A Tale of Death and Rebirth

The samurai was alone in his room, a rare thing, considering the recent events in the city... He was folding paper, a passion that he gained in the last few years. The small creatures that he brought to existence by flipping and folding a simple square of rice paper, gave him strenght to face the days, the nights, and ultimately, his very own existence.
Although the table in front of him already had a fair number of animals and flowers, of several sizes and colors, he was doing one more, a chrysanthemum. As he was finishing to fold it, someone knocked on the door. Distracted by the sudden disturbance, his hands failed to perform the delicate movements, tearing the thin paper.

"Come in" - he calmly said, his eyes showing displeasure. The servant respectfully bowed to him.
"Karyudo-sama, I come with a message from Megubei-sama. He wishes to see you... immediately" - he said, with respect, maybe even fear in his voice. Karyudo sighed, and with a hand, pulled some white bangs that were in front of his face.
"Very well, take me to him..."

He followed the old servant, as they walked through the office of one of the city's most powerful men. That, and other thoughts were battling in the young samurai's mind...

"Why would Megubei call me now?"
"Does he know anything?"
"Can I fool him again?"

And then, they arrived, and there was no time for thinking, or for planning, no way to escape....

"Good evening, Megubei-sama" - he bowed, trying to keep his composure. For the first time, he was pleased: the protocol only allowed him to rise when the other man acknowledged him.
"Leave us" - and the old servant vanished, as if he had never been there. The shoji screen closed.

“Please... take a seat, Karyudo-san.” - Megubei's words were as soft as honey, too soft. Dangerously soft.
“Tell me, what happened during my absence? I've been already told of our Clan's... inner affairs” - he said, with a slight displeasure in his voice.
“Could you be more... specific, sama?”
Megubei chuckled - “Well...”- he smiled and Karyudo felt a cold shiver down his spine - “Seems you've been following our lord's orders... I've been told that you are very close to several Cranes... Unfortunately, Aiko-sama left us, a sad thing, don't you think?” - he scratched his chin and waited for the young man's reply.
“Well sama, I don't think we lost... I've been talking with Tsunayoshi-sama... and he, as an Emissary, and the new Crane Diplomat here in the city...”
“I know of that Crane's achievements, samurai!” - Megubei's voice was filled with poison and cut Karyudo's speech like a sharp blade. - “I do not need you to tell me of his importance... Like I said, you are the Scorpion that has more friends among those petty Cranes... it is time to use that.”
“H....hai sama... what are your orders?” - he asked, slightly nervous, as he had never seen this ruthless face of Megubei. Though his distaste for the Crane was well known, he always kept his emotions hidden.
“My orders are very simple, Karyudo-san...” - and he smiled viciously - “You are to go and destroy one of Tsunayoshi's most valuable aide. You are going to kill Doji Sakura.”

It was like his world had turned into a crystal, that suddenly shattered into countless pieces....- He wanted to scream, yet he closed his lips, knowing that it would mean certain death.

“I am aware of your... fondness for the girl. Childhood friends. I'm sure that you'll not let that interfere with your orders... ?
"Hai..." - Karyudo replied softly
"Good..." - the other man smiled once more, a poisonous smile in his lips. With a wave of his hand he dismissed Karyudo, who quietly left.

The old servant was nowhere in sight... there were no guards, no one to see the samurai moving like one of the zombies that plague the lands beyond the Great Kaiu Wall... his eyes were lifeless... his legs were heavy... his hands were numb, feeling nothing, not the night's cold breeze, the softness of the paper on the shoji screen, or the gentle smoothness of the wood, when he opened it. Falling on his futon, he lowered his head, countless images flashing in his mind... Two children running through his family fields, happy... His parents watching him, proudly, at his gempuku. Seiichiro teaching him about duelling. The little child he adopted, dead, with the rest of his family. The kisses and caresses he had with Sakura.... and his mother dead, with flies roaming over her body.
Had anyone entered the room by then, would see the tears of a samurai, flowing freely through his face, a face that was nothing but pain and regret.

Her sweet and gentle touch.
“I.... cannot.”
The sweet taste of her lips.
“Mother... father... Nazomi... “
The pride in his father's eyes.
“I cannot let them die Sakura... I cannot...”

He reached to a small pouch inside his kimono. Inside, tied in a blue ribbon of silk, was a lock of her hair. He recalled that day, a lifetime ago. There was nothing he could do now...
Except one thing.
Once more he took a sheet of rice paper. Then, holding a thin brush, he wrote. And finally, after the ink dried, he folded it, untill a small flower came to life. He kept it inside his pouch, and walked to the entrance, leaving to the cold, empty street.

The time stopped while he walked. There were no sounds. Not even a breeze. He walked, and his breath became vapor, and his footsteps echoed in the empty city, the images flew through his mind again... Suddenly he was already there, the yashiki where she slept. And there was no one to see how he avoided to be seen, and entered through the servant's quarters. He had been here before...and he easily found her room, the one that had her sweet perfume floating in the air. With a careful gesture he opened the door and slipped inside.

