el.the miko-第90部分

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　Already；　in　Kyushu；　where　Sun　Hsiung　sent　Akiko　for　the　next　phase　of　her　training；　the　farmers　were　hard　at　work　atop　stained　wooden　ladders；　spinning　delicate　cocoons　of　retted　linen　gauze　over　their　precious　trees　to　keep　them　from　winter's　harsh　hand。
　It　was　unusual　to　see　them　at　this　so　relatively　early　in　the　year；　and　like　the　unpredictable　inclement　weather　it　boded　ill　for　the　ing　winter；　whose　expected　virulence　had　been　spoken　of　in　hushed　whispers　throughout　the　countryside　ever　since　summer　evaporated　overnight　like　woodsmoke。
　Mist　shrouded　this　part　of　Kyushu　so　thoroughly　that　upon　her　arrival　Akiko　could　discern　neither　Mount　Aso　nor　the　giant　smokestacks　of　the　vast　industrial　plex　sprawled　through　the　valley　to　the　northwest　of　the　city。
　She　hated　Kumamoto　immediately。　Once　in　feudal　times　perhaps　it　had　possessed　a　certain　charm；　but　in　these　days　of　Japan's　mighty　economic　leap　forward　the　blued　patina　of　industrial　wastes　coating　the　old　buildings　were　merely　a　reminder　of　how　tiny　a　backwater　Kumamoto　really　was。
　Nevertheless　Akiko　had　resigned　herself　to　be　here　at　the　Kanaka　na　ninjutsu　ryu。　Its　symbol　was　a　circle　within　which　were　nine　black　diamonds。　Within　the　open　heart　of　them　was　the　kanji　ideogram　komuso。　And　when　she　saw　it　she　knew：　the　Kuji…kiri。　Black　ninjutsu。
　There　was　difficulty；　even　with　Sun　Hsiung's　personal　chop　affixed　to　her　letter　of　introduction。　The　sennin；　an　ax…faced　individual　who　appeared　to　be　almost　unhealthily　thin；　let　her　cool　her　heels　for　fully　half　a　day　before　he　summoned　her　within　his　chamber。
　Then　he　was　most　effusive　in　his　apologies。　In　his　eyes　Akiko　could　discover　nothing；　not　even　the　basic　spark　that　distinguished　human　beings　from　the　less　sentient　creatures　of　the　earth。　And　alone；　kneeling　before　him　on　a　bare　reed　tatami；　she　began　to　feel　at　last　a　sadness　she　needed　some　time　to　identify。　At　length　she　was　surprised　to　discover　that　she　missed　Sun　Hsiung；　and　part　of　her　wished　that　she　had　never　left　his　warm　and　fortable　house。
　And　yet　there　was　a　stronger；　more　urgent　desire　which　had　driven　her　from　fort　and　warmth。　It　was　her　karma　to　be　here　now；　she　knew　that　as　well；　and　did　not　question　it。　Acceptance　was　all　she　had　of　her　own　now。
　For　his　part；　the　sennin　despised　her　on　sight　and　silently　cursed　her　former　sensei　for　evoking　his　right　of　privilege　here。　There　was　absolutely　no　question　of　sending　her　away　though　the　sennin　wished　most　fervently　for　such　an　occurrence。
　His　only　hope；　he　correctly　detected；　was　if　the　training　here…　and　the　life…were　too　rigorous；　too　taxing　both　emotionally　and　physically　for　this　woman。　He　shuddered　inwardly　and　tried　not　to　think　about　her　presence　here；　the　inevitable　disruption　of　discipline　and　ritual　her　wa　would　cause。
　Even　now　he　could　sense　the　peculiarly　female　flux　of　her　spirit；　experiencing　it　almost　as　a　painful　interruption　in　the　confluence　of　forces　he　and　those　beneath　him　had　labored　so　long　and　hard　to　perfect。
　Therefore　he　smiled　as　benignly　as　he　was　able　and　with　an　inward　exclamation　of　delight　consigned　her　into　the　care　of　the　one　pupil　who；　at　the　very　least；　would　drive　her　out　of　Kumamoto。
　The　sennin　watched　unblinking　as　she　bowed　formally　and　rose。　As　he　watched　her　retreating　back　he　smiled　to　himself；　his　thoughts　on　the　best　of　possibilities　regarding　his　newest　student's　fate：　that　Saigo　would　destroy　her。
