Stay in bed! You know that cold you got from using that magic and being soaked to the bone made you extremely weak. Starshadow slithers around my feet as I sit up. I roll my eyes at him. A gentle patter of rain taps the ceiling.
"I've been in this bed for over a week! I think I've recovered enough to walk around a bit!" I protest. I move to get up and immediately have to catch myself from falling over. I'm already out of breath, but Starshadow's right. The massive use of that dark magic in my body has me feeling terrible. Being soaked in monsoon rain did not help. Yasuo, thankfully, did not get ill. The monks of the school are very annoyed with me for bringing him into the doors. I'm not about to let a young boy get so ill from standing outside in the rain for days at a time.
From what I've heard, my cold apparently was almost too much for me. Starshadow told me that I was almost dead a couple of times. When I woke up this morning, I didn't feel like I was about to die, so I decided to get up. Naturally, Starshadow is a worried worm until I'm back to feeling a hundred percent. His overprotective behaviour, while touching, is extremely annoying.
You should still be in bed! The cold just broke this morning! That doesn't mean you've recovered! Starshadow almost twists himself around my ankles to keep me from getting up. Eventually, my arms give out. I yelp and collapse onto the floor. Both Starshadow and I are groaning from the impact. Get. Off. Me! I feel a little nauseous as Starshadow grows just big enough to slither out from under me. He coils onto my chest and glares at me. That is what you get for landing your fat butt on me!
"I've been conscious for a week. I doubt I weigh that much." I moan.
"Hey, what are you doing out of bed?" I hear Yasuo dash over and try to pull me upright. I struggle to help him. He eventually pulls me onto my feet. I'm trying to stand by myself, but it's really clear that I'm being supported by Yasuo. "I mean… I'm glad you're awake… But you need to rest!" Yasuo grunts as he places me back onto my bed.
"I've been in bed all week! I want out!" I groan and try to get back up again. Starshadow takes it upon himself to sit on my chest. I glare at him.
"If you are strong enough to move me, I'll consider letting you walk." Starshadow offers. I glare and roll over. "That's not moving me!" His muffled voice calls from under me. I smirk.
"I moved you. You never said which body part I had to use." I smugly retort.
"I really think you should take it easy, Leilah." Yasuo interrupts. "You had us all worried. If it wasn't for classes and his studies, Yone would be here. You should really rest." Yasuo tries to keep me on the bed. I roll my eyes.
"Yasuo, be honest. If you were in my place, you'd be dying to get out." I tell him.
"Yeah…" Yasuo sounds a little unsure. I may be feeling a bit bad that I'm making Yasuo help me, but I really, really need to get out of bed.
"I'd help you out. Won't you help me?" I push a little bit more. Starshadow wiggles out from under me.
"If you help her while I'm getting Yone, you will be in serious trouble." Starshadow hisses and leaves out the door. Yasuo looks at me.
"Well, looks like you can't help me." I smirk and purposefully roll off the bed. Yasuo yelps and tries to catch me. I land heavily on the ground, enough to knock out my breath. "Ow!" I groan. Yasuo skids onto his knees and tries to pull me up. I wriggle out from his hold. "Sorry Yasuo, but you heard Starshadow. I don't want you getting in trouble because 'you helped me'." I mock Starshadow's orders. I know what he means, but I'm going to comply with Starshadow's words as much as possible.
"Really?" Yasuo looks at me like I'm crazy.
"He's hiding things from me. I'm not going to just accept his word alone." I explain.
"What's he hiding?"
"I think he knows what's making me sick. I'd rather know myself, but Starshadow won't tell me." I claim. Yasuo sighs.
"What do you want me to do?" Yasuo gives in.
"Just watch over me and make sure I'm not going to die on the floor." I tell him cheerfully before forcing myself upright. Every muscle protests. Even sitting up just causes me to pause to catch my breath. Yasuo just looks on, clearly uncomfortable.
"Yone's training right now. I don't know how long it would take for Starshadow to bring him here." Yasuo sounds so unsure.
"I don't want to risk you being in trouble." I murmur.
"Do you just want to go outside?" Yasuo asks. "We are in a medical wing. There's a courtyard not far from here."
"Not allowed to help me, remember?" I retort. Yasuo bites his lip.
"I may not be able to, but maybe someone else can…" Yasuo leaves the room for a moment. I sigh into the silence of the room.
