~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Slash Two: Bushi of the Wind ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "Where could he be?" Nanase paced up and down the small stretch of her living quarters, gliding across on the little strides allowed by her rosy purple kimono. The beautiful sun had fallen into the hills once more to make way for the night. Darkness had settled on Natsumura Village. By now Hinata had finished with her rice and was preparing for sleep. But Nanase was in no way able to do that. The moon was high into the sky and yet Takahiro had not returned. Nanase bit her lip and a concerned expression of worry framed her face. She couldn't contain her fright. Her brother was still out and about in the darkness. And rarely did he even do such a thing. At least not without informing Nanase where would be for the night. Hinata sighed. "He hasn't come back yet." "I'm so worried, Miss Shinmyouji," Nanase exclaimed, "he never does this. Of course he goes out on his own sometimes, but never will he do so without telling me. What if he is in trouble? He's the only family I have left in the world..." That comment pretty much made the resolution in Hinata's mind. The daisho-bearing female arose from the thin mat under her and stood upright, adjusting her swords "Do not worry, Miss Nanase. I will look for him now." "No," Nanase said, "I cannot ask you to do that. You've already done so much for me by saving my brother." Hinata shook her head, causing her ponytail to flicker. "It is fine. I know that if I do not do this, you will seek to leave your home and search yourself. But even quiet villages like these can be dangerous at night. You should remain here I will search for your brother." It was certain that Hinata would do this. So Nanase could not really refuse her kindness It was the second time that this seemingly stoic ronin had come to Nanase's aid. Something that Nanase herself was not ignorant of. Quite the other way around as a matter of fact. Hinata placed a calming hand upon the younger woman's shoulders and then walked up to the door leading outside. The girl took up her straw hat and cloak, settling them both back on her body. She then slid the paper door open and stepped outside, into the nightly streets of Natsumura. Hinata's geta sandals plopped into the mud of the ground. Rain was already beginning to pour from the heavens. She turned a left and walked past the other small homes of the residential area, while little Nanase watched her leave. It had gotten very dark very quickly on the small locale. And there were no flame torches to light her way. The only source of light Hinata had to go by were those provided by the moon and stars. And so she searched. The woman samurai looked all through the paths darting between the many homes of this area. The only sounds around her being that of dogs barking or water pooling in the village well. Aside from a few drunken men returning home with old sake on their breath, there was nobody else around. Eventually Hinata's search for Takahiro led her back into the main square/street. The place where she had first met him and his sister. Hinata's large green eyes looked around for him as best they could, edging from one side to the other. But there was simply no trace of him. She really did wonder if he was still in a mood about being rescued by a woman. Takahiro seemed to be a man of great pride. Maybe he had discovered that Hinata was spending the night at his place and had went off in protest. Whatever the reason for his supposed disappearance, Hinata couldn't quite figure it out on her own. Then a few moments later, warning bells went off in the woman's head. And her senses picked up on the Chi of at least five other men. Each of them trained in the arts. Hinata nudged her straw basin hat up and then shifted around to see these strangers face to face. When she did, she evaluated the situation. Five samurai, each one deployed from the castle (an obvious fact, since their code of dress was identical to that of the two men that she had seen off in the afternoon). Their faces radiated bloodlust. Their swords were naked and poised. None of them seemed to want to leave without shedding blood. And more to the point, the appearance of these five was probably connected to the disappearance of Takahiro. Hinata, knowing that there was no turning back from this, spread her feet apart and leaned forwards from the waist slightly. Her left hand reached for the hilt of her katana (Yoshinaga). "Who are you?" "Heh," Castle Samurai #1 smirked, "you must be the one we were told about. I can't believe that those two weaklings ran from such a scrawny looking boy!" Castle Samurai #2 chortled. "Meh, heh, heh! Lord Satou's given us an easy bout on this day. My blade's been sleeping for far too long!" Hinata frowned while the group of five men now surrounded her in quick movement. These fools were most likely out to redeem the failures of the previous two. At the behest of the han's daimyo, no less. And though Hinata was not the type to go looking for trouble, she was the type to fight back when trouble found her. "Listen to me," She said, "I am only searching for someone. I do not wish to fight. But an attempt on my life will be repaid with an attempt on your own if this goes any further." Castle Samurai #3, who seemed less zealous and more rational than his counterparts, answered that with, "Do not be absurd. You've caused our lord to lose face. There is no other possible outcome. Submit!" Well that was one thing Hinata could not do. She shook her head as a no to confirm that to them. Which suited most of them just fine. Hinata's senses picked up on a burst of momentum from behind her, along with a battle cry. One of the Castle Samurai, no. 4, rushed at her from behind with sword his risen above his head. In the moments of his advance, Hinata unsheathed Yoshinaga and side-stepped his stride, spinning counter clockwise past his body. She slashed downwards across the unguarded warrior's back, leaving a vicious, bloody welt of over nine inches running through the rough skin of his back. All in split-second movement. Castle Samurai #4 toppled over into the muddy ground, gasping in both surprise and pain. While his cohorts, Castle Samurai #2 and #5 advanced on her from opposing sides. One to the left, one to the right. Hinata controlled her breathing and crouched downwards In her heart and soul, she gathered up strength for her next move. When the two attacking swordsmen came within striking reach of her, Hinata quickly jumped up from her position with a shout of 'ha!'