Third person
One week later
A week has passed since Isshin first met the four otherworldly beings in the isolated island of korea. And since then he's been busy making them understand how this world works in exchange for them explaining to him about their world.
The exchange took more time than he estimated as their stories are fascinating so he didn't care about the time to begin with. So now they have started living with Isshin as they didn't have many options to start with.
.
..
….
This morning, however, Isshin found himself facing something altogether different from the usual training and strategy discussions. Ranni, Marika, Malenia, and Melina stood before him, dressed in unfamiliar, modern clothes—though "modern" seemed to be a loose term. Thanks to Bayonetta and Jeanne's questionable fashion sense, the outfits were revealing, bold, and far from what one would expect of these regal women.
Ranni, the cold and detached witch, wore a flowing dress with sheer fabrics that shimmered under the sunlight. Marika, with her divine beauty, donned something that resembled a cocktail dress, the golden hues accentuating her godly aura. Melania's attire was both fierce and elegant, tight enough to showcase her toned physique but with intricate designs woven in. Melina, known for her grim demeanor, looked striking in an outfit that left little to the imagination, though the patch over her eye and her unyielding stance maintained her air of dominance.
Isshin raised an eyebrow as he took in the scene before him. They were undeniably stunning, and the contrast between their legendary status and their present attire was almost too much to process. He let out a chuckle, half in disbelief, half in amusement.
"If the four of you are trying to seduce me…" he began, his voice trailing off as he took a moment to fully absorb the sight. He paused deliberately, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "...Then I have to say, it's working."
The room went silent for a moment as the tension hung in the air. Ranni's expression remained unchanged, her stoic demeanor unflinching, though her gaze lingered on him with a hint of cold amusement. Malenia rolled her eyes slightly, her arms crossed as if unbothered by the situation. Marika's eyes glimmered with a mixture of curiosity and warning, as though considering how seriously to take his words.
"Isshin," Melina growled, her voice low and threatening. "Do not mistake our presence here for a trivial matter."
Isshin raised his hands in mock surrender, his grin never fading. "I'm only joking. But you have to admit, Bayonetta and Jeanne have… unique tastes."
Malenia shook her head and turned toward the door. "We should focus on finding a way back. This world is too different from ours, and our powers are constrained."
Marika nodded in agreement. "Indeed. Time is not our ally here. The longer we stay, the more unstable our connection to the Elden Tree and our home becomes."
Isshin sighed, his playful demeanor fading as the gravity of the
the situation returned. "I'm doing what I can. But in the meantime, we have to blend in with this world. At least for now."
Ranni's ethereal voice broke through the quiet. "A curious thought, to blend into a world so foreign to us. Yet, thou art right. We shall await the moment of revelation, for destiny has brought us here for a reason."
Isshin nodded, his mind already shifting back to the tasks ahead. The women were right—there was much work to be done.
.
.
.
Later that night, under the soft glow of lanterns, the group gathered in a circle on the floor, the air thick with an odd mixture of curiosity and tension. In the center of them, an empty bottle sat, glinting faintly in the dim light. Marika, her ever-serious expression softened with a rare hint of curiosity, glanced at the bottle. Her voice was quiet, almost hesitant, as she asked, "What's this game called?"
Isshin, sitting cross-legged and far too pleased with himself, leaned back against his hands, his grin spreading wide. His tone was casual but carried an unmistakable edge of mischief. "Truth or Dare," he answered smoothly. "If the bottle lands on someone, and it points to you—" he gestured with a lazy flick of his wrist, "—you get two choices. Truth, where you answer whatever question is thrown at you, or Dare, where you do whatever the person asks." His eyes glinted with amusement, as if he was already imagining the chaos to come.
Melina, ever the skeptic, folded her arms tightly across her chest, her expression one of thinly veiled suspicion. "And what happens if we don't want to do either?" she asked, her voice low and challenging, clearly not one to be taken lightly.
Isshin's grin only widened at her question. He held up a glass bottle filled with a dark, amber liquid, its aroma pungent and strong even from a distance. "Then you have to drink this."
Marika wrinkled her nose as the smell hit her, pulling back slightly. "It smells… strong," she muttered, her brows furrowed in distaste. She wasn't one for indulgence, and it showed.
Rani, sitting beside her, looked intrigued rather than repulsed. Ever the thoughtful one, she tapped a slender finger against her chin, her eyes narrowing in focus as she considered the possibilities. "So, we can ask anything?" she asked, her curiosity clearly piqued, but her tone still held a calculated, measured quality.
Isshin nodded confidently, clearly enjoying the control he had over the situation. "Yup. Anything." He emphasized the last word, leaving it hanging in the air like a challenge.
The group exchanged glances. Marika's frown deepened, clearly uncertain about getting involved in something so spontaneous. Melina's eyes darted from the bottle to Isshin, no doubt calculating every possible scenario in her head. Rani remained composed, though there was a spark of mischief behind her calm demeanor, her mind already spinning with ideas.
Isshin, on the other hand, was entirely in his element, eagerly waiting to see how his little game would unfold.