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Review Shoutouts
The Storyteller993 – We'll see that in another route, I'm sure you know which one that will be.
The embodiment of weirdness – Yes, and now with that problem figured out, now all that's left is for Kazuko to be told of and to most importantly confront it. But even then, she still has another issue to overcome as well…
Majikoi – Love Me Seriously - Kazuko Route
Daughter of Kawakami – Part 10
To Save A Dream – Part 2
August 5th, 2009, Wednesday
Today we were going to do something new for Wanko's training. After calling Master Lu the other day…
(Flashback – A day ago)
"You wish to start that part of her training already? Are you sure about this?" He asked me.
"Yes, I'm sure. After Shakadou's visit the other day while I'm sure she's gained some resolve, I feel as though the results are still the same as when she first started. She hasn't shaken off that mental barrier she has." I replied.
"Hmm… I should've known he would go there afterwards, I apologize. But… if you believe it is right, then I shall trust your judgement on this matter. I leave it to you." Master Lu said contently.
"Thank you sir. I won't let you down…" And with that I hung up the phone, and decided to visit someone for their help.
With Chris's permission I headed upstairs to the second floor looking for a certain swordswoman…
"Hey Mayucchi, can I speak to you?" I said as I knocked on her door.
"Oh, Nagamasa-san, of course, come in." She said as I slid the door open and walked inside. This was th first time I'd seen any of the inside's of the girls rooms. And Mayucchi's had the most traditional feel to it.
But it was homey nonetheless, "I need your help with Wanko's training."
"Eh? You want me to help with Kazuko-san's training?" Mayucchi seemed surprised by the request to say the least.
"Yeah, I want you to have a practice match with her tomorrow. But be serious about it, as in from the start to finish." I tell her.
"You want me to fight Kazuko while being serious?" Mayucchi reiterated.
"Don't hurt her too badly, but don't hold back on her account. That's it. We want to see how far she's come after her training for a few days." Never mind the fact this is something else entirely.
"I see, I understand." Mayucchi agrees with a nod.
"This is your time to shine Mayucchi girl! You get to be a rockin' teacher!" Matsukaze said.
"Yes! I will do my absolute best!" Mayucchi said pumping herself up. Oh, Mayucchi, never change…
(Present Time)
By the time I was done recounting, Kazuko had awoken and was beginning her morning exercise routine.
After doing that I called her over, "Hey, Kazuko we're going to do something a bit more different today."
"Huh? What do you mean?" Kazuko asked.
"I mean you're going to be showing off what you've done so far over the last few days. With a practice spar." I tell her.
"Eh, with you?" She asked.
"No, with someone else we know. Come on out!" I called out to my helper, as Mayucchi came outside with her sword in hand like she always did.
"You want me to fight Mayucchi?" Kazuko asked confusingly.
"Yes, and you two will be fighting seriously as well. Do not hold anything back." I tell her. "Understood Mayucchi?"
"Yes, I understand." Mayucchi's voice was different in that moment. The serious side of her that normally came out in a fight was here.
She unfurled the cloth that usually wrapped her sword was gone and in it's place was the family sword she carried from her father.
"Fighting Mayucchi…" I'm more than certain Kazuko was looking at this remembering the fight she'd just had with her sister just a week ago. "I got it. I'll do it!"
Kazuko responded in kind taking up her naginata as she faced down Mayucchi who stood in her place as well.
"Aright then, the first one to be defeated or can't continue in any way will be declared the loser. Understood?" I looked between both of them.
"Yes!" Both of them replied.
"Alright, stand tall and fight fair! Begin!" But just as I suspected both of them stood there just staring at each other. The mental battle had begun already.
And so they stood there for what felt like nearly an hour at one point and the results were still clear to see. Kazuko was starting to sweat slightly, while looking over at Mayucchi he didn't have a drop on her as cool as the breeze that passed by.
But I knew these two had to have been studying the other.
"The wind isn't helping… I didn't think Mayucchi was this strong… she reminds me of Onee-sama…" Kazuko said as she could feel her breathing begin to sound off.
"Kazuko-san, you really have come far… but even so… I can see why Nagamasa-san asked me to help you train. I'll be serious for this one time…" Mayucchi seemed to realize what Nagamasa had seen in her as well.
