All that matters

This story is actually three years old. I just found it, realized it was finished and decided to post it. Between some chapters there is a time span of a couple years, between others merely a day or a few hours. I hope this will not be confusing.

These characters are not mine, they all belong to Hiroaki Samura, except for the occasional side character.

Chapter 1: Change of pace

"Young Master! Young Master!" The urgent whisper jumbled his world for what seemed like an eternity. Everything turned brighter and with a stifled moan, Anotsu Kagehisa awoke to another day.

"What is it?" he whispered. What was the hour? It felt a lot earlier than usual.

"I'm sorry to wake you up so early, young Master, but sir Kuroi asked me to." the servant said, bowing his head to the floor. "He said, that a new recruit has arrived. An...unusual recruit."

Unusual? The jumble of men they had gathered so far was as diverse as the contents of a trash can. How could anything be considered unusual anymore? Still, Kagehisa got up with a yawn. If he was up, he might as well get started.

As he walked down the hallway, it struck him that, despite the months that had passed since his grandfather's death, he still carried a feeling of relief. No more dread, no more fear, no more shame. Everywhere he looked, he saw respect. Anotsu Kagehisa, leader of the Itto-ryu. Or well, almost anyway. But Abayama was still asleep.

He was free. Life had begun.

Postponing breakfast, he hurried outside, into the cold morning air. An unusual recruit?

"He's your age, young Master." Kuroi kept his voice low as they crossed the yard to the recruits' building.

Anotsu studied him. "Is that what makes him a curiosity?"

Kuroi smiled. "No, sire. See, he's...a peasant."

Kagehisa stopped dead in his tracks. Kuroi continued.

"He was very weary when he arrived. I thought about dismissing him right away...but I settled for letting him prove himself first. I had him performing a test of aim...and I must say, it showed potential." They both stopped and he studied his master.

"Your grandfather would turn in his grave, young Kagehisa. But I suspect that that...is exactly what you want, no?"

Kagehisa smiled. "Show me to him."

The boy was dirty, skinny, and had hair resembling a bush. It took a lot of Kagehisa's effort to avoid staring at the tall, spiky straws in wide-eyed fascination.

"You said your name was...?"

"Taito", the boy mumbled, shoulders hunched. His gaze darted between the walls, eyeing everything suspiciously.

"So why are you here?"

"Because I want to learn how to fight."

Kagehisa studied the boy's dirty, weary-looking face, and got a defiant glare back that immediately got on his nerves.

"Well, Taito, first we have to see if you're fit for it. The training is pretty tough. I hope you don't think you're going to become a samurai in a week-"

"I DON'T WANT TO BECOME NO FUCKING SAMURAI!" The scream took Kagehisa completely aback. The door slammed open and Kuroi entered, sword drawn, but he was calmed down with a raised hand from Kagehisa.

Taito sat back down, breathing hard, eyes glazed

"...I wanna kill them. Cut them into pieces. All of them. Every single one." He whispered, almost like a mantra. He looked like he was going to cry.

Kagehisa rose. "That temper will get you killed. Get rid of that and maybe we can make something out of you." He was at first rewarded with a glare, but after a while, it subsided and the boy sagged, looking nothing but weary. Kagehisa looked at him for a while, pondering what he'd been through to be in such a state. After some quick thinking, he made a decision.

"Rest. Training starts tomorrow. Look me up as soon as you're awake." With that, he left to continue his day. An unusual one, to be sure.