Disclaimer: I don't own Samurai Champloo or any of its characters.

Author's note: I am sorry about the long delay in this update. Life and work got in the way, in addition to complexity of this story. Unfortunately, this chapter assumes a good memory of what happened in the previous chapters. Since there is a long gap between updates, some readers may need to browse through previous chapters to refresh their memory. This chapter has two parts, one of which is written in the epistolary style. That part will require careful reading; you might miss important pieces of information if you blink or skip paragraphs! (Just kidding, I am sure all of you read very carefully).

Chapter 41

Visions and Verisimilitude, Part IV

A: Epistolary Exchanges

Yukimaru's Letter to Jin, Third Month of Tenna 2 (April 1682)

Jin-nii,

I am at the Zozoji temple watching the cherry blossoms fall as I write, and they remind me of the tree outside Kisarazu dojo, the one we were so fond of watching during its flowering season. I hope this letter finds you well and that you too had pleasant memories of those times during this spring.

Fuu must have told you about my visit the other day, and conveyed the news about my employment as a retainer of Lord Yanagisawa Yasuakira. I apologize I couldn't stay to deliver the news in person; it was my first day in Lord Yasuakira's service, and I wanted to report for duty as soon as possible. Had I know you were in Edo, I would have chosen to meet you there directly.

I would like to tell you about my new job, but before that I must say I am a little disappointed in you! Why didn't you choose to convey your good news the other day, when we ran into each other at Nihonbashi? It was a shock – albeit a pleasant one – to see Fuu, who was obviously with child and to learn that she had been in the family way for six months or so.

Of course, I cannot blame you. I was so talkative that day – so eager to discuss all the things that have been happening in our country the last couple of years, the changes in the bakufu and all that. But it was hard not to; these things have had such a big impact on our lives, haven't they? Kariya-dono's influence has diminished, and that changes things for our school. You know I am referring to the death of Lord Sakai Tadakiyo sometime last year. According to the rumour I have heard, his death wasn't a natural one, as his family claims – he committed seppuku. I am inclined to believe that this is not a rumour but a fact. I mean, how could he not have committed seppuku? It would have been such a dishonour, to have been forced to retire from the position of Tairo – I don't believe something like that has happened before. It would have been a different matter if he had asked for retirement, but that wasn't the case here.

Speaking of the position of Tairo, there is another rumour to the effect that you are looked upon with favour by the present Tairo, Lord Hotta Masatoshi. Is this true? If that is the case, then perhaps Shishou can announce that you have received a menkyo kaiden from him, and that you are to be the next Soke of the Mujushin Kenjutsu School. I don't think that there would be any reprisals from Kariya-dono; he wouldn't directly attack someone who is connected to Lord Masatoshi. And then your father-in-law too is in a position of influence, after having been appointed as daikan of a bakufu fief. But then it must have been sad for Fuu to have her parents at such a great distance from Renkoji. I am curious, though, how did Seizo-san take to the banishment of his lord, Abe Masakuni, and the entire Abe clan to Miyazu domain in the Tango Province? I didn't ask Fuu the other day for fear of distressing her. Although, I think, from Seizo-san's point of view it was a blessing in disguise that Lord Masakuni could no longer afford to keep him as a retainer. He ended up in a far more prestigious position.

Did that, by the way, have anything to do with your connection with the Tairo, Lord Masatoshi? Of course, there is no question about Seizo-san's ability. I am sure he had made a name for himself as a very capable land-assessment officer in Renkoji.

I must tell you about my lord Yanagisawa Yasuakira. You may have already heard of him – he is a member of Edo's junior council and the daimyo of Kawagoe domain. He is a very young man – about twenty-five, I think – the same age as I am. Actually, there are a lot of ways in which he reminds me of you – he is handsome and intelligent and carries himself gracefully. If you have heard rumours that he has risen up the ranks on account of being a favourite of the shogun, don't believe them. He is a man of great talent and deserves to be on the junior council. And I have never seen someone so dedicated to the service of the shogun – he works at least sixteen hours a day.

It is true that he was the shogun's personal attendant. He may even have been his wakashu. It is also true that the shogun is planning to award him the character 'yoshi' from his name – he will soon be known as Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu. All this, and his rise from personal attendant to junior council member and daimyo in a matter of few years is bound to have led to some gossip. Something like that would have been unheard of at the time of Lord Ietsuna, the previous shogun. But the times are changing; official positions are no longer hereditary and men of ability can rise up the ranks. I believe that is how it should be – it also happened in the case of Seizo-san didn't it? But there is always going to be resistance to change from people who prefer the status quo. Those who are jealous of my lord's success have been spreading unpleasant rumours about him.

My role is that of a minor security official, but I believe that there is scope for progress given my abilities in the martial arts, and my training in Confucian studies. I have already been asked to assist with the training of samurai assigned to guard duty, and one of Lord Yasuakira's senior retainers, who interviewed me for the post, said complementary things about my calligraphy. He seemed impressed with my education too, and I hope he mentions it to Lord Yasuakira. Who knows, if I get the opportunity to serve him directly, I may rise to the position of advisor or at least a personal assistant to him. He is a Confucian scholar too – a student of the shogun, no less – and he may be favourably impressed by my knowledge and education.

You may be surprised to read what I just wrote – the Yukimaru you knew used to be obsessed with the martial arts and had no ambitions towards administrative jobs. But as I have said to you on many occasions, times are changing and the martial arts are not valued any more. Lord Yasuakira, for example, aspires to scholarship, just like the shogun Lord Tsunayoshi. So I too have changed with the times. But in essence I am the same as before. Basically, I want to do well in everything I undertake, and in doing so bring honour to my family. I am sure you understand that and will forgive me if I don't train with you as often as I used to. But I assure you I will not neglect kenjutsu.

Please let me know the next time you visit Edo. I often have errands to run in Nihonbashi and Kanda, so we could meet in any of these places. By the way, don't you think Nihonbashi is a really colourful place? The fashion trends one sees on the streets are a little odd, but I quite enjoy the hustle and bustle of it. Kisarazu is such a quiet little town in comparison to Edo. Something or the other is always happening here. Did you hear of the exorcism performed by that monk Yuten, on the daughter of the merchant Shinemon? Fuu may have told you; we gossiped about it when I visited. She also told me some interesting stories about the local exorcist at Renkoji. I forget his name, but he sounded like an amusing character.

I hope Fuu is keeping well and you are in good health too.

Best Wishes,

Yukimaru

-xxx-

Letter from Kasumi Seizo to Fuu, Ninth Month of Tenna 2 (October 1682)

Fuu-chan,

The first harvest moon festival to follow my grandson's birth brings to mind the one that took place in the year you were born. You were too young to enjoy the otsukimi dango you are so fond of, but your mother and I had bought it from Daichi's shop as usual. The otsukimi dango at the local shop here doesn't taste as good as Daichi's, but perhaps that is because, for the first time in many years, you are not with us. Maybe our pleasure in the dango was a vicarious one; half our enjoyment of it was due to your enjoyment of it. But your mother disagrees. Children, she says, are an extension of ourselves. Using the word 'vicarious' would seem to imply that you are not a part of us.

She is right. Perhaps that is why we are finding it difficult to feel settled in our new home – we are missing a part of ourselves. I am conscious of the great honour of being in the service of the shogun, but also know that it comes at a price. We are at a long distance from our daughter and son-in-law, and are missing precious moments of our grandson's life.

But we must not dwell on such things. It is important to count our blessings. Was it not a fortunate thing, to be able to attend our grandson's Shichiya? Naming ceremonies are such joyous things. I have but to close my eyes and it all comes back to me vividly – Jin holding the brush over the meimeisho scroll, inscribing the character 'Kiyoshi' with that careless grace only he is capable of. Kiyoshi - it is such a beautiful name. May his life have the purity the name suggests.

