Shuuken

[Imperial Princess Rika]

Shuuken, growth from Child II to Youth I



Nothing intimidates Shuuken! ... Except, perhaps, a tall woman with arm muscles bigger than Tenryuu's, a body covered in scars, and an unreadable, calm expression -- not fierce, but secure in her power. This is Shoukan, a warrior who claims to fight for money, although it is unclear who her enemies might be in this peaceful Silver World.

Though she does not live richly and rents a cramped apartment in a section of the city mostly populated by Dreaming and Sleeping factory workers, Setsushi trusts she will raise Shuuken well. Indeed, from the first day, she begins carefully noting the child's strengths and weaknesses, her needs and ambitions. If Shuuken directly asks to meet the Silver Empress, she will listen as carefully as she always does, then answer with a slight tone of amusement that it will be difficult -- but perhaps not impossible someday, if Shoukan and Shuuken are clever enough.



Shuuken is in the Capital City of the Silver World; it is Sovereignity of Toutei 1004. She is staying at the apartment of Shoukan, a spear-for-hire. Though Shoukan is not wealthy and knows little of the scholarly arts and magic, there may not be a better martial arts instructor in the whole of the city. Besides, she has entered the Silver World with Jilan and Nusumu; perhaps through their contacts she could seek out other fields of study, as well.

Shuuken has two years before she is ready return to Gaia: '04-'05 (physical age 7) and '05-'06 (physical age 8.) She might choose to stay another year, '06-'07 (physical age 9,) if she wants to leave at the same time as Jilan, but this means she will have one fewer year on her important Youth I-Youth II retreat.  

[Imperial Princess Rika]

Toutei 1004



Sovereignty

Shuuken finds it a little hard to find her center at first; the city is big and confusing, the local customs are similar to her homeland's but confusingly different, and many of the adults treat her dismissively. Shoukan, however, is patient and supportive, never scolding Shuuken's failings or praising her accomplishments, but simply teaching her what she needs to know.

When Shuuken is leaving the apartment one morning about a week after she's settled in, she nearly steps on a man, dressed in rags with extremely long, filthy blond hair, sleeping outside Shoukan's door. He awakens, mumbles and smiles at her, and staggers away.

Celebration

Once she's found her stride, Shuuken begins amassing a group of followers. She has soon made the local children into another band of merry men; they are dazzled by her courage and assertiveness and quickly fall under her leadership. Shoukan seems vaguely amused at all this.

The beta of the group is Hyouhaku, 6 years old, a girl who is fierce and brave but not especially intelligent or courageous herself; she idolizes Shuuken and keeps the other kids, most of whom are younger, in line.

Caesura

Shoukan gives Shuuken a very detailed tour of the significant sites of the Mid-Year Festival. As she does so, she tells Shuuken of every event at which the Silver Empress is said to be present -- though many of these are rumored only, and all of them are heavily guarded or simply inaccessible. That Shoukan has bothered to tell Shuukan indicates that she takes the child's quest seriously... or does she?

Genka wants to recruit Shuuken to his tiny, informal group of actors and musicians performing in the marketplace, along with Jilan, but Shoukan seems a little reserved about the idea...

Fruition

The strange hobo returns to Shoukan's doorstep again, though a little cleaner this time. He ambushes Shuuken as she exits and thrusts a small paper package tied with string into her hands, then wanders away, mumbling to himself.
On the inside of the paper are scrawled several numbers:
"12th of 4; 8th of 7; 11th of 10"
Also inside are dried fruits and candies, which after a thorough inspection Shoukan determines are safe to eat.

Submission

While playing around on one of the nearby roofs, Shuuken slips and falls; she does not hurt herself seriously but aches for days. Shoukan finally does scold her for this, then instructs her on maintaining better balance.

Redress

A job (which Shuuken sees Shoukan negotiate, but never quite understands or witnesses) forces Shoukan to be away from home most of the time; she tries to make Shuuken attend a girls' school while she is away.

The school is, of course, intolerable; the teacher seems, at least to Shuuken, old and foolish, and the material is dull and useless. Nevermind the fact that it's a girls' school, and so Shuuken doesn't belong there. The younger children of her band begin to tease her about it, and her grasp on them begins to slip.

Extinction

Perhaps seeing Shuuken going through so many troubles is what motivated Shoukan to withdraw from the city and take up residence in what seems to be a small riding-lizard ranch outside the city. She will, of course, take Shuuken along, and teach her horsemanship alongside longer hours of martial arts.

Descent

The mild winter suddenly becomes much colder, and Shoukan returns to the inside of the city. It seems the kids don't remember any of the friction of Redress and immediately begin following Shuuken again.

Their playtime is limited, however, by heavy snows, which force Shuuken to spend much time inside. Jilan seems to have gotten ahold of many magical texts, though, so perhaps Shuuken would like to spend the days studying with him?



Toutei 1005



Quiescence

On the last day of Descent, Shoukan takes Shuuken to the city's Temple, telling the Princess that she is old enough to stay up meditating the whole night. Shuuken doesn't get to experience the ordeal, though; a group of unusually unfriendly priests refuse to allow them to stay as neither of them are citizens. The higher-ranked priest's condescending sneer towards Shuuken keeps her angry for many days afterwards.

Gestation

Early in the month, Setsushi arrives with a box of candies for Shuuken's birthday. ... Apparently it is hard to calculate the date from the Gaian side of the portal.

