-9th of August, 979…
The days had turned into weeks and they were reaching a month. The dusk marked another day their training would come to an end.
In between practicing the art of the blade and refining her affinity came a few fights with velatos. Often times not even called, Jotou and party would spring into action.
The velatos' close proximity to their home and increase in frequency forced their hands to defend and fight, saving who knows how many lives in the process.
The death toll was increasing… Tried as they might, the Lexokodac, Jotou's party and even the Ordinate were slowly getting outmatched out of sheer quantity.
It was only a matter of time before two forces had to meet and a change in the tide would be made… So, for now, one more spar before the night arrived.
"Are you ready now then?" Master Tensuo moved constantly around the garden. Sweat gleamed on his face and clothes.
The same watery reflection and salty taste met Jotou's lips, recovering from their last spar. She stood tall, wiping off the drips upon her face, "As I'll ever be," she smirked.
They circled each other, swords to their sides. Each trickle of sweat on him, telling of her about her progression. Jotou let out a breath, keeping her feet wide apart.
Left foot in front of the right as she held the blue-hilted sword in her dominant hand. Left hand kept near her chest, fingers loose to grab anything in a moment's notice.
Her knees, slightly bent, as her boots shifted through the grass. 'He's gonna high.' Jotou could tell by her master's movements. 'But if he goes low.' Her feet were at the ready.
Plotting and judging in her head within those brief moments, "Engage!" Jotou picked the start as both of them dashed towards each other. "Cling!" Their blades met first.
Jotou twisted hers below and swiped up! With a swish of wind her blade curved up making the master dodge. His blade went up, but still with her body twisted, she forced the less-sharpened end of the blade down to knock down his sword.
Twisting between two fingers, she made the blade come to the sharper end as she swiped left; not a very forceful slash. That was not her intent however… She saw her master's blade coming in from her right.
Quickly twisting it to face right- "SHink!" Such a pretty sound—unlike banging metal cans. In deflection she knocked the sword, making the master recoil quickly and bring it in for another swipe.
However, acting faster, Jotou did not pull her swings, instead opting to- "Cling, clang, TINK, bang, flung! Clink, shing, ting!" A cacophony of sound released as she attacked in a flurry of quick strikes.
Master Tensuo had no choice but to hold is blade up, blocking the sudden quick strikes; allowing Jotou to bring both hands onto the hilt.
Her feet stepped close together, like they were in a dance, twisting and turning as she moved forward. From slashing right and left, she curved from below going up, clashing his blade to stagger upwards.
She brought it down with a whish and curved it to her left as her master dodged backwards. With one—"Tang!"—Jotou was forced to remove her left hand, recoiling her blade with her right.
Having been stunned, Jotou immediately countered by slashing down to negate any other of his attacks. Her breath remained steady; this constant need to quickly manoeuvre within seconds she was getting used to.
He brandished his blade ready to unleash his next attacks. Jotou's eyes blinked, letting out a breath before quickly blocking his strikes.
Each of her movements like a paintbrush twisting in between her fingers, countering every one of his strikes with precision and fluidity.
She brought down his blade, knocking it aside. She focused, before deciding to spin. 'I know where he's standing…' She felt the stiffness in the air, where the wind was not blowing towards her.
She spun, bending her knees as far as she could and—"Woosh!"—swiped to his knees, back kept straight, but Master Tensuo moved back. 'Dammit!' Her twirl had not ended yet.
Swift like a feather, she kept rotating, springing up in an instant as she met with her opponent again. She raised her arm in one forced push.
Her blade met near the hilt of his sword, brushing past it as Jotou stood up, having swung her blade completely upwards. Her head spun a little, but her eyes caught onto his hand.
Not losing a second, she threw her left hand out and brought her right arm down. Quickly, she threw the sword down to her incoming left hand.
Her left hand caught it by the hilt and her right hand pried into her master's grasp. "Bop!" Jotou knocked the hilt on the side of Master Tensuo's head and grabbed his hilt from him.
She dodged back, bringing her feet wide as she panted… Both swords in each hand she held in a pose as Master Tensuo rested his hand on his temple. Master Tensuo stared to her.
She breathed out, "You… were holding back; I could tell," Jotou smirked, "I kinda took advantage of that," she shrugged, standing up straight.
Master Tensuo sighed, "You've learned very quickly, or I'm just getting older," he let out a chuckle. "Most students don't tend to hit their teacher like that," he relayed with a gaze.
"Well," Jotou twisted his sword, handing it over to him by the hilt, "I'm not exactly scared of you. I wasn't the greatest student to my teachers in the past; I didn't hit them, you'd be the first though," Jotou laughed.
