31 Side-Quest Get!
Sorry about missing an upload, but I accidentally deleted like half a chapter and that shit is incredibly demotivating like you wouldn't believe and kicked me into a bit of a depressive slump for a bit. I'm cool now tho, probably. As well as I can be anyway, my head's all sorts of fucked up lol.
Anywho,
///
On the afternoon of the fourth day, I find myself sitting on my balcony, enjoying the warmth of the sun on my face contrasted with the breeze of passing air as we continue ever onwards towards the capital.
However, I am not merely just enjoying the weather. I am also busy with a small project.
See, in my last life, there wasn't much of anything that I'd accomplished or could be proud of. There is a reason that I very rarely choose to think back to that life. Why I am so content to move on from it and live a new life.
That said, there was one thing. I was quite good with my hands.
I never really made as many things as I really should have, content to waste away my life in front of a screen instead of using my talents to actually create anything. But with the almighty power of YouTube tutorials, I did end up learning a thing or two about making little knickknacks.
I mostly only started learning in the first place because I wanted to make myself a music box after watching Pirates of the Caribbean. Unfortunately, I lack the tools and materials to make music boxes right now, but when I get to the capital, I'll probably buy some materials and see if I can't figure out how to make them anyway.
Jujutsu magic can probably supplement specialised tools well enough.
Either way, music boxes aren't on the agenda right now. Instead, what I have in sitting in my lap is the beginnings of a miniature Kon, though only the outside so far.
That's right, I'm making a plushie!
In my last life, proper animal plushies weren't made until like the eighteen hundreds or something, though obviously dolls predate that by like two thousand years.
I'm also going to have to buy a bunch of cotton once I get to the capital in order to stuff it, because using straw or whatever would seriously detract from the huggability of the plush, and really what's the point if you can't hug it?
Right now I'm just making the skin of my plush-to-be, but with a bit of Jujutsu magic, I made a script that I can use to cut off some of Kon's fur and keep it from returning to my shadow after dismissing the Shikigami.
Basically, I'm going to make faux fur with real fur! Does it really even count as faux fur at that point? I don't know, but I'll still have to go through the same process, since I'm attaching the fur after the fact, instead of just skinning a fox and not putting any more effort into it.
Well, the semantics are hardly important. What matters is that I have a needle in my hand, the song Time in a Bottle in my head being hummed and a smile on my face as I create a long time no see gift for Tamamo.
Of course, I have a different gift that I'd already prepared for her a while back, but I've realised that it might be a bit of a poor gift since I have no idea how it works. So I figured I'd just give her two gifts instead. Easy problem solved.
I decided on making a plush Kon because my Shikigami is too big for her to really cuddle or wrap around her neck anymore like she did back when we were walking together.
It feels like that was so long ago, but it's only been like three or four months or something.
Wild how time flies. Must mean I've been having fun.
Speaking of having fun, my eyes drift to my side where another bundle of cloth lies in a pile. Unlike my Kon that has white fur, and thus is being made out of white clothe, this bundle is pure black.
It's a gift I made for Sukuna before I started working on Tamamo's plush. In part for the sake of practice, and in part just because thinking about Tamamo's gift made me realise I haven't really given Sukuna anything, which I think is pretty sad honestly.
I get the feeling that Sukuna isn't someone who receives gifts. People would rather Curse him after all. Not that he does much to help that mindset.
So I figured that I should make him something too, and since it might be the first gift of his life, something I couldn't say for sure but wouldn't surprise me, and since the first gift I ever received in this life was my white scarf, I decided to make him a black one.
It seemed fitting.
He is my equal opposite, after all.
I just hope he actually accepts it and doesn't just tear it to pieces in front of me. I think I'd probably cry if he did that. I'd still forgive him of course, he can't help his nature any more than I can, but it would still hurt.
I give it fifty fifty odds.
My hand stills.
It takes me less than a second for my brain to catch up to my instincts and then I find myself turning to look over the balcony, out at the vast tracts of land below.
