Justitia Creo [Ye Lin/Misha]

I

Itwasn't until Misha arrived in Fukui Academy did she realize how much she took her cousin Yuki's efforts for granted. A prestigious school expectedly bred a very competitive environment, and being an all-girl's school would only exacerbate that issue further. Even though Misha disapproved of the methods behind the iron-fisted rule that Yuki exerted over their school, Misha could not argue with the results, especially not now.

At first it started with Misha breaking up fights between classmates. Then it became scaring off bullies trying to intimidate their classmates in far-off corners of the buildings. And today Misha found herself combining her afternoon walks with a patrol of sort. The Russian tried to convince herself it was because of the old adage of "be the change you want to see in the world", but she was starting to understand why her bull-headed cousin lurked the way she did.

As Misha rounded the corner, she could hear two angry and muttering voices and one scared one. It wasn't too difficult to find out where they were coming from; the stairs to the roof was an all-too common spot for these altercations. Out of sight but not too much of a trek and near a place where most students had to pass by anyways. Misha slowed down her steps and held onto her cane to silence her approach.

"You really have some nerve, don't you, flaunting it like that."

"S-she's just a friend! Is that so wrong."

"Well that's the problem. You don't deserve her!"

It was rather fascinating what kind of topics would be brought up in this kinds of situations. Misha figured that some girl was the object of another's affection, and jealousy was starting to set in. Once she was close enough, Misha slammed the end of her metal cane into the floor with a loud CRACK.

All three girls jumped up with a squeal and turned to see a pair of glaring grey eyes looking at them. Misha stood tall, cane planted in front of her as if it was a sword.

"So tell me, my friends. What do you gain from this?" Misha asked, to incredulous faces that did not respond. "Do you enjoy stripping away the friends of others? Did you intend to take their place? Controlling a person like that. That is not something a good friend would do for another, would it?"

A threatening growl seemed to filter though Misha's teeth, but faded quickly. More footsteps approached and grey eyes darted towards its source. Apparently, she was not the only one who have picked up on the situation.

tag(s): Ye Lin ━ words: 451 ━ notes:

by MIZO.❉ of ww

Ye Lin was stretching her muscles after her completed training exercise. Sometimes when she was in the mood to daydream, she would make her way to the roof and admire the scenery from the rooftops. Unfortunately, on the way to the rooftops through the stairs, she heard some commotion going on. Her brows furrowed; there was definitely some conflict going on. With her hearing, she could tell that there were three voices who were a part of this conflict, and as she made her way up to go to the scene, she heard a fourth voice that sounded like a fella who wanted to intervene. As the voices got clearer and clearer, Ye Lin could tell that someone appeared to be bullied due to a love rivalry of some sort. Ye Lin had some ideas about what started the conflict but the more she thought about it the more warped it became in her mind. However her fantasy shattered unceremoniously when she heard the sound of a metal cane banging against the floor.

The sound was fierce and Ye Lin caught a glimpse of the action also. Seems this was the fourth voice which she heard earlier. Ye Lin slowly crept to the area as her footsteps were deliberately loud, brazen, and eye-catching. The martial artist soon stood right next to the girl who had the metal cane, and had the idea that this girl must have some form of rod or staff training, since she held it as if it were a weapon. Ye Lin took in the scene. She didn't like what she heard either.

"This fellow daoist sure is right," Ye Lin smiled as she stepped forward towards the three girls who embroiled in conflict with a plain smile on her face. "Do we have to be so angry about it? I think we can settle this matter peacefully." Ye Lin forcefully inserted herself between the scared girl and the two angry girls. Ye Lin immediately stood tall and proud, exuding an aura of self-confidence. She tried to bear an imposing and tyrannical air in front of the young ladies who were bullying the poor girl. Ye Lin cracked her knuckles loudly for added effect.

"Why do you care so much about her relationships? Who asked her to be so approachable?" Ye Lin started spouting out some bullshit. "Pui! I'm sure she's a wonderful person. Better than you two scums, trying to threaten her like a thug."

Misha Shirayama

E

ach approaching step seemed to make the two bullies tremble, looking between the two towering girls with increasing amounts of fear and confusion. Was it a "good cop, bad cop" situation? Who was supposed to be the good cop? The stoically glaring girl who seemed to silently seethe with antipathy? Or the one with the gentle smile...but cracking her knuckles.

