Chapter 9 : The Point Of No Return

A few more hours had passed and the monotonous schoolday had come to an end.

Haru and Ozu had gone their separate ways, and Celia caught up with him after separating from her newfound friends.

They left the school soon after, their destination imminent — the mall — located in the centre of the city, surrounded by an influx of narrow sidestreets. Its shimmering, modern design was the crown jewel of Urahama city.

“Ahhh, so this is your culture's market!” Celia said in amazement, eyes wide in astonishment.

“I mean it's technically not a market… but I guess you could call it that.” Haru nervously scratched the back of his head, finding no purpose at the current moment to explain the difference between a market and mall.

But his mind was puzzled by even deeper stresses. How the hell am I gonna help her find new clothes? I don't even know where the women's clothes are. Plus, I still gotta make sure I don't overspend either!?

Haru had always been relatively good with money, already having a significant amount in savings for a rainy day but a ‘rainy day’ didn’t exactly apply to this current predicament.

“So where should we go to look for my undergarments?”

“How do you ask that so innocently!?”

“I just wanted to be frank, Haru. Is it not preferable that I'm honest?”

“...It's not exactly honest that I'm worried about.”

It was her lack of modern day social awareness that he was worried about instead.

But as Haru remained lost in his own head. “Ah! Haru, are those women of the church?”

“Church?”

There's no church around here, trust me I've tried. The best I could find was Ozu.

But to his complete and utter surprise, as he turned he was immediately proven incorrect as multiple women were walking around, giving out holy church fliers in nun uniform.

“They're all clearly foreign…” He could tell from their appearances.

“Is the church not common in Japan?”

“Nah, we're an atheist country.”

“Atheist?”

“Don't believe in God.”

“But that's madness!”

“Say that to the majority of people in this country.”

“.....do you believe in God?”

“A bit, wouldn't call myself a die-hard, but I've got a bit of faith in me y'know.”

“I see…”

This conversation about faith had clearly touched a nerve in her. Haru decided to quickly change the subject.

“Let’s get going.”

“Yes, let's.”

And thus began their descent into shopping chaos, Haru having to explain every small thing from the escalators to prices to textures to whatever other modern entrapment, made fascinating to Celia’s eyes and mind.

— — — — —

Their journey had taken them through a number of boutique stores, searching around for all types of unique products and Haru constantly having to direct Celia’s attention away from random, irrelevant stuff.

She really is just a normal girl at heart…

Gone was the composed warrior, this was the consumerist inner child that got excited by any new object that it could see. It was fine to Haru mostly, the butterflies in his stomach quenched the boredom of it all — although if there was one thing he couldn’t get used to, it was the ogling from all the males in their vicinity.

I can't deny that she's beautiful, but can't they make it less obvious!?

The answer was no.

“Yo, you got everything you need?”

“Yo…?”

“It's a colloquial term.”

“Ah! I see. Well, yes, I think I've assembled together all the necessary clothing for my stay here. Thank you for purchasing them.”

“No probs, but who says assembled that way?”

She pouted.

“Sorry, sorry.” Hand up in the air, he feigned remorse.

It was getting dark now, the moon appearing over the dark night. Its gaze illuminating them.

I'm so tired…

Haru yawned, they had spent forever buying clothes and most of the time he just waited outside for fear of being a creep. And her not knowing her own sizing, only made things last longer.

Although he couldn’t deny that he wanted to see what she had bought.

Her hands carried a vast array of different products that could forge an entirely new wardrobe. Normally as a guy, he should be the one to carry, but this time there was too much. The human, male strength had its limits, and her elven blood didn’t.

“So embarrassing…” Haru murmured in annoyance, noticing the judgmental stares pass by him.

“Hmm, what's the matter?”

“It's nothing.”

“I see, then what you're saying is that it would take you too long to explain.”

“Read me like a book.”

“I'm starting to understand your ‘unique’ personality traits.”

