Chapter Six
"IIE!" Yahiko's loud voice rang across the dojo to Kenji. "Don't use the blade so much! If that were a real katana, you would have just killed Shinichi-kun. Kasshin-ryu aims to disable your foe, not kill him." Shinichi looked at Yahiko, eyes wide, as he gasped for breath after receiving a particularly hard hit from Kenji's shinai. Kenji ignored both instructor and training—partner, his narrowed eyes gazing at the sakabato on Yahiko's hip.
"Kenji-kun." Yahiko continued, emphasising the suffix, "If you don't want to learn this style of fighting, then fine. But don't waste everyone's time with your untrained satsujin-ken." Kenji's blue eyes narrowed, and Shinichi Jubei shivered as a chill seemed to sweep the room.
"You think I am wasting your time, Yahiko-sensei?" Kenji asked, loading the words with cold loathing and derision.
"Yes. You are a genius, Kenji, Kenshin said that Kenjutsu comes more naturally to you than anyone he has ever seen. But you waste your time trying to learn a style that died out when Kenshin refused to accept the name of Hiko Seijuro." Yahiko's voice was cool and measured, but he held the shinai he'd been using to demonstrate at the ready.
"It wouldn't be dead if my father wasn't too weak to use it!" Snapped Kenji, cold anger still radiating from his ki with such intensity it was tangible.
"Learn Kamiya Kasshin ryu. That's what both of your parents want. Then you can take the dojo, and the sakabato." Yahiko said, his own voice cold and terse.
"You think I'm taking away what was your rightful inheritance, because you met my parents first. Because they practically adopted the poor, pathetic street rag that you were. Well, Yahiko-sensei, I'm sorry that my true, blood claim has robbed you."
"Quiet!" the room fell silent as Yahiko grabbed the front of Kenji's gi, the kenki emanating from him making the air too heavy for sound. His brown eyes blazed as he stared into Kenji's own. "Never, for an instant have I ever begrudged you Kenshin's sakabato as your inheritance, Kenji. I only regret that, as Kenshin's son, you have so little insight.
"On my fifteenth birthday, I fought Kenshin, in genpuku. I was told as we waited to begin, to remember every fight I had fought in, and unleash everything I had felt in those battles, in a single sword strike. I didn't win, but my strike landed, and I earned the right to wield this sakabato, until the time I was meant to pass it to you. If you want to win this sakabato, then fight me for it. One point." Yahiko backed off, shinai held ready. Kenji lowered his into the sheathed position that was the starting stance for any Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu attack.
The scene was so similar to one fifteen years ago, that he had witnessed as a toddler, that he felt slightly disoriented. Yahiko felt it too. Once again, he fought a red-haired swordsman, standing in the battojutsu stance, but this time, it was a shinai resting at the swordman's hip, and the sakabato was sheathed at his own. This time, the outcome would be drastically different.
"Begin!" Yahiko wasn't sure when Kaoru had entered the room, but it didn't matter, as he rushed against his opponent. Once again, he could see the face of every enemy he had beaten, every reason he had for wanting to get stronger, only now, the faces of his conviction were even more numerous. Yahiko saw the strike coming, he could easily have used Hadome and then Hawatari, but he didn't. Kenji wanted to use the Hiten style, so Yahiko would show it to him.
"Ryukansen!"
*****
Shinko looked at the Shinai hilt in her hand, Misao's words echoing through her head …That's not a very good reason to fight… She turned it over, wondering why she did fight. What had prompted her to run away? Why had she done what she'd done? Why did she want to fight?
She looked up, at Misao, who was balancing the Aoi-ya's accounts, Aoshi, who was meditating over his cup of tea, while it slowly got cold, and Yuki, who was playing with Hiruma's beard. Originally she had been very shy of the huge man, but Shinko had told the girl about how she had met Gohei, earning laughs from Yuki and Misao, and even a small smile from Aoshi. Hiruma was watching Yuki with something akin to terror as she tugged at the thick grey strands of hair, but he had his hands hovering protectively and oh so gingerly in the air around her, as if he was frightened she would shatter. Shinko grinned slightly at the two; it was nice to know that because of her, her apprentice had the chance to redeem himself. The realisation prompted her to a decision, and she stood up.
"I'm not going back to Tokyo – I won't learn what I need there. Misao-san, Can you send haha a bird, telling her I'm okay? Come on, Fatso. You don't need me to teach you. You already know Kamiya Kasshin, and Satsujin-ken, all you need to do is be kind to other people like your o-nii-san was to you. That's the best way to honour his memory. Let's go back to the Taheki inn – you can protect it for them"
"Hai, Shinko-sensei." Hiruma Gohei said, standing up and following Shinko to the door.
"Gochisosama! Thanks for the food, Misao-san!" Shinko called through the door, as an afterthought. Misao sighed, and looked at Aoshi.
"It's lucky I gave the supplies to Hiruma this morning. That girl is hopelessly enthusiastic! Ne, Aoshi-sama?" Aoshi didn't answer, but a slight smile curved his lips, as if he was sharing a private joke with his cold green tea.
