Reality's Blade

Chapter 7: Boy Under the Cherry Blossom

The bubble-gum pink sky filled my vision, the moon was at the lowest I'd ever seen it, sat peeking over the horizon far across the lake. The cool water felt amazing against my clammy hot skin. I had also been covered head to toe in dirt from the day's training.

Today's lesson had been footwork and the environment. I'd sparred Hikage right across the landscape, on the uneven rocky shore, the dusty grass, a muddy field (which had proved the dirtiest fight), and finally in the water, each time being almost annihilated. I'd been given so much information today I thought my brain might explode. I hoped all my new knowledge wasn't pushing out other important things that I needed for school.

Sparring on the grass was the easiest, it allowed a firm footing on the floor with enough grip to launch powerful lunging attacks. I had been defeated when Hikage had used the tip of his blade to flick up dirt into my eyes.

The rocks had been the worst, no matter how I stood my feet slipped on the loose bits or slimy bits. I was utterly hopeless, I couldn't comprehend how Hikage made light fast movements across them. I remained none the wiser by the end of that fight.

The muddy field made for an interesting battle ground. If you planted yourself firmly, the suction would help steady your stance, however the inherent slipperiness became my downfall. Hikage had used his leg to sweep my foot out from under me, I fell heavily into the mud flat on my back. The ground made a horrific sucking sound as I was pulled free.

Sparring in the water gave me my closest shot at victory. I couldn't move fast with my limbs being opposed by the water, but neither could Hikage. Like he had done with the grass I used my blade to splash him, I launched my attack while his visibility was impaired. I met resistance from my blade but there was no clash of metal, as the water fell back to the lake I could see that once again Hikage had managed to catch my blade in his hand. With a fleeting flash of an evil grin I knew that I was about to be defeated. Sure enough, I was sent plummeting into the lake. Which was how I had got here, floating in the calm waters letting my battered body recover.

"Aaaaahhhhhhh!" An excited sound that sounded totally unlike Hikage and more like a child at Christmas, gurgled through to my water filled ears.

I lifted my head out the water to see what the commotion was about. Hikage was inspecting his fan from all angles, a delighted look on his face. He snapped it open and shut a few times before exclaiming, "It's done!"

"Performance! Performance!" I chanted, clapping in time.

Hikage looked at me surprised but it quickly turned to a smile. "Guess it can't be helped." He muttered jokingly.

Taking stance he held the fans ready at his sides, he stood still for a moment, I could see the swell of his chest as he slowly breathed in then out, preparing his body and his mind, his expression becoming clear and focussed. With a swift motion he began, the fans twirling and dancing about him, his hair streaming behind him like silk dipped in the night sky, the gold rims twinkled as they caught the moonlight. It was just as mesmerising as the first time I had seen it, and even more beautiful close up.

As he finished and the spell wore off I clapped and cheered, he took an embarrassed bow and told me to knock it off, beaming all the while. I was getting used to him smiling more often now, I felt like at some stage I had managed to put a crack in the serious mask he wore, letting his happiness flow through. Perhaps it was his solitude and loneliness that had steeled his heart after so long, but now with regular company I could see him slowly changing.

I joined Hikage on the log.

"Can I see it?" I requested, curious to see how his new pride and joy had turned out.

"Yeah, ah but don't get it wet!" He gingerly handed it to me, seeing that I was still soaked from having just got out of the lake.

Whilst folded it looked identical to the other one I had seen previously. I pushed my hair back to stop the drips from falling forward then unfurled it, feeling surprising anticipation to see what he had painted. I was surprised at what I found. On this fan he had painted himself, with the Legerdemain scenery taking up half of the background.

He had perfectly captured how the moon sits suspended protectively over the lake, it's luminescence being reflected on the serene waters, while the forest sat on the outermost edge, looking dark, hungry and dangerous. Just off-centre he had depicted himself, arm extended to the middle, where he met the outstretched hand of a young boy. Behind the boy sat a dark cityscape, the high-rise buildings silhouetted on a burning sky, a shadowy river flowed behind him with the city lights twinkling like stars in it's waters. I could almost hear the sirens wailing in the background it was so vivid.

I was struck hard by the sudden epiphany that it was a reflection of the two worlds Hikage lived in, which meant the boy in the city his real life body.

"Can I see the other one a second?"

Hikage was frowning.

What's with that face?

Oh, I hadn't commented on the fan yet.

"It's a really great painting, you've done a great job capturing the essence of this place!" I exclaimed.

He didn't look at all convinced by my words but handed me the other fan regardless.

I opened it out. I had been so enthralled by the magnificence of the backdrop that I had overlooked the boy sat under the cherry blossom tree. Comparing the two paintings I could now see it was unmistakably the same person shown in both.

The boy was reaching out to the Dark Samurai for help, and the Dark Samurai was trying to communicate to the boy too. I felt like I wasn't just seeing simple designs, I was peering into Hikage's soul, and it was crying out for help, even if he didn't realise it himself. When put together the two paintings gave an overwhelming sense of loneliness.

I couldn't look anymore, it was causing a tightness in my chest and a stinging behind my eyes. It seemed the player of Hikage, if he was indeed one, was only my age or maybe even younger, it made sense with his slightly immature tendencies of always wanting to win. I delicately folded the fans up and returned them to Hikage, I couldn't look at him after discovering something so personal. If I looked at his dismayed expression my heart might have broken clean in two.

"You know, you don't have to come here every day if it's a burden to you." Hikage said, seemingly out of nowhere. "The real world is important. You'll regret letting it pass you by, you should appreciate it while it's right in front of you. The real world is beautiful too." He whispered, I could hear an unusual note in his voice.

He was right, about everything. Coming here was a bit of a burden, I was leading two lives and it meant having to squash my real life day into less time so I could be here. I had been spending less time with my family and was distracted around my friends. I gawked and gaped at how wonderful the sky was and how cool the moon was every time I came here.

"I know. I promise to appreciate the autumn breeze and how the leaves crunch under my feet when I step on them. I promise to cherish my family and laugh all day with my friends. But I don't want anything to change. I'm having too much fun, I'm learning so much, and I have something really important to do. So I'll be back again tomorrow, I promise."

Hikage stared at me, measuring up how much truth was in my words. After a moment his expression cracked, he brought his sleeve up to hide his face, but it couldn't disguise his sob as his shoulders shook.

I knelt down in front of his hunched over figure, and perhaps to both of our surprise, I pulled him to my shoulder.

"I'm not going anywhere. Idiot."

K^ߪ8