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The class obediently spread out across the stone courtyard.

‘First you need be at one with the weight and feel of the bō. I want you all to spin your staffs as I do.’

Sensei Kano held out his staff in his right hand, gripping it halfway along the shaft. He began to spin the bō, swapping hands in the process. He started slowly, then built up speed until the staff was a blur either side of his body.

‘Once you’re confident enough spinning the bō between your hands, close your eyes. Learn to sense its movement, rather than relying on your sight to follow it.’

The class began to twirl their staffs. Several students immediately fumbled their weapons and dropped them.

‘Start off slowly. Get the hand movements right first,’ advised Sensei Kano.

To begin with, Jack found it difficult to swap the staff over. Shattered from lack of sleep, his reactions were sluggish and his movements clumsy.

Yamato, on the other hand, took to the weapon like he had been born with it in his hands. His friend already had his eyes closed.

‘Good work, Yamato-kun,’ Sensei Kano commended as he listened to Yamato’s bō whistle through the air. Yamato smiled, his loss of face at crossing the gorge regained as he became the first student to master the technique.

Yet it was not long before Jack had his own staff spinning, albeit at a more sedate pace. With continued practice, his confidence grew until he braved closing his eyes. He tried to feel the weapon, hear it, sense it, rather than having to see it.

He increased his speed.

The bō was flying, each spin sending a blast of air past his ears.

He had mastered it!

‘Owwww!’ Jack cried out as pain leapt up his leg.

The bō had struck his shin and shot out of his hands, clattering across the stone courtyard. Jack hobbled after the fallen weapon.

The bō rolled to a stop… at Kazuki’s feet.

Jack stooped to retrieve it, but before he could get to it, he was struck across the back of the head. Jack glared up at Kazuki.

‘Careful, gaijin,’ said Kazuki, giving him a look of mock innocence.

The hatred between them flared and Jack tensed himself in readiness for a fight.

‘Don’t even think about it,’ whispered Kazuki, checking to see Sensei Kano was nowhere nearby. ‘You wouldn’t even get close.’

Kazuki stopped his bō directly in line with Jack’s nose, forcing Jack’s head back. Jack stepped away, then feigned to his left before ducking and snatching up his staff with the other hand. But Kazuki was ready for it and brought the tip of his own staff down on to Jack’s fingers, knocking the bō back to the floor with a clatter.

‘The student who keeps dropping their bō would be best advised to keep their eyes open until they’re more competent,’ said Sensei Kano from the other side of the courtyard.

Jack and Kazuki silently opposed one another, each waiting for the other to make the next move.

‘Eyes open or closed, you’re a worthless excuse for a samurai,’ goaded Kazuki under his breath. ‘Even you must realize that no one at the school likes you. Your so-called friends are only polite to you, because Masamoto-sama commands it.’

Jack was riled by the accusation and fought to control his anger.

‘And the student who keeps talking would be advised to channel his energies into more positive practice,’ added Sensei Kano pointedly.

But the damage had been done. Kazuki had hit a raw nerve. Jack couldn’t deny that there was a grain of truth in his taunt. When he had first arrived in Japan, Yamato had only tolerated his presence due to a direct order from his father. It had taken their victory in the Taryu-Jiai to bring them together as friends. Then there was Akiko. Despite being his closest friend, she hid her feelings so well that Jack wouldn’t be able to tell if she was faking their friendship or not.

Maybe Kazuki was right.

Despite her denial of last night’s mysterious appearance, Jack had the feeling she was hiding something from him.

Seeing the internal battle played out on Jack’s face, Kazuki grinned.

‘Go home, gaijin,’ he mouthed silently.

17

PLANTING