Chapter 4 Translations –
Ajina: Clever; Witty
Houtai: Bandage
Junsa: Police; Policeman
Soodo: Sword
Zokuto: Bandit
(…Six Months Later, Winter)
"Do you think she misses us?" – Misora said in-between mouthfuls of rice.
"Maybe a little, but I'm sure Tsugata Ajina-san has her more than busy learning some form of the Battou-jutsu sword technique. He tried to explain it all to me, but I really didn't understand it all." – he said.
"Sounds to be a lot of mumbo-jumbo stuff to me. Well, with all that, she should have a pretty level head when she gets back to us." – she replied.
"Hopefully! Hee, Hee…either that or she'll be more screwed up than ever!" – he said through a forced laugh.
"Taikyo-san! Let's hope for the best. I'm sure she'll be more informed in fighting and swordsmanship; and quite energetic with them both, but she'll be ok. She has to be. We can't be around for her forever. She has to find herself a decent life, and still be able to defend herself. You know how it is for women." – Misora sadly said.
"Yes, I do. I'm sorry. You know I didn't mean to say that. I was joking…well; maybe I shouldn't joke like that. You know I care for her." – he said, putting his chop-sticks down.
"Yeah, and so do I. We both love her, but her energy was just too much for our old age to handle. Remember what happened?" – she questioned. And with that, they both sat in muted remembrance…
About three weeks after Cheisha-san's visit, he returned with a list of possible masters who were accepting new students. Taikyo hesitated to tell Misora about it, but he quickly found out that he didn't have to be so apprehensive.
One day, after returning from Nara in selling vegetables, he was greeted by a very upset Misora. Shinkara apparently had tried jumping on top of a roof, in imitation of one of the "soodo-junsa". She had seen one of them chase a thief, who was trying to evade the authorities by climbing a tree. The junsa had easily jumped on a nearby house and effortlessly caught the criminal.
In imitation of this, Shinkara tried doing the same thing, only to end up hurting her ankle. She complained all month because the doctor had to put her leg in a houtai. She hated having to stay around the house all day, and help with the chores. Her complaining eventually got to Misora so badly, that as soon as the houtai came off, she was begging Taikyo to do something about Shinkara's restlessness.
So the subject of her attending a dojo came up. He showed her the list of the masters that were available in the local area. Instead of deciding, they allowed Shinkara to pick…
"YAY! So, I don't have to do chores anymore?" – Shinkara asked wide-eyed and totally irrepressible.
"Well, not here anymore, anyway. So where do you think you want to go? There are two masters in Nara who teach ninpou, where you can learn some the ninja arts. There are also at least six who live in the city of Kyoto: two teaches aikido, three who teach jujutsu, and one who teaches Chinese karate. There's another one further toward Kyoto…but, never mind him…" – Taikyo was cut off.
"What do you mean 'never mind'?" – came the question from the reddened-face of happiness.
"Well, dear, Kyoto is too far away. It would take some days just to get there from here. Your master might not let you visit as often if you were further away from us." – Misora tried to explain. However, the face that stared back at her was blank.
"Oh. Who else is there? Is that all?" – her questions seemed to roll off her tongue.
"No there's one more: a 'Mr. Tsugata Ajina'. There isn't much about him. See, we got this information from your teacher. He knew you were getting close to being out of school, and wanted you to be taken care of. I found out that the masters in Nara run respected schools, and the master near Kyoto really has a student already. But, your sensei gave us almost no information on Ajina-san. I understand that he is a master in the fighting of Batto-justu. So, what do you want to do, Shinkara?" – he finally asked.
"Is Bat-jusoo-whatever fun?" – she asked.
"Honey, I don't think any…" – Misora started, but was cut off by a wave of Taikyo's hand.
"It's as fun as you make it. There will be some work involved, but I'm sure that you and Ajina-san will be able to approach that with like minds. So, who do you want to see? Remember, once you choose, you can't change." – Taikyo stated in a stern voice.
"I'll try the 'Ajina-san' person. Is she close by?" – the answer was totally innocent.
"I think Ajina-san's living near our village, somewhere in the foothills to the west. And Tsugata Ajina is a man…do you still wanna go?" – he tentatively asked, and after a long pause…
"Sure! He'll teach me how to jump off stuff." – she said through a grin.
"I'm sure he will. And next time you won't fall and hurt your ankle either." – Misora added.
"And when I'm good at Bat-jusoo-whatever, I'll find those 'zokuto-turds' and kill them for what they did…" – Taikyo mouthed, remembering exactly what Shinkara said to Misora's reply.
"She'll never come back to us, will she?" – Misora asked; her face swallowed in a river of tears.
Taikyo got up, crossed the fire and sat next to his wife. He knew exactly how she felt. They were never able to have children. Misora was sold to a brothel at a young age, and her reproductive organs were greatly damage. He met her one day, and took her as his wife once he left being a teacher of art. (As of now, they grow vegetables and sell them in a food-mart in local Nara.) They had been married for twenty-four years and were childless, until five-and-half years ago. Now, it seems they were going to loose the one they loved between them the most.
"She'll return to us, my love. I just hope that we'll be alive to greet her." – he replied to her anguish, holding her in his arms, and speaking a tender voice upon her ear.
'I just hope that she doesn't change for the worst. Oh, I hope our dear Shinkara doesn't loose her soul to violence…" – he mentally prayed, shedding tears of his own.