Testing Bounded Fields

KOSMINA:
War was upon them - just because there weren't big, sparkling banners being flown through the sky, attached to the backs of airplanes didn't mean that immense shifts in the state of the universe weren't occurring. They went unnoticed by the untrained eye; humans were oblivious to anything different. Strange happenings weren't at all uncommon in the heart and mind of a good, superstitious Japanese citizen. They chalked up situations that were too weird to outright explain on the activity of mischievous -sometimes bordering on violent- yurei. The people who interacted with them must be priests/priestesses of some sort.
Humankind was keen to let problems not their own be handled by others - and in all fairness, the Magus Association tried to maintain the grail war and not let it seep into their realm. While magi didn't necessarily think highly of people that weren't of their stock, they weren't trying to be discovered and have some kind of war waged onto them. A battle that size didn't really suit their attempts at preserving magical bloodlines. So though magi possessed decent numbers, they had opted for millennia to rightly keep clandestine their crafts. People hadn't, up to this point proven themselves open-minded enough to have a mass epiphany that they were never at the top of the food chain.
But enough about that - this wasn't an ancient/contemporary history class. This was war! And all magi knew it. Those who weren't participating did their best to steer clear of the battlefield, which had presented itself as Tokyo, Japan, within Shinjuku. Or something along those lines, at any rate. Those that remained, or were called here, were busily preparing against the oncoming threat of masters and servants attacking them at any given point.
At her urging, Kosmina's parents had taken their leave a few days after Christmas (another reason she had been taking down the decorations in the yard), and flew to go stay with some of her father's relatives in the United States. That left the house in her care, and she had painstakingly gone through all sorts of drastic measures to make sure the bounded field about the estate stretched itself from every corner of the yard. It was more pyramid-esque than spherical. Underground traps consisted of the moistureless air, and low levels of oxygen. Making it up to the basement from any sort of tunnel-system below would spell an end to whomever dared penetrate her first line of defense. She would know - these protections were tailored specifically to alert Kosmina - and she would not take mercy on any who wished to push into her <B>home.</B>
Their death would be an agonizing one. It wouldn't have been wise of her to leave the place open, vulnerable to intruders. Hopefully that was viewed as A+ effort. Once a person left the safety of this property, it would be on them to survive. So she made sure to inform Saber of that while she worked, diligent in her preparation;
"<I>Once we cross the property line in <I>any direction, we're on our own. I wanna make sure any more unexpected visitors have to go through me before they can approach here.</I>" The girl had recounted to Kenshin of her incident the other day, and the run-in with another of her teammates. It was probably bemusing that she had managed to knock herself off a ladder to the man, but all the same, after realizing that just about anybody could pull a Marise, and rather be on the same side, attack her house, she knew what had to be done. Not to mention, her father would be furious if she let his family home come to ruin! He would probably be more concerned about property costs than Kosmina's welfare, should damage befall the estate. Sad, perhaps, but true.
