Chapter 31 - Jinsei nanakorobi, ya'oki

“It’s too much of a coincidence to ignore.” Kayla said suddenly. Chakaro had been scarfing down his food, while Ekyt sat, apparently unaware or uncaring that there was food in front of him. “What do you mean?” Chakaro asked around a mouthful of ramen. “The Ice School elite on the ice field…the Wind school Elite on the windy plains…now the Mountain School elite in the mountains. Everyone else is on their home turf against us.” “You’re right, it’s no coincidence. But we can’t do anything to stop it. Besides we’ve got nine out of ten points so far. The training has just paid off.” Chakaro said thoughtfully. They both looked at Ekyt, who looked up slowly from a book he was reading. “Jinsei nanakorobi, ya’oki.” Ekyt muttered. “Say what?” “It means “Life is falling down seven times, getting up eight. A proverb Musashi stood by. In this case, it means the deck is stacked against us, but we’ve got to triumph anyway. These meetings are an accident, someone doesn’t want us to win…or wants to make sure we have a hard time winning. Either way, we’ve got to stay on our guard. That, and we’re a three person team, instead of the four our opponents have. But that doesn’t matter so much.” He straightened up, arching his neck for a second, then turning his eye back to his “students.” “Has anyone else looked at the scores so far?” “You told us scores aren’t important.” Chakaro said. “Did I? Well, it’s going to go against my next bit of advice: No detail, no matter how trivial it may seem, is worth ignoring. Now, we know we’ve done well, but where has everyone else placed?” A quick look at the scores told them.

“Our closest rivals are the mountain school, with seven points, and the “Hidden Forest” school, with…9.” “What does that tell us?” “Look at the other scores.” Ekyt motioned at the sheet. “I’ve never head of these schools! 1 point, 1 point, 2 points…” Kayla read off. “I still don’t see what this tells us.” Chakaro asked questioningly. “How many other students have you seen around? This is a big tournament. So you should have seen other students.” Chakaro narrowed his eyes, trying to remember. “Only the Mountain School.” He admitted. “So, either this tournament is rigged somehow, or we’ve gotten incredibly lucky. I doubt luck; it’s too easy of a scapegoat. The only other possibility is that all these teams have been eliminated somehow.” Ekyt tapped the sheet. “There’s a pattern between the names of the schools we HAVE seen, it looks like. Mountain, Ice, Wind. But these other teams. Tiger, Lion, Goat…which doesn’t belong? Kayla, you know a lot of the other schools…what does the Tiger school teach?” “I don’t know, I haven’t read about them.” She said sheepishly. “You’re right. You haven’t, because there’s nothing TO read. They don’t exist. But this proves that something IS going on, and we’ve got to be careful…don’t share this info with anyone.” “Even Master Linda?” “ANYone.” Ekyt emphasized. “Sometimes withholding information from others is as important as obtaining it.”

“Chakaro!” Kayla waved him over. “Kayla?” he asked, noting the urgent tone in her voice. “I think Ekyt-sensei is having a problem with Linda. We should tell her.” “Ekyt-sensei told us not to.” “She’s the Master, we’re supposed to be loyal to her, before Ekyt-sensei.” Chakaro hesitated. “If you want to tell her, go ahead. I’m going to talk to Ekyt-sensei.”

Ekyt vaulted up into the tree, looking around to make sure it wasn’t occupied, then settling down with The Book of Five Rings, by sword master Miyamoto Musashi. (A great book I’d recommend to Martial Artists and Non-Martial Artists alike.) “Sensei!” Chakaro spoke in a low, but urgent whisper. Ekyt had heard someone coming, but only for the last second or so. “Chakaro?” “Sensei, Kayla is going to tell Master Linda. I know what you said, but…” “I thought I could count on someone telling her. She needs to know, but not from me.” Ekyt said with a small grin. “Are you and Master Linda fighting?” “No. Not anymore. We were never officially together, so I can’t be too upset.” “You are anyway.” Chakaro said, then wondered if it was wise to say anything. Apparently it was, because Ekyt closed his book and nodded. “Very good move, telling me. You ARE supposed to show loyalty to the Master above all. But endangering the mission isn’t something ANY master could be proud of. Besides, by know, Linda will already know. Amy was in the bushes behind us when we were talking earlier.” Chakaro hadn’t noticed her, and that ashamed him now. “Don’t worry about not noticing her, I planted her there. She’s the messenger.”

