Prose log with Watari

[trueltning_fury]

Who: 
trueltning_fury and 
iii_ninja
When: earlier today (Friday)
Where: out on the beach by Mamie's cafe
What: EPIC ninja vs mercenary sparring match...and bonding

In recent days, Geddoe had taken to avoiding people in the most heavily-traveled public areas of the castle, tired of the jibes and the accusations. He needed fresh air, though, and in frustration, prowled down through the lower dungeon to the little iron door that conveniently opened onto the wharf next to Mamie's cafe. It was the quickest way to get outside and pass the least amount of people in the process. The door opened with a creak, spilling sunshine into the black passageway.

Watari was coming up from the beach on the daily runs he'd been doing. He knew in the back of his mind he was being overly cautious with his ankle. By now it should be fully healed - he did not need Sigurd to tell him that. Still, he'd rather avoid reinjuring it so soon after getting it healed. The runs on the sand merely proved what he thought. As he padded up the wharf and towards the door by the cafe, intent on going to change into his normal clothing, he paused when the door opened of its own accord,  revealing Geddoe.

The figure appearing almost right in his path made Geddoe stop short, though he relaxed when he saw who it was. "Watari," he greeted him gruffly, stepping out onto the grass.

Watari nodded his head in acknowledgement of the other man, standing confidently on both feet. "Geddoe," he replied, watching him one golden-blue eye.

It took just a moment's instinctive observation to notice, though Geddoe called attention to it just to be sure. "Looks like the foot's doing much better," he noted with a nod toward the ninja. "Good to see you don't have to stay on that crutch."

Watari looked down at the ankle and shifted his weight. "I believe it is fully healed, though I'm attempting to be cautious in its usage. I'd prefer not to be back on the crutches so soon."

"You're a wiser man than I," Geddoe mused, shifting his gaze away towards the lake. "Being laid-up was hard for me, I've been straining myself to make up for it. Throwing caution to the wind." He sighed to himself. "Not that it's doing me much good."

Watari cocked a brow. "Strange," he murmured. "You always struck me as one not to take chances."

"Ordinarily, I don't," Geddoe admitted. "It takes a special circumstance. But it's also been a very long time since I've been injured that badly. I'm not as patient as people think I am."

"Understandable," Watari nodded. "I did not spend enough time around to make more than a base assumption on many of your traits."

Geddoe tilted his head in a slight shrug. "Maybe so. I'm also in the habit of hiding a lot about myself from people. There are friends who don't know me as well as they thought they did." The words were out of his mouth before he realized what he had said, and he looked sharply away again, finding it too late to take them back.

Watari said nothing to that, showing no sign he felt hurt or even the least bit moved by the sharpness of Geddoe's words. He merely regarded the man with his golden-blue eye, blinking almost lazily once, and let the silence stretch.

Geddoe turned back after a moment, glad to have received no comment that might revisit one of the things bothering him the most. "It's too bad you're staying cautious," he mused, "because I could use a good, solid sparring session right about now. But, I'd hate to be the cause of any re-injury."

Watari did not admit it aloud, but his interest was piqued. It would be a lie to say he did not want to the chance to battle Geddoe, but at the same time he feared such a thing might reinjure his leg. Of course, Geddoe was taking a similar risk. However, Watari was not in the habit of endangering himself for the sake of others unless a rather exorbitant amount of money was involved. "Perhaps you should do the same," Watari advised with no malice.

Geddoe's one dark eye closed in an expression of frustration. "I won't be able to get back to full strength if I don't push myself. I've done all I can by myself, I need to face an opponent. One who'll give me a challenge."

Watari faced him, crossing his arms over his chest. He did not like the path Geddoe seemed to be walking. "Is that the only reason?" he asked.

"Truthfully?" His eye opened, but his expression grew, if anything, more dark. "I've got a lot on my mind and I want to drown it all out with some serious exercise. The tougher, the better." The eye narrowed. "You're one of the toughest around here...and though I wasn't searching for you, I'm glad I ran into you."

Ah, so here was the dilemna. Geddoe still had many bottled feelings on the fight Watari had been witness to. Watari knew some men took out their frustrations physically - either through mental or physical labor - and others took it out upon their own bodies. He did not think Geddoe would run to the later path, though the human mind was complex and there was no absolute reason Geddoe would not. Watari also admitted he needed the exercise as well. His mind sparked a warning, reminding him of his ankle. Watari looked down at the appendage, then back out to the beach sands and back to Geddoe. "And what sort of fight are you looking for?" he asked. "Swords or your own fists?"

