Archive of Our Own ^beta

The wind was singing.

“Ooooooooi la loooi~

loil loil lai~ oh aa ai lae lae luuue~

 lieh lieh maaaai~

amai lai lai mui, lail loi lalala~”

With a soaring pitch it whipped against the wave-beaten deck of the Landskroon, bearing the salty scent of the sea with every gale. The song thrummed along the crash of the water against the ship’s bow, gliding atop the rippling tides and towards the drifting clouds above. The distant caw of gull flocks provided a harmony, bolstered by the wind’s percussion and the ocean’s bassline. A lone figure stood atop the ship bow, the long straps of her red cap flapping alongside the twin braids of her snow-white hair, like silver dragons swimming low through the sky. From deep within her throat she intoned a low, reverberant melody – her melody, more luminous than the sun.

 “Aeeeeeee la la, la le leeeee~

oh ah aiiii, la lae lae ooooooi ui~

oooh ah ah lalaaaa,

lali luuoooooooi~”

Moments later, footsteps echoed from the deck below. One of the ship’s officers emerged from the bow’s trapdoor, hearing the tune faintly in the distance. But as he emerged, the bow was empty. There wasn’t a soul around – just crates upon crates filled with silk, pelts, cotton, and all manner of curios that the isolated Japanese traders might find of interest. A light clatter emanated from a nearby barrel, signaling that something had likely tumbled around in the rock of the waves’ undulation. But there was no wanton warbler in sight.

He gave the cargo only a half-long glance before shrugging it off and returning below deck, his back turned towards the sight they were barreling towards: a deep blue bay, enclosed on both sides by mountainous green, vividly saturated in the morning twilight. The sweltering mugginess of semi-tropical summer hung in the air. Within minutes, the ship’s crew was furling the sales, tightening the ropes, and preparing to disembark. The voyage had been long, but the Dutchmen of the Vereenigde Oostindische Compagnie[1] had docked at Japanese shores once again, filled to the brim with coin and cargo for trade.

Upon reaching the shore, they suffered the usual customs interrogation, exchanged words with officials, and began unloading crates one by one onto the land. There was enough cargo that the process would take several days to sort through, especially as the inspectors of the Shogunate scrutinized items by hand. It was during this bureaucratic process that one trader hefted a sugar barrel that felt much heavier than its cargo entailed down to the dock, unaware of its true contents.

The wind was rising, in tempo and in tenor.

 Dejima, Nagasaki, Japan. 1766, the third year of the Meiwa era.

On this tiny artificial island of barely over two acres, Dutch traders exchanged luxuries, knowledge, and curiosities with Japanese locals, unable to set foot in the city proper. Likewise, most Japanese folk were barred from traversing to Dejima, unless they were clerks, cooks, interpreters, or samurai seeking to whet their wisdom on the books of the west. Apart from the Chinese quarter of Nagasaki, it was the only residence for foreigners in all of Japan. All Europeans save the Dutch were barred entry[2].

Several hours after the ships had arrived at the factory[3], in a little Dutch house right by the shoreline, the first deals of the newly arrived traders were already taking place.

“<I’ll offer ten barrels worth of spices.>”

“He says he can offer ten barrels of spices.”

“Hmm. What of silk?”

“<How much silk can you offer?>”

“<Thirty crates.>”

“Thirty crates, apparently.”

“Sugar.”

“<Sugar?>”

“<Hmm… five barrels.>”

“Five barrels.”

“You don’t need to keep repeating it to me, Yamato. Just write it down.”

Maya fidgeted with the brush in her hands as she marked down the inventory on the paper. She had interpreted for dozens, if not hundreds of deals between Dutch and Japanese traders at this point, but she still felt like she wasn’t particularly good at it. The bakufu[4] official who had barked at her, a wealthy samurai, peered over her shoulder at the inventory sheet, making sure that she was marking things down correctly – though considering her squiggly calligraphy, Maya wasn’t even sure if he could read it properly. Could she do anything right?

She told herself not to get discouraged. With the yearly flotilla of VOC ships, their new stock of goods would bring an abundance of trade over the coming months. On one hand, that meant more chances for clerical and translation work, which would help bolster her pockets… but more importantly, it meant an influx of books, trinkets, and all other manner of exotic wonders from the west that she could only dream of. If only she had the money to afford much of it. Of course, before worrying about things like that, she had to finish these negotiations.

“Ask him if there’s anything else,” barked the samurai.

“<Is that all you’re offering?>” asked Maya to the Dutchman.

“<That’s it,>” he replied. “<For the amount of copper, silver, and rice that you offer, I think that’s more than fair.>”

“That’s everything,” said Maya.

The Shogunate man mulled things over for a second, his square jaw clamped tightly. “Very well. We accept.”

“<It’s a deal,>” said Maya, bowing.

The Dutch trader grew an easy smile and extended a hand, which the samurai shook gruffly. Maya surveyed the list, double checking to make sure that everything was in order, before having the men sign the order. Now that the deal was carved in ink, Maya rolled up the scroll and filed it away in her drawstring pouch. “<Thank you for your business, sir.>”

“<It was my pleasure,>” said the Dutchman, bowing. “<Now, as for transportation…>”

“<Ah, good point.>” Maya turned to the Shogunate official. “Sir, should we hire hands to help transport the goods to the warehouse?”

“No need for that,” he replied. “You take care of it.”

Maya blinked. “I’m sorry?”

“Consider it part of your clerical duties. It’ll save me a wage.”

“But-”

“Get to it, translator!” the official barked. “Or do you mean to defy me? A high-ranking samurai?”

Maya’s eyes fell upon the long katana at his waist, the hilt of which his hands now comfortably slid down. Her own fingers twitched nervously. She knew better than to talk back. “R-Right away, sir.”

The samurai smirked. “That’s what I thought.”

Trying to still her anxious heart, Maya turned back to the trader. “<Um, I’ll take the cargo myself.>”

“<Are you sure?>” asked the Dutchman. “<It will take quite a while.>”

Maya waved dismissively. “<I-It’s fine. Thank you for the concern. Do you have any of the supplies here right now?>”

The Dutchman motioned towards the door outside. “<There is a handcart with some sugar loaded already, but… it will take some time to gather up the rest.>”

Maya nodded. “<Understood. I’ll transport the cart over in the meantime.>”

“<Very well.>”

With a sigh, Maya exited the residence, finding the cart parked right outside. She hoisted the handcart’s handle with both hands and began heaving it away, her wiry arms struggling to pull the heavy cargo along. As she began soldiering away, she caught the samurai in her periphery, leaving the premises with a pleased expression, and felt queasy.

Dejima wasn’t a big island, so she didn’t have far to go before reaching the warehouse. But as she passed the European-styled homes, huffing and puffing to carry the barrels of sugar safely to their destination, she couldn’t wipe the bitter image of the mole-lipped official out of her mind. She hated having to kowtow to him, but what was she supposed to do? She was a lower-ranked samurai by birth – she barely made enough to live off of, and she barely even knew how to wield a sword. So she was relegated to the odd jobs and busy work, while the wealthier official was a lofty bureaucrat with grandiose standing.

Well… it wasn’t as if she wanted to be a samurai like that, anyway.

Just as Maya was rounding the corner towards the warehouse, still stuck in her thoughts, a yellow-and-pink blur collided with her, sending her stumbling backwards.

“Woah!” yelped Maya, barely holding on to the cart.

“E-Excuse me!” cried the person in question, running off before Maya could gain her bearings.

Maya looked on after her sprinting figure, spotting a pink ponytail bobbing furiously in her run. The light-yellow kimono she wore was accented with magnificently detailed floral patterns, beyond the expected dress of a passerby at this time of day.

Was that… a courtesan[5]? Maya wondered, falling on that as the most reasonable explanation for the woman’s elaborate get-up. She sure was in a hurry. I wonder what that was about.

She half expected a band of spear-wielders from the guardhouse to swoop around the corner in chase, but there were no such samurai coming to pursue the girl. Without further delay, Maya made her way to the stale-aired, poorly lit warehouse, sweat sticking to her pale green yukata as she began unloading the items. For a handful of barrels, they sure were heavy… she dreaded the thought of all the other cargo she’d have to cart over for the rest of the day. Maybe it would be in her best interest to hire help after all… though she didn’t like the idea of paying out of pocket for something like that. She had been saving for new books for months now, and she didn’t want to waste in on something as frivolous as that.

“I would like to finish before sundown, though…” Maya muttered, grunting as she lowered the barrels off the cart and plopped them on the warehouse floor. “I had no idea sugar could be so heavy, though… in fact, this barrel feels even heavier than the others.”

As she set down the last cask, dusting off her hands and creaking her poor, sore spine, she turned towards the handcart’s handle again, already mentally preparing for the dreadful trip back…

When she heard it.

A clatter.

Maya stopped. To her knowledge, there was no one else in the warehouse at that moment. She was supposed to be all alone. Her head swung towards the barrels, but she didn’t see a soul in sight.

Then, one the containers started shaking.

Maya recoiled instinctively. Someone – or something – was stuck in one of the sugar barrels. She had no idea how that had happened, considering the Shogunate was supposed to check every import for suspicious items. They didn’t want the Dutch smuggling weapons or bibles into the country, after all. But why was it-

The barrel trembled again.

Maya’s instincts took over. She wasn’t sure what was inside, but if it was an animal of some sort (she recalled the Dutch taking exotic beasts on their tributary pilgrimages to Edo) she had to free it before it suffocated. She reached for the nearest rod she could find along the storehouse walls and ran towards the barrel, scrambling to jimmy open the top. “H-Hold on a moment! I’ll get you right out!”

She wasn’t quite sure why she had said it out loud – maybe to reassure herself. She fumbled with the short bar for a moment before finding the right spot to wedge it into. With every ounce of her feeble strength, she pushed down on the rod, the thudding shudders of the barrel intensifying in frequency, until finally:

Bam

The lid plunked off.

For a second, Maya stared at it, suddenly uncertain about the contents. If what was inside was some sort of dangerous creature, she couldn’t just carelessly yank it off – she’d have to be cautious. She tiptoed carefully, holding the rod in a feebly defensive stance as she approached the half-open barrel…

And then a girl burst out.

She was cloaked in a flurry of sugar peppered with dry splinters. Through the maelstrom of little particles, Maya made out her tall figure, draped in a thick red-and-blue outfit like nothing she had ever seen. The ends of her snow-white hair were knitted into two long braids that wavered lightly in the air, accentuated by the crimson straps of her thick, woolen cap. Her face was round and cherubic, with wide cheeks and a tall forehead, but what stuck out more than any other feature was her eyes – clear and bright, the same blue as the sky, so dazzlingly azure that they pierced effortlessly through Maya’s chest. Yet even in the midst of all this brilliance – sugar, hair, and irises alike – what shone brightest of all was her smile, flashing with pure alabaster as she spoke:

“Hello!”

The simplicity of the greeting, the vivacity with which she intonated, the enunciation of every last syllable in her kon-ni-chi-wa – it all sent air into Maya’s lungs. From the ajar door to the warehouse a cool breeze drifted in, and the outside sun reflected off the individual granules of sugar, casting the girl in a makeshift aureole of pure sweetness.

For that moment, everything seemed still, as Maya looked upon this… person, and felt herself unable to comprehend any bit of her.

“Ah, that was a good rest!” said the girl, stepping out of the barrel wiping off the powder that sprinkled her clothes – Maya could now make out her boots, curled tightly by the toes. The girl’s words had a thick accent, but not one that Maya was familiar with. “Though I might have slept for too long. It was so nice in there, though!”

