Vermelha soon arrived to the center city, which was much different from the center city that surrounded the school that they attended. Everything was much older and traditional in this part of town. No buildings that blocked the sun or cars. Most houses were a traditional japanese with sliding doors.
She walked down the hill they were on being careful to stay on the sidewalk and not in the road where merchants pushed their carts to try and make a profit for the evening.
"This is closer to home! I'm more used to this."
It was odd for him to see so many tall buildings with modern society. He wasn't completely lost, but he had lived his entire life in more humble environments like these.
"It seems Yoshiwara is split between the common man and the ones who want to make it to glory. This seems calmer. I may get an apartment here even if it's a little further away from school. Regardless, an enigma exists in this town. The same energy that came from that guy radiates here heavily…I suspect something greater is going on than we could imagine…but for now let's enjoy the town.
She smiled at him, watching tne merchants and stores flourish. She was always privy to spending money even in serious times. It was something that kept Vermelha's anxiety low.
"Already ahead of you on that."
Matsumi took the lead a little to look at all of the merchants and what they sold. It seems this place made him feel safer, like he wasn't in a new place far away from his family.
"Let me know if you see anything you want I guess. I'll buy you whatever you want..but only one or two items…so choose wisely."
"Anything? Hmm, that's a little tough. There's a lot here."
Vermelha left him to be distracted by the items while she scoped the area out with her sensory abilities for any anomalies in the city.
"What about these?"
Matsumi ran over, having taken two items from the small shop selling various items and antiques nearest to them. Matsumi held in both his hands two small rings. One had a butterfly engraved into it, while the other had a rabbit.
"What? You want matching rings?.."
She took a small look at them before looking back at him confused.
"You can choose whichever one you want! Although they aren't really matching. I just want you to have something too!"
"…Alright. I choose the one with the butterfly. I think that suits me better.."
She smiled and pulled out a few bills to pay the merchant for the rings.
"Phew, good. I wanted the rabbit more."
He slowly slid it on his index finger, then he started to look around the area, both admiring it but also trying to do what was asked of him.
Strange individuals did pass the two, but nothing overly alarming to the point where it would need to be called out. Vermelha slipped the butterfly ring on her finger as she continued walking, sniffing out a potential danger to the two was the highest thing on her priority list currently.
"I haven't seen anything yet. You?"
"Theres some interesting energies surrounding us..but nothing largely out of the ordinary yet."
"Okay, let's keep going then."
"I'm going to use the bathroom. So stay here while I go. I shouldn't be to long, okay?"
"Huh? Oh, okay!"
Vermelha walked into an old nearby coffee shop leaving Matsumi on the outside. Matsumi stayed waiting outside, slightly playing with the amulet that hung off his neck.
The boy walked the sidewalk as he sighed, his hands behind his head. Raito had approached the second center city to check out one of the noodle shops there. He figured he could get a nice, hot and cheap meal in the less sophisticated areas of Yoshiwara.
The foreigners never particularly made high quality food, but instead focused on presentation and marketing instead. Raito always respected high standards for business, but he was a consumer and he wanted the fresh food grown off the land of the Zenin. They had always tried their best to make the best tasting meals, even when all the human families were poor and worked beneath the Gods.
Matsumi noticed Raito, raising his voice and waving out to him.
"Hey!"
"Oh Hey! The Crazy Guy!"
Raito walked over to him.
"What's up?"
"I just saw you and wanted to say hello! Is this your first time down here too?"
"Nope. I actually live out here. Kind of crazy to think about huh? The commute is kind of crazy.."
"I don't think it's that crazy, better to keep moving than not is what I say!"
"How is that good?"
Raito waved at him annoyingly, putting his hand on his head while wiping the sweat from his face.
"Dont you ever relax? You know, out of the heat and city? I mean why not just lounge around all day? Isn't that every man's dream?"
"Sure I do, when I'm about to sleep. Or when I need to read something, but if I can help it I'd much rather do something instead!"
"Man you'll be really tired in the tower though. I mean..You're so high energy and those floors are really huge!"
"I'll be fine, I'll be fine. Maybe I'll make a magic that'll always give me energy."
"Woah…something like an infinite loop maybe…or something to do with the brain. If you pulled that off you'd be the coolest person I know. Sort Of…"
"I'd definitely be the coolest! I'd never get tired of doing tricks. I'd do it forever!"
"Maybe I can help…But i'd wanna use it too…It would kind of be like our secret you know?"
"Sure, I don't mind! Then I could teach you all the tricks I do, you should get some roller skates too."
"Uh…im okay I don't need roller skates…but tricks sound cool!.."
"Oh, I have so many to show you! We got the Sliding Glass Spin, The Door to the Witch-Even the Triple Helix Jump!…I don't know how to do that one yet…but I know it's gonna be awesome."
A girl peeped out from behind a wall, looking at the two and listening to their conversation. Heiwa watched them with a curiosity in her eyes, an innocence that still bequeathed her despite her recent endeavors.
"Yeah thats-"
Raito's eyes darted around Matsumi to the wall, there was nothing there at all. Only more buildings and houses, strangers strolling the city.
"Hey…Are you waiting on someone or something!…I feel like someone was just watching us."
"I am actually, I'm waiting on a friend. She wanted to go to the bathroom or something."
"Hey I think she already left that way. Maybe she forgot you were with her."
He pointed in front of him.
"What? I have to catch up then! Maybe we'll talk later again!"
He rushed off to where he pointed, expecting to find Vermelha.
It had appeared as if Vermelha was in front of him running in a direction and not looking back. Matsumi could see her body and head moving along through the crowd.
"Hey, wait up!"
He pushed through the crowd, slowly moving closer and closer. Even reaching his hand out into the sky to make himself more visible.
Matsumi ended up ramming right into Heiwa as she fell towards the ground, a bunch of people crowding around the two. She held her face as her nose had started bleeding from the impact.