el.the miko-第92部分

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　Within　the　silence　surrounding　the　class；　the　sensei　sent　the　next　boy　at　her。　The　result　was　the　same；　though　she　varied　her　response　to　his　attack。
　Now　the　sensei　sent　two　of　his　pupils　at　her　at　once。　Akiko　still　knelt　staring　straight　ahead。　She　did　not　have　to　turn　her　head　in　order　to　know　where　the　second　student　was　or　what　he　was　doing。　Shinki　kiitsu　revealed　his　strategy　to　her。　Both　her　fists　gripped　the　wooden　pole　lightly　yet　firmly　at　its　exact　center；　this　was　essential　because　she　was　employing　the　fulcrum　concept　and　balance　was　crucial。
　She　kept　her　place；　at　a　disadvantage　because　she　did　not　have　her　feet。　But　there　was　a　lot　she　could　do　with　her　upper　torso。
　Concentrating　on　the　Void；　she　felt　the　advancement　from　behind　her。　She　torqued　her　shoulders；　dipping　her　right　side　and　bringing　it　up　to　increase　momentum　and　thus　power。　The　pole　whistled　through　the　air；　slammed　into　the　student's　rib　cage；　sending　him　flying。
　The　opposite　end　of　the　pole…now　the　lower　end…began　its　upward　swing　at　just　that　moment；　its　rounded　end　jamming　lightly　into　the　oning　second　student's　throat。　He　sat　down　hard　on　his　buttocks；　a　stunned　look　on　his　face。
　It　was　only　then；　as　her　concentration　broke　its　intense　focus；　that　she　became　aware　of　the　interest　from　other　quarters　of　the　dojo。　What　she　had　thought　to　be　an　isolated　incident　had　been　observed　by　fully　three…quarters　of　the　ryu。
　But　if　she　suspected　that　the　sensel　of　her　class　would　now　accord　her　the　honor　of　performing　against　him；　she　was　mistaken。　Again　the　school　sought　to　subtly　humiliate　her。　The　sensei　bade　her　rise。　Taking　the　pole　from　her；　he　led　her　across　the　dojo　floor　to　where　Saigo's　class　was　working。　He　left　her　in　care　of　another　sensei；　a　dour…faced　individual　with　severe　pockmarks　across　his　cheeks　and　chin。
　He　bowed　formally　to　her。　〃Wele；〃　he　said；　though　he　did　not　for　a　moment　mean　it。　It　was　as　if　she　were　a　gaijin　in　her　own　country。
　His　hard…calloused　hand；　as　yellow　as　tallow；　extended。　〃Please　be　kind　enough　to　assume　kokyu　suru。〃　Kokyu　suru　was　an　attack　stance　but　as　with　all　Japanese　words　and　phrases　it　had　another　meaning；　it　also　meant；　〃breathe。〃
　〃Jin…san。〃
　The　student　he　had　named　stepped　forward；　bowing　toward　his　sensei。　〃Hai。〃
　〃It　seems　that　Ofuda…san　has　been　inadvertently　put　in　the　wrong　class　through　an　administrative　oversight。　We　do　not　wish　for　such　an　occurrence　to　happen　again。　Would　you　be　so　kind　as　to　convince　us　that　with　us　she　has　found　her　proper　place。〃　So　saying　he　retreated　to　the　edge　of　the　circle　formed　by　the　rest　of　the　class。
　Out　of　the　corner　of　her　eye　Akiko　could　see　Saigo　standing　relaxed　and　calm。　Was　he　curious　about　how　she　would　fare　in　his　more　advanced　class？　Was　he　wishing　that　it　were　he　instead　of　Jin…san　who　had　been　chosen　to　test　her？
　There　was　no　bowing　done　within　this　dojo　circle　as　there　would　be　in　any　other　form　of　martial　discipline　in　Japan。　They　were　ninja　here；　the　code　of　bushido…the　creed　of　the　samurai…　was　meaningless　to　them。　Though　honor　was　not。
　Jin…san　stood　facing　her；　his　feet　apart　to　about　the　width　of　his　shoulders。　His　fisted　hands　were　held　before　him　at　waist　height；　the　left　cupped　over　the　right。
