[MillietheWarrior]

(Human form Ref 1, 2, 3)

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Sloppy. Flawed.

The dragon circled her pupil, eyes ever watchful and vigilant, her form and posture stiff and unyielding, as was her nature. Her eyes glittered like gems, set into a face of stony white. Her hair was dark, like the shadows, and fanned out around her like a halo of night. She walked carefully around her pupil, observing the katas she was currently engaged in, noting every time slip, every time she moved wrong, bent with difficulty, or placed her foot in the wrong direction. It was sloppy. It was amateurish, and it certainly wasn't what Merim had taught her. Those glittering blue eyes narrowed into flashing slits, anger clearing simmering in their depths, though her face betrayed nothing. She remained, for all the world, like a moving statue. Though her legs and feet propelled her forward, her face was blank, as though her body moved on autopilot after years of deft practice.

On any other day, at any other time, reprimand for such sloppy, flawed work would not go unpunished. But today, of all days, the dragon of the shadows let it slip. She reigned in her impulse to check her student, to lash out with a tongue as sharp as the knives she carried hidden on her person; she knew her pupil was excited, for today would be the day that she “proved herself” to her “mother.” The entire thing left a bad taste in Merim's mouth, but as always, she was silent, and said nothing, as was her wont. It was not her place to question her mistress’s decision, no matter how much she might disagree. Merim moved like a silent shadow around the form of her student, observing and watching still, and quietly picking at her clothes (the only other movement besides her ever graceful steps).

She wore something more...contemporary, as Japan had called in, in an effort to better relate to her student and the world around them. Both Japan and Merim were from far older, far more ancient times, times in which garb such as this skirt and shirt would be not only unheard of, but downright scandalous. Though uncomfortable, she did not betray it on her face, and isntead, her sharp eyes flickered back to her student. The impulse to correct her stance was far too strong this time, and the flaws too overpowering. Her mouth turned down into the barest hint of a frown, the only indication that she was displeased.

“Again,” she informed her student calmly, her voice a flat, monotone that, if it had any inflection in it, might have been gentle. As it was, the words she spoke were so quiet, that if one wasn't listening hard enough, they would miss it. “Your form is disgraceful. You dishonor your master. Now. Again!”

[Flame]

Dark, stormy pink eyes blinked irritably as a drop of perspiration trickled into them, stinging as it went. No movement was made to impede the flow, the first drop forging the way for others to follow, but Elysia knew better than to break form for something as trivial as personal comfort. If she’d cared anything about that, she would have called it quits hours ago. A look of intense concentration was fixed on the raven-haired girl’s face, an expression which hadn’t budged since the exercises had started…which happened to be at the crack of dawn this morning. To the untrained eye (or even most trained ones), her movements were seamless and graceful, but the pupil herself knew that it was far shy of what she was capable of, and if she knew…well, there about as much as a snowball’s chance in hell that her instructor didn’t notice as well.

In her defense, her mind wasn’t as keenly on the task at hand as usual, as much as she wished it could be. It just so happened that today, she finally had the chance to prove her worth single-handedly in the field to the one of the two people in her life whose opinions she gave half a hoot about – her mother. Japan was not one of those parents who was easily satisfied, nor one to give praise; chalk it up to an Eastern parenting mentality. However, compared to Merim, she was practically the most loving and affectionate mother anyone could ever ask for. Elysia had been raised primarily by Merim, but she understood her mother’s place in the world and the fact that her job entailed dealing with more important things than coddling a daughter. Most of her childhood had consisted of a rather military upbringing, courtesy of the dragon, but while her natural rebellious streak led to more than one head-butting with her superiors, she was all-around a dutiful student and daughter and more proficient than most any other person of her age.

However, none of that mattered right now – all Merim cared about was results here and now, and Elysia was falling short of her expectations. The girl knew that her mentor was holding back the curt, acidic words she was so well-known for, but it didn’t keep her from feeling frustrated about the entire thing. She didn’t understand why they had to spend all day repeating mundane drills when she knew that she was more than well prepared for the task at hand, not to mention the fact that she ought to be concentrating right now on preparing for her mission. If she didn’t know better, she’d almost think that the dragoness was keeping her from doing exactly that. But in the years that she’d known the brusque woman, she knew that all of the orders and training she had to endure were for her own good. However, that was exact moment that the words that were being held back finally lashed out as Elysia fumbled a footing ever so slightly. She winced slightly at the admonition and instantaneously corrected her form, but the rebuke hadn’t helped her already-foul mood.

