Chapter Text
It was a beautiful warm day in the dense forests of the Land of Fire. Where the canopies allowed it warm sunlight shone down upon the soft forest floor and the beaten trails that criss crossed it. Insects buzzed around and the fresh clean air rustled the leaves. A baby's cry cut suddenly through the peaceful silence, followed by the howl of a wolf, which cut off abruptly. The reason for this was a panting young man with short black hair and a look of pure determination on his face. Both of his calloused hands were wrapped securely around the handle of a glinting blade. Seated on the ground behind him was a young woman with long silvery hair who was breating just as harshly, but for a different reason. She was staring in amazement at a wet, crying young baby in her arms, still connected to her by the umbilical cord. Her back was resting against one of the wheels of their carriage, whilst the one next to it was broken and the reason for their delay. Three grey wolves with hungry yellow eyes were circling around the young family. A fourth one had been cut down by the young man and was now bleeding out on the ground.
"Fuuka, are you alright?" The man asked tensely without turning around.
"Yes, I... Yes," she replied as if in a daze.
"The baby. Is it..?"
"Alive. Healthy, I think," she went on and cradled the crying child to her chest, trying to cover its pink skin with the fabric of her green yukata.
Still she winced when more blood flowed out of her. The man shifted slightly and let out a quiet curse.
"Damn wolves! We need to get moving again!" He hissed under his breath.
As if they sensed his desperation to leave the wolves began to circle closer. One lunged suddenly, but the man reacted lightning fast and cut it down. A second one followed the attack and snapped at his leg, but he also cut it down. The fourth and largest of the animals regarded him cautiously, obviously hesitant to attack now. The young man stomped his foot on the ground and yelled at it, slashing his sword in a threatening manner. It retreated into the underbush and eyed them from a distance. The woman rocked the crying child in an attempt to quiet it down. When the man's shoulders relaxed and he threw a glance over his shoulder the wolf came charging at him.
"Hiroshi!" The woman yelled in alarm.
His head whipped around and he raised his blade with a hiss. The wolf jumped at him, going straight for the throat. The woman clutched the child to her chest and screamed in terror when the large creatures' jaw clamped down mercilessly on his lower left arm. Hiroshi gasped in pain, but used the wolf's distraction to grab the sword with his right hand and stab it in the back repeatedly. Blood spurted into the air and it took forever until it finally fell dead. Hiroshi's lower left arm had been badly mauled. She squeezed her eyes shut and let out a small sob.
"Fuuka.. It.. It's alright," he said in a strained voice. "The cord.. Let me help you."
"Hi-Hiroshi..," she sobbed as he dropped to his knees in front of her.
"Help me out, would you?" He said with a pained smile.
She nodded shakily and lifted the umbilical cord with her free hand. He cut it swiftly and let out a hissing breath once it was done. She quickly tied it and gave him a concerned look. Their livelihood was at stake now.
"Hiroshi, your arm.."
"Don't worry," he grunted and stood up. "It'll be fine."
"If you say so," she replied dubiously.
"Have you thought of a name for the..?"
"How about we call her Shiina?" She suggested.
"It's a girl?" He asked curiously as he covered his bleeding arm with the sleeve of his dark blue yukata.
"Yes."
"Alright. Iroi Shiina sounds good to me," he replied with a smile.
Fortunately another caravan came by not much later and stopped, helping them fix their broken wheel and tend to Hiroshi's wound. The Iroi family made it to a nearby village where the doctor had a look at all three of them. Mother and child were fine, but there was no saving Hiroshi's arm, which had to be amputated. It was quite a shock for them since he made a living as a swordsmith. As they were out of options now the family decided to settled down in the village, which was barely more than a hamlet consisting of five houses. The villagers were good folks, though. They had plently of help building a small house. Hiroshi never complained about having to abandon his nomadic lifestyle and neither did Fuuka, who was secretly glad they finally settled down. Eventually he learned how to work around his handicap and resumed his trade, for which was plenty of demand in the farming village. Scythes, knives and sickles had to be sharpened all the time. It wasn't the same as working samurai blades, but he managed to find some kind of contentment in it anyway. The Irois managed to seamlessly integrate themselves into the community and after three years nobody considered them outsiders anymore.
