As usual, Imanotsurugi is the best and worst storyteller.
Heâs not sure if he wants to laugh or scoff, first â so the Saniwa smiles instead, finding a happy medium as the story unfolds. The street theyâre on is empty, and the tantou has licence to be just as loud as he wants. It makes it easy to focus on him; it makes his words ring all the more clear.
And itâs a good thing. Because Imanotsurugiâs enthusiasm is something valuable.
âA tree?â he repeats, tone light from the onset. Heâs not letting him get away with this. âAnd all this time, we wondered what your weakness would beâŠâ He trails off, gaze ducking away â thereâs plenty of things to read into that, but most of it is teasing. âSo you made a friend.â
More than that, but not really. Whoever it is thatâs been playing with the sword, she has to be young. If a little girl wants to boss Imanotsurugi around, then itâs fine.
The image alone almost makes the Saniwa laugh, again, and he brings a hand to his lips.
Weakness? What? He swears the tree sprung out of the ground! Out of nowhere! Though the incident really was caused by his own carelessness -- for not looking where he had been going -- but Imanotsurugi doesnât know that... or at least, he wonât admit it.
In any case, with how the Saniwa switches his focus, thereâs no need for him to address the teasing. Having been too caught up with the new status heâd claimed, the notion that the girl was also his friend did not dawn upon him until this moment. Itâs a revelation that only serves to maintain his good spirits.
  âUm... she wears red and her hairâs... sorta like Izumiâs. She also likes meat a lot. A whole lot!â Thereâs not much else to be said, yet Imanotsurugi racks his brain for more detail. He should know a friend more than that...
But then he stops. And he blinks. And he tilts his head to one side.
  âYouâre still my master too,â Though he says this on impulse, itâs almost a bit hesitant.
       âWe... are going to the citadel, arenât we?â
The otherâs excitement was contagious, it seemed! The foxâs ears perked up quickly at the otherâs response and he nodded. âWe shall see, Imanotsurugi! I am wild, you know. Donât think Iâll let you win so easily just because you are smaller than I am..â Folding his arms over his chest, Kogitsunemaru awaited the final decision.Â
âMochi on the Moon? That game is quite easy, isnât it? Ah! Well, letâs play then. It will be an enjoyable game for the both of us.âÂ
Preparing his hands for the game then, Kogitsunemaru seemed more than content with playing games with the smaller sword for awhile. If he truly had a tail it would be wagging.. But the motions in the ears atop his head said more than enough.Â
âYou pound mochi first, Imanotsurugi..! I will patiently await my turn.âÂ
Imanotsurugi was more than happy to hear that he would be taken seriously as an opponent. After all, it only seemed to perpetuate his reputation for being as dangerous as fire when it came to playing! As readily as contentment bled into his expression did it change into one more serene before he accepted the foxâs decision.
 âO~kay!â
This game was easy, especially with small hands. Though, precision and speed were the real determinants of victory, which meant that its complexity would rise with its pace, and since Imanotsurugi was to pound mochi first, the difficulty level was up to him.Â
Raising his hands to be at level with Kogitsunemaruâs, the tantou clapped one palm down on the other at a moderate tempo and sung the first line of the rhyme. He wouldnât have gone too fast... at the start of the game, at least.
      Ren took note of the otherâs added bounce to their step, and laughed, though it was stifled from behind pursed lips. He wasnât quite sure what the reason was for and he thought it arrogant to begin to think it was due to him, so he remained quiet about it. It was a good thing they were happy no matter the reason anyhow.
      His hands now at his hips, he scrutinized his surroundings, taking in all the possible sparkles and pink he could before turning and addressing the other again. âItâs not very appealing. I feel like something else can be done here, but maybe itâs not my place to say⊠Appearance doesnât mean itâs a bad place, after all.â Stepping forward into the room, he looked over his shoulder and smiled, immediately shrugging off his previous words. âWell, do I get anything else for visiting early?â For the most part he wasnât serious, but he couldnât deny that it would be nice.
