The Swan

It was later that evening that Gengyo finally found some time to himself. Dinner was finished with, and he was now sitting idly against a tree in an area a few minutes from the house.

'Mmm. Even if my life has been a little complicated these past two days, it sure beats sitting alone in my lab.'

He fiddled with the string of his bow as the light in the dense forest gradually started to fade.

'Hmm, the statistic that 17 hours of being awake has the same effect on the body as two glasses of wine… would that mean I'm a good drunk? I've been awake for 36 hours, and I'm still able to function rather well.'

'Of course, if sleep were possible right now, then I would go without resistance, but atlas such a thing would be foolish.'

'My time is ticking. Even if it takes every last drop of my will power, it's important for my survival, and therefore my future, that I adhere to the thoughts and plans made by a more able minded and motivated version of myself.'

'That is to say, right now, I very much do not feel like getting up from this tree. The way it supports my back just right… and the cushioning of this soil on my rear… I could just drift away now.'

'No! Snap out of it, you silly mortal.'

At that Gengyo stood up, forcing his body into action and he began to walk deeper into the forest before his tired mind could think up any anymore reasons why it might be better to rest.

'Mmm. A clearing would be nice.'

He continued on, with this as his goal. His direction remained straight so that he would not get lost on the way back.

In his hand he held the fruits of last night's labour – his bow and set of 5 arrows – and in the other he held a bundle of torn clothes that his mother – Fuku - had been about to repair but on Gengyo voicing his interest she had willingly given them to him instead.

In the distance Gengyo began to hear the sound of running water.

'Mm, a river would serve my purpose well. Along the banks there will be a clear enough area for me to practise.'

He changed his direction a little and began to head towards it, having to deal with an army of overgrown plants that got in his way.

They were not all friendly plants either. Some bore thorns that sliced Gengyo's clothes and skin whenever they managed to surprise him. Others stung him, and left irritating sores on his flesh.

He took care to carve a path through them all, using a stick that he had acquired along the way. This would allow him to be able to find his way home easily enough, and also not have to deal with the army of angry vegetation that barred his way.

Eventually – as the going was slow – the water came into sight, and with it a good deal of shingle.

There were about 2 metres of shingle along the shore, as the water lapped gently back and forth.

It was not a river, but a small lake – perhaps 50 metres in diameter. Only one shore was accessible. The other sides of the lake were shielded by trees and grasses that yielded no entrances.

'Could be an oxbow lake, given its shape, which would mean there's a river nearby.'

The scenery was rather magnificent, with the low sun reflecting off the water's edge giving the area a warm glow. Ducks navigated the water with some diving deep in search of food. Seconds later they would return with fish in their mouth.

'The aquatic life seems to be rather bountiful. Fishing here would be a treat.'

A few swans nested by the water's edge, and Gengyo took great care not to alarm them as he moved about preparing a target for his training.

'We'll set up away from those swans. I would feel bad if they left their eggs because of me.'

He wrapped his bundle of clothes around a thin tree at one end of the shore, making sure it was thick enough as not to blunt the arrow should it strike wood.

Nodding with satisfaction, he moved back around 10 paces, before nocking his arrow and drawing his bow.

'Look down the arrow and aim for the centre of the clothes.'

He repeated the advice he had given to the dead-eyed Masaatsu that same morning, and released the string.

THWANG

Despite the close distance, the bundle of clothes was not hit. Nor was it even disturbed in the slightest.

The arrow had disappeared deep into the undergrowth causing Gengyo to feel a little disheartened.

'Yeah… It was probably a bad idea to hope I'd be as lucky as Masaatsu.'

Sighing, he retrieved his arrow, before nocking, drawing and taking aim once more.

He prepared to release his arrow once more, but stopped himself, slowly allowing the string to relax.

'Last time… It went too far to the right hand side. I'm standing straight in front. The arrow travels completely straight from the bow – we've checked this – so the only fault can be with my own aim.'

This time – after drawing – when Gengyo looked down the arrow, he aligned it as he did before, but then before release he turned a few millimetres left.

THWANG

This time, the arrow grazed the left hand size of the clothes target, almost sticking.

'That's more like it.'

Gengyo was much happier with that kind of result, and praised himself for his analysis prior to aiming this time. With that, he felt he would be able to make progress – though it was likely a bit early to be feeling that kind of optimism for he was still far too close to the target.

After retrieving his arrow for a third time, he assumed his stance and made the right adjustments to his aim holding a certain confidence that he would be able to make the bullseye this time.

