AN- first- is the second repost of this story. I really happen to like it and am a sucker for reviews. Even flames are welcome, as long as they are constructive.
second- the Japanese in this is not perfect, but based, rather on my limited understanding of it. please be forgiving if I used some words and phrases incorrectly.
third- this is an edited edition where in i tried to be more consistent in my use of tenses when writing.
fourth and last- assume any conversation between the narrator and someone Japanese is in Japanese. again, thanks for the understanding
A Family in All But Blood Ch. 1
I step forward, noting the slight shock on my opponents face. Inwardly I smile in satisfaction but outwardly I show no emotion other than cool hatred. These men, assassins, hitokiri, whom only the royal family of Japan can command, were sent to bring me back; by any means needed or possible. They tracked me down to this school and threatened everyone in it. Everyone...including those few I would call my friends. That was their first mistake.
Their second was challenging me to a duel.
My opponent slips into his fighting stance. He knows who I am, and what I'm capable of. He also knows what happens to those who fail our, no...! Those who fail his master. Those who fail the master of the hitokiri, the emperor, die.
In a glance I take in his stance and it tells me everything I need to know. His right hand is extended out to guide his attack while his left hand rests by his left ear. He's used to fighting with a katana. His style involves a left-handed killing thrust to the head, but it can be adapted for aerial and close range attacks.
The Gatotsu!
Strong and swift, most certainly it is a unique technique. Many of the strongest Shinsen Gumi used it during the era of the Tokugawa Shogunate.
My opponent, he's good if he can use it without a blade. Very good.
A movement! My eyes narrow into a glare as he rushes forward to start his attack. He is definitely good, I can tell by his movements, but still not good enough.
Here it comes, the left handed thrust, his final commitment to the attack. Waiting until the last possible moment I dodge ever so slightly to my right, pivoting as I do so. The moment his fist passes his face my left hand traps his fist as I simultaneously jab with my right palm.
The sound of his bones breaking, the muscles and tendons in his arm ripping, it's definitely audible. I look around the field, only a few are close enough to hear it but all can most certainly see the results of my attack. I look back at my opponent; pain is written across his features and for a moment it bothers me...it shouldn't.
I close my eyes to try and shake the image, to shake the feeling, from my head; it has no place in a fight.
I mean, I don't let my momentary concern show but still, his pain and the sound of my attacks effect on his body bother me. I've been taught that to let an opponent's pain affect you is wrong, to care for an opponent is to be weak, even if you know them and/or care about them, and here I am, being bothered by them, caring about how my opponent feels. It must be that my friends are watching, assuming they're still my friends now that they know.
"Don't ignore me! You left yourself open!"
My eyes snap open. Oh? He's still on his feet even as I regain my posture he whips his foot around to try and catch my unguarded head. My unguarded head? I don't think so.
"Wide open?" a cold smile reaches my lips, but not my eyes. "I think not. You mistake my confidence for carelessness? It will be your downfall."
I dodge his attack with ease and leap back a few yards, landing in a stance that begins a personal favorite technique of mine, Sou Ryu Sen. It strikes with the godlike speed inherent of all battou jutsu techniques, however in the strike, if the sword is blocked the sheath if also brought around to strike.
Without my sword, the attacks range is greatly reduced, but it doesn't matter, I'm not planning on actually using a specialized technique from my style of sword on one so weak.
I motion for him to attack.
My opponent is definitely beginning to lose it. His earlier failed attempt to surprise me has unnerved him. "I've studied all of your techniques. I can see through them the moment you start to attack or counter."
"It doesn't matter that you have the eyes to see my attacks if you don't have the speed or strength to stop them. Attack now and all you'll see is the reason they call me Ryukage!"
"Ryukage..." to my far right I can hear my sister mutter the name I called myself, "dragon shadow...?" Actually she's not my true sister but the daughter of the family that adopted me, I still think of her as my true sister though; considering I've lived with them for slightly less then four years and I'm an orphan in reality.
For a moment my opponent stands there looking at me, his broken arm hanging limply at his side, then he rushes forward to attack. He's faster than before. All I can see is a blur. It's enough. His killing ki tells me all I need to know; his every move is an open book to me.
I move to strike as well, only I'm slightly faster. It's okay; I'm not using my full speed, to do so would be to commit murder, even with a reverse blade sword I would normally use. I am only aiming to take him out of the fight, not kill him.
"Gatotsu Zero-tsuki!" once again he's committed himself. This time to a close range version on the Gatotsu. It's basically the same thing but he has more force and ability to do damage now that's he's close up. It's different this time though, he's replaced his broken left arm with his right one and his open hands act in place of the blade, seeking to strike and do damage.
Too soon, he committed too soon. At the last instant I change my attack from my Sou Ryu Sen to this, a borrowed technique, "Sanjuu no Kiwami!"
My fist meets his and for a moment, nothing seems to happen, we have met on the field and now one of us will fall. A groan escapes his lips and he flies backwards. My fist is now an open hand.
The Sanjuu no Kiwami. One-step up from the Futae no Kiwami. It implements the idea that all objects, living or otherwise, have an innate resistance to impact.
The original technique strikes twice in an instant shattering the resistance and striking in almost the same moment allowing the full force of the blow to hit the target.
The Sanjuu no Kiwami has the same principle but the opening of the fist into an open hand creates a triple strike instead of a double, he's lucky to still be breathing.
I look at the rest of my attackers; there are two of them. Neither of them looks very eager to fight me but they won't show any fear.
That's good, just as I had remembered them. I can see why these men, shadows from my past, were sent after me.
"Leave now and perhaps you will yet live," my voice rings out across the field.
"Iie! We can not!"
"Why not?"
"We are hitokiri! We will not back down from a fight, to do so would disgrace us."
My eyes narrow once more as I stare icily at them, "You have no honor already, having threatened people who can not defend themselves. What have you left to disgrace?!"
The hitokiri farthest to the left responds, "As ninja and hitokiri you should understand. Our ethics and honor system are different than others. We have only to do what our master command. We will not yield."
"Of course, that which is needed by the ninja to be shinobi, an unbreakable will and a undying determination."
My opponent nods.
"Let's go!" I motion for them to attack, "I am rapidly getting bored by your talk. If have something you need to do then do it. Words won't get your job done!"
"Everyone on the field, who is engaged in combat, put your hands up! This is the police!" it's the three officers from our school; their guns are drawn. They must have come out in time to see my last attack.
I look over, a bemused expression on my face, "This isn't your fight, back away, now!"
"I can't do that son, your putting other people at risk with your private fight. Take it somewhere else or we'll have to take steps."
"Steps?" the leader of the hitokiri glances at me. "Well Ryukage? What's it going to be? You can save the lives of these police officers, or you can leave them to die to my men and then fight us later. The choice is yours."
I look at the hitokiri and then at the police, "Let me ask you officers a question and you have to be honest. Your life may depend on your answer. Do you really think you can do anything about what's going to happen?"
"We will try our best to fulfill our duty as officers of the police force. If you move to attack, us or them we will open fire."
"Then do so for it shall be the only way for you to stop our fight."
Cursing angrily the lead officer opens fire. Calmly I duck my head and dodge each of the shots. "You won't hit me. Reading the angle of your lines of sight and the gun's mouth is simplicity itself!"
