Nobushige
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Post by Nobushige on Mar 17, 2013 17:32:52 GMT -5
There he lay, on the roof of on the of largest military academies in all of Japan. As Azai Nobuyori, the fourth in line of a recently re-created Azai clan sat on the roof he looked out over the city of Osaka. He had walked out of the dorms early in the morning to watch the people of Osaka move about their daily lives. While the fields and training areas around Bugei Academy happened to be massive, so was the school. In the distance one could easily see the daily happenings of the Osaka people. Next to Nobuyori lay his naginata,a a set of scrolls, and a light blue and white cloak with a golden version of the Azai clan seal on the back of it. In theory, the boy should have been going to class, but instead he simply sat on top of the roof looking at the city. Nobuyori was a young man of about 16 or 17 depending on how you looked at him. He had shoulder length black hair that was colored a bright yellow, almost to match the Azai family crest on the back of his yukata. He had deep eyes and a nice jaw. His height was a bit above average compared to some of the other second years but due to his lack of physical training and close combat his actual body tone was fairly average, if not slightly lacking. It was often that Nobuyori came up here instead of going to his morning classes. After all, second year classes were mostly lecture first thing in the morning and being a staunch student from day one at the academy he never really felt like he needed to go hear a teacher ramble on about something he could simply read in a book. Though, the other reason was due to having a mystical item to control and thus having a massive chip on his shoulder. This caused him to feel he didn't always have to be in class with the other base students.
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Post by alida on Mar 23, 2013 0:33:28 GMT -5
Needing some air and somewhere to calm down in peace than the dorm room, the tired looking student trudged her way up to the roof of the school. Back in middle school, this was the sort of place she used to hang out with her old friends or where the choir club would exercise their vocal cords. It didn't occur to her just on how popular it was but for a military school and having several grounds for weapon training, her safe assumption were people going there for arms training to ease their mind. Worked for the kendo club so same rules apply, right?
Pulling open the door and blinking at the sudden flood of daylight into the dimly lit stairwell, the girl stepped out, stretched her arms over her head, and strolled out with a lighter peace of mind. Closing the door behind her, the girl rounded the stairwell entrance to tripping over her feet after disturbing a set of scrolls. Landing on her knee, she shuddered briefly from the shock to stare at the now spurn set of scrolls along with a naginata and a cloak styled for a family representative to wear.
Staring at what looked like another person's living room styled in a similar fashion her roommate has done, she groaned to herself. Just what luck to find such a person on the roof. Pinching the bridge of her nose, she shifted her legs to sit sideways than a formal senzen to rub her scraped knee. Mulling over the muscle shock, she looked at him with her steel eyes and grumbled, "Was the staff charitable to make the roof your dorm room?'
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Nobushige
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Post by Nobushige on Mar 23, 2013 14:08:02 GMT -5
As Nobuyori looked out at the city of Osaka he thought of home. In truth the Azai clan's home province, almost next door to Kyoto, wasn't far from the school. Though the simple fact was that Nobuyori still wasn't at home and due to this couldn't help but miss it. A brief smile crossed Nobuyori's face until he heard the roof door close to him slam shut. His face looked irritated as he wondered what kind of barbarian would just come trudging up to the top of the school. This pondering was soon answered as with a clutter his arranged scrolls for studying and his small case of talismans scattered across the roof. Louder than the roof door slamming was the impact of a foolish girl upon the ground. As the girl got up and brushed herself off Nobuyori turned to look her in the face. The boy was going to complain about how the girl had thrown his precious items everywhere until, to his surprise, she completely beat him to the punch. The girl asked him if the staff had decided to make the roof his dorm. Nobuyori's eyes became wide in shock for a second before narrowing to a glare. With how the girl look she had to be a freshmen, however her outfit clearly denoted her as being in the same year as Nobuyori was.
Glaring at her Nobuyori responded. "If this was in fact my room I'd have expected you to then apologize and help clean up the items you disturbed. Though, with how clumsy you seem to be I'm sure by simply touching the scrolls you'd have done more damage than tripping over them. Both the fact you are not in class, as well as your apparent clumsiness I wonder if you are even really a second year. From your appearance I'd guess you to simple be a petulant child who is pretending to be a student here." Turning his shoulder to the girl, as though to dismiss her very existence, Nobuyori began to gather the scrolls and mystic talismans that the girl had so rudely made fly everywhere.
