Author's Note: Well, what can I say, I might not be able to update as much now that I got plenty of work to do because of school. I hope you guys are enjoying this fic so far, those who read it anyway. Anyway, I'm also looking for a pre-reader for this story, I don't need one for Twin Dragon Arc, I'll post the rest of that probably sometime this week, so if you're interested, leave me a review or e-mail. In this chapter I introduce to you a new character, Azumi Shion, she'll play a huge role later in the story. The beginning's kinda slow, but whatever, let's get to the story now!
Chapter 8: Shion of the Spear
Kenshin had brought me to Katsura's seat in the dining hall. They spoke for a while as I just sat in the corner eating a bowl of soba. When I finished the bowl, Kenshin called me over. Leaving my empty dish at the table, I hurried over.
"So you want to be a soldier in the Cho Shu Clan, Mina-chan?" Katsura asked as I approached the table.
"Hai," I nodded, "my place is in the battlefield with Kenshin, not in the kitchen or house like other women."
"If that's the case," Katsura rose from his seat after sipping his tea, "welcome to the Ishin Shishi, Himura Mina-chan," Katsura extended his right hand to me.
"Just like that, huh?" I asked, placing a firm grip on Katsura's hand.
"From what Kenshin has told me, your talents would be put to waste if you stayed here with the maids," Katsura reminded me of my battle with Jin'eh from the previous night. "Your talents would greatly aid our cause, Hitokiri Kensai."
"Pardon me?" I asked, slowly pulling my hand away from Katsura's grip.
"It's only an appropriate title for the sister of the Hitokiri Battousai, is it not?" Katsura asked.
Hitokiri Kensai, the title Jin'eh gave me during our duel, now it will be my name on the battlefield. Battou and Ken, one cannot exist without the other, apart they are at half strength, quite appropriate for my brother and I, Kenshin and I would be at full strength when together, but at half when apart.
"Kenshin-kun," Katsura turned to my brother, "I want you to take her to the Satsuma Clan's camp, take Mina-kun there and train her for about a week, and then return here and we'll give you two your first mission together."
"Hai," the two of us bowed before our leader.
Kenshin led me outside, to the streets of Kyoto. As we walked, we passed the Toji Temple, not a sign of the battle that occurred the night before. People were praying there as they usually would, the blood that lay on the ground was now evaporated into the stone steps. I still couldn't believe the reaction the people had as the stood in the spot where many died the night before, I still can't to this very day. I looked to Kenshin as we walked passed, I could tell he felt the same way I did. We stopped by a small house on the way to the camp, a large furnace must've been inside because there was a lot of smoke coming out.
"Why are we stopping here?" I asked Kenshin as I looked at the straw roof sitting on the house.
"There's someone I need you to meet, Mina," Kenshin told me as he knocked on the house's door. "Shakku-dono," Kenshin called for the home's owner as he knocked.
"Himura-san, is that you?" a middle-aged man answered the door.
"Hai, Shakku-dono," Kenshin answered as I stood a small distance away.
"Who's this young lady, Himura-san," Shakku began to approach me, "have you moved on after Tomoe?"
Has he moved on, I wished he had. I wanted to be the one after Tomoe, but I knew, that it would take more time if I was to be the one after, and yet...
"No, I haven't," Kenshin answered, piercing my heart with those words.
Again I was filled with anger, jealous over a dead woman I never knew. If I think about it in the present, that was very childish of me, well, I was only a child back then compared to now.
"This is my sister, Mina," Kenshin introduced me, "she has just joined the Ishin Shishi, that she has."
"Well, it's nice to meet you, Mina-san," Shakku bowed, "hm, I can see the resemblance," Shakku observed my face and turned back to Kenshin, "you two are a perfect match."
"Please sir, you're embarrassing me, that you are," I suddenly blurted out my brother's catch phrase for the very first time.
"She even speaks like you," Shakku chuckled as he turned back to my brother. "Okay, I know why you are here," Shakku said after his short burst of laughter, "Mina-san, come with me."
