"Don't swing that around!" Suzahara said, ducking.
Zakuro caught herself at the last moment and only chopped off a little of Suzahara's hair.
"Sorry!" She exclaimed.
"That's not a toy." Suzahara complained, running his hand through his hair.
"I asked you to teach me how to use it." Zakuro said, raising her sword to her eye level and observing the tip.
"Be careful." Suzahara exclaimed, pulling Zakuro's hand away. "That's how you lose an eye!"
Zakuro frowned and looked at her new sword at an arm's length.
Suzahara was very quiet when Zakuro and the blacksmith were discussing swords. Zakuro wondered if this was the sword for her.
Zakuro had seen a sword only a couple of times in her life. Her grandfather was a samurai enthusiast and had a long, silver sword on display at his house. Her grandfather once asked her to carry it to him for polishing and she was surprised at how heavy the sword was.
Zakuro looked at her long, thin sword which wasn't too heavy. It had a bendy quality and vibrated a lot when Zakuro thrust it. Zakuro thrust her sword swiftly, imagining she was killing a demon dog. Suzahara sighed.
"Maybe we should be 10ft apart at all times." Suzahara suggested, eyeing the sword.
Zakuro clicked her tongue.
"All you have to do is teach me!" Zakuro pleaded again. "Let's take a break from walking and sword fight!"
"We're already behind schedule." Suzahara grumbled. "I have to meet the village head today! You walk way too slowly."
"In my world." Zakuro retorted. "We've the luxury of trains."
"Is that why you're weak?" Suzahara mumbled.
"I forgot." Zakuro said, angrily. "You did give me a lesson. Poke with the pointy end, right?"
Zakuro pretended to stab Suzahara and accidentally nicked his arm.
"CAREFUL!" Suzahara shouted as Zakuro looked at him horrified.
"I'm so sorry!" Zakuro said, sheathing her sword and going closer to Suzahara. "Do you have a bandage?"
Zakuro clutched his elbow and frowned at the blood.
"People from your time are so spoiled." Suzahara mumbled. "We don't need to bandage something this small."
Zakuro scowled and pushed his elbow away.
"Why are you being so mean?" Zakuro demanded. "You were the one who asked me to come."
"I didn't think you would be so slow." Suzahara said irritably. "We've to be the first ones there!"
"Oh." Zakuro said. "Of course. There may be other candidates making their way there. I'm sorry. No more breaks till we reach Ju En. Lead the way!"
Zakuro gestured.
Suzahara grinned and started walking. Zakuro didn't complain and tried her best to keep up with him.
"You know." Suzahara said. "Ju En is famous for its hot springs. Do you have hot springs in your world?"
Zakuro nodded.
"I went to one when I was in Elementary School." Zakuro reminisced.
She felt a knot in her stomach when she thought of her family.
Don't worry, guys. She thought. I'm rushing towards you.
Suzahara blushed and nodded. Zakuro looked at him confused. He began whistling a tune. It wasn't anything special. It reminded Zakuro of a bird's song.
-X-X-
"We're almost there." Suzahara said, reading a sign on the fork of the road.
Zakuro was starting to get tired. She nodded and kept pace with Suzahara.
They arrived at the town of Ju En around dusk.
Low rise buildings criss-crossed around streets. Farmers were getting back from the fields while merchants advertised their wares, hoping to get one last sale. Children ran on the streets playing. A few soldiers walked around observing the crowd. Suzahara immediately went upto one of them and started talking about the village headman.
Zakuro smiled to herself. She was glad that Suzahara was making a real effort to become a God.
"No luck." Suzahara told Zakuro, jogging back to her. "The headman had been out of town for a week now visiting the king. He is expected to return tomorrow."
Zakuro nodded.
"So what do we do till then?" Zakuro said, stretching her shoulders.
She desperately wanted to get some sleep.
Suzahara blushed again.
"M-m-maybe we could go to a hot spring." Suzahara said, avoiding eye contact.
"Okkkk." Zakuro said, confused. "What's the matter with you?"
Suzahara rubbed his head embarrassed.
"I've actually never been to one myself." Suzahara said, as he started walking. "It's a bit embarrassing saying that to somebody who has been there. I hope it won't change our relationship."
Zakuro frowned again.
"I don't think it would." She said, slowly, trying to catch Suzahara's train of thought.
