The end of a story...

[Xing]

Chapter 2 Happier days


Mitsurugi looked at her in amusement before drinking from his tea. It seems the admiral was never seen without a damned cup of tea in his house
I am very serious, uncle Daite! A young Isabelle said with determination, sitting on the cushion laid over the flooring of his personal dojo.
This is not a game, Isa. I shouldnt even allow you in here for you are neither master nor student. The admiral replied simply, as he rose up on his feet and unsheathed his blade. The man had been in the room for hours, training against holographic enemies generated by a powerful computer. Isabelle was sitting there, captivated by the fight that was going on, impressed at the mastery of the blades uncle Daitetsu had.

It was yet another month that would have left her parentless; her mother was as usual gone in the far away Sigmas to manage her business while her father was yet again dragged away in the independent border worlds in mission.
Hopefully, uncle Daitetsu happened to be taking some time off from his duty this month as well, and hence how Isabelle landed so far away from her home, in the middle of Kusari.

Why dont you take me as your student then?!
There was something about the beautiful, cyan eyes of the girl that showed her will; if she wanted something, she will have it one way or another.
Mitsurugi nodded. His first impressions on the little girl years ago were only strengthened as they met on occasionally.
And, her words had some truth in it. Was she following the way of the Samurais, she could have begun her training as soon as now. She had the physical build for it, her height and weight seemed well equilibrated to practice the art of Kenjutsu, and she seemed mentally strong to do so as well. All in all, a perfect student.
But there were only two strange problems; she wasnt Kusari, and, she was a female.
Oh well, he was a friend with a libertonian admiral, why not teach a libertonian how to wield a real weapon, eh?

The admiral nodded in agreement, and Isabelle nearly exploded with enthusiasm.
What a bullet of energy, Mitsurugi thought

--

Uncle Daite? When will we have our next training session?
The man chuckled as they sat down for dinner. He often took the girl now a fully grown adolescent that still kept calling him uncle Daite, to a small discreet soba restaurant in New Tokyo. There, they could eat without being bothered by the Medias who might recognise him. And wonder why was he taking care of an Outsider girl.
One matter at a time, Isa. Do be patient, it is an important virtue.
Yes uncle Daite

It was strange how the ways of the warriors of his people seemed to attract this girl from a world completely different from his own. Somehow, that first day when she was taught how to wield a wooden sabre managed to tie her with the destiny of a warrior. She had made much improvement since then, patiently and obediently learning from him. Mitsurugi didnt recalled having such a good student, one that put so much effort in an art judged more symbolic than anything nowadays.

It wasnt his belief, nor was it that of Isa. If battles of today were made aboard large vessels of steel and with laser artillery, the art of Kenjutsu was still useful at maintaining the strict discipline a warrior had to keep within himself. True, he sports the Katana only as a symbol of his rank, since he wouldnt have many uses of such a medieval weapon in a real combat situation, even on close quarter. Still, it definitively wasnt a mere decorative element.

He was glad this fact could be understood from someone that didnt even reached adulthood, and wasnt even kusari.
He dropped his presumptions on the superiority of male over female since a long time. Isa has demonstrated that quite a long while ago.

--

Doo!!*
Mitsurugi countered the strike with his blade, before pushing Isa away. The girl well, she was a woman now, really was doing incredibly well one millisecond too late and he would have been down on the ground.
The admiral smiled slightly before focusing back on the combat. As usual, Isa charged in first, entering on the aggressive stance immediately. While it was rather predictable a tactic, the sheer speed at which she moved was very hard to counter. He had to remain alert, and she left him no time to counter attack, only defend. Very good.
But Mitsurugi was much more experienced than Isa, and merely awaited his time. Defending was much less energy consuming than attacking, and despite their difference of age (he was starting to get some grey hairs as well), they were probably on the same level.

There, her movements were getting slower
One horizontal cut was all that was needed right foot ahead, torsion of the upper body, and release the whole power of his arm!!
What!?
Their blade met, and this time, Isa used her full strength, pushing him, lifting him off the ground and pinning him on the ground. She faked her weakness!
Impressive!
Isabelle smiled as she pulled herself away from him, sheathing her katana blade. She then extended her arm, helping him to get on his feet.
Ive been had, it seems he said, somewhat disappointed at his own failure but smiling nonetheless.
Ive cheated a little bit it was somewhat dishonourable, no?
Mitsurugi laughed lightly as he sheathed his weapon as well and took a seat on a cushion nearby.
In real combat, there is no such thing as cheating. If your enemy kills you while you are not paying attention, you wouldnt call him a cheater, wouldnt you?
Indeed, uncle Daite. You are alright? She said, smiling as she sat next to him.
Yes yes thank you, Isa.

They remained silent for a few minutes, breathing hard as they rested from their combat, then as it was tradition for both of them, continued on chatting about everything and nothing until late in the night

Mitsurugi thought, he would gladly have a woman with him in his life if he could get such a daughter in return

*Do: a strike on the abdominal part in Kenjutsu.

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