She was sleeping there, alone, breathing the night's air. As Karyudo approached, she opened her eyes, startled.

“What are you doing here, Ryu you fool? Trying to get yourself ki...”
“Be silent and listen... please.” - and saying that, he hugged her, tightly. Although surprised at start, she held him as well, and waited.
For a long time he talked. Mostly about him, telling her things no one had ever known.
He paused, giving her time to cope with all that.
“That.... I never thought...” - she muttered, looking to him, disbelief and surprise in her eyes.
“I told you all that for a reason, Yuri-chan.....”
“... Yes?”
As the words came out of his mouth, it was as if something died inside of him.
“First, please return me my mask. And remember my words when I gave it to you.”
“Your.... mask? But...” - confusion came first, then sadness and resignation.. Her hand went to her chest, and taking the red silken mask from within a pouch, similar to Karyudo's, she handed it to him.
“Hai, I remember... but why, Ryu-kun?”
With the piece of silk in his hands, he looked at her one more time. “No matter what, remember what we shared. And remember that I love you, Yuri-chan” - And with those words he stood up...
“Forgive me Yuri...” - and he covered his features once more.
“Wha... I...”
As he felt the cold, soft touch of the silk, one last thought darted in his mind: “The most fearsome of battles are not those fought between dire enemies -- but between lovers...”

His next words were emotionless, as if all life had abandoned him...
“Sakura-sama, I was sent here to end your life. Please take your sword.”
And for the second time that night, the world shattered as if made of crystal.

“No... I cannot fight you... don't ask me to fight you Ryu-kun...” - she moved back, surprised.
“I have no choice...” - a spark of emotion showed in his voice - “I'd die for you, but it's not just my life that is at stake...”
He took one step forward - “But I could not kill you while you slept, nor stab you in the back... so take your sword!”

She saw him, heard him draw an inch of steel. And she understood that he had no choice, but that he was just a pawn in another's quest for power. She reached for her katana.
And as the clouds moved, a thin ray of Lord Moon's shine touched them... and in a flash of light, two katanas flew free, singing a melody of death...
As Karyudo struck, Sakura dodged, and as she tried the same, he too avoided her. They knew themselves too well....

Then Karyudo nodded slowly as he took a few steps backward. Sheathing his sword and readying, he blinked slightly as another ray of moonlight shone upon them both.

“Ryu, don't....” - Sakura mumbled...Yet, despite all the sadness and fear, she felt herself standing up, years of training and practice taking control of her. She tried to fight them, wanting to kill her long time friend, for whom she had started to feel more than mere friendship... It was as if she once more heard her sensei speak to her...

“Breathe in...”
“Sheathe your blade, calmly...”
“Assume your stance...”
“Breathe out...”
“Empty your mind... there is nothing around you... only your enemy...”
“Enemy....”

And in that moment, they were no longer friends. The two children running through the fields, happy, were gone. Their past, vanished. They were just two strangers, in a battle for their lives.

They heard the song of the cricket, and the call of the owl.
They heard the footsteps of a cat chasing a mouse.
They heard the splash of a fish in the pond.

And when cricket and owl became silent, the cat jumped to catch his prey. And, as Karyudo started to move, Sakura drew her katana. In the blink of an eye, they struck....

Surprisingly, it seemed they were of equal skill. As Karyudo struck one, two, three times, Sakura deflected his blade. And her strikes were equally dodged and parried by the one she called friend. Their skill was equal. While he was stronger, she was faster. Although now she was more focused, he perceived and avoided her attacks.

And then it ended.

It was then that Karyudo learned why the blades crafted by the Kakita were so famous. For when he parried her attacks, Sakura's blade bit deeper and deeper.... until, at the third strike, it cut through.
She was the first to realize what was going to happen, and tried to hold back. Too late. It started in his waist. And all the strength she applied to hit his blade a few moments ago, now made her sword cut through him, almost effortlessly.

A spray of blood touched her. Her friend's blood.

"I killed him" - was her only thought
"I killed him...."

Her bloodied sword made a pristine sound as it fell, as Sakura jumped to hold him, not letting him fall to the ground.

“No... no....” - a tear started to fall down her face, and blood from his wounds flowed freely.
“This is not happening.... You cannot die Ryu....”- another one fell... she was crying, as she felt his life fading.
He raised a hand and cleaned her tears.
“Shhh... take my mask, Yuri” - he said, in a faint voice.
She did so.
“My chest..... a pouch.” - he whispered.
She opened the pouch. Inside was an origami. A small, yet perfect, cherry blossom.
“Open it...”
And with those words he died.


Bayushi Karyudo woke up, startled. For some moments, he just stood there, without moving. The last moments of this disturbing dream faded like the morning's mist, and he felt the words he had dreamed of, burning in his mind, and yet, he was unable to write them.

He shook his head and rose up. No point wasting time thinking of it. Eventually he would remember them. The day was starting, and he heard the sounds of the waking city. He took a deep breath and went to take a bath. When he returned, he sat at his table and started to fold a paper flower.
Then suddenly, someone knocked on the door. Distracted by the sudden disturbance, he failed to perform the delicate movements, tearing the thin paper.

