Falling Leaves 35 ??

  As the shoji closes, he walks toward the village. In the corner, Takio peeks his head out.

  Sweat drips from his forehead. "S-s-she's in there!"

  "I just have to walk in… I just have to walk in and talk…"

  He closes his eyes, imagining every scenario. One of Danya instantly liking him—love at first sight.

  "Yes! If only fate would let that happen!"

  He grips his gi. "It's now or never!" He rushes to the shoji, instantly sliding it open.

  He leaps inside. "Hello, I'm—"

  "Ugh!" He gasps, seeing Ari sitting upright on the straw bed right in front of him. "ARI-ANE!" he shouts, tripping and falling forward in a heap.

  Ari blinks as the light from outside seeps into the room.

  "Hm?" Danya hums, turning her head as she hears a thud. She faces the shoji as it closes.

  Ari looks down at Takio, who picks himself up, hissing in pain. "Takio?" Ari mutters.

  "Uh… hey…" he chuckles awkwardly. "I'm surprised you're awake…"

  Ari stands, planting her feet on the ground. She places her hand on his head, leaning forward with a smile. "It's been so long! How've you been? You haven't gotten any bigger, but that's okay!"

  Takio slaps Ari's hand off his head. "I'm not here to be treated like a kid!"

  "I'm here for—" He peers past Ari's shoulder, noting Danya staring at him from where she lays down. "H-her…" he mutters, all bravado gone.

  Ari tilts her head. "Her? You're here for the Death Spirit? What for?"

  "Death Spirit?! Wait, what?!" Takio shouts, his eyes widening like dinner plates.

  Ari chuckles. "Oops, sorry. I didn't mean to drop it so casually."

  "So she's a spirit that's like in charge of death or something?!" he asks, his voice cracking with awe and terror.

  Ari nods. "I guess so… I never ask for the details of her job. She's right there—ask her."

  Takio gulps. "Uh… Ms. Death…"

  Danya lets out a sharp sigh, staring at the wisps circling her. "What is it?"

  Takio remains silent for a moment.

  "It's just… I didn't come here to ask questions…"

  Danya turns her head, her crimson glare locking with his teal eyes as the blue glow from the wisps shines from them.

  "Then what do you want?"

  Takio steps forward. "I—… I want you! You're gorgeous! The most beautiful woman I've seen."

  "Death Spirit or whatever, I don't care. I need you!"

  Ari covers her mouth with her hands. "Awww…"

  Danya's eyes widen. She sits up from the bed, blushing. "I… wow. No one's ever confessed to me like that."

  Her blush deepens; she twirls her hair. "Thank you…"

  "You're welcome, girl! Come with me! I'll take you out of here. We can just live together!" Takio shouts.

  Danya smiles, crouching slightly. "That… sounds perfect."

  Takio reaches his hand out, reaching for Danya's hand.

  "Takio, you okay?" Ari's voice is heard, slightly muffled in Takio's ears. His ears twitch.

  "I'm perfect!" he shouts back into the void.

  "Takio?" Ari's voice calls out once more.

  Takio's vision starts to blur. "I did it! I really got her! Fate really was on my side!" He then blinks, and everything goes black for a split second.

  As he opens his eyes, Danya is in the same spot, lying on the straw bed, staring at him. His arm is stretched out in the air. He blinks again. "What the?!"

  "Takio, what's going on with you? Why are you acting weird?" Ari asks.

  Takio whirls to Ari. "What just happened?! I thought I was holding—"

  Ari shrugs. "I don't know. You started talking to yourself and reached for the air." She giggles. "You mumbled 'Death Spirit' a few times. She has you that scared?!"

  "EVERYTHING WAS JUST A HALLUCINATION? OH MAN, I GOTTA STOP DAYDREAMING SO RANDOMLY!"

  Danya blinks. "So are you just going to waste my time here? I don't have the patience for this."

  "I-I-I…" Takio stutters, sweat dropping from his face like bullets.

  He trembles. "Y-y-you…"

  "You're very beautiful! Please make my day and go out with me!"

  Danya narrows her eyes as Ari's mouth hangs half open in disbelief.

  "Did you just…" Ari whispers.

  "I have a boyfriend. Sorry, kid," Danya says coldly, staring back at the wisps.

