Whatever Joui Shishi activities Shouyou-sensei was involved in, it appeared that he faced failure after failure. His plans would always be foiled just at the critical moment when all his days, months, years of hard work were about bear fruit. But Shouyou-sensei was not discouraged. He continued his drills in the fields with his students, forming the prototype Shotai Militia. Things might not always go his way, but he could always stay true to his purpose…
Every breath he took, every step he made; he would do it for a purpose greater than himself —
---+
Bansai & Takasugi
DECAY HEAT CHAPTER 11: PLAYING 2
---+
(Present time. An autumn afternoon in Edo. Takasugi (13)and Bansai (12) are brawling on the streets. A group of ten scholarly samurai are headed their way, involved in a heated discussion.)
"What should we do?"
"To open or to exclude?"
Everyone stopped walking and looked at Shouyou-sensei, who calmly turned around to face them, a cool breeze ruffling his sleeves.
"Open."
The voices of his comrades rose in uproar.
"I think the ban on foreign travel is short-sighted." Shouyou-sensei continued. "It would be acting like a person hiding in a dark room, holding his breath."
"But to leave the country is a crime punishable by death!"
"Nevertheless, exclusion is not an option."
"Why are we so weak? Dammit! If the foreign barbarians chose to attack us at a time like this, we're powerless before their high-tech weaponry, we will lose!"
"That's why we have to work hard to catch up."
"Me too, I'm willing to travel overseas to learn!"
"Let's hurry. We'll soon find out what options our Amanto Travel Agent has prepared for us—"
A whirling sound, like the beating wings of so many birds increased in amplitude with alarming speed.
"GYAAAAHH! AMANTO, HELP! AMAANTOOOOOO!!"
"Yee-haa!" "Whoo-hoo!" "Pretty Baby!"
A contingent of wild-haired young Amanto streaked through the sky on their aircars, startling the townsfolk and making them scurry for cover.
A merchant shook his fist at the sky and screamed "You lying thieves! You're trading One unit of Gold for Five units of Silver. I just found out that the international exchange rate is really One unit of Gold for Fifteen units of Silver!"
From the ground, a scruffy beggar monk with a reed mat for a house shook his bowl at them. "Buddha be Damned! Since we've started trading, the inflation rate has shot sky high. I'm not a rabbit! I can't live on grass! I need rice!"
A hand shot over the mouth of the "monk" from behind.
"That's enough Yamazaki-kun!" ordered Matsudaira Kuriko. Before he became the Superintendent of the Shinsengumi, he was one of the Shogun's Special Agents nicknamed Gogol-13. Alarmed by the demands made by brash lower-class samurai for the reform of the Shogunate, he had been dispatched to investigate. He was currently trailing Shouyou-sensei, the most influential dissident by far and thus the Bakufu's Public Enemy No.1. It wasn't that he'd disagreed with Shouyou-sensei's proposals, no, they were reasonable enough and it was obvious that the Bakufu would have to adopt the same measures to strengthen the country. No, he simply hated Shouyou-sensei's guts because the rebel did not grovel before persons of high social status like him. Such impudence had to be punished by beheading!
"I can't resist shouting at the Amanto every time they ride by." His assistant explained. "We can't just ignore their insults to our country, that would make us like children hiding in a dark room, holding our breath!"
Matsudaira glared at him. "That quote sounds familiar. Did you by any chance pick that up from the rebellious rat?"
Yamazaki coughed in embarrassment. "Well, Sensei expressed it so perfectly, I couldn't have put it any other way."
"The bastard is just too convincing. What a dangerous man! Let's just lock him up first. Questions come later!"
Turning the corner, Shouyou-sensei and crew, followed by the spies, stumbled upon the two brawling boys.
They were rolling on the ground, exchanging punches. Bansai was the faster and taller of the two but his fair, pale face looked innocent compared to Takasugi's rugged, tanned, skin. Their contest had lasted so long because Takasugi was a master of jujutsu, able to escape from various locks and holds to challenge his opponent for another round. They fought like two baby panther cubs who refused to acknowledge anyone was on top,
An idle crowd gathered under the eaves of the shophouse they were fighting outside, not bothering to break them up because it was obviously a children's tiff. And besides the stressed-out merchants, bums, menial workers wanted some entertainment to liven up their depressing days.
