Chapter 1: The Beginning
The entire household sat around the low table of the dinning-room, eyeing the book in the middle suspiciously. It stayed like that for 5 minutes before anybody decided to make a movement, as if something bad would happen to the first person that decided to move. The silence slowly grew too uncomfortable to bear as Tohru called out nervously, "Ano… Isn't anybody going to try to open it?"
"I'm not doing it!" yelled Kyou angrily, "I didn't want to be here in the first place! Let that Kuso Nezumi do it, since he's good at about everything else!"
"Shut up, Baka Neko!" Yuki yelled back, before turning his attention back onto Tohru, "I'll do it Honda-san, but I don't think it's going to work since it didn't the first time."
"Well…what if you open it with another person like the book suggested?" Shigure pointed out thoughtfully as he lent a hand to Yuki.
"I don't know how that's going to help?" Kyo muttered, half bored out of his skin.
"Maybe it has magic powers?" Shigure suggested, tracing his finger along its ancient pages, "it was possible for Yunosuke-san to put a curse or a spell under it. It was possible during those times." He always had a fascination with books, especially ancient ones. He was a writer after all.
"You actually believe in those stuff?" Kyo questioned darkly, glaring at him through his bangs.
"Not a lot of people believe in curses, but us, Soumas are the living proof of that curses does exist!" exclaimed Shigure loudly in an Ayame fashion, as everybody else in the room sweat dropped.
"Anyways…" Yuki tried to change the subject, "let's try opening this book together."
Shigure and Yuki both kept a firm grip on the base of the book as they inserted a hand each into its ancient pages. Dusts came flying out of it as the book turned onto the second page.
"I guess that worked…" Shigure added as an after thought, as he started to read the page out loud.
"You seek my journal, because you desired to know how we became the way we are and what had triggered it, just as I did. My name is Souma Yunosuke. I'm the first mouse in the family. My father was Souma Akira, the most important person within our family. I believe it was his greed that doomed us all and ended our control over our own fates. It all started 20 years ago, on the day of Hideyoshi Tohyotomi's funeral.
Hideyoshi was an important character in the Japanese history, one of the most powerful of daimyos ever known. Therefore, Samurai from all over the country came to Kyoto to mourn his death, bringing their families with them. My father, grandfather, uncle, and many other relatives were among them. The Soumas were a highly respected family back then. Souma Kanomatsu was one of the most loyal daimyos under Hideyoshi's command. He had two sons, my father Akira, and my uncle Yutaka. My father was the elder son by three year's difference. Both of them were fair featured and exceptionally bright for their age. Many local Daimyos tried to persuade them to take their daughters in the hands of marriage, but they politely refused, knowing there was something greater in life.
And that's how everything started-
~April 28, 1598~ The Trip
Today was an exceptionally nice day. The sun was shinning brightly above, with a small hint of clouds in sight. Soft spring breeze was brushing nicely against everybody, making the weather just perfect for a small trip. The Souma family owned a nice big castle just out of Kyoto. Beautiful sakura trees were planted inside the grounds to give it a hint of royalty and beauty. The Soumas controlled more than half of the property in Southern Japan at the request of Hideyoshi Tohyotomi. They were considered one of the royal bloods in Japan, because of their power and their interesting history.
"One of you is accompanying me to Kyoto," said the calm and collected voice of Souma Kanomatsu, seated across from his two sons, "it would be for the funeral ceremony."
"I'll go father," said the two at the same time, making both of them turn to the other, before two small smiles crept up their faces.
"Can't we both go father?" pleaded the older son hopefully; his eyes were full of excitement and hopefulness.
"We wouldn't want to leave the other behind," added the younger son with the same expression.
"I wish I could, but if too many people go, we'd attract a lot of attention," he responded, sighing hopelessly, "There are a lot of people that would wish to kill us off and take our property."
"Then wouldn't it be safer to take more people along for safety issues," the lighter haired boy suggested. His eyes were now filled with interest and anxiety, hoping to be able to go to Kyoto with his father and his older brother.
"I'm afraid not," he answered, followed by an exasperated sigh, "The enemy can out number our Samurais by at least 5 times. It would be better if we just go under disguise and with as least commotion as possible until we can find more ally Samurais who are willing to fight alongside us."
