Metallic clicks clanged and clacked as a rough skirmish ensued in the garden of the Noritaka home. On one side, an aged and weathered Lucario sported a shining masamune with a finely-wrapped navy hilt. As the dust cloud cleared from the last encounter, a young lotus blossom stood with dagger at the ready across from him. Silken ebony hair was tied back in a tight bun, save for a few pesky pieces that hung loosely on the passing wind. Eiko had gone from a carefree child to a moderately disciplined young lady, yet her heart still held the same fire. Her determined eyes reflected the driving flames, as they set their intense focus on the wolf-like pokemon. She had almost met heights with Kenji, while finally coming into adolescence. Kenji still held a few inches on her, which only pushed her to try harder in their trials.
The two charged one another, blades shaving the wind as they soared towards each other to meet once more. The pokemon pushed her upward with astounding force, moving under her and sliding to a halt in the sand. His eyes pursed shut as he let his blade fall to the ground in front of him, a sign that he'd had enough. When Eiko landed, witnessing the display, she growled in retaliation throwing herself into another lunge. The brunt of the blow was caught by her father who stood idly to watch over their practice. He seemed mildly displeased.
"Eiko! How many times must tell you? When your opponent drops his blade, so should you." His voice was stern yet frail, carrying signs of his decaying age.
"How do you defeat your opponent by dropping your weapon?!" Eiko snarled, sheathing her dagger and shoving her arms across her chest in a fit of defiance.
"When your opponent no longer wishes to fight or is unable to, then you have won. There is no honor in striking an enemy that has lost the will to fight, Eiko.." Noritaka gathered himself, preparing his tempered bones before he took a step onto the porch. "Once you learn the ways of the warrior, only then will you be able to defeat Kenji. Studying the aura of your opponent and using it to your advantage is a good start. You are dismissed." The rice paper door clapped shut behind him as he left the two standing in the garden, staring at one another.
Eiko reflected on her father's words for a moment, sheathing her dagger. She still had so much to learn, winning a battle seemed like an impossible quarry at this time. Kenji was a lucario, and lucario were pokemon that could read and manipulate aura. Clearly she was outmatched, but if she could learn to read aura as well, he father was right. It would make for a good start on the long road to becoming a formidable opponent, and an invaluable addition to the emperor's army. Her attention turned to the pokemon that had gathered his blade and was now cleaning it. "Ken-"
"You want to learn how to read aura, yes?" A smile curled on the Lucario's furry muzzle, still he remained focused on his cleaning. He could see she was still getting used to his telepathic communication by the jump she made when he spoke. It roused a chuckle from him every now and then, he had to admit. With a soft sigh, he finally sheathed his blade and held out his paw towards her. "Come, we will see how much you understand about the world around you."
Eiko hesitated, placing her hand around his paw and walking with him as they exited the garden. What better place to study the aura and feelings of others than where she grew up?
The village was small, holding only a few families with many stories of their own. The farmers and fishers were separate families, with pokemon they raised themselves for their distinctive chores. There were smaller families as well, that simply had pokemon as pets and protectors. They passed the fields where a small family of bulbasaur were helping their owners pick and plant various crops, the temple where they were performing the last rites for the burial of an old warrior and his growlithe companion, a training ground where pokemon and villagers of all ages were learning introductory fighting techniques, and at last they passed the fish monger's dock house and pavilion. They soon stopped at the center of the town where a great maple sat, older than the village itself. Kenji took a seat under its looming shade, ushering for Eiko to sit across from him. Closing his eyes, he began to meditate and reflect on the things he'd just seen, taking in the life of the village.
"I want you to tell me not what you've seen during our walk, but what you felt.." He breathed in slowly, taking in the aroma of fresh blooms. "Concentrate on the aura around you, feel what others are feeling.."
Eiko straightened herself, eyes fluttering shut as she tried to reflect on what she had seen. She waited, not feeling anything at first but her patience fleeting. Little did she know how unprepared she was for such vivid meditation. Anger, zeal, sorrow, happiness – all the emotions she descried came at her in one tremendous flurry, but carried their weight with them. It was as if she was living their moments, piece by piece, but within an instance of a second. She felt herself falling backward from the force, until a paw clasped around her wrist.
Kenji stood over her, pulling her to her feet and into him, undoubtedly unaware of the weightlessness of her body. A smile broke his maw and a patch of warmth filled his cheeks, warmth that soon retreated as he steadied her. "I told you to feel, not engulf yourself..heh.." Always overreaching her goals, it seemed. For some reason, he hadn't unwrapped from her as the setting sun bathed them in an auburn blaze. Something in him, for whatever reason, didn't want this moment to end. Like a fading memory, it soon passed as she came to.
