On Astral Tides: From Humble Freelancer To Astral Emperor

Side Thirty-Two – Oshiro Sapphire Aiko

“Mori-chan, you’re good at maths right? Can you explain this to me, I didn’t really get it?” One girl said, coming over to Eri’s desk. Beside her another girl piped up. “Yeah, please help us, Mori-chan! It must be nice to be smart, share the wealth!”

I was about to intercede as Eri was looking a bit flustered, but she took a long breath, calming herself down and ventured a slight smile. “All right then. I guess I can help a little. I’m not going anywhere until Aiko finishes her practice so I have some time.”

Wow, surprising. It looked like I wouldn’t have to intervene after all, and several more girls and even one of the boys from our class joined them, watching Eri as she tried to explain how to use the formulas to solve the equations they had been given.

“I think it’s nice.” Yae-san said from beside me. Rika-san was nodding along too, looking at Eri like a proud mother seeing her daughter make friends, which was rather strange. Wow, hey, Eri is my friend, not yours!

Before I could respond someone else interrupted me. It was Tomoya-kun, one of the guys in class. He wasn’t anything special, but at least he wasn’t as annoying as those two. My gaze strayed to the two empty desks at the back of the class. Since Eri had chewed them out yesterday they had been leaving the moment classes finished, which was pretty much a relief to everyone, especially the girls.

“Yeah, she’s changed completely. It’s pretty incredible.” Tomoya-kun observed.

I shot him a harsh look. “Don’t be getting any ideas now. I know she’s cuter than ever, but she’s taken. If my big bro finds out you’ve been ogling his fiancée he’ll be really mad…”

“Hey, it’s not like that!” he protested, holding his hands up. “I’m a boy, I like looking at cute girls, your brother would understand that. But I’d never do anything inappropriate. I don’t think anyone would. But you know, seeing Mori-san take an interest in other people, it’s good to see. I know you two are close, but everyone needs more friends, right?”

Well yes, of course I worried about how shy Eri was. still, it isn’t like that has changed… I nodded despite myself. “… Still, Eri hasn’t changed as much as you think. She’s suffering a bit there, I can tell.” She was a bit pale, and speaking slower than usual. “Of course, she’s making an effort. She knows if she’s going to be an adult now, she can’t just shut herself away in the house, waiting for big bro to return. That’d just worry him. Besides, she wants to grow as a person. It isn’t all for my brother.”

“That’s right.” Yae-san agreed. “I like to think that we know each other a bit better now, right Ai-chan? After all, we are close friends, even your brother thinks so, right?” she grinned impishly. “Little Ri-Ri simply realised she had to grow up. It happens to a girl in love. Even I grew up a bit when I started dating. Although…” she sighed. “… a shame all my boyfriends were rubbish. I envy her, I really do. A real man is very different to childish boys.”

“Well if you are looking for a…” Tomoya-kun began, but Rika-san cut him off.

“Don’t get full of yourself.” She warned. “We are in the market for real men, who’ll treat us like princesses, right Yae, Ai-chan.”

“Leave me out of it!” I protested, but the mood had shifted, which was a relief. Looking back at Eri, surrounded by students, I kind of understood the smile Rika-san gave her earlier. Sometimes I forget, but Eri is a little older than me. She always seems younger because she’s so shy, but…

“So yes, if you substitute that here, the answer is either…” Eri finished up, and around her there were murmurs of comprehension.

“If that’s everything, I’ll be going then. I want to go and watch Aiko practice.” Eri said, making to stand up. Before she could, one of the girls in class asked a question.

“So, I’ve been dying to ask…” she said, looking flushed. “If you really are… are pregnant, how are you going to…”

Wow, what a stupid question. I was sure we’d been over this yesterday. I should definitely stop this …

Yet again before I could, Eri spoke up, interrupting the girl and my thoughts. “I’m not pregnant.” She said, her voice a bit above a whisper, but as the room was silent, waiting for her answer, everyone heard.

“You aren’t? But…” the girl continued, but shut up as Eri started at her, eyes hard.

“I’m not. You’re a girl right, you get it.”

“Oh… ah, yeah.” She stammered, flushing. Around her several others tittered maliciously at her humiliation.

Wow, so… really? You never told me… I’m a little hurt…

Seeing my gaze, Eri looked down, a little ashamed. “I was going to tell you later, I was. This morning, well… ugh, this is not a conversation I wanted to have again. It was bad enough with my mother. I’ll be going to Inuyama later. So I wanted to watch your practice first. After that would have been the best time to say.”