And so that was why Kosmina could be seen, standing just outside the bounded field, her hands propped on her hips. Her purple raincoat, lined on the inside with plushy stuff, repelled the rain as it fell. Her hair was french-braided down her back so she didn't have to worry about it getting soaked, either, save for a few loose, curling strands that were sticking to her numbed cheeks. She'd offered her servant a jacket and an umbrella earlier, for blending purposes, because she had to make sure this structure was concrete. Without her seal, another could not enter. It was time to test it. That was why they were even outside right now. Couldn't just assume she was safe simply because a bounded field was put up, right? Had to make sure it didn't have any <B>bugs</B> or potential holes. -E-

KENSHIN:
How many days has it been since his summoning? Four? Five? Either way not much has happened since his calling to this world, it was a bit unsettling. No battles, no bloodshed.. Not yet, so to prepare his master, Kosmina opted for a turtle strategy. Her notion being to lace her home with traps, for any foolish enough to stumble close to her abode. Kenshin stood underneath the small patio of the establishment, the umbrella she had given him in hand, the jacket covering his frame.. It had a distinct smell, a man's smell, her father's. After all, from what he understood it was just her mother, father and herself under this roof. White noise filled his ears as the female placed hands on her hips in a triumphant stance, proud of her 'temple of doom'. Teal hues shifted to look towards the sky, what was a fairly light drizzle began to pick up steadily. [c]
"You look to be quite content with your work." Kenshin's deepened voice cut through the white noise of raindrops colliding into the ground, Kosmina would find she was no longer being rained upon. Black umbrella moved to cover her, drops now pelting it's fabric. Though, in spite of the female's ingenious plan to hole up and wait until unwary mages stumble into her traps.. Kenshin could not help but feel there was loss of valuable time here. This war proved to be different than the others before it, no more did a master and servant have to endeavor by themselves.. They had allies to aid in this war. Immediately Kenshin's mind shifted to the first meeting of those allies, the boy and girl they had met during the Christmas festival but a week ago. Eyes tightened as he shifted a gaze downward to look over his master. Again, she was young.. Her actions spoke of her intelligence, but not of her courage. [c]
"Kosmina." He began teals shifting to look over her purple pools. "Why do you partake in this?.." It was a valid question, why beckon him here just to hide? "You are afraid. I see it. So why.." He took a step closer, Kenshin was known for his stern gaze and he gave it now. "Why am I here? If you intend to shirk the impending battles." The saber needed to know, no matter what his master's inclination.. He would stand by her, but he needed something. Anything tangible to strive for, to fight for. [e]

KOSMINA:
And she was proud! This was a good tactical strategy - and it minimized casualties. Granted her house wasn't a living, breathing, organic casualty, but she was pretty sure her parents wanted a place to live when all was said and done. Right? Whether she made it or not, that wasn't the point. So long as they had something to come back to, she hoped they would pick back up their lives and try to move forward. Should she be successful and claim the grail as her own, they would finally show some kind of acknowledgement of her skill, as an individual, and not as a name. If she weren't, at the very least they still had her brother to contend with.
He went to a private school in Toyama, room-and-board year 'round. Because he was to inherit their father's crest, their father had wanted to make sure he was educated in the finest schooling systems around, and would be a perfect fit to attend the Clocktower when he was of age. Kurama was his name, but Kosmina affectionately referred to him as <B>douchebag.</B> Or its Japanese equivalent, but that was neither here nor there. Kenshin moved closer, and the umbrella fended off the worst of the precipitation. It was handy that he was taller than her, was it not? It meant that she didn't have to struggle to hold it at a perfect height to ensure both of their perpetual dryness.
"<I>Wouldn't you be content with this kind of work? It probably isn't 100%, that's why we're gonna test it, but it's pretty damn good, all things considering. I mean, I really built off the foundation of what was in place some sixty years ago, back when the last grail war went down.</I>" Her family hadn't wanted to evacuate then, her great-grandparents wanting to bear witness to the spectacular event. Of course, neither participated then, Kosmina was the first on either side to be a known figure in the great, holy grail war!! At least the books made it out to be 'great.' So far it seemed kinda shitty to her.
Why should she go around killing a bunch of people to get what she wants? Aren't there better ways to do that than to put all of her faith in some stupid, magical cup that only granted one person's wish? After all, it seemed to require sacrifices. This time, 26. That was steep. Why should she even --
"<B>Kosmina,</B>" her thoughts were interrupted by Kenshin's voice cutting through the silence. The raindrops were like heartbeats against the patio. She hadn't expected his next inquiry, at least, not in its entirety. "<B>Why am I here? If you intend to shirk the impeding battles.</B>" Wait, what? As soon as he said it, the master (whose hands were still on her hips) pivoted on her heel and bore said purple gaze into his own. Her brows narrowed.
