?
In the kitchen, Tsukinoko bumped into her mother, Nukade, who smiled when she saw her. She sat down at the table, empty at this hour, and questioned her mother with her eyes as she starved to death.
- I'm starving..." she grumbled.
- All you had to do was get up at time instead of playing groundhog.
Nukade returned to the living room to plunge into her embroidery, while Tsukinoko was still thinking about her father's story, puffing on her hot cup of tea, sitting on the living room windowsill, three apples high.
She observed her embroidery, then sat on the arm of the chair to stroke the threads of every color.
- Say Mom... Why didn't Hashirama listen to Dad?" she asked suddenly.
Her mother abruptly stopped her work and looked at her with wide eyes, taken aback.
- Ben... she intimidated herself. Hashirama, your cousin. Dad told me about a man, I don't remember his name, but since the village wouldn't listen to him, he's going to do everything himself... Well, with me too.
- When did he tell you about this? Tell me everything he told you," she ordered curtly.
- Why do you always get so angry?! she shouted. You had the chance to go to the village, I'm all alone here! I'm fed up, I want to help Dad so we can get out of this fucking valley!
Her mother stared at her sadly, containing her compassion.
- My dear girl... You know it's not possible, it's dangerous out there, it's war.
- I know it's not true," she said dryly. A war can't last this long, and besides, when you talk about Hanamaru, they weren't at war when you were, and then-
- That's enough!" she exclaimed, losing her temper. And stop talking about that damn village! Your father's talking nonsense, they're just legends.
- Huh?" she wondered. He said it's true. Hanamaru exists! Does that mean we'll never get out of here? she asked sadly.
No answer reached Nukade's lips, only the faint gleam in her eyes daring to reflect the truth. Tsukinoko shivered at her mother's distress and turned on her heels.
With its wings clipped since the discovery of its power, the Negin, the golden prison, grew stronger every year, as did its thirst for freedom.
Tsukinoko ruminated on her bed and made a plan to escape from Hanamaru, determined to get out of this cage. At dinnertime, lying in bed with her head buried under her pillow, it wasn't until an hour later that the gentle touch of her mother's hands on the nape of her neck reassured her.
- My daughter," she says tenderly, "I know you're unhappy here, but everything will get better one day, I promise. We swore we'd never leave each other, remember? I promise we'll go around the world together. One day, you'll see what's behind this valley. Whatever it takes, when the time comes.
Dejected, Tsukinoko raised her head, no longer able to sulk. Her mother leaned over to give her a kiss, and Tsukinoko took her in her arms, hugging her tighter than usual
She didn't sleep a wink all night, her eyes glued to the clock in her room. At around 4 a.m., she quietly got out of bed, certain that her parents were sound asleep in their own rooms.
She slipped on a long-sleeved black dress and wrapped a long leather belt around her waist. She braided her long hair to one side, letting it rest on her shoulder, and held the braid in place with a red ribbon. Her two sabers, stored in their scabbards, were tucked into the belt
One last time, she turned back towards her house, before disappearing behind the trees. When she reached the foot of the mountain, she looked up with a smile, admiring the starry sky. She was finally going to discover this village. She rubbed the mark on her left wrist. A cloud of smoke appeared, followed by a muffled growl that echoed in the silence of the night.
Yukihyō refused to take him to Hanamaru, knowing full well that his parents forbade it. Despite his pleas, he didn't relent. Tsukinoko sulked, stubborn, and turned on her heels to climb the mountain alone in the darkness
The panther let her go, not wanting to take part in her nonsense. She continued to climb the increasingly steep slope, taunting him. A grunt of annoyance sounded at the bottom of the mountain, then he appeared in front of Tsukinoko in a few deft leaps. With a satisfied smile on her face, she climbed onto his back and set off again at top speed. When she reached the top, she briefly observed the view, which she was discovering for the first time, in amazement.
Mountains loomed before them, wooded plains as far as the eye could see. Yukihyō set off for Hanamaru, at full speed.
