Chapter 25 : More Than A Piece Of Paper

Perched upon a zabuton at the front of the Butokuden's ceremonial alcove,

Sensei Yamada leant forward to listen to a petite girl with a short sweep of

dark-brown hair. The girl whispering in his ear was Harumi, who, despite

her size and to everyone's astonishment, had demolished the three blocks

during the Trial by Wood. Having given her answer to the Trial by Koan,

she bowed and waited for Sensei Yamada's verdict, her pale round face

delicate as a porcelain doll's.

After a few moments contemplation, Sensei Yamada gave a resigned

shake of the head and dismissed Harumi back into line.

'Can no one provide Sensei Yamada with a satisfactory answer?'

demanded Masamoto, glowering at the trial participants who knelt before

him. His indignation at everyone's failure to solve this third trial was

marked, a fact conveyed by the reddening of his scars. 'Are you telling me

that there is not one student in my dojo who can demonstrate intellect and

insight worthy of a samurai?'

He was greeted by shamed silence, the entrants' disgrace growing with

each empty second.

Jack joined the others in bowing his head. Despite the fact that, thanks

to Yori, he could fold a paper crane, frog or goldfish with practised ease, the

solution to the riddle remained elusive. When his turn had come, Jack's

suggestion was that origami taught patience, but Sensei Yamada had

reluctantly shaken his head in response.

'Very well. I now open this trial to all trainee samurai of the Niten Ichi

Ryū,' Masamoto announced, 'not just those vying for entry into the Circle

of Three. So, what does origami teach us?'

The rest of the school suddenly stiffened to attention as his eyes raked

the students for a solution. No one dared move in case the irate Masamoto

thought they had the answer. The tension grew unbearable, dishonour now

tainting everyone who failed to respond.

Just as Masamoto appeared ready to explode, a small hand raised itself

among the sea of shamefaced samurai.

'Yes, Yori-kun? You have an answer?'

Yori meekly nodded his head.

'Then step forward and take part in the trial.'

Yori approached in quick hesitant steps like a dormouse seeking a bolthole.

'Please, Yori-kun,' invited Sensei Yamada, his wrinkly face warm and

welcoming in contrast to the fearsome expression of Masamoto, 'reveal

your answer to me.'

The hall fell silent as the entire school strained to hear Yori's words.

Yori finished his explanation, every word a secret in his sensei's ear,

then stepped back and bowed. Sensei Yamada studied him a moment,

twisting his grey beard through his fingers. Ever so slowly, he turned his

head towards Masamoto and nodded once, allowing a wide, gap-toothed

smile to spread across his face.

'Excellent,' said Masamoto, his thunderous mood dissipating at once.

'At least one trainee warrior here has the aptitude to think like a true

samurai. Yori-kun, enlighten your peers with an answer worthy of the Niten

Ichi Ryū.'

Yori looked startled. Quiet at the best of times, he quaked under the

pressure of addressing the whole school.

'Have courage, young samurai. Speak!'

Yori's voice came out in a petrified squeak, 'Nothing… is as it

appears.'

He swallowed hard to regain control of his voice.

'Just like a piece of paper can be more than a piece of paper in

origami, becoming a crane, a fish or a flower; so… so…'

'A samurai should never underestimate their own potential to bend and

fold to life,' continued Sensei Yamada, taking over before Yori completely

stuttered to a halt. 'To strive to become more than they first appear, to go

beyond their obvious limits.'

Yori nodded gratefully, finishing in a small voice, 'This is what

origami teaches us.'

'The Gauntlet is your last trial,' announced Sensei Hosokawa, pacing the

dojo floor in front of the entrants who knelt respectfully in a line. 'It is a test

of courage, your final chance to prove yourselves worthy for the Circle of

Three. Judging by the previous trial, you all have a great deal to prove.'

The Butokuden's training area was empty, giving no clue as to what

was involved in the Gauntlet.

'Your goal is to walk from one end of the Butokuden to the other,' he

continued, indicating a route that ran straight down the centre of the dojo.

That didn't seem too hard, thought Jack, glancing at Yamato who

appeared to be thinking the exact same thing. But Akiko gave them both a

dubious shake of the head, indicating that there was definitely more to this

challenge than a mere walk.

'The Gauntlet is your Trial by Sword, so you should carry your

bokken. If you can run the Gauntlet and reach the other end, you will pass

the test. I now ask all participants to leave the dojo.'

Jack and the others hesitated. What was so different about this trial that

they were required to leave?

'NOW!' commanded Sensei Hosokawa.

A moment later, they were on their feet and marching from the

Butokuden.

