A Warrior's Burden
Chapter 3
Kasai heaved his bag onto his back as he left his last class of the day, English. It was his worst subject and he didn't need to stick around any longer. He hated asking for help. As he was walking away from the school he saw a friend of his. He ran to catch to catch up with him until he noticed he was being followed. Kasai turned and saw Kayura approaching from behind. He slowed his pace and watched his friend turn the corner. Kayura took a few steps forward to join him.
"How are you today, Kasai?" she asked, smiling.
"Fine, thank you," he said. He adjusted his bag on his shoulder and turned his gaze to the ground.
Though he had seen Kayura for almost a month know as a customer in his grandfather's tea house he wasn't completely prepared to bridge the gap of awkward silences with friendly conversation. They continued walking along the road for a while. Kasai watched as the cars passed them on the street. He wasn't looking toward Kayura whose formal dress made her seem slightly larger than him. She was wearing a lengthy, white, rather traditional kimono with long swinging sleeves that almost touched the ground. She looked as though she were prepared for a wedding.
"Do you know who you will be meeting with today?" Kayura said.
"No," he said.
"It's rude not to look at the person who's addressing you, Kasai."
"I'm sorry," he said looking up, offering a slight smile.
"You'll be training with two of the Ronin Warriors today. Sage Date and Cye Mouri."
Date? Kasai recognized the name. He had heard it history class more than once.
"I gather that you are familiar with Sage's family history," Kayura said.
Kasai nodded.
"Sage's family is descended from General Date Masamune," Kayura said. "They are very proud. To be honest, I believe Sage will be a very difficult person to impress. "
Kasai adjusted the collar on his school uniform, he felt uncomfortable. When he and Kayura arrived at the dojo with the twin dragons Mr. Hana was sitting near the entrance with a book and pen in his hand. He nodded his head toward Kasai and Kayura as they walked in and continued to the back of the building. Kasai looked down the hall and saw that the door to their room was already open. He saw a brown-haired figure flash by the frame of the doorway followed by a thud.
"We're just practicing, Sage. Take it easy," he heard a voice say.
"There's no reason to take it easy," another responded.
Kasai felt a lump forming in his throat. As he and Kayura entered the room he saw the brown-haired man rise from the floor. The other man in the room was Sage Date. Sage had lighter hair than his companion which covered his right eye. He stood towering over Kasai. His broad shoulders filled out the loose white clothing he was wearing. He didn't smile when he rested his eye upon Kasai. Cye rose and bowed.
"Pleased to meet to you Kasai, I'm Cye."
"Pleased to meet you," Kasai returned with a bow.
"Hello, Kayura," Cye said.
Kayura returned the gesture and looked over toward Sage.
"I am Sage Date," Sage said, he bowed deeply from where he stood.
"Pleased to meet you, Sage" Kasai said, growing tired of the pleasantries.
Sage's eye flickered for a moment. Kayura placed her hand on Kasai's shoulder.
"I'll be leaving you for now, Kasai," she said. "I have some business to attend to. I'll be back when you're finished."
She lifted her hand and glided through the doorway, her heavy robes trailing behind her. A silence pervaded the room for a few moments.
"Well, should we get started," Cye said slapping his hands together.
"Yes, but I'd like to make something clear before we start," Sage said. "Kasai, in the future you should address Cye and I as sensei,"
Kasai nodded to show his comprehension.
"Why are you going to make him do that, Sage?" Cye said quickly. "He can call us by our names. That's how we address each other."
Sage's shoulders rose.
"If we're going to train him properly we should act like proper teachers. This is a formality that should be observed between an instructor and a student."
Sage's sense of "formality" didn't appear to sit too well with Cye.
"All right then," Cye said turning to Kasai. "You can call him sensei, but 'Cye' suits me just fine."
Sage threw a glance out the open window, he appeared disappointed. Kasai didn't want to be in the middle of an argument his first time meeting these two men, so he devised an escape plan as fast as he could.
"Please," he said, "it would be much easier for me if I may call you both sensei."
"That's fine," Cye said, "whichever you feel comfortable with."
Kasai looked toward Sage to see his reaction, but he saw no change of expression.
"Your Grandfather tells me that you work well with a sword," Sage said turning to Kasai.
"You've spoken to my grandfather?" Kasai asked. He was surprised.
Had each of these men been watching him and his grandfather?
"Briefly, earlier today," Sage said turning around and picking something up off of the floor. "My father and your grandfather are old acquaintances. Yet, I've never had the pleasure of meeting Ookami Sozo until recently. Ryo doesn't believe you are ready for swordplay. He said you had trouble engaging in simple kumite sparring techniques."
