Disclaimers: I DO NOT OWN any of the characters in the Shinsengumi.
Winter's Black Blade
Kuroken no Fuyu
The brutal wind callously brushed the maple trees and wild flowers, causing the air to be filled with the scent of Autumn, a season known to beget the permeating fumes of decay. It was 1876, the ninth year of the New Meiji Era. During this era of 'Enlightened rule,' the emperor served mainly as a figurehead to a small group of men, known as the Meiji oligarchs, who ruled the country. These oligarchs, most of them being samurais of middle rank, set the nation upon a course of modernization where they stripped the samurais of their distinctive social function as warriors and "claimed to be acting at the behest of the youthful Meiji emperor." The degradation of their status led to bitter sentiments. Among these bitter warriors was Sawatari Takafumi, an ex-samurai still yearning to be active in his services to the ruling class, but now reduced to being a land owning merchant with a distasteful wife and spoilt son. As can be described by their neighbors, the Sawatari family was bitter and very cruel. Every so often, the neighbors could hear some gentle heartrending weeping coming from a particular maid whose delightful personality surprisingly contrasted those of the terrible Sawatari family. But one dreary night, her weeping had suddenly changed to forceful cries.
"Thought you could get away, wench!" yelled Takafumi as the henchmen dragged the young maid and violently thrust her to the ground crunching the leaves beneath her.
"I knew you were trouble from the start, you good for nothing wench!" added his wife Risako as she stepped forward and brutally kicked the maid.
"Mother, please, don't hurt Fuyue too much," said Miwa rather absently.
"I don't know what you like about this girl, Miwa," lecturing to her son as she stared angrily at her husband. "She is evil…pure evil ever since she stepped foot into this house."
"But, Mother, I really like her."
"I will never give in to the likes of your family!" shouted Fuyue as she turned to sit up with her hands supporting. "I would rather die, then become one of your family's playthings."
"Shut up, wench!" Risako slapped Fuyue several times till her hands became tired. "You will want no girl of this…this…sort. A maid, what could you be thinking?"
"Not as a main wife, Mother. I just really want her as my personal maid to take care of my delicate needs."
"You will get no such maid, boy!" interjected Takafumi before returning his attentions to Fuyue. "How dare you try and run off? Did I not provide for you well enough that you had to try and run away?"
"Foolish ungrateful girl." remarked Risako fanning herself.
Takafumi spun around and glared at his wife warning her not to interrupt him as he speaks. Risako immediately stepped back and frowned behind her fan. Satisfied, he returned to his chides. "I had made you such a generous offer, but it would seem you have decided against it and even tried to run away to find that good for nothing Ayasaki."
"How…how…did you…know of him?" stuttered Fuyue in disbelief.
"Did you think you could really find him? I am sure you haven't seen him for at least a month. Did you ever stop to wonder why? I will tell you why. It is because he can't and do you know why he can't? It is because I KILLED him." Fuyue's face instantly paled.
"Impossible…his swordsmanship is beyond yours. You cannot have defeated him," stated Fuyue defiantly.
"Think again, Fuyue."
"You have been making good use of your gun, haven't you father?" snorted Miwa.
"More than you can ever imagine, Miwa. That dumb merchant sure knew what he was talking about when elaborating its firepower. That impudent samurai didn't even last a second."
"Congratulations, darling, you've finally ridden of your old nemesis."
"That Ayasaki Kazuma got what he deserved; always trifling against me. And you," crouching down to Fuyue and harshly grabbing her chin. "I don't know what your relationship is with him, but he had asked me not to hurt you. Now, why is that? Who are you to him? More importantly, what is he to you?"
"More valuable than you or your family will ever be." Fuyue pulled herself away from his grasp.
Takafumi quickly slapped her hard sending her among the broken leaves. Fuyue hoarsely coughed as she breathed in the dust of the crumpled leaves and dirty ground. "Is that how it is. Well then, let's see who will come to save you now." Takafumi signaled the henchmen to do their dirty work as he got up from his crouching position and backed away.
"Beat her till she can no longer walk."
