Post by Yasu on Jul 30, 2007 8:09:43 GMT -5
Walking slightly fast, Chiyoko replayed the orders given to her over and over in her mind, trying to avoid error. Any mistakes in her profession would lead to great trouble. As she passed by many on goers in the crowd, she spotted her target. The highly honored, dignified man was at ease, watching as all the citizens were going about their daily business and unaware of the present danger. Chiyoko moved along with the current of the crowd, as not to stand out and be found by her target’s watch. Swiftly she moved to the side of a building and waited. Much patience was needed to catch him. The crowd eventually died down, making the chances of having a witness slim. Chiyoko made her move. She strode through the entrance underneath where the man sat, quietly went up the steps behind him, and hid once again. The adrenaline was coursing through her. Drawing her blade steadily, she crept closer to the target. Then with a rapid jab of the blade, the man fell dead, and Chiyoko went on her way.
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Chiyoko awoke, lying on the ground. Her 5-year-old body was badly cut and her clothes were tainted with blood, hers and her family’s. She had tear marks on her face as if she had been crying, but did not know why. She couldn’t remember a thing. She looked around her. There was nothing but forest, and a cat. A silver tabby cat sat behind her, staring at her with malevolent eyes, not blinking. Chiyoko turned and noticed him. She smiled and reached out for the seemingly innocent creature, but he hissed and scratched her hand, leaving another bloody cut that was identical to the others. She gasped and held her hand, becoming fascinated with the dark red fluid that appeared. She gazed at it for a minute, and then looked back at the feline, but he was gone. She looked around to see where he had gone, but the dark forest was all she saw. Her first emotion came to her senses, calm. She did not remember what it was to fear, to be excited, to love, hate, be happy, all the emotions learned from birth. It was as if she was just born, as if 5 years completely vanished and the only thing left was common sense.
As Chiyoko stumbled across the grass, she tried to stand. Grass stains adorned her knees and hands from her vigorous attempts to get up on two legs and walk. She looked over and crawled to the closest tree, using it to balance herself as she tried to get up. She took a step forward, then another, not letting go of the tree. She continued this for a few minutes around the tree trunk, then when she summoned up enough confidence, she let go, steadily walking to the next tree and grabbed onto the trunk before she fell again, the same way other children do with their parents. Only difference was, she was alone. She had taken her first steps, but with no one around her to witness it. No one to praise her, and no one to smile at her with love-filled eyes. She was alone, but didn’t know the difference.
Walking down the sidewalk, people stared at her. A few stopped and reached out, but their sudden concerned movements scared Chiyoko and made her back away from the strangers. They all looked so odd to her. Tall creatures with long legs. Bigger versions of her. Chiyoko continued walking, her cuts, almost healed but her clothes and hair still stained with blood. A few more reached out for her and tried to tell her to come with them, but she couldn’t understand their speech. She couldn’t interpret the noises coming from the creatures’ mouths. She didn’t even know what the sound is coming from her own. She continued on, looking for a place to belong to.
Chiyoko stopped walking a few hours later, her legs becoming weak. She hadn’t eaten ever since she woke up in the forest a few days ago. Nighttime was encroaching, and people were beginning to head home. She collapsed from exhaustion on the almost empty streets, every breath stinging her dry throat. She cried out, raspy shouts coming from her throat, until she managed one word, her first word, ‘help.’ As she said that, a hand touched her back, a huge hand compared to her. She hadn’t heard footsteps or anything, so the sudden appearance of this had made her jump. The hand grabbed her shoulder and lifted her up, trying to help her stand. She could not fulfill the wishes of the stranger; she fell back down. The man behind her shook his head. “Much work must be done, but I’m sure you’d make a fine one.” He said. Chiyoko managed to let out one final raspy ‘help’ before falling unconscious. The man picked her up, wrapping her in a huge, dark brown blanket, and carried her to where he belonged.
