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The forest behind the estate always exuded such a pleasant, fresh scent during rainfalls, though it was true the pathways got muddy. The slippery ground was an inconvenience for some, but Jun thought training in different conditions was essential, which is why she had long sessions throughout the day, varying the location and circumstances as much as was possible while still staying near the estate. She had other, more-or-less self-imposed duties during the day, including helping the injured (which was a good practice in first aid, really), training with those close to the recovery, encouraging her fellow demons slayers (even those that’ve retired from service), showing the guests around, and training with her fellow disciples. Well, training was more of a guilty pleasure for her, especially whenever The Love Pillar oversaw her directly.

Jun was in the middle of chasing after random raindrops with her sword, chaining her Third Form to move from tree to tree (and occasionally descending back to the ground) as she did so. It was perhaps a whimsical but nonetheless a taxing method that built up her stamina. Whenever she chose to unleash any of her other forms, she had to be careful to aim in a way that did not harm the trees (imagined allies) while slashing and skewering the empty spaces or the rain (imagined enemies). Sparring with a relatively unknown person would be better, but since being assigned to Itoshi-sama, she’d got to know the Pillar’s other pupils fairly well. Not to say they did not still train daily and better each other, but Jun sometimes got an itch for variety, for [i]danger[/i]. Missions were sometimes a blessing in a way, though she wasn’t fool enough to ever underestimate a true enemy. However, she couldn’t deny the satisfaction in cutting down a demon, especially if they were a challenging opponent.

What stopped her training was an odd, vague sensation. It was similar to when her intuition alerted her to a danger, but not [i]quite[/i] that. A frown marring her neutral expression, Sakai sheathed her blood-red, serrated-edged katana, and jumped down to the rain softened, foliage covered forest floor below. She jogged to the estate’s entrance, and was intercepted outside by two young recruits. “Ah, Sakai-san, we were looking for you!”

Jun narrowed her eyes at the pair. [color=F08080]“What is it?”[/color] she barked out. Couldn’t the man have got to his point without her prompt and [i]without[/i] trying to imply she was hard-to-reach so accusingly? [color=F08080][i]Well,[/i][/color] she thought with a calming inhale, [color=F08080][i]they are new. No need to berate them.[/i][/color] She wasn’t anything resembling nice by nature, but she could put in the effort to be polite, at least.

[b]“Itoshi-sama is looking for you! It seemed urgent,”[/b] the male hedged. Jun nodded in thanks, gesturing for the pair to lead her to the Pillar. They did, and the trio reached their destination at a run.

[color=F08080]“Master,”[/color] Jun greeted her mentor, then listened intently to her directives. [color=F08080]“Understood,”[/color] she answered curtly, but with a respectful bow. The Love Pillar apparently noticed she’d made the two males behind herself were uneasy – their nerves were practically radiating, and Jun had seen them shifting from foot to foot peripherally in any case – so she offered them all a reassuring smile and softened the blow of the news of potential danger by promising to return shortly. Jun simply nodded once. [color=F08080]“Fare well, Itoshi-sama,”[/color] she added, watching until the experienced demon slayer departed.

Then, she turned sharply, facing the two recruits. [color=F08080]“You two, with me,”[/color] she ordered. [color=F08080]“Compose yourselves. The possibility of danger stays on a need-to-know basis,”[/color] she added as she began moving at a swift walk further into the estate. Jun spoke to the recruits with the full weight of her bequeathed authority, and expected them to follow. They did. Jun traversed the grounds, until she finally found her target – Ebisu Nori.

[color=F08080]“Ebisu-kun,”[/color] she addressed him, softly but with an underlying urgency. Jun didn’t need to turn her head to realize there were plenty of other people relatively close by.

[b]“Sakai,”[/b] the demon slayer replied. Jun’s relationship with Ebisu was lukewarm at best, but he listened attentively to the situation nonetheless.

[color=F08080]“So, you best take whoever you trust most, station them around the estate entrance, on the wall walks, and on a roof or two. Perhaps increase the ground patrols until Itoshi-sama returns. I suppose we should inform the members of the Corps that the Pillar is away on urgent business, but if we have any civilians with residence, we’ll have to be careful not to send them in a panic,"[/color] she summarized.

Ebisu seemed to consider that, then agreed. [b]“Sound suggestions. If it proves necessary, I can organize more shifts later on. And, hmm, let’s say ringing the church bell will be the signal for danger. I’ll inform the others and check up on the guests, can you go ahead of me, and inform the guards already stationed up the walls? I’ll send some more to you as well.”[/b]

[color=F08080]“Mm-hm, that's all fine,”[/color] Jun answered shortly. Ebisu [i]was[/i] the better one at diplomacy, so Jun was more than happy to let him deal with what she was sure would be inevitable bouts of stress, rising tensions, and frayed nerves. [color=F08080]“Report to me in an hour, two at most,”[/color] she instructed, and Ebisu offered a cheeky [b]“Gotcha,”[/b] before leaving. As the head of security departed, Jun left as well, taking the two fresh recruits with her to the nearest wall-attached stone staircase. There were a few guards there, some demon slayers, and others well-trained professional guards. Sakai informed them of the situation, then finally stationed herself above the gateway.