"There, there, child." A soothing voice broke the silence. "You gave us all quite a scare," the deep, calm voice continued. "Next time you need a nap, you should lie down first," he said with a chuckle as he mopped Doku Hana's brow with a cool cloth.
Hana then tried to ask who he was, but could only manage a moan. "No, child," the man placed his hand on her shoulder, "stay there for a moment. You're libel to be dizzy. Don't want you taking another fall."
Doku Hana slowly opened her eyes and rubbed the dust out of them. As she gathered her wits, the first thing that came to mind crossed her lips. "What time is it? Did I miss the selection?" Her face showed her worry plainly. She scrambled to get off the cot she was lying on.
"Easy, easy," the man said. His voice hurried, showing concern. "You've only been out for an hour or two. It's just after dark."
"Where... where am I?" she stammered, finally getting around to the obvious questions. "And who are you?"
He bowed, smiling politely. "I am your humble healer, young lady."
She looked him up and down, finally realizing why she was alone with him. "I'm in the healer's hut. And you're a White Lotus Monk. What happened?"
"You fainted at the Temple. Your parents brought you to me here in a panic. Mistress Kurai is worried sick after you too, I'm sure. Most of the time, the girls at the beginning of the rite," he said with another chuckle.
"I... I just got overwhelmed," she responded tentatively.
"I see." The monk let the words hang in the air, silently accusing her of hiding something. A knowing smile crept across his elderly lips. After a moment, his smile growing larger, he asked, "What was that about Selection Day?"
"I, umm, I'm just," she stammered and paused, finally sighing as she finished, "excited." She could no longer keep her hopes off of her face. She beamed. "I'm going to be accepted into the Clan!"
He looked at her with a warm disbelief. "Is that so? You have an in with the Kage, do you? Was he there today? Come to visit you on your journey to womanhood?"
"Well, no." She paused. "But I'm to be his wife. And our child..."
"Excuse me?!" the monk interrupted. "Hana, you know how we feel about lying. And all those young men at your rite," he continued, "they would be very disappointed that you chose an old man over them."
"But, I'm not..." she stopped. Doku Hana could see the warm look of disbelief on the monk's face turn into one of derision. It didn't matter. She didn't have to prove anything to him. She had the will of a goddess on her side. "Can I go now?" she asked impatiently.
"Well, I suppose so. With the liveliness you're showing now, I find it unlikely that you would have another fainting spell tonight at least. A word of advice before you go, young woman. Leave your dreaming for when your head is on a pillow. The floor and the heads of others are likely too hard for your fragile dreams to smash against them and survive."
He took her hand and led her out to the road. "Be safe, my dear, and may the Blessed Wind guide you home."
"Thank you, sir," she said as she hurried along into the dark, cool night.
Doku Hana barely felt her feet touch the planks of the village's bridge-road. To her, it felt as if she could have run across the very surface of the water itself if the was no suspended road running atop the length of the river. The rushing of the water underneath her feet drowned out the sound of her footfalls, but not the pounding of her heart. She didn't care if she was going to have to marry a crusty old elf, she was going to become a ninja. While the other little elflings were dreaming about their weddings and off picking flowers, she was picturing a life of battle and playing war games with the little boys of the village. Her entire short life had been leading up to this moment. Tomorrow she would take the first step of her journey. She would be a ninja. She looked to her left, towards Stone Mountain. With her keen night vision, she saw the dingy cloud that surrounded the top of the mountain. With hope on her side, she swore she could see right into the fortress. She looked straight through the trees and the cloud and the doorway. What she saw there was her glory.
By the time Doku Hana took her eyes off of the mountain, she had passed by her home. The excitement was too much for her. The allure of the mountain, of what lie inside that cave, called to her even now. "Waiting is the easiest and the hardest thing an elf can do," her mother had told her before the rite. She was more right than she knew. Hana turned around and headed back towards home. She skipped along the bridge road, this time keeping her eyes on the planks. When she came to the steps that led down to her door, she grabbed the post and swang around it, jumping down the staircase, abruptly bumping into her father.
