Chapter 1
Silent Night, Starry Night
It was a starry winter night, except you couldn’t see any stars because the harsh snowy weather was covering most of the visibility, you could barely see in front of you.
Even in this harsh weather, a father, mother and their child were in the middle of all of this, running from who or what? I do not know. But, what I do know is that they are terrified of losing their lives, of losing their daughter, their new-born.
They ran to a remote village, freezing cold. Barely any clothes on, it’s a miracle that they are still alive.
They get to the villages but all the doors are closed. Visible lights could be seen meaning people were inside they knocked but no one answered.
They carried their baby, about to freeze to death, They kept pushing. Fell but got up, they fell and got back up.
Just then they saw a light at top the hill they walked to it and it was a house, older than the rest they have seen so far. Knocked, no answer.
The parents were completely worn out they couldn’t move anymore, they were tired. If they moved forward the safety of the baby would be at risk, so both parents decided to leave the baby. In tears both parents say their good byes and leave, they had to, for the baby’s safety because they did not know If they were going to make it to the next day and they also had to throw off the person or thing that was chasing them.
6 years after that dreadful night and little Kazuki is all grown-up now, she stays with her grandma most of the time now. I believe she enjoys grandma Ichika’s company more.
It’s a sunny morning and Kazuki is outside staring at the purple tail ants as they walked by minding their business.
Ichika thought to herself “Why are ants purple?”
She was outside grandma Ichika’s house. Grandma Ichika calls for her.
“Kazuki.”
No answer.
“Kazuki!”
No answer.
She then goes outside to checkup on Kazuki. Kazuki was there, squatting, admiring the ants. Her cold grey eyes staring at them. Her grandma sees what she’s doing and notices her demeanor.
She thinks to herself. “Why does she take after me, were not even related.”
Grandma Ichika was calling to remind her of her play date with Guren. Guren is a boy that is a part of the family that adopted Kazuki. Though Grandma Ichika saved her she was adopted by Guren’s parents. Just then, a boy comes running out of nowhere, shouting at the top of his lungs.
“Grandma Ichika!”
“Grandma Ichika!!”
His hair as orange as the sun set and quite tall for a 7-year-old boy. He gets to the front of the house out of breath. Took him a minute to catch his breath, he then relays the message he was sent here to deliver.
“There is a commotion in the village, its bad.”
With that Guren, Grandma Ichika and Kazuki all walk down to the village only to find out some human traffickers tried to pass through the town but they got caught by the town folk, trying to kidnap more kids.
The thing about this world is that it’s cruel and it was already hard to survive as it is. From natural disasters to plagues and even famine. Pretty much anything could get you out here If you weren’t careful, its survival of the fittest and kidnapping is just one of those things that could get ya.
The guards that were stationed around the village weren’t the best that village Tessa has seen over the years but luckily, they were able to get the culprits with the help of the shouting kid and adult not too far away.
Soon a large crowd had gathered to witness the atrocities that these people had committed. Evil is common in this world but you do it to some people, and it won’t go unpunished.
The kidnappers were detained and moved to the village square for judgement. The village chief was called to be the judge on the matter. People were cursing and throwing stones, things were hard and people needed a way to vent their anger. I guess that situation solved itself.
The village chief came out in from of the crowd at the village square. The village chief is a short 60 year old with mostly grey hair, a deep voice and a commanding presence. He told everyone to quiet down. The place was silent and the village chief began.
” This isn’t the first time we have seen something like this” he said
“We need to be more vigilant as a community”
“I want to say thank you to the people that looked out for this community and caught this before it turned sour”
“I’ve decided what their punishment would be”
“They deserve death” someone in the crowd said
“Killing them would be a waste” the chief said
“As you all know, it’s been difficult for our community to gather resources”
“As a result, the community has been suffering”
“So, I suggest we sell them to Hannam village and make a profit”
“The proceeds will be used to help the village and its people”
The kids were rescued, one of them died. And now they have nowhere to live. The elders of the village convened and talked about how these past few years have been unsafe, and what to do with the kids. They decided to announce that if anyone wanted to adopt children they should come and meet the elders. After hearing the announcement Grandma Ichika decided to go to meet Shichiro and Eriko Kurokawa.