Most of it is forest, but I can see some plains of grass and a mountain range on the horizon.
Everything looks peaceful. I can't see any great commotion happening, and yet, it would be impossible for me to ignore the pulse of power that I felt, and barely a moment later I see the cause.
In the distance, far enough away to be around where I assume the base of the mountains is, I see as a significant chunk of forest rapidly flash freezes.
It's tough to estimate from so far away, but I'd guess that it is a circle about a kilometre wide of forest that abruptly turns into a winter wonderland.
It started at one point in the centre, but the circle of snow and ice grew fully in barely a few seconds, and a moment later the now frozen trees are joined by a blizzard starting to rise into the clear blue sky.
Man it looks so weird seeing completely different weathers happening in the same place with such a close cut-off. It's like Minecraft. The way the snow or rain would just cut off at a sharp line.
It's just such a blatantly unnatural phenomena that it takes a moment for me to eve react to it. I may be getting used to supernatural shit, but my experience is mostly in the realms of fights, where adrenaline keeps me moving.
...Goddamn I'm so curious right now.
Decision made, I quickly pause my creation of mini-Kon, drop everything in my shadow and jump to my feet.
Then I pause.
The flying fortress is constantly moving towards the capital. If I just jump out, I worry I might get lost or something. But then I remember that I am a Sorcerer and can just magic directions up.
Damn, I'm never going to get lost ever again. I feel like that should feel more impactful, but I lived in a world with GPS, so honestly the idea of not being able to just find easy directions to anywhere is more weird to me.
Whatever, I can fly back. Nue is faster than the Shikigami carrying the fortress, in part because I am not as heavy as a fortress.
Actually...
My eyes turn back to my room as inspiration strikes.
Flying would still take some time, and I don't want to end up late and missing out on all the fun, but my brain just connected some dots that might provide a solution.
"Rabbit Escape," I intone, making the shadowgraphic as well, and a second later, I am holding a cute little bunny in my arms.
When Sukuna and I fought against Michizane, I noted how there is no delay in summoning my Shikigami from my shadow, no matter how much I extend it.
At the time, I used that knowledge to summon Max Elephant after using Rabbit Escape to extend my shadow. But I've just had a thought.
My Shikigami are all a part of my shadow. My Ten Shadows. Thus...
My rabbit jumps out of my arms and runs over to the other side of the room before stopping.
The next moment, I sink into the floor, my shadow no longer solid.
The familiar darkness of my own shadow greets me and looking around, I feel myself grin when I notice what I was looking for. A thinner pillar than my own shadow extending out into the void, except this one isn't connecting the Shadow Realm with the surface. Instead, it is extending from my own shadow pillar.
It's not as simple as just saying the pillar is growing out of my own. Euclidean space is more of a suggestion down here that a hard law, and honestly even looking at it, it's difficult for me to really understand.
Rabbit Escape's shadow is not in contact with my own at all up on the surface, but down here there is a connection, but it's not really like a distance thing. I don't think the concept of distance really even exists in the void that fills the gaps between each pillar.
Regardless, the point is that hopefully...
I reach forward, sinking my hand into Rabbit Escape's shadow and then the rest of my body. A moment later, I am returning to the real world, climbing out of my Shikigami's shadow without having travelled the distance between.
"Fast travel unlocked baby!" I cheer, though I have no idea if there is going to be some kind of range limit or any other kind of complications. Some stress testing is definitely required.
There is also the issue that I will have to keep my Shikigami summoned to be able to teleport to it, which will likely become a complication.
It's like flexing a muscle really. Summoning a Shikigami is about as challenging as clenching my fist, but have you ever tried to keep your fist clenched for a whole day? Not easy.
So keeping my rabbits hanging around as fast travel points probably won't work out long term, but I can probably figure something out.
Man, I love my Technique so much. It feels like there's always something to learn with it. Versatility for the win!
I feel like I'm forgetting something.
