Takes Two to Tango {Haji&Katsumi}

[Shinomori Katsumi]

After quite some time recovering from wounds, Katsumi finally was able to walk around and all of the bandages were off. She felt so stiff and out of shape, and this greatly frustrated the woman. To not practice in so long made her feel weak and ashamed, and so Katsumi was at the beach, on a rock doing push-up and other routines. She had been quite antsy before, enjoying the relaxing only for a short time before her busy-body nature began to make Kat feel stir-crazy with all of the idleness. Her rib only hurt a little now, which was good. And so Katsumi worked herself hard, sweat beading down her brow and dripping onto the dark rock, the sleeves of her kimono and pant legs of her hakama rolled up.

The woman was entirely focused, eyes narrowed and limbs and muscles burning. No amount of hours would be enough to make up for all of the lost time from when she was recovering. At least that's how Katsumi felt. And so the archer continued to push herself as much as she possibly could (even though most probably wouldn't recommend this level so soon after recovery.) It wasn't as though this was the first time for her, anyway (nor likely the last)...

"One-hundred-and-fifty.... one-hundred-and-fifty-one..."

(Sorry. My brain is really scattered right now. This sucks, I know. >.<)

[Morei Haji]

"What...? She's not here?"

I went to check on Katsumi again, but her room was empty. Looking around, I didn't see so much as a note. I started to panic, but seeing as the nurses and all weren't in that same panic, perhaps she hadn't been kidnapped again... and the room was still in one piece, so no sign of a struggle.

Regardless, I was worried, so I left the inn, starting to take a look around. My stomach wound had healed up okay, so far. But I wasn't fully healed. It was fine enough to at least walk around and do some light exercise. It was something I really needed after having been bed-ridden for so long. This walk looking for Katsumi would give me just that, at the very least.

Looking around the merchant stalls, there was no sign of her. If she had gone to get food, I figured I would find her here. But no, she could probably get a meal while at the inn... I stood around thinking, wondering where I would go if I was Katsumi if she was able to move around freely again... I mused to myself as I started to walk, and I spotted a figure way over on the beach all by their lonesome.

"Is that...?"

No, it couldn't be. Could it? I figured it was worth a shot, and began to walk onto the beach in their direction. As I strode closer, I could make out that they were training themselves, and it was...

"Katsumi-chan?"

It was her. What was she doing way out here? I approached her concerned, she didn't need to push herself so hard. Not when her wounds were still healing.

"You shouldn't work yourself so hard... I was worried sick."

[Shinomori Katsumi]

Katsumi heard Haji's speak out, and continued doing push-ups without looking up.

"I have much to make up for, Haji-kun," she replied shortly, almost mechanically. "Too much wasted time."

At reaching one-hundred-and-seventy-five, the woman stopped and sat up, leaning against a rock while she rested momentarily. She wiped sweat from her brow, eventually covering her eyes from the sun and looking up at Haji.

"We cannot allow all of that idle time time to soften us up. We must always get stronger," said Kat rather matter-of-factly. It was a dog-eat-dog world. If they didn't get stronger, they would be eaten alive. But Kat sighed and, taking a sip of water, added, tone softer this time, "But... I apologize for worrying you, Haji-kun. I... just.. I needed to get out and train."

[Morei Haji]

"Well... yeah, but..."

If there was one thing I had to admire Katsumi for, it was how determined she was. Well, I admired her for a lot of things, but that stood out especially to me. We couldn't allow ourselves to get soft, not yet. There were still battles to be fought, as much as I hated to admit it. Katsumi understood that far better than myself. We couldn't stay in this seaside town forever.

"Don't apologize, I am just glad that you are okay."

I smiled at Katsumi, noticing her softer tone suddenly. I had to remember what her life was like before she met me, and recall what she had been like before she started to change. She killed just to make end's meet. She fought just to stay alive, to have enough money for her next meal or place to stay. It was different from myself, who had always done favors for villagers or helped others out, and even then that never guaranteed me shelter or a meal. There was a life that I wanted with Katsumi, and in order to achieve it, it would require a strength we don't yet possess.

"You're right. Lying around in bed probably softened us up far too much. I'm not even sure how my sword arm is anymore." I shrugged. "I'll train with you then, yeah?"

[Shinomori Katsumi]

Katsumi didn't expect Haji to offer to train with her or to agree. She figured he would fight her training in order to heal, and she had not been looking forward to such. Katsumi would not have acquiesce, even if she was prone to do so. So him agreeing simply made things easier, and the young woman sighed in relief.

"Okay," answered Kat, who picked herself up.

She was not wearing any armor, nothing to boost her strength or speed. Katsumi was working solely on her base strength, her base speed, her base everything. Every kind of practice was crucial, even spiritual, something she was not used to training before gaining her musou.

The woman glanced at her weapons on the ground and then back to Haji, tilting her head and quirking a brow. "No weapons? Does that.... sound alright?"

[Morei Haji]

I blinked. Wait, what did she mean by no weapons? Did she assume that I just challenged her to a spar? I absolutely had no intention of that, only wanting to be her exercise partner of sorts. Though, looking back at what I had just said... it's not hard to see why she had jumped to that conclusion.

"I, uh... Katsumi-chan... I..."

I scratched my head. What was I supposed to say? Would saying no let her down? And it'd feel really weird to fight her... I think I would hold back way too much. Or maybe she'd just outright whoop my ass. After my internal struggle on what to do, I would look in her direction and nod.

"Yeah... that sounds fine."

Come to think of it, I hadn't really ever seen her fight up close. The most I'd seen her do is stab a guy until he didn't even look like a person anymore... which was scary and I hoped she wouldn't get that way with me.

Looking at her and keeping my guard up, I wasn't exactly sure how to go about this... "Uh... well... I'll let you make the first move. please don't break me"

[Shinomori Katsumi]

He seemed uneasy, but Katsumi didn't really understand as to why (if anyone should spar and could trust to not get too injured or killed, it would be with a lover, right?), and so she didn't respond, instead waiting for an answer. At his response, Katsumi nodded. "Good. Alright, Haji-kun."

The woman rolled down her hakama and returned her men's kimono to its normal state, and Katsumi then lowered into a fighting position. Inhaling deeply, she closed her eyes, before snapping them open at the exhale, and she swiftly charged forward. While she fully intended to train herself hard, this was a spar, and so Katsumi would only throw a simple jab, right arm guarding herself and left hand going for a punch to his stomach (because she's a short shit xD). Normally Kat wasn't one to strike first like this, but she wanted to gauge Haji, see what he would do.