Chapter 1: Mystery Girl
In the eighteenth year of the reign of Emperor Daigo, the fourteenth day of October shone bright and clear over Iwanuma in southern Mutsu Province. It was market day, and the streets were bustling with local farmers arriving to trade with the town's merchants. Between the visitors and the townspeople—who had turned out in droves to enjoy the unexpectedly mild weather—the streets were jammed. The smell of grilled meat, the cries of the street vendors, the kaleidoscope of different-colored kimono—it all added up to a typically bustling day for the prosperous rural town.
But at that moment, whatever charm Iwanuma possessed was lost on Megurine Luka. She was too busy scanning the passing crowd.
"Luka-nee? Hello?"
With a start, Luka turned to find one of her companions—her half-sister, Nakajima Gumi—smiling speculatively at her, hands on hips.
"I'm sorry, did you say something?"
Gumi opened her mouth to reply, but didn't get the chance.
"She was about to apologize for dressing so lewdly."
The speaker—Luka's cousin, Kamui Gakupo—surveyed Gumi's clothing with obvious distaste. In contrast to Luka's and Gakupo's full gray kimonos with black hakama, Gumi had opted for a white, tight-fitting jacket and shorts combination that showed off her toned body to great effect.
"Apologize for what? There's nothing wrong with my outfit. Tell him, Luka-nee."
Luka merely shrugged. She wouldn't have dreamed of wearing anything that daring herself, but on Gumi, it worked.
Gakupo obviously disagreed. He clucked his tongue, then with a flip of his long, purple top-knot, turned his back on Gumi, folding his arms in annoyance.
"You look like a prostitute. I swear, I'm embarrassed to be seen with you."
Gumi flicked her hand at him dismissively.
"Cut me some slack. It's hot out."
"That's beside the point. That outfit is positively indecent! Everyone can see your, um, your…"
"My tits? Big deal. So I'm showing a bit of cleavage. I bet if you saw a boy dressed like this, you'd be hard as a rock."
"Don't bring my preferences into this. We're talking about you being nearly naked here! You're embarrassing Luka-oneesan!"
"Does Luka-nee look embarrassed? Seriously, Gakkun, you need to get the stick out of your—"
"Give it a rest, you two," Luka finally said. Normally, she would have tuned out their banter; she'd learned as a small child that this was simply their way of interacting, and not to take their verbal sparring too seriously. But sometimes, they got a little too wrapped up in it. "We're wasting time. We still have to stop by the rice merchant's place before lunch."
"The rice merchant first, huh?" Gumi's grin grew wider. "I was getting hungry, but lunch can wait. The girls at the rice warehouse are a bunch of cuties. They love to flirt, too. My kind of women."
Gakupo rolled his eyes.
"Any woman is your kind of woman."
"So I have broad tastes. Nothing wrong with that." Gumi tucked her hands behind her head, thrusting out her imposing chest. "So many girls, so little time. I'm not getting any younger, you know."
"You're only nineteen."
"But you're a ripe old twenty-one, you moldy old geezer. Seriously, Gramps, I wonder where you get the energy to service as many twinks as you do. I'm surprised it hasn't fallen off yet."
"Keep your mind on business," Luka said, her tone now carrying more of an edge. "I don't need you two getting distracted at a time like this. Now let's get moving." She turned on her heel and began walking away, leaving the others to catch up.
The three made their way down the crowded street, with Gumi falling in on Luka's right and Gakupo to her left, as they always did through force of habit. They had little trouble working their way through the crowds. Small wonder, given their reputation in Iwanuma, not only as members of the Megurine Clan—one of Iwanuma's two most prosperous families, the other being their fierce rivals, the Sakine—but also as feared sword-fighters. Luka, in particular, was regarded by many as the deadliest warrior between Fukushima and Kouriyama—to the point that she'd earned the nickname "Shinigami"—and her two companions each commanded almost as much respect for their skills with a blade. Understandably, most people went out of their way to avoid them, and their swords, as they passed by.
It would have been a different story had they encountered anyone from the Sakine Clan, however. Relations between the two families had turned sour over the past year or so, not only due to their increasing competition for land and resources, but also because of personal animosity between members of the clans' senior families. There had been several duels lately—Luka, Gumi, and Gakupo had all been challenged within recent weeks—and the death toll had risen so sharply that the local Imperial Administrator had threatened armed intervention. Despite the two sides settling into an uneasy truce, there was always the chance that a random encounter could escalate the conflict back to bloodshed. Luka had been given strict instructions by the clan head, her older brother Luki, to avoid crossing paths with the Sakine if at all possible. For that reason, she and the others kept a sharp eye on the stream of passersby, intent on avoiding trouble.