Iroi Shiina wasn't like other girls. In fact, she wasn't like other human beings. She had no fear of anything, no matter what the village kids tried. She liked going into the forest to play by herself at all times. More than once she'd frightened her mother to tears after she'd left the house in the middle of the night, but she had more energy than she could spend and required almost no sleep. She didn't know why her parents were so worried about wolves getting her. Shiina had met wolves once, but they didn't attack. They'd just circled her warily a few times and left. There wasn't much in the tiny little village that could hold her attention for long. She learned things quickly, whether it was reading, writing or math. What did interest her was her father's trade. She often watched him work his forge and sharpen the farmers' tools. She also liked his stories about all the places he'd visited and the people he met. Apparently he'd been a renowned swordsmith once who created swords for rich samurai and even nobles.
"Papa can I hold that?" She asked and pointed at a small handsickle lying on his workbench.
"No darling, that's sharp! You could cut your fingers off," he replied sternly and looked up from the scythe blade he was currently whetting.
"But you don't cut yourself," she objected with a pout, eyes on the pretty shiny sickle.
"Because I have experience with blades," he said patiently.
"Can you teach me?" She asked eagerly as she watched him draw the whetting stone along the edge of the blade.
"You're far too young," he replied with a mildly uncomfortable look. "Your mother would have my hide if I let you wield something sharp."
"Then just don't tell her!" She rebutted stubbornly and pouted at him.
He just raised a brow and adjusted the blade he'd clamped between his thighs. "My my, aren't you a sly little thing?"
"I heard old man Itoshi say that there's been fighting nearby," Shiina said and kicked her legs. "He said that the shinobi clans are fightin' each other. He said that they razed a village in their fightin'!"
"Has he now?" Her father replied dryly. "Or did you eavesdrop again?"
"No! I didn't!" Shiina protested indignantly. "But what if we're attacked? Shouldn't I be able to defend myself?"
"Shiina," he sighed. "You're four. You should enjoy your childhood and let us worry about the rest."
Shiina furrowed her brows and looked out of the open door of the wooden shed that housed her father's small forge. Light shone through one of the open windows. The pleasant smell of burning wood filled her nose and the warm glow of the nearby fire was almost too hot.
"It's so boring here," she said quietly and swung her legs under the wooden bench she sat on.
"Well, you are a quick learner," her father said after a while. "And I suppose you have a point. We do live in troubled times, I won't lie."
"So you'll teach me?" She asked eagerly.
"Just don't tell your mother," he said with a pained smile.
"Yay!" She cheered and jumped off the bench.
They started out with a small pocket knife, to her disappointment. Shiina quickly got a feel for the grip and weight of it. Her father taught her small tricks for self-defense, which she mastered with her usual speed. Even though he was reluctant to do so, he had to admit that she had a talent for swordsmanship.
"You've reall gotten the hang of this," he said one evening with an unmistakeably proud look in his eyes.
"Yup!" She beamed and puffed out her chest, mighty pleased with the praise.
"Maybe it shouldn't come as a surprise," he laughed and patted the benchh besides him. "Come. Sit."
Shiina hopped up on the bench besides him and gave him a curious look. The lines on her father's forehead spoke volumes of a life of hard work. He rubbed his stubbly chin and looked at the red and peach colored sky as the sun began to set.
"Can you keep a secret, Shiina?"
"Of course, papa!" She replied quickly.
"I've never told anybody about this and with good reason. My father was a really famous samurai."
"Really?!" Shiina exclaimed with wide eyes.
"Really," he laughed. "He was exiled from his homeland and chose to start over here. He became famous and renowned for his sword skills."
"That's amazing! What happened then?"
"He found a wife and settled down to start a family," her father deadpanned. "Since he'd made a lot of money they could live very comfortably after he retired."
"Wow."
Her father rubbed his chin again with a throughtful look and let out a small sigh. "I don't think he ever really enjoyed his retirement. He taught me and my brothers all he knew about wielding a blade."
"So you're a samurai, too?" She asked with wide excited eyes.
"No, I'm a swordsmith," he laughed and ruffled her silver hair with his good hand.
"What happened to him? Grandfather, I mean."
Her father shrugged and looked away. "We haven't spoken in many years. I'm afraid I disappointed him deeply by not following in his footsteps like he wanted me to."
"That sucks," she muttered.
"It is what it is," he sighed. "Don't worry about it. I'm sure he'd be proud of how talented you are."
"Really?" Shiina asked dubiously, pondering whether she should take it as a compliment.
"Yes," he replied and stood up suddenly. "That reminds me.. I should still have his sword. He passed it on to me when I came of age."
"Ohh!" Shiina gasped and stood up as well.
He went through a small door that led from the forge into their house and Shiina shifted excitedly on her feet while she waited. A real samurai sword! Here, in their little house! He returned with a long object wrapped in cloth in his hands and grinned when he saw her expression.
