neisuinene

[neisuinene]

In Your Dreams Tonight - Chapter 10– Servant Life

Prologue 1  Prologue 2 Prologue 3

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6  Chapter 7 Chapter 8  Chapter 9

       Neisui’s character Nene’s life at Li clan started. The story progressed with small and simple missions. Her first mission or lesson at the clan was to learn how to fight with sword, the style that is used by the head, Li Naotora herself. Of course, before she was given permission to even touch a sword, she was taught how to stand or how to move her body in a fight. How should she use her knees, her waist, her whole body for turning, imagining there’s an imaginary opponent. Once that is mastered, she is then given a wooden stick as supposed sword and was taught how to swing it, combining all the moves she learned. After a few days she was then given a real sword for her to use. The sword is plain and simple, but it’s good enough, for a ten-year-old.

       Besides sword practicing, Nene also took on the chores of castle. She sometimes clean, she sometimes sews, she sometimes got the privileges of learning reading and writing, but most of her times, are spent with Toramatsu. She is like his servant, a babysitter, and his teacher. She was like his shadow, as her most important mission, is to serve Toramatsu. As the years progressed, Toramatsu is now ten-year-old and she fifteen. Though Toramatsu was still shorter than her, his strength can now match up to hers and the skills of fighting, is nothing like a child. Even his look…Nene thinks he is growing too fast. Something about his looks tell her that he is no longer a child. Ad he already has an air of maturity about him. Or should she say, intimidating

       Through the years Nene had got used with the castle, with Toramatsu and other servants or generals. But there was always something that don’t feel right. Perhaps because she knows, somewhere in her heart, one day she would have to leave. Her staying here was because of Toramatsu let her so. He let her live. But there would be a day he would leave for that man, Tokugawa Ieyasu.

One day came when Toramatsu was sent out on a mission, alone. Nene does not know what was the mission about, but she found it weird. Usually she would accompany him on the missions, considering he is still a kid, and something just doesn’t feel right about this. Nene was just thinking about this while practicing her sword in the courtyard when she was summoned.

“Nene,” the maid Umeko came and called her, “Lady is asking for your presence, in the great hall.”

The Lady, Li Naotora has called for her? Nene stopped her sword movements and put it in its sheath. Without speaking a word, she followed Umeko to the great hall. Only a step by the entrance, she could see that not only Lady Naotora was there, but all her subjects were there as well, forming two lines, one by each of her side. Naotora was sitting in the middle. Their eyes met.

“Umeko,” Naotora spoke, “you may leave us now.” She did not bother to look at the person she was speaking to, her eyes were only on her, on Nene. Umeko nodded and left, leaving Nene still standing at the entrance. “Nene,” Naotora spoke again.

Nene walked inside and stopped at the edge of line, where the others stood at both sides. She bowed, “you called for me, milady?

Naotora nodded. “I believe you might have figured out why you were called.”

“I may have?” Nene replied. “I have some gut feelings there is something your lady would like to speak to me about, without Little Lord Toramatsu knowing, so you have sent him on a mission, away for a purpose. But I could not figure out anything more than that.

“You know one day Toramatsu will succeed my place and be the head of the clan. As his last family member,” she paused, “I need him to be ready. Right now he is not ready yet, he may be smart and good with his skills, but his current state does not fit as the next head of clan.”

“But milady, Little Lord is still a child!?”

“A child may be, but at the current state he needs to grow up more. He listens to you, as you were his nanny, his teacher. But he needs to learn to start making his own decisions and not rely on you, on a woman, on a stranger.”

A stranger? Is that what she thinks of her? Is that what they think of her?  “But I’m not…” Nene opened her mouth to speak, only to be silenced.

       Lady Naotora took the tea cup from her table and brought to her lips for a sip, then gently swirl it in circular motion. “I know what you want to say Nene, that you have served us and you are no stranger?” Nene nodded. “but you must know, your life was only spared and kept because of Toramatsu. We have let you stay not only because we trusted you, but because Toramatsu trusted you. However,” she paused, we do think you have way too much influence on Toramatsu, and that is not a good thing. And your past, the way you acted on the battlefield when we found you. You were too mature, too quiet, too calm. You did not look like you just experienced from a battle, or from losing your father. You were like you were there for a purpose, perhaps a spy. A child spy in wishing of gaining information, gaining trust.”

       “Milady, I could swear that I…”

       “Even if you were innocent, or unknown of the plan, or simply being used, we cannot keep you any longer. In fact, your so called “died father” is now here in the castle, looking for you, wanting to take you home.”

       “My father?” isn’t her father already dead, at the beginning of the story mode?

       “Your father brought with him a drawing of his late wife, she resembles you, or rather, you resemble her. It is without doubt she is your mother.” Li Naotora continued, “I can’t say what has brought you here on that day, in that kind of place, or what does your family or any force he was joined has anything to do with Li clan issues. But the fact that he is now here, you have to leave. Forget your life here Nene, for it may make your path easier. Even with all the doubts we have of you, you are easy to like. And I sincerely hope we do not cross roads one day.”

@akanojikan @dorianhellfire @rose-of-yonezawa @shirokazekikagami @thesassyscribbler @my-funandgames

[neisuinene]

In Your Dreams Tonight - Chapter 9 – The Name

Prologue 1  Prologue 2 Prologue 3

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6  Chapter 7  Chapter 8

      Neisui waited for a while for the plot to progress, since her character Nene is the only one left in the scene, and the plot seems to be has come to be a stopping point, yet she knows she is still at story mode. She has been waiting all this time while deep in her thoughts, nothing changed. Finally, she walked her character Nene toward her bedding and clicked, a notice showed up in the middle of the screen. What was her story mode scene has now became the background.

       Congratulations. You have now finished stage one of the story. Your character is now level two. You may now play this character as you like, but you may only do missions that we assign to you. This is the only way this character can level up. Please feel free to explore this place and learn and familiar with these people. Whatever you gain from here might come to be handy to you one day. Use this as guide as how to progress the story, then you will soon be out of story mode until the next story comes.

      You may now sign in your other character and start your journey. But remember, please come back often and there are things and times only this story progress for the main story as a whole to progress as a whole.

      Signing out of her character Nene, Neisui sighed at her screen, her characters page. On the left it shows her Nene character. Because this is the first day she plays the game, she never noticed this Nene is without a last name, instead it is displayed as ???. Where she comes from, who are her family, and even her father…she supposed it has be one of the deads she saw on the battlefield, based on the conversation between the characters, her father has to be one of them, or how else would she, a child like her be on battlefield in the first place. But this character, she knows no information, except her name. The name that is one of her own when she registered for the game, the name the game chose for her due to her slow reaction.

      On the right, it shows a blank character, but this character has a name, Neisui. And her last name…she moves the cursor to its field, and beside it shows please choose a surname for your character. Please note any distinguish names will be unavailable. What does it mean by distinguish names? Neisui wonders. Something like Takeda, Date, Nobunaga and such? And how much importance is what surname one choose, will it affect the character they play?

       And she still bugged by the last sentence of the notice she just saw, what does it mean for the story to progress as a whole? Does it mean whatever happens to her Nene will also affect her another character? Or, also the other players?

But why? Nene is no more than a maid, a servant, and a nanny. Even if she serves Li clan, Li Toramatsu will one day serve Ieyasu. So why is it so important how she plays? Based on what she just googled, Toramatsu’s servant never played part in documented history. So why???

       She hesitated for a moment, checked the time on her phone, 10:00, and dialed Kan.

       Ring ring ring…

      “Hello, moshi moshi?” the other end answered, “Nei what is it?”

      “…What is it?” Neisui answered, “Kan, you are so called. I called you and you said what is it? Can’t I simply dialed you up for a chat?”

      “Of course you can, but something tells me something is bothering you. If you simply wanna chat, I’m all open too, but you called yet you remained silence until I talked. Come on Nei, I know you more than you think. So tell me.”

      She knows, she really knows her. “Hey Kan, have you started on the game yet? Tell me your name and I will add you.”

      “Yea I started,” her friend replied, “the name is Akane. What is yours? I’ve tried to add you by guessing your character name. Based on from what you have told me, you are in for some kind of beta testing or surveying, so your name has to be at least one of the characters. I have tried both Nene and Neisui, but I couldn’t reach you. Have you started yet? Or perhaps you put some symbols or numbers in the end?”

      “So the names can’t be repeated?”

      “No it can’t, at least I don’t think. I do see a few of similar names but just different spellings or with other characters at the end to make it unique. Though we are asked for a surname when we register characters but I can’t see the surnames of other characters. I’m not sure why was it asked in the first place or what its function is. Do you think they plotting something?”

      Plotting? Neisui hesitated and gave a silence. Possibly, looking from the way of its description, seems like surnames do somehow play a role in the game. But what? And how? Unless the character becomes a really big figure in the game, or has their own importance, the surname doesn’t really matters much right? So why did she call her friend if it shouldn’t have bugged her? “So what surname did you choose?” she finally broke the silence.

      “Tenoh. Tenoh is the surname I am using in the game. I choose this name because I like this character Uranus from Sailor Moon. If you want you can choose this one too, or just think of a character you like for your surname, or use your own too.”

      “I see, I will think some more to it. I have two character, and you are right, one is Neisui and one is Nene. I have not started on my Neisui yet, so maybe that’s why you couldn’t reach me earlier. Do add my Nene. I have already logged out of the game but I should be able to see you tomorrow in class and game. I might not be where you are at but we could start by chatting.

      “Will do Nei,” Kan answered after a yawn, “I’m feeling a bit sleepy, we will talk more tomorrow. I’m dying to hear of your gaming experience, what is it like to have a special character. Bye for now.”

      “Bye.” Neisui hung up the phone and stared at it for a while then back to her character screen. She did this a several times and typed a few letters but then only to backspace again.

      “Neisui,” Koichi’s voice sounded from outside the door, “Neisui come out, Ai is here. She wants to see you.”

      Ai is here? Wait, what is she here at this hour? She is the ex of this man and this man just let her appear come in so late unannounced? And what is she here seeing her for? About her moving in? But what has to be this hour for the visit or the talk? Neisui sighed, her watch now reads 10:30 pm. She opened the door, and found her cousin, Nia and Ai sitting on the couch in living room. On the TV screen it displays News. Voltage Inc. is on the news, talking about this new game that just launched today.