The girls were looking knowing, and the boys were embarrassed. Tomoya-kun had backed off, finding the insides of his school-bag suddenly interesting, and a couple of other boys had left. Yeah, girls’ biology is a mystery to boys, and that’s the best way…

“Well, I’m not sure whether to congratulate or commiserate you, little Ri-Ri.” Yae-san shrugged. “Still, I think it’s probably for the best. You have all the time in the world for motherhood later, right?”

As murmured agreements all around, Eri sighed. “Yeah, I can’t say I was thinking clearly. Akio and I should have a child when the time is right, and now… it probably isn’t. He has a lot going on, and I’m not… not yet good enough. Still…” she smiled then, and I blushed at the allure of it. “… I have a lot to look forward to, don’t I?”

Tomoya-kun was standing awkwardly, and I nearly gagged. Wow, eww, gross. Cockroach-guys strike again. Seeing my hard gaze he made to leave, when the door swung open, and beside me Yae-san groaned. Yep, I get it, I really do. I don’t want to see them either…

Eri joined me in glaring at the newcomers. They hadn’t really bothered her, but when Kenji-kun had been harassing me, she had taken it personally. Of course she would have. Eri and me, we always have each other’s backs…

Masaki-kun brightened as he saw Yae-san. Behind him, Kenji-kun, who had been avoiding everyone since the festival, laid his eyes on me, and I recoiled a little at the annoyance and desire contained within, shivering despite the heat. Wow, god he is just so… ugh. This is spoiling my mood; I had a good feeling about practice today as well…

“Yae-chan, I’ve been wanting to speak to you for a while now.” Masaki-san began, coming towards her, but Yae-san dropped behind me and Rika-san. “Don’t be like that. I came to ask you if we could… well, you know, get back together? It’s been over a week now, so can’t we just forget about that? I took a lot of ribbing from the guys in the baseball team, but I still like you, so I’m willing to forgive…”

“Forgive? Forgive… me?” Yae-san was indignant. “I wasn’t the one who bet me like I’m just your stupid toy, was I? And worse, lost like a little kid."

“Yeah, but I thought I’d win…” he began, but she wasn’t going to let it pass. Which is just a … little… unfair considering she was getting tired of him before this, but it isn’t my job to look after her love-life is it?

“Well you didn’t. Neither you nor Kenji-kun, right? What brings you here, nothing equally as stupid, I hope?” Yae-san complained acerbically.

“Yeah, I think you said everything you had to say before.” I agreed. Masaki-kun sighed and stepped away, indicating this had nothing to do with him, which was the first bit of good sense I could credit him for.

“No, I have plenty to say.” Kenji-kun grated. “Aiko-chan…”

At his use of my first name and the -chan suffix I was already set on edge. I could be a little overfamiliar myself at times, but… no way, you have no right.

“I still like you. Maybe… maybe I didn’t go about it the right way, but you never show any interest in boys other than your damn brother. How.. how else was I supposed to go about getting you to go out with me?”

“Well, here’s the thing.” Rika-san chimed in. “You don’t. If a girl isn’t interested, hard luck. Being a man is about realising things like that. Damn, it makes me miss Ai-chan’s brother now. Akio-kun was so mature.”

Hearing my bro’s name, Kenji-kun ground his teeth, annoyed. Well, he did get trashed by my brother. No wonder he’s sore. That reminds me… “Oh yeah, did anyone actually watch Kenji-kun here at the festival? We never got to see him apologise to everyone for taking on my bro. Watching Eri’s big confession was way more important, right?”

“Aiko, don’t embarrass me.” Eri whined, remembering her struggle, face red.

“I saw it.” One girl piped up. “It was kinda mean, making him do it, but he half-assed it anyway, so don’t feel too bad.”

“It doesn’t surprise me.” I shrugged. “I guess it doesn’t matter. My bro only wanted to make a point. Let me be clear, Kenji-kun, you other boys. If I was interested in anyone here, I’d have said so. You think I’m some shrinking violet who blushes at the thought of confessing to a boy? Wow, that’s so not me. No, sorry but I like my guys more mature, someone who is going to look after me. I can’t let big bro do it forever, even if I joke about it. After all, he’s marrying Eri now.”

“That’s crap.” Kenji-kun snapped. Masaki-kun grabbed his arm, but he shook it off. “Surely there’d be someone in this town who you’d like. Are you a lesbian? Do you like girls, like some pervert? Or… are the rumours true and you have a thing with your brother after all? Such a waste, you are sporty and pretty, to think you’d be so…”

“You shut the hell up!” Rika-san, Yae-san and also Eri all snarled similar orders at him at the same time.