"H-hey...this isn't any of your business!" the taller of the two bullies said, stammering despite her attempts to be brave. "You don't know any of us! You're not responsible for us."

Misha raised an eyebrow in amusement. The grip on her cane shifted from the top to a quarter of a way down to where a golden ring wrapped around it, then spun the cane around swiftly as her grip reversed. Though the tip came nowhere near the two bullies, it was enough for them to flinch. There seemed to be something strange about the cane - by the way it looked, it would have looked unwieldy to be spun around that point, but it moved smoothly as if it was balanced like a sword.

"I may not know her. I may not have a reason to intervene," Misha started, her voice calm despite the increasingly lethal glare she was giving. "But doesn't meant I have to just pass her by."

The cane pointed to the side, down an empty hallway, as if to suggest to the two bullies to run. And it was a suggestion that was readily taken, as the two girls bolted away without looking back. Slowly, a gentle smile returned to Misha's face, resting her cane back down in a normal position.

"Apologizes for the late intrusion, my friend," Misha said, bowing respectfully. "I hope I did not scare you too much."

The rescued girl blushed and stammered. "N-no! T-thank you so much, you two!" she said, bowing furiously to the two girls who had saved her.

tag(s): Ye Lin ━ words: 330 ━ notes:

by MIZO.❉ of ww

Ye Lin inwardly laughed as the other girl took the initiative to threaten the two bullies to submission, making them run away in the direction her cane was pointing at. Snickering to herself, Ye Lin was actually confident she could defend herself in a fight against her, though it seemed both of them share the same side for now. Since Ye Lin couldn't and didn't do anything other than walk towards them threateningly, she retracted her imposing, menacing stance and relaxed immediately, looking at both the young lady with the cane and the poor girl who had just been scared witless. "You can relax now," Ye Lin comforted her and also bowed. "I think you'll be just fine. Just take care of yourself and be careful. You don't wanna be alone with shady fellas like them." Ye Lin advised, then looked towards the girl with the cane.

Addressing her, Ye Lin grinned. "May I have the pleasure of knowing this fellow daoist's name?"

Misha Shirayama

T

he now-free girl bowed one more time in thanks before skipping off to another direction, turning around one last time to wave good-bye before disappearing around the corner. Misha seemed to sigh in relief and shake her head. Rumours were bound to start flying anytime soon. But that was something that was to be taken care of at another time. Grey eyes looked to the side as she gave the girl who had assisted her today a quick lookover. A fierce grin and a strong body; it was no surprise now that the bullies ran away in the face of imminent and overwhelming force. There were no signs that this girl was on an errand or in a rush, and something about her piqued Misha's curiosity.

"Shirayama Misha, a pleasure to make your acquaintance," Misha said in reply to the girl's question as she used her cane to flourish and gracefully bow. "If you are not busy, please, join me, let us go for a bit of a walk."

Misha gave a soft chuckle and a light smile as she pivoted on her heels. The metal cane made gentle taps against the hard floor as Misha started to walk again at a slow place. "I hope that the little incident we faced is the only one for today. I loathe to imagine more. But what about you, my friend, what brings you here today?"

tag(s): Ye Lin ━ words: 238 ━ notes:

by MIZO.❉ of ww

The fierce woman with the cane introduced herself as Shirayama Misha, and added some grace and flourish to it too. Evidently, Misha was most likely someone of high and/or noble birth. Therefore, Ye Lin was immediately surprised as she was of the impression that most young noble or princess types, cool beauty or not, were rather snobbish or at least behaved in a rather unbridled manner. In contrast, this Misha behaved quite refined, and was courteous and graceful in demeanor. Definitely, she was raised with etiquette in mind. Ye Lin quickly made the assumption that Misha definitely had more to her than meets the eye. However, that was her own past and business. Since they just met, Ye Lin was not in the mood nor did she find it particularly good to pry into the matter. Furthermore, Misha took the initiative to hang out. Ye Lin obviously wouldn't stand on ceremony. "Pleasure to meet you too, Miss Misha," Ye Lin smiled and greeted back. "My name is Ye Lin, I am merely an aspiring painter looking to improve my mastery of the craft here at the academy." Soon, Ye Lin found herself almost subconsciously following Misha around, as if something about this young refined lady really interested her. Somehow, Ye Lin felt an aura of mystery around her.

