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 Posted: Sat Jan 29, 2011 9:59 am
  This is a private roleplay between Sarangerel [Oooka] and Youhei [Izayin].
Setting
A random act of kindness on cherry tree hill!
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Posted: Sat Jan 29, 2011 10:07 am
Sara had heard of this place from Hua; it was known as Cherry Tree Hill and she remembered the tale quite well because when Hua came to see her on the farm she described it as the most beautiful place in the whole world. From the hill you could see almost all of Lunaria and when the sakura were in bloom the whole sky looked like it was a sea of pink. Some petals gently falling to the floor with the wind, unfortunately it was too late in the year for that but Sara wanted to visit anyway. She could always come back when the flowers were in bloom, for now she just wanted a quiet place to relax and contemplate a few things.
She wondered up the path and came to place herself in-between two of the tree’s routes, leaning against the bark she closed her eyes. It was so quiet here and the weather was wonderful, she knew that it was a great idea to come almost instantly. So much so she was even considering staying for the sunset, however that meant walking back home in the dark which she had always been warned about. She better not risk it, she was not born in Lunaria however from the short time she had been a resident two things became obvious from the start. One was that it was a city of great beauty, her old home did not even compare to what she came to live with here. The second was that it was as deadly as it was beautiful...
Sara did not know much about the war; it was introduced to her when she moved. All she knows is that Hua is to the Emperor, for that reason she knew he must be a good man - from what she heard he has done nothing wrong. The legionnaires had given her a home here; they had brought her back to teach her to control her powers and protect her against those who would otherwise want to harm her. Even though she hated confrontation the least she could do after all they had done was stay loyal to them and make them proud. She simply preferred not to think about it and for the most part avoided anything to do with the fighting. Yet it always seemed to dwell in the back of her mind in one way or another.
She smiled awkwardly and hugged her knees close. Long green stands of hair falling over her shoulders. For now all she wanted to do was enjoy the view and think things over, her training was hard and she needed to master discipline. Sometimes it was good just to try and focus the mind; she might not want to be a solider however she was determined to be a healer and a priestess. It was after all, according to her parents, her destiny.
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Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 3:58 am
Live sword practice. Tiny icicles crunched beneath Youhei's sandals as he strode towards Cherry Tree Hill. He didn't know how Jirou could possibly think it was a good idea to arm a roomful of novices with sharp blades. 'Give them a taste of the real thing,' he'd said, grinning. Oh, there'd been tasting, but it was Youhei who'd felt the lick of metal as he tried to correct a student's stance and she jumped like a startled rabbit. She had frozen like one too, looking at the blood running down towards her hilt as if she expected it to be blue and not red. Looking at him afterwards as though she feared he might run her through. Someone had screamed. Youhei had gripped the edges of the wound together with white fingers and fought from screaming himself.
Before Jirou could make a fuss and bring the servants running, Youhei made a strategic retreat. They had medics on staff and Jirou as a neophyte might have been able to seal the cut himself if he'd put some thought into it, but there was nothing as injured as Youhei’s pride. A neat, three-inch incision, and it wouldn't be an issue at all it if weren't located in as inconvenient a place as the crook of his elbow. It ached when he tensed and he'd never been more aware of just how much he moved his left arm.
He slowed upon reaching the Hill. In a city so large, it was surprisingly hard to find a quiet place to think. Youhei placed little stock in the sanctity of the tree, but its reputation as a holy ground encouraged a hushed, reverent atmosphere that he appreciated. In the dead of winter, there was little chance that someone would...
Youhei stopped. There was, in fact, someone, sitting at the base of the tree. His hand came up to cover the tear in his sleeve, and he considered his options briefly, glad for the dark material of his hakama, which helped to conceal the stain. He'd intended a proper inspection of the cut, and perhaps some makeshift bandaging.
This girl, though... He wracked his memory, eyes flicking over her face and attire. Had he seen her before, at the academy?
