Disclaimer:... wait for it... SamuraiDeeperKyoisnotmine!
Intermezzo
Chapter 2: Andante espressivo (Spiritoso)
"Ano, Kuniko-san? Really, you don't have to..."
"Nonsense, Shiina-sensei!" Kuniko cheerfully overrode my protests. "You are our honored guest! Please take no offense, but you need to be wearing something befitting such a mark of distinction!" She crossed her immaculate bedroom over to her oshire.
I felt my eye twitch and forced myself to take a deep, cleansing breath. After all, Kuniko was only trying to help, and common sense and decorum dictated that I should graciously take her up on her offer.
Personal, feminine pride, however, was demanding a less demure response.
I felt a tug on the sleeve of my kimono and looked down to see Aiko staring up at me with huge doe-eyes. "Please, 'nee-san! Okaa-san has lotsa pretty yukata – I promise you'll like them!"
'Arrrgh...' "Well..." I hesitated.
"Pleeeeeeease?" Aiko begged, adding a bit of a sniffle and quivering her pouting bottom lip.
There should be laws against those kinds of tactics! "I'm sure I will," I said resignedly, smiling and tousling her feather-soft dark hair.
Aiko's eyes and face lit up. "Yay, we get to dress up 'nee-san!" she cheered, clapping her hands and bouncing around me in a circle, "Dress-up, dress-up, dress-up!"
Fusako, who at two years did not quite grasp the concept of "dress-up," nevertheless followed her elder sister's lead, shrieking with laughter.
The cuteness was almost unbearable.
"Here we are, Shiina-sensei!" Kuniko trilled, skirting her daughters' antics and piling my arms with an impressive load of yukata of all different colors and patterns. "Now, let us see which one suits you best!"
"Hai..."
How, you might ask, had it come to this? My limited wardrobe was a consequence of my chosen occupation – I spent most of my time on the road, and my medicines took precedence over everything else. I had to content myself with the barest essentials of dress. Not that my kimono and yukata and such weren't serviceable enough, but I suppose in Kuniko's eyes, they were ill-fitting to whatever station she had imagined for me.
"Oh, this one is the wrong color – far too harsh!" Kuniko exclaimed disgustedly, immediately yanking out a bright red-dyed yukata with black square outlines imprinted on it. Aiko merrily caught the discarded item and began dancing around the room with it.
"Hm, this one...?" Kuniko held up a dark, navy blue and white-striped yukata and shook her head. "Too plain for you, I think. Besides, I am wearing one much like it and people will think it strange to have you dressing like you were my younger sister or some such thing."
Fusako was on hand for clothing pick-up.
"No... no... no... heavens, when on earth did I make this one!... no... no... ah!"
I thought she was reacting to the bizarre pattern of the brown and yellow yukata that was next-to-last in the pile. She reached under it, thank goodness, and pulled out a lovely white yukata printed with a dark green bamboo pattern.
"Ah yes, this is perfect!" Kuniko breathed, holding it up to me excitedly. I saw that the white was stained in large patches of light green that became darker toward the hem, as if a giant brush with watery green ink had rolled down the cloth.
"Imagine, I almost made this one into rags because the dye was uneven," Kuniko commented, "But then I saw how it looked almost like an ink painting, mist around bamboo."
"It's very pretty," I agreed, running my hand down the collar, "Are you sure that I...?"
"Oh, of course, Shiina-sensei!" Kuniko interrupted emphatically, taking the other yukata from my hands and pressing the bamboo one into them, "The green brings out the color of your eyes so beautifully!" She winked. "Poor Kyo-dono! He's going to have to fend off your suitors with a stick!"
'Or, in Kyo's case, his katana...' "Arigato gozaimasu, Kuniko-san..."
"What is going on in here!"
I turned around and saw Nobio standing behind me, her hands on her hips and a stern look on her wizened face.
Aiko and Fusako immediately froze, mid-caper.
"Shiina-sensei had nothing appropriate to wear to the bon-odori tonight," Kuniko explained softly, respectfully, her hands fretting with the sleeve of the yukata, "I thought it would be best if I let her borrow this one."
Nobio frowned and came forward to examine the yukata. The rest of us held our breaths, waiting for her verdict.
"Kuniko-chan..." Nobio looked at her daughter-in-law. "Would not one of those hair ribbons Gyoushounin-san had be a perfect match to this?"
Kuniko's eyes lit up, much like Aiko's had. "Of course! There was one that...oh, and then there was the other one...but we'll have to hurry!" Without further ado, she grabbed me by the hand and literally dragged me out of the room, Aiko and Fusako hot on our heels. "The marketplace is closing down early today so that everyone can make their last visits to the cemetery before the bon-odori! If we do not catch Gyoushounin-san before he leaves...oh that would be just horrendous!"
"Wouldn't it?" I gasped. We were already at the front door, Kuniko holding out my geta as she shoved on her zori.
"No, Aiko-chan, Fusako-chan, you must stay and help your obaa-san with the food – Aiko, no pouting, or your face will freeze like that! Where is Gasuke-kun? Oh, never mind, I remember; he went to the shrine with ojii-san. Shall we, Shiina-sensei?" Kuniko had already thrown open the door and was waving at me to follow her.
"Coming!" I called, feeling like a little girl embarking on a trip to a sweet shop. Kuniko's unabashed excitement was somewhat infectious; I almost tripped over the stoop in my haste to follow her.
"Do not forget to ask Gyoushounin-san for a hitoe-obi, if he has one!" Nobio called after us, having corralled her still-protesting granddaughters back into the house.
"Hai!" Kuniko replied, managing to hurry across the courtyard at an impressive pace while still maintaining the seemliness and poise the wife of a samurai and daughter-in-law of a mayor ought to possess. I'm afraid I wasn't quite able to match her for dignity, but at least I caught up with her at the gate.
"Oi, woman! Where the hell are you going?"
I started and turned to see Kyo seated beneath the tree by the western wall of the courtyard. The children's efforts to try and engage him in "playtime" had been sufficient to drive him out of the house since earlier that morning.
