It had been seven days since Ryuhitsu arrived at Mirumoto Bushi School. Seven days since he had entered the strange world of the Dragon Clan.
Seven days, and he had not learned a single thing.
It was not that Ryu did not want to learn anything, it was just that the Dragons did not seem to desire to teach him. Instead, they left him alone in his spartan quarters, where he had nothing to do but meditate in the communal rock garden that was adjacent to all the inititiates' quarters, read Mirumoto's Niten, or contemplate his navel. Of all his options, the last was the route he pursued most. The only times he saw his superiors were mealtimes, when they would speak only amongst themselves, or eat in total silence.
Ryuhitsu was beginning to question his enrollment in the school when Mirumoto Hyru, the school's head instructor, requested his presence. "It has been called to my attention, Ryuhitsu-san, that you feel... how should I put this?... unfullfilled with our training."
Ryuhitsu had bowed apologetically, and stammered, "O-oh, no, most certainly not, Hyru-sama!"
Hyru only rubbed the scar above his eyes, and then spun around, saying, "Hmm... come with me."
Mirumoto Hyru led Ryuhitsu into a large building with wooden walls covered with exquisitely carved statues of lions, crabs, and dragons. The inside of the building consisted of a single large room with a dirt floor. The sides of the room held armories of objects and weapons of war, including swords, naginatas, staves, bows of several shapes and sizes, tetsubos, die-tsuchis, spears, and several unidentifiable gaijin weapons.
In the center of the room sat the tattooed monk who greeted Ryuhitsu seven days earlier. When Hryu and Ryuhitsu entered, the monk stood and bowed, and then dropped into a fighting stance.
Before Ryu knew what was happening, the monk had attacked him.
Two, three, four blows landed before Ryuhitsu no longer noticed the throbbing pain in his arm; he was now too distracted by his bloody lip and nose.
"Come now, Ryuko. Can you not do better than that?" the monk grinned.
Fire erupted behind Ryuhitsu's eyes. He had heard the taunt many times before, as the boys in his caravan would mock him for his inferior size and strength, and, coupled with the pain in his arm and face, it sent him into a rage. Ryuhitsu's ordinarily calm disposition disappeared, and he yelled as he charged at the startled monk. He swung his fists and feet at the strange man, but each time the Ise Zumi was one nimble step out of his reach.
A single solid kick sent Ryu sprawling on his back.
"Why..." pleaded Ryuhitsu as he stumbled to his feet, "why are you now treating me like this when before you treated me with kindness?" Ryu's answer came not from the Togashi, but from Mirumoto Hyru, who was still watching by the door.
"In order to see enlightenment, you must see all extremes. Kindness..."
"... and cruelty," finished the Togashi. "Now, Little Dragon, prepare yourself. I will not show mercy in your instruction this time."
"NO!" cried Ryuhitsu, "I did not come here for this!"
The Ise Zumi merely walked up to Ryu, and slapped him. Then both the Togashi and Mirumoto Hyru walked to the sliding door.
"What am I supposed to do?" whimpered Ryuhitsu.
The Ise Zumi answered without looking back:"Defy definition."
"Mareko-chan? My wife? Where are you?" the Doji diplomat cried to the morning, his voice filled more with fear than agitation.No response.
The diplomat made a quick prayer to Ameratusu and the Fortunes, and cried out again, "Mareko-sama?"He heard only the chirping of the crickets. "Lord Doji!"
The diplomat spun around, and frowned. "Mizujin-sama, have you seen my wife?"
The tattooed man opened his mouth to reply, but was cut short.
"My lord!"
Mareko was walked out from behind the house, smiling. The diplomat breathed a sigh of relief. "Mareko-sama, it is good to see you are unharmed."
Mareko only smiled, but when the diplomat was not looking, her eyes glowed with pure darkness...