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Posted: Sun Jan 30, 2011 5:10 am
It did not take Sara long to realise she was no longer alone, her pale green eyes looking over to take in the appearance of the boy who was wondering into the scene. He had slightly curled blue hair and very pale skin, something about him seemed familiar however she was not surprised. Judging by his age he probably went to the academy himself. However she did not know his name, if anything he was just a face that walked past her every so often. She raised her head and then pushed up against the ground so she was stood; bowing her head slightly in respect to the new comer.
Sara was very nervous around strangers, she was a very shy girl and it was quite easy to tell that by the way she acted. However at the same time she was raised to be polite and the polite thing to do in this situation was to at least acknowledge his presence. She felt in a way like it was her that had disturbed him; he probably did not expect or want her here anyway. “I- I’m sorry I did not mean to intrude.” Her voice was not quiet however it was soft; her gentle nature meant she did everything gently, speaking included.
She stepped forward a little. At first intending to walk past the boy but she stopped just a few feet away from him. Her eyes looked at his green robe; she was not a very observant character however it was quite obvious to see a dark patch around his elbow. Had he been hurt? She jolted her head to look up at him when she realised she was starting, she lowered it slightly, her hair once again falling over her shoulder. “... Are you hurt?” She asked, she had not realised she was yet to give her name, at first she had no intention of staying however now she found herself worried.
She might be shy; however Sara always had a very motherly nature when it came to helping people. Even though she quite often found herself under the protection of others when someone was injured she found herself always wanting to help them. It was after all what she was studying to do. Surprisingly she had not even considered the boys alliance, she was still getting used to the fact everyone was on sides. He did not appear to be one of those big bad nobles Hua had warned her about...
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Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2011 3:44 am
There was a fraction of a second where Youhei could have walked away and saved himself the trouble of a conversation, but he squandered it trying to remember the girl's name.
Odtsetseg. Not city-born, he recalled, and he knew little else about the family, only that his mother had some unsavoury words to say regarding the girl's guardian, the breeder, Hua. There was never a shortage of obloquy towards Legions in their household, but Youhei made a point of noting the ones that could produce cracks in Akahana's crystal mask. Apparently a certain Legion had a monopoly on a coveted line of war-hounds and had the audacity to place the Lady Araki (through various channels) on a waiting list. Youhei, though no one asked his opinion, approved of any Lunarian who managed to knock Akahana down a rung or two of the social ladder, and not fall off themselves.
He watched appraisingly as the girl got to her feet and dipped her head, deeper than he anticipated. He willed his eyebrow not to rise. In his experience, classroom truces rarely extended outside the academy. Most students didn't pretend at courtesy; iron-clad friendships did not survive the loss of a loved one in the war. He tipped his chin in acknowledgement, wondering if she was ignorant, or just naive. Hallway gossip painted her as a quiet, self-effacing girl from the country. From the meek voice and stutter he surmised that there was some truth to the rumour.
"There can be no intrusion on the part of someone who was present first," he reassured her, though his thoughts on the matter were far less generous. She had yet to introduce herself, and perhaps surprise excused the oversight, but she was staring so intently at his arm that he felt compelled to snap his fingers.
"It's a flesh wound," he dismissed, catching her eyes to hold her attention and prevent her from looking down. Nothing in his posture or face suggested otherwise, only the slow trickle of blood seeping through the cracks in his fingers. "I am Araki Youhei. May I have the pleasure of knowing your name?"
Little did Sarangerel know that Youhei was exactly the sort of big, bad Noble she'd been warned about.
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Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2011 5:31 am
“Oh. I am sorry, my name is Odtsetseg. Odtsetseg Sarangerel of the Ookami house. However most people... they call me Sara.” She nodded, she had already gotten into the habit of introducing herself under Hua’s house. After all Sara’s family name meant nothing here, there was no Odtsetseg home, house, clan or property within the city. In fact Sara would be quite surprised if anyone knew how to pronounce her family name. “I-it is nice to meet you Youhei.” She nodded with another small bow of her head. She still was quite nervous around strangers however as of so far at least he had given her no such reason to want to rush away.