The henchmen gladly came forward with their thick heavy redwood sticks, and immediately began to pound the young maiden as she clenched her teeth and fists tightly refraining from uttering any sort of scream. Despite her pain, Fuyue refused to reveal any indication of her agony knowing that such audible visions would have certainly entertained the Sawatari family.
"Don't beat her too hard." whined Miwa. "You will break her delicate skin."
"Don't be absurd, Miwa." his mother reprimanded. "Her skin and body is anything but delicate; more like a crocodile's I'd say."
"If her skin's like a crocodile's, then yours would be like a porcupine," murmured Miwa as he stood snickering to himself.
"I am quite sure her crocodile skin can easily bear the beatings these men are giving her right now. I mean look at her. She isn't even cringing from any of their strikes. Don't you think we should heighten the force of her beating, darling?"
Takafumi shrugged before responding. "What is wrong with you wimps? Haven't we fed you well enough? Hit her harder!" With that instruction, the henchmen flexed their muscles before returning to their task with heightened brutality; however, Fuyue's anguish remained undisclosed since she had shortly before lost all sensitivity in her body.
"That should teach you to flaunt yourself about the house," reproved Risako coldly.
"Please, Sawatari-sama, please…I beg of you." implored a middle-aged woman who had stood witnessing the ordeal and could no longer bear to remain silent. "Please forgive her. I am sure she has learned her lesson."
Hearing the woman plead for her, Fuyue coughed out, "Matsuoka-san, please do not get involved in this. It will only be futile to hope for even an ounce of compassion from them."
"Did you hear that? Emiru? Don't get involved with such a girl. She doesn't even deserve an ounce of our compassion," stated Risako forwardly.
"Do you want to share some of her beatings, Emiru?" teased Miwa.
Emiru Matsuoka turned her welling eyes to face those of the tortured girl. Fuyue shook her head slightly in response, before adding a forced smile in a futile attempt to relieve some of Emiru's grief. The severe beatings soon began to wear and tear her "kosode" revealing a glimpse of her inflamed skin. Discovering this attractive sight, Miwa soon began to relish the henchman's beatings constantly wishing that the tear would soon broaden. Miwa's silent gawk and drooling face soon caught the attention of his mother.
"Miwa…what's the matter with you?"
His father also soon caught on after following the gaze of his son. Both stood staring at the small sliver sized opening in Fuyue's shoulder area. Recollecting himself, Takafumi commanded his henchman to stop.
"That will be enough."
"But darling."
"I said that will be enough. Miwa, your mother must be tired. Accompany your mother back to her room." Miwa remained drooling, with mouth still widely gaping. "Miwa!"
"Father?"
"Escort your mother back to her room."
"But, father…"
"Now, boy!"
Miwa stole a last glance at Fuyue before reluctantly taking the arms of his mother who refused to budge. "I'm not going anywhere till I know what you are planning for that girl, Takafumi."
"Boy, take your mother back to her room. If she resists, then I will have her sleep in the woodhouse."
Risako gritted her teeth in anger behind her fan. "Darling, DON'T be too late out." She remarked before following Miwa's lead through the corridors.
"Emiru, take her to the baths and have her washed up. After that, bring her to my study room."
"Yes, Sawatari-sama." Emiru quickly lifted Fuyue's limp body over her shoulders and lead her to the bath.
"Go back to your posts, men." exclaimed Takafumi before retreating to his study room.
At the bath house, Emiru gently helped Fuyue rest on a chair before proceeding to fill a large tub and a small hand basin with warm water. Every now and then, she would stop to look at Fuyue who remained motionless. Grabbing a small towel, she carried the tray over to Fuyue, and called to her sympathetically.
"Fuyue," Emiru placed the hand basin down and looked gravely at the wounded girl. Unable to withhold her feelings, she broke out crying in front of Fuyue. "I am sorry. I am so sorry." Tears started to form in Fuyue's dry eyes, and steadily flowed down her cheeks.
"It is not your fault, Matsuoka-san," whispered Fuyue as she closed her eyes. "Do not blame yourself." These tears are of anguish. Ayasaki-san. I will avenge you.
