I had thought of this story as I was writing "Everyone has secrets." I wasn't going to put it on this site, but my daughter said I should. I hope it is read as much as the first stories. The Master in the story could be the Soft Master, but I didn't want to get in trouble with anyone. Thank you.
"I have business in the city." The Master said. "You will accompany me today, Snake Eyes." He watched as the young man bowed, his blue eyes the only thing betraying the excitement he felt. "Get what you need and meet me at the entrance." The master sighed as Snake Eyes ran to get ready. Three years have passed since the death of the Hard Master and still the boy had not spoken a word. It seemed he was going to keep his vow of silence.
They walked through town while the Master conducted the business at hand. The supplies that the local venders provided for the temple would be delivered on time that night. Snake Eyes followed along, but didn't really listen to all that was going on. When the Master told him they were finished for the day, he followed behind, his eyes wandering over the area where he used to roam lost, ages past it seemed.
They were walking for a while, when the family passed them. The two parents and a little girl made up the family. The little girl glanced at him, her brown eyes widened as Snake Eyes looked over at her.
"Mama, ojos azules. That boy got blue eyes." The child couldn't have been more than four or five.
"Yes, Mija, but it's not nice to stare. Let's go." The woman's soft laughter followed Snake Eyes as he walked away.
Snake Eyes didn't remember much of anything else as the Master suddenly grabbed him and pulled him behind a building.
"Don't move." He was warned, just as shots and explosions sounded. Rival gang members had begun a battle on that street.
Snake Eyes ducked until the Master touched his arm, signaling that they were to escape. He uncurled to run when a cry came to his ears.
"Mama! Levantase, Mama!"
Snake Eyes looked about to see the girl crouched near the downed forms of her parents. She was tugging at her mother's arm while she screamed. Snake Eyes saw her slip and sit down hard. As he saw her look up and scream, he spied a man with a knife, heading toward her. Snake Eyes didn't hesitate, as he took off running toward her.
"Snake Eyes, NO!" The Master's cry went unheard. Snake Eyes reached the man as he lunged for the girl. He kicked the knife away and, swinging, connected with the man's midsection. Before the stranger could recover, Snake Eyes' kick landed on his chin, flooring him. As sirens sounded, Snake Eyes grabbed the girl and ran back to the Master. As he reached the spot, he saw the anger that filled the Master's eyes.
"We will speak of this later." The Master said as he tried to take the girl from the boy's arms.
Eyes tightly shut; she clung to Snake Eyes and cried out. "NO! NO!"
"Little one, you are safe now." The Master soothed, he looked around as sirens sounded. "Please, little one, you are safe."
The girl slowly looked up at both of them. The terror in her tear filled eyes lessened. She stared up at Snake Eyes. "Ojos azules, blue eyes." Lip quivering, she looked up at the Master.
"What are you called, little one?" The Master asked.
The little girl sniffled as she spoke softly. "Catarina." Her "a"s sounded long and she trilled her "r"s. "My name is Catarina."
The Master watched as the little girl followed Snake Eyes as he trained, trying to imitated the young man's moves. He mentally shook his head as he remembered how the girl screamed and cried when the police had tried to take her away and how Snake Eyes put himself between. She had no ID on her and all the paperwork and valuables had been stolen off her parents' bodies. And to top it off, she couldn't remember where they had been staying.
Because she would not calm down unless Snake Eyes was near, the Master promised that they would be responsible for her until, or if, family was found. The women of the clan were thrilled, as there had been only one girl child born in years and she was a year older than Catarina. This past week they had started her training in the proper way to act toward elders. They found out she could articulate very well for almost five years old (she emphasized to everyone) and watched everything around her. The only time they worried about her was at night, when she would wake up screaming and crying for her parents.
The Master soon noticed that Catarina was headed for him. He saw her come up and went down on her knees, bowing to him as she had been taught.
"Master, why don't Snake Eyes talk?" She asked frustration in her voice.
He smiled at the look on her round face. "He doesn't want to, Catarina. It is his choice."
"Then why don't he sign?"
Sign? "Do you mean sign language, Catarina?" Did this child have such a skill? That may explain why her hands moved so much as she spoke.
She nodded.
"Do you know sign language, Catarina?" His curiosity was peaked.
Again she nodded.
The Master smiled. "Do you want to teach him?"
Catarina's eyes brightened as she vigorously nodded.
"Go ahead."
With a squeal of delight, Catarina leaped to her feet and started to turn, but she faced the Master again.
"Master, my momma called me 'Gatita', little cat." She said as she signed at the same time. With that, she ran off, calling for Snake Eyes and signing his name.
The Master grinned. "Then Cat, you shall be called." He whispered.
