Kira was walking around his new home. The house was rather big. It was composed of a dozen of rooms similar to the two he already knew. In the middle of it, there was an open garden with a large sandy area. Everything felt traditionally Japanese, like his old dojo.

There were no signs of modern conveniences like electricity or running water. Oddly, the people did look somewhat Japanese, but at the same time it was different. Since Selen was a kind of melting pot from all over the globe, he knew a bit about facial features but he could not put a finger on it.

After a while, Kira stood on the exterior hallway. Apart from a handful of servants, who respectfully greeted him and were working on their chores, there was not much going on. Though the boy was very much interested in a few closed rooms, he had to hold his curiosity in check for now since too many people were around.

After looking around to make sure no one was around, Kira jumped off the wooden floor. Then the boy strolled in the garden, not going too far off the house. He was amazed by the plants and bugs. He stared at the ground avidly, looking for some signs of movement. Due to the artificial nature of Selen, this sight was new to him.

‘Maybe I am still a kid inside after all,’ Kira thought while he chuckled.

After a while, the boy found a small rock near the pound. He sat on top of it and looked into the water. Fishes were looking at him with their round eyes. The event made him frown, but he soon relaxed when he saw nothing happened. In the water, he saw his youthful figure and red eyes. Kira then released a long sigh.

‘What is this seriously? I don’t understand a thing about what is happening. My soul got moved into another body? What kind of bullshit is this? Apart from that fact, I’m not even sure how I should act with the people here…’

He picked up a stone and threw it in the pound. The fishes did not seem bothered one bit.

‘Should I just go with the flow? I guess it would be the easiest way… I don’t know much about this place anyway and I can’t do much with this childish body. It can’t be worse than my own childhood anyway… Well, my past one that is.’

Nearby, a bird landed on a tree and the boy stared at the rainbow-colored volatile.

‘Whenever that woman calls me Kira I just know it is me. Well… she is my mother. Those past five years must have affected my mind to some extent. I do feel a bit different, a bit more childlike… Damn. And that bloody cat… What did it mean by saving the world? Is it related to the ether affliction depicted in those books?’

Suddenly, something hit the boy’s head so he turned around. He had not heard a thing and two women were standing before him.

One he knew, it was the maid as for the other one... At first, Kira thought it was his mother. However he could see some slight differences, notably in her fierce red eyes. Also, she was slender and moved in a lithesome manner. Her black hair, cut in straight bangs suggesting a hime cut, reached her waist. She wore a black kimono with fine silver motifs and held a closed fan. If Kaguya was the sun, she would be the moon. But he somehow knew her as well.

The woman put a hand on her hip and stared at him.

“What do we have here? A lost rabbit?” she asked, expressionless.

“This is the Young Master,” the maid replied.

“Obviously it is. I am not so dull I cannot recognize my own brother.”

“Sometimes I wonder,” Shizuru said while looking away.

“Are those words coming from the mouth of the one who forgot to feed the rabbit?”

“Please do not remind me.”

While the two of them were talking between themselves, the boy stared at the women angrily.

“Why did you hit me?” he said grumpily.

“So you do talk.”

“So what about it?”

Her lips curved up in a predatory smile.

“Maybe I should start by teaching you to respect your older sister.”

The woman raised her arms and claw-like hands, obviously wanting to grab him. Panicked, Kira tried to get away but she was just too fast for his little legs.

‘Damn it… I’m just too short. I can’t do anything.’

Unexpectedly, she hugged him tightly.

“Nice to meet you. I am Ren.” she said in his ear.

The boy gulped. He was not expecting that.

“Nice to meet you, I guess?” he answered hesitantly.

She looked at him with a faint smile before patting his head twice.

“Why are you here by yourself? Does Mother know?”

‘Oh crap…’ He thought with a poker face.

“You are such a naughty boy.” Ren said, before she hit his forehead with her fan, causing the boy to cover his face in pain.

During this whole time, Shizuru had watched them silently, a few steps behind his sister.

“I do not think it is a good idea for the Young Master to stay alone,” she said with a worried expression.

“You are right,” Ren declared, after she threw a glance at the maid. “Come with us,” she bid her brother.

Not waiting for an answer, the lady stood and started walking toward the house. The servant looked at the boy who then went after his newly acquired sibling. He pouted.

‘I fear this sister of mine might be kind of troublesome…’

After a nod, the maid followed him.

