Chapter 4
(A/N: If you can guess where the combat techniques described below come from, you get extra brownie points.)
Just as Dashu removed his leggings and was about to insert himself inside Sam, a small dagger went whizzing past his head and embedded itself into one of the cherry trees. Whirling around, Dashu saw Danny, glaring at him.
"Let her go, Dash," said Danny in a low, dangerous voice. "She is not Japanese," said Dash in a voice that was both angry and defensive, "I have every right –" "You have NO right, save that which the Empress sees fit to give you!" roared Danny, fingering the hilt of his sword. "Fenton, spare me," said Dash in a voice that was now sardonically sarcastic, "You know as well as I do that the Empress is not a goddess. She's a human woman, and a fallible one. What right does she have that she can give me?"
And that was the last straw for Danny. Throwing Dash a sword, Danny yelled to him, "Defend yourself!" Unsheathing the sword, Dash assumed the attack stance, mirroring Danny's. Dash launched himself forward, drawing his sword and hefting it.
Danny suddenly moved so fast that the ground between him and Dash seemed to literally have shrunk! Then, in less time than it takes to blink an eye, Danny unsheathed his own sword and struck the ground with it, unbalancing Dash with a shower of pebbles and dirt. While Dash was distracted, Danny re-sheathed his sword and launched from the scabbard, hitting Dash square in the nose with the hilt.
With Dash now unconscious and bleeding, Danny rushed over to Sam. "Are you okay?" asked Danny tenderly. Sam didn't reply, but just started crying from fear and wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. Carrying her to his house and instructing Jazz to look after her, Danny hurried to gather the other samurai.
Three quarters of an hour later, Bakusutaa Dashu kneeled on the ground, wearing a snow-white kimono. Surrounding him was Kwan, his manservant, Ransaru Aruberuto, his sensei, or teacher, and his comrades, Fenton Daniro and Kumori Katsumoto dressed in their armor. His face not showing a bit of emotion, Dashu picked up and unsheathed the ceremonial blade in front of him.
Dashu suddenly plunged the sword into his abdomen. Without a moment's hesitation, Katsumoto drew his own katana and cleaved Dash's head from his body with a quick yet forceful slice. Dash's head rolled until Danny stopped it with his foot. Picking it up by the scalp, he said, "I will take care of the body. The rest of you may retire."
Bowing, the other samurai left. Danny took Dash's head and placed it in a barrel of sake to preserve it. He unceremoniously buried the body, than returned to his home. Saying good night to his parents and sister, he retired to his room. He was surprised, however, to find Sam laying on his futon. She opened her eyes, looked up to him, and said, "I'm sorry, Danny, but I'm frightened. Could I maybe stay here with you, at least for a while?"
Danny smiled warmly and said, "Of course." Laying down next to her, Danny covered them both with his blanket. Instinctively, he pulled her close to him, which made her smile involuntarily. Danny held her in his arms the rest of the night. It was one of the best sleeps he'd ever had.
(A/N: For the record, the title means, "suicide," a special form of death used by disgraced samurai to restore their honor.)
TO BE CONTINUED.