Editing Memories of a Stone Wall (section)

===Act XVI: Unexpected Visits===
:>Naomi, Toshiro and I returned to my home in the Crab lands.
:>Toshiro only stayed for a day, saying he needed to see his Sensei as well.
:>"Plus, the goblin is probably dead."
:>"I'll need to get a new one."
:>Naomi could not cover her surprise.
:>"Goblin? What goblin?"
:>"I keep a goblin in a cage at my home. I poke it with a stick at times."
:>"For research."
:>He waved and began thumpdraggin his way home.
:>"He... he was joking wasn't he Ishigaki?"
:>"Probably."
:>"Oh goo... Probably?!"
:>I grinned at her.
:>"Oh! YOU!"
:>She gave my shoulder a light punch.
:>"Papa! Play!"
:>Daiko wasn't quite up to full sentences yet, but she did understand verbs as well as nouns now.
:>Tetsute was close behind her. His babbling was sounding more and more like real words every day.
:>So I decided I would take a few days to enjoy my family, see if I could catch Tetsute's first words before heading off to see sensei.
:>So I roughhoused with my children.
:>Somewhere along the way, Tetsute had added biting into his arsenal.
:>I was still lenient, allowing them victories over me when they did well.
:>There would be time enough for stern instruction later on.
:>For now I wanted to hear their triumphant laughter, see their smiles as they toppled me.
:>I did have to scold them a bit when they tried to play with Naomi the same way, though.
:>But they both understood.
:>Naomi played word games with them instead. Naming body parts and then tickling them was one of their favorites.
:>Daiko returned the favor to her mother.
:>"Foot!"
:>Naomi toppled over in peals of laughter, which became mock cries for help from me when Tetsute clumsily joined in on her other foot.
:>Then he bit her toe.
:>"OH! You little RASCAL!"
:>Naomi scooped Tetsute up and hugged him into submission.
:>Then it was more roughhousing with dad until they finally wore themselves out.
:>I just laid there on the floor.
:>They had fallen asleep on top of me, and I didn't have the heart to risk waking them.

:>I overheard our nanny asking Naomi if it would be possible to hire a few more servants.
:>Given the terror twins' almost boundless energy, I could see why she wanted that.
:>Naomi, to my surprise, assented.
:>I didn't think our stipends were sufficient to do so.
:>Some of the herbs in her medicine were a bit expensive.
:>And stipends were paid out yearly. Once gone, it was gone.
:>I asked her about it that evening, when we were all bathing together.
:>Oh, you overheard?
:>Yeah.
:>Tetsute squirmed in my hands as Naomi washed his hair.
:>Daiko was splashing away in the tub, waiting for the rest of us.
:>About that, I was not going to say anything until I was certain about things, but...
:>I have been exchanging correspondence with both Mantis-san and Monkey's wives for a while now.
:>They have both been doing well in their business, and since we need more servants to keep up the house, keep up with the children...
:>And a few Ji-samurai, or at least Ashigaru couldn't hurt, all things considered.
:>Yes Ishigaki-kun, you are right about that as well.
:>So. They have been advising me on ways I might afford all this on our stipend.
:>Oh really?
:>Hai. I am going to attempt to rebuild Ishigaki Mura.
:>My eyebrows jumped up. So far up they almost punched a hole in the ceiling.
:>I thought at first, a sake works would be in order. Crab sake is renowned thought the empire, and Kaori-san assures me she knows several places it will sell quite well.
:>But where are you planning on getting the workers, the master?
:>The Yasuki who procures the herbs for my medicine said he could arrange that.
:>I blinked. While I wasn't looking, my wife had been studying the fine points of becoming a merchant patron.
:>We rinsed Tetsute off and got in the bath.
:>Is there anything I can do to help out?
:>Yes. Continue to refine your technique. Be the wall that guards this family, and always come home, my love.
:>My heart melted.
:>Daiko splashed us both and giggled.

