#6
Rakan-ji Temple
Late June 1943

The following morning arrived even before the sun rose as the cicadas sensed the rising heat and launched into noisy song. Toranosuke cursed as he rolled out of bed in the dim pre-dawn light.

"I doubt I will ever sleep peacefully in this place," he grumbled irritably.

Sendoh, who in fact felt surprisingly rested, did not respond. His dreams had been filled with night insects, instead of wartime horrors.

They both wiped face, neck and body with damp flannels and dressed again in their uniforms before heading out to the front of the temple.

Makiguchi was waiting for them, once again dressed crisply in a light grey suit without a tie, and comfortable black shoes. He greeted them cheerfully as they approached, opening his palms in a welcoming gesture.

"Marshal, Captain, I hope you both slept well."

"The insects woke us," Toranosuke explained. "I can't imagine how anyone can sleep through that noise."

"We rise early," Makiguchi revealed, a little apologetically. "For morning prayer. But now – have you an agenda for today?"

"Perhaps you can tell me a little more about the Soka Gakkai," Toranosuke prompted. "I am interested to hear more about your ideas regarding military action."

"Certainly," Makiguchi replied, smiling peaceably. He turned his eyes towards Sendoh, "And yourself, Captain?"

Sendoh blinked and looked uncertainly towards his uncle. He had assumed he would simply join them for the discussion. Makiguchi noticed his hesitation, and chuckled.

"A youngster like you doesn't want to spend time in the company of old men!" Makiguchi exclaimed cheerfully, to which Toranosuke looked like he wanted to protest. "Why don't you explore the temple? You can meet some of the monks. There are some famous caves further down the path. I can ask Kogure to show you around..."

"Ah," Sendoh held up his hands. "No, please, don't trouble him. I can explore by myself."

"As you wish," Makiguchi smiled and watched him with warm expectancy. Sendoh, feeling oddly as though he had been gently dismissed, gave his parting bows, and set off uncertainly by himself.

Not knowing where to go he headed first for the now-familiar main hall where they had sat yesterday. There he peered in through the archways to see the three golden Buddhas, the heart of the temple. No one seemed to be around, so he moved closer to look into their glittering faces, leaning across the wooden barrier that separated him from the sacred space. Expressions of joviality and serenity looked blankly back at him, but they were hand crafted like masks. He waited, but saw no stirring behind the metallic eyes. No proof that something sacred existed in this space.

He retreated from the barrier and, feeling a dull pang in his thigh, went to sit on one of the low cushioned stools meant for kneeling. The silence was not unpleasant, and he even closed his eyes experimentally, breathing in the dying trails of incense that floated in from the bronze pots outside. The singing insects accompanied his quietness and the world seemed restful.

He stirred at the sound of voices drifting through the air. He blinked his eyes open blearily and was surprised to find himself still sitting in the main hall, his chin slumped against his chest, where he had begun to doze. A moment, and the voices sounded again, this time he realised they were coming from beyond a closed screen door away to the right.

"You missed morning prayer... again!" an angry person could be heard, muffled by the distance. It seemed that one of the monks was being scolded by the abbot, the confrontation breaking the serene silence of the Buddha's sacred space. Sendoh glanced at the statues and raised an eyebrow as if sharing a joke with them. It seemed a little ironic that the monks themselves should cause such a disturbance.

"Prayer. Routine. Meditation. That is the route to enlightenment!"

The murmured reply from the chastened monk was too low for Sendoh to hear, but it did not invoke a positive response from the abbot.

"Foolishness!" Sendoh heard him exclaim, his voice even louder than before. "Such arrogance! You'll attend the afternoon prayers if you have any intention of remaining at this monastery!"

Heavy feet rapidly began to approach but Sendoh didn't have time to even stand up before the screen door was pushed aside to reveal the monk in question still wearing an expression of tight-lipped fury. He carried a platter of fresh fruits in one hand, and strode swiftly into the hall, ignoring Sendoh completely. Approaching the altar of offerings, he began to rapidly exchange the altar's old, wilting fruit with new, fresher pieces. Soon the whole place was full of the sweet scents of tangerines and gourd apples.

When finished, the monk dropped the now-empty platter near the abbot's door with a careless, noisy clang, and moved as if to storm out of the hall. He made it as far as the door frame before pausing. After a moment of consideration he turned back, putting his hands together at his forehead and making a deep bow to the sacred statues, muttering incantations rapidly under his breath. Then he straightened, turned on his heel, and was gone.

Before he knew what he was doing, Sendoh had risen quickly to his feet.

Too quickly. "Ah!" he exclaimed, clutching his own thigh as a sharp stab of pain hit him. It was enough to make his eyes water, and he cursed himself and his injury furiously under his breath.

The tall, blue-eyed monk was of course the one he'd seen climb the stairs yesterday. He was struck again with curiosity. His eyes – yes. But more than that. Arguing with the abbot? What sort of a monk did that? He found himself hurrying out of the temple after him.

The slope outside the main hall led up the mountain towards the residential structures. It wasn't particularly steep, but with the pain in his leg Sendoh could do little but hobble. The monk was already some metres ahead. His long, swift strides were impossible for Sendoh to match.

"Hey-!" he heard himself call out. "Hey! Wait!"

The monk stopped and turned back towards him. The irritated flash of his blue eyes was obvious despite the distance.

Sendoh was suddenly aware that he really didn't know what to say next. He clutched his pained thigh and gestured the boy back to him with a hand. Reluctantly the monk complied.

He was wearing the same linen habit as yesterday, although today he had neither hat nor staff. His white sleeves were a little short, only reaching mid-forearm, and he had a habit of pushing them up to his elbows, out of the way. His dark grey tunic was sleeveless, and reached his knees below which fitted white fabric reached down to his bare feet in sandals. Simple, yet somehow elegant, which left Sendoh wishing, not for the first time, that he could wear something other than his officer's clothes.

