Fan Fiction ❯ Samurai Revolution ❯ Prologue ( Prologue )

Life is short and for a samurai it is even shorter. Legends and myths build up over the years as do rivalry. And with rivalry comes death and grudges. The ones that carry out orders and serve their masters are caught in between these grudges. In Japan these servers are called samurai, warriors of bushido. A revolution of the samurai era was approaching fast. Most went by the Way of the Samurai, others went by the Way of the Sword. Which will prevail? Only one samurai can start the revolution and go down in history. His name is unknown to many, his true identity is known by few, his age eighteen. He is an orphan, who, lives in the town of Osaka under his Daimyo, Tohaku Umari. He like many samurai he has a rival, he goes by the name of Tetsuya Yamamoto. His girlfriend is named Kayoko Sakurai, her parents murdered by ninja. This samurai lives by himself in the corner of town. His true name Seishiro Genji.

Seishiro yawned as he wakes up to the light of the rising sun. He immediately stretched his muscles and begun to roll up his futon and placed it in the closet. He takes himself a bath afterwards. He looked though his selection of clothing until he picked out his wear for the day. He dresses in a blue hakama, a black haori jacket and underneath it a dark blue gi. After getting dressed and grooming himself, he walked into the kitchen and starts cooking rice and some miso soup for breakfast. After eating he retrieved his tabi socks and zori sandals and places them on his feet. He grabbed his two katana on his way out and straps them to his obi. He walked in the direction of Osaka-jo for morning practice and assignments. Along the way his name is called out from some young woman wearing a magenta colored kimono.

"Seishiro! Wait up!" Kayoko yelled.

"Kayoko, what are you doing here?" Seishiro asked.

"Umari-san called me to the castle for an important job. So I thought I would follow you there today," Kayoko said with dignity.

"As you wish," Seishiro replied.

They got to the castle in no time and headed in their separate ways. After three hours of training, Seishiro is given a daily task to perform for his lord. The right hand messenger called them in line. His fellow samurai lined up to receive today's task. The headmaster walked towards each one of them, telling them what their job for that day was.

"As for you Umari Seishiro, you are to report to Umari-sama to receive special instructions," The headmaster said to Seishiro.

"Yes sir," Seishiro said while bowing.

Along the way to the throne room, Seishiro meets up with Tetsuya, who is a part of the other samurai training group. Tetsuya has always been Seishiro's rival for as long as they both could remember. The two didn't' that each other, they just tried to be better than each other. Together they entered the throne room and bowed to their master and then seated themselves on the tatami mats in front of them. They bowed once again and then listened to the daimyo.

"I called you two here for an important reason. You, two are my most trusted and skilled of my samurai army. I am giving you a special task to complete, given to me by the shogun. Tomorrow morning you are to set out for the town of Edo. There you will be given instructions by the Tobei Ninja Clan. You are to read the instructions they give you and complete the assigned task. You will meet up with two ninja. You are to team up with them and complete the task and then return to me, alive. Failure will not be accepted. I have chosen you not only for trust and skill, but of other things. Seishiro, you are brought up without fear and other conceded emotions, and that is needed. You are also my only left handed samurai, which will give you an advantage in battle. You, Tetsuya, have a cunning ability to seek out your enemies and have a calm attitude about you. This will aid you in the future. Do you accept my task?" Umari says demanding.

"We are honored to take on this task, Umari-sama," they replied.

"You will be accompanied by Kayoko Sakurai, our best lady samurai. You may return to your homes to pack and what have you. I will have horses at your place tonight so you can pack them. Dismissed," Umari ordered.

Seishiro and Tetsuya bowed and left without saying a word. Seishiro came home to find Kayoko sitting at his table. He stared at her for a moment, his eyes seeming to pierce right through her and to her very soul, and then decided to sit down with her. Remembering to lay his katana representing his business with his leader down beside him.

"What are you doing here?" Seishiro asked.

"You heard didn't you?" she said, concerned.

"Of course or I wouldn't be home right now," Seishiro said, slowly.

"Did you have any plans for tonight?" Kayoko asked, kindly.

"Yes, I will have to prepare myself for the journey ahead," Seishiro said with regret.
"Oh." Kayoko replied, sadly.

"Now if you will excuse me. I would like you to leave," Seishiro said, kindly.

"Okay, I'll see you in the morning," Kayoko replied, cheerfully.

Seishiro watched as she walked out the door and closed it back. He then stood up and placed his katana back on. He preceded to his tatami room. He retrieved a book entitled, the History Of the Shinto Gods from his self. He placed it in a traveling sack. Then, he left his house. He headed towards the nearby shrine to pray. When he arrived there, he rang the bell and clapped his hands three times. He bowed to the Shinto symbol and hung a offering on the nearby cherry blossom
tree. He said something and left the shrine.

The streets were emptying out as the day was slowly changing itself into the night sky. Seishiro had traveled the streets and to the port and back. He felt like having a portal of the town to ease his mind off of things. That was one thing a samurai had to have, a clear mind. For him that was a difficult task, considering his mind always wondered about useless things throughout the course of the day. The sun was beginning to set and he decided it best to pay Kayoko and Yoko a visit. He quietly tapped on the door. Yoko opened the door and met him, both exchanging bows to one another.

"What is the pleasure of having you visit us, Umari-san?" Yoko questioned.

"I have come to see your granddaughter, Kayoko, if all possible," Seishiro replied.

"Why of course! Please step right in and I will retrieve her for you," Yoko said, bowing and leaving to find Kayoko.

Seishiro left his zori at the front door and stepped inside the house, closing the door behind himself. He stared at the decorated house that was once occupied by one of the greater male samurai the Osaka army had. Moments later the sound of footsteps caught his ear. He looked in the general direction of the sound and found Yoko guiding Kayoko into the room. Kayoko blushed as her eyes met his own. Yoko left the two alone in the main room.

"I thought you had plans tonight," Kayoko commented.

"I had some extra time and thought I would pay you a visit..." Seishiro replied.

Kayoko walked up to him and shyly wrapped her arms around his chest. Seishiro stiffled at this, he was not at all use to close quarters affection like this. She broke herself away from him and apologized for her sudden outburst. Seishiro did not act like he minded it at all. She could have even sworn the introverted samurai loved it, of course he would never say so.

"Just as a flower conseals its true beauty as it grows, so does he. He keeps his true thoughts and feelings inside, hiding the true beauty he keeps locked up inside that secret soul of his. What exactly do you hide from me, Seishiro?" Kayoko thought to herself.