Koharu was a normal girl with a normal life; she had everything a regular would need a loving family to go home to, a championship in kendo, and also in archery too. One day when Koharu went into the woods for her four-month training camp regiment s...
The sound made Koharu's so-called Grandparents stop their conversation and walked out to the kitchen to see what was going on. They found Koharu laying face down on the ground with a broken vase right next to her.
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After that Koharu wouldn't leave her room except to eat or use the restroom. After the fifth day, Koharu's Grandfather went into her room and told her everything. Then Koharu was happy that she at least got some kind of closure but she was still distant from everyone in the temple. "Please, Grandfather teach me....please, I don't want to feel like that ever again!" Koharu shouted as she was crying her eyes out.
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"And how would learning how to use a sword not make you feel that way Koharu?" The elder man asked with a passive expression. "So I can have the strength to move forward and never look back. That way no one would abandon me like my real family!" Koharu screamed out making the whole room silent. Her Grandfather felt troubled about his youngest grandchild she just basically said that if she learned how to use a sword people will see how strong she is and they won't leave her. That is not how the Tomira sword style is used for, but considering that she is his grandchild and the fact she's trying to get back on her own two feet. The elder man sighed and looked at Koharu dead in the eye with a stern gaze "Alright Koharu I'll teach you." Koharu couldn't help but smile at her Grandfather's words she was jumping with joy. "However, there is a test you must take before advancing to real training." The Grandfather said making Koharu cringed at the word 'test'. "Is it a test I have to study for Grandfather?" Koharu said with a pout. The elder man chuckled at the little girl's question "No its nothing like that Koharu." Koharu titled her little head in confusion.
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The very next day Koharu and her Grandfather were standing at the edge of the Ironwoods with a large backpack on her shoulders and looking very confused at her Grandfather. "This is your introductory training, if you do well you'll move on to the main training faze. As of which you are forbidden to come back to the Temple or to town until the end." Koharu's Grandfather said making Koharu look at the man in disbelief. "Which do you choose Fight or flight? And why? You have four months to figure out your answer Koharu. If you don't have an answer you can forget about even touching a sword." Koharu's Grandfather said before handing the young girl a hunter's knife. Koharu turns around to look at the forest and somehow the forest had an unnatural feeling to it. She was about to tell her Grandfather but by the time she turned around, he was long gone. A breeze came to cut through the silence until "AGGGHHH!!!! WHAT AM I GONNA DO NOWWWWW!!!!!"Koharu screamed at the top of her lungs while scaring the birds that were in the trees and making them fly away.
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It was already a month of the introductory training and Koharu was already having a difficult time. Most of her rations were stolen by wild animals, her tent was destroyed by a landslide, and to top it all off she broke her arm while she was trying to climb a tree to get some fruit. Right now Koharu was taking shelter from the rain under a hollow tree, her hair was disheveled, her camo outfit was torn up and covered in mud, her right arm was in a makeshift sling using vines and tree branches. However, the worse part was that her silver eyes that once shown with love and joy now only clouded with despair and melancholy. 'Why am I even here?' Koharu thought as her clouded eyes look at the rain falling from the sky. She kept on looking at the rain until two rabbits came running across the mud as a fox chased them. One the rabbits looked like it was still a baby and the other was its mother. The fox kept on chasing them until it caught the mother by sinking its teeth on the nap of the mother's neck killing it in the process. The fox then noticed the baby rabbit trembling in fear, the fox began to walk towards the rabbit in a menacing manner. Koharu gazed over to the corpse of the dead mother rabbit seeing its blood seep into the mud and grass. The girl then looked over to the baby who was cornered by the fox, she kept on watching as the fox continued to stalk the rabbit until something snapped inside her.
Just before the fox pounce on the baby rabbit Koharu slashed the fox with her hunter's knife sending the fox back a few feet. The fox got back on its feet and hissed at the little girl but stopped when it saw the look in the girl's eyes. Those silver eyes had a burning glow to them almost like the eyes that belong to a beast. The Fox trembled in fear before it ran away with its tail between its legs. Koharu then let go of the kife and collapse on the ground. At that moment Koharu now understood the answer to the question her Grandfather asked.
