Hey everyone! I said I would put this story up after finishing Playing The Game, and I just finished. So here's A Samurai's Heart.

Summary: It is believed that there is no longer samurais. But that is wrong. My name is Elizabeth Anderson and this is my story of being a samurai and a normal girl at the same time. Will someone break the barriers I have put up due to my intense training that have only once been broken?

A Samurai's Heart

by: butterfly-angel-babygirl

CHAPTER ONE

It is believed that there is no longer such a thing as a samurai. If someone tells you this, do not believe them. Why you ask? Because its simply not true. There are still samurais throughout Japan and some even are in America. You may ask how I know this. Because I, Elizabeth Chouchou Anderson, am a samurai. I am one-fourth Japanese. My mother is half-Japanese. She was a samurai and taught me the ways of the samurai as well as my grandfather, who is completely Japanese.

Let me tell you about myself before we go into detail about me being a samurai. I am, as I have said, Elizabeth Chouchou Anderson. Chouchou means Butterfly in Japanese. My mother said she gave me that name because it was her favorite animal and she thought it would fit me well. Elizabeth was my great-grandmother's name on my father's side and he pressured mother to name me that rather than 'Chouchou.' Part of me is grateful for my father's persistence and part of me would rather have the name Chouchou. Enough about my name though. I have long dirty blonde hair and hazel eyes. I am only five foot two inches.

Now to the samurai part of myself. My mother and grandfather taught me. They started me off when I was able to walk and am currently fifteen, going to be sixteen in only a couple months. I was able to master a single sword at the age of eight and at the age of ten able to master two swords. They have said that my training is just about complete, but I cannot help but feel that there is more for me to learn. Sometimes I wonder why they even taught me, when I will not be using my abilities in the future. They both debated with me, but I told them already I wasn't going into a field that I would need them. I planned on being an English teacher and a writer and they said that it was still best that I train. And so I train. Every day for three hours after school and for an hour before school. Saturdays and Sundays from six in the morning to noon and from four at night to eight at night.

Because of my training I have become cold and show no emotion. It is the way of a samurai. I live my life day-by-day. I have no friends. I have never had a boyfriend. I don't know what its like to be friends with someone. I have always had a barrier over myself and many people at my school have called me 'Ice Queen' and honestly, it fits me. I am surprisingly proud of the fact that I can keep this barrier up. I am currently the number one rank in my class, which surprises me sometimes because of all my training. Sure, sometimes its lonely having no friends, but all I need is my sword and writing. That is how I let out un-needed emotions and everything on life.

Well...there was one person that befriended me and became my boyfriend, but that is a story not to be told right now.

This is my story, and how just one guy can make me break my emotionless shell after its only broken once and that took six months to break and was brought up twice as hard.

--

I whipped the sweat off of my brow as I put my sword away gently on the rack in my bedroom. If someone were to enter my room- although that was most likely never going to happen- they would first notice all the swords around my room. I had a collection of them thanks to my mother and grandfather. Being a samurai was my life and I was proud to have it control me. My large bed had purple sheets and a large purple comforter with moons and stars on it. Beside my bed was a small table, on which a radio/alarm clock and light sat. On the floor in front of the table was a pile of notebooks. Against the wall beside one of my large windows was my desk on which was my computer and yet another pile of notebooks. Against one wall was my large dresser and a large vanity. Beside my door was a full body mirror. I stopped looking around the room as I found the clothes I intended to wear to school. There was no way I was going to wear the same clothes I had just trained in for an hour to school. I changed into a red long sleeved shirt and jeans and put on deodorant and sprayed some cherry smelling perfume and ran out of my room. I was already about five minutes late and I didn't intend to be late for school.

“See ya after school mother!” I shouted as I grabbed a pop-tart before running out of the large house

I faintly heard her shout “Be careful!” as I shut the door and hurried down the sidewalk. I was very big on being on time and I knew I would have to hurry at my locker if I were to make it to Chorus on time. Yes, I sang. I also played the flute. I was glad that I didn't live far from the school and sighed as I looked at my watch to see that I had about two minutes before we could go inside. I was glad my grandfather had used to make me run five times around the house- and mind you, my house isn't small.

I made myself blend in with the crowd as I entered the school. I had seen too many people get pushed around because they couldn't blend in. I had perfected the skill long ago. Most people didn't even realize I was in the same room as them sometimes.

