Hitomi Ichinohei <hitomi@MBnet.MB.CA>


Well, I've made several comments during the last few months on how I am used 
to dojinshi and fan fiction being done.  Several of these comments have led 
people to write letters to me stating how it is done in North America, others 
have been annoyed with my comments.  This is not unusual since I tend to write 
on controversial topics.

Anyways, during one of the "Bull Sessions" (Can someone please explain the 
origin of this expression to me and why it is used) here at Dynelex, we had to 
come up with some new characters and stories.  Being disappointed in the fact 
that the Immigrant Investor program was cancelled in Canada was not doing too 
much for our morale.

[Mod note: I believe it is dereived from "Cock and Bull Story" or the 
same root.  And that root are two pubs, I think in or around Stony 
Stratford, England, the Cock (as in rooster folks...) and The Bull.  It
was traditional for strangers, when they came in, to tell a story.  And
then the story would be retold by the regulars back and forth from pub to
pub.  Of course, this meant details got wilder and wilder.  I believe
"Bull Session" is from the story telling sessions, too. -Zoner]

We have hopes however, of getting some venture capitalist interested.  So we 
had to come up with ideas, and ideas, and ideas.  We were going nowhere fast.

Then, with a huge input of Jolt Cola, and a lot of coffee, (caffeine overloads 
are wonderful things), we started to get a little silly.

One of the ideas that came out of that meeting (I.E.  6 am ) was a cute girl 
story with a character loosely based on me.  After that it got quite strange...

To the characterization, I will admit my natural hair colour is red, I will 
admit to doing bujutsu, I will admit to liking old style anime such as Candy 
Candy.  I will not admit to being a ditz, over- emotional, or a spendthrift.

I did have a friend named Oneiko who was more like my older sister, but that's 
another story.

As for the organization called the Sisterhood,  the one mentioned within the 
story is nonexistent.

This story was too good to pass up, (I couldn't resist making a joke of 
myself) and so I starting writing it.  It will be a continuing series of 
stories that will make up several books.  Hopefully the chapters will come out 
about once a week time dependant.

If people want, I will send them the character sketches that we made.

Now for a little background to this.

The year is 1978.  Japan's money is just becoming worth more, and ninja movies 
are becoming more popular in the United States.  At the same time, shows such 
as Happy Days and songs by Bill Halley and the comets are making a big 
impression with the younger generation in Japan.  The youngsters are split 
into traditionalist and Americanophiles.

This is the story of one Americanophile who learns to love her history and past.

Ichinohei Hitomi

Hitomi_Ichinohei@MBnet.mb.caStories of the Sisterhood

Growing up

Copyright January 1994, Ichinohei Hitomi, Dynelex Animation, and Dynelex 
Computers

******************************************************************************

Chapter One:

"This is worse than father's favourite dish!!!", thought the young girl as the 
sword went over her head.  It was close, half an inch more and she wouldn't be 
in any shape to go to school in the morning.  Hitting her foe with a modified 
palm strike, she wondered if she'd make it.

"Chikuso, if only there weren't so many of them.  I've got to find some way to 
defeat these people."  Flipping back, she evaded an opponents staff sweep.  
Then, using her hands to brace herself, she kicked the face of another 
attacker.  The manoeuvre enabled her to get her hands on a tofun, if she could 
get her hands on that dropped sword...

At that moment, she was hit from behind.  The hard rattan causing her to 
collapse immediately.

"HOLD"

Everyone in the dojo backed away and placed their weapons in the ready position.

Everyone except her best friend reaching down to help her up.  Despite the 
fact that Oneiko was sober faced, the laughter in her eyes made the girl on 
the ground a bit surly.  "Okay, okay," she whispered, "don't rub it in, I 
should have practiced more."

Raising one eyebrow, Oneiko whispered back, "Did I say anything Hitomi-chan?"

Hitomi stood up and, keeping her face expressionless, turned to look at the 
Sensei.