Maya was still staring, slack-jawed, trying to comprehend who this random girl was, and what she was doing hiding in a Dutch sugar barrel. Given her accented Japanese, Maya assumed she was foreign, and reacted appropriately. “…Spreek je Nederlands[6]?”

The snow-haired girl tilted her head still, smiling. “I am sorry. What are you saying? Hálatgo sámegiella[7]?”

Well, she appeared to speak Japanese decently enough, if a bit clunky – though Maya had no idea what that last part was. “S-Sorry, you just startled me, that’s all.”

“Ah! Excuse me very much!” said the girl, bowing rigidly. “I did not mean to. But you are speaking Japanese, yes?”

“Er, right,” said Maya, thinking that was obvious. “I mean, we’re in Japan, aren’t we?”

If the girl’s face was at a million watts of brightness before, then it now passed a decillion. “Hirbmat buorre![8] Japan! I made it! I made it!” She jumped up and down with boundless joy, like she had just been told she had achieved nirvana. “It has been so long, but I am finally here!”

Suddenly, the girl leapt towards Maya and enveloped her in a giant bear hug. Maya stumbled back, still trying to process what was happening – she could still smell cane sugar all over the girl’s clothes, sweet and overpowering. Maya thought it was fitting. As befuddled as she was, the girl’s infectious happiness was squirming its way into her heart. “Y-You seem pretty excited, huhehe…”

 “Of course! I have wanted to go to Japan for my whole life!” the girl exclaimed, stepping towards the door. “And now I have arrived!”

“Um, maybe you should wait a second before-”

The girl wasn’t listening, instead already making her way out the door and into the middle of the street, where she cried out with fervor:

“Japan! I have wanted to see you for so long! I’m in your care!”

The sonorous echo of her yoroshiku onegaishimasu[9] rang throughout the air, likely confusing most of the Dutchmen and Japanese officials who populated the island. Maya was still dumbfounded by the girl’s demeanor as she followed her out of the warehouse – she had never known anyone so vivacious. Were other westerners like this? Most Dutchmen she had conversed with seemed fairly reserved, but this woman…

“Ah! I have been rude!” said the girl, suddenly turning towards Maya and bowing profusely. “Thank you very much for helping to free me! I was worried that I would have much difficulty escaping that barrel.”

“D-Don’t mention it,” said Maya, bowing back. “I’m surprised you got out mostly by yourself, though.” Despite the fact that the girl looked to be around her age, she had the same whimsy as that of a child – albeit a polite, spirited one.

The girl raised her torso and turned towards the street. “I cannot wait to meet the people of Japan! I hope I can meet a samurai soon!”

Maya’s curiosity itched. A samurai…?

It was only now that she noticed the strangest piece of the foreigner’s ensemble: attached to the girl’s waist was a scabbarded katana, its lacquered purple-and-white frame gleaming in the afternoon sunlight. Were it some exotically bizarre weapon that Maya had never seen before, that would be one thing – but a katana? What was she doing with that? Only samurai should have been able to get their hands on one of those…

Amid her puzzlement, she didn’t even notice that the foreigner had begun waltzing away. Maya stumbled after her, feeling both responsible for the situation and inquisitive about the weapon at her waist.

“Hello!” called the white-haired girl to passerby. “Good day! How are you?”

Whether by ignorance or simply bad luck, she addressed only the Dutchmen, who looked very perplexed as to what this blue-eyed stranger was shouting at them in Japanese. Maya caught up, apologizing over and over to all the Hollanders in her wake. “Excuseer ons, excuseer ons[10]…!”

She eventually managed to get in front of the foreigner, who looked mildly confused as she surveyed the passerby. “Nobody is responding… how sad. Are people in Japan not friendly?”

“W-Well, you’re talking to people from the Netherlands…” Maya muttered. “They don’t speak Japanese.”

“The Netherlands?” said the girl, looking upward in thought. “Oh yes, that is where I got on the ship. But why are there so many in Japan?”

“This is Dejima Island, in Nagasaki,” Maya explained. “It’s a Dutch factory, the only place any foreigners are allowed in Japan – and only the Dutch. Everybody else is turned away.”

“Ah! I see,” said the foreigner, nodding. “So how do I get to the mainland?”

Was she even listening…? “Um… you wouldn’t be allowed. You’re not from here, right? It seems like you’re not even Dutch, from the looks of things.”

The girl frowned. “But I am half-Japanese. So I should be allowed, yes?”

Half-Japanese? She certainly seemed to speak the language, and she had to have gotten that katana somewhere, but… Maya couldn’t be sure. Just as foreigners weren’t allowed into the country, Japanese people weren’t allowed to leave, either – if they did, they were perpetually expelled. So how did this girl’s parents – or parent – travel elsewhere? And more importantly, how did she get here?

Maya’s thoughts were interrupted by a loud, shrill scream from the alley to her right.

“What was that?” the foreigner asked.

The two took off down the alleyway, emerging out the other side to see a Dutch officer accosting a young woman by the arm. To her surprise, Maya recognized her – it was the same pink-haired courtesan who had bumped into her earlier on the way to the warehouse.

“Let me go!” she cried, trying to pull away.

“<I paid good money for you,>” the assailant slurred, “<And you steal away my property? Eh?!>” His movements were sloppy and disorganized – was he already drunk at this time of day?

“Pl-Please, I just want to-”

“<Shut up! I saw you trying to sneak away with it!>” The officer waved around a thick, leather-bound book, which appeared to be what he was referring to.

“N-No, stop-!”

Maya stood there, frozen, as a crowd of onlookers gathered. She could tell neither one of them understood each other, but she had no idea if she could interpret in this circumstance. More than anything, the girl needed help – the man looked close to striking her. But what could she do? What could she say?

“<You’re going to pay, girl!>” yelled the man, raising the book sky high.

The courtesan flinched, her eyes shut tight. “L-Let me go!”

And then, suddenly, he did.

His hand detached itself from her wrist… as well as the rest of his own arm.

Maya watched the severed extremity tumble through the air to the dirt below, as a howl bellowed from the Dutchman’s lungs. The courtesan girl stumbled back onto her behind in shock, looking towards the one who had intervened:

The foreigner.

With her katana brandished in both hands, she stepped between the pink-haired courtesan and the Dutch assailant, whose teeth were grit in skin-clenching agony. His bulging eyes turned towards the white-haired woman, manically screaming as he charged towards her, his other fist raised with the intent of blind retaliation.

The foreigner held her ground, her face now devoid of the carefree mirth she had borne only a minute prior. She readied her blade, eyes focused only on the aggressor, who roared as he attacked:

“<Aaaargh>!”

Two crescents flashed through the air.

The Dutchman immediately careened to the ground, inertia dragging him several feet before he came to rest limp the dust.

Maya watched with stopped breath, fixated on the motionless body before her. The courtesan trembled and curled into a tight ball, her eyes welling up with frightened tears. But the foreigner simply wiped her blade on the red of her coat, looking forlornly at the one she just felled.

Cries of alarm rang through the air.

“<She killed him!>”

“<Who is she?!>”

“<Call for the guardsmen!>”

The foreigner clearly didn’t understand the exact content of their yelling, but she could tell they weren’t friendly. She stepped closer to the courtesan, readying her blade once again. “Please stay close to me. I will protect you as best as I can.”

The courtesan didn’t speak, her throat still clogged with fright and worry. Maya could see some of the onlookers hailing for shogunate officials, and the thought of a dozen well-armed samurai brandishing their weapons sent fear down her spine. She could see in the foreigner’s expression that she would attempt to cut down anybody that approached – but there was no way she could fight off that many samurai at once.

Instinct finally overriding her inaction, Maya ran up to both the foreigner and the courtesan, grabbed them each by the arm, and yanked them along.

“Come on!”

Both girls looked surprised as Maya jerked them past the bystanders and into the alley just as guardsmen came into view. She ran as fast as he wooden geta[11] would allow her to, ignoring the disparate shouts of the crowd behind her as they hurtled through the alley.

“Wh-What are you doing?” asked the foreigner.

“That’s my line!” Maya shouted, barreling through the end of the alley and out the other end. “What kind of person just… leaps into the fray like that?

“‘Fray’?” asked the foreigner. “I am not sure what you mean.”

Maya clenched her teeth. She’d have to worry about this later. For the moment, they needed to hide – and fast. She mentally charted a course to her house and took off down the street, making sure to hang on tightly to both girls as she ran.

“Wh-Where are we going?” asked the courtesan, panting heavily.

“Don’t worry,” said Maya. “I’ll make sure you’re both safe.”

So she said, but internally she was yelling at herself. What had she gotten into? Wasn’t she supposed to be carting cargo back to the warehouse like a proper person of her standing instead of getting involved in criminal affairs? But as much as the rational part of her brain lamented her getting tangled up in whatever had just happened, she could feel in her heart that she was doing the right thing… or at least, she hoped she was.

After ducking briefly into another alley to avoid a passing patrol, Maya finally arrived at her humble abode – a dinky three-room shack not located far from the bridge to Nagasaki. She practically hurled her two attachments inside before slamming the door, not so much as daring to peek outside to see if the samurai would come for them. If the Dutchmen had recognized her, this would be the first place they’d look, but… well, there wasn’t much else she could do at this point.

“Sorry,” said Maya, turning to the two women. “This is the most I-”

She was cut off by the foreigner, who once again embraced her with a mighty squeeze. “You saved us! Thank you so much!”

“U-Uh, r-right,” said Maya, her face reddening. “I-It was nothing, huhehe…”

“I am so… glad…” the white-haired woman muttered, before suddenly slumping over, her entire body weight falling onto Maya at once.

Concerned, Maya felt for her forehead. “She’s really ho- er, b-burning up,” she stuttered, feeling a thick veil of sweat all over her face.

“Those clothes of hers do look really warm,” said the courtesan, grasping the foreigner’s hand. “She should probably change.”

“I think I have a spare yukata that should fit her… look after her for a second.”

The courtesan nodded as Maya began scavenging through her house for an outfit. And scavenge was the correct word – she was hopelessly disorganized, leaving clothes, books, gadgets, dishes, journals, and just about every other implement of living splattered about in a jumbled mess. In the midsummer heat a vague, implacable odor had permeated throughout the residence, and the lack of good windows made the humidity even stickier. Even so, she was used enough to the chaos that it didn’t take long for her to find a spare kimono. Making sure to grab a bucket of water and a towel beforehand, she returned to the courtesan, who had propped the foreigner flat on the tatami. The two got to redressing her as they put the wet towelette on her forehead in the hopes of cooling her down.

The courtesan fumbled with both clothes and words for a moment. “Um, uh, thank you for helping me, Ms.…?”

“Maya. Yamato Maya.” Maya took a second to wipe clear the sweat that was coalescing on her glasses. “And you are?”

The girl bowed. “My name is Aya.”

“Aya, huh… what were you doing here on Dejima?”

Aya didn’t answer, instead continuing to dress the limp body of the foreigner. “…I feel lucky to be alive right now.”

Right. She’s probably still distressed over what happened. Maya didn’t want to trouble her out any more than she already was – she could always ask questions later.

“Um, do you know this girl?” asked Aya, motioning to the foreigner, who was now snoozing away with a content smile on her face.

“Not much better than you do,” Maya admitted. “I met her just a little while ago.”

Aya took a deep breath. “She really saved me back there. I need to thank her properly when she wakes up.”

Maya nodded. “Me too.”