"Kenji.." She muttered, her forehead rubbing against the soft clouded pelt as she came to. She jolted backward, surprised by what had happened. Then again, not so much. Taking one look around and back to Kenji, she heaved a crestfallen sigh. "I overdid it again, huh.." She said apologetically, adverting her gaze to the sun's golden gleam on the river that sat at the base of the village. As the pokemon gave her a grim nod, she paid no mind to it, instead mesmerized by the tranquility of the scene. The warmth from the sun and the picturesque view refueled her instantly and set her at ease once more. That is, until they heard a few distant screams and yelling. Taking one puzzling look at each other, they bounded off towards the chaos that seemed to be happening at the front gate.
An appreciable man followed by an army of well-polished bisharp had strolled into the village, or tried to. Some of the families were up in arms about such disrespect as the group marched its way through the gates and towards the center of town. They were headed to the Noritaka house. The pokemon that followed behind him, the bisharp, stood in flanks and looked well-trained as they marched with their leader. From what Eiko could tell, they didn't resemble the imperial armor, nor any other faction she'd seen before. Kenji and Eiko followed with the crowd, curious of their presence. The group stopped in front of the Noritaka house, and Eiko watched her father step out to greet the ill-mannered guests. The man peered upon him and cleared his throat, preparing the scroll that he'd been holding at his side before he began to read it aloud. "Noritaka Daichi, Lord Kaimetsu extends his appreciation for your land and its people, and proposes an alliance between our lands by deliverance of your oldest daughter to be presented to his oldest son, Gorou, the Flaming Blade.." As he said this, another man stepped out from behind the paunchy general. He wore steel-plated armor, much like the bisharp, but his helmet carried a different design. Like a tormented, uncontrollable flame. His eyes settled on Eiko as she stepped up to meet her father at his side, Kenji followed by her. The ferocity of his gaze chilled her, as if the true spirit of a warrior were staring her down. It was cold despite the honeyed gloss in his eyes, as if he'd not known emotion at all. No emotion but the thrill of power. He stepped toward her briskly, sliding an armored glove off with one hand in order to take hers. "Lady Eiko, beautiful as ever.." He bowed, placing a light peck atop her clasped fingers. "I sure hope you aren't as rude as your villagers. Bit too young but I'm sure you'll grow into a fine wife.." A cold sneer split his lips as he turned to face the waiting crowd. "Peasants, next time I will expect you to bow to your exc-"
Before he could finish, a swift hind leg pegged the back of his self-righteous, armored head as Kenji fell back to his feet, teeth bared and eyes searing into the pile of meat that rattled and slumped over. The man turned, furious, gathering himself as he pulled his sword. He stared daggers at the lucario standing before him, a menacing hiss oozed from his words as he spat in unimaginable rage. "I see, before I teach these peasants a lesson in respect, I shall have to make an example out of this lucario first!" His blade swooped and came down hard like a falling tree, only to be caught and having himself kicked a second time. Eiko sheathed her dagger that she used to disarm him, and re-balanced herself between the brute and Kenji. She watched him gasp for breath, their anger matching as he slowly climbed to his feet. Her father held back a smile as he watched the scene unfold. Some of the villagers among the crowd began clapping and cheering as the man gathered himself once more. "Such..disrespect..such a disrespectful, hateful child.." He glared at the three of them, and then shared that with the rest of the crowd.
Eiko simply brushed off her robes and glared back. "Then maybe you should learn how to respect your elders, boy.."
They both looked up at the family, now crowded with the villagers as they stared the quests down. Noritaka simply shrugged and clapped his hands together in compliance. "Well general, I think you received the answer to your master's proposal. Good day." With a short bow, her father turned to go back inside and shut the sliding door with a crisp snap behind him.
The two men remained for a moment, before starting on their way out. The young man, still steaming, turned and locked eyes with Eiko. "Mark my words girl, you and your village will pay dearly for the atrocities against me today..starting with that ill-mannered pet.." Kenji huffed, crossing his arms over his chest in defiance. Replacing his hat, he briskly caught up with his brigade, and they were soon vanished just as quickly as they'd arrived.
Eiko paused, opening the door to peer in at her father who sat contemplating on the events passed. Her heart trembled but she didn't understand why. It was something about the way he sat silently, staring at the barrier of the forest, as if begging it for guidance or help. Kenji moved past her to take a seat next to his master. Eiko slid the door shut once more, turning to look as the village continued with their daily activities. Something didn't feel right with her father, but at the same time she figured he deserved his meditation time.
They sat together silently as hours passed, finally breaking that stale calm with a heavy sigh. The old sage rubbed a heavy, withered hand across his forehead and rubbed his eyes. "Kenji, I'm much too old..and she's much too young.." He stopped short, his gaze still set on the vast forest that lay behind their home. "She's much too young to understand the evils of this world..and I'm much too old to protect her.." He stood, climbing to his feet as his bones popped and creaked. A sign that age was slowly but surely creeping up on him. "No matter how old I get though, I have faith in you in that you will take care of her..am I right?" He paused, still fixated on the trees that served as his audience.
"Of course, master.." Kenji replied urgently.
"Good." He finally turned to move towards his bedroom. With nothing else left for him to ponder, all had been confirmed for his troubled heart. His worries put to rest. "These old bones can finally rest easy, then.."