"Let me try," the female officer speaks now.
"Tell me officer, how will you hit what you cannot see?"
"What?"
Even as the officer utters those words it's too late for her. I'm already off. This has to end quickly so I use my speed to the best of my ability. I'm in an all out run. There, I'm behind the first two police, a male and a female.
I stop only for a moment, long enough to attack. It probably doesn't look like much. All it appears is that I run each hand down their backs; one hand for each officer. If one were to take a closer look then one would see that I strike as a blur. Seven, seemingly simultaneous, strikes to seven distinctly different spots on the spinal cord.
Not hard enough to break the bone but it serves to take their mobility from them. They're effectively paralyzed, two new quadriplegics. They'll be fine in a few minutes but they can't interfere with our fight. Now for the last officer.
He hasn't even reacted to the fact that his other officers are down, probably because they're not yet. They still haven't fallen. His turn now.
Ahhh, he's started to react. To slow! I side step his attack easily and strike with the side of and open hand to the side of his neck. He crumples to the ground, probably hasn't even registered the pain yet.
The police are down, in no more than a few seconds and I return my attention to the hitokiri. They're good, all of them. To bad, I hate to see such talent wasted.
They come at me with no hesitation, but something's different. They don't attack me outright; instead they're simply playing tag with me, attacking but barely within range. Then leaping out of the way.
For a moment it doesn't make sense. Then I see behind them. Their fallen comrade has started to get to his feet. Impressive, they risk their lives to save their comrade.
He probably won't live anyway, definitely not what I had wanted or intended. His body has sustained too many injuries, mainly from the Sanjuu no Kiwami, but they're trying to save him anyway.
I'm truly impressed, not many would do that.
As one they break away to retrieve their fellow assassin. They look at me, some with astonishment, some with excitement, but all with not a little fear and wariness warring in their features. They were sent to take me out, but they didn't. Those that survive...they will grow stronger. Perhaps the next time we fight they will be an actual challenge, or not...it is up to them.
Their leader speaks once more, "I thank you, my one time comrade, for sparing us and leave you with this parting piece of knowledge; it was not the emperor that sent us after you, it was another member of the imperial family. I leave you with that as thanks, as something to think on."
Even as I throw the blade I had slipped into my hand behind my back, they drop a smoke bomb and are gone in the flash of light and smoke. The dagger hits the padding around the goal post and then drops to the ground. I go to retrieve it.
Ah, they are true shinobi, there are so few left in today's world, it's a shame really.
"Hold it!" one of the police has regained control of her muscles. Her gun is leveled at me. "You're under arrest for resisting an officer."
I glance disdainfully at her, "Please...don't insult me." Then I too, drop a smoke bomb and disappear.
I look at the clock on my wall, 2:20. School got out nine minutes ago. At least it should have, it got out a little early due to unexpected events. Me, I was home around 1:50, having left school around 1:35. I live with about twenty minutes away from school by car, so that's about five, maybe six, kilometers.
I got home by running, not all out but fast enough, about 20 kph. For me top speed is probably about 60 kph, but I can only last for about a minute or two, three is a definite stretch.
I lean back against the tree branch I'm sitting on.
Irritably I push my bangs out of my eyes, and look at myself in the window. I have jet-black air, a result of my Japanese heritage, which hangs down to the middle of my back in a ponytail, except for the bangs; they're but shorter and hang down the side of my face to about my jaw line. My eyes are also black as night, while my skin tone is a pale olive with a hint of a tan and I am short. My height, at tops, is only 5'4.
My mind wanders as I review the day's events, more specifically the ones of the afternoon...
Field day, the final culmination of spirit week at Pine Grove High. It involves lots of different field events. Each grade puts forth a certain amount of competitors. Then, we battle. The seniors always win, and they tell us it's not rigged, right...
The games started but something was wrong. I could sense someone watching us, no, not someone, more than one. I looked around. They were in the trees across the football field.
Who the hell is it?
Discreetly I readied two throwing stars. I slipped them from the inside of my long sleeved shirt to the inside of my palms in a matter of seconds. And they wonder why I always wear long sleeves. If only they knew.
I had only to wait now, wait for them to make the first move.
"Hey! Ken!" I looked over; it was Henry. He's going out with my sister.
Not a bad kid, a bit full of himself and rather quick to anger but still...not a bad kid.
"What's up?" I asked him.
"Not much, I was wondering if you'd seen Maria around..."
"No, I haven't."
"It's all good, I see her now," with that he left me to my own thoughts as he makes his way through the crowd to my sister.
The event has started and the seniors were in the lead. That wasn't all that surprising, what was surprising was what happened next.
From out of nowhere, or most likely the far side of the football field, three ninja appeared and sent the field into chaos. In a matter of moments they had wounded and knocked most of the faculty unconscious. Their target must be some one else, and I had feeling I already knew.
I recognized their styles. I should have, seeing as how the four of us served the emperor and his family in their elite guard.
Shinomori Aoshi, Urashima Keitaro, and Saito Hajime...
We were once comrades, not great friends by any means but we were all selected to enter the training for the elite guard together and swore to be together, guarding each other's backs, until the end.
That was before I left. Now, I don't know where we stand, but I can't let them continue this. Even though they're probably acting under orders, since none but the imperial family of Japan can command the elite guard.
Let's see... Saito uses a left handed stabbing attack that can be adapted for aerial and short range attacks. He prefers to use a Japanese long sword but can use a hidden cane sword just as well.
Keitaro actually prefers to battle using the old style of kempo. His attacks can vary but he can use both short and long range attacks effectively. His favorite move is the Kan Setsu Tobi Kanai, the Kanai being short dagger like blades that can be thrown from a distance.
Aoshi, he's their leader, he uses a two-kodachi style. Kodachi are a short version of the katana or Japanese long sword. They're smaller so they can be slightly faster than attacks with a katana. The Kai Ten Kenbu Roku Ren is his preferred move. It strikes six times rapidly in succession, allowing almost no time for a reaction.
All of them use ancient styles of fighting that some might say aren't effective in today's society but when compared to the other styles out there, almost none can match up to us in hand to hand combat or otherwise. After all, can you hit what you can't see?
Saito's style has a natural blindside on his left side since that's the arm he attacks with. He'll be easiest to attack.
There! Saito had started another attack, his specialized left-handed Hiratsuki Gatotsu...with a sword cane?
In an instant I reacted, leaping up from my position in the stands to a higher position on a light above the field. Even as I did so, two shuriken leave my respective hands effortlessly. A moment later they struck both the back of Saito's hand and his weapon, effectively shattering his cane sword.
Those things are weak anyway.
The three stopped their attack and looked in my direction. I jumped to the ground effortlessly.
"Will you fight us or come willingly?" Saito had stepped forward to ask the question. "If you don't come willingly we'll have to fight."
For a moment I regarded him silently; then I nodded my head to indicate that I would be fighting. All of them if necessary.
I stepped forward, noting the slight shock on my opponents face. Inwardly I smiled in satisfaction but outwardly I show no emotion other than cool hatred. These men, assassins, hitokiri, whom only the royal family of Japan can command, were sent to bring me back; by any means needed or possible. They tracked me down to this school and threatened everyone in it. Everybody...including those few I would call my friends....
"Hey! Ken!"
