ACE OF FATE

"My lord, Mirei has succumbed to defeat at the hands of the Yotsuba!" an informant proclaimed to his master.

"Tch..." the lord retorted, irritation palpable in his tone.

"Hmmm... I suppose we should explore other options," he said with a sardonic smirk.

"My lord... my lord!" a samurai burst in, breathless and agitated.

"What is it?" the lord inquired, his focus shifting to the intruder.

"Huff... she has arrived!" the samurai gasped, urgency lacing his words.

"The... Mistress of Fate!" he exclaimed, alarm evident in his voice.

"Let her in," the lord commanded, his voice steady.

"But sir, shouldn't we—?" the samurai hesitated.

"Didn't you hear me?" the lord said, his tone heavy with authority.

"No need for that," a woman's voice interrupted from behind the informants.

"Oh... to what do we owe the pleasure, Lady Satomi?" the lord inquired, attempting to maintain decorum.

"You don't need to be so formal; I know the truth," Granny Satomi replied with a knowing smile.

"What are you saying, Miss Satomi?" the lord asked, feigning ignorance.

"I am aware that your intentions lie in the destruction of the Yotsuba clan," she stated plainly.

"What? How could I ever do that to you and your granddaughter?" he protested, shocked.

"You don't have to act anymore; I already asked one of the samurai you bought with money," she retorted sharply.

"Besides, we, the Yotsuba clan, are going to regain our power thanks to Kai. He has been blessed by the Book of Life." Granny began to move toward the door.

"The Book of Life in The Seventh Realm?" the lord pondered anxiously.

"So you know, huh? Then I guess I should do something about it," he whispered to himself.

Suddenly, two samurai blocked her path as she attempted to leave.

"Why are you doing this to an old lady who has already used her Zor energy—" she feigned fear.

"So you have already used it, huh?" he asked with intrigue.

"Boys, capture her and tell Shelby to put her in the confinement room where she can't use Zor energy."

"And send a ninja squad to capture this Kai person. If he has indeed been summoned by the Book of Life, then he could be important for me."

"I didn't think he would fall for my trap so easily," she thought grimly.

"Felix and Miku can now embark on a safe journey, at least for a while. I apologize, Felix, for my actions; I know that Miku will surely not forgive me."

"Besides, I am not the most suitable individual to safeguard her anymore. She must undertake that responsibility independently and seek out a warm, strong shoulder upon which to lean," she continued reflecting inwardly.

"You will pay for this, Yami," Granny declared defiantly as the samurai escorted her away. Meanwhile, back at the inn where Miku was resting...

"We're back!" Mei shouted excitedly as she opened the door to the room.

"The leader lady isn't here," Mei said, glancing at the empty bed.

"I guess she must be looking for her samurai that she kicked," Mirei remarked as she stood behind Mei.

"Hey, Mei, do you know who that man is?"

"Tomato!" Mei shouted enthusiastically.

"What do you mean by 'tomato'?" Mirei asked curiously.

"It's because I don't know his name!" Mei replied innocently.

"So... what do you call the lady with black hair?" Mirei inquired further.

"Miss Potato!" Mei exclaimed proudly.

"Hahaha!" Mirei burst into laughter at Mei's creativity.

"Why are you laughing, Sister Chilli?" Mei asked with a puzzled expression.

"What—" Mirei's laughter faded as her face turned blank.

Meanwhile, Miku found herself in a blacksmith's shop seeking a temporary katana after hers had melted during her recent battle. The blacksmith was an old man with big eyebrows and a sugegasa hat on.

"You could become the mascot of this establishment; you possess an exquisite model-esque figure!" he added.

Miku blinked, momentarily taken aback by the absurdity of his compliment. Mascot? She could hardly imagine herself prancing around town in a blacksmith's apron.

"Have you heard about how abhorrent the slums are now?" Two men talked in the shop while looking for weapons.

"Yes... The local samurais are searching for the culprits," responded the man next to him.

"Hmmm....I guess the shogun will find out soon that it was my doing and if I tell him about the sisters he would arrest them—"

"How about this one?" Miku's thoughts were interrupted by the blacksmith showing a katana to her face.

"Let me see," Miku responded, grabbing the katana.

[Shing]

Miku unsheathed the katana with a swift movement and caught sight of her reflection in the polished blade—the stoic expression that had become second nature to her. She sighed and ran a hand through her hair in frustration. "Why can't I just let go?"

She then pressed her index finger and thumb against the blade, contemplating the weight of her emotions.

[Crack-Shatter]

The katana shattered into pieces, sending shards flying across the shop. The blacksmith's jaw dropped in disbelief.

"A... another one?! Why do kids your age always do such idiotic things?! It's the fifth katana broken this week!"

"This is the best you've got?" Miku asked with a straight face, ignoring his shouting.

