The Untitled Past [3/?]
San Hen - Ishi no Te
My strength is my greatest asset. People say that it's my _only_ asset. They say I am brawn without brains, that my head contains nothing at all.
Well, that's what most of them say.
I don't think that. I strongly object that I'm a brainless fool. People can be so judgmental in thinking who I am. I may not be the smartest person in the world, but I'm not the dumbest either.
My name is Tetsu, sixteen years of age, a part of the Hokage Ninja clan. All I can say about myself is that I am powerful, physically. I have to admit that I am not that smart, always getting punished back in my childhood days for making mistakes in my academics. My mother would always ungraciously hit me on the head for a badly-written kanji of my name.
My name means iron. My body, and my strength is of iron. I am famous around people my age for being one of the three strongest youngsters in the village, with my childhood friends Recca and Suzume taking the first and second spots, respectively.
I don't think my life is bad. I don't think I'm having any real problems except that people keep on thinking of me as a dumb-ass moron who can't live without my fist. They all think I'm just your usual bully, but no, I actually have a soft spots, and I use my brain, too, not all brawn.
Unusual for men, especially for someone like me, I have this soft spot for flowers. I don't know why. It might sound feminine and all but I had been secretly attracted to them ever since my childhood days.
If they found this secret of mine out, my family will be greatly disgraced. My father, although deceased [dying in a war] is considered as one of the greatest warriors in Hokage history. One of my ancestors is the 16th leader of the Hokage, Nadare.
For my future, they are trying to implant me into the one of the highest positions in the village, as the future leader's adviser.
Recca would be the future leader of the Hokage. He's a childhood friend of mine. Half the time, he's a great companion, and during the other half, he's as annoying as a chimp and can really piss you off.
He wins most of the challenges he receives from the other kids, beside the fact that he's the son of the leader. During our adolescent years, Recca started to have a following of girls brooding over his looks and charm. But he isn't all that perfect. I'll tell you of an instance.
We were thirteen years old then, more foolish than wise. Recca and I were having another fight. I was already losing.
"So, Tetsu, are you ready to give up?" Recca asked me with a snicker.
"Never!" I shouted. My knees shook as they got off the ground. I held on to my fists. "You're just a chimp, there's no way you'll win against me..."
"Um, Tetsu? You never won against me, right?" he teased, pretending to be innocent.
That fumed my anger. I stood up and tried to give him another punch which he efortlessly avoided.
"Slow, slow," he murmured.
On the sides, Suzume watched us fight. She seemed to be agreeing with Recca.
I went for another punch. It annoyed me that I was using my full power while Recca barely used any of his, and I was having a hard time defeating him.
While diving in for the hit, Recca took one step aside giving me a nice kiss with the ground. When Suzume saw this, she stood up, as if to walk away.
"Oi, Suzume! Leaving already?" Recca asked while mercilessly rubbing his foot on my head.
"If you'll ask me, it's a boring fight to watch. I'm going home."
That was it, my inspiration to fight was going away.
"No, Suzume! Wait!" I shouted, but Recca kept his foot on me.
"Sorry, Tetsu," Recca jokingly said when Suzume left. He knew that I liked Suzume a lot, and Recca agreed to have thse fights to help me impress her. The only condition was that Recca won't lose to me on purpose, but have a real fight. It wasn't helping me at all to touch her heart, in fact, it was making things worse.
"You promised me that you'll do everything in your power to have Suzume like me!" I angrily told him when he got his foot off my head.
"I am helping you," Recca said. "You're the one who's making things worse because you won't let her see a good fight. You really don't have to win, just give me a difficult time, okay?"
"Just pretend that you're almost losing, please..." I tried to give him a sad, puppy look.
Recca shook his head. "No way, Tetsu. I have a reputation to keep."
"Then how are you supposed to help me that way?" I asked him.
"I don't know. This was your idea in the first place. I told you it wouldn't work 'cause she can give me a better fight than you ever could."
