed that.
“Maybe from afar.” Sally only managed to say as they both stopped at the same rehearsal room of the house which was not far from where they suddenly talked privately.
“Fair enough since you have to work by that time.” Mikage released a sigh yet there was still a smile on her face. Sally could sense that Mikage was totally hoping that she was there but she also knew that Sally will be doing her job.
“See you tonight.” Sally just let it be and be polite as she slightly bowed her head and turned her heels as soon as she saw Mikage gets inside the room.
Sally left the place and when she started walking, she knew that part of her was already left beside Mikage until one of her team sent her the coordinates of some strange energy flow that was partially lurking around. Sally found it odd too and she immediately checks on and from the trails that she was taking were the same trails toward the warehouse where the soul beast of Mikage stayed locked up.
“Something was not right.” Sally mumbled to her breath as she bit her quivering left thumb until she saw the aura of the soul beast that was being locked up. She noticed something that was staring up at the dusk sky where the crescent moon was already present.
Sally looked the same way and there she felt something was also looking at her but it was more on telling her to be careful. She released a sigh as she knew exactly who it came from and it was giving her a warm vibe around her chest. She might not be reacting to that feeling since she was just focusing on their assigned task which was to check the surroundings and her team found something odd lurking around the area. Her team was right about the small opening that made her put a microscopic magatama bead. Then she went to the nearest well to the warehouse and it was totally empty but just in case she put the same bead before she went up the hill where the shrine was located.
The shrine was not grand or had too many decorations or being visited every day but it was still neat and well maintained by the family. Even though it was small it was still celebrating a family tradition that was being passed down through generations to keep the family safe from any calamities. As for the family's repayment for the blessings, they offer a dance and food which turned out to be a small festival for the family.
Sally was greeted by some servants and young shrine maidens who were helping around to prepare the ritual dance. She smiled and slightly bowed in acknowledgment of their greetings before she went back on making her rounds. Every check that she did everything seems fine but there was something in her gut telling her that there will be some battle that will cost her something.
After another hour of roaming and checking around the whole estate, she went to where the small van of her team was already being parked at the estate’s parking area that was exclusively only being used by the family members.
“Guys, I’ll be blunt as always, I am not sure if things will escalate and I don’t want you guys to be harmed since you still have something to live with.” As soon as Sally opened the van, she immediately went into serious mode and began her usual pep talk to her team who already knew what she was going to tell.
“Sally…” Onyx, the man in his mid-thirties wanted to cut her off but Sally did not let him.
“Hear me out. I know I’ve been always telling you the same but this time I am not sure if I am going to make it alive or if I still could, I am not sure if I could still come back as a hunter of the Huntsman Quarters.” Sally continued that caught the attention of the four teammates that were appointed and had been working with her for five years already. They like working with her.
“Explain that part.” SAB, the woman the same age as Onyx wondered what Sally meant by that.
“I think you already hear some rumors about me being a Halfling or being alive for quite some time already, well, they were true and the rest of my story if you want to know, asked boss Ice about it.” Sally briefly explained that making them sigh in relief.
“Well, working with you, it’s indeed a rollercoaster ride but it was fun. We love working with you and we already could tell that you’re a Halfling.” Anon, the jolly man in his twenty-eight still grins like an excited child.
“I am not just an ordinary Halfling and I think you would understand why I am chosen to take this and not the others.” Sally tried to reason with them but she only received a genuine smile that made her feel warm that she only felt with them, Ice and Mikage.
“Then it will be our own record.” JC a jolly woman in her mid-twenties commented as she patted the shoulder of Sally, their team leader.
“Sally, whatever happened here, we know why you have to do it. You might be expressionless but you have emotions. I just hope somebody or someone will show you about them what your team was been dreaming of for you. Your happiness.” Onyx reassured her and with their genuine honesty, they suddenly gasped when they saw a couple of tears fall down from Sally’s eyes.
“T-tissue?” JC handed her a tissue made Sally took some before wiping her tears over her face and smiling at them. It was a rare occasion for them to see the sensitive side of their leader but they were not teasing her about it.
“Let’s go to work, it's time.” Sally stated after she saw her watch at six.
“Dang! I forgot to capture her sensitive mode and sent it to the boss.” Anon commented in defeat since that was the first time they saw a few emotions that Sally never let them see until just recently. Sally showed it when their last job almost killed SAB and JC but the mixed of her anger instantly made them finish their job. But they had a hard time explaining it since none of them could exactly tell what just happened or on what Sally just did.
At exactly six in the evening, they went into gearing up and went into their designated post. Even though they were just five members; they were enough to deal with everything that they were really good at. They watched everything in their own perimeter with the activated barriers that they had already set up ever since they were allowed to do so. As for Sally, she made sure the ritual dance of the family will happen with no interruption as she kept everything in watch in her own way.
‘All set here.’
