Samurai Champloo Fan Fiction ❯ Dancing Cherry Blossoms ❯ Healing ( Chapter 12 )

Dancing Cherry Blossoms

 

Chapter 12: Healing

 

 

 

 

 

Ayame sat in front of Hoshi, letting Shoubi wrap her hand up. Hoshi looked incredibly morose. She had not expected Sakura to fight Ayame as well as she did. She also had not expected Kika and Kiku to be defeated by those two insolent men.

 

“How long will it take for her hand to be better?” Hoshi asked. Ayame looked up. Shoubi sighed.

 

“Well, if Ayame doesn't put too much strain on it, she should be able to fight within the next two months,” she said. Hoshi nodded. Ayame growled something illegible and looked back down at her bandaged hand.

 

“I am going to kill that little twerp. I had Sakura in my grasp. I could practically taste her blood on the tip of my tongue, and then that bitch threw that tanto at me. I'm going to peel the skin off of her flesh the next time I see her,” she said in a low voice. Hoshi shook her head. Sometimes, she believed that she'd created a monster when she looked at Ayame.

 

The ringing silence was broken by the sound of the door being slid open. Ichi stood in the doorway. He stepped inside the room and then to the left, allowing the small woman behind him entrance. Hoshi watched Hinome enter the room silently. Hinome looked down at Ayame and examined her hand.

 

“Sakura did that to you, Ayame?” she asked as she moved to a seat across from Hoshi. Ayame shook her head. “Then who?”

 

“A chick that lives in the village. She seems to know the target, as she always appears at the most inopportune times. She prevented me from slaying your precious student,” Ayame said in a biting tone.

 

“Watch your tone, Ayame,” Hoshi said, looking at the unchanging face of Hinome. Instead of lashing out at the girl, Hinome reached across the table with amazing speed and grabbed Ayame's injured hand. Ayame squealed. Hoshi and Shoubi flinched as Hinome pulled a razor from her elaborate hairdo. Hinome held the razor to Ayame's neck.

 

“I would advise you not to anger me further, Ayame. I am already not happy with the fact that Sakura has betrayed me, and that Kinpa has abandoned us. Do not make it worse upon yourself,” Hinome said. She released Ayame. Ayame fell back on her knees and glared and Hinome. Hinome returned the razor to her hair and looked at Hoshi. “In one month, send Shoubi to complete Sakura's failed assignment.”

 

“Good luck with that,” Ayame muttered. Hinome looked back at Ayame. The girl was really trying her nerves today.

 

“Why do you say that, Ayame?” Hinome asked.

 

“Sakura will not let that happen. I think she wants to be the one to complete the assignment, but she wants to do it on her own terms,” Ayame said. Hinome and Hoshi exchanged bewildered glances. Either Ayame had lost too much blood or she was actually saying something in Sakura's defense.

 

“Either way, I want Shoubi there. Shoubi, expose her for what she is and maybe her assignment will be completed and we can move on with our lives,” Hoshi said. Shoubi nodded and bowed her head.

 

Sakura's eyes fluttered open to the sound of snoring. She turned her head painfully to the side and saw Mugen in an awkward position on the floor. He was fast asleep. She moved to try and wake him up as the door to the room slid open.

 

“No. Don't wake him,” a woman's voice said. Sakura moved her head to see Fuu and Kyoko. Fuu was holding a basin of hot water and Kyoko was holding some more bandages.

 

“Why?” Sakura asked quietly. Fuu smiled and kneeled down beside her.

 

“He refused to sleep. He's been watching you since we bandaged you up. Ai had to put some sort of herb in his sake that put him to sleep. He's been asleep for about thirty minutes now. Ai said the drink should keep him out for twelve hours. You've been asleep for about a day,” she said. Sakura smiled weakly. Kyoko helped her sit up. Sakura winced in pain.

 

“How's Jin?”

 

“We had to drug him, too. He was standing guard outside the house for a day, even after I assured him no one else was coming. I mean, we hurt that girl pretty badly. She probably won't come back,” Kyoko said.

