A meeting in the restaurant [Yuriko]

Yaju could not help but look at her for a moment with his onyx eyes which would hold so much emotion and care in them as he looked over her before taking a step forward. When she kissed the blade however he would stop and focus on it trying to figure out what was going on, the shadows were forming into something or rather someone as he took a deep breath and finally knew what was about to come from this. As the full form of Aufero came into being he would take a step backwards before securing his stance and blinking once, knowing that finally him and Aufero would have either have a face off or he would end up dying right here and now in front of her.

It was when the darkness began to form around him and slowly take over his vision that he would attempt to move towards his blade but stopped and looked down to it. Was this really the path he wanted to take to prove to her that his words were true...did he want to resort to violence and allow himself to fall deeper into a pit of despair? Dropping his hands to his side he would listen to Aufero's words as he mumbled to himself," That's...not the truth i would never want to hurt Yuriko or use her," although when Yuriko had spoken his eyes would dilate and close slightly as he dropped to one of his knees and almost broke then and there.

Did she really feel this way? Did she really think that he was using her...to simply make her is then break her heart? His body began to shake not violently but as if he was rejecting the words that she had been saying. It was at this moment that his body literally regressed for a moment turning into a younger kid looking about the age of six or so. To their surprise they had actually triggered something within Yaju that had broken him in such a way that he regressed to the age of when his father was still alive. He spoke audibly although at first it would sound like a small whimper in his voice but infact it was his voice as a child," I never lied when i said loved her...i wanted to feel as if someone wanted me for who i was..not to use me or say i was nothing or would never amount to anything. He was fond of Yuriko and enjoyed their small time together enough to where he felt as if she was the one to bring him out of the chasm that he hid within himself...behind that smile. He never lied about loving her...or wanting her to be with him or even wanting her to stay with him," the little boy known as Yaju would pause before sitting up, his age going from about six to ten.

Looking at her they could both tell he was aging again, his hair was now white and his eyes were yellow," He was so afraid of being alone and never having anyone that he gave up a portion of his soul to create a son that would love him and always be at his side no matter what," pausing his body would finally return to the point of where he was outside, his hair being red although his eyes were still yellow," But when he had met Yuriko...it was at that point when he confessed to her and held her for the first time to comfort and console her that he knew...that she was the one he would give it all for. He..no I trained her so she could have my back and be the rock i could depend on and i could be the sword to help fight with her and the shield she could hide behind to protect her," his voice began to raise slightly as he looked at Aufero.

" So don't you dare call my love for her a sham or a lie,I, Yaju Hayate, love Yuriko with every fiber of my being and will not let a sword or any damn being tell me that my love is a lie and that i am using her. She is important to me and i will fight to keep her by my side no matter what," his eyes looked to Yuriko as he held his ground looking not only stronger than ever, but his mind was made up that he would fight with odds against him to prove his words were true.

[14,443]

As Yaju spoke his heart out to the two before him, Aufero's Darkness slowly began to relent as she lowered her hand to her side and glanced toward Yuriko for a moment before gazing back at the man before her, the one who had the courage to stand up to the shadows which she controlled and furthermore to speak up against her words, however, Aufero still doubted Yaju's true intents deeply, but she would for now decide that he had deserved at least a while longer upon this world as the last of her shadows faded and left Yaju unobstructed with Yuriko and Aufero before him. 

Yuriko stayed silent as she stared at Yaju intently, taking a few steps forward to be face-to-face with him, only being a couple feet away and easily within arm's reach. She looked down as she spoke, softly, to him: "I truly love you, too, but now  . . . At this stage, I feel so different that I --- I am not sure if I can ever be the same Yuriko that had loved you." Reaching up with one hand, she would gently caress Yaju's cheek before leaning forward and placing a kiss upon his forehead as tears welled up in her eyes and her voice rose up to speak once more, in a pained voice. "I only hope that when I awaken again . . . I will be able to remember how I feel for you and how you feel for me . . . I told you before that I had not wanted to hurt you and you refused the only way that Aufero could allow you to remain unharmed completely, You will be the last one she takes . . . But you will have to fight me once I become stronger, once I can wield her properly." As Yuriko finished speaking, she took once single step back and gazed upon Yaju with a sad gaze and gentle smile. 

