Hello again everyone, the first chapter of Steel Souls is finally up and ready!
Enjoy and feel free to comment. Thanks to everyone
that commented on the prologue.
Sakurazaki-kun,
We received a request from the Shinmei-ryu school, apparently they have a mission for you. The client asked to meet you in private at the coffee shop off campus at noon. I have not heard the details of the mission, so I leave it up to you to decide whether or not to accept. Negi-kun has been informed of your meeting and has excused you from class.
Be careful
Konoe Konoemon
Setsuna scrutinizes the letter a few more times half hoping she would discover new information into the unusual meeting. Requests from outside clients were not uncommon, she had been hired many times in the past for various missions. Aside from the peculiar specifics of the meeting, what bothered her was the client. The Shinmei-ryu school consisted of many talented swordsman, it was where she had been before coming to Mahora. If they were forced to hire someone from outside the school it could only mean one thing, big trouble.
The perturbed girl places the letter into her pocket before glancing at her watch. 11:55, it seems I still have some time before the start of the meeting. I wonder how-
The girl's warrior instincts cut her thoughts short screaming for her to defend. Setsuna pulls the sturdy case Yunagi rested in to her neck just in time to stop an attempt on her life.
The speed in which the blade attacked paled in comparison to the speed in which it was retracted. Suddenly standing before her was a tall woman holding a drawn nodachi slightly larger than Yunagi. The woman stood completely covered in well worn black and dark brown leather straps. Patches of long black hair jutted from random gaps in the leather around her head. A partially exposed mouth and left eye glared at Setsuna with great hatred and indignation.
Setsuna stands frozen on alert trying to assess the situation. An assassin? Before she could finish her reasoning, Yunagi's case splits in half and a shallow slice forms on her neck. A ki attack?! She's a Shinmei-ryu swordsman! Setsuna pulls Yunagi from the remnants of its case and falls into an attackers stance.
To her surprise, the woman sheaths her blade and takes a seat at a nearby table. "Well?" the woman asks in a cold business tone.
Setsuna cautiously takes a seat at the table, quickly noticing the clock inside the coffee shop marked the time as noon. "Are you the Shinmei-ryu client?"
"That's right. I apologize for the spectacle, it's not everyday I get the chance to draw my blade against a fellow Hanyo of such skill." she says dryly showing no remorse for her actions. "Abeat."
A bright light covers the woman's body, revealing a young attractive woman in her stead. The leather straps had all but vanished having been replaced with a very conservative black maid uniform. The woman's blood thirsty eye and mouth were replaced with an almost welcoming cheerful face, her long black hair flowing gently in the cool March air. The woman's appearance had changed so drastically Setsuna could hardly believe she was the same woman who had attacked her only moments earlier.
A Ministra Magi, a Shinmei-ryu swordsman, and a Hanyo? What in the world is going on? Despite her obvious surprise, she had made it a policy to never appear weak in front of a client. Her demeanor remained serious and business-like. She quickly noted that she could no longer feel the presence of the woman's weapon, a fact that did not remove the girl's light grip on her nodachi.
An employee of the coffee shop walks up to the table holding two drinks in her hands. She nervously places the drinks on the table, afraid to say anything that may break the immense tension. She manages a weak smile before scurrying back into the safety of the shop.
The woman snickers at Setsuna who had been eying the drink suspiciously. "My my aren't we a paranoid one. I took the liberty of ordering us both coffee earlier." She empties a few packets of sugar into her drink with an amused look on her face. "For the purposes of this mission you may call me Mercy."
Setsuna takes a sip of the black coffee. "What are the specifics of the mission Mercy-san?"
"The current leader of the Shinmei-ryu will be stepping down soon. Before that, there is to be a treaty with another tribe. The treaty will appoint a new leader and will ensure the continued evolution and survival of the Shinmei-ryu. We would like to ask that you act as a watchman to oversee the safety of the treaty."
"A watchman? With all due respect, is this not something the Shinmei-ryu can handle on their own?"