 

“She'll be back. Assassins hold grudges, and this one is no different. You hurt her, Fuu. She wants you dead, and she wants me dead as well. When do you think I'll be better?” Sakura asked, looking at her wounds as Kyoko began taking the bloody bandages off.

 

“Not for about a month. That means no sparring with Mugen, and no sex with him either. I mean it, Sakura. You're hurt bad enough. If you want to be at least ninety-five percent, you have to heed my words,” Fuu said. Sakura nodded.

 

“I will, Fuu. Stop your nagging,” Sakura said.

 

“You sound like Mugen,” Fuu mumbled. Sakura smirked to herself when she heard Fuu's remark.

 

Three days later, Sakura was sitting out on the porch, looking at the cut on her arm when Mugen came up to her. Sakura looked up at him, her pigtails falling away from her face.

 

“Why do you insist on wearing your hair like that?” Mugen asked, raising an eyebrow.

 

“Because I always have, and I suspect that I always will. I see no need to break with tradition. It makes no sense to me,” Sakura retorted. Mugen rolled his eyes. He sat down next to her.

 

“Why do you think those assassins keep coming? Do you have any idea who they might be after?” he asked, looking at the children playing in the street not too far from them. Sakura's breath caught for a moment. She looked back down at the cut on her arm.

 

“I wouldn't have any idea. I don't think I've ever hurt someone so much that it would warrant them coming after me to kill me. Plus, I've never really stayed in one place too long; I have no definite home,” she said. “Have you?”

 

“I'm no saint. I'm from Ryukyu. I've got PLENTY of people who'd probably like to see me dead. Unfortunately, I think I've already killed them. I know Jin probably still has some people who would like to kill him. But, I think they'd do it themselves. You know, that whole samurai honor system thingamajig. Fuu? Well, I don't think too many people know she even exists,” Mugen said jokingly. Sakura chuckled a little, but felt her stomach hurt and stopped. Mugen noticed her wince. “You okay?”

 

“Yeah. Don't worry about me. I'm as right as rain. Suddenly, both Mugen and Sakura sneezed.

 

“I give them one week before they start fighting again. What do you think, Fuu?” Kyoko said as she wiped a table down. Fuu smirked and looked over at her friend.

 

“Well, I wouldn't even bet on those two. We already know it'll probably happen. They can't agree on something as simple as whether or not the tea is hot when I give it to them,” Fuu said. Kyoko giggled and moved on to the next table.

 

“How long do you think it will take them to start sparring?”

 

“A week and three days tops. They think they're invincible,” Fuu said. Kyoko nodded. She stopped wiping the tables and looked over at Fuu.

 

“Do you think that assassin will be back?”

 

“Well, she marked Sakura and me for death, so I guess she will. I put a hole in her hand,” Fuu said.

 

“Well, she put one in yours as well, Fuu,” Kyoko countered. Fuu nodded.

 

“You're right. I a little revenge was in order, I think. Don't you think?”

 

“I guess. She'll be back. And she'll most likely bring reinforcements. She's only come alone once, and she's been the only one to return from wherever she comes from,” Kyoko said.

 

“Yeah. Let's finish this before Midori gets angry,” Fuu said. Kyoko got back to wiping the tables off.

 

A week later, Sakura and Mugen had a knock down, drag out fight about who could spit the farthest. This only resulted in Kyoko and Fuu nodding at each other for their prediction being correct. Three days later, Sakura was behind their house, holding her sword. Her arms still ached a bit, but she was going to try anyway.

 

Mugen stepped outside to watch her. Her movements were very slow at first. It was like she was moving in slow motion. He noticed how Sakura looked like she did when she was fighting with Ayame, but it was just slower. Sakura stood straight up and took a deep breath. The real test was about to take place. She looked at Mugen.

 

“What?” he asked.

 

“I'm about to see how my back is feeling. If at any time I look like I'm in severe pain, pull me out of the position as quickly as possible. I can go into it slowly. Ready?” she said. Mugen nodded and stood up. Sakura nodded and well.