      “Neisui,” Koichi started, “come take a sit and let’s talk.” He waited her to be seated before continued, “I want to talk about some rules while your stay in Ai’s house during this period, however long it may be. You are to be on your best behavior, and though you are helping out in her restaurant, make sure you still keep up your studies…and,” he reached his pocked and took out a name card, it was the same name card that she got when she went on the school field trip to Kyoto, the name card of the person who registered her for the game.

      “I know you will be on the game, knowing your hobbies and such,” he coughed, fake coughed a little, “we have decided, we will be on the game too during our free time. You are to add us as your friends and we will also monitor your behavior online. I have asked Ai and Nia to help me to watch you. We might not be living under same roof, but we are still family.”

      Neisui opened her mouth, only then to quickly closed under their glares. Seriously??!!! She won’t mind if they just want to play along with her online but she does not want to be watched even in gaming. Before she could protest, Ai has already held her hands, smiling brightly.

      “Neisui, since we will be under the same roof, using the surname in the game could also make things easier, don’t ya think?” My character is Ai Ai. You should use Ai too, it would suit you!

      “Why?”

      “Oh we happened to overhear your phone conversation just now, and since your character names are your own, having Ai as a surname totally matches. Just think, your names are either Nene or Neisui, then the abbreviation of your name would be N/A N/A, not applicable, isn’t that cool? You see, your cousin Koichi wants you to be out of trouble and just to keep an eye out for you,” she laughed hard when she finished speaking

      Somebody please make this woman stop…her name is not the laughing matter, even if it were for jokes only. Besides, Ai means love.  It will contradict itself.  Besides, their names are still in Japanese, unless you write them out in the English pronunciation forms, her names would never be N/A Not Applicable ever!

@akanojikan @dorianhellfire @rose-of-yonezawa @shirokazekikagami @thesassyscribbler @my-funandgames

[neisuinene]

In Your Dreams Tonight - Chapter 8 –Li Naochika

Prologue 1  Prologue 2 Prologue 3

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6  Chapter 7

      Who is she? Nene or Neisui?

      Before Neisui could respond, the colour of options faded. It timed out. The option that the system has chosen for her, was Nene.

      She saw her character in the game replied, “Nene…my name is Nene.”

      Umeko looked at her, deep in thought, or she must be, for she just looked at her character with a thoughtful look. “Very well Nene,” Umeko nodded and formed a smile, “I see you must be still fatigue and body weak from the cold weather.  We are not sure of where you are coming from, but we trust you, for now. The courtyard outside your window will be your training place. You will not only serve Lord Toramatsu and his mother, but also work here as a maid and…I believe Lady Naotora, the head of the clan, will explain more to you in the morning. Please do not forget that, you owe your life to Lord Toramatsu, to the Li Clan.”

      Her character Nene simply nodded, “…”

      Another long silence occurred. What is going on? Why isn’t her character saying anything, or Umeko, or Toramatsu. The scene in the game stops, the characters were simply looking at each other. Neisui not sure how much time have passed, till she sees the lady that she met on the battle field, the lady who gave orders and made decisions, the lady called Naotora, came in.

      Then a messenger box on her screen popped up, it shows the name Li Naotora (GM) has just sent her a message. (Seta Neisui Nene, it is your turn to speak. Please type in the dialogue box.)

      So now she can start saying her own words, not the lines that were planned by the GMs as in reading a story mode? Though “Please type in the dialogue box” sounds a little…like she is too dumb to answer. So this NPC, the head of Li Clan is one of the GM? But what should she say?

      She started exploring her screen, found the body movement options button and nodded again, “Of course, I understand. My life is in your debt.” She typed, but for some reason she hesitated to click enter, if she is now only around ten-years-of-age, should she speak in this mature way, should she be this calm, or should she be still shocked from what happened out there…for whatever has happened that is none existent to her knowledge. She backspaced and entered “Yes, milady, thank…thank you for having me.”

      (Took you long enough to answer what is your name, and took you long enough to type a single sentence.) Li Naotora’s private message sent through messenger box.

      (Well I retyped, I have to think like a little girl, aren’t I?   After all, if my character’s parents served Toramatsu’s parents before, then what had just happened was also a shock too her, for her might very well also lost her parents.) Neisui replied box in the private chat. And though she did admit she wasn’t expecting her name would be a timed question, she was shocked by the choices given before she could decide.  Though if her answer was Neisui, would the story be any different?

      Li Naotora didn’t reply back to the private message, but she nodded to her. “I am a woman, but I am also the head of clan. As you can see, this clan does not have any male successors, Toramatsu’s father was my dear cousin. We were very close. But what happened tonight…” she shook her head, paused, “since we do not have much males, we need every power we could get, for the clan. Everyone here will have responsibility for their own life, no matter what your position is. Since your age is closest to Toramatsu, you will act as his maid, his nanny, his playmate, and eventually become his own page as he grows older. Until then, it is also your responsibility to protect Lord Toramatsu. Understood?”

      Nene nods, “Yes.”

      Li Naotora, “very well, I will leave things here in Umeko’s hands. I will see you at dawn,” turning to Toramatsu, “Toramatsu, come with me. Let us go see your mother. It is about time she comes to too.” She took Toramatsu’s hand and together they left. Left Umeko and her alone.

      “Well then,” Umeko started, “I will go bring something light for you to eat. Tomorrow morning you will be preparing your own breakfast, before your training starts. You need all your energy. I will be back in just a moment, you take some more rest.” She bowed and left the room.

      Now Nene is really all alone in the room, finally she could do some thinking, about Toramatsu, about Li clan.

Neisui sitting in front of her computer, eyes staring to the screen in front of her, then finally decided to log off and exit the game.  She wants to be more prepared on how her character Nene will start her first day at Li Clan.  Already she has too much information and emotions she need to digest. The head of clan, Li Naotora is a cousin of Toramatsu’s father, so that makes her kind of aunt to Toramatsu. The blood-line may not be that close as it’s not direct relation, but she is all he’s left, next to his mother whom she has yet to meet.

Li Naotora is also a GM in the game, so surely she knows what has happened to Nene’s character, of Nene’s past before the story line started, but…that does not mean she was going to tell her any information. Whatever Nene said about her past earlier were nothing but her own assumptions. Li Naotora did not deny, nor did she acknowledge.

 She now wished that she has do some research about Li Naomasa’s father before she started the game. Googling Li Naomasa…so his father was Li Naochika, cousin to Li Naotora, served Imagawa clan, for clan has been defeated by Imagawa…was planned he and Naotora would be married due to no male heir to the clan but fled to Shinao…later on executed by Imagawa Ujizane. Googling both Naochika and Naotora side by side, one said Naochika was slandered by one of Imagawa’s retainers and another said Naochika started a rebellion that failed so he fled…Which one of it is the truth? Did Naochika really started a rebellion or someone just made false statements to get him out of the way?

There was no war between Li Clan and the other clan, at least not the war Neisui has initially thought. Could she assume now Li clan because of Li Naochika’s death, Li Naotora was actually the one started rebellion against Imagawa who was their lord, or…how much did Li Naotora actually know in history? What was the truth?

So even though she may just be a daughter of a samurai who know Toramatsu’s parents, doesn’t mean she can be trusted. Her life was only saved because of Toramatsu. This might be a decision made together by the GMs in the game, for the story to move on, but if were not Toramatsu, her life at Li clan will surely be different.  After all, recalling from game guidelines earlier, a NPC’s trust or any kinds of affections need to earn by players themselves.

Neisui rubbing her temple, quietly sighed. What a start, what a night. Why is her life in the game so complex already??? And tomorrow…another sigh, she will think about tomorrow tomorrow, what she needs now is a cup of chamomile tea and a good night sleep.

Perhaps she can talk to Kan, to Kiyonori, or to Toramatsu tomorrow, perhaps they know something.

@asktoramatsu @rose-of-yonezawa @nitroforcepower @shirokazekikagami @dorianhellfire

[neisuinene]

In Your Dreams Tonight - Chapter 7 –Who is She?

Prologue 1  Prologue 2 Prologue 3

  Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6

Neisui’s character is now inside the castle, laying unconscious on the floor. The lady samurai, the head of the clan is in the room with her, along with the one that rode her back, and few other maids.

Neisui not sure if it is her imagination, slowly she feels the cold in the air. That is weird, she didn’t feel anything earlier even thought she was outside laying on the snow, not even when the wind was blowing, but here now inside the room she feels the temperature drop? Is it because she was unconscious and now she is beginning to gain some consciousness? Recalling from her experience from long ago, and from some books and TV or even in games, the characters who are unconscious sometimes can still sense the outside world, yet they just don’t wake up until much later. Perhaps the body is not well enough yet, or perhaps it might have to do with something that body automatically rejects. So what was her case? As a player playing that character, she saw what she saw, what she heard, and how she had felt in their conversation earlier, but how should she react?

Her character moved her eyebrow, made a small noise, then spoke a name, that was so soft it was under her breath, almost like a whisper. “Tora…toramatsu…”

Watching this, Neisui, who just happened to drink some tea at that time as it happened, she almost slipped the liquid out. What is this? Why does her character mention Toramatsu all of a sudden? Though the GM did ask her to name one of her favorite samurais and she gave that name because of her dream, but she never thought Toramatsu would be the first word she said in the game. And what of this place? Does she no fear the relationship of Toramatsu and people of this clan?

“My Lady,” the man samurai cried excitingly, “the girl spoke of Little Lord’s name! Surely she is not the enemy! I mean,” he looked at her and then to the Lady, “she is just a little thing and she spoke of his name! Perhaps she is of his servant? Or know him personally?”

The Lady was silent for a while, “still, whispering the name does not mean anything…”

“But my Lady,” this time was one of the older maids that spoke, “the girl is still half unconscious, as she only spoke the name before became silent again, but surely our Little Lord must mean something to her, something important for her to whisper his name even at this state!”

“She might be the spy and whispering his name simply means of remembering her mission,” the Lady replied coldly.

Neisui really want to give a crap to that Lady now, how could she doubt her so? She does not think spies or lords would recite the names of their enemies in their sleep, or at least they would be grinding their teeth doing so, not like, so soft and…gentle like hers.

“But doesn’t matter, I will let our Toramatsu to decide her fate. I would like to trust this girl is innocent and no other intentions, but I still have doubts on her. And how she knows of his child name that only few people know. After all, he is called Li Naomasa to others.” The Lady sat down and looked closely to Neisui’s character’s face. “Umeko, please go get Toramatsu for me. See if he recognizes the girl.”