At the far end of the dojo, the Sensei looked at Hitomi, a red haired girl 
with greenish-blue eyes and a strangely compelling face, and wondered what 
she was going to do with her.  It wasn't that Hitomi lacked the skill, it was 
more that she lacked motivation.  At times the Sensei wanted to grab the girl 
and shake some sense into her.

She knew it wasn't the girls fault.  Her father was white and had put some 
strange ideas into her head.  It was now a matter of finding a way to rid her 
of these abberations.

"Hitomi-san, you should be able to do this exercise without being hit.  You 
have been trained in harakei.  There is no excuse for this failure to note an 
attacker."

Hitomi winced a little at this.  There was no excuse, not even to herself.  
She had practiced, studied scrolls, and learned to move her body in ways 
western science said was impossible unless one was diseased or mutated.  
She had her breathing centred and could achieve the state of mind- 
no-mind.  Why couldn't she detect attacks properly!!!

"Hai, Sensei!" she answered.

"Oneiko-san"

"Hai, Sensei!"

"You will take Hitomi-san to the woods and retrain her in the knowledge of 
harakei."

"Hai, Sensei!"

Both girls bowed leaving the dojo and entered the woods surrounding the temple.

******************************************************************************

The Sensei looked out of the window and into the forested area outside.  She 
sighed as remembrance took over, of the vast areas of trees, of farmland in 
the distance, and of clear skys.  Such no longer existed of course.  Nihon, 
or as westerners knew the islands, Japan, had become a very technological 
country since the war.  Trees were cut down to make way for manufacturing 
centres, shopping districts, and homes, especially of the Americajin, the 
Americans, who came after the war to settle in their "conquered territory" as 
many of them had put it.  The farmland had increased, and if it wasn't for 
the fact that the temple owned the forest that was left, that too would have 
disappeared.

So many changes had come.  The restructuring, increase in pollution, the loss 
of ancient influences, and the change in the powers of the Emperor and 
Empress.  It had become hard for the young people to know their duty.  In 
fact, many of the younger generation had lost the sense of giri, that of duty 
passed from one generation to the next.  Could it be that the culture of Nihon 
was dying, that they would become so much like the Americans they imitated, 
that all sense of being Nihonjin would be lost?

The Sensei hoped not.

"You shouldn't worry so much.  She'll learn eventually."

Turning, the Sensei saw her oldest friend in the doorway to the chamber.  "I 
wasn't really thinking about Hitomi-chan, but of the way our country has 
changed.  How could we have ignored what was happening?"  she said turning 
back to the window, "If we don't instill some sense of duty, some sense of 
fealty to this younger generation, I am afraid that we will lose all it means 
to be Nihonjin."

"The world is changing, Keiko-chan, what we considered important will be 
unimportant to our children."

"I don't remember it being that way with us."  Keiko stated, "We learned of 
duty and caring and compassion.  Our mothers thought us that physical comforts 
were distractions, to be endured for the good of all"

"Our world was different Keiko.  We didn't see the innovations that are 
commonplace today, but they were there.  Our society was feudal one, theirs is 
a democracy."

"That's dragons droppings and you know it,"  Keiko said incensed, "Democracy 
has existed on our islands for longer than the gaigin know.  They imposed 
their rules thirty years ago, and to suit their purposes, changed those rules 
two years later.  To them, there is no such thing as honour, no such thing as 
duty to an ideal, a cause.  Their heroes are those that win.  To us the heroes 
are those who stayed to their principles, win or lose.  There is nobility in 
failure if one has led life with honour, duty, compassion, knowledge, and 
wisdom.  Even if it costs the life of an entire village to ensure the safety 
of one, we would do it.  This younger generation, they have not that sense."

"Keiko-chan," the woman said coming close, "what can you do?  Force them to 
change their ways?  It wouldn't work.  The temple, our society, was founded 
centuries ago because of women who refused to fit into the mold forced upon 
them by males.  We learned how to be pig-headed from them.  Do you expect the 
children to be any different?"

