Thanks to Reijiro, Dierdre and Jessiy Landroiz for beta-reading. I really love you guys!
And thanks to BleedMiMi for the gift of the Karai pixel dolls she made for me! w
Characters belong to Mirage and 4Kids! Entertainment.
CHAPTER FOUR – COMING-OF-AGE
January 15th. The second Monday, in the first month, of the new year.
This was a special day across the country, for it was the time that thousands of young men and women were not only celebrating their twentieth birthday, but their new entry into adulthood.
Many attended the local prefectural offices within their areas, to listen to the speeches given by the elected officials congratulating them on this day, repeating the same wish that the new adults would contribute their efforts effectively to the community.
Some of these men and women, however, did not really wish to attend the talks in their smart suits and stunning furisode. Either they watched them as they were broadcast to thousands of homes nationwide, varied from region to region; or they went away after having sat through these useless lectures to engage themselves in much awaited fun and merrymaking with their friends, showing an appreciation for their new freedom as legal, grown citizens. At long last, no one could tell them off for smoking or drinking, as well as other privileges now available to them that weren't before.
But for another family, today was far too important to waste on such trivial matters.
When she woke up, she knew that today had finally come. Even if she wanted to deny it - which a very small part of her did, in faint disbelief –nothing would shake away the growing sense of courage in her heart as she steeled herself for what had to be done. She had awaited for this day with tentative anticipation. As time wore on, the prospect of reaching adulthood only grew sharper in her mind, since it meant she would no longer be a teenage girl.
She would become an actual woman, and would thus be seen and treated as one by everyone else around her, including her own sensei.
And even her relationship with him was to going to change. She would no longer be his student, but would instead graduate to being one of the ninja in his service; while he would naturally be elevated in her eyes from her mentor to the jonin of her clan. Yet, although it may seem different to the unlearned, in truth it wouldn't be that much different from before: the student's relationship with their sensei is close to that of a warrior and his lord. Ever since he had begun to teach her the way of ninjutsu and the code of servitude in Bushido, she had referred to him as 'Master Oroku', before simply 'Master'.
The reason behind this polite refrain was because she had started to feel the hormonal pains and changes brought on by puberty. Once her regular bleeding had started to take place each month, the path of her impending future was already marked down, setting her up to physically and mentally mature into the person she was soon to become.
For today was the day she would answer her calling as a member of the Foot clan, and take on her obligations to her family.
She already knew that there were no reasons why this should be avoided. When someone comes of age, there are always new roles to take on and new tasks to be fulfilled. And as an adult, it would be grossly irresponsible to try and shirk her duties: only shame and dishonour could be gained from such things. And it wouldn't just fall on oneself, but also onto the parents, who had done what they could to provide for and raise the child to the best of their ability.
The last thing Karai wanted to do was upset or betray her father in carrying out her obligations. Not only would this show that she was incapable of proving herself as a warrior, it would also reveal that she couldn't even be a moderately important asset for him to rely on when need required. Right now, there was no actual guarantee of whether she'd manage to succeed in carrying out her responsibilities. Her initiation into her master's clan was today, and it called for her to set aside her worries and concerns, especially if she was to prove her new level of maturity.
"Mistress Karai..?" came a voice from outside her room, one which she wasn't very familiar with.
"Yes?" she responded, after a slight hesitation. The door was slowly slid open and a small man – one of her master's aides, she realised – appeared, prostrating to her on the ground before sitting up on his knees. Once she saw what was in his lap, folded neatly for her, she politely lowered her head in return.
It had really begun.
Oroku Saki waited inside the main dojo of the Foot Headquarters. He kept the newly crafted sword by his side, as it was to be a very crucial part of his student's coming-of-age ceremony.
Back during the glorious years of his rule over the country, this ritual was known as genpuku, rather than Seijin shiki; it was undergone by young boys who were ready to be made into men at the age of fifteen, once they received their daisho and were assigned their territories. Now, he was no longer in control as the Shogun of the lands. The social environment shifted over time as Japan opened itself up to the world without his consent, and it began to take on various foreign ideas and concepts...even allowing for his enemies to escape abroad.
Nonetheless, it didn't mean that he couldn't also adapt. There were other venues from which to claim power, other areas to make part of his empire. And, consequently, there were other opportunities to take advantage of.
Today was one of them. Today, his most trusted student would at last join his side; an event which he had been anticipating for some time. A long time, in all fairness. And although there were differences, particularly that his student was female and older than fifteen, the importance of genpuku was still applicable: she would become a warrior and take on new duties, not just as a ninja, but as the chunin – the second-in-command - to the Shredder. No one else was really suited for that position, not even the two men who had held it previously; so long as they kept their vow to remain loyal to his demands through obeying her, her place would be secured.
It didn't take too long for his charge to arrive at the large training hall, unaccompanied by anyone. There were reasons why he had chosen to meet with her here, instead of his throne room. Among them was the matter of potential interference from other people, such as the Elite Guard. And they were only a concern, because he was well aware that his student was no longer small enough to easily sneak past their watch.
