Sword of rain and Thunder.

[Tsukiko]

(Solo)

Mother told me a story.

It was a tale that began with an invincible warlord who ruled over Akashima in ancient times. He ruled with an iron fist and took everything from the peasants and those that he didn’t deem fit to have wealth. Even the nobles feared him since he would often take from them as well. Any crime would have gotten a person killed and even when part of his army turned against him he fought them all single handedly and killed them.

However the Kami also hated the man but would not risk an attack directly since he was a rival to one of them and they never worked together with the exception of the celestial bureaucracy and they never directly helped the mortals. But one Kami did want to take a stand. A little lightning cat had an idea and a clever one. He was one of the weakest Kami but he knew a way to defeat the warlord. He found an apprentice sword smith, a lanky young boy who spent all his days not working in the shop by failing at attracting girls. The lightning cat saw him gathering water for cooling steel and offered the apprentice a plan.

“You know that you are meant to be more than just a sword maker!” The lightning cat said.

“How do you know, cat? Cats don’t know much about anything.” The apprentice sword smith replied.

“Oh but I’m not an ordinary cat but a Kami. I know how you could be a hero. I see how the girls ignore you for a poet or warrior. But you could be a Hero and have any girl you choose.”

“Tell me cat, how then can I become a hero?”

“Defeat the warlord!”

“Defeat the warlord!?”

“Yes.”

“You’re kidding. How can a Kid like me defeat the warlord?”

“You need a sword greater than steel. And I know how to make such a sword.”

The cat gave his plan and led the lad to the tallest mountain. There the cat offended the Reiden of the greatest storm and made the god throw lightning bolts but the cat did not dodge but caught the bolts and gave them to the lad to make into a sword. It took a whole year to forge the lightning into a blade but he folded it enough so it was stronger than steel and had magical properties. With that blade he set off to the Warlords castle and fought an epic battle. The lad freed the land, killed the warlord and found the prettiest girl in the land to wed and he lived happily ever after until he died.

I know the story was short and I rushed the end. But that wasn’t the important part. It was that he made the sword. Why? Because I found the sword.

[Tsukiko]

The day I found the sword was on of those rainy days. You know the kind with gray sky as far as you can see and it’s like everything is in a shadow until lightning rips through the atmosphere. Most people hate them but for me, I’m fine as long as I have a place to retreat to. Before I left my mother, I loved those kinds of days since I could play in the rain until soaking wet and then run to the hot spring to warm up before drying myself off.

But I wasn’t home and could only find a tree to stay out of the rain. It was a small evergreen that I did not know the name of but I thanked the tree. It was nice to hear the pattering of rain and the drumbeat of thunder but I really couldn’t stay out in the rain for too long or I would get wet.

So after a while of hiding underneath a tree, I half walked and half ran along the muddy trail to the nearest town. I wasn’t going forward on my planned path but more to the side but thankfully I was in no rush to get to Yanbo Harbor as there always seemed to be a ship heading to Corone except in foul weather. So going to a small village with a small in would be far better than catching a cold.

I was soaked to bone before long but a clash of lightning stronger than any other hit the road before me and caused a tree to just explode into splinters. I ran forward at a quicker pace. I didn’t want to be the one hit by lightning and once I reached the place where the bolt hit, I saw the sword.

It was one of the most magnificent weapons I had seen from a distance. The blade was gray but seemed to light itself up with its own lightning bolts making it appear blue for a quick moment after moment. The blade was held by a lone man in a ragged kimono. I couldn’t say much about how he looked since the gloom of a stormy day made it a little harder and I was really mesmerized by his blade.

The man with the sword of lightning was facing three other men that were all holding swords of their own. The men seemed to have nicer kimono than the one but they didn’t carry legendary swords. It seemed like an even match.

Oh how did I wish to have a sword like that.

[Tsukiko]

The men faced each other; all of them wet but not caring. They only cared about what they were going to do. I knew it wasn’t going to end well; someone was going to die. I guess it was good that the men didn’t notice me, but I probably wouldn’t see them fight to their upmost potential.

Well to be honest the fight was too short. The ragged ronin charged forward at one of them men who blocked easily enough but the magic blade flashed and its victim shuddered and the magic sword made a following up strike that ended the one warrior. The two survivors were shocked at seeing their friend die so easy and so came at their enemy at the same time.

