Marksman
A war has left a nation torn and its remaining heirs escaping with their lives. Little did the Admiral know that by taking them in, it would alter the life of his daughter drastically, especially when her curiosity draws her closer to the budding marksman. One night, after receiving news of her abduction, the ranger departed on an arduous journey, vowing to bring her home safely.
Previously:
Natsuki frowned at the pair of animals that were snoozing contentedly, "Well, that was strange. I'm not sure what I should say." She turned to Shizuru when there was no response, only to find the fair-haired girl smirking mischievously at her. "…W..what're you staring at me for?"
"Ara, if Kiyohime behaves like me, then Natsuki must behave like Duran. It seems like I need to pounce on Natsuki so that we could be friends."
Chapter 3
Italics – Thoughts
Duran sprinted, weaving between the obstacles with such dexterity; it looked like he had memorized the entire maze by heart. Above his head, he heard his rider release yet another arrow. He barely heard the dull thud as the arrow pierced through the mark.
The area opened up into a clearing and when he heard her command, "Let's fly," he immediately spread his wings, thrusting off the ground. He circled the area as she let loose another few more shots. After a few more rounds, he felt her hand patting him on his neck. "Great job. I think that's all for today. Let's go for a spin, alright?"
His ears perked up at the word 'spin' and let out a bark of assent. She laughed, "It's all you now."
He picked up on her cue and started to gain altitude, releasing his unbridled energy into the steep upward climb. At the right height, he turned, keeping his wings in as they both plummeted down. Midway, he spread them open, enjoying the feeling of the gushing wind across his entire wingspan.
After a couple of loops and spins, he landed on the grassy plains behind the manor, ambling to a stop. He let out a yap at the sight of a familiar reptile drifting lazily on her back in the lake. Kiyohime turned and started to swim back to shore.
At the banks, a chestnut haired girl was seated on a spread picnic mat, sipping on a hot cup of tea. When she spotted Natsuki jogging toward her, she carefully set her cup down and waved. "Ara, my Natsuki, did you enjoy your training today?" Shizuru asked as the girl collapsed heavily beside her.
Natsuki puffed a breath, slightly winded, but otherwise acknowledged the greeting. She was used to Shizuru calling her that. She had tried to stop Shizuru from referring to her as hers, but apparently it never worked and she had long given up hope. After all, if her efforts for the last two years didn't work, she doubted it would ever work. She had already found herself getting used to it, anyway. In fact, it felt kind of nice. Shizuru had been the closest friend she had. "Yeah, I think it was a pretty good run today."
Shizuru smiled, "Alright, we can take a look later when we go around collecting the arrows."
Natsuki nodded, "So, what did you learn today? Did you manage to pull of the new move you were telling me about?"
"Ara, I believe actions are better than words. Am I right my dear Natsuki?"
Natsuki hummed as she munched on a roll of bread, "Alright, let's see what you got."
Shizuru stood up, picking up the long naginata beside her. She tilted her head, giving Natsuki a small, almost invisible smile, before she moved into her starting position, the long weapon resting on her shoulders. She began her demonstration, making sure her footwork was stable and minimizing openings when she was on the offensive. The naginata was largely a defensive weapon, with its long range compared to most melee weapons, but employed correctly by the right individual; it was a force to be reckoned with.
As Shizuru spun around, once, twice, she quickly closed the gap between Natsuki and her, ending the demonstration with the blade of the naginata pointing straight in Natsuki's face. The long haired girl was unfazed, though. Her emerald irises locked onto the playful crimson ones and she joked, "You trying to kill me, Shizuru?"
The sixteen year old Shizuru didn't reply, retracting her weapon to her side. Instead, she offered her free hand to hoist the seated Natsuki up. "Alyssa will be waiting for us, shall we?"
Natsuki shrugged and grabbed the extended hand. She dusted herself off and slung her bow across her shoulders, "Say, Shizuru, what'll you say is the limitation of your weapon?"