'Wait in the courtyard until you are called for,' ordered Sensei

Hosokawa before re-entering the dojo and closing the large wooden doors

behind him.

'What do you think he's got planned?' asked Yamato as they stood

shivering, ankle deep in the snow.

They could hear the sound of movement and the shuffling of a

multitude of feet.

'Perhaps he's setting up an obstacle course,' Jack suggested.

'Or releasing a gaijin-eating tiger!' snarled Hiroto, laughing with

Kazuki.

Jack turned to confront them, his nerves already on edge with the

forthcoming trial. The Trial by Sword was Jack's last opportunity to prove

himself. His only chance.

'Save your energy for the Gauntlet,' advised Akiko, ensuring her

bokken was secure on her hip. 'Sensei Hosokawa hasn't been drilling us

hard without good reason.'

Jack backed down and tended to his own bokken.

'HIROTO-KUN!' summoned Sensei Hosokawa from within the

Butokuden.

Hiroto's laughter died at the mention of his name, his narrow lips

suddenly drawing tight with tension. He strode valiantly across the

courtyard, but couldn't disguise a shudder of nerves as he approached the

entrance. As soon as Hiroto was inside, the Butokuden's doors slammed

shut with an ominous thud. Outside, the rest of the participants waited and

listened.

For a while, they heard nothing but the light patter of snow falling

around them from the cold grey sky. Then a thundering 'KIAI!' broke from

the dojo, followed by the sound of fighting and a loud scream.

A moment later there was deathly silence.

The entrants looked at one another in shock.

They waited, expecting to hear more, but no further sound came from

Hiroto.

'YAMATO-KUN!' Sensei Hosokawa beckoned, opening the doors and

breaking the silence.

Yamato took three deep breaths, then made his way across the

courtyard to the hall. Jack gave him an encouraging look, but he barely

acknowledged it. Yamato was already in the moment, utterly focused on the

unknown trial that awaited him.

Once again, the doors closed.

The hush from within the dojo was unsettling and Jack was reminded

of the calm that preceded the most violent of storms.

All of a sudden the air was punctuated with screams of kiai, shouts of

combat and the soft dull thud of bokken against flesh.

This time, the battle seemed to stretch on and on before a great guttural

cheer exploded from the hall.

Then Sensei Hosokawa's voice issued forth.

'EMI-CHAN!'

'Good luck,' said Jack.

Emi smiled warmly at him, but her eyes belied the fear she really felt.

'Remember what the painting in the Tiger Room said,' Jack added,

hoping to reassure her. 'If you don't enter the tiger's cave, you won't catch

its cub.'

Emi disappeared inside the Butokuden.

'When were you in the Tiger Room at Nijo Castle?' enquired Akiko,

her voice slightly strained. 'We didn't visit it during the tea ceremony.'

'No. I went back.'

'What? Just the two of you?'

'Well… yes,' mumbled Jack. 'I wanted to see more of the castle.'

Pursing her lips, Akiko nodded curtly and glanced up into the sky,

concentrating on the snowflakes as they fell and settled upon the ground.

A single kiai from Emi was heard within the hall and it was not long

before the next participant was summoned. Several more entered before

Sensei Hosokawa cried, 'AKIKO-CHAN!'

Jack offered her a reassuring smile, but she was staring straight ahead

as she strode over to the entrance. He hoped she wasn't upset that he hadn't

told her about his second visit with Emi. But why should she be? He knew

there were things that Akiko didn't tell him.

In the courtyard, the snow continued to fall, settling upon everyone's

heads and shoulders. Jack heard Akiko kiai several times above the cries of

battle, but just as he was wondering how far she had got, an ominous

silence descended upon the Butokuden.

The dwindling group of entrants tensed to hear whose name would be

called out next.

Eventually only Jack and Kazuki remained. They ignored one another,

the tension of the Gauntlet getting to both of them.

'KAZUKI-KUN!'

Kazuki straightened his gi and headed confidently towards the

entrance.

'Good luck,' said Jack on the spur of the moment.

Kazuki glanced back over his shoulder, a grim smile on his face. 'You

too,' he replied with uncharacteristic camaraderie. 'We'll need it.'

Then he stepped inside and closed the doors behind him.

From the shouts that ensued, Kazuki seemed to be doing well, but

Jack's body was too stiff with cold for him to care whether Kazuki

succeeded or not.

'JACK-KUN!'

Summoned at last, he tried to rub some warmth back into his bones.

He didn't know if he was shaking more from cold or trepidation. He

gripped the hilt of his bokken in an attempt to steady himself.

Stepping through the doors of the dojo, he entered the Gauntlet