He was starting to get on my nerves. At the back of my mind, there was always this idea that Suzume liked Recca that's why she had been ignoring my feelings. Recca, on the other hand, shows no affection for any woman, except for his mother, of course, and the older girls who have more matured bodies.
Believe it or not, even the son of a Hokage leader is impetuous to perversion.
I thought for a better deal to get Recca give more effort in helping me. My eyes brightened when an idea came to me.
Recca noticed the change in my gloomy face. "What now?"
"I'm chaallenging you, Recca!"
"A fight again?"
"No."
"Well, what is it?" he asked anxiously. Recca was the type of person who enjoyed challenges the most, especially if the reward is very satisfying.
I signalled him to get nearer, and he did.
"Closer, closer," I said.
I placed my mouth by his ear and whispered it to him. "You must kiss a girl within a week. This challenge excludes your mother and the like, of course."
Recca got his ear away from me and hit me on the head. "Idiot! Why will I do that? You know that Otousama has his eye on me. He prohibits me from getting with girls my age for some strange reason. I'll be severely punished if he finds me out. And the fact that I did it for a bet..."
"If you live up to the challenge, then I'll be your personal slave for a month."
Recca's expression of anger weakened a bit. "You mean..."
"You can do whatever you want with me," I smiled. Recca longed to have a personal servant. "And I'll quit bugging you about setting me up with Suzume."
His face was slowly going back to normal, but a doubtful face showed up again. "What's the catch?"
"YOU will be MY personal slave if you don't live up to the challenge," I said as scarily as possible.
Recca cupped his chin with his hands. There was almost the feeling that he wouldn't even accept the challenge. I thought of something quickly.
"Why, great Recca, haven't got the guts to kiss a giiirrll?"
His face started to redden.
"I'm Recca!" I mimicked, imitating his shrill voice. "I'm a strong fighter, but unfortuantely, I'm homosexual and I don't want to kiss giiiiiirrrrrrrrrllllsss. I want to kiss guuuuyyyyyssss instead."
Yes, I was easy to provoke, but so was he. I laughed inside. "I wonder how the others will react if they heard about that," I wondered aloud.
"Stop that!" Recca shouted. "It's useless, since it ain't true."
"Well they're probably wondering why most guys have an eye for girls while you..."
"Women are not to be minded by someone like me!" He was starting to get terribly angry.
"Really? Well, everyone wants to see a weaker side of you, and they'll do everything for that, even spreading such rumors. And there's always the chance of NOT getting caught."
We were left there standing. Finally he gave in. "Okay, fine! I take it."
"Good," I said. "Revenge is mine."
================
I kept a good eye on Recca during the next week. During the first three days, he seemed idle, doing his usual stuff. Taking lessons, accepting duels and winning them, and fishing. On the fourth day, I saw him approach a girl named Tsubame.
Tsubame was a year younger than us, and she was the silent but kind and gentle type. She looks like an ordinary girl, and indeed , she looks plain enough to be mistaken for any peasant. She wasn't adept at using any kind of madougu but had the potential to be an excellent housewife. But looks and physical ability can be deceiving. Her family, although not a part of the Hokage politcs, owns the largest rice field and can afford any kind of dowry. They can influence anyone with their cold hard cash, but were really nice people and they try to help anyone who deserves it.
It was late morning. She was sitting in their garden when I saw Recca call her from the gate.
"Ohayou, Tsubame-chan!"
Tsubame looked up from her current activity then blushed when she saw Recca. "Recca-sama," she said his name. She flustered, trying to get the right words and actions. Finally, she bowed her head and said, "Ohayou, Recca-sama. May I help you?"
Recca rubbed his nose and gave a naughty smile. "Not really, I just want to talk with you, privately."
"Huh? Why?" she asked, blushing even more. It was obvious that she was one of those Recca fans.
"I just want to talk with you. Is that alright?" I heard Recca intentionally soften his voice, ready to lure any unsuspecting female into his hands.
Tsubame looked a little doubtful. "Well, Recca-sama..."
"It's gonna be okay. We'll just be talking."
"Did I do anything bad?"
