Awaken, my servant.
"Mm… mmh…"
I said AWAKEN! Though the spirit can't exactly yell, its voice echoes through Daisuko's head.
"Fine, fine." Daisuko slowly opens her eyes. The sky is a cool early-morning blue. A chill breeze drifts over her face. Slowly, wrestling against the urge to go back to sleep, she sits up.
Your king desires breakfast. Make me an omelet with extra salt.
"Yeah yeah, my king this, my king that, but hah! I spoke with The Lady of Osaka and she said you weren't King Arthur."
Oh ho? You're the one who said Clarent was King Arthur's sword.
"True but that was just a hypothesis. Now, I've finally figured out your identity."
What is it? Who am I?
"Nope, I'm not saying."
This insolence!
"I'll tell you tomorrow. If you're a good boy, that is."
You cur! You will pay for this!
"That doesn't sound like the voice of a good boy."
…Tsk. Fine. You can have whatever you want for breakfast. Your faithful servant will tag along.
"Very good." Daisuko sets off towards the car. She picked up enough assorted meals to last a few days at a convenience store the day before. Just enough until this war is over. Probably. Now that she thinks about it, she's been under the assumption that this whole thing's going to blow over in a few days. Just how long did The Lady of Osaka intend to fight this war, anyway?
"Leave me alone for a bit. I'm going to the bathroom."
I suppose I can't argue. I'll go back to Oka's body for now.
You awake?
"I am now." The spirit slowly opens his eyes. "What's troubling you?"
Just… stuff. If you don't mind, could you pilot my body for today? I'm not feeling well.
"It's alright. Take as much time as you need."
"Yo. You're up early." Daisuko approaches the spirit with rice balls in her hand. "Want one?"
"Thank you." Oka hadn't bothered to eat dinner the night before, opting instead to fill her stomach with sake. Fighting off the mild headache plaguing him, he sits up and takes the rice ball from Daisuko's outstretched fingers. He eyes it curiously, wondering what that clear stuff around it is. Ah– plastic. Based on Oka's memories, it seems you remove this stuff before eating. "This green stuff is seaweed?"
"Yeah."
"Interesting." He bites into the rice ball, the seaweed crinkling all the while. After a moment's chewing, his eyes light up. "This is good."
He takes another bite. "This is really good! What is this?!"
"Shrimp with mayonnaise."
"What is mayonnaise?"
"It's…" Daisuko whips out her phone and searches it up. "According to the dictionary it's an emulsion of oil, egg yolk, and either vinegar or lemon juice which doesn't sound… right. Mayonnaise has egg in it?" Daisuko's face wrinkles. "Gross."
The spirit shrugs. "It tastes fine to me."
"Yeah, it tastes great but I just… did not know there was egg in it." Daisuko shakes her head. "I'll never trust anyone again."
"More for me." He smiles as he finishes his rice ball. "May I have another?"
"Sure, we've got plenty." Daisuko sets down the rice balls by his side. "I'll just leave these here. Feel free to take another one but the rest are for the others. I'm going to go on a long drive around Ozawa, see what my nose picks up. I'm putting you in charge for now."
"Why me?"
"Because Iko probably has a hangover, I don't trust Valeriya, and Klara's still asleep."
"Process of elimination. A wise decision."
"Aight, see you around." Daisuko waves as she sashays out the dojo and into her car.
"Breakfast." Iko hears Oka's voice as he places two rice balls on the table next to her. She raises her head for a moment to at least look him in the eye before going back to staring at the floor.
"Thanks." It comes off ruder than she intends to be. Her mouth feels like it's filled with cotton and her head is pounding. Iko cracks open a can of lemon soda and downs it in one go. They're supposed to help with the morning after. Sadly, Russian blood only helps with holding her liquor, less so dealing with the aftermath, especially not with the better half of a sake bottle.
"Do you drink often?" Oka asks.
"I tried not to when I was younger. I have no such reservations now."
"Fair enough."
Iko shoves an entire rice ball into her mouth in one go. Salmon mayonnaise. Her favorite.
"Mmm. Your sister has good taste."
"Oka's still resting. She entrusted her king to take care of her body in the meantime, so here I am."
"Good to hear." The lemon soda finally kicks in, alleviating the hangover. Iko sighs and lies back down on the floor. "I'm going back to sleep."
Still tired?
"Yeah. I don't think we'll be getting much sleep once this war kicks off properly. We might as well get some rest in the meantime. Ain't that right, Klara?"
"Zzzzzz…" Klara lies still in her futon in a sleep like death. The only sign of life coming from her are her little kitten-snores.
Valeriya kneels inside one of the empty dojo rooms, eyes closed, hands neatly folded on her lap. A sight that's almost holy in appearance. Soft footsteps creep into the room. Opening her left eye, she sees a hand set down a pair of onigiri next to her.
"Breakfast."
"Who am I speaking to?" Valeriya says without opening her eyes.
"Your king." The spirit crosses his arms. "And you are…?"
"You can call me Jet." She opens an eye and looks at him, trying her best to be mysterious. "I'm also a swordswoman."
"Fascinating." The spirit raises his hand and conjures his longsword. "I wouldn't call myself a swordsman, but I did know my way around a blade when I was alive."
"That's a fine blade. I'm not familiar with handling European swords, though."
"Perhaps I can teach you a thing or two?"
"Sure, why not."