[OPEN]

[waitingforhope]

Who: Mai and you
When: End of September/Beginning of October, IC
Where: Primarily at Mai's Temple
What: Training, Dinner...and an accidental Ayakashi release because kitty keychains are impossible to resist. Whoops?



I - Daytime Training


[The sun shone overhead, occasionally disappearing behind a cloud or two.  Whenever it reemerged, the light streaming down would gleam off the blade of Mai's sword.  She held it confidently, still moving slow but with far more precise movements than when she first started.  The weight was good.  The balance, perfect.  Not a dent marred its polished surface, indicating a lack of use, but when it came time for her to need it in battle...]

[...or if a challenger in sparring should appear...]

[...she would be ready.]

[After running through her latest routine, Mai paused long enough to wipe a few beads of sweat from her brow.  She was still wearing her long pants, but had since discarded her coat in favor of a solid black sleeveless top.  Modest and slightly loose, it moved easily with her and was clearly intended more for convenience than fashion.  Her hat was sitting atop the jacket pile off to the side, where a small bottle of water rested in the grass.  She moved to aquire it, uncapping the bottle and taking a large gulp during her momentary break.]



II - Evening Meal

[The scent of meat cooking wafted into the air; Mai had enjoyed the grill from the festival so much, she'd gotten the idea to do it again.  A few spears of fish still roasted over an open fire nearby, but there were also slabs of lean cut beef sizzling away on the cooking surface.  A bowl of freshly chopped vegetables sat on a small table nearby, and she was just finishing squeezing a few pieces of fresh fruit for juice.]

[There was rarely any concern about the sheer amount of food.  If additional guests didn't stop by for a free meal, whatever she and Trunks didn't eat could easily be saved as leftovers for the next day.  Food never went to waste at Caireen's temple, that was for certain.]



III - Late Night Shenanigans


[In hindsight, Mai really should have thought things through.  But how could she have known?  It wasn't as if she pegged herself for a cat lady, either, but...the cute little keychain she saw at the far shore market had reminded her so much of Scratch that she couldn't help purchase it.  She kept it in the palm of her hand the entire trip back, occasionally glancing down with a fond smile.]

[Once she reached the outskirts of her temple, Mai moved to clip it to her belt look, when--]

[A sudden, forceful wind blew with such intensity that it knocked her to the ground.  Stunned by unharmed, she blinked several times before looking up to find...a large Ayakashi standing before her.  Looking both pleased with itself and also trembling with the unbridled potential of its freedom.  Mai's eyes widened, and as she moved to get up, she realized the little keychain at her side had mysteriously vanished.]

[There was no time to ponder on that 'coincidence', however.  She ran for the nearest weapon--in this case, an actual sword.  One of her training weapons, with a dulled blade and several chip marks along its surface, but far better than the wooden broom nearby.]

If you think you're getting past me, you have another thing coming.

Comments

I

[freezetheheavens]

You've come far since our last sparring sessions.

[Toushirou lands somewhere behind her, head slightly cocked to the side as he regards her.]

[waitingforhope]

[The presence didn't startle her so much as momentarily caught her off-guard. She had to swallow the water in her mouth without choking, nodding her acknowledgement of his arrival as a means of giving her time.]

Thank you.

I've been training just about every day. For someone like you to notice, that means a lot.

[freezetheheavens]

Your style seems similar to your shinki's.

[Because of course Toushirou would run into Trunks and spar with him.

However...]

If you're up for it, I'd like to see how much you've improved.

[waitingforhope]

...it does?

[Although, in hindsight, she was less surprised by that fact alone than she was somebody had noticed. True, she had memorized a lot of his movements over time. Did her best to imitate him in the beginning. It simply hadn't dawned her that, as she went along and began to develop her own style, it would continue to resemble his that strongly.]

I'd be happy to spar you. Any set rules, or are we doing no holds barred?

[freezetheheavens]

Yes. Have you been watching him?

[He notices a lot of things and picks up on it.]

No rules. Give me everything you got.

III

[revolutionfalcon]

[Late night means the kind of time Shun is generally patrolling of an evening, and the Western District tends to get special attention considering it's where the majority of newcomer gods and shinki live. While he doesn't often get too close to temples themselves unless there's clearly trouble, he comes very close to temple grounds, and despite not recognising this one, he spots the ayakashi appearing and recognises it as the same type as those that showed up the other day.]

