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My life isn’t ordinary like that of a commoner. No…I’m a princess of some sort…my tribe is called Tsukino. I’m a kunoichi in training and a damn good one if anything! I left my father years ago to be with my mother in the Tsukino’s village in the forest. She died shortly after my sixth birthday. For the next eight years though, I worked and I bled for the chance to succeed to my mother’s legacy and to finally have my grandfather look at me with pride.
I live in a different tree house than my grandfather though. No that doesn’t mean I live alone either! I live with a strange cat-like creature. Well, he insists he’s a hybrid of some sort. I don’t know what a hybrid is but if it’s a blue cat with small wings on its back then I guess that’s a hybrid! My father gave me Neko-chan for my seventh birthday. Neko-chan though is very annoying so my guess was that my samurai of a father was getting back at me for following my mother’s legacy instead of his.
Don’t get me wrong, I love Neko-chan like a big sister would love her little brother let’s say? He says he loves me more than that which really creeps me out! My true love is…well…I can’t say! I cannot and will not say! Though I think I express it subtly. I hope…
Kawaii Shinobi Mikazuki!
Jutsu 1: Yikes! The graduation with no hope of survival!
“Zzzz.”
“Mikazuki-chan! Mikazuki-chan! Wake up! Wake up!”
“Zzz.”
I opened one eye and yelled in protest! That stupid cat! He sat on my stomach yelling at me but I saw where his paws were! The idiot was taking advantage of my need to sleep by groping at my chest! My right hand started to slowly rise.
“Mi…Mikazukiiii?” he mewed.
WHAM!
“That feels much better!” I said triumphantly with a glint of mischief in my eyes. Neko-chan was now a giant splat of blue on the wall. As he got himself unstuck, I jumped from my bed and ran to my dresser with the big mirror that my mother Emi left me.I brushed my long crimson red hair and tied it into a ponytail that reached down to my waist.I thensnapped on a pair of earrings that looked like green leaves.
After touching up my face with a little bit of make up, I looked into the big mess of clothes that were separated into several piles. One was clean, one was dirty, and the last one was dirty laundry. There was still one kimono in the clean pile and most of the other pieces of clothing were in the dirty laundrypile. “I guess I’ll be washing my kimonos by the river today…” I said sweat dropping.
Neko-chan watched me from his perch on the windowsill. I turned toward him with a pulsating vein on my forehead. I raised my hand and grabbed him by the scruff of the neck. Then I threw him outside and closed the window pulling down the curtain to cover the pane. If there was one thing I hate it’s that pervert of a hybrid!
My gaze turned to the kimono in my hands. I quickly dress and look at myself in the mirror. The kimono reached to an inch above my kneecaps. It was pink with a blue obi tied around my waist. There was a blue bow on the back as well. Patterned on the kimono were little grey swirl clouds.
Personally I’ll say it right now…I hate washing my clothes. It was so tiresome…I’d rather be practicing my jutsus or practicing my ninjutsu and kenjutsu at the local training grounds. Placing my laundry in my wicket basket Iheft it upon my shoulder and walked out the door.
“Mikazuki-san!!”
The old man’s voice was so loud and commanding, I dropped my basket and stared wide eyed at the voice’s owner. There stood my grandfather and teacher. Cho, Kenta. Sweat plagued my forehead as I looked at him nervously and stiff-legged. There was only one other person in the village that could make me do that. But that’ll just have to wait now won’t it? Right now…I need to find my way to tip toe around extra chores and punishments!
I bowed with a smile on my face. A very…very strained smile. “My apologies Kenta-sensei! I…I didn’t know you were standing outside of my window when I threw my young charge.” I gazed up at him still bent. He gave me a stern look.
Oh no! Did I stutter? Did I confess to something that I didn’t mean to do? Did I wet myself and he smelled it? Hmm… that’s not it. Wait! Neko-chan’s whispering in his ear! Traitor! Traitor! I’ll kill that damn cat! I swear I will kill him!
As my mind continued to race, Kenta looked down at my laundry and snorted quite loudly. Loud enough so that the other villagers now looked at us. “You’ve waited longer than I told you to wait on your laundry,” he yelled.
