Even as snow falls a warriors spirit will still burn red. Lips parted and a puff of smoke formed between them and extended out into the air as she exhaled. Morning practice outside of the Ichi residence. Always the same time, always the same place.. and always a few hours before more practice would come at the training grounds. Morning practice was something Nayun enjoyed. Quiet, yet during this time of the year, quite cold as well. Nayun kept herself warm with constant movement. The click of exiting steel.. the grasp of her blade.. and the blurring arc that soon followed. The armored dummy took the blow and shook from the force, though stood strong in the end. Another click -- and that blade would be sheathed once more.
"......."
Nayun stood there in silence for a moment. Looking to the dummy with less focused eyes. She wouldn't see the dummy.. instead she saw the man she fought the night before. His stance, the way he held his blade, and the warriors spirit she felt within. Nayun kept that vision in her sights as she took her own stance once more. Another click, another grasp, and yet another draw of her blade. It cut into the vision and she'd only see the dummy once more as the blade struck true.
"A dummy is nothing in comparison." Neo. She'll remember that name -- and she'll remember the smile and kindness that went along with it. Do not think of her emotions as a silly schoolgirl crush.. Nayun had no room for those feelings anyway.. she took her oath, she will stay faithful to it. She will never know the touch of another, man or woman.. not until she became what she dreamed to be; Siovanui.
What she felt for this man had been simple.
A warriors respect.
She wanted to face him once more.
".. That move he used." Reminding herself. Playing it out within her head. The final move of their duel together. Saya slid to her side once more as Nayun did her best to attempt the stance he had shown. ".. Like this.." Bending her knees. She took her time and gave a moment to replay it once more in her thoughts. ".. and then.." Feet sprung into action as she brought herself about in a slide. The dummy stood no chance as it was still in it's place, and now Nayun had been behind it's so called `` defenses ``. She's thrust out then with katana held arm. One, two, three; all five hit it's mark.. but.
".. Too slow." The girl murmured in distaste. ".. and what did he yell.." She'd replay it again. "Ah.. Sword Rain."
"Oo.. Nayun, what are you doing?" Came a voice from behind. The girl turned about to see her caregiver, Seirichi, standing by the backdoor of the house she called her home. "That's not your normal technique. Did you see it at the training grounds?" The Siovanui asked her question with interest. Nayun could clearly see the smile on her lips as the woman stepped into the snow to move closer.
"No." Nayun spoke calmly. Katana hissing once more as she'd hilt it at her side. "I saw it at the duels.."
"Who did it. If you're taking interest it must be someone good.. I can't think of anyone off the top of my head though who could be what you'd recognize as `` good ``." Seirichi took on a puzzled look. Trying her hardest to think of who it might be.
"He went by the name of Neo.. he also helped me read Rachaels message." -- "Ah. The one that took a week to be answered? Rhy'Din people sure have poor taste in replying with haste." Seirichi let out a laugh. One that Nayun wouldn't share with her. The girl would give a soft blink instead. "But.. Neo, yeah. I've seen him around a few times. Strong guy." The Siovanui gave a nod of her head to show she truly meant her words.
"... I'm strong." It came slow -- but it was spoken soon enough. Seirichi blinked at the statement. That puzzled look returning.. but soon left as a serious look took hold instead.
"No. You're not."
Nayun blinked. She hadn't expected something like that from the woman. Teeth began to grit lightly under thinned lips. Nayun knew to hold back though.. but she so wished to speak up against those words.
"You're pissed. Aren't you? Nayun. I want you to listen." Seirichi brought herself closer and reached out. Fingers curled about the handle of the smaller girls katana, and with a tug, she'd pull it free. She looked to the steel first. Giving it a slight twist so that the light reflected from it and fell over her eyes. "You're not strong. Do you want to know why?" No answer. The girl waited for the reason and the Siovanui gave it to her.
"Because someone should never call themselves strong." The woman pressed the katana against her shoulder while she spoke. "It's a title earned from others lips alone. The moment you call yourself strong, Nayun--" Eyes narrowed down at the smaller girl. "--Is the moment you need to stop swinging your sword." It came quick. Quick enough to cause Nayun to twitch as the blade was quickly stabbed into the snow covered ground in front of her.
"So. Tell me.. Are you strong?"
Silence. The two of them looked to one another. Dull grays of the Siovanuis looking into the bright reds of the girl who stood only five feet. Are you strong, Nayun? -- the girl thought to herself.. are you strong? She'd then close her eyes and exhale a soft breath.
"No. I am not."
