Hiyako Tsurara
Miyama - The Sleeping Bishop
Night Phase
While it's true that the fancy hotels in Shinto might have what it takes welcome a guest of high status like yourself, there is an unquestionable charm in the tradition preserved within Miyama. Ultimately, that is the reason why you've decided to accommodate in the Sleeping Bishop, the biggest and most elegant place to stay there on the left side of the city. This household has quite the history to it, too. According to your sources, through the generation this place served as both the home and base of operations for a number of Magi, none of them being directly related by blood. Still, a Magus Killer, the survivor of a grand conflict and later, the temporal refuge of a Magus branded with a sealing designation. Hoh, that's somewhat unexpected for a quiet town such as this. But, in a sense, you can't say that's unexpected. Magi try to separate from society and seek isolated places to conduct their research. By that logic, Fuyuki is an ideal location within Japan. Your reason for coming here are similar in that regard. It is in calm cities like this that business can flourish splendidly. Well, the kind of business you run anyways.
"[...] And those are the words of Mayor Asama, who has just consolidated his power over the city of Fuyuki after last week's poll. He has taken it upon himself to-"
Having failed to find anything to entertain you within the limited repertoire the old-fashioned T.V. has to offer, you put an end to the transmission with the touch of a button. Truly, at this time of the night, there is little to do other than allowing oneself to fall asleep. However, feeling somewhat restless, you understand that your body won't give in that easily. Perhaps a night walk is in order. You dress in accordance to the circumstances and then slide the Japanese-styled door open.
"...?"
Well, you certainly did not expect to see activity at this time of the night. While the lights in the hallway have been turned off -most likely in order to not disturb the majority of the guests staying there-, one of the doors that leads to the garden is illuminated. Without putting much thought into it, you venture through the household, headed in that direction and guided by nothing but the desire to eradicate your own boredom. As you do, you cannot help but notice just how... Exposed the Sleeping Bishop is. The fact that this served as a Magi's workshop sounds almost surreal. Magi do not only seek secluded locations to settle down, they also keep creating barriers between them and the society that surrounds them. A workshop is exactly that. So while one may accept the theory that one of the Magi to be unorthodox in a way, the idea of at least three of them, each not related by blood to the last, accepting this place as it is cannot be called anything but ridiculous. Although perhaps...
Maybe the first one built the pillars of what it is today, and the second and third, unable to not appreciate the freedom that this place embodies, continued building upon them. Wouldn't that be somewhat poetic, if that was the case...? Maybe then, Magi would be able to recover some of the humanity they traded of for their powers.
As you reach the garden, even before you think about taking a step outside, the atmosphere becomes rather tense. Yeah, instinctively, you can tell that what lies ahead is violence of some sort. That's what your sense of smell tells you. And indeed, as you take a peek...
---You see two people fighting barehanded, giving it their all.
"Haahh-!"
The boy must be at least a couple of years younger than you. Paying no mind to the reality that he is fighting someone of the opposite gender, he throws a punch without the slightest sense of hesitation. Even you can tell that his fist is packed with quite a bit of power behind it and there are little if any error in the way he moves.
However.
He's being careless. His opponent is not one he can approach that way given his current level of strength.
As if to prove the meaning behind your guess work, the green haired maid standing on the receiving end shoves his arm aside with a single yet firm motion, breaks his stance by stepping into his zone of comfort and follows up with an open palm thrust that sends the boy in a one-way trip towards the ground. That's all it takes.
As expected, when it comes to hand-to-hand combat, the girl is on a completely different level.
You can hear him coughing as he slowly picks himself up, aiming for round two.
Training, huh? The people of this town sure were weird.
At some point, your feet drove you closer to the edge of the corridor next to the garden. Even if your presence is not concealed anymore, it doesn't look like the fighters have yet to either notice or acknowledge it.
"Hmmm? Enjoying the view?"
However, the same cannot be said about the red-haired woman who has taken a seat close to your position, her golden cat-like eyes fixated on you.
"Sit down. We should watch this match together."
Warm, gentle and hospitable words, a mask of the animal that lies beneath.
In other words, like you, this woman is a monster.