But eventually one of them had to move and just a drop of sweat from Kazuko fell…
"Haah!" Mayucchi went in for the kill, so fast! Even faster than Chris!
"So fast!" Kazuko dodged it by the literal skin of her teeth as Mayucchi recovered from the quick slash. But Mayucchi wasn't finished.
"Next!" Mayucchi recovered and launh another attack just as fast as the last one.
"Already?!" Kazuko blocked but could barely hold back the attack as she could feel the pressure of Mayucchi's blade clash with her own.
"And so strong…!" The two jumped back and now with some room Kazuko tried to go on the attack as Mayucchi still not looking troubled at all watched her opponent with sharp eyes.
"Haah! Seyah! Soryah!" Attack, after attack, after attack, none of them hit their mark.
"Already she's getting frustrated… leaping into the fight." I pointed out as I watched the two of them spar.
"Hah, Seh, Teh!" The strikes of her naginata were firm and strong, but there was no direction to them, it was almost as if the blade were it's own being and not a true extension of herself.
"My turn! Yaahh!" Mayucchi found her chance and countered again, this time her blade hit true as it knocked Kazuko's naginata from her hands.
"Uwah!" And the strike was so powerful it knocked Kazuko off her feet and onto her back, as her naginata slipped to the ground.
"That's it! Mayucchi wins!" I announced.
"W-wait… I can still… Guh!" She dropped her naginata as the pain in her shoulder flared up slightly.
"That's the match. It's over. Yukie, could you massage her to help alleviate the pain?" I tell the swordswoman.
"Yes, I'll take her to my room." And with that Yukie takes Kazuko to her room and massages her to help relieve the pain after which she rests after her starts to loosen up.
(A Few Hours Later…)
It was just about noon when I went up to go check on Kazuko who was still asleep when I opened the door to Mayucchi's room, she was cooking up some food I'd asked her to make and to pack away for tomorrow.
And now would begin the real lesson…
"Kazuko, are you awake?" I lightly shook her body as her eyes softly came open.
"Y-Yeah… Nagamasa? Oh, my shoulder doesn't hurt as much." Kazuko said as she groggily woke up.
"Good, seems you've recovered from your defeat." Hearing about her recent loss only seemed to immediately get Kazuko down.
"Mmm… all of that training… everything up til now, is it really all for nothing? Am I gonna embarrass myself like this every time I fight someone strong?" Kazuko sad sadly as she hung her head.
"So what feels worse? Losing, or feeling humiliated?" I asked her.
Kazuko immediately shot up with a look of slight anger, "Both, of course! Mayucchi's just too strong…"
"Oh, I knew you couldn't beat her." I tell her honestly.
She shoots up out of bed and stands up, "What?! Why?! Did you set me up to fail so I could…" She panicking now.
"I had you fight her so you could see what was finally holding you back. If you only do what you can do, then you will never be more than what you are now, Kazuko." With that I began heading outside to the backyard garden.
"But… I like who I am. I'm Kawakami Kazuko!" She said as soon as we reached the yard.
"You don't even know who you are." I tell her.
"What? Of course I do, I just said it. I'm Kawakami Kazuko!" She reiterated firmly.
"Hmm, and what exactly does that mean Young Dragon?" I ask her with a smirk. Her family's history has some association with dragons I learned reading some books in the temple.
According to their history the founder of the Kawakami Temple and family was training in a rainstorm when suddenly through the thunder and lightning he swore that a dragon once confronted him and that he saw it as a sign of his family's good fortunes.
Of course, the association of dragons had a long line in martial arts and Asian culture, but for such a poignant history of this family, I feel as though I'm willing to believe it.
Kazuko just stands there ready to reply, but the words can't seem to form as she says nothing at first but then stutters as she finally replies, "W-well… i-it means being strong and proving one's strength?"
I sigh, "Kazuko, do you think that's what your grandfather saw for you, when he let you study the ways of the Kawakami martial arts? Nearly hundreds of years in the perfection of martial arts, all so you could go around proving yourself and just seeing how strong you are?"
"Um…"
"No!" I tell her like it was rhetorical. "Kazuko… Tesshin saw greatness in you… and so much more than what you see in yourself. Kazuko, when one truly begins to master martial arts, incredible power awaits you. Power beyond anything you could imagine."
