By Daniel Lam
PART FOUR: HIGASHIDANI KAMISHIMOEMON
SANOSUKE heard a loud grunt, then the sound of wood being struck with great force, followed by that of a tree crashing onto the ground. This repeated a number of times before Sanosuke reached the edge of the forest.
When he entered the clearing, he knew what to expect. There was a man who would be a spitting image of Sanosuke if he was younger, and thinner.
The man sensed Sanosuke's approach, and turned to face him.
"You," the first word almost sounded like an accusation. "I ... know you!"
Sanosuke surveyed the area. The shrine looked like it was in need of repair, but someone was obviously taking care of it. There were empty sake jars neatly stacked on one side of the shrine, and felled trees on another.
"Yes, you know me," Sanosuke said finally. "I'm your eldest son, remember?"
"My eldest son?" Those eyes widened as recognition set in. "Sanosuke?"
"Last I recall, I went by that name," he answered. He stared at Higashidani Kamishimoemon's bloodshot eyes and runny nose. "You are a mess."
Kamishimoemon slapped Sanosuke on the back and laughed long and loud. When he stopped laughing, Sanosuke was seated on a log, waiting.
"Welcome back, son," the father said, nursing his palm. "It has been, what, six years?"
Sanosuke nodded.
"What are you wearing under that?" Kamishimoemon asked, rubbing his fingers together. "It hurt."
Sanosuke opened his shirt to reveal a mail shirt. It looked in need of cleaning. "A gift from a European friend ... a suit of chainmail. Steel. Saved me a couple of times."
His father nodded, looking visibly impressed. "Been around, huh?"
Sanosuke smiled, then fished out a letter from his bag and handed it to Kamishimoemon.
"I'm here because of that," he said.
Kamishimoemon did not take it. "Well, if it's a letter, you'll have to read it out to me. You know I can't read or write!"
Sanosuke nodded. "I guessed as much. Never did learn even while I was away, huh?"
The older man rolled a log to the opposite of Sanosuke and sat down. "You should talk," he said testily. "All those years away and you still haven't learnt some manners."
Sanosuke grinned. He flipped the letter open and began to read it out loud: ""My son Outa, things are not going well. Some men with government backing have come to take over the waystation.
"Your brother Sanosuke stopped them a few years ago, but this time around, they came armed with Western firearms. I do not expect you to fight like your brother, or even as I did, so don't think that way (Uki would kill me if I did!).
"But the people of this township need every pair of hands they can get. Come home, Outa, and help fight off these greedy pigs. If we can't fight fire with fire, we can at least make up with sheer numbers. Be here by the seventh. Your father, Old Kamishimoemon.
"P.S. I understand that your master Himura Kenshin is a very important man in the government. If you can get him to help, the people of Shinshu would be most grateful."
"I didn't write that," Kamishimoemon stated after Sanosuke had finished. "For one thing, I am anything but old!"
Sanosuke chuckled at that. "The letter was addressed to Outa, but the man who delivered it said it was for me. I'm not supposed to be in Japan after what happened the last time I was here."
Kamishimoemon got up and went to the stack of sake jars. He checked them to make sure they were empty.
"So it is obviously someone, whoever it was," Sanosuke continued, "-who knows I am back, and wants to meet me."
"Could be that Ishin Shishi man you dealt with the last time," Kamishimoemon mumbled. He found one that was not quite empty yet, and tipped it over so that what's left spilled to the ground.
"Could be," Sanosuke agreed. "Why did you do that for?"
The older man grinned. "My eldest son is back. I don't need to drown my sorrows anymore."
"Why did you start?"
Kamishimoemon checked the rest of the jars, then sat down heavily again on the log.
"I don't know," he said finally. "Just felt sad, that's all."
"What do you mean, 'I don't know'?"
Kamishimoemon shrugged. "Maybe because I'm all alone now. First you left, then your mother Naname, then Outa, and finally Uki."
"Uki's left? I just saw her this morning at the clinic in town!"
"I meant, she's left ME," the older man clarified. "We had a big fight over that. She said she's tired of being left behind, and when I said I was not leaving her, ever, she said 'That's not the point!' and went off."
Sanosuke frowned. He was about to say something when he sensed someone approaching. Someone with very strong ki! he realised.
Ling entered the clearing and bowed to the shrine, then at both the men. With both hands he carried a large sack, which he placed gently on the ground.
"Good afternoon to you, Mr Higashidani," he greeted, then smiled at Sanosuke. "Mr Sagara."
Sanosuke rose to his feet. "Mr Ling."
Kamishimoemon got up, too. "I was not expecting you today, Mr Ling."
The Chinese man grinned and took up the bag. He went to Kamishimoemon and handed the sack to the older man.
