Chapter 23 : Breaking Boards

Akiko slipped into stance, preparing to defend herself. She knew from

experience that Moriko fought viciously. But just as the fight was about to

kick off, a bō struck the wooden bridge with tremendous force and

everyone froze.

'Do we have a problem?' enquired Sensei Kano. 'In a setting such as

this, there should be no need for raised voices.'

Nobu and Hiroto immediately released Jack.

'No, Sensei,' replied Kazuki in a friendly voice. 'Jack's lost his picture

and is a bit upset. There was a misunderstanding, but it's all sorted now.

Isn't it, Jack?'

Jack glared at Kazuki, but there was little else he could do. He had no

proof of what had happened. Sensei Kano would never be able to see the

truth.

'Yes,' he replied flatly, not taking his eyes off his enemy.

'I understand the situation perfectly,' stated Sensei Kano. 'I think it is

time that you all went back to the school.'

Kazuki signed to his Scorpion Gang to follow him and they left

without another word.

Jack looked up in despair at his sister's drawing caught high in the

topmost branches of the maple tree. Even with his skills as a rigging

monkey, there was no way he could get to it. The upper branches would

snap under his weight.

'Don't worry, Jack,' said Akiko, seeing the sorrow well up in Jack's

eyes, 'I'll get it for you.'

With astounding grace, Akiko launched herself from the bridge,

kicking off from the handrail and catching hold of the nearest branch of the

maple tree. She swung herself up to the next level, then flew up the tree

swift as a sparrow. Fearlessly walking out on to an upper branch, she caught

hold of the fluttering paper.

With the same unparalleled skill, Akiko dropped down the tree and

back on to the bridge. She handed Jack his sister's drawing and bowed.

Jack was speechless, only managing a nod of the head to show his

appreciation. The others appeared equally impressed.

'I've always enjoyed climbing trees,' she said by way of an excuse,

heading towards the school without a backward glance.

Where had Akiko's remarkable ability come from? None of them had

been taught those skills at the Niten Ichi Ryū. Her agility reminded Jack of

the ninja who had flown like bats through the rigging of the Alexandria, and

of the one person he'd seen scale a castle wall as if he was a spider –

Dragon Eye.

Is this what Akiko had been up to on her nightly outings? Learning

ninja skills?

But that was absurd. The samurai hated the ninja and all they stood for,

and surely ninja felt the same way about samurai. What sort of ninja would

want to teach a samurai their tricks? The whole idea was ludicrous. Besides,

only men became ninja. Jack immediately dismissed the idea.

CRACK!

Kazuki's fist drove through the cedar board, smashing it into two

pieces.

The class applauded loudly as Kazuki became the first student to break

wood in the run-up to the trials.

But he was not the only one to succeed at tamashiwari that morning.

The constant training inflicted by Sensei Kyuzo on the makiwara over the

past month was paying off as Hiroto, Goro, Yamato and then Emi and

Akiko all snapped their single pieces of board. With more time, the students

realized that one board would become two, and eventually the three

required in the Trial by Wood.

Jack was preparing for his attempt when Sensei Kyuzo suddenly

shouted, 'REI!'

The whole class bowed as Masamoto strode into the Butokuden. Jack

was taken aback at his guardian's unexpected appearance.

'Please, Sensei Kyuzo,' said Masamoto, with a wave of his hand,

'continue as if I wasn't here. I just wish to check on progress for the trials.'

Sensei Kyuzo bowed and returned to his class.

'Jack-kun, step up!' he ordered.

Jack hurried to the centre of the Butokuden and waited as Sensei

Kyuzo positioned a single cedar board between the two stable blocks. He

then placed a second board on top of the first.

'But –' Jack protested.

Sensei Kyuzo cut him off with a withering look.

Jack groaned inwardly. Sensei Kyuzo had promised he would do

everything in his power to ruin Jack's chances of entering the Circle of

Three. Now the sensei was setting him up to fail in front of Masamoto.

Jack could see that Yamato and Akiko were equally appalled by the

unfairness, but they were in no position to say anything.

Jack's only choice was to prove Sensei Kyuzo wrong.

During their training, Jack had come to understand that the

tamashiwari technique required more than brute strength. It demanded total

commitment, concentration and focus.

He had to strike through the wood, not at it.

The power came from his body, not the arm itself.

He needed to condense his ki, his spiritual energy, and transfer it

through his fist into the object he was striking. And most crucial of all, he

had to truly believe that he was capable of breaking the block.

Jack took all the anger, frustration and hate he had suffered at the

hands of Sensei Kyuzo, Kazuki and his Scorpion Gang and channelled it

into the wooden blocks. With an explosive force that even surprised Jack,

he slammed his fist through the wood, screaming 'KIAIIIII!'

With the sound of a gunshot, the two blocks shattered apart, the

splinters flying through the air.

There was a moment of awed silence then the class erupted into

applause.

Jack was euphoric. A rush of adrenaline pulsed through him as he

experienced a sudden release of all his frustrations. For that brief moment,

he was all-powerful.

As the clapping died down, one pair of hands kept applauding.

'Very impressive,' commended Masamoto, stepping forward. 'You

have been training your students well, Sensei Kyuzo. May I borrow Jackkun for a moment?'

