When the peonies bloom.

Early Autumn - Part 1

Early Autumn

A slim figure cladded in an oversized men's kimono wandered the bustling streets of the late evening. The city had come alight with the soft glow of lanterns. Eateries started filling up with hungry stomachs to fill out. Though some clearly had already let the sake reach their heads. Some people eyed the strange figure, clearly a vagabond some thought, others couldn't care less about the scum on the street. The figure walked with a purpose, a purpose of drifting from city to city. But one person and his few friends, those who had let the sake go to the head decided to taunt the stranger.

"Hey you."

The person kept walking she as if their noises didn't reach her ear.

"I know you heard me you... Oii you the one whose stolen her man's clothes and is running away."

But the figure did not steal her man's clothes, though she did steal some man's clothes.

The figure shrugged and slowed her pace to see if they'd keep taunting.

She passed a store front with many women posing outside, waving sensually at men passing by.

"Hey handsome, wanna have a great night. Oh." Even the ladies of pleasure were taken slightly aback by a feminine face atop a masculine attire.

Suddenly she felt a strong grab on her shoulder.

The figure jolted and spun aside, feet parted. Both hands on her sheathed sword.

"Wow look at that one would ya, she's a feisty one." The tallest one laughed.

The figure wasn't feisty, it was just trained response. Her mind went "Uh oh... " when she realised the trio came to a halt a few metres metres away from her

"You know women shouldn't be playing with their husband's swords either." The leader of the group said with a certain smugness, pointing his sheathed sword at her face.

"Looks like we are gonna have some fun hey, someone's gonna lose their wife tonight. Who ever gets her down first gets to fuck her hey hey!" Another one pipped in the back.

The shortest of them and probably the drunkest of the lads raced towards her. She narrowed her eyes and her sword slid out with a metallic ring. Just as the drunk's grubby hands were about to grab her shoulders, her feet drifted across the worn stone path and lunged with a slash.

"You.... killed my friend. I'm gonna smash ya, you bitch."

The second of the men rushed at her blade high above his head, shouting his battle cry.

His downwards blow was easily dodged, just as his drunkenly weak blows were easily parried. The figure danced around him a flurry of quick steps dealing a final blow to chest.

The third and final one was left. He gripped his sword tightly.

In a flash of a moment he came charging down the dusty path.

Unfortunately this final guy was not drunk at all, and looked rather troublesome to deal with.

His strong blows brought his sword a hairs length away from her face at times. The ladies of pleasure screamed and scattered. A mistimed dodge, saw his sword tear through her sleeve like scissors to fabric. It dawned on her then, her lucky stars weren't enough to save her from this showdown.

The figure quickly back stepped to clear way between herself and this formidable opponent. She did not want to see Lord Yama this evening. Not one bit.

Instinctively she backstepped one foot after another, three backsteps plunged her into the world of the brothel's dim corridor. The noren curtains parted welcoming her in. For a brief moment the curtain stilled. She somewhat hoped the man had turned away.