Shadow Dancer
6th March 2006, 02:38 PM
This is a warning to everyone: This story is very dark, and not likely to
become bright and happy any time in the near future. Also, this story is not
work safe in any way, shape, or form. Herein is a story of mature subject
matter, if you don't think you can handle the idea of sex, violence, rape, and
other aspects of pain, put this story aside, go elsewhere, and read happier
stories.
Disclaimer: All rights of all the characters herein belong to Rumiko Takahashi
and the various syndicates that publish her works. I am but a poor writer that
doesn't get paid for her work.
Shadowed Edge writing
Presents
Black Dreams Sidestory #1 - Purple Chase
By Shadow Dancer
******
Up on the challenge log, I stand proudly, I fight with pride. I also fight with
Rai Sor, one of the best swordswomen of our generation. Her scimitars crash
against my bonbori, and I grin as I sense the wavering of her determination. I
don't mind, it just means that I will win that much faster. Strike, feint,
parry, dodge, strike again. I am the best of my generation of warriors, I WILL
be champion.
Rai Sor and I trade strikes for what seems like hours, but is surely only a few
minutes, and then I see my opening. Strike once, twice, pushing both of her
blades aside, away from her body, and my foot flashes up in the empty area,
kicking her in the chest. She flips, trying to regain her footing, only to
catch the edge of the log, falling off.
Warriors around cheer as I wait for my next opponent, Ku Ten, with her large
blocky frame, and her battle staff. I turn to look around the crowd again, then
notice people at the victory table. Eating the first prize. Eating what is to
be MY first prize.
I don't recognize the people, two males and one female, so they must be
outsiders. Well, I can wait to deal with them until after the tournament.
Honour first, of course. I then look at the girl closer, and notice that she
looks ill. She has an apple in her hand, and from her movements she seems
almost afraid of the fruit. Which is silly. Fruit is good, yes? I watch as she
chews and swallows a small piece, and her eyes light up as though she was just
given the most wonderful gift in the village.
Anger clouds my vision for a second as I realize, the girl had been starving
for food. It is most likely the old man's fault. I turn and yell at the stupid
outsider, "Hey old man! Stop eating the prize!" I twitch for a second as I
realize that Ku Ten yelled the same as me, at the same time. I glance at the
girl, as she stands up, but Great-grandmother is talking to her, so that should
be fine. I yell again at the man, "Stop eating the prize, if you value your
life! Whoever wins the tournament will take care of you."
I look at Ku Ten, and she grins, accepting the idea. Whichever of us wins will
kill the man. I intend to win.
The battle is fast and furious, Ku Ten and I trade blows and parries with
abandon. Ku Ten has a slight edge in reach against me, with her battle staff
and larger body, and she also has a strength advantage. But her advantages
aren't as large as she might think. Her muscles are the large ones that speak
of much endurance training; while my muscles are the thin, wiry ones that speak
of several years worth of speed training. My body hides the muscles very well,
while hers are on display to the world. She probably thinks she has a distinct
edge over me.
She's wrong.
Her speed is nothing to sneeze at, but I am much faster. I have always been
faster, and my technique takes advantage of that fact. The battle takes longer
than she was expecting, but not as long as I feared. My arcing high kick sends
her stunned to the ground, and the village around cheers for me. I turn to
glare at the outsiders again, and I'm just about to yell, when the outsider
girl beats me to it. She is yelling at the man...I can't understand her words,
but her tone is unmistakeable.
'Stop being a stupid male' is what she's saying. Or at least what I think she's
saying. He responds in a reasonable (!!) tone of voice, so something doesn't
seem right with this picture.
The other man apparently speaks Mandarin, for he calls to me, "Woman say she
challenge you for honour and prize, she say you not as good as her!"
Almost am I pushed to attack the girl out of fury, but then I think back. His
tone didn't seem right, almost as though his words were covered in oil or
grease.
Grandmother talks to the girl, and her reply is quiet, yet emphatic. Great-
grandmother then calls up to me, "She fights not to take your honour, Xian Pu,
but to keep her own." I stare at Great-grandmother for a second, startled, and
she then turns back to the girl and says something to her. Probably telling her
not to hold back or something. The look that she shoots at me before urging the
girl onto the log makes me think she doesn't want me to hold back either.
The ease with which the red haired girl jumps to the log suggests that she's
not one to take lightly. The girl bows from the waist, and holds the bow for a
few seconds. What a strange outsider custom. Maybe it means something more than
just a greeting? I think, and then bow as well, the accepting of challenge
given in honour.
