Winter

The morning sun cast a warm glow on the Cursed Yokai Academy as Takashi opened his eyes to a new day.

As Takashi reluctantly dragged himself out of bed, he couldn't shake off the drowsiness that clung to him. Rubbing his eyes, he grumbled to himself, "Why does the morning have to come so early?"

Despite his fatigue, he knew he couldn't afford to laze around. With a sigh, he forced himself to stand up to stretch his stiff muscles, while looking around his room to find Kazura.

As Takashi scanned the room, he spotted Kazura perched on the windowsill, basking in the morning sunlight. The cursed spirit chirped happily, seemingly unaffected by the early hour.

"Chirp!"

"Good morning, Kazura," Takashi said with a tired yawn.

Kazura chirped happily and fluttered over to Takashi's shoulder, his feathers providing a comforting warmth on the chilly morning.

With a sigh, Takashi made his way to the training grounds, feeling the chilly winter morning air on his cheeks. "Brr, it's freezing," he muttered, pulling his jacket tighter around him.

As Takashi made his way to the training grounds, he could feel the chill of the winter morning nipping at his cheeks. The academy grounds were peaceful, and the snow-covered landscape added a serene beauty to the scenery.

With each step, Takashi felt the cold air filling his lungs, invigorating him slightly. He knew that once he got into his training routine, he would shake off the morning grogginess.

As he reached the training grounds, he began his warm-up exercises, gradually increasing the intensity. The movements flowed naturally as if they were ingrained in his muscle memory. Takashi's cursed techniques and combat skills had reached a level where they felt like an extension of himself, though they were nowhere close to their full potential.

With no increased gravity on his body, he had to do more and heavier excercises to have any effects on his body.

An hour into his training, he could feel his energy levels rising. With that, he decided it was time to train with Playful Cloud, and began practicing various strikes and defensive maneuvers.

After a rigorous session, Takashi took a moment to catch his breath. He wiped the sweat from his forehead, feeling a sense of accomplishment. Training always brought him a sense of fulfillment, and it helped clear his mind from any lingering fatigue.

'Phew, I needed that. I'll cool down for a bit, then I'll begin my search,' Takashi thought to himself as he caught his breath.

He made his way to the garden, where snow-covered trees and plants created a winter wonderland. The stillness of the morning was interrupted only by the soft crunch of snow under his boots.

Kazura stayed perched on his shoulder, seemingly content with the serene atmosphere of the garden. Takashi took a moment to appreciate the beauty of nature around him, finding peace in the tranquility of the surroundings.

"Nature's quite something, huh?" he said to himself, with Kazura perched contently on his shoulder.

As Takashi was appreciating the atmosphere, he suddenly heard rustling behind him. As he turned his head, his eyes took on Hanami, who was leaning on a tree with his arms folded on his chest.

"Good morning, Hanami," Takashi greeted with a smile, not showing any surprise at the sudden appearance of the cursed spirit.

"Morning," Hanami replied with a smile, and Takashi raised an eyebrow, not expecting such friendliness.

Hanami looked around the garden, appreciating the beauty of nature. "Didn't think you'd be into this stuff," he said, sounding genuinely surprised.

Takashi chuckled softly, the smile still lingering on his lips. "I suppose it's not something you'd expect from a human, right?" he replied, his gaze following Hanami's as they both admired the peaceful garden.

With a nod, Hanami replied, "I suppose, most humans don't care at all for nature, and they use it for their own benefits while destroying it in the process."

"Hmm, sadly, that's true. Anyway, I have something important to do, so I'll be leaving for a while," Takashi said, while starting to walk away from the garden. Hanami watched him go, a mix of curiosity and intrigue in his eyes.

"Important, huh? Well, take care then," Hanami called after him, as he observed Takashi's back.

Takashi turned back and smiled. "Thanks, Hanami. I'll see you later," he replied before continuing on his way.

Takashi returned to his room to change into a wintery outfit. He donned his Quincy Uniform, but he chose not to wear the crimson cloak with it. Along with the uniform, he wore a navy blue cloak with lined with soft fur, which complimented the white uniform on him.

With that concluded, he made his way to the other side of Tokyo, where he knew the school's location lay hidden amidst the countless mountains.

...

I would appreciate some power stones. :)