. Yoshinaga was extended outwardly and her torso twirled around with three swift turns. The sound of steel clashing with steel was heard approximately six times, right before Hinata's rising body somersaulted backwards in the air and landed a metre back from the two men. Her sandals touched ground level again. While the two castle samurai gasped. It was the Rising Whirlwind Slash technique. The blades of their swords fell apart into three evenly cut shards, effectively disarming them. Hinata rushed forwards towards Castle Samurai #2 and hopped off her feet. Her leg kicked around her hips as best as possible in her hakama and smacked the man across the face. A shot of blood was knocked from his lips and he stumbled away, falling over into the dirt of the dust tracks. Then Hinata ran towards Castle Samurai #5. She lowered her Yoshinaga blade and focused her power into her fist. Then thrust that fist right into the stomach of the warrior. He wheezed weakly when the punch winded him, and he collapsed off of her fist on his own accord. Castle Samurai #1 charged ahead, yelling a battle cry. He slashed at her with a vertical strike. Hinata swiftly parried the blow with a horizontal swipe with Yoshinaga. Castle Samurai #1 growled, stepped back and ran ahead again with his katana at the ready. Hinata grit her teeth and locked blades with the taller man. Their weapons clashed violently, the sound of the collision echoing in the otherwise quiet night The bigger fighter bared down on the smaller one, holding firm in a battle of strength. Hinata pushed one of her feet back to better balance herself against Castle Samurai #1. But when the two looked at each other eye to eye, that strength started to lessen. The older man blinked as he looked into Hinata's face, figuring out what she was. The two katana repelled each other finally. Man and woman stepped away from each other. Castle Samurai #1 was astounded. "A woman?!" He expressed, "...You're a woman?!" Hinata sneered. Normally she was quite able to let comments of surprise and disdain for her sex roll off her back. But in battle she had not patience for them. Her emerald eyes closed for a brief moment. Her locks of chestnut hair then began to rise into the air. A beautiful flame-coloured Chi started to encircle her body. Hinting at her power. Or at least a small portion of it. The dust at her feet was suddenly blown away from them by the force of the flaming orange aura. Castle Samurai #3 and #1 gasped, startled by this. They had never seen such a strong soul force before Especially not from a woman. But Hinata had no concern for their surprise at it Gripping the sleek and slightly bloody Yoshinaga's hilt in a two-handed hold, Hinata rushed forwards with quick footsteps. Soon her run turned into a blur, with her almost vanishing into thin air. Then with lightning-fast speed and split second actions, Hinata reappeared, skidding behind Castle Samurai #1 with her sword sheathed out of impulse. At first no one seemed to notice anything. But Castle Samurai #1 noticed a burning pain at his wrists. Two 360 degree slashes had appeared around them. Then seconds later, those slashes turned bloody. Thereafter his echoing and violent scream rang out across the entire area while Hinata looked on. Both of Castle Samurai #1's hands fell from their wrists in a haze of blood Cut from the bone like bark from a tree. The older man screeched in agony and fell to the floor with the other three, whimpering loudly. Castle Samurai #3, the last one, was flabbergasted. "That's impossible... I've heard of that... the Rushing Half Moon Slash... such speed is..." Hinata, with her flaming aura now regressing from her body, stood up from the crouched position she had skidded into, staring into the haunted eyes of the remaining warrior "I said that I did not want to fight you. Any of you. Please take your men and leave before I am forced to continue." The last samurai (heh!) left unhurt stepped back in shock rather than fear. It was his duty to continue the fight but he was so startled to see such skill from a woman that it left him confused. Hinata assumed that he would make sense of the situation and flee. But he never got that chance. The senses of the brown-haired woman flickered again. But this time she felt an aura much stronger than that of these lesser samurai The sound of cold steel moving in a wave through air was heard. So too was the sound of a sword being sheathed. Then the last castle samurai coughed up blood. Violently. Hinata blinked when his body started to separate from the waist. Blood, intestines and bile splattered onto the dirt when the body fell over, spreading the vile mess. His torso had been chopped into two pieces. And Hinata had not been the one to do that. She looked up, and stared at someone behind the corpse. The one she had felt the aura from. A man fully dressed in the kamishimo, in the colours of blue, white and gold. At his waist was the daisho he wore. The unknown man flicked at his hey-colour bangs and beamed a self-assured smile to Hinata. Which was when she noticed that a few other men were just a short distance behind him. One of them being a startled-looking Takahiro. "Well then," Commented the young male swordsman, "let me guess You must be the one they call Shinmyouji Hinata." Hinata narrowed her eyes. "Who are you?" "Kagami Hayate. At your service." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Hinata was astounded. For more reasons than one. Just two hours ago she was able to fend off an attack from a five-strong group of castle samurai at the town centre while in search for Takahiro. And she had found the boy. But he was not alone. He came with another man alongside him. That man was Kagami Hayate. At first Hinata was just curious about his sword skills. The last of her attackers had been felled by Hayate's sword. In one swift movement that seemed to speak much of Hayate's talents. His single slash had almost cut the last of Hinata's attackers in half, but from a distance of at least six metres Which would suggest that the blow was an Air Wave Stroke. A blow so strong and fast that the wind resistance did the damage, not the strike itself. Air Wave Strokes in themselves were common techniques, but, one of that calibre was not an everyday sight. Which perhaps made it easier to understand why Hinata accepted Hayate's proposal for a discussion. It seemed that there was much that Hayate wanted to learn about Hinata. And now it was Hinata that was curious about Hayate. The two of them (along with Takahiro and the few others that had come to the town centre along with