She woke up, in a dark, tiny room. The floor felt cold to her; she had lain on the stone with her brown blanket wrapped around her for a while. She curled up in a ball in a corner, holding her stomach. Her head was spinning from starvation and dehydration. She shouted her first word again, her harsh voice ringing throughout the room. She looked up, hearing another sound; footsteps. She cried out again and again, hoping for a reply. The footsteps faded away, and Chiyoko sat there, hoping for another sound. She got her wish, the footsteps came back, and she smiled. Her smile was cut short though, her muscles couldn’t take anymore. The footsteps stopped in front of an opening; a door. It opened to reveal a haggard man, very tall and very muscular. His huge hand covered the bottom of a plate and wrapped all the way around a mug of water. Chiyoko couldn’t smile, but joy filled her squinting eyes. The man walked up to her and helped her sit up. Her body was limp, but she could managed to eat. She had to; the man simply left the plate and mug in front of her, telling her to fend for herself. Chiyoko couldn’t understand these words, but got the idea as he shut the door behind him. He eyes were accustom to the dark by now, so she used every ounce of strength she had to lean over and dunked her face into the mug, gulping down the cold fluid like it may disappear forever. Her throat began to throb as the liquid touched it. Chiyoko gasped for breath, the air easily running through her lungs now with ease. Then she coughed, the floor becoming spattered with the same red fluid she had been amazed with before, but she ignored it and drank more, then moved onto the food. She went face first into the food, eating like a wild animal. She still did not know what manners were, let alone their existence. Chiyoko leaned back against the wall, her hunger and thirst satisfied. She held onto to her stomach as it lurched from the sudden fullness; she had eaten much too fast. She crawled over away from the food, her hand staying against the wall. She held her stomach as it continued to lurch, the previously eaten food now being tossed upon the floor. The empty feeling filled her weak stomach once again as she stood, wiping her face with her arm. She walked over to the plate, still some food left for her to eat, but this time slower. She picked the food up with her hand, chewed it slowly, then swallowed, repeating this motion continuously until she had her fill. Chiyoko sighed as she leaned back up against the wall, then fell into a comfortable sleep.
“It has been a few years since Master Coraven took me under his wing. Everyday has been a routine since then; wake up early, work out, eat, train for missions, eat, then train some more. Some room is in there for relaxation and daily needs like showering, but still, I wish for once I could be like all the other children from other tribes I see out there. Playing around like there is no tomorrow. They have no idea what it is like to work their a**** off. Oh well. Master Coraven says that they are the mice and I am the cat. That someday, I will go on the hunt for them. One by one.
Sincerely,
Chiyoko”
“Get up!” Shouted an angry man. “Suck it up! No one’s going to care!” Chiyoko, sprawled on the floor, was breathing heavily. “Master Coraven. I can’t…move.” She said, panting. Master Coraven sneered, holding the point of his sword to her head. “You get up when I tell you get up. Now GET UP!” He shouted. Chiyoko used the last bit of energy she had to stand, and then used the wall for balance. Her hair covered her bruised face. “Yes, Master Coraven.” She said softly. Coraven swung the sword at her, but she ducked in surprised just before it could hit her head. She watched as a little strand of her hair floated down. Realizing training wasn’t completed yet, Chiyoko tried to strike at Coraven, but her lack of energy made her slow. He easily blocked her and struck her with his fist, sending her to the floor again. Chiyoko clutched her stomach, gasping for air. “I will not have such weakness tolerated. Training’s complete for today.” Said Coraven before he walked from the room. He then shouted “Next training session’s in a few hours. You’ll be sparring with Ferx.” Chiyoko rolled her eyes. Coraven knew she hated Ferx. He was one of the most decorated assassin apprentices, and the most narcissistic. She objected silently as she tried to get up, but her body ad no physical strength left. She did not want to lie there in the training room and be found sleeping, so she imagined a place of solitude. A place of darkness and peacefulness. She imagined the feeling of humidity; something made her feel comfortable, as well as concealed. A place unknown and solitary, like something underground. Chiyoko vanished, using the last bit of energy she had, and reappeared in a cavern. Se opened her eyes for a moment to look at where she had vanished to, hoping no one was around. She was in what looked like a cave, but in the middle was a large pond, the water was still. Above the pond was a gaping hole, revealing the blue sky. She sighed as she relaxed, then fell asleep.