What the! Oh, it's my sister calling, she and my two best friends from the United States of America.
"What?" I call down from the tree.
"Come on, we have to talk!"
"Okay," I climb down from the tree, as I do I notice it's starting to get dark. I must have been lost in memory longer than I thought.
For a while we walk in silence, only half attempting to speak, the attempts falling heavily into the tension.
The sky grows increasingly darker with hints of a storm coming.
At last, unable to stand the silence I speak, "You guys must be pretty upset with me, huh? For not telling you any of this?"
Selena looks at me, "We're not mad, just kind of disappointed you didn't trust us enough to confide."
I look at my sister and two best friends, "Look, I'm sorry I didn't tell you what was I supposed to say, 'Oi, nee-chan, I'm an master swordsman/ninja from Japan who's trying to escape his past and will do anything to achieve that but don't worry your safe as long as you don't cross me'? I don't think so."
Selena threw me a slightly startled look, "You wouldn't, would you?"
"Wouldn't what?"
"Hurt us, your friends, I mean."
"Four years ago, when I first came to the U.S. the answer would have been yes, I would have if it suited my purpose or needs, but now...now I'm not so sure."
Shaun gives sigh, "Don't worry about it."
My eyes narrow as I once more recall the day's events. "But it does worry me, I don't know who sent them, and that puts you in danger. That's all I really want to know, who sent them?" I demand of the sky.
"I did," it is a quiet, familiar voice.
Slowly I turn around to see the face of the one who sent these assassins. I already know who it will be. "Hidenka..." it comes out in a whisper.
"Hai," she responds with the innate grace and poise of a true princess, one I do not remember from my childhood in Japan.
"Naze ka"
"Ken-kun, I...I wanted to see if you were the boy that I remembered. You have no idea how many nights I spent crying myself to sleep after you left...none!"
I venture a tentative guess, "A lot?"
She eyes me steadily for a moment before...
"Hime! What the hell was that for? It hurt!"
She throws a meaningful look at me.
"Okay...so maybe it didn't really but still," I rub the spot on my cheek where she punched me.
"I was crushed when you left," she glares at me. "Watashi no Otoo-sama to Okaa-chan to mina-san. They all couldn't figure out why you left but I knew...anata no juuroku tanjobi. It had to do with a promise we made when we were younger. You couldn't keep your end of the promise, naze ka"
"Hime..." Try as I might my control over my emotions, my control that I so pride myself in, is disappearing. Tears are starting to form in my eyes. Tears that I cannot... will not hold back. "Hime, anata no kazoku...they mean everything to you. You know as well as I do, probably more so than I, that when a female member of the royal family of Japan marries a commoner they lose their status a member of the royal family. You are my Hime; I will protect you always but I couldn't do it, I couldn't take them away from you."
"I'm willing to risk that for you, didn't you know that?" her voice is soft, like velvet, almost a whisper and she too has tears in her eyes.
"Hime, I..."
She puts a finger to my lips to silence me, "Just shut up for once; I have one more thing to do before I leave."
"What?"
Silent but serious, in one sudden motion, she stands on her tiptoes and kisses me lightly on the lips. It was brief and very light; almost a ghost of a kiss but it holds within it a deep passion and fierce longing that shock me.
I stand, paralyzed for a moment, as she smiles gently at me and in the instant after that, disappears into the shadows. Only a gust of wind, my friends and sister remain on the now deserted street.
For a long, tense moment my friends stare at me, then, Maria, my sister speaks, "Something you'd like to tell us, Ken?"
Solemnly I wipe the tears from my face, "My names not actually Ken, it Kenshin, Nagaremono Kenshin, although most people call me Kenshin if they call me anything at all. My surname is Nagaremono and it means Vagabond, which suits me I suppose. That was the Nihon no Naishinno... and my unofficial fiancé."
Selena and Shaun gape at me, "Come again?"
"I'll tell you but only if you swear not to tell anyone."
"Who'd believe us?" Jokes Shaun.
Maria looks seriously at him, "After today's events, a lot of people just might."
Shaun returns her look, "That's true."
As one my three companions look at me expectantly, "Well?"
"Well...where to start?"
"Duh!" Shaun rolls his eyes.
"Okay, okay. My parents died when I was only a few years old so I grew up as an orphan on the streets of Japan. At least, I did until I was about five, old enough to enter school...
I spent the morning watching the other children my age walking to school, wishing I could be with them. Not a lot of fun since I had tried a few times to talk to them. They always acted like I was a disease, something to stay away from at all costs.
Shunned and hurt, as always, I walked down the streets of Tokyo (actually I was within a short distance of the palace if I remember correctly). It was a nice day out but it held no joy for me. For me it was just another day with almost no food. Isn't life fun?
Right, anyway as I was walking around looking for some sort of food I spotted something that might help me. It was a wallet. I could see the yen sitting on top of it.
One problem, there was a man sitting next to the wallet. To get it I was going to have to run at full speed and hope I was faster. What the hell, I had nothing better to do.
So I went for it, breaking into a full run, and even for a full grown adult I'd be pretty fast. Almost a blur, I would guess.
Anyway, as I sprinted towards this guy I looked for a chance to steal his money but as I closed in he turned to look at me. There was a slightly shocked expression on his face.
I ignored it and attempted my little bit of thievery. Right, of course I had no such luck. As I got closer he reached out and easily grabbed my arm.
"Hey, Gramps...let go of me."
"Were you just trying to steal my money?" He looked at me with an amused expression.
"Yeah, so what? I have to eat too you know." My voice calm and even I stared emotionlessly back at him.
He frowned slightly, "I don't care about that. I want to see what you just did."
"What I just did?"
"When you were running, there was something interesting in what you did. Or I suppose I should say how fast you did it. I could have sworn you were much too far away to get here for at least a moment or two after you actually reached my wallet. Perhaps I was simply not paying enough attention."
"...what...? I don't understand..." I think he expected me to be scared or something, instead I simply stared coolly into his eyes.
"I suppose you wouldn't." The man paused for moment to consider how to phrase his question. "I simply wish for you to demonstrate your full speed. Will you show me how fast you can run from here to the corner of the block and back? If you do it I'll give enough yen to last you a while if you spend it wisely."
I stared at him for a moment, then I reached a decision, "Okay ojii-sama. You had better pay up though."
"I have plenty of money to spare."
"Fine." I took a moment to focus on my target and took a deep breath. When I was ready a second later I dashed of as fast as I could. I could feel his eyes on me, something about him was different, but I couldn't tell what.
As I ran back towards him, he knelt down to look me in the eye. "How did you do that?"
"That, you mean run? Can't everyone?"
"No they can't, run at such a high speed at your age, I mean. For anyone's age really."
"I've always been able to, naze ka" my facial expression remained frigidly indifferent.
For a few minutes he stared at me. "Could it be, the speed of a true born swordsman, shukuchi...? I have use of you boy, come with me!"
"Iie. I have other things to do."
"Like what?"
He had a point. I didn't exactly have a lot to fill up my days being an unschooled orphan.
"I need your special ability, so you don't really have much of a choice."
I stared at him for a moment, not quite understanding what he was telling me. Finally I decided to ignore him. In some semblance of being polite I shook my head, and began to walk away, but even as I turned he struck out with his fist and punched me in the stomach.
