Disclaimer: Please see Part 1 for the usual statement
Author's note: Thank you very much for the reviews. I would truly appreciate feedback and reviews on this part!!
Memory Ronin
Part XIV
By Callisto
Otsu compound
Mie-ken prefecture, Japan
The two men were sitting in a heavily shaded portion of the garden. The cool breeze relived them from the unseasonable heat. After explaining his own history briefly, Sensei Otsu began to relate how he obtained the information he possessed concerning Jarod. The Sensei started his tale by explaining how he and a friend had gone into town several decades ago to see a mystic.
"I had waited across the street for him to emerge. It was the startled, unsettled look on my friend's face which decided me. I had to meet and speak with this Seer myself. I approached her door in a disreputable part of town when I heard the command to enter before I had the chance to knock. That was nothing but an old parlor trick an uncle of mine had once shown me. I entered the home full of skepticism and not a little disdain for my friend.
"Once I was seated in front of her and allowed my eyes to adjust to the dim light, I found I was facing an extraordinarily plain woman who was clearly in her middle years. She asked me to place in her hand some small bauble which meant a lot to me. I handed her a signet ring my father had given me some time ago. That is when my life changed," Sensei Otsu said dramatically. Jarod was still, fascinated by the man whom Parker treated as a father.
Sensei Otsu looked into Jarod's face convinced he had the younger man's complete attention. "She said my destiny was tied to a prophecy that had already been revealed to an extraordinarily corrupt man. She told me there had been an obscure prediction foretelling the abduction, imprisonment and subsequent training of a young boy. This child had been endowed with a natural ability to become anyone, do practically anything he set his mind upon—literally and in an astonishingly short period of time. The corrupt and twisted men who obtained the boy were aware of large portions of the predictions and determined to become the beneficiaries of the untold riches this boy could bring to those able to hone his skills and direct his talent. No easy task since the child was also predicted to have a noble, kind and generous heart. However, their plan was simple: the child would be trained and his genius disciplined. The child would become a man unknown to the rest of the world but would indelibly influence the lives of billions. The target was current and future industry. The corporations these men represented had formed a larger concern financed by a secretive triumvirate of power insatiable men.
"These men didn't want to control the airlines and trains; they wanted to control the oil and key components that made these machines operate. If they couldn't control that then the child would identify future advances and innovations, in many cases dream them up or perfect the ones already available so these men could control the companies responsible for them or controlling key patents. In a matter of a few decades, these men would control the destinies of billions using the genius and imagination of one.
"I was startled and sickened by what she was telling me. My anger was quickly becoming more unreasonable as she related each horrifying detail. When she started to explain how these men would eventually turn on their captive and attempt to replicate his genius by using others, I interrupted her. 'Why are you telling me all of this? What has any of this to do with me?'
"She told me there was a detail within a detail these evil men were unaware existed. These men had holes in their knowledge of the prophecy. The part they were aware of was instructions on how to control the child once he approached puberty. A young girl was to be introduced to the boy and a friendship established. At the height of their friendship the girl was to be removed causing an emotional neediness and loneliness in the boy making him easier to manipulate and control. The Seer explained the girl was the unknown element and I would be the one who could prevent these men from succeeding in twisting one child while destroying another."
"Parker. You're saying they planned this from the beginning? They could have used anyone in Parker's place. You're saying the misery in her life is because they wanted to use me?" Jarod asked incredulously.
"Yes and no. The Seer told me the girl was important and had to be the child of parents who belonged to this corporation. The predictions required that her bloodline be specific; as the boy's mate, she would share many of the abilities of the boy but her gifts would go unrecognized. It was part of the curse inflicted on the man who started this whole mess. The one who had murdered his own family to gain possession of the original predictions. The girl would a distant relative of this evil man and had been endowed with a similar, unsullied spirit to that of one of her ancestors; she would either further the corruption of the imprisoned young man resulting in her own ignominious death or would be instrumental in his retaining his own freedom and thus heal the emotional wound in both their hearts. If the former, the carefully constructed corporation would experience untold prosperity, if the latter should occur then the men would face what they fear the most, unprecedented failure and the wrath of the children they had used. I was told the girl would come to my attention and it was up to me to assist in preparing her to withstand the moral and emotional assaults of her family. If I were successful then the girl would fulfill the true legacy in which she had been born.
"As with all seers, she neglected to tell me any further details. Such as my own success as a sensei and the wealth a few timely investments would render; or that I would fail to find any woman willing to put up with my difficult nature long enough to become my wife. When I first met Parker-san she was a comely girl of thirteen and spent over a year under my sole tutelage before her debased parent sent her away across the world to a boarding school. Parker returned for several summers until it was time for her to start Centre training—she was only 19 years old.