“You don’t know anything about Aiko!” Eri was in his face, fists clenching. He took a step back, surprised at her intensity. “You don’t know anything about Akio either. I can understand why you are fixated on her, my best friend is truly beautiful, kind and brave, but you…” she was looking at him like he was filth. “… all you have is a stupid ego. If you’d have asked her out nicely and when she said no you’d laughed it off, maybe you could have been friends. Who knows where that could have gone over time? But no… you had to treat her like a… a prize to be won, a trophy to be paraded. That isn’t love, it’s simple greed. I hate that. Love isn’t something you deserve, it’s something you earn!”

“She’s right.” Yae-san said, patting the trembling Eri on her shoulder after the rant. Turning to Masaki-kun she nodded her head a little. “Sorry, Masaki-kun. Maybe we could have handled our break-up better, but still… it just wasn’t working out for me. You aren’t a bad guy… not like some…” she eyed the steaming Kenji-kun then. “… but I guess I just need something different. But we can still be friends right?”

He sighed then, head hanging limp, defeated. “You’ll never have Oshiro-san, even if he buys you presents. All you are to him is friends of his sister and girlfriend.”

“Yeah, I get that, I do. It hurts my pride a little, but competing with a cute childhood friend was just too high a hurdle. Little Ri-Ri is adorable after all. But it made me see what I want, so…”

“Here’s where I step in.” I’m pretty damn mad, but sorting this out once and for all makes sense. “Seriously, Kenji-kun. You think girls don’t talk amongst each other? Our town is pretty small, and everyone is going to find out just how small you are being here. As for your slanders… I’d much rather go out with a cute girl than most of the boys in this place. Maybe I’d get with Eri if she wasn’t already taken.” I grinned, trying to take some of the tension out of the room. I don’t want it to come to blows, Kenji-kun is super mad. If Eri was to get caught up in the crossfire…

“As for my brother, don’t be vile. I make no secret of the fact I love my bro. And why wouldn’t I? He probably saved my life as a child, he’s always been there for me… hell, thanks to him last weekend I was riding a helicopter over the Grand Canyon! Top that if you can. But seriously, of course I love him, he’s my family. Don’t you love your family, Kenji-kun?”

“It isn’t the same…” he protested.

“No, it is the same. Sure, everyone jokes I’m a brocon, which is funny but just a little annoying. But all it comes down to is, my brother makes me feel safe. Eri too.” She nodded beside me, agreeing.

“I’ve no intention of doing something immoral with my bro, and he’d be disgusted at the thought… not to mention, my dad would literally kill him, no questions asked.” I giggled at the thought. Dad was hard true, but to me he was way more lenient than he was with Akio. “Besides, even if I wanted to, which to clarify again, I don’t, well, do you think I could do that to Eri? So come on, get a grip. Is it wrong for me to want a man who makes me feel safe, like my bro does? I’d feel like a loser if I didn’t bag a husband as good as Eri has, after all.”

“If Ai-chan ever does decide to go for girls maybe I’d snap her up.” Rika-san giggled. Turning more serious, she addressed the guys. “All right, it’s time to let this go. It all got… so messy. That stupid wager. It was funny and all, but…”

“Yeah, let’s just let it drop.” I agreed. “Sorry I’m not into you, Kenji-kun, but there are plenty of other girls out there.”

He didn’t look happy (in fact he looked like he was chewing on a sour fruit) but he forced a nod. Masaki-kun also agreed with a sigh. Still, he couldn’t resist one last parting shot. “Err, Yae-chan, if we are friends again, if I became a better man, would you consider going out with me again?”

Yae-san shrugged. “No promises, but if you wow me, I’ll think about it.”

With that the chaos came to an end, the girls in the room relaxing again. Yeah, that did get annoying and heated.

“Umm, Aiko, I was going to tell you later about… well, you know.” Eri touched her belly and I got it immediately. Wow, you silly girl. I’m not mad…

“Oh come on, don’t be like that. Chances are you wouldn’t be anyway, if it was that easy, Japan wouldn’t have a population crisis, right?” I grinned. “Still, these last couple of days you’ve been very bold, I think the other girls might be starting to look up to you as a guru on love matters!” I teased her, earning pouting protests in return.

“Come on then. I’m late for practice. I had a good feeling earlier until those boys ruined my mood. Maybe I can get it back?”

