Scroll Five: The Promise
"The youth today must believe that they are stealthy, that they can elude the eyes of an old-timer like myself. Still, they are in the prime of their years, so I suppose I can be reserved just this once. Their destinies are tied against each other. Heaven forbid that I delve too deep into their fate."
~Miyazaki Sakura, caretaker of Shimotsuki Dojo
"Aoi-chan, did you notice that it's quieter today?"
Although she knew she was being addressed, the girl did not stop turning her hand inside the container. Slowly, methodically moving her fingers, Aoi constantly stirred the rice around in the water, thereby washing the grainy material thoroughly. She had to prepare the rice so that it would be cooked properly; if she was careless, bits of dust, and occasionally dirt, could accidently end up in a bowl, an inconvenience for those with strong teeth, a dilemma for those lacking the calcium.
Without raising her eyes, she answered in an irritated tone. "What are you talking about, Moru-san?"
"I was just saying that there is less noise than usual. Normally, Kuina-chan would have been confronted by that green-haired nuisance, but I haven't heard the shinai clash."
Aoi took her hand out of the water and flung some of the droplets at the young man, who drew back to avoid the liquid. She stared at the damp brown hair that fell down his neck, the navy blue uniform that stuck to his sweating body, and concluded that he had come back from practice. Why he would not wash himself before he started a conversation simply baffled her. Grabbing the large bowl, she started to pour the water carefully into the disposal bin.
"You had better leave Zoro-kun alone. I don't care if he seems annoying to you, because in reality he is a sweet boy who has more manners than you will ever have. So what if it's not as noisy today? Doesn't he have the right to rest too?"
Moru shook his head, disagreeing with Aoi's vindication. "I don't think that's it, Aoi-chan, though I find it cute that you're getting angry for him." He dodged the dirt-covered rag she flung in his direction before continuing. "No, I think the shame has finally gotten to him. That's why he hasn't challenged the Master's daughter today."
Finished with the container, Aoi handed the rice to another woman who carried it to where the iron cooking pots were located. Drying her hands on a spare cloth that hung from her waist, the girl turned her attention back to Moru. "Did you forget that the boy has always overcome the humiliation from his defeats?"
"Well, I guess it had something to do with the fact that he accepted his two thousandth loss yesterday. Maybe if he wouldn't have called her out at every chance he got, this wouldn't have happened."
"Oh, and have you won against Kuina-chan yet?" She watched Moru carefully, a smile of satisfaction invading her face when he remained silent. "So give Zoro-kun a break. He'll be himself soon enough, and then you won't have to worry about it being too quiet here anymore."
"I still think he's going over his head. After all, Kuina-chan is the Sensei's daughter."
Aoi crossed her arms and thought for a moment. "I've always wondered why Kuina-chan hasn't been beaten by any of the students in this dojo, not even by the ones that are older than her. Not that I'm complaining though; it's good to see you men get a beating from one of our own."
Moru smirked at the mock. "Only because we allow her to beat us."
"Uh huh, that's just what you want everybody to believe."
"Stop being so difficult."
She stared into his amber eyes, unfazed by the slight anger that he had shown. "Then stop concerning yourself with something like this. And try to be nicer to the boy. The rest of us here believe that he doesn't even have a family he could return to, that he's an orphan."
"That doesn't mean you should pity him."
"Oh, trust me, we don't. He's shown too much pride for us to wound him like that." Taking the hair tie out, she ran her fingers lightly through her smooth, black hair that ran down her back. "I'm just saying that you shouldn't judge him too quickly."
"All right, I get it." His frustration growing, Moru started to walk out of the kitchen when Aoi let out a slow breath.
"Maybe, when the moon is out tonight, I'll go down to the river and find some juicy ume, some plums."
Moru looked curiously at the girl, who was walking past him into the passageway. "But, it's not the right season. The trees should only be flowering; you won't find any ripened fruit."
She turned her head slightly, her soft brown eyes penetrating into his rough, golden-brown irises. With a sly smile, Aoi gave an enticing laugh before whispering into his ear. "I know. But maybe…I'll get lucky."
He watched her disappear into another room, his mind replaying what he had just heard. Shaking his head, Moru slung the shinai over his shoulder and started for the wash room to get rid of the perspiration on his body.