Right, unnatural snowstorm!
Shaking my head clear of thoughts that are not time sensitive, I leave behind my rabbit, and then think better and leave behind a clone, only after checking that yes, I can still use the clones to fast travel. Their shadows branch out from Escape Rabbit's pillar that is branching out from my own.
Kami I love magic so damn much. I should probably be calling it Sorcery, but whatever.
Stepping back up to my balcony, I still have that little niggling feeling of forgetting something, but nothing comes to mind so I just ignore it and bend my knees.
There was a time in my last life that has stuck with me as one of those random memories that you don't forget. I was walking home from grocery shopping and had one of those plastic bags in each hand. I remember looking down at my fingers and noticing them all squished together.
It's obvious why. The sides of the bag handle were being pulled down by the weight of the bag and crushing my fingers against each other. But I remember trying to carry the bag in my fingers while keeping them completely straight.
In short, I couldn't do it. It's a weird moment to remember, but it was a moment that just really struck me because of how clear it made it that humans aren't really that strong. That we can easily be moved by not even strong forces.
It's probably just because I'd watched some superhero movie or other just before, so I was noticing the difference between an immovable object and a human. Because Superman would be able to keep his fingers straight. No matter the weight, the bag would bend around him, not the other way around.
The point I'm getting at here, is that the physical limits of humans is something that I am well aware of.
Which is why it is always such a rush for me to shatter that lifetime of understanding.
The muscles in my legs tense like corded steel, and in a single burst of pure physical strength, my leap sends me flying away from the fortress like I was fired from a canon.
I almost immediately get more height than the birds flying on behind me, and the distance I cover still amazes me. The sheer power hidden away in my limbs. I could probably do a hundred metre sprint in a single step.
The feeling of wind buffeting against my face, of weightlessness and just open freedom.
It's exhilarating.
And then I am struck by the feeling of chains wrapping around my body coming to life and then shattering after just a moment, only to be replaced by another, smaller but far more sturdy set of chains that tightens around me for a second before fading away into nothing.
My mind blanks for a second as I comprehend what just happened.
"Fuck! Shit damn motherfuck piece of- Fucking! Shit! Damn it! I forgot! Fuck!"
The bet!! The fucking Vow!! I knew I was forgetting something! God fucking damnit!
The surprise quickly fades away, and then I just start laughing as gravity starts to pull me down.
"Hahaha! Damn it~. Kami I'm going to die of embarrassment haha!"
Fuck that's funny. Kamo-Sensei is going to be insufferable. I can already picture the smug look he is going to send me. Maybe I should just skip the whole event and never return.
A sigh leaves me.
I don't want to do a Gigaku dance on top of the Imperial Palaceeeeee.
But as much as I whine, I know I can't back out now. We might have made the Vow in jest, but it is still a Binding Vow, and I can feel that something bad would happen if I broke it.
As the one who won, Kamo-Sensei could probably nullify the Vow, but I don't have to be a Seer to know that he won't, the asshole.
Kami I'm going to have to do a Gigaku dance on the roof of the Imperial Palace. I hope I don't get in trouble with the guards or something.
Well, Gigaku is a dance that involves wearing a mask. So as long as I don't get caught or leave evidence of my identity, then I can always just run away from the police. Probably.
Man I really hope I don't get into trouble, I think with a laugh, because the situation is just funny, even if it kind of sucks for me a little bit.
Oh well, whatever. I'll just prank Kamo-Sensei at some point to make myself feel better.
Oh right, I'm falling out of the sky, I remind myself when I notice the trees being a whole lot closer than they were a moment ago.
Whatever. Investigation now, consequences of my actions later.
Nodding my head with a decision made, I bring my hands together and utter a single word.
"Nue."
///
Shiroiwa no Reiti
///
Rei is not having a fun time.
She knew that the outside was dangerous. Everyone knows that, and big sis Setsura-nee has told her plenty of stories from her adventures about the dangers of outside. So she knew it was dangerous.