My eyes widened slightly in surprise as I emitted a low groan and fell unconscious.
The next thing I remember I woke up on a soft futon with the very same man standing over me.
He looked at me, "Ahhh, so you're finally awake. I didn't mean to hit you quite so hard, gomen."
"What do you want with me?" I stared at him, my cool exterior back in place.
He tilted his head and gave me a curious look. "Boy? Why don't you smile, or show any emotion, other than a coldly indifferent one?"
"Well, because I live on the streets I get beat a lot. You now, by the other homeless people who live out there," I motioned towards the outside of the house. "So I learned to ignore the pain and remain, at least on the outside, uncaring through all of it. It seemed to make them want to hit me less when I didn't react that much."
"I see, now all you can do is remain outwardly indifferent, even when you are hurt or scared," he looked at me thoughtfully. "I have use of you, your emotionless ki and your incredible, godlike speed."
I looked at him again, "I guess I don't have much of a choice do I?"
He shook his head, "None."
"Fine, where are we?"
"We are in my section of the imperial palace. I am the youngest son of the current emperor."
"Ooji-sama!"
"If you choose to call me such. My brother has a child, a girl, about your age. I think you shall be trained to be her protector, her shinobi."
"Fine, I guess it has to be better in here than it was out there..."
"That was when I entered the palace for the first time. I didn't meet the Naishinno until almost a year later when I was six. That's when we became best friends. When we were seven and eight respectively, we promised to marry each other when we got older. We were both very serious and as I got older the seriousness of what I had agreed to sank in. I got scared around my twelfth birthday and ran away to America."
Shaun, Maria, and Selena stare at me.
"Are you serious?" Maria looks incredulous.
I smile, "Always, at least when I fight. Otherwise people wouldn't take me seriously."
"Wait, so you lost your emotions and then gained them again?" Selena looks at me.
"Not exactly, more like I just didn't let them show, except for cold indifference which may not precisely be an emotion, and in time I forgot how to express them. It's one of the reasons I'm such a good assassin, my opponent or target can't feel me approaching."
"But when you first came here you didn't seem indifferent or anything at all. All you showed were blank eyes and an expressionless face. Like you didn't register anything at all," Maria looks at me, confused.
"Yeah, that time I withdrew into myself. I wasn't really apathetic but since I was under a different type of stress I reacted differently, the affect was virtually the same. I give off no discernable emotions."
Shaun glances at his watch, "Damn it! As much as I'd love to hear more about this, it's almost nine o'clock. I missed dinner, and that means I am so grounded I might meet you guys again when hell freezes over if I'm lucky." He pauses as he turns to run off, "It was worth it though. See you guys tomorrow in school."
I groan as my hand covers my face, "Right, if they let me back. I'm pretty much under arrest for assaulting an officer, remember."
"Oh, right. Don't worry about it," Shaun pats me on the back. "You're a ninja. They shouldn't be any problem for you."
"Uh huh..." I reply dryly, catching his eyes. "Is that so? Even I can't dodge bullets from every direction you know."
"Never mind," Selena drags Shaun away. "Let's just see how it plays out. Your Hime may get you diplomatic immunity now that she knows where you are."
"Or she may let me squirm for a while, just for her own amusement," I grumble under my breath.
"Oh, shut up!" Maria tells me. "We have to get home before we get grounded too."
"Okay, okay. I'm coming."
Great, here I am, at 6:45 in the morning, getting ready for zero period gym. Someone want to remind me why I chose an eighth period instead of the normal seven? One that requires me to have an early class that starts before homeroom. As I get off the bus I nod hello to my sister Maria and to my friends, Selena, Shaun.
Maria looks like mom and dad. She has black hair and a tanned complexion, probably because she's Filipino. Her face has a round merry look to it, not chubby or fat but a filled in look; not skinny as a rail like so many other girls in this school.
Shaun is a sandy haired kid, light freckles on his face and an over towering superiority complexion. Unlike Maria he might as well be made out of toothpicks, but he is relatively strong.
Last is Selena, probably my oldest friend here in the US. Aside from Maria she was the first one to try and understand me. She is Mexican American with curly, dark brown hair cut short except for her bangs. They hang straight around her face.
Apparently someone did something because nothing happened when I got home last night or when I came to school this morning. Nothing happened, no phone call or anything else that would signify trouble for me.
That's a good thing I guess, but it makes me wonder, who's pulling what strings around here? I'm almost positive my hime doesn't have that kind of authority, so then who's doing all of this. The only person I can think who could, wouldn't.
School's different today, almost everyone, except for my sister and my two best friends is keeping their distance. I should have expected that of course but still...it hurts, more than I care to admit.
I mean, some of the people who were nice to me before are still nice to me, but it's like everyone has their guards up around me. As if they think that I might try to kill them if they get to close to me.
Okay, so they're not incorrect. Well, they are, sort of. At least they wouldn't have been completely of the mark four, maybe even three years ago when I came to this country. Back then the only thing that mattered to me was protecting my hime, from everything and anything possible. That meant that I had to leave or she'd hurt herself by trying to convince herself that she was in love with me so our 'arranged marriage' would be easier for her.
At least, that's what I told myself then. To be honest, I was scared, scared of committing to a promise I may not have wanted to or even been able to keep. I didn't want to have to see my hime's face when I told her that I couldn't go through with it so I ran, as far and fast as I could.
That's how I ended up in this town with no place else to go. Only this time it was different, I projected a blank, uncomprehending, expressionless attitude instead of a stony, indifferent one. By the time I got here I had bottled up all my emotions again, so as not to get hurt. In time I learned to be human again, thanks to the people I met here but still, it never quite seemed right.
Whenever I'm under extreme stress or experiencing particularly strong emotions I tend to revert to how I was before, either cold and uncaring or uncomprehending and blank. Generally I'm colder as it gets a "better" response from people.
I exit the locker room, behind me I can here people talking about me. If they're going to talk about me they should just say it to their faces. I have more than enough control to put up with their insults, maybe.
"Hey! Ken!" it's not the voice of Selena or Maria and it's definitely a female voice.
I turn around and see that it's Hei Hua. She's a Chinese girl, a year older than me in her senior year. She's cool, even if a bit insane. With her are her friends and mine, Cristin and Ariel.
Actually Hei Hua isn't her real name, I don't know what it is but everyone calls her Hei Hua, it means "dark flower" in Mandarin. It fits her rather well actually. Her hair is jet black and down to the middle of her back, as usual it's in some intricate braid.
Cristin is a Caucasian girl; her hair is a wavy blond while her skin is a pale white.
As for Ariel, she has medium length dirty blond/brown hair. Her skin is olive tone and she is almost always in a perpetual happy mood.
Wait...why the hell am I paying so much attention to the way my friends look today? It's never really meant that much to me. As I pause to think about it the answer is obvious. No matter what happens today I'm leaving. I can't bring myself to put my friends in harms way. Besides, staying here defeats the purpose of running away if they know I'm here.
"Hey, what's up?" I wave to them.
They look at me with blank incomprehension.
"Oops..." I spoke in Japanese without thinking about it.
"Can you ask Mr. Olden for our history homework?" Hei Hua asks me.
"Won't you be there?"
"No." Her reply is short and terse.