Yet that image lasts for only a few moments. In the next instant it is my hand that is holding the brush, writing the character 'Fuu' and it is your footprint – so tiny at seven days old - at the left hand corner of the scroll. I can almost smell the red rice and sea bream your mother is serving the visitors. I tell them later, very proudly, that your name is 'Fuu' because just like the wind, you will be free-spirited and unstoppable, finding a way around the tallest and strongest of obstacles. That certainly raised some eyebrows, and in the years to come, my manner of bringing you up would raise many more.

Indeed, I thought it appropriate to bring you up in a manner one raises a male child. With the exception of training in the martial arts, your education was similar to that of male offspring in bushi families. You see, as a child growing up in Kyushu, I had observed a certain strangeness in the way our society treated women. As children of samurai, we were all brought up with the knowledge of our family histories, having to study documents and records of many generations in the past. Yet in all those documents there was no mention of women – it was as if they didn't exist. Their names were sometimes not even mentioned when there was a birth in the family. I wondered why this was the case. Weren't their contributions in bringing up the children considered important? What were their thoughts and feelings? Didn't they record them in diaries like the men did? All those aristocratic ladies of the Heian era certainly had, in addition to producing some of the greatest literature of our country. Perhaps the women of the present time too had diaries, and in those they recorded their lives, along with their hopes, feelings and aspirations. But that was a world closed to us; it existed behind the scenes, so to speak.

I wondered whether the emphasis on martial arts that had emerged in the past era of civil war had somehow marginalised the role of women. In Kyushu, where I grew up, as the son of a retainer in the Nabeshima household, the raising of boys was certainly based on a very militaristic philosophy. It was believed that boys raised by their mothers would grow up to be soft and they were therefore separated from their mothers at a very early age. This was not the case with me, but I was unfortunate in another sense. My mother died when I was merely a lad of ten years.

My memories of her are faint, and yet I know that she made an impression on my character – something I cannot define or explain, but I know is forever present within me. I suppose it was the feeling of being loved, and protected and safe. I was a naughty child and it fell upon her to save me from the severe punishment that is the lot of errant samurai boys. After all, where does a samurai learn the virtue of 'jin' – of benevolence and compassion – if not from one's parents? How does one learn to stand up for and protect the weak, if one has not seen an example of it? I like to believe that I learnt the virtue of compassion from my mother. And perhaps it is because of her that I raised you in an unconventional manner. My mother had made a contribution to this world, in spite of being in the background, in spite of having her life determined solely by men – by her father and brothers, and later her husband. What if she had had a voice, a position of greater authority from which she could have expressed herself?

You must be puzzled Fuu-chan, as to why I write such things. The reason is that although I am proud to have brought you up the way I did, I now worry that I may have inadvertently done you harm. There is a saying that describes our society only too well: the nail that stands out must be hammered down. Unfortunately this applies to a greater degree in the case of women. You, Fuu-chan, stand out, and I worry about this, as I am not there to protect you.

I particularly advise you to think twice before you get involved in the affairs of the peasants. While the new laws against infanticide and child abandonment suggest that things have improved, the reality is quite different. The authorities prefer to overlook such things, even when they are reported. So in the end, all those complaints you file with the daikan go back to Magohachi, the village headman, to deal with as he chooses. Internal matters of the peasants, after all, are meant to be settled within the peasant community. It has been that way since ages, and the new laws have been interpreted to suit those customs.

You must also be wondering how I know about the reports you have been making. It is Magohachi who informed me, by way of a letter that barely suppresses the anger directed towards you. He doesn't say if he has complained to Jin. But I believe that my honourable son-in-law, though intrinsically gentle of nature, inspires a certain sense of awe due to his skills in swordsmanship. This has been more so since he won that duel with the assassin Inuyama.

We hope Jin is well. As awful as that incident was, it had done much to enhance his reputation as a martial artist, and is bound to have increased the numbers at his dojo. Lord Masatoshi's patronage had helped establish it, but it would have been difficult to sustain without further evidence of his skill. In times of peace such evidence is hard to come by. Martial arts schools have to resort to flashy but meaningless demonstrations to attract students. Even so, some of the street knights of Edo – men who have plenty of fighting under their belts – attract a larger following than martial artists.

Be that as it may, I assure you that I am not worried on your account. The two of you will always have a bancho. I hear that Lord Tadamasa is just as supportive of it as Lord Masakuni was.

As you know, I was really shocked the shogun Lord Tsunayoshi confiscated the Iwatsuki domain from the Abe clan and assigned it to the Toda clan. It was an even greater blow when Lord Abe Masakuni was unable to keep me as a retainer. But in the end, things worked out well for us. Had I remained with the Abe household, I would have had to move to the Miyazu domain. Being near Kyoto is an appealing idea, but it would have meant being further away from Renkoji than I am at present. And while the post of daikan is a strenuous one for a man who had been looking forward to retirement and playing with grandchildren, it has a lot of prestige associated with it. It also means that I will soon have to maintain a second residence in Edo, as I will have to report to Lord Masatoshi, who has been put in charge of the administration of peasant affairs in all of the shogun's fiefs. I have had the honour of meeting Lord Masatoshi a couple of times and I look forward to working under his supervision. But more importantly, visiting Edo frequently also means that I will have the opportunity to visit Renkoji.

You wrote that you were worried about my health, and that the duties of a daikan may be very demanding. I assure you there is no reason to worry. Yes, it entails a lot of responsibility and in recent years there have been severe punishments for poor performance on the job. But these policies are well intentioned – they seek to increase efficiency and reduce corruption. And the daikan who were ordered to commit seppuku recently were known to be corrupt. So I assure you once again, these punishments were not arbitrary. I have nothing to fear in that regard.

Your mother is amused. "Are you writing a letter to your daughter or the Tale of Heike?" she asks. But she has no qualms about asking me to remind you to regularly take that herbal tonic the apothecary recommended for you. She expects the forthcoming winter to be a severe one and cautions all of you to stay warmly clad and keep enough chopped wood aside for the winter.

That is certainly good advice, and perhaps a good place for me to stop. Be in good health.

With blessings and love,

Oto-san

-xx-

Letter from Marya Enshiro to Jin, Eleventh Month of Tenna 2 (December 1683)

Jin,

I hope this winter finds you, my grandson Kiyoshi and my honourable daughter-in-law Fuu in good health. I apologize for not being able to visit the last time I was in Edo. I was accompanying Kariya-dono, who had some official business in Edo, and couldn't take leave to visit you without raising suspicion. He has told me several times, that he finds it strange that I maintain a personal connection to you, in spite of having expelled you from the Mujushin Kenjutsu School. So far I have not been able to persuade him that I have done so only out of obligation towards my cousin, your late father Takeda Jinemon, and that you are my adopted son despite all our differences.

He also suspects that I have deliberately downplayed the extent of your skills. I think that it was he who sent that assassin your way, to find out the extent of your skill in kenjutsu. This means that from now on we have to act with the utmost caution. I send this letter through a trusted friend, and it could well be my last letter to you. I cannot take any further risks.

I will use this opportunity, then, to write a long letter to you. I do not know what I am going to write, even though there is much to say. I will just let the words that come to my mind tumble out through this brush, onto these pages of mulberry paper. If I were to write this letter according to a plan – one which made sure that important things were conveyed and minimised the inessentials – I would take too long and surely miss this opportunity to send you a letter. So forgive me if this letter turns out to be an incoherent jumble of news, musings, reminiscences and speculations.

In any case, I am not in a position to make any plans about our school at this stage, so I have no instructions or advice to convey in that regard. Given the circumstances, now is not the right time to announce you as the future headmaster of our school. It will have to wait. There was a time, a few years ago, when I had thought that things would be ripe for making such an announcement by the present time. Kariya-dono's patron, Lord Tadakiyo had passed away, and he too was making plans for retirement – or so it seemed at that time. Your school had been running successfully, and you had the backing of the Tairo, Masatoshi-sama. Had Kariya-dono retired at that time, I would not have had to break my pledge of loyalty to him and would not feel so guilty of my connection with you.

