The Kimono She Wore by Blue Jeans

Prologue: Fire

The mountain streams flows,

Breaking through the ice.

The strength of fluid steel

Carries the scent of winter

through the lands.

The burning straw roof crumbled, cutting her off from her brother. Her mother had already died from the sword slash down her back, the blood darkened the beautiful kimono mother wore. She, on the other hand, had just barely escaped her own death, having dodged just in time to make it to the other side of her collapsing home. But Souta did not make it and he cried as if knowing the doomed fate approaching him, his little hands reaching for help that his helpless sister could not give being blocked by the pieces of collapsed roof and fire. She was rooted to the ground watching her baby brother trapped beneath their dead mother's arms, wiggling to get away from the smoke and heat.

He was crying out for her, she was sure. Crying out for her to save him!

"Foolish girl!" A curse came from behind her and she was too afraid to turn her eyes away from Souta. Too afraid of what the man would do to her. Other men had come and they had beaten her, ripping at her mother's clothes as she watched horrified and in pain. Her mother though, had fought, fought to the point in which the bandits given up on raping her and just stabbed her in the back. Through it all, Mama had tried to protect Souta and herself.

Maybe she'll join Mama soon.

"Souta," she whimpered and tried to reach him past the flames but the fire roared in her way, scorching her as she stumbled back in fear.

Her body was hurt from the beating she took from the horrible men that destroyed her home and small village, laying destruction wherever they went. "Ojii-san!" She whimpered, but Grandpa was already dead along side her mother. She wanted to save Souta, but the fire scared her.

"Come on, little girl!" the voice came again, as the man had obviously returned to find her still alive. Shaking where she stood before she felt none too gentle hands grasp her shoulders and pull her away.

"Souta!" She cried out then at her wailing baby brother who was left to the flames. "Souta!" She kept screaming his name, trying to struggle away from the grip around her waist.

She heard cursing from the man carrying her and when her voice became hoarse and the distant screaming from her house and her village fell to echoes, she lay across the harsh shoulder of the man who carried her away, weeping. Weeping at her own damned luck. Weeping at the loss of her beloved family.

At last the man stopped and she was set onto the ground again, harshly enough that she whimpered. A pale face loomed over hers as brown eyes bore down at her, "There's a shrine near here, girl." The man told her, "But I cannot go there, for there are other villages that needs to be warned. I'm sorry I came too late to save yours. But if you wish to live, follow the sight of that tree," he pointed to the tall shadowed tree in the distance. She her eyes traveled upwards into the dark night sky, looking in the direction he pointed to and found herself gasping at the sight of the mountains in the distance. "I cannot help you more," the man sighed. "It is all I can do, you, the last survivor of the Higurashi clan, its heir and only survivor. War is a harsh thing for children to experience." He set his hand on her shoulder and whispered words that she never would fully understand but always remembered, "My debt is now paid."

"Who are you?" She gripped his robes and tugged. Her fear momentarily forgotten as she looked on in wonder at the large man who saved her.

"A priest," he answered reluctantly before sweeping by her easily.

Then the man walked away and she was left alone in the dark forest, with nothing to guide her but the tall shadow in the distance. A menacing beckon she knew but she ignored the part of herself that wanted to curl up and die. Her baby brother's scream was still fresh on her mind as she trudged towards her new destination, wondering if she'll ever escape the nightmare that sleep might bring to her. Wondering if she will forever be haunted by the weeping face of Souta, his small hands reaching for hers as she failed to save him again and again.

So she journeyed forward, too afraid of what might happen if she stopped to let the darkness take over her. Not wanting to know what awaited her behind the black void behind her closed eyes. When she finally reached the stairs of the shrine, she was exhausted and morning crept over the trees, spilling light onto her tired eyes. She half climbed and half crawled up the steps, fumbling before she reached the torii at last. The deep exhaustion settled into her bones and as she rested her back against one red wooden beam, looking to the blue sky above her head, she fell into the dreamless sleep of white exhaustion.

~*~*~*~

Early that morning, a young shrine maiden found a dirty girl child curled up under the great torii of the shrine as she was going about her chores. The little body was covered with blood, bruises and burns. Gasping, the maiden brought the miko in charge of the sacred shrine to the torii to show her the discovery. The old woman ordered the unconscious child to be picked up from her resting place near the steps. The girl was obviously too tired to even stir, not even once did she acknowledge her surroundings as they moved her from the hard ground to place her into a more comfortable futon.

"She had a long night, this one," the old woman observed. "But she's still alive. What a strong spirit she must have."

"Who is this?" The young woman who found the little girl asked with curiosity.

The old miko smiled as they laid the child down into a hastily prepared futon, "A child," the old woman replied sadly. "A child of this new war driven era."

The younger took those words to heart with equal sorrow, "Can we heal her?"

The question had many layers of meanings and the elder looked to the younger beside her, "Yes," the miko answered with conviction. "Her soul has steel in it, this child. I have a feeling she would grow to amaze us all."

Nodding in agreement, the younger soon went out to fetch water and bandages as the shrine hummed with the buzz of a new member.

Lifting a gnarled old hand, the miko swept away strands of black hair and studied the young girl's face. "Higurashi's child," she muttered. "Such power and strength I sense in you, I hope you will be able to find peace here that your ancestors never found. For here, they have guided you, little one. The hidden shrine of the Mountain Stream, the forest of healers. Perhaps, we might even heal your wounded heart, hmm?"

Yet, the little girl slept without answering. Silence falling over the room as the old miko watched over her.

Outside, a single leaf drifted to the ground, announcing the arrival Autumn.