"I bet Two cents on the shorty." Said one laborer to another.
"Ha! You always side with the underdogs, Five cents on the rich boy!"
"Hehe, of course I think the runt will win, look at the pretty boy, he's upset now because his nice clothes got dirty."
"Why wouldn't he, my wife would kill me if I made the slightest rip on my hakama (T/N: pants)."
"That's because you only own one pair of hakama, hehehe."
---+
"Takasugi-kun! Have you no respect for the Law?!" Exclaimed a stern, elegant voice soaring above the babbling crowd.
"Shouyou-sensei!"
The crowd parted and Takasugi-kun froze in mid-punch. He was being staddled by the taller boy who also had his elbow raised to deal out some damage. Face paling, he suddenly whispered breathlessly. "Time-out! Time-out!" Omigosh omigosh Shouyou-sensei saw me brawling, omigosh omigosh, he frantically pushed at Bansai's chest, all animosity evaporating. He felt the heavy weight get off his body but didn't even bother to stay on guard in his rush to rub away the grime on his face and brush off the dirt from his hair. Twigs, pebbles and dry leaves pattered to the ground as he got to his feet and bowed deeply from the waist.
"I'm sorry, Shouyou-sensei!" he shouted. "I shouldn't have made a nuisance of myself! But this Amanto-Boy deserves to be taught a lesson!"
"Amanto…boy?" Shouyou-sensei turned to Bansai, who had stood up, folded his arms and pouted for having his fun spoiled. Despite his oddly aloof bearing, the boy appeared local to him. "…What's your name, young man?"
Bansai grinned, "Kawakami Bansai, Yoroshiku onegai!"
"Why of course, Kawakami-kun. And what brings you hereabouts?"
"Uh…um…ahem." Bansai flushed crimson. He dug into the lapel of his kimono and pulled out a calling card and handed it to Shouyou-sensei.
- - -
- - -
"KAWAKAMI SHAMISEN SHOPPE"
55 Gojoe Bridge Ave.
(diagonal letters)
"Hardest-working Guys in the Business!!"
30mins Express Shamisen Repair!!"
(^_^)b
- - -
- - -
"Kawakami-san the Master Shamisen Maker! And how are you related to him? Are you his son?"
"I am Kawakami-san's nephew…" Bansai replied. His pronunciation was flawless, but his embarrassment only increased. "I-I am lost, could you please tell me how to get home?"
"Takasugi-kun, did you hear that? Explain yourself."
"But he couldn't speak Japanese a moment ago, how come he can now? Hey you! Amanto-Boy, stop pretending and show us your true self!"
"Takasugi-kun, you're being rude!"
"Why do I have to be nice to him? He's a foreigner, an Amanto. Get Out Amanto!"
Shouyou-sensei was outraged by the hateful attitude of his student. "Takasugi-kun!"
Takasugi seemed excited by the slogans that he had picked up from the neighbourhood xenophobes, which he now quoted to good effect. "Amanto go Home! Amanto go back to Amanto-Land!"
Several of Shouyou-sensei's colleagues started to get worked up and gripped the handle of their katana. "Hey, I have heard that the Amanto pig, Commodore Berry brought home some shipwrecked Japanese. Could he be one of them?"
"Well, little boy, are you Amanto or what?" demanded the samurai standing nearest to Bansai.
"Say something in Nihongo!"
"No parrots allowed!"
They crowded threateningly towards the Twelve year old boy, who only clamped his lips. The atmosphere grew grim. Everyone seemed to direct the hatred their held for the Amanto onto the helpless boy, no matter how irrational it seemed.
"Hold your horses, young men." Shouyou-sensei commanded, stepping protectively in front of Bansai. "Have you forgotten about our policy toward the Amanto?"
The men, slightly calmer, looked grudgingly at Shouyou-sensei for guidance.
