Tokyo Ravens - Volume 5 - Chapter 2.1

Chapter 2 - Practical Skills Training Camp 

Part 1 
Harutora joyfully sat in his tour bus seat. 
It had already been a long time since he had last experienced such calm freedom. In particular, this was his first time since advancing to the second year. Harutora seemed to have finally reclaimed the good mood from when he had watched the blooming cherry blossoms while walking to the academy on the first day of the new term. 
Peaceful days were so nice. Harutora carefully mused over that natural sentence, swaying along with the bus. 
Harutora sat in an aisle seat, and Natsume sat in the window seat next to him. She was the same as Harutora, seeming to be enjoying the rare peace. 
Her expression wasn't bad and her eyes were energetic and crystal clear. Her hair, tied up by a pink ribbon, had also regained its former color, and her cherry-colored lips carried a happy smile. 
The two of them both wore a uniform that looked like imperial clothing - the school uniform of the Onmyou Academy. The classmates wearing the uniform in the other seats of the bus chatted noisily. This tour bus that the Onmyou Academy had rented was carrying the entire class. 
As an Onmyouji cultivation institute, the Onmyou Academy didn't have activities like school trips. Harutora and the others' current destination was a joint practical skills training camp held with the second and third years. 
"I didn't think the Onmyou Academy would also have camps." 
"I completely forgot before. There weren't any in the first year." 
"That's the best part! The 'first years' 'don't have any'!" 
"Yeah. This is coursework 'unrelated to the first-years'!" 
Harutora and Natsume looked at each other and smiled with pleasant moods. 
In the Onmyou Academy, the first year focused on the classroom, and only the basics of practical skills would be explained. But it was the opposite from the second year onwards, as magical training became the focal point. This practical skills training camp was a common curriculum between the second and third years. It was held on the weekends with no regular schedule, and this time it was the turn of Harutora's class. 
All of the students in the Onmyou Academy knew very well that the practical skills training beginning in the second year was quite demanding. Actually, the practical skills curriculum from April onwards would increase in difficulty as well as frequency. Of course, this was also quite a difficult training camp. 
Even so, this still couldn't weaken Harutora and Natsume's excited moods. 
"Wow, I'm looking forward to this camp." 
"I'm really looking forward to this camp." 
"Come to think of it, don't you feel very happy already?' 
"Yeah. How should I describe it - a feeling of breaking away from normal life?" 
"Right, that's it! Escaping 'bother'!" 
"Should I call it excitement, or joy--?" 
"It's great!" 
"It really is." 
They were completely like elementary schoolers on an excursion. They didn't feel any tension at all about the tough training camp that was coming. 
It was actually quite shameful for second-year students to feel extremely happy at the fact that the first-year students weren't here, but of course Harutora and Natsume didn't notice this point. No, even if they noticed, they didn't care. After all, they had frequently been 'called out' recently, even on Saturdays and Sundays, with no free time at all to be at ease. This training camp could be called the golden 'free' time. Harutora and Natsume showed naive, brilliant smiles in unprecedented harmony. 
In the seat on the other side of the aisle, a girl with chestnut hair halfway tied up and a feisty personality happened to be looking at the two of them. She was the Onmyou Academy Principal's granddaughter, Kurahashi Kyouko. Kyouko tilted her knee sock-wearing legs, secretly peeking in the direction of Harutora and Natsume. In the end, she seemed to finally lose her patience. 
She spoke to Momoe Tenma, who was sitting next to her: 
"......What are those two doing?' 
"......Who knows?" 
It seemed like Tenma had the same questions. A perplexed expression emerged on the face of this good-natured boy, and the eyes beneath his glasses constantly blinked. 
"It's hard to understand. Maybe if it were only that idiot Harutora, but even Natsume's......" 
"Yeah. The two of them haven't been in high spirits for a long time." 
"Something good probably happened." 
"Yeah......" 
Kyouko and Tenma spoke in a voice that no one around them could hear, exchanging their doubts in a quiet whisper. 