The two of them finished dressing the foreign girl, who looked much more relaxed in her lavender yukata. Purple was a good color on her, Maya thought. Now that the immediate crisis had passed, she decided to take a closer look at the girl’s belongings. Besides the katana – which Maya was afraid to touch, for reasons she wasn’t quite sure of – there was a small satchel attached to the belt of her old outfit, which Maya opened posthaste. Three items fell out.

Maya picked up the first – oblong, leather-bound, and intricately patterned. Maya tugged on the end to pull out a knife, glinting sharply in the evening sunlight. The design of the dagger wasn’t like that of any other Maya had seen – the contrast between the mauve leather and the tan, bone-like hilt was quite striking. She imagined it was probably from this girl’s homeland – wherever that homeland may have been. She re-sheathed the weapon and rested it on the girl’s stomach.

The second was some sort of wooden cup with a handle[12]. Its frame was smooth and polished, with its inner bowl extremely clean and well-kept. Maya imagined it would be safe to drink out of, but if the girl was clinging onto it she probably didn’t want it disturbed. She set it down and moved on.

Finally, there was a small, tightly wound up bit of parchment. Maya unfurled it carefully to be met with a page full of scrawly hiragana, arranged in uneven sentences. She read them allowed in a flat voice. “‘Hello.’ ‘It is nice to meet you.’ ‘There is very fine weather today, yes?’” The rest of the page was filled with such platitudes.

“What is it?” asked Aya.

“A collection of phrases for her to use, I think,” said Maya. “Her Japanese is fine, if a bit stiff… there’s some errors in some of her characters, though: she’s missing a line in た, and the mark in お, for example. A lot of it looks slanted, though, so it’s hard to tell what she’s writing at some points.” Not that she was one to talk – her own chicken-scratch was barely legible to most of the shogunate officials.

Maya’s eyes naturally fell to the bottom of the page. In print across the bottom were two sole katakana characters, tiny and difficult to make out - イブ.

“‘Eve’…” Maya muttered aloud. “Is that her name?”

“I… guess so,” said Aya. “I’m not sure what else it could mean.”

Maya looked over the drowsy face of the sword-wielding stranger, the little rise and fall of her chest with each breath, her natural dimples showing up even in her sleep… the adorable little gap between her two front teeth…

Maya scrambled to do away with any untowardly salacious thoughts as soon as they appeared – she was obviously curious about the girl and where she had come from, yes, and didn’t regret bailing her out of that situation, but… she had just killed (or at least horribly wounded) a Dutch officer: not that she had done so without reason – in fact, Maya considered the act quite respectable – but it’s difficult to reconcile actions like that. Yet somehow, Maya knew this girl wasn’t some cold-blooded killer or dangerous vagabond: her eyes were much too clear for something like that.

“Should we wake her up?” asked Aya. “I mean, there’s a lot we don’t know about her.”

“It’s getting late,” said Maya. “I think we should just let her rest.”

Aya nodded. “You’re right… I should be heading off, then.”

“No, please, stay the night,” said Maya. “They’re probably still on the lookout. I’m not sure what they’ll do if they find you.”

Aya shifted around on her knees for a second before bowing again. “Th-Thank you so much!”

“I-It’s nothing,” said Maya. The fact that she technically worked for the shogunate would hopefully divert attention away from her house for the night, at least, and considering nobody had come knocking at her door yet, things were likely not as dire as they could have been.

As she trudged through the sea of clutter to set up a place for Aya to sleep, Maya let out a small sigh of relief. She was sure she could figure out a way to explain things to the authorities and get the girls off without trouble. Then she could put the matter behind her and get back to her daily studies. So long as she put in the time to think through things, she could bring all of these matters to a swift, easy end… at least, that’s what she hoped.

But even as sleep tugged at her eyelids, a stray sentence from the foreign girl lingered in her mind for some reason.

I hope I can meet a samurai soon!

Samurai… thought Maya, her mind drifting into unconsciousness as Eve’s blade flashed in her vision. Is that why she came here?

She dreamed of a memory.

“Do you know what it means to be a samurai, Maya?”

She was ten years old. The tatami of her family’s living quarters was orderly and spotless. Maya fidgeted about on her knees. “Um, to be a samurai means to be strong, and honorable, and to follow bushido, right?”

Her mother smiled. By her side were two blades, sheathed in perfect parallel. “And what is the code of bushido?”

Maya ran off the list in her head. “Loyalty, Honor, Courage, Honesty, Righteousness, Respect, and Compassion[13]. Right?”

Her mother shook her head gently. “To recite them aloud is one thing. But to fully grasp them is another.”

“I-I can go into detail, if you’d like!”

Her mother laughed lightly. “That’s not what I mean, Maya…”

The dream-space wavered, like the lid of a bubble. A distant sound hovered in the air.

“The spirit of a samurai… you’ll witness it with your own eyes one day.”

She was awoken by the breeze.

No, not the breeze – a song.

“Ooooooooi la loooi~

loil loil lai~ oh aa ai lae lae luuue~

 lieh lieh maaaai~

amai lai lai mui, lail loi lalala~”

Maya creaked open her eyes as a cool zephyr grazed her cheek, the sound of a deep melody drifting in from afar.

She lifted herself up to see the source: Eve, risen out of bed and looking out an open window, chanting from deep within her lungs. Her warble was low and throaty, wandering and reverberating with every breath, raising and lowering with the wind, reflecting and bending with the light air that sifted through the room. Despite the fact that her singing was the only sound that permeated the air, it didn’t sound lonely or melancholic – it was lively, loving, full of vigor and reminiscence and many more emotions that Maya could scarcely comprehend.

“Aeeeeeee la la, la le leeeee~

oh ah aiiii, la lae lae ooooooi ui~

oooh ah ah lalaaaa,

lali luuoooooooi~”

Suddenly in her mind she saw snow-capped mountains standing over sunset-tinted waters, the still lakefront shimmering softly in the evening afterglow. She could smell the freshness of wild grass, taste chilled air gliding through her teeth, hear the light crackle of a warm fire on a wintry night, feel the crunch of packed ice beneath her feet. Places and sensations she had only read of in books suddenly came flowing into her through music, sifting through her soul like sand between her fingers.

For several minutes, Maya simply sat there on her futon, watching the white-haired girl carol, feeling the trills trickle through her ears like rain through the trees.

Then, there was a knock at the door.

The interruption snapped Maya out of her contented stupor. She scrambled to her feet, gussying up her greasy hair as nicely as possible before stumbling past Eve (who looked on curiously) and to the door, adopting a rigid poise as she shuffled it open.

She had hoped it would be someone innocuous or incurious. Instead, to her regret, she was faced with the smirking, sculpted visage of her commanding supervisor.

“Good day, my little kitten.”

Maya’s spine ironed into a stick. “H-Hello, Seta-sama.”

Kaoru stood, perfectly poised as she made a grand flourish with a hand, the topknot of her chonmage[14] perfectly symmetrical. “I trust you are well this morning? I thought I heard singing just a moment ago.”

“Y-You must be imagining things,” said Maya, afraid to dart her head back to where Eve was positioned for fear of giving things away. She could only hope the foreign girl would stay out of sight.

“Hm… perhaps it was the wind.” Kaoru laughed at her own little remark before continuing. “Regardless, I’ve come to inform you of matters in the factory. There was quite the ruckus yesterday.”

“Th…There was?” Maya asked, hoping to play dumb.

“Yes, some strange miscreant attacked one of the traders… a grizzly sight, truly.” Kaoru shook her head lamentably. “By the grace of heaven, he’s still alive – though short one hand. Alas, extremities can be so… fleeting…”

Maya gulped. “O-Oh my…! W-Well, I’m glad he’s not dead.” She was sincere about that, at least.

“Yes, truly. I was wondering if you might have any knowledge as to the perpetrator’s whereabouts.”

Maya had to play her cards right if she was to get off scot free. “What did they look like?”

“According to eyewitness reports, it was a white-haired girl in very strange attire – neither Dutch nor Japanese. Of deep crimson and azure, like the clash of the sun against the sea at twilight… wielding a sword of sterling gleam.”

“I see,” said Maya, well-accustomed to understanding Kaoru’s theatricalities. “I’m not sure I’ve seen anybody like that, but that explains all the commotion I heard yesterday.”

“Indeed, the whole factory was in an uproar,” said Kaoru. “Do you mind if I step inside for a moment?”

Maya’s heart leapt through her esophagus. “Um, h-hold on a-”

It was too late – Kaoru, as imperious and obstinate as ever, had already made her way past her. Maya was prepared for her flimsy hideout to crumble to pieces before her eyes… but Eve, by some miracle, was no longer at the window.

“As cluttered as ever, I see,” said Kaoru, chuckling. “If I didn’t know better, I would fear a thief had ransacked the place.”

“H-Huhehe… right,” said Maya, playing along. Her eyes shot around in anticipation of where Eve had possibly gone, only to realize that she had no idea where Aya was, either. Kaoru finding her would only be slightly less disastrous.

“By the by,” said Kaoru, casually grazing the spines of several books across the wall with her finger, “the procession to Edo[15] is set to depart tomorrow.”

“Oh,” said Maya. “It’s that time of year already?”

 “Yes, indeed,” said Kaoru. “I was wondering if you wished to accompany them.”

“Me?” asked Maya, flabbergasted. “I-I mean, I’m not sure what help I would be…”

“Nonsense. You are the finest interpreter on this island, and whip-smart to boot. I am sure you would learn many things on your journey as well – certainly more than you could cooped up in this place.”

Maya appreciated Kaoru’s praise – despite her flamboyance, she was the one samurai on Dejima who ever seemed to offer her much respect. But even so, she didn’t exactly feel encouraged about the prospect. “I-It’s such short notice, I don’t know… I was hoping to just trade for some of the newer texts that had just arrived.”

Kaoru tutted disappointingly. “A true samurai cannot whet herself on books alone.”

…That’s all right, thought Maya. I never considered myself much of a ‘true samurai,’ anyway.

“But, if that is truly what you desire to do, I cannot force otherwise.” Kaoru stepped towards the door. “Do let me know if you see the perpetrator of yesterday’s incident – oh, or the girl she was with. Some pink-haired lass from Maruyama[16].”

Maya gulped. “I-I will.”

Kaoru nodded and bowed grandiosely. “Farewell, little kitten.”

And with that, she departed.

Maya let out the air she had bottled up in her lungs, closing the sliding door before melting to the floor. She had encountered enough anxiety over the past 24 hours to last three lifetimes – she didn’t need any more stress.

From a bamboo basket in the middle of the room popped out Eve’s head, slowly peering out from the lid of the container. “Is it safe to come out now?”

“You should be fine,” said Maya, taking one last look through the crack of the screen to make sure that Kaoru was out of sight. “Good job hiding.”

“It was no trouble!” Eve said proudly, stepping out of the basket. “Though it was hard getting into place, since this room is so…” she trailed off, her eyes looking upward in thought. “What is the Japanese word for duolvvas[17]?”

“Um… how would I know?” asked Maya.

“Ah! I am sorry!” said Eve, bowing. “I forget you do not speak sámegiella …”

Maya wasn’t even sure what language she was talking about. She figured now was the time to ask the girl some questions. “You said you were half-Japanese yesterday, right?”

“Yes!” said Eve, nodding. “My father is from here. He taught me to speak and read and write! Though I am not very good at any of those…”

Maya’s mind flashed to the loopy hiragana she had found the day before. “I guess that makes sense, since I imagine you didn’t have many other Japanese speakers in… uh… where are you from?”

Eve smiled. “Sápmi[18]! Very far away from here. It is cold – much colder than Japan!”

Maya was a little lost. “I’ve never heard of that place… is it in Europe?”

Eve tilted her head. “If you have a map, I can show you.”

