Ron's Worst Nightmares
Broken Spirit
By Pat Squared
"Yori-ko, Stoppable-san has been hurt."
Yori dropped her tessen, her iron combat fan.
"How?"
Master Sensei paused as if listening to the wind before he answered, "He lost his focus, Yori-ko. He lost his center. His spirit has been broken by an event that must happen … No one deserved it to happen ... Yet it did happen. Unfortunately Stoppable-san, not fate, must bear the pain."
Master Sensei knew that the fate would not be kind to anyone who was fated to bear the Lotus Blade. Yet someone honorable and steadfast must carry on the legacy – No matter what the price.
Master Sensei breathed in the scent of the miniature pines surrounding the Yamanouchi contemplation glade.
Yori, I am sorry for what I must let happen. A father's is supposed to protect his child, yet I must let you be carried upon the cruel winds of fate.
Master Sensei knew that he was considered old by most people he encountered. He was in his late fifties when Yori was born. Now he was in his seventies. Before today, he did not think of himself as old. Today he felt everyone of his years.
Everything happened as Master Sensei's visions predicted down to Stoppable-san's loud orange and white Hawaiian shirt. Ron simply walked up the trail and fell upon his knees in front of his former teacher.
Stoppable-san's Japanese was flawless as if he practiced these words all his life.
"I am unworthy to be entrusted with the honor of the Yamanouchi clan. Please take the Lotus Blade and hand it to someone more worthy than one who betrayed the trust of the ones he loved."
Stoppable-san would not face anyone. The resilient spirit of the one who could rebound from anything was gone ... replaced by defeat and the cancer that ate his soul called guilt.
Master Sensei looked upon Stoppable-san. He had to figure out how to patch up Stoppable-san's broken soul.