Fujishima's Maiden 16: Don't Let Them Take Me!

Mikage

Being stunned, shocked, and amused by what just happened there, Mikage never thought that Sally could be that fast when she defended her from those arrows. Yet, she was confused as to what really just happened which made her look between Sally and her grandfather. There was tension between their gazes and she did not like it one bit as it was getting on her nerves. She did not like it when she felt more lost than she was expecting when she heard them talk about how Sally was protecting her.

“Alright, can somebody tell me what just happened here? And why Sally says that you’re testing her, Shinichiro?” Mikage firmly demanded to her grandfather who released a heavy sigh when he heard her tone. She does not call anyone with respect whenever she was being in her demanding mode and they all knew about that side of her. It was one of Mikage’s imperious sides that they could not deny when they heard that tone, just like her mother's.

“Mikage.” Iori, her grandmother warned but she just rolled her eyes as if she was in bitchy and stubborn attitude again.

“Don’t worry about it. She was being in a demanding attitude. Come inside and let’s talk privately.” Shinichiro already knew that Mikage need some explanation regarding what just happened there and he has to comply because Mikage could snap if her demand was not being listened to. Indeed like Sawako whenever her husband was around her.

“Better.” Mikage released a sigh then grabbed Sally’s wrist and dragged her inside the house.

Inside the house was the typical layout of a traditional small Japanese home but something Sally noticed around – the appliances were totally modernized already. Mikage nudged the sides of Sally but before she could hear the response of her crush, the voice of her grandmother echoed in the background.

“Mikage.” Iori warned her granddaughter again.

“Sorry, can’t help it, grandma, I am pissed.” Mikage apologized as soon as all got inside yet she was totally blunt about what pissed her.

“Right, then taiyaki will help.” Iori grinned as she knew well how to calm her granddaughter’s irritated mode.

“YEY! TAIYAKI!” Mikage seems like turned into a child as she hopped like a bunny tailing her grandmother toward the kitchen.

“I know it’s one of your favorites.” Iori chuckled as she pointed out to Mikage that it was one of her favorites sweetened snack

“You’re the best, grandma!” Mikage chuckled as she agreed with her while they started preparing a snack before lunch.

“Glad to know.” Iori began to prepare the tea while Mikage put the taiyaki over the plate since it was just being warmed already.

“How about me?” Mikage heard the voice of her grandfather who rolled her eyes since she was still pissed off at what he just did outside of their home.

“No, when you tried to kill me and Sally.” Mikage pointed out that her grandfather looked at her in surprise that she knew about it.

“How did you know?” Shinichiro wondered how his granddaughter knew about it and asked it.

“Soul and Sally showed me.” She honestly responded to the wondering and curious voice of her grandfather.

There were no more words were being heard between the three of them while they were all waiting for the tea to be served. Yet, the looked-over Shinichiro was totally hitting Sally’s way and Mikage took notice of it since she was being sensitive whenever it comes to Sally’s matter. She could sense it if something was not right around Sally or the situation around her.

“One more look, you won’t be able to drink your tea.” Mikage warned her grandfather which made her grandmother snap as she put down the tea without spilling some.

“Enough and show respect, Mikage.” Iori shouted at her granddaughter to show some respect since Shinichiro was still her grandfather.

“How can I when he looked that way to my woman?!” Mikage accidentally mentioned indirectly about the two of them being mates.

“Your woman?” Shinichiro wondered what it meant.

“We’re mates but we’re still not talking about it much.” Sally honestly answered the aged couple and grandparents of Mikage after sipping her tea.

“I see another reason why my granddaughter became short temper when the matters were all about you. And you wanted to be her protector because of this matter?” Shinichiro smirked and Mikage did not like that at all since she was blushing over her temper that she could not hold whenever she was a the edge of snapping.

“No, and soon enough you will understand why I asked that, so would you train me or not?” Sally was being polite when she responded and even asked Shinichiro in return.

“I can’t give you the answer you need because you’re not telling yourself the reason why stay and be the protector of Mikage as the shrine maiden.” Shinichiro gave his words and Sally understand that to which she nodded and accepted his reply.

“Fair enough, then I’ll be excusing myself then.” Sally politely excused herself to leave the house which Mikage was suddenly confused about.

