The sounds of blades clashing softly echoed through the room. Sparks flew of our swords as they collided and seperated, only to return in each others embrace again.
KoTorI was practically born to be a swordman. ShE excelled at agility, grace and most importantly control. To best hEr in heR domain, the way of the sword, would prove to be a rather difficult challenge.
The moment I unsheathed my sword and aimed it at hEr with violent intentions, sHe quickly unsheathed hers and protected heR neck from harm. After guarding a few more close calls from me, shE immediately backstepped away to put some distance between us two.
.....what....what the hell am I doing?
ExPrEsSiNG yOuRsElF
Expressing? This is nothing less then attempted murder!
So bE iT tHeN
"Hey check it out!" A couple of students started to look towards us. The once busy dojo started to grow silent, as our blades filled the gap. They was surprised by the sudden clash of arms, but they was also struck with awe. Ohgi on the other hand was bewildered. He or anybody else wasn't aware of the reality of my true actions.
I wasn't able to maintain focus. My mind was still building in pressure. I tried hard to fight back....to keep it suppressed, but it was like trying to stop a bus from sliding downhill. The pressure I felt from the abyss still weighed strong on my mentality. So much pain.....everything started to slowly grow dark. My grasp on reality was slipping through my fingers....it was as if my perspective was changing into something of third person.
FuCk.....staNd firM....
My thoughts started to shift ever so slightly into that fog. I tried hard to get a grip on myself. I successfully managed to 'stay my' hand and get a grip for perhaps a second or two.
"He's hesistating?" Kotori asked aloud but still she shifted into a different posture. Readjusting her defenses and some weight onto her back foot, she carried her blade by her chest like a british rapier.
Seeing her change stances told me she was completely on her guard and was ready to use every trick in the book to survive.
AnD thAt wAs wHeN I sNapPeD.
My body switched to autopilot. With quick and fierce strides I closed in on Kotori to exchange a couple more of blows. All to which she guarded or evaded each attack, before parrying the last strike my way. After deflecting my sword swinging arms into a different direction she immediately took another swift swing near my face. It took me by surprise as the blade wavered closed to my eye.
It wasn't going to land on any flesh, but it still triggered my reflex to dodge and interrupt my other movements. It was a fake out so to speak. I backstepped a bit to recollect my composure and stance.
I'm not no fool when it comes to using weapons like a traditional katana. I probably could give some of the higher students here a run for their money, but this was KoToRi we're talking about. If sHe decides to go on the offensive even my 'true colors' feared we would wake up in the ER.
The fight was prolonging longer then what a simple spar should be. Some of the students started to get concerned with this fight, and Ohgi was thinking about stepping in at one point.
Damn it....at this rate....this fight will get a bit messy to clean up...
WhY dO yOu StIlL pErSiSt iN hOldInG bAcK!?
Isn't it obvious!?
IF iT iS, ThEn TeLL uS WhY
......
.......no response....
...I couldn't come up with a response.....
....No I need to come up with a response....
....the moment one loses their train of thoughts.....thats the moment when you fail to use your logic and reason....
...
........
.......
.....Logic and Reason?....heh....
~~~
Thats right....ever since that incident with my parents....my little sister....my family...I cried for so long I eventuall ran out of tears. I couldn't feel warmth, or even pain. I couldn't get angry, and was rarely annoyed. Jealousy became a hit or miss. My emotions....."died", and I would be unable to use them properly ever again. Thats what I thought for these past couple of years anyways.
However as I'm experiencing this moment right now, turns out I couldn't be further from the truth.
You see the human brain is divided into two parts.
The Left Hemisphere and the Right Hemisphere. The left hemisphere of the brain controls a majority of the emotions a human uses in everyday life; joy, sadness, anger, and envy. The right hemisphere controls the decision making aspects of one's "logic and reason" and defaults a person to their "common sense"
[ Please read A/N at the end of this chapter ]
Somewhere down the line my body eventually stopped using the full extent of that left hemisphere thus making my emotions "die". In reality it was nothing more but me subconciously suppressing it so deep in a place I would never see it again.