"Your daughter isn't the one that has problems, Mita-chan.  It's my child, 
Hitomi, who has the problems."

"Your husband is to blame for that, not you,"  Mita said slowly, "You had no 
choice about marrying him, and he is gaigin..."

"I should have thought her better,"  Keiko cut her off.  "My choices, my 
decisions weren't enough,  she's inherited some of her fathers foolishness."

Closer to tears than she had been in years, she continued, "I've got to find a 
way to teach her the respect, the concerns, and the ways of our past."

Mita went up and hugged her friend.  "We'll find a way," she said as she 
kissed Keiko on the cheek,  "The solution waits for us.  After all, none can 
escape the ties of Karma and theirs is bound up with ours."

"If they understand it Mita-chan, if they understand it."

******************************************************************************

"Oneiko, do you think we could talk a bit before practicing?" Hitomi asked.

'What's the matter Hitomi, your mind definitely wasn't on what was going on 
inside." Oneiko replied and sat under a tree.

Shaking her head, Hitomi could only say, "That's the problem."

Oneiko smiled, "Okay, what's been going on in that ditzy brain of yours."

"Hey," Hitomi replied with some heat as she sat down next to Oneiko, " I'm not 
ditzy."

"That last shopping trip we went on to Tokyo?"

"Che... The one time I go crazy shopping and you never let me forget it."

Leaning back, Oneiko started off on her usual speel, "You spent over 5 million 
yen in four hours.  I believe your grandfathers words were along the lines of 
how you could buy so much in just a little while."

"It was the first time I was in Tokyo since I was a small child." Hitomi 
stated getting even more annoyed.

Meanwhile Oneiko starting counting Items on her fingers, "Three hundred manga, 
twenty dresses, fifteen skirts, twenty seven blouses, fifty sets of underwear, 
thirteen pairs of shoes, for..."

"ENOUGH ALREADY!!!"

"No need to shout," Oneiko chuckled, "after all, it's what you've been doing 
lately.  If I didn't know better I'd say you were trying to become an American."

Hitomi flopped backwards onto the ground.  "I think that's exactly what's 
happening."

Oneiko started at this, "ARE YOU NUTS?!?!?"

"Oneeiko..."  Hitomi winced.

"No.  Not now.  Not ever.  You are Japanese, not American, not English, 
Japanese.  You've been trained in the ways of the sisterhood, brought up to 
the knowledge of the ancient ways, and thought that life revolves around 
understanding of the virtues.  There is no way that you are American."  She 
shouted.  Calming herself a bit, Oneiko continued, "I don't care what 
that iteki father of yours told you or said, your place is here."

"If only I could be sure of that," Hitomi sighed, "My entire life has revolved 
around everything Japanese.  I don't know anything about the rest of the world 
except what we see on the news or in the papers.  Even the music that we get 
is nice.  I would like to see it, if only once."

Oneiko sat thinking, "If that would solve the problem..."

******************************************************************************

It was after the regular practice sessions, most of the students had now gone 
home and Hitomi was practicing by herself.

"I've got to get this right.", she thought, "If I strike at the target while 
moving to the left, perhaps I can get better leverage."

"Hitomi-chan."

Hitomi straightened out immediately, "Hai, Sensei!"

At the far end of the hall, the Sensei, her mother, was sitting in the doorway 
to the tea room.  "Hitomi-chan, it is time to leave the dojo behind and talk."  
Moving backwards, she gestured into the room.  "Come, let us relax and enjoy 
cha with your aunt and your sister."

The invitation was not one to be refused.  Besides, she wanted to show her 
mother how much she had learned about the performance of the ceremony.  "Hai, 
Haha-san, allow me to shower and change."  She exited the room quickly, 
obviously excited.

Oneiko sighed.  "She is cute.", she thought, "If I can keep her out of trouble 
on this trip it will be a miracle."