"I can't believe I'm doing this, but…" I use the dark magic to make a cane for myself. My vision swims for a moment, but there's a semi-solid cane in my hand. I struggle to my feet, using the cane to keep me somewhat steady. Walking out of the room is painful. Thankfully, Yasuo is right. The courtyard isn't so far that I can't hobble my way over. In fact, there's a bench in the shade not too far away. Even if the bench is close enough that I can reach it, it's agony trying to make my way over. The entire journey, my head is spinning. Each step makes my nausea feel even worse.
"Miss! Are you ok?" A healer spots me struggling and races over to help me. I almost cry at her assistance. She helps me get to the bench and helps me sit. My vision has completely blacked out at this point, but I don't care. It's so nice to be outside. "I don't know why you want to come out here. The monsoon rains haven't let up yet." I hear the healer grumble.
"I just didn't want to be inside." I whisper. The healer makes a noise of annoyance before sighing.
"I will be back to bring you back inside in an hour, understand?" She demands. I make a noise to acknowledge that I heard her, and just listen to the rain fall. It's so comforting and soothing. I sigh and lie down on the bench.
"Leilah!" Yasuo's calling out for me. I will some magic that I got from the Aspect make the courtyard glowthe courtyard. Using magic after creating that cane makes me feel a little bit ill, but I don't want Yasuo panicking. It becomes bright enough that I can see the lights through my eyelids. Yasuo stops calling out for me. I guess he sees my magic. A few moments later, I hear light footsteps running into the courtyard. A second set of footsteps follow him.
LEILAH! Starshadow sounds so pissed at seeing me lying on the bench.
Shut up, Starshadow. I didn't want to be inside. I reply in my mind.
I don't care what you want! You are recovering! You will accept going back to bed this instant! Starshadow spits angrily. I feel someone's palm running on my forehead.
"What could have possibly made you want to come outside?" Yone asks me. I force my eyelids open. Starshadow's perched on Yone's shoulder. Yone looks extremely concerned. Yasuo's standing behind them, looking just as worried.
"I don't want to be in a room where people are sick. Just doesn't feel right." I mumble. Yone sighs before he stands up. Starshadow turns onto Yasuo.
"Why did you let her get up?" Starshadow hisses. Yasuo looks a little scared. Yone looks resigned. I struggle to sit up.
"Not his fault." I whisper. Breathing is getting harder. "You said… He couldn't help me. I didn't let him." I'm almost halfway up before I feel my arms slip. I brace for a harsh impact on my brain, but someone catches my head. A quick glance reveals that Yone caught me. Starshadow looks really mad now.
"You imbecile! You half-dead half-brained undeserving brat!" Starshadow spits. He continues to rant and rave about my terrible choices. I simply ignore him. My head's pounding so much anyway that I can't even listen to him. "Don't you dare ignore me!" He finally catches on that I'm just not paying attention to him. At this point his tail is whipping around.
"Enough." Yone's voice halts Starshadow in his tracks. "She might not have made the best decisions, but you attacking her will not help." I relax a bit after hearing that Starshadow grumble but quiets down.
We are having a serious chat after you can walk around comfortably. Starshadow threatens lowly in my head.
Yes, we are. I snap right back. Starshadow seems a bit taken aback at my aggression.
"Yasuo, thank you for watching her and getting me when you didn't know what to do. You did a good job." I hear Yone compliment Yasuo. I smile, hearing a little brother bonding going on there.
"Yeah yeah. I wanted to show her what I've learned while I've been here since she's been in bed for so long. I thought it would give her some entertainment. She's super stubborn." Yasuo brushes off his brother's words.
"Would you mind showing your techniques to Starshadow for a little bit? I think he needs some time to destress from worrying about Leilah." Yone hands Starshadow to Yasuo. Starshadow makes a distressed noise at being removed from my side.
"She's my bonded!" Starshadow hisses.
"She does not need to be lectured about it." Yone shuts him down. Starshadow droops slightly. He mumbles something. Yone says something just as quietly.
"Will Leilah be in too much trouble?" Yasuo interrupts.
"For now, no." Starshadow gives in. "When she's better, we will need to talk."
"Leilah said that you are hiding things from her and she really doesn't like it." Yasuo tattles. I roll my eyes.
"Well, she's not wrong. Leilah?" Starshadow's voice projects to me. I give a small moan. "I'm sorry for hiding things. I'll explain why after you get better, ok?"
We talked about this on the mountain. I tell him.
I'm sorry. I know we did, it's just… This needs much more explaining that I can give you right now. I feel Starshadow get lowered onto my chest. Right now, you get better. "Yasuo, why don't you try showing her some katas?" Starshadow suggests out loud. I peak my eyes open to see Yasuo look excited.
