The Story of Tetsunosuke Kurogane
As long as I've remembered, I am an orphan. I was founded by man kind enough to have taken me in and raise me; in return, I received his training as an assassin. Years past fast and my skills as an assassin had begun to master. Sadly and mysteriously, my master was assassinated. Leaving everything behind, I began my journey as a wandering assassin, working for anyone well enough to pay me a good wage. This is my story, the story of Tetsunosuke Kurogane.
"Young boy, are you in need of help?" A stranger asked as I walked through the rainy village. "Come my son, follow me."
At that time, under the cloudless sky and thundering rain, my life changed. Somehow, I felt as if the sun had shine through that day. I was invited by a man name Tetsuya Kurogane. He invited me into his home and gave me everything. He offered me food for my unfilled stomach, he offered me clothing for my deprived rags, he offered me the warmth of a bed for the coldness of the world, he offered me everything a child would've wish from a parent and in return, I learned and studied under him as a scholar for his skills and techniques.
Though he was a tough teacher, we always had fun. No matter what we did, there was always fun. I had felt welcome for once in my life, I felt like I had entered a family accepting who I am not for the ways others see me but seen from the inside, I was cherished and loved. I had wished that this moment in my life would never disappear... but it didn't.
"Hurry Tetsu, you're slowing down!" A boy shouted racing to the top of the mountain.
"My legs are killing me! You're way too fast, hold up!" I answered in return.
"No way, you better catch up!" The boy replied reaching the top of the mountain. "Yes, I beat you."
"Well, you always do." I admitted crawling up the hill.
"Don't worry, Tetsu, you'll beat me one day. Trust me, you will." He said handing me a hand.
As far as I can remember, we've been friends for almost 5 years now. At first we did not even know each other but as time we became closer and closer. Hiro Asato, was his name, my best friend. Every day we would challenge one another for a competition, of course he would always win. Hiro was an always a tuff guy, confident in everything he did never afraid of what harms him. He inspired me to become what I am today, well I'm getting there.
"You have to be man, Tetsu! That way, girls won't call you a little chicken. Don't I keep telling you over and over again?"
"You do but you know maybe I just want to be boy."
"You still want to be a boy? Your thirteen years old, you have to change because when something happens and you think about it'll be too late.
"I guess."
Even though Hiro lectures me a lot, he still teaches me a lot at the same time. I always thought he was like a teacher outside of school, teaching me the basics of life or common sense. Hiro was like an older brother I always wished to have.
"Hey Hiro, do ever think what will happen one day when we're both grown up?" I asked as we both stared off into the distance.
"Who doesn't? We're already half way there. All you have to do is remember that we'll be friends forever, no matter what happens, we'll always have each other's back." He replied giving a smile with a thumb up.
"Yeah, we'll always have each other's back! I know it! I can smell! I can see it! I can feel it! Don't you feel it Hiro? Hiro?" I asked searching for my friend.
"Come on, we have to head back!" Hiro told running down the hill.
Hiro and I lived in different houses, I live with my master who felt like a father to me and Hiro lived with his parents. A secret that Hiro's family and we knew was that Master Tetsuya was an assassin at night as well as Hiro and I, well soon to become assassins. All of us kept the whole idea quiet swore never to tell anyone. Everyday Hiro would come over and learn the skills of my master. We both were like rivals for one another but we never acted like how rivals would act as. We acted as if no matter what happened, nothing happened and as time passed by, we matured. We were civilians during the day but assassins at night. We were assassins.
"I got this one, Hiro!" I whispered through the night sky.
"Make it quick!" He told as I nodded in approval.
Hopping down to fallen leaves, I carefully glided to my opponent. He stood calm not knowing anyone was there, guarding the sanctuary. Silently drawing my blade, an enemy appeared from my back and shouted to alarm the others. Slitting the throat of the alerting foe, he fell fast towards the ground as my original target charged before me. Shielding myself with my blade, our weapons collided together. Soon others began to surround me and their ally, I was frightened not knowing what to do. Surprising the enemy, Hiro engaged and threw in shurikens towards the surrounding enemies. Many fell but in return more took their places. Striking a shuriken at my opponent's skull, he collapsed with a shriek and groan. Standing back to back with each other, we were out number, surrounded by guards waiting to annihilate each of us.
"Didn't I tell you to make it quick?" Hiro reminded.
"I did but why didn't you take out the enemy coming from behind me?"
"I thought you knew he was there."
"Well, I didn't okay!" I answered staring eye to eye with each enemy before me.
"Remember what I said when we were still little kids, that day on the hill." Hiro asked. "All you have to do is remember that we'll be friends forever, no matter what happens, we'll always have each other's back."
Slowly closing in on us, we dashed into the enemy crowd. Slashing everything in our way and watching each other's back, the foes tumbled through the battleground. Slashes and cuts ran through us but it didn't matter, those little incise were nothing; not even the screams or shouts of our adversaries frightened us. We fought through everything, only knowing that in the end, the only two standing would be Hiro and I.
"Good job, Tetsu, let's retrieve the item and head home!" Hiro exhaled walking towards the shrine.
