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 Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 3:27 pm
Suzu was confused. Yue seemed to only talk in riddles and it was making her head hurt. She would put up with so much, however calling her soft? she could stand the riddles however questioning her ability as a blacksmith was another thing.
She spent hours in the fire, hammering away at raw steel and iron. With the blacksmith yelling abuse and crittism at her. Sweat and dirt staining her body. She was a good smith. She was far from being on the level of her master however she was leaning. She was improving herself. It was a trade that took hard work and effort. She had to constantly prove herself to her never pleased master. It was hard enough just getting taken on by him, he was put off at first because of her gender so she had to prove herself to him before he would even consider teaching her the trade.
"I am a apprentice far from an experienced smith like my master. However I aspire to be as talented as him one day. I am leaning. As for 'soft' I very well might be at heart. However in spirit and body I am far from it and would prefer such comments to be kept to one’s self until they knew what they were talking about. Unless you yourself are a talented smith the remarks mean very little to me."
She stated narrowing her brow. Smithing was her life, it’s what saved her from the streets and she would not be put down, she even protested when her master did so. She would prove to the world. She would one day be a master and a inventor and make her mark on the world.
She flicked her hair and pouted. Maybe today was not going to be as pleasing as she thought. Why should smiths be as hard and cold as the steel they work with? Suzu believed her gentle heart and soul helped her to capture the beauty and elegance in her work. It was not all about power. Smithing was a art, as her master said. A smith is a artists and artists put a part of their soul into their creations.
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Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 3:32 pm
Kotone was having trouble thinking about the solidity of her beliefs and how to voice them while her thoughts were wrought by her nagging self-doubt. Her hands had gone up from where they had been holding on to her seat and her fingers nervously sifted between each other as she was trying to think about her view of men and keep up with the conversation at the same time.
Her eyes drifted to her hands as she suddenly felt tears she had been fighting back since the night before threaten to surface from within herself. Her heart began to ache again with dissatisfaction in herself, but she hadn’t cried once even after last night’s incident and she adamantly fought herself not to cry now.
Upon being addressed by Suzu, she replied a bit shakily in sound of voice at first and with a small smile as she blinked slowly several times, pleading with herself that her watery eyes let loose no tears to run down her face and quickly dry, “Ah um, yes, Suzu, we can cook together. I’m not a very good cook though.”
In truth, her hairstyle was taught by her mother and was the only elaborate one she could do satisfactorily. Kotone still felt dissatisfied with how when doing her hair, she still fell short of her mom’s wishes for her upkeep of appearance. However, she didn’t voice any of these thoughts as they were to Suzu in her embarrassment. “Uh um, I’m actually, also not very good in doing my hair. This style is the only elaborate one I can manage a little,” she confessed tactfully in response to that portion of the conversation, trying not to dampen the mood to an extreme extent, but still feared she was failing at this motive.
Trying not to fail further in their conversation, Kotone replied to Suzu’s last question, but which also resulted with a bit more of her stuttering, “Um, my hobbies, I, I like sparring, taking strolls, playing the koto, and knitting.” Her soft voice then added, “I, I really do want to become friends, too. I’m so sorry for my poor behavior.”
Her state of insecurity had currently won her over that she was not worthy of being listened to at this time.
The fighter-in-training in her though couldn't help but glance cautiously at Yue Lao when she was being given a predatory lookover in these latest moments. But upon being addressed by Yue Lao, she found herself puzzled again, still unable to remember where the small familiarity of Yue Lao's manner was connected to in her memories. Break? What did Yue Lao mean, she wondered again. "U-um," she tried to reply to Yue Lao, but no further words left her as a puzzled look was all she was able to respond with to Yue Lao at the moment.
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Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 3:41 pm
Suzu's eyes opened a little wider, looking at Kotone very concerned. She looked like she was about to cry. Was she really that scared of socializing. She knew something deep down inside this girl must be hurting. She had issues that Suzu did not understand, yet she wanted to help her with them. She did not want her to cry, he seemed too much like a nice person.
"Hey, don’t be like that, you have done nothing wrong Kotone. You have been very kind and welcoming. Take a deep breath and calm down. I have not a bad thought of you. I would not want to be your friend if I did. Now smile for me okay, you look pretty when you do."
She said in a soft and comforting voice, like a mother to her daughter. She tilted her head and looked upon the girl with soft eyes. She felt like a big sister. She felt the need to protect this girl. She seemed lost, Suzu was lost once... in need of saving. She was going to help Kotone get over whatever was bothering her. She wanted to help her, she was a nice person. She deserved to be happy.