To fill in the gaps and prevent myself from becoming mentally depressed or feel like life is pointless my body adapted that "logic and reason" to become my new makeshift 'emotions'. This is probably the reason why the antidepressants and some talks with the therapists didn't amount to much.
After all thats how I been taught growing up in life. "Don't let emotions cloud your judgement." Those were the words of wisdom that I gave to Ohgi on one faithful occasion.
So I simply acted on just that logic alone.
My face became the perfect 'poker face'. It would reach a point where I would have to force myself to make my expressions look geniuine. You have no fucking clue how long and how hard it took Ohgi to make mines feel close to 'normal'.
So why.... why was it now of all times did those emotions I suppressed come to show its hideous head?
And why.....
WhY wAs I eNjOYinG tHiS?
The answer would make clear later on.
~~~
KoToRi may haVe excelLed at the sword, but I have drive and ambition. At this point I had bEen consumed by the oVeRwHelMinG wAvE oF emOtion with the killer intent to put her six feet under. Even still that didn't meant I went truly savage. If I felt the need to dodge a swing or parry a blow then I would do as followed. Which meant my reflexes was still on, and it help keep the offense. KoTorI was also exhuasted from the earlier training, and sHe didn't get the chance to properly rehydrate before I gave hEr my 'greeting'.
Every so often I would put added power when our blades clashed. This would help me push her back into a corner. While I zoned in on our swordplay I didn't notice that the jawline of our audience was dropping to the floor one by one. The master who they saw as fiercesome and nearly unbeatable was being pushed back by some kid.
KotoRi continued, almost struggling to maintain her guard. Sweat fell from her cheeks and forehead like a waterfall, clouding her vision. Her face twinged with anguish and uncomfort. With every step I took, with every blow I parried, with every strike I thrust, a wave of euphoria soaked into my bones.
He....haha...I was enjoying this....perhaps a little too much? But I didn't care anymore. I didn't care for Ohgi's expression of pure shock, or the audience's sudden wave of concern.
All that mattered to me right now was striking down this woman. This woman...Kotori...
Its because of her.....why me and Prim was abandoned by the family...or what was left of it.
~~~
One more strike and her arms went limp with exhaustion. With a follow up attack, I slapped the katana from her weak grasp, and aimed down to her chin. In a sparring match this would signify her defeat.
The blade hovered above her chin, falling slowly down to the spot of her neck where I originally aimed. This sword was dull, but it was also made out of real steel. Her neck was also soft and exposable. If I applied pressure while she was pinned down...then maybe I cou.....
CLAP CLAP CLAP CLLAAAP
Dangerous thoughts of mine was interrupted by someone's round of appalause. I look to my left to see some guy in the front row clapping.
Clap clap... CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP
It started off as small and awkward sounding but before long the entire crowd started giving us a warm round of applause. It seems like everyone was praising me for defeating their sensei.
The rhythmic claps roused me from my thoughts, the secondary voices started to grow quieter, but never silent. I...or should I say the right side of my brain was slowly regaining some control of my body.
....oh my god. What....was I doing? Kotori's face was pale as a sheet. She was breathing hard. As too be expected, but to my surprise she started to smile before whispering four words.
"Some family reunion huh...?"
Fa***mily.....fA**Ily?.......family.....oh foR fuCks saKe.....K....Ot..oRi.....what the fUck is wro**g with mE!?
My sixth sense was flaring up like crazy. I looked around like a madman, not noticing any hostile glances. Instead everyone's faces looked rather on edge, as if they seen someone survive an attack from a rabid beast. When I looked at some members of the crowd, a few staggered back in fear. Thats when I pieced it together.
It was my own hosility leaking out.....Jesus Chirst.....just how much control did I plan to lose!? Fuck.....alright just calm yourself and I should be able to...