Eventually, Misha asked her what brought her to this part of town today. "Me? I just happened to be passing by when I heard the commotion. I was on my way to the rooftops myself, but I couldn't just idly stand by and watch injustices like that happen before my eyes. How could I have known that a valiant fella such as yourself was also around. Fortunately there was no violence administered, though I wouldn't have been averse to getting my hands dirty." Ye Lin explained, clearly, she was capable of releasing a tinge of the 'killing intent,' it was a cold air that gave weaker-willed people the chills. "How about you, then, fellow daoist? Don't tell me you were doing the same thing?"

Misha Shirayama

A

nd so, Misha immediately had a name and a profession: Ye Lin and painting. To not have to fish or otherwise angle the conversation to politely extract a name from a person was rather refreshing. Having someone rather energetic to talk to was also a welcome change from trying to keep a conversation with someone who was shy, or more frustrating, seemed to be flustered.

As Ye Lin followed, Misha slowed down so that she could walk side by side. There was something rather interesting that Misha felt like she was just barely out of reach of grasping. From her mannerisms and the way she talked, Misha felt that Ye Lin was highly reminiscent...of herself. Curiousity itched, but Misha kept it in check, deciding to keep with the flow of conversation.

"Well, destination matters not to me, save for perhaps the dorms once the sun has set. So if you wish to still head to the rooftops now, I would be happy to accompany you." Misha looked to her side with a light chuckle and a composed smile before turning to watch her front again.

"As for why I myself am patrolling about? I suppose it was a matter of pragmatism. A good walk is good for clearing the mind, and...I suppose I got used to my role as a peacekeeper after years of being around friends and family. So the practical approach to dealing with both desires is to be on a lookout. Though I must say, I am more than capable of handling a physical altercation. But I would rather not have things come to that."

Misha gave Ye Lin a soft frown, as to disapprove of the notion of being so eager to trade blow. But the frown melted away quickly into an expression that was half amusement, half curiosity.

"That said, please permit me to say that I doubt that you are more than a mere painter. Painting is indeed a strenuous art, but one does not shape their own body in such a manner through painting alone."

tag(s): Ye Lin ━ words: 344 ━ notes:

by MIZO.❉ of ww

Ye Lin smiled; this Misha was not a very simple character after all. She explained that she was walking around not only to calm herself but also apparently she took it also as an excuse to patrol the school grounds and try to break up any conflicts like the one that happened a while ago. Also, she could apparently handle herself in a fight even if she personally didn't want to do that. Ye Lin was a bit upset that Misha didn't seem to think very highly of her pugilistic side, but that tiny sadness disappeared when Misha subtly made mention about Ye Lin's physique. "Well, it's a bit funny you bring that up," Ye Lin laughed. "I wasn't a painter to start with. I trained hard in the martial arts since I was young. I was only inspired to become a master painter after some fortuitous personal experiences. Furthermore, I discovered I could make it into something big when I gained some small renown in Internet circles." Ye Lin explained. She reminisced a little bit about how her parents were skeptical about it at first but thanks to Evgenia, her mother, they were able to use that as an excuse to send her here to Fukui. While Ye Lin believed they genuinely trusted in her ability and wanted her to cultivate it, she didn't realize that her parents sent her here to try and kill off her Chuunibyou syndrome. Ye Lin invited Misha to join her to the rooftops without hesitation while beginning to explain herself a bit more.

"At the moment, I try to practice training both my body and my skills in painting. Painting helps me calm my mind and it also helps me to relax after I am done with my physical training. It's convenient," Ye Lin explained. "Feel free to join me up at the rooftops then. We can talk some more. It's my aim, you know, to become my best self... To build my body, mind and spirit to perfection! ...That is why I am here."

Misha Shirayama

❝

Misha's eyebrows lit up in amused surprise. Martial arts from a young age would indeed grant a body like Ye Lin's, though it seem that she was martial artist first, then a painter. That alone was quite impressive, but from what Misha understood, it seemed that Ye Lin worked her way from the ground up without much formal instruction, and that thankfully her parents seemed to be rather supportive.

