Gosh, it's been three months.
Apologies for the mammoth gap between the prologue and the first chapter, I ran out of ideas on how to begin this story (I know exactly WHAT I want to happen, but HOW is a completely different matter)!
I'm going to say this now; I don't plan to write long chapters. On the principle that I find my interest straying when I read long chapters (it takes a really excellent writer to completely hook me, and even then). So I think that when writing it, this reason will come into play even more so. I think its better to slowly publish in good small digestible bites, so please enjoy!
// EDIT // Ok, well I guess some my readers will be slightly confused, for those who have read chapter 1, but I realized that obviously, the chapter was far too short, only 750 words (the average for a chapter in a book is 5,000) so that was testament to my impatience in getting that new chapter out there! I wanted to make chapter 1 far juicier. And juicy it shall be!
I want to thank those people who've reviewed so far – Behan, jayanx, YuyaSama, Kaeru-sama, peckforever and NextStation. Cheers!
Chapter 1
"Sake" a beast of a man ordered with a gruff voice while scratching his right eyebrow absentmindedly.
He sat down heavily, leaning back to stretch his tired limbs. Squinting with his single functioning eye he gazed up to see the first of the dark clouds, promising what would probably be a prominent storm.
In no time, he had his hand clasped around an abundant bottle of sake and gradually, as he drank, he began to relax. For now he could enjoy the last of the summer warmth. The sound of a gently bubbling spring mixed with the smell of dango was enough. Yes, enough…
Maybe it was because the first of the rain had begun to spit down or that his muscles were aching, for whichever reason, it didn't matter. For as he began to regain conscience from his slumber it became clear that it wasn't for either of those reasons, for he felt the hand that had reached out to gently shake his shoulder. The puzzlement at who it could be was extinguished when he caught sight of her.
"Yuya-chan!" he exclaimed.
"I knew it was you," Yuya said delightedly "You don't look a day older Bontenmaru-san"
"Your just teasing me, I doubt I would have been caught dozing off in my younger days."
Of all people to meet, Yuya was the least expected. Bontenmaru could only bask in his surprise for a little.
"So Yuya-chan how have you been?" He asked genuinely curious.
Yuya smiled a smile, one that didn't reach her eyes, "I'm good, just enjoying the last few days of summer in this nice tranquillity" She turned to face the now greying sky.
Bontenmaru knew from instinct that Yuya was lying. She could have easily fooled a stranger, probably fooled a few friends too. But that slight waver in her voice, the sad smile, gave her concealed emotions away.
Yuya was older, in both looks and grace. Her face had lost its childlike quality, but what it had lost in roundness had been gained in womanly definition. She'd kept her long blonde hair, which cascaded down her back, tied by a red ribbon. It was clear that her preference for shortened kimono's had changed, the pastel pink kimono she now wore reached further down, right to her ankles. But out of all those changes, the thing that had definitely changed the most were her eyes. They had remained that starling emerald green, but in the deepest depths, they had been laced with a slight melancholy.
"Well it ain't gonna be tranquil for much longer Yuya-chan, there gonna be a storm probably in less than an hour. It won't be pretty either."
Yuya turned away from the sky to face him and exposed another one of her sad smiles, "I had a feeling that I wouldn't be able to enjoy my time for much longer."
Bontenmaru rose from his seat, while throwing on his dark cloak he pointed to a place further down the valley.
"There's an inn just a little way down that would be a good place to take shelter. We'd better hurry, or we're gonna get drenched."
They did get a little sodden, but had left in just enough time to avoid the serious torrential downpour. With both Bontenmaru and Yuya in dry yukatas, they both settled down for a warm meal.
"I hope this rain let's up for tomorrow, it'd make travelling much easier" Yuya sighed.
The rice that had been making its way to her mouth but her hand and stopped halfway and as her attention lessened, it fell.
Bontenmaru been studying her for a while, while she'd been drifting in and out of thought. It was in those moments that it made him feel like she'd forgotten he was there. After taking a hearty mouthful of the soy soaked beef he said,
"So where are you travelling to then, eh, Yuya-chan?" That had been something he'd been wondering for a while since he'd met her, there weren't many place he could think of that she'd want to be.
Another pensive stare as she took her time to answer "I wanted to see the cherry blossoms in Edo, I was upset to have missed last years." She put the chopsticks in her mouth, and drew them back out in surprise. "Ah, where did the rice go?"
Another lie, it wasn't like Yuya. Bontenmaru didn't like it, this new Yuya. The younger Yuya had been strong, honest and vivacious. This was only the shell of Yuya. She seemed so lost and unsure of herself. Something had to have happened. It seemed to be eating away at her.
She was still looking for the dropped rice, he face displaying puzzlement and its sudden disappearance.
"Yuya-chan, it's behind the bowl." Bontenmaru revealed wearily.
Yuya lifted up the green patterned bowl slowly, "Ah, so it is. Thanks."
"Have you seen him at all since then?" Bontenmaru asked suddenly.
The rice that Yuya had finally found fell once again from her chopsticks as her eyes widened. For a moment she sat in stunned silence. Finally she shook her head, her golden locks swishing from side to side. The words seemed to be lost on her, and for a moment she looked at Bontenmaru with wide eyes, her molars biting down on her bottom lip. Finally she broke the silence
"No, not since those two years ago." Her eyes widened still further as she gazed at Bontenmaru, suddenly uttering "Bontenmaru, have you seen him at all? I haven't seen anyone except for you. I don't know what to do, he must be really angry with me. Oh, I don't know what to say…"
Bontenmaru had been a comfort to Yuya in one of her darkest hours. When Shinrei's waterworms had been raging inside of her, he had eased her fearful mind. But now, it seemed, comforting would not be able to ease her mind as it once did.
