Chapter 13: The Past Meets The Present

Duran

After pulling my Mazda affectionately named Shadow Fax, for its speed, and somewhat wild adventures I had been in it throughout my life, into the bay door. I got out patted Shadow Fax on the hood, as I habitually did, and continued into the warehouse, after slipping through the trap door to the basement. I sat on the mat I had laid down, and despite the chill of the basement donned the customary clothing of Kyudo that I had managed to have Eleanor recreate. I mention the chill due to the kyudo uniform which is made up of a white tsutsusode kimono top, paired with black or navy blue hakama pants and white tabi socks. I mention the chill because often the front right of the Kimono is left open exposing the archer’s bare chest.

During my deep dive into the interwebs I had discovered part of a traditional martial art known as Kyudo. I had discovered this from multiple excerpts of texts from various religions and philosophies of old including the association with the sacred arts particularly related to Shinto. In addition, I discovered historical texts mentioning the traditions of Chinese civil archery found in the historic records of the ancient Zhou dynasty. It seemed that the Muskians hadn’t managed to dig that deep. It seemed my Aragonian ancestors had been inspired by and carried on a tradition from even further back in time then I imagined.

More of the Kyudo concepts that I had managed to find in my deep dive in the interwebs also included the moral self-improvement of Confucianism, the cosmology of Daoism, the spiritual development of Buddhism. While I myself didn’t follow these old religions I found that the practice helped center myself and calm my mind.

I hadn’t managed to figure out how to make bows yet so I couldn’t practice the concepts in execution, from mind to target. But I tried to use imagery found in the mental practice to achieve conceptual results on the target, not a physical target but the targets I set up in my head both physical imagery of performance and things within me which I wanted to remember, change or forget.

While I couldn’t experience the physical release and satisfaction that apparently came from the release of the arrow. I really resonated with Confucius, the philosopher who was so pronounced in ancient East Asian culture, that the Muskians couldn’t revoke access to all information concerning him! His description of the bow had slipped through the purge. He described the Yumi as a “vessel of virtue”. Whether it came directly from this Confucius figure or not I had also found the release of the arrow to equate to "truth-goodness-beauty", which can be approximated as: when archers shoot correctly with virtuous spirit and attitude toward all persons and all things your shoot would always shoot true. This is of course far easier said than done especially for myself as no matter how positively I tried to make out the things that had happened in my life. I couldn’t help but feel spite and anger over how my tribe had been treated, how I had been treated… Noticing that my thoughts were lingering in well let's just say less than wholesome areas of my mind I steadied myself and went to work.

I began the martial practice of Kyudo that I had pieced together from what I could find. It may not be perfect but it would work for what I needed it to. A new art form concentrated on self improvement, and meditation on self and positive treatment of others had been born. I had recently begun to practice this with Gon, and I hoped that he could make the most of the political opportunity he had found himself thrust into to help me revive the arts of our people, and also cement himself in the new hierarchy that was forming in Japan.

Gon

My eyes flicked over Orihime, after struggling for years with people reading my emotions, whether it be my face or attitude or I mean I guess mind reading? Either way at this time I liked to think that I had mastered control of ALL of it. That being said, I wouldn't be surprised if someone picked up on my interest in Orihime. She seemed to almost be glowing as she approached me. I maintained the stance and posture of what I assumed to be a perfect gentleman, instead of the young teenager that was nervous in the presence of a prominent young lady who happened to be very pretty. My confidence must not have been misplaced because we began seamlessly interacting in the same way many of the other pairs in the room. We chatted and exchanged pleasantries as we discussed the events that had transpired. Apparently there was an impromptu registration table being run by various members of the Soma, and Sodomite clans for the contest, causing the populace to generate in that area of the venue.

As people moved around us, there were many murmurs about the unexpected contest though it seemed that for some it was not so unexpected. The kind of contest I was used to I suppose one where I started at a disadvantage. I complimented Orihime, “ You really are a great dancer, I assume you also are a great couple dancer?” She smiled and said, “ Yes, as a matter of fact my tutor told my mother my skills are more than adequate, my mother didn’t seem to care already having decided that it didn’t matter, for whatever reason. Which I don’t really understand but am glad of otherwise I would be just her political puppet.” She blushed, “ I suppose I digressed a bit at the end there.” I shrugged, “ We all have our familiar issues, I can only imagine that those are only amplified when expectations are placed on top of them, especially political ones.” Orihime lightly punched my arm, “ You know this isn’t really the type of conversation people our age should be having huh? But I suppose we can only make the best we can out of the situation we are put in. I have come to understand that even the little known Gondor of the Clan of Soma has some political intrigue in your life, hmm Gon?” She mused at me. I did my signature shrug then let a playful smile spread across my face. I spoke while gesturing to the current scene that was rapidly unfolding before us, “ In that case let's give the people what they want.” She looked puzzled for a second, “ And what is it that they want?” “ Political intrigue.” I replied. With that we walked arm in arm to the registration table, like a prim and proper pair.

The Contest:

As we waited in line for the registration table, which itself seemed archaic as they could have just sent a sign up query of sorts to everyone via the interwebs. But I suppose they were trying to make it part of the experience. Some people may be discouraged just from the inconvenience of standing in line, amongst a crowd of people. Though I wasn’t sure because they did send the rules for the first round of the contest to everyone through the interwebs. I couldn’t help but question their logic: “why, one but not the other? Well whatever..”

It seemed you would be graded on your posture, and interactions before and after the contest. So essentially your conduct at the event, and for the event based evaluation there would be an elimination round based off of your scores from five types of common dances. Including the Waltz, Tango, Quick Step, Fox Trot, and a bit on an oddball in the group. Bon Odori, it seemed that the Bon Odori would be based on how well you could synchronize opposite your partner's movements, which would be near impossible to do without rehearsing. As an oddball couple ourselves, having essentially just met the other day this oddball event would probably prove to be the toughest challenge. As the crowd dwindled, from either people moving out of the way or successfully registering, we finally drew near the front. Orihime turned to me, right after we head penned our names down for the contest, and said, “ It is probably a little late to ask this now but… You do know how to dance? Right?”