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Post by alida on Mar 23, 2013 18:20:18 GMT -5
"Sure took far in that department. The school would have done a better job to put your seal on the door," Her cooped back in her sarcastic ways, no longer finding a point in trying to force her voice to sound like a sweet innocent maiden. The girl's shoulders slumped since being tense from the fall to appear some what relaxed by the mere thought he didn't try to behead her for her crime. The authority of his voice, or so it tried to sound, did little to impress or indicate a large threat about him aside from the coat not just being for show. "No one honestly would expect homely things lazying around. Excuse me while I add peasant blood to your nice coat while I'm at it and draw floor plans for where the kitchen will be," she grumbled back despite his coat being no where near her after checking the scrape's cheese grated skin reddening but her movements were the opposite, careful and choice in what to help with and limiting to what was immediately around her.
Rolling up the scrolls one by one tightly with asserted her anger and flicking them back across the invisible line with her thumbs so they spun in a little circle till they tap against his leg. Thinking she did her part in the clean up after delivering a second scroll over the imaginary boarder, the last scroll relived a talisman slip hidden underneath it. Raising a brow from not easily recognizing the written characters, she picked it up while the man's back was turned to look it over with care.
"A protection ward? Planning to be a devil summoner, Raidou," she asked without care if the novel reference landed or not while hold up the slip of paper in the sunlight to see right through it in hopes of a little picture inside like most printed money. Finding none and finding the paper to be more fascinating than Mr. Clan leader, the girl did quiet down enough to make random comments to the point of trying to mimic an onmiyji cleansing his spirit.
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Nobushige
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Post by Nobushige on Mar 23, 2013 19:14:52 GMT -5
The girl's sarcasm was annoying as Nobuyori tried to pick up his scrolls and talismans. "You could try focusing less on talking and more on gathering up my items you spilled" he shot back at her. Despite both of them clearly having attitudes it didn't take long for the girl to start helping him pick up his scattered items. It wasn't as though Nobuyori was a total snob, or that the girl wasn't at least somewhat kind. As they worked he glanced over at her from time to time. As far as Nobu was concerned the girl was actually fairly attractive. Her eyes looked a bit sleep and her attitude a bit sarcastic but just going by looks she had nicely groomed hair and the type of young looks that a lot of other male students his age went for.
As the two of them worked he kept all of the scrolls he gathered in a nice pile, where as the girl simply rolled over the ones she picked up as though some kind of invisible line existed between then. Sometimes it was a scroll, other times a scroll with a talisman or two in it. It didn't take long at all for the artifacts to get gathered together. Feeling he had most of them Nobuyori looked over at the girl to see her holding up one of his talismans in an attempt to be an onmyouji.
Nobu stood up and looked at the girl for a minute as she made some strange reference he didn't find familiar. He simply shrugged it off as a commoner thing and walked over to her. "First off, you are holding it wrong. Though I wouldn't expect you to understand how to do it. It's not as though a lot of people really understand rituals and ceremonies these days." he sighed and changed how she was holding the talisman. "Second, I have the scrolls because my family is a ceremonial family for many generations, that is before they turned to a focus on naval combat." He took out one of the scrolls and held it out in front of himself, slowly chanting so that the girl next to him could hear it. It was an ancient Buddhist prayer. "If you say that prayer and then hang the talisman over a door way entrance it supposedly stops evil things from passing through that entrance."
Putting the talisman back in it's case and putting his scrolls, nagainata, and jacket together he looked into her eyes. "My name is Azai Nobuyori, soon to be head of the revived Azai clan of Oumi province. May I have your name?" he asked her politely. The malice in his voice from earlier seemingly vanished.
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Post by alida on Mar 23, 2013 20:43:12 GMT -5
"Not my fault commoners aren't usually taught in demon slaying form the local mikos and monks," she uttered with an eye roll. So the paper she held was something like it. "Next you're going to tell me what's written on the face is 'prosperity to the household', right?" Clearly, she was making it up to tag with his crest. If she was correct, that would really shock her day and that's in a good way. Despite her possibly random comments, she listened while he explained what the real purpose of the talisman was for along with family history that came off to her equally as random. Guess family house heads like to talk about their history; must be a pride thing or a guy thing or both.
Keeping further comments to herself as she heard him chanting a prayer, now pondering if all these scrolls are nothing but long winded prayers, she stared at the talisman longer. Since there are such things as souls in items, maybe those good luck charms actually do have more merit than she first thought of them possessing.
"If you say that prayer and then hang the talisman over a door way entrance it supposedly stops evil things from passing through that entrance."
At that, her expression briefly changed to a pensive one. If these talismans do work and she couldn't open the door before then...
"is that saying I'm an evil spirit or the talisman super gluing the door shut?" There wasn't enough time to ponder that till he spoken more directly this time.