Shakku led me into the back of his house where a furnace lay. The smell of ash and tempered metal was abundant in the room. Swords lay across the walls as well as many tools, an anvil sat in the middle of the room, many scratches were abundant on it's surface. It didn't take me long to conclude that Arai Shakku was a sword smith, and based on the designs of his blades, they all looked similar to the ones the soldiers of the Ishin Shishi had.
"Here you are," Shakku handed me a daisho encased in red oak.
"Arigatou," I took the blades into my belt, "I guess I should be going now then," I bowed as I returned to my waiting brother outside.
"If that piece of metal every breaks, come back and see me," Shakku called as I left the house.
Kenshin and I continued down the streets after. The snow had begun to melt, but it was still a bit cold, you could practically feel the vapor swirling around you as you walked the streets. After walking for an unaccounted amount of time, I found Kenshin and myself walking down the path in the trade route. Memories began to flood back in my head, memories I thought I had forgotten in a few days. I saw it all again, Mother and I walking down this very path to go to Kyoto, a path that would break and lead me to another. I remembered how many breaks we took and how harsh the journey was for her, stopping every once and a while for her sake. I locked the tears in my eyes as we walked, I didn't want to show any weakness to my brother, after all, I was a soldier now, I couldn't show weakness in the battlefield, and right now I was battling my emotions. We stepped out of the path about midway, turning left to head into a small bamboo thicket. Kenshin seemed to know where we were going as we went passed through the grove, but everywhere we went, it looked like we were passing the same area over and over again. Then we finally reached a small field, small straw shacks were everywhere in the field, along with wooden poles and many individuals striking them with either steel or oak.
"We're here," Kenshin said as he wiped away a small river of sweat from his forehead.
"This is the Satsuma camp?" I asked, looking down to the field.
"You two, what are you doing here?" a rude voice interrupted us suddenly.
I turned to the side to find the source, a girl about my age, long hair, as brown as earth. Her eyes didn't seem to be very friendly, the black spheres paralyzing me as Jin'eh's did. She was pretty tall for a woman, taller than Kenshin and I, she was about as tall as the average man. A red kimono clung to her body (which I might add barely clung to her because of her rather large features), along with a gray hamaka. She wore a daisho on her belt, her's were encased in black sheaths. It was just a chance encounter when I first met this woman, the first of many times we would meet.
"We're from the Cho Shu Clan," Kenshin answered the woman, "Katsura-dono sent us here, that he did."
"Wipe that smirk off your face," the woman ordered, sneering as she said those words, "and why should I believe you, do have any proof that you're from Cho Shu?"
"Well, uh...," Kenshin tried to think of something he could use as proof.
This woman just got on my nerves, I just had to do something, even if she was with the clan that was allied with mine. I reached for my new sword, but I stopped once another individual appeared on the scene.
"Shion-kun, what's the trouble?" a middle-aged man approached the woman as I returned my hand to my side.
"These two seem pretty suspicious," the woman answered, still shooting a glare at Kenshin and me.
"Shion-kun, don't you know who this man is?" the man asked her, placing his hand on Kenshin's shoulder.
"No, I'm afraid not," the woman answered, a bit calmed down, but still glaring at me.
"This is the Hitokiri Battousai from the Cho Shu Clan," the man explained, "the most powerful soldier in all of the Ishin Shishi."
"I see, but who's this supposed to be, Saigo-sama?" the woman turned her back toward me, her thumb extended in my face.
"Didn't your mother tell you it's not polite to point?!" I shoved her hand away from my face. "I'm Himura Mina, also known as Hitokiri Kensai, and don't you forget it!" I spat as Kenshin shook his head in shame from my action.
"I already forgot it, whoever you are," the woman continued to pretend I wasn't there, placing the back of her hand over mouth as laughter escaped her lips.
"Look you...!" I prepared to draw my sword, but Kenshin placed his hand over my mine as soon as I grabbed the hilt.
"Mina, stop it," Kenshin ordered me without any anger in his voice.
"...Hai," I released the grip of my sword.
