Fan Fiction ❯ Little Flower ❯ New Destiny ( Chapter 1 )

Title: Little Flower

Author: Chisha

Category: General

Warnings: This fic contains an original character, created by the author herself cause she's such a pathetic person. If you do not like possible pairings with this character, do not read any further and press that cute little Back button on your browser. Thank you.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters except Kohana. The rest of the characters is owned by Tecmo. *sniffle*

Author's Note: Wow. I just finished posting the prologue, and then people start about how short it is! Yes it's short, but since I have the next chapter up for editing already… Well editing done as of now. ^_^
Thanks for all the admiration, Tiger-neesan! *huggles*
So here it is, especially for you! :)

Chapter 1 - New Destiny

Makoto was a friendly, caring man. She wondered how he had ever become a fighter. She wondered who he had battled. She wondered if he would ever teach her if she asked. Of course not. He would say the martial arts world was a dangerous world. More dangerous than the city at night. She attached no value to the city she lived in. She attached no value to anything, except for martial arts. Unfortunately, she saw no way of ever getting taught the art of fighting. The only way for her was to sit in the library of her uncle and look through the many martial arts books. She had tried some moves, but she knew she wouldn't be worth much against a professional. She looked to the side at her uncle. He looked back.

'What is it, Kohana?'

She smiled. 'Nothing, Makoto. I was just wondering how far till we get home.'

'Some fifteen minutes, I believe. We have to go up this hill.'

'Remind me why we always take a different road after we visit your friend?'

'You are not old enough to understand.'

'I am, Makoto. I'm twenty-one now, remember? You can tell me.'

Makoto looked at her regretfully. 'I know, Kohana, and I'm sorry. It is too dangerous to tell you.'

She sighed. He would always keep the things he dealt with from her. She would never learn the truth behind his ways. She would never learn anything. They went round a curve in the hill road; it was pretty steep, and she could hear her somewhat older uncle pant next to her. Kohana herself was young and strong, and had a fairly good stamina, so there was no trouble for her. Her uncle was in good shape, but after five minutes even her legs started to feel a bit weary. This was the first time they went up this road together, she knew that much. She looked at the moon, which was a full moon this night. She loved the night skies above this city.

He came out of nowhere, just like that. He swept himself all the way from a hiding place somewhere behind them or above them, onto the road, and onto uncle Makoto. He wasn't recognizable; he was dressed in black, and he was big and strong, and had broad shoulders and thick limbs. He unleashed a scream while he jumped on Makoto's back and knocked him down on the street's stones.

Kohana screamed in shock as the unknown man stepped back to grab something from his shoulder. Squinting, she realized it was a dagger, and the man moved his right arm backwards, to throw it at her uncle.

'Makoto! Look out!' Her voice went a few pitches higher as she tried to warn her uncle, when the unknown enemy thrust his arm forward and released the dagger. It spun in the air as it went towards its target without anyone or anything being able to stop it. Makoto turned around to see why his niece was panicking, but Kohana saw it was too late. The dagger hit between his shoulderblades before the old man had fully turned around. The force of the dagger made his body collapse forward, his chest first, the rest following soon after. A loud thump was clearly audible, together with a soft moan from the victim. Blood flowed from the man's back and onto the street, spreading slowly and gradually, horrifying the witness.

'Stop it!' Kohana suddenly heard herself shout.

The man turned around to look at her. The only thing she could see of his face were his eyes and mouth; the rest was covered in an army-like black hat that was pulled over his face. He looked at her fiercely, threatening, but she wouldn't let him just kill her uncle, although he probably already managed to do that. His icy blue eyes pierced her with a cold threat that said: "Oppose me and die." Kohana struck a fighting pose she had seen in a book, and tried to remember more moves from the books. She wasn't going to put up with this, but then again… how was she ever going to do better at this than uncle Makoto, who hadn't even seen it coming? An assassin like this man would not likely allow any witnesses to live on.

The man seemed to be smirking; the smirk sent chills down her spine.

'What do you think you can do against me, woman?' He spit the words out, calm and professional and with a Russian accent as he looked at her fighting pose. Then he struck his own and waited for her to attack. She hesitated. If she attacked, she wouldn't stand a chance, but then again; she had to get this man away from Makoto. She had to try. If she didn't try, it would be a lost cause from the start on anyway. Kohana drew in her breath and charged. Her first kick hit the man's stomach, and for a moment he seemed surprised, but then he grabbed her with both hands, and she could feel the strength and power in those hands. She was not going to survive this.

'Unhand her!' The new, calm voice pierced through the air and stopped the enemy in his tracks. 'It is not your right to attack harmless old men, nor defenseless young women.' The voice sounded calm, completely sure of himself and very determined. The enemy looked up at someone above and next to them, and let go of Kohana.

