Someone started it.

In the past, there was peace between the Toshiba and Honda families. Perhaps that was why they were so similar. Assassins, rogues, thieves - they tended to stem from the two bloodlines as frequently as nobility. Yet, someone landed the first blow. The rivalry wasn't for nothing.

The Honda family held an item of high reputation. This item, a single fabled object, has long since been forgotten. Was it a book? A sword? A gem? No one could remember, for the story has changed too many times. One thing is certain: this item was supposed to be shared.

Who started the war between the two families? It's difficult to tell. Perhaps the Toshiba ancestor tried to take the item. Perhaps the Honda lineage tried to keep it from Toshiba.

Why should this matter now? Why is a legend so important? It isn't. Not really. It's an excuse: a reason to keep up the rivalry and point out an obvious enemy. In a world of assassins and fighters, it's difficult not to have a face that you label as enemy.

For me and my house, we strive to be the best. It's our goal to become stronger than the Honda family. When we're strong enough, we will strike once and for all. We will wipe them out - they will not win.

- Esmme's Characters -

Name: Selke Toshiba
Age: 18
Race/position: Human, first born daughter of the Toshiba leader
Hair and eyes: Black hair, green eyes
Personality: I'm seen as a good leader, though I hide my insecurities well. I'm falsely brave, and have a weakness for anything that seems innocent. My father said that my trust for others will get me killed one day.
Notes: My father, Malin Toshiba, has assigned one of his highly trained bodyguards to protect me.

Name: Kieran
Age: 25
Race/position: Elven, hired assassin
Hair and eyes: Silver hair, red eyes
Personality: Gruff, rude, and stubborn. I get the job done, and nothing stands in my way. I'm not one to give long speeches, and have seen enough death to make it seem trivial.
Notes: I care for Selke, and will do anything to keep her from harm. Not to say that I love her - she's like a little sister to me. I've protected her for the last year, and find her to be softer than any of her other family members.

It all happened too long ago for me to be bothered about.

Our family has been at war with the Toshiba family for so long, my twin brother and I've almost gotten used to it. At the age of five, we thought it was normal to start training to be assassins. Our minds were so full of the idea that the possibility of questioning the idea did not occur to us. Now, at the age of 20, the two of us are the best and the deadliest assassins of the Honda family. I do not approve of the war between the two families over an issue that had been started decades ago, but the Toshibas seem driven to kill. It is not my intention to let them kill me, or anyone else dear to me.



Name: Kanako Honda
Age: 20
Race/Position: Human, Daughter of the Head of the Toshiba clan
Hair and eyes: Brown hair, reddish-brown eyes
Personality: My father says that I'm brave, strong and level-headed. My mother says I'm calm, truthful, kind and loyal. My brother says I'm stubborn. I know that I can get very sarcastic.
Notes: My brother is my top priority. I would never let anything happen to him.



Name: Satoshi Honda
Age: 20
Race/position: Human, Son of the Head of the Honda clan, 12 minutes younger to his sister Kanako
Hair and eyes: Brown hair, brown eyes
Personality: My sister thinks I'm too soft, but I know otherwise. I am not overly violent. I sometimes hesitate in battle due to this trait. I have a strong sense of right and wrong. I am brave, sometimes stupidly so. I'm firm with people, but my sister is my weakness. I am known to fly into a rage when I get a hint that she is being threatened.
Notes: My father gave me a scar on my chest during a training session when I was 11. That scar seems to warn me of impending danger by throbbing continuously.

"Do you always fight so poorly?"

Selke felt a white-hot indignation rise up within her. She knew that her companion was taunting her, but she couldn't stop herself. It was so ... infuriating when he mocked her like this! The dark-haired woman huffed out a breath and trembled as she tried to push Kieran's blade away. He was stronger, however, and held her gaze with a challenging glare.

"Your family doesn't approve of your lack of skill, Selke." Kieran's rough voice was followed by him taking a step forward, bringing Selke to her knees. It was that, or knock her over backward.

Selke went down, straining against the push of the blade that came down toward her. Her twin daggers were locked, and her body wasn't strong enough to defend against Kieran's strength. She knew her fight was over the moment the assassin gave her a taunting smile. Kieran pulled back suddenly, lashing out with a kick to Selke's chest that sent her to her back.

They were training - practicing outside the restraints of the Toshiba kingdom. Selke felt vulnerable, but Kieran refused to be anywhere near her home while they had their lessons.

Kieran stepped back, sheathing his single sword. "You haven't learned anything, woman. Not a damned thing."