Shizuru hummed as she thought about it, while beckoning for Duran and Kiyohime, "I would say that it would be length. Its fantastic range is also the cause of it being quite cumbersome sometimes."
Natsuki nodded wordlessly. She had seen enough of Shizuru's demonstrations to understand her point. It had been two years since they had started training together after all.
"Why the sudden question?" Shizuru inquired curiously as they entered the manor's backyard.
"Nah, I was just wondering."
"Not to worry Natsuki dear, I'm aware of its limitations. Which is why I have been practicing new moves to mitigate it and you've been a great help in pointing out the openings in my moves," Shizuru replied as they made their way up the stairs.
"Today's was good. I thought it was beautifully executed. Only complaint was that you tried to kill me," Natsuki chuckled as she opened the door to her bedroom.
"I would rather kill myself," Shizuru replied simply before disappearing into her own room.
Natsuki stood by the open doorway for a few minutes, her mouth slightly agape at the unexpected reply from Shizuru. She cocked her head to the side slightly, blinking as she processed the information before she slowly closed the door.
XXX
The usually calm brunette was standing by her bedroom balcony, her lips pursed into a small but rare frown. Today was her eighteen birthday.
Her parents had burst into her room bright and early in the morning, presenting their one and only daughter a custom made saddle for her present this year. It was a solid purple, patterned with the finest silk from Chryzan. 'It would go beautifully with Kiyohime, my dear daughter,' Admiral Tetsuo had beamed proudly.
Shizuru had then spent the entire day waiting for a specific person to appear in her bedroom to wish her, but that person never appeared. Almost everyone in the manor had showered her with gifts and greetings as the day dragged on. Worried, she decided to question Alyssa, who had just appeared at her bedroom to wish her well. The young Alyssa peered curiously at her, before telling her that Natsuki had headed off into town to meet Mai and that she would not be back till late in the evening.
Mai was a mutual friend of Shizuru and Natsuki. Shizuru had introduced Natsuki to Mai when she brought them around town the first time. The bubbly Mai had easily taken to the girl who had scarfed down her freshly baked muffins. Natsuki had enjoyed Mai's cooking and they soon found themselves visiting Mai's little family business almost once every week.
As she thought about it, Shizuru tried to quash the unfamiliar feelings that were threatening to erupt.
Natsuki was free to hang out with whoever she pleased, right?
Even if it was for almost an entire weeks in a row, right?
It didn't matter if Mai was bubbly and cute, right?
It didn't matter if today was her birthday and she was hoping to spend it with Natsuki just like every other year, right?
As she glanced at the setting sun, Shizuru mentally slapped herself, wondering why she was getting all these conflicting feelings reverberating through her. Before she could reflect any further, there were two sharp raps on the door. She knew immediately who it was.
Shizuru wanted to bowl over the younger girl, just like the first time they met, but she restrained herself. "Ara, good evening, dearest Natsuki."
The shorter girl shifted her weight on her other foot, her hands fiddling with the box that she was carrying.
Shizuru knew that Natsuki had something to say, so she prompted, "Would you like to come in?"
Natsuki shook her head wordlessly, thrusting the box across. With that, she was gone, her footsteps quickly dissipating as she took off.
Shizuru rarely frowned, but she did let it mar her pristine face this once. Even for Natsuki, her behavior was erratically strange. However, Shizuru did notice that Natsuki's face was flushed and that meant something. The box must have held something significant for her to behave this way.
Intrigued, she retreated back into her room and set the box down on her bed. She widened her eyes when she opened the box to reveal its contents. Within it, lay a shiny new naginata, as red as the most beautiful rose in the garden. It was modeled exactly like her current weapon. The major difference she noted at first glance was that the long handle was now slightly thicker, tapered at the end. Not wasting a second, she picked the weapon up. One brow shot up in surprise as the weight and feel of the weapon was almost featherlike.