A little while after the young maid Umeko left the room, she came back with a little boy, no more than three years old, and bowed to the Lady. “Mi Lady, I have brought him.”

This little boy, this toddler is Toramatsu??!! Neisui was feeling happy that she could see her favorite samurai so soon, she learned that he would be young, but not THIS young. He still looks like he needs a nanny to take care of him. Though his face…so Toramatsu was the one she saw earlier, was that the review flashback of what had happened before the story starts?

“Toramatsu, come,” the Lady smiled at him gently, gesturing him to go to her. “Do you know this girl? Is she one of the daughters of the servants who served your father or mother? Or perhaps a daughter of some nanny or retainer?”

Toramatsu studied Neisui’s character for some time without any words, the tension slowly goes up in the room. Neisui could see the faces of these people became tense as the silence went on. Come on Toramatsu, my life is depending on you!!!

Toramatsu slowly shook his head, “I apologize auntie, I don’t think I recall.” Neisui’s heart sank. “But where do you find her auntie? I’m so young so I’m not sure if I can remember all the faces, but if the girl knows me, perhaps her family served my parents. Where did you find her auntie?”

“In the woods, in the ground, on the battle field.”

“Then that is more reason that we keep her with us, her father must be already dead. It would be so hard for her if she were to left alone.”

“But what if she were actually the daughter of the enemy who killed your parents and destroyed the clan that your father served?” she questioned him.

“But she is just a girl, although she is older than me. It wouldn’t be fair if we put the blame or punish her for what had happened. If she is one of us, then great. If not,” he paused, “then we can make her ours.  I don’t know where my and mother’s servants are, but I know many dead or left behind just to protect us. Perhaps this girl was one of them. I want to keep her auntie. She can help serving mother as well.”

“Very well,” she nodded, “we will keep her. From now on she will serve you and your mother, and as well as a maid to the clan. I will personally see she gets some training done. The life you jus gave her, she will need to pay you back.” Toramatsu kept silence. “I will teach her some fighting, so that she can protect you when time comes. Servants at Li Clan is no coward. Everyone will need to able to fight and protect themselves to a degree, even if just to keep alive.” She stood up, had one last look at her. “See that she is prepared by tomorrow dawn,” then left the room.

Then the screen became black for a moment, then the colours came back. The scene did not change, though only her character was left in the room and now much darker. Has the night arrived? She was now all by herself. Slowly, she opened her eyes, her eyes adjusted to darkness, she tilted her head a little to look around the room.

The moon hangs by the window, slowly she stood up and walked to the window, from the window she could see a courtyard, a huge tree was in the middle.

“So you are awake,” a young female’s voice suddenly cut in, it was bright and cheerful. Neisui’s character turned around, the one that spoke was Umeko, Little Toramatsu was with her, holding her hand. Umeko smiled, “good, I was starting to get a little worried as you didn’t seem to wake up earlier. And your life was pretty much saved by our little Lord here. Starting tomorrow you will start serving as a maid to the clan, but as well serve him, Toramatsu.” Toramatsu was expressionless, but Neisui knew he was looking at her. “Surely you do know him girl,” Umeko continued, “you whispered his name when you were unconscious after all.”

So she really did, she still couldn’t figure out why her character spoke his name, was that planned by the story so that the she would be saved and story could go on?

      “What’s your name?” Umeko asked. Then suddenly two options appeared on the screen.

One was Nene, the other was Neisui.

      Why are these options here? Is this reason why she didn’t see the name or character creation page before she entered the game? Seta Neisui Nene is her full name, though Nene was the name only her family would use, and mostly her relatives would call her Neisui as she grows older, but why these two selections as per game? In the description of her character it did tell her to think who she wants to be carefully, is this what it meant? One character is Nene, the other Neisui.

      But, who is she now? Nene or Neisui?

@asktoramatsu @akanojikan @rose-of-yonezawa @nitroforcepower @shirokazekikagami @thesassyscribbler @my-funandgames

[neisuinene]

In Your Dreams Tonight - Chapter 6 –Prelude

Prologue 1  Prologue 2 Prologue 3

  Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 7

Do you still remember…that dream?

Do you still remember…me?

The background shows cherry blossoms, when the wind breeze brushes by, it dances with it, with the bright blue sky that is almost dome-like.

The whole view was beautiful and serene, even if it is just an opening screen of the game, the character could feel as if they were actually there. The light scent of the blossoms, the amazing view that is no less than any well-known cherry blossoms viewing sights in Japan. It is all peaceful and quiet, and you, were only one there. Until, these words suddenly appear on the screen, along with the speech that came with it.

?!! Neisui was sitting at her laptop, surprised when the sudden words came out of nowhere, even more so when she heard own voice speaking those words. The helmet has recorded their voice at point of registration, but if they are good enough just to take the voice sample of them and put them into speech inside the game, that is another thing.

What is this game? Why so sad already? She did read the description at opening of the game, just a page before this one, stating that because this game is unique and story would be based on how the players and npcs play it, there would be no opening video of what had happened, that would leave for the players to find out. Instead, it gave a few of samurai quotes that appeared in Samurai Love Ballad game, and some Neisui had no recollection of seeing before. But that did not matter, the game will figure it out somehow.

Until she saw these two quotes, who is that addressed to? Was that really her voice she heard? Yet it sounds so far away and almost out of the world. Was that the player’s voice or she was just imagining that? What happened if the player were a guy, what would he have heard?

But there was no chance for her to think more, for the next lines have already appeared on the screen.

Killing is what I do best. I kill to protect, yet I have lost them both.

Whose line is this? The middle part, she knows Oda Nobunaga has said similar thing, but was that really his line, who are them?

I do not wish us to be enemies or apart, but as a samurai, I must fulfill my duty. Please forget me, and live a peaceful life. If one day I must kill you…

Then the cherry blossoms fade, instead a video showing vast mountains and sea, the castle to prosperous town appears, on the sky it shows another line.

When she and rest of nation stands before you, what will you choose?

Please let us enter this world together, use your hands, use your whole to protect whatever and whoever you wish to protect.

Are you ready to protect your future?

The game has not even yet started, though Neisui is already feeling lots of pressure and mixed emotions of this game. What she just saw, is it the same for every player, or only for those who are wearing special helmets? The GM said they going to a test on her and survey her data. Her move will be examined very closely by them. But what will have they in store for her? Where will she start? But wait, she has not even logged in yet.

Nervously, she entered her account information and logged in, the next screen looks pretty normal, explaining guidelines for every player and even more so if you happened to be a lord or a special character in the game.

Dear Neisui Nene Seta,

By using this helmet you have agreed to our gaming terms of use and conditions. In this game, you will be a daughter of a samurai, we are looking for what will you do with your status and title. Since you are doing this character as a test, we here congratulates you to have a second character of your own choice. This character will have no background, you will be free to make her into whoever you wish her to be. However, just to get you started, please think very carefully of who you gonna be. We will be entering your test character into a hidden story line, what happens there though may not affect your other character directly, but, do think and act carefully.

Please click “NEXT” to enter storyline.

So unlike other players who are only to have one character per helmet and since each helmet is registered, each person could only have one helmet as well. So by having a second character, is impossible. Unless, that person may be the NPC or GM, right? But if the game already told her this character she is forced to play first now is a daughter of the samurai, then what does “think very carefully who you gonna be” means? Isn’t that already decided?

Clicked “NEXT.”

A video starts with images middle-aged samurai being killed, with his hoarse almost shouting voice shouted “AHH!!!” Then the image changed to a woman cried in despair, and a grave of someone stood lonely in the field. Then an image of a young child appeared, crying. The child was so young that he was just a toddler even, with the sadness and fear and anger in his eyes. He had just witnessed his father’s death.

Then an old woman appeared with a tree branch as walking stick. She sighed. “It is fate, what a poor child.”

What was that she just saw? Who was that man, that child, and that old woman? Being killed is nothing new at that era, but did that child really witness his father’s death? How? She could only see someone killed that man, but couldn’t see who did it. If it were happened on the battle field, why did that young child have a chance to witness the scene? Or if he hasn’t, where did that fear in the eyes came from?

The video has ended. Neisui now finds herself, her character wearing a simple white kimono, no, perhaps the word very worn white cloth would be more appropriate to describe her now. Her character is lying in the snow, unconscious. Around her were few bodies of soldiers. The wind is blowing hard in the background, everything else was quiet. Where is she? Is she on the battle field? The woman on the ground, that is…her, right? Then, she heard voices speaking and footsteps, and it gradually became louder.

“General, the war has ended now. We have taken the lady and her young son into the castle, will you see them later?” a man’s voice was speaking.

“Of course,” to Neisui’s surprise, it was a woman who answered. “My dear brother has just lost his life in war and left behind his wife and his young son, there is no one else who can take care of them now. How is she holding up?”

“Barely I suppose. She looks calm now but the tears have yet to dry from her eyes, and young master…he…” the man’s voice stopped, then a pair of feet appeared in Neisui’s view beside her unconscious body. It’s them, the ones that were talking. Neisui’s heartbeat grew faster, what are they gonna do, this kind of anticipation kills her. She for now could only watch as the scene plays in front of her. Her character is still unconscious, yet the tense is near.

“Hmph,” the woman gave a laugh, “looks like we have a company here. What is a youngling doing here? Surely she is not one of them?”

“I don’t suppose so, she looks much to young to be fighting. I mean, by her height, I would say she is no more than a ten-year-old.”

What? Ten-year-old? Her character is that young??? When the GM says they want to see what a daughter of a samurai, perhaps of a dead samurai would do, she never guessed her character they set for her would be this young. Her character’s face is not facing her, and an arm half-blocking, so she couldn’t see nor guess how she would be.

One of them bent down, it was a woman in red armor. She put a finger to Neisui’s character’s nose, then onto her wrist. “She is weak, but still alive. We will take her with us.” Just as Neisui was thinking how kind hearted the woman was, her voice came again, only this time colder, “then we will question her. Friend or foe.”

“But milady, she is only a child!” the other soldier protested.                                                                                                                                                                                

“She may be a child, but don’t you think her appearing on battlefield is just too strange? Or who would be stupid enough to bring their daughter onto battlefield, only to be killed? It is a miracle enough hat she is not dead, but until we can be sure of her identity, or at least where she is coming from, we cannot be at ease.”

“But…”

“I may be a woman, and do not think I would feel sorry if this child has last her parents, just like him.  But what if she is sent by the enemy, to gather our information and leak them out? I am the head of clan, I must protect my people.” Woman stood up, “you take her to the guest room, have a maid and a nurse with her, check if any wounds. Once she is awake, inform me.” The woman walked away, Neisui saw her character is being picked up by the man beside her.

