Chapter 22 : Maple Leaf Viewing

'And I thought the cherry blossom in spring was beautiful,' said Jack,

looking around in awe at the maple trees as they wandered through the

gardens of the Eikan-Do Temple.

Akiko had taken Jack and the others to the temple to view momiji gari,

an event similar to the spring hanami party, but held in autumn when the

leaves of the maple trees turned into a magical kaleidoscope of colour. Jack

was astounded by the display. The hillside was ablaze with red, gold,

yellow and orange leaves as far as the eye could see.

'Let's go up to the Tahoto,' proposed Akiko, pointing to the threetiered pagoda that poked through the flaming canopy like a spear. 'There's a

wonderful view from there.'

With Akiko leading the way, Jack, Yamato, Saburo, Yori and Kiku

climbed to the top tier, where they could look down on to the trees below.

Each leaf was as beautiful and delicate as a golden snowflake.

'Glorious, isn't it?' commented a deep barrelled voice from behind.

They all turned to see Sensei Kano, their bōjutsu master. Despite being

blind, it seemed he was admiring the view as well.

'Yes… but surely you can't see it. Can you?' asked Jack, not wishing

to offend.

'No, Jack-kun, but life isn't bound by what you can or can't see,'

replied Sensei Kano. 'I may not be able to see the trees, but I can still

appreciate momiji gari. I can taste the colours, smell the maple's life and

feel the canopy's decay. I can hear the individual leaves fall like a million

fluttering butterflies. Close your eyes and you'll hear what I mean.'

They all did so. At first, Jack heard only an indistinct wash of sound,

but it soon separated out into a rain-like pitter-patter of dry leaves. Then,

just as he was starting to enjoy the experience, he heard giggling.

'Stop it!' cried Kiku.

Jack opened his eyes to see Saburo tickling Kiku's ear with a twig. She

grabbed a handful of dead leaves and threw them in his face, but also got

Yamato. In a matter of moments, they were all involved in a riotous battle

of leaves.

'I suppose time spent laughing is time spent with the gods,' observed

Sensei Kano ruefully, and walked off, leaving the young samurai convulsed

with laughter as they played among the leaves.

They spent the rest of the afternoon exploring the expansive temple

gardens. They crossed over wooden bridges and circled a large pond on

which people rowed in little boats, playing koto harps and admiring the

autumnal views.

Jack spotted Kazuki and his friends in one of the boats on the far

shore. They hadn't seen him but seemed to be having too much fun

splashing one another to care about Jack. Then Jack saw Emi walking

across one of the bridges. At last this was his chance to speak with her

alone.

'I'll catch up with you,' said Jack to the rest of the group, who were

heading towards a small shrine on the other side of the pond. 'I just need to

ask Emi something.'

Yamato and Akiko both stopped. Akiko raised her eyebrows in

curiosity but said nothing.

'Come on, you three,' Saburo called impatiently. 'Once we've seen

this last shrine, we can hire a boat and go paddling.'

Yamato hesitated a moment longer. Jack knew his friend still felt guilty

for not being there when Kazuki and his gang had jumped him at the Hall of

the Hawk. He hadn't left his side since.

'Let's go,' said Akiko, walking off. 'We'll see him on the way back.'

'We'll be just over there if you need us,' Yamato said, following Akiko

with reluctance.

Jack watched as the two of them headed off to join the others. In her

honey-coloured kimono, Akiko appeared to float away like a leaf on a

stream. Jack hurried over to Emi. She was standing on the bridge, admiring

a maple tree that hung over the water like a tongue of flame. Emi bowed as

he approached.

'Enjoying momiji gari?' she asked, smiling.

'Yes. And you?' replied Jack, returning the bow.

'Very much. It's my favourite time of year.'

Jack glanced over at the nearby maple tree, trying to think of what to

say next.

'Is it ever like this in your country?' Emi asked.

'Sometimes,' replied Jack, watching a leaf fall through the air and land

on the surface of the pond. 'But most of the time it rains…'

An awkward silence fell between them as he summoned up the

courage to speak. 'May I ask you a favour?'

'Of course.'

'Can I visit your father's palace again?'

She looked at him, her eyes registering surprise. 'Any particular

reason?'

'Yes… When we were there for the tea ceremony, I noticed some

screen paintings of tigers. I'd like to see them again.'

Jack had thought carefully about this answer, but when he said it now

the excuse sounded weak, and he cringed.

'I didn't know you were interested in art,' she said, the corners of her

mouth crinkling into a mischievous smile.

Jack nodded.

'I'm sure it can be arranged. I would have to speak with my father, of

course, when he gets back.'

'Of course,' Jack agreed. Then he heard laughter and turned to see that

Cho and Kai had caught up with Emi and were giggling behind their hands.

