Author's Note: Okay, so it looks like I'm okay now, the surgery was very minor, I guess I can tell you what it was now. It was dental surgery, they had to take some of the gum on the top of my mouth and put it on the lower part of my mouth because I had a weak gum line there. So I can't really talk at the moment, or eat solid foods for about a week. Anyway, enough of my ranting, let's get on with the show. Oh yeah, before that, this chapter has Mina's first kill, so there'll be action.
Chapter 4: Lake of Crimson
The next morning was the second day of my new life, one I thought in which I didn't have to suffer in. The aroma of miso soup and pork awakened me as they sailed into my nostrils, for once in my life a meal was waiting for me as soon as I awakened. As the darkness in my eyes disappeared, I found a blank ceiling of white staring back at me. I turned to my side, still in my futon, looking outside. Beautiful white powder rest on the balcony and roofs, for once I was able to admire nature. The white mounds reminded me of my new life, blank, and ready to be written into history. After admiring the blank powder, I hurried downstairs to find the inn as busy as it was last night. Kenshin was nowhere to be found, I had no idea where he went.
"Perhaps Kenshin went out for a bit," I told myself as I continued to scout for him among the masses of soldiers.
"You there," the finely dressed man whom Kenshin spoke with last night approached me, "you're the one Himura-kun brought in last night, is that correct?"
"Hai," I nodded, bowing at the individual at the same time, "I'm Mina, and you?"
"Katsura Kogoro," the man took my hand into his, shaking it up and down, "I'm the leader of the Cho Shu Clan."
"Ah, it's a pleasure to meet you, Katsura-sama," I flashed him a smile as I continued to look for Kenshin from the corner of my eye.
"Let me be blunt," I turned back to Katsura as soon as he said those words, "anyone who is with the Cho Shu Clan must contribute to the clan."
"Contribute," his words puzzled me at first, "oh I see, you want me to act the goddamn whore for all these men, is that it?!" I found myself suddenly losing my temper.
"Mina-dono, that's not what Katsura-dono meant," I turned around to find my red-haired warrior. "Mina-dono, you have to work for us if you intend to stay, and not as a whore, but you'll have to assist in the chores the maids do at the inn."
"Oh...," I begin to calm down, my face suddenly being weighed to the floor, "gomen, Katsura-sama."
"Quite alright, Mina-chan," Katsura told me as he made his way upstairs, "Himura-kun, have her get straight to work."
"Hai," Kenshin nodded at his leader as he walked to the floor above. "Well then, Mina-dono, shall we begin?" Kenshin turned back to me with the usual smile on his face.
"Begin what?" I asked, following the young soldier into the backyard of the inn.
"Here," Kenshin tossed a curved strip of oak at my feet.
"A bokken, what will I need this for?" I took the wooden blade into my hand.
"Mina-dono, Kyoto is a very dangerous place, that it is," my samurai savior took a bokken of his own into his hands. "I wouldn't want you to get in the same situation as you did last night, that I don't, so I think it's best that I teach you the basics of swordsmanship."
"Why teach when I have no weapon," I asked, swinging my wooden blade to the side, "and I doubt a wooden stick will be enough to defend myself."
"I'll give you a real sword later, Mina-dono," Kenshin assured me as he pointed his wooden sword toward me. "Shall we begin?"
I don't know what overcame me as soon as he said those words, but suddenly my body was flying toward his with my oak blade piercing through the air. I brought it down as soon as he came in range, yet I hit only air, it seemed as if he disappeared. I was confused for a mere second, until I heard the whistling of some kind of falling from above. Kenshin was there, as if he were flying toward me, his bokken in hand ready to strike. Naturally, I jumped back, and somehow I evaded the attack.
"You're pretty good for a beginner, Mina-dono," Kenshin complimented me as soon as he landed.
"The fight's not over yet!" I ran at him again, this time placing my weapon ahead of my body.
The oak blades created a large 'crack' upon impact, the loud thud crashed through the entire area. The two bokken locked for a mere second and then we both went for another strike. Again, another 'crack', yet this time our blades remained locked. He tried to push me back and as I tried to do the same, yet he was beginning to overpower me. Thinking at the last second, I stepped to the side and Kenshin staggered in the direction of his wooden blade. The next thing I knew, I mimicked his previous action, somehow jumping into the heavens and plummeting down on the red-haired samurai. Our wooden blades met again, with me still in the air, his blade supporting my weight, keeping me from the ground. Suddenly another 'crack', this one smaller than the last. A black web of lines were soon engulfed into Kenshin's sword, and suddenly I found myself on the ground, my face buried in dirt and snow.