"No," Recca said. He was new to all this business, but he was doing a great job at it.
They went out, and Recca started to chat with her like she was an old friend. Tsubame seemed to be enjoying all the attention she was gettting from her crush.
During the next two days, this went on. Recca's actions seemed to be confident. His father and mother didn't seem to doubt him or anything. I was afraid that he'd win this, bu I couldn't do anything about it.
By the sixth day they were starting to hold hands. My jaw dropped, when I first saw this. Then I felt a fist hit my head.
"Ouch! Who was that?" I demanded angrily. I realized that it was Suzume.
"What are YOU and THEY doing?" she pointed her nose towards Recca and Tsubame.
Recca and I had sworn secrecy about this bet. If I tell Suzume now, my body would, sooner or later, be badly mangled by both or either of them.
"Nothing," I said as innocently as possible. Suzume glared at me then grabbed me by the ear. The next thing I knew, we were near the outskirts of the village.
She grabbed me by the collar of my kimono and gave me hard punch on the face. "What did I see just a while ago?"
"Suzume, it's nothing," I said.
Suzume raised her knee and hit me at the abdomen, then hit my nape with her elbow. After that she let go of me by tossing me to the ground. Then she approached me and stepped her right foot over my chest before I could even try to stand up.
"What was it?" she asked me again.
"It's really nothing, please," I pleaded.
She kicked me at my sides, then sat on top of me. After that she gave me dozens of consecutive punches, all hard and painful.
I wondered back then why she wanted to find out. Was it because she was jealous? I pained to think of such a reason, that's why I asked her.
"Why do you want to find out, anyway?" I asked in between punches.
"I know Recca, he's not going with a girl and break his father's rules without a dirty reason," she answered me coldly.
"He likes the girl, okay?"
"If he likes Tsubame-chan, then he would have told his father. I can tell that he's with that girl because of some bet and you know something about it."
I relaxed myself. Good old Suzume, smart as usual. She realized that my surrender meant that she was right. She gave me another cold, hard punch.
"What was that for?" I demanded angrily.
"Tell me more," she said. I tried to escape, but, quickly and skillfully, she took out a kunai* from behind her obi and pointed it at my neck.
I resigned and told her everything. Her eyes narrowed after I finished and muttered, "Abusive males." After that she grabbed me by the collar again and punched me on the abdomen, knocking me unconscious.
The next thing i knew was that I was at home in my bed. Later on, I heard that Suzume told Ohka-sama everything and then caught Recca a few moments before he can make the kiss. The next day, Ohka-sama summoned the two of us to the council.
I was scared to have the whole tribal council judge us for our punishment. But when I arrived there with my father, only Recca and Ohka-sama were waiting for us. My father glared at me for bringing him dishonor with such a childsh and immature prank.
Ohka-sama smiled at my father and asked him to leave. When only the three of us were left, he cleared his throat and began a long lecture.
First, he gave us a lecture on the tight position Recca and I were in regarding women, saying that since we belong to influential families, we were supposed to act honorably and women are to be dealt with later in life. All of them sounded gibberish to both of us. Ohka-sama noticed our boredom.
"I can see that the two of you are not at all interested," he said, rubbing his chin.
Recca gave him a fake, nervous smile. "No, we're listening, Otousama."
Ohka-sama hit Recca on the head. "I guess the best way to teach you a lesson is to give the the two of you some punishment."
Both of our jaws dropped.
"Well, I wouldn't have given you a punishment if you were listening caarefully." He cleared his throat. "Anywhow, since you made this on a deal of being personal servants, your punishment will be to serve me as my personal slaves for the whole of next week."
"Otousama!" Recca objected.
Ohka-sama ignored him. "And you, Tetsu, cannot see Suzume during that week. While you, Recca, will help your Okaasama in the kitchen while you're not attending to my commands as my personal slave."
Recca angrily stood up "But, Otousama..." he said, but decided that to complain furthermore was futile.
We got through that week of terror, and learned our lessons.
