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 Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2013 11:31 am
"Haha, you're right! Ochiba looked reaaaally hungry, so we better hurry! ..."
Lumine turned to look at the door, then paused. She really, really didn't want to leave. But when Michiko rejoined her side after stowing away their mother's mementos, Lumine felt a small relief wash over her. It didn't rid her of all her anxieties, but it gave her the courage to take those next few steps, reach out, and turn the door's knob...
Lumine opened Michiko's bedroom door and strode out, letting out a small, content sigh. "Heeeyy Ochibaaa~" She said, waving to the small rabbit Youkai as she passed to go sit at her place at the table again. "Man, I'm still starving! I hope my food didn't get cold!" Lumine picked up her fork and, with a smile, began to eat almost as noisily as Ochiba had.
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Posted: Sat Mar 16, 2013 10:45 pm
"A vermin after all, uh ?" Michiko teased, standing next to Lumine. She followed the celestial's steps when she opened the door and let time wash over both of them as it decided to resume its cruel course at last.
Ochiba's ears perked up as Lumine sighed and smiled coming to sit next to her and dig into her food. "Oh, guess your appetite is back, Lumi?" the rabbit teased with a warm smile as the ex-celestial began to voraciously attack her found. Across from her Michiko also took her seat, mimicking Lumine in her assault of dinner. The earth rabbit chuckled at them, but particularly the tengu,"You really are wolfingthat down, hey, Michiko!"
"Ingenious pun, Lucky-Charm."
"Thank you~
The three could chat and finish their dinner in peace, but Michiko would cast sideways glances at the fourth plate of food that was getting colder as time passed. It seemed Rubuke wouldn't join them for dinner. "What a stubborn crow..." the wolf mumbled.
"You should know how she is, even if we've known her for so short," Ochiba commented "She is as much of a lone-wolf as you are~"
"What is it with you and puns today?" Michiko grumbled before looking to Lumine,"Say, she was Maemi's Sister, right? Does that mean you knew her before .... Before she was the last child of the Kenkaku...?"
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Posted: Sun Mar 17, 2013 4:27 pm
Lumine ate hungrily, but couldn't help but snicker at Ochiba's bad jokes. When her name was called, it was her turn to look up with cheeks stuffed with food. "Mfph?" The ex-Celestial choked down her mouthful, clearing her throat with a bit of a sheepish look on her face. "Well, yeah! Rubuke has always kinda been there. I'd see her whenever Maemi would go to her family's manor, because, well... I'd always sneak in after her!"
She set down her fork and took a drink of water, washing down the rest of the foodstuff and continued. "I think I mentioned it before, but very few people in the Tengu Village really liked me being there... Rubuke was one of them. I don't think Samuro, Maemi's big brother, minded too much, but Rubuke seemed to hate that I hung around Maemi. We'd get into fights, but Maemi would never let it become physical. She was always protecting me like that..."
Lumine stared absently into the water of her glass before setting it back onto the table. "So... yeah, I guess you could say we have a history together. Why do you ask?" Even though she put forth the question, Lumine believed she already knew the answer; it was something she had already decided to do on her own. She needed to seek out Maemi's sister.
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Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2013 9:42 am
"I see," Michiko nodded thoughtfully,"Well, I was wondering if you knew anything that could ease that girl's mind and heart.She is... troubled to say the least."
"Considering what you've told me, I'm not surprised, I'd be troubled too," Ochiba pipped in drinking some water.
"That is essentially why she concerns me. She is next in line to carry the Kenkaku's honor and pride, but I do not see her as being capable of it. Yes she trains endlessly, but courtier life is more than just proving you can carry a sword, specially to an Elite court."
"In other words, I suppose I am concerned for her. She doesn't seem to particularly have a stable mind set or a defined sense of self after living in the shadows of her elder brethren..." the wolf tengu jabbed at her meal,"But I do suppose I have no reason to worry for someone who will leave my world once her wings heal."
"Worrying just shows you are human, you know?" Once more the earth rabbit intervened,"Maybe all Rubuke needs is a nudge in the right direction!"
"I hope so," The lonewolf looked to Ochiba, before sighing," Gods help the Kenkaku if another calamity should befall them and take their last child because she lacked a certain brand of resolve."
