Welcome to the revised version of Pretty in Black. I hope you enjoy!
Italics state a thought.
Bold italics indicate a flashback.
Disclaimer: I do not own Shaman King. I only own this fanfic and any OC characters that may pop up.
Pretty in Black
Chapter 1
Otosan, Okasan, Oniisan… I love you… I'll see to it that we're all together again. I swear on the Matsumura name.
In its days of glory, the house of Matsumura was filled with family and servants. The main house and its adjoining rooms were filled with beautiful treasures. Even in the modern age in which they lived, the Matsumura's always wore traditional clothing, ate traditional foods, and basically did and had everything the traditional way believing that modern technology took them farther away from nature. Even in the large house, only Rin lives there now. The servants had all quit and left, the small number of family members left in the house either died or shunned the Matsumura way of life and left the house looking to live a modern life.
Her father Yoshiyo and mother Sakura led this ancient family, and were desperate to keep them together while one by one Matsumura's left the compound until only Rin, her parents and brother remained.
Not long after that, Yoshiyo died of blood poisoning when a wound on his arm got infected and did not heal correctly. Sakura, a beautiful, delicate woman with a kind, soft heart, tried to send Rin and her brother to family in the modern world but they refused unwilling to leave her alone.
Rin's brother, Tsuji, did everything he could to take care of his mother and little sister to make sure they had a comfortable life, but died of pneumonia the next winter, which was a heavy blow to Rin and Sakura who soon died of heartbreak and the stress of losing the only heir to the family and the traditional Matsumura way of life.
Even at 10 years of age, Rin was a deep thinker. Sitting at the family graves and reflecting her life so far, she concluded that as the only traditional Matsumura left, she was now head of the family. In her young mind, it was the most logical answer. As her first command, she sent messages to any family members alive ordering them to come back to the main house. Refusals saying that the Matsumura way of life were dead and there was nothing for them there made their way into Rin's hands. The messages also claimed that the modern world held more opportunities for them.
Angry and feeling betrayed, Rin disowned them and cut off any contact with them, closing up the house to live alone and care for the grounds and the family ancestors and claimed herself as the last Matsumura and guardian of the ancestor's spirits.
4 years passed and the world forgot about the once famed family except in history books. Several companies tried to take over the compound in hopes of turning it into a hot springs resort or tourist site, but quickly left claiming that it was haunted and a witch lived there. Which is true, yet false at the same time. It is true that a "witch" lives there, but it is not true that it is haunted. You see, even though Rin is the "witch", no ghosts or spirits dwell there due to Rin's care of their graves and Rin's ability as a shaman. Which is where the story starts.
Rin woke and before anything else paid her respects to the family ancestors and parents and brother, then dressed as a servant for the upcoming work. Tying up her hair, Rin stared at herself in the mirror and studied her face at different angles. People had always told her that she was beautiful, but had decided that she was more pretty than beautiful. Beautiful was too strong of a word.
"Rin-chan, you're growing to be a beautiful young lady! Why, I wouldn't be surprised if all the boys wanted to marry you!"
An 8-year-old Rin scowled. "Okasan, I don't want to get married! I want to be a shaman like Ojiisan and Oniisan and compete in the tournament and never have to depend on anyone!"
Sakura laughed. "Rin-chan, the Shaman Tournament is not a place for you. Besides, when that starts, you'll be 14 and you know that Otosan won't let you go. That destiny is reserved for your Oniisan."
"It's not fair! Why can't I have a destiny like Oniisan?"
Sakura went down onto her knees and held her small daughter close. "You'll have your own destiny to fulfill someday Little Bell. Don't worry."
The Shaman Tournament.
Rin had not forgotten about that and had trained herself as a shaman by reading the tomes left behind in the Tamashii no Horu, the Hall of Spirits where all Matsumura shaman trained and was pleased to be taking on her brother's destiny. Yet at the same time, it scared her. The future, that is. Rin had always wanted a destiny to call her own when she was small, but never dreamed that she would be taking Tsuji's for her own.
I had better leave today. I don't want to be missed as a contestant.
The morning was sunny and warm and a breeze rustled through the trees. Rin, having packed as much as she could carry for the journey to Tokyo, went to the familial graves to visit everyone one last time.
"I'm going now to compete in the Shaman Tournament. I know that I wasn't supposed to, and that was reserved for Tsuji-oniisan, but I hope that you will forgive me. When I win I promise that I'll have everything back to the way it was. When I come back, I'll tell you all about my adventures. Mother, you were right, I have gotten my own destiny to fulfill. Oniisan, I'll do my best for you. Otosan, I know you didn't ever want me to leave you, but now I have to. I hope you will understand. I'll take care of myself."
Standing up, Rin brushed off her clothing and left the graveyard after tucking two memorial tablets into her sash. Moving into the main yard, a gray horse materialized in front of her.
"Are you ready to go?" She asked. "I don't know how long I can manage to keep my furyoku up to sustain you, but we'll have to do our best." The ghost-horse just snorted as if to agree while allowing itself to be led out of the front gate, which Rin closed and locked behind her. Taking a last look at her home, Rin mounted and left all familiarity and comfort behind to an unknown future as a shaman.
How do you like the revised version so far? Review and let me know. I have corrected all ages for all of the characters since I messed it up in the first version. So everyone's ages are back to normal. Thank goodness.
I hope I got a fairly accurate translation of Tamashii no Horu. If not, well, bear with my bad translation.