"This is Muramasa Seiken," he said as he unwrapped the blade and held it out for her to see. "Our family heirloom."
"Oh," Shiina breathed with wide eyes. "It's beautiful!"
Seiken was a long blade in a black sheath. It's handle was black wrapped with a red cloth in a criss cross pattern. Everything about it seemed regal and powerful. Shiina could sense an enormous, almost overwhelming power hidden inside. For some reason her father's expresion was troubled as he regarded her.
"You think this is beautiful?" He asked.
"Yeah?" She replied uncertainly.
He dropped his gaze to the sheathed sword and furrowed his brows lightly. "Some call it an unholy blade. It's been passed down our family for generations and has taken countless lives. It is said to cause destruction wherever it goes. Father said that the blade choses its wielder and even is able to possess those who lack willpower."
"Oh."
"Nevermind. I shouldn't have showed it to you," he muttered and clamped the hilt between his legs while he used his good hand to wrap it again. "Don't know what came over me. Forget what you saw."
Shiina shifted uneasily. Maybe she should've said something different? Her father looked disturbed for some reason. She watched him wrap up the sword and couldn't help but feel a pang of longing. For some reason she was absolutely smitten with the blade. It was so beautiful! Something told her that she'd be able to wield it really well and that it wanted to be wielded by her. Once it was wrapped up again he took it and went back inside. Shiina held her breath, bit the inside of her cheek and followed him as quietly as she could. He disappeared into the master bedroom with the sword, so she assumed that's where he kept it. Feeling disappointed she went back to the forge. What a beautiful sword. She wondered what it would feel like in her hands.
Shiina knew she had blue eyes, even though she didn't often catch sight of her own reflection. It didn't occur to her to find it odd until she heard some of the old ladies in the village whisper behind her back. Both of her parents had light brown eyes, so why did their daughter have blue ones? Was she perhaps another man's child?! Shiina didn't care enough to pay attention to such ridiculous gossip. As if her mom would ever lie to her dad! Old Kaede and even older Michiko were just mean old hags. She overheard her parents talking about them once, saying that they were jealous that their grandchildren weren't as smart as her. It had to be true since she began to notice more and more that the other children were starting to exclude her, at first only when they played catch, then with other games as well. It was kind of unfair, because it wasn't her fault that she was fast and loved the thrill of the chase and was a good catcher. Instead she then focused on hitting the wooden target her father built for her with her wooden practice sword. It took a lot of convincing to get permission from her mom for that. After a few weeks of that she felt really bored with it. Her dad kept saying she was too young for real combat practice, even though her fifth birthday was coming up. None of the other kids would talk to her, so she was on her own.
Shiina, being the naturally curious girl that she was, pretended to be asleep one evening when her parents went over to the neighbour's house for a drink. It was far too hot to sleep and the sword had been on her mind since her father showed it to her. She snuck into her parent's bedroom, casting furtive looks around even though they were gone. The search didn't take long, since her father apparently kept it in a wooden trunk at the foot end of the bed. The lid was heavy and she had some trouble lifting it. As soon as her eyes landed on the cloth wrapped sword they widened in awe. This close she could almost feel its presence. Shiina put a hand on it and felt her skin prickle at the contact.
"Wow," she murmured under her breath and closed her hand around the hilt.
It was heavy. Like, really heavy. She had to use both hands to pull it out of the trunk. Shiina looked around before she started to unwrap the linen cloth around it. Even the sheath was beautiful. Made of wood and painted shiny black. There was a golden lion engraved near the hilt and the paint still glimmered like it was brand new. Shiina touched it and ran her fingers over the engraving. So beautiful! Even though her father had said not to, she tugged at the handle until a hand's lenght of glinting steel became visible. Shiina admired how deadly it looked. Sharper than any of the farmer's tools she'd seen so far. As soon as she'd tugged the blade free of its hilt she felt a shiver run down her back. It felt like something changed suddenly and she looked around with a curious expression, but there was nothing unusual. She fixed her eyes on the long blade as she lifted it with trembling arms. In the light of the hallway lamp that shone into the room she admired how it gleamed. The hilt felt weirdly good in her hands. Soft like leather. Shiina furrowed her brows in concentration and slowly made a swishing motion from side to side. Her arms were already growing tired from lifting such a weight, so she regretfully put the sword down on the ground and slid the sheath back on. Then she wrapped the linen around it and put it back in the trunk, hoping that her father wouldn't notice.
