“What’s going on? It’s almost time to take off.” Without knocking, Rie came in looking for the pair. David scrambled for his covers.
“Nothing I haven’t seen before,” Rie said, then she suddenly turned and was out the door again.
“Come on,” Takumi said.
Grandpa was waiting in the dojo when David came crawling in at nearly five. Takumi had returned before, while Rie had gone back for him. The dojo had wooden floors, with sliding doors and racks with swords and other weapons. One wall was mostly mirrors with two doors opening into a storage area. Along the far wall, the framed pictures of past Matsumoto Masters solemnly peered down at them.
“I am not a runner.” David gasped as he pulled himself into the dojo. Just behind him, Rie entered.
“You only ran half a kilometer, if you can call that running,” she said. Her tone reminded David of Natsuki for the barest moment. She seemed to catch his look and continued a bit more kindly. “We usually run five K to warm up.”
“Go easy on him. I am sure he will be up to your standards soon enough, if not completely blow them away,” Grandpa said easily. He sat behind a low table chuckling and sipping tea. “I think for today, David can just watch. Start with basics, slowly, so David can follow, then he can begin tomorrow. David? Have a seat next to me. You will get used to the early hour soon enough.”
With David struggling to stay awake, Rie and Takumi went into the rooms behind the dojo to change, emerging in simple tunics and trousers called gi. In perfect unison, they began a series of stretches, blocks, kicks, punches, and other moves. While they worked, Grandpa began to explain the purpose behind what they were doing.
“Matsumoto kendo is not what you might see taught elsewhere in Japan. Our style has been handed down from father to son, or daughter, since the time of Ninigi. That is not to say it has not changed. Our family’s style includes elements from many other martial arts.
“The core is kendo, or the art of the sword. The sword is an extension of the body, so before a person can learn to use a sword, they must master their own body.” Grandpa gestured to the twins as they stepped and blocked accentuating his point.
“The basics you see the twins doing are the prerequisites to weapon basics. Though they have mastered these techniques, they still practice them every day. They are the basic movements you will use in an unarmed fight. Your body must know them so well, that even if your mind is otherwise occupied, you can still react appropriately. By practicing the basics every day, they become second nature. The student becomes correct in form, fast in movement, and accurate in target without having to think about what their body is doing. This leaves your mind open to do other things.” Grandpa smiled mischievously, his eyes twinkling at David.
“How am I supposed to do that,” David said pointing as Rie kicked above her head.
“Do not worry over much. You will grow. You have chosen a samurai’s path. The training will not hurt,” Grandpa said. “Well… maybe it will, but it will be good for you. It is not all physical training either.” Grandpa poked David’s temple with a long finger. “We will train your mind just as we train your body so that when the time comes you will be such a Jitsugen Samurai as to make Ninigi himself proud.”
Finishing the empty hand basics, Rie and Takumi went to the racks and retrieved heavy wooden swords. Back in the center of the room, they began again with the fluid movements of sword basics. The blocks, attacks, and combinations were adaptations of the empty hand movements David had just seen. They moved slowly and with precision. The twins ended practice with a sparring match. With no protection, and the heavy wooden swords, the twins sprung at each other with a flurry of activity David could barely follow. The whack of wood on wood periodically echoed throughout the dojo as their swords met. Their forms became a blur of graceful feet and flying wood.
David’s next week was the hardest of his life. Mornings started promptly at four with being rolled out of bed, all too often literally, by Takumi. After a grueling practice, and a quick Japanese style breakfast of rice with raw egg and soup, David was off to school with the twins. At school, he again had trouble concentrating, not because he did not understand, but because he was so tired from all the new physical activity. Morning practices, P.E., and badminton combined to leave him exhausted and sore every day. He felt constantly on the verge of physical breakdown, but somehow managed to stay just shy of injury. Luckily, his last year’s studies kept him up to speed, and his teachers were used to students dozing in class.
As his classmates began to get to know him, David was invited to several free time sports. Although a small school, his classmates played everything from basketball to soccer. Since David usually chose to practice badminton with Chul Soon, and he was so popular, David was soon meeting many new students in other classes.
After school, David spent most of his time with the first years running drills, and learning how to practice badminton. He could follow along without explanation by the end of his second week, and although he was not as fast or accurate, he was not far behind them. Many of the first years had only a month of practice on him. Back on the Estate, David tried to get through homework as fast as possible so he could escape to bed.
One positive note to keep him going was the five-day vacation at the beginning of May known as Golden Week. Similar to spring break back in the States, it was one of the busiest vacation seasons in Japan. Hearing his fellow students talk about their plans, and their excitement, made David all the more eager for a reprieve from his physical training.
“Any plans for Golden Week?” Chul Soon asked after lunch one day. Though it was by now apparent to everyone David understood most Japanese, Chul Soon continued to talk to David in English. “My brother and I are not going anywhere, so if you want to hang out, let me know!”
“Actually, I’m not sure if the Matsumotos have any plans. Guess I should ask,” David replied. He had yet to hear anything about the break from the twins, and assumed they would just take a vacation from their training. Exhausted, but looking forward to the expected break, David brought it up to Takumi after studying late Thursday night.
“So what will we do next week? I’ve heard everyone talking about their plans for break. Shou and his family are going to a hot spring! Chul Soon mentioned he’d be in town if we want to hang out too.” David’s hopes for a week off died as Takumi paused his video game.
“Ahh. I forgot to tell you. We go on a camping trip every year. You’ll come this year too,” Takumi said.
“That’s great,” David said. “I love camping. We used to go up north to the forest every year in the summer to escape the summer heat for a while. I was also a boy scout. I always loved sitting around the campfire, chopping wood, setting up the tents. My Dad would wander around looking for…”
Laughing, Takumi rolled away from his new 3DS and sat up. Rie came in carrying drinks and snacks and set them on the table.
“What are you so happy about?” asked Rie warily. “I don’t trust anything that makes him that happy,” she added to David.
“I just told David we’re going to the mountains and he started talking about tents and fires,” Takumi said, struggling to get the words out past his laughter.
“Oh, I’m afraid you have the wrong idea, David,” Rie said stifling a laugh of her own. “Think of it more like extended training. The three of us will hike out together with just our supplies. Then we will have to evade Dad and Grandpa, find food, survive, and make it back to the Estate on Wednesday.”
“What do you mean evade?” David asked, afraid of what the answer would be.
“If they find us, Grandpa and Dad will attack us. Plus there will be traps,” Rie said excitedly.
“What about food?” he asked. Although concerned about the other aspects of what Rie was saying, several days without food seemed the most important thing.
“That’s what our weapons will be for. It is great practice. And