Somewhere in Tokyo, a girl about the age of 18 or so is walking down
a dirt road. Her memories replaying monotonously within in the depths of
her mind.
She had been an orphan for quite some time, mentally she grimaced, and she had only been about 8 years old when she had lost her family. The years after that were hard ones for her, but somehow she always managed. Except that one time, She said mentally. What happened to him? She thought.
It must have been about 5 or 6 years ago, it was hard to recall how many years it's been, but what happened that day was crystal clear in her mind. She had been doing chores for an elderly couple up the road; they always paid her a few coins for her troubles, a nice family indeed. One day she had been drawing water from the well, when a group of thugs started giving her trouble, eventually leading to violence.
It was then, when that strange man appeared, almost out of nowhere. Right before the girl's very eyes, all six men, they were all dead in on sweep of a sword. No, not dead, a clear image of a reverse blade sword surfaced in her memory. Tears formed in here eyes as she threw her arms around the man. After regaining self-control, it came to her that she hadn't even thanked him.
"Excuse me," she said. "I wanted to thank you, Mr. err."
"Himura," he replied. "My name is Kenshin Himura"
"Thank you Mr. Himura," she began.
"Please, call me Kenshin"
"Kenshin then, thank you for saving my life, I don't have much to repay you with. Though, it looks as if you have been traveling for quite sometime, perhaps I could offer you food and shelter for the night"
"Food does sound good, that it does," he replied. "If you don't mind taking in a stranger for the night" he finished with a smile.
"Oro!!" He said. "I have forgotten my manners, that I have, what is your name miss?"
"Arie-Sung" she began. "Arie-Sung Kyoketsu. It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Himura err. Kenshin"
Coming back from her memory, Arie-Sung realized it was getting dark. Leaving the road, she set up camp. With any luck, she would be in the city by noon tomorrow. Then, she thought, and then I will find him. I will find Kenshin Himura. And with that, she fell into a deep slumber.
The night plunged deeper into her past, the truth; the reason for Arie-Sung's endless quest to find Kenshin. While during the day her conscience may mislead her, during the night, her heart would not. Dreams never lie.
"Is this where you live?" Kenshin asked, as they entered the small, but well kept house.
"I know it isn't anything elaborate," Arie-Sung said. "But, to me its home. The only bit of home that I have left" She finished mournfully.
"Don't you have any family?" Kenshin asked cautiously.
"No" was all that Arie-Sung replied, and then quickly changed the subject, "Let's get you to your room, I'll start making dinner"
For most of the night, not much more was said, beside the compliments and "thanks yous" for the meal. It was nearly dark before conversation broke again.
"If you don't mind my asking," Kenshin began. "What happened to your family? I mean. You do look a little young to be on your own yet" That's all it took. Before Kenshin could tell what was going on, Arie-Sung sat before him in tears.
"Before the revolution ended," she began. "My family was slaughtered by a gang of thugs, similar to the ones you saved me from. But, these men were different, these men carried guns. They killed my family, the livestock, everything. They probably would have killed me too, if it wasn't for the fact that I was gone when it happened"
Are-Sung's tears had cleared now, but the sorrow still remained in her eyes. She's a strong girl, that she is thought Kenshin.
"Himura," Arie-Sung said looking up. "Please say you'll stay for awhile? I would. well. I would like you to teach me swordsmanship, even if it's just to block and parry. PLEASE! Don't leave me until I can defend myself" As she began to cry again.
"I won't leave," he said. "I promise I won't leave you until you can defend yourself"
"Promise, promise?" Arie-Sung asked.
"I promise, promise" Kenshin replied with a smile.
And with that, they bid each other "good night" and went to bed. But, now the image was getting fuzzy, and the last image of Kenshin's face was slowly drifting.
"KENSHIN!" Screamed Arie-Sung, abruptly awakening from her sleep. Panic struck her for a moment; reality was becoming a dream, what was reality? What was she going to do? Was she going crazy? No, she just needed to find him, then. she thought then everything will be okay.
It was early; the sun wasn't even up yet. After eating a cold breakfast of fruit, bread, and cheese, Arie-Sung decided to begin moving, and maybe stop at a hot spring on the way. Yes, she thought. I'm just too nervous the hot spring will ease some tension away.
The day continued on, and the morning sun was hot. I suppose it doesn't help wearing this stupid straw hat, Arie-Sung scolded herself. But. she thought People don't seem to bother me, thinking that I'm a man and not a woman, and it does keep the sun out of my eyes. Mentally she shrugged, let out a deep sigh, and continued on her journey.
Getting caught up in her thoughts, Arie-Sung forgot to watch the road. Before she could stop herself, she tripped and fell into a group of men standing in the road. Swearing under her breath, Arie-Sung stood up; dusting the dirt off of her worn robes, and went to apologize.
Now seeing the men for the first time, without tripping and falling on her face, Arie-Sung recognized that the men were a group of wanted outlaws. She remembered reading about them in the paper not too long ago; they were wanted for rape, murder, and theft, if she remembered correctly. She wanted to avoid trouble if she could.
"I'm sorry," she began. "I didn't mean to bump into you, you see."
"Hey kid!" One of the men said. "Who the hell do you think you are!?"
"Yea!" Another one piped in. "Don't you know who we are?"
"I'm sure you've heard of us" another man cackled.
"SHUT UP! ALL OF YOU!" A man, who appeared to be the leader, boomed.
"Young man," he said to Arie-Sung. "You have caused a commotion amongst my men, this has greatly irritated me, and for that. YOU WILL BE MY NEXT VICTIM!!!!" he screamed. And with that he lifted his sword.
