Young Samurai_ The Way of the Sword - Chris Bradford [41]
Sighing with bliss, Jack eased himself into the steaming hot water of the ofuro.
There had been a time when he would have run scared of a bath. In England, it was considered dangerous for your health, a surefire way to catch the flux. But his time in Japan had soon changed that opinion and now the ofuro was one of the highlights of his day.
Having first scrubbed and sluiced himself down in cold water, he then slipped into a large square wooden tub of hot water. Jack began to relax. Sensei Yamada and Akiko had both dismissed his fears about daimyo Kamakura. Perhaps the combination of the night and the raging storm had distorted his perception of the whole situation. Maybe Kazuki’s war amounted to little more than a figment of his rival’s imagination. Anyway, with Yamato and Saburo looking out for him, he should be safe.
Jack allowed the steaming water to loosen his muscles, easing the tension in his bruised shoulder. His worries began to disappear too, seeming to dissolve in the heat of the bath. After a while, he got out and towelled himself down before joining the others for dinner.
‘How’s your shoulder, Jack?’ asked Yamato as they headed over to the Chō-no-ma with Saburo.
‘It’s much better thanks to the bath, but don’t worry about it. I’ll get you back in kenjutsu tomorrow!’ promised Jack, punching Yamato on the arm.
Yamato gave an expression of mock pain and they all laughed.
‘That’s a devastating right hook,’ commented a voice from behind. ‘I’d better watch out.’
Their amusement ceased as Kazuki, flanked by Nobu and Hiroto, strode towards them.
Jack clenched his fists, preparing for a fight.
Perhaps the Scorpion Gang was more than just a game. Perhaps Kazuki really believed he was a warlord.
20
THE SCORPION GANG
‘What do you want?’ demanded Yamato, stepping between Jack and the approaching gang.
The two groups of boys confronted one another.
It was getting dark in the school courtyard, the only light coming from the entrance to the Hall of Butterflies. Other students passed by, oblivious to the impending conflict, and there were no sensei in sight to witness a fight.
The tension grew as Yamato waited for an answer, his eyes daring Kazuki to make a move.
‘Dinner,’ said Kazuki cheerfully in response, before walking on past with his friends, laughing.
For the next month, Yamato and Saburo stuck close by, but there appeared little need. Kazuki and his gang ignored Jack as if he no longer existed. Kazuki in particular seemed more intent on training for the Circle of Three selection. Jack had spotted him several times in the Butokuden receiving extra tuition from Sensei Kyuzo.
Although neither of his friends said anything, Jack sensed they were beginning to doubt his story.
Even though Masamoto had returned to the school, Jack hadn’t managed to meet with him before he was called away on yet another assignment for daimyo Takatomi. But with the apparent threat coming to nothing, and Moriko not having been seen in the grounds since, there seemed little point in meeting with him anyway.
‘I’m going for a walk,’ said Jack, passing by Yamato’s room on the way out of the Hall of Lions. ‘I need some air before bed.’
‘At this time of night?’ observed Yamato, frowning. ‘Do you need me to come with you?’
Despite the offer, Yamato looked far from willing. He had already settled down on his futon, it was cold outside and the Shishi-no-ma was warm.
‘No, don’t worry. I’ll be fine.’
Besides, Jack needed time alone to think.
Stepping outside, he wandered round the courtyard before perching upon one of the beams that would eventually support the floor of the Hall of the Hawk.
The new building was rapidly taking shape. The foundations had been completed and the main wooden pillars were now in place. When finished, the hall, although half the size of the Butokuden, would nonetheless be an impressive addition to the school.
Like all the other students, Jack wondered what martial art he would learn within it. That was