But Luka had another, personal reason for the close scrutiny. She was searching for one person in particular: the young girl she'd been catching glimpses of all morning.
As Luka and her companions made their rounds earlier that day, she began to suspect that one particular person—Mystery Girl, as Luka had come to think of her—was following them around. They'd crossed paths too often for it to be a coincidence. She'd been hard to miss, given her unusual hairstyle—two long, silky ponytails in a rare shade of brilliant teal—and a radiant smile that never seemed to dim.
Luka had been wary of Mystery Girl at first, but quickly decided that she didn't appear to pose a threat. As she kept following the group around, Luka assumed she was interested in Gumi, as so many local women were. However, it quickly became obvious that her focus was really on Luka.
Yet for all her persistence, Mystery Girl seemed to be making a determined effort to avoid any direct interaction. Not that she'd been any good at concealing herself; her distinctive appearance made it virtually impossible for her to blend in.
It certainly wasn't the first time Luka had been followed around by a fan. If Gumi was to be believed, she was too beautiful not to have it happen, and her enigmatic personality only made her that much more desirable. But unlike her lusty cousin, Luka usually found the attention bothersome, and tried to avoid it where possible.
Yet Mystery Girl was different. There was something about the warmth she radiated that drew Luka, that ignited her interest in a way no one else had in a long while. After their latest encounter, Luka decided that the next time Mystery Girl showed herself, instead of keeping her distance, she'd approach her and see where it led.
The trio arrived at the rice merchant's building, which was on the south end of town, just off the main street. Luka surveyed her surroundings; unlike Iwanuma's main thoroughfare, the area was practically deserted: an empty side street leading to a dead end. There was no sign of anyone from the Sakine Clan, but Mystery Girl was nowhere to be found, either. Luka wondered if she'd grown tired of the chase and given up. She hoped not.
"This won't take long," she said, drawing a sheaf of papers from the folds of her kimono. "All we need to do is go over the revised estimates for the rice harvest. It shouldn't be a big deal. We're coming in over forecast, so it's all good news."
Gakupo nodded.
"He stands to make a decent commission from this, so I hardly think he'll object."
"Commission, phooey," Gumi said with a pout. "All I care about is which helpers are working today. I hope Kokone's one of 'em. She's my favorite."
"No sex in the privy out back this time," Luka said, faking a frown to keep from smirking at the memory of Gumi being, well, Gumi.
"Boo. You're no fun." Gumi's lips curled into a sly smile. "We wouldn't have gotten caught back then if she'd kept her voice down."
"You're lucky Luki-oniisama didn't use you for cutting practice because of that." Unlike Luka's scowl, Gakupo's was the real thing. "You owe Oneesan for saving your sorry hide."
"I owe Luka-nee for a lot more than that. And anyway, Oniisama doesn't care who I screw, as long as I do my job." Gumi patted her sword handle. "Besides, it's not like I forced Kokone to do anything. She was the one who dragged me out back. Talk about thirsty." She ran her fingers through her emerald shag and let out a long, exaggerated sigh. "I can't help it if the girls all want to get with me. That's normal when you're a living sex goddess. Right, Luka-nee?"
But Luka didn't answer. The moment she'd been hoping for had finally arrived.
Mystery Girl peered around the corner of the building, her head seemingly hanging in the air like that of a disembodied specter. She smiled at Luka as brilliantly as if she were the Sun Goddess' earthly avatar.
Anticipation swelled in Luka's chest.
"Gakupo, handle this," she said, handing him the papers without breaking eye contact with Mystery Girl.
"Wait, what? I can't speak for Oniisama! You're his sister! That's your job!"
"Well, I've delegated it to you. Besides, you helped my brother come up with the new totals. I think you can manage just fine without my help."
"But, Oneesan—"
"Take care of it, Kamui."
The sharp command cut off Gakupo's protest, and he lapsed into red-faced silence.
"What's up?" Gumi asked, her expression suddenly watchful. "Need me to stay out here with you?
Luka inclined her head slightly toward Mystery Girl. Gumi took a quick peek, then smirked.
