It had been a few weeks since Haruka last saw Rikichi and Mika. In all honesty, she missed them. They were the closest thing she had to an actual family, Kiyoshi aside. It was Rikichi who had practically raised her, and it was Rikichi who had taught her what she knows today. If he had not taught her, she would probably have been killed one way or another. Perhaps it was that feeling that had led her to leave Nero's residence, and travel back towards the city where Rikichi took residence. It would only be for a few hours, and if she was careful enough, she could avoid being detected by her father. How she detested the man. He could choke on the blood he drank for all she cared. Actually, it was preferred if he did. Then she, nor anyone else, would have to deal with him.
The road to Rikichi's home was long, tiring, and boring. People, humans mainly, were out and about, ushering their children to the safe havens of their homes and were trying to close their shops as quickly as they could. Why would they ever want to stay out past sundown? It was when they came out, like monsters from the horror stories that were sung in the taverns. She would know, she was one of those monsters. Her eyes hardened, barely, as she continued walking through the streets. The different scents of people filled her nostrils, allowing them to flare slightly as she pulled her lips back in a frown. There were so many scents, many of them almost identical to the last, however; there were a few distinctive ones. She ignored them as she arrived at her destination.
She rapped her knuckles against the door before pushing it open. Head of the guard, and he left his doors unlocked. She shook her head faintly, a small smile pulling at her lips as she inspected the home. It had not changed much since the last time she'd seen it. It was still plain, but not so that one would mistake it for a commoner's home. Rikichi, from what she could tell, was not one to lavish his home with things like most of the upper Nobles had, and like her father had. He was a simple man, but who had the right head on his shoulders. She'd respect him for that, always. Her eyes drifted upwards, and the smile turned fully into one as she spotted Rikichi.
"Rikichi," she greeted, bowing lightly before straightening her posture back out. "It has been a while," she continued. She had all the intention of visiting the man, and perhaps getting a bit of training in as well. Mika was a formidable opponent, however; it was Rikichi who taught them both, and the student could still learn much from the teacher.
There was little point in locking oneās door when one was Captain of the Guard. Everyone who would be stopped by the lock would be stopped by his reputation first, and anyone stupid enough to break and enter his home probably at least knew how to get past a lock, so there was really no reason to have one. There wasnāt honestly a lot to steal in his home, either, as he kept it rather spartan. He and Mika preferred things that way, regardless of what was fashionable in Court. He had no need to cater to the expectations of anyone thereāhis position was kept based on his loyalty and his strength, not how well he could play nice with nobility. Fortunate for him, since despite his manners, he did not enjoy slogging through the bullshit of politics.
His truesight alerted him to her presence long before anything else, including the knock, and Rikichi was already putting away his sketchbook when she entered his modest study. He certainly did not have Neroās collection of books, though there were quite a few, some of them rare and many by human authors he remembered enjoying as a different man, a long time ago now. He smiled when the young womanāso young, they both seemed so young to him, his daughtersāentered, returning the polite gesture with one of his own.
āHaruka,ā he said, pleased to see her. It had been a while since her last visit, which was understandable given her new circumstances. He also hadnāt been by to see Nero and Lia in a while, something he really should rectify as soon as he could. He enjoyed their company, and Nero was the only person in the world with whom he could speak completely freely. There were things even Mika and Haruka could not know, after all. āSo it has. Itās good to see you. How have you been?ā He gestured invitingly for her to take a seat, and resumed his own. Neither of them were particularly talkative in general, nor was Mika, but they certainly spoke more around each other than basically anyone else.
"Nothing has changed," was her quick reply as she took a seat. "Things are still a bit...different than what I am used to, but then again I suppose it is to be expected. Nero's household is quite odd. I find it strange that he holds that much power and yet, he does nothing and cares very little to what the people in his care do. I suppose one such as he has no reason to," she answered his question, leaning back into the chair as her posture declined. She still was not used to going about her own business at Nero's. She was used to being watched carefully, making sure she did not fuck up for the sake of the King. Not that she cared, the world could know about his bastard child, and they still would not believe her to be his child.