She could feel her breath getting heavier with each swing of her shinai, the sweat dripping down her face. This could not be her limit; she should be able to handle just a bit more. Gripping the handle, Kuina continued to train her body in the courtyard. She was thankful for the full moon that shone above her in the night, giving enough light so she could see in front of her.
With each swing, she tried to focus her mind on her skills, though in the end her mind always wandered back to the same thought. Kuina found it strange, not because Zoro did not issue a single challenge to her that day. In fact, he seemed to be more composed than he usually was, although he did use an aloof tone of voice while addressing her.
No, she was perplexed because of herself; she found that she missed the constant pestering from the boy, even if it did get annoying at times. Perhaps she had gotten used to the daily challenge, the push that got her to practice her swordsmanship. Or maybe it was the thrill she felt whenever she won against the boy, thus hanging on to her life. Whatever the reason was, she found that the day was not as interesting if she was left alone. Then, she remembered the conversation she had with her father.
Extra force was used for the next swing as she tried desperately to forget; it was the other reason why she was trying to concentrate on her workout. Kuina knew that the talk would have happened eventually, but it was still painful. Lowering her shinai, the girl let out a deep breath and closed her eyes. No, she had to overcome this obstacle if she wanted to continue. She was not about to let a small thing like this keep her down.
Heavy footsteps, indicating the approach of another, pounded in her ears and caused her to open her eyes again. Turning around, she saw that it was Zoro who had been running towards her, his breath almost as strained as hers. In his hands were two katana in black sheaths, though Kuina wondered where he had gotten a hold of such weapons. However, the determined look, the normal glare he always gave her, calmed her down; she had to admit that she enjoyed wiping the expression off of his face.
Slowly reclaiming control of his breathing, Zoro swallowed in an attempt to soothe his parched throat. Keeping his eyes on Kuina, he thrust one of the katana out in front of him and spoke in a firm voice. "Kuina, I challenge you to a match, but this time, we're going to use real katana, not shinai. Do you accept?"
Kuina paused for a second to wipe the salty droplets from her forehead before smirking at the boy. "Do you think a change of weapons will make any difference?"
"Just answer my question. Do you accept or not?"
"I never back out on a challenge, you should know that already. You're going to have to hold on, though, while I go get my own katana."
Zoro nodded. "I'll wait right here, so hurry back."
He watched the girl run off and let out a sigh. The whole day was spent ruminating over how he could finally defeat her, and he was feeling slightly tired as a result. After his last defeat, he had slammed the wooden swords on the practice posts without rest, his anger and frustration flowing from his hands into the weapons. No matter how many times he fought, no matter how many times he changed tactics, he found that he just could not win against Kuina. He knew that at this rate, he would never reach his goal. There must have been something else, something that could give him the upper hand.
Then he questioned whether the Sensei's daughter had a match with a real katana; thinking back to the ones he watched, Zoro could not recall any student using a sharpened blade in the dojo. With this in mind, the green-haired boy had a talk with the Master, addressing that particular issue; Koshiro had replied that it would be much too dangerous if such weapons were used for a simple sparring match. However, the Master's words sounded like an excuse to the boy, and he voiced this opinion. To his surprise, Koshiro did not seem angry, but amused; he told Zoro that there was a number of katana that was kept in the backroom, and that he had permission to use them.
Zoro could not understand how his Sensei could trust him with such knowledge; if he was someone who looked older, or more mature, it would have made more sense. But Zoro knew that he had to use this to his advantage, so he simply thanked Koshiro and went to find the room.
Once he procured his weapons, he had spent most of the day adapting to the new weight; he found that the katana were much heavier than the shinai he used to practice. And it was not just weight that felt different. The ki he felt from the katana differed from the wood, a distinctive energy that almost spoke of individuality. It was more unique than bad, this experience. In fact, it did not take long for him to become accustomed to the blades, his swings more supple than before. Was this the connection that swordsmen sought in their weapons, their partners?
He was brought back to the present when he saw Kuina running back, holding her katana of choice. Zoro noticed that the weapon was in a different sheath than those he saw in the storehouse, a white saya, scabbard, that was as clean as new snow. Neither blemish nor stain marked the fair wood, giving the weapon a more magnificent appearance, even with its blade covered. He found that he had to force his eyes away from the katana, for he was unwilling to look into a weapon that belonged to somebody else. He had no right to scrutinize the ki that should belong only to the owner.
