| Part 2: Old Acquaintances and New Beginnings |
Hojoun was immediately distracted and shocked at the sound of his actual name being called. No one has called him for that all those years. It came from the youth he was talking at the bar awhile ago, the long haired youth with a sword and in a teal gray samurai get up.
"Soujiro?!"
Apparently distracted, one of the lackeys takes their chance, and raised a chair to hit him from behind, "Kamatari! From behind you!" Soujiro shouted,
But it was too late, the force hit Kamatari so hard from behind that it send him crashing outside where the other lackey have fallen. But not without his improvised weapon in hand, he pretend to be unconscious at first when he noticed he crashed by a stock full of construction materials. One of the stocks has a small; custom made wrecking ball… probably a size that of a bowling ball where he could link the chain.
"Got that squirt, darn those fancy martial arts moves..." one of the lackey grumbled, "Yer goner now!"
"No, I'm not!"
What greeted the lackey is a flying chain with a small wrecking ball aimed to his face that eventually hits him that it twisted his jaw and knocked him down roughly at the ground. Soujiro breathes in relief, for the old Kamatari couldn't be easily put down. He has always has a plan ahead. He wasn't even finished yet, still swerving the weapon to the point that both lackey's all badly shaken scampered away, "H-He is mad! He is going to crush us with that thing, we're outta here!"
"Not quite," Kamatari spoke, landing the heavy ball to the leader's other hand, which has been lying there in pain with a knife already nailed to another. The man let out a volley of curses and excruciating shouts, pleading him to let him go. Meanwhile, a crowd has already gathered outside...mostly the local fishermen by the pier, and cheered on Kamatari's victory.
"Harumi," Kamatari called one of the waitresses, "Call the police, so the other two wouldn't get far away. Tell them, it's on self-defense due to harassment..."
"H-Hai!"
"Who are you really?" the injured beaten Dutch man gasped, "The kid over there calls you Kamatari, everyone knows you are Hojoun…" he coughed roughly with a mix of strangled laughter, that made Kamatari suddenly curious and kneels down to listen.
"Sounds like a woman's name…hehehe…anyway whatever it is, Maybe it's a change of identity."
"Nothing changed, my hair and clothes maybe…" Kamatari snorted, "But you're talking too much now…and I don't want to deal anymore with people like you."
"Well, then maybe you used to be a criminal! Ye change yer name and identity…hiding from the law!!!" Kamatari have enough for one day and hit the man behind the neck to render him unconscious. "AND I'm not hiding from the law…its reform!"
Shortly, the police arrived and the rowdy bunch is arrested, with Kamatari being treated for minor injuries. The authorities covering the crime scene cannot believe the witnesses reports: that Kamatari has all taken them down with the mop. His employees seems very satisfied for what he did and with most of them young women, gushed to their boss as their hero and knight in shining armor.
This is an understatement of the century for Soujiro. Kamatari being a real MAN, and being adored by these ladies to the boot: Well if one observed Kamatari closely he is indeed a good looking man, without that funny flipped hair and woman kimono. Four years before he thought that he is the most affected when Shi-shi-o died in a life and death duel with Himura. Of all the Juppon- Gatana members, it is Kamatari who have the unwavering loyalty to their former master. His unrequited love for him is so great, that drove him at the point of selflessness to do anything to accomplish Shi-Shi-o's dream. His defeat with the newly formed Oniwabanshu's then nearly leads him to take his own life.
**********
"Therapy." Kamatari answered Soujiro's puzzled look, the two are striding and both decided to have a long talk about their current lives outside the pier after the bar was being fixed from its mess. "I have to go through a therapy, to get over the depression at that time. When I learned Shi-shi-o- sama was defeated I think I could not live anymore."
Soujiro thinks he would cringe with the sight of the present Kamatari, casually dressed like a man and this lingering look at his face upon saying the word Shi-shi-o-sama. "I see that you seem to have a fondness left of him," he said with a soft chuckle, "How will all those girls react if they learn you like a man?"
Kamatari shrugged, "Broken hearted I guess, but who cares? Old dogs can't be taught new tricks!" and they both laughed. "They were pretty startled when I called you Kamatari, so what's with your name?"
"My whole name is Hojoun Kamatari, in case you forgot. I still use my name though but I preferred to be called Hojoun instead when I moved here in Osaka."
"Four years could do a lot of change to people don't you think?" Soujiro recalled, "For instance, I can never even imagine seeing you right now so…."
"Manly."