Maya dug through the pile of junk in her living room to find a slightly battered papier- mâché globe. Making sure it was still legible, she handed it to Eve, who rotated the sphere as she peered over the surface. “The shapes are a little different, but I think it is… here!”

Maya looked to where her finger had landed. It was around the border of Sweden and Russia, right within the northern areas of the provincial region of Finland[19]. Like Eve said, it was probably very cold – but more than that, it was half a world away. “You came all the way to Japan from there?”

“Yes! It was very far, and I had many troubles in trying to figure out the way, but I arrived at last!” Eve looked simply overjoyed at the fact. “I missed my siida[20], and my mother’s báistebiđus[21], and I was so lonely in the other parts of Europe, and on the ships… but it was all worth it, just so I could come here! I am so happy!”

Maya’s heart broke a little, seeing Eve’s face so lit up. How would she break it to her that, as a foreigner, she wouldn’t be able to make it off Dejima? In fact, she’d probably be executed as soon as the shogunate got its hands on her…

The growl of a stomach cut through her thoughts. “Ah! I am hungry,” said Eve. “Speaking of báistebiđus, do you have any?”

“Again, I’m not sure what that is,” said Maya. “I’m sorry I don’t speak… sámegiella, was it?”

“Oh! Your pronunciation is very good!” said Eve, clapping. “Báistebiđus is made with boazu meat. A boazu is… um… it has feet that go clop-clop, and soft fur, and… things sticking out of its head…[22]”

Maya could think of several different animals that fit that description. “I’m not sure I could get my hands on one of those – or cook that dish, for that matter. Instead I have, uh, plain rice. Is that fine?” She didn’t have much budget for food, what with her meager paycheck and hunger for knowledge.

Eve’s eyes shone. “Japanese rice! My father told me of such things! I would love to eat some!”

Any worriment Maya had about satisfying her guest was swept away by the enthusiastic response. As she moved to prepare the food, Eve peered throughout the abode. “Come to think of it, where did the other girl go? The one with hair like flowers?”

“Aya?” asked Maya as she washed the rice. “I’m not sure. If I had to guess, she probably went back to Maruyama.”

“Maruyama?”

“It’s the pleasure district of Nagasaki. She was a courtesan from there, I think.”

Eve’s head cocked to one side. “What is a kort-eh-san?”

Maya nervously rubbed her elbow, thinking of how to explain it politely. “Um, a courtesan is a kind of entertainer, who dances, and plays music, and does other… favors.”

“Favors?” repeated Eve. “So she helps tend to the herd, or carries things for the sick? What a good person!”

Maya was too red-faced to correct her. In the back of her mind, she hoped that Aya had made it home safely – she had heard that the Maruyama courtesans didn’t find Dejima particularly comfortable.

Eve began poring through the pile of items throughout the quarters. “So many books! You must read a lot.”

“Yeah, it’s… a hobby,” said Maya meekly. She turned her head back to watch Eve just as the Sámi girl picked up a white-and-red box with a fishtail wire sticking out the top. “H-Hey! Be careful with that!”

“What do you- ah!” Eve suddenly yelped and dropped the device, shaking out her hands. “It bit me…”

“It doesn’t bite – it’s a static electricity generator,” said Maya, running over to console her. “I built it based on ones that the Dutch brought over[23].”

“Sta-tick uh-lek-tris-itee?” said Eve, her tongue rolling over each unfamiliar syllable.

Did she not know what it was? Maya thought most westerners were acquainted with such things. “Think of it like… a force. You feel it prickle you if you touch it, but you can use it for experiments and such.”

“Oh, I see!” said Eve, examining the box with a curious but wary expression. “How does it work?”

Maya scratched at her nose. “Uh, well, the explanation might be a little hard to understand…”

“I want to hear it!”

The bespectacled samurai was taken aback. Eve was peering into her eyes with adamant fervor. It appeared she really did want to know. Gulping, Maya began: “So, there’s something called ‘friction’… do you know about it?”

Eve shook her head.

“Well, basically, if you rub stuff together in certain ways, you make a kind of energy. That kind of energy can be stored as something called electricity in this generator. If you touch it, you get a shock – like you did just a second ago.”

“Ah, I understand!” said Eve confidently. “So because I rubbed the object, I made ‘friction,’ which in turn created ‘electricity’!”

“Not exactly, but… well, you kind of get it!” said Maya.

“But what do you use the ‘electricity’ for?” asked Eve. “I cannot imagine you would want to hurt somebody this way.”

“Well, obviously not,” said Maya. “But I’ve been reading about these things called ‘batteries’… apparently, it may be possible to store up electricity in places and utilize it as you want to.”

“Wow, really?”

“Really!” said Maya, leaning in a little further, her eyes glowing. “You could use it to power mills, or fireplaces, or who knows what else? Maybe in the future we’ll be able to do things we couldn’t imagine, just with one of these little boxes! Could you imagine?! That would be-”

She cut herself off. Eve tilted her head. “What is the matter?”

“S-Sorry, I was rambling for a bit,” said Maya, sighing. “I, er, tend to drone on and on when I get passionate about something, huhehe…”

“I thought it was wonderful!” said Eve, her fingers intertwined in wonderment. “You know so much more than I do about such things! And you speak so brightly!”

Maya bashfully picked at her nails. “Y…You really didn’t mind?”

“Not at all!” said Eve. “In fact, I would love to hear more!”

“Oh…” said Maya, unable to hide her smile. “Well, uh… let’s see… do you know about ‘gravity’?”

Eve shook her head, listening to Maya’s explanation with an attentive gaze. Maya puttered on and on about all the subjects she had been studying during her tenure at Dejima – anatomy, physics, medicine, chemistry – expecting Eve to eventually get bored, but she watched with rapt attention the whole way through. She wasn’t even sure if the girl understood what she was talking about, but… there was something nice about someone listening to her drone on for a while.

Maya timidly considered continuing on when she saw steam out of the corner of her eye. “Agh! The rice! I forgot to watch it!”

She scrambled over to salvage what was left of the morsels. A good amount had burnt and stuck to the pan: out of courtesy, she tried to divide the charred grains from the rest and give the unburnt portions to Eve. “Sorry I can’t provide any meat or fish or… anything, really.”

“That is all right,” said Eve, picking up the bowl. “Thank you for the meal!” She tackled the plain rice with the gusto of someone enjoying the finest sashimi – which is to say, she was using her hands. Maya wasn’t sure she could teach the girl to use chopsticks at that moment.

“Delicious!” said Eve, a hand pressed to her cheek in admiration. “No wonder my father spoke of it so often!”

Maya felt warm watching her enjoy the meager meal so wholly. “How would you say ‘delicious’ in sámegiella?”

“Njálgga!” Eve replied. “It is very njálgga!”

Maya chuckled. “Huhehe, I’m glad.”

As Eve continued to wolf down the rice, Maya’s eyes fell upon the sword at her side. In its sheathe, it looked as kempt and stately as any proper samurai’s katana. “Where did you get that sword?”

“Mmf!” Eve gulped down the rest of her food and proudly displayed the weapon, who lacquered scabbard was well-polished. “It belonged to my father! He was a great samurai, and he treasured it deeply!”

“A samurai?”

Eve clasped her hands to her chest, her eyes gleaming in fanciful admiration. “My father spoke of them! The brave warriors who face swords without blinking! Who fight for dignity and honor and justice! Who love every man and woman as if they were a sibling! I came to Japan so I could meet them and study the ways of bushido!”

Such flowery appreciation of the samurai sailed right through Maya. What kind of chivalrous tales had this girl been raised on? What she described was nothing like the rambling gamblers and pompous wealth-hoarders that Maya knew. Half the samurai she was acquainted with were more interested in booze or pleasure than following the tenets of bushido. And then there was herself – hermitic, introverted, and probably able to use a tome as a weapon better than a sword.

“I do not know how long it will be until I meet one, however…” Eve murmured, looking down for the first time that Maya had seen. “Perhaps I will have to wait until I reach Edo…”

Maya nearly choked on her rice. “E-Edo? You want to go all the way there?!”

“Of course!” Eve chimed. “That is where the empress and the shogun are, yes? They are like the kings of the samurai! They would make wonderful teachers!”

Maya tried to wrap her head around asking the de facto and de jure leaders of the country for tutelage in swordplay. It was almost endearingly foolish – especially considering that Eve had already demonstrated that her swordplay was sharp. “Um… you don’t have to go that far. There are samurai in Nagasaki.”

The fire relit in Eve’s expression. “Really?! Where can I meet one?”

Maya gulped. “W-Well… technically speaking… er…”

She stammered off. Eve continued looking at her, eager yet patient.

“I… I’m, uh, actually a er, samurai…”

The O formed by Eve’s mouth was rounder than the moon. She immediately clasped Maya’s hands, her entire body glittering. “You are a samurai?!?!”

Maya’s throat could only make a weak, feathery moan in response.

“I have been so rude!” cried Eve, suddenly breaking away and kowtowing with her entire torso. “Please forgive my rudeness, sensei!”

S-Sensei…?

“I am sure you have many years of experience, sensei, and I did not even have the manners to ask your name! I am shameful…”

“I-It’s okay. You don’t have to call me sensei.” Maya’s voice stiffened. “My name is Yamato Maya.”

Maya didn’t think it was possible for Eve to look more enthralled. She was wrong. “Y-Y-Y-Yamato?! As in the great Yamato family, the Imperial House that rules Japan?! The great spirit of the islands themselves?! My rudeness is even worse now! Oh, what have I done? Please forgive me!”

“It’s fine!” Maya shouted, deeply embarrassed by the display of humility. “It’s… it’s fine. I’m not even related to the Imperial House. And I definitely don’t signify some ‘Japanese spirit’ or whatnot!”

Her voice must have been more pointed than she realized, because Eve lifted her head slowly, her expression much more muted than before.

“I’m…” Maya sighed. “I’m not some great warrior or poet or… anything. I’m just a lower-class clerk who spends all her spare time buried in books. I’m not even allowed to ride a horse. I couldn’t teach you anything.”

Eve was quiet for a moment. “But… but what about bushido?”

Maya removed her glasses, rubbing her eyes wearily. “I… I don’t know much more about bushido than you do. If you want a master, you’ll want to look somewhere else.”

The air was suddenly much heavier than moments before. The breeze had stopped. Neither woman looked at one another. The only sound that permeated the thick atmosphere was the clatter of trading far in the distance.

“S…Sorry,” said Maya finally. “I didn’t mean to snap.”

Eve shook her head gently. “No. It is okay. I understand. I, um, will look for a different master, then.”

Maya didn’t respond to that. She didn’t respond to anything as Eve stood up, gathered her few supplies, and headed towards the door, before pausing briefly.

“Ah, these clothes… they are yours, aren’t they?”

“Y-You can keep them,” said Maya, growing more and more anxious with Eve’s presence by the minute.

“Oh… okay.” Eve bowed one last time, smiling through the gloom. “Thank you for everything, Maya-san.”

And with the mild shudder of the screen door, the girl from Sápmi disappeared into Dejima.

It rung in her ears.

Maya-san.

Even the way she said her name was pretty.

Maya ended up just sitting in her quarters for some time. Her eyes fell upon the two swords of her daishō[24], collecting dust in the corner atop her bookshelf. Her mother had bequeathed the weapons onto her five years prior, on her sixteenth birthday – symbols of her lineage and the class she held. Maya had never felt worthy of it. Maybe if she became stronger… but was physical strength really what made a samurai a samurai? Or was it something about their character? As unrealistic as Eve’s ideal of a samurai was, it certainly did sound sweet to Maya’s ears.