Holding onto his own katana, Zoro nodded to the girl. "Are you ready?"
"Hold on. Let's go somewhere else and have our match."
Zoro looked curiously at Kuina as he tried to consider what would cause the sudden request to change locations. "Why? What's wrong with the courtyard?"
The girl sighed in exasperation. "I thought that you already knew! As students of this dojo, we're not supposed to use real katana in a match. If we get caught we'll have to get punished." She walked towards the exit that would lead them down the hill and to the village.
About to mention that her own father informed him of the storehouse, the green-haired boy decided otherwise because he knew that whatever he said would be disregarded by Kuina. So he simply followed after her, though he did grumble to himself. It would be useless to argue, and, as long as they would duel, he was not concerned with the location.
They continued down the hill, but the girl shied away from the village; instead, she headed for the empty, grassy area in the vicinity. Trudging along through the verdant vegetation, the pair continued away from the houses, and the dojo, until Zoro planted his feet firmly to the ground as a refusal to go on.
"Hey!! How far out are you planning to go? We're already far away from the dojo, so why don't we have the fight here? I mean, if we go any further, we'll end up at the river."
Kuina kept silent, but stopped walking. Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, she turned to face the expectant boy. "All right. We'll have our match right here, just like you say. It's not going to make a difference, anyway, considering that I'm going to beat you again."
A disdainful smile crept onto his face, his grasp on his temper starting to become loose. "As if I'll lose to you again. I'm going to beat you this time, Kuina. Count on it."
"You can brag after you win." She pulled her katana out of its snow-colored sheath carefully, more in respect for the blade than to prevent herself from getting cut. What was supposed to be a quick glance ended up being a prolonged stare; while he had rummaged through the weapons in the storehouse, Zoro did not come across any weapon that compared to the katana in Kuina's hands. Even though he was inexperienced in evaluating different swords, he could see that the katana was brought into the world by a professional, not any amateur swordsmith. However, he was not about to be intimidated just because Kuina seemed to have the better blade; he would have to compensate with his skills.
Drawing his own weapons out of their sheaths, Zoro wrapped his hands around the hilts before bowing to his opponent. She may annoy him to no end, she may have beaten him up until now, but she was still a swordsman and he would show her the proper respect. He saw her return the gesture and smiled; it looked like she felt the same way towards him. Holding his blades in a tight grip, the boy brought them into position and got his arms to adjust to the extra weight.
Kuina saw that Zoro was ready to go and brought her own katana up, holding the blade in front of her. The youths eyed each other, goading the other to initiate an attack. The moon threw light on the duo, the pale beam casting shadows that extended beyond their bodies. Neither paid attention to the sounds created by nature around them, their concentration focused only on their match. Nothing reached their senses, their attention only on each other.
It was Kuina who launched the first attack; though Zoro was surprised at the charge, he was nevertheless prepared. Steel clashed with steel as he successfully blocked the weapon, but he found that the amount of strength he had used with the shinai was not enough to knock Kuina's katana out of the way. All three katanas remained in contact against one another, their masters' attempts to repel the opposing weapons failing. Then, Zoro forced his power into his weapons and threw the girl off before counterattacking.
His blades cut through the air as he aimed for Kuina, each swing either barely missing his target or blocked by the girl's weapon. Because she always practiced with the wooden swords, Kuina found that she was unused to the katana she held in her hands. But she knew that if she did not connect with her weapon, death was imminent; relying on her abilities and instincts, she both controlled the blade and allowed it to guide her movements. It was her family's treasured sword, one that was crafted in their homeland, so she was willing to put her trust in it.
They continued the match for some time without either gaining the upper hand; perspiration drenched both bodies as they constantly clashed, cooling down the heat that arose from their movements. Both felt the thrill of wielding a true katana and became drunk from the experience. They had never had this reaction before, the excitement that pumped through their blood, the exhilaration that vibrated through their hands after each block, and the fear that existed in the back of their minds. One mistake would result in a dangerous injury, if not death; any careless action could give them more than a loss of the duel. But this apprehension did little to prevent them from going on; only by overcoming this fear could they move forward.
Zoro caught the girl faltering and used this to his advantage; his weapons hummed as he began to attack with furious speed. There was no pause between each blow; one swing was succeeded by another from a different angle, always changing. Kuina noticed that, even though Zoro was more skillful in his swordsmanship, there was a sort of ferocity in his energy that resembled a beast. He insisted on relying on power more than wit, which always caused his downfall. She would have to show him that both are needed in a swordsman.
