Author's Notes: Chapter edited and corrected by Vongrak.
Izumi Pov. – November 13.
"So, you're really going to Draw Sword? Will they accept you?" Taylor asked as I lazily stretched.
"They will." I said playfully. "They'll have no choice." I mocked.
"Oh?" Azula asked, sounding interested. "I think you mentioned using the same tactic they used, but you never explained it," she said.
"As always," Ruby said playfully. I rolled my eyes playfully.
"Couldn't they refuse? I mean, we're leaving for Jeju tomorrow." Taylor frowned. "I really don't think they want you around before the plan in Korea starts, especially if we're right about them wanting to kill us along with the Koreans." Taylor almost growled at that. "They'd just have to postpone your request for a few days," she added. I scoffed.
"They could, if I submitted the internship request through official channels, as you mentioned, they'd simply have to 'delay' it until after Jeju," I sneered with a smile. "But I'm using public opinion to my advantage this time," I said honestly with a mocking smile. "I'm using their tactic to pressure them into doing what I want, or at least, to some extent, to get exactly what I need. People already know I'm going to Jeju with Draw Sword; I'm already associated with them. I just needed to use that to my advantage."
"I asked Miorine for help and we consulted with Director Nezu, so it would work," I said with a smug smile. "After the festival, we uploaded the video of us singing to my social media, which already caught the attention of many people, so we took advantage of the surge in social media visitors and I posted a picture of myself with an internship application under the name Draw Sword visible."
"We also let some rumors slip, creating several fake accounts to post 'rumors and clues' about when I'll be at Draw Sword today, so the press and the public will surely be waiting at the door of Draw Sword."
"I'll just mention how 'excited' I am to start my internship today, that'll be more than enough to do the trick. They'll let me in whether they want to or not, or it would look really bad if I walked out the door a few minutes later, so they'll keep me there for a few hours, probably doing nothing, but it'll be more than enough," I said playfully.
"Clever, and terrifying, for them," Azula said with a slightly sadistic smile. "They won't be able to turn you away and say no, because it's more expensive than simply letting you in," Azula said playfully.
"I know!" I said playfully. "I've even practiced crying, just in case." I sighed dramatically, placing a hand on my chest. "I mastered that trick years ago. People say I have perfect eyelashes for crying on camera." I said innocently, blinking. The girls snorted with amusement.
"Those are very pretty eyelashes," Ruby said, nodding seriously. I snorted playfully.
"So I guess you'll go along with the idea of saying you heard about the attack on the Koreans, huh?" Azula asked playfully. I wrinkled my nose.
"Maybe yes, maybe no, it really depends on how everything plays out during Jeju." I sighed wearily. "But it's better to have that alibi ready, either way. I don't need to do anything too fancy, I just need to be inside the building for a couple of hours, and I'll have hundreds of thousands of witnesses who saw me going in and staying inside for a few hours."
"In the worst-case scenario that the whole thing becomes public and I end up saving the Koreans, the public will end up believing me, even if I don't have any tangible proof, or at least most of them will, and that's more than enough," I said easily. The girls just nodded before falling silent.
"Izumi," Ruby said, biting her lip. "I know you said we didn't have to worry... and I... I trust you and I know you're strong, but... I still can't help worrying... just... come back safely." Ruby said worriedly, and I looked at her gently with a small smile.
"I'll do it. Worst case scenario, I'll take Taylor in my shadow and leave the island. I mean it." I told Ruby honestly. I hated the very idea of escaping; my whole body practically rebelled at the thought, but I wasn't stupid enough to waste my life in a fight so easily. Lately, I had much more important things to think about than just needlessly risking my life in a fight. "I'll really be careful," I added.
"Okay," Ruby finally said with a nod, and I smiled once more.
"So, what are your plans for the internships? Were you able to get permission for Raven's guild?" I asked Ruby and the others. Ruby seemed slightly excited by that while she was distracted.
