Sunlit Crane

To the blade that has scarred me, and the wielder that I have lost...

Prologue

When the setting August sky falls, everyone knows that the earth is no longer a vile place; free from corruption and requital justice, free from barbaric notions of bloodshed at a righteous cause. So why is it that when I look upon the blade in my hand, its brilliant metal coating grasping in the radiance of the dusking sun, I feel empty; shrewd men often say an empty soul is but a dead body. A drop of blood trickled down from my hair onto the elegant blade; now it has taken my kin. The tangles of my loose hair was smoothed by the blood, I was drench, cover in an eerie abyss of crimson. I remembered something my master said to me, only the guilty are innocent... I laughed internally at the irony. I stood before the scene of violence and massacre... the stench of human death everywhere... Aizu had fallen.

I stood up thinking of the person whose katana I held in my hand. It was beautifully crafted, and as was she. I looked up to the sky... the smell of gunpowder and blood heavy in the scent of the air. Keisune...

The crane of death holding still in open light. Her feathers hold but blades of blight; yet she flickers her eyes as she taunts to cry, as rain of tears bring glares to sight. She moves as grace would fall to path, yet trickles with fear of eternal wrath. She bears the knowledge that one is right holding true to the malice of might. Fury crimson is her eyes, as shards of blood spills to the goddess demise. She stands still as love has passed and waits in Eden for pain at last.

-Requiem for the Crane

The first time I saw her in person, the woman of unspeakable beauty and grace, was at the funeral of her master, Akiko. She was there, kneeled and her gentle finger tips on the ground. Her kimono laid elegantly around her. Her name was Keisune, and from what I heard... she was the greatest student of her master, or better yet, my master as well. If you knew Akiko, you’d understand, she was brilliant woman. In many parts of Japan, it was hard for a woman to accomplish what she did. Of course with the last of the Tokugawa standing their reign over Japan, their loyal followers where constantly given honors these days, because many things were left unclosed, unsealed, there was corruption. Human corruption cannot be escaped regardless of gender, and so Akiko was a prize to the Shogun. Rumors were that even his armies bowed before her beauty and power. Many people didn’t know it, but Akiko is responsible for much of the assassinations in her days. When rebellions started up, Akiko and her clan, the Ruzai, would have to shed blood. Even above all that, Akiko was a master of the sword, the Haatan Eien Ryu, she probably held the highest title a woman could... of course most of this was all underground. Our institution remained only in the depths of the Kyoto underworld, our recruits only those of great skill and prestige, our dojo under the name of Akiko’s late husband, our true power only under the right hand of the Shogunate... and I use ‘our’ because of course, I was amongst all of this. I had no choice nor did I have complaint. My life is given to me and I don’t mind if a person Akiko took some of it away from me.

However, now, Akiko rested... eternally... in a sea of flames. I watched trying to hold back the tears. I was found... I didn’t know what my real parents even looked like. Akiko took me in, I don’t understand why. I desperately hoped with all heart it was not pity. I was not alone in this... so was my sister, Shirou... both of us had been abandoned. The day when Akiko found us, the two of us were in each other’s arms wearing something close to rags. Now, I stood there bowing to Akiko’s burning casket... I’m wearing a delicately made silk kimono and as far away from my sister as possible, that is our ideals of course... I’ve always kept close to my sister. Akiko in my heart, was my only mother. My dream was to one day inherit the Ruzai, my dreams were to one day be as great as she was. Of course, upon her passing, news came of Keisune, of her return to Japan, about her coming to Kyoto. All of this was from Tenrou over course, who was overly excited about his old friend’s return. There was even a welcome party despite the death of Akiko.

Tenrou. He stood beside my sister, the two of them in the front line with me, bowing as my master’s body slowly turned to ashes. Now you have to understand something, Akiko as a mother was a nightmare. Even though I only admire Akiko as a mother, I’m glad I wasn’t Tenrou. I’ve known Tenrou since the day I was found. He stood beside his mother, he shared her ideals... beyond that, like her mother, Tenrou was beautiful. He had charm and he was handsome. I will even admit late at night, I’ve dreamt of him... with the soreness in my arms and legs from the hours of training, I’ve dreamt of him. Compared to him, my skills in the Haatan Eien were a mere pebble in a road of boulders. Tenrou stood a different position in Japan. The Shinsengumi were not at all honorable yet, however their deeds were many times perceived in part for the Shogun. Many people mistake this as the Shogun’s will for the existence of the Shinsengumi. Rather, the Shinsengumi lived a strict code... the upholding of true samurai honor. Tenrou was one of the those people whom if you too his honor away, he would remain a destroyed person. Shirou stood beside Tenrou all the time, she loved everything about him and not to say... Tenrou would probably be by any woman. In fact, he was a dream husband to any woman... well most woman... that is. Shirou sadly was never in Tenrou’s eyes. The irony of it all was that Tenrou had his eyes on the only woman around him that didn’t return the crush... Keisune.

