On Astral Tides: From Humble Freelancer To Astral Emperor

Seventy-Eight

“So, I can’t help but feel like a fifth wheel here…” Rika-san said sadly, looking around. “Still, at least I’ll get a free lunch out of it, right?”

“Yes, you totally weren’t needed.” Eri complained. “I am sad enough we had to let… her… come with us.”

“I have a name, little Ri-Ri…” Yae-san countered. “And your personality has done a real one-eighty since last night. I don’t think it suits you. Besides, I think I’m the one who should be unhappy here… you cut in line ahead of me before I could get my date.”

Yae-san had dressed up for the day, in a pretty nice denim miniskirt and fetching tight pink t-shirt. She had also changed the way she had her blonde hair, framing her face which was made-up to look more mature. Coupled with colourful earrings she looked like a young and fashionable college student.

“Well I still don’t like it.” Eri sighed, clutching onto my arm possessively. “If Shaeula didn’t insist on this I’d have sent a thieving cat like you packing…”

Thieving cat? I never could have imagined I’d hear Eri say something like that. Still, this… is kinda nice… Eri was pressing her body against mine, and she was also dressed at her best, in a long skirt and light jumper. Yesterday after the nerve-wracking experience of confessing our relationship to our parents, once we had finished being humiliated by stories of our youth, Eri had come over and spent the day at my house. She had slept over with Shaeula and my sis, so we only had a short time hunting and practising our skills in the Boundary that night. On the plus side, that does mean I’m fresh for today…

“Oh whatever.” Rika-san threw up her hands. “If you two want to fight all day get on with it. I’ll just enjoy window shopping in the city with Shaeula and Ai-chan. You understand my pain, don’t you?”

The streets of the nearest city, Inuyama, were full of people going about their business. It had taken us a decently long train ride to get here, and of course I had paid for everyone. Still, my sister and Eri had to get a few things for our trip, and getting them in our town would have proved difficult, so… I guess I can treat my girlfriend to a few things while we are here too…

“Speak for yourself. I’m happy to see big bro getting on so well with Eri-chan.” My sister answered her, looking around excitedly. “Besides, there’s no way my bro would do anything he shouldn’t with Yae-san later. So I’m not concerned. It is a teensy bit annoying with all the flirting, but I’m a good sister, so I’ll overlook it.”

“I find it rather amusing indeed-indeed.” Shaeula grinned. “It is indeed heart-warming, too.”

“Bah, I bet you are jealous really.” Rika-san replied.

“Not at all-all. Tomorrow I shall be back in Tokyo with Akio, so I shall have him all to myself then-then.”

“See, you should be picking on her, not me!” Yae-san moaned. “She’s the thieving cat if ever I saw one!”

“All right, we might want to cool it, we’ve got a lot to do today.” I calmed everyone down, Eri still walking arm-in-arm with me. “But we might as well have fun while we are here. And I do appreciate you coming, Rika-san. I prefer you to go home as a bigger group, it’s safer. After all I can’t look after you all when I’m with Yae-san.”

“Well, if you are going to thank me, I guess I don’t mind. I did get a free trip out here after all. And I suppose I owe Yae-chan some moral support…” Rika-san twirled her hair, seemingly pleased.

“So, where to first bro? I expect you have a plan?” my sister asked, and I did indeed have one. Bringing up the map on my phone I pointed down the street. “There should be a decent clothing store just down there, way bigger than anything we have back at our town. You’ll need outfits for the holiday right?”

“Damn, I’m so jealous…” Yae-san muttered. “Going on a foreign trip and getting treated to new clothes. Working guys are so hot…”

The store itself was a multi-story building. Inside it even had air conditioning, a far cry from the little shops back home. It was almost like being back in Tokyo. Once inside the girls scurried off to look at various outfits, leaving me feeling more like I was chaperoning a load of excited kids rather than a group of teenage girls. Good job I won all that money the other day, as I suspect my wallet is going to take a beating…

The girls chattered excitedly as they viewed dresses, trousers and other clothing. Even Rika-san and Yae-san were getting involved, helping my sis and Eri pick out outfits that would suit them, though a lot of them were flashier than they were used to. Soon the girls were trying on various outfits in the changing rooms, and I was of course forced to give my opinions on each one.

