Sayuri slammed her pencil on the desk, her last piece of homework finished, and bolted out of her room. She rushed into the living room, where the clicking of metal buckles and the sound of leather rubbing against leather emanated. The sight that met her eyes was the sight she had seen almost every evening since she was eight: her older brothers gearing up for battle.
Well, technically, night patrol.
But the way they prepared, the way they dressed themselves in another personality, the mesmerizing way in which they became black warriors amazed her. Her heart longed to join them on the streets, longed to become one with the night, but they wouldn't let her.
Sayuri sat down, watching her brothers sheath their weapons into place. They continued prepping, not giving her a second glance, accustomed to her curious gaze. The sparkle in her eyes whenever they got ready never went out, even after all these years.
Shiro looked at her with a smidget of sympathy, wishing he could train his sister, but he knew the rules. He knew the code. Once Kenichi put his mask over the lower half of his face, Shiro spoke to Sayuri before the boys headed out.
"Good night, Sayuri, we'll see you at first light."
"Shiro..." Sayuri spoke softly, knowing what his answer would be, but unable to keep from trying. She met his gaze with big eyes, "Can't I learn just a few moves?"
The boys sighed. The younger ones looked at the eldest. Shiro closed his eyes, "You know what the code says, Sayuri."
"I don't want to be a ninja, just...just teach me some self-defense moves! So I can defend myself!"
"You have us for that, Sayuri." Tadashi answered.
"Is someone bugging you at school, sis?" Kenichi asked.
Sayuri looked down at the bamboo mat beneath her, "I just want to learn."
"You don't need to learn any of this!" Tadashi barked.
"You are a lady, Sayuri, your education lies elsewhere, not on the battlefield." Shiro added gently.
A long pause of silence followed his words. Sayuri knew it was stupid to ask in the first place, that another piece of her dream would be chipped away, but she couldn't help herself. The house is lonely at night, and too still. If she doesn't get out soon, she'll do something crazy, something that might bring dishonor on her family...
Shiro sighed, "Father will be back a few hours before us, make sure his medicine is ready."
Sayuri nodded, and listened as her brother's soft footsteps disappeared into the outside world. She stood and walked into the kitchen and put the water to boil.
Why isn't she allowed to learn even a single move?
She grabbed the packet of dried leaves from the cupboard.
Is it really just because she's a girl? She can't help her gender! Do they think her weak?
She tossed the leaves into the boiling water.
She'll prove herself to them, somehow, in some way. It doesn't matter what she has to do.
The teapot began to scream, and she removed it from the stove and filled a small cup with the brown liquid and covered it. Hopefully it'll still be warm when her father arrives.
Sayuri suddenly heard the sound of light rain pattering outside. She walked towards the front door and watched the droplets race down the glass. She gazed out onto the dark, inviting street. Without giving it a second thought, she grabbed her leather jacket off the coat rack and pulled it on. She'll show them, she'll show them all.
Swinging the door open, she stepped out into the darkness, lighting it up.
