Hi peoples!
This is another chapter that's completely insane and has nothing to do with the plot. You can skip it if you want to. But it's crazy. So feel free to laugh your butt off. I did while I was writing it, no joke. XD
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"Why the heck are we here?" Kasai demanded.
"Because," said Aya, leading the team into a brick building, "we were called here on urgent business. The letter said to come as soon as possible."
"Oh, sounds like fun!" Yuri cheered.
"No, sounds more like the day-to-day for us," said Heishi.
Kasai grinned. "You're really proud of being on the team, aren't you, Heishi."
"Yeah," Heishi admitted sheepishly. "Yeah, I am."
Akuma took in the inside of the room they had walked into. There was a wooden desk littered with papers all covered in the same scrawl. There were white walls, with only a few papers on them. "Are those newspapers?"
"Yes, it looks like it," Aya said.
Taichi walked over to them. "Most of these seem to be about you," he said, looking at one with the words SUREIYAZU SLAY THE UNSLAYABLE. "Odd."
"Ew." Akuma crinkled her nose. "That headline is terrible."
Mizuki lip curled. "Truly awful."
"Where is the person who wrote to us? They said it was of the utmost urgency," Aya said, irritated. But it was at that moment that a door at the end of the room opened.
The man had black slicked-back hair and glasses, and an extremely bright smile. In his hand was a stack of papers, and in his other was a pencil.
His smile grew even wider when he saw them. "Sureiyazu!" he exclaimed. "I've been waiting so long to see you!"
"We came as quickly as we could," Aya said. "Now, please, what was this urgent situation you spoke of?"
"Let me be honest with you," he said, coming briskly closer. "I have wanted to interview you all for so very, very long! And now that you're all here - well, it's just -"
"Wait, interview?" Kasai repeated. "Crap."
The man laughed. "Such an interesting character. Now, who would like to go first?"
"You're kidding, right?" Mizuki asked.
~~~
"Alright, let's begin," the man said.
Aya sighed. "Yes, fine. Let's get this over with."
"Of course, of course!" he exclaimed. "Now, tell me. What is your relationship like with the other members of the team?"
Aya looked around at the room that she had been led into, leaving the others behind. On these walls there were no newspapers. There were only paintings and paintings of anything and everything. There was a waterfall, cascading over some large rocks. There was a white kitten, a blue ribbon tied around his neck. There was a sunset out over an ocean. It was very relaxing.
"With most of the members, it's very good. I consider them all close friends." Aya leaned back in her chair. "Kasai and I are very competitive, but other than that . . ."
"There were rumors about what happened to your master," the man continued. "Would you care to give me the story on that one?"
Aya sighed. "He was very old, and he died. There is nothing more to it."
"Didn't he use the Reaper Technique? They say it extends your life, as long as you keep slaying demons and absorbing their souls."
"He did," Aya said, "but he was still quite old. He died of age more than anything."
"Is it true that he had a Death Eye?"
"Is this an interview of me or of my master?"
"Did he?"
"Yes, he did. Now move on," Aya said boredly.
"Alrighty," the interviewer agreed. "Anything for one of the Surieyazu. What would you tell people who don't consider you to be the best demonslayers in Sekai?"
~~~
"Okay, Kasai: So why exactly do you like to keep your sword so close? I've heard you even sleep with it." He laughed.
"Its name is Inochi. I already told you. And it's not like I'd tell you the answer to that stupid question, dumbo."
~~~
"Do you think it was wise of the Sureiyazu to pick any person off of the streets to be their last member?"
Akuma blinked. "Um . . . well, not really. But our master had a vision. So they kind of knew it would be me."
"Was there a possibility he was faking it?"
~~~
"Why are you travelling with the Sureiyazu?"
"Um . . ." Heishi thought. "I don't really know. I just didn't have a place to go, and they're all really nice people. Yuri's one of my closest friends, so I just told her all the trouble I was in and they let me stay."
~~~
"In your opinion, why do you think the Sureiyazu are gathering together so many people? Is there another reason besides strengthening their team?"
Mizuki snorted. "Wouldn't you like to know?"
~~~
"What's your secret to staying so happy, Yuri?"
"Just say 'yay' to everything!"
"Oh. Well then."
"Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay!"
~~~
"I don't know why you're bothering to interview me," Taichi said. "I've been with the Sureiyazu for barely a week or so."
"Is there a certain reason for that? Maybe one of the members holds a special place in your heart?"
Taichi sighed. "Why are you so unnecessarily dramatic?"
~~~
A week later, the Sureiyazu were back in their castle.
Aya opened the door to sit outside. That was when she saw it. It was an abomination.
She picked up the small stack of newspapers. The front headline was, EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH THE SUREIYAZU! NEW KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE TEAM UNCOVERS STRANGE QUESTIONS.
"That title is disgustingly long," Aya sighed. She then turned and called for the others.
When they were all gathered around, she showed them. "Our newspaper arrived."
They each took their own copy.
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH THE SUREIYAZU!
NEW KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE TEAM UNCOVERS STRANGE QUESTIONS
A week ago I got the once-in-a-lifetime chance to talk to the one and only Sureiyazu, arguably the best demonslayers in Sekai. While being able to talk to them was a treat in and of itself, it was what I learned during my conversations that really intrigued me. They told me things that even I wouldn't have believed if I hadn't heard it out of their mouths directly - but here it is.
Aya's Role - Leadership or Dictatorship?
While I was interviewing Aya, the leader of the Sureiyazu and by far the most formal, I noticed some interesting things. For one, she seemed extremely annoyed by most of her team. When I asked her what she thought of her teammates, she even told me that she HATED Kasai, which I was personally appalled to hear.