"My name is Azai Nobuyori, soon to be head off the revived Azai clan of Oumi province. May I have your name?"
Tilting her head up a little to meet his eyes with hey steel blue ones, she stared at him for a moment at how a formal introduction actually came out of him. She wanted to say "Aw, you do have manners. Let me pat you on the shoulder" but now didn't seem like the good time for that. Maybe another day.
Standing up and testing the weight on her knee for a moment, thinking getting a band aid later and disinfectant is enough for the scrape, she cleared her throat and handed back the talisman while introducing herself in turn.
"Suishoku Yuubae, no clan restoration vendettas here. Here's your spell ward." After returning the paper she's been holding onto for the longest, she couldn't held to add in, "so you are going to set up a barrier to the roof next time?"
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Nobushige
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Post by Nobushige on Mar 24, 2013 12:27:13 GMT -5
"Not my fault commoners aren't usually taught in demon slaying form the local mikos and monks," she said to him. He simply scoffed and looked at the talisman she had selected. It was indeed a seal to ward off demons from households, and was meant to protect any house from demons. Clearly this girl was no evil spirit if she was coming up here so easily and touching the talisman. That was clearly a plus.
Nobuyori couldn't help but laugh at the girl's door question. She had asked if she was an evil spirit and if he had used seals to stop her from coming up to the roof. The girl was clearly more foolish than he had given her credit for, and clearly thought far higher of his abilities than what he actually could do at this point. Looking at her he said "If I honestly thought you were a demon I'd have grabbed my nagainata and tried to slay you by now." While saying his Nobuyori clearly pointed to the polearm that lay next to his clan robe and now nicely bundled scrolls. "So your name is Suishoku Yuubae huh? It is a lot prettier than I had thought it would be given your attitude." He looked her over once again and couldn't help but find her a bit cute. "As for your question of if I am going to set up a barrier to the roof next time, I ask you what the point of such a thing would be. This entire academy has seals all over it that most people never notice. Also, most people don't even believe in things like evil spirits and demons so why bother? My personal room may have one or two seals on it but that is about it for that."
Walking over he looked out at the academy again before turning back to her. "So why are you at this academy? Also, why are you not in one of the classes going on right now?" his look was stern towards the girls, as though trying to scold her for clearly skipping despite the fact that he was currently doing the exact same thing.
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Post by alida on Mar 24, 2013 13:54:35 GMT -5
"If I honestly thought you were a demon I'd have grabbed my nagainata and tried to slay you by now."
She looked away and sighed with a mock hurt expression and answered abck without missing a beat,"I believe anyone will die by that. Kinda defeats the point of the paper wards, onmiyouji-san."
After her piece, she pocketed her hands and tapped on the foot of her hurt leg boredly. When his eyes weren't on her, she stuck her tongue out briefly at him for his compliments about her name. "Suishoku was suppose to mean 'fading color' but the kanji was written to being like 'new green leaf color' or something. Not that it matters much right now..."
"As for your question of if I am going to set up a barrier to the roof next time, I ask you what the point of such a thing would be. This entire academy has seals all over it that most people never notice. Also, most people don't even believe in things like evil spirits and demons so why bother? My personal room may have one or two seals on it but that is about it for that."
"If they didn't believe in that sort of thing, barriers wouldn't be up at all," she quipped only to gaze down rather disappointed and bitter when she added quietly,"what with the spirits nonsense and all."Now with the debate of talismans on her mind, she looked down at her breast pocket holding her charms and the sealed sake cup. She may be thinking a little too highly about the mystical arts but it has helped on the spirit problem before. With so much possible spirit energy around, Suishoku started to worry if the ward on the cup really is enough. Feeling to go investigate on that, the girl with the clover floral hair decoration turned to leave the roof area. While leaving, she gave away her answer thoughtlessly and frank.
"I'm here like everyone else that passed. I also came to the roof thinking it would be somewhere I don't have to worry about looming death." Looks back at him, Suishoku shrugged her shoulders. Her reasons did sound pathetic, she is willing to admit that. "Over dramatic, right? Right. So how exactly are you going to rebuild the clan while demon slaying on a roof?"
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Nobushige
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Post by Nobushige on Mar 26, 2013 21:38:09 GMT -5
Nobuyori simply blinked at the girl in front of him. She had managed to pretty thoroughly shut down his arguments towards her, and truth be told he wasn't the most social of fake aristocrats. In truth Nobuyori had always figured that the seals and barriers around the school existed just to humor the priests and strongly religious, but even he had to admit that the onmyoudo used here at the school was almost borderline excessive compared to other places he had visited. Was the school honestly afraid of something supernatural? Then again, considering a lot of the students had what could be considered supernatural items it didn't seem all that far off to believe the government would take precautions did it? "Hmm, I never really thought about why the school has so many seals. I always just assumed it was too make the religiously zealot happy..." he had by all means lost any argument and was now actually pondering the girl's words. Perhaps he would write about it on the school website later?