"Himura-san, what brings you here?" Saigo asked after I began to cool down.
"Katsura-dono sent me here to train my sister here, that he did," Kenshin answered as he placed his hand on my shoulder, "she just joined the Cho Shu Clan this morning and she's already gained a reputation among our troops."
"A reputation," the woman began to approach me and began eyeing me from head to toe, "hm, I don't see how you could get one when there's not much to look at, you're as flat as a board!"
That just really angered me, so I balled my fingers into a fist and planted it across the woman's face. How dare she make fun of my figure, it's not my fault for being the way I am, blame nature for not giving me features that can smother a man to death.
"Yeah, well I heard that women with big breasts lack the normal amount of brain cells as those things are taking up the space!" I yelled after punching her to the floor.
"You're just jealous, little girl," the woman continued her taunts as she rubbed the red spot on her face.
"That's enough, Shion," the Saigo ordered the woman.
"Mina, you should stop too, that you should," Kenshin tried to calm me down.
"...hai, Saigo-sama," the woman dusted herself off as she returned to her feet, acting as if nothing had happened.
"I have to apologize for her actions, Himura-san," Saigo apologized, "our top hitokiri is sometimes plagued with a short temper, but that's why we hired her."
"This is your hitokiri?" Kenshin turned to the woman.
"Yes, this is Azumi Shion," Saigo formally introduced us.
"Azumi Shion huh," I repeated, "I'll remember the name of the bitch who lacks brain cells."
"You're just jealous aren't you?" Shion continued her taunts, now with a smile stretched across her face . "Jealous because I'm obviously more beautiful than you are. I mean, look at you, red hair, lavender eyes, who'd like a freak like you. The traditional Japanese woman is someone like me."
"What, a bitch who's only good in bed?" I snapped back. "No wait, what am I saying, bitches belong outside in the yard."
"You're such a rude individual," Shion sighed, "I'm appalled to even be the same gender as you."
"That's enough, Shion-kun," Saigo ordered the woman, "save your energy for today's assignment," Saigo handed the woman a piece of black paper.
"...I understand, sir," Shion placed the paper in her sleeve, "gomen," she said with a bow.
"Now, Mina-san, please head this way," Saigo directed me to the fields as Kenshin followed.
I could tell Shion was glaring at me as we headed toward the field. I felt something strange about that woman, a weird aura surrounded her. It felt threatening, but it also felt damaged, something was definitely wrong with that woman, and I'm not talking about her chest either, it was her psyche. I didn't know what was wrong with her at the time, nor did I want to know. Yet I felt another string was tied onto me, this one shared with her. It sure as hell wasn't red, maybe black for the color of her heart.
The field was very busy, pretty crowded. Someone was always tripping over someone else as each of these men tripped on each other's feet, heck, two individuals almost fell on me when they tripped. Saigo led us to a more open space in the field, this area was more secluded than the rest, and I can see why. The plant life was pretty much dead, the grass was a dull yellow, I think some patches almost looked gray, various forms of oak lay across the dry ground, just as dehydrated as the floor, reflecting a jet black color into my eyes. A typical setting for a battlefield, I've heard about scenes like this back in school, our teachers often told us samurai tales in between lectures. Kenshin and I stopped in the middle of this field, each of us handed a bokken by Saigo. After doing so, he left, returning to his men training in the other, and more healthier, part of the field.
"Before we begin," Kenshin began a lecture, his voice entering one ear and out the other, "the last time we fought, I..." his voice just seemed to trail away, my mind still focused on that stupid bitch by the name of Azumi Shion.
I thought about how much I would have liked to strangle her, or maybe have her blood to be the first spilt on my blade. I had such a bad temper back then, I guess it's still kind of bad today, just not as. How I hated Azumi Shion, I still do, and I'm pretty sure everyone who's met her feels the same way. No, maybe not men, they'd like her for her chest, how I would pity the man that would marry her, with an attitude like her's, I wouldn't be surprised if they committed suicide.
"Is that understood, Mina?" were the last words I heard that came from my brother's mouth.
