Chapter 21: June 13th, 1645

Today was the day. Tatsu was to get married. It seemed like so much has happened even though so little was going on really itself. Wondering back and forth between the cave of an instructor and a village that had little activity except for the simple day to day life of work was always a chance to think about the actions that he was making for himself.

“I have no regrets in my action,” Tatsu said to himself.

He was at the front entrance of Musashi. His mind began to wonder about his training again. He hadn’t been there in a couple of days. The old man never really got angry with his unexpected arrivals, but he was not the character that seemed overly happy to see him either. Tatsu had pretty much in time learned the concept of being a hermit that humans sometimes do. The act in itself was a reminder that this was a man in which much had happened to him. In the end, though, Miyamoto Musashi was a man who wanted to be left alone. It wasn’t to say that Tatsu’s arrival was a nuisance, though from what he observed.

“I wonder how the old man is today?” Tatsu said to himself as he started to walk up the stairs. “Should I tell him that I am getting married today? Perhaps not ... he seems to be a man that almost avoids the conversations of women almost as if he does not like them entirely. Someday I will need to ask him on that if he feels comfortable talking about it.”

As he reached the top of the stairs, Tatsu turned his head as he looked back from the cave entrance. There was some activity up in the sky as if it was getting ready to rain in a few hours, but there was still sunlight and plenty of wildlife activity around the trees and wilderness. All and all, it was still a beautiful day to enjoy. Only a couple of days did it rain, but it was insignificant for Tatsu to be annoyed with. It was early in the morning, and Tatsu wanted to make sure that he had plenty of time to make it back to his wedding. He had no idea when he would be back again. If he could get more training, then so be it. If not, then he had the chance to thank Musashi for the training and equipment that he offered to him anyway.

“Well ... I need to go and check on the old man again. I can’t be here all day,” he said out loud as he looked into the cave again. He knocked at the entrance of the cave.

“Hello?” Tatsu called out. He waited and heard no response again. “Musashi must be quiet again as he normally is. I always just wander inside anyway. I wish I can be more polite, but at least I am letting him know I am here at least.”

Tatsu again tapped his hand at the entrance to let Musashi know he was coming inside. Again there was no response.

“Alright then ... I am coming inside. You know who it is. I just wanted to check up on you again.”

Tatsu stepped inside the cave as his eyes adjusted to the darkness quickly as they did before. As he began to observe the scene, he noted everything. The place looked as it did before. Papers seemed to be in order on the desk, and the place seemed as dark and cozy as before. Tatsu did notice that the cave was darker than it was before as if the candles were not lit or going out.

“I must have come in too early. Forgive me for coming at this time of day, Kensei. I wanted to come and check up on you. I won’t be coming back until much...”

His eyes finally revealed what he saw. In the same place, as he sometimes found him, Musashi was by his small table on the floor by his bed. He had one leg perched up as he sat cross-legged. His cane was perched up to support him. His eyes were closed as if he was sleeping.

“I made some noise coming in here, Kensei,” Tatsu commented. “You sleep pretty well despite all that ... Kensei?”

Again there was no response from Musashi. He was quiet and was still. There was a look of curiosity in Tatsu’s eyes as he looked hard at the older man. He went and snapped his fingers again to try to wake him. Musashi’s eyes were closed. His white beard and mustache were there with the little candlelight there was.

“Kensei ... wake up! Forgive me for...”

There was no response from the older man. He checked him out closely. There was no breathing coming from him. It was evident that Musashi had passed away peacefully as he was. Whatever happened to him, it was quick. His age finally caught up to him completely, and he was gone.

“It must have been a peaceful end for you, hasn’t it?” Tatsu said to him. He had realized his words were falling on nothing. Tatsu stepped away from Musashi as he got a fair distance from him as if he was going to receive more instruction from him. He politely bowed to him.

“I will never forget what you have trained me for, Kensei,” he told him. Tatsu didn’t feel too much sadness, but there was regret in his face as if somebody important had left him. “You were the first to find me and to help me become acquainted with this world. It has not been easy, but your training will help me in the years to come. I promise that I will not fail you.”