Imanotsurugi had his eyes steadily trained upon the guest, ears waiting to be graced with positive commentary. Within such upbeat and colourful surroundings, there was no way one could be pessimistic!! ...Right? But the otherâs words proved him wrong. Horribly wrong.
And as the stranger elaborated on his displeasure, the smaller one couldnât help but puff out his cheeks, gaze narrowing in frustration. He was beginning to learn the truth of the saying, âyou canât please everyone,â and it was definitely one of the less fun lessons heâs had to learn.
But Imanotsurugi would have to try â it was part of his job â he had to make sure everyone was having the best time they possibly could! Thankfully, the other provided him with a window of opportunity to do just that. Determined to please, he scampered off to the kitchen without a word, and returned with sample of dango only moments later.
   âIt isnât a bad place, I promise! Try this!âÂ
But thatâs not quite it. The envyâs there, but itâs also wariness, that dark feeling that claws at him whenever his swords meet someone human. Most people are not like their former masters, not like him â and so when the tantou starts in on âbeing chased,â the Saniwa can only assume the worst.
Itâs Imanotsurugi being fine now that keeps him from worry.
âIf I said yes â what would you do?â he says, voice sly. His next thought, though, is serious: â⊠but maybe not right now. I just found you; I donât want you to go away again.â
And he wraps it all up with a smile, hands sliding over the swordâs shoulders before he releases him.
After all his wandering, going slow feels right â and now that Imanotsurugi is with himâŠ
Itâs a little ironic.
âActually, Iâm wondering.â Following this comes a gentle press to the otherâs shoulderblades. Itâs a motion that encourages him to move, to accompany the Saniwa as he starts walking.Â
âSomeone else caught you? When did that happen?â The way he says it makes it sound like heâs in joking disbelief, but some of it is real; anyone who manages to lay a hand on him has to be quick.
Are there really people like that, here?
âIt sounds like you mustâve found someone fun.â
Near instantly, hands making grabby motions are raised, fervent to grasp at a target with the potential occurrence of his favourite game. But then the Saniwa turns him down, so they fall behind his back in disappointment, accented with a sigh.
Although Imanotsurugi feels a tad led on and letdown, the Saniwaâs reasoning for his rejection makes him near bashful with happiness, and is quick enough to conceal any complaints -- words in general, truthfully -- that he might have. It really is nice to know that heâs wanted around.
And so, the tantou is quite compliant. Without missing a beat, he trails after his superior while expanding on his story.
   âShe was fun!! She played with me, and then made me a manservant!!â
Itâs a title he still doesnât quite understand, but a title it is nonetheless, so heâs quite proud about it. See, he doesnât know any other manservants, let alone ones that are swords as well. Heâs unique!
When his prideful aura finally tones down, Imanotsurugi remembers to add a crucial detail about his encounter, âAh, but, I wasnât caught because I was too slow... There was a tree in my way.â
   Alice swelled with triumph as she clutched the meat stick almost protectively in her handâthere was no way this kid was getting it back now.
  âAha! Iâve got it!!â
  Wasting almost no time, she chomped down on the stick, pulling what was left of the meat straight off it. Her cheeks puffed out with a beam of happiness as she chewed, nearly forgetting the boy was still there. After swallowing, she acknowledged his presence once again. Whipping out a finger to point at him, foot stomping on the ground to accent her confidence, she came up with a plan on the spot.
  âYou, brat!â She called out, âIâve decided to make you my new manservant.â
  Ah yes, and what a good manservant he would be. He was quick and could buy her more of that delicious meat any time she wanted. What a great honor she had just bestowed upon him.
What a shock! But there was another feeling that shrouded his amazement: disappointment. For the shortening of their game to be the result of a tree in the way? And just when he was about to really start playing? Â The tantou couldnât help but sulk, and gave a well-deserved look of scorn to the culpable trunk, placing his hands on his hips.
It didnât take long for his gaze to move towards the being from which he heard gleeful chewing. And when the contagiousness of the girlâs mood worked its magic on him, any bitterness in his expression was quick to dissipate into a more inquisitive look, as he took interest in the happiness she exuded.