We stand, watching each other, until Great Grandmother calls out, "Begin!" and
I charge to the attack. The girl ducks beneath my first strike, slips to the
side from my second, and jumps over my third. Either she is very very good and
is showing off, or she doesn't want to attack for some reason. Just to test, I
strike for her midsection, just as she is landing...and she catches my bonbori
with her bare hands. Such strength! I notice the instant of panic and fear,
followed by confusion rippling across her face, before she sets herself again.
Sets herself, and drops below my bonbori, striking at my legs. A quick hop
overcomes that little attack, thankfully. I look down at her stomach, and then
back up at her, and a shrug from her tells me that she doesn't know why she
blocked it, rather than dodge. I have a suspicion though.
She starts striking out now, not in desperation, but calm and calculating. I
stop each of her three strikes with my bonbori, and she winces momentarily with
each block. She jumps up and back, again showing healthy amounts of skill as
she doesn't even look at her feet, but lands clean on the curved surface of the
log.
I grin at her, and then she rushes forward, striking once, twice. I block with
my bonbori, but the blocks push my arms out wide for a split second. No
matter...
Wait.
I blink in surprise as I feel her foot against my chest for a second. Not hard,
but more than strong enough to send me up into the air. I flip over, set my
feet underneath me...only to gape in surprise as I land a full body length past
the end of the log...on the ground.
Fury and humiliation clouds my vision as the girl jumps off of the log, and So
Pu rushes forward to raise the girl's hand in victory. Then the girl motions me
forward. I approach, wondering what else she has planned...until she grabs my
arm, and raises it as well, declaring not her victory, but a draw.
She could have taken the victory, and my honour.
But she didn't.
I look down at this girl who, while faint with fatigue, still managed to beat
me. And yet even in beating me, she decides that she didn't. I look up, and
watch Great-grandmother, and I smile as she recognizes the signs as well.
A hush descends as the village waits to see what I will do. Well then, I shall
not disappoint them.
Much.
I lean forward to the now grinning girl, and kiss her firmly on the lips,
holding the kiss for a second, maybe two.
Her lips are sweet, like nectar.
I pull back, and watch the surprise bloom in her face, as she touches her lips
with her fingers.
Only to be dragged away by the second man, who is shouting something
incomprehensible? The first man starts running as well, and then, slowly, the
girl gets her feet underneath her as she starts to run. Fear and loss show on
her face, as she dashes into the forest.
I stride over to Great-grandmother, asking quietly, "What did he say?"
Great-grandmother looks up at me, and replies, "He says you gave her the kiss
of death. Did you?"
I smile softly, dropping to my knees to look Great-grandmother in the eye, "No,
I gave her the kiss of life. It is not right to kill one who only protects her
child."
Great-grandmother chuckles, "So you noticed it as well, Xian Pu?"
I frown, commenting, "I also noticed that she doesn't know. Who were the men?"
I query, making sure I know for certain.
"The large fat man is her father, and the one who speaks Mandarin is the guide
of Jusenkyou." Great-grandmother looks at me in curiousity, wondering what is
going through my mind.
I decide to enlighten her. It isn't good to keep secrets from family after all,
"If the other was the Jusenkyou guide, then she might not be female in truth. I
wonder if her father changes at all? I also wonder what her real challenge
was." It is a hint that I hope she replies to.
Great-grandmother taps me on the head with her staff, "You need to learn
Japanese child, to better communicate with your chosen wife. And her challenge
was to her father, not to you. She just wanted to leave in peace, and wanted
her father to stop being an idiot. Her father is the one that wanted her to
challenge you. What the guide said was false."
I smile grimly, "I thought as much, Great-grandmother. I will take a couple of
our Japanese language books when I leave, is that acceptable?" at her nod I
continue, "Please have someone watch the guide, I feel he has not finished
meddling, and is trying to use us to cover for something he did."
"Very good, Xian Pu. We will look into it, now go watch over your wife." Great
grandmother grins, "It seems that fruit helps calm her stomach."
I smile happily at her suggestion, and then run to my house to pack. It will be
a long journey.
******
I'm sending this out to let people know that yes, I am still working on the
story. Purple chase is about 1/4 finished at this time, and chapter 3 is a bit
farther than that, but I will be releasing chapter 3 in a whole block, wheras
the sidestories will stretch between 2 and 3 chapters, so those I can and will
release in parts.
As always, C&C is requested, it does help me to know that people enjoy my
works.
Of course, even if you hate me for the stories, that's fine too. ^^
Liath Corrine Hidson
Shadow Dancer
<Life and Love mean more to me now than ever before>
Wings of Hope:
God gave you wings,
And a voice to sing,
Although you don't know why;
Powers so fair,
Suddenly not there,
Find your own reason to fly...