The other man gave a quiet sigh, “what a poor child. Who knows what is in store for you? Now I’m not sure if it were better if you dead or alive. Sometimes death is just so much easier, or sometimes you would wish you were dead.” He picked her up and walked to his horse and rode under the grey sky. The wind is still blowing, and the other only sound left, was the horse that carries them to their destination, wherever that is.

Neisui watched the scene plays in front of her. She could do nothing but watch, and to ponder what will happen next. “What a start,” she sighed.                                                                    

@asktoramatsu @rose-of-yonezawa @nitroforcepower @akanojikan @thesassyscribbler @my-funandgames @shirokazekikagami

[neisuinene]

In Your Dreams Tonight - Chapter 5 – Samurai

Prologue 1  Prologue 2 Prologue 3

  Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 6

RING RING!! RING RING!!

Neisui’s phone rang, the name display was Kan. Smiling, she picked up the phone. “Hello Kan? What’s up?”

“Don’t you what’s up me Nei!” Kan spoke so loudly and excitingly on the other line, it was so loud Neisui put the phone further from her ears. “So what happened with you and Toramatsu? You left so sudden without even the proper goodbye? Ok the athletic sword-fighting girl feels sick and went to hospital from a little head bump to the wall? Come on Nei you gotta give me better than that!”

Giggles. “I knew I couldn’t hide it from your eyes Kan, but I was in sort of the situation there. All the people in the restaurant, even those passing by on the streets were looking at me as if I did something so crazy…I gotta dig a hole and hide myself somehow. I’m a girl you know!”

“Yea…though I don’t think gender is the issue here about bumping your own head against the wall purposely because of some fortune telling. But whatever, at least it worked for you. Even I’m amazed.”

“Mhmm,” Neisui replied, then started talking again after brief silence. “Kan, that is not the only reason you called right?”

“Of course not, I did ask you what’s with you and Toramatsu now? Don’t forget the school rule just started, and… you ask Aoi about your barging in her place?”

“I called her after I got home, agreed, but I have to work for her two days after school, and one of the weekend days. I will also be doing cooking dinner and responsible for my own other meals, and help on house chores as well.  Koichi was going to pay Aoi some money but she refused. It is between me and her.“

There was a silence on the other end. “…”

“I guess your cousin Koichi really trust her huh?” she replied, there was a swing of her emotion as the tone of her voice changed, “whatever you do, just be careful. I don’t want my friend get suspension just because of this, or of Sensei Taishi, or Toramatsu.”

“I know, thank you.”

“Of course, we are friends.” Neisui hearing this, she smiled, a sense of relief reached her. God knows how her heart was beating as she was waiting for her friend’s answer earlier, though Kan already told her that she would be on her side no matter what happens, but still hearing that, know that she truly cares for her, warms her heart.

Neisui is not from a family of samurai, she’s not even sure how the term samurai is defined. A person who carries sword and fight, a person of noble, or fighting for justice? To her, samurai is more like definition of soul, you believe what you believe in and you fight for it, though your definition of peace may not be what people in general would think. Her great great great grand-father is one of Choshu clan, the one that fought against the Shinsengumi, the evil side at those days. Though their values and beliefs are different, their ultimate goal is the same, the peace for people. Yet, not everyone approves of Choshu clan. And her ancestor, was only a follower of Ryoma. Her ancestor, quit fighting and opened a soba noodle shop a year after the death of his dearest friend, Takasugi Shinsuke.

She clearly remembered how some classmates talked behind her back, about her background, about her ancestor, so she tried her best to beat them at school academics and her own talents. Still, those talks don’t just stop. She doesn’t mind if her classmates prefer Shinsengumi over the others but that time, or even at in warring states, the world is just not divided between good and bad lords or samurais. Some may be more praised than others but she believes the soul of true samurai, even if were enemies, would still be praised and looked upon. And her ancestor only quit because it was all over, they have already fulfilled their purpose, so they moved on with life. Just that her ancestor decided to quit fighting as part of clan or an army and opened a noodle shop didn’t make him any less than them.

“Nei? Neisui? Are you still there?” Kan’s voice came from the phone, “why the sudden silence?”

Hearing her friend’s voice, Neisui came back to the real world from her thoughts, though somehow earlier Kan’s voice, if there was any, sounded so far away. “Nothing, just thinking about things. About my background, and about being a samurai.”

“I see,” was her friend’s answer, “well though I don’t blame you, you had a rough start at our school, even rougher than the boys I would say. But why all of a sudden? Hey you just reminded me, remember when we were on the field trip and we saw samurai exhibition along with Voltage Inc releasing a new online game, Samurai Ballad? So unlike Samurai Love Ballad, this is an online fighting/rpg game where you create your own character, male or female and you are supposed to experience living in that era? And one of the persons there after eavesdropped though accidently learn that your samurai background, and saw you did a few moves with your sword that he decided to gave you the special helmet for the game? I actually just bought myself one, we should definitely play this together, it sounds like a whole lot of fun!”

Kan sounded very exciting about this, probably more than Neisui herself though she was the one getting the special helmet. How could she forgot that day of exhibition, the person who gave it to her told her to do some moves with her sword while wearing that helmet to register her moves into the game. According to them, this is something new and not yet tested, they want to know besides regular leveling of fighting or by mastering those skills from NPCs and etcs, how one born or already have those skills would do and live the life?

“Miss Seta,” that Voltage Inc man said, “with this helmet, we are curious how would you make your life out there. Unlike most players, and especially girls, where they going to start are pretty much in villages until they have chosen their path to serve one of the Lords NPCs as his lady, maid, or perhaps a page even a retainer. Or they may choose the life of regular villager or such. We want to know what will you do with skills you already have, and perhaps how your choices will be made. Call it a survey of data if you like, we wish to acquire more of this information to better build and develop the game later on. The Lords and retainers may be NPCs, but each of them are also played by players like you that we recruited and tested. In other words, each NPC is very human like. And though they may be NPCs, they could not know who are the players of other NPCs unless they reveal that secrets themselves, though we wish to keep them private for better gaming experience. The only ones who will know players’ identities are the GMs, they might be anyone, any regular person you may come across one day in the game. Of course, you will not know they are GMs unless it’s necessary. For gaming support, we have other kind of GMs deal with bugs and issues of the game. So what do you say?”

“Kan, you heard what the guy said, once I put this helmet on, the Voltage Inc people will know it’s me behind it. They want to test me, perhaps of my abilities and thoughts of samurai. I wonder what makes this particular helmet so special, that they keep reminding me it’s one of the limited ones and once registered it cannot be undone. Besides the sword moves, they even had my photo taken already to register the facial features and finger prints, filling out basic information such as horoscope and few personality questions, even to the point registering the account name so they can start acquiring information before the game even started.”

“So you created a character already?”

“No not yet, the game is starting tomorrow night isn’t it? All I did was creating my account. But I wonder, what would be in store for me?”

“Why don’t we just play together Nei? We can help each other out.”

Neisui smile and nodded, though Kan on the other end of line couldn’t see her expression, “Yea Kan, tthat would be fun. I’ll be sure to do that at times. This Samurai Ballad leaves the word Love out, so even romance might appear in the game, that may not be the main focus, as there are only so many lords not everyone can be their ladies or concubines, it would be more on expiring that era yourself…Are you going to choose Ieyasu?

“Do you even have to ask? I’m not sure how the gaming will work yet but I would try to serve him if I can. Aren’t you choosing Ieyasu too? Li Naomasa will be sure serving him, and we can support each other easier.”

“Of course.” If she can’t remember much of her past or her own dream, perhaps she can know more about that Li Naomasa through game. She wants to know what feelings will she have when she serve him.

Li Naomasa, Toramatsu, just who are you?

@asktoramatsu @rose-of-yonezawa @nitroforcepower @my-funandgames @akanojikan @shirokazekikagami @thesassyscribbler

[neisuinene]

In Your Dreams Tonight - Chapter 4 – Fortune Telling

Prologue 1  Prologue 2 Prologue 3 Chapter 5

  Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3

“What?” Kan sat at her desk, raised her voice and looked at her friend who sat in front of her in classroom next day, shocked as if she had heard the wildest thing. “Neisui, you are moving out of your cousin’s place? Why? I thought you had a happy reuniondinner last night. Did something happen?”

Neisui knew her friend would be surprised, but not this surprise. Scratching her head, tilting her head to the side, “well, a little too well I afraid. Now I’m feeling like third wheel. I think that my presence there might interrupt them. They are like a newly married couple now, and…it’s hard. The room I’m sleeping now used to be Koichi’s study, when they were bad with each other Koichi would sleep in the study…on the floor while I took the bed. And though now they are all lovey-dovey but it’s still his study, sometimes he brings his work home. I shouldn’t just keep barging their place like this.”

“But where will you live Neisui?” Akari asked, she and Mei decided to join in the conversation. “Koichi and his parents are pretty much your only family in Tokyo right? But then didn’t you say that your aunt and uncle lives more on the country side of Tokyo, just near its borders?”

Mei nodded. “Yea, living in Tokyo is expensive. I mean,” she paused and looked at her friends, “come on it is the capital of Japan!”

“Have you thought of a place to live yet Neisui?” Kan wanted to know

Neisui nodded, “I’m thinking of living with Ai.”

“Ai?” Akari widened her eyes. “Wait, what Ai, that Ai? Your cousin’s ex-lover?”

Neisui nodded again, “she and Koichi had a talk the other day at the bar, before and after her shop project Nia designed. They are all peaceful and friends now, I heard that she is hiring someone at her shop, as a cashier or a server of some sort. I’m gonna ask her if I can live with her, and work for her for my living cost.”

“But why Ai?” Mei wondered, “I don’t really like that woman, I mean, she did get into the relationship of your cousin’s marriage, do you really trust that woman? Because I don���t. Those kinds of stuff are in her genes right?” she shrugged.

Nene paused for a moment, and looked down to her friend’s desk, some sort of emotion is in her eyes. “But that day…”she started, “that day…her eyes did look really sad, but at the same time a sense of calm too…I know it’s not really making sense, but I think she really did love Koichi as a person, sad but also a sense of relieve when it is all over…” recalling her memory of that day, “she did smile that day.”

“…whatever I don’t get it.” Akari finally added, “it’s adult stuff and adult feelings that we do not know or have any experience with…but hey why do you sound like you do understand this kind of thing, have you been in love before Neisui?”

