AN/ I'm having a laughing fit writing this, I'm thinking about all the dumb jokes I can -and probably will- implement in the future, mostly references to games, movies and books… songs too? Ohhhhhh, the possibilities! So many jokes, so little time. I actually woke my roommate at 7am *rubs neck sheepishly*.
Anyway.
Starting now the real story begins, in all its glory and oddness. I will start using some Japanese words from this chapter forth, but it will not be an overwhelming use. You might also see some words in French, I'll explain the meaning either in the text or at the end, I'm not sure yet. Feel free to look online for the pronunciation.
Burn bright, burn Coal!
"Talk."
"Foreign expressions."
'Thoughts.'
-UnderAPaleLight-
It was dark, and enclosed. You might call me crazy, but I'm sure I could feel the walls shifting around me, and it felt like I was being moved around. I tried to move my body, any limbs, but every action was too tiring to even think of doing. I had never felt so drained in my life. The more I managed to accomplish was a weak kick in the walls… 'AH! Take that!' Strangely enough though, that feeble kick managed to stop all motion… and deplete all strength I had. Exhausted, I fell back in unconsciousness.
Time passed. Flowed. Flew by. I don't know how long I have been here and my foggy thoughts were not helping. I still threw the occasional kick to show my superiority and stop the motion around me.
I dreamed…. or at least I think I did. There was a bright glimmer high above, it didn't shine light on anything, it was just there, ever peaceful and comforting. I have no idea how long I stared at it, entranced as I was, but the glow seemed to get brighter, bigger too; I felt a searing pain in my forehead, like I was being branded by white hot iron.
And everything turned black again.
-UnderAPaleLight-
Guranbe village, Testu no Kuni
It was a peaceful night, the weather was pleasantly warm for the beginning of spring. Few clouds marred the sky, floating carelessly with the blowing breeze, obscuring some stars and revealing others as they drifted; sometimes masking a part of the large, gleaming moon. The moon was unusually low on this night, appearing larger and brighter. Bathing every lands in its cold pale light.
There was a small village in a valley, surrounded by a majestic pine forest and a calm lake. A river lazily flowed across the town, bringing fresh water to the inhabitants. Three imposing, snow covered, mountains could be seen in the distance; their base hidden in a seasonal mist. There were a few dozen wooden houses with families, not many more; smoke coming out of their rock chimneys, spreading a sweet fragrance of burnt wood all over the area. The village was silent, most of the townsfolk being asleep in the late hours of the night; there was a single house still lit, shadows could be seen hurriedly moving by the windows; coming from and to a single location.
"AHHHH! IT HURTS!" Cried a pained voice "SOMEBODY MAKE IT STOP!"
"Continue Isawa-san, you are making progress-"
"Ouch! P-Please Isawa-san, release my hand you are crushing it!"
"- I think I see the head! Don't stop pushing. SOMEBODY GET ME SOME WARM TOWELS! IT'S THE SECOND TIME I'VE HAD TO ASK!"
"Y-yes Goto-sensei they are on their way." Stuttered voice from the door.
"PLEASE TSUKIYOMI-SAMA! MAKE IT END SOON! I BEG OF YOU!"
"You're doing well Isawa-san, the baby is coming out." Said the midwife. "WHERE ARE THE TOWELS? I NEED THEM YESTERDAY! Ahhhh, thank you my dear."
In a final effort the baby was pushed from her mother's womb, screaming at the top of her lungs and promptly wrapped in soft, warm towels.
"Congratulations Isharo, my friend, it's a beautiful little girl. Quite healthy too if her cries are anything to go by…"
"I want to hold her, I want to hold my little girl when she opens her eyes" softly said the exhausted woman.
"As any mother should, here take he… what is that mark?"
"Whats wrong Kachiko? Please tell me it's nothing!"
"It could really well be harmless for her, but there is a strange white mark on her forehead."
"Could it be a birthmark?"
"I don't think so, the shape is too well defined to be one"
"GOTO-SENSEI! The moon has turned red!"
"I don't have time for your nonsense, girl!" replied the healer harshly. "What the-"
The mother grabbed her child and her gaze was instantly dragged to the faintly red-glowing mark on the newborn's forehead. An upside crescent could be seen, embracing a full circle under it.
