Meeting Lea

[19:49] Lea had enough of watching the fighting. She thought it'd be fun to watch, at least, but the girl had yet to develop any kind of interest in fighting, and this didn't help. She didn't feel like going all the way home, though, so she made her way to the beach and sat down on the sand, beginning to skip rocks on the ocean. Her gaze was transfixed on the spires, though, as she was completely lost in thought.
(Lea Elisheva)
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[19:51] After a defeat that was far more crushing than Rindou would have expected she needed to vent some frustrations. How could the gap between her and Caira have closed up so badly? She used to be the one on top, barely, but now she couldn't being herself to defeat the Gehennan. That just felt horrible, even if she was happy for the other's growth.

It's without much care for the civilians, fish, and magi alike that the young noblewoman kicked some sand up towards the sea a tad angrily.
(Rindou Sakamoto)
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[19:55] Initially, the presence of another didn't divert her attention. But if there was one thing Lea was not prepared to deal with, it was anger, so she noticed it whenever it was around her. The kicking of the sand broke her out of her trance, and she gazed over at Rindou with a concerned expression and tone.

"What's up? Is something wrong?"
(Lea Elisheva)
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[19:57] She didn't expect anyone not to mind their business, but here someone was doing just that. A scowl came to her face so naturally one could swear this was the Rindou from three years prior. Amber eyes locked onto Lea's own for a few moments, that frown gently, slowly loosening up before she took her head, turning her gaze back to the sea.

"No. I'm fine."
(Rindou Sakamoto)
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[20:01] Lea, as sensitive as ever to the emotional state of others, knew that Rindou wasn't telling the truth. She didn't want to press or accuse her of lying, though, but it was her instinct to attempt to help people who weren't feeling well. So, without much thought, going solely off of intuition, Lea spoke. But given the subject was fighting, something she was not well-versed in, she wasn't sure if her words would help.

"You seem pretty strong. I liked that fight."

She wasn't technically lying, as their fight occurred well before she lost interest in the tournament.
(Lea Elisheva)
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[20:04] Rindou stared off towards the horizon in silence for a few more seconds before she huffed, kicking off her sandals into the sand softly to properly sit down, getting a bit more comfortable to entertain the discussion.

"I could have done better." She uttered, her eyes glancing further away from Lea as she tried to review that match all over, to think about her mistakes and ways to improve.
(Rindou Sakamoto)
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[20:07] "Yeah, you could've. Everyone can do better. But at least you're not making excuses for your loss."

Lea was also the kind to analyze her mistakes and wasn't the kind to make excuses for losses. Even though she didn't fight much, she sought to be better at everything she did. She thought it a winner's mindset, something she fancied herself as having even though she wasn't a competitive person by default.

"My name is Lea, by the way. It's nice to meet you!"

She seemed positively eager to meet a new person; a far cry from how she used to be.
(Lea Elisheva)
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[20:10] A bit too positive and enthusiastic, that's all that Rindou thought of Lea in that moment. In moments like these where she felt like her worth was not nearly as high as her birthright commanded it to be the noblewoman was wholeheartedly bitter in her deepest parts.

"I'm Rindou of house Sakamoto."

No saying it was a pleasure, not even mentioning anything else. No titles, nothing. She really was a sore loser.
(Rindou Sakamoto)
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[20:14] Lea's cheeriness not catching on didn't do much to dissuade her from being in a good mood. If nobody else in this world was going to be happy, she had to try, even with all the loss she suffered recently.

The mention of a house gave Lea enough of a read on what was going on here for her to actually say something more substantive, although whether or not it'd be appreciated was highly questionable.

"Your standards for yourself are too high, Rindou. You're going to get too self-absorbed in your own perceived mediocrity to actually improve if you don't reign it in a little bit."
(Lea Elisheva)
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[20:19] Just who did she think she was to say something like that, acting as if she knew her in any shape or form. A quizzical expression came to the young woman's face before she retorted like a venomless snake.

"I know exactly where I stand, what I want to do, and what I have to do to accomplish it. You're way off the track, stranger."

