Mikage
Mikage was lost in her own world while staring over the bead and something began to swirl around her. It was either cold or warm air floating and swirling around her and Sally sensed that which made her pop in front of Mikage and cover her palm. She was being snapped when Sally helped her cover it up which confused her as she did not forget the sensation that she felt there.
“You should not do that without me beside you. Do not open it without me; do you understand my shrine maiden?” Sally was totally firm when she told Mikage not to open the power resting within it. Yet, Mikage could sense the sincere care that was coming from her voice which made her sigh and nod.
“Why do I still need you from studying about that power?” as being the curious cat that Mikage could be, she wondered why her crush, Sally stated it to her like it was very dangerous to open it alone. Then she put the magatama bead over her pocket.
“It’s not just any power that you’ve encountered before and you need my help to understand them.” those words were the only words that Sally could ever tell Mikage as for the moment then just went back to her own track back to the house.
“It was about her, Serene, am I right?” Mikage catch up with her and guessed as she was already walking beside Sally.
“Clever, but if you wish to talk to her about things regarding what she put in the magatama beads, let me finish my report that I have to send directly to Ice regarding my resignation. And I have to talk to your family about my staying here.” Sally might be smirking over the cleverness that lies beneath the curious cat of Mikage but it was totally not showing over her lips. Mikage could sense the fascination that she was feeling over Sally even though it was not showing on her face.
“Oh, that…we’ve just learned that we’re mates…” Mikage realized that she also needs to tell her family about them being mates that they just learned about it.
“Don’t worry about that, it’s not like we’re getting married or something.” Sally just said as they began to pass the tea house garden that was not far from the old shrine and the main house.
“Don’t you want to? I mean not just to be married to me but in general speaking?” Mikage began to be curiously wondered about that idea if it ever occurred to Sally’s mind before.
“If the heavens will then it will be but if not, then I’ll be just focusing on my work.” Sally just shrugged her shoulders as they kept passing the tea house garden. The tea house garden was also like any greenhouse aside from having a table for a tea ceremony or just for a refreshing lounging area as the different flowers were being placed in a radial direction. Then but the center of it there were another old cherry blossoms that made it cozier.
“So, do you want to get to know more?” Mikage was being careful when she asked Sally about it. Sally glanced at her and she saw the timid side of Mikage that she found cute but did not react to it.
“I’ll be in your care then.” Sally just answered that snapped Mikage from being timid and all before looking at her.
“Oh…oh! Hey, that's supposed to be my line too.” Mikage realized what Sally just said made her whine and to Sally, it was a very fascinating transition that was happening around Mikage’s reaction.
“Already taken the worried face you did when I was being locked at the old shrine and even took care of me when I collapse.” Sally cleared what had already Mikage done for her ever since she came into their estate yesterday.
“I already get the picture of you taking care of me.” Sally added in a very low whisper to the ear of Mikage before going back on her track toward the main house to talk to Shinichiro about being Mikage’s protector.
“Teaser!” Mikage shouted as she run once again after Sally who was not walking that fast for her to catch up to her.
“Just around you, I could be one.” Without a touch of firmness or kidding around, Mikage could feel her cheeks heat up when she heard that information from Sally’s mouth. It was indeed happening. Around Mikage, Sally was indeed not like what the huntsmen thought she would be – ice cold or dead fish huntress. She still has a heart that only beats for Mikage as soon as they saw each other.
Anyway, as they were getting close to the main house that was totally made from all different types of woods for house structures with some huge stones for the foundation even though it was indeed a small house. Even though it was indeed a small house, there was a strong vibe of power that was radiating around throughout the perimeter of it and Sally could sense it very clearly.
“Are you intimidated?” Mikage carefully asked when she noticed that Sally halted in her tracks and realized that she could see what was wrapped around the house of her grandfather.
“No, I’ve encountered much worse than this.” Sally reassured her that she was not intimidated since she did not just see it coming that Shinichiro could pull that kind of barrier around their own house.
“So you really see it?” Sally was not surprised to hear a voice that emits the same power that was wrapping around the house. She turned to me an aged lady who was wearing decent Kimono clothing from the Japanese maiden’s Taisho era.
“Grandma.” Mikage called the aged lady who came from behind them.
“Lady Fujishima.” Sally politely greeted made the aged lady shake her head and went closer to the entrance door of their house.
“Just call me Iori.” She introduced herself to Sally while showing her genuine smile.
