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?"
"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.....
"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...
"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?"
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.
"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?"
"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."
"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.
"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."
"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."
"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?"
"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...."
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?"
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."
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."
"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...."
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...
"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."
'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?"
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."
"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?"
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.
"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?"
"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."
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."
"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."
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.
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....
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?"
"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."
"Yay," Kurumi says, summing up her feelings on that. "I'm sure you'll be keeping busy even with school out..."
Letting herself luxouriate in the water, a short silence lives.
"Thanks for saving me, Natsume-chan," Kurumi finally says.
Natsume opens an eye to glance over at her sister.
"You don't need to thank me, I should be apologizing to you," she says. "I shouldn't have let you get into such a situation in the first place."
She sighs lightly, sinking a bit farther into the water.
"Its the job of the older sibling to look after the younger one," Natsume says. "I guess I need more training in that area as well."
"You saved me...." Kurumi points out. "If you hadn't been there, if I'd gone alone...I'd have frozen with everyone else," she says, making a point.
Natsume stares at Kurumi for a few silent moments before sighing again. She relented, it was alot more thoughtful to just accept gratitude rather than contest it....
"Yeah..well...think nothing of it," she says with a small smile. "I certainly couldn't stand by and let my only little sis' turn into an ice sculpture now could I?"
"Yeah," she smiles back, enjoying the warmth of the tub.
"But..." she pauses a few moments later, thoughtful. "Now what, Natsume-chan? Grandfather is going to work you even harder now, isn't he? And you're going to still hunt after those Senshi?"
'Well, after what happened today, theres not much of the great and mysterious Senshi left for me 'hunt' now is there?' she thinks to herself. "I think...I'll ease up on the Senshi fixation for now, and focus more on myself and my training. That's what's most important to me right now."
Really, it was still hard to believe. All these years she'd dreamed of meeting them up close and personal. Now, in the span of a day, not only had she met many of them, she discovered who they really were. They were....just ordinary girls underneath the magic and fukus... She could've passed them by on the street and never noticed...
"If I truly want to make my goals a reality, I need to be stronger. Everything else will have to take a backseat to that."
"Mmmm..." Kurumi murmurs again. "At least training will only put you in whatever danger Grandfather can dream up. In fact, speaking of that...oh damn..."
Kurumi sighs, slumping. "We didn't even get his jacket, did we? We'll have to go get one in a few more days."
"Ah, you're right! I completely forgot about his jacket!" Natsume says with a face palm. "Well, I'm sure he understands, what with a maniacal ice demon trying to take over the world and all...."
"Kurumi...," she starts, after a few moments of silence. "The things I did today...melting the ice...blasting a hole in a wall...making a sword appear out of nowhere. The reason I've been so distant lately is because of that..."
She recalled telling Kurumi that she would divulge the reason when the time was right...well now was a better time than any...
"Yeah..." Kurumi nods, then looks to you. "I didn't know Grandfather had taought you some of that. It's kind of cool," she confesses.
"Did it help you survive and get out okay?" Asking with a bit of both worry and curiosity, "Because...if it did, all the more reason for you to train, right?"
"Yes, it did..." she answers Kurumi's question first. "But...well...it wasn't exactly grandfather who taught me those techniques..."
That gets a pause and a blink, before Kurumi goes on. "Then, sister, who did? Did one of his friends he's always going on about do it?"
"No...it wasn't them either," Natsume answers. "It..was someone I met through...unusual circumstances. She told me she was a friend of the senshi, and she possessed abilities I'd never dreamed of before. She awakened me to my ki, made me aware of it, and taught how to move it and shape it."
"Grandfather is capable of the same, but he kept it to himself," Natsume adds on. "I guess he wanted to wait until I was a bit more experienced until he exposed me to it. Who knew that I would pick it up on my own..."
"...Natsume..." Kurumi murmurs, unsure of what to make of it. "You keep getting in deeper and deeper, don't you?"
"Yeah, I do don't I?" Natsume says with a laugh. "But, its amazing what I learned, its like a whole new world of possibility. To be able to mold the stuff of life in any way you choose...its incredible..."
She raises a finger into Kurumi's line of sight, and begins focusing a small amount of ki to the tip of it, she was exhausted enough as it was. Several moments later, a small bead of light begins to grow there, getting just big enough that Kurumi can see it without having to strain her eyes...
"This is one of the first things I learned, focusing my ki to a single point..."
"That is kind of cool," Kurumi agrees, rising up out of the bath to see it from above. "You can do things like that just by concentrating now, can't you, like what you did at the mall?"
"Yes, though I have my limits," she explains. "I can only use so much ki before I tire myself out, and all of the things I did today I gained through alot of trial and error. If I want to do anything new, it'll require alot of practice."
She dispels the small ki ball, even though she used a small bit of energy, with her current exhaustion it was already beginning to put a strain on her.
"All people have ki, but it seems only a few people have the awareness enough to control it," Natsume continues. "Probably all my years training in the martial arts gave me that awareness."