This still forced her to think about why she was upset. She should be happy that Caira was growing stronger, happy that her friend was finally seeing results with all of her hard work. Why wasn't she?
(Rindou Sakamoto)
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[20:25] "I apologize, then."

Rindou's reaction didn't do much to make Lea think she was wrong. As a matter of fact, it made her even more certain that she was at least close to being right. However, she didn't want to fight or press about it, as you can't exactly act like a therapist towards people who don't want it. She was here to make friends, not enemies.

"What about the person you fought, then? Do you know where she stands?"

More questions asked to force Rindou to reflect. Lea sounded legitimately curious when asking this, though, because she didn't want to come off as being aggressive. Everything about Lea, from her posture, to how she carried herself, indicated the exact opposite.
(Lea Elisheva)
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[20:30] That answer was a simple one. Something that fueled the previous anger and had brought about more than one battle.

"She's my rival. She stands right by my side."

It was a high praise for someone who came from a noble house and had wealth backing up her name; calling a Gehennan who spent her early days mining and digging up rocks for coins and watching her grow into a warchief was still not enough to consider her an equal, no. There was much, much more to it.

"We're 2-2 after this."
(Rindou Sakamoto)
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[20:36] That was pretty high praise for someone who seemed to have a bit of a chip on their shoulder regarding their own pedigree, and Lea picked up on that. Sometimes you can speak a lot without saying much at all, and what Rindou said was enough to give Lea some sort of idea on how to cheer her up.

"Then smile, Rindou."

Lea gave her own light smile at Rindou, although not the big, bright one she did whenever she was really happy.

"If not for her sake, then because you have a reason to keep trying. A good one. You have at least two reasons to be happy, right? and just one to be upset."
(Lea Elisheva)
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[20:40] "I know all of that already!" She hissed out almost too aggressively. If she knew it all, why was she not smiling? This was the part that messed with her the most. She wanted to be happy for Caira. For her success. For her growth. For her recent changes. They stood at eachother's side through thick and thin, so why couldn't she be happy that the Gehennan with finally reaching her level and surpassing it?

Kindness, respect, and understanding.

Those were the three virtues she was supposed to follow. The first one she could sort of considered being followed seeing as she hadn't told off Lea by calling her names. The second was... somewhat followed, yet not at all.

She couldn't bring herself to respect the achievements of her loved one. Of her dearest friend. All over what?
(Rindou Sakamoto)
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[20:45] There was a difference between knowing and understanding, and this was a great exhibition of that fact. Lea remained silent for quite some time after, lost in thought over what to say. But rather than trying to guess, she decided to be as simple as she could about it.

Lea was all about understanding, after all. Maybe she could teach Rindou a lesson or two in that regard.

"Then ask yourself why you can't. Ask yourself and let the answer come to you. It very well might."

"And focus as little on how things should be as you can. Let go of all of those, as they only cloud your vision. All that's important as how things are, and you won't find out what you need to until you let yourself see things that way."
(Lea Elisheva)
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[20:52] Shut up.

These were the words that she wanted to tell Lea so badly. Who was she to talk to her like that and pretend she knew what kind of messy struggle she was in? It was much more than that. There was Isaac, there was a legacy to follow up on. There was a lot of people counting on her and a lot more on the line. It was complicated. There were so many ties, bonds, knots, and ropes attached to everything that it made it had to navigate, let alone resolve.

"I already know what I need." She finally uttered.

She had known for a long time. She even told Reito back then - Caira had heard of it, too.
(Rindou Sakamoto)
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[20:56] "Great, I'm glad I could help!"

Lea said that facetiously, knowing full-well she didn't do much more than get on Rindou's nerves throughout all of this. So she changed course, revering back to how she normally was: Curious, inquisitive, seeking to understand. If she couldn't help, at the very least, she could try to satisfy her own curiosity. Maybe she'd get further doing that than she would trying to be a therapist.

"What do you need, then?"
(Lea Elisheva)
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[21:01] "Nunya."

She answered. She wasn't about to tell Lea what she needed; that was embarassing. All that was required was just a bit of time. A bit of... spark. It wasn't the right moment just yet. It wasn't good enough. She needed everything to be perfect. She needed that ritual to be over. She needed that shrine to be brought up.

