AN: I like this chapter ... I don't even know why.
RtR:
RobinIV - Hehe! I think it's funny too. Only because I know there's a touch of it in the ficlet.
mischievious-lil-kitsune - (Chuckles)
RRR
The two lay on their backs on top of the clouds, near identical swords lying side by side between the two. Kumo let out a sigh; it was a cold night with a near full moon but neither noticed as they just enjoyed one another's company. "I felt her today, Kiri." Kumo murmured and Kiri looked towards him out of the corner of his eyes, "In that room today, with them all watching me, I could feel mum and dad watching out for me."
"You still haven't told me what your pledge was," Kiri prompted, it had taken him a little while to tell his family what his pledge had been too.
Closing his eyes, Kumo's hand went to the hilt of his sword, "This sword and I are one, I accept that this union will cause me pain but if my convictions are clear, it will strike any foe." He recounted, opening his eyes again and looking towards Kiri.
"I know they're proud of you Kumo," Kiri said after a long silence, he turned his head towards Kumo, who did the same in reply. "To go through all that stuff at the orphanage and then have to go in there today." There was another pause as Kiri consider what he was going to say next, "I know I'm proud of you and I would have been proud of you if you'd failed."
"Really?"
Kiri considered his answer for a moment, "Well not as proud as I am now," He admitted, looking back up at the stars above them. "I'd be proud of you for taking that test today." He sat up, leaning forwards onto one bent knee. "Dad would have cooked you something great, one of the foods you're not supposed to eat when your training and mum would be making sure that you hadn't damaged the Maken yet." He closed his eyes for a long moment, heart welling into his throat when he realised how inadequate he was and how much he missed his parents. "But you're a better cook then I am."
Sensing the hidden tears, Kumo stood up, grabbing Kiri's hand and tugging it; commanding the Maken to its holster as he did so. Kiri allowed himself to be pulled to his feet, his Maken returning to his own belt as Kumo dragged him towards the house. "I could make a chocolate fudge cake," Kumo partially suggested, his mind already made up. "You've got a few days off to look after me because getting a Maken is hard on a ten year old." He spoke quickly, his enthusiasm making Kiri smile to himself.
Kumo soon had him sat at a table and in less then an hour the two were enjoying the younger boys cooking. "You know how many passed today?" Kiri queried as they ate, Kumo shook his head in reply. "Only seven out of 75, I guess there were fewer kids born in your month then mine. Either that or less kids are taking the test now."
"It was scary,"
"Yeah, I remember going through that door."
Kumo's eyes held a far away look as he licked the back of a fork, "They melted away when I started to dance," He muttered, fork touching his lip lightly. "Everything around me vanished and it was just me and the Maken."
Running a finger over his plate, Kiri licked the chocolate icing off one finger, "It's amazing isn't it?" He queried, repeating the gesture, sucking the tip of his finger for a while. "Every so often, when you're training so hard for so long, it seems like it's a waste of time but the moment the Maken is in your hand it changes, you know in that one moment that it wasn't a waste."
There was a pause as Kumo finished his slice of cake; his eyes kept drifting to Kiri, who was busy with the icing that remained on the plate the cake was on. "Are you going to be a master?" He asked with his head bowed, poking at his cake despondently with his fork.
Of the ten or so to pass the initial Maken test each month, only two or three would become master swordsmen. These were chosen roughly a year before their sixteenth birthday so as to hone their skills for the demonstration given on the first of their birth month. Kiri's sixteenth was four months away and Kumo was deeply curious to find out. "What makes you ask me that?" His older brother queried in reply, licking chocolate off the tip of another slender finger.
"Because I haven't yet and I've wanted to for a long time."
Finally pushing his plate away, Kiri reactivated his mask, leaning back in his chair as he closed his eyes and folded his arms. "If I am, which I'm not saying I am, then surely I've been sworn to secrecy about it." He told his brother coolly.
Picking up the plates, his own mask back in place, Kumo moved to the sink. "Kawa said that her sister's one of them." Kumo told his brother, his back to him.
"You seriously think that scatterbrain Kouryo is one of those chosen?"
With a small laugh, Kumo shook his head, yanking his sleeves up to his elbows before starting on the mountain of washing up. "And she said that the other one was a boy called Sukoru," He continued, "She said he was cold, collected and cute."
Kiri opened his eyes, "I suppose he's alright, but his nose isn't strait, he's broken it too many times." Most Misterian's were bisexual, their culture having long since disregarded the taboos of same sex relationships. "And his mum still does his hair," Kumo gave a scandalised laugh, not having known this about Sukoru. "He'd probably be a good master though,"
Kumo turned to face him, dripping soapy water all over the floor from his hands, "Your not going to tell me, are you brother?" Disappointment bit into his words, Kiri's reply was a shake of his head. "You'd have told dad," He accused.
"No I wouldn't, don't use that on me Kumo."
Instantly remorseful, Kumo locked eyes with Kiri, "Sorry brother," He apologised, not wanting to hurt his brothers feeling or tear wide the scar in his own chest. He turned back to the washing up; unable to stay away, Kiri crossed to him and hugged him from behind.
"And I'm sorry I was so sharp at you,"
Letting his brother go, Kiri took up a drying cloth and set to work on the freshly washed plates and cups. "Tomorrow, we'll see what you can do with the non-transformed version of your Maken." Kiri promised to gain an enthusiastic yes from his younger brother. "I wish I could've seen your dance, I bet it was really something.
'You were hurting on the inside too,' Kumo thought. 'You were bleeding and you had to care for me.' This thought called upon tears and he bit them back, he would not fall apart now, not when his goal seemed to be so close.
RRR
AN: (tries to remember what the next chapter is.) Well see you next time. PL