Chapter 16 — “Glad to Be Back”

Chapter 16 — “Glad to Be Back”

Across the mythical corridor, Lime stares at Shem and her fantastical beasts — and Lemon, crouched on the ground. He notices the notorious green hair, and suddenly the lost vitality grows back in him.

“Hey, Lemon…Shem-san,” The pace Lime takes isn’t quick, nor slow. Almost as if she’s taking a stroll in the midst of rains of gunfire and roars of thunder. The sound of war becomes somewhat like a background noise to her.

“Lime-chan.” Shem called back, “I thought you’re going to be back a little bit later.”

“Yeah, that’s what I thought as well.” Lime keeps her approach, “But Kyoto isn’t as big as I thought. I got bored, so I drop by,”

“I hope you enjoyed your little field trip,” By now, a gentle smile should’ve already worn by Shem as usual — but not now. There’s an intense feeling rising up from Shem’s chest. A hot sensation, an instinct that’s telling her to burst all of her power out.

“Have you made your decision yet?” Shem asked.

“Yeah I did, back when we were still together,” Lime shrugged, “I got my answer already,”

“I thought you’ve taken some time to reconsider it. It is a big choice after all,”

“Meh. You wouldn’t know.” The Oni next to her watches her stride, step by step as she walks past through it. It squeezes its club’s handle — wringing it,

“Sorry Shem-san. It was a very nice offer…until it wasn’t.” Lime’s eyebrow raises — a subtle sadness evoke from the small gesture.

“I see…” Shem glances at the rampaging storm at the other side of the battlefield, “Bitter — He’s the dealbreaker, isn’t he?”

“I don’t think he’s THAT important, really.” Lime glances at Lemon, as he tries his best to get strength back to his legs, “But I owed that man my life, and I… — we figured what we’ve done hasn’t been enough to repay him. Especially knowing him, he must has a ridiculous expectation from us…”

“I see…” Shem sighs. By the tone from her breath, one can determine it is not a sigh of frustration — but a sigh of relief, “Is that your answer then?”

“Yes.” Lime’s now locked in face-to-face with Shem, “I’ve made my decision.”

“You’ve find what you’re fighting for?”

“Sort of…I guess it will take longer for me to figure that one out,” Lime scratches the back of her neck, “But I will figure it out. After all, you crammed me with all your lecture. So … thank you Shem-san”

“I’m honoured having the opportunity to lectured an Ordained One,” A smile is back on Shem’s face, seeing a genuine smile from Lime’s face. Now Shem understands the hot feeling in her chest — it’s the adrenaline revving up her engine, “Now, we have the formalities aside — if you don’t mind, we still have a dream to pursue.”

The Oni stamps its feet to the ground, ready to pound on Lime’s head the same way it does with Lemon. Its fist swings fast towards Lime’s head — shockwaves sends leaves flying from its branch from the velocity —

Its fist stopped, right before it pulverise Lime’s skull. A green aura engulfed the Oni’s body. It trembles, as it tries with all of its might to break free.

“Oh…” Shem looked at the Oni, shaking violently, “You’ve gotten a bit stronger again.”

With a flick of her finger, she sends the Oni flying to the edge of the corridor.

“Well then, I have to be a little bit more serious,” Shem raised her index and middle finger at the centre of her head. Five torii gates behind her starts to grow in red —

The glowing torii gate dimmed out in a second. The realisation struck Shem too late, as she felt her feet being hold still.

“Don’t forget about me, damn bitch!” Lemon yelled, squeezing her ankle firm.

“You—!”

With another instant, her whole existence felt as if she’s being blown away by immense gravity. Green aura begins to embrace her entirety, pushing her entire body and soul away. As Lime increases her output by the seconds, her eyes caught a glimpse of movement at the side —

“Don’t forget about me, Greenie!” Cham kicked Lime right at the lower abdomen, sending her flying down the stairway. With another step, she grabbed Lemon and hurled him towards his sister.

“Cham! You saved me —”

“— Later, big sis. It’s time to regroup!”

“Right.” Shem rises both her fingers again. At least ten torii gates lights up now.

“Oh no, you don’t!”

Lime snaps her finger, before they know it, the tens of torii gates burst — disassembled and crushed into smithereens in an instant. Cham responded quickly, dashing toward Lime, standing still. Before she’s able to reach her — Lemon stands in her way, with his guard ready.

“Give up — you’re no match for —”

“— Don’t underestimate me now, kid!”

Cham hits Lemon right in his palm. In a matter of moments, she twists her arms and grapples his hands. Within another split second, he slammed Lemon to the ground. Cham straddled him, ready to knock out one of her target —

“Tch—!” Lime diverts her attention, as she directs her hands toward Cham. A great burst of energy exploded, and sends Cham flying to where she was.

“That’s enough time, thanks Cham!” Now at least eight torii gates shines bright red behind Shem.

“Me kara Hikari!” With that shout, a yellow eye appeared at the centre of the gate, and shoots a beam brighter than the sun. Lemon and Lime can’t help but raises their hands to block off the blinding light.

“Raiju!” A voice echoes with the light. In another split second, a speck of blue light dashed swiftly in the ocean of white. Seconds after the light gone off, the snake-like creature with a single eye on its snout slithered away. The two sisters have left the scene, leaving two behind; trail of blue toward the eye of the storm, and five Oni with different weapons and masks. The herd of Oni roared, rallying themselves for the battle.

Lemon and Lime observes their gigantic enemies. Lime stretches her hand, as Lemon cracked her necks. The siblings then meets eye-to-eye with each others, for the first time of the day.

“You said thank you to that bitch…” Lemon finally finds his sassy mouth back.

“…She was nice.” Lime answered short.

“You never said ‘thank you’ to me —”

“— I said she was nice,”

“Don’t you start this shit on me now,” Lemon’s eyes twitches.

“Hey, you’re the one who started this,” Lime retorted.

The both of them growls against each other, as they’re readying their stance. The army of beast gets closer with every steps.

“…You’ve gained weight?” Lemon smirked.

“Can’t you just focus for one second?”

“Ohh — just because you got a little upgrade on your ‘Wingardium Leviosa’, you now become some serious badass?”

“You seriously can’t read the room, can you?” Lime groaned,” No, I told you I can’t gain weight.”

“Sure…fatty,” as the Oni drums their club of war, Lemon’s sneer changes to the exact opposite. He closes his eyes, and a smile is raised, “I’m glad to see you back safely, Lime.”

Lime, still on her guard, responded with the similar expression on her face, “Yeah. I’m —“