Many hours later, Chiyoko opened her eyes. The once blue sky was now dark, and the stars and moon made the place glow. Chiyoko gasped and shot up, looking at the sky to see that it had been more than a few hours. She cursed under her breath and imagined the training room, causing her to vanish there. When she opened her eyes, Master Coraven was standing, facing her, alongside the smirking Ferx. She quickly bowed to her trainer, saying, “Please excuse my tardiness. I am sorry for your time being spent waiting for me.” Coraven already had his sword drawn and hit her hard on the head with the flat part of the blade, causing a long, red mark to form. “You will never be worth more than that Chiyoko. Now stand and face your opponent.” Chiyoko did as she was told and stood, trying to stay balanced. Ferx stared at her and smiled. “You are not to be a challenge. Why, Master Coraven, do you treat me as if I am still at her level?” Master Coraven ignored Ferx and stood upright, signaling for the sparring to commence. Ferx had lunged at her before the signal was shown, but Chiyoko had expected this from him. She held her hands in a boxing position and guarded herself from Ferx’s blows. “You hit like a newborn.” She teased. Ferx, who had never been insulted like this before, immediately become furious. He barred his teeth and kept flailing very vigorously, trying to hit Chiyoko in every possible way to hurt her. She continued to smile. “Come now,” she said still teasingly, “Am I not at a low enough level for you?” That did it. Ferx began to move at an incredible speed, eventually striking Chiyoko square in the eye, knocking her off balance. He swept his leg under her foot and let her fall to the ground before drawing his sword to stab her. As he raised his sword in the air, Coraven called for the fighting to stop. Ferx smirked, then went on his way to the door saying, “Insignificants can’t fight.” A little perturbed, Chiyoko stood up. “No, they can’t can they.” She said in a low tone. She swiftly drew her dagger and before Ferx could turn around, she vanished and reappeared, her dagger’s blade sticking through his chest. She pulled out her weapon and wiped the blood off saying, “Training wasn’t over,” as her opponent’s body fell to the ground.
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Chiyoko awoke, lying on the ground. Her 5-year-old body was badly cut and her clothes were tainted with blood, hers and her family’s. She had tear marks on her face as if she had been crying, but did not know why. She couldn’t remember a thing. She looked around her. There was nothing but forest, and a cat. A silver tabby cat sat behind her, staring at her with malevolent eyes, not blinking. Chiyoko turned and noticed him. She smiled and reached out for the seemingly innocent creature, but he hissed and scratched her hand, leaving another bloody cut that was identical to the others. She gasped and held her hand, becoming fascinated with the dark red fluid that appeared. She gazed at it for a minute, and then looked back at the feline, but he was gone. She looked around to see where he had gone, but the dark forest was all she saw. Her first emotion came to her senses, calm. She did not remember what it was to fear, to be excited, to love, hate, be happy, all the emotions learned from birth. It was as if she was just born, as if 5 years completely vanished and the only thing left was common sense.
As Chiyoko stumbled across the grass, she tried to stand. Grass stains adorned her knees and hands from her vigorous attempts to get up on two legs and walk. She looked over and crawled to the closest tree, using it to balance herself as she tried to get up. She took a step forward, then another, not letting go of the tree. She continued this for a few minutes around the tree trunk, then when she summoned up enough confidence, she let go, steadily walking to the next tree and grabbed onto the trunk before she fell again, the same way other children do with their parents. Only difference was, she was alone. She had taken her first steps, but with no one around her to witness it. No one to praise her, and no one to smile at her with love-filled eyes. She was alone, but didn’t know the difference.