"Didn't you say it was white?"
"It was a few seconds ago, I-I've never seen anything like it."
The baby opened her eyes, revealing two faintly glowing red irises that locked with the mother's own hazel eyes. The baby blinked and slowly stopped her wailing, she reached for the woman's face with her small chubby hands and laughed gleefully.
"My little girl is fine, she is a strong girl like her mother." Said a teary eyed Isharo, hugging her daughter close and humming a soft tune.
As the baby was slowly lulled to sleep, the glowing subsided and the mark returned to its original pale color. Her eyes also lost their red tint and became a pale grey color, almost white.
"Yes, my baby will be fine. Will you watch over her tonight, Kachiko? I don't think I'll be awake for much longer."
"Anything for you my dear, I'll take my useless apprentices to their homes and will be back soon. Let me put her in her crib."
"Don't be too harsh on them, crushing that poor girl's hand was a great pain relief," weakly joked the new mother.
"Believe it or not, Sachiye was the more helpful of the two. Now, say good night to your little one."
"Hai, good night…. Yemoja. My little moon girl. Sweet dreams." (Pronounced yemoya)
"Yemoja?"
"Yes, Isawa Yemoja has nice ring to it."
Chuckling softly, the healer bid a good rest to her friend and departed the house for a few minutes with her two apprentices.
-UnderAPaleLight-
A week later, Isharo presented her daughter to the village and little Yemoja rapidly became the mascot of the place. People commented on the mark on her forehead, saying the child was blessed by their protector Tsukiyomi-no-mikoto, the deity of the moon revered in the village. The idea gained popularity as the Isawa family traditionally served the role of priests and guardians of the faith, also adding the fact that Isawa Isharo was being groomed to be the next priestess. The mark was soon called a sigil by the habitants.
Life continued as usual for the small hamlet. Serene and joyful. Life was harsh, don't misunderstand, but people took pride in their work; they helped their friends and neighbors when times were harder and shared the bountiful harvests when seasons were good. They lived off the land and lake, making good trade selling the fishes caught in the waters.
Being one of the more isolated villages of Iron country, far from the busy capital, they had over time developed some cultural differences with the rest of the continent; they had their own dialect, mostly spoken amongst themselves, and worshipped the lunar god Tsukiyomi over all other deities. They had no military forces of their own, the region had always been safe despite its proximity with earth country, and the villagers formed a small militia if there were wild animals in proximity. The best fighters in the village came from the Isawa clan, the family had often produced great warriors skilled in wielding the naginata, a polearm used by samurai. The family was also said to be uniquely gifted with high levels of spiritual energy and many had been seers. This started the belief that the clan had a special connection with the divine powers and eventually led to them assuming the role of priests in the village.
-UnderAPaleLight-
Two years time skip
Isharo's POV
I had decided early on that Yemoja was an odd child. In the best of ways, of course.
Our features were both similar and polar opposites. Even through the baby fat I could see her high cheekbones and sharp chin, eyebrows and eye shape she inherited from me. However, where my eyes were a warm chocolate color, hers were a striking, cold grey. Almost blind looking. Despite the color her eyes were anything but cold, there was an ever-present spark of life and mischief to them that amazed me every time I gazed at her. Our hairs too couldn't be more different, the Isawa clan traditionally sported dark plum hairs, which I proudly wore; but my daughters' were a pale silvery purple color.
Her behavior is what truly set her apart from others.
I thought children her age usually played for most of their waking hours, they wiggled around on the floor, made unintelligible sound, cried; usually at unholy hours of the night and were all around curious of everything. Yemoja had the curious part down, she seemed to take in everything around her, every noise attracted her attention, every movement and color nearby would catch her awe-filled gaze.
Curiosity was about where the similarities stopped. My little girl seemed bored with other children, almost to the point where she was avoiding them during playdates. I remember the neighbors asking me if Yemoja was an happy child after I dropped her in their care for a few hours, apparently she refused to play with their twins and spent most of her time looking through the windows and glaring at their dog.