"Poor child." Matsuoka bended over and caressed Fuyue's hair in an attempt to ease some of her pain, before resolving on a decision. "I must get you away from here."
Fuyue instinctively pulled herself up to look at Emiru. "Matsuoka-san?"
"You must get away from here tonight. Right now, when no one is watching. I will help you."
"No, I had rather you procure me a blade…" snapped Fuyue but seeing Emiru's helpless face, "But that would only be selfish of me," replied Fuyue as she rested her head upon the back of her chair. "I cannot choose my life over yours." Sawatari would definitely not let you live if he knew you are involved. "Besides, the probability of success is slim."
"But child, don't you know what Sawatari-sama has planned for you tonight?"
Fuyue shivered at the thought before commenting, "Let us just hope that I will not live to experience it."
"Fuyue, don't…"
Do not worry about me, Matsuoka-san, I will not let my life end like this, not after what Sawatari had done. I must conserve my strength. Fuyue stated aloud plainly, "I will not wash tonight, Matsuoka-san." The effect of drug had worn off. Fuyue tightened her fist as she recalled who had betrayed her.
"But Fuyue…"
"Please leave me be for a while, Matsuoka-san, to think over a few things."
"As you wish, child."
Meanwhile, Takafumi Sawatari shifted about his study to clean up a few things in preparation for Fuyue's arrival. After putting away his accounting logs, Takafumi sat back in his chair where his eyes soon fell upon the doors of a treasured weapon cabinet. Unable to resist its charms, Takafumi fumbled for his keys and proceeded to unlock the cabinet. His twitching fingers immediately reached for a katana, fingering its 'tsuka' (handle) and removing the 'saya' (scabbard) with his greedy hands.
"I haven't polished you this week yet, now have I?" murmured Takafumi as he took out a cloth and brushed the 'Shinogi' (blade ridge) of the katana. "That low life doesn't deserve you at all. You belong to me, yes. You are mine. Just like everything else. I always get what I want. Fuyue, you will soon belong to me." Getting impatient after the thoughts of Fuyue, Takafumi angrily called for the servants.
"You called, Sawatari-sama?"
"Where is that Emiru? Is she not supposed to take Fuyue here by now? What is taking them so long?"
"I will go find out immediately, Sawatari-sama." The servant quickly trotted away and returned shortly shuddering from fear.
"Well? Where are they?"
"Sawatari-sama, Fuyue…she…she…"
"She what? I am growing impatient. Tell me now!"
"Fuyue…she refuses to wash." Takafumi angrily slammed the katana sideways onto his desk. Immediately, the servant fearfully dropped to the floor with his hands in front pleading for mercy. "Please spare me. It's Fuyue's fault. She doesn't know what's good for her." To the servant's surprise, Takafumi rushed past the servant without even another glimpse and charged towards the bathhouse. Once there, he broke down the doors and dragged Fuyue from her chair.
"Refuse to wash, will you?" Takafumi thrusted Fuyue into a tub of water clothes and all, and yanked her back out. "I always get what I want, Fuyue," hissed Takafumi as he pulled her to his face by the front of her now drenched kosode. "You are coming with me no matter what." He then dragged her all the way to his study room and hurled her to the floor, before backtracking to close and lock the swinging doors. Fuyue immediately forced herself up leaning her back against his desk.
"You are not getting away this time. I made sure that no one would disturb us, not even that hag Risako."
"Do not come near me," shouted Fuyue as her right hand fingered the desk for an object she could throw.
"Or you will what? Scream? Fuyue…have I not told you that I always get what I want?" Fuyue grabbed onto a book and hurled it at Takafumi slowing his approach.
"Fuyue, did you really think that a book could knock me out?" chided Takafumi as he continued his advances. "I was once a powerful samurai you know." Fuyue sent another projectile in his direction, but to no avail.
"I might reward you if you please me tonight."
