Which was why she was in the middle of the very empty courtyard at 6 in the morning, practicing her kata with only Oushi to look on and spot her mistakes. There were the few guards and wandering Warrior trainees pulling Watch, but they paid her as much attention as they did the torches flickering on the walls, which suited Riyu just fine.
She had quickly fallen into the natural motions of swordplay, flowing from one position to the other without so much as a second thought. Her body adapted to the trials she was putting herself through quite nicely, creating an ember of comfort in her chest. Thankfully, her boy-cut hairstyle was short enough that she didn't have to worry about becoming blinded by bangs or distracted by the slap of sweat-drenched hair on her neck. The sword in her hand, one of the Center's that she was allowed to borrow, felt pretty darn good--the weight didn't hurt her wrist and she could make it sing through the wind as if she'd been born with it.
'How am I doing?'
'Quite well, considering daybreak is at least 10 minutes away and you hate not being able to see what you're doing. I'm proud of you.'
Actually, I could get used to this, Riyu admitted. I kind of like the silence. And the fact that no one's around to judge me makes it more bearable... her thoughts suddenly became dark and irritated.
'Ri! Pay attention!' Oushi said sharply. 'Your form went off there. You know you have a hard time using a sword and tapping your talent at the same time.'
'Didn't mean it that time,' she replied tightly. The problem with having a gyrfalcon for a ketsu was that he could see everything she did right, and everything she did wrong. Normally she didn't mind when he helped spot her, but this time the reminder just grated on her nerves. It bothered her so much--not only the warning but the primary distracting thought--that she couldn't even finish her kata correctly.
'Damn it all to the seven hells!' she snarled, shoving the blade into it's sheath with a loud 'clang.’
But then she closed her eyes and counted out long, even breaths, trying to regain some level of patience. I can't believe I just did that, losing my concentration like a child! I know this routine. I know it like the back of my hand. What the hell is wrong with me?
'You're too tense, first off,' the falcon answered sagely. 'Too worried about your upcoming exam.'
"Well then I’m going to be like this for the next week or so," she snapped. "Shi, I know you're trying to help, but it's not working!"
'I also think you need a friend.'
Riyu turned to him, but when she saw he was coming down from the tree, she stretched out her arm reflexively as a place for him to perch. 'What do you mean, I need a friend? I’m not exactly here to buddy-buddy with people, you know.'
Oushi landed lightly, his talons scratching her skin through the thick sleeve of her shirt. 'I know that, but I also know you haven't gotten close to anyone since we left. I simply don't think it's healthy for you to be so distant from the rest of the community here, students and teachers included.'
She looked Oushi straight in his onyx-colored eyes. 'Shi... you know I can't get close to people. Boys don't want to talk to me, girls have no idea what to do around me... it just doesn't work,' she 'spoke softly, almost bitterly. 'I mean, I don't have a problem being a boy, but I have a problem when I can't be me.'
The falcon rubbed his feathered head against her cheek, letting that simple action speak more than words could. Riyu brought her hand up and smoothed his feathers, the motion soothing both bird and human.
They stood like that for a good five minutes before Riyu resigned herself to more practice. "Sorry to kick you off my arm, Shi, but it's kind of hard to swing a sword around without throwing or hitting you."
'Then I'll let you get back to your routine, if only to help you relax,' he nipped her ear before taking off. But before she could even unsheathe her sword, Oushi spoke again. 'Hold up, beloved. We've got company by the gates.'
Turning towards the open archway, Riyu confirmed her ketsu's warning when she saw two horseback riders stopped by the sentries. Unsure of what to do, she stood there in surprised interest. She could go over there and greet the arrivals, but that's what the Royal Guard was there for. She didn't want to run inside the Center and make it look like she was guilty of something, but she sure didn't want to just stand there.
Finally deciding that she may as well see who else was crazy enough to come this time of morning, Riyu waltzed on over to the opening gates. She saw the one of the riders send a bat off into the sky and the other looked behind him or herself. Following the two was what looked like a white and black furball, but on closer inspection she saw it was a young panda bear.
