THE EXCITED YOSHINO
After Tomoe had left, Yoshino ran through her dance routine again. She was very gifted, moving in such a way she seemed to become one with the music, her body bringing it to life. After she finished her dancing, which now came so naturally she could do the steps in her sleep, she wandered offstage, down to the merchants’ stalls. Some of them had already started selling to the peasants. Spying a well-known importer she selected some shiny material, and a new fan, then hurried them back to the small, humble house she would be staying in that night. "A new dress for my next show" she whispered to herself merrily. The house was Fukushima's and he had invited her to stay there, rather than in a cold tent in the courtyard with the rest of the festival people. He would be on guard tonight and quite liked the thought of a woman as well known and virtuous as the amazing Yoshino Tayu staying in his spare room. When she had packed her things away she went back outside and walked along the cobbled path to the fighting stage. That night, the stage would be a grand arena for all kinds of fighting styles. Each fighting category would be a thrill to watch. Free hand, Sumoo, single sword, and double sword; which was invented by the supposedly late Musashi Miyamoto. Her mind was cluttered with thought. The excitement of the night’s festivities was jumping through her brain already, as she fidgeted with a loose thread on her sleeve. Some of the fighters were out practising a few basic moves. Nothing really spectacular as they would all save their best moves for the actual event, hoping to take their opponents by surprise. Yoshino grinned at the chiselled flesh in front of her, thinking of the strongest fighters in all of Nihon. Speedy Fukushima, powerful Honda, sneaky Yi, the amazing Tomoe, deceptive Hanga, the seemingly timid yet cunning Togo, not to mention Sakaki and Kobayakowa, and also Date. Ieyasu was still a great fighter, would he compete? Then there was the swordsman Musashi. Surely his absence would be a factor in this tournament, as he usually won both single and double sword matches. Sakaki was great with the spear, but this was the first time he had ever entered a tournament with no spear-fighting category, and he had entered all of the events. Was he hiding something? Date had also entered everything, and Kobayakowa. There were many more new entries. New names meant unknown fighters with unknown potential and skill. What did it all mean, and who would gain the honour of victory? One thing was for sure; it would be a very exciting festival.

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