Chapter one is here for your viewing pleasure. As a minor note, for those
of you who may not know, there is a weapon mentioned in this chapter that
some people may not be familiar with called elbow blades. To describe them
briefly, you'd have the handle, which you would hold in your fists.
Attached to the handle is the blade that is about as long as your forearm.
Besides that, enjoy the story!
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Chapter One: The Puzzle
In the smoky haze of incense and pipe smoke, the young dancer continued her routine. Anzu had short, brown hair and stunning blue eyes, her body was made for dancing and she wore a misty pink belly dancer's outfit. She had been working at this lounge for a year and she still was having trouble adjusting to the smoke that polluted the air. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed some of the older men watching her and she cringed internally. The song was nearing its end and as soon as she was finished, Anzu was ready to leave. When the dance was over and the crowd applauded, Anzu bowed, walked off the stage and into the alleyway. Her old friend Yugi Mutou was waiting for her.
"How'd it go?" he asked putting a cloak around her shoulders. Anzu sighed.
"When will those men realize, I only perform on stage, and not in their beds," she said. Yugi patted his friend's shoulder.
"Don't worry about it," the shorter boy responded, "Besides with my training they wouldn't dare to touch you."
Anzu chuckled heartily. Yugi's grandfather, Sugokoro owned a weapons shop. Yugi had given her a pair of elbow blades and taught her to use them so she protect herself from the men who used to follow her home, as well as bandits, punks, and other delinquents. She kept the blades with her as often as possible, in fact they were hidden under her cloak as she walked beside her friend.
"By the way, Yugi, how is Jounouchi's sister, Shizuka? Is her eyesight getting any better?" Anzu asked. Yugi's purple eyes went downcast.
"No, it only gets worse and worse everyday," Yugi said sadly.
"Jounouchi and Honda are really torn up about it, huh?"
"Yes, Jounouchi especially, it's his little sister, and he feels obligated to her."
There was a reflective pause from the two of them. Those three had a hard life. Jounouchi and Shizuka's parents had been dead for five years, and they had no place to go. They were dumped into an orphanage where they met Honda. The three banded together and stood up for each other and now they were living in a small, crowded area of town, trying to make ends meet by helping Sugokoro at the shop. Shizuka used to cook at restaurant, but once her eyesight started to go, she could no longer work.
"Shizuka is a darling girl though, it's a shame such things happened to her," Anzu said quietly. They were nearing the entrance of the weapons shop. They were met with a surprise when they opened the door. Shizuka was sitting with Yugi's grandfather in the back of the store and running her fingers over the cold, metal hilt of a sword.
"The craftsmanship is excellent, is this the sword you're giving to Jounouchi?," the red haired girl asked. The older man nodded.
"Yes it is, and there's another one for Honda too, those boys will need them when they start delivering weapons to my clients," he replied. Shizuka nodded. Her dear friend and her brother were going to be traveling far and wide delivering weapons soon. She was going to stay with Anzu while they were gone.
"Hey Grandfather, what's going on?" Yugi asked happily.
"I'm showing Shizuka the new swords I made for Jounouchi and Honda," the older man replied. Anzu took off her cloak and hung it on a rack not far from the door.
"Yugi, are you going to teach me some more moves or what?" the dancer said, a slight hint of impatience hanging on her words. Yugi smiled and went to go get his sword from his room upstairs.
"Alright, alright, I'll be out in the courtyard in a few minutes," he told her. She headed out the door, and into the inner courtyard of the building. Yugi bounded up the stairs and into his quarters. He snatched his old sword from its pegs above his door. Just before he left the room, he took a quick glance out of his window which faced the inner courtyard. Anzu was there, taking a few practice swings with her elbow blades. She was graceful and she easily adapted to the intricate movements needed to execute an attack. Yugi tore his eyes away and ran down the stairs and walked out to the inner courtyard to meet his friend. She gripped the handles to her elbow blades and put her arms up in a fighting position.
