Chapter 5
Sanosuke stood behind one of the straw dummies. It was almost lunchtime and his stomach urged for food.
"Ororo. I'm starving," Hikaru said beside him. She had ended her "temper" training about an hour ago and had joined Sanosuke outside to help him with the beginners. It wasn't much fun though, even with her there, the beginners just refused to learn and things were always repeated, something that really irritated both Sanosuke and Hikaru. They were both worried about what happened at the front, but Shunzo wouldn't allow them to see. What was the big secret anyways? It wasn't like they weren't going to find out.
"Musume! Suke-chan! Lunchtime!" Hanako's voice rang from the front of the house. Hikaru was the first to speed away through the sliding door, followed by a mob of hungry students. Sanosuke wasn't left behind. He ran in between he mob of hungry teens, fighting his ways through the halls into the mess hall. Once everyone settled, Hanako entered the half of the house dedicated to eating with a giant pot of Miso soup. Hot green tea was already placed at the long set table inside emptied sake bottles. After settling the pot down, Hanako took her place at the first position on the right side of the table. Everything became quiet and Arata entered the mess hall and sat at the head of the table, followed by Shunzo, who sat at his left. Whispers rose from the deshi, but Hikaru and Sanosuke just stared at each other in a questioned look. They then looked at Hanako, who only stared down at her empty plate with an ashamed look, followed by a glimpse of Shunzo, who bared a grim expression. Arata then raised his hands and silenced the room.
" My name is Ikomoda Arata, otosan to Ikomoda Hanako, and ojiisan to Sagara Hikaru. I am glad to meet the students of my pupil and son-in-law and proud to know that the Ikomoda Ryuu of bokken and katana fighting will be passed on. Now let us pray to Buddha to bless this food," Arata closed his eyes and placed his hands in front of him in monk style. Hikaru and Sanosuke were too stunned to pray. Here sat Hikaru's grandfather, Shunzo's master! Arata then opened his eyes and placed his chopsticks in his hands, and began to eat. Everyone else started to follow his example, eating as quietly as possible.
After the silent meal, Shunzo joined his pupils outside to continue their training while Hanako and Hikaru cleared the table. Arata filled his cup full of green tea and sat himself in the front veranda to watch the sakura fall. Sanosuke, on the other hand, had nothing to do but stare at the true master of the Ikomoda Ryuu. Arata didn't look too old in his eyes, probably in his late 40's or early 50's, but the man looked much wiser than men that age. The man's eyes reminded him of his late leader. The wisdom poured out of them in what seemed endless hidden waterfalls.
" Kisama, come here," Arata instructed. Sanosuke felt a chill of guilt going up his spine. The man was more talented than he had expected. Arata turned to Sanosuke and patted the floor beside him, motioning him to sit. Sanosuke obeyed and took his place beside his sempai.
" Tell me, child. Who are you?" Arata interrogated Sanosuke.
" I am Sagara Sanosuke, an orphan taken in by the Sagara family when my parents were killed by the Tokugawa Bakufu." Sanosuke chose his words carefully. He decided not to lie to him, it would destroy the respect he held for the man.
" How did your parents die?"
" I am not certain. My father, for protection from the war, gave me to Sagara Souzo, Sagara-sensei's late son. I found out about their death when news of my home village being burned arrived to me." Arata turned to Sanosuke and stared at him with those wise eyes. Sanosuke stuttered back a bit and began to tremble.
" You are clever beyond your years, young one. How old are you?"
"Eight."
" Impressive. Sagara-chan, take a bokken away from Shunzo's pupils and demonstrate what you can do against me." Sanosuke's eyes widened. He quickly got up and ran to the training area and took a spare bokken that lay on the ground. He ran back to Arata, which now stood with cape and hat off with a larger bokken in hand. Sanosuke took an offensive stance and closed his eyes. He had to prove himself now or never and this was it. Arata, who stood in a defensive stance, studied Sanosuke carefully. If he was half the fighter he seemed, then this was one battle to enjoy.
