|Forgone conclusion (part 2)

Another day had passed by. Another day of Keiko stuck in her room and another day of exploding thoughts for Shinji. She occasionally stepped outside but rushed in and slammed the door as hard as possible. Days passed by and still no one could get any information out of her. She was firm with her decision.

“Why did you bring me all the way out here in the open field? It’s serene so I’m not complaining but why?”

“Training.”

“I told you I don’t train as much as the rest of you guys. I’m an observer.”

“I find that hard to believe but I won’t press further. I just want to test something out. My days worth of practice. I want to see the result.”

“And I’m the best person to help?”

“Precisely.”

“What of Yoshi-san?”

“Yoshi-san?”

“Yeah. The two of you train together all the time, right?”

“We used to but not anymore.I can’t stand him.”

“Why?”

“The bastard is probably too happy to take me seriously. He wanted this to happen from the start.”

“Can you blame him? When his sister was getting married to someone who didn’t love her and she cancelled it on her own, how did you expect him to feel?”

“.……..”

“I wouldn’t agree to train but today is an exception. Besides, I just remembered, we have a score to settle, right?”

“Absolutely… Pick a weapon.”

“Are you angry?”

“Pick a weapon.”

He pointed to the table beside the tree that had multiples weapon in store. There was almost no possibility of not being acquainted with at least one. She rubbed her chin slowly then looked away.

“Hmmm. I’ll fight without one.”

“Cocky, are we?”

“I’ll use a spear in a real fight but this isn’t one though.”

“Doesn’t matter. Pick up the spear.”

“Ughhh, Shinji you’re such a killjoy.”

“I’m pretty sure you’ll enjoy this too so try not to hold back.”

“I’ll try.”

“Let’s begin then.”

He picked up a sword and glared at her. In a split second, their feet pressed forward and their weapons clashed. He was relying on his power instead of his sharp reflexes. It felt like a different person was in control of the sword. Successive hits were easily blocked, followed by a parry. She responded with a kick which was blocked by his hand, he went for a high kick mid air. This was effective as she pulled back and changed her stance.

“I don’t know what’s more impressive. The glaive or you.”

“We’re just getting started. I guess I stole that from you.”

--He’s trying to find a way to enter my zone by force. How can I stop him?

He dashed towards her with a horizontal slash and multiple stabs, which were easily blocked. He feinted and struck the ground so hard that dust surrounded them.

--He wants me to withdraw? Or stay? I can’t tell what he’s trying to pull off but I need to stand my ground.

In the dust surrounding them, he attempted a double diagonal slash but was stopped midway by an overpowering horizontal swing which clashed and in the midst of the blinding dust,the two smiled.They discovered each other’s presence. In that single moment, their next swings blew all the dust away. He blocked her swing with his shoulder and jumped back, gripping his bleeding left arm. Holding the sword he had used to slash her on his left hand. The wound she suffered, however, wasn’t deep. It was similar to that of an accident in the kitchen.

“I see why they say earth magic users have the toughest skin. Your body enhancement is insane.”

“Luckily for me, it’s a skill I inherited.”

“Maybe it was a wrong move going for power.”

--He left his magical energy untouched from the very beginning. This guy is really amazing. I guess it’s fair to do the same.

“Definitely a wrong move. Your reflexes might have been a problem for me. My endurance might have been a problem for you.”

“So either way I would have lost?”

Surprisingly, he let out a smile. Both sides were pretty excited, after all.

“Hey, you just said that yourself. Not me.”

--After all, your magic is in a different league entirely.

“Let’s put that to the test then. My reflexes versus your endurance. Let’s see who wins.”

“This is gonna be interesting.”

She leaped backward then thrust her spear with all the force she could muster.

He managed to block it but in turn was left staggered as she dashed towards him with only her fists.Her power was simply overwhelming. She jolted back both her arms and thrust forward in a frontal assault, plunging him far away. The strike was so powerful that it took him a couple of seconds to regain his footing. His arms felt heavier than usual. Were they broken?