them) marched through the quiet night streets of Natsumura. To a small section of the village that was rested against the highway. A highway that led to the north parts of the han. There was a moderately-sized abode there. In no way a mansion, and not possessed of the thatched roofs so boasted in the distant west, but it was home for Hayate. Once the group made it there, Hayate ordered his followers to spend the night in its walls (due to the attack). The only one who would not be following that was Takahiro. He had Nanase to consider. Hinata found herself in the main hall of Hayate's home. She assumed the seiza and rested Yoshinaga as a sign of respect. Normally she would have to leave it outside for such a day, but Hayate wasn't one to bother with simple formalities A fact that Hinata soon picked up on. The young man with the hey-coloured hair smirked and sat down on the mats of his hall in a sloppy, cross-legged position, smiling over at Hinata while Takahiro alone stood guard at the sliding door. "I imagine that you must be wondering about the situation here... at our humble village of Natsumura." Hayate stated. The chestnut-haired girl looked on. "Your Lord seems prone to attack at any moment. It's quite interesting." "That's not really the word I'd choose to describe it. But you've at least seen what the people of Natsumura have to put up with. In these years of peace, many samurai have abandoned the sword for the sumi block and the brush. There was I time when I myself decided that carrying a sword was nothing more than an act of self-defence. But Lord Satou's men do not share that view. His samurai are as ruthless now as they would have been 300 years ago. The zealous nature of the troops suit the haughty arrogance of the man to a blade's edge. Satou is by far the most indifferent, power-hungry man I have ever known. He cares not for the people of the han, nor its future. All Satou knows is greed." "Is that so?" Hinata prodded, "correct me if I speak untruly, but I did not take you and your men to be Shogunate supporters." The proud Hayate smiled at the younger woman. "You're more perceptive than I thought. But you're right, you know. We all hate the shogunate as much as Satou does. This corrupt government binds us in this damn stasis with the aged sakoku policy. Trapping us in the footnote of time. And they do not know how much this weakens us. Thanks to our connections at Deshima port, those able to slip past the security that the Bakufu has placed there, we know that the world around us is fast gaining weapons of immeasurable power. While this country fritters away its future day by day as the Shogunate ignores the rising powers of the west. Leaving us unguarded. Vulnerable. Unless someone takes a stand and brings down Tokugawa rule, the western powers will crush Nippon and its way of life underfoot." "You seem well informed," Hinata began, "for someone who appears to be nothing more than a renegade bushi." To that, Takahiro scowled, stepping from the wall. "Bite your tongue, you insolent wench!" Hayate closed his large brown eyes, addressing Takahiro. "Please, Takahiro. Calm yourself. Hinata said that your sister was worried about you, did she not? Go to her." "But..." "I will be fine," Hayate muttered, "a man must tend to his family above all else, must he not?" He knew that Takahiro was right. Nanase was waiting for him. He couldn't allow her to wait at home worrying about him when there was no cause for concern After giving one final look of contempt in Hinata's direction, Takahiro bowed to Hayate. Then slid open the door and exited it, closing it behind him when he left. Which left Hinata and Hayate to themselves. Hayate scratched the back of his head and smirked sheepishly for Hinata's benefit. "I apologize for him. Takahiro is a good man, but a little set in his ways. I think he might be just a bit threatened by the power you have at you fingertips" Hinata knew better. It wasn't her power that Takahiro had, moreover it was the fact that such power was controlled by the hands of a woman. Still, Hinata had dealt with many a misogynist in her time. Takahiro's overtly critical attitude was nothing out of the blue. "Forget about it." Hinata said. Hayate ran a hand through his hair. "Well... I must admit... I myself am a little curious as to how a woman could attain such strength. A woman bushi who wears the daisho outside the purpose of protection of husband and home More than a few people see a paradox in that." The woman samurai crossed her arms. "I imagine that you would." "Well do you care to explain it?" Hinata eyed him directly. "...I suppose I don't see any reason not to. If you are prepared to believe it. A few miles south off the coast of the han controlled by Satsuma lineage is a small island. And that island is called Akaitaiyo-shima. My clan, the Ennoichi Clan, leads the people of the island More than 269 years ago, a man by the name of Francis Xavier visited our island by chance. He was a foreigner, and he taught my ancestors many things. When he left, his teachings became deeply engraved in our way of life. So much so that our chief philosophy is based around them." "Your philosophy?" Hayate wondered aloud. "The Circle of One," The gleam in the girl's eyes spoke much of the importance of this philosophy to her, "our lives are a constant cycle. Marked by the progress of the seasons. The Spring of our hearts is born just as we are born. For that is the time of blossoming, and training for the eventual progress into Summer, our time of maturity and honing. Which leads to Autumn; the symbol of our adulthood. The time at which our swords are our guiding hand. The cycle of one person ends with the cold chill of winter. The period at which we must rest our blades and reflect. It is the time when we must pave the way for our children to continue the Circle of One in place of ourselves. It is those beliefs that guide me as I am. On Akaitaiyo-shima, women are trained alongside men as sword-wielders to uphold that belief within ourselves. However. I... broke one of the laws of my people. Because of that I was punished. I was forced to change my name and I was banished. Which is why I am here. And as you can probably imagine, Shinmyouji Hinata is not my real name." Hayate was startled. An island clan that had somehow remained outside of the Shogunate's reach? It was an almost impossible story to believe. But one look at the genuineness of Hinata's expression, and the sadness she carried from recalling her expulsion from her clan, instantly confirmed that she was telling the truth. Hayate felt that. "I