"<I>What the hell are you talkin' about, Dragon? Who said anything about 'shirking battles? Is it because I'm attempting to protect my house?</I>" Goodness.
"<I>I don't know a lot about feudal wars, or your era, but I do know that having your home base destroyed really, really sucks. <I>I sure couldn't afford to fix it if somebody's sword sliced it in half.</I>"
Her tone said that she didn't like what he had implied - or had assumed about her motivations in putting up wards like this about the property.
"<I>Now if you think we're gonna sit here like ducks and wait for somebody to get antsy and try me, you're crazy. The war is in Tokyo, anyway. This is just for safety.</I>" And then her arms crossed and she stepped closer, annoyed master mode activated.
"<I>Now if you're done thinkin' me a coward, I need you to step to the sidewalk with me and attack my barrier, okay?</I>"

KENSHIN:
Oh my, he had not expected the girl's ferocity. Brow perked ever so slightly as she argued her point, and the dragon listened quietly. Home base destroyed, yes that would be very bad. Preparation just in case things headed south, that was sound. Though her next comment helped solidify what kind of person Kosmina was, 'Now if you think we're gonna sit here like ducks and wait for somebody to get antsy and try me, you're crazy.' Smirk was prompted to pull at the samurai's lips as those blues shifted to the side. "I find fault not in planning." He spoke, Kenshin always spoke in a very formal tone, naturally it was due to his background. Rain around them grew heavier, what was once a light shower transpired into heavy rain. Thick drops made it difficult for any onlookers to discern details of their forms. "Merely fault in lack of utilization." Hues turned downward to look upon the girl's own heated gaze, my my.. She could give Kenshin's own steel glare a run for his money. [c]
"Clarity is gained through your reasoning." The umbrella he held was passed off to the girl, and his body pressed onward onto the sidewalk as she asked. Naturally this would ensure his frame would grow soaked, but the dragon paid the dampened clothes and hair that now clung to his muscular frame no mind. No, instead he lifted his arm upward and in a flash of white light his sheathed blade materialized before him, hands grasped onto the sheath. "Care to join me Kosmina?" Saber questioned, air around him began to heat.. Steam ascending from his body as the water on his very form began to evaporate into the air.. In fact now there was such an increase in energy the raindrops that would have dampened his frame evaporated before reaching him. Another hand rose to grasp the hilt of his blade, and in front of him the weapon was slowly removed from it's sheath. "A mighty strike to test this fortification, correct?" [c]
Steeled teals shifted to look towards Kosmina, with how much energy Kenshin was outputting he'd likely cleave through the seal and house itself if he wasn't careful. Was that his aim? To destroy her seal?.. With how much strength he had accumulated that seemed to be his intention. A rush of heated air slammed into the objects immediate to the area, the very rain stopping once more to create a sphere of dry air around both he and Kosmina. "I do wonder if this seal can defy the capability of a servant.." Kenshin trained his eyes forward once more. Blade was risen, another gust of wind forcing her and his own clothes to whip around wildly. He wasn't going to test the seal at this rate.. No he was going to destroy it along with the house. [e]

KOSMINA:
"<I>Good, well, I <B>also</B> find fault in not having a plan. This is a war, you know better than anyone that nothing is gonna be off-limits to our enemies.</I>" And that just might include family, valuable possessions, or even one's place of residence - she wasn't sure the kind of people they would be up against, she was merely prepared for the worst-case scenario... If their opponents were anything like the pair she had met at Tokyo's Christmas festival, she knew she would have to be mentally ready for reckless souls who don't give a damn about who they hurt.
Innocent lives, did it matter if they took them? No. Kosmina steeled herself for encounters of that unpleasant kind. She had to be sure that everything she loved was safe. That meant sending her parents away; that meant safe-guarding a house that had always been cold to her, but seemed to matter to her father. And to the latter end, safe-guarding the family estate meant standing outside in the rain, going to extreme lengths to test her skills by asking Saber to - quite possibly - take out the same thing she sought to protect. But it would be worth it if the seal she was readying to place upon it would hold against an attack Kenshin was capable of delivering.
