Chapter 6 [U]
Autumn, 686YE
Duran sprinted, weaving between the obstacles with such dexterity; it looked like he had memorized the entire maze by heart. Above his head, he heard his rider release yet another arrow. He barely heard the dull thud as the arrow pierced through the mark. The area opened up into a clearing, and when he heard her command, "Let's fly," he immediately spread his wings, thrusting off the ground. He circled the area as she let loose a few more shots. After a few more rounds, he felt her hand patting him on his neck. "Great job. I think that's all for today. Let's go for a spin, alright?"
His ears perked up at the word 'spin' and let out a bark of assent. She laughed, "It's all you now." He picked up on her cue and started to gain altitude, releasing his unbridled energy into the steep upward climb. At the right height, he turned, keeping his wings in as they both plummeted down. Midway, he spread them open, enjoying the feeling of the gushing wind across his entire wingspan. After a couple of loops and spins, he landed on the grassy plains behind the manor, ambling to a stop. He let out a yap at the sight of a familiar reptile drifting lazily on her back in the lake. Kiyohime turned and started to swim back to shore.
At the banks, a chestnut-haired girl was seated on a spread picnic mat, sipping on a hot cup of tea. When she spotted Natsuki jogging toward her, she carefully set her cup down and waved. "Ara, my Natsuki, did you enjoy your training today?" Shizuru asked as the girl collapsed heavily beside her. Shizuru had returned a few months earlier from her trip to the South and their lives had returned to a familiar routine. They'd moved away from the grove, to the other side of the palace with a small lake, as Kiyohime was with them today and lazing in the water was her favorite pastime.
Natsuki puffed a breath, slightly winded, but otherwise acknowledged the greeting. "Yeah, I think it was a pretty good run today."
Shizuru smiled, "Alright, we can take a look later when we go around collecting the arrows."
Natsuki nodded, "So, what did you learn today? Did you manage to pull of the new move you were telling me about?"
"Ara, I believe actions are better than words. Am I right, my dear Natsuki?"
Natsuki hummed as she munched on a roll of bread she had retrieved from the picnic basket, "Alright, let's see what you've got."
Shizuru stood up, picking up the long naginata beside her. She tilted her head, giving Natsuki an almost invisible smile, before she moved into her starting position, the long weapon resting on her shoulders. She began her demonstration, making sure her footwork was stable and minimizing openings when she was on the offensive. The naginata was largely a defensive weapon, but employed correctly by the right individual; it was a force to be reckoned with. She began with a series of sweeping motions, the blade slicing through the air with a soft whoosh. Her form was impeccable, her posture straight and her focus unbroken. Each movement was executed with elegance and control, showcasing the versatility and grace of the weapon and its wielder.
She transitioned into the more complex technique they had just discussed, spinning and pivoting, wielding the naginata as an extension of her own body. The series of rapid, spinning strikes was the spotlight of the dance, the naginata a blur of motion. The weapon seemed to dance in her hands, its blade cutting through imaginary opponents with ease.
With a powerful downward strike, it ended, the weapon coming to rest in a poised pose and the wielder's face serene. She retracted her weapon to her side with a short bow and Natsuki had stopped chewing on her roll, evidently impressed by the brunette's talent. It was replaced by that far off look soon enough, and Shizuru knew somewhere those cogs were turning and her companion was deep in thought.
"Natsuki," she whispered gently, "Shall we head back up?" she asked, offering her free hand to hoist the seated Natsuki up.
Natsuki shook her head and grabbed the extended hand. She dusted herself off and slung her dark blue bow across her shoulders, "Say, Shizuru, what'll you say is the limitation of your weapon?"
Shizuru hummed as she thought about it, while beckoning for Duran and Kiyohime, "I would say that it would be length. Its fantastic range is also the cause of it being quite cumbersome sometimes. Sometimes, I really wish I had another blade instead of this handle, but I suppose that would require a bit of work to get used to."
Natsuki nodded wordlessly. She had seen enough of Shizuru's demonstrations to understand her point. It had been three years since they had started training together after all.
"Why the sudden question?" Shizuru inquired curiously as they entered the palace.
"Nah, I was just wondering."
"Not to worry Natsuki, I'm aware of its limitations. Which is why I have been practicing new moves with Father and you've been a great help in pointing out any openings," Shizuru replied as they made their way up the stairs.
"Today's was good. I thought it was beautifully executed," Natsuki replied honestly as she opened the door to her bedroom and headed for her desk.
The brunette glided over to the bookcase, humming softly as she scanned through the titles. Selecting one that caught her fancy, she took her place on the recliner and settled into the plush cushions, ready to wind down the day. The quiet rustle of pages turning filled the room, creating a peaceful ambiance.
Natsuki glanced over her shoulder, watching Shizuru with a small smile. "What are you reading today?"
Shizuru looked up, her eyes twinkling. "It's a collection of old poems. I find them quite calming."
"Sounds nice," Natsuki said, turning back to her desk, starting to meddle with the wood specimens laid out on her table, scribbling in her bound book, noting down the alterations to their state. "Can I join you? After I finish up," she mumbled, gesturing at the jumble before her.
