Ichimoto Nozaki planted his feet into the floor of the dimly-lit Honshu dojo and lowered his bokken into a defensive position as his opponent struck an attack stance. Nozaki let his voluntary muscles relax and allowed his instincts to govern his movement. His opponent's organs, muscles, and bones covered by light Kusarian skin and a hakama became a system of motion, angles, stress, and balance. Nozaki's technique is focused entirely upon reaction. Lightning flashed and illuminated the dimly-lit dojo, and was immediately followed by a crash of thunder. Planet Honshu is covered mostly by water, causing frequent precipitation on the mainlands. The gales pleased him; it was a luxury to the space-bound members of the Gas Miners Guild.
After a second flash of lightning, Nozaki's opponent took a swift swing towards his legs, a elementary attack which he parried easily. Nozaki repelled a second attack to his opposite side, and then a third from above with forceful parrys. He took an agressive step forward to make his opponent take a step back. Nozaki parried a blow to his head with a quick and forceful swing, making his opponent lose his balance. Taking this mistake to his advantage, Nozaki dropped and spun, kicking his opponent's legs out from under him. As his opponent hit the floor, Nozaki was upright with his bokken pointed down and into the heart, claiming his victory.
"Impressive, my son," Nozaki said as he pulled back his bokken and extended an arm to the young man. "Your sensei has taught you well. You have improved greatly since I last faced you." Nozaki would leave his village on Planet Honshu for months at a time to join his brothers in the Gas Miners Guild. It was sad for him to leave his family, especially his 16-year-old son, but a Gas Miner is no place for a child. He is bound to the GMG by blood; six of his ancestors died in the 80-years war.
"That is enough for today, Mitsuo-kun." The two exchanged bows and concluded the session.
After his son left the room, Nozaki dropped his bokken to the ground and stretched his elbow joints and spinal chord. Living on a space station with partial gravity has its adverse effects. He practiced regular physical activity, yet he could feel his dexterity and muscle strength gradually diminishing. Conversely, his son Mitsuo grew taller and stronger each time they met.
Nozaki picked up his bokken, and placed it on the rack. He slid open the door to the dojo, and as he left, the lights automatically dimmed to blackness...
As the thunderstorm subsided and the soothing rain ensued, Nozaki allowed himself to relax in a lounging chair and read. He greatly enjoyed studying the ancient history of Japan, before the great wars of Sol, and even before the human colonization of space.
Suddenly, Nozaki's neural net alerted him to an incoming transmission.
Quote:Nozaki Ichimoto,
Guild Master Tono has been Missing in Action for more than six months, and the time come to fill the void in the Board of Executives. We have evaluated your service in the training of recruits, as well as your family's long standing history of service for the Gas Miners Guild, and decided to offer you the rank of Guild Master. We hope you honor us and accept this position.
Domo Arigato,
The Board of Executives.
The message concluded, and Nozaki laid back in his chair. On paper, a guild member with his credentials would be a primary candidate for Guild Master. Even off the records, he spent periods of months in Chugoku as a liason to the Blood Dragons. To Nozaki, accepting this position would mean seeing even less of his wife, Ume, and his son, Mitsuo.
Nozaki rose to his feet and stretched. He would consult his ancestors. He slid open the door to the dojo, moved to the center of the room, knelt on the floor, and began to meditate.
Nozaki released his conscience from its flesh prison. His vision rose through the structure of his home into the stormy skies above, through the clouds and into the peaceful mesosphere. His soul grew warm as the sun rose over the blue horizon... beautiful.
The vision then streaked across light years of space through the Crow Nebula to a far off green star. The vision rotated to reveal a large, ice-covered planet and began to close on it. In an instant, his conscience fell through the atmosphere to the surface of the planet, where a yamaneko (lynx) was pacing back and forth, each breath fully audible and visible in the cold mountain air. Opposite the lion was a monstrous black Oni standing on two legs, growling fiercely at the yamaneko. The demon's teeth and claws were dripping with warm blood. The Oni raised his arms and charged towards the yamaneko, who was now preparing to pounce. As the creatures clashed, blinding light engulfed them.
Nozaki reopened his eyes and became attuned to the dojo and the familiar sound of rainfall. Nozaki's ancestors had shown him a glimpse of his destiny as a Guild Master.