I looked at the enchantress in front of the casket bowing deeply. Keisune... I never fashioned myself to talk to her the brief moments I saw her. I didn’t know how she could resist Tenrou, nor did I understand how she was so cold all the time. Keisune always has and always will remain a mystery to me. No matter how much people criticized Keisune, there was no doubt in my mind that she was different. Just from her looks you could tell that Akiko did have some of her ideals rub off on her. She was probably the only woman in Japan tattooed. One sign of three spirits in shape of sphere encircling one another on her right cheek, and lavishly drawn crane stretching across her entire back. She was cold... both in heart and mind. And if I stopped here, you would probably think she was some freak of nature bent only on shedding blood... some sort of ruthless assassin trained by the unlikely woman leader of an underground organization.

That’s partly true. Keisune was too beautiful... but unlike the beauty my sister tried to appeal. Keisune believed only in one thing for sure... without fear and regret a person is an immortal god. Keisune’s skills with the sword was unquestionable. From what I’ve heard, she left the dojo and the care of Akiko when she mastered the art of Haatan Eien. Its been almost six years since she’s seen Tenrou. The only thing I know is that Keisune will not be going again... The heir to the Ruzai was not Tenrou, his duties laid too heavily with the Shinsengumi. It would be a heiress, and that’s not my sister or I either... it would Keisune.

I looked at her back... I could a bit of the crane’s peak from her neck. Of course, the spiral of spheres was vividly apparently on her cheeks. I was confused the first time I saw her... she didn’t seem like someone the Shogun or Akiko would trust... of course, the Shogun rarely saw fit an audience. The first time she looked at me with those fierce eyes... I was petrified... I had never seen a woman look so frightening before, not even an enraged Akiko looked as blood thirsty. Keisune looked as though someone who would have no remorse, who would kill anybody in her way regardless of who it was, that goes the same for the Shogun. She didn’t look like someone you would oppose... she didn’t look weak, mentally or physically, yet she wasn’t grotesque... quite the opposite, in which she was seductive. She didn’t look stupid either, you could never guess what Keisune was thinking, she seemed cunning, undermining, yet calming was her presence... somehow trusting.

Of course, I remembered Keisune’s first smile she gave me. It was a warm feeling, something you feel when someone you think is so much greater than you are is suddenly at your level. Someone who understood you and cared for you. Slowly... the days before the funeral... Keisune replaced Akiko’s place in my heart.

Akiko had never been mean or even frowned at me... more over, the only memories of Akiko I had were of caress and warm love. Keisune, many times was the exact opposite. But, the first time she smiled at me... a true smile, I saw something I never dreamed I would have seen in a person I though Keisune was. It was kind... I guess ice does melt from time to time...

I stood in the center of court when Keisune saw me there enjoying the sunlight. Her smile was different though... although it gave you a warm feeling, it was motivating. It was almost as if Keisune saw something in me that even I myself didn’t know was there. It was then I first hinted that Keisune’s relationship with me was not motherly... or sisterly. It something different. I prayed that it would help me achieve my dream.

The scenery on the day of the smile was beautiful... given that Akiko’s garden was the most beautiful in all of Kyoto. She had the rights to this too... Akiko’s late husband was high general in the Shogun’s Army. The veteran of wars, her husband was a man of nobility and honor. His skills with the sword was unsurpassed and even though he withered with age... his mind was clearer than glass.

Its ironic how men claim they rule the battlefield, but when they return home, they need all the care in the world. It was only suiting that Akiko was a gentle person, someone who calm and sooth the fires of a power war general. However, don’t think of Akiko as simply a gentle mistress. Her husband chose her for various reason... Akiko was a resourceful woman, and without anything being said, Akiko could demand a position in the Shogun’s Army almost eequivalent to her husbands. Such the world should grieve she death... at a young age I might add... Akiko was 38 when she passed.

