Andi watched as the motorbikes whizzed by for the third time. Ritchie, or Jon-Paul Connors, was in the lead. Ritchie had managed to continue racing in France under an assumed name after the "death" of Ritchie Ryan, several years ago. Ritchie was the crowd favorite, and how they did not realize J.P. and Ritchie were the same person was beyond Andi. His sponsors were very pleased with his performance; they recently presented Ritchie a new racing bike. The company name was emblazed over cherry red paint.
When the race finished Andi moved with the crowd to the track. Ritchie's entourage wanted to congratulate the winner. She could feel hands on her back pushing her forward. Andi kept trying to move ahead, but she could only move as fast as the people around her. The hoard of people started pressing closer; they almost seemed to be keeping her from her destination. Ritchie's friends and sponsor seemed to be farther away. The crowds and the noises took Andi back to the time when she became an immortal.
When Seth had eventually come and cut her down, he explained what she was….immortal. Andréa did not understand at first. She could never die? It was wrong; unnatural…it went against God's plan? He continued on with the rules of the game and the importance of keeping one's head. He handed her a dull blade with a smirk, promising to teach her how to use it. However that time never came, she waited days and weeks, but he kept her locked in a room. When the opportunity came she escaped and ran fast and far.
The train rumbled to a stop, the whistle blew loud and shrill announcing its arrival. The passengers stood to their feet brushing off the soot from the train smoke, and smoothed out the wrinkles in their clothes from long hours of sitting. Voices started picking up as people excitedly discussed their plans as they gathered up their belongings. Soon shouts could be heard coming from outside the train as friends and family members were recognized. People started moving off the train.
Andréa Lacrosse had kept her seat while everyone else prepared to leave. She was tired and stiff from keeping the same position for so long. She was in no hurry to disembark. She had no money, no friends, no job…nothing to her name except the faded and wrinkled dress hanging from her shoulders. She came to California to start fresh and what a better way to start fresh than to have nothing to start with. She didn't even have a weapon with which to defend herself.
When the car she was occupying was nearly empty Andi finally stood to her feet. She smoothed out the wrinkles, not making any difference in the appearance of the dress. She exited the train and was swept up into the crowd. People were pushing her forwards, backwards, left and right. She had no idea where she should go, but she was going no where. Taking a deep breath Andi stood her ground and started to push her way through, not letting anyone dictate her direction.
She had chosen the fastest growing city in California, San Francisco, as her new home. People came from all over the world to the city by the sea. It seemed like a good place to start again, and would provide some anonymity for Andi. She could become a whole new person in this city, but in her fear and excitement she had half-forgotten what Seth had told her about the game. As she wandered around the streets of her new home she marveled at the diversity of everyone. There were men from China with their long braids and small hats. There were fierce looking natives and Mexicans. There were men dressed in deerskin, and women dressed in britches. Everyone was talking about something: going to find gold, moving to the Pacific Northwest Territory, converting the heathen injuns, the price of fruit being too high, and the new Iron horse. As people swirled around her she felt safe for the first time in months.
Days went by and Andi had not developed a plan of action, it was the first time in her life she had truly been alone. She was used to taking directions from someone else; most of her decisions had been made for her. She stuck close to the train station because she was most familiar with that area. She begged for meals at the back doors of taverns, and for coins from generous passersby. Her clothes were getting dirtier and more threadbare…she had to find some sort of job so she could live. A few of the men she passed gave her a few ideas, but selling herself for money was not an option in her mind.
One cloudy day her sense of security quickly evaporated. Andi decided to venture farther into the city. She found a market that sold food, clothing and odds 'n ends. One booth caught her eye, with a pile of shiny red apples. When she thought no one was looking, she quickly reached her hand out to steal an apple. Suddenly there was a strong hand clasped around her wrist and a strange tingling sensation washed over her. As the tingling moved through her body she remembered Seth, and fear settled deep within her. Not bothering to look up she twisted her arm free and ran.
She bumped into anyone that crossed her path and knocked some of them over. There was enough mayhem in her wake that any one could easily follow. That is exactly what the apple selling immortal did, he found her hunched up in an alleyway. The stench coming from the ally was enough to keep any living creature away which would explain why Andi had chosen it to hide in. She could tell the immortal had arrived because the intense tingling started to pulse through her body.
There was no where for Andi to escape, the alley was a dead end. She braced herself for certain death, but nothing happened. She looked up and saw an Asian man looking at her with concern. He hand an apple in his hand; he held it out to her but Andi sat there blinking.
"You need more than me." He spoke.
Andi did not move.
"I won't hurt. No weapon." His English was stilted but otherwise perfect. Holding out both arms he turned around to show that he was speaking the truth. When he was facing Andi again he offered her the apple.