The blacksmith sputtered as he tried to gather his thoughts amidst the chaos. "But... but! That was forged from rare steel! You could have cut through—"

"Cut through what? My patience?" Miku shot back dryly.

"Maybe if you had better craftsmanship, it wouldn't have broken." She turned away from him, feigning interest in a display of katanas hanging on the wall.

The blacksmith sighed heavily, his shoulders slumping. "I swear, kids these days have no respect for fine steel. Back in my day—"

"Back in your day, you probably didn't have to deal with someone like me," Miku interjected as she glanced at him from the corner of her eye.

The blacksmith's face turned red with indignation. "These are crafted with care! Each blade is unique—"

"Unique? More like uniquely useless," she retorted.

The old man opened his mouth to respond but quickly closed it, realizing he was fighting a losing battle. Instead, he shuffled off to gather more katanas—one that would likely meet a similar fate if Miku had anything to say about it.

After several moments, Miku ultimately discovered a temporary katana; however, the blacksmith was never quite the same thereafter.

As she ambled along, she passed a flower shop with a dilapidated roof.

"You know that's not how it is, right?" came a voice from within, one that Miku recognized.

"I am fully aware of what I am doing, muffin; permit me to proceed, you stinker," a woman retorted to the man.

"I recognize that voice, but the other one eludes me," Miku pondered.

"What are you doing here?" Miku inquired upon observing Felix and a simian woman repairing the interior.

"And why is she perched upon your shoulder?" Miku asked, noting the monkey woman on Felix's shoulder, wielding a hammer and plank.

"You know this is entirely your fault; had you not kicked me, I wouldn't be ensnared in this predicament."

"Who is this Gurlie?" Nohara queried, leaning forward inquisitively.

"I should be the one asking that," Miku replied with an icy tone.

"This is—"

"I am the illustrious Nohara; the sagacious Nohara and exceptionally talented Nohara!" Nohara proclaimed.

"When she speaks of herself, she never misstates anything, does she?" Felix mused.

"I care not who you are; I kindly request that you dismount my samurai," Miku stated resolutely.

"Silly-murai?" Nohara inquired, tapping her chin thoughtfully.

"Ahem... Ahem..." A cough emanated from behind Miku.

"What is this commotion in my establishment?" It was Kokoro.

"Hmm... I perceive you are the fortunate one," she murmured to herself.

"Well done, Felix," she said with a wink.

Felix and Miku exchanged puzzled glances at the gesture, but Nohara's cheeks flushed crimson as she grasped what the elderly lady implied.

"Are you the proprietor of this establishment?" Miku asked.

"Indeed, dear; and I presume you are here to retrieve your boyfr—I mean your friend, yes?"

"Yes; we intend to vacate this town," Miku affirmed.

"Boy, your shift has concluded for now; however, remember you will have to return to work in the shop upon your next visit," Kokoro remarked.

"Yes; I shall," Felix replied.

"Oh, and here." Kokoro plucked some flowers from a nearby pot and presented them to Miku. "Please do not be upset; he's merely endeavoring to do his best."

Miku interpreted Kokoro's words as an indication that Felix was striving to become a better samurai and graciously accepted the flowers.

"Thank you once more, Miss Kokoro," Felix said as he began to exit with Miku.

[Thud]

"What was that?" Felix queried as he glanced upward.

"You clumsy muffin!" Nohara exclaimed as she collided with the wall above the door.

"I believed I instructed you to dismount!" Miku said sternly.

[Swish]

With a swift motion, Felix set Nohara down on the ground.

"Please refrain from following me any longer," Felix implored.

Miku raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. "What do you mean by 'follow'?"

"No... You solicited assistance from the great Nohara, and now I shall snuggle-wuggle with you!" Nohara declared exuberantly, her bright eyes sparkling with mischief.

"No, you shall not!" Miku retorted.

"Then fluff with Nohara and allow the chompion to attain what he desires!" Nohara proclaimed defiantly.

"As you wish." Miku said as she assumed a combat stance.

"M'lady, please cease; it is neither time for obstinacy nor conflict; let us be off to Midono," Felix urged, positioning himself between them.

"I guess you're correct; we don't have time for this stupidity—let's be off and—"

"Mr. Samurai Man! Leader Lady!" came a voice as someone ran toward them.

"Huff...." Mei stopped near them, catching her breath.

"What are you doing here, Mei?" Felix asked.

"I will go with you," she answered breathlessly.

"But you can't! It could be dangerous—and where is your sister?" he asked urgently.

"She has gone to get an extra pass for me! Don't worry; my sister and I are fully aware of the dangers—we want to repay our debt," she continued earnestly.

"But there's no need for that!" Felix said gently as he ruffled her hair.

"You'll make a girl cry!" Mei said dramatically as she puffed out her cheeks.