 

Sakura stood perpendicular to Mugen and put her left leg up parallel to her right leg. She held her arms out and began to bend backwards. Mugen raised an eyebrow, surprised at her extreme flexibility. Her face portrayed no sign of pain, so he continued to let her bend. When she was completely backwards, she held the position for a moment. Sakura put her arms down and did a back walkover to a standing position. She looked at Mugen. Mugen clapped.

 

“That was extremely interesting. Why don't you join some acrobatic troupe or something? I think you'd be the star of the show,” he said. Sakura picked up her sword.

 

“You're not too bad when it comes to the flexibility category, either, Mugen. Have you ever really watched the way you fight? I wish that I could somehow show it to you. It's very different from what I'm used to fighting against,” she said. Mugen smirked.

 

“So is yours. I'm used to fighting people that have Jin's style. His varies a bit, but it's really not that different. You're special, though. Your style has spunk,” Mugen drew his sword quickly and slashed downward, kicking up dust around them. A loud clang was heard. When the dust cleared, Mugen saw that Sakura had blocked him. Mugen smirked again. “The only thing about you and Jin that is the same is,” Mugen turned around and kneeled, “that you're so fucking fast!” He tried to trip her up. Sakura jumped over him.

 

“That must really hurt your pride, Mugen. I'm not as strong as you make me out to be. There are flaws in my fighting style. You just have yet to figure them out. I have figured out yours, though,” Sakura said, side-stepping him. “For instance,” Sakura blocked another strike, “you have a brief pause between your spin kicks that I can easily take advantage of with my speed.” Sakura said as Mugen did just that. Sakura wrapped her sleeve around his legs during the pause, making him trip. Mugen cursed and bounced back up.

 

“So you've figured out one of my weaknesses. Big deal,” he said. Sakura smiled and came at him. He twirled beside her and caught her scent again. Mugen grabbed onto her long sleeve. He pulled on it. Sakura's breath caught and she fell into him. He pulled her around, grabbing her wrist and twisting. The sword fell from her hand. Sakura smiled.

 

“Well. It seems that you have won, Mugen,” she said breathlessly. Mugen nodded. He noticed her wince slightly.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

“It's just my side. I'll be fine,” she said.

 

Shoubi hooked her razor rings to her belt and tied her katana to her back. Her son, Keichi, watched her with wide eyes.

 

“Where are you going?” he asked. Shoubi smiled and looked at him.

 

“I'm going to do some work. I'll be back soon. You be good and listen to okusama, okay?” she said as Hinome walked up beside her. Keichi nodded and looked at Hinome. Hinome bent down.

 

“We are going to have fun, aren't we, little one?” Hinome said. Keichi nodded. Shoubi looked at Hinome.

 

“Ayame is traveling with me?” she asked. Hinome gave a piece of parchment to Shoubi.

 

“Yes. Watch her, Shoubi. Report to me anything that she does against orders. Give this to Sakura,” Hinome said. Shoubi nodded. She took one last glance at her son, and then she hurried away.

 

Swords clanged as Sakura and Fuu fought each other. Fuu was catching on quickly, but she was quite sloppy. She said that it was part of her style. Mugen said that her “style” will get her killed one day, and Fuu had thrown a bowl of rice at him. At the present moment, Sakura was teaching Fuu how to parry moves. So far, it was going terribly.

 

“Fuu, you've got to put a little bit more force into it. If not, I'll break through it,” Sakura said. Fuu nodded.

 

“Come at me again,” she said. Sakura stared at her for a moment. Without warning, Sakura came at her. Fuu gasped and did as Sakura had been teaching her. Sakura went to the side, almost losing her balance. Fuu smiled and almost jumped with glee until she found herself staring down the business end of Sakura's sword.

 

“You should never let your guard down, Fuu. Not even if your opponent is down,” Sakura said sternly. Fuu nodded. Sakura eased up and stood straight.