“So big bro, what do you think of these?” My sister was wearing a pair of brand-name skinny jeans, showing off her athletic legs nicely. “I think I look pretty good…”

“Yeah, and if you pair it with a belt like this…” Rika-san brought over a leather belt with a crystal-studded buckle. “It’ll be hot. She’ll be fighting the boys off…”

“Well, I’m not sure that I want her to be attracting such bothersome flies…” Although if it was a good guy… maybe that’d be fine… still, anyone that hurts my sister won’t live long enough to regret it. Shaking off those gloomy thoughts I continued. “But if you like it then buy it. We are staying in a fairly decent hotel so we can’t look out of place.”

“You sure bro, the price tag is…” she looked at me, and I couldn’t let her down.

“Sure, go for it.”

After than I ended up buying similar for Eri, as well as several other outfits for them both, dresses, skirts and tops. The expense was piling up. So glad I got an extra point of Fortune during the festival. Every bit helps…

“Now for upstairs. Swimsuit section, swimsuits!” my sister was cheering. “The hotel has a pool right? So we have to be ready. Plus I bet you want to see Eri in a skimpy bikini, right bro?”

“I sure do!” I laughed, causing Eri to blush. “Up we go then.”

********

“It sure is frustrating seeing him buying them so much…” Rika-san complained. “I wish I had a boyfriend too…”

“Well, I’m supposed to be on a date, so why am I suffering?” Yae-san also sounded depressed.

The girls were in the female changing areas, comparing thoughts on various swimsuits. I had been asked to go by my sister, but Rika-san persuaded them I’d like it more if they surprised me on holiday. So I was sitting on a chair outside, listening. Shaeula was next to me, seeming uninterested in the shopping. Which does not seem like her. She’s seemed… distracted, ever since we arrived at the store. Her gaze keep straying… Even now, she was looking downwards, towards the street.

“Hey Shaeula, what’s wrong. You’ve not seemed yourself since we got here.”

“Hmm, there… is a presence nearby. A spirit perhaps-perhaps. I find it unusual I can feel it on the Material plane. It almost seems to be … calling to me-me.”

“I see.” The timing is bad, but… “You want to go check it out?”

She nodded, grateful. “Yes-yes. It is like an itch I can not scratch. I would see what this spirit is and what it wishes from me.”

“In that case… wait a minute…” I headed into the changing area, careful to keep my gaze in check. Finding Rika-san and Yae-san waiting outside the changing rooms I told them I would need to nip out with Shaeula for a few minutes, and asked them to keep an eye on the girls.

“Sure, since you asked I’ll do it.” Rika-san sighed. “But I sure am jealous…”

“Uh, well, why not pick out something for yourself while you are here, as a thank you for coming along today and helping me out?” I offered her a bribe, hoping it would cheer her up.

It did. “Really? Wow thanks a lot Akio-kun. I can see why girls like you now, generous guys are the best!”

I turned to Yae-san, who was pouting savagely, looking close to tears. “You know, I was going to take you shopping again on our date and buy you something, but if you want to just grab something now, you can.”

“Thanks Aki!” Yae-san darted in for a hug. I could have dodged it, but I let it slide as she put her arms around me, pressing in close. I kept my hands up though, so as not to give her the wrong idea. “I might as well get something sexy now then, so we have more time for… fun … later.”

“I can hear you…” Eri said from the changing room. “Akio is mine, and stop calling him Aki. You barely know him.”

She released me with a giggle and pulled down her eyelid and stuck out her tongue at the changing room with Eri in. “See you later Aki. We’ll be here or on one of the other floors.”

With that done I hurried downstairs with Shaeula and out into the street.

“So, where are we looking?” I asked. Shaeula peered around and then took my hand, leading me around the corner and down a side street. Tucked away at the back was a small shop, with a sign reading “Takakura Antiques.”

Interesting. It looked a pretty old store, the wooden frames of the door and windows faded with time, varnish peeling. The window itself was pretty dirty, and in it sat various old items, such as rocking horses, carved statuettes, old plates, and one rather weathered old doll, looking like a girl around eight to ten years old, dressed in a faded lace dress with tattered ribbons in her hair. It was also surprisingly large, getting on for life-sized.