Kasai felt his face flush, it didn't set well with him that already they were discussing his faults. Sage turned around, he had a large nodachi sword in his hand.
"Only with a single katana," Kasai said, afraid that Sage expected him to wield a sword twice his height. "I'm fairly good with a single katana."
"Hand to hand combat isn't your strength is it, Kasai?"
"It's not my weakness either, sensei" Kasai said.
Sage placed his sword on the floor in front of him.
"Then you wouldn't mind offering us some proof then?" Cye said.
Kasai turned and saw Cye standing with his legs apart and his fists raised. Before he could think he felt a blow to the side of his head. Not extremely rough, but it was enough for him to feel the need to retaliate. He returned the blow, striking at Cye's abdomen.
"You seem fast enough," Cye said, "but you weren't able to impress Ryo."
Cye took another jab at Kasai's head. He evaded.
"C'mon then."
Kasai moved out of the way.
Cye advanced toward him and quickly threw his fits at him three successive times. Once at his head, then his legs, then his head again. Kasai continued to block Cye's attacks while moving backwards.
"I had a friend once," Cye said as he leveled a hit toward Kasai's legs, "the more you said what a poor fighter he was, the better he fought."
"I'm not a poor fighter," Kasai said, "I just haven't fought a lot."
"It's good you know where you stand, Kasai," Sage said from the sidelines, "but don't use that as an excuse."
"I'm not," Kasai said stopping to look at Sage.
Cye took this as an opportunity and knocked Kasai on the matted floor with a kick to the hip. Kasai landed and saw Sage cross his arms. Sage's shoulders heaved with a sigh. Kasai jumped immediately to his feet. He blocked another assault from Cye the moment he was up.
"Are you holding back, or do you need our help more than I thought?" Cye said.
But he wasn't listening to Cye, just trying to focus. He could feel Sage watching him. Every time he tried to shift his position Kasai felt his school uniform constricting his movements.
"Stop," he said.
"I'm not going to stop, Kasai," said Cye.
"I need to change."
Cye kept going.
"If you think a uniform is hard to fight in, try doing it in seventy-five kilos of armor."
Kasai continued to dodge back and forth.
"Aren't you going to fight me Kasai?" Cye said through a grunt, chopping at Kasai with his hands.
"You caught me off guard," Kasai said, moving aside.
"An enemy is not going to wait for you to be on your guard."
"I know that."
"I'm waiting for you to show me how much you know. Right now you're slower than my grandmother."
Kasai thought he saw Sage crack a smile. He tried to get a hit into Cye, but he was blocked with each advance. How was he supposed to match up to these guys? He thought.
"Maybe if I went easier on him, eh Sage?" Cye said.
"That won't be necessary Cye," said Sage turning away from the two of them and seating himself on the floor.
"How long are we going to do this?" Kasai asked.
"Until you show me that a Sozo can do more than dodge a couple hits," Cye said. "They say your grandfather was so great I expected more from you."
Kasai remained silent.
"You're far too polite, Kasai."
Cye hit him square I the chest and he fell to the floor again. Sage's legs were crossed and his one visible eye was closed.
"My grandfather—," Kasai began.
"Get up," Cye said.
Kasai raised himself off the floor and Cye immediately knocked him over. His limbs were feeling strained when he attempted to rise once more, but Cye didn't give him a chance to get up this time, he sent him to the floor again with another kick. Kasai began to breath, heavy and quick. He rolled around on his side, onto his feet and nailed Cye in the back with a clawed hand. Cye stumbled forward and turned.
"That took a bit longer than I thought," Cye said. His eyes widened in surprise as Kasai advanced toward him rapidly.
In a moment it was Kasai who seemed to have the upper hand. Cye was backing further away from him and blocking his hits. Kasai was methodical and practiced as he laid one hit out after the other. Cye managed to block most of them, but the boy would manage a blow every couple seconds. Sage's gaze followed the two as they made their way closer to him on the other side of the room.
"Nice to see you're trying now, Kasai," Cye said.
Kasai didn't respond.
"Stop," Sage said.
Kasai kept going.
"Kasai!" Sage said.
Hearing his name, Kasai halted. For a moment he thought it was his grandfather
who had called him.
"What did you stop him for Sage?" Cye said. "He was doing just fine."
"Kasai, you're taking too long to warm up to the fight."
"Yes, sensei," Kasai said breathing heavily.
"You have experience, but little practice."
Sage paused for a moment.
"C'mon Sage, he wasn't doing so bad," Cye said crossing his arms across his chest.
