Aimi & Yakunan: three

Adult Aimi struggles through a storm while traveling to the Hida Mountains

Aimi & Yakunan
Love and Misfortune: three


The adult Aimi Akiba covers herself with several layers of clothing. It is December in the early years of the Meiji Era. She leaves the house of a family that sheltered her during the night. The sun rises as she readies a bow and arrow. A small wild boar is spotted. Initially, her intentions were to find a bird, and she would have never guessed to find a boar walking carelessly in the cold. And with a swift release, the arrow flies for 87 yards and pierces through its neck. Death was instantaneous. As she prepares a fire inside a cave while it rains, she sharpens her kunai and arrowheads. The wind is very cold. As an hour passed by, she ate her fill and noticed that the rain began to stop. Snow started to fall. She stands at the entrance of the cave and looks towards the Hida Mountains. "I need to hurry." - Aimi wispered.

After preparing herself, Aimi travels to the side of the chain of mountains as the weather worsens. A snow storm covers the land. She comes across a small group of houses, mostly distinguishable by the light of the lamps. She knocks on the door, but no one answers. No response from the next one. One man opens his door from afar and gives her refuge. When the storm calmed down, the kind man accompanies her across the trench until the reach a safer route. The sun quickly begins to fall. They stop for a moment to rest, and press their backs against the side of a wall of dirt and rock. The man's lantern is being affected by increasing winds. The storm is returning. Suddenly, a katana with its sheet drops and burries its end two feet under snow. They were both surprised. As she takes a closer look without standing up, she recognizes the drawings near the hilt. "Cherri Blossoms..." Aimi quickly pushes the man to the side and jumps straight foward to grab the sword. Someone had dropped to the ground a fragment of a second after the jumped. The snow splatters everywhere. She pulls out the black sheet and assumes a defensive position with the weapon, holding the hilt with her left hand. The katana's handle was covered in black painted samé, the cured skin of a ray shark, wrapped with the tsuka-ito technique. It also has an elegant and graceful quality known as sori, a curvature in its heavy single-edged blade. As the snow clears a little, she discovers that the assailant was wearing a white cape. His nose and mouth were covered with a thick layer of dark clothing. A bright color captures her attention. His sword was covered by a red cotton sheet. He lowers the mask with his finger and shows his identity. "Yakunan!" - she gasped. His breaths vaporize in the cold. "You left that...!" - he said. "...right in here." He signals at the right side of the thorax. Her breathing hastens.

Aimi's escort becomes worried and tries to interrupt. "Don't go near him! Keep your distance!" - she yelled at the man. Yakunan unwraps the sheets out of the blade and reveals a crossguard broadsword. It was about two inches wider and longer than the average classification of the same double-edged weapon. As he launches the cotton covers over the snow, he grabs the hilt with both hands and assumes a fighting stance. She had never seen that sword in battle before. Its heavy weight is noticeable. No other words are exchanged He launches at her with his might. The first clash echoed across the hills. Aimi is surprised by his velocity and strength. The blades separate and he hammers down his broadsword. She defends and immediatelly feels the weight of it. Aimi then quickly pulls the blade out and aims at his leg. He blocks the attack and kicks her in the abdomen. She was pushed several feet away from him. "He's faster!" - she thought to herself. Like a fierce animal, Yakunan keeps attacking Aimi with swing after swing of his deadly weapon. The snow lifts up from the ground with each movement. It's blinding and terrifying at the same time, as if the sword could move the wind. It's overwhelming her.

A misstep causes Aimi to be brought down to the ground. Yakunan lifts his sword high with the attempt of a final strike. His eyes are showered with hatred. The man in the distance tries to attack Yakunan with a rock in his hand. He grabs the man by the arm and launches him far. "Don't interfere!" - Yakunan said. Aimi takes advantage and pulls out a kunai. He blocks it with the sword in an instant, and tries to kick her. She rolls to the side and stands up. With desperation, she runs away from him. "I'm not ready yet." - she realized herself. He chases her into the woods. Aimi can see that he is gaining up on her. She grabs the bow that was fastened to her back and also pulls an arrow. She aims and releases it. He uses the fuller of the blade to shield the attack. She launches another, but it's bounced upwards with his sword. Seeing that she is not strong enough to fight Yakunan, Aimi drops the bow, arrows, kunai and supplemets to dash and escape with little weight as posible. She sprints towards a cliff and jumps. The winds and snow make her vanish. Yakunan stops at the ledge. There were only trees and rocks at the base of the cliff. He lost sight of her. His shouts are echoed.

To be continued...