Tatsu closed his eyes as he thought about it. “I will go fetch the caretakers nearby. I will let them know of your passing...”

A pair of monks and an older man stood by Musashi’s body as Tatsu stood from a distance. The older man Tatsu found was the caretaker for the nearby temple from the cave. The caretaker was taking note on his body.

“I suppose he has been gone for a while now, hasn’t he?” Tatsu asked the caretaker.

The older man by the name of Hideaki appeared to be in his fifties near the same age as Musashi himself. He was dressed in a kimono and also had gray hair as he had a bent knee and was checking Musashi’s body.

“It was a peaceful end indeed,” Hideaki commented out loud for them to hear. “He left instructions for me when this would happen. He knew he had only so much time left.”

“He had his works submitted. I know that. He already was working on a will for a month that he was finishing up.”

“Yes ... I will make sure to notify his family of what has happened as well. A legend passes this day ... umm, your name is Tatsu correct?”

“Yes, but don’t worry about me. I just want to make sure everyone he knows is notified and receives his belongings. He had made the necessary arrangements to make sure his works are passed to others.”

“Are you a member of his family?”

Tatsu thought about it for a moment. “I don’t know. I only knew him a month ago, but he seemed nice and peaceful for a man of his age. I consider myself more of an acquaintance, if anything. I know he has had more family than I ever was. He has adopted children and disciples of his own.

“I only know so much of him as well except the instructions he left for me when this day would come,” Hideaki commented.

“He wanted this,” Tatsu replied. “He was ready for death for awhile. I think he is happy wherever he went to.”

Hideaki got up as he noted the time and day. “I will go ahead and start making the necessary arrangements. I suppose he left instructions for you as well.”

“Musashi did not want to lean on me since I am more a late passer to him. He did tell me that there was a paper that he wanted me to check if this was to happen, though.”

Hideki gestured to Tatsu to go and check the nearby desk. He stood by Musashi as he bowed his head slightly and closed his eyes to give respect to the old man.

The desk was in order. There were a couple of pieces of paper that were on top of the desk itself. Tatsu would check each of the papers. Some were rough drafts of documents. Another was addressed to members of his family. One by one, he studied and placed them down on the desk. Finally, one of the letters was addressed to him. Musashi had instructed him to read this letter when the day finally came for him. He began to read the letter to himself as Hideki overheard his words a little bit.

“I write this letter on the day of my passing, wandering dragon. Have no fear of death, for I have none. Do not feel sad for my passing, for it is you that are strong in the end. My children, my legacy, are to continue from this day and day forth. Go and try to learn from others as you try to master your ability to fight, but remember that you yourself are your greatest teacher. I have little to pass to you since my other family members are to receive most of my belongings. I do have something to give to you, though, as you try to find yourself here on Kyushu. You need one more sword as I know the remaining bokken you have is in bad shape. I can give you one of my own. My oldest sword that I still have that I used in the Battle of Osaka for some time I give to you in the event of my passing. That being said, remember my instructions. Do not let the notion of receiving one of my swords as a symbol of strength and power for it will lead to your downfall. The strength of the sword and mastery depends solely on the user. Do not let pride get in your way for wielding this. It is simply a sword, a tool for your survival. May you find your way out there, dragon ... Musashi.”

Tatsu thought a little bit about Miyamoto Musashi’s words as he looked at the weapon’s rack that stood by before. He took the piece of paper and stuck it in his pocket. Hideki made no protest as Tatsu pulled out the bokken from his scabbard and placed it in the weapons rack. There were a couple of katanas that were on the rack as he began to scan each one.

Tatsu carefully investigated the swords for the one that appeared to have the oldest wear to it. One blade was fairly new, and the other one was obviously older. He picked up the older sword and placed it in his scabbard. He felt the surge of pride go to him that he had to push away as Musashi taught him. This was a sword and nothing more, but it was evident to him now that he had two official swords to protect himself. That in itself was a sense of accomplishment.