As day broke behind them, she took a deep breath and gripped her companion's fur tightly, counting the minutes until her parents woke up at home, fearing their reaction to not finding her in bed.
A high wooden wall on the right tried in vain to hold back an uninterrupted hubbub. The village compound was there, and Tsukinoko's heart was pounding.
The length of the wall gave a clue to Hanamaru's imposing, never-ending size. Not forgetting to tell her again to be careful, Yukihyō reminded her that she could take him back as soon as she wished to return. Arriving in front of huge gates that opened onto a wide avenue, she stood there for a few minutes, fear in her stomach amidst the bushes
She'll be fine. Nobody knew her. Tsukinoko watched the buildings and the villagers as they passed by the gates, fascinated. Waiting for the changing of the guard, she slipped incognito into the crowd and the effervescence of the village overwhelmed her. Hanamaru was overflowing with wonders, stores, restaurants and entertainment on every street.
With meat skewers full of sauce in hand, stolen from a delicatessen stall, Tsukinoko rested on a bench. A group of children playing in the park behind startled everyone with their loud laughter.
On a wide avenue, a stand filled with trinkets of every color caught her eye. Dazzled, she began fiddling with everything, having never seen such figurines, jewels, decorations and stationery. A small, round, red wooden figurine, with a funny face drawn on it, fell into her hands. A Daruma, used as a lucky charm
Annoyed that she'd been fiddling with everything for a while, the salesman curtly told her to pay up or get out. But she'd been feeling strangely watched for a while, apart from the annoyed salesman, and looked up. A man on the roof directly above her, wearing a white mask with a bear figure on it covering his face, seemed to be watching her precisely. Everything about his bearing and attitude seemed to indicate that he was no ordinary villager.
Tsukinoko frowned as she watched him, then turned abruptly to another man with a similar mask on the building opposite. Panic rose to her throat as the man opposite slowly rose to his feet, then the one above the store landed right behind her.
He put his hand on her shoulder, but she shoved the Daruma into her pocket and disappeared into the crowd. With the red ribbon still in his hand, he dashed after her. The dense crowd on the street slowed her down, and she gained height to escape over the rooftops.
Up there, she saw the whole village and the mountain to the north that they had skirted this morning with Yukihyō. A face was carved into the rock above a large red building, that of the Chief, Hashirama Anba. Tsukinoko followed the enclosure with her eyes to find the entrance to the east. She ran towards the door without looking back, her heart beating wildly
Passers-by moved aside as the girl landed in the middle of the avenue and ran for her life. The gates were only a few meters away as the masked men hailed her, hot on her heels. Terrified, Tsukinoko checked the distance out of the corner of her eye, but immediately collided with a wall in front of her. The wall turned out to be a man, who hadn't blinked in shock as she found herself on her backside. With a leap backwards, she raised her sabers in guard, but her wrists began to tremble as she discovered the man's face. The two agents surrounded her.
Her blood ran cold. It was indeed him, Hashirama Anba. Tall and smooth-skinned, with light eyes and long, straight chestnut hair, he wore a white coat over a long, loose red robe, and a red armband on his arm
Fear paralyzed her, twisted her stomach, but she slowly took a step back, then a second, only to bump into the two men standing behind her. She stared at the Chief's torso without daring to meet his eyes, as if that would have been the trigger for her arrest.
- Who are you? Where are you from?" he asked. Why did you break into the village?
Tsukinoko regained her courage and her piercing gaze stood up to the Chief. He scrutinized her from head to toe. The serious expression on his face dissipated for a second, then he took a step forward.
She held his gaze, anger making her nose curl up. The Chief remained silent for a moment, then dismissed his men. Without hesitation, she fled and made it through the gates, but before she could summon Yukihyō, Hashirama sprang up in front of her and held her by the wrist before snatching her sabers from her hands.
- How old are you?" he asked harshly.
- I'm... I'm twelve years old," she murmured in a small, terrified voice.
His gaze faded again and he crouched in front of her, gripping her wrists tighter and tighter. He was crushing her bones, but she said nothing, transfixed by his heavy gaze.
