𝐓𝐀𝐌𝐄 𝐌𝐘 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐑𝐓 | 𝑺.𝑺𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒛𝒖𝒈𝒂𝒘𝒂

𝟓𝟑.𝟓 | 𝐈𝐭'𝐬 𝐎𝐧𝐥𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠

~*~

AT THE TRAINING GROUNDS

"You've grown stronger, Lady Mizutsuki,"

Iwamoto the Stone hashira comments with a gentle smile, while watching her spar against Enjuro Rengoku. She was more focused on sparring, but she gives the stone Hashira a gentle nod of acknowledgement. She tried to distract herself, not wanting to focus on the wedding that is coming closer and closer. She dwelled on it so much, it was eating her up. Her strikes became more aggressive but swifter, her precision sharper and body emanating a different kind of energy the more anger she felt.

"Wow, you're really not holding back," Enjuro commented, with a big smile of excitement. He angles his blade in hand, before he begins to match her strength. His fiery red and yellow hair flows in the wind, as the Autumn leaves flow in the breeze that glides with their fluid attack and counter attacks.

Ryujin began to grow faster in her attacks, that her movements began to weave around like a real dragon. Her wooden sword jabbing towards him, as Enjuro dodged it on time. 

"Lady Mizutsuki, I think you should stop," Iwamoto spoke up, with a firm tone. She was too in the zone to hear him, while Enjuro was keeping up just about to her strength. "My lady!"

"She's not stopping!!!"

"My lady, please?!" Iwamoto repeated again, about to step forward when a hand stops him.

 There Yoriichi stood with a calm expression, "Let's see how she goes, under that mindset," He spoke up, with a gentle tone. "You probably know she's troubled, so it's best she wears herself out than letting her shout her anger."

Hayate and Iwamoto exchanged glances, before turning back upon the sparring match between the Flame Hashira and Dragon Tsugoku. 

He knew her well about what was happening, finding out about her arranged marriage. He knew she had no choice, which he empathised with her. Yoriichi already knew about her love for Hayate, so he wanted her to let it out. 

Yusuke the Water hashira was quietly amused by it all, as he held his usual calm expression upon the sparring session.

Yusuke tilted his chin up, "Interesting, it's amazing to see that her body adjusted to Dragon breathing," he murmured, blatantly. "Which form was Dragon breathing derived from, Lord Yoriichi?"

The young swordsman kept his gaze upon the woman, "Between Water and Wind........it's rather hard to say, but it's force and pull......"

"Hmmmm......."

~*~

"I'm sorry........I overdid it,"

Yoriichi shook his head with a hum, "No, don't apologise......." he assured her, while the two were sat under the shade near the riverside. "......you had every right to go all out, and Lord Rengoku followed your movements. He even enjoyed it....."

She gripped the hem of her sleeve, while she chewed the inside of her cheek feeling her chest tighten. She kept dwelling on the events tomorrow, that she felt sick to the core.

"I......I can't do it," She uttered out, with a slight crack in her voice. Tears threatened to spill, "I have to marry a man I barely know, when my heart belongs to someone else. I don't care about status, I don't care if Hayate is short tempered and angry....because I've loved him for so long. I just feel.......adhered with him, I can't give myself to someone else......"

Yoriichi's eyes remained on her exhausted slouched form, "I understand..........having to leave someone you loved, but know this......." He took her hand, and gave it a gentle squeeze. "....I care about you, and that's hard to admit for me. Like a younger sister, and it pains me to know the hardships you've been through......"