Chapter 2: Confrontation and Revenge

Kiyoshi could be found, one morning, diligently blocking a swiveling wooden doll with several limbs that the Sensei was commanding during their training session. This, Sensei said, was to help their blocking skills and to prepare them for anticipating moves from opponents. Kiyoshi had been progressing at a great pace with his training, so much so, that he was very much ahead of Kanaye. But he made up for it with his studies, for Kiyoshi just could not keep his attention on petty information that he probably would never use. Still the Lord insisted that he study and though Kiyoshi appreciated what the Lord was doing for him, he felt that it was an unnecessary gesture of kindness. What's more, he felt that he was really being treated badly. Sensei, who didn't treat him as if he was something that crawled out of the garbage, didn't exactly do his best to make Kiyoshi feel better. When sparring, if he made a mistake, it was severely punished with even more push ups, or laps around the palace or to watch, his cheeks red with humiliation as Kanaye would successfully accomplish his task, most which Kiyoshi had already mastered. He told himself that it was because he was training to become a fighter, and Sensei was only teaching what it would be like to be fighting in a real battle, that still didn't stop him from feeling that he was seriously getting the raw end of the deal. Kanaye was not having as hard a time as he, was he? At one point, he thought that Sensei was treating Kanaye better because he came from a family of rank, unlike Kiyoshi, whose family he could not remember. The only memory of his family that he had was the dream that recurred to him every now and then of the attack on the slaves when he was very young. Some memory, Kiyoshi thought.

This, among other reasons, was why Kiyoshi kept going with his training. He knew that it was a group of bandits that had attacked them that day. He couldn't understand why anyone would derive pleasure from it, but knew that through training he could help prevent that sort of thing from happening. That, and he couldn't take Kanaye beating him at everything lightly. Kiyoshi was awoken from his thoughts by a sharp pain in his side; one of the limbs had successfully breached his defenses and hit him hard on his arm. Kiyoshi felt a bruise forming and the skin turning purplish black.

"Kiyoshi! Pay attention, child! In battle, if your mind is elsewhere you will get killed. Do you want that?" Sensei said sternly.

"No, Sensei." Kiyoshi said, rubbing his arm where the doll had struck.

"Your mind must be alert at all times, or else even the smallest attack could become deadly. Now, let's continue with your training, and pay attention."

Sensei had decided to have a soldier help in the following demonstration. Sensei had the soldier attack Kiyoshi with a wooden sword, while Kiyoshi ducked, parried and blocked his attacks. He had been doing well, when the Lord came to watch them, and his concentration faltered for a minute as a blow from the sword nearly hit his arm. He jumped out of the way in time, but Sensei noticed the near hit and said, "Focus, Kiyoshi. In battle, distractions are everywhere. You must learn to ignore them."

Kiyoshi nodded in response and resumed his 'fight' with the soldier. At that point, Kanaye returned from his run around the courtyard and when he saw the Lord, he bowed deeply. Kiyoshi did not pay attention but continued parrying and dodging. It was to his surprise when Kanaye suddenly said, "Aiko chan? What a pleasant surprise, I did not expect you to come down to watch us train."

At this point Kiyoshi had lost all self control and turned his head to see that Aiko had been watching him with intrigue slightly behind the Lord. The soldier who did not know that Kiyoshi had turned his head, and expected him to block the hit, swung his wooden sword and hit Kiyoshi squarely in his side. It was as if all the wind was knocked out of him. A huge pain shot up in his ribs, red hot, and he felt as if he was paralyzed. His eyes watered in pain, though he did not cry, and he collapsed to the ground, clutching his ribs.

"Kiyoshi kun!" Kiyoshi heard Aiko cry in concern. Kiyoshi felt another pang of pain, though it was nowhere near his side. Kiyoshi opened his eyes slightly to see Aiko kneeling next to him, a look of great concern on her face, her eyes glassy with tears. He didn't like seeing her that way. He tried to smile to stop her from being so close to tears, but the pain in his side shot up again, and he nearly let out a cry of pain.

"Kiyoshi!" The Lord said in a booming voice.

Suddenly he felt two very strong hands lifting him up to a sitting position and wrench his hands away from his ribs. The hands started lightly touching the spot where Kiyoshi was hit, and Kiyoshi groaned in pain.

"Well, they're not broken."

Kiyoshi opened his eyes again to find Sensei standing up and saying, "He'll be alright. No bones have been broken, although he will get a rather large bruise. He'll still be able to train. What did I tell you, idiot boy!? About paying attention and ignoring distractions? Get up. You're fine."

Kiyoshi felt some of the pain subside, and stood up slowly. His side throbbed with pain as he did so. He felt a groan emerge in his throat but stopped it from getting out.