Huh? What? Where did that question come from? Neisui looked at her friend, opened her mouth ready to speak, but no sound came out, then she shut her mouth again, before she looked around the classroom and see some classmates are looking at them, or looking at her, including the boy sitting next to her, Toramatsu.

      She shrugged then gave an awkward smile, “yeah I wonder. Perhaps it’s because I do live with adults and listen to their love or relation problems. So through time, I kinda understand a little more? And besides, I do know Ai before Koichi get married, I just never thought she and him were in that kind of relationship before. I did get annoyed and mad at them at that time, and even mad at myself unable to tell Nia what I might knew. I thought it all ended…but besides that, Ai is not a bad person. So if I live with her, at least I am living with someone that Koichi knows well, and I can also help keeping an eye on her.”

***                                           ***                                                  ***

The discussion ended when Kiyonori walked in the classroom and started the lecture, but Kan did passed a note to Neisui during class and stuck in her mind. What was on the black board in front of her is not much her concern that day, she can always borrow notes from Kan, or even from Toramatsu.

       Neisui, please consider and understand your situation. I know some people in class they heard our conversation and they do not know you nor really like you all that well. But if a word of you living with someone who was in affair with a married man, a bad woman if you wanna call, then those words will attack you one day, as you and that woman be in the same category. They don’t need to know you or that woman well, you don’t even need to be in a relationship before you be talked about, sooner or later gossips and false gossips will spray, you might get yourself called to the Principal’s room. And also…your relationship with Sensei Taishi, I’m not saying you are seeing each other or something, but you are like a teacher’s pet. I know you well so I know it’s nothing of sort, your afterschool with him sometimes are just to practice your sword or talk about history or some samurai, but to the others…Besides, you do call him by his first name correct? If you don’t watch out, someone might get the wrong idea and…you might also get yourself suspended.

She did try to take some notes but the movement of pen eventually came to a stop, then noticing how Kiyonori eyeing her if catching her strangeness in class, the pen moved again, only to become tic-tac-toe.

      Worried? Suddenly this writing appeared on her notebook.

Neisui tilted her head and looked at Toramatsu slightly, their eyes met for a second, before she quickly looked back to her notebook and digested the text. Why the sudden question? Did he glanced her note? Or did her expression gave away again?

      Why? She wrote back.

      I can’t say if you are doing the right thing or not, by living with Ai I mean, but if you do trust her, then if your cousin allows it, you should go for it.

      Don’t sound like you actually know her, how you know she can be trusted? Even Mei and Akari have their doubts…maybe Kan too.

      You are right…I don’t know her so I can’t if she is a trustworthy person. But I do know you and you trust her. Then that’s enough.

      Neisui looked at him again, who continued to write after a brief pause.

 And Neisui, I trust you. If I don’t, I wouldn’t have given you my red scarf. Your answer, give it to me when you are ready

. ***                                                ***                                                   ***

Ready? She’s not sure when would she be ready, with the new school rule and her dream and Toramatsu all at the same time, it’s confusing her. This Toramatsu is really warm, like he truly understands her and be there for her, someone who trusts her. Though he may be the one in her dream, but it’s the present tense she wants, the present one she wants. She wants to make sure of her own heart is falling for this boy sitting next to her and not because he is the samurai in her dream.

She admits, he catches her sight, the feeling with him is just too natural and familiar. She should give it a try, rather than just sitting and pondering ifs or possibilities.

As a result after school, she and Kan went to Ai’s fortune telling sweets shop and ordered themselves each the most popular item, fortune-telling mochi. The shop itself is not really a fortune telling place, but its most popular item, despite of its watery and plain taste of shingen mochi cake with some sauce or different flavors, a fortune telling leaf comes with it, with the side of writing hidden underneath that mochi that one may flip to read after eating mochi. It is sort of like a fortune cookie. You need to crack it open or finish it first in order to read. Although some people may cheat and decide to read the writing right away, but then that kills all the fun, and in a way, lose its own purpose. You are supposed to find your life slowly and not rush into it, taking shortcuts take away not only the anticipation but also all kinds of wishes or expectations.

Neisui has been at this shop’s grand opening before, but back then there was no this mochi nor fortune telling, she decided today is going to be the day to visit the shop and talk to Ai. Romance stuff, Koichi doesn’t understand and Nia, if she asks her, Koichi will get curious too, as if he hasn’t already.

“Hey Neisui, whacha thinking? The fortune telling is not gonna appear by itself by staring at the mochi,” Kan giggled, “start eating and stop thinking. You are the one curious about it and drags me here, and you also came to ask her about your living and working right? If you can’t make up your mind in the classroom better do so now. Who knows it might change how you think, or if to deepen your original thought and state of mind. I wanna read yours too you know, we did promise of showing to each other after.” Kan took another bite of her mochi, “its blankness mix so well with sauce and powder, adding light aroma and sweetness to the plain water taste. If you keep staring like that it gonna melt you know, you don’t want to melt your fortune, right?

Neisui nodded and took a bite, then another bite. “yes it really is good. Pure and simple. I wonder who invented this, and it would be nice if life were this simple, by fortune telling.”

“So you don’t believe in it? Beautiful miss?” suddenly a stranger’s voice cut in, they looked up, two men stood in front of them. One has beautiful blonde short locks just to his shoulder, and orange-gold eyes, who looked almost out of this world, someone who looks like a prince out of a story book. Another is brown hair man with a ponytail, who not so princely-looking but also beautiful in another way. “Aww but why not? Fates and gods, they are so popular right now, do you think fates are written in the starts by gods?” it was the brown-haired man who asked the question.

“Hey Ichthys,” blonde-hair man laughed, “be a little easy on the ladies shall we? Perhaps that’s why they are here, to see their own fortunes. Who knows, maybe after eating they will believe in fates.” Turned to speak to Neisui and Kan, “beautiful ladies, as we work closely with stars and we a regular customer here enough to see all sorts of people who come here to eat. Some are here plainly to eat, but some of them have some sort of wishes in mind, as you can read their expression changes during the course of eating and after reading. The writing on the back of leaf is mostly just for fun, as we have read a bunch ourselves and laugh about it, but some, who knows, it might be the one leading you forward. A human’s fate is not written by the stars or so called meddled by the gods, or by chances of the mochi here. But rather look at it as an opportunity, who knows what will happen right? Here, I will show you mine.” He took a leaf out of his pocket and showed them.

      No matter how many times I reborn, I will always love only you.

“See it’s very romantic right?” the blond hair man says and winked. “And I believe this fortune telling really works. Today I come, today I met fate!”

“Hey Teorus, don’t hit on underage girls. I can assure you that you are not the fate they are looking for.” The man called Ichthys answered and give his friend a nudge in the elbow, gave Neisui and Kan an apologetic look, “sorry for our brief interruption and his behavior earlier, we will head back to our table, but my friend says is also true. Your fate is something you need to create yourself, the gods can only do so much by creating opportunities. It’s your own heart that needs to do the action.” He gave them a gentleman bow and dragged Teorus away.

Kan and Neisui, who has been silence the whole time since they came to their table finally started talking again. “Wow Neisui, those long statements of fate and stuff, this place is actually quite interesting. They are a bit strange alright, going to a stranger’s table and talk like that, but you gotta admit, what they say actually makes lots of sense. Neisui, forget about the note I wrote you earlier, follow your own heart. If people in the future talk bad to you, I’ll be on your side. I can help watching out for you. And I believe your cousin Koichi will too. Who cares about what they think, you are you and as long as you do not break the rules, they cannot do anything to you.”

“Mhmm…”Neisui simply nodded, finishing her last bite of mochi. “Alright Kan, let’s do this! I will read mine and show you later, you the same ok? Whether good or bad, let us laugh about it, on the count of three.”

Their eyes met and nodded smiling to each other, counted down from three and flip their leaves in their palm.

Then, Neisui took the leaf, put inside her pocket and stood up without a word.

“Neisui?” Kan looked at her, surprised, her friend didn’t answer her, but simply walked toward the glass window at entrance, stopped at her tracks, then she did one of the craziest things in her life.

SHE BUMPED HER HEAD TO THE WINDOW FIVE TIMES!

SHE BUMPED HER HEAD TO THE WINDOW FIVE TIMES!!

SHE BUMPED HER HEAD TO THE WINDOW FIVE TIMES!!!

“Um……NEISUI??? WHY? ARE YOU ALRIGHT?” Kan stood up and ready to walk to her friend who just now put a hand to her forehead.

“Ouch! That hurts….” Rubbing her forehead, with her head still against that glass window. She muttered to herself, then looked out the window, Toramatsu and his friends, their new classmates stood outside the window entrance, each with eyes widened and some even have their mouths open.

Toramatsu was the first to react and came rush inside, “Neisui are you alright?”

Instead of answering him, Neisui took the leaf from her pocket and showed him, “what kind of fate is this, Toramatsu?”

On the leaf it reads:

     Go to the front entrance and hit your head against the window five times, this may sound like a joke but you will meet your fate. If you are brave enough to create an opportunity.

Nobody noticed, Ichthys holds a cup of drink to his lips, a ghostly smile on his lips.

“Did you do that, Ichyths?” Teorus asked.

“What’s wrong with a little fun? And looks like she’s brave enough to make that opportunity happen, what a good student.”

“And a rather stupid one too.” Teorus smiled too, “but in front of love, everyone is stupid.” Reaching inside his pocket, “even us.”

 @asktoramatsu @akanojikan @shirokazekikagami @dreamfar628 @rose-of-yonezawa @thesassyscribbler @my-funandgames @nitroforcepower @neisui

[neisuinene]

In Your Dreams Tonight - Chapter 3 – Fate and Love

Prologue 1  Prologue 2 Prologue 3

  Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 4

“So,” Kiyonori stepped forward, eyeing the four young boys in front of him, “are you boys ready to start?”

Before they could answer, the door slide open, Kan walked in. “Hey Neisui!” then she noticed the presence of other, gave a slight node to Kiyonori, “sorry to interrupt Sensei Taishi, but Neisui, your cousin Koichi is here looking for you.”

Huh? Koichi? What is he doing here? No why does he come here? Did something happen? Neisui dropped her wooden sword onto the ground, and looked passed through Kan. Behind her indeed standing her cousin, who is wearing a business suit, eyes on her.

“Neisui, I’m here to take you home,” he said.