The funeral was over... Tenrou walked away stoic with his mother’s ashes. Keisune kept her distance ahead. The people and guests that came watch moved out of Keisune’s way carefully. Many of them whispered at the defilement of womanhood or of how beautiful she was. There was always those who feared her... and those people cowered. Keisune walked slowly almost admiring the comments around her. Everyone was at a whisper though. Her eyes striking fear in everybody... even Tenrou kept his distance. Keisune was noticeably not in a good mood. I avoided her eyes too.

After the few days she came back from her travels in news of the death of her master, she didn’t speak much... she didn’t show much emotion. She only met with people from the Ruzai and once she went to the Kyoto Castle. She seemed like a secluded calculating person. She also seemed lonely. One alluding question here was that since Keisune is currently no older than 18 years of age... had she left Akiko six years ago... she would be no older than 12 at the time. I questioned in my mind what kind of sword prodigy Keisune was and what her real relations with Akiko were... assuredly they were not blood relatives... so where was Keisune from. I blushed at the thought of 12 year old girl, which would be younger than I am, being a master of the Haatan Eien.

The air around us was quiet. There was no rain or bright sun shine... it seemed dim... yet as Keisune walked down the stone steps over looked but cherry trees, the world seemed to shine. Her kimono a pure black along with it her radiant red aura.

Back to the Kogami residence... I changed into something less formal. I moved around the house and my steps on the wooden floor seemed silent. The space around me black and white.. Simple beauty...yet calming, but like the ocean is before a storm. Things are stirring up in Kyoto, people talk about a revolution and it seemed about time... too much peace and order is too much for a pained world. This is the difference of ideals I shared with the ones I live with.

I walked around and found myself in front of Keisune’s room, which was Akiko’s former room.

“Keisune-san... may I come in...” It called to me... I wanted to know more about Keisune.

“You may.” A monotone voice came through.

“Thank you...” I opened the wooden screen and bowed as I came in.

I turned to Keisune and smiled. But then I found her faced the mirror... she was naked... I quickly turned away. Feeling the rush of blood to my face... I said, “Excuse me! Keisune-dono should have told me not to look.”

There was no answer. The picture of the crane was burned into my mind now, along with the pose of a naked Keisune. I was going to have problems sleeping tonight... I had problems with tattoos and quite frankly beyond that, beautiful naked women. I looked around the room avoiding Keisune’s body... there was no futon yet... but there were other surprising things.

There was pretty display on the tatami floor of her weapons she used... two silky smooth daggers, unsheathed, and three dozen or so throwing knives laid in a beautiful semi-circular manner. There were wrist bands and legs bands for the knives no doubt, and the belts for the kogatanas. The thing that startled me the most was the fact the Haatan really didn’t use these weapons. There were a few lessons, but the Haatan was the style of the Katana... the most respected weapon in all of Japan. Then I saw it... it hung on the wall... it was a Katana, but unlike mine, it was beautiful... crafter by no doubt a master blacksmith.

“You like the katana?” she said in her monotone voice.

“It’s beautiful.” I said... in awe.

“The Kurenai Ran.” The red orchid... that was the name of the blade... fitting for its red coating and jagged hilt. It was beautiful... even though I hadn’t even seen the blade.

“It’s a beautiful name.”

“Why do I get the feeling that young Yukiko here is searching for something?”

“I... don’t know...” The truth was I didn’t know what she was talking about.

She gave a vague and unlike smile as I finally turned around finally to she her in a black outfit... full with a black. Like the person she is... Keisune’s apparel was more than enough. The black kimono was left open with the obi... the obi served a different purpose with Keisune’s style. Since she was a swordswoman... and had the rights of the samurai order given by the Shogun... she need a more mobile clothing. The obi, which was black also with red lining, was wrapped around her body starting from the directly above the breasts and formed down to a dress-skirt like appearance, then brought all the way up her back and tied from the inside; the wrapping was of course excluding the arms. With the kimono untied and this new fashion... Keisune looked enticing.

“The night is young...” she said reviving me from my deeply romantic thoughts, “but, we all know that the night welcomes darkness and with that bloodshed.” There was a minute smirk on her face.

“Come Yukiko, let us see what our Tenrou will be up to tonight...”

I didn’t know what she meant then, or what was about to happen. I did know Tenrou was busy tonight with Shinsengumi business as he had told Shirou and I not to wait for him. But he excluded Keisune... and just then another thing happened. Something that would change me. The question stood still, why did she invite me.

