Reunion and Decisions

“The kingdom of fire is burning hither,” said Sharina with a smile. Tatsuya looked out of the carriage window and smiled. He was finally back home—well, not exactly home, but somewhere that he could call home while still in the Dragon Realm. The carriage approached the gates and was allowed entry.

Tatsuya felt bubbling excitement as he caught sight of the familiar streets and the people. He took a deep breath to calm himself. It wasn’t long before they finally reached the castle of the Draco royal family. The carriage was led inside and parked right in front of the castle’s front doors. A servant opened the carriage doors. Sharina exited the carriage first and then extended a hand for Tatsuya. Tatsuya grabbed it and was treated to a wink from the Amaru princess, making him blush and look away.

It didn’t take Tatsuya one step before the castle doors flung open. Like moths to a flame, Aika and the other dragon princess surrounded Tatsuya with a mixture of joy, sadness, anger, relief, and a whole host of other emotions. Their simultaneous feelings of anxious worry and joyful relief could be felt by Tatsuya, who himself was filled with strong emotions at finally being reunited with those closest to him.

“Darling! Darling! Darling!” cried Aika almost hysterically as she hugged Tatsuya tightly with teardrops dripping from her eyes.

“I’m back,” Tatsuya whispered comfortingly to her. He then turned to the others with a smile and shouted, “I’m back!”

“You had us worried for the longest time,” said Arashi with a sigh of relief.

“Hahahahaha! I, of course, had faith in you, Boyfriend! Otherwise, my elite self would’ve never fallen in love with you in the first place!” laughed Takara.

“To be fair, I never once believed that a malapert mooncalf like you could ever make a gallant return,” said Sunaji with her arms crossed and a frown on her face.

“Oh? But weren’t you the one who got on Aika’s case about causing Tatsuya’s disappearance in the first place?” teased Arashi.

“I-I-I-I have no recollection of that at all!” stammered Sunaji.

“Oh, My Love, we were waiting for you,” said Kanjomizu to Tatsuya with a soft smile. “I was waiting for you.” She added that last part in a slightly softer voice and blushed.

“I knew you would come back,” spoke up Shurai. She had managed to wedge herself in between Aika and Tatsuya. “As punishment for disappearing, you must give me a treat.”

“A-A treat?” said Tatsuya with a laugh.

Shurai gestured for him to come closer. Once his face was lowered enough, she gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Treat acquired,” she said after planting the kiss onto him.

“It is a pleasure to see you return with your health,” greeted Kiai with a bow.

“You better not be getting any ideas,” said Arashi grimly to the Wyvern princess.

“We are observing your every actions,” joined in Sunaji. Both the Quetzalcoatl and Python princesses were eyeing Kiai like hawks waiting to strike at the perfect moment.

“My, I wonder what you may mean?” said Kiai with a laugh.

“A gathering of royal blood has appeared before our very eyes. My, such a blessed sight as this is comparable to the alignment of the holy stars of our ancestors. Perhaps we have been deemed worthy of the gods’ divine providences,” said Sharina.

The other princesses turned their heads in the direction of the Amaru princess. They were so immersed in their emotive reunion with Tatsuya that they had been completely unaware of their other guest until the moment they spoke.

“Who is that?” asked Arashi with a raised eyebrow.

“Daughter of darkness am I, descendant of the chaos god. The blood of darkness runs through my veins and my black heart is but a void that accepts all colors without scrutiny. To bless others with the truth of darkness, I reveal myself unto those deemed worthy by the Holy Darkness. Fear not the power of Sharina, for the righteous heart of darkness beats within us all. Please allow me your welcome into your coven of bonds that illuminates the darkness of which I have ascended from,” greeted the Amaru princess.

The other princess were at a complete loss for words.

Shade was quick to offer his mistress his assistance. He bowed his head and translated the princess’s words for the others to hear. “My Lady means to greet you all,” he told them. “She requests that you accept her as one of your own. In other words, she wishes to become friends.”

The princesses exchanged quick glances. “Of course!” they all said in unison with warm smiles.

“That’s quite the surprise!” gasped Tatsuya. He had expected an argument or fight to happen, as was often the case before.

“I’ve learned that love is best to be shared,” said Aika.

“Shared?” asked Tatsuya.

Aika giggled and put a finger to her lips. “It’s a secret,” she told him with a wink.