Suzahara smiled.
"That makes me happy." Suzahara said genuinely. "I'm really glad you are my Chief Strategist."
Zakuro smiled at Suzahara's idiocy.
By the time they arrived at the hot spring, Zakuro could almost feel the heat of embarrassment rising from Suzahara.
"I changed my mind." Suzahara said, hastily. "I can't do it. I don't want things to change between us."
Zakuro's confusion increased. But she really wanted to go take a relaxing dip. She decided to coax Suzahara.
"I promise you." Zakuro said earnestly. "Nothing will change. I will be by your side till you become a God and support you wholeheartedly."
Suzahara looked at her, pouting.
"You promise?" Suzahara repeated.
Zakuro nodded. Suzahara blushed and nodded, averting his gaze.
They walked into the hot spring together.
"Two, please." Suzahara said at the reception.
Zakuro looked at the beautiful wood carvings adorned on the walls. The shadows danced in the candle lights.
Zakuro stretched again, excited that all her muscle aches will be gone in a while.
"This way, Mam." One of the female attendants gestured to Zakuro.
Zakuro nodded.
"I will see you in a while then." Zakuro told Suzahara as she followed the attendant.
"Wait up." Suzahara said. "I'm almost done."
Suzahara stamped a receipt and followed Zakuro.
"No,no, Sir." One of the male attendants came after Suzahara. "It's this way."
Suzahara looked at him confused.
Slowly, Zakuro understood why Suzahara was acting strangely before. She erupted into laughter.
"You thought..." Zakuro said, as she clutched her stomach. "You thought..."
Zakuro continued to laugh unable to form coherent sentences. She walked a little closer to Suzahara.
"It's separate for men and women." Zakuro whispered, so that only Suzahara could hear.
Suzahara looked embarrassed at Zakuro.
"O-o-of course." Suzahara said, laughing uncomfortably. "I knew that!"
Zakuro continued laughing.
"We're paying by the hour." Suzahara said grumpily. "Could you please go in?"
Suzahara pushed a laughing Zakuro inside.
"I'll see you soon." Zakuro waved as she went inside.
She undressed, washed herself and got into the bath. She sighed softly.
There were other women in the bath who chatted happily. Attendants flitted between customers, smiling as they spoke.
"This is the life." Zakuro mumbled, dipping deeper into the bath.
"Tough day?" Asked the girl next to Zakuro in a thin voice.
Zakuro nodded, not taking off the hot towel from her eyes.
"More like a couple of weeks." Zakuro said, roughly calculating the time she had been there.
A couple of girls squealed behind Zakuro. But Zakuro was too relaxed to care.
"This is the life, isn't it?" Zakuro said, continuing her earlier thought. "Working hard and relaxing baths."
The girl next to her was quiet. Zakuro raised the towel a little and looked towards the girl. She scrambled back, covering herself, in surprise. She was next to a large girl with rippling muscles. Zakuro was having a hard time even believing she was a girl due to her harsh features. But the woman had a sad expression on her face. An expression so sad that Zakuro instinctively wanted to protect her.
"Who let the She-man in?" said one of the young girls standing behind the girl with the thin voice.
"Cover yourselves!" Another squealed laughing.
"Who will marry us now?" Said another younger one.
Zakuro clenched her fists.
Bullies. Zakuro thought.
Looking at the girl with the thin voice broke her heart. She knew of the best way to handle this.
"I thought you left mid-conversation." Zakuro said, smiling and taking her place next to the girl.
For a while, the girl didn't reply.
"Hello?" Zakuro said, waving her hand in front of the woman.
The girl snapped back, her eyes coming into focus.
"I should go." She said hastily.
Zakuro caught her hand. Looking closer, the girl with the thin voice didn't look older than seventeen.
"Working out must make your muscles sore." Zakuro said, smiling. "You should really soak a little while longer."
The girl looked around nervously.
"We're all paying customers." Zakuro said, frowning. "Come now."
Zakuro pulled the girl back in. She offered the girl a hot towel. The girl hesitantly accepted and put the towel on her shoulders.
"Practice was extremely rough today." The girl said in her thin voice.
"What do you practice?" Zakuro asked out of curiosity.
The girl was quiet for a while.
"You don't have to do this." She said, her voice shaking a little.
Zakuro wasn't sure if the girl was angry or if she was going to start crying.