"If we want to make Japan strong, we have to learn from the West. Do you know what that means?" Shouyou-sensei's serious gaze pierced everyone, especially Takasugi, who felt so guilty he wished he could crawl under a rock and hide. "Oohhh…" he groaned inwardly. "How could I have forgotten Shouyou-sensei's teachings…to I listened to the bitter grumbling and gossiping of teahouse ronin over the noble principles of my teacher! How could I have been so blind, unable to distinguish right from wrong! But Shouyou-sensei always does the right thing, he's my inspiration!"
"Yes, that means that no matter how much we despise the West, they are our teachers. Thus, look at this boy…He is YOUR teacher. Listen to what he has to say…"
He pointed at Bansai.
Bansai, sensing his opportunity, blurted out the last remnants of his vocabulary: BAKA!! BAKAAAAA!!!
"No! Shhhush!" Takasugi flew up and clamped a hand over Bansai's mouth. Bansai chewed painfully on his palm but Takasugi just let his eyebrows furrow up apologetically. "I'm sorry. It's my fault, I taught him such vulgar words. Please forgive us."
The adults coughed and laughed awkwardly in embarrassment.
"See friends? Even a little boy knows what to do to keep the peace. We're adults, why can't we set a better example? Keep an open mind at all times! Do not hurt the Amanto!"
"Alright, for the sake of our country."
"Brother, you sound a little bitter."
"If war breaks out now, we'll lose. If not, I'd rather–"
"Stop it. It's not a dishonor to learn from our betters."
"They may be our betters in Technology, but not in Nobility!"
"Nobility, you ass hole? You were about to gang up on a small boy!"
"Ahem….ahahaha…"
Takasugi released Bansai who wiped his face angrily and folded his arms again. But he showed no sign of leaving, standing next to Takasugi as if glued to him, if not slightly hidden behind his back.
"Well, Takasugi-kun." Shouyou-sensei put a hand on Takasugi's shoulder. "I was on my way to a meeting so I have to rush. But please take good care of yourself. The streets in Edo are not as safe as they used to be. Don't wander around after dark. So make sure you head home soon. Or do you have somewhere to stay in the city?"
"No. I came here just to follow Katsura-kun. He said he was going to the Sakuranya. If I find him, I might see if I can crash over at his place, hehehe. He'll let me, I know it."
"Katsura-kun went to the Sakuranya today?" Shouyou-sensei repeated. "It's as expected, although I disapprove, but I think Katsura-kun has the aptitude… I suppose some exposure is harmless. Besides, he is one year older than you." His face turned serious. "Takasugi, you can trust Katsura-kun's judgment. I know the two of you do not get along sometimes…"his eyes narrowed, "And he can be a little cold, but he is a truly idealistic young man. One day, if he asks for your help to make his dream come true…will help him, please? The two of you should work hand in hand."
Hand in hand?! Takasugi blushed, and nodded automatically. He could never reject a request made by Shouyou-sensei. But his sense of apprehension, much like that time last year made his skin crawl.
"Shouyou-sensei, why are you telling me this?"
"I might be taking a journey somewhere, but it is not confirmed."
"…. Shouyou-sensei!" Takasugi-kun shouted, almost sticking out his hand to grab hold of his teacher's robe.
"Don't worry, I'm only on a mission to gather information, I'll be back soon. And this young gentleman here…" Shouyou now beamed at Bansai and put his hand on his head.
Takasugi-kun's eyes blazed; Bansai beamed.
"Did you say you'd like to be taken back to your place?"
Bansai nodded meekly.
"Takasugi-kun, could you be so kind as to help him? And by the way…what happened here? Why were you fighting?"
"Uh…this…" Takasugi picked up the Rokkaku kite with some difficulty since it's lateral span was longer than his height. "I broke it by accident."
"I see…Nice kite." Shouyou-sensei chuckled, examining it. "Don't be discouraged…why don't you just get another bamboo cane and replace the spine here? Takes 10 minutes. His shoppe might have the materials…if not…here's something for you." Shouyou-sensei took out a small packet of paper wrapped coins. "This is for you. Use it to fix his kite and most importantly, do not stay outside once it gets dark…Well I know you're not going to listen to me, but when it gets late, please hire out a room for yourself at an inn."