"Koogen reishoku sukunashi jin (Flattery shows a lack of benevolence)," returned Fuyue as she backed up around the desk. A sudden glint flashes across Fuyue's eyes, which immediately averted to the source. Fuyue instantaneously leaped for her chance and grabbed onto the katana pointing its tip at Takafumi, who leaped to his own cabinet to withdraw his own weapon, a Naginata.
"Put that katana down, Fuyue. Don't make me use force." Fuyue tightened her grip on the katana and shifts it to a more maneuverable defensive stance. "Fuyue, I am warning you, put that katana down." Fuyue took a fleeting glance at the swinging ornament strung from the katana's hilt, and immediately recognized it. She quickly returned her focus on Takafumi.
"Where did you get this weapon?"
"That katana? From a foolish woman who doesn't know what's good for her. She chose to remain loyal to her now dead husband and died trying to defeat me. Hahahah…definitely too foolish for her own good," laughed Takafumi as he recalled his fight with the katana's previous wielder. "Don't make that same mistake, Fuyue. Anyway, we have more important things at hand. Come on, put the katana down and I will spare your life."
"Why? Why did you kill them? What have they ever done to you?" Takafumi looked from the katana to Fuyue, and noticed that her expressions had changed from somewhat apprehensive to seething anger.
"Why do you care, Fuyue?" wondered Takafumi, before uttering amusingly. "Alright, I will tell you if you put that katana down."
"That would be against my better judgment."
Seeing that Fuyue did not budge, he continued, "Let's have it your way, since it wouldn't hurt to enlighten you on the reasons why those two deserved their fate. For one thing, that low life certainly did not deserve to be highly praised by the Emperor Komei. He only attained such things from nothing but pure luck and deceit. Humph…that worm must have tricked the emperor and wheedled his way to his rank; therefore, I did what was right and killed that phony. About the woman, I remember that day, she was holding onto that sword like it was her life. How foolish of her. I was kind enough to give her a choice, to come with me or die. She chose the latter, and dared to fight me, so I killed her for defying me."
"How dare you!" exclaimed Fuyue, as she swung her katana in Takafumi's direction. Tears once again streamed from her eyes.
"Fuyue, do you honestly think that you could really defeat me?" Fuyue's eyes remained fixed on Takafumi as she considered the truth of his comment. The drug has dissipated but my body had taken all those beatings. Quickly arriving at a decision, Fuyue swiftly lifted the katana to her neck preparing to take her own life.
"Mi wa ichidai na wa matsudai. (Life is for one generation; a good name is forever.) You will never take me alive." Takafumi rushed forward, as Fuyue initiated a motion to slice at her throat. Fuyue quickly took advantage of Takafumi's digression, by instantaneously transposing her sword and striking Takafumi's open side. Takafumi recoiled, but hastily got up again, as Fuyue swiftly grabbed the sword scabbard from the cabinet and darted for the door to hack both the lock and doors down with a single strike from her blade. Takafumi furiously hurled his naginata in an attempt to strike down his target, but was only able to graze the side of her right leg as Fuyue speedily dashed out of the room.
"Argh! How dare that wench steal my treasure?" Takafumi immediately called for his henchmen.
"You called, Sawatari-sama?"
"Go after that maid girl and get my katana back!" ordered Takafumi as he supported himself via the desk. "Kill her if you have to. I want that Yoshimitsu back safely in my hands."
"Yes, Sawatari-sama." The henchmen bowed their heads in obedience before scuttling off in search of Fuyue. Now with his left hand on the desk and right hand clenching his side injury, Takafumi mulled over his lost treasure, "How dare that wench use such a special blade on the door! She could have damaged it!" Takafumi scampered across the room to examine the severed door and locks. Both had been cleanly sliced down, without even a trace of wood dust on the ground. Having seen the strength of the blade for the second time, he soon regretted never making any use it, except as a trophy item; He had long saved it for the day that he served among the ruling oligarchs. Takafumi angrily swung his left arm against the severed door, and knocked it from the hinges, as his wife and son approached.
"What's going on around here? Why so much racket?" yawned Miwa rubbing his eyes.