But the assassination of Lord Masatoshi has shifted the balance of things. It seems to have given Kariya-dono a new lease on life; he has become politically active again. He doesn't confide in me, so I do not know of his plans. Yet his frequent trips to Edo can have only one implication – he is forging alliances with men in power who are believed to be in the shogun's good books. If he aligns himself with someone who is corrupt, then it is inevitable that our school will yet again be used for purposes that are unsavoury to us. The brief respite we have had since the death of Lord Tadakiyo has made it even more difficult to accept this. And it would be quite ironical, wouldn't it? The people who are in power now were no friends of Lord Tadakiyo. We would then be working for people we had formerly worked against.

Yet even as I write this, I feel a sense of guilt. A samurai must not criticise his master to others. While he can directly voice his grievance to his master, criticism that is voiced to others is disloyal. But if his grievance is not resolved by direct methods, the only option left to him is to commit seppuku as a form of protest. At least, that is how it used to be in the past.

You must think it is perverse of me to be worried about such things. But a samurai, Jin, cannot but help develop feelings of loyalty towards his master, regardless of whether he thinks his actions are right or wrong. I had, after all, pledged to become his retainer, despite the misgivings you had voiced at that time. You had been proven right soon afterwards, and had to be banished from the school, for the sake of your safety. And while I had started planning the re-establishment of an independent Mujushin Kenjutsu school, it hadn't felt like a betrayal, at least not then. It was a simple matter of waiting for Kariya-dono's retirement, after which he would have no inclination to support a martial arts school. Until then, I would serve him loyally, and to the best of my ability.

But now, after having been in his service for many years, I am haunted by the feelings of guilt I mentioned above. Isn't my plan a deceitful one? I can't help but feel that past generations of samurai would disapprove. Will I be able to face my ancestors in the afterlife?

In a way the recovery of Kariya-dono's spirits has been a relief to me. It was hard to see such a formidable, proud warrior wither away and retire, a defeated shell of what he used to be. He is, after all, a great master of kenjutsu, his skills forged in the fire of hard discipline and relentless training. The forging of a warrior is just as spiritual as the forging of a sword.

Another part of me, though, fervently wishes that Kariya-dono would retire. This is because you are my son, and you are in danger, given Kariya-dono's present frame of mind. He has already sent one assassin your way and I have no doubt there will be others.

There is another reason for you to be careful. Your fame as a swordsman has increased ever since you killed Inuyama. This means that other swordsmen, those who are keen to prove their abilities, may approach you. In fact, this brings to mind an incident that occurred when I was in Edo, and I should tell you about it.

The incident took place during the Bon festival - on the day we honour our ancestors - and Nihonbashi, where I had some purchases to make from a supplier of practise weapons, was crowded. There were hundreds of vendors of floating lanterns gathered at the banks of the river, and the milling crowds around them made it difficult to pass through that area. I was surprised, as it was a little early in the day, and I wouldn't have expected floating lanterns to be selling like hot cakes until later in the evening. But I soon realized that the crowds had gathered there not to buy floating lanterns, but to watch a skirmish between some yakuza and a street knight.

I was not inclined to stop and watch; these sorts of things, I believe, are a bane of life in Edo, and it is shocking that the local police do nothing to control it. Yet the spectacle that unfolded caught my eye. The young man, though obviously lacking formal training, had natural fighting skills. He was holding his own against the yakuza, and there were at least seven or eight of them.

Now most yakuza are just hooligans, not particularly skilled in the martial arts, but in this case, at least two of them were skilled swordsmen. It seemed a little unfair to me that one person should have to fight so many of them. But the young man, an oddly dressed fellow with hair resembling the spikes of a hedgehog, seemed to have the confidence of the townsfolk who had gathered there to watch the fight. They were egging him on, cheering every move he made. The moves, though, were strange. They were flashy and acrobatic, and perhaps he was playing to the gallery a little, but what a waste of energy!

I was about to move on but then, suddenly, things got a little serious. The yakuza had sent reinforcements. Two muscular youth with tattoos joined the fray. Although I was in a hurry and my head urged me not to interfere, my heart did not comply. I found myself shouting, addressing the leader of the gang, a tall man with a scar running across from his left temple to his right cheek.

"You call yourself ninkyo dantai (chivalrous organisation)? What kind of chivalry is there when ten men attack one person?"

There was a temporary lull in the fighting as everyone turned around to look at me. It was the scarred man who responded first. "If you are so concerned about fairness, samurai-san, why don't you draw your sword?"

"I wouldn't want to tarnish it," I replied.

Indeed, I didn't want to get involved. I was hoping, instead, that my remark about fairness would have had an effect, and the temporary diversion would allow enough time for the local police to arrive and put a stop to the fight. Strangely enough, the man with the hedgehog hair didn't want my intervention. He addressed me rather rudely.

"Old man, you stay out of this. I was just beginning to have some fun here, and I'll kill you if you spoil it."

There was some raucous laughter from the onlookers at this remark, and although I was a little embarrassed, I welcomed it as an opportunity to leave. But unfortunately that was not to be, as one of the two skilled yakuza in the gang chose to attack me. It was a nuisance and I was forced to draw my sword. I inevitably landed a blow, but made sure that it was with the reverse edge of my sword, and he was knocked unconscious. In the meantime, the man with the hedgehog hair had knocked out the other skilled yakuza in the group, while the rest of them had run away.

Relieved that things had been resolved without much fuss, and no loss of life, I had started to walk away. I didn't expect or even want any thanks from the rude young man I had helped. Neither did I feel inclined to talk to him; he seemed to be sort that would be keen to fight me. In fact when he had threatened to kill me earlier, I got the feeling that it wasn't in jest. And now, after having seen evidence of my skills, he was even more eager to fight me.

I don't know why I had this feeling, but I know that it is a feeling I don't have to explain to you. I am sure you would have had the same feeling when you first met Inuyama, even before he had stated his intentions. That is the way with all martial artists – or ones like you and me, at any rate.

Imagine my surprise, then, when my instincts were proven wrong. The man followed me, as I had expected, but not for the sake of a fight. And yet he was as rude as before when he called out to me.

"Hey, you, samurai dude. Where do you think you are going? Don't worry; I don't want to fight you."

I turned around. "What makes you think I am worried? What do you want?"

"You're worried all right. Your hands are positioned so you'd be able to draw your sword in a flash if you wanted to. As to what I want...well, it's complicated. I am looking for a guy and I kind of think you'd be able to help me."

I was intrigued. Why did this fellow think I would be able to help him? I asked him that question, and the answer I received was even more intriguing.

"The way you fight...it's Mujushin Kenjutsu isn't it? I am looking for this guy – his name's Jin – and he fights in the same style. Would you know where I can find him?"

I was surprised, of course, but I did my best not to show it. I wondered how this ruffian could have been so familiar with our style of kenjutsu – so much so that he had recognized it instantly. He couldn't have been one of your students – he wouldn't have been asking about you in that case, and surely either you or Yukimaru would have mentioned such a remarkable character. Could he be an assassin Kariya-dono had hired to kill you? No, Kariya-dono certainly knows of your whereabouts, so that couldn't be it. Besides, this man wasn't quite the type of assassin Kariya-dono would have chosen.

I decided to evade his question. It didn't seem prudent to answer it without interrogating things a little further. "How did you recognize the Mujushin kenjutsu style?" I asked.

From the look on his face I could tell that he was just as reluctant to answer my question as I had been to answer his. "Doesn't matter how I recognized it. Are you going to tell me about Jin or not?"

I didn't like the tone of voice he had used. It was rude, and there was a hint of desperation underlying the anger in it. I shrugged and started to walk away. "I don't know where Jin is. He used to be in our school, but isn't enrolled in it anymore."

I couldn't resist glancing briefly over my shoulder as I walked away, so I was able to catch a glimpse of his face in an unguarded moment. He was staring at the ground with his head cocked to one side, looking puzzled and thoughtful. But as soon as he saw me looking at him, his expression reverted back to one of wary scrutiny. It was as if both of us were fishing for information, but unable to ask direct questions for fear that the questions themselves would reveal the information the other party wanted. In my case, I wanted to ascertain his motive for trying to find you, but pressing him with questions would only serve to raise suspicion that I knew you very well. I also knew that both of us would use indirect means to achieve our ends. He would probably attempt to follow me, while I would investigate by speaking to the locals.