But she doesn't think she really understood it before. After all, her big sis says that she's super talented. Setsura would talk about how her reserves and output are super high for someone only fourteen years old. There was also some stuff about power balancing out and talent being everywhere or something, but honestly most of that stuff went over her head.
What matters is that she thought that even if the outside was dangerous, she would still be able to protect herself. She's a big girl after all! Very strong!
But now she's being chased by a big meanie Kappa who keeps yelling at her and she wants to go home!!
It's not like she wanted to leave the village in the first place! Big bro Hakurei-nii was making fun of her for not being able to control her Osore and she told him to stop but he wouldn't! Meanie! Bully!
"Eeep!" She yelps as she dives to the ground just in time to avoid a beam of water that pierces through a tree instead.
"STOP RUNNING COWARD!!! FIGHT MEEEE!!!!" She hears the Kappa yell at her, somehow managing to keep his attacks accurate even through the blizzard raging around them and blocking all sight.
"I DON'T WANNA!!" She yells back at him. "LEAVE ME ALONE OR MY BIG SIS WILL BEAT YOU- EEP! STOP THAT!!"
"FIGHT MEEEEE!!"
"NO!!!"
Another beam of water shoots through where she was a moment ago, but she's not stupid, so she already moved out of the way. She also really isn't feeling confident about fighting the big meanie, so she stops responding and just goes back to running away.
She's never been in a fight before! She doesn't know what she's supposed to do and she's scared! Leave her alone!
The Gateway to the village is at the base of the mountain. She just has to reach it and then she'll be safe. Even if the Kappa does charge after her, the Elders can beat him up if her big sis isn't home.
But then things only get worse!
As she is running over the steadily more snow covered land, she is blindsided when a pillar of earth rises out of the ground right in front of her and slams into her side, sending her tumbling across the floor with a cry of pain.
It hurts! A moment is just wasted lying curled up on herself in pain from the surprise attack, and she just wants to go home! She thinks something is broken, and she can feel ice cold tears start to trickle down her cheeks while she does her best to push past the pain.
She doesn't succeed.
It hurts. She hasn't properly started combat training yet. She's never felt pain like this before.
"Setsura-nee," she whimpers, curled up and holding her sides. "Hakurei-nii. Save me."
The sound of snow crunching underfoot has her raising her head enough to peak forward, but it is not Setsura-nee or Hakurei-nii or anyone she knows that she sees.
Instead, it is the absolute worst case scenario.
Humans. Five of them.
"So this is the thing that caused the blizzard," one of the humans nods in her direction, the derision in his voice clear even to her.
Rei shivers. She has never shivered before. She has never felt fear before. She thought she had, but she hasn't felt true fear before. Not what she is feeling right now, looking up at these monsters.
"We are wasting time, Nakari-san. The Kappa could be fleeing," another human says, but she barely hears it.
She has heard too many horror stories about humans. She didn't think she'd ever see one! She didn't even think they were real! The monster under the bed isn't supposed to be real! She knows because she checks her room every night for monsters! Why are they here!?
"Nakamura-san. It is our duty as sons of the Nakiri clan to eradicate every one of these foul beasts that we come across. Whether it is our current mission is irrelevant."
Humans are monsters that just kill kill and kill. They're worse than Oni! They just destroy! She doesn't want to die!
"Nakamura is just being lazy, Nakaroko-sama. Besides, Kappa aren't known to flee from duels, and I would wager that it was engaged with this one. It is likely still nearby. I'll kill the Yuki and then we can hurry on and kill the Kappa and go home. I want a drink."
Hakurei-nii, she thinks, scrunching her eyes closed and shutting out the world. I'm sorry for yelling. Please save me. I'm sorry. I don't want to die.
"How many times must I tell you not to call me so casually Nishimura-san? We are not close."
She feels a gathering of power coming from the humans. A Spell, she assumes. She doesn't know how they fight, and she can't remember what she was told. She just knows that they are going to hurt her.
