Fire Meets Ice (Tag Mikhail and Samyeru)

[Ikatsui]

The day was sunny and warm, with a light cool breeze. The weather didn't get any better than that. Kaen stepped outside of his house and stood on the porch, his grey eyes scanning the front lawn as he remained motionless. His dark blonde hair was in its usual state, cut short at the back and bangs at the front. The fifteen year old wore his usual expressionless face. He had on a navy blue shirt, blue denim jeans and a pair of black sneakers. Yes he knew he was dressing bland, but that didn't matter to him as long as he had clothes on his back.

After what seemed like hours, the boy stepped off of his porch and began walking down the road. As he walked the wind blew his hair into his face, causing him to take his left hand out of his pocket to push the hair out of his eyes. Kaen touched his fingers to the silver necklace around his neck and thought back to the night his parents died. The screams of horror, that monster with the earsplitting howl. The boy shuddered and gripped the chain tighter. He had prayed a lot after that, not begging for anything really. Just asking for answers, like why they had to die? What was the thing that attacked them? Why was he still alive and who saved him? All these things he wanted to know.

Being lost in his train of thought Kaen wasn't paying attention to where he was walking. He was already by the park which was a good ten minute walk from his place. The teenager looked up realizing where he was, he looked around to see if he recognized anyone. So far his grey optics couldn't spot out a single person that he knew. He truly was a solitary creature. Shrugging the boy tossed his hand back into pocket and took up his cold and calculating personality once more. Kaen sat on a park bench as if he were waiting for something to happen. Then a plus popped up beside him, it was one he knew from a while back. His name was Hoshini.

"Hoshini, it's been a while," said Kaen.

The spirit nodded in agreement. "That it has been my friend, how have you been holding up?" Kaen shook his head from side to side, a gesture as if to say "I've been doing alright". "Well that's good to hear then, but I've got to run. I was just stopping by to say hi since I'm in the area." Kaen nodded and waved at the ghost before it drifted off to its destination. And once he again he sat by himself, waiting for something or nothing at all.

[Mikhail Rost]

Suddenly a sound started to drift from the center of the park, the mysterious lilting tune of a violin. There was a fountain with some benches around it, and maybe half a dozen people, give or take, had gathered around a young man. The young man was dressed in black pants and a light blue buttoned shirt, over which was a light black jacket. His brown hair was windswept by the cool breeze and fluttered lightly. His eyes, for the moment, were closed as he gently took bow to strings on the immaculate looking black and silver violin he cradled beneath his chin. The violin case was open on the bench next to him and it looked as if someone had dropped some money in it.

A few minutes later he finished the song and opened his piercing hazel eyes. He nodded in appreciation and smiled to those who had stayed to listen. They gave a light applause before moving on into the park and going about their day, made a little brighter for time spent hearing his music. He took a seat on the bench for a moment and checked on his violin.

Over time he had achievied a little bit of fame or noteriety depending on who you talked to, playing in Karakura's parks and around the shopping areas, of which at least one shop keeper kept trying in vain to chase him off. The boy's name, was Mikhail Rost, upperclassman in Karakura High and all around good guy. He tinkered with the instrument a bit and started to settle it back into its case.

[Ikatsui]

Kaen sat by himself. Eyes closed he seemed more than relaxed, when in reality his mind was reeling with thoughts. Stronger, faster, more powerful. He wanted strength, but for that he needed a teacher and his grandfather and uncle have already taught him everything that they knew. Sighing the high school junior stood and started walking again. Monsters, his mind flashed back to the hollow. Monsters didn't belong in this world, so why was it that they could come here whenever they damned well pleased? Why was it that they could kill whoever the felt like killing?

His train of thought came to a halt as he heard the sound of a violin playing. Kaen turned his head in the direction of the music looking to see who was playing. He saw a crowd of people standing by a bench and walked over, he stood there behind them listening. When the piece was over the crowd began to disperse, but Kaen stayed wanting to actually see whom was playing. It was a young man, with messy hair. He was wearing dark clothing similar to Kaen, though the young mans' clothes were a bit more of a formal attire. He was older than Kaen, but didn't seem to be older than 20 at the most.

"You play well."

This comment was completely out of character for the boy. He never usually gave compliments, especially to those he didn't know. Though there was something different about this violinist. Kaen just couldn't put his finger on it.

[Mikhail Rost]

Mikhail glanced up from the violin case to the new kid who had wandered over, he had stuck around after most the others had wandered off.

"You play well." The boy told him.

"Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it." Mikhail replied with a smile reaching up to brush back his unruly hair. He stood up tall and extended a hand in greeting. "My name is Mikhail."

He looked Kaen over for a moment trying to place him from school but he wasn't sure.

"I'm sorry I can be a bit forgetful sometimes, but you go to school with me don't you?" Mikhail felt bad that he couldn't place the kid's face or name at the moment, you know that awkward feeling, when you should probably know somebody...

Now that Kaen was closer he could see that next to the violin case was a duffel bag with a few odds and ends. Bottled water and some light snacks, a change of clothes, and wrist and ankle weights. Apparently he was going to be working out at some point today.

[Ikatsui]

Kids ran around screaming and playing. All of them doing their own thing as the two stood there and talked. The wind blew lightly and animals ran from tree to tree. Kaen nodded as the Mikhail told him that he appreciated his comment. Kaen took his extended hand and shook.

"Kaen Seishin nice to meet you," he said in reply.

He noticed Mikhail looking at him as if he knew him. Kaen didn't think so, he had never seen Mikhail before. The he mentioned school. Yeah he definitely wasn't over twenty if he was still in school, and it was a possible that Mikhail might've seen Kane around.

