The Beauty of the West: The Blue Route

Chapter Four: Get it Together

I woke up the next day and I was so sore from all the training. I was sore in places I didn't even know existed.

When I got up for training and attempted to walk, I stepped lightly. Every step I took triggered an aching soreness in my legs.

"Mornin." Masamune greeted as I entered the kitchen to begin making breakfast. I was startled by his unexpected standing there, but I didn't show it and just greeted him normally.

"So." He continued, and stopped me from starting a fire. "Mind telling me what that was about yesterday?"

I didn't answer. I wasn't sure I wanted to tell him that I was afraid of the thunder and lightening he caused by just being himself but I knew he would laugh.

"Nothing. I just...I got tired. And you, with your awesome skill, intimidated me."

Masamune grabbed the flint from my hand and started a fire for me.

"You're a poor liar." He stated before walking away.

I may have been a poor liar, but atleast Masamune left me alone after that.

After I made breakfast, I sat with Kojuro and Masamune to eat. It was quiet amongst the three of us, hearing nothing by the ting of the chopsticks occasionally hitting the sides of our bowls. I kept my eyes on my breakfast, and was sure to drink my tea.
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Kojuro brought me and Masamune back out to the fields for training again.

"We will be doing something a little different today." Kojuro explained, sitting in the grass, and ushered us to do the same.

"Ugh...not this again..." Masamune sighed, crossed his arms and sat down . I had no idea what it was. Masamune seemed annoyed, but Kojuro kept a gentle smile.

"Today, we'll be working on staying calm." He stated. "It's a very important part of battle. Making decisions depends on your sanity. Otherwise you could be led to your own demise. Sometimes, keeping a level head could mean the difference between life and death."

"Yea yea..." Masamune rolled his eye. "This is boring. We've already been through this."

"You have, My Lord...but our Young Blossom has not. She is just beginning. Why don't you try setting a good example."

"Tch. Whatever."

I sat next to Kojuro, and awaited his instruction.

"The first lesson; a battle is a battle. Don't take it to heart when fighting with the army. Doing so may cause you to make fatal decisions."

Sometimes when Kojuro explained a lesson, he would look into the training fields like his mind was wandering elsewhere. When he did, Masamune would look at me with that devious smirk of his and he would bring his hand up to make it look like a puppet saying what Kojuro said. I was trying so hard to keep my posture. But mimicking Kojuro was just so....Masamune. It made it really hard to concentrate on what Kojuro was trying to tell me.

Kojuro kept going on about staying calm. The bottom line was not to let stuff get to you. And I understood that. So watching Masamune didn't really take away from anything. I was kinda glad that that day was going to be spent talking instead of training, as my muscles were killing me. To tell the truth though, Kojuro was making the lesson really boring, and I would actually rather be training even though my muscles were so sore.

"Now we're going to do a trust exercise." Kojuro stated, looking back at us. The moment he did, Masamune dropped his hands to his side in a sad attempt to try and hide his actions. Kojuro definitely saw. I could tell he was annoyed, and he somewhat glared at Masamune as he gave us our new assignment. I laughed silently for as long as Kojuro kept his gaze on Masamune. When he looked at me, my smile instantly disappeared. How I did it, I could never tell you.

"A trust exercise?" I asked, making it the first thing I had said in a while.

"Yes. Between you and Masamune."

Uh oh. I wasn't sure I wanted to do a trust experiment with him. He was unpredictable, and I couldn't really tell whether he liked me or not.

"Seriously?" Masamune kept his arms crossed.

"Young Blossom, stand here, and close your eyes." Kojuro stood up, and pointed to a spot where I would stand. I did as he told me. "My Lord, you stand here." He pointed. I proceeded to cover My eyes. "Young Blossom, fall backwards. Lord Masamune will catch you. "

"What? Are you kidding?" I asked, looking at Kojuro briefly before covering my eyes again.

"This is dumb, Kojuro..." Masamune pouted. "Can't we just fight instead?"

Kojuro didn't answer. They both just waited for me to purposely fall into Masamune's arms. I leaned backwards, eyes closed. Certain that I was falling to the ground, and bracing myself for the pain to come, I was surprised when two arms caught me and held me tight. I opened my eyes, and found myself staring directly into Masamune's eye.

"Surprised? Me too." Masamune teased. I didn't know how to respond to that. He said it as if he himself didn't know if he was going to catch me or not.

"I wouldn't taunt her, My Lord," Kojuro warned. "You're next."

Suddenly, the laughter stopped.

"You better not let me drop..." he sighed, annoyed.

But I was so gonna let him drop. One moment he seemed like he wanted to connect with me, the next he acted like a jerk. I held my arms out when he looked at me, to make sure I was paying attention. The moment he turned around though, I looked away, waiting for him to fall backwards.

He trusted me, whether it be by force or what, he trusted me as he leaned backwards for me to catch him.

I was planning on letting him fall--oh how funny that would have been! But then...how would that make him feel? I felt myself caring, unknowingly.

The moment he fell back, I felt the need to grab him. He was heavy too, and I wasn't that strong. I held on as tightly as I could, and fell to my knees in the process. I ended up with Masamune's head on my lap.

"Well that was lame!" Masamune bickered. I pushed him off of me.

"I tried my best you jerk!" I stood up, brushing myself off. Kojuro tried to stop me when I walked off. I tuned it out though. I wanted to learn how to be stronger. I didn't have time for Masamune's childish behavior.