"Yes! Principal Nezu signed my permission slip yesterday! " Ruby practically bouncing off the wall. "Although it's... a bit complicated. I can only go thanks to Aunt Raven's Quirk; she'll come and get me. But since it's... impractical to use it to go back and forth every few hours, especially during missions, I'll stay with them for two to four days straight."
"Then I'll have to take remedial classes on the remaining days or even weekends, but it's better this way," Ruby said excitedly. "I even managed to convince Aunt Raven to let Penny come with us!" she added with a huge smile.
"I'm happy for you," I said to Ruby with a smile; she just smiled broadly.
"My thing is more boring. I formed a party with Yunyun, Jinx, and Asada. We'll be going to dungeons practically every day. Jinx and Asada really want resources and money to upgrade their weapons, especially Asada. And I don't mind the extra experience, so we'll just be going from one dungeon to another." Azula said, shrugging. I just nodded.
"My application to Knights of Blood was accepted!" Darkness exclaimed with a wide, excited smile. "I'll also have a similar schedule to Ruby's—we'll be with them half the week and then we'll go back to UA. I'll also have to take remedial classes." Darkness practically bounced in her seat.
I'd have to ask Tanya, Visha, Maki, and Louise what their plans were. Maki was still in the general studies department, so it wasn't really necessary for her to go to the dungeons, but I had no doubt that with all of us doing it, she'd do the same.
"I'm going home. Mom wants to see me before I leave for Jeju," Taylor said, shrugging. I looked at her, surprised.
"Wait, she's only asking for you?" I asked incredulously. Taylor smiled petulantly.
"Yes, she did." Taylor said with a smile, my eye twitched slightly.
"Okay, have fun." I grunted dryly. Taylor laughed amusedly.
"Come on, I'm just kidding," Taylor said playfully. "I'm going to see Annette. We're meeting at Mom's shop," Taylor said with a smile. "Mom's coming tomorrow to say goodbye," she added. I just snorted dryly before a grin spread across my face. "Mama's boy," Taylor teased playfully.
"And proud of it, thank you very much," I said curtly. The girls laughed at me, and I rolled my eyes. When lunchtime finally ended, we all went back to class, which thankfully finished quickly enough.
Mai and I said our goodbyes and headed to Tokyo. Once we left UA, the trip to Draw Sword was pretty easy, especially with Mai guiding us both. When we arrived at Draw Sword, there was a much larger crowd waiting than I expected, but I still smiled slightly. Mai had absolutely no interest in appearing in front of the cameras, so she immediately transformed into a sword. I sighed and easily adjusted her to my hip.
Then I started walking. I, in my hero costume, stood out like a sore thumb. The red and yellow kimono was too conspicuous; I didn't need to get too close before the whole crowd mobbed me. I just put on my most natural and friendly smile.
"Good morning everyone! What a surprise! " I said happily as I raised my hand to wave to the cameras.
"Izumi-san, Izumi-san! A question, please!" they said immediately as they began to crowd around. I just smiled broadly.
"Of course, ask away!" I said excitedly and pointed at someone at random.
"Izumi-san, is it true that you're starting your training with Draw Sword today? Even a day before leaving for Korea? " the woman asked through a microphone. I smiled naturally.
"I'm here for a reason, right? " I asked playfully, not confirming anything. "The truth is, I'm quite excited to be back here again. As you may know, I did an internship here a few months ago; it was... a really exciting week, I must admit. I'm really looking forward to working with them again, especially in Jeju." I said with a smile, and the flashes started hitting me again.
And then I felt it, their eyes on me. Not the reporters', the cameras', or the public's, no, the eyes of the S-Rank hunters. I'd been able to sense them all inside the building as I approached, but now they were directing their gaze in my direction, some with obvious malice, so much so that I could feel it from here. I just smiled even wider.
"Is it true that you're leaving for Jeju tomorrow with the Draw Sword hunters, along with another student? What do you think about them sending two students on an operation of this level where S-rank hunters have died before? " another person asked. My smile didn't change.
"It's an honor to participate in the reconquest of Jeju. I have complete faith in the people who organized the operation. They chose me for a reason, and I won't let them down. As long as I can help, I want to do so," I said softly.