"Nah, I've got this. Go on inside. And Gumi?" Luka locked eyes with her half-sister. "Behave yourself this time."
"No privy sex. Got it. Come on, Gakkun." Gumi grabbed the sulky man by the arm. "Let's get this over with so we can have lunch."
As Gumi towed Gakupo toward the shop entrance, Luka breathed a sigh of relief. Gumi, who knew her as well as if they'd been born twins, had clearly sensed something was up with her from the start. It hadn't taken her long to figure out that the "something" was Mystery Girl; Gumi had plenty of experience with stalkers, after all. Fortunately, Gakupo hadn't been as astute as Gumi. Had he been aware Mystery Girl was following them around, he probably would have thought she was an agent sent by the Sakine. That would not have ended well.
With Gumi and Gakupo out of the way, Luka turned her attention to Mystery Girl.
Luka's admirer was still little more than a head sticking out from behind a wall, her long, teal locks hanging downward, their ends fluttering in the gentle breeze. Determined not to let her get away this time, Luka took a purposeful step forward, ready to break into a run should the girl flee. But instead, as if she had been pushed, Mystery Girl suddenly stumbled into full view, narrowly avoiding falling flat on her face.
For a moment, she cowered in the middle of the road, looking as if she still might run. But then, as if gathering her courage, she straightened up and began to walk toward Luka. After a few steps, the two finally came face to face.
Up close, she was even more beautiful than Luka's initial impression had suggested: tall and slender, the way Luka liked her women, with understated curves wrapped in a tight, pink and white kimono that set off her aforementioned teal hair perfectly. She had a cute, heart-shaped face with kissable lips, a little turned-up nose, and—best of all—large, round eyes of glorious, shimmering teal.
Ah, those eyes. A girl could fall into them and drown.
Mystery Girl bowed deeply.
"G-g-good day, Warrior-sama."
Her voice was as cute as the rest of her. Luka's heart gave a little flutter.
"Good day to you, too." Unsure what else to say, she decided she might as well be blunt. "You've been following me around town, haven't you?"
In response, the trembling girl's cheeks, already rosy, flushed a bright crimson, but she kept her gaze fixed on Luka. A collage of emotions swirled across her pretty face: joy, fear, embarrassment, and longing.
"I'm sorry for being a bother. It's just that… I mean, I've seen you around before today, and I've never been able to stop looking, and when I saw you earlier, I just started following, and I couldn't stop. Silly, huh?" She let out a nervous chuckle. "But I couldn't help myself, because you're so beautiful, and I can't believe I got to talk to you, it's like a dream come true, and… oh, geez, I just need to shut up, already." She reached into her kimono to retrieve a folded piece of paper, which she offered to Luka with another deep bow. "Please, do me the honor of accepting this."
Based on dozens of similar encounters, Luka was pretty sure the paper was a love letter. Usually, this was the point where she'd refuse it as graciously as she could. Given how little patience she had with the game of flirting, it was easier simply not to play at all.
But this time, Luka took the proffered paper without hesitation. She wasn't sure why; maybe it was because she couldn't bear to shatter the hope that shone on Mystery Girl's pretty face.
"Thank you very much. Would you like me to read it right now?"
With a start, Mystery Girl stood bolt upright, her pretty eyes wide with apprehension.
"Goodness, no! That'd be so embarrassing!"
Again, Luka found herself lost in the girl's gaze.
"I'll read it later, then," she said, somehow managing to keep her voice from cracking. "I'm glad I finally got to talk to you."
"Really?" The girl seemed delighted at the thought.
"Really. You weren't the only one hoping we'd meet today, you know. "
At this, Mystery Girl's blush, which had never fully receded, returned with a vengeance. She began babbling again, the words coming out in a single, gushing torrent.
"Oh-gosh-I-can't-believe-I-finally-got-to-meet-you-you've-been-so-nice-to-me-I'm-so-happy-I-could-just-die-I-have-to-go-goodbye-for-now-Warrior-sama-I-hope-we-meet-again-very-soon!"
After a third bow, this one so deep she nearly fell over, Mystery Girl bolted back in the direction she came. For the first time, Luka noticed a petite blonde girl waiting for her at the corner of the building. Transfixed, Luka watched Mystery Girl rush to her companion and clasp her hands; she appeared to be chattering away excitedly. With a noncommittal shrug, the blonde stared at Luka for a long moment, clearly sizing her up, before turning away and leading Mystery Girl by the hand around the corner of the building. Just before Mystery Girl disappeared, she smiled and waved.