“Thank you, Kensei,” he said out loud. “I will not forget your teachings...” as he looked at Musashi’s body. The quiet pose of a man that passed on to the next remained in front of them as they paid their respects to him.

Tatsu was only left with a few thoughts in his head as he began his walk back to the village. He did not feel sad as Musashi himself was prepared for his death, but his thoughts were still there for him nonetheless.

It was noon after handling the last of his respects. Hideaki assured Tatsu that he didn’t need any help taking care of the arrangements that Musashi had instructed him. He began his walk southward along the path when he started to think of something that hadn’t occurred to him earlier.

“The monastery ... I have not checked it out yet,” he said to himself out loud. “I remember Musashi telling me to at least check it out once. I have yet to do that besides obviously telling one of the caretakers about what happened. I need to go there and investigate the area, sit down and talk to the monks, and see what they know of the area. It wouldn’t hurt to ask...”

There was a fork in the path as he decided to take the path that would lead him to the monastery.

“I remember a small shrine as I passed along the way to here. Nobody was in there when I checked it earlier, but I will have to recheck it. If nobody is in there, I will go to the main temple itself and ask the monks.”

The path was peaceful. Tatsu walked with his two swords tucked into his scabbards in his black kimono as he always did. He carefully noted the area. Trees lined the pathway all along the way. The dirt path lined the direction that he needed to go. Birds were chirping and singing all along the way. The smell of flowers blooming was easy to acknowledge.

After ten minutes of walking, he reached the small shrine. It was not anything big. It was big enough to have at least two or three people at the most. It was built from wood, and he remembered that it had a Buddhist statue inside it that he noted before. There was a closed-door that was in front of it.

“Odd ... I don’t remember a door in front of this shrine when I checked it. Nobody was inside it when I checked it last time. I was in a mad rush to get help though ... maybe I didn’t observe that the door was opened last time and now it’s closed?” he shrugged. “No matter ... I will go and check it out.”

He walked up to the shrine door as he pressed his hand to the door. It slowly creaked open as he stepped inside of it.

“Wha?...” were his only words as he walked in. The shrine was much bigger than expected. The door closed behind him as he noted the environment.

There was the same Buddhist statue as he saw before, but this time it was clearly different in his eyes as he saw before. There were candles lit everywhere that lit the interior of the shrine. It was incredibly spacious inside. It was so big inside that it couldn’t be that large inside and look so small from the outside.

A sound began to resonate throughout the shrine that made him look around some more. They sounded like wind chimes, but he had no idea where they came from. There were no chimes of any kind that were producing this harmonic sound. It was distant and echoed throughout the shrine itself. He turned to look at the door seeing it was now closed. He felt calm, though, and at ease as he looked at the interior.

“That is ... impossible,” he said out loud to himself. “How can it be bigger in the inside?”

“I see that you finally arrived, child,” a voice resonated inside the building. It took Tatsu by surprise as he turned around to look at where the statue was at.

“You ... I recognize you. I have seen you twice so far. Both times were not far from the cave near here.”

Sitting in front of him was the same bald Buddhist monk that he recognized as before. He looked exactly the same as before and had a smile on his face. He had his hands pressed together as he sat cross-legged in front of the Buddhist statue.

“It is good to see you again,” the monk told him. “You seem to come here for many reasons. May I help you?”

Tatsu had a questioning look at the monk. He seemed calm and peaceful as his voice was friendly and relaxed. He felt at total ease around this individual.

“Yes ... I have questions. Who are you?” Tatsu asked him.

The monk looked at him closely, and his eyes befell the two swords on him. “You bring weapons into this shrine ... it is not necessary. You are in no danger.”

Tatsu put his hands to his blades and thought about it. “Look ... I will take them off and leave them at the door. Please forgive me for startling you.”

“All is forgiven, my child,” the monk replied. “You don’t have to apologize.”

Tatsu walked up to the door and unsheathed his swords and placed them near the exit of the door. Both blades gave the reflection of the candlelight as he again felt no danger to his environment.

“There... , “ he said as he turned around. “I remember Musashi telling me that you monks do not like violence of any sort. I should have taken notice.”

