The First Steps

"What's all this, then?"

Jikouji asked as they all assembled in the courtyard and began mounting horses and gathering supplies.

"We're going to see Nii-san!"

Rin shouted, as if that cleared everything up.

"Ho… And why might you be doing that?"

"To tell him off! He's keeping too many secrets from you guys, and from me and Akiko too – we need to tell him to stop being such a schemer, and to trust us more!"

Perplexed, he looked toward Togashi, wondering how all of this came about. The bearded man attempted to fill him in.

"These two young ladies came down whilst we were training to duel us, apparently wanting to prove themselves. And everything else sort of went from there?"

Jikouji shook his head. The vigour of the youth was something that was hard to keep up with, and he struggled to remember a time where he too had such energy.