:>I splashed back.
:>Then Naomi cheated and dumped the whole bath on the lot of us.
:>Never get into a splash fight with a water tensai.
:>In the morning I set off, making my way to the Dojo.
:>I entered and saw Kojiro-sensei immediately.
:>He was practicing basic overhead strikes.
:>But he was doing so with a truly massive Kanabo.
:>Rather than a single piece of Iron, a Kanabo is mostly wood with metal studs.
:>I guessed the one he was swinging must weigh something like 20 lbs.
:>It was too large to be used as a real weapon.
:>But the strain showing in his muscles left no doubt as to its effectiveness as a training tool.
:>I knelt before my sensei and waited for him to finish his training.
:>Half an hour later, he returned to a neutral stance, put up his Kanabo and spoke.
:>I was wondering how long you were planning on keeping me waiting.
:>He stretched and shook out his joints.
:>Then tossed me a tetsubo.
:>We fought again.
:>Sensei fought differently this time.
:>He was never were I thought he would be, he defied my every expectation.
:>Of course. Sensei knew exactly how I had been trained to fight. He was a graduate of Sunda Mizu, just as I was. He was a teacher to those who would become the elite of our clan.
:>He knew exactly what I would do in battle.
:>Now he was turning my own training against me.
:>I tried to adapt, but reflexes so deeply ingrained for so long were not so easily altered.
:>In the end, all I could do was endure as best as possible.
:>Given sensei's strength, that wasn't very long at all.
:>Yosh. You did well, Ishigaki-san.
:>Did I?
:>I dragged myself back to my feet.
:>You saw the point of my lesson right away.
:>Not many catch on that quickly.
:>He gave me an appraising stare for a time.
:>Nodded.
:>You are ready.
:>You will sometimes face enemies that know your style well, or who you are ill suited to defeat.
:>And as you have just learned, it is difficult to change one's style in the middle of battle.
:>At these times, you must endure.

:>I nodded along with sensei.
:>He was not telling me anything I did not know before today, but one must respect the words of sensei.
:>He would come to a point eventually.
:>You have already learned when to conserve your strength, and when to unleash your fury.
:>Now you have seen the limits of your endurance.
:>I will teach you to break through those limits.
:>Sensei's instruction built upon the earlier lessons.
:>First, the Hida bushi learns to take a crushing blow and pass it's force through them and into the earth.
:>Then, the Defender of the Wall learns to attack the taint in a foe with the purity of their own earth when they are struck.
:>My next lesson would be to disrupt any attacker, by lashing out with my earth even as I passed the attack through me.
:>By combining active and passive defense, sensei said, I would make my body harder than any suit of armor.
:>Once again, this was a far more spiritual technique.
:>And once again, the only way to master it would be getting beaten night and day until I got it right.
:>I took a breath and resolved myself to accept this pain.
:>Enduring these harsh lessons now would help me to keep my promise to my wife and children.
:>We began.
:>Sense used his training kanabo.
:>He did not stop until I could no longer stand.
:>A Kuni made sure I was fresh and ready each morning, and evening.
:>I now understood fully this dojo's motto.
:>The Shadowlands is not Hell.
:>After a month, Sensei declared I was doing it right.
:>We fought one more time.
:>I did not win, but I was able to push through one of his attacks to land a hit of my own.
:>He nodded in satisfaction.
:>Continue training, Ishigaki-san.
:>I have high hopes for you.
:>Hai, sensei!
:>I returned home, with a few new scars.
:>And found my Mother-in-law had come for a visit.