“As I said, you do not have to apologize. Come and sit with me. You have many questions. I will do my best to answer them.”

Tatsu saw the monk gesture to him to sit down. He walked up and sat cross-legged in front to look at the monk face to face.

“I don’t know how this place is bigger than it is supposed to look,” Tatsu remarked. “I remember this shrine not being used as I checked it quickly to find someone.”

“Your mind told you that you did not want to be here,” the monk replied. “This time, you wanted to be here.”

Tatsu thought about those words. “Who are you?”

“My name is All. I am a simple monk that lives here in Kyushu. I enjoy the peace and solitude of this beautiful island.”

“All? ... That is an unusual name. I have never heard of it.”

The monk kept a smile on his face. “What is your name?”

“My name is Tatsu ... or at least that is what I call myself. I lost my memory over a month ago, and I am trying to figure out who I am and why I am here on this island.”

The monk looked away for a little bit and back to him. “Are you happy?”

“I ... of course. There are many things planned for today, but there was something unexpected this morning. A person that found me when I lost most of my memory has passed away today.”

“Does this trouble you?”

“No...” Tatsu thought about it. “It does a little bit though now that I think about it. It seems ... unfair that he is gone now.”

“Is he truly gone now?”

“Yes,” Tatsu answered without hesitation. “He even left instructions and taught me not to feel sad that he is gone, yet I am.”

“You grew attached to him. It is only natural to feel that way. He was the first link to this world according to your viewpoint. Yet he knew something about you in the end. That is why you feel that way.”

“Should I just get over it?”

“Let me help you this way,” All answered. “You say that he is truly gone. You said that you learned things from him is that true?”

“Yes.”

“Then, in the end, he is a part of you now. In the end, he is never truly gone.”

Tatsu turned to look at the swords by the entrance as he thought about it. “I suppose that is an interesting way to look at it. You almost sound like you had that happen to you in return.”

“Oh?” the monk’s brow lifted as he looked away from him for a little bit as he turned to look back at him. “I suppose that you are right too. A most interesting way to look at that. Very astute thinking. In the end, we are both wiser now.”

“It’s odd ... but where are those wind chimes coming from?”

“Do you not like the wind chimes?”

“I didn’t say that.”

“Then I will keep them. I enjoy listening to them. It keeps a peaceful and calm environment. Your mind is at ease and operates better.”

Tatsu gave a smirk. “Hmmm ... no matter,” he said as he paused for a moment before he continued to speak. “I need to know. Is there any way that you can restore lost memory?”

“Are you asking me personally or if others can do it?”

“Either. It is ... most frustrating to live a life without knowing your past.”

All paused for a moment. “Why do you feel that it is frustrating?”

“Because I might be making mistakes or doing things that my past self would disagree with. I have ... fallen in love with someone, and I will be marrying her. The problem is that I don’t know if my past self would disagree with such an action or if I was previously married to another woman or not.”

“Hmmm ... what does your heart tell you? Do you feel that it is safe to marry her?”

Tatsu nodded. “Of course. I want to be with her. I care for her.”

“Does she know the risks involved in such a unity?”

“Yes, she does.”

“Then you have nothing to worry about. You are more at peace with yourself than you ever were, and you didn’t even know it.”

Tatsu seemed to calm himself down a little bit. “Perhaps you are right. Maybe I am just having the ... hmmm, I don’t even know what the word would even be called yet ... second thoughts? ... no forget I asked, you are right.”

“The best course of action that you are doing right now, my child, is that you are talking to someone. Doing that allows you to release that negative energy that is bound to your spirit right now. Finding happiness within others and being with those people is the key to your happiness as well.”

“Yes ... you are right, of course,” Tatsu nodded. “But the earlier question I had. Do you know how to restore lost memories?”

The monk closed his eyes as he removed his hands and aimed his palm towards his direction. He seemed to focus as he again kept a smile on his face. Tatsu had never seen this type of action before. It seemed as if the monk was channeling something, but then he watched as he pressed his hands together once again.