I look questioningly at Cristin. She exchanges a slightly worried look with Ariel.
"Um...I know you may not trust me any more but what's going on?"
Cristin looks at me like I'm an idiot, "We still trust you but, it's just, we're kind of disappointed you didn't trust us enough to confide."
"Whoa, de ja vu..."
"What?" Cristin looks curious.
"Um...Maria, Selena, Shaun; last night."
"Oh."
"At any rate," Ariel looks briefly at Hei Hua for permission. "Hei Hua's father had a heart attack in Kyoto, Japan the night before yesterday. He's conscious but the doctors say he's not out of the woods yet. She's going to visit him for a week and her plane leaves later today so she's leaving school early.
"We were supposed to tell you yesterday, and were still going to after your little skirmish but you ran off, so we didn't get a chance."
"So then, that would be my fault?"
"Yeah, that would be your fault." Hei Hua looks at me with mock disgust. "It's always your fault."
"Of course it is," I roll my eyes in response. "Anyway...um, about the homework, I don't think so..."
"Why not?"
Cristin looks confused, as does Ariel, but Hei Hua, who has always been good at reading people, has already figured it out. I can see it in her eyes.
"He's not going to be here when I get back."
"What!" Selena looks at me surprised, while Ariel just ponders what her friend has told her. "Why not?"
"Because of you guys," I motion to them with my hand.
"Excuse me?" Cristin's eyes darken. "Because of us?"
"I won't put you in danger by remaining here."
"That's not it though, is it?" Hei Hua's look is penetrating. "Not entirely. There are other reasons aren't there?"
"Yes," I agree, "but I won't tell the other reasons. Too much of a risk for you, especially if the emperor thinks you know something. Those shinobi yesterday, it's called plausible deniability. I have to go to homeroom now. Ja ne!"
Slowly the day passes by...each moment an eternity as I take in the sights and sounds in preparation for my departure. Finally last period comes around.
I look out the window of my classroom. I'm only half paying attention to the teacher. It's only US history, not really that important to me.
Out of the corner of my eye I see a limo pulling up to the school. It has the flags of the Japanese embassy on the front of the hood.
Ah, shit. This is not good.
If they're sending an ambassador from the embassy over to the school they must want me back in Tokyo. I never wanted to go back there again, ever. Of course, I never wanted a lot of things.
I watch the limo park in front of the school and two men walk into the main office.
Moments later, Nagaremono Kenshin please report to the office
I ignore it, concentrating on the teacher instead.
I repeat, will Nagaremono Kenshin please report to the office!
Sighing I get up and head for the door.
"Where are you going Ken?" Mr. Olden gives me a strange look.
"I'm reporting to the office as told to," I reply, smiling slightly at the shock on my teacher face as I walk out the door. They may have seen me yesterday but they still didn't know my real name, must have been a bit of a shock.
As I walk down the hallway I think about who I'm going to be facing, most likely an ambassador of some sort. Wonderful, they always get so full of themselves.
Sighing I compose myself to answer to them.
When I get down to the office I see that there are two men waiting for me. They don't look friendly...of course that could just be my paranoia talking. The one on the right I recognize, it is my ooji-sama, Akishino-sama. Since the current emperor already has an heir, his oldest son, he would be the next in line, unless of course his older brother's daughter marries a nobleman and then he gets pushed back another step in the line of succession.
The other looks like a bodyguard of sorts, not like the imperial prince needs any protection but still...
I bow slightly to them, my face a mask, keeping my eyes on them at all times, "Nan desu ka"
"We have a request from the Tenshi. He asks that you appear before him, on the 28th of October, in the audience chamber of the imperial palace."
"The 28th is tomorrow though." I am momentarily startled by the nearness of the date at first, before understanding sinks in.
"He has faith in your abilities, and so do I."
"Is there anything else?" My understanding changes to an irrational flood of anger as I eye them coldly.
"Nothing," they bow slightly and leave.
For a moment I stand staring after them thinking, then the bell rings and I head for my bus. I don't bother to go to my locker or get my books from my last class.
If things go the way I think they will then I won't need them any more.
"Where am I?" I look around. I recognize nothing.
"You're in hell, isn't that obvious?" I whirl around. There stands the crown prince's younger brother. "The only way to escape your eternal damnation is to return to Japan."
I stare stonily at him, "I have no reason to return to Japan. There is nothing for me there. That is why I left." I turn and start to walk away.
"What about your hime?"
I stop dead in my tracks, "Boku no hime ka"
"Hai, how would your hime feel?"
"Hime..."
My ooji-sama steps next to me, "What was it you said to me once, when you were younger? 'Kanojo wa boku no hime desu! I will do whatever it takes to defend and protect her! No matter what the cost!'"
"Demo..."
"But nothing, you broke your vow to your hime, it is as simple as that," he walks away and getting into his car and leaving.
"Matte!" I reach a hand out after him.
"You left me!"
"Hime!" I spin around to confront my princess.
"Don't call me that! You gave up the right to when you left!"
"But!"
"But nothing...you have forsaken your vow, you are no shinobi!" she fades into the shadows.
"HIME!" I chase after her, only I run in eternal darkness, never falling or hurting myself, but unable to escape either.
"Wha!" I bolt awake. For a moment I can't tell where I am, and then I remember. I'm on a plane on my way back to Japan...to bad for the man who I had to incapacitate of to get on it.
I didn't kill him, in spite of my training. Something kept me from doing it and I have a fairly good idea what...the memory of my friends. However, that's all they are now, memories, kinda sucks, huh?
In 48 hours the life I had in the United States was shattered, by my own hand as well as those of the ninja sent after me, I returned to the one place I swore I'd never return to, courtesy of a plane flight that Hei Hua alerted me to, and got re-engaged to my best friend.
What a life...
Not that I had a whole lot of options in America. Despite my unique physical abilities, I was, and still am a mediocre student at best.
I did what I absolutely had to do in order get by, my grades were mostly C's, one or two A's and a few B's, out of eight classes.
I don't really care about academics; I have a certain amount of raw intelligence and ability to assimilate facts, that's it. I normally don't do the whole homework thing, and I certainly don't study.
This all being the case I didn't have a whole lot options for what to do with my life, but I did have friends.
Sorry guys, Maria, Cristin, Shaun, Hei Hua, Selena, Ariel, and everyone else... This is something I have to do, for myself. I'll miss you though, funny, I hadn't thought about missing anyone but my hime in a long time. Nobody else has ever been that important to me.
The plane lands at around two in the morning Japan time, and the city is still busy. I get out, Kyoto, I like the city but it just another stop on my way to the imperial palace in Tokyo.
Still grumbling about my rotten luck I get on the magnet train and arrive an hour or so later in the wonderful capital of Japan, the city known to the world as Tokyo.
Tokyo...wonderful, the one place I promised myself I'd never return to, ever. I am so glad I came back.
Sullenly I head for the palace. When I get there I don't bother to use the main entrance, instead I hop over the wall and onto the roof of the palace.
I make no sound as I do this, for a moment I simply sit on top of the palace; then I run to a specific garden and jump down. I stand there silently and take in the sights, sounds and smells.
"It's been a while since you've been here...Nagaremono-kun"
I don't even need to turn around, "Ooji-sama."
"Hai, what made you decide to return; I didn't think you would be after the last time we spoke."
