Sureiyazu

Episode 66: Split

Akuma leapt into the air, and with a final swing of her kyoketsu shoge, she sliced the demon in half and landed on her feet. 

Cheers erupted around her. 

She smiled meekly, and soon the applause died down. 

A few towns away, Akuma and the others (Kasai, Yuri, Aya, Mizuki, Heishi, Taichi, Ryou, and Hachirou) had finished slaying a demon for a small village. The people crowded around, happy to be rid of their worries, and the Sureiyazu assured them that they were happy to help, while declining their rewards. 

"In any case, we can't stay long," Aya told the village leader. "We're needed elsewhere." 

"Of course you are," she agreed. "But please--stay for tonight. We'll throw a celebration in your honor." 

"That's not necessary," Aya replied, stepping around the woman. 

"Oh, I insist." The village leader stepped in front of Aya again. "Please. Anyway, there isn't any civilization for miles out past here, and it'll be dark soon. The wilderness is no place for you to sleep. And the people need an excuse once in a while to party." 

Kasai came up behind Aya and put her hand on her shoulder. "Well," she told the village leader, ginning, "if it's for the people, we're all in." 

~~~

That night, the village was transformed from a quaint, quiet town into a loud, warm center of laughter. 

Someone had hung banners across the major roads, and a bonfire was going in the town square where meat was being cooked. Nearby was a keg of alcohol that had appeared as soon as the sun hit the horizon. 

Most of the village was gathered around the Sureiyazu, listening while Aya recounted their (nearly masterfully told) story of their adventure into the Dark Dimension, and how they needed all of their skills together to escape. 

"So there we were, stuck together in that pit of stone, unable to find a way out . . ." 

The other Sureiyazu were eating or drinking, and chiming in happily when they got to an interesting part (though this was mostly true of Kasai). 

"Oh yeah!" Kasai cut in suddenly, food spraying out of her mouth. "That's the same place I saw Sennome for the first time in a million years or something." 

The villagers oohed and aahed. 

Akuma, who was farther back, in the darker area around the fire, heard Ryou sigh next to her. 

"What is it?" she asked him quietly. 

Ryou glanced at Aya, still storytelling. "Nothing. I think I need some air." He stood up gently, excusing himself through the crowd. 

"Akuma suggested that we use her kyoketsu shoge as a grapple to get up . . ." Aya continued in the background.

Akuma made a split-second decision and followed him. 

Ryou weaved through the crowd almost unnoticed, and as Akuma slipped through after him, the chill of the night suddenly hit her. When she had been around the bonfire, she hadn't noticed it, but the air had a biting element to it tonight. 

He went into to an inn, which was empty due to the festivities taking place in the street, and then continued out though the back door. Akuma's footsteps tapped quietly behind him. 

She found Ryou leaning against a post outside the inn and looking at the stars. When the door closed behind her, he turned to look. 

"You followed me," he said somewhat uselessly.