“Your only solution is the current path that you are on right now,” All said as he opened his eyes to look at him. “Keep yourself calm, enjoy the time you have with others, and let the events occur naturally as they happen to you. Eventually, your memories will return, and more happiness will come to you. Only your fears and doubts towards events will be of any danger to you. Fret not what is coming to you. Let it happen as it happens.”

“Hmmm...” Tatsu thought about it. “Alright, I think that you might be right in the end. I will consider your wisdom. I will need to head back. Take care of yourself All. I have a wedding to attend to.”

“I will always be here if you need my advice,” All said.

Tatsu got up from the ground as he walked to his swords. He took each sword as he put them back into his scabbards and adjusted himself for the long walk back to the village.

“Let me comment to you on this Tatsu,” All requested. “To maintain your form for such long times is quite impressive. You can maintain it even longer if you keep trying...”

Tatsu’s eyes widened as he heard him say it. “Wait a minute. I never told you that I... , “ he turned around and looked at the monk, and he was gone. The wind chimes stopped, and the shrine interior was small in size. There was a Buddhist statue inside it, but it was dark inside.

“How is that possible?” Tatsu asked. “Who was he?”

It was like the monk was never there. He was in a vacant shrine. He turned to see the door was missing leading back outside to the bright daylight.

“Mysteries...” he remarked as he thought about it. He breathed a sigh as he thought about it. “Perhaps one day, I will meet you again, All ... and I will learn who you truly are.”

Tatsu sat and kneeled at his home. It was later that day as he waited for the marriage festival to begin. Mere minutes were getting close. It would be a small festival with it being a tiny village and all. Marriages alone during the time period were only really done as a symbol rather than anything else. They only got big once it was arranged by the Tokugawa regime that was in place, to begin with. Even in Kyushu far distant from the city of Komomato, the marriage between Haru and Kiyoshi was really nothing spectacular.

It was time as he got up from the floor from his home. He left the swords and scabbards by the door. He remained in his black kimono as he slid open the door of his house and stepped out.

It was later that day as Tatsu stepped outside. Dawn was close to approaching as he looked at the setting sun ahead of him. There was a little bit of commotion outside as a couple of villagers were talking to each other. He knew most of the villagers by now, obviously, and they knew him as well. A marriage festival was a time to be happy, and for the villagers, it was the excuse they needed to make things in celebration for the marriage for Tatsu and Haru. Food was put on a moved out table as villagers came to dine and eat. A few people seemed to nod and smile at Tatsu as he walked in.

“How are you, Tatsu?” a familiar voice came from his side. He turned to see Kiyoshi looking at him.

“I am well. I am looking forward to getting married.”

“That is obvious,” Kiyoshi smiled.

“How are you and Yua?”

“Yua is well. She is helping Haru get dressed for the ceremony.”

“That is good to hear,” he paused for a moment.

“Something troubling you, Tatsu?”

Tatsu shook his head. “I was wondering if you can teach me how to fight with the sword. It is a request I have.”

“You wish to learn from a man that you defeated in a duel?” Kiyoshi asked. “It seems to me that you are already quite capable of defending yourself.”

“I had a chance to see how you fight. After spending much time thinking, I believe that you purposely lost the match in my favor.”

“I did not purposely give in to losing to you,” Kiyoshi scuffed.

“I apologize I did not mean any insult to you,” Tatsu said as he bowed his head slightly to him. “I only meant that when we fought, I noticed that you made moves in which you left yourself deliberately open to counter-attack.”

“Why now? Why bring this up when you could have brought this up earlier?”

“Many in the village have profound respect for you as do I. I believe that it was in your best interest to fight me. In the end, you wanted to be with Yua more than Haru. It was under your intentions to fight me and then throw the match in my favor.”

There was some anger in Kiyoshi’s face as if he was calling him out in public.

“Again,” Tatsu reminded him. “I mean no insult. I ask that you teach me how to fight with the sword.”

Kiyoshi had a skeptical look on his face. “Why me, though? You have a good instructor teaching you. Surely he could...”

“He passed away. I saw his body today. He passed away peacefully. I have no teachers now.”

