After The Meeting
Yumi spent a lot of time training on deck in the designated practice area. She made somewhat of a name for herself by posting a challenge since she joined the crew. "Accepting all challengers." At first the challenge could hardly be taken seriously, as Yumi looked like a child, and nobody had any reason to assume she was capable of anything. Her first challenger just wanted to put her in her place. But they were easily defeated and forced to bite their tongue and swallow their pride as they disappeared into the crowd.
This man came out of the arena cursing, kicking, and stomping, catching John's eye as he jogged by. He looked to the man and then to where he had come from with an inquisitive look. John entered the training room, wiping the slight sweat that had formed on his brow with the towel wrapped around his neck. He stood on his tiptoes trying to understand what was going on before talking to a man beside him.
"What's goin' on?" John asked the stranger.
"Yumi is offering to fight anyone who asks. She's undefeated at the moment." The stranger replied.
"Thanks." John said taking the towel off his neck and placing it in the stranger's hands.
This piqued John's interest quite a bit and he patted the man's shoulder as he walked through the crowd, stepping onto the arena floor and raising his finger to his lip to shush the crowd. Some quieted down, but others he knew it'd take his voice to shut them up and he reached deep down in his stomach to overpower them, softening his voice as he went.
"Alright, alright, settle down. I'll be fightin' the girl today." John said, as he took a bow, drawing his sword as he came to a stand, and pointing it toward Yumi.
Yumi smiles as her ears perk up. She declares cheerfully, but somewhat quietly as she bows in respect, "It would be an honor to duel you. After hearing about your performance on the Midas, I've been hoping for a chance like this. Thank you for making time to face me." Her eyes lock onto John's at the moment her bow ends. Contrasting with her usual, docile expression, Yumi's eyes seem like they are bearing down into John's very soul. Although they don't seem particularly hostile, she holds her weapon at the ready. She waits three seconds to feel out the sort of fight John wants to have.
"Hope I don't disappoint then." John replied with a devilish smile. "Now, if you're done checking me out… count it down guys!"
The people in the crowd looked around at each other before they counted down from three. The fight began with quite the exciting start, as John closed the distance between him and Yumi, she dashed forward, attempting to get behind him, but the man shot in front of her throwing a kick that she dodged by jumping back. But, John had become too immersed in the battle and he tried to bring his sword down on top of her, retreating into a defensive stance the minute he recognized the error of his ways. The battle continued in this manner until John was able to pin Yumi against the crowd and threaten to slice her head in half, scoring him a point.
The next fight began abruptly, there was no countdown as John used language and banter to determine if Yumi was ready to fight. When he was sure he charged at her trying to use a series of blunt force attacks, being wary of his blade. Yumi decided to face these attacks head on, dodging and weaving through them, before leaping past his final shoulder charge, leaving John to suddenly stop himself before hitting the crowd. She stood fully able before John, who was taking unusually long to time to recover from a simple stumble, had planted both feet back down on the mat, but before she could take advantage of his vulnerable state John sheathed his blade and walked off.
"You win," John said. "I'm not really in the mood to deal with this at the moment. I got a lot on my mind."
John stuffed his hands in his pockets and the crowd gave way so that he could leave, almost like the sea parting. Yumi chased after him once he got outside, calling to him causing John to turn and face her. He didn't have the slightest look of hostility about him, but he appeared as if he were looking for something, scanning the area for it occasionally. Almost as if Yumi was not the reason he turned around.
"Did I do something to offend you?" Yumi asked John, she seemed worried, that through their fight just now she had actually managed to hurt him in some way, but John answered her question with a friendly smile.
"Nah, you couldn't have... Yumi, right? Hey! Who gots my towel!" John called out, patting Yumi on her shoulder as he went back into the crowd to find his towel.
==THAT NIGHT==
John, after going through his daily routine, found Yumi's room and knocked on the door awaiting a response. He finds Yumi in her night clothes. They aren't anything fancy, just a black shirt that extended down to almost her mid-thighs. Answering the door, she timidly sticks her head out, seeing who might be around at this time. Recognizing the face, Yumi opens the door immediately, bowing to John enough to entertain someone's curiosity. "Oh, John. I, uh, didn't expect any visitors. Did you need me?"
"Follow me." John said, as he just started walking. Too used to people just following along he didn't even think that she might be against it. "Wanted to show you something."
Yumi gives pause to walking around deck like this, but John seemed pretty dead-set on whatever it was that he wanted to lead her to. He didn't even give a moment's hesitation to make sure Yumi actually followed, leading to the impression that it was important. Yumi takes off, walking quickly at first to catch up with John. She makes a concerted effort to keep her tail down as to preserve her modesty.
The two hadn't walked far, merely onto the main deck where the moon was a giant bulb in the sky and the dark water beneath seemed to blend in with the landscapes around it. It was quiet and the breeze was cold, but light.
John starts to laugh a bit to himself, but not full blown hardy laughs, but rather a delicate giggle to catch the female's attention. "I kinda forget the girls on this ship are still girls even though they can fight, well at least some. You suck at fighting, but anyway here it is, what I wanted to show you." John extended his arm to the pretty scene before her before turning to Yumi. "I don't think swinging my blade at a woman was the best way to introduce myself, so I invited you out here, to try again. Name's John Herald, I'm from Swiss, what's your name?"
