Onihunter Yuna

21 Negotiations

The girl said nothing.

"I'll make you an offer. I'll teach you everything, you need to know. If I believe that you are ready, you can destroy me without a fight. If that is what you want."

"Don't get me wrong, Yoshiro. I love you like my own uncle. You were a good and reliable friend for me over the past years. The beautiful memories, that we share, are important to me. But you're an Oni. You possess souls that won't find peace as long as you live. And I can't live with that."

"Damn it."

"Tell me about it."

Yoshiro looked thoughtfully down at his student. It saddened him grossly that she was so uncooperative, but he was not able to change that at this moment. Maybe she could rebuild her trust in him in time and they could be "uncle" and "niece" again. Until then, he would have to be very patient with her.

The mentor appeared beside her. Yuna watched his every move, but didn't show any other reaction.

"Okay. Do we have a deal?", the Oni asked.

"You're not going to betray me?"

"I don't want to die, Yuna, but if that's the only way to earn your cooperation, I will do it."

"Thank you. Yes. Then we have a deal."

"You're so stubborn. Just like your father."

"I'm even more stubborn."

Yoshiro laughed amused. The high school student looked at him suspiciously, but then had a little grin. Basically, he was still the same as a few days ago. He hadn't changed, she did. Nevertheless, he was an Oni. He was a monster. And the monsters had to be extinguished.

"Your father and I have hunted together. I also taught him much."

"It was not enough."

"Tirr is a very strong and capable opponent. That makes it even more important, that you really are ready before you face him."

"He can't hurt me."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that. Maybe he's strong enough to hurt and even kill you."

"No way."

Yoshiro sighed. "Please, listen to what I say."

The girl stayed silent.

"First, we train your eye. You need to regain your accuracy, until it's like before the attack. At least."

"How?"

"To throw things at me was not that stupid. Let's try ball sports."

"I hate sports."

"Me too."

The mentor left the girl for half an hour alone in the warehouse. She took the opportunity to get familiar with the building. She was shocked as she found out, that there really was just an improvised shower. Even worse was the fact, that only cold water came out of it.

"How does he clean himself?"

The blue-haired thought about Yoshiro. He usually was a little dingy. She asked herself, if he ever did take a shower. She had to admit, that she knew almost nothing about him.

Curious, she walked through the main room and looked at everything. Before a crate she paused.

"What's in it?"

She opened the box to investigate. A whole bunch of different knifes were inside. Her eye wandered to the other boxes. Was this a weapon stash? She explored another crate, which was filled with pistols and accessories. Yoshiro would teach her how to use these things, if he was true to his word. So far, he had never disappointed her.

The Oni returned with a plastic bag. Interrogative, the girl looked at him. He pulled out a roll of tennis balls and grinned. "We will throw some balls."

"And how is that supposed to help?"

"Your hand-eye-coordination must be improved, if you want to fight. Every hit and every shot must sit."

"That can't be that hard." Wordlessly, he threw a tennis ball to the girl. She grabbed it with both her hands, but it fell to the floor. "Again!"

"Okay." Another ball flew through the air.

Yuna focused intently on the ball. She took a step forward, reaching for the ball. Again, she missed her target. "Again!"

"At least you don't give up quickly. I like that."

"Stop talking and throw the damn ball!"

After Yoshiro had thrown all four balls, of which she wasn't able to catch a single one, it was the girl's turn. The first ball was flung far past the Oni. But the next one came so close to him, that the mentor could catch it. The fourth ball hit the teachers arm.

They practiced in this way until both throwing and catching worked properly. Then Yuna had to throw balls at a can stack, like at a carnival.

In the evening, the blue-haired sank exhausted down on the sofa and fell into a deep sleep. She never thought that it could be so tiring to play with balls, but as of now, she could throw and catch pretty accurately.

Yoshiro attentively observed the sleeping girl. "So, you really want to kill me? Unfortunately, I can't allow that to happen."