"No, I ain't seen him. I doubt that anyone else has either. He left pretty soon after you'd gone. I thought that he gone to look for you, he should have found you by now. If he's not with you, I have no clue where he his."
Yuya's widened eyes became downcast, and the first trickle of tears began fall down her soft pale skin and land on her yukata.
"I should have known he wouldn't have stayed there." Yuya's finger dug into the cotton of her yukata as her tears continued to fall. "I've been so stupid, why couldn't I have just… why after all this time?"
"Yuya-chan" Bontenmaru said, gazing at the girl in kindness "I have no doubt that even if he could forgive whatever reason you had for leaving. He might not say a lot, but he understands a hell of a lot more than more than he's given credit for."
A sob escaped from Yuya, "But this has been the ultimate thing I could do to betray Kyo, I left him there because of my own weakness. How can I be so selfish as to even hope that he'd want to even look at me again?"
"Yuya-chan, I see the way he looked at you. He might not say it, but I know that he really cares about you." Bontenmaru reached up and placed a comforting hand on Yuya's shoulder.
Her face turned to him once more, her face far more resolute than before. "I know that. I do. But it wasn't his feelings that I was unsure about. It was mine."
Yuya had said goodbye to Bontenmaru at the fork in the road, their destinations being different.
"I'll find Kyo" her voice full of determination.
Bontenmaru had smiled at her words "I don't doubt that, Yuya-chan."
As much as she wanted to remain with her old friend if just for a while longer, she still desperately sought Kyo.
"Kyo" that name she'd said so many times before, but now was entwined with such sadness, it hurt. The belief that time would numb the pain was foolish; it simply worsened and harrowed a hole deep into the depths of her heart. Her weakness, fear, haunted her relentlessly.
The rain continued to pour, drumming against the top of her higasa gushing over its tips. She reached out her left hand to catch the drops, wincing at their coldness.
The meeting with Bontenmaru had revived her, if not albeit. Her mind was clearer than had been for a while. And although uncertainty still plagued her mind, with every step down the road she pushed herself onwards. She couldn't be sure whether she would find Kyo; all she could do was hope.
The cart travelled unevenly along the beaten-path, its wheels making tracks in the earth that had been softened by the downpour of rain. Yuya clutched her belongings, her feet dangling over the side of the cart.
"It's yer stop." The harsh voice of the cart driver told her.
Nodding in acknowledgement and thanks, Yuya hopped off, marking the once ground with her footprints. Securing her things on her back she began the short walk to the once familiar Edo.
The rain ended, and the sun glimmered from behind its cloud veil. Yuya's Geta clacked along the stone slabs, while the air she breathed heavily through her nose regained its sharpness. Even if the outdoors was bitterly cold, it didn't shy away the crowds from walking its streets.
Yuya hoped that she would discover at least some rumour of Kyo's whereabouts. In truth she didn't have any clue how she could begin her search. All she could hope was that he still haunted familiar places.
When she was alone, all she could go back to was the memories that had been archived in her mind. Whether they where happy or sad depended on the mood, but since leaving Kyo all she could go back to was those days before she abandoned him.
She wasn't sure of the reason; maybe she didn't even have one? For all the times that some kind of weakness had revealed itself within her, she had overcome it. Even when she faced the brink of death she'd gritted her teeth. So why had fear prevailed then then? It had simply been bitter words they had exchanged. They may have stung, but she thought she could handle them.
"How can you be so insensitive?" Yuya had yelled at him, her eyes brimming with tears.
Kyo simply used his blazing gaze on Yuya, challenging her to say more.
"You haven't changed at all since I first met you! You wouldn't care if I just one day I just got myself killed by some stray ronin!"
"Huh, well you definitely got me in one." It was scathing the way he'd said it.
Fights between Yuya and Kyo were rare and short. But they still pierced Yuya's heart. The worst fights were usually for the stupidest of reasons. But on that day her doubts combined with Kyo's irritability had pushed it over the edge. And on a whim, she ran. But now she had left him, she missed him insatiably, but he was proving difficult to find and she was worried that she had lost him forever.
Yuya-san… you are… strong.
Those words that Mahiro had said to Yuya the day that Chinmei was defeated.
I bet if she saw me now, she'd certainly take them back. Yuya reminisced bitterly. Can I really be considered strong now?
Ok, well I hope everyone appreciated the lengthening of the chapter, because it was by no means an easy feat. Only after actually writing a fanfiction, can I appreciate how difficult it is. Man, I find it so easy to think up ideas, but executing them is a completely different matter. That said, I'm not sure if I even like this chapter.
Ok, well before this turns into a really long ramble, just a last note,
Any questions about the story, vocabulary (I assume that most SDK manga/anime fans know the basic honorifics/words, but I do like to add other details and I try to keep it authentic. You can either check on wikipedia or just ask!)
I welcome both comments & criticism (as long as its constructive). I value them both equally.
Finally, I'm sorry I take so long to release chapters, I'm a no good procrastinator, and it takes me ages to come up with ideas and motivation. I am getting better, just bare with me!
Chinmei's defeat – Even if it's not really true, I didn't know what else to label that day. (Mahiro's broken arm day? When gravity doesn't work day? Mahiro's almost but not quite revenge day? There are endless of possibilities out there kids!)