"Does your grandfather, Ryuma Shimotsuki-sama, agree to your participation? What does he think? " another voice asked from the crowd. I could see the crowd straighten slightly at the mention of my grandfather's name. My eyes twinkled slightly before I sighed dramatically.
"My grandfather is more worried about my wife than me, it's really unfair," I said dramatically, placing my hand on my chest. "Just kidding, just kidding," I said quickly, laughing, then simply smiling gently. "My grandfather trusts my abilities. He's trained me and taught me everything I need to know, and along with my professors at UA, they've made sure I'm well-prepared for these situations, so they trust my decision to participate," I said calmly, smiling beatifically.
"Another question-"
"I'm sorry everyone, but unfortunately there's no more time for questions. I don't want to be late," I said playfully before winking and turning away. I continued walking calmly, not looking back—there was no need. The cameras were still pointed at me, and that was enough. So, without hesitation, I headed straight for the lion's den, which was the entrance to the Draw Sword building.
"Miyamura-sama!" a voice called out as soon as I entered the building. I looked at the woman, one of the receptionists, who seemed almost panicked as she watched me come in. "I-I'm so sorry, Miyamura-sama, we couldn't call security quickly enough to get rid of the reporters," the woman said quickly.
"It wasn't necessary," I said easily. "Now, could you tell me where I should go?" I asked gently. The woman seemed conflicted.
"I... I must apologize once again, Miyamura-sama. None of the demon slayers are in the building; they're all preparing for tomorrow's journey. They told me to send their apologies for not being able to entertain you," the woman said, bowing deeply. My eyes sparkled with amusement.
So that's what they wanted to play at, huh? Saying they weren't there so I'd have to leave. It was a shame I could feel their presence inside the building. My smile widened.
"Don't worry, don't worry," I said cheerfully. "I guess I'll have to go, but... couldn't I go to the bathroom first? I need to touch up my makeup for the cameras." I told the woman, who seemed surprised that I agreed so quickly, though she sighed with relief.
"O-of course, Miyamura-sama, you may use the restroom." The woman said calmly, and I simply nodded happily. Then I started walking somewhere. Luckily, it seemed to be the right way, or at least, the woman didn't stop me when I entered one of the hallways.
"Are we sneaking in?" Mai asked playfully as I walked through the hallways, almost bouncing along them.
"Oh yeah," I said with a huge grin. I checked the cameras and, luckily for me, I'd managed to find the restrooms pretty quickly. One of the few places I was sure wasn't under surveillance. Then I slipped back into my shadows and started moving.
I began tracking the Haki of the hunters inside the building and started moving through my shadows. After several minutes of climbing, I found my target. In fact, to my surprise, all the S-rank hunters were gathered in one place. My eyes shone with intense excitement.
I didn't even hesitate to step out of my shadows. I could see everyone freeze slightly before getting into fighting stances. I just smiled and plopped down into Kanae Tawata's lap, my Scroll in hand, then immediately snapped a picture.
"W-what- how- M-Miyamura!?" Tawata exclaimed incredulously while frozen in place, slightly blushing. I ignored her and started typing on my scroll.
"'Reunite with my dear huntress, Kanae Tawata! Heart, heart, heart. @DrawSwordGuild' And... post! " I said happily as I pressed the button on my scroll bar. With that, everyone knew I was inside the building, and with the other huntresses. I could see Tawata's eyes widen at what was happening, almost turning pale slightly. I saw her reach out for my scroll bar, and I simply let it fall into my shadows. "Huntress Tawata! It's been so long!" I said happily as I looked at her.
"Miyamura! Get off my lap, you damn walking nuisance!" Tawata snapped, blushing. I pouted in her direction, despite wanting to smile like crazy. Tawata seemed to want to push me off her lap, but at the same time, she was trying not to touch me at all, so we were at a standstill—at least for her.