"Blades," Geddoe replied simply. "After all, if I'm going to work out, it ought to be with my overall improvement in mind." He gave a grumbling sigh. "I've trained with my sword but haven't used it much, since recovering. Sigurd and I took down a mantikra on Mt. Hei-Tou, but the majority of that was rune-work. That's it."

Watari's fingers itched when Geddoe specified blades. It had been some time since he drew his katana and his kodachi in a real fight. That was not to say he was full of blood lust, but peace was a strange thing to him. To much of it made him wary, made his muscles scream for more action than stirring a frying pan. He looked out to the beach once more. He jerked his chin towards it. "The sand is the arena," he said. "Stay on the sands or in the water."

Geddoe straightened up in surprise, though he kept his face calm. "You'll take the challenge, then? Fine." He nodded once. "Those are fair terms. I'd be honored, Watari."

"Allow me to retrieve my blades and I shall be out shortly," Watari said with a terse nod and turned, heading back to his quarters. Some part of him questioned his reasoning for taking the fight, but he shoved it down with the logic that he did need the work out, and fighting on the sands was a safe way to test his ankle. If he so much as felt a wrong twinge he would forfeit the battle. There was no shame in that.

Nodding his acceptance, Geddoe crossed the short sward of green that ran between the wall of the castle and the lake, beginning to flex and stretch his shoulders and arms. He paced up and down the sand to test the footing at the same time, noticing Watari's footprints already dug deep there. Difficult terrain and the sun glinting off the water - perfect, he thought. This would do nicely.

Watari stripped and donned an outfit more appropriate for a battle - a short yukata tucked into his pants, belt, two scabbards, his bracers and shin guards, and wrapped his ankle a bit more firmly. Satisfied, he returned to the sands, arm resting on the hilt of his katana.

Geddoe smiled very slightly to acknowledge his opponent's return and choice of garb. He was already well prepared, as he rarely went without his leathers, gloves, and his sword. Peacetime mattered to knights and guards, but not a mercenary - he chose to remain armed whenever out of his room. He laid a hand on the hilt of his sword. "Bladework only, no runes," he declared. "We go until one yields. Is that acceptable?"

"It is," Watari acknowledge as he moved through a series of stretches.

Geddoe drew and swung his sword in a wide arc, verifying that he had warmed up enough. Just in case, though, he paced in the sand a little more, stretching his own ankles to get used to the shifting footing. The last time he had seriously sparred had been with Troy in the snow - sand was mostly similar. Mostly. He'd do well not to slip.

Watari warmed his leg and arm muscles up, then went through the smooth motions of the Crane Dance style - simple, yet effective for a warm up and fights against less than adequate opponents. He had no intention of using such a style against Geddoe, but it served well in its other capacity.

The mercenary captain watched out of the corner of his good eye, privately fascinated. He didn't have a style, or technique, but he always admired it in another fighter. It wasn't that he lacked the discipline, he just didn't need it.

Watari finished and sheathed his katana once more. He slid into position, dominant hand dancing over the hilt of his weapon as he bent his knees and lowered his shoulders. "Ready?" he asked.

Geddoe faced him squarely, sword in his right hand but lowered toward the ground in an open stance that trained fighters would recognize as prepared to strike or block from any side. "Ready," he nodded.

"We begin," Watari said, though he did not immediately move. Instead he waiting, watching Geddoe with his hand hovering over his katana. The hand holding the scabbard reached out with its thumb, pushing the blade a fraction of an inch out of the scabbard.

The move was offered to him, so Geddoe took it, as the one who requested the fight. He took a short step and then lunged, swinging cross-wise up from Watari's right to his left, an easy, testing swing.

Watari's golden eye narrowed. His shoulders dipped lower and turned slightly. In the next second he twisted, dragging the katana out of his scabbard. He wrapped both hands around the hilt and met Geddoe's blade with wicked metal hiss, hoping the added surge from the shift of weight would throw the man off.

The force of the block pushed Geddoe back a little, but if it surprised him, he didn't show it. He instantly moved to strike again, lowering his shoulders so the swing would target the shorter ninja at shoulder-height instead of his head. The cut came from his right this time, forward instead of back-handed.

Watari grunted and flipped his katana, brining it up so the flat of the blade meant steel. It was barely in time, and Watari mentally chided himself. Peacetime had slowed him down. He grounded himself to keep pressure from shifting him, using his lower center of gravity and the sand to help keep his balance.