She might have sat there on the tatami all day, idly staring at the empty symbol of her paltry prestige, not getting an ounce of work done – if not for the fact that just after noon the sliding door into her house slammed open, with a familiarly fretful face on the other side.

“Maya-san!” shouted Aya. “Help!”

“Aya-?”

Before Maya could even finish uttering her name, the pink-haired courtesan was snatched from behind, her sleeves caught by unknown hands. “No! Let me go!”

“Aya-san!”

Another voice echoed from the right, clicking its tongue disappointingly. “How now, kitten? Why would you seek to escape here…?”

Maya suddenly froze as the chiseled smolder of Kaoru came into view, her hands wrapping around to tie Aya’s arms with rope. “Please, stop!” Aya cried out, her eyes welling with tears.

“S-Seta-sama, what’s going on?” asked Maya, reluctant to step forward.

“Worry not, my dear underling, it doesn’t concern you,” said Kaoru, flanked by two lower samurai women. “Or does it…? Why was she veering for your house…? And how did she know your name…?”

Maya’s hands became wracked with nerves.

“Hmm… a strange coincidence, to be sure.” Kaoru shook her head. “Regardless, this is the Maruyama courtesan I was telling you of earlier. We found her sneaking around the warehouses, with several books stuffed into her kimono. She was intending to smuggle them away to the mainland – quite illegal, as you know.”

Aya continued struggling. The henchwomen accompanying Kaoru tightened the rope, and she cried out in pain. “What are you doing?!” shouted Maya.

“Indeed, be gentle,” chided Kaoru. “There’s no need to harm a kitten so fragile.”

“Yes, Kaoru-sama!” the women responded, fawning.

Aya’s teeth were grit. In her tear-stung eyes, Maya could make out a host of emotions – trepidation, frustration, fear. She felt compelled to act. But Kaoru was her direct superior… she couldn’t defy her…

“We’ll take her to the guardhouse,” said Kaoru. “I would hate to have to execute a kitten so precious, but rules are rules…”

Maya’s spirit ignited. “A-Are you insane?” she asked, unable to contain her outburst. “It was just thievery! That’s not a capital crime!”

Kaoru shook her head, striking a flourish with her hand. “So you say… but the Edo delegation will be here tonight. If we let a criminal like this off so easily, it will set a bad example for both the bakufu and the factory. Not to mention…”

Kaoru suddenly wrested Aya’s chin towards her, grasping her cheeks between her thumb and forefinger. “Kitten. That foreign girl saved you yesterday, did she not?”

Aya didn’t answer, her eyes turning away defiantly. Maya remained motionless, not wanting to give anything away.

“A kitten’s eyes can’t lie,” said Kaoru, relinquishing her grip. “If she was so eager to swoop in before, perhaps we can use you as bait…”

“What?!” Maya burst. “Why would you do that?”

“I feel as if our interloper from beyond the borders would show up again if she were in danger,” said Kaoru fancifully. “As Confucius says: ‘Only the wisest and stupidest of men never change.’”

“B-But…”

“Is something the matter, my dear Maya?” asked Kaoru, her sharp glare piercing Maya’s torso. “I thought this wouldn’t concern you…”

Maya looked into Aya’s eyes. They were desperate – pleading for help while she was helpless, alone, and afraid.

But what could Maya do?

“N…”

Kaoru’s ear leaned in a little closer.

“N-Nothing’s the matter,” said Maya, her gaze locked towards the ground. “D… Do as you like.”

Aya’s eyes widened in disappointment before closing in grief. “Ah, well, then,” said Kaoru, smirking as she hoisted Aya in a bridal carry. “If you are interested, you may witness the proceedings for yourself come nightfall. Do not tarry, now.”

And without further bombast, she and her cronies had departed, leaving Maya standing in her doorframe, eyes locked towards the sky.

That was right.

She didn’t deserve to be called a samurai.

Not by any metric.

An hour later, she was meandering through the factory, her geta somberly clopping on the cobblestone below her feet. Shame, guilt, and frustration filled her entire body. She couldn’t get the regretful and disappointed faces of Aya and Eve out of her mind. But more than that, she couldn’t expunge the disgust directed towards herself that was currently bubbling in her intestines.

Her mind must have been truly listless, because she didn’t even notice someone bellowing her name five feet from her. She had to be yanked by the scruff of her kimono in the middle of the street to snap to attention. “Wh-What is it?”

Gruff, creased eyes of a higher-ranked samurai stared back at her. “Skimping on the job again, I see?”

Panic filled her. It was the same mole-lipped bushi who had enlisted her to move cargo the day before – a task she had completely abandoned after running into Eve. “I-I-I-I’m so sorry, sir, it was-”

“I don’t want any excuses!” he roared. “I had to pay the Dutch extra for their assistance in moving the items. It took forever, since I didn’t have an interpreter on hand…”

Maya felt the fear metastasize in her gullet.

“You owe me, Yamato,” the samurai barked, leering from ear to ear. “I’m planning to strike an even greater deal today, before the Edo congregation arrives… surely you don’t mind helping with that?”

“J-Just interpretation, or…?”

The samurai boomed with laughter. “You better move at least a hundred crates worth of items, or I’ll have your head ready for the daimyo’s plate.”

“A h-hundred?!” said Maya incredulously. “I can’t cart around that many in one day!”

“You’re just paying back the debt you owe. With interest.”

What debt? Maya thought. And no interest would be that high for one day! That’s usury!

“What?” asked the samurai, his fingers suggestively drumming across the hilt of his katana. “Are we going to have a… problem?”

Maya could feel her spirit waver. The image of her lugging the handcart across the factory over a dozen times lingered in her mind. So too did the image of the hulking warrior before her slicing her in two at a moment’s notice. She could sense the last vestiges of resistance evaporate out of her body…

When suddenly, a phrase flashed in her mind.

My father spoke of them! The brave warriors who face swords without blinking!

“…No.”

The sound surprised Maya just as much as the samurai. “I think I misheard – what did you say?” he asked, with faux-courtesy.

Part of Maya wanted nothing more than to acquiesce immediately. But the other part – the part that had spoken – stood firm. “You… you aren’t my master. You may h-have more money and power than me, b-but I’m not beholden to you. I… I don’t even know your name!”

The hard-lined man grimaced with furious anger. “Who do you think you are, girl?”

Maya’s fists wobbled. Eve’s bright, courageous face glimmered in her thoughts. “I… I’m a samurai. Just like you. I have pride, and h-honor, and all those other bushido qualities! And I’m not going to let you push me around!”

She expected to be felled on the spot, but the man opposing her just laughed. “A samurai? You? I see no sword at your hilt. Do you honestly believe yourself to be on the same level as me?”

The logical part of Maya’s brain begged her to relent. But her heart wouldn’t let her. “No – because when it comes to loyalty, honor, courage, honesty, righteousness, respect, and compassion… I surpass you!”

She stared defiantly into the brute’s eyes, the edges of her glasses becoming stained with frightful tears. Suddenly, the glimmer of a blade emerged from his sheathe.

“Those will make bold last words, girl,” said the man, smirking as he raised the sword into the air. “Perhaps you’ll learn some real respect in the next life.”

Maya squeezed her eyes shut. Discrediting a superior, alone and without a weapon… she would be dying dishonorably. But in the end… she had finally stood up for herself.

“Die.”

Just as his grave command reached her ears, Maya suddenly felt a familiar force, pushing at her back:

The wind.

KLANG

The shrill of metal clashing against metal pierced the sky.

Before Maya’s eyes even shot open… she knew.

She knew who had come for her.

Eve stood firm against the opposing samurai, gripping the ends of her katana tightly in place. With a sudden kiai, she backed off, raising it in a loose guard as the brute grimaced. “You… the foreigner?”

Eve didn’t reply. Maya was still taken aback by the look in her eyes – it didn’t bare her usual naïve kindness, but instead a foolhardy determination… and yet, it was just as pure.

The wealthy samurai chuckled, hoisting his blade once more. “More reward money for me, then!”

Eve weaved around his lunge, aiming for his arm with quick swipes, but coming up slightly short. The samurai swept his arm around in a giant half-circle – she narrowly ducked it, kicking low with her feet to throw him off balance. Maya was mesmerized by her movements – she lacked the polished stance and clean movements of a trained warrior, but made up for it with flexibility and erraticism: twisting, turning, and slicing with the flow of her momentum, like a leaf caught in a storm, as fast as she was unpredictable.

Even so, it was a fiercely contested bout. A host of onlookers had begun to crowd around the scene, lured in by the sound of swords slicing through air. It was inevitable that Kaoru and her lackeys would be on the scene before long, and Eve stood no chance outnumbered… what could Maya do, though?

Wait a minute… outnumbered?

Eve continued to bob around the samurai’s strikes, but she was gradually being pushed back towards one of the storehouses. It would be mere moments before she was cornered. Her opponent appeared to recognize this, because he intensified his assault – cut after cut, stab after stab, forcing Eve to grit her teeth and parry the blows.

The samurai leered. “Not so lithe now, are we, you impetuous little- ARGH!”

He was cut off mid-sentence by a barrel full of spices hitting him square in the torso, a rust-colored cloud of seasoning exploding over him. Maya had hurled the cask at him with every last vestige of her meager strength, but the weight was enough to send the warrior toppling over. Seizing the opportunity, Maya yanked Eve’s arm away. “Let’s get out of here!”

Eve nodded in agreement, and the two took off, forcing their way past the bystanders and away from the direction of the guardhouse. Far in the distance, Maya could hear the clattering of gathering yari spearmen.

“Ah, we are running away again!” commented Eve chipperly. “Is this a hobby of yours?”

When you’re around, thought Maya dryly. “Where did you come from?”

“I sensed you were in trouble, Maya-san! I could feel it on the wind…”

I don’t know if I believe that… Maya charged headfirst into the large VOC warehouse, the entryway currently clear of traders. “We should find a place to hide. They’ll come charging in here at any moment.”

Eve grinned. “I have the most perfect idea!”

“Which is…?”

Three minutes later, and the pair had stuffed themselves into separate silk crates, maneuvering carefully so that the creaked-open sides safely faced the wall. It was only after squeezing herself into the dank, dark box that Maya began to have doubts. “Um… do you really believe this will work…?”

“Hush!” whispered Eve loudly. “They are coming!”

Surely enough, within moments the thunder of nonvisible footsteps trampled through the storeroom, as barks in both Dutch and Japanese flew through the air.

“<They passed into the warehouse; I saw them.>”

“Search the perimeter!”

“Did they escape through the back?”

“<Find them at once!>”

Miraculously, the entire throng of pursuers passed unwarily by, leaving Maya and Eve’s crates undisturbed. After waiting another minute to make sure they wouldn’t return, the two women popped out of their hiding spots, gasping for fresh breath.

“Hehe, I am well acquainted with tight spaces now!” said Eve, looking rather amused at the situation.

“Is that so…” Maya muttered, feeling her spine throb after contorting itself awkwardly into position. She dismissed the pain offhand – she had more important matters to discuss. “Where have you been?”

“Well, I tried to cross the bridge to Nagasaki,” Eve began, “But the people there started to yell at me, so I ran off. I am not sure why they were so rude…”

Maya could hazard a couple guesses. “Well, to begin with, you cut off that Dutchman’s hand yesterday…”

“He was attacking that girl!” said Eve resolutely. “I was doing my bushido duty to protect her.”