"I don't need for you to pity me." The girl continued.
Zakuro was genuinely confused.
"Why would I pity somebody like you?" Zakuro asked.
The girl clicked her tongue.
She rose, exposing her bare body to Zakuro. The girl's body rippled. There was no fat in her well trained body. She was pure muscle.
"How unsightly!" Commented one of the older women.
The girl turned to leave.
"Was that supposed to be the answer?" Zakuro called out. "Am I supposed to pity you because you're stronger than me?"
The girl stopped. Zakuro and she were quiet for a while.
"Come back in, silly girl." Zakuro said, putting the towel back on her eyes. "This water is magical. I can almost feel my legs again!"
Zakuro heard as somebody got into the water next to her a few moments later.
"It is magical." A thin voice replied. "A priest blessed the river which flows underground. It's supposed to cure all muscle aches."
Zakuro remembered the character for muscle and purity at the entrance.
"Bless the priest." Zakuro mumbled.
The girl next to her chuckled.
"You act as though you fought a hoard of demons." The girl said.
Zakuro thought of the demon dogs. She then thought of the old couple.
"I might as well have." Zakuro replied. "I've just been walking around too much."
Zakuro was starting to get sleepy.
"Do you know of any inns around here?" Zakuro asked.
"You could come stay at my place." The girl with the thin voice offered.
Zakuro shook her head.
"I'm traveling with someone." Zakuro replied, trying to convince herself that Suzahara will not be fine sleeping on the street.
"My house has several rooms." The girl said. "I insist."
Zakuro nodded, smiling.
The girls talked the entire time they were in the bath. The more Zakuro talked to the girl, the more she liked her.
-X-X-
They left the bath together, toweling their wet hair.
"You took your time." Suzahara grumbled.
The night sky was twinkling with stars.
"You seem disappointed, Suzahara." Zakuro teased. "Whatever could be the reason!"
Suzahara frowned. He then looked at the girl with the thin voice, waiting for Zakuro to introduce her.
"Oh." Zakuro exclaimed. "This is Huang Su Zahara, the boy I told you about."
The girl bowed and greeted Suzahara.
"And this is the super fun..." Zakuro continued. "Wait a minute. I don't know your name yet! We've been talking this entire time and I don't even know your name!"
The girls started giggling. Suzahara rolled his eyes.
"I'm Kinomoto Zakuro." Zakuro introduced herself. "You can call me Zakuro."
"I'm Lin Nuriko." Nuriko said, bowing. "Please, call me Nuriko."
"You never asked me to call you Zakuro." Suzahara mumbled.
"And yet." Zakuro replied. "You do even without my permission."
Suzahara finally smiled.
"You're pretty moody, aren't you?" Zakuro said.
"I will be back to normal once I meet the headman." Suzahara replied.
"My house is this way." Nuriko said, gesturing to her left.
"Lin-san, huh?" Suzahara said thoughtfully. "Are you related to the village headman?"
Nuriko nodded.
"He is my father." Nuriko replied, taking a left. "My family owns a Jiao Di school."
Suzahara nodded.
"What's Jiao Di?" Zakuro asked, confused.
"You'll have to forgive her." Suzahara said, grinning. "She is not very wise."
Suzahara looked at Zakuro as though he had won something. Zakuro laughed at him.
"Jiao Di is a form of wrestling." Nuriko explained. "My family have produced top notch Jiao Di wrestlers for generations. My father was the undisputed champion till his retirement 5 years ago."
For some reason, Nuriko looked unhappy saying this.
Parental expectation transcends time. Zakuro thought.
They arrived at Nuriko's house. Almost as soon as they stepped in, an old man came running towards the door holding up an oil lantern.
"Nuriko-sama." He cried out.
"Genji." Nuriko exclaimed and rushed forward.
She supported the wheezing man who seemed close to collapsing.
"Where have you been, Nuriko-sama?" Genji said, panting. "We've been worried sick! Mao told me about those horrid women at the bath. We thought you would return soon after but you didn't. Mao is out looking for you."
"You sent her out this late?" Nuriko exclaimed, immediately turning around.
She almost crashed into a little girl who was running back into the house.
"Nuri-chan!"The girl exclaimed.
"Mao!" Nuriko said, surprised.
"Where were you?!" Mao said, hugging Nuriko around the waist and started crying.