Mercy takes a long sip of coffee, her gentle smile showing an approval of the simple blend. "The times are changing Setsuna-kun, many people do not approve of this treaty with a demon tribe."
"Treaty with a demon tribe?" The new bit of information causes a look of confusion and slight disapproval to wash over the girl's face.
"Yes that's right a demon tribe. We believe that there may be attempts from either side to stop the treaty from being signed. That is why we are requesting your help. The treaty is to take place in four days at the Shinmei-ryu school in Kyoto." Mercy smiles warmly at Setsuna. "Just think of what this treaty could mean Setsuna-kun! In a mere four days the quality of life for objects such as you and I will become something to celebrate. The pain, the suffering, the loneliness will all become things of the past for not only us but all other Hanyos." The woman stands and offers her hand to the surprised young warrior. "Will you accept this mission?"
Setsuna, unable to find the words to respond, grasps the woman's hand smiling very deeply.
"I wonder what happened to Se-chan." Konoka looks out the window of the moderately sized dorm room into the cool night sky. "I haven't seen her since last night, I hope she's ok."
"It's Setsuna we're talking about, I'm sure she's alright." Asuna let's out a heavy yawn looking at the clock on the desk. "It's already midnight Konoka, me and the brat are gonna get some sleep." She covers her head with her blankets to shield herself from the faint light emanating from the table lamp. "Good night."
"Good night Asuna." Konoka continues to stare out the window worriedly. Ever since their eventful trip to Kyoto, Setsuna had made any and every attempt to be as close to Konoka as possible. At times, they would fall asleep in bed together as they did when they were children living in Kyoto. Konoka had woken up in the middle of the night a few times to find her friend fast asleep uncomfortably sitting in a chair next to her bed only to wake up in the morning and find her friend back in bed with her. Her friend's embarrassment had become something she had enjoyed exploiting over the past few months, it was pay back for the time she spent believing she had done something to make her friend ignore her. I'm sure Se-chan won't mind if I go check up on her. With a smile on her face, Konoka marches off into the night toward her guardian's dorm.
Setsuna sat atop the roof of the dorms smiling blankly at the dark night sky. The cold night breeze stung her face casually blowing back strands of her unnatural black hair. The swaying trees below her, the many empty benches littered across the courtyard, the lonesome fountains that performed for empty crowds beckoned for her company. The young girl slowly stood, the understanding of the loneliness the many quiet objects below felt flashed across her tear stained face. As if to answer their calls, the young girl dives off her perch into the abyss below.
"I guess she's not here either." Disappointed, Konoka looks around the dark room for any hint of where her guardian could be. She pokes around at the many strange books and objects that lay about, the unfamiliarity of the room scratching at her curiosity. It was rare that she needed to find Setsuna, so trips to her dorm room were usually unnecessary.
A small desk calendar catches the curious girl's attention. The calendar lay neatly on the desk, its plain unassuming white sheets and droll black numbering incessantly calling to her. There was nothing special about the calendar, it was completely unmarked except for a single Saturday. March 18th had been circled numerous times in what looked like something an excited child would do. The realization of the day surprised the young girl. It was not that she had forgotten its significance, it was the happiness she felt that her friend remembered that surprised her.
The girl felt around the dark room for something that reminded her of her friend, her hand coming across a crumpled school uniform. She embraced the uniform imagining she could still feel the girl's warmth. Something rough around the collar scratches the girl's hand. Geeze Se-chan is so hopeless, she's always getting dirty when she goes out. Konoka turns on the room light to examine the stain. Blood? The dried crimson stain checkered along the collar and across the shoulder of the otherwise spotless uniform. The helpless girl falls to her knees fighting back tears of worry. Why do you always have to make me worry Se-chan? Where are you?
Inside a small room, a gentle heart prayed for companionship while outside in the dark night sky the wings of an angel yearned only for freedom and acceptance.
dun dun dun
What trials await Setsuna and Konoka?
What is the significance of March 18th?
There's only one way to find out, next time on... Steel Souls!