--This is as far as you go…

He wiped off the blood from the edge of his mouth. It tasted sour.He shrugged the damage off like it was nothing to confuse his opponent but she could easily repeat the same move and leave him in a mess. He knew his body couldn’t take any more of those hits. The key was whether he could confuse her with his bluff. It was extremely unlikely but worth a shot. He sprinted towards her with multiple slashes waiting for a reaction but she held his hands midway. He kicked her from the side but that did nearly no damage as she head butted him. In his puzzled state, he glanced through her body for any injuries and he noticed another mark on her left hand. It was from the slashes he made earlier as bait. There was another wound she had on her side, which was given at the expense of a heavy blow to the chest.He frowned then smiled as he dropped his sword and ran straight towards her.

--Another trick?

She dropped her stance, wondering whether he had finally lost it.

“What the hell are you doing?”

“Shut up and fight.”

He ran towards her with a full kick which she dodged, responding with another heavy punch which he managed to evade at the last second. He then back flipped a few steps away and continued his assault in quick succession.

--He’s probably wondering if I’m making a bluff or really taking damage. Looking for weaknesses at this point won’t do you any good.

From the corner of his eye, he saw an arm extended. It was Setsuna. A quick dash with a punch which he managed to block. This came as a surprise to her since the first one blew him away. He smirked as she blocked his kicks. He then feinted a punch, followed by a swift kick to the left, where her deepest wound was. She held his legs firmly and grabbed his second one as she threw him across a tree where he hit his head and fell to the ground. Question marks surfaced endlessly in his mind as his bluff fluffed his whole plan and left him in an embarrassing defeat. He managed to get up with some help from Setsuna. He hesitated to grab unto her hand and rest on her shoulder but did so anyway.

“You really are a monster.”

“Heh. Same goes for you. You kept your word. I had a lot of fun.”

“Is that so?”

“Mhmm. Oww oww oww. Though, it stings a little.”

“I’m sorry for giving you those wounds.”

“Don’t sweat it. Compared to the scar my sister gave me, this is nothing.”

“The ruler of Desnia, huh? I wonder how strong she is.”

“Why do you always talk like strangers?”

“Because I’m used to it?”

“That’s fair.Hmmm, let’s see. If she was a giant panda then I’ll be a bear.”

“Huh??”

“She’s a little more dangerous than me.”

“Oh.”

--That’s a rather weird comparison…..

“If it’s about strength, then I’ll have to give it to her,but for abilities, I am superior. Her defence is simply maxed out, I guess.Anyway, you thought you were gonna fool me with that move? I was slightly pissed.”

“There were no openings and I was out of ideas.”

“Well you were punished for that. Nobody fools me and gets away with it.”

“After years of practice, I had my ass handed to me by a slacker.”

“A slacker that has more talent than you.”

--Ouch.

“I’m just kidding. If you didn’t turn off your magic completely, who knows how the battle would have ended.”

“I guess you’re right.”

“Although, your reflexes are way better than 99% of the people I’ve faced but you just don’t know how to use it.”

“What does that mean?”

“I think I’ll call it wasted potential. Your fighting style is too predictable, straight from a book or something. You might know how to perform a complex move but knowing when to use it is key. It seems like you never learned that all this time. Knowing how to use your skills is basic. Even more basic than mastering it. No, it’s part of the process. It seems like you forget that. That’s why you’re having so many problems.”

“I don’t understand.”

“In other words, I will rather know how, when and where to use a basic kick to defeat my opponents compared to the most complex move that will be useless once you’re dead.”

“I see.”

“Although, you will end up in all sorts of problems with that pride of yours too. Turning off your magic which is your forte was a pretty silly move.”

“It served its purpose. Besides, if I did activate my magical energy, I wouldn’t be able to handle it properly in a fight against someone as good as you. In other words, I might end up killing you.”

“That sounded cool but still, zero points for you. You need to work more on what I just told you about. Seems like I’ll be your sensei in this field too.”

“No way.”

“Don’t let your pride get the better of you. Who knows, it might come in handy when you need it the most.”

“I refuse your offer. I will continue my progress the best way I think possible.”

“Hmm. Alright, Shinji. By the way, I hope you don’t mind me asking but what exactly were you training for?”

