Tales of a Ninja Magician: Of Journeys We Make

Family Feud

"No... Just... No..." Asuka turned around, making a grumpy face at Gwirlon and pointing at the oversized dining room filled with exotic treats. Caviar of all colors of the rainbow, sea creatures that didn't exist anywhere else in the world, as well as lavish delicacies gained through the power of the royal treasury of the world's bellybutton.

Gwirlon leaned forward, growling right up in Asuka's face and splashing snot in all directions, though the Kirigakure blonde proceeded to be unimpressed and didn't falter. Mana caressed Gwirlon's cheek and directed his eyes to look at hers. It seemed like the two shared an understanding just from each other's eyes as a controlled gust picked Mana up from his arms and kept her afloat in mid-air. It was a fortunate time to wear baggy trousers. Mystical Wings were a far less draining technique to maintain compared to armor ninjutsu.

The big man turned around and walked off after Endo to the dining room. Mana, Asuka, and Shige-H slipped out of their clothes and took a dive into a large wing of the castle that had been transformed into one massive bath. The palace's walls were made of marble and its pillars were lapis lazuli and it was all decorated in golden vine and lotus motifs. The window arcs on the outer walls of the Imbrium Estate were as tall as a small house themselves and a full moon gleamed through the eastern one. It provided a lustrous beam that lit the bath with mystifying splendor and provided an atmosphere of nocturnal serenity to an evening bath.

"Now that we are alone, can we talk about your decision, Mana?" Shige-H wasted only as much time as it was necessary for the Getsugakure ninja to leave them alone. Sensitive matters related to the Allied Ninja and their state of affairs needed to be touched, thus it was a poor idea to discuss them in front of the Getsugakure saviors.

"You'll raise ten thousand subjects trying to talk me out of it, I'll deny every single one. Pleasant talk..." Mana vaulted over her front, pushing her bottom out as a mean gesture that she despised the upcoming discussion. As a grim reminder, she also prodded both of her legs up with one waving an elegant foot while the other waved a stump while the magician tested the depths of the room's bath. It went increasingly deeper as one walked down the marble steps and the center of the room had an 11 meter round sweet spot of around 5 meters in depth.

"You're acting childishly," Shige-H waited patiently for Mana to emerge and run her hand across her curly hair. Whatever the Getsugakure locals used for face paint seemed to adapt to water without washing off, though Mana felt it getting soft and streamy. She wagered in her mind that if water was to be streamed at her face or if she'd rub at the paint with intent and need to wash it off, it'd go off just fine. "You've been injured, and it's not just a meager scratch, I get it. You've lost part of your mobility and I know how taxing it is on your self-confidence too, but... Come on."

"You seem to be awfully opposed to letting me go. Strange. You had no problem letting Damisan or Skaven go," Mana ran her hand down her hair, trying to even it out. It was only when it was utterly soaked that such a thing was possible.

"Their case was different. We couldn't afford to fight Konohagakure Black Ops for Skaven and Damisan... Well... He's healed," Shige-H swam up to Mana, pushing her further to the eastern wing and into the beaming moonlight.

"Healed... You keep using that word, but it's never been clear what exactly it means. You just point at people and tell us they're healed or that someone's not healed and we're just supposed to take you up on that. You're the supreme authority of what people we treat as healed and permit leaving. I was never too sure if I liked what you considered healed given the healing methods you've shown Tomi," Mana leaned on her back, nearly flipping her head back to gaze at the uncluttered night's sky and the umbral beacon shining down at the stained glass.

"She actually feels better than she was before," Asuka noted while rubbing her body with the soaked dead body of an unidentified coarse and spiky sea creature. The spiky body of the aquatic dweller bent and brushed against Asuka's body instead of scratching or pricking her. "Before she was all doom and gloom, push her a bit farther and she's going to fight you for staying here. Ironically enough, they'll probably kick all of us out if you two settle it that way."