- There's nothing to be afraid of," he smiled suddenly. It's all right, you're safe here. Hanamaru welcomes those in need of protection.
Ready to do anything to protect her parents, she didn't say another word in the face of his sudden interest in them. He couldn't help but be touched by her courage and tried to coax some answers out of her, but she was back on guard as soon as she'd retrieved her weapons.
- Let me go!" she shouted, suddenly coming to. My parents don't know I'm here, I... Kill me, but leave them alone," she said with dignity. I won't let you hurt Mom and Dad!
<< - You're going to be a father!" shouted Nukade as he entered the office.
- What? F-Father...?
- Yes! Mom and Dad! We're having a baby!
- Did you hear that?! I'm going to be a father!" he exclaimed, shaking Hashirama by the shoulder before taking Nukade in his arms. >>
Hashirama's lips trembled, as if he were searching for words, lost in the little girl's amethysts. Finally, a single name managed to emerge from his constricted throat.
- Tsukinoko?
The Chief's response was stunned silence. Having run out of ideas on how to escape, Tsukinoko let panic get the better of her. Hashirama resumed the conversation with a casual air, as she sweated with anguish that he might know her.
- What do you think of Hanamaru?" he insisted, despite her silence.
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- I don't... We don't care! You're the one who doesn't want us! Because of you we have to hide and there's nothing I can do! Mom's unhappy because of that," she shouted angrily. I've done nothing wrong, and neither has she!
Her candid tears knotted his heart. He wrote something on a piece of paper from his pocket, then gave it to Tsukinoko.
- I'll let you go free. When you get home, give this paper to your mother to warn her. If you do, you'll have a chance of getting out, both of you.
Tsukinoko stared at him, swallowing her sobs, bewildered by his strange clemency. Suddenly, he opened his arms to embrace her with a velvet hand. Surprised, all her senses ordered her to retaliate immediately. Yet Tsukinoko let him, strangely appeased.
The Chief turned as he reached the village gates, just long enough to see him disappear into the forest on the back of a snow leopard.
The sun was just setting when Tsukinoko hugged her big friend as tightly as she could, a bad feeling lurking deep in her gut. With Daruma's little figurine in her hands, she made her way through the forest to her home.
Her father was on the roof, scanning the forest with angry red eyes, when he burst through the doorway, blocking her way. Nukade ran out, relieved but distraught.
Tsukinoko burst into tears, scared to death of the reprisals that were about to follow, and only managed to stammer pitiful excuses. She dropped the Daruma, but her father picked it up before her and lost his temper again.
- Where did you get this? Tsukinoko, where have you been? Answer me!
- I was... I was in the village. In Hanamaru!
Her parents' eyes widened at the same time. Her mother covered her mouth to conceal her astonishment, her gaze filled with terror. As for her father's gaze, filled with hatred and anger, it immediately petrified her. He threw the trinket at Nukade's feet, accusing her, then grabbed Tsukinoko by the shoulder.
- Hanamaru?" he cried. Do you have any idea what you've done?! he shouted in rage. You've just wiped out years of work!
Tsukinoko found herself pinned to the wall, her father's hands pressing against her collar. Nukade's face had changed expression, the Chief's message in hand and Daruma at her feet. She threw herself at him as he flew into a frenzy, trying as best she could to get him to let go as Tsukinoko clawed at her immaculate bare hands and gasped, her eyes glassy and her complexion bluish, pleading with her father whom she no longer recognized.
Nukade lunged to land a punch which he narrowly avoided, finally letting go of Tsukinoko. Behind him, the wall of the house that had received the blow in its place lay in pieces on the porch, a section of the roof collapsed under Nukade's force. Tsukinoko collapsed, then caught her breath.
Out of her mind, Nukade poured out her rage to bring him down by any means necessary, no longer letting fear or threats dictate her life. He had dared the gesture too far, the drop too far - to attack their daughter.
Half the garden was burnt to the ground, the other half destroyed by an earthquake, and the house where she'd grown up now stood only on weakened beams that had withstood too many years of an unloved grip.