see," Hayate held a hand to his chin, "there is more to the world than I know about. That is precisely the thing that makes me feel this way about the Tokugawa. But first things first. My anger rests with Satou now, and it will rest with no one else until the worms are feeding on his corpse." "You plan to kill Satou?" "Yes," Hayate confirmed, "for years he has ruthlessly monopolized the rice production of the han for his own gain. Even now he defies the will of the Bakufu, risking the flames of strength to be brought down on the han before his own felling. I don't care what happens to me. As a samurai first and a man second, I live ready to die at any point. But I can't die until I assure that Natsumura is rid of that confounded bastard once and for all! I currently have 750 pledges of support from bushi all over the region. We will gather our force and courage and bring down the tyrant with all we have. Once the people of surrounding clans see that we have begun the first stage, others will surely flock to our cause and overthrow the daimyo who resist. Once we become a unified army, strong enough to stand against the Tokugawa Shogunate, we will bring down their rule just as I have always hoped." Hinata now realized that she was dealing with a revolutionary. Hayate did have the look in his eyes that said so. His passion was his badge of distinction. But such a plan seemed so... lofty. "Do you really believe that bringing down Satou will spur people into action against the entire force of the Tokugawa? Even when the uprising is led by a ronin?" "Yes." He answered, "Ronin like ourselves might not hold the same respect as those still pledging fealty to a Lord. But the discontent of the hearts of the people transcend formalities. Such a thing allows me to take a woman bushi like yourself at face value." "But what of numbers?" Hinata added, "750 men might be enough to lay siege against a castle like Katsubana-jo. But do you actually think that to be enough to overthrow the castle samurai alone?" "Our weapons will see to it. Our informants have the finest Tanegashima matchlock rifles being sent our way. Dairyu Port at the han's coast. A shipment of rifles will be sent there from our informants at Deshima. With those in our hands we can bring down the guards of the castle effortlessly. Then I will lead the force into Katsubana-jo and kill Satou with my own blade. Once he is dead, we'll burn the castle to the ground. It will assure the future of the han" Hinata was still concerned. "What made you tell me of all this? Surely it is unwise? I could easily inform someone of your plan." "But you wouldn't," Hayate offered with a confident smirk, "because you know as well as I do that Satou has to be stopped. The cruelty of his bushi is nothing compared to his own. Besides. Seeing your work today against those castle samurai made me clear on one point." "Which is?" "I want you on my side," He said, "I want you to join my cause" Hinata blinked. Join a rebellion? "Are you serious?" "Very much so," Replied the ronin, "it would be in your best interest. If we fail here then Satou will come after you as well. You've injured four of his guards and humiliated them thoroughly. Once Satou learns of your connection with Takahiro and his sister, he'll use them to get to you. And I am not saying that for the fun of it. Satou Genpachiro shows no quarter to either friends or foes, regardless of the situation." Now Hinata was really alarmed. If what Hayate was saying was true, then Nanase and Takahiro would be in danger. Hinata had branded a target on herself. First by protecting Takahiro, then by defeating four of the bushi sent at her to quell the embarrassment of the daimyo. If the rebellion failed, then Satou would make a point of rounding up anyone interconnected to the scenario. Though Hinata had just come to Natsumura Village, she was a part of this now. Which also made Nanase a target. Though they had just met, Hinata could not endanger her life. Hayate stroked the underside of his nose with his thumb. "Well? What do you say? We could certainly use a person of your skill." But there was only one possible answer that Hinata could give to that request at this point. "I'll... have to think about it." ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ The early evenings on Akaitaiyo-shima were really something special. Not that many people had the opportunity to marvel at them. The sun was lowering from its peak Shadows of the stones and cherry blossom trees grew longer with time. The trees dropped their beautiful pink petals across the flowery grass while their shadows increased. It was now that the fireflies began to appear, mulling over the waters of the river shore for sustenance. The warmth of summer was around the island stronger than ever. But the added breeze helped to cool it down. It made the setting so soft and gentle. Along with the beauty of the crimson red sunset hanging over the skies. Hinata, who wasn't so much Hinata here, sat quietly with her legs folded under her in a peaceful position. Gone were the frightful and awe-inspiring swords of her waist, Yoshinaga & Netsuretsu, so too was her kamishimo. Her body was fully garbed in a kimono of the Ennoichi Clan's finest, beaming the colours of purple and white. Her long brown hair was tied up tightly to the back of her head, two thin strands of it dangling from over her forehead. Hinata's small smile widened at the gorgeous setting around her. But it wasn't just the rosy landscape of the island that Hinata was admiring. The woman aside from her was capturing that same imagination. But with far greater force. The pounding of Hinata's heart did much to clarify that. Hinata pressed her hands into her lap and struggled not to seem too odd in the way she was acting. But even so; her instincts could not help but steal glimpses at the nubile woman sitting so closely to her. Mitomi Kanae. Hinata devoured her image in every inch available. She was very much the definition of perfection. With her long mane of silky black hair that gushed down to the small of her back, those wide, expressive and yet intelligent blue eyes, her pale snowdrop flesh, her smooth, elongated legs, her shapely frame, her sweet cherry blossom lips, her large and perfectly rounded chest. Everything about her was perfect. From the cool orange scent of her breath to her gentle little laugh of maturity. It was more than certain that Kanae was the most beautiful woman on the island. Akaitaiyo-shima had over eighty people as its populous and the vast majority of men here were besotted with her. Almost as much so as Hinata