In a little while, Hitomi came into the room.  Immediately, she set about 
preparing the implements.  Everyone was quiet, as she went through the steps 
for the less formal version.  An hour later, they were ready to talk.  As was 
common, they did not pursue the main point of the meeting immediately, going 
on for a while about other matters.  Finally, Keiko broached the subject.

"It's obvious something has to be done Hitomi, you do not seem to be able to 
concentrate on much these days."

"I'm sorry mother, it's just that I find a lot of things more fascinating 
these days."

"Oh?  Do these things happen to be boys?"  Mita asked with a slight smile.

Hitomi blushed, "Ano...they have started to ask me all sorts of stuff, like 
if they can carry my books or if I want to go with them to the chocolate shop."

"Hai, and they ask in fairly disgusting ways."

"I wouldn't say that Oneiko, some of them are kawaii."

Oneiko looked pained, "Boys!?!?  Kawaii?!?  Are you feeling all right?"

"Perfectly."

Keiko decided to move off of the subject, "In any case, perhaps it would be 
better if you go on a training trip.  A route that will take you around the 
various cultures of the Pacific, and give you a better  understanding of ours."

"You mean I'll get to go to America?"

"Eventually," Mita answered, "but as to what you'll carry..."

Hitomi eyes shown as she started talking,  "I'll have to get some new dresses, 
then plan the places to stay, such as Disneyland, and of course I'll have to 
have enough space in my luggage for souvenirs..."

"HITOMI!!"

"Oneeiko"  Hitomi said as she winced.

"In case you didn't hear, this is a training trip, and as such we will only 
carry what we can lift."

"We?"

"If you believe I'm going to let you go off on a trip alone, and possibly get 
into all sorts of trouble, or worse, then by Amaterasu, you better make sure 
I'm dead."

"Besides,"  Mita continued, a bit embarrassed by Oneiko's outburst, "You'll 
only be allowed to take your passport, sword and dagger, three change of 
clothes, food, bathing equipment, tent, and futon.  In addition, you will 
each be given three hundred thousand yen.  Anything else you must earn, and 
must be able to rely on yourselves."

"One other thing Hitomi,"  Her mother said,  "The two of you will keep diaries 
which you send back here sealed.  They won't be opened, but they will keep a 
record of your travels for future reference.  If I am going to get you out of 
school, then you're going to have to be able to answer your Sensei's questions 
on your return."

Hitomi heard this without really listening,  "America..."

-----

Hi everyone,

     Sorry that this one is late, I got busy with some of the new products that
we are developing here.  Add to that, that this week's been fairly bad with all
the celebrations that had to be attended due to the New Year.

     Anyways, here is the second story.  It may seem boring, but it sets up the
characters for the situations that they will be getting into starting in
Chapeter Four.  I'm not sure if this preset is done in  North American 
literature however.

Oh, I also need CRITISCISM.  I thank everyone for the kind words that you 
wrote, and I appreciate them, they help me decide what to write next, and how 
to write better in english.  However, in order to KNOW WHAT I AM DOING WRONG, 
I need you to tell me.

Believe me, I appreciate you flaming me as much as possible.

Thanks for the opportunity to write in english to an english audience.

Ichinohei Hitomi

Hitomi_Ichinohei@MBnet.mb.ca

******************************************************************************
Stories of the Sisterhood

Growing up

Copyright January 1995, Ichinohei Hitomi, Dynelex Animation, and Dynelex 
Computers

******************************************************************************

Chapter Two.

Excerpt from the diary of Hisagowa Hitomi:

...and although it seems strange, mother has actually arranged for me to get 
time off with the school.

Somehow, I'm relieved.

I've never been that good at school, and going to juku is definitely not me.  
I want to have it as easy as the American kids have it.  Imagine, only five 
days a week of school and at only six hours a day at most.  That's a dream 
come true.  I wonder if it's true that they get a two month vacation for the 
summer?