I pulled my locker open and grabbed my two binders for the morning- thankfully my first three classes were bum-classes. Chorus, Phys Ed or Study Hall and Band. I put my lunch in the top shelf along with my jacket and shut it. Time for Chorus. I wondered if the teacher would allow me to practice my solo today. There was a thing called 'Solo festival' in January, the very next month, and I really needed to practice it.

“Ah- Elizabeth, there you are.” the teacher, Mrs. Rainold, said as I entered the auditorium where we were practicing since we had our concert this Wednesday

“Yes Mrs. Rainold?” I asked

“Do you want to practice your solo today after we run through our songs a while?” Mrs. Rainold asked

“Sure, I was hoping too.” I said

“Alright.” she said

--

I leaned against the wall, completely inconspicuous to the other people in the large gymnasium. It was my Phys Ed class and no one ever realized I was there. I could hear everyone's conversations, filled with the talk of the dance that was still a month away. The Sophomore 'Snowball' as they were calling it. I hadn't been to a single dance in my life and wasn't going to go to this one. I probably wasn't even going to go to Prom in future years.

Someone stepped in front of me and I opened my eyes to see a tall sixteen-year-old boy with short brown hair and brown eyes standing there. He was some-what well built, not jock-like, but not nerd-like either though. Right in the middle. I recognized him as James Rainsford, who was in many of classes and in the same grade as me.

I raised my eyebrow as I looked him directly in the eyes. I was surprised when he kept eye contact with me. No one talked to me, let alone maintained eye contact with me. Our staring contest when on for about five minutes until he finally spoke, although he still didn't break our eye contact. “Elizabeth Anderson, right?” His voice was deep and I remembered how quiet he normally was. I only nodded my head. “Are you going to speak?” I shrugged and smirked. “I've heard you speak in class.” he said

“And?” I said breaking the silent spell

“Ah, so you do speak.” he said smirking

“And I'm wondering why you're talking to me.” I said

“What? I can't come and say hi to someone?” he asked

“When you've never spoken to me before, I wonder what motive you have.” I said

“Whoever said I had a motive?” he asked

“Have you ever talked to a complete stranger like this before?” I retorted raising my eyebrow at him again.

“You aren't a complete stranger.” he said

“Oh?” I said curious at how he would know me

“You're Elizabeth Anderson, you have a strange middle name, are one-fourth Japanese and you're valedictorian of our class.” he responded

“You still have never spoken to me before. You have not learned why I have a strange middle name- which, to me, is not that strange.” I said

“Okay, why do you have a strange middle name?” he asked

“That I won't answer.” I said smirking as he glared at me, “Trust me- your glare is nothing to me.”

He dropped his gaze and stared at me. “I see this,” he said and walked away

Okay, weird guy. And yet...something was pulling me to him.

--

I sat down at my usual lunch table in the far corner of the cafeteria. I looked through the large crowds and could make out many of the people. Jocks, preps, nerds, middle class people. I opened my paper bag lunch and began what I always did this period- observe. Observe the people get in fights with others at their table, make jokes with one other, and just eat. I was biting into my sandwich as someone started to walk towards my table. It wasn't someone that sat at one of the nearby tables. It was James. Great, what did he want now? He put his tray down across from me and stared straight into my eyes. I sighed. “What?” I asked

“What? I can't sit with you?” he said

“No,” I answered glaring at him

He winced at my glare. Yes, be afraid of my glares. “Oh really?” he said

And yet he was managing to not crawl away from me. “Yes.” I responded

“Yes I can sit here then,” he said taking a bite of his cafeteria food

“I meant yes, you aren't aloud to sit here.” I said

“And why not?” he asked

“Because I said so.” I said

He laughed. “I don't see your name on here.” he said

“Look under the table right beside you.” I stated

Yes, I had written my name when I claimed this table last year. No one was aloud to sit there if I was in there. He rose his eyebrow at me and then looked under the table. He burst into laughter and I assumed he had seen my handwriting. “Alright then, I guess you win now Beth.” he said

“And whoever said you could call me Beth?” I asked slightly agitated at being called that by him- only one person could call me that.

“That's what you put on the table. So the only way for this to be your's would be if you're Beth...although you are Elizabeth, not Beth.” he said

I cursed my stupid Freshman-self that had put that. He smirked and I glared at him. “Okay, could you stop glaring at me?” he asked

“Why? Scaring you?” I asked smirking

“Only a tad.” he said

“At least you're honest.” I muttered

“Huh?” he asked

“Nothing,” I said shaking my head, “So why the sudden interest in me James?”