"You're going to have to be as quick physically as well as mentally," Sage said looking directly at Kasai.
"Sage we're just warming up."
Cye turned to his student.
"You're doing all right, Kasai. It's just the beginning."
"Cye, that's enough."
"What, Sage? You already told him what a bad fighter he is."
Sage was still.
"Our expectations should be high for this process."
"That's true, but . . ."
"I'm not being unreasonable, Cye. Kasai, take this."
Sage turned away from his friend and presented Kasai with his sword.
"Sensei, I can't handle a sword like this," Kasai said.
"You said you were good with a katana, so you should be versed in other weapons as well. Should you make it through, the weapon you wield will be far more powerful that a single samurai sword."
Kasai took the sword in both hands and tried to hold it steady.
"Sage, now you are being unreasonable. He said he couldn't handle it," Cye said taking the sword from Kasai's hands.
Sage's eye flashed.
"Kasai, excuse us for a moment please," Sage said.
Kasai watched the two men turn from him as he walked out into the hall way. He sat down right outside the door. He knew he shouldn't, but he crouched and listened to Sage and Cye speak.
"I'd appreciate some cooperation," Sage said in a low tone.
"I am here to help, Sage," said Cye, his voice rising, "but I'm not the one you're training. He is, and you're pushing him too quickly."
"I agree, but don't you think it's necessary at this point? He has to learn fast, Cye!"
Cye was still holding Sage's sword in one hand, the front end of the blade resting on the ground. Sage was taking furtive glances at the sword as his friend became more agitated.
"So fast? We were hardly ready for battle at his age, what do you expect from him?"
"I don't know what to expect, all I know is where he needs to be. We're not sure when we may need him."
"We can handle things, Sage. You really think a kid like that is going to be able to fight if something were to happen now? Sending him into battle would be a death sentence! I'm trying to be optimistic, but the odds are against him."
Cye let the sword drop to the ground. The loud metallic noise echoed out to where Kasai was seated. He felt a swelling in his stomach. He wanted to prove to Cye that he was wrong, but he doubted himself almost as much as his teacher did.
"Why are we even doing this?" Cye said.
"Because we all agreed, Cye."
"Yes, we agreed."
A long silence followed this last statement. Kasai realized that he had stopped breathing and took a deep breath. He was given a start when he heard footsteps coming down the hall. Mr. Hana walked by with a broom resting on his shoulder. He was humming to himself and eating a banana. He stopped when he saw Kasai.
"My boy, what are you doing out here?" said Mr. Hana. "You're not in trouble with the masters are you?" he added with a chuckle.
"Um, no," Kasai started, "just taking a break, sir."
Kasai could still hear bits of Cye and Sage's conversation behind the door. He couldn't tell whether or not it was going better than before. He tried to hear over Mr. Hana.
"That's exactly what I am doing at the moment," Mr. Hana continued. "I think that after cleaning out old rooms all day one deserves a break."
Mr. Hana's chest swelled with a satisfied sigh as he finished off his snack.
"I simply love fruit," he said stuffing the banana peel into a pocket in his robe. "Do you eat them often?"
"What?"
"Bananas, they're the best ones."
"Oh, no," said Kasai nervously. Each minute he spent talking with Mr. Hana he was afraid that Sage and Kasai would finish and find him out in the hall, "can't say that I do."
"You must. They're magnificent."
Mr. Hana's eyes disappeared as he smiled. He took his broom off his shoulder and continued to sweep down the hall, away from Kasai. When he retuned his attention to the door, Kasai was worried that he had missed too much.
"Are you going to leave?" he heard Sage ask.
"I want to," Cye said, "but I won't. Not this time. I can think of someone who would be pretty mad at me if I did. I'm still fighting my inner battles, Sage."
Sage nodded.
"We really need you right now," he said.
"Can you imagine if it were up to Kento to train this kid?" Cye said laughing.
"I can imagine we wouldn't get anywhere. He'd be too busy showing off."
The two laughed for a moment. There was a lull in the conversation.
"Do you really think it's possible to replace a Ronin Warrior?" Cye said.
"Never replace, but I think that it's possible for someone like Kasai to learn what he needs to become one."
Cye nodded.
"Kasai," Sage said. "Come in here."
Kasai stepped into the room. He wondered if they had heard him and Mr. Hana outside the door.
"You shouldn't have been listening to us, Kasai," said Sage picking up his sword. "It's deceitful to gain information underhandedly, sometimes necessary, but always underhanded."
Blood rushed to Kasai's head and he felt a pang of remorse. He wasn't sure whether or not he was sorry for listening or for being caught.
"Yes, sensei," he said bowing.