"Hai," I responded, smiling, pretending as if I listened to his lecture.
"Okay then, attack when ready?" Kenshin stood with his bokken's point facing me.
As soon as he said those words, I made the first move, having my blade lead my path. It was supposed to be a sure hit, yet he disappeared from my sight before the wooden slab struck. A Ryu-Tsui-Sen, I thought I knew the attack he was going to use. I tried to move out of the way, but somehow a sudden jolt ran through my entire body. My shoulder just suddenly weighed me down to the dead ground, my face scratching against the dead grass upon falling. I turned my head up to see my brother's feet at eye level, and the tip of his bokken facing me.
"How did you...?" I asked as I forced myself back to my feet.
"I told you I was holding back the first time we sparred, didn't I?" Kenshin asked, tapping what would be the dull end of his sword on his shoulder. "This is the real god-like speed of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu," Kenshin said as he disappeared before my eyes again.
In a split second, I found myself on the ground again, this time my back forcing me to fall forward toward the ground. I was in pain all right, I didn't want to get back up, but Kenshin did it for me, his hands pulling me upward via the space under my arms.
"Are you okay, Mina?" he asked concerned.
"...hai," I answered as I staggered forward, using the bokken from preventing another fall.
"Now we're going to try this again until you can move at the same speed," Kenshin readied his bokken again, "not only that, you should be able to predict my movements after a short while."
What was supposed to be a short while turned out to be a few hours. Throughout the entire exercise, I was struck in the back or abdomen, with an occasional strike to the leg or arm. It was hell, but I didn't give up. No matter how much pain I was in, I still returned to my feet, asking Kenshin to continue, no matter how black or blue my body was. It wasn't until nightfall I finally got it. The stars' glow wasn't enough to reflect the presence of Kenshin once he disappeared, I had to rely on instinct. It was after I was hit with a Ryu-Kan-Sen that I finally felt it, I felt his ki, and I could foresee his next movement. I stood in the middle of the field with my bokken clutched tightly in my hands. Time just seemed to slow down for a moment, and then I saw him in front of me. It seemed like a minute or so as he moved, when in reality is was just a split second. He jumped high into the air within the blink of an eye, and when my eye lids rose from that blink, the next thing I know, my blade met his as we both stood in the air. I managed to counter his Ryu-Tsui-Sen with a Ryu-Shou-Sen, Kenshin looked shocked when I countered this, but there was still a smile on his face as we fell back to the earth. Upon landing, the weight in my legs suddenly gave out, leaving me to kneel before the ground again. Each of those hits had finally taken their real toll on me. Kenshin dropped his bokken and ran to me, catching me in his arms when my oak support slipped from my fingers.
"Mina, you're not hurt, are you?" Kenshin asked.
"I'm okay," I answered, still kneeling to the dead floor.
"Mina, I'm proud of you," Kenshin whispered as he held my head close to his ear.
He held me tightly, so tight not even air could squeeze through us. I felt his breath escape his lips as he held, the breeze whistling passed my ear with each heave. If my arms weren't weighing me down as well, I would've hugged him back, so I simply placed my head on his shoulder to return the gesture. My lips tried to pluck at the fabric of his kimono, but my conscience stopped me before I took action.
"Baka!" it yelled. "You can't do that, he's merely giving you a simple brotherly embrace. He thinks of you as his sister, remember, you wouldn't want to make love to your brother if you had a real one, right?"
I listened to my conscience, simply using Kenshin's shoulder as a pillow as it requested. Yet my heart was yelling at me, saying it was a great opportunity, I should've taken advantage of the situation. I began to block out my conscience, my lips were about to press against his neck, when suddenly we were interrupted.
"Hey, Kenshin-san, Mina-san," Saigo's voice suddenly yelled from across the field, "it's time for dinner, come join us."
"Hai," Kenshin called back, "let's go, Mina," Kenshin said as he helped back to my feet.
