(Thinking is in brackets, but any other character's thoughts apart from Yoichi's will be specified in italics and all Author notes are in Bold though sometimes it can be other characters thoughts if in text.)
later in same day= ***************************** (or for past events) = ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
the next day= - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - (or for past events) =^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^-^
More than a day has passed= -*****-*****-***** (or for past events) = ^^^****^^^****^^^****^^^
Memories Past
Part 1
A Chesnutt brunette wakes up with a shiver. As her eyes flicker open, the waning moon and glistening stars illuminate her surroundings by a silver tinge. With resistance from her aching muscles she turns her head to her left where a silent village rests and on her right a low cobble wall divides her from a shining forest behind it. She feels groggy and blinks, noticing that her eyes are very tired.
Strange enough she is not afraid or concerned as to why she is lying in the middle of an empty dirt road. She feels more unnerved that she cannot remember how she has come to be here. No matter how hard she strains her mind she cannot recollect much about herself apart from her name and how she died. She pushes with effort to sit up. She feels heavy from the seeping cold of her earthen bedding. (Who knows how long I was lying here for?) As she sits cross-legged she wipes the damp dirt off her hands onto her pants, though some sticks in between her prints.
Sorting through what she knows she recalls only a fraction about her childhood and death.
What is Already Known
Little Yoichi Fukashigi was born during the Sengoku period in Japan. Four hundred and four years before arriving in the Soul Society she was simply a child who liked combat, climbing trees, swimming in lakes and sword play.
She was named Yoichi because her mother, Shaba, was a very stubborn woman. Shaba strongly believed that her baby was going to be male, so she was adamant that her daughter be named 'sunshine first' no matter what her husband, Kazuo, or any of the other family members said when they discovered otherwise.
Despite Shaba's immovable intent towards naming her child such a traditionally masculine name she still had, albeit rare, emotions of wanting to dress her 'little devil' feminine every blue moon. However, the day Yoichi had shown interest in learning to become a protector of the tribe was almost the last day she would dress in such a way again. Yoichi did not mind, because as a toddler she always felt that the hours spent on making your hair nice and wrapping yourself in the extravagantly layered silk kimonos was not worth the pointless result of hours uncomfortably parading around for strangers.
Three months from turning five, Yoichi frequently played in the wide fields which surrounded her village under the scrutinies of her (later paid to be strict) trainer Hara Kaede. He was a close friend of the family and since Yoichi had first shown interest in Kendo six months ago he had been patiently preparing her for the more difficult training yet to come.
During her time in the familiar meadows, in the early stages of her training, Hara had instructed her to practice distancing and prediction of her challenger's movements.
She gripped a gleaming Katana, more than half the length of her body, which constantly lagged from her undeveloped muscles. The quality blade was gifted to her in celebration to continue the family tradition of demon hunters. Yoichi's parents had pride in this fact and she was not the type to disappoint. A flaw of hers was that she was her harshest critic. She sometimes pushed herself too hard when it was not necessary.
Since Kazuo and Shaba were the leaders within the demon hunting tribe, Yoichi was the adorable princess of her village. At least everyone accepted this to be so for the majority of the first 4 years of her life. She had not rejected the path of becoming a warrior when she turned 5 since she had initially shown interest in being one, but occasionally her determination to be like the rest of the male children waned, as she insisted Hara to be harsher with her training in comparison to his other students. She could be quite stubborn -just like her mother- and persuasive -like her father-for a young kid. Not that this was too extreme. Hara did strongly consider that she was merely five and that his other students ranged from seven to eighteen years old. Usually it takes many years until a child decides what they want to do before training begins. Although once a week, weapons training is compulsory from the age of seven.
On one of her lessons nearing the time for serious training Yoichi got to practice combative strategies. She rapidly approached new scenery away from the fields she was so accustomed to. Today Hara was teaching her about surprise attacks and preparation within unfamiliar terrain.