Walking down the sidewalk, people stared at her. A few stopped and reached out, but their sudden concerned movements scared Chiyoko and made her back away from the strangers. They all looked so odd to her. Tall creatures with long legs. Bigger versions of her. Chiyoko continued walking, her cuts, almost healed but her clothes and hair still stained with blood. A few more reached out for her and tried to tell her to come with them, but she couldn’t understand their speech. She couldn’t interpret the noises coming from the creatures’ mouths. She didn’t even know what the sound is coming from her own. She continued on, looking for a place to belong to.
Chiyoko stopped walking a few hours later, her legs becoming weak. She hadn’t eaten ever since she woke up in the forest a few days ago. Nighttime was encroaching, and people were beginning to head home. She collapsed from exhaustion on the almost empty streets, every breath stinging her dry throat. She cried out, raspy shouts coming from her throat, until she managed one word, her first word, ‘help.’ As she said that, a hand touched her back, a huge hand compared to her. She hadn’t heard footsteps or anything, so the sudden appearance of this had made her jump. The hand grabbed her shoulder and lifted her up, trying to help her stand. She could not fulfill the wishes of the stranger; she fell back down. The man behind her shook his head. “Much work must be done, but I’m sure you’d make a fine one.” He said. Chiyoko managed to let out one final raspy ‘help’ before falling unconscious. The man picked her up, wrapping her in a huge, dark brown blanket, and carried her to where he belonged.
She woke up, in a dark, tiny room. The floor felt cold to her; she had lain on the stone with her brown blanket wrapped around her for a while. She curled up in a ball in a corner, holding her stomach. Her head was spinning from starvation and dehydration. She shouted her first word again, her harsh voice ringing throughout the room. She looked up, hearing another sound; footsteps. She cried out again and again, hoping for a reply. The footsteps faded away, and Chiyoko sat there, hoping for another sound. She got her wish, the footsteps came back, and she smiled. Her smile was cut short though, her muscles couldn’t take anymore. The footsteps stopped in front of an opening; a door. It opened to reveal a haggard man, very tall and very muscular. His huge hand covered the bottom of a plate and wrapped all the way around a mug of water. Chiyoko couldn’t smile, but joy filled her squinting eyes. The man walked up to her and helped her sit up. Her body was limp, but she could managed to eat. She had to; the man simply left the plate and mug in front of her, telling her to fend for herself. Chiyoko couldn’t understand these words, but got the idea as he shut the door behind him. He eyes were accustom to the dark by now, so she used every ounce of strength she had to lean over and dunked her face into the mug, gulping down the cold fluid like it may disappear forever. Her throat began to throb as the liquid touched it. Chiyoko gasped for breath, the air easily running through her lungs now with ease. Then she coughed, the floor becoming spattered with the same red fluid she had been amazed with before, but she ignored it and drank more, then moved onto the food. She went face first into the food, eating like a wild animal. She still did not know what manners were, let alone their existence. Chiyoko leaned back against the wall, her hunger and thirst satisfied. She held onto to her stomach as it lurched from the sudden fullness; she had eaten much too fast. She crawled over away from the food, her hand staying against the wall. She held her stomach as it continued to lurch, the previously eaten food now being tossed upon the floor. The empty feeling filled her weak stomach once again as she stood, wiping her face with her arm. She walked over to the plate, still some food left for her to eat, but this time slower. She picked the food up with her hand, chewed it slowly, then swallowed, repeating this motion continuously until she had her fill. Chiyoko sighed as she leaned back up against the wall, then fell into a comfortable sleep.
“It has been a few years since Master Coraven took me under his wing. Everyday has been a routine since then; wake up early, work out, eat, train for missions, eat, then train some more. Some room is in there for relaxation and daily needs like showering, but still, I wish for once I could be like all the other children from other tribes I see out there. Playing around like there is no tomorrow. They have no idea what it is like to work their a**** off. Oh well. Master Coraven says that they are the mice and I am the cat. That someday, I will go on the hunt for them. One by one.