To see herself as the nice person that Suzu did.
By how she talked about herself. Kotone did not seem to think of herself as much.
"I have never knitted. Maybe you can teach me some time."
She added bopping her on the nose gently with a small chuckle.
"... and in return maybe I could teach you how to cook, how about that? Haha. You look like you need a hug"
She added opening up her arms for her. She was a very touchy person. Her tone changed depending on the person she was addressing, she was much softer with Kotone than she was the others. However she was not acting aggressive towards them, just very matter of fact.
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Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 5:22 pm
Seeing Suzu’s reaction to her, Kotone felt all the more sorry for the way she was behaving. She appreciated Suzu’s words of comfort but was still feeling doubtful about her self-worth. When told to smile, she tried to do so, but with little avail as she could still only manage a small, shy one not like her more cheerful smiles.
She felt that it was only her that was wrong and responsible regarding how she was behaving now. She was still not strong enough and competent enough as a person. Her hands fisted in her skirt. She wanted to stop being the way she was, to stop being how nervous she was right now, this whole time as she interacted with Suzu, Miki, and Yue Lao.
“I-I’m also not very good at all at knitting, either,” Kotone responded regarding knitting, however she resisted the urge to look down at her hands in disappointment in herself yet again and instead lightly bit her lip again for a moment before continuing to say in an effort to try to improve her behavior, “But, I’ll do my best to teach you if you’d still like, Suzu.”
She was somewhat surprised when Suzu had bopped her nose, but then in reply to Suzu’s offer regarding cooking, she gave a nod of affirmative, smiling lightly with a bit more cheerfulness, “Thank you, Suzu. Also, I‘ll try harder to behave better.”
And then, she was a bit more surprised when Suzu offered her a hug. So, next, feeling that Suzu was not unkind, she hugged Suzu, her arms wrapping themselves lightly around Suzu‘s waist hesitantly in her haunting insecurity that mingled with her thankful and apologetic feelings.
After a moment, she pulled away and gave Suzu another light smile, unable to help her soft blush since she wasn’t used to hugging on a regular basis. Her hands then picked up the recipe she brought from the table and pulled it onto her lap, resting in her hands.
She then placed the recipe back on the counter’s surface between Suzu and herself, evidently still wrestling with some of her nervousness. “Um, that’s a Soba recipe,” Kotone felt compelled to give the informative sentence to Suzu even to try to have it serve as just a slight bit of explanation for her odd sequence of actions just now. However, again she felt sure the statement was of no help as an explanation as her cheeks further reddened a tad bit more.
Then when a sudden possibility of what might be going on in class came to her mind, she shared the thought as her soft voice came again, "It may be that during class today is one of the few occasions the teacher would just instruct us to discuss recipes in groups with each other."
((edit: Apparently my brain mixed up the analogy 'hot is to soba as cold is to somen.' OTL;; ))
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Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 7:18 pm
Zhēnzhū was late.
It wasn't a good feeling. Today was her first day at the Academy. Many of the other students frantically surged through the halls, adding to her tardiness a general sense of confusion. Just a week past, she'd arrived in the city, and was lost on the winding paths through The Quiet Roads looking for the home of one of her granfather's most esteemed customers. His name was Mu, and he had a modest but beautiful rock garden surrounding a natural pond in the central courtyard of his home. His koi stock was almost purely Ch'en- the line named for Zhen's family that she'd had a hand in raising- and was some of their finest bred. He offered her room and board, in exchange for a few new fish and her services in upkeeping their habitat.
He had a small servant's quarters located on the back of his property. It was musty from years of unuse, and she had spent the greater part of the days following her arrival making it fit for habitation. In this work, she'd forgotten that she wasn't ACUTALLY sure how to arrive at the Academy from her sponsor's home. She'd spent the greater part of this morning walking, and hitching a ride when she could on peddler carts making their way to market.
Her face, having begun the day scrubbed pink in her attempt to be presentable, now had loose hairs plastered to it from sweat. The rest she'd tied still wet in a long braid down her back, which swung dully to the rhythm of her footsteps down the hall. Her top had slipped to bare one shoulder, but she paid it no mind- she was intent on trying to figure out exactly where she was supposed to be. She'd finally made it to the correct building as the sun slid up the sky, only scant hours from noon. Her first class - Cooking, she thought, looking at the hasty notes she'd scribbled on her palm- should start any minute. It may well have started already.
