SHADOWS OF RED
Author's note: Sorry! I forgot to mention in the previous chapter that for my story's purposes, I've set the building of the Heian Jingu Shrine to an earlier time. Otherwise Sachiko would be visiting a non-existent shrine…delusion? Not as much as Hime-kou! Sorry…
In this chapter, Sachiko gets to show off her fighting skills!
Disclaimer: I've forgotten to put these up for the past few chapters…please excuse me:bowing: A thousand pardons to Nobuhiro Watsuki! Kenshin isn't mine!
Chapter 5-Cherry Trees
Heian Jingu Shrine. One of the most public places in Kyoto. She watched the people happily milling about below her.
Mothers in kimonos holding their children by the hand on their ways home. Laughing, as they passed under her perch, up on the roof of the Outen-mon.
Briefly, Sachiko felt remorse at having to kill in such a beautiful place.
The Outen-mon's beautiful blue roof stood in contrast with the darkening sky. The setting sun's light touched the vermillion wood of the building and turned it into blazing gold.
She was crouched into a corner of the building on the second floor. No one looked up. Her black hair tossed in the autumn wind that blew gently from the north.
She closed her eyes. Searching the shrine for the any ki not usually associated with common people. A toughened ki, a deadly ki…she found it.
Not one. Five.
They were in the Minami Shin'en garden. Silently, Sachiko dropped from the Outen-mon onto the ground. Stealing through the emptying shrine, she made her way to the south garden.
The cherry trees that adorned the garden were bare of their blossoms now. The branches shivered slightly as the wind rattled amongst them. Hagi bushes bloomed along beautiful paths.
They were up ahead. Seven bodyguards surrounding one man in a grey kimono. She could hear their voices.
"Nonsense! Why can't I linger here to appreciate this garden's beauty?" The voice was Mogami Kaito's, it seemed.
"But…sir, it's getting late. And you are an honored retainer of our lord and the rebels would be a glad to—"
The bodyguard who spoke was cut off by a wave of Kaito's hand.
"With all of you, no one can possibly get through to me. Now, I am your employer also, and you will follow my instructions. Just a while longer."
You idiot, Sachiko thought fiercely. Now you have sealed your fate with death.
The first guard fell without a noise, throat slit.
In a flash, Sachiko doubled back, turning. She used her spinning force to carry her through towards another guard. He fell with a gurgle, blood spurting from his chest.
The element of surprise was over. Now, five guards formed a ring around their employer, katanas drawn. Sachiko skidded to a stop directly in front of them.
"Go!"
Two men charged Sachiko, while two more came from the sides trying to capture her in the center. They were evidently well trained.
She faced the two who were charging. In a flash, she crouched, trying to draw them into leaping onto her from above. Sure enough, their feet tensed and they leaped into the air, shouting their forms.
She tensed her leg muscles, bracing her feet against the ground. With a swift stroke, she drove her katana into the ground. The force of the impact blew dirt and stones up. Then bracing her feet for leverage, she wrenched it from the ground, letting her motion carry through.
"Hiyou Ryuu Ko!" And she began.
The sword pierced one man as he landed. It went through his chest and she tugged it back, then whipped it in a circle to slice into the throat of the second man.
They fell, blood spurting everywhere.
"No!"
The cry came from her right. Instantly, Sachiko dropped down again. Stupid. You just gave away your position.
He was a young man and horror filled his eyes when he saw his fallen companions, blood seeping into the thirsty earth of the peaceful garden.
With a wild cry, he charged her, sword wild, all sense of bearing gone. With a quick swipe, she decapitated him.
Suddenly, she sensed the air behind her move and ducked to avoid the katana that missed her by a hair.
This remaining man's ki was also horrified, but more under control. She left her back open, as bait, while her hand shifted marginally on the katana.
He took it.
Too young, she thought bleakly. No accomplished swordsman leaves their back wide open to their opponent.
With a leap, she came upright and flipped over him. It was a matter of seconds and he lay bleeding on the ground, eyes dimming.
There was blood on her hair and clothing. It dripped from her katana.
"You're…a woman," a voice said reflexively. "Never thought I'd see this but, I guess times have gotten hard enough for everything. Now it's just you and me, hime. And I won't underestimate you."
She turned to face him.
Author's note:There we go with chapter seven, the first chapter that has a real fight scene in it. That was so hard! I actually drew a diagram to help with that...my, who knew this much work went into writing a fanfic? I hope you like the fight...please review! Tell me if it makes no sense whatsoever or if it's actually okay. Thanks!
The Japanese Words and what they mean
1. Outen-mon...this isa beautiful gate in the Heian Jingu Shrine. It really does have a blue roof and vermillion painting. Once again, this was built later than this story but for my purposes, I've set it in an earlier year.
2. Minami Shin'en...the south garden of the Heian Jingu Shrine. A place designed to hold Kyokusui-no-en, a garden party for aristocrats during which they wrote poems. In the spring, the garden is full of cherry blossoms, followed by Japanese azaleas in the summer.
3. Hagi...Japanese bush clover, found in the Minami Shin'en.
4. Hiyou Ryuu Ko...this is one of Sachiko's attack from her two-step attacks. Translated roughly, it means flying (or to fly) style tiger. Actually, the "ko" is the last part of the word "mouko" which means fierce tiger. It is a single character of its own. To use it, Sachiko slams her katana into the ground, creating shock waves, much like Battousai's Dou Ryuu Sen. But then she yanks it out again, letting the yanking motion gather force for the actual strike. If the strike misses or there is more than one target, she can continue the motion into a spin, gathering yet more momentum.
And that's all for chapter 7!