  His ears droop as his tail lies still on the ground. "But—"

  "Takio, stop, please… this really isn't the time for all this," Ari says.

  "Just let her heal, alright?"

  Takio continues to tremble. "Heal? I can help with that though!"

  "Just… let me be near her for a bit!"

  Danya's ears twitch; her gaze turns to Takio.

  "I won't be taking offers if it means I'll have to be around you."

  "Personally, I find you off-putting."

  "Just listen to me, please!"

  Ari grabs him. "Takio, leave! I told you this isn't the time!"

  Takio reaches into his pocket, pulling out a capsule filled with glowing, light blue liquid.

  Ari's eyes widen. "Where did you get that?!"

  Takio pushes himself off Ari, stumbling back a step. He holds the capsule tight, its light mixing with the blue glow radiating from the wisps.

  "Hey! Hey! Can you all stop making so much noise? We're healing someone here!" a wisp calls out.

  "Hey! Hey! What he said! Stop!" another one calls out.

  Takio squeezes the capsule. "Shocked, aren't you? I got the Kitsune Elixir!"

  "You didn't answer my question: how did you get your hands on a dose? You know if you're caught with that, you'll be locked up, right?!" Ari hisses.

  Takio scoffs. "I don't need to get into details on how I got a capsule, but I do know I was going to give it to the Death Spirit."

  He turns to Danya, but she is lost in thought, her body glowing blue as she continues to watch the wisps circulate. "But… since she…"

  "Really?!" Ari exclaims. "I swear the men here taught you better! You're trying to bribe her into liking you?!"

  Ari shakes her head. "I'm disappointed in you. You know how messed up that is?"

  "Don't scold me! You aren't exactly a saint!" Takio yells back.

  He closes his eyes, gritting his teeth. "You get to travel the backwoods. You're the village favorite, the prodigy they call you!"

  "I'm stuck here as a damn watch guard! I don't get respect. I don't get anything but a lousy pay! All I get is looked down upon."

  "So yes, if I see a beautiful woman, I'm going to jump on the opportunity!"

  Ari raises an eyebrow. "Really? Out of all the women in the village, you couldn't find one?"

  She crosses her arms. "And to make matters worse, you choose a Death Spirit to go after?! Do you not see how flawed your logic is?!"

  Takio scoffs. "I choose what I choose! And it's her I want! She's beautiful! One of the most beautiful spirits I've seen!"

  "If this is what the women look like outside the village, I want out!"

  Ari places her palm on her face, groaning. "You'll be killed in minutes if you venture into the Cursed Backwoods! It's not exactly peaches and rainbows filled with beautiful women, you know?"

  "She is literal DEATH INCARNATE! What are you not understanding?!"

  The wisps yell once more. "Hey! Be quiet! We must ask you to leave!"

  "Hey! Boy with the yellow hair, get out! Girl with blue hair, lay down and come heal!"

  Takio sucks his teeth. "I'm not listening to wis—"

  "Wait…" Danya's voice cuts in as she sits up fully.

  She stares intently at the Elixir Takio is holding. "I heard the entire conversation…"

  "I find you pathetic… but anyway," she says, her gaze locked on the capsule. "What you're holding—is that the substance meant to heal me?"

  Takio glances at Danya, his voice laced with bitterness. "What about it? You called me off-putting, remember?"

  Danya sighs, annoyed by the delay. "Let's make a deal. Since I'm injured and my magic is negated, this should be pretty fair."

  She places her hand on her breast. "A battle: if you win, I'm all yours. If I win, you give me the Elixir."

  Ari whirls to face Danya. "You can't be serious?! You need to heal more, not fight someone like—like…"

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  "Him!" she shouts, pointing dramatically at Takio.

  Takio wipes his nose, smiling. "Well, don't mind if I do. It's never bad proving yourself."

  "But let's do it with wooden bokken, a simple sparring match. If you can't use your core energy, I won't—"

  "No," Danya interrupts.

  "Use your full strength. Everything you have."

  Takio scoffs in disbelief. "You must have hit your head that bad. You think in the condition you're in you can fight me?"

  "The beauties never had much brains. I heard that before. I'm really not trying to hurt you."

  Danya's lips curl upward; her eyes crinkle slightly. "Oh, it's fine! I just want to see if my hubby is strong. That's it."

