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Author of 8 Stories |
Title: Sengoku
Disclaimer: I do not own or claim influence over the Mai-HiME or Mai-Otome series’.
-Offer up praise to Astarael00 (Rae) for beta-ing this for me! I’d say give her cookies but I’ve offered and been turned down…she is however looking for “assistants” to try her new magic tricks on. Someone help…she wants to saw me in half.-
Carts and wagons rattled up and down the dirt street, the scrawny horses that pulled them churning up a storm of dust and dried foliage as they rambled past. Sellers hawking their wares lined the sides of the road while buyers pushed, shoved and shouted, haggling to score the most for their money. A few men slouched in their doorways; their yukatas slightly open as they took swings from bottles of sake and eyed the women that walked the street.
Amongst the shouts and calls of bustling crowd, a solitary figure made its way toward the inn. As the figure passed conversations became muted while eyes followed the longhaired swordswoman. Radiating an aloft aura as cold as ice, the young woman frowned to herself as she pulled her gasa lower to shade her eyes. Her katana was tucked in the left side of her obi, while her hand rested gently on its hilt. Annoyed by the throngs of people, she concentrated on blocking out the noises around her, instead focusing on the shuffle of her worn waraji sandals.
Stopping, with a small sigh, her emerald eyes slowly played over the inn’s entrance. A dingy little scum-filled hole; a great place not to draw attention to herself and to scope out marks at the same time. Thumbing her katana a little out of its saya, she walked through the entrance.
As she settled into a corner table, her emerald eyes slowly played over the bar and it patrons. Smoke hovered in the air, dimming the lighting, setting a muted ‘mind your own business or I’ll make you’ undertone, just the way she liked it. The conversations were hushed as most of the men in there were either caught up in their own worlds or too drunk to do anything but pick up another bottle. Leaning back, she relaxed, taking small sips the bottle that had been brought to her table. She was careful not to drink too much, after all getting drunk before she made her money wasn’t a good idea; she could do that afterwards.
After about an hour, her bottle was half empty and she’d yet to find an acceptable mark. About to give it up, she took a deep swig; perhaps there’d be better luck tomorrow, and she still had enough money to spend the night.
Just as she’d drained the bottle, the doors were pushed open and a well-clad man sauntered in, drawing many eyes to him as he loudly ordered a round. Shoulder length coffee colored hair framed a sun-tanned face and dark brown eyes. A dark green yukata etched with gold-threaded patterns hung loosely from his body. Despite the quality of his dress, his mannerisms were not those of a samurai. It was more likely that he was a Ronin, a wander, a hired sword who had just scored a nice payoff. The dark haired girl grinned to herself.
“Bull’s-eye.”
After seating himself, the young man looked around the room grinning cockily.
“Oi! Barkeep! A round for all my friends on me!”
The statement alone seemed to put him on good terms with all the men, as they turned away from the dark-haired man and back to their own business. Resting his foot on his knee, he leaned back, throwing his arm casually over the chair.
“Time to get to work.”
Standing, the azure haired girl slowly made her way through the bar, making sure she passed where the self-satisfied swordsman was seated.
As she passed, she muttered under her breath, just loud enough to make sure that she was heard.
“Flamboyant bastard.”
Jerking his arm from the chair, the man stood up, grabbing her arm forcefully and yanking her around, once again drawing the attention of the bar to his table
“What did you say you scrawny piece of shit?”
Lifting her emerald eyes, she gazed into his indifferently into brown
“I said: “You’re a gaudily dressed loser,” didn’t you hear me?”
Laughing, the man released her arm.
“Hell, you’re a girl? I ain’t gonna fight no girl. Why don’t you go get a doll instead of carrying that sword?” Laughter erupted from the bar’s occupants as dark haired man gave her a shove. “Get lost.”
Straightening her back, the girl stood her ground facing the snorting man.
“Are you afraid you’re going to lose?” Smirking, she watched a look of disbelief spread over her prey’s face.
“I’d never lose to a woman. Now get lost before I hurt you.”
“Can you? I’ll take you on.” Reaching into her yukata she withdrew a sack and dangled it in front of the warrior’s face letting its contents jingle. “Winner takes all. Unless…you don’t have the balls that is.”
“Little girl, you’ve insulted my pride far too many times. If a fight is what you want, that’s what you’ll get. You’ll rue the day you crossed swords with Yamanaka Keiichi.”
“Right, outside then?” Leading the way, the young girl stepped out to the street.