She doesn't want to die.
"FIGHT MEEEEEE!!!!" The sudden scream rips through the scene and shatters the calm, and Rei's eyes snap open and this time when she sees the Kappa, she feels hope instead of fear.
In fact, she now realises that the Kappa wasn't even truly trying to hurt her. It's just like with Hakurei-nii. Neither of them wanted to hurt her.
Hakurei-nii was just teasing her, he wasn't trying to hurt her. Kappa-san just wanted to play, and she was the one that was rude and started a fight.
Stupid. She's so stupid. How could she have seen them and thought they were like these monsters? Why was she so afraid?
Humans are the only ones that actually want to hurt her.
Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. Always overreacting.
She wants to go home.
"Eh?" The Kappa blinks when it comes to a stop in the clearing, no longer covered by the blizzard. The bowl of water on his head does not spill a drop as the turtle-man glances about. "Humans?"
The Kappa takes half a step back, looking like he is about to turn and run when his eyes spot Rei, and she notices the way his face immediately becomes tense and unreadable as he freezes his retreat and seems to firm himself up with only a bit of hesitation.
He seems almost resigned as he retakes that half a step forward, squaring off against the humans, not showing an ounce of her own fear.
"Ah, there it is. Saves us the travel," one of the humans comments.
"So lazy~, Nakamura."
"I'll kill you, Nishimura."
The human laughs, as if getting threatened with death is a compliment.
"Enough. Bicker after the mission," the wrinkliest human commands and silence reigns.
Rei just stays still, curled into a ball, hoping that the monsters will all just forget about her and leave her alone.
"Have you no honour, Humans!?" The Kappa calls out, voice full of outrage. "Fight me one at a time! An honourable duel will be your end!"
"Well that is not much incentive to fight honourably now, is it?" The human, Nakamura she thinks, responds mockingly, and for the second time, she feels power being gathered.
This time however, it feels even heavier, and with her eyes open, she can watch as the human pulls out a paper talisman.
However, once again, the gathering power is interrupted by a yell, this time coming from above.
"SUPERHERO LANDING!!!!" A male voice yells out, and a moment later a blur crashes through the snow covered sky and slams into the ground right between them all.
Snow immediately plumes around the figure, a great cloud concealing them from view for only a few moments before the harsh winds blows it away, revealing a man.
He is dressed in a black, or almost black kimono that matches his shoulder length black hair. He also has a white scarf wrapped around his neck and a pair of rectangle shaped earrings with stylised suns decorating them.
Everyone else tenses at the intrusion, but for just a moment Rei's curiosity overcomes her pain and she just stares at the figure as it rises.
But when it does, a high pitched keening sound leaves them, almost as if they are in pain but trying to suppress it. A moment later and it is on its feet, and another moment passes before the keening sound stops.
"He was right," the figure mutters to himself, "It is really hard on your knees."
With the snow clear and the figure upright, she can get a good look at his face, and he certainly looks human.
But she doesn't feel afraid when she looks at him.
He feels nothing like the other humans. There are plenty of Yōkai that look like, or can look like humans, she just doesn't know what kind of Yōkai he is.
Not that it matters. So long as he saves her, she wouldn't care even if he was Tsuchigumo himself.
"Yo!" The man greets as he casts a look about the clearing, quickly locking onto her and stepping in her direction. She instinctively tries to shuffle away from his sudden approach, but she doesn't get far.
However, any fear fades away when, once he reaches her, the man simply crouches down to her level and sends her a smile so warm she feels as if she will melt.
"Hello there, will you show me where it hurts? I am a healer."
Rei's response is interrupted by the human she thinks is called Nishimura.
"Oy. Who are you? You are interfering in clan Nakiri affairs, Sorcerer. Go find a Curse to exorcise."
The man, Sorcerer, sighs and rises to his feet, turning his attention back to the humans.