"Acting so coldly after our reunion, you're a cruel, malevolent, you wicked thing!" I said dramatically, throwing myself back and clinging to her neck to keep from falling. "I spent so many months thinking about you, and you greet me with such cold words. Oh, how cruel and cold the world we live in is. I-"
"Miyamura!" Tawata growled, blushing even more. I smiled broadly at her before winking.
"Relax, Huntress Tawata, I'm just playing, like old times. I missed you, didn't you miss me even a little bit? " I asked playfully. Tawata blushed and growled, glaring at me.
"No! And the time I spent away from you wasn't enough! Now get off my lap already!" Tawata growled, finally losing her blush. I chuckled but jumped to my feet. Then I looked around. I could see the other hunters standing, some holding their weapons or in fighting stances, though they'd lost their fighting stances, as they stared at me in disbelief. I just smiled broadly.
"Yahallo!" I greeted cheerfully, waving my hand and tilting my head to one side.
"Yahallo? What does that mean?" one of the hunters murmured incredulously. "Are we really taking... him to Jeju?" she asked again with the same incredulity. I could see the incredulous and doubtful look on her face. I just smiled even wider.
"Miyamura." Goto Ryuko finally said. I turned to look at the woman, the strongest active huntress in Japan.
"Goto." I greeted her with the same informality. Something that definitely annoyed Goto because her eyebrows furrowed even more.
"This is a closed-door meeting for Draw Sword members," Goto said simply. I just hummed along, slumped into one of the seats, and smiled innocently.
"Aren't I part of Draw Sword? I'm sure my internship was accepted," I said cheerfully. "And if the meeting is about Jeju, shouldn't I be here too?" I asked, tilting my head. Goto just frowned even more as he looked at me.
"Your internship has been delayed until after Jeju; all applications are frozen until we return to the country," Goto said simply. I just hummed along before shrugging.
"It still sounds like I am or will be part of Draw Sword, it's just a matter of time, so what's the problem?" I asked easily.
"Miyamura," Tawata said, standing up immediately. Then she grabbed my wrist and started dragging me. "Come on," she growled as she began to pull me out of the room.
"Harder, Mommy," I said hoarsely. Tawata stumbled slightly, glared at me over her shoulder, and then growled and continued dragging me away. I just grinned widely and looked over my shoulder. "Sorry, everyone, but Huntress Tawata wants me all to herself! See you tomorrow!" I said cheerfully to everyone.
"Miyamura!" Tawata blurted out, embarrassed. I just laughed happily. We finally left the office, and Tawata dragged me down the hallway to one of the empty rooms, practically pushing me inside. "What were you thinking, Miyamura!" Tawata growled, sounding almost furious and... worried. I raised an eyebrow at that.
"I just stopped by to say hello?" I said confused. Tawata growled.
"You can't play games with Goto like that!" Tawata said, clearly distressed. Then she took a breath and calmed down, taking a deep breath and looking at me with concern. "You... you're not ready for Jeju," Tawata said, biting her lip. "It's best if you take a step back now and let us do our job," Tawata said, her voice firm. I just stood there, even though I was shocked.
Well, well, well… Tawata knew, or at least suspected something. I had no idea what Goto had told the other hunters, but Tawata knew enough to know that it would be dangerous for me to go to Jeju, beyond the Ants, and now he was warning me? Trying to keep me from going to Jeju to protect me? I really didn't expect that. I smiled slightly.
"I'm glad you're concerned, Huntress Tawata, but I can take care of myself." I said with a smile, which seemed to frustrate her even more.
"I'm serious, Miya-"
"By the way, what's that?" I interrupted, pointing at the wall. Tawata stopped stiffly before turning to look at the wall.
"What? I don't see anything?" Tawata asked, confused. I smiled broadly before starting to run towards the exit.
"It was nice meeting you, Huntress Tawata! Catch me if you can! " I said happily while letting out a laugh.
"MIYAMURA!! Come here, you slippery little bastard!" Tawata yelled as she quickly followed me. I just laughed maniacally. I only needed to lose her for a couple of hours; it was a piece of cake.
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