********

Damn, it just doesn’t feel right again. The arow had hit the target sure, but that was only the first and most basic stage of Kyudo. Only Eri was waiting now, the other girls having gone home. I know she has to go to Inuyama with her parents. Birth control. Thinking about it makes me remember that night… I pulled at the front of my chestplate, fanning air down my hot body. I guess it’s lucky big bro gave her that bank card. Otherwise the Mori’s would struggle to pay for them… damn, I’m just accepting they are going to carry on… ugh. Not my problem, definitely not my problem. That’s for them.. and maybe Shaeula… to worry about. No… I need to focus on…

My archery was suffering, and I wasn’t making enough progress on mastering the abilities my bro and Shaeula had. Still, the visualisation of both was similar in a way, and even if Eri got a very unfair boost I couldn’t take advantage of, she was learning the same way I was and managed, so I could definitely succeed. Willpower and sporty energy. That’s what I need and what I’ve always been good at. I can do this!

First, I closed my eyes. It was easier to visualise the techniques Shaeula taught me, doing that. It might seem stupid loosing with my eyes shut, but I need to grasp the feeling first… I took the first stance, placing my footing, the Ashibumi. All the while I concentrated on the feeling of drawing energy into me, moving it as Shaeula had indicated. I had to fight the embarrassing thought of her running a finger over my bare skin though. Lewd.

Next I arranged my body into position, the Dōzukuri, and while doing this small prickles of hot and cold were pooling in my lower abdomen. It made it hard for me to concentrate on the position of my body, but I felt I was getting my best results with the training while doing Kyudo, so I would not stop.

The three phases of Yugamae were next, orienting my hands on the bow correctly, while moving energy up to my heart. This was as far as Shaeula had instructed me, as she was worried by the lack of my lunar chakra, whatever that was. Big bro and Eri had one though, so why couldn’t I manage? I’ll show them I won’t be left behind…

Raising the bow, the Uchiokoshi, I paired with raising my energy, and the prickles grew in intensity, feeling strangely warm and heavy. Ugh, it feels like I need the toilet now… no, no getting distracted. This is the sharpest I’ve felt all evening…

Drawing the bow, the Hikiwake, I could feel the honest burn of strain in my muscles. I loved sport, I really did, moving my body. It went even beyond getting strength to protect myself, Eri and my brother. That was important too, but I wanted to express myself through sport, to find something I was good at, that I enjoyed… forcing my mind ever inwards, the weight in my lower body was spreading to my heart, my lungs feeling damp and weighty.

Undeterred, I moved to the Kai, drawing my bow fully. My parents had scrimped and saved for this bow, my brother contributing too, so I’d always looked after it. My hands were sweaty, my breath coming in hot gasps, yet despite that I felt full of energy. Now it was time for…

Hanare… the release. Opening my eyes I released the arrow held taut against the string of my bow. It streaked towards the target, and it almost felt as if… something… was lifting free from me, streaming out of my lower body, following the arrow. I felt hot in my lower body, the pressure, the weight diminishing, and the final stage, the Zanshin, where I should remain joined with the shot, my consciousness with the arrow, shattered completely. Wow, shit. No way. I didn’t wet myself did I? Even if only Eri is here, my life would be over at that point…

As I was thinking stupid thoughts, checking my lower body, finding in relief I was still dry, the arrow struck home in the target with a distinct thud. Prickles of energy were still moving through me despite my concentration having stopped, and as I went to retrieve my arrow I was surprised to see it having penetrated far further than normal. It was quite the effort pulling it free, the edges where the arrow had bit in were cut smooth like glass.

Well, that’s pretty odd. Hmm… A sudden pain sparkled in the centre of my forehead. Perhaps I had been pushing myself too hard. I was slick with sweat and exhausted, so I decided to call it a day. After all, Eri had things to do as well. As I returned, bow in hand, Eri raced over with a cold towel.

Taking it, I grinned at her. “Tomorrow we get to see big bro again, right?”

“Yes, I can’t wait.” She agreed, smiling broadly. “I don’t think it’s going to be fun for Akio, talking to our parents, but if we have time to spend together, I’d be happy. Maybe Shaeula even has a solution for… well, you know.”

“Oh, I do.” I nodded. “Well, you still have tonight to practice. The quicker you can master it, the quicker you can go back to snuggling my bro.” Snuggling was a euphemism of course. I have some delicacy. And wow, some trauma too.

“It isn’t just that I want…” she protested weakly, and we shared more laughter. “Oh by the way Aiko, that last shot… it was the best I’ve ever seen. It almost seemed to shine in the setting sun. You looked so pretty taking your stance.”

“Yeah, I’m not sure why, but it really went in deep. Maybe I’m just that good?” I chuckled, the hole in the target fresh in my mind, while my body still tingled, somehow itchy within…