She looked nothing like him, to begin with, save for the eyes. But then again, there were plenty of people who shared the sapphire color, and if anything, it was Kiyoshi who inherited their father's silver-esque eyes. "What of you, how have you fared? Mika is as she ever was, complaining about Yoshi," she continued, allowing a small smirk to cover her features before it disappeared. She wondered briefly, if he had taken her advice, and stopped pestering the dhampir woman. It would prove to be beneficial for both of them, or at least for Mika's sake. It would end the pestering and she'd be able to finally breathe. It wasn't a pleasant thing, being smothered and suffocated.
A strange smile settled on Rikichiās face as he listened to her talk, observing her posture, her occasional gesture, the way she pronounced her words in that tone of hers. At the mention of Mika, he shook his head a little. His daughter was very pragmatic, where perhaps Kiyoshi was a little more idealistic. They were bound to have personality clashes from time to time. āI do hope she doesnāt complain too much, but itās only natural, with the way they work as a unit,ā he said, raising a brow. And they were a unit, because that was the most effective way to be a guard for someoneāto know them in some ways better than they knew themselves, and to be known. There were few secrets he kept from Rivka, either.
Few, but mighty.
āAs for Nero, I think that in some sense you are correct, butā¦ I think youād be mistaken to assert that he does nothing. His decisive actions are not many, that is true, but it isnāt because he lacks the ability to decide. Itās more like every time he does make a decision, itā¦ changes the world a little bit.ā He hadnāt understood his employerās neutrality either, at first. How could someone with the ability to save the world, to stop all the injustice, refuse to do that? The answer had been surprisingly simple, once heād figured it out.
āBut youāre right; it is odd. Iāve never quite understood why he chose to allow the King to do what he didā¦ā Rikichi, usually so careful with his words, realized then that he might have said something he should not, though he couldnāt be sure. Pursing his lips, he fell silent. In some way, he was rather hoping there might be someone to speak with about this, someone else who knew what Nero was really capable of, the nature of the choice he would be making, because the revelation was disturbing. But if she didnāt already understand, he probably shouldnāt have brought it up, not even peripherally.
"Mika does not complain about Kiyoshi, really. Though my brother does need to stop smothering her about the whole idea of friendship. Mika is obviously uncomfortable with it," she stated, chuckling lightly at Rikichi's response, but he was right. Mika and Kiyoshi were a unit, and if anything, Mika was an exceptional guard, just like her father is, and perhaps in due time, she'll consider Kiyoshi's request. Haruka was not going to hold her breath, though, for that moment. It would be a long while, perhaps a few centuries, if that's what it took. It was Haruka's turn to raise a brow. Nero's decisions changed the world a little? That sounded odd, and how was that even possible? The man had power, that was obvious, but just exactly what kind of power he had, had always remained somewhat of a mystery.
"Nero chose to allow my father to do what he did? How can anyone allow the man to do what he did? Are you saying that Nero had the power to stop Hajime, and chose not to? Are you saying that he is stronger than my father?" she questioned, her tone remaining low and neutral. She wasn't angry, more-so, she was curious. How was it that Nero had the ability to stop Hajime, and choose not to? She leaned to the side a bit, her hand resting against her cheek as she propped her elbow against the arm of the chair. This was a rather interesting revelation, perhaps she should have a word with Nero, however; in the mean time, she wanted to know more about what her father had to say about it.
"You do not have to tell me anything, Rikichi, but it would be a little insightful to know a bit about the man whose care I am under," she stated, locking eyes with the man who raised her. He had no obligation to tell her anything really, and she wouldn't hold it against him. There were other sources she could go to if need be, and if it put Rikichi on the line if he spoke to her, then she had no desire to have that. Rikichi is the closest thing she has to an actual father, and she has no desire to see that end. Their relationship was more important to her than some insight as to what Nero was truly capable of.
