FIRE

The Shidou School of Kenjutsu is one of the few schools that survived both the pass of time and the regulations that came with both the Meiji Restoration and the end of the World War II. And even if the Shidous could not claim to have contributed to the Japanese legacy with the name and fame of a well known samurai, they are proud to have the reputation of being warriors that displayed the valuable traits of loyalty, humility and sobriety

On the other hand, the somewhat new Shidou School of Kendo was the actual result of the regulations made after the war that stated that martial arts were to be practiced as a sport. This however did not mean that the kendo school deviated from its Kenjutsu origins, nor from the basic principles that marked the Kenjutsu School as one worth of respect.

Hikaru and Satoru were raised in the heart of this martial arts school, and as such, grew up with this mindset, learning, repeating and applying this ideology to their day to day life. Everybody in their community knew that, whenever the Shidou last name was involved, it was a sure warranty of trustworthiness and reliability.

This traits, as one may imagine, were also shown in the execution of the Demonstration Kata the siblings were to perform, and if they were honest with themselves, the moment the both of them stepped on the exhibition mat, and after giving the customary bow to the judges, they simply let their surroundings melt away while letting their minds conjure the details and surfaces their Dojo back in Tokyo had to offer.

Hikaru easily imagined the scrolls hanging around the Dojo, each of them marking in Kanji the principles the Shidou School was based on. And, the moment she started her routine, her mind also supplied her with the accompanying words that she usually recite while training.

'Satoru: one must take serious judgment before making any decisions.'

A step to the front, followed by a loud Kiai and Hikaru's mind provided her the next sentence. 'Masaru: one must love his family and peers.'

A step behind, lifting the hand that held the Katana above her head while sending the hand with the Wakisashi in a defensive position.

'Kakeru: one must allow his spirit to soar'

Now sending both hands into an offensive movement and just with a few steps before finishing her routine, Hikaru's mind supplied her with the last statement. 'Hikaru: one must always forgive'

Finally striking the ending pose of the Kata, she allowed her eyes to open and her mind to come back from where it was sent at the beginning of the demonstration. Only to be met with the stunned looks her peers and general public were sending her way

And, once Satoru's demonstration was over too, the general appreciation of the Shidou School for Kendo and Kenjutsu had grown considerably; both of their representatives earning respectful and appraising looks from whoever crossed their paths.


a small reference for this chapter.

The principles of the Shidou School do not belong to me, they are from an author back on Fanfiction that wrote a really good backstory for the Shidou Family. it is called Lion Heart, and if you have not read it yet, you really shoud. (/s/395867/1/Lion-Heart)