Geddoe backed off and circled his opponent slightly, only slightly irked that his swings weren't moving Watari in the slightest. Of course, he wasn't using his full power, yet. He tested once more with his favorite feint, lunging low and to his right before shifting for a strike from the opposite side.

Watari had seen the move used before on several occasions. He brought his blade up to knock Geddoe's slightly of course as he rapidly back pedaled in the sand, brining the katana once more into a defensive pose across his chest with legs bent, regarding the mercenary warily.

The time for caution was over. Geddoe pressed the attack, using his long legs to step forward in fast strides while he swung and then jabbed, attempting to force Watari into the water's edge.

Watari took cautious steps back, moving his katana to meet the attacks with hurried grace. Sparks showered the sand now and then, and Watari felt himself sink oddly as he neared the part of the sands that water lapped at it. Good.

Geddoe took one huge stride and planted his feet hard in the sand, using most of his arm and chest strength for one powerful overhead slice, bringing his sword down towards the ninja's head.

Watari instantly spread his blade across his hands and raised it up to meet the strike even as he suddenly spread his legs out. The slick, mud-like sand slid at the sudden body weight pressure, dropping the ninja in a neat half split. The result was he was lower, and while the blade gathered momentum, it changed the point of impact on the blade. The blades met in a shower of sparks, and Watari suddenly bent forward and thrust up even as he took a wide step towards Geddoe's mid section. He let one hand free of the katana and pulled his other shoulder up to force Geddoe's blade away as the other went for the smaller kodachi in hopes of striking at the man's belly.

The momentum of having his sword deflected twisted Geddoe's body enough to make him lose balance, and out of instinct he recoiled and threw himself to the side, unable to block or land another blow but wary of any surprises. It wasn't until he had stumbled into the water and regained footing that he saw the kodachi that had come up on his blind side. "Damn," he breathed, shaking his hair out of his good eye. "Impressive. I'm not regretting this in the least."

Watari said nothing and brought both blades to bear. He leapt forward and swung the katana up in an arch from lower right to upper left.

Geddoe moved to block, keeping his arm close to his body so he could bring the sword to bear quickly and block the second blade if it came at him. Shorter swings would do him better against this opponent - not to mention, that big move had made something in his chest tense unnaturally. His free hand remained at his side, providing a counter-balance.

Watari let the momentum of the sword carry him around in an elegant circle. When he came back around, this time he thrust deep, pulling the kodachi back towards himself as he pushed his weight forward into the strike.

Geddoe's blade scraped along the thrusting point of the katana as he side-stepped and spun in place, putting his back dangerously to Watari but allowing him to raise his elbow and strike backwards in a quick body-blow.

Watari hissed as the elbow made contact with his shoulder. He flipped his katana in his hands and drew back in a diagonal strike as he retreated from the blow.

Geddoe turned to face him in haste with his sword leading the way, his thick boots splashing noisily in the shallow water. He moved to attack before Watari could regain his stance, relying on the power of his arms to deliver several heavy strikes in sequence.

Watari spun. His katana scraped loudly against Geddoe's blade but that was fine. He pushed the blade away and continued the spin, putting his back to Geddoe. However, he spun and stepped back, putting him within Geddoe's arms practically, and out striking range unless he wanted to damage himself. His hand shot for his kodachi.

Now that was unexpected. Geddoe's sword was temporarily useless, all he could do was raise his left arm to block as he tried to twist himself out of the way.

Watari mentally cursed as to the kodachi was blocked. In this position he had limited choices. Making up his mind quickily, he flexed the arm with the katana, throwing Geddoe's arm briefly back and reversing his katana. He swiftly raised his arm, putting the edge of the katana against the back of Geddoe's neck, but leaving himself totally exposed and Geddoe's sword arm free to run Watari through if he wished.

The touch of steel against his neck made Geddoe hiss in surprise, since it happened so rarely that a blade got so close. He dropped his shoulders forward, ducking out of the way of a serious cut, and reversed his hand so that the pommel led the way as he struck up into Watari's abdomen with a hard jab.

Watari let out an 'omph' sound and winced, but didn't fall. Instead he flung his katana back to lighter sand and grasped Geddoe's hand now that it was fully in his reach thanks to that pommel jab. He reached around with the hand holding the kodachi and pressed the blade flat to Geddoe's arm, letting his fingers grip the cloth of the man's shirt. With a grunt he stepped back, then leaned heavily forward, tugging Geddoe's arm as he did, bringing Geddoe over the ninja's back in a classic judo move.

