Rebel Encounter

I was sitting on the deck, watching the sun set behind Hikone Castle. The leaves were changing with the coming season, so I knew I had been here for a while. My rebel had not returned since I first awakened at his residence. It turned out his estate was located on the opposite edge of Lake Biwa from Kyoto. I had never traveled this far north; my family resided in a village outside of Osaka. I have been alone for almost four months now, but my savior has provided well for me.

After my body recovered from its plight, I awoke to find a new wardrobe waiting for me. He provided me with kimonos for everyday use, as well as a couple for special occasions. A note was at the bottom of the box, telling me not to “entertain” guests within his walls. There was plenty of money available for my usage, so I could recover here in peace until his return. And it was peaceful for a time; the servants only came twice a week, so I took care of my living quarters and myself. The servants merely washed the laundry and shopped for food. I was thankful for the human contact, but time alone was necessary for my recovery. I sat outside my room every night watching the sun set. I used to do the same thing in my village, before everything changed.

I wasn’t alone for long. Once I was able to move around on my own, a man came knocking at the front gate. He was a large, physically imposing man, and when I started to close the gate abruptly, he stopped the door with his hand. I stared at him, the fear building in my chest, when he started to laugh. His name was Shinra, and he was my new instructor. ‘Instructor of what?’ I had asked him. He immediately shoved a sword in my face. ‘I was told you needed training, so here I am,’ he said. The following weeks were arduous. We trained everyday, mostly swordsmanship and hand-to-hand combat.

Shinra had extensive training from his military past. Before the Meiji government took effect, his most recent tenure was serving with the Shinsengumi’s Tenth Squadron. I never doubted that he knew what he was talking about; I just doubted why he was here. However, Shinra never mentioned where he and my protector came to first know one another. I assume they knew each other from Kyoto (the Shinsengumi’s base of operations), but I have no solid evidence that this is true. But I digress; there was a reason for my training. Apparently my benefactor did not want me to relive the events of the summer. Into my second month of training I was awakened from my serene slumber to find a man sitting on top of me. Past memories slipped into my mind, and I freaked out. The man in black started to laugh at his triumph of my mind and body, then removed his headgear. It was Shinra. I stopped struggling underneath him, and then swung my fist, connecting directly with his jaw. He didn’t budge, but my hand immediately started throbbing.

‘You will never learn to protect yourself if you are not constantly aware of your surroundings, in consciousness and unconsciousness. Your enemy can take advantage of you at anytime.’ He rose up from me and headed to the door. ‘Get dressed and meet me in the yard.’ He told me a story that night, and it included my place in this charade. My benefactor was preparing for a war against the local government of Kyoto. Apparently he was a shinobi in his spare time, but Shinra could not tell me whom he was working for or what clan he came from. His position as the police commander in Kyoto was actually a front he used to infiltrate the police force. The first night I encountered him was when he had overheard conversations between the police chief and the local Yakuza boss. The rain had actually helped to give away his position when he leapt from one roof to another, and fell from the rain-slicked surface. I couldn’t help but laugh, which got me a crack on the hand from Shinra’s sword sheath.

My role was a protector of the “home front”. He didn’t want to be distracted, so he needed to know that I was taken care of. I was his defense here in Hikone, in case it was ever discovered who he was. He was especially worried about information leaked to the Yakuza by the police chief concerning my whereabouts. The chief knew where I was, but he only knew the city, not the residence. Shinra told me I could no longer go out in public, that if there was anything that I needed taken care of, it could be handled by himself or the servants. So my days were spent with Shinra, learning to protect myself and this place I had come to call home. He still came by on his off days to help fortify this home, placing tripwires and other subtle warnings around the premises. My nights were lonely, especially since I was used to the company of men. There was no more time for entertainment, even if I did, my customer could be a spy for the police or the Yakuza. I just couldn’t put myself in that much risk.

