Chapter Fifteen
One Wall Unto Many
>>>Night - May 6, 1583
It is not often that one encounters the smell of raw minerals in the air, especially in the urban environments where more and more people tend to congregate as time goes on. At first, it may be offensive, almost overpowering, but it soon transforms into a feeling of cleansing, of being more alive now than just a moment ago.
Fuji was quite sure that he enjoyed the smell. At an earlier time in his life, he had been taken along on a pilgrimage to a different onsen. He couldn't remember the name of the place, nor most of the journey, but Fuji could definitely remember the unique smell and the warmth of the water. In truth, the apprentice would have loved to take a dip at this particular moment in time, but the thought of running into his comrades kept him chained to the outside porch on which he had chosen to relax.
Relaxation should have been easy here. The warm mineral smell of the hot springs drifted through the air, crickets chirped their songs into the night sky, and pine trees swayed wistfully in the breeze, the rustle of their leaves adding a blissful background to the symphony of the evening. No matter how Fuji tried to envelop himself in the atmosphere, though, the pain in his chest persisted. It was an awful pressure that had been steadily increasing ever since the apprentice's confrontation with Noriko. Fuji really wanted to not care about what had happened. Sure, Noriko probably hated him now. Sure, the group was probably going to break apart over this. And sure, this was all really trivial in the face of certain death at the hands of the mountain's resident assassins.
Fuji leaned back and stared intently at the twinkling starlight obscured by clouds. Why? Why wouldn't this pressure subside?
"Rough evening?" a voice called from the other side of the deck.
Fuji turned toward the voice, startled for just a moment before he recognized the blue kimono of the mansion's tentant, Ari. "Gateau-san? Yes, I believe you could say that."
Ari moved forward with graceful steps that barely seemed to have any impact at all. "I heard much of your conversation with your friends. Are you alright?"
Fuji felt that weird shiver again. Why was this woman concerned over such a thing? "Well, I don't think Noriko meant to hurt me. If that had been true, I'd probably be dead."
Ari took a seat with her back to the wall just a few inches away from Fuji's right. "Hmm, she is a woman of strong intent."
"You're telling me." Fuji agreed. "It sure didn't take much to get her to abandon Takashi, though."
Ari looked toward the apprentice pensively, her blonde hair shifting at delicate angles. "Do you believe that Noriko's actions were incorrect?"
"Incorrect?" Fuji questioned. "I don't know if I could say that. Takashi did hold out on us, but I can't imagine that he'd betray any of us now. You can practically feel it in his voice; there's a lot more pain behind that story than I think I could even imagine."
"You're probably right," Ari responded. "Everyone has something in their past that they'd rather forget. Are you not the same, Fuji?"
Fuji looked toward Ari with confusion. "The same? What do you mean?"
Ari laughed slightly. "Are you trying to say that you've never done anything that you regret?"
Fuji searched his mind quickly. To tell the truth, there wasn't really anything about his past that he wanted to do over again or take back. That is, except for one thing . . .
Mitsune . . .
Fuji looked away from Ari's piercing stare. "I think I can see your point, at least somewhat."
There was a moment of silence before Ari spoke again.
"Fuji, can I ask you something of a personal nature?"
The apprentice turned his gaze back toward the tenant. "Personal? Why would you be interested in that?"
"I don't mean to offend," Ari explained, her eyes shifting from left to right. "I just, I wanted to ask you some things. May I?"
Although Fuji couldn't account for the woman's sudden turn of interest, he didn't really mind sharing things about himself. "Go ahead."
"How much do you remember about your past? You're not originally from Japan, especially with that blonde hair and those blue eyes."
Fuji scratched the back of his head with embarrassment. "That's something I've wondered about every day of my life. Since I was abandoned at the Grand Ise Shrine when I was very young, I don't remember anything about where I came from. How about you, Gateau-san? Your hair color is the same as mine."
Ari stroked her locks of blonde hair tentatively. "I was brought here as the newlywed wife of a prominent daimyo. After he died in battle, I was dismissed from service and taken in by the people of New Komo Town."
"What's it like?" Fuji asked, suddenly taking great interest. "The place where you came from, is it different than Japan?"
Ari smiled warmly. "The world is not Japan, young Fuji. There are many sights that your eyes have not yet seen in this country alone, much less in the world as a whole. Still, are you sure that you remember nothing of your real parents? Not even a feeling or two?"
Fuji was slightly perturbed. What was with that question? "Nothing at all, really. I think of Genji as my father, since he raised me. As for my real parents, who knows? Considering that they abandoned me so long ago, I have to wonder if I really want to know them at all. What kind of people do that sort of thing anyway?"
Ari rose suddenly and placed a hand to her chest. "Fuji, you should talk to your friends now. Takashi is in the men's baths; Megumi is in the women's."