"Da... Daddy? What are you doing out here?"
"I saw you run by a second ago, and I came out to see where you were going. You gave us quite a scare earlier. What's going on, Hana?"
"Well, I just... I'm excited for... for... for my new life," she said as they walked inside the house. Her father smiled at her lovingly as they entered the cramped living space. Doku Hana looked in and saw her mother asleep with her head fallen back against the wall and someone nestled in her arm. It was Hito!
"I can see you're surprised," Hana's father whispered presciently. "We were all worried for you. He may even have been more worried than your mother," he continued as her gently shook Hana's angelic mother to call her to bed. She smiled as she opened her eyes, seeing her beloved daughter resplendant. She nudged the young Chokoku Hito, awaking him. Doku Hana's parents smiled and kissed their daughter on the forehead before going to bed.
"Hello, Hana," Hito croaked groggily. "Good to see you well," he said, clearing his throat and smiling.
Hana rushed in and hugged him tightly. "I'm so glad to see you," she said, her heart pounding anew. "Today I got the greatest news," she whispered excitedly. "I'm going to be selected for the Academy," she beamed.
"What? How did you... What are you... huh?" Hito sputtered, his heart beating in time with hers. "How hard did you hit your head, exactly?"
"Shut up," Hana smiled. "The Priestess told me," she paused as she recalled the second part of the prophecy. For the first time, Doku Hana realized that this wasn't just a friendly embrace. She realized that her childhood friend had grown to be something more to her. In an instant, Hana went from sudden elation to heart-break. It couldn't be true. Did she love Hito? What did that mean? Does he feel the same? Did she really have to marry the Kage? She continued, feeling deflated, "that I would be selected," she trailed off. The rest of the brief encounter went by in a blur. She said her goodbyes to Chokoku Hito, and went off to bed numbly.
The night went by fitfully, and the morning came at long last. It offered no respite, though. The tension inside Doku Hana grew by the moment. She was so conflicted. Her head pounded like a woodpecker. The fragrant breakfast prepared by her mother didn't interest her in the least. Her stomach tossed around inside her. As everyone else was finishing up, Hana heard the persistent drum, pulsing in the distance. It was time for the Selection Ceremony to begin. The whole family gleefully leapt up and headed towards the village square. Doku Hana straggled behind.
Upon reaching the square, the crowd looked up the mountain. They all saw the lofty tops of the trees bow and recoil as the Ishi Arashi ninjas bounded down the mountain. The serpenine path ended at the square for a dozen or so ninja, each in a brown ceremonial gi. As the last one landed in the square, they all directed their gaze up the mountain. The earth began to rumble, and the trees parted near the cloud line. The trees themselves bowed before the power of the Ishikage. A slab of rock slid down the slope as the dirt churned beneath it, plowing dow the mountain. As the slab came into view, the villagers and the ninjas alike saw two ninjas standing on the slab. One, resplendant in his silken mantle, was the Ishikage. Next to him and one meter behind, was a ninja in a pristine white gi with brown trim around the neck and cuffs bearing the sacred scrolls bearing the juts of those selected. He was Ishi Tenshi, the Stone Angel of the Ishi Arashi, and first Lieutenant to the Kage. As the slab ground to a halt and the earth stopped quaking, a hush fell over the crowd.
In a booming, authoritative voice, the Ishikage started the occasion tersely. "The names about to be announced are the next class of the Academy of the Ishi Arashi. The first candidate," he paused as Ishi Tenshi handed him one of the scrolls. Doku Hana tried to get a count on them. It looked like ten, maybe fifteen. "Chokoku Hito. Please make your way to the front."
Stunned, Hito looked directly at Hana before proceeding to the makeshift dais, bowing, and standing behind the Kage. Doku Hana was elated. She would not have to say goodbye to her best friend after all.