=========
I was talking to Hideki, a friend of mine, when I saw Suzume walking beside Raishin, a newcomer to our village. It was against the rules for a woman to actually walk _beside_ the man, unless they're married. (which is even awkward to look at)
"Oiya, Suzume-chan's grabbing that new guy."
I think I almost heard myself growl just like a dog. There was something peculiar about that man.
"So, what will you do now, Tetsu?" Hideki teased. "Suzume's got another man."
"Shut up," I told him. "I'm gonna follow them."
"Gosh, you're really insecure," Hideki remarked as I left.
They didn't seem to notice me as I silently prowled after them. When I realized the direction they were heading to, I knew they were going to the river, a quiet and secluded place in the village which actually leads to a waterfall. I almost lost track of them when Recca greeted me.
"Konbanwa, Tetsu!" he greeted while carrying a basket of vegetables. Recca liked to volunteer for such tasks for no apparent reason.
I snarled at him and he gave me the expected puzzled look. When I went back to my prey, they were gone. It was a good thing that I had a hunch that their destination was the river. I ran towards there.
The scene that unfolded before me was Raishin whispering something to Suzume. On the other hand, Suzume's face was filled with terror. There was something wrong here, terribly wrong.
"Hey, you, Raishin!" I angrily called. "What are you doing to Suzume?"
Both of them looked at me. Raishin had a face of annoyance, while Suzume seemed that she couldn't get any happier.
"Tetsu!" she exclaimed my name.
"What are you doing here?" Raishin asked angrily.
"I think that's supposed to be my question," I answered.
I heard him curse. After that, I saw him suddenly disappear, then appeared behind me. I felt pain stab through my body, leaving it badly perforated. The world I see started to spin and darken.
"NOOOO!!!!" I heard Suzume scream
After that I ferlt another stab, then I toltally blacked out...
~Tsuzuku de gozaru yo~
=============================================================
*Kunai- for those who don't know, this is the the ninja weapon Misao Makimachi of Rurouni Kenshin uses. I think Fuuko's knives/needles were derived from this one, because they are used the same way, which is being thrown/hurled at the enemy.
San Hen - Ishi no Te
My strength is my greatest asset. People say that it's my _only_ asset. They say I am brawn without brains, that my head contains nothing at all.
Well, that's what most of them say.
I don't think that. I strongly object that I'm a brainless fool. People can be so judgmental in thinking who I am. I may not be the smartest person in the world, but I'm not the dumbest either.
My name is Tetsu, sixteen years of age, a part of the Hokage Ninja clan. All I can say about myself is that I am powerful, physically. I have to admit that I am not that smart, always getting punished back in my childhood days for making mistakes in my academics. My mother would always ungraciously hit me on the head for a badly-written kanji of my name.
My name means iron. My body, and my strength is of iron. I am famous around people my age for being one of the three strongest youngsters in the village, with my childhood friends Recca and Suzume taking the first and second spots, respectively.
I don't think my life is bad. I don't think I'm having any real problems except that people keep on thinking of me as a dumb-ass moron who can't live without my fist. They all think I'm just your usual bully, but no, I actually have a soft spots, and I use my brain, too, not all brawn.
Unusual for men, especially for someone like me, I have this soft spot for flowers. I don't know why. It might sound feminine and all but I had been secretly attracted to them ever since my childhood days.
If they found this secret of mine out, my family will be greatly disgraced. My father, although deceased [dying in a war] is considered as one of the greatest warriors in Hokage history. One of my ancestors is the 16th leader of the Hokage, Nadare.
For my future, they are trying to implant me into the one of the highest positions in the village, as the future leader's adviser.
Recca would be the future leader of the Hokage. He's a childhood friend of mine. Half the time, he's a great companion, and during the other half, he's as annoying as a chimp and can really piss you off.
He wins most of the challenges he receives from the other kids, beside the fact that he's the son of the leader. During our adolescent years, Recca started to have a following of girls brooding over his looks and charm. But he isn't all that perfect. I'll tell you of an instance.
We were thirteen years old then, more foolish than wise. Recca and I were having another fight. I was already losing.