‘I’m on my post and gosh, why shrine maiden has this beautiful figure in the maiden’s outfit.’
‘Shut that perverted mouth of yours some other time, Anon.’
‘You’re just jealous, JC because I’m not flirting with you.’
‘Sally, can I just kill him?’
“If we’re successful, let him have his medicine. Are you already on your post, JC?” Sally shook her head when she heard that kind of exchange from her two usual teammates who were also head-to-head with each other.
‘Yes, boss. Crystal clear.’
‘Same goes around my post.’
Mikage
“Are you ready?” she heard her mother’s voice knock behind the door of the rehearsal room where she decided to change into her traditional shrine maiden clothing.
“A bit.” Mikage just answered as she put on her fox mask before stepping out of the room.
“You are ready.” Sawako was smiling proudly at her daughter as Mikage walked out of the room before she wore her very own colorful fox mask.
“I am not.” Mikage countered as she was sounding like she was whining as they headed to the shrine through their back door access. Some servants were escorting the two shrine maiden toward their family shrine where the traditional dance ritual always took place.
“Sally was already at the shrine.” Sawako whispered to her daughter while they were heading to the shrine.
“Not helping mother.” Mikage tried to hide the excitement of seeing Sally upon hearing those words.
“But it helps you calm down.” Her mother pointed out that made her smile beneath her fox mask.
“Indeed it does.” She agreed as they got closer to the shrine where a designated spot or lanterns ring where being lightened up to her dance floor.
Once they made it, Sawako made her own dance as the preparation for the ritual and the opening of the blessing for Mikage on ascending for passing to be a full pledge shrine maiden. When Sawako dance was done, on cue, Mikage began entering with the traditional dance move. But with a couple of its movement, her sight caught the eyes of Sally who were watching her carefully then the beat of the melody began to change. She began on reflecting what she’s been feeling and she mixed up the traditional fox dance into her very own fox dance. Everyone was stunned by how she gracefully moved and made every edge precise whether a strong end or a soft one. It was totally seen in her movement until the earthly ground began to alarm them. Mikage felt it but she recalled what Sally told her once, that she should keep dancing until she reaches the end and leave everything in her hands. As Mikage kept dancing to her heart’s content through the use of the ritual fox dance that she made her own, where she felt it again. The same energy that she felt when she was rehearsing was already present and it was watching her dance again. Mikage found herself smiling and loving the huge and very dominating soul beast’s energy came out. It was very pleasing to her performance but when she was done with her dance with a bow, a very strong and oddly familiar voice began to echo through Mikage’s hearing.
‘I am very pleased, my young maiden. Like a promise, I’ll be your familiar.’
‘I am very pleased, my young lovely maiden.’
Mikage heard two soul beasts mixed through the silent air as it speaks to her which made her smile but she did not care about much the two voices of soul beasts spoke to her for the time being. Anyway, as Mikage was engulfed with such power by the soul beast from the time she was born, it became her official familiar but there’s also something else that happened. As she was dealing with the familiar contracting with her own soul beast familiar, something began to stir that alarmed everything around them.
‘They felt it.’
“Feel what?” Mikage wondered at her familiar who was growling very deep as it took its flaming form of a fox standing protectively around her.
‘Her awakening.’
“Who?” Mikage asked but before her familiar could answer it vanished making the lanterns begin swaying and a very nasty fallen beast came on showing up trying to break the barrier that was being set up around the estate.
But that wasn’t the only thing that happened. Due to the ruckus of what was happening around the estate because of the sudden attack of the low-class beasts, another powerful energy snapped and roared. Mikage heard it which made her rush to where it was coming from. She doesn’t understand why she was the only one who could hear it. Everything went into defensive mode and war cries but Mikage found that roar was the most important thing to her. In the middle of the ruckus, a sudden explosion happened that made every beast halt and leave the perimeter of the estate. The whole family went to where it fell down and the head of the family wasn’t surprised where it was.
“It's…” Shinichiro was about to say something when the rushing voice of Mikage echoed around them.
“SALLY!” Mikage shouted as she rushed toward the warehouse that was being wrecked by the sudden impact happened. Her voice emits such power and she was being carried with such red and blue flames that came from her soul beast familiar.
Everyone was surprised at what they’d heard from Mikage and still followed her. They indeed saw Sally to which Mikage rush to aid her as she didn’t care about anything else. The next thing that happened was the mask that Mikage was wearing quickly shifted from white to night sky fox as soon as she got hold of Sally’s face with her both hands which reveals what lies beneath it.
“Soul, what’s going on with Sally?” Mikage quickly asked her familiar who she just suddenly called soul. She was totally worried about her well-being and did not mind the detail of Sally’s face at all – for a while.
‘You impressed her with your ritual dance. Remember?’
“I did what?!” Mikage was totally shocked which made her let go of Sally’s face which fell down on the wrecked place - in short Sally’s face hit the ground from that sudden shock gesture of Mikage.