"Father, we would fight by your side until the very end!" said the determined Akira as he slammed his hands down onto the table with sheer determination.
"I know you will Akira, and you too Yutaka," the father smiled lovingly before finally deciding, "You may come with me, but have extreme caution and dress in regular clothing, so you won't stand out TOO much." Knowing the fact that any women would go hysterical and would be bowing by their feet if they even catch a glimpse of them.
"Thank you, father," Akira and Yutaka both bowed to the older man in gratitude, before excusing themselves to go packing in their rooms.
"I can't wait to go!" exclaimed the excited Akira to his younger brother as they entered the courtyard, "it would be my first time in Kyoto!"
"I know, same here Onii-chan," agreed the younger man as he made his way into his brother's room, to get a chance to talk to him in private, "do you think this trip will be safe for father?"
Akira's mood faltered greatly as he slowly shook his head, "I don't know Yuta. We do have a lot of enemies that we've gather over the years."
Yutaka nodded in agreement, as he settled himself down on the wooden floor, "We'll protect him if it means risking our own lives."
"Agreed," Akira answered, putting his hand above his brothers in agreement as the door opened and a younger man entered.
"I'm going with you to Kyoto," he said as he settled himself next to the brothers, "Ojii-san said I could come."
"It would be too dangerous for you Hataru," said the younger of the brothers firmly in a demanding fashion.
"I'm coming with you," he repeated once more, louder than the last time, "I'm telling you, not asking for your opinion. I want to be there for you, to protect you. The two of you are the direct heir of the Soumas. It would be my duty to protect you and Ojii-san."
"You are too younger, Hataru," sighed Akira, "I wouldn't bare it if anything happens to you. You are like a little brother to the both of us."
"I know," said the younger man understandingly, "that's why I have to go. You are like older bothers to me. I want to be there to watch your back, just like the way you always do for me."
The two brothers exchanged glances before sighed in defeat. The Trio smiled softly to each other, knowing perfectly well this may be the last time that they would ever sit there among side each other, talking about their hopes and dreams, being careless like kids were suppose to be.
~To be continued~
The entire household sat around the low table of the dinning-room, eyeing the book in the middle suspiciously. It stayed like that for 5 minutes before anybody decided to make a movement, as if something bad would happen to the first person that decided to move. The silence slowly grew too uncomfortable to bear as Tohru called out nervously, "Ano… Isn't anybody going to try to open it?"
"I'm not doing it!" yelled Kyou angrily, "I didn't want to be here in the first place! Let that Kuso Nezumi do it, since he's good at about everything else!"
"Shut up, Baka Neko!" Yuki yelled back, before turning his attention back onto Tohru, "I'll do it Honda-san, but I don't think it's going to work since it didn't the first time."
"Well…what if you open it with another person like the book suggested?" Shigure pointed out thoughtfully as he lent a hand to Yuki.
"I don't know how that's going to help?" Kyo muttered, half bored out of his skin.
"Maybe it has magic powers?" Shigure suggested, tracing his finger along its ancient pages, "it was possible for Yunosuke-san to put a curse or a spell under it. It was possible during those times." He always had a fascination with books, especially ancient ones. He was a writer after all.
"You actually believe in those stuff?" Kyo questioned darkly, glaring at him through his bangs.
"Not a lot of people believe in curses, but us, Soumas are the living proof of that curses does exist!" exclaimed Shigure loudly in an Ayame fashion, as everybody else in the room sweat dropped.
"Anyways…" Yuki tried to change the subject, "let's try opening this book together."
Shigure and Yuki both kept a firm grip on the base of the book as they inserted a hand each into its ancient pages. Dusts came flying out of it as the book turned onto the second page.
"I guess that worked…" Shigure added as an after thought, as he started to read the page out loud.
"You seek my journal, because you desired to know how we became the way we are and what had triggered it, just as I did. My name is Souma Yunosuke. I'm the first mouse in the family. My father was Souma Akira, the most important person within our family. I believe it was his greed that doomed us all and ended our control over our own fates. It all started 20 years ago, on the day of Hideyoshi Tohyotomi's funeral.
