Tourney Arc

[Bean Bandit]

Miyuki nodded, forcing herself to smile.

"I just didn't sleep well..."

[Anonymous]

Olguin merely chose to sigh at that. If she didn't want to talk, who was he to force her?

"C'mon then...time for breakfast." He calmly replied, leading the lost girl to the kitchen.

[Shukuen]

Leets glanced up as he finished setting the plates. Three seats, four crepes each. "You two are such heavy sleepers," he said, raising an eyebrow as he sat in his seat and ate.

[Anonymous]

"That we are." Olguin wryly said, taking his own seat and quietly eating.

[Dracos]

The ocean foamed as it began to surface...  surrounded by an orb of power  the water was help within.

Fearless leader

[Dracos]

"Kahran,  ready to launch", Kahran sat within his cockpit, his golden gear already flexing to his mental commands.

Fearless Leader

[Bean Bandit]

Miyuki just nodded, her mind flashing to the troubling dreams she had all night. She nodded to Leets and began to eat quietly.

She'd thought she'd cried herself out at the beginning of this ordeal, but each morning, she found herself confronted anew by the frustration, embarrassment, and fear.

She wouldn't cry about it anymore. She refused to make Olguin feel any worse than he already did...

She finished her breakfast in silence, and slowly pushed the plate away when she finished.

[Shukuen]

Leets frowned in annoyance. "Well if you don't like my cooking, just say so," he grumped.

[Anonymous]

Olguin snickered at that, "It's great food, Leets. Ryoko just feels a bit out of sorts lately."

Finishing up his meal, he briefly sent a warm smile at Ryoko.

"I promised her I'd help her, and I always keep my promises."

[Bean Bandit]

Ryoko sat in Ryo-Ohki's control chair, leaning back lazily.

"Ryo-Ohki, ready for launch," she reported. One of Ryo-Ohki's control crystals swung around in front of her face, and the cabbit's animal likeness appeared in it.

"Mya!"

Ryoko sweatdropped, then scowled. "No way! You ate all the carrots last night!"

"Mya Mya Myaaaaaa!"

"If you do a good job, MAYBE we'll get some more when we're done!"

"Mya!" Ryoko continued to bicker with her ship, allowing herself to be distracted from her memories of happier times...and Tenchi...

[Bean Bandit]

Miyuki looked up at Olguin, her violet eyes wide. Slowly, the first geninune smile she'd given since the day before yesterday bloomed, as she allowed Olguin's words to reassure her.

She then turned to Leets. "Gomen Nas-Er, I mean, I'm very sorry. It wasn't your cooking...I just haven't been feeling well..."

[Shukuen]

Leets glanced between them. "Just what's so bad anyway?" he asked, not quite understanding why Ryoko seemed so down since they met.

[Bean Bandit]

Miyuki blinked, and began to stammer.

"Uhm...I...It's a long story..." She looked away, her face hot with embarrassment and shame...

[Anonymous]

"Um...we'd best move out, anyhow." Olguin started, "A lot has to get done."

[Shukuen]

The peace of the early morning sunrise was interupted only by a gentle sound, much like the wind blowing across the rooftops.

Swish. Swish.

Each swing brought forth a new surge of pain, bringing a wince to her face. But she endured, as with her sister's advice. To feel pain only meant you were still alive. So her morning routine, no, her kata, a dance of the art, continued. She would not fall victim to her weakness. She would become stronger, she would not fail to mortality.

As she practiced, her mind began to drift into the steady rhythms of her movement. And within the reaches of her mind, came a bitter sweet memory of days gone by.

~~Flashback~~

"I'm not sure about this, oneechan," little Fuu said nervously. She had previously been estatic in the prospect of learning a new skill, but to be the target of the demonstration?

Her older sister smiled gently. "Trust me, imouto-chan."

Reluctantly, Fuu stood in front of the boulder as her sister prepared.

"Ready?"

"Yes."

With a sudden, swift blur, Fuu's sister lauched a shimmering vacuum blade. Fuu whimpered, seeing the blade tear up the ground as it flew towards her, and closed her eyes...

...only to feel a breeze fly past her, followed by the sounds of crumbling rocks.

"That, imouto-chan." Fuu's sister began, smiling benevolently. "Was the Shinmeiryu succession technique. 'Shinkuzen'."

She blinked, seeing no reaction from her little sister other than trembling. Upon closer inspection, she noticed Fuu seemed to be mumbling something.

"Something wrong, imouto-chan?"

"......oneechan... I think I wet myself."

~~End Flashback~~

Fuu sighed as she finished her kata. That memory just had to come up, she though wryly. She sighed, reminding herself she still hasn't mastered the technique yet and she had a long way to go to do so.

Glancing up at the horizon, she guessed that the arena should be opening soon. "Might as well get this over with," she sighed, slinging her backback and picked up her duffle bag. She hoped that they'd get the mission directly after the tournament. She had other things on her mind now.