Two Days After the Events of Piercing the Shroud
Kusanagi Sword School
Aohara Compound.
It was an almost surreal location. Located deep within the concrete jungle of high-tech and futuristic skyscrapers and other buildings, laid a massive compound that took up almost three blocks along each side. It was out of place, out of time, the traditional Japanese house stood against time, and had become a testament to the past.
The past of the Kusanagi Sword School.
One of the most ancient sword styles founded by Kusanagi-no-Mikoto over 2,000 years ago, It has been dubbed throughout history as the ‘Supreme Swordsmanship’, unparalleled in combat.
It didn’t feel like it was long since Okuni had left the moon to go to earth, but nonetheless, she had grown homesick and wished to return. Luckily her wish was granted thanks to Sir Boucher, and the aristocracy.
Amaterasu was scheduled to be delivered later in the day, but Okuni proceeded ahead to arrive beforehand.
The compound was surrounded by white walls roughly three meters high, save for the wooden doors at the front of the complex. Within the walls was a massive garden that took up much of the property space. It was a typical Japanese-style garden, complete with wooden bridges, koi ponds, and enclosed spaces surrounded by nature itself. It was quite the opposite of what one would normally find within a city, but it was the standard of the clan.
Okuni entered the courtyard garden ever so gracefully, taking each step with dignity and confidence.
“Ane-ue!”
A shouting voice could be heard from across the garden that ever so broke the serene silence of the zen of nature. Running across the bridge with the ever so distinct sound of geta running of wood, was a young girl with long white hair dressed in a rather short-skirted hakama and a detached-sleeves kosode.
“Hikari…”
Okuni made a somewhat troubled expression as she saw her sister run up to her in her rather… nontraditional clothes, and took a sigh.
Hikari ran up to Okuni and leaped into her arms, clinging onto her in a massive hug. Chests pressed against each other and were smushed together, Hikari lovingly rubbed herself against Okuni.
“I missed you soooo much~!!”
“Hey… Hey, you’re too close, too close…!”
Okuni tried to pry Hikari off her, but it seemed that her love would be the victor today.
“Okuni, you’ve returned.”
Soon after, from the same direction, Mifune Aohara, the current head of the Aohara clan, slowly walked from the building and across the bridge. He looked to me in his mid 70s, yet even under his Kimono, one could easily recognize the sheer amount of muscle he still had on him.
“Oji-ue, I have returned.”
“Albeit earlier than expected, welcome home.”
“Ane-ue! You have to tell me all about earth! How was Japan?!”
“Hikari, that can wait until later, I have important things to talk about with Okuni.”
Mifune talked sternly to Hikari, like a parent to a child. Well, it was a parent to a child, as Mifune was Hikari’s father.
Although Mifune was Okuni’s uncle, after Okuni’s parents died, Mifune took Okuni in as his own daughter, and as she was older than Hikari, she became the older sister of Hikari.
“As do I, Oji-ue.”
“Oh, rather decisive, aren’t we? Well, I guess I should at least expect that much from the new head of the Aohara clan.”
“You honor me, Oji-ue, but you are still the head.”
“In name only, young one. This dusty set of bones is far beyond the point of usefulness.”
“You’re too humble.”
Mifune gave a soft laugh.
“Maybe so...”
…
The Aohara Estate was as Japanese as one could traditionally get. Tatami mat floors, wooden sliding doors, and an overall lack of any modern-day furniture. Like a scene taken out of the era-old Taiga Dramas, The aesthetic values of zen and the overall air of wabi-sabi allowed those entering the compound to step into a completely different world.
But for Okuni? It was home for her. She and her Uncle entered the main hall of the estate, where Mifune took a seat at the head ‘chair’ of the room, while Okuni sat in seiza in the middle of the room facing him.
Mifune grabbed his Kiseru that was on the small table next to him, and lit it, taking a long inhale of the tobacco.
“So, I can assume you have reasoning for your sudden return, no?”
His voice grew stern and solemn, as business started to get underway.
“Yes, Oji-ue. A messenger from Luna informed me of the rising tensions of the government and nobles. Even the potential for a civil war to break out.”
Mifune took another breath with the Kiseru.
“I heard even Enfield betrayed the Queen and is now a rebel.”
“Enfield you say.”