“Besides, we’ll need all the help we can get,” added Arashi.

“Help?” Tatsuya was now getting very confused with where the conversation was going. Luckily, the girls explained to him what was going on. They went into great detail about their plan to stop the war between the Draco tribe and Okami tribe from happening. As he listened, Tatsuya found confidence in their words. When they finished, he explicitly showed his approval for their plan with a nod of his head.

“The darkness shall consume all despair and sow the seeds of hope within the hearts of mortals,” said Sharina coolly with a grin.

“S-Should we take that as a yes?” asked Arashi.

“Well, it doesn’t sound like a no,” said Aika.

“The darkness is so cool,” said Shurai, referring to Sharina.

“She’s truly like an incarnation of Black Magi’s vampire sensei, Lady Wisteria Blood Insomnius!” exclaimed Takara. Shurai quickly nodded her head in agreement to her friend’s description.

“Praise the Holy Darkness!” shouted Sharina.

“Praise the Holy Darkness!” repeated Takara and Shurai enthusiastically.

As soon as the doors to the castle opened, Tatsuya was pulled into a heartfelt reunion with his friends. Manami was in tears and desperately holding onto Tatsuya as if he was afraid the latter would disappear again in the blink of an eye if he let go. Daiki welcomed Tatsuya back with a warm smile and a lighter form of his usual sardonic banter. The other Dragonborns were equally happy to see Tatsuya’s return. Shen, in particular, despite his haughty and indifferent attitude at first glance, received Tatsuya warmly with a sincere smile and a nod of approval.

But this was only the calm before the storm. Thundering footsteps and an echoing cry rumbled down the hall like the heralding of a giant beast. The cry became clearer as it got closer and Tatsuya immediately felt chills rushing down his spine. “TATSUYA-KYUN!!!” roared Prince Nobi. He pulled Tatsuya into a massive bearhug and rubbed his cheek against the Dragonborn’s. “Tatsuya-kyun, Tatsuya-kyun, TATSUYA-KYUN!” he gushed.

“That’s enough, big brother!” snapped Aika as she put herself in between them.

“Are you okay? Are you hurt? Have you eaten?” the prince anxiously asked Tatsuya.

Tatsuya was a little stunned to see the prince completely ignoring his little sister. “I-I’m okay,” he reassured the prince.

Nobi led everyone into the throne room. As he did, he constantly glanced back at Tatsuya to check the latter’s condition and make sure that he was indeed okay.

Once everyone was settled in the throne room, Tatsuya told everyone what had happened to him all this time after the meeting with the Okami tribe went downhill. Everyone listened with intent ears and even more intense eyes. They exchanged glances of surprise, horror, wonder, and relief throughout the entire story to match the very words coming out of Tatsuya’s mouth. Once he was done, silence filled the room as everyone processed everything that was said.

“You were able to meet Shenlong, the Celestial Dragon of divine providence,” sighed Kiai in awe. “What was he like?” she asked him with a curious smile.

“He was very insightful,” Tatsuya answered after a slight hesitation. “Even if he is a grouch,” he added in a half-jokingly way.

“First it was Ryujin, then it was Amora, then it was Shori and Senshi, and now it’s Shenlong,” recounted Takara with a smirk. “You really are lucky to be loved by the gods. As expected of an elite’s boyfriend, Boyfriend!”

“I-I don’t know about that,” objected Tatsuya humbly with a chuckle.

“Your time has not expired yet. Tis but the will of the Holy Darkness that you have survived the clutches of death many times before. Praise the angel that which guides you to your duty, for the world is still in need of your power. You have not yet been forsaken by the universe, therefore you existence is still needed. Your soul shall be forever entwined with the universe’s,” monologued Sharina.

“Tis your fate to survive and help the world by playing the role which it has given you,” translated Shade.

“Fate, huh…,” muttered Tatsuya with a sad smile.

For the rest of the day, the conversation turned to preparing for the upcoming war against the Okami tribe. The time that they were given before the determined start of the war was enough for them to put their plan into action. Tatsuya was more than ready for the long journey ahead. In fact, as he listened to the others’ plan on forming an alliance between the different tribes, he did not feel any anxiety or fear well up in him at all—maybe this confidence was instilled in him through his belief that with the princesses on his side, this plan’s success is more than guaranteed.

“Then first, we must strike a deal with the Naga tribe,” said Prince Nobi. “They will be our first ally.”