Geddoe grunted hard as he landed flat on his back, half in the water, half on the sand. The impact didn't jar his sword from his grip, but it did knock the wind out of him, leaving him gasping anxiously for breath that wouldn't come to him. His free hand closed on a fistful of mud, and he swiveled his head around so his good eye could find the ninja and plot a defense.

Watari released Geddoe and dashed for his katana, sheathing the kodachi once more. He claimed the blade, then spun swiftly and dive rolled. He came out and let his momentum slid him forward on the slick sand, katana trailing behind him as he aimed for debilitating cut across either Geddoe's legs or arm.

Geddoe sat where he had fallen, finally able to breathe again, but Watari's recovery came too fast for him to react to. He threw himself sideways onto the sand, rolling out of the way of the attempted cut and kicking up sand. He came up with his blade held out in front of him to ward off the ninja, as he finally stumbled to his feet - wet, muddy, panting hard, and abandoned to the excitement of the fight.

Watari leapt back and regained his footing. Then he drifted down into a stance. His elbow was cocked back, blade extended before him. His free arm came forward, hand splayed before the tip of the blade. His back leg was bent and his front extended, icy gold-blue eye riveted on Geddoe.

Placing his left foot behind him and turning his body sideways, so that his sword arm - and blind side - were toward Watari, Geddoe lowered his head slightly as he considered his next move. He was winded, moreso than he should have been even after having the breath knocked out of him. He didn't know how much more he had left in him, but he wasn't ready to quit yet. His good eye drifted closed as he sought to listen for the next attack instead.

Watari didn't move. The stance was not meant for aggressive attacking - rather aggressive defending. It used a foe's charge against them, so he remained poised and still, waiting.

Grateful for the chance to catch his breath, Geddoe determined that the attack wasn't coming. His eye snapped open as he pushed forward, leading with his blind side since that was his dominant hand, ironically enough. But he came in low, keeping the sword cocked back until the last second, when he finally brought it in toward the ninja's midsection. If the blade didn't catch him, Geddoe's full weight at rush would.

Watari realized all of this, but the stance offered no real alternatives. To be honest, this attack was a very deadly gamble - it was a one strike defense, and he would be severely unbalanced afterwards at best. He waited till - yes! With a grunt he lunged forward, shifting his weight and digging into the sand. He thrust his katana arm forward, using the weight to add force as he twisted his body to try and avoid the worst of Geddoe's low blade.

The flash of the blade caught Geddoe's eye at the last second, and he contorted his body to avoid it, pulling his own strike. As a result, both swords merely cut the other's clothing as they passed, and both men stumbled off balance. Geddoe staggered sideways, back into the water's margin, but he kept his sword low in front of him in case another strike was coming.

Watari stumbled back towards the light sand, wincing as his ankle flared. Damn it. He straightened and turned towards Geddoe, taking deep, slow breaths instead of the rapid gulps he wanted to. He nodded stiffly, then thrust his blade edge down into the sand. Default.

Geddoe huffed a breath, part relief, part surprise, as the ninja yielded. He lowered his sword until the tip sank beneath the water, and then sagged tiredly. "I agree," he said, still panting. "That's enough."

Watari nodded and drew his katana out. He drew the blade along his yukata to get the most grit off it and slid it home in its sheath.

Geddoe trudged up out of the water to dry ground, swinging his broadsword in a quick flick to clean it before putting it away. He had done his best to ignore the sharp pain of exertion in his chest, but it was growing to be too much. He couldn't rest, though, he needed to walk it off, and paced a little.

Watari came down to the wet sands and began to pace along the shore, testing his ankle even as he cooled down.

Geddoe's pacing slowed eventually, though he pressed a hand to his chest, displeased by what he had discovered thanks to the match. He watched Watari for a moment, and then asked, "I didn't get you too bad, did I?"

"No," Watari rotated his arms, watching Geddoe carefully, noting the hand on the chest. "Though it seems you cannot say the same."

"Just winded, is all," Geddoe grunted self-consciously. "Seems I have a bit of work to do to get my stamina...fully back."

Watari narrowed his golden-blue eye. "Perhaps you should see Sigurd...today," he added.

"I see plenty of him every day," Geddoe murmured, lifting his gaze toward the glint of sun on the water.

"That is not what I mean, and you know it," Watari reminded the mercenary.

"It's nothing," Geddoe assured with a shake of his shaggy head. "I don't plan to go running to him every time I scrape a knee. I'm just tired, that's nothing to worry him about."

Watari recalled the hand over the chest. "Birds flutter, hearts do not," he cautioned.