Bringing my hands together, I then focused my spiritual power and focusing on a wilting flower in the garden I poured the Ki I had gathered into the flower which brought it back to health to the astonishment of Kazuko.
"Wow… amazing!" She was clearly impressed.
"Remember Kazuko, martial arts is not just about one's physical strengths, but also the spirit; the self. When one can find true inner peace, power beyond anything they had before is possible." I tell her.
"Self… and inner peace…" Kazuko says more to herself than to me.
"At the end of the day Kazuko, martial arts symbolizes the very essence of what we know as the Yin and Yang; the physical and the spiritual. You have the physical, but your spirit is not as firm." I tell her.
"Then… what do I do?" She asks me.
"You must figure out that question. Like the founder of Kawakami once asked himself when he trained in the mountains, 'Who am I? Who am I?'"
"Who am I?" She said. "But there's no way I can be like you, Nagamasa or Onee-sama, Mayucchi…"
"But I'm not trying to turn you into me, or Momoyo, or Mayucchi… I'm trying to turn you, into you." I say handing her the flower from before. "Well then it's a good thing we have some special training tomorrow. Because we are going somewhere special. And I think Mayucchi's done with dinner, so let's go." I tell her.
"Yay! I'm so hungry!" And here she was saying she had no time to waste eating. Hah, she was a funny one.
August 6th, 2009, Thursday
Waking up before dawn, the both of us quietly left the Shimazu dorm and headed for our destination: the base of Mt. Kawakami.
Both of us strapped with travel backs with the essentials we'll need this was the start of the second phase of her training. Now that she knew her work on the spirit was needed, we had to… jump start her physical training.
"Here we are Kazuko, Mt. Kawakami." I say as I presented in a grandiose way like a tour guide.
"Um, Naga… wasn't it forbidden to come here up the mountain because of all the bad rumors?" She asked a little scared.
"Oh that? I got permission from Tesshin and the mayor before we started your training." I answered showing her a consent form signed by the two of them saying we could go up the mountain.
"Oh…" She said a little disappointed she couldn't escape now.
"Come on, it's almost morning. Any ghooosts will be scared away by the bright summer sun. Come on we got a long way up…" And so we started hiking our way up the trail to the peak of the mountain.
And after about an hour's worth of walking and with stuff on our back it was quite the trek up, but as we reached the top, I was just as surprised as Kazuko when we were greeted with a flat plateau and just as well there was forest and gardens here as well.
"It's beautiful…" Kazuko said her eyes mesmerized by the sight of it.
"You're just as beautiful…" I thought I said to myself, but a certain dog's ears popped up.
"Eh? N-Nagamasa?" Damn it, I forgot she listens with those ears!"
"Nothing! But see all of this Kazuko? Here it is said that the founder of Kawakami Temple himself found his inspiration. This is the birthplace of Kawakami martial arts." With that we leave out packs as I bring a very specific item with me.
Kazuko looks around immersed in the rich history of this place, the idea of the man whose family took her in as he majestically practices all the forms of martial arts. Making my way up a rock face, I land perfectly in the middle looking down on Kazuko as she's impressed by my abilities.
"Now… do you want to truly learn martial arts?!" I asked her.
"Yes!" She replied energetically.
"Then I will be your teacher and help you find yourself."
"Y-Yes…!" She seemed ready to start crying already.
"No tears remember?" I remind her.
"Yeah…" She wipes her face.
Taking out the sash that Tesshin had given me, I wrapped it around me as it came across my body. Huh… me as a teacher. Who'd have thought?
"Now then, let's start." Kazuko takes her stance with her naginata as I speak to her, "When it comes to martial arts; with concentration and hard work, you even beat your sister. But when it comes to focus and inner self… you stink."
Kazuko's head drooped at that last comment, "But in that case it may be that you were taught wrong. That for ten years, yes, you have made progress but the way you have gone about it is in the shadow of another."
"Shadow of… Ah, Onee-sama…" She seems to realize already.
"Yes, while you have gotten physically stronger, you have for so long thought of another as you train and from there you began to subconsciously neglect your own progress. Neglect of your inner self. But that is why we're out here to help you harness you."
"I understand." Kazuko replies.
"Good, then you'll be glad to know that your reward for this training… is this." I presented her a bowl of dumplings.
"Aaah… so many…" Kazuko's mouth almost began to salivate.
