Blue Seed Fan Fiction ❯ Kushinada of the Past ❯ Kushinada of the Past - Chapter 3 ( Chapter 3 )

Chapter 3

Momiji wondered why she was floating. She felt like she was floating in space, so relaxed she couldn't even lift her head. She opened her eyes slowly, taking a deep breath, which for some reason took a lot of effort. Looking around she couldn't see anything but blackness. Opening and closing her eyes a few times made her realize there was no difference. Everything was black. She couldn't hear any noise except the sound of her own breathing. Which seemed to be getting louder by the moment. Where was she? She felt around slowly, her movement's stiff, but there was nothing, and it seemed, she really was floating after all.

"Hello?" Suddenly there were loud echoes coming from every direction.

Hello

Hello

She hugged herself, feeling cold. "Where am I?"

Where Am

Hello

Am I Hello

HELLO

Where Am I?

Over and over again came the whispering voices.

Hello! Where am I?

HELLO!

Where...Hello!

Am I? Where am I?

Hello!?

Momiji covered her ears as the voices grew louder and seemingly closer. Closing her eyes, she realized it made no difference. Am I going mad?

Where am I?

HELLO! Hello. Where... hello...

I am.... hello.

"WHO ARE YOU?" Momiji screamed.

Am I?

Hello.. WHO?

Am I?

YOU

Where ARE YOU

WHO ARE YOU

HELLO

I am you?

Where Am I?

Who are you?

I am you

HELLO

Who are you...

Where am

I am you...

Hello...

Are you...

I am you..

Hello!

Who...Are you....

I am you.

Where are you?

Who.

I am you.

Hello.

Who are you?

I am you.

There seemed to be hundreds if voices shouting and whispering all at once.

"I am you?" Momiji repeated, holding her ears tighter. After what seemed like hours the voices seemed to growing fainter and Momiji felt as though she was drifting downward. She opened her eyes, looking around the inky darkness. Suddenly a small square light shone brightly in the distance. Momiji squinted her eyes. A window? A way out!

She struggled to move closer, the light getting larger as she slowly descended. The light did seem to be some sort of window, but not the kind of window Momiji had ever seen before. It was more like a picture on a wall. A floating picture with backlights, Momiji thought. When she finally reached it, Momiji tried to touch it, her fingers slipped through it as if nothing was there at all. Nothing tangible at least. A hologram maybe? Momiji tried to sit up, so she could investigate the image further when she notice the image was moving. Almost like a movie.

Only Momiji could do more than watch, she could feel what they were feeling, and the pain was terrible.

Katana knelt by her older twin sister, Kaede, as they worked on the rock garden behind the village's old temple. Her sister clipped the small trees, as Katana replaced the small rocks underneath, arranging them in pleasant patterns. "Katana," Keade asked, "What do you think Father wanted to speak to us about at dinner?"

Katana grinned at Kaede, "I think maybe a betrothal announcement for the oldest daughter of the Kushinada clan?" She added a few more rocks after picking up the small limbs Kaede are clipped, "After all, we are getting older, and perhaps they found a suitable arrangement for you."

Kaede turned a pretty shade of red, "Katana, we are still too young." Katana smiled as she watched Kaede fumble a bit, for Kaede was rarely awkward. That was considered to be Katana's usual state. "Besides, there has been no one new here for months...except for that young warrior, and Father would never allow me...the eldest, in such a union."

Katana blushed herself, thinking of the young man. She had more than once found herself watching him in the fields, and sometimes she thought he may have watched her as well. "Maybe some one from a far away village fell in love with you at the last Festival and wants to steal you away..." She sighed dreamily, thoughts of true love and romance floating around her mind.

Kaede hit Katana lightly in the head with the flat side of the clippers, causing the younger twin yelp in pain. "No, Katana. As the eldest Kushinada, you know very well what my destiny in this life will be."

Katana looked at her sister from a long moment, rubbing her head. "Kaede.... There has not been... That has not been needed for generations.... Grandmother said---"

"I know very well what Grandmother said...perhaps that is what they wish to talk about, perhaps I am to fulfill our destiny as the Kushinada and--"

"KAEDE! Stop... Please?"

Kaede looked at her sister, who stood wide-eyed with dread. She smiled at Katana reassuringly. "Perhaps you're right, perhaps it is just an arrangement announcement."

Katana watched Kaede as she stood, smoothing down her dress. "I think I will start getting ready now...try not to be late to dinner." She turned on her heel leaving Katana looking after her sadly.

Katana knelt by the table, watching her parents and sister warily. She had bathed and dressed for dinner, and was already scolded for being a few minutes late. Kaede gave Katana a "I warned you" smile and Katana felt grateful that her sister was feeling well enough to act superior. A young servant girl started to serve the cuisine, and Katana watched her intently, wondering what the girl thought of her and her family. Looking away, she stared at her food.

Her parents ate nosily, Kaede graceful and Katana nervously. For Katana had seen Kaede's fear and now it had become her own. What would she do with out her dear sister? The sister who had been cuddled next to her in their mother's womb. Trying to hold back a tear, she stopped eating and waited.

"Daughters...." said their father at last, an older man, with long straight white hair, and a silver black beard. "I have thought greatly on the suffering of the villagers of Ise..."

Katana dared not look at Kaede, but on her dear father's face. How could this be happening?

"The Blue Devil known as Akuto has been attacking villages throughout Japan. We believe it shall be coming here. Unless we appease him."

"Sire.." Their mother looked at her husband, eyes full of pain.

"No, Yumi.... we have no choice. We appease the beast and save out home. Kaede, your mother has taught you the Rite of..."

"Father, no.. The Blue Devil might not be one the Aragami! Kaede must not..."

"Katana.... We do not know if Akuto is aragami or not, however we must do this. Your Grandmother was the one who suggested it. Do you think I wish this on my oldest daughter? My Kaede? No. I even brought in the finest warrior I could find, but I fear he will not be enough. The Rite of Matsuri must be performed to save us all!"

"I will do as you wish Father."

"Kaede...!"

"Katana... Please...understand. This is what we were born to do. If my sacrifice will end this Akuto's reign, my life will have served a great purpose."

"Father, not Kaede! Please."

"Katana.... this is how it must be."

Crying, Katana ran to Keade holding her tightly. "Its not fair..."

The young warrior stood in the shadows watching them, a pensive frown wrinkling his brow.