"So, Tetsu, are you ready to give up?" Recca asked me with a snicker.
"Never!" I shouted. My knees shook as they got off the ground. I held on to my fists. "You're just a chimp, there's no way you'll win against me..."
"Um, Tetsu? You never won against me, right?" he teased, pretending to be innocent.
That fumed my anger. I stood up and tried to give him another punch which he efortlessly avoided.
"Slow, slow," he murmured.
On the sides, Suzume watched us fight. She seemed to be agreeing with Recca.
I went for another punch. It annoyed me that I was using my full power while Recca barely used any of his, and I was having a hard time defeating him.
While diving in for the hit, Recca took one step aside giving me a nice kiss with the ground. When Suzume saw this, she stood up, as if to walk away.
"Oi, Suzume! Leaving already?" Recca asked while mercilessly rubbing his foot on my head.
"If you'll ask me, it's a boring fight to watch. I'm going home."
That was it, my inspiration to fight was going away.
"No, Suzume! Wait!" I shouted, but Recca kept his foot on me.
"Sorry, Tetsu," Recca jokingly said when Suzume left. He knew that I liked Suzume a lot, and Recca agreed to have thse fights to help me impress her. The only condition was that Recca won't lose to me on purpose, but have a real fight. It wasn't helping me at all to touch her heart, in fact, it was making things worse.
"You promised me that you'll do everything in your power to have Suzume like me!" I angrily told him when he got his foot off my head.
"I am helping you," Recca said. "You're the one who's making things worse because you won't let her see a good fight. You really don't have to win, just give me a difficult time, okay?"
"Just pretend that you're almost losing, please..." I tried to give him a sad, puppy look.
Recca shook his head. "No way, Tetsu. I have a reputation to keep."
"Then how are you supposed to help me that way?" I asked him.
"I don't know. This was your idea in the first place. I told you it wouldn't work 'cause she can give me a better fight than you ever could."
He was starting to get on my nerves. At the back of my mind, there was always this idea that Suzume liked Recca that's why she had been ignoring my feelings. Recca, on the other hand, shows no affection for any woman, except for his mother, of course, and the older girls who have more matured bodies.
Believe it or not, even the son of a Hokage leader is impetuous to perversion.
I thought for a better deal to get Recca give more effort in helping me. My eyes brightened when an idea came to me.
Recca noticed the change in my gloomy face. "What now?"
"I'm chaallenging you, Recca!"
"A fight again?"
"No."
"Well, what is it?" he asked anxiously. Recca was the type of person who enjoyed challenges the most, especially if the reward is very satisfying.
I signalled him to get nearer, and he did.
"Closer, closer," I said.
I placed my mouth by his ear and whispered it to him. "You must kiss a girl within a week. This challenge excludes your mother and the like, of course."
Recca got his ear away from me and hit me on the head. "Idiot! Why will I do that? You know that Otousama has his eye on me. He prohibits me from getting with girls my age for some strange reason. I'll be severely punished if he finds me out. And the fact that I did it for a bet..."
"If you live up to the challenge, then I'll be your personal slave for a month."
Recca's expression of anger weakened a bit. "You mean..."
"You can do whatever you want with me," I smiled. Recca longed to have a personal servant. "And I'll quit bugging you about setting me up with Suzume."
His face was slowly going back to normal, but a doubtful face showed up again. "What's the catch?"
"YOU will be MY personal slave if you don't live up to the challenge," I said as scarily as possible.
Recca cupped his chin with his hands. There was almost the feeling that he wouldn't even accept the challenge. I thought of something quickly.
"Why, great Recca, haven't got the guts to kiss a giiirrll?"
His face started to redden.
"I'm Recca!" I mimicked, imitating his shrill voice. "I'm a strong fighter, but unfortuantely, I'm homosexual and I don't want to kiss giiiiiirrrrrrrrrllllsss. I want to kiss guuuuyyyyyssss instead."
Yes, I was easy to provoke, but so was he. I laughed inside. "I wonder how the others will react if they heard about that," I wondered aloud.