"Shouyou-sensei…" Takasugi hesitated to touch it.
"Take it, Consider it a Birthday present…isn't your birthday coming up soon, on August 10th?"
Takasugi's vision blurred with tears.
"Shouyou-sensei.,. you remembered."
His teacher nodded quietly, smiling his ageless smile which blended with the blue sky and sparkling iridescent sunrays.
---+
"I'll have you know, I'm only helping you because of Shouyou-sensei." Takasugi-kun rambled on and on, grumbling to his new-found companion. Bansai looked at him for a moment then looked away, as if completely indifferent. But he was really interested in what Takasugi was saying. He realized that he was starting to understand, little by little…. Like the moment a person falls asleep in a car with other people speaking in a different language and when you wake up you are startled that you are able to understand, echoing in a spot deep inside you…
"Hai, hai" Bansai agreed companionably, wanting his radio keep playing.
"Hai, Hai? Hey, just how much of my speech do you really understand?" Takasugi demanded, flinging one arm intimidatingly around the other boy.
Bansai just smiled. "Hai hai."
"Hai hai? You want me to carry on?" Takasugi-kun pointed a finger mockingly at his chest. "Sure…if that's what you want. I can teach you a lot about our lovely town, Edo. But first of all, why would I want to hang out with a spoiled brat like you? I have things to do, my new-found Amanto pig, ah, that is rude, I should say something nice…how about, Present from Prussia…how do you like that? As I was saying, I have things to do, I am a man on a mission so to speak…to track down my enemy, my target, my Katsura-kun. You see, Katsura-kun is a boy from my school, a retarded person, stuck-up and acts like he's better than all of us…simply a jerk. He's located at the Sakuranya. I will show up there…uh…well, why you may ask *sweatdrops* no, of course I am not stalking him, I only wish to prove to my enemy how cunning I am, and secondly because I have nowhere to stay for the night. To be honest, I'm keen to stay over at Katsura-kun's house, to find out just what kind of family he's from. What kind of futon he sleeps on, why I bet his pillow is full of fluffy white stork feathers, not like that fucking piece of…"Two by Four"(T/N: 2inch x 4inch wood) we have at school—Hey, hey, hey…that's it, that's the teahouse! Right over there!"
They had wandered into the vicinity of an imposing three story teahouse protected by a long plaster wall the length of one block. Every architectural detail on the building was as ornate as a daimyo's palace and polished to a gleam. The signboard above the entry gate looked freshly replaced and glossy. It was made of rosy-brown cherry wood, carved with the three characters Saku-ran-ya, but with the tail of the calligraphy for S, R & A transformed into five-fingered petals of cherry blossoms and painted enamel pink.
"Sorry pal, where do you think you're going? This place is members-only." Said the barrel chested bouncer at the gate.
"Ah…well, that was what I was about to ask, how do I become a member of this lovely establishment?"
"You don't apply for it. You only get in if ANOTHER member forwards you with an invitation, and everyone only has a limited number of invitations, that's how exclusive we are. We have to be, nowadays we get too many sub-elites mixing in here, and one rotten apple spoils the whole barrel. The Magistrates Office is waiting for any excuse to raid our teahouse, looking for anti-Bakufu elements, so we can't afford to be careless with the kind of people we let in." Then he raised his chin arrogantly. "Naturally, I'm not referring to the likes of small fry like you."
Takasugi looked unfazed, continued speaking with charming enthusiasm, he could be truly winsome if he tried, his scruffy voice flowed as smoothly as honey. "My friend Katsura-kun is a member here – could you help me pass a message to him?"
"Katsura-kun?" He laughed. "Do you know how many Katsura-SAMAs we have in here? Katsura is too popular a pseudonym. No, tell me the "teahouse-name" your buddy goes by and maybe I can help you out."
"I don't know! He's my classmate, we go to the Shoka Sonjuku Academy run by Shouyou-sensei in – "
"Shouyou-sensei is your teacher?" The bouncer looked concerned.