"I brought the usual things," Ling stated as he sat down on one of the logs.
"The usual things?" Sanosuke repeated.
"Mr Ling comes and brings me food and drink now and then," Kamishimoemon explained. "In return, I tell him about Japanese history."
"History?" his son queried. "What do you know about Japanese history?"
"He means local knowledge, Mr Sagara," Ling said. "I have an interest in things Japanese, so instead of just reading about things, I hear stories spoken by knowledgeable people like Mr Higashidani."
"Knowledgeable, that's me," Kamishimoemon said as he took out a stack of food trays, which were secured by a thick rope, from the sack. After undoing the rope, he lifted the first tray, revealing rice balls. He took one out and bit into it.
"Mmmmmm, delicious," he remarked, and handed the tray to his son.
Sanosuke waved it away. "Aside from speaking Japanese, bringing in herbs, courting my sister and learning from my Dad, what else do you do?"
The Chinese man laughed.
Kamishimoemon finished the last of the rice balls. "You're courting my Uki?" he asked Ling.
Ling did not reply immediately. He got up and produced a scroll. Again Sanosuke was struck by how the Chinese man could hide things without him noticing.
"Mr Sagara," he stated, offering the scroll to Sanosuke. "This is for you." Ling shot a glance at
Kamishimoemon. "There is also a message that I must convey to you."
"That's okay, he can hear it, too," Sanosuke said.
The Chinese man bowed again.
"Very well," he said. "This is a formal challenge from my senior brother, as named in the scroll, to you, Mr Sagara."
"A bout?" Kamishimoemon muttered.
"A fair fight. No weapons, two witnesses each," Ling said. "Would you ... need me to translate?" he added almost as an after-thought.
Sanosuke shook his head. "I can read this, although the way you write is slightly different from how we write." He handed the scroll to Kamishimoemon. "Was it you who sent a letter addressed to my brother in Tokyo?"
"A letter to your brother?"
"Yeah, addressed to him, but meant for me," Sanosuke added.
Ling shook his head. "I must apologise for my ignorance, but I do not know by what means you were drawn here."
He's not lying, Sanosuke thought. But he's not telling the whole truth, either.
"Fine, then," he declared. "A fair fight, no weapons, at the-" Kamishimoemon held out the scroll for him to read, "-old daikon field. Late afternoon tomorrow. Two witnesses only."
"What if others turn up, too?" Kamishimoemon pointed out. "My son has a wide following here, you know.
'Sanosuke the legion killer', I think they call him."
Ling smiled. "The requirement for two witnesses each is a formality. They are to witness that it is a fair fight. If others turn up, they may get hurt accidentally, that is all."
"I must be going now. My apologies again for interrupting your reunion, and my thanks for sparing me your time." The Chinese man turned to go.
"Wait," Sanosuke called out. "It doesn't state the reason for the bout. I know that in China, such bouts are usually about status or honour. So?"
Ling hesitated. Sanosuke could see that he was contemplating what exactly to say. Then, in a grim tone, Ling said: "Revenge, Mr Sagara. Revenge."
PART FIVE: TIME FOR REFLECTION
SANOSUKE did not sit alone. Seated with him in one of Shinshu town's two restaurants was his father Kamishimoemon. But while his father was busy talking away, Sanosuke was uncharacteristically quiet. His sake cup and its contents were untouched.
Uki doesn't live in the family home anymore, Sanosuke thought, Why didn't she tell me? And why did she leave Dad all alone?
And this business of a challenge ... did I cross anyone's path while on the mainland?
"Best conversation I've had in months!" Kamishimoemon declared sarcastically. He noted the serious expression on his son's face and sighed.
"Son," he began, but Sanosuke did not respond.
"Son?" still nothing. "SON!" Zero.
Kamishimoemon poured the rest of the sake into his cup, finished it in one gulp, then took in a deep breath.
Killer Technique Father's Loudmouth Stunner!
There were sounds of cooking utensils crashing to the floor in the kitchen, and the few customers in the restaurant fell off their stools.
Sanosuke glanced at his father and spat out the fish bone he had been chewing on. "Did you say something?"
"You haven't said much," Kamishimoemon pointed out.
"Oh," was all Sanosuke said. He looked up, for Uki had entered the restaurant.
"You're late ... Uki," Sanosuke said.
She sat down without a word. Kamishimoemon was looking at his daughter in a manner that suggested he had not seen her for quite awhile.
"You look like a real lady now," the older man blurted out.
She did not blush this time. "Hello, father. You look well."
Sanosuke turned to the shop's proprietor, who was busy cleaning up spilled food. "Proprietor, when you're done, could you take an order?"
"There's no need for that, elder brother," Uki said. "I've eaten."