The next year, the Master supervised as Snake Eyes taught Cat katas as she taught him to sign. He saw the young man's face light up as he found he could speak without a voice, but they soon found out that at five years old, Cat didn't know every sign and so sometimes she and Snake Eyes made up some; even making up some for each other. He was happy also that the nightmares had almost stopped and she did not wake up in the middle of the night anymore.
That day, Snake Eyes was showing her how to punch. As she hit, Snake Eyes signed, telling her to 'shout', but she kept hitting silently.
Snake Eyes called another student and had him try to explain.
"Cat, when you hit, focus your chi; it will help."
Cat looked from one to another as the student demonstrated a hit and as he did, he let out a yell.
Cat just looked at them. "Why? Snake Eyes don't yell when he hits."
Both were taken back. The student turned to Snake Eyes. "You can explain that one." And walked away.
Standing not far away, the Master smiled as Snake Eyes shook his head and continued to teach. _
Sitting in the lotus position on the veranda, Snake Eyes didn't move; his eyes closed and breathing was deep as he meditated, but he didn't ignore the soft footsteps that came up slowly behind them. He waited until they stopped near him and then, moving swiftly, he twisted around, swept the legs out from under his 'assailant' and was soon holding the perpetrator upside down.
Cat giggled as she tried to twist around to look up at Snake Eyes. "I almost touched your back that time, Big Brother." Her hands flew as she spoke
Snake Eyes grinned as he put the seven year old down. *You still make a lot of noise when you walk. You need more practice.* He noticed his brothers were headed to their other lessons.
Cat laughed as she jumped into his arms. "I will and I'll get you one of these days."
Snake Eyes gave her a hug then pushed her away. *Don't be late for your lessons. You know how the new teacher hates it when you're late, little Sister.*
"I won't." She said. "I haven't been late for the past week." She frowned. "Why do I have to learn more Japanese? Everyone here understands me."
*Everyone here, but not in the city. You need to learn proper Japanese before they let you go with us to the city again. We don't want you to get lost again.* He pointed out. *Now, go to your lessons.* When he saw her hesitate, he gave her a little shove. *Go!* He grinned as she ran out the doorway and he headed for his own lessons with the Master.
"Master!" The cry almost made Snake Eyes lose his balance on the pole; almost. He stepped to the other pole and ran across the tight rope before turning his attention to the master and the boy that ran up.
The Master was listening closely to the anxious boy whispering to him.
Snake Eyes was about to do the course again when the Master suddenly motioned to him.
"Cat has disappeared from her class." Was all that the Master said to him.
Sighing, Snake Eyes went to where he knew Cat would be hiding; she had done this before. He remembered the first time he had found her under the bushes in the corner of the garden. She had had a nightmare and hid, instead of facing everyone.
Crying, Cat had been sitting, arms around drawn up knees, head down against the far wall of the garden. Snake Eyes touched her arm and had tried to smile at the tear stained face that came up.
"I miss my momma and daddy." The little girl had whispered and hiccupped as she tried to stop the sobs.
Snake Eyes signed. *I'll take care of you.* He gathered the tiny child into his arms and carried her back to the room she shared with the other women.
Now Snake Eyes wondered why she was hiding this time. She hadn't done it in almost as year. As he neared, he tried to see if he could he hear anything, but heard nothing. He didn't stop as he neared the spot he knew until he heard it, an intake of breath. He ducked until he could see into the shadow of the bushes, at least three feet in.
Cat glared at him.
*What happened?*
Cat clamped her mouth shut for a second, then. "!No estuvo tarde! I wasn't late. There were only four others that were there and he said I was making them pay for my tardiness! !Se nojo conmigo para nada!" The tears started again and Snake Eyes waited for her to speak English. "I got mad at him and he called me something and the others laughed." She ducked her head. "What is…gaijin?"
Her mangling of the word made Snake Eyes pause. He sat down and sighed. *It means 'foreigner'.* He wondered what Cat had said to cause the teacher to call her that. *What did you tell him?*
Cat's brow furrowed as she ducked her head. "I think I called him 'Viejo'."
'You think?' Snake Eyes thought. He knew when she got angry, her Spanish came out. *And what does that mean?*
Cat looked down. "Old Man."
Snake Eyes couldn't help but start grinning as he signed. *Does he know what that means?* In his mind's eye, Snake Eyes could see the language teacher who was at least in his eightieth year.
Cat shrugged.
Snake Eyes was trying hard not to laugh, but he sobered and motioned Cat to accompany him back to the class room. *You will apologize and tell him you will take extra lessons.* He frowned at her shocked look. *You are the student; he is the teacher.* When he saw the understanding come to her face, he nodded. *You will do what is required.* It wasn't a question but a statement.