My body was still weak, it leaned toward him again. My right arm wrapped around to touch his, the rest of my body just seemed to drag to the ground. Kenshin didn't seem to mind, he simply held me close as we walked to the barracks. It was just as busy as the inn, maybe more so. Kenshin and I sat at the east corner of the room, a bowl of rice and pork were laid before us as soon as we sat. It was then that strength had returned to my arms, so I was able to use my chop sticks to pinch the pink meat.
"Aha ha ha ha," I recognized the laugh that came from across the table, sitting directly in front of Kenshin and me.
"Azumi Shion," I glared at the woman sitting before me, "what are you laughing at?!"
"I was just thinking how this color suits you better, Himura-san," Shion laughed as she mocked my bruises.
"And I was just thinking how a whore house would fit you better than a soldier's barracks," I snapped back.
"Aha ha ha ha," Shion laughed again, the back of her hand against her lips, "is that all you can do, Himura-san, make fun of my chest, can't you do anything else you little girl!"
"Why you...!" I began to reach for my sword as it sat next to me side.
"Mina, ignore her," Kenshin ordered as I rose from my seat.
"There's no way I'm taking any of this," I yelled at Kenshin as I took my sword into my hand, "if you have something to say, say it with your sword!" I yelled at Shion, breaking all the commotion echoing throughout the dining hall.
I was the center of attention among all these men, I knew it. Through the edges of my eye, I saw them all staring at me, all those eyes fixed on me and my sheathed sword. Not a sound nor a movement, the room was frozen.
"Hm hm hm," Shion began to chuckle again and it evolved into her annoying laughter before I knew it, "aha ha ha ha. You really are a rude one, aren't you Himura-san? Okay then, I'll take up on your challenge, let us take this outside then," she said as she took the sword resting at the edge of her seat.
I lead the way out, stomping so hard that I probably left a crater or two. A crowd seemed to have followed us as Shion headed outside. The glow of the moon reflected that annoying grin on her face, and the winds carried another one of her chuckles into my ear. She was awfully cheerful, the total opposite of when we first met earlier in the day. Yet that smile was wiped off her face by the time the winds died, now it was replaced by that stern look she wore earlier.
"You do know what you are getting into, don't you?" she asked with a serious tone in her voice. "This is a battle between two samurai, meaning that no grudges are to be carried into this fight, I hope you know that."
"Does it matter?" I threw her words back in her face. "I frankly don't give a damn if this is a grudge match or a samurai duel, either way, I'm gonna kick your ass!"
"Mina, you mustn't...," Kenshin tried to reason one more time as he pushed through the crowd.
"Stay out of this, Kenshin!" I barked, my eyes fixed on my opponent as I yelled.
The pain from my bruises earlier seemed to have disappeared, and my strength was regained. Determination is said to revive the warrior's spirit, the determination to teach Azumi Shion a lesson must be what had revived me. Despite this regained strength, I wanted to end this quickly, so I decided to start with my best attack. Taking my sheathed blade into my left hand, I arched forward with my right preparing to draw. Kenshin said that Battoujutsu used the god-like speed of the Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu to it's full potential, so I might as well use that to my advantage.
"A sword draw technique huh," Shion observed as she slid the longer of the two slabs of steel out of their oak sheaths, "I see, then..."
Suddenly she charged at me, her blade pointed upward as it sliced the air. A diagonal slash coming from the upper-right, I anticipated this move and jumped a step back, but I didn't see was the roundhouse kick coming from the lower-left that followed after. The kick knocked me toward part of their crowd, each member of the audience stepped back to make room for my fall. The next thing I saw was a downward strike of the blade. I rolled to the side, and again I missed the attack that followed, this one a back flip that had both of Shion's feet strike my chin consecutively. That kick somehow knocked me back to my feet, and I found her delivering a side slash next. Based on her actions thus far, I caught the with my blade flat against her's, and then I ducked before her crescent kick coming from the right knocked me to the floor. As I recovered from my duck, I spun behind her and aimed my sword at the back of her neck.