herself. But unlike them, there was nothing she could do about it. Hinata could only stare hopelessly at the delightful Kanae and will herself to control her blush. As well as the fluttering of butterflies in her stomach. Kanae was also one of the most respected people on the island and Hinata's teacher in almost all subjects, aside from Ennoichi-style swordsmanship and western study. Not only was she a friend of Hinata's mother, Kanae was 25 years old. Quite a bit older than Hinata herself at that point (16). It was made painfully aware to the younger girl that nothing could come of her feelings. So all she had to satiate her need for her teacher was the odd pilfering of a glance. The art of taking mental pictures of Mitomi Kanae was one of Hinata's time-tested skills It was all she had to keep her going, sometimes. Intelligent though she was, Kanae was completely oblivious to the effect she had on Hinata; which was probably a good thing. The older woman smiled elegantly, leaning down in her sitting position to pick at the flowers growing from the emerald grass of the ground. It was a sumire flower Kanae turned to face the flushed Hinata and pressed the stem of the plucked flower into one of the folds of her kimono. Kanae smiled at the result and pressed her hand into Hinata's cheek, caringly. "There," She said in that oh-so-perfect voice of hers, "we cannot have the future leader of the Ennoichi Clan devoid of the beauty of nature Your swordmaster oft forgets how much you like to wear flowers, does he not?" Hinata nodded slowly, hoping to maintain the contact between her cheek and Kanae's soft hand. "...Yes, Lady Mitomi." The older woman chuckled softly, lowering her hand. "I keep telling you, Asuka When we are outside of classes, you should call me 'Kanae'. One day this whole island will be relying on you for guidance. Even me. You will have to starting thinking in that mindset." "...I'm sorry." Hinata apologized. "You don't have to be sorry," Kanae returned, "I think that might be one of the reasons you are so likeable, Asuka. You're pure of heart. And very mannerly. While sword-skills and a regal attitude are important for you as future leader of the clan, it's important for a woman to have the right set of manners. You are so very mature for your age." Hinata tightened up at Kanae's compliments, feeling her heart tremble at the sight of her angelic smile. "Thank you... Kanae..." "You see?" Kanae said with a chuckle, "you are destined to be the 78th Asuka of the Ennoichi Clan. I would like to think that it would be my guiding hand that set you on the right course for that role. I know that you will make me proud, Asuka." "...I hate that name." Hinata blurted suddenly. Kanae stared quizzically at Hinata for a moment, right before saying, "You do? I suppose a regal name like 'Asuka' isn't very representative of such a gentle young woman as you." "What would you have called me?" Hinata asked curiously. Though Kanae didn't seem to think it was her place to say such a thing (judging by her expression) she did anyway. "...I've always been partial to the name 'Hinata'. I think that would suit you just fine. Almost as much as 'Asuka'." Hinata (or rather, back then, Asuka,) smiled. "...So, Hinata, huh?" "Do you like it?" "Yes," Replied the chestnut-haired swordswoman, "very much." ...Hinata... ...Hinata... ...Hinata... ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ "Hinata?" The Shinmyouji girl stirred in the thin white mat she used for a bed. Muttering the name 'Kanae' over and over again in her sleep. Though she did not notice it, the rays of the sun were now splashing over her laid out form, drenching the materials of her kamishimo. She was out like a light last night. And now the only thing that threatened to awaken her was the temperate, prodding little voice of Nanase. Hinata's plum-tone eyes flickered open from hearing the young woman call her chosen name. The girl samurai covered her eyes to shield them from the sun, just as she awoke, then gazed to her slight left to see Nanase sitting beside her. She was obviously waiting for her to awaken. Which was when she remembered all that happened last night. Takahiro had gone missing for a brief few hours. And it had frightened Nanase. Enough for Hinata to take action and look for him. During her search, Hinata was attacked by five castle samurai sent under Lord Satou's order to kill. She defeated four of them, but the fifth and last of the samurai was felled by the blade of another. A driven young man known as Kagami Hayate. He (along with Takahiro and a few other supporters) led Hinata to a hideout near the highway north of the village. Which was where Hayate had told Hinata of his plans to kill Lord Satou and bring down the Tokugawa bakufu, as well as his intent to recruit her into his small army. The young woman had told him that she would think about his request. Then she left Hayate's hideout to return to Nanase & Takahiro's abode. And as soon as she got indoors, Hinata went to sleep. Right now, the two women were in one of the side rooms of the home. Hinata leaned up from her sleeping mat and yawned softly, while Nanase sat with her legs folded underneath her, smiling. "Good morning, Miss Shinmyouji." She said politely. Hinata nodded to her. "Morning. Is everything okay?" "Yes," Replied Nanase, "of course it is. And it's all thanks to you. Not only did you save my brother, but you also found him for me. I am so very grateful for everything you have done for my brother and I, Miss Shinmyouji." "You've no need to be. I only did what I thought was right at the time To be perfectly honest, I think my actions have done more to provoke Lord Satou than anything else." "All the same, I cannot thank you enough. I don't think that there is anything I can do to make this up to you, Miss Shinmyouji. But if you ever need a place to stay then my door is always open to you." Hinata bobbed her head as thanks. Nanase wouldn't take no for an answer in this case. Though she might not have possessed any training, she was a strong woman. Not unlike a certain someone from Hinata's past on Akaitaiyo-shima... Nanase smiled at Hinata's acceptance of her offer and stood up, smoothing out the fabric of her navy blue/cloud white kimono. Though Hinata had not noticed it until now, there was a straw basket in Nanase's hands. Apparently she was going somewhere. "Miss Shinmyouji, I plan on leaving for the fields to pick at a few herbs at my brother's plot. I wouldn't want you to leave Natsumura without me preparing a stamina-sustaining meal for you. Would you like to come with me?" "Is there a lake or hot spring nearby?" Asked the samurai abruptly. "Uh huh." "Alright then," She answered, "I'll come with you." And so Hinata did. She got out of bed and went about straightening out her hakama, then picked up Yoshinaga and Netsuretsu. She attached her daisho to her waist sash and then followed Nanase out of the side room. It was important for Hinata to get herself cleaned up, at least to her. As they left, Nanase yelled 'we'll be back soon' to Takahiro, who gave back a grunt of understanding He still didn't like Hinata much but he knew that his sister was safe with her. The two young women left the small household of Nanase & Takahiro's, exiting back out into Natsumura Village. Which was now awash with gossip. The exact phrases that Hinata would have expected all along. 