Seishi! Her mind lit up with the realization and her feet moved faster to catch a glimpse of the newcomers. The apparent elder of the riders had waved to the guards and sent them back to their posts but upon seeing her his face lit up in a grin.
"Good morning, Seishi-san," he called out, bringing the horse closer with the rising sun silhouetting his figure. "What brings you out this early?"
"Good morning, Seishi-sama," she answered, bowing to both of them. "I've been practicing for my initiation and sword-giving ceremony. Do you need some assistance?"
He looked to her, then back at his companion. "Actually, I think we do. Would you mind helping us or do you want to continue your practicing?"
"I'd be honored to help you and... your friend," Riyu said diplomatically, not quite sure what to call the other rider. Was she--definitely a she by the long hair and pretty eyes--a Seishi too? Or perhaps a visiting noble or merchant's daughter, evident by the new-looking tunic?
The man dismounted from the horse and introduced himself. "I am Remu Etsuo and this is my friend Chou Ryuuen," he spoke in a gentle voice.
Hmmm... sounds like my name, Riyu raised her eyebrow in interest. "Kaito Riyu, at your service."
"Since you offered, I don't suppose you could take Ryuuen and Kohana to Lau-san for recording and entry?"
Ah, I was right--a new Seishi. "I can do that, Remu-san. We won't visit Haon-sama yet, but maybe when the sun comes out so will he," she joked. She and Remu-san shared a good laugh, and then Riyu turned her attention to the girl. "Need a hand getting down?"
"Uhm... I think I can do it myself," she said shyly, then swung one leg over the saddle and hopped to the ground in one smooth motion. "Thanks though."
Nice... for a girl, Riyu thought appreciatively, noticing her lengthy violet braid and bright tickled-pink eyes. "Where's your ketsu?"
"Right here," the younger girl laid open her palm, and the panda came up and nudged it. "Where's yours?"
'I'm going to stay out here and nap, Riyu. Take Ryuuen through--I'm sure you'll be fine.'
"Oh, Oushi's flying around," Riyu waved distantly to the sky, replying to his mental touch at the same time. 'See you later today, then.' "Come on, I best get you inside."
"Bye, Etsuo-san," Ryuuen called back and began to trek through the torch-lit court and hallways with Riyu. "Thank you very much, Riyu-san."
"Don't worry about it. It's my pleasure."
But for Riyu, the walk soon became extremely unpleasant. She really didn't know what to say to this little whip-thin girl and the panda trailing behind. She studied Ryuuen, fascinated at the fact that the girl looked so frail yet could still walk with such purpose. Part of her was wary of saying anything, seeing such a big physical difference between herself and Ryuuen, that they probably had nothing in common. But another, slightly more understanding part of her could feel there was something about the lilac-haired girl that made all of Riyu's protective instincts fly up, that made her want to know everything about Ryuuen.
So it was without warning that her talent for empathy kicked up just before they hit the hallway to the Center and she began to scan the surface of the other's feelings. 'Tired... scared... unsure... right place?... right time?...' the heart of Ryuuen rammed chaotically into her head, some of them coherent thoughts, with others so complex and abstract only another empath could understand the sensation of his emotions overriding her own. 'But... no... can't go back... not Kourin the girl... be Ryuuen the boy now...'
Whatthehell?
"You're a boy?!" Riyu burst out, shocked and unable to stop the words from leaving her mouth. She hadn't been brushing up on control of her empathy skills--too busy worrying about her Warrior trial--and this was the price she was paying.
Immediately she became disturbingly aware of her mistake. Ryuuen stopped in mid-step, turned his eyes, now darkened a deep sanguine, and said, "Yeah... I am..." as another wave of deep-rooted passion hit her.
'Hates me now... see it in his eyes... his face... I'm a freak...' the torturous words refused to stop coming and Riyu wished with all her heart that she could cut away her talent, if only for now. The humiliation, the anger, the depression all combined was so different from anything she'd felt before that she didn't know how to stop reaching for it. 'I'm so tired... Kohana said I could change... I could be me... it'll never happen... never...'
