A Warrior Who Cuts Like the Wind
…And with a battle cry, she charged at the wolf pack.
Some of the members of the wolf pack have begun whimpering and began to retreat away from the female warrior holding the wooden blade high above her head. As she sped up, her gaze became even sharper than a real sword. Their target were the boys, who tried to ravage me in the name of a friendly warning…
That much I gathered.
Other members, including the leader, Sakishima Kenji, raised their fists and were ready for her.
Or so they thought they were ready.
For once in my life, I wished I didn’t have the capability of blinking, so that I could catch the strange and yet moving beauty and grace of that girl, who slashed, cut, chopped and sliced through the rank of men, some with twice the strength she had, as if they were scarecrow in the field or bamboo stalks in a forest that barely moved with the wind. However, as the pace of the wind hastens rapidly, the stalks would fall quickly one by one and a causal observer wouldn’t be able to catch the movement of the wind; its strikes, which were nimble, sharp and deadly, would simply pass her by in a blink of an eye. She’d not be able to witness the beauty of the dance until another opportune time.
That was what happened.
Fives seconds or so later, it was all over.
The only person that took my rescuer a full second to knock out was Sakishima Kenji. He managed to take a swing; she glided to her right before finishing him off with one stab to the solar plexus.
“Not bad.” She said. “But your opening was too wide to be ignored.”
With that, Kenji uttered a moan and fell to the ground.
She slowly sheathed bokken into the silk carrying bag, which she held by her waist, and then slung the bag over her shoulder.
My heart skipped a beat as she looked at my direction. “You all right?” She said.
All the strength in my body was drained at that moment and I fell to my knees. In an instant, she came to my side and made sure I didn’t fall backwards. Her arms possessed a gentle strength that I didn’t feel from either Ryoko or Mari. I tried to cradle myself but I fell into her instead and started to sob uncontrollably.
“Ah…Wait…Um…Are you hurt anywhere?” She said. I looked up at her face. There was an undeniable intensity as well as wisdom in her features, but she was very beautiful. It was strange, really, because while I could describe the feminine beauty and wonders that Ryoko or Mari had, I couldn’t find words suitable to explain her magnificence to anyone.
She had fine eyebrows and almond eyes, a small nose but determined lips. However, it was her eyes that were the most captivating. The unmistakable pride of a female warrior shone even when she was blushing, which she was. However, having the smaller and finer features made her blushing face quite adorable.
I took in a deep breath and tried to gather myself as much as possible. Stopping the sob was not easy. “You…you wouldn’t happen to be a first-year student, are you?”
Her face turned even redder and she looked away. Next thing I knew, she got me back on my feet and then quickly took a step back, folding and playing with her hands and fingers. “Well…” she said. “I was coming to check where my locker for gym would be and…well…”
“Well?”
She lowered her head and bowed. “I got totally lost and I knew I wasn’t supposed to be here because it wasn’t the gym period for first-year students to be here. I’m sorry!”
My eyes widened in wonder. Who was this girl?
Blinking, I remembered who I was. I quickly tried the best I could to fix my gym clothes. I blushed and lowered my voice. “I…thank you so much for saving me.” I bowed. “I can’t imagine what they would do if you hadn’t come to my aid…”
She straightened her posture. “Of course. It’s the duty of every warrior from the Fuuzan Clan…the Fuuzan School of Martial Arts to protect the weak and disenfranchised from the evil doers.”
I took one look at her serious face and cracked up. Her face turned beet red. “What…what’s so funny? Was...was it something I said?” she uttered and her movement remained stiff.
It was over. I couldn’t hold back my laughter.
Her eyes widened as much as they could, being thin and all. “You…you…you’re a strange person. What’s so funny about it?” She took a large step and demanded. Her cheeks puffed up and she was visibly upset.
I sighed. “You know what, I’m sorry…It’s just that…” I sighed again. “I think I’m so relieved now and I just…I just need a laugh.”
Letting out a deep breath, I apologized as much as I knew how.
“No, no…it’s OK.” She said. “I overreacted. I’m sorry.”
OK, this is not going anywhere.
I looked into her eyes; she cast her gaze sideways and blushed. With as much gentleness and dignity as an upperclassman I asked: “What’s your name?”
Once again, she straightened herself up.
“I’m Sakamoto Fubuki, of the Sakamoto Group in the Fuuzan Cl…Fuuzan School.”
I smiled. She was really something else. I cleared my throat and used as much formality in my voice as possible and introduced myself.