 

Jin, who had been watching this entire scene, smirked at Fuu's new lesson. Sakura never gave compliments. She'd be a great teacher one day, if that's the path she chose to take. Since the attack, he had noticed her rather reserved nature. She hadn't had a real fight with Mugen lately, at it was starting to bother him. Something was amiss, and he was going to find out what it was.

 

Sakura dodged Fuu's wild swings easily. Fuu growled something unintelligible and thrust forward. Sakura turned, but her kimono sleeve got caught on Fuu's katana. A loud rip was heard and Sakura's back was exposed. Jin opened his eyes to see Sakura examining her clothes and Fuu staring wide-eyed at her handiwork.

 

“Oh, Sakura, I'm sooooo sorry!” Fuu said loudly. Sakura just smiled and shrugged her shoulders.

 

“It's okay, Fuu. Really, it is. I'll just go buy another,” she said. Fuu laughed along with Sakura.

 

As the two women laughed, Jin caught himself looking at Sakura's back. What he saw made him gasp.

 

The mark of the Hanafusa Shikyakus, he thought. He froze in his spot as Sakura and Fuu walked past him into the house.

 

That night, Sakura braided her wet hair by the lake. She gathered her things on the ground. She looked up at the sky. The moon was full and the air smelled fresh, devoid of any scent but cherry blossoms.

 

Only me, she thought happily. Sakura bent down to pick up her things when she turned around and threw one of her sai. She heard it hit a tree and a small grunt. Sakura walked into the trees and saw Jin standing there. Frowning she walked forward.

 

“You weren't watching me, were you, Jin?” she asked. Jin just stared at her. Smiling, Sakura pulled the sai from the tree, freeing him. She started to walk towards her things again. As she bent down to pick them up, she turned quickly and blocked a strike from Jin. She pushed him back and rolled backwards onto her feet. Standing up, she stared at him. Jin looked very angry.

 

“You liar,” he said. Sakura looked confused.

 

“Nani?” she asked. Jin came forward. Sakura blocked him. She'd never fought Jin before, so she was not familiar with his style. She immediately realized that he fought much like Shoubi; like a samurai. She parried him and moved behind him. Jin whirled again.

 

“You know what I am talking about. Don't lie to me any longer, Sakura,” Jin said.

 

“I don't know what you're talking about, Jin,” Sakura said. Jin came at her again. Sakura moved forward, blocking his swings. Her temper lit when his katana cut a bit of her kimono top. Frowning, she swung back at him forcefully. Jin blinked, blocking her. He slid back at her force. “What the hell is wrong with you?!” she yelled.

 

“You are one of the Hanafusa Shikyakus. From your name, I would say you are the Cherry Blossom Assassin. Do you deny it?” Jin asked. Sakura stared at him for a moment. Jin just stared back at him.

 

“Yes, I am her. I am the Cherry Blossom Assassin,” Sakura said.

 

“Who did you kill?” he asked.

 

“I don't think that mat-”

 

“Who, Sakura?” Jin repeated. Sakura stared him in the eyes.

 

“I killed the headman, his wife, and his son. That is all,” she said.

 

“You did not kill Fumiko and the baby?” he asked.

 

“I am an assassin, Jin; not a monster. I would never kill a baby. Had I known that the headman's wife had a baby, I would not have killed her,” Sakura said. Jin raised an eyebrow.

 

“Was Sayuri one?”

 

“Yes,” she said.

 

“Why did you return to Sugiyama?”

 

“I have another assignment,” Sakura said. Jin stared at her harder.

 

“Who?” Sakura did not answer him. After a moment, Jin realized that he was not going to get one either. “Why have you companions been sent to kill you?”

 

“We have a code. The consequence for betrayal is death. They think I have betrayed them, which is why they keep coming to kill me. You and Mugen just keep getting in the way,” Sakura said.

 

“Do you even really love Mugen?” Jin asked. Sakura opened her mouth to speak, but stopped immediately.

 

“That's none of your business,” she said quietly.

 

“I think I should know. He is my fri-” Jin stopped when Sakura looked up at him.