She nodded her head and forced on a small smile onto her lips. A flesh wound may be the case however these days’ people did not seem to take them as serious as they should do. Sure some people come back from battle with horrific injuries however it’s the small ones which catch you out. Even the smallest cut has the potential to get infected and become something quite serious. The sooner you treat it the less risk it presents. “If you want I can look at that...” She nodded, it might seem a strange offer coming from a stranger however in the profession she was presuming helping strangers was something she had to come to accept.
However it did occur to her that he might find it odd. She thought it was for the best to maybe add onto that a little bit so she did not appear to be some kind of a weirdo. “I am somewhat of a healer.” She added, she was very picky about how she worded that last sentence. It would have made more sense to tell him she knew soul manipulation magic however she was always very nervous about sharing her abilities with others. Growing up they had been the source of much torment from adults and children alike. She knew it was viewed differently here however it still made her feel... like she was not normal.
She held her hand out a little as if to ask him for his so she could take a look at it properly. She was sure with its size and location she would be able to fix it with relative ease. Even though she was no genius it was a simple technique to learn, especially when working on something so small.“... better safe than sorry... right?” She gave a nervous chuckle; sure she may have been rambling. It was one of her many nervous habits and she was well aware that she was probably making herself look like some kind of idiot but she convinced herself that his injury was more important than her insecurities.
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Posted: Mon Jan 31, 2011 8:25 pm
"Sarangerel of Ookami." Youhei's smile was real and fleeting. He tried not to do it often; it imbued his expression with a faintly predatory turn. He could allow himself some amusement at her predicament, however. Their histories were not dissimilar, though she couldn't know it; both lived in a household that wasn't their own, and there were various ways to make such a one unwelcome, intentional or not. Her careful language and hesitance in conducting herself suggested she hadn't settled into her own skin. Not here in Imperial City at least, where day-to-day living was fraught with traps. Still, she knew enough to arm herself with the Ookami name. "Well met."
Her smile hit a false note, and he wondered if she'd realised who or what he was, and which of his two names had caused the reaction. Reputation could be crippling; perhaps now she was having doubts about where he'd received the wound, and from who.
She surprised him by asking to see it instead. He would have refused, thinking her morbid, had she not clarified that she wished to attend to it, laying out a tentative hand. If anything, that was even more absurd. Ethics was a class that had minimal practical application beyond the academy. It would be foolishness to owe a Legion a favour.
He was glad she had the foresight - or instincts, he thought wryly, listening to her nervous laughter - not to reach for him. He did not like to be touched. On a hair trigger, being injured wouldn't stop him from doing something irreparable if she caught him by surprise.
Fighting against the frown that threatened to overtake his mouth, he was tempted to thank her and disengage politely. But as little as the notion of a Legion contact appealed to him, it would be profitable to have a soul conduit at his side. Better still if she was easily led.
He lifted his palm and rolled up his sleeve to reveal the half-clotted cut. It bled sluggishly, red smeared over the curve of his arm. "Then, if you would, I'd be much obliged."
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Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2011 10:03 am
Sara’s pale eyes looked towards the wound on his arm, she was curious to how he had gained it however at the same time did not want to pry. The cleanness of the cut guessed that it had been done by some kind of blade. She nodded her head and smiled, it was simple enough. “Okay then, I will start.” She was saying it more to prepare herself than to warn him. She had hardly had any experience on practising her abilities on live patients however she thought it smart not to mention that. She approached him a little more and took in a deep breath. She needed to concentrate.
She put one hand under his arm to prop it up and then levitated her other over the cut. She closed her eyes and slowly put it over the injury with some hesitation at first. Manipulating soul magic was something you could not explain, it was something you could feel in your gut. It did not surprise her it was a talent that only a certain few could learn. Not that she saw herself as anything special; others were just more perceptible to things than others were. She was sure he could do things that she couldn't, its just how the world worked.