"What's the matter, husband?" asked Risako as she pins her hair.
"That wench stole my precious blade! That's what's the matter."
"Oh, is that all." Miwa shrugged before turning to go back to his room. "You can always buy another."
"You idiot! That katana was fashioned by the famous sword-smith Yoshimitsu! You can't just pick up a sword made by this man just anywhere. This sword was a gift from the ancestor of our reigning emperor of the Tokugawa family. Yoshimitsu's swords are extremely precious!"
"I told you she was a trouble from the start! See what not listening to me has gotten you?"
"Shut up, hag!"
Now more enraged, Takafumi picked up his Naginata and prepared to leave.
"Where are yah going, father?"
"Where else do you think I'm going, idiot! I'm going after that girl."
"Remember the new law, husband, no samurai is to carry their swords in public display."
"Does this naginata look like a sword to you? Fools…it is still dark, no one will see!" With that, he rushed out of the room in search of his lost trophy.
"I'll help you, father!"
"You are not leaving me behind! I wanna see how that girl will die."
Meanwhile, Fuyue aimlessly dashed through the streets as quickly and carefully as possible. With no true destination in mind, she stopped to hide in a dark shadowy corner to contemplate on where best to escape. Not only were Takafumi's minions prowling the streets in search of her, but also the police would not be very pleased if they caught her carrying Yoshimitsu in public. Sheaving the sword that helped save her life, Fuyue recalled the last time (before right now ) she ever held a true blade, not a simple bokken or shinai, but a real shiny blade. It was during her younger days, before she was heartlessly sold to Sawatari.
/Flashback/
"Fuyue, I know you could do better than that." A handsome young gentleman clad in Shinsen uniform appeared behind her crouching down and facing her with a huge gleeful smile on his face.
"Onii-san! I…" Surprised by the gentleman's sudden appearance, Fuyue, loosened her grip on the wooden twig, and stuttered quickly attempting to think up a suitable explanation, but was saved by the gentleman's response.
"Kenjutsu is not a skill you can learn by mere simple observation. It comes with much fundamentals and morale consciousness."
"Hai…demo…I want to be just like you, Onii-san."
The gentleman's joyous feature switched to a serious, yet sad look. "Just like me…Fuyue, why do you want to be just like me?"
"Nii-san is kind and strong. I want to be strong too so I can protect myself from those mean kidnappers who try to hurt Nii-san. I want to be able to serve and protect Japan just like Nii-san in the militia."
"Hehe…I am afraid the militia is currently not recruiting from the female class, Fuyue. Kondou-san may be open to the idea, but I doubt Hijikata-san will."
"Demo…"
"Fuyue, I do not think the militia is the place for a sweet girl like you. There is much you do not understand about the Shinsengumi."
"But I know the code of the militia…eto…first is 'Never betray the samurai ways,' second is "Never desert the Shinsen." Fuyue exasperatedly tried to explain, until cut off by the gentleman.
"Fuyue, I know you know the Shinsengumi Code of Conduct by heart, but the militia…it is…"
Seeing her nii-san struggling to explain to her, "Nii-san, wakata-desu, demo, I want to be able to defend myself and protect people. I still want to be strong like you and my father. Hahaue says that chichihue is a skilled samurai"
"Is that so? Well, you are quite skilled yourself, for a young girl your age that is." The gentleman's cheerful look returned.
"Hontou ni?"
"Hontou desu."
"Yoshi!" chimed little Fuyue in a sing-song voice with a bright playful smile.
"Do not be too proud of yourself, Fuyue. You only learned the techniques; its mastery has yet still to be achieved through diligent practice."
"I understand, Onii-san," stated Fuyue glumly with a pouting look.
"Cheer up, Fuyue. Onii-san does not like to see you pout. Tell you what, Nii-san is willing to be your sparring partner to help you learn." Leaping to bear hug the gentleman, Fuyue happily stated, "I am taught by a master swordsman, and I will be a master swordswoman."
"We will see about that, Fuyue," laughed the young gentleman cheerfully, before his laughter abruptly changed into coughing.
