Chapter 2
(Thanks to my single reviewer so far. I know the first chapter was plenty short, it was mainly just a prologue though. This one will be longer, but not as long as the main chapters. No, no Zelos yet.)
Mizuho, the secret village of an ancient ninja culture, Sheena's lifelong home and sanctuary, was destroyed. Demolished. Sheena knew she should be crying, or at least feeling the urge to. But there was no urge, for the ninja was still too in shock to cry or feel any need to. The buildings in which her companions lived were burned beyond repair, the larger of which were still smoldering spitefully. The bodies of her fallen comrades littered the pathways, their crimson blood staining the turf on which she played as a girl. The sight was too much; Sheena had to look away. Yet when she tried, she found she couldn't. Her gaze was trapped on the blood-soaked remains of her village, soaking in every last detail. A flash of bronze caught the ninja's eye. That seemed… wrong. It took her a moment to place why, though. Ninjas never wore metal in more than palm-sized portions, for they needed to be able to move stealthily and swiftly. They needed to be able to move free of the restraints metal armor placed on them. Those bronze-armored bodies… The enemy. 'The ones who killed my people, burned down my village… The ones who took away my home.' Yet the Mizuho bodies outnumbered the enemy ones nearly three to one. This was a massacre. There must have been fifty of them who attacked the village, maybe more. 'The Mizuho Book! Have they taken it?'
Suddenly, as if recalling the book of Mizuho's ninja secrets freed her from invisible chains, the raven-haired ninja was released. Her gaze was no longer locked on the scene before her… Now she turned to the woods, for any sign of where the murderers went. Their tracks were old… 'This must have happened just after I left this morning.' Glancing around to make sure none were left, she picked her way through the bodies and gore toward the Chief's hut. Shortly after the worlds had reunited and Sheena had returned to the village, the Chief of Mizuho had awoken from his coma and, after a brief recuperation, taken control of Mizuho once more. In the two years between then and the day of the Mizuho Massacre, as it would come to be called in the books and scrolls, the village had revived their traditions. They started making dragon-leather armor once more, yet few outside their secretive village even knew such a craft existed. They put aside all hate and malice to come together, to live side by side… And then this. One thought made itself clear amongst the turmoil in Sheena's mind: 'They never deserved this... Even Kuchinawa wouldn't deserve this fate.' Yet, in a sense, it was a blessing to each individual that they died that day… Then they wouldn't have to live on, live with the fact that their whole life, their home, their companions, their family had been demolished in one day. One fateful day…
At last she made it to the Chief's hut. Or the remains of it, more like. It was hard to tell it was once a structure, let alone the house of the most prominent member of the village. Yet Sheena didn't hesitate, for she knew the village by heart, down to the stones that lined the pathway. She stepped into the wreckage, closing her eyes a moment. 'Over here,' the ninja started, turning to the north, 'would be the entryway. If I stepped this way,' she continued, stepping through what would be the doorway into the main room of the hut, 'I'd walk through a door here. A table would be right here in front of me, and a vase to my left. The bed is straight in front of me, which means the Mizuho Book is...' Opening her eyes, Sheena pauses a moment to re-adjust her eyes to blood and death. For a moment, she missed the soft-edged dream world of imagination, but when she closed her eyes again all that greeted her was the black of her eyelids. 'No, I can't run away from this. This is real. No amount of wishing will get me out of this. Mizuho Book.' Having reminded herself of her reason for coming to this particular spot of ruins, she hastily scrambled over the wreckage of a table and over to what would have been the foot of the bed.
