A/N: here's the ninth one of these. enjoy
Disclaimer: I do not own Code Geass. I do own my characters.
Setting: A large, open room within the Vermillion Forbidden City. Five years before the start of the story.
Xianglin wore a steady expression as she grasped her sword before her. Xuemei was approaching rapidly with her own. The child went into a hard slash. Xianglin blocked it and found herself impressed by the young girl's strength. She made her own cut. The girl leapt back acrobatically and made a quick thrust. Xianglin dodged to the side and made a sweeping diagonal slash. Xuemei did a full backflip to evade, catching Xianglin off guard with some kicks in the process. Her sword was soon at Xianglin's chest.
"You win today, Xuemei," said Xianglin, breathing heavily, exhausted by the long training bout.
"This is my first time actually besting you, Miss Xianglin. Were you holding your true strength?" asked Xuemei, head tilted. She looked hardly phased by the rigorous ordeal.
"Of course not," said the Black Knight's general. "You are just a gifted warrior. That you would surpass me one day was inevitable."
The girl seemed displeased. Her eyes narrowed and looked downward. "It somehow feels strange."
"I understand, child. It must be a strange thing for the day to end with a sword pointing at me and not you, but I knew this day would come," said Xianglin in a soft voice.
"How were you certain I would come this far?" asked Xuemei, looking distressed.
"Because you are my pupil," Xianglin said readily. "And you have the eyes of a true warrior"
"What makes a true warrior?" the girl asked, the curiosity of youth in her voice.
"Unwavering courage, dedication and a just and steady blade," said Xianglin nodding softly.
"Have you met many of this sort of warrior?" the girl than asked.
"I have. There were people I'd call true warriors on all sides of the war. Thought there was one who stood above the crowd. He was the truest warrior I had ever met," said Xianglin in a nostalgic voice, thinking back on old memories.
"Tell me of this person. I'd like to hear about this great warrior," Xuemei said tentatively, looking somewhat excited.
"He had a sword that could cut through anything that needed to be cut and a mind just as sharp. He fought always for the Tianzi and her alone. He was her blade. He was willing to turn his sword on his own government for her sake. He never lost his acute focus on building a new and better world for her. He had nothing in his blood but courage and resolve up until the day he died," Xianglin said, smiling faintly as she praised the most incredible man she had ever met.
"How does a warrior like that die?" asked Xuemei surprised.
"That's what made this man all the more incredible. He was cursed with a terminal illness within his body, as strong as it was. He moved his sword so beautifully for the sake of the Tianzi and for the sake of the world's future knowing very well he wasn't long for either," said Xianglin in a heavier voice, remembering the loss.
"I see. Do you think I could be like this man one day?" asked Xuemei tilting her head as she looked at the other.
"You want to be the blade of the Tianzi?" asked Xianglin, smiling softly.
"I would like nothing more," said Xuemei very earnestly.
"And why is that, child?" asked the Black Knight, smirking gently.
"My entire life, the Tianzi has treated me with nothing but kindness, even though I am a simple homeless child with no place in this world. That she even allows me to stay here, I am eternally blessed. I wish to repay her beautiful kindness any way I can," said Xuemei in a strong voice, her eyes looking very much like his for a moment.
"The world of today is hardly one where a sword is a necessary tool," said the woman closing her eyes.
"Even so, should things change suddenly, it's better to have a sheathed sword than none at all," the girl said with surprising wisdom.
"Well spoken, child," Xianglin smiled. "But even if you can score a narrow win against me you still have a long way to go before you can match my true warrior. I never lasted more than a minute against his blade."
"Very well. That shall be my new goal," said Xuemei with a resolute nod, pulling out her sword again.
"Wait. You want to go again already?" Xianglin asked, surprised.
"I have a new goal I am eager to meet," spoke the girl readily.
"Very well," the mentor said, reluctantly drawing her sword. The battle began anew.
As she fought Xianglin kept herself focused on the child's eyes. Hu Xuemei was a beautiful child. She had been a joy for Xianglin to raise as her own. Xianglin sometimes wondered if growing up in the palace with no one her age around, growing up in such a quiet and hollow place as the Vermillion Forbidden City hadn't taken from the girl so much childish joy.
