Chapter 2: Kyoto
-Asami-
I am awakened by a boot on my ribs. I open my eyes to see a samurai standing over me. "What are you doing here, squatter?" Oh no. What time is it? I must have overslept. "Sorry, I'll be going." I don't even look him in the eyes before I take off, leaving my makeshift bed under the side awning of the apothecary. Where is Hideko? She should have woken me up before taking off today. I make my way through the bustling city streets, my tattered robes flowing in the wind. Learning how to blend in with the crowd is crucial, growing up on the streets. I should find Akiro, maybe he'll know where my sister is. He's usually hanging around the brothel down the river. I don't think he's ever a client of the girls there, seems that he's just really good friends with them. I make my way down there, sprinting through the streets, ducking and dodging passerby on their morning commute. I arrive at the brothel and see Akiro standing outside like usual, chatting it up with one of the girls, only this time he has a look of concern and determination on his face. His expression changes immediately upon seeing me. "Hello there, Asami! How are you today?" He beams at me. "As good as always. Have you seen Hideko? She wasn't with me when I woke up." "I have not. I thought you two were inseparable." I sigh. "I thought we were too. What are you two talking about?" "Oh, nothing you need to worry about. Boring stuff. Say, have you eaten today?" I shake my head. "I just woke up and came here. We were staying by the apothecary down the road." He shakes his head. "I need to find you girls a permanent home. The streets are just not right for you. Well, if you haven't eaten, I was about to go fishing down in the Kamo, if you'd like to join me." "Sure, I'm not sure what else I'd be doing today."
We arrive at the river, the sun glistening down upon it, the water reflecting a golden glow. Akiro casts his homemade fishing rod, and sits patiently by the riverside. I take a seat next to him and he turns to me."Remember what I told you about fishing?" "Patience is key. Let the fish come to you. Act in haste, and you'll scare it away." "Exactly." Several minutes go by without a single pull on the line. He turns to me again. "Maybe haste is a bit needed today. Can you climb on those rocks and see if you can spot any fish?" I shrug. "Okay, let me see what I can do." I get up and walk on to the rocks that stretch from the riverbank into the heart of the stream. The rocks are a bit slippery, but I hold my own. Standing on the edge of the rock formation, I lean over and try to look into the water. "I don't see anything, Akiro." "Look harder. Concentrate. Don't follow the current with your eyes. Look for motions going against the current." I look closer, lean closer. Focusing my vision, my hearing, all of my senses on rooting out my prey. I can see one, a fat coy fish. I lean even closer in, focusing too hard, and slip and fall into the river.
I feel myself being pulled by the current, sinking into the water. My lungs filling with water, my hands and feet being scraped by the rocks. I am dying. I can feel the bellowing darkness of the water swallowing me whole as I lose consciousness. My mind is alight with visions. Have I died? Is this death- nirvana? I can see a light, a golden light. Is that the sun? No, it's- an orb. A glowing orb. And a woman holding it, dressed in a white gown. She turns her head and locks eyes with me as soon as a blinding light sears itself into my mind. I am awakened by someone shaking me and shouting my name. "Asami! Wake up!" Standing over me is Akiro, and Hideko, her long black hair flowing in the wind. "What just happened? I thought I had drowned." Akiro laughs. "You almost did, luckily Hideko was on her way here and saw you fall in. She jumped in just in time to drag you out of that river." "You know me, always getting her out of trouble." Her smile is impenetrable. She was always the joyous one. Akiro holds up a fish dangling from the line. "And look what I caught! Hideko, care to join us for a late breakfast?"
Akiro catches a few more fish and takes us to his home where he cooks them up. I've always been amazed by the swords on the wall. Akiro tells me they're from all over the world- China, India, England, Russia, France. He tells me of these wondrous places and I can't help but dream of visiting them one day. I notice a golden disc on a chain around Hideko's neck. "Where did you get that?" "Oh this? Just something I picked up." Akiro eyes it suspiciously. She changes the subject quickly. "Akiro, are you going to be at the Matsuri (festival) tomorrow?" "I will, actually. Will I see you two girls there?" "Oh, we'll be there!" We will? "Great! Say, I've got some business to attend to. You girls are more than welcome to stay as long as you like though. You know your way around." Hideko speaks for me again. "Actually, we were just leaving." She stands up and motions for me to follow and I silently comply. Why do I keep doing that?
Hideko and I walk together, down the dusty roads of the city. Surrounded by thousands of people, going about their day, not paying an inkling of attention to the two poor, street-dwelling girls with nothing to show the world but sorrowed faces and tattered clothes. I've always enjoyed the feeling of anonymity that crowds give you. We are hidden away, in the chaos of society. "Thanks for saving me earlier, I must have slipped and fallen in." Hideko laughs. "Oh, it's nothing, it's what I do." "Where were you this morning, and where did you get that necklace?" She takes the necklace in her hand and looks longingly at it. "It's a long story- say, race you to our spot, I'll tell you there?" I smile, genuinely. She's the only person who can make me do that. "Okay, sure." And we take off. Our "spot" is a small cliff overlooking a pond, a favorite for swimming, washing or general mischief. Racing Hideko, my bare feet pounding on the dirt roads, I feel alive. My heart is racing, my head pounding. She's always been the better runner, but I keep a good beat on her. Swerving through the city, ducking passerby, dodging the shogunate. This is what I live for. This is what we live for. Like birds, going where we please, building our homes wherever we can.