"Stop that!" Recca shouted. "It's useless, since it ain't true."
"Well they're probably wondering why most guys have an eye for girls while you..."
"Women are not to be minded by someone like me!" He was starting to get terribly angry.
"Really? Well, everyone wants to see a weaker side of you, and they'll do everything for that, even spreading such rumors. And there's always the chance of NOT getting caught."
We were left there standing. Finally he gave in. "Okay, fine! I take it."
"Good," I said. "Revenge is mine."
================
I kept a good eye on Recca during the next week. During the first three days, he seemed idle, doing his usual stuff. Taking lessons, accepting duels and winning them, and fishing. On the fourth day, I saw him approach a girl named Tsubame.
Tsubame was a year younger than us, and she was the silent but kind and gentle type. She looks like an ordinary girl, and indeed , she looks plain enough to be mistaken for any peasant. She wasn't adept at using any kind of madougu but had the potential to be an excellent housewife. But looks and physical ability can be deceiving. Her family, although not a part of the Hokage politcs, owns the largest rice field and can afford any kind of dowry. They can influence anyone with their cold hard cash, but were really nice people and they try to help anyone who deserves it.
It was late morning. She was sitting in their garden when I saw Recca call her from the gate.
"Ohayou, Tsubame-chan!"
Tsubame looked up from her current activity then blushed when she saw Recca. "Recca-sama," she said his name. She flustered, trying to get the right words and actions. Finally, she bowed her head and said, "Ohayou, Recca-sama. May I help you?"
Recca rubbed his nose and gave a naughty smile. "Not really, I just want to talk with you, privately."
"Huh? Why?" she asked, blushing even more. It was obvious that she was one of those Recca fans.
"I just want to talk with you. Is that alright?" I heard Recca intentionally soften his voice, ready to lure any unsuspecting female into his hands.
Tsubame looked a little doubtful. "Well, Recca-sama..."
"It's gonna be okay. We'll just be talking."
"Did I do anything bad?"
"No," Recca said. He was new to all this business, but he was doing a great job at it.
They went out, and Recca started to chat with her like she was an old friend. Tsubame seemed to be enjoying all the attention she was gettting from her crush.
During the next two days, this went on. Recca's actions seemed to be confident. His father and mother didn't seem to doubt him or anything. I was afraid that he'd win this, bu I couldn't do anything about it.
By the sixth day they were starting to hold hands. My jaw dropped, when I first saw this. Then I felt a fist hit my head.
"Ouch! Who was that?" I demanded angrily. I realized that it was Suzume.
"What are YOU and THEY doing?" she pointed her nose towards Recca and Tsubame.
Recca and I had sworn secrecy about this bet. If I tell Suzume now, my body would, sooner or later, be badly mangled by both or either of them.
"Nothing," I said as innocently as possible. Suzume glared at me then grabbed me by the ear. The next thing I knew, we were near the outskirts of the village.
She grabbed me by the collar of my kimono and gave me hard punch on the face. "What did I see just a while ago?"
"Suzume, it's nothing," I said.
Suzume raised her knee and hit me at the abdomen, then hit my nape with her elbow. After that she let go of me by tossing me to the ground. Then she approached me and stepped her right foot over my chest before I could even try to stand up.
"What was it?" she asked me again.
"It's really nothing, please," I pleaded.
She kicked me at my sides, then sat on top of me. After that she gave me dozens of consecutive punches, all hard and painful.
I wondered back then why she wanted to find out. Was it because she was jealous? I pained to think of such a reason, that's why I asked her.
"Why do you want to find out, anyway?" I asked in between punches.
"I know Recca, he's not going with a girl and break his father's rules without a dirty reason," she answered me coldly.
"He likes the girl, okay?"
"If he likes Tsubame-chan, then he would have told his father. I can tell that he's with that girl because of some bet and you know something about it."
I relaxed myself. Good old Suzume, smart as usual. She realized that my surrender meant that she was right. She gave me another cold, hard punch.
"What was that for?" I demanded angrily.
