Swords and Training

Mizuki POV

It's been a couple weeks since I've been in the Tsugikuni house. I've helped Michi-san clean and do housework in return. We've gotten close since we spend quite a lot of time together, for Yoriichi, I could say that we've gotten a little closer.

Yoriichi is still always quiet and reserved. For our sessions of learning, that are at night, we got passed three rows of characters.

While Yoriichi is calm and minding his own business in his head. As we watch over Michi-san in bed my head however spins around with many ideas and thoughts. Like 'Will I get back to my world? How did I get here? Was it this necklace? I should probably never show this to Muzan. I should learn how to fight. Will I encounter a demon?' All this thoughts race through my head as I 'calmly' drink tea.

Other times during my stay I sit and watch Michikatsu practice sword with his father. I've noticed that their father treats Yoriichi differently, he casts him to the side and he's seen as an unwanted child. In contrast the mother, Michi-san treats both of her sons with equal love. I rarely talk with the father, Sato Tsugikuni. Though it seems that he accepted me into the house with Michi-san's convincing.

During my stay, I watch Michikatsu practice with Yoriichi at my side. Yoriichi woud silently watch them along with me peaking out from the side of the house. I watch with stars in my eyes watching him move and swing down the sword.

We continue watching Michikatsu practice. Soon the sun goes down and we eat dinner which I helped prepare with Michi-san.

Later that night, I walk around back and forth in my room. 'It's been a couple weeks now. I don't want to stay useless in this world. Nothing comes from that. Since, I decided that I want to protect those 2 I will have to learn how to fight. Should I ask Sato-san or should I ask Michikatsu?' I fall back down into my futon with a thump. 'Ah screw it lets just go talk to Sato-san.'

I leave my room and walk around the house to find Sato-san. I soon find him in the main room reading a book. I walk over to him "Um..Sato-san." I say and he look down at me from where his sitting and replys with "What is it." I hesitantly make the words come out of my mouth. "Sato-san, I was wondering if I could train along side with Michikatsu and learn from you...." I say and bow deeply.

I hear him close the book and stare holes into the back of my head. He stays silent for a while as I'm still bowing. "Stand up straight. Misuki, why would you want to train. Your a girl, all you need is to do housework and cook." He says sternly looking at me in the eye. I sweat a bit.

"Um, I still plan on doing housework and doing my duties Sato-san. It's just that I wanted to learn from you since..." I then wrack my brain. '15 year old inside me, think!! What would an adult like to hear that would get you to train....Got it!' I yell to myself.

"I want to learn from you since I'm not sure where the future might take me and I wanted to be able to pass my knowledge and skills down when I'm older to generations, so they can learn the Tsugikuni swordsmenship." i say and add on "I thought it would be a way to give my appreciation for taking me in." I bow once again not lifting my head up.

I feel him look at me and think. "I see....child. Your quite bright and mature for your age. But as a girl, I suppose learning won't be too bad. However, you must continue doing housework and no complaining." he tells me sternly. I lift up my head to see him pick up his book.

"Thank you very much Sato-san!" I bow again and leave the room.

Once inside my room I roll around squealing silently. I get up and walk over to my bed. 'Ah I can't wait! That went way better than expected.'

I hear birds chirping and singing with some light passing through the window. I roll out of bed and find a new pair of clothes next to my futon with a note.

"Mizuki, Change into these clothes." -Michi-san

I read the note and picked up the clothes. I inspected it, a pair of pants that allows my legs freedom from the kimono I was wearing. The pants being black and baggy and a shirt that was a little big but was the same as Michikatsu's. I think to myself "Are these Michikatsu's or Yoriichi's clothes?' I put it on and find to see that it's a little big so I use a ribbon cloth from my kimono to tie the pants as a belt and tie a knot in the back of the shirt.

I walk out of my room and make my way to the kitchen. "Morning Michi-san." I say and roll up my sleeves as I pick up some ingredients to pass to Michi-san. "Morning, I see that you found my note. How's the clothes?" She asks

I hum "It's okay, a little big but it works good." I say. She continues making breakfast as I chop up some vegetables. "So Mizuki, what made you want to train? Your a girl you know, you don't need to do that." She tells me. I nod my head as I move onto the next vegetable. "Well I want to do something meaningful during my time here, I want to protect you guys from any trouble and help to repay your kindness." I tell her.