"Haha, good, good. Because once you have been trained." I use some chopsticks to pick one up and enjoy it. "You may eat. Now then, let us truly begin."
And so her training began, first with upside down sit-ups and to encourage her; that same bowl of dumplings.
Up and down she went, her goal of 200 to finish, but of course given her personality she overshoots it and does 300 as the branch proceeds to snap in half.
Kazuko grabs the bowl, but it breaks as she falls to the ground. I catch the bowl with my staff as all the dumplings are safe.
After checking on Kazuko as well and seeing as she was safe we continued with her training. For the next part, I handed her a free bowl of miso soup.
But just then, I attacked her with my staff, caught off guard by the attack she tried her bet dodge and guard, but with one hand carrying to soup, and my speed she wasn't able to keep up and after a few feints, the bowl was open and smashed.'
The next part was Kazuko chasing after me and the single dumpling I had in my hand. For this we worked on her physical strength, jumping through the trees of the forest below, but after a while as if she didn't seem to notice at one point I jumped up very high reaching the high ledge above.
And just as I turned there I saw Kazuko, nearly 10 feet off the ground! Sure it's not that close to Momoyo but that was already an improvement showing! But she still failed to catch the dumpling after she tuckered herself out from jumping and chasing me.
The next task for her was to balance three soup bowls and to copy my tai chi movements while not dropping the bowls or letting any of the soup leak out. And she succeeded with flying colors!
Around noon was a test of movement, Kazuko was to sneak around me and get some miso soup from the pot we had at our campfire.
And while Kazuko was small and fast, that didn't mean she was a ninja like Azumi… From the shadows I attacked her with my staff as I first aimed for her knee which got her to jump.
"Ow!" She then blocked my next strike at her head with a high kick, and unlike before she was able to start keeping up with me as she blocked even more of my attacks, but with a quick jab to her stomach specifically in her liver she immediately lost control of the bowl and I got it as well as the soup inside.
Slurping it up, she tried to get me by kicking the staff, but moving just an inch it spun and hit her in the head.
"Ow!" She rubbed her wound as we moved on.
As the day progressed, I saw as Kazuko would now begin to keep up with me. The two of us at one point even shadow fighting side by side, she was able to keep up with my speed and movements.
In our other exercises she held her own. Even now when she overshoots her mark, she's not as tired such as when we did 200 pushups, she did 300 and kept going! Finishing at 400 without a sweat!
Now with one last round of combat training, with her naginata in hand I came at her as she was ready for me. Dodging my first striking and then counterattacking immediately, leaving me on the defense to respond. Even when I found my own openings she was able to respond in kind and more than prove my match.
She was improving! Even in unarmed combat she and I fought for what seemed like hours as we traded blows and just as before, not a drop on her.
In such a quick time she'd improved so much… but in the world of martial arts, one can always climb higher.
And so night fell as the both of us gathered around the fire as the dumplings were ready, "After you, Kazuko."
She was quite obviously suspicious of this setup, "Wait, that's it? I'm done? No extra training? No push-ups or hiking?"
"I vowed to help train you and you have done so. And now, you may eat." Kazuko was still suspicious but she sat down grabbed her chopsticks and went for a dumpling. Still looking at me with unease like I was going to suddenly throw something at her.
"Enjoy." I say.
Finally she seems to loosen up and just as she's about to eat, I swipe it!
"Hey!" Chewing the food so obviously in front of her she starts to get mad.
"I said you're free to eat. Have a dumpling." Kazuko then goes in for another one as I use my chopsticks to thwack her hand causing it to lose the dumpling and take it from her.
"Hey!" She yells out in anger again.
Eating so as to obviously taunt I her I swallow loudly as well as her look of anger crosses over me, "You are free to eat."
"Am I?!" She shoots back.
"Are you?!" I say back.
Twirling my chopsticks as an obvious challenge; Kazuko accepts it wholeheartedly as she clocks hers.
"You're on!" She then bumps the plate as some of the dumplings go in the air, I'm able to catch most of them but one as it lands in the bowl again. Kazuko immediately jumps to get it and catch it her mouth, but I grab it before she can.
Holding in front of her, "Looking for this?"
Just as I'm about to eat it she knocks it from my chopsticks as it falls into the bowl, and then begins a back and forth of the two of us trying to take the dumpling from each other.