Hideyoshi was an important character in the Japanese history, one of the most powerful of daimyos ever known. Therefore, Samurai from all over the country came to Kyoto to mourn his death, bringing their families with them. My father, grandfather, uncle, and many other relatives were among them. The Soumas were a highly respected family back then. Souma Kanomatsu was one of the most loyal daimyos under Hideyoshi's command. He had two sons, my father Akira, and my uncle Yutaka. My father was the elder son by three year's difference. Both of them were fair featured and exceptionally bright for their age. Many local Daimyos tried to persuade them to take their daughters in the hands of marriage, but they politely refused, knowing there was something greater in life.
And that's how everything started-
~April 28, 1598~ The Trip
Today was an exceptionally nice day. The sun was shinning brightly above, with a small hint of clouds in sight. Soft spring breeze was brushing nicely against everybody, making the weather just perfect for a small trip. The Souma family owned a nice big castle just out of Kyoto. Beautiful sakura trees were planted inside the grounds to give it a hint of royalty and beauty. The Soumas controlled more than half of the property in Southern Japan at the request of Hideyoshi Tohyotomi. They were considered one of the royal bloods in Japan, because of their power and their interesting history.
"One of you is accompanying me to Kyoto," said the calm and collected voice of Souma Kanomatsu, seated across from his two sons, "it would be for the funeral ceremony."
"I'll go father," said the two at the same time, making both of them turn to the other, before two small smiles crept up their faces.
"Can't we both go father?" pleaded the older son hopefully; his eyes were full of excitement and hopefulness.
"We wouldn't want to leave the other behind," added the younger son with the same expression.
"I wish I could, but if too many people go, we'd attract a lot of attention," he responded, sighing hopelessly, "There are a lot of people that would wish to kill us off and take our property."
"Then wouldn't it be safer to take more people along for safety issues," the lighter haired boy suggested. His eyes were now filled with interest and anxiety, hoping to be able to go to Kyoto with his father and his older brother.
"I'm afraid not," he answered, followed by an exasperated sigh, "The enemy can out number our Samurais by at least 5 times. It would be better if we just go under disguise and with as least commotion as possible until we can find more ally Samurais who are willing to fight alongside us."
"Father, we would fight by your side until the very end!" said the determined Akira as he slammed his hands down onto the table with sheer determination.
"I know you will Akira, and you too Yutaka," the father smiled lovingly before finally deciding, "You may come with me, but have extreme caution and dress in regular clothing, so you won't stand out TOO much." Knowing the fact that any women would go hysterical and would be bowing by their feet if they even catch a glimpse of them.
"Thank you, father," Akira and Yutaka both bowed to the older man in gratitude, before excusing themselves to go packing in their rooms.
"I can't wait to go!" exclaimed the excited Akira to his younger brother as they entered the courtyard, "it would be my first time in Kyoto!"
"I know, same here Onii-chan," agreed the younger man as he made his way into his brother's room, to get a chance to talk to him in private, "do you think this trip will be safe for father?"
Akira's mood faltered greatly as he slowly shook his head, "I don't know Yuta. We do have a lot of enemies that we've gather over the years."
Yutaka nodded in agreement, as he settled himself down on the wooden floor, "We'll protect him if it means risking our own lives."
"Agreed," Akira answered, putting his hand above his brothers in agreement as the door opened and a younger man entered.
"I'm going with you to Kyoto," he said as he settled himself next to the brothers, "Ojii-san said I could come."
"It would be too dangerous for you Hataru," said the younger of the brothers firmly in a demanding fashion.
"I'm coming with you," he repeated once more, louder than the last time, "I'm telling you, not asking for your opinion. I want to be there for you, to protect you. The two of you are the direct heir of the Soumas. It would be my duty to protect you and Ojii-san."
"You are too younger, Hataru," sighed Akira, "I wouldn't bare it if anything happens to you. You are like a little brother to the both of us."
"I know," said the younger man understandingly, "that's why I have to go. You are like older bothers to me. I want to be there to watch your back, just like the way you always do for me."
The two brothers exchanged glances before sighed in defeat. The Trio smiled softly to each other, knowing perfectly well this may be the last time that they would ever sit there among side each other, talking about their hopes and dreams, being careless like kids were suppose to be.
~To be continued~