What Nature Planned (Haruto, Momiji)

[mermalaide]

He seemed in better spirits, less defeated. She wondered absently as she stared at him, just how many times had he gotten up from a fight that seemed stacked against him. The inugami had been with her since she had been seven or so. If anything, it had been an unconscious thought. When he spoke of reaching new heights together, she smiled. It was a dog-eared grin, one that would often put people off. She was earnest, direct, and often too honest. It was something that never failed in getting her into trouble. "I would not mind helping." She appreciated the honesty, most people around her weren't so honest, even the ones with nothing to hide or be ashamed of, Japan was just like that. She remember the saying about three faces. This was so lonely to her though. Haru seemed different in that regard.

"The stars are camp fires
Every night I wander out
it's like seeing new."

She had looked up briefly when she said this, awestruck by the clear, cool night. "Some abilities are fickle. I heard that sometimes bloodline ones don't activate at times unless the user is near death. I don't know how true that is." She pondered. Looking up at the sky was the only time she had taken her eyes from him. Her slender white neck was visible from the happi that was now a bit torn from their fighting. "It is better that you learn to fight without it. People rely too readily on this still. I myself had to be taught to omit that when first fighting, because it's a crutch." She followed him to his thing and watched him riffle though them.

When handed the water, she had not thought of anything but the coolness of it, and did not hear anything he said, instead choosing to drink directly. "Oh. Apologies, Saito-dono." She had bitten her lip after swallowing half the water in the bottle, lips still wet, before realizing what he said. 

[Umbraflamma]

"Having pride is important... but being unwilling to accept assistance freely offered is idiocy." he said as he slowly walked over to the first aid kit and popped it open, offering to her the box first. 

She spoke a haiku and he looked skyward, he grinned a bit as he reached a hand up towards it as if trying to grasp them. The expression on his face seemed conflicted both happy and sad. The full moon was still low in the sky behind them, creating long shadows as fireflies and moths danced around them. Haru felt it, he had been stuck in a rut, mindlessly training but no real goal other than "better." He felt different, and it was obvious in his eyes as they reflected the countless campfires in the heavens. 

"Perhaps I have been

Neglecting the beauty and

Harmony of night"

he responded, wondering if they would be stuck in this weird back and forth all night. Weird but not unpleasant. "Regardless maybe I need to focus less on abilities and more on myself, not just in striving aimlessly for technique, but something more..."  he closed his hand into a fist and brought it back down holding it in front of his face. "Yeah I'll keep going no matter what I can't be deterred."

"of course, no need for apologize." he said turning a bit red, "That's my fault you can have the rest I've been hydrating all day anyway." he said as he took a seat on a bench, now starting the feel the sting of the wounds from the earlier fight. 

[mermalaide]

"It's serenity
After being beat all day
Never forget to look up!"

It was her smiling answer to what he had said. He looked better in spite of being a bit beat up. They could sit with the medical box between them. "Yamabuki sensei always restocks this box. It vexes him still it looks like." There were always fresh bandages, no matter how much was used the next day. "We can help each other with bandages if you like." Her thoughts drifted to his wounds which were only scratches thanks to the charm circle. It would have been fatal. She felt a little guilt about that, but also knew better than to acknowledge it, for it would likely be awkward or shame him.

She saw that redness. Was she being forward? Perhaps, but he seemed to get a little flustered at that. This made her turn pink and look away. "It's okay, I have had my fill, there is still more, and if not, I can fill it at the facet over there." The outdoor sinks were lined up along the side of the traditionally building they were outside of. Who knows how many students had trained and fought before in this place, had gotten water and sat, contemplating the warrior's way.

She tried to give him back the bottle and looked for the antiseptic wipes. "I learned field dressings, but sadly not much else. But, we usually have a healer or two with us." The way she spoke was soft but firm at once. There was a husky quality to it. Her hair fanned out behind her, looking very much like an old fashioned Japanese princess. It made her look softer, which was an odd contrast between the hard demeanor she carried.

