The Victorious Opposition Comes Home (Natsume thread)

[Midnight Sun]

"Thanks Kurumi," Natsume says, before finally leaving to confront her grandfather. As she enters the dojo, she sees the master of the house sitting in perfect seiza, and she promptly does the same. She could feel his aura permeating the room, it happened everytime he meditated, which is why she so strongly preferred not to be in his presence when he did. It always felt like she was drowning in nothing. "Grandfather....sensei....I have returned...."

[Anastasia]

The silence stretches from there, the old master giving no indication that he hears or cares that this fact has so happened. If anything, the feeling all around you becomes stronger, more engulfing.

As if a choking smoke was surrounding you, cutting off all life and air from your fragile being.

"....Natsume," he finally says, having risen in an instant, forgoing the usual formalities. "Is it true what your sister spoke of?" His words carry a great weight to them, a ponderance that is heavy and forebearing...

[Midnight Sun]

"Yes, sensei," she answers, managing to somehow keep her voice from shaking. The last thing she needed right now was to show any kind of lack of composure. "It is as she explained. Though I humbly admit that I overstepped my bounds...I and my allies were nonetheless victorious against the evil."

[Anastasia]

'Your allies, now?" he asks. HIs eyes survey you dispassionately, yet seem to put a pressure on you, something that you can feel in your body and bones. "You fought whatever demon took court there, did you?"

Idly, you see his hand twitch a bit.

"How did you fight, Natsume?"

[Midnight Sun]

Yes, in hindsight using the word allies was a bit pretentious of her...but what else could she call them?

"I fought to the best of my ability, using the techniques of this school to cut through the enemy's minions," she explained calmly and slowly. "However, as I was being overcome through their sheer number, the senshi came to my aid. Together we swept the demon forces like a whirlwind, eventually confronting the master herself..."

She stopped...taking but a moment to try and figure out how to best explain it...

"And...through the noble bravery of one of them, the master was defeated, her plans destroyed, and the people saved."

[Anastasia]

"You resolved yourself honorably and fully against that demon?" he asks. "I would expect nothing less of the heir to the school, Natsume.

This monster is destroyed now and is no longer a danger to the people of this city?"

[Midnight Sun]

Destroyed? Judging by what she knew, she could not honestly say that Celcia had been 'destroyed'....

"The people of Tokyo can sleep soundly knowing that the demon is no longer of this world," she answers.

[Anastasia]

"I see."

With that single reply, your grandfather bows his head. "I believe that you speak and have acted honorably," he says quietly. "In this case, you have made our family proud. Yet...

Perhaps there is still something to be done. Mere numbers overwhelmed you, yes?" he asks, now rising and looking you in the eye. "A true warrior of our school fears a horde of demons no more than a single oni. Do you understand?"

[Midnight Sun]

"Yes, sensei," Natsume replies evenly. "This battle has shown me the true breadth of the river I must cross if I am to be a true successor to this honorable school."

[Anastasia]

A nod there. "Yet...," Grandfather relents, "You have come home alive and well from a true terror.

Rest for the day, Natsume-chan," he softens, allowing a smile to go. "For tomorrow...we shall begin your training again."

[Midnight Sun]

"Yes, sensei," Natsume says before kowtowing. "Thank you, sensei."

With those words she stands, bows, and takes her leave. As soon as she steps out of the dojo and slides the door shut, she quickly releases the breath she'd been keeping in ever since she entered.

"Well...that certainly went quite a bit better than I thought it would," she says while taking large gulps of air and wiping her brow of the cold sweat that had formed. "Maybe I'm just getting too paranoid for my own good."

[Anastasia]

The chilly, snowy air is like a balm to your sweaty skin. Though, ti brings back that promise of a warm bath...

Which, all things considered, is the closest you could get to Heaven tonight, having survived the day.

[Midnight Sun]

If  there was one to be said about demon slaying, it was the blissful rewards waiting soon afterward.

'At least that's what I'd like to say,' Natsume thinks as she drags herself up the stairs. 'I'm not exactly a true demon slayer yet now am I?"

She idly pushes that observation out of her mind. All she can think about now is slipping into that nice hot bath that Kurumi promised....

[Anastasia]

On finally managing to make it to the bathroom, youf ind Kurumi in the bath. Steam rises from it as she waits for you, beckoning. "Hey," she smiles wainly, leaning back in the tub. "How did it go with Grandfather?"

[Midnight Sun]

"Well enough, thankfully," she answers. It takes but a few minutes for her to throw her clothes off, shower, and slip into the steaming hot waters. "I thought he'd be pretty angry at me running off on my own like that, but it seems I didn't have much reason to worry."

All aches and pains melted away under the soothing heat. Everything else that had happened during the day was quickly forgotten in favor of total relaxation.

"He says we're going to resume training tomorrow," she continues. "He didn't seem too keen on me having trouble with their numbers, so he probably intends to crank up the difficulty by one or two levels."