She noticed a small island of calm in the area near one of the doors - benches were placed here, and sprawled atop one of them was a red headed youth. He seemed to have a sour twist to his mouth, but he was the first person she'd seen so far who was sitting still long enough to talk to, and questions bubbled up unbidden.
Quickly crossing the hallway, she sat on a bench next to his, hands absently wringing the bottom of her top. She wondered distantly if she'd dressed appropriately.
Addressing him, she smiled...and let the font of inquiries spew forth.
"Hi there! Y'look like you know where you're going- or where you are," she quickly amended. "My name is Zhēnzhū, and this is my first day! Have you been here long? Is it always this crowded? Are you waiting for something?" She sniffed, looking around hopefully, but caught nothing but a whiff of the road-dust that caked her feet and calves. "Do you know where the Cooking class is?" She squinted at him, and added one more rapid fire assessment. "You look like you've had a mouthful of pond scum!"
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Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 10:19 pm
“Maybe I would and maybe I do” Miki sighed. She was tired of playing with Yue. It was simply becoming a game of offensive and weird sexual behavior. Plus, Yue kept dragging her into conversations she cared nothing for, always looking for her to agree. It was as if she couldn’t hold the opinion unless it was shared by another. Sure, they had a similar pattern of thinking, but Yue just seemed more like… more like a creeper. Like she had not a care for anything. Miki at least had a conscious.
“I haven’t had a good fight in a while; I may be a bit rusty.” Miki cracked her knuckles against each other, shifting in her seat. She didn’t care for tests, but fighting was her thing. She had never lost, and vowed that she never would.
“But all of this is putting me in a sour mood, and it would be much more fun to fight me when I’m cheery. For both of us.” Miki did an overdone wink to Yue, mocking the gesture she had earlier received.
“I’m quite hungry right now and honestly I just want class to start, should I choose to partake or not…”
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Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 10:32 pm
Yue tilted her head and grinned, "Ah, sweetpea, you misunderstood me again. I don't think I'd appreciate the beauty of blacksmithing as much as I can appreciate a well-crafted item which is meant to last, and the power behind that. And if my remarks didn't bother you, sweetpea, why'd you feel it necessary to defend yourself, hmmm?" Yue Lao pursed her lips and kept right on smiling. She went back to ignoring the two of them when Suzu and Kotone started to talk to one another about their hobbies. It was all idle buzzing noise, to Yue.
Yue was a little disappointed at Miki's deflection of her offer to fight. They're all turning out to be boring. I can't get anything out of any of them. It was true that Yue felt little to no remorse, and she also didn't feel like she was being sexual. It seemed like Miki was over-sensitive to things of a physical nature, which made it strange that she would like to fight, in Yue's opinion. Unless, of course, she used her weapon to keep a distance. The thought made Yue smile wryly. All that Miki's wink elicited was a wide grin on Yue's part; even if Miki was resistant and mostly deflecting Yue's energetic attempts at starting some kind of conflict, at least Yue could take small pleasure in gestures like that one. "Maybe you should've eaten better, Miki. Well, fine, I'll take a rain-check on that fight. I'd just be sloppy right now anyway; I'm looking to play, not quarrel. Even you should get that, Miki." Yue crossed her eyes and stuck her tongue out, acting like a child. In truth, she wasn't as young as she figured many of the others here were.
Sometimes it seemed as though her age should make her more at odds with the others, especially since she was new to the Academy but younger than several of its members, but her attendance had been delayed. She simply had not wanted to leave her home, nor her mother and her mother's best friend. Perhaps that mistrust in the Academy had not been ill placed. So far, all she had done was tease some students and get stuck in a boring cooking class. She craved the physical contact she could get back home, where her friends knew what she was like and indulged her. When indulged, Yue could be both infuriating and intoxicating. It was what she loved most.
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Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2010 12:43 am
This girl was really cheesing her off.
The way she spoke to her just constantly sounded like she was looking down to her from a very high horse. Suzu hated people like that, who readily assumed they were better than anyone else, especially her. This girl was VERY rude indeed and she would admit that the longer she was around her the more she wanted to punch her in the kisser just to shut her the hell up! However she had to refrain, the blacksmith would KILL her if she got in trouble on her first day. He would make her do 400 pushups at least and then knock her around the room with his walking stick.
