This was written for Iy_themes on LJ and I'm proud and pleased to say it was awarded second place. I had previously stored this with my S/K prompts but have moved it here for my own organizational sanity.
Title: Trimming the Hedges
Author: LC Rose
Prompt: Magic (Prompt #25)
Rating: K
Genre: general
Characters: Kohaku and Totosai
Word Count: 350
Warnings: none
Summary: (CU) Kohaku practices with his weapon.
Kohaku raised his arms, keeping his eyes on the target. He coiled his fingers just so around his kusarigama and remembered the words of his father who had taught him the art. "Patience," he reminded himself aloud. "Straight and steady. Look for a weakness and strike."
With vicious efficiency, Kohaku swung out the chain end of his kusarigama and then struck the death blow with the sickle end of his weapon. Like magic, the offending leaves of the bush were separated from their branches and fell to the ground. Gathering his weapon to his side once more, Kohaku observed the handiwork of his attack and nodded with acceptance.
"If they were demons," came an approving voice at his back, "They would be dead."
Kohaku did not need to turn to know that it was the weapon's master, Totosai. He merely took up his stance once more and focused. Attacking again, he carved out another great heap of the tangled brush and stepped back to look over his work again.
"To think," said Totosai, with a mischievous tone to his voice, "You were once a mighty demon-slayer."
THAWCK!
The kusarigama sliced through another section of leaves with brutal effect.
"And now you are nothing but a gardener."
THAWCK!
"Does that not aggravate you?"
Kohaku was not a disrespectful person—especially not to someone of Totosai's skills. He gathered his kusarigama up and turned to face the weapon's master, offering a formal bow of greeting as he did. "There are times when peace is best," he replied calmly. His eyes drifted over to a distant scene, one of Rin gathering flowers in a nearby meadow, and then back to Totosai. "But there is never a time when a weapon should lay lax."
Totosai chuckled at that, his grin almost infectious enough to be returned. "Well said, young warrior." He glanced in the direction of the girl himself and then turned thoughtful eyes back towards the boy. "Your new weapon will be ready soon. I thought I would take the time to tell you."
Kohaku glanced towards Rin one last time. "Thank you."