The sight was so adorable that Luka thought her heart might burst.
Then, coming to her senses, she realized she'd forgotten something really important.
"Wait!" she called out. "You never told me your name!"
But it was too late; Mystery Girl was gone.
For a moment, Luka considered running after her, but then remembered the paper she'd been given. Maybe it would give Luka a clue to Mystery Girl's identity.
When she unfolded it, her breath caught in her throat.
There were characters on the page, certainly, but it wasn't a letter, strictly speaking. At the top was a poem in the tanka style, still all the rage among Iwanuma's literati, while at the bottom was a line or two of prose. Everything was written in neat, orderly characters that could only have been produced by a skilled calligrapher.
Along with the writing, Mystery Girl had added a carefully painted watercolor along the right-hand margin: a series of falling sakura petals on a sky-blue background. Clearly, she was a talented artist, as well.
Luka turned her attention to the writing, drawn by the intrinsic beauty of the penmanship.
Her eyes, autumn sky
Her hair, sakura reborn
Draw my ardent gaze
How I long to know her name
And for her to speak my own
To my noble Warrior-sama: Please accept this as a small token of my deep admiration. I don't expect a reply, but if you wish to honor me with one, please use the hollow cherry tree by the entrance to the Inari Shrine, the third one from the left.—From Michi
This was no casual correspondence, but a carefully crafted work of art, so exquisite that Luka couldn't help but goggle at it. Mystery Girl—no, Michi—must have spent hours on it. Luka felt humbled to be thought worthy of such a gift.
Her eyes lingered on the signature, pondering the name the girl had used. Michi, the characters read. "Anonymous." A touch of frustration dimmed the happiness she'd felt over the poem. That wasn't even a proper pen name, let alone an actual given name. How was Luka supposed to use that to identify her? She wanted to know everything about this girl: who she really was, who her family was, where she lived, what her hobbies and favorite foods and hopes and dreams were. There was no way she could ask around town for information using a name like "Anonymous."
After a moment's thought, Luka decided that as a name, Michi was a start. At any rate, it was better than Mystery Girl, which sounded a little too plebian for one so polished and articulate. Luka consoled herself with the realization that it was only meant to be a temporary label; Michi's poem made it clear she didn't intend to stay anonymous for very long.
Luka carefully folded the paper and clutched it to her chest. She'd never believed in love at first sight—true love took time to build—but she couldn't deny the powerful attraction she felt toward the girl. The alien feeling lay within her heavily, twisting her insides into a tangle of hope and uncertainty. She wished love was as simple as combat; in a sword-fight, it was a case of kill or be killed, success or failure.
But this was love, not war. Luka wondered why it all had to be so damned complicated.
"Yo!"
Luka had spun into attack position with her sword half-drawn before she realized who it was.
"Damn it, Gumi! Don't scare me like that!"
"Sorry," Gumi said, her tone suggesting the opposite. "Looks like someone's a little jumpy. Are you okay? You look all flushed." She grinned at Luka with more calculation than usual. "That twin-tails girl did this to you, didn't she?"
"Stop it." Embarrassed, Luka looked away. "Where's Gakupo?"
"Inside. He's almost done."
"How come you're out here? I thought you were chatting up Kokone."
"They barely let me talk to her at all. I guess they still remember what happened last time. But I got what I wanted—I'm going to visit her later tonight." Gumi let out a suggestive chuckle. "Besides, it's a good thing I came out here when I did, 'cause I got to see something really interesting: scary-wary ol' Shinigami was smiling. Showing teeth, even. Since when have you ever done that when you weren't snarling at someone? You were acting kind of gross, to be honest."
Luka swallowed hard.
"Um, how long were you spying on us?"
"Since Twin-Tails started her little speech about following you around."
"That long? Ugh." Luka's shoulders sagged in humiliation. "Just kill me now."
"No. It's way more fun to let you suffer." Gumi eyed the paper in Luka's hands. "Though I may reconsider it and put you out of your misery if you let me read that first. What is it, a love letter?"
"None of your business," Luka said, clutching Michi's poem closer.
"Oh, come on, show it to me." Gumi reached out her hand. "Please?"