"I..."
"We are going to the marketplace to buy Shiina-sensei some items for the bon-odori tonight!" Kuniko informed him briskly.
Kyo raised an eyebrow and started to get to his feet.
"Oh, no, Kyo-dono!" exclaimed Kuniko, wagging a finger at him like he was a little boy caught just before sneaking an extra daifuku, "You stay right there! This is women's business, and you are not to see any part of Shiina-sensei's outfit until tonight! Saa, Shiina-sensei, let us go!"
I got a momentary glimpse of Kyo's stunned expression before Kuniko whisked me out onto the street and shut the gate behind her.
-
"So, where exactly is the bon-odori tonight?" I asked Kuniko as we walked through the somewhat-crowded marketplace in search of Gyoushounin-san. I waved my hand in front of my face and wished for a fan; it was damned hot.
"Oh, it is out by the rice fields east of town," Kuniko answered, pausing momentarily to look at calligraphy scrolls on display in one booth, "The local shrine is near there and so is a field that we keep fallow for the festivals. The river is just beyond it. Oh, I almost forgot!" She hurried down a couple of stalls to reach the paper-maker's quarter. "I need to pick up the lanterns and fans I had made by Gosei-san; I will just duck in here," she pointed to the small storefront we had halted at, "for a moment to see if they are finished."
Without waiting for a response, she entered the store.
"Whew..." My first impression of Kuniko had been that she was just another meek, soft-voiced samurai's wife, always proper, and always discreet. It was only today that I was getting a glimpse of a side that she must only rarely show, that of young woman who still thrilled in the delights of life, greeting the new and bright with almost childlike joy.
She was also quite a determined woman, too, when it came down to it. When she set her mind to something, I found it only natural to go along. I smiled, wondering if her daughters and Gasuke were going to take after her...
Whump!
"Ah, sumimasen, sumimasen!"
I kept my balance only because I managed to plant my hand on the doorframe beside me. I turned and came practically nose-to-nose with the young man who had collided with me. His black hair was pulled back in a short topknot and his clothing rather resembled the garb of a Shinto priest: green haori slit at the shoulders to show the white juban beneath and grey hakama. He also carried a bulky leather bag over one shoulder, tied with fine red and gold tasseled rope.
"Are you all..." His eyes went wide and I was surprised to see that the right one was jade-green, while the other was granite-grey. "Rah-ah-ah...!"
I thought he was about to faint; the poor kid turned chalk-white and backed away from me, like I was some horrifying specter. "Is something wrong?" I asked him, mystified by his reaction.
He made a choking noise, then turned and ran, almost knocking down several people in his flight. He was gone before I could get out another word. "What the...?" I blinked and frowned, checking quickly behind me to see if perhaps he had been reacting to something else and I had only been an innocent bystander.
No such luck though, unless there are people in this world who are scared witless by the sight of a rice-paper window.
"Hmph..."
"Is something the matter, Shiina-sensei?" Kuniko had just stepped out of the shop and was looking at me quizzically. I noticed several other people were giving me puzzled looks, and no doubt several were muttering about just what I might have done to scare a little boy into running away like a rabbit.
"Oh, nothing, nothing!" I laughed, waving the matter away (and hopefully distracting her from the mutterings), "I take it the lanterns and fans are ready?"
"Yes, they are." Kuniko smiled. "We will come back later and pick them up, but for now, let us go and find Gyoushounin-san."
The old peddler, as it turned out, was leaving the tea house just outside the marketplace. When Kuniko began describing the yukata, he immediately took the huge pack off his back and sat down at the roadside so he could look through his wares.
"Sounds like a right pretty yukata, mistress," he cackled, unrolling a bundle of thick cotton cloth that protected some of his merchandise, "I think I have just the thing for the young healer-woman."
His gnarled hands winnowed through the rainbow assortment of silk, cotton, and linen ribbons, and came up with flowing, white and jade-green length of silk. The two colors ran together much like the colors of Kuniko's yukata, white nearest the center of the ribbon, the darkest green near the ends.
"Oh, that's so pretty!" I said, taking it from him and feeling the smoothness of the silk.
"It will only cost you one ryo!" Gyoushounin-san informed me.
"One ryo!" I echoed, almost dropping the ribbon. I frowned at him. "Gyoushounin-san, don't think for one instant that I will pay such an outrageous price! Fifty mon, take or leave it!"
Gyoushounin-san's smile turned into a frown. "Don't be insulting!" he snapped, the wheedling tone out of his voice.
"That little scrap is not worth more than twenty mon!" Kuniko observed coldly, "Shiina-sensei, perhaps we had better just go back to the marketplace; I think Fujimai-san has some ribbons left from the last festival he would gladly sell to you for a reasonable price."
Gyoushounin-san puffed his cheeks out irately. "Mistress thinks too highly of that rag merchant!" he sputtered, "I got a good look at that stock of his, and I can tell you that nothing in it could possibly interest a lady of good breeding!"
"Does he sell obi also?" I asked Kuniko, pretending I hadn't heard him, "Perhaps he will give me a special discount for buying a set."
"Oh, that is an excellent idea!" Kuniko trilled, "In fact, I am certain he would." She turned back toward the marketplace and I made to follow her.
"Fine, I'll let you have it for five hundred mon!" cried the peddler desperately, "And look! I'll also sell you this high-quality hitoe-obi for only four hundred!" He held up a linen hitoe-obi that was dyed bright yellow.
"Hmph!" was my answer, "I could get something like that from Fujimai-san for much less!"
Gyoushounin-san was in a state of near apoplexy. "Fine! Ruin me, if you must!" He bunched the ribbon and obi together and thrust them out at me, his dark eyes flashing with rage. "I will give these to you together, for the low price of eight hundred mon!"
"Make it four hundred, and you have a deal," I responded instantly, speaking over my shoulder as I began to walk away.
"Aaaaaaargh!" The peddler bared his teeth, his hands clasping and unclasping spasmodically.