Oh, father gave me a credit card.  It came with the warning that I'm not to 
use it unless it's an emergency and that means no shopping.  It was a 
wonderful dream, for about half a minute.  Imagine, going to an American 
departo, getting jean jackets, pants, and dresses, picking up all those 
different records and tapes.  Seeing the Comets, or the Starlights, at one of 
their music clubs.  At least I'll get to see Disneyland.  If I could arrange 
it, I'd see Disneyworld instead.

The only problem is that it will take about three to four months to get 
there!!!  Mother has us going from here to Hiroshima and then on to Fukuoka 
before leaving for Hong Kong.  From there will be a side trip to Bejing and 
then to Singapore.  Mother says that we will receive further instructions 
there.

I'm surprised that father and grandfather agreed to this.  They prefer me 
staying at home most of the time.  Sometimes I think Oba-san has something over
them.  They both seem to be quiet when she is around.  One good thing, 
Oneiko and I are going over to their place tomorrow until our train leaves in 
the evening.

Oneiko managed to find some medical kits for us, although why they have to be 
so heavy is beyond me.  As for the rest of the stuff, it's finally packed and 
put away.  I doubt we'll need the swords, as if anyone really uses them in 
this day and age, but I admit they are comforting to have around.  We had to 
get papers for them though, something about their being used for display and 
competition.  Who'd be crazy enough to carry them otherwise, out in the open 
yet.

One of the things that I am a little worried about is how the food is going 
to last.  We've got some of that new packaged food that is supposed to last 
for months on end, but to eat some of the stuff I read about?  How could 
anyone stomach cockroaches, or dining on monkeys, or eating worms and ants.  
It sounds worse than those yucky wasps grubs mother tries to get me to eat on 
occasion.  and those aren't as bad as the Natto.  I hope that we will be 
passing a _lot_ of restaurants.  If not, I'm going to be throwing up a lot of 
my meals.

Some of the more interesting devices that we will be carrying are our walking 
sticks.  They look like bamboo or rattan, but they are made of aluminum.  
Obviously they aren't to be used for fighting.  Instead they are our canteens 
and double for the tent poles.  I know that the equipment is better, I know 
that it's supposed to last us a long time, but what weird people came up with 
the ideas for this equipment.

I know that we will have to travel light, but I am definitely seeing about 
some way to send back souvenirs.  There is no way I am visiting all those 
exotic places and not coming back without something.  It will have to arrive 
somewhere other than home though, and that's going to be a problem.

Anyway, enough of that.  I'm going to tell you what happened in school today 
with that...

******************************************************************************

"Are you sure you have everything?"

"Yes, father.  I've got everything packed and put away.  Thanks for the water 
kit by the way.", Hitomi replied.

Her father chuckled, "Considering that you're going to India, you're going to 
need it."  He helped her put on the backpack.  "Besides, your mother has some 
fairly old fashioned ideas about what to carry on a trip."

Hitomi stuck out her tongue.  "Tell me about it..."

******************************************************************************

The night before...

"But why do I have to carry all this extra stuff?",  Hitomi huffed, 
"Everything we have at the moment is going to be heavy enough."

"Hitomi..." her mother started.

"And why are you insisting on an inkstone, brush, and sticks?  Ballpoints are 
smaller, easier to carry, and a hell of a lot lighter."


"Hitomi..."  her mother tried again, this time her voice taking on a tone of 
incipient doom.

Hitomi got up and started to pace about the room, "A series of scrolls for 
diaries?  That's ridiculous.  Books are smaller and easier to carry.  As for 
the flint, steel , and tinder...are not matches good enough?  And if that was 
not bad enough..."

"HITOMI!!!" her mother shouted, right in her ear.

It was only then she noticed that Keiko had gotten up and was standing right 
next to her.  "Ano... Hai, Haha-san..."

"You are going to carry that equipment, and more, if I say so.  You put too 
much stock in that iteki equipment.  Now sit and listen.  Your life could 
depend on what I tell you..."

******************************************************************************

Her father noticed the tone of voice, "Now, your mother isn't all that bad.  
She just has to learn to accept the more modern innovations for everyday use."