"Run a couple of laps, Kiyoshi. It will all stop hurting soon." Sensei said, and he turned around to speak to Kanaye, whose turn it was to train.

He was about to get started, when Aiko ran up to him and whispered, "I'm glad you're ok. But you looked amazing going against that soldier."

Kiyoshi beamed with pride.

The soldier had disappeared from sight, no doubt he returned to his position elsewhere. Kiyoshi knew that Kanaye would be talking about that one for days to come. No doubt lording it over how he didn't get hit by the soldier. He'd probably say that he had successfully beaten the soldier himself! Pompous idiot, Kiyoshi thought fiercely. He's probably showing off to Aiko chan right now. His face lit up into a smile. She was worried about me! She had even come running to my side! Right in front of Kanaye too! He stuck his fist in the air and gave a whoop of joy, ignoring the stabbing pain he felt as he did so. Slowly, though, the pain in his side did disappear, and Kiyoshi dared to touch the bruising skin. It was a huge bruise. He stopped running, and undid his coat. He looked at his side to find that it was occupied by a sword shaped bruise. It was black, blue, purple and even tinged in red. Shit! How am I supposed to go to sleep with this thing?! He thought wildly. He retied his coat back on and continued jogging, angrily thinking about all the serious disadvantages he had with a bruise that big.

That night, as he predicted, he didn't dare sleep on that side. In fact, he hadn't realized how many times that the sides of his body touched objects until he had hit his bruise five times afterward. During dinner, he sat a little way away from everyone, and they had all asked him why he was avoiding everyone. When he told them, they were all amazed that he had progressed so far in his training and were all making fun of Kanaye for being so far behind Kiyoshi. He felt a warm feeling of gratitude toward anyone who said this although Kiyoshi was getting tired of explaining what happened, and eventually, to Kiyoshi's immense relief, Kameko turned them all away.

That night, as Kiyoshi tried not to lay on the side that was hurt, the day replayed in his mind: how everyone had thought it was cool that he had actually trained against a soldier, how Kanaye was so weak he wasn't even up to what he was doing, how everyone, even Sensei had been worried if he was ok, and how Aiko had given him the biggest compliment he could ever receive in his entire life.

The next morning, after Kiyoshi had done all his duties, he was again ordered to go into the town to go shopping. He was in the middle of buying some cabbages when Kanaye came up to him, flanked by some rather thick friends.

"So you think you're so strong just because you trained against that soldier, don't you?" He asked, swaggering up to Kiyoshi.

"I have no clue what your talking about." Kiyoshi answered, not even turning to face him.

"I bet you do. You must have thought you were the best once Aiko started think you were amazing, huh? Yeah. I bet you like her don't you?" Kanaye sniggered, and his cronies followed suit.

Kiyoshi chose to ignore this comment and went on to the next stall.

"Ignoring us, now? What are you scared? Oh look, poor widdle Kiyoshi is scared! He's gonna run to his mommy for help!"

Kiyoshi felt his face burn with anger. But still he chose not to say anything against him.

"What? Don't you have a mommy? Oh I get it she died didn't she? Oh yes, that's right she died in that slave massacre didn't she? You don't even have any parents do you?"

Kiyoshi was shaking with anger. He had picked up a porcelain doll, and was holding it in his grip so hard, that it was likely it would break in two.

"Yeah that's right! And your father, you didn't even know your father did you? No one cares about you, Kiyoshi. No one. not even Aiko, no matter what you think. You're just a bastard son of a slave who has nowhere-"

Kanaye had stopped speaking for at that moment, Kiyoshi had wound up his fist and sent it hurtling straight for Kanaye's face, doll and all. Kanaye was sent backward, and was kept from falling by one of his friends. His hair had come out of its neat tie, and his face was red from humiliation or heat, Kiyoshi couldn't tell. Kanaye's face was red with anger or humiliation; Kiyoshi couldn't tell. Neither party moved for shock, but Kiyoshi had regained his senses and bolted quickly behind him.

Kanaye had regained his senses too and quickly darted after him.

"You're dead when I catch you Kiyoshi!" He yelled menacingly.

Kiyoshi thought wildly for what to do. If Kanaye caught him, he and his friends would most likely beat the pulp out of him. However, Kanaye wasn't as physically fit as Kiyoshi was, and his bulky friends were obviously not built for chases, and Kiyoshi found that he had lost Kanaye. He was still afraid that Kanaye would find him and so frantically he looked for a place to hide and found a suspicious looking store that he thought Kanaye would never dare go into.

