[@Dane] [@King Kindred] [@13org]

[hider=Kumori]
[center][b][u][i]Memory Lane[/i][/u][/b][/center]

Kumori was rather unphased by Takaya using his Blood Art to generate the Ravines she was now drifting in one of. She was quite familiar already with Takaya's Kiji-blooded nature and had been around him enough to have experienced this whole literal "trip down Memory Lane" a few times before. The past visions were a bit annoying to sit through, like being given exposition of stuff she already knows many times over. But hey, at least there was a sense of Privacy that goes with this, she can be true to herself with someone who knows her well.

Of course, that didn't last too long as the lil cousin puts her into a Judo-lock, a silly crying expression on her face as she taps her palm to the floor of the boat as if to tap out from a submission hold.

"[color=skyblue][b]Ack! Sorry-sorry, I couldn't help myself, you're still too cute not to stick with that![/b][/color]" She said, clearly not taking it too seriously as Takaya let go. and she kneeled to the boat floor, seemingly gasping for air. But when he asked her about Kyoto, she was quick to get up, sit back down on her seat with a refined posture, and clear her throat.

"[color=skyblue][b]To sum up: Stable but messy. Master and I've been keeping things under control here with the Boss' help, but that whole Guen thing put everyone at the station on high alert.[/b][/color]" She said to his first question, before then discussing her assignment in Osaka.

"[color=skyblue][b]...To be honest, it's better than expected. In spite of being a demon herself, it seems Chief Xaku actually meant every word of her acceptance speech. The police under her fell in line, and both crime and corruption was surprisingly low from the resulting crackdown. A Demon's doing a better job at keeping the peace than most humans in her position. ...Not sure how I feel about that.[/b][/color]" She explained to him.

She then listened as he made his prediction/order, being reassigned back to Osaka by Haruka. Kumori simply sighed in response. Peaceful or not, Osaka's still major enemy territory, and to go there in her position is to be assigned to work under the Chief of that department, that being Xaku herself.

It was hard not to get anxious at the thought.

Still, she knows that when Takaya makes a declaration of who does what, whether it being a prediction or simply an order, there was no point in arguing against it either way. Kumori was going back to Osaka, and that was that.

He then made a suggestion that he tags along with her to Osaka, which made her give a look like he was asking her watch him bungie jump off Mt. Fuji...without a rope.

"[b][color=skyblue]I mean...I wouldn't mind it, but as peaceful as Osaka is, that place is still enemy territory. If Chief Xaku gets her hands on you, we're all screwed.[/color][/b]" She told him in response. On the one hand, Takaya not just was, but [i]had to be[/i] a skilled Slayer in his own right as an Ubuyashiki. His Pre-cognitive abilities gives him a great advantage in just about every situation she could think of, so she knew he could take care of himself if need be.

On the other hand, he just got out of a bad battle at the temple not that long ago, and almost got himself killed there, and Osaka is essentially enemy territory. All it'd take is Chief Xaku finding out he's there and capturing him for Michikatsu, and the whole Corps as she knows it could very well be screwed. Peaceful or no, having him come with her to Osaka would is a massive risk, one a mere Apprentice like her probably wouldn't have the authority to make anyways...

"[b][color=skyblue]...I'll take it up with Master and Boss and see what they say about it.[/color][/b]" She then said with a smile.

[hr]

[center][b][u][i]Tan'nowa Tokimiki Beach, Osaka[/i][/u][/b][/center]

...What was it she just thought about Takaya? About how once he makes a declaration, there's no arguing against him?

Three hours, though it may have been, for Kumori, the change in scenery and the idea of training on this beach was something akin to a mental Whiplash. Her smile was nervous and wiggled as she stood among her peers - except no, they were more her Master's peers than hers. She was only meant to be an envoy messenger representing her Master with the purpose of relaying the proceedings to him. How is she now getting roped into training with Slayers well above her pay-grade?

Of course, that wasn't the only reason she was so nervous.

Naturally, of all the beaches in Japan, Takaya just [i]had[/i] to go for a beach in Osaka, risking himself in Chief Xaku's jurisdiction before she could even ask the boss or her master about his request to come here with her.

Still, at least she spent the last 3 hours reporting the situation to them. She couldn't ask them about Takaya, because at that point she could only [i]tell[/i] them that Takaya and the Hashira was en-route to Osaka. As Takaya predicted, the Boss intended to have her head there on assignment anyways. Takaya going there with the rest of the Hashira was...frustrating, but as there's nothing to be done about it from Kyoto, it seems Kumori's task has an addendum of keeping an eye on them to make sure things don't end up becoming chaotic.

Yet another thing that should be left to his Master, yet falls on her shoulders.

So now here she was, on a beach in a One-piece bathing suit that made her feel more or less naked even with the button-down white shirt over it, a Tsuguko partaking in training with Hashiras, and a monk. At least she wasn't the only Tsuguko there; Guen's Tsuguko's taking part in this as well. Seems they're both taking the place of their respective masters in this, although Yamazaki's circumstances are...fairly different enough. In spite of them being the same status, she doubts Gin's raining will have them fight each other, likely they'll both be training by punching above their weight class.

As if that wasn't enough, another Foreign Slayer has joined in, and the Oyakata of the respective country to boot. As his cousin, she is aware of her as someone particularly close to Takaya; better her than another version of the ass-hat among them.

After Koshin's speech, it seemed training began, with herself assigned to fight...Koshin and Meifeng, it seemed.

He may not be technically a part of the Corp, but Koshin was every bit as capable as the best of them, she can tell just from looking that those muscles of his aren't just for show. Then there's Meifeng, on top of being the boss of Taihoku's corps, she's aware of her rather unusual style of combat that might make things difficult for her. Of course, let's not forget the newest Hashira of the bunch, Himari of the Moon. Training or not, this was going to be a rough one.