"An inkstone?  Isn't that going a little far?"

He paused at that, "True, but then again, it might come in handy.  Come on, 
Oneiko is waiting for you outside."

Hitomi sighed, "O.K. father."

"One thing,"  her father told her as they walked out of the room, "don't ever 
let your mother know about the other item I gave you."

She looked up, some suspicion crossing her face, "How did mom convince you 
that you should let me go by myself?  You're always so scared of something 
happening to me."

Mr. MacDonald looked a bit uncomfortable, "Er... As to that, perhaps we should 
discuss it when you are older..."

******************************************************************************

Oneiko and Hitomi waved good-bye to their parents who were standing by the 
gate and started to walk off.

After they got some way from the house, they looked at each other, grinned, 
and shouted in unison, "Freedom!!!"

This earned them stares from other people passing in the street at the time.

"Strange girls"

"Shouldn't they be in school"

"Look like a pair of delinquents to me"

"Travellers"

...and other comments being made.

******************************************************************************

In the meantime, Keiko and Mita's husbands were talking in the Kitchen.

"Well Hiro,  Do you think that the girls will be all right?"

"They should be, especially with our wives going after them.", Hiro replied 
confidently.  "Do you know how tough they are?"

"I know they've learned some martial arts, but they're only twelve years old.  
Saki, scotch, beer or tea by the way." Said Mr. MacDonald as he looked into 
the refrigerator.

Hiro looked at John with a bit of unbelief, "Tea thanks, but do you know how 
strong they are?  Or the destruction they could do?"

"How much destruction could a couple of twelve year olds do, especially with 
their mothers only a few hours behind them."

Shaking his head, Hiro replied, "Our wives are experienced, professional 
martial artists, and our daughters learned a lot from them.  Don't you 
know how powerful they are?"

John went over to the stove and started to boil the water, "So they learned 
their lessons well, isn't that what we want?"

"Sit, down John, I think it's time I explained some facts to you..."

******************************************************************************

Meanwhile, Keiko and Mita were taking a calm leisurely stroll down to the 
station.  Although their attitude was one of carefree indifference, their 
conversation was anything but light.  Anyone listening in, however, would not 
have been very surprised if they knew them.

"Well, at least they got off to a good start.", Mita mused, "At least there 
wasn't an emotional outburst like last time."

"I think we ended up lucky on that point.", Keiko snorted back, "And only 
because of the disapproval we showed when they went on that trip to Tokyo.  
I'm more worried about what they'll do when they leave Haha-san."

"I don't think your mother is going to let them go without making sure they 
have the rest of the equipment they need.  After all, Oneiko and Hitomi are 
her only grandchildren.  She'll make sure that they don't do anything wrong.", 
giggling now, she continued, "Do you remember what she did to us the time we 
snuck out of school?"

"Don't remind me." Keiko replied with a slight wince.

Oneiko continued to giggle as they walk down the street.

******************************************************************************

"I wonder if Oba-san made any rice cakes?"  Oneiko mused as they approached 
the house.

"I hope not," Hitomi replied with a sickening look starting to come over her 
face, "How you can stand those bland pieces of..."

Oneiko stopped Hitomi and held up a hand.  "Look, little sister, We're 
probably not going to see her, or any of our family for about eight months to 
a year.  At least pretend to enjoy them."

"I do, that's why she keeps making them."

"True, and I love them."

"They're okay, if I can add some preserved fruit on it, but Oba-san always 
makes me eat them plain.  I know you like them, but... well... I'd prefer 
plain rice and soya sauce."

Oneiko shook her head, "Why don't ask for them then, or say you're on a diet."

Hitomi mubbled something under her breath.

"I didn't hear that.

"I said I can't hurt her feelings."

Oneiko just shook her head.

*******************************************************************************

There you go, please flame me.

Ichinohei Hitomi

Hitomi_Ichinohei@MBnet.mb.ca