“… and that’s when you and the rest of the tribe showed up saving us from that man.” Fuyuko finished explaining everything that had happened since she had last seen her mother.
At first, her mother was acting strangely around Kojirou, not being as defensive as she usually is around strangers. Instead, she was more indifferent, as if she were judging him. Now after learning how he had put himself in harm's way to protect her, willingly taking on the three assailants and even saving her from that sneak attack, her mother seemed to at least show some concern for him, if not treat him more… warmly.
She silently glided across the ice of their home towards the secluded section of the cave where a small fire was created to keep Kojirou warm as he was enveloped in a fur blanket, looking like what people would describe as a caterpillar. One of the first things they did was get Kojirou’s arm set into a sling with two pieces of wood to keep it straight to ensure it heals properly. His body would get to work fixing his arm as his body healed the damage.
“Fuyuko, when your friend recovers, he must leave.” Her mother said without looking back at her as she came and leaned down to check on him, not wanting to leave Kojirou’s side since the attack. She tensed up, not understanding.
“Why?”
Her mother looked over her shoulder, seeming satisfied with Kojirou’s state. “Because he is dangerous and you nearly died because of it. He will bring trouble to our doorstep, and it is the last thing our tribe needs. We are already in a precarious situation with the rulers of this land currently allowing us to exist here as is. Those people were after Kojirou. Or to be more precise, they seek this.”
Her mother's hand held a part of that strange band Kojirou always has on him that can be easily seen at any time. She thought she had taken it off of him when she was helping treat his wounds, and what she couldn’t help with, she sat back and watched, hoping to learn something from it.
“What’s so special about it? Why would anyone want to kill over something so insignificant?”
Her mother shook her head and walked back to the main part of the cave. She took a seat on the chair her father had managed to get her a long time ago. It had quickly become one of Mother's most treasured things he had brought to her. A large ornate chair with leather cushions and pillows draped across it with various animal pelts.
Memories surface of her reading her stories and things that existed in other far lands and nations that she had hoped to one day see and maybe make some friends with while they sat on it. As Yuki-onna, they don’t have children often, and Fuyuko, being the youngest, didn’t have anyone to play with growing up.
“I have only heard rumors, as has the rest of the tribe. There are two types of headbands. The one Kojirou has is unique, though oddly enough it has been sighted in other nations across the world. The other one, on the other hand, is far more numerous, with it being hard to tell just how many there truly are. But the prize for acquiring it from him is if they hold the second one and defeat him, they will be granted a wish.”
Her mother trails off, staring at her with gentle eyes filled with motherly love. Fuyuko doesn’t know how to respond to that. Her first reaction is to deny it and help Kojirou by letting him stay here for the foreseeable future, but after thinking it through, she realized how dangerous that would be.
“Now you see why I am going to have to send him away. I don’t want to. Don’t ever think I do this because I do not care for the young man. Despite putting you in danger, he was willing to put his life on the line for you. But if he stays here, he will endanger all of us. As soon as he wakes up he must leave.” Her mother's tone was filled with steel, as Fuyuko knew from her early childhood that tone is when her mother will not budge on something no matter what you try to say or do.
“I understand, Mother…" Fuyuko is saddened at losing the first real friend she has had in her life, but she doesn’t begrudge her mother or the clan for this decision. It’s something that Fuyuko's mother was always thankful for -- her daughter to be far more understanding of things than she had been when she was her age back in the Land of Snow.
It wouldn’t have changed anything, especially with how she disagreed with her mother and relatives on how things were run back in their homeland, but it would have prevented the ill will and resentment of both sides had she been more understanding and willing to remain silent on touchy subjects. The follies of youth, as they say.
Both women glanced over when a groan could be heard in the room and the sight of the ronin beginning to stir.
…
A pained groan left my dry and chapped lips. The darkness of sleep faded away when the light poured in through the windows that were my eyes. The sight of what looked like the ceiling of a cave with odd blue crystals made from ice. They glowed slightly, illuminating the surroundings.
“Kojirou!” Fuyuko's voice came from my side before her face came into view with a relieved smile. She looked worried, but it eased away as I gave her a small smile.