…
Shichiro and Eriko Kurokawa are Guren’s parents. They took in Kazuki when she got found by Grandma Ichika and took care of her. Though Grandma Ichika wasn’t blood related to the Kurokawa’s, she is their mother.
Guren and Kazuki had left the commotion early for a play date at the Kurokawa’s. Grandma Ichika got there and sat. The house was both a shop and a home for the Kurokawa’s. The shop acts as a front for the farm that grandma Ichika has. Shichiro comes out to greet her
“Granny Ichika, to what do we owe the pleasure or whatever” Shichiro said
“I came to talk to you about adopting the children that were recovered by the village yesterday” she explained
Shichiro surprised shouted or his wife.
“Honey!!”
She takes a minute but she finally comes out.
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“Eriko come and listen to what granny Ichika has to say” Shichiro says
She sits down and grandma Ichika begins.
” After what happened today, it’s become clear to me that village Tessa is becoming less safe”
“So, I have a plan to take care of our kids”
“So that whatever happens, they’ll be able to survive, even without us”
“This is all scary granny Ichika” Eriko says
“Do you know anything granny?” Shichiro asks
“I can’t say for sure, it’s more of a feeling”
“Alright granny Ichika, we trust you” Shichiro says
“Please tell Kazuki to come home before dark”
“We will”
“See you later”
With that grandma Ichika goes to see the elders.
…
She enters Otto Rensuke house, the village chief.
” Good to see that everyone is here already” she says
“I thought it was the village chief that called this meeting” one of the five village elders said
“Well, she told me to call the meeting” the village chief said
“Has anyone come to claim the kids?” granny Ichika said
“No” said the village chief
“Well, I’d like to adopt them, all of them” granny Ichika said
“We can’t let you do that” Sakuraba Ichiyou, an elder said
“Why? I have the resources necessary to take care of all of them” she argued
“What? You mean your farm? It belongs to…”
“We know you can take care of them but you and your asset are valuable to the village so we can’t let you give up or spare some rations for these kids” the village chief said cutting of the other elder.
“So, what were you planning on doing with them” she asks.
“We were going to give them one by one to each family that didn’t have kids…” he replied.
“Or give them up for adoption to the nearby villages”
“If you do that you’re basically selling them” Granny Ichika thought.
“Well for me it means more hands on the farm, more hands more food, get it?” she said.
All the other elders were watching this conversation unable to interfere, so they watched from the side-lines. Finally, the village chief agreed.
“Alright” he said “but you can’t go back on your word”
‘’Deal” granny Ichika said.
All the other elders were looking at the village chief with angry looks.
One of the village elders blurted out in anger, “You can’t just…”
Before he even finishes the sentence, granny Ichika looked at him with her cold piercing eyes. “Do you know why I’m called the shadow elder? A lot of elders have been here before you and guess what? I’m still here. I even like your lot, don’t change that.”
She turns her back and leaves.
…
The next day, an assistant to the village chief brought the kids to granny Ichika’s place on the hill.
They were given a change of clothes and bathed by the elder’s assistant. She invited them in she offered them food they introduced each other. Akiro and Arashi the twins, Daichi, Yamiko and Chisato. They also met little Kazuki.
One year later
The kids have adapted to the village, the locals like them and they do jobs for them and if they like the job they get gifted things sometimes. The farms bigger now the kids have been working on it.
Kazuki is a little lively now that she’s around kids her own age but it’s a little hard to train 6 kids at once, and a seventh is coming.
The Kurokawa’s are looking to expand their business so Guren is going to be staying with granny Ichika for the time being.
