A/N: Finally! My first R.K. fic! Please R&R!
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
A black carriage arrived at a small dojo carrying three officials and their young female charge. The doors opened, allowing the four passengers to exit. The young girl exited slowly and cautiously observing the scenery. She walked slowly, but that was due to her tight kimono. Her sandals let out a click click as she hurried to catch up to the officials. The light breeze gradually picked up and her tight bun started to come undone, strands of hair flying into her face. The first official to arrive at the massive dojo doors rang the small doorbell and waited for the doors to open. The girl rapidly fixed both her kimono and her hair, straitening the kimono and redoing the bun. She let out a slight sigh, becoming quite annoyed with the wind and dirt blowing in her face, and then the dojo doors opened.
"Hello, how can I help you?" An elderly woman asked.
"Our young charge wishes to be taught the art of the sword. She does have prior experience, even if it's not much." Yahra glared at the official when he said that she didn't have much experience. She had been to twelve dojos in the past two years! She should have enough experience to impress even the master of the dojo. She was going to tell of the official, but instead spoke politely.
"Sir, in case your memory has failed you, you must recall that I have been to twelve dojos in the past two years, spending two months at every one. That was enough for me to understand the unique fighting styles of each one. And I'm not going to be shoved into another dojo unless I am searching for someone or something, which I am!"
"Well, I'm sure you don't want to bore this polite lady with your nonsense, so please, Yahra, hold your tongue, or will you be difficult?" Yahra looked at the ground and shook her head. "That's a good girl." Yahra wanted to speak up, but name that was given to her was supposed to be kept secret, in case of emergencies. The elderly woman in the doorway to the doorway stepped forward.
"Now, Yahra, don't let these men do that to you! Please, Yahra, come in and see the dojo. Maybe we can fine tune those techniques you learned in the past two years." The two women walked into the dojo, and, when the officials started to follow, the older said: "Not you. I'm sure we'll bore you with the stories I intend to tell this lovely young woman. Now, be good little boys and wait outside."
The two women walked further into the dojo, shutting the doors behind them. After they locked the doors, they burst out laughing. Yahra shook her head, wiped the tears away and stood up straight. "Wow, that's the first time in five years that I've seen those three bewildered by a woman."
"Yes, well, it is my specialty. By the way, I'm the master of this dojo, but my assistant master aids me so much. Which reminds me, who were you looking for? I know a lot of people so I might be of some help. And while you're in a talking mood, how old are you?"
"I'm seventeen, and the person I'm looking for is going to be the leader of the Sekihoutai. His name is Souzou Sagara."
"Well, I can help you. SOUZOU!!!!" The woman called, and a young man, about 29 years old, came running up to them.
"Yes, master? Why did you call?" He asked politely, seeing that there was a guest. Yahra's eyes widened as she saw the person she had been looking for. His eyes looked at her anxiously and the master laughed at the confusion between the two of them.
"Souzou, don't look so surprised. I think she's here for the army. You'd better hurry and take her inside while I distract her guards."
"Right," Souzou answered, turning towards Yahra, grabbing her hand. "Please, come with me inside."
Yahra nodded and ran inside with him. As they were closing the door a loud thud echoed throughout the inside. It was obvious to them that the officials wanted her back out there and were knocking heavily on the dojo entrance.
"We've got to hurry. I'll try to make this very brief." Souzou grabbed her wrist and pressed a pressure point.
"OW! That hurt!"
"Shut up and answer these questions. Are you an imperialist?"
"Yes." Yahra answered truthfully. She knew that he was able to tell if she was lying or not from her pulse. He nodded.
"Alright, next question. Are your guards imperialists?"
"No."
"Are you loyal?"
"Yes."
"Are you able and ready to severely injure or possibly kill an opponent in battle?"
"I'm not sure. I've only be in practice rounds with other students, but with more practice, I'd be ready." Yahra said calmly, suddenly unsure of her own abilities.
"Are you able to defend yourself properly during a battle?"
"I've never been hit or forced down in practice before, so would that qualify as a yes?"
"Indeed. Will you be able to fight within a group, never alone in battle?"
"Most likely."
"Alright. Come with me. Hurry please."
Both of them left rapidly and ran down the crowded streets until they were outside of the city. They finally slowed to a stop by a cherry blossom tree, trying in vain to catch their breath quickly. Souzou was the first to succeed and, when he did, blew a short shrill whistle. A group of men came out from a nearby grove of trees, carrying something carefully. Souzou shook his head and the men went back into the grove and emerged a short time later with a smaller object. Souzou nodded and took the object.
"Yahra—that is your name right?" When she shook his head he asked: "What is your name? I thought I heard the master say that was your name."
"My true name is Edin. No last name, just Edin."
"Well then, Edin, here." Souzou held out a wakizashi and handed it to her, and, when she gasped in surprised pleasure he continued. "Welcome to the Sekihoutai."