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Posted: Thu Mar 21, 2013 11:32 pm
"A nudge, huh...?" Lumine resumed poking at her food aimlessly, already full but not wanting to excuse herself just yet. "I don't know what anyone could say to her... I mean, she'd need guidance from someone like Master Kazuko! I don't think any of us are wise enough to give her the advice she needs... I know Rubuke has a lot on her shoulders, with Samuro's accident and... Maemi's passing... Sometimes I forget that she lost Maemi, too. It was probably harder on her than it was on me, because she grew up with Maemi. And now with the Academy, the Elite guard, and her family breathing down her neck all the time... It's no wonder she's gets twisted up into a little ball of hate and misery... When Maemi was alive, Rubuke was always striving to be her best, spending all of her time training to prove herself among the guard and her family. She's always putting up a tough front, too - I don't think I've ever seen her be... soft, even when she was with Maemi."
She thought about it a bit more, then stood from her place at the table. "But I guess if we do nothing, then nothing will ever change, huh?" Lumine went about to take Rubuke's plateful of food, still on the table, and more than likely cold by now. "Um... if you guys don't mind, I think I'll take her her food. She must be pretty hungry, trying to train with her wounds..."
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Posted: Fri Mar 22, 2013 6:38 pm
"I am sure she would do much better if she had a single kind person that could reach out to her. I can't believe she hasn't relaxed once..." She paused at the irony of her words," Well... not having relaxed with you around I mean."
"Some people are more stubborn than you Michiko, even if its hard to believe," Ochiba commented to the lonewolf, both barely noticing as Lumine stood and took the now cooling plate of food.
"OF course not, Lumine, ... Erm, good luck." Michiko responded watching the ex-celestial.
----
Rubuke wasn't far from the tengu's home, but it wasn't out of lack of wanting. The least amount of distance she traveled the more energy she would have to train; the more time she had to train, the longer she could ignore her problems.
By the time Lumine came out to bring the food, the wounded crow had broken a sweat. She had been swinging the Naginata and holding certain stances, testing just how much strength she had in her current state. It was shameful, to be weakened like that, though to be fair the broken wings broke her balance. Giving up and not noticing the celestial yet, she sighed let her Naginata fall to the side and sat on the floor sullenly, hugging her knees.
"I hate this. So. Very. Much." the tengu whimpered, not aware that she had an audience.
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Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2013 7:59 am
Lumine smiled and nodded to Michiko, then, with Rubuke's food in hand, went to the front door and exited her home.
It didn't take long for her to spot Rubuke a little ways away. She looked distressed, even from this distance. Lumine had just appeared in time to see Rubuke drop her weapon then go to the ground herself. She looked so... pitiful.
Lumine frowned. She had no idea of what she could say to Rubuke, a person with which she had shared a mutual dislike. Hell, most times it only took one sight of Lumine's presence to send the Tengu up in arms about her. Not to mention the fact that the last time Lumine had seen Rubuke, she and Michiko were essentially stealing from the Tengu Academy - an act Rubuke surely didn't take lightly, nor would have forgotten so quickly, despite letting them go.
On the other hand, that blow to her pride, along with the many more she had received at the hands of Seijin's daughter, may have been enough to bring her back down to earth and off her high and mighty pedestal.
...Wait, no, that wasn't the proper thing to think. There isn't any time left to worry about old grudges. Lumine let out a small sigh to compose herself, then put on her best smile as she approached the wounded Tengu.
"If you hate it so much, then why do you do it?" Lumine asked innocently, kneeling down somewhat beside Rubuke and holding the plate of food over her lap. "Um, sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but I wanted to bring you your food! You almost missed dinner, ya'know?"
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Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2013 6:26 pm
Rubuke flinched in surprise as Lumine sat by her so innocently wanting to make conversation. The gray-black crow turned a nice shade of red, half hiding her face in her knees and looking away,"Why do I do what? Try to please my family, train so hard, pretend I don't care? Your question is vague."
Unable to dismiss the apology, she sighed, "No, its fine really... bring my food..?" Finally looking to Lumine, her eyes trailed to the plate of food, "Oh... it looks very good actually. I am not really hungry." As if begging to differ, her stomach gave a loud growl, making her blush more and try to bury her face into her knees,"Fine, I don't feel like eating."
