Disclaimer- I don't own the Powerpuff Girls or Airisu, Meiru and Misora, all rights go to their official owners/creators. I just own the plot, story, song and whatever else. Also, thanks to animegirl69 for telling me to keep going with my story.
"Come now, bluebird, hear my song,
may you bless me and sing along.
Come now bluebird, one, two, three,
hear my hymm from your old bird tree."
A voice as sweet as sugar greeted the spring morning, carried along by the wind and swirled through the trees.
The soft sound of a shakuhachi accompanied the voice, playing a clear tune to the words.
"Across the fields and meadows you go,
past the tree of the old sad crow.
Through the orchard where the cherries do grow,
down the hill where the river doth flow."
A shamisen also greeted the morning, playing along with the sweet and calming music.
The source of the music came from a giant of a tree, standing tall and proud on the outer parts of a clearing, looking in on a small space free from trees, and harbouring a small gravestone.
Fresh sakura blossoms lay on the grave, sparkling with dew in the sun streaming from a gap in the canopy and revealing a crystal clear blue sky.
Three girls sat on different branches of this huge tree, looking as delicate as the blossoms surrounding them.
"Now come dear bluebird, sing your song,
of the old world to your young.
Now come dear bluebird hear my tune,
give me your blessing of love and fortune."
Sang one of them, her pink lips turned up in a smile as she sang. She swayed slightly with the music, her sunshine-coloured pig-tails swaying, and her soft blue kimono rustling silently. Her creamy coloured hands played with a blossom, while resting on her sea blue obi. Running her sky blue eyes over the delicate flowers surrounding her.
"Perch on your tree and look to the world,
fly to the heavens where the clouds are a- whirl.
Fly across the seas, feel the salty breeze.
Then come home to rest, in your old birds nest."
The shakuhachi player's delicate fingers deftly flew across the holes, creating a beautiful sound. Her raven braid caught in a soft breeze, flowing behind her gently, almost like it was dancing along to the music. The sleeves of her grass green kimono were caught by the wind as well, flowing soundlessly. Her eyes were closed, shielding forest green orbs from view. A small sakura blossom was tucked into her obi, the soft pink standing out delicately against the midnight black fabric, rivalling her braid in its darkness.
"Your young learn to fly, to ascend to the sky.
Their feathers do grow and they learn to know,
of the beast, of the bear,
of the old wild hare."
The shamisen player's fingers plucked delicately at the strings, weaving a melody, going along with song. Her bright pink eyes that rivalled the sakura blossoms in colour were unfocused, absently staring at the grave. Her sakura pink sleeves swayed as she played, catching now and then on the blossom laden branches, only to be pulled away absent-mindedly by a tug of her arm, while still playing fluently. A small blossom was placed in the ribbon that tide her auburn her high up and in place, standing out only slightly against the fiery brightness of her hair.
"Now come dear bluebird, sing your song,
of the old world to your young.
Now come dear bluebird hear my tune,
give me your blessing of love and fortune."
As they played, a breeze whipped through the trees, taking the sakura blossoms from their homes and whisking them into the air, letting them float to the ground like pink snow, spreading a layer of pink across the ground and grave, and onto the heads and laps of the girls, still singing and playing as they watched the display of petals settle.
"The seasons go, one, two, three,
passing you by in your old bird tree.
Your young doth grow and fly free,
to their own trees to start a family."
The singer brushed some petals from her head as she sang, allowing them to fall into her lap, and played with them, holding one flower up to admire its delicate beauty, her eyes reflecting the sparkle of the pink blossoms as they shone from the dew left from the night before.
"May I sing to set your spirit free,
as I lay you to rest, head on breast,
at the foot of your old birds tree.
We've spent many years, together, you and I,
now let us both, ascend to the sky."
As the last notes of the song died away, the shakuhachi and shamisen players stopped, all three staring out into the distance for a moment before silently standing, still holding their instruments, and jumping to the ground far below, deftly landing without a sound on the petal laden earth. They then all went to stand before the grave, bowing solemnly in respect, before standing up right again and walking off, into the forest.