"Are you ready?" she asked playfully. Yugi readied his sword.
"As ready as I'll ever be," he replied. Anzu wasted no time in attacking, launching a quick swipe aimed at Yugi's head. A harsh metal clang sounded as Yugi blocked it with his sword.
"You seem a little angry today Anzu, you're trying to chop off my head!" Yugi said, stating the obvious. Anzu gave a weak smile.
"Sorry," she said sheepishly. Without another warning, the taller girl took another vicious swipe at the smaller boy. He jumped back, avoiding her attack and swiftly jabbed his sword under her arm.
"Anzu, you're not blocking, don't always focus on your attacks," Yugi instructed the girl, "Another inch, and you would have been stabbed, and then what?"
"I would have kicked you," Anzu replied, pouting a little. Yugi shook his head and sheathed his sword. He walked over to her and gripped her wrists and adjusted her arms.
"You were wide open when you were standing like that," he said. He then moved her arms to a defensive stance, "If you stand like that you are more likely to be safe from attack."
The taller girl nodded.
"Oh, and Anzu, your attacks are a little off, you must trust in your fighting spirit," Yugi added.
"Yugi, you know I'm more of a dancer than a fighter," Anzu said. The boy shrugged.
"You can cross over, fighting can be like an improvised dance," Yugi said unsheathing his sword, "Okay, one more time, focus more on your blocking and defense."
Anzu crouched into the position Yugi had shown her. Yugi swung his sword a few times, and Anzu easily blocked his halfhearted swings. Then suddenly he got a fierce look on his face and his attacks were becoming more and more forceful. Anzu barely dodged his last jab, and with a quick forward movement, the blade on her right arm was aimed at her friend's stomach.
"That's more like it!" Yugi said with a happy grin, "You learn fast, Anzu."
She returned his smile and they headed back to the shop. Jounouchi and Honda were back from a delivery and Sugokoro was holding two boxes. The boys sat on a bench on either side of Shizuka, and waited for the older man to give them another job.
"So where are we delivering those weapons?" Jounouchi asked running his hands through his blonde hair. Sugokoro shook his head and smiled.
"These aren't going anywhere but into your hands," he said giving a box to each boy. Shizuka smiled as they gaped at the contents of each box.
"Whoa, why is the blade red?" Jounouchi asked as he played with his new sword a little.
"It has an extract of copper mixed in the metal of the blade. Mr. Sugakoro says it's called the Flame Sword," Shizuka answered, "And before you ask, Honda, that's the Siberian Soldier Sword, the blade is white and has gold lightening designs in it."
"Wow, thank you Mr. Sugakoro!" Honda said. Yugi's grandfather shrugged and beamed.
"Next to my grandson, you two are my best employees," he said, "I have no more work for you two, you all can stay for dinner, or go home."
"We'll stay," Honda said. Shizuka sat and examined more weapons with her failing eyesight, and Honda and Jounouchi lounged around a bit. Sugokoro went to go start dinner. Anzu and Yugi, however, were sitting at the kitchen table in the back of the shop. Yugi had the pieces of a puzzle sprawled all over the table and he slowly, but surely pieced the pieces together. Anzu watched him as he examined each piece and tried to figure out where it went.
"How long have you been working at that?" Anzu asked.
"Eight years. Grandpa gave it to me for my birthday when I was seven, and I've been trying to get this put together ever since," he replied. Anzu sighed, watching puzzles being put together wasn't always the most entertaining thing to watch, and went to go help Sugokoro with the food.
"I'm sure you'll get it one day Yugi," she said as she stood in the doorway. The boy smiled and nodded.
"I hope so, I have a feeling that this puzzle is somehow connected to my future," he said. Anzu shook her head and grinned. Yugi once again put his attention into his puzzle. He was going to figure the puzzle out, he had to.