She picked up a small slip of paper that had fallen out with the weapon, her ruby irises scanning through it intently. It was Natsuki's handwriting, no doubt about it, wishing her a happy birthday. There was a slight pause in the handwriting, a telltale sign from the small blot of ink. It was as though Natsuki wanted to write something else, but didn't know how to put it.
Shizuru, however, knew exactly what to do. She felt as excited as a little girl during Christmas as she hurried down the stairs and into the backyard, clutching onto her precious gift. She ran past the serene lake, past Natsuki's obstacle course, through the bushes until she finally arrived at a dead-end – a tall cliff. Unfazed, she easily uncovered a small opening that was densely covered with shrubbery. She maneuvered her way across the tiny ledge, her footsteps seasoned and precise despite the limited visibility that the new moon offered. After all, this had been their little hideaway. No one really ventured this far nor had the courage to inch across the precarious ledge. No one before Natsuki, that is. The dark haired girl had found their getaway spot a week after she had entered the manor.
As Shizuru made her way forward, the sloped narrow cliff opened up into a sizeable clearing, offering a view like no other. Natsuki had loved the place. She always said it reminded her of the important things in life. Shizuru knew Natsuki had meant it. She always had this distant, serious look on her face whenever she stared out into the horizon. 'After all,' Natsuki continued, shrugging off the sadness that seeping off her, 'Any blue blooded Kagen Ranger always has his favorite perch for the best vantage point.' Shizuru always fought back the urge to envelop the girl in a hug, to let her know that she would always be here. She was afraid that she would scare the younger girl off.
"Natsuki.." Shizuru whispered when she saw the figure standing at the edge of the ledge, so softly that she could barely hear herself.
Her long hair billowing in the wind, Natsuki turned. "Happy birthday, Shizuru," she mumbled as she looked away. "I'm sorry I'm late."
This time, Shizuru couldn't stop herself. She easily closed the gap between the two of them, wrapping her arms around the smaller girl's waist. Shizuru felt Natsuki's body tense upon the first contact, but her fears were unfounded as Natsuki relaxed into the embrace. Shizuru buried her head into her neck, inhaling deeply. The woody scent, probably from her days spent shrouded amongst the trees enveloped her. It smelt exactly the way she thought Natsuki would smell like.
Subtle, yet substantial. Light, yet deep.
Shizuru loved it.
"Natsuki's not late. This is the best birthday present."
Natsuki swallowed, turning around, "I thought you were angry."
Shizuru looked into the greens that were studying her intently. Natsuki could always tell her true emotions, even without her saying anything. It was one of the things that Shizuru liked about Natsuk – she understood her like no other. Shizuru couldn't hide from it and she didn't want to lie, so she bowed her head, "I thought Natsuki forgot. I was just too selfish.. I'm sorry, could Natsuki forgi.."
A hand brushed her cheek, "There's nothing to be forgiven for." She smiled, "You're my best friend."
Shizuru felt a tinge of hurt, but couldn't identify its source. However, she smiled as well, a genuine one, "Would Natsuki allow me to do a demonstration for her then?"
"Wouldn't miss it. You might like what you find."
Shizuru sent Natsuki an inquiring look, but assumed her stance nonetheless, twirling the lightweight weapon with ease between her hands. She was pleased at the feel of such a good weapon. As she performed her favorite routine, Natsuki suddenly interjected, "Do it again, but this time finish it with a stab with the base of the weapon, Shizuru."
"Ara?" Shizuru was puzzled at the strange request, but when Natsuki didn't explain further, she obliged. At the final stab, her eyes widened when the base of the weapon shot out, extending its reach, right toward Natsuki. It was a double extension of the weapon's reach, only much more flexible – almost like a curled whip, but much sharper. Shizuru gasped; her instinct kicking in to quickly retract the weapon.
The naginata complied smoothly but Natsuki had already leapt aside, a grin on her face, "You trying to kill me again, Shizuru?"
XXX