A brother Isn't Always blood

There's a small orangish glow behind Fumikage as I look into his eyes, as he readies into his battle stance. He puts his left leg forward and his right leg further back with his left arm up with his elbow bent slightly and open palm, his right fist closed and at his side, this is your traditional Karate stance. I bring my thumb up under my nose and swipe getting into my stance, my legs spread apart, my right hand up near my face and my left hand more outwards bouncing back and forth with my step. The word "Hajime" rang through our ears as my father yelled it. The signal for the battle, we start approaching each other and I keep bouncing with every step, staying loose. Fumikage would throw the first punch, I deflected it knocking the punch away. Following up with a punch to the stomach, then a left hook and finally I reach behind his head bringing my knee up. He would then block my knee after the first two punches, despite the ringing in his ear from my left hook, he would go for a take down, bringing me down efficiently. Crap I forgot this body of mine isn't as sturdy as it used to be. Fumikage goes into the top mount and starts raining blows and I swiftly slip past each one dodging the strikes. I grab his wrists to stop his punches and raise my head up headbutting him on the chin. The hit was hard enough to knock him back, he stumbles back wiping his chin. I push my hands back pushing myself kicking up landing on my feet, cracking my knuckles and cracking my neck.

I move forward and throw a feint with my leg acting like I'm aiming for his leg, then he lifts his leg up in reaction, and I switch my target, aiming for his head, he tries to react but cant in time, my foot drags across his face sending him back once again, a cut opens up on his cheek. "Ahh you got me pretty good right there" He says wiping the blood dripping down on his cheek. "This fight is far from my over Fumikage. Plenty more attacks for you to take." I say arrogantly as I return to my stance and move my hand up using four of my finger signaling him to come forward. Fumikage falling for the taunt he rushes my character with a flurry of blows, I manage to slip of few blows but he catches me really good a couple straight jabs to the chin and nose. He would then follow up with front kick to my stomach and a spinning back kick to the chest. I stumble back coughing up some blood, after the flurry of attack his speed was too much for me to anticipate, I think right now would be the best time to try my technique, see if I can enter that state. "Your right this fight was just starting but it seems like your close to being at its end." He says talking down to me, no doubt feeling cocky about the series of blows he landed on me.

I reach for the gourd on my sash and I take multiple large gulps of the liquor inside, I start feeling burning sensation hit me all at once in my throat, and the liquors raising my body temperature, getting me hot all over. My body becomes relaxed and I change my combat style, my feet cross each other as I lean forward a little bit, my hands moving in the motion of taking multiple drinks, and I wobble back and forth a little bit. "C-come at me I'm r-ready." stumbling over my words as I'm feeling the affects of the alcohol. Fumikage looks like he's about to break out in laughter, as he sees my drunken stance like he's not taking it seriously. A big smirk covers his face as he attempts to rush me with the same flurry of attacks, before his attacks seemed like a blur but now it seems like he was punching in water. All his moves I could see the after image, and the way its gonna go. I duck under the first and then the second, and move my head around his straight punches and I spin my body leaning against his back, leaning back taking a gulp of my liquor out the gourd. I place it back on my sash and duck in front of Fumikage, using a spin motion headbutting him in the gut sending him flying back at the edge of the circle and his hair barely still inside the circle not that they would disqualify him for that. He kicked himself up and started coughing up blood too wiping it off his lip and chin, he would assume his stance again. He began a running start and leapt into the air doing a flying kick towards my direction, I block up stopping it pushing him back, he then boosted off my push and flipped midair bringing down a axe kick. I slipped to the side out of the way just barely, and used my palm strike to lift him into the air, then follow with rising kick to the gut and then a back kick in the same location midair.

He crumbled down from the air bouncing on the ground twice struggling to get up and I would stumble my way towards him, and elbow drop onto his back leaning against him, taking my gourd off my sash taking a large gulp. The last thing I heard from Fumikage was a groan and then he fell unconscious if I do say, my technique was a success but this style of combat has limited uses. If I use it too much I'll become too immune to the effects of alcohol. I tip my gourd over and not a drop of liquor came out, I must've used all of it. It would appear I am the victor but I am far too tired to do celebrate. I ended up falling asleep on the back of Fumikage, the last thing I remember hearing is Waibo and Father laughing hysterically it would appear they enjoyed the fight. What a fight its been so long since I've had fun fighting someone I could get used to this living in the past thing.