Eventually at one point we find ourselves in a stalemate, so to confuse her I overturn the bowl it was in as well as the others and begin moving them around quickly so as to confuse her. But Kazuko's concentration wins out as she catches the one with te dumpling as she cheers, "Yay!"
We go back and forth a bit more as at one point, Kazuko bumps the bowl it was in as the dumpling goes flying out but stopping her I use one of my chopsticks to stab it as it lands in a tree near the path leading down the mountain.
"Excuse me!" I try to jump for it, but then Kazuko jumps as well as she grabs my leg and holds me down. Looking up we both notice the dumpling about to slip, I then counter by taking her arm and flipping her over.
The dumpling slips even more, but Kazuko and I once again going back and forth trying to hold the other down just as the dumpling falls, Kazuko knocks me away and almost catches it until with a quick palm strike I stop her as the dumpling falls and slides into my hand, but Kazuko knocks the dumpling away again as it begins sliding down the canopy of the mountain leaves and vines.
Kazuko immediately chases after it; naginata in hand and with a smile and feeling a bit more competitive, I threw away my other chopstick and grabbed my staff as I saw Kazuko go for the dumpling.
Using my staff's reach I knock the dumpling up and out of her reach, and to keep her toes up I strike at her which she uses the shaft of her naginata to block my attacks, but the dumpling never leaves her vision even as she deals with me.
The dumpling and us continue making out way down the path, as Kazuko and I continue to trade blows back and forth, blow for blow as we near the entrance near the base of the mountain.
It was in that moment, just as I used my staff to attack, Kazuko slashed at it breaking off part of it, then using it as a sort of spingboard, she jumped up and caught the dumpling in her hand just as the both of us landed at the entrance of the mountain path.
Triumphant and victorious, Kazuko turns towards me as I bow to her skills in having beaten me, then to my surprise I'm thrown half a dumpling as I look back to her she says, "There's two sides to martial arts, right?"
The both of us enjoy our halves as Kazuko then bows to me, "Teacher."
I return the gratitude as well.
"Kazuko, that was truly amazing. Now let's get back up there and clean up after ourselves so Tesshin doesn't get mad at us for littering on a sacred site."
"Yeah, let's go." And with that the two of us took down our temporary campsite for the day as we headed back to the Shimazu Dorm.
The others were there to greet us as dinner was ready Mayucchi helping Reiko-san.
"Kazuko, Nagamasa, welcome back." She said.
"Welcome back you two!" The Kazama family minus Momoyo said in return.
"Yeah, we're back everyone." Kazuko said.
"Today was certainly… even filled I'll say that. Now then… what's for dinner?" My stomah for the first time grumbled loudly and I didn't mind.
Everyone laughed as Kazuko and I joined the table and ate vigorously.
As we did so I couldn't help but look from my peripheral vision as Kazuko and the other girls were talking amicably. I imagine my emotions were probably pretty obvious on my face to anyone paying attention.
Yamato was one of those people, "Nagamasa, you've been a greater influence on Wanko then we've had on her in ten years. Just who are? No, I don't think that's important. But what's more important and what I know, is that you really do love her don't you? Take care of her, no matter what happens."
AN#1 – Well here's the tenth part of the Kazuko Route – "The Daughter of Kawakami" to my Majikoi story, I'm NOT a Samurai, Seriously.
Hope you guys enjoyed that Kung Fu Panda-inspired chapter and for those of you fans who know this series; this was a completely original chapter with inspirations to be clearly noted so there's no copyright issue.
But still I hope you enjoyed both Kazuko AND Nagamasa's development in this chapter as one learns about herself. Another learns he may be a teacher of the martial arts and he doesn't even know it.
But now begins Kazuko's time in the mountains, and there she'll learn one last lesson about herself, one which will remind her a wound that has long since plagued her heart
But still I hope you'll be back for more! So…
Stay tuned for more!
What's up next for our heroes, Nagamasa and Kazuko? Stay tuned for Kazuko Route – Part 10 – To Save A Dream – Part 3
AN#2 – I hope you guys are enjoying this rewrite. So please don't forget to leave reviews and also follow and favorite as well too!
AN#3 – Remember I wouldn't be here without you guys! Remember to Favorite, Follow and Review! :) Despite the current issues with the Stats on FF.