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Act I
Gifts of the Young
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Chapter Two: The Entrance of Yasha
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Mission: Withstand the burning pain
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Sayako ran like a cool wind through the trees. Her footfalls traced over the soft and springy earth that had been happily fed by the year's heavy rainfall. Leaves, mud, and dirt were all kicked up in her path as she seemed to be a living tornado only resembling a girl. And remembering yet again what had just happened, she ran all the faster.
More insults from children! an unrelenting voice inside her head screamed. More insults from poor little peasant children, some of whom are probably bastard children as well, daring to admonish you and your sister! Daring to act as if they are better than the daughters of the two greatest ninjas in all of Japan!
But that was not the worst torment that ripped her heart from her chest. She pounded her feet against the ground, only now understanding Rimiko's desire to be loud when she was angry. The pounding matched her angry breath, and vainly she tried to outrun her sorrows.
My sister...my twin...Rimiko feels as if she and I are the same...and yet...
The thoughts were unbidden, unwanted. Sayako tried her hardest to block them, to push herself to an even greater speed so that they no longer mattered, but they were catching up to her all the same.
And yet...even with my sister...my twin sister...the girl with whom I share my blood and spirit...I feel as though I am different...as though there is no creature in this universe that sees with my eyes...not her...not even my mother...
Sayako shook her head in attempt to rid herself of these thoughts, but instead she made herself dizzy and crashed to the ground. Her body slammed against the wet earth with a sickening smack. She rolled over onto her back but made no move to get up. Tears swelled in her eyes as the forest canopy swam before her.
Sayako knew that no child of thirteen should feel the sorrows that permanently dwelled in her heart. It was an often made joke about Sayako's quite nature, or her shyness, but it was more than that. So much more than that.
And her dreams...oh the things she saw in her dreams...
She heard noise to her left. A noise to her right. Behind. Silence. A twig snapped. Silence. The soft shuffle of leaves against earth. A sniff. A hunter smelling out its prey. Silence.
And it did not matter. The dreams...the loneliness...she could not escape them...could not escape a black destiny that had finally caught up with her...
The sounds approached closer. Something was closing in upon her. Sayako shut her eyes. That darkness was all that mattered.
But there was no attack. Instead, a warm and vibrant ki shone in that darkness. She opened her eyes slowly and for a moment thought she beheld a vibrant color, but suddenly found herself to be gazing at a never ending ebony that was infinitely reassuring.
A young boy was leaning over her, possessing a gentle elegance that she had never before witnessed.
"What are you doing down there?" he asked.
His voice was soft, as though he believed she was frightened of him.
Sayako stared up at him in astonishment. "Have we met before?" she asked.
"No!" the boy protested loudly, suddenly stepping away from her.
And then Sayako did it; she reached out and placed a hand on the boy's leg, trying to prevent him from leaving.
For a moment it felt as if his flesh was not tangible.
The fleeting oddness passed without Sayako much noticing, and her hand came to rest on solid warmth.
The boy was staring at her with wide eyes. "You touched me!" he exclaimed.
Sayako would have found this comment funny, but she too felt as if she had just done something...binding...by placing a hand upon him.
"Yes, I touched you. I don't want you to leave." Sayako said. "I have the strongest feeling that we have met before. Please, at least tell me your name."
The boy sat down next to her, though it was more as if he fell to the ground. He appeared to be beyond words. After a minuet he composed himself and ran a shaky hand through his long and messy black hair.
"Yasha, my name is Yasha."
The name reverberated deep within her, as if stirring a memory from a previous life. She gazed at him, studying his moonlit face and beautiful eyes. They were familiar eyes.
"I do not understand. Your name means demon, but you are no demon. Of that I am certain." Sayako said.
Yasha smiled. "You are truly sweet in saying that, though I do not know if you would feel the same if circumstances were different. This turn of events is very unexpected, Sayako."
Sayako gapped. "But how..."
"It is of little importance. Come with me, please. We should not linger in these woods."
Yasha stood and helped her up, then grasped a hold of her hand. During their walk back to the estate he would gaze from time to time at their intertwined hands, as if touching were a revelation to him. Sayako was in an odd sort of spell; try as she might, she could not form a coherent sentence and after a while simply gave up trying.