"Is she ok enough to watch?" Yasuo's worry is adorable to hear. I feel Yone pull me into an upright position. I groan and slump over. He pulls me against his chest and wraps his arms around me. If I wasn't so sick, I would be blushing quite a bit right now. As it is, I sigh in relief at how comfy he feels and open my eyes as fully as I can.
"Well, I'm not going anywhere and I did want some time outside. I'll try to stay awake, if that's ok with you? You'd probably be better at the katas then when I was." I joke.
"No way. You, bad at a kata?" Yasuo sounds so amused right now. I feel Yone chuckle.
"She almost sliced herself using a wooden sword.. We don't even want to try giving her a real one." Yone informs him. Yasuo laughs as only a child could laugh.
"That's hilarious! You, Yone, smartest sword student, spending time with someone who can't even hold one!" Yasuo cackles. He actually falls to the ground laughing. I roll my eyes.
"There's a few people in the world that should never hold a weapon. If I am to be one of those people, then I'll be one of those people. I'd rather not fight anyway." I explain gently.
"But what about when someone really wants to hurt you or people you care about? Would you fight then?" Yasuo calms down and asks me curiously. I wait a moment to think about it.
"Well, I'd do everything in my power to not have a fight break out. If a fight does, I have magic to distract and get people away, but in the end, I'd try and fight. Granted, I can't exactly use a weapon, so it wouldn't be a good fight in the end." I answer. Yone's arms tighten slightly around me.
"It's highly doubtful that you would ever be in a situation like that. Starshadow would most assuredly get you out of danger as soon as he senses it." Yone interjects. "How have your katas come along?" Yone changes the subject.
"Oh, right! Elder Souma saw me and told me to practice this!" Yasuo bounces up and begins his kata. He moves so fluidly, like a leaf in the wind. I smile and watch. Yasuo takes quite some time to run through his exercise, but it's so beautiful I don't mind. When Yasuo finishes, I try to clap for him. Naturally, my arms don't move anywhere, so I smile and try to nod my head to show my appreciation.
"That's quite impressive that Elder Souma took you aside and gave you a kata. How have your other katas been?" Yone certainly sounds impressed.
"All the other ones are kind of easy." Yasuo mildly complains.
"They are the basis for all sword skills you will learn. It is much better to learn them now and drill them until you can do them without thinking." Yone lectures. He carefully leans me against the bench and moves to stand in front of his brother. "Shall we do a beginner kata?" Yone asks.
"Yes!" Yasuo looks so excited to be doing something with his brother. Both brothers begin to move in the exact same pattern. Every now and then, Yone would mutter something and Yasuo would make a small correction, but they look very in sync. Starshadow takes the time to come up to my neck.
Want to join?
"Ha ha, Starshadow. You're hilarious." I murmur quietly.
I'm actually being really serious right now.
"Really?"
Yasuo made a good point. How would you fight if I'm not there?
"I doubt I'll be that far away from you ever. You're my best friend after all."
I'd still rather you learn.
"Well, I wouldn't be able to learn in a school for swords. I'd have to go somewhere else."
Then we should.
"What? I don't want to though."
Because of Yone?
"And Yasuo." I blush though, giving away that I'm really enjoying spending time with Yone.
Uh huh. I'd really prefer you learn some defense techniques though.
"I'll ask Yone. Maybe he can help."
Enjoying your time with Yasuo too, of course. Starshadow teases me. I give a weak laugh. I feel my eyes begin to close. You just rest. Yasuo and Yone are enjoying themselves, and I won't let anything happen to you. Just sleep. Even though I'm still mad at him, I know he'd take care of me, so I let myself drift.
It feels like a second to me, but I wake up being carried by Yone. He's taking me back to the room I was assigned when I got here. Starshadow's talking to him, something about someone being followed. I'm too tired to really pay attention, so I just nuzzle his chest and fall asleep.
Maybe I can get answers from him tomorrow.
And with it, comes a new chapter! I'll be honest, as I am writing the story, I realized that literally anything and everything happens in 996 AD. EVERYTHING WITH ALL THE CHAPMIONS HAPPEN IN ONE YEAR! S, I made a decision. My timeline is going to be a tad edited. Each event should have it's own attention and not feel rushed, so 996 AD will probably be extended a few years. Hope you guys are ok with that! I also switched a few years because I like the order better. Sorry, not sorry.