Caricature | KNY

3 | Nocturnes of Winter

Image is my rough depiction of Minoru, the street vendor who sells you wisteria incense! There are three coins on his earring - I wonder if anyone remembers them from chapter 1 [Tadpoles]? :>

You don't follow either of the paths you're supposed to until a few years later.

You tell yourself it's because of the overwhelming demands of your profession. As a doctor in an era of ceaseless warfare, the demand for your services is just as ceaseless. You spend your days establishing a new reputation among the local communities; with the advantage of your medical studies abroad, you soon become one of the highest demanded practitioners in the region. Yet, perhaps the security of your standing is a double-edged sword; between treating wounded warriors, concocting remedies for common ailments, and indulging in private experimentation on the side, you have little time to even consider wandering into the wilderness in search of downtrodden maidens or potential demon hunters in the making.

However, the opportunity eventually comes in the form of a summon to one of the most reputable samurai schools of the region.

The master is a warrior you once treated, a man past his prime who tells you about his star pupil, Michikatsu Tsugikuni. He describes Tsugikuni as a genius on the cusp of eclipsing his own master's accomplishments, and at an age even younger than he himself. He speaks as much of his excellence as he does of his unrelenting habit of overwork, of continuing to train rather than resting his injuries and of sneaking out into the surrounding forests late at night to practise alone. The master hopes that with your charismatic reputation, you will be able to coax the boy to grant his body the reprieve it sorely needs. After all, he laughs, all of the other students seem more than eager to play up their injuries just to be able to visit you when you're there.

And so you find yourself in a clearing in the sun-dappled evening, where a lone warrior swings his sword while everyone else gathers inside for dinner.

As you approach him, a pang of familiarity strikes you immediately. It is the unmistakable aura of purpose, of the potential for unparalleled strength enough to make waves in a future yet unknown. In both aura and visage, the boy in front of you is a splitting image of Yoriichi, and you are certain that if not twins, they must be brothers. And just like his brother, Tsugikuni is extraordinary.

Though ambitious fighters are not an uncommon sight these days, this boy's raw determination is a far cry from that of other aspiring warriors you have encountered. There is an anger that simmers beneath each swing, and his eyes glaze over with such a profound emotion – could it be disappointment or disdain? – with every movement falls short of his standards that you can feel something festering within you. You realise it is his resentment, so potent that it sends an electric surge through your veins, the very same adrenaline that powers every swing, and your fingers begin to curl into fists before you manage to quell the building tension with a controlled breath. Maintaining this steady rhythm, you draw closer to the boy, your presence going unnoticed until you're within earshot.

"Excuse me," you interject, voice projecting an air of calm assurance that seeks to bridge the gap between his intensity and your intrusion. "I couldn't help but notice your technique. It's clear that you possess remarkable physical abilities and a fierce focus."

His blade halts mid-swing. Tsugikuni lowers his stance and turns to face you, long black tresses swaying about at the movement. His chest heaves from the exertion, but you can tell he tries to suppress it as he regards you with scepticism.

"Who are you? Are you a swordsman?" He asks, as his eyes wander from your elegant robes to your silken gloves. The dichotomy between your appearance and your interference raises his curiosity, but the prowess of his prodigious brother reminds him, bitterly, not to judge solely based on appearances.