“Why the Naga tribe first?” asked Takara. “Surely you must be aware that the elite Lindworms possess enough treasure to fund the raising of a powerful army and production of powerful weapons. Just forming an alliance with us is enough. Once you have your large army, you can use them against the Okami however you want.”

“You don’t get it, do you,” smirked Arashi with a shake of her head.

“The Naga tribe possesses the strongest navy in the entire realm,” explained Kanjomizu with a serious look in her eye. This never-before-seen expression of hers surprised the others and made them stand on their toes. It was enough to tell Tatsuya just how much weight her words carried. “Once we can secure the strongest navy, our chances of forcing the Okami tribe to surrender will be greater.”

“How does that work?” asked Shurai.

“The Wyrm Sea,” realized Shen, referring to the giant body of water that makes up the Okami tribe’s western and northern borders.

“Once we can secure those positions, we can surround them,” concluded Percy.

“We want to force them to surrender before the war even starts,” agreed Tatsuya. “The best victory is when neither side have to suffer.”

“Since when have you become so eloquent, O’ Wise One?” commented Manami cheekily.

“Tatsu has reached a new level of maturity, it seems,” joined in Daiki.

“What was that? Are you saying that I was just a dumb good-for-nothing before?” objected Tatsuya. The entire room burst into laughter, which at first irritated Tatsuya but he eventually joined in with no hard feelings at all.

“Well, it appears that we have come to a conclusion on how to approach this plan,” said Prince Nobi. “Once we have secured an alliance with the Naga tribe—,” he began.

“We should command the skies. That’s the only reasonable thing to do, isn’t it?” offered Arashi. The prince nodded his head. “Well, I don’t know if the Quetzalcoatl tribe will be all for it, but I will try my best to convince them to join our side.”

“Uncertainty is the last thing we require. It’ll all be but a bootless trial,” disregarded Sunaji.

“Oh? And what can a bunch of country hicks provide for us? Fresh fruits from the farm? Maybe you guys should just work the kitchen and provide the food for the real soldiers on the battlefield,” mocked Arashi scathingly.

Sunaji’s face turned a crimson red and she exploded into a tirade at Arashi. “Wha ya stinkin’ hussy! Ah oughta take yer neck an’ wring it aut wid mah own hands! Ah’ll make damn sure dat ya wun’t live ‘nother day! Dun be u’erestimatin me! Ya ‘ave mah werd, ya hear? Ah dun ‘ad enough wid ya wise-ass sissy self!” Her words echoed through the hall and she suddenly stopped. She cleared her throat and patted her dress. “Pardon. I have presented to you all a loathly side of myself.”

Arashi couldn’t help but burst into laughter to the point that she was clutching her own stomach. Sunaji, her face still red but with embarrassment this time, did her best to remain silent and not give in.

“You can count on the Druk kingdom,” Shurai told Prince Nobi and Tatsuya.

“Having the Blitzkrieg Knights on our side will be a great blessing for us,” agreed the prince.

“Blitzkrieg Knights?” asked Tatsuya.

“You’ll know once we get there,” Shurai told him in a partly mysterious voice.

“Of course you can depend on the elite Lindworms to provide you with their elite assistance,” offered Takara haughtily. “Be grateful that an elite such as I am offering the likes of you my elite assistance. Mwa-ha-ha-ha-ha!”

“I would also like to offer you support from my tribe,” said Kiai. “However, due to my tribe’s policy of pacifism, we can only act as witness to the battle. But you can rely on us to help broker peace between the two tribes in a just and fair way.”

“Anything of help is appreciated,” said the prince gratefully.

“Hmph. Know that the darkness will never abandon those in need. It hears the cries of the damned and heeds the calls of the pitied. Pray if you must, but understand the darkness’ desire to become the salvation of those blinded by the light of destruction. Your prayers shall not be in vain, Prince of Fire. May the Holy Darkness bless you,” said Sharina with a confident smile.

Shade translated to the others and Prince Nobi accepted the Amaru princess’s help with gratitude.

“It would help us greatly if we can also get the help Bakunawa tribe,” put out Manami. Daiki flinched a little upon hearing his friend’s suggestion.

“Having the best magicians in the entire dragon realm on our side will be a great help indeed,” agreed Prince Nobi. “Their magical technology will prove beneficial in our campaign against the Okami.”