'Did you hear the news?' One man whispered to his farmer friend. The farmer replied with, 'Yep! A corpse a' one of those there castle samurai was found lyin' in the town centre this morning! Thet Lord Satou'll be angered by this, but I can't says I blame whoever slashed the slash.' Nanase ignored their comments. Hinata did the same. She knew as well as anyone that Hayate had been the one to kill the castle samurai. It was nothing more than a warning that Hayate was sending in Satou's way. Hence the need to leave the corpse in the town square like that. Such a tactic was not without its risks, as talk of the samurai's death was now spreading throughout the village. But Hayate's actions were psychological ones. Sending a warning to Lord Satou now would put him on edge. Not enough to suspect an uprising. But enough to divert attention to something else. Which was when it occurred to Hinata that she truly was in the firing line. Though the other four had escaped with their lives, it was unlikely for them to admit that they were beaten by a woman. In which case Hayate would take the blame. And knowing that her code of honour was true, it was another reason as to why Hinata should join him in rebellion. If Hayate's recalcitrance was a bust, then he would most likely be brought up on charges for crimes he did not commit. And a principle teaching of the Circle of One was to never let someone pay unduly for your own mistakes. Still, Hinata's mind was without resolve, teetering between what she knew to be right and what she knew to be logical. This internal battle escaped Nanase's notice for now. She led her newest friend out of the village past its many nattering folk, out to a side road of the main highway north. One that led back around the mountain side and into a smaller highway road. Not many people came to this area out of leisure anymore, mostly because of the work that Satou had been demanding from the han. Relaxing in the tranquil warmth of a hot spring was a luxury deemed necessary only for the highest caste, those of samurai birth or standing. Eventually Nanase and Hinata reached the hot spring. A luxurious oasis found in the rocky-grassy land beneath them. Steam rose up from the heat of the water, while the overhanging cherry blossom trees swung to the beat of the breeze around them. It was around four metres wide and three and half metres long. Dubbed with the name Aoiryuu no Izumi (Blue Dragon's Spring). "This is it," Nanase said, "the Blue Dragon Spring. The herb fields aren't too far from here. I'll be back in a moment, okay?" Hinata nodded wordlessly and let Nanase go about her business. Nanase froze for a moment, unmoving, just watching over her shoulder as the samurai woman from the south began undressing herself. Bit by bit. The blush on Nanase's face was made all too clear when Hinata's clothing began to fall to the grass, one after the other. Her under-dress kimono, her hakama, her kataginu, her swords, it all came off. Which left the girl exposed to the warm air around the spring. Bearing all her assets to the gods. Nanase gasped and looked away, her eyes catching sight of the curves of Hinata's breasts. Nanase looked downwards, holding tightly to her basket. Blushing profusely. The only time she dared to look back was when she heard the waters of the Blue Dragon Spring swash with the addition of a torso The naked Hinata slinked into the hot spring, enough so that her head and neck bobbed up from its waters. Surrounded in steam she breathed a sigh of relaxation Warm water was great for the unwinding of muscle. Hinata gathered up some of the water into her hands and splashed her face, running her hands through her auburn bangs. One of those same hands wound around to the back of her head, and tugged at the little butterfly clip that was holding up her hair in place. Once the clip had been tugged from her tresses, a stunning mane of waist-long russet hair burst outward. Nanase dared to look back at the sight. Once she stared she was almost transfixed. Hinata had seemed so strong and empowered when she had saved her brother from those castle samurai yesterday. But once the kamishimo and the daisho were gone, her true femininity shone through. From her long brown hair and sultry dark amethyst eyes, you would have believed her to be a fine court maiden or princess, not some mere ronin. Her commanding sword skills belied both her beauty and her sophisticated kindness. One thing the shedding of her clothes could not do however, was hide that constantly present glint of sadness in Hinata's eyes. Her demeanour was both respectful and despondent. And the permanent frown on her face added to Hinata's whole air of gentle depression. Eventually Hinata's head turned to her left and she stared at Nanase, almost blankly. "I thought you were leaving to pick herbs." Nanase's blush increased. She forced herself to look downwards at the green grass beneath her feet. "Um... I..." "Is there something wrong?" Hinata questioned in quiet wonder, "did I offend you in some way?" "No! You could... never offend me, Miss Shinmyouji! I was just thinking... that the hot spring looks hotter today than usual. Is it okay?" Hinata immediately grabbed her naked shoulder and massaged herself at the joint. "It's good." "I'm glad," Nanase put forth, knowing that she had to change the subject to something else. Both for Hinata's sake and for her own, "so, how much longer do you plan on staying in Natsumura?" That was a matter of debate for the brown-haired female. There were activities going on in Natsumura that more or less involved her now. And it was because of her own will to interfere that made this so. These events had put Nanase at risk without her even knowing it. While it's true that Takahiro's role in Hayate's intended rebellion would have also brought Nanase into