"Prepare to meet your end" he finished.
She had been an orphan for quite some time, mentally she grimaced, and she had only been about 8 years old when she had lost her family. The years after that were hard ones for her, but somehow she always managed. Except that one time, She said mentally. What happened to him? She thought.
It must have been about 5 or 6 years ago, it was hard to recall how many years it's been, but what happened that day was crystal clear in her mind. She had been doing chores for an elderly couple up the road; they always paid her a few coins for her troubles, a nice family indeed. One day she had been drawing water from the well, when a group of thugs started giving her trouble, eventually leading to violence.
It was then, when that strange man appeared, almost out of nowhere. Right before the girl's very eyes, all six men, they were all dead in on sweep of a sword. No, not dead, a clear image of a reverse blade sword surfaced in her memory. Tears formed in here eyes as she threw her arms around the man. After regaining self-control, it came to her that she hadn't even thanked him.
"Excuse me," she said. "I wanted to thank you, Mr. err."
"Himura," he replied. "My name is Kenshin Himura"
"Thank you Mr. Himura," she began.
"Please, call me Kenshin"
"Kenshin then, thank you for saving my life, I don't have much to repay you with. Though, it looks as if you have been traveling for quite sometime, perhaps I could offer you food and shelter for the night"
"Food does sound good, that it does," he replied. "If you don't mind taking in a stranger for the night" he finished with a smile.
"Oro!!" He said. "I have forgotten my manners, that I have, what is your name miss?"
"Arie-Sung" she began. "Arie-Sung Kyoketsu. It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Himura err. Kenshin"
Coming back from her memory, Arie-Sung realized it was getting dark. Leaving the road, she set up camp. With any luck, she would be in the city by noon tomorrow. Then, she thought, and then I will find him. I will find Kenshin Himura. And with that, she fell into a deep slumber.
The night plunged deeper into her past, the truth; the reason for Arie-Sung's endless quest to find Kenshin. While during the day her conscience may mislead her, during the night, her heart would not. Dreams never lie.
"Is this where you live?" Kenshin asked, as they entered the small, but well kept house.
"I know it isn't anything elaborate," Arie-Sung said. "But, to me its home. The only bit of home that I have left" She finished mournfully.
"Don't you have any family?" Kenshin asked cautiously.
"No" was all that Arie-Sung replied, and then quickly changed the subject, "Let's get you to your room, I'll start making dinner"
For most of the night, not much more was said, beside the compliments and "thanks yous" for the meal. It was nearly dark before conversation broke again.
"If you don't mind my asking," Kenshin began. "What happened to your family? I mean. You do look a little young to be on your own yet" That's all it took. Before Kenshin could tell what was going on, Arie-Sung sat before him in tears.
"Before the revolution ended," she began. "My family was slaughtered by a gang of thugs, similar to the ones you saved me from. But, these men were different, these men carried guns. They killed my family, the livestock, everything. They probably would have killed me too, if it wasn't for the fact that I was gone when it happened"
Are-Sung's tears had cleared now, but the sorrow still remained in her eyes. She's a strong girl, that she is thought Kenshin.
"Himura," Arie-Sung said looking up. "Please say you'll stay for awhile? I would. well. I would like you to teach me swordsmanship, even if it's just to block and parry. PLEASE! Don't leave me until I can defend myself" As she began to cry again.
"I won't leave," he said. "I promise I won't leave you until you can defend yourself"
"Promise, promise?" Arie-Sung asked.
"I promise, promise" Kenshin replied with a smile.
And with that, they bid each other "good night" and went to bed. But, now the image was getting fuzzy, and the last image of Kenshin's face was slowly drifting.
"KENSHIN!" Screamed Arie-Sung, abruptly awakening from her sleep. Panic struck her for a moment; reality was becoming a dream, what was reality? What was she going to do? Was she going crazy? No, she just needed to find him, then. she thought then everything will be okay.
It was early; the sun wasn't even up yet. After eating a cold breakfast of fruit, bread, and cheese, Arie-Sung decided to begin moving, and maybe stop at a hot spring on the way. Yes, she thought. I'm just too nervous the hot spring will ease some tension away.
The day continued on, and the morning sun was hot. I suppose it doesn't help wearing this stupid straw hat, Arie-Sung scolded herself. But. she thought People don't seem to bother me, thinking that I'm a man and not a woman, and it does keep the sun out of my eyes. Mentally she shrugged, let out a deep sigh, and continued on her journey.
Getting caught up in her thoughts, Arie-Sung forgot to watch the road. Before she could stop herself, she tripped and fell into a group of men standing in the road. Swearing under her breath, Arie-Sung stood up; dusting the dirt off of her worn robes, and went to apologize.
Now seeing the men for the first time, without tripping and falling on her face, Arie-Sung recognized that the men were a group of wanted outlaws. She remembered reading about them in the paper not too long ago; they were wanted for rape, murder, and theft, if she remembered correctly. She wanted to avoid trouble if she could.
"I'm sorry," she began. "I didn't mean to bump into you, you see."
"Hey kid!" One of the men said. "Who the hell do you think you are!?"
"Yea!" Another one piped in. "Don't you know who we are?"
"I'm sure you've heard of us" another man cackled.
"SHUT UP! ALL OF YOU!" A man, who appeared to be the leader, boomed.
"Young man," he said to Arie-Sung. "You have caused a commotion amongst my men, this has greatly irritated me, and for that. YOU WILL BE MY NEXT VICTIM!!!!" he screamed. And with that he lifted his sword.
"Prepare to meet your end" he finished.
