A Peek into the Rōnin

“What a rush that was!” Zuina shouts with exhilaration, removing her undercover getup.

“I know my heart is still pounding.” Kay agreed, doing the same, to then move to the couch.

Now returning to Zuina’s home, their headquarters as they’ve come to refer to. Kay and Zuina completed their side mission of managing the spy’s vehicle. The two have the time to relax as the boys will be taking on the more manly coded role of interrogation, in spite of Kay’s protest of wanting to be part of it. She eventually agreed when provided with the idea of grand theft auto.

“I’ve never done anything even close to something like that before! Just wow!” Zuina shouted, still jittery from the adrenaline, to aggressively hug one of the squirrel plushies.

“Right? Do you think Moku does stuff like that all of the time?” Kay wondered.

“Maybe, he definitely has the unique qualities of a Rōnin lifestyle.”

“Yeah, but I’m glad he’s on our side, those spies would probably still be following us if it wasn’t for him.”

“Oh, yeah, you’re probably right, ah, that’s so weird!” Zuina cringed at the idea. “Do you want some sweets?” She then asked suddenly.

“Sure!”

“Okay, one second!” Zuina hopped up with glee, then as fast as she left she returned with a colorful box.

“Oh, what is it?” Kay marveled at the numerous, small star shaped sweets.

“Konpeitō, it's just flavored sugar, have as much as you like.” Zuina smiled, as Kay smiled back and took a handful. “Hehe, I probably shouldn’t be associating sweets with the stuff we did today.” She laughed as she ate some.

“I’m sure it will be fine, think of it as a reward for a job well done.” Kay remarked as she threw a Konpeitō in her mouth. “Wow! Ojii-chan would love these!” She then yelled.

“Is that your grandfather?” Zuina asked for Kay to quickly nod in confirmation. “You haven't talked about him much.” She then asked.

“There's not much to say, he’s an old fashioned, old man. But he loves his family, no matter how little he smiles.” Kay explained with a thoughtful smile.

“Does he live with you and your parents?” Zuina wondered, as it is a growing commonality for grandparents to live alongside their children and grandchildren.

“Heh, I haven’t lived with my parents in years… Nope, just me and my granddad.” Kay mentioned.

“Really…? I stopped living with my parents since I started high school… Come to think of it, I don’t think I’ve seen them since high school, at my graduation.” Zuina recalled.

“Why is that?” Kay gently asked.

“I don’t know, they never got along with my brother, and had high expectations for me annnd… I wasn’t the nicest.”

“You?! Weren’t nice?” Kay asked with disbelief.

“I know, I know…!” Zuina’s voice cracked with mild embarrassment. “So I, like, skipped the last grade in middle school, and went straight into high school, so I didn’t have many friends, and that weird isolation made me take it out on my parents. And I somehow made my parents feel dumb, because I asked questions about my supposed smarts, and when they didn’t have good answers for me I’d say some pretty rude stuff, so it got to the point that I just wanted to leave, and I moved in with my brother. Which was a whole 'nother thing. But basically, they always wanted this or that for me, and I didn’t want those things, so I just schemed my own path and they were unable to change it once I started.” Zuina profusely confessed in one long breath, her complicated story.

“Oh… Wow. I wasn’t expecting that.” Kay replied.

“Hehe, sorry, I just get super chatty when I have a lot of energy. And, I feel comfortable around you!”

“Thanks, I feel the same way, it's good to have friends to talk to.” Said Kay. “Haha, we’re just a bunch of losers that somehow found one another, huh?” She then joked.

“Hahh, we really are, aren’t we!” Zuina laughed out loud.

“Growing up is just weird isn’t it?” Kay giggled slightly.

“Weird for sure, I feel that that weirdness gives us more freedom, and that makes some things a little easier." Zuina thoughtfully reflected.

“Yeah, it's like the only hard part about growing up is that everyone gets older too.” Kay mentioned softly, frowning ever so slightly.

“Which grows stronger relationships with everyone you care about!” Smiling brightly, Zuina playfully bumped shoulders with Kay.

Kay smiled at Zuina’s well worded ideas. The two found a quiet moment of solace with that thought. Recognizing that their lives are different and weird in so many ways, creating challenges that no one will ever prepare them. But still see that those same people with different experiences will still find the time to share their kindness and weirdness, with the sole purpose to navigate this constantly changing world: Together.

“Oh, before I forget, I added something to the drawing board.” Zuina mentioned, to quickly pull out the board.

“So, just something I noticed: I find it interesting that you all have different Viscera.”

“Oh, yeah, that’s true.” Kay realized with her curiosity growing.

“Part of a hand, some of the heart, an eye, with a piece of liver. I’m thinking that this is from one whole body.” Zuina elaborated to her audience of one.

“Which means, we could be expecting a hell of a lot more Bio Mages?” Kay added.

“Exactly, and there's a strong chance that more will get aggressive, trying to locate more Viscera, and become whole, or something.”

“Well, good thing we learned how to shoot badass guns!” Kay hollered, while making finger pistols.

“Ahh, that was super intense, my whole body was shaking the rest of the day.” Zuina mentioned.

“Personally, I’m ready to shoot some more guns!” Kay then made several action movie poses.

Kay shifts her eyes to Zuina as she receives a text message, likely the one they've been waiting for.

“It's from Yuu! They must have learned something.” Said Zuina. “It says: Hey Ina, we didn’t get much from you know who, but we learned something that should get us more answers. They work for Xu Fu & Percy LLC, and their HQ is pretty close. Eyeballs, Kirin Creative and I think we should check out this supposed HQ, today before the troops arrive.” She spoke up for Kay to hear.

“Well, looks like the day’s not done yet.” Zuina then said, once she replied that her and Kay finished her mission. She then saw that Kay was stuck in an odd stance, as if she was about to jump from winning a title championship.

“YOooOo!” Kay’s eyes and mouth suddenly widened with excitement as she clenched her hands into fist.

“I thought of the perfect team name!”

“Name?”

“That’s right!” Kay shouted, to grab a marker and write on top of the drawing board.

—Rōnin To Kirin—

“Hehehe, you may marvel at my genius.” Kay smiled.

“You know what…? It is perfect.” Zuina smiled back.