As she gazed around she was amazed at how far she had come. She remembered crossing the bridge and entering the woods vaguely, but in her haste she had come into the very heart of the woods. No one from the clan was allowed in this deep. Her mother would be furious if she knew.
"The Azuma clan does not normally stay at this estate." the boy stated.
"No, we don't. For some time now the clan has been suffering from sporadic attacks and we have been unable to locate the source. During the past year Lord Godha has moved the Azuma clan from place to place, hoping to deter our enemies. We are doing well in protecting ourselves this way, but we all ache to return to our southernmost estate, which is the best of all Lord Godha's realm."
The words flowed from Sayako's lips like water. She was pleasantly surprised to discover how easy it was to speak to with Yasha.
"I see now. Who are the main suspects?" Yasha questioned.
"Well, there are four main lords who dominate this area of Japan. We are the southern clan lead by Lord Godha. The western clan is lead by Lord Nakazawa, and the northern clan is lead by Lord Hachiroujirou. We are friendly with Lord Nakazawa but are wary of Lord Hachiroujirou. Much of the actions of his clan are a mystery to us. The eastern clan is lead by Lord Iekazu, and he is clearly evil. I can't help but feel that Lord Godha is waiting for a reason to take down his estate. I only hope that I am fully trained by then."
Yasha nodded slowly, as if this explained a great deal.
They came up to the bridge. The estate's large gates were now clearly visible. For the first time in her life Sayako dreaded the thought of returning home.
"Well," Yasha said, the hesitation in his voice increasing her fears, "It is time I left you."
"No!" she suddenly exploded. "Why must you leave? Are you an orphan child or do you belong to another clan? Lord Gohda will surely take you in either way." Sayako pleaded, grasping onto his sleeve.
Yasha shook his head sadly. "No, I must go. I should not have spent so long with you in the first place."
"I don't understand," Sayako cried, more to herself than to Yasha. "Do you want me to prove myself to you?"
There was a flash in Yasha's eyes before he said, "Of course not."
"No! I'll prove myself to you, and then...well then you can go, but you'll have to promise to come back someday."
Yasha was silent for a moment, then seemed to steel himself with resolve. "No, there is no test you could pass. I am leaving and I shall not return."
Footfalls to their left alerted the pair. Sayako turned and saw Bikki, a student of Hinageshi, walking in the distance. She carried a large tea kettle with her which she filled in the river. Singing a light song to herself, she walked back to the estate, slopping water along her way.
"No," Sayako said suddenly, "There is a test I can pass. And if I pass it, you must promise to return to me someday."
Yasha looked as though he were about to disagree, but something halted his words.
***
It had been a day a long time ago.
It was Sayako's first day of training with a real sword instead of a wooden one. Not used to the difference in weight, Sayako had cut herself during her first exercise and Atsutane immediately brought her to see Hinageshi. The woman applied medicine to the cut, proud to find that Sayako did not complain about the sting.
"It's a fact," Hinageshi said, "That women are able to withstand a large amount of pain. If not, we would hardly be able to give birth, now would we? And it is my theory that women are naturally endowed with a high tolerance for pain, even more so then men."
"Sounds like a pretty stupid theory if you ask me." Atsutane muttered.
"Well, then why don't we test it?" Hinageshi asked sweetly, chucking the now empty bottle of medicine at his head.
***
"And now I'm going to put that theory to the test." Sayako thought furiously as she and Yasha now knelt in front of a tea kettle just removed from the fire.
She looked at Yasha sternly, "Whoever removes their hand first loses. On three. One...two...three."
They both clasped their hands at the very bottom of the tea kettle.
For a moment there was nothing.
A blissful, wonderful nothing.
But then it came. The pain. As if a beast were lapping at her blood from the inside, savoring the taste of her essence as she was drained of all her strength. The burning, the pain, it grew in intensity, to heights she had never known.
Through the torment all she could see was Yasha, Yasha who was whispering a mantra repeatedly to himself, Yasha who was suffering with the same burden as she, Yasha with the fathomless eyes obscured by curtains of night silk strands...
