Nekoyashi
A Feudal Fanfiction
Chapter 6
The wind was brisk as Hojo, Nekoyashi and Rin rode through the air on the back of Ah-Un. Hojo looked up at the clouds as Nekoyashi braided Rin's hair. Below, people worked tirelessly and animals fought for survival. Grass swayed in what must have been a delicate breeze below, but up high the wind was stronger. Hojo, Nekoyashi and Rin didn't seem to mind, though. In fact, the wind blowing Rin's hair back actually made it easier for Nekoyashi to braid.
While watching the clouds Hojo was distracted when a kite flying overhead suddenly swooped down towards the mountain far in front of the group. "I just realized something.", he said. "What?", replied Nekoyashi. "That mountain in front of us is so wide you can't see past it. And yet the wind is coming from that direction.", Hojo responded. Nekoyashi let out a trilling hum. "That shouldn't be happening.", Hojo continued, "a mountain like that would block the wind, at least where we are." "Maybe there's a hole in the mountain.", said Nekoyashi, turning to Hojo and raising her eyebrow. Hojo blushed and scratched his head. "Oh, right.", he said.
Ah-Un carried the trio closer to the mountain, where the wind became stronger. Nekoyashi looked at Hojo as if about to speak to him, but then caught something out of the corner of her eye. Turning her head, she saw a man with a moustache, a long crooked nose, protruding cheekbones, hooked ears, talons, a priest's robe, a peaked cap and a cloth sash with cotton balls attached. Moreover, he hold two iron fans which he waved vigorously. Nekoyashi jumped down to the mountain's surface gracefully and without a scratch. She looked to the strange man and said, "So you're the one causing all this wind." "Indeed I am.", he replied while continuing to the fan the air into wind. "You could upset the natural balance.", said Nekoyashi. "The natural balance upsets me.", the grumpy man replied. Nekoyashi's eyes flared with anger. "How can you say that? The natural balance is what keeps the world in order. If you disrupt this intentionally, you are arrogant." The contentious strange man directed his fans toward Nekoyashi and blew her away. Not perturbed, Nekoyashi initiated a crouching stance and broke her fall. She drew her nails out to their full claw-like length, lunged at the horrid strange man and unleashed a barrage of claw swings with a rhythmic precision while jumping around him with the same rhythmic precision. And yet, the bizarre creature parried every single blow with his fans. "You fool. I am a master of Tessenjutsu. You could not possibly defeat me."
Up above, Hojo could see nothing through the thick trees below. He only heard voices coming from down there, but he could not hear what they were saying. Hojo looked at Rin and said, "Rin, can you hear what they are saying?" Rin shook her head. A puzzled look took hold of Hojo's face while Rin remained smiling.
Down below, Nekoyashi and the rebellious creepish man battled it out. Nekoyashi was still unable to land a single blow on him, nor was he was able to land a single blow on her. She no longer spoke but instead mowled and hissed, overcome with zealous rage. The horrid man continued to remain quiet and calm in the evil that he was committing.
Up above, Hojo strained his ears to hear what was happening down below. "Why don't you just tell Ah-Un to land?", said Rin. Hojo did so, and saw Nekoyashi clashing her claws with the fans of a man with a moustache, a long crooked nose, protruding cheekbones, hooked ears, talons, a priest's robe, a peaked cap and a cloth sash with cotton balls attached. He saw as well that neither of the two could land on a single blow on each other. Every single blow was parried. Hojo drew out his bow and a poison-tipped arrow, drew back the arrow, and unleashed it upon the horrid man. Not wincing, he raised a fan behind his head and deflected the arrow. With the slightest of calm, the evil creepish man said, "How many times must I inform you that I am a master of Tessenjutsu, and that you cannot possibly defeat me?" Rin jumped off Ah-Un's back, ran around to his front, and took the muzzle off of his left head. Ah-Un raised his mouth to the sky and breathed forth a beam of green energy. A white cloud became black and rolled and rumbled with thunder. Suddenly, a bolt of lightning streaked down and burned the crooked man to a crisp. Hojo and Nekoyashi stood frozen in awe. Rin strapped Un's muzzle back on and tugged on Nekoyashi's kimono. Nekoyashi looked down to see Rin looking at her with sincere eyes. "Miss Nekoyashi, can we get going now?" "Sure.", Nekoyashi replied. The three of them mounted Ah-Un and flew off into the sunset.