Innocence Becomes experience Chapter 2- The Sakura's Lullaby
By Misao's Angel
One early morning, Soujiro woke up bright and early, and set out to meet
Nayami by the river, like every other morning. So he dressed into his
ordinary day clothes, and set out.
He spent the entire walk to the admired river staring thoughtfully at the
beauty of the cherry blossoms, and thought of how much they resembled
her. Everything seemed to remind him of her recently. The birds singing
their soft songs in the mornings, the cat that would always purr outside
the window of his room in the inn, and, of course, the stars, would. They
could be seen so well in this part of the country, for there were no tall
buildings in such a small town yet to obstruct the view. They had shown
so brightly, but they always seemed to lack something. What that thing
was, he wasn't sure. But he knew something was missing. Just like her.
He'd look at her, and think she was perfect, but there was something
about her that didn't make sense. Something he couldn't quite put his
finger on. But even with that fault, he loved her all the same. Yes,
love. He didn't know when she first made him feel that emotion, but... yes,
it was there.
When he reached his desired destination, he noticed that since the first
time that he had known her, she hadn't beaten him there. 'That's
strange...' He thought with a small grin. 'I've never managed to beat her
here before... I always thought that she would never sleep just so she
could get here before me. But here I am, and she is no where to be seen.'
At first, that amused him. But after an hour had passed and she still
hadn't arrived, he began to grow worried.
'I don't know what to do...' he mused. 'But I promised her I would wait, no
matter how long for her, so wait I shall.'
While Soujiro stared into the river, he decided that he would spend this
time brooding about the past few months. Memories started to flow into
his mind, with no control over which he were to remember. It started with
the day they met, in the small, ancient shop that she worked for. Then it
moved on to the weeks after, and words of conversations returned to him
after so long of an absence. He remembered the song she had sung to him,
that seemed so familiar, but he couldn't remember where he had heard it
before. He remembered how beautiful her voice was, so clear but gentle,
and so soothing. He remembered the first time they sat down by the river,
when they both discovered the carved rocks underneath the river brush...
but none of these memories were very clear. He couldn't recall specific
colors, and her face was always hidden by a mysterious shadow. And these
memories brought a slight dizzy feeling to him. He began to grow tired,
and he lay down near the shadow of a nearby oak tree. He then dosed off
into a quiet slumber.
Soujiro looked around. He was still by the oak tree, okay he remembered
that, but he felt as though he left something somewhere but couldn't
figure out what. Then he heard it. Quiet, but a wonderful melody... so
familiar, and sweet. Where had he heard it? Oh yes. Nayami sang that to
me just yesterday. Such a beautiful song... but for some reason, he
couldn't hear the words. He couldn't even remember them even. He just
heard the melody. He turned his heavy head the direction to where the
music was coming from. But instead of Nayami singing it, as he expected,
another lady he knew was. One he never expected to see again. The woman
singing that wonderful song was...
Yumi.
'What?!! There is no way she is here! She's dead.. I know that... I buried
her! But then, he looked again at his surroundings. He didn't know why he
hadn't noticed the purple leaves sprouting from the lime green branches
before, or the slightly swaying red grass he was sitting on but, at least
now he knew. It was a dream. He sat up straight, stretched his back, and
began to lift himself up to walk to Yumi. The only thing is, once he got
there he realized that it really wasn't Yumi. It was... Nayami?! Why did
Yumi turn into Nayami? Why was Yumi singing Nayami's song?
Just then, the world started to blur. The trees, grass, sky and river all
mixed in a colorful myriad of color, and reassembled itself into a small,
western-styled room. There was an old, chipped dresser in one corner, and
on it were many written documents in very neat and legible calligraphy.
The walls had very extraordinary and beautiful paintings on them; a
samurai committing seppuku, next to an elegant white mare, prancing over
a field of grass and flowers into a pit of dead bodies, and an army of
demons eating a banquette of human organs. There was a large, king-sized
bed in the corner of the room, with the sheets and blankets neatly made,
and was respectively defying Feng Shui by facing a large, oval, human-
sized mirror. The hard wood floor was recently polished, reflecting the
light given off from the antique chandelier hanging on the white
plastered ceiling. To Soujiro, this room was unbelievably familiar.