“I see.” She said. Looking around, she took my arm, which made my heart skip a beat. She looked at me in the eyes with deadly earnest and I held back her gaze.
“What?” I whispered.
“I think we should leave before these goons wake up.” She said. “I really don’t want to have to hurt them again.”
With that, we quickly left the locker room and I didn’t bother to go back to the gym class.
Snow flakes dancing in the wind
“Are you going to be all right from here?”
We were outside the gym when Fubuki asked.
I shook my head. “I don’t know.”
The truth is; am I ever going to be all right from this point on?
I don’t get it, what did I do to piss off these guys back there?
“She says ‘hi’.”
Who was she? Who would want to target me?
“What am I going to do?” I grabbed Fubuki’s hands and she blushed. “I’m not sure what’s going on and…I don’t know why I’m telling you this, but I’m scared…”
Tears began to well out of my eyes again despite my efforts to hold them back. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to spill my worries onto you…”
Fukuki looked into my eyes for a moment and gripped my hands tightly. “Don’t worry about it. I…” She took in a deep breath. “I’ll protect you until it’s all resolved.”
I gazed at her determined face. Who was this girl? “You’d…you’d help me?”
I must’ve sounded in such disbelief that she held my hands to her chest. I felt two small mounds of breast flesh not too dissimilar to the size of my own.
“I have seen something wrong and now I will help to right it.”
Her words were so powerful and yet soothing that it put me at least. For that moment, I felt as if I was in a nice hot tube in a hot spring’s resort. The warm and clear water would caress my body gently. The tension in my body was slowly draining away.
I smiled. For the first time in days, I really smiled.
She smiled back with such confidence that I thought we’d be going back and whacking these guys some more. “Don’t you have a class now? I asked.
“Ah…” her face was turning red again. “Actually…” She quickly darted her eyes on my face and then looked away just as quickly. She let go of my hands and adjusted the sword bag slung over her shoulder.
We stayed silent for a while behind the gym.
Fubuki took in a deep breath and let it out. “I was hoping to see somebody.”
“Oh, I see.” I nodded, half smiling, half wondering if I should pry. “Well, that’s nice…”
“Um…” she said. “Actually, do you…do you…” She played with the string on her sword bag. “Do you, uh, happen to know Miss Kanazuki, by any chance?”
Oh. I see.
My chest was feeling oddly heavy and something stung a little. “Yeah. Actually, we’ve been…we were best friends in elementary school.” I shuffled my feet a little.
“Ah…I…um, I just admire her feminine beauty and wish I could be more woman-like, like her.” Fubuki said. Her follow up was rather quick. “I just admire her, that…that’s all.”
I smiled. The wind softly caressed my hair and hers. She had a boyish cut with a bang. “Somehow, I’m not too surprised.”
“You’re not?”
“I’d think anyone would fall for Mari…Miss Kanazuki, I mean.”
Fubuki’s eyes brightened considerably.
“So, you’d like to meet her, huh.” I said.
“Yeah, I mean, I know she never noticed me and I’m not much to look at, but…” Fubuki said. “I’d still love to meet her and befriend her.”
I chuckled. “She’s quite easy to get along with, really. You’d love to be around her.”
Something else stung. This time it was much stronger. What am I doing? Why am I here?
Fubuki’s face became warm again for the gazillionth time since the rescue. “You…you’re a really nice person.” She said. “I’d love to talk some more with you.”
“Mm.” I said. “You know, I’d better head for the next class.” I started to shift my body.
Fubuki took my hands. “Are you going to be all right?” She asked.
I resisted the urge to study her face and her eyes. “I think so. I’m not that scared any more.” I shrugged. “I don’t think these guys would dare to come near me again, now I have you…now I have protection.” I smiled at her despite myself.
She smiled back broadly. “Don’t worry, Miss Suzuki, they are cowards and I doubt they’ll be bothering you again.”
For now, I thought bitterly to myself.
She looked straight into my eyes. “I’ll be around, I promise.”
I sighed. The air actually thickened between us. “I should go now.” I turned and started toward the classroom building. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Fubuki bowed, before I completely spun on my heels.
“Take care and I’ll be seeing you around.” She said.
I merely nodded and walked faster.
I don’t know; I just wanted to get away. I don’t know why I’m running but I must get away.
I guess I shouldn’t have been surprised that Mari had admirers.
Fubuki…snow flakes dancing in the wind. That’s such a beautiful name
I blinked. Oh god, please don’t tell me.
I was really confused then. I needed to sort my mind out.
I changed direction and headed toward the nurse’s office instead.