Finally, Riyu knew she had to stop rutting through his feelings for two very good reasons. One was the moral rule she imposed on herself that she'd never read another person unless she had permission, and the other was that she was going lose her mind in his if she didn't. But she did know that one of the few ways she could stop touching her power was to either begin a kata or to start talking like crazy.
Brandishing a sword in this case could have some very serious side effects. So...
"I'm a girl you know," she spoke in a rush, trying to appease Ryuuen and not to upset him at the same time. "I don't look or sound like it, but I am. I have three older brothers, a dad, but no mom so I came out of the family acting more like a boy than the rest of the world thinks I should. Sometimes my mouth takes over when I should have more manners, so I'm sorry for saying that the way I did, I didn't mean it in a bad way. I was just a little surprised, I'm really sorry Ryuuen, I’m so sorry for getting you mad at me." She was incredibly thankful to feel the warmth of her character die away, along with the rest of Ryuuen's bruised feelings.
During the whole rant, the boy just looked at her, studying her the same way she had been studying him moments before. When he finally spoke, he asked casually, "You're a Nuriko Seishi too?"
Riyu's head spun at the topic change. "Wh... wha... where did that come from?"
He smiled, pointing to his own forehead. "Your symbol. It was yanagi."
As a reflex, Riyu reached up and smacked her forehead with her palm, then realized the utter foolishness of the action. Duh, Riyu! It's not only my own symbol, but I can't see it with my hand! Not one of my brighter days... However, despite the temporary bout of idiocy that overrode her thoughts, she was incredibly thankful to hear a bit of laughter escape Ryuuen's throat. "So... you're a Nuriko too?"
"Yeah," he shrugged easily. "Kinda neat we're both Nuriko Seishi. Coincidence, I guess."
"Maybe," Riyu mused aloud. "But we better get moving along." She looked behind her, noticing that while they weren't in the courtyard they were still a few minutes away from Lau-san's room. "Lots of stuff to tell you about." The duo began walking a bit slower than before, but this time Riyu was comfortable enough to start talking up a red storm, so she didn't even notice where she was going half the time.
It turned out that Ryuuen, despite being almost six inches shorter than her 5'5", was actually only a year younger than her 16 years. He came from a rather small family that lived in the capital, but had decided to leave and dorm in the Center for reasons that would most likely forever remain his own. She also learned that Kohana was actually a very chatty ketsu, but at the moment she was a bit too overwhelmed to do much more than walk a straight line.
Makes it easier for me to talk to Ryuuen without interruption... even though mindspeaking isn't really interrupting...
They chatted more about their ketsu and bonding experience, their Seishi gifts, and some of the more personal things.
"So no one knows you're a girl?" Ryuuen's mouth dropped.
"Nope," Riyu answered. "It doesn't bother me, actually. Basically, being a man just makes life easier for me. I just want to do my duty as a Seishi, fight the bad guys, protect the weak, and not get hassled because I'm a girl. If I have to look and act like one, then by Suzaku that's what I'm going to do!"
"But what about the Center? Don't they need to know?"
"Since they think I'm a boy, I have a room in the boys' dormitory. If I tell them now that I'm a girl, there's gonna be some problems."
"Wow... I don't know whether to call you brave or stupid."
Riyu snorted with mirth. "Neither. I'm just me, whether anyone else wants to believe it or not." Suddenly she saw Ryuuen's posture stiffen at that final phrase and knew something wasn't right. "Hey, what's wrong?"
He didn't answer at first; he just started playing with his braid and walking with his head down.
So Kohana began to speak instead. 'It's rather personal,' she told Riyu, and knew that the panda was speaking to her alone. 'If you wanted to, you could find out more through your rather invasive technique, but I think it might be best if you waited for him to speak.'
Riyu felt her cheeks flush an angry scarlet, not only because of Kohana's rude comment, but also because she was far too aware of how quickly it could happen if she didn't try to discipline herself. 'Fine. I can do that.'