:>My first clue that there was something horribly wrong in my house was the child I didn't recognize, wearing a red kimono, playing with my children out front.
:>He recognized me though.
:>ONII-SAN!
:>I didn't have a little brother who would wear red.
:>Ah. This must be Ashitaka, Naomi's little brother.
:>I wondered how many people I didn't want in my house were in my house right now.
:>Just one,it turned out.
:>I opened the front door perhaps a bit too forcefully and announced my return.
:>Nanny came to greet me, and told me where Naomi was having tea with her mother.
:>Just her and the boy?
:>Hai, my lord.
:>I grunted and went in.
:>Naomi's mother had aged visibly since I saw her last.
:>Streaks of grey were shooting through once raven black hair, and there were deep lines around her eyes.
:>She looked tired.
:>It didn't surprise me. Now that Naomi was out of reach and Hohiro the Master of Earth, it would be her or Ashitaka that served as Shoji's scapegoat now.
:>The boy was far too happy to have seen that side of his father in earnest.
:>Oka-san.
:>Ishigaki-san.
:>Naomi did not like the coolness in our greetings.
:>She pretended not to notice though.
:>Ishigaki-kun! How was your training?
:>It went well. A few new scars, but I have advanced again.
:>That is wonderful, Ishigaki-kun!
:>Naomi turned to her mother.
:>Ishigaki-kun is a Defender of the Wall now.
:>Mother-in-law blinked.
:>I thought that's what all Crab were?
:>Ah, no. You misheard. Defender.
:>Naomi stressed the capitalization.
:>It is a special school for the elite of the Crab Clan.
:>The elite?
:>Mommy dearest looked around my sparse home.
:>The Crab Clan is far more concerned with merit than social status for things like that Mother.
:>I see.
:>I sat down next to Naomi, took off my kabuto and sat it down next to me.
:>Nanny poured me some tea.
:>I rested my chin on my closed fist and looked Naomi's mother in the eyes.
:>Why are you here?
:>Ishigaki!
:>Mother held up her hand to forestall any further protest from Naomi.

:>Your husband is right to be upset with me, Naomi-san.
:>Mother looked at me evenly.
:>Then bowed. Full dogeza.
:>I knew full well what Shoji was doing to Naomi was not right, yet I allowed it to continue.
:>For this I apologize.
:>Why are you apologizing to me, then?
:>The one you wronged is over there.
:>Yes. You are right.
:>Mother bowed to her daughter
:>Naomi-
:>Mother! Please stop! You did nothing wrong! You could not go against father, I understand!
:>Of course Naomi would leap at the chance to have a normal relationship with any of her family.
:>I was certain that she would even forgive Shoji, should he ask for it.
:>He never would, of course.
:>And she would still seek to obey him, were he not shunning her outright.
:>Because Naomi was an honorable woman, and honorable children obey their parents, even when their parents are complete assholes.
:>Personally, I would just as soon have tossed the old bitch out in the mud and gone on pretending Naomi and I both had no family save each other.
:>But as I had just pointed out, I was not the one who was wronged.
:>So even though I thought Naomi forgave far too easily, I couldn't gainsay it.
:>I looked aside politely while mother and daughter hugged one another and wept.
:>Oka-san's tears seemed genuine to me.
:>I gave them some time, then asked again, more gently than before.
:>Why are you here, Oka-san?
:>The two disentangled themselves, sniffled and wiped at watery eyes.
:>I need your help.
:>Naomi looked taken aback that her mother had other reasons for her visit, aside from just seeing her daughter and grandchildren.
:>Are you asking for help from your family, from a Crab, or from a Jade Magistrate and her Yojimbo, Oka-san?
:>All of them.
:>I blew out a sigh. I would have said no to the first. I might have said no to the second. But the third was Naomi's choice.
:>Yes, of course Mother. We are family, you need only ask!
:>Bandits. It's bandits.
:>Huh? Oka-san we are jade.
:>The bandits have Ogres with them.
:>Oh.