Pfft, she could not appreciate a weapon; she could not possibly if she openly admitted she did not understand the beauty of the art. It took hours to make just a simple weapon, blood, sweat and pure diligence had to be fused into every blade. It was a painful process. Really blacksmiths did not get the recognition that they deserve. It is so easy and cheap to by a weapon these days, everyone seemed to have one. It was sad people just saw blades and such as common, each blade is different, her master told her when she was good enough she could forge her own weapon. A weapon which was like a extended arm, one that she would feel like she was destined to always hold.
Her master made himself a katana when he advanced to his current status. She had never seen such a beautiful blade. It was on display in his private office. She could not describe it, it was just breathtaking.
She smiled and looked back at Kotone, trying to push the annoyance she felt for the slag to fade into the back of her mind. She still seemed to be putting herself down, however she was happy she took up her offer for a hug. She smiled and looked over the recipe they were studying today.
"Aww just talk about it? that’s no fun. How can you talk about food if you have never tasted it?"
She laughed rubbing the back of her head. Suzu wanted to do something, she had only been here for a short while and she was already bored out of her mind! Her eyes started to can the room for something to do. Anything. Yet them room was so plain, nothing seemed to stand out to be good material to work with. Maybe she could make some kind of cross bow out of the chairs... if she had some rope and a few nails. However it would not work as well as she would hope. Maybe if she took up some flaw boards she could make a Kendo stick... gah! There was NOTHING to do.
"Hmm so when is this teacher going to get here I am going crazy."
She whimpered putting her head on the desk, her hair covering her face. If there is one thing she can not stand is sitting around waiting for something to happen, she hated it more than physical pain. Maybe asking Kotone some more questions would break the boredom.
"So where do you live? Have you any family around these parts?"
She asked, it was a stupid question to say so many people did not have parents however it was the first thing to come to mind. She liked Kotone. She seemed very genuine, she knew she was shy and she was trying to improve herself with was admirable. So maybe asking her questions would help her along the way, keep her talking. She felt that maybe... Kotone was feeling just a 'little' more comfortable with her. A tiny bit.
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Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2010 12:59 am
Huang stared at the academy and swore under his breath, he was lost yet again in the large school buildings spread around and had decidedly not to ask help from other members of the school here, it was hard enough to talk to people in general, imagine if he had found somebody of Noble alliance mixed in the crowed rabble!
He took a heady step into the school and avoided touching or bumping into other rushing students, taking his time, he searched for exactly where he was to be at the time, and maybe for a familiar face of the students he had met earlier in the year.
Glancing around, he ducked into the nearest classroom and waited for anybody else to appear, maybe he had chosen yet another wrong one.
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Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2010 1:17 am
/ I am guessing he came into the classroom we are all in? tell me if I am wrong! /
Suzu in her looking around saw the new arrival. Her short attention span turning to the new face; however she kept a ear open for Kotones answer to her question. It was a guy? he was quite cute too! She laughed looking away with a small blush. Finally some eye candy in this class of annoying girls. She should not, Kotone was so shy. However she could not resist. She had to. She would not be Suzu if she did not introduce herself to the good looking new arrival.
She raised her hand and waved in the direction of the boy, like they were close friends even though she had never met him before. In a way it was a greeting for him to come over. Her other hand was close to her chest. This was most certainly a break in her boredom.
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Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2010 1:29 am
((He is wherever peeps be XD /throws him the classroom of girls))
Huang eye's instantly darted to the female waving at his direction like she knew him, it was odd but he was compelled to go over and introduce himself, he was never short on matters regardless if he knew the girl or not. He did however recognize the other girl sitting off to the side of the stranger and instantly relaxed, at least he knew somebody here.
Steadily walking over, he came to stand by the newest girl and bowed his head in respect to her, "Hello Lady student..." Huang felt foolish for replying in such a silly way, but he didn't no what her name was and need to call her something anyways.
"And It's good to see you again Lady Kotone," Huang bowed his head to the girl he knew, relaxing enough to talk to them normally as he came to sit besides them, "Can one of you ladies please tell me what classroom this is? I wasn't given specific directions on where i should've gone but found this one open with students." He pulled a chair up to sit closer to Kotone but not close enough to crowd, while he did know Kotone, he was still wary of people.
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Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2010 1:36 am
As he came over a large smile came onto Suzu's face; a huge one. Her inner spirit was dancing around the room singing songs of joy. As he addressed her a blush came onto her face, one she could not control as she laughed nervously.
"Ahh Kotone! You never told me you had a very handsome friend, I thought you would tell me such things."
