Cherry Blossom Rain:Remembrance

I had not cried all day. Not when I saw his body, not when I saw Kyo’s tears and I did not cry when the pyre was lit.

The darkness blinded me as the servants closed the doors behind me. My hands gently dipped in the small bowl with water, the slosh breaking the silence. The only other sound I could hear was Kyo behind me, her breath calm for the first time in days. My hands firmly closed around hers as I took the matches from her. With a gentle movement, I started to light the incense and candles around the shrine. The smell filled the room and the small shrine became my entire world while my eyes adjusted to the sudden warm light. Shadows danced across the room with the flicker of the candles, the silhouette of my father looming over me.

A single lock of black hair fell in front of my face. “It was a good funeral” I said. “Yes it was.” My sister agreed. “Father would have liked it.” I continued. My hand brushed the black hairs back. Kyo-chan looked even more fragile than usual in her black kimono. The white family mon on her shoulders was as pale as her face. She hadn’t cried until after the funeral, and she had quickly recovered herself. Despite that, her eyes were red. “There were so many people there. It was like all of Japan came there to watch him.” she reminisced in wonder. Even though these were troubled times, all our allies had sent envoys to pay their respects to the dragon of the Mitsurugi. I hoped that their faith in us was not misplaced.

My eyes gazed across the small shrine. The candles reflected off the white bowls, I could barely make out the offerings in the darkness, until I saw a shimmer in the rightmost. I saw my father standing there, his imposing form, larger than any other man out there. Takahiro was a living legend. He was only defeated by two warriors. Senshin Ryonosuke was the first man, another legend. I never truly heard the story of my father’s first defeat, but the kami when the Senshin won that battle. They proved loyal allies, and we have served them loyally ever since that day, so many years ago.

The second man, however, remained a mystery. All I knew from the stories of the Dragon Guard was that he was a Kakashi warrior. He had killed a legend, and left him to rot on the battlefield. The only thing that he took was a small bracelet. The legendary sword was right in front of me on the shrine. The beautiful scabbard with the mountain ranges of the Mitsurugi territory carved into it leading towards the strong hilt. The bracelet had hung from the end of Mountain Splitter since the day my mother had passed away and now it was gone. And now all that was left of his legacy was the sword and the armor. And Kyo and myself.

In the light of the candles I spread down the paper that I had brought with me. Kyo handed the brush to me, not a single drop of ink fell on the floor. With the candle-light as my only guide, the kanji started to form on the paper.

A legacy was

ended by the avalanche

Eternal mountain

As the ink dried, my eyes faced the shadow of my father. Deep blue lines traced their way across the azure scale. I was unsure if it scales would fit me as I raised myself next to my father’s armor, but I would have to wear it. Bushido demanded me to take my father’s place. Without speaking one word, Kyo knew what was required of her. With her help, I donned the Misturugi Dragon Scales and hung Mountain Splitter from my side.

I did not cry until that moment. A single tear. Not out of sadness, but out of anger. I would not be the great man that my father was, but I would be the man to avenge him.