Chapter 33: Blood in the Water

"Marui of the Crimson Oni Clan."

The silver dressed woman intoned in such a way like she was meeting a fellow colleague. Her bright green eyes becoming sharp and predator as she took in the imposing Yokai. Despite their obvious difference in height, she had no problem looking him directly in the eye.

"Stellari Arrior."

Marui said blandly, clearing lacking the fervor that was present in the Valkyrie. Kunou could sense there was some kind of history there, but she knew for sure it was nothing romantic or anything. Battle Maidens were a special type of supernatural made solely to find pleasure in combat, to find contentment in dying to a stronger foe. So it wasn't strange that an entire race build to die in some prophesied war of end times to be...not right in the head.

"Would it be too much to-"

But whatever she wanted to say was quickly interrupted by a red palm that motioned to the group of youths besides him," Excuse me, but let me introduce these youngsters to you."

"It is an honor to meet you Stellari." Kunou honestly felt like cursing as the man had oh so casually just tossed them under the bus like that, but she had a role to play after all. "My name is Kunou."

Despite the woman's obvious annoyance at being interrupted, her sharp gaze snapped in the girl's direction like some kind of bird of prey. Those green orbs seem to hide an endless war that refused to satiated until the day they faded in death. The blonde had never really liked meeting Valkyries, their Ki just felt...wrong in a way. Artificial, like they were missing something that truly made them alive.

Fighting and bloodshed, acting only as a shortstop solution for their emptiness. Say what you will about the cruelty of the other factions; with Devils frequent thieving, the Churches discrimination, the Grigori callousness or even the Greek's arrogance. She's always found the Norse faction to be the most cruel. What else could they be called? They had literally created a species made exclusively for war and made everything else they could've ever became useless. Like dolls, empty and glassy eyed.

"I've heard a lot about you little one." Arrior said casually, that fire in her eye slowly dying out after his obvious rejection," The most talented Yokai seen in centuries. A rising star whose potential is said to be unlimited."

"You are much too kind Stellari."

The girl bowed stiffly as unlike the praise she received from the Yokai present, this woman's compliments felt more like a dark premonition to come. A knife that barely scrapped across her neck, not even nicking the skin but the threat was still present.

"I'm sure you haven't had the time to really test your mettle against your peers.." She said and the blonde couldn't help but feel a spike of dread," So let me be the first to let you in on a little secret. Nothing's official, but we do plan on working with multiple factions to put together a little tournament for our youths. As a way for everyone to know the future powerhouses. Us older people won't always be at the helm after all. How old are you now?"

"11."

Kunou answered automatically, completing forgetting her training in the face of actually facing off against other factions. It seems she was just as hotblooded and battle crazed as her mother.

"Then maybe in a year or two." She nodded," Nothing is concrete at the moment but it is in the works."

"I-"

"I'm sure we'll gladly accept the official announcement of such an event." Marui cut in before the girl could agree to anything in the heat of the moment," But as you said, nothing's official. Come. I will introduce you to a few more Yokai."

"It was a pleasure meeting you Kunou." Arrior replied with a slight bow of her giant frame," I sure hope you take my words to heart."

"Of course Stellari."

The blonde girl bowed in kind, a sense of gratitude permeating her body. She couldn't believe how ready she was to jump in bed at such vague promises. Even if it was true, could she even attend? If anyone were get a hold of her, they would literally have the strongest Yokai by the tail. She couldn't-no wouldn't put her mother in that kind of precarious situation.

As they watched the odd pair depart, she suddenly felt pressure ease slightly off her shoulders. It was always incredibly nerve wracking to be in the presence of such people. If she had to guess, Arrior was at least at the very upper limit of Middle-Class beings, maybe even a half-step into the realm beyond. Such a warrior would easily tear through her like a scythe through freshly grown wheat, and probably faster than anyone could react.

"Are you okay, Kunou-sama?"

Riko asked through a low voice, in which the young kitsune was grateful for. It would be fine if some Yokai knew she was nervous just from the Valkyrie's presence, but it wouldn't do if ever guest thought of her as some kind of scaredy-cat.

"Yes I'm fine and thank you."

Kunou sighed softly, her tails lightly drooping with relief before perking right back up to their previous splendor. They fanned out from behind her like a majestic peacock, like she was sitting on a golden lotus of sorts.

"Another one coming in hot.."

Daidachi mumbled from the side of his mouth as a tanned girl in a toga came narrowing in on their location with a bright smile. Despite the girl's thin frame, she was a snow plow to the surrounded Yokai who just slid out of her way. It followed a pattern; first a Yokai would stiffen at the thought of this time bomb stopping to talk with them only to step out of the way with a breath relief. Kunou kind-of felt a bit embarrassed at that, no one who attended were slouches in the least.

Everyone here, besides the youngsters like her, were at least Middle-Class beings. But for them to just so easily roll over like that...it was rather disheartening.

"Hello!" The head courier of Hermes said cheerilywith a slight bow. It took a lot of force for the kitsune to keep that same smile on her face, but it took a more forced air. "I'm Ira Boosaloglou, but you can just call me Ira-neechan."

Unlike the other cowardly Yokai, she couldn't just step aside. She was the target all along as one of the most influential pieces that could be leveraged against Yasaka in these coming negotiations.

"It is a pleasure to meet you," Kunou absolutely refused to call this complete stranger something as familiar as 'big sister'. It was far too personal of an ask especially given their position in the coming days. "My name is Kunou."

Despite her obvious refusal to bend, the tanned girl still smiling face simply beamed under the attention. She didn't look like the kind of person that would fight so fervently to strip away agency from her people, to reduce them to nothing more than Spirit Plum farmers as a whole. But the blonde knew better, far better than anyone, exactly how many of those magical fruit were being foisted out into the market and too who. The Greece-Roman Pantheon in general were known for their love of wine, she wouldn't have been surprised if their blood was primarily made out of alcohol at this point.

And it just happens that her people's Spirit Plums made excellent wine that could even be brewed, with a variety of other ingredients, to affect the very 'gods' themselves. She was sure they made fasts amount of money from this deal and that's exactly why she wouldn't let her guard down against this wolf in sheep clothing.

Despite Ira's friendly disposition, she was only looking out for her own faction. To make sure that their steady supply of fruit wasn't interrupted in the slightest, and Kunou was under no illusions that she wouldn't try to use her to do exactly that.