Chap 114: adapting to feeling
Mahoraga didn't know exactly what to do, her days were spent just watching from the shadows. Being just a summon, the shadow is where she will always be.
His shadow, her master.
Her mind was constantly occupied by thoughts of him, the Shikigami was captivated so much it could be said that she was bewitched even.
Takumi, that was his name.
She spent a lot of time watching, she saw him doing many things. Most of it was not involved with fighting so she skipped them.
But every now and then, he would take a walk. She enjoys those walks because every time she gets to fight. And there are others Shikigami with her too, but they each have a job, she couldn't care about it unless it involves her adaptation.
Her master seemed to want for her to get stronger by adapting to as much as possible, gauging how much she can adapt to. As far as Mahoraga can understand, she can adapt to anything and everything all at once.
At the end of their 'walk' , she glanced and watched as Takumi stared at the empty air, she thought nothing of such action.
*woof* *woof*
The divine dogs barked at his feet, Takumi's eyes drawn to them. So did Mahoraga.
"Oh, sorry, I was busy with something." He reached down, placing his hand and rubbing their heads.
Kurona and Shirone let out a pleased bark, rolling their tongue.
Mahoraga just looked in confusion at his action. She had no idea the meaning why he did it or why the two divine dogs would request that from him.
*click* her wheels spin round and round in an attempt to understand it. The lack of information made it difficult to adapt.
And they spin and spin, kept on even while she was in the shadow. She decided to keep on watching, she saw her master get back home.
That woman, for some reason when she noticed this. The wheel *click* with a resounding chime, like a bell of realization.
She watched how he interacted with this other woman, specifically on what she did that made him so happy.
She pays close attention to the way she acts and the way her master responds to her. Every touch, every eye glance, the way that their skin came into contact.
For some reason, her action could be perceived as a threat yet he doesn't act like it is. So she kept watching.
The strange woman would pick him up forcefully, she kept a hand hard around her master's neck and bit him until he drew blood, yet he didn't defend himself. Instead, he seemed to be enjoying it.
With the spinning of her wheel.
When his hair was smoothly combed by her hand, or when he was hugged comfortably on the chair.
Secretly, she wants to do it. She wanted to be the one who holds him, the one who combs through his hair. She is always watching learning more about Takumi.
The next time she went on a walk, Mahoraga killed the curse so fast that the rest did not get a chance to be summoned.
Her master reacted quite surprised, and that is a good thing, right ?
"Wow, your adaptation is getting faster. Good job, Mahoraga." He praised her, but it still feels off.
"What's wrong Mahoraga ?" Takumi asked, the giant Shikigami hovered her face at him, normally she would return to his shadow automatically when there's no threat left.
She lower her head at him, tilting it down...like a....puppy ?
"Oh, you want a head pat ? You could have just asked." Just now realizing this, Takumi let out a helpless smile as he reached out and placed his hand on top of her head.
*click*
"Head....pat." She mumbled to no one, but at this moment, Mahoraga had learned to talk. And she is intent on using more to communicate with her master.
The day rolled around, she didn't just watch, but listened too. Whatever the strange woman said, she repeated, her master must love this when the next time she talks to him.
Takumi was surprised at her development, so such advancement was not something the Shikigami he knew could perform. While yes, he has a link with all his ten shadows, it was more like a sheet through which he can see their status.
Takumi was excited about this news, this meant he was taking the right path. One day, he will have a powerful Shikigami that can't be killed.
Over the course of the next few days, Mahoraga repeated the same thing. Asking for his affection was much easier, all she had to do was bow, and he would oblige.
To an unsuspecting Takumi, he was occupied by other thoughts, too busy to know the creeping hand itching closer.
When Mahoraga's hand touches his, Takumi does not do much. He takes it as a normal reaction, but to her it was permission.
She can ask for more.
So the next time, she tried to do one of the things he and the strange woman did. She takes him in a hug, her gigantic arm easily wraps him in like a cocoon.
"Hmmm....I didn't expect this." Takumi muttered softly, It feels nice. He wouldn't deny it, getting squished in between two enormous milkers.
"Nope-" he cut that thought out, pushing Mahoraga away.
The Shikigami frowned in confusion, Takumi was certainly enjoying her action.
Why did he stop? Mahoraga's wheel spins once more.
"Why ?" She asks. Her voice is soft, just loud enough to be heard over the hum of the wind.
"It's wrong, you can't do this with me. I-i'm a married man for god sake." He walks back and forth, talking to himself more than answering her question.
'This is bad, what if she turned out to be another....nope, one yandere is too much for me. I have to stop this here.' Settling his thoughts, Takumi turned to his Shimigami.
"Mahoraga." His stern voice commanded, "Listen, I am in a relationship."
Her wheels didn't even have a chance to adapt to the words he said when Takumi continued to explain to her what it meant.
"So you see, I only do this with my wife." He tried, such action should not be permitted, especially when in the presence of his wife, not in this country.
If Tojiko ever found out, who knows what would happen to him?
"From now on, you are not allowed to come out unless I summon you or my life is in danger. That is an order."
The confused general still hadn't quite grasped it yet, but an order is what she must prioritize. So obediently, she returned to the shadow. Where she kept on watching, determined to understand everything about this 'marriage' word. If she can adapt to it, maybe her master would allow her to touch him again.
It was hard, more so when she couldn't access anything to learn about this concept. But there was a way to get around such things, she told her soldier.
Shirane and Kurona. They would act in her stead, rummaging through her master books. Learning by watching those moving pictures inside the metal box.
And plus, she got a front row seat in learning from her master himself, as he was in a marriage. What better example to learn from then her own master.
She knows what he likes, she knows what he dislikes. And so the wheel above her head spins with incredible speed.
Soon, she was able to pick up on the concept in just a span of three days. She can understand all about marriage, the relationship between a wife and husband.
And when she understood what I meant, something new was placed inside of her.
On a dark evening, she watched as the strange woman, Toji, or 'honey' as her master tended to call her.
For an unknown reason, she dislikes it. Not the word but the person that it was referred to.
She wanted it to be her, but she also knew it would never be. To her the knowledge has scarred her, even when she claimed to understand the concept of marriage. Living in it is a different thing, and because she was learning from Toji as a template.
This action has caused an unforeseen consequence. As the thing Takumi wanted to avoid is what she has become.