Chain Yokai: Book 1. The Hunter

Yokai Hunters Academy

The silver haired Bakoneko had small sharp claws extended from the nails on her right hand while her left hand held what appeared to be a small kunai knife. She dashed at wooden board that was propped up, using amazing cat-like agility and reflexes. Slicing her claws around the board and her knife, in mere seconds, the board had been sliced into 14 even sized squares.

"Well...she's probably got issues!" said Neko turning slightly pink. "Anyways, I'm still a kid in yokai years, so I probably shouldn't..."

"Scaredy cat." said Yuki.

"That's one of our top students." said Hayate. "Tobiichi Azami" (Take note that all Japanese names said are written in the traditional order, last names being first and first names being last.)

Azami retracted her claws, put her knife in a sheath at her side, looked at the group and walked over while popping her neck, as if this was just an ordinary routine she'd gotten used to.

"Hey Sato-san.." said Azami looking over Laura. "I take it that's the girl I'm supposed to tutor? I've been waiting a while, you were late again weren't you?"

"Only by 30 minutes." said Hayate. "You see, the teleportation malfunctioned again and brought me Antartica once more..."

Azami sighed. "Right then..I guess I'll begin the tour..."

Azami took a look at Laura, and suddenly her attitude changed at the speed of light, her face becoming happy and cheerful, her orange cat-like eyes took on a cute sparkle. "Hello! I'm Tobiichi Azami! I'm going to be your tutor and roommate this semester, but you can just call me Azami!"

"Can I call you Azi?" Neko asked.

"Neko! Don't be rude!" Laura said glaring.

"Oh, it's alright!" said Azami. "You probably haven't met that many other Bakoneko, I hear we're rather scarce in the Taiwan area."

"You've got that right." Neko muttered. "It's darn lonely back there sometimes."

"Well, I'll leave you to it then." said Hayate. "If you excuse me, but I have some students from Kyoto that I need to pick up...later!"

A bit of chanting later, Hayate dissapeared in a puff of smoke.

"Sato-san is always so forgetful.." murmured Azami. "I hope he doesn't end up getting chased by lions in Africa again."

"That's actually happened before?" Laura asked.

Azami rolled her eyes."You won't believe how many times. He's accidentally warped to the Artic 12 times, all of those times he almost got eaten by polar bears. He's accidentally ended up in the middle of the Pacific Ocean 10 times, and even nearly got himself to fall into an active volcano in Hawaii. They say he's the best recruiter, but sometimes I wonder what's going through the heads of the International School Board."

"Yeah..." said Laura. "It sounds like a miracle none of the students he transports haven't ended up on a deserted island yet."

"Oh it's no miracle." said Azami. "That happened 3 times already. Well we should probably get to the tour."

Azami spread her hands cheerfully, her tail and ears twitching like all Bakonekos did when they were excited. "This! Is the training field. It's over 5 miles in diameter. We do all sorts of activities here. Spell casting, summoning, learning to make contracts with familiars..though I think you already know how to do that."

"Actually." said Laura. "Yuki and Neko became my familiars through inheritance, they were my mom's."

Azami nodded. "Oh..I see, well I'm kind of an expert in familiars, so if you need to know anything, just let me know."