Selke's green eyes narrowed, and she stood suddenly. "You bully your way through my defenses. How am I supposed to fight against an opponent-"

"Stronger than you?" Kieran's elven features pulled into a sneer. "You learn, or you die." The assassin shook his head, then turned his gaze to the trees around them. "Have you practiced your stealth?"

"Yes." Selke sounded indignant. In reality, she had practiced ... though not very often. She favored the complicated diplomatic games of the court instead of lurking around homes to see if she could get by without being seen. As she opened her mouth to say as much, the Toshiba realized she was quite alone. Kieran was demonstrating his stealth abilities by showing off. That, or he was through with her for the day and was already headed back to the Toshiba lands.

Selke sighed, flipping her hood up over her head. She began muttering to herself about having a brutal companion as she crouched and made her way toward the shrubbery. Keep low, he'd said. Stay light on your feet. Don't step on dry twigs or leaves. And breathe. Always remember to breathe. Selke quietly headed into the forest, hoping she'd escape Kieran's watchful eye. At least then she could prove she'd learned something.

((Feel free to run into either of them! Both being quiet and stealthy. Selke would be pretty easily seen, while Kieran would be seen by only the most expert of eyes. ))

The twins' eyes locked, brown staring into brown. Neither of them moved; they simply stared at each other, their respective swords in hand. Kanako lunged at her brother. Satoshi raised his sword in defense; the swords clashed as a thunderous sound filled the Honda family dojo. The twins continued to fight, steel clashing with steel. But, Satoshi would eventually tire. Kanako knew it. She simply had to wait.

Satoshi slowed down. The fatigue was getting to him. His reflexes were getting weaker, and his arms gave way more often. Kanako, on the other hand, was relentless. In a final move, she brought her sword down on Satoshi's shoulder. Although having foreseen the swipe, Satoshi did nothing to stop the blade. He only wondered whether he'd get another scar on his shoulder like the one he had on his chest. But the sword never touched his skin.

"Sorry brother dear. You're DEAD!" Kanako scolded her brother. "I told you to do something about your fatigue problem, did I not?" Satoshi countered his sister, unblushingly. "Hey, relax. It's not all that important. Most of my opponents will be defeated before I even start getting tired." Kanako was undeterred. "I believe you said most, Satoshi. Most isn't enough. At least decrease your fatigue to outplay me. That or you'll get killed by someone with no more skill, probably even lesser skill than you have, but a lot more stamina than you. That's what you want, isn't it, getting killed by some layman who doesn't get tired?" Satoshi rolled his eyes and suggested that they practice their stealth.

Together, the brother and sister pair made their way to the forest where they always practiced their stealth. Satoshi walked in without any hesitation. Kanako looked at the ground. Someone was inside. She walked on and joined her brother. They both had changed into plain clothes to resemble ordinary citizens.

Satoshi looked around to see a girl in a hood hiding behind a tree. He went up to her and, forgetting that they were supposed to be practicing stealth, asked her, "Are you lost, ma'am?"

(Esmme: Hope this wasn't too short)

"Are you lost, ma'am?"

Selke started in surprise, whirling about with a blade in hand. Luckily she'd grabbed a small, unassuming blade. The other one she kept hidden at her hip carried her household mark. Toshiba was a known family - and Selke would have given herself away.

Staring at Satoshi, she slowly stood. For a moment, she was proud of her reaction. Seeing the male's common clothing, however, she swiftly stuttered out an apology. "I thought you were someone following me." For a moment she stared at him as though trying to mark his features in her mind. After a few seconds, she glanced around as though surprised they were still alone. "What are you doing out here?"
-

Kieran had indeed left Selke on her own. Or, momentarily. In all honesty he circled around the area, scouting the perimeter. He'd come across the male who'd entered the forest. Apparently Kanako had escaped his notice. His red eyes took in the details about the way Satoshi walked, his movements and lithe form... this boy could be dangerous. The way he moved suggested skill of some kind.

The elf neared where Selke was hiding (he'd known where she was ever since he'd abandoned her), and immediately heard Satoshi's voice. Kieran's sensitive hearing picked up the words, and he narrowed his eyes in thought. Keeping to the shadows, he moved in closer to listen. A thin blade lingered in his hand, and Kieran toyed with the edge as he stayed hidden.

"We were supposed to meet with a friend." Satoshi lied very easily. It was a trait common to the twins. "Wait, why did I tell you that? And that being said, what is a girl like you doing here?"

Kanako rolled her eyes slightly as she watched Satoshi talk to Selke. She briefly thought that Selke was a pretty name. From the way Satoshi was talking to her, it was evident that he would think so too.