Oh yeah, dogs were a big no-no in the house… but not cats, she loved cats. And they loved her too. It was no surprise anymore to see her petting someone's cat at the park or the streets… in the backyard… the house… I also remember a time I went to wake her up and saw her aunt Kachiko's cat cuddling in the crib, to this day I still don't know how it got inside and neither does my best friend.
I'm proud to say she inherited my mischievous, slightly cruel nature. Yemoja is not the most laughing of child, always seen with a cute serious expression on her pudgy face; but no one laughs louder than her, us, when misfortune strikes someone. We've been stared at more times than I care to remember for having a laughing fit at someone's expense.
Ahhhh, good times!
-UnderAPaleLight-
AN/ 'Maman' means 'mom' in French, I thought most of you might need it.
"Mamaaan! Go fasterrr!"
A long sigh was heard in the house.
"It would take less time if you helped me pack everything, Little Moon. Your kaa-chan cannot do everything."
"Yes you can! 'Cause maman the best maman!"
"Flattery will get you nowhere Yemo-chan, the lunch will not do itself." Sinsonged Isawa Isharo, a smile tugging at her lips.
"Flat-e-ry?"
"Yes, flattery."
"Wha it mean?"
A small smirk. "Wouldn't you like to know?"
"Mamaaan! You meanie!" whined Yemoja "Wha is flatry?"
"Flattery, sweetie. Say it with me. Flat…e…ry."
"Flat-e-ry."
"Good job, Yemo-chan!"
"Wha it mean maman?"
"Flattery, is when you praise someone to try and get things going your way, in short, to manipulate them."
"Oh."
The woman raised an eyebrow "You understood all that?"
"huh huh, easy!"
"Ok." 'One, two, three andddd…'
"Maman?"
'Here we go' "Yeeeess, Yemo-chan?"
"Wha do flat-e-ry mean?" asked the little girl with wide, bright eyes.
"You see Yemo-chan, flattery is when you praise someone to tr-"
"Maaaaamaaaaan!"
The mother's laugh rang inside the house for several minutes, soon joined by her daughter's.
Today was a special day for the young family, little Yemoja had turned two years old a month ago and was soon to begin her training with the clan's favoured weapon, the naginata. In preparation of that, Isharo decided to bring her daughter to her own training sessions. Isawa Isharo was considered a master of the naginata, during the last Great Shinobi War she earned a name for herself defending the border against ninjas trying to pass through Iron country. There were even rumors that she was offered a place amongst Grand General Mifune's guards but declined the position, preferring to stay close to her home village.
She knew expectations would be high for her daughter and decided that she would help her exceed them in every way possible. But she would not estrange herself from her daughter trying to achieve her goal.
As heiress of the clan, Isharo was expected to act in certain ways and comply with the traditions, she had vehemently refused being subjected to these restriction in her youth and still held to her beliefs on the matter. She remembered all the hardships and tears shed alone in her room, the disappointed looks she received from her parents and swore to never make her daughter live the same experience she had growing up. She would leave the village and take her family away before letting it happen.
A few minutes later, mother and daughter were walking the streets side-by-side, headed for the gate. The smaller figure struggled to carry a picnic basket too big for her while the taller woman carried a light, elegant looking naginata and a small wooden bo staff.
Yemoja's POV
I'm so happy!
Today maman is taking me with her to watch her train. The mean old peoples came yesterday and were really mean to her. I don't know what they were talking about but they screamed a lot and said a lot of bad words, it was scary because she never screams. When I told her I was scared, everyone stopped talking and it got really cold in the room! Then maman looked at the leader and said "décalisse" and they looked so scared!
She was so cooool! I want to be just like her when I grow up!
"Yemo-channn, you're falling behind! Here I thought you were excited for your first training session."
…
She is also mean and makes fun of me. But I love her.
"I am! But it heavy!"
"Awnnn, would my little moon want some help?" I heard her ask teasingly.
"No, I- do it- alone."
"Alright, but if you're about to drop the basket, say it."
"Y-yeah." I huffed. That was a thing I loved about maman, she always let me do things alone if I ask her and only helps when I can't do it. It's not like Genzo and Henji, our neighbors, their kaa-san does everything for them and the twins like it! I think they're just big babies. I don't know why they like it, I like when people tell me how do to things, not do it for me. I want to learn lots of things.
