In Need Of Directions (Éclair, Kouzai)

She was suddenly awoken by the sound of a gun being shot. Eyes trailing down to her current appearance on clothing, widened in shock. She was dressed in a bloody hakama, a hakama that clearly belonged to somebody else. Morohito. Thinking back to yesterday, she remembered falling asleep in the sauna, naked. Embarrassed by the ordeal, she immediately changed into a purple kimono. Hair tied into an effortless messy bun with a white ribbon tied into a neat bow.

She was barefooted, like she usually was due to the habit. However, her kimono was long enough to cover the fact that she was wearing no shoes. She was glad for that. Head peeking out the window with silk curtains draped over her, checking for any suspicous behavior outside. By catching a glimpse of Hito practising  shooting rounds into targets with a rifle, she sighed with relief. Clair took another glance at his bare chest, shoulder wrapped in bandages, hair tied up high like always, eyebrows furrowed in concentration as he aimed. Clair's heart was beating as fast as a woodpecker. Shaking her head, she hurried outside.

Walking along the flower garden that resided not far from the training area, watching him like a hawk. Giving a death glare to all the maids that giggled and blushed about his appearance. Kneeling down behind a bush of flowers, pretending to be smelling them when she was secretly just watching him all googly-eyed.

"Bird-watching, My Lady?" Sarutobi all of a sudden appeared behind her with an amused expression. Shrieking in such surprise, she transfered looks between Sarutobi and Hito.

"N-No! I, I mean yes! Yes, just bird watching.. Bird-watching indeed!" She fumbled with her words with a bright red blush casted over her cheeks, not sure on what to say.

"Birdwatching your prince boyfriend, I see." Sarutobi noticed and admitted the little fact with a simple nod. Shaking her head numerous times, she denied it.

"N-No, its not like that! You s-" Eclair was interrupted by Hito shouting out her name. Ears twitching at the sound of his husky voice calling out to her, she stood up and turned to face his direction with a baffled expression and tilt of her head. "M-Me?" She pointed to herself in a confused matter.

Morohito continued to fire off more rounds, and didn't even notice Sarutobi leaving. Where he was going, Morohito wasn't sure, but he kept his mind focused on aiming the rifle and continually hitting the center of the dummy. With each shot, Morohito's aim improved until finally he once more ran out of lead balls and gunpowder.

Morohito placed down the rifle and saw Clair standing at the edge of the courtyard, talking with Sarutobi, and excitedly called out her name.   As the two drew near, Morohito pulled her into a hug and kissed her.  "Of course you," he said smiling away at her, "How did you sleep? I hope you didn't mind me moving you. When I got back, I saw you sleeping in the sauna so I took the liberty of bringing you back to your room...I hope you don't mind the turn, bloody robe.  It was all I had to cover you with."

Then Morohito noticed Eclair's face as she looked at his wounds. She stared at him with a bit of worry and much disapproval in her eyes, and Morohito gave her a solemn look in return. "I know...I got hurt...I'm sorry," Morohito smiled though as he brought up the good part, "But I'm back alive. That's what important right?" Morohito left one last kiss on Clair's forehead, then took her by the hand to show her what he was doing.

"I was learning to use this rifle," explained Morohito as he pointed to the gun and to the hole-ridden target, "Actually, I'm glad you're here. I'm not sure what kind of skill you have as a bender...but I'd like to know in a pinch, if Sarutobi and I aren't here, you could protect yourself if need be. Come, I'll teach you how to use the rifle."

Morohito held out his arm, with the rifle in it, waiting for Clair to take it while Sarutobi prepped more gunpowder and lead ball shot. Something in Morohito felt giddy, as he thought about him and Clair doing something together. Even if it was just firing a rifle at a target. It was their first couple activity. Morohito was in over his head...

"Y-You saw me naked? I, uh, thank you. I hope I didn't worry or anything." She stuttered in embarressment and blushed a bright shade of red, eyes gazing up and down his well toned and muscled torso. Gulping at the sight, she turned her head to the side to look at the targets and the rifle. "No matter how many times you re-assure me that you'd be fine, you would still return injured anyway." Clair sighed and shook her head.

Gently taking the rifle into her hands, she gripped it tightly and licked her lips anxiously. Her gip was quite off, she had never held a gun before. Guns are considered new these days, and they were becoming more popular by the minute. Clair isnt so fond with guns, or any weapon in particular. She was quite clumsy and disliked the idea of hurting somebody. "Okay, what do I do now?" She asked Hito as she held the rifle completley out of aim and position.