:>When your father heard there were Ogres among the bandits, he left to command the soldiers himself.
:>Shoji is an ambitious man. As an Earth Tensai, he would be well suited to dealing with Ogres. A good chance to put his name back in people's mouths.
:>Oka-san continued.
:>But, something is wrong. It is taking far too long to deal with simple bandits, ogres or not.
:>I fear for your father's safety.
:>So, there we have it then.
:>Oka-san was being so polite because she knew damn well how I would take a request to help Shoji.
:>The man had once called for my execution. And for that of his own daughter.
:>Of course Mother! Ogres bear the taint of Jigoku. As a Jade Magistrate it is my duty to see such taint purged from the Empire, and it also my duty as a Crab! I will help you.
:>Thank you, my daughter. I do not know what I did to be so blessed with such a dutiful child.
:>Neither did I.
:>Naomi asked Nanny to fetch her some ink, paper and a brush.
:>She wrote out quick letters to everyone else, explaining the situation and asking everyone to meet up at her father's castle.
:>Then she went to go pack, leaving me alone with her mother.
:>Were you really serious? About wanting Naomi's forgiveness?
:>She looked at me, startled by my abruptness.
:>Do you really think so little of me?
:>Yes.
:>She scowled at me.
:>I am serious. I know Shoji can be a cruel man.
:>So? Why did you do nothing then?
:>I married him because his station would provide well for my children. They would have the finest things, the best education.
:>Even Naomi was still taken as a Tensai.
:>And I hoped he would soften to her one day.
:>Naomi STILL hopes for that day, even now, you know.
:>I do.
:>And you do not tell her that day will never come.
:>It was my turn to scowl.
:>She would never believe that.
:>No. She would not.
:>I sighed and wondered if I would be able to give my all to save the life of the man I most despised in all the Empire.

:>Ishigaki-kun, I want to take Daiko and Tetsute with us.
:>Um. I know they're strong and all but I don't think they're quite ready for ogres yet. Gonna need a few more months at least.
:>Ishigaki! I am serious.
:>I... I want to show them my home. Where I came from. At least once in their lives.
:>I hugged Naomi.
:>I understand Naomi, but there is something you must understand as well.
:>I have been outraged on your behalf at the way your father treats you. But, since my rage is on your behalf you have the right to hold me back.
:>If he treats either of our children that way, nothing will hold me back.
:>If he treats our children that way, I would not want you to hold back.
:>I do not think he will though, Ishigaki. He is kind to Ashitaka.
:>That surprised me, at first.
:>Then I realized. Ashitaka was still young. He would be enrolled in a school soon enough, but he was still very much a blank scroll.
:>A scroll Shoji no doubt intended to fill himself.
:>I did not voice my suspicions to Naomi.
:>But I resolved then and there that he would not have any such influence on my children.
:>Evil is an easy thing to define.
:>Evil is the person who spills their blood as they whisper prayers to the Dark Brother.
:>Evil is the dead, defiled and walking, seeking the flesh of the living.
:>Evil is the mass of tentacles, and fangs, dripping with ichor, that was never meant to walk in Ningen-do.
:>Good is much more difficult to define.
:>Honorable was a bit more clear, but was it good?
:>Was it right?
:>Shoji, for all his faults, was an honorable man.
:>One who acts without honor will quickly find themselves shunned by all right thinking people.
:>This is true, even in my own Clan.
:>While we Crabs do hold some tenants of Bushido higher than others, and will throw away everything to defeat the Shadowlands, we do not do so when we war with other clans.
:>And so Shoji must behave honorably, if for nothing else than his own ambitions.

:>If it seems a man clinging to honor for the sake of his own gain seems contradictory, that's because it is.
:>Courtesy and Compassion are tenants of Bushido, the code of conduct held by Samurai, whose entire existence is war.
:>I said it before, did I not?
:>There has never existed a Perfect Samurai.
:>And so it is that Shoji, the bastard that he is, was still an honorable man.
:>In the eyes of some Rokugani, he would be a proper father.
:>In the eyes of many, he would be stern, but not unreasonable.
:>Only a few, like me, would see him as a bastard.
:>Despite everything he had done, Shoji was not evil.
:>Many would say he was right, or at least, not wrong.
:>So while I spoke of defying him, of defying the proper order of things, of defying Honorable behavior itself, I would need to keep a very tight leash on my anger.
:>Satisfying though it may be to simply punch him until his face is an unrecognizable mess, there would be consequences for such action.
:>I had learned the last time I interacted with him not to be hasty.
:>As Sensei had hardened my body, so to must I harden my spirit. So that I would be ready to endure what I must.
:>Until the time was right to make him pay.
:>Naomi made arrangements, securing a boat that would take us around the mountains that divided the Empire.
:>Fall was closing in, the mountain passes would be treacherous soon enough.
:>Toshiro arrived while she handled those details.
:>He was just returning from his visit with his sensei, and was surprised to learn what was going on.
:>Oka-san asked Toshiro to speak with Ashitaka a bit about Earth magic.
:>The boy's future had already been decided by Shoji. He would become an Earth Tensai, as the family custom dictated.
:>After his conversation, Toshiro came to me first.
:>Boy has a keen mind, in some ways.
:>Some?
:>Yeah. He makes connections that others would not see. It's a simple wisdom, but it runs deep. His soul is old indeed.
:>I'm sensing a but.
:>No talent for hearing the earth Kami.