"You know what? Let's forget all that. My name is Satoshi," he said and bowed to Selke. "And this is my sister Kanako." Kanako smiled at Selke and bowed."Nice to meet you."

Deciding to humor her brother, Kanako spoke up. "My brother and I came here to look for our friend. But seeing how you're lost, I'm sure Satoshi wouldn't mind leading you out of the forest." Nodding her head at Satoshi, she said,"Lead her out of the forest and join us in the clearing. I'll go look for Yui."

Satoshi smiled at Kanako and spoke to Selke. "This way out of the forest, ma'am." he said brightly and started leading her out of the forest.
--------
Kanako watched as the two of them walked off. With Satoshi safely out of the way, Kanako could concentrate on finding out who had been watching them so intently. She could literally feel the intensity of the stare as it shifted back and forth from Kanako to Satoshi. Once she was sure she wasn't being watched, she jumped up and held on to a tree branch, climbing it and hiding herself within the leaves. She intended to follow Satoshi, who, in spite of his skill, had a penchant for getting into trouble. Quiet as she could, she moved from tree to tree, never letting him out of her sight. She watched him talk to Selke, though she couldn't hear what was being said.

Kanako froze. There was a rustling sound, very slight, coming from nearby. She listened for the direction from which the sound was coming and turned her head. An elf, she realized with a jolt. Satoshi was being watched by an elf. No, she thought. Satoshi wasn't his primary concern. The elf was focusing on Selke more. Kanako hid behind the trunk to avoid being seen by the elf. She watched Satoshi leave Selke near the end of the forest and make his way back. Carefully, she turned back to look at the spot where the elf had been hiding, but he was gone.

(Esmme: Finally done!)

"Meeting a friend all the way out here?" Selke smiled slightly. "What an odd place to run in to someone." Her green eyes filled with laughter, and she batted at Satoshi's arm. "I'm out here to escape my family. It's nice to get some fresh air." A lie, just as Sathoshi had told one.

The woman brushed her black hair out of her face, lowering her hood as they walked. "Satoshi. What an interesting name." When she was introduced to Kanoko, Selke grinned and bowed her head in return. "Nice to meet you as well." She listened politely as they spoke of finding their friend, and nodded at their suggestion. It was time to get out of the forest. It would be nice to have company that spoke to her without either prejudice or brutality for once.

As they walked, Selke reflected on how Kieran had yet to show himself. Likely that just meant he was tailing them with murder in his gaze. Figures. The woman shook her head, and looked back to Satoshi. "So you have a sister. Do you have any other siblings?" She walked quietly, happy to know that even her elven guardian wouldn't have heard her footsteps. From that point on, Selke spoke to Satoshi in a friendly manner, enjoying the opportunity to speak to someone who didn't know who she truly was.
-

Kieran followed, just as Selke suspected. The broad-shouldered elf had seen Kanako break away from the pair, and watched as she trailed off into the forest around them. He made the mistake of assuming she wouldn't double back and follow them as well. His attention was fixated on Selke as she spoke to Satoshi, and his red eyes never left them.

His error allowed him to be seen - even if it was for just a second. Kieran's gaze locked on the edge of the forest. They were close. It was nearly time to leave the others behind. Eying Selke for a few moments, the elf narrowed his eyes and muttered to himself in his own language before stepping out ahead of them. He waited patiently, his movements slow and fluid as the Satoshi and Selke appeared.

Selke paused in surprise. Usually Kieran kept himself hidden. "My guardian," she said, reaching out to touch Satoshi's arm to make sure he didn't make any threatening movements. The last thing she needed as a fight. She rather liked this boy, and didn't want to see him end in bloodshed. "I wandered away from him when we left my home. He must be worried."

Satoshi was enjoying himself. For once, he was talking to someone whose primary aim in life was not to kill someone. Of course there was also Kanako, but he was thinking about people who were not a part of his family. Almost everyone he knew was driven by the ways of the Honda family. It was a good change. He almost felt happy. He knew he'd have to face Kanako later, but he didn't mind. And this girl was pretty.

"No, I don't. Kanako's my only sister. She's older to me by twelve minutes. I'd trust her to the end of the world." He smiled a little at that. It was an honest statement. He was about to ask her whether she had any siblings when Selke held his arm, stopping abruptly. Satoshi looked at her face. She seemed worried. When she spoke of her guardian, he said,"Well, he should be around here somewhere. Would you like me to help you look for him?"
-------
Kanako was getting really worried. "Come on, Satoshi, you idiot, let the girl go!" she practically pleaded but it was no use. Satoshi could neither hear her nor see her. Kanako smacked her forehead. "This is not the time to get a crush!" But she couldn't blame him. Skilled as he was, how was he supposed to know that there was an elf watching him and Selke, who was a potential threat? Kanako wished she could get a proper look at the elf's face. She could only see a bit of his pointy ears and the back of his head.