(c) October 22, 1998, Liath Hidson
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become bright and happy any time in the near future. Also, this story is not
work safe in any way, shape, or form. Herein is a story of mature subject
matter, if you don't think you can handle the idea of sex, violence, rape, and
other aspects of pain, put this story aside, go elsewhere, and read happier
stories.
Disclaimer: All rights of all the characters herein belong to Rumiko Takahashi
and the various syndicates that publish her works. I am but a poor writer that
doesn't get paid for her work.
Shadowed Edge writing
Presents
Black Dreams Sidestory #1 - Purple Chase
By Shadow Dancer
******
Up on the challenge log, I stand proudly, I fight with pride. I also fight with
Rai Sor, one of the best swordswomen of our generation. Her scimitars crash
against my bonbori, and I grin as I sense the wavering of her determination. I
don't mind, it just means that I will win that much faster. Strike, feint,
parry, dodge, strike again. I am the best of my generation of warriors, I WILL
be champion.
Rai Sor and I trade strikes for what seems like hours, but is surely only a few
minutes, and then I see my opening. Strike once, twice, pushing both of her
blades aside, away from her body, and my foot flashes up in the empty area,
kicking her in the chest. She flips, trying to regain her footing, only to
catch the edge of the log, falling off.
Warriors around cheer as I wait for my next opponent, Ku Ten, with her large
blocky frame, and her battle staff. I turn to look around the crowd again, then
notice people at the victory table. Eating the first prize. Eating what is to
be MY first prize.
I don't recognize the people, two males and one female, so they must be
outsiders. Well, I can wait to deal with them until after the tournament.
Honour first, of course. I then look at the girl closer, and notice that she
looks ill. She has an apple in her hand, and from her movements she seems
almost afraid of the fruit. Which is silly. Fruit is good, yes? I watch as she
chews and swallows a small piece, and her eyes light up as though she was just
given the most wonderful gift in the village.
Anger clouds my vision for a second as I realize, the girl had been starving
for food. It is most likely the old man's fault. I turn and yell at the stupid
outsider, "Hey old man! Stop eating the prize!" I twitch for a second as I
realize that Ku Ten yelled the same as me, at the same time. I glance at the
girl, as she stands up, but Great-grandmother is talking to her, so that should
be fine. I yell again at the man, "Stop eating the prize, if you value your
life! Whoever wins the tournament will take care of you."
I look at Ku Ten, and she grins, accepting the idea. Whichever of us wins will
kill the man. I intend to win.
The battle is fast and furious, Ku Ten and I trade blows and parries with
abandon. Ku Ten has a slight edge in reach against me, with her battle staff
and larger body, and she also has a strength advantage. But her advantages
aren't as large as she might think. Her muscles are the large ones that speak
of much endurance training; while my muscles are the thin, wiry ones that speak
of several years worth of speed training. My body hides the muscles very well,
while hers are on display to the world. She probably thinks she has a distinct
edge over me.
She's wrong.
Her speed is nothing to sneeze at, but I am much faster. I have always been
faster, and my technique takes advantage of that fact. The battle takes longer
than she was expecting, but not as long as I feared. My arcing high kick sends
her stunned to the ground, and the village around cheers for me. I turn to
glare at the outsiders again, and I'm just about to yell, when the outsider
girl beats me to it. She is yelling at the man...I can't understand her words,
but her tone is unmistakeable.
'Stop being a stupid male' is what she's saying. Or at least what I think she's
saying. He responds in a reasonable (!!) tone of voice, so something doesn't
seem right with this picture.
The other man apparently speaks Mandarin, for he calls to me, "Woman say she
challenge you for honour and prize, she say you not as good as her!"
Almost am I pushed to attack the girl out of fury, but then I think back. His
tone didn't seem right, almost as though his words were covered in oil or
grease.
Grandmother talks to the girl, and her reply is quiet, yet emphatic. Great-
grandmother then calls up to me, "She fights not to take your honour, Xian Pu,
but to keep her own." I stare at Great-grandmother for a second, startled, and
she then turns back to the girl and says something to her. Probably telling her
not to hold back or something. The look that she shoots at me before urging the
girl onto the log makes me think she doesn't want me to hold back either.
The ease with which the red haired girl jumps to the log suggests that she's
not one to take lightly. The girl bows from the waist, and holds the bow for a
few seconds. What a strange outsider custom. Maybe it means something more than
just a greeting? I think, and then bow as well, the accepting of challenge
given in honour.
We stand, watching each other, until Great Grandmother calls out, "Begin!" and
I charge to the attack. The girl ducks beneath my first strike, slips to the
side from my second, and jumps over my third. Either she is very very good and
is showing off, or she doesn't want to attack for some reason. Just to test, I
strike for her midsection, just as she is landing...and she catches my bonbori
with her bare hands. Such strength! I notice the instant of panic and fear,
followed by confusion rippling across her face, before she sets herself again.