In fact, Imanotsurugi had been about to make a comment about how much she must like meat, but her sudden movements were quick to startle him, though momentarily. Her words, however, left more of a lasting impression. Manservant? He had heard of both âmanâ, and âservantâ, but never put together. Arms limp at his sides, he could do little else but give the girl a blank stare.
  â...Whatâs that?âÂ
         An afterthought. âDo we get to play again?â
Languidly crouched, heâs perched aloft a rooftop with his knees supporting his elbows, and knuckles digging into his jaw. As his gaze falls to the populous below, his eyes, though vivid carmine, remain cold as ice.
The Gods are cruel for putting him where thereâs no changing his former masterâs fate. Although heâd not been personally responsible for Yoshitsuneâs death, given that his blade is some 180 centimeters too long, he still holds as much admiration any sword has for their first master. Of course, given his circumstances, he could always find a new one, but--
 The people here donât interest him.
Even so, he continues to watch them, and though he dons an apathetic outwards appearance, dull pangs strike, arrhythmic within his chest, as if heâs expecting something. Or rather... someone.
Heâs not sure when this started, but his observation of the cityâs crowds quickly became a habit, and with little better to do, itâs how he spends a couple of hours each day, no matter how mundane, nor how it can gnaw at him incessantly from within; for if describing his state of being, to say âof grace, composure, wit,â and for the past few weeks now, âindifference,â would acutely suffice.
Fortuitously, his indifference ceases to be as clamours erupt from the sea of bodies. Heads, all turned upwards, do not look at him, but beyond him. The realization of such a distinction takes a moment, but once it dawns upon Imanotsurugi, he perks up, curious. Curiosity is so rare to him now, that even the tiniest dose is enough to spark action, and in this case, itâs the craning of his neck to follow the trajectory of peopleâs stares.
  Goodness!
Has the sky become an ocean? Only so high that none, not even the moon can ripple its mirroring image? And what of that strange light from about the center of the district, seemingly piercing the fluid of the heavens?
         Thereâs only one way to find out.
By the time heâs at the portal, heâd already discovered why the usual weight on his back had grown more familiar and welcomed the fact, enthused to have himself by his side again. Though as an oodachi some call him impractical, he knows his own strength, knows his own blade, and knows few if any can rival his swordsmanship. When he and Yoshitsune defeated Benkei and his naginata -- they who had consumed, no, devoured the grooves of nine hundred and ninety-nine blades prior -- and came out victorious, though formally they had only won over one sword and master, there was no doubt of the implication of their superiority to a thousand pairs by extension.
This... this is the perfect opportunity to reinforce that truth and relieve his near incurable boredom, no matter the beings at the edge of his sword.
Light shrouds him at first, only slowly revealing his figure when he steps out into this new dimension. Having effortlessly drawn his weapon from its sheath with a grip firm on the hilt, the flat of his sword rests, adorned across his shoulders. As his eyes adjust to the brightness, the faces of an unlucky few defenders come to focus, and they look determined to act on cue, if not completely unwelcoming. To this, Imanotsurugi keeps his guise serene, and is coy to raise his brows just the slightest.
  âWell now, thatâs not a nice way to greet a guest,â he tuts, feigned hurt seeping from his choice of tone. The smirk sitting on his lips only widens as he notices new reluctance before him. This was what having a pretty face does, after all, and heâs well aware.
  He even takes advantage of it.
In one fell swoop, three people are no more than bloodied remains. Nevermore will they hear music, for their ears no longer work. Nevermore will they recognize a flower by smell, for their noses no longer work. Their lips, throats, tongues... they do not scream out -- they lack the strength to do so. Their eyes are now blinded in darkness. They will never see the way Imanotsurugi simpers in the wake of their bloodshed. But to him, itâs like a breath of fresh air.
   See, unlike them, he hasnât felt so alive in so long.
And with a agile movement of his arm, his blade points towards the leftover defenders, the smile in his eyes never leaving.
REG-- Imanotsurugi is so pleased to have his blade back, so of course heâs going to try and defeat the invaders! Though, he works best on a team, so thatâs how heâll be doing so most likely. If he notices anyone unable to fend for themselves or seriously injured, he may stop and help them out. The situation doesnât really unnerve him, as he gets a few âgamesâ out of it.
