"Where are we going by the way?"
"My home to meet Sinclair"
"But I told her to meet us after dinner?"
"That was Clair, her twin sister"
"Huh!? You tell me that now?! Urgh! I feel like an idiot. Wait wait wait, why is one Clair... and the other Sinclair?"
"I know, but it's on purpose, you'll understand when you meet her- huh"
"What is- oh"
After turning a small corner, we arrived outside of an odd building. A hotel for couples, and outside it stood a familiar face arguing with a group of teenagers around my age dressed in unusual attire.
Arisu once told me her robes was a combination of a modified white hakama and kimono while describing both in great detail, these guys wore all wore black hakama's with a white crescent moon logo protruding from a similar sword to hers.
Now she was talking to people wearing her worlds clothing, clutching a crying girl to her chest who was wrapped in a towel. Arisu herself was in her adventurer clothes with a brand new scabbard slid through her robes large cloth belt.
It wasn't the one we broke during our fight with Rider, just a plain white wooden sheath.
"Great, him, let's just go another way"
"Don't want to see what Ari will do?"
"No I don't. That guy puts his family to shame, but they can't stop him"
"Yeah but who is he?"
"A blessed little shit and the reason why I hate those powers. You're the first person I know of who isn't one of these fuckers. He can control people by just by touching them, then does whatever he wants. Arisu's next and I'm not interested in watching, I get enough of that crap at home"
"Isn't she your friend?"
She's my sister now too, I'm not going to run away from this... not like I wanted to just leave with Ota or Rider.
"She is... I jus-"
Not once have I seen her turn down a fight, if she knew there was a chance of winning, it would happen. So why is she afraid now? Has she seen it happen first hand? Judging by her very slight shaking it was more than that.
"You can't fight him, his dad is on the council and he-"
"You think all those guys are also under his control"
"No, I've seen him threaten them with it before..."
"So then I might be limited, like he can only do it to one person?"
"..."
"We need to stop this anywa- is this town the size of a house or something?"
"It's not a coincidence, we've been looking for both of you"
"Merrah?"
Stepping out of the shadows and tossing aside her smoke after blowing a ring in our direction, she walked over to us, putting out her cigarette in the process. Instead of her formal purple suit, she wore a large black duster jacket, black gambler hat, black shirt with a vest and black chaps over black pants.
It was like looking at the Yin to Arisu's Yang.
"Huh, those shoes... hold on why are you looking for us? Oh wait, are you two going to do the coins now?"
"You didn't talk to the guards"
Oh, I may of just left instead of waiting to telling them what happened, it kind of slipped my mind in all the excitement and messing up who's who.
"My bad, I'll go back after this"
"No need"
Maybe Clair took care of it then? It's hard to get a read on what Merrah means without using my own blessing, but now I just felt like I shouldn't use it with what that guy does. I felt bad just for sharing a trait.
"Ok, wait aren't you going to step in? Why does no one look out for each other here? Both of you kind of piss me off"
"Don't. She's fine, look out for her"
Merrah's eyes darted between Ota and Ari as I spoke to her, it was then I remembered something that occurred on my boat ride to Broken Blade Fort.
"Does it act like a curse or seal?"
"Yes"
"Fine"
As a group, we all got closer to hear the conversation while staying just out of view. The alleyway was lit from the outside in and was more of a shortcut, than a street, the well illuminated hotel itself as the last 'shop' before housing.
"Stay hidden"
Even though it was midday outside, this entire district was sheltered from both the blizzard outside and the sun.
"But she knows we are here?"
"Not her"
Looking behind I saw Ota walking the other way and applying immense pressure to her own arms, punishing herself. I'll try talk to her later.
"Watching the clan that saved her hurts her"
They saved her? Ten years ago, the riots... Then it must of been this guy's parents-
As I put together the pieces of Ota's relationship and started to realise my mistake of getting upset at her, we go in range to hear Arisu and the thug talk.
"You disappoint me. The Kutsuki Clan would be better off with another heir"
"Huh?! Who do you think you're talking to?"
"A man with wax wings, accelerating towards the sun"
"Is that a threat?! You think you can beat me, an A rank adventure?!"
A rank? He doesn't give off the feeling of someone like that.
Adventures ranks are separated into D, C, B, A and then S. Enda and Merrah are S, with each rank above each other able to take on ten below it and from what I've seen S already has a crazy power difference. But that's just one guild of many and the Hunters guild holds a far stricter ranking system.
Almost all of the S class adventures no longer bother with rank and just let their titles and accolades speak for themselves. Arisu's own rank was simply a question mark, indicating assessment was needed before S rank and above A.
She's very proud of reaching that far up, even if hardly anyone has even heard of that ranking. Her skill is undeniable, but she feels like she should stay A for her lack of strength and vitality.
"Hmmm? A? Don't make me laugh, your father is S, you're C at best"
That really angered the guy as he walked up to Arisu, quill and parchment in hand.
"Sign it slut! I'll beat your ass in a duel!"
"Oh my, you seem to be flying ever closer my dear Icarus"
I quickly whispered to Merrah over my shoulder;
"Is that his name?"
"No, she taunts"
I wasn't going to assume after earlier today. As Arisu took the contract and signed it, Merrah told me to stay put as she stepped out of the shadows and walked in between both parties.
"I will judge. Sportsmanship first"
The boy seemed startled at first at her arrival, giving time for Arisu to fake writing down a signature on the contract paper before handing it to the new judge. After taking time to look over the contract, she spoke up again.
"Interesting. Shake hands then start oh whistle"
They'd both been planning this by the looks of things, or to some part. If anything I'd guess they'd been looking for an excuse.
"It's ok, you see this girl? She's the top ranked hunter in the world, you'll be safe with her no matter what happens ok?"
It was getting hard to see now as both girls blocked either face. Merrah has good instincts however and motioned me to come and stand next to her and the girl she wrapped her arm around to comfort.
Walking up next to them I witnessed the handshake, then they both faced away and took ten steps, during that time Arisu pressed her left hands index finger against her lips then on her right hand.
"Equip yourself Kutsuki"
The boy signalled over one of his henchmen who carried his sword in a long suitcase. Sliding it into his own sash I noticed it was shorter than Arisu's and he wore it blade edge down, causing Arisu to scream internally... I think Merrah also noticed her eyebrow twitch.
"An impressive weapon, forced into a fools hands"
Why, out of everything this guy seems to be doing, did THAT annoy her the most.
"No doubt you want to steal this one too, thief! Now drop that weapon, it's a family heirloom"
"You don't understand do you-"
"I said drop it! That's an order!"
Three events happened at the same time within a single moment.
A high pitch whistle.
An illusion was dispelled.
A horrified face.
The boy now stood before a creature known for their wise and cunning nature, a race of Yokai whose tales had always been intertwined with his families deep history, a Beast-kin species hunted to be enslaved for an unrivalled strategic mind and unparalleled beauty.
It was from these traits she stood there unaffected by her opponents tenacity, a boy who always got his way and took it too far. That boy was responsible for tormenting only a few with his lust, but those who he effected would be scared for life.
For her wisdom, her actions, her empathy, this Kitsune now stood to punish an undisciplined fool in a fitting way. As she drew her sword, tossing her scabbard to the side, the illusions effect fully wore off within that very instant.
They say the tails of a Kitsune show their growth, not in power, but wisdom, and it usually took a hundred years' worth of experience for each and every tail.
Here stood a Kitsune whose soul had yet to reach twenty.
A Kitsune with three tails.
Three tails and a thirst for retribution.