“Are the Okami really that strong?” asked Tatsuya.

“Every tribe have their own strengths and weaknesses, of course,” began Prince Nobi. “But this time, we will be fighting on their turf. This means that we will be at a disadvantage when it comes to the environment. Do you know why this one reason puts us at a disadvantage against them?”

“Their environment will provide them more strength for their magic,” answered Tatsuya matter-of-factly.

“Exactly. We can alter our own environment with our magic, but it is also our environment that strengthens our own magic. Therefore, they will greatly overpower our fire powers just with their choice in battlefield alone. However, if we can take control of the environment a little at a time, it will help shift the battle in our favor. Having the Naga and the Quetzalcoatl help us is not only about gaining advantage from a logistical standpoint, but also from a magical one. With less space to influence their magic, it will be possible for us to defeat them in a fair battle. But if we had magical technology on our hands, it will be possible to limit their magic even more. If we do, they will have to resort to using raw power.”

“And since raw power relies on their own energy, it will make it easier to force them to surrender,” realized Tatsuya.

“Magic requires magical energy, mana, to give form to one’s powers. Magical energy requires less power and more concentration, therefore a strong and stable mind is all one needs to master it,” finished the prince.

Tatsuya now understands the whole reason behind the alliance. It wasn’t just about finding the quickest way to force their opponent to surrender. It was to show solidarity between the tribes of the dragon realm. If they can prove their strength through unity, the enemy will have no choice but to surrender lest they court destruction.

“It appears that we’ve reached an agreement,” said Prince Nobi with a nod. “I would like to say we shall set out on our journey come tomorrow morning…but we shall postpone it for now.” He then shifted his focus to Tatsuya. “Tatsuya-kyun, why don’t you take a rest for now? We can save the journey for the day after tomorrow.” Tatsuya kindly accepted the prince’s offer.

“Hahhhhhh!” sighed Tatsuya as he lowered his body deeper in the hot bath. The warmth calmed his aching body like a much needed cozy blanket, and the water washed away all of the stress that had built up inside of him. This was the very first time he felt this relaxed, especially considering the draining training he went through under Shenlong’s instruction. Finally, he can let it all disappear and enter a state of much needed tranquility! All alone in the bath by himself, Tatsuya was free to take all the time he needed to enjoy this moment of peace and quiet. Oh, how he wished to remain like this for eternity.

Tatsuya’s deep immersion in this fantasy made him unaware to the entrance of a new figure in the bath. As he let himself melt away with the steam while wearing the most relaxed of expressions, his body drifted lazily in the water. He felt himself coming into contact with something soft and the sensation only relaxed him even more to the point of reaching a nirvana-like state.

“It pleases my dark soul to see you wash away the sins that have been bearing down on your righteous heart,” spoke an all-too-familiar voice, jolting Tatsuya out of his dream.

Tatsuya glanced over and saw Sharina bathing right next to him. Although he knew he could’ve handled it better, his instincts got the better of him and he let out a loud scream. “What are you doing here?!” he shouted, jumping out of the bath.

“Please, Grand Savior, let your body be washed anew by these waters blessed by the Holy Darkness,” said Sharina. “If you desire so, I shall lend my powers to discard the sins that still cling to your heart. Let your heart be cleansed so you may receive the divine providence of the Holy Darkness.”

“I-I-I-I think I’m done for now,” Tatsuya told her, doing his best to turn her down gently. Suddenly, the door opened and Tatsuya quickly jumped back into the bath.

“It is time for my elite bath!” came Takara’s voice with a laugh.

“Taka-chan, you need to wash yourself first,” said Shurai.

‘Shoot! I missed my chance to escape!’ cursed Tatsuya.

Takara and Shurai entered the bath. Sharina welcomed them with her usual strange speech. Both Takara and Shurai listened to the Amaru princess’ words in awe with attentive ears. Tatsuya took this chance to slowly float towards the edge of the bath. He almost reached his goal when he suddenly felt a finger poke him in the back. He reacted with a high-pitched squeal. He turned around and saw Shurai staring at him with a tilted head.

“Oh, um I…,” he started to say, trying to find some kind of excuse to escape this situation.

“Did we intrude you on your bath?” Shurai asked him.

“It’s fine! I was about done anyway!” he reassured her. Shurai floated closer to him. She then turned back around and rested her back on Tatsuya’s chest. “Um, Shurai, what are you—?” he started to ask.

