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Dec 29, 2009, 6:59am

Dark Fantasy :: General :: The Arts :: Fan-Fiction :: Another Time

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Topic: Another Time (Read 11 times)

BlueBerryPie
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Another Time
« Thread Started on Oct 14, 2009, 5:56pm »

Part 1

"And my name is Jan." She said brightly. The children were gathered all around her, staring at this female samurai in a white kimono. Several were amazed, others were huffy, and others were curious.

"My daddy says only men can be samurai."

"Yea, aren't women supposed to cook and clean and make babies?"

Despite the strong urge to slap the second child, Jan knew it was only the idea fed by his father. "Of course women can become samurai, but not all of them are capable. In fact, there are some of us that are even better than the best male samurai."

This caused the kids to make even more noise. Jan smiled even more as she was asked more questions. She eventually kneeled down, having grown uncomfortable with standing.

"What lord do you serve?" A little girl asked.

This cause Jan to pause. She bit her lower lip as her eyes searched for an answer.

"HEY!" A shout echoed over the meadow. A man charged out... or rather leaped out from the nearby tree line. His red shirt and khaki shorts fluttered through the air before he landed hard. He eyeballed the children before clapping his hands. "Hey kids, you know your parents are wondering were you got to?"

"Awww!"

Jan was a bit curious about this man, so she quietly asked a child that was closest to her. "They call him Stupid."

Stupid yelled at the kid. "Hey! That's not my name! It's Ace, not Stupid!"

"Whatever, Stupid." The kids snickered

Ace reached over his shoulder and unsheathed a large sword, taking both hands to keep a good grip on it. Rather than swing it aggressively at the jokester, he instead swung it around the air wildly. "Alright kids, go home!"

Again the kids snickered. "Yea, whatever, Stupid."

The kids ran off, seeming to find some new activity to do than head straight home. Ace only shrugged at this as he put his away. He then looked at Jan. "Who are you?"

"I am but a simple samurai."

"Ok. What are you doing here?"

"I'm just passing through." The lie was easy and sounded natural.

"Ok. Guess you is alright then. Later." Ace then bounded off into the distance.

Jan let out a sigh and leaned back, gazing up at the sun and passing clouds. That man. Looked like a rhonin. To be free from a lord. She closed her eyes for a few moments before she felt HIS presence. She bolted up, her hand going for her blade.

"Jan. You know why you're here. It's time you performed your duties." Her stomache churned everytime he did that.

Her eyes scanned the meadow, looking for anything out of place. Seeing none, she lowered herself close to the ground and started to blend into her surroundings. Within the passing of a moment, no one could see her anymore. Not unless she chose to show herself. Her legs moved fast across the grass, her fingers gripped the handle of the sword. She took deep breathes to prevent herself from wearing out to fast. As she moved in on her target, she said a simple prayer as she always did.

Blood splattered on the field as three bodies thudded to the ground. lopped heads rolled off to the side in random directions. Jan took several more deep breathes, trying to calm herself after such a deed. She pulled a red cloth and cleaned her blade quickly before sheathing it. She turned around and looked at the dead children, before turning away again.

He materialized out of thin air. "Very good Jan. You continue to impress me." His voice filled the air with sickness. Jan could not bear to watch what happened next as the man changed into a demon. She could hear the ripping of flesh and crunching of bones.

She clenched her teeth and made fists to keep herself under control. Tears rolled down her cheeks. To be free of this demon lord. She looked off into the distance as the other children were gathering around Ace. Surely the rhonin would notice that three of them were missing. If he was as smarter than the name he was given, he'd tie the missing kids to here. I must steal my heart back from this beast. She walked off, no longer able to stand the ravenous snarls of the demon at feast.