This was indeed the first time they were having class in a place outside the academy building, so naturally there was a new feeling. It was inevitable that they would look forward to a long road trip with their classmates and then living together for a night. Though Kyouko had originally only wanted to travel together with Natsume, she also believed that the training camp this time would be an extremely fun activity. 
Even so, this training camp was a form of coursework, and since they wouldn't have time to relax, there wouldn't be any recreational activities. They would start the tough practical skills training as soon as they arrived, and they would return straight to Tokyo once it ended, that was it. Also, the weekend, which should have been time to relax anyway, had been forcefully occupied. In addition to Kyouko, most of the students in the class probably felt apathetic about this training camp. 
But they were in far higher spirits than expected, and even making a clamor. It was very reasonable for Kyouko and Tenma to wonder. 
"......It's very possible that when they were in the Tsuchimikado family, their regulations forbade travel or vacations." 
"And so they're jumping for joy all of a sudden? No matter what, that kind of situation......" 
"Maybe the two of them weren't able to participate in any excursions or trips before because they were sick or injured--" 
"Even so, it's......" 
Kyouko and Tenma brainstormed together. 
They thought long and hard, but looked at Harutora and Natsume without coming up with anything: 
"Ah, right. Harutora. Have some snacks." 
"Hey, not bad. It's good." 
They had even started eating snacks. How leisurely and comfortable. 
"I have senbei [13] , karinto [14] , and ningyouyaki [15] " 
"Ahaha. Natsume, you prepared too much." 
"Harutora, you even brought playing cards." 
"Hey, you have to bring playing cards to a camp." 
"Then we can play old maid or sevens [16] at night. I'm really looking forward to it!" 
"Playing with small bets isn't bad either, the atmosphere gets intense!" 
Unfortunately, only Harutora and Natsume were enthusiastic. Kyouko and Tenma awkwardly watched the two Tsuchimikados. 
Just then, Harutora finally noticed the gazes of Kyouko and the others. 
"Huh? What's up, Kyouko. Do you want some?" 
"I didn't say that at all!" 
"......Could it be that you don't like traditional snacks?" 
"Ah, n-no, Natsume-kun! That's not it......!" 
Kyouko didn't know how to respond to the master and servant pair who seemed to not understand the atmosphere. Tenma, who couldn't keep on watching, helped out. 
"Well, Harutora-kun, Natsume-kun. This training camp is coursework for the moment. I don't think it's too good to play around and be noisy with that kind of attitude." 
Though he was trying to kill their mood, Tenma spoke somewhat apologetically. 
Even so, Harutora didn't seem to be affected. 
He munched on a senbei while beaming. "Don't be that serious, Tenma. According to your words, aren't field trips and excursions part of school too?" 
"B, But...... Isn't this sort of practical skills training camp very difficult? You might not be able to keep up with the curriculum if you take it too lightly......" 
"You don't get it, Tenma. Isn't it useless to notice that kind of thing now? Also, it's better to enjoy it or be relaxed than it is to be nervous." 
"That's reasonable......" 
Harutora's words were probably correct, but it didn't seem very convincing when he munched loudly on a senbei while saying it - it might even make others reject that reasoning. 
"Natsume-kun is a different matter, but you shouldn't be this easygoing." 
Kyouko glared angrily at Harutora. 
"Also, why are you like this? Why are you smiling so happily? Isn't it weird?" 
"Huh? N, No...... We aren't smiling that much. It's very normal. Right, Natsume?" 

"Yeah, there's nothing in particular...... Think about it, I always liked Onmyoudou, so I'm thinking about what kind of things we'll do during the training camp." 
"Also, isn't travelling with only your own class something that makes you extremely happy? It's 'only' the students from your class!" 
"Right! It's much easier to deepen feelings with each other than it usually is. 'With everyone from the class'!" 
"......Though I would really welcome deepening our feelings for each other with Natsume-kun......" 
He might be wrong, but it seemed that Kyouko showed a complex expression as she watched the jubilant Harutora and Natsume, and her words were also quiet and unclear. The face of Tenma next to her seemed like he also wanted to express something but didn't know how to say it. 
Then, 
"Ah, right. Hey, Harutora-kun. Speaking of classmates, where's Touji-kun? He's the only one who's going to meet up with us later, did something happen?" 