"My apologies, Nakiri-sama. I hope you can forgive me my ignorance, for I do not know the details of the situation present. What I do know is that there is a young child who is hurting, and unless I am given a valid reason for such a situation to continue, then I am afraid that I shall be intervening."
The group of humans puff up, offended, and it is the wrinkly one that responds back.
"You overstep, Boy. That we are Nakiri men conducting Nakiri business is all the reason you need to step aside. Leave now, or I will consider you to be cavorting with Yōkai and have you executed."
Completely defying literally everyone's expectations, the Sorcerer responds by pulling down on one of his eyes and sticking his tongue out at the humans while saying, "Bleh~. Doh wonna~."
The humans all almost recoil and Rei can't help but giggle at the faces they make, and when she looks back at the Sorcerer, she sees him smiling at her and he sends her a wink before turning his attention back to the humans that has her start giggling all over again.
"You dare-"
"I do." The Sorcerer's voice is bereft of any previous levity as he interrupts the human. "You have two choices, Nakiri-sans. You can leave, or you can start a fight, after which I will knock one of you unconscious and repeat your choices, until either you leave carrying your friends, or I leave you all here unconscious."
One of the humans, she doesn't know which, immediately responds by gathering up their power and preparing an attack, but he doesn't even get to begin shouting whatever he was going to say, as the Sorcerer takes a single step forward and then disappears.
Rei's eyes snap towards the humans and she sees that he is already standing amidst them, with one of the humans folded over his fist and unconscious.
So cool!~ Rei thinks with stars in her eyes.
"You have two choices," the Sorcerer repeats as the humans start to react around him.
The wrinkly one is the fastest, pulling out a talisman from his sleeve. However, he doesn't get to throw it before the Sorcerer disappears again, and this time it is the wrinkly human that is suddenly played against the Sorcerer, bent over his fist.
"Two choices."
Another human attacks. Another human is put to sleep by a fist to the stomach.
The Sorcerer doesn't repeat himself this time. He merely looks at the two remaining humans with a raised brow and pushes the one bent over his fist onto the ground between them.
The humans glance at each other, a silent conversation passing between them, and then they are slowly raising their hands in surrender.
The Sorcerer gives them both a nod. "Good. Pick up your friends and get lost. I applied Positive Energy when I punched them, so they are uninjured. If I have to punch them again, I won't be as gentle."
"O-of course, Sorcerer-sama. May we have the name of this most beneficent Sorcerer?" One of the humans says, and the Sorcerer laughs, though she doesn't understand the joke.
"Still trying to gather information? I'm impressed, but I'm not stupid. When your higher-ups ask for a name, tell them that I identified myself as 'The Sorcerer That's Stronger Than Nakiri.'"
The Sorcerer laughs again, even as the humans puff up in outrage for a moment, but only for a moment.
"You will not make any friends with this," the other human says, to which the Sorcerer shrugs.
"I already have friends."
Nothing more is said. The humans both simply collect their comrades and leave. Smart enough to recognise that the Sorcerer won't give them any helpful information and not wanting pick any more of a fight than they already have.
Generosity is rare in this world after all. No sense to be throwing away what little of it that can be found.
Once the humans are gone, the Sorcerer returns to her side and gets on one knee beside her, sending her a gentle smile.
"Hello again," he starts, his voice much more soft and soothing than when talking to the humans. "I'm sorry for the delay, just give me a moment and I will have you right as rain."
She doesn't know why she would want to be like rain, but she nods her head, only somewhat cautiously. She doesn't think he will hurt her or try to trick her.
"Okay then!" He exclaims with cheer before bringing his hands together and making a deer head out of his fingers, which she thinks is pretty cool.
And then he says, "Generous Deer," and an actual deer, with white fur that has some black spots in it, rises out of his shadow, which is even cooler!
However, what is not cool is that a moment later, she gasps as her entire body starts to sting from the energy emanating from the deer.