“Taking a bath with you,” she simply told him.

Tatsuya, in both mind and body, was on the verge of exploding. Emotions swirled in his head in a maelstrom that threatened to break his skull apart; his body was boiling from the negative feedback brough upon by said maelstrom; and he found himself trapped in a never-ending cycle of petrification and writhing. Shurai’s soft and supple skin resting on his own was too much for him to bear! Never mind the fact that they were both naked in the bath together!

“Tatsu-kun, your body is very hard and sturdy,” said Shurai, snuggling closer to him. “But it’s very comforting and comfortable.”

“O-O-O-O-O-Okay, okay, okay, okay,” stuttered Tatsuya. He wanted to try to push Shurai away, but the position that her body was in—shoulders back with her front completely exposed and relaxed—made it impossible for him to attempt to do it in a way that was honorable and respectful of her body and personal space! There were no safe options at all! “Shurai, I think it’s about time for me to get out now,” he told her as gently as he could, disguising his embarrassment.

“But snuggling with Tatsu-kun is very comfortable and nice,” said Shurai.

“The bath isn’t for snuggling, though,” Tatsuya told her with a forced smile.

Shurai turned around and asked, with pleading eyes, “Then can I snuggle with Tatsu-kun in bed tonight?”

“Snu—be—tonight?” stuttered Tatsuya with a terrified expression. He really didn’t want to take it into consideration, but the way Shurai was looking at him with innocent and pleading eyes…Tatsuya suddenly found himself surrendering to her whims. “Man, you really know how to get one over me,” he said with a sigh. “Alright, you can,” he told her with a smile.

“Ah, no fair! I want to snuggle with Boyfriend, too!” came Takara, who had happened to hear the last part of their conversation.

At that exact moment, the door opened again and the other princesses entered. “What’s this about snuggling?” asked Sunaji with her hands to her hips.

“To celebrate Tatsu-kun’s return, we will be snuggling with him tonight,” announced Shurai out of nowhere.

“Ack, that’s—!” protested Tatsuya.

“Darling! You can count me in!” immediately joined Aika happily.

“How vile!” objected Sunaji.

“Then you don’t have to join in,” teased Arashi.

“Hah?! W-W-Who said that I….” Sunaji’s face quickly turned a bright red. “Hmph! You best be grateful that I have decided to grace you with my presence tonight!” she declared, pointing a finger at Tatsuya.

“Is that really the problem here?” uttered Tatsuya with an annoyed smile.

“So you really wanted to do it after all,” teased Arashi again, playfully tugging at the towel wrapped around Sunaji’s body.

“Stop this farce this instant!” ordered Sunaji, wresting back control of her towel.

“My, are we all going to alleviate Tatsuya-dono in his bed tonight?” asked Kiai with a chuckle.

“No one is doing anything in my bed tonight except for me! And that will be sleeping!” declared Tatsuya. Not caring anymore for decency, Tatsuya jumped out of the bath and ran out of the bathroom naked, heading straight for his room.

That night, despite what Tatsuya had said, his entire bed was filled to brim with warm, dynamite bodies. ‘Sweet dreams…when will they ever return to me?’ he bemoaned. Well, at least his life has returned to normal…right?

“Must be nice being surrounded by the blossoming flesh of royalty,” came Yong’s voice.

Tatsuya found himself in a strange dark space. Yong was standing in front of him with his hands placed behind his back. The Celestial Dragon wore a mysterious smile that was a blended mix of childlike innocence and adult mischief.

This was the very first time Tatsuya met Yong in a space like this. It was strange given how they would normally meet in the real world. But Tatsuya was now getting used to these kinds of ordeals, especially when regarding Celestial Dragons. “What did you call me here for?” Tatsuya asked Yong.

“Firstly, about our little contest,” said Yong with a wide smile.

Tatsuya recalled the contest and thought back to the song he heard the Celestial Dragon sang before. “The futility of existence! Nihilism!” answered Tatsuya with his attempt at a more philosophical take.

“Bzzt!” quickly rejected Yong. He then let out a mirthful laugh. “My, I never thought that you would ever go down that route! Impressive! Impressive indeed! An impressive failure!”

“Okay, okay, I get it,” snapped an irritated Tatsuya. “Listen, if you called me here just to make fun of me, I don’t appreciate it. Please just send me back.”