Suddenly, Sanosuke disappeared from Arata's sight. The man's eyes widened at the boy's speed, but kept his stance. He raised his bokken and with a flare of his hand, the turned the bokken to the right and blocked the quick dash Sanosuke had planned to land. Arata locked eyes with Sanosuke when the boy gasped and took the advantage to use the wind from the boy's attack to propel his bokken to move upward and break the boy's stance. Sanosuke stuttered back and his eyes widened once again to see Arata copy the same stunt he had pulled but much faster. He placed his bokken in front to block the hit, but miscalculated the direction the man's pole was headed and soon found himself holding his right hip in pain, lying on the ground. Arata walked slowly toward the boy and placed his bokken next to him.
" You have talent, but are misguided easily," He criticized. Arata then lifted Sanosuke up to his feet and helped the boy to the veranda. Sanosuke didn't mind the pain much. It was only his body that wasn't reacting, if not he could've continued the battle. He looked at Arata in amazement and admiration.
"Become one with your body, soul, and mind. It is the only way to learn your true potential," Arata counseled. "You must not rely on the power of others to aid you in battle but your own strength to get you through the day."
"But Ikomoda-sensei. how will I learn such things when your techniques are still being taught to me?"
"Discipline is the main source of all techniques. Without it, one will never perfect the art of the sword. That is one lesson my last deshi did not learn. Now he teaches students a false meaning to my techniques. You, Sanosuke, shall learn from me from now own. My son-in-law has failed and you have even surpassed your own teacher. There is more spirit in you than him and more determination. Are you ready to follow this passage?" Sanosuke sighed and looked down.
"Something holds me back, sensei."
"One's mind must be deprived of all worries. Tell me what troubles you."
"If I begin my training under you, what will happen to Sagara- sensei?"
"I will handle him. You just worry to be ready by the second sunrise you see."
"Hai, Ikomoda-sensei."
Sanosuke stood behind one of the straw dummies. It was almost lunchtime and his stomach urged for food.
"Ororo. I'm starving," Hikaru said beside him. She had ended her "temper" training about an hour ago and had joined Sanosuke outside to help him with the beginners. It wasn't much fun though, even with her there, the beginners just refused to learn and things were always repeated, something that really irritated both Sanosuke and Hikaru. They were both worried about what happened at the front, but Shunzo wouldn't allow them to see. What was the big secret anyways? It wasn't like they weren't going to find out.
"Musume! Suke-chan! Lunchtime!" Hanako's voice rang from the front of the house. Hikaru was the first to speed away through the sliding door, followed by a mob of hungry students. Sanosuke wasn't left behind. He ran in between he mob of hungry teens, fighting his ways through the halls into the mess hall. Once everyone settled, Hanako entered the half of the house dedicated to eating with a giant pot of Miso soup. Hot green tea was already placed at the long set table inside emptied sake bottles. After settling the pot down, Hanako took her place at the first position on the right side of the table. Everything became quiet and Arata entered the mess hall and sat at the head of the table, followed by Shunzo, who sat at his left. Whispers rose from the deshi, but Hikaru and Sanosuke just stared at each other in a questioned look. They then looked at Hanako, who only stared down at her empty plate with an ashamed look, followed by a glimpse of Shunzo, who bared a grim expression. Arata then raised his hands and silenced the room.
" My name is Ikomoda Arata, otosan to Ikomoda Hanako, and ojiisan to Sagara Hikaru. I am glad to meet the students of my pupil and son-in-law and proud to know that the Ikomoda Ryuu of bokken and katana fighting will be passed on. Now let us pray to Buddha to bless this food," Arata closed his eyes and placed his hands in front of him in monk style. Hikaru and Sanosuke were too stunned to pray. Here sat Hikaru's grandfather, Shunzo's master! Arata then opened his eyes and placed his chopsticks in his hands, and began to eat. Everyone else started to follow his example, eating as quietly as possible.