His sheer power was echoing within the raise in temperature of their immediate surroundings; his very presence made the water molecules in the air come alive. Faster, and faster they vibrated, until the bondage that loosely bound them as rain droplets was no more! As quickly as they fell down upon the man, they dissipated into steam, licking off him as if he were a flame unable to be extinguished. There was something raw in his exhibition - Kosmina <B>loved</B> it! Sure, there were possiby (can't discount what the universe has up its sleeve), but in just that small showing of latent potential, her confidence bolstered. His offer was met with wide-eyes, the young master clearly impressed by something like calling his sword.
"<I>I'd love to join you, and I will...I just have to add a final touch to this spell first...</I>" Kosmina broke away from her servant, the closeness probably a little weird now that her stare was no longer challenging, but one that could only be described as a <I>little bit</I> star-struck. Just a smidge. <B>Really.</B> Adjusting her hood, she dashed from beneath the umbrella's shelter and away from the patio, up to the barrier in question. As easy as breathing (when not in the midst of a deluge), she pushed herself outside of her bounded field- it didn't present itself as one might expect it would, but that was because the movement had come from inside of its perimeter. Had she tried to pass back into it, there would have been rejection. Or at least, that was what it was meant to do. On the outside, the weather's fury did not cease.
No, it was like a typhoon had struck Toyama at once - the visibility was limited. Observers, through their glass windows, wouldn't see any more than two indistinct silhouettes obscured by the storm. And even then, with the wind picking up, this was choppy at best. Had they too much to drink this afternoon? Cheeks were turned, and the blinds drawn. Nobody was overthinking anything today; it was too cold, and too miserable. Kosmina agreed. But this had to be done. Glancing back to Kenshin, she crooked a finger and beckoned him from without the barrier's walls. This was the only REAL way to attack her fortifications. If he fired off from within there, the bounded field would let his strike pass through - she didn't want any misfire. Just as she couldn't pay to have this house fixed, she surely couldn't pay to have any others on the block fixed.
This was best; attacking from the outside was optimal in that it simulated real-life scenarios and gave her spell a fighting chance. Kosmina then returned her attention to the matter at hand: the stylized symbol of her own make, it reflected her signature as a magus. In kanji it consisted of sweeping lines, and it read <I>pure.</I> Consider this a ward against malignant entities atop her bounded field. Overkill? <B>No such thing.</B> There was fault in lack of utilization, as Kenshin had said; she would be wrong not to protect this place with every trick in the book she was able to perform. Taking a step back, Kosmina admired her work.
"<I>Yes, as mighty a strike you can pass. I'm going with the scenario that maybe our attacker is just as strong as you are. In that case, I need to know that I can at least stop them from tearing the house down. If that means the barrier breaks, but I'm alerted to it, we can come out and fight them... if we're here. If they can break it and we're not, well... then I guess I'm screwed, huh?</I>" Kosmina tucked herself beneath the umbrella again, this time taking it from his clasp. She wanted him to have both hands readily available to wield his sword, and make the blow they've been waiting for. Or, more accurately, the blow <B>Kosmina</B> has been waiting for- Kenshin was the one asking his questions.
And yeah, yeah, she guessed he had a right to ask her about her motives in this war; everybody was out for something, weren't they? The Saber himself probably wanted to gain something by his being here... it was only fair he ask her about her intentions for the days that lay ahead of them. How would she approach warfare? Bloodshed? Could she face death itself at the cost of some selfish desire? <I>He had a right to know</I> just what kind of magus Kosmina intended to be in the grail war. Hopefully she had iterated well enough that she wasn't any kind of coward...
"<I>Whenever you're ready, Dragon. Show my bounded field what you're made of!</I>"