“Regardless, I was approached by Sir Boucher of House Ashford, asking which side we would be joining.”
“Hmm…”
Mifune paused for a moment, taking the time to think.
“As I’m sure you’re aware, the Aohara Clan has always remained neutral when it comes to the affairs of the Nobles and Royalty. As such, I would say we shouldn’t need stress ourselves over this situation.”
“I may be rude, but wouldn’t our indifference end up making us a target for both the Nobility and Royalty then? Both sides would seek to have our aid, and if not peaceful offers, they would soon come with threats.”
“Then we are to simply cut down those who seek to bring us harm.”
“Were it a matter of taking them on on foot, I would agree with you, Oji-ue; however, when both sides outnumber us in mobile weapons, our demise would be all but guaranteed.”
“...”
Mifune paused for a moment longer, before taking a sigh.
“...Very well. So, what did you tell Sir Boucher?”
“I told him we would ally ourselves with the Nobles.”
“So Gekokujo, eh?”
“The Nobles would provide us with the tools to aid them, including Mobile Weapons for our use.”
“Tell me, what did you think of Sir Boucher?”
“75 points. He has potential to become a great knight, but lacks the experience of ‘true’ combat. His lofty ideals of a ‘Knight’s Chivalry’ perhaps inhibit his growth.”
“...”
Mifune paused for a moment with a serious look on his face. Until he broke out in laughter and slapped his knee.
“As a person, Okuni. Is he your type?”
“...Don’t say such foolish things when I’m being serious here, Oji-ue.”
Okuni frowned.
“Sorry, sorry. You’re just sometimes too serious, you know that?”
“I simply am who I am.”
Mifune sighed. Perhaps he would need to wait a while longer to see his Niece marry.
“So what of Enfield?”
“If I meet him on the battlefield, I will duel him. I must know his reasoning for betraying his liege. It is something unforgivable.”
Mifune scratched his chin and smiled.
“Very well then. In that case, Okuni Aohara, from this day onward, I’m appointing you as the head of the Aohara clan. From now on you will be guiding us to the future.”
“O-Oji-ue…!”
“Relax, if it's you, I can rest easy.”
Kusanagi Sword School
Aohara Compound.
It was an almost surreal location. Located deep within the concrete jungle of high-tech and futuristic skyscrapers and other buildings, laid a massive compound that took up almost three blocks along each side. It was out of place, out of time, the traditional Japanese house stood against time, and had become a testament to the past.
The past of the Kusanagi Sword School.
One of the most ancient sword styles founded by Kusanagi-no-Mikoto over 2,000 years ago, It has been dubbed throughout history as the ‘Supreme Swordsmanship’, unparalleled in combat.
It didn’t feel like it was long since Okuni had left the moon to go to earth, but nonetheless, she had grown homesick and wished to return. Luckily her wish was granted thanks to Sir Boucher, and the aristocracy.
Amaterasu was scheduled to be delivered later in the day, but Okuni proceeded ahead to arrive beforehand.
The compound was surrounded by white walls roughly three meters high, save for the wooden doors at the front of the complex. Within the walls was a massive garden that took up much of the property space. It was a typical Japanese-style garden, complete with wooden bridges, koi ponds, and enclosed spaces surrounded by nature itself. It was quite the opposite of what one would normally find within a city, but it was the standard of the clan.
Okuni entered the courtyard garden ever so gracefully, taking each step with dignity and confidence.
“Ane-ue!”
A shouting voice could be heard from across the garden that ever so broke the serene silence of the zen of nature. Running across the bridge with the ever so distinct sound of geta running of wood, was a young girl with long white hair dressed in a rather short-skirted hakama and a detached-sleeves kosode.
“Hikari…”
Okuni made a somewhat troubled expression as she saw her sister run up to her in her rather… nontraditional clothes, and took a sigh.
Hikari ran up to Okuni and leaped into her arms, clinging onto her in a massive hug. Chests pressed against each other and were smushed together, Hikari lovingly rubbed herself against Okuni.
“I missed you soooo much~!!”
“Hey… Hey, you’re too close, too close…!”
Okuni tried to pry Hikari off her, but it seemed that her love would be the victor today.
“Okuni, you’ve returned.”