“You said ‘unique’ like it was a bad thing.”

“That is your own interpretation.”

“Oh rea—”

A chill rushed up his neck. They had just turned into a rather open alleyway to shortcut their way home and both Haru and Celia could immediately sense something was amiss.

“You sensing what I'm sensing.”

She only nodded in response, her amber eyes sharp like a hawk.

“Let’s go further in and draw them out.”

She looked at him in surprise, ready to retort at any moment.

“I want to find out whoever the hell is behind all this and let's be real. They're not gonna attack if I'm not there.”

“Bu—”

“I trust you can protect me?”

She grumbled, unable to deny his points and moved forward — hands on her scabbard — her sword at the ready.

Haru on the other hand, felt completely out of his depth. Sweating bullets, his heart beating at triple his natural rate. In truth, if she wasn’t there, he would have bolted in an instant. But he had to at least try to act tough.

Tip. Tap.

The sound came from above. CRACK!

Celia didn't waste a moment to remove her handle from its sheath and alight her sword with its blade of thunder.

The sound of static could be heard with her every step.

Tip. Tap.

The sounds were all around them, the light tapping of feet surrounded them. Haru’s mind raced: Either there's lots of them or this guy’s super fast.

The question was answered quickly as slender figures came from the shadows. Silver-white masks reflected off the moonlight, gleaming from the shadows.

Haru’s eyes went wide in realisation. “Shinobi!”

Celia was unfamiliar with these ‘shinobi’ but they seemed familiar to assassins, small, subtle weapons and sleek black clothes that blended into the environment.

There's way too many of them, we're surrounded!

Haru’s eyes whirled in every direction. Watching every shinobi’s movement with anticipation.

“Oooh! Oh my… this seems like quite the commooootion!”

“Huh!” Haru looked up, the mysterious voice booming down but all he could find was a…. bird?

The shinobi’s movement paused, their eyes gazing at the sky silently. Whilst Celia’s eyes widened, fear washed over her face in a way that Haru had never seen before.

No… those wings are way too big to be a normal bird.

Glistening white wings fluttered in the sky, their size covering the moon's brilliance. But the further down it descended, the larger it seemed and the more, the shadow of something humanoid came to view.

Until…

BAM!

A box dropped from the sky, the floor shaking violently by the arrival of a superior being. The wings above curved away after dropping its intended package. As if it could no longer be bothered to fly anymore.

The box, made to look like a wrapped present, shook with profound intensity — the top lid opened — and a clown emerged.

His purple suit juxtaposing with his clown-like makeup, and his emerald eyes sparkling with excitement.

“It is a pleasureeee! To make your acquaintance.” The tall man took off his top hat and bowed politely to all in attendance.

Haru couldn’t help but wonder what the hell was going on. And Celia…

“Who are you and what business do you have on the battlefield, jester!?”

Her composure blazed with warrior instincts.

“Myyy name is Sir Yohei Kingston. I simply wish to exterminate any and all threats to this world…!”

Despite the man's weird voice and peculiar posture, his intent was deadly serious. So deadly that Haru’s breath stalled in his throat.

But to his surprise, all the shinobi closed in around the man. Ready to jump Yohei at any second; Celia drawing closer to Haru, in order to protect him.

“I see… You must all be familiars? No. Fiends.” Yohei assessed them in an instant, his experience allowing him to correctly interpret the beings before him.

Their masks reflected his emerald eyes — they struck — ready to cleave him to pieces in an instant.

But he was faster, and had far more superior firepower.

With an ever so slight wave of his hand, multi-coloured flame erupted and swirled upon them. The flame was as beautiful as a rainbow, burning all the shinobi’s from skin to bone. From bone to ash. The ground sizzled and melted as Yohei walked through the flame.

His boots crunching and crushing the remaining cinder with every step. “Iiiiii believe that is all…” His eyes gazed back upon the duo.

“Now. Let us examine if you are a threat orrrr… foe.”