Time. And courage.
(Rindou Sakamoto)
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[21:05] "If you insist."

Lea wasn't going to prod much more; it's clear the other girl had a lot on her mind, little of which she wanted to express. This was beyond Lea, who had her own problems to deal with, and getting herself lost in the concerns of others would do nothing but distract her. And as eager as she was to make friends, she wasn't intent on forcing it.

"Anything you wanna talk about, though? I'm always up for making friends."

Not that she wouldn't try to make friends, as shaky of a start as she might've gotten off to.
(Lea Elisheva)
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[21:12] Was there anything she wanted to talk about? Was there anything to even talk about? Her hobbies had been diminished to nearly nothing with how serious the world got all of a sudden. Training, politics, and learning were all she really ever did. Aside from her few, short moments with Caira there wasn't much for her to enjoy and speak of.

She shook her head.
(Rindou Sakamoto)
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[21:17] Well, there went her attempt to make a friend. She shrugged, stood up, and dusted the sand off of herself before walking away...

But then she was stricken with an idea.

"Wanna fight, then?"

Lea didn't like fighting, and probably never would. But that seemed to be all this girl was interested in, and she didn't want to just leave this situation without having fostered some kind of bond. Besides, the girl needed to learn to enjoy fighting a bit more sooner or later, and the only reason she didn't fight in the tournament was because she didn't want a lot of people knowing how strong she was.

But in a more private setting...?

A fight wasn't off the table.
(Lea Elisheva)
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[21:20] "Why?"

That was the only question she asked as she turned to look at Lea who had almost left the area. Why would they fight? Just so that she could suffer another loss? Just to test herself? To practice? To win against someone she didn't know? There was no point.

Rindou still seemed upset after all.
(Rindou Sakamoto)
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[21:21] Lea Elisheva asks, "For fun, why else?"
[21:22] Rindou Sakamoto says, "..."
[21:22] Rindou Sakamoto says, "Okay."
[21:23] Lea Elisheva asks, "Know a good spot?"
[21:23] Rindou Sakamoto says, "Anywhere."
[21:23] Lea Elisheva says, "I'll look around."
[21:24] Lea Elisheva asks, "Here good?"
[21:24] Rindou Sakamoto says, "Sure."
[21:24] Lea Elisheva says, "Alright."
[21:24] Lea Elisheva asks, "Don't tell anyone about how strong I am, okay?"
[21:24] Lea Elisheva says, "I'd rather keep people thinking that I'm not strong."
[21:25] Rindou Sakamoto says, "You're making a lot of a mess just for a fight."
[21:29] Lea was nervous.

Any fight was a big deal to her, as she didn't fight that often. This was the first one in a while, against someone she didn't know, all for the sake of a bonding experience. It's not that she expected to lose, mind, but there was always a sense of anxiety that came with having to test herself against others in any context.

"I might be, yeah... but fighting is rare for me, so I might as well make sure it counts."

She was so naïve and inexperienced when it came to fighting, and it showed. Strength be damned, she still had a long way to go before she could ever consider herself a fighter.
(Lea Elisheva)
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[21:30] Rindou was more frustrated than nervous at this point. There was a lot of steam to lose and a lot of pain in her heart she couldn't settle. Lea's odd behavior wouldn't stop her from acting just as she did normally in battle, more or less moving on autopilot as she leapt towards the blue-haired girl right off the bat.
(Rindou Sakamoto)
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[21:36] Getting into fighting proved to be a lot easier than she thought it'd be. Lea held a lot of strength despite her inexperience, and that shined through with how she fought. She kept her distance, managing to land powerful strikes when she could, and healed off a lot of the damage Rindou managed to inflict. And while she normally didn't enjoy fighting, Lea did begin to appreciate the adrenaline rush she was getting from it.

She didn't say anything, though, as any comment on how the fight actually went would likely just serve to make Rindou even more upset.
(Lea Elisheva)
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[21:39] Holy magic. Used in a defensive manner and the way that it was meant to be used. It really was something else in the hands of others; even Caira's own surpassed Rindou's by a large, large margin. What had turned her into such a goofball, into such a mess? There had to be a way, right? To make it work out.