Come, Shouki! [The rumpled woman in a yukata walking beside him shifts forms as he heads forward to meet it, becoming a weapon in one hand as he reaches for his canteen of blessed water with the other. As he gets nearer, he recognises Mai, and flicks out a line of blessed water to distract the ayakashi for a moment so he can speak to her properly.]

I can get rid of this thing, but it'll need to be weakened first. [By way of explanation, he holds up the weapon his shinki had become - it's an intricate, bird-themed war hammer, but it bears a large and unpleasant-looking crack from the bottom of the handle to the base of the head.]

[waitingforhope]

[It only took a quick glance for Mai to read the situation, hearing the words and understanding the transformation and subsequent weapon for what they were. She nodded to him while still keeping an eye on the ayakashi, which looked itching to either flee, fight, or both.]

There's a pool of holy water on the opposite side of the temple.

[Not too far from where they were, as she indicated to the small building across the field, but certainly not within easy access.]

Fortunately, there's also a cliff behind there. If we can lead it that way, there's less chance for it to escape through an opening.

[revolutionfalcon]

[Shun glances over to the direction she indicates, then back to the ayakashi. It does look like it's on a bit of a hair-trigger, and his eyes narrow a little as he steps a little away from Mai, trying to make it harder for the ayakashi to bolt in a direction that's not towards the pool.]

Think we can trick it in? It looks restless. [There's no telling whether it's going to run from them or attack them at this point, though, which does make it somewhat of a problem.]

[waitingforhope]

If I've read the situation correctly--[And, unfortunately, there didn't seem to be any other option]--it came back with me, trapped in a small item I was carrying.

[In her defense, how could she have known? ...though that didn't stop her from feeling (and sounding) guilty.]

It must have been cooped up tight for some time. I'd be restless too.

[revolutionfalcon]

One of those keychains? [He's surprised it took this long for it to manifest, but it's hard to mistake the form when he saw so many of them the other day.] There was an outbreak of them a few days back. Obviously we didn't get rid of them as thoroughly as we thought.

[Mostly the supply chain, if Mai only just brought it back.] Then let's see how well we can lead it.

[He moves in a half-circle to one side of the ayakashi, blocking its escape path to try and convince it to try for the direction they want it to go in.]

2&3

[light_of_willpower]

2--Evening meal
[The smell of food, especially meat and fish, was all but a siren's call to Trunks. Fortunately Mai didn't seem too bothered that he had a large appetite, even if he was aware of it. Mostly Trunks made up for it by helping with clean-up, trying to do his share.

Rounding the corner of the Temple, he's a bit sweaty and dusty from having gone training, but food must be investigated. At least enough to verify what his nose was telling him.]

...What prompted the feast?

[There is a bright smile and bright eyes. Don't worry, he'll go wash up before he comes back to eat.]

And do you need help, Mai?

------------------------------------------------------
3--Late-night-Shenanigans

[Some trouble sleeping, and finding Mai gone, and Trunks had been doing a check just to be sure she wasn't in the temple. The faint noises though, and then the sounds of someone speaking loudly, brought him easily. Jogging out of the door, and then around...on to the other side of the ayakashi.

A brief glance--long enough to take into account Mai had grabbed one of her practice weapons.]

Got it flanked. You want offense or defense?

[Keeping it simple and looking to coordinate with her. He could get the story later.]

2

[waitingforhope]

[Mai seemed even less bothered by his current state than she was about his appetite. Sanitation was easily attainable for them both now, but she carried far too memories of a time when it wasn't to be bothered by a bit of dirt and sweat. Besides, she knew his innate manners would take care of all of that when the time came.]

[As such, she had nothing but a warm smile for him when he appeared. Momentarily forgoing an answer to the former question in favor of the latter:]

I think I've gotten most of it. Though you can probably check on the fish to see if they're charred enough to come off the grill.

Re: 2

[light_of_willpower]

[That warm smile is matched, and he nods his head.]

Still doesn't answer why the feast... Not that I'm complaining at all.

[Easy enough to check on the fish. Good thing too, as he adjusts their position on the skewers, to ensure an even char and no burning.]

[waitingforhope]

I should hope not.

[She lightly teased at first. But that's all it was. Just teasing. Still, setting the last of the refreshments down, she paused just long enough to wipe her hands before turning back to him.]

I caught a few extra fish today. That's all.

[A fact which she seemed oddly pleased about.]

3

[waitingforhope]

[If she'd had time to, Mai would have breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing her shinki. Having to take down this ayakashi just got a lot easier...though that didn't mean either of them could let their guard down for a second.]