“There.” Shaeula pointed, right at the doll. Her eyes blazed amber and she studied it for a moment. “I see now-now. We should go inside.”

Opening the door, a bell chiming to alert the owner they had a visitor, she went in, with me following. The interior was certainly mysterious too, the inside lit only by a few lamps and what light could filter through the grimy window. Clutter was everywhere, old chairs, display cases full of knick-knacks and faded china, dilapidated furniture and more clogging up the interior. Shaeula ignored it all though and went to the doll, reaching out. As her hand made contact with it she let out a dull hiss, jerking it away, before touching it again. She sat in silence for a moment, eyes glowing.

“Can I help you two?” I heard a voice ask, as a surprisingly young woman came over to speak to us. She looked to be in her late teens, with long black hair down to her waist, worn around her almost as if she was using it as a cloak. Her face was pretty too, with very pale skin, as though it had not seen sunlight in ages, and her eyes were dark, yet somehow sharp. “it’s rare we get youngsters like you pair in our shop.” Youngster? I look older than you…

“Oh, I saw the shop as I was walking down the street with my friend here and decided to pop in on a whim. Are you the owner?”

“Who, me?” she smiled. “No, my aunt owns the store. My sisters and I help out sometimes. So, have you satisfied your curiosity, or are you here to buy something? Perhaps your family would like a gift…”

“We need this-this.” Shaeula said, bringing over the doll, which was half as tall as her, so it looked like she was carrying a little sister. “Master, please buy it for me.”

“Oh, your girlfriend here is adorable. And she has a… good … eye.” Takakura-san said. “That doll is quite the antique. My aunt says it comes from a very noble family, and it was played with by children for hundreds of years. It is a bit … in need of restoration, but a piece such as this… you won’t find it just anywhere.”

Starting the hard sell already, huh? Taking a look at the price tag I let out an involuntary yelp. HOW much? Look at those zeroes. 800,000 yen, that’s… wow, obscene.

“Uh, well, it is a nice doll, but like you said, it needs some restoration, so surely we can … discuss… the price a little, right?”

“Oh my, already driving a hard bargain. Do I look such a frail girl I can be bullied?” Takakura-san  smiled gently, and we began haggling. After a round of strenuous bidding I managed to get the price down to a still punishing 600,000 yen. Paying by card I asked if I could have her phone number in case she had any other similar pieces in.

“Oh my, trying to hit on me in front of your girlfriend, after making my heart shake with such a hefty purchase. You are a sly one aren’t you?”

I started to stammer a denial before she burst out laughing. “I am only teasing you. You can have the store number, I’m afraid I don’t give out mine to customers, even handsome ones like you.” giving me the digits she turned to Shaeula. “You look after that doll now. Your boyfriend paid a lot for it. It is quite old, but it’s been treasured by many children. Maybe your own will treasure it too, someday.”

Our children? Is that even possible? No, I’d be having children with Eri anyway… ugh, so not the time for this.

“Shall we go then?” I asked, and after bidding Takakura-san farewell we left the store, but after only a few steps outside Shaeula winced.

“It is no-no good. The spirit is tied to the doll, but also is trapped in the store somehow. If I take the doll too much further away it will suffer-suffer.”

“So, what do we do?” I asked.

“We must enter the Boundary and free it there as well-well.” She declared. “I expect no master of mine would abandon such an opportunity… it would be such a waste too-too, as this is a doll our children will cherish, correct-correct?” she smirked at me, and I blushed. Damn, you can be wicked…

“So… what to do…” I pulled up my phone and searched quickly, mindful we left the girls shopping. “There’s a public toilet at the end of the street. Is that close enough?” I asked.

Shaeula looked at the doll once more. “It should suffice. Let us hurry-hurry.”

Entering the toilet I realised we had a problem. Shaeula had followed me into the male toilets. Luckily there was nobody else around, but still! If anyone was to catch me with her in here, they could only think one thing. I’d be finished socially!

“We need to find somewhere to enter quickly.” She hissed at me, so admitting defeat I pulled her into the cubicle and locked the door, where she and the doll were squeezed up against me intimately. Sorry Eri, I think this might count as cheating, but I’ll make it up to you! Ignoring the warmth of Shaeula as she pushed against my lower body I closed my eyes and circulated my aether.

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