Murasaki lunged forward pressing her attack on the young man as he backed away into a tree. Without warning she turned, bringing her axe around and over her head as she brought it down on him. She missed, hitting the tree instead as Setsuna seemed to have disappeared from her sights as the tree before her started to fall. She glanced down, noticing that Setsuna had ducked under her strike. He brought a hand back as she responded by twisting her axe in her free hand and started to bring it down on him.
Her swing though, stopped when something 'squishy' pressed against her arm. She glanced to the side, noting that Mari had latched onto the limb and was holding it for dear life. That said, even with Mari using her weight to hold the axe arm back, Murasaki wasn't recognized as the physically strongest Taimanin for no reason; she lifted her axe with one hand, Mari going with it, as she started her swing up again.
Problem was her moment of distraction had cost her. Setsuna slammed his palm into her stomach as she froze, pain ripping through her body as she hacked up a bit of bile.
"Sensei!?"
"Don't worry about me." Setsuna didn't have time to put his guard up when the side of the axe-shaft slammed into him and sent him flying. Mari was next , Murasaki practically flinging the girl off her form as heard an almost comical yell.
Setsuna twisted, slamming his feet into the ground as he started to slide back before catching Mari. "You good?"
"Yeah~" Mari muttered as Setsuna gave her this smile before setting her down. "Thanks."
"Don't mention it. Cause of you I was finally able to land a hit on her." Setsuna told her as he ruffled Mari's hair. Murasaki just made a face as she watched the exchange and touched her stomach. "Anyway, Murasaki-san you ok?" He asked.
"I'm fine." She told him. "If you hadn't held back though, I'd be in serious pain right now." Setsuna made a noise.
"Don't get me wrong, it's not that I'm trying to hold back against you." Setsuna grumbled as he scratched his head. "When I fought Tenma, I realized that you guys are sturdier than other humans - not as sturdy as some demons, but sturdy nonetheless. Cause of that, if I want to actually hurt you, I need to hit hard." Setsuna explained. "Problem is, you're making me hit above my weight class." He admitted as he held up his fingers. "Seriously, in terms of raw power I'd rank you as a 10, while I'd only rank a 7 at most." Murasaki didn't say anything. "Strength, stamina, endurance… in almost every category you outclass me. So, beating you into the floor would be pretty difficult in any given situation." Setsuna admitted as he dug his finger into his ear. "Here's the thing though; I don't need to be 'stronger' than you to beat you." Setsuna declared as he adopted a fighting stance. "Anyway, shall we continue? We still gotta lesson going on after all."
"R-right!" Mari shouted as she got ready. Murasaki just raised her axe as she took a stance. Almost immediately after though she stood up straight and stabbed her axe into the ground before reaching for her ear.
"Asagi-dono?" She muttered. "Yes, yes I see. Thank you for letting me know. I'll be right there." Lowering her hand, Murasaki looked back at the other two for a moment. "Gomen. We'll have to stop now." Murasaki stated.
"Something come up?" Setsuna asked.
"Fraid so." Murasaki stated. "I'm afraid I'm needed out in the field."
"Shame." Setsuna didn't seem that concerned as he relaxed. "So, class over?"
"Not entirely." Murasaki declared as she made a call. "Uehara-san?" She muttered. "Yes, I'm sorry, but I need to head out suddenly, will you be able to take over for me in watching my class?" She fell silent for a moment. "Thank you, I promises I'll make this up to you." The woman stated as she sighed to herself and looked at the pair before her. "Alright I'll be heading out to meet up with Asagi-dono. Mari, Yorugami, I'm trusting you too not cause Uehara any trouble."
"Yes sensei!" Mari did this salute as Setsuna looked over to the distance and made a noise.
"Hm… I wonder…"
"Is something the matter, Yorugami-san? Setsuna just shook his head as he looked back at the axe wielder.
"It's nothing, least not yet." He muttered as Murasaki just stared at him. Setsuna just raised his arms defensively. "Don't worry, I'll tell you if there's something wrong."