"Yes, manly! Look at you, you cut your hair short, you are wearing those trousers and suspenders and having your shirt rolled up and wide open!"
Kamatari looked down, and indeed he buttoned his shirt down to the chest awhile ago, "It is hot, I really have to open it." And he grinned, "Besides, there IS nothing in there to show." Kamatari took note of the former comrade, "how about you? I hardly recognized you awhile ago…you seem to look much tougher due to traveling all this time."
Soujiro pointed to his head, "I don't even have time to cut my hair,"
"But you still got those eyes," Kamatari commented, "Not the cold smiling eyes, but they seem to be pretty much warm now and lively, they have that blue sparkle every time something is bothering you."
"Everyone seems fascinated with my eyes; they said it seems to speak to them." Soujiro sighed, looking at his comrade. "You haven't told me how you come up with the transformation from those four years!"
"As most as everyone knows, after the fall of Master Shi-shi-o those who survived where reformed and assigned to tasks. I was assigned to spy in some shady dealings of some criminal activity by the north then," Kamatari leaned by the rail along with Soujiro as he recalls, " Even with my amnesty, it was never the same doing a job without that certain motivation to keep me going. After a year, I question myself if this is what I really like; some action and danger as I fulfill one assignment to another." He found a pebble, and threw it to the water…causing small waves of ripple at the dark deep blue surface. Looking to the sky, he continued "I feel like I was sleepwalking, nothing keeps me alive but following orders. That is where I decided to keep away from it all, and try to just what is like to leave the past and start a new life."
"So that is when you decide to change yourself," Soujiro concluded.
"Yes I think so. I learned I'm not getting much respect if I stick and pretend to be a woman." Kamatari replied, "…and besides, changing my appearance will probably throw some of my adversaries of the track. I even left my post without resignation."
"So it seems to them you just vanished into obscurity already…" Soujiro looked to him, his gaze still afar and into reverie. "That must have been a difficult choice for YOU to make."
"Of course it is!" Kamatari snapped, looking back at Soujiro in a cross manner, "Do you know I have to get three acquaintances to help me with it? One has to give me make over, the other threw the rest of my clothes and brought me this kind of clothing, the last one teach me some proper manners. And after all that, they think it's better for my safety that I leave the town and eventually I ended up here."
Soujiro laughed, he could imagine Kamatari trying to control himself as those people cut his hair and made him wear lose manly clothing. But for some year's time, he might have eventually got used to it. That's why Soujiro didn't recognize him.
"Maybe you have some story to tell also as well, it has been sometime too you know. Anything special?"
"I met a young woman." Soujiro replied dreamily, "I think she might be the one, probably even the answer for the truth I'm searching in life."
Kamatari leaned his chin to his hand and faced Soujiro interestingly, "Now that sounds something new, tells me about it!"
"At these past few weeks, I took a short stop at Edo to earn some money to buy myself some necessities." He spoke, "I had to work as a help to this small restaurant, and while at it, I came among a group of thugs putting up a heated argument with some costumers."
"That's awfully common," Kamatari commented, "Almost every job is risky these days, but sometimes to people like us it seems exercise."
"Well, since most in the work force are women I decided to take control of the situation, so I rushed to the scene."
"So you're telling me, this is how you met your woman?" Kamatari lifted an eyebrow, "…a damsel in distress?"
Soujiro had this fondness in his expression as the fresh image came to his mind, "Not exactly." He said, rubbing one side of his head as recalls. "We both rushed to the scene, so we both bumped our heads to each other."
"AND that must have hurt! "
"It does, and very much" Soujiro replied, his trail of voice sounds quite detached. "So every time my head hurts, I always remember that young woman staring full of disbelief on me, cursing to watch where I was going…there is a bright red flush on her cheeks that sets so well with her luminous emerald green eyes. With that angry look at her face, I fell for her instantly."
And I think she must have rattled his head so hard, Kamatari thought. The Soujiro he remembers have no future interest in looking for a life time partner, and he thought someone like him with such a traumatic past couldn't heal that easily and keep in touch with his emotions…and fall in love. Since the young ronin shows exceptional learning capabilities in such a young age…Kamatari doesn't have to wonder why he could also recuperate so fast and there right in front of him, confessing that he found a significant other.
"Kamatari? Are you with me?" Soujiro gave a puzzled stare, "It's like you have been splashed by cold water."
"Oh! It's nothing!" Kamatari scratched his head, "It's just not everyday I heard of someone speak in romantic passionate descriptions on getting hit along with someone at the head."
