Elsa Bibat wrote:

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        I was born in fire. It sparked my life, the heat and flame
rendering me into what I am now.

        I was tempered by steel. Hammered by nonliving hands and a metal
heart, yet there was a hint of love as they molded me into my form. Love
of a job well done.

        I was quenched with water. The fire in my heart was silenced and
my flame dimmed. But I felt whole and complete.

        The last I heard before I went to sleep was the prayers of holy
men, I know not how I knew they were holy but that was what I felt,
asking the spirits to give me protection and their blessing. And my
heart soared as I felt myself sinking deep into oblivion.

        And I slept and dreamed.

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        Tasogare Densetsu:

        Kaeri

        By Elsa Bibat

	  Based on the world developed for the TK1940 project.

	  Initial concept by Nathan Baxter et. al.

        Many concepts, fandfoms, works are used without permission.

	  The TK1940 forums can be found at Bob Schroeck's Drunkard's Walk
Forum:

	  http://p087.ezboard.com/bdrunkardswalkforums
	 	

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        I dreamed of a woman (what is a woman?). Her hair (hair?) was
black as coal and reached to the small of her back. (yes, now I
understand)

        Her skin was smooth with youth and her eyes were alight with
amusement. (do I know her?) A smile that would break a man's (man?)
heart graced her oval face, cheeks suffused with warmth. (who is it for,
that smile as warm as the furnace?)

        I see a thousand little things: playtime (did I play?), school
(did I go to school?), memories (mine?) both good and bad.

        Always with her by my side (by my side? who is she?).

        She wore a uniform now. (soldier?) Wings graced her epaulettes
(flying in the sky?), striped bars marking her rank (rank? what is
that?). She held a cap in one hand, a stiff white thing, a flower
(flowers? I know flowers) insignia with a spiral embossed on the metal
front of it. (kazegumi?)

        A small town (city?) was behind her. We are on a hill (a high
place), underneath our favorite tree. The stars shine bright and my
heart (is it really mine or someone else's?) aches as she tells me
something. It aches because of one simple thing.

        She is special.

        I love her.

        Her name is Kirari and I love her.

        And she is going away.

        And that is what I dreamed as I slept by someone's side.

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

        First Lieutenant Kenji Tsukishiro rubbed the hilt of the sword
by his side, feeling worry slip into his thoughts as he looked out at
the dark, night-encased field beyond the perimeter line he was currently
inspecting. He had developed nervous habit in the months he had been
first issued it, finding in the reassuring solidity of the leather-
wrapped wood a source of comfort in the loneliness that he felt. It may
have not been one of the old temple blades, swords polished, refurbished
and re-issued to the higher ups, just a Kanzaki Heavy Industries
shinkatana, but it had that reassuring feel to it.

        He needed that reassuring pretty much most of the time as he
moved through the defenses of Korean Defense Station C, Sector One.
Japanese troops had reinforced the Korean Royal Army when the news of
the invasion had come. They were already there to begin with since the
Korean queen was no idiot and had sensed the rapaciousness of the Russo-
Chinese hordes across her country's borders since the early thirties.
She had asked for several thousand support troops and armaments. The
Meiji Emperor responded by relocating the Japanese garrisons in Chinese
territory, who were assigned to defend Japanese interests that had
already pulled out, into the Korean border, setting up joint defenses
with the Korean Royal Army. 

The Meiji emperors aren't exactly hands on administrators.  Might want 
to ascribe that decision to the cabinet.

Very nice story.  Professional quality, even.

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