"Yes."
"Hmm..," The bouncer scratched his neck while scrutinizing the two.
"Why do you ask?" Takasugi quickly pressed his advantage.
"No…no particular reason. Being a student of Shouyou-sensei will get you nowhere, unless he has personally issued you with an invitation."
"So he's a member here, too?"
"One of our regulars."
"Ah! Did Shouyou-sensei— was he the one who invited Katsura-kun?"
"I doubt it," he snorted. "Katsura-kun always shows up with that per-, ahem, person. I'm sorry, I've said too much."
"So you know who I'm talking about?"
The bouncer tried to change the subject. "Damned clammy weather for autumn, don't you think? And who is this fine young gentlemen beside you, judging from his clothes, he appears to be from an illustrious family, I daresay."
Takasugi quickly slipped behind Bansai and placed both hands on his shoulders, proudly announing "This is Kawakami Bansai-sama, scion of the legendary Kawakami Shamisen Master Makers famed thoughout the land as the very shamisen craftsmen commissioned by the Shogun!" He winked at Bansai, you never know, maybe this unusual visitor might be just the ticket needed to get them inside…
"Kawakami-sama eh?" The guard now bent forward at the waist, to get a closer look at the boy. "HAHAHA! Yes, I do see the resemblance. He's got the family trait…those non-descript features, like blank paper but boy are they fast with those nifty fingers."
"So you know Kawakami the elder?"
"Why of course, he supplies the ladies here with their instruments, or more like repairs them cuz our owner is too cheap to buy new ones until they literally wear out as thin as plywood, hehehe."
"And who is your owner."
"Henpeita-sama is our owner."
Takasugi did not respond.
"Heh, well I didn't expect a boy like you to have heard of him but he is an up and rising daimyo from the West, from Tosa. He's come from nowhere and climbed really far; he's got a finger every pie, meaning the private enterprises in our city…and I'm saying just the legal ones." He stuck up his little finger. "A modernist, our owner. Calls himself the Feminist. Now what could that mean?" He guffawed scornfully.
"Yeah, what?"
"Don't ask me such questions. How should I know? If he's got an annual income of Ten Thousand Gold Ryos then I reckon he may call himself pretty much anything he wants."
"TEN THOUSAND RYO!" Takasugi exclaimed. It was astronomical.
"Ah…" The bouncer's attitude seemed to have softened. "You have no idea, my son…just how large the amounts that pass through these merchant houses on a daily basis. It's a misfortune to be born a samurai in this age. The most we can do is be their Yojimbo.( T/N: Bodyguard ) "He looked wistful. "Although in times like this, I'm glad to even have a roof over my head, most of my friends have become jobless ronin. And I might join them too, if I let brats like you inside. Now be on your way, boys, run along; I've chatted too much." It was true, the bouncer didn't usually speak so freely to strangers. There was just something provocative about the gleam in Takasugi's pitch black eyes…it made you want to do things for him.
"Thank you, guard-sama." Takasugi said, staring deep into his eyes as he shut the double leaves of the gate.
---+
"Pfft. That didn't work. What should we do, what should we do?" Takasugi wondered as they ran along the riverbank to Gojoe Avenue, "I really want to get inside..perhaps through the service area, hmmm…what do you think, my clever friend? Perhaps we can get your uncle to help us out eh?" He giggled, now behaving more nicely to Bansai. The KAWAKAMI SHAMISEN SHOPPE was located at a relatively short distance ( 20minutes walk ) uptown from the centrally located Sakuranya. To get there, they had to cross Ryogoku Bridge, the craziest, most colorful and most crowded street that existed in Edo in "1854".