Soon after, from the same direction, Mifune Aohara, the current head of the Aohara clan, slowly walked from the building and across the bridge. He looked to me in his mid 70s, yet even under his Kimono, one could easily recognize the sheer amount of muscle he still had on him.
“Oji-ue, I have returned.”
“Albeit earlier than expected, welcome home.”
“Ane-ue! You have to tell me all about earth! How was Japan?!”
“Hikari, that can wait until later, I have important things to talk about with Okuni.”
Mifune talked sternly to Hikari, like a parent to a child. Well, it was a parent to a child, as Mifune was Hikari’s father.
Although Mifune was Okuni’s uncle, after Okuni’s parents died, Mifune took Okuni in as his own daughter, and as she was older than Hikari, she became the older sister of Hikari.
“As do I, Oji-ue.”
“Oh, rather decisive, aren’t we? Well, I guess I should at least expect that much from the new head of the Aohara clan.”
“You honor me, Oji-ue, but you are still the head.”
“In name only, young one. This dusty set of bones is far beyond the point of usefulness.”
“You’re too humble.”
Mifune gave a soft laugh.
“Maybe so...”
…
The Aohara Estate was as Japanese as one could traditionally get. Tatami mat floors, wooden sliding doors, and an overall lack of any modern-day furniture. Like a scene taken out of the era-old Taiga Dramas, The aesthetic values of zen and the overall air of wabi-sabi allowed those entering the compound to step into a completely different world.
But for Okuni? It was home for her. She and her Uncle entered the main hall of the estate, where Mifune took a seat at the head ‘chair’ of the room, while Okuni sat in seiza in the middle of the room facing him.
Mifune grabbed his Kiseru that was on the small table next to him, and lit it, taking a long inhale of the tobacco.
“So, I can assume you have reasoning for your sudden return, no?”
His voice grew stern and solemn, as business started to get underway.
“Yes, Oji-ue. A messenger from Luna informed me of the rising tensions of the government and nobles. Even the potential for a civil war to break out.”
Mifune took another breath with the Kiseru.
“I heard even Enfield betrayed the Queen and is now a rebel.”
“Enfield you say.”
“Regardless, I was approached by Sir Boucher of House Ashford, asking which side we would be joining.”
“Hmm…”
Mifune paused for a moment, taking the time to think.
“As I’m sure you’re aware, the Aohara Clan has always remained neutral when it comes to the affairs of the Nobles and Royalty. As such, I would say we shouldn’t need stress ourselves over this situation.”
“I may be rude, but wouldn’t our indifference end up making us a target for both the Nobility and Royalty then? Both sides would seek to have our aid, and if not peaceful offers, they would soon come with threats.”
“Then we are to simply cut down those who seek to bring us harm.”
“Were it a matter of taking them on on foot, I would agree with you, Oji-ue; however, when both sides outnumber us in mobile weapons, our demise would be all but guaranteed.”
“...”
Mifune paused for a moment longer, before taking a sigh.
“...Very well. So, what did you tell Sir Boucher?”
“I told him we would ally ourselves with the Nobles.”
“So Gekokujo, eh?”
“The Nobles would provide us with the tools to aid them, including Mobile Weapons for our use.”
“Tell me, what did you think of Sir Boucher?”
“75 points. He has potential to become a great knight, but lacks the experience of ‘true’ combat. His lofty ideals of a ‘Knight’s Chivalry’ perhaps inhibit his growth.”
“...”
Mifune paused for a moment with a serious look on his face. Until he broke out in laughter and slapped his knee.
“As a person, Okuni. Is he your type?”
“...Don’t say such foolish things when I’m being serious here, Oji-ue.”
Okuni frowned.
“Sorry, sorry. You’re just sometimes too serious, you know that?”
“I simply am who I am.”
Mifune sighed. Perhaps he would need to wait a while longer to see his Niece marry.
“So what of Enfield?”
“If I meet him on the battlefield, I will duel him. I must know his reasoning for betraying his liege. It is something unforgivable.”
Mifune scratched his chin and smiled.
“Very well then. In that case, Okuni Aohara, from this day onward, I’m appointing you as the head of the Aohara clan. From now on you will be guiding us to the future.”
“O-Oji-ue…!”
“Relax, if it's you, I can rest easy.”