"The next candidate," the Kage began again. Receiving the scroll and continuing on, "Doku Hana."
Hana then tried to ask who he was, but could only manage a moan. "No, child," the man placed his hand on her shoulder, "stay there for a moment. You're libel to be dizzy. Don't want you taking another fall."
Doku Hana slowly opened her eyes and rubbed the dust out of them. As she gathered her wits, the first thing that came to mind crossed her lips. "What time is it? Did I miss the selection?" Her face showed her worry plainly. She scrambled to get off the cot she was lying on.
"Easy, easy," the man said. His voice hurried, showing concern. "You've only been out for an hour or two. It's just after dark."
"Where... where am I?" she stammered, finally getting around to the obvious questions. "And who are you?"
He bowed, smiling politely. "I am your humble healer, young lady."
She looked him up and down, finally realizing why she was alone with him. "I'm in the healer's hut. And you're a White Lotus Monk. What happened?"
"You fainted at the Temple. Your parents brought you to me here in a panic. Mistress Kurai is worried sick after you too, I'm sure. Most of the time, the girls at the beginning of the rite," he said with another chuckle.
"I... I just got overwhelmed," she responded tentatively.
"I see." The monk let the words hang in the air, silently accusing her of hiding something. A knowing smile crept across his elderly lips. After a moment, his smile growing larger, he asked, "What was that about Selection Day?"
"I, umm, I'm just," she stammered and paused, finally sighing as she finished, "excited." She could no longer keep her hopes off of her face. She beamed. "I'm going to be accepted into the Clan!"
He looked at her with a warm disbelief. "Is that so? You have an in with the Kage, do you? Was he there today? Come to visit you on your journey to womanhood?"
"Well, no." She paused. "But I'm to be his wife. And our child..."
"Excuse me?!" the monk interrupted. "Hana, you know how we feel about lying. And all those young men at your rite," he continued, "they would be very disappointed that you chose an old man over them."
"But, I'm not..." she stopped. Doku Hana could see the warm look of disbelief on the monk's face turn into one of derision. It didn't matter. She didn't have to prove anything to him. She had the will of a goddess on her side. "Can I go now?" she asked impatiently.
"Well, I suppose so. With the liveliness you're showing now, I find it unlikely that you would have another fainting spell tonight at least. A word of advice before you go, young woman. Leave your dreaming for when your head is on a pillow. The floor and the heads of others are likely too hard for your fragile dreams to smash against them and survive."
He took her hand and led her out to the road. "Be safe, my dear, and may the Blessed Wind guide you home."
"Thank you, sir," she said as she hurried along into the dark, cool night.
Doku Hana barely felt her feet touch the planks of the village's bridge-road. To her, it felt as if she could have run across the very surface of the water itself if the was no suspended road running atop the length of the river. The rushing of the water underneath her feet drowned out the sound of her footfalls, but not the pounding of her heart. She didn't care if she was going to have to marry a crusty old elf, she was going to become a ninja. While the other little elflings were dreaming about their weddings and off picking flowers, she was picturing a life of battle and playing war games with the little boys of the village. Her entire short life had been leading up to this moment. Tomorrow she would take the first step of her journey. She would be a ninja. She looked to her left, towards Stone Mountain. With her keen night vision, she saw the dingy cloud that surrounded the top of the mountain. With hope on her side, she swore she could see right into the fortress. She looked straight through the trees and the cloud and the doorway. What she saw there was her glory.
By the time Doku Hana took her eyes off of the mountain, she had passed by her home. The excitement was too much for her. The allure of the mountain, of what lie inside that cave, called to her even now. "Waiting is the easiest and the hardest thing an elf can do," her mother had told her before the rite. She was more right than she knew. Hana turned around and headed back towards home. She skipped along the bridge road, this time keeping her eyes on the planks. When she came to the steps that led down to her door, she grabbed the post and swang around it, jumping down the staircase, abruptly bumping into her father.
