The Cloaked Samurai
The Dream
You awoke with a start, breathing heavily. You rolled out of your futon, padding across the wooden floor and sliding open the door to the adjoining room where your sister lay asleep.
"Kioko!" you whispered loudly, kneeling beside her. Her eyes slowly fluttered open.
"What is it, _____? Another nightmare?" she asked, sitting up and pushing her long black braid over her shoulder.
"Yes. There was a fire and blood and a woman screaming... and a man."
"What did he look like?"
"I can't remember his face, but he was a samurai. He had a white cloak and a sword with an ivory sheath and the hilt was wrapped in purple and yellow cloth."
"Do you think he's your future husband, a mighty warrior?"
"No, but he might be the answer to my prayers! This samurai could be the one to protect Papa!"
"Then you can rest easy."
"What about the other things? The blood, the fire, and the screaming?"
"You'll understand when the time comes. I'm sure of it. For now, don't worry about the dream," Kioko gave you a hug.
"Oh, what am I going to do without you? I'll miss you so much!" you told her.
"I'll visit often," she promised. "But I'll miss you too."
You sat in silence until Kioko stood up and walked over to a box in the corner of the room. She takes out a beautiful jeweled comb and carefully tucks it into your hair.
"Take this as a gift. As long as you have this, I'll always be with you," Kioko said with a smile.
"Thank you," you murmured, and you finally returned to your room for the rest of the night.
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The next morning, you were exploring the house before going to the village with your family. You were wearing the comb from Kioko and a new purple kimono. You carried a light red paper umbrella and your wooden clogs.
You slid open the door to a closet and stepped inside. It was dark and dusty, but enough light came through the door to allow you to see. One beam of light illuminated something that made you drop the umbrella and clogs in shock.
Laying across a chest were a white cloak, a samurai outfit, and a katana with a white sheath and a hilt wrapped in purple and yellow.
"Kioko!" you whispered loudly, kneeling beside her. Her eyes slowly fluttered open.
"What is it, _____? Another nightmare?" she asked, sitting up and pushing her long black braid over her shoulder.
"Yes. There was a fire and blood and a woman screaming... and a man."
"What did he look like?"
"I can't remember his face, but he was a samurai. He had a white cloak and a sword with an ivory sheath and the hilt was wrapped in purple and yellow cloth."
"Do you think he's your future husband, a mighty warrior?"
"No, but he might be the answer to my prayers! This samurai could be the one to protect Papa!"
"Then you can rest easy."
"What about the other things? The blood, the fire, and the screaming?"
"You'll understand when the time comes. I'm sure of it. For now, don't worry about the dream," Kioko gave you a hug.
"Oh, what am I going to do without you? I'll miss you so much!" you told her.
"I'll visit often," she promised. "But I'll miss you too."
You sat in silence until Kioko stood up and walked over to a box in the corner of the room. She takes out a beautiful jeweled comb and carefully tucks it into your hair.
"Take this as a gift. As long as you have this, I'll always be with you," Kioko said with a smile.
"Thank you," you murmured, and you finally returned to your room for the rest of the night.
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
The next morning, you were exploring the house before going to the village with your family. You were wearing the comb from Kioko and a new purple kimono. You carried a light red paper umbrella and your wooden clogs.
You slid open the door to a closet and stepped inside. It was dark and dusty, but enough light came through the door to allow you to see. One beam of light illuminated something that made you drop the umbrella and clogs in shock.
Laying across a chest were a white cloak, a samurai outfit, and a katana with a white sheath and a hilt wrapped in purple and yellow.