Aufero meanwhile watched while slowly beginning to become covered in shadows once more, returning to her blade state as she assumed there was nothing else that needed to be done in this form, appearing within her sheathe on Yuriko's side once this was accomplished. Aufero's blade glowed and pulsed lightly as it sat within the sheathe, shadows surrounding it much like a cloud of Darkness. 

The large mansion filled with corridors that was Yuriko's inner-mind slowly began to crumble and fade, ever-so-slowly, as she waited for a response from Yaju. It was not that her mind was being destroyed, merely becoming hidden once more at a slow pace. As this happened, Aufero spoke once more within Yaju's mind: "There is no changing the past, only altering the future. Unless you intend to do battle with me once I reach my full strength, I suggest you think longingly of where your allegiances lie and if your pride is worth death. " As her voice faded, Yaju could almost feel Aufero's hand upon his cheek, her skin was soft and cold yet her touch was almost maternal in manner as if she were speaking to a child. 

This entirety of Yuriko's mind awaited Yaju's response as it began to fade and crumble, almost as if it were freezing time for such an occasion.

[16,305]

Yaju stood before Yuriko as she touched his face although softly he would raise his hand to cup her cheek into it softly as she spoke. Every word was heard as he simply looked into her eyes and understood that their destines were not set and in the end the two of them would have to fight...and one of them will die, but when it came to that could he actually kill Yuriko to survive? Wiping one of the tears from her face he would try to give a smile as he spoke," Life changes us for the better or for the worse..we both have our path's to walk and they will cause us to clash in the end...but Yuriko know that love doesn't exist in just the mind and our memories, but in our hearts. You will always be here in my heart no matter what happens with the world or with us and if that time comes when we have to do battle...i only hope that you will still hold the same feeling for me in the end," he knew that when it came down to it he wouldn't have the resolve to kill her..but if he found another way perhaps...then he could hopefully live through it.

In a sense he knew that someday he would have to fight someone close to him...although he never figured that he would have to fight the one he loves to the death. Something inside of him egged him on or rather told him that giving Yuriko his soul would end all of this and they would be together forever but that wasn't the right solution and he knew it. For now he would continue to be by Yuriko's side regardless of their future and the battles to come.

As the voice of Aufero appeared into his head however he would stop in place and look around not seeing her but knowing she was still here. After she had spoke he would reach for his blade and looked at it for a moment before sitting it onto his back," Aufero...you have given her a purpose and i thank you for that. My ties and allegiance lies with Yuriko but as a ninja and as a person who still owes a life debt i cannot stop just yet. She will forever be my love and i will stand by her...but in the end i do not want to fight her," he was conflicted but at the moment he would clear his mind and breathe.

As the world crumbled around them and it was only the two of them remaining, Yaju would step forward taking Yuriko's hands into his and kissing her softly on the lips," No matter what happens...no matter the conflicts of our future or anything that comes with it, know that i love you from the bottom of my heart Yuriko Nori and i always will," after kissing her one last time his body would disappear and he would awaken in the outside world where he would slowly look around before looking over to Yuriko to see if she was okay or not.

Yuriko smiled softly against the kiss, tears slowly rolling down her cheeks as the world around them faded away and they were both taken to the waking world, with Yuriko blinking her eyes open before using Aufero to lift herself onto her knees and then finally standing on her own two feet. She leaned her head back more out of exhaustion than anything as she stood, her arms limp yet still gripping the sword at her sides as she stared silently into the sky. 

Eventually she turn to Yaju and stared intently at him, seeming to be attempting to decide whether or not to leave him in this state or to approach him and attack him while they were both in a weakened state, in the end however she decided to cautiously approach him while however continuing to keep Aufero at her side, her head moving around limply as if she were only partially in control of her own body, this was likely due to the massive amounts of change that she was enduring, both from being trapped within her own mind momentarily and also the fact that Aufero had caused Yuriko to exert herself much further than she was used to commonly, culminating in a very worn and barely standing state. 