Shoukan tries to educate Shuuken again... this time, not in a school, but with a tutor, a dark-skinned northerner scholar who comes to stay with Shoukan for a few weeks. His name is Taifu; though he is primarily a physician, he is widely learned, and entertains Shuuken with fascinating tales -- this is history, geography, literature?

Parturition

Taifu leaves after taking care of some "business," but perhaps Shuuken will now be more amenable to attending a much nicer school, a bit far from Shoukan's residence, but with both boys and girls attending. Most of them are far more staid and polite than Shuuken is used to -- indeed, they make her think of miniature Setsushis -- but everyone is quite nice and the teachers are actually interesting.

Ascent

On the morning of Shuuken's birthday, she wakes up with a terrible pain in her back. It seems that there was an ornate, small, but beautiful straightsword with a fancifully decorated sheath under her mattress. Shuuken might at first think it a gift from Shoukan, but in fact the woman reacts to it with alarm, confiscating it -- as Shuuken is still too small and clumsy for a blade with a real edge, she tells her.




All Year

Most children react to Shuuken positively, and if she tries to make a friend, they will probably go along with her attempt.

Shoukan trains Shuuken in martial arts every day... But always an unarmed form. At times, Shuuken may feel that she is doing calisthenics rather than training.

 

[Imperial Princess Rika]

Toutei 1005



Sovereignty

Shuuken suddenly starts growing much more quickly than usual, making her feel strange and uncoordinated. While at first her band is awed by Shuuken's new height, after Hyouhaku disdainfully notes that Shuuken is starting to look like a lady now, they begin growing gradually less eager to follow her.

Celebration

Somehow, Shuuken's schoolwork seems to be getting easier and easier. Better teaching methods? Brain development? A very handsome male teacher explaining geometry to the class? Who knows.

While her studies are getting easier and she has newer, more mature friends to socialize with if she does not feel like going on expeditions with her gang, Shuuken does develop an unpleasant new condition -- her legs ache terribly at night, particularly on hot nights. Shoukan teaches her some stretches, which seem to help a little, but the pain persists.

Caesura

Jilan's host family brings a new baby into the world! Shuuken may be interested in meeting the creature in first, but if she does indeed go to meet her, she will find Genkyou to be a dirty, noisy, demanding little monster.

But if she relates these observations to Shoukan, she'll laugh. Shoukan tells Shuuken that there's no greater pleasure for a woman than to bring a child into the world. She had one, with Taifu. ... What, didn't Shuuken know? Huh, Shoukan guesses she never did tell Shuuken about her daughter Fuji...

Fruition

If Shuuken thought her leg pains were a bother, then she'll be absolutely horrified to find herself bleeding!!!

According to Shoukan, this means Shuuken is becoming a woman, and it's a cause for celebration; of course, the aspiring Sorcerer may not take it this way.

At the end of the month, she meets the miserable wretch who fortold this misfortune -- though considering the circumstances, she may decide not to enact revenge on him right away.

Submission

Contrary to Shoukan's predictions, the blood does not return this month. Hah! This proves it was all a freak accident, and Shuuken is still sure to become a man.

One particular student at the school, a seven-year-old girl named Ari, who for her age is already quite shrewd and witty, makes an effort at befriending Shuuken.

Redress

As Shoukan tries to coax Shuuken to embrace her womanhood and change to a girl's school, using such arguments as -- being a woman does not mean one has to be a boring courtier, as Shoukan's warrior lifestyle attests -- tensions may increase.

To make things worse, Hyouhaku, once so easily controlled, attempts to usurp the band of thieves. Whether Shuuken puts down this coup or not, the members will probably grow disillusioned with their leadership and desert both Shuuken and Hyouhaku.

Extinction

Perhaps it is Shuuken's changing height and figure that prompts a shopkeeper to address her as "Madame." If she doesn't do something about this soon, more people will start mistaking her for a lady...

Descent

Perhaps as part of her ongoing schemes, Shoukan once again takes Shuuken to the ranch, where she hopes spending time caring for baby lizards will trigger feminine feelings in Shuuken's breast. Of course, Shuuken is probably just going to take this opportunity to run around like a rambunctious boy.



Toutei 1006



Quiescence

Shuuken catches a cold, which wouldn't normally be such a bother, but it falls in the same week as her menses, and Shuuken feels serious pain and discomfort for the first time, to an extent that she can hardly walk, never mind going to school.

This seems to coincide with -- or perhaps provoke -- something of a change of heart in Shoukan, who decides to stop pressuring and lecturing Shuuken. She nurses Shuuken through this horrible episode, then stands back from Shuuken's life, letting her make decisions about her activities and dress, even if they go against the image of strong femininity Shoukan had previously been pushing Shuuken towards.

Gestation

The students at the school write little essays to practice their compositional skills -- a common enough assignment which Shuuken has completed several times before. This time is special, though, because Shuuken's lovely teacher, Renka, praises her after class for her very well-written response.

Parturition

On the day of the Red Festival, Shuuken receives a deluge of anonymously-sent love letters and flowers. Though this may upset her, as letters are usually sent to girls, the flowers are a mix of those traditionally sent to girls and those traditionally sent to boys.

Ascent

One evening, looking over the glowing report-letters sent from school and watching Shuuken gracefully stretching, Shoukan remarks that Shuuken is truly blossoming (into a man? woman? she does not specify) and perhaps should go home for a time, to show off her astonishing growth to her loved ones.




All Year

Shuuken grows gradually less popular with younger children, who begin to see her as more of an adult than one of them.

The flip side of this change is that older children as well as adults seem more eager to hear what Shuuken has to say and less dismissing of her feelings and demands desires.