"Uh, how about...this?" you point at the screen of your brother's laptop to get him to stop scrolling. The two of you look at the preview image of some kind of Samurai anime, "This looks like it could be good."
Yamato moves his cursor over the image to get the summary, then reads it out loud, "Five Ronin discover the sleeping spirits of five ancient Kami. After forming contracts with these spirits, the five use their new powers to defend Japan from a Yokai invasion."
"Yeah, that sounds cool," you sit up on the edge of the bed with a smile on your face. You look down at your gloves and ask, "What do you think, Yato?"
"The video sounds very educational, Lord Hayato," he answers, "I would be honored to watch such a documentary with you."
"Uh, it's not a documentary, Yato. None of it actually happened."
"After everything you have seen can you truly be sure of that, my Lord?"
...Ok, he's got you there.
"Where you were earlier anyway? You were kind of quiet during everything that happened?"
"I am well aware of my abilities, my Lord. My strengths, weaknesses, and places where I could improve. One of those weaknesses is in negotiation. If I had given any advice, it would be counter to what you were attempting to accomplish. Thus I held my tongue."
...Again, he's not wrong.
"Ya got me twice there, Yato," you admit defeat and turn to Yamato, "So, about the show...what do you think?"
He hums in contemplation, opens the show page on a separate tab, and then keeps scrolling. He stops at a different show, though it still has a Samurai focus, "What of this? It's described as an animated adaptation of the classic tale of the 'Seven Samurai'."
You raise an eyebrow as you try to place where you've heard that name before, "Isn't that one of those movies made by that Kurosawa guy?"
"Indeed. It is set in the Sengoku Jidai and tells the tale of a village of farmers that hire seven ronin to defend their village from bandits who will come after the harvest to steal their food. While a significant portion of the film contains action, much of it is actually a dissertation on the nature of ronin, samurai, bandits, and what separates the three. One of the biggest parts of the story involves the youngest of the samurai, who discovers the realities of a battlefield."
"Urgh, I don't know," you shrug while frowning, "Sounds kind of....wait, go back to that preview video."
"This one, correct?"
"...Is that a giant fucking mech? And did he just slice it into four pieces?"
"I believe he did."
"..Sold. Put it on," you stand up and rush over to the TV while your brother gets up to grab the HDMI cable he got from the shop a bit ago. Apparently, she gave it to him for free when he went there to check the place out. Not sure why.
As you get set up, Yamato surprises you with an unexpected question, "Query, brother, why are you here?"
"Hmm?" you look up from the TV and tilt your head at him, "What do you mean?"
"While I did create the plan, you were the one who led the Raijin student body against the Kirin High students. There is a high probability that all the students are waiting for you, so they can shower you with praise. They would declare you their hero. Yet, you have instead elected to be with me in this dorm. Why is that? Wouldn't you want to be known as the Hero of the school?"
You look up in contemplation, "Hmm, well, you do have a point. It would be pretty cool to have people call me a Hero and stuff. Like in manga and anime. But you know what's cooler than that?"
"Nothing immediately comes to mind."
"Watching a cool ass show with my awesome brother who's the real reason the school is safe," there's no hesitation in your voice as you say this, turning to smile at your bro. He doesn't respond, burying his face in his laptop, but you can tell he liked that answer.
There's a knock at the door just as the two of you finishing setting up the TV. You quickly jog over and open the door for Yameko, who no longer has Hiroko and Agano on her shoulders. She's standing tall, but you can clearly see the droop in her shoulders. And she can't exactly hide how her ears are askew on the top of her head. You welcome her in and ask her how everything went, to which she responds with a sigh, "It was fine, Hayato-sama. Hiroko and I delivered the three girls and told the Staff that we rescued them from a group of Kirin students. We did what we could to ease the mental pain Hiroko inflicted, but they were under her power for a long time. It'll take time before they're completely healed."
She sits next to Yamato on his bed as the TV starts to show what's on his laptop's screen. He turns to her and says, "Would I be correct in assuming Hiroko left, which is why she is not with you?"
"Yes," Yameko wraps her tails around your brother's waist while leaning onto his shoulder, "She said she needed time to figure things out and get some of the things she left at Kirin High. She spent a lot of time saying goodbye to that Agano girl."
"Will she be joining you at Raijin?"
"I asked her that. She says she's not sure. She wants to wait until Agano gets out but says that she'll come to visit when she can. And that we can do the same."
"That's good," you say more to fill the silence than anything else. Though it doesn't accomplish much as the silence returns as you get set up on your bed to watch the show.
Yameko eventually breaks the silence with a heavy reveal, "She plans to hold you to what you said about helping Agano, Yamato-sama."
Your brother is silent for a few moments, then states, "I anticipated that. I have already begun drawing up ways to uphold my word. I will do what I can to get Agano fair treatment and a fair sentence."
"...Thank you, Yamato-sama," Yameko buries her face in your brother's shoulder.
Yamato looks you in the eyes and the two of you share a knowing nod. Even after all this, you've got a lot of work to do. And you'll do it together.
But for now...
"Say, Yameko, Yato, do either of you two know the story of the Seven Samurai?" you ask the two supernaturals in the room.
"I do not believe so," Yameko answers while tilting her head, "Why?"
"Because our Lords are planning to observe a version of the tale, and they wish for us to see it as with them, fox," Yato answers her. Surprisingly, you don't hear the insulting tone he usually takes with Yameko as he says that.
If she notices it, she doesn't let it show. Instead, she scoots closer to Yamato while wrapping more of her tails around him, "Oh, that sounds lovely. Are going to begin soon?"
"In a moment. Are you ready, brother?" Yamato asks with one finger on his spacebar.
"Whenever you are, bro," you answer with a thumbs up.
He nods, presses the spacebar on his laptop, and the show begins.
Here you are; Watching a cartoon with your brother, a kitsune, and a possessed pair of gauntlets masquerading as your gloves, while just outside the police are questioning and arresting students while everyone gets ready to celebrate their victory.
And you couldn't care less.
["Kirin Invasion" Event Cleared!]
[Hayato and Yamato gain 40 XP! +8 Yamato Relationship Points!]
[Yamato Leveled UP!]
[New Trait Gained: Raijin's Secret Saviors]
[New Bond Gained: Family Over Fame]
[Hiroko Found and Kept Safe! +15 to Yameko Relationship Points! Can now visit her at Kirin High!]
[New Event Chain Unlocked: Make sure Agano gets Fair Treatment!]
Choose A Sidestory:
[] Recruitment Drive (The Organization Takes The Stage!)
[] Keeping His Word (Agano's In Trouble?!)
[] A Memory Resurfaces (Who Was Yato?)
[] Sensei Hazma Weighs In (The Tournament Is Coming Early?!)
The Sidestories all represent the big events coming later. They won't all happen at the same time, nor will they all become relevant at once. However, each has been effected by the things that took place across this Event. Some directly (Agano's In Trouble) and some indirectly (The Tournament). Each will give you a hint as to what's coming next.