“I’ve been working on my natural instincts and my mana manipulation.”

“Ohh. That makes a lot of sense. Is that why you used the dust to try and ‘blind’ me?”

“It turned out better than I expected. Even though the image was not clear and precise, I could sense you and that kept me in the fight.”

“I simply thought you were trying to play dirty. My bad.”

“Of course not. Besides, I’ve not seen anyone that head butts their opponents. That’s the definition of playing dirty.”

“Really? I personally don’t see it as such.”

“If I say anymore, you might toss me aside.”

“You know me too well.”

--I’m not in any position to piss her off.”

“Hey, Shinji.”

“Yes?? Se-Setsuna-sensei?”

“Umm I don’t think you told me everything about your training. I mean, I kind of said it earlier but….You’re filled with rage, aren’t you??”

“What can I say?”

“I saw it. Your movements were drenched with emotions. At first, I thought I was simply reading too much into it but the moment you came at me empty handed with a nasty smile on your face, I confirmed it.”

“Your conclusion is correct but everything on the way there is extremely flawed. You’re right regardless. I am angry.”

“Why?”

His soft smile disappeared and he gazed at her with a broad frown. His eyes seemed restless as they slowly deviated from their initial position.

“Because I’m losing so many things at once.”

“I don’t understand that.”

“You don’t have to. The only important thing is that your suspicions were right.”

“Rejecting my help again, huh? Well, I’m not the type that cares too much about consent.”

She pushed him away like he was nothing. He nearly fell to the ground but stumbled upon a tree which he firmly gripped.

“I’ll go get these wounds treated. I might be known as a monster but still, these wounds can’t just regenerate on their own, right? I’ll leave you here to think hard about what the hell you’re doing and what the hell you’re going to do next.”

She stormed out of the open field, returning to the mansion. He sat down on the grass, in front of the tree. Once again, his thoughts kept on spiraling in his mind, like a deadly disease without a cure. The cure was training. Gruelling training,the one filled with nothing but sweat and blood. Spiritual training, The type that could restore the body, mind and soul…..Thoughtless training…Endless training…. Those were the only fitting distractions that could cure him.

In the four corners of her room, she sat there idly looking at the childhood painting she had taken with her first and only love, Shinji. She had many of them since her father was in love with paintings in general. It was proof of each moment that had taken place. The one she was holding was a precious memory that she couldn’t discard. She dropped it beside her on the bed and sighed heavily. Her eyes were darkened with marks signifying dried tears. She did all she could and simply hoped it was enough. The memories of her conversation with her father began to surface from the depths of her mind.

[

“Have you made your mind up yet?”

“Yes. Mother, Father. I don’t plan on changing my mind. It’s no.”

“I see.”

“You must be really upset at me. I am aware of the customs surrounding this and still, I chose to embarrass the Ryugo name.”

“Stop it!!!”

“Honey, let’s allow her finish.”

“.…….Continue.”

“If you don’t wish to have me anywhere you then I will leave Bruma. Miss Setsuna is willing to let me stay with her and I honesty don’t mind that. It’ll be a nice experience. I haven’t been outside Bruma before.”

“That is a fitting punishment.”

“Honey!!!!”

“Yume, I’m not done yet.”

“As I was saying, that is a fitting punishment. But not one I’m going to take.”

“I don’t understand.”

“Keiko, you should confide in us more. Your Mother and I love you and your brother more than anything else in this world.That is why we are your parents. I never knew that this was going to be the end result. I was only thinking of your happiness and nothing more. I didn’t even consider his happiness. I went on an assumption that made things take such a terrible turn. For that,I apologize.”

“You aren’t disowning me?”

“Why in the world will I disown my own daughter?”

“But…But…”

“You don’t need to say anything. Ha.. sorry about that, go ahead. I am slowly learning my lesson. I will try everything in my power to calm things down on both sides.

All I ask is that you end things properly with him. No matter how close you two are, he is still the true ruler of Bruma.”

“I will.”

“That’s all then.”

“You’ll still support my decision? Even if it’s against the customs?”