Granny Ichika’s house has been expanded and some new facilities have been built enough to accommodate granny Ichika and SEVEN kids. Because of how hard it is to survive in this world most people only have about 1 kid at most. Granny Ichika has seven to take care of and with the house being completed there is barely anything left over. She used most of the farm produce to exchange for the man power used for the house and basic necessities for her and the kids hence the Kurokawa’s going to the next village to earn more money cuz they are family. But the shop in the village is still open, it’s just run by someone else.
The youngest daughter of the village chief, 18 years old black hair, dark brown eyes, she is tall, fit but not muscular, basically she grew up healthy but she’s not like the rest of her family, she’s like the black sheep.
Her other sisters were married off to some rich person in other villages but she didn’t want that life so she fought it. She didn’t care for the approval of her father so granny Ichika took her in but she doesn’t live at granny’s house or her dad’s house, she lives at the shop.
The Kurokawa’s used to live there and now an extra floor was added. The Kurokawa’s already cleared it out so it was easy for her to convert it into a sleeping area, there is also extra space for farm produce. she gets paid a fair amount. Just another stray that grandma Ichika took in.
Back at the house granny Ichika was staring at the kids working, some were playing.
“I guess it’s almost time.”
…
At dinner, all seven of granny Ichika’s kids are present including granny Ichika herself, after they finish eating Kazuki clears the plates and Guren helps with the dishes.
” I’d like to talk you kids about something important” granny Ichika began
“let’s wait for Kazuki and Guren to come back”
The chatter continued at the table after a while Kazuki and Guren came back, she told them to take a seat and that they should all be attentive.
Everywhere became quiet and she became serious.
“I’m proud of what you kids have achieved this year, I’m also proud of the changes that you kids have made to get to where you are now. Chisato has grown more beautiful, Kazuki has grown to be livelier and Daichi has grown chubbier.” They all laugh.
“But from here on out its going to get harder. I’m not going to spare you the details but a storm’s coming and I’m going to need you to trust you your grandma and to trust in each other.”
“I’m scared.” Chisato says.
“There is no reason for you to be scared. I’m going to be here every step of the way. Can you little ones’ trust in your grandma?”
“Yes!” they say in unison.
The following day, an hour before dawn she wakes the kids in their respective rooms. The boys sleep in one room while the girls sleep in another. Wake up, today’s the first day of training, Yamiko refuses to get up so she pours a bucket of freezing water on him. He jolts up shouting.
“Outside, now!” Granny Ichika says.
Everyone including Yamiko is outside now.
“It’s cold outside.” Yamiko says.
“Next time you’ll wake up faster.” Granny says.
She asks them to run to the main gate of the village and back. The first to make it back is exempt from doing chores today the last person gets to run another.
Guren is first, Chisato is second, Arashi is third, Kazuki is fourth, Akiro is fifth, Daichi is sixth and Yamiko is in last place. After the race granny Ichika checks their bodies one by one to see if there are any defects and to tailor a specific training type for each person.
Guren’s body was a good well-rounded body but his ankles were stiff.
“That wouldn’t be good in the long run but it’s nothing a little training can’t fix.”
Chisato’s body had marks all over like she had been beaten. But there was no heavy damage done to her body. “Such cruelty to do to this little girl.” She sighed.
Arashi was skinny and his light weight allowed him to be nimble and fast. His body was good and it had no defects on it though she suspects his injuries might purely be psychological because he doesn’t talk. He keeps to himself and unlike the other twin is quiet.
Akiro is stubborn, an erratic child, he was the first one to start talking and moving around after they were saved from the kidnappers, he spurred the others on to start opening up a little but he was never able to reach his own twin brother. Though they understand each other.
Akiro’s body is filled with scar tissue on his back and suspected internal injuries that never healed properly internally.
Daichi’s body was fine, if not a little too fine. He just needed to lose some weight.
Yamiko is a peculiar case, his body was frail. Didn’t have many prospects. It’s a miracle that he survived this long, and those rarely happen in this world.
Granny Ichika didn’t need to check Kazuki’s body she’s bathed for her a couple times so she has a good sense of it. One of her notable features is that she has silver hair and very high tolerance for cold.