The monk's eyes moved over his uniform, although if he thought it strange to see a soldier here, he didn't show it. Finally his eyes met Sendoh's in question.

Sendoh swallowed and pushed his damp fringe out of his eyes.

"Er-" he began, "I'm Capt- that is – I'm Sendoh Akira. I'm visiting the monastery with the Marshal. To talk. To Makiguchi-san."

The monk only stared levelly back at him. It was a little unnerving. He seemed to be asking – and what's that got to do with me?

"And... you are?" Sendoh eventually prompted when it became obvious the monk had no intention of speaking.

"Rukawa Kaede," was the short reply.

Sendoh hesitated. How unfriendly! Aloud he said, "I understand there are some – er – famous caves here. I was looking for someone who could show me the way."

The monk looked thoroughly disinterested. He folded his arms across his chest, eyeing Sendoh from behind his long fringe. "Down the path," he replied curtly and indicated with the smallest flicker of his eyes the path at Sendoh's back.

Sendoh straightened up slightly. "Perhaps you could show me?" he insisted.

The monk gave a minute roll of his eyes.

Sendoh waited.

"...this way," Rukawa finally mumbled impatiently, and set off down the path, not checking to see if Sendoh was following.

What am I doing? Sendoh wondered vaguely to himself as he set off after him. Caves? Really?

They marched down the sloping path one behind the other in silence until they came to the first cave in question. It was almost like a tour except the guide didn't bother to volunteer any information. Rukawa simply stopped by the entrance with his arms folded, apparently waiting for Sendoh to look inside. Instead, Sendoh found himself looking at the boy.

"Aren't monks supposed to shave their heads?" he suddenly blurted, earning himself the boy's attention. Unfortunately the look that was directed his way was thoroughly contemptuous.

"Razors – all metals – are in short supply. There's a war, apparently."

"Oh," Sendoh quirked an eyebrow, and decided it was better to just ignore the sarcasm. "Is that allowed?"

"Allowed?" Rukawa repeated back to him, as if he didn't know what the word meant.

Sendoh nodded, "I mean, isn't it against the rules?"

"You misunderstand the purpose of rules," Rukawa replied shortly, and then turned away. "The next cave is this way."

Sendoh furrowed his eyebrows and moved as quickly as he could to keep up with Rukawa's long strides. "What do you mean?" he persisted. "Rules are rules, aren't they?"

Rukawa merely looked at him and gave a small, disdainful shake of his head.

Sendoh frowned deeply. How difficult!

At the mouth of the next cave – filled from front to back with miniature carved Buddhas – Sendoh considered asking something safe, such as the origins of the statues. Instead he found himself asking;

"And do you agree with Makiguchi-san's opinion on the war? His policy of pacifism?"

"We are not pacifists," Rukawa replied without even looking at him.

Sendoh straightened up determinedly. He'd rehearsed this part in his head.

"But surely you can see that Makiguchi is creating divisions among our people? He turns Japanese against Japanese. We all must stand together. Every other Buddhist sect has fully supported the government's actions. They all understand that this war will bring Japan the peace that we all desire."

The words didn't sound quite right in his mouth. It was the sort of stuff his uncle liked to say; a formal tongue that didn't belong to him. There followed a moment of silence in which Sendoh felt embarrassed by the way his voice had been too loud. Rukawa did not seem riled by his words, although when he spoke, his eyes were dark.

"You speak of things - Buddhists, government, Japanese..." he fixed Sendoh with a stare. "These things do not exist."

"What? Of course they-"

"You don't understand."

It was said very finally, as if the matter was closed.

Sendoh bristled. He opened his mouth, intending to rebuke this ridiculousness, but suddenly found himself blinded by the fierce blue eyes that were fixed on him.

Butterflies.

All words were gone. A second passed. Two. It was her. Her and her severed head and her broken blue eyes and all those nightmares that had followed him for months.

What did he know? The way Rukawa looked at him then made him feel as if he didn't understand anything at all.

Rukawa turned away.

"The day is getting hot," he said, and began to lead the way back up the mountain. "Let's return."

Sendoh waited a second, the moment slowly fading from him, and then he too turned back up the mountain path.

They walked in silence.

At the front of the temple, no one was to be seen.

"Makiguchi-san and the Marshal will be in the Sutra room. It is the coolest place at this time of day," Rukawa gestured past the main temple entrance. "Through there."

He turned away to leave.

"Won't you join us?" Sendoh felt obliged to offer for the sake of politeness. Truth be told the idea of this jaded and difficult personality in the same room as his uncle was inconsiderable. Not to mention the relentless stare of those awful blue eyes.

Rukawa shook his head. "At this time of day, I always climb the mountain."

Sendoh felt relieved.

"What for?"

"To meditate."

"But it's so hot!"

"Again, you misunderstand."

Sendoh scowled this time. "What do I misunderstand?" he demanded.

"I do not choose to take this road because it is an easy one," Rukawa responded coldly.

Sendoh watched as he left. The upright stance of his back, his elegant feet placed one before the other with barely a sound. The mountain path he climbed, which was quite beyond Sendoh's reach.

He felt like he'd been outmatched somehow. He scowled to nothing in particular. The feeling bothered him greatly.

~tbc

Mrsklemzak: Thanks for your comments. No, this fic isn't influenced by current events in HK/China (I've actually been in the process of writing it for over a year! Long before the current demonstrations came to a head.) It's based on the history of the Japanese occupation during WW2. I have written down my extended author's notes on my livejournal (link on my profile, if are you interested).