They both nodded their head. Her mother hugged her, snapping her out of her shocked state. She extended her arms around her and smiled. It seemed half genuine. Ryugo Kirisaki noticed this but kept it to himself.

]

“I did say I’ll speak to him. Gotta do that.”

A knock on the door knocked her out of her train of thought. She reluctantly got out of bed as the knocking intensified. It nearly got her upset but she managed to stop it in time.

“You need something?”

“Yeah.”

Setsuna brought out her bloody arms from behind her back and slowly waved them around.

“Stop moving. Come in.”

“Please could you help me with this?”

“Sure, I have bandages. How did you get this wound?”

“Cat scratches.”

“This definitely seems more than that.”

“Your cats are so strong. Perhaps they thought I was an invader. They suddenly grabbed swords and slashed me with all the strength they could gather.No, they were even going easy on me. Since when did such cute creatures display such savagery??”

Keiko tilted her head, visibly unimpressed. With a loud sigh, she slowly hit Setsuna on the head.

“Sometimes you say the dumbest things but you also say the smartest things too. You’re such a mystery.”

“Ho?? If I was a guy, would you fall for me then?”

“Maybe.”

“Yessssss. Time to look for gender transformation spells.”

“If you move around too much, I’ll stop treating you.”

“Sorry.”

“You better be. Even if this is a practice match, you don’t take it that far. Even my brother has never gotten this beat up before.”

“Shouldn’t that be a testament to my strength?”

“You sore loser, it’s the opposite.”

“C’mon. I won.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s surprising. Well, not really. I mean you’re a soragami.”

“Mh-hmmm.”

“That is self explanatory.”

“Who are you talking about?”

“Shinji, right?”

“I never mentioned Shinji.”

“Oh….”

“I guess what they say about love not fading away that easily is true.”

“Stop talking.”

“Ow ow ow ow...Did you really have to tighten the bandages that much?”

“Oops.”

“Don’t give me that!!!”

“Serves you right.”

“I’ve gotta say though. You’re quite the actress.”

“Aren’t we all?”

“Whoa. You suddenly sound so profound. Scary. You’ve fit into this role perfectly. Patience is all that is required.”

“You make it sound like I’m scheming.”

“You aren’t?”

“Of course not.”

“Then why do you look happy??”

“Not your business.”

“Bullseye.”

“I’m done with the bandages. You can leave now.”

“Now you’re being mean, we haven’t spoken in days and this is how you treat me? Keiko-chan. I’m sorry. I’m sorry, okay?”

“Hmmph.”

“So cute.. Who knows, maybe in the next life we’ll get married and have a dozen children.”

“A dozen?”

“You bet.”

“You’re crazy.”

She sauntered out of the room with her little steps and ended up bumping into Yoshida on the way.

“Sorry about that,Yoshi-san.”

“I’m the one who didn’t look where I was going. This is really good. I hope my sister hasn’t been too much trouble.”

“Definitely not. My sister and I did way worse when we were your age.”

“Just how old are you?”

“You don’t do that. Women will hate you if you bring up their age all the time.”

“You seem like you’re in your mid twenties but you talk like you are old enough to be my mother.”

“Hey, that was rude. Are you even listening?”

“My bad. I was just thinking out loud.”

“Still rude!!!”

“Please take care of my sister. She doesn’t have too many people she can consider friends so please look out for her.”

“You don’t have to tell me that.”

“I see. Well, if you excuse me.”

He softly knocked on her door and in seconds she opened up.

“Big brother. I need some space.”

“Keiko. We need to talk.”

“.……………O-okay. Come in.”

“Thanks. I didn’t want to come here since you wished to be alone but I thought, maybe it will be best to check up on you every now and then.”

“I’ll be better in no time.”

“That’s good to hear. However, that’s not my only reason for being here.”

“Hmmm?”

He clenched his fist as he struggled to force a response from his quivering lips. He then paused and took a deep breath in order to regain composure.

“It’s very difficult to explain. It has been troubling me for a while.”

“If that’s the case then we have to talk about it. What’s troubling you, big brother?”

He pointed to his chest and stared at her.

“What I’m trying to say is…I-I love you, Keiko.”

“Huh?”