David caught the thrown shirt. Sure enough, in the center was a large hole through both sides.
“Does this mean he’s a…” began Takumi.
“Let us finish,” Masao said, pointedly glaring at Takumi. His son remained silent, but threw a superior, knowing look to Rie.
“When Ninigi crashed into the shrine and died, the Jitsugen Samurai were born,” Masao said with a final, hard look at Takumi to ensure his silence. “Ninigi’s sacrifice during the summoning ceremony allowed a small part of the Kami that had come at the smith’s summons to enter him. The separated bit was not much, but the instant it left the old Kami it became a new awareness. Weak as it was, it bound itself to Ninigi, saving both of their lives.
“It was not the first time a Kami had entered a human, but it was the first time a youngling had. The new Kami combined with Ninigi to create one new being.
“Since Ninigi’s sacrifice was selfless, and Ninigi was without evil, the new god was able to meld with him, rather than dominate him. The elder Kami spoke to him, asking Ninigi to protect the new Kami. Eventually, he named her Amaterasu after the sun.”
“Over time, Ninigi and Amaterasu grew together, both learning from the other,” Grandpa said, leaning in and squinting at David. “As the first Jitsugen Samurai, they began to drive evil out of Japan. They started small, destroying the beasts and demons that threatened their friends and family, allowing them to grow and flourish. As Ninigi and Amaterasu grew in strength and wisdom, they turned their powers to the good of the rest of Japan.”
“With evil on the run, Ninigi began to bring the separate nomads together,” Masao said. “Eventually, Ninigi’s descendants became the Emperors of Japan. Whenever evil has returned to Japan, a new Jitsugen Samurai has risen again to fight it.”
“I thought that was all just a bedtime story. I could probably tell that story by heart, but I didn’t think it actually happened,” Takumi said.
“How do you think my father taught me the old histories? Bedtime stories.” Grandpa smiled at Takumi. Takumi glanced at Rie as they both nodded in understanding.
“The smith, what name?” asked David quietly as he made the connection between the story and himself. Outside the sun sank below the southern edge of the house.
“Matsumoto Toru,” Grandpa said. The pride that radiated though him left no doubt as to the accuracy of his words. “Ninigi charged our family to keep the secret of the Jitsugen Samurai. As he neared death, he knew evil was far from completely destroyed. He suspected others might come after him to fight evil. Our family has done as he requested ever since. We still live where the first was created. We train in ancient kendo and keep the histories alive. A few Matsumotos have even been Jitsugen Samurai, though mainly we stand ready to help the next generation. You, David, can be a Jitsugen Samurai.”
David sat in stunned silence, looking to the twins. Rie was unusually quiet and refused to meet his eye. Takumi sat stiffly as if all his muscles were locking him into place. David laughed aloud. He laughed as he had not laughed since coming to Japan, with a complete lack of restraint usually 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