He prepared to release, loosening his fingers on his string.

But a sudden flash of white halted his fire, and he lowered his bow fearing the swan might get caught by his arrow.

The swan was certainly taking it's time to move, and Gengyo started to grow a little impatient.

"Come on, move will you?"

"…"

"Please? I'm trying to practise with my bow…"

He did not expect to hear the voice of a young woman tentatively offering a response.

"Sorry..."

'What?'

Gengyo was startled, and couldn't formulate a response to this 'swan' as his mind was racing.

The undergrowth and trees surrounding the swan started to stir, as that little patch of whiteness grew, revealing features that a swan certainly would not have.

"Uhm… Hello."

A lavishly dressed woman of notable beauty stepped out. She had a delicate air about her, with dark brown hair that brushed against full lips as she used her small snow coloured hands to try and hide herself as she spoke. Her captivating dark brown eyes darted from Gengyo's face to the floor and the area surrounding as she struggled anxiously with where to focus her attention.

The more time went on, the more self-conscious she grew, and a pink blush lightened her cheeks that were supported by the architecture of her high cheekbones.

The clothes she wore were no less beautiful than she – as the white yukata merely served as a canvas for a most colourful depiction of nature. It began at the bottom, with a swirling orange sea in which flame-coloured cranes stood proudly. Bamboo shoots shot from the sea, branching off toward the sleeves as they grew all the way to the top of the back and chest. Orange and yellow leaves decorated their branches, for fear that the outer parts of the yukata would not know what colour was.

In spite of all this colour, the designer still chose to keep the sleeves a most pure white, which presumably was the part Gengyo had mistaken for a swan's wing.

Finally he spoke to this swan in human form.

"…What are you doing?"

This only served to increase her self-consciousness, as she fretted about every little action she was making wondering what this man in front of her was referring to.

"Sorry…"

Gengyo shook his head, at a loss as what to do.

"That's not what I meant. What are you doing here?"

She peeked out from behind raised hands that covered the lower half of her face like a more refined gangster's bandana.

"Uhm… I sometimes come here. It is beautiful, see?"

She attempted to create a more gentle conversation with the man in front of her – a conversation that drew the attention away from her.

However, Gengyo was not so lenient as to let this strange encounter pass unexplained.

'She's clearly of a more noble birth than mine – most likely a samurai's daughter. Why on earth would she be anywhere near a forest that houses peasants like me?'

"Why here? There are plenty of beautiful places. This is a place where peasants live. It would be dangerous for a young lady such as yourself to be caught alone."

She interpreted a threat that wasn't there in Gengyo's words and grew further more anxious, before trying her best to please the man in front of her.

"The… Daddy's mansion is near here."

"Does that mean I'm trespassing?"

The girl quickly shook her head, worried that Gengyo would get angry.

"Ah, no! Uhm… please stay…?"

She was unsure of quite what else to say, but that was certainly the last thing she wanted him to do.

"Why were you hiding in the undergrowth over there?"

"I was scared… so I hid. No one else has ever come here before."

'Make sense when you think about it. The fish in this lake certainly have never been hunted by human hands.'

"Oh. Why are you wearing that?"

Gengyo pointed, referring to the yukata.

"Even if you are a samurai's daughter – are you a samurai's daughter? – it's a little unusual to be wearing a yukata at this time of year."

Gengyo deemed her not to be a threat, so he spoke more casually, leaning his bow and arrows against a rock and sitting down.

The girl took comfort in this, having his attention slightly diverted away from her as he admired the peaceful water.

"Yes. My father is Niwa Nakatane… As for this – it's a little embarrassing, I'd rather not say."

Gengyo's interest was heightened as his own theories began to swim around in his head. But he left it there.

"That's fine. Well, I'm going to be practising a little. Since you came all the way out here it would be wasteful to leave without enjoying the scenery?"

The girl tentatively nodded in agreement at that.

"It would…"

"Then, by all means, act as though I am not here."

It was an impossible request for such a self-conscious girl, but she did her best to fulfil it.

Finding an overturned log, she began to sit down.

"Ah. That's probably going to ruin your yukata."

She halted her motioned and turned to look at the log once more. It had a green sort of algae dusted lightly upon its top layer, and given the pureness of the white that made up the yukata, there was no doubt that such a colour would stain.

"It was probably a bad idea to come down here in that, but I suppose it's a circumstantial matter is it not?"

She tilted her head slightly, caught off guard by a peasant speaking with such language, but then she blushed, understanding what he was implying.