ALT-- Imanotsurugi belongs to the enemy troops that the regular swordboys fight against. This means he was trying to change the past, and probably in a manner that would keep his master alive rather than going by seppuku. Heâs also in his oodachi form, giving age to his physical appearance and mentality. Heâs calmer, smarter, and moves quite elegantly. In other words, heâs more similar to Yoshitsune than to Ushiwakamaru.
Because heâs been brought to a place where his goal is not furthered, heâs been in a bit of a funk. He hasnât cared to make friends, but he hasnât made many aggressive interactions either. Heâs mostly just been wishing to return to his mission, and as a result, heâs been keeping an eye on the public for any hint of possible escape. His time in his city has been rather monotonous, and heâll be more than willing to hop on over to reg!Citta and start a fight. It is to be noted that, given his weapon, a nearly two meter long blade, and his skill with it, a fight with ordinary civilians will be rather one sided... even without the home field advantage.
âăâăYouth comes and goes. That was a lesson Gilbert had learned the hard way. Oh, how he missed the days of his childhood- All the enemies he beat down to the ground, all the battles he won, and..Er..Of course, all the people he helped! Yes indeed, his Teutonic knight days had definitely spawned some of his best memories. Just reminiscing his days as a kid leaves nothing but a smile on his face.
âăâăâMan, I was so cute when I was a kid! Kesese..â Gilbert chuckled to himself. Almost as if on cue, he saw a kid running by, which made Gilâs smile a little bit wider. But surprisingly, instead of himself, all he was reminded of was his little brother when he was younger. He let out a contented sigh as he saw the little rascal happily playing about. Although, after staring for a while, he figured heâd turn back and go think somewhere else- The childâs parents wouldnât be so happy about seeing a grown man staring at their kid from a distance.
âăâăAfter stealing one more glance, he was about to go on his merry way, but was interrupted when he saw the kid fall flat on the ground. His instincts urged him to run and go help the kid up. âHey, are you alright?! Yaâ arenât hurt are you?â Donning a worried expression on his face, he knelt beside the child, and held his hand out.
Imanotsurugiâs youth is entirely different from that of humans; it is eternal. And it was why he could be found playing by himself, for his imagination was as endless as his childhood. Arms outstretched, he pranced around the landscape and emitted odd buzzing sounds, indifferent to any strange looks he may have attracted. He was on a mission of importance: to gain an understanding of a very foreign flying object. It looked like a bird, but its wings hadnât moved; it only pushed forward, and was noisy and really rather curious. Could such a beast rival tengu? With how powerful it had appeared, it seemed possible. It was all rather exciting -- maybe heâd get to fight one eventually!
Somehow in the midst of his âresearchâ, the tantou had managed to fumble over a rock which heâd completely failed to notice. Generally, he was fairly good at navigating in his geta, but in this event, their design had been his downfall... literally.
The voice that called out for him was needlessly concerned, but even so, Imanotsurugi happily took the hand presented in conjunction, eager to interact. As he stood up, multiple scrapes made themselves evident, with even a gash on one of his legs from a twig. And though a thin stream of blood started to trickle down, it was nothing! At least, not when compared to the scars heâd received in battle countless times.
The palms of his hands, slightly roughed up, stung as he dusted them off on his pants, but grimace he wouldnât. Instead, Imanotsurugi gave the stranger a winning smile,
  âI hurt a little, but I can handle it!â
Perhaps the stranger would care more for his injuries than he did, and save him from infection.
â Oho? Getting all fired up are ya? Thatâs good! âÂ
Gunha grinned widely, he had managed to summon forth Imanotsurugiâs true guts! And in return, it fired up Gunha as well!Â
â This it! The climactic final! âÂ
Believing in his dual spoon style. The soup like remains of the ice cream was shoveled down with such gusto he could feel his throat freezing into an ice block as he put his all into it.Â
Finishing his bowl, he felt superior, invincible, the strongest there ever was! Slamming both his clenched hands into the table and looked victoriously at his opponent.