The Chief's chest remained intact, though badly burned. The lid still glowed orange as the last embers of the hut sought refuge in the unexpected treat. The chest was made of sacred wood… Legend has it that sacred wood would burn until the one who lit it extinguished the flame. Meanwhile, the embers regarded Sheena with contempt, as if saying 'nya-nya, can't get throoo-ooough!' She raised a hand to the chest, hesitating above the flickering embers before plunging her hand into the flame. A cry of pain chokes from her throat as the flame seared her soft skin. Gritting her teeth in determination and in an attempt to block out the pain, the ninja fought the urge to withdraw her burning appendage until at last the locks were undone and the chest was open. Cradling her hand to her chest, the violet-clad femme surveyed the damage. Third degree burns, though nothing a Panacea Bottle wouldn't soothe. She quickly gulped down the needed potion, and her burns ceased to ache. Returning her attention to the chest, she reached inside… But instead of feeling the familiar leather of the well-worn Mizuho Book, she felt a soft wooden box instead. Cocking her head slightly in puzzlement, Sheena took the box from the chest, running her fingers over it's soft, almost velvety exterior. Her fingers caught on a slip of paper, however… And what she read at last brought tears to her hazel eyes.
'Dearest Sheena… Happy birthday. I received this at my twentieth year, and now I pass it on to you. Love, Chief Igaguri.' She choked down a sob as she read and reread this letter. His familiar handwriting, so sloppy yet so refined in it's own way, brought back memories… They threatened to overwhelm the ninja, until she shook her head violently to push them away. One memory was too strong for her to resist, however… It was the day of the Chief's awakening. Her grandpa's face gazing down at her with a pride unseen anywhere else. Sheena had just finished retelling her journey to the aging man, and he soaked it in with profound interest. 'Sheena… My little Sheena, you've grown into a fine young woman. And now, the whole world is in your debt.' She'd never seen him so happy, nor so proud in her life. When the ninja was forced into reality once more, the smiling face of the Chief fading away for the very last time, she no longer had the strength to hold back the tears. And here, in the wreckage of her childhood home, Sheena Fujibayashi cried once more.
A single tear stained the paper as she read it one more time before she brought it to her chest, pressing the paper to her as if it were her dead grandpa himself. The shock was beginning to wear off; now the cruel realization was setting in. 'I'm nearly twenty now... At twenty, the successor of the Chief would take over in his or her place. I'm the sole survivor of the Mizuho ninja culture. And for the first time, I'm truly alone...' One by one the tears fell; when they started, not even Martel herself could stop them. She cried for the chief; she cried for the villagers, her comrades; she cried for all that was lost, all the culture and the arts that were destroyed. And then she stopped. Almost as suddenly as they had started, the tears ceased. Sheena had cried all she could cry… And now that all her tears had been shed, the ninja could think straight once more. It was as if, by releasing her tears, she had released all the misery that was building up inside her. Memories no longer threatened to overcome her; she could plan her next action, name her next destination.
'But first...' Rereading the letter one final time, she folded it neatly and tucked it under the pink ribbon 'round her waist. Reaching into the box, she pulled out a card. It was similar to her current one, but for one thing: Inscribed upon it was the seal of life. 'Corrine!' Sheena's eyes widened in surprise as the familiar face of her vulpine companion stared back at her. While Corrine was reborn as the Summon Spirit of Heart, he was never the same. The fox's spirit had vanished, merely a memory to this new, powerful beast. And now, Sheena knew where it had gone. Another note was found beneath it. 'Conicere, the card of hopes and dreams. Your Corrine must have truly cared for you, for he came to me in a dream and gave me his soul to inscribe in a card. He chose to continue on as an almost lifeless soul aiding you rather than settling peacefully into rest. For this reason, Corrine's great devotion to you, only you can touch this card. Even I can no longer touch it, now that it is completed. Pain is brought down upon any others who try and lay their fingers on its surface. And it is now yours.' Sheena looked at the card once again. She slowly lifted it from the box, as if this is a dream she may wake up from at any false move. 'Corrine... I won't let you down. I'll hunt down the people who did this to Mizuho. I'll get retribution if I spend my very last breath getting it!'