“I'm shocked- you actually know about me.” he said

“I know pretty much everyone's name that goes to this school.” I stated

“Even the Freshman and Seniors that have moved here just this year?” he asked

“Yep,” I said

“And the foreign exchange students?”

“Every one that has come from a different country.”

“Name the one that came from Brazil that is staying with the Henry's.”

“Miranna Quieten.”

“Wow.”

“I told you I know everyone.”

“Name and describe the Freshman class president.”

“Collin O'Dell. About five ten, on the basketball and soccer teams. Short blonde hair.”

“Damn,”

I suddenly realized something and glared at him. “You got me away from the original topic.”

“Took you long enough to realize.” he said smirking

“So why are you the sudden interest in me James?” I asked taking a sip of my Capri Sun

“Don't know really. You just interest me. The way you can manage to not talk to really anyone other then the teachers- and even then its only for classwork.” he said shrugging

I didn't respond to his answer and we didn't say anything else the rest of the lunch.

--

I shut my locker and headed out the door. A teacher had kept me late and so now I was going to be late for training. Great, another half-hour of training tonight. I groaned as I started running towards my house. “Whoa, what's the rush?” James asked as I nearly ran into him

I just ignored him and hurried down the stairs even faster. I wasn't about to be late for training and have to do another half-hour. I had a lot of homework tonight. “Hurry up and change- your grandfather is waiting in the training room for you.” mother said as soon as I entered the house, breathless

“Did I make it in time?” I asked

“Just barely.” mother said smiling

I sighed and ran up the stairs, quickly changing into a pair of short shorts and a tank top, grabbing my sword and running back downstairs and to the training room. “You are just on time my grandchild.” grandfather said as I entered the training room

“I apologize grandfather. A teacher in school kept me late.” I said bowing respectfully to him

“Understood. In position.” he said

--

I lay down on my bed. My training and been harder then normal- and grandfather had told me soon I would be meeting another samurai of my age. I wondered who it could be. He refused to give me the name; saying that it was someone in my class. I put the thoughts away as I got my bag from beside my bed. I still had a lot of homework to do and there was no way I was going to let it fall behind because of this.

--

I yawned and shut my locker. It had been a long night- I hadn't been able to sleep until nearly one in the morning because of this mysterious other samurai and had to wake up again at about 6:00 for training. “Sleepy?” a deep voice said suddenly appearing beside me

I showed no emotion as I nodded. “What do you want now?” I asked

“What? I can't come and say hello?” James asked smirking, “I'm hurt Beth.”

“Don't call me Beth.” I said glaring at him

“Why not?” James asked

“Only one person has ever been able to call me that and you most certainly are not that person.” I said and turned to the stairs that I suddenly decided to take to get to the auditorium.

--

I glared as James sat across from me yet again in lunch. “You can't say that I can't sit here today.” James said

“Check again baka,” I said

“Baka?” he said raising an eyebrow, “What do you mean?”

“It means idiot in Japanese.” I said

“And how would you know if I'm an idiot?” James asked

“I've seen and heard about your marks.” I muttered, “Just look under the table.” I was slowly getting impatient with him.

“Do you seriously think that just because your name is on here I'm going to stop sitting here?” James asked looking me right in the eyes

“You're different then most people James.” I said sighing as I put my drink down

“What do you mean?” James asked

“No one has ever been brave enough to sit with me or even talk to me. Don't you know about my nickname?” I asked

“Yeah- Ice Queen.” he said, “I know how it feels to be alone and I just don't think you should feel that way.”

“What if I told you it was my own choice to be alone?” I asked

“No offense, but I'd think you're crazy.”

“Think of me as crazy then. I prefer solitude. Hence why I'm always alone. I would rather be alone then have the drama of the girls or the jerks that guys are- no offense.”

“So that's why you've never sat with anyone else? But why don't you talk to anyone else?”

“People twist your words around so that they mean something you didn't intend for them to mean. You've proved that many times within just the two days I've talked to you.”

“I see what you mean. But life is about taking those risks of getting hurt by people and learning to grow up and become a person.”

“I've experienced both. Just not in the same ways you have.”

“You've experienced getting hurt by someone? And I mean emotionally, not physically.”

“In many ways.”

“Like what?”

“That you won't learn from me James.”

“Just like I won't learn why you have a strange middle name?”

“Correct.” I said and said nothing more to him.

--

So I hope you like this story. Please review! I update weekly.

-Butterfly Angel