Cat nodded. "I'll do it." Her hands flew as she added. *But I won't like It.* She followed him as he headed for the class room.
The Master watched the young girl practicing her katas in the dim light of the few lanterns that were lit. He watched as she came down lightly and stayed still.
Five years. Five years since the girl had been a frightened child. Five years the Master and others had watched her become a confident young girl who seem to dance as she practiced.
The Master looked down at the telegram in his hand.
'We will be there Friday. Please get her ready.'
He looked up before seeing the uncle's name again. A year after finding her family; now they were coming for her.
Even from his window, he could see Cat had her eyes closed again and she was smiling. Her long hair pinned back, her smiling face seemed to reflect the moonlight.
No one could get her to stop smiling. It had always set her apart from the other students.
The Master froze as a movement to one side caught his eye. Yes, a shadow seemed to detach itself from a building and head for Cat. The Master saw as it reached a statue and disappeared. He noticed that every time Cat would turn her back, the shadow moved to another statue or hiding place until it was within a few feet. He recognized the movement of the shadow.
Cat looked up to see the Master watching and as she waved to him, the shadow leaped at her. Cat jumped and spun, to land away from her attacker and then she started laughing.
*How did you know it was me?* Asked Snake Eyes. He was completely covered from head to toe in black.
Cat ran to him and pulled off his hood as she hugged him. "I didn't, until I saw you go…" She made a sign, blushing as she did. "I didn't teach you that." She squealed as Snake Eyes tackled her and started tickling. "I give! I give!"
*Little Sister,* Snake Eyes signed. *I wonder about you.*
"Why?" Cat said after catching her breath.
Snake Eyes shrugged. *You give up too easy.*
"Well, I can't beat you, why shouldn't I give up?" She said as she brushed herself off. She started to hand over his hood. "What did you do, anyway? Where did you go?"
*You'll learn later.* Snake Eyes reached to take the hood, but instead, snatched the pin that held her hair and took off, with Cat in hot pursuit.
The Master turned away from the window and looked the telegram over again.
"Catarina!" Cat turned away from the demonstration. She saw the Master beckon, but she didn't move. The Master hadn't called her full name in years.
"Cat! When the Master calls, you go!" The Sensei demonstrating said angrily.
Cat jumped to her feet and ran to the Master, bowing as she reached him.
"Come with me." He said as he turned away.
Watching the demonstration as well, Snake Eyes decided to follow his Master and Cat. As he got closer to the building they had gone into, he heard Cat cry out, and rushed in. He reached the reception hall to see Cat in the arms of two strangers; a man and woman. Snake Eyes came up beside the Master.
"These are Catarina's Aunt and Uncle." The Master said softly. Snake Eyes caught his breath at the next words. "They are here…to…take her home."
*They can't…*
The Master turned to face the younger man. "They are her family. She belongs with them." He stared at Snake Eyes; watched as he raised his hands, but dropped them back to his sides. He saw the pain in the blue eyes as the young man turned and walk away.
Snake Eyes stared at the Koi pond. He blinked when he heard familiar footsteps behind him. He raised his hand.
*You are too noisy.*
He heard Cat give a small laugh as she sniffled.
"I meant to do that." She said as Snake Eyes turned to her. She went to sit beside him as he put his arm out and started crying as he gave her shoulders a squeeze.
"I can tell them I don't want to go."
*No. You have to go with them.*
"I don't want to leave the Master. I don't want to leave you and…" As she motioned around her, her sobs got harder.
Snake Eyes held her for a moment until she calmed. *You have to go with them.* Snake Eyes said again
"Why?"
*They are your family; your blood kin.*
"But you are my family, big Brother, you and the Master and…"
*NO!* The quickness and roughness of the sign stopped Cat. Snake Eyes' face softened as he gave her a small smile. *We just took care of you till it was time for you to go*
Cat looked around the compound and garden for a few moments before facing Snake Eyes again.
"Is this what it means? To grow up?" She saw him shrug. "I hate it."
*Me, too.* His arms encircled her as she started to cry again. "I'm going to miss you." He heard her say. Snake Eyes closed his eyes as he gave her another squeeze. When she moved away, he smiled. *Me, too, little Sister.*
Cat tried to smile.
"Catarina." They both turned to look at the Master, who stood not far away.
Cat stood up and saw Snake Eyes sign. *I love you.* She nodded. Before she turned away, she saw. *Don't look back. It only makes it hurt more.* Again she nodded.
Snake Eyes watched as she turned and started walking away. At one point, she stopped and stood still. Instead of turning around, she continued walking, but put her hand behind her back. When he looked at her hand, he saw *I love you.* He waited until she disappeared inside before he turned to look at the Koi pond again.