She stops cooking and turns to me patting my head. "That's sweet of you, thank you Mizuki-chan. Your help is greatly appreciated, now don't get too hurt." I nod my head and smile at her brightly.

"Yep!"

I head out from the kitchen and make my way outside, I see Michikatsu swinging his sword and Sato-san instructing him.

I walk up to them and Sato-san notices me. "Mizuki, take this." He hands me a wooden sword. He then points at Michikatsu. "You see Michikatsu, that form and stance I want you to copy that and start swinging your sword." I nod my head and get into position and glance back and forth at Michikatsu and myself. When I'm satisfied I start swinging my sword not only till my second swing is when Sato-san started yelling at me.

"Your arms are flimsy! Hold the sword tighter and hold your arms out straight and tighten your muscles. Bend your knees more!" He tells me and I quickly make the adjustments.

Throughout the day he continues to pick out all the things I'm doing wrong and we stop for lunch where I make some lunch for ourselves and complete some housework.

My arms were sore and throbbing, my thin muscleless arms feel like jelly from swinging the sword back up and down, while keeping my arms steady.

I sigh and place down the food as Michi-san comes in with Yoriichi helping her down at the table. He then leaves the room and what I assume to go back to his room. I then sit down and start eating.

Once we're done eating I grab the dishes and start washing them as Michi-san walked back to her room to rest. As soon as I'm finished I sneak out towards the back side of the yard making my way back to Yoriichi's room. I enter the room and see him siting down. He looks towards my direction seeing me smile. I reach inside my shirt and grab out the food from lunch.

I close the door and make my way towards him. "Yoriichi here's lunch. I got to go back to training but I'll see you later tonight" I say and ruffle his hair. With that I leave the room and make my way back to the house and into the yard.

I see them practicing and grab my sword to continue. Constant swinging and techniques on how to make my body stronger was taught to me. This continued thoughout the rest of the day.

This training continued on until I got technique down for another couple weeks. Sato-san than made me fight against Michikatsu, who easily beat me. We continued to spare against each other hitting our wooden swords. But at the end the same result of me losing and falling on the ground.

But I would continue to whip off the dirt and get back up. Those weeks sparing and learning turned into months.

Even with the training and housework I would still make time to visit Yoriiichi, I would teach him a new row of characters each night and practice the next night to make sure he got them. In 2 months he has fully learned the alphabet. From their I taught him how to write certain words and how to put them together in a sentence.

Often times, after teaching him the alphabet, I would talk to him about training. Then I would make poses and show him how to do it. "Yoriichi, look. When you fight you got to make sure your upper body stays like this when you are doing this." I show him my moves.

He looks at me and nods his head. I stop and turn around and see some sparkle in his eyes. I sit down in front of him as the moonlight shines down upon us from the window. "Yoriichi, do you want to become a swordsman?" I ask and looks down and thinks for a bit.

He looks back up at me and nods his head yes. "I see. Well Yoriichi, I bet you'll make a fine swordsman. I'll teach you what I learn so you know the basics as well. But I have a feeling you'll just fine without me." I say and he shakes his head disagreeing.

I giggle quietly. "Your too kind Yoriichi." I pat his head. "You know for being the same age, I feel like I'm a older sister to you." I smile at him and he continues to look at me. "What do you think of me as?" I ask him and he looks away avoiding my eyes. I pat his head again. "It's fine you don't have to tell me. Just know that now your someone special to me and I'll be here for you." I tell him.

He lifts up his head and looks at me meeting my gaze. His eyes seem to say so much for he says so little at the moment. He bows his head a little like he was thanking me. 'HE's so cute!' I scream to myself.

I pull him into a hug and rub his back. "Hey Yoriichi, In the future promise me that you'll be happy okay?" I feel his squirm in my arms and let him go. His nods his head and grabs my hands. His lips raise up and a smile comes onto his face.

My heart warms up and I smile back.

"Let's go to bed Yoriichi. I got training again tomorrow. I'll meet you again, get some rest."

I tuck him in his bed and move his hair out of his face and leave the room.

I look up to see the bright moon in the night sky. "Let me change the future even just a little bit for their happiness."