"As for how playing demon slayer on the roof will rebuild my clan, it won't. Though honestly, I'm not that bent on such a thing." for the past two generations his grandfather and father had worked as hard as possible to rebuild the long lost Azai clan. Though if asked if he had any real interest in such a thing he did not. He never really cared about things like clan names and titles, after all why should he? Most of his life he had been harshly teased for being part of a "fake clan" and "clan that had lost" during the warring states period. "It isn't my goal to rebuild the Azai clan. My goal is just to be me, and be happy. Honestly, I actually prefer the rebuilt Azai clan being a small clan of ceremony performers. Sadly, previous generations would never allow me to admit such a thing once I'm clan head. It would bring too much shame after my father and grandfather worked so hard to rebuild the Azai name."
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Post by alida on Mar 27, 2013 1:48:58 GMT -5
Suishoku rubbed an eye in boredom. His guess is as good as anybodies. I mean, since when does a school ever care about making peace with religious factions if it's not it's own strong hold of religious pride? She wondered off hand if anyone tried to remove the seals around the school before but came to think that perhaps it's not the greatest thing to do for what untold punishments await.
"As for how playing demon slayer on the roof will rebuild my clan, it won't. Though honestly, I'm not that bent on such a thing." He's not? She raised a brow and watched on as he explained his intentions. So he wants to be happy, huh? Maybe if the previous heads were dead, they would have to follow him for being the new leader but that sounded too harsh of a fall out. Whole plan was to restore the clan, however the world they intend to gain power now, not let a young upstart ruin what years of untold effort poured into the Azai. Putting her hand up to her head, touching and fiddling with her hair clip in thought, there was just one solution to say at a time like this.
"Still have a few years to go before then. If being drafted here can change the course of people's lives, maybe it'll do a bit more than uprooting lost flowers and forcing them into someone's private garden," pauses a moment to yawn. Forgetting about her little scrape since it may has scabbed over from all this talking. "Anyway, you look to like this land a lot. Where is a strong priest or priestess around these parts that specialize in talismans and what not?"
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Post by Nobushige on Mar 27, 2013 11:09:25 GMT -5
"Anyway, you look to like this land a lot. Where is a strong priest or priestess around these parts that specialize in talismans and what not?" she asked him. Nobuyori took a few moments thinking about the question. It was not often that a student at the girl asked Nobuyori about priests and priestesses. As he thought for a few moments he looked up at the sky then back at the girl.
"We are in Osaka. The closest places with powerful priests would be either the emperor's home in Kyoto, the shrine priestesses in Ise, or my own clan back home near Kyoto. May I ask why you need a priest? I do not think your leg is that hurt" with that said Nobuyori let a small seal drift off and cling to the girl's hurt leg. As the seal radiated energy Suishoku's leg seemed to completely heal as the seal, now drained of it's energy, fell to the ground.
Looking quite serious Nobuyori told her "Priests aren't to be taken lightly. In all honesty I doubt you can even speak to the high priests in Kyoto given that their loyalty is only to the royal family. If you should truly need help with something you should simply ask me." With that he walked right over to her and picked up the seal before putting it back in a small case with the rest of him, held in his pant's pocket.
His hair blew in the wind as he looked at her leg. Not even a scratch seemed to remain, though healing such a small scrape was an easy task given that his sacred item was a set of healing seals passed down from Azai Nagamasa, his ancestor famous for deeply loving both his wife and his men.
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Post by alida on Mar 27, 2013 16:18:21 GMT -5
Listening to the locations of where Suishoku could find one, she tried to picture the region in her head. Course Kyoto would be a spiritual hot spot but also requires a lot of shrine touring but the emperor's home? There goes strike one. Ise might be a stretch and she wasn't even sure to have a whole day used to go there. The girl vaguely paid much attention till her head did look up at the question. Why she needed a priest of sorts?
"Hmm....well," she started but backed up half a step once she felt something wrap over her knee then a brief warm kind of compress sort of feeling. Quickly checking to see what was it, the fallen ward gave away what had taken place.
"Priests aren't to be taken lightly. In all honesty I doubt you can even speak to the high priests in Kyoto given that their loyalty is only to the royal family. If you should truly need help with something you should simply ask me."