I smirked and waved to Kuniko, who was watching him with a touch of anxiety creeping over her features. "Let's go," I said.
"FINE! ALL RIGHT!" Gyoushounin-san practically screamed, "Five hundred mon! That's my final offer - you're going to beggar me enough as it is! I hope you're happy!"
I simply smiled at him and took my wallet out of my kimono. I counted out five small silver, hundred-mon coins onto the cloth, and he thrust the articles of clothing into my hand.
"Pleasure to do business with you!" I told him pleasantly. He glowered darkly and bent down to retrieve the money and repack his wares.
"My, Shiina-sensei, that was quite remarkable!" Kuniko commented once we were out of earshot and amid the bustle of the marketplace, "I thought my mother-in-law was a ruthless customer, but you might be able to teach her a thing or two!"
"Hm?" I asked, trying to make it sound casual, though truthfully, I wanted to laugh out loud. I had just gotten one of the sweetest deals in my life. Never let it be said that Shiina Yuya wasn't an expert bargainer!
If I had had any idea how important those little scraps of silk and linen were going to be, I would have turned around then and there and handed Gyoushounin-san my wallet...
-
"Ne, Kyo?"
"Hn?"
I sighed. "Try to look a little cheerful at least, could you?"
Kyo looked up at me. "How am I not looking cheerful?"
I sighed again. Maybe I was asking for the impossible, but still... "I'm not asking you to smile or anything," I said, carefully crouching down beside him on the ground because I didn't want to get Kuniko's yukata dirty, "But I noticed that everyone's been making a wide berth around this end of the field. Maybe it's because you're holding your katana like you're about to whip it out and slay someone..."
Kyo snorted.
"...or maybe it's because you keep glaring about like, oh, I don't know... like you're expecting one of the townspeople to suddenly attack you with their fans." I laughed, hoping it would put him more at ease.
No dice. "If they have a problem with the way I look," Kyo said lowly, "that's on their own damn heads."
"But...!"
"Did you just come over here to nag me or are you tired of dancing? If so, we can leave."
I rolled my eyes and got to my feet. "Hmph! And stop making Gasuke-kun fetch your sake for you! He's just a little boy and you're taking advantage of his hero-worship!" I scolded, feeling childish. Honestly, I knew I wasn't making the situation any better. Asking Kyo to lighten up (especially considering what he had told me last night) was like expecting the Toyotomi and Tokugawa to throw away their swords – pointless and frustrating. But was it too much for me to expect him to try and have a little fun before everything became life-or-death serious?
Thank Kami-sama I hadn't even thought about asking him to join the dancing...
"What's so funny?" Kyo asked in a suspicious tone.
"Oh, nothing, nothing!" I bit the inside of my cheek to keep my laughter in check; if Kyo ever knew the mental image that had flashed before my eyes just then...
"Hn." With that dismissive grunt, Kyo went right back to his obsessive scanning of the crowd.
I successfully resisted the urge to hit him on the head with my fan. Instead, I stalked away toward the bonfire – the opposite end of the field from Kyo.
The bonfire burned energetically on the northern end of the space – nearest the river, which I thought was good thinking on the festival organizers' part. Many of the children had gravitated to it, but all were being kept well back from the captivating flames by their vigilant elders. The musicians had been set up on a raised platform on one corner of the field almost abreast the bonfire, and were striking up another dance tune. I hadn't recognized any of them as yet, but that was of no surprise; every region, every town and village even, has their own traditional bon-odori-uta.
This one consisted mainly of fast-paced, rhythmic pounding from the two huge taiko, accompanied by shakuhachi and hichiriki. The words, being sung enthusiastically by both men and women as they danced in alternating rings around each other, spoke of a romantic tale from the time of legend – that of Yamato Takeru-ooji-sama and Miyazu-hime-sama and how Yamato's aunt gave him the wondrous weapons from Amaterasu-megami-sama at the Ise shrine to accomplish his quests and marry the princess.
I entered the outside ring, learning the dance steps as I went by watching the better dancers near the center. This was the way I had been doing it all night, but now I think I was getting the hang of the basic moves. Step right, step left, half-turn raising the fan over my head, forward hop-skip, clap twice, and...
"Yuya! I've been looking for you all night! I thought you'd gone back on your promise!"
"Well, I really didn't promise anything," I said cheerfully, purposefully following the woman in front of me as the movements repeated, knowing it would take me away from Touji, who was going in the opposite direction.
Or, at least, he should have been. "Doesn't matter, since you're here now, Yuya," he said, breaking out of his ring and joining mine.
"Whatever you say," I replied, purposefully not looking at him and pretending I was too wrapped up in the dance to pay attention to him.
Unfortunately for me, the music ended just then. The townspeople laughed and clapped, cheering both the musicians and themselves.
"You dance quite well, Yuya," Touji murmured, drawing close as people either left the dance space for refreshments or awaited the next song, talking and laughing excitedly. He reached out and not-quite touched one of the locks of my hair that Kuniko had purposefully let drape loosely from my ponytail. "You are quite easily the loveliest woman here tonight..."
"Uh, thanks..." I looked about for something, anything that could get me away. I briefly considered rejoining Kyo, but given Touji's pattern of denseness, he'd probably follow me and end up insulting Kyo again.
I didn't dislike the kid enough to do that to him.
"Shiina-sensei, there you are! Come here, I want to introduce you to Takeuchi-san, who is the wife of the head of the shotenkai of Tokubo...!" So saying, Kuniko grabbed me by the arm and dragged me through the idled dancers, weaving in and out of the crowd like a perch through a stream. Touji wasn't quite quick enough to give chase.
"Thank you so much!" I gasped as we neared the musician's platform, just in time for the next dance to begin. Luckily, the large taiko drummers were sitting this one out, so I didn't have to shout at her. "I managed to keep away from him most of the evening, but I guess he finally caught up with me!"
Kuniko laughed and sat down on the edge of the platform, indicating that I should do so also. "Touji-kun is just a little more exuberant than most young men, Shiina-sensei. I noticed you were getting plenty of admiring looks since the evening began."