Taking our time back home, we washed the blood on our hands and face off and cured the wounds on ourselves. Joking with each, we reached our destination and entered Master Tetsuya's dorm to tell him of our great news. Although when we entered the home, two voices were heard. Master Tetsuya's and another character's voice, closing in on the conversation the character noticed our appearances. Drawing his sword and threatening to kill us if we didn't show ourselves, he dashed towards the screen door and sliced both sides. Luckily our master neglected the attack, ramming with the opponent's rapier.
"It's too late Tetsuya; we know who are and what kind of business you do. I have already initiated my men to destroying this town. You have brought this village to its death." The enemy told as screams and roars began to be heard from outside.
"The villagers, we have to do something!" I told Hiro.
"Hiro, Tetsu, go and save the villagers! I'll take care of him." Master Tetsuya ordered.
Dashing outside of the building, fires roam over houses and bodies piled throughout the streets. Hearing the scream of an elder lady, Hiro hurried over to his parents to stop the invaders. I alone raced down the streets and stopped whoever had entered the village. Cutting down the invaders, the streets began to quiet down. Making another view around the village to make sure all intruders had been annihilated, I ran over to Hiro's home. Inside his house, his mother sat next to him, crying, as his father lied before his death. Dropping my blade to kneel before the elder who too had taken care of me, Hiro shouted with rage.
"What are you doing? Don't sit here and bow before my father, go aid Master Tetsuya!" Hiro shouted for the first time at me.
Scared of his temper, I grabbed my foil and scurried to our home. I entered the room just in time to see my enemy rest my master's soul. He lay on the floor grunting with pain. I stood there weak and alone, not knowing what to do but gripping my blade tightly. Wanting to attack, my body froze, scared to die.
"Run Tetsu!" My master shouted as the enemy appeared before me and silently pierced my left side of my stomach. Soon the face of my master's murderer dimmed and everything in my head fell blanked although the face of the enemy remained.
Feeling the warmth of a blanket over me, I weakly opened my eyes to see Hiro's mom aiding me. When she saw me conscious, she called out Hiro and in the room he appeared. Walking over to me and sheathing away his blade, his eyes were red from yesterday's tears.
"Are you feeling better?" Hiro questioned standing by my side as his mother left.
"What happened, Hiro?"
"Many people were killed last night along with my father. The villagers and I are cleaning the village and burying the dead." Hiro answered.
"What about Master Tetsuya?"I pondered. He froze for a second as if he didn't know what to say. I felt a shiver climbed down my spine as if what I was going to hear was something I did not want. He walked over, took a deep breath and answered.
"After the town quiet down, I returned to your house, I found you laying on the floor, bleeding and unconscious. A couple feet away from you, Master Tetsuya also lied on the floor. After checking your pulse, I ran over to check Master Tetsuya's but he didn't make it."
Hearing the death of my master, I recovered from my wounds and walked over to his grave. Hiro hadn't buried his body yet thinking that I might want to see his face once more. I lifted the covers to see my master's eyes closed and at peace. A cold chilled enter my body, knowing that the person closes to being my father had died. Again, I felt the world's coldness, the unfortunate clothing I once wore, and the grumbling of starvation inside my stomach. I felt alone once again.
Over the next few days, the two of were busy cleaning up the remains of the village. Everyday seemed the same, Hiro and I talked but it wasn't the same. Perhaps I just didn't feel like talking to anyone. The sun seemed to never have shine or the fresh savanna lands never turned green. The world felt alone, as if I was just a ghost that walked past everything without being noticed and so I walked up to the hill that Hiro and I once stood. Staring at the town as a watchful guardian peering at every movement everyone did but something made me feel as if I did not fit in.
"I heard you're leaving, is it true?" Hiro asked walking behind me.
"Yeah, I'm leaving. This place haunts me. I don't feel comfortable anymore. Now that my father has fallen there is no point for me to live here anymore."
"Are you stupid? How do you not feel comfortable here anymore? We're friends remember, best friends, and best friends don't leave each other."
"I'm sorry Hiro. I was born an orphan and before I was living in a peaceful environment, I was a nomad. Walking from town to town, sleeping under trees and backyards, eating the leftovers in garbage's, and feeling the sense that I wasn't needed in this world. Until I met Master Tetsuya, he gave me everything. He gave me a name, family, friends, and the feeling to be needed in this world. I'm sorry Hiro, now that all of that is gone. I have no place to be now." I explained as the sky began to pour over us.
"I'll always have your back, Tetsu. I'll always do." Hiro reminded,
"I know you will." I told walking away. "Tell you mom I said, thank you for everything and tell Hiro, I too, will always have his back."
"I know Tetsu, I know you'll always have my back, Tetsunosuke Kurogane." He whispered as he watched his friend disappear into the distance.
One year past and I became a wandering assassin. I worked for anyone who could pay for my wage. I lurked from village to village looking for an answer but none interested me. Until one day, a master came upon me and asked me if I was in need of help. The flashback of my former master asking me the same questioned appeared, now I'll see if this life is the life I have been looking or will this life be a life where I will have to reject again for me to be able to find the life I want. This is my story, the story of Tetsunosuke Kurogane.
The End