"Oh," Sanosuke mouthed. To the proprietor: "Never mind." Then, to Uki, he asked: "What's this 'elder brother' business? You've always called me by name!"
"And running after him wherever he went," Kamishimoemon added, a faraway look in his eyes.
"I...I..." Uki started what seemed to be a retort, but her voice broke. Then: "I was ... young once. And naïve."
She cast worried looks all over the restaurant, as if concerned that people might have seen her sudden loss of composure.
The silence that followed was deafening, broken only when Kamishimoemon cleared his throat and called for more sake and an additional cup for Uki.
"No," Sanosuke said. "Let us go home."
"Home?" Kamishimoemon repeated. Then: "Hmmm ... that would be good."
His son touched Uki lightly on the shoulder. "We can talk later."
The men let her walk ahead. Sanosuke could sense their father's discomfort about the whole thing, but he appreciated Kamishimoemon's prudence. So they walked to the Higashidani residence in silence.
Once there, Sanosuke saw her grimace at the evident untidiness about the house. When Kamishimoemon fumbled with the door, she sighed and helped him open it.
She took charge immediately, filling a kettle, lighting the stove and bringing the water to boil for tea. All the while without saying a single word.
Uki even had the foresight to bring a small packet of tea leaves, for there were none left in the house.
"I'll go get some firewood," Kamishimoemon declared, getting up. It was getting chilly.
"I'll go," Sanosuke said.
Kamishimoemon regarded his son and shook his head. He leaned close and whispered: "Uki wants to speak with you, alone."
Sanosuke nodded. Kamishimoemon's eyes went to Uki.
"I'll get firewood," he told her. She did not respond. He sighed and went out.
It was when the air was fragrant with the scent of brewed tea that Sanosuke asked the question that had been on his mind: "Why did you leave Dad, Uki?"
Uki looked up and held his gaze. He could see-
Anger? he realised. "Uki?" her expression changed slowly, as the bitterness became sorrow.
"Why did you ... leave?" she asked, throwing his question back at him.
"What?"
"Why did you leave?" she repeated.
"I went to join the Sekihoutai," he answered. "They fought for a better life for the people."
"Why did you leave?" she asked again, the tone this time her almost pleading. "Why did you have to leave us?"
"I-" was all he managed. I was not expecting this... He looked away.
"When you finally came back ... you didn't even tell me who you were." She poured the tea into a small bowl and began whipping it with a brush. "And then you left, again."
Kamishimoemon could be heard chopping wood outside. Sanosuke found himself wishing that it had been him who was sweating it out.
Abandoned, he thought. That's what she's feeling.
"Why?" she asked again. Her ice-cold façade was gone now, and she looked more like the Uki who was always running after her big brother Sanosuke, trying to do whatever that he did.
Always looking up to me, he remembered.
Only now she was close to breaking down, her hands and lips trembling as she tried still to hold them back.
"I don't know why I left the first time," he said finally. "The country was in turmoil. Maybe ... I
wanted to help ... to do something. The Sekihoutai promised a better life for the people."
He took the cup offered and continued: "The second time around, I-"
Kamishimoemon came in just then with a big grin on his face and several large jars of sake. "Look's like my boy's famous again!" he laughed. "Everyone's here to greet the Hero of Shinshu!"
Several people walked in after Kamishimoemon. They beamed as they set eyes on Sanosuke. Behind them more people came.
"Uki, I-" he began, but she had gone to the stove to boil more water for tea. Sanosuke was mentally cursing even as he smiled at the newcomers, most of whom he didn't even know.
"Demon Killer in the flesh!" one of the men declared and tapped Sanosuke on the shoulder. "Remember me?"
"No, I don't," he replied, still watching Uki at the corner of his eye.
"Well, that's okay ... I was still a kid then," the man said, even though it look obvious to Sanosuke that he must be old enough to be a grandfather.
More and more people entered the small house, until Sanosuke was beginning to feel claustrophobic. But it was when he could no longer catch sight of Uki that he got up and shouted: "Quiet, everyone!" and everyone promptly shut up.
"That's the Killer Technique he must have learnt earlier today," Kamishimoemon could be heard whispering to someone. "A fast learner, just like me!"
Sanosuke put on his shoes and pushed his way past the crowd, which were at least fifteen men deep, all the way to the yard.
"Where is Uki?" he turned to his father and asked. "Where did she go?"
"Uhhh, she just gave me this cup of tea," one of the men stated. It was farmer Shizuka Sato, and he held up the cup. "Nice girl." His twin sons were on either side of him, and they were nodding.
"Where did she go?" Sanosuke repeated.
"She just left," one of the twins, Genzo or Kenzo - Sanosuke couldn't tell which - told him.
"Miss Uki looked sad-" the other twin added.
"-and her eyes were red," the first one informed.