But the question was, would Imanotsurugi still try to finish bowl, or had he already done so by the time Gunha had finished?Â
Imanotsurugi still had about a quarter of his bowl remaining when Gunha's large thud made him jump. While that definitely came as a surprise, because he was the owner of a smaller mouth, a less experienced stomach, and whatnot, his loss couldnât be considered the same.
But, even so, heâd really wanted to win! So at first Imanotsurugi was really disappointed, and his messy lips were about to pout. Then, there was a rather loud {BUUUUURP}, and from the depths of his own stomach, no less! It was so abrupt that it completely changed his mood, and elicited little giggles from him. There was no apology, however. What were manners anyway?
Laughter fading, he acknowledged his defeat, âThat was really fun! Youâre real good at eating ice cream. Congrats!!â In the end, he was glad that theyâd competed at all, so he wouldnât be a sore loser. And though heâd thought the other played dirty, holding grudges involved work which Imanotsurugi was unqualified for.
Now, winners of a competition generally received some sort of reward for their achievement. Having just arrived, the sword had nothing to offer, except maybe...Â
  He had slipped out of her grasp yet againâ! Alice grit her teeth together. How dare he presume to take her meat away from her. Her amethyst eyes narrowed as she twisted around, trying to locate where the brat with her meat had ran off to this time. The clinks of his anklets alerted her of the direction, and off she tookâdarting swiftly into the trees.
  It hadnât occurred to her just yet to take a more stealthy approach to their chase (their game). She huffed in annoyance as her hair and red coat fanned out behind her. The overwhelming scent of the meat had her stomach growling incessantly and she swelled. It only fueled her fury at being denied what she wanted. Nothing and no one had ever dared to get in the way of her and her beloved meatâŠnot until now.
  A flash of silver and she had found him again. She wasted no time in reaching wildly, going for the stick of meat like a magnet, presence announced with a frustrated laugh.
  âYou wonât be able to hide from me!â Not so long as he held her meat captive, anyway.
Everything about their game seemed to point to one destiny -- that Imanotsurugi would manage to slip away yet again, given the continual warnings of the girlâs narrowing distance, and his general capabilities. Yet by some twist of fate, or perhaps just his lack of familiarity with his surroundings, the path of destiny lay forked before them, and they would take one unexpected turn.
See, Imanotsurugi made his mistake when turning his head back, overeager to praise his chaser, for he was quite pleased that his playmate could keep up with him! No thought of the dangers which could arise while looking anywhere but ahead had flickered across his mind.
  âWoah! Youâre not so bad!!â
And when he whipped his head around again, about to break off in a real sprint, the trunk of a rather wide tree stared at him mere centimeters away from his face. The time it took to process the maneuvering required to get around the obstacle took a moment too long, and the meat was finally taken from his hands. Their exchange --Â meat for a game -- was complete.
Nightfall had come almost too quickly that evening, sneaking up on Hotarumaru as he was now prancing down the streets with nimble speed. It was no longer safe to idle here any longer.
As the final shrouds of light were swallowed by the swimming shadows, thatâs when the monsters came out to dine. Whether or not they were human or animal, well⊠a meal was a meal, wasnât it?
But Hotarumaru refused to be their victim.
âToh!â
As he lashed out at the closest bounding monster that aimed at his head, he sent it flailing back with a powerful blow from his wooden sword replica, landing on his heels with practiced ease. That was one⊠but there was another he was sure of itâ
âWahh!â
Incredible⊠it had managed to sneak by him and now striking from over head, Hotarumaru raising his sword defensively as he prepared for impact.
There was less to be distracted by in the night -- less activity, less noise, and less people. Imanotsurugi liked those distractions, but distractions they were nonetheless. Perhaps that was why his senses heightened during these dark hours, why his abilities could manifest at their maximum potential. He was at his best under the blanket of darkness, strewed by shining stars with only a reflection of the Sunâs brawn in the Moon.
Under the Moon, however, Imanotsurugi was not alone. The owl may hoot, the cricket may chirp, the lone wolf may cry, and the Hotarumaru may âToh!â ... Wait, what? One of those things was not like the others.