"Isn't it funny?" Rubuke muttered into her knees, her voice soft. One of her hands idly fiddled with a rock that was by her,"You had been in the village for so long, and... I can't remember a single civil conversation between us, even when I knew we both had Maemi in common. Not only that, but we talk now, after we lost whatever forced us to be together." The crow looked up at the little spring in front of them. Then to the rock,"I came here, looking for my sister's blade and the Kazuko's treasures- which I allowed you to steal- and instead I got a fight with a Rouki, the clan thought to have been lost in time. I get so beat, I can't fly, and because of that, I see the shingami confess your death and the same Rouki take revenge. Still unable to fly, I stay long enough to see you alive in some way, and instead of thinking anything, I am just happy you are still around, because Maemi would have loved that. That's a pretty crazy chain of events don't you think? Sort of a hard to believe that one action can cause so many effects."
"Fate can go to hell." She hurled the rock into the spring, though she quickly cringed at motion that had stretched one of her wounds.
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Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2013 5:52 pm
"I kind of understand what you mean..." Lumine said quietly, setting the plate of food down between them. "I can't remember a time like that, either. That we didn't fight, I mean... So many things have happened so quickly, and so many people have changed... I guess even I must have changed too, caught up with the tide." Lumine moved to sit like Rubuke, though she placed her hands behind her and leaned back, looking up at the sky.
"But... we're talking now, right? That's something..." She sat and observed the sky, the dimming light and the onset of the first glimpse of the stars. "What I meant was, why do you train so hard when you hate it? I never understood why you pushed yourself, even when Maemi was still alive and you weren't to hold the family's weapon... And to be honest, Maemi hated it, too. At least, I think she did... Or maybe, I want to believe she did. I could see it was always hard on her, being forced to live up to some kind of expectation by her family. That's what you feel too, right? Maybe... it's because I never grew up with the sense of honor you have, but I could never understand doing something that you hated..."
"But I guess I share the blame too. I mean, for us not talking... I could have tried harder to be your friend. I know sometimes I had intentionally been annoying just to make you mad, because I knew... Maemi would protect me..."
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Posted: Mon Mar 25, 2013 7:01 pm
"I think we have all changed, honestly," Rubuke stared where the stone sunk."It is really nice, to be able to talk, I guess. Ever since Maemi left,... Samuro has been quieter, he talks less and never really leaves his room anymore. Its nice to have someone returning words instead of looking to the side and moving their heads along. "
"I think we all hated it when it became our responsibility after what happened to Samuro," the tengu sighed,"We do it because it is our obligation for being born into one of the most important families in the Tengu Village.... but I didn't hate it all the time. I used to love training and getting stronger, testing how far I could go, and finally seeing results. The Swords art was to me what Journalism was to Maemi. What I hate is.... finally getting the chance to hold the family's honor, in this circumstances. Its not even bitter sweet just bitter. Now, I am stranded here, in the middle of the forest with broken wings."
"Yeah, Maemi was always protecting you," Rubuke scoffed, but she was not in the mood for anything, much less an argument,"Maemi was spread thin. With the Elite Guard, and training with Kazuko-dono, and taking care of you... she never had time for me. It made me so jealous. I was happy that Maemi could get away from the house, but I wanted my sister too. I guess I should have been more understanding too.... but, since you showed up, I was so alone in my own home."
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Posted: Tue Mar 26, 2013 7:22 am
"I see... I'm sorry to hear that about Samuro..." Lumine began, her gaze still fixed skyward. "I... I kinda liked him, but only because I thought he didn't mind me being around.... but maybe, he just didn't care either way."
She listened quietly as Rubuke went on, shifting a little when the tengu mentioned being jealous. "Rubuke, I... don't know what to say. I never meant to take Maemi from you, or anything like that. I never thought about it like that, either... It's just... when I found her, after we had somehow grown close..." Lumine laughed, shaking her head. "I don't even know how it happened. I mean... Why did she take my hand?" She moved one of her supporting arms forward, extending her hand somewhere in front of her. Thinking back to that day, in the cave that was home of a certain Youkai of Sorrow...