Shiina went back to her room and tried to sleep, but as usual she couldn't quiet the thoughts racing through her brain. It didn't help that she didn't feel tired in the least. She kept twisting and turning in bed until she heard her parents come home. The thin wooden and rice paper walls let every sound through with minimal resistance.
"-can't believe he'd say that!" Her mother said.
She sounded upset for some reason. Shiina bit her lower lip and stared at the dark ceiling.
"Hideyoshi's always been a bastard," her father replied bluntly.
Shiina held her breath in surprise. She'd never heard him curse before. He, too, sounded upset. What happened over at the Suzukis' place?! Their footsteps went past her room and she listened to them go to their bedroom and settle down for the night. Whatever happened, she was almost certain that they wouldn't tell her about it. Adults were all so secretive. They kept underestimating her and it was annoying.
Even the adults began to avoid her nowadays. Shiina paid a lot of attention to the way people behaved, even though she tried not to let it show. The looks she got became increasingly cooler. Almost wary. She had no clue why, but on the occasions her mother took her shopping in the small market place she noticed that she, too, was regarded in a rather unwelcoming way.
"Mother, why do people look at us like that?" She asked on the way home.
Her mother sighed. "They don't like being dependent on your father."
"Huh?" Shiina blinked.
Her mother brushed her silver braid over her shoulder and adjusted her basket in her elbow.
"He makes his money by fixing their tools. They don't like it. I believe they're jealous of his job."
"But why?"
"All our neighbours work in the fields day in and day out. It's hard, gruelling labor. Meanwhile your father is always at his forge. Because of his handicap he sits a lot while working. I suppose they think he's got it too easy."
"That's stupid!" Shiina exclaimed with a frown. "Dad works hard, too!"
"I know, but they don't see that," her mother replied and gave her a tired smile. "Don't let it bother your, darling."
Shiina looked away with a frown. It was highly unfair! Trying to distract herself, she looked at the Yamamoto's fish pond as they walked past. Her blurry reflection looked back. Bright blue eyes and silver hair that fell down her back.
"Mother, why are my eyes blue?" She asked quietly.
Much to her surprise and unease, her mother flinched a little. Shiina stared up at the side of her face and noticed her jaw tense.
"There.. was a wolf," she said hesitantly, as if she was searching for the right words. "A big, fearsome wolf. He haunted the village I grew up in. When your father came passing through he heard about it and volunteered to hunt it down. He was so charismatic and fearless that he inspired courage in the locals. He set out with a hunting party of five."
Shiina smiled a little at the fondness in her voice. Her mother brushed some loose hairs out of her face.
"What happened then?" She prompted.
"Your father was the only one who returned. He didn't say what happened, but it was easy to guess. He killed the wolf in the end and brought back its pelt as proof. Needless to say, he became the village hero. We fell in love shortly afterwards and got married. He's always been a traveller. After half a year he'd grown so restless that we hit the road."
"You guys just left? What about your family?"
"I was an orphan," her mother replied quietly and kept her gaze on the street. "And somewhat of a pariah anyway. I doubt I'm missed."
"Oh. Okay. So about my eyes?"
"I don't know, darling. Perhaps one of my parents had blue eyes," she replied uneasily.
Shiina sensed that she wasn't telling the whole truth and started to pout. When her mother glanced down at her she sighed again.
"Your father... he.. the wolf wounded him and while he recovered he was plagued with fever. I let him stay at my house and cared for him during that time. He had fever dreams and kept saying random and confusing things. About a wolf with blue eyes, looking at him like a human would. Pure nonsense, I'm sure."
"Oooh, awesome," Shiina commented.
"It's a silly story, dear. Nothing else," she replied with a smile and ran a hand over her head. "Though you certainly act like a little she-wolf sometimes!"
Shiina grinned up at her. Back home she helped her cook dinner while her father worked at his forge. It was winding up to be yet another sweltering hot summer day, so she opted to stay in the shade. She laid down on the engawa outside and dozed off to the sounds of bees buzzing through the garden and birdcalls in the forest.
Fire. Her dream was filled with fire and flashing images. Shiina felt like she was floating backwards, away from the raging flames. It started to look like a wall of fire on dark ground. Suddenly a shadowy figure appeared before the wall of flames. She couldn't make out any features outside of short, shaggy black hair and a pair of glowing red eyes.
"Pick me up, little girl," the figure said with a voice that sounded vaguely male. "Take me out of the house and hide me well. Hurry."
The figure spoke pleasantly and smiled as she could tell by the white teeth flashing at her, but deep down she didn't fully trust it. Him. Whatever this was. The words sounded urgent and sincere, though.