　Not　literally；　of　course；　for　had　that　occurred　the　sennin　would　have　lost　enormous　face　with　Sun　Hsiung　and　that　he　could　not　have　tolerated。　No；　no。　If　he　knew　anything　about　his　pupils；　he　had　chosen　correctly。　There　was　a　peculiar　and　somewhat　frightening　demon　which　rode　Saigo's　back；　its　talons　sunk　so　deeply　that　the　sennin　had　given　up　trying　to　exorcise　its　presence。
　Let　the　Haunted　One；　as　Saigo　was　known　privately　by　a　number　of　the　sennin；　drive　the　unwanted　female　out；　let　it　be　her　choice。　That　way　face　was　saved　all　around。　The　sennin　could　take　no　blame　from　Sun　Hsiung　and　the　female　could　return　with　honor　to　the　areas　for　which　she　was　best　suited：　the　tea　ceremony　and；　perhaps；　flower　arranging。
　The　moment　Akiko　came　up　to　him　in　the　dojo；　and　told　him　of　his　assignment；　Saigo　knew　the　low　regard　in　which　he　must　be　held　by　the　sennin。　This　was　an　outcast's　work；　he　thought　darkly；　holding　the　hand　of　a　female　student。　He　glared　at　her　as　anger　and　resentment　welled　up　in　him。
　For　her　part；　Akiko　sensed　immediately　that　she　had　been　directed　into　the　tiger's　den。　Her　wa　contracted　at　the　icy　contact　with　Saigo's　hostile　emanations　and　she　knew　that　in　order　for　her　to　survive　here　she　must　first　win　him　over　and　then；　one　by　one；　do　the　same　with　every　individual　at　the　ryu。
　Akiko　spent　more　of　her　time　that　afternoon　observing　him　as　he　took　her　on　a　tour　of　the　ryu；　which　was　in　effect　a　world　within　a　world；　a　secret　dojo　in　the　middle　of　a　basically　industrial　town；　wrapped　in　the　trappings　of　a　drab　and　windowless　warehouse。
　There　were　no　other　students　or　sennin　about　when　they　pleted　their　rounds。
　〃I　want　you　to　stay　here；〃　he　told　her；　〃while　I　go　out　on　an　errand。〃　She　nodded　in　acquiescence。　〃Make　no　sound　while　I　am　gone　and；　especially；　when　I　return。〃
　〃What　is　happening？〃
　Without　warning　he　hit　her　a　heavy　blow　on　the　side　of　the　face。　Akiko　staggered　backward　and　fell　on　one　hip。　Saigo　stood　over　her；　his　feet　apart；　his　body　totally　relaxed。
　〃Do　you　wish　to　ask　a　question？〃　His　voice　was　mocking；　possessing　an　edge　to　it　that　caused　Akiko　to　shudder　inwardly。　She　made　no　sound　or　movement。
　Grunting　in　some　satisfaction；　Saigo　turned　and　departed。
　When　she　was　alone　Akiko　sank　immediately　into　shinki。　This　involved　keeping　her　tanden；　that　part　of　her　called　the　second　brain　by　some　sensei；　the　reflex　control　center；　immobile。　In　this　way　she　detached　a　part　of　herself　from　the　area　where　she　burned。
　After　a　moment　of　intense　concentration；　she　felt　no　more　pain。
　Slowly　she　rose；　staring　at　the　door　through　which　he　had　departed。
　Of　course　she　had　felt　the　spit　of　his　spirit　microseconds　before　that　vicious　emanation　had　been　transmogrified　into　physical　action。　She　could　have　easily　dodged　the　blow。　But　what　good　would　that　have　done？　Saigo's　anger　would　have　been　further　fueled　and　he　would　have　e　after　her　with　more　serious　intent。
　Besides；　she　sensed　that　he　was　a　man　so　unsure　of　his　own　masculinity　that　he　needed　to　physically　dominate　those　people　around　him；　men　and　women　alike。　If　she　was　ever　to　find　an　acmodation　with　him；　she　must　first　allow　his　natural　tendencies　to　be　made　manifest　to　her。　Only　then　could　she　choose　her　own　strategy；　and　then　could　she　tame　him。
