Dance between Mortals and Immortals

Chapter 6.3

Ezio soaked in the spring knowing he would be able to cultivate extremely well under these conditions. His master was sitting in the spring cross legged a towel over her head as he seemed to have fallen asleep sitting up which made Ezio think his master was a little odd. Though he had known this when he pursued him to be his master he didn't expect him to have so many oddities. 'Who passes out sitting up?' Ezio’s first impression of his master was relatively good thus far despite the oddities. He didn't slack off on his training and he was frank and forward with his style in everything he does.

After successfully training all day Ezio looked forward to relaxing a bit and the spring was a huge relief. The spiritual Ki infused in the waters would let him feel his muscle aches disappear as he soaked in the nourishing waters. He had one week to increase his power as much as possible and show his father how far he had come in such a short amount of time.

"Ezio..." his master called his eyes still closed "tomorrow we will be choosing a weapon for you it is traditional for a master to have a day with their student before doing so. When we go please keep in mind that you cannot live under your families shadow. You are a Prince of the nation, but you are also a cultivator do not feel pushed into any one decision."

Excitement filled Ezio's heart he wanted to get up completely energized tomorrow. "Master I have finished recovering. May I leave for my room?" Ezio wanted to get as much rest before tomorrow as possible choosing one's weapon was a big deal in the cultivation world.

"Hmmrph" his master grunted in acknowledgement which Ezio quickly learned meant go ahead, but quit talking. His master was a man of few words.

Lifting himself out of the spring he wrapped a robe around himself slinging a towel around his neck and walked out with his training clothes in a sack that he would give the servants to wash for him tonight. He opened the wood sliding door and exited drying his hair more so he wouldn't get a cold from the cool night air. Ezio quickly walked down the hallway focusing on keeping the robe from opening up.

The hall itself was of traditional make. The smooth wood flooring was ever so slightly hot to the touch from the heat of hot springs. It contrasted nicely with the cool night air that made the steam from the hot springs all the more thick which obscured his vision as he made his way past the various rooms that were reserved for other masters and their disciples.

Ezio absentmindedly kept moving as he made his way down the hallway.

*shhwwwak*

The sound of another door opening came to his suddenly from around the door came a short person. Before he could react he ran into them his body slipping on the wood he fell forwards into a pile on them. Not reacting in time so their limbs were tangled as they attempted to stand up. As he attempted to stand up and assess whom he had collided with the person shoved  him hard sending him sprawling to the ground making him look like a fumbling fool.

Propping himself up his anger flared "hey! watch where you are goin..." before him on her butt was the girl from several days ago, but to his surprise she was completely naked save a towel wrapped around her that barely covered her most private areas.

"Ehh..uhh...I'm uhh." Ezio's tongue turned to cotton as he averted his eyes trying to find words to speak.

The girl looked up a furious look in her eyes until she realizes their situation as well. Her face became red like an apple "What are you doing!" she yelled loudly and uttered a single word that caused Ezio's face to go completely red as well "pervert!" she said turning away from him as if he was a lecher waiting for a moment to catch a glimpse of her body.

Quickly standing up he tried to argue back his tongue still swollen for some unknown reason Ezio was almost the age that nobility would get engaged, but even still his interactions with the opposite s*x was mostly with older honored masters or his relatives. "I didn't do anything, you were the one who walked out the door without looking!" He said, defending himself.

“Are you stalking me? Cause you seem to enjoy this now.” She said glaring at him her words came with obvious implications towards Ezio.

“Huh?!? No! Why would I stalk a girl like you!” Ezio said flabbergasted he had never encountered such an unreasonable women in his life.

“Really then why do you keep on bumping into me. If you are not doing it purposefully you are clumsy and a blockhead and if you are you are a peerrrvert!” Rize said, saying pervert extra carefully.

“Don’t be ridiculous you insane woman! This is ridiculous you bumped into me also it wasn't like it is only my job to watch where I am going!” Ezio said now angrily trying to defend his honor.

"Yeah? That is what all the perverts say. In the outer court little boys like you always tried to spy on the girls I know the likes of you from a mile away. Stay away from me--Pervert. Or next time I won't be nice!" she grabbed her clothes from the floor and walked away down the stone steps heading towards the women's changing room.

Ezio stared dumbfounded for a moment as she watched the black haired blue-eyed girl walk away she was quite pretty if not for the horrible personality and being slightly smaller than the average girl. Wait! he stopped himself ‘Master said to stay far away from her she is no good! No positive thoughts about her allowed!’ He pumped his fist steeling his mind. He would do everything he could to keep away from that girl! Anyone that unreasonable was not someone he wanted to associate himself with.

...

Cui Xinya laughed to herself as she heard the confrontation from outside. It was most pleasing to hear her student be so strong willed so far, but she couldn't let her know that it was good not to heap too much praise on one when they were younger else they grow arrogant. Also there was the problem of her deity she looked up at the ceiling imagining what a serpent god would be like. She had never heard of a god known as Naga-Jin the serpent god of venom and she doubted very much that he was a benevolent god. Cui needed to find out more about this god so she knew tonight she needed to commune with him at his shrine and she would find it tonight, even if she had to keep up all night from her sleep.

“So annoying. Just who are you little rogue god?” Frowning to herself she whispered out loud. "A serpent god...that could bring me a bit of bad luck if I don't play my hands correctly...at least this will be fun and interesting." She smiled as she got out of the spring and looked towards the east with a fond and loving expression on her face.

"Something interesting is happening Mofeyr and I need your guidance...won't you speak to me?" There was no response, only a slight breeze entered the spring blowing gently across her face. A morose feeling crept up into her chest at the silence that emitted from her Ki island.

Minako Rize didn't like that boy Ezio he had an air of superiority about him that she simply did not like let alone the fact that she didn't get along with his master. Lifting an arm out of the water she watched the water roll from his skin and down her arm it fell in various vein like patterns water was the one place she felt completely at ease for the most part. The image of the boy Ezio kept flashing in her mind something about him seemed familiar about him. She wasn't one to ignore her instincts and she learned today even more to trust them.

The fact that he was so perverted that he would make excuses for what he did boggled her mind. Of course she knew that it was most likely an accident, but his defensive reaction to her new disciple had pissed her off and therefore he is a pervert she chuckled to herself as she lifted her arm once more to watch the water roll down.

She entered her room and threw the towel over the hanging rack. Looking at her bare back she looked at his block serpent tattoo. If she were honest with herself she thought it looked pretty cool, but it was not appropriate in the empire for a woman to taint her skin with ink it was even frowned upon with males of nobility.

"Guess that kills my shot at being part of nobility." She snickered to herself not that Rize ever had any hope in herself ever getting past the prejudice of her eye color.

The moon was high in the sky now and Rize threw on her sleepwear and climbed under her covers. It was better to get sleep now tomorrow was going to be long if today was any indicator. The inner court was far more intense than she had originally hoped.

Rize’s last thought was someone whom she had not seen in a long time. Her own mother who currently worked with Mr. Itakura at his shop in the city. Rize didn’t hate her mother, but all she ever tried to do was talk about her father and Rize didn’t have any interest in talking to her father. Not now and not for a very long time.