By the middle of my third month, my training was nearing its end. Shinra played his trick again. Sneaking past his own defenses, he quietly landed in the yard, and started to make his way to my room. As he walked past the large tree, I jammed my sword underneath his chin, and stepped away from the shadows. I was about to slit his throat when he dropped his weapon and removed his headgear. I sighed silently, and removed my sword from his throat, leaving a small slit in his skin. Shinra put his hand to his throat, and looked at the blood as it soaked between his fingers. He laughed, and put a bottle of sake into my hand. We stayed up the rest of the evening, drinking and laughing. My training was now complete.

It was only a week later when I awoke to the smell of breakfast coming from the kitchen. I quickly dressed, and began to head to the dining room when I tripped over something in front of my door. Rubbing my sore knee, I turned to find a long box. ‘Not long enough to be a sword’ I thought. Upon further inspection, I found a note attached to the top. Another gift from my benefactor, it seemed. The note only contained one symbol, Wind. I opened the box to find a stunning wakizashi, a sword slightly shorter than the katana, but no less powerful. Yet, I wasn’t sure what the symbol was supposed to stand for.

I followed my nose, and I was just outside the dining room when I heard laughter, a man’s laughter. Still carrying the small sword, I removed the sheath and laid it up against the wall. As I got closer I heard more laughter, from more than one man. I reached for the sliding door when suddenly the door opened before me. “Yume! It’s good to see you’re finally awake!” said Shinra. He looked down at my sword. “Did you think you were being invaded by barbarians?” I couldn’t help but blush as I bowed my head in apology. “I’m sorry, Sensei, I was not expecting your company, or anyone’s company today. Are the servants here as well?”

“Sensei?” I heard someone yell from the kitchen. “You actually got someone to call you a respectable name?” Shinra laughed even harder, and then relieved me of my weapon. He bent down to my ear. “Someone needs a word with you,” was all he said, then walked away. I entered the kitchen, and just stared in complete wonder at the man before me. Four months hadn’t changed him, at least on the outside. He was wearing his yukata, his black hair swinging freely down his back. He stopped moving when he felt me watching him. I couldn’t say a word. In four months time I had got used to surviving on my own (well as much as can be expected when you can’t leave the outer walls), and here he was, before me now, stunning as ever. And I couldn’t say a word.

My rebel turned and looked at me, a harsh look of disappointment on his face. “Nothing to say?” he asked. Shaking me from my trance, I did think of something to say, but not with words. He started to approach me, but I halted his steps with a slap to the face. “Four months? You drug my tea, then leave for four months? You send strange people to teach me things without any explanation? What am I supposed to say?” I yelled, tears welling up in my eyes. I raised my hand to strike again, but he caught it and held my hand against the wall behind me. His face hovered over mine, and I was waiting for him to yell at me, but it never came. I could see the sweat sliding down his face from standing over the stove. He put his free hand against my face, gently wiping my tears away. I licked my lips in anticipation, but the moment was interrupted by Shinra’s re-entrance.

“Did you get it out of your system, Tatsu? She’s been missing you for a while.” I looked between the two men, then my rebel released his grasp of my hand and walked back to the stove. “Breakfast is almost ready. Yume, can you set the table?” he asked. I nodded and turned to leave. Shinra was making his way to the dining room, twirling my sword in his right hand. I turned back to my benefactor. “Your name is Tatsu? Is that short for something?” I asked. He looked at me and smiled. “You mean all this time you didn’t know my name?” I grinned at him. “Well, it’s not like we’ve been around each other in a social situation. I have to be nude to have a straight conversation with you.” I heard Shinra’s laughter coming down the hallway, scaring two birds that were sitting on the walkway. Tatsu nodded, “You’re right. My name is Tatsumaki, but you can call me Tatsu.”

I nodded in return, and left to arrange the dishes. Tatsumaki…windstorm…how appropriate for a free spirit that comes to visit, wreaks lots of destruction, only to leave in the blink of an eye. At least I finally knew his name.