I actually get to update today because I had no school so I got to stay at my Mother's! Yay~! Enjoy this chapter~
My body was completely and utterly healed. I wasn't tired, nor was I sore. Izumo was right when she said that I should have been up and kicking by now. I was ready. Ready for training. Whatever I was actually training for. I wanted to do it today. I voice my opinion.
"Are we training today?" I ask, looking out the window. It was like a blizzard outside.
"If you're up for it," Rin shrugs. He was in the backseat along with me, Shima, Miwa, and Shiemi. Izumo was up front with Ryuji; who was driving.
"Really?" I ask excitedly. I turn towards Rin and he gives me a bored look before nodding. "So, what do we do?" I ponder aloud. "Do we battle with fire, learn how to fly, heal stuff, make fires with our powers, or learn how to create things with our powers?" I fire questions at Rin.
"Sort of," he had a smile on his face, like there was a little inside joke that I didn't know about.
"What's so funny?" I ask.
Rin shakes his head, "You'll see."
And I leave it at that. I sigh before leaning back in my seat like Rin and stare at the small white flakes collecting on the ground.
"Winter, we're here. Wake up. Didn't you say you wanted to train today? Then why are you sleeping?" I hear a somewhat ticked off voice ask me. My body starts shaking and I groan.
"Okay, okay," I sigh and reluctantly open my eyes. Rin's figure greets me. His hand was on his hip and his face was twisted in an annoyed frown. "Jeez, I'm up, see?" I ask, climbing out of the car. "Where is everyone?"
"They went back to their dorms. We're heading to the place where I train. Then, we will start your training." Rin explains, tightening his bazer around me.
"I'm fine," I mutter.
"Pfft, okay." he smirks before grabbing my hand and dragging me through the snow to an old looking building.
"What is this place?" I ask, trying not to focus on the warmth Rin's hand was giving off.
"This is where you will be training. Alongside me." He explains and shrugs his sheath off his shoulder before placing it down on a black chair.
The room was huge and looked as if it was once a batting cage. There were cages lined up right beside each other with machines with large holes in them. I assume that's they're pitching machines. There was a large pentagon shaped mat in the middle of the room. Probably used for practicing hand-to-hand combat. Rin leads me over to the mat and sits down. I follow in suit and sit down across from him. He digs in his bag for something until he comes back up with three candles in hand.
"Candles?" I question, confused.
Rin grins, "Yup, candles." He confirms and places them down in front of me. "Name three of the most important people to you right now. Go!"
Flustered, I let the names roll off my tongue without thinking, "Mags, Journey, Rin!" Silence follows the names and I gape at my words. What? Why the hell did I say Rin? "I-I mean, haha…" I trail off. I didn't really have any close family members. I was an only child and my mother only had one sister, Mags, and Mags only had one child, Journey. "Well, I mean, you have to train me so you're obviously important plus I don't have many important people in my life that I want to protect a lot and yeah." I try to explain.
I was looking away throughout my whole explanation so I'm surprised when I see the candles already having the names I rambles off engraved into the wax. I look up at Rin. He was sitting up straight, his hands resting on his knees, and his face turned away from me. His cheeks were slightly pink and his lips were set in a small scowl. "So...now what?" I ask.
"I want you to pretend that these candles are the actual people you just named. You must save them from being burned alive from whoever. Try to start off just lighting one candle at a time. Every time you light their candle, they are safe. This will help you work on your control." Rin informs and I swallow the lump in my throat.
"O-okay," I stutter. My hands were damp with anticipation and anxiousness.
"You have a minute per candle. Begin."
I stare at the candle labeled as Mags and try to picture her face. Her smile, rosy cheeks, and kind blue eyes. I try to imagine her being cornered by monsters who want to destroy her. They all have the ability of fire and are closing in on her, taunting her with their flames. "Mags," I whisper her name in fear. They were going to kill her. I need to stop them. I need to stop them!
The chair to my far right bursts in white flames. "You are out of control," Rin says. "Control! You must have it or you will kill the person whom you wish to save. You have twenty seconds left," he gives me the time.
Imagine,Winter. Mags is going to die if you don't help her! Light the candle. Save Mags! A bead of sweat rolls down my forehead. My whole body felt as if it was on fire. Like I was being lit from the inside. Like a Jack O' Lantern. I furrow brows and stare at the wick of the candle. Light! I urge. "Light, damnit," I whisper.
"Ten, nine, eight, seven…" Rin counts down.
LIGHT!
Finally, the wick sparks up and a small fire starts to blossom on top of the candle head. I lay back; exhausted. "What the hell?" I breathe out. "Why was that so hard?" I ask Rin, sitting back up.
"Your powers have just awakened and they are sort of like babies. They are not matured yet, nor can they do much. The candle is just a step. It seems really hard because this is your first time doing it. You'll get better the more you practice. You're actually a lot better than I was. The first time I tried, all three candles burst into flames." Rin admits sheepishly.
"How long did you do this?" I ask him, leaning over the candle. The flame that was once there was now extinguished.
"Well, I still work on this, actually, but at higher level. I do other things, too, but working on this is also really important. We will also work on hand-to-hand combat. Whenever you think you're ready for it," he challenges and I smirk.
"I can go right now," I say confidently.
"Oh, really?" He asks, cocking a brow.
I tilt my head up. "Of course,"
"Even though I am much more experienced than you with my powers?"
My confidence falters. "You said hand-to-hand combat," I accuse.
He nods, "I did, but do you really believe that a powerful demon would not take advantage of a vulnerable opponent?" He tests and I look away.
"Whatever," I mumble. My flare of arrogance was, once again, extinguished by Rin.
"But," he says which makes me look back at him. "I am not like those demons. We'll tussle as long as you can dodge. You think you can do that, Angel?" I glare at the nickname.