Defense to start. [Though she knew all too well that offense was sometimes the best defense...] I want to minimize the damage around here, if possible. And try to keep it away from the Temple itself, if possible.

It only just escaped. Hopefully, it hasn't had time to adjust yet.

Re: 3

[light_of_willpower]

[A nod, and his hand raised with fingers already in the proper position for the Borderline. Summoning the energy for the spell, his eyes flicking away from the ayakashi only long enough to cast it.]

Line!

[Intoned, and the wall of energy sprang up between the ayakashi, himself and Mai, and the Temple. That should help start with limiting it's options.]

[waitingforhope]

[It was a start, yes, and apparently confusing enough to the creature--who was making a strange, hissing-esque sound towards the unfamiliar structure that had just appeared--that Mai saw her first opening.]

Keep it distracted while I get some holy water!

[Just enough information to keep him in the loop before she took off at full speed towards the back of her Temple. There was a small pool which was perpetually blessed, and she wasted very little time in dunking her weapon fully into the water, before heading back with equal fury. Beads glistened on its surface in the dim light, and she gave a test flick in the ayakashi's general direction to ensure it was adequately coated. It was.]

II

[sonofson]

[When Mai looks over to the fish again there's one or possibly two missing. Goten couldn't really help himself and may have been attracted by that wonderful smell. As soon as he landed, he figured there was more then enough that Mai could spare a bite or two for him. She had said he could stop by to eat anytime. So what made this time any different?

But he does duck under the nearby table with his prize and plops down there just in case. With a huge grin he licks his lips before going at the fish.]

[waitingforhope]

[She had only looked away for a minute or two. Five, at most. The fish continued to sizzle within hearing range as she filled the last of the juice pitchers. Until it didn't. ]

[Orange juice in hand, she turned to confirmed a growing suspicion and was met with a notably empty portion of grill where she was positive fish had been cooking not long before.]

...that's strange.

[Not that she was worried. It was only fish. She could always catch more. But she was curious, both as to who would bother to steal from her and why. So she started to follow the sounds of eating. Which seemed to be coming...from down below.]

Hello?

[sonofson]

[Goten stops at that, mouth full as he lifts his head. Slowly he peeks his head out, eyes blinking at her. He quickly waves as he chews and swallows the large piece in his mouth.]

Hi Mai!

[Smile~!]

[waitingforhope]

[Well, that was...strangely unsurprising. Also precious enough to warrant a smile after lightly shaking her head. She bent down, indicating to the pitcher.]

Did you want juice with your spoils, by any chance?

2

[kokuyoyo]

[How much is Mai paying attention to her surroundings? Because a certain menace in a maroon beanie has caught scent of what's cooking and, well, if it saves him the effort of having to cook himself or make Ken happy...]

[When it all comes down to it, he's actually incredibly stealthy, actually. That's the life of a teenage assassin who's broken out of prison (twice). All that really decides things is if there's anything else that might impede him.... like traps, or aura sensing, and other such things.]

[waitingforhope]

[How much does Mai usually pay attention? Fairly well, she'd like to think. Mostly out of habit. Or residual paranoia. Whichever one chose to describe a long term ability to be hyper aware of any sounds or glimpses of movement...within human limitations, that was. She was neither Saiyan nor trained to sense energy. Nor (to the best of her knowledge) were there any traps set around for the sole reason she didn't feel she needed any.]

[Except maybe for future training possibilities, of course....]

[So her ability to detect said maroon beanie would essentially come down to whether or not his incredible stealth was within human limitations as well, or above and beyond. And how determined he was to avoid her presence as she finished the last of the oranges, picking up the entire jug and getting ready to move it to the refreshments table, where there was already one jug of lemonade and a fruit punch mixed.]

[kokuyoyo]

[Alas, for all he might not particularly feel like it at times... Chikusa is still only human in the end himself. He's as good as a human can be, and no more.]

[Which isn't stopping him from trying to make a rush to a closer hiding space nearer to the roasting fires while she's distracted with the refreshments table.]

[waitingforhope]

[...was that--?]

[Out of the corner of her eye, Mai could have sworn she saw a hint of movement. One that didn't coincide with the cliffside breeze. Strange. Granted, there could be any number of reasons--including a certain playful child who liked to play games--so she wasn't yet alarmed. Merely curious.]

[Without further evidence, however, she could only return to her duties. The jug was placed down, leaving the grill out of view for a full two seconds before she turned back to it.]