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Here is another story I've been writing up, while I was also working on "Hidden Agenda". The setting is in 1860's pre-industrial Japan. It's somewhat of a historic/fiction kind of tale. Here are the first two chapters. Comments and questions are welcomed. 
Part 1:
“Tokugawa must fall, the monarchy must fall!” Kagehisa Arihyoshi cried out to the spectators as he threw his tightened fist into the air.
“He owns too much land, he has too many people behind him. To revolt now would surely be the end of us and are plans to brings in the revolution.” Akio Fujishima yelled back to Kagehisa in protest.
The dimly lit and cramped room echoed with the voices of arguing Japanese revolutionaries who dreamed of a Japanese Republic. A Japan in which they hoped would be ruled justly by the “Meiji Ishin Sushu” (New Age Soldiers). The flame of the burning candle flickered back and forth as the men banged their fist against the wooden table and breathed out upon the crowd their side of the argument.
“The Tokugawa’s own Imperial Guard have left Kyoto towards the borders of Korea. The only threat now are the police, and they under supplied and trained.” Kagehisa countered Akio as he leaned back on his chair, placing his left palm on the hilt of his katana with a nonchalant attitude.
A“Kagehisa, you are a bold fool…”, Akio continued as he jumped from his seat and placed both of his hands on the table, “….and you will die that way. I plead to you all, whoever may still hold honor within this room, don’t let Kagehisa drag you to your deaths!”
As Akio’s statement sunk into the ears of the room, mutters begin to echo off the walls and into the now enraged ears of Kagehisa. Kageshisa gripped the leather-like hilt of his katana and brung it out of his scabbard to meet the neck of Akio. The cold iron of the one edged blade slowly pushed into the throat of Akio, but just enough not to pierce the skin itself. The crowd came to a gentle silence as they looked upon the gleaming blade of Kagehisa, which bore the symbol of the Meiji Ishin Sushu, a white dragon that slivered up his blade, spewing black fire.
Akio looked down upon the blade, which endangered his life, and then upon the face of Kagehisa, which was as stern as his attitude. “You question my honor, Akio? Let us test your nerves…do you fear death?”
Akio began to dig the blade deeper within the throat of Akio, the blood slowly dripping from his veins onto the sword. Kagehisa may have finished Akio off had Atasuke, Akio’s son, not intervened.
“Stop! Leave my father alone! He is too sickly to fight, I will fight you instead!” Atasuke yelled out as he pushed through the crowd of men. The nine years old boy then stopped on the left side of Kagehisa and brung his sword out, struggling with all his might to keep up in proper position.
“Atasuke-chan, I do not need the defense of a little boy, go back to your room!” Akio scowled at his son, with his raspy voice and cough.
Kagehisa brought the blade of his katana back into his wooden scabbard and looked down at the 5’6 foot boy. “Come now Kagehisa, you can’t yell at the boy for having more bravery then his own father. Besides, I have better things to do then argue with weary, scared men and their disobedient sons.” Kageshisa turned to the crowd as he continued, “Those who wish to over throw the Tokugawa and bring about a new government, which the Koreans have brought over to us from the east, then follow me. Those who wish to hide in small rooms and talk without action then stay here.”
Kagehisa whipped around and headed towards the door, slightly glancing at Akio with a smirk of triumph. The other men followed him out as well; leaving only the old man and his boy whom hugged his coughing father. The door slammed before them and the flame did its last dance before going out.
Kagehisa ran through a list of ways to successfully manage the upcoming revolt as he walked down the cobblestone streets of Kyoto. He paid little mind to the cold, moist, and foggy night air that met his skin as he thought deeply to himself. He also paid little mind to the footsteps that followed behind him in the shadows.
“Alone, bad move Kagehisa. “ the mysterious figure whispered to him as he gently paced behind Kagehia, the darkness swallowing his body. His footsteps were quiet; his breath was calm and steady. He truly was the perfect assassin.
Kagehisa broke from his thoughts as he felt a presence around him. He turned his head back and forth until the sound of crashing caught his right ear. He turned right, reaching for his sword all in the same motion. He sighed quietly to himself and relaxed his arms as a cat stepped out from behind a nearby crate. The black cat with white paws purred smoothly as it brushed up against the right ankle of Kagehisa.
“Phew, so it was only you, eh? Kagehisa said to the cat as he bent down to pet the scrawny feline.
The cat nestled against the man’s warm palms, before finally letting out a screech and scurried away into the shadows. Kagehisa instantly froze as he heard the footsteps of someone coming up behind him and unsheathing their blade. He could only look down helplessly as his petrified reflection appeared on the metal blade, pressed up firmly against the Adam's apple of his throat.
“Not exactly…” the figure's voice whispered to Kagehisa, which sounded like the voice of the devil himself.
He blinked, not yet believing the reality of the situation. It would be his last blink, for in a matter of seconds the blade had sliced across his throat, cutting deep within the esophagus. Kagehisa grabbed his throat in agony as he fell back to the ground; the warm blood ran over his fingers, knuckles and onto the ground. He looked back to see who had delivered him the fatal blow, but there was nothing, only heavy fog all around him. His vision gradually faded and slowly he closed his eyes, for an eternal sleep. The unknown figure looked down from the roof upon his victim. The moonlight shined upon his body, revealing his face, which carried a deep scar across his right cheek. The light also revealed his shimmering black hair, hanging over his empty green eyes. Hakuseki had completed another nights work…
Part 1:
“Tokugawa must fall, the monarchy must fall!” Kagehisa Arihyoshi cried out to the spectators as he threw his tightened fist into the air.
