darkzen

AYAME: CHERRY BLOSSOMS

               Yagyū Shinkage-ryū, a swordmanship school located in the island of Honshu. Resting on the foot of Mt. Fuji. It's beauty highlighted by the moonlight induces the hidden arts of the shadow. It is there where Ayame was born.

The school has its two opposing sides yet complimented each other. Renowned for its yagyu swordmanship style and of its several arts in iaido, kenjutsu and taijutsu. This side seeks self-enlightenment guided by zen. The other side of it is beseiged by the shadows, the art of ninpo or ninjutsu. Shinobi's as they are referred to mainly to carry out missions involving assasinations and espionage. Two disciplines that contradict each other, one upholds honor and the way and the other, deception and stealth. In this school, there is balance. In zen teaching, both are contradicting but complementing each other and united as one.

          Under the sakura tree. Ayame stood there with holding a samurai named Ei Hisatora under the pale moonlight kneeling with his back to her. He was deeply wounded with the crimson stain on her chest. Ayame held her chin up with her left hand giving way to her shinobigatana weapon. Slowly she opened his throat, blood slowly dripped down to his chest, a gurgitating sound breaks the midnight silence.He was her first masterpiece.
Cherry blossoms fell unto the ground with stained blood.
Evenly matching the crimson sakura above.

Breathtaking -- she thought.

Dawn light creeps slowly into her room. Ayame sitting in crossed legged position reciting slowly the Shuji Shuriken incantation. Breath by breath, word per word, her mind is one with the universe.

She slowly rose up after she has done the incantation.
There are still some few moves she wants to attain perfection -- the death dealing swords.

The death-dealing sword is the sword which is poised to strike first. This is contrary to the sword life-giving sword, which is not poised to strike.

She then performed Ken-tai. This move is an instant assault or the first strike. "Ken" is first move and "Tai" is to hold back, without striking first, waiting for your opponent to attack. Again, in lineage with zen philosophy, striking perfection with two contradicting principles achieving balance in nature.

Thus, ken-tai is when your body is in a ken stance, your sword in a tai stance. The purpose of putting your body in a ken stance is to force your opponent to strike the first blow. During this move, your mind must be in a tai mood. What matters is to win by making your opponent make the first strike.

"To achieve the right mind is to have no-mind. By then, you are one with </span><span style="font-style: italic;">your surrounding even with your opponent. "

Next to her list, is the Tsuke, kake, narai no kakari. Three feints to defeat your opponent instantly. These three feints tries to provoke your opponent when his plans are hard to fathom or see. Work these tricks on an opponent firmly ensconced in a waiting stance. Force him to make a move, create an opening and with one quick blow, you win instantly.

After she has done her meditation. She opened the door to view the glory of Mt. Fuji. She pays her respect to its beauty by bowing down on the tatami mat. Ever grateful to her own home.

The tatami door opened. Jubei Yagyu, her sensei stood in front of her, his two death swords in her waist, his uchigatana and wakizashi or called as daisho as one.

"Ayame. I have a very special mission for you."

"Sensei." She bowed down to give her respects to her teacher.

"You will infiltrate the imperial palace by persuading Akira Yagami to let you enter the palace and assasinate Toyotomi Hideyoshi and have Akira take the blame for it."

"Hai, sensei." She agrees without no hesitations even if knowing how difficult to get into the empire palace.

"Who is this Akira Yagami and what is his relationship to Hideyoshi?"

"You will know in time. Its time for you to prepare for class."

"Hai, sensei."

She grabbed her gi (uniform) preparing for her class. But before that she arranged her chrysanthemum flower in the vase that is placed on top of a small table at the corner of her room.

***

"Ayeeeeeii!!"

Clang.

The two bokken sword colided. Instantaneously the other glided down and performed a side sweep in a half circle. The other sword moved up and leaped backwards in the same moment avoiding the sweep. Before finishing the sweep he brought the sword downward and thrusting it towards his opponent. Striking his throat while in a crouch like position with the left foot extended.

The match was finished.

Akira Yagami, the winner of the match. Stood up and bowed infront of her opponent. He was Half-japanese and half-american. His father was a U.S. Marine Liutenant and he was told his mother was japanese in which he haven't seen eversince. He is in the Yagyū Shinkage-ryū as his father's advice.

Ayame looked at him in the corner of her eye to avoid being detected staring at him. She profiled his stature, how he moves, what his facial gestures and reactions are, how he walks...every detail of him that will benefit her mission.

He had good looks that's one thing for sure. She thought. By then, she deducted a profile of him matching at least 65% of her personality. She knows that this person, with his good looks, have women flirting with her. Usual flirting won't work with him, he might disregard it, she thought. But indeed he will come into any woman that might interest her by raising his curiousity, with a flair of mystery.

She approached him.

"Akira-san, see me at the moonlight well before midnight. It is important." She whispered clearly and walked away.

Akira didn't know why, but she was 100% sure, he's going to be there.