“Where are you going?” Mikage went to tail her toward the front door which made Sally stop as she started wearing her shoes again.

“I’m leaving.” Mikage did not like her answer and she could not suddenly read the flow of Sally’s energy which made her really feel hurt. She does not understand well why she was suddenly feeling hurt when Sally said that.

“I thought you were going to stay with me after all you already filed your resignation and your team already left you here.” Mikage wanted to know why Sally was leaving her when she heard what Sally promised to her. She was totally confused and her heart was totally beating hard which made her clenched her chest.

“I’m leaving the house of your grandparents and heading to your parents. Lady Sawako, your mother wanted to talk about something to me and your father wanted to know how I minimized the causalities around when tons of beasts came last night.” Sally turned as she felt something was not right coming from Mikage and cleared what she was saying. She indeed needed to meet Mikage’s parents since they were having a meeting at lunch.

“Ahh…okay, let’s go then.” Mikage grabbed Sally’s arms and was about to drag her out of the house but she halted when Sally reminded her of something.

“Aren’t you supposed to be in training with your siblings?” Sally reminded Mikage who suddenly went into her frozen state and faced her.

“Ahm…” she was trying to say something when the door of her grandparents’ house suddenly opened and warning energies from her siblings began to radiate from the doorway.

“Don’t try to reason with your lover girl.” A teasing voice from to the person she knew well that easily got on her nerves was her only brother, Toshi.

“I AM NOT!” Mikage easily defended yet her face was totally flushing like a tomato.

“Finally, let’s go, and thank you, Sally, for sending us your crow.” Yumiko reacted and even thanked Sally for letting them know about the whereabouts of their younger sister.

“Crow?” Shinichiro reacted with puzzlement around Sally's abilities.

“Wait! Don’t let them take me. I don’t want to train. I need some rest. Sally!!!!” Mikage started whining as her siblings caught her arms and dragged her away from their grandparents’ house and Sally's.

“See you later, my little maiden.” Sally smiled genuinely at her.

“I hate it when you call me that!” Mikage rolled her eyes as she yanked her arms away from her siblings.

“You love it.” Sally retorted which caught Mikage blushing again but she just hide it by being angry.

Mikage was about to say to counter the teasing tone of her crush, Sally when she started sneezing thrice in a row and making her eyes water again. Mikage groaned in irritation while she was being dragged by her two siblings toward their shrine.

Sally

Fujishima Estate: Shinichiro’s Household

Morning – 9:50

As Mikage was being dragged by her siblings, she stood up straight and went outside of Shinichiro’s household before the turned and politely bowed her head to them. They did the same thing and even though, Sally could sense the confusion about what he just heard, she just turned her back on them and automatically a very strong wind began to wrap around her violently. Shinichiro was about to give a helping hand to Sally but when the wind turned into a soul beast that formed into a white tiger, he stopped approaching her.

“Report.” Sally commanded with her imperious voice as she walked back toward the old pathway that Mikage showed her when she walked around the garden that was leading to the rehearsal room.

‘Everything was crystal safe, milady.’

“Good, shall we head to the maiden’s house?” Sally wondered as they started to make their movement as if they were running in such a flash.

‘Sure, I wonder how she’ll react seeing me with you. It will be fun.’

“Careful not to push her limit.” Sally reminded her familiar as they got closer to the perimeter of the house of Mikage’s parents.

‘I know, Sawako, don’t worry. But his father-in-law, I don’t like him at all. ’

“What for?” Sally wondered yet she does not care about it all but knowing her tiger, she’ll be answered even without opening her mouth. Her white tiger was a talkative one but not to the point of revealing any secrets to someone.

‘He made Sawako go into real hard training when she was already an excellent maiden that their family would ever welcome. If only his son was not mated to her, she’ll be in my arms.’

“Are you mates then?” she might be asking but her focus was getting to meet Mikage’s parents.

‘No, but we had a bond that can’t be easily taken away even though we grew apart due to our realms.’

As soon as it was being said, Hiroshi was thrown out of the window and Sawako followed with her raging familiar. Both of them halted and tried to learn what they were doing. Sawako started to charge at her husband who was blocking and dodging the wrath of his wife.

‘This is going to be funny.’