OCtober Day 14: Sakura

Most people would consider me lucky to have encountered the pink samurai and lived. I’d been hanging with a small time gang, the Street Soldiers. The name was a little generic, though with there being few gangs left I hadn’t the luxury of being picky.. One day, some of the members harassed me into joining them on a little expedition. Consider it initiation, they said. When I asked what we were doing, they explained the local legend of the ‘Blossom Challenge’ to me. 

Within Gehenna lived a samurai, who’s strength outweighed any other. Her name is Sakura. She was considered quite beautiful, floating around the battlefield like a petal in the breeze. If you’re unlucky to be her target, you’d better pray quickly, as the last thing you’ll see is the light sparkling on her blade, and your guts on the ground. Her abilities made her an ideal mercenary. Many a gang or corporation had sought to hire her for themselves. However, she stood firm in her loyalty to her mistress, Mally and her companion Roux. They were supposedly stories for another day though. The samurai herself, because of her serious nature, prompted the daring to try goading her on. The goal initially was to crack into her playful side. Although, it ended up evolving into a series of games, to see how far one could push their limits with her. The game itself had its own Chiptune Network page, with an explanation of the rules and a tier list on what actions merit what points. 

Seems the gang were doing pretty poorly on the rankings. So, they wanted to break out and do something really bold for a substantial boost. I was a little concerned when they said they were going to steal Sakura’s blade.

From her hands.

In public. 

To my relief, they only asked me to come along as they needed someone to film it. I felt like convincing them that this was a dangerous idea was about as impossible as Sakura herself enjoying the game, so I sighed and went along with it. The three of them dressed up in gang colours, which essentially meant a lot of camo. I wanted to opt out, but they insisted. So, I settled on an army cap. With my bald head it fit the aesthetic. After grabbing a few guns and knives from the gang’s stash, we ventured out into the urban jungle. 

Now, finding the samurai’s location was pretty tricky. Her crew were pretty secretive, and she is not often seen without the one other two unless ordered otherwise. That, and apart her mistress, neither she nor the other guy really posted all that much on social media. However, it seems the Street Soldiers name wasn’t just for show. Many of them were former military, and had the skills to show for it. One of them specifically had successfully tailed her a few times back to a public garden, where she takes walks alone. Best chance would be to corner her there. 

Thus, that’s where we went, right around the time she should be there. I took note of the name of the place: The Little Garden of Eden. Housed with a medium size greenhouse, it was one the only places nature truly flourished around here. Turning on the phone’s camera, I made it look as though I were filming the plant life as we staggered our way in. A few other civilians were about at the time. Though, as soon as they saw us, they took the warning and left immediately. Carefully traversing down the aisles, we finally spotted her; a flower among flowers. At the end of the building lay a pond, and a fountain. Sakura knelt there in peace, admiring the water lilies. Military gestures began to fly between the trio of soldiers, though it was all for nought when interrupted by a gentle voice.

“It’s too late for that. I’ve already attuned you into my zen”

Gracefully, Sakura stands, and I stand in awe of her. She was draped in a red kimono, intertwined with pink and white flowers, and a yellow bow tying it together on the back. On her feet were a simple pair of sandals. The soft skin and soft pink lips of her heart shaped face made her seem quite refined. Though, this was in contrast with her long, childlike pigtails, dyed dark pink, and the piercing red eyes. A katana hung sheathed on the hip, one hand on the handle. The soldiers seemed unfazed, I couldn’t tell from bravery or ignorance. Still, I continued to film, entranced.

“Let me guess” Sakura continues, a venom seeping through the soft tone. “More fools trying to use me for meaningless clout?”

“Oh come on, you know the more you fight it, the more people are gonna keep it doing it. So give up and have some fucking fun with it already!” a male soldier pipes up.

Those red eyes narrow.

“How pitiful that you keep trying so hard. I’ve been merciful before, but I grow weary of your attempts specifically” she spits, grip tightening.

“Just give us the blade and we can all be out of here by supper. What do you say?” the agender soldier mocks. 

“I’m done with this. Leave. Now.”

The female soldier shrugs. 

“She ain’t biting folks, let’s take it by for-”

All is quiet, enough to hear a pin drop...or a tongue. It lands with a splat. A little blood stains the nearby daisies. I think...the soldier is screaming, but all her words are garbled by the choking.

The other soldiers panic, pulling out the guns. At this point, I choose to abandon the phone, taking cover behind the flower buds to avoid the gunfire. Peeking over to check the surroundings, I watch in horror and just how swiftly Sakura finishes off the others. She doesn’t even seem to recognise my presence, red eyes square on the target like an android on murder protocols. Dancing around the bullets, the flick of the blade cuts clean into the arms of the male, gun clattering to the floor still gripped in the palm. He stares like a deer in headlights, no time to process as the same sharp pain punctures his heart. The last soldier, witnessing this, drops their weapon and tries to run. However, they only so much as shift one foot as Sakura spins on her heel, whipping the katana round to sever their head clean from the soldier’s body. It tumbles over my way. Now, Sakura notices me. She flicks the blood off her blade and I gulp. Slowly, she walks over, and I prepare myself for a fight. But, then she stops, and looks down. At her feet is the phone. For a moment her katana’s edge glows, and she brings it down hard on the device, utterly obliterating it. She looks at me again, saying nothing. Just watching. I don’t move. I don’t speak. I just wait. After a minute of silence, she seems satisfied, sheathing the blade then walking away.

I felt lucky to have come out intact. However, I couldn’t help but understand now why the people were so obsessed with this mystifying woman.