Chapter Text
Her conception was an atrocity. Two beings of separate worlds coalesced, creating an entirely new compound. A girl thats could not be deemed as an element. She was not pure, she was a phenomenon. Intriguing but not quite excepted.
Her father, a man unknown but of obvious Japanese roots, had found himself in ties with a white man. The man brought with him a foreign woman; exotic. Skin pigmented deeply with the browns of the earth, her lips round and plump. Her body was a marvel of buxom, her bottom matched in largeness.
She was sexualized, her purity was snatched away and awarded to a man who paid the most. Others followed, paying to indulge in a woman of exotic roots. With this lust came a child.
Born of brown skin and round eyes, came a female. Sleepy and chunky, a ball of joy. Vulnerable to the eyes of the ignorant. The people of Japan closed their gates for a reason. To witness a being of foreign land would be jarring, regardless of her also being one of their own. Even if it was only half.
By the age of 1 the child had been shipped off, sold to a man named Sazaiki Ren. He raised the girl with firmness. A father daughter dynamic was nonexistent between the two. Her job was to sort his beans, sift his grain, and she would be provided shelter. A proper name was never provided for the girl, he instead called her Azuki.
Azuki prepared the beans for the market, while Mr Sazaiki sold them. Her purpose was merely to serve him, so, he named her after his line of work.
But, he was tough, any small mistake preformed by the girl would lead to consequences. Having to sleep in the snow, no food for days, and even having to sleep in the coal room next to the blazing fire.
One gloomy afternoon she was denied entry into the house until she had picked three baskets full of beans. Her objective was completed, her journey from the crops began and she made it home.
Upon her return she was met with a ball of fury. Her soaked clothes tracked up the flooring, the beans were soggy from the downpour. The objective given by the man was nearly impossible. To come home from the rain dry, while also having to carry three baskets of beans home, dry also, was impossible.
To Mr. Saizai this was just another reason for him to unleash his hate. Built up emotions from being a mere farmer with no power caused him to project. Slapping the girl around, calling her useless.
His spew of insults only drove the girl further into solemn. According to him, being a demon and a woman was sinful, regardless of it being out of her control. Azuki resorted to formality. Only speaking when spoken to, listening rather than talking.
In order to broaden her knowledge she needed to be open minded, unlike her caretaker. Ignorance and foolish anger were pointless in her eyes.
This year was different than no other. Her birthday was in spring, the blooming flowers of April always reminded her of the fact that she was born. Her conception was unholy, and to bring an unholy creature to consciousness was sinful. She hated her birthday, it was just another reminder that she didn't belong here.
The beauty of spring was not something she deserved to witness, let alone be born during. But, it was the perfect time to plan an escape. The April showers provided an opportunity to become undetectable. Whatever foot prints or attestation of her get away would soon be washed away, buried with her past.
The night of her 13th birthday, she was gone. The night was chaotic, yet, the sour smell of wet grass reminded her that she was free. The shackles of a former home were unlocked, allowing her to bloom.
Coming across a small village named Komaha, according to the big wooden board placed in the entrance, she invited herself in. Her veiling cloak hid her appearance from the wandering eye. She hid her hands with gloves, and covered her legs in masculine clothes.
This was obviously not a place visited by travelers, no hotels nor shelters resided in the area. Leaving Azuki to live in the woods, roaming around in her free time and taking in the scenery.
For a few months she observed a wooden home. People would come and go, only sometimes leaving with a sword. She had assumed the place belonged to a black smith. A young boy would come out every night no matter sleet or snow, and practice with a sword crafted of branches.
The mind and body is a fortress. Azuki had already somewhat learned the way of her mind. Now it was time for her body. She admired the boys drive to master the sword. And she wanted to be taught, she knew little of self defense, and it would be something she needed to live alone as a woman. Even if her womanhood wasn't clear the masses.