Sincerely,
Chiyoko”
“Get up!” Shouted an angry man. “Suck it up! No one’s going to care!” Chiyoko, sprawled on the floor, was breathing heavily. “Master Coraven. I can’t…move.” She said, panting. Master Coraven sneered, holding the point of his sword to her head. “You get up when I tell you get up. Now GET UP!” He shouted. Chiyoko used the last bit of energy she had to stand, and then used the wall for balance. Her hair covered her bruised face. “Yes, Master Coraven.” She said softly. Coraven swung the sword at her, but she ducked in surprised just before it could hit her head. She watched as a little strand of her hair floated down. Realizing training wasn’t completed yet, Chiyoko tried to strike at Coraven, but her lack of energy made her slow. He easily blocked her and struck her with his fist, sending her to the floor again. Chiyoko clutched her stomach, gasping for air. “I will not have such weakness tolerated. Training’s complete for today.” Said Coraven before he walked from the room. He then shouted “Next training session’s in a few hours. You’ll be sparring with Ferx.” Chiyoko rolled her eyes. Coraven knew she hated Ferx. He was one of the most decorated assassin apprentices, and the most narcissistic. She objected silently as she tried to get up, but her body ad no physical strength left. She did not want to lie there in the training room and be found sleeping, so she imagined a place of solitude. A place of darkness and peacefulness. She imagined the feeling of humidity; something made her feel comfortable, as well as concealed. A place unknown and solitary, like something underground. Chiyoko vanished, using the last bit of energy she had, and reappeared in a cavern. Se opened her eyes for a moment to look at where she had vanished to, hoping no one was around. She was in what looked like a cave, but in the middle was a large pond, the water was still. Above the pond was a gaping hole, revealing the blue sky. She sighed as she relaxed, then fell asleep.
Many hours later, Chiyoko opened her eyes. The once blue sky was now dark, and the stars and moon made the place glow. Chiyoko gasped and shot up, looking at the sky to see that it had been more than a few hours. She cursed under her breath and imagined the training room, causing her to vanish there. When she opened her eyes, Master Coraven was standing, facing her, alongside the smirking Ferx. She quickly bowed to her trainer, saying, “Please excuse my tardiness. I am sorry for your time being spent waiting for me.” Coraven already had his sword drawn and hit her hard on the head with the flat part of the blade, causing a long, red mark to form. “You will never be worth more than that Chiyoko. Now stand and face your opponent.” Chiyoko did as she was told and stood, trying to stay balanced. Ferx stared at her and smiled. “You are not to be a challenge. Why, Master Coraven, do you treat me as if I am still at her level?” Master Coraven ignored Ferx and stood upright, signaling for the sparring to commence. Ferx had lunged at her before the signal was shown, but Chiyoko had expected this from him. She held her hands in a boxing position and guarded herself from Ferx’s blows. “You hit like a newborn.” She teased. Ferx, who had never been insulted like this before, immediately become furious. He barred his teeth and kept flailing very vigorously, trying to hit Chiyoko in every possible way to hurt her. She continued to smile. “Come now,” she said still teasingly, “Am I not at a low enough level for you?” That did it. Ferx began to move at an incredible speed, eventually striking Chiyoko square in the eye, knocking her off balance. He swept his leg under her foot and let her fall to the ground before drawing his sword to stab her. As he raised his sword in the air, Coraven called for the fighting to stop. Ferx smirked, then went on his way to the door saying, “Insignificants can’t fight.” A little perturbed, Chiyoko stood up. “No, they can’t can they.” She said in a low tone. She swiftly drew her dagger and before Ferx could turn around, she vanished and reappeared, her dagger’s blade sticking through his chest. She pulled out her weapon and wiped the blood off saying, “Training wasn’t over,” as her opponent’s body fell to the ground.