　There　was　something　disturbing　in　this　stance　that　Akiko　could　not　quite　put　her　finger　on。　Then　he　moved　and　were　it　not　for　the　fact　that　she　could　read　his　spirit；　anticipating　his　physical　strike；　she　would　have　been　finished　even　before　she　had　a　chance　to　parry。
　As　it　was；　she　barely　made　it。　Her　foreknowledge　allowed　her　to　both　prepare　her　spirit　and　focus　her　attention　on　the　unknown。　Therefore　she　saw　the　glint　of　the　manrikigusari…literally　〃the　chain　with　the　strength　of　ten　thousand　men〃…consisting　of　two　feet　of　hand…forged　iron　chain　with　three…and…one…half…inch　blunt…ended　weights　attached　to　each　end。
　And　now　she　knew　what　had　disturbed　her　about　Jin…san's　stance：　it　was　goho…no…kamae；　one　of　the　openings　or　kamae　in　spike　and　chain　fighting。
　Jin…san　was　already　halfway　toward　her；　his　arms　spread　so　that　the　manrikigusari　hung　in　a　loose　arc　between　his　fists。　He　would　seek　makiotoshi；　she　knew；　winding　the　chain　about　her　neck；　because　not　only　was　it　essential　that　he　defeat　her　but　also　that　he　do　so　quickly　and　decisively。
　She　did　not　make　the　mistake　of　trying　to　grab　for　the　chain。　She　knew　that　she　could　expect　only　a　weight　in　her　eye　for　her　trouble　or；　if　she　were　foolish　enough　to　manage　a　two…handed　grasp；　crushed　knuckles。
　Therefore　she　sought　to　ignore　the　manrikigusari　entirely　as　a　target。　She　bent　her　torso　only　slightly…and　to　the　side；　not；　as　he　had　expected；　away　from　the　attack。　This　allowed　some　of　her　own　momentum　to　build　up　while　she　came　inside　the　attack；　using　her　left　side　as　a　wedge　bined　with　his　own　forward　momentum　to　strike　at　ekika；　a　vital　spot　just　beneath　the　armpits。　The　ate　broke　both　Jin…san's　rhythm　and　his　concentration。　Thus　cut　off　from　the　Void；　he　was　easy　to　take　down。
　The　pockmarked　sensei　said　nothing　as　Jin…san　got　shakily　to　his　feet　and　returned　to　the　sanctuary　of　the　circle's　edge。　But　Akiko　could　feel　a　great　leap　in　the　onlookers'　tension。
　In　her　memory　there　was　something　absolutely　otherworldly　in　the　next　several　minutes。　How　many　times　had　she　relived　the　sense？s　next　movements；　watching　as　if　in　slow　motion　as　he　turned　toward　the　press　of　his　students　and　uttered　the　word；　〃Saigo…san。〃
　There　was　no　hesitation；　no　eye　contact；　nothing　at　all　in　Sai…go's　demeanor　to　tell　her　what　was　in　his　mind。　But　she　knew　that　in　the　next　instant；　as　they　came　at　each　other；　the　fate　of　their　relationship；　present　and　future；　would　be　spelled　out。
　She　also　knew　that　both　their　fates　were　pletely　in　her　hands。　In　his　own　mind　he　had　already　conquered　her；　so　he　held　none　of　the　dominance…anxiety　for　her　that　he　might　male　rivals　of　his　here。　He　would　simply　do　what　his　sensei　asked　of　him：　that　is；　defeat　her　as　convincingly　as　possible。　Humiliate　her　in　public。
　It　was　up　to　Akiko；　therefore；　to　divine　the　twining　of　their　karma…if　there　was　to　be　any　at　all…and　to　use　this　moment　to　defuse　the　deep　well　of　hatred　that　seethed　like　a　volcano　inside　of　him。　He　was　very　dangerous；　and　she　never　lost　sight　of　that。　He　could　very　easily　hurt　her　seriously　if　she　allowed　that　well　to　e　uncapped。　She　did　not　believe　the　sensei　would　be　able　to　sense　it　soon　enough　and　intervene　in　time。　Saigo　might　easily　kill　her；　gripped　in　the　heat　of　his　own　energies；　without　even　knowing　it。
　All　this　flashed　through　her　mind　as　Saigo　entered　the　inner　circle　where　moments　before　Jin…san　had　gone　down　before　her。　Seeing　his　tense；　hot　face；　she　knew　that　he　had　vowed　not　to　allow　the　same　indignity　to　happen　to　him。