“But I could go home by myself Koichi, don’t need to worry about me. It’s rare you are off so early from work, you should go home and spend more time with Nia.”

“Hmph,” was his reply, “that’s why I’m here. I decide we are going to eat dinner together tonight, all of us. There’s something I would like to say over dinner table, and I wish you to be present.”

Hearing this, Neisui had all her attention on him now. She knew her cousin does not like to talk while eating, since they were young, or at least since she was old enough to remember such details. Sometimes he would give a few sentences but that’s pretty much it, and it’s not done because he wants to enjoy food in silence, but it’s more avoiding the talk. He does not like his life discussed, especially over dining table. So whatever reason made him says this now must be really big, is it about her cousin-in-law Nia? Are they now getting back together?

Neisui gave a nod, “of course, I’m coming.” She grabbed her bag and bowed to Kiyonori, “sorry sensei I afraid I must cut my practice time short, we will continue this next time. I’m sure you would have fun teaching our newest members. Right?” she gave a playful wink as she passed through them and out the door.

“See you tomorrow Kan! Bye Sensei! Bye Toramatsu and everyone!!”

***                                           ***                                                  ***

Half the dinner progressed in almost complete silence, despite the fact that there were few more dishes on the table than usual when Neisui texted Nia about having dinner together and Koichi wants to discuss something over dinner.

Feeling mad, Neisui gave someone a kick underneath the table. When Koichi turned his gaze from the rice in his bowl to look at her, she gave him a meaningful look. Who was the one who said want to talk over dinner? Who was the one actually made the effort of going to school to fetch her so she can be present when he talk?! Neisui wanted to break the silence but tonight it should be focus on them, not her.

Finally, after finishing the eggplants on his plate, he cleared his throat. Neisui was just starting to feeling relieved until she heard him called her name. “So Neisui, who was that boy? Toramatsu? Is he the boy who gave you that scarf?”

Wait, what, why is Koichi suddenly talking about him? Why is he suddenly talking about her? That’s not what’s supposed on today’s topic right? And since they are living together and her cousin did see her wearing that red scarf when she just came back from Kyoto field trip, but how does he know it’s him?

“Koichi, why these questions all of a sudden? And…how do you know all that?”

“I don’t,” he shrugged, then crossed his arms. “You may not have noticed, but I saw how he looks at you, and his gaze followed you out the door. And how you said goodbye to your friend or teacher but then only that boy’s name was out from your lips.”

“…”

“And I saw the name on the scarf, a simple ‘Li’ was woven on it.”

“That still does not explain…”

“Remember the nights when I slept in your room on the floor?” Neisui held her breath, looking at him, waiting for the answer. “You don’t snore, but you do talk in your dreams sometimes. Something about Li Toramatsu, or rather, Li Naomasa.”

Neisui was now speechless, just how much secrets did she already gave away when she sleeping? But still, why talking about her now? Of all dinner talks that could happen? In front of Nia?”

“Sigh, I admit all those…but then I’m still confused. This classmate of mine and that samurai in my dream may very well be connected or maybe even reincarnation, but they are still two separate people. Aren’t they? Do you believe in reincarnation Koichi? Or perhaps in fate? Is it fateful that I have all these dreams of Li Naomasa while meeting this Toramatsu around the same time? Sometimes…at the time we met in Kyoto and today, somehow I feel so familiar with him yet still some distance. I can’t really describe the feeling. But somehow is that familiar feeling, or memory at that time that I accepted the scarf before I could further think to it.”

“Listen Neisui, and Nia,” he finally mentioned the name that was supposed to be brought up long ago. His look suddenly very serious, even his tone is lowered. “Neisui, I’m not sure of fate or reincarnation stuff, but you do feel for them right? They might be different, but to you they are also one. You have always liked fairytales since you were young, or about books that talk of fantasy stuff.  Of all the story books I’ve read you before, there was this line, that I one day suddenly remember about it and went back for a reread.”

“And what is that?” Neisui wondered.

“Lives are hard enough with Gods meddling in it, but they do meddle.” Neisui gave him a complete silence, but she does remember this line. It’s about a God laying a wager with humans, the so-called conditions of game is also betting on human’s hearts. “Things happen, and you may decide how you react, but you can’t decide how you feel. And then, when things piled up of various causes and reasons, humans call it fate. Not because they are already written and decided by Gods, but that’s how our hearts lead to it.”

So her and Toramatsu, should she call it a fate now? But they have only just met and started. So it all now depends on how they, or rather how she reacts to him. She hasn’t given an answer yet.

“And Nia,” Koichi’s voice cut her thought, “do you know why I chose you to be my wife?”

“Because,” Nia finally talked, “because of my abilities, background, and the potential behind that could assist with you for a better career?”

He shook his head, “that might be a reason I be looking for if I were to matchmaking with other women, but with you, he paused,” his eyes all on her, “I thought that with you…I might be able to love you. It had nothing to do with any requisites. I thought that if someone had attracted me that much at that age…maybe I could love her. Maybe I could be attracted to you and not need a reason.”

“Koichi…” Nia whispered his name.

“Though our marriage earlier had not turned out the way I thought it would be, or part of me was still denying myself by having affair with Ai, but since that incident happened and we got more spending time together. You refused my talk of divorce and still took me as I am…at some point, I fell in love with you. Though you have already told me we would work through this together, I want to hear your answer again now, not as a husband who had failed his wife, but as a man who is in love with her.” Koichi suddenly got on his knees, eyes wavering between Nia and the floor.

Nia got up from chair and also knelt on the floor, to the same level as him and hugged him, “of course I do you silly goose. You know how my answer is. Though we may have not married for love, but at that day when we first met before lunch, you knelt down used your handkerchief for my broken heel of shoes so I could walk in comfort, or how you didn’t mind how I was barefoot running on the streets trying not to be late, or how you consoled the little crying boy about his ice-cream, I thought right at that moment I could learn to love you too. I believe we could actually make a happy family , and that belief goes on even now.”

“Nia,” his voice suddenly hoarse, took a small box out of his pocket, it’s a ring, though it’s not a lavish one. He puts it on her, “this ring might be little bit plain comparing to the diamond or those jewel rings, but I have it carved specially for you.”

The ring reads Nia Noa on the top, and inside it reads Nia My Love. This ring has your name on it. You are a designer for architect, and our language is truly beautiful. No is a positive article, and a means love and affection. So this is my love for you. You know I am not a romantic person and this is as romantic as I could get.”

“This is wonderful, Koichi,” Nia now has tears in her eyes, “thank you, thank you for accepting me to be your wife.” She now hugs him.

“Silly,” his fingers gently traces her hair, “I should be the one to say it.”

Neisui, watching the scene in front of her, she is so happy for them. But perhaps they are forgetting they have an audience? She shouldn’t interrupt them. She decided to go back to the room and should start packing and move out soon. She certainly doesn’t want to be a lightbulb now.

(Tagging who I have tagged before, some I forgot for previous chapter. This chapter is mainly based on Koichi from In Your Arms Tonight. And….I have no shame using my twitter name as character @nianoa but it works well? xP)

@akanojikan @asktoramatsu @shirokazekikagami @dreamfar628 @rose-of-yonezawa @thesassyscribbler @aqua-pikachu @my-funandgames @nitroforcepower @rainbowatnight

[neisuinene]

In Your Dreams Tonight - Chapter 2- Soul of Samurai

Prologue 1  Prologue 2 Prologue 3

  Chapter 1 Chapter 3

An hour after, Neisui and her friends along with the rest of school are inside the gym for some assembly. Ms. President is standing on the podium, giving her speech about school rules to the new students, the boy students from KHS. The two schools are now merging together and each classroom will have two homeroom teachers.

“Summarizing the points above, there will be no dating allowed until I can see our students can learn to control yourselves…AND have achieve the aforementioned 90% on standardized tests, then I promise that I will once again permit dating…. Now, ” Ms. President paused, “is that clear?”

“YES, Ms. Kiyokawa!” the voices were clearly females, the students of SLA. Neisui glanced around, some students from KHS are complaining only to be scolded by Sensei Shinchi. She quietly sighed and felt bad, those boys don’ really know SLA yet, but being a student here, she and other girls knew that if they didn’t respond to Ms. President right away, god knows how long she would lecture about it. And Shinchi, though he is not her homeroom teacher, he teaches every student’s mathematics. And after that little stunt in Kyoto, Neisui knew she is being watched.

If the sudden merging of all-boys and all-girls school and no dating were not surprising enough, Neisui was surly surprised when she saw some familiar boy faces in her classroom. Those are…Toramatsu and his friends? The ones she bumped into then got teased at the Kyoto fieldtrip?

“Hi little girlie,” the punky hair boy whistled, “so you are in this school too? And in this classroom? That’s totally awesome! Talk about coincidence!”

“Hey Neisui, you know them?” Mei asked.

Neisui nodded, “yes on Kyoto fieldtrip. Their school was on field trip as well, I kinda got pushed by the crowd and knocked them over.” She answered quietly, would Sensei Shinchi recognize them when he sees them? Perhaps, but as long as they go by the rules and keep their grades, Shinchi couldn’t hold what happened against them. No he won’t, he may be a very strict one, but his fairness is as equal too.

After a few seconds of thought, she held out her hand, “I am Seta Neisui, a vice president of this class, and Kan,” nodded to her friend Kan who now stepped forward, “is president. She is the one usually helping our teacher with organizing and planning. And I, if there are any questions about this school’s procedures or of the teachers, or finding your directions around the school, you may always find me and them. Now that we are in the same school and same classroom, we should work together as a team!”

*** *** ***

The first day was not so bad, though some boys in the classroom are yawning during lectures, or they did their own things on paper, especially during their homeroom teacher Kiyonori’s history lecture. Unlike other homeroom teachers, Sensei Kiyonori thinks to control oneself first need to free oneself, if they are too afraid out of control so they don’t interact naturally, then it would only do worse later on. He does not agree with principal way of handing this situation, but he has no say. Well, at least principal didn’t forbidden the boy and girl students sitting together.

Using a palm to hold her chin, Neisui tilted head slightly to see the boy’s profile sitting next to her, who was no other than the boy she bumped into, then given the red scarf for their meeting, Li Toramatsu. His eyes focused on the black board, listening to Kiyonori on and on’s lecture of Samurai, of Bushido. What is on today’s lecture is not really in the textbook and not going to be on the tests, so she had no intention of copying them down, and she does heard and read about it from the book Kiyonori lent her during the break. But Toramatsu, his attention is all on Kiyonori, his pen not stop moving…Kiyonori will sure be glad having him as a student, someone who is so interested in history, not just for test purposes. But still…

There is another thing about him that bothers her. If she remembers correctly, he did mention if he meets her again in Tokyo…

First time is coincidence, second is encounter, third time is fate.