'I have to go,' Emi said, bowing before joining her friends and their

elderly chaperone.

Jack watched them leave, whispering to one another and glancing over

their shoulders at him before bursting into fits of giggles again. Had they

overheard him speaking with Emi? Or were they laughing simply because

they had discovered him and Emi alone together? He needed to keep the

visit to the castle private so the rutter would remain safe, and it wouldn't

help if those two started spreading rumours about them.

The sun was now beginning to set; its golden rays glinted upon the

water and shone through the leaves of the maple trees like a patchwork of

paper lanterns. Jack absently opened up his inro, the wooden carrying case

that had been a gift from daimyo Takatomo, and took out the picture Jess

had drawn and given to their father some three years ago, when they had set

sail from Limehouse Docks for the Japans. He now kept the picture with

him as a constant reminder of his little sister.

He opened the parchment, ragged and worn from repeated handling. In

the dappled sunlight, he traced the outlines of his family. His little sister's

summer smock, his father's black scribble of a ponytail, his own head

drawn three times too big on a stick-thin body, and lastly the angel wings of

his mother.

One day he would return home, he promised himself.

Jack closed his eyes. Listening to the breeze in the trees and the ripples

on the water, he could almost imagine he was on a boat heading back to

England. He was so entranced by the idea that he hardly noticed the group

returning.

They quietly surrounded him.

'Enjoying your last days of momiji gari, are you?'

Startled, Jack spun round to find himself confronted, not by Akiko or

his friends, but by Kazuki and his Scorpion Gang.

'Have you heard another foreign priest has died?' revealed Kazuki, as

if he was merely discussing the weather. 'He was preaching to his followers

to obey the Church over their daimyo. Loyal samurai punished him for his

treachery by setting fire to his house, with him inside. It won't be long

before we get rid of all your kind.'

'Gaijin Jack should go back!' said Nobu, his belly bobbing up and

down with laughter, clearly delighted with his taunt.

Jack backed away, but was stopped by the handrail of the bridge.

'All on your own?' smirked Hiroto. 'No bodyguards? I thought you

would have learnt from last time – or do you need another kick in the ribs to

remind you?'

Jack said nothing, knowing Hiroto was looking for any excuse to strike

him.

'Cat got your tongue?' asked Moriko, hissing in delight. 'Or are you

just too brainless to understand?'

Jack tried to keep calm. He was outnumbered, but determined not to be

intimidated this time.

'No one likes gaijin,' rasped Moriko, baring her black teeth at him.

'They're filthy, stupid and ugly.'

Jack stared back at her. He was above this.

Moriko, frustrated at his lack of reaction, spat at Jack's feet.

'What have we got here?' Kazuki demanded, snatching Jess's picture

out of Jack's hand before he could react.

Jack flew at Kazuki. 'Give it back!'

Nobu and Hiroto caught hold of his arms and put him in a lock.

'Look at this, gang. Hasn't Jack been a clever boy? He's learnt to

draw,' teased Kazuki, holding the piece of paper in the air for all of them to

see.

'Give it back NOW, Kazuki!' Jack demanded, struggling to escape.

'Why could you possibly want to keep this? It's terrible. It's like a

little girl's drawn it!'

Jack shook with rage as Kazuki dangled the picture in front of his

nose.

'Say goodbye to your masterpiece, gaijin.' Kazuki threw the picture

into the air.

Jack watched in anguish as the drawing fluttered away on the breeze.

'Look! The gaijin is about to cry like a baby,' squealed Moriko and the

Scorpion Gang laughed.

Jack hardly heard the taunts. His entire focus was on the fragile piece

of paper flying away. He thrashed wildly in Nobu and Hiroto's grip as his

only bond with Jess disappeared into the sky. It lifted high above the pond

before getting caught in the upper branches of a maple tree.

'Leave him alone!' ordered Yamato, running on to the bridge with

Akiko and his friends.

Jack felt a small wave of relief. At least he was not alone in this fight.

'Let Jack go,' demanded Akiko, pulling at Hiroto's arms.

'Look who it is; the gaijin lover!' announced Kazuki, looking her up

and down scornfully. 'Do as she says. It's only fair to give them a fighting

chance. Scorpions!'

At Kazuki's command, the Scorpion Gang dropped into fighting guard,

facing off against each of Jack's friends. Yamato and Saburo stood their

ground, but Yori trembled as a boy twice his size loomed over him.

Ignoring Kiku with a sneer, Moriko squared up to Akiko and hissed into her

face like a wildcat.

'Come on! Make the first move,' Moriko dared, baring her blackened

teeth and fingernails that had been sharpened into claws. 'Give me the

excuse I need to scar you!'