"Three years, huh? It's still so hard to believe." the shakuhachi player muttered, more to herself then her companions.
The others nodded in agreement, then three lapsed into silence again as they walked.
As they reach the last set of trees, they saw a figure up ahead.
The girls looked at each other for a moment before walking on to meet them.
They emerged from the trees to face a man. He wore a hakama and was slightly out of breath.
"Chiyoko-sama is calling for you, Hime-samas." He gasped, bowing before running off, his job complete.
"Obaasan?" The singer exclaimed, the girls looked at each other in surprise.
"I wonder what she wants to talk about." Questioned the shamisen player, as they started to walk in the direction the man had gone.
"Thank you for coming so quickly, girls. I have something I'd like to discuss with you three."
The three girls were sitting at the back of a room on a tatami mat, backs almost touching the shōji walls. The room was un-furnished except for a small wooden table, were the current speaker, a woman in about her mid-sixties, wearing a grey kimono and holding a cup of tea, was sitting at, in the middle of the room. She held the air of a great and powerful woman, causing anyone who set eyes on her to know never to cross her.
The girls nodded, signalling for Chiyoko-sama to continue. "It has come to my attention that there have been more frequent oni attacks recently, but we don't have enough people to send out in reasonable amounts to stop and capture every one of them that comes up," she pauses, taking a sip of her tea, before continuing. "I have also been told that you girls have been improving greatly in your studies, both academically and physically. I have also heard you have been assisting in teaching the little ones. I have considered all our options, and I have come to a decision." She stopped to look at the girls, who were leaning in excitedly, but, seeing her looking at them, blushed and sat up tall again.
She then continued. "I have come to the decision of assigning you girls as a full-time oni team. You will be sent out to detain or, if the need arises, kill troublesome onis."
The girls gasped in unison, their eyes widening in astonishment at the decision Chiyoko-sama had made.
"But-but Obaasan! We aren't ready to take on such a responsibility. Surely the others can handle it!?" The pink eyed girl exclaimed, clutching her shamisen, and staring at Chiyoko- sama pleadingly.
"I have made my decision and you will be starting your training tomorrow. You will be trained by Airisu, Meiru and Misora. You will start hunting in three days, and that is final." Chiyoko-sama stated calmly but firmly. "Do I make myself clear?"
The girls nodded in unison, eyes down in submission.
"Good. Now…" She said, taking three bundles, rapped in cloth, from behind her, and placing them on the table. "I will be assigning you three new names, of which you will only use when on a mission, and you will be using ancient weapons that were passed down from generations before yours." She unwrapped the first bundle, which was wrapped in dark red fabric, and took out a long, slender bow. Carvings adorned the surface, and it twisted slightly at the ends. She also took out a quiver, which also possessed the same carven symbols on its surface.
Chiyoko-sama stretched out her hands, passing it to the shamisen player, who muttered a polite 'thank you' and held it carefully, as a mother would her new born, inspecting it curiously.
"Momoko", the shamisen player looked up. "You will now answer to the name 'Blossom'. You will also be the new owner of that bow, which once belonged to the original archer of this family. This bow is called 'Sakura'. For it was carven from the 'Tree Of Spring', of which stands to protect the season of spring in the 'Seasonal Garden', of which our family has protected for generations. It also possesses the symbols of spring, of regrowth and new beginnings. Use it with great care."
Momoko nodded vigorously, staring at the bow in her hands with great wonder.
Chiyoko-sama unwrapped the second bundle, the fabric a dark blue. She took out a long, silver spear. The spear head was embedded with a small blue gem, which passed through the metal to glint on the other side. Symbols similar to 'Sakura's', ran across the spear. The symbols, however, were slightly different.
Choyoko-sama handed the spear to the singer, before saying, "Miyako." The singer looked at her nervously. "From now on you will be addressed as 'Bubbles' when working. You will also be using this spear," she waved her hand at the spear in Miyako's hands. "This spear is called 'Haru'. The gem in its head was found in the 'River Of Summer', which flows in the 'Seasonal Garden', to protect the season of summer. It also possesses the symbols of summer, of peace and growth. This spear has been passed down for generations. It was also possessed by the first spear bearer of the family." Miyako smiled happily, stroking the spear in her hands.