Sets herself, and drops below my bonbori, striking at my legs. A quick hop
overcomes that little attack, thankfully. I look down at her stomach, and then
back up at her, and a shrug from her tells me that she doesn't know why she
blocked it, rather than dodge. I have a suspicion though.
She starts striking out now, not in desperation, but calm and calculating. I
stop each of her three strikes with my bonbori, and she winces momentarily with
each block. She jumps up and back, again showing healthy amounts of skill as
she doesn't even look at her feet, but lands clean on the curved surface of the
log.
I grin at her, and then she rushes forward, striking once, twice. I block with
my bonbori, but the blocks push my arms out wide for a split second. No
matter...
Wait.
I blink in surprise as I feel her foot against my chest for a second. Not hard,
but more than strong enough to send me up into the air. I flip over, set my
feet underneath me...only to gape in surprise as I land a full body length past
the end of the log...on the ground.
Fury and humiliation clouds my vision as the girl jumps off of the log, and So
Pu rushes forward to raise the girl's hand in victory. Then the girl motions me
forward. I approach, wondering what else she has planned...until she grabs my
arm, and raises it as well, declaring not her victory, but a draw.
She could have taken the victory, and my honour.
But she didn't.
I look down at this girl who, while faint with fatigue, still managed to beat
me. And yet even in beating me, she decides that she didn't. I look up, and
watch Great-grandmother, and I smile as she recognizes the signs as well.
A hush descends as the village waits to see what I will do. Well then, I shall
not disappoint them.
Much.
I lean forward to the now grinning girl, and kiss her firmly on the lips,
holding the kiss for a second, maybe two.
Her lips are sweet, like nectar.
I pull back, and watch the surprise bloom in her face, as she touches her lips
with her fingers.
Only to be dragged away by the second man, who is shouting something
incomprehensible? The first man starts running as well, and then, slowly, the
girl gets her feet underneath her as she starts to run. Fear and loss show on
her face, as she dashes into the forest.
I stride over to Great-grandmother, asking quietly, "What did he say?"
Great-grandmother looks up at me, and replies, "He says you gave her the kiss
of death. Did you?"
I smile softly, dropping to my knees to look Great-grandmother in the eye, "No,
I gave her the kiss of life. It is not right to kill one who only protects her
child."
Great-grandmother chuckles, "So you noticed it as well, Xian Pu?"
I frown, commenting, "I also noticed that she doesn't know. Who were the men?"
I query, making sure I know for certain.
"The large fat man is her father, and the one who speaks Mandarin is the guide
of Jusenkyou." Great-grandmother looks at me in curiousity, wondering what is
going through my mind.
I decide to enlighten her. It isn't good to keep secrets from family after all,
"If the other was the Jusenkyou guide, then she might not be female in truth. I
wonder if her father changes at all? I also wonder what her real challenge
was." It is a hint that I hope she replies to.
Great-grandmother taps me on the head with her staff, "You need to learn
Japanese child, to better communicate with your chosen wife. And her challenge
was to her father, not to you. She just wanted to leave in peace, and wanted
her father to stop being an idiot. Her father is the one that wanted her to
challenge you. What the guide said was false."
I smile grimly, "I thought as much, Great-grandmother. I will take a couple of
our Japanese language books when I leave, is that acceptable?" at her nod I
continue, "Please have someone watch the guide, I feel he has not finished
meddling, and is trying to use us to cover for something he did."
"Very good, Xian Pu. We will look into it, now go watch over your wife." Great
grandmother grins, "It seems that fruit helps calm her stomach."
I smile happily at her suggestion, and then run to my house to pack. It will be
a long journey.
******
I'm sending this out to let people know that yes, I am still working on the
story. Purple chase is about 1/4 finished at this time, and chapter 3 is a bit
farther than that, but I will be releasing chapter 3 in a whole block, wheras
the sidestories will stretch between 2 and 3 chapters, so those I can and will
release in parts.
As always, C&C is requested, it does help me to know that people enjoy my
works.
Of course, even if you hate me for the stories, that's fine too. ^^
Liath Corrine Hidson
Shadow Dancer
<Life and Love mean more to me now than ever before>
Wings of Hope:
God gave you wings,
And a voice to sing,
Although you don't know why;
Powers so fair,
Suddenly not there,
Find your own reason to fly...
(c) October 22, 1998, Liath Hidson
.---Anime/Manga Fanfiction Mailing List----.
| Administrators - ffml-admins (AT) anifics (DOT) com |
| Unsubscribing - ffml-request (AT) anifics (DOT) com |
| Put 'unsubscribe' in the subject |
`---- http://ffml.anifics.com/faq.txt -----'