"I take it that Nuriko doesn't stay out for too long." Suzahara mumbled under his breath to Zakuro.
"It's complicated." Zakuro replied in hushed tones.
Genji was studying the duo. Suzahara caught his eye and smiled.
Genji stood in front of Nuriko, blocking her from their view.
"We don't have any rooms for travelers." Genji said, firmly. "Please leave Nuriko-sama alone."
Suzahara and Zakuro looked at each other confused.
"Genji." Nuriko said, placing a hand on Genji's shoulders. "It's OK. They're my friends."
"Friends?" Genji repeated.
Suzahara and Zakuro both waved at Genji.
"Friend no. 1." Zakuro said, smiling.
"Friend no. 2." Suzahara added.
"They're our guests for the night." Nuriko said, leading them through the wide courtyard as she instructed Genji. "Prepare some food. They must be famished."
Zakuro yawned.
"Actually..." Zakuro started to say.
"Absolutely starving." Suzahara said, smiling.
Genji and Mao nodded and scurried into the house.
"They're easily excited." Zakuro commented.
Nuriko smiled, deep dimples on her cheeks.
"They mean well." Nuriko said. "But yes, they are a tad bit over the top. Just a tad."
Suzahara and Zakuro followed Nuriko through the house. The courtyard was wide and spacious with several practice rings. The inside of the house had surprisingly less furniture and had rolled mattresses all around.
"You wouldn't find too many people here today." Nuriko commented, as she took a seat at the table. "Since father is out of town, most of the students have gone to visit their families. It's rare for this place to be empty. Mao is the only student who stayed back."
Genji came in a while later.
"Nuriko-sama." He said. "You must get dressed for dinner."
Nuriko nodded and rose. She followed Genji out of the room. Zakuro scooted back a little and rested her head on the wall, almost half-asleep.
"Do you think that's the red haired boy?" Zakuro heard a woman talking from the room behind the wall.
"I think that's him." Another replied. "He fits the description Mei gave. Though she didn't mention how handsome he actually is."
"He is the one who took down the pack of the demons dogs, then?" The first woman deduced. "Wow! Handsome and strong! The headman would be so pleased. He put a large reward on the demon dog's life. Maybe they will hold a festival in his honour."
"I wonder if the girl he is travelling with is his wife." The second women sighed softly.
"Such a waste." The first woman replied. "The girl is almost pretty. But still..."
Zakuro didn't want to hear the rest of the conversation. Her blood was boiling.
"Suzahara." Zakuro said calmly.
Suzahara was studying his sword.
"Yes, Zakuro." Suzahara said, not meeting Zakuro's eyes.
"Why did the spirits want to come to Ju En?" She asked, trying her best to keep her voice even.
Suzahara coughed.
"I'm not really sure." Suzahara replied. "But I know I must meet the headman..."
Suzahara stopped talking looking at the murderous expression on Zakuro's face. He scooted back a little. Zakuro slowly rose to her feet.
"Please tell me we're here because there is a challenge nearby." Zakuro said. "And not because you wanted to collect the reward for slaying the demon dog." Suzahara went closer to the door and tried to open it.
"YOU LIAR!" Zakuro shouted, throwing a nearby vase at him.
Suzahara scrambled out of the room. Zakuro ran after him, shouting obscenities.
"YOU SAID THE SPIRITS GUIDED YOU HERE!" Zakuro shouted, throwing a flower pot at him. "YOU SAID YOU WERE SERIOUS ABOUT BECOMING A GOD! AND YOU WERE HERE FOR THE DAMN REWARD! HOW DARE YOU LIE TO ME?!"
Suzahara ran helter, avoiding Zakuro's path. But Zakuro was seeing red. She felt stupid for placing her faith on Suzahara. She should have been self-reliant and gone to the library instead.
"LIAR!" Zakuro shouted. "CHEATER!"
Suzahara got angry.
"SWORDS AND BATHS DON'T COME FOR FREE." Suzahara retorted and stopped running.
He turned around and dug his heels to the ground, ready to fight. Zakuro had stopped running too, rooted to the spot. Her eyes started stinging. But she was sure she wouldn't cry.
I'm in his debt. Zakuro thought.
Nuriko came out, looking at them confused. She was wearing a pink qipao with bright red roses on them. Her hair was half way done and a hair pin dangled near her ear. She wore white bracelets with a golden border and a jade stone on her hands.