Yumi shivers a bit, as her outfit clearly wasn't designed for going out for a cold night on the deck, and the longer she spends with John, the more she realizes that this was likely the reason she was called out. Yumi sighed with relief, happy that the occasion wasn't as urgent as she was made to believe. "I don't really get what you mean, but maybe I'm just tired. I train every day, but I never seem to get any stronger. I'm sorry that I couldn't at least present a challenge... My name is Yumi, and I'm not really sure where I'm from."
"Cold?" John pulled his tunic off and then proceeded to take his sweater off leaving him barechested. He then put his tunic back on to cover himself and handed her the sweater. "That's right, I forgot. Don't sweat what I said, I've spent the majority of my life under instructors. Though, why wouldn't you use that blade of yours?"
Yumi immediately reacts as John tries to cover her, "Oh no, it's fine really. I'm a little cold, but it feels wrong taking the shirt off your back like..." Yumi freezes as John pops the question, John waves his hand a little bit to make sure she was okay, before dropping the sweater on her head. Taking a moment to process the question, Yumi's face transitions from an expression of shock to a more nostalgic and reclusive expression. Yumi didn't use her actual blade except in actual combat, and even then she'd never even once think about using it for anything other than landing a killing blow. John caught onto that, even in a fight where she didn't have it equipped. "It is irreplaceable." Yumi holds her hand to her chest like her heart might leap out, "I can't imagine what I'd do if I lost it."
"I see. That makes sense." John let out a yawn as he leaned over the railing of the ship. "Be careful though. I almost killed you," John then turned around sticking up two fingers. "Twice!" John then leaned back against the railing nonchalantly and motioned to her. "So, who gave it to you? A loved one?"
Yumi took a pause. She had a hard time deciding if John was perceptive or just always stumbling upon the right answers. Either way, the die had been cast. Yumi couldn't help but get caught up in the emotion. She wasn't ready to share a detail so closely held to her heart, but she wasn't ready to deny John's request either. Compromising herself before others, Yumi begins to share indecisively and indirectly as if to find a way that wouldn't hurt, "It's a memento. If you've heard of the Milxhouse family, this blade is their family treasure, passed down to me by Lyra Milxhouse." Yumi wanted to hide at this point, feeling vulnerable in more than one way.
"Never heard of 'em, but they sound pretty important to you, to be honest, I can't believe you answered that." John said sincerely surprised, as he looked her over it was quite obvious from her body language that she was tired, cold, and embarrassed. "Sorry, to bring you out here and ask you about your personal life. I only meant to have a friendlier interaction. I have no secrets of my own to share, but feel free to ask me anything."
Yumi shakes her head, "I just, really don't get you." Laughing nervously, "I wouldn't even know where to start." Yumi takes pause, and calms herself. She hadn't gotten riled up in a long time. Seeming noticeably better, "You are just, so honest and straightforward, like the way you fight. Though maybe, pressing is the better word." Yumi leans against John, "It's a nice change of pace."
"I guess I can take that compliment. A strange and mysterious figure. Yeah, I can get that." John then looks down at the girl suddenly leaning on him. "Want to talk about straightforward?" John said raising a brow. He doesn't move to get her off himself, leaving that up to her, besides she was like a warm pillow and she was female. It took a minute for him to get his mind off the fact that she was leaning on him, but he soon moved on. "Well, me... I grew up inside a mountain you know. A whole great big city within this giant mountain."
Yumi smiles, "I wouldn't have done it if I didn't know I could get away with it you know. You're just as cold as me." Yumi continues to listen to John talk about his hometown. It doesn't take long to draw the connection that he'd prefer the cold if he lived up in a mountain. She could scarcely imagine what it might be like to build a city up in such rocky terrain. Though, it seemed unlikely John knew either. Nonchalantly, "Probably a good place to learn something about swordsmanship?"
"Ah, so you're a sneak outside battle too?" John said with a smile before giving a laugh. "Yeah, I guess, but any place is a good place really. As long as there's someone knowledgeable around." John said, his voice trailed off and he seemed to gaze up at the stars as he finished, soon turning to face the moon. "Say, what do you think about this mission?"
Yumi responds quickly, "Even though I'll carry it through without hesitation, I think it is either a desperate play or we aren't being given the whole story. We are taking a large risk for the chance of buying time." Yumi lowered her head, "And, my sympathies lie with the princess. I can only imagine how hard it is for her right now, taking responsibility for her nation. We are about to make life even harder for her. The one time she goes out, it is going to wreck her world, and I'm going to be responsible for how that changes her as a person, if she even lives long enough to tell the tale."
"Hm. Well, hopefully it doesn't all go to crap. We should get some rest. Come on, I'll drop you off at your room." John said as he came to a stand and stuck one hand in his pocket.
Yumi latches off of John, choosing to walk on her own. "It is pretty late isn't it. And we both have a full day tomorrow..." Yumi gives John a smile, "But this was nice. Thanks for spending time with me."
"Anytime, Miss Yumi." John said snatching his shirt off her and throwing it over his shoulder.
