The General's Thoughts (Aether x Sara)

Chapter 9: Amusement

Just a bit more... If she hadn't been interrupted, Sara whole-heartedly believed she could have gotten closer to Aether. She was clueless on where her boundless confidence had stemmed from, but remained sure a breakthrough between their relationship was imminent...Had that noisy Oni not interrupted them. The general shook her head as to clear those thoughts.

'No, this is fortuitous. Just... what did I intend to do moments ago?' Sara ruminated her previous actions, secretly thanking the disturbance of a third-party element.

'This is precisely what they call, "getting swept up in the moment", isn't it? Impulses are indeed scary now that I've faced it firsthand...'

Nevertheless, there was no need for her to blatantly show her feelings out in the open. This was a good chance to calm herself down. Sara's face bore a look of indifference, glaring at the infamous gang leader below joyfully posing to himself.

"Oh? So, the Kujou Chicken is also with you, eh, Aether? I'm a bit surprised from that. Well, not that I mind, she can just tag along to witness our great feats together later on. I'm a big enough man to forgive past grievances, after all that's what being a leader like me is all about!"

Arataki "Numero Uno" Itto energetically clamored about, nodding to himself in understanding despite being confused inside over why the two were together.

Itto quickly decided to not ponder over it too much. His eyes expanded in realization, looking like a lightbulb had popped above his head.

His gaze re-focused at the certain person who stood next to the traveler, his (self-proclaimed) number one rival and arch-nemesis.

"Wait...ain't this the perfect opportunity for a rematch?" Itto taunted the general who returned the gaze back at him without any particular emotion. Summoning his giant club to pose grandiosely, he was practically announcing his presence to the world itself and attracted multiple passerbys' stares of concern.

"Why don't you come down here and face this! Eh, Kujou Chicken?"

An oppressive aura leaked out of Sara, scaring Paimon as she floated towards Aether. The skies darkened, stunning Itto out of his delusional stupor and into confusion. The roars of thundering fury from the monochrome skies could be heard crackling. In swift succession, Sara manifested her tengu fan.

"How many times have I said... not to draw weapons out in public, Arataki Itto!" Responding to that call, lightning mercilessly struck.

------------------------

"Look I already said I'm sorry, okay?!" Itto cried out, a visible burn mark etched onto the open back of his body. It was too cruel a punishment for the unknowing oni, forcing Sara to give him a brief apology.

His endurance however was not to be made light of, even a force of nature only left a temporary mark on the resilient oni. The tension between the four became on edge as a result.

"Hmph, haven't you learnt your lesson from last time? I did not take you to be a bigger fool than I envisioned." The culprit behind his burn-marks only snorted with ridicule.

"What, that o'l thing? That was harmless! It was literally just for show, you brute!" Itto protested loudly. Apparently it was not the first time Itto had gotten in trouble and encountered Kujou Sara. The two had quite the rocky history, backed with many arrest cases.

Only the Archons would probably know how Itto manages to be bailed out of prison time after time.

His youthful face, marked with red paint extending downwards from his eyes, was contorted in mild fury. And despite his bulky build, his current demeanor could only be compared to a child throwing a temper tantrum. He quickly tried justifying himself but Sara couldn't care to listen.