He dived inside, and found himself inside a dark, half empty canteen. He looked around the poorly lit room, and decided to take a seat at one of the tables. The bartender looked at him suspiciously as if he was hiding a very deadly secret. Kiyoshi turned away from him and sat down at a table at the back of the bar, where he was surprised to see that clutched in his hand was the doll he held in his hand to punch Kanaye. It was broken, the beautiful gown it wore was torn, and its white face was covered in dirt, the paint almost sliding off due to the amount of sweat on his hands. He threw aside the doll and looked around the room to see if Kanaye had thought to come in here and to his surprise found himself being stared at avidly by the other customers. He was frightened to see that some of them were so close. He didn't remember any of them being this close when he chose the table . . . frightened, and feeling cornered, he stood up and made straight for the door, as the other customers seemed to come straight for him.

Before he could reach the door however, he bumped into a very solid object and fell down to the ground.

"Whoa, watch it!" Said a slightly familiar voice.

A little dazed, Kiyoshi looked up to see the face of Jakotsu, red lips, yukata and all. This time, however, he was carrying something with a handle on his back, and his face was shiny with sweat.

Kiyoshi and Jakotsu looked at each other for a minute before Jakotsu's face lit up in a smile and said, "Kiyoshi! How good to see you! Its been a long time! Oh whups, sorry about that, lemme help you up!"

Jakotsu reached a hand to help him up, which Kiyoshi took.

Jakotsu put an arm on his back and led him to the nearest table and called out to the bartender, "Two sake's, Ryozo and hurry it up!"

Kiyoshi sat down and looked around the pub to see that the other customers had all sat down already and were minding their own business. Idiots, he thought.

Ryozo, the bartender quickly brought a jug of sake and two little bowls of sake to drink from.

Jakotsu chugged his down as soon as he held his in his hand and proceeded to pour more from the jug.

"So," Jakotsu began, then put his lips to the bowl and drank again, "What brings you this side of town, eh? Deciding to go to the dark side huh? Rushing a bit, aren't we?"

"I was chased here." Kiyoshi said, a bit annoyed.

"You? Chased? You mean there are kids faster that you around?" Jakotsu asked, sincerely amazed.

"I'm not exactly a kid, you know. And you're not much older than me, by the looks of it." Kiyoshi said, the conversation not moving to his taste.

Jakotsu just nodded and drank another bowl of sake.

"So, are you going to explain why you were chased or am I going to interrogate you?"

"Why would I tell you? You'd probably just rob me anyway."

Jakotsu gave him a slightly comical expression of shock. "Me? Are you kidding me? I would never rob you. I'm not the type. Now those guys," He said pointing to the other customers, one of whom had picked up the porcelain doll Kiyoshi had dropped and was examining it for any value, "Well, I expect you get the picture."

For some strange reason, Kiyoshi believed him and decided to tell him the story. Jakotsu was a good listener, and when Kiyoshi finished he said, "Talk about a class A brat. What an asshole those aristocrats. That's why I would never associate with them."

"Lucky you." Kiyoshi said, as he picked up his bowl of sake and drank it. It tasted sweet and bitter at the same time, and Kiyoshi took quite a liking to it. "Not bad," He said, picking up the jug and filling his bowl up.

"Yeah, the best stuff, this."

"So listen, I've been thinking: who gave you you're name?" Jakotsu asked, taking the jug in turn

"What?" Kiyoshi asked, completely surprised at the question.

"Well who? You're mom, dad? Or did you not remember enough to know your name?" Jakotsu asked, interested.

"Well . . . " Kiyoshi began, and deciding that it wouldn't hurt to tell Jakotsu, said, "One of the servants up at the palace, Kameko. She's kind of like my caretaker."

"Oh . . . kind of like your mom?" Jakotsu offered.

"Yeah . . . yeah, I guess so." Kiyoshi said, downing a third bowl.

"That's cool. I never met any of my relatives. So its cool that you have a mother figure." Jakotsu said, without any inhibition.

"Oh . . . I'm er sorry?" Kiyoshi offered. He wasn't sure Jakotsu should have told him that right away.

"Nah, don't be. They were idiots to get themselves killed." Jakotsu said without emotion before he drank another bowl of sake.

"So listen," He said, after a pause, "If you want, I can help you get back at this Kanaye character." Jakotsu said, putting the bowl down.

"Huh?" Kiyoshi said, confused.

"I mean, this idiot, Kanaye, he pissed you off, I can help you get revenge."

"How?" Kiyoshi asked, his interest peaking.

"Well . . . " And Jakotsu launched into his plan for revenge. Kiyoshi leaned forward eagerly to listen and smiled mischievously as he heard of the plan for attack.

A/n: Man, two chapters in a week?! That's nuts! Well hope you enjoy!