“He owns too much land, he has too many people behind him. To revolt now would surely be the end of us and are plans to brings in the revolution.” Akio Fujishima yelled back to Kagehisa in protest.
The dimly lit and cramped room echoed with the voices of arguing Japanese revolutionaries who dreamed of a Japanese Republic. A Japan in which they hoped would be ruled justly by the “Meiji Ishin Sushu” (New Age Soldiers). The flame of the burning candle flickered back and forth as the men banged their fist against the wooden table and breathed out upon the crowd their side of the argument.
“The Tokugawa’s own Imperial Guard have left Kyoto towards the borders of Korea. The only threat now are the police, and they under supplied and trained.” Kagehisa countered Akio as he leaned back on his chair, placing his left palm on the hilt of his katana with a nonchalant attitude.
A“Kagehisa, you are a bold fool…”, Akio continued as he jumped from his seat and placed both of his hands on the table, “….and you will die that way. I plead to you all, whoever may still hold honor within this room, don’t let Kagehisa drag you to your deaths!”
As Akio’s statement sunk into the ears of the room, mutters begin to echo off the walls and into the now enraged ears of Kagehisa. Kageshisa gripped the leather-like hilt of his katana and brung it out of his scabbard to meet the neck of Akio. The cold iron of the one edged blade slowly pushed into the throat of Akio, but just enough not to pierce the skin itself. The crowd came to a gentle silence as they looked upon the gleaming blade of Kagehisa, which bore the symbol of the Meiji Ishin Sushu, a white dragon that slivered up his blade, spewing black fire.
Akio looked down upon the blade, which endangered his life, and then upon the face of Kagehisa, which was as stern as his attitude. “You question my honor, Akio? Let us test your nerves…do you fear death?”
Akio began to dig the blade deeper within the throat of Akio, the blood slowly dripping from his veins onto the sword. Kagehisa may have finished Akio off had Atasuke, Akio’s son, not intervened.
“Stop! Leave my father alone! He is too sickly to fight, I will fight you instead!” Atasuke yelled out as he pushed through the crowd of men. The nine years old boy then stopped on the left side of Kagehisa and brung his sword out, struggling with all his might to keep up in proper position.
“Atasuke-chan, I do not need the defense of a little boy, go back to your room!” Akio scowled at his son, with his raspy voice and cough.
Kagehisa brought the blade of his katana back into his wooden scabbard and looked down at the 5’6 foot boy. “Come now Kagehisa, you can’t yell at the boy for having more bravery then his own father. Besides, I have better things to do then argue with weary, scared men and their disobedient sons.” Kageshisa turned to the crowd as he continued, “Those who wish to over throw the Tokugawa and bring about a new government, which the Koreans have brought over to us from the east, then follow me. Those who wish to hide in small rooms and talk without action then stay here.”
Kagehisa whipped around and headed towards the door, slightly glancing at Akio with a smirk of triumph. The other men followed him out as well; leaving only the old man and his boy whom hugged his coughing father. The door slammed before them and the flame did its last dance before going out.
Kagehisa ran through a list of ways to successfully manage the upcoming revolt as he walked down the cobblestone streets of Kyoto. He paid little mind to the cold, moist, and foggy night air that met his skin as he thought deeply to himself. He also paid little mind to the footsteps that followed behind him in the shadows.
“Alone, bad move Kagehisa. “ the mysterious figure whispered to him as he gently paced behind Kagehia, the darkness swallowing his body. His footsteps were quiet; his breath was calm and steady. He truly was the perfect assassin.
Kagehisa broke from his thoughts as he felt a presence around him. He turned his head back and forth until the sound of crashing caught his right ear. He turned right, reaching for his sword all in the same motion. He sighed quietly to himself and relaxed his arms as a cat stepped out from behind a nearby crate. The black cat with white paws purred smoothly as it brushed up against the right ankle of Kagehisa.
“Phew, so it was only you, eh? Kagehisa said to the cat as he bent down to pet the scrawny feline.
The cat nestled against the man’s warm palms, before finally letting out a screech and scurried away into the shadows. Kagehisa instantly froze as he heard the footsteps of someone coming up behind him and unsheathing their blade. He could only look down helplessly as his petrified reflection appeared on the metal blade, pressed up firmly against the Adam's apple of his throat.
“Not exactly…” the figure's voice whispered to Kagehisa, which sounded like the voice of the devil himself.
He blinked, not yet believing the reality of the situation. It would be his last blink, for in a matter of seconds the blade had sliced across his throat, cutting deep within the esophagus. Kagehisa grabbed his throat in agony as he fell back to the ground; the warm blood ran over his fingers, knuckles and onto the ground. He looked back to see who had delivered him the fatal blow, but there was nothing, only heavy fog all around him. His vision gradually faded and slowly he closed his eyes, for an eternal sleep. The unknown figure looked down from the roof upon his victim. The moonlight shined upon his body, revealing his face, which carried a deep scar across his right cheek. The light also revealed his shimmering black hair, hanging over his empty green eyes. Hakuseki had completed another nights work…
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