The Way of the Blade Chapter 1:
I do not own Samurai 7 or any of it's characters. Rei Furokawa belongs to me.
Ending up at Firefly house was not my plan. I had no where else to go. My cousin, the beautiful co-owner of this inn, Yukino took me in off the streets. I could no longer return home. The thought haunted me. Home.
Nights working in the inn faded into each other, each night nearly exactly as the last. I did my duties quietly, and retreated to the santuary of my room. I pulled the decorative pins that held my hair up out of my onyx locks. I shook my head a little, letting the hair fall where it may. I changed into my less formal yukata, and removed the makeup from my face. Sure it was nice to feel pretty but it made my skin feel heavy and gross after a nights worth of work. I tied my katana to my waist. I never left the inn with out it, City of Respite or not, there where always men that got too close for comfort. I shrugged on a simple cloak, concealing my weapon. I let out a sigh as I made my way to the side exit of the inn, sliding my shoes on at the door. I grabbed my herb collecting basket and headed out.
It was still early on in the evening, curfew wasn't for another 4 or so hours. I strolled through the city, to the main gate. The 'gaurdsman' for lack of a better word reminded me of the curfew, as he did every night as he let me out. I headed to a forest not far from the city, an oasis in the barren land surrounding the City of Respite. The evenings golden hues of light rippled through the trees as I walked into the forest, weaving in between the thin white barked trees. The ground foliage was thick and green, soft under my feet. I hummed quietly to myself as my feet on their own accord led me to my destination. A small clearing in the center of the forest where herbs of many kinds flourished. The herbs that grew here ranged from medicinal uses to spices used in cooking. I sat my bascket down and kneeled onto the soft earth. I drew a deep breath, the pungunt smell of the wet earth and the sweet smell of the flora around me calmed my restless mind. My hands moved of their own accord, picking a few of each herb as my mind slipped into a thoughtless bliss.
I had not noticed the golden rays of light fading, replaced by the silver light of the moon. I only awoke from my stupor when I heard others from the perimeter of the small forest. "It's nothing Kyuzo, let's go" a man said, his voice lazy but condesending at the same time. I rose from the ground, collecting my basket of herbs, now full and nearly spilling out. I walked out of the forest calmly. No amount of men would scare me so easily. As I stepped out from the trees I felt the cold sharpness of a blade at my throat. I followed the length of the blade, glistening in the moonlight. The owner of the blade was a tall blonde, with cold crimson stare. Behind him where a few of the magistrate's gaurdsmen, another blonde with a brown hat and a smoking pipe, a dark haired man with a questionable taste in fashion, and the magistrate's son, Ukyo. They all stared at me.
"Hurry up, we don't have time for this. My Kirara is with those vile samurai as we speak and I can't stand it." Whined Ukyo, stomping ahead, followed by the second blonde and the gaurdsmen.
"So we have ourselves a spy? How quaint." The dark haired man said, an evil glint in his eyes. I stared into the cold eyes of the man whose blade was pressed into my neck. I felt the warm rivlet of blood trickle down my neck. "If I was so much a spy I wouldn't have bothered coming out. Let alone with my precious herbs in tow." I reply coldly. The dark haired man narrowed his eyes at me. "Hurry an take care of it Kyuzo. The youung lord is waiting. " He said, before joining Ukyo and the other men. My eyes shifted back to the blonde in front of me, now known as Kyuzo.
His voice was a soft, yet rough baritone. "You are samurai." It was a statement. I tilted my head away from his blade slowly. "A woman cannot be a samurai." I stated. The laws forbade women samurai. They were frowned upon. His eyes narrowed slightly. "You are samurai." He said again. I looked at him. "I am not samurai. I must be going great Kyuzo. I will surely be late if you hold me up any longer." I said, stepping away from his blade. He pulled the blade away and resheathed it to rest with it's twin blade. "Don't go far" He said, staring at me. His words where cryptic, but I assumed he meant to not leave the city. I nodded once and walked to the gate. His longer legs helped him get there before I did. Ukyo was whining about the door not opening. I sighed. I was late again. Before I could get up to the gaurdsman of the door, the samurai Kyuzo had scaled the side of the wall, and sliced the mechanical eye in half with a fluid strike. He righted hisself and jumped over the other side of the wall. The door slowly slid open. The men rushed in side, on a search for someone I did not know.
I strolled inside, taking my short cut back to the inn so I wouldn't be as late. I entered through the same side entrance and slid my shoes off. I walked inside, heading to my room. I stopped midstep, the air different. I could sense them. Samurai.