"It's pretty weird for me too." Soujiro spoke of tenderly, but there she was…
**********
Hojoun was immediately distracted and shocked at the sound of his actual name being called. No one has called him for that all those years. It came from the youth he was talking at the bar awhile ago, the long haired youth with a sword and in a teal gray samurai get up.
"Soujiro?!"
Apparently distracted, one of the lackeys takes their chance, and raised a chair to hit him from behind, "Kamatari! From behind you!" Soujiro shouted,
But it was too late, the force hit Kamatari so hard from behind that it send him crashing outside where the other lackey have fallen. But not without his improvised weapon in hand, he pretend to be unconscious at first when he noticed he crashed by a stock full of construction materials. One of the stocks has a small; custom made wrecking ball… probably a size that of a bowling ball where he could link the chain.
"Got that squirt, darn those fancy martial arts moves..." one of the lackey grumbled, "Yer goner now!"
"No, I'm not!"
What greeted the lackey is a flying chain with a small wrecking ball aimed to his face that eventually hits him that it twisted his jaw and knocked him down roughly at the ground. Soujiro breathes in relief, for the old Kamatari couldn't be easily put down. He has always has a plan ahead. He wasn't even finished yet, still swerving the weapon to the point that both lackey's all badly shaken scampered away, "H-He is mad! He is going to crush us with that thing, we're outta here!"
"Not quite," Kamatari spoke, landing the heavy ball to the leader's other hand, which has been lying there in pain with a knife already nailed to another. The man let out a volley of curses and excruciating shouts, pleading him to let him go. Meanwhile, a crowd has already gathered outside...mostly the local fishermen by the pier, and cheered on Kamatari's victory.
"Harumi," Kamatari called one of the waitresses, "Call the police, so the other two wouldn't get far away. Tell them, it's on self-defense due to harassment..."
"H-Hai!"
"Who are you really?" the injured beaten Dutch man gasped, "The kid over there calls you Kamatari, everyone knows you are Hojoun…" he coughed roughly with a mix of strangled laughter, that made Kamatari suddenly curious and kneels down to listen.
"Sounds like a woman's name…hehehe…anyway whatever it is, Maybe it's a change of identity."
"Nothing changed, my hair and clothes maybe…" Kamatari snorted, "But you're talking too much now…and I don't want to deal anymore with people like you."
"Well, then maybe you used to be a criminal! Ye change yer name and identity…hiding from the law!!!" Kamatari have enough for one day and hit the man behind the neck to render him unconscious. "AND I'm not hiding from the law…its reform!"
Shortly, the police arrived and the rowdy bunch is arrested, with Kamatari being treated for minor injuries. The authorities covering the crime scene cannot believe the witnesses reports: that Kamatari has all taken them down with the mop. His employees seems very satisfied for what he did and with most of them young women, gushed to their boss as their hero and knight in shining armor.
This is an understatement of the century for Soujiro. Kamatari being a real MAN, and being adored by these ladies to the boot: Well if one observed Kamatari closely he is indeed a good looking man, without that funny flipped hair and woman kimono. Four years before he thought that he is the most affected when Shi-shi-o died in a life and death duel with Himura. Of all the Juppon- Gatana members, it is Kamatari who have the unwavering loyalty to their former master. His unrequited love for him is so great, that drove him at the point of selflessness to do anything to accomplish Shi-Shi-o's dream. His defeat with the newly formed Oniwabanshu's then nearly leads him to take his own life.
**********
"Therapy." Kamatari answered Soujiro's puzzled look, the two are striding and both decided to have a long talk about their current lives outside the pier after the bar was being fixed from its mess. "I have to go through a therapy, to get over the depression at that time. When I learned Shi-shi-o- sama was defeated I think I could not live anymore."
Soujiro thinks he would cringe with the sight of the present Kamatari, casually dressed like a man and this lingering look at his face upon saying the word Shi-shi-o-sama. "I see that you seem to have a fondness left of him," he said with a soft chuckle, "How will all those girls react if they learn you like a man?"
Kamatari shrugged, "Broken hearted I guess, but who cares? Old dogs can't be taught new tricks!" and they both laughed. "They were pretty startled when I called you Kamatari, so what's with your name?"
"My whole name is Hojoun Kamatari, in case you forgot. I still use my name though but I preferred to be called Hojoun instead when I moved here in Osaka."
"Four years could do a lot of change to people don't you think?" Soujiro recalled, "For instance, I can never even imagine seeing you right now so…."
"Manly."
"Yes, manly! Look at you, you cut your hair short, you are wearing those trousers and suspenders and having your shirt rolled up and wide open!"
