Training and application of the mind(Natsume thread)

[Midnight Sun]

"I guess that would be a good idea," she said, even as she wondered what that last comment was all about.

He followed her back into the kitchen, deciding it would be best to try and make something for herself for once....

"Err, Kurumi, is there something wrong?"

[Anastasia]

Stopping in the kitchen, Kurumi shakes her head carefully.

"No...I'm just worried, I guess," Turning away and sighing with closed eyes, "I had a nightmare last night...that you didn't make it back from the mall, and..." Looking at you  - no tears, even though she is distressed, clearly -, "Just worried, I guess," she repeats.

"What you're doing now, it seems so dangerous than before. Before...it was just kendo training, right? Now...?"

[Midnight Sun]

"Yeah, I can hardly believe it myself," she says with a short laugh. "I just go wherever my training leads me, even if its as far away from kenjutsu as it is now."

She glances at Kurumi, who still has a deeply worried expression all over her face.

"I certainly can't explain why you're having these dreams, but you don't have to worry. I promised I would never leave you alone and I meant it," Natsume says. "I don't like seeing you worry, so regardless of the danger I'm going to keep training so I can't be defeated by anything."

[Anastasia]

Despite her worry, Kurumi smiles at your words. "Then...you'd better be good at that training, sis. If you get yourself killed, I'll go all the way to the afterlife to yell at you!"

Going to get her own lunch besides you, "So don't, okay?"

[Midnight Sun]

"Now I really don't want to die, the last thing I need is you screaming at me in heaven," Natsume laughs. "I know I asked this before, but you should really consider trying this training yourself. You already have a grasp on it with your kyudo training, and you'd be amazed by what you'd be capable of."

[Anastasia]

Laughing with you at first, Kurumi sombers as you spell out your desire. "Ah...I don't know...." she begins, slowly. "I mean...I'm not as driven for this as you are, Natsume-chan. You spend all your time in the dojo, while I'm happy going in there a few times a week." Carefully choosing her words and staying slightly guarded, "Besides, who would take care of you and Grandfather if I spent more time training?"

[Midnight Sun]

"We do rely on you quite a bit don't we? We really should try and change that, you deserve more time for yourself." Natsume thinks. "Also, you really shouldn't use what grandfather and myself do as an example. You don't necessarily need to learn how to use ki to fight. There are alot of other more constructive ways to use it."

[Anastasia]

Blushing slightly at the former, "No...I don't mind, Natsume," Kurumi says, warmly. "I don't mind cooking and cleaning...it'll make me a good wife someday, too."

Pausing as you go on, "Well...it would be nice if I could move faster for the outdoor chores," Kurumi admits, smiling as she mentally ponders the concept. Chuckling, "If you really want, I can try. I don't know how good I'll be, but..."

[Midnight Sun]

"A good wife?" Natsume repeats. She idly imagines her younger sister verbally whipping her man into shape to the incessant mantra of 'Yes, dear'.  "I'm sure it will be a blissful life to the person fortunate enough to be your husband. Well...that is if they survive grandfather, you know how he is with other men in the house."

She recalled the last potential boyfriend Kurumi had over. Their grandfather had requested to have a private conversation with his possible new son-in-law. Not five minutes later the poor lad was sent screaming from the house in sheer terror...

"Eheh," Natsume laughed nervously at the thought. "But really, there are alot of applications other than what you've seen me do. I don't recall if I've mentioned her to you yet, but a good friend of mine uses her power to heal. She's capable of healing most injuries in a matter of seconds."

She personally had only experienced it once, after a particular 'sparring' session with Ann went awry....

"Or, even if you don't want to go that far, there other things you can learn to make your life more convienient," Natsume continued. "Like...this for instance..."

She raised an arm toward one of the cupboards close by. This would be an excellent time to demonstrate one of her new skills to Kurumi. She started channeling ki into the arm, she intended to use her ki tendrils to open the cupboard and take one of the plates inside.

[Anastasia]

Kurumi watches in appreciation a you manage it, though you feel the ki drain as you finish.

"That could be useful," she concedes, applauding lightly at the feat.

[Midnight Sun]

"Ki is capable of anything your imagination can concieve," Natsume says while taking a breather. "Its all up to you as to how you want to use it."

[Anastasia]

"Like the brain is supposed to be," she notes, warming to the idea before..."Ah, lunch," she blushes, going to turn the stove on.

"Natsume-chan," she says, "Why don't we talk about it a bit later. I said I'd make Grandfather warm stew for lunch."

[Midnight Sun]

"Ah, of course," she relents. "Tell grandfather, whenever he comes down, that I'm ready to begin whenever he is."

She hopes, it was not like she had a total grasp on everything she just learned today.

'How long is he going to be in his room anyway?' she thinks. He said they would continue later in the day, than vanished up into his room. 'I wonder what he does up there by himself...'

She shrugs at the thought, whatever it was it was his business, though given his apparent interest in her personal life while she was not aware, she would be slightly justified in delving deeper.

'I'm sure he didn't mean to...it was probably just coincidence...and timing,' she convinced herself.

As she left her sister to her cooking chores she idly wondered how she could pass the time without going back to the dojo yet again. Even with her dedication, she could only take so much in such a short amount of time. Then, a thought crosses her mind....

'Its not like I'll call her...I'll just get her number and call her later,' she thinks as she walks into the living room, picks up the phone, and dials the operator. 'I'm...sure she's still very tired...the last thing she needs is people calling her...I imagine."

"Could I get the number for the Mizuno residence?"

[Anastasia]

You go through the proper lines, waiting for your line to be processed.

"Mizuno...could you specify a personal name? There are 27 Mizunos currently in the Greater Tokyo area," is the reply you get. "Or an address?"

[Midnight Sun]

"T...twenty seven?" Natsume balks. She did not think it was that common a name. "Err...ummm...is there a Mizuno Ami in the listing?"

If Ami had any parents, she did not know them. She could only hope that Ami had her own phone line....