My investigations, though, proved to be futile. As you know, the street knights of Edo are very popular, and the locals regard them as heroes who constantly save them from the tyranny of yakuza and samurai gangs who harass them for 'protection money'. So a samurai asking questions about a street knight is typically met with distrust. In the short time I was in Edo, I wasn't even able to find out his name.

But a few things were obvious. This particular street knight is even more popular than usual. Whenever I described him to a local, for example, I would see instant recognition in that person's eyes before being glibly told that he or she didn't know anyone of that description. Strangely enough, though, there are many people of his description in the Nihonbashi area! It seems he has set a fashion trend of sorts – the youth imitate him by walking and talking in his manner, and dressing exactly like him. So if I told you that he wears a red kimono, grey knee-length hakama and a pair of blue earrings, I don't think it would be much help to you. But should you want to find him before he finds you it will help to know that he is a former prison convict – there were tattoos on his wrists and ankles.

You must be wondering why I write to you about this incident months after it occurred. If I had thought it to be important couldn't I have sent a message earlier? As it happens, the importance of it seemed to fade after a few days. When it had been fresh in my mind I had assigned various sinister motives to that young man, speculating that he had been hired by someone who had a grudge against you, or that he had heard of your skills and was keen to test his own against you. But later on I wondered whether he was merely looking for a teacher of kenjutsu and had heard about you. Perhaps in the heat of the moment my mind had exaggerated the urgency with which he had enquired about you. And while I investigated him, I didn't get the sense of being followed, as I had anticipated earlier.

But recently, after returning to Kisarazu, I have had the sense of being watched – of being observed from a distance. I don't know whether this is because Kariya-dono has lost trust in me, or that man from Edo has tracked me down to Kisarazu. If that is the case, it might be prudent to warn you.

There is another matter I wanted to write to you about. It concerns Yukimaru. I am a little worried about him. I think you already know that Yuki is very ambitious, and keen to make a name for himself, one way or another. During the old days, when you were at the dojo, his ambitions were directed towards the martial arts. I am sure you remember how competitive he used to be. He admired you greatly, but at the same time was jealous of you. After you had left, there was a brief period in which he trained very hard – I think he expected that I would name him the next headmaster, given that you were no longer there. But when he saw that I had no inclination to do so, he got restless. He expressed a desire to go on a musha shugyo pilgrimage, with a view to achieving fame by challenging various martial artists across the country to a life-and-death fight.

I suppose I don't have to tell you how foolish that idea was. Can you believe that he had even thought of challenging Kariya-dono? Needless to say I did everything in my power to dissuade him. I tried to turn his ambitions to another direction by encouraging his scholastic activities.

I was successful. He took an interest in his studies, and the change of regime in the bakufu also worked in my favour. His education has served him in good stead, as he is now employed in the house of Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu. But knowing Yukimaru, I have a feeling that this will not be enough for him. He will attempt to 'rise up the ranks', as it were. And while his ambitions may be harmless relative what he had in mind in regard to the martial arts, I can't help feel a bit worried. He can be pushy and aggressive in his approach to things, and may end up offending his superiors. He looks up to you a great deal, though, and I hope you will watch over him and advise him, if and when he needs it.

You must have wondered how Yuki got the job. Lord Yoshiyasu is close to the shogun Tsunayoshi, and one would think he would not hire a student of mine. After all, I am a retainer of Kariya Kagetoki, who was an ally of Sakai Tadakiyo. By all accounts, the shogun Tsunayoshi detested Tadakiyo. But such are the ways of politics; when it is expedient enemies turn into friends. Kariya-dono has somehow managed to gain favour with some lords close to the shogun. I fear, though, that he may use Yuki to get close to Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu.

I don't know when I will get the opportunity to communicate with you next. I think that when I do it will be time to formally hand over the Mujushin Kenjutsu School to you. Until then, I advise you to continue as you have been and be very careful. Look after yourself and your family.

Blessings and Best Wishes,

Mariya Enshiro

-xxx-

B. The Kyubi-no-Kitsune/ Sakami Manzou Resumes Narration

As the letters we have just read suggest, many years have been passing in this world. The obvious question in our mind is, "Will Jin ever wake up?" My answer to you is: Be patient! Everyone wakes up from their dreams. But dreams have to end before they do. The ending can be abrupt, but there has to be an ending. This particular dream too, must run its course.

It is interesting to note, though, that Jin has been thinking about his 'dream' – the one that is his reality from our point of view – quite a bit. Events, people and things that remind him of it have been occurring with greater frequency, and when they do he meditates upon those elements and tries to analyse their significance. As mentioned before, his mind has settled on the idea that the dream was a vision of sorts, meant to guide him in some way. But more importantly, he has been thinking about a particular character in that dream, and it is Mugen. If the dream is supposed to have spiritual significance, then shouldn't Mugen – a very important character in it – have turned up?

And yes, when he read that letter from Mariya Enshiro, he guessed correctly that the street knight looking for him was Mugen. He took in that bit of information with some measure of relief. He had always believed that, somehow, everything would fall into place once he had met the Mugen of this world. He would then fully understand the significance of the dream, and get on with things without any further thought of it. That he spent no further thought on the dream was critical; it had been getting in the way of his life. It featured in his thoughts too often, and occasionally blurred the distinction between reality and fantasy. He would, for example, absentmindedly refer to an incident from the dream when talking to Fuu, as though she too had experienced it. "Fuu-chan, remember when you were a waitress at that teahouse, and you saved us by creating a diversion at the execution grounds-" he would begin, halting mid-sentence as he realized that this Fuu had done no such thing. It was obvious to him that these lapses worried her a great deal; she would be watching him for months after any such occurrence. He hated to see her worried.

Other than these minor things, which stayed between husband and wife, he was a happy man. Perhaps this is what prevented him from considering the alternative view – that the 'dream' was the reality, and what he thought of as reality was a dream. It is easy to see why he would prefer this – if this was reality, it was a wonderful reality. He had a wife and child he loved deeply, and was able to make ends meet. Other people he loved, Mariya Enshiro and Yukimaru, were alive and well. And there were new members in his circle of friends and family whose existence he had come to regard as a blessing. Fuu's extended family of aunt and uncle, the students at the dojo and bancho – all contributed towards a sense of community and belonging he had never had in the 'dream' world.

But we know from the letters that there is a potential for things to change for the worse. They already have, since the death of Lord Hotta Masatoshi, who had helped Jin establish his dojo, and was a person Jin had developed a high regard for. There is Kariya Kagetoki, who mistrusts Mariya Enshiro and may cause trouble in the future, by the looks of things. Yukimaru too could get into trouble. There is Fuu's involvement with Gonzaemon and kitsunetsuki cases, and there are peasants who are hostile to her. And then there is the question of Jin meeting Mugen. Will that make things fall into place, as Jin hopes they will, or will it turn things upside down?

Without further ado, then, I had better get down to the business of what happens next. I will leave you with scenes from the fifth month of Jokyo 2, or June 1685 according to the Gregorian calendar.

-xxx-

It was getting dark inside the house, but not enough to necessitate the lighting of a paper lantern. The lattices of the shoji door cast grey, elongated shadows inside the room in which Fuu and Kiyoshi were playing, but the light outside was sharp enough so you could see the silhouette of an object placed just outside the paper screens. Fuu, putting this property of the late afternoon light to good use, entertained her son with a "puppet show", her hand making various shapes behind the shoji screen.

Jin, wearing a long kimono in the kinagashi style, without the hakama, sat by the writing desk in the room, entranced by the scene unfolding before him. Watching Fuu and Kiyoshi playing gave him an indescribable sense of contentment, a sense of wanting to linger in the moment, of wanting to make it last forever. He was unable to focus on his present task of sorting and airing out a pile of old books that had been donated for the bancho by some samurai and chonin families of Renkoji. From time to time he would be reminded of his task, when Fuu, becoming self conscious as a result of being stared at so intently, looked at him in puzzlement. He would then resume his task, but only for a short while. At the moment, he watched with some fascination as his three year old son moved closer to the screen to 'touch' the creatures that appeared on it.