It was a fantastic Autumn day of crisp sun, clear skies and light breezes. Back then Yoichi was training as she ran towards a stony clearing. Her Katana was clenched within her petit hands and tipped down to her right, practically dragging as per usual.
Forest blurred past in her peripheral vision and the tall grass irritated her uncovered ankles and occasionally whipped her in the face, leaving quick fading light pink streaks. (I knew I should have worn my Tabi and mask today. Stupid weak sandals. Stupid sensitive skin. Stupid long grass.)
When running at almost five years old Yoichi could never get faster than her body allowed, especially when faced against a fully-grown opponent and professional trainer such as Hara Kaede. He understood her limitations well and applied them to his methods of training.
Since she felt as if her Sensei was behind her, she halted and spun on the spot struggling to hold her sword vertical in preparation for an attack. She waited but no one was there. (Damn. Is he hiding in the grass? Smart sneakster.) She waited with slow movements backwards as she sensed that something was still in the air.
In her attentive awareness she noticed that she was backing out of the eye height pasture and onto barren rock land. (And now I am the one out in the open. He could be waiting for me to try and escape, so he can attack me. Damn. There is nowhere to hide. Bet Sensei planned this. What should I do? It is too far for me to make a run towards the bigger rocks and Sensei is probably waiting for me to go back in the grass. I am not fast enough.) She pouted in competitive frustration. (I cannot afford mistakes like this.)
She scanned the area and kept her ears tuned to hear any sudden rustling of the dry meadow to alert her of his location, however she heard nothing but the soft breeze swaying the flora around her. Yoichi continued to slowly step backwards, guarded and hoping to make it towards the boulders before Sensei Kaede made his move.
Yoichi first picked up a Katana when her curiosity got the better of her nine months before her training began. This was when she had just turned four. She saw her father practicing the way of the sword with the rest of the adult men against wooden dummies and tried to join in. The group of males laughed as the below waist heighted and florally dressed child with ringlets of long golden hair struggled to bring a metal Katana up properly.
Shabas' motto was that 'if you are strong enough to lift a weapon to eye height you can also learn to properly use that said weapon' and as soon as she saw her little girl with the blade, struggling though she was, she deemed her ready for training. Yoichi did not know if she truly believed what her mother told her because lifting the chunk of lead in her hands that day was hard enough to lift than to have it swinging around. She tried her hardest during training regardless. She felt as if she had something to prove with many of the other children in the town being older boys.
All the children in the tribe were required to learn the basics of self-defence and Kendo when they turned seven, but no parent would force their child to become profound in their abilities unless they wanted to. To become a warrior was a very big responsibility and held many life-threatening dangers. If you chose the path of a fighter you would have to continue until you died. It was unfortunately common for more than one soldier to die in the groups missions to visit the far away villages. They were prosperous enough that those sent out would not need to go more than twice a year on their journey unless in an emergency or job call.
The Fukashigi Village specialised in demon 'purification'. Much more frequently than twice a year batches of soldiers would be deployed to help far neighbouring towns for payment in supplies or to uphold treaties. Although they would only accept requests if they were in need for what the town was offering. It was such a high risk for their people to travel such a distance to reach their goal that the loss of life would be too great. Even with the years of exceptional training that the warriors would have endured, the monsters and demons within the vast forest surrounding the isolated community grew much more powerful than a mere human could ever comprehend. Not to mention how little could successfully stand up against the invisible enemies.
Most people could not see the breed of white masked monsters plaguing the lands which caused obvious problems. The Fukashigi clan were one of the few families which had been gifted to be able to see the horrid beasts. This led to their generations of success in becoming one of the best demon hunting villages in northern Japan.
Surprisingly the masked ones would often team up with particularly gifted raiders who could see them to accomplish larger soul devouring massacres. Though this was rare. The raiders knew the obvious risks as the mentality of the beasts was 'the more devouring the better'. That is why, if they struck, it would be hard and fast. Hard, to get any soldiers out of the way and fast because the raiders knew that if they stayed too long the masked demons would not hesitate to turn on them when their goal is close to completion.
