Post by Saya on Jan 11, 2018 14:42:57 GMT -5
Sweat rolled down her forehead and stung her eyes. Uneven breaths shook her body and her vision blurred temporarily.
Four hours. Four hours she had pinned herself against the surprisingly durable punching bag that swayed before her. The once taunt fabric that covered the dense innards had long since loosened and started to wrinkle, especially in the middle where most of her punches had been focused on. The chain that held the bag to the ceiling started to creak and groan after she had punched it a bit too hard one too many times in a row, so even the gentle swaying of it starting to relax made an annoying screeching noise that made her only want to punch it that much harder.
Her hands rested at her side. Her left arm had long since grown numb from over exertion. It wasn't ever day that a Shinigami had to be coaxed into regrowing an entire limb, so it was no wonder she had been bedridden for months. Truth be told, she should have been there longer. The doctors of the Third cautioned her from returning to any field work and directly told her not to overwork the new muscles. She probably should have listened.
The physical body she had, as she quickly learned, was no more than an idea that represented the state of her soul. Whether she was healthy, beautiful, ugly, sickly, all of it was just a representation of how powerful her will was. So, if that was the case, why was she struggling? Why would anyone struggle? Couldn't she just will herself to be stronger? Couldn't she just believe hard enough and the pain would go away?
Her left hand twitched in response to her frustration and then went still again.
"Rrraaagggg!" Saya shouted in protest as she threw a punch with her good hand. The punching bag swung in a long, wide arc, tapping against a nearby wall before swinging back towards her. She stepped to the side and then punched it again, propelling it even faster on its backswing. The chain creaked and whimpered, begging for relief.
'You're just food now.' His voice came in the form of a low whisper.
"Shut up! Shut..." She growled as her fist came out to stop the punching bag dead in its tracks. The force sent a chill through her bones, making her wince. Another growl escaped her and, with a herculean effort, she raised her free hand to punch at it once more, sending it back the way it came.
The punch was so weak that the bag hardly swayed.
Tears pricked at the corner of her eyes as she panted and clenched her fists. She glared at the punching bag, face red and vision blurring once more. In her dazed state, she saw that face.
That face. His face. That.. monst...
It's time to rest, Aiko said gently from the corner of Saya's mind.
The Shinigami closed her eyes, chest heaving, and then started to walk away. With her head bowed and eyes only slightly open, she started to make her way to the shower.
You're only making yourself worse, Aiko said in a cautious voice, worried she might trip off Saya's anger yet again. Why don't we go back to the hospital and...
I'll shower and then go home, Saya asserted.
That's not--
Whatever Aiko was going to say was cut off by Saya bumping into another person. Eyes wide as she snapped back to reality, she stopped and faced the woman. She offered a tired, forced smile, followed by a very short bow.
"Sorry, excuse me," she said gently.
[605]
Four hours. Four hours she had pinned herself against the surprisingly durable punching bag that swayed before her. The once taunt fabric that covered the dense innards had long since loosened and started to wrinkle, especially in the middle where most of her punches had been focused on. The chain that held the bag to the ceiling started to creak and groan after she had punched it a bit too hard one too many times in a row, so even the gentle swaying of it starting to relax made an annoying screeching noise that made her only want to punch it that much harder.
Her hands rested at her side. Her left arm had long since grown numb from over exertion. It wasn't ever day that a Shinigami had to be coaxed into regrowing an entire limb, so it was no wonder she had been bedridden for months. Truth be told, she should have been there longer. The doctors of the Third cautioned her from returning to any field work and directly told her not to overwork the new muscles. She probably should have listened.
The physical body she had, as she quickly learned, was no more than an idea that represented the state of her soul. Whether she was healthy, beautiful, ugly, sickly, all of it was just a representation of how powerful her will was. So, if that was the case, why was she struggling? Why would anyone struggle? Couldn't she just will herself to be stronger? Couldn't she just believe hard enough and the pain would go away?
Her left hand twitched in response to her frustration and then went still again.
"Rrraaagggg!" Saya shouted in protest as she threw a punch with her good hand. The punching bag swung in a long, wide arc, tapping against a nearby wall before swinging back towards her. She stepped to the side and then punched it again, propelling it even faster on its backswing. The chain creaked and whimpered, begging for relief.
'You're just food now.' His voice came in the form of a low whisper.
"Shut up! Shut..." She growled as her fist came out to stop the punching bag dead in its tracks. The force sent a chill through her bones, making her wince. Another growl escaped her and, with a herculean effort, she raised her free hand to punch at it once more, sending it back the way it came.
The punch was so weak that the bag hardly swayed.
Tears pricked at the corner of her eyes as she panted and clenched her fists. She glared at the punching bag, face red and vision blurring once more. In her dazed state, she saw that face.
That face. His face. That.. monst...
It's time to rest, Aiko said gently from the corner of Saya's mind.
The Shinigami closed her eyes, chest heaving, and then started to walk away. With her head bowed and eyes only slightly open, she started to make her way to the shower.
You're only making yourself worse, Aiko said in a cautious voice, worried she might trip off Saya's anger yet again. Why don't we go back to the hospital and...
I'll shower and then go home, Saya asserted.
That's not--
Whatever Aiko was going to say was cut off by Saya bumping into another person. Eyes wide as she snapped back to reality, she stopped and faced the woman. She offered a tired, forced smile, followed by a very short bow.
"Sorry, excuse me," she said gently.
[605]