Rikichi did wonder if he might be crossing a line, but something sheād said hit him a bit hard, and he knew she was right about it. She did deserve to understand as much as possible about her situation, but there were things he simply wasn't allowed to say. Still, if he could point her in the right direction, wellā¦ Haruka was smarter than she let on most of the time; she would probably be able to figure it out, especially since Nero didnāt keep it secret as such. He just made it hard for the feebleminded or the easily-dissuaded to figure out. Haruka was neither of those things, not by a long shot. Sighing through his nose, Rikichi leaned forwards slightly, bracing both arms on his desk and meeting Harukaās eyes.
āIām definitely saying heās stronger than Hajime,ā he said without the faintest hint of reservation or doubt. āBut that doesnāt mean he can kill him simply because he wants to. Frankly, Iām not sure he does. Neroā¦ he doesnāt care about things the way other people do. I wasnāt sure he was even capable of it, until Lia happened.ā He paused, contemplating what he could say. āYou have nothing to fear from him, assuming you donāt intentionally provoke him. Nero operates in contract structures; he prefers to act only within the confines of a deal from which he is also benefiting, and he doesnāt tend to refuse such bargains to anyone who knows the right offer to make. Butā¦ there arenāt many who would be willing to pay so steep a price as what he demands. The Kingā¦ was. And the terms of that contract stipulate that Nero doesn't kill him, among other things. Iām sorry; I canāt say more than that.ā He smiled ruefully. āHajime isnāt the only one who made a deal with him, after all.ā
That really was all he could say though, so with a resigned sort of humming noise in the back of his throat, he stood. āSoā¦ still willing to get the snot beaten out of you by your teacher, brat?ā The question was asked with a light hint of playfulness; when heād first met her, Haruka wasā¦ a handful, to say the least, and Rikichi was not one to sugar-coat things if he could avoid doing so, and so heād called her as he saw her. It persisted on occasion, but with affection rather than exasperation, now.
Deals? Odd, she never thought a vampire could make such things, but then again, there was a lot that she didn't know. His contract with Hajime, however, caused Haruka to raise a brow. Now that was interesting. Hajime obviously had things planned out to make a term such as that. But the price...what exactly was that? Perhaps it was for another time, as a smirk pulled against Haruka's face, and she too rose from her seat. It has been a while since she last sparred with Rikichi, and there was a light itch underneath her skin at the challenge. Brat? She scoffed lightly at his statement, rolling her shoulders and popping her knuckles.
"That depends, old man," she retorted, the smirk pulling further against her lips. Old, perhaps, but he could still wipe the floor with her, that much she was certain of.
The road to Rikichi's home was long, tiring, and boring. People, humans mainly, were out and about, ushering their children to the safe havens of their homes and were trying to close their shops as quickly as they could. Why would they ever want to stay out past sundown? It was when they came out, like monsters from the horror stories that were sung in the taverns. She would know, she was one of those monsters. Her eyes hardened, barely, as she continued walking through the streets. The different scents of people filled her nostrils, allowing them to flare slightly as she pulled her lips back in a frown. There were so many scents, many of them almost identical to the last, however; there were a few distinctive ones. She ignored them as she arrived at her destination.
She rapped her knuckles against the door before pushing it open. Head of the guard, and he left his doors unlocked. She shook her head faintly, a small smile pulling at her lips as she inspected the home. It had not changed much since the last time she'd seen it. It was still plain, but not so that one would mistake it for a commoner's home. Rikichi, from what she could tell, was not one to lavish his home with things like most of the upper Nobles had, and like her father had. He was a simple man, but who had the right head on his shoulders. She'd respect him for that, always. Her eyes drifted upwards, and the smile turned fully into one as she spotted Rikichi.
"Rikichi," she greeted, bowing lightly before straightening her posture back out. "It has been a while," she continued. She had all the intention of visiting the man, and perhaps getting a bit of training in as well. Mika was a formidable opponent, however; it was Rikichi who taught them both, and the student could still learn much from the teacher.
There was little point in locking oneās door when one was Captain of the Guard. Everyone who would be stopped by the lock would be stopped by his reputation first, and anyone stupid enough to break and enter his home probably at least knew how to get past a lock, so there was really no reason to have one. There wasnāt honestly a lot to steal in his home, either, as he kept it rather spartan. He and Mika preferred things that way, regardless of what was fashionable in Court. He had no need to cater to the expectations of anyone thereāhis position was kept based on his loyalty and his strength, not how well he could play nice with nobility. Fortunate for him, since despite his manners, he did not enjoy slogging through the bullshit of politics.