"Well, I don't mean to talk badly about the men in this town," I said, taking my seat, "but it seemed every time I got near one of them, they got spooked by something and avoided me." 'Though it wasn't as bad as that kid earlier today, thank goodness!' I added privately.
"Hm, that probably had to do with the way Kyo-dono was glaring at any of the men who came near you," Kuniko said with a smile.
I blinked.
"Oh, you did not notice? I may not be an expert on your...protector's moods or expressions, but he was clearly giving everyone a "stay-away-or-die" look. And add in the effect of the firelight and his red hair, he looked scary enough to be an oni! Thank goodness he is not wearing his armor!" She laughed again.
"You don't say..." I said weakly. That sounded odd, really odd for Kyo. He wasn't the raging jealous type. No matter how I might tease him, Kyo couldn't care less if a guy hit on me. I mean, he trusted me enough to leave me with Taka-sensei and to attend to the wounded in Kashikojima and to come to Tokubo on my own...
'Yes, but all those times, you weren't really in a place with a lot of men to pay attention to you, were you? Taka-sensei's mountain, where it was just sensei, me, and a bunch of trees. Kashikojima itself was practically empty of men because of the Akaisora-shuu, and Kyo didn't know I had gone to Tokubo until he got back...'
Kyo couldn't possibly be that insecure, right? I frowned, blocking out the sound of Kuniko's chattering and the music of the shakuhachi and the laughter of the dancers. Kyo was worried about something... or maybe troubled was a better word for it. Maybe his recent behavior was just a manifestation of his concerns for whatever danger was looming on the horizon.
Maybe...
"I should have done a better job about warning that idiot off from trying to talk to you."
"Kyo!" I yelped, startled out of my thoughts by his sudden appearance in front of me. I held a hand over my chest. "Don't do that!"
"This is what I mean about you being oblivious," Kyo snorted, turning his attention to the dancers. I saw his eyes narrow at Touji, who was waving to me to join him.
...or maybe I was reading too much into him and he really was acting the part of the over-bearing, "my-woman" male-type.
"Ara, ara, Kyo-dono!" Kuniko exclaimed before I could say something I would probably regret, "If you are so anxious to keep Shiina-sensei by your side, you should join her dancing!"
I managed to cover my giggles with a spate of coughing as Kyo regarded Kuniko with a perfect dead-pan.
"You could at least compliment her on how pretty she looks tonight," Kuniko sniffed, poking him with the tip of her fan, "A woman should be told these things, even if the man is content only to stare at her. Did you know, Shiina-sensei," here she turned to me and spoke as though Kyo wasn't right there in front of her, "whenever he is not glaring at those men foolish enough to approach you, he has been watching you like a man who has seen the sun or the moon for the first time!"
"Has he?" I asked, glancing up at Kyo.
Kyo's reaction earlier this evening had been disappointing, to say the least. After all the effort Kuniko, Nobio, and Aiko (who had contributed enthusiasm, if nothing else) had put into my appearance, I had expected maybe a smile from him when we stepped out to present ourselves to the menfolk. Gasuke's jaw had gone slack, and Dazai-san had grinned and congratulated Kyo on having such a lovely companion. All I got from Kyo was a blank stare and then he'd started walking off in front of the party, not even waiting for me.
Then again, if Kyo ever told me I was beautiful, I'd think he was coming down with the plague or something else equally horrendous.
"It's time to leave," Kyo announced in clipped tones, reaching down to grab me by the arm.
"What! Kyo, no, I don't want to...!" Despite my protests, I was hauled to my feet, Kuniko's exclamation of dismay ringing out behind me.
"Don't argue with me!" Kyo hissed in my ear.
Just then, a troop of heavily armed horsemen burst into the firelight, the hooves of the leader sending one of the base logs of bonfire trundling into the surprised townspeople who had been unfortunate enough to be standing nearby. The bonfire itself began to collapse, scattering sparks and bits of lighted wood every which way.
"Shit," Kyo snarled, releasing me and unsheathing his katana as pandemonium exploded, the townsfolk screaming and running from the horsemen that bore down on them with blade and spear.
One instant, Kyo was standing next to me, and the next he wasn't – and the head of the nearest horseman went flying as Kyo shouted a challenge to the other attackers.
They turned on him in an instant, leaving the civilians an opportunity to flee.
"Kuniko-san, get out of here!" I yelled to her, grabbing her by the shoulders and dragging her around the edge of the stage where at least there was some shelter. I pulled her to the ground as the roar of battle erupted over the chaos of the screaming townsfolk.
Kuniko's face was a pale mask of shock. "Hey, now, don't faint on me!" I exclaimed, giving her a good shake, "It'll be all right, ne? Kyo shouldn't have any problem dealing with them. Everyone's going to go home with just a bit of a scare and Gasuke's going to hero-worship Kyo even more..." Then something horrific occurred to me. "Kuniko-san, where are your children!"
"Children?" Kuniko echoed dazedly. Her eyes went wide. "GASUKE! AIKO! FUSAKO!"
I had to throw myself on top of her to keep her from running out onto the field. "They're all right, I'm sure they're all right!" I yelled at her, both trying to reason with her and to keep my own panic from taking hold, "Kuniko-san, you can't...!"
Never underestimate maternal instinct. I might have had her pinned, but Kuniko fought back like a wild animal. Her right hook to my temple was enough to stun me momentarily, long enough for her to shove me away and shoot to her feet. I had wits enough to grab hold of her arm, using her for leverage to stand up.
"Let me go!" she screamed, trying to jerk free as her panicked eyes, normally so soft and serene, scanned the burning debris for any sign of her children.
I did the only thing I could do: I socked her in the temple. "Gomen nasai, Kuniko-san," I said as I caught her limp body. Thank goodness she wasn't much bigger than me or it would have been a hassle to drag her back to safety.