Momiji unwrapped wipe and leaned forward. "Can you remove your shirt? I can clean it but the scratch is long and it should be wrapped too."

[Umbraflamma]

He nodded in response to her haiku. smiling in response, his smile was so bright and vivid, it was rare that someone was so open about themselves. "Heh, well i keep him busy i guess." Haru said as she mentioned the teacher that had taken quite an interest in him. "oh... uh... are you sure?" he asked her turning pink again as she mentioned helping with bandages. 

She offered to hand the bottle of water back, his face burned up a bit. He was thirsty... it's indirect so it doesn't count right? His thoughts were trying to catch up and he eventually relented.  He hadn't thought much about girls, not that he didn't like them just that he was so focused on getting better it didn't seem important. he took a sip, before downing the rest of the bottle. "th-thanks" he said as his heart hammered in his chest.

"That's fine I'm usually patching myself up." he said as he shrugged. he usually trained alone after all. That was when she asked him to remove his shirt and his face went beat red. When he first met her he didn't think twice about it, but now it felt so much more... intimate. He didn't know how to react but he also couldn't think of a logical reason to turn her down. "A-alright." he said as he unbuttoned his shirt revealing again his physique. He was not bulky, but he was surprisingly well built. his training was clear as day, as his musculature was near immaculate. Of course very few people outside of the boy's locker room knew this fact, perhaps that is where some of the need to put him down came from among the other men. 

[mermalaide]

"Of course. I can refill it too when you are done." She tried to be friendly, but she was nervous too. "He's a good teacher. I had him before the sensei I have now." Momiji breathed softly and had to hyper focus on his scratches. "Thank goodness for that charm, we can train with the most lethal methods but the wounds aren't." She dabbed at him with the antiseptic wipe delicately, hoping it didn't burn. She tried to touch feather light, because she knew, dealing with her own injuries she just knew.

But why was he looking at her like that?

Had so much changed in a matter of an hour?

Maybe it was like that..

She looked into his eyes, the redness of them shone in the moonlight. "You really know someone after you fight them huh? The contents of their heart." She moved closer to bandage him, her voice that soft husky sound. How many nights had she just walked alone in the night with nothing but stars? How many monsters and men had she brought down already with the arc of a sword? And it was alone. She looked at him so seriously.

Then she spoke his hame, and it felt like her heart had stopped. It was informal and she felt her hair brush against the torn happi jacket.

"Haru. When you fought me..did you see into my heart?"

[Umbraflamma]

"it's helpful to be able to go all out in sparring. It really helps to show where I can improve." He said as he sighed. He was trying not to be discouraged by his loss but at the same time he felt disappointed in himself. 

there was a spark of something else. Ther was comraderie as well, that had beuilt almost flawlessly, and their desire to fight each other but there was also something else. similar to comraderie but soemthing more. He had no frame of reference for the feeling so he put it aside for now. If there was anything haru was good at it was going with the flow.

He didnt flinch mmuch as she applied anti-septics, despite his youthful energy he showed little to no hesitation when it came to discomfort. "Maybe..." he said as he looked up, only to see her staring so closely into his eyes. "I think maybe i saw a glimpse." he said as he looked back at her, "I saw a noble beast controlled and yet wild." he said, "I saw someone who was so brave and calm, and yet... alone."

He flushed a bit at that, worried that he had said too much. He shyly looked away as he asked her in response. "And what did you see in me?"

[mermalaide]

She stopped what she was doing, he had her whole consideration then, her attention was as intense as midday sun. She had learned when she was so small that loneliness was not so bad, it was freeing, however, as of late, Shinsengumi and now Haru, well they made that lonely, nature sharp like the intake of cold air. 

"I see sharp eyes there
Scar and muscles from hard work
A heart that won't quit."
 
It was true. Those kids with powers, possibly herself included had never had it that hard. Well, maybe it was a different kind of hard. "My battle was always a war of attrition to control what was inside. Perhaps," Momiji stood, her knees ached a little from the position she was in, "perhaps for you, it is not about control, but breaking through the barrier of one's self." Was that too much to say?