"The first time she returned from the Centre's training facility she was greatly changed. The Seer had warned me they would work on her so I was partially prepared. Mrs. Oishi was less so and extremely angry at the girl's insolent, intolerant and impatient manner. Parker kept up this terrible behavior for at least an hour until Mrs. Oishi in a fit of frustration began upbraiding her. In the middle of a tirade, Parker-san dissolved into a fit of girlish giggling that reminded us both of the young girl we had been forced send away. When she got herself under control once again, Parker-san informed us that she had to try this new façade on those who knew her best to see if it would fool anyone. Then she told us of what she was being subjected to and forced to do. We stayed up half the night perfecting the persona that you have seen her adopt for the past 20 years."
"Why are you telling me all this? You can see that Parker and I are romantically involved, where we go from here will be between us," Jarod said quietly resolved.
"The Seer also neglected to tell me that I would fall in love with the child. Parker-san, no Magdalena is like a daughter to me and I love her above all else. I have been a bachelor all my life and was unprepared for losing my heart to a child. In some ways, I believe it is worse than being the actual parent, I took her everywhere with me, encouraged her to voice her opinions and enjoyed her presence as often as possible without smothering her. It is within your power to hurt her in a way no one else can. I have told you what I know of the predictions and the past so it would cease to have any influence over you." Slowly rising to his feet the old man looked down at Jarod who was still seated on a low stone wall which bordered the garden. "You have been given a lot to digest. I suspect there are plans to be formed and decisions to be made. As a father I ask you one thing, do not hurt my daughter in your zeal for revenge." With that Sensei Otsu walked away from Jarod, leaving the younger man to contemplate what he had just been told.
An hour later Jarod emerged from the garden. Sensei Otsu's account of the predictions made a kind of crazy sense to him. He needed to share this information with Parker. He first thought she would laugh it off but was reminded of what Sensei Otsu had said of her persona. Jarod hoped that her façade hadn't become permanently etched onto her personality. That was another aspect of the Sensei story he wanted to test. Parker had started to change almost the minute they landed in Japan, now he thought he knew why.
Jarod enjoyed the long walk to the smallish town. There he found an idle taxi and used it to get to Mrs. Oishi's home where he suspected Parker had spent the rest of the morning. Once there he found that he had just missed her; she was now on the way back to Sensei Otsu's sprawling home. Unable to suppress a low, frustrated moan Jarod looked at the stylishly dressed woman and bowed politely intending on taking his leave. Mrs. Oishi had different ideas.
Trading on the younger man's politeness, she asked him to join her for a cup of tea before returning to Sensei Otsu's home. The hopeful look in her eyes and face critically stalled Jarod and Mrs. Oishi seized the slim opportunity of having Flower's young man to herself for an hour.
As an opening she said provocatively, "Flower has described you over the years. I had always hoped to meet the man who stole my friend's heart so many years ago."
The slightly perplexed and reluctantly intrigued look on Jarod's face proved to Mrs. Oishi that she had said enough. With a soft smile gracing her face, she indicated with her hand for Jarod to take the seat opposite.
When he was seated Jarod replied, "I don't know about my stealing her heart years ago, it would seem more like she spent her time stealing the hearts of others."
"Ah, yes. Hideaki-san was one of her lovers but her heart always belonged to you." An easy silence settled between the two and they drank their tea quietly reflecting on what the other had said.
"Does it bother you that Flower has had others in her life?" Mrs. Oishi said carefully.
"No, of course not. I introduced her to a friend of mine a few years back, however, I was a little surprised their relationship blossomed as quickly as it did."
"Yes, she told me of Tommy Gates. She still feels guilty about that poor fellow's death," Mrs. Oishi said sadly.
"Parker feels guilty about his death? I would have thought her anger at the Centre would be more lasting than any guilt. She had nothing to do with his death, she was devastated by his murder," Jarod said with a touch of unfounded anger. He was getting deluged with information about a woman he had only this morning decided on asking to marry him.
"Her guilt stems from the knowledge that if she had kept their relationship concealed from the Centre, then he might have survived," Mrs. Oishi said calmly.
"There was no way she would have been able to conceal her relationship. She was being watched all the time," Jarod said slowly, knowing this woman would give him an answer he wasn't expecting.
"Of course Flower was capable of concealing the relationship. If she employed the same methods used in concealing her other lovers, her father and the Centre would never have known," Mrs. Oishi said as she watched the pensive expression on Jarod's face.