Only after I had laid Kuniko out on the ground beside the stage did I turn to look at Kyo. Immediately, I felt a cold wash of dread spill over me. Kyo was still standing, yes, but so were three of the horsemen. They had arranged themselves around him like three points of a triangle, Kyo in the center. Right away, I could tell they had done so purposefully – each were just outside of Kyo's maai, so he could only attack one of them at a time.
And when that happened...
"For the last time, samurai," one of the horsemen, the one at the furthest point of the triangle from me, bellowed, "Surrender or be destroyed!"
Kyo laughed his patented "you're-a-dead-man-you-just-don't-know-it" laughs, and I reflected that Kuniko's earlier observation about him looking like an oni was quite correct. "Quit your yapping – a pack of dogs that have gone mad are fit only to be slaughtered," he retorted.
"Why you...!" The horseman who had been so insulted almost broke the formation, urging his mount forward.
"Don't move, fool! Better you die now than give him an opening!" The hissing voice that snapped like a lash from the horseman nearest me was cold, almost inhuman. My heart felt like it had been seized by an icy vice. 'What manner of samurai is he?' His armor was the same as his comrades – black lacquered leather over plates of iron, an iron helm on his head from which sprouted two stylized horns bathed blood-red in the firelight and a dark mask over his face. Nothing unusual there, so why...? Then I noticed that he wielded a dai-katana – even unhorsed, he would have the same reach as Kyo. Mounted, however...
The first horseman, at his comrade's harsh command, froze as though he and his horse had suddenly been cast into stone.
"I'm not going to stand here all night, dammit," Kyo said disgustedly, turning his attention to the cold-voiced horseman, "Either come at me, or I'll come to you. You have five seconds to decide."
"I didn't know ronin could be so generous," mocked the horseman, making a sound like blades being run through gravel – I guessed he was laughing.
Kyo raised an eyebrow. "One... two..."
I saw the first horseman make a movement, but Kyo kept on counting. "... three ..."
The horse stepped forward. 'Turn around Kyo!' my mind screamed, 'Can't you tell what's happening!' He was going to charge, I just knew it!
"... four ..."
Kyo just stood there, counting! I couldn't stand it any longer. "KYO! Look out behind you!"
Three things happened in the instant it took the echoes of my scream to fade: Kyo's head snapped in my direction, the first horseman and his horse crumbled lifelessly to the ground, and the third horseman, who had remained silent all this time, leapt from his mount's back as easily as a hunting cat, his long spear aimed straight at Kyo.
'Oh no...!' I ran forward – call it temporary insanity or whatever, but everything in me was screaming to stop that spear, to catch it before it reached Kyo.
Thankfully, I had some guardian kami with me, or my stupidity might have gotten us both killed. Something big and heavy slammed into me; I dimly heard something like a child's whistle, and felt a gentle breeze stir my bangs as I fell. I hit the ground so hard that my vision exploded in dark starbursts.
Struggling to draw breath, I lay face-down on the hard earth, until my poor abused brain suggested that it might be easier to inhale if dirt wasn't shoved up my nostrils. I managed to roll onto my side, just in time to avoid getting trampled by iron-shod horse's hooves. I decided it would be a very good idea to let momentum do with me as it willed and just kept rolling, until my back hit the projection of the musicians' stage. Shakily, I got to my feet, holding my head and groaning.
The sound of metal clanging against metal brought me to my senses like a splash of cold water. 'Kyo!' He was still alive, fighting the now-dismounted silent horseman. Spear and katana flashed and danced in the firelight, blurs of flame in themselves, their wielders scarlet-limned shadows. 'Why doesn't he just cut it?' I found myself thinking, on the verge of panic; Kyo was hard-pressed, even I could see that. 'Why doesn't the Muramasa blade just cut through that spear!'
So intent was I on Kyo's duel that I didn't notice the nearer one until it was practically on top of me. A horse screamed in pain and a shout of, "Yuya-san!" was all the warning I had. I instinctively leapt up onto the platform and backpedaled from the edge. The wounded horse crashed to the ground where I had been standing, moments before. Its rider rose to his feet, apparently unharmed. To my horror, I understood then why he had been masked: sharp, oozing canines were bared as he snarled, like a wolf or dog. His eyes were empty of anything even remotely human – blazing, yellow, bloodthirsty eyes that belonged to a starving animal. And they were fixated on me.
I didn't have anything to defend myself. No revolver, no needles, not even a damned stick. I raised my fists and he smirked at me, feral mockery glinting in his bestial eyes.
I was going to die, and he was going to enjoy killing me.
"Fuck you," I told him.
"I see traveling with Kyo has done detriment to your vocabulary." A tall, broad shadow interposed itself between me and the man-beast. Only it wasn't a shadow, it was a man, and I recognized his voice.
"Migeira-san?" I asked in bewilderment.
Migeira didn't answer, because the man-beast roared in anger and attacked. Migeira blocked the down-swinging dai-katana with... a monk's staff?
'Huh?'
"Begone, demon!" Migeira shouted, throwing the man-beast and his katana back with a sweep of his shakujou, "Hisui, withdraw with Shiina Yuya-san!"
'Huh!'
"Please excuse the request, Yuya-dono, but you really ought to stand behind me."
I whirled around and saw the green-and-grey-eyed boy from that afternoon smiling at me pleasantly, a shakuhachi raised nearly to his lips. "I must assist my uncle."
'HUH!'
The boy stepped forward and began to play. The low, mellow notes of the flute rang out clearly, like the wind dancing through bamboo. Wild, clear, pure music, old as song and so beautiful and sad I could almost weep.
The man-beast, however, did not have the same appreciation I did. Screaming in agony, he recoiled from Migeira, dropping his weapon and covering his ears as he fell on his knees. I looked over to Kyo, and saw that his opponent was reacting in much the same manner.
"Be at peace," Migeira murmured, raising the shakujou over his head and driving the sharpened point of the ferrule through the man-beast's throat. The creature's tortured wailings died in a gurgling moan as dark blood bubbled out of his gaping jaws that continued to work soundlessly. I clasped a hand over my mouth, horrified.