---+
(Ryogoku Bridge, described in "The Evening Glow of Edo" by Kijima Manbei)
The entire square to the other side of these teahouses was occupied by the Muraemon-za Theatre, the "Three Sisters" female Kabuki, peep shows of Chushingura, Naniwa-bushi chanting ( also known as chobokure ), uta-saimon beggar's opera ( also called deroren ), raconteurs, archery booths, barbershops, massage healers, and around them peddlers of toys, loquat leaf broth, chilled water, "white jade" and "Domyoji" confectionery, chilled and solidified agar-agar jelly, sushi vinegar rice, tempura, dumplings, stuffed Inari fritters, fried eel livers, insects, lanterns, as well as wandering masseurs and Shinnai balladeers, peddlers of all sorts, blowgun booths, dokkoi-dokkoi-dokkoi (snatches of refrain), fortune-sellers with lanterns dangling from their collars, vendors of "streetwalker" noodles, drunks, quarrels, pests, public urination.
---+
"Ahhh…that didn't work out either huh?" Takasugi said, fanning at the glue on the freshly repaired Rokkaku kite to make it dry faster. Bansai and he were sitting atop the back verandah of the KAWAKAMI SHAMISEN SHOPPE, watching the slanting rays of the evening sun filter through the red maples growing in the back garden. Normally filled with inexhaustible energy as long as he kept moving, the Thirteen year old boy now felt a little sleepy and his stomach had started to growl.
He was referring to his devious scheme of making use of the Kawakami family contacts to get them inside the Sakuranya. But at the very moment he arrived at the Shoppe, he realized everyone was working their tails off trying to live up to the claim of having the only "30 minute Express Shamisen Repair Service" in the city.
The workshop had threadbare tatami matting, Thirty shamisens in various states of repair were propped upright along the wall. In the middle knelt Kawakami Sr, his wife, his two adult apprentices, tools strewn in a circle around each craftsperson. Kawakami Senior had merely looked up from the worn-out shamisen drum he was repairing, squinted to focus his eyes and grunted. He seemed relieved that Bansai had got himself a new playmate and smiled kindly at them, but did not speak to them; he was too intent on sewing the drum. Just as the bouncer had hinted, Kawakami Sr's fingers moved as quickly as flying. Once in a while he would squint, sigh deeply and wipe the sweat from his brow. He worked like a machine and never spoke.
His wife was more solicitatious, she stood up and brought them to the kitchen, asking many questions. "Wonderful! So you are Takasugi-kun from the Shoka Sonjuku Academy. Please teach my nephew, he can't speak a word of our mother tongue. I want to teach him, but we're too busy. I don't even know how long he will be living with us. The Bakufu is deciding whether to send him back where he came from or let him stay with us. It's not that I don't want him, but times being as they are, I don't know whether he will be better off overseas. Oh. I wish my poor sister were still alive, she'd know what to do."
Surprisingly, tears filled Takasugi-kun's eyes. He'd mellowed out a lot since meeting Shouyou-sensei and felt sorry for Bansai for having no home.
"Stay with us, Bansai" he blurted out, wiping his face.
Bansai blinked a couple of times in disbelief. Why was Takasugi-kun crying for him? And they had only just met? He had assumed all along that he would be sent back to Amanto-Land, in fact he would prefer it. He had no attachment to his birthplace at all, that is…until he met this person?
"Ah, yes." The proprietress nodded slowly. Initially she wanted to adopt Bansai but they faced so much Anti-Amanto criticism once he arrived that the simple woman was frightened and overwhelmed. She really hoped Bansai would be sent back so their livelihood wouldn't be affected. But Takasugi-kun's response had melted her heart. She wiped a tear. At that moment, the front desk was calling so she excused herself and departed, quickly forgetting about them.
She hadn't even had time to make tea and such which Takasugi-kun cleverly took care of. He went out and refreshed everyone's teacups, partly to ingratiate himself in case he wanted to play with Bansai again. But too bad, he wouldn't have the opportunity, that very night the Bakufu commanded the temporary citizen to return to the warships above Edo Bay. So Takasugi-kun did the next best thing, which was to get his old shamisen ( also a present from others ) repaired at the shoppe.
He wanted to preserve the memory of their "one-night-friendship" forever.
To be continued…
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Next up, Kamotaro Itou (17) & short appearance by Hijikata (17) XD
So how did this go? I hope you leave me a review and let me know! ^^