The Fog (Seiko/Open)

[Sanada Yukimura]

Theme Song: The Fog

It was early in the morning, about 8 o'clock, when a mysterious figure dressed in a black cloak with the hood up, hiding not only the figure's face from view, but also the clothing worn underneath, a dark blue kimono and hakama, black armor on top, boots, and red headband tied around the head, walked into Kofu, Lord Takeda Shingen's territory. Every so often, as the cloak fluttered, a spear could be seen held in the hand of the figure. A thin layer of fog hanging in the air, masking not only the surrounding environment, but the dull metallic clicks of the iron boots the figure wore with each stride taken.

[Tsukino Seiko]

Mornings and nighttimes were her favorites. Mornings especially because of the thick fog that made it so easy for Seiko to blend when she wore all traditional white garb. There were stories in Kofu about a ghost, a woman who frequented the mornings and those were probably just sightings of Seiko wandering about. Usually she was alone, but in the distance she saw a figure-- the individual was still too far for her to see clearly. Wasn't sure if that person was a friend or foe; the latter was unlikely, but still... She approached, but with caution.

[Sanada Yukimura]

Lifting his head up as in the distance, he spotted a figure... Or perhaps the ghost that so many stories in Kofu had popped up about. His spear held close to him as he moved forward, it wasn't until he was close enough, that he could make out the facial features of the ghost figure.

"Seiko-san?"

Flipping his hood off, revealing his red headband tied around his head, Yukimura would lower his spear, holding it loosely by his side, a kind and gentle smile on his face.

"On another one of your morning wanderings?"

[Tsukino Seiko]

"Yukimura-san?" she was pleasantly surprised. She hadn't seen him in the longest time, then again that was probably her own fault, for disappearing frequently and coming out at odd hours. She stood before him and bowed out of respect; as close as they were, he was still older and a superior.

A small chuckle, nodding her head- "You know me well. And yourself? Where are you coming from?" She was curious. His figure was hidden by a cloak; had he gone on a recon mission?

[Sanada Yukimura]

Bowing his head back to her in respect, it was because they were close, that he showed her respect back, because he knew how powerful her abilities were. Continuing to smile kindly at her, he would look at her, then down at his cloak, then back up at her. Oh right...

"I just arrived back from Numa Castle, in Satsuma. It was... interesting to say the least, Seiko-san."

[Tsukino Seiko]

She frowned; he knew that she disliked it every time he bowed back but it couldn't be helped.

"Numa Castle?" her eyes lit up, if for a brief moment. The marshlands! She had only gone there a few times but never deep enough to reach the haunted mansion. "You must take me there one day, when you aren't too busy?" It was a request. It probably wouldn't be for a while, she speculated, since the Takeda faction were pretty much at war.

"Are you free now? Would you like some tea?" her home was nearby and she wanted to hear about his trip since she lived vicariously through the stories of others.

[Sanada Yukimura]

"If that is what you desire, then I shall."

Though with the Takeda faction continually at war with the Uesugi faction, it would be quite some time before Yukimura could get some free time, but considering it was for Seiko, he would make time for her. He would always make time for her.

"I am always free for you. And that would be nice."

Shifting the arm holding his spear so he could move quicker without his cloak getting in the way, Sriko would briefly catch a glimpse of his armor beneath his cloak, which was pitch black, like a demon, but that wasn't the most surprising thing she would see. What would be is the brief glimpse of his other arm cradled in a makeshift sling, his hand turned palm up to cradle the helmet in his hand.

[Tsukino Seiko]

Seiko always had a sharp eye for things- the makeshift sling was disconcerting because she wondered if there were any other injuries on him that he was hiding. For the time being, though, she offered a small smile before she began to lead to way to her small and humble abode. Quite cozy because she lived with two others, though with how early it was the two were likely still sleeping.