  Takio's heart skips a beat. "H-hubby?!"

  Ari pinches the bridge of her nose. "Oh no… why does this have to happen…"

  Danya stands from the bed. The blue flames from the candles start to sway as the wisps panic.

  "HEY! HEY! NO, YOU STAY HERE! WHERE ARE YOU GOING?"

  "Don't worry, I'll be right back… or…"

  She stares intently at the Elixir. Her smirk grows, and her crimson eyes darken with predatory focus. "Maybe not."

  Takio rushes to the shoji, sliding it open aggressively. "Come on! Follow me! I know the perfect spot!"

  Ari sighs loudly, but she follows. Danya joins suit, and the shoji slams shut behind her.

  As they walk through the village, the Fox villagers stop once again to stare at Danya. Whispers follow them: "What's she doing back out?" a woman says. "I have no clue. I thought the guards took her."

  The focus then shifts to Takio and Ari: "Is that that one gatekeeper kid? What's he doing walking with her?" "Hey, look, Ari is with them too!"

  The whispers turn into cheers. Villagers on the bridges in the trees look down. "Ari! How've you been? I missed you!" "Ariii dear, I'm so glad you're okay!"

  Ari chuckles nervously, waving at everyone.

  Takio's eyes twitch. "I swear I'll be like you one day… watch!" he mutters, resentment heavy in his voice.

  They continue to walk as the wind starts to breeze past them, blowing Danya's and Ari's hair back. Green leaves fall from the tree houses. Bells start to ring, the sound echoing softly through the air.

  They arrive at a log cabin. Ari's eyes light up.

  "Oh, the memories! Shun's training grounds," she sighs. "Ohhh, take me back!"

  Takio chuckles. "Heh, come on inside. Grab a bokken and meet me in the backyard."

  Danya walks up the small wooden stairwell; each step creaks. She opens the wooden door. Dust falls from the frame.

  "Hmph…" she grunts, looking inside. Candles are lit, casting a warm glow across racks filled with different-sized bokken and training gear.

  A giant painting of a young Shun is placed at the very end of the wall. His skin is clear, he is taller, and his body is defined. He wears a grey kimono.

  Ari and Takio step in after Danya. Takio immediately grabs a bokken from the rack.

  "You choose what you want, princess?" he says with a cocky grin.

  Danya remains quiet, picking up a standard bokken.

  Ari looks around. "This place hasn't changed a bit!"

  Takio leads them to another doorway leading to the backyard.

  As they reach the yard, Danya and Ari look at lush green grass and a pond surrounded by rocks.

  "Oh yes! Where I learned how to master my water core energy! Talk about a blast from the past!"

  Danya looks up at the giant fox statue with two tails; its shadow looms over them.

  Takio runs toward the pond, stretching.

  He points his bokken at Danya. "Come on, don't tell me you're scared now."

  Danya cracks her knuckles, gripping her bokken.

  She leaps down, landing in front of Takio, raising her bokken.

  "Fine… I guess I'll tell you guys when you can start," Ari says.

  Danya and Takio stare each other down. Danya's face is blank as Takio grins, his fangs showing.

  His hands shake as he thinks to himself, "I'm excited! I get to prove myself and win this brooding chick!"

  "I knew fate was on my side!"

  Sparks of lightning start to surround him. "I can't hold myself—"

  "Ready… set…"

  "BACK!" Takio shouts at the same time Ari shouts.

  "GO!"

  Takio turns into a lightning bolt, appearing in front of Danya instantly, swinging his bokken down.

  Danya lifts hers, blocking the strike. The sound of wood clashing radiates; their bokken lock. Danya jumps back, creating distance.

  Yellow energy surrounds Takio's bokken; sparks of lightning surround him. He starts to blitz around Danya in a circle.

  Danya jumps high into the air. In that moment, Takio lunges toward her while she's mid-air.

  Danya twirls. The moment Takio is inches from her, she slams her bokken down on his back. "AUGH!" he shouts as her bokken hits him with exact precision.

  He crashes to the ground, his bokken landing behind him. Danya lands in front of him, still not saying a word.

  He grits his teeth, grabbing his bokken. He transfers energy into it and shouts, "Yon-hyaku Surasshu!"