Okay so now my eye is starting to twitch. How dare he speak about my dirty laundry so loud that everyone in the village can eavesdrop without trying? I always thought that maybe perhaps he hates me because mother died and my father was a samurai? I couldn’t go back to my father! He hates me too! No matter where I turn…someone hates me!
I gripped the handles of my wicket basket and placed it back on my shoulder. Gasps from several villagers reached my ears as I glared defiantly at him. I couldn’t take it anymore! I’m going to show everyone that I am not spineless like they say! And, I can finally prove to my one true love that I am the kunoichi that he has been waiting for!
But first I have to graduate…
And even more firstly, I need to win the glare contest with my grandfather!
Sparks of electricity flew between our heads. My teeth clenched together. My grandfather just stared at me. “Mikazuki-san! Laundry! Now!”
All the nerve…all the courage I had build up was gone in seconds! I couldn’t believe how my body reacted. I just ran away from the crowd, my grandfather, my cat friend, from my own goal! I couldn’t believe it!
“Oh…well…” I paused in thought. “Maybe it is but…” I held the kimono up in front of my eyes. “I’ve got to stop thinking!”
“Yes you do, you missed a spot.”
The voice that suddenly appeared scared me to hell! I jumped up in fright and teetered over the edge of the river. A hand reached out and grabbed my arm. I was still scared though. Busy with my thoughts I didn’t recognize the owner of the voice. That was until I got a good look at him.
An older man stood behind me. He was dressed in a turquoise kimono with no patterns whatsoever. A black sash was tied around his waist. He was slim but most shinobi have to be in order to grasp what they want from the enemy. However, he still had an incredible physique. His deep blue hair was long as well and tied in a ponytail. Some say he does so to annoy my grandfather, the elder. Thankfully he hasn’t been exiled yet.
I looked up at his dark blue eyes in awe. Whenever I had the chance to look into those eyes…it feels like I’m looking into the dark blue night sky. And that was one hobby I enjoyed! “Thank you…Aoi-sama!” I replied almost giddily.
He looked down to me. I looked away shyly blushing. Was he…was he finally going to give me my first kiss? Even with the wet kimono in my hands? I couldn’t stand it! I looked back over to him to…
See him walking away! No! This wasn’t possible! “Aoi-sama wait!” I called, running after him. He turned around and gave me a startling look. One a parent would give a child. Hey so what if I was fourteen? I’m turning fifteen soon! And you’re only seventeen! When I caught up to him he looked away again. “Was there something you needed of me?”
Aoi turned towards me. I can see it in his eyes…he doesn’t really care. Was my love for him unrequited? No! It just can’t be! Besides fulfilling my mother’s legacy and getting grandfather to respect me…Aoi-sama was the one other reason why I stuck around.
“Your graduation test will begin at sundown. You will be facing one other from the village. Defeating them will result in your graduation to a kunoichi.” He explained to me in a voice that held no emotion whatsoever.
“And who will my opponent be?” I asked nervously.
“Myself.”
In my mind I saw myself standing in a dark void. Me? Fighting Aoi-sama? Fighting my one true love? This must be some kind of cruel joke grandfather! I’ll get you for this! Did Neko-chan suggest it? He probably was jealous and suggested it! The flames of hell scorched behind me in my mind. I’m going to kill them both!
As Aoi walked away, he turned back toward me. There was something different in his night blue eyes though as he said “You don’t have to kill me.” He then turned and left.
My mouth widened into a smile and then an ecstatic laugh as I ran back to my laundry. Fighting Aoi-sama was going to be a great honour! I’ll be able to show him what a great shinobi I would make! And at the same time, show my grandfather whose boss! See! I can have my cake and eat it too!
Opening my closet a lot of junk fell onto me. Gasping for breath, I surfaced from the pile of junk and grabbed a sheath. In that sheath was my mother’s sword that she left me. It was nameless probably because it was not used in a real battle. After this battle though, it will have a name!
I gathered other weapons (shurikens and caltrops) and made my way out into the night. I was told the meeting place would be in the Sakura Grove outside of the village. I made my way in that direction. Before, I revised all of the jutsus I had learned. I couldn’t wait for the day I would be able to make my own up!
Standing in the middle of the grove, I knew as I drew my sword that I was an open target for Aoi-sama to strike me. However in a way, if he were to strike and disappear into the groves then I would know which direction he would be in. Carefully though, I scanned the area. To win the battle, I would have to make Aoi-sama submit and hand over the key to my grandfather’s house. If I can’t get that key by sunrise, I failed the graduation.