With a tentative hand Andi took the fruit. Seconds later an audible crunch could be heard in the alleyway. The sweet juices from the apple filled her mouth and Andi let out a contented sigh. The man studied her while she ate. He took her in her ragged, dirty appearance and the wariness of her body language. That was when it dawned on him…she was a newborn. She had come into her immortality quite recently. She did not know much about what she was which would explain why she had run. The man knelt down in front of her.
"Yasuo. I help."
At the moment Andi didn't know why she reached out and took Yasuo's hand, but looking back she realized it was the look of kindness in his eyes. No man in her life had ever treated her well; she had no other options but to trust him. Yasuo helped her up from the ground and took her back to his home.
"What is your name?" He asked in perfect English. Andi looked at him with surprise…why had he put on the false façade of someone who had not lived in America for very long.
Yasuo answered her look with a warm smile. "I'll start from the beginning. My name is Yasuo, it means peaceful one. I've been an immortal for a thousand years, give or take a few years. I speak four languages and have studied at some of the most prestigious universities in the world. I was a business man in the east before coming here to California. I heard about all the new opportunities out here, and thought it was something I would like to see. I own the stall you patronized at the market and also a laundry. I use both places to meet new people and hear their stories."
"I became an immortal during a battle between two warlords in my country. The victor was also an immortal and took me under his wing; teaching me the basics of the game and how to use a sword. I became Samurai. Eventually I ventured out into the game, where I became disillusioned as to what immortality was about. I took heads to gain power and prestige. But…one day I wandered in to a monastery in China where everything changed. I learned to be at peace with myself and what I was. Immortality became a gift and I decided to make the most of that gift."
"I traveled the world, learning and discovering everything that I could. I avoided other immortals as much as possible. If a challenger came across my path I did everything within my power to take their head. For me the game became a side note in my life…learning is what became important. I try to present myself as a young immortal to throw off anyone who might challenge me. Anyways I found myself in America some time ago and now I am here. Do you want to tell me who you are?" Yasuo asked giving Andi an encouraging smile.
Andi studied the man before her: he was of average height and middle age. He wore the typical clothes of a Chinaman, which she had seen in the city. Skull cap, quilted jacket and loose fitting pants. There were little wrinkles on the sides of his eyes from smiling so much. There was nothing intimidating about him, but she remained silent.
"Since you won't tell me your name…I'll have to give you one." Yasuo looked around the room for inspiration. He saw an advertisement for the new blacksmith and a bottle of Clareton's Fish Oil.
"As long as you don't tell me your name, you will be known as Clare Smith. Is that okay?" He raised one eyebrow in question.
Andi slowly nodded.
Andréa Lacrosse, now Clare Smith, entered into her second mentor-student relationship. Yasuo taught her how to survive in the game. Like shooting a gun she quickly became proficient with swordplay, fencing, jousting, karate, Kung fu, Tai chi, jujitsu and brawling. He also encouraged her to learn as much as she could about anything she wanted. He brought her books from all over the world, making her translate them on her own.
It took Clare some time but she eventually opened up to Yasuo about her past. He listened and offered a shoulder whenever she needed it. She helped in the laundry and in the market, trying to repay her teacher in anyway that she could. At first people did not know what to make of seeing a middle aged Asian man with a young American woman. Eventually people got used to the scene and opened up to the young woman helping her adjust to city life and telling her their life stories. They continued to live in their co- habitation for many years. Moving around when they had stayed too long in one place. Eventually everything had to come to an end, which was in the early 1900's.
"Clare, I think its time for you to move on without me." Yasuo told her one evening.
Clare put her fork down and looked at him with raised eyebrows. He couldn't be serious?
"There is nothing else I can teach you, you are even surpassing everything I have taught you. You need to grow on your own and discover the world for yourself. I've already booked you a ticket to England. You leave next week."
There it was, the decision was already made for her. Everyone was still making plans for her. Maybe Yasuo was right; she needed to survive on her own and to figure out the world herself. She nodded her agreement.
On the day of her departure, Yasuo handed her four things. The first was a leather journal for her to record her thoughts and adventures. The second and third things were a katana and wakizashi.
"These were given to me by my mentor. Do you see the story around the hilt of the sword? A cricket, being stalked by the Mantis, which is being stalked by the Golden Oriole. Right now you are the cricket, but you have the potential to become the Oriole."
The fourth thing he handed to Clare was a scrap of paper. Unfolding the paper revealed a name and address: Darius Paris, France.
Andi looked up when someone jostled her arm. Ritchie had been getting her attention.
"You were in a very far away place." He said with a boyish grin. Andi looked around and noticed that everyone in Ritchie's entourage was staring. She gave her friend a sheepish smile.
"Do you want to come to the party?" Ritchie asked, avoided the sighs of disdain coming from all the other women in his group.
"I have to get up early. I…I have to meet someone." She explained, but glad she had a legitimate excuse to avoid the women who were currently throwing daggers from their eyes.
"Come on…please?" Ritchie pleaded.
"Sure." Andi relented. Ritchie gave her a dazzling smile and slipped an arm around her waist, leading his fans and sponsors off the track.