"To hone both mind and body equally, like the samurai of eld," Misha chuckled, blissfully unaware of any other quicks Ye Lin had. "Better to be a warrior in a garden, than a gardener in a war. An old Chinese proverb, if I recall. Still, rather impressive choices of arts, compared to a simple baker like myself."

Though Misha had lead the way, she had already started to change course, looping back around towards the stairwell to the roof. Along the way, a few students passed them by, and Misha returned all their greetings with a polite bow before continuing on.

"Ah, apologies for the interruptions my friend. If you do not mind obliging my curiosity by watching you practice, then I think we can proceed to the roof." With her cane, Misha pointed just a little ways ahead to the stairs to the roof. In the stairwell, the echo of Misha's cane seemed to overpower the sound of her steps, but it was not enough to force Misha to speak any louder as they ascended.

"So, Ye-san, if you could indulge my curiosity, what is it that you paint? And what martial art do you practice?" Misha asked, with another chuckle. "Ah, too many questions, feel free to answer one or the other at your leisure."

tag(s): Ye Lin ━ words: 290 ━ notes:

by MIZO.❉ of ww

Ye Lin found it rather quizzical that Misha would reference a samurai in front of someone of mainly Chinese ethnicity (that said, Ye Lin herself also acknowledged her Russian blood - she respected and loved her mother Evgenia equally. Though perhaps not as martially inclined as her dad, Evgenia was a brilliant and sharp mind, or how could she have held her position in a Russian company?) but decided not to talk about that. Probably, Misha was more familiar with the martial way of the Japanese and used that as a point of reference. Chinese martial artists, and cultivators also placed such emphasis on body and fleshly training as well as spiritual techniques... In this case, Ye Lin made it a point to prioritize reaching the pinnacle there first and foremost. When Misha said she was a baker, and called it a simple one at that, Ye Lin looked at her in surprise - not that she was surprised that Misha was a baker, but that she called it simple. Ye Lin knew that pursuits in cooking and bakery were totally the opposite of simple. Cooking was not only just an art but at its core was also a science. She knew this much and had great respects for anyone who pursued cooking, even the street food vendors she'd seen back in China.

"Do not call your profession 'simple,' you should give yourself more credit!" Ye Lin sighed. "Cooking and baking to me could also be considered holistic pursuits. Perhaps even moreso than painting. Many people declare cooking and baking to be an art, but at its essential core it can also be considered something of a science. I'm not that scientifically minded, but I know enough to hold people such as yourself in high regard. I know I could never make it big as a chef or a baker!" Ye Lin joked as they continued on the way to the roof. Eventually, Misha decided to pry a bit more innocently into Ye Lin's background. Naturally, Ye Lin wouldn't mind talking too much since they had just become acquaintances.

"I'm a calligrapher. I also paint landscapes and the like, inspired by ancient Chinese styles as well as paintings from that era," Ye Lin explained. "I often tag my works with poetry typically from the Tang dynasty... Those from the likes of Li Bai generally are my style." she told Misha in a succinct manner, opting not to tell too much but at the same time trying to give her a good overview of the general kinds of content she paints. Then, she decided to answer Misha's question in a rather odd manner. "As for martial arts, I don't practice just a single type, though as of late I've been trying to refine my weapon techniques... I couldn't find any prop swords but there were lots of sticks and poles lying around so I've been training my Eight Trigram Staff technique." Ye Lin shrugged.

"I generally subscribe to styles inspired by Bagua, Eight Trigrams, not only with the use of weaponry but also with my fists. Though, I've also delved into the likes of Wing Chun and other styles."

Misha Shirayama

❝

It was classic Japanese modesty that steered Misha to call herself humble, so she was surprised by the reaction from Ye Lin. It was far too puzzling for the baker to find out why, so she simply nodded in acknowledgment and listened to Ye Lin's colourful stories as she opened to door to the roof. Landscapes was a comfortable choice to balance calligraphy as a niche. Chinese styles made sense for a girl who had, as far as Misha could tell, a Chinese name. As for the martial arts, Misha was hit with a deluge of names and terms unfamiliar, only understanding that Ye Lin was learning several at once.