"Ow...," I moaned as I staggered to my feet.
"Mina-dono, that was...amazing," Kenshin complimented me, tossing the remaining portion of his bokken away. "You were able to mimic the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu's Ryu-Tsui-Sen by only seeing it once. It took me about a week before I was able to learn."
"Mother always told me I was a fast learner," I brushed the white powder off my cheek.
"Did you see that?" I looked back inside to find a crowd suddenly gathered around.
"That new girl...," I heard another's words.
"Very well executed," I soon found Katsura headed toward my direction, "you have the skill of a seasoned warrior, Mina-chan."
A warrior, it seemed rather odd to have been complimented by that. Those skills I used during my lesson, other than his Ryu-Tsui-Sen I mean, they were all techniques I saw sometime in the past. When you live on a farm, it's somewhat common to see bandits pick fights with anyone passing by, but for some reason, the fighters leave all observers alone. I guess after watching stuff like that for a while, I learned swordsmanship through observation.
"...Arigatou, Katsura-sama," I placed the bokken to the side, having it's blade lean against the wall and ground.
"I guess this concludes your first lesson, Mina-dono," Kenshin gave me his usual smile as he placed his hand on my shoulder.
"All right, let's all go back inside everyone," Katsura suddenly ordered everyone, breaking up the crowd. "Mina-chan, can you please help the ladies in the kitchen?" Katsura turned toward me, giving me an order.
"Hai," I nodded, hurrying to the kitchen.
Things just weren't the same after that. Working in the kitchen was rather dull, duller than it usually was. Everything was just going so slow ever since that event. The adrenaline I felt during that lesson, it felt rather pleasing, but something was missing. The rest of the day just went by so slow, with me helping out in the kitchen and doing chores around the inn just as the other women did. It was just like back on the farm, minus the watering the plants and all that of course. Sure I had things to do, but it was rather tedious. Clean this, sweep that, I don't know how I could've lived that life again. I thought I would never escape the duties of the house, the 'duties of the woman'. Why can't men work around the house and us women have to do everything? Why should society have to revolve around them, heck, society would crumble without us to take care of everything.
Anyway, getting back to my story, night fell before I knew it. As soon as I was done with all the chores the innkeeper gave me, it was time to sleep. Again, I had to share a room with Kenshin, but I didn't mind, I actually preferred to.
"How was your day, Mina-dono?" Kenshin asked as soon as I entered our room.
Kenshin and some of the Cho Shu soldiers went out earlier in the day, probably picking some fights with the Shinsengumi. All of them returned, luckily, but I still worried about Kenshin while he was gone.
"Tiring," I groaned, plopping face first into my futon, "if I didn't know better, I would think that I was back on the farm. Is it really that hard for you guys to fold your futons and keep things clean?"
"I'm sorry, Mina-dono," Kenshin apologized, unaware my last sentence was a joke, "I'll make sure everyone cleans up after themselves, that I will."
"I was only kidding, baka," I used my remaining strength to nudge his shoulder. "It's not your fault, it's the innkeeper. She's such a clean freak."
"In any case, shouldn't you save up whatever energy you have for tomorrow," Kenshin told me, tucking me in with my futon's blanket, "who knows what the innkeeper will have clean tomorrow, maybe the bathhouse?" Kenshin joked.
"Very funny, Kenshin," I chuckled, "oh man, that would be hell."
"Good night, Mina-dono," Kenshin patted my hair before he went to his futon.
"Night, Kenshin...," I found myself dozing off.
What seemed like a second later, I had found myself somewhat refreshed, I had just been awakened after a short rest, but instead of being awakened by the morning sun, the words "It's the enemy!" rang through my ears. Immediately I darted to my feet, turning to the balcony to find the stars and moon still waiting for the sun.
"Himura-san, wake up!" two Cho Shu men suddenly slid the doors of our room open.
"I'm awake," I turned to the corner of our room to find the samurai already prepared for battle. "What's the situation?" Kenshin asked the men, fastening the two swords on his belt.