His truesight alerted him to her presence long before anything else, including the knock, and Rikichi was already putting away his sketchbook when she entered his modest study. He certainly did not have Neroās collection of books, though there were quite a few, some of them rare and many by human authors he remembered enjoying as a different man, a long time ago now. He smiled when the young womanāso young, they both seemed so young to him, his daughtersāentered, returning the polite gesture with one of his own.
āHaruka,ā he said, pleased to see her. It had been a while since her last visit, which was understandable given her new circumstances. He also hadnāt been by to see Nero and Lia in a while, something he really should rectify as soon as he could. He enjoyed their company, and Nero was the only person in the world with whom he could speak completely freely. There were things even Mika and Haruka could not know, after all. āSo it has. Itās good to see you. How have you been?ā He gestured invitingly for her to take a seat, and resumed his own. Neither of them were particularly talkative in general, nor was Mika, but they certainly spoke more around each other than basically anyone else.
"Nothing has changed," was her quick reply as she took a seat. "Things are still a bit...different than what I am used to, but then again I suppose it is to be expected. Nero's household is quite odd. I find it strange that he holds that much power and yet, he does nothing and cares very little to what the people in his care do. I suppose one such as he has no reason to," she answered his question, leaning back into the chair as her posture declined. She still was not used to going about her own business at Nero's. She was used to being watched carefully, making sure she did not fuck up for the sake of the King. Not that she cared, the world could know about his bastard child, and they still would not believe her to be his child.
She looked nothing like him, to begin with, save for the eyes. But then again, there were plenty of people who shared the sapphire color, and if anything, it was Kiyoshi who inherited their father's silver-esque eyes. "What of you, how have you fared? Mika is as she ever was, complaining about Yoshi," she continued, allowing a small smirk to cover her features before it disappeared. She wondered briefly, if he had taken her advice, and stopped pestering the dhampir woman. It would prove to be beneficial for both of them, or at least for Mika's sake. It would end the pestering and she'd be able to finally breathe. It wasn't a pleasant thing, being smothered and suffocated.
A strange smile settled on Rikichiās face as he listened to her talk, observing her posture, her occasional gesture, the way she pronounced her words in that tone of hers. At the mention of Mika, he shook his head a little. His daughter was very pragmatic, where perhaps Kiyoshi was a little more idealistic. They were bound to have personality clashes from time to time. āI do hope she doesnāt complain too much, but itās only natural, with the way they work as a unit,ā he said, raising a brow. And they were a unit, because that was the most effective way to be a guard for someoneāto know them in some ways better than they knew themselves, and to be known. There were few secrets he kept from Rivka, either.
Few, but mighty.
āAs for Nero, I think that in some sense you are correct, butā¦ I think youād be mistaken to assert that he does nothing. His decisive actions are not many, that is true, but it isnāt because he lacks the ability to decide. Itās more like every time he does make a decision, itā¦ changes the world a little bit.ā He hadnāt understood his employerās neutrality either, at first. How could someone with the ability to save the world, to stop all the injustice, refuse to do that? The answer had been surprisingly simple, once heād figured it out.
āBut youāre right; it is odd. Iāve never quite understood why he chose to allow the King to do what he didā¦ā Rikichi, usually so careful with his words, realized then that he might have said something he should not, though he couldnāt be sure. Pursing his lips, he fell silent. In some way, he was rather hoping there might be someone to speak with about this, someone else who knew what Nero was really capable of, the nature of the choice he would be making, because the revelation was disturbing. But if she didnāt already understand, he probably shouldnāt have brought it up, not even peripherally.