Ekyt stretched his wrists, which had taken a beating with all the blocking and throwing he had been doing. “You like Kayla, don’t you?” Ekyt said, offhand. “Huh? Well, I…” “I’ve already lost one friend because of misguided love…I didn’t want to lose another. You’ve got all the talent you need Chakaro, and you’ll be a true sensei before me. I’d rather you thought of me and this tournament in a good light…for reasons I can’t explain. I just want you to know…I had no idea Kayla was going to kiss me, and, although she’s an attractive girl, I never intended to return that affection. I tend to think of her as more of a daughter…” Chakaro wondered if that meant Ekyt thought of him as a son, but didn’t voice it. “Any moment now…” Ekyt didn’t seem disturbed when a shuriken with a message tied to it struck the tree near his head. “Anyone looking?” he asked Chakaro, though he looked around himself. Then he opened the letter, reading it. Chakaro could only see Ekyt’s eyes, the rest of his face being covered, but his eyes had a strange life in them now, like nothing he’d ever seen.

Linda waited, actually pacing, for Ekyt to come. “How come you didn’t tell me this personally?” Linda asked immediately. “Throw anyone watching off. They wouldn’t be expecting a civilian…or a team member…to spill the beans.” Linda looked angry, then cracked up. “God, you’re such an @$$! You’ll never change!” “Not likely.” Ekyt agreed. She let her laughter die down, then said “What do you think about all this? Why sabotage the tournament?” “Whatever their reasons, whoever “they” are, it’s not working very well if their aim is to get us killed. And they’re being obvious about it. So I wonder if it’s a trap within a trap.” A warning came that the next fight would start in a few minutes. “I’m going to go prep my team.” Ekyt said, not looking at Kayla.

“We’ve got our info, equipment double-checked, clothes set. Good. Kayla, you’re leading.” “You’re not angry with me sensei?” “You were right to tell Linda, despite what I said. So, no.” Ekyt answered. “It’s time to go.” “We should try to get the height advantage.” Kayla said, to everyone.

They walked inside. “That’s not gonna happen.” Chakaro said. “Why not?” Kayla wanted to know. Chakaro pointed. “What?” The Mountain School was already on the mountain. “Someone IS out to get us…but who…and why…” Ekyt wondered aloud. “Never mind. We’ve got to get up there…Wait!” Ekyt held up an arm. “They’ve got a signal fire going…something’s happened…Good Lord…” Ekyt dashed forward, the others following, wondering what was troubling Ekyt. Then they saw it too.

Black-clad warriors scaling the mountain. Lots of them. “Hidden Forest School…that’s the “who” but not the “why.” Ekyt muttered. “We’ve got to help them!” Kayla said. “It’s not our fight…we should take advantage of their weakness.” Chakaro said. They both looked to Ekyt. “We’ve eaten with them…our two schools bonded…it’s our fight now. We’ve got to move fast.”

Chakaro grabbed two of the enemies’ legs, surprising them. They fell ten feet, landing hard on their sides. Chakaro punted their respective heads, taking care of those two. Kayla scurried up the mountain. She used to rock-climb when she was younger, and was something of a dare-devil beneath the shy exterior. She leapt down, planting her feet onto the top of one foe’s head, driving him into the ground, where his feet took the brunt of the blow, breaking them both. Ekyt scrambled higher, trying to get to the other school. He was grabbed around the ankle at one point, but he stabbed down, cutting the hand that was holding him. Putting the knife between his teeth and promising himself he wouldn’t do that again if he could help it, as the cold steel scraped against his enamel, he scrambled to the top of the mountain.

“Ekyt? You must leave! It is YOUR head they are after!” Sensei Akamatsu begged. “I’m not going to leave you at their mercy Reian. My students are on their way too. If it’s ME they’re after, take my students and go! Let the master’s know.” “I will not leave you!” Reian sounded appalled at the idea. “It’s time I came of age Reian. I need to know I’ve got the warrior’s soul…this is beyond a tournament now…” “I’ll send my students. I’m going to share your fate. You’ve proven yourself a very true and genuine friend. Our two schools are linked through our friendship, the two villages connected by a mutual appreciation. It’s time that was proven! Kenpo, Juyalya, Jurai! Take Chakaro and Kayla to their master, notify ours! Go, now! Hurry!” Ekyt mentally noted how impressed he was at how quickly they obeyed. It’s now or never…I can’t ask my students to share my fate…I realized I would die for them, the same I would have once…still died for Linda. I guess I’m getting my change to prove it on this God-forsaken rock…

The numbers started to mount as the two instructors fought off wave after wave of enemies. They had started at the edged of the mountain, knocking enemies off, knowing that they may be killed from the fall. Ekyt looked down at one point to see one of the warriors commit seppuku on his way down. Some of them actually tucked and rolled with the fall, since the mountain wasn’t huge. A huge, rocky hill that flattened out was a better description.