Tsukinoko burst into tears, terrified as her parents could no longer hold back their blows. Helpless, she had ruined everything. Her eyes began to flutter as a new Negin essence was born in her pupils, but Nukade was gone.
Her father prevented her from leaving after her, and dragged her by force through the ruins that littered the floor of his house. Thrown into the cellar, the door was sealed behind her. Tsukinoko cried her eyes out, angry that she'd been stupid enough to think she'd gone unnoticed. Gullible enough when Hashirama might arrive at any minute.
With his red samurai armour on his back, he held Tsukinoko, still asleep, in his arms. After crossing the valley, he stopped at the edge of the wood. She awoke with a start, the full moon illuminating the surroundings, and apprehensively approached her father. His eyes riveted on the radiant star, he spoke words that would forever change the course of his daughter's life, even if she didn't understand them that night.
- You're about to see one of the Karumin clan's most advanced faculties, making us the most powerful of all the clans," he shouted. I, Jinmuya Karumin, the first man to possess G?me powers, will be remembered for generations to come! Behold, Tsukinoko! Your entire inheritance is yours today!
With his arm raised to the sky and his hypnotic eyes glowing in the night, the pressure eased as he placed his hand on the ground. The wind stopped blowing, the air was heavy, and their long black hair remained frozen on their shoulders. The whole forest suddenly fell silent.
A gigantic explosion shook the landscape. Trees were swept away, the earth scorched and the valley split in two. A dull growl echoed through the night. An enormous dark mass, like a giant jackal with countless eyes, shook the ground, clearing away the mist. It began to roar, and she shifted in astonishment.
Hatred, anger, so much darkness emanated from this monster, invading the atmosphere and penetrating to the very depths of the soul of anyone who dared approach it
Also sporting her Negin, Jinmuya held her tightly as the five-eyed demon waved his many tails, staring menacingly. Hidden in the fog, Tsukinoko thought she saw her father's eyes in those of the demonic jackal. A thousand questions raced through her mind, but she couldn't speak in a panic.
- Control him," cried Jinmuya suddenly.
He disappeared as the five-eyed demon flew into a rage. The Negin in his eyes had vanished. Tsukinoko took to her heels to dodge the red legs that tried to crush her, destroying everything in their path. The last one just missed her and the ground collapsed beneath her feet, and she pulled herself out of the rubble as best she could.
His father finally returned, and the demon immediately stopped and sat down, growling.
- You're disgusting, lying on the ground like that," he tossed scornfully.
She stood up to keep her dignity in front of him.
- Is that the solution? she hesitated.
- Control it," he repeated. With your Negin. This is G?me, the five-eyed demon. Thanks to the power of the Karumin, he can be controlled. As I am doing.
- But...
- There's no time to wait for years now," he said curtly, pushing her away. You should have thought about that before you left for Hanamaru. You're going to use G?me to destroy Hanamaru and recover the other Guardians held there.
She stared at him, losing her nerve and not understanding why these monsters had to be retrieved.
- The time has come," he insisted. You may succeed, given your heritage. If worst comes to worst, you can help me confirm what the stele says. Don't let me down.
Tsukinoko didn't have time to understand before G?me flew into a rage and destroyed everything around him. The Jackal turned his head as he heard her pleading for her father and landed with a leap right in front of her. Perched on a treetop, he roared at her, and she closed her eyes under the putrid heat of his breath to escape his wide-open maw. Tetanized, she could only scream in fear to defend herself. Her shrill cry echoed through the forest, as the demon's fangs slammed into each other, uprooting the tree with it.
The cool night air washed over Tsukinoko's face as she thought she was in the monster's jaws. She looked up, perched in the high branches of a fir tree, with Hashirama, a red samurai suit of armor on his back.
G?me roared behind her and continued his cataclysm, then broke into a chase, heading straight for the two of them. Hashirama lunged to get away, but Tsukinoko didn't follow him and reached out for her.