Removing her hat she tossed it aside, letting her long cobalt blue hair blow freely in the breeze. The sun highlighted her crème-colored skin, giving it a glow as crystal-green eyes took in her surroundings.
Noting that a good many of the bar’s occupants had followed them out and that many of the town’s people had also started to gather, she spoke to her opponent theatrically, raising her voice a little so that everyone could hear.
“Let’s let the barkeep hold the cash so neither of us try to make a run with it. Agreed?”
Keiichi nodded, a bit annoyed. He’d rather have held on to his own money, but since the girl had spoken like that, he’d look like a coward if he didn’t agree. Handing her pouch to the man, the fair-skinned girl stepped to the middle of the street, unsheathing her katana as the taller man did the same. As they began circling each other, the young girl felt her head spin slightly, but quickly shook her head to clear it.
“Damn it, too much alcohol…I should have held out a little longer.”
“You alright?” Keiichi jeered. “If you want to forfeit it’s fine, I’d rather not have to damage that pretty little face of yours.”
“Are you that afraid that I’ll beat you?” The sage-eyed woman called back, with the same haughty tone in her voice, “I’m ready when you are.”
“Fine.” Spitting out the word, the man raised his sword into a fighting stance as they continued to circle one another.
“Are you going to attack or…”
The girl was cut off as her opponent rushed forward, quickly swinging the katana down as he aimed for her upper body. Jumping to the side, she counter-attacked, slicing at his torso. Keiichi skillfully blocked the attack, sliding the length of the blade down hers as he pushed the azure haired girl back. Stumbling slightly, the young swordswoman shook her head trying to clear her now wavering vision. It wasn’t that he was that good, it was just a little more difficult to fight while she was half drunk. The young man’s attacks came in quick, fierce waves as he continued to drive her back, forcing her to concentrate on blocking rather then on attacking. Okay, so he was fast, and bit more skilled then she had assumed; the struggling girl grunted as she staved off another blow.
Abruptly stopping his slashing attacks, Keiichi raised his sword, cutting downward, forcing his opponent to raise her arms above her head in a desperate attempt to parry. As soon as she did, a sharp kick to her abdomen followed by a slash to her arm sent her sprawling backwards, tumbling through the dirt.
Holding his sword in a ready position Keiichi watched as the girl struggled to her feet. Hair fell over her face, obscuring her eyes as blood dripped from her wound, matting the dirt under her and turning it a sickly tar color. Her breath coming out in short pants, she swiped one hand over her lips as her other clutched her weapon.
“…Kuga…Natsuki.” she muttered.
“What?” Keiichi shouted arrogantly. “I can’t quite hear you.”
“…I never did tell you my name did I?” On the ground, pebbles began to crackle and pop as the temperature around the azure-haired beauty plummeted, while the curved blade of her katana seemed to pulsate with a light blue glow. “But, I figured you should know…the name of the person you’re going to lose to.” Natsuki looked up, a sinister grin covering her face.
Raising her blade, Natsuki charged forward. As the blades collided, a hazy tint began to creep over the steel of Keiichi’s blade. Using the momentum to push herself off, Natsuki jumped back, gathering more force as she charged in again. At the strength of the second strike, the young fighter’s blade shattered, falling to the ground like crystal shards while Natsuki held her katana at his chest.
“How…” Stuttering in disbelief the defeated swordsman’s eyes flickered back and forth between his ruined weapon and the girl in front of him.
“I can’t help it if you own an inferior weapon.” Eyeing the man nonchalantly, Natsuki gave a shrug as she sheathed her sword.
The crowd’s eyes followed her as she slowly walked to the barkeeper.
“Bring some bandages and more alcohol up to my room will you? I’ll be in there.”
Plucking her earnings from his hands before grabbing her hat, Natsuki walked back into the sun-deprived bar, leaving the disgraced young man hunched in the street.
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Chattering about the amazing spectacle they’d just witnessed, the crowd began to disperse, with them, two people who knew what they had just witnessed was not some chance happening or the result of a faulty weapon; two people who understood that there was more to the blue-haired warrior then met the eye. They hurried off in opposite directions, both sure that their lords would be very interested in one Kuga Natsuki.
Vocabulary used:
Yukata- I hope everyone got this one. Anyway it’s a summer version of the kimono.
Gasa- Straw hat
Waraji sandals- A type of woven sandals typically made out straw rope.
Saya- A scabbard.
Ronin- Wandering, master-less samurai.
Bah…I think those are correct anyway. If they’re wrong, feel free to correct me.
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