“How is any of this going to help me?” she suddenly burst out, knowing full well that it was a terrible idea to question the woman, especially when she was exasperated. But Elysia’s temper had a way of getting the best of her, even in situations where she knew exactly what she should and shouldn’t do. It was an unfortunate trait of unknown heritage, because everyone knew that Japan didn’t have a quickness to anger like she did. Before letting Merim even get a word in edgewise, she barreled on, although never for a moment breaking form as she continued flowing through the positions. “Shouldn’t I be resting up or preparing for my mission instead? I could be wrong, but I have a hunch that it's not going to involve winning a tai chi contest.”

[MillietheWarrior]

There wasn't even the barest flicker or hint of surprise on Merim's face as she stared down her pupil. Her eyes did glitter dangerously for a moment, but the glimmer disappeared as she mentally sighed; the child did not understand what Merim was preparing her for. Japan, though idolized by the girl as a mother-figure, was nothing like what a real parental figure should be. Merim had pledged her life to the deity, would die for her if asked, but she did not always approve of Japan's plans, and thus, she would voice her concern in ways other than verbally; in this case, her concern lay entirely with Elysia, who she knew was not ready for this mission. And if she was not ready, then she would most certainly die. It was a cold, harsh truth, one that Merim had lived with for all the many ages of her life.

But when she looked to her pupil, to the girl she had raised since infancy, there was something deep in the recesses of her cold, sequestered heart that told her this was all wrong. She gave a minute shake of her head, her blue eyes riveting to the form of her pupil. “You may stop,” she ordered, and came to stand in front of Elysia, her hands crossed over her chest; she still felt exposed and different without her normal attire and it was a little more difficult to be the hard-hearted master when she was dressed much like her pupil might be. “So you believe you know better than I?” she demanded in a soft voice, devoid of inflection. “That this training is useless? Then you may cease, if that is what you wish. But should your carelessness get you killed, I will not mourn, for it is sessions such as these that keep your skills sharp, and may save your life.”

She turned on her heel, black hair twirling around her like a curtain of shadow, and promptly strode off. She stopped just at the top of a rise near the practice clearing, and elegantly and carefully leapt atop a rock. She dropped to sit, legs folded perfectly beneath her, and closed her eyes, willing herself to meditate despite the turmoil in her heart and mind. She could sense who was coming, and she had no desire to be near Elysia when her “mother” came to check on preparations.


(Human form ref1, 2)


As Merim had expected and sensed, Japan materialized just on the rise. She was as beautiful and alluring as any maiden, enhanced by her demonic heritage and her god-like status. She seemed to flow, rather than walk, as she glided gracefully across the ground towards her “daughter.” Although she seemed perfectly harmless, it was very well known throughout the Supernatural community that she was to be feared and respected. She was a dangerous fighter, supplicated by her thousands of years of experience. Once, very long ago, she had been a ravaging demon, her lands soaked with the blood of her enemies and her subjects. But time had tempered that into a sharper, more dangerous quality; a glint like steel, and a mind like a bladed trade, she was more dangerous now than she had ever been, mentally and physically. Merim, and countless others, knew this.

But Elysia did not; she did not know her “mother” for what she was, or what she was capable of. She had no idea how deep and how far-reaching her treachery could be. Despite her closed eyes and absolute stillness, Merim still felt the sharp glance that the demon Goddess sent her, and it caused shivers to race along her spine; if her usefulness had ever run out, she knew that she would have been dead long ago. But her loyalty, her ferocity, and her unquestioning obedience was what kept her at Japan's side; she was most likely the only thing in the world that the deity trusted. As Japan neared Elysia, her face seemed to melt from cold, frightening killer, to loving, warm mother, a shift done so seamlessly, that it would have been very difficult to catch.

“My dear!” Japan called as she reached her “daughter”; she held out her arms, voluminous sleeves billowing away from her body and making her loom larger than she was; the massive amounts of material on her person should have impeded her ability to move, but she was demon kind, and of the Gods, so no burden, however small, was too difficult a task for her. “Oh my poor dear, look at you. You certainly look a sight.” She reached Elysia then, and her arms shot out to wrap the girl in her embrace, cradling to her chest like an overgrown doll.

“Why have you not prepared for your mission? I would have thought you'd have done so ages ago. Do you wish to displease me by failing in such an important task? I have put such trust in your, my daughter, and yet you do not seem to be taking this seriously! You are breaking your poor mother's heart!”