He caught Fuu's eye again, and this time they exchanged a smile.

"You are very good. Where did you learn to make those shapes?"

"From Hachiemon and Mayumi. They are friends of Gonzaemon who visit him now and then. When I was a child, they used to entertain me with some terrific hand-puppet shows. We used to play pranks on the villagers too! Sometimes-... No, no, Kiyoshi-chan, you mustn't pierce the shoji with your finger!"

The sudden appearance of his mother's restraining arm from behind the shoji screen helped Kiyoshi solve the mystery of the shadowy figures that had been behind it a few moments ago. He clutched her forearm, tiny fingers barely encircling half of it, and said, "Once more please, Okasan."

Fuu rubbed the bare, shaven head of her son affectionately before positioning herself at the door so that she could use both her hands to form shapes behind the screen. The silhouette that formed on the shoji, while making Kiyoshi call out 'Kitsune!' between chortles and squeals, stirred something within Jin. It was like the whiff of a forgotten memory, leaving an impression as faint as the echo of a distant sound, as amorphous as the form of a pale shadow. What was that image that had just flashed in his mind? Where had he seen that strange, empty room, and that woman with a heavily powdered white face, with a single dot of red on the middle of her lower lip? Why did that image leave him with a feeling that something needed to be done? What was it that needed to be done?

The mention of Gonzaemon's friends, Hachiemon and Mayumi, too, had unsettled him. It made him dwell on that dream he had many years ago, searching in his mind for an image of the two men. Would Hachiemon turn out to be a merchant, and Mayumi an actor?

He tried to brush these thoughts aside. Lately, thinking about that dream tended to bring on headaches, along with an inexplicable mixture of feelings. They were feelings of guilt, anxiety and fear, none of which had any rational basis. But putting aside such thoughts was easier said than done. On this occasion he tried to think of something else, something about which he could converse with his wife, and by doing so keep his mind off that dream.

"I wanted to tell you – Yuki is going to Kyoto. He'll be away for a couple of weeks, but he might drop in to see us before he leaves."

"Really? Kyoto, huh? Is Lord Yoshiyasu going to meet the emperor?"

"No. If I am to believe Yuki, Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu has too much work on his hands. But he has written a collection of poems that he wants appraised by the imperial court. One of his concubines, Lady Machiko, is related to a Kyoto nobleman. Through her connections she has arranged for the poems to be judged by the retired emperor. Yuki is to deliver them."

It looked as though Fuu was distracted with Kiyoshi's antics. The idea of piercing a hole through the shoji screen had become even more attractive once his mother had forbidden it. Besides, Kiyoshi felt that his mother's injunction, judged by her tone of voice, hadn't been a serious one. It hadn't had the urgency he had come to associate with, for example, "Don't put your hand in the fire," or, "Don't touch Oto-san's sword." And Oto-san was smiling; that must mean that he too liked the idea of piercing the shoji screen.

So it took some vigilance on the part of Fuu to prevent Kiyoshi from carrying out his plans. But amidst the struggle she managed to converse with Jin.

"I can tell you don't believe that Lord Yoshiyasu is busy. Is he a good poet, by the way?"

Jin shrugged. "I wouldn't know. If the retired emperor praises his poetry, he will certainly be regarded as a good one."

"Is that why he is sending Yuki all the way to Kyoto?...Aaah, Kiyoshi, don't put that fan in your mouth."

"No, there is bound to be something else he wants. Going by Yanagisawa's reputation, it's got to be something to do with the shogun."

"What do you mean?"

"He's the shogun's pet dog, after all. My guess is that he is trying to get a court rank for the shogun's mother, Lady Kesho-in...The shogun, too, has been lavish with his gifts to Yanagisawa. He has been appointed the daimyo of Kofu recently."

Fuu glanced at Jin with a knowing smile. "Now those are really strong words! You don't like the fact that Yukimaru thinks so highly of Lord Yoshiyasu. It is almost as though you are jealous of him!...Tell me, were you...I mean you and Yuki-"

"No. He, uhm, was interested, but...Anyway, I am not jealous of Yanagisawa. It is just that I am sceptical of Yuki's opinion of him. Knowing Yuki, he doesn't do anything in moderation. He probably went out of the way to ensure that he was chosen for this silly errand."

"So? There is no harm in that; is there?"

"Perhaps not. But it is possible he offended another retainer in the Yanagisawa house in the process of doing so."

"You worry too much. I am sure Yukimaru will be all right. Lord Yoshiyasu will take care of him."

She had uttered the last sentence cautiously, giving him a sidelong glance. Jin noticed this, and smiled. She didn't share his cynicism about the bakufu, and even had a favourable opinion about its current regime, including the shogun Tsunayoshi and his coterie of favourite officers. This difference of opinion led to household debates, which could turn into fairly emotional arguments. Fuu was probably trying to avoid one right now, he thought, and hence that cautious remark.

Or was she? They had both been pleasantly surprised by the flavour and intensity of their lovemaking following their first argument. Actually, the intensity had always been there, so it was something about the flavour that was, well, piquant. And these days, with her having put on a little bit of weight, there were new things to discover, that delicious plumpness here and there-

But this wasn't a good time to have such thoughts. Kiyoshi was present and it would be at least a couple of hours before he fell asleep. Besides, he had to get ready to leave for the dojo again. He had promised his senior-most student Hanshichi an evening lesson in kenjutsu.

-xxx-

Hanshichi was already at the dojo when Jin arrived. That in itself was not surprising, as Hanshichi had a spare key, and on such occasions, when he had requested a special lesson from Jin, would arrive early and sweep the dojo before their training session. But today he had been waiting at the entrance anxiously and wasn't carrying any practise weapons. For a fraction of a second Jin wondered whether he would request a 'real fight' using their swords instead of the wooden bokken. He dismissed the thought right away; Hanshichi was far too sensible, and held Jin in esteem and affection. So why was there that odd tension in his manner?

"Hanshich-san, you forgot to bring a bokken? Never mind. There are some in the dojo. I-"

"Shishou, I, er, wanted to talk to you. I...perhaps we should go inside?"

Jin glanced at Hanshichi briefly as he unlocked the front door of the dojo. Hanshichi had a placid temperament so it was puzzling to see him so nervous. He was a thirty two year old ronin, two years older than Jin, and relatively less in awe of him in comparison to other students. He was typically direct in his approach, and never hesitated when he wanted to ask questions or make suggestions. In that case, Jin thought, the matter Hanshichi wanted to raise had nothing to do with martial art; it was probably something of a personal nature.

He was right. As soon as Jin and Hanshichi entered the main training hall, Hanshichi blurted out, "It is about the daughter of the farmer Sutejiro, the one who recently recovered from kitsunetsuki. There have been some strange rumours about what happened and...and I needed to tell you about them."

As they sat down on the floor in seza, facing each other, the two men exchanged a glance. Hanshichi's face was at once apologetic and worried, his eyes silently entreating Jin to guess what he wanted to say, rather than having to spell it out to him. The expression on Jin's face had reflected curiosity to begin with, before it froze at the point when realization dawned as to what this meeting was about.

It had to be about Fuu. She had assisted Gonzaemon in preparing and administering the medicines for Sutejiro's daughter Otsue, just as she had done in the case of kitsunetsuki victim Midori, the wife of another farmer. Had something gone wrong in Otsue's case?

Jin's tone of voice as he replied was sterner than he had intended it to be. "And what are these rumours you think that I should know about?"

"Shishou, I must tell you that I do not believe in these rumours. But they are of the kind that I consider very dangerous. Superstitions have a very strong hold over the peasants, and they can be driven into doing things that are, well..."

"Get to the point, Hanshichi-san! What are you trying to say?"

Hanshichi fidgeted with his hands. "Some of the villagers believe that Fuu-san is a fox employer."