"He must not find me. Hurry."
He? She wanted to ask, but then she started to wake up and the scenery faded. Strange. Everything was normal. The garden was still brightly lit, though the sun had wandered through the sky, and a gentle breeze ruffled her hair. That voice.. Shiina looked down. That figure. She could instinctively tell that it had been the sword speaking to her. Strange. It couldn't be. It warned her of somebody. Right, it wanted her to take it out of the house. She glanced at the nearby sliding wall and stood up slowly. How was she supposed to explain this to her parents? Her father would surely scold her if she took the sword! Shiina slowly slid the door to the livingroom open and paused when she heard voices from the hallway. There was an unfamiliar male voice speaking to her mom. Oh no?! Shiina hurried inside and tiptoed through the livingroom to peek. True enough, her mother was speaking to a tall stranger at the front door. He wore a loose emerald tunic with a diamond pattern and loose black pants. Two hilted swords were fastened to his left on his belt. The stranger had an even face, a chiselled jaw and a straight nose. His smile was broad and inviting. He had short curly blond hair and sharp light grey eyes. She didn't like those eyes and the way they looked at her mom.
Still, while they were both distracted she slipped out of the door and down the hallway as quiet as a mouse. Once inside her parent's bedroom she hurried to open the chest and took the sword out. Then she glanced at the window, which was the only other way out. Shiina slid the window open and threw the sword out before hurriedly climbing after it. Then she gathered the wrapped blade in her arms and ran towards the forest. There was a hollowed out tree trunk she knew would make the perfect hiding spot. Just to make sure she threw a few more dead leaves on it until the linen was no longer visible. Then she slowly made her way back to the house. That stranger made her uneasy, even at first glance. When she came back her father and him were sitting on the floor across from each other in the middle of the livingroom. Shiina peeked on them through a small crack in the wooden wall from outside. Her father wore a blank, but vaguely polite expression while the stranger smiled like he didn't have a care in the world. While he sat relaxed, her father seemed oddly tense.
"So you're saying you're a descendant of Muramasa as well?" Her father asked.
"Indeed," the stranger replied pleasantly and inclined his head. "I'm Muramasa Yami. I hail from the family's main line, descended from his eldest son Atsushi. From what I understand you must be the offspring of his sixth son, Iemura. We call this the sixth progenitor. You see, genealogic research is a hobby of mine."
"I see," her father replied curtly. "So we are related?"
"Cousins, if you will," the man said with a winsome smile. "It is a pleasure to finally meet you."
"Cousins, huh? Isn't that a bit of a stretch?" Maybe it was her imagination, but her father just sounded a bit annoyed.
"Oh, details, details!" He laughed and waved a hand. "We're family, cousin! Descended from the same master swordsmith! The legendary Muramasa!"
"So what brings you to us, cousin?"
The blond man still smiled that broad, strangely empty looking smile. "Blood calls to blood, I always say! I felt a sudden urge to meet the only remaning members of the sixth branch. All other branches exept for the first have sadly died out over the years, so imagine my joy at discovering you were still alive."
"Indeed."
"It's great to finally meet extended family, isn't it?"
Her father forced a smile and nodded mutely. The blond man looked completely unbothered by the obvious lack of sincerity and grinned. Shiina watched as her mom brought in a tray with two cups and a kettle of tea on it. When she bent down to put it on the low table between the two men the blond guy stared unabashedly with a grin. Her brows furrowed at the way his eyes roamed over her mom, who seemed to ignore him as she put the cups down in front of them and poured some tea. From her angle she could see what was going on, but apparently her father couldn't or he surely would have had something to say about that behavior. That guy watched her mom leave the room before he turned to her dad with a grin.
"Just where did you find such a beauty?" He commented with a nod in direction of the door.
Her dad's brows furrowed slightly. "I passed through the village where she used to live on my travels."
"Wow, lucky," he commented.
"Anyway, how long do you plan on staying here? I'm afraid there isn't much to see."
"Ah, let's get to know each other for a little bit, shall we?" He said and picked up his cup. "You still work as a smith? I can tell by the soot stains on your sleeves."
By comparison, the stranger's clothing looked very expensive and completely clean. The way he spoke to her father angered her. It was plain to see that her father felt the same, but he had a lot of self-control.
"Yes, but these days I only fix the farmers' tools."
"Ah, shame," Yami commented flippantly. "That must have been such a downgrade after working for the elites of the land."