"Are you alright, Onii-san?" Fuyue received little audible responses through his coughing except for a slight sway of his hands indicating that he would be fine. Unwavering to his gesture, Fuyue continued, "Onii-san, I will go get you a drink," before running inside and returning with a cup of water. The young gentleman received the cup from Fuyue gratefully, and took a small sip of the cool refreshing water. Her anxious feeling lessened, as she watched the gentleman's coughing subside.
"I am fine, Fuyue. No need to worry. The words of a dying man." The gentleman flashed a genuine happy looking smile hiding his angst. "Now put that worried expression of yours away, and give me back your sweet smile."
Fuyue smiled a little hesitantly. Whatever secret he was keeping, he must have had a reason for it, and plus it was not her business to know rationalized Fuyue.
Seeing her hesitant smile and understanding the reason behind it, the gentleman decided to change the topic. The gentleman then pulled out the sword from his side.
"Have you ever held a katana before, Fuyue?" The gentleman approached the young girl and crouched down holding his katana out to Fuyue.
"Yes, I have held my father's sword before."
"Really."
The gentleman placed the 'tsuka' in Fuyue's hand and helped her hold it straight in place. "The Kikuichi Norimune…now how does it feel?"
"Heavy." The gentleman laughed at her natural response, before guiding the sword in her hands in a 'three-piece thrust' technique. "What do you think about the Kikuichi Norimune now?"
"Intense." The gentleman laughed yet again at the candid answer. "I take it you like the feel of my sword, but unfortunately, onii-san's katana is not fit for training you." The gentleman retrieved his sword from Fuyue's trembling hands and sheaved it back in its 'saya.' Putting his katana aside, he went to pick up a small shinai and handed it over to Fuyue. "This is what you will be practicing with till we strengthen up your muscles to hold up a katana. Here, hold the grip in front of the belly button, and point the tip at the opponent's throat. This is called the Seigan's stance. For the Tennen Rishin Stance, pull back your left shoulders slightly. That's right, Fuyue. Now move your left foot out and take a slanted stance…"
/End of Flashback/
"Onii-san," muttered Fuyue leaning her back against the walls in a dark shadowy alley. Heavy footsteps soon echoed into Fuyue's ears. Takafumi's henchmen were nearby. Quickly peeling herself from the wall, Fuyue ran down along the path of the alley and out into the streets. Taking a moment to analyze her current location, Fuyue hastily resolved to leave town. A small flicker of light suddenly appeared into her line of sight. They found her.
"Who goes there?" hollered one of the henchmen.
Fuyue sprinted off without a second thought. "It's her. It's the maid. Go tell the others! Hold it right there, Miss."
One of the henchman scurried off to inform the others of their discovery, while the rest chased after the young maiden. Fuyue continued to lope out of town, with the henchman following close behind her. Weary and pain stricken Fuyue, but the maiden forced herself to go on; her life was at stake after all. Nevertheless, her weariness significantly decreased her speed allowing the healthy henchmen to catch up to her in an open meadow. The whistling sound of a river, where she used to wash clothes for the Sawatari family, could be heard emanating from the small wooded area nearby.
"Hand over the katana, wench, or your life!" The henchmen proceeded to gather and surround her.
"This katana belongs to my mother. Sawatari has no right to it."
"Sawatari-sama says that we could kill you if we wanted. He wants that sword back. You better hand it over."
"I think that it is only fair to warn you guys. You do not stand a chance against me."
"Stupid wench. Do you think you could beat us? I could crush you with one hand."
"If you have that much faith in yourself, then feel free to challenge me." Fuyue drew her sword and maneuvered herself to a defensive stance.
"Alright, you asked for it!" The henchman angrily charged toward Fuyue and swung his large hanbo(36 inch wooden staff), which soon split apart from contact with the Yoshimitsu blade. The second likewise, had also been sliced, and was now lying in the pool of his own blood.
"Anyone else like to feel the edge of my blade?" Fuyue slowly backtracked looking from side to side at the petrified henchmen. The one henchman soon returned with backup and noticed Fuyue trying to slip away.