"Natsuki knows she's always welcome," Shizuru replied, happy that the ranger was starting to initiate some shared activities that allowed them to spend time together. They quickly settled into a comfortable silence, each absorbed in their own activities yet enjoying the shared space and all was well in their world.
However, over the course of the next few autumn months, Natsuki had started to disappear for good parts of the day. As much as Miyu as was ready to help her (at Alyssa's behest), she had to make her way over to the blacksmith's residence herself and get her commissioned weapon tested out personally to make any necessary adjustments. Getting this done through a proxy would take eons and Shizuru's birthday was just around the corner. With the time constraint, she had little choice but to handle it herself, though she worried that Shizuru would start to notice her frequent absences. Alyssa helped cover for her whenever she could, but it didn't prevent Shizuru from occasionally asking questions. Natsuki quickly babbled her way through explanations, hoping and praying that the brunette would buy them.
She wondered if she should have made such a drastic change to the weapon's design. The third version worked well; she had tested it with Miyu, while Alyssa watched intently as they sparred. It was sitting neatly in a beautifully crafted box, hidden at Mai's - but this idea had just jumped right out of her head after a few of Shizuru's recent demonstrations, which revealed her friend's ever-growing talent. The fourth was totally completely different, and she had poured over it for hours on end, mostly in wee hours of the night when no curious crimson eyes would catch a glimpse of anything. Getting the work done was one matter, but testing and ensuring it was combat-ready in a span of a couple of months was a total long shot. They were lucky that by the time they had completed the initial three iterations, she and the old blacksmith were more or less familiar with the metal's properties and weight.
But as she looked down at the gleaming weapon she'd just collected in her hands, she was pleased that she had gone ahead with it. The naginata's deep red handle now held dual blades on each end instead of the singular blade of the third design. The blade gleamed with a metallic sheen. At first glance, its smooth surface made it appear as a single, seamless piece; sharp and formidable. However, upon closer inspection, subtle grooves and joints became visible, running along its length like delicate veins.
Crafted with precision and painstaking effort by the old blacksmith, the blade could detach into smaller segments, each piece fitting together with perfect alignment. The hidden mechanism was largely the same, within the hilt and engaging it would allow the wielder to unlock the segments with a swift, practiced motion of throwing the weight out, causing the blade to break apart gracefully. Each segment was razor-sharp, but most of important of all, it provided versatility in combat.
She retracted the blades and the segments reconnected with a satisfying click, the blade regaining its original form. She hoped the gift could match it's potential master's skill, the lady who was the embodiment of elegance and lethal efficiency.
Winter, 686YE
The usually calm brunette was standing by her bedroom balcony, her lips pursed into a small but rare frown. Today was her eighteen birthday.
Her parents had burst into her room bright and early in the morning, presenting their one and only daughter a custom made saddle for her present this year. It was a solid purple, patterned with the finest silk from Caradosa. 'It would go beautifully with Kiyohime, my dear daughter,' Admiral Tetsuo had beamed proudly.
Shizuru had given her beloved parents a hug, then spent the entire day waiting for a specific person to appear in her bedroom to appear but that person never came. In addition to that, she had been disappearing far more often than usual over the last few months, and Shizuru was more than a little concerned. Almost everyone in the palace had showered her with gifts and greetings as the day dragged on. Worried, she decided to question Alyssa, who had just appeared at her bedroom to wish her as well. The young Alyssa peered curiously at her, rubbing her hands together, before telling her that Natsuki had headed off into town to meet Mai and that she would not be back till late in the evening.
Mai and Natsuki had met in a small, unassuming diner tucked away in a corner Vitilus Capital, far from the grandeur of the Vitilian palace. The first time Natsuki had brought her over to the quaint eatery, Shizuru was pleasantly surprised by the warmth and charm of the place, as well as the delicious food it offered. The redhead's infectious laughter and friendly demeanor added to the cozy atmosphere, making it hard not to enjoy her company.
However, in the last few months, Natsuki seemed to be spending more and more time with Mai, often leaving for long stretches on her travels or disappearing for hours to eat at the diner. She had even started to develop dark circles under her eyes, and her usual focus was replaced with an air of distraction. What on earth was going on? She couldn't help feel a pang of an unfamiliar feeling that were threatening to erupt. As she glanced at the setting sun, Shizuru mentally chastised herself, not really certain of what to do with all these foreign, conflicting feelings. Before she could reflect any further, there were two short and sharp raps on the door. She knew immediately who it was, gliding over at once and throwing the door open.
At the sight of her, Shizuru wanted to hug the girl tightly in her arms and not let go but she restrained herself. "Ara, good evening, dearest Natsuki."The shorter girl look a little bit out of breath, as she shifted her weight on her other foot, looking rather nervous. "Would you like to come in?"
Natsuki shook her head wordlessly, "Come, Shizuru." She reached out for the puzzled girl's hand and tugged her out the door.
