Part 1

The sun filtered through the leaves of the trees, dappling the ground with light. The branches so thick, they form a canopy over the entrance of the dojo. Cherry blossoms carried by the wind littered the ground and occasionally glided into the doorway. The sweet scents of the cherry blossoms filled the air, bringing the sense of renewal. Spring is here.

A young girl sat on the edge of the platform of the dojo, admiring the view. She swung her legs back and forth, her ears closed off to the thumps and voices of the older students sparring each other behind her. A single sakura petal landed on her knee. She picked it up and sniffed it, before it was carried off by the wind and floated away.

"Hanabi," Chiyo sensei called from inside. Her voice rose in frustration when the young girl didn't hear her. "Miss Akane."

The girl, Hanabi, whipped around and, seeing all eyes on her, got up in embarrassment and rushed inside.

"I'm sorry, sensei," Hanabi bowed down deeply. "I was only admiring the view."

"There will be time to admire when we go to hanami tomorrow," Chiyo sensei promised. "Let's focus on training now, shall we?"

Hanami, the Japanese word meaning "watch the view". It was how Hanabi got her name. She was born at the beginning of spring. Her mother went into labour watching the cherry blossoms dancing in the air. Hanabi often thought it contradicted to the original meaning of her name; firework. But her mother told her that she would never understand, unless she was to give birth herself.

"Yuck! I am never going to have a baby," Hanabi spat.

"That was what I thought when I was your age," her mother said while folding clothes. "But time changes things and I thought having a beautiful daughter would be very lovely."

"Hanabi," her sensei broke into her thoughts. "Try those moves we learned yesterday against your classmates."

Hanabi searched the dojo for the familiar faces she trained with. All of them were huddled in the corner, watching their seniors train the minute before. Upon hearing that Hanabi was to spar against them, they immediately got up with nervous looks on their faces. Hanabi felt sorry for them. She was the best at martial arts among Chiyo sensei's students her age, she was praised many times by Chiyo and said that she would be able to take on a senior student one on one by the time the cherry blossoms stop blooming.

Eight juniors formed a circle around her at the center of the dojo. She stood in the battle stance, her eyesight only limited in front of her and her peripheral vision. The first attack would likely come behind her. She would need to use her ears to pick up for footsteps. Even the light rustle of a student adjusting their poise made her alert and she whipped to the side. That was when the first attack came.

Hanabi was right, the attack was from behind. The easiest way to unbalance a person was to swing your legs to impact on their upper body. Hanabi rolled on the ground and got up on her feet, ready. Just as the student's feet touched the ground, Hanabi dove in and planted her palm on his hips. He staggered and Hanabi took the change to attack from below, swiping her leg and swept his feet off the ground. He fell on his back.

The next attacker advanced from the side. She tried to connect the sides of her hands on Hanabi's neck, torso and face but the more skilled girl managed to block it and grabbed the girl's arm and twist her over.

Two more students advanced in opposite directions. Sensei must have given the instruction to the duo since her lesson yesterday was to learn to tackle two enemies. She flipped forward in a handstand, almost buckling under her own weight, and locked her legs around one of their necks. Hanabi used the momentum to lean forward and then backwards suddenly, throwing her lower body - and the student - over her head. She released her grip of the student's neck and he crashed into the other girl who was prepared for the toss. She caught him but the both of them fell onto the floor with a loud thump.

Hanabi was breathing heavily by that time, but there were four more opponents. She wiped her sweaty forehead and waited for their next attack.

"Enough," sensei ordered. Everyone stood to attention. "Hanabi, that was a sloppy flip. We will practice again next week."

She walked over to Hanabi and took a close look at her. Her eyes scrutinising the young girl. "You look as if I've tried to drown you. You have a low stamina, Miss Akane. There will be no time for a chance to breathe once on the battlefield."

"Yes, sensei," Hanabi gasped. She developed great respect for her teacher even though she had trained under her for just a few months. Chiyo sensei is the Scarlet Shadow Supreme Grandmaster who was also respected by everyone in both sects.

"As for the rest of you..."

Hanabi's body felt as if it was on fire. A year of training had her gotten used to the sores, but it has yet to improve her endurance.

They were dismissed just as the sun was going down below the rooftops. Hanabi took the usual path home, through the marketplace where she got to see all the delicious food they cook in front of you or to admire the toys and goodies they put out in front.

"Akane-san!" Someone called her.

Hanabi turned around to see one of her classmates, Misaki, waving and coming towards her. "Good training today, Akane-san," she said when she caught up to her. "I look forward to sparring with you again."

"Thanks, Misaki. You can just call me Hanabi," she replied, a bit flattered.

"Ah, Akane-san, I wish I could be as good as you. I don't think I can live up to sensei's expectations," Misaki said, dipping her face in her hands. "I've seen you going home this way a few times. I live somewhere by the marketplace too. Can we walk together?"

"Yeah, sure. Come on." Hanabi led the way down to the marketplace. Smoke wafted out of some of the stalls, bringing delicious smells to their noses. Crowds of people were hanging out, families and couples and occasionally and group of friends. Eyes followed Hanabi and Misaki as if they were an attraction, after all, the marketplace was almost a place of festivities and they were wearing the white uniforms of the martial arts.

"Akane-san, look!" Misaki pointed to one of the small shops wear there were mannequins standing outside wearing yukatas. "They look so pretty."

Hanabi observed the strikingly-coloured yukatas. "Sure," she said, nonchalantly.

"I think you would look beautiful in one."

Hanabi wasn't sure she wanted to look beautiful at all. She just wanted to get home. "Let's go."

"Oh, Akane-san, you're too boring," Misaki pouted. "There is more to tradition than just martial arts, you know."

It seemed that her father's influence had grown into her. The next generation of ninjas are always carried out by the children of the present ninjas to continue the lineage. Her father was one of the best ninjas in the Scarlet Secr. She heard so much stories of him from her mother and she looked up to him as somewhat of a hero. Hanabi wanted to be like her father someday.

"Well, here's where we separate," Misaki announced when they reached an intersection out of the marketplace. "I'll see you tomorrow, Akane-san!"

She dashed off into the growing shadows of the village.

Hanabi watched her go. Misaki reminded her of her own mother; the complete opposite of her father. Hanabi had her mother's complexion, dark hair, fair skin and a sharp face. Her mother told her that those features are hugely desired among men and that she was sure that Hanabi would find a good husband in the future. She heard her mother arguing with her father, Hanabi could be well-known as a dancer or a servant because of her beauty. A lot of men would pay rich gifts to have her. Her father had fighting back that he didn't want his daughter to become a prostitue in a brothel, plus he wanted someone to carry down his legacy.

Misaki's likeness to her mother, reminded Hanabi of how beautiful she really was. And Hanabi still chose to ignore it.