"I thought since you hit me enough times, we'd be even."
"Hm," Master Tensuo spun his blade between his fingers, "Then I suppose you are ready to fight me when I don't hold back," he glared back to Jotou.
"…What?" a nervous sweat went down her side…
_
"Nineteen… twenty… hoof…" Jotou sat up from doing her crunches on her bedroom floor. She sighed out, "Twenty's enough. Twenty in a row? That's a record," she spoke to herself while undressing out of her gear.
Taking a quick bath, she ruffled her hair with a towel and walked down the hallway with a robe wrapped around. Putting on a nightgown, she felt… better.
The exercise that put her into a deeper sleep, the weightlessness of herself, her confident stride, the pep in her step—fresh eyes and good hair days, feeling ready to take on tomorrow.
"Feeling this healthy? I deserve some pie; or a cake dripping with chocolate…" her mouth yearned for.
Having already eaten her dinner left out by Hotaru, it would be gluttonous to eat more… Pouting to herself, she faced the mirror, "I'm liking my body more and more. I'm allowed to lust over myself; why not?"
'It took me awhile, but I've sorta grown used to this body. I don't think I can imagine being in another body now. This is who I am.' And she had accepted it.
Stretching, she did not feel tired quite yet. Closing her eyes still hurt a bit from the bruise on her temple… Probably best not to provoke Master Tensuo again…
She stepped out of her room. 'Hotaru was already asleep when I got back. Sleep well Aru and please heal my head in the morning.' On a night like this.
There was one place that kept her company. There was no TV, no video games. 'Probably why I didn't procrastinate much these few weeks. Or the sleep helps.'
She was quite bewildered herself on how much progress she had made. The one thing she could always stare at; atop a roof at the sharp hands of midnight.
She breathed out all her worries, loving the chilliness across her skin—her hair left untied to dry. Jotou held the strands of blonde, playing and twisting it, "Black ends…" she uttered.
"Do I need a haircut? What'll happen to the black parts?" Jotou whispered, realizing her bangs were getting a little too long. "Eh, future problems," she brought her hair to her cheeks.
Hugging it, "So smooth," she made a pillow, nudging into it with a gleeful smile. The scent of a new conditioner she found in the market made from thundering blitzes, "And fluffy…"
An intoxicating and sweet nitrogenous smell… that was refreshing to the senses… Oh to fall asleep right now… "Jotou?"
"HUH!?" Jotou was caught red-handed snuggling into her hair under the glistening moonlight. She turned around, blonde locks falling, "Meko! Wh-what're you doing still up…?"
Fumeko stood on the ladder before shadows formed to blink towards Jotou instead of climbing further. Both hands on her hips, "I'm not a child you know, I don't have a 'bedtime'."
Jotou stared up to her, "Wonder what revelation I'm gonna have this time."
"What?"
"I've had two epiphanies on this roof, I was just sensing a pattern," she stared up to the sky, "Wanna watch the stars with me?"
Fumeko's gaze softened, "I really want to…" she rubbed her eyes, "But I've already stayed up late too many nights, I should catch up on sleep."
"Alrighty then, get some rest. I'll see you in the morning."
Fumeko stared at the blonde for a second… She then gave a soft smile before going back to the ladder, "Jotou?"
Jotou turned around to her.
"Next time you need someone to hug your hair, you can just call me," she snickered.
"Hey! You rat! I'll tell everyone you hugged me that day!"
The brunette turned with a scowl, "You wouldn't dare!!!"
"Try me detective! You can be all cutesy and bratty all you want, but you don't scare me! I know you're just a big softy!"
"We'll see who's soft when I put needles under your bedsheets and hold your little plush dog hostage!"
"What are you doing in my room you creep!?"
"HA!? What are you insinuating pervert!?"
"I'm not insinuating anything! SO," Jotou paused, "So… so, GOOD NIGHT!" Truly full of wit, Jotou was.
"GOOD NIGHT TO YOU TOO!" Fumeko huffed down the ladder.
"SWEET DREAMS!"
"SLEEP WELL!" Fumeko was getting further away.
Speaking of much needed sleep, Jotou made her way to her room after a while. Tucking under her covers, she turned off the pink lantern.
Plush puppy to her side, the blonde shut her eyes; gently she fell asleep in her comfy hair on her pillow. She curled to one side… What new task awaited her tomorrow?
_
"CRASH!" "GAAHHHHH!!!!" the shriek resounded through the walls. Jotou jerked up in shock, wiping off the slight drool on her cheek.
"Is that? Meko!?"