The Victorious Opposition Comes Home (Natsume thread)

[Anastasia]

Riding the lighting. A river of fire that sears through your brain. A rush unlike anything else.

Pure, stunned, reactive terror.

Any of these would describe the past six minutes for Natsume Kusanagi. Once in, Eudial seems to have idly disregarded any speed limits and laws of physics as you ZOOMED down this underground system of roads and tunnels, after asking for your address. It's far faster than any other car you've ever been in, your fevered brain telling you that 200 MHP probably isn't a bad guess at all. Your driver grins as she makes turns and goes on two wheels like it's elementary, the car responding to her every move with a deep, throaty purr of it's engine.

Finally...

The ride comes to a stop. Everyone besides Eudial does look a bit shaken, but not deathly so. Somehow, near the end, there was a feeling of rising...and you seem to be in the snowy streets now, not underground. In fact...it's your home street, not two houses from home in this blizzard!

"Here you go," Eudial smiles, almost pleased visibly. "This is it, right?"

[Midnight Sun]

"Y...yes it is," Natsume answers before scurrying out of the speeding hell on wheels as quickly as possible. "Th...thank you very much for the ride."

She had just met this Eudial person, and she had already categorized her as a certifiable maniac.....

[Anastasia]

"No problem at all. We can do it again," she adds right after, patting her steering wheel happily. "Have a nice night, Natsume." The door closes behind you, the car zooming off.

Home beckons in the snowstorm...and if there was every anything more desired...

[Midnight Sun]

"The first thing I'm going to do is take a nice, long, hot bath, then head straight to bed," Natsume says to herself as she trudges through the snow. "That is if grandfather doesn't rip my head off first."

It does not take long for her to reach her home. A quick turn of a key and she's inside, greeted by unusual silence.....

"H...hello? Is anyone home?"

[Anastasia]

There is a single moment of nothing. Then....the darkness fades as Kurumi turns on the front lights. She follows like a light, hugging you. "Natsume-chan," she calls out, giving a  good squeeze. "You're okay? Aren't you? You're not hurt? It's all on the news...it's a big deal with a lot of people in the mall going to the hospital thanks to the Juuban sickness." Rambling on, you can see that she's a bit teary.

Grandfather is nowhere to seen at the moment, though.

[Midnight Sun]

"I'm fine Kurumi, everything's fine now," Natsume says in a calming tone. Though she couldn't help but laugh a bit at her sister's hysterics. "It seemed everything worked out well enough in the end, thankfully."

She waits for Kurumi to calm down, wiping a few tears from her face before asking...

"Is...where...how is grandfather?" she finally managed to ask. "Does he know what happened at the mall?"

[Anastasia]

"He's in the dojo, meditating," Kurumi supplies, starting to smile now that her tension and worry are melting away. "I told him some of what happened. He was a little bit worried, but he said you'd come back fine since you were a student of our school."

[Midnight Sun]

"That's just like him," Natsume says, breathing a sigh of relief. "I'd...better go talk to him next..."

From what Kurumi said, he did not sound too angry. It definitely lightened her  heart to know that he had faith that she would return safely...

"I can't believe I didn't ask this sooner; are YOU feeling okay Kurumi?" Natsume asks. "You aren't feeling sick or anything are you?"

What with all the talk back at the Academy of Celcia and her effect on everything around her, she did not want to take any chances of her ice having some adverse effect on her sister.

[Anastasia]

"I'm okay, Natsume-chan," Kurumi confirms, her warm skin telling you perhaps all you need to know. "A hot bath helped after that. I'm a touch worn out from the excitement, but I'll live."

"And...." she pauses at that, her smile fading as she lunges forward again, rehugging you. "Damn it, Natsume! Will you NOT run off like that into the Kami only know what that was all about? Or at least be more careful? You're the only sister I have."

[Midnight Sun]

"I'm sorry I made you worry so much," Natsume says softly. "Though...I can't promise I won't do it again....it'll be a while before I run off to fight the hordes of evil like that again."

Natsume's face turns neutral as her words set into her own mind...

"I caught a glimpse of the enemy, and I know now where I fall short," she says. "I won't go running off to fight until I'm certain that I'm strong enough that you'll never have to worry."

[Anastasia]

"You saw what caused this," Kurumi follows up on that, interested despite the pain your words bring her.  Blowing out a long breath, Kurumi goes on.

"What is it...what could cause all of this to happen? And what will make you stronger?"

[Midnight Sun]

"Something...very old...and very spiteful," she explains slowly. "She used the fears of a sick and desperate woman to try and gain a foothold in our world. Though thankfully she failed in the end."

The thought of still causes a twinge of anger to boil. The thought of demons abusing the fear of humans like that...it made her angry...to say the least.

"Her power was extraordinary, the entire mall was practically under her control," she explains. "I was able to hold off her monsters but...my energy eventually gave out. My ki stamina just wasn't enough."

She had gotten to a point where she could not even form her sword. It was sheer luck that she recieved an alternative in the form of the lightsaber given to her by Mercury.

"If anything, simply increasing my store of ki would greatly increase my chances against them," Natsume says, more to herself than to Kurumi. Though it was much more than a matter of just increasing her ki, it would have to be an exponential increase..."But...thats easier said than done. Like I said, I have alot of training ahead of me...."

[Anastasia]

Kurumi nods once after all of that.

Your sister takes a moment to think all of that over, face going between a frown and a smile a few times before she shakes her head.  Finally, "Just go see Grandfather...if you insist," she sighs. "Train, then, okay?"

[Midnight Sun]

A pang of guilt strikes Natsume's heart at seeing Kurumi become so crestfallen. Sometimes she could not help but think her younger sister would be better off someone alot more thoughtful than herself...

"Y'know, I'm really glad I have a sister who can put up with someone like me," she says smiling. "I realize...how hard it is at times, but...really...I don't think I would have the strength to do what I do if weren't for you, Kurumi."

[Anastasia]

That, at least, nets you a small smile back. It doesn't quite reach her eyes all the way, however, but...damn it, it's something.

"Thanks, I guess," Kurumi replies awkwardly. Wiping her eye again, "Get going, okay? I'll draw a bath for you for once Grandfather is finished."