Chapter 9: Words among friends

Old friends meeting after many years apart.

“So what was it like?” Goemon asked in a cheerful tone, the teen of sixteen was much taller than Fuyukaze, his pate shaved traditionally and his dark hair pulled up in a short top-knot.

Fuyukaze had moved to rest against a wooden post that made the corner for the room. He looked to the young man with curiosity. “What was what like?” He rubbed a hand upon his forehead, still feeling very weak and now dirty, he could feel his sweat making the cotton robe cling to him and he scratched at his shoulder idly.

“The duel of course, you crossed real swords with a trained warrior and won.” Goemon continued undaunted by his classmate's response.

“I do not really remember, I was really tired.” Fuyukaze said honestly, he squeezed the wound on his shoulder and it gave him a dull ache. “It was much scarier than I thought it would be, I always thought it would be exciting but all I could think of is challenging him, then when he cut me I thought I was going to die.”

“You were afraid? You coward, what would master Homashi have thought if he knew you were scared?” Goemon continued, glancing to Honma for support but found the youth only smiled and looked out the open doorway into the garden.

“You would have been terrified too under the circumstances” Fuyukaze stammered quickly in response, his face strained, a hint of anger in his voice. He noticed Honma had turned his head back, still with that calm steady smile. Fuyukaze took a deep breath and let it out slowly “Real fighting is different, it's faster and you cannot really think. I do not know how I won, I just got desperate and somehow I ended up stabbing him. I don't even really remember how I blocked his sword.”

Goemon just smirked at his friend's words, preparing a biting retort when Honma spoke in a calm voice “It does not matter how you felt, or if you knew what you were doing. What matters is you avenged Yoshio and that you won, that's all that matters.” He said with his smile fading slowly, the boy just gently rolled a small stone in his hands letting it rest between the knuckles of his fingers.

With that Goemon turned upon Honma “You are a paper samurai too Honma. Courage is essential to a warrior. He cannot fear death lest he hesitate in the moment of battle!” The boy laughed and straightened himself, cupping his hand over the pommel of his katana. “I bet you would not have been hurt if you were not afraid.”

Honma just took the stone and flicked it sidelong at the pond, watching it skip across the surface “If he feared death he would not have gone seeking the ronin.” The youths words were simple, but they held meaning, still he turned back to the pair. Goemon shrugged, and Fuyukaze settled down in the corner again. There was a long silence for several seconds before Honma continued. “What was the ronin's name?”

“Hinada Ayomi” said Fuyukaze firmly, giving Goemon an annoyed glare before looking to Honma.

Honma just smiled in return, peering back at friends. “Good, Hinada Ayomi, a man of twice your age and with some renown killed by your hand. It is only a pity you could not have fought him in a duel. Perhaps then you wouldn't have been wounded so grievously.”

Fuyukaze sat up with a grunt “I did not trust the villain to act honorably, so I drew my blade first. He was unworthy of a duel anyhow.”

Arakai Honma just grinned “I did not say that was a poor choice of actions Fuyukaze-san, just you would have less likely been injured in a duel.” He smiled and turned to his classmate “But let us cease this quarreling, you have won your fight and through it gained your position in the ranks of your uncle's armies. Let us perhaps have a game of go?”