Jin couldn't hide his surprise, and frowned at Hanshichi, who was getting increasingly uncomfortable, unable to meet his teacher's eyes. Wiping the sweat of his brow with his kimono sleeve, he said, "Er, ah, some of the villagers believe that Otsue's fox possession was caused by Fuu-san. Y-you see, Sutejiro was planning to sell Otsue into prostitution, and Fuu-san had exchanged some angry words with him about this. H-he had told her to mind her own business. But later, Otsue got kitsunetsuki."

"You are not making any sense, Hanshichi-san. Assuming such a thing is possible, what could Fuu have gained by it? She had an argument with Sutejiro, not his daughter."

"Well, Shishou, you know that Gonzaemon was called upon to exorcise her, and he went through the usual routine of chanting sutras and then, ah, 'questioning the kitsune' about why it had chosen to possess the girl."

"And?"

"The kitsune that spoke through the girl said that the spirits were angry because Sutejiro was planning to sell his daughter into prostitution. It said that the spirits would curse Sutejiro if he carried out his plan. That is why some of the villagers believe that it was Fuu-san who caused the fox-possession. It was only she who had wanted-"

"Isn't that a little farfetched? Surely there were some peasants who wouldn't condone such a terrible thing. What about Otsue? She certainly wouldn't have wanted to become a prostitute."

"Shishou, the villagers are of the opinion that Sutejiro's daughter is his property, and he is entitled to sell her, particularly if his economic circumstances are strained. That is indeed the case with Sutejiro. Otsue, too, was willing – she considered it her duty to help her father."

Wanting to maintain a semblance of composure, Jin struggled with his feelings of frustration and anger. Why did Fuu get involved with these ignorant, superstitious farmers who didn't want – no, didn't deserve – her help? Didn't she see that she would make enemies, not friends, as a result of her interference?

It was ironical, he thought, that he had argued with Fuu in favour of the farmers, only a few months ago, when she had wanted to report the death of the new-born child of Midori, who was later cured for kitsunetsuki by Gonzaemon. "How can you be sure," he had asked, "that it wasn't a natural death?"

She had been angry that he had doubted her instincts. "I just know. It has happened before."

He had tried to reason with her. "The farmers are very poor, you know. Many of the infants die because they don't have the means to look after them. They barely have the means to feed themselves, what with the high taxes they have to pay. Your anger should be directed at the bakufu, and the daimyo who charge such high taxes, not the farmers."

"Don't talk to me about high taxes! My father was a land assessment officer, after all, so I know that the taxes are not that high."

"How can you say that? They are at least forty percent of the yield in Musashi, and much higher in other provinces."

"Yes, but they are forty percent of the estimated yield, not the actual yield."

"So? I am sure the land assessments are accurate."

"They were accurate a hundred years ago – they haven't changed since then. But the farmers have improved their methods of farming, their irrigation systems, and fertilizers and so on. The actual yield is much higher than in used to be. So effectively, they don't pay forty percent in taxes. The bakufu, and the daimyo you malign so much, deliberately overlook the inaccuracy in land assessments, and the land assessment officers know that they shouldn't report increases in productivity."

Her cheeks were flushed, and she was a little breathless, but she had continued to speak, not allowing him any time to rebut her arguments. "Besides, there are exemptions at the time of famines and bad harvests. This means that it is the samurai classes that are worse off as the daimyo don't have enough to pay their retainers. The richer farmers are actually wealthier than some high ranking samurai! And I am sure you know that there are infanticides among the richer peasants too."

He had appreciated the logic of her argument, but was a little peeved to have lost the debate. Conceding the point rather reluctantly, he had said: "In that case the bakufu should consider taxing the merchants – they are richer than the samurai and the peasants, and yet they don't have to pay taxes. Surely you agree that it is unfair that the entire tax burden of running the state falls on the peasants?"

There had been agreement on that point, after which he had gently suggested that she avoid getting involved in affairs of the farmers. But she had looked at him with such sadness that he hadn't been able to insist upon his advice. Instead, he had taken her in his arms in an attempt to console her.

And now she was in some danger. The stigma of being a 'fox employer', if it were to stick, was not an easy one to live with. Buddha knew she had enough detractors among the peasants who would want to spread such a rumour. Her latest efforts in preventing Otsue from being sold into prostitution could only have made things worse. But how could he blame her? Hadn't he himself taken a great risk once, to save a woman from a life of prostitution?...No, of course not, that was in the dream. Why was the dream still so vivid, so real? Did it really happen? But no, that would mean Shishou was dead, and so was Yukimaru, both killed by his hands, and Fuu and Kiyoshi weren't...No, no, no. That wasn't possible.

Hanshichi was alarmed. Jin was paler than usual and breathing a little fast. He shouldn't have blurted things out the way he did. "Shishou, I didn't mean to...I would have spared you this bit of news – it was a rumour, after all. But I thought you needed to know. You are still respected and if you-"

"If I what? Jin had again spoken more harshly than he had intended, but his anger masked the strange feeling of panic that had come over him, so he was grateful for it. Nevertheless, he regretted interrupting Hanshichi so rudely. Speaking in a more conciliatory tone, he said, "What are you suggesting Hanshichi-san?"

Hanshichi coughed. "You could ask Fuu-san to, ah, avoid mixing with the peasants, and, er, stay out of their way. Absurd as the rumour is, if it takes hold, who knows what might happen? These are different times, you see, and peasants are bolder than they used to be. They would never complain directly, but if they lodged a complaint through a samurai or merchant, there could be trouble."

"Surely it isn't that serious?"

"I hope it isn't. But I am speaking from past experience. As you know, I have travelled around a fair bit. When I was in Shinano, I once stayed in a village called Kitaaiki. There was a family there, with a rumour of a similar sort surrounding them. They were eventually forced to leave Kitaaiki and go to live in another village – one which had a community of tsukimono suji (fox employer) families. I am not saying that something like that will happen in this case. But..."

Hanshichi didn't complete the sentence, knowing that he didn't need to. He had started to feel depressed and doubted the wisdom of having informed Jin about the rumour. Had he permanently spoiled his relationship with his teacher? Had his remarks come across as an indirect criticism of Fuu? Everyone in Renkoji knew how much Jin adored her. People made fun of the couple, but there was an indulgence about their humour; they were just madly in love with each other as young men and women are sometimes inclined to be. But now, if the rumours were to get out of hand, they would say that Fuu had cast a spell on him.

-xxx-

The sound of footsteps, and a familiar voice calling, "Jin-niiii! Fuuuu!" interrupted Fuu's efforts to put Kiyoshi to bed. Kiyoshi, not in a mood to go to bed, was further encouraged by it. "It's uncle Yukimaru!"

"So it is. Hmm. I knew he'd be coming to see us, but...Anyway, let us go and see."

Kiyoshi bounded out eagerly as Fuu opened the door. "Yuki-uncle, konban wa!"

Much to the delight of Kiyoshi, Yukimaru lifted him up in the air. "Kiyoshi-kun, it is good to see you. Thank the Buddha; you are looking plump and healthy! But that orange kimono makes you look like a miniature monk. Konban wa, Fuu."

Fuu returned his greeting and welcomed him in. "Jin is at the dojo but he should be back soon. Can you wait, or should I go and call him?"

"Of course I can wait, Fuu. Besides, it will give me an opportunity to catch up with you. How else will I get that juicy Renkoji village gossip? Jin-nii is far too serious to let the conversation dwell on such things!"

"Oh, nothing of interest is happening here. You, on the other hand, have an exciting trip ahead of you. I wish I could visit Kyoto some day!"

"Ah yes, Jin must have told you. I still can't believe the honour my lord has given me. I am not sure, but there is a chance I could have an audience with the retired emperor. Imagine that!"

Kiyoshi, perched on Yukimaru's shoulders, had been temporarily deprived of the attention of the grown-ups in his presence, but felt that he was at last in a position to contribute to the conversation. "Audience with the emperor! Imagine that! Does he have a dog?"

Yukimaru laughed as Fuu pulled Kiyoshi off his shoulder and sat him down beside her. "Fond of dogs, are you? Hmm...maybe the emperor does have a dog. But I am not sure."