And there he saw it -- the shortest oodachi fending for himself in the distance, and soon to be in close proximity with how Imanotsurugi ran to his side, clutching the hilt of his wooden replica as the monster was about to pounce upon the other. But the monster never got a chance; right in the nick of time, Imanotsurugi had jumped and--
  âCaught it!â
--with all his strength, had managed to pierce the inhuman flesh, sending its owner off to search for food elsewhere rather than deal with any further like treatment without its fellow specimen.
  âThatâs right! You leave him alone!â the tantou, with his hands on his hips, declared saucily before turning to address his comrade. With an imitation of his classic salute, Imanotsurugi grinned, âYo, Hotarumaru! What are you doing out so late? Are you hurt?â
Itâs delight the Saniwaâs glad to see returned. His arms settle around the sword to complete the embrace, a thoughtless laugh leaving him. Most of them are like this, unquestionably accepting of his presence, but Imanotsurugi⊠heâs always loved how bright the tantou can be.
âOf course you can,â he agrees, but itâs belied by something else â the distant words he says next, frowning. âBut weâre not here because I chose to be.â
Itâs not by his will that theyâve been dropped into an unknown era, scattered forces across a land of electricity⊠but thatâs a topic for another day. He doesnât let the worry gnaw away at him, instead loosening his hold on the tiny blade.
âYouâve been playing with the others?â He smiles down at him, only wishing he could grin so brightly as Imanotsurugi does. âOr am I the first one to catch you?â
The Saniwa raises his head, briefly, to look all around them again. Heâs definitely right; this place is big, and it feels against the odds that he managed to find the other at all.Â
Thereâs so many people here.
AndâŠ
ââ donât tell me,â he says, voice more surprised than accusatory.
The fact that his presence in this world is not dictated by the Saniwa is rather jarring. After all, heâs incredibly powerful, to have taken the swords throughout time and brought them their humanly forms. Are there people stronger, then? Gods, maybe, who could whisk even the Saniwa against his will? Admittedly, the thought is scary, and Imanotsurugi pulls his arms back, opting to clutch the hem of the otherâs shirt as he mimics the frown, about to make an inquiry.
Thankfully, the Saniwa seems to know exactly what to say in order to veer his mind from the topic. Maybe itâs because heâs so predictable, but Imanotsurugi is caught again, having definitely played a fair amount upon arriving. Still, only positive feelings can be associated with his favourite pastime, so the questions revive his initial cheer, and eyes twinkle with the evocation of such fond memories.
  He laughs, âOnly sooome of them. But I was the one being chased last time, so you know! I got caught too... I was really surprised!â
But a question of his own springs up -- why ask something so obvious? Of course heâd play given the chance! Anyone who knew him was well acquainted with that fact, so there was no reason to ask unless...
Imanotsurugiâs petite hands hike up to cover his mouth in accompaniment with a gasp.
  âAre you jealous? Do you wanna be chased?â
The swords heâs found here, they all seem to be faring well â as they should be. Theyâre strong and theyâre resolute, and even when he worries about them, he doesnât, really. So itâs not the uchigatana or the tachi that linger on his mind; itâs⊠itâs a lot of things, but of everything he thinks on, his mind keeps coming back to one thing: the tantou.
Itâs a bit like a game of hide-and-seek, trying to hear the swordsâ voices in the city. Every whispered word and quiet hum is fleeting, and for all he searches, he comes up with nothing. Itâs by pure accident that the Saniwa ends up finding him at all: itâs right in the middle of the street, the sky overcast, a field of green to the east. Seeing Imanotsurugi like this, itâs⊠itâs a lot of things.
But as he creeps up behind the small tantou, hands coming to rest on his shoulders, thereâs a thought. Maybe he doesnât have to worry about them, either.
He leans down and murmurs his greeting, voice a playful tease.
Unexpected. The hands on his shoulders make the little one visibly tense. The message too -- how strange! He doesn't remember playing tag. Â But most unexpected of all is the voice relaying that message to him. It couldn't be... could it?