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After that day Koharu had a new drive she continued to survive, and when she fell, she always got back up again. The months passed, and the seasons changed Koharu was ready.
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Koharu was out of the Ironwoods standing in front of her Grandfather who was staring down at her with an austere gaze. "Well?" Koharu's Grandfather asked. "I choose to fight!" Koharu yelled making her Grandfather raise an eyebrow at his Grandchild. "Why?" He asked. "To protect the ones who can't fight and to show them they have the strength to move on!" Koharu shouted while closing her eyes tightly. After a moment of silence, Koharu opened her eyes to see that her Grandfather smiling at her in a proud manner. "Alright, come on Koharu. The real training can begin tomorrow, but right now we celebrate." Koharu's GrandFather said as he stretched his hand out to the young girl. Koharu couldn't help but smile at her Grandfather as she took his hand and started to walk back to the Temple.
(End of Flashback)
"Why would he do that Big Sis?!" Dororo shouted as he hugged Nota tightly while he was listening to the story. "It was because he wanted me to find my drive." Koharu said with a smile. "Your drive?" Dororo inquired. "My reason for even picking up a sword." Koharu said as she looked at the fire. "And what is your drive?" The priest asked. "To protect the ones who can't fight and to show them they have the strength to move on." Koharu said with a distant look in her eyes. "That is a noble reason, miss warrior." The priest said with a smile. "You know priest you didn't tell us how you and Hyakkimaru met. What's the story there?" Koharu asked as she looked at the priest. "All I said was that I saw him once before that doesn't mean we actually met miss warrior." The priest said. "But you do know what's happening to Hyakkimaru, don't you?" Koharu asked with a frown. The old priest turned his head around to look at the teenage girl. "Yes, I do..." The Priest said making Koharu's brows furrowed. "Please tell us.."
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"So if he goes around killing monsters, he'll get his body back?" Dororo asked as he puts his hands behind his head. "Yes, I suppose that's what it is." The Priest said. "Well, from what we've seen so far it has to be true. But I'm wondering if demons are able to do that to anyone?" Koharu asked as she was playing tug-a-war with Nota over a stick. "Not alone, someone must've made a deal with the demons a long time ago. In return for that boy's body." The old priest said. "That's awful! I don't know what they got, but his eyes, nose mouth...they gave it all away!" Dororo yelled as he gritted his teeth. "Dororo I know that your upset, I am too. But we right now the best thing we can do is help Hyakkimaru find the rest of himself. I still can't believe someone would do that to him but who?" Koharu muttered making her lose the stick to Nota. "One who must be prepared to go to hell." The old priest answered. "What do these monsters want them for? A single eye could make their tummies full." Dororo said making the two look at the little boy. "Who knows Dororo..." Koharu trailed off while looking up at the night sky. "Maybe it fulfills their souls." The priest said. "What does that mean?" Dororo asked until a sound of a zipper opening turn their attention to the tent. Hyakkimaru walked out of the tent and towards the fire. "Hyakkimaru! You know your not supposed to be up right now! You should be resting!" Koharu yelled as several vein mark popped up all over her head. However, Hyakkimaru continued to walk towards the fire but stopped as his right foot was over the flames. Hyakkimaru was shocked as his foot felt the heat the fire was giving. Hyakkimaru put his foot down and just stared at the flames. "It's hot, huh?" Dororo asked with a smile. "Well, it looks like he regained his nerve system." Koharu said as she walked over to the teen. "Come on, Hyakkimaru you still need rest." Koharu said but before she could even touch his shoulder. Hyakkimaru stomps his right foot into the fire "WHAT THE HELL HYAKKIMARU!!!!" Koharu screamed as she tackled the boy to the ground and looked at his foot. Hyakkimaru was gasping in pain from the idiotic stunt he did. "Yeah well, that's what you get for stepping into the fire like that you dumdass!" Koharu yelled as she applied ointment on his foot to help heal the burns while the priest just sat there smiling at the two teens
