Chapter 5: The Star I Shouldn't Have Made So Bright

I sat outside the cabin, staring up at the sky. The stars were out tonight, bright and scattered across the inky black like glitter spilled on a dark carpet. It was quiet—too quiet. Even with Koyasu beside me on night watch, the forest felt like it was holding its breath. We were all waiting for the next shoe to drop, the next monster or some other crazy shit to come out of the woods and ruin our fun.

But right now, all I could think about was her.

Mikaboshi. My first creation. The Minor Goddess of Stars. I'd raised her since she was just a little thing, biologically a baby but with the potential for so much more. Now, she was biologically a young teen but with the mind of someone much older, much wiser than most people her age. In many ways, she was a lot like me, but with her own brand of mischief and chaos. She had that spark, the same spark I'd put in her all those years ago.

"Mikaboshi..." I muttered, lost in thought. "I wonder what she's up to."

Koyasu, who was lazily floating beside me, took a sip from his ever-present bottle of alcohol. "You mean your little star brat?" he asked. "Last I heard, she was causing trouble in Heaven."

"She's not a brat," I defended. "Okay, maybe she is. But she's my brat."

Koyasu chuckled. "Well, if she's anything like you, she's probably up to no good."

"Wouldn't have it any other way," I replied, leaning back and resting my head against the cabin wall.

Just as I said that, I felt a familiar, electric tingle in the air—like the feeling you get right before a lightning strike. I knew that sensation all too well.

"Oh, Hell," I muttered. "Speak of the devil."

A bright flash lit up the forest, blinding us for a moment. When the light faded, a figure stood in front of us, hands on her hips, looking thoroughly unimpressed. She had long brown hair, tied up in a high ponytail, and hazel eyes that sparkled with mischief and annoyance in equal measure.

"Mikaboshi!" I exclaimed, both surprised and not surprised at all. "What are you doing here?"

"Nice to see you too, 'Dad,'" she replied with a smirk. Her voice was calm but held that familiar edge of trouble. "You forget to check your messages or something?"

I blinked, pulling out my phone. Sure enough, there were about fifty unread messages from Mikaboshi. I scrolled through them quickly—most of them were variations of 'Where are you?' or 'I'm bored.'

"Oops," I said sheepishly, tucking the phone back into my pocket. "Guess I was a bit distracted."

Mikaboshi rolled her eyes. "Yeah, sure. Distracted. Anyway, I heard you were out here having fun without me, and I thought, 'Hey, that sounds like a perfect opportunity to stir up some chaos.'"

I couldn't help but laugh. "Of course, you did. Well, welcome to the party, Mika."

Koyasu nodded in greeting, his glowing blue skin flickering in the dark. "Hey, Mikaboshi. Caused any celestial uprisings lately?"

"Nothing that made it to the news," she replied. "But I did convince The Goddess Of of Dawn that it would be fun to switch places with The Goddess Of Dusk. You should've seen the chaos that caused."

I grinned. "Now that's my girl. But seriously, why are you here? You must have some reason other than wanting to ruin my night watch."

Mikaboshi shrugged, a playful glint in her hazel eyes. "Can't a girl come visit her dear old dad without a reason?"

"Yeah, right," I snorted. "Try again."

"Fine," she sighed dramatically. "I'm bored. I figured you'd have something more exciting going on than the usual starry duties. Plus, I wanted to see if you'd still let me crash with you guys. Got room for one more?"

Koyasu snorted. "As long as you don't mind sharing a bed with Bob, the bear."

Mikaboshi's eyes widened, and a grin spread across her face. "Wait, you guys brought a bear camping? Classic move."

"Yup, that was me," I said proudly. "Always the innovator."

Mikaboshi shook her head, but she was smiling. "So, what's the plan then? Gonna let me tag along, or are you gonna try to send me back to the Celestial Realm?"

I leaned forward, studying her closely. She looked almost the same as she always did—mischievous, energetic, ready to take on the world. But there was something else there too, something in her eyes that I couldn't quite place.

"What's really going on, Mika?" I asked, my tone more serious. "You never come all the way out here unless there's a reason."

Mikaboshi hesitated, her smile faltering for just a moment before she shrugged it off. "It's nothing, really. Just... feeling a little out of place up there lately. Thought I'd come down and see if you had anything interesting going on."

Koyasu snickered. "Well, we did just fight a bunch of shadows and a giant monster, so you've missed some of the fun already."

"Sounds like my kind of fun," she replied, a hint of a challenge in her voice. "What else you got?"

"How about a training session?" I suggested, knowing full well she wouldn't be able to resist. "It's been a while since we sparred."

Mikaboshi's eyes lit up. "Now you're talking! Let's see if you've still got it, old man."