Shizuru rarely frowned, but she did let it mar her pristine face this once. Even for Natsuki, her behavior was erratically strange but she followed the determined girl anyway. They hurried hurried down the stairs and into the backyard - past the quiet lake, past Natsuki's obstacle course, through the bushes until they finally arrived at a dead-end – a tall cliff. Unfazed, Natsuki easily uncovered a small opening that was densely covered with shrubbery. She maneuvered her way across the tiny ledge, her footsteps seasoned and precise despite the limited visibility that the new moon offered. Natsuki was bringing them to the little hideaway they've discovered on one of their explorations. No one really ventured this far nor had the courage to inch across the precarious ledge. No one before Natsuki, that is.
The sloped narrow cliff opened up into a sizeable clearing, offering a view like no other. Natsuki had loved the place it was wide, windy and was a perfect vantage point where you could actually see the farway mountains and forests of Kagen. She always had this distant, serious look on her face whenever she stared out into the horizon. Shizuru always fought back the urge to envelop the girl in a hug, to let her know that she would always be here. She was afraid that she would scare the younger girl off.
Natsuki let go of her hand at the cliff's edge and rummaged through her pockets. A faint spark flickered as she struck a match, lighting one candle after another. She carefully covered each flame with a glass bauble that was mounted on a small plate, to shield them from the wind. Amidst the trio of soft lights, Shizuru noticed an intricately carved large wooden box sitting there.
"It's for you, Shizuru," she had muttered, her long hair billowing in the wind. She turned to face the brunette, her voice soft but sincere, "Happy birthday Shizuru, I'm sorry I'm late, I've only just managed to get back."
Her emerald eyes caught the flickering glow of the candlelight and she looked at Shizuru expectantly. The eighteen year old complied, bending on her knees to open the mysterious gift. Within it, lay a shiny new naginata; or what it seemed like - as red as the most beautiful rose in the garden. The handle was definitively different and it no longer held a single blade, but two on each end. Not wasting a second, she picked it up. A brow shot up in surprise as the weight and feel of the weapon was almost featherlike. Despite its departure from the traditional design, it felt oddly familiar in her hands and she intuitively assumed her stance, twirling the lightweight weapon with effortless grace.
Natsuki scratched her head, a hint of nervousness in her voice. "Ah, it's a bit different from what you're used to. I have another one that's more like your traditional naginata. It's with Duran; maybe I can…"
This time, Shizuru couldn't stop herself anymore. She set the weapon down gently and easily closed the gap between the two of them, wrapping her arms around the smaller girl's waist. Shizuru felt Natsuki's body tense upon the first contact, but her fears were unfounded as Natsuki relaxed into the embrace. Shizuru buried her head into her neck, inhaling deeply. The woody scent, probably from her days spent shrouded amongst the trees enveloped her. It smelt exactly the way she thought Natsuki would smell like. The realization had struck her: So this was the reason why Natsuki had been vanishing. She must have expended months of effort, even involving her sister and friend. How could I let jealousy cloud my better judgement? Shizuru bowed her head, apologetic, "I thought Natsuki forgot. I'm sorry for being selfish, could Natsuki forgi.."
Natsuki pulled her back, her hands resting on Shizuru's forearms. "There's nothing to forgive," she said with a reassuring smile.
Shizuru, still feeling the warmth of Natsuki's embrace, recalled a conversation she'd had with Reito just a few months ago. With a surge of emotion, she threw caution to the wind and pressed a quick, tender kiss against Natsuki's pale cheek.
Natsuki blinked in surprise, a soft blush spreading across her cheeks. She bowed her head shyly, her voice barely above a whisper, "Don't you want to try it out first though?"
Shizuru gazed affectionately at the girl before her, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. "I'm more than happy to," she replied, her gaze returning to the naginata. "But Natsuki's effort and thoughtfulness are more precious than any gift." Her arms left the slim ranger's waist and she picked up her striking birthday gift, readying herself to test the new weapon. There wasn't really much need to change the motions of her favorite routine, due to the way the weapon was designed - it was just a matter of a minor adjustments in hand motions or shifts in her body weight. As she continued in her breathtaking dance, she was delighted by how seamlessly the weapon fit into her movements.
"Do you feel it?" Natsuki called out as she watched the display, her voice filled with excitement. "There's a button! Press it and throw the weight out! Ah, wait, just lemme back up a bit," she quickly scampered off to the side, more than familiar with Shizuru's routine and the new reach of the weapon.
Shizuru was puzzled at the strange request, but there came no other instruction and she obliged. At the final stab, her eyes widened in amazement as the blade segmented and extended its reach, transforming into a flexible, curled whip.
"You can re-engage the mechanism and pull it back!" Natsuki yelled from the distance.
Shizuru followed Natsuki's guidance, pressing the hidden button. With a smooth motion, she pulled the weapon back. The segmented blade reconnected with a click, returning to its original form. The transition was seamless, and the naginata felt as solid and responsive as ever in her hands as she completed the routine with a downward swing.
"Are you okay?"Natsuki had returned to her side, her deep green eyes brimming with concern.
"This is the best birthday present I could have ever asked for. How could I ever forget this eighteen birthday, Natsuki?" Her heart whispered the truth she couldn't yet voice: How could I not fall in love with you?
A/N: To avoid confusion, will be deleting the subsequent chapters