Shawl of Samurai

storytelling.

Chapter 01

Keisha’s journal entry,

Ever since this morning, I had this wonderful dream. It was about Mr. Kazuya Hoshitani. He is from Tokyo, Japan. His career is a seiyuu. FYI. A seiyuu is ‘voice actor /or actress’ depending on the genders of the individual. Hoshitani-san… His vocals are always so comforting for me during my tough times in my junior collage at Blue Cloud Academy. Aside from my childhood friends, Jasmine Bluequill and Ethan Snowcloud, I really don’t have any other friends that understand my admiration for Japan.

Blue Cloud Academy is a marble building. It is where Indigenous historical heritage and traditional languages are taught. Mrs. P. Yellowknife was the formal chairwoman of this academy before her death last summer. Nowadays the chairman is Mr. D. Strongeagle. In addition to this academy curriculum, a display of visual arts of traditional and of modern talented artists are also part of the study.

Anyways…, I got off a little track with my ordinary life.

My dream of Kazuya Hoshitani.

"The springtime has arrived, Keisha-hime." Kazuya replied, standing by the windowsill. He cracks open the window for the springtime breeze to seep into the bedroom that is shared between us.

I softly moan my reply, as I still hide beneath the sheets and the blanket.

After some shuffling noises, a shower of tender kisses start to caress my nape.

Ka-Kazuya, I whispered in panic to this sudden display of affections during an intimacy moment shared between us.

It is what married couples do in the mornings, before heading off to work. Kazuya whispers his response into my left ear.

This is when my alarm clock sets off and wakes me up for the day.

Keisha Thunderstar (Osâkô-Mêmênkwâ = Yellow Butterfly )

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After leaving the school grounds of Blue Cloud Academy, Keisha Thunderstar is standing at the front desk of the local library. She is awaiting for her rental books to be done the scanning process from the librarian.

Her school uniform is a matching cyan set of a sleeveless vest, a knee-length skirt and a beret. The additions to her school uniform outfit is her white long-sleeve shirt and her black leggings. Due to her own unique sense of fashion style, her footwear are a pair of handmade moccasins embroidered with floral-designed. Her moccasins were a Christmas gift from her grandmother-auntie named Kokum Judy.

A history book of Japan. The librarian comments, looking for the barcode and scanning the book.

It’s a hobby of mine. Keisha replies, sheepishly. It’s also the homeland to a certain voice actor.

I understand. A small smile appears on the librarian’s lips. One of your favourite voice actors.

"He’s a seiyuu." Keisha replied, using the Japanese term for voice actor /or voice actress.

There you are, Keisha. The librarian replied, giving the five books to Keisha. I placed the due slip in the Japan book for you.

Thank you. Keisha answered, placing the five rented books into her backpack.

As she exits the library, Keisha pulls out a picture of Kazuya Hoshitani from her waistline pouch. A small affectionate smile corners her lips at the sight of her beloved seiyuu whom she admires from afar.

Without warning, the autumn breeze of the northern winds snatch her favourite picture from in between her fingers and thumb. Ahh… Keisha raises her hand intending to grasp the fluttering photo.

The picture lands in the Oak Tree’s branch of reddish & yellow leaves. Feeling quite distraught, Keisha Thunderstar stares helplessly at her precious picture stuck in the tree’s reddish-yellow leaves.

Okay.

Keisha places down her belongings against the tree’s truck, as she rolls up her sleeves. She reaches out her hands to grab hold of the closest branch. After firming her grasp on the branch, Keisha starts to pull herself upwards and begins her climb up the tree. When she is sitting on the tree’s branch, she leans her front body against the branch. Her arm stretches out in order to grab the lost picture of hers in between her fingers.

Once retrieved, Keisha glances down to a prefix expression on a young man. He is wearing a reddish floral-embroidered kimono. His lengthy ebony hair is neatly placed in a high bun by using a craftsmanship hairpin.

To Keisha Thunderstar, this young man is an enchanting sight of professionalism in relation to the legacy society of the Sengoku Era /or Sengoku Jidai.

What are you doing? His question is in a foreign language unfamiliar to her comprehension. Startled by his deep vocals, Keisha loses her picture, once more. The picture flutters down only to be caught by the man in the reddish kimono. Hoshitani, Kazuya. He replies, chuckling to himself while looking at the picture.

Th-That’s mine. Keisha protests, safely climbing down off from the Oak Tree.

Without reply, a shrugging casualty is given in response to the ownership of the picture. He offers the picture back to this new-founded fandom from overseas.

Th-Thank you…, Keisha replied, receiving her ‘almost lost’ picture of her favourite seiyuu. "You know, you almost look like him…"

Eh?

"I meant…, You look like Kazuya Hoshitani. But, there’s no way you could be him. He lives in Tokyo, Japan. He’d never come to a small city…" Keisha clams up her lips.

You’re welcome, Miss. He replies in limited English words.

Keisha…, Keisha Thunderstar. And, yourself?

Yukio Ishida. 

There is a genuine smile which is shared between the two cultures of Japanese and of Indigenous heritages.