When he gave her his scarf, he looked like he was pretty sure they were to meet again, as if it is already fated. And what of his name, the same as the samurai, the one who served Tokugawa Ieyasu. And the scene in Kyoto, the scene in her dream…or was that her memory of somewhere, someone, was too similar. If he was not the one, or no relation to Li Clan…Toramatsu was perhaps testing her, to see how she would react, as if would played out as it did long ago.

She didn’t mention anything of her dream, but how much expressions did she gave away when he did? Fate, strings of red.

Then Toramatsu turned and saw her looking at him,

Neisui? He wrote in the notebook then looked back to the black board

No, nothing. She wrote back.

Really?

Contrate on your class lecture.

Not when you staring at me like this. Tell me. His eyes now back on her.

We will talk later. I want to ask you something…but not here, not now.

The bell rang, school has finally ended. Neisui led Toramatsu and his friends in front of a room at the end of a corridor.

“Woot, the vice president of class is taking us to somewhere that looks kinda mysterious and isolated on the first day!” the punky-haired boy whistled, “So what’s the agenda?”

Before Neisui could answer him, another boy snapped, “Tadakatsu, be quiet!” then he turned to get, “Neisui, speak!”

Neisui looked at them silently, so this boy…the one that is so calm and unreadable seems to be their leader. What is his name, Ieyasu? She turned the door knob and opened the door “go inside and you’ll see.” She walked in, tilted her head to the inside the room as a signal for them to follow.

Inside, Kiyonori, both their homeroom and history teacher is inside, practicing laido, a wooden sword in his hand. Kiyonori practiced his sword quietly, making several different kinds of moves as he is fighting with someone, an imaginary opponent. Few minutes passed with complete silence except the sounds of the feet moving, the sword swinging.

“Neisui?” Kiyonori said quietly, without even looking at their direction. “Something the matter? Perhaps with the new students? Or you come to join me?”

An edge of her lip curled slightly, she grabbed a sword off the wall, made her move to Kiyonori as she advanced towards him, but was blocked. “Neisui, I could feel your presence once you entered, as the air has changed. What makes you think you can surprise attack me now?” he tilted his head toward her. Now he is looking at her.

Because of their closeness of space, and perhaps he let his guard down as he was speaking to her, Neisui had a chance to move her feet and changed position, now she’s behind him, holding something beside his throat.

Kiyonori looked down at his throat, it was a blue pen. “Nice move Neisui, but a blue pen? But are you going to do with it?”

“I can click,” Neisui started clicking her pen besides his throat. “Mr.Taishi, look around, we have other guests in the room. I brought them here.”

Against the wall stood Toramatsu, punky -haired Tadakatsu, Ieyasu, and another pretty haired boy, Yasumasa.

“I decide to bring them along for fun. I’m not sure about others, but Toramatsu seems to be enjoying in your class lecture, and well…” she rubbed her nose, “I assume they are athletic, from what I heard most boys in KHS has more energy after school, and we can put what you just talked about in class. About bushido, about etiquette, about putting body on perfect harmony to express mastery of spirit over flesh.”

Kiyonori nodded approvingly, “That’s right. The end of all etiquette is to so cultivate your mind that even when you are quietly seated, not the toughest ruffian can dare make onset on your person. This is the soul of samurai, soul of Japan.” He paused to look at them before continue, putting his word at his side as the way swordsman does, “so are you boys ready to join?”

(One of the quote I taken directly from 《Bushido: The Soul of Japan》 by Inazo Nitobe. This is kind of a passing through chapter and to explain how things are at the school. The real beginning. I forgot who I tagged before but…😂I’ll add on more later. From now on fiction will go under this blog of same account for easier access.)

@asktoramatsu @shirokazekikagami @nitroforcepower @rose-of-yonezawa @dreamfar628 @akanojikan @suzunesays @sugoileo @my-funandgames @aqua-pikachu

[neisuinene]

In Your Dreams Tonight - Chapter 1 - Strings of Red

Prologue 1  Prologue 2 Prologue 3

Chapter 2

          It has been a few weeks since Neisui and her school went back to Tokyo after the short field trip. The day of the Samurai Exhibition in Kyoto and essay writing homework was the last activity on their fieldtrip, and they headed back the very next early morning.

          The boys from another school she ran into, she has not expected to see him, the boy called Toramatsu again so soon on her way back to the inn that night. She was just buying some Kyoto sweets to share with her friends and to bring back to Tokyo with her, then she saw him in the middle of the bridge, buying a candy gourd.

          She stopped in her tracks, not sure if she should just pass by him, or should she greet him. Remembering what happened during the day, and perhaps because she comes from an all-girl school, something like that was certainly not something she would get used to, or acceptance of his worn red scarf when he overheard that she was sick and blamed himself for not noticing it any sooner when she bumped into him. But a candy gourd? She hasn’t thought of him as a person who would like that of thing. Her cousins for sure, would always think that is for children and girls.

          But besides that candy gourd, something else hit her. It is like she has this kind of feeling before, a familiar scene, a familiar feel, but where?

          “Neisui, you must be cold, please wear this on.” A man that is dressed in sengoku period clothing puts a coat on her. He was wearing red, with a black cloak.

          “You look beautiful…Please accept my gift, I don’t have any girl to give it to…since I’m not special…”

          “Then I accept the gift, Toramatsu.” The girl who also dressed in a kimono in the picture of her mind said and smiled, “I will wear this from now on. And I think you are special, special to me…can you accept my feelings? I…think I fall for you…long ago…”

          What is the image she was seeing? This scene played right in front of her all of a sudden. The man’s face in her dream started to have his features, though she’s seeing the scene sideways, she couldn’t really see his face properly. But the voice, she just heard last night in her dreams, was no mistakenly his.

          “Toramatsu…” so that is that samurai’s name? Before she realized her spoken words, before she realized the boy holding the candy gourd, has already turn around and walked toward her.

          “Did you just called my name?” Toramatsu, the high school boy asked, “your name is Neisui? Nice meeting you properly and formally at last,” he smiled, then handed her a bag.

          “Please, accept my scarf, for a token of my apology of this afternoon.” An apology of what? She puzzled, it should be her doing the apology as she bumped into him and not another way around. Unless, as he said, he really want to apologize for she was being teased at, or not noticing she was feeling under the weather…but she doesn’t even really know him, besides his name. And she just came back to reality when his voice suddenly sounded and broke her thoughts and is still very confused. So is something like reincarnation real? With same name and same face too? But why this feeling, even when she was dreaming, she was feeling both lost and sad? Was that because she hasn’t met him, hasn’t met this boy Toramatsu?

          Neisui standing in front of the hall window outside her classroom, sighed. Why, did that boy, Toramatsu, decided to give her the scarf? They don’t even know each other but he wouldn’t let her refuse. “Please Neisui, wear this for me. It was always meant to give you. First meeting between two people is coincidence, second time is encounter, and third…I wish to see you again, when we both back to Tokyo.“

         Sigh, what was she thinking, confusing the image in her mind and reality like that. What he said about encounters, she has heard that before. First is coincidence second is encounter, third is fate.

        “If I see you again for the third coincidence, Neisui, will you be mine?”

        In return, she took out the cell phone strap from her phone of the anime character, Mito Yohei from and gave it to him. “Then accept this Toramatsu, this cell phone strap is a character I like really much. And…” And perhaps, if you really are that Toramatsu in her dream, the samurai, then perhaps the meaning of character strap, he might understand too.

       Touching the red scarf and watching the pink blossoms outside the window.  It is now April. She is now a second year in high school. Today is the first day of her new school year, and she has not seen that boy Toramatsu since that day. It’s only been a bit under a month, it hasn’t been that long since the field trip, but still, she wonders, about this fate of hers, both in real life or in the dream. Since that day, her dream of that samurai, of Toramatsu has become the dream of someone else, Takeda Shingen, her supposed father in that dream, in that life of hers.

      “What am I dreaming anyway?” Neisui mumbled to herself.

       “Dreams of what?” A voice sounded behind her, and she turned to see her friends Akan, Akari and Mei.

        “Neisui,” Akari, who interrupted her thoughts, asked another question. “Are you still having weird dreams? Have you talked to your relatives, or your cousin Koichi? He’s an adult and has lots of experiences, maybe he can help?”

        “Pfft,” Mei cut in and snapped,” Koichi? But I doubt he will be much of help, he is still sort of in his own marriage and love trouble, is he not? It’s kinda rude but serves him right.”

         “Then perhaps that’s more the reason to talk to him,” Akan pointed out, “as he is coming from first-hand experiences and might understand how you feel Neisui. Or if you prefer, talk to his former girlfriend Ai, she has recently opened a new shop, some café fortune telling kind of thing. Neisui, you have met her before and you can talk to her if you like. I do dislike how Koichi treated Nia, for she being his wife and all, but you did say he has changed, and Ai too?”

        Neisui nodded, “and what makes things more interesting is that her shop is designed by Nia. I know Nia works as an architect designer and Ai was just a customer, but for her to request and another to accept…it is fascinating, adult minds.” She nodded again, “perhaps me joining them and ask for opinions is not all so bad, more different perspectives more better.”

      “We could also come join too, it will be fun, and we are all curious about this scarf as well.” Akari added.

       And what is the name of the store?” Mei asked.

        Neisui paused for a short while, seeing her friends waiting quietly for her response, then finally said, “it’s called In Your Dreams Tonight.”

(For some reference/spoilers about Slam Dunk’s character Mito Yohei, please look him up first and then look up Mito Komon. Now, me drawing reference of those two together was never stated by the Slam Dunk artist but I think he does put down some hints to draw references from.)

[neisuinene]

In Your Dreams Tonight - Prologue 3

Prologue 1  Prologue 2   Chapter 1

          When Neisui and Kiyonori got back to the inn, the first brush of the sunlight already showed upon. The streets were quiet, as most people still in their dreams. The whole way back, they walked in silence, both were in their own thoughts.

          “Go on in and hurry to sleep,” he finally broke that silence as they entered the lobby. His tone may not be harsh, but it was clearly an order. “For tomorrow’s morning activity, when we go and visit the monuments, I do not wish to see your face. For you just saw them and you need rest. As clearly and familiar with them, one little morning miss wouldn’t hurt I suppose?”