Fukashigi's first 3 months of preparation felt like Hell and even though she knew that it would eventually get easier, she continued to tell Hara to train her more frequently and push her to her limits as a birthday present. Even if Yoichi insisted on the kind of training she was being put through, they all knew it was going to be a time of guaranteed tantrums, fits of frustration and rebellion. Even though Hara was hired as the family trainer he was impressed enough by her resolve during those first three months to give those lessons to her for free as his gift. She was thrilled and immensely grateful to say the least as a true princess would be.
The village itself was large compared to the surrounding communities, yet Yoichi never had the pleasure to travel the lengthy distance to reach any of the others. Given that she would be a liability during their travels, due to her youthfulness, they thought it best if she joined them when she became older. Not that she ever did.
It is the second week of winter and the first week of snowfall. Everybody in the village knows that danger increases throughout this season. During this time lots of residents within the village are weaker from the lack of warm shelter and food. We are a wealthy village compared to those surrounding us but even we suffer during the times of the extreme cold. With desperation, raiders and demons come from everywhere looking for particularly weak towns so they can get away with an easy meal. Meaning lots of theft and death. Raiders tripled the frequency of their attacks during this season, like everyone is aware, but no one was prepared for one so early from when the first snow fell.
It is only the fourth day of snow that we have had, and my parents allow me to sleep in their bed for warmth every chilling night. I always look forward to cuddling up with them, but this time of year is the only time they let me stay every night, apart from when I have night terrors of course. I do not know whether to think myself lucky or not, but I have them so often that most nights I sleep in their room anyways. Whether that be by another bed or their own.
On this night I lie snugly between Mother and Father. Mothers' big belly smushes me against Fathers back, but I don't mind. She said that I will definitely get a brother and that he will arrive in the next two months. She already says that she has such a strong feeling that he's a boy that she has chosen to call him Jiro. An even stronger feeling than when she had me, or so she says. Since she was wrong before, I do not know what to think. Jiro means second son if you did not know. I know, she is quite original at naming her children, isn't she?
No matter what she thinks, I hope to have a sister. Do not tell Mother. I want a sister because then I will not be the only girl and we can get along better. I bet the boys will try to tease her as they had done to me, but I will not let them. Her name will be Ryū which means Dragon because she will be just as fierce as I am. We will stick together through thick and thin and I will teach her all that Sensei Kaede has been teaching me.
It has been almost a year since Sensei Kaede has started training me and my Kendo has already become so much better than all the wimpy boys who only train once a week, even though most of them are years older than me. I insist that Sensei Kaede teach me every second day. Whether it is practical or theoretical he always teaches me something. For a long time too. Most times all day, but with breaks of course. A lot of kids a year older than me are learning Kendo, but they are forced to and are not very enthusiastic. I want to become a warrior one day, so I am trying my best. I will carry the tradition just as Father and Mother have been doing. Since I do not really get along with all the other older kids I do not mind training instead of playing with them.
It will be my birthday in four months and Mother and Father say that I will have a massive celebration. I will be seven. So old, I know, so of course it will be a big deal. When I turn ten Father says that I will be old enough to travel and hunt with them. I cannot wait to be ten. It's so far away though. By then Ryū will be ummmm one or two so I can dress her up and play with her too.
I bet she will be soooo cute.
Just like me.
Yoichi is sleeping, once more, snug between her parents and protected from the icy atmosphere. That is until they all hear a shrill scream.
It violently shatters Yoichis' rarely peaceful dreams as she sits up with quickening breaths.
Yoichis' mother pounces on her black Katana leaning against the bed side table, draws it and heads to the door, her big belly bobbing as she does so. Simultaneously Yoichi's Father slides his unsheathed and gleaming broad sword from under the bed. He places Yoichi's, not so much smaller Katana on the bed beside her, trusting that she knows what to do.