Before I met Keisune, before the funeral, my idol was Akiko. She was strong, brilliant, and beautiful. However, Keisune was more resilient, more cunning, more seductive than Akiko... so with that came my lust to be her... to be everything Keisune was. The tattoos, the crane, the weapons, the power knowing that there is nothing in the world to fear. I dressed for an assassin’s night.

I dressed accordingly seeming as though I was still an apprentice and was not able to carry a sword in public, I dressed in the manner in which I would be able to run. I almost laughed at how easily I agreed to go along with Keisune, I had no idea where we were going, or what we were going to do. There were two things for sure though. The first was that Keisune brought her throwing knives and kogatanas, however leaving her Katana untouched. The second was that I was under Keisune’s care now... whatever she wished for me to do I would obey without question. The only words that could surpass Keisune’s was Tenrou’s and he was not here to enforce his rules.

Tenrou had no means to object to Keisune leaving the house upon any business... simply out of respect and love, but for me to leave the house would involve some sort of agreement. Either Keisune had already told him about this... or what she had planned for tonight was something forbidden. My ticket for leaving the house was always Shirou. If Tenrou would be mad... Shirou would always be there to redirect his anger.

That night was the first time I saw Nakigo and Michiri.

The night air was soft and the rustle of bamboos were around us. Both Nakigo and Michiri wore the same face as Keisune which made everything seem pretty horrific. There was one connection you could make on first sight of these three. The tattooed symbol on Keisune’s face was found on Nakigo’s leg and Michiri’s shoulder. This confirmed several things. To start things off, Keisune was not the only woman with tattoo’s... Nakigo would the second I’ve seen. Secondly, this sign is the symbol of union... so whomever had these common tattoos were bond by either blood or deep friendship... fitting that there are three spheres and three people. Third, Tenrou had competition, as clearly his opponent of winning some romance out of the cold Keisune would be Michiri.

I stood there and observed the three converse as their faces lightened.

Nakigo had a similar to Keisune. Nakigo was beautiful too, but different. Keisune... no matter her tattoos, her manners were sensible to the public. Although half the time, people would stare. Nakigo was different. Nakigo would not be a person you would likely see in the streets of Gion of something of the sort. Nakigo looked like a trained hunter... constantly aware and always readied. Her hands were always close to her blade. Cautious yet Nakigo didn’t seem like a wearying person. I guess in a sense, Nakigo seemed like a true ninja... stealthy, deadly, and beautiful. The two, Nakigo and Keisune, seemed to be childhood friends as I saw at the beginning of this meeting there was some embrace. It was always nice to see human sides of Keisune of course, but to think that she had friends like this... her roots were already deep in the Ruzai.

Michiri unlike Nakigo looked doubtlessly like a member of the Ruzai. Cool and cunning, Michiri seemed to have a smart mouth, witty humor, yet cold exterior. I wasn’t sure what to think of him. Beyond Keisune’s friendship, Michiri was too a swordsman, but didn’t look like he had potential skill. He didn’t look like a ninja or samurai... but he definitely was not a commoner. I just didn’t know what to label him as. Michiri wasn’t bad looking, but what I found later on... he was already married. So as I fondled with how I would tease Tenrou about competition, I was disappointed.

Keisune finally turned to me.

“Akiko did leave with me something.” She gave a warm smile.

The two others turned to me. Nakigo gave a similar smile.

“Cute girl.” Michiri said crossing his arms. I lowered my head and bowed slightly blushing.

“It’s not like Akiko-san to pick up one like her though?” Nakigo said.

“You said the same about me when Akiko first took me in.” Keisune responded with another warming smile. I was shocked. Keisune was just like me!

Nakigo gave a small feminine giggle.

“True.”

“The future seems too close.” Michiri said looking straight into my eyes.

Keisune smirked.

“Yukiko, this is Michiri... and Nakigo. They are good friends of mine... I know what your dream is Yukiko...” My eyes were wide open.

The three of them smiled at me.

I didn’t know what to make of things.

“Come now everybody, any more stalling and we are going to miss some fun.” Keisune said breaking the silence. So the night wind took us... the breeze of death’s scythe at the necks of men without a future... blades were drawn and the warm blood began to spill... This was my first night under Keisune’s guidance... many things followed... but this night the moonlit sky was the brightest I’ve seen...