  His bokken shines bright yellow. He instantly slashes it upward; a wave of sparks and lightning fires from it, blasting Danya.

  "Grruh…" Danya growls. Her body stiffens as she stands there, paralyzed, sparks emitting from her skin and crackling around her.

  He instantly gets to his feet, swinging his bokken to make contact with Danya's head.

  He pours more energy into it; each hit radiates the sound of thunder.

  Blood flies out of Danya's mouth. She's sent rolling across the grass, skidding to a halt near the rocks.

  "Ha! How's that, 'Death Spirit!'" Takio chuckles, reveling in his success.

  Ari watches, smiling, sitting on the wooden steps. "Wow, he's grown a bit. I'm proud of him."

  Her smile falters as she turns to Danya. "This battle is over…"

  Danya uses her hands to help her stand; her hair covers her face. "Good one… you really got me there," she says, her voice flat.

  Takio rubs his nose cockily. "Oh, I know. I've been practicing that for days! Heh, I'm great, right?"

  "But I believe it's time to claim my prize—"

  Danya giggles—a sound devoid of warmth. Her hair moves out of her face, and her eyes glow crimson.

  "Wha—" Takio shouts. Everything around him darkens. His body trembles; sweat races down his face. His chest tightens, and his breathing grows ragged.

  He blinks. Danya appears next to him instantly, vapor steaming from her mouth. "I was being sarcastic~."

  "Ugh!" Takio grunts, instinctively turning to where Danya was. She disappears.

  The bells ring once more, the sound oddly muffled. "This feeling…"

  He slowly turns back to where he was first looking. Black streaks of energy flow past him; the feeling of being hunted and crushed courses through him.

  He stares ahead, seeing Danya smiling, bearing fangs of her own, her eyes gleaming bright crimson. The black streaks of energy radiate from her.

  "Are you just going to stare?" she says, laughing, the sound grating and cold.

  "I'm going to…"

  "I'm going to…"

  "I'M GOING TO DIE!" Takio screams in terror.

  The bells ring one final time.

  Suddenly, a bokken slams across his face. His pupils roll back. Blood erupts from his mouth; the sound of wood cracking against his skull radiates.

  He flies back, rolling across the grass, falling into the pond. Water splashes against the rocks.

  Ari face-palms. "I warned him…"

  Danya's eyes return to normal. She chuckles. "He couldn't handle Sanguine at its weakest… and he thought he would win this…"

  She looks at the surface of the pond as Takio floats on top of it.

  She walks up to him, grabbing him by the collar and pulling him out.

  As she holds him in the air, she goes through his pockets. She grabs the elixir.

  "There we go! Got the prize I won fair and square."

  She drops Takio on the ground. She walks toward Ari.

  "I'm ready to get out of here…"

  "Wait, don't drink that whole!" Ari shouts.

  Danya tilts her head. "Huh? Why not?"

  "It's not meant to be drunk all the way—only a sip would suffice in healing you!"

  Danya looks at the liquid in the capsule. She twirls it around. "This little thing?"

  "Yes! It's extremely potent. It's forbidden for a reason!"

  "If you drink even an ounce, it doesn't just heal you—it boosts your energy output to a significant degree."

  Danya scoffs. "My energy output?" She pauses. "Well, that's useless for me here. I can't use magic."

  "Ahem!" Ari fake coughs. "Um, that little berserker mode you have? You think it wouldn't affect that?"

  "When you fought Takio, you said that was your 'weakest' Sanguine." She points at his body.

  "Yeah, what about it? I used uh…"

  Danya hums. "Hmmm, maybe 3% of it…"

  "But that's because the kid is a weaker Spirit. Of course he wouldn't be able to handle Sanguine at any level."

  Ari sighs. "Okay, so let's put this in perspective. If 3% was able to do that—you put him in a state of terror, I watched his entire body stiffen."

  "Not to mention the healing from the wisps is the same used in the Elixir. So you already have a little boost. It's not your normal 3%."

  "Woah? Really?!" Danya says, leaning in toward Ari.

  "Yes, really. So let's add these effects together, shall we? Your 3%—let's estimate it jumped to 7% just from the little boost."

  "Four points up. Now let's look back at your battle with L'abeille. I can guarantee you were using about half of your Sanguine."

