The Cursed Iris

Sprout 39: Learning New Tricks

Katsumi was more tired and frustrated than before. It's been a while since Minori did her little trick to Ayame and she still hadn't woken up. He was getting anxious, "Minori did you really have to do that?" he asked.

"Aww what's this, little Katsu is worried about his girlfriend?" she teased.

"It's not that!" he snapped. "It's just I wanted to talk to her," he said softly as his expression changed to a pout.

The day had changed to a sunny one. There was not a cloud in the sky. But Chiyoko and Miya noticed the air had a weird feeling to it. They thought that maybe they were entering a strong spiritual region, "Hey Minori where are you leading us?" Chiyoko asked.

"Didn't I say that we needed to increase these three training?"

They both nodded, "So I'd assume that you both know where we're heading through?" she asked.

Katsumi knew what a strong spiritual region was, and he didn't want to go through one of those again. The last time Totomaru sent him through one it almost killed him.

"You're insane woman," Chiyoko replied.

Minori didn't seem to like that at all, "Call me insane again," she growled.

Chiyoko sighed. "I know I should, but I won't."

The fire in Minori's eyes died down, "Usagi quick question," she said as she faced her.

Usagi stiffened up, She's never gotten like that when I faced her, Chiyoko thought in annoyance.

"Yes, ma'am?" Usagi said.

"Tell me what is a spirit release?" she asked with a crooked grin. "Damn, this girl is heavy," she huffed, putting Ayame into a ball of light. She tapped her back like she was an old man about to complain about their age.

Katsumi was worried if Ayame would be alright in there. It was evident in his expression. He didn't know why but ever since that night he couldn't get her off his mind. He was blushing, "Hey Katsumi or should I call you Susanoo?" Minori said interrupting his thoughts.

"I'm Katsumi," he replied.

"Were you listening? Usagi just explained what a spirit release was," Minori stated.

He didn't hear her, because of his thoughts. "Uh."

"Of course you're thinking about Ayame, she is a cutie. I'd think about her too," Minori replied. She was fidgeting as if she were mocking Katsumi. "Well anyway to continue a spirit release is slowly releasing your spirit energy to surround your body, fine tuning it to form something similar to skin around your about. I think Kikyo already has a handle on that ability for some odd reason. She's already ahead of you three and she'd just awakened."

"Who cares!?" Natsume yelled.

Minori chuckled. "The reason why you should care is because this is going to be the only way you can enter the far north due to it being one of the more powerful strong spiritual regions. Including the far north or Hokkaido there's five of them one for each element: The Great Sea Plain for water, Fujio's Castle for air, Toyoko for earth, and Junzi Ina for fire which is the one we're at right now."

Chiyoko sighed. "Minori and Aimi are the only people I know to actually make it through all five of them. Even with excellent spirit energy control it's tough to even stand in one."

Miya pounded her fist to her chest. "If the Empress can do that, then I can as well!"

"And of course the meathead wants to do this."

Natsume stared at Minori and Miya. "I have to do this to reach Miyuki. No I will do this and reach my sister."

"I love the determination," Minori laughed, slapping her on the back. In the next instant Natsume felt as if a mountain had fell on her shoulders. "You'd better get started with the spirit release, because we've already been at the border of it for quite a while."