the firing line, up until yesterday he seemed to have kept his nose clean with Lord Satou's men. Hinata had only been here for a day and she had already seen off six of them. The other one killed at the blade of Hayate himself. But that murder was now echoing through the village and would put everyone Hinata had come into contact with in danger from now on. Could she really turn her back on that? The philosophy of Circle of One shuns people who show their backs to a bad situation created of their own merits and/or incompetence. But the major instigators of that way of thinking had abandoned Hinata long ago. What was she going to do? Nanase saw the indecision on Hinata's face. "Miss Shinmyouji?" "I don't know how long I'll be staying here. I suppose it depends on my situation. Besides... I wouldn't want to put you and your brother out any longer than I already have." "You haven't," Nanase answered, "I like having you with us. Really I do." Hinata liked that. Her face didn't say it, as usual her expression was almost devoid of any particular emotional leaning, but she appreciated that Nanase enjoyed her company. And aside from the authority of Lord Satou, Natsumura Village was quite a likeable place. The people were all friendly (if not being a bit prone to gossiping) and the weather was good. The town itself was in a beautiful area, which added to its appeal. But details like those were only secondary to things that Hinata truly had to consider. Like Hayate's rebellion and the safety of Nanase. She was a kind, pretty girl who deserved to live her life peacefully. Hinata didn't want to disrupt that. Nanase herself walked from her position to the edge of hot spring. She sat down right at the pile of Hinata's clothing, drawing her legs up against her chest and dropping the basket to her side. Nanase sat silently like that for a few moments, facing Hinata's back, watching the hot spring water dripping from Hinata's hair and shoulders. Until... "Miss Shinmyouji? May I ask you something?" Hinata grabbed her hair into a long bunch and rung out the moisture as Nanase addressed her. "If you wish." "Who is Kanae?" Those plum-coloured eyes of the samurai woman widened. She turned around in the hot spring, facing Nanase, all the while releasing her hair and looking on with confusion. "How do you know that name?" "You mumbled it over and over again while you were sleeping," Nanase replied, "I assumed that she was... important to you." Hinata's eyes lowered. Reflecting more of that deeply ingrained sadness to Nanase Which was the opposite effect to the one that the village girl had hoped to bring about. Yet all the same Hinata spoke in reply, suddenly looking to her left, ignoring eye-to-eye contact. "...Kanae was my teacher. Aside from my skills with the sword, she taught me all that I know. I owe almost everything that I am to her." Nanase smiled sadly, shyly. "You care for her, don't you?" "More than you can ever know." "Well then," Began the villager, "maybe you could see her again one day." Hinata shook her head. "That's quite impossible." "Why? Does she live far away?" Nanase wondered. "She's dead." The quiet look of curiosity on Nanase's face changed in the instant she heard that. Her shy innocent smile became a heartfelt frown. And the look of melancholy that seemed so firmly attached to Hinata's image suddenly made more sense Both Hinata and Nanase fell silent at that moment. Nanase's first instinct was to apologize for the death of Kanae. But words like 'sorry' and questions like 'how did it happen' just don't amount to much when dealing with death. And that fact was one very well known to Takahiro's sister. Eventually there came a time when hearing someone apologize for the death of someone they didn't even know just became an irritant. And so she kept quiet about it. Just about bringing herself to stare into that fragile, heartbreaking frown over Hinata's visage. For the remaining ten minutes that Hinata and Nanase spent by the hot spring, not a single word was spoken between the two of them. Hinata seemed unwilling to chat about her past in detail and Nanase was not about to force anything out of her. Not that she was in any position to, either. Soon enough, Hinata began to rise out of the water, slinking over to the grass. The samurai woman climbed out the hot water, unashamed of her nakedness, then reached for her clothes, beside Nanase. The village girl tightened up again but said nothing. Her eyes just happened to look to their left. And she saw the damp, nude flesh of her brother's saviour, in all its glory. In respect for Hinata's privacy, Nanase tried not to ogle her. But there was no way the Natsumura villager could have ignored the heat at her cheeks. Or the newfound wetness between her legs. Hinata pulled her hakama back up her legs, ignoring the droplets of moisture that still clung to her skin. Then put on her kimono and kataginu along with Yoshinaga and Netsuretsu. Soon she was fully dressed once more, her hair still damp and clinging from the hot spring. Hinata wound her hair around until she brought the butterfly clip to it again. The clip was attached and it held her hair up in place. With that, Hinata finally cast her eyes in Nanase's direction. "Are you ready to go?" After seventeen minutes of silence, Nanase was almost surprised to hear Hinata speak to her. "Um... sure..." Now that Hinata was refreshed, she would go with Nanase to pick up whatever items she needed for the morning meal she had in mind. The two turned towards the direction of the herb fields for the walk. Then suddenly Hinata's senses kicked in. She felt danger, and immediately shoved Nanase to one side of her. The villager gasped and fell to the ground, while Hinata swung around and unsheathed Yoshinaga in one smooth stroke. There was a clash of metal launching into metal after that action, and Hinata repelled the steel projectile during it. The item fell to the ground, staking it with one of its points. It was a shuriken. The woman samurai gripped Yoshinaga in a two-handed hold, looking up in the direction from which the shuriken had been thrown. Standing on a branch of one of the large trees behind them was a shinobi. Or to be more specific, a kunoichi. Dressed in electric pink ninja garbs, with a mouthpiece below her nose ad around her jaw. The young woman, who actually looked a couple years younger than Hinata, stood cross-armed with a little chuckle in her throat, her ponytail of black hair waving in the breeze Hinata kept her eyes on the nameless shadow but directed her words towards Nanase "Nanase, are you alright?" She