Tenma seemed to have thought of this question. 
Actually, Ato Touji wasn't on this bus. The homeroom teacher Ohtomo had explained beforehand that he was going to 'come a bit later', but hadn't specifically explained the situation. 
Harutora laughed quietly. 
"Actually, my dad's coming to Tokyo this weekend." 
"Harutora-kun's dad?' 
"Yes. My dad - he's Touji's primary physician...... The person responsible for the 'seal' on him. After the Nue incident, Touji went back to the country to receive my dad's treatment. Since Touji hadn't gotten checked up since then, and my dad happened to be in Tokyo, he's first going to receive treatment and then participate in the training camp." 
"......I see." 
After hearing Harutora's explanation, Tenma as well as Kyouko nodded with an appearance of comprehension. 
Touji had been involved in a Tokyo spiritual disaster about two years ago. The phase three mobile 'Type-Ogre' spiritual disaster had left behind residue in his body. In General Onmyoudou, people who had become spiritual cores but who held on to their own consciousness were named 'living spirits'. Touji was one of these. 
The 'Type-Ogre' spiritual disaster in Touji's body had been sealed by an Onmyou doctor, who also happened to be Harutora's father. The most important reason he had chosen to transfer into the Onmyou Academy to study with the goal of becoming an Onmyouji was because he hoped that he could seal and purify the demon hiding in his body by himself. 
However, this March, he had changed his methods of dealing with the demon and had succeeded in purifying a Nue together with Harutora and Natsume. He hadn't sealed the demon. Rather, he had even used the demon's strength. 
"After the Nue incident ended, Touji received training while watching his condition. The treatment this time will depend on the results of the special training. The most effective method for Touji right now is to get it sealed." 
"Th, Though I don't really understand, the seal's just being upgraded, right?" 
"Actually, I'm not very sure either, but that's probably it, right? That guy's getting more and more reliable." 
Harutora spoke casually and Kyouko replied without a care. 
"I get what you mean...... But, is it alright? Isn't it a bit dangerous for him to be participating in the practical skills training camp right after large-scale adjustments?" 
"He thinks that this is a 'godsend', to be able to test out his own skills earlier." 
"......T, Touji-kun is really incredible." 
"......He really has self-confidence, that's definitely something he would say." 
Tenma was convinced, but Kyouko felt greatly astonished. 
Kyouko was the eldest daughter of the famous Kurahashi family, and Tenma had also been born in one of the traditional families rife with Onmyouji, so they could understand the danger of 'living spirits' better than a normal academy student. In particular, Touji had once been consumed by the demon to a degree and had almost transformed into a demon. 
Even so, Touji didn't flee, but still had the courage to actively face the demon. Kyouko and Tenma both secretly gave him the highest evaluation for that point. 
But at the same time, they really couldn't suppress their 'anxiety'. 
Dealing with a 'demon' - even if it was just residue, not the original - was usually the domain of professional Onmyouji. To try to control a demon - that sort of action wasn't only dangerous, it was also foolhardy. It was natural for an academy student to have such a reaction. 
But, Kyouko and Tenma were currently already Onmyou Academy second-year students, and in the near future they would step into the world of professional Onmyouji. They were also improving themselves every day in order to step into the professional world. The difficulty Touji was trying to overcome might be an extremely special case, but Kyouko and Tenma couldn't take things lightly. 
"......We can't keep messing around." 
"......Th, That's right......" 
They couldn't lose to their classmates. Kyouko murmured quietly, and Tenma also lightly nodded his head in unison to express his agreement. 
On the other hand, Harutora didn't notice the psychological change in the two at all, leisurely handing out senbei. 
"Anyway, that's what's going on. Since it's rare for us to come out like this, you all might as well eat Touji's share too." 
"......Didn't I say I wouldn't eat them?" 
"I heard that senbei are good for your aura." 
"Don't make up whatever you want!" 
"Sorry, Kurahashi-san, if I knew earlier I would have brought some snacks other than Japanese snacks......" 
"That's not it! That's not what I meant, Natsume-kun, don't misunderstand......!" 