My eyes shoot open, I find myself in a unfamiliar place, I look around and I see a familiar face Fumikage who is still in deep slumber. I hear voices off in a distance in the back of the house towards the hot springs, they must have put us in Fumikage's room. I walk out the room and towards the back, hiding behind the wall as I listen in on the conversation between Waibo and Father. "Our next move is to move in on Shinjitai's land." My father speaks, it seems he has a much more serious tone about him. I think I remember this but when we moved onto the Shinjitai's territory that was the last battle my Father ever fought. We were vastly out numbered and no matter how you look at it, it wasn't a smart choice. Back then he wouldn't listen to me and he wont this time most likely but perhaps I could accompany him into battle. If I can save my father, I will try my best, because of that incident I was thrust into being a daimyo, back then I had no intention of doing it. Fate has a cruel way of prepping you for a role your extremely good at, but in exchange you give up that innocence you were born with. Often times I wonder if I was born a peasant how good a life it would be because at the end of the day ignorance is bliss. I snap back into reality out of my own thoughts to hear the time limit I have to save my fathers life. "Waibo I need you to gather information on Shinjitai's movements for the next year. While your doing that I'll watch over Fumikage, he can stay at the compound with us. Besides he's my sons protector he should get to know the future lord he will serve." He says sternly and directly to Waibo, the type of daimyo my father was taking care of his subordinates. One that I wanted to be but my father never had to wage war like me, not on the scale I went through. I doubt he ever had any problems fighting his inner demons.

A year from now my father would fight a war that would be a battle for his very life, and I don't think he even knew it to be cursed with such knowledge feels like the world has been put on my shoulders. If I change this how will it change the future, will I meet everyone who's crossed my path before? Will I meet everyone again, Shiho will I be the one to marry her again all these questions? I have to have faith that fate will guide us together all attached by the red string. I continue to listen in on their conversation, "Yes my lord, I will keep tabs on your enemies, I owe you everything this is the least I could do." he bows his head in response, one of the few times I've seen Waibo serious. Almost immediately afterwards "Try not to miss me too much while I'm gone my lord and make sure to send Fumikage to clean up the leaves at least once a week HAHAHA!" He laughs while making that comment breaking the serious tension. His head snaps over to my direction and I think its best if I leave now before he decides to check out his intuition. I make my way back to the room with all these thoughts running through my mind I don't know where to begin. It doesn't seem like Waibo is following me, so he let me slide because he definitely saw me. While walking through the house I can tell its definitely different from mine, its more like a dojo. The tatami mats instead of wooden floors, and the roof is made out of straw. The sliding doors are definitely aged wood, seems like this place was ancient before they even moved in. I enter Fumikage's room and he's still sleeping I decide to try to get some more sleep as it seems were staying the night.

As much as I tried I barely even got a wink of rest before I knew it the sun was up and it was time for our departure but true to my fathers word there's three horses and one of them is for Fumikage. I look over at Fumikage while he's taking care of this chestnut horse. "Fumikage I have a gift for you, I'd like to trade horses with you." Akio was much bigger in size and far more beautiful but he was too flashy for me, and there's a certain eccentric ninja I think would like him better. "I'm fine with this one Lord Ishi. I cant have you ride this lackluster horse while I-" Before he could finish speaking I quickly interject. "Fumikage, Akio's personality fits you more trust me, I'm waiting for the right horse to appear before me, to make it permanently mine, a spiritual bond with a horse can lead the way to victories on the battlefield. If need be think of it as a gift of entering my service." I lead the horse to him as I'm speaking. Taking the reigns of the chestnut horse moving to Waibo, "Master Waibo thank you for you hospitality." I bow my head. "No need for that Young Ishi, or should I call you Young Master?" He winks hinting that he knows I was eavesdropping last night and in response I just chuckle and so does he. "Whichever you prefer Master Waibo." I mount onto the chestnut horse and gallop to the path as Fumikage and I await for my father. We watch them both, as they chat for a bit and finally we see them bow and handshake but my father take his hand and drags him into a big hug, almost a image I could see if Fumikage and I had achieved peace with our friends in the future I'm from.

My father turns around and starts mounting his horse, as we look behind us before galloping ahead, Waibo waving everyone goodbye, Fumikage waving back this wont be the last time they see each other but I imagine it will be lonely for both of them. They are so used to sticking by each other side. At some point all of us have to move away from family whether its by choice or by cruel fate. This will be interesting from this point on I have a slight memory of what it was like when Fumikage lived with us, a lot of training. However I cant complain I love the combat, and it will only make us stronger and ascend the restraints on our skill. The ride back home was a interesting one indeed, Fumikage learning stories about his older brother, that he didn't even know. The main question from all these stories is how can a ninja be so clumsy, and I'm asking myself why is he the one my father sent out on the mission, is it because he's trustworthy well cant say its not a good enough reason. One time Waibo was supposed assassinate someone, and he ended up blowing up the whole estate instead, it was a tragedy. That story somehow got all the way to Satsuma that's all the way on the other side of the Land of the rising sun talk about a huge mess. It was close to being evening by the time we arrived at the compound.

The house servants were already laying out dishes in the main hall, a feast for the return of the Daimyo and the Young Master. They were bringing out steamed pork buns one of my favorite, and some dango for desert. Of course there was also miso soup a dish that has been around for the last thousand years and still just as good today as it was back then. everyone enjoyed their meals, not much was said, besides the fact the food was delicious. Fumikage seemed amazed by the artwork of Amaterasu. "Truly majestic" those two simple words escaped his lips and explained his thoughts clearly. I make my way to my room after that patting Fumikage on his shoulder smiling a bit, my father instructed the house servants to guide Fumikage to his room. I slide the door open to my room and the first thing that calls to me is the futon, I crawl onto it and look up at the ceiling arranging my thoughts, what will happen in the next year.