As Shaba rips the door of their room open to go defend her family, an alarm bell can be heard clanging repeatedly in the distance and the faint scent of burning timber reaches Yoichi's senses increasing her panic. (Why is our village on fire? What's going on?) In the hall groans and grunts can also be heard as beastly things heavily scratch and claw in their path to get to fresh meat. (A-are those monsters? The ones Father and Mother fight?) The little child is too scared to ask questions aloud as she grips the ruffled blankets.
Kazuo does not try to stop his partner from running out of the room and neither does their daughter except for different reasons. Kazuo knows that as the powerful demon conquering queen of her luscious kingdom, she can handle herself, but Yoichi is too petrified to move. The lean man slips his prepared armour breast plate from its display, over his dusty blond head and moves over to his daughter.
Yoichi nabs her blade, like a baby monkey snatching fruit from the soft bedding, and dreads what is going on outside as more unfamiliar screams and battle cry's reach her ears. She is shaking when her father kisses her clammy forehead. He wipes her damp golden hair from her face and looks straight into her deep green eyes.
With his forehead touching hers he whispers, "Go hide and if anyone you don't recognise comes to find you remember your training. I love you my Fukashigi princess. Please, stay safe."
(No don't leave me.) Her expression is pleading but he solemnly turns and rushes to join his partner and shuts the door behind him. Yoichi hates herself for not being able to find her voice when her father told her such a resigned goodbye.
The clashing metal and grunts in the hall amplify. Yoichi deliriously thinks she may have even heard the profuse amounts of bloodshed splash on the floor boards and against the thin walls. Little did she know, it was no delusion. She gasps at the thought that it may be one of her parents.
(What is my training of nearly three years' worth if not for this moment? Come on Yoichi. You can at least look or maybe help.) Feeling that she cannot simply let her parents fight for her, Yoichi finds some unstable adrenaline fuelled strength to leave the illusion of safety the plush bed gave her and peeks into the hall.
Her weapon is now unsheathed and clutched upright within her numb fingers. She sees her beautiful mother spinning her Katana with murderous intent towards a burly man-thing. The creature adorns a porcelain mask shaped like a pig's face with glowing orange eyes and a featureless black shrouded body. Yoichi only vaguely sees the pig creatures form as if it is shimmering in glittering translucency. As if wearing the wrong prescription glasses except the creature is the only thing out of focus.
Yoichi rubs her eyes, but her vision of the pig man does not increase. (What the hell is that thing? Definitely not human. Maybe it's the kind of demon they spoke of in the village that Father hunts. It's so…so scary.)
The pig-monster charges, but its' furious roar is cut short with Shaba's diagonal strike across its mask. Its black blood spurts all over Shaba then disintegrates into black diamond flaming shapes which drift towards the ceiling and pool above in an oozing puddle. Shaba wastes no time, unfazed by its disappearance, to dance through the yellowy-orange illuminating gloom to her next victim. Her flowing red and now black speckled night dress twirls around and is purposefully torn to her upper thigh so she can smoothly reach to cut down her opponents more effectively. Even in her eight-month pregnant state she handles herself with ease against those that she butchers. Her picturesque face is serious but her auburn eyes are alight with determination and entertainment. She is in her element.
Kazuo backs up his wife although it is difficult with his board sword in the narrow hallway. Smaller demons try to claw through as Shaba deals with the larger monsters, but Kazuo cuts them down before they get a chance to scurry through their defence. There are many and Kazuo cannot afford to stop moving when hacking each monster down. Even with his balky sword in the restricted space he strikes with precision and accuracy. Further down the hall other creatures, some with similar masks and other various monstrosities, frenzy and stumble unseeing in their bloodlust towards the family.
Standing beside his partner, Kazuo takes a second to look behind him and sees, not only his young and sickeningly pale daughter peeking at the carnage, but raiders and more demons barrelling towards them. He rationalises that they cannot fight them all and Shaba only puts up a strangled groan at being dragged away and back into the pseudo-safety of their room.