[Flame]

Elysia was honestly taken aback when Merim conceded to her complaints. Honestly, the fact that she did unsettled her more than any other reaction the dragon could have given would have. The girl was used to the unyielding teacher who gave no quarter and never accepted anything short of perfect as an acceptable stopping point (and much of the time, not even then). This was the first time she’d seen the woman show any form of…pity? However while the words said one thing, Merim’s intentions clearly meant something different, and for that reason (and out of sheer bemusement over the reaction that she’d received), Elysia continued to hold her form in spite of – and partially because of – the sting of the woman’s words. It was only when she whirled around to stalk away that the pupil realized that her trainer actually meant it. Still confused, she broke form, but only to wipe at her damp face with a forearm.

Her mother’s arrival was the only thing that finally seemed to free the young woman from where she had stood, stupefied. Like Merim, she sensed Japan’s arrival, although not as soon as the dragon had. Then again, the time she’d spent with the part-demon, part-god was but a drop in the bucket of time that the other woman had dedicated to her mother (although Elysia couldn’t have known the sheer extent of their relationship). Japan’s approach caused the young woman to straighten up, instinctively brushing herself off to try and look at least somewhat presentable for her mother. A rather hopeless feat, considering she’d been training for the past few hours. It wasn’t every day that she saw the woman, so when she did, she at least tried to appear decent for her.

“Hello, mother,” she said as the figure drew closer, her voice falling somewhere between casual and formal. There probably wasn’t a single person in any realm that addressed Japan in a truly familiar fashion. Honestly, they’d probably spend the next hundred years subjected to vengeful suffering if they did. Elysia was one of the few who could get away with a tone this casual, but not for the reasons that she believed she could. After all, she was basically raised from childhood by this woman – how could she have possibly known any better?

She looked somewhat abashed at the comments about her appearance – if she’d known that Japan was going to be visiting, she was sure she could have found a way to get out of Merim’s training exercises earlier to freshen up. Maybe. After all, the dragon seemed to be in a somewhat odd mood today. Nevertheless, she grumbled like any teenager would as her mother moved to embrace her, but at least returned the gesture (if not quite as enthusiastically). “I’m sweaty, and I don’t want to get your nice clothes dirty,” she said by way of excuse as she squirmed away from her mother’s hug. At the gentle reprimand though, she did meet her mother’s eyes, mouth already open and primed to complain about the unfair division of blame. “It’s not my fault that Merim made me drill all day,” she protested, her face that of a person unjustly accused. “Unlike you, if I told her to just go away, I’d get nothing but a lecture and more drills to do in punishment for mouthing off.” If she had been a year or two younger, she would have pouted, but luckily, she had since grown out of that phase. “I wanted to prepare though, I really did!”

[MillietheWarrior]

“Is that so?” Japan asked in a strangely neutral tone, raising one elegant brow and directing her gaze to Merim. The dragon did not move, and said nothing, but she did open her eyes, blue gaze boring directly into the shimmering, flesh-colored eyes of her mistress. Neither seemed to move for an imperceptible amount of time, but after a few moments of utter stillness, japan turned back to her daughter, her eyes a little harsher than before, but softening as they landed on Elysia. “Oh, my dear. That is quite all right. I know how fond Merim is of her training sessions with you; she probably only wishes to spend time with you before you go.”

Japan ignored Eysia's protests, and swept her daughter up into another hug. “Now, I must go and attend to some business. I expect you to be prepared for your mission and to set out tonight. You know I do not disapprove of tardiness.” She leaned forward and kissed Elysia on the forehead, smoothing her hair back like a mother would a child, though she felt no real affection for the girl. “Now, off you go, my dear. Make sure you prepare adequately. I shall see you soon.” And with another wave, and a look in the dragon's direction, Japan seemed to shimmer and disappear, her energy dissipating and vanishing entirely as she removed herself to another plane of existence to attend her 'business.'

Merim remained where she was for a moment, waiting for the deity's presence to disappear completely, before she swiftly and fluidly removed herself from the rock. She strode across the training ground, making as if to walk past her pupil, but stopped just beside Elysia, gazing straight ahead and refusing to look at her. “Be careful,” she said in a soft, guarded whisper. “All if not as it seems. Keep your eyes and ears open, and do not be so quick to trust the words of those you think you know.” And then in a flash, the dragon was gone, dissipating into the shadows as if she herself was made of darkness. From here on out, it was up to Elysia to look after herself and choose friend from foe.