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Post by Chojiro Sasakibe on Oct 10, 2024 20:44:43 GMT -6
Sasakibe was on his way even before Makino had shouted for him. He had left the manor briefly to head down the road to the neighbor's home after discovering a misdelivered package on his stoop. He barely had the package handed over to the neighbor when he felt Haku's reiatsu go absolutely wild. More wild than he had felt it do so before. He quickly bowed to his neighbor and disappeared in a flash, arriving back at his home where he raced through the manor towards the training grounds.
When he arrived he saw Haku doubled over in pain on the ground, cradling his hand. Makino was next to him, a hand on his back as she knelt down next to him. Several feet away from them was Haku's asauchi in pieces. Half of the blade staked into the ground and the hilt chucked a few feet from it. Both covered in and surrounded by ice. When he ran over to the two children, his heart dropped as he saw the state of Haku's hand. It was white in areas that had less blood flow--his fingertips and the back of his hand. Superficial frostbite. Just a step away from deep frostbite.
"Gods, child, what in hell happened?" Sasakibe knelt down in front of Haku, gently taking the boy's forearm and pulling his hand away from his stomach so he could examine it. He looked over at the broken sword. "You broke your asauchi? What possessed you to do such a thing?" He raised his hand and casted a weak fire Kido to warm Haku's hand slowly.
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Post by Haku "Katsumi" Yamamoto on Oct 10, 2024 20:56:04 GMT -6
"I... I was... s-sparring with Makino... My sword... My reiatsu. It went crazy," Haku could barely talk through the pain. It burned but it was also numb. It was cold and ached down to the bone, the pain differing up through his forearm to his elbow and then to his shoulder. Like knocking over a line of dominoes. His hand trembled violently as Sasakibe warmed his skin. "I couldn't... stop it... so I... I broke the sword."
Makino knelt beside Haku, her heart twisting at the sight of him trembling in pain. His words were barely coherent, broken by the agony that seemed to consume him. She watched as Sasakibe worked quickly to warm his hand, trying to reverse the effects of the freezing cold reiatsu. Her mind raced, guilt bubbling up in her chest despite knowing this wasn’t her fault. Makino glanced at Sasakibe, the tension in her body not lessening as she waited for his assessment. She had seen her brother recover from his ordeal, but the fear of the unknown—of how deeply Haku had been affected—gnawed at her. Still, she stayed by his side, unwilling to let him face this alone.
"I know you did what you felt you had to..." Sasakibe sighed, shaking his head. "And I would rather you lose your asauchi than your hand, but this could have been prevented if you were not so stubborn. You realize what happens now, don't you?"
Makino bit her lip, her eyes flickering between Sasakibe and Haku. The words hung heavy in the air, pressing down on her chest like a weight. She looked at Haku’s hand, still trembling slightly, and then at the broken remnants of his asauchi lying a few feet away. She knew what Sasakibe was implying, and it made her stomach turn.
When Haku didn't answer, Sasakibe answered for him. "You have to start from scratch now. All of the energy you spent the time and effort to impart onto that asauchi is gone now. Released from the blade. Even if we repaired the sword, it would not hold any of the energy that was just released. Even if you connected to your zanpakuto spirit today and learned--accepted--its name, you would have no vessel to attach its spirit to. This is a setback for you. A far further setback than this frostbite wound."
Haku bit back the stinging tears behind his eyes, both from pain and from shame. "I... I know..." He just couldn't accept it. That's what got him into this situation. He couldn't accept his powers for what they were. He angered his spirit. When he performed jinzen that day and entered his inner realm and discovered his white ice phoenix, he cursed it and left before the bird could utter its name. He could have had his shikai by now... if he just accepted it.
His grandfather would have been so disappointed in him if he could see him.
Haku stood up and pulled away from both Makino and Sasakibe. "I... I'll fix it..."
"Haku, it cannot--" Sasakibe shook his head.
"No... not the asauchi... I..." Haku backed away further. He raised his bad hand and winced, holding it out defensively. "I'll fix this." He turned and ran out of the training grounds, through the manor, towards the front door.
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Post by Makino Tori on Oct 10, 2024 22:09:29 GMT -6
Makino watched Haku run off, her heart sinking. She took a step forward as if to chase after him, but stopped herself, knowing that right now, nothing she said would reach him. Her fingers curled into fists at her sides, frustration bubbling beneath the surface.
“He’s always been like this,” she muttered under her breath, glancing at Sasakibe. “Stubborn, reckless... trying to take everything on his shoulders.” She sighed, her gaze softening as she stared at the path Haku had fled down. “I’ve never seen him this upset, though.”Sasakibe nodded quietly. “He’s carrying a heavy burden now. Breaking his asauchi is no small matter, and the realization that it was his own actions that led to this will weigh on him.” Makino shook her head, her expression pained. “I should’ve seen it coming. I saw the signs… and I did nothing. But Haku… he pushed too hard. He’s always had this need to prove himself.”
She turned fully toward Sasakibe, her brows furrowed with worry. “He needs guidance, not just someone telling him what he did wrong. I can’t lose him to this... this guilt. He’ll tear himself apart.” Her voice trembled, betraying the depth of her concern.Sasakibe’s stern expression softened as he listened to her. “He’s a good soul, Makino. He just needs time. But you’re right—this isn’t something he can shoulder alone. He’ll need your support, even if he runs from it for now.” Makino nodded, her resolve hardening. “I won’t let him face this on his own. He might have broken his asauchi, but that doesn’t mean he’s broken. He’ll come back, and when he does, I’ll be there to help him—just like I always have.”
Her eyes lingered in the direction Haku had fled, a mixture of determination and worry flashing in their depths. She wouldn’t let this setback define him. Not if she had anything to say about it. She took her leave from Sasakibe to the front of the manor, knowing that when Haku returned he would have to pass by her.-END- "Three Is Company"
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