It did not really matter did it?

The truth was, that every event had to be sparked somehow. She had retained the memories of the Inugami she had joined with. This creature had been fierce and angry, a vengeful dog who hunted out of rage, hurt and neglect. It was drawn to the pens her family had kept for the training of police dogs. Their treatment had perplexed it, and Momiji had broken it's rage over it's knee at the ripe old age of five.

She bit her lip and looked at him almost hungerly. Momiji knew not how she felt but longed to cut and run into the trees. She longed to feel the burning of oxygen and blood in her lungs. "Tell me about what you know about what dwells in you. Maybe another view can unlock the puzzle that is there."


The fight will still continue

Which path is important now?

What I've overlooked in my efforts

For example, someone's gentle smile

[Umbraflamma]

"Beautiful and Fierce

Inspiring and yet modest

A fair noble beast"

He said as he looked back at her, "Yeah i think, i need to stop doubting myself and start actually committing to going as far as I can... instead of just saying it to myself." he admitted as he looked back to her. "Not sure I was never told, neither of my parents have strong powers, though my mother did fell an Oni with a wooden sword once." he said with a chuckle. "All i know is that the temple told me my blood was off the charts  with magical energy, and so far nothing has manifested." he said with a shrug. "People have been acting like im just not trying or something. Or that i cheated on the blood tests somehow. which is nonsense but when have rumors ever cared about logic or sense." he said as he gave her a small smile. "I think for now im just going to keep trainiong as I am, and when I finally awaken I'll be that much stronger multiplied. 

Yeah this conversation with her was the shot in the arm he needed. To realize where he was going wrong. He had been beaten down so many times that he failed to notice when he had stopped believing his own self encouragement. His actins had become routine, uninspired, lacking substance. "I think I need to stop wallowing, dust myself off and stand up again."

"Speaking of which did you want help with your wounds too?"

[mermalaide]

She had almost forgotten about them. The breeze kissed her exposed flesh and Momiji winced. "I think that would be a wise idea." She made sure to sit still and stay close, relaxing her arms. They felt heavy like weights for the moment. This was what her skill did after it was done. It made her feel a bit heavy like lead. His compliments swam in her head and she felt the warmth of them, as well of the burn of them.

A fair, noble beast.

Indeed.

"The idea of cheating on a blood test? Preposterous!" She almost laughed at that. What moron had cooked up that? Her eyes sparkled almost maliciously. "Firstly, the test right on site. But the other thing is the dark implication that the Temple Network does not know their own trade or could have been bribed. You must point out the genius that cooked that up." She raised an eyebrow at him. It had all the attitude of a German Shepard dog. 

"If anything, it is likely like what I have suggested. We have a few in the Shinsengumi that have had dormant abilities. My thoughts are that it has something to do with actual need. There has to be a catalyst to get it moving. If it hasn't happened yet, it's likely that you have not had the right test or emotional spark. That's the other thing. Emotion. These things sometimes come out through strong emotion or even when someone is near death and they sleep until the right thing happens." She wondered if priests had told him or if they just heaped a bunch of gibberish about faith at him, some ambiguous Zen advice that seemed wise but was impractical and frankly non-committal. 

"Sometimes I ponder
of flowers that are trod on
their roots are so deep."

She scanned his face in the twilight. It gave her a chill. There was something just a savage as she. It bristled and she closed her eyes, sighing with a deep breath. Somewhere a ways off was a temple bell.

[Umbraflamma]

Haru got the bits and pieces of the first aid kit together. "I usually use the disinfectant raw, is that fine with you?" he asked her as he averted his eyes somewhat. Sure they were treating wounds but... something about her made it hard to breathe. It was suffocating and yet invigorating all at the same time. 

His touch was ginger and gentle, as if he were handling something delicate. "Honestly, it's the idle fancies of idiots. I just wish they'd come up with a good story at least." He chuckled a bit to himself as he tried not to think too much about how pale her skin looked under the moonlight. she was in every way an ideal beauty, and though many would find her eyes offputting, haru feared being lost in them if he stared too long.