“I understand that, but a foreigner attacking a VOC trader in a Japanese harbor is an international incident waiting to happen.” Maya sighed. “Even if you hadn’t done that, it’s like I told you before – non-Japanese people aren’t let into Japan. In fact, you shouldn’t even be able to set foot in Dejima.”

“But I am half-Japanese,” Eve reiterated.

“I don’t think that matters to them,” said Maya. “And now they’ve taken Aya hostage, just to try and lure you out.”

Eve’s expression took a grave turn. “They took Aya-san?”

“Y-Yes,” said Maya, trying to steady her nerves. “They’re probably going to execute her if you don’t show yourself… Seta-sama wants to look good for the delegation that’s arriving tonight.”

For a moment, Eve stared firmly into the distance, lost in thought. Then she rose. “There is only one thing to do, then.”

While this wasn’t unexpected, Maya was still taken aback. “…Are you crazy? Seta-sama serves the daimyo directly; you’ll be up against an entire legion of samurai – there’s no way you can handle them on your own.”

“Perhaps,” said Eve, smiling with a hard face. “But if I do nothing, then it is Aya-san who suffers. And I do not want that.”

“But-”

“Maya-san.”

Eve looked at her gently. Even in the dim interiors of the warehouse at dusk, Maya found herself lost in that kind gaze. The Sámi girl spoke with the tenderness of a passing draft:

“A true samurai never abandons her friends,” said Eve. “I may not know Aya-san well, but if I ran from this… then I would be a terrible villain.”

Maya found herself scrounging for words. “But… Seta-sama… the officers… they’ll-”

“You are a good person, Maya-san,” said Eve. “You have already shown me such kindness – so I cannot ask any more of you. I know that you do not know how to fight. And if they learn that you know me, then you may lose your job – or much worse.”

Maya didn’t have a rebuttal to that. Associating with Eve any further would put her entire livelihood at risk, and yet…

Eve trod towards the door, a hand on her katana’s hilt. “Thank you for everything, Maya-san. I… I will treasure your warmth forever.”

As Eve turned to make her exit, Maya couldn’t contain herself. “What if you die?”

The snow-haired samurai paused, looking upward in thought. “I do not like to think of such a thing. But if I were to die…” she smiled. “It would be by following my heart. And I would have no shame in that!”

There was no trace of hesitation, or regret, or weakness, or doubt. Eve simply strode off into the shadows of the Dejima streets, straight and steady.

Maya could only watch as her silhouetted faded around the corner – into twilight, into danger, into memory. She looked at her hands – her scrawny, bony, wispy little fingers – and clenched them into tight, angry fists.

Eve’s smiling face – so bright as it talked about home, so curious as to what Maya was studying, so impassioned as to the ideal of the samurai – stuck in her brain like white on rice.

Was she really so powerless? So shameless?

Was she going to watch this girl hurl herself into the jaws of death and do nothing?

Her feet responded faster than her brain did.

She charged down the tight corridors of the island to her tiny home, hurling open the screen door with all the might her beanpole frame could allow. There had to be something – anything that Maya could do to help Eve. Any possible way to alleviate the odds…

She stared at the mess of gizmos, books, and materials that laid sprawled across her tatami mats. Unconsciously, her gaze wandered to the twin swords of her daishō, still untouched after years of neglected. With a quick puff of breath and wipe of the sleeve, she mounted each blade at her waist. Even though she was still unsure of what to do… now, she somehow felt prepared. Ready.

She bent to the floor, rolled up her sleeves, and got to work.

The moon rose as night fell.

Kaoru was in a good mood. Despite the squirrely foreigner slipping through the watch’s notice once again, she was beyond certain that the dodgy girl would show herself in order to save the courtesan. Now, as to why the foreigner had bothered to chop off a Dutchman’s hand for the girl, Kaoru hadn’t a clue, but nobody severed a limb without good reason. So it was that she patrolled the guardhouse to Nagasaki, circling her pink-haired prisoner with a light gait, having to stop herself from humming. “Ah, how fleeting…” she murmured, to no one in particular.

“Wh-When will you let me go?” asked Aya, still bounded in ropes.

“Soon enough, dear kitten – assuming the fish takes the bait. Though if she doesn’t… hmm…” she shook her head. “I would hate to execute such a precious little thing. Oh, what fate! I would spare you in a second, if it didn’t go against my code. Perhaps if you were to prostrate yourself sufficiently, then I would consider letting you go…”

She turned towards Aya as she said it, hoping to persuade her, but the courtesan turned away, her face tight with defiance. She looked on the verge of tears yet again.

“Alas, how disappointing,” said Kaoru. “Such a disobedient little kitten…”

“Kaoru-sama!” hailed one of her watchwomen, from within the guardhouse. “The delegation from Edo has arrived!”

Kaoru chuckled. “Excellent. Let them cross.”

The associated guardswomen nodded and stood aside as the procession poured through the entry way. They were led by two familiar faces.

“Kaoru-san,” began Tsugumi Hazawa, bowing slightly. “It is good to see you again.” She was dressed up in a coffee-colored kimono, draped over with a haori[25] overcoat.

“Yes, very good indeed!” chirped Himari Uehara, unable to hide her moony eyes. Her kimono was the color of sakura petals, decorated with wisteria flower patterns. “You look as dashing as ever, Kaoru-sama!”

Kaoru posed grandiosely. “You’ve arrived just in time, my ladies. Is the Empress well?”

“As well as can be expected,” said Tsugumi, smiling politely. “She can still be quite the handful…”

“Who is this, Kaoru-sama?” asked Himari, gesturing towards Aya, who was still avoiding eye contact.

“Oh, merely a little lost bird… prey for the rat in our midst,” said Kaoru. “Have you been informed of the foreigner who stalks the island?”

“Yes, your subordinates informed us,” said Tsugumi. “I imagine the Dutchmen are keen on seeing her apprehended.”

“Yes, quite,” said Kaoru. “The kapitan[26] berated me for it earlier – the ruckus has been unimaginable. We’ll have her captured quite soon, though, fret not.”

“Still,” said Tsugumi, glancing concernedly in Aya’s direction. “Is this the best way to go about it?”

“This one is a thief, so she’s hardly innocent,” said Kaoru. “Besides, I have a feeling our little vagrant will be making her appearance any moment now.”

A thin fog had rolled into the island. Most of the traders and their families had retreated to their quarters for the night. The bakufu forces lit lanterns, burning through the misty darkness with glowering flames. For several minutes, all was still, in breathless anticipation of the foreigner’s arrival.

The steady clop of wooden geta against cobblestone rang across the street.

Eve emerged from the mist, donning a conical hat and a steady stride. She did not flinch as she approached the throng of warriors crowded around the guardhouse, coming to stop before the two dozen armed men and women as assuredly as if she were encountering one single soldier.

“So, you finally show yourself, foreigner,” said Kaoru, smirking as she edged closer to Aya. “You have been causing quite the uproar in just two short days. Why, your misdeeds are almost too numerous to count.”

Eve didn’t pay her any attention. “Aya-san, are you hurt?”

Aya, for the first time in hours, felt her shoulders slacken just a little. “I…I’m a bit scratched up, but otherwise unharmed.”

“That is good,” said Eve, her expression softening. She rose her head to meet Kaoru’s gaze. “You are the one who leads here, yes? I must beg you to let her go.”

“Now why would I do that?” said Kaoru, tapping her fingers against the ends of her odachi[27]. “She has committed a crime – attempted robbery on more than one occasion, as well as failing to fulfill her obligations as a courtesan whose services were paid for. She’s to be punished, just like you.”

“Did you ask Aya-san why she stole those things?”

“Does it matter?” Kaoru scoffed. “She’s broken the law. It’s our duty to reprimand her.”

“I…” Aya began, gulping. “I needed money…”

“Silence, kitten,” said Kaoru, lulling her to quiet with a honeyed tone. “I will have time for you soon enough. This… interloper comes first.”

Eve’s eyes narrowed. With a graceful stroke she drew her katana from its sheathe, its blade glowing orange in the hazy lanternlight.

“A fine-looking sword you have there,” said Kaoru. “What ronin’s corpse did you pluck it from?”

“None,” said Eve. “My father gave this blade to me.”

“Your father? Was he a samurai slayer, then?”

Eve’s sword did not waver. “…Yes. Just as all samurai are.”

“Him? A samurai?” Kaoru burst out in a fit of laughter. Several of her underlings joined in. “You make strange lies, foreigner… unless you mean to say-”

“My father is from Japan,” interjected Eve, her eyes reflecting the fire of the lanterns. “My mother is from Sápmi. For the first twenty years of my life I was raised there, and I was happy – but I longed to visit the country that my father told me of. I travelled for months and months until I landed here, so I could see the land that my father loved with my own eyes! And I will not leave now!”

Her voice was pointed and determined. But the warriors before her just laughed louder. “No outsiders may enter Japan,” said Kaoru. “It is the law – and not the only one you have defied. Who do you think you are, girl?”

Eve brandished her sword, its point directed straight towards Kaoru’s chest:

“A samurai.”

For the first time that night, Kaoru’s face wavered in confidence. But this doubt was soon dispelled with a chuckle. “Then you shall die like a samurai.” She waved her blade in her direction. “Seize her!”

Three guardsmen immediately leapt into action, charging forward with blades at the ready. Eve was ready for action – she bent low and threw her hat straight at the first man, catching him in the eyes. The split-second he was caught unawares was enough to slice straight past him. Just as he fell, the other two attackers brought their swords down on opposite sides: Eve ducked and rolled out of the way just in time, turning on her heel to strike with a wide horizontal slice at their ankles – she caught both, and before they could finish their howls of pain she delivered two quick sword strokes to their backs, felling them instantly.

Despite the celerity with which she cut the samurai down, Kaoru’s face brimmed with good humor. “You’re a fast one, foreigner… your blade strikes like a squall, direct and unpredictable.”

Eve’s head tilted in confusion. “What is a ‘skwal’?”

Kaoru chortled. “No matter. You may be a storm…” she grasped her odachi with both hands, striking a flowery stance. “But I am a great typhoon!”

“Go, Kaoru-sama!” cried Himari, cupping her hands. “Slice her in two!”

“I-Is this something we should be doing…?” asked Tsugumi quietly, wearing an uneasy smile.

Eve steadied her feet, staring down Kaoru with a furrowed brow. The two encircled one another for several moments, stalking about with gentle feet, listening to the intonations in one another’s breaths.

It was Kaoru who made the first move. Despite the odachi’s larger size, she moved swiftly – lunging in with both hands, prodding it about like the tip of a spear. Unable to strike at that distance, Eve focused on dodging, bobbing her head around each wayward slash and using her own sword for glancing parries. True to Kaoru’s metaphor, her movement was tempestuous – barreling and unstoppable, pushing forward without a sign of slowing down.

Eve realized she had to change tactics. She rolled out of the way of one of Kaoru’s swipes, and in the process snagged an orange-sized rock that had been loosed from the pavement. With little time to think, she hurled it straight at Kaoru, who raised her odachi flat-sided to deflect it – just as Eve hoped she would. In that instant of deflection, she closed the distance between them, unleashing her own flurry of slashes to catch Kaoru off-guard – while the violet-haired swordswoman was able to prostrate her sword to guard, she was now on the defensive.

“Not bad…!” Kaoru huffed, receiving blow after blow. “However…”

Eve saw her hand reach for her waistline too late. Kaoru’s grip on her odachi slackened as she pulled out her kodachi[28], rising upwards just as Eve’s sword was coming down-

CL-CLANG

Two swords fell to the pavement. Eve’s katana had been stopped by Kaoru’s odachi mere seconds before being struck out of her hands by Kaoru’s smaller blade. They were both short one weapon – but Kaoru had her kodachi at Eve’s neck, her sweat-soaked face grinning in triumph.