"...If she hadn't taken my hand... If we hadn't taken that chance, none of this would have ever happened. None of it." She let her hand fall onto her lap, knowing there wasn't anyone to take it this time. "...I'd understand if you hated me, Rubuke. I never really liked you too much, either. But.... But if you don't eat, you'll never get healthy again!" Suddenly, Lumine moved to her knees, taking the plate of cooled food in one hand, presenting it for Rubuke again. "So... So c'mon, eat! What would Maemi say if she saw you like this, huh?" She sat back a little, "...She'd scold you for being stupid, and then take care of you... So I'll do what she can't right now..."
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Posted: Wed Mar 27, 2013 1:10 pm
"Maybe a bit of both. Samuro usually didn't care about many things after his accident. I guess he lost alot of his drive for much of everything," Rubuke shrugged lightly.
"My sister was like that, she'd take care of whoever needed it. She must have seen something on you, I don't know. She wasn't keen of strangers,it was weird," the tengu looked away thoughtfully. Rubuke hesitated but continued," You are right, none of this would have happened, but as much as I hate to admit it, that would also mean the good times you had wouldn't have happened either. And... You made Maemi very happy. It would have been sad if she hadn't... found you." The tengu looked away, perhaps refusing to admit what she said.
Lumine raised the plate of food, and made her glance back at the ex-celestial,"I was about to say..." The Kenkaku took the plate and slowly began to nibble at the food. "....It's a bit cold." She chuckled, before she laughed and smiled at Lumine.
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Posted: Thu Mar 28, 2013 1:10 am
"Well ya dumb pigeon," Lumine began, putting on one of her cheesy grins, "it wouldn't be cold if you had been a good little birdy and ate when you were supposed to!"
When Rubuke laughed, Lumine couldn't help but laugh with her. "H-Hey, what's so funny, huh?" She smiled back, moving her hand to fix a few stray bangs from her face. Had her hair gotten a bit longer..?
"...Thanks, Rubuke. That means a lot, hearing you say it. Sometimes I felt like I was... the worst thing that had ever happened to Maemi... But then I think back to all the good times we shared, and... well, that fear goes away for a while."
"Maemi loved you a lot too, ya'know? She was a lot like you, wanting to please and earn her family's respect... but more than that, she wanted to protect you all, and keep you safe, because she loved you. Maybe that's why I latched onto her how I did... She was cool. A real hero... something I knew I could never be. I looked up to her, because she was everything I wanted to be. I could only get in trouble, and she saved my bacon more than once!" Lumine drew absently in the ground, forging a design somewhat in the shape of a sword. "Besides... we both know that if you had come to take her sword from me, there's no way I'd stand a chance against you, or anyone in your family..."
A small worried flame lit in the back of Lumine's mind. What had happened to Maemi's Nodachi? It was with her that day.... She smiled again, trying to hide the worried look on her face.
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Posted: Fri Mar 29, 2013 10:25 pm
"I guess you are right, I should o' eaten when Michiko served it, bet it was a thousand times better than it already is when it was warm," The Kenkaku said, chuckling at Lumine. "Ah nothing... I was just being stupid I guess. Like I said, it's nice to see someone showing some sort of acknowledgement for me. Since I got here I've felt a bit different; I feel spoiled with all this attention!" She snickered again, nodding at her wings, the reason of Michiko's attention for her.
"It's only the truth,... I think, all of us, the children of the Kenkaku admire you. I may be exagerating with saying Samuro, but..." She shrugged,"At least Maemi and I. We both found how free you were something worth admiring. You always speak your mind and do as you please. We never had the courage to do that." The tengu continued to eat hungrily, careful to swallow before speaking,"Mhr-... I know Maemi cared. In a way, I know she accepted the Nodachi because it meant I had one less reason to be out in patrol. It was one less reason for me to be a target. It's hard to believe I knoooow..." The sarcasm seeped through her words," 'But there is corruption in our lovely village! Can you believe it? Our patch of heaven, tainted. Heavens heavens!' " She laughed at her mockery of her mother's words. "Taking the treasure of one of the clans means an upward spiral for the culprit, even if it is by the name of 'Assassin extraor-Di-Naree~'' like it happened with the Kaninus clan (At least they made a living out of that tittle) and many folk would kill to get their hands on the artifact weapons. Thankfully for us, when Samuro was assaulted it was by a bunch of dimwits, so they didn't take the sword... Point of this was, Maemi accepted the responsibility to protect me. I know she did, but I also knew she was sort of useless with that thing...." She shook her head and sighed. "I loved my sister very much, and I admired her for what she did for me and you. I really looked up to her for the way she defended you. Maemi may have not been the best large weapon wielder, but like hell she had the heart of a warrior. I bet that is why Kazuko-dono also favored her."