"Let both of them come! We don't have time to decide—the meeting starts in twenty minutes!"

"By the way, Nohara do you have a pass?" Felix asked suddenly.

"No, but—"

[Fizz]

She transformed into a small monkey and hid in Felix's kimono.

"Hey!" Felix retorted incredulously.

"Who's that girl?" Mei asked curiously.

"It's a long story; I'll tell you later," Felix replied as they all moved toward the door where Mirei waited for them.

After a brief exchange of words, they set off toward Midono together. Mei was on Mirei's piggyback while Felix and Miku ran separately—Miku arrived first, followed by Mirei and then Felix who arrived last.

"We are finally here," Felix thought as he saw the massive town of Midono for the first time.

"Now behave," Miku said looking back at Felix.

"Why me?" Felix thought.

Then they made their way near the massive gate guarded by four samurais.

"May I see your passes?" one of them asked.

After showing their passes, they entered.

"Hmmm... Something feels odd," Felix thought while looking back at the guards.

"They seem kind of—"

"Hey!" Felix shouted at Nohara as she was moving out of his kimono.

"Gasp.... finally some froggy puff!" Nohara exclaimed.

"You mean fresh air? Aren't you going to transform?" Felix asked.

"Nah...you dumb muffin, this is a sneaky-peeky mishmash!" Nohara said while rubbing her finger on her nose as if wearing glasses.

"What sneaky-peeky? You mean mission?" Felix whispered to her.

"Yes, that one! You are good Talky-Walky," she replied cheerfully.

"So we'll be off and will meet with you when the meeting is over," Mirei said.

"Okay, be careful," Felix said.

"Don't worry Mr. Tomato Samurai!" Mei shouted as they walked away into the market, leaving Miku, Felix, and Nohara behind.

"Wait did she say Tomato?" Felix pondered aloud.

"What about that monkey?" Miku said turning to Felix.

"Well you know Gurlie as a proud—"

[squeak]

Miku grabbed her tail.

[Swish-Swish-Swish]

"He...lp...ah...ah...ah...ah!"

[Yeet]

"Yippee!" Nohara shouted as Miku threw her into the sky.

"Was that necessary?" Felix looked at her with a straight face.

"Yes! Now we shall proceed to the meeting," Miku responded with an unusual stare as if looking straight into Felix's soul.

"Now that I look closely I think I'm taller than you," Felix tried to lighten the mood.

"Yes, to be precise, you are 194 cm tall—which is quite rare," Miku replied matter-of-factly.

"What? She even knows my height precisely? Even I don't know it! I should give it a try too," he thought while starting to look Miku over from head to toe.

"It's no use; you won't guess imbecile! Let's go—we don't waste any more time." She said coldly as she started walking straight toward the distant castle—a Higashihara-styled structure unlike any castle familiar to Felix.

As they drew closer to the castle gates, crowds gathered on either side of their path, controlled by vigilant samurais standing guard.

"Hey look! It's the magnificent Lady Miku!" one man shouted from within the throng.

"LADY MIKU! You're so pretty!"

"Marry me!"

"I Love you!"

"LADY MIKU!"

"LADY MIKU!"

"LADY MIKU!"

"You're very popular! I didn't know these people idolized you this much—from children to women, even older people."

"I don't care; people who idolize me are fools! Whoever tries to become like me is a fool. Whoever leaves their identity to become someone else is a fool," Miku responded sharply.

"Great words my stubborn m'lady," Felix said with a smile.

[Creeeak]

The grand gate before them started opening.

"Hm....at least a thousand or more samurai from different clans have black kimono and different flower symbols but every flower symbol is red in color." Felix scanned the area that was appearing ahead of him.

"But look at them; those individuals have different kimono colors; those are the clan leaders."

"That girl with cream hair tied in low twin pigtails is shaking with anxiety and has a red tulip symbol on her mint green kimono—she must be from the Sasaki clan."

"That guy with spiky sunset blonde hair thinks he is the star of the show by standing so proud; he has a red peony symbol on his kimono made from gold—he must be from the Kaneko clan."

"Oh... That woman with pink hair in a loose braid that resembles a chain has bangs framing her face; she has a red azalea symbol on her orange kimono—she must be from the Yoshida clan."

"That old man with white hair and an afro hairstyle must be from the Furukawa clan as he has the red lotus symbol on his royal blue kimono."

"That man with red hair is squatting like crazy; he must be from the Kenshin clan as he has the red carnation symbol on his mustard yellow kimono."

"And him—the one with long black hair that extends down to his waist and a center-parted fringe framing his face—he is from the Himura clan as he has the red lily symbol on his coral-colored kimono."

"Respected clan leaders, I Katsuhiro, the general of His Majesty's army, humbly welcome you all to this grand day," a man with teal short wavy hair said as he stood in the middle of all of them.