"The shogun has a dog," remarked Kiyoshi, with a knowledgeable air.

"Indeed Kiyoshi-kun, I believe he has many dogs."

"I meant the one called Yoshi-"

Fuu, who had so far been smiling indulgently at her son, interrupted hastily. "Kiyoshi-chan, it is time to go to bed. Oyasumi-nasai!"

Kiyoshi looked at his mother reproachfully. Yukimaru was one of the few obliging adults who would play with him, so it was rather mean of her to send him off to bed. But he had started to feel sleepy, and she had been quite firm, so he took leave with a dignified "Oyasumi-nasai" directed at Yukimaru.

After he had left, Yukimaru smiled a little sadly at Fuu. "I bet he was referring to my lord Yoshiyasu."

"W-whatever gave you that idea? What do you mean?"

"Ah, Fuu, don't pretend with me. I know that Jin refers to him as the shogun's pet dog. And he forgets to be discreet in the presence of a three year old...But don't worry, I didn't mean to embarrass you. Perhaps I should have pretended ignorance. But you know me, I am impulsive and emotional, and I don't keep things from you and Jin."

This is quite awkward, thought Fuu. They would have to be careful from now on; Kiyoshi was growing up and could partially understand their conversations. And now, it seemed that Yukimaru was really upset. How was she to deal with this?

She said, "Jin means well. You are like a younger brother to him and he is protective of you."

"I know that. I am not angry. In a way it is a bittersweet feeling. His disapproval of Lord Yoshiyasu smells of jealousy. And he wouldn't be jealous if he didn't care about me, would he? At least, that is how I want to see it."

He had looked meaningfully at Fuu, his eyes conveying a great deal more than his words. Fuu was curious, but reluctant to ask the question on her mind. And yet, it seemed that Yukimaru wanted to open up to her. It was evident that he was feeling sad, and perhaps talking about things would ease his pain.

She hesitated for a brief moment, and then making up her mind, addressed him gently. "You love him very much, don't you?"

"I cannot lie to you. Yes, I do, and I always will. But don't worry; I know that there is no point crying for the moon. I know that he cares about me, not in the way I want him to, but it is enough. All I ever wanted-" His voice caught here, but he took a few deep breaths and continued, "All I ever wanted was to be like him...But even that, I have realized, is beyond my reach. And yet, when I heard that news, Fuu, about his duel with that man Inuyama...about how he defeated one of the most skilled assassins in Japan, I felt this strange, almost insane burst of pride. I wanted to give up everything and go back to full-time training in the martial arts. In my daydreams, I imagined myself at Jin's side, fighting all sorts of imaginary battles with famous martial artists! Isn't that childish?"

"And when I sleep, I am often visited by a very strange dream. I am fighting Jin, and he praises me, saying that my skills have improved. But he only defends, and does not attack, even though I desperately want a duel, a fight to the death. He says that he doesn't want to kill me; killing me will tarnish his sword. I say that he can't kill me. It is dark, but the moonlight is strong, and we are surrounded by mountains. There is a waterfall nearby, falling into a gorge. We are fighting at the edge of a cliff. And then he suddenly refuses to fight any longer and jumps off the cliff. Isn't that a strange dream?"

"Yuki-"

"Ah. I see that you are worried about me. There is no need to be – I am all right. In fact, I have never been happier. I think that I am a true samurai after all – my most important and only objective is to serve my lord well. And despite what Jin thinks, he is a lord worthy of that kind of loyalty."

Fuu, who was indeed worried about Yukimaru's state of mind, was grateful for an opportunity to change the subject.

"Well, it is nice of him to give you the opportunity to visit Kyoto. Have you had a look at the poems, by the way? Are they any good?"

"Ha-ha. Of course they must be good – he is a well known poet and scholar. But they are wrapped up too nicely and I dare not unwrap them, so I haven't read them."

"Is he a kind lord?"

"Very. I have never heard him speak harshly to any of his retainers. He is always polite. He is the type that leads by example, I think. He is extremely dedicated to the service of the shogun, and we are just as dedicated to his service."

While relieved that she had steered Yukimaru away from a topic that gave him pain, Fuu did not want to hear a panegyric on Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu. But sensing that it had cheered him up considerably, she didn't choose to change the subject again.

"He must think highly of you, to have given you such an honour. I would have thought he would send a more senior retainer for such a task. You must have done something to impress him."

"Oh, no...Not much, that is. Strangely enough I have to thank Lord Kariya for this honour. He knows one of the retainers of Lord Yoshiyasu quite well, and put in a word through him."

"It seems then, that Lord Kariya is still a very influential man."

"Yes, but not to the extent he used to be. I still think Shishou can announce Jin as the next headmaster of our school, but he chooses to be cautious."

Jin was right, thought Fuu, at least in respect to understanding the danger from Kariya. Yukimaru was naive; Kariya was still an enemy to be reckoned with, and she shuddered to think what might happen if Jin were to be announced the next Soke of the Mujushin Kenjutsu School. Already, an assassin had been sent his way. What next?

-xxx-

On the morning of the same day in which Fuu contemplated the threat from Kariya Kagetoki, he was in the garden outside his mansion, assisting a gardener with weeding one of the flower beds. The 'gardener' was actually a shinobi by the name of Takamatsu Hanzo, who had been Sakai Tadakiyo's right-hand-man and spy for many years, and was now in the employ of Kariya. Hanzo had just conveyed an interesting piece of information to him, something he could use to his advantage, and he wanted to confirm the details to his satisfaction.

"So you say his wife assists the local exorcist in affecting kitsunetsuki cures? Tell me more about this."

The wiry, middle aged shinobi looked up from his work, the wrinkles around his eyes deepening as he squinted to avoid the sunlight falling into them. He shifted his position a little to avoid the sunlight before he answered Kariya.

"There has been a very strange pattern I have observed in these cases, my Lord. This man, Gonzaemon, who is the exorcist – his cases have a very similar pattern to the exorcisms performed by that famous monk, Yuten."

"Hmm. Well, there is nothing unusual about that. Yuten's exorcisms caused quite a sensation in Edo. So there are bound to be quite a few 'copy-cat' cases all over the country."

"Y-yes. But if I may point out a few things about those exorcisms by Yuten...Take the case of the merchant Shinemon's daughter, for example. Now it is quite well known that Shinemon was a philanderer. While there was no proof, it was suspected that he had caused the death of a woman he had an affair with by forcing her to have an abortion. And then his daughter fell ill and was diagnosed as having been possessed. Enter Yuten. He communicates with the spirit, and announces that the spirit is representing the 'souls' of various aborted babies and dead women, and that Shinemon is responsible for their deaths. Shinemon is thus indirectly punished for his sins as he loses face among the community. He is penitent and vows to do penance for his sins."

"What are you trying to say, Hanzo-san?"

"Only that the spirit-possession of the daughter was...well, convenient."

"Ah. But then, Hanzo-san, you are suggesting that the monk, who by all accounts is a very spiritual, holy man, had somehow arranged for the possession in collaboration with the daughter?"

"Not necessarily, my Lord. But the daughter could have been influenced into thinking that she was possessed. Especially if she were to be given a drug – ostensibly for medicinal purposes – which had hallucinogenic properties."

"And I suppose you know all about such drugs."

"As it happens, my Lord, I do. In this case, for example, the datura plant could have been used; it is easy enough to cultivate and has medicinal applications."

"Returning to the point you are trying to make, have you observed something similar in the Renkoji village kitsunetsuki cases?"

"Yes. The target is usually someone who has committed a 'crime' in the eyes of this young lady Fuu. The 'crime' could be all manner of things – infanticide, child abandonment, or as in the most recent case, the selling of a daughter into prostitution. The 'victim' of kitsunetsuki then happens to be a close member of that person's family, and 'confesses' the crime through the spirit. Sometimes, the fear of being punished by spirit possession does the trick."

"An interesting theory, Hanzo-san. But I wonder...do others in the village see it that way?"

"As a matter of fact, Kagetoki-sama, a few of them have noticed the pattern I just described. But they interpret this pattern a little differently."

