Liar, Liar, the Mage's Desire Vol. 2 (The Oumeno Strikes Back)

The Water Kingdom (End)

     Kokichi and Himiko were about to enter the castle, when they were suddenly stopped by two of the castle guards who were standing near the entrance.

    "Halt! Who goes there?" one of them asked, pointing his trident at them. Himiko cleared her throat, and lifted her chin up with confidence.

   "I am Himiko Yumeno, Guardian Mage," she announced authoritatively. Kokichi smiled proudly at her.

   "State your business here, Guardian Mage," the other guard demanded.

   "I've come to make a trade with the king," Himiko said. "My mother has sent me to retrieve an item that she has requested from His Majesty."

   "And the human?" the first guard asked, nodding his head at Kokichi.

    "He is with me," Himiko replied firmly, looking the guard in his eye. The guards exchanged hesitant glances, but finally decided to allow them inside. 

   "You may enter," the second guard said. Both guards proceeded to let Kokichi and Himiko inside. Kokichi didn't look at either guard, but he felt their suspicious eyes on him. The doors closed, and he felt relieved that they weren't eyeing him anymore. He felt even more relieved that Himiko was with him.

   "Himiko, you were awesome back there!" he whispered to her. "You spoke with authority! You didn't call your mom 'mommy,' and you didn't even say 'nyeh!'"

   "Nyeh...I may be timid and quiet when being around the others at Hope's Peak, but when it comes to my duties as a Guardian Mage, I kinda feel like a different, more confident person," Himiko replied. 

   "That reminds me," Kokichi said thoughtfully. "Why don't you just use your magic to solve your problems back at Hope's Peak?"

   "It's against the rules of magic," Himiko said. "Mages can't use magic on other people, at least, not to hurt them, or retaliate against them if they wronged us. Just like regular people, mages can be corrupted, too, and abusing our magic can turn us into dark mages. That's why the rules were made in the first place, to keep mages from becoming dark mages."

   "Ohhh...I see," Kokichi said quietly. "But...you've used your magic on the others before. Remember how we entered all of the girls' dreams back at Casa V3?"

   "Yeah..." Himiko replied, her voice dripping with regret. "Even though we didn't hurt them, I shouldn't have used my magic on them, anyway." Kokichi gave her a guilty look, and rubbed his arm with shame.

   "Well...you wouldn't have done that if I hadn't suggested it in the first place," he said. "I...I'm sorry, Himiko. If there's anyone to blame...it's me." Himiko smiled kindly at him.

   "Nyeh...we're both to blame," she said. "I went along with it, even though I had the power to stop." Kokichi nodded sheepishly.

   "Yeah...I guess, but...I should have been more considerate of your feelings...and more respectful of your magic rules," he said.