Aichi, picture by Stuffman> It is a vision clear as the water of a mountain spring. A sword, its straight, two-edged blade five-and-a-quarter handspans long, three fingers wide, tapering to the tip. The blade is of a shining, iridescent metal unseen across Creation. Its guard is of polished oristeel, engraved with imagery of a faceless hero fighting a vast serpent. The handle is tightly wrapped with black silk, set with silver pins, each one finely patterned. The tassel at the end is of a beautiful scarlet thread, woven into a complicated charm pattern to repel evil and misfortune.
> You reach out to grab it for you know that it is yours to take, but are always too slow. It is the same today, as the first rays of the morning sun dispel the dream before you can grasp the sword.
> You are Aichi, one of the two only students of Youki Konpaku.
> You have overslept.
> It is not like you, but young girls are allowed some selfishness on a day as important as this. You certainly had trouble getting to sleep last night, as you talked and talked with your best friend about the future.
> Still, your Master only has so much patience.
> You rouse yourself from the simple straw bed and take a quick morning wash in the cool stream behind the hut. The crisp mountain air quickly takes away any hint of drowziness you might have had. Then you dress in loose training garb and rush to the clearing a few hundred steps up the path.
> Youmu is already waiting for you, sitting patiently on the ground. She gets up as you approach.
> "We still have time," she says. "One last one?"