"How so?"

"They think that Fuu practises witchcraft, and is a fox employer."

"Ah."

There was a long silence before Kariya spoke again. "Keeping a flower bed free of weeds is a challenging task, Hanzo-san. It is often not enough to kill the weed. One must also use indirect means, such as planting a flower that kills the weed, by consuming the nutrients the weed needs."

Hanzo, who was familiar with Kariya's manner of speaking when he wanted something done, translated this remark as: There may be an indirect way of dealing with my enemy Jin. A master of indirect communication himself, he replied: "Yes, and some care and effort is required to grow such a flower. The seeds must be planted carefully, and the right amount of water must be provided at regular intervals."

Kariya hoped that Hanzo's answer meant: I understand that you want me to make sure that the rumour about Fuu being a fox employer takes root permanently and widely in Renkoji. But he couldn't be sure, so he decided to be a little more direct. He said, "I take it that Jin's school is doing well?"

"Yes. The numbers in his dojo have increased since he started, and have remained steady for the last couple of years."

"And the bancho? It is run by both husband and wife isn't it? I would imagine that given his wife's unpopularity among the peasants it wouldn't be so easy to attract students."

"Well, so far, the numbers are healthy. But who knows what might happen in the future?"

Yes, I think he got my message, thought Kariya. "But the martial arts school will still attract students. Ever since he killed Inuyama, people have been talking about him. That always helps."

"Indeed my Lord...But it can have certain disadvantages."

Kariya looked up, thinking: Hanzo has some good news for me. "Yes?"

"Other men of skill may want to test their skills against his."

"And are there such men over the horizon?"

"Well, there is one man – a street knight from Edo called Mugen. He has heard about Jin and is looking for him. I have no doubt he will find him soon"

Kariya shook the dust off his hands and stood up gracefully. Hanzo too stood up and then bowed deeply as Kariya took his leave. Although Kariya was expressionless, he knew that his employer was pleased.

Kariya was certainly pleased with the conversation he had had with Hanzo. Things were falling into place. Of course, there were bigger problems to deal with, but they too could be handled in due course. Something had to be done to curb the growing power of Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu. And yet, there too, perhaps, a 'weed killing flower' had been planted. When Yukimaru returned from Kyoto...

-xxx-

Hanshichi did get a martial arts lesson from Jin. He felt that Jin was a little hard on him, but that was to be expected given the conversation they'd had earlier. Now, at the end of the lesson, however, his master seemed to be in a calmer frame of mind. This gave him some relief. Perhaps Jin had understood that he was well intentioned. Yet there was still some awkwardness in the air. Had he permanently spoiled his relationship with his teacher?

Jin, sensing his student's discomfort, tried to put him at ease. "Hanshichi-san, your skills have improved. You trained well today."

Hanshichi bowed and thanked him politely, flushing with pleasure at Jin's remark. This wasn't just praise a student covets from a teacher; to Hanshichi, Jin was a role model, in spite of being younger than him. Not only was he kind and honourable, he had managed to conduct himself with grace and dignity in the face of the adverse circumstances he had to contend with. He didn't have the support of his teacher Mariya Enshiro, and yet he had managed to establish a martial arts school. He didn't speak much of his past, but he obviously had enemies. That assassin Inuyama was known to be a mercenary, so he must have been hired to challenge Jin to a duel. After that there had been quite a few 'challengers' wanting to fight him, most of them not particularly skilled, and this had been a constant source of irritation for Jin.

Something had to be done about it. In fact, there was an opportunity to do so. That man he had met earlier during the day, who had been asking about Jin, was obviously one of these 'nutcases' keen on fighting Jin. There was no reason Jin should have to deal with him. By now there were quite a few students in the dojo, including Hanshichi, with a reasonable degree of skill. They could easily spare Jin the trouble. But he would have to ask Jin about it first. This wasn't the ideal time to talk about it, but since that street knight was bound to land up sooner rather than later...

"Shishou, I have been meaning to ask you...That is, if I may suggest, some of us can spare you the trouble of these, er, challengers that keep popping up at our dojo now and then."

"What do you mean? Surely you don't expect me to ask my students to fight them?"

"No, no, I didn't mean that. I just thought...Well, you shouldn't have to deal with so many of them. And I think the students might benefit from it – many of them haven't tested their skills in a real fight, you see."

Jin smiled kindly at Hanshichi, but his reply was firm. "I don't think it is a good idea. What if they get killed in the process of 'testing their skills', as you put it? No, I can't allow it."

"But Shishou, please reconsider. Many of these martial artists have been pretenders, and some had no skills whatsoever. At least those types of challengers can be dealt with by some of the senior students, don't you think? After all, every man that comes along isn't Inuyama."

Jin sighed. "Hanshichi-san, how would you know whether the next man that comes along isn't an Inuyama?"

"Ah, Shishou, you know that it is easy to do so in many of the cases. What about that fellow Nagamitsu? It was such a joke, that a man like that should ask to fight you!"

"Well, if another man like Nagamitsu arrives at our doorstep, I will let you fight him. But you must be kind, Hanshichi-san, and spare his life."

Hanshichi smiled broadly. "Of course, I understand that, Shishou. Thank you; it will be a great honour."

Jin inclined his head briefly, as if in agreement, but there was a frown upon his brow. "It seems to me Hanshichi-san, that you already have someone on your mind. Has someone approached you, and asked about me?"

"Yes, Shishou, as a matter of fact, there was this street knight at Daichi's sweet shop, and he was asking some questions about you. He didn't say what he wanted, but I got the feeling that he was another one of these challengers."

"And you think that he may be another Nagamitsu? If he is a street knight, as you say, that is hardly likely."

Hanshichi hesitated. "No, I agree, he is definitely not another Nagamitsu. There was a look about him, of having been in many fights. But I too have had some fighting experience, Shishou, and after having trained with you, my skills have improved. I think I am ready."

Jin shook his head. "Hanshichi-san, I would rather have a talk with him myself, before I consider letting you fight on my behalf."

"But Shishou, I would really like to spare you the trouble of having to deal with him. He's a rather rude fellow, this Mugen, he-"

Jin looked up sharply. "Hanshichi-san, listen to me, you will not fight Mugen."

Hanshichi was taken aback at the vehemence of Jin's response. He had raised his voice and the harshness in it cut through the air like a sword. But Hanshichi had barely recovered from the shock when there was another distraction, and it came a few moments after Jin had spoken. There was the sound of footsteps just outside the dojo and he saw a strange look come over Jin's face as he looked towards the door at the far end of the training hall. As he turned to look in the same direction as Jin, he saw a pale shadow move into the shaft of evening light falling into the dojo.

The shadow was quite familiar to Jin; he had the feeling that he knew the person about to enter the dojo. And when the owner of the shadow stepped inside the hall, his hunch was confirmed.

"Who will not fight with me?" asked Mugen.

There was silence for a few minutes, in which Mugen and Jin stared at each other, while Hanshichi looked from one man to the other, trying to interpret the strange expressions on their faces.

At last Mugen spoke. "Well...Finally! It took quite a while to find you." He scratched his head, cocking it sideways, with a look of puzzlement on his face. "You look...kind of... older."

Notes:

(1) Samurai Champloo aficionados will recognize Kariya's dialogue on 'weed killing flowers' from the last couple of episodes in the series. Also, Yukimaru's dream within this dream is very similar to the fighting scene with Jin in the episode Lullabies of the Lost. Nagamitsu is the comedic character that appears in the episode The Art of Altercation.

(2) I have borrowed several elements from the history of that period, as usual, but I don't want to go into the details as they are too difficult to summarize. (At a later stage, when the story has been completed, I might write an afterword/appendix with the historical details and references).

It seems that this story within a story will continue for a while. I still haven't a clue how to finish it! As you may have noticed, Jin has reached 30 years of age in the dream.

I may not be able to update soon, but I will do my best to make the gap between updates as small as possible. In the meantime, I hope you enjoy this one. My thanks to all readers and reviewers. Happy Fourth of July to readers from the U.S.!

seven samcham