"Mika does not complain about Kiyoshi, really. Though my brother does need to stop smothering her about the whole idea of friendship. Mika is obviously uncomfortable with it," she stated, chuckling lightly at Rikichi's response, but he was right. Mika and Kiyoshi were a unit, and if anything, Mika was an exceptional guard, just like her father is, and perhaps in due time, she'll consider Kiyoshi's request. Haruka was not going to hold her breath, though, for that moment. It would be a long while, perhaps a few centuries, if that's what it took. It was Haruka's turn to raise a brow. Nero's decisions changed the world a little? That sounded odd, and how was that even possible? The man had power, that was obvious, but just exactly what kind of power he had, had always remained somewhat of a mystery.
"Nero chose to allow my father to do what he did? How can anyone allow the man to do what he did? Are you saying that Nero had the power to stop Hajime, and chose not to? Are you saying that he is stronger than my father?" she questioned, her tone remaining low and neutral. She wasn't angry, more-so, she was curious. How was it that Nero had the ability to stop Hajime, and choose not to? She leaned to the side a bit, her hand resting against her cheek as she propped her elbow against the arm of the chair. This was a rather interesting revelation, perhaps she should have a word with Nero, however; in the mean time, she wanted to know more about what her father had to say about it.
"You do not have to tell me anything, Rikichi, but it would be a little insightful to know a bit about the man whose care I am under," she stated, locking eyes with the man who raised her. He had no obligation to tell her anything really, and she wouldn't hold it against him. There were other sources she could go to if need be, and if it put Rikichi on the line if he spoke to her, then she had no desire to have that. Rikichi is the closest thing she has to an actual father, and she has no desire to see that end. Their relationship was more important to her than some insight as to what Nero was truly capable of.
Rikichi did wonder if he might be crossing a line, but something sheād said hit him a bit hard, and he knew she was right about it. She did deserve to understand as much as possible about her situation, but there were things he simply wasn't allowed to say. Still, if he could point her in the right direction, wellā¦ Haruka was smarter than she let on most of the time; she would probably be able to figure it out, especially since Nero didnāt keep it secret as such. He just made it hard for the feebleminded or the easily-dissuaded to figure out. Haruka was neither of those things, not by a long shot. Sighing through his nose, Rikichi leaned forwards slightly, bracing both arms on his desk and meeting Harukaās eyes.
āIām definitely saying heās stronger than Hajime,ā he said without the faintest hint of reservation or doubt. āBut that doesnāt mean he can kill him simply because he wants to. Frankly, Iām not sure he does. Neroā¦ he doesnāt care about things the way other people do. I wasnāt sure he was even capable of it, until Lia happened.ā He paused, contemplating what he could say. āYou have nothing to fear from him, assuming you donāt intentionally provoke him. Nero operates in contract structures; he prefers to act only within the confines of a deal from which he is also benefiting, and he doesnāt tend to refuse such bargains to anyone who knows the right offer to make. Butā¦ there arenāt many who would be willing to pay so steep a price as what he demands. The Kingā¦ was. And the terms of that contract stipulate that Nero doesn't kill him, among other things. Iām sorry; I canāt say more than that.ā He smiled ruefully. āHajime isnāt the only one who made a deal with him, after all.ā
That really was all he could say though, so with a resigned sort of humming noise in the back of his throat, he stood. āSoā¦ still willing to get the snot beaten out of you by your teacher, brat?ā The question was asked with a light hint of playfulness; when heād first met her, Haruka wasā¦ a handful, to say the least, and Rikichi was not one to sugar-coat things if he could avoid doing so, and so heād called her as he saw her. It persisted on occasion, but with affection rather than exasperation, now.
Deals? Odd, she never thought a vampire could make such things, but then again, there was a lot that she didn't know. His contract with Hajime, however, caused Haruka to raise a brow. Now that was interesting. Hajime obviously had things planned out to make a term such as that. But the price...what exactly was that? Perhaps it was for another time, as a smirk pulled against Haruka's face, and she too rose from her seat. It has been a while since she last sparred with Rikichi, and there was a light itch underneath her skin at the challenge. Brat? She scoffed lightly at his statement, rolling her shoulders and popping her knuckles.
"That depends, old man," she retorted, the smirk pulling further against her lips. Old, perhaps, but he could still wipe the floor with her, that much she was certain of.