The ninja reached into the chest a final time, retrieving the leather-bound Mizuho Book from it's resting place and tucking it under her ribbon beside the first note. Suddenly, a shift was heard above her. Hastily rising, Sheena scrambled from the wreckage, barely escaping before what little that remained of the hut came crashing down behind her. But at least all that mattered of their possessions had been saved. Sheena knelt on one knee, folding her hands and resting her forehead upon them in prayer. Prayer that, she hoped, would pass her companions into a peaceful death. Returning upright, she turned to face the remains of her city. So much was lost… But not all. 'Mizuho will survive. The ninja way of life will continue until every last one of us is dead.'
Though Sheena proceeded to search the village, she soon realized that there was nothing left of value. All the dragon-hide armor was gone, as well as the less-powerful cards owned by the villagers. The rogues hadn't even left any food… Though good food was scarce, so that was to be expected. It was excruciatingly painful for the ninja, passing amongst the mangled bodies of her comrades, but after a while she forced herself to look up, away from the many faces. If she couldn't see them, she reasoned, she wouldn't be as tortured thinking about them. And it worked, though it took all her will-power to keep her eyes averted. Before she knew it, the entirety of Mizuho had been searched. Standing on the borders between her lifelong home and the forests beyond, Sheena knew she could stall no longer. It was time to go… To leave this bloodbathed village and seek vengeance on those who destroyed it. She takes a final look, gazing upon the ruins and remembering all that once was, before whirling and darting into the woods.
Once away from the village, she slowed. A new sense of freedom had come over her… Though it wasn't worth losing her village for, she was no longer bound by strict Mizuho life and customs. No longer must she stay close to the village, no longer must she eat, sleep, breathe a certain way. She was free to adventure… It'd been quite a while since her last adventure, two years to be exact. The ninja's mind wandered to her companions in their quest to save both worlds…
Lloyd. He was the true hero of the group, though by talking to the others Sheena knew he'd started out as the obnoxious tag-along. Lloyd was none too smart, yet he was the brilliance of the group. The ninja knew that made no sense, yet it made all the sense in the world to her, as well as to any of the others. Many of them STILL questioned his possession of a brain, yet that was what made him Lloyd. He thought with his heart, not with his mind. He did what was right, no matter the consequences. He was the light, shining bright, that aided the group and kept their spirits up. It was him that at last defeated Mithos. It was him that united the two worlds. Just goes to show that brains aren't everything, eh?
Colette… Sheena chuckled slightly. It was due to the clumsiness of Sylvarant's Chosen that the group made it as far as it did. She tripped, stumbled, fell on numerous occasions… Perhaps it was luck, perhaps it was skill, but she always seemed to fall on a switch or lever that saved the group from one trap after another. Colette was too good for her own good. She went on a journey to sacrifice herself --smile ever-present, mind you-- and never told a soul of how she intended the journey to end. Even when she lost her sense of touch, her need to eat, and her need to sleep, she didn't tell a soul. She apologized for everything too, even things that weren't her fault… She was always the sacrifice, yet she did it with a smile always on her face, and Sheena secretly admired her for her courage.
Genis. Though Sheena had never truly taken much time getting to know Genis, she was amazed by his intelligence. Was it the half-elven blood? Or was he just a natural genius? Genis, genius… It even SOUNDS the same. And, though he was only eleven or so, he could still hold his own with powerful spells, something Sheena could never dream of doing. She envied his aptitude.
Raine. Goddesses, she was scary at times. Get her near an ancient relic, and she practically started foaming at the mouth. Yet that didn't really bother the others much. She was a healer, and could do the unthinkable with her healing skills… She could even resurrect the dead, though it drained her to almost death herself to perform such a feat. Whenever Sheena had a question or needed advice, it was always Raine she sought out. The half-elf always seemed to know what to say to help… Though she never sugar-coated things either. When Zelos had turned against us, she spoke unflinchingly of the moment we'd be forced to kill him… We never did, of course, for he turned back to our side to save the day. Sheena was amazed at her ability to stare at danger and fear head-on.