" Did you know she threatened our father once? In his own court! It was amazing. She was like my idol!" Her eyes lighted for a second before they dimmed. The childish delight in her eyes had shown for a second but it was snuffed out by the time she poked at her food,"I learned all I could about her. Kazuko-dono was like, the best swordswoman in our time. I really hate how I never really got to talk to her... She was always so busy training Maemi and being awesome I guess..."
Once more Rubuke shook her head and laughed with a wan smile,"Sorry That I am ranting. I hadn't talked to anyone in the longest time!"
"What? Really?" Rubuke looked at Lumine and grinned,"Our whole family is useless! The eldest son is crippled, he can only walk on a cane and help at best. The Head of the family is old and rusted; I can beat him sparring with how slow he is. Mother? She is warrior by name, but aaaall aristocrat by trade. Everyone else? Sure you can take them on," she laughed and pointed her fork at Lumine, which she had been moving from side to side as she counted off,"Don't tell me the Great Lumine Mayflower is afraid of a couple dopes from the aristocracy!"
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Posted: Sat Mar 30, 2013 7:26 am
"What? O-Of course not! I'm not--" Lumine started, already half standing, but slowly slumped back into her seat on the ground. "...Well, I guess that's not really true anymore. There was a time, not long ago, when I wasn't afraid of anything, take on all comers, consequences be damned! ...But now, I feel as if I fear the very ground I walk on, let alone a clan of seasoned or, at least partially experienced warriors. (It's no wonder I was able to sneak into your manor so easily; it sounds like the Kenkaku children were the only capable warriors in the house!)"
She stared at the ground thoughtfully, brushing away her design from the earth. "I don't know why anyone would admire me, or the way I lived. I never had any direction, and I lived from one stupid idea to the next. It was only thanks to Maemi and Master Kazuko that I was given a home, and a place to return to and feel loved; without that, I would have constantly been a wanderer, a... a leech, maybe." Lumine let out a small sigh, and again reclined onto the palms of her hands, though this time she kept eye contact with Rubuke.
"And no, I've never heard that tale! And from what it sounds, I don't think it would have been something either Master Kazuko or Maemi would have talked about light-heartedly. Master Kazuko was a very intelligent woman! Never one to gossip or spread rumors; she only told the truth, the facts, the important bits, ya'know? Something like that... while it might have been important, it may have been a private experience for both Master Kazuko and the members of your family. Not to say she wouldn't have told me if I asked, but it probably never even crossed her mind!
I've learned there are a lot of things like that, things we take for granted, or maybe things we overlook. We come to expect certain behaviors from the people we are closest to, knowing the ins and outs of their personhood. Some things go unsaid, not out of spite or secrecy, but because they become so natural that we kinda... forget them."
Lumine laughed in spite of herself. "You think you can rant? I haven't stopped since you shut up! I'm used to talking a lot, like you said, 'always speaking my mind'. I don't know why I'm like that, but I just am. Sure, it's gotten me into trouble sometimes, but I could always handle it... But now, I think I like listening just as much, if not more. I didn't listen very much when I first came to Gensokyo, or even for a while after that. I... I should have. I really should have listened more."
Lumine sighed sadly, and smiled a worn, sorrowful smile. "...I miss her voice, Rubuke. Her laugh, her cry, even the voice she would use to scold me with.... That Shinigami, she, um... she kinda looks like Maemi, and kinda sounds like her.... but even if she has her voice, it isn't really her talking, you know? She doesn't use the same words, the tone or inflections... It's not the same..."
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