　Saigo　was　gone　several　hours。　During　that　time　all　light　left　the　sky；　the　day　burned　out　like　the　dregs　of　a　Roman　candle。　It　was　dinnertime　and　Akiko　found　herself　hungry。　Since　there　was　no　food　here　she　padded　silently　into　the　dojo　and；　opening　her　bag；　dressed　in　her　all…black　gi。　She　did　forty　minutes　of　centristic　meditation　leading　ultimately　to　shinki　kiitsu；　the　unity　of　soul；　mind；　and　body　that　is　so　essential　to　reaching　the　very　apex　of　all　martial　arts。　She　felt　the　weight　of　the　universe　collecting　in　her　lower　abdomen。　Shitahara。
　She　breathed。　In：　jitsu：　fullness。　Out：　kyo：　emptiness。　Strike　at　the　precise　moment　you　feel　kyo　in　your　enemy；　Sun　Hsiung　had　said。　Strike　at　the　precise　moment　you　feel　jitsu　in　yourself。　Thus　will　victory　be　assured。
　Yet；　he　had　told　her　over　and　over；　if　you　are　so　foolish　and　full　of　ego　that　you　allow　yourself　to　think　of　victory　then　you　are　undone。　Attach　your　awareness　on　saika　tanden；　the　breath　of　the　Void。　From　that　central　nothingness　all　strategies　may　be　observed　and　formulated。
　She　did　ninety　minutes　of　formal　exercise；　increasing　in　difficulty　until　she　was　sweating　profusely；　working　on　her　quickness　and　her　timing；　coordinating　the　two：　alternating　them　and　then　bining　them　in　sets　of　three；　then　six；　then　nine　rapid…fire　attacks　and　defenses。
　Then；　because　she　was　still　a　student；　still　learning；　because　some　essentials　still　had　to　be　thought　about　consciously　rather　than　acplished　as　second　nature　without　any　volition　at　all；　she　returned　to　saika　tanden。
　From　her　bag　she　unfurled　a　length　of　strong　cotton…it　was　Sun　Hsiung's　only　gift　to　her…which　she　folded　twice　and　wrapped　with　deft　economical　movements　about　her　abdomen　so　that　the　upper　edge　just　touched　the　bottom　ribs　on　either　side。　It　was　very　tight；　it　was　a　cincture；　a　constraint。　She　worked　on　inhaling　as　deeply　as　she　could　down　into　her　bowels。　She　sat　cross…legged；　her　body　soft　and　pliable；　her　shoulders　curved　and　relaxed；　her　torso　bent　well　forward　so　that　the　tip　of　her　nose　hung　approximately　over　her　navel。　Saika　tanden。　Every　breath　she　takes。
　And　breathing　was　what　consumed　her　still　when　her　keen　hearing　detected　soft　padding　outside　the　metal　door。　In　a　moment　the　grate　of　the　padlock　could　be　heard。
　Jitsu；　kyo。　Fullness；　emptiness。　In　and　out。
　She　heard　Saigo　in　the　dojo　and　her　head　came　up。　She　focused　fully　on　him。
　〃Get　up；〃　he　whispered。　〃e　here。〃　He　stood　just　inside　the　closed　door。
　She　did　just　as　she　was　told；　rising　and　unwrapping　the　cloth　she　treasured　though　it　was　quite　plain　and　could　be　bought　at　any　neighborhood　store。　Folding　it　reverently；　she　place　it　inside　her　loose　black　cotton　blouse　and　moved　to　stand　beside　Saigo。
　〃Listen；〃　he　said。　His　voice　was　as　indistinct　as　the　buzz　of　a　mosquito　in　the　distance。　They　both　stood　quite　still。　She　would　have　known　not　to　utter　a　sound　even　had　he　not　cautioned　her　against　doing　so　hours　before。
　There　was　nothing　but　the　slight　tickle　of　sawdust；　a　remnant　of　the　original　use　to　which　this　old　building　had　been　put。　No　sounds　from　the　streets　three　stories　below　made　it　through　the　thick　walls　and　massive　floorboards。　It　was　as　silent　as　a　tomb。
　Someone　coughed。　And　again。　Akiko　heard　soft　footfalls　from　behind　the　door。　She　glanced　at　Saigo；　whose　entire　being　was　focused　at　the　closed　door　and　what　lay　beyond。
　Who　was　there？　Akiko　wondered。　She　listened。
　〃What　is　it？　Where　are　we？〃　A　female　voice；　whispered。
　〃e　on。〃　Male　voice。　Then　more　ins