Sensei Kyuzo bowed in acknowledgement, but Jack noticed the

burning frustration in the samurai's eyes.

Masamoto beckoned Jack over and led him outside.

'I haven't had an opportunity to speak with you for a while,' he began

as they walked past the construction works of the Hall of the Hawk, where

several carpenters were busy hammering down floorboards and putting up

roof beams. Masamoto and Jack entered the sanctuary of the Southern Zen

Garden to escape the noise.

'How are you coping as a young samurai?' enquired Masamoto.

Jack, still buzzing from the tamashiwari, replied, 'Great, but the

training's been harder than I expected.'

Masamoto laughed. 'The training is easy. It's your expectations that

are making it hard,' he observed. 'I must apologize for not being around

much this year to guide you, but affairs of state have taken priority. I'm sure

you understand.'

Jack nodded. He assumed Masamoto was referring to Kamakura's

anti-Christian campaign. There had been more reports of persecution in

Edo, Kazuki ensuring Jack was made fully aware of each one. Jack now

wondered how widespread the problem had become to require so much of

his guardian's time in serving daimyo Takatomi.

'The good news is that we have dealt with the situation and you'll be

seeing far more of me for the rest of the year,' Masamoto said, a smile

spreading across the unscarred side of his face.

'Has daimyo Kamakura been stopped?' Jack blurted, unable to hide the

relief in his voice.

'Kamakura?' queried Masamoto, the smile disappearing. 'So you are

aware of the issue?'

He looked hard at Jack, his stare as penetrating as steel blade. For a

moment Jack wondered if he had spoken out of turn.

'There's no reason to concern yourself with such matters,' continued

his guardian, indicating for Jack to sit down next to him on the veranda that

overlooked the Zen garden and a small stone water feature. 'Still, to allay

your fears I can tell you in strictest confidence that daimyo Takatomi has

required my services to deal with… how should I say, "disagreements" over

the running of our country and who should be welcome upon our shores.

I've been carrying out assignments to establish the positions of other

provincial lords on this matter. The vast majority are on our side. You have

nothing to worry about.'

'But what about all the priests who've died, and daimyo Kamakura's

order to kill all Christians and foreigners who don't leave?'

'I can assure you that's purely the prejudice of one daimyo.'

'But might it not spread among the other lords?' insisted Jack. 'I mean,

if it did, surely I'd be in danger and could get killed before I return home.'

'Return home?' said Masamoto, raising his eyebrows in surprise. 'But

this is your home.'

Jack didn't know what to say in reply. Though he couldn't deny that

Japan was now in his blood, England was where his heart truly lay and

always would.

'You're my son,' affirmed Masamoto proudly. 'No one would dare

harm you. Besides, you're samurai now, and with a few years' more

training you won't need me to protect you.'

Masamoto clapped Jack firmly on the back and laughed.

Jack forced a smile. Masamoto had never asked for anything in return

for his kindness and Jack knew that contradicting his guardian now would

be the most disrespectful thing he could do. He would be throwing all that

generosity back into the samurai's face. However much he wanted to go

home and find Jess, Jack owed Masamoto his life and, as a samurai, his

service too.

Jack decided he would bide his time and dedicate himself to mastering

the Two Heavens. Then, once he'd proved he could look after himself, he

would ask for Masamoto's permission to leave.

'I understand, Masamoto-sama,' said Jack, bowing his head in

deference. 'I was just worried that the situation was getting out of control.

But I'm determined to enter the Circle of Three and learn the Two

Heavens.'

'That's the samurai spirit I'm looking for. I can appreciate how you

must yearn for your homeland,' conceded Masamoto. 'But I made a

promise to the memory of your father, and the honour of my dear departed

son, Tenno, that I would take care of you. You are my responsibility. And

you are perfectly safe.'

Despite Jack's fears that Kamakura's campaign would become bigger

than even the great Masamoto could handle, he knew deep down that his

guardian would fight to his last breath protecting him.

Masamoto turned to Jack, concern now etched in his brow. 'I've been

made aware that you're experiencing some difficulties with other students

in the school. Is this right?'

Jack nodded once. 'But it's nothing that I can't handle,' he added

quickly.

'I'm sure it isn't,' replied Masamoto, noting Jack's bravado with pride.

'Nonetheless, now that I am back, I will be making it very clear that I won't

tolerate bullying or prejudice in my school. At the same time, I wish to give

you some advice that stood me well in my youth.'

Jack had never witnessed Masamoto like this before. Severe, austere

and commanding, yes. But paternal – this was something very different.

Jack felt a pang of grief for his true father.

'I realize it's hard being different. The truth is that they're envious of

your skills as a swordsman and samurai, but, if you ignore their taunts, they

will ignore you.'

'How can I?' said Jack. 'It's not as if I blend in.'

'Do I?' Masamoto asked, turning so that the reddened mass of scars

down the left-hand side of his face was fully visible to Jack.

Jack said nothing.

'Apply fudoshin,' instructed Masamoto, reaching forward and dipping

his finger into the large stone bowl in the water feature. He traced a circular

pattern upon its surface and watched the ripples ebb away.

'Instead of allowing yourself to be led and trapped by your feelings, let

them disappear as they form like letters drawn upon water with a finger.

They cannot hurt you, unless you let them.'