Koyasu floated back, clearly not wanting to get caught in the crossfire. "I'll just stay over here where it's safe, thanks."

I stood up, stretching my arms and cracking my neck. "Alright, Mika, but don't cry when you lose. I've been training too, you know."

Mikaboshi rolled her eyes and dropped into a fighting stance. "Please, like you could ever beat me."

I grinned, reaching for my katana, which weighed a solid 10 thousand kilograms. "Don't underestimate your old man, kiddo."

Mikaboshi didn't even flinch. She knew all about the weighted clothes I wore, the katana that could crush a mountain, the powers I wielded like second nature. But she wasn't scared—if anything, she looked excited.

"Bring it," she said, her hands glowing with starry energy. "I could use the workout."

We squared off, the tension in the air thickening as the stars above seemed to pulse in anticipation. I swung my katana in a wide arc, aiming for her left side, but she was quick. Too quick. She darted to the side, leaving a trail of shimmering stardust in her wake.

"Nice try," she taunted, spinning around and launching a burst of star energy at me. I deflected it easily with a wave of my hand, the energy dispersing harmlessly into the night.

"You're getting cocky," I teased, charging at her with a speed that defied my weighted clothes. I brought my katana down with a force that could split the earth, but she met it with her own blade—one she had formed from pure starlight.

The impact sent shockwaves through the forest, and I could feel the ground tremble beneath my feet. Mikaboshi grinned, her hazel eyes sparkling with excitement. "Is that all you got, Dad?"

"Not even close," I replied, pushing harder, forcing her back a step.

She slid back effortlessly, almost like she was dancing, and retaliated with a flurry of starbursts, each one glowing brighter than the last. I dodged and deflected them with ease, but I could feel the heat and intensity of each blast.

Mikaboshi was strong—much stronger than she'd been the last time we'd fought. She was growing, learning, becoming something more. I couldn't help but feel a swell of pride, even as I pushed myself harder to keep up with her.

"You've been practicing," I noted, parrying another of her strikes.

"Of course," she replied, her smile widening. "I have to keep up with you, don't I?"

I laughed. "Keep up? You're gonna have to do better than that."

She smirked, and in a flash, she disappeared, reappearing behind me in an instant. "How about this?" she said, launching a kick that would have sent me flying if I hadn't blocked it with my sword.

"Not bad," I admitted, spinning around and swinging my katana again, forcing her back. "But you've still got a long way to go."

"We'll see about that," she replied, leaping back and gathering energy in her palms. The light around her intensified, and I could feel the air crackle with power.

Koyasu, who had been watching from a safe distance, muttered under his breath, "Here we go."

Mikaboshi unleashed a massive burst of star energy, a blinding beam that tore through the trees and carved a path straight toward me. I held my ground, raising my sword to meet the attack head-on.

The impact was incredible, the force of her attack slamming into my blade with the intensity of a supernova. The ground around me cracked and splintered, trees toppled over, and debris flew in every direction. But I held firm, my feet planted like roots, letting her star energy collide with my katana, which absorbed the impact like a sponge soaking up water.

"Not bad, Mika," I grunted, pushing back against the beam. "But you're going to have to try harder than that."

Mikaboshi's grin widened. "Oh, don't worry, Dad. I'm just getting started."

With a flick of her wrist, she redirected the beam to split into multiple streams, zigzagging through the air like a storm of light. I spun my katana in a wide arc, slicing through the beams, dissipating each one before it could hit me. The sheer power behind her attacks was impressive, but I wasn't about to let her see me sweat.

"You're definitely getting stronger," I admitted, stepping forward. "But remember who taught you."

She laughed, a sound like tinkling bells. "And who do you think taught me all these tricks?"

Before I could reply, she vanished again, moving faster than the eye could see. She appeared to my left, her starry blade already mid-swing. I parried her strike, our blades clashing with a metallic ring that echoed through the forest.

"You've gotten faster," I noted, spinning around to face her. "But speed isn't everything."

"Maybe not," she retorted, pressing the attack with a series of rapid strikes. I blocked each one, our blades flashing like lightning in the dark. "But it helps!"

I grinned, feeling the thrill of the fight building. "True enough."

She aimed a low sweep at my legs, trying to trip me up, but I jumped, flipping over her and bringing my katana down in a powerful arc. She dodged, rolling to the side and coming up in a crouch, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

"You're not going easy on me, are you?" she asked, her breathing slightly labored but her grin still intact.

"Wouldn't dream of it," I lied, charging at her again. I swung my katana with all the strength in my body, forcing her to block. The impact sent her skidding back, her feet digging into the ground to keep her balance.

"Good," she said, her voice tinged with exhilaration. "Because I'm not going easy on you, either!"