Hands moving about the gun, trying to get a little more of a comfortable grip, and her fingers pushed against the trigger. Bullet shot out of the tube like a cannon shot into the sky, a sound louder than she has ever heard before. Dropping the rifle in pure shock, she let it fall to the ground with a thud, and she dug herself into his chest; afraid that the bullet could have shot somebody innocent. "Ah! I'm sorry, I'm so, so, sorry. Did I hit anybody? No more please.." She apologized over and over again. Did he despise her now? If she had shot somebody, would he execute her?

Morohito let out a chuckle as Clair fumbled with the gun, and a resounding laugh as she fired it and dropped it, running to him.  As she clung to him, Morohito simply eased her worries and did his best to soothe her down.  "It's okay, you only hit a harmless willow tree," smiled Morohito as he kissed Clair on the forehead.  He then went to inspect the damage done to the tree.  Thankfully the bullet did not go deep, and Morohito was able to easily excavate it with the end of a twig.

As he returned to Clair, he handed her the small lead ball.  "There you go, a souvenir," he smiled, "The damage wasn't too deep, and I think the tree will live.  Good thing too...my father planted that for my mother on their wedding day."  Morohito stared towards the tree silently for a moment, then returned his attention to Clair.  "Well my dear, shall we try again?"

Morohito returned the rifle to Clair's hands, and stood behind her, shifting her hands up and down the gun until she was holding it correctly. "That should do it," said Morohito once he was satisfied with her grip, "Now remember before you fire, hold your breath and tighten your gut. Feet shoulder length apart, otherwise the recoil is going to knock you back." Morohito then walked around towards the front of Clair's gun, trying to show her how to aim.

"When aiming, use the same eye as the side where the gun rests," explained Morohito, "If you're resting the gun against your right shoulder, use your right eye, if it is your left, use your left eye. Then line that little ball at the end of the barrel up with whatever you're shooting. For now, aim for the body of the target, we'll work on smaller targets after." Morohito made sure to walk behind Clair now, as not to get hit when she fired. "On my mark," he said calmly, "Three, two--" Suddenly Clair turned around, gun still raised, and asked went to ask a question.

It was too late, however; for as Clair turned she accidentally pulled the trigger, causing the bullet to whiz past Morohito's hear. He could feel the hot lead lightly graze his temple, causing a small cut but nothing more. The two stood there silently and quietly, a look of absolutely terror, fear and shock on Morohito's face. Slowly, he reached out and took the rifle from Clair. "Let's uh...let's come back to the rifle later, okay?" said Morohito, his pulse coming back to him. "How about I teach you to use a sword instead?" he asked, thinking that was the safer route.

"Your father planted it?! Oh, gosh, I- I'm so sorry." Clair gasped in shock, eyebrows furrowed in concern and worry. "Try again? I don't think so, what if I shoot you or something.." She muttered under her breath, a bad feeling was rising up in her chest. Cheeks flushing a rosey red as he positioned her hands into the correct form, his muscular bare chest rubbing across her back. Head ascended upwards, gulping in sheer embarressment.

One eye shut and the other slightly squinting in concentration. Tongue poking out of the corner of her mouth in a strained expression, focused on the target with shakey hands. Before he could count down to zero, she spun around on the heels of her feet to face him and ask a question. "Hito, what if--" Her finger accidently slipped onto the trigger, causing the rifle to shoot directly past his ear. Screaming in shock, she dropped the rifle once again and shoved her head back into his chest.

"I am so sorry! I am so, so, so sorry! Did I hurt you? Are you okay? Are you in pain?" She bombarded him with questions like a worrisome mother. Her heart dropped, this was all her fault.
"I don't know, I might hurt you again. No matter the weapon I use, I'm bound to injure somebody in total accident," She wiped the oozing blood from his temple with her thumb, "I'm sorry, this is all my fault. Don't reassure me, because I know its true." Clair shook her head in guilt, lip quivering and eyes filled to the brim with tears that threatened to fall.

Morohito gave a chuckle as Clair ran into his arms, crying and worrying and apologizing. He simply hushed her calmly and soothingly stroking his hand through her hair. "It's okay, Clair, it's all right," he said gently, "If it wasn't you it would've been me doing it to myself. I'm all right." Morohito held Clair close to him. He could feel her tears well up in her eyes, gently touching his chest. He felt her smooth cheek against his body, and her arms against him as well. Her skin was smooth, and she gave off a comfortable warmth. And there was the smell of rose petals about her and her hair. That is what Hito loved the most about her.