It would merely enrage him, if he found she had to literally fight just to get in. He didn't have any doubt in regards to her fighting skills (who better than the Shredder to know personally his own pupil's combat strengths and stealth?), but it would be an affront to his plans if anything like that had actually happened. The Elite were powerful and efficient enough to prevent unidentified intruders from entering for the most part, which thus led to his decision that their involvement would be grossly unnecessary for today.
And because of his decision, the key part of the long-awaited event would now commence: the receiving of the katana.
Once she saw the new uniform that had been prepared for her, Karai knew that her coming-of-age ceremony had already begun. And when she got a proper look at what she was going to wear – particularly the vest, which was similar to her master's jacket – it served as a reminder of what was to be expected of her in his absence.
As she dressed in the uniform she made sure she did so next to a mirror, in order to check on her overall appearance. Somehow, the reflection seemed strange to her…even though she knew who she was looking at. At least, she thought she knew. It seemed surreal at first that her life would witness such an important turning point today, but she already had accepted her fate and wanted to go through with it properly.
And yet, upon looking at herself in the mirror, she felt…unfamiliar.
That couldn't really be her, could it? There didn't seem to be any proper sign that the person in the reflection was really an important member of the Foot clan, let alone a young woman known as Karai. That was right when an idea came to her mind, leading her to search through the small vanity table in her room.
The red bandanna.
After she'd been left behind in the streets she used to wear one around her head, possibly to look much stronger than she actually was; or perhaps as a simple accessory and nothing more…She couldn't recall which one it was, since her more vivid memories of her life before were of being homeless and abandoned… until the man in hakama appeared. However, despite his own refined tastes and privileged way of living, he had no objections to the thin strip of cloth she wore during their training together; up until it became best for her to practise alone.
Although it had been so integrated into her physical identity, she felt that it was simply a symbol of her younger years and nothing more; a token from the past that was no longer needed. But now it seemed like a very good idea to use it again today, if only to enhance her appearance as a warrior.
And judging by how her reflection now looked in the mirror, a wise idea, at that.
Satisfied, she slid back open the door and left her room, taking care to roll it shut again. Then, she walked confidently down the corridor; going down the staircase and then stopping once she approached the dojo's entrance, adorned with an enlarged crest of the Foot clan.
Right in front of the door were her lord's aides, dressed up for battle. Short and tall, black and purple, they stared at Karai with focused, hardened eyes as they obstructed her way, coming towards her. What is the meaning of this? Perhaps he wanted to see if she was really worthy of joining the clan – could that be it? Brushing aside the bewilderment of what seemed to be happening, the young kunoichi then readied herself into a defensive, fighting stance by spreading out her feet and raising her fists. The odds of winning didn't appear to be completely in her favour, since unlike the two ninja present she was unarmed. But there was still some limit to what a warrior could do with their weapons. That was one of the things she learned from Oroku Saki, and if she was to prove that she deserved to join his side in the Foot, then –considering the current situation - it would have to be the principle tactic for her to trust.
The men who were key members of her master's clan advanced boldly and calmly towards her, and she kept her stance firm and ready…but just a few steps away, they stopped and lowered themselves to the ground, while staying propped up on one knee.
"Our master has been waiting for you, Mistress." said the one who wore the purple tunic. He and his smaller, bald companion in the black tunic dipped their heads down in not only allegiance, but a particular degree of respect for the successor who would take on their former role. Feeling a mixture of mild surprise and relief, she relaxed her stance.
Graciously, she rested her arms by her sides and bent herself forward; pleased to find at least some support from the warriors she was soon to be leading.
"Thank you." Bowing in reply, the two men stepped aside to allow her to pass through. There was almost a slight moment of nervous hesitation, but it was overcome as the kunoichi rolled away the large door to step inside.
There, at the back, was her master; standing in a manner that seemed to highlight his nobility and wisdom. He looked at her calmly and bowed his head, taking heed of his student's presence. In his hands was a katana, sheathed in an elegant, black scabbard with scarlet diamond patterns. Her katana. Or soon-to-be, at least…very soon.
Long before the abolishment of the samurai caste the eldest sons of each clan were prepared, at a certain age, to honour their families and be made almost equal to their elders. It was at this time in their lives that they were to take on their obligations – their giri – not just as men, but as warriors who were expected to do anything for their master – even die fighting for him. Such was the power of this law, that even retainers who had left their daimyo's service remembered it in their hearts, for the rest of their lives.
To ensure success for the new warriors, their elders arranged for them to pay a visit to the patrons of their clan. The kami. Exalted beings, connected with the heavens and the mortal earth, who watched over the residents in the Land of the Gods, offering aid and divine encouragement to their believers. For the purpose of meeting with these beings, the new warriors were dressed in their adult clothes and changed their hair styles, adopting the required chomage, the samurai topknot, to show their positions as proud men, rather than mere, ignorant boys.
Aside from being presentable to the deities whose protection and well-wishes they were seeking, this showed that they had taken into account that they had to leave the naïve comfort and safety of their childhood worlds and accept the harsher, more brutal reality that surrounded them; as well as the consequences it was capable of bringing.
