The Rose of Truth: Lessons in Nobility
Written by: Fire Senshi aka Juri-sempai aka Ka aka Tara Smith...don't even think about taking it places without telling me first!
~~
"You're late," came an acidic mutter that was nearly lost in the darkness and emptiness of the dojo.
There was no response. The figure instead seemed to sneer in the harsh moonlight, taking off an outer jacket that covered the school uniform she wore.
The other stood with poise near the shinai rack. "You know," the voice
taunted slyly, "you would never dream of being late to a duel."
Again, no response.
"Unless, of course," - the voice knew it now had the upper hand - "it was by some extreme miracle."
"Hardly," was the short, crisp response.
"Really?" The once-waiting figure was now intrigued. Slowly, a hand reached to brush a few stray green locks from the face. "I'm sure another of the student council would beg to differ, or am I not correct?"
Juri's eyes were shrewd as they peered at the man through slited lids. She huffed a bit haughtily, selecting one of the shinai. "And how would you know? Its not as though *you* are a member any longer."
A faint smile crossed his face. "But Juri," he feigned in an uncharacteristically innocent voice, "don't you know the phrase? Once a member of the Council, always a member of the Council?"
She returned the smile to the former kendo-team captain. "Only if you're there to be counted, dear Saionji." The man turned to hide his sudden anger and to choose his own shinai. "And you are most certainly not there."
He regained control quickly, which made her think that her must have learned something after being expelled. "Perhaps so," he said with restrain, "but I do not understand your reason for being part of this at all."
The two prepared themselves in starting positions for a spar. Saionji called the beginning. Both circled each other warily, their styles being different and hence unfamiliar to the other. "Ever think," Juri commented, apparently uninterested, "that you aren't supposed to?"
Saionji was first to become restless, struck out first, aiming for the woman's left shoulder. She easily dodged the entire attempt by slipping to the side, far out of his reach. The kendo master grunted slightly, but quickly turned to defend himself against any type of attack. Juri made no such move.
The man rose into a more ready position and they began to circle again. "Then tell me this," he also spoke as though he didn't care, "why are you even here tonight?"
Juri's head tilted ever so slightly. "Because, I felt like it," she replied simply.
"You lie!" Saionji's response was binding intense anger. He lashed out again, taking a swipe at her upper leg. Juri parried easily. The green-haired man backed out again.
It was now the woman that was intrigued. She tilted her head once more and asked with one eyebrow raised quizzically: "So then what does it matter to you?"
Saionji clenched his teeth. He unexpectedly lunged forward, now thrusting for the woman's chest. Juri was nearly caught. In a frenzy, she threw her entire weight to the side and back.
She had avoided the practice sword, but Saionji's body slammed against hers and sent her spinning backwards. She flung out an arm in a last ditch attempt to regain her balance. It worked and she then remembered that was the reason why she chose fencing over kendo.
However, Saionji recovered quicker than she, and used the falter to his
advantage. Turning, he once again aimed for the leg she was attempting to use to balance. Seriously stirred, Juri tossed the arm still holding the sword to slow down the blow.
This also worked, but she had barely enough time to remove all her appendages from his swing range. The practice sword she had been forced to clumsily move to block flew from her hands from the strength of the swing. It landed with a hollow wooden clatter behind the man, and now she backed away, clinging to her stinging, bent-backwards wrist.
Saionji's grin seemed feral now. Juri clenched her teeth in pain and slited her eyes once again.
"It matters, dear Juri. It means all to me." His eyes were dilating wildly in the mixture of darkness in the dojo.
Taken aback, Juri pushed out through clenched teeth, "Why ever for, Saionji?"
He began advancing. "Because, you represent everything that is him!" he growled out, shouting by the end as he raised his shinai high above his head.
"You mean, then," she said on equal levels, "that I am everything you are not!"
Hot fury ran through Saionji's blood and he lowered the sword with all his might. Ducking out with incredible speed, Juri rolled under the swing of her opponent, sliding past him and found her sword inexplicably in her hands.
Even as the man realized his mistake and spun around, Juri spun opposite him still on the ground. The mystery sword found its target in Saionji's chest as they met. Both paused in their positions, breathing heavily.
Saionji's mouth moved without his bidding, though there was no noise issuing from it. Juri, for her part, nearly dropped the practice sword to the ground, eyes wide with shock.
After a while, they parted. For the most part they ignored each other as the shinai were placed back into the rack, both seeming to be thinking quietly to themselves.
Finally, Juri paused and watched Saionji pack a few things away into a duffel bag that set on the bench. The moonlight reflected the soft smile that played on his face as he looked to her. "Can't have too many miracles in one night, can you, Juri-san?"
The orange-haired woman picked up her jacket and put it on. Her face was straight-set though her eyes showed that she was thinking. "Hardly," was the short, crisp response.
