7

Onari shrugged off Suou's rude dismissal with a bit of effort. Suzaku obediently stood and left the room. Onari followed her. They walked down the hallway in silence for a little while.

"How old are you?" Onari asked, breaking the somewhat tense atmosphere.

"... 13, Onari-sama," Suzaku answered hesitantly without looking back at him.

"You don't have to use 'sama' when you address me. We'll be working together after all. I'd like it if we could have a more casual relationship."

"I… I'd like that… Onari."

Onari tutted internally as he noticed Suzaku's light blush. She must have been unhealthily sheltered if simply asking her to refer to him by name made her blush. His opinion of the Himejima Clan dropped just a bit further.

"Why did the clan head choose you for this mission?"

"Multiple reasons… I am the clan's heiress. I also recently inherited the Vermillion Bird Sacred Beast. And I suspect that Suou-ojisan is testing whether I am worthy to wield the Sacred Beast's power."

That must have been the source of the fire he smelled in her Qi. Still, it was comforting to have such a potent ally backing him up for this mission. Gashadokuro were not Youkai to take lightly.

"Hmm," Onari hummed. "What a coincidence. I believe we may be in the same boat."

"How so?" Suzaku asked, turning to look at him through the side of her eye.

"My mother told me that her advisors are treating this mission as a test for me as well. This may even be a plot to have me get in over my head, and die horribly in the process. I wouldn't put it past those old bastards."

Suzaku gasped, "How horrible! Why would they do such a thing?"

"I don't have… the best reputation. Plenty of people within the faction believe things would be better off if I was out of the picture. There's only so much my mother can do to stop them. She can't know everything after all."

Suzaku stopped and put a hand on his shoulder, "I can't say I personally know what that's like, but I do have a cousin and aunt that were in a similar situation. They're… not with the family anymore. Just… Just don't let them win."

Onari smiled at her. Suzaku blushed but didn't look away. Now a bit more comfortable with each other, the pair continued on their way.

They spent the last couple of hours before nightfall getting to know each other and preparing to face a difficult enemy. Onari made a couple more talismans, and Suzaku spent the time meditating and communing with the Spirit Beast housed in her soul.