*****
Kenji lay on the floor of the dojo, his lungs screaming for more air as red fire lance through them. Yahiko was standing over him, Shinai in hand, his eyes unreadable.
"Can you stand?"
"I don't-"
"Try." Yahiko's tone brooked no argument.
Kenji managed to struggle to his feet, his body protesting. He had never taken such a painful blow from a shinai, he hadn't thought it was possible. He coughed, and tasted blood, but didn't let it spill from his lips, to proud to let Yahiko, and his watching mother realise how weak his body was.
"Do you understand, why Kenshin swore never to kill again? He spent four years, when all he did was kill, with Hiten Mitsurugi Ryu. Since then, he has never killed again, no matter what. He has atoned for his crimes; that's what this sword represents. Can you wield it according to the philosophy, the stigmata, it bears?" Yahiko held the Sakabato out to Kenji, who stood there, the taste of blood on his lips, and stared at the goal of his dreams, resting at his fingertips…
"No, I don't deserve it." He said quietly. "Give it to Shinya-kun…Or Shinko-san." He turned and limped from the dojo, his back stiff and proud. He didn't deserve it...not yet.
"That boy of yours is a piece of work, Busu. And I used to think he was so dumb." Yahiko mused quietly to Kaoru, watching Kenji's retreating back.
"Was his strike serious? Was it a good strike?"
"No, it was arrogant and presumptuous, but it was a good loss for him. He can start to learn now."
"I know. But somehow, I feel as if I've lost him today…" Kaoru looked at the exit to the dojo, unease intruding on her thoughts.
*****
Shinko walked through the countryside, avoiding the occasional cart, and the even rare car, that passed by her. Japan was slowly becoming more open to the Western world – in Tokyo, cars were becoming an almost common sight, their chunky black bodies puttering along on padded wheels. Gohei was walking behind her, lost in thought as he carried the sakura-patterned bag that held all of Shinko's possessions (one change of yukata and a few shinai, which she'd gotten from Misao), and his own grubby canvas bag in which there were also two obento and some rations, thoughtfully provided by Misao-san.
"Shinko-san, what if being nice to people doesn't work?" He asked, looking up. Shinko paused, turning around and looking at Hiruma in confusion.
"What do you mean? Why wouldn't being nice work? How can it not work?" She asked, fingering the Shinai tucked into her waistband.
"Well, ever since I had my growth spurt at fifteen, people have been scared with me..." Gohei said sadly. "Except for nii-san."
A look of sadness crossed over Shinko's face as she walked back to rest a hand on Gohei's elbow (which was about the height of her shoulder).
"Well then, you'll have to prove to people that you're not just some scary thug." She said, patting his shoulder and beginning to walk beside Gohei.
"But what if they won't let me?" Gohei asked worried. He'd been feared all his life, simply because he'd been big and scary... Before, he'd always taken it for granted, and used the size and strength to bully the people who rejected him for it, but now at sixty, he was coming to realise that maybe that wasn't the answer.
"Then bash them over the head with a shin- actually, don't... If someone is still scared of you when you are trying to be nice, then either ignore them, or keep trying." Shinko shrugged. "Once when I was eight, I duelled one of Kaoru-san's students, and beat him so badly, in just one hit, that he was scared of me for months. Everyone found it really funny, but I felt horrible and tried to make it up to him. Now he's one of my friends, and the only person in Tokyo who won't fight me because he thinks I'm too strong, rather than just because I'm a girl." Shinko grinned, feeling sure that her analogy would help Hiruma (who, actually, it just confused).
"Okay... I'll try to be nice, even if they don't believe that I am." Hiruma said after a moment.
"Good. Now, I reckon it's about lunchtime..." She trailed off, her face falling.
"Don't worry – Misao-san gave me the food." Hiruma said, pulling out the obento from his bag. Shinko grinned, her face lighting up as she took the food. "We'll be back at the Taheki's in a day or two, what are you going to do then?" Hiruma asked as Shinko tucked in, some forgotten paternal instinct stirring in him. She was barely fifteen, and looked younger in the loose yukata and with her short hair.
"Hm?" Shinko looked up, her chopsticks halfway to her already full mouth. She thought for a moment, chewing. When she finally swallowed, she replied, "I don't know – maybe I'll go visit some of the other cities, learn more about different Kenjutsu and stuff. Probably though, I'll stay in smaller towns, since they're more likely to be in need of help..." She shrugged, her eyes shifting to stare over the horizon. Hiruma watched her for a moment, noting the latent determination in her eyes, and the calm assurance with which she held herself, before returning to his meal.
"Maybe I can figure out what I fight for on the way..." Shinko muttered to herself, too quietly for her apprentice to hear.
*****
See? she doesn't go straight home - I've got all sorts of new adventures planned out for her. And the story will get a bit darker before long, so I'm changing the rating.
Anyway, as always, please review!
~me.