A cold glow came from her hand, all dead soul conduits gave off a cold aura and even though hers was still weak it was still noticeable. After a couple of seconds had passed she opened her eyes once more, very slowly. She raised them to look at him and then stepped back a little. She felt slightly light headed; after all it was her own soul energy she had to use to activate her abilities. Her teacher said that would slowly become less noticeable the more she practised the tecnique. She always wondered was getting stronger increasing the power of your own soul? Or just the better management of what you had? So many things about her abilities were still unclear. However she guessed that was why she was still a student.
The cut on the boys arm was now just a small white line, hardly noticeable against his already pale skin. “H-how does it feel?” She asked looking to the side slightly, she did not do anything wrong did she? She was sure she did not but until he reacted she was going to feel uneasy.
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Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2011 4:31 pm
At the verbal warning, Youhei braced for the dip in temperature. He approved of Sarangerel's lack of curiosity. Whether she was afraid to know the answer to the cut's origins or wanted plausible deniability if questioned later, he wasn't in the habit of revealing his business to strangers. The healers in the Araki compound knew only to ask pertinent questions; wounds rarely required explanations, only sewing up.
He lowered his eyes, ostensibly looking at the wound, but his focus was on the Legion's hands. He did not think he had misread her, although it had happened before. She had entered the buffer of awareness that was the property of all warriors he knew, and he was intensely conscious of how many ways she could cripple him in this position.
She had not, it seemed, given any thought to how easily he could cripple her, and nothing made him more cognisant of the fact than when she held the underside of his arm to keep it steady. The loose curl of fingers was unthreatening and her motions slow; if it were otherwise, Sarangerel would have found herself spending a decidedly more sanguine afternoon. He was amazed that she'd managed to survive for this long with the instincts she possessed, and wondered that Hua didn't demand a war-hound follow her wherever she went.
He tensed as the cold grew and he felt the prickle of his skin stitching itself back together until only a thin, silvery scar remained. He flexed, testing the movement, and allowed a faint, satisfied smile at the results.
"As though the cut never was." He unrolled his sleeve and leaned into a brief bow. "You are skilled for an academy student. Thank you for your kindness."
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Posted: Wed Feb 02, 2011 10:03 pm
“Not really it’s one of the first things they taught me. Everyone had a topic they find more comfortable and whatever talent I find in healing does not spread across the board. There are many people more advanced than I in my class.” It was true for quite a few reasons. Sara’s background was not really one of a normal Lunaria and as such she was not taught many things in detail, she knew how to read and write however beyond that she never really had an education. She could deliver a calf and make a stew however she knew very little about history, culture or literature; which was a little strange because everyone seemed to hold those topics dearly here.
Was Sara really defenceless? If Hua thought so she would not let her go out on her own. Well, Sara was pretty naive when it came to fighting however the women knew suffocating the girl would just make her miserable. She did not give Sara a lot of freedom however if she had done all her work, she knew where she was and how long she would be she let her on a short leash. Besides... she always had a... ‘Stalker’ just in case. In the shadows, out of sight and all knowledge that Sara possessed was Nori; his beady yellow eye keeping on her every action. He was there in case any trouble did indeed start. Yet instructed to keep his distance and remain silent... Hua did not want Sara to think she did not trust her, even if it was her duty to keep her safe.
“Y-you’re welcome.” She smiled with a small flush. Sara was not the kind of girl to blush because she was in the presence of a boy, even if he was handsome like Youhei was. The tainting of her cheeks came mainly from complements and gratitude; even she had to admit she was not all that graceful in receiving either. It was just the kind of person she was. Her eyes slowly rose to look at him again, her head tilting lightly to one side.
“It’s a wonderful day isn’t it? You can see everything from up here.” She mumbled a little as she turned to look over the hill onto the city. The weather was still fine and all the little lights and landmarks were as clear as anything under the dim blue sky. Hua was right this place was beautiful, cherry blossoms or not. Maybe it was odd she was to talk about such a thing however she was not very good in making conversation especially with people who still were only newly met. She would leave if he wanted yet he was being very civil with her and she was enjoying his company. He seemed interesting.