Stepping back, Kuina waited for the one of the blades to fall before rushing forward, her katana drawn in front. She swung her arms with a speed that was slower than Zoro's movement, but hers was more fluid, more calculated. Even with two swords, the boy found that he was blocking without pause, constantly having to use both blades to stop her katana from running into his body. He noticed that she was starting to pick up speed, that the frequency in which he had to move his arms increasing. Before he knew what was happening, the end of the weapon was aimed at his face; swiftly reacting to the oncoming attack, he crossed his katanas and started to raise them above his face.
It was a surprise when the blade suddenly pulled back and went under his weapons. The back of the blade reaching the point where the swords touched, Kuina felt the resistance through her hands and yelled at the top of her lungs. Energy flowed into her arms, allowing her to break the swords away from each other and leave the boy's arms trembling from the forced movement. She did not stop there; swinging her katana to the side, she slammed her weapon horizontally into her opponent's swords.
The force of the swing, along with his loosened grip on the hilts, caused the katanas to fly out the green-haired boy's hands. The sudden blow caused Zoro to lose his balance, his body starting to fall backward as gravity came into play. Kuina took this opportunity to jump into the air, coming down just as Zoro's back reached the dirt. Gripping her katana tightly, she plunged the blade into the ground, inches away from the boy's neck. It was over, and both of them knew it. She smiled with satisfaction at the boy.
"It's my win again. That makes it two thousand and one times I've beaten you."
Zoro heard the words with disbelief, though there was nothing that could change the facts. The sound of his katanas dropping to the ground reached his ears even if it was not processed in his brain. He could not even describe what he felt as frustration because it went beyond that. After practicing diligently every day, after deciding to change his tactics, he thought, no, he believed that this was his chance, that he could beat the girl this time. Yet, nothing had changed; he was once again the one who had to take the loss, the one who failed at getting the Yeoiju.
He brought his hand to his eyes, refusing to the look at Kuina as he sorted through his emotions. He was not going to give up his dream of becoming a dragon, but he could feel a sort of despair take hold of his soul. Of course, he would definitely outlive the girl and find another Yeoiju, but that would mean nothing if he could not defeat her. By doing that, he would be running away, throwing away his pride. That was the last thing he wanted.
"Shit. Why the hell can't I beat you?"
Kuina watched the boy lying on the ground. She had to admit that she felt a tiny bit of pity for him; it was sad to think that he actually lost every match against her. However, she recalled her father's words and realized that she was overcome with depression.
"You shouldn't be the one that's frustrated Zoro. No, I'm the one who should be on the ground and getting angry."
He removed his hand from his face and stared up at Kuina, surprise etched onto his face. "What are you talking about? You're not the one who has lost two thousand and one times."
"I know that. You don't have to point out the obvious." She sat down on the grass next to him, avoiding his eyes. "But I don't know how much longer I can keep this up."
He pushed himself up into the same position. "What are you talking about?"
Kuina took a moment to look at the lunar orb. "My father talked to me today about my future. He told me that as I grow older, I'll start falling behind the other students because I'm a girl." She gave a small smile to Zoro. "Men are supposed to be stronger than women, so most women end up yielding to the stronger being, even if they do not agree with the idea. Besides, what else can they do but listen to the ones that are powerful?"
Zoro did not reply because he was unsure what any of this had to do with them. Then Kuina continued, her voice wavering slightly. "Sooner or later, you'll finally beat me in a match; most likely when we get older. And besides, you're an Imoogi, so you'll probably excel beyond a normal human. At that point, I'll have to give you my Yeoiju…my life…without fulfilling my own dreams."
The light from the moon illuminated the tears that started to form in her eyes. Fate was unfair to her; from her birth, she set to face this destiny; even if she tried to break free, she knew that it would be impossible to remain free. "I wish I was born as a man. Then I wouldn't have to worry about all of this, and I wouldn't have this Yeoiju in my body. But…," she hesitated for a second, "my breasts are starting to develop. At this rate, my body will just become weaker, and…"
"Shut up."
Astonished by the sudden order, she looked up at Zoro. "What?"