Now I'm going to learn how to fight just like maman, with a long stick that has a big knife on top! Aunty Kachiko always tell me that maman is super good with it too.
"Maman." I look up at her.
"Yes, Little Moon?"
"I'm goin' train super hard!"
"That's good sweetie, but look where you're going."
Just as she finishes I trip on a rock and plummet to the ground, closing my eyes. When I open them, my nose is less than an inch away from the dirt and an arm around my stomach is holding me up.
"Or you might fall to the ground." Comes maman's voice.
"Thank ma- oof"
She dropped me.
As I lay there, dumbstruck, a shadow comes up on me and when I look up she is squatted in front of me, grinning wildly.
I smile back.
"You win."
"I thought I did, yes." She helps me up and warmly adds "Want to help my carry the basket?"
I nod and we continue our way out the village.
-UnderAPaleLight-
After a bit of trek through the wood, off the lone dirt road leading to the closest neighboring village many miles away, Isharo led her daughter to a small clearing next to the lake. The area was surrounded by the thick pine forest on most sides, the high trees casting their shadows across the area and providing shelter from the harsh rays of the mid-summer sun to the glade and its current occupants. There was an open space in the forest's natural wall where the trees split along the waterside, bringing in a cool breeze from the lake down the small hill shaped by years of erosion and allowing access to its refreshing water should the temperature rise. As it was, the glade was pleasantly warm, though the air was heavy with humidity since the branches kept most of it from climbing to the sky.
Although the clearing was unoccupied prior to their arrival, it was not empty. There was a pair of old, battered wooden training dummies in a corner with an evident lack of vegetation in a large circle surrounding them, testimony of a frequent use in ages past; a circle of stones from an old fireplace, now overrun with vegetation, stood close to the open waterside. Encircled by large, mossy wood logs and rocks that once provided sitting places to the user.
The place radiated an aura of serenity and comfort that brought an awed look in Yemoja's young eyes.
"It used to be my old training place when I was younger." Said Isharo, catching the look on her daughter's face.
"Maman old place?"
"Yes Little Moon. And now it's going to be yours too."
The little girl hugged her mother's legs affectively. "It really pretty maman."
"I'm happy you think so sweetie, 'cause we're going to spend a whoole lot of time in this place you and I." said Isharo enthusiastically.
"Me and maman?"
"Yep." She popped the 'p' at the end.
"It going be fun!"
"Oh! You have no idea Yemo-chan, you have no idea." She said grinning.
…
"Maman, Im thirsty. Where the water?"
It took a few seconds, but the grin slowly fell from Isharo's lips, replaced with an annoyed purse. She squeezed the bridge of her nose with her fingers and gave a long dejected sigh.
"Maman?"
"It's on the counter. In the kitchen." Came the slow answer.
"At home?"
"Yes, at home."
"Why?"
"Because, you were so excited to go that when you ran out the door I forgot it."
A muffled giggle was heard. "Maman."
Another sigh. "Yes Little Moon?"
"I win." Said Yemoja, exploding with laughter.
The woman snapped her head toward her daughter and stared, lips partially opened and eventually chuckled.
Yes, she was going to enjoy training her daughter immensely.
-UnderAPaleLight-
Translation
Décalisse – It's actually hard to translate exactly this word, it's one of the many variants of a single swear word in French-canadian. (saying 'Quebecker' is just plain weird to me) The original word is calisse/calice and adding the 'dé' in front of it gives it a meaning similar to 'get the fuck out'.
AN/ Honestly, swearing like we do should be considered an art in itself with how many variants and combinations we do. The exact word can be used as a verb, adjective, noun, adverb and can be modified to give it a whole new meaning.
That was it for the first chapter, it is a bit shorter than the prologue. Chapters might become longer as time pass and I take experience, but for now I'm comfortable with the length. Probably going to try and update every fortnight (2 weeks), give or take one depending on my inspiration.
As last time, reviews are appreciated, tho' I have yet to receive one *insert sad face*.