"Yes you did, you knew damn well that I'd be here, because you know how well I know tomorrows date. It's my hime's birthday..." the last part comes out as a whisper.
He gives a small laugh, "True, I did know you would be back, because I know how your strange sense of honor works. You obey only your own morals and will fight to protect the imperial family to the death but first and foremost above all else, even if it means violating everything that you believe you must obey and protect your hime.
"Since I did have the privilege of knowing that you would return, I took the initiative to have the servants clean up your old room, no one's been in it, except for my niece, in the four years you've been gone, so it should be as you remember it..."
"Aside from her little changes she was always making," I mutter half heartedly under my breath.
My Ooji-sama smiles slightly, "For now I suggest you get some sleep, tomorrow may be a rather stressful day, no matter what happens. Are you ready?"
I give him a reproachful look, "When have I not been?"
He shakes his head as he gives another small laugh. "Just get some sleep. You'll need it."
I awoke early the next morning to the sound of someone entering my small section of the palace.
In an instant my favorite sword, which I keep in arms length of the bed, is in my hand, the blade half drawn, when I hear a startled oath.
I open my eyes and look up at the intruder; it's my hime, probably visiting my quarters as the imperial prince said she did, simply to remind herself of our promise...and make her little changes that she's prone to making in my life. She probably wasn't expecting to see me here.
"Ohayo Gozaimasu, hime..." I smile gently at her.
"Baka!" She hits me. "When did you get in?"
"Last night around midnight," I rub my head, what the hell? This is getting to be a bad habit of hers, "I let myself in, only Ooji-sama knows I'm here; besides you that is."
She looks at me seriously, "Why did you return, Ken-chan?"
I return her look, "Because I broke my promise to you, I wasn't there to protect you for four years.
"I had to come back, not for the reasons that the rest of your family wants me back but because I had to keep my promise to you. Without following your commands I betray the only real reason I have to exist. You are my reason; I have nothing else that truly keeps me going.
"And plus, the Ooji-sama paid me a visit during the middle of school, how was I supposed to ignore him then?"
"I suppose not. Ne? Ken-chan? Why do you always call my uncle by his official title and never by his name, Akishino?"
"Hm? Oh, it's because before I met you, when I was first being rained he was my prince, my master. I suppose it's an old habit I simply don't bother to try and break. It's not like it's a big deal or anything."
"Ah," she smirks slightly.
"What's with the smirk?"
"Smirk?" she looks innocently at me. "What smirk? I'm just happy to see you. That's all."
"Oh, so you smirk at everyone you're happy to see."
"Well...no..." She admits after a moment of silence. "But, you're different from most other people. Especially to me."
Her statement causes me to think as she leaves to prepare for the ceremony later that day. She's planning something, I just know it. The question is, as always, what?
As I enter the audience chamber of the imperial palace, I guess you could call it a thrown room for lack of a better term, I think of the dream I had on my way to Japan...
"Hime..." the word escapes my lips unbidden. The emperor looks at me strangely for a moment before returning his attention to his granddaughter and the young men before him.
Why the hell am I back here anyway?
I know the reason, because my Ooji-sama was correct and so was my hime's dream counter part, I ran away from my promise. A promise to the person that means more than anything else in the world to me.
I broke my vow to my hime, that I would always protect her. I ran away four years ago and for those years I wasn't there to protect my best friend.
I'm here because I got guilted into it, by the Shinno no anii-san and the memory of my best friend, my hime.
My best friend stands there, an unsure, almost scared look on her face. I've never seen my hime look scared before, never.
Honestly though, I'd be scared in her position too. Both her father and her grandfather want her to choose a husband from the men the emperor has assembled. All are lords and lordlings of the Japanese empire. All are eligible to take the throne should they be chosen by her as worthy enough to be her husband.
I don't even know why I'm here. As a ninja/master swordsman, I have no eligibility to marry her, not if she wants to retain her title of Naishinno. Not to mention her status as a member of the imperial family.
Besides, her father and grandfather would kill me if I even suggested anything of the sort.
Still, why do her eyes keep flickering in my direction? She's up to something, my hime always is. The question is the same as earlier; what?
"...must choose well, Setsuna." Her father is standing next to his father, the emperor, "The choice of who will be your husband will affect how you live the rest of your life."
"Otoo-sama, Okaa-sama, Ojii-sama, Obaa-sama I... I can't do this" once again her eyes flicker in my direction as she rushes on, unwilling to let anyone interrupt her. "I can't choose any of them. It's not that they aren't capable of being good emperors but I refuse to marry them simply because I have to. So, since I must choose a husband and I see none here worthy of the honor I fall back on a promise made years ago."
As these words leave her mouth I cast a quick glance around the room. Her grandfather, father, mother, aunt, and uncle have tensed slightly, they know what's coming.
"As these are the circumstances that I find myself in, I, I choose...I choose to marry...Ken-chan."
A startled murmur runs through the crowd assembled, even as an angry muttering starts among the young noblemen who were seeking to advance their position in our hierarchy.
"Ojoo-san...are you sure?" her mother, Masako-san, throws me an angry look as if to say this is all my fault. Her husband on the other hand simply looks thoughtful, albeit a bit angry with me, as if this doesn't surprise him but still goes against his grain.
"Okaa-san, Otoo-san mo. I respect your opinions, demo, I also know what my heart tells me to be true. I love him but I will only marry him if he consents. I will not force him, and I know that would be within my abilities Naishinno."
"Not if you marry that shiseiji," the speaker is unidentifiable but the insult is not.
Setsuna looks around angrily, "Who dares to insult Ken-chan?"
Nobody volunteers an answer.
"It doesn't bother me," my voice is ice even as I smile. My hime looks me in the eye and I give her a 'watch this' look only she can understand, in return. She smiles slightly. "Anyone who has a problem with my hime's choice can 'discuss' it with me later, if they so wish."
The challenge has been issued, I wonder if anyone will accept.
Why I'm not surprised when no one does?
I turn my gaze to the emperor, "Heika, Kogo mo, I would ask time to consider this request as I had no idea that my hime had planned this. I believe you and your son may wish to have words with your granddaughter on this topic."
"Hai, you are dismissed Nagaremono-san. I would ask that you not return until summoned, as you are not supposed to be eligible for this honor. My granddaughter and I, as well as my wife, my son and his wife, have much to discuss. Mina-san mo, you are all dismissed."
I walk out of the room; maybe I should forgo any of my normal ninja theatrics. Such as disappearing into the shadows and such...
As I begin to walk out the door I barely take notice of the confused and questioning looks that follow me. I can understand why they would be confused. I never simply walk out of the room, not my style.
Fine, if they want a show, they should get one I guess. If it puts their minds at rest...I disappear. To a trained eye, such as hime's or the emperors or even Akishino-san, I can actually be seen to a certain extent, but only because I was four steps from true shukuchi.
Shukuchi- that which surpasses the already godlike speed of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu; it's a rare body technique by which one springs from initial speed to top speed through great strength of the legs, penetrating the range of your opponents weapon in an instant. In layman's terms, it looks as though the distance between the two fighters had suddenly shrunk. Hence the name of shukuchi or shrinking ground.