"Tenma, do you want some? Here." 
"H, Harutora-kun, I'm grateful, but no thanks......" 
Harutora, Kyouko, and the others bickered back and forth. Because Touji, who was responsible for stopping them, wasn't here, it was noisier than usual. 
"Quiet down." Just then, a lazy voice sounded. A man walked over from the front seats. 
He wore a pair of aged glasses on his face and wore a rumpled suit. His right foot was a wooden fake leg like a medieval pirate's. He was Harutora and the others' homeroom teacher, Ohtomo Jin. 
"You're too loud, don't forget that this camp is also class." 
"Sorry." 
Kyouko's face reddened, and Harutora and the others also smiled awkwardly. Ohtomo looked at the students with a helpless face. 
"You guys are really relaxed. I don't mean to frighten you, but you should know that the camp will be very tiring. It's good to be full of vigor, but I'm scared that your energy will start to deplete and you'll end up not being able to make it." 
"Sensei, we're not relaxed, we're recuperating!" 
"Whatever, being eloquent isn't a bad thing for a practitioner......" 
Harutora acted dumb, eliciting a wry smile from Ohtomo. But Natsume regained her calmness, bowing to apologize out of trepidation. "We're very sorry. We were too loud. We'll eat a bit more quietly." 
"......In the end you're still going to eat......" 
"Huh? We can't eat snacks?" 
"Uh, you don't need to be that surprised." 
Natsume, who held a bag of senbei, was greatly shocked. Upon seeing her like that, the wry smile on his face deepened. 
He reached his hand into the bag of senbei, taking a piece of senbei out of the speechless Natsume's hands. 
"Anyway, it's no use to be anxious, it's better to relax when you can...... You should take advantage of the present to properly relax." Ohtomo glanced at Harutora and Natsume as he said this, walking back to his own seat while munching the senbei. Harutora, Natsume and others were confused and perplexed. For some reason, they even felt a trace of sympathy from Ohtomo's look. 
"......What does that mean?" 
"I don't understand either......" 
Harutora and Natsume were a bit worried, taking another senbei each. 
After the senbei, the bag of karinto had also been emptied when the tour bus reached its destination. 

The bus had driven for two hours from inside Tokyo, carrying Harutora's class to a camp near Lake Yamanaka, one of the Fuji Five Lakes of the Yamanashi Prefecture. 
The Lake Yamanaka area was a scenic summer resort as well as a famed attraction. At the same time, due to the penetration of aura flow from Mount Fuji, the area was also known for its special aura. Because of these relationships, this area had many magic-related facilities and was used as a 'training field' for first-class magic. 
The area the Onmyou Academy had chosen to be the location of the camp was a shrine among these training fields - Zokusho Shrine. 
This shrine was little-known. Guessing from the name, it might be a shrine related to the stars. The shrine was located on a precipitous hill, overlooked by Mount Fuji. Underneath could be seen Lake Yamanaka, and behind it was a vast forest. The shrine had been set in the middle ground in order to keep this natural beauty from being destroyed by humans. 
The tour bus drove to the foot of the mountain, then all of the students climbed the long stone steps, carrying their own luggage. 
They climbed up, short of breath and covered in sweat, and once they reached the top-- 
"Senpais, you're so slow~ When are you going to make me wait until?" 
A small girl wearing a pure white uniform sat on the top of the stone steps, her back against an ancient stone torii. She jumped up gracefully, the golden-dyed hair tied up into twin tails jumping around on both sides of her small face. 
She wore a sweet, blooming smile on her face. Kyouko, Tenma, and other students couldn't help but let out surprised cheers. 
Harutora and Natsume's hands loosened, the luggage in their hands dropping heavily onto the ground. 
Ohtomo looked at the students who were in a joyful clamor - deliberately ignoring the petrified and dumbfounded two Tsuchimikado - and coughed loudly. 
"Ahem...... I 'forgot' to mention something. Dairenji Suzuka-kun will join our class and participate in this training camp. The first-year students basically don't have any practical skills curriculum, but she's a special student after all. Get along well with her, everyone."