Over time the country's spirituality seemed to dissolve, but the kami remained, if only due to respect and tradition. However, even though the conditions were stretched to the extent that not everyone was actually willing to provide offerings and continuous praise for them, it didn't mean that the environment was too hostile towards them. They instead took on other forms to suit the people's wants and interests; that in turn helped to excuse the amount of apathy to their roles in the land.
So much, perhaps, that one of them actually chose to give exclusive elevation to the subject who was loyal to him for reasons totally unrelated to divinity, rather than the enthusiastic, submissive masses who pursued his power.
The Shredder looked at his charge, as he stood in the dojo with his clan's symbol glaring on the folded screen behind him. As she held her position, patiently and unflinching, he brought forth the katana he had been holding for her, to use during her new role in their clan. Nothing else would carry the same significance as the blade for the warrior's coming-of-age ceremony; not even the mere acquisition of a high title, and he knew this well as he carefully pulled the sword partly out of its sheath to expose it to the new light.
As this happened the Shredder kept his eyes trained on the young woman, kneeling down before him. The katana was more than just a simple weapon to use in the course of combat against rivals...it was a transformation. A reflection of the warrior's soul, from the moment of its creation to the moment of its destruction. It was a medal, to be worn and used wisely without the toils of excess. As the philosophy of Hagakure mentioned, a blade never sheathed could harm the warrior's reputation, as could a blade allowed to become dull inside its scabbard, without much use at all.
As his gaze remained on both the katana and his pupil, he then slid the sword back into its scabbard, easing his grip on the weapon as he lowered it closer towards her. Karai didn't say anything to him while she lifted her hands up from the dojo's floor to receive what was her rightful property. Instead, as she accepted the sword with her hands, she made sure to take a glance at her master's expression to confirm her thoughts and feelings regarding what he had reassured her of, yesterday.
And, without hiding his own emotions whatsoever, he smiled. I am very pleased with you, Karai. There was no need to hear this being said; it was enough to actually know it was there.
Somewhere in the Land of the Gods, in the building of the Foot Headquarters, there was a strong feeling of pride and gratification to be seen. But it didn't belong to everyone who resided in that building.
It was only meant for two people to feel and, perhaps, to share. Anyone else would have watched the entire thing and frowned grimly at seeing another person join the 'dark side' by entering the Foot clan. But this wasn't the complete truth.
It wasn't just the well-established connection between a ninja and the Shredder that generated this good feeling. It was the happiness between a warrior and her master, on the most important occasion of their lifetime. And right now, there was nothing that could go wrong to take away their personal happiness on this event.
After the young woman had looked up, not even the formal bow that she gave after taking the katana from her sensei's hands seemed enough to describe the truth of her response. I will always be loyal, my master. Until my inevitable, last breath.
She wasn't just the new Head of the Japanese faction of the Foot clan, or the second-in-command to the Shredder…she was an adult.
A/N
A HUGE thank you to Sakan, the owner of the Freak-FREAK Website. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't have avoided such an unnecessary mistake in making Karai go through Seijin shiki as well as genpuku in the end, as she told me that the latter held much more importance in its time than the former does today. THANK YOU!
Jonin, chunin – see note at the end of chapter 3.
Kunoichi – female ninja
Recognising this scene, and the episode it comes from, will get you a biscuit. With chocolate chips, and fudge icing. And those little glacéd cherries, too.
And don't worry; the furisode hasn't been forgotten.
Hagakure – written by Yatamoto Tsunetomo in the 17th century. It's regarded today as 'the book of the samurai', although it was originally used by retainers in the Hizen province to which Tsunetomo belonged.
Part of the original quote (from the second chapter) is this:
If a person has his sword out all the time, he is habitually swinging a naked blade; people will not approach him and he will have no allies.
If a sword is always sheathed, it will become rusty, the blade will become dull, and people will think as much of its owner.
the kami thing…again, I referred to Usagi Yojimbo (buy this series! You're missing out, I tell you!), in particular the Grasscutter arc where Stan Sakai explains the term kami. I'll show the quote on my profile, for you all.
I did my best with the genpuku scene, as I wanted to stay as close to the show as possible. Thus, there was 'some' elaboration on my behalf.
It has to be confessed: the influence for the style of writing comes from Neil Gaiman's 'American Gods'. And since Saki seems to be seen as a god, by some of his followers…
In Japan, Coming-of-Age day (Seijin no Hi) was on the 15th of January, until 1999. Now it's on the second Monday, in January. I put up both dates, because I'm not sure of Karai's actual age in the show (I'm guessing 25 years old..) Hopefully, I won't be in trouble w ;; the ceremony is Seijin shiki, and is experienced by both young men and women; unlike in Feudal Japan where boys went through genpuku and girls went through mogi (changing of clothes).
Daisho – sword pair, that consisted of a katana and a wakizashi (short sword). Only samurai men were allowed to use these, as they were a sign of their status and caste in Feudal Japan. The women used the spear or naginata (pole arm) to fight with.