"Three of those damned Mibu Wolves have found their way here," one of the men reported to Kenshin, "we think they're still in the area. The others have already gone outside and began patrolling the west and south roads of the inn. Himura, we need you're help to locate these individuals."
"All right, I'll secure the perimeter of the inn," Kenshin informed the men, "you two, take the east roads all the way up to the bridge."
"Hai," the two men nodded.
"Wait, what about me?" I asked Kenshin, stopping him before he left the door.
"Oh, right," Kenshin had almost forgotten about me. "Shinji," Kenshin looked to one of the Cho Shu men, "you stay here and guard Mina-dono."
"Hai," the man on the right nodded.
"Let's go," Kenshin looked to the other man and the two bolted out of the room.
As he ran, I felt our red string being unwound. I would have followed once the string had been made taut, following him out of my own free will, but that had not been the case. Instead I remained here, with a man I wouldn't know for very long.
"Has everyone else left the inn?" I asked Shinji as he sat in the corner of the room, remaining calm.
"Almost everyone," Shinji answered, removing a tobacco pipe from his kimono's sleeve, "the only ones left here are some injured and the women. I'm the only soldier here that can still fight."
"Well that's reassuring...," I bit my lip, thinking that we're probably going to die if those three men came in here.
"We've got one," I heard a yell from outside.
"All right, two more to go," I heard another.
"Don't worry, Mina-chan," Shinji took a puff of his pipe, "at this rate they'll find the other guys before you know it. Smoke?" Shinji offered me the pipe.
"I've never done this before," I took the pipe into my hand.
I took the thin end into my mouth and inhaled. Clouds of tobacco pushed through my throat, too many clouds in fact that I coughed many of them out. It left my eyes watering and my heart racing at the speed Kenshin ran when he left.
"How can you smoke this?!" I coughed, returning the pipe to Shinji's hand.
"You inhaled too much," Shinji pushed the pipe into my hand, "now try again, this time only inhale a quarter of what you did."
I looked at the black object for a second, the smell of the crop inside astounded me, so I tried once again, this time following Shinji's recommendation. The clouds skimmed through my throat, as smooth as a baby's skin. The clouds then escaped my mouth a few seconds later, it felt good, though my heart was still throbbing after.
"Like that?" I asked, returning the pipe to his hand.
"Hai," Shinji nodded, "but you can keep it." Shinji pushed the object back to my hand, "it's more suited for a warrior like you than an average grunt like me."
"Why do you say I'm a warrior?" I asked, taking another puff of tobacco into my lungs.
"That feat with the Battousai earlier," Shinji explained, "no one has every beat him, even during training. You were the first person to do so, and it was only your first battle too, you'd be an incredible soldier if you were in the front lines with us."
"Would I?" I asked, taking a final puff of the pipe.
"That's the second one," I heard Kenshin's voice from outside, "one left."
"That's going by pretty fast," Shinji looked outside, "it should be safe now, don't you think?"
"Hai," I answered as I placed the pipe into my kimono's sleeve pocket.
"I'm pretty hungry," Shinji suddenly changed subjects, "wanna get something in the kitchen?"
"Sure," I agreed, my stomach also empty.
We treaded downstairs and to our amazement, everyone still in the inn was asleep. The kitchen was empty, no food was left, I guess all the men must've finished off all the food for dinner, leaving no leftovers.
"Gee, nothing left," Shinji looked into the empty pots.
"If you want, I could fix some miso soup," I told Shinji, "I just have to get some radishes from the storage."
"Can you do that?" Shinji asked, but I was already out the door.
I walked through the backyard and headed for the storage, I soon found Shinji following me. I pried open the storage shed; it took a while as the door was a bit frozen. There were the radishes all right, along with other vegetables. I grabbed two radishes and Shinji and I began to make our way back inside. Before we could slide the door open, a small 'creak' echoed from the corner of the inn's fence. I remained paralyzed for a few seconds, knowing who had just jumped the fence, it was the remaining Shinsengumi member who had found this place.
"Shinsengumi!" I jumped back as soon as I saw the man.
"Mina-chan, stay back!" Shinji drew his sword on the man.
"Another Cho Shu dog!" the man removed a scarlet blade resting on his belt.
"Kyah!" Shinji dove toward the man with his blade leading the way.