It's the reason I was taken in as a prodigy from the streets. There is one more reason, at least that I know of, I can suppress my emotions. It took time and originally I had trouble learning to express them as growing up on the streets had effected my emotional maturation, but now I can suppress them if needed, or wanted.
Lost in thought I wander around the castle for a while.
What is Setsuna-chan thinking? We're supposed to be best friends, nothing else. At least, that's what I think. I guess she saw something else in our friendship, something that I obviously missed.
Sighing to myself I slip out a gift from Setsuna, she gave it to me a few years before I left, when I turned ten.
It is a simple wooden flute but at the same time it holds great value to me. Setsuna-chan was the first to understand that I could experience emotion, I just didn't show it, and that I took joy in things other than fighting.
I bring the flute to my lips and begin to play, a simple tune but it suits me. The sound drifts over the courtyard as it starts to rain and I drift into memory.
The only reason Setsuna-chan found out that I could show emotion was because she saw me crying once. That was the start of our friendship. I was about six; she was almost a year younger at five.
It was raining.
I was sitting on the castle walls, nursing some bruises I had received from my sensei. I was crying.
"Boy, why are you crying?"
"I'm not crying," hurriedly I wiped away the tears.
"Honto ne"
"Yes, really. I don't cry."
"Is that why you always look so angry, because you can't let out you sorrow?"
"Iie, Miyasama. When I was smaller, and lived on the streets, I used to get beat a lot. You now, by the other people who live out there," I motioned towards the other side of the wall. "So I learned to act as if it didn't bother me. It seemed to make them want to hit me less."
"But you were just crying, naze ka"
"I told you, I wasn't crying."
"Really?" The naishinnó hopped up onto the wall next to me. "Then what's this?" She wiped my tear-streaked face gently.
"It's nothing, I...I, it's nothing...the rain...I don't cry."
"I could make you tell me the truth you know."
I looked at her, inwardly shocked, but still with no expression written on my face, "I suppose that's true enough. So then the truth...is...the truth is that I'm crying. I'm crying because I get hurt all the time. I thought life in the palace would be different from out there but I'm still getting hurt and no one seems to care."
"I care," she looked me in the eye.
"Why?" The word leapt from my mouth with no warning. "Gomen, Miyasama. I didn't mean to sound rude..."
"Don't worry about it. I care because that's what friends do."
"Friends?"
"Yeah, I'll see you later, Kenshin-kun."
"-kun? Nani, how do you know my name?"
"I've been watching you for a while; waiting for the right time to try and be your friend, so now we're friends."
"Ojoo-san!"
She hopped down from the wall, "Sore wa watashi no okaa-sama desu, so I have to go now; by the way, my name's Setsuna. Ja-ne!"
Another time, a few years later...Setsuna is a little older than seven while I'm almost eight. We're sitting under a tree in one of the many gardens on the premises, this one happens to be Setsuna's private garden.
It was raining then too.
"Ne, Ken-nii-sama," Setsuna looked at me.
"Hmm?" I looked at my best and most likely only true friend.
"How do you feel about me?"
I laughed, "What kind of question is that?"
"How do you feel about me?"
"I don't get it. What kind of question is this?"
"How do you feel about me? I want a serious response, not one of your whimsical, lackadaisical responses you normally give my questions."
My eyes narrowed into a serious expression, "I think honestly that you are my best friend in the entire world. I care more about you than anything else in the world," a mischievous twinkle entered my eyes, "except of course my sword."
Laughing I ducked out of the way of my hime's punch.
"I thought I said not bull shit responses!"
"Well actually," I stopped in mid-sentence. My hime's expression has changed from laughing amusement to serious.
"Do you care enough?"
"Enough?" I didn't understand the question.
"When I get older, will you marry me on my sixteenth birthday? The age at which I am required to become betrothed?"
"I'm just a ninja and a swords master, in training. Why would you want to marry me?"
"Because you're my best friend. I trust you, and would rather marry you than a stranger any day."
"In that case, sure. But it's still almost nine years awa-mmmmm!"
Suddenly, without warning, Setsuna had leaned forward an kissed me on the lips, "Also, it might be nice to be able to kiss you whenever I wish..." Laughing merrily she danced out of the garden and into the castle leaving me to stunned to follow.
A few years later, Setsuna is nine; I have just turned ten and am practicing in the courtyard.
"Oi! Ken-kun!"
"Nani? Miyasama!"
"Here," Setsuna handed me a present.
"What's this for?" I ask.
"It's for your birthday, baka," she smiled at me.
I blinked in surprise, "Oh. Arigato-gozaimasu. No one has ever given me a present before. Not really, no one except my parents and their gone now."
"What did they give you?"
"This," I pull it out of my clothes. It's a small spinning top, one of the kinds where you wrap the string around the stick at the top and when you pull it, it starts to spin.
"It's really the only thing I have left to remember them by."
"I'm sorry Ken-kun,"
"Don't worry about it, I don't," Setsuna gave me a look like she doesn't quite believe me. "It's in the past now."
"Ah, open it," she pointed the gift she had given me.
"Okay, okay, I'm working on it."
Carefully I unwrapped the gift. It's been wrapped very carefully.
I gasped slightly as I saw what is inside the wrapping; it was a fine wooden flute. Nicely polished, probably made from cedar wood.
"Domo arigato gozaimasu, Hime..."
"Hime?" She looked questioningly at me.
"You are my princess, and I will do whatever it takes to protect you."
"Honto ne!" Setsuna's face lit up.
"Uh huh," I smiled gently at her. "Consider a way of showing how much I care. If you need my services ask, you will never have to order me like another member of your family would. I will serve you before all others."
"Arigato! Ken-kun!" she hugged me fiercely.
"You don't have to thank me," I smiled. "It's a ninja's job to protect his master. Besides, you gave me a present that's very dear to me, friendship, and this lovely flute."
"Play something on it," she instructed.
"Okay, here goes nothing," slowly I tested out the flute. Its pitch were clear and perfect. I sank into the tune coming out of the flute, get wrapped up in it completely...
"Very nice, Nagaremono-san," a soft clapping sound came from the other side of the courtyard.
I stop playing my flute and look up, "Ooji-sama!"
"If you choose to call me such," he smiles. "I'm glad to see you back where you belong."
"I wouldn't have been back if my hime hadn't dragooned me into it."
"Love kinda sucks, huh?"
"I don't know if I love her or not," I reply.
"You love her alright, just don't get so caught up in being a ninja or swords master that you forget who it is you truly are or what it is you truly live for."
"Huh?"
"You never wanted to be a swordsman. It was just something you had to do to keep off the street. I could tell from the first time you picked up blade, but you were committed to it and your special abilities made you exceptionally good at it.
"Find something else to live for except the fight, if I am wrong and you haven't already, for in time the fight will make you a hollow person from killing to often. I know you've kept fighting, or at least kept in training and condition, even while you were away."
"How could you know?"
Akishino reaches over and turns up the palm of my hand, "These are sword callus's, so I know you've been doing something to stay in shape, I'd guess training, or slaying the evil doer, depending on how you look at you personal philosophy...
"Look, you can think whatever you want but someone once said that 'to have a beautiful mind is a great thing, but it is an even greater thing to have a beautiful heart.' Ja ne!" He gives me a knowing nod before walking away from me, letting his words sink in.