"Then keep swinging your sword." Fingers released the katana. "I should start breakfast." Yawn escaping the Siovanuis lips. Her hand rising up to ruffle at messy locks while she turned about and made her way back to the house. Nayun was left on her own.. eyes focused on the ground impaled blade before her.
"........ I'm not strong." Repeating. This time for herself. She'd reach and grasp at the blade.. and with a tug, she'd pull it free.
"I'm not strong at all."
"......."
Nayun stood there in silence for a moment. Looking to the dummy with less focused eyes. She wouldn't see the dummy.. instead she saw the man she fought the night before. His stance, the way he held his blade, and the warriors spirit she felt within. Nayun kept that vision in her sights as she took her own stance once more. Another click, another grasp, and yet another draw of her blade. It cut into the vision and she'd only see the dummy once more as the blade struck true.
"A dummy is nothing in comparison." Neo. She'll remember that name -- and she'll remember the smile and kindness that went along with it. Do not think of her emotions as a silly schoolgirl crush.. Nayun had no room for those feelings anyway.. she took her oath, she will stay faithful to it. She will never know the touch of another, man or woman.. not until she became what she dreamed to be; Siovanui.
What she felt for this man had been simple.
A warriors respect.
She wanted to face him once more.
".. That move he used." Reminding herself. Playing it out within her head. The final move of their duel together. Saya slid to her side once more as Nayun did her best to attempt the stance he had shown. ".. Like this.." Bending her knees. She took her time and gave a moment to replay it once more in her thoughts. ".. and then.." Feet sprung into action as she brought herself about in a slide. The dummy stood no chance as it was still in it's place, and now Nayun had been behind it's so called `` defenses ``. She's thrust out then with katana held arm. One, two, three; all five hit it's mark.. but.
".. Too slow." The girl murmured in distaste. ".. and what did he yell.." She'd replay it again. "Ah.. Sword Rain."
"Oo.. Nayun, what are you doing?" Came a voice from behind. The girl turned about to see her caregiver, Seirichi, standing by the backdoor of the house she called her home. "That's not your normal technique. Did you see it at the training grounds?" The Siovanui asked her question with interest. Nayun could clearly see the smile on her lips as the woman stepped into the snow to move closer.
"No." Nayun spoke calmly. Katana hissing once more as she'd hilt it at her side. "I saw it at the duels.."
"Who did it. If you're taking interest it must be someone good.. I can't think of anyone off the top of my head though who could be what you'd recognize as `` good ``." Seirichi took on a puzzled look. Trying her hardest to think of who it might be.
"He went by the name of Neo.. he also helped me read Rachaels message." -- "Ah. The one that took a week to be answered? Rhy'Din people sure have poor taste in replying with haste." Seirichi let out a laugh. One that Nayun wouldn't share with her. The girl would give a soft blink instead. "But.. Neo, yeah. I've seen him around a few times. Strong guy." The Siovanui gave a nod of her head to show she truly meant her words.
"... I'm strong." It came slow -- but it was spoken soon enough. Seirichi blinked at the statement. That puzzled look returning.. but soon left as a serious look took hold instead.
"No. You're not."
Nayun blinked. She hadn't expected something like that from the woman. Teeth began to grit lightly under thinned lips. Nayun knew to hold back though.. but she so wished to speak up against those words.
"You're pissed. Aren't you? Nayun. I want you to listen." Seirichi brought herself closer and reached out. Fingers curled about the handle of the smaller girls katana, and with a tug, she'd pull it free. She looked to the steel first. Giving it a slight twist so that the light reflected from it and fell over her eyes. "You're not strong. Do you want to know why?" No answer. The girl waited for the reason and the Siovanui gave it to her.
"Because someone should never call themselves strong." The woman pressed the katana against her shoulder while she spoke. "It's a title earned from others lips alone. The moment you call yourself strong, Nayun--" Eyes narrowed down at the smaller girl. "--Is the moment you need to stop swinging your sword." It came quick. Quick enough to cause Nayun to twitch as the blade was quickly stabbed into the snow covered ground in front of her.
"So. Tell me.. Are you strong?"
Silence. The two of them looked to one another. Dull grays of the Siovanuis looking into the bright reds of the girl who stood only five feet. Are you strong, Nayun? -- the girl thought to herself.. are you strong? She'd then close her eyes and exhale a soft breath.
"No. I am not."
"Then keep swinging your sword." Fingers released the katana. "I should start breakfast." Yawn escaping the Siovanuis lips. Her hand rising up to ruffle at messy locks while she turned about and made her way back to the house. Nayun was left on her own.. eyes focused on the ground impaled blade before her.
"........ I'm not strong." Repeating. This time for herself. She'd reach and grasp at the blade.. and with a tug, she'd pull it free.
"I'm not strong at all."