Aimi & Yakunan: two

The day they met. Young Aimi eavesdrops on her father's council meeting, changing her fate.

Aimi & Yakunan: two


Aimi & Yakunan

Love and Misfortune: two
Aimi and Yakunan were only children the day they met. It was spring of 1857. That morning, she had her eyes closed as a male voice told her - "Don't let the outside noises distract you, Lady Aimi." She concentrates. "Inhale... Exhale..." - the voice kept saying. "Yes, Jukatsu-sensei." - she replied. Her master continues - "Before you can even think about learning the arts, you have to focus. Focus, Aimi-chan! Focus!" She inhales and exhales calmly. "Good... Now open your eyes." As the eight year old opens them, she discovers the tip of a sword that was quickly heading for her face. She doesn't flinch or move. No panic is shown in her eyes. The blade stops an inch before making contact. He can see her attempts at controling fear. "You are not ready yet, but you are progressing." She sighs. "Be proud of yourself, Lady Aimi." - said the thirty year old ninja. Jukatsu, the leader of the Kage Takasa Clan and protector of the Akiba family, was teaching his favorite studen. They are located inside a room at the Akiba Mannor, a large land in the town of Nishio. He stands up and caresses her head. "Stop it, sensei!" - she angrily said, pushing his hand away. Her hair was dissaranged.
As he leaves her, Aimi watches Jukatsu enter a room where other men were conversing. Her cusiosity is stopped by a guard, who tells her - "Lady Aimi... You cannot enter this room. Your father, Lord Akiba is in a meeting." She smiles as she turns around. She had learned a few things from her sensei; she will find a way in. In her room, Aimi climbs the wall and finds an opening to the ceiling. She crawls through to eavesdrop over the conference room of her father. She finds a small crack, big enoug for one eye. The room is lit with candles. All of the doors are shut. Several men, including her father and sensei, are seated and talking across a different sides of a table. It would seem that they have been negociating for a while. Jukatsu was standing aside his lord and looks dirrectly at the gap from the distance. Aimi stops moving and becomes nervous. He had found her, but says nothing. Instead, he shakes his head with a smile. She remains silent. "Lord Akiba... Do you want to add something more to our proposition?" - asked the Shogun General Kazuhiro Yukimara. "Of course..." - replied the Daimyo Feudal Lord Matsoka Akiba. He places both hands over the table and speaks to all - "Lords and Generals... We, Kazuhiro and I have joined forces to help the cause of the Imperialistic Nationalist to secure our future during the revolution of our country. This ideological-political divide is creating many gaps beneath our feet. Our lives, and the future of Japan is near a decisive turn. We may well be in the final years of Edo."
"Such disloyalty!" - said one the men. He stands up and continues - "I am a lord and servant of the Shogunate, same as you, Lord Akiba! We owe everything to the Feudal Japanese Military Government! We cannot betray them!" Kazuhiro lifts his hand and signals him to sit back down. "We understand our alligance. Please, sit! I know that it is a dangerous proposition. The plan itself would take years to take effect, but it will work." General Gora Kyōdaina asks - "So you mean to train children for several years under your rule so they can act as a secret support for the Imperialistic Nationalists?" "We, General Kyōdaina... We!" - replied Kazuhiro. Lord Akiba adds - "We will teach them several arts and keep them isolated until they are ready to tip the civil war into its conclusion." General Gora asks - "Why children?" Kazuhiro responds - "Easy... They are young enough to implement and master the chosen arts. By the time they are ready, their youth will topple that of a veteran samurai or soldier. The reason why this is our best option, is because if we use our own forces to fight against the Shogunate, our heads will roll the quickest." The outspoken lord still remains silent. Lord Akiba says - "The fact is that we are too close to implement a coup without raising suspicions." Aimi keeps very quiet. She tries to control her breaths.
Kazuhiro tells everyone - "With the help of Lord Akiba, we have already recluted more than a hundred children to begin training. All of us are masters in different arts of combat. And as an act of faith for our cause, I will place my only child, my adoptive son into the list." Murmurs run across the table. Gora Kyōdaina lift his hand and proudly says - "I will enlist my youngest boy, Gakushi. I will be your general." Kazuhiro smiles and asks if someone else would join. Fear and doubt is noticeable in many. Not all of them are convinced. Some are condering to leave. Seeing this, Lord Akiba makes a decision. He stands up and tries to gain their trust. "I will enlist mine." Eveyone gasps, including Jukatsu. "...but, Lord Akiba." - he said. "You have no son." - said one of the lords. He explains - "...but I do have a daughter, trained under the greatest Ninja of Japan and leader of the Kage Takasa Clan. Right now, she is more capable to fight than any other of the enlisted." Aimi tries to contain her surprise and fear. She covers her mouth. Jukatsu is worried and looks at the ceeling. He doesn't know how to react. Kazuhiro laughs. "Make it so." - he replied. "No harm will come to her. I promise, Lord Akiba. I will accept her. She will make a fine soldier." With the promise and faith in the children, all but one agrees to the plan. Aimi tries to remain silent as she sneak back to her room. "Well, lord..." - Kazuhiro reffers to the outspoken Daimyo. "As you are the only one that opposes..." The Daimyo's own guard betrays him and slashes his throat with a knife. The body collapses over the table.
Aimi runs to the outside of the house. Her tears blind her as she bumps against a statue in the garden. The tall and heavy statue begins to tumble from side to side. As she whipes her eyes clean, she becomes immobile with fear. The statue is falling on top of her. With no time to move, she shields herself with her arms. She then notices that nothing happens. She discovers that Jukatsu was holding out his hand to grab the falling artwork, but nothing was touching his fingers. Instead, they see that it was a boy about her same age who was holding the heavy statue. He grunts and shouts. "Get away!" - he told her. The ninja helps the boy place the statue back into place. They are surprised by his strengh. The boy walks towards her and hold out his hand. "Are you alright?" His appearance is that of a commoner, a farmer's boy. She grabs his hand and is helped to stand up. A man named Tado, Kazuhiro's assistant, runs to the boy and scolds him verbaly. "You shouldn't be speaking to the Lady, boy!" - he shouted. "Wait until Master Yukimara comes back from the meeting. You should not repay your gratitude as such."
"Why do you cry?" - the boy asked. She stops sobbing, wipes her face once more, and answers - "Something my father said." She then bows her head in gratitude. "Thank you for saving me. My name is Aimi Akiba." The boy bows as well and replies - "Nice to meet you. My name is Yakunan."
To be continued...