**********

Inside the house, the three of them were walking in the interior hallway.

“I am very sorry for yesterday, Young Master,” the maid said.

“You worry too much Shizuru. Mother would never take offense of such a small matter. Anyone would have reacted that way at that time,” Ren declared after she rolled her eyes.

“I still made a mistake,” Shizuru added.

“Just forget about it.”

“If you say so… I shall take my leave then. I must attend to my duties.”

“I will see you at practice.”

“Yes.”

The maid bowed then left them.

“We are going to see Mother. We have important matters to discuss.”

Not knowing what to do, Kira unwillingly complied with his sister’s demands. He was still very much lost in this new environment, and his family seemed to hold greet authority in this place. The siblings stopped in front of Kaguya’s room.

“Mother, it is Ren.”

“You may enter.”

The two of them entered.

“Mother, good morning,” the woman said before she bowed.

“Good morning, Ren,” Kaguya smiled brightly. She came to meet her daughter and hugged her. “Where did you find your brother?”

“He was wandering in the hall.”

“Really?”

She looked maliciously at the boy. Kira smiled brightly at his mother trying to look as innocent as possible.

‘They look more like sisters than mother and daughter. How can she even seem this young? When she has a daughter as old as Ren?’

“Aunt sends her thanks for your records.” His sister declared.

Their mother nodded before continuing. “Could you get more information about the accident?”

“It happened near the mining village of Namuya. According to the villagers, there has been an explosion at night and then a dark cloud spread.”

“How many casualties?”

“At least two hundred and fifty. The physicians and priests are having a hard time.”

Kaguya lips tightened.

“The salt production is still steady and has not been affected yet, however the news is spreading and people are talking. We have reports of similar events in a few other places. Most of those have connections to the major clans.” Her daughter continued.

“Could they find the culprits?”

Ren shook her head.

“Unfortunately, they killed themselves as we were about to subdue them. We are actively looking for any information or clue related to this issue. The Empress has been informed and the ley lines should be moved soon. The dark clouds should be purged quickly. All our clan’s resources have been deployed. Aunt is taking this very seriously.”

“As she should. Any matter related to clouds is a serious one.”

“But this time is different, Mother… The soul sickness is spreading too fast. In the span of a week, it has already reached a serious stage in most cases.”

“That is…”

“Unprecedented. Aunt asked me to go assess the situation. I will be going with the supplies tomorrow. She also asked if you would be willing to go.”

For some time, the two women remained silent. Kira was thinking at a furious rate. He did not know any kind of ether affliction capable of spreading that fast. Even without any kind of treatment, it would normally take years to fully take effect. The boy was intrigued. How could someone stealthily create a cloud? Even in his old world, one would need a serious amount of equipment and preparation.

“Fine, I will go,” Kaguya eventually declared.

“Can I go as well?” Kira asked.

The two women looked at him curiously.

“No,” his mother said bluntly. “It is too dangerous and you are too young.”

“At his age, I was already learning about those kinds of matter,” Ren stated.

“The circumstances were different,” his mother said as she frowned.

“Priest Naizen is taking his son with him. They are about the same age.”

Kaguya shook her head. She looked at him with a sad look. The boy could understand her reluctance but he had to know.

“Would you leave your son so soon after his recovery?” his sister then asked.

For a while, the women simply looked at each other. Then Kaguya sighed.

“I raised you too well.”

“Do you regret it?”

“Not one bit,” their mother said while she smiled. “Very well, you may come.”

She then looked at her son. Kira grinned.

“Thank you.”

At this time, a servant presented herself and announced that lunch was ready.

“Since the matter is settled, we should go eat.”

The dishes were filled will oriental meals he could have ordered on one of the finest restaurants on Selen. Rather, they were even tastier than what he could recall and he could not stop eating. When the lady saw he could eat by himself with chopsticks, she smiled. For fifteen minutes, they silently enjoyed their food.

After some time Kaguya stood, followed by Ren. The boy imitated them and left the room. Once outside, their mother looked at her children.

“I shall start preparing for the trip,” she declared before she left.

Kira watched her walking slowly down the hall

“You owe me, little rabbit. Twice over,” his sister said softly, looking down at him.

“I guess I do. And I’m not a rabbit,” he commented while he shrugged.

“What are you going to do?”

“I do not know. I have nothing to do.”

“I’ll start training with Shizuru in an hour. It will be good reference for you.”

