Issue 1 Downtime

John led Mizuki into his room. She would immediately notice it wasn't as neat and orderly as he normally kept his things.

"Okay so what the heck is going on, big bro?"

"You should probably sit down for this."

"This better be, like, super important." she says, sitting down on one of the chairs.

"I don't know everything yet myself, but I'll tell you what I do."

"Dad showed up here out of the blue one day, acting funny. He was all... emotional. Creepy right? Anyway, turns out he'd been having these strange nightmares and when one of our telepaths checked it out they found a... well do you know what a yokai is?"

Mizuki just gives John a look that clearly says she doesn't.

"A Japanese spirit creature, often malevolent but not always. This one was thankfully of the friendlier variety. Dad was only reacting negatively to it because his mind is too inflexible. So, it tried another way of getting it's message across. It... umm... gave us a... magic VHS tape."

"Of course." she says, believing roughly nothing of this story.

"I know, I wouldn't have believed it either if anyone not faculty here said they met the thing. Anyway... on the tape was a recorded memory of this guy... this samurai built rather a lot like me minus the reptile bits... but he was talking to his descendants. A message in a bottle I suppose."

"His name was Yamakaze Daisuke. Officially he was a Ronin, but he was actually a member of an order of demon hunters called the Hyakuryoushi, or the Hundred Hunters. They were nearly wiped out by a demon worshiping ninja clan known as the Bone Carver Clan, or the Honechoukou. The Hundred eventually defeated them but the cult leader declared a curse upon them that the cult would one day have it's revenge. The Hundred's wizard cast a spell to hide them from what was left of the cult... but now it's due to expire."

Mizuki kind of looks like she doesn't believe half of it and doesn't quite follow the other half. "And Dad's in Japan why?"

"To convince his parents and his own sister to take measures for their safety."

"And Seattle's not safe because..."

"Because traditional authorities can't handle this and our ancestor, while obviously not talking to me specifically, seemed to think a descendant of his would be needed to wield his enchanted weapon."

"So you send Dad? Don't tell me he's supposed to be some kind of hero wielding an ancient weapon..."

John gave her a look that said 'don't be ridiculous.'

"No, he's just doing what he can to help while I find the descendant of the wizard that the friendly yokai told us could help. All the annoying thing gave us was a picture."

"Great and I get to stay here while you two sort this thing out?"

"Well sorting this out mean me and the X-Men fighting, among other things, giant demonic spiders."

"I'm not afraid of spiders." she points out, maybe overestimating herself a little bit there.

"I distinctly remember the time a kid at school snuck a fake spider in your backpack. I think a glass shattered."

"And I remember when you couldn't go outside because it was too bright out." she frowns stubbornly.

His eyes narrowed. "Low blow sis."

"Sorry..."

"But," he sighed, "You make a point. Fragile little Johnny now fights supervillains so why can't you? Right?"

"You said someone cursed our family so you gotta do something. Well I got the same reason to, no? Or is this some stupid boys-only club?"

"No, this is those with combat training and experience only club."

"Then what if they come after me here while you all are in Japan, huh? I might be safer over there with you."

"We never leave the school unguarded."

"I can't even leave the school grounds?"

"Like anyone else here your age, you're pretty free to come and go unless there's a imminent danger."

"If all that stuff is true then it concerns me just as much as you."

"And which of us is less likely to get hurt?"

"I bet I could beat you." she says defiantly, and possibly overestimates herself at least a little bit.

"I'm so not fighting my little sister."

"Then I win by forfeit." she says smugly.

"Keep telling yourself that."

"I am, like, way stronger than you though! You're not any less likely to get hurt than I am."

"You may be stronger but I'm more resilient."

"You'd get crushed by one teensy boulder."

"Oh I would not."

"Would too! You're being really stupid right now and you know it."