Kurumi simply nods, recalling all the training and work you've put into your art. Sinking down again into the bath, she closes her eyes and is silent, perhaps thinking about all of that.
It makes sense, otherwise those Senshi would probably be either out of business or a lot busier," your sister finally remarks. Thinking on it a moment, she shakes her head. "First all the martial arts, now going off on adventures and performing magic or close to it, and now today..."
Kurumi opens her eyes, smiling if resigned. "Guess I'm going to have to get used to my sister being a superhero..."
"Superhero? You think so?" Natsume asks, tilting her head to one side in thought. "Hm, all I would need is some flowery tights and a cape....."
"Or you could go for the schoolgirl look and just wear your sailor school uniform," Kurumi giggles brightly, the thought bringing amusement to her, of Natsume running around in and fighting crime in just that.
"Hmmm, well it wouldn't be a true senshi uniform...but it'd be close enough, and Juuban Middle could use the publicity," Natsume thinks outloud. "Fierce Juuban Middle Fighting Samurai School Girl! Natsume-chan!"
She waves around an imaginary sword for emphasis on the overdone title.
"Wow...that sounds like the title to a really bad shounen manga...."
Kurumi fails completely to stifle her laugh, almost doubling over at her sister's antics. "Hey, at least that would mean you'd find a boyfriend, too! The heroine wouldn't be without someone special!"
Shaking her head, Kurumi rises. "Let's go...if we keep like this, Grandfatherw ill be mad that we made a mess in the bath again."
"Hm...Tuxedo Shinobi maybe?" Natsume muses over her idle token male as she follows Kurumi out of the bath. "Though maybe he could do without the longwinded speeches..."
Thus, Natsume's very long day comes to a good end.
---
The next day starts nicely enough. The still roaring blizzard is dumping snow all about, so school is so cancelled again. Sleeping in late then having a large breakfast is nice, Grandfather asking you to come to the dojo after so. Doing just that, you find him waiting for you, sitting but not meditating. If anything, he's just passing the time until you arrive.
Natsume enters the dojo, bokken in hand, and sits down on her heels before her grandfather.
"I am ready to begin the training, sensei," she declares.
"Stand up, Natsume," he says simply, rising. With a clenching of his fist, his sword appears in hand. "Ready yourself...I will show you one of the three secret skills of our school.
If you learn these, you will be ready to both fight these demons and perhaps..." A small, momentary smile flickers, "be ready to master the school." Blade pointing straight ahead to you..."Natsume! On guard!"
* Shai`Hulud --> "Anastasia rolls 2d6-1 and gets 7."
* Shai`Hulud --> "Anastasia rolls 2d6+2 and gets 8."
Faster than you can even react to, let alone properly form a sword, your Grandfather is on you! His blade soars inches from your chest, glowing and vibrating! Thousand of slashes slice open your gi like rice paper, your entire front falling apart in a moment from chin to waist! Yet not a single cell of your skin was touched. As you gawk from that, Grandfather turns away.
"The 1,000 Horde Slash...a single blow will not phase a demon or oni. You must be able to plummel them to nothingness in an instant or be destroyed yourself." Grandfather speaks slowly, sharply, painstakingly. "When you can strike like the wind against a great mountain, perhaps you can triumph against even the dreadest spirit."
Natsume stands there completely aghast. So many attacks, and in less than an instant. That he could move with such speed was both awe-inspiring and horrifying...
"The Thousand Horde Slash. To master this technique is to strike like the wind...," says to herself. "Sensei, how does one train for such an incredible skill?"
"It is the mastery and manipulation of your life force and ki, Natsume," he replies. "You can already use it to forge a weapon, you must now take it and move beyond simply shaping a blade. Used properly, you can master this school of arts...
You have the skill and the talent to do so if you work at it, Natsume," he goes on, quietly. "You've learned the basics faster than I would have imagined...I never dreamed I'd be teaching you this while I was still alive...I had scrolls prepared since I thought it would take you well into your midlife to advance like this..."
Clearing his throat suddenly, "Now...go get another gi, Natsume, and we'll begin."
Natsume glances down, and immediately recalls that her gi had just been shredded in a second.
"AH!" she instantly covers up her...talent and rushes out of the dojo to acquire new garments, all while blushing madly. Her chest had been protected by wrapping, but it was still embarrasing nonetheless. "At least grandfather is an honorable man..."
Rushing out and plowing through the snow back to your house is something else when you're barechested.
Namely, it's fucking cold. At least Kurumi isn't around by the time you get to your room and change, so there isn't a question or commentary there. The only reassuring thought is that you at least have enough of something to worry about being topless...
Reclothed, it's a short trip back to the dojo. Grandfather waits, and nods on your arrivial. "Are you ready to continue, Natsume?"
"Yes, sensei," she says while bowing. Her grandfather said that mastery of the technique would require a method of ki control she had never attenpted before. What could that possibly be?
"Your ki is your lifeforce, Natsume. Like a spring it wells out from you, flowing and cascading down your entire being.
Like a single, unified stream of life. You have felt your ki in tune, have you not?"