She passed through the main gates and, at the entrance, took off her geta, neatly setting them aside before her bare feet hit the cool wooden platforms; head looked over her shoulder to ensure he was following before she disappeared into the kitchen to start the tea. It wasn't his first time in her home so she figured he would settle himself nicely on his own. Ten or so minutes would pass before Seiko made her appearance: hair neatly tied up into a tight bun, holding a tray of two teacups with a kettle of her favorite green tea: smooth and perhaps a little bland in the taste of others, but perfect for herself. That she held with one hand; the other was a fairly large pouch.

"Will you allow me to look at your arm?" She asked because she grew up around two of the greatest physicians she knew. Asked because it was what she studied and longed to become herself; the reason why her home was so small was because she had a large garden to grow herbs and roots of all sorts that were useful for medicine. The pouch she was holding were needles of various degrees for acupuncture.

[Sanada Yukimura]

Following after Seiko, not bothering to keep his cloak closed, as he knew how sharp-eyed she was and mostly likely saw his injured arm, upon passing through the main gates and reaching the entrance, he would struggle a bit to remove his boots, mostly because he only had one arm to work with, his spear leaning up against the wall of her home. Once he got both off successfully, he would look over and up at her as he saw her look back, and would give her a kind smile before following her into her home, automatically heading into her living room and plopping himself down on top of a cushion, his spear laid down beside him, indeed making himself comfortable.

Ten minutes later, he would look over as he heard her come in, having been looking out the window, a sheepish smile appearing on his face. He was right, she knew. Knowing there was no point in resisting, as she would not let him leave until he relented, he would unclip his cloak, letting it fall down around him, and gingerly removing his arm from the sling, would lower it down gently, then pull the sling off. He would then remove his spaulders, revealing his kimono sleeve underneath, which had a large hole torn at his shoulder. The dark energy knight he had fought had stabbed his shoulder bone with its spear twice in the same spot, rendering it completely useless. His other injuries weren't too bad mostly because I don't know will happen to Yukimura until the dungeon thread is finished and he could take care of those later.

[Tsukino Seiko]

She poured a bit of tea into a cup and set it before him, allowing him to drink with his free hand if he so willed. She moved to the side where he was injured and gingerly ran her fingers over his injuries, brows furrowing as her mind raced at what would be the most beneficial way to tend to him. She got up without saying a word and went to fetch a basil of warm water and two jars of pre-made medicine, as well as an already lit candle.

She returned with the items as well as a small wash cloth to clean his wound. There were two ugly holes in his shoulder.

"How did this happen?" Quietly spoken. Once clean, she took a thin white strip of cloth and wrapped it once around both his injuries before spreading the paste-like medication on his wounds. The strips worked as strainers so that only the medicinal properties would pass through and not anything else, making it easier to clean.

She started unpacking the needles for acupuncture but briefly looked up at him to gauge how he was doing.

[Sanada Yukimura]

Wincing slightly as he felt Seiko run her fingers gingerly over his injury, he would save drinking the tea she prepared until after she had tended to his injury, as it would allow him to better appreciate the tea. It mattered not to him if it was bland, because Seiko made it, it was the finest to him. Not even looking up when she returned after getting up without a word, he would sit still as she cleaned his wound, doing his best not to flinch from the pain.

"Myself and three others ventured to Numa Castle, and it was inside the middle chamber of the castle, that one of the monster inhabitants, a dark energy knight, stabbed me twice in the same spot with his spear. The same spear I now possess, as my old one was destroyed by it."

Motioning slightly with his functioning arm at the spear beside him, he would continue to remain still to make her job easier, giving her a kind, if slightly pained smile when she checked to see how he was doing. Though it was not apparent to most, to Seiko, she would be able to notice Yukimura's head fall forward slightly every so often, seemed like the extent of his injuries were finally catching up to him, as he was fighting to stay awake from exhaustion.

[Tsukino Seiko]

Seeing his head bob up and down, she got up to grab a pillow from a nearby drawer.

"Sleep- I'll wake you when I finish."

She would place his arm carefully onto her lab and, while he dozed off, she would start heating up the needles in the fire as a means to disinfect them. Fire was always a must have in her line of work. When one was too hot to touch, she would press the needle into his skin surrounding his wounds, pushing the sharp metal a quarter of an inch. There would be other parts of his body where acupuncture would be necessary just because that's how it works and I'm too lazy to do the research to know exactly why.