Part 2

The gentle breeze carries the scent of grass as it sighs through the leaves. The shade provided by the bulk keeps the nearly napping bard cool this sunny day. He leans against the trunk without a care, sleepy eyes gazing through the straw hat tilted to obscure his face. One hand caresses the strings of the citar lying across his lap, a soft melody speaking smoothly in his ears. A pink cloak hangs off the shouilders, casually covering the silken black tunic. Black slacks and simple wooden sandles complete the bards ensemble while he thoughtfully chews on the straw in the corner of his mouth. The chirping birds overhead add to the tune as Forte thoughtfully loses himself to the sky.

An ear twitches. Lazy eyes shift to the left, catching sight of movement towards the base of the hill. Long dark hair drapes down upon a white kimono and the familiar sight of a blade. A samurai, no doubt. "No. The movement is all wrong. And so is the frame of the body." With a grunt, Forte raises to a proper sitting posture, a hand tilting the straw hat. "A woman? That's something you don't see everyday." Lips curl at the edge. The song changes, from a calm to a hint of allure. Fingers still working along the strings, the bard gets to his feet and makes a slow approach. "Hello, fair woman. It is a wonderful day, is it not?" She does not stop. Forte adjusts his pace, following her. "Perhaps not. I hope you do not mind my company. It has been quite some time I have shared the road with someone as... radiant as yourself." Still she walks, silent. "I see. Perhaps it is rude of me to have addressed you without even the slight of introduction. Allow me to introduce myself." The straw hat is removed as the bard bows. "I am Forte the Maestro, bard."

He hears it before he sees it. The sharp tip of metal an inch from his face. "And outlaw." She says.

Standing tall, Forte composes himself. "Only arrogant lords and the law would use such a term. Others would call me a hero."

Sapphire eyes and blade never move off the bard. "It seems anyone can sway the peasants these days. Anyone can defy the lords and shogun. Perhaps you'll grow a backbone and actually do something."

"I grow tired of tirades from some woman who can't even spare a name."

"The name is Jan. And I shall not waste another breath with you." She withdraws her blade, sheathing it while turning away from the bard.

"Are you truly samurai, Jan?" Forte calls as she walks away. "What lord would allow a woman to be a samurai? Hmmm? What lord do you serve, Jan?" And she stops. For a moment. Forte's fingers start moving across the strings once more as he watches Jan walk away. It is a sullen song, to match her final whisper.

"Pray you never know."

Part 3

An annoying buzz flits past his ear, drawn by the sickening smell of rot. Shadows of death circle the area, the flock eager to feast on the remaining carrion. A sight that would turn most stomaches, the man wipes away the last vestiges of gore from cruel lips. Orange flames reflect off his eyes, watching as the village passes into nothing more than memory. A fanged smile flashes in delight, a chuckle escapes his throat as the demon turns to the only other being to remain after such carnage. "You loathe me. You despise every course of action I command of you. You would slaughter me, but the blade stays at your side." Bestial laughter echoes in her ears.

Her silhouette stands firm against the blaze. Jan stares the demon in the eyes. "I do what I will for you, my lord." Sweat trickles down her brow. "To betray or slay you, that would strip me of any honor I possess." The fists at her sides tighten with anger.

"Truly? You do only as I am your lord?" His form draws close, the odor overwhelming the ashen smoke. The lord leans forward, his face inches from her own. "Or perhaps something more." Cold eyes drift toward her chest as his bloodied paw reaches forward. The white kimono, dirty from earlier actions, is stained red as the palm pauses upon the samurai's torso. Eyes meet once more. "You are... excited. Yes?"

Jan's heart races even more now. Lips part as her breathing grows rapid. "Lord..." A pause. "Remove your hand, lest I remove it for you."

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BlueBerryPie
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Re: Another Time
« Reply #1 on Oct 17, 2009, 8:43pm »

Part 4

The powdered snow eyebrow arches. "You saw her with your own eyes?" the grave voice questions. The village elder muses, stroking his chin as the news settles.

"Course. She was messin wit the kids an all. Guess she hads her reasons. Din't tink they was so cruel." Ace huffs. A quick stomp releases his anger. "She was right dere an I coulda done sumtin."