Hideko beats me to our spot, like she usually does. We collapse on the smooth surface of the cliff, laughing and panting our lungs out. I take a longing look at her face. She's a spitting image of me, despite being two years older. She's beautiful. Hideko. My sister. The only family I've ever known. The only family I need. "So, you were going to tell me about the necklace?" She sits up and unclasps it from her neck. I see it more clearly now, a gold disk, but with etchings on it. Almost like a written language. "I stole this." "Stole it from who?" "I stole it from some rich politician or something. Asami, look at this thing. It's not even gold- it's something even more rare. Feel it." She hands it to me. It's not gold. It's not even metal, not really. It's...warm, and humming? I must be delusional. She continues, "Do you know how much that might be worth? We could finally move off the streets, have something of our own." I shake my head. "We have each other, and Akiro. Don't you think the person you stole it from might want it back? Did they see you take it?" "They might have, but how would they find me? We're in Kyoto, a city of a hundred thousand people. And don't act like you've never stolen anything." "Only food and clothing. Nothing like this." I try to hand it back to her. "Why don't you keep it on you? You were always the responsible one." I feel no desire to argue further. "Whatever you say, Hideko." I put the necklace on, underneath my robes. It's warm against my chest.
Hideko walks out to the edge of the cliff. "Want to go for a swim? I mean, for real this time?" I laugh and walk out to stand next to her. "Hm, I clearly need more practice." I look down at the glistening water below us, clear as day. Hideko swan dives off of the cliff, plunging into the water below. I take a breath, touch the disc on my chest one more time, and jump in right after her.
The next day arrives with the speed of a diving eagle. I awake on the cliff face, the sun peaking over the horizon into my eyes. This time, however, Hideko is still with me. This is always our favorite spot to sleep, it's a shame we can't always use it due to its easy view for the shogunate. She awakes soon after me, full of energy and ready to start her day. "Today's the day!" Ah, yes. The festival. Akiro will be there. "It sure is! Excited?" "I sure am! What's say we head down there about noon?"
We arrive at the square, bedecked with ribbons and art. I spot Akiro, speaking with some people I don't recognize. I move to approach him but Hideko grabs my hand and pulls me to look at something. A man, playing a stringed instrument, belts out some of the most beautiful music I've ever heard. The man next to him begins beating a large drum and suddenly people are swarming around us and start dancing. Hideko grabs both of my hands and pulls me along dancing with her. I try to keep up but she's so much faster than me. It doesn't matter. Her laughing face and the rhythm of the music are all I need to guide me. Hideko spins me around and I'm now facing where Akiro was standing. He's gone now, and so are all of the people he was with. No matter, he's not my charge. Here, now, the music, the people, the smells of food cooking, the sunlight beaming down upon me, and Hideko. This is all that I need. I'm so consumed with joy that I don't even notice the large man sneaking up on us.
Hideko is grabbed by her hair by a large, imposing man wearing all black robes and carrying a katana. This isn't a shogunate. The man throws her to the ground and stands over her. "Think you can steal from me, you thieving baishunpu?" Hideko acts confused. "I'm sorry, you must have the wrong pers-" He kicks her in the stomach. "Shut up! I saw you! I saw you take it! Where is it?" Hideko sits up and spits at him. "Jigoku ni iku!" He pulls her on her feet and starts patting her down, violently. "It's not here! Where is it?!" He smacks her in the face, causing her to fall down again. She's bleeding from her lip. I run at the man "Hey! You get off her!" I attempt to claw at his face but he manages to shove me off. That's when he sees the disc on my neck and promptly rips it off. I fall to the ground, a few feet away from Hideko, who's now stood up and is still attempting to wrestle the necklace away. At this point people have gathered around us in a circle, screaming at the man to leave us alone. Two more men approach from the crowd, shouting "You've got it? Come then, leave them." The man pauses, looks at the both of us, and in one swift move he draws his katana and slashes me in the arm. I drop to my knees, blood flowing like a river from the massive wound on my arm. The pain is so intense, I let out a guttural shriek. Hideko attempts to retaliate one last time, and I've just collapsed to the group and lifted my head up in time to see him slash her throat open with the blade. He shows no remorse and wastes no time in walking off. Suddenly, smoke clouds the air. It fills my lungs, my eyes. It burns. I don't care. Hideko. I manage to crawl over to her. She's still alive. I'm bleeding all over her, her blood is pooling around her. I hear footsteps around us. I don't care. "Hideko, stay with me. Please. Don't die." She can't speak. She's dying. Right now. I know it. No. She isn't. She can't. No. She's crying, and dying. Now I'm crying on top of her. I can't do anything. I am nothing. I can't do anything. I can't even hear the people around me. I can't feel them pulling on me to get off of her. I can't feel anything. I can't see anything. I am nothing.