Chiyoko-sama took the last bundle, wrapped in dark green fabric, and took out two sheathed wakizashis. She unsheathed one, revealing a beautifully carved blade, with intricate symbols carved on the blades surface. She sheathed it again, and handed the two to the shakuhachi player, whose green eyes sparkled with excitement as she accepted them, running her hands over the two swords delicately.
"Kaoru, you will now answer to the name 'Buttercup'," Kaoru looked up, opening her mouth to protest with the choice of name, but was cut off by Chiyoko-sama, who held up her hand for quiet. "You will now also be the wielder of the swords 'Akimitsu' and 'Mitsuaki'. They're twins," she motioned to the swords. "These blades were sharpened to a point, on the 'Great Rock of Autumn', which is the protector of the season autumn, generations ago. These two blades were wielded by the first swordsmen of our clan. It possesses the symbols of autumn, of change and acceptance. Please, use it wisely." She gave Kaoru a stern look, who nodded enthusiastically.
"Now, as you may know, the 'Seasonal Garden' was created by our ancestors, thousands of years ago, when a horde of oni attempted to mess with the seasons, to create mayhem for mortals. Our ancestors created these weapons to defeat the oni, and created the Garden to control the seasons. The 'Tree of Spring' is to protect the season spring, the 'River of Summer' for summer, and the 'Great Rock of Autumn', to protect autumn. I have given you girls the protectors' artefacts to help you when fighting onis. Also, to help integrate you with them, for you will need them to become the true leaders of this clan."
"But, doesn't that mean you would have owned one of these 'artefacts'?" Kaoru questioned. "Wouldn't that mean that you can't be the true leader of this clan? Shouldn't you keep yours until you retire and pass on the job to us?"
"Yes, I did possess one," Choiyoko-sama answered, smiling fondly. "Even without an artefact, after a time of possessing one, one can still be connected to the 'Garden', until such time has come for one to give up their position to the next successors. Which, in this case, are you girls. You three will come to the position of leaders of this clan on your 18th birthdays. Unless, of course, something happens to me before then, which at such time you girls will take up the responsibilities until the time when you can be officially named the leaders."
"But, what about the winter artefact? Surely our ancestors would've made an artefact to help protect the season of winter." Momoko countered.
"The protector of winter is the 'Pond of Winter', but we don't have winters artefact, although our ancestral records do tell of one, but no description what so ever."
"How strange..." Blossom muttered, and took on a look of deep thought.
"Indeed it is, but, back onto the topic at hand, please use these weapons well, girls, they're irreplaceable." Chiyoko-sama pleaded, then said: "Well girls, that'll be all. You will be notified when exactly your first mission will be. You may go now," giving the girls a wave of her hands in dismissal.
The girls stood, bowed, and exited the room, opening a door and slipping out into the hallway outside.
They looked at each other, then at the weapons in their hands, then back at each other again. Then they all high fived each other, while grinning and whispering: 'YEAH!'
Explainer: None of the history they speak of is actual history; it is completely fiction (Or is it?). And the song's called 'My dear Bluebird', written by me. I also suggest you look up the names of the weapons, the meanings are cool to know, plus it sorta makes more sense.
Japanese terms/words:
Sakura- a cherry blossom.
Wakizashi- a type of Japanese sword usually worn by samurai, in older times. It's smaller than its relative, the katana, but is similar in shape, being one edged and slightly curved.
Obaasan- the word for grandmother.
Oni- a demon.
Obi- a belt of fabric worn in some traditional Japanese clothing (including a kimono) around the waist.
Kimono- a traditional Japanese garment worn by women.
Hime-sama- a term meaning princess.
Sama- a Japanese honorific.
Hakama- a type of traditional Japanese clothing. They were originally worn only by men, but today they are worn by both men and women.
Shakuhachi- a Japanese end-blown flute.
Tatami- traditional Japanese reed mat.
Shamisen- a traditional Japanese three stringed instrument, similar to a western style banjo or guitar.
Shōji- traditional Japanese rice paper walls/doors.
Hope you liked it! Please review~