"Tell me more," she said. I tried to escape, but, quickly and skillfully, she took out a kunai* from behind her obi and pointed it at my neck.
I resigned and told her everything. Her eyes narrowed after I finished and muttered, "Abusive males." After that she grabbed me by the collar again and punched me on the abdomen, knocking me unconscious.
The next thing i knew was that I was at home in my bed. Later on, I heard that Suzume told Ohka-sama everything and then caught Recca a few moments before he can make the kiss. The next day, Ohka-sama summoned the two of us to the council.
I was scared to have the whole tribal council judge us for our punishment. But when I arrived there with my father, only Recca and Ohka-sama were waiting for us. My father glared at me for bringing him dishonor with such a childsh and immature prank.
Ohka-sama smiled at my father and asked him to leave. When only the three of us were left, he cleared his throat and began a long lecture.
First, he gave us a lecture on the tight position Recca and I were in regarding women, saying that since we belong to influential families, we were supposed to act honorably and women are to be dealt with later in life. All of them sounded gibberish to both of us. Ohka-sama noticed our boredom.
"I can see that the two of you are not at all interested," he said, rubbing his chin.
Recca gave him a fake, nervous smile. "No, we're listening, Otousama."
Ohka-sama hit Recca on the head. "I guess the best way to teach you a lesson is to give the the two of you some punishment."
Both of our jaws dropped.
"Well, I wouldn't have given you a punishment if you were listening caarefully." He cleared his throat. "Anywhow, since you made this on a deal of being personal servants, your punishment will be to serve me as my personal slaves for the whole of next week."
"Otousama!" Recca objected.
Ohka-sama ignored him. "And you, Tetsu, cannot see Suzume during that week. While you, Recca, will help your Okaasama in the kitchen while you're not attending to my commands as my personal slave."
Recca angrily stood up "But, Otousama..." he said, but decided that to complain furthermore was futile.
We got through that week of terror, and learned our lessons.
=========
I was talking to Hideki, a friend of mine, when I saw Suzume walking beside Raishin, a newcomer to our village. It was against the rules for a woman to actually walk _beside_ the man, unless they're married. (which is even awkward to look at)
"Oiya, Suzume-chan's grabbing that new guy."
I think I almost heard myself growl just like a dog. There was something peculiar about that man.
"So, what will you do now, Tetsu?" Hideki teased. "Suzume's got another man."
"Shut up," I told him. "I'm gonna follow them."
"Gosh, you're really insecure," Hideki remarked as I left.
They didn't seem to notice me as I silently prowled after them. When I realized the direction they were heading to, I knew they were going to the river, a quiet and secluded place in the village which actually leads to a waterfall. I almost lost track of them when Recca greeted me.
"Konbanwa, Tetsu!" he greeted while carrying a basket of vegetables. Recca liked to volunteer for such tasks for no apparent reason.
I snarled at him and he gave me the expected puzzled look. When I went back to my prey, they were gone. It was a good thing that I had a hunch that their destination was the river. I ran towards there.
The scene that unfolded before me was Raishin whispering something to Suzume. On the other hand, Suzume's face was filled with terror. There was something wrong here, terribly wrong.
"Hey, you, Raishin!" I angrily called. "What are you doing to Suzume?"
Both of them looked at me. Raishin had a face of annoyance, while Suzume seemed that she couldn't get any happier.
"Tetsu!" she exclaimed my name.
"What are you doing here?" Raishin asked angrily.
"I think that's supposed to be my question," I answered.
I heard him curse. After that, I saw him suddenly disappear, then appeared behind me. I felt pain stab through my body, leaving it badly perforated. The world I see started to spin and darken.
"NOOOO!!!!" I heard Suzume scream
After that I ferlt another stab, then I toltally blacked out...
~Tsuzuku de gozaru yo~
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*Kunai- for those who don't know, this is the the ninja weapon Misao Makimachi of Rurouni Kenshin uses. I think Fuuko's knives/needles were derived from this one, because they are used the same way, which is being thrown/hurled at the enemy.