"Come in" - he said, in a very calm voice. He looked at the door, and then to the servant that entered, and was respectfully bowing to him.
"Karyudo-sama, a message from Megubei-sama. He'd like you to meet him before leaving.”
“Of course, I'll go see him at once.” - Karyudo nodded to the man as he left, hiding his surprise.

“Strange coincidence...“ - he thought smiling sligthly. “Maybe I'll speak with Moku about this... dreams and coincidences are his field of knowledge, not mine...” - and with a chuckle he headed to Megubei's office.

As he walked, he saw another man, Isamu. He bowed to him, as did Karyudo, and then continued on his way, without a word.
The servant was waiting and as he approached, the man silently opened the door, indicating him to enter.

"Konnichi wa, Megubei-sama" - he said as bowing.
“Please...take a seat, Karyudo-san.” - Megubei's words were soft as honey, and Karyudo started to feel uncomfortable.
“Tell me, what happened during my absence? I've been already told of our Clan's... inner affairs” - he said, with a slight displeasure showing in his voice.
“Could you be more specific, sama? A lot of things happened since you left...”
Megubei chuckled - “Well...it seems you've been following our lord's orders... I've been told that you are very close to several Cranes... Unfortunately, Aiko-sama left us...”
“Sama, I don't think we lost anything... I've been talking to Tsunayoshi... as an Emissary and Crane Diplomat here in the city he is willing to talk and perhaps create some sort of an alliance...”
“Yes, I know. Yet, there are more pressing matters at hand...”
Karyudo started to have flashbacks of his dream...
“Like I said... you are the Scorpion that has gained more friends among the Cranes... it is time to use that.”
“H....hai sama...?” - Karyudo's voice showed some nervousness.
“I've realized that there is an obstacle to our domain in the city... as you now, we need to make an alliance with our rivals. This obstacle I mentioned will make sure the agreement is not advantageous to us...” - he examined Karyudo, without blinking.
“I believe you should deal with it... after all, we're talking of your friend, Doji Sakura. Can you deal with it... permanently?

He thought of the time they spent together. Of his feelings for her.
Of his father and mother. Of Nazomi.
Of Isamu leaving Megubei's office.
And he finally remembered the haiku in his dream.

“Hai sama... I'll take care of this matter.” - Karyudo bowed his head.
“Hmm... It pleases me to hear that. Your services will not be forgotten. You may go now” - and waving his hand, Megubei dismissed Karyudo, who quietly left.

Megubei waited for him to close the shoji screen and then mumbled a single word - “Interesting.....”

“Do you believe that to be the wise, Megubei-san?” - someone asked. A voice that belonged to the man moving slowly outside the office, towards the opened screen that allowed one to perceive the garden, bathed in the morning's light.

The shadow continued moving... and Bayushi Hirotashi entered the office.

“Hirotashi-sama...” - Megubei bowed to the other man, who was the most powerful Scorpion in the city.

“Rise...” - he chuckled - “We're alone here, no need for formalities between friends... tell me, do you think that ending the life of the Crane's Emissary most trusted advisor, using her childhood friend, something wise?”
“You see, sama... He's not really going to kill her....”
“Really? Then what is your plan then?” - Hirotashi asked, raising his eyebrow
“Well... it is only a test. To his loyalty to our Clan”
“I see, I see... and why doing it now? Have you been listening to the gossip of others, regarding his appearance?” - Hirotashi intention was clear as water... and understood it.
“Of course not, Hirotashi-sama! Yet this has been disturbing me since I heard that he asked Doji Sakura to marry him, privately, instead of requesting us to send the proposal to the Crane... besides, I believe he has feelings for her, and that is not proper... A samurai can only serve one lord. I decided to clear this matter, before anything happens.”
“I understand your reasons.... yet, this was not the best time for it... other than the uses I had for him, the political climate is too volatile.... if someone hears about this... the consequences would be dramatical. Besides, was there anything else that made you suspect of treason?” - Hirotashi's voice was calm, soothing...
“No sama... other than a lack of success in our attempts to befriend the Crane.”
“Well.... I wouldn't say lack of success... We do have one successful samurai, who is friend of the most powerful one in their clan... don't we?

And with those final words, Hirotashi headed to the outside.

“Have a good day Megubei-san...”
“Aritago Hirotashi-sama....” - and bowing, Megubei saw his master leave the office...



Karyudo did not left immediately.

He went to his room, and sat at the low table, looking to his paper creations. He closed his eyes , reaching for his small pouch. Inside, tied in a blue, silken ribbon, was a lock of her hair. He recalled that day. There was one last thing he had to do.
He took a sheet of rice paper. And then, he started to fold it. He kept working on it, until finally a small flower came to life. He kept it inside his pouch, and walked to the front entrance, leaving to the warm, yet empty, street.

A flapping noise made him look up, as Akabane, the falcon that recently had been his companion, took flight. And a smile crossed his lips, as he whispered to himself the haiku he had just wrote.

Flowers of sakura
In their petals, love
Written in blood.