Presea. It was easy to forget that inside that eleven-year-old body was a twenty-eight year old woman. The girl's face was always blank in almost a lifeless way. She was almost as smart as Genis, though her knowledge was stored and relayed like a computer. She unnerved Sheena slightly, yet at the same time the ninja knew she'd never be able to go on with life as Presea did after such an event.
Regal. The famous line, 'Oh what a tangled web we weave', suits Regal well. It was Regal that killed Presea's sister many years ago… Though it was not a malicious act, but one of salvage, for poor Alicia had turned into a horrid monster from a failed exsphere experiment and had begged Regal to kill her. Still, Regal kept his wrists in shackles as punishment for what he'd done, even though he had more power than maybe even Genis when using his hands. Such self-discipline was something Sheena knew she would never even come close to having.
Zelos. That idiot Chosen… He was so full of himself he might very well explode. But he was a valuable fighter and not too bad a healer, she'd give him that. Sheena'd give him more credit, had he not tried to grope her on numerous occasions. Zelos was, for lack of better words, a pervert who used his status to attract females. Sheena smirked slightly, imagining the look on his face if suddenly his 'hunnies' were gone… It'd serve him right, too. A little tingle of protest was felt deep inside the ninja, but she pushed it away… As she'd done so many times before.
Lloyd, with his valiance. Colette, with her courage. Genis, with his intelligence. Raine, with her ability to look unflinchingly at the truth. Presea, with her ability to move on with life when it's crashing down around her. Regal, with his self-discipline. Zelos, with-… with whatever Zelos had. Everybody had something, something that made them special… Everybody except Sheena. She wasn't brave, not really, nor was she too smart. As for her ability to move on, that was demonstrated in her breakdown in her grandpa's house. Self-discipline? Eh. That would disappear if she was put under stress, she was pretty sure of that. But Sheena had nothing. She was the odd one out… Yet they still accepted her, for some reason. Because they were her friends. And that thought made Sheena smile. Friends, no matter what happens. No matter how many people she kills in her quest for revenge.
Suddenly, a massive form barreled into her from behind. With a gasp of surprise, the ninja was thrown to the ground, though reflexes told her to roll out of harm's way. Thank Martel for reflexes, for a moment later the razor-sharp talons of a drake dug violently into the earth where her neck was moments before. She leaped to her feet, taking the nearest stick and bringing it down hard on the still-grounded drake's wing. It cried out in pain, but it could not take flight, for Sheena had driven the stick through the wing and into the ground. She took off down the path, knowing no good would come of being caught on the scene, but soon another crimson whirl of teeth and claws was diving from the canopy. She looked to her sleeve; dragon blood! These drakes knew she'd killed one of their own, and now they wanted revenge, just as she did. Whipping out her card, the ninja cried out.
"Serpent Seal Pinion!" That drake fell to the ground, but already three more were swooping her way. She looked around her desperately… More and more crimson forms were closing in. Still, she knew she could not give up hope. With a 'Pyre Seal!' here and a 'Force Seal' there, the ninja managed to fend off drake after drake. Yet after a while, she began to tire, and the dragons just kept coming. It was an army, with an infinite amount of dispensables. The first time she faltered, the nearest drake screeched in triumph and sliced a gash down her arm. She pulled a dagger from her belt, no longer able to form the words needed for even the simplest seal. Slashing wildly, desperately, at the oncoming wave, Sheena knew she couldn't hold out much longer. Her vision was beginning to blur; she staggered away and shielded her head, only to have claws raked down her back. 'So I am to die here?' This was the final thought of the ninja as her vision blacked out and she collapsed to the ground.
(This chapter's better, but not up to full throttle yet. They get progressively longer. Heh.Next chapter? Enter Zelos. Muahaha. O.oBy the way, I would have updatedyesterday but the servers were down when I finishedthe chapter.)