Kamatari looked down, and indeed he buttoned his shirt down to the chest awhile ago, "It is hot, I really have to open it." And he grinned, "Besides, there IS nothing in there to show." Kamatari took note of the former comrade, "how about you? I hardly recognized you awhile ago…you seem to look much tougher due to traveling all this time."
Soujiro pointed to his head, "I don't even have time to cut my hair,"
"But you still got those eyes," Kamatari commented, "Not the cold smiling eyes, but they seem to be pretty much warm now and lively, they have that blue sparkle every time something is bothering you."
"Everyone seems fascinated with my eyes; they said it seems to speak to them." Soujiro sighed, looking at his comrade. "You haven't told me how you come up with the transformation from those four years!"
"As most as everyone knows, after the fall of Master Shi-shi-o those who survived where reformed and assigned to tasks. I was assigned to spy in some shady dealings of some criminal activity by the north then," Kamatari leaned by the rail along with Soujiro as he recalls, " Even with my amnesty, it was never the same doing a job without that certain motivation to keep me going. After a year, I question myself if this is what I really like; some action and danger as I fulfill one assignment to another." He found a pebble, and threw it to the water…causing small waves of ripple at the dark deep blue surface. Looking to the sky, he continued "I feel like I was sleepwalking, nothing keeps me alive but following orders. That is where I decided to keep away from it all, and try to just what is like to leave the past and start a new life."
"So that is when you decide to change yourself," Soujiro concluded.
"Yes I think so. I learned I'm not getting much respect if I stick and pretend to be a woman." Kamatari replied, "…and besides, changing my appearance will probably throw some of my adversaries of the track. I even left my post without resignation."
"So it seems to them you just vanished into obscurity already…" Soujiro looked to him, his gaze still afar and into reverie. "That must have been a difficult choice for YOU to make."
"Of course it is!" Kamatari snapped, looking back at Soujiro in a cross manner, "Do you know I have to get three acquaintances to help me with it? One has to give me make over, the other threw the rest of my clothes and brought me this kind of clothing, the last one teach me some proper manners. And after all that, they think it's better for my safety that I leave the town and eventually I ended up here."
Soujiro laughed, he could imagine Kamatari trying to control himself as those people cut his hair and made him wear lose manly clothing. But for some year's time, he might have eventually got used to it. That's why Soujiro didn't recognize him.
"Maybe you have some story to tell also as well, it has been sometime too you know. Anything special?"
"I met a young woman." Soujiro replied dreamily, "I think she might be the one, probably even the answer for the truth I'm searching in life."
Kamatari leaned his chin to his hand and faced Soujiro interestingly, "Now that sounds something new, tells me about it!"
"At these past few weeks, I took a short stop at Edo to earn some money to buy myself some necessities." He spoke, "I had to work as a help to this small restaurant, and while at it, I came among a group of thugs putting up a heated argument with some costumers."
"That's awfully common," Kamatari commented, "Almost every job is risky these days, but sometimes to people like us it seems exercise."
"Well, since most in the work force are women I decided to take control of the situation, so I rushed to the scene."
"So you're telling me, this is how you met your woman?" Kamatari lifted an eyebrow, "…a damsel in distress?"
Soujiro had this fondness in his expression as the fresh image came to his mind, "Not exactly." He said, rubbing one side of his head as recalls. "We both rushed to the scene, so we both bumped our heads to each other."
"AND that must have hurt! "
"It does, and very much" Soujiro replied, his trail of voice sounds quite detached. "So every time my head hurts, I always remember that young woman staring full of disbelief on me, cursing to watch where I was going…there is a bright red flush on her cheeks that sets so well with her luminous emerald green eyes. With that angry look at her face, I fell for her instantly."
And I think she must have rattled his head so hard, Kamatari thought. The Soujiro he remembers have no future interest in looking for a life time partner, and he thought someone like him with such a traumatic past couldn't heal that easily and keep in touch with his emotions…and fall in love. Since the young ronin shows exceptional learning capabilities in such a young age…Kamatari doesn't have to wonder why he could also recuperate so fast and there right in front of him, confessing that he found a significant other.
"Kamatari? Are you with me?" Soujiro gave a puzzled stare, "It's like you have been splashed by cold water."
"Oh! It's nothing!" Kamatari scratched his head, "It's just not everyday I heard of someone speak in romantic passionate descriptions on getting hit along with someone at the head."
"It's pretty weird for me too." Soujiro spoke of tenderly, but there she was…
**********