The captain grimaced slightly, turning his head away. He wanted to be the strong one, he wanted to be at full capacity again, able to take on anything and not have anyone rushing to protect him...but he wasn't there yet. Watari's pointed advice only drove it home, and irritated Geddoe all over again. "I'll take care of it," he said simply.

"Word and deed to not often work together," Watari pointed out with a cocked brow, coming to stand closer to the mercenary.

Geddoe stared him down. "I've already got enough people scolding me about what I do or don't do. Do you plan to add to my burden by nagging me about my health?" He regretted snapping instantly, and grew quiet. "Sorry. But I think my pride is wounded more than my stamina. Really."

"Why do you let the words of others affect you so?" Watari asked as they walked along the sands.

Geddoe kept his eye on the ground as they paced. "Words only bother me when they echo what I already know and don't want to admit. Or, in other cases," he sighed, "when they reveal something more painful than the mere words themselves."

"Then tend to the words," Watari said. "Letting them sit only infects the wound."

"I don't think it's so easy, this time." Without even realizing it, Geddoe found himself vaguely speaking of the one thing he didn't want to talk about just then. He shook his head as if to clear away cobwebs. "I appreciate the advice, Watari. But I'm not looking for it right now. I only wanted to clear my head, not...discover something deep about myself...."

"All of you," Watari sighed. "I will never understand it. All of you put some much stock in what other's say. You adjust yourselves to their words, brood over them and make yourselves physically ill. It's beyond my comprehension." He shook his head and continued walking.

Geddoe paused there, head still down. There was some merit to the ninja's words, but even so... "Have you ever been betrayed by a friend?" he muttered, just loud enough to be heard.

Watari paused, looking back at Geddoe. "Friend? No, not a friend." For a minute his mind flashed back many years ago, a place far from here, a young man and a blade, a flash of silver, a gush of red...."Not a friend," he repeated quietly. "Not a friend."

"Betrayal cuts deeper when it's someone you trusted with your life - when it's a friend." Geddoe lifted his head slowly. "I swore I wouldn't let it happen to me again, so I distanced myself from people. But they just won't stay away, they worm their way into your heart and sooner or later, you come to trust them again. Then, and only then...are they allowed to hurt you."

"There are no friends," Watari repeated in a mechanical voice. "No friends and no loves. There is only the team and the mission. Everything else is a distraction, useless baggage that impedes the success of the mission."

"I'm sorry you believe that." Geddoe turned, deciding to take a shortcut through the dungeon to his room to get out of his muddy clothes. "I was never more successful at my true cause than when I relied on friends, and they on me. Try as you might, you can't make them go away. They stick to you, annoy the hell out of you...and give you a reason to get up in the morning." He breathed a short sigh. "Even if it's just me and Sigurd against the world...I still have him."

"How do you know he won't end up betraying you too?" Watari asked, stopping in the hallway, face dark and eyes somewhere far away.

"They wouldn't call it 'trust' if you were certain," Geddoe mused. "I trust him. I have no other choice...because I won't go back to the cold emptiness that was my existence before he came into it."

Cold emptiness? Friendship? Love? Trust? A woman ninja coming to aid from a lost duel only to hunt again...a young man's blood on Watari's sword, body cooling on the forest floor. He blinked the images away. "Was the emptiness so painful? Or does the betrayal hurt more?" To Watari, it made more sense to never invite such a feeling. If you never knew it, how could you know the emptiness was so bad?

For some reason, Geddoe reached to touch his cheek beneath his blinded eye. "You never really realize how much you hate the darkness until you've seen the sunlight, even if it's too bright to look at sometimes."

"Better to never realize you hate it if you can't escape it," Watari retorted.

"Maybe so." Geddoe conceded with a tilt of his head and resumed his path upstairs. "But I'm the kind of man who has to fight. I'll never accept that I'm doomed to anything. Some prisons," he sighed, "are entirely of our own making."

Watari had no answer. In fact, he did not meet Geddoe's eyes. He merely turned down the stairs and slid into the darkness of the lower levels. All the while one thought ran through his head: was it a betrayal because the mission failed?

Geddoe remained on the step long enough to call after him. "Thanks for the bout, Watari. I think it did me some good." Content with that, he turned down the corridor to take him to the ship, and his room. A bath and dry clothes needed to happen before anything else.

Watari made no reply. He went to his room and stripped, then stood before the mirror. He pulled his hair back, revealing his hidden eye with his moon shaped scar. He stared for a long time, then let his hair fall and gathered his things for a bath. "It was only a failure," he murmured. "Just a failure." He had to content himself with that.