From: Krista Perry Konbanwa, minna-san! ^_^ I wrote this as part of a 1-hour fic challenge on the FFIRC channel. The rules were, basically, to write a fic within the space of an hour. Not being a very fast writer (and only getting the idea for the fic 5 minutes into the hour), this was all I could come up with in the time limit. Still, I hope you find it mildly entertaining. ^_^; Getting Noticed A Rurouni Kenshin One Hour Fic by Krista Perry ~*~ The training field is full of men of all shapes and sizes, wielding all sorts of weapons, and all these men have the same thing in common. They are much bigger than I am. And older. More experienced? Maybe. Maybe some of these men have already killed someone... I'll think about that later. Right now, I have to prove myself. Already, as I walk through the muddy field towards the training post that has just been erected to replace the old battered one, I can hear the men starting to laugh as they see me. This is nothing new. Master Hiko laughed at me all the time, calling me weak and stupid as he knocked me to the ground time and again with his superior skill. I'm such a "scrawny runt," as he told me unkindly, that no one would ever take me seriously as a swordsman. He mocked me so often, that I eventually became somewhat immune to his taunts, focusing instead on the techniques of the sword rather than his words. And now, as I listen impassively to the laughs and whispers all around me, I suddenly wonder with surprise if that was part of Master's training as well. I really don't care what these men think. But Kogoro Katsura, the leader of the Choshu branch of the Ishin Shishi, stands upon the hill that overlooks this field. He is watching, searching, seeing which men will best serve him as part of the army that will fight to bring in a new era where people can live free of oppression. I wait until he notices me... Ah. Now. The stir amongst his men caused by my presence has attracted his attention. I can feel his eyes on me, watching with mild amusement and curiosity. "Aw, look," says a voice behind me. "He brought his own sword and everything." "Go on, kid, give it your best shot." "Hey kid, if you can do it in two blows, I'll give you a tael." I glance at the last man who spoke. Yuma-san. The man in charge, at the moment, who let me on to this field only to watch me humiliate myself. He is grinning widely. The rest of the men within earshot chuckle loudly. I stand before the post and rest my hand lightly on the hilt of my katana. *Hiten Mitsurugi Ryuu, Soo Ryu Sen.* The power and speed that flow through my attack sends the top half of the post flying to land at the feet of a startled man standing a stone's throw away. The men fall silent. There is no sound on the field except for the light brush of wind that whispers through the grasses. From the top of the hill, I can feel Kogoro-sama's amazement, his sudden excitement permeating his ki, and I almost smile. "I believe," I say quietly, turning to Yuma-san, who's eyes are bulging from his head, "that you owe me a tael." ~*~ -- "I think it's impossible to really understand somebody, what they want, what they believe, and not love them the way they love themselves." from _Ender's Game_ by Orson Scott Card --------------------------- ONElist Sponsor ---------------------------- ONElist: your connection to online communities. ------------------------------------------------------------------------