The dojo was now quite empty.
~~
Written by: Fire Senshi aka Juri-sempai aka Ka aka Tara Smith...don't even think about taking it places without telling me first!
~~
"You're late," came an acidic mutter that was nearly lost in the darkness and emptiness of the dojo.
There was no response. The figure instead seemed to sneer in the harsh moonlight, taking off an outer jacket that covered the school uniform she wore.
The other stood with poise near the shinai rack. "You know," the voice
taunted slyly, "you would never dream of being late to a duel."
Again, no response.
"Unless, of course," - the voice knew it now had the upper hand - "it was by some extreme miracle."
"Hardly," was the short, crisp response.
"Really?" The once-waiting figure was now intrigued. Slowly, a hand reached to brush a few stray green locks from the face. "I'm sure another of the student council would beg to differ, or am I not correct?"
Juri's eyes were shrewd as they peered at the man through slited lids. She huffed a bit haughtily, selecting one of the shinai. "And how would you know? Its not as though *you* are a member any longer."
A faint smile crossed his face. "But Juri," he feigned in an uncharacteristically innocent voice, "don't you know the phrase? Once a member of the Council, always a member of the Council?"
She returned the smile to the former kendo-team captain. "Only if you're there to be counted, dear Saionji." The man turned to hide his sudden anger and to choose his own shinai. "And you are most certainly not there."
He regained control quickly, which made her think that her must have learned something after being expelled. "Perhaps so," he said with restrain, "but I do not understand your reason for being part of this at all."
The two prepared themselves in starting positions for a spar. Saionji called the beginning. Both circled each other warily, their styles being different and hence unfamiliar to the other. "Ever think," Juri commented, apparently uninterested, "that you aren't supposed to?"
Saionji was first to become restless, struck out first, aiming for the woman's left shoulder. She easily dodged the entire attempt by slipping to the side, far out of his reach. The kendo master grunted slightly, but quickly turned to defend himself against any type of attack. Juri made no such move.
The man rose into a more ready position and they began to circle again. "Then tell me this," he also spoke as though he didn't care, "why are you even here tonight?"
Juri's head tilted ever so slightly. "Because, I felt like it," she replied simply.
"You lie!" Saionji's response was binding intense anger. He lashed out again, taking a swipe at her upper leg. Juri parried easily. The green-haired man backed out again.
It was now the woman that was intrigued. She tilted her head once more and asked with one eyebrow raised quizzically: "So then what does it matter to you?"
Saionji clenched his teeth. He unexpectedly lunged forward, now thrusting for the woman's chest. Juri was nearly caught. In a frenzy, she threw her entire weight to the side and back.
She had avoided the practice sword, but Saionji's body slammed against hers and sent her spinning backwards. She flung out an arm in a last ditch attempt to regain her balance. It worked and she then remembered that was the reason why she chose fencing over kendo.
However, Saionji recovered quicker than she, and used the falter to his
advantage. Turning, he once again aimed for the leg she was attempting to use to balance. Seriously stirred, Juri tossed the arm still holding the sword to slow down the blow.
This also worked, but she had barely enough time to remove all her appendages from his swing range. The practice sword she had been forced to clumsily move to block flew from her hands from the strength of the swing. It landed with a hollow wooden clatter behind the man, and now she backed away, clinging to her stinging, bent-backwards wrist.
Saionji's grin seemed feral now. Juri clenched her teeth in pain and slited her eyes once again.
"It matters, dear Juri. It means all to me." His eyes were dilating wildly in the mixture of darkness in the dojo.
Taken aback, Juri pushed out through clenched teeth, "Why ever for, Saionji?"
He began advancing. "Because, you represent everything that is him!" he growled out, shouting by the end as he raised his shinai high above his head.
"You mean, then," she said on equal levels, "that I am everything you are not!"
Hot fury ran through Saionji's blood and he lowered the sword with all his might. Ducking out with incredible speed, Juri rolled under the swing of her opponent, sliding past him and found her sword inexplicably in her hands.
Even as the man realized his mistake and spun around, Juri spun opposite him still on the ground. The mystery sword found its target in Saionji's chest as they met. Both paused in their positions, breathing heavily.
Saionji's mouth moved without his bidding, though there was no noise issuing from it. Juri, for her part, nearly dropped the practice sword to the ground, eyes wide with shock.
After a while, they parted. For the most part they ignored each other as the shinai were placed back into the rack, both seeming to be thinking quietly to themselves.
Finally, Juri paused and watched Saionji pack a few things away into a duffel bag that set on the bench. The moonlight reflected the soft smile that played on his face as he looked to her. "Can't have too many miracles in one night, can you, Juri-san?"
The orange-haired woman picked up her jacket and put it on. Her face was straight-set though her eyes showed that she was thinking. "Hardly," was the short, crisp response.
The dojo was now quite empty.
~~