"Yeah, I'm in my first year at High School." His voice was flat, with very little emotion in it.

Kaens' grey eyes noticed a duffel bag sitting by the violin case. He could see a change of clothes, bottled water, snacks and weights. Kaen returned his attention to Mikhail, his head nodding towards the bag in a gesture.

"Going to the gym?" asked the younger boy. He could use a work out, he had nothing else to do with his time anyways. It was the weekend and he didn't keep many friends around him. Plus he might be able to learn a few thing, couldn't hurt right?

[Mikhail Rost]

"Kaen Seishin nice to meet you, Yeah i'm in my first year at High School."

Kaen took and shook Mikhail's hand and Mikhail nodded once more. He felt a little relieved that he didn't know Kaen since he was in a lower grade, that made sense. Of course he kinda felt sorry for Kaen cuz that meant he was in the same grade as Toshioni.

"Nice to meet you too, Kaen. So how do you like it so far? Getting along well?"

Mikhail made small talk as he seemed to be putting up the violin for now. He took out the little bit of money that people had placed in there, It was proabably enough for him and Kaen to get a snack if Kaen was interested.

"Going to the gym?" Kaen asked as he caught sight of Mikhail's work out equipment.

"Huh, oh,... the gym? Naa, that's expensive. Usually I go running on the trails, sometimes here, sometimes out in the forest." Mikhail stretched a little. "I do more if my sensei thinks I need to. Once he had me climb a cliffside with those weights on, that was hard."

What was hard was to tell if he was kidding or not, Mikhail smiled slightly thinking about it.

[Ikatsui]

He shrugged his shoulders at Mikhails' question, school was school right. Not much to enjoy unless you actually tried to, which was something Kaen didn't really do. He went there did whatever he needed to do and then he would leave. "It's alright so far." He sighed and glanced up to the sky. There was something about Mikhail that was bugging him, but couldn't figure it out. Maybe if he stuck around him long enough he'd find out what it was.

Though it would seem Kaen was wrong in his assumptions about the gym. The boy tucked his tongue into the side of his cheek and stuffed his hands back into his pockets. This was getting awkward for him. He wasn't the type to socialize really. Then the word "sensei" caught his ears. Kaen flicked a look at Mikhail, "Your sensei made you climb a cliffside with those weights on? You expect me to believe that?" If it was true, it sounded like the type of person Kaen wanted training him.

The boy thought about it for a second, it would be a great opportunity. Of course that would mean he'd have to be a more social person, which in exchange for strength didn't seem like a bad trade. "Who is your sensei?" he asked. It seems he didn't make a bad choice coming to talk to Mikhail, the guy just might be a way for Kaen to get what he has been looking for.

[Mikhail Rost]

The talk about school was just small talk, something to get to know Kaen. Few kids really liked school, and Kaen didn't seem to really want to dwell on that subject. No problem for Mikhail, Kaen did, however, seem interested in Mikhail's training.

Kaen looked a little skeptical when Mikhail told him some of the trails he had endured."Your sensei made you climb a cliffside with those weights on? You expect me to believe that?"

Mikhail blinked innocently and stared at Kaen a second as if confused. He didn't lie about it and wondered why Kaen would ask if he should believe that.

"Umm,... yeah,... It was pretty hard." He scratched his head kinda awkwardly looking at Kaen thinking why would he say it if it weren't true?

Kaen looked like he was thinking for moment, there seemed to be this hopeful look to him. "Who is your sensei?"

Mikhail kinda recognized that look, he was sure he'd had it at one point. It was a certain excitement to grow and learn, things that couldn't be gained from normal schools, but things had happened recently to make Mikhail think that it might be a bad time to bring new people to Samyeru.

"Hmm? Oh,...well he's kinda a hermit..." Crap, that probably made him sound cooler to this kid.
"I mean, I don't think he takes on lots of students..." Damn, now it was like a cool club.
"He's pretty tough on me..." Kaen probably thought he would get a lot stronger under a tough teacher.

Mikhail was having a really tough time trying to think of something to deter Kaen from wanting to meet Samyeru, everything he said probably just made it sound better.

[Ikatsui]

Kaen stared at the older student as he talked about his sensei. Apparently he did make him climb the cliffs with those weights on. Mikhail kept going on and on about how tough his sensei was, or how strict he was or how selective and picky he was. To Kaen's ears it all sounded like what he was looking for in a teacher, though he knew Mikhail was just looking for excuses as to why Kaen shouldn't try to learn under his sensei.

The fifteen year old closed his grey eyes and nodded his head. "I understand, he's a busy person. Doesn't have time for new students, I get it. It's all cool." Kaen didn't mean a word coming out of his mouth, he had every intention of finding out just who Mikhail's sensei was. Especially since there was something different about Mikhail that has been bugging Kaen every since he laid eyes on the guy, he knew his sensei was definitely the type he was looking for. "Sooo, are you going to meet him right now, or can you chill for a bit?" The only reason he was going against his nature right now, was so Mikhail didn't get suspicious as to how quick he dropped the subject of meeting his teacher.

[Mikhail Rost]

Mikhail felt really awkward about the excuses, it wasn't like him really. Mikhail just didn't think it was a good time, and was glad that Kaen seemed to understand.

"Something like that..." Mikhail was horrible at lying.

If Mikhail wasn't so bad at sensing spiritual energy he might have sensed something from Kaen but as it was he couldn't. He finished getting his stuff together then put the bag over his shoulder, then picked up the violin case. He seemed to find it slightly amusing when Kaen asked if he could chill for a bit.

"Heh, sure. Actually, I probably have enough money from playing my violin that I could get a snack before I go, you want something?"