A Sage's Daughter (Complete)

Akuma-Sensei

It has been at least a full two years in the human land, but it feels like much longer in the forest in which I was in. Time here passes more slowly than the outside world. Akuma's training was very brutal in the beginning, they never held anything back, but that's perfect because I still haven't given up! I got past the basics of spirit training, planted my roots into the earth and have since never needed their assistance seeing.

I'm still blind, but because my roots are in the earth I can see through those, like the earth itself became my eyes, which is neat! I've learned to control the energy around me, and stop my body from leaking immense amounts of nature energy. This energy is essentially what I am made out of. My body is mostly pure nature energy and because I didn't know how to properly contain it, I was very weak. Toad oil helped because it allowed me to take in energy almost as fast as I was losing it. Akuma had said, rather than expelling, it's more like the energy was being drained from me due to things I had no control over.

The little Ninshu training I did with my brothers truly paid off when I first started Spirit training. I am thankful to my father for allowing me to do so.

My current ability is nothing compared to Akuma's or Dryad's but I can travel through the grass to areas of high nature energy or high vegetation and I can defend myself quite well, not that I would ever need to.

Some days, we are breaks from training just to have fun doing other things. Akuma is very curious about the human lands and truly enjoys playing with the others and learning new things, just as I do. Maybe it's a spirit thing.

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"Haha, that is close! One more time and you may have it down Akuma-sensei." I smile at the floating pair of grey eyes as a transparent figure tries to weave a crown out of some flowers.

Akuma sighs, trying once again to turn his pile of flowers into a decent crown. "I have no idea what humans find so enjoyable about this."

"It is just something fun to do, and very lovely looking as well." I said, weaving my own crown of flowers for them.

"I have yet to understand why you would wish to spend your breaks with me, doing little things such as this." They somehow managed to tangle together the flowers in a solid enough way for them to hold together. "You seem to enjoy teaching me human things as I enjoy teaching you of your innate abilities."

I laugh, gently placing the flower crown on where I perceive their head to be. "You seem to enjoy this as well. You did say you were curious about what humans do for fun. It has been years and yet you still do not seem satisfied."

Akuma smiles, gently placing their's on my head. "Of course, I wish to know all I can about the land in which you were born from your perspective." They chuckled as he adjusts the crown on my head.

The branch-like vines in my hair coil  along the flowers, holding the crown in place as per my will.

"So, do you still see humans in a negative light?"

"Not necessarily. I do know I cannot use one human as an example for all, but I still do not think I can trust them." They sighed,   laying back on the grass.  "Unlike you, I do not have attachments to a living-."

I cut them off. "-Me. Are you not attached to me, Akuma-sensei?"

What I perceive to be my teacher's body, turned a color that I learned is pink. From their claws, to their pointed ears, to the end of their fluffy tail. All a bright shade of pink.

"T-that is different Katsura....." They stuttered, turning their eyes away from me. "I cannot deny that I am very fond of you... Even if you were raised by humans."

I felt shy all of a sudden, and the land around me reflected that in the form of closing flowers. "Uh... I a-appreciate your word Akuma-sen-"

"Akuma. It's just Akuma." They mumble, turning their still pink transparent body to look at me. "From now on, just call me that okay?"

"U-uh...y-yes, Akuma..." I stuttered, staring into his piercing silver eyes.

"Good." They seemed to sigh in relief, before completely moving on. "Let us play one of the human games with the others. I am certain the sylphs would like your attention."

I quietly nod, clasping my hands over my chest in an attempt to calm my rapidly beating heart. I watched his eyes float away as I smiled and whispered to myself, "Akuma..."