“Alas, the fight was fleeting…” she mused. “You fought valiantly, my dear foreign samurai. Any final words?”

Eve said nothing, instead glaring defiantly into Kaoru’s crimson eyes.

“So be it.” Kaoru grabbed her sword with both hands. “Farewell.”

“Seta-sama, wait!”

Kaoru’s head whipped around. Maya was sprinting in her direction, her hands clutched tightly around some sort of box-shaped object, difficult to make out in the evening haze.

“Maya-san?” muttered Eve, shocked.

“Catch!” heaved Maya.

She suddenly hurled the object towards Kaoru, who chuckled as she watched it sail through the air. Catch? She would not hurl an object at me in such a victorious moment without reason… so she was to betray me after all. How regrettable…

Kaoru turned her sword towards the object that flew straight at her. “Your tricks won’t work on me, my crafty Maya. Hiiyah!”

She slashed at the boxy object as it fell. Whether by fate or coincidence, her sword happened to connect not with the box itself, but the tail-shaped wire that protruded out of its top – a wire that, unbeknownst to Kaoru, was currently charged to the brim with friction-generated static electricity.

BZZZT

Kaoru felt a sharp jolt shoot up her arm, instantly slackening her nerves and causing her to release her grip on the sword, watching it fall to the ground with dull surprise. “Wh-What did-”

It was in that moment that Eve reached into the sleeve of her kimono, where she had hours earlier tucked away her antler-hilted knife – for emergencies just like these. Before Kaoru could fully regain her composure, Eve unpacked the dagger and pointed it just at Kaoru’s head.

“Hraaaah!”

The sound of divided wind cut through the night.

For a moment, none could tell what had occurred. Eve had made her way past the dazed figure of Kaoru, still upright, but there were no wounds visible on her body. Then…

“Heh…heheh…”

Kaoru chuckled, ratcheting her head around.

“You win, after all… your skill… was most fleeting.”

The topknot on Kaoru’s head unfurled, torn by Eve’s knife, and she collapsed to the floor.

All of the bakufu soldiers looked on with wide, horrified eyes.

“K…”

“Kaoru-samaaaaaa!”

A flock of guardswomen (and Himari) all flocked to her side, as did the previously wounded warriors who attacked Eve earlier. They all cradled Kaoru’s limp body as she dramatically creaked open her eyes, muttering an inaudible soliloquy.

“Y-You…!” cried Himari, suddenly brandishing a blade of her own. “You did this to Kaoru-sama! You’ll pay!”

The horde of sentinels now looked ravenous as they all turned their weapons towards the silver-haired samurai. Maya clutched the few other implements she had brought – smoke bombs, sleeping mist, and one actual explosive – and wondered if she would have to use any of them. With no time to reclaim her primary weapon, Eve clutched her knife tightly, bracing her teeth for the inevitable impact. The clash was moments away:

“Please wait a moment!”

The cry belonged to Tsugumi. Her previous worriment had given way to wide, focused eyes. The entire pride of hungry guardswomen stopped at her command. Eve and Maya watched her shuffle over to Eve’s katana, bending down to scrutinize it closely.

“You…” she breathed, looking towards Eve. “Your father – what was his name?”

Eve bit her lip. “Um… Wakamiya Tetsuya.”

Tsugumi’s eyes closed, as if expecting to hear those words. “…I see.” She began walking towards Aya, and with only a sliver of hesitation, began undoing her ropes.

“Tsugu-chan?” asked Himari. “What are you doing?”

“My parents told me, long ago…” began Tsugumi, untying the last bits of twine that bound Aya. “Of a samurai whose spirit was cleaner than the fresh-fallen snow, and whose hair shone twice as white – unparalleled in blade, brush, or bushido… he was supposed to have disappeared over two decades ago. The imprint of his blade had distinct wave-shaped markings, and the hilt carried a lavender sheen.”

“So he was…” Maya connected the pieces.

“Yes.” Tsugumi sighed. “To think his daughter would show up on Japanese shores, after all these years.”

Aya scampered to her feet and towards Eve, who didn’t look particularly stunned by any of this. “Of course! My father was a great samurai, and I want to follow in his footsteps!”

“But she’s violated the law,” protested Himari. “And more importantly, she disgraced Kaoru-sama with defeat!”

Is that what you’re concerned about? thought Maya.

“She didn’t kill anyone, from my understanding,” said Tsugumi. “I was also told that the man she amputated yesterday was going to hurt this courtesan here. To raise one’s sword to protect the weak is a noble thing to do. If she’s a daughter of a samurai, then she’s allowed a blade. And what other crime is left, save her place of origin?”

Eve’s face lit up. “Then am I free to go?”

Tsugumi appeared to mull over the issue. “It wouldn’t feel right, considering the wounds you left on soldiers…”

“Not to mention the kapitan will want her head,” said Himari. “Dejima is under Dutch jurisdiction, after all. What should we do?”

The silence of contemplation lingered in the air. When suddenly…

“H-Hold on,” said Maya, stepping forward. “I’ll take responsibility for her actions.”

“M-Maya-san?” said Eve.

“You?” asked Tsugumi.

Maya nodded shakily. “I was the first person to find her, and I didn’t report it to the guardhouse, so… anything she might’ve done is my fault. Not to mention, she intervened earlier today to protect me, and it was me who let her know about Aya-san getting captured. And I just attacked my commanding officer, for all intents and purposes. All this commotion… I’m the one to blame for it.”

It wasn’t the most compelling argument. But anyone hearing those words would recognize her intent. Tsugumi sighed solemnly. “Maya-san… Kaoru-san has told me of you. By her word you’re a good clerk, and the best translator on the island. Are you sure you want to do this?”

Maya expected doubt to starting creeping in through her aorta. But when she looked at Eve, beholding her with those tender, anxious eyes – her heart was clear. “A true samurai… never abandons her friends.”

Eve’s expression shifted. It somehow seemed both elated and crestfallen.

Pursing her lips to one side, Tsugumi closed her eyes. “Very well.  You’re relieved of your position. Come tomorrow, you’ll be expected to remove yourself and your belongings from Dejima posthaste.”

Maya nodded. “Y-Yes, ma’am.”

“Maya-san…” said Eve soberly.

“You’re still not completely absolved of these incidents,” said Tsugumi to Eve. “What do you plan to do, once you cross the bridge?”

Eve’s expression hardened, becoming firm in its resolution. “I wish to study the ways of the samurai, just like my father did! I will go to Edo or beyond if I have to!”

“That’s about what I expected,” said Tsugumi. “Tell me – do you swear to uphold your blade for the sake of whatever lord you pledge yourself to?”

“Yes!” Eve shouted.

“And do you swear to uphold your ideals, no matter who or what stands in your way?”

“Yes!”

Tsugumi remained silent for a moment, her eyes shut in sage-like consideration. “Very well. I have only one task to assign you.” She motioned towards Aya, who had been watching the entire conversation quietly. “Kindly take this woman home, if you don’t mind.”

Eve nodded. “Of course!”

Aya let out a long sigh. “Thank heavens… I was wondering if I would get aw- er, be freed from my duties.”

Tsugumi either ignored or didn’t notice her slip of the tongue. “Well, with that, I think the matter is settled!” She approached Himari, who looked on at the trio of absolved criminals warily. “Come along, Himari-chan. We’ll want to be well-rested for the journey tomorrow.”

“Right…” said Himari, moving with others to pick up Kaoru’s still lifeless body. She and the others bid no farewells to Maya and the rest, instead quietly slinking back into the guardhouse, Kaoru leaving a few stray strands of cut hair in her wake.

Maya took a deep breath. It was over… in more ways than one. What would she do for a job now?

“Maya-san… thank you.

Eve looked at her warmly – so warmly that Maya felt her spirit shrivel out of bashfulness. “I-It was nothing…”

“No, I mean it!” said Eve emphatically. “I am so grateful. If you were not here, I would not be able to achieve my dream.”

Maya blushed furiously, unable to utter even a measly platitude in response.

“Um, where are we going to sleep tonight?” asked Aya. “I don’t think they’ll let us into the main city this late.”

“You can rest at my place again,” said Maya. She thought it strange that this would be the last night she spent in her house, after all this time.

“Thank you!” said Aya. “Not just for that, but for everything… thank both of you so much.”

“I-It’s alright,” said Maya. “Er…”

“You are very welcome!” said Eve. “I hope I can show you home safely in the morning.”

“Y-Yes,” said Aya. “Me too.”

The three women chatted lightly as they returned to Maya’s residence, where they summarily fell into slumber within minutes of hitting the futon. As her mind drifted into unconsciousness, Maya became aware of a strange, tingly feeling in her chest – something she hadn’t felt in some time, if ever. Was it happiness? Relief? …Affection?

No, thought Maya.

Perhaps it was pride.

They stepped onto the bridge the next morning with a light clatter. The waves of the sea below danced along the edge of the shoreline. From behind, Maya could tell that something had changed in Eve’s disposition – for a moment, she sauntered slowly, as if in a daze, before breaking out in a run.

The streets of Nagasaki were sparse in the dawn. A few early merchants and fishers chattered as they began their morning work. The only other sounds were the rustling of the trees and the whistle of the breeze. The sun poked its head over the eastern sea, casting the entire bay in warm orange streaks of sunrise. The smell of brine and damp wood filled their nostrils. The brisk ocean current battered their torsos, pushing them away from the coastline. It was all so still, and yet… so alive.

Eve ran into the middle of the street, stopped, and drooped her head. She bent low to the ground, and moved her hand lightly through the dirt, tracing the individual grains of dust with her fingers. For a moment, her expression was invisible, masked by the length of her hair.

And then, unprompted, she sang, ever so softly:

“Ooooooooi la loooi~

loil loil lai~ oh aa ai lae lae luuue~

lieh lieh maaaai~

amai lai lai mui, lail loi lalala~”

Maya recognized it. “That’s… the song you sang yesterday, right?”

Eve nodded, smiling. “It is my luohti[29]. My mother gave it to me.”

“Gave it to you?”

“When I was born,” said Eve, “she was so thankful that she cried for an entire night. She sang the luohti out of pure joy that I was alive. She had to sing it quietly, when no one was around[30], but she sang and she sang all through the night, resting in my father’s arms. When I was older, she taught it to me, and told me to sing it whenever I am happy, grateful, or doing something new. And right now, I am doing all three!”

“Huhehe,” Maya laughed. “It… it sounds really nice. You, er, have a really pretty voice.”

Eve’s cheeks pinkened, and her dimples showed. “Thank you very much!”

Maya’s face did the same. Why did she embarrass herself like this?

“Um…” Aya stuttered, twiddling her thumbs. “What are you going to do now, Maya-san?”

“I guess I have to figure that out, huh?” said Maya with a sigh. “I’d like to find someplace to continue my studies, I suppose… if I want to keep up with European texts, it’d be best to stay around here.”

“I see,” said Aya, nodding. “I’m not sure what’s in store for you, but… good luck!”

“Thank you, Aya-san,” said Maya. “Stay safe, okay?”

“Of course!”

Eve looked at Maya with a sad smile. Her hands were folded wistfully behind her. “…Is this goodbye?”

“Y…Yeah,” Maya replied, “I guess it is.”

Neither spoke. How strange it was, considering two days prior they hadn’t even met, yet this parting felt so bittersweet. Maya couldn’t remember the last time she had met anybody quite like Eve, if ever. The last two days had felt like a lifetime, in all the best and worst ways.