“What kind of training?”

“Blades”

A surprised look appeared on the boy’s face.

“Blades?... Swords ?” Kira asked as he frowned.

“Well, you will just have to see it,” his sister declared. “I will meet you in an hour in the interior courtyard.”

Afterward, Ren pated her brother’s head strongly, making his hair a mess. He looked at her with fury.

“Don’t run away little rabbit.”

She left him.

‘She’s annoying and I’m getting bossed around. The worst part is she knows what interests me and how to deal with me. Akiko was right; I might have been a little boy all this time. Older sisters... such bullshit… damn.’

*********

At the arranged time, Kira was seated on a bench inside the courtyard. The fresh weather felt nice and the sun warmed his skin. The interior garden was as well-kept as the one outside with flowered trees and trimmed bushes. Eventually he saw Ren and Shizuru walking toward the sandy area in the middle. Both of them were wearing a dark blue hakama and a white hakui. They carried a katana at their sides and bore wooden swords. The two beautiful women looked dignified and the swords seemed natural on them.

“Good afternoon, Young Master,” the maid said while she bowed.

“Good morning, Shizuru,” the boy answered.

Hearing her name, the servant was somehow shocked and she bowed again.

“I consider an honor that you remember my name,” she declared earnestly.

Kira smiled at her.

“Do not mind the rabbit.” Ren stated, after rolling her eyes.

“I am not a rabbit.” Kira grumbled.

“I can tell the rabbit is insanely happy I allowed him to watch us.”

“I am overjoyed,” he said with an expressionless voice.

“Really?” her red eyes looked down teasingly on him.

“Cannot you feel the bliss in my voice?” he said with a bored look.

The sister laughed heartily. She then tied her long black hair with a red ribbon and took her wooden sword leaving the katana on a wooden bench.

After she respectfully watched the conversation, Shizuru also grabbed her practice weapon and took position in front of the lady.

Afterward, they ritually saluted each other. Slowly, the women began with a few basic strikes to warm up. They seemed to practice arranged forms and katas, which was the norm in most martial arts in his old world. Kira’s interest went up since he always liked to watch traditional martial artists practice. He observed attentively and tried to understand the moves. After twenty minutes, they were standing two steps apart from each other.

“Ready”

“Yes.”

Ren struck first. She raised her sword above her left shoulder and swung it downward, aiming for the neck. Shizuru dodged to her left and parried with her weapon in a cross-arms block. The maid pushed and slashed toward her opponent thigh. His sister stepped back and blocked the blow by below.

Immediately after, she lifted her weapon close to herself and swayed her hip. With the added strength, the maid’s sword got driven upward dangerously, causing the servant to fall back in order to avoid the incoming attack. Ren’s sword missed her neck by a few inches and the servant replied with a slash to the head. The black haired woman stepped forward, evading the blow, and swung her weapon horizontally, making use of her body rotation. The wooden sword struck Shizuru’s side, thus ending the match.

It all happened in a few seconds.

“Nervous?" Ren asked. "You should not mind the rabbit.”

Shizuru took a deep breath.

“It is not that, I am sorry. I will focus now.”

The fight went on for several minutes. No one could visibly take the advantage.

But they were fast. Their defenses threaded dodges and parries together, to minimize impacts and get into advantageous positions.

Their footwork was masterful and they used compact forms with quick, accurate strikes aimed at vital points. He could see no flaws in their moves, all strikes intended to deal a serious wound and they used aggressive defense. The style was flowing, elegant and deadly.

‘They are far better than my old master,’ he thought with an amazed expression.

After a while, the fencers stopped and stared at each other. Then the women saluted and put down their wooden swords, replacing it with the katanas. They slipped the scabbard in their belt and took back their position. After the greeting salute, they closed their eyes. White smoke was released from their bodies and swords, small sparks dancing on the edge of the blue blades.

Kira’s eyes opened wide.

Suddenly, they started. Their movements were faster and the two of them became blurred silhouettes. The hits reverberated on the walls and the boy could feel the wind getting moved from their movements.

To this, the boy could only hold his breath as he tried to follow their movements in vain. At most, he could see their position but the swords were streams of light, impossible to grasp. The scene was unfathomable.

Eventually, they took their distances and halted. Sweat dripped down their faces and their soaked clothes clutched to their bodies.

The two beautiful swordmasters smiled.

At this moment, Kira’s view of the world changed forever.

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