[Sanada Yukimura]

Giving her a grateful smile, he would slowly lower himself backwards onto the pillow, and before he knew it, he was fast asleep, his hair falling into his eyes and snoring peacefully. With his arm in her lap, he would shift every so often as she worked, even latching onto her once or twice, as he had the tendency to latch onto anyone or anything nearby in his sleep, though it would be when she just finished with her work on his arm.

[Tsukino Seiko]

When she finished tending to the acupuncture, she carefully wiped the medicinal paste off and replaced it with a fresh layer. Once completed, she felt herself relax; acupuncture always made her feel tense because she didn't want to stick a needle in the wrong area. Bah. She reached for a thin length of cloth, something that looked similar to a towel or a very thin blanket, and laid it atop the needles. He would have to stay put for the next hour and a half, which meant she would have to sit beside him to ensure that he didn't roll around.

She was going to get up and grab a fresh batch of tea but he had latched onto her. A small grin as she remembered his odd habits; it wasn't the first time he had been injured and she had tended to him, so the latching was something she had already known.

"Some things never change." She murmured quietly to herself, deciding to meditate while he slept. Once the hour and half passed, she would start pulling the needles out of him. Yoink!

[Sanada Yukimura]

Continuing to snore peacefully as Seiko started pulling the needles out of him after an hour and a half passed, just as she removed the last needle, his eyes would slowly open, and looking from side to side, his eyes would land on her. If she looked over, she would see him smiling gratefully up at her, his injured arm still in her lap.

"To wake up and be greeted by the sight of a beautiful maiden is an honor. Lady Seiko... You are truly magnificent."

[Tsukino Seiko]

"I think I just heard the hearts a million girls break." She joked, but only partially. Girls these days were head over heels for soldier boys and Yukimura was one of the more popular bachelors. Because they were close not only in relation but also in age, many of her female companions would ask about him and if there was anything going on between them. Unfortunately, Seiko was so purpose driven in perfecting her practice in medicine that she had little thought for anything else- or anyone, for that matter.

"How's the pain??" She asked because she was genuinely curious. She can't practice medicine unless people are injured, but the less injured people are, the better.

[Sanada Yukimura]

"I'm sure the hearts of those million girls will mend quickly. There are plenty of soldiers out there, just waiting to meet the one girl they would gladly give their life for to protect. Mine just happens to not be out there."

Did he mean something by that last part? Yes and no. It was because Yukimura knew how purpose driven Seiko was, that he made himself vow five years ago, that he would never develop feelings for her, because he could never wish to hold her back in reaching her full potential. True to his word, to this day, he had not. He cared deeply for her yes, but he cared for her like an older brother cared for a little sister. Maybe there was some feelings for her deep down, but they would never surface. He would never allow them to.

"Better than my hip... It still hurts a bit though, but it's mostly fine now."

Giving Seiko a kind smile, his hip had been injured as well, but it wasn't as bad as his arm had been. At least he was still able to move, despite being impaled in the hip.

"How did I ever get by all those years before meeting you Seiko-san..."

[Tsukino Seiko]

"You underestimate the gravity of a broken heart," a slight mutter and a 'tsk'.

"Your hip?! I only saw your arm!" Protest and a scold. Even though he was her superior, there were times like these when she just slipped with her words. Then again, he probably would want to see the official doctor of Takeda; Seiko was a physician but had little experience under her belt. The official physician, on the other hand, was old and wise- he had a white beard full of knowledge.

"You didn't. I saved you." Another joke because they both knew it was he that saved her, back when she was just 16, hair covered in black soot and ashes from the ruins of the home. Sometimes she wondered where she would be if Yukimura hadn't seen her; probably dead.

[Sanada Yukimura]

"... Crap. Yeah... My hip was impaled, this time by a skeleton chariot rider."

