Reflection of Ametrine [HIATUS]

Training

Atsushi panted heavily and pouted.

"Why do I have to do this anyway?"

"So that you can be stronger, you have to be stronger than at least Dazai"

He knew that Dazai was strong but Teiji still dared to say that! It was clearly impossible to beat a intelligence monster that can nullify abilities!

Even if he transformed into a tiger, his attacks won't work since the tiger would just disappear! It will be completely absurd to even think he could get a punch across.

Atsushi also thinks that his previous mentor will still be strong even when he is younger since Teiji explained to him that the biggest misfortune for Dazai's enemies is that they were his enemies, besides Dazai was in the Port Mafia and he wasn't known as the youngest executive for nothing! He was unbeatable.

 Yet, he was stuck training, which he named "hell training" and the title can explain how much he was suffering. I mean, who in their right mind would think that singing practices can improve strength (not that he was complaining, it was one of the easiest tasks), of course, none other than his new mentor, Teiji. But it was honestly fun.

His hand-to-hand combat was also improving a lot though, even better than Chuuya the other said, Atsushi didn't know if he was telling him the truth or if it was a way of encouragement.

The days went by, he finished his training after a year of pure torture. He became excellent in hand-to-hand combat, marksmanship, assassinating, martial arts, swimming, cooking, adapting to things better and some useless things like singing, drawing/art, writing, maths (maybe not, but he struggled at it the most).

He became a good liar as well, that even someone as smart as Dazai or Ranpo wouldn't know (claimed Teiji) and showed more potential than Dazai ever did.

After all, he kept on training until his strict mentor was satisfied.

He was sure that he could even face Agutagawa face on and defeat him with a flick of a finger. That was what he thought as he was more powerful than ever but Teiji never seemed satisfied at all, saying that he barely made the passing line.

Atsushi didn't care what the other thought since he was in control of himself and he could do whatever he wanted (mostly).

All that he needed to practice was dancing, which he protested against since it was stupid but one dangerous glare that warned him, made him obey. Who wouldn't when the bloodlust seemed to seep into the glare which shocked him to the core, the feeling of fear was uncontrollable. He then was reminded again that Teiji was someone that one should not disobey, he had a reason for everything he did. 

At night he would stare at the bright moon and stars and admire the beauty that nature brought to him. Its sad that most of the stars could not be seen due to light pollution.

Sometimes, he would start a conversation with his ability and they would get along quite well, he was happy that he was accepted by the tiger as they were one. 

After finishing his ability training, Atsushi looked towards the big buildings and told Teiji.

"Can I go there and explore?"

"No, it would be dangerous for a child like you to wander alone, there are lots of danger lurking in the darkness"

Atsushi did not know what these 'dangers' were since he was quite confident in his strength. He thought Teiji was being too paranoid but being precautious was also a good thing he thought. 

Humans were deceptive, greedy and sinful. He was also taught that many people would want his tiger ability since it was powerful, another thing he was taught was that he was the key to the 'book'.

The so called 'book' would make anything in the world come true but it has to be made in a story and cannot be just said "this happened suddenly" it has to make sense like normal story book.

He did not know why he was the key to finding this mythical item but Atsushi did not pay any mind to it. Maybe someday, he would find out.

................................

Teiji would bring him to the forest for hunting purposes every day.

His eyes wandered to a little bird who came to perch on his hand, the animals seemed to like him but they did not know that he was a predator.

Sadly, the bird, not knowing anything, was eaten up by him. It was all for survival since he had nothing to eat Atsushi told himself, Teiji did not allow him to go to a market or anywhere with people which led him to hunting prey, sometimes the prey come to him without suspecting a thing.

The forest was filled with animals and the tiger instinct told him where they were all hiding, his sight, hearing and movement improved drastically so it did him good.

After filling his stomach, he was to fight Teiji, if he got a hit, he could rest for the remaining day but if he didn't, he had to do triple practice, the time limit was three hours.

Normally, he would try to attack Teiji for a whole three hours without getting a single hit. 

Teiji did tell him that he had finished training yet, he was stuck in the forest practicing fighting. Wasn't this technically training?!?!

Though Teiji would tell him that it was 'practice' not training which annoyed him the most, but he decided the other was right, to survive in the cruel world, he had to become more stronger than he already was so that nobody would dare challenge or threaten him.

He then learned to live in the alleyway after he was finally let into 'human settlement'.

Learning to pick pocket was easy considering how he was good at assassination. He also trained himself not to feel sorry for who he killed. It was either him or them, and he learned that the hard way. 

Atsushi wanted to live in the world and to do that, he needed to let go of petty feelings like feeling sorry for others or himself, that didn't mean he wouldn't save a child who was suffering though, but he came first in everything.