The fearless woman's bare feet slip when running back to the room as the gory bits of flesh and blood makes her lose grip on the floorboards. Kazuo is there to catch her but she stables herself and they make haste to the door way. Kazuo picks Yoichi up from the entryway and tosses her back on the bed then whips his attention to helping Shaba barricade the door. With no time to lose he pushes himself against the solid door while Shaba hurries to push large cupboards and furniture from around the room as a means of barricade.
The door creaks and shudders under the strength of the combined things on the other side trying to pound it open, but their efforts show no avail. Even past the creatures continued brutality on the timber, loud growls, angry snarls and frustrated barks are easily heard in the room.
When sure that the room is as secure as they can make it, Shaba carries her stunned child on her hip to the only exit available. Kazuo is already there and wastes no time to slice open the papery windowpane at the opposite side of the room. Shaba places her daughter back on the floor. Yoichi is tempted to stay in the warm safe room and hug herself in fear, but stops as she remembers the fire rapidly approaching and that she must keep hold of her sword so that she can try to defend her family.
Kazuo goes first so that he can ease his pregnant partner onto the lawn. Yoichi hops into her father's arms last and Shaba stays close with her Katana prepared for any surprise attacks. When they have all exited onto the sharp ice glazed grass, they hear the banging on the thick oak door stop and the growling continue to distance itself from the room.
In the sudden silence they take a frosty breath in relief that the demons have distanced themselves. That is until all the family hear is the crackling wood from the spreading fire, the desperate bell and the constant horrors of the screeches further in the village's streets. They do not know if the screams are from monsters or humans as they all mingle into a hybrid of torture. It was always present but outdoors it is amplified and since the adrenaline from that event has faded somewhat their attention becomes more alert to their surroundings. Not that it matters to them in this moment. Escaping the fire and savage flesh-eating brutes comes first.
Kazuo pats Yoichi's shoulder for brief reassurance and then they run bare foot with the light slushy snow in the atmosphere mixing with the sweat on their faces. Unfortunately, the area is an indoor garden of the estate and not an easy route to freedom. Not a place where they can swiftly escape the creatures, raiders or the increasing flames. Yoichi use to play here with Hara nearly every day. It is a wide area with scattered white pebble gardens, circular pieces of lawn and ponds with decorative carp everywhere amongst them.
They launch across a red bridge over an elegant pond and approach one of the classic Japanese entrances to escape through a different section of the manor. But when Kazuo reaches to open the sliding door, four swords stab through the flimsy material. As he draws back to defend his family one of the protruding blades manage to deeply slice open the back of his hand and another shallowly stabs his chest plate. He ignores the blood dripping to the floor, as he goes back to gripping his heavy sword with both hands, too focused on not getting his family or himself killed.
They fling themselves a large distance backwards sliding on a white pebbled patch. The flowing blood drips through Kazuo's fingers and generously splashes against the stones, vivid in its blackened colour against the surrounding white. (I didn't know people bled so much. Father…)
The doors splinter with multiple slashes then explodes, revealing three ragged but barely human invaders. The one on Yoichi's right holds two blades horizontally at Shaba. He has a glint in his eyes which tells Yoichi that whatever he is planning, it is not going to be good if he catches her Mother. Everything about this man, from his bare feet to his eager bulging eyes made Yoichi want to cut him to ribbons. She has a horrid feeling that his hungry gaze not only yearns for bloodshed but also for suffering. She recognises a third emotion, but the subject is something which innocent Yoichi has no clue about.
The attacker beside his lecherous accomplice is loosely holding an axe in one filthy hand and a sword in the other. His expression is as if he could be doing anything better than being here. (Well I don't want you here either you know. Just leave.) Yoichi would use the word 'bored' if she did not know any better. (He probably is just a psychopath like most of these cretins. No heart to speak of. Pure evil bastards.) This man drags his gaze over her parents as if it were truly a physical effort until it halts on Yoichi's trembling form. Yoichi cannot help but to flicker her gaze at the faces of her parents and the blood on the rocks below her father to avoid the dead eyes of the immediate threat. She worries about her father's injured hand to hold his heavy broad sword and her mother's pregnancy, but really, she should only be worrying for herself. She did not see the sinister smile the creep gave her when he identified the fear in her wide forest eyes. The middle man's gleeful expression is quickly hidden as Yoichi looks to his other accomplice's appearance and threat level. This dangerous fleeting expression towards their daughter did not go unnoticed by Yoichi's parents and they huddle closer against her in fierce protection.