"Oh shit!" The Sorcerer yells as the deer disappears into a liquid shadow with a panicked wave of his hands. "Oh fuck, crap, I am so so sorry, oh Kami I am so sorry, I completely- I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you, please don't cry, I'm sorry."
It's only the sheer, genuine panic in his voice that has her biting her lip in an attempt to stop the prickling in her eyes from releasing any more tears.
Because that hurt. But the thing is, she believes him. And she has very recently had a lesson in overreacting with Hakurei-nii, so instead of reacting, she decides to forgive him.
Honestly, he seems even more upset than she is. The thought makes a wet giggle leave her throat, and she doesn't miss the way he deflates at the sound.
"Once again, I am so sorry about that," he repeats, calmer this time. "I forgot that that would be a poison for you. I'm used to it healing, you see?"
She doesn't, but she nods anyway, and he seems relieved by that.
"Okay then," he says as he falls backwards into a squat, leaning back and holding his chin as he visibly thinks deeply. "What do I do then? How do I heal her if Positive Energy is just going to poison her? I can't just use my Cursed Energy. It's not quite the same as Youki, so while it won't hurt, it won't really help either. She used her own Youki to heal back then, but I don't think this kid really knows how to do that. Hmmmm. Wait a minute..."
The Sorcerer tilts his head, looking off into nothing as some idea comes to him, and then he is shrugging to himself, and she hears him mutter, "This should work, right? Probably."
Rising to his feet, the Sorcerer steps away from her and brings his hands back together in the shape of a deer head, only this time his eyes are closed in concentration.
"Cursed Technique Reversal: Selfish Deer."
Following the incantation, his shadow once more extends, only this time, when the deer emerges, its white fur is pitch black and the black spots are now white as snow.
Immediately, she feels a soothing sensation wash over her just from its mere presence and her eyes close in bliss from the feeling.
Her eyes open again to the sound of crunching snow and she sees the deer standing right in front of her, and before she can even think further, it presses its snout against her shoulder and the soothing sensation intensifies a thousand times over.
After only a moment that felt like an eternity, the deer steps back, and it actually takes her a minute to even realise that she's not in pain any more.
A hand snaps down to her side, but she doesn't feel any pain, not even when she applies pressure.
Well, he did say he was a healer.
Shaking her head, Rei sits up and looks up at her saviour with a smile. "Thank you Sorcerer-san! Deer-san!"
"It is no problem at all, little one," Sorcerer-san responds. "I am always happy to help, and my name is-"
"FIGHT MEEEEE!!!!" The Kappa interrupts with a yell, reminding her what started this whole thing in the first place.
She glares at him.
"Meanie."
Kappa-san gasps at her. "MEANIE!?!" He yells. "YOU DISHONOURED ME!"
Rei puffs her cheeks and turns away from him with a huff. It's not her fault he's scary! She didn't notice he was in the pond when she froze it! And then he jumped out and he was yelling and scary so she ran away!
"Hmph. Meanie."
"I'M NOT A MEANIE!! YOU'RE A MEANIE!!"
"Am not."
"ARE TOO!"
"Am not!"
"ARE TOO!!!"
"Am not!!!"
"Ahem," the Sorcerer coughs, looking between them with bemusement, and she feels herself flush and shy away when his gaze lands on her. "Let's not fight please."
"NO!!" The Kappa immediately denies. "FIGHT MEEEE!!!"
Rei huffs and nods her head. She knew she was right.
Kappa-san is a big meanie.
///
A/N: He~llo! Dear readers!
A crisis arrives and is averted in the same chapter.
I realised that I have been diverting from the structure of this fic that I was going for back at the start. Which is to say, there haven't been enough side quests.
So side quest get.
Since it's a return to form, I might actually get back to writing more than one chap a week after this. Who knows~.
(^This aged well. I wrote this chap like nearly 2 months ago :'(. (just so you know, but I want this story to be out there even more than you want to read it, so no believe me, I write as much as I can, if I could give you a gazillion chapters rn I would <3))