Soon the two instructors were pushed back to back, the number of enemies swelling. They were tiring quickly. Reian was nursing a broken hand, and Ekyt had taken a throwing knife to the bicep. The enemies suddenly stopped and parted. Ekyt didn’t like what he saw.

Linda was sitting, sipping some God-awful swill that one of the other masters had made. This sucks…I miss the action…Do these guys do ANYTHING but chug tea? I mean, I like tea as much as the next person, but Good God, enough is enough! “Master Linda!” Kayla and Chakaro ran up, along with Julayla, Kenpo, and Jurai. “Master, they’ve been ambushed! Ekyt-Sensei is helping Reian-Sensei fight off the enemy!” In an excited voice, Jurai continued. “Yeah! They’re in real trouble! I don’t think they’ll last much longer without help!” Linda and Mater Yukami nodded at each other. “Lead the way Jurai.”

“You.” Ekyt snarled at the approaching Master. Ginn Ota-yuji grinned back at him (He’s the molester that went after Linda and poisoned Ekyt a couple issues ago). “I see you’ve taken to hiding your face in shame. Is it Sensei now?” “Do you know this jackass?” Reian asked. “He tried to molest my gir…friend. My friend.” Ginn smiled. Ekyt continued, a small stream of blood running down his face from a cut on his eyebrow. “I won’t lay claim to “sensei” but I will say I am an instructor. And you listen to me, you arrogant bastard! If it’s MY head you want, then settle this with me! Grow a set; learn what it means to be a warrior!” “It means power.” “It means preserving who and what you love! If you haven’t figured that out yet, you never will.” Ginn ordered his men back. “You have a big mouth. Tell me, how did it feel when I felt up your girl? Wait…she wasn’t YOUR girl, was she?” Ekyt right fist went off like a gunshot against Ginn’s nose.

“They’re up there!” Chakaro pointed. “We’ve got to get up there Yukami-san.” Linda said. He nodded agreement. “We’re coming, too! Those are our sensei’s up there!” Linda watched Ekyt punch a familiar man. “Ginn…my God…let’s go!” Linda’s temper had reached it’s boiling point. Her running became a blur as she dashed to the mountain.

Ginn got up slowly, putting a hand to his broken nose. “I was going to let my men kill you…now, I think I’D rather have the honor.” “Talk is cheap Sensei Windbag.” Ekyt said, a lot more confident than he felt. Ginn attacked with a primal scream, while Ekyt dodged. Reian took advantage of the situation and threw knives rapid-fire, clearing out the mountain. Fifteen men died in his attack, but at this point, there wasn’t much choice. Reian glanced at Ekyt. The two nodded, and he dashed down the mountain to help the Masters.

As they fought, with Ekyt on offense most of the time, Ginn called out “Fool! He could have been your salvation! Now you’ll die up here!” Ekyt ignored him, but suddenly a pang of anxiety hit him. “Remember how high up we are? Ryuto? Remember him?” Ekyt blocked, a split second too late, as Ginn’s knife slashed his stomach. Ekyt stopped it from penetrating with his forearm, but it was still a tough injury. Ginn laughed and stabbed down again, his right arm bloody to the elbow.

Linda and the others were attacked. But the “good guys” were in a zone, dispatching their enemies. “Linda-san, go to him” Yukami told her sagely. She nodded, dashing up the mountain.

She leapt up in front of Ekyt. “My God…no…” she spied him lying on the ground, three visible stab wounds on him. His breath was ragged. Fearing the worst, Linda pulled back the covering over his mouth. Blood was oozing out the sides of his mouth. She pulled off her vest and laid it under his head. She turned toward Ginn, hatred on every inch of her face. “You…miserable…bastard…I’ll see you to your grave if he’s dead! But it takes a lot to kill him, and I won’t let you touch him! Not again!” But her head wasn’t totally in the fight. She missed a couple easy strikes and Ginn was right there to take advantage.

Come on. Come on. Come on. You can’t let him win! Ekyt’s subconscious was arguing with his fatigued and possibly dying body. Now is NOT the time to be weak! Now is the time to fight…you’ve got to do it. Ekyt remembered meeting Linda for the first time. She had stopped him from bleeding to death after he had gotten shot. Then he thought of the two of them in the forest, the brief time when they BOTH had been happy and alive. She made as beautiful a human as she did an echidna. Then she had hugged him, to the point where he was sure that she loved him back.