Almost anxiously, he turns to see who his mysterious playmate is, and when his eyes trail upwards to meet their face, he forgets how to speak, barely managing to breathe out his next word.
  âMaster..?â
Thatâs right -- they are playing hide and seek, arenât they? Iwatooshi led him to that conclusion not long ago, and Iwatooshi was never wrong about these things! His heart fills with such pure elation that it begins to swell. And the sword canât help but throw himself at the Saniwa, fling his arms around his waist, and squeeze him as tightly has he can.
  âYouâre really here!â he exclaims while beaming up at the other, his hold lingering. Flushed cheeks ache from how hard heâs smiling, but Imanotsurugi canât care, and continues to grin and bear it. âAnd you found me! Amazing -- this place is so big! Do I get to seek you next time you take us new places?â
        âHm. Well, when you put it that way, I suppose I shouldnât judge so harshly, even with the name. It does take some love for people to be willing to give them something essential for living.â He tilted his head to the side, spinning the piercing in his ear. The other facing away was appreciated for the moment, the scowl to his lips not needing to be seen by them. Perhaps he had been inconsiderate, not only to the workers at the nightclub, but anyone who had ever served him.
        Pocketing his hands, Ren forced a smile. âI donât think you meant to, but you taught me a great lesson today, sir. Thank you.â
âSir!â What a grown up way to be referred to as! And to have taught someone something as well? Imanotsurugi felt quite proud of himself, and showed it through the additional skip in his steps.Â
  âIt was nothing!â Imanotsurugi smiled back at the other. And after another block or so, the pair came across a rather unobtrusive warehouse building. It was ironic, considering how much of a contrast the innards of the building held to its exterior. Using both hands, Imanotsurugi slid the door open and ran inside the monstrously pink and sparkly atmosphere, twirling around with his arms in the air.
  âTadah! This is it!â He stopped his twirling as he remembered to add an important tidbit of information, âOh, but, itâs early, so the staff is still setting up. Still, you can see it now... I think.â
The very notion of their days within the city being without conduct was something Iwatooshi had yet to contemplate. Surely nothing but the likes of a greater power could even begin the summoning ritual with which to bring him into this form of human flesh, to be able to contain all his ability at once. It was nigh unthinkable for the old weapon that anything but the best couldâve even attempted at a chance at wielding him. The impression of his original Master on him was just far too strong for him to expect anything less.
Then, according to his very well-pieced together logic, there was no next to no reason for his long-time friend and companion Imanotsurugi to even suspect that they had no Master here. For surely he was needed in the same way by someone â seen as a valuable asset to whatever Still, there was one single thing that bothered him since he had arrived that resonated with Imanotsurugiâs tone instead of his wordsâŠ
Where was this Master of theirs, then? Why had they not shown themselves and greeted their weapons with eager arms?
But he cast any semblance of worry out of his voice and made an attempt to reach around and flip the small sword into his lap. To anyone walking past, the two would have looked at a glance similar to a fierce mother bear and her gentle cub in the way he was latched around the smaller sword protectively, glimpsing up once more at the giant tree serving as their pink shade and their solace.Â
âWorry not, Imanotsurugi. Whether a Master steps forward or not, weâll forge our own path towards our intended purpose. Thereâs no reason to fret. All will turn out well.âÂ
Indeed, there had been something caught in his throat -- a feeling which words alone couldnât convey the weight of -- the feeling of abandonment. Of all things in this humanly experience, abandonment was the one which Imanotsurugi hated most. It was absolutely wretched. Even as a spirit, the feeling only brought distress, and unlike anger or general discontent, it served no motivation for change, only brought a sense of oneâs uselessness. With physical, living embodiments, it manifested in much uglier and despicable ways; throats would ache, chests would crank, lips would quiver, and eyes would sting. Certainly, he was grateful that Yoshitsune had not forsaken him in this form.
Imanotsurugiâs very fear of abandonment was what ensnared his voice when questioning the very existence of a Master, and prior played his basis for doing the same with the otherâs time at this city. It wasnât that he lacked trust in Iwatooshiâs loyalty -- no, that was incontestable -- it was the staggering intensity of this fear which loomed over all else, even the well of faith he had in their bond. This fear, however, was subconscious, and thus easily eclipsed by the surprise of being thrown.
