A Shogun's Fall

Chapter 15: Reunions

After leaving Ritou thanks to Thoma. Both men went to the tea house and waited for Lumine to get there. While waiting, Thoma thought of something funny making him laugh a little. Brows raised, Kaiden doesn't know what is happening.

"Something you find funny?" He asked, confused about the situation.

"Well, I thought of a funny way to greet them," Thoma answered. "There's this Shiba Inu here and he acts as a sort of bodyguard in this tea house."

"I see... Wait, who feeds him?"

"He does it himself,"

"I'm impressed," Kaiden said as Thoma calls out to the dog, and there it was, the Shiba Inu, he then dresses up the dog and places him on the counter.

"Okay, try to stay still. When they get here, sit down and act like you're a statue," The dog just barked in response and sits down on top of the counter. Satisfied, Thoma nods. "Perfect,"

With a satisfied look on his face, Thoma nods to himself and turns his head towards Kaiden, there. He took off his straw hat revealing the huge scar on his forehead, this interests the young man so he sat back down at the booth and asks.

"So, what's the story behind your scar?"

"Hmm? Nosy one, aren't you? Kid?"

Thoma chuckled. "Yeah, I guess you could say that..." Thoma examines Kaiden's face. "Hmm... Mr. Ryoma... You look very familiar..."

"Is that right?" Kaiden asked, sipping his tea.

"You're... Well... If I may ask... Are you the hero?"

"How did you come to that conclusion?"

"Well... For one, I've heard that the Hero had a scar on his forehead. You have one now."

"Probably a coincidence?" Kaiden suggested.

"Maybe... But... Well, there's this certain air in you. Something more akin to a Ronin... A wandering Samurai with no master and is lost in this vast open world..."

"Are you trying to quote from a book?"

"Probably," Thoma chuckled.

"Well, You said you work for Kamisato Ayaka, yes? If that's the case then there is no point in hiding it from one of her close confidants. Yes, I am the Hero of Inazuma that led an army to resist the Renaisian Empire." 

"So you're really him, huh? I see..." Then out of nowhere, Thoma tried to punch Kaiden in the face but stopped him. "Please don't take this personally. I heard from Lady Ayaka that if she ever sees you, she'll punch you."

Kaiden let out a chuckle. "Seems like she's the same Ayaka... Always a fighter." He said before letting Thoma's hand go.

"So, what made you come back here?"

"I heard that the Shogun had closed off Inazuma, I want to know why..." 

"I see... Then you can be a very valuable asset for us." 

"Well, only time will tell if that's true or not," Kaiden said and the two would later continue on with their conversation while drinking tea and eating some snacks all for the sake of waiting for Lumine and Paimon to arrive. 

While the two men were conversing, the doors to the tea house opened. As it was opening, the bell close to the door rang, signaling people from inside the tea house that someone entered and the first thing the two heard was Paimon's high-pitched voice. 

"Well, now that we're here... Where's Thoma?" Paimon asked as she looks around the whole place and saw no signs of Thoma anywhere, because of this. Paimon let out a sigh. "Paimon doesn't see him anywhere, do you think he forgot his promise to meet us?"