She stumbled back and looked aside too. There was someone standing on the wall next to the road, with his arms crossed and he had a sword on his back. She recognized his clothing as those of a ninja. They were red and black, and the lower half of his face was covered by a black cloth. His hair was waving in the soft evening breeze as he stood there, arms crossed. The ninja jumped up, made a somersault and landed on his feet in front of Kohana, blocking the Russian's way to her.

'Go check on your father, quickly, I'll take care of this idiot,' he whispered to her over his shoulder, and faced the Russian. Kohana quickly did as he said and ran to Makoto. He wasn't her father, but she knew what he meant. She kneeled down next to him, hoping he could be helped if they got him to a hospital quickly, but stiffened as the sounds of a fight started to sound. She looked at the two men.

The ninja was incredible; his moves were smooth, swift and effective, and his kicks were terrific. She had to learn more about this. When she saw him fight, she knew what she wanted. She wanted to learn this style. Kohana remembered that the style of a ninja was called ninjutsu, so this was one of its many forms.

After taking some powerful kicks and blows, the assassin jumped up, grumbled to the ninja, turned and ran, disappearing quickly into the darkness. The ninja finished his fight with some smooth moves and stood, his eyes closed.

Kohana finally dared to breathe again, and released her breath with a sigh. The ninja looked at her when he heard her sigh, and walked toward her, then kneeled next to her and examined Makoto. His breath caught when he felt the man's pulse.

Kohana needed no explanation. That knife was as fatal as it could get. 'My uncle… Makoto… He's dead, isn't he?'

The ninja looked at her and settled his eyes on her, his reddish hair waving in the wind. It was much like her own hair, though it was more brown than hers. His brown eyes intrigued her. There was so much calmth in those eyes at this moment, but also regret. Then he nodded.

'I am afraid so. I thought he was your father.'

She shook her head. 'No… He wasn't. I barely knew my parents.'

'His name… Makoto. It sounds familiar to me. He was a famous jiu jitsu master.'

Kohana nodded at this. 'Yes.' She sighed. 'I must take him to the house on top of this hill, but I don't know how. I do not believe I can carry him all by myself. Once he is taken to his own house it will be assured that he gets a proper burial.'

'You will not attend this burial.' The eyes were still fixed on her as she looked up at him surprised. There was no fooling him.

'I have the feeling it is best I leave this town. But I don't know where to.' Then she heard her heart scream: ask him! 'Your fighting style… it's a sort of ninjutsu, isn't it?'

'The Mugen Tenshin style, yes,' he answered. 'What of it?'

'I want to learn this style,' she said with a slightly over-loud force, to try and intimidate him a little to convince him she really wanted to.

The eyes barely showed his surprise. 'You cannot.' He was not in the least impressed by her attempt to intimidate him. 'You must go back to his house and attend his burial, then find other family members or friends you can stay with. I will help you carry him up the hill, but then we must part.'

So much for trying to learn martial arts, at least she wouldn't get far with him. Ignorant person.

The ninja carefully removed the dagger from between Makoto's shoulders, and looked around. 'Do you have anything that you could put on the wound? We don't want to spread blood all over town.'

She swallowed, looking at the blood and starting to feel a bit sick from it. Then she reached down to her long skirt and pulled the edges. The fabric gave a loud ripping sound as she tore it apart, then gave it to the ninja, who covered Makoto's wound with it. Kohana then turned and continued walking up the hill, with the ninja right behind her, who carried the dead man on his shoulders. She wasn't sure if she had to watch out for him. He had saved her life, but she had read and heard some stories about ninja. They were dangerous folk.

She was trying to ignore the slight wetness in her eyes. She had adored her uncle Makoto, and now he was gone, just because one freak had jumped out of the bushes. One strong freak.

Her green eyes suddenly burned with a new determination, a new goal in life; to show that assassin who's boss. And she already knew how. A quick look over her shoulder assured her that the ninja was still behind her. If she was lucky, he would eventually have to give in to her. As long as she could convince him, she could have her revenge. Even if she didn't have the talent her uncle did, she would succeed by sheer determination. All she had to do was give that ninja guy a piece of her mind.

~~~

Author's Note: So here it is! I tried to make it as less Mary Sue as possible with this kind of fics. I've had this whole Mary Sue analyze training thing from Kochan-niisan, so… That came in really handy. Thanks niisan, you made me edit the whole lot over and over again until I was happy with it. This is what came out. Be proud :)

Ja na!

Edit: I made the "huge breaks" smaller. It was a little mistake of my own, not of FF.net as Kochan-niisan suggested.

I actually like the breaks FF.net puts in on its own, I just forgot that it did. My bad!