And then, he... changed. His teeth shrank and the sharp edges disappeared; his eyes became a muted brown in which one could plainly see the flickering spark of a human spirit being extinguished. With great effort, his lips formed the word, "arigatou," before he slumped forward, collapsing lifelessly on the stage at Migeira's feet.
"What...?" I managed, staring down at the body, "What's going on here?"
The boy sounded one, last, sonorous note before lowering his instrument. "We apologize most sincerely for involving you in this, Yuya-dono," he answered, tears seeping from his eyes as he turned to me.
"We will of course explain, but for now..." Migeira began.
"Yuya!"
"Kyo!" Confusion could be tossed aside for the moment; someone else mattered a great deal more. "Kyo!" I pushed past Migeira and the boy, running off the stage and leaping into Kyo's arms. "I'm so sorry! Are you all right!"
"Tch, as if that rabid dog could get the better of me," he snorted irritably. He was soaked with sweat and I smelt the all-too-familiar scent of fresh blood on him.
"Kyo, you're wounded!"
"It's nothing for you to be shouting your head off about," was Kyo's irritated response, but I had already pulled away from him so I could examine his body for wounds. There were several superficial cuts on his arms and one across his collarbones. I breathed a sigh of relief.
Then I saw that his black yukata had been rent in a long swathe down his left thigh; blood had soaked the cloth and was streaming down his leg.
"Sit down, right now!" I told him, pulling him toward the stage.
He made a stubborn face, obviously annoyed that I had disregarded him and was making a fuss over something he probably deemed a minor flesh wound. Stopping short, he glared up at Migeira and the boy. "What the hell are you doing here, Migeira? And who's the brat?"
The boy stepped forward and bowed low. "Please pardon my rudeness," he said sincerely, "My name is Hisui and my uncle and I have a matter of grave importance to discuss with you."
Kyo was not pleased. "'Importance,' huh?" he mimicked derisively. He thrust his blood-stained katana out at Hisui, who went crossed-eyed trying to focus on the tip a hairsbreadth from his nose. "Fuck 'importance' and fuck you, brat!"
"Kyo!" I gasped, shocked at his actions. I grabbed his sword hand, trying to get him to lower his weapon.
"You have every right to be upset, Kyo," Migeira spoke up, "But do not take your anger out on Hisui. It was I who advised our course of action." He hadn't made any move to pull Hisui out of danger, and I wondered if he was simply trying not to provoke Kyo any further.
"Are you that interested in getting your head handed to you?" Kyo retorted, "I don't appreciate being spied on."
"I apologize," Migeira said quickly, "But there were extenuating circumstances, which we will gladly explain if you lower your weapon."
Kyo frowned and I held my breath. After what seemed like eternity, Kyo pulled his katana back from Hisui's face, flicked the blood off to one side, and sheathed it. "Talk," he ordered.
Hisui nodded, and as though the last minute hadn't happened, he smiled and said, "Might I suggest, Kyo-dono, that you allow your companion to attend to your wound first?"
Kyo blinked and looked down at me, as if suddenly remembering that I had been there the whole time.
"Please, Kyo," I said.
Kyo grimaced but sat down.
I tore the cloth of his yukata the rest of the way to the hem so I could tend to the wound. Looking closely at it, I could see it was less serious than I had first assumed. If it had been any deeper, though, Kyo probably would have lost too much blood beforehand for my skills to have made a difference. It would probably need stitches, but that sort of equipment was back at Dazai-san's house. Right now, I just needed to stop the bleeding.
"What are you doing?" Kyo demanded as I began untying my obi.
"Do you want to bleed out right here?" I snapped at him, yanking the meters of yellow linen loose from my waist; there was a second, cotton sash beneath it, so it wasn't like I was sacrificing my modesty.
"Hn." Kyo's eyes fixed themselves on some far away distance as I wound the obi around the gash. It would be a temporary measure only, something to staunch the flow of blood until we could walk back to Dazai-san's house.
I managed to keep the tears from falling until I tied the makeshift bandage securely in place. I grit my teeth and swore internally, grinding the heels of my now-bloodied palms into my eyes to keep them at bay as I got to my feet. "Listen, Kyo..." I forced myself to take a deep breath and take my hands from my face. "I'm sorry. If I hadn't screamed like that..."
"What the hell are you talking about?"
I stared at him. "But when I screamed, you looked over at me and..."
"I underestimated the bastard, that's all," Kyo interrupted sharply, "Your screaming had nothing to do with it."
"But..."
"It had nothing to do with it," he said with finality, "so don't start crying again. It's pathetic."
I felt like I had been slapped; Kyo's eyes widened incrementally before he looked away with a disgusted "tch!"
"Ano, Yuya-dono?" I started and looked up at Hisui, who looked mightily chagrinned. "Ano, there are others who were wounded before Kyo-dono diverted the marauders' attention. I can assist you, if you need my help attending to them."
"Oh, right..." I managed, trying not to look at Kyo. Suddenly, I remembered something. Or rather, someone. "Kuniko-san!"
"She is all right," Migeira interjected before I could move, "She is still unconscious, but I doubt you caused her any lasting harm." He gestured out over the field, and I saw that more than a few people were either lying out on the ground or wandering about, dazed by shock. "I too, shall assist you."
"Yes, thank you," I said to him, not looking at Kyo. He clearly didn't need me for the time being.
-
As it turned out, there were numerous casualties, but none severe enough to be fatal. Kyo's quick reaction had saved everyone from that. I treated several cases of mildly serious burns, scrapes, and bruisings, cuts that required some stitching, and in one instance, a mild concussion.
Most everyone had escaped unharmed into their houses. The guard had been marshaled on the belief that the entire town was under attack, but they had been far too late to be of any use other than to stir everyone up again. The town itself suffered no damage, but I was later told that the shrine on the outskirts of town had been put to the torch and the elderly priest who had attended it was missing and feared dead.
In all there had been only ten horsemen; that number in and of itself and the quality and uniformity of the gear worn by the two beast-men made me wonder if the attack had really been a random bandit raid or something else more sinister.