So they walked the rest of the way in silence, with Ryuuen scratching Kohana's neck and Riyu watching the two of them without being too obvious. I like him, more than most of the students here, her mind wandered onto the subject. He's a nice kid. And he's actually got a sense of humor, thank all the gods! Maybe he's just shy right now, and once he starts warming up to this place he'll talk a little more.
But I wonder why he got so quiet just now. I didn't make a comment about him looking like a girl. I know that makes him upset, not like any boy wouldn't be... her mouth turned up in a dry smile. But I remember something about a girl. Wonder if she's got something to do with it.
"Here we are; the Cardinal Judge's room," Riyu broke the glass-like silence, forcing a bit of cheer into her voice. They stopped in front of a wooden door and she knocked twice.
"Come in."
She turned to Ryuuen and gave him a reassuring grin. "Don’t worry--she won't bite. I'll make sure of that."
"Thanks," he spoke wryly, following Riyu inside the doors.
A woman with short hazel-colored hair was sitting at the desk, writing slowly and talking animatedly to the spotted cat sitting by her hand. She was young, only 25, but Riyu knew only good things of which to say about this quite capable Judge despite her lack of years. "Good morning, Machi-san, Umeno-ketsu."
The Seishi pair looked up and the woman's face broke into a smile that quickly reached her eyes. "Ah, Riyu! So good to see you again. How's everything going? Oushi adjusted well to the new diet?"
"Oh we're fine," Riyu informed the amiable Judge. "I'm bringing in a new Seishi for you to write down and get all set up in." She sidestepped gracefully and gave Machi-san a full view of a very quiet Ryuuen. "This is Chou Ryuuen and his" she emphasized very subtly (or what she hoped was subtle) "ketsu Kohana."
If the other noticed the accent, she didn't give away any indication of having heard it. She simply stood up and came around the desk to greet them. "It's wonderful to meet you, Ryuuen, Kohana-ketsu," she said warmly, sounding genuinely glad to welcome them. "I'm Ea Machi, Mitsukake Judge, but please call me Machi-san. And my ketsu Umeno is on the desk."
The two aforementioned shared a quick telepathic conversation before Umeno said, 'It was nice to meet you, Kohana and Ryuuen, but I best leave now. Tatsuko-san has need of me,' and the trio returned the well wishing as Umeno left the room and Machi went back to the subject.
"I'm one of the few people that fill in for Miruka-san when she's unavailable, who you may or may not know is the Cardinal Judge. But feel free to come to me if you would like some help coping with your new responsibilities and caring for your ketsu."
"Thank you Machi-san," Ryuuen bowed politely. "But Kohana and I have been bonded for a year, and I think we're pretty well acquainted."
"Marvelous!" she clapped her hands together. "Let's get you started now, shall we?" Ryuuen agreed instantly, following her to the desk.
Good thing it was Machi-san and not Lau-san, or I bet he'd be quiet as a mouse, and twice as timid, Riyu thought, her stomach feeling heavy from some unknown reason. I hope he likes it here.
They went through the usual separations, where she tested him for a symbol, his ability, and put him into the necessary classes. "Do you have an idea about what you want to be?" Machi asked.
"I'm thinking a Priest, but I'm not sure," he admitted. "Do I have to decide now?"
She shook her head. "No, not now. I was just curious, in case there were any special classes you wanted to work in." They finished up the school items in record time when she finally pulled out the last scroll.
"Which one's that?" Ryuuen questioned eagerly.
"This is for housing."
Suddenly, Riyu understood why she was so anxious about everything. Lord... what are some of the other boys going to do if they have to room with Ryuuen? They'll beat him up or torment him forever for looking like a girl, that's what! Any stupid teenage male would be more than happy to pick on someone different from them, regardless of being a Seishi or not. A small spark of anger burned in the middle of her chest. I'll be damned if I let anyone do that to him!
"You are living here, aren't you?"
"Yes, as far as I know."
"So you need a room and a roommate," Machi looked at the little slips of paper and names that dotted the map of the dormitories. "Let me see... how abou--"
"He's rooming with me!"