"Yes, I have sensei," she replies. Though the way he described it made answering the question difficult. "I am aware of my ki, I can feel it working all the time at some level, moreso when I use it to fight."
A single nod. "Yet, as you can see, pieces of it can be broken off. If it were a true streaming whole, this would not be possible.
Natsume, your ki comes from every bit of your body. You must fully utilize every bit of it, down to the smallest bit from your toes. When you understand this, you will be closer to learning the secrets of our school."
'Utilize every bit of it....,' Natsume thinks. 'Hm, I thought I was...there must be something more to it that I'm not understanding...'
"Sensei, what exactly do you mean?" Natsume asks. "Are you saying there's more ki inside my body than I'm aware of?"
"What I am saying is, Natsume, is that can a single stream manage to accoplish the swings of thousands in a moment?" With that single question, he moves to leave the dojo. "Meditate on it, act on it, become it."
"Can a single stream accomplish a thousand swings in a moment...," she thinks outloud after he grandfather leaves. "He does love all these philosophical riddles doesn't he...."
To strike someone a thousand times in a second requires incredible physical speed, moreso than what any normal human should be capable. Such a technique must be designed to completely overwhelm the opponent from multiple directions...
"If a river is powerful enough, it can overrun anything that gets in its path," she mumbles. "I've heard stories of rivers flooding entire regions..."
Rivers are not necessarily whole either, more often than not they break off into many smaller streams that flow off into all directions.
"He did mention it not being a true streaming whole...," she says. "If I compare the main river to something like the spinal cord, than the smaller streams that break off are like the nerves that spread out through the entire body from the spine. Could ki work something like that...?"
As she thought, she rubbed her temples steadily. Was she even thinking in the right direction?
Lost in your own thoughts, you are slightly surprised when, "Natsume-chan," Kurumi asks, holding a small thermos, steaming hot. "Grandfather asked me to bring you some tea so you wouldn't need to break from your work out here."
"Oh, Kurumi, thank you," she says as she gets up a graciously accepts the tea. "Seems grandfather knew quite well that I'd be in here for a long time."
A nod there, Kurumi sighing. "Probably, and I'll bring you lunch if it goes on awhile longer." Once handing it to you, "He made a big deal about not distracting you, so..." With that, your sister leaves you back to your own devices.
"Argh, what am I missing?" Natsume fumes as she lays sprawled out on the dojo floor. "Being able to draw out every ounce of my ki...I have to be able to use every single little bit..."
When she used her ki, she could feel it radiating from all over her body, but was there more to it than that? Perhaps she was not drawing on everything she possibly could? If that were case, were her apparent limits on how much ki she could use before exhausting herself all imaginary....?
"Who knows," she said as she stood up. "But considering thats the only part of grandfather's monologue that I can even vaguely understand, I'll try that first...and see where it leads me..."
OOC- Um, talk to me. I'm honestly not quite sure what you're meaning to do here.
Thus, Natsume slowly extends her ki energy. Letting the vibrant life force flow from her, it's like a spigot is leaking water out of your body, soaking everything around...
....
....You begin to feel faint, as you feel droplets, each a bit more of your vitality, work out from your body. Single, shining droplets, each of them.
'I...I've almost reached my limit,' Natsume thinks through the haze of exhaustion. 'But I'm not feeling anything different, and I'm pretty sure I'm reaching for all the ki I can muster...'
Even as you stand, more perfect shards of your aura splinter off and are sent forth, as desired. Small parts continue to fly off, wearing away and going off at your behest...
'Pieces of my aura...breaking off?' Natsume thinks as she watches the luminous splinters. 'Just as grandfather said...there must be some connection...'
While maintaining her aura, she tries to reach out and grab one of the pieces...
It feels like warm air, the aura staying in your hand just a split second before being reabsorbed into your body. But for that moment, it was a tiny part of yourself, cut off from the rest of your body and energy.
'A part of me....and yet not a part of me...' she thinks. 'I wonder....'
Her eyes narrow in concentration on the remaining sparks still floating around her. If these things were a part of her aura, despite being separate from it, it was possible she could still control them to an extent.
'I'll try it, I'll see if I can get them to move how I want...'
Gathering your will, you see the sparks bob and flutter to your command for a moment...before they begin to shimmer and fade away. While you do so, you feel a spiritual connection to them, as they move in time to your whim...
That was certainly an application of ki control that she had never imagined before, but she still did not see how that brought her any closer to mastering her grandfather's technique.
"I'm missing something, and knowing my luck its probably something glaringly obvious," Natsume says with a sigh as she lets her aura dissipate. "I certainly can't ask grandfather for any more clues..."
She mulled for a moment, trying to think of a way out of the rut she was currently facing. She felt she was close, she just needed something to point her in the right direction....
"Hey...maybe I can ask her..." she says as a proverbial lightbulb turns out. "If theres anyone who can make sense of it, Usagi-san can."
With that in mind, Natsume has a goal now...to speak with Sailor Moon, Usagi Tsukino.
*Cue IRC session, new topic afterwards, etc, etc.*