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Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 9:03 am
"If there were any flaws with your work, they were so minor that I couldn't perceive them," Youhei replied, with just enough censure in his tone that she wouldn't doubt his sincerity. And if she were smart, she would let the matter lie - to continue in her modesty would suggest he was a lacking judge of skill. Perhaps her performance was mediocre in other areas, but he had not passed comment on them; besides, he was only interested in her capacity as a healer.
The reappearance of the stammer irked him and did little to to improve his impression of her. He couldn't decide whether Hua had been remiss in her etiquette lessons or whether Sarangerel hadn't learned to apply them, but halting speech (however hard the habit was to quit) was one of the first behaviours tutors were expected to correct, only second to fidgeting. Mercifully, she had yet to play with her hands and bangles, and her fingers were bare of rings.
He watched dispassionately as her face reddened; the compliment had been calculated to disarm, after all, but her reaction was... excessive. Her eyes skittered before they rose to meet his, and Youhei clenched his jaw, disconcerted. He'd met his share of women who looked to him for approval, usually in the presence of his family, but never quite so openly.
At her comment on the weather, he cast his eye where she appeared to be looking but could see nothing deserving of being called 'wonderful,' only the sprawling city and miles of snow. "It's quite the view," he responded, because it seemed the appropriate thing to say. "It's been enlightening," he added, touching the rip in his sleeve, "But it seems I have an appointment with the tailor." His smile was practised and faintly self-deprecating. There was no such appointment, for there was no such thing as an Araki who wore mended clothes.
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Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2011 11:11 am
Maybe to him it was nothing special - however Sara had not ever seen anything like this place before she came here, for so long she expected the whole world to be like her village; small huts with a working community. I guess when you grow up with such luxury it was not impressive however she knew how hard it was for some people to get by. It saddened her really to see people take things for granted, this was a beautiful place and maybe if he was raised like she was he would too. Sara however refrained from passing judgment, she did not know what he had been though in his life.
She blinked and looked over at him nodding her head. “Oh okay. I hope you have a safe trip.” It would be getting dark soon so it might be an idea if she started to head back herself since she did not want to be caught alone after sundown. She turned once more and gave a bow, her hair falling over her shoulder once more. She DESPISED having her hair tied back, she never knew why it irked her so much however that was the reason why it always seemed to be free to flow and fall where ever it pleased. Maybe its because her hair style when down was almost exactly the same as her mothers. She was always constantly been told how much the two looked alike.
“...It was a pleasure to meet you Youhei.” She added on the end with one last soft smile. She was not expecting for them to suddenly be friends however he had kept her company even if it was for a short while and this made her happy. He had not given her a reason to see him in any kind of bad light and had been very civil and polite. However these traits seemed common in the people of the city, she put it down to the way they were raised but also made her wonder if it reflected their true personalities. She wondered under the act of etiquette and rehearsed manors how they really felt and thought. Sara had always been told to be honest and speak her mind and even though she did not chose to do so often she never was taught how to act. She was always.... herself.
She was just happy that today she was able to help someone, even if it was just a little; She could tell he was grateful and that’s all that mattered to her.
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Posted: Sun Feb 06, 2011 4:43 am
Though gratified by her easy acceptance of his excuses, Youhei felt the urge to laugh at Sarangerel's parting comment. Have a safe trip, indeed. He supposed that growing up in the provinces where people's approximation of a weapon was a wood-axe, and words were blunt instead of cutting, she couldn't know the irony of her farewell. He was far safer outside than where he was returning, and not only because it was the place he'd sustained the wound.
Sundown was not long off, the bare limbs of the ancient sakura tree casting long, pointy shadows across the ground. If Youhei dallied further, the lines would be drawn between them. He had no qualms in letting her return home unaccompanied after dark. He was not on her side; upon dusk, even less so. But to secure her affections (and more importantly, her services), the overture of friendship would be expected.
Still, Youhei was not in a giving mood today. He hardly ever was.
"Safe travel to you as well, and my thanks again for your aid," he said, turning to depart.
She had not thought to ask him for anything in return, and that was enough to make it a profitable day.
In fact, it was altogether promising.
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