There was a faint sign of movement in the bushes behind me. I whirled and faced that direction. A squirrel looked up to me as if I were some paranoid freak. Grinning I waved my hand for it to clear the way. No matter where I turned though, nervousness gnawed at my stomach. Sweat dripped down my forehead as I cautiously moved around. Even though it was Aoi-sama, I knew I had to win at all costs so from my hands, caltrops scattered the ground. I believe in luck so I knew I could remember where they were.
Aoi-sama jumped down from a tree. I was startled that his face started to turn red. He suddenly grabbed his right foot and jumped up and down. I was confused by this kind of action. Aoi-sama was one of the top shinobi in the village! How could he fall for the caltrop trick? Wait a second…He probably underestimated me and just tried to take it easy on me. Ha! I knew I was good.
His face though suddenly twisted into a grin. I turned around hearing a twig snap and another Aoi-sama appeared. This one also stepped onto a caltrop and disappeared. Looking back at the other Aoi-sama, he had disappeared as well. Doppelgangers! Why didn’t I think of that?
Thousands of Aoi-samas filled the grove. After landing on a caltrop or stepping on one, they would disappear. How was I to find the real Aoi-sama in all this mess? I could cut down one doppelganger but end up accidentally killing Aoi-sama! Wait!
I would just have to find the Aoi-sama that steps on a caltrop and not disappear. This was going to be hard though…there were thousands of doppelgangers! Sheathing my sword, I dropped to the ground stealthily and being cautious of the caltrops, rolled over to the edge of the grove and ducked into a bush. Looking around I finally found Aoi-sama in the mess. He was the only one standing still chanting his jutsu. Taking careful aim with my shurikens I threw about four in his direction. Each shuriken I threw, one right after the other, pinned his kimono to the tree behind him. Two stuck to each of his legs and two on each of his arms. His eyes widened and the doppelgangers disappeared into smoke.
I leaped into the grove in a somersault while drawing my sword. I moved quickly up to Aoi-sama and pointed my sword to his…his handsome neck! I couldn’t help but stare at the Adams Apple moving up in down in quick breaths. “How was I Aoi-sama?” I asked eagerly. “Not just the run of the mill shinobi huh?”
“As expected of the noble princess of our esteemed tribe.” He replied in an unemotional tone. “I did take it easy on you however.”
I sheathed my sword. “Of course and I-!!”
Just as I sheathed my sword and looked down shyly, a gross foul smelling hand reached up from the ground and seized my foot. I tried to pull it away but it was just too strong. It continued to pull my foot down that it was now thigh deep into the earth! Looking up at Aoi-sama I screamed “Help me! I don’t know what’s going on!” Immediately regretting my shuriken tactic I proceeded to rip out the shurikens not caring for the cuts on my hands. If I were to be dragged underground, at least Aoi-sama can escape and report back!
He didn’t leave like I expected him to. Instead he leaped up into the tree and reached down towards me. “Grab on!” he yelled with the first emotion I ever heard. I could tell in his eyes and trembling hand, he was as scared as I was. Grasping his hand, he started to pull me up. But with me, came the hand. It wouldn’t let me go so easily.
I kicked the hand off and after being helped onto the branch beside him, stared down at the monster that threatened to pull me under the earth. It’s once human face was now devoid of any healthy flesh and was replaced by decayed skin that had not been torn of the skull just yet and hollow eyes…several teeth were missing and it wore the remnants of a ninja garb. Did Neko-chan fail to tell me we were fighting in a graveyard?
“Mikazuki-dono…” Aoi-sama’s voice filled my mind enough that I can finally look away from the ghoul. I turned towards him with my bottom lip trembling fiercely. “Escape to the village while keep him and his friends busy.”
“Friends?” I looked back down and noticed there were many more zombies climbing to the surface of the earth like swimmers surfacing from the water and gasping for breath. When I realized that he had planned no departure, I shook my head looking back to Aoi-sama. “You’re coming back with me! We both need to alert the village! They won’t believe me! I’m a troublemaker! A marked delinquent though I’ve done no wrong except disrespecting my sensei…”
Looking away, I muttered the words I never though would escape my mouth. “I’m the daughter of a samurai and you know how the rivalry is…Aoi-sama they wouldn’t believe me!”