The enemy smirked as he took a step to the side. In the next second, I found a geyser of crimson emitting from Shinji's side. Shinji fell toward the icy moss, painting it with a ruby red where he lay.
"And what do we have here?" the Wolf flashed his fangs at me.
"Mina-chan, run!" Shinji uttered, using the remainder of his strength to tell me those words.
I should've ran, but out of instinct, I grabbed the bokken I left against the wall this morning, pointing it at my adversary. I felt the adrenaline from earlier flow through me again as I stood there ready to strike.
"What're you trying to pull," the Wolf smirked, whipping the blood off his blade, "you think you can pierce a wolf's heart with a splinter?!"
The Wolf dove toward me, his steel blade meeting my wooden one. The blade was engulfed in oak for a second, but then it was free once it slid through the other half of my weapon. Dropping the remainder of my sword, I began to step back, falling after my heel met with Shinji's arm.
"Trying to play hero," the villain laughed, "women are pathetic! You should've stayed inside and gotten things ready for the morning, missy, but your role change will be rewarded with death!"
"I hope you know how stupid you sound," I spat at the man, my hand crawling toward Shinji's blade, "because those will be the last words that escape your mouth!" my finger's wrapped around the blade at the very instant.
Out of impulse, I slashed upward at the same moment my foe had slashed down. The steel slabs met, crashing against each other. I managed to push his back, and then I quickly found myself leaping into the heavens as I did earlier.
"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu," I screamed as I plummeted back down, "Ryu-Tsui-Sen!"
I brought my blade down upon the man's skull, splitting it and his torso in two. A flood of crimson gushed after, this one more violent than the one that came from Shinji. The warm liquid sprayed onto my skin and clothing, painting me a ruby red. I stood there, looking at the remains of the Wolf, paralyzed. Was I sad, did I feel regret, I still don't know what I had felt that day. Moments later, a crowd had been drawn around me once more. I heard their whispers, words such as "amazing" or sentences that began with "How was she...". I just stood there, staring into the frozen pool of red, the iced scarlet reflecting the image of the crowd. I saw one member push his way through the others, it was Kenshin. I just knew that if anyone was going to find this unbelievable, it would be him.
"Mina-dono...," Kenshin just stared at me once he pushed his way through, also paralyzed by my action, "did you...?"
"I...slew him," three words were able to escape from my mouth. "I...," the grip around my blade loosened, sending it to the crimson-painted snow.
"Mina-dono...?" Kenshin took a few steps toward me, showing me his concern with a somewhat saddened face.
"Gomen...," I shut my eyes, shielding them from his.
"You...did what you had to do," the feel of Kenshin's arms suddenly wrapped around me. "I'm proud of you, Mina-dono."
"Kenshin...?" I found my arms wrapping around his body.
We stood there, our bodies covered in the scarlet liquid of life. I had taken my first dip in the Sanzu River, a river which rests on my new path in life, the path of violence.
Chapter 4 Liner Notes
Mina's got an attitude problem in this story, what's with that?!- Before she took up Kenshin's training, she had a bad temper. She still has a little bit of it in the Twin Dragon Arc (it was hinted when she kidnaped Kenji). Once she hangs around Kenshin more, she'll start to act like him as well, including his way of speech, which is seen when she narrates the story at certain points.
What does 'baka' mean?- 'Baka' can be translated as 'idiot' or 'stupid' or anything else around that area.
What's the Sanzu River?- The Sanzu River is believed to be the river the dead must pass in order to go to the afterlife. I think this is a Shinto Religion belief, but I'm not so sure, I got this information from the video notes in the Excel Saga anime, DVD 1.
(Next time: "Fate had interfered in her life, pulling her strings as if she were a puppet, pulling her into my world, a world that could destroy her. She has already bit into the ripened fruit of blood, the bitter juice enticing her with something she never should have felt. How am I to protect this frail creature, how can I avoid the same destiny that fell upon my first love...?" -Himura Kenshin)
Author's Note: Well, how was it? I hope you've enjoyed the story thus far. Things will only get darker as this fic goes on. So if you've enjoyed the story so far, please leave me a review, not a flame please. Oh yeah, the more reviews I get, the more chapters I'll upload during an update. So far, about one-fourth of the story is written so far, it's just that I haven't posted them yet. So yeah, leave me a review please, and suggestions for future story events are welcome too.