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That's chapter one for you. I know what you're thinking, and yes, the Flame Sword is a reference to the Flame Swordsman. The Siberian Soldier Sword is a reference to the Cyber Soldier. Come on, I needed something that sounded similar, and fit into the setting, as far as I know, there was no such word as "cyber" in ancient times.
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Chapter One: The Puzzle
In the smoky haze of incense and pipe smoke, the young dancer continued her routine. Anzu had short, brown hair and stunning blue eyes, her body was made for dancing and she wore a misty pink belly dancer's outfit. She had been working at this lounge for a year and she still was having trouble adjusting to the smoke that polluted the air. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed some of the older men watching her and she cringed internally. The song was nearing its end and as soon as she was finished, Anzu was ready to leave. When the dance was over and the crowd applauded, Anzu bowed, walked off the stage and into the alleyway. Her old friend Yugi Mutou was waiting for her.
"How'd it go?" he asked putting a cloak around her shoulders. Anzu sighed.
"When will those men realize, I only perform on stage, and not in their beds," she said. Yugi patted his friend's shoulder.
"Don't worry about it," the shorter boy responded, "Besides with my training they wouldn't dare to touch you."
Anzu chuckled heartily. Yugi's grandfather, Sugokoro owned a weapons shop. Yugi had given her a pair of elbow blades and taught her to use them so she protect herself from the men who used to follow her home, as well as bandits, punks, and other delinquents. She kept the blades with her as often as possible, in fact they were hidden under her cloak as she walked beside her friend.
"By the way, Yugi, how is Jounouchi's sister, Shizuka? Is her eyesight getting any better?" Anzu asked. Yugi's purple eyes went downcast.
"No, it only gets worse and worse everyday," Yugi said sadly.
"Jounouchi and Honda are really torn up about it, huh?"
"Yes, Jounouchi especially, it's his little sister, and he feels obligated to her."
There was a reflective pause from the two of them. Those three had a hard life. Jounouchi and Shizuka's parents had been dead for five years, and they had no place to go. They were dumped into an orphanage where they met Honda. The three banded together and stood up for each other and now they were living in a small, crowded area of town, trying to make ends meet by helping Sugokoro at the shop. Shizuka used to cook at restaurant, but once her eyesight started to go, she could no longer work.
"Shizuka is a darling girl though, it's a shame such things happened to her," Anzu said quietly. They were nearing the entrance of the weapons shop. They were met with a surprise when they opened the door. Shizuka was sitting with Yugi's grandfather in the back of the store and running her fingers over the cold, metal hilt of a sword.
"The craftsmanship is excellent, is this the sword you're giving to Jounouchi?," the red haired girl asked. The older man nodded.
"Yes it is, and there's another one for Honda too, those boys will need them when they start delivering weapons to my clients," he replied. Shizuka nodded. Her dear friend and her brother were going to be traveling far and wide delivering weapons soon. She was going to stay with Anzu while they were gone.
"Hey Grandfather, what's going on?" Yugi asked happily.
"I'm showing Shizuka the new swords I made for Jounouchi and Honda," the older man replied. Anzu took off her cloak and hung it on a rack not far from the door.
"Yugi, are you going to teach me some more moves or what?" the dancer said, a slight hint of impatience hanging on her words. Yugi smiled and went to go get his sword from his room upstairs.
"Alright, alright, I'll be out in the courtyard in a few minutes," he told her. She headed out the door, and into the inner courtyard of the building. Yugi bounded up the stairs and into his quarters. He snatched his old sword from its pegs above his door. Just before he left the room, he took a quick glance out of his window which faced the inner courtyard. Anzu was there, taking a few practice swings with her elbow blades. She was graceful and she easily adapted to the intricate movements needed to execute an attack. Yugi tore his eyes away and ran down the stairs and walked out to the inner courtyard to meet his friend. She gripped the handles to her elbow blades and put her arms up in a fighting position.
"Are you ready?" she asked playfully. Yugi readied his sword.
"As ready as I'll ever be," he replied. Anzu wasted no time in attacking, launching a quick swipe aimed at Yugi's head. A harsh metal clang sounded as Yugi blocked it with his sword.
