Maiden of the Peach

Chapter twenty-two: Practice Makes Perfect

      "That's what's bothering you now?" Shino scoffs while wagging his fluffy tail happily from his head pats, "There's a lot of things that I need to explain to you." he adds while wearing that odd satisfied smile on his cute face.

      "Look, I got another ability, Shino!" I excitedly chirp in a while, thrusting my bracelet forward for Shino to look closer with a grin a mile long stretching painfully across my face.

      "So you unlocked Kushimitama, the soul of wisdom. How interesting." Shino nods while humming in approval.

      "Yeah, so um..." nervously scratching my cheek, somehow I started to feel awkward about asking the question that had been bothering me. "So how do I use it, the new spell?" I finally manage to spit out the words while excitedly clapping my hands together.

      "I told you that I have a lot to explain to you, didn't I?" Shino murrs while managing to smirk at me. "Come, I'll tell you what you need to know," he beckons with a tilt of his head to follow him a little ways from the campsite.

      Glancing over to where Ah-Un decided for their grazing before quickly trying to catch up with Shino's now much faster pace. Noticing that where we were going was fair enough distance to hear still when the others return from whatever they were currently doing.

      'I wonder if Shino also gets stronger from how many seals are released? That means unlocking these are becoming even more necessary if I want to back home.' Furrowing my brows as images of all the friends I have made, gnawing on my bottom lip. 'Will I be able to return to this world once all the seals are unlocked? Would I even want that at this point?' my mind continued to wander till Shino's sudden paused.

      "This should be a good enough distance." Shino nods his head in approval before turning his body around thoroughly to look up at me with a glint in his dark eye. "Alright, first things first, your new technic 'Fluttering Shirubatonbo' is a bit more tricky than 'Dancing Lotus' you've been accustom to." Shino sits down on the soft grass with his ears erect in attention, eyes gleaming with his unspoken excitement. "But like the 'Dancing Lotus,' you need to focus your spiritual powers by praying, you understand what I'm saying?" he barks while lightly tapping the ground with his frontal paw.

      "Yeah, so something like this?" weaving my fingers together before calmly closing my eyes, praying, and feeling that familiar warmth a culminating within my body.

      "That's perfect," Shino eagerly barks as he leaps to his feet, opening my eyes as a glistening breeze whirls around my feet. "Let's see," his beady eyes look around the small clearing before his gaze land on something in the distance. "How about you try hitting that tree other there?" he points to a lone tree in the space with his paw.

      "Okay," scrunching my face as I steady myself, "And how do I do that?" I finally ask while wearing an awkward, nervous smile. Shino almost trips over nothing before recollecting himself.

      "R-right, let me explain." Shino makes a coughing sound like he's clearing his throat before continuing to his explanation. "Keep eye contact with where you want to aim and lift your arm, maintain your focus at all times," he orders while moving from his spot to stand next to me as I follow his instructions.

      "Okay, this is already feeling a bit different," I murmur aloud to myself, a soft glowing light forms from the bracelet.

      "Now say 'Fly Shirubatonbo,' while holding that focus, (_______)." Shino proudly barks while wagging his fluffy tail in earnest.

      "Fly Shirubatonbo!" confidently, I yell as the orbs of silvery light darts out from my bracelet, zipping and zagging before grazing the tree's broad trunk.