“Yes, Iori. I could see them and do you want me to be honest?” Sally returned the smile and informed her that she could see them very clearly. It was a very powerful mist with lightning or vein-like wrapping around the house in such a protective manner.
“Should we be worried about you now?” Iori asked in her teased tone that made Sally shake her head.
“You should be guarded but don’t worry because I am here for something else.” She corrected the aged lady who just opened the door and not to Sally surprised, she could sense Shinichiro was already behind the door.
“And what that be?” Shinichiro asked as soon as the door was opened by his wife. They entered the house first aside from Sally who firmly looked at Shinichiro before responding to him.
“Shinichiro, let me go under your direct training to be the shrine maiden’s protector.” Sally went straight to the point and he just studied her carefully before smirking.
“I see. Come and let's see how you would do.” Shinichiro waved his hand and cued something and Sally sensed it.
“Do what, grandpa?” Mikage asked her grandfather while she was still at the doorframe of their house when Sally immediately grabbed her out of there.
Sally
Fujishima Estate: Shinichiro’s Household
Morning – 9:30
They might be talking about Sally being Mikage’s protector when she could sense one stun arrow aimed at Mikage. Once she saw the wave of the hand of Shinichiro, she already knew that it was the start of her test and shot at Mikage. Sally quickly grabbed Mikage’s wrist and even pulled her into her arms before turning to the left followed by letting go which made Mikage twirl like they were dancing. Then Sally snapped her fingers that made the bells around Mikage to ring in such noise that stirred anyone who can hear them in pain.
“What’s going on?” Mikage was totally in a panic since she could not sense any danger around her until she felt something in her pocket that made her recall the magatama bead that Sally just gave to her.
‘Hold onto it. You will see something.’
Sally heard what the familiar of Mikage just told its mistress and when she does that, Sally smiled and snapped her fingers once again. She wanted to see what her grandfather just did to test Sally. When Mikage saw the stun arrow aimed at her, then another two arrows to the wall and three at the ground before now another one was about to hit Sally. It was not just any attempt energy to test Sally, it was tainted with hatred toward Sally.
‘Make your choice.’
“Soul, don’t make her choose.” Sally stopped the familiar of Mikage on making her maiden to make a choice of who to save or who wasn’t.
‘But…’
“It will just put me asleep.” Sally reasoned as she totally could see that it was just a sleeping poison that she already knew how to handle when it strikes her. Her body can adjust to any poison that entered her body.
‘Decades.’
“As if that will happen.” She was sure of it since her body was being trained to handle anything. She has a very high tolerance to any poison within her body.
“ENOUGH OF THIS NONSENSE TEST, GRANDPA! AND YOU! DON’T YOU EVER DARE LAY ANY FINGER ON MY WOMAN OR ELSE I WILL KILL YOU ALL! I WON’T CARE IF YOU’RE A FAMILY OR NOT, I WILL ANYONE WHO HURTS MY SALLY!” but Mikage had enough of what she saw and released her power that made the knights and some servants fall from their hidden spots. They were all groaning in pain, particularly at the only man who was indeed trying to end Sally. Sally knew that intention as well.
‘Oh, snap, that’s hot.’
“Shut up, Serene but I agree with you.” Sally rolled her eyes when she heard that side comment of the beast within her when they saw on how pissed Mikage could be. Not to mention how territorial she could be around her.
They were all stunned but they all politely nodded in understanding despite the mixture of fear particularly the man who tried to kill her. Sally put her hand over the shoulder of Mikage who snapped from her anger that she did not know where it came from.
“You’re maiden could not kill you but my power around her will, so don’t provoke my protection around her if you want to live at ease around her.” Sally informed the man who tried to kill her as she was letting her thumb to soothes Mikage’s shoulder.
“You did what?” Mikage sounded surprised at what Sally just said there since she did not know what does it mean until she recalled what she told her earlier – don’t open it without her help. Sally sense the gratitude look that was coming from Mikage which made her heart does its flipping. But knowing her, it was not totally showing on her face at all.
“Shinichiro, don’t test me regarding protecting your granddaughter. Just teach me what I need to know about the works of the shrine maiden, so I can protect her the way a maiden should be protected.” Sally went to the point where she really after because she knew there was a different way of protecting a maiden than protecting the person alone. Meaning to say, Sally needs to know how to protect Mikage when she was in her shrine maiden duty.