"Oh, here you are Sayako. I believe your mother would like a wor...WHAT IN ALL THE HEAVENS ABOVE THIS EARTH ARE YOU DOING?"
Hinageshi stood in all her raging glory inside the small doorway. For a moment it seemed that the normally kind and docile woman towered over the pair, ready to crash down upon them with a wave of fury. Sayako exchanged a quick look with Yasha, who nodded curtly. Both children removed their hands from the kettle at the exact same moment, then bowed respectfully.
"My humblest of apologies for this ignorant display." Yasha said with incredible manners.
"We were acting childish." Sayako added.
The two straightened, and then ran from the room so fast that Hinageshi spun on her heels.
"GET BACK HERE YOU BRATS!!! LET ME HEAL YOUR HANDS SO THAN I CAN PUNISH YOU!!!"
The pair ran with incredible speed. As they went, Yasha's burnt hand found Sayako's. Sayako thought for a moment that both their injuries would protest this, but surprisingly, she found relief in the pressure. They ran until they were at the sakura garden, one which contained a small but sparkling pond in its center with a beautifully carved bridge standing proudly over its undisturbed surface. The two collapsed on the ground by the pond, shaking with laughter.
"I've never seen her so angry!" Sayako said, laughing so hard she was crying. Yasha rolled along beside her, gasping for air.
The two continued to laugh for some time. When they finally quieted they were surprised to discover how silent the garden truly was. They gazed at each other solemnly, but hastily turned away.
"So," Sayako said, a light flush coloring her cheeks. "Have I passed?"
"Yes." the boy said fondly. "Tenfold."
"Good. I'll allow you to leave, but this means that someday you must return" Sayako whispered.
Sayako and Yasha lay in silence, gazing up at the night. Their view of the stars merged with the sakura branches above, mingling to make a beautiful portrait of ebony and pink. Sayako gazed at the stars longingly.
"I wish sometimes that I was among the stars and with my father." she said suddenly, she herself startled that she had spoken aloud.
"Because you miss him in death or because you so loath life?" Yasha asked.
Sayako was slightly troubled by the seriousness of his tone. "Because I miss him. My life isn't all too bad..." she said weakly.
Yasha softened. "Tell me what troubles you."
"Well," she began. "There are things, things that worry me greatly. But..." she hesitated, "Listen, Yasha, I shall tell you of them eventually. Just, not yet." Sayako could not understand, but her words rung with high honesty. Yasha nodded in calm understanding.
Sayako suddenly remembered something that had been nagging her all week. "But currently," she continued, "I am to soon attend a ceremony where I shall choose the weapon which I am to master. Everyone is expecting my sister to choose the sword, the weapon of my father, and me to choose the twin blades, the weapon of my mother." she said.
"Has your sister come to a decision?" Yasha asked.
"Yes, but she will not tell me. She insists that it is to be a surprise." Sayako responded.
"Which weapon truly interests you, Sayako?" Yasha prodded gently.
"The twin scythes. I like the twin scythes." Sayako admitted. "They have a great and deadly beauty about them."
Yasha nodded, as if a larger picture had suddenly come together. "Listen to me, Sayako. Do not worry about this. I have a strong feeling that Rimiko shall do something unexpected at the ceremony. I am sure that your mother shall not be disappointed if you are not to pick her weapon. Your mother would want you to battle with the weapon of your own choosing."
"I...suppose." Sayako said.
"Please listen to me; choose the scythes. They are the weapon you desire most and therefore shall be the weapon you fight most bravely with. A warrior bonds deeply with their weapon, it is a relationship that cannot be compromised."
"Yes, I see what you mean. All right then! I shall choose the twin scythes, then."
"Good." whispered Yasha.
The pair then turned and continued to stare up at the night, an open sky and flurry of petals gently falling upon them.
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A/N: If you are a hardcore action fan do not worry! Action is coming, action is coming. If you are a hardcore romance fan do not worry! You can clearly see that romance is coming, it's a coming.
If you're getting restless because this story is taking a little while to unfold, please hold on and be patient! A lot of the first act is exposition. This arc is going to be long! Therefore, these first few chapters will contain exposition and character transaction that are necessary for the arc's foundation.
But hey, you've read this far. Good job! Go reward yourself. Have a cookie.