"Just ask you? How do I know you can fill in for them?" Already she was skeptical on trusting him. Sure he has the wards and healing a little cut isn't the greatest of feats but that's a demo a conman would try. Once more, she backed away again as he came closer to look at her leg. Why in the world does he need to come close to look if he's so sure his abilities worked? "Are you going to ask me to jump next? You can stop looking and trying to be attractive. I prefer to be more sure of someone in the arts of sealing something or repairing one if that comes to happen."
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Nobushige
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Post by Nobushige on Mar 29, 2013 10:41:28 GMT -5
As Suishoku talked Nobuyori stopped in his tracks, caught off guard by her statement. "You can stop looking and trying to be attractive." she had said. Nobu simply blinked and looked at her for a moment, trying to find the words to say in response "E..excuse me?" he asked, slightly flustered before composing himself, his face turning slightly red in color. "What exactly makes you believe that I am trying to be attractive to you? You said you needed help and I was kind enough to offer it to you. Also, stop looking at what? The girl in front of me who was foolish enough to hurt herself by tripping over a pile of obvious scrolls? You should not so blatantly assume things." with that said he began to gather his stuff. He had no intention of staying with such a foolish girl. At this point who cared if she needed a priest when she made such horrid assumptions. As hie moved to gather this stuff his hurry made his golden hair fall every where way around his face as he both gathered his things and also kept moving the hair out of his eyes.
He first but on his nice kimono with a golden Azai clan crest on the back before putting his seals and scrolls inside his pockets and robes. Finally he picked up the naginata and looked right at the girl. "I don't know what class you are a part of however we should both probably return to our proper places in this school." his comments were clearly far less about going back to class and more about saying that the girl in front of him should not assume such bold things of himself.
"Also, despite my age I assure you that my abilities with talismans are better than some random wondering priest you would find near Kyoto. It is not as though I simply healed you cut for show like some two bit street performer. Try moving your leg, does it burden you at all still? Is there even a trace of the damage still remaining?" his face seemed quite stern and serious as he looked at her.
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Post by alida on Mar 29, 2013 16:00:55 GMT -5
"And who exactly leaves scrolls laying around in the first place?" Suishoku folded her arms over her stomach after saying her only defense. Whatever she said a moment ago really punched the fast forward button on him. Was it because of that throw away comment of his looks? Suishoku scratched the side of her cheek to think more on that. Sure, to some degree she could say he looked good, but she isn't going to admit from just meeting him. Plus, it did throw him off guard to stop looking at her leg like that so at least that was accomplished.
"I don't know what class you are a part of however we should both probably return to our proper places in this school."
"Oh? That'll be good. Then I'll run into you in the halls instead of checking both of your dorm rooms," Suishoku smiled some but that quickly faded when their stares met. Quickly the girl went catch on his serious tone. So he did wanted her to jump to show her leg is fine. Stalking over to the young future clan head, her eyes stared back into his sternly to keep up with the tense atmosphere. "There. I can walk," The next thing she did was something rather random compared to her earlier comment of his looks. With quick decisive care, her fingers reached up to properly fix his hair that started to bother him during his cleaning rush. "and you look less flustered now. Call it even, onmiyouji-san?"
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Post by Nobushige on Mar 31, 2013 9:37:10 GMT -5
As he watched herSuishoku walked right over to him as though nothing had ever happened to her leg. She seemed to be moving fine and Nobuyori was fairly happy about that. His strict tone wasn't because he disliked the girl or anything, however he simply had to keep up his rigid personality as future clan head, even towards other students. As the two of them stared eachother down his eyes temporarily lowered to her lips, just for a moment, before moving back to her eyes. She had talked about going to both of his dorm rooms to try and find him. Did he think they had become close due to today's meeting? Would she actually go to the boy's dorm just to find him?
Before Nobuyori could finish his thoughts, or even try to stop her, Suishoku raised her hands and began to fix Nobuyori's messy hair. He paused mid thought at her hands touching his hair. Due to his position within the clan it was rare that someone who wasn't his mother or cousin ever touched his face. Doing his best to hide it his face only became a little red and Suishoku asked "and you look less flustered now. Call it even, onmiyouji-san?"
Nobuyori simply walked past her to the steps, trying to get his face to clear up. Lifting his hand up to his hair i was indeed arranged back how it should be. Every wind blown strand, or hair that had fallen out of place due to his attempts at gathering his scrolls had been perfectly rearranged. Trying to get over his surprise he looked back at Suishoku and said "Come on, I can at least walk you to your class. Also, you shouldn't just touch someone from a noble family like that. If this was the feudal era a guard would have been quick to remove your head"
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