She nudged her playfully before her attention went back to the male student, she grabbed his hands and shook then like she had done to everyone else she greeted bowing her head.
"Hello I am Suzu. I am new to this class and the academy. This is the cooking room. We are just waiting for the teacher to appear."
She smiled, letting go of his hands when she thought she was holding on too long, playing with her fingers. Yay! She was happy. Very happy indeed. Those eyes were so beautiful, that tattoo he had made him look so manly. Ahh, he was gorgeous!
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Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2010 9:56 am
Miki frowned at Yue but then nodded. “I love to play.” She grinned once again. “I have P.E. next and I do hope that you do as well. Possibly we could have a little fun together then.” There would be much more room in that class to fight, unlike in a kitchen. It would have become even more of a mess if they had started their battle right now.
Miki’s fiery eyes laced with long dark eyelashes slowly met the figure of a man. She looked him up and down, judging that he was no threat, but found the tattoos very interesting. Hopefully he wouldn’t be a pompous brat like some men were. It was hard to tell when they addressed you as he did. Was he truly so respectful or was he mocking them…?
Remaining in her chair, Miki lifted a hand, signaling to him.
“I am Miki. Please don’t try addressing me with ‘lady’ unless you mean it with the utmost respect. I don’t really appreciate ‘miss’ either, makes me feel too young.”
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Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2010 11:08 am
Suzu's eyes narrowed slightly as she looked over at Miki. Thinking how she addressed the new arrival was just plain uncalled for.
"Miki! thats so rude, he is being respectful and proper. Even if you do not like it you could politely ask him not to say so, many people could take what you just said as offensive."
She stated with a raised eyebrow folding her arms, she then turned to the boy once more.
"I am sorry, shes just a little temperamental, I am sure she meant to offense in her comments. I sorry I jumped on it so quick."
She rubbed the back of her head. She could not stand people being obnoxious when there was no reason behind it. Especially to a cute and charming boy! She did feel like she had just cause a scene for nothing however it needed to be said.
If anyone said that to her, made that assumption before she even said hello she would feel offended. So she was guessing he would feel that way too.
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Posted: Wed Aug 04, 2010 11:22 am
((Is there anything special happening in the cooking room? If not you guys should blow up the cooking room or something. XDDD Nothing says good character building then blowing things up and setting them on fire.))
thump, thump, thump, thump, thump, thump, thump
The sound of running echoed the halls of the Academy just as loudly as the chatter and shenanigans did before the classes all started. The hallways lulled with the inhabitants of those who either decided to not go to class or simply did not have any at that time.
”Get back here, damn it!” Eiji shouted as he ran, shaking a fist in the air. Weaving around the hallways he nearly came into several collisions with a few students. Luckily enough they never ended into anything serious; just a brush here or there, the occasional side to shoulder swipes with some of the shorter students. Sidestepping around a small crowd of students Eiji bumped into several other that suddenly appeared, almost knocking them over. Not letting them fall he caught a hold of them to stand them back up, ”S-sorry!!” Eiji apologetically shouted as he waved back. He was already far away from them, running once again. Stupid beast. I swear when I catch you... DAMN! He thought to himself with additional swearing. Needless to say he was far from pleased right now.
Rounding yet another bend in the hallway Eiji grew more frustrated. This half of the wing seemed more crowded then from where he came. He didn’t have the patience to maneuver between students anymore. Seeing a unoccupied hallway bench he took the chance to use it as a prop. Running in it’s direction Eiji jumped on then sprung off of it to get around the crowds. Landing with a loud thump he took off again. He did the same when it came to potted plants as well; using the large heavy pots as a “wall” to propel himself off of. His new method of movement was working out quite well.
He came to another bench that was currently being occupied, but he didn’t care, he knew he could make it. Picking up speed he sprinted towards the bench and in Parkour fashion hurtled over the lunarian sitting there, landing on the other side with yet another, louder, thump; this time bringing himself to one knee before taking off again. ”Sorry!” Eiji shouted back towards the lunarian. Wait a minute.. he thought to himself as he turned his head to the right, to see who it was. Was that-? "Oh hay! You're-" Hearing the sudden screech of someone in front of him his focus was broken. Coming to a sudden half Eiji almost toppled over onto another student. ”Eeeh!” he gasped, rolling up on this toes as he circled his arm backwards to prevent falling forwards. The student took off and he landed back on his feet letting out an agitated sigh.
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