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justamindset β§ 695530 β§ Kotori [bird of luck]
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A hand reached out, grabbing a fist full of Kotori's hair and shoving her head into the ground. With a knee digging into her back, and her dominant arm pinned behind her, Kotori struggled against her attacker, practically hearing the sneer spread across her brother's face. Her sword was sticking blade down into the training ground dirt just out of arm's reach as if it, too, was taunting Kotori for her failures.
Her father stood off to the side, back straight with hands behind his back, judging the fight with beady black eyes that held only criticism for his only daughter. Rage simmered at the base of Kotori's spine as she reached for her brother's arm, the one bracing his weight above her. She yanked hard, her brother losing balance and slamming into her with his full weight. Unlike her, Kotori's brother hadn't braced himself for impact, not recovering as fast as his sister as she flipped both of them around to be the one pinning her brother down. Taking the chance, Kotori grabbed her brother's weapon from the ground and lunged for her own, spinning around to hold her blade directly under her now-kneeling brother's chin.
She'd won.
There were no words of praise from her father as he approached, no pride in his eyes like there would be if any of his three sons had won, though Kotori knew her father would have just assumed they'd won because she was weak. As a woman, Kotori should not be engaging in sword fights and battles, let alone partaking in practices as she'd done today. Kotori had no qualms with the women of her household, nor the wait-staff that took care of the household chores, but none of that was appealing to her; Kotori wanted to be strong in the way of the sword instead.
'Asahi," Her father's voice boomed, and her brother's head whipped towards him. Asahi's face held both guilt and anger as he took in their father's next words. "I am disappointed in you."
Asahi bowed his head to show respect, while Kotori stood defiantly; as far as she was concerned, her father hadn't earned hers for years now. "I am sorry, father. I don't know how I lost."
Their father's gaze flickered to Kotori for only a moment before returning to his disgraced son. "A warrior must learn to analyze their defeats in order to gain from them. Go, think on and write about where you went wrong, and how your sister got the better of you. I trained you better than to be defeated so easily, Asahi; tomorrow, your training will be harder."
The deathly glare Asahi sent Kotori as he stood to bow properly at his father was spine-chilling. Kotori looked away, though it stung that Asahi resented her so much for trying to be a warrior like him. Her father turned away without so much as a backward glance to his daughter, showing her just how much he shunned her practices. Just like her Grandfather, Great Grandfather, and every other Father before them, kotori's father would not back down from his beliefs.
Kotori's chest felt heavy as she sighed, turning away to return to her room.
Kotori's mother was waiting for her as she entered through the traditional sliding doors of her room, kneeling by the chabudai set between their beds. Her comb was laid out on her mother's lap, and Kotori couldn't help the smile and relief as she sat in front of her, pulling out the ribbon that held her hair as she did so. There was a softness in the way Kotori's mother brushed her hair, her voice just as melodic as ever as she spoke. "I watched your fight. You are such a strong young woman, Kotori."
"Mom," Kotori's voice broke, hands clenching in her kimono. Her mother reached around to gently rub at the fists, helping her release the tension with a gentle smile. "Oh, my little Hankou of the Red River, you'll go far. There's so much Dragon Spirit within you, I can feel it."
Kotori sobbed silently as all she could do was wish that her own training and will were enough to set her free.
[700/800 words]
Kurai | Any
