CHAPTER 12
Megumi slowly brought her hand down from his shoulder while smiling at her, and midway, he nodded his head positively.
She was only going to teach him a single move, but how long that was going to take, though, was what he didn't know. A little training, she said.
His training hadn't begun immediately. They went home immediately after she made the proposal to train with her, stating that they would be leaving for somewhere much better the next morning.
Megumi waited eagerly in anticipation, and after many long hours of sleep, it was finally time for both of them to move out.
******
Megumi quickly got dressed as soon as he was done with his breakfast and began packing a few things he would need for their journey.
He had a few jackets, a sleeping bag, some sturdy shoes, and a flashlight. Rikiyo was waiting for him outside with their tent and rations of food and water.
Apparently, she intended for them to go ahead to a mountain for the "little training" she had offered, and they were set to leave soon.
Throwing his backpack over his shoulders, he quickly dashed out of his room. Walking through the pathway past their garden, he was soon standing before the gate to the mansion.
Just past the gate was a black van parked to the side, and leaning against the van was his older sister, Rikiyo, along with a few familiar faces.
There were Yuki, her elder sister Tsukina, and someone he had come to know for a while now: that glistening ivory skin and curved dull gray eyes with bags under them.
She was clutching a folded piece of paper in her hand, with the other fitted into a pocket. It was Gekka, the librarian.
The sun was up, and everyone was ready to get moving. He had no idea why everybody else would be joining them on their journey, but he couldn't be bothered; his mind was brimming with so much anticipation to be lost in trivial thoughts.
With all of them set, they began hopping into the black van.
The vehicle stretched no less than five meters in length, looming over the street. Its tinted windows were like empty eyes staring back.
Inside the vehicle, everything was swallowed by shadows, and the air was permeated with the scent of stale air and worn leather. Seats were lined against the walls, their black fabric patterned with faint stains, and up front, a metal partition separated the cargo area from the front of the van.
They all loaded their luggage into the cargo area and then began walking in one at a time. First was Yuki, then he and his sister at last.
Gekka was the one taking the wheels.
*******
They quickly drove past the streets, and with the entire residence of the Fujiboma branch being as large as a small town, the drive took them a while.
Everything appeared in a dark hue through the view of the van's tinted windows, bringing a seemingly tranquil feeling to the scene. It wasn't long before his view changed from an endless row of houses built with hardwood and tiled roofs to a line of trees that stood like sentinels along a path.
This was one of the only two ways out of the clan's residence, unless one was to fly away. The path soon changed once more, and after a few minutes, they joined the highway.
He was still engrossed in the breathtaking views when he felt someone lightly pat him on the back, and soon, an open book was placed on his lap.
He twisted his head slightly to see Yuki sitting next to him with her hands on the book placed on his lap and a bright smile on her face.
"What's up?" he asked, quickly adjusting himself.
She simply nodded her head and gently tapped on the page of the book. Her voice, brimming with enthusiasm, asked.
"What amazing things do you think we'll find at the snow peak today?"
He shrugged his shoulders, looking back at the view through the window, and back at Yuki once more.
"I doubt we'll find anything interesting there. Mount Setsuho is one of the most popular places in all of Tsukimori, so most of what is there has most likely been discovered already."
Yuki heaved a sigh as she turned away with a gloomy look on her face. Her eyes darted around the interior of the van, and with nothing important to do, she turned her gaze toward the ceiling and heaved a sigh once again.
"This is no fun at all. Well, if we won't be finding anything, are there any monuments there we could at least see? It'd be a shame if there's nothing worth mentioning there."
No one gave her an answer, and Megumi was once again looking at the view through the tinted windows of the van, filled with intrigue and enthusiasm.
This place may have seemed similar to the world he previously came from, but now he could see a striking difference. Every view he took in was breathtaking; it simply couldn't be compared to whatever there was back on earth.
Lush greenery, tall trees, and distant mountains. The sea was a colorful reflection of the clear blue skies, with all different species of magnificent birds dancing beneath the clouds.
The infrastructure was quite simple, but he couldn't understand a few of them. He had even seen the distant silhouette of a building built in the middle of the sea, and in the distance, straining his eyes enough, he was able to catch a glimpse of the shadow of something gigantesque floating in the sky.
He had no idea what it was, as it was his first time seeing all of this. Having not left the clan in the past five years, all of this was nothing short of refreshing.
*****
The terrain they were driving on had soon changed, and now there was nothing left in Megumi's view besides the branches of enormous trees lined up along the path.
And soon, Gekka's melodic voice echoed inside the van.
"Get ready, everyone! We'll be reaching the snow peak soon!"