Chapter 7- Jiani's Past
It was a nice evening, so everyone went to sit outside in the garden. It was here that Jiani took a seat, rested her sword across her lap, and began her story. Yahiko, Sanosuke, and Kaoru leaned forward anxiously to hear.
"I imagine that my father has told you little of himself." Jiani began. "So therefore, I doubt you know about my mother."
Kaoru nodded. "Yes, Kenshin never told us that he was married before."
"Her name was Yukishiro Tomoe." The redhead said. "I personally never had much of an opportunity to get to know her because she died shortly after I was born. Father, the man you call Kenshin, stayed with me for a few years, just up until I was no longer a toddler. Then." She paused as her face darkened. "Then, he departed Kyoto, handing me over to a couple that he had grown familiar with."
"Wow." Sano muttered. "That's rough."
'Why would Kenshin leave his own daughter like that?' Kaoru thought.
Jiani seemed to read her mind. "So when I came of age to travel alone, I began walking the roads of this new Japan, searching for him. For you see, there are still many things that need to be said and done."
"I wouldn't want to be Kenshin with her trailing me." Yahiko hissed.
Jiani stood up and pointed her long, beautiful sword towards the sky, as if summoning strength from the moon. A light breeze caused her auburn ponytail to swirl and swish like a horse's tail.
She gritted her teeth with determination. "And so, I shall prepare for this impending battle against the one called Shishio Makoto! I will join my father's side and we will overcome this evil that threatens our land!"
Yahiko broke into an enthusiastic grin. "Yeah! I'm in for sure!"
Sanosuke eagerly punched his fists together. "Alright, that's the spirit! We'll kick some Shishio ass!"
"Now hold on a minute!" Kaoru interrupted. "It's not just Shishio we have to worry about, remember? Haven't you heard about the Juppon Gatana?"
Jiani lowered her sword. "The Ten Swords?"
"Then we'll just have to train some more AND THEN kick all of their asses!" Yahiko shouted, practically jumping up and down with excitement.
Jiani sheathed her sword and faced them. "I know little of this Juppon Gatana from my past experiences." She frowned. "That would make sense if someone like Shishio was leading it. No wonder there are people like my father after him."
"You mean you actually have heard of the Ten Swords before all this?" Sanosuke asked.
"They have been around for years." The young rurouni said quietly. "I have crossed swords with the members many times, but never knew that they were linked together in any way, at least until recent rumors."
Jiani paced the floor slowly. "Shishio Makoto..that name sounds so familiar too. They must all be a supremely powerful force. We will all need time to train a little more."
Kaoru nodded. "I think so too."
But Yahiko scowled. "Aw damn it! I wanna get going!"
Jiani looked down at him. "Myoujin, there is a warrior's potential within you. It is a power that you yourself are still too inexperienced to feel." She placed a hand on his shoulder. "You must be able to draw it out, to master it, if you wish to be of any value in the war that approaches."
Sanosuke blinked several times. 'She talks so formally, just like her father.' He cracked a smile. "Okay! If training's what we need, then training's what we'll do!"
Jiani stared up at the heavens once again. "Soon Father, soon."
It was a nice evening, so everyone went to sit outside in the garden. It was here that Jiani took a seat, rested her sword across her lap, and began her story. Yahiko, Sanosuke, and Kaoru leaned forward anxiously to hear.
"I imagine that my father has told you little of himself." Jiani began. "So therefore, I doubt you know about my mother."
Kaoru nodded. "Yes, Kenshin never told us that he was married before."
"Her name was Yukishiro Tomoe." The redhead said. "I personally never had much of an opportunity to get to know her because she died shortly after I was born. Father, the man you call Kenshin, stayed with me for a few years, just up until I was no longer a toddler. Then." She paused as her face darkened. "Then, he departed Kyoto, handing me over to a couple that he had grown familiar with."
"Wow." Sano muttered. "That's rough."
'Why would Kenshin leave his own daughter like that?' Kaoru thought.
Jiani seemed to read her mind. "So when I came of age to travel alone, I began walking the roads of this new Japan, searching for him. For you see, there are still many things that need to be said and done."
"I wouldn't want to be Kenshin with her trailing me." Yahiko hissed.
Jiani stood up and pointed her long, beautiful sword towards the sky, as if summoning strength from the moon. A light breeze caused her auburn ponytail to swirl and swish like a horse's tail.
She gritted her teeth with determination. "And so, I shall prepare for this impending battle against the one called Shishio Makoto! I will join my father's side and we will overcome this evil that threatens our land!"
Yahiko broke into an enthusiastic grin. "Yeah! I'm in for sure!"
Sanosuke eagerly punched his fists together. "Alright, that's the spirit! We'll kick some Shishio ass!"
"Now hold on a minute!" Kaoru interrupted. "It's not just Shishio we have to worry about, remember? Haven't you heard about the Juppon Gatana?"
Jiani lowered her sword. "The Ten Swords?"
"Then we'll just have to train some more AND THEN kick all of their asses!" Yahiko shouted, practically jumping up and down with excitement.
Jiani sheathed her sword and faced them. "I know little of this Juppon Gatana from my past experiences." She frowned. "That would make sense if someone like Shishio was leading it. No wonder there are people like my father after him."
"You mean you actually have heard of the Ten Swords before all this?" Sanosuke asked.
"They have been around for years." The young rurouni said quietly. "I have crossed swords with the members many times, but never knew that they were linked together in any way, at least until recent rumors."
Jiani paced the floor slowly. "Shishio Makoto..that name sounds so familiar too. They must all be a supremely powerful force. We will all need time to train a little more."
Kaoru nodded. "I think so too."
But Yahiko scowled. "Aw damn it! I wanna get going!"
Jiani looked down at him. "Myoujin, there is a warrior's potential within you. It is a power that you yourself are still too inexperienced to feel." She placed a hand on his shoulder. "You must be able to draw it out, to master it, if you wish to be of any value in the war that approaches."
Sanosuke blinked several times. 'She talks so formally, just like her father.' He cracked a smile. "Okay! If training's what we need, then training's what we'll do!"
Jiani stared up at the heavens once again. "Soon Father, soon."