　He　took　three　minutes　to　defeat　her；　but　in　that　time　an　eternity　of　knowledge　seethed　back　and　forth　between　them　in　microcosm。　The　employment　of　strategies　revealed　the　layers　of　the　spirit；　there　was　nothing　behind　which　to　hide。　They　became　more　intimate　than　lovers；　sharing　more；　even；　than　twins。　The　Void　connected　them　in　its　wholeness　as　they　maneuvered；　as　they　stared　down　the　dark　tunnels　of　each　other's　souls。
　〃Yes；〃　the　pockmarked　sensei　said　with　no　hint　of　the　disappointment　he　felt　at　the　defeat　of　even　one　of　his　pupils　at　her　hand。　〃You'll　do　here；　Ofuda…san。〃
　Afterward；　Saigo　suggested　that　they　go　out　to　dinner。　The　slumbering　young　woman　who　he　had　brought　home　the　night　before　had　been　transferred　to　his　futon。　Akiko　had　made　no　ment　about　that　nor　about　the　fact　that　she　never　ate　and　barely　opened　her　eyes　during　the　daylight　hours。　Drugged　she　had　been　and　drugged　she　stayed。
　Saigo　said　nothing　at　the　restaurant；　picking　disinterestedly　at　his　yellowfin　sashimi　and　daikon　salad　for　the　longest　time。　Life　went　on　around　them　in　a　dizzying　explosion　of　drinking　and　forced　gaiety；　as　if　these　people　who　worked　so　hard　and　long　during　the　day　at　the　giant　factories　just　beyond　the　town　felt　pelled　to　cram　a　week's　worth　of　carousing　into　a　single　evening。
　Akiko　saw　many　women　who　were　in　the　same　profession　that　her　mother　had　been　in。　These　were　of　a　different　level；　of　course；　but　the　end　remained　the　same。　Observing　them　made　her　feel　odd；　as　if　she　were　back　in　Fuyajo；　peeking　through　gaps　in　bedroom　walls　during　the　endless　nights。
　Yet　she　felt　as　if　she　had　changed；　for　it　occurred　to　her　that　her　mother's　utter　refinement　was　but　a　facade；　that　in　some　unfathomable　way　she　was　no　better　than　these　women　here　who　lacked　status；　dignity；　and；　ultimately；　that　most　precious　of　all　Japanese　modities；　honor。
　Dean　had　had　no　family；　no　ancestors　she　wished　to　honor；　no　husband　to　protect　her；　through　whom　she　could　guide　her　own　destiny　and　that　of　her　progeny。　She　had　only　Akiko；　and　that　responsibility　had　been　too　great　for　her。
　For　she；　like　these　women　now；　lacked　a　future　into　which　a　child　could　grow；　prosper；　and　find　herself。
　〃Akiko…san。〃
　She　shifted　her　attention　back　to　him。　〃Hai？〃
　〃Why　didn't　you　do　it？〃
　She　knew　what　he　was　talking　about　but　perhaps　it　would　be　good　for　him　to　say　it。　〃I　don't　know　what　you　mean；　Saigo…san。〃
　He　thought　about　that　for　a　moment。　〃You　could　have　defeated　me　in　our　confrontation　at　the　dojo。　Yet　you　chose　not　to。〃
　She　shook　her　head。　〃Please　believe　me。　I　could　not　stand　against　you。〃
　〃I　felt　it。〃
　Her　dark　eyes　held　his　shadowed　ones。　〃What　you　felt；　perhaps；　Saigo…san；　was　your　intense　anxiety　not　to　be　defeated　in　front　of　your　peers。　Honor　rules　you；　it　is　your　weapon　and　your　fear。　How　could　I　possibly　strip　you　of　either？〃
　Now；　three　weeks　later；　trodding　the　snow　strewn　aisles　between　rows　of　dreaming　orange　trees　awaiting　next　year's　sun；　Akiko　knew　that　she　had　taken　the　right　path。
　Michi。　It　was　the　Japanese　word　for　path；　but　it　could　also　mean　a　journey；　as　well　as　duty；　the　unknown；　a　stranger。
　Akiko　abruptly　felt　that　she　must　be　the　first　person　on　earth　to　have　e　upon　a　situation　in　which　all　of　the　word's　meanings　were　in　play　simultaneously。　For　her　life　with　Saigo　was　tinged　with　all　these　things；　and　it　was　impossible　for　her　to　say　where　one　left　off　and　the　other　began。
　Silently　they　passed　a　stan