"What's..." Nuriko started.
Zakuro unsheathed her sword and pointed it at Nuriko.
"Nuriko-sama!" Genji exclaimed.
"How much for this sword, three days meals and a hot bath?" Zakuro asked, her voice in a low growl.
"Zakuro..." Suzahara started.
Zakuro shot him a dark look.
"Zakuro..." Nuriko started.
"Nuriko, please." Zakuro interrupted again. "Please tell me how much."
Nuriko frowned.
"Around 2000." Nuriko estimated.
"I'll pay you back and find my own way back, Suzahara." Zakuro told Suzahara, sheathing her sword.
She turned to face Nuriko.
"Thank you so much for your hospitality, Nuriko." Zakuro said, clutching Nuriko's hands. "I must get going now."
Zakuro turned her heel.
"Zakuro!" Nuriko and Suzahara called out together.
Nuriko rushed forward and caught Zakuro's hand.
"I didn't mean..." Suzahara started.
"Of course, you meant it." Zakuro said, her anger ebbing away.
She only felt foolish now.
"I'm sorry for taking advantage of you." Zakuro apologized to Suzahara. "And I was almost doing the same tonight with Nuriko. I'm so god damn stupid! I promise I will pay you back."
"You promised you would stay by my side till I became a God." Suzahara protested.
Zakuro chuckled at this.
"But it doesn't seem like you're really trying, does it?" Zakuro said. "You're here for a reward when demons are ravaging villages. You worry about money when innocent people die."
Suzahara looked hurt. But Zakuro didn't care.
"What am I supposed to do?" Suzahara said. "I honestly tried for the first couple of months to complete quests. But that just left me hungry and cold. And then I met you and I completed a quest."
"So the Chief Adviser is a lucky charm?" Zakuro said, resisting the urge to laugh from past experience.
"You've to believe me, Zakuro." Suzahara said. "There is nothing more in the world that I want than sending those demons packing to hell. But I just don't know what to do next. It's not like I can say Oh devoured spirits! Light the way!"
Suzahara meant to say it as a joke. But as soon as he said that, his eyes starting glowing white and a strong gust of wind surrounded him. Dismembered voices started singing.
The gates to hell, you must close.
A God candidate fate has chose
A golden chalice, a mortal who cannot see.
Only trouble awaits thee.
After this, Suzahara started sinking to the ground.
"SUZAHARA!" Zakuro screamed and ran to him.
The wind cut through her skin but she kept running. She jumped the last few steps and caught Suzahara's torso, trying to pull him up. But Suzahara's body was limp and his eyes were closed.
"SUZAHARA!" Zakuro shouted. "PLEASE, WAKE UP!"
Nuriko was right behind Zakuro. She bore similar gashes on her skin because of the wind.
Nuriko was screaming and crying, but Zakuro couldn't hear anything but the howls of the wind. Nuriko started pulling Suzahara by his arm, pointing wildly at Zakuro's feet.
Zakuro looked down and to her horror; Suzahara was pulling both Nuriko and her down with him. Zakuro and Nuriko started pulling harder. But sooner than they realised, they were all pulled underground.
AN:
Translations-
-sama- A honorific term used mainly to refer to people much higher in rank than oneself, toward one's guests or customers, and sometimes toward people one greatly admires.
qipao- Traditional Chinese clothing for women. Tightly fitted long frock with slits on the sides.
-X-X-
Torublossom: When I initially started out with the story, I had considered making this the common origin story for all the four gods. But I ran into some challenges. 1. The story would then become way too long and complex. 2. I wouldn't know how to fit my protagonist for all the four Gods. To me Genbu seems like an older God and I will be at least referencing all of them in the upcoming chapters. :)
Mlg: Thank you so much for the review! I hope you like this chapter too!
-X-X-
So, my bad for the long wait for this chapter. I'm actually facing the rewrite nightmare. This is pretty much how I wanted Nuriko to be. But I just couldn't rewrite her introduction. I know this chapter is actually crap. But my head started hurting trying to think of alternative intros. Hopefully, I'm just over reacting and you guys don't hate it as much as I do. In case I'm not over reacting and you agree that this chapter is crap, please don't stop reading! The next one is better. *saying this as I fervently pray to all the gods- the new and the old*
Let me know what you think!
As always, keep reading.