- I'm here to help you, trust me," he smiles
Why did he want to help her
Tsukinoko spotted G?me close by, and the scales tipped in favor of the Chief. She grabbed his hand and he guided her at full speed through the branches, gaining on G?me, before stopping abruptly and pushing her into the void. As she fell, she saw him turn around while signing incantations.
A gigantic wooden statue emerged from the trees and brutally pushed the Demon back several hundred metres, just as he had regained his Negin and was defending himself with all his fury. Tsukinoko landed in the arms of her mother, who immediately put her back on her feet. Tsukinoko looked at her, overwhelmed by events.
- Mom!" she cried, tears welling up in her eyes.
She snuggled into his arms, scared to death. Nukade hugged her with all his might, tenderly stroking her hair, his lips resting on her forehead and letting out a sigh of relief.
- Sorry, Mum! I didn't mean to-
- My daughter, it's not your fault. I should have reacted sooner," she murmured without moving. It's finally over, I promise. Please forgive me.
- What's wrong? But daddy... He wants me to control the monster... And-
Nukade had hardly taken a step when Jinmuya appeared in front of them, arms folded. Tsukinoko didn't move, unsure whether to rejoice that he was alive despite Hashirama, or fear again for her own. Nukade hid her behind her as she slowly backed away, her gaze filled with hatred. Jinmuya disappeared to pull Tsukinoko from behind. Nukade barely pulled her away and fled with her. She stepped in to let them escape, her super-powered blows making the air whistle.
Tsukinoko found herself unable to move, torn apart above the ground. Golden chains protruding from her mother's chest held her wrists and ankles, and the chakra inside annihilated her own. In a flash, she slashed his belly above the navel. Her dress darkened beneath her wound and blood dripped to her feet. She had summoned a golden scroll, as large as herself, which floated above the ground. She seemed to be reciting its writings, while signing a long series of incantations.
G?me's roars continued in the distance, interspersed with the resonance of titanic attacks. Suddenly, Nukade lifted Tsukinoko's dress, a glowing seal in her other hand, and placed it on her belly. An intense burn invaded her body and she screamed in pain as the light from the seal lit her up from within, making her vessels glow and her skin redden. Snatches of strange visions flashed before her eyes, before she felt her strength drained. The chains snapped under the strain and Tsukinoko crashed to the ground.
- Don't worry, he'll protect you. I'll explain in the village," her mother whispered.
A shrill sound echoed in the distance. An immense black ball, as big as a mountain and bursting with compressed energy, tore across the landscape for several kilometers. A powerful detonation followed, lighting up the night for a moment. Dazzled, Tsukinoko regained her senses in the chaos and leapt to the top of the trees. From above, she saw the devastation caused by the battle between Jinmuya and Hashirama, supported by their titans. Seconds passed as she stood there, watching the battle. How could she intervene, when she hadn't even been able to escape from G?me, whom her father controlled like any other weapon. How could she compete with Hashirama, the first Chief, who stood up to Jinmuya.
The distorted landscape was filled with the river, diverted by a series of trenches dug by G?me's tails. A figure moved slowly beneath the trees, and Tsukinoko rushed towards her mother
Blood flowed from her mouth, pale as death, along with the gaping wound on her chest. Nukade fell to his knees in front of his daughter and took her in his arms
Tsukinoko felt the weight of his body against her and remained petrified. The day dawned timidly, afraid to witness the battle being waged on dry land.
Hashirama finally freed G?me from Jinmuya's grip, but Jinmuya didn't stop and charged straight at his rival. He then advanced to capture G?me.
- I'm going to seal it," he shouted. Hurry up, Nukade, I only have one shot!
Tsukinoko stared at her uncomprehendingly, but gently took her hands.
- In that case... Listen to me carefully, Tsukinoko. You must promise to do what I say, it's the only way I can protect you. Everything will be all right, trust me. If we're not there when you get to Hanamaru, you'll have to fend for yourself while you wait for us, okay? I forbid you to use your Negin again or to show them to anyone. Do you understand me? If anyone finds out you've got them, you'll be killed, or used as a weapon of war. Don't ever use them again. I won't! You must do as I say...