This was -his- room, in Shishio's estate. And on the neatly-made bed,
was him or rather, the former him, for it seemed that he was only a young
child at the time. And sitting on the bed next to him was an 18-year-old
Yumi, reading him a bedtime story.
"So then Shishio-sama killed him. But lucky for us, his men retreated in
fear after seeing Shishio-sama's strength. And thus, we live now, alive
and happy today." She said, in a very soft and gentle voice. She storked
the young Soujirou's head.
"So... how was that Sou-kun?"
"I'm still not tired Yumi-neesan... can you tell me another one?"
"Hmm... I'm out of stories I'm afraid. But I have some thing better. Listen
very carefully Sou-kun. If you ever need my help, whether I'm dead or
alive, just sing this song and I will come to get you. You must never
forget it."
"Alright Yumi-neesan"
And when Yumi opened her green lips to sing, it seemed like the whole
world had stopped.
'That song!' the older Soujiro thought. 'That's Nayami's song!'
But this time, the words could be heard also.
"A summer day brings warmth and smiles,
And happiness to roam around,
But these are lies, just a fragile cover
For the real pain that lies inside,
But humans are meant to be in pain forever.
The true happiness lies in the winter,
Where the bitter cold needs no lies,
A kiss from ice hurts, but is not meant to hinder,
And unlike the summer, it never dies,
It can be relied on, even if it's not beautiful.
If a human heart has real emotions,
Why must we lie to ourselves?
I don't want someone with false motions,
For no human is perfect, no feeling is mutual,
But I would rather know the truth then be proud of a lie.
But to me you are the winter snow,
Soft and gentle but cold all the same,
To me you are a valuable treasure,
And will always be my heart's rain,
The rain to wash away my tears. "
'Yumi's lullaby, is Nayami's song?!!"!!?'
Thanx for reading chapter two! Sorry about this chapter's boringness. It
is to set the mood and story line for chapter three, which will be the
beginning of the big story arch. Thank you for sticking around! Reviews
are most appreciated!!!
-Misao's Angel
By Misao's Angel
One early morning, Soujiro woke up bright and early, and set out to meet
Nayami by the river, like every other morning. So he dressed into his
ordinary day clothes, and set out.
He spent the entire walk to the admired river staring thoughtfully at the
beauty of the cherry blossoms, and thought of how much they resembled
her. Everything seemed to remind him of her recently. The birds singing
their soft songs in the mornings, the cat that would always purr outside
the window of his room in the inn, and, of course, the stars, would. They
could be seen so well in this part of the country, for there were no tall
buildings in such a small town yet to obstruct the view. They had shown
so brightly, but they always seemed to lack something. What that thing
was, he wasn't sure. But he knew something was missing. Just like her.
He'd look at her, and think she was perfect, but there was something
about her that didn't make sense. Something he couldn't quite put his
finger on. But even with that fault, he loved her all the same. Yes,
love. He didn't know when she first made him feel that emotion, but... yes,
it was there.
When he reached his desired destination, he noticed that since the first
time that he had known her, she hadn't beaten him there. 'That's
strange...' He thought with a small grin. 'I've never managed to beat her
here before... I always thought that she would never sleep just so she
could get here before me. But here I am, and she is no where to be seen.'
At first, that amused him. But after an hour had passed and she still
hadn't arrived, he began to grow worried.
'I don't know what to do...' he mused. 'But I promised her I would wait, no
matter how long for her, so wait I shall.'
While Soujiro stared into the river, he decided that he would spend this
time brooding about the past few months. Memories started to flow into
his mind, with no control over which he were to remember. It started with
the day they met, in the small, ancient shop that she worked for. Then it
moved on to the weeks after, and words of conversations returned to him
after so long of an absence. He remembered the song she had sung to him,
that seemed so familiar, but he couldn't remember where he had heard it
before. He remembered how beautiful her voice was, so clear but gentle,
and so soothing. He remembered the first time they sat down by the river,
when they both discovered the carved rocks underneath the river brush...
but none of these memories were very clear. He couldn't recall specific
colors, and her face was always hidden by a mysterious shadow. And these
memories brought a slight dizzy feeling to him. He began to grow tired,
and he lay down near the shadow of a nearby oak tree. He then dosed off
into a quiet slumber.