“Geez, you’re no fun,” said Yong with a pout. “Anyway, you’ve met Shenlong, haven’t you?”

Upon hearing Shenlong’s name, Tatsuya reacted with a quick turn of his neck. He noticed Yong looking straight at him with glowing eyes and a smile that expected nothing less that satisfactory entertainment. “Yes, I did,” Tatsuya answered straightforwardly.

“How was it? Was he scary? Prickly? Harsh? Temperamental? Did you learn his passions? His weakness?” pressed Yong like an excited child.

“What’s with you trying to get dirt on a Celestial Dragon? Are you trying to get blackmail material so you can extort him tomorrow?” pushed back Tatsuya.

“So?” continued Yong, reverting back to his usual calm self.

“He told me the history of the Celestial Dragons and the Thirteen,” explained Tatsuya.

“Oh, is that it? Just a history lesson? How disappointing,” said Yong, rolling his eyes with a disappointed pout.

“He also taught me the signature techniques of the Thirteen,” amended Tatsuya.

“Now that’s exciting!” quickly exclaimed Yong with a clap of his hands. “I’m guessing that you picked them up rather quickly, didn’t you? Oh, how I can’t wait to see what you decide to do with them! Interesting! Very interesting indeed!” He then wore a very unsettling smile that sent chills down Tatsuya’s back. “Have fun finding your way as you become your own Dragonborn,” he said with a giggle.

“Um, thanks…,” said Tatsuya with a gulp.

“By the way, about your plan to get the other tribes on your side,” said Yong with a playful tilt of his head, “are you certain that it will work?”

“It must work,” Tatsuya told him seriously.

“Wow, that was the most serious I’ve ever heard you become! Reminds me of the time I spent a few years in the court of King Solomon and witnessed his determination to make a demon do his bidding! What an interesting human he was!”

“Um, Yong, I—,” Tatsuya quickly stopped himself.

“Oh, what is this? You are not lost this time. Yet, you still require council, don’t you? Uncertainty is written all over your face,” said Yong in his usual all-seeing manner.

“I know that this entire plan is delicate and requires careful hands to make it a success,” began Tatsuya. “And I also want to end this war between the Draco tribe and Okami tribe as quickly as possible. But….”

“It is not certain that the Okami will surrender, even if they find themselves at a disadvantage,” finished Yong. “Although it wasn’t explicitly stated, the outcome for such a situation is all too plain to see.” Tatsuya nodded his head in answer to Yong’s words. “Patience runs out quickly in a war. Good intentions quickly give way to evil results. Surrender becomes death and the winners become criminals. There is no such thing as everlasting peace following a war. A dispute handled fairly is not the same as a dispute handled well. For the former, the concepts of equality plays a central role in forming the ideals of both parties involved. On the other hand, the latter combines terror and graciousness, ruthlessness and pity to build up strength for the sole purpose of crushing the competition. The first situation is ideal, yet it is the second that is reality. War will always be handled well rather than fairly, despite the glorifying words used to praise the honorable way of fighting equally.”

“So, there’s no way to avoid it, then,” said Tatsuya. He was well aware of this possible outcome, just as he was certain that everyone else was too. Sure, it never came up in the conversation—all everyone talked about was how to get the Okami tribe to surrender without a fight. It was as if the other outcome was already understood as the only other viable option if their entire plan went up in flames.

“Will you be fighting fairly, or well?” asked Yong, tilting his head from side-to-side like a child.

“I….” Tatsuya didn’t know what to say.

“Well, don’t tell me right now,” interjected Yong. “I like to be surprised,” he said with a mischievous smile.

Tatsuya nodded his head. The space around him suddenly became black and he opened his eyes. He found himself back in his room. The day after tomorrow is the day the plan will be put into action. He looked at the peaceful faces of the dragon princesses in his bed…. He now had his answer.

“Himeko! Are you in there, nyan?” called Nekoyashi, knocking on Torahime’s apartment door.

Torahime opened the door. “What is it, Koneko?” she asked her friend.

Nekoyashi presented to Torahime a letter. Torahime took it and saw the all-too-familiar seal of a Japanese dragon cut in two—it was from the Dragon Slayer village. She quickly opened it and took out its content.

