I own nothing.

Smacks to the head, shoves into water, vows to never forgive one another.

Trusting Kenichi did not come early.

. . .

A request denied many times, a closed door, a long vigil outside.

Becoming Katsuichi's student did not happen immediately.

. . .

Buckets filled and carried, wood split, treks up and down mountain trails.

My sensei's lessons did not start noticeably.

. . .

Attacks from nowhere, followed by insults and a stinging scalp.

Learning to sense oncoming attacks did not come quickly.

. . .

An attack blocked, a spar between cane and ax, a wooden blade presented.

My training bokken was not acquired easily.

. . .

An accepted entry, several bouts, a last round with my rival, and then my swords were given to me.

My weapons and position as retainer did not come easily, but very satisfyingly.

. . .

Testing my first blade on a dragonfly, watching another's sword become a perch for one, clashing our blades together before using them on common foes.

Killing Gunichi did not happen at our first meeting.

. . .

Further months spent in training, seeing a familiar face in an unfamiliar way, ominous news calling us to fight together, saying goodbye to a beautiful and familiar face.

Becoming Lord Mifune's retainer did not come without endings.

. . .

A high position serving a loving family, friends of skill and rank, walking in beautiful places among honorable people.

My time as a Samurai was not without things worth remembering.

. . .

A charge to catch up to an enemy, an unforeseen betrayal hitting our flank, the flight of a once-trusted friend, arrows and my own sword cutting into the body of my lord, a scar given, a lonely, but honorable burial.

Becoming a Ronin came too soon …

. . .

An attack followed by a story, another attack followed by a request, more attacks, and a half-drowned retainer and visit to a village later, I went on alone with a young lord, but not my own.

Success as a Yojimbo that first time did not come quickly or easily.

. . .

A dying Samurai of a dead, dishonored lord, a last request, too many, living ninja, a lovely and fierce protector, a delivered message, an insistent servant of an absent addressee.

Unmasking Hekiji's dishonor did not come instantly.

. . .

A job offered, a joke shared, an attack coordinated together, lives taken and a life saved, an inn bill left for only me to pay.

Liking Gennosuke did not come immediately.

. . .

A dismantled village and terrifying description, a blind companion and incredible nose, a terrible secret revealed, followed by blood and a threat.

Being Zato-eno's friend passed too swiftly …

. . .

A boy held hostage, my home threatened, an old rival guarding my back against ninja attack, a secret shared by my oldest love, Keneichi's wife, a grave visited by us both, a promise to smile sometimes for her from now on, on the road.

Calling my village home again did not come readily.

. . .

Another meeting with a Bounty Hunter, another offer given, a harder bargain struck, a persimmon hitting my head as I knelt beneath a pine tree, a talk in an inn followed by my attack, followed by an uneasy, shared stay.

Our joint inn bills were not paid by me consecutively.

. . .

A different meeting than before, a different ending than that of our first bout, a body needing burial, an unwelcome voice, a tale long told, another bill, a stolen purse, an old friend, remembered as such, dead, a new annoyance fed with a meal paid by me again …

Old friends go hard, new do not come suddenly …

. . .

Perhaps I am destined to keep gaining, and losing, many things worth having, a rival, a sensei, a lord, a friend, a love, a position, a mission, a business partner, a son, a life filled with many stories to tell,

but never do they come or go easily …

What do you think?

God Bless

ScribeofHeroes