For another, Aya seemed very irritable in general. She does not think much of people who oppose her and her team - while speaking with Taichi, he revealed that she used to constantly insult him, and that it only stopped when he agreed to join the team.
Lastly, many of her teammates openly told me that they had to take orders from her, and that, if they disobeyed, they would be subject to any kind of punishment. They also said they aren't even allowed to talk at all during Aya's tea drinking.
I shudder to think what else they go through behind closed doors.
Heishi - Sword Arts or Broken Hearts?
Heishi is an interesting person. He seems genuine on the outside - but it was what he didn't say that caught my attention.
"I don't know why I'm with the Sureiyazu at all, actually . . . Really, I don't . . ." This is what Heishi told me that day. But I didn't believe it one bit.
I saw the truth behind his lies. It actually took a lot of looking back through my notes to see what was really happening. Behind his guarded heart of gold, Heishi is playing with the feelings of the rest of the Sureiyazu.
Yuri told me, "Heishi's really nice. I didn't say this, but I'd go out with him."
And Akuma told me, "I think Heishi is the least annoying one in the group. He's a little awkward, but that's what makes him attractive."
And even Aya said, "I don't mind Heishi as much as the others. I've really taken a liking to him."
The frightening part is that Taichi didn't have the same reaction. In fact, he was the only one who seemed to be able to see through Heishi. But let's be honest: It's probably because Taichi isn't a female. "Heishi is probably the most irritating person on the team. If he isn't faking being nice all of the time, he most likely isn't even human."
I was startled - even I had thought Heishi was as nice as he made himself seem. But now we know what's really underneath.
Kasai's Hidden Love Interest?
Kasai, with her fiery attitude and her special sword that she carries around with her constantly, is not someone that you could easily forget. Our conversation was the most memorable of all.
She is a very guarded person, though - wouldn't tell me why she carries around that sword that means so much to her - but what I got out of the conversation was enough to shock anyone.
I asked her about if she had ever had feelings for anyone. She turned a dark scarlet red and told me that she hadn't. But that was when I noticed it. I hadn't seen it before, but it became very clear to me that Kasai had deep feelings for Taichi. She would never admit it, or course, because of her stubborn nature, but it was plainly obvious.
Later, I asked Taichi what he thought of Kasai. He made a face and said she was "too pushy". I knew what this meant instantly. Kasai had made a move on Taichi, and he had turned her down! Something I would have never expected - no one could have expected this odd relationship between fiery Kasai and cool Taichi.
Taichi then thought for a moment and told me she wasn't so bad . . . Then he took a long breath and openly admitted that he had had feelings for Kasai for a while now, but was too scared to tell her.
(More juicy secrets between Kasai and Taichi in the next issue.)
Blue in the Hair or Blue in the Tongue? - Tall Tales by Akuma
Akuma is the newest on the team of Sureiyazu, and not much is known about her. So during my interview with her, Akuma wanted to make sure that that wasn't the case for long. She immediately launched into some stories that I would even doubt one of the Sureiyazu had gone on.
Firstly, she told me that with her spiritual energy, she could make a light so blinding that even she couldn't see through it. This light supposedly could move a hundred people at once, instantly slay demons, or shatter pieces of a Dark Dimension.
I was skeptical, so I asked the girl to prove it. Akuma sat for a few moments with her eyes closed, then opened them and told me it didn't work on command unless she was in grave danger. I was even more skeptical after that.
But wait - it gets even more unbelievable. She told me that she had once been possessed by a demon, then thrown out of her own body. She took another girl's body, promising to give it back when it was done, slayed the demon, and then took her own body back. But when I asked her how or where this girl whose body she had taken was, she couldn't tell me. At this point, I was definitely beginning to smell a rat.
Hold on, I'm not quite done. According to another story of hers, Kasai had used her special sword to cut open a hole in space, and inside was a Dark Dimension. Then, when they were separated, Akuma destroyed the space she had landed in, found Kasai and Heishi, and then Aya and Taichi, and then together, they had gone to the core of the Dimension, and saved the others. Seem a little too dramatic, anyone?
Akuma definitely made her point - we won't forget her anymore. But never ask her for directions. You'll most likely have to go down a road that doesn't exist!
Akuma looked up from reading, seeing six expressions all around her that must have mirrored her own.
"What is this crap?!" Kasai yelled. "My 'special sword'?! I'll 'special sword' your face, dude!"
"I and Kasai?" Taichi said. "Disgusting!"
"I was telling the stupid truth, guy!" Akuma shrieked. "Get your facts right!"
"I didn't even get my own section!" Yuri pouted.
"I don't play with people's hearts! C'mon! You've got to be kidding me!" Heishi shouted at the paper.
"Not one single mention in the whole thing!" Mizuki growled. "I wasted all that interview time for nothing! Nothing!"
"I don't feel that way about the team!" Aya protested. Everyone looked at her. "It's true, I promise."
They all went back to shouting at no one for several minutes.
"This is the last time we're ever doing any public interviews!" Aya said.
Everyone agreed.
"And just so we're clear," Akuma added. "None of us ever said any of these things. It never happened."
"I second that," Taichi said, raising his hand.
"Me too," said Yuri.
"Me three," Heishi agreed.
"I as well," said Aya.
"Alright, we don't all have to all say it," said Akuma. Mizuki and Kasai shrugged.
"I'm going to bed," Aya called, walking out of the room.
"I'm gonna train," said Kasai. "Who wants to come?"
"I'll go with you," Mizuki followed.
"I'm coming," Yuri said.
"I'm following Aya," Akuma snorted. "Do what you want."
"I'll be outside," said Taichi.
"And I'll be eating," said Heishi.
"Good to know we're all back to normal, I guess," Akuma said quietly. Maybe a little too quietly for anyone to hear.