"Damn it, Satoshi!" It was all she could do to keep from jumping down and strangling her brother for being such a dimwit. She looked around for the elf, but he was still nowhere to be seen.

((Omg, it's been 2 months. How. HOW?! D: I'm sorry!))

As Satoshi mentioned having only one sibling, and a twin at that, Selke smiled. "Twins. You must share a special bond."

That, of course, was when she'd stopped Satoshi. Did she want her new friend to help her search for Kieran? "What?" Selke blinked in surprise. "No, that's quite alright. You don't need to trouble yourself with him. My guardian is rather protective." She paused. "And very aggressive. He already made it clear he didn't want me wandering off alone, despite how often I do."

Kieran, however, was suddenly within sight. The male was tall, broad-shouldered, and imposing enough to frighten off most people. The scar over one of his red eyes also tended to make people feel uncomfortable. The elf narrowed his glowing eyes as soon as Selke and Satoshi came into sight. They were feet from one another, as though Kieran had merely appeared before them in silence.

"Ah. Yes. Well, I'm no longer lost in the woods." Selke cleared her throat, noting the dangerous look in her guardian's eyes. He didn't like how close Selke was standing to this newcomer. "Kier-"

"You can't expect me to do my job if you go frolicking with strangers, milady." Kieran's icy tone interrupted Selke, and he looked meaningfully to the hand that she still had on Satoshi's arm.

Selke's hand dropped, and she smiled slightly before stepping away from Satoshi. "I should go. My guardian doesn't mean to cause trouble here, and I shouldn't have wandered off in the first place."

Kieran's expression said the exact opposite of what Selke's words did: Oh, he certainly meant to cause trouble. It was going to happen if they all stuck around in the same place for long.

"It was nice meeting the two of you. Say goodbye to your sister for me, Satoshi." The dark-haired woman pulled her hood up again, and moved to stand closer to Kieran. The elf kept his gaze on Satoshi, and when they finally started moving Kieran's red eyes flickered to where he'd last seen Kanako. He'd sensed her, though hadn't quite seen her. So there were two of them, according to Selke.

After muttering quietly in his own tongue, Kieran ushered his charge forward and away from the strangers.

((It's okay lol. RL schedules come first :D))

Satoshi looked over at the other male. The guardian was an elf, huh? Her parents must have been a really paranoid pair, to go that far. Selke seemed rather stricken at his appearance. It wasn't that hard to tell why; the elf was rather... scary, to put it bluntly. He looked over at his shoulder as Selke dropped her hand. There was no mistaking that tone. Despite what Selke said, Satoshi had a strong suspicion that the male would not hesitate to cause serious trouble if things didn't go his way.

He decided to play it safe, though. "Nice meeting you too, Selke," he said, smiling. "I will. I hope we can see each other again." He watched a little while as the two of them walked away, and then turned back to look for Kanako.

-------------------------------------------

Kanako's eyes widened in horror as she saw the elf standing right in front of Satoshi. That was when she got a good look at his face. She covered her own with a scarf, just in case. She would have to remember that face well. He seemed dangerous... no, even that wasn't fitting enough. At the moment, all she wanted was Satoshi out of there, fast. She breathed a sigh of relief as Selke and the elf walked away. Once they were out of site, she jumped down from the tree, right in front of Satoshi, and smacked him on the shoulder.

"What were you thinking?!?!" she scolded him. "Sometimes I wonder if you even paid attention to what you've been taught." She pointed in the direction that Selke and the elf had taken. "Do you know that the elf had been watching you two for a long time before he appeared in front of you?"

Satoshi simply hung his head. "I'm sorry," he said. And then the gravity of what she said hit him. "That means you followed us too."

"I followed you because, unlike you, I realized that we were being watched by someone, and decided to find out who. You were far too distracted by the pretty girl to notice anything, I suppose. Should we add that to your glorious list of flaws?"

"Give me a break, Kanako," he sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "It's not like I'll be seeing her anymore. And I'll have to admit, it was nice to talk to someone who wasn't a trained killer."

Kanako had nothing to say against that. She simply turned to walk out of the forest. "We've wasted enough time here. Let's go."