questioned. "Yes," She replied, standing up, "I think so." Hinata now turned her ire-ridden words to the kunoichi. "Who are you?! What business do you have with me?!" "Heh, heh, heh," It became clear that the kunoichi was no more than seventeen years of age when Nanase and Hinata heard her voice, "you wanna know my name, huh? Geez, why are you bushi all so formal? If you wanna know what my name is... come and get me!" Hinata growled and slashed hard into the air. The wind resistance sliced through the particles of the air and then the wood. It hacked the firm branch the kunoichi was standing on, in two. But not the ninja. She vanished seconds before the blow could hit her The branch crashed into the grass beneath the tree and sound echoed through the nearby area. Hinata looked from one side of herself to the other, but couldn't see where that girl had gotten to. From nothing more than gut instinct, she stepped back and moved closer to Nanase protectively. She did not have much experience in dealing with ninjutsu. The Ennoichi Clan had neither employed nor trained anyone of their kind in its various arts. So Hinata was truthfully suspecting anything to happen. Then out of nowhere, the ninja girl materialized with a blur right above her in the air! Hinata growled and slashed hard at the image of the kunoichi. The blade of Yoshinaga swiped right through her. Or so she thought. Hinata blinked once. The moment she opened her eyes again she saw two sliced pieces of a wooden log falling to the ground. It was a ninjutsu trick. That log teleportation/alteration technique was something that Hinata did know of, but had never seen. Then she cried out when she felt someone kick her from behind. Right in the centre of her back The force of that kick swept through her body like ripples in cool morning water Ripples so strong that they forced Hinata to drop Yoshinaga. Nanase gasped vibrantly. The kunoichi was behind Hinata! Whoever the girl was she rushed forwards swiftly while Hinata stumbled to the ground. The ninja woman jumped into the air artistically and then descended oh so swiftly towards the grounded samurai Hinata sensed danger again and rolled to one side of the incoming attack. The ninja's fist pounded the ground when her punch missed its mark. Leaving a fist print in the soil. Hinata kept rolling until she was a good distance between herself and the kunoichi. She then stopped moving and flipped upwards in a single stroke, leaping back onto two feet. Hinata quickly reached for her wakizashi, Netsuretsu, then unsheathed it. The kunoichi had not moved from where she had kicked Hinata, which worried the older woman. The ninja was too close to Nanase. Thankfully Nanase did not seem to be on the kunoichi's agenda. The woman shinobi pulled up her hand and made the two-fingered sign of ninjutsu. Closing her eyes and focusing her Chi for one specific moment. It seemed like a harmless action at the time. Until its results became so painfully apparent. Two shadowy Chi-borne copies of the ninja shifted from the main body, each darting to one side of her. One to the left, one to the right. And they were identical to her. From the black hair ponytail all the way down to the straw sandals. Nanase's throat quivered, while Hinata narrowed her eyes. The three ninjutsu women mouthed the same comment in unison. "Fukusu Harada!" Hinata scowled at this. This kunoichi was familiar with the manipulation of Chi. All three of the shinobi girls reached into a back pocket of their outfits and pulled out two separate shuriken. All six of the shuriken were thrown at point-blank range in the direction of Hinata. The samurai woman bolted to one side of the throwing stars in blur movement, and each one nailed the bark of the tree. Hinata rolled along the grass in her dodge and gathered force into Netsuretsu. Then came the slash. One hard and swift one that slashed through the air like the previous Air Wave Stroke (Ennoichi-style). The stroke slashed at the pink fabric of the third ninja copy's body. The replica shinobi woman gasped in both pain and fright, then evaporated into crystalline droplets of purple Chi that floated to the ground like snow. The remaining ninja copy and the real deal reached into their back pockets and pulled out a kunai each. They hurled the throwing daggers in Hinata's direction. The Shinmyouji girl was in no mood to play around now, and rushed forwards at the incoming kunai. Once they came within reach of her, Hinata swept her sword to one side, knocking aside the first. Then Hinata slashed to the left, batting away the second kunai. She growled femininely once more, then performed a third Air Wave Slash. The air pressure hacked into the distance and violently slashed the last copy's body in half. It dissolved into more of those crystalline drops of purple Chi, dropping to the grass. The real girl chortled and jumped backwards, avoiding the range of the Air Wave Stroke. Hinata skidded to a stop, finally getting back to Nanase's side. "What do you want of us?!" Hinata barked. The kunoichi chuckled to herself, and evened out her body, dropping her attack readiness She then pulled her mouthpiece off to reveal her cute and youthful face. "Hm. You're pretty good. I like that. I was thinking that your victory over those other samurai was just a fluke, but, that isn't the case, is it?" Hinata was now getting the feeling that this kunoichi was less of a threat then she first thought, but still retained her suspicions. "Who are you?" "The name is Asakura Riki," She claimed confidently, "and you have been marked, Shinmyouji. Lord Satou does not except humiliation from what I am told, as most daimyo wouldn't. And after watching you in action against those bushi from Katsubana-jo, I just wanted to see how good you really were. So do me a favour. Stay alive. The next time we meet, we we'll take off our gloves and have ourselves a real battle. Till then!" The kunoichi known as Riki made the two-fingered sign and raised her free arm into the air. A wisp of rising air surrounded her and became a small tornado of wind, tinted with leaves and twigs. In the middle of all that, Riki's body vanished into thin air. The wind cyclone vanished with her, dropping the leaves to the ground It was teleportation. Which left a baffled Hinata and a startled Nanase to themselves "What in the world is going on here?" Hinata sheathed Netsuretsu and shook her head, "Nanase, I think I've changed my mind. I will be staying in Natsumura for a little longer. I want to know for myself just what is going on in this village."
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