"Perhaps what matters

is that someone will treasure

That which others shun."

With this he finished and looked up to her eyes, his usual gentle goofy smile. as always only ever so slightly juxtaposed by his overdeveloped fang. He was very much a contradiction, with the mannerisms and softness of a kitten and yet, deep down something else hungered. Massive jaws that thirst for conflict and violence. "I think you are good to go, how are the bandages?"

[mermalaide]

"Well, if they aren't creative how could they?" She laughed. "I imagine it's like someone trying to farm on dried up soil." She was surprised at how careful he was being. She was not really used to anyone being so careful with her like that. No, not at all. It was not an insecurity, at least, not anymore, but there had been a quiet acknowledgement there. She knew she made some people uncomfortable. But, Haru seemed to not mind so much, if anything he was more gentle and kind. That softened her gaze a bit. "The disinfectant is fine as it is." She did not flinch, though, in truth she noticed nothing else really.

"Maybe the valuable

Are not apparent to fools

For lack of wisdom?"

It was a simple feeling. Both were rare, and shunned and this had not been lost on her. That smile was goofy and yet it reminded her of an orange cat. She had heard one of the officers speak about their own orange cat, who was sometimes a loveable puff ball but also a murder machine to any cricket or centipede that dare ventured into his home. "I think you do good work. Bandages look and feel well. We won't need them after a day or so really." She had her own grin, a doglike one.

[Umbraflamma]

Her skin was soft to the touch, and Haru was having difficulty remaining focused. He yearned for something else but he had no idea, what it was. There was a slight quiver to his touch, one that was not present when he had been wielding his sword. "yeah, if anything I actually enjoy the burn a bit, it's a reminder that it's working." Haru often took the no pain no gain mentality to the next level. 


 "I guess I'm Lucky
To see the value in who
Others do not see."

There was a look in Haru's eyes, one that was much changed from when they first spoke. Something happened in between their first meeting and now. Before he almost had the eyes of a child, and now his gaze carried an air of maturity that contrasted completely. Was it something she said? "Yeah, we should be fine. I'll have to clean up... I think I've done enough training for tonight." he said as fireflies flitted past them.

It was a beautiful night, and as much as he needed to head back home, within him as a strange desire to prowl the night. 

[mermalaide]

"Sometimes the reminder of being alive is the sweetest thing. I don't think it's odd at all." She saw him react a little to touching her and wondered what this was about. It was something other than the feeling of blood coursing and pumping through the heart, at least in the regards of fighting. That was a new feeling, one that made her feel almost obsessive. She listened to his words and half closed her eyes, letting the wind brush at her bangs and leach the heat from what would have been nasty wounds. It felt cool and good.

"Fools drop like wheat
separate from a chaff
making bland noodles."

She opened one eye and gave a smile, teasing.

"But you and I, we
we crave a deeper flavor
meat run with juices."

She almost chuckled at her own joke, though, that made her stomach growl a little. It took her by surprise, for when had she stopped to eat last? Had she been so consumed with details that Momji had not paid attention to caring for herself? That happened here and there. Especially now with the Shinsengumi. Recruits ate like locusts when they actually could eat. "..Sorry." She looked rather sheepish.

[Umbraflamma]

"being around you, I don't think anyone could feel any less than alive." her scent the smoothness of ehr skin it was incredible, intoxicating even. Haru felt full of so many feelings he had never felt before. As her own stomach gowled his own joined in concert, causing haru to start laughing. "No need to be sorry we fought hard, and gave it all we had, what did you want to eat?"

He asked her as he sucked in breath. He was ravenous, craving bloody rare meat. "Very fair, I think some meat should go well for me how about you?" he asked as he could barely contain his drool thinking of biting into bloody flesh, his fang-like teeth catching the light. "You have anywhere in mind, or am I picking?" he said as he stretched, "Thank you for the match, Senpai." he added with a radiant smile. there was this positive energy to him that few could match, it was like he was a literally ray of sunlight even as they bathed in the moonlight.