Sureiyazu

Episode 30: Battle with the Past

"It - it is?" Aya gasped. "But - why?"

"I don't know," Taichi snarled. "I'm not the Summoner."

"I'm not a Summoner either," Aya said quietly.

"You'd better learn fast, then," Taichi said matter-of-factly, "because otherwise we're all going to be eaten by a demon."

"Hate to say this," Kasai pointed out, "but he's kind of right. I mean, it's your demon . . ."

Aya sighed. "Yes, I suppose it is."

"Then let's go!" Yuri cheered.

Everyone turned to look at her. "Yuri?" said Akuma.

"Are you . . ." Kasai trailed off.

"Never better," Yuri assured her cheerily.

Yuri's renewed perkiness seemed to give Aya more strength. "Yes, let's go."

~~~

"I'm guessing that's him?" said the demonslayer man, pointing into the sky at a sparkling mass of water.

"Looks like it," Aya agreed hesitantly.

"Any ideas?" asked Akuma. "We didn't bring any weapons, did we?"

"The worst things always happen when we don't bring weapons," Kasai noted.

"Hey . . . you have your weapon," Yuri pouted.

"I mean, yeah, but that's only because I can't be without it," Kasai said defensively. "And besides, you can conjure yours up whenever -"

"Like you physically can't be without your katana?" the demonslayer repeated.

"Well - it's not like I can't physically be without it but - it's like . . . can we stop talking about Inochi?" Kasai waved everything off.

"I can second that," said Akuma, "because there's a demon flying at us." It didn't seem to be the water demon Aya had Summoned, but, in any case, it was still menacing (or stupid) enough to think that it could take on six people.

"Oh, no," said Taichi sarcastically. "Is it too late to say I told you so?"

"Does anyone have a large stick?" Aya asked.

"Um . . . why?" laughed Kasai.

"I don't have my staff, do I?" Aya snapped back. "I need something to use!"

"Yay!" Yuri said happily. "Let's go find a stick!" As she skipped away, all but Taichi followed.

Aya glared at him. "You could make yourself useful and help them. But that would be too hard, I guess - what are you doing?" Taichi's fists had started to glow with a bright blue light.

Taichi glared back. "Saving your life."

And at that moment, he threw a blue blade of light at the demon Akuma had pointed out, just as it would have come close enough to use its own demonic magic on them.

"When did you learn that?" Aya demanded.

"After my parents died, I decided to take on some magic to defend myself," Taichi replied coolly.

"I would say thank you," Aya said, almost grateful for him being there, "but I still think you have a lot to apologize for before I decide to give you another chance."

"Give me another chance?" Taichi repeated, throwing another blade of light at another demon who had been coming closer. "Aren't you the one who -"

"Killed your parents, ruined your life, and turned you into a snob?"

Taichi deflected another demon. "Yes, that. I mean - no, I'm not agreeing with you, I'm -"