“Thank you for helping me, Fuyuko. I promise I will repay you for both helping me and for endangering you. Those people-”
A finger pressed against my lips as she silenced me. “I know. Mother explained why they were after you.”
My smile faded a little, and Fuyuko's happiness wasn't as bright as it was before when I woke up. However, her reasoning is not the same as to why I am not happy hearing that information. The revelation her mother was aware of what was happening in the world was not a good sign.
It told me that the knowledge is becoming more common as it looks like it’s spreading farther and faster than I had anticipated. It’s not a good sign that it has spread so much that a group of Yuki-onna in a lesser nation out in the boonies are somehow aware of the headbands. If they are aware of it, then it’s safe to say the heavy hitters in this world are also aware of it.
“I’m sorry for not telling you…” I apologized to her as she leaned down to hug me. I bring my only usable hand up, as the other, I note, is in a sling. The hand comes out of the blankets and animal furs, noting the extreme cold inside of the cave even with the crackle of fire next to me before wrapping my arm around the small of her back.
We stayed like this for a moment before someone cleared their throat, making Fuyuko quickly let go of me before gesturing towards the woman who I had seen before passing out.
“Kojirou, this is my mother Rei Shimo. Mother, this is my friend Kojirou Sasaki.” She says with her hand gesturing to her and me as her mother gently smiled at the two of us, not even bothered by the odd emphasis Fuyuko put on the word friend.
Her mother's voice is soft and gentle like snow on Christmas night yet hard and cutting like the ice of a glacier, “A pleasure to meet you, Kojirou.” She said with a soft smile, her eyes creasing kindly.
“It is nice to meet you as well, Shimo. I cannot apologize enough for Fuyuko getting dragged into that conflict.” I say, rising out of the covers as Fuyuko fussed over me, trying and failing to get me to lie back down.
“Apology accepted, and I am grateful that you were not using my daughter for less than nefarious reasons. As nice as it is to meet someone that is a friend of my daughter, I must ask you to leave. Your things will be at the entrance to our home, and I, along with Fuyuko, will escort you out. Will you have any issues?” Her question was asked in such an innocent way. The words sounded sweet as she tilted her head to one side and closed her eyes while smiling at me.
But I can tell what she is telling me. Do I object and refuse to leave her land, and if so, we have a problem. One that she can and will fix.
Simply shaking my head, “No issues on my end besides the broken arm. Thank you both for your hospitality and kindness despite the problems I had brought upon you. I cannot apologize enough to you and Fuyuko.” Taking the rest of the blankets off, shivering slightly before standing and wincing, feeling the bruises that had been accumulated in that fight.
Not as bad as I had believed it would be, but bad enough, with each step jostling my body, and the bruises made themselves known with what felt like pulses of electricity running across it. Pushing on, Fuyuko had a noticeable blush on her face. The upper part of my kimono and clothes had been removed, leaving my bare chest on display.
Huh, never realized I had a six-pack. Always wanted to get one but never had the means to do the necessary diet and to stick with it. Besides the six-pack, my body was slim, but the muscles stand out that much more. Not built like a weight lifter or bodybuilder but more like a professional swimmer or runner with my physique.
If it weren't for the situation and how screwed I was getting dropped in this mess of a world, then I would be preening that a pretty girl found me attractive.
Fuyuko stared at me with red on her otherwise white cheeks as I got my clothes sorted out, which is far more difficult than I would have liked with the bandages and splint keeping my arm straightened out so I don’t move it. After an embarrassing amount of time trying to get everything on, Fuyuko finally stopped staring at my glorious muscular pecs and helped me get it on, albeit with my arm sticking out.
I kind of like it like that. Makes me look like Auron from Kingdom Hearts II. Cool and badass if I do say so myself! The only downside is I have a broken arm, and any future fights will be far more difficult.
The newly acquired sword is still missing half of the blade, courtesy of whatever lightsaber bullcrap that guy had done, and as bad as it is, it could be worse. At least it was usable for me. I just needed to figure out how to run energy along the length of the blade to complete it.
Fuyuko and her mother led me out of the cave that was their home in what was revealed to be a vast underground complex of caves that had a bone-chilling cold permeating the entire place. I struggled to stay warm even with the clothes taken from Itohime’s den.