Yuriko stopped a few feet away from Yaju and slowly she knelt in-front of him, assuming that he had not fully stood up yet, and used one hand to gently hold the back of his head as she leaned forward and kissed him for a long few moments before eventually pulling back and returning to her feet, turning away from him as she began to speak, gently yet firmly: "Soon, I will leave . . . I do not know when, but when it happens - - - I do not want you to search me out or tell anyone of Aufero until she is already revealed to the world. I want you to pretend that we never met, once it happens and until it concludes - - - As far as the others would be concerned, Yuriko Nori never existed . . .  I will become ---- Angerona Night." As she finished speaking, Yuriko slowly began to shamble from the arena and back into the cave toward Yaju's home, it would be from there that she would begin her journey once she arrived. But due to this strain and exhaustion on her body, she would do so slowly while however keeping Aufero up now in-front of her as if preparing for someone to jump from the shadows to challenge her. 

Yuriko planned to return to her family's apartment for the time being once she made it back into the village, as until she was fully rested and recovered she would not dare attempt to do anything to jeopardize her and Aufero, she was confident that Yaju would not attempt to stop her just yet, but she knew that if she lingered too long then it would cause her demise. 

Her footsteps echoed as she shambled through the cave, Aufero glowing dimly as Yuriko brandished her in preparation while Yuriko hoped to make it through the caves unopposed, as any more fighting would result in her collapsing for certain. To herself, Yuriko sang a lullaby that would only be familiar to one other person within the entirety of the cave besides the two whom knew it: "Dodo . . . L'enfant do. L'enfant dormira bientot . . . " The words came from Yuriko's mouth softly and gently as time passed on around her.

[16,881]

Yaju at this moment was half unconscious and half awake as he continued to look around but the footsteps of Yuriko brought him to the world as soon he felt her hand placed on the back of his head. Before he could utter a word he would feel the lips of Yuriko on his as he closed his eyes and kissed her back, slowly falling into the feeling of the kiss before being dragged back into reality with her words. In the end she was going to leave and as she continued to speak each word would hit him like a brick harder and harder. Slowly he would sit up to look at her as he walked off before his body allowed him to stand and slowly he began to drag the sword behind him trying to get back to the house. The fox and Kodo would try to help him find his way to the house however he would continue to wave them off and continue towards the house where he would open the door and fall flat onto the ground near the couch. In a few moment's he would have passed out on the floor with his body temporarily going unresponsive.

It was at this moment that the fox would nod to the boy standing beside him who would go and shut the door to the house and lock it twice, the unknown result of what was to happen to the boy would be unknown to any outside of this house. The fox would summon three others who would surround Yaju and begin to talk amongst themselves before coming to an consensus and touched the body of Yaju with their tails each one beginning to summon him back into the realm that they had previously came from. For now Yaju would spend his time in the realm of the Fox summons while his body healed there and soon a new trial would begin in his life. For now he would only dream of a future where he would live in peace with yuriko and the both of them were finally happy and at peace with one another.

[15,344]
[Exit]
[76 stats converted into ryo which is 7,600 ryo]
[Also counting this towards my sage mode training]

It seemed like days, eons even, the time it took Yuriko to reach the village once more was excruciating and Aufero's Darkness was the only reason that she had managed to stay upon her feet any longer, it guided her and scolded when she stopped walking yet spoke encouragingly while she walked forward, reminding her that she had a family to return to for the time being and that during the short time she would remain, it would be best not to worry them by disappearing for such a long period of time - however she had mentioned to her parents she would be gone one night, it neared the end of a second night. So with that in mind, She stumbled up the steps leading to her family's apartment - one with two bedrooms, one for her and one for her parents as well as a small kitchen and living-room. Entering the door, Yuriko sheathed Aufero and moved to her room whilst weakly muttering into the dark apartment: "I--- I am home . . . Mother . . . Father . . . " She spoke strained, softly, as she moved into her room and there she threw herself onto the bed and stared up at the ceiling.

"My life has changed completely in two days," Yuriko thought to herself as she closed her eyes and continued on within her mind: "Why is fate so . . . cruel?" She concluded, falling asleep upon her bed as Aufero rested as well, awaiting the dawn of a new day and soon, the beginning of a new life. Before, Yuriko had been destined to become a savior to the weak and a role-model of sorts if she pursued it, now she would become an instrument of a blade who wished to save those of this world in a manner completely different from Yuriko, she wished to free them by taking their souls and converting them to the Darkness or killing them if necessary. Sighing, Yuriko fell in to a deep sleep with her last thoughts being of the blood that may soon be on her hands and if she would truly be able to handle such a thing upon her conscience. 

[17,236]
[Exit]
[86 stats]
[Putting toward the Word Count portion of Aufero's Mastery]

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