"I suppose you know that this session will be changing course somewhat then?"
Kasai shook his head. This part of their discussion must have been drowned out when Mr. Hana was telling him about his fondness for bananas.
"Maybe he wasn't listening, Sage," Cye said.
"I highly doubt that," Sage said resting the sword on his shoulder. "In any case, Cye thought it would be beneficial to you see how you do against a weapon before we let you wield one."
Cye took a step back and leaned against the wall.
"Ready yourself, Kasai," said Sage grasping his sword in both hands and bringing it around in front of him.
Kasai had only a moment before he saw a flash of metal and a swishing noise grace his hear. Sage had swung close to his head. He had managed to barely evade the blade. He felt like he was walking on hot coals. His feet didn't stop moving. If they did he would find himself becoming better acquainted with a nodatchi sword than he ever wanted. A few times between catching his breath and attempting to keep eye contact with his assailant, he glanced over to see Cye looking out the window or just staring at the floor. The last time he did this he was nicked in the elbow. A small splotch of blood began to appear through his sleeve, this caused Sage to stop. Kasai was almost glad for it. He was breathing heavily by this time.
"Are you all right, Kasai?" Sage asked rather unsympathetically.
Kasai placed his hand over his arm.
"Yes, sensei," he said.
"Good, I think we're done for today then. Go see Mrs. Hana. I'm sure she'll take care of your arm."
Kasai bowed and left the room. He went out into the hall and looked around for Mrs. Hana. He wasn't sure where he would find her. He had only been in the one room of the dojo and wasn't even aware that Mr. Hana had a wife. He began to make his way back to the front of the building when he heard a loud clang down the corridor to his left.
"Aiyyyaaa!" he heard someone scream.
"My sweet peach, please forgive me!" he heard Mr. Hana say.
Kasai was hesitant to step foot down the hall. In his moment of deliberation he saw Mr. Hana come running up towards him rubbing a large lump on his head.
"Kasai," he said looking up, "good to see you again."
Mr. Hana took a step behind Kasai, who was slightly taller than the little man.
"Just be a good boy and stand there please," he said.
Confused, Kasai saw a stout, short, and serious-faced woman come strutting up the hallway after Mr. Hana with a frying pan in her hand.
"Nabeeee!" she said raising the frying pan into the air. "You come out from there!"
"No thank you, dear," Mr. Hana said as he gripped the back of Kasai's pants.
"What do you think I do?" Mrs. Hana said looking at Kasai. "I spend all my day cooking for this small man and he ruins his appetite on that fruit! Ten bananas he eats before dinner and comes to me and says he's not hungry."
"I'm sorry, Chihiro!" Mr. Hana said. "You know I have a weakness!"
"You have many weaknesses! My cooking shouldn't be one of them!" she said coming around to Kasai's side.
She was raising the frying pan into the air again preparing to bean her husband when Kasai put out his arm to protect Mr. Hana.
"Please, Mrs. Hana he—," but before Kasai could finish she took his arm and started turning it over.
"What have those men done to you?" she asked, referring to the blood on his sleeve. "I would have thought they'd treat you better than that. You come with me boy. Nabe, don't you move," she added pointing the frying pan at her cowering spouse.
Keeping hold of Kasai's arm, she dragged him down the hall past a number of faded pictures in which Kasai could have sworn he saw Mrs. Hana herself standing over a huge fallen man with her foot resting upon his chest in victory. She took him to a small free-standing cabinet filled with bandages and ointments. Very quickly, she pushed up his sleeve, wiped his arm with alcohol, rubbed something green and smelly over his cut (which she referred to as her own "remedy"), and wrapped it up in a white bandage. Kasai's arm felt extremely raw and stung sharply as he made his way back down the hallway. Mrs. Hana was pushing her husband back towards the kitchen further reprimanding his eating habits.
Kasai returned to the room where Sage and Cye should have been, but he saw they were already gone. Instead, Kayura was standing near the door waiting for him.
"I heard you did well today," she said.
Kasai put his hand over his bandage.
"I don't know if I would say so, Lady Kayura," he said.
"If you are given a compliment by the likes of the Ronin Warriors, it would be foolish not to take it, Kasai. They would not be wasting their time with someone who lacks potential. Neither would I," she said.
Kasai was silent.
"I hope that tomorrow you are not in this attitude. You're next tutor is rather reluctant to help you. He is not someone you will want to disappoint. Go home and get some rest."
Kayura turned and left. More reluctant than Cye? Kasai thought to himself. As he readied his things to leave, Kasai questioned whether or not he was supposed have taken Kayura's parting words as encouragement.