"What are you all standing around for? She's trying to get away!" The henchmen all focused back to Fuyue; with weapons in hand, they all charged at her at the same time. No matchfor her sword skill, Fuyue easily defeated the bumbling goony henchman, as Takafumi and his family arrived to see her victory. Noticing Takafumi, whose fighting level was much better than those henchmen, Fuyue quickly dashed off and ended up at the edge of a towering cliff with nowhere else to run, except plunging down into the wild waves that constantly crash fiercely against the rocks.
"Well, well, well, Fuyue. Nowhere else to run or hide," stated Takafumi as he snickered at her dead end.
"Kill her, and let it be over with," suggested his wife.
"That should teach you to mess with father."
"Calm down, family. I can handle this matter." Takafumi scanned her figure. "Fuyue, such remarkable sword skills you have. I see now. Ayasaki must have taught you. No wonder you cared for him. That is understandable, completely understandable. Now, why don't you hand me back my sword, and I will forgive you."
"What? Husband!"
"Shut up, hag! Don't you see I am talking?" yelled Takafumi before returning his focus back to Fuyue. "What do you say, Fuyue?"
"You are pathetic."
His false demeanor abruptly disappeared. "How dare you insult me, wench? I am going to kill you, and take my sword back."
Fuyue backed up to the edge of the cliff, inadvertently sending a couple of pebbles down. With a quick glance back, she watched the pebbles slowly contracted in appearance as it fell and disappeared within the crashing foamy waves.
"No, Fuyue, don't! Father, she might fall over the cliff!" shouted Miwa.
"So what if she falls over the cliff. She will just die that's all," mused Risako.
Fearful that Fuyue might take the sword with her, Takafumi halted in his advances, and tried yet again to sway her from the cliff edge. "Fuyue, you will die if you fall off. Come over here, I will listen to anything you say."
"Beware. With this sword…" Fuyue nicked herself and allowed her blood to trickle coldly onto the blade before bitterly continuing, "I shall get my vengeance. My spirit will not rest till the day you die!" With that, Fuyue sheathed her katana and leaped over the cliff and plunged into the raging waters.
"My valuable blade!"
"At this height, she will never survive. Even if she did, she will definitely drown to death." Risako chuckled to herself.
"My little maid! Oh well."
Author's Notes.
Thank you thank you thank you my reviewers! I hoped everyone like the prologue. It was supposed to be an angst beginning to set the angsty mood; however, I chose instead to have a rather typical robbery scene to reintroduce our hero Soujiro. Anyhow, I believe this would be the best place to try and explain where I came up with the idea of Fuyue. Basically, she is the concoction from the mixture of two tragic female heroines that I have seen on tv shows. After watching all the bad stuff happen to these young women, I thought to myself, what if a character like them were to meet with Seta Soujiro who also has a bad past. That's how Fuyue came into the picture. Anyhow, "Kuroken no Fuyu (Winter's Black Blade)," was the initial title until I changed my mind and simply went with Winter Blade instead. Hahah, a boring title, I know. I will probably move this prologue to the top later on.
History time again: The Tennen Rishin Style of the Kondo Family. Initially founded by Kondo Uchikuranosuke, this style gained fame through Kondo Isami (birth name Katsugoro Miyagawa: son of a farmer from Tama where Hijikata lives) who was adopted into the family by Kondo Shuusuke, the master of a dojo. For those of you who don't know Kondo Isami , he is the kyokucho of the Shinsengumi (after the murder of Serizawa Kamo) Anyway, with Kondo as their leader, the Shinsengumi practiced the Tennen Rishin Ryu style of combat, which is still practiced today in Japan. Did you know that Okita Souji was a student of Kondo Isami too? Heheh…of course you guys knew!
Where's the next chapter you ask? Well it's in the works and will be ready hopefully before I go on vacation this Thursday. So let's hope that can be arranged. Thank you all my reviewers. I really appreciate it...Arigato.
Hope to be back soon! Gosh! It's way past midnight, need to ZZzzzzz
Kiriakis