Chapter 1: Areethra's Sword
Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. So there! This goes for all the chapters too, so don't bug me about this! Thanks! By the way, italics in quotes ('like this') are thoughts. * Mean that this is additional information that will be shown at the bottom of the story. For example, if I choose to use Japanese words, I will put a * and translate that at the bottom of the page(s).
Ashley sat in her desk staring absentmindedly at the white board, waiting for class to start. Her teacher, Mr. Rokon, walked into the classroom and clapped his hand to get the students' attention.
"Okay, settle down and get back to your seat. Class has begun." He turned to Ashley, who was currently thinking about Rurouni Kenshin.
"Miss. Ashley, are you with us?"
Ashley started out of her daydream.
"Huh?"
The rest of the class giggled.
Mr. Rokon sighed.
"Please pay attention."
Ashley nodded and focused on what her teacher was saying.
"Miss Areethra has kindly brought us an artifact that goes along with what we have been studying lately, the history of the Japanese."
Ashley actually liked this subject, mainly because of its connection to Rurouni Kenshin, but she had always had an interest in samurais and their ways. She had previously searched her textbook for something about the Bakumatsu*, but there was only a measly paragraph, and nothing about samurai. 'Great,' thought Ashley. 'Wonder what Areethra has now. An expensive silk kimono? Ancient samurai armor? Knowing her, it's probably another family heirloom.' Areethra was a snotty rich kid, and she knew it. She loved showing off all of her family's costly junk, especially the rare items, stuff you paid millions of dollars for.
Areethra walked up to the middle of the room, decked out in the trendiest clothes, her brown hair in the latest style. In her hands was a rather long looking bundle wrapped up in cloth.
"Well, I was looking around my house ('More like your mansion,' thought Ashley), trying to find something to share with the rest of the class ('Yeah, sure...'), when I came across this in the attic." Here she paused and unwrapped the bundle to reveal an authentic Japanese sword, still in it's sheath! (No one in Areethra's household would put up with anything that was fake.) "This is an Japanese sword ('Thanks for pointing out the obvious.') that was forged in the mid-1860s." She held it a bit higher for the others to admire it.
Ashley had to admit, it was pretty cool. The hilt was black with a golden yellow disk that separated it from the blade. (A/N: Does anyone know what that disk is for?) A red stone was embedded at the other end, and a golden phoenix was embroidered along the hilt in a spiral. The sheath was also black, but it had little shapes like flames running down the middle of it (like the diamond shapes on Kenshin's sheath).
Someone yelled out, "Can we hold it?"
"Sure!" Areethra replied. 'Anything to gain favor and get more attention,' thought Ashley critically. The other kids lined up eagerly to touch the sword. Ashley hung in the back, reluctant to touch anything belonging to Areethra or her family. When it was her turn, Ashley held the sword and looked at it carefully. 'I wonder if it's a sakabatou* or a katana*?' She tested the weight and found it heavier than she had expected. Suddenly, Ashley was seized by an overwhelming urge to draw the sword. Respectfully, she drew the sword only halfway out of its sheath*. 'It's a sakabatou!' That was the last thought she had before she fell to the floor and blacked out. Somebody screamed. Mr. Rokon began barking out orders.
"Areethra, inform the office of what just happened. Areethra!"
Areethra had been in shock, but jumped at the sound of her name being yelled by Mr. Rokon.
"Huh?" she asked dumbly.
Mr. Rokon repeated his instructions.
"Oh...oh, of course..." She pushed the P.A. System* button and spoke into the speaker box, relaying the incident to the assistant principal.
"Bring the girl to the nurses' office immediately," the woman replied briskly.
Areethra told Mr. Rokon the assistant principal's order. Mr. Rokon walked over to one of the stronger boys.
"Help me get Ashley to the infirmary."
The boy nodded and went over to Ashley, turned her over onto her back, and bent down to pick up her legs. Mr. Rokon began to lift Ashley's arms when Areethra cried out.
"Wait! I want to get my sword back." She hurried to Ashley's side and tried to pry the sword from her fingers, but Ashley's grip was too tight.
"Never mind," grunted Mr. Rokon as he hoisted Ashley's body from the floor. "You can get it back later." With that, the teacher and his assistant left the room.
Yikes! I'm sorry! I forgot to add the * notes! Okay! Bakumatsu= A really big revolution that ended the days of the Tokugawa dynasty. Basically, the end result was that it led to modernizing Japan. Kimono= an outfit resembling a dress with a robe-like top. Worn in old times by Japanese women when they went out or had visitors, but nowadays, it's rarely worn, except for very formal occasions. Samurai= A Japanese warrior who wielded two swords, the longer was called a katana, and the shorter was a wakizashi. If they drew their sword fully out of it's sheath, they were bound by honor to use it. Katana= A regular Japanese sword, normally carried by samurai. Sakabatou= A Japanese sword that has the blade flipped to keep the user from ever cutting a human body using it the regular way, a.k.a. without flipping the sword over. P.A. System= In case you don't know, this is an English word. P.A. stands for Public Announcement. The system is normally used for announcements from the principal, teachers, ect.
Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. So there! This goes for all the chapters too, so don't bug me about this! Thanks! By the way, italics in quotes ('like this') are thoughts. * Mean that this is additional information that will be shown at the bottom of the story. For example, if I choose to use Japanese words, I will put a * and translate that at the bottom of the page(s).
Ashley sat in her desk staring absentmindedly at the white board, waiting for class to start. Her teacher, Mr. Rokon, walked into the classroom and clapped his hand to get the students' attention.
"Okay, settle down and get back to your seat. Class has begun." He turned to Ashley, who was currently thinking about Rurouni Kenshin.
"Miss. Ashley, are you with us?"
Ashley started out of her daydream.
"Huh?"
The rest of the class giggled.
Mr. Rokon sighed.
"Please pay attention."
Ashley nodded and focused on what her teacher was saying.
"Miss Areethra has kindly brought us an artifact that goes along with what we have been studying lately, the history of the Japanese."
Ashley actually liked this subject, mainly because of its connection to Rurouni Kenshin, but she had always had an interest in samurais and their ways. She had previously searched her textbook for something about the Bakumatsu*, but there was only a measly paragraph, and nothing about samurai. 'Great,' thought Ashley. 'Wonder what Areethra has now. An expensive silk kimono? Ancient samurai armor? Knowing her, it's probably another family heirloom.' Areethra was a snotty rich kid, and she knew it. She loved showing off all of her family's costly junk, especially the rare items, stuff you paid millions of dollars for.
Areethra walked up to the middle of the room, decked out in the trendiest clothes, her brown hair in the latest style. In her hands was a rather long looking bundle wrapped up in cloth.
"Well, I was looking around my house ('More like your mansion,' thought Ashley), trying to find something to share with the rest of the class ('Yeah, sure...'), when I came across this in the attic." Here she paused and unwrapped the bundle to reveal an authentic Japanese sword, still in it's sheath! (No one in Areethra's household would put up with anything that was fake.) "This is an Japanese sword ('Thanks for pointing out the obvious.') that was forged in the mid-1860s." She held it a bit higher for the others to admire it.
Ashley had to admit, it was pretty cool. The hilt was black with a golden yellow disk that separated it from the blade. (A/N: Does anyone know what that disk is for?) A red stone was embedded at the other end, and a golden phoenix was embroidered along the hilt in a spiral. The sheath was also black, but it had little shapes like flames running down the middle of it (like the diamond shapes on Kenshin's sheath).
Someone yelled out, "Can we hold it?"
"Sure!" Areethra replied. 'Anything to gain favor and get more attention,' thought Ashley critically. The other kids lined up eagerly to touch the sword. Ashley hung in the back, reluctant to touch anything belonging to Areethra or her family. When it was her turn, Ashley held the sword and looked at it carefully. 'I wonder if it's a sakabatou* or a katana*?' She tested the weight and found it heavier than she had expected. Suddenly, Ashley was seized by an overwhelming urge to draw the sword. Respectfully, she drew the sword only halfway out of its sheath*. 'It's a sakabatou!' That was the last thought she had before she fell to the floor and blacked out. Somebody screamed. Mr. Rokon began barking out orders.
"Areethra, inform the office of what just happened. Areethra!"
Areethra had been in shock, but jumped at the sound of her name being yelled by Mr. Rokon.
"Huh?" she asked dumbly.
Mr. Rokon repeated his instructions.
"Oh...oh, of course..." She pushed the P.A. System* button and spoke into the speaker box, relaying the incident to the assistant principal.
"Bring the girl to the nurses' office immediately," the woman replied briskly.
Areethra told Mr. Rokon the assistant principal's order. Mr. Rokon walked over to one of the stronger boys.
"Help me get Ashley to the infirmary."
The boy nodded and went over to Ashley, turned her over onto her back, and bent down to pick up her legs. Mr. Rokon began to lift Ashley's arms when Areethra cried out.
"Wait! I want to get my sword back." She hurried to Ashley's side and tried to pry the sword from her fingers, but Ashley's grip was too tight.
"Never mind," grunted Mr. Rokon as he hoisted Ashley's body from the floor. "You can get it back later." With that, the teacher and his assistant left the room.
Yikes! I'm sorry! I forgot to add the * notes! Okay! Bakumatsu= A really big revolution that ended the days of the Tokugawa dynasty. Basically, the end result was that it led to modernizing Japan. Kimono= an outfit resembling a dress with a robe-like top. Worn in old times by Japanese women when they went out or had visitors, but nowadays, it's rarely worn, except for very formal occasions. Samurai= A Japanese warrior who wielded two swords, the longer was called a katana, and the shorter was a wakizashi. If they drew their sword fully out of it's sheath, they were bound by honor to use it. Katana= A regular Japanese sword, normally carried by samurai. Sakabatou= A Japanese sword that has the blade flipped to keep the user from ever cutting a human body using it the regular way, a.k.a. without flipping the sword over. P.A. System= In case you don't know, this is an English word. P.A. stands for Public Announcement. The system is normally used for announcements from the principal, teachers, ect.