Ungracefully splayed across Iwatooshiâs lap, the tantou blinked up once, then twice, taking in the sudden new perspective his position brought. By sight, his eyes met hope within blooming skies, and by sound, the words spoken to him were of such heartening timbre; it was all very reassuring and surely brought back his initial smile, but the most contributory of all was the implication that came with being cradled by whom heâd been clinging to moments before; that he, too, was cherished.
  âHnn... so itâs like playing hide and seek!â Imanotsurugi concluded matter-of-factly. In all truth, he didnât quite know what Iwatooshi meant, but if they were summoned to serve, to forge a path to that would set a master as their end-goal. Whether they were to find their master or if their master was to find them, theyâd discover along the way.
As he nestled closer, a giggle escaped his upturned lips, âThat sounds fun!â
At the coughing, Gunha looked up at his opponent. First from curiosity but his expression changed into a more determined one quickly as he noticed his opponent slipping back.
â Whatâda matter, Imano-kun? Losing guts are ya? âÂ
Granted, Gunha traded in precision for speed, his mouth and chin was covered in the green goo was he grabbed a spoon from the table next to them, spinning it between his fingers before taking on a firm grasp.Â
â Lemme show ya what one can achieve when they posses a great amount of Guts! âÂ
Confident as he was, he used both the spoons to spoon his mouth in an endless cycle. While he lost some advantage in his bravados, Gunha was now working at twice the speed from before!Â
Gunhaâs longer experience with ice cream had been a benefit for him on this showdown. But was the recklessness of the hot-headed boy enough to win this battle?Â
With how nice Gunha had been to him thus far, what he did came as an utter shock. It was scandalous-- good people donât cheat!
Imanotsurugiâs eyes flared an angry crimson as his lips pressed together in disapproval, energy within him building up the longer he went without saying a thing. When he couldnât take it anymore, he let the other know just what he thought of his tactic with his fists all balled up.
  âHeeeey! Thatâs not fair!!â the boy shouted, too worked up to realize that he was losing precious eating time by doing so. Whether he did have guts or not, this was an issue Imanotsurugi would have to tackle. Abruptly did he place his hands, firm, on the table as he leaned forward from his chair.
  âIf-- if youâre going to cheat... then I will too!!âÂ
And in no time, Imanotsurugi put himself face-first into the ice cream. Having dropped his spoon, sticky hands kept the bowl lifted to his mouth as he wolf down its now quasi-solid form regardless of the consequences, be them sickness or a green beard. This was the only way he could level the playing field, after all!
 Catch him, huh? This guy had a death wish. Oh yes, she would catch him, and when she did she would pry her meat from his dead handsâ
 She darted towards the trees where he disappeared, looking for a flash of his clothes, something. She could smell the delicious meat he grasped, and very quickly made her way towards where it was the strongest, weaving in and out between the trees. With the intensity in her concentration, it wasnât too long before she spotted him again.
 Aliceâs violet eyes zoned in on the skewer clutched in the kidâs hands immediately. A manic grin spread across her lips, eyes taking an evil glint to them.
 âOhoho!â
 âThere you are!â
 And there she wentâlunging towards him yet again. She was full of confidence, convinced she would snatch it away this time. Oh, and when she did, this kid would pay.
Even with the proximity of his chaser, Imanotsurugi wore a radiant grin from ear to ear, finding sheer joy in the rush of adrenaline. The fact alone, that heâd found someone who would cater to his playful whims, impossibly made him happier.
Of course, when the meat fanatic aimed for her reward, it was once again put out of her reach. The whole act was much too easy with her incessantly loud stomps heard long before her words let him know of her presence. His own strides, while light, were also made distinct with the clink of his golden anklets. Though, the tantouâs running to this point had just been a test of the otherâs capabilities-- mere childâs play-- which in no way broke a sweat.
He was just getting started, after all.
  âYouâll have to be faster than that!â he laughed.
And with that said, Imanotsurugi picked up his pace, ashen hair serpentine and flickering behind him.