For those molten waves to strike with full force.

Rindou moved forth, even more aggressive than before.
(Rindou Sakamoto)
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[21:44] Perhaps it was the anger. Perhaps it was the adrenaline. Perhaps it was the fact that Lea had provoked her into this battle. Rindou wasn't too sure what drove her to defeat the blue-haired girl this time around, but she was no longer holding any punches. Every strike was sent out with the aim to cut through her. Every slash wished to draw blood, further welcoming the crimson blade's own desires.

She was supposed to be strong, and now she was losing all of her battles.

No more.
Caira was just a fluke.
Caira was just a fluke.
Caira was just a fluke.
(Rindou Sakamoto)
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[21:47] Lea was starting to accumulate more and more wounds, and was actually beaten this time around. She didn't want to throw the fight, but part of her was relieved that she was getting something out of Rindou other than bitterness, even if what she was getting was nothing but pure, unadulterated aggression. She was starting to get excited beyond just the adrenaline rush, because part of her believed that this was helping the other girl.

She had no intention of losing, though. Not here. Not now.

She was in it to win it.
(Lea Elisheva)
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[21:53] Rindou fought well, but Lea fought better. She never underestimated her own strength, only hoped that other people would do the same to her. When she allowed herself to get into the fight, her own pedigree shined through. Angelic blades were flung, hitting their mark when they needed to, and the blessing of Eden did well to keep her healthy. While it wasn't a total victory, it still showed beyond a shadow of a doubt who the stronger between the two was.

She said nothing, though, eagerly waiting to see how Rindou would react to another loss. She wasn't a sore winner, even if her player wanted her to be sometimes.
(Lea Elisheva)
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[21:55] It was an odd one, wasn't it? She didn't want to fight at first and now? She was way, way into the fight. As those divine blades pierced through her molten shell the young woman's blade would serve as support, keeping her on her feet. Amber eyes with more intensity than before stared right down towards the Elisheva, a single word uttered despite the defeat.

"More."

Just like Caira had forced her to fight again and again.
(Rindou Sakamoto)
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[21:59] "If you insist..."

Lea healed her own wounds as she prepared to go another round, not turning it down because, for the first time, she was starting to truly get into it. While the idea of fighting had never appealed to her before, something within her ticked that made it seem enjoyable for the first time. Perhaps it was budding resentment over her series of personal tragedies, or perhaps it was a desire to grow even quicker than before, but one thing was clear:

Lea wasn't going to avoid being a fighter for long.
(Lea Elisheva)
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[22:05] That one was a lot more tense. Rindou was starting to adapt to Lea's fighting style, her strikes growing more vicious and precise as time went on. It still wasn't enough for Rindou claim a victory, but it was enough to make Lea think that her victory wasn't assured. For some reason, though, that made her happy. She was excited to witness the growth of another person, even if it ended in her defeat.
(Lea Elisheva)
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[22:09] It almost was as if everything was on the line there. Like Lea was holding hostage everyone she had ever loved. Why did it feel this way? Why did Rindou feel like she needed a victory so bad? Was... there something complicated going on in her life?

Or was this how just felt to feel below someone - to be a sore loser.

It mattered little. The woman engaged forth and tried to win.

She needed it.
(Rindou Sakamoto)
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[22:12] Rough. Violent. Merciless. Rindou stayed on Lea's tail like she belonged there, like they were meant to be close to one another. Like nothing could separate them. The young noblewoman's slashed carved through the flooded fields, sending forth waves of magma that melted everything in their path.

The world, much like her mind, was in a constant state of chaos.
(Rindou Sakamoto)
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[22:15] Lea was still relaxed, by comparison, but the fact that the world made more sense to her at this point in time did little to allow her to win. It was close, that's for sure, but this time, Rindou did manage to inch out a victory. Not to mention, exhaustion was starting to set in, despite her attempts to heal herself. Not physical, but mental.

Maybe she just needed to hit her stride before it all went away. Maybe she just needed more experience.