I found out later that Kuniko needn't have worried about her children; Aiko and Fusako had tired out rather soon into the bon-odori and had been taken home to bed by Nobio. Gasuke turned up later on – he had been playing down by the river with several friends who, bored by the dancing, were trying to see how far out a lantern boat could float if the entire structure was lit on fire. Dazai-san quickly sent him back to the house to retrieve my medicine chest.
A nearby storehouse was converted into an infirmary, but luckily, no one required an extended stay.
An hour before dawn, the last bandage had been tied and the last dose of medicine had been drunk and the wicks in the lanterns were burning low. Needless to say, I was more than a little tired and sorely tempted just to collapse on one of the futons that had been brought in for the wounded.
"Your master taught you quite well, Yuya-dono," a soft voice observed as I washed my hands, "It is rare to witness the work of one so dedicated to the healing craft."
I turned and saw Hisui giving me a warm, albeit tired smile. At first I had assumed his offer of help had been mere words. But he quickly proved otherwise; his adeptness at stitching and the careful manner in which he prepared and applied compresses to burns told me he had received some medical training of his own. "As was yours," I told him.
He cocked his head, looking puzzled. "I have obtained only the most rudimentary instruction, nothing to compare to your skill. Truth be told, I had to watch you very closely to ensure that I would not make a mistake. But I am thankful that I proved useful."
I had to laugh; he was so formal and serious, and he didn't look more than fourteen! "You're cute," I said stretching out my stiff muscles and yawning, "but you need to lighten up a bit or you'll be old before your time."
"Really?" he asked worriedly; his hand went to his cheek, as if he were expecting to feel wrinkles there. "I had not heard of such a thing!"
I laughed again. "Don't you know a joke when you hear one?" I asked him, restraining the urge to pinch his cheek. Hisui looked confused. "By the way, Hisui-kun, there's something I've been meaning to ask you," I continued.
"Yes?"
"Why on earth did you freak out like that when you saw me in the marketplace earlier?"
Hisui's eyes widened and his cheeks flushed scarlet. "I am terribly sorry about that, Yuya-dono," he said sheepishly, looking at the ground, "There are not words to excuse the manner of my rudeness."
"Well, I'm sure you can just try to explain it," I said reasonably.
"It is rather embarrassing..." Hisui mumbled, "My uncle had said that we needed to be very careful not to make ourselves known to either you or Kyo-dono until the time was right."
"Okay..." I prompted him as he hesitated.
Hisui bit his lip. "He made it sound as though to do so would be a most egregious error that could not be amended. So when by chance I literally stumbled on you outside that store, I thought I had completely ruined everything!"
"Hisui-kun, you are far too hard on yourself," I told him, chuckling in disbelief. Honestly, could anybody be so naive?
"Also, you were a lot more beautiful in person than what I had seen before," he mumbled.
"What did you say?" I asked him, wondering if I heard correctly.
"Hisui!" Migeira stalked into the room, saving Hisui from having to answer. Kyo was close behind him. I looked down at the ground; Kyo's wound had required several stitches, but he had said nothing to me while I was attending to him. Obviously, he hadn't thought it worth his while. "It is time we told them."
"Right," Hisui agreed. I think he was trying to look as serious as his uncle (Migeira an uncle? I was just now acquainting myself with the bizarre concept and wasn't having an easy time of it...). He managed only to look slightly forlorn and even younger.
"About damn time!" Kyo snorted, electing to sit down on the first available futon, right by the door. I took my place beside my now nearly-empty medicine chest, while Migeira leaned back against the wall beside me.
"Kyo-dono," Hisui began, "you have doubtless sensed the approaching time of discord. But you cannot know that, even now, the greater darkness is nigh upon us. No wars will compare to the destruction and sorrow it will bring. I beg you, for the sake of this land, help us to defeat this evil."
-
Narrator here. Questions are about to be answered, but more importantly, what will Kyo choose to do? What new trials will he, and Yuya, have to face before this is over? And what part does Migeira and the young Hisui play in all of this?
...well, that's what the next chapter is for. I sure as heck am not going to tell you right now!
-
Music for this chapter:
Vivaldi's Opus 10, Concerto for Flute no. 4, F, VI, no.15
Katsutoshi Nagasawa's Sattou (Wind Dance)
Vivaldi's Four Seasons, L'Estate (Presto)
Nezasa-ha Honyoku's Shirabe-Sariha (Sound of Wind through Bamboo Leaves)
-
Dictionary:
"ano" – loosely, "um" or "excuse me."
"sumimasen" – loosely, "Please excuse me" or "I beg your pardon."
"gomen (nasai)" – "I am (very) sorry."
"arigatou (gozaimasu)" – "Thank you (very much)."
Gyoushounin-san: literally, "Mr. Peddler." It was actually somewhat rare for members of the lower class in early Tokugawa society to have personal names; most often, they were referred to by their occupation and/or the town/village of their birth.
zori: platform sandals for women
geta: wooden stilted sandals with thongs. Yuya's a really tough chick to be huffing along in those things all the time, as they aren't the most comfortable footwear...
hitoe-obi: unlined obi for summer wear. If you aren't sure what an obi is, it's the long sash worn outside the kimono around the waist to keep it in place. A woman's social status and even occupation (ex: geisha) could be determined by the length and elaborateness of her obi.
haori kinda like an overcoat-kimono.
oshire Japanese-style closet with a sliding door.
ryo, mon: units of currency. A ryo is a gold coin, while mon are small silver or copper coins. I am not clear on the ryo:mon ratio so I hedged my bets and valued it as 1 ryo:1000 copper mon.
shotenkai: "merchants' association" or "guild"
bon-odori-uta: lit. "bon-odori-songs"
taiko: drum; can range in size from 1 m. in diameter to small, hip-carried instruments, but for the purpose of this story, Yuya refers to the large "O-daiko."
shakuhachi: bamboo instrument, lacquered inside, with five holes (four above and one thumb hole below) – pretty much a hollow tube one must play using only the bottom lip over the smaller top opening to provide the "voice"; similar in sound to a bassoon or Incan siku (you really need to hear one to decide for yourself!)