"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu," I shouted as I quickly flipped the sword's edge to the dull side as I drew it, "Ryu-Kan-Sen!" the impact created a large thud as it stuck between her spine and skull.
A few seconds after the strike, she flew toward the crowd, again it backed up to make room for her fall. Her style was quite simple once you see it after a while, she'll attack from one angle with her sword, and then she'll follow up with a kick from the opposite angle of the first attack. I thought that she would give up once I learned her pattern, but instead, she rose back to her feet.
"That really hurt," Shion spat as she flicked her hair to the side. "You are very skilled to see through my attack pattern after seeing it only three times, however," Shion then drew her wakezashi, "I've only begun to flex my muscles."
I flipped the blade of my sword again, the sharp edge again taking the lead of my attacks. I lunged forward, the wakezashi caught my stab attack as the katana went for a outward slash. I jumped back, readying my sword for a follow up attack. Nothing, instead she just stood there, waiting for me to attack. Not wanting to wait, I quickly jumped into the air, as high as I could, plummeting toward the speck that would reflect the image of my opponent with each instant I fell.
"Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu," I screamed as I began to bring my blade down, "Ryu-Tsui-Sen!"
Shion caught my attack, bringing both of her blades above her head with an 'x' formation, locking my sword in place. I forced all my weight into my sword, and suddenly I fell to the ground once more. I was able to break my fall with a small flip, landing back on my feet almost in an instant. With one sword pointing to the upper-left and the other to the lower-right, Shion was left vulnerable. I went for another lunge, but to my shock, I struck nothing but steel. Looking to where my blade was targeted, I found two sword hilts joined together at the base. Turning my head upward a bit, I saw a smirk on my opponent's face, and suddenly I was pushed back with a sharp pain suddenly coming from my side.
"Che!" I spat as I gripped the source of the crimson river now flooding from my side.
"What do you think of my weapon?" Shion asked as she twirled the two blades which were now locked as one.
The katana's blade faced upward as it's sharp edge faced the east just as the wakezashi's faced toward the ground with the dull edge facing the east, the same direction as the katana's sharp edge. Both of the swords' tips were facing in opposite directions, the moon's glow reflecting off the katana while the shadow reflected off the wakezashi. I've heard of this weapon before, and based on it's length, it's not a double-bladed sword. This new weapon, taller than it's user with two curved blades on both ends, it was a...
"Naginata," I said panting, still trying to recover from my wound.
"The true weapon of a woman samurai," Shion said as she spun the weapon to the side, "although it pains me to see it's numbers dwindle as the days go by."
"Well boo-hoo," I released the hand gripping my cut, placing it back on my sword, "no one really gives a damn, so let's just get this over with!"
This fight lasted longer than had I expected, and I wanted to end it in that very moment. Again, I slid my katana into it's sheath, preparing to draw it once more. Glaring to the figure of my opponent, she suddenly flipped the blades of her spear, pointing the sharpened edge of the katana upward. We stood there for a few moments, waiting for the other to attack. Because of my brashness, I struck first, charging at full speed. I felt the blade scratch against it's sheath as I pulled it out, pulling it upward toward the neck of my opponent. It was too soon, she saw what I was about to do and ducked, I was wide open, and then, I was put into a world of pain. The longer blade of the katana struck my lower jaw, I felt a hard object in the place of a cut, she had switched the blade's edge at the last moment. The second blade then swung upward in a quick spin of her fingers, this time knocking me into the air. I saw as Shion followed the spin of her naginata, her feet kicking my body just as they did with the first attack I was struck with. I watched as the longer naginata blade planted itself into the ground, with both of Shion's gripping the pole portion of the weapon at the same time. Her body launched upward, her feet striking first against my back, and then the wave of both arms as she arched forward during the jump, pushing my body to the ground as they did so. The next thing I knew, my back was flat against the ground, and I was staring at the moon's glow through the reflection of the naginata's blades. There was something also weighing against my stomach, no wait, I should say someone. It was Shion, sitting on my stomach, hands on her lap, resting on me all lady-like. She must've done this when she pushed my body to the ground during that jump she made.