"I've grown used to it," her father replied stiffly and took a sip of his own tea. "So what do you do for a living, cousin?"
The stranger just seemed vaguely amused by her father's agitation, which pissed her off even more. He was enjoying this, the bastard! Why couldn't they just throw him out?!
"Me? Well, as a member of the first progenitor's line I don't really have to work," he said, as if it was a nasty word. "We've inherited all the wealth that comes with our ancestry. Members of the noble families still comission swords from us when they can afford it. My younger brother Kunishige, who is a widely renowned swordsmith, takes care of business. That leaves me free to pursue my hobbies, such as practicing my swordsmanship and collecting blades."
Shiina straightened up in alarm at the gleam that had entered his pale grey eyes. He looked dangerous for a moment. And greedy. Her eyes travelled to the swords at his left.
"Collecting swords?" Her father asked with interest. "So those two..?"
"Muramasa Ikari and Muramasa Hisan'na. The originals," he replied proudly and petted the black hilts. "Forged by the master himself. They're part of a series of three blades he forged after his defeat at the hand of Masamune."
"Oh, so that story is true, huh?" Her father asked and raised a brow.
"Of course it is," the stranger laughed. "The third blade of that series still eludes me, though."
"Oh really?"
"Yes, yes. It's a shame. Tracking down these things after such a long time is very difficult. It takes a lot of research and reading. Master Muramasa has passed down his masterpieces to his sons, but from there on out it gets difficult. Who got what, where did they go, did they lose or sell the swords? After more than four hundred years it gets difficult."
"So that's how you spend your time?" Her father asked calmly. "Chasing old swords?"
"Indeed. I thought it prudent to retrieve the swords that rightly belong to the family. It's been my life's work, actually. Muramasa has forged many swords, but few are true masterpieces. Such as the three he forged after his defeat. The old master was obsessed with the idea of proving himself, so he continuously bettered his technique. Unfortunately Masamune was always considered the superior smith, no matter what he did. It made him very.. bitter."
"Understandable, I guess," her father replied and eyed the blond stranger.
"If you and your wife wish to visit me sometime, I shall gladly show you my collection," he said easily and took a sip of tea.
"Just spit it out already," her father suddenly said and put down his cup with an audible clack. "You're here because you think I have the third sword, right?"
The stranger slowly lifted both brows. "Do you?"
"No," he lied smoothly.
"That's a shame," Yami replied lightly and smiled a bit wider. "It is getting rather late. Perhaps I should leave."
"Oh nonsense!" Her mother replied after suddenly entering the room again. "You must be tired. Stay the night. We'll make room."
Both men looked at her in surprise, but she gave the stranger a surprisingly natural smile. He inclined his head with a small grin.
"That's a kind offer, dear. Don't mind if I take you up on that."
Her father remained silent, but it was plain to see that he wasn't too happy at the prospect. Shiina swallowed hard. The stranger hadn't seen her yet and she really didn't want to meet that guy. Everything about him screamed bad news. Why didn't her mother seem to realize as much? She just smiled at the stranger before she went to pick up their cups. While she did that, he ogled her again. Ugh. Shiina's nose scrunched up. After her mother left the room she rounded the house and went straight to the kitchen.
"Mom, I wanna sleep in my tree house tonight," she said plainly.
"Alright, dear," her mother replied absently without even looking at her.
Huh, she was acting kinda weird. For some reason she almost looked a bit giddy. Must be because they seldomly recieved visitors. Shiina thought about what she'd said, about not having a family. Perhaps that was it. She went to the treehouse her dad had helped her build and climbed up the ladder. It had a makeshift door and a solid roof. From up here she could also keep an eye on the treestump. She doubted she'd get much sleep anyway, so she might as well keep watch.
Even though her stomach growled the next day, she refused to go inside the house while that guy was there. One of the farmers went up to their house and left a little while later with her father. That was what made her climb down. Her mom shouldn't be alone with that guy! She went up to the kitchen and felt relief when she saw that her mom was fine, busy making lunch with a small smile on her face. It was pretty rare to see her in such a good mood, which made her happy.
"Hey mom, can I go swimming in the lake today?"
"Sure, darling," she replied distractedly as she stirred a pot. "Have you eaten yet?"
"I'll just grab these!" Shiina grinned and snatched two riceballs before hurrying away.
