A Date with Fate

San

Diary Entry San (3)

March 19, 1122

Okinawa, Japan

The scar that started it all, of her becoming a Ronin and seeking out a new life. It was a half moon out gleaming strong and the breeze was timid. Ichi was sweating with fear as she dashed down the muddy pathway through the maze of bamboo. Right as she saw a way out of the mess, a figure stood out in front of her. The dark figure began to slowly walk towards her, creating her heart rate to race. Within her sweaty palms she held a katana and pointed it towards the walking shadow, shaking with fear. 

"Kill me Ichi, if you wish to live..." he spoke to her as he lifted his katana above his head with both hands. 

Ichi dropped her katana, frozen to the spot with wide eyes staring. "I.... I can't! I WILL NOT!" Before she knew it, blood ran down her left cheek in one fluid motion. The man did not move an inch. How did he touch her? 

"Then you shall die like all the rest of the weaklings!" 

It all happened so fast. The male dropped to his knees as the blood shot from his torso. Ichi stood behind him covered with his blood from head to toe. The look in her eyes, ready to kill all that stood in her way. No mercy. That was her first kill, but surely not her last.

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That was what I could recall from my nightmares. I see it every night. I wait for the day that I can finally forget it. When I die. But that's the thing... I do not think I can. I know I am different. That man, he did something to me. I remember eavesdropping on one of his conversations he was having with another man. Something about a virus that will create the perfect warrior, the perfect samurai. Why he would want to do something like this, I had no idea. It worried me. More and more of my friends that were like siblings, disappeared. Soon... it was just me. The place looked like an old dojo from the outside, but in the inside it was horrifying. There was a door that led to the room under the place where all the children slept and were experimented on. No one would suspect an old man in the middle of no where that was believed to be a monk that took in foster kids, was in fact a murder. He was a man that seeked power and chaos. He was sick. He raised us to know only what he told us. To believe that he was our father and that nothing else mattered. Sometimes he would kidnap teenagers and put us to the test, fight them to the death. Of course if we backed out, he would kill us both. We had no choice in the matter. Just thinking about it makes me sick to my stomach. But our "powers" were not fully unlocked he said. Powers? It made us sound like monsters. We were no longer human. When he experimented on us, sometimes it would go wrong. Some would die the moment the virus was put in. Many, so many kids... Gone. Suke and I have become inseparable. We spend every morning and every evening together just talking. I learned that she was taught many skills at a young age. Her mother wanted her to be a geisha, but she wanted to be a samurai. She envies me because I am in her eyes. But I have no master... and I have no sword. I'm no samurai. Of course Suke's father does not want us to be together. We sneak around and avoid anyone seeing us. But one servant knows about us. He goes by the name of Hugo. I thought it was a strange name for his sorts. He was a tall male, tan in fact. Came from somewhere else in the world. When I wasn't with Suke, I was with Hugo. He and I have become close friends as he was friends with Suke as well. His Japanese isn't that good so I teach him, and he teaches me his language. We were sitting by a pond filled with koi fish feeding them. He talks to me in broken Japanese about how he became a servant. His parents sold him off for a better living. Surprisingly he doesn't mind, he says it's better here than there. After we were done feeding the fish, we walked around the village. Looking for blind spots that guards weren't paroling. Suke has been locked away in her room. Learning things for a wife to be. It hurt. It really did. But what can a mere 5'5" female do with no sword?

...plan to elope. 

Night time. I was dressed in all black, blending in with the night and shadows. Many have gone to sleep already and some guards are slacking. It was a perfect night to run away. I slowly slipped out my door and peered around before closing it behind me. I was crouching, staying low to the ground. I rolled down the walkway trying to stay as quiet as I could be. There was one man with his arms crossed and looking out into the night. His mind was in another place before he noticed me with my hands around his mouth and neck. I gave him a choke hold and held it till he passed out, then to gently set him down on the floor. Suke's room. I stood up straight with my hand lingering over the handle to open it. Did I have second thoughts? I have only been thinking about myself this whole time. Perhaps she doesn't even want to leave this place. Where would we go? "Hello?" My eyes widened as I looked around to see if anyone was around and noticed me. No one. Maybe it was Suke? I finally opened the door and saw Suke sitting at a table with a scroll in hand, looking at me. "Hello." I said in return with a smile. Even though my face was covered, she knew it was me. She gave me a smile and bowed at me. I bowed back and quickly closed the door behind me. Sitting at her side, she wrapped her arms around me. "What are you doing? And wearing that too?" She asked me after releasing the hug. "I came for you. This is the perfect time to elope with me. You don't have to marry a stranger." I was frowning as I spoke to her.She said nothing and just smiled at me, reaching out to me and placing her hand on my cheek. Did she not want to run away from this place? She loved me, did she not? 

"Where would we go?" 

"But.. Are you willing to go with me?" 

We just stared at each other for a while. We were sitting right next to each other, knee to knee. Inches apart from our lips touching. Dear Suke, you make me do stupid things. I was lost in the moment, slowly leaning forward towards her lips. Suddenly the door slid open. My heart dropped into my stomach and did flips. I knew it wasn't Hugo, and I really didn't want to face them. My back was towards the door as I just stared at Suke's horrified face. She wasn't happy to see them either. You could almost feel the intense tension building up more as the silence remained. I slowly turned around and faced the one I feared to see. It was Suke's father, standing there with two katanas in each hand. "How dare you enter my daughter's room and at this late hour!" His voice was strict and made you stiff. He was looking over me and taking in the scene before him. "I've had enough of you. You've poisoned my daughter's mind, and that is unforgivable!" He yelled that last part as he threw a katana at me and he unsheathed his. I looked at him wide eyed and peered over my shoulder to view Suke's reaction. 

"Father! Please... This is my own fault." 

"Quiet!" He positioned his hands on the handle of the blade and got in stance. It reminded me of my nightmares. I quickly grabbed the katana and unsheathed it as well. Getting into a stance that mirrored his. All that I was taught, I was remembering. He stepped forward and lunged at me with the blade first. I side stepped and clashed my blade against his. The man stepped back with the katana at his side. "We shall go to the dojo for more room." He told me before motioning for me to go first. I nodded and walked on. But he tried a dirty trick. I was caught off guard. He got me across my back. "GAH!" I groaned as I dropped to the floor. Suke ran over to me and glared at her father with tears running down her face. "You monster! What a nasty trick you played! I expected better from you! A samurai following the Bushido way!" Suke yelled as loud as she could, not afraid to wake anyone. The male just stood there and watched as Suke tended to me. My kimono was falling off, and you could see my bandages. The father's eyes widened as he quickly grabbed ahold of my shoulder and yanked me to face him. He saw that my chest was bandaged, he now knew I was a female. I stared at him, ready to take my punishment that followed for fooling him. I took a deep breath. He walked up to me, and glared down into my eyes piercing my very lost soul. I shut my eyes closed tight, afraid to open them again. I could sense that he stood in front of me, kneeling down to face me. "Why?" 

Was all he said. He didn't harm me or do anything else towards me, but ask that simple word. I opened my eyes to meet his. "Why... what, sir?" 

"Why are you dressed as a male, and came to us injured?"

"Are you not mad?" 

"Mad? I'm conflicted to see that my daughter has fallen for you. But that isn't the problem here... Why must you live like this?" 

So I told him my story. All that I can remember from when I was little up to now. He just sat there and listened to it all nodding, but not saying a word. After I was done he stood up and walked away. Perhaps he will learn to accept us, and honor his daughter's choice. All I know is that, wherever Suke wishes to do or be, I will wish it too.