Fuji rose as well. "Did I say something, Gateau-san?"
Ari sighed. "No, not really. I just think you should focus more on talking with your friends than sitting by yourself and mulling over your problems with them. Which activity do you think is more productive?"
Fuji smiled. "Thanks, Gateau-san. Thank you for everything you've done for us."
Ari smiled in return. "It's not a problem, Fuji. Just do me a favor, and don't let your stay go to waste. Peaceful times are the rarest pleasure in the world, and the least often treasured."
As Ari walked away into the building, Fuji felt that weird shivering sensation. Actually, when he saw Ari smile that last time, he had felt a serious wave of deja-vu. Had he met this Ari somewhere before?
>>>
For some reason, Noriko couldn't stop pacing across her training area at the cliffs above the hot springs. What the hell? Everything she'd said in that building had been absolutely, 100-percent true, so why did she feel so damned anxious now? Of course she didn't care about those idiots! Who in their right mind would?
Her sandals continued to make soft patter sounds as she nearly raced back and forth, her hand gripping the handle of the Amatsuotome tightly. Something else was working her nerves right now. Sure, she hadn't really intended to give that uppity Shinto apprentice such a mouthful until much later, but there was something out there. Something in the woods. Something in the woods to her immediate-
"Hey there!"
Noriko almost jumped out of her kimono at the sound of that voice. The swordswoman's blade nearly drew itself as she turned to face the man in the black kimono who had addressed her. His name escaped Noriko's lips in a deathly growl.
"Matsuda Jiro!"
Jiro put his hands forward, not even making the slightest motion toward his weapon. "Now, now; calm down little missy. I didn't come here to start a fight, though I'm sure Raijin would get a kick out of it if I was actually a part of his freaky 'Blood Oath' and obeyed his every order like those other two saps."
Noriko could barely contain her anger. Would a quick strike be the best option? No, the sword master was doubtlessly prepared for such an act. "What makes you think I care whose side you're on! That's my father's necklace you're wearing! How could you have obtained it if you didn't murder him!"
"Murder him?" Jiro smiled. "So that's what this is all about. You think I killed your father? What was his name?"
"Itagaki." Noriko breathed. "Itagaki Masanori!"
"Masanori . . ." Jiro ruminated, stroking his chin to emphasize the fact that he was thinking. "Ah, actually, I remember that guy. He was a little less skilled than you, which is still a pretty low rung on my ladder when you think about it."
"So it's true," Noriko grated. "You are the murderer! Face me and we shall settle this, cretin!"
Jiro laughed out loud. "Face you? Were you even awake when I pummeled you back at Old Komo Town? What do you honestly think you can do against a guy like me anyway?"
Noriko's hand gripped her katana like a vice. "How about I tell you after this sword is buried two feet into your face!"
The swordswoman dashed forward in a lightning-quick attack, but the Yaen Master simply laughed harder and disappeared into the foliage.
"That's a real good line, Nori-chan! Did you learn that from your dad, too?"
Noriko's face contorted with sheer anger as she recklessly gave chase. "Don't you dare call me by that name! I'll tear your living guts out, you murdering scum! You hear me! Come back here!"
>>>
Fuji sighed with pleasure as he sank his towel-clad body into the steaming waters of the Yunoyama hot springs. The pool was surrounded on all sides by stone slopes, the only exception to this being the wooden divider between the men's and women's baths. A wooden deck lead back toward the mansion, but Fuji had opted to immerse himself in the spring water rather than enjoy it from the side. The entire area glowed red from the hanging lanterns as steam from the water rose high into the night sky above.
The apprentice soaked his body lower into the relatively shallow pool, leaning back against the wooden divider. True, there was nobody around, but Fuji still felt self-conscious about being naked in such an open space. Not that there was anything to be ashamed of; the apprentice had gained a slight yet sturdy build from his days of training and exercise at the Ise shrine.
Fuji allowed his mind to become enveloped in the warm, tingling sensation of the hot spring water. This felt great, almost as if all his problems were floating away along with the steaming mist. The onsen he'd been to years ago was enjoyable enough, but this was a whole lot better. Perhaps the spring was more helpful to someone who truly had problems to think about in the first place. Fuji sighed heavily again just before he felt a slight tremor in the wooden divider.
"Is that you, Fuji?"
The apprentice nearly jumped in surprise before reminding himself of the divider's presence. "Uh, yeah. Who's there?"
There was a slight giggle. "It's me, Megumi."
Fuji again slumped back on the divider. "You felt like taking a dip too?"
"Actually," Megumi answered. "I've never tried it before. It feels really nice. I asked Yuki to come, but I don't think she wants to talk right now."
"Understandable," Fuji mused. "That last conversation with Noriko wasn't the most enjoyable of experiences."
There was a short silence before Megumi spoke again. "Fuji, are you mad at Takashi?"