:>So he can't be an earth tensai?
:>No, he could. But even with the heavy focus of Tensai training, he'd only be average at best with earth.
:>He would be better off NOT being a tensai at all, I think.
:>I grunted.
:>All children are born with ability to hear the Kami.
:>Despite that, few would ever be trained as Shugenja.
:>Simply because most would not ever be good at it.
:>It was not enough to simply hear the Kami.
:>You must be able to understand them, and make yourself understood by them, as well.
:>This required certain traits, a particular mindset, that simply could not be trained.
:>Once a child's schooling begins, their path is set for life.
:>No Shugenja will ever be able to learn the techniques of a bushi school
:>No bushi will ever cast magic.
:>Indeed, for those who are not trained as shugenja, the ability to hear the kami fades quickly as one ages.
:>Shoji was going to doom his youngest son to a life of mediocrity, when he could be so much more.
:>I could just picture the joy on Oka-san's face when she heard the news.
:>As fortune would have it, Naomi was resting with her mother on the porch overlooking the garden.
:>And it was, at least now, a proper garden.
:>Stones had been set up in small shapes, turning it into sections.
:>Most were bare sand, raked into patterns Naomi assured me meant something.
:>But there was a small patch of flowers. Blue with five petals.
:>Naomi called them Wasurenagusa.
:>We even had Koi in our Koi pond.
:>My punching rock was still there, but it was now the centerpiece of a shrine of some sort.
:>Shugenja are priests, after all.
:>Some people forget that.
:>I wondered if whatever deity or spirit Naomi was placating with that shrine would be upset if I made use of my punching rock.
:>I'd ask later.
:>Toshiro and I sat down, and he broke the news to Oka-san as gently as he could.
:>Your kid shouldn't be a tensai.
:>Toshiro was not very good at being gentle.
:>Oh?
:>He elaborated, babbling on about spiritual things that I not follow.

:>I folded my arms, nodding along in time with his words.
:>I don't think I fooled anyone there, but at least I tired.
:>Oka-san, despite not being a shugenja herself, seemed to understand him just fine.
:>Given that her whole family were Shugenja, it didn't surprise me she would understand such mystical and esoteric things.
:>Naomi joined in the conversation.
:>I gave up trying to fool anyone and stared longingly at my punching rock.
:>The conversation came back down to my level when talk turned from what he should not do to what he could do, but it went back up just as quickly.
:>Daiko must have sensed my distress, because she picked that moment to joint us.
:>By crashing through the rice paper outer wall.
:>PAPAPAPAPAPA! Play now!
:>I scooped her up, spun her around a few times, and took her inside, swooping her around as though she was flying.
:>I managed to overhear Oka-san over my daughter's delighted giggles.
:>Naomi! You should discipline your children better! Such behavior, it's unseemly.
:>Maybe for a Phoenix, but my children are Crab, mother.
:>As a fish grows to meet the size of it's pond, so will I give my children plenty of room to grow large and strong.
:>They will inherit a solemn duty one day; and I will prepare them for it in accordance with their own nature. I will not stifle them to suit my own personal feelings.
:>Goddamnit I love it when Naomi talks dirty like that.
:>What do you think Daiko, would you like another brother, or maybe a sister?
:>YES!
:>Okay then.
:>That night, Naomi and I bowed to our daughter's superior wisdom.
:>We left in the morning to go save the life of the biggest bastard in the Empire.