Speaking of those clothes, there are numerous cuts and nicks all across them with blood stains along the holes of some of them. As we walked along the tunnels, many Yuki-onna could be seen watching me. Far more than I was expecting at around four dozen. Possibly more since they were the only ones I had seen, and like Fuyuko and Shimo, they have an unnatural allure and beauty to them.
They kept their distance, only watching. Before long we reached a long tunnel that had light coming out of it that wasn’t the soft glow of the ice inside of the cave. Feeling the warmer air of the Land of Frost making itself known, which I never thought I would say, but life has a way of surprising us all.
Coming to a stop in front of the cave that was well hidden. If I hadn’t walked out of it, it would have seamlessly blended in with the dark rocks and white frost and snow.
Turning back to say my goodbyes only to have a white form barrel into me with cold arms wrapping around me. Fuyuko hugged the life out of me with surprising strength, making me wince when several injuries protested. My sole arm gently wrapped around her despite being caught off guard. She mumbled something into my chest.
“What was that?”
“I don’t want you to leave. I know you have to, but I wish you didn’t.” She said, pulling her face away from my chest.
“Unfortunately, I must. What little time we had together was enjoyable Fuyuko. Who knows, we may meet again sometime in the future.” I respond with a soft smile.
She perked up at that as her mother frowned slightly. “Yeah… Goodbye, Kojirou. Thanks for everything you did for me and the advice you gave. I promise to meet you again in the future!” She said with a sad, pained tone as I turned to leave, giving a nod to her mother, who just nodded back at me before walking away with what supplies I had left.
It wasn’t long before I found myself back near the sight of that battle. The trench in the snow is long gone under snow that helped hide what happened, but the many toppled trees and the numerous branches littering the ground are the only indication of a fight. Stopping by one spot in particular, I saw what looked like an improvised shrine with a necklace adorned with beads hung from a branch placed into the ground.
My hardened resolve faltered as I fell to my knees and emptied my stomach, retching across the snow, the image of that boy and my blade cutting through his throat. After what felt like an eternity, the image of the boy's fear and pain in his eyes before I granted him a small mercy and swiftly brought his life to an end haunts me before I get myself under control.
Shakily getting up with a hand braced against a tree. My breathing slowed down and became calmer, and my shaking limbs stopped. They soon became as sturdy as steel. Wiping away what tears had managed to escape and using some snow to wipe my mouth clean, I quickly left the area, not wishing to be reminded of what happened and what I had to do.
Even if it was in self-defense, that doesn’t change what I felt currently. “Give it time and it will become easier. As much as it may have pained you to do this, it was either you and your friend or them.”
The wise words of Kojirou greeted me as he took form while I remained silent. His words helped me further calm down and get control of myself. Hopefully it never does become easier.
“As much as you may dislike it, it will only help you in the future. As nice as that dream and goal you had was, it was only a matter of time before reality broke it to pieces and made you face what you would have to do. If what you have shown me is any indication of what the people that live in this world can do, and that was before the revelations that followed, then you cannot afford to hold back. Better to learn this now than too late.”
I remained silent as Kojriou stayed by my side, listing off the things I had done right in that fight and what I had done wrong. Not just to help me improve but to help distract me away from any thoughts on the image of the boy that will not leave me alone.
…
Fuyuko had a heavy heart seeing her first real friend walk away after the incredibly short time she got to know him. Sure, his presence put her in danger, but she could care less about that. She had finally found someone who wasn’t a Yuki-onna who had accepted her for who she was. A hand gently rested on her shoulder.
She rushed into the embrace of her mother hugging her. She hugged her back, rubbing circles on her back to help soothe the loss of her friend. No. Not a loss. She will keep that promise and one day meet him again. Whether that is a month from now or even years, she will keep that promise.
“I know it was no small task for you to say goodbye when your friend is not fully recovered. But I am grateful, Fuyuko, that you understood why he must leave.” Her mother’s voice was laced with sympathy. Her tone was quiet, her arm hooked around hers, leading her back into their tribe's home.
“I can tell you wish to meet him again, don’t you?”