The last man is shorter than his adjacent raiders, but very burly. He is holding a Nodachi with both hands and has an eager look just as the first man at Fukashigi's stunning mother, except with a jovial grin which was like an open wound on his blood splattered mug. In other words, he exudes sadism, as if it is flowing out of every pore from within. (He must have been hit in the face at some point. His teeth are stained red. I hope they hit him hard, but wish they hit him harder.)
The opposing groups do not stare at each other long and the bug-eyed criminal launches first with his two raider buddies close behind. Shaba shoves Yoichi to slide further behind herself as she blocks the desperate and heavy swipes from the double blades of her attacker.
Kazuo is then attacked by the short brawny man. The psychopaths grin has transformed bleak as his 'friend' stole his opportunity to attack the black haired woman before him and left him with the undesirable man meat.
The middle man's plan is in motion; distract the parents and he can have his way with the child. He knew that his idiot comrades would go for the bigger fish. He stalks between the fighting parties towards the short haired girl. She is shivering; half because of her thin night gown in the frosty night and because of her almost paralysing fear. Her sword shakes in her calloused hands as she pleads in her mind repeatedly for her parents to help her.
He wishes to torture his prey before any life-threatening wounds can be administered and takes his time, believing that with numbers on his side he will eventually have his prize regardless. He takes a large step forward, purposely dragging out the encounter to enjoy his victim's expression. Her wide eyes, damp skin, pale complexion and shaking figure only increases the lust he feels to make her suffer.
She is terrified but tries to think of her training despite herself. She reluctantly glances away from her threat and at her parents' challengers. They are fighting for their own sake but for her as well. At every opportunity in their fight they are being blocked by their attackers as they try to reach for their young daughter.
Their actions and fearlessness give Yoichi hope that they may be able to get through this assault after all. They are holding their own so far. This switches something in Yoichi's mind. (I will fight. For my parents. For myself. And for the sake of all my training.) her threat is way too close for Yoichi to focus on anything other than the tall man raising his axe. Her eyes harden and hide her fear as she blocks his intentionally languid strike at her left arm. Although a weak hit Yoichi still struggles to hold her weapon up against his own.
Looking at her determined face makes the creeps lips twitch as he takes delight in having fight in his targets. (He is toying with me.) His brow scrunches as he performs a harder strike with his sword to her right. Yoichi bounds backwards and is unbalanced by the damp pebble flooring under her bare feet. (Dammit.) The horrible man moves quicker than she expects and precisely cuts off her index and middle finger of her right hand when she shot it out to steady herself. The six-year-old screams in agony with instantaneous tears blurring her vision. She curls in on herself, eyes screwed shut and cradles her injured hand to the stomach of her, now becoming, blood-soaked nightdress. She gapes that with her tears her two bloody fingers fall to the floor. Even through the pain she still grips her Katana with her undamaged hand in determination, knowing that if she lets it go, she will die. She is struggling to see past her tears and emotions, her breath becomes laboured and she blinks many times in attempts to not be oblivious to her enemy.
Distracting her parent with her agonising cry Kazuo pushes his adversary away in his desperation to successfully launch himself between his daughter and her sadistic attacker. He lashes out with a slice towards the man's arm and succeeds in drawing a deep wound in his bicep. The worm of a man is forced to drop his axe.
The attackers grin leaves him but brushes off the deep wound as he still has his sword as a means of distributing pain.
Kazuo gives his daughter a distraught frown and then glares wrathfully at the two hellish men sprinting to attack him. It is two on one and Yoichi cannot feel more distraught with pain, fear and helplessness to what she is not sure her father can handle.