It was downright weird. Her mom neither reprimanded her for taking food just like that, nor for wanting to go to the lake by herself. It was like she wasn't too focused at the moment. Shiina of course had no intention of going to the lake. She returned to the treehouse and kept an eye on the house. It took what felt like forever until her dad returned. Shiina exhaled with relief, until she heard muffled shouting coming from the house. That.. that wasn't good. She threw a worried look at the tree stump where the sword was hidden. If that guy was causing her parents trouble... Even if she couldn't use the sword, her dad surely could. Shiina stumbled over a root since she wasn't paying attention to where she walked, caught up in her thoughts as she was, and fell. A pained wince flashed over her face as she realized that her knee was scraped. She got back up and grabbed the sword, intent on doing something even though she didn't know what. The shouting seemed to come from the livingroom, so that is where she crept. She went to her spying hole and felt the blood rush from her face at the scene inside. Her mother was lying face down on the floor. Even more horrifying was the fact that the lower half of her yukata had been pushed up and exposed her naked butt. She wasn't moving, but at least she was breathing. Shiina's gaze slowly turned to look at the tall stranger and her father. Her father, who was dangling above the floor since the stranger had grabbed his throat and lifted him up with just one hand. His good hand was wrapped around the stranger's wrist and he looked absolutely furious.
"Don't be mad, cousin. She was begging for it," the blond said in an uncaring tone. "Being family is all about sharing, right?"
"Fucking pig!" Her father managed to grit out.
"Where is it? Where did you hide it?" He demanded. "I've already offered you money once, I won't do it again. Now I shall take what is mine by force. So spit it out and I might yet spare your life."
"Bedroom."
"It's not there. I already checked," he replied in a bored tone.
"Impossible!"
Shiina's heart started to pound. What should she do? Hand the sword over? Was he gonna kill her parents otherwise? She swallowed hard and stared at the wrapped bundle in her arms. Was it worth her parents' lives? Surely not. Maybe he'd just leave if she... A strong sense of dread and alarm befell her. No, that guy was merciless. He'd kill them all. But she couldn't just watch! She bit her lower lip so hard she tasted blood.
"I tire of this, you one-handed cripple!" The blond drawled suddenly. "When was the last time you managed to satisfy your beautiful wife, hmm? You should've heard her moans. You know, I think I'll just take her with me."
"No!"
"Hn. You've wasted my time long enough. You pitiful spawn of a lesser progenitor are no longer worthy of my time," he said and threw her father so hard against the wall that he just sunk down into a heap after the impact.
Shiina inhaled sharply and tensed when he turned around, bent down and picked her mother up like she weighed nothing. Her yukata fell down and covered her again. The blond man slung her over his shoulder like a sack, making her long silvery hair fall down in front of him. Shiina couldn't move. There wasn't a single thing she could do. This was her fault. It made her stomach sink. The blond stranger walked through the livingroom and out of sight. She heard the front door open and close, yet she couldn't move. It was like an unseen force had paralyzed her and put her in a daze. Inside the house she could see her father start to wake up. His head moved and she heard a pained groan.
"Fire Release: Fire Dragon Flame Bullet."
Shiina flinched when several streams of fire suddenly burst into the house from different angles, incinerating everything in their path. They were oddly dragon-shaped and tore through the paper walls with ease, setting fire to the entire house within moments. Everything started to burn. The floor, the walls, the roof. Her father was still in there! She sucked in a startled breath when she realized she could move again and the first thing she did was scramble backwards on the engawa. No. Not this, she thought desperately. The flames spread quickly and she no longer cared about the stranger or the stupid sword. She dropped it in the tall grass of their backyard and pulled the sliding door open.
"Papa!" She yelled at full volume to be heard over the roar of the blaze.
It was no use, she couldn't see anything but the orange flames anymore. Thick black smoke did the rest to block her vision. Shiina swallowed hard and glared at the flames. This was not going to keep her from her dad! She had to find a way inside to get him out. The flames reached for her, nipping at her loose hair and yukata whenever she got too close. It pissed her off because she was wasting time!
"Hold on papa, I'll get you out of there," she yelled desperately and glanced up when she heard the roof creak threateningly. "I'm coming!"
She ducked to avoid the black smoke and tried to set foot inside the blazing room in her increasing despair to get her dad out. This couldn't be happening to her! First her mother got abducted and now her dad was trapped inside the flames! She couldn't lose them! Tears started to blur her vision and her lower lip began to tremble. The hem of her yukata caught on fire and she hastily patted it out, wincing in pain at the way her hand stung afterwards.
"Shiina," a rasping voice said from somewhere inside the blaze. "Go!"
"Papa?!" She yelled and squinted hard. "Papa get out of there!"