I think hard for while, his words have affected me on a level that very few things have ever been able to do.
The sun sets and rises before I reach a decision. When I am finally called back to the meeting room, I know what my answer will be.
Silently I stand in the doorway of the room in which I shall hear the emperor's decision. "Domo arigato gozaimasu...mina-san..." I whisper my thanks, to anyone who helped in coming to this decision, whether they know it or not. For no matter what the result, this day, for intents and purposes is the most important day of my entire life.
I look around once, taking in the situation in a single sweeping glance. My hime is sitting off to the side. Her eyes are worried, and perhaps a bit sad. The crown prince and his consort are sitting, watching me; neither their expressions nor their eyes betray anything. The Shinno no anii-san stares at me, his eyes twinkle as if he knows something that I do not, which is most likely; he's not even trying to hide it, and I know he can if he really wanted to, he's teasing me.
These four people are the four most important people to me in the world, no matter what the outcome they will forever remain close to my heart for the part they have played in life.
Slowly I step into the room. I take a slow breath and force myself to smile slightly.
This is it, the proverbial moment of truth and I have no idea what's going to happen, one of the few times in my short life that I am completely unprepared for what's going to happen.
Silently I present myself before the emperor and bow, showing my servitude.
"Nagaremono Kenshin, you have been asked by the Nihon no Naishinno to be her husband, how will you respond?"
I suck in a breath of air to try and calm myself. "I accept Tenno." I turn to Shinno Naruhito and his consort Naishinno Masako, "Shinno, Naishinno mo. I ask your permission to marry your daughter, Naishinno Setsuna. Do I have your permission?"
"Hai..." Shinno Naruhito replied. "You have our permission...to marry our daughter, the Nihon no Naishinno."
I swallow hard and look over at Setsuna-chan. Her eyes are shinning and she smiles ever so slightly.
Silently I observe the stars from the roof of the castle. It's a bit chilly since it is the middle of October but I don't mind. I need the time to organize my thoughts; marriage is a big step after all, especially if it's your best friend. That's okay though, liking someone is a place to start, caring and love can come later.
Suddenly I sense a presence behind me, "Dare wa nan desu ka"
"Akishino desu."
"Ah," I smile at him. "What is it 'otoo-san'?" I call him father jokingly.
He gives me a strange look, "Otoo-san ka"
"I wasn't serious."
"What would you say if I could truly be your father? Legally I mean?"
"I don't know, honestly. You've been the father figure in my life for as long as I can remember but there was always something wrong, the possibility that you and Kiko-sama would have child, so I never really felt comfortable."
"That was true, yes..."
Was true...! I look sharply at Akishino-san but his bland expression reveals nothing.
I muse over what he has told me for a moment. As I respond a sad smile touches my faces, "I think I would like to actually be your son, Akishino-sensei, but wouldn't that put me in line for succession to the thrown?"
"Hai," my ooji-sama nods his head. "But only if my brother's wife has no more children."
"She's in her mid-forties, and showing no further signs of fertility. I sincerely doubt she can bear any more children, besides, having Setsuna-chan nearly killed her..."
"Nani!" The prince looks sharply at me. "How did you find that out? I doubt more than six people know, my father and mother, my brother and his wife, obviously and my wife and I. How did you find out?"
I snort derisively, "I'm not stupid, and I had exceptionally good training, I put two and two together...and got three..."
"Hm," he grins at me, "I should have known you would know."
"Yes, you should have."
"You know," he gives me an indecipherable look, "I can't seem to figure you out. Your personality seems to change at every other odd moment. I know four things for sure about you: your fighting abilities, your dedication to my niece, your strange code of conduct, and that I like you. Other than that I can't seem to understand you."
"Don't try to," I advise him. It'll just give you a headache. I tried to figure myself out once and all that happened was my getting my head knocked up my ass by my hime in a sparring session."
Akishino-sama shudders slightly at the mental image. "Then it's probably a good idea not to try to figure you out then. Goodnight..." he left as silently as he had come.
I sit there for a while longer, simply watching the sky and thinking about nothing in particular when I sense another presence behind me. This one's so familiar I don't bother to ask who it is.
"Hime," I acknowledge her presence with a smile.
"You know, I'm no longer your hime."
I look at her, suddenly quite serious, "You will always be my hime, Setsuna-chan, always, nothing will ever change the fact that I will protect you should it cost me my life.
"Besides, I don't think you're going to be completely losing your status in the imperial family. Ooji-sama, hinted at the possibility that I may be adopted by him and Kiko-san."
"What!" her expression is one of shocked disbelief.
"He only hinted at it, so I wouldn't get my hopes up to soon."
"Still..."
"Yeah..."
For a while we sit there in the silence, simply enjoying being together in the night.
Setsuna reaches out and takes my hand in hers. I look over startled and she tightens her grip on my hand, I smile. Still holding her hand I pull Setsuna into my arms.
She looks up at me and for some reason the self-satisfied smirk on her face that all females seem to know how to make instinctively. It makes me uneasy.
"Kiss me," the tone in her voice leaves no room for argument, not that I would have anyway.
As our lips touch our eyes close. I let myself sink into the moment, the feeling of our lips together sends electricity through me. I feel alive as I have never before yet still as grounded in reality as I have ever been.
For me this is a beginning, to become the husband of my best friend will change everything I have ever known to be true about my place in life, but in this timeless moment it doesn't matter, nothing matters, except for her.
... translated from Japanese
Terms used:
Anata no juuroku tanjobi- your sixteenth birthday
Anata no kazoku- your family
Arigato- thanks
Boku no hime ka- My hime?
Demo- but/ however
Heika- Your Imperial Majesty (reserved for emperor/empress of Japan)
Hime- princess
Hidenka- your imperial highness (reserved for crown prince/princesses and their consorts or concubines)
Hitokiri- assassin
Honto ne- really
Kanojo wa boku no hime desu- She is my hime
Dare wa nan desu ka- who is it?
Kogo: emperor's wife (Empress consort)
Miyasama: an imperial prince or princess (form of address equivalent to imperial highness)
Mo- and/also/too
Naishinno- crown princess
Nan desu ka- what is it?
Naze ka- Why?
Ne, Kenshin-nii-sama- Hey, brother Kenshin (a more respectful form of Kenshin, or any other name. Denotes a sense of closeness to the one addressed)
Nihon no Naishinno- crown princess of Japan
No-miya: translated as "prince/princess of..." or simply "prince/princess..."
Nyoo: princess of the imperial blood
Obaa-sama- Grandmother
Oi, nee-chan- Hey, sister
Ojoo-san- daughter (respectful form)
Ojii-sama- Grandfather/ old man
Okaa-san- mother
Ooji-sama- prince
Otoo-san- father
Sensei- teacher
Shiseiji- fatherless/illegitimate child
Shinno- Crown Prince
Shinno no anii-san- Crown Prince's younger brother
Sore wa watashi no okaa-sama desu- that's my mom
Tenshi: alternate term for the reigning Japanese monarch (male or female)(literally means "son of Heaven")
Tenno: reigning Japanese monarch (male or female)(literally meaning the "heavenly sovereign"
Tenno Heika: His Imperial Majesty the Emperor (of Japan)
Watashi no Otoo-sama to Okaa-chan to mina-san- My father and mother and everyone