When Ichi finally pulled back from Tama, he was in a daze. Tama let him do that. He knew that. Ichi let himself stay. He knew that. Really, was there was a limit to how immature he could be? Ichi chastised himself. Tama didn't miss that Ichi went for the door instantly. Ichi felt a tug at his wrist. A firm tug.

"Wouldn't you like to stay a while longer?"

"I'm tired."

"We have a bed, right here."

Ichi didn't turn around. Half-embarassment half-instinct both were whacking the war table in his mind. Both were telling him to floor it, and he was flight-capable with form of eagle.

"I'll pass."

He felt Tama's chest press in behind him. He moved away. Ichi considered his options. One, run, two, run, three, try to talk after what he just did to explain himself. Three also had a bad taste to it. So, Ichi dashed out the door only wearing shorts away from the most beautiful woman he had touched in his life. Because he knew, instinct alone told him, that this wasn't going to end well.

Was this his father's legacy? Ichi mused as he turned into form of eagle. Chains whirled around him, knocking him to the ground. He saw Tama walking up on him with a twisted smile. Ichi switched straight to form of bigfoot and snapped the chains, he saw Tama's surprised face before he eagled out of there.

Tama giggled to herself.

"The faster they run, the quicker they'll come back."

Instinct told him he probably could've gone all the way and Tama would have obliged him. Instinct told him that he should have absolutely have gone for it, Rikya or no. Instinct also told him to run. Ichi called himself named as he soared over the forest. Syon and Myon were gone. Not home, but deep into the forest, with Satou and what smelled like an army of beasts.

Did Tama plan this? Their smells lead into the forest, and there was the Spirit Gate that this town protected. Tama must have had time to get word to someone on the other side. Ichi didn't like that Myon was captured. Not that he was on good terms, last time he talked to her he practically declared war. He remembered the strange dull golden restraints on Myon. Should he be grateful?

As for Syon, it was Syon so his mind ignored her unconsciously. He did feel grateful for the orc sword, but he also felt for sure that was just her way of turning him into a pawn because of who they were fighting. It was the absolute worst outcome for both of them.

Scipio's smell slithered off into nothingness, somehow. Along with Ichi's white stick. Ichi threw that white stick on Scipio, hoping it would give him a chance to close the distance. He didn't see it on him earlier when Satou was haggling him to death either. Ichi didn't have the luxury of talking small matters like a lost stick with someone like that, nor did he want to even if he had the chance.

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

Ichi's Grandpa said there was still some other stuff from Danzaburo behind the Slime Door. Ichi wasn't sure he should even bother trying to explain.

"Hey, grandpa, sorry I've been gone for three days! I can turn into an eagle now, thanks to the memory of your disapproving face. Myon's been captured! I need all the help I can get to save her!"

He didn't want to tell a lie like that. Saving Myon from Tama's clutches on his own didn't sound like a good idea. If it involved Tama, bargaining with her would be much easier, and he'd regret it less. He didn't even know Tama's plan. It couldn't be good for Myon, though.

Then, there's Renya. Ichi landed on a rock near a waterfall Ichi kicked a girl into it last night to cool her off. Renya's cat ears were drenched along with her entire body. Ichi felt guilty for an instant until the memory of the oncoming silver blades poured into his mind.

Ichi looked at Renya's still form, going over his memories of last night. He was the one who encouraged her to fight. He offered his life as a target. Ichi thought it was mostly that after facing Renya, he felt like leaving her behind was the wrong thing to do. Her battle power didn't end up coming to much use, even if her abnormal construction ability did.

Was that fort really necessary? Ichi couldn't understand. Renya in general was a mystery, but he sensed something as he reflected on the fight. She could have tricked him, kissed him, and that would have been it. But, Renya didn't do that. He didn't think of Renya as the type of person who would be below that. She also fought him hand to hand, although that turned out to the worse for Ichi. If he had to sum it up, how would he solve for the equation called Renya?

She was playing around. From start to finish. She called a Seer's Council member. The cat got in her somehow, whether Syon forced it on her or Renya chose it herself Ichi didn't mind. Either way, Miko was in Renya. Ichi fluffed his wings. Escaping to the city would be easy. He had the orc sword on him too.

World domination? He laughed to himself. He could get a job, he could get an apartment, finally get a smartphone again. He really could fly away.

There were the girls here. Did he owe Myon anything? Just because she was chummy with grandpa? Just because she taught him a little? He could leave it to her. Her usual life was probably much worse than getting captured. This might even classify as a vacation for someone tied to Syon like her.

Rikya, yeah, she's cute. He enjoyed spending time with her. Even though it was only a couple days, he couldn't remember liking anyone more. But, she was tight with Tama. The ancient evil spirit he freed with magic breast of time distortion. Ichi's eagle eyes narrowed. A formidable opponent indeed.

Ichi's eagle eye flickered over Renya. The one playing around from start to finish. The one who he felt like was trying to kill him the whole night, then found out she wasn't, then she really was trying to kill him. Ichi didn't blame her for the last part.

Despite all his thinking he couldn't come to a decision. He felt a sense of dread. If he just abandoned them all, the girls he knew for less than week, he'd regret it. Running from Tama, running from the village, he decided all of that could wait. He didn't want to leave Renya like this. He'd face her one last time, and then- Ichi didn't want to think that far ahead.