“Yes. I promised I would…” Fuyuko trailed off, lost in thought, knowing she was going to try to follow him. She tried to think of everything needed before she would chase after Kojirou.
Her mother's fingers were under her chin, making her look her in the face as they came to a stop. Her mother kneeled to be at eye level with Fuyuko. She had a bad feeling as to why her mother was doing this.
"Fuyuko, you are not going after that man immediately after he just left.” Fuyuko frowned as she moved to speak, not understanding how her mother knew what she intended to do, but her mother placed her hand in a shushing gesture before continuing, “You will be spending that time training with me. If you wish to see the world and the nations in it, then you need to be strong enough that I am satisfied you will return home alive.”
Fuyuko, feeling anger in her chest, was about to argue with her mother before she digested what she had just been told. “… so I just need to train with you and get strong enough so I can leave and go with Kojirou?”
Her mother hums mewling it over before giving a response. “Not exactly. As I said, Kojirou is dangerous for you to even be near him. Even if you got far stronger than I expected you to be, you would only endanger yourself and him. You experienced that when you couldn’t help him in that fight besides trying to flee after he had done most of the fighting. You cannot go near him.”
“But Mom!"
“No buts.” Her tone was that of absolute authority, and she will not budge on this.
“Your father will be coming back in a few months. In that time you will be training with me to get to an acceptable level so I know you will not die on me. Your father, when he comes back, has agreed to take you with him if I think you are ready. As a trader, you will get your chance to see the wider world.”
Fuyuko fumed at being denied the chance to go with Kojirou, but at the same time, a part of her was ecstatic at the chance to finally see the world beyond this land. It still felt hollow with Kojirou having to run for his life with that curse placed upon him.
But she doesn’t argue with her mother, knowing better and deep down knowing she was right about her being a liability. If she weren't so weak, she could have at least taken the two that were keeping her from helping Kojirou. A strange feeling blossoms inside of her every time she thought back to Kojirou fighting against those three at the same time, and despite the wounds he received, he looked beautiful.
Like something out of those few samurai stories that mother would read on the chair to get her to fall asleep.
“I don’t want you to think I am trying to keep you here forever, Fuyuko. And believe it or not, I do like Kojirou, considering despite being a wandering ronin, he was willing to let you be near him and was as kind to you as he was. Do you understand?” She asked with both hands placed on her shoulders.
“I do.” She said in response after a tense moment had passed.
…
Time went by as I trained and continued on my journey, and thankfully, no more attacks came when I crossed over the border into the Land of Lightning.
For a land renowned for its mountains, it wasn’t as hard as I had originally believed it would be to get into the land and navigate the terrain even with a broken arm. When I entered the Land of Lightnings' border, I expected it to be how I imagined the state of New York. When I was a kid, I had pictured it to be nothing but one giant city that spanned the entirety of the state's land.
Instead, I just get one big city that is a horrible place to live in. In this case, I expected nothing but mountains. It didn’t disappoint me like New York did. At the edge of the country were plains stretching out across the edges of the nation, with the occasional small forest.
The world and its countries were far bigger than I had originally believed them to be. The Land of Frost took a bit longer trying to get to the border even with ki enhancing me well beyond what chakra could do.
Despite the outer edge of the Land of Lightning being the smaller portion of it and the mountains in the distance that stretched on with foreboding dark clouds hovering over them seemingly perpetually, the plains were deceptively vast.
The occasional farm for whatever food they could grow around here is spotted amongst the land, with a small village accompanying each one, with quite a few near one another on the edges of the nation.
One farmer I had asked directions from and how far it was to the mountains, and his words made me go speechless. The mountains, despite the dozens upon dozens of miles I had traversed, had not seemingly gotten any closer. The farmer told me that I was about halfway to them.
The Land of Lightning was one of the bigger nations. From entering the border, I had traversed roughly three hundred miles, as an estimate. I had about four hundred more to go just to reach the mountains from the edge of the country. What the fuck… Well, at least if anyone tried to find me, they would have a hard time in this country.
Knowing those monks and others managed to find me when I attempted my original plan, I could only hope Senjumaru’s advice wouldn’t steer me wrong.