  Danya scratches her head. "Ehhh… I'm not really good at math… but a little lower. I was injured and already burned out…"

  "I'd say… about…"

  "Mmmm, 36%!"

  Ari crosses her arms. "Right, right. 36% you say? So I'll put it like this: if you drink even less than half of the Elixir, your '3%' would be operating on that '36%'."

  "So if you went all out—which I don't even want to see—I can't imagine what would happen if you had the full effect of the elixir."

  "Ohhh… then yeah… only taking a sip would be best then," Danya says.

  "You sure know a lot. Are you like this village's historian or something?"

  "Well, I had to do a lot of studying to even be able to explore the Backwoods, so yeah, I know quite a bit," Ari replies.

  Danya places the capsule on her lips. "Neat!"

  She takes a small sip. Her eyes widen immediately.

  "BLAH!" she shouts, violently coughing.

  She spits, clutching her throat. "WHAT IS THIS?! THIS IS DISGUSTING! LIKE, REALLY DISGUSTING!"

  A blue light then starts to radiate from her body. "Wha—" she mutters. Her body starts to relax, and she closes her eyes.

  Blue orbs start to rise from her skin, and the bandages from her arms and legs fall off, dissolving into dust. Her chipped horn grows back, the surface smooth and sharp again.

  Ari watches in awe. "I always loved seeing this happen."

  The light continues to shine; the orbs rise higher in the air, the sound of sparkling energy surrounding Danya.

  Her eyes burst open. They flicker as the crimson light returns; her hair flickers crimson as well.

  She walks forward. The blue light disperses from her body, causing a blue ripple around the grass. The blades all sway from the pressure.

  Ari grins while watching. "Well, now that this is her apparent healed state, it's safe to say I'm either in good hands or completely screwed," she thinks to herself.

  Danya looks down at her palm. "I'm finally healed… I'm finally back at full power…"

  She smiles. "Finally! Oh my stars, it's felt like forever!"

  "I haven't felt like this since I battled the Archangel and Ten—" She pauses mid-sentence.

  "Tenko…" A memory of Akuji's clone flashes in her mind.

  She looks up at the sky. "How is he?…" she whispers to herself.

  Ari interrupts her thoughts. "Seems like you're doing well."

  "Now pass it over—it's my turn."

  "Oh, right…" Danya closes the capsule, tossing it to Ari.

  Ari catches it, instantly opening it back up and taking a sip.

  She drops to the ground, coughing. "Okay… you were right about the taste!"

  "It's so bitter and sour…"

  Instantly, blue light starts to radiate from Ari, her body experiencing the same process as Danya's. Blue orbs rise to the sky.

  As the orbs disperse, they cause another ripple across the area.

  Ari stretches. "I feel so much better!" She rips the final bandage from her forehead, closing the capsule.

  "Okay, great! We can go now, right?" Danya says.

  "Not exactly. First we need new gear and weapons."

  Danya tilts her head. "New gear? New weapons? What's wrong with what we got on right now?"

  Ari narrows her eyes, leaping down from the step and landing next to Danya. "You can't be serious? You're half-naked with bandages."

  Danya looks at the remnants of the bandages still flapping as the breeze blows them. "So? I'll fight naked if I have to, if that means I get Akuji back."

  Ari groans. "Can you not bring up his name for a second and think clearly, please!"

  "How can I not think of him?! He's in danger!"

  Ari sighs, holding her hand out. A giant bubble forms in her palm. She turns and throws it over the wood cabin.

  Danya blinks, confused. "What? What was that—"

  Before she can finish, Ari grabs Danya's arm. They're both instantly transported to a tree house in front of a shoji marked with fox head symbols.

  "HUH?!" Danya shouts.

  "What was that?!"

  Ari giggles. "Oh, that? That's my magic. I can transport myself and others with bubbles."

  "Well, that's one of many abilities."

  Danya's hair and eyes dim as she blinks with her mouth half open. "Wow… teleporting bubbles?!"

  "I've seen it all!"

  Ari slides open the shoji, revealing an artillery of weapons hanging on the wall.

  A fox spirit who stands tall, with tan skin and short jet-black hair, wearing an all-black kimono, stands behind a counter. With him is a little girl with long jet-black hair and crystal teal eyes; her skin is tan like the man's. She wears the same color kimono.