 

“He's you friend,” she finished. “Listen, I'm trying to protect you all. At least let me do that until I know that they will not return,” Sakura said. Jin also sheathed his katana.

 

“Fine. Your secret is safe with me, Sakura. But, you better live up to your word,” he said. Sakura nodded.

 

Two nights later, Shoubi sat in a tree, looking out at the town of Sugiyama. She surveyed the streets. Ayame sat next to her.

 

“Do you have an idea of what the target looks like?” Shoubi asked. Ayame squinted and looked.

 

“There,” she said, pointing. Shoubi followed her finger and nodded. Ayame began climbing down the tree. Shoubi watched her. She tied the parchment Hinome had given to her on an arrow. She aimed and shot the arrow.

 

Sakura was holding a flower out to Mugen for him to examine when an arrow came between them. Both of them blinked as the displaced air shocked them. Both looked at the tree the arrow had lodged itself in. Mugen looked off to see where the arrow had come from while Sakura examined it. She noticed the parchment and took it off the arrow. She unrolled it and read it.

 

Sakura,

 

What have you done? Hoshi will stop at nothing until you are dead. I am powerless because the rules of sisterhood cannot be broken. You must either kill the target, or kill Ayame. Shoubi and Ayame are there now. Make a choice.

 

Hinome

 

Sakura balled the parchment up and sighed. Mugen looked over at her.

 

“It was probably those silly brats playing with those arrows that idiot Homaru made. Who gives ten-year-olds arrows? Anyway, are you okay, Sak? You look a little pale,” Mugen asked. Sakura looked over at him.

 

“Come on, Mugen,” Sakura said. She grabbed his hand and walked off.

 

Back in the house, Fuu was braiding Kyoko's hair and Jin was sipping tea when Sakura and Mugen burst in.

 

“Jin, a word,” Sakura said. Mugen sat down and Sakura pulled Jin off into another room. Mugen, Fuu, and Kyoko all looked at each other.

 

“Hey, your guess is as good as mine,” he said.

 

Sakura closed the door and faced Jin.

 

“She's here as we speak, coming to find me,” she said. Jin nodded. He moved to pick up his weapons. “What are you doing?”

 

“We'll fight her,” he said. Sakura shook her head.

 

“No, no, no. You will do no such thing. This is my problem. I'll deal with it myself. Plus, she's not alone. She didn't bring someone as terrible as the twins, but she did bring someone I like. Shoubi, the Rose Assassin, is not a bad person and I don't want her harmed. I'll deal with this,” Sakura said. Jin stared at her for a moment. He put his weapons down.

 

“Have it your way,” he said. Sakura nodded and left the room.

 

Mugen watched as Sakura went into their room, rummaged around, and then came out with her weapons. She looked at them all as Jin returned to his seat.

 

“Mugen, stay put,” she said. Mugen blinked.

 

“Why?”

 

“For the love of god, just do it, damnit!” Sakura yelled as she walked out of the house. Mugen raised an eyebrow.

 

“I think you should listen,” Kyoko said.

 

“If she's not back in ten minutes, I'm going after her. I don't care what you assholes say,” Mugen said.

 

“You'd do well not to interfere this time, Mugen,” Jin said quietly. Mugen glared at him and stood up.

 

“Listen, pretty boy. You don't ever tell me what to do!” Mugen yelled. Jin stood up, getting in his face as well. Fuu watched with big eyes; this was highly uncharacteristic of Jin.

 

“Do what she says! It's for your own good this time!” Jin yelled back at him. Mugen blinked twice before the scene before him registered. He sat back down quietly and mumbled a few choice words. Jin sat back down as well and continued sipping his tea. Kyoko and Fuu just exchanged bewildered glances.

 

Sakura stopped walking as she saw a rose on the ground. She looked up and saw Shoubi standing in a tree. The Rose Assassin wore red and her face was covered with a red mask. Only her eyes showed.

 

“Sakura,” Shoubi said.

 

“Shoubi,” Sakura said. Shoubi nodded.

 

“Good.”