Hikaru no Tengoku
Chapter 1:Filth
Tsuya sighed, placing down the scroll in along with the piles of others. It had been forty years since the funeral of Tsuchiya Iwao and thirty-five years since she found the scrolls left to her by him. She had spent most of her time studying, studying to a point that Mika had to lock the door to the study in order to get her to rest. She had been pissed at Mika, but eventually forgave. Mika was after all worried about her.
"Tsuya." She looked up to great the handsome, blonde haired man by the name of Kyuzo.
"Hai Kyuzo? Nan desu ka?" She raised an eyebrow at him as he leaned up against the door, a small smirk upon his face.
"I want to fight you."
"Na-nani? She said, surprise showing through in her voice as her eyes widened.
"sigh Must I repeat myself? I said-"
"That's not what I meant." She said sharply, interrupting him. "Why do you want to fight me?"
"No need to sound so vicious Tsuya." He said, his smirk growing even wider than it was before. "I just simply want to test your abilities."
"Test…my abilities?" She furrowed her eyebrow at him, narrowing her eyes slightly at. Kyuzo was the type of man who would want to "test" her abilities without an ulterior motive. "What do you really want Kyuzo?"
"Ah Tsuya-chan, must you always question my actions?" He asked her mockingly, causing her to twitch slightly. He turned his back to her, glancing over his shoulder at her. "Follow me."
Tsuya glared at him, but offered no retaliation to his comment. She got up, dusting herself off and followed him, considering the fact that much to her displeasure, Kyuzo was an Elder Guardian and she must abide by what he said, no matter how much she didn't want to. She stepped into the hallway, following Kyuzo's form with eyes glaring daggers at the back of his head. Out of all the Guardians, Tsuya hated him the most. He always mocked her for her weaknesses, for the fact that she was the youngest and the unstable out of all of them. She hated the fact that he shoved that in her face, the fact that every time he would defeat her, he would tease her about it. It made her feel weak and useless compared to the others, just like she did before she became one with Hikaru.
"Tsuya, where are you going? I'm walking this way and you're walking that way. Is your attention span that short?" Kyuzo words shook her out of her thoughts as her cheeks became tinted red with the signs of embarrassment as she turned back to the right direction.
"Sumimasen." She muttered trailing after him, ignoring his comment on her attention span, while he snickered slightly at her show of stupidity.
"I still wonder why the Hikaru chose you over much more skilled user. Did she feel that sorry for you?" He glanced over his shoulder to see Tsuya's reaction. She had stopped, her bangs covering her eyes as she shook slightly.
"Awww, is the baby going to cry?" He cooed in a mocking voice.
"Chikusho, damare! Mou takusan! You have no right to say that you kusoyaro! Hikaru choose me for a reason and you have no right to judge her! I've dealt with your insults but I will not let you insult Hikaru's judgement!" yelled Tsuya angrily, rage flowing through her veins. How dare he insult Hikaru! She could take it if it was her, but not if it was Hikaru. Her statement shocked Kyuzo, but that shock immediately turned into anger.
"Gaki!" He slapped her hard, causing her to fall to the floor, holding her now red, stinging cheek. "How dare you talk to me like that filth! I am your elder! Don't you know your place you little ama!?" She winced slightly, feeling a memory reopen in her mind after hearing the word filth.
'…filth…' That single thought brought her memories back to what she was before. When she was a filthy little maid who always screwed up, who could never do anything right. No, she wasn't one of those maids who wore those pretty uniforms and served directly to the royal family and the other nobles, she was one of those unseen, grimy maids that were only there to do the grunt work. She was real filth then, but she thought she had escaped that by becoming a Guardian, but she never did.
"On second thought gaki I won't fight you! Why should I dirty my sword with your filth!" He spat angrily and turned back around, stalking angrily away in the other direction. A tear slid down her cheek as she held back a sob.