Murmurs about the room worry what to do next. The leader raises his hand to shush them. "Lord Albion will wonder why one of his villages was destroyed. He will want answers. No doubt his men will make them, no matter how truthful." More whispers. "That is why we will give the lord nothing but the truth for what it is."

"But how will we do that?" a trembling voice erupts.

Chocolate orbs study everyone in the room, taking in the fears. Coming to a rest on the ronin , he nods toward Ace. "You there. Is that sword for show or do you know how to wield it?"

Despite the goofy smile, the man put some at ease, "Course I do, gramps. Dija tink I jus' carry it round to look scary? I only wave it round like crazy to make dem kids behave."

"Hmmmm. So be it. Ace, you are to find this demon and end it. Bring it back here so Lord Albion will be sated."

"An' what about da girl?" he replies, scratching his head.

The elder closes his eyes and lets out a long sigh. "That woman. That samurai. She is the demon."

Part 5

SHWING! SHWANG! Sparks leap as the blades collide over and over. If the whirlwind of metal wasn't flooding their nostrils, the combatants might have been overwhelmed by the aquatic scent from the nearby waterfall. A battle cry tears through the air as a massive zanbato comes down hard, kicking up dust as it slams into the ground. "You're attacks are too slow," the samurai states, lunging forward with her katana. The larger man stumbles backward, bringing his arm across to parry the smaller sword. KKKKKKKKSSSSSSHHHHH! The katana moves up the zanbato, guided away from Ace's flesh. Jan twirls quickly, lowering her stance to strike at the legs.

Ace lets out a grunt as his right calf stings. Falling back to distance himself, he fights back a few tears. "Yous shouldn't have done dat. Yer jus gonna make me madder!" Letting out a bellow, Ace kneels before throwing himself at the samurai. Expecting her to retaliate, his free hand reaches out to grab her katana. The palm feels the bite and with all his might, the large sword whips around. Blood sprays to the ground. Ace grins for a moment, knowing his weapon hit. It quickly disappears when he sees what it struck.

The blade made it through the palm, reaching the wrist, fingers clutching the blade to prevent it from sinking further. He stands beside the samurai, eyes half-open, a whimsical looking coating his face. "So very close. It's so fortunate for you, Jan, that I was here." Ace's sword arm begins to tremble as something forces the zanbato away. Ace snarls as the demon seemingly flicks him aside just by shoving his weapon away. "That's not like you at all. Getting careless?"

The female samurai stays still, not even blinking. "I have everything under control, my lord."

"Truly?" The tongue laps at the blood. The demon turns to look at Jan, ignoring Ace as the ronin gets back to his feet. "It looked so much different from where I stand."

A nauseating feeling blankets Ace. He did the best he could to prevent his swirling stomach from dispensing the meal from earlier. Dis feelin'. Is this cuz of dat demon? He shakes his head, shakes away the chill crawling over his spine. If dis feelin' is from da demon, den it can't be from her. Ida felt it before. Even dat time I first saw her. I woulda felt it den. So she can't be da demon. Ace grips the hilt with both hands, taking in breaths through his mouth as the stench is unbearable. Sweat trickles down his forehead as he focuses on the demon. Lips move, but the ronin hears nothing. If I strike now, den maybe...

Jan's head turns slightly. "Lord, you should go now. It is dangerous for you here. Let me end this on my own. There is no need for you to interfere." Fingers tighten around the leather grip.

"And give you the opportunity to die? Death will not come for you, Jan. Not so long as you are my-"

"No!" the samurai screams, her arm swings and her katana flies at the demon. He quickly leans off to the side, but the sword tears into flesh. Jan looks into the wide eyes of her target, before turning her back. There is a distinct thud as the body hits the ground; a moment passes before she approaches, retrieving her sword. Pulling out the red cloth, Jan wipes the blade clean. "I'm sorry," she whispers softly. The katana is sheathed before the samurai kneels down. With two fingers, Jan closes Ace's eyes before walking away.

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