hichiriki: smaller bamboo flute with nine holes (five above and two thumb holes below); played with a reed mouthpiece, unlike the shakuhachi; similar in sound to a recorder or even a piccolo or fife (again, you have to hear it to determine your opinion)
Yamato Takeru-ooji-sama, Miyazu-hime-sama: this tale can be found among the Japanese mythical canon. "Prince" Yamato Takeru is a legendary figure who was the actual son of the twelfth emperor of Japan, Keikou. His story is told in the Kojiki (the semi-mythical "Record of Ancient Matters" 712 AD that chronicles the "history" of Japan's imperial dynasty, the Yamato, from creation until contemporary time) and in Nihon Shoki ("History of Japan" 720 AD). He is a tragic hero, much like the Greek Hercules. "Princess" Miyazu is his second wife.
Amaterasu: Goddess of the Sun and the central deity of the Shinto pantheon. The imperial line is supposedly immediately descended from her.
oni: "demon" or, more literally, "ogre."
maai: distance between two swordsmen, but more specifically, the effective reach of a swordsman. Yuya means that Kyo would have to close distance with any one of the swordsmen to fight them successfully.
dai-katana: horse/cavalry sword; usually the longest length for a katana and most effective for mounted samurai. Which begs the question, how good would Kyo fight on horse back?
shakujou: general term for almost any bladed staff weapon. In Migeira's case, imagine a 2.5 meter staff topped with a configuration of a large sharp metal ring bearing several smaller rings (much like a traditional Buddhist monk staff, only a weapon). The sharpened point at the base of the staff ("ferrule") is not strict Japanese terminology, but I imagine Migeira wouldn't be averse to having a two-ended weapon! (.)
Additional Sources: Iai: The Art of Drawing the Sword by Darrell Max Craig
The Music and Musical Instruments of Japan by Sir Francis Piggott
-
To My Reviewers:Needless to say, I am gratified that all of you are so supportive of my work. (sniff!) It's enough to make an authoress cry...
Lady of Genesis: My Japanese isn't all that great either - I've only had one semester. Anywho, glad you like the fic; and yes, Kyo's going to put on the moves, but that doesn't mean Yuya can't have a thing or two up her sleeve. Ohohohoho!
Christina: Thank you! I agree with you - the dearth of SDK fics is certainly criminal. That was the main reason I got up the courage to publish this story.
Lady Water 2010:Merri Kurisumasu, Mizu 2010-sama! (bows) You're very welcome, and I hope you like this chapter, since it really starts into the plot.
Placid Snowflake: Why do I get the impression that you're one of those reviewers who hates cliffhangers? I'm terribly sorry to have left you with this one, but I promise to get the next installment out in due time! And don't worry about your mom; Iget funny looks all the time...
Triste1: Thank you for your generous assessment of my ability to portray characters! You're the reason I went back and rechecked my first chapter. I did catch a few of the mistakes you alluded to, but it really would be helpful if you could be a bit more specific. Lord knows I need the help - I've read through it so many times that my brain just gets lazy and I glide over my screw-ups like they aren't even there. It helps to have a fresh pair of eyes, but durnit, it means more work for me!
animegirl 1047: (O.O) You say your imouto is just like Kanashimi? (crosses herself) Sweet Muses of Comedy and tragedy preserve us, another Kanashimi!
(Kanashimi: And just what, pray tell dear onee-sama, is wrong with having another me around?
Narrator: The fact that there is another omnipotent, omniscient, whip-cracking, duct-tape wielding, bishonen-torturing, guilt-tripping, blackmailing personification of evil and cuteness out there somewhere doesn't disturb you?
Kanashimi: Just as long as she leaves Pookie and Sesshy-poo alone, no.
Narrator: ...)
As for Kyo being jealous, well... I guess this chapter might answer that! (grins) And no, I'm still not going to tell you what Akira said to me. You'll find out in due time.
Genjy0-Sanz0: Yay, I've redeemed myself!
luna-magic-2005: Yes, I know I'm awesome. (preens)
(Kanashimi: Good Lord, the last thing you need is another ego trip.
Narrator: (death-glare) In any case, thank you!)
kitsune55: After what I said in the author's notes, I hoped I had made myself clear that there is no way in hell I'm going to leave you hanging like that. I'm not that cruel! Well... not always... sometimes I am... especially when it's amusing... Like you asking me about Yukimura and Benitora: It's a secret! Buahahahahahaha!
nekozuki1776: I don't make a habit of creating original characters, but because of the extent of this fic, it proved necessary. I am glad you find them intriguing. I may or may not do a series of "prelude" vignettes to give everyone an idea of Taka-sensei's relationship with Yuya other than just from Yuya's point of view. I hope you like the newest OC, Hisui, also!
Arin Ross/Arain Rowan: Yes, I did do a bit of background research into Japanese history and culture - call me a history geek, but I prefer accuracy when it comes to historical fiction (even though I know anime isn't really the place to look for it!). Fire in a grass field, huh? Yep, that's pretty much what this is going to be like...
Ciara: Well, I'm not about to write another "War and Peace," so of course I'm going to focus on Kyo and Yuya as much as possible. As for finishing... ano, the reference I made to "War and Peace" ought to give you a clue. Eheheh...
sHi hUi: Kanashimi made the observation that it seems I'm trying to be the next Ernest Hemingway. Nice to know some people appreciate lyrical attention to detail. (glares significantly at Kanashimi)
(Kanashimi: (innocently) Hm?
Narrator: (disgusted sigh) Never mind...
Starian Princess: (wince) Great, now I have to keep up with everyone's expectations! Why couldn't I have just satisfied myself with being a humor writer, why, why, why, WHHHHHHHHHHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!
(Kanshimi: (thwacks her with a halisen) Because deep down, you're as much of a drama queen as the next fangirl, that's why, baka!
Narrator: (sniffle!) Kanashimi ga hidoi desu yo!
Salute!