"Maybe Kyuzo was right. I really don't deserve you do I Hikaru. I really am just filth." More tears slid down her face, stinging her now swollen cheek as she cried pitifully.
"Dry your tears little one." Tsuya looked up to see the beautiful face of the spirit of her sword. "I choose you for a reason and I certainly don't regret that decision." The spirit smiled at her, reaching a hand out to gently stroke the cheek of the younger girl. Tsuya felt immediately calmed by the face of her Hikaru, tears immediately stopping as the spirit motherly stroked her cheek.
"Domo go-shinsetsu ni Hikaru-sama." Said Tsuya managing to give the spirit a small smile.
"Do itashi mashite." Replied Hikaru softly, fading away as if she were grains of sand blowing away in the wind. Kayumi smiled softly, silently thanking fate that she ended up with such a caring spirit.
"Tsuya-chan!" She looked up, seeing Mika running up to her.
"Hai Mika-san?" She looked only to let out a yelp of surprise as she was suddenly hugged and lifted a few inches of the ground.
"Oh my little Tsuya! Was Kyuzo-baka being mean to you? Your eyes are all puffy and red!" cried Mika, snuggling the smaller girl into her chest before releasing her. Then she saw the red had mark on her cheek. She rubbed her thumb around softly over the mark, frowning as Tsuya winced slightly. "Kusoyaro! How dare he slap you!" Mika turned around about to go after him, but Mika stopped her.
"Iie, dozo. He always says mean things to me, but dozo, don't interfere. I must handle this myself." She replied.
"Demo Tsuya…" Mika's words faded of as she looked into Tsuya's determined silver eyes. "Hai, wakarimasu. You're growing up even more everyday." Placing her head on the girl's shoulders she gave her a serious look. "Always remember Tsuya you were never filth. You weren't then and you aren't now."
"You…overhead?" gasped Tsuya, eyes wide.
"Hai, and I'm proud of you for standing up to Kyuzo." A light blush dusted Tsuya's cheeks as she looked away.
"There is no need to say the nee-chan. I'm going to have to-no, I'm going have to fight him one day. I've gained everyone's respect but his. I've tried to do this peacefully, but now I know there is no other way. I must draw my sword." Her eyes narrowed, looking unusual on her usually cheerful, childish face. Mika's eyes softened at this.
"Tsuya-chan, I remember when I first met you. You've changed so much from that cute, little vulnerable little girl that stole all off our hearts. You've grown up so much, even though you're still as adorable as ever." A smile grew on her face at Mika's words.
"Domo arigato gozaimasu, demo I must leave. I need some time to think things over." Mika nodded her head at this, understanding the turmoil going on in Tsuya's head. Ever since Iwao died, Tsuya had a lot of thing going on in her head still. Mika really wished she could help her, but she knew that there was only so much she could actually do for the girl.
"Dozo, let everything turn out in the end." whispered Mika, looking worriedly at Tsuya's retreating form. "Why do I always feel like I'm always looking at your back Tsuya? You are always walking away from me."
"Mika-sama." Mika turned around to see a servant bowing to her.
"The King's advisor wishes to speak with you."
"Hai, arigato. You are dismissed."
The servant bowed to her a second time before hurrying away.
"I wonder what ojichan wants now?" she commented out loud as she began walking in the direction of his office.
kamicomeget: So how did you like this chapter? I decided to give a little peek of Tsuya's background and thank you to xX35PercentEmoXx and KaRiSa! You're my 1st reviewers!
Vocabulary
Nan desu ka?- What is it?
Sumimasen- Sorry
Chikusho, damare!- Damn it, shut up!
kusoyaro- bastard
mou takusan- I've had enough!
gaki!- Brat!
ama- bitch
Domo go-shinsetsu ni - thank you for your kindness
-sama- a term of respect
Do itashi mashite- Your welcome.
Wakarimasu-I understand
Domo arigato gozaimasu- Thank you very much