Taking a deep breath, she took one step forward towards Koshin, and in the blink of an eye...[i]Disappeared!?[/i]

Himari would likely immediately feel a presence as the little girl reappeared with her sword ready to go for Himari's abdomen fast.

It seems what happened was that while walking towards Koshin, she pivoted towards Himari and ran at high-speeds, fast enough to make it look like she vanished.

[center][i]Sky Breathing, 4th form: Donkuu Shissou! (Cloudy Sky Sprint)[/i][/center][/hider]
[hr]
[hider=Gekido]
[center][b][u][i]Kyokan-Ryu Headquarters - Main Office[/i][/u][/b][/center]

[center][i]...And so the music ends.[/i][/center]

As the song fades out into silence, the results were clear. The smell of cooked meat was in the air as the smoke cleared out of open windows, scorched marks littered the floors and walls, the only area completely clean being the area in the back where the Lieutenants and the traitorous slayer resided. On the floor, were corpses charred black, most of which seemed to be demons disintegrating into nothing but dust in the wind.

There were a few still alive, and surprisingly not all of them were demons. Bruised, bleeding and burned, it seems some of the slayers managed to survive the onslaught of the 2nd Blood Moon. The demons that were still alive were less of a surprise, but even their regeneration was clearly slow and painful as their body tries their best to recover. In their collective eyes were a tint of fear and despair, tears welling up after what they witnessed.

The white flames extinguished around Gekido's hands, as he clapped them together slowly but repeatedly.

[b]"Congrats to those still standing, those who survived. I may have held back a bit, but you few survivors took your beating like champions. Obviously I expected that from the demons, but I'm impressed a few of you Slayers held out as long as you have as well. You even managed to nick me a few times. It may be unbecoming of a Blood Moon to say this, but I'm glad to see the Corps hasn't gone rusty after all. ...Speaking of which, What's your name?"[/b] He said, first towards the surviving few - as small cuts on his torso and back seemed to regenerate and heal as if they were never there - then turning around and pointing at the one-armed Slayer he put with the Lieutenants.

[color=orange][b]"...Kazuya, Kazuya Minami."[/b][/color] He responded. Gekido nodded his head, looking up and down at him before turning back towards the rest.

"[b]You guys failed to kill me, and it's clear to me from fighting you that your superiors expected you to die trying. The fact you're still alive tells me that some of you were put here on this mission simply because the higher-ups in the Corps don't like you. No idea why; I'm sure you have your own personal theories on that matter. But given how they're still very traditionalistic in their ways, I'm sure instead of Open Arms, they'd welcome you back with open caskets. Way I see it, you got two choices. You can either go back to the corps, tell them you failed your mission, and accept a dishonorable punishment - most likely death - or you can stay here, and join this family for real, working under Kazuya Minami here, our new Lieutenant.[/b]" Gekido declared, leaving the slayers among them - even Kazuya himself - speechless and in shock at the sudden Promotion.

"You expect us to turn traitor too, to fall in line with one who so blatantly betrayed us!?" One of them said, his sword still out.

"[b]Yet, you'd willingly go back to an organization who [i]'so subtly'[/i] betrayed you instead?[/b]" He asked them. They stood there frozen in place for a few seconds, then looked at each other, as if trying to see if any of their comrades could come up with a response, but found only silence.

"[b]Look at your fallen comrades, and now look at yourselves. Your corps sent you on a mission to kill a Demon far out of your league with no back up and no support. The only reason you are still standing among those who fell is because is on the whim of that very demon. ...They left you - left [i]them[/i] - to die. Are they truly worth your loyalty after this? Yet, should you leave them, where would you go? To waste away the strength you've proven at this moment and all the training that comes with it living a normal life? ...I will not ask for you to become demons, gaining this power and curse is ultimately your choice. Instead, all I ask of you is to ask yourselves where you belong now that you've realized who threw you, and them, to the wolves.[/b]" He asked, pointing towards the Charred remains of the Slayers who didn't make it.

It was around this point that Gekido could hear his king giving him his order...And subsequently taking away his Power as a Blood Moon once again. This was the second time now that he was stripped of it, but it didn't get any easier as he struggled, as if struck by sudden exhaustion, and leaning on his desk. Urami and most of his lieutenants took a step forward as if to come to his aid, but he quickly stopped them by holding out his arm to them, a silent order to not worry about him as he slowly stood back up and looked towards the survivors of his onslaught.

"[b]...Well, that's that for now. Looks like I'm being tested yet again. Here I stand now, merely a rankless demon held up by nothing but his own power. I'm the weakest I can be; as vulnerable as I'm going to get. Now, I am going to walk out that door behind you, and leave this building. If - after all this - you [i]still[/i] wish to honor the Slayer Corps, you better draw your sword and come at me before I leave. The moment I'm out of this room alive, your window is closed; there won't be a next time. Will you go back to a corps willing to cast you aside with my head to appease after what you saw here tonight, Or be loyal to each other and yourselves and stay in this Family?[/b]" He asked them before proceeding to walk passed them.

It was hard to tell what was going through their heads as they stood in silence. Were they all resolved in a decision, or were some perhaps stricken with fear and anxiety to a point where they don't quite understand the options they were given?

Either way, their answer was clear, as Gekido casually left the Office, and not one slayer or demon moved beyond where they stood.

Although de-powered and stripped of rank, truth be told, Gekido never felt more alive, or thankful to the King than he was now. Not only did he have a chance to test all the training he put himself through thus far, being with Reiha meant he could finally start figuring out something that's been eating away at him for days now...

He can finally start plucking at the strings, to unravel Rikyo's schemes.[/hider]