          Neisui held her head down, staring at the floor.

“This is your punishment,” he added. For a moment that silence creeps in again, but it’s different atmosphere from earlier when they were walking. It was only 30 seconds, but it was enough. “Understood.”

          Kiyonori nodded, “good.” She gave him a nod in return before turning her heels and headed to her room.

          Back in the room, where her roommates still sleeping, she sighed under her breath and lay in her futon. Ok great, tomorrow she’ll need to think of something to say to her friends about missing the morning activity. If she told them the truth, it would mean that Sensei Kiyonori knew of her little night walk and though he might have punished her already during the trip but her action would still cause him trouble in the future, she wouldn’t want that. For some reason, she felt they were not the only ones there earlier. So someone might have seen them. At any rate, she would tell her friends once they are back in Tokyo, privately. At least, she couldn’t ruin the trip for the class because of her.

          Yet, her dream…and what Sensei Kiyonori said, or the way he said it, still troubles her. He definitely sounded like he was once in that era, and what was he doing there anyway in the first place?  Slowly, her tiredness’ got to her and she eventually fell asleep.

          The next day, when Neisui awoke, she found herself alone in the room. “Akan? Akari? Mei?” no one answered. She tilted her head to look across the room only to find a towel fell beside her, it’s still wet. Nearby where the tea stand stood, placed a bowl of something with a note next to it. Confused, she got up and had a look.

                       Dear Neisui,

I don’t know what happened last night, but it seems like you have a fever brokeand you had Sensei Kiyonori looking worried, you should have seen his face. It’s not something you see everyday, for he usually wears that either blank or bored or serious expression, but not worried, nope, not even when we did bad in class or those who call sick regularly in our class.

Ok joking done, but seriously how did you got the cold? Me, Akari and Mei were also worried about you and volunteered to skip the morning activity but Kiyonori refused, saying that we would make you feel bad once you knew. So here’s some medicine we got for you, the innkeeper actually had it brought to you. After you read this, please drink up and have some more rest. You better get better. This afternoon we are going to visit a Samurai Exhibition, if you feel better please join us. It’s gonna be fun and we actually need to write an essay based on one of those samurais.

There’s hoshi rice downstairs that Sensei Kiyonori left for you. According to him it’s easy to digest and very nutritious…I’m giving you a consoling look for we heard that thing has not much taste.

                                                                                  Akan

          Hoshi rice, huh? Neisui thought to herself. She is not surprised, she knows, everyone at school know there’s no way Sensei Kiyonori would fail to give up an opportunity to get his hand on hoshi rice every time he visits Kyoto. There’s hoshi rice everywhere, but Kyoto, he once said, is the best. But he giving it to her still surprises her.

          The afternoon came and Neisui headed out of the inn after some more rest and her meal of hoshi rice, along with some more porridge the innkeeper gave her.

          Because of the Samurai Exhibition, the town was livelier than ever, with more tourists than all the previous years during this time of year. Looking at her watch, one-fifty, she had ten more minutes before her group event starts. She broke into a little run, not wanting to be late, and then she bumped into someone and almost knocked that someone to the floor. It was a boy looked like her age and he quickly caught his balance before his fall, she couldn’t really see his face for he put a hand half blocking it, except there’s a hint of blush. when she saw that and then realized what she had done, she couldn’t help but blushing a bit too.

          “Hey, you go girl, afraid to lose your boyfriend in the crowd or something?” one of the tourist asked and the others laughed as well.

          She’s now sure here face is now as red as tomato with all the teasing nearby. From what others looked like, she was like running to his arms.

          “I’m sorry I’m sorry.” She bowed and apologized repeatedly, unable to lift her head up to face him, and his friends, who were beside him and couldn’t stop laughing.

          “I apologize too,” the boy said, “for you to be teased and laughed like that. I’m a man so I’m alriaght,” he shyly scratched his head, “but you are a girl.”

           “Hey Girlie,” a boy with punk haired asked, “are you here by yourself? How about joining us? We just done the introduction of the tour and is now on free activity. Visiting the exhibition is sure more fun with a cute girl like you. I’m sure our Toramatsu thinks so too, what do you say?”

          Before Neisui had a chance to answer, a low voice cut in. “Thank you for your offer boys,” it was a man with glasses. “But she is our student, and we do not entrust her in your hands. Her homeroom teacher and classmates would be worry about her, after that little stunt she managed to pull off last night.” Neisui turned and saw her math teacher Sensei Shinchi. “Neisui hurry up and go, they are waiting for you, at section 3.”

          She gave him a quick nod and a nod to the boys too before she ran off. How much does Sensei Shinchi know?

[neisuinene]

In Your Dreams Tonight - Prologue 2

Prologue 1 Prologue 3

Unlike Tokyo, the night of Kyoto is rather quiet. The city itself is filled with ancient streets, shrines and temples. As the old capital of Japan, it is filled with history and mysteries. Neisui may be on a field trip, but this is the place where she grew up, until she moved to her cousin’s house when she entered highschool. The streets, the little side streets, the stores, even the villagers are all her familiars.

          Putting her jacket on, she tiptoed out of the room where her classmates are still asleep, headed out of the small inn they are accommodating, and to the field that is like a kilometer away from the village.

          The field, or should it be called a cemetery, since there lies many of the greats from the late Tokugawa Bakufu. The crescent moon shines brightly above, its brightness shines the pebble roads in between the fields. Her pace was leisurely light, then she saw a man, that made her stop in her tracks.

          The man was standing in front of the grave of Ryoma Sakamoto, the man stood tall and straight, he bowed and Neisui was sure he heard her, for he turned around just as she stopped.

          “Neisui,” the man was wearing a periodical clothing, similar to the one would wear in Bakufu time. His eyes widened a bit, but then quickly turned into a fierce gaze, “what are you doing out here, in this hour?” He looked her over, “and dress like this?”

          She looked over her clothing…crap, she forgot to change out of her pajamas, though it is a white dress she wears as such, but guess wearing that outside at night is different story, especially at a place as this. “I just forgot to change, and it’s not really pajamas…” she muttered. “And what of yourself sensei? Wearing a periodical costume?”

          “I can imagine myself more in this,” he said, “as I really lived in that time, in there.” He looked up to the sky, before turning his eyes on her again. “But never mind how I dress, that’s not the issue here. Neisui, what are you doing here at this hour? Don’t you know it’s already passed midnight? And in a cemetery? You must think your life is too long.”

          “I had a weird dream,” her voice was soft, then started walking ahead of him, and sat herself down beside a grave, gently touching it. “This place calms me, I used to come here often.”

          “And how does that work? And you sitting down beside another person’s grave, it’s very inappropriate. Have you no respect for the person? Even if he is no longer alive, give him the respect he deserves.”

          “But the man who lies here is my great, great, great-grandpa, sensei,” she hugged her knees and placed her head on them. “He told me himself he doesn’t mind and he rather likes my company. I used to play and chat with him often, before I moved to Tokyo for schooling…” she paused a bit and tilted his head to see her sensei standing in front of her, listening. “I thought you might have guessed, from my name. But then my great great great grand-father was not as big as the samurais of sengoku, or the Shinsengumi and Ishin members.”

          “Neisui,” his tone serious, “perhaps your ancestor may not be as great, but then his greatness is never decided by history or by people of any eras, any times. I believe in your heart, he is far more than any other here, far more greatness than any other. Seta Sejirou, he is a great man.” He looked up to the sky again before facing the entrance of the cemetery. “It’s almost daybreak, we should head back, before your friends worry about you.”

          “Sensei Kiyonori,” she called behind him as he was just started walking, “do you perhaps believe in dreams? Or something like reincarnation?”

          A short silence passed before she heard her answer. “I trust with my eyes and feelings. As a history teacher, I should tell you history happens because there is always a cause and a reason. It is logical. However, humans are an exception. I believe my eyes, and I follow my instincts. That is what keeps a man alive.”

          A while after Kiyonori and Neisui gone, a man walked out from the bushes, eyeing the same entrance they came and exit. “…dreams and reincarnation huh. Should I believe them too?”

[neisuinene]

In Your Dreams Tonight- Prologue 1

  Prologue 2

In the middle of a field, she sees a man stands alone, a man that dresses like a samurai with red armor and a black cloak. It’s not the first time she has seen him, sometimes he’s alone, sometimes with others, yet her eyes can always find him in the crowd. Yet, after so many dreams of him, she can never see his face properly. Either he was having his back on her, tilts to the side, or blurry under the sunlight or moonlight, or when he finally face to face with her, he has his mask on as he sometimes does in the battle.

Tonight like the other dreams she has of him, no eye contact, no words exchanged. At first she was a bit scared or nervous or a sense of lost when she first saw him, for he is a samurai, a highly skilled one too, but as time progresses she is feeling more secure when she sees him. If she doesn’t see him, her eyes would automatically look for him. Sometimes, she wonders, if he can sense her presence too.

Samurai in red armor, black coat…who are you?

“Neisui…” it was a quiet mumbling, the man called as the wind blows in the background. Did the man just called her by the name? Or was it the wind? She wasn’t sure, but whatever it was it sounds sad.

Before she can respond, she sees a woman, that looks like her, except wearing a white kimono, walked towards the man and stopped just inches behind him.

“I’m right here,” the woman in her dream said quietly but it was loud and clear enough for Neisui to be sure she really heard her voice this time. But then something hits her. She saw herself tried to hug the man from behind, but her image in the dream is very light, almost transparent. And when she tries to hug him, her sleeves just passed right through.

The man didn’t turn, didn’t hear her. He just stands there in same position. He stands there as if she were never there.

Neisui, her eyes still closed, but she could feel them getting wet, even when she still asleep. Then the image in here dream blurred then fades to complete brightness. She knows her dream has ended. This is the first time she heard him speak, yet …She slowly opened her eyes and let them adjust to the darkness in the room. She sat up and her lips tasted something sour, she wiped it away with her fingertips. It was clear, it was sour, she felt her eyes and cheeks wet. It was tears. She didn’t even know she has cried when she dreamed.

She glanced around the room saw her friends Kan, asleep across the room, and Akari and Mei asleep on upper bunks of the beds. That’s right, they are on a class field trip in Kyoto, and these are her roommates, classmates, and best friends. She doesn’t want them to worry for her over her dream.

Samurai, who are you? Why I see you in my dreams and though I couldn’t see your expression, but why the tone? Are you and me…her, perhaps lovers?