After the silent meal, Shunzo joined his pupils outside to continue their training while Hanako and Hikaru cleared the table. Arata filled his cup full of green tea and sat himself in the front veranda to watch the sakura fall. Sanosuke, on the other hand, had nothing to do but stare at the true master of the Ikomoda Ryuu. Arata didn't look too old in his eyes, probably in his late 40's or early 50's, but the man looked much wiser than men that age. The man's eyes reminded him of his late leader. The wisdom poured out of them in what seemed endless hidden waterfalls.
" Kisama, come here," Arata instructed. Sanosuke felt a chill of guilt going up his spine. The man was more talented than he had expected. Arata turned to Sanosuke and patted the floor beside him, motioning him to sit. Sanosuke obeyed and took his place beside his sempai.
" Tell me, child. Who are you?" Arata interrogated Sanosuke.
" I am Sagara Sanosuke, an orphan taken in by the Sagara family when my parents were killed by the Tokugawa Bakufu." Sanosuke chose his words carefully. He decided not to lie to him, it would destroy the respect he held for the man.
" How did your parents die?"
" I am not certain. My father, for protection from the war, gave me to Sagara Souzo, Sagara-sensei's late son. I found out about their death when news of my home village being burned arrived to me." Arata turned to Sanosuke and stared at him with those wise eyes. Sanosuke stuttered back a bit and began to tremble.
" You are clever beyond your years, young one. How old are you?"
"Eight."
" Impressive. Sagara-chan, take a bokken away from Shunzo's pupils and demonstrate what you can do against me." Sanosuke's eyes widened. He quickly got up and ran to the training area and took a spare bokken that lay on the ground. He ran back to Arata, which now stood with cape and hat off with a larger bokken in hand. Sanosuke took an offensive stance and closed his eyes. He had to prove himself now or never and this was it. Arata, who stood in a defensive stance, studied Sanosuke carefully. If he was half the fighter he seemed, then this was one battle to enjoy.
Suddenly, Sanosuke disappeared from Arata's sight. The man's eyes widened at the boy's speed, but kept his stance. He raised his bokken and with a flare of his hand, the turned the bokken to the right and blocked the quick dash Sanosuke had planned to land. Arata locked eyes with Sanosuke when the boy gasped and took the advantage to use the wind from the boy's attack to propel his bokken to move upward and break the boy's stance. Sanosuke stuttered back and his eyes widened once again to see Arata copy the same stunt he had pulled but much faster. He placed his bokken in front to block the hit, but miscalculated the direction the man's pole was headed and soon found himself holding his right hip in pain, lying on the ground. Arata walked slowly toward the boy and placed his bokken next to him.
" You have talent, but are misguided easily," He criticized. Arata then lifted Sanosuke up to his feet and helped the boy to the veranda. Sanosuke didn't mind the pain much. It was only his body that wasn't reacting, if not he could've continued the battle. He looked at Arata in amazement and admiration.
"Become one with your body, soul, and mind. It is the only way to learn your true potential," Arata counseled. "You must not rely on the power of others to aid you in battle but your own strength to get you through the day."
"But Ikomoda-sensei. how will I learn such things when your techniques are still being taught to me?"
"Discipline is the main source of all techniques. Without it, one will never perfect the art of the sword. That is one lesson my last deshi did not learn. Now he teaches students a false meaning to my techniques. You, Sanosuke, shall learn from me from now own. My son-in-law has failed and you have even surpassed your own teacher. There is more spirit in you than him and more determination. Are you ready to follow this passage?" Sanosuke sighed and looked down.
"Something holds me back, sensei."
"One's mind must be deprived of all worries. Tell me what troubles you."
"If I begin my training under you, what will happen to Sagara- sensei?"
"I will handle him. You just worry to be ready by the second sunrise you see."
"Hai, Ikomoda-sensei."