"Da... Daddy? What are you doing out here?"
"I saw you run by a second ago, and I came out to see where you were going. You gave us quite a scare earlier. What's going on, Hana?"
"Well, I just... I'm excited for... for... for my new life," she said as they walked inside the house. Her father smiled at her lovingly as they entered the cramped living space. Doku Hana looked in and saw her mother asleep with her head fallen back against the wall and someone nestled in her arm. It was Hito!
"I can see you're surprised," Hana's father whispered presciently. "We were all worried for you. He may even have been more worried than your mother," he continued as her gently shook Hana's angelic mother to call her to bed. She smiled as she opened her eyes, seeing her beloved daughter resplendant. She nudged the young Chokoku Hito, awaking him. Doku Hana's parents smiled and kissed their daughter on the forehead before going to bed.
"Hello, Hana," Hito croaked groggily. "Good to see you well," he said, clearing his throat and smiling.
Hana rushed in and hugged him tightly. "I'm so glad to see you," she said, her heart pounding anew. "Today I got the greatest news," she whispered excitedly. "I'm going to be selected for the Academy," she beamed.
"What? How did you... What are you... huh?" Hito sputtered, his heart beating in time with hers. "How hard did you hit your head, exactly?"
"Shut up," Hana smiled. "The Priestess told me," she paused as she recalled the second part of the prophecy. For the first time, Doku Hana realized that this wasn't just a friendly embrace. She realized that her childhood friend had grown to be something more to her. In an instant, Hana went from sudden elation to heart-break. It couldn't be true. Did she love Hito? What did that mean? Does he feel the same? Did she really have to marry the Kage? She continued, feeling deflated, "that I would be selected," she trailed off. The rest of the brief encounter went by in a blur. She said her goodbyes to Chokoku Hito, and went off to bed numbly.
The night went by fitfully, and the morning came at long last. It offered no respite, though. The tension inside Doku Hana grew by the moment. She was so conflicted. Her head pounded like a woodpecker. The fragrant breakfast prepared by her mother didn't interest her in the least. Her stomach tossed around inside her. As everyone else was finishing up, Hana heard the persistent drum, pulsing in the distance. It was time for the Selection Ceremony to begin. The whole family gleefully leapt up and headed towards the village square. Doku Hana straggled behind.
Upon reaching the square, the crowd looked up the mountain. They all saw the lofty tops of the trees bow and recoil as the Ishi Arashi ninjas bounded down the mountain. The serpenine path ended at the square for a dozen or so ninja, each in a brown ceremonial gi. As the last one landed in the square, they all directed their gaze up the mountain. The earth began to rumble, and the trees parted near the cloud line. The trees themselves bowed before the power of the Ishikage. A slab of rock slid down the slope as the dirt churned beneath it, plowing dow the mountain. As the slab came into view, the villagers and the ninjas alike saw two ninjas standing on the slab. One, resplendant in his silken mantle, was the Ishikage. Next to him and one meter behind, was a ninja in a pristine white gi with brown trim around the neck and cuffs bearing the sacred scrolls bearing the juts of those selected. He was Ishi Tenshi, the Stone Angel of the Ishi Arashi, and first Lieutenant to the Kage. As the slab ground to a halt and the earth stopped quaking, a hush fell over the crowd.
In a booming, authoritative voice, the Ishikage started the occasion tersely. "The names about to be announced are the next class of the Academy of the Ishi Arashi. The first candidate," he paused as Ishi Tenshi handed him one of the scrolls. Doku Hana tried to get a count on them. It looked like ten, maybe fifteen. "Chokoku Hito. Please make your way to the front."
Stunned, Hito looked directly at Hana before proceeding to the makeshift dais, bowing, and standing behind the Kage. Doku Hana was elated. She would not have to say goodbye to her best friend after all.
"The next candidate," the Kage began again. Receiving the scroll and continuing on, "Doku Hana."
