Chapter 1: Dawn
Sun rays slowly shown upon the small hut situated in the peaceful village. The light has awaken the bird that happily chirping setting the young lady to stirs in her peaceful sleep. Her long lashes flutter open reveal her beautiful emerald eyes, she sit up and stretch her hands while tying up her silken black hair into a ponytail. She changes into her plain green kimono which matches her eyes. This is how Izumi always start her day since she been abandon and live in this village for 18 years. She is grateful that the chief priest has taken her into his care and been looking after her ever since she was just a baby. Her beauty gradually grow and attract a lot of unwanted attention from men in the village. But of course, her overprotective chief priest or what she call him grandfather chase them all away. The young male villagers respect the chief priest so they are afraid of approaching his beloved granddaughter.
Izumi is getting ready and prepare for her job. She is to gather herbs and tend to sick villagers. When she steps outside her hut she stretch and take a deep breath before starting to head into the village.
"Good morning Izumi, the herbal tea you gave me last time is working. I feel so refresh I can work in the field today".
"Now now don't push your self too much oba-chan".
"If I was 20 years younger I'll ask you to be my bride but how about my son instead" the elderly man tease her when she given him medicinal herbs for his back pain.
"Hehe, I don't know what will grandfather says if he heard this" she said jokingly while the old man laugh out loud.
"Thanks for the massage you gave me last time. My shoulder feels lighter today".
"No problem, but you need to rest plenty so you can recover alright".
"Here, have these persimmons I just picked it up fresh from the trees this morning. Thank you for the medicine you gave. My son is fever is gone" the kind lady offer her a basket full of persimmons. She except the basket happily.
"Hey, Izumi will you come play with me when you are free?" Said the little boy
"Sure thing, but you have to drink the medicine I give you first"
"No way! It's so bitter I can't even swallow it!" she chuckle after the boy sticking out his tongue.
This is how it's always been like in this village. Izumi smile happily after tending the villagers. Most of the people who greeted her are elders and children of this village. What happen to the others of her age? Of Course, Izumi is very well like by all the villagers, but she wishes she has friends of her age. She did have a couple of girl friends but they are all married off to other village. She tried to make friends with village men her age but they would ignore her or greet her then went of to do their own things. She is unaware that she has a lot of secret admirers who stares at her from far away but are too scare of her grandfather wrath. That's the reason why Izumi never has any romantic relationship before. But she didn't mind it because she devotes herself into her job as a herbalist of this village.
She continue her round around the village and comes across an unfamiliar tall man with olive dishevelled hair in a blue kimono. He looks like a ronin with his katana hanging at his waist. The man stare at the basket full of persimmons that she carrying.
"Can I have some of that?" He pointed at the basket while his stomach is growling.
"Oh, of course go ahead. You are hungry aren't you? You can take all of this if you like".
"Wow, really you are too kind, but thanks I'll except your offer" said the ronin excepting the basket.
"By the way, where are you from I never seen your face around here before", she asked.
He start munching into a persimmon and reply her, "Yeah I'm new around here. I'm looking for someone in this village...oh by the way my name is Musashi Minamoto".
"I'm Izumi, the herbalist of this village. I might be able to help you. Do you know the name of the person you are looking for?"
"No not really but…" he trail off and didn't finish his sentence.
Izumi feels like she shouldn't pride into his business.
"If you want help or aren't feeling well come find me. It's nice to meet you Musashi. Please enjoy your persimmons. I'll be on my way now. See you around" She said cheerfully making Musashi smile. She waves him good bye and walk herself toward the familiar forest.
As she taking her normal pathway into the forest that she grew up. Suddenly, she heard the rustled in the bush. As she approach near the rustle she heard a soft whine. Izumi grab a long branch she found on the ground as a precautions. She carefully approaches near where the sound came from steadily not to startle what behinds the bush. She peek in to find what she didn't expected.
It is an injured wolf.
She carefully examine and see that its paw is bleeding, maybe from the hunter's trap.
"You poor thing", she softly exclaim while lower the long branch in her hand and coo it gently. It seems hostile at first but with her present or its wound, it drop the guard down. She grinds the herb she just collected that ease the pain for the wound.
"You'll be fine, don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you", she carefully apply the herbs on to the wound of the poor wolf. It yelp from pain but still letting her treats him.
She look around to check if there is anyone around her.
'Sorry grandfather, no one is around so I am going to use 'that'.
Then she put her hands in front of the wound.
Like magic, there is a little glow from her hands and the wound gradually close itself like it was never there.
Her ability to heal wound was discover when she was 6. She healed the wounded hawk in front of her grandfather. The chief priest told her not to show this ability to anyone, maybe, this is the reason why he is so overprotective of her. She conceal this ability and don't used it if necessary or when no human is around. Instead, her grandfather taught her herbology because of her love of flowers and herbs in her young age. He said that she can heal using knowledge and not to depend on her special power too much. Izumi was encourage by her grandfather and Rennoshin, the doctor. They taught her all about medicinal herbs and plants. She haven't seen Rennoshin for years, but still misses him because he always taught her new things.
Once the wound close, she used her soaked handkerchief to wipe the blood that remains. The once opened wound now not a single trace left. The wolf sways its tail happily, full of gratitude it start limping toward her.
"Hey, easy there boy, the wound just close you need to rest a bit before you fully recover" she said while the wolf licking her face.
"Come stay with me for a while until you fully recover" the wolf bark back as if understand her and slowly follow her back to her small hut.
Little that she knows there were the pairs of eyes that had seen the secret Izumi and her grandfather trying to hide.
"We found her" said one of the figures in the shadow of the trees.
"Hey, no one said she is a beauty" another figure said with a cheery voice.
"Let's inform the others before we approach her" they both vanish after the last speech been said.
What do you think of my first chapter? Who do you think saw my OC using her ability? Please review or follow for more chapters.
Introducing my OC, Izumi. I've always uses this name in most of the otome game I played. I think it's sounds beautiful and the name mean 'spring (water source)' in Japanese. The name itself is uses as first name or surname, male or female.
I want her to be able to help herself, to be the opposite of damsel in distress. She craves knowledge and tries her best to better herself. She doesn't have to be good at physical fight but she can fight using her brain and has a mind of her own. I hope you like her.
Saizo: Shut up, Mommam! Stop blabbing and on to the next chapter!
Me: Geez, you have such a bad mouth Saizo. I kind of understand how Sasuke feels now... But I'm sure you'll grew fond of her ;) Seeya!