"You seem a little angry today Anzu, you're trying to chop off my head!" Yugi said, stating the obvious. Anzu gave a weak smile.
"Sorry," she said sheepishly. Without another warning, the taller girl took another vicious swipe at the smaller boy. He jumped back, avoiding her attack and swiftly jabbed his sword under her arm.
"Anzu, you're not blocking, don't always focus on your attacks," Yugi instructed the girl, "Another inch, and you would have been stabbed, and then what?"
"I would have kicked you," Anzu replied, pouting a little. Yugi shook his head and sheathed his sword. He walked over to her and gripped her wrists and adjusted her arms.
"You were wide open when you were standing like that," he said. He then moved her arms to a defensive stance, "If you stand like that you are more likely to be safe from attack."
The taller girl nodded.
"Oh, and Anzu, your attacks are a little off, you must trust in your fighting spirit," Yugi added.
"Yugi, you know I'm more of a dancer than a fighter," Anzu said. The boy shrugged.
"You can cross over, fighting can be like an improvised dance," Yugi said unsheathing his sword, "Okay, one more time, focus more on your blocking and defense."
Anzu crouched into the position Yugi had shown her. Yugi swung his sword a few times, and Anzu easily blocked his halfhearted swings. Then suddenly he got a fierce look on his face and his attacks were becoming more and more forceful. Anzu barely dodged his last jab, and with a quick forward movement, the blade on her right arm was aimed at her friend's stomach.
"That's more like it!" Yugi said with a happy grin, "You learn fast, Anzu."
She returned his smile and they headed back to the shop. Jounouchi and Honda were back from a delivery and Sugokoro was holding two boxes. The boys sat on a bench on either side of Shizuka, and waited for the older man to give them another job.
"So where are we delivering those weapons?" Jounouchi asked running his hands through his blonde hair. Sugokoro shook his head and smiled.
"These aren't going anywhere but into your hands," he said giving a box to each boy. Shizuka smiled as they gaped at the contents of each box.
"Whoa, why is the blade red?" Jounouchi asked as he played with his new sword a little.
"It has an extract of copper mixed in the metal of the blade. Mr. Sugakoro says it's called the Flame Sword," Shizuka answered, "And before you ask, Honda, that's the Siberian Soldier Sword, the blade is white and has gold lightening designs in it."
"Wow, thank you Mr. Sugakoro!" Honda said. Yugi's grandfather shrugged and beamed.
"Next to my grandson, you two are my best employees," he said, "I have no more work for you two, you all can stay for dinner, or go home."
"We'll stay," Honda said. Shizuka sat and examined more weapons with her failing eyesight, and Honda and Jounouchi lounged around a bit. Sugokoro went to go start dinner. Anzu and Yugi, however, were sitting at the kitchen table in the back of the shop. Yugi had the pieces of a puzzle sprawled all over the table and he slowly, but surely pieced the pieces together. Anzu watched him as he examined each piece and tried to figure out where it went.
"How long have you been working at that?" Anzu asked.
"Eight years. Grandpa gave it to me for my birthday when I was seven, and I've been trying to get this put together ever since," he replied. Anzu sighed, watching puzzles being put together wasn't always the most entertaining thing to watch, and went to go help Sugokoro with the food.
"I'm sure you'll get it one day Yugi," she said as she stood in the doorway. The boy smiled and nodded.
"I hope so, I have a feeling that this puzzle is somehow connected to my future," he said. Anzu shook her head and grinned. Yugi once again put his attention into his puzzle. He was going to figure the puzzle out, he had to.
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That's chapter one for you. I know what you're thinking, and yes, the Flame Sword is a reference to the Flame Swordsman. The Siberian Soldier Sword is a reference to the Cyber Soldier. Come on, I needed something that sounded similar, and fit into the setting, as far as I know, there was no such word as "cyber" in ancient times.