"I thought her sleeves felt wet," the other twin mentioned.
"Was Miss Uki here?" some of the other men were whispering. "Didn't notice her, actually!"
"Which way?" Sanosuke demanded of the twins.
They looked at each other, and said as one: "In the direction of town."
Sanosuke's fists were clenched as he regarded the people who had gathered to see their local hero. Then he turned to face Kamishimoemon. "You deal with this," he said in a low voice.
With that he stormed off.
Kamishimoemon and the rest of the people stared at his back. Nobody said a word until Sanosuke had vanished from view.
"Well, what do you know?" Kamishimoemon said after some thought. "The word for 'evil' is gone from his back now!"
PART SIX: FATHER AND SON
SANOSUKE could be described by the casual observer as angry, but that would be an understatement. Tree after tree fell as he visited upon them blow upon blow.
This was the place - a thickly-wooded part of forest just at the edge of Shinshu - that he used to go to in his childhood, most times to escape disciplinary action for yet another act of mischief, some times just to avoid his kid sister.
Uki, her name foremost in his thoughts as he split a tree in two. He did not even feel the splinters cutting into his hands and face as they flew all over the place.
By the time he was satiated, Sanosuke fell flat on his back on what had become a clearing.
Where is she?
A little over an hour earlier, Sanosuke had been in town, going from shop to shop, almost knocking on every door, looking for Uki.
Nobody seemed to know where she had gone. By the time he had asked the thirtieth person about Uki's whereabouts, he knew it was a fruitless exercise.
And so here he was. On his back, staring at the stars. But-
-not quite alone! Sanosuke thought as he sensed the presence of another, walking slowly towards him.
He sat up. It was a familiar presence. Sanosuke could see the light of the lantern.
"Sanosuke?" the newcomer called out before he emerged from the shadows. It was Kamishimoemon, with the lantern and a small package in hand.
"How did you find me?" Sanosuke demanded, rising to his feet and patting his clothes clear of dust.
His father looked about the clearing, then set both lantern and package down. "I could hear you ... venting out your frustrations from a long way off, son."
He added after some thought: "I trust you are calmer now?"
Sanosuke nodded. "What is happening, Dad?" he asked.
Kamishimoemon shook his head. "If I knew, do you think I'd be here?" He sat down. "You should really learn to keep that temper of yours in check."
Sanosuke grunted in response. Then: "Everybody left?"
"Well, the star of the show left, so everyone followed soon after," Kamishimoemon said. "Except for the Shizuka boys, uhh-"
"-Genzo and Kenzo-"
"Right. They hung around to help me clean up. Good boys." He patted the package. "Hungry?"
"What do you have there?"
"Don't know," Kamishimoemon said, shrugging. "It's something one of the Shizuka boys handed to me on the way here. Pointed me in the right direction, too."
Sanosuke smiled as his father opened the package to reveal rice cakes and some sake.
Kamishimoemon bit into a cake. "Mmmm ... delicious." he motioned at the cakes. "Help yourself."
The younger man did so. It was delicious.
"So," his father began after finishing his third cake.
"What?"
"What have you been up to, these past few years?"
Sanosuke frowned. "Well, I've been around."
His father shot him a look that said "if-I-wanted-THAT-response-I-wouldn't-have-asked-you-idiot-son".
"Alright, alright!" Sanosuke grumbled. It would help get my mind off Uki anyway, he thought. He took some of the sake.
"Here goes..." he began, and so he described his travels, carefully omitting details which he felt his father wouldn't be interested in anyway, although Sanosuke did wonder - during pauses for another swig of sake - if it was because he couldn't remember them to begin with.
Kamishimoemon listened intently, interrupting his son every now and then to put in his two yen's worth. But as time passed, the older man's admiration at his son's exploits became more and more evident.
Sanosuke spoke of defeating a shark in the sea south of China by punching it in the nose. He recounted his fight with a bear that towered over him, and how he barely escaped with his life.
He told of his months of life with native Americans, whose way of life was increasingly under threat.
Sanosuke spoke of having to learn the hard way why a matador doesn't just kill the rampaging bull, and how the appreciation of the spectators for the matador's grace in avoiding the beast, deftly controlling its movements, can be more important than any other reward.
When he got to his travels across China, Sanosuke hesitated.
Ling said something about revenge, he thought. Did I tick someone off that badly?
He glanced at his father, who had dozed off without Sanosuke realising it. He lay back.
I remember getting into fights and all ... but nothing so serious ... that would motivate someone to come all the way here to pick a fight, he thought.
Back to staring at the stars again, Sanosuke gave the matter of tomorrow's fight just a little more thought before he too, followed Kamishimoemon's lead and fell asleep.
Continued next chapter (parts seven to ten)