A sheepish grin on his face, Yukimura knew he had it coming the moment he let it slip about his hip. Even though he was her superior, he knew how motherly-like she could be at times, and he honestly didn't mind. Granted, no one likes to be scolded, but he knew it was just how she was, and took it humbly like he always did. His hip probably would require being looked at by the Takeda army physician, but he always came to Seiko first, if he could help it.

"Oh, well then remind me to call you every time I need saving then. You're like my Guardian Goddess or something."

Continuing to smile kindly up at her, he was only seventeen when he found her, completely covered in black soot and ashes. The other soldiers busy burying the dead, Yukimura went off on his own to check for any survivors in the burned out homes, even though it seemed none had survived. When he found her, he had immediately whipped the very black cloak that was laid out around the floor currently, off, and wrapped it around her, which had rubbed some of the black soot and ashes off her hair, revealing its true white color underneath.

Far from being frightened by her white hair and red eyes however, Yukimura was fascinated by her unique hair and eyes, and took her into the Takeda army with him, no questions asked. He would be her guardian and best friend for the next five years, endlessly patient with her constant coming and goings and just as fiercely protective of her as she was of him.

"I guess I better go and see Murata-sama... Could you... help walk me over to his home, Seiko-san?"

He sounded like a boy asking a girl to the prom.

[Tsukino Seiko]

"...skeleton chariot rider? You always have the wildest stories." Despite Seiko's frequent travels, she lived a pretty sheltered life. Mostly because she always had her face in a book, trying to figure out the latest medicinal advances so that one day she might be useful to the Takeda faction; after all they've given her, it was a heavy burden on her heart. That, and it felt like it was the only connection she had to her parents, hence why everything- even her travels- pointed towards her purpose in becoming a better physician.

"I wouldn't let you walk alone. Let me just tell Minari so he doesn't think I went off on an adventure." She stood and scampered off. Minari, despite only being half a decade older, was like her father figure. He was still sleeping, which was typical.

"Let me help you up," she uttered while she walked back towards him, flanking him on the side where his hip wasn't injured.

[Sanada Yukimura]

If only it was just a wild story. But it was in fact true, Yukimura, along with Haji Morei and Katsumi Shinomori, had in fact fought against a skeleton chariot rider. And it nearly handed their asses to them. But knowing how sheltered of a life she lived, coupled with the fact she always had her nose in a book, constantly pouring over the latest advances in medicine, he would not argue otherwise. Giving her a kind smile and nod of his head, he would quickly drain the tea she had prepared for him, and placed the empty cup down just as she returned.

Pulling back on his armor, as she flanked him on the side where his hip wasn't injured, he would pull his helmet back down, resulting in his eyes turning... yellow, and his skin... turning black. He'd then pick his spear up, before turning to face her, a sad look in his eyes.

"This is what happens when the armor I acquired from Numa Castle is completely donned. Are you... frightened of my appearance Seiko-san? Are you afraid of what I have become?"

[Tsukino Seiko]

She flinched- not because she was afraid, but because she was merely surprised at the sudden change. A warning would have been nice, but instead he just had to just show her first, and THEN warn her.

"You surprised me-- but no, what reason do I have to be afraid?" A gentle smile as she reached up with her free hand and pinched her superior's nose. "You are still the same. You would appear formidable to your opponents because they only know your exterior."

A pause.

"I do think that the change is very cool, Sanada-san."

It made his stories more believable.

[Sanada Yukimura]

"Truly? ... That makes me happy to he-"

He would begin to say, only for the serious moment to be ruined when Seiko reached up and pinched his nose, cutting him off in mid-sentence and causing him to furrow his brows. Once she released his nose, he would quickly rub underneath his nose with his finger, as he would grin at her, which would be frightening to anyone else, given his appearance, but not to her.

"You're making me blush Seiko-san. I'm not that cool... But now you are not the only one with a unique eye color. I still think your eyes and hair color are cooler than mine though."

Letting her lead the way out of her house, he would use his spear as a crutch of sorts, to lessen the weight placed on Seiko, and so he could move mainly on his own accord, letting her just help him a little, as opposed relying completely on her.