But right now, all that was on her mind was the fight.
(Lea Elisheva)
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[22:22] She won. She kept winning. She rapidly gained experience, too, and that proved to be Rindou's downfall. Angelic blades flew from the area in front of her, creating multiple lacerations on Rindou's body, finishing her off. Her control of those was growing better by the minute, it seemed.

Maybe she should've given fighting more of a chance. Maybe she should've fought in the tournament, as it was pretty clear that Lea was someone not to be trifled with.

"I can see why people find this so fun, now! Thank you for all this."

Despite the adrenaline from fighting causing her to be more aggressive, Lea was still as cheerful and upbeat as ever.
(Lea Elisheva)
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[22:24] It could have been hers. It almost was. She was hitting, over and over and over, striking all the right spots at the right time, keeping herself close to Lea and forcing her to fight head-on. But... then came the difference. Divine blood within the Elisheva's veins lit up like a christmas tree and blades of heavenly descent came through to shred Rindou in the midst of battle, forcing her closer and closer to the ground, eventually unable to keep herself standing.

The difference laid a whole layer further. It was as if she was the one of lower caste this time around. As if she was...

Trash.
(Rindou Sakamoto)
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[22:29] Indeed, divine blood was the difference-maker, and perhaps there was a lesson to be learned within that. She wondered if Rindou would even bother learning that lesson or get too upset over her loss, but maybe being informed of her inferiority would drill some humility into her. She walked over to the other girl once the fight was over, offering her a hand, knowing that she wasn't likely to take it.

Lea pegged Rindou as the kind of girl to reject that kind of help, but couldn't help but offer it just by her very nature.
(Lea Elisheva)
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[22:32] It was tough. Rindou kept staring at the skies for a long while after that loss. It hurt her more than it helped, and perhaps that would be the key that would allow her to grow. She quietly observed the skies, making sure to note its color as the night fell, to absorb in that feeling as her defeat was proven time and time again. There needed to be a change. She needed to be stronger, to be better. The young woman...

... took Lea's hand.
(Rindou Sakamoto)
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[22:36] Lea dragged Rindou over to the beach, while casting holy magic on her all the way in order to soothe her pain. By the time they got there, Lea let go of Rindou's hand, sat back down, and allowed her gaze to get lost in the stars. As always, she found herself hypnotized by them.

"You can go if you want. I just figured you wouldn't want to be dragged back to a public place in that shape."
(Lea Elisheva)
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[22:40] It was humiliating in a way to be dragged around like that and treated like someone who needed help. Ironic, considering she had spent the past year asking for help towards an endeavor that was crazier than any other before. Rindou quietly sat down on the ground, staring off in the horizon and considering what it really meant for her to lose like that.

Did she deserve it or something? Was this karma?
(Rindou Sakamoto)
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[22:45] Lea didn't know whether or not to say anything. Perhaps it was better not to. So she just allowed her mind to wander, reflecting on what all transpired today. Occasionally, the stars had something to say to her, but she didn't repeat whatever it was they said.

It was a conversation between her and them, as always.

But eventually, she decided to ask a question.

"Care to share what's on your mind?"
(Lea Elisheva)
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[22:49] Sitting there and going through the realization that she wasn't as good as she thought she was was a difficult process. She had completely blanked out on Lea's presence, shutting herself off in her own little world as she kept on trying to resolve the issue she saw, the one she thought existed. More and more she was slowly losing it, up until the other's voice echoed forth.

"... No." She answered.
(Rindou Sakamoto)
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[22:50] Lea Elisheva says, "So be it, then. I'll leave you to your thoughts."
[22:54] Rindou Sakamoto says, "Good."
[23:15] Rindou eventually got up from the ground, deciding that she was good to go back. That she could... do it. Hold her head up high and act as if she was just fine. Perhaps the tournament was over; she had to go congratulate Caira, didn't she?
(Rindou Sakamoto)
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[23:15] Lea Elisheva says, "Seeya."
[23:15] Lea Elisheva exclaims, "It was fun!"
[23:16] Rindou Sakamoto says, "Later."