"I said shut the hell up!! Stop feeling so sorry for yourself!!!" A new anger burned inside his mind. It was almost an insult, the way she attributed power to the gender of a being. "Are you saying that I'll defeat you just because you possess more yin in your body than yang? That the only reason I'll win is from the fact that you're a 'weaker' gender? Don't be ridiculous!! Then why have you been beating me before?"
Kuina thought for a second before replying in a quiet voice. "Because there is no difference when we are young…"
"And you think that just because the human body changes as it grows, you'll become weaker? That there will be a drastic change between our levels?" Zoro glared at the girl, who remained wordless. "Don't be stupid. You've been beating me up until now because of your own power. Your strength isn't going to suddenly grow weak when you grow older. Unless, of course, you're so brainwashed into this concept that you don't think that you can overcome it." He paused and smirked at the girl. "I didn't know you were this weak. It's almost a shame that I'm working so hard to take the Yeoiju from a human like you."
It was her turn to glare at him. "I'm the one who beat you over two thousand times. I don't consider that weak."
"Then don't cry over such a stupid thing! Don't make me regret training everyday so I can beat you." He saw that she was not going to answer and sighed. Then, he thought of something else. "How about we make a promise?"
She looked skeptically at him. "What do you mean 'a promise'?"
"If you're scared, then you don't have to. You can be satisfied with losing to me because I'm a boy."
"I'm not scared."
Zoro smirked, glad that she was returning to her normal condition. "Do you think that you'll be able to fulfill your dreams before I take the Yeoiju from you?"
Kuina smiled through her tears. "Of course I can. You haven't beaten me yet."
"Arrogant again, are we? What about the fact that you'll become weaker than a man?"
"I'll still be stronger than you, stupid Imoogi."
"Heh, then how about this? What if you try to accomplish everything you want to in your life, without worrying about me taking your life? And once you're finally satisfied and ready, you'll give me your Yeoiju."
"How are you so sure that some other supernatural creature won't take the Yeoiju before you?"
Zoro snorted. "Trust me, I'll make sure that they won't even think about taking it away. Besides, I doubt that any other being will be willing to deal with your obstinate personality."
"I suppose I should take that as a compliment." She thought for a moment before smiling. "It might take a long time before I'm ready to give up my life. And I mean a really long time."
"Heh, you don't need to worry about that. I'll still be alive after hundreds of years, so time isn't a problem for me."
"Well, aren't you lucky?"
"What exactly is your dream anyway?"
Kuina stared at the green-haired boy, his black eyes shining with a strange ferocity. "I'm going to be the world's greatest swordsman. I want to prove to myself that I have the strength and patience for this task."
"That sounds like a pretty high goal you're setting for yourself."
"It's easier than trying to become a dragon when you can't even beat a girl."
"Better watch your mouth." They both looked at each other with a mischievous glint in their eyes. "I might challenge you to one last fight before I take that Yeoiju."
"Don't cry when you fail to procure one win before I give you it."
With a smile that said he would stop the provocation, he held out his hand. "So what do you say? Are you willing to make this promise?"
She looked at him without moving. "Can I trust you?"
"Have I taken the Yeoiju from you, even though it's been frustrating to lose to you every time?"
"…I guess you're right." She grabbed his hand and gave it a firm squeeze. "It's a promise."
"Right. Don't go back on your word."
And for the first time, they gave each other genuine smiles, without traces of contempt or disdain. It was a promise that they were both willing to keep, something that will drive them forward; a vow made under the night sky, with the moon as their witness.
The rhythmic current of the water between the river banks was soothing in her ears. In the tall grass that populated the ground near the river, two forms remained still, bathing in the moon's effulgence. Aoi laid her head on Moru's chest, allowing her hair to fall over the tight skin. Sighing with satisfaction, she spoke gently the man.
"See? Didn't I tell you that Zoro-kun will be himself again?"
Moru recalled the sounds of the katanas striking each other, the semi-muted noise coming from a distance. It could have been only those two; nobody else would be up at such an hour for a duel. He found that he had to agree with the girl. "All right. You win. I guess I have to give that kid credit for his determination."
Aoi slowly ran her fingers through his brown damp brown hair, though Moru had washed himself hours before. Getting up from her position, she whispered mockingly into his ear. "And what else were you wrong about?"
He smirked before bringing his lips to hers, pausing for a moment to reply. "That just because it's not the right season doesn't mean that you cannot find some ume."