30 Day OTP Challenge - Judal / Kougyoku
Day 9 - Hanging Out with Friends
Author Note: thanks karin for being a cutie /smooch

Hakuryuu can only sigh. Kougyoku was good, a fast learner as well. She was born to be a warrior, if nothing else. She trains with more determination than he'd ever seen in another person, and he thinks that one day, she might even be better than him.

But not now, not like this. A spear is clumsy in her hands. It's too long, too thin. The balance is off, no matter how many different ones they try. One had even been specially, just for her. It was a poor advantage, nothing more. No improvements were made, and it was only then Hakuryuu decided to let her move onto a different weapon - a sword.

He knew how to use one; not as well as a spear, but as a prince, he knew as much as he needed to. The two tried as many as they could get their hands on. When the swords of Kou weren't enough, he'd stolen a sword for her, from the weapons armory. It wasn't one meant for use, but merely for display.
A sword from Qishaan, with the strange curve along its bend.

If there was anything to say about the matter, it is that having her walk into a room with a bandage around her finger while Ka Koubun is there, isn't really the best of ideas. As annoying as the man was, he meant well when he brought forth the issue to Kouen, who'd forbid Kougyoku from trying out anymore weapons. He'd wanted to let her become a warrior, he really had. But the emporer would see no such thing, and so he'd forbid her, before things had gotten worse. She'd be a prim, proper princess who would learn her manners and partake in no battles.

Watching her swallow down her pride and bow was the bravest thing he'd ever seen her do.

She doesn't cry. She'd seen it coming; she's not an idiot.

She holds Hakuryuu's hand anyway. She holds it tight, and he swears, she's going to break his fingers, but he doesn't say anything. They were the odd ones out. Him - for his burns and the knowledge he kept secret. Her - well, she was nothing but the daughter of a whore who'd gotten lucky.

He clears his throat. "I'll find you a proper weapon. A nice one, maybe even with magic in it. Then we'll show them all - you can fight, I know you can."
It was odd for him to drop the formalities, but they were alone, and she was the only person he trusted, other than Hakuei. He knew Kougyoku would never hurt him, she was too kind for that.
She was his sister by blood, if nothing more.

She nods and gives him a weak smile. "It's fine. I'm old enough now to get married, it won't matter anyway."

Hot anger spreads through Hakuryuu - she was barely fourteen, she was his sister, he can't just let her give up! He stands up abruptly, opening his mouth to tell her how he felt about it all, but he is interrupted before he could even start.

"Whats happening over here? Is the hag having another one of her bitch fits?"

Judal floats in through the window, a half eaten peach in one hand. Kougyoku stands up abruptly, fists clenched as she glares at him. "I am not a hag! I'm young, and beautiful, and I don't need to have you putting me down now!"

Judal laughs in her face, and Hakuryuu can't help but get angry. Who was he, to come in and insult her like that? If it weren't for the fact that he was a magi, Hakuryuu would kill him on the spot - if he could, of course. As much as he trained, the thirteen year old never was quite strong enough to take the magi on in a sparring session. Fighting him seriously would be suicide.

"What ever, Judal holds out his hand to Kougyoku, "Come on now, lets go destroy a country or something. I'm bored."

She stares at him, doing her best to hold her ground. She was on the verge of tears, and having Judal here was doing nothing to help that. He sighs, and rolls his eyes. "You're strong Kougyoku. Stop bothering with what other people say to you."

Hakuryuu wanted to yell. To scream at Judal, to make him go away. He'll destroy her, he'll bring her right to her grave and she'll dig it herself. She hated him, she hated him so much, but she trusted him like she trusted no one else. He believed in her when she couldn't even believe in herself.

Judal tosses away the peach pit and grabs Kougyoku by both of her hands. He lifts her up gently, and she yelps, still worrying, even though Judal's magic had already wrapped itself around her as well. He laughed, mocking and cruel, but she could only smile and look at him with wonder in her eyes.

He turns to me, a grin on his face. "Would you like to come with us, little Hakuryuu? We're going to blow some stuff up now."

I narrow my eyes, and clench my fists in an effort to keep from hitting him. I had to stay quiet, I couldn't say a single word, not about how I knew everything or that when- I clear my throat and stand up straighter, pushing those thoughts away.

"No thank you. I'm fine by myself."

Kougyoku doesn't even question him.