A quiet Yukio takes note to this young woman’s appearance. A rare sight of elegance and of beauty. Aside from her now dusted uniformed attire from tree climbing, she has a nice skin-tone to her bronze skin. Her high cheekbones have this rosiness glow to them upon her oval face. There is a pair of green-rim prescribed glasses that shield her honey-brown shaded eyes. And lastly, her brunette hair has some ruby-red highlights.

An equally quiet Keisha takes note to Yukio’s appearance. Aside from his kimono and bun hairstyle, those pair of ebony-shaded eyes of his are breathtaking. A strong jawline and an equally nice pointed-shaped nose. High cheekbones with a noticeable dimple appearance whenever he smiles. And lastly, those thin-lined lips appearance of his suggest some ‘kissable pleasures’ left yet to be discovered.

Keisha Thunderstar is still feeling quite caught up in her self-study of the second unifier of Japan, Hideyoshi Toyotomi. His legacy charisma mentioned in her rented historical books have left her quite enamoured. Mr. Ishida, you also look like a modern-day samurai. Maybe of the Oda clan or of the Takeda clan.

I just came from a music video.

Oh.

My friend is an idol.

I see. Keisha replies, pressing her rented book against her noticeably blossomed chest. I guess… I really should leave now. I have to return home.

Yukio silently watches the flushed Keisha run from him in the same direction from whence he came from before their encounter. "Kazuya Hoshitani…, I feel a little guilty now for giving such an alias name to this Keisha Thunderstar. I should’ve told her the truth."

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Keisha Thunderstar trots up the steps on the deck of her Kokum Judy’s trailer home. As she opens the front door, the aroma smells of rice pudding, a faint hint of raisin bannock and of delicious Hamburger Soup which leaves from inside the household. "Kokum¹ Judy."

Keisha, an elderly woman greets, while wearing a pair of red-rimmed glasses on her nose-bridge. She is wearing an old-fashioned skirt, an apron over her pink blouse, and a pair of beaded moccasins.

I’m home.

Welcome home, my dear girl. Judy adds, receiving a hug from Keisha. A soft smile appears on her relieved face, as she combs her fingers through her grandniece’s brunette hair. For us, Indigenous women and Indigenous girls, the world - within Canada and United States of American borders – have become such a dangerous place. Anyone can go missing in a heartbeat and leave loved ones to pick up the broken pieces of a fractured heart that is left in mourning.

"It’s okay, Kokum Judy." Keisha reassures, patting her back.

I’m just so glad and thankful to Creator that you have returned home safely, Keisha. Judy said, breaking the embrace from her grandniece. Her hands firmly rest on the younger woman’s shoulders. Ever since the death of your mother, Daphne Thunderstar…, I just don’t know what I’d do, if I lost you too, Keisha. The elderly woman covers her mouth using her left hand to stop herself from weeping.

"Kokum Judy…,"

Oh, Judy recalls, dabbing at her eyelids to wipe those tears away of sorrows. She starts walking over to her bedroom to retrieve a lilac shawl; the embroidery has a few yellow butterflies fluttering around a white cloud in the centre. She drapes the shawl over the young woman’s shoulders.

May this hand-sewn shawl always keep you safe, Keisha. And, warm in the upcoming chilly seasonal evenings that we will have to endure in the upcoming years ahead. Judy said, a single tear slides down her right cheek as a forced smile appears on her face. "Happy 25th Birthday, Osâkô-Mêmênkwâ (Yellow-Butterfly)."

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"Hideyoshi-sama enjoyed entertaining. A sense of pride, Hideyoshi-sama even showed those visitors around his Osaka Castle…," Keisha read out loud.

It was just before bedtime and just after the supper meal shared tonight.

Sighing, Keisha closes her rented book and hugs the book to her chest. Her backside is on her mattress and her gaze aimlessly stares at the cyan-shaded ceiling in some deep thoughtful questions.

"What would’ve happened if Hideyoshi-sama came all the way to Canada. If his successful campaign of Korea and of China ever occurred. For two attempts, Hideyoshi-sama was unsuccessful. Keisha recited to herself of what she just learnt via her self-studying of Sengoku Jidai (Era) Japan. Would Hideyoshi-sama have taken in an Indigenous woman, such as myself, as his consort? Maybe a potential wife?"

No. He was a Daimyo and the second unifier of Japan. He’d never give me a time of day.

Keisha re-wraps her shawl over her shoulders, as she sits up on her bedding. As she stands up from her beddings, she walks over to look outside her window at the moon. The moonlight is quite bright tonight.

Tipihki-kisihs. The word of moon.

"Would Hideyoshi-sama wrap his haori around an Indigenous woman he was particularly fond of?" Keisha adds to her unanswered questions about the ‘strong-willed’ second unifier of Japan’s history.

I sure hope so.

Keisha turns her head to look at her ‘almost lost’ favourite picture of the seiyuu (voice actor), Kazuya Hoshitani, on her desktop. That guy, - in the reddish kimono – Yukio Ishida sure did resemble Kazuya Hoshitani. Although, the chances of ever meeting Kazuya Hoshitani in person only happens in fairytale dreams.

What would he be able to notice in someone as oddball as myself?

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*beep beep beep*