Xuemei certainly had been forced to grow up fast. Xianglin felt sorry for having to be the one who snapped her down the path so quickly. Xuemei was an adaptable child and quite gifted. She had matured quickly and mastered her studies even quicker. She was really an incredible girl. And why shouldn't she be?
Sometimes when they were just talking alone, Xianglin thought of Xuemei as her own daughter. Certainly she had always watched over the child, guided her along, taught her everything she could. Staring her in the eyes as her sword went for Xianglin's neck, Xuemei was nevertheless reminded of who's child this really was.
She could remember that day fourteen years ago quite clearly. She could remember when Hu Xuemei was just a newborn. It had been several months since he had died and though her birth was expected, it wasn't something that could be prepared for. It took a lot out of the Tianzi. The loss of her beloved had already left her so weak. For a girl so small and frail to birth a child it was an incredible stress. It was only with very dedicated care by all involved parties and constant encouragement from the Tianzi's closest friend that Hu Xuemei, or Li Xuemei as she was called at first, was born.
Xianglin had been rather shocked when the Tianzi approached her shortly afterward. She was a woman who had decided to live solely for the Federation. She had no intention of marrying a man and rearing her own children. The only man she would have done such things with was gone and had in the end looked elsewhere anyway. Still, Xianglin couldn't defy her Empress. The idea of raising his daughter practically as her own did have its appeal as well.
She accepted the Tianzi's wishes. The girl was given to her. The story that the child was left at the doorstep of the palace and found by the guardsmen was invented. The girl was given the name Hu to further place her as naturally being from somewhere out there in the wilds of the world, rather than having been born in the palace itself. Xianglin raised the child proudly after that and though her long white hair never let her forget who's child it really was, the fact soon disappeared into insignificance.
That was until the day Hu Xuemei first lifted a sword. Xianglin caught the child swinging it around without any real skill or knowledge one day. She was just seven years of age. Though the girl knew nothing of the sword, as Xianglin watched, she could catch flashes of brilliance in the girl's natural form. Her clumsy dance at times appeared surprisingly elegant. Xianglin decided to train the girl to fight not long after that.
The Tianzi was adamantly opposed to it. She smartly reiterated that fighting wasn't something needed in the peaceful world. Still Xianglin taught the girl. She wanted to. She wanted to see the girl at her potential. She wanted to see someone fight like him again. She wasn't one to disobey her Empress, but she remained resolute and eventually the Tianzi allowed it. The girl had progressed rapidly since then.
The current fight was reaching a close. The girl was now far superior to Xianglin. She had actually surpassed her months ago. Xianglin had managed not to lose by putting everything she had into winning while the girl allowed herself to never become anything but relaxed behind her passionate blade. Now it was impossible to do even that. Her technique was becoming immaculate. Soon the blade was pointing at Xianglin's heart once more.
"Very good, child," said Xianglin in a heavy voice. "You are truly a prodigy with that blade."
"I still need to get stronger if I wish to be like your true warrior," said Xuemei nodding quietly.
"True," said Xianglin steadily. "But you are making progress. If we keep at it you will be there. When you are, I think I will beseech the Empress for a special gift for you."
"What gift is that?" asked the girl in a low voice.
"The sword of a true warrior," said Xianglin, smiling softly.
"You mean his sword?" asked Xuemei, surprised.
"I do. I am sure the Empress would be happy to place it in your hands when you become her new blade," said the mentor in a strong voice.
"I will wield it with great pride then," the girl said. She then pulled out her sword again.
"Xuemei, I'm tired. Let's quit for the day," Xianglin insisted.
"But..." the girl started.
"No, I insist," said Xianglin, nodding.
"Very well, miss Xianglin," the other said with a very soft smile.
A/N:Well, I was obviously quick to write this after it was formally revealed in the chapter this week who Xuemei really was. I tried to write some other stuff, but this was what came out, even if it wasn't a very high option in the poll. I was inspired of it. Hope it was insightful.