"As long as you can, Flames." I counter and I see something playful flash in his eyes.
"Alright, but don't say that I didn't warn you," he shrugs and gets up. He pulls off his shoes, revealing his plain white socks.
"Right back at ya," I say while I also pull off my uggs, revealing my light blue striped socks.
He smirks as he throws the candles back into his bag before throwing his bag on the chair that holds his sheath. "Ready?" he asks me and I nod, getting into a defensive position. He grins before doing the same.
We circle around each other for a bit before I make the first move. I dive in and swipe at his stomach with my elbows. One, two, three misses before I spin and lift my leg up to kick him. He grabs my leg and twists it, causing me to lose my balance and fall. I'm up within a second. This time, I wait from him to make the first move. He doesn't until I get impatient and move in myself. A blue fireball flies past my face. Its heat grazing my face. I feel my body surge at the attack and a white flame flickers in the palm of my hand. I keep that hand behind my back as I send kicks flying his way. Finally, I bring my hand up just to feel a burning sensation work its way up my arm. I scream and drop to the ground. Rin comes up beside me, all playfulness swiped clean from his face. He crouches beside me.
"Did you try to use your powers?" he asks me knowingly and I nod. "You can't let the fire build in your hand or it will burn you because the flame turns wild from the suppression. Look, use your powers when you fight but don't hide anything from me when we're battling. Not until you're ready, okay?" Rin asks and I nod painfully.
"It hurts," I admit, tears swelling in my eyes. I've never felt so much pain in my life. It felt as if I just stuck my hand in Hell's flame itself and let my hand rest in it for an hour.
"I bet. Come one, we're done for today. Your hand will heal soon since your powers are fully awakened. Though, it wouldn't hurt to put some burn cream on it to speed the process along. Let's go," Rin holds out a hand for me and I take it gratefully only to practically collapse onto the ground once again.
"I'm tired," I say, confused.
Rin nods, "Your body was running on adrenaline. Now, that moment has passed and you are practically drained from you trying to light the candle. Here," He gets on one knee, "hop on."
"Are you sure?" I ask, already climbing on.
He hoists me up and steadies me on his back before answering: "You're already on."
"True," I point out before yawning, "My boots. I need my boots," I remind him and he bends down far enough so I can pick them up. "Okay, I have everything." I mumble. God, I was so tired.
"Alright we can -wait. Put this around your shoulders," he orders and throws his blazer back at me. I do as he says before resting my head against his back.
"So...warm," I mutter under my breathe. I feel Rin stop for a moment before proceeding outside and into the snow.
"Thanks," is all I remember saying before I fall into a dark pit of slumber.
"Winter...Winter….Winter…" A voice calls after me. It was my father, I knew. "Winter, you are too dependent on the demons. You are a fool." His voice booms and bounces off from all around me.
"Worried, are we?" I find my voice. "I thought you said that I was no longer your daughter." I say snarkily.
"You are not, but, to demons and angels alike, you are my offspring and I will not have your putrid actions poison my reputation."
"Whatever I do is none of your business," I respond and I hear him laugh.
"Everyone's business is my business, Winter. I am God. Have you forgotten that so easily already?" he asks me and I sigh.
"What is it that you want then, God?"
"I want you to stop familiarizing yourself with their kind. I have seen how kind you are to the demons and it is sickening. I will not allow it!"
"My trainer is a demon, God. What do you expect?" I ask him.
"Nonsense!" He booms.
"I think you are understanding the fact that you are losing this argument, God. That is why you are having a little tantrum now, isn't it?"
"Winter, so help me, I will not stand to be talked to this way. You may have forgotten but I am in you which also means that I may not control you necessarily but I do, however, control the power inside of you. Do not make me use your own flame against you, Winter. You will not like the outcome. I can hurt you, Winter. I do not favor you over other humans. You are equal to them, now. I can hurt you very much if you continue to act like this."
"Do it," the words tumble off my tongue without my consent. "I dare you, Father." Shut up, WInter. Are you trying to get yourself killed? Rin. I need Rin!
My eyes immediately pop open and I'm out of bed before my mind is fully alert. My body is starting to heat up. I feel like a computer that was left running under a blanket. "Rin," I gasp his name. A certain pull outside leads me out to the snow. The frail flakes sizzled in the air around me. My vision was starting to go white from the excessive heat. I feel a pull towards the training center that I was just in a few hours ago. The snow melts underneath my bare feet and the ice cracks all around me.
Finally, I reach the large doors to the training center. My body was glowing now. A pinkish tinted air decided to clasp around my body. I feel like I'm boiling in 300 degree water. My vision was barely anything now. All I could see were colors. "Rin," I whisper his name, hoping he'll hear me. There was a blue light somewhere in front of me. "Rin," I breathe his name. "Help me, Rin." I beg when I think he's near. "I'm so...so hot. I'm scorching. He's doing it to me, Rin."
"Who?" I think I hear him ask. Cool arms were around my body, which had collapsed.
"Rin?" I ask.
"Yes, Winter, it's me. It's Rin. Who...who's doing this to you?" He asks.
I beckon him closer to me. Rin leans in further until we are only a centimeter apart. I gather the rest of my remaining strength and put my cheek against his cool one.
"My father."
Alrighty, I'm all done with this chapter! I hope you all enjoyed. I think it's a little longer than most of my chapters and I've actually been working on this for about 2 hours now so I'm super tired. Please review and tell me whether or not you like action scenes between her and Rin or just in general. Or if you rather have more romance or drama. (I personally hate drama so hopefully you all don't want a love triangle) Anyway, keep reading, keep reviewing, and keep smiling. Bye.
~~TheLovelyWriter204