[center][h2]Obstinacy[/h2]
[h3]Part Two[/h3]

[i]Wind Wild[/i]

Kirane

Day 1, Late Morning[/center]
Kirane finished her isotonic drink and looked at her watch. The team leader, whoever it was, still hadn’t contacted her and she was starting to worry. Had he been expelled without a notice, deemed too much of a liability? Or had she maybe missed a call? 

She checked for any messages but came up empty-handed. Bizarre. Then again, from what she gathered the mission only concerned a dead man so it probably wasn’t urgent. Kirane didn’t know the first thing about necromancy but she [i]did[/i] know that both Crow and Ayala were incredibly skilled. Whichever of them was joining her today was probably going to be centre-stage and Kirane herself merely expected to back them up.

Taking her mind off the impending task, she looked down and inspected her shirt. The bleeding had long stopped but the green colour of the fabric was doing little to hide the stains except turning them a dark blackish brown. Out of all the things that were made available to the Knights in the training facilities – from healing patches to flesh glue and even one-shot biological enhancements, one thing was remarkably absent. Zinophide, the miracle powder that drew out any stain out of any garment in seconds without even requiring water. Of course, Kirane had enough of it for half the Tower’s population in her room but she doubted she had the time to go get it. Really, someone ought to request of the higher-ups to add a few lockers to the training rooms for situations like this. But then again, would anyone else really care? [i]‘You’re barely breathing, you could faint in the middle of a long jog and what you’re most concerned about is your shirt? Are you really that vain?’ 

‘Yes. Yes, I am.’[/i] She confessed to herself bitterly. 

Maybe she could ask somebody to bring her a new top? No. Even just the thought of someone going into her room made her cringe. The only thing that could save her now was someone skilled at water magic or alchemy who could draw out stains. A certain someone popped into her mind, definitely uninvited, and made her face contort. He had no [i]right[/i] to be hanging around her in her private time, even if he was imaginary. 

But it got worse. For the in-the-flesh-Sirius had just appeared out of the Tower’s south entrance and was headed straight her way. [i]’I have summoned a demon.’[/i] Kirane thought, resting her forehead on her hand. 

“No need to be shy, dear, you’re hard to mistake and especially after all the time we’ve been spending together recently.” He chirped happily, taking a seat next to her. She didn’t dignify him with a response but [i]did[/i] give him a ‘shouldn’t-you-be-somewhere-else?’ stare. Last she remembered he was headed for his favourite Chinese restaurant, so why--? 

“What are you doing here anyway? I thought you were spending the day at your clinic?” He had the audacity to ask.
“A mission.” 
“Oh~? Should I come with you?”
“No.” She said with more hostility than was warranted. She was still a bit frustrated at her performance earlier. Perhaps the medics were right that she shouldn’t have done it. It hadn’t killed her, of course, but it had definitely damaged her pride. 
“There’s no need to prove anything to me, you know. I’ve already seen you naked.”
Kirane’s eyes snapped at him before her words cut the air. “Why do you think this is remotely appropriate?”
“Oh, it’s not appropriate. But I do enjoy seeing those expressions on your face. They’re cuter than you think.” He kept grinning shamelessly. 
Yes, enjoyment. This was probably his get back for making him wear a leash the other night. She shouldn’t give him the pleasure. Just ignore him. The woman glanced at the girl behind the café counter who was politely pretending not to hear anything and closed her eyes with a deep inhale. 
“Oh, you’re doing that thing, right? The famous Kyotan ‘I-can-handle-anything’ meditation technique, right? Gosh, you’re good at this. You should teach me some time.”
Kirane didn’t open her eyes but did address him. “Sirius, I don’t need your help for this. Thank you for earlier but if you could now go away and find something else to do I would be very appreciative.”
“Roger, mistress.” The man fell blissfully silent. However, not even a minute later she was attacked with the rustling of carton and the smell of sweet and sour chilly fish. 

It smelled delicious. As a rule, Kirane didn’t eat immediately before a missions and today the summon had come too late for lunch to be had. So far, she had only had a piece of buttered toast. Her stomach grumbled and gave her away.
“Want some?”
“No! Excuse me! Can I have an avocado sandwich please?”