Scanning my eyes in the room, it seems Imai’s group has increased in size. She did say this would be a gathering of various Shizoku throughout the region. All Shizoku who despise the Meiji, seeking to destabilize what we have now. Pro-Bakufu and Ishinshi all gathered in one place. I sit by the pro-bakufu side. Best to show an allegiance than be in the suspicious middle.
Not too long I see the men who will be the obstacle to my plans. All three of them come in with their ragged faces, proudly wearing their swords to their right. All Samurai wore it on the right so I do so only for today. No need to stir up the pot for propriety if we don’t need to.
“Quiet!” Imai shouts, “I called you here today gentlemen from all of the various hans, to ask you if you will start a counter-revolution with our new sponsor! We will provide everything you need, weapons, medicine, artillery and even women!”
Old Fights, New Enemies
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He starts with a wag tail. An old distraction tactic. I smirk and just point my katana straight at him. Left or right? But it doesn’t matter, the point of the wag tail is to confuse and make his opponent think too much of what his adversary is going to do next. The best way to oppose that is to go ahead and strike!
I lunge with a straight trust and he evades. I side swipe to the left quickly but his katana is there to stop my hirazuki from slicing through his stomach. He grins but doesn’t say anything. He knows the hirazuki of course, the best user of the technique was Hijikata-san and how many times did Hijikata and Souji spar?
Our eyes meet. He should know I was just testing him. It’s his turn to attack and he goes right to my face and I tilt my head just enough to only get a small cut on the cheek. He mouths “Slow Saitou-san.” I slash diagonally but the next thing I know he’s disappeared. He’s almost as fast as Okita but not that fast.
Spinning around I swipe my katana wide, slicing the front part of his kimono open and drawing a little blood. I might not be as fast as Okita when it comes to non-linear movement but I know where my opponent is at all times. In a straight line though I am at my fastest so once again I ready my gatotsu.
He smiles slightly and just puts his katana in front. A mocking gesture but it doesn’t matter.
“KYAA!!!” I shout.
He’s not avoiding my blow and instead I see him slip?!! And finds himself on the floor. I change to a downward thrust but he shifts his head and grabs me, making us roll the length of the floor. He whispers, “Saitou-san, you aren’t serious are you? Or are you really going to kill me?”
I grab his collar to stop us from rolling and I pin him to the hard mat and raise my nippontou against his neck. Of course I’m going to kill him.
“Stop!!!” came a shout from somewhere.
Taking deep breaths, I loosen my grip on Kano and shove him back down. “That will teach you.” I say to him but I -saw- what he did.
Imai claps his hands and speaks, “It seems everyone that Saitou-kun has won. Now let’s get down to business and I expect all Shizoku to swear loyalty to our cause. We wouldn’t spill our own blood here today!”
I’m still catching my breath as I sat back down. Was he really that good or was I just like he said, too slow. I’ve sparred many times with Souji, I’m sure he’s not nearly as good as him. I’m not what I used to be. But I knew that already, that’s why I took the gun. But that’s not what a swordsman does.
Looking across the room, I see Kano go back to the group of men from Satsuma. Why did he purposely lose? For the life of me, I still can’t remember who he was even when I went and spied in the Goryo Eiji. He seems to intuitively know what my plan was today and went along with it. A friend or foe? Likely neither. I touch my cheek, it’s not too deep but it will take time to heal.