"You are quite remarkable for being able to take on a number of different styles and incorporate it into your own, and I mean that for both arts martial and aesthetic," Misha said as she closed the door behind Ye Lin. "Sadly, I must advise you, the props of the theatre department are just props, purely for the visuals and for the ease of the actor. They are not weighted properly to be useful as a weapon and they are far, far, less durable," Misha explained, adding "And I am sure that the theatre department would be rather unhappy to have their props broken."

There were no chairs on the roof, but the roof was far from being an empty void. With the coming spring, the Gardening Club, the same one who took care of the various gardens and plazas scattered about the school, had a few tillers and flower pots set up in preparation for the year refresh. Fortunately, there seemed to still be enough space for Ye Lin to do whatever practice she desired, at least for now.

Misha took a breath in. The was a still a slight chill in the air from Winter's fleeting presence, but not enough to be problematic, and no wind to speak of. Pivoting on her heels, the baker turned to face Ye Lin. "Well, we have made it to the roof, albeit with not much of a plan further. Be it a conversation or to watch you train, I am comfortable with either."

tag(s): Ye Lin ━ words: 364 ━ notes:

by MIZO.❉ of ww

Ye Lin flushed a little with shame as Misha pointed out that the theatre department would most likely be rather upset if their props got broken, however, Ye Lin was sure that with her level of control and skill that she wouldn't have damaged anything... too much. By the time they had reached the roof, Ye Lin was already thinking about what to do. She wasn't comfortable with making Misha stand around doing nothing even though she had expressed some form of interest in watching her engage in practice. Besides, cultivation of the spirit was not possible either, as this was something Ye Lin definitely wanted to keep secret for now. She was fine with people seeing her do her physical exercises but the training of the mind was something Ye Lin wanted to keep secret for sure. Soon enough, Ye Lin decided to settle for wanting to get to know Misha a little better. "Personally speaking, I do want to get to know you better, and perhaps we can become good friends, as like-minded individuals." Ye Lin smiled, looking plainly towards Misha. "Things like where you're from, and what you plan to do in the future, those kinds of things? Or maybe you wanted to just talk about your interests and hobbies." Ye Lin continued, making it sound a bit more like an interview rather than a proper conversation, but still, this was the first person Ye Lin had seen who'd actually seemed to take the initiative to ask about her as a person rather than what she was doing (her art, in other words).

Misha Shirayama

❝

Misha was not opposed to making new friends, but the blonde's eyebrows still raised in surprised amusement. Acquaintances, Misha had many, but she reserved the word "friend" for only a literal handful of people right now. But most notably, this Ye Lin was rather upfront about trying to be friends. Like before, this was rather refreshing, ableit with a bit of a problem.

Questions of Misha's origin were always difficult to answer. Unlike her cousin Cyrus, who at the luxury of being half-Japanese and could pass off as a natural-born Japanese with died hair, Misha still had a very European face. That said, a Japanese family name was enough to convice people. On one hand, Misha felt like she was doing her birth parents a dishonour by trying to present herself as native Japanese, but on the other, there was a reason to keep quiet and a desire to still blend in. Misha closed her eyes in thought, taking a moment or so to put together an answer she hope would be satisfactory.

"I am from Tokyo, specifically Hachiouji City. After graduating from Fukui, I intend to take over my family's bakery." Misha answered succinctly as she slowly opened her eyes. "But that's a little too cut and dry, isn't it?"

Once again, Misha began to walk around the various planters and flowerpots strewn about the roof. "Hobbies...well, sadly, much of it involves food. Cooking it, eating it, and chatting with friends over it." Misha smiled wryly at Ye Lin before shifting her grip on her cane, holding it out like it was a sword. "I told you, I do like to go on walks, but that is largely since my other main form of exercise, fencing, is one where I do not have partner to practice with. Normally, I have my cousin, Kiri, who taught me, but alas, Kiri is on the other side of the Pacific." 'Kiri' was Cyrus, a name he went by for the sake of both hiding his identy and preventing the embarrassment of the Japanese side of his family having difficulty pronoucing his name.

tag(s): Ye Lin ━ words: 352 ━ notes:

by MIZO.❉ of ww