“Natsume Torahime, your allotted time to defeat our enemy, the Dragonborn, and prove yourself worthy of the Byakko Clan’s recognition as a Dragon Slayer is nearing its end. When the season comes for sakura to bloom, you will be dealt the appropriate judgement. If you do not complete your mission by that time, your exile from the Byakko Clan is all but certain. The Head of the Byakko Clan awaits news of your success. Waste any more time, and you will know that the stars are not kind. Sincerely, the Byakko Clan Council.”

Torahime couldn’t believe what she was reading. It hadn’t occurred to her that almost a year had passed since she left her village to pursue the Dragonborn in an attempt to get recognized as a Dragon Slayer by her clan. This letter opened her eyes and she cursed her own failures. She had so many chances to get rid of him! So, why didn’t she…?

“Koneko, did you get one of these letters, too?” asked Torahime.

“Just a letter from my mom asking when I will be back to visit her, nyan,” replied Nekoyashi with an embarrassed smile.

“A year had already passed and I have nothing to show for it!” cried Torahime, slamming her fist against the wall.

“Himeko, you still have time,” reassured Nekoyashi. “There’s still a few months before the sakura bloom, nyan.”

“But I had so many chances!” bemoaned Torahime. “Am I really just weak?”

‘I don’t think that’s your problem, nyan,’ thought Nekoyashi to herself. She didn’t dare make that thought known for fear of dealing more psychological damage to her already pained friend.

Torahime brought her clenched hands to her side. “I’ll go hunt him right now! Where is he?!” she declared with a frenzied look in her eyes.

“I don’t think we’ll see him until school starts back, nyan,” said Nekoyashi. “The Cultural Mythologies and Supernatural Research Club are on some kind of trip for the Winter Break, nyan.”

“They are?” asked Torahime with a click of her tongue.

“Hey, Himeko, maybe we should stop this, nyan,” said Nekoyashi with a worried smile.

“Stop this? What do you mean by that, Koneko?” asked Torahime in an accusatory tone.

“Well, we’ve seen them for ourselves and—,” answered Nekoyashi slowly.

“And what? Don’t tell me that you’ve become pals with them, Koneko. They are our enemies!” exploded Torahime. “Dragons are enemies of humankind!”

“But if they truly are, we wouldn’t be alive now, nyan?” pointed out Nekoyashi.

“What—?” began Torahime. However, Nekoyashi was quick to cut her off.

“Dragons are inherently more powerful than us. We may have been trained since childhood to fight them, nyan, but they could still nyan us if they caught us off-guard,” laid out Nekoyashi logically. “But since they didn’t, maybe it meant that there are more to them than what we were taught. At least, that’s what I want to believe, nyan.”

“But, that can’t be—,” objected Torahime in horror.

“Himeko, are you really doing this for the good of humankind, nyan? Or is it somenyan else?” asked Nekoyashi with eyes so focused that it shocked Torahime to know that her friend could make a face like that. “If you were to hunt down innocent dragons, nyan, then won’t that be the same as hunting down innocent beings? Sure, not all dragons are innocent, nyan, but that applies to humans, too.”

Torahime slammed another fist against the wall. “Why? Why are you acting like this? Aren’t you supposed to be on my side?” she muttered with tears streaming down her contorted face. Her shoulders now felt heavier than they already were, as if the weight that she had depended on Nekoyashi to help carry were now forced back onto her. So…heavy….

Nekoyashi placed a hand on her friend’s shoulder. “There, there,” she comforted her friend. For Nekoyashi, she believed that this was important for her friend’s growth. And it was a chance for them to finally break free of this illusion that was placed on them since childhood. ‘What are you going to do now, Himeko-nyan?’ asked Nekoyashi with a small smile.

“Koneko,” began Torahime, wiping away the tears from her eyes, “you may hate me for this, but I just want to end this right now. Call me whatever you want: cruel, vicious, heartless, I’ll accept it all. But that will only harden my resolve. I’ve made a decision and I won’t go back on it!” Her eyes were serious and burned with a fire that made her amber eyes shine brighter than they already were.

“I see,” accepted Nekoyashi in a quiet voice.

“You can do everything in your power to stop me, but I will never surrender!” continued Torahime.

“Of course,” agreed Nekoyashi.

With a resolve as firm as a mountain peak and a voice that cut sharper than a knife, Torahime made the following declaration: “As soon as I see Owatatsumi Tatsuya again, I will take his head!”