"You are defeated, Himura-san," Shion taunted me with a smile as she slowly rose from her seat, "please think before you take action," she said as she took her weapon out of the ground.
"That was wonderful, Hitokiri Shion," I overheard one of the crowd's audience members cheer her on as they cleared a path for her.
"Let me buy you a drink," I heard another cheer for her.
"No, let me," I heard a third.
"Please," she said with a giggle, "I don't want to drink too much, I wouldn't want to end up so drunk that I'd pass out."
"Damn...," I hit the back of my head against the ground as I lay in defeat.
"Mina!" Kenshin suddenly to my side.
"Che, I'm fine," I brushed my brother away with the wave of my arm, "I'm fine," I said as I glared into the barracks' dining hall where everyone was celebrating Shion's victory over me.
I was angry at the time, at Shion, and myself. Angry at her for starting something with me, and at myself for my weakness. That defeat taught me that I needed more training, and I needed to shape up, I was too cocky and brash, that must've lead me to my defeat. If I can turn back the clock and relive that incident, I would've ignored her like my brother ordered me to do so. I wanted a rematch, and eventually I would get, maybe more times than I had wanted...
Chapter 8 Liner Notes
The origin of Azumi Shion- As you have read, you now know of Azumi Shion. She was not a real person in the Revolution, but she is based on an unnamed female hitokiri who fought for the Satsuma Clan who also fought with a naginata. This hitokiri was said to have killed over thirty men in one battle, how, I don't know. It is said that she was possibly a slave sold to a member of the Satsuma Clan, and that she was ordered by her master to fight during the Revolution. There are tales that she was supposedly killed in the battle of Toba-Fushimi, while others say she escaped the war and moved somewhere in the country. Shion's name is actually a tribute to two characters. Her family name, Azumi, is actually the name of a character in the anime and manga series, Real Bout High School, the character's full name being Kiribyashi Azumi. Kiribyashi Azumi was a master of the naginata just as Shion is, but her naginata only had a single blade. I basically copied Kiribyashi Azumi's laugh that she always used to taunt her rival, the main character of Real Bout High School, Mitsurugi Ryoko, her hair style, attitude, and...how can I put this...other features. The next character she is based on was Uzuki Shion, the main character in the upcoming video game Xenosaga Episode 1. I used obviously used the character's name, and part of her hand-to-hand style of combat, you know, the kicks and stuff she used on Mina.
Who's Saigo?- Saigo Takimori was the leader of the Satsuma Clan during the Revolution. After the Revolution, Saigo was given an office in the Meiji Government (sorry, I can't remember what it was). Saigo was displeased with the government and resigned, and in September of 1877, Saigo began a war, along with former samurai who were displeased with the new government, this war being called the 'Seinan War', it was later dubbed the final battle of the samurai. Saigo's army lost the war, and Saigo was then ordered to commit sepuku (honorable suicide, it's basically done by having the person stab themself in the stomach and an on-looker would slice off their head once they are stabbed) which he did.
What's a naginata?- It's a Japanese spear with a curved blade (usually as long as a katana or wakezashi) attached to the end of a pole. The naginata were mainly used during the early days of the Tokugawa, but their numbers slowly dwindled as the weapon was more complex to use than a katana. It was still taught in samurai families, mainly to the women of the family as they kept the tradition alive. Even today, primary users of the naginata are women. There are some double-bladed naginata, just like the one Shion has, in fact, the same type she had were even made, although they were often rare to find, most are now held in Japanese museums.
(Next time: "I pull her away from this demon, but I cannot pull her away from my world, she is now swallowed by it, forever trapped in it's belly. She does not want to leave, she is too immersed in it's contents. I worry for her, I worry as she begins to travel the world alone..." -Himura Kenshin)
(Author's Note: Well, how was it? Yeah, I know Shion comes off as a bitch when you first meet her, but I'm sure your opinion of her will change as the story progresses. Anyway, the next chapter won't have any action, just some angst and character development. So be kind and drop me a review, not a flame please!)