Morohito kissed Clair on the forehead and drew his sword, handing it to her. "No one is that clumsy, my dear," he smiled reassuringly, "Besides, I'm much more skilled with a blade than a gun. I'd be able to block anything before it hurt me. I promise. Now take a stance." Once more, Morohito tried to show Eclair the proper grip, with the right spacing between both hands, and the upper hand and the guard and the lower hand and the hilt. He helped Clair with the position of the blade in regards to her opponent, and the spacing of her feet for the proper stance.

"Good, good," smiled Hito. He held out his arm, and Sarutobi appeared, passed Morohito another blade, and then disappeared once more, "All right. We're going to run through some drills. Nothing fast, or complicated. We'll take it nice and slow. Doe that sound good? First we're going to do the overhead block. I'm going to luge forward, and you will block. Like this." Morohito demonstrated both his attack and the block, and the two ran through it a few times until Clair got the hang of it. "Shall we move on?" asked Morohito, and the two began to move on to more complicated drills. Though nothing that was beyond Clair's skill.

It was another few hours, when the sun rested high in the sky, signaling that it was a little after midday, when Morohito, slightly covered in sweat from the exertion of swinging a sword repeatedly, decided to drill Clair with one of the more advanced moves. "We're going to move on to something a bit more difficult, but nothing you can't deal with," smiled Morohito, "It's called the Zanbato Stroke. The Horse Cutting Stroke. I developed this technique for use on the battlefield, when one is going up against cavalry, it's meant to take the legs off the charging horse, thus rendering your opponent vulnerable and immobile. It is one of the two coveted techniques of my Suio-ryu Sword Style."

Morohito demonstrated, grasping his sword in his right hand, and bringing it up to his left ear as if he were going to back hand a fly and pointed the blade straight up. Then swung the blade, and demonstrated how it swung lower to the ground than a normal strike, crouching a bit as he swung. "Now you try," said Morohito, standing back a bit, to let Clair have the proper room to practice the move.

"I, I don't think this is a good idea Hito." Clair shook her head as she took grasp of the blade, which was surprisingly heavy for her. Were all swords this heavy? Too her the sword seemed heavy, but thats only because she has frail and skinny arms. "Are all swords this heavy?" Clair scoffed with a small grin spread wide.

Clair repeated the steps she was told, and copied his movements thoroughly. She seemed to be doing better than what she did before with the rifle. The sun was still set high up in the sky by the time they were moving onto more advanced drills. "Zanbato Stroke?" She tilted her head, receiving an explaination for the technique. Nodding in understandment, she grasped the sword in her right hand and brought it up to her left ear like so. Crouching slightly on her feet.

She swung the blade across, not realising that she accidently let go of the sword after swinging it. Turning to Hito, she grinned proudly. "How did I do?" She stood up straight with a satisfied nod. Only just realising that the weapon was no long in her grip, she turned on her heels to see the blade stabbed into the trunk of a tree; only centimetres away from Sarutobi's head. The sword managed to get quite far, even though it didn't intend to. "Sarutobi! I'm so sorry! I knew this was a bad idea, Hito!" She put her hands on her hips with a fustrated frown, "I'd advise you to avoid giving me a weapon in the future."

Morohito chuckled, "They can be, depending on size and length," he noted, "What you're holding is a dotanuki battle sword. Three inches longer than the usual katana. That may explain the extra weight." Clair was getting the hang of it just the same though. In fact, Morohito dared call her a natural. Of course, not too long after that thought crossed his mind, Clair attempted the Zanbato Strike, and while it started off well, it ended with the sword flying from her hand and embedding itself in a tree across the courtyard, almost hitting Sarutobi in the head. Had he not dodged he would have been dead.

"I had to dodge that...the distance is no coincidence...I actually had to dodge," said Sarutobi plainly in his monotone voice. He removed the blade from the tree, whooshed over to Morohito and handed it back to him before disappearing again, giving a smile to Clair and a small laugh as he did. "Uh, yeah that might not be a bad idea actually," said Morohito with a chuckle as he placed his sword in its sheath, kissing Clair on the forehead afterwards. "I'll protect you then," he said plainly, "No matter what comes at you, I'll always be there to protect you."

