Chapter Text
“Go home please”, Shiba uttered to the man. The power of these people, whoever they were, was clearly evident with the destruction of the warship and the murder of the Japanese delegation, and this was not a fight Shiba wanted to have. One wrong move and it could mean all-out war.
Ariu sat there, calmly observing the Japanese warriors and replied, “I’ll leave when my business is done”. His demeanour was seriously ticking Shiba off. So many dead and to just sit there so nonchalantly? Why he ought to go over there and…
No.
Deep breathes.
Deep breathes.
He stilled his mind ready to attempt a sort of negotiation, though he had a feeling about its futility.
Suddenly, a large crackle was heard, both the Japanese warriors and the Mikaboshi looked around, poised for an attack, crow feathers started falling from the heavens as a boy fell and landed face first in the sand between Ariu and Shiba.
Ariu was the first to respond brushing off the feathers from his coat, “Is this your doing?”
“Not to my knowledge” replied Shiba. Yoshinojo poked at the boy with the tip of his sheath. “I think the kid’s alive”. He peered closer and noticed flames, “and I think he’s on fire”.
Mashiro asked, “should we pour water on him or something?” “No, it looks like some sort of sorcery” Hiroto responded. He knelt down and touched a flame. He could feel his body being rejuvenated and a cut on his finger that he had gotten earlier on that day from some sword practice started to close.
Hiroto stood up, “it looks like some pretty advanced healing sorcery,” he rolled the boy over onto his back to get a closer look, “and the boy does not look old enough to be a practitioner of anything this advanced.”
“Perhaps it’s an innate sorcery?” offered Shiba, “I’ve heard of a sorcery family with pretty strong healing sorcery.”
“Flames are not the Kyounagi style” answered Hiroto, “and neither are feathers.”
The boy’s eyes shot open and he groaned looking groggily up at Ariu “Soga?”
“If this is meant to be some sort of practical joke then I am deeply insulted” said Ariu, anger flickering in his eyes. He stood up, “I am Ariu Mikaboshi, crown prince of the Mikaboshi. Our people were cast out by the Soga and are here to rightfully get what is owed after a millennium of suffering. You will give us Irishima, all of the datenseki you have, the prefectures of Tokyo, Chiba and Kanagawa alongside the Soga Princess.”
Yoshinojo scoffed, “You dare ask for so much?” Hiroto stepped forward, his blade outstretched towards Ariu’s throat but before he could say a single thing the boy stood up, “Soga… princess… Chiaki?”
Shiba, Hiroto and Yoshinojo stiffened, this should not be a name known by many. Only those within the Soga clan, high-up government officials, Azami, Kunishige and himself.
“You want… Chiaki?” Shiba could hear a subtle rage in the tone of the boy.
“Chiaki”, suddenly the old man behind Ariu spoke, “I suppose a name is good to have. She will be needed to be called something when fulfilling her duty”. He grinned a smile that Shiba really really did not like.
“I imagine that is a no? Let us renegotiate then.”
The Mikaboshi shot at them. Hiroto quickly swung his blade, slashing Ariu’s throat. Shiba grabbed someone and teleported them into the air. This was his domain. This would be an easy fight for him. He could see Yoshinojo running through the trees, Mashiro still on the beach and Hiroto diving into the sea. The boy was nowhere to be seen.
Ah well, thought Shiba, something to worry about later. He punched the man, activating Wicked Trick to increase the man’s weight, and then watched as his enemy fell.
“Is Shiba dead?” Yoshinojo asked, now back on the beach having killed his opponent.
“Nope, sorry” replied Shiba having teleported safely next to him.
He turned to face the old man, “Now it’s just you”.