"I'd hope so." Murasaki stated as she started walking off, leaving Mari and Setsuna alone. The younger girl just sighed to herself, relaxing and seemed to drop to her knees.
"Ah~ I'm so glad that's over with." Mari muttered as Setsuna just looked at the girl and then at Murasaki. "Anyway, what should we do now, Setsuna-san?" She didn't get a response. "Setsuna-san?" Looking at where the young man had been, Mari found herself looking at air as as she suddenly got to her feet. "S-setsuna-san? Where did you go?"
"Why are you following me?" Murasaki asked as she glanced back, her attention turned to Setsuna as he continued walking behind her.
"Don't know." Setsuna shrugged. "Maybe I'm looking to finish our fight." Setsuna stated. Or maybe I'm just following you knowing that none of the students would willingly go near you unless they want to fight." Setsuna added. "Maybe I just want to stare at your barely covered ass for a few more minutes, or maybe I'm just heading in the same direction as you are." He shrugged. "Who can really say?"
"You can." Murasaki muttered as she turned back ahead, putting her axe over her shoulder. "You have a reason for following me, what is it?"
"I told you, I don't know."
"You're lying."
"Am I?"
"You listed reasons on why you could be following me, but not your actual reason on why you are." Murasaki stated. "So, why are you following me."
"I'm bored." Setsuna muttered as he continued following Murasaki. "And i also want to do something, I figure you could ask Asagi to let me head out into field with you."
"No." The Axe wielder stopped walking. "I know why you're here." The woman looked back at him. "I was told by Asagi-dono as to why you were brought to us; You're here less for our training and more to stay out of the Garden of Sinners." The woman stated. "You're -" The sound of a phone went off as Setsuna pulled his out.
"Sorry, gotta take this." He muttered as he answered the phone as Murasaki's eye twitched in annoyance. "Yeah?... Oh hey Kaen, what's up?... oh… ok… Sorry but I won't be able to help, I'm kinda of busy right now… I'm with a lady… no, it's not like that." Setsuna rolled his eyes before looking at Murasaki. "I'ma have to call you back. I… Kaen, Kaen I will call you back. Yeah, ok… I'll be hearing from you. Later." With that Setsuna hung up his phone as Murasaki just kept glaring at him. "Sorry." He didn't sound sorry. "It's my best mate."
Murasaki didn't say anything, instead just turning on her heel as she started walking off with Setsuna behind her.
She heard the phone click, implying that he just took a picture of something.
"That's gonna be a new screensaver."
'Oh my fucking god…' Setsuna just started snapping a few more pictures of his surroundings before stopping, seemingly glancing to the side before mouthing something.
How long are you going to be following me?
In her family household Fuuma Tokiko jumped, her eyes snapping open as she stared out into the distance. Grabbing her chest, she took a few moments to get her breath back as she stared at her knees.
She wasn't shaking.
She was not shaking.
Whatever this was running through her, it wasn't because she was scared. This was something else.
Surprise, confusion, intrigue maybe?
She honestly wasn't to sure, but one thing she did understand was this.
"How did he…" The stewardess told herself as she closed her eyes and relaxed her nerves as she started to think.
Her Ninja Art, the Evil Eye she had inherited from her Clan's bloodline, gave her the ability to cast her vision off and see wherever she chose. It was a useful Ninja Art, she could use it to spy on whoever she wanted, making it perfect for espionage missions.
Thing was no one had ever been able to 'see' her when she was watching them.
"But he had." Tokiko muttered to herself. "No, he didn't 'see' me, but he knows someones watching him." She corrected herself. "That can't just be caused by his spatial awareness. His own Ninja Art maybe?" The woman continued to mutter as she disappeared into her thoughts.
Yorugami Setsuna; only reason she was watching him was because that was her master's orders. Kotaro-dono wanted to know what he could about the new arrival to see if he could be of use later, maybe even be seen as an ally.
So far… So far he seemed like he could be considered a useful ally when the time comes.
"For now though." Tokiko muttered. "For now I might need to be careful on how I approach him."