“The great Kensei is gone...” Kiyoshi said as there was remorse in his face. “There were legends that he never lost a fight and that he lived nearby ... it was an honorable death, I am sure.”

“Under his request, I want to pass my teachings, his teachings to you, and you teach me in return in the ways of swordplay. I want to honor you by having you be my instructor and Sensei.”

Any sense of anger in Kiyoshi’s face was gone now. If anything, he seemed quite humble.

“I would be honored, Tatsu. You came here as a stranger and now as a friend to me. If your memories ever return, I pray we are not enemies. I accept.”

Tatsu seemed satisfied as he looked at the table of food.

“Hungry?” Kiyoshi asked.

“No, I am alright. With my memory loss, is this how weddings normally go?”

“Heh ... for this village not normally. Even the marriage that I originally planned wasn’t going to be any bigger than it was. Even the capital city here in Kyushu could never reach here to provide a better wedding. It is ... somewhat insulting now that I think of it but mind my words. I mean no insult to the Tokugawa. They always make the correct decisions.”

“Including putting you here to take charge of the village?”

“Yes, I admit there is not much here at all, but ... I look at the ocean there, and I realize that I am home instantly. I fell in love with that ocean. It is the most beautiful sight. I never complained once I reached this place ... especially...”

Kiyoshi paused for a little bit as if Tatsu already knew the words he was going to say.

“Yes, weddings...” Kiyoshi continued. “Weddings have changed over time since the Tokugawa took charge. Normally marriages between the Daimyo and the shogun are very formal, but here not so much. Normally when a marriage is made, it is customary to build extensions to the house to accommodate the arrival of the bride. You will notice that room on my home, for example,...” he pointed to his home as Tatsu looked at it.

“Of course.”

“We used to have marriages at night, but we switched over today now. To respect things, we try to have them in the afternoon now. You already made the correct arrangements with having a home of yours built to accommodate Haru, so there is no issue with that. Don’t worry, we won’t ridicule you if you mess up on the ceremony. We understand your situation entirely.”

The village shaman arrived as Tatsu stood in place. He was gestured to walk to him as he was instructed. Kiyoshi nodded his head as he stood a distance away. A few villagers gathered around the proceeding event as the wedding ceremony was nearing its beginning.

The village commotion quieted down. People were gathered as the door of Noritaka’s home opened. Tatsu watched as three individuals stepped out of the house. Yua, Noritaka, and Haru stepped out. Haru was between Yua and Noritaka as they helped her walk. She was using her cane as she was dressed in a beautiful red and white kimono. Pink flowers covered its sides. Tatsu noted that her face was painted white and that her hair was more tied up than it usually was.

He watched her as she slowly hobbled her way on her cane to meet the group of villagers. People smiled as they watched her make her way. She seemed to be in no trouble making her way to be beside Tatsu.

Tatsu was amazed to see her. Her beauty was shown to its fullest to him. She turned her head to look at him a little bit as she smiled at him. He noted a white silk headdress that she wore on her head as well.

On a small podium table were two small cups. The shaman of the village directed both Tatsu and Haru to drink the cups of sake that were in them. Tatsu gripped the cup with his large hands as he observed Haru take the cup and drank it. He followed soon after as the crowd quietly nodded in agreement. After the drinks were made, they placed the cups on the podium. The shaman took both their hands and placed them together.

There was more applause from the crowd as the ceremony was virtually complete. It was short and as simple as that. The mass of villagers gathered in a circle around the table as Tatsu held Haru’s hand and looked at her with a smile.

“We wanted to make it as short as we could for you. It is painful for me to stand up too long as it was, and we know about you as well.”

Noritaka approached Tatsu as he bowed to him respectfully. There was a smile on his face as if he felt relieved to see his daughter finally married.

“Thank you, Noritaka, for allowing this marriage,” Tatsu told him.

“It is an honor to do so. My daughter is ... stubborn, to say the least. It would have been looked as dishonorable to have her unmarried for this long. You might not be of noble blood, but there are not many suitors out here to really matter anyway. If she is happy with you, then I will support it.”