"Mad?" Fuji questioned. "No, why would I be?"
"I just don't understand." Megumi replied. "Noriko got really mad when she found out that Takashi did bad things in the past."
Fuji looked up toward the stars. "I don't think Noriko was really angry about what Takashi did back then. I think what upset her was that Takashi wasn't honest about that to begin with."
Megumi shifted against the wooden divider. "You think she can't trust him anymore?"
"If I had to guess," Fuji responded. "That's what I'd say. Trust is a big thing, especially between those who fight alongside each other. I mean, what if one of your fellow ninjas hadn't been honest with you back when you worked for the Iga?"
There was another pause. "Trust is really important, isn't it?"
"Yeah," Fuji replied. "If you don't trust somebody, then there's no way you can be friends with them."
"Hey, Fuji?" Megumi began. "Do you trust me?"
Fuji was taken aback for a moment. He'd honestly never thought about Megumi that way. "Well, sure I do. I mean, why wouldn't I?"
"Takashi hasn't done anything to lose our trust since we met," Megumi explained. "But Noriko still doesn't trust him."
Fuji sighed. "Some people place more importance on the past than on the present. As for me, if I have to judge someone's character, it would only be on what I've seen of them and nothing more, understand?"
Fuji could feel Megumi nod vigorously, even though he obviously couldn't see her. "Yes, I think so."
A long silence followed. Fuji was just beginning to nod off when Megumi's voice came over the divider.
"Hey, Fuji?"
The apprentice rose slightly from a slump. "What?"
"You said that you trust me, right?"
"Of course." Fuji replied.
"Do you think . . ." Megumi wondered aloud. "Do you think we could be friends?"
Fuji thought about it a moment before answering. "Sure, why not?"
"Wai!" Megumi exclaimed. "I've never had a friend before; what does it mean?"
The apprentice was dumbfounded. "Never had one? Well, it means that we'll be there for each other whenever we need help. At least, that's the best way I could sum it up."
"Fuji," Megumi began. "I trust Takashi too. I trust Noriko, Yuki, and Jeffy-san; can we all be friends?"
"That's the tricky thing." Fuji replied. "To be friends with someone, the trust has to be mutual."
>>>
The screen door slid open with a sharp thud that caused Yuki to turn in surprise. Takashi stood in the doorway, his face crossed heavily with apprehension. The catgirl rose from her seat next to the window and faced the ronin.
"What is it?"
Takashi folded his arms across his chest. "Why didn't you have anything to say to Noriko about what happened eight years ago?"
Yuki looked away uncomfortably. "I really didn't have anything to say at all. Your version of the story is the best one for them to hear right now."
"My version?" Takashi questioned. "How could there be more than one? I think you weren't even there at all!"
Yuki's eyes widened. "Why would you say something like that?"
Takashi grinned as he walked toward the young raiju. "You thought you could impersonate someone from my past so easily? The Yuki I knew aged normally, so how can you be the very same age as back then? Even better, Yuki died on that night eight years ago! How could you possibly be her?"
Yuki looked back toward the night sky outside. "So, this is why you've avoided me all this time."
"Damn right." Takashi huffed. "There are only two things that I can't figure out: the 'how' and the 'why'."
Yuki continued to stare out the window. "You'd do anything to avoid the real truth of that night, wouldn't you?"
The ronin stiffened visibly. "What truth?"
Yuki put a hand to the left side of her face and cackled softly. "You're so transparent, just like back then. I didn't die that day, and neither did Hideaki, not that it did us any good. My brother blamed you for everything and sold his soul to that Raijin, leaving me in the dust just like you did. I find you eight years later, and you make up stories to keep me away? This is really laughable, even for you Taka-kun."
"Your age," Takashi simply stated. "You can't deny that you haven't aged one bit since that day. What's your explanation for that?"
Tears began to stream down Yuki's face. "Just go away, Taka-kun. Keep believing that I'm not real, or that I'm not who I say I am. If that helps you deal with the fact that you left us to die, then just go do it somewhere else."
Takashi seemed frozen in place for a moment, as if these were the first words uttered by Yuki that had actually had an impact on him. The ronin made to leave, but stood in the doorway for a moment, his head bowed low causing the tails of his white headband to fall over his arms.
"You're just like the Yuki I knew, in every single way. Maybe I am making things up to keep away from you, maybe not. If I knew, I would tell you. There are holes in my memory, things that don't fit together or don't quite add up. I should have just asked without assuming things for myself."
"Please," Yuki sobbed. "I want to be alone right now."
Takashi put a hand to the screen door. "Gomen nasai, Yuki-chan."
(End Chapter Fifteen)
Japanese Dialogue and Terms (in order of appearance):
wai - an expression of delight, though mostly used either by children or girls trying to be cute.