A black carriage arrived at a small dojo carrying three officials and their young female charge. The doors opened, allowing the four passengers to exit. The young girl exited slowly and cautiously observing the scenery. She walked slowly, but that was due to her tight kimono. Her sandals let out a click click as she hurried to catch up to the officials. The light breeze gradually picked up and her tight bun started to come undone, strands of hair flying into her face. The first official to arrive at the massive dojo doors rang the small doorbell and waited for the doors to open. The girl rapidly fixed both her kimono and her hair, straitening the kimono and redoing the bun. She let out a slight sigh, becoming quite annoyed with the wind and dirt blowing in her face, and then the dojo doors opened.
"Hello, how can I help you?" An elderly woman asked.
"Our young charge wishes to be taught the art of the sword. She does have prior experience, even if it's not much." Yahra glared at the official when he said that she didn't have much experience. She had been to twelve dojos in the past two years! She should have enough experience to impress even the master of the dojo. She was going to tell of the official, but instead spoke politely.
"Sir, in case your memory has failed you, you must recall that I have been to twelve dojos in the past two years, spending two months at every one. That was enough for me to understand the unique fighting styles of each one. And I'm not going to be shoved into another dojo unless I am searching for someone or something, which I am!"
"Well, I'm sure you don't want to bore this polite lady with your nonsense, so please, Yahra, hold your tongue, or will you be difficult?" Yahra looked at the ground and shook her head. "That's a good girl." Yahra wanted to speak up, but name that was given to her was supposed to be kept secret, in case of emergencies. The elderly woman in the doorway to the doorway stepped forward.
"Now, Yahra, don't let these men do that to you! Please, Yahra, come in and see the dojo. Maybe we can fine tune those techniques you learned in the past two years." The two women walked into the dojo, and, when the officials started to follow, the older said: "Not you. I'm sure we'll bore you with the stories I intend to tell this lovely young woman. Now, be good little boys and wait outside."
The two women walked further into the dojo, shutting the doors behind them. After they locked the doors, they burst out laughing. Yahra shook her head, wiped the tears away and stood up straight. "Wow, that's the first time in five years that I've seen those three bewildered by a woman."
"Yes, well, it is my specialty. By the way, I'm the master of this dojo, but my assistant master aids me so much. Which reminds me, who were you looking for? I know a lot of people so I might be of some help. And while you're in a talking mood, how old are you?"
"I'm seventeen, and the person I'm looking for is going to be the leader of the Sekihoutai. His name is Souzou Sagara."
"Well, I can help you. SOUZOU!!!!" The woman called, and a young man, about 29 years old, came running up to them.
"Yes, master? Why did you call?" He asked politely, seeing that there was a guest. Yahra's eyes widened as she saw the person she had been looking for. His eyes looked at her anxiously and the master laughed at the confusion between the two of them.
"Souzou, don't look so surprised. I think she's here for the army. You'd better hurry and take her inside while I distract her guards."
"Right," Souzou answered, turning towards Yahra, grabbing her hand. "Please, come with me inside."
Yahra nodded and ran inside with him. As they were closing the door a loud thud echoed throughout the inside. It was obvious to them that the officials wanted her back out there and were knocking heavily on the dojo entrance.
"We've got to hurry. I'll try to make this very brief." Souzou grabbed her wrist and pressed a pressure point.
"OW! That hurt!"
"Shut up and answer these questions. Are you an imperialist?"
"Yes." Yahra answered truthfully. She knew that he was able to tell if she was lying or not from her pulse. He nodded.
"Alright, next question. Are your guards imperialists?"
"No."
"Are you loyal?"
"Yes."
"Are you able and ready to severely injure or possibly kill an opponent in battle?"
"I'm not sure. I've only be in practice rounds with other students, but with more practice, I'd be ready." Yahra said calmly, suddenly unsure of her own abilities.
"Are you able to defend yourself properly during a battle?"
"I've never been hit or forced down in practice before, so would that qualify as a yes?"
"Indeed. Will you be able to fight within a group, never alone in battle?"
"Most likely."
"Alright. Come with me. Hurry please."
Both of them left rapidly and ran down the crowded streets until they were outside of the city. They finally slowed to a stop by a cherry blossom tree, trying in vain to catch their breath quickly. Souzou was the first to succeed and, when he did, blew a short shrill whistle. A group of men came out from a nearby grove of trees, carrying something carefully. Souzou shook his head and the men went back into the grove and emerged a short time later with a smaller object. Souzou nodded and took the object.
"Yahra—that is your name right?" When she shook his head he asked: "What is your name? I thought I heard the master say that was your name."
"My true name is Edin. No last name, just Edin."
"Well then, Edin, here." Souzou held out a wakizashi and handed it to her, and, when she gasped in surprised pleasure he continued. "Welcome to the Sekihoutai."