Soujiro looked around. He was still by the oak tree, okay he remembered
that, but he felt as though he left something somewhere but couldn't
figure out what. Then he heard it. Quiet, but a wonderful melody... so
familiar, and sweet. Where had he heard it? Oh yes. Nayami sang that to
me just yesterday. Such a beautiful song... but for some reason, he
couldn't hear the words. He couldn't even remember them even. He just
heard the melody. He turned his heavy head the direction to where the
music was coming from. But instead of Nayami singing it, as he expected,
another lady he knew was. One he never expected to see again. The woman
singing that wonderful song was...
Yumi.
'What?!! There is no way she is here! She's dead.. I know that... I buried
her! But then, he looked again at his surroundings. He didn't know why he
hadn't noticed the purple leaves sprouting from the lime green branches
before, or the slightly swaying red grass he was sitting on but, at least
now he knew. It was a dream. He sat up straight, stretched his back, and
began to lift himself up to walk to Yumi. The only thing is, once he got
there he realized that it really wasn't Yumi. It was... Nayami?! Why did
Yumi turn into Nayami? Why was Yumi singing Nayami's song?
Just then, the world started to blur. The trees, grass, sky and river all
mixed in a colorful myriad of color, and reassembled itself into a small,
western-styled room. There was an old, chipped dresser in one corner, and
on it were many written documents in very neat and legible calligraphy.
The walls had very extraordinary and beautiful paintings on them; a
samurai committing seppuku, next to an elegant white mare, prancing over
a field of grass and flowers into a pit of dead bodies, and an army of
demons eating a banquette of human organs. There was a large, king-sized
bed in the corner of the room, with the sheets and blankets neatly made,
and was respectively defying Feng Shui by facing a large, oval, human-
sized mirror. The hard wood floor was recently polished, reflecting the
light given off from the antique chandelier hanging on the white
plastered ceiling. To Soujiro, this room was unbelievably familiar.
This was -his- room, in Shishio's estate. And on the neatly-made bed,
was him or rather, the former him, for it seemed that he was only a young
child at the time. And sitting on the bed next to him was an 18-year-old
Yumi, reading him a bedtime story.
"So then Shishio-sama killed him. But lucky for us, his men retreated in
fear after seeing Shishio-sama's strength. And thus, we live now, alive
and happy today." She said, in a very soft and gentle voice. She storked
the young Soujirou's head.
"So... how was that Sou-kun?"
"I'm still not tired Yumi-neesan... can you tell me another one?"
"Hmm... I'm out of stories I'm afraid. But I have some thing better. Listen
very carefully Sou-kun. If you ever need my help, whether I'm dead or
alive, just sing this song and I will come to get you. You must never
forget it."
"Alright Yumi-neesan"
And when Yumi opened her green lips to sing, it seemed like the whole
world had stopped.
'That song!' the older Soujiro thought. 'That's Nayami's song!'
But this time, the words could be heard also.
"A summer day brings warmth and smiles,
And happiness to roam around,
But these are lies, just a fragile cover
For the real pain that lies inside,
But humans are meant to be in pain forever.
The true happiness lies in the winter,
Where the bitter cold needs no lies,
A kiss from ice hurts, but is not meant to hinder,
And unlike the summer, it never dies,
It can be relied on, even if it's not beautiful.
If a human heart has real emotions,
Why must we lie to ourselves?
I don't want someone with false motions,
For no human is perfect, no feeling is mutual,
But I would rather know the truth then be proud of a lie.
But to me you are the winter snow,
Soft and gentle but cold all the same,
To me you are a valuable treasure,
And will always be my heart's rain,
The rain to wash away my tears. "
'Yumi's lullaby, is Nayami's song?!!"!!?'
Thanx for reading chapter two! Sorry about this chapter's boringness. It
is to set the mood and story line for chapter three, which will be the
beginning of the big story arch. Thank you for sticking around! Reviews
are most appreciated!!!
-Misao's Angel