"My mentor worked with her at the Centre after I left. He told me that Parker has a sort of reputation. Unfortunately I believe the Centre always knew about her lovers."
"Flower has had only four lovers and I assure you the Centre is unaware of all of them with the exception of Mr. Gates. They are equally in the dark about the depth of her feelings for you." Mrs. Oishi saw the incredulous look on Jarod's face and continued, "The Centre is as unaware of her intimate habits as they are unaware of Hideaki's existence or connection with Flower. The same methods of obfuscation used whenever she met Hideaki here over the years were used whenever she saw one of the others in the United States."
Jarod said nothing, instead looked at the older woman thoughtfully. If what she said were true than the accepted opinion of the Centre about one of their top operatives had been incorrect for years. It would also mean that Jarod was correct and accurate in his assessment of his lover. It had been difficult, if not impossible, for him to believe she was the wanton, non-discriminating slut that her Centre reputation had made her out to be.
Mrs. Oishi stood gracefully and bidding her guest to remain seated promised to return in a couple of minutes. She wanted to retrieve something for Jarod to see. Jarod's head was already reeling from what Sensei Otsu had told him earlier, he knew whatever Mrs. Oishi was digging up was just going to give him a headache. His curiosity got the better of him and he stayed rooted to his seat until the older woman returned.
When she entered the room Jarod rose out of habit. Oishi-san handed him an envelope that appeared to be slightly aged. The address caught his eyes and his natural curiosity almost got the better of him.
"Please, this belongs to you. I ask you're forgiveness, I read the letter many years ago. Flower wrote that shortly after she came to live at Sensei Otsu's home. I was curious about her and as I was packing up her extraneous belongings when she left for Europe, I came across this." The absorbed look on Jarod's face told Mrs. Oishi she had done the right thing. To give Jarod a reasonable excuse to read his letter in private she said, "Now, if you don't mind, I have overtired myself. I greatly enjoy the company of young people but my doctor keeps telling me that I do not get enough rest. Please forgive me for my fatigue and thank you very much for sitting and talking with me for the past hour."
They exchanged bows and parted amicably.
It was a five-mile walk back to Sensei Otsu's compound. The day was still warm and Jarod decided the walk would probably do him some good. Choosing a shaded trail, he waited till he had walked about a mile along the well-worn path before pausing and opening the letter carefully. The envelope had been addressed to him at the Centre.
Jarod,
I've written you a thousand times in my head. This time I'm doing it for real. I'm sitting here alone as usual wishing you were sitting next to me. You always ask me to describe the things outside of the Centre that I think are beautiful. Well this sunrise is one of them. The sun is a large, flat, orange ball slowly rising from the horizon. The sun's rays are reflecting off the ocean's gentle waves giving the illusion of the sun ascending from this endless pond of white liquid gold. The only way I would feel this were perfect is to have you here with me. I miss you & Sydney a lot. You especially.
I don't know how it happened but I fell I love with you the minute my plane landed in Japan. My friend Mrs. Oishi says I fell in love with the idea of you—not the real you. I think I did both. It doesn't matter 'cause I know you don't feel the same way. I only wish you could. You'll never read this letter, Daddy ordered me not to write but that won't stop me from imagining the way your face would look with the light and shadows playing across your handsome features. I bet you would be so cute!
Regardless of whatever happens between us when we're older, something Daddy said off-hand made me think it wasn't going to be something pleasant, you will always own a large part of my heart. My only other wish was if my mother were here to make me feel better & sympathize with me.
Love always,
Maggie
Jarod stopped walking altogether. Spotting a lone park seat, he sat letting the influence of the letter drift his mind back into memories. He remembered the first time he met her and the first kiss she gave him. He had never told her but that day with the rabbits was the first time he knew he was falling in love. He recalled a secret rendezvous they had arranged, just before she was sent away. They had gone exploring with Angelo as their guide. On the way back he had commented on how beautiful the ocean looked from the window, he was sure it was better close up. In a fleeting fit of self-pity he commented softly that she was fortunate to able to see and have all the beautiful things she wanted. At the time he thought he had imagined it but now he was certain he had heard her say under her breath.
"Check out your mirror and you'll see one beautiful thing I'll never have."
He asked her to repeat what she had said but she abruptly started talking about something else.
Jarod rose from his seat and started walking hurriedly towards Sensei Otsu's compound. He was more determined than ever to ask her to marry him but there were just a couple of questions he wanted her to answer first.