Suddenly, the Sámi girl’s face lit up in shock. “Ah! I never even told you my name!”

The tension deflated as Maya burst out laughing. “I know it already. Eve, right?”

Contrary to her expectations, Eve tilted her head in befuddlement. “Ee-v?”

“Uh… is that not right?” asked Maya. “I saw it scribbled at the bottom of that paper you had.”

Realization dawned on Eve (or not-Eve)’s face at once. “Ah! My handwriting!”

“Handwriting…?”

“My father always scolded me for not learning my kana very well… but I thought I knew how to spell my name, at least! I still need much practice…”

“Oh…” Maya uttered. “So, uh… what is your name, then?”

The Sámi samurai smiled. At that moment, the light of dawn fell upon her face, shimmering in the strands of her sun-white hair, her pigtails catching in the brisk morning breeze. From her upturned lips came the sweetest, softest sound:

“Evá. Wakamiya Evá.[31]” She closed her eyes, pressing a hand to her chest. “One name from my father, one from my mother.”

“Evá…” Maya murmured. It rolled off her tongue like honey from a comb. She felt her chest tighten at saying it. It was the nicest name she had ever heard.

“I can hardly believe I did not tell you,” said Evá, laughing. “You told me that yours so quickly, too… I am sorry, Maya-san.”

“D-Don’t be, it’s all right,” said Maya, waving her hands dismissively. “Um… good luck on your journey.”

“Yes… And you as well.”

Despite the proper mannerisms, neither of them budged. Both Maya and Evá avoided eye contact, shuffling nervously in place as Aya turned from one to the other, too nervous to speak.

“Hey, um…” said Maya finally. “H-How do you say ‘farewell’? In sámegiella, I mean.”

“Ah… it depends on how many people there are, and who is staying,” said Evá quietly. “There is only one of you who stays, so I would say báze dearvan. And because there are two of us who leave, you would say manni dearvan.”

“I see,” said Maya. “So…”

Evá bowed her head. “Báze dearvan, Maya-san.”

Maya bowed back. “Manni dearvan… Evá-san.”

The Sámi woman smiled, turned, and wandered away. Aya followed behind, sparing several glances back in Maya’s direction. The bespectacled clerk watched them grow smaller and smaller down the street, sinking further and further into the eastern sunrise.

Maya felt another tingly sensation in her chest. It wasn’t a pleasing one, this time… it prickled her ribcage and clutched at her lungs, tugged at her eyes and rattled her throat. She didn’t know the name. She couldn’t place the source. But as she watched the two of them shrink into the distance, it grew and grew ‘til she knew no other emotion.

Is… is this how it is?

Maya turned her head.

The street behind her was empty.

Without a soul.

Without light.

Her feet took off without warning.

“Evá-san!”

She almost didn’t cognize that her own voice was speaking; she wasn’t acting on something as concrete as thoughts – it was pure, unfettered instinct that ran through her legs, propelling her towards the two women who should have melted into the ether by now, as they turned in shock upon her arrival.

“M-Maya-san?” said Evá breathlessly.

“What are you doing?” asked Aya, wide-eyed.

Maya’s hands fell upon her knees as she wheezed. She wasn’t the most athletic person in the first place, and the fact that she was heaving an oxen’s worth of cargo didn’t make matters easier. Just as her breath lungs caught up with her heart, she found herself prostrated on the ground, kneeling as tightly as her rickety body would allow:

“Pl-Please take me with you!” Maya cried. “M… Make me your apprentice, Evá-san!”

The purple-clothed girl blinked rapidly. “H-Huh?”

Various denizens of Nagasaki had stopped to stare at the scene unfold. Even so, she couldn’t hold back now.

“I realized it only now,” said Maya. “I didn’t recognize it at first, but now I see… j-just how much I can learn from you. Not just in fighting, but… but wisdom and justice and courage and all those other tenets of bushido… you have them all in abundance!”

“Maya-san…!”

“I…” Maya sniveled, as tears started to dot her glasses, “I’m not a strong person… for the longest time, I was just fine with cooping myself up out of sight, just letting myself be pushed around by whoever was above me… b-but now for the first time I can remember, I want something for myself… I want to travel with you, Evá-san… I want to be with you…!”

Her hiccups drowned out the rest of her words. She removed her glasses, wiping her snot and tears away with the sleeve of her yukata. Just how pathetic did she look in that moment? Evá didn’t want to be bothered by her, surely… and here she was embarrassing her in front of an entire town. Who would want such a fragile, gangly little woman as an apprentice, anyway? She would be turned down for sure…

But then, Evá…

“Hee…Heeheehee… ahahahaha!”

She started laughing, clear and songlike, her eyes welling up with waterworks of her own. Maya could barely make out her expression through her own clouded vision. “E-Evá-san…?”

Evá wiped away her tears, beaming. “I… I am so happy…! I… I was just about to turn around and run back to you, Maya-san, because… because I wanted to travel with you!”

Maya felt her heart short-circuit. “You… You did?”

Evá nodded, clasping her hands together. “Maya-san, you are so smart, and so passionate, and so kind… and even when I asked you to stay behind, you came to help me. You said you would not be a good samurai master, but I think you would be wonderful!”

“St-Stop,” said Maya, dying at the praise. “Y-You don’t mean that…”

“I do!” said Evá. “I really do!”

Maya felt her tear ducts resurge. “Evá-san…!”

The two stood there, sniffling in gratitude for a solid minute. Their sobs were eclipsed in volume by Aya’s, which were at least twice as loud and heaving.

“A-Are you okay, Aya-san?” asked Evá. “Why are you crying?”

“B-Because it’s an emotional moment!” Aya yelped. “I-I have to, okay?!”

The other two laughed and laughed, enveloped by the tender atmosphere. The bystanders laughed in good humor and went about their business, their hearts enriched by the wholesome scene. The tingly feeling was all gone from Maya’s chest – now, there was only gladness, so pure, so full in being able to be with Evá again. Deep within her heart, she couldn’t help but wonder: was this the blossoming of a friendship, or…?

“Maya-san! Aya-san!” cried Evá, snatching both of them by the wrists. “Let us go!”

With little warning, she started dragging them along towards the east. Maya’s legs surged with jitters at feeling the softness of Evá’s palms around her wrist. Aya’s limbs scattered about in a frazzled daze as she struggled to maintain pace. And Evá simply giggled, loud and clear, her entire being brimming with the vivacity of life itself.

It was in this moment that Maya understood what her mother meant, all those years ago:

The spirit of a samurai… you’ll witness it with your own eyes one day.

Because she did see it.

A lucid, resplendent spirit, brighter than the daybreak, warmer than the afternoon, carrying her eagerly towards the rising sun.

[1] Known in English as the Dutch East India Company, the VOC was the forerunner of the modern model for mega-corporations, and the first publicly-traded company on the planet (aka the first to be listed in a stock exchange), employing many individuals on a transcontinental scale for multinational business. From 1639 to 1853 (much of the Edo period) they were the only foreigners tolerated in Japan.

[2] Initially, the Portuguese had a strong Jesuit presence in Japan, and were in fact the original inhabitants of Dejima starting from 1634. However, their excessive Catholic proselytizing angered the shogunate, which feared an uprising, and they were expelled from the country in 1641.

[3] “Factory” here alludes not to a manufacturing plant, but rather a trading post (Dutch: factorij).

[4] The feudal Japanese government under the Shogun. “Bakufu” literally translates to “military government.”

[5] Courtesans (or yujo) were some of the only Japanese people allowed on Dejima, and in real life the only Japanese women who set foot on the island. Many reportedly did not like the Dutch as customers, and so charged more for services.

[6] As you might be able to glean, Maya is asking if Eve speaks Dutch.

[7] In turn, Eve is asking if Maya speaks Sámi. There are actually several different Sámi languages (which are non-mutually intelligible), but Eve specifically speaks Northern Sámi.

[8] Means “fantastic” or, more literally, “horribly good.”

[9] As many know, よろしくおねがいします doesn’t have one exact English translation, but roughly means “nice to meet you” or “please take care.”

[10] “Excuse us.”

[11] Traditional Japanese sandals.

[12] This is a guksi, a burl cup and a traditional Sámi handicraft. They are personal drinking cups that, when well-maintained, can last a lifetime.

[13] The seven virtues of bushido as codified by Inazo Nitobe in his book Bushido: The Soul of Japan in 1900. This story takes place much earlier than that, which means I have to officially remove my ‘historically accurate’ badge.

[14] The samurai haircut. You know the one.

[15] It was mentioned earlier, but more detail here: once a year, the Dutch officers of the VOC set out on a mission to Edo, where they would bequeath the Shogun with various tributes – knickknacks, instruments, even the occasional specimen of flora or fauna – in order to strengthen the bonds between the lead traders and the bakufu government.  It was the most direct cultural exchange between powers, and a variety of exotic animals and trinkets were offered to the Shogun during these times.

[16] The historical pleasure district (yukaku) of Nagasaki. The fact that Aya’s surname is also Maruyama is such a striking coincidence that I had to work it into the story somehow.

[17] “Dirty.”

[18] The traditional lands of the Sámi people, taking up the northern reaches of Norway, Sweden, Northwest Russia, and of course Finland.

[19] During this point in history, Finland was still a part of the Kingdom of Sweden. Much of the territory would be ceded to the Russian Empire in 1809 after the Finnish War, where it would operate as an autonomous Duchy for about a century before declaring independence in 1917. While originally indigenous to nearly all of Finland (and other areas of Scandinavia) the Sámi were progressively driven north by other peoples, and at this point in history lived under Swedish colonial rule, with the Lappmark Proclamation encouraging settlers that only drove the Sámi further north.

[20] Reindeer herding group. Reindeer husbandry has been a key aspect of Sámi culture for ages, as they rely on the animals for meat, milk, and transport. A siida often consists of several families and herds, and to this day they still serve organizational and economic functions across all four countries whose borders include Sápmi.

[21] Sautéed Reindeer, a traditional Sámi dish. Often served with mashed potatoes and lingonberries.

[22] If it’s not extremely obvious, Eve is talking about a reindeer.

[23] Called an elekiter, this device was first made in Japan in 1776 by Hiraga Gennai. Given that this is ten years after this story takes place, I should turn in my “historically accurate” badge yet again, but I like to imagine that Maya is just crafty enough to invent it first.

[24] A traditional pair of matched Japanese swords, one big and one small, often displayed on a stand. At this point in history, most would consist of a katana and a shorter wakizashi, as Maya’s does.

[25] A simple kimono-style jacket.

[26] The chief factor in charge of operations, similar to a governor. In Dutch they’re called an opperhoofd, which sounds very funny to my dumb American ears.

[27] A large Japanese styled sword, somewhat equivalent to a claymore. They were a bit out of date by the 18^th century, but Kaoru is just old-fashioned like that.

[28] A shorter blade commonly paired with the odachi.

[29] A deeply spiritual Sámi folk song, also known as a joik/yoik. They are often personalized, but can be about any subject important to the singer. They don’t have rigid structure/rhyme schemes and few lyrics, if any.

[30] Due to its association with Sámi spiritualism, joiking became seen as sinful during the Christianization of Sámi areas, and became conflated with magic spells and witchcraft – hence why Eve’s mother would sing it quietly in private.

[31] Evá is (as one might predict) the Sámi form of Eve. In katakana it would be written as "エヴァ"- in-story, she accidentally left off the last character and the bottom stroke of the エ, which in conjunction with poor brushwork led to Maya assuming her name was "イヴ." Is this a bit of circumlocution just to justify why I’ve changed her name to better match her ethnicity? Yes. Yes it is.