Tsukinoko began to tremble and immediately put her cursed pupils back to sleep. Her mother's words sounded like farewells, and apprehension compressed her throat.
- Don't be afraid, everything will be fine," she smiles. Also, don't ever reveal who your father and I are, okay? Don't ever talk about us, about where you come from. Forget us, lie, invent a past and a new identity, but never reveal who we all are.
- But... Where are you going? Why are you saying that?
- You're allowed to cry, my love. You're strong and you'll get through this," she smiled. If I don't come back for you..." she murmured slowly. You must always listen to your heart, follow your heart, follow your instincts, never give up and keep your head high... Keep your beautiful smile and that sparkle in your eyes. Don't listen to anyone but yourself, you are the master of your destiny. I know you love your father and want to make him proud, but don't forget that you'll always have a choice. You'll do whatever it takes to protect Hanamaru, and I'll be proud of you no matter what. You'll see, you'll make lots of friends there, girlfriends like you've always wanted. I love you more than anything else in the world. You'll grow up to be a strong... beautiful... formidable woman.
- I love you, I love you, Mom... she sobbed, but-
A clatter in the forest disturbed their heart-rending exchange, coming from G?me who was trying to force Hashirama's chains.
- It's all because of mo," she murmured with tears in her eyes. I won't let you die, the three of us will stay together like before! I don't want to go to Hanamaru without you...
Fingers clutching her dress, Nukade tried to hold her back with a last effort, but Tsukinoko kissed her on the forehead and then smiled wholeheartedly, keeping her promise.
She climbed the trees without looking back, ready to put an end to this nightmare. The first rays of the rising sun illuminated the rivals. Their armor was shredded, their clothes in tatters, their bodies strewn with the scars of their confrontation. Tsukinoko rushed to her father's aid, hand-to-hand with Hashirama at the foot of the waterfall. Hashirama's sword pierced Jinmuya's chest from behind and Tsukinoko came to an abrupt halt, her feet in the water. Hashirama withdrew his sword and Jinmuya fell to his knees. He looked at Tsukinoko, who read his lips.
- Don't worry, I'll come back for you. No matter how long it takes, I'll be back.
Hanging on by a thread, Tsukinoko's necklace came off and fell into the water as Jinmuya, defeated, lay at Hashirama's feet.
She couldn't breathe, her eyes red with blood and her chest compressed. She implored her father to get up in a voice mute with pain. Her eyes drowned in tears, a noxious veil had covered her mind, but she fought to keep her wits about her in front of him. His purplish aura suddenly appeared, more menacing than ever, making the water evaporate at the foot of the waterfall.
- You promised we had a chance to get out of this! I'm going to get G?me back, and I forbid you to lock him up! Thanks to him, I'll exterminate all monsters like you! It's you and your wars that are monsters! All those who wage wars, who kill each other, who slaughter entire families!
Tsukinoko spun towards G?me. Her aura drew the attention of the Demon, who finally stopped forcing the chains. Hashirama realized he had no choice, his hands trembling with divergence, but ready to commit the irreparable to save Hanamaru and the world from the five-eyed Demon, as a good savior. Tsukinoko leapt up screaming, but Hashirama appeared in front of her, his tant? pointed at her. Next to him, a gigantic red paw landed on the ground and the Demon finally caught Tsukinoko in its maw as Hashirama was about to deliver the fatal blow. In the darkness, it was impossible to retaliate, as the power of the seal overwhelmed the atmosphere. The mark on Tsukinoko's belly resonated with the beating of her heart before she lost consciousness, in the nothingness of an impenetrable, infinite universe. Outside, Hashirama finished sealing G?me in a relic, taking Tsukinoko with him forever. Jinmuya's heart trembled one last time underwater. Hashirama fell to his knees for the first time in his career, taken the crumpled piece of paper from his cousin's pale, lifeless hand,
<< It's high time you both came home. I'll pick you up tonight. You know what it'll cost.
- A. >>