.....ah there we go.
I could feel the bloodthirsty aura becoming 'suppressed' again. Though something was off about it..... well as much as I want to address it...I got more important matters to worry now.
I couldn't feel my own face and without a mirror to my name I wouldn't be able to tell. Instead I tried to shift it back into the familiar 'poker face' I wore for so long. I looked away from the crowd, and from Kotori.
I took a couple paces out to put distance between the two of us. As much as there was many things I wanted to say to that.....bItCh.....I can't risk flying into another fReNzY.
Understanding that the situation has finally stabilized, Ohgi thought it to be safe to approach me. "What the fuck was that ma---!?"-----"NO DON'T APPROACH HIM!" Kotori cried out to him, and thank god she did.
I was lost in my own little world, still trying to grasp the situation. Regardless my guard was still up, and I still had a sword to my name. The moment I heard him approach me, out of pure reflex, I turned about and swung at him.
If the sword wasn't dull the vertical strike coming for his head would have been lethal.
Well not like it would have made contact in the first place.
Before I knew what the first thing I did, a powerful gripping sense of pain shot up my forearm. Ohgi had caught the arm I was using and kept the blade at bay from his nose.
"Did you seriously just AtTacK yOuR bRotHer?" He asked me with a very bold and fiercesome tone. His citrus eyes became parrallel to looking in the eyes of a tiger or lion. Combined with his massive grip on my arm, he had practically stared me down into submission.
"Drop the fucking sword." He said, his tone sounding like an order that cannot be refused. This was one of the few occasions I seen shift into his "The One" manner.
I freed my hand, and the sword clattered to the ground. He later released my arm. I don't know if it was because I grown paler by the nightmares or his palm strength gotten stronger but the area where he grabbed left a bright red choke mark....
.....I may need to get that checked out.
~~~
Eventually somebody fetched Kotori a refreshing bottle of water. She drunk it happily like it was an oasis in the middle of the desert.
Damn lady deepthroated the whole bottle in multiple gulps. After sucking the whole thing dry she popped it out of her mouth with visible saliva spilling from her parted lips. Realizing the near indecent act she made she brushed her mouth with her sweaty palms before making an elegant bow.
"Hope you enjoyed the special surprise I had in store." Surprise huh...so thats how she is trying to play this off? Another yet quieter round of appalause and cheers followed afterwards.
She looked towards a nearby clock that hung on the wall. Our little 'surprise match' lasted five minutes past the break. Though Ohgi said some students are allowed to have longer break periods from class if they are doing clubroom activites. Still I'm sure some of our teachers are becoming furious with us.
"Alright pack it up everybody. We got places to be, things to do. We will resume all of this next week."-----"YES SENSEI!" replied the crowd.
"At attention!....annnnd....Bow!" While many was disappointed that they have to leave early, the crowd made their way to collect their gear and depart.
Me on the other hand, I couldn't care less that I was being late for class. I turned around and walk towards her. "I'm not putting this off for next week." I said, my finger jackhammered the air once, as if to prove my point.
"Atleast wait until its just us."------"...Fine but not a second later." I replied with slight hesistation. I'm still unsure what tone of voice I was using, but I hope its getting my point across. Ohgi looked back towards us, feeling like the third wheel he asked us "Should I leave or....."
"You probably should."-----"He stays. He kept me company way longer then you have." Kotori sighed and facepalmed herself. "Class is in session and this regards to.....'family matters'. You understand don't you Ohgi?" She looked towards him with narrowed eyes, a sly smile and a suggestive tone of voice. I looked towards him he took one step back and subtly gulped.
....hm....
In the moment where his credibilty of being called a "homie" would be put into question, he took one...no two steps forward and stood on his 'square'. "Sorry miss. But if my bro needs me here, then I'mma be here as his wingman." Kotori's smile quickly shifted into an expression of annoyance.....
"Fine. More people to attend the party I suppose."