reserved for the stereotypical foreigners on Japanese television. He laughed with the frantic, nearly panicked thought that the Matsumoto elders might not be joking.
“David there is a choice you must make,” said Grandpa gravely. “A Kami sacrificed some of itself for you. If we do nothing you will gain the abilities of a Jitsugen Samurai over time. You do, however, have a choice. If you want, we can stop that process, but you will be nothing more than you are now. If you wish to be a part of something more… you may embrace a new destiny.”
“I know you will think what you will for now. It is much to take in. Whatever you choose, you must say nothing of what we have discussed here today,” Masao said sternly. He appeared to grow suddenly, even as the room around him faded into a sudden dusk. “David, you must speak only in simple Japanese, and repeat none of our secrets. The new Jitsugen Samurai’s greatest ally is stealth, for if all evil attacked a Samurai by himself, he would surely fall. Takumi and Rie, you two have studied our ways all your lives. Do not fail your duties. I need iron bound promises… now.”
Takumi bowed low, Rie looked like she was about to start screaming but instead suddenly placed both her hands in front of her and bowed as gracefully as anyone David had ever seen. Yukiko smiled encouragingly, lending her usual strength and poise to the tense situation. David sat stiller than the rest, yet was the first to speak.
“Sure,” he said slowly, “Sure. I’m not believe you, so who believe me? I promise won’t tell.”
David spoke more to himself than Masao, his mind drifting far away from the tatami floored main room of the Matsumotos’ house. He thought about his sister, his father, and even his mother. He thought about his life until that point. It was not until he could name the emotion driving his thoughts that he finally relaxed. It was hope. He might not believe them, but he wanted to.
Nakano Junior High
April,
Back then, I was imprisoned by a total lack of sensation. I was alone in an abyss of nothing. I knew something was missing, but I could not lock onto what it was…
With a groan, David stumbled out of his room. His mouth was dry, as if he had been hiking Phoenix’s North Mountain without water. Just outside his room, Takumi caught him before he could ram his head into one of the hardwood support pillars.
“Wow, you’re finally up. Good, you can grab breakfast with us,” Takumi said almost formally. David stared dumbly until he recognized Takumi in his gi, the outfit he used for martial arts. Takumi steered David toward the kitchen. Since that was where David wanted to go he let Takumi guide him.
“Dad asked me to come get you. He took a break from his research. They’ve spent the last two nights looking into the old writings about the Jitsugen Samurai. They don’t want to miss anything important in your training,” Takumi said in a low voice.
“Wait, so that wasn’t all a dream,” David rasped. Then Takumi’s words fully registered. “Two nights? It’s Sunday isn’t it?”
Takumi shook his head. David grabbed at another post. His eyes widened in shock as his hand made contact. It was completely fine. There were no bandages and no pain. In fact, David could not remember any pain from his hand after the accident.
“My hand!” His shout alerted Yukiko, who found him staring wildly at Takumi. After she explained how the accident had healed more than just the damage done by the metal, and after he pinched himself trying to wake up, she led him on.
‘Could all of that have really happened?’ he asked himself.
An instant later, he was sitting next to Rie. She refused to look at him as she ate one of Yukiko’s breakfasts of fish, rice, egg, and miso soup. When she came back in from the kitchen, Yukiko checked David over with a practiced eye, and then while they ate, hovered protectively. Her concern and thoughtfulness drove his last doubts from his mind.
“Are you sure you do not want any more soup? Rice?” Yukiko asked. When he shook his head, mouth full of rice, she continued, “Well I am glad you are feeling all right. Go get ready for school or you will all be late, and remember, use only the Japanese we have been working on in your tutoring sessions.” Yukiko rushed David out, sending him off to his room immediately after finishing his breakfast.
David was soon outside the Estate, walking along the wooded drive with Rie and Takumi. The walk reminded David of his first day of school, only a week after arriving in Japan. On that day, he had left the Estate and sweated along after the twins through Nakano town. David had been caught off guard by the strange signs, new sights, and multitude of uniformed students walking along with as many incoherent conversations. With his new ability to understand the Japanese around him, it was like the first day all over.
David listened in on the twins’ whispered conversation. With each step away from the Estate, Takumi became less intense, and Rie seemed more her regular energetic self. With a full day of sleep to clear his head, David was easily able to discern the twins’ Japanese.
‘I’m even thinking in Japanese now,’ he thought. The mental leap helped him to understand why he had thought the Matsumotos were speaking English. David was so astounded that he missed a dip in the rough road and ended up on the ground in a heap of uniform and bags.
“Are you alright?” Rie asked. Dressed in her white and blue sailor uniform, she appeared over him with the same concern Yukiko always showed him. When he looked to her, she immediately stood and turned away. David just had time to wonder if he had offended her before Takumi was there pulling him up.
“So, yesterday, I mean Saturday really happened?” David asked sheepishly. Brushing off the dust from his black uniform slacks, he struggled to understand what was happening to him. David looked to the twins for answers.
“Yep, it definitely happened,” Rie replied, suddenly turning on the boys with a bright smile. Her return to the Rie he remembered before the accident made him sigh in relief. He had not been able to talk to her before, but he had definitely begun to worry the accident would keep him from ever getting to know the twins. “Now we can have a regular conversation! Maybe even get to know each other a little better.”
“Right, because he’s so concerned about getting to know you.” Takumi rolled his eyes. Then his hand moved in a blur as he caught Rie’s right punch. A low block deflected what David had thought would be a painfully accurate blow. David jaw hung loosely as he stared at the sudden show of martial arts prowess. Although he had been aware of the Matsumotos’ training, it was the first time either of the twins had been so open about it in front of him.
“It’s a good thing I’m such a nice sister, and didn’t kick you,” Rie said as she ended her attack and returned her attention to David. “Anyway, yes, it was real, but we can’t tell you much more than what you’ve already heard. Dad refused to tell us more, and I’ve only heard...”
“Look, like Dad said, secrecy is important, so we can’t talk about it except at the Estate,” Takumi said. Rie was suddenly very interested in the trees along the path. “You never know who might be listening.”
David laughed once at Takumi’s words, but the complete lack of reply from his host brother quickly stopped the laugh, turning it to a thoughtful frown. Takumi was deadly serious. Even Rie eyed him with concern.
As they turned