Then his mind changed. Back to his training. To Sensei talking. What had he said…
“These techniques are to be used only as a last resort. Protecting your life, or someone elses. They push your body to it’s limits, and are fatal to one, if not both combatants.” “I understand.” He heard himself say.

Linda was on one knee, clearly defeated. Her mind had been on Ekyt, and her fighting had suffered. “Too bad girl. Now instead of marrying me, you’ll die, just like that other slime. You’ll die, and I’ll enjoy it. Then I’ll finish what I started. But this time, you won’t have that guy to take a knife for you.” Linda had to choke back tears. She looked at Ekyt, praying for a miracle. “Come on. Come on. Wake up. I’d do anything…do you understand? I’d die for you too…” “And you’ll have your chance!” Ginn yelled, a stabbing motion starting.

“I understand!” The word had come out loud. Ekyt’s eyes opened and his adrenaline peaked. He rolled forward and slashed his leg upward, hitting Ginn just under the chin with the bottom of his foot as he braced himself on the ground his hands and other knee.” Ginn’s body raised up two inches, an arc of blood coming from his broken nose. Ekyt followed up, swing himself from one hand to the other, aiming his heel at Ginn’s head, connecting with a solid THUNK! Ginn and he were both up now. Ekyt hit a flurry of punches, driving Ginn to the edge. Ekyt literally picked him up and smashed his head against a rock, sending the wobbling Ginn to one foot on the edge. Ekyt uncoiled from a crouching position and hitting Ginn in the chest with a flying sidekick. Both of them tumbled off the mountain.

“OH MY GOD!” Linda threw herself toward the edge, afraid at what she’d see, but forcing herself to look at the same time. She could have cried.

Cried with relief.

Ekyt was hanging on to a lowed edge, with Ginn grabbing at his leg. “If I’m going down, you’re coming with me!” Ginn yelled. Ekyt suddenly felt so tired…in another world, he grabbed a throwing knife from the hidden case high up on his leg. He cut his pant leg and watched dispationaly as Ginn fell. He felt Linda grab him and haul him back onto the edge, but he couldn’t do anything.

“You did it. Thank you so much. We’ll keep you alive, just hang on!” she said around tears of joy. Kayla joined her next, hoping to put her medical expertise to good use. “This isn’t good…The bleeding needs to stop…if we can do THAT, he’ll be okay. But I don’t see how.” Ekyt got up, his right eye closed. “Bleeding needs to stop?” he looked down at himself. “Thass juss a little pinprick.” He said, attempting to smile. He gave that up, since he couldn’t feel most of his face, and what he DID feel hurt like hell. “Please Ekyt, don’t play the tough guy! Lay back done.” “Heck with that.” He pulled off his gi top and cut it into strips, wrapping around the three stab wounds across his chest, and the slash across his stomach.” Linda smiled despite herself. “You’re a strange one Ekyt. Goofy, but you wouldn’t be you otherwise.”

As Kayla and Linda helped Ekyt back, he walked through the other students. Chakaro fell into step with them, swinging at anyone who got too close. “Reian.” Ekyt said. “What?” “Reian. I have to talk to Reian.” “It can wait.” “No it can’t.” Ekyt said.

They dragged him over to Reian. “I would consider it an honor if you would allow me train with you.” Linda shrugged, okaying it at Reian’s questioning look. “On the condition that you don’t leave the school you are currently attending. It seems as though your students and Master care about you very much.” Through his bleery eye, Ekyt made out the forms of Kayla, standing upright, her hands on her hips, nodding. He saw Chakaro, who was standing his arms crossed, nodding. And then Linda, who nodded herself, grinning from ear to ear.

“I accept. See you in class.” Ekyt said, forcing the half of his face he could now feel into a wry half-grin.”

“What possessed you to use those techniques?” Linda asked. Ekyt was now cleaned up, black gi pants and a white t-shirt, and a black, short-sleeved jacked over that. “Last line of defense, use to defend.” He answered. “Fine. But on top of a mountain?” Ekyt shrugged. “Is THAT where I was? I thought I fell already by that point.” She knew he was joking, but it still worried her. In what was most likely the biggest lie ever told, Ekyt uttered two words that summed up his current outlook on life:

“I’m fine.”


NEXT ISSUE: UNFAMILIAR TURF: LEARNING MOUNTAIN-STYLE!

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