Aoi-sama’s hand touched my shoulder. That one touch startled me into looking to him. I was ashamed…tears were falling down my cheeks. I didn’t want to remember my father…I didn’t want to remember how he had opened a tavern in Edo. “Aoi-sama, I want you to return to the village and I’ll deal with the ghouls.” I told him before he could respond.
He shook his head, strands of blue hair falling into his handsome eyes. “As one of the most powerful shinobi in the village, I cannot allow the princess to risk her life!”
I was about to respond when the tree shook. Aoi-sama’s arms wrapped around my body and jumped to a different Sakura tree as the one we were crashed to the ground under the weight of the zombies. “Aoi-sama! Let me go!” his arms were still wrapped around my arms. “I’m the princess and I order it!”
He still did not let go. I wasn’t crying anymore out of despair. It was now pure anguish. I was angry with the ghouls for ruining my graduation. I was angry that I couldn’t do anything about it! “Mikazuki-dono…I am sorry.” Aoi-sama whispered into my ear.
I looked towards him confused. I was about to ask for what when his lips met mine suddenly. I didn’t find this very romantic at all but when Lady Luck shines on your shoulder than who cares? He pulled away and looked directly into my eyes. “Out of all the times you showed you cared for me I never responded. I was unsure of myself. I even think what I did just now was a mistake.” He took out a chain that was tied around his neck. He untied it swiftly and tied it around my own neck. “The villagers should believe you now. Just remember, it is not whom you are born to, but how you live your life. If you whine and complain about the past, no one will think you care about the present and ignore you. However if you were to take what you have and the experiences you lived, you can live such a life that everyone would be proud of you.”
I nodded…He was right. I have to stop feeling sorry for myself. I turned away preparing my jump. Glancing back, I wiped my eyes of tears. “I’ll live a noble shinobi life and prove myself worthy to your love Aoi-sama! Just please! Don’t die on me!” I yelled then jumped away.
Landing and skidding on the ground, I ran to the one house that mattered. Climbing up the ladder swiftly, I knocked on the door multiple times. The door opened and my grandfather. Kenta was dressed in his ninja garb and stared down at my sweat drenched, dirty body. His eyes widened when he spotted the chain around my neck. “Aoi-san…” he whispered. His hands then flew up to my kimono and grasped it. “What happened to him?” he yelled, saliva flying at my face.
“He…He…” Squinting my eyes closed I knew that for Aoi-sama’s sake I had to keep it together. Opening my eyes, I straightened out my frightened voice. “He’s holding back the zombies that rose from their graves at the Sakura Grove where the graduation test was being held. Sensei, he told me to run and alert the villagers!”
Kenta eyed me as if my own sword had pierced the flesh of his most precious student. “We won’t need the villagers, you are coming with me to the Grove.”
I nodded then shook my head. “Aoi-sama didn’t want me there, I don’t want to make him mad!”
Well I was taken no matter what I said. Kenta and I jumped from tree to tree back to the Sakura Grove. When we arrived there, my eyes widened in shock as I saw dead zombies littering the ground. Well they were already dead but who cares! They didn’t move! I looked around for Aoi-sama and found him half buried and unconscious in the ground. I went to jump but Kenta grabbed the sleeve of my kimono.
“There could be more.” He replied and jumped down himself. There were no signs of any more zombies and he waved for me. I jumped down from the tree and hurried over to Aoi-sama.
I pulled with all the strength I had and managed to pull him out from the ground. My eyes widened as I ran my eyes down his leg. They were scratched all to hell, the kimono torn up from the knee down. Tears sprang to my eyes. I didn’t know if he was dead or alive.
A hand grabbed at my own leg, scratching it. I screamed in pain just as Kenta brought down his own sword, the hand twitching a little ceased its movement. It was hard for me to get up and pick up Aoi-sama at the same time. Kenta helped Aoi-sama up and started to walk toward the village. I decided that my graduation was the least important topic to discuss and kept my mouth shut as we walked on…Looking up, I noticed the crescent moon was shining down on us, casting it’s light of the night down on us. I heard that tradition had it…that could be good luck…or bad luck…