She leapt into the air, spinning like a comet, and brought her blade down with a force that made the ground tremble. I met her strike with my own, the shockwave from our clash sending ripples through the air. For a moment, we were locked in place, our blades grinding against each other, neither of us willing to give an inch.

"You're definitely getting stronger, Mika," I said through gritted teeth, feeling the strain in my muscles. "But you've still got a lot to learn."

She smirked. "Then teach me."

I laughed, pushing her back and breaking the stalemate. "Alright, let's see if you can keep up."

I started to move faster, my katana a blur as I launched a flurry of attacks. She blocked and dodged with impressive skill, but I could see the concentration on her face, the way she was calculating every move. She was good, but I had centuries of experience on her.

I feinted left, then swung right, catching her off guard. My blade grazed her arm, and she hissed, stepping back. I paused, lowering my sword slightly. "You okay?"

She looked at the small cut, then back at me, a defiant grin on her face. "Just a scratch. Don't hold back."

"That's the spirit," I said, raising my sword again. "Come on, Mika. Show me what you've got."

She charged at me, faster this time, her blade glowing with a brilliant white light. I braced myself, meeting her attack with a counter of my own. Our swords clashed, sending sparks flying, and we were once again locked in a battle of strength and will.

For a moment, it felt like time had stopped. The world around us faded away, and there was only the fight—the clash of steel, the adrenaline coursing through my veins, and the determination in Mikaboshi's eyes. This was what I loved about her—the fire, the passion, the relentless drive to prove herself.

But I couldn't help the small flicker of worry in the back of my mind. She was still so young, still so eager to test her limits. I had to remind myself that she was more than capable, that she'd grown stronger with every passing day. And yet…

"Mika," I said, my voice quieter. "Why are you really here?"

She hesitated, and for a split second, I saw a crack in her confident facade. But then she shook her head, her grin returning. "I told you. I wanted to see if you still had it."

I didn't press further, knowing she'd talk when she was ready. For now, we had our fight, and that was enough.

"Alright then," I said, lunging forward with renewed vigor. "Let's finish this."

We clashed again, our blades a blur of motion, each strike echoing through the forest like thunder. She was giving it everything she had, and so was I, well, not really. But slowly, steadily, I began to gain the upper hand.

With a final, decisive blow, I knocked her blade out of her hand, sending it flying into the trees. She stumbled back, breathing hard but still grinning.

"Looks like I win," I said, lowering my katana.

She huffed, catching her breath. "For now."

I laughed, reaching out to ruffle her hair. "You did great, Mika. Really."

She pushed my hand away, but she was smiling. "Yeah, yeah. I know. But don't get too comfortable, old man. Next time, I'll beat you."

"I'm counting on it," I replied, sheathing my katana. "You've got potential, kid. Just don't let it go to your head."

She rolled her eyes. "I learned from the best, remember?"

"Flattery will get you nowhere," I teased, but I couldn't hide the pride in my voice.

Koyasu floated back over, clapping slowly. "Bravo, bravo. That was quite the show."

Mikaboshi bowed dramatically. "Thank you, thank you. I'll be here all week."

I shook my head, laughing. "Alright, let's get back to the cabin before the others wake up and wonder where we are."

As we walked back, side by side, I glanced at Mikaboshi out of the corner of my eye. She seemed relaxed now, the tension from earlier gone. Whatever had been bothering her, she'd pushed it aside for the moment.

"So," I said, breaking the comfortable silence, "you really missed me that much, huh?"

She snorted. "Don't flatter yourself. I just needed a break from the Celestial Realm."

"Right," I said, smirking. "Well, you're always welcome here, you know that."

"Yeah, I know," she replied, her voice softer. "Thanks, Dad."

I nodded, feeling a warmth in my chest that had nothing to do with the sparring. "Anytime, Mika. Anytime."

As we reached the cabin, the first rays of dawn were just starting to peek through the trees, casting a soft, golden light over the clearing. The others were still asleep, oblivious to our little duel.

"Hey," I said, stopping before we went inside, "I'm proud of you, Mika. You've come a long way."

"Stop being mushy. It's weird."

I laughed. "Never."

She rolled her eyes, but I could see the smile tugging at her lips. "Fine. But don't think this means I'm not gonna beat you next time."

"I wouldn't dream of it," I replied, giving her a playful shove. "Now, come on. Let's get some rest."

We slipped back into the cabin quietly, finding our spots among the others. As I lay down, I couldn't help but feel grateful. For all the chaos, the battles, the weirdness of our existence—this was the life I'd chosen, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

As I closed my eyes, I heard Mikaboshi whisper, "Goodnight, Dad."

"Goodnight, Mika," I whispered back, a smile on my lips.

And with that, I drifted off to sleep, content in the knowledge that no matter what happened next, I had a daughter who would kick my ass—and that was all I needed to feel alive.