When the roof suddenly cracked and collapsed halfway she let out a scream of terror. No! Not like this! She stared at the flames in horror and utter despair as something black and desolate seized her. Not like this! Suddenly a burning hand emerged from within the flames. Shiina sucked in a horrified breath at the sight. The smell of burning flesh was nauseating. That was her dad's hand. It made her stomach twist into an aching knot. She stared at it in horror. Not like- The hand reached for her! Shiina couldn't move, couldn't speak- That was her dad's hand, why- The hand finally reached her and shoved. Shiina didn't scream as it sent her flying backwards. For a moment she felt weightless. Her wide eyes didn't move, she didn't blink. Then she started to fall and the burning house left her view. Instead she was staring up at the endless black starry sky and couldn't formulate a single thought. Her back hit the moist cool grass and Shiina didn't move a muscle. Another loud crash told her that the rest of the roof had collapsed. The acrid smell of smoke and burning wood filled the air. She just saw the stars. Endless numbers, shining cold and unmoving. Uncaring about their fates and eternal. When they started to burn she finally closed her eyes.
"Hey! You, girl! Can you hear me?" An unfamiliar voice bellowed.
It sounded rough and deep. Quick footsteps approached her. Two pairs of feet. A large warm hand grabbed her shoulder and shook. She opened her eyes and blankly looked up into the bearded face of an old man. His hair was greying and so was his beard. Deep wrinkles lined his tan, weatherbeaten face and his dark brown eyes were full of concern.
"Leave her," a younger sounding voice said. "She's a progenitor."
The old man studied her face for a few moments. The girl wondered what was there to see. Come to think of it, why was she lying in the grass?
"Can you tell me your name?" He asked slowly.
"S.. Shiina," she croaked and scrunched her face up in confusion at the way her throat burned.
Everything was so blurry. What was going on?
"The rest of it, girl," he said rather impatiently.
His tone made her feel reprimanded. She furrowed her brows and thought furiously. Who was she?
"Iroi. I think," she replied hesitantly.
"Good good," he said, suddenly sounding satisfied.
Shiina exhaled in relief. The man was clas in a loose beige tunic with big sleeves and loose red pants that made him look like a monk. There was a rustle and then a much younger man appeared at his side. He was dressed similiarly.
"You're not thinking of keeping her?" He asked in disbelief.
"Think of it as an experiment," the old man said.
Shiina had trouble following their conversation as they spoke in a strange accent and her head was fuzzy.
"What?!"
"You heard me. Now get that blade before anyone sees us."
"Yes, master," the younger guy muttered and disappeared from her view.
The old man turned back to stare at her with a grim expression. "We are the descendants of Master Masamune. We've formed a secret order that is sworn to keep an eye on the descendants of his arch-nemesis Muramasa's offspring. Too often have they caused death and destruction with his malevolent blades to be allowed to run rampant across the country. You've seen this today."
"Huh?" She muttered and squinted at him. "What're you talking about?"
"You will join us," he said sternly. "I will train you to the best of my ability and you will become an unparalleled fighter. And when the time comes you will be our greatest weapon. This I offer freely and without conditions. Do you accept?"
"I.. yes?" She said hesitantly.
"Excellent," he said flatly and stood up. "Now stand, Iroi Shiina, and be reborn as a samurai."
Shiina had trouble getting her bearings and slowly climbed to her feet. The world spun around her and she felt a strange sense of vertigo at the sight of the burning house. The young guy returned to them with a wrapped sword in his hands and a serious expression on his face.
"This is the real deal. I can feel its power though the cloth," he said with a grim look.
"All the more reason to keep it hidden."
"What.. what's going on?" She asked weakly.
The old man sighed and put a hand on her shoulder. "Our late arrival has cost your parents their lives. Allow us to make up for it."
"Huh?" She gasped and felt her eyes water. "My parents are dead?!"
"Yes, child," he replied gravely. "Slain by a ninja from clan Muramasa. We shall repay our debt by taking you in and providing for you."
"I guess," she sobbed and wiped at her eyes with her sleeve.
"You will become a splendid samurai and some day you shall have your revenge. This I vow."
She nodded quickly and stared mournfully at the house. Her parents, dead! Killed by a ninja! The three of them started to walk away and kept going all throughout the night. With every step her sorrow receded. Eventually her tears ran dry and her breath stopped hitching. Shiina kept her eyes on the road and felt unbridled fury rising inside her chest. Ninja were scum! The Muramasa clan was scum! She silently vowed to kill them all. The young girl grit her teeth so hard her jaw hurt and felt steely determination settle into her very bones.