"Geez, Gumi." With an eye-roll, Luka passed her the paper. There was no point to refusing, because Gumi would only make a nuisance of herself begging for it, and Luka would wind up giving in anyway, as she so often did. "Better not rip it, or I'll rip you."
"Hey, now—no ripping allowed. I'd take a spanking, though."
"Don't even start."
"Aww, you're no fun." Gumi clucked her tongue, then unfolded the paper carefully. Her eyes widened as she scanned its contents. "Whoa. This is really something." She admired it for a few more seconds before handing it back. "You're so lucky. I would kill to get a letter like that."
Luka tucked Michi's letter safely in the folds of her kimono.
"I bet you'd get more than one," she said, "if you ever spent more than one night with the same girl."
"Oh, sure, as if I could find anyone worth getting serious about in a little jerk-water town like Iwanuma."
Luka knew better than to take Gumi's breezy response at face value. She wore her usual upbeat expression, but her smile didn't reach her eyes. Normally a sparkling emerald, they had deadened to a deep, dark green.
"Don't talk like that." Luka reached out to gently brush a few stray hairs out of her half-sister's face. "A girl like that exists, I'm sure of it. Maybe someday you'll meet her, you never can tell."
"Yeah, if I live long enough," Gumi said, nuzzling Luka's hand. After a moment, the shadow over her mood seemed to pass, and when she smiled again, Luka could tell it was genuine. "So about this girl—she's calling herself, what? Michi? That's obviously not her real name."
"Obviously."
"If she's so into you, why not use her birth name?"
"I suppose she has her reasons," Luka said.
Gumi shrugged.
"Whatever. Anyway, she's obviously new around here, 'cause we've never seen her before. Shouldn't be that hard to figure out who she is, though. You want me to see what I can find out?"
Luka considered this for a moment. The direct approach had a certain appeal, but her instincts told her that it would probably scare Michi off. Besides, Luka liked the idea of exchanging letters—it seemed terribly romantic, as if they were imperial ladies-in-waiting acting out a courtly romance.
"No, let things be for now. I have a feeling she wants to take things slowly. At least she gave me a way to answer her."
"You mean that cherry-tree thing? I know the place." Gumi wrapped an arm around Luka's shoulder and squeezed gently. "You really like her, don't you?"
The image of Michi's blushing face floated through Luka's mind.
"Yes, I think so. Enough to see where this goes, anyway."
"Well, if you want her, go for it. I'll help however you want me to. You know I've always got your back, Luka-nee."
"Got her back for what?"
Gakupo, who had chosen that moment to return, stood staring at the women with curiosity. To Luka's relief, he appeared not to have overheard their full conversation.
"Oh, nothing," Gumi said before Luka could answer. "Just two girls talking about sex. Pay us no mind."
"It's true," Luka said, thankful for Gumi's diversion. She really didn't want to go into detail with Gakupo. He'd wind up asking too many questions. "You know how lewd she can be."
Gakupo looked back and forth between the two women, his exasperation obvious.
"Would one of you please explain what's going on here?" He shot a reproachful glance at Gumi. "The civilized version, preferably."
"Some other time," Luka said, in no mood to play conversational keep-away. "It was only small talk, anyway. How did things go with the new forecast?"
"As I predicted, he was a happy man."
"Then we're done here." Luka turned to go. "It's lunch time. Better get a move on if you expect me to treat you."
As Gumi and Gakupo hurried after her, Luka felt inside the folds of her kimono to make sure Michi's letter was still securely hidden. With a small sigh of relief, she ran her fingertips over the stiff paper, allowing herself another smile as she mentally replayed the entire encounter with Michi.
She wondered if she would be able to craft a response that was even halfway as elegant and articulate. Probably not; she wasn't as gifted as Michi appeared to be. But one thing she was sure of: she wanted more from Michi. Somehow, she'd find a way to convey that message properly.
A/N:
− Thanks to my longtime friend and editor, Gray Voice, for encouraging me to move forward with this project, and for providing invaluable input during the writing process.
− I do not own the original image. It is the work of rinaaa (pixiv d0t net /member_ ?mode=medium&illust_id=23851920).
DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of the Vocaloid characters appearing in this story. They're the intellectual property of the various software companies. This story constitutes "fair use" of these characters as provided for under applicable U.S. and international copyright laws.
© 2019 Can't Catch Rabbit. All rights reserved. This story – or any portion thereof – may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author.