Morohito took Clair's hand and walked with her back inside the palace. "I was thinking, Clair, would you like to go on a picnic with me today? Right now?" asked Morohito, a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eyes, "We'll take my horse. I'll get the kitchen to prepare us something and we'll go up for the next few hours into the mountains. What do you say? It's basically lunch time right now anyway." Morohito was going to cherish the alone time with her, and perhaps take the time to get to know her better. Of course, if it led to a make out session, Morohito wouldn't be against it.

Kissing Clair before they parted temporarily, Morohito made all of the arrangements, having his horse saddled and reigned in, brushed down and ready to go, and then going down to the kitchens to procure some food, a basket and a blanket. With his sword at his hip and a gun strapped to the saddle bag--you never know when a Mountain Platypus-Bear would come by at the scent of food--Morohito went to Clair's new room, and knocked, ready to pick her up and walk her down to the front entrance.

"A picnic? Of course, I'd love to." Clair nodded happily as she walked alongside him through the palace, blushing a bright shade of red after he pecked her on the lips. Seperating their ways, Hito was making his way towards the kitchen, and she was making her way to the stables to check up on her Cat Deer. She hadn't seen the mount ever since the first day she arrived to the palace. "Excuse me, do you perhaps know where my Cat Deer is in these stables?" Clair politely asked the stable master, who pointed in its direction in a rather lazy way.

Thanking the stablemaster, she glanced into the stable to see it empty. Just hay scattered across the floor. Where could it have gone? Perhaps its just gone for a walk, thats what he usually does when bored. Clair thought as she strided across the stable, checking each one to ensure that she didn't just go to the wrong one. Not a deer in sight. Sighing, Clair made her way back to her room to get changed. She was sure that it didn't get lost or anything. She decided that she'd check again tomorrow in the morning.

Once she was in her suite, she remained in the kimono she was wearing. Neatly sorting her long hair into a messy side braid, fingers working through her hair in complete ease. Ears picking up the sound of somebody knocking on her door, she rushed her pace and slid her wooden sandals on before opening the door to meet Hito. The two of them walked together to the saddled horse, picnic basket and blanket all packed and ready to go. He held out his hand while mounted, giving her a hand to get onto the horse.

Morohito helped Clair on his steed, and she sat herself sideways on the front of the saddle, leaning into Morohito's chest. His horse remained calm as a second person climbed onto. Matsukaze was a finely bred horse. His mahogany brown fur and long, flowing, white mane and that blew in the wind. The horse's eyes shone a vivid blue, and it was muscled and strong in all the right areas. He stood proudly, his tail flicking, dressed in his red silk harness adorned with tassels. The saddle was made of tigerdillo skin. Orange with black stripes, and soft white fur around the edges of the pelt saddle. Foot holds dangled from the sides of the pelt.

"This is Matsukaze," explained Morohito as he spurred the horse onwards, starting him on a gentle, light trot, "He's been my horse since I was a boy. He was said to have been breed from the wildest horses in Ullondor. Some say his breed was even enhanced with magic by the natives of Ullondor in order to make him stronger, faster and better than normal horses. However, no one knows if that's true." Morohito chuckled as Clair leaned against his while the two went through the streets, towards the edge of town and up into the woods and the mountains.

Morohito loved he feel of Clair's head against his chest, hugging him and holding on to him tight so she didn't fall off the horse. It was another hour, traveling over hills, through dense woods, and finally up the side of a mountain towards the peak of the former volcano that once plagued Ember Island. When they finally reached the top, Morohito halted Matsukaze's advance and looked down at the plateau that had formed over the former volcano opening. It was spotted with trees and rocks, and moss and tall grasses and flowers. The once volcanic opening had become a fertile land that formed a bowl-shaped indent.

"I used to come up here to think and get away," explained Morohito as Matsukaze began to descend down into the bowl, "It was my thinking spot. No one knew that until now...so I've come here to share it with you." Morohito kissed Clair on the forehead, then remained silent until they reached the middle of the plateau, in the middle of a small clearing where birds and small animals scurried away at the sight of newcomers. Morohito dismounted, then helped Clair down. Matsukaze reared his rider's dismounted and removed the saddlebags that held the supplies for the picnic. Matsukaze whinnied, then ran off into the woods.

"He is going to feed, he will return when we need him," explained Morohito as Clair looked worried that their ride had run off, "Is here a good spot for you?" Morohito pulled the basket and blanket from the saddlebag and waited for Clair to respond before setting them out.