The man with the great blade was smiling as he blocked one and the other attacks both at the same time and with one blade. He was good and the attackers were dancing in spasms as the man made an attack that ended them both in one strike.

It was over and then the man stared strait at me with a smile that flashed in the lightning.

I was scared as he came at me with the speed of a great swordsman. Thankfully I was a quick girl and was able to jump back at just the right moment to avoid the blade. I could feel the sword’s power as it brushed by my face and my tails tingled. I brought out one of the twins and made an attack at the man. He parried and I wish he hadn’t as our blades met I could feel the power pulse through me and overwhelm my body. I was convulsing and had to pull back. My enemy’s blade was ready to end me quick by cutting my head off but I was able to duck.

I couldn’t beat this man. I was sure I was going to die. But then I ran away. He tried to attack me but I jumped over his slash and over his head and ran toward the village. I was glad he didn’t expect me to pull such a maneuver but it helped in losing him.

Though the village might not have been the best place to go. Surely he would come there for me and I was sure he didn’t want me to see that fight and so wanted me dead for witnessing it. So instead of the village, I went into the forest to escape the rain. This was going to be a cold night.

[Tsukiko]

I could hear the man with the magic sword make his pursuit. I fold my ears back in hopes to hear him better as he made his plop plop plop plop plop of running in the mud. It was not a good sound to hear but it was getting softer and softer.

I was getting away. I was able to bring myself to smile. That was a close one, I thought. Then there was another sound of steel spinning in the wind. He had thrown his blade at me. I jumped to the side and saw the flashing blade spin past and impale a tree.

I turned around and looked at the man. “Did you Just?” I was laughing as I looked at his cold features in the distance. Well, all I could tell was he had a cold face of a killer. I really couldn’t tell what color his eyes were and his hair was short and either brown or black.

Still, he was a stupid fool. I grinned wide as I went to the sword. I thought he would be more upset with such a stupid move. I was the one with the advantage! But then as I came close, I felt a tingling and herd a voice scream out: “Run!”

I jumped back as a lightning bolt hit the blade and I was knocked backwards and the man was quick to run up and grab the blade.

But I was also quick to run and we were back to the chase. My feet and shins were feeling wet and muddy and my wet kimono was quite heavy but the man didn’t try the trick again since I was not going to fall for it again.

But I was ready to put up my own trick. I turned to a large copse of trees to keep me out of view for a short while. I jumped up into the trees and made an image of me run along. He followed the image and I transformed into a bird and flew toward town. But before then I landed on a tree to rest.

But then there was an orange tabby cat with luminous green eyes. He seemed to be smiling in a cat’s way. Great I was now prey for some feline. But I squawked and jumped to a higher branch and transformed to my normal form and smiled at the cat and expected it to run.

The cat didn’t run but seemed to laugh. “So that’s how you got away, little fox.”

Yes the cat talked.

[Tsukiko]

To be honest a talking cat shouldn’t be weird to me. I guess it wasn’t but it still was annoying. The cat could have been concerned for me or at least not condescending. The way it spoke to me was more calling me a coward than anything and after barely escaping with my life, I wasn’t happy with the treatment.

“Yeah that’s how.” I answered with my eyes rolling upwards and the cat replied with a simple “oh . . . ” But then I was looking into the cat’s eyes. “So why were you watching me?” I asked not really liking the idea that someone was watching my cowardice.

“Yeah,” the cat answered.

“So why would you do that kind of thing?”

“Because I’m the guardian of the sword.”

I drew a blade and held it naked. “So you’re Spying for him?” I waited. Why would he be so honest about being a spy?

“No. I’m just not too happy with his use of the sword.”

I sighed and looked at the cat again, sitting on the branch instead of crouching on it. With my feet dangling over and being more comfortable, I still felt strange about the cat.

“I’m sorry, miss. I didn’t meant o be rude. Actually I was impressed how you escaped. It took some strong endurance and speed to get away like that. In fact maybe you could take the sword from him.”

My ears perked up. “He almost killed me. Unless you know where he sleeps then I doubt I could take it.” Thankfully the rain cooled my head but I really thought the cat was crazy.

“But if you don’t than who will?”

“I don’t know. But I’m too tired and wet to go swing a sword around. I’m going to town and then I’ll think about it.” I said though I was probably planning on saying no and getting far away.

“Alight I’m coming with you.” If cats could smile, I bet he would be. There was a bad feeling I was going to face that man again.