Contentment

Two years into training at the Kakita Academy. “Hoseki, you need to move with the rhythm of the song. Don't make one in your head, find the one around you. You will be a better swords-woman for it.”
Hoseki paused. “Kaouru, you know my sensei says the opposite. I should listen to my sensei.”
Kaouru laughed, “Try my way and see if you beat that asshole Mako next time.”
“Fine.” They started again, Hoseki trying to 'dance' to the song Kaouru was playing.

A couple of weeks later in the training hall Hoseki was called forward and paired with the most skilled student in her class. “Begin” Hoseki's sensei said, stepping off the mat. Mako barely waited for him to get clear, swinging his bokken toward Hoseki. Hoseki blocked and moved past him to strike at his side. Mako dogged. The exchange kept going for a couple of minutes then Hoseki remembered what her dear friend had said. It took a few movements but she found the rhythm of their dance. The next exchange lasted two seconds and one cut. Mako lost for the first time.

Hoseki, began to blend the matches to fit who she was fighting. Here she led controlling the rhythm, there she followed, each time creating a new duel. Mako, she quickly saw, always forced the lead, too impatient for the win. Hoseki learned to wait, ready to steal the lead for herself, taking the match from him in less then a heartbeat. Here she was content. Here at the Academy she had Kaouru and her skill. Here she had enough.

As they wrapped up a duet and Kaouru smiled. “You are good, Hoseki. Better then any one in my class. You are amazing.”
Hoseki laughed, “Your better then I. And don't be modest.”
Kaouru laughed as well. “I think you could give me a challenge if you weren't so good with the sword.”
“Well learning to control the flow and follow the flow of music has helped with that.”
“I'm glad you were able to become the best in your class. I think its stupid that Mako was sent to the Topasz Championship. You are more talented.”
Hoseki blushed. “I'm already going to the Legion. Sure, I would love to be an Emerald Magistrate but the Legion is a good post. Besides if I work at it I can still be a Magistrate. Now promise you'll write, after all I must know what goes on at Kyuden Doji.”
“And you must tell me of the Legions. To be appointed right out of Gempuku is a great honor. You'll do well should you apply yourself.” The two women hugged in their secluded glade and parted.

---

Hoseki eyed her new Nikutai carefully. She couldn't tell whether it was a guy or girl. But they knew the Tea Ceremony and that meant they were more refined then any other from the Dragon. They didn't speak and finished the Ceremony. Hoseki bowed and left to visit her Gunso.

“Kakita Hoseki, you are young for the Legion but you are skilled. Please demonstrate your skills.” “Sir.” Hoseki bowed and took out her erhu. After all to demonstrate her sword would mean a call for eta and the gunso would need a temporary office while the clean up was done.

A couple of weeks later she was ordered to come to a castle to perform. Her skill was used and the courts talked about the skill his unit had and how it was a very cultured squad. Her Gunso showed no inappropriate reaction in the court but after that he smiled and praised her playing. “I will call on you again Hoseki-san, this is a great thing for the Squad.”
“Hai, Gunso.”

Over the next four years Hoseki played in a multitue of small and medium courts allowing the squad to get extra blankets or gifts of food and tea from the nobles. Hoseki took pride in her position as an integral part of the unit. She gained much respect for the Gunso and it seemed she gained it in return.

She was content and thanked Hotei for it every day. The war was nothing to her, though she lost friends and companions. Her life was good and she didn't want it to change. She hadn't felt like this in a long time. Since Kaouru really.

But this battle would be different.

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Standing near her Gunso, Hoseki readied her bow with the others in the squad that were to shoot till the last possible moment. She managed to loose most of her arrows before dropping her her bow next to the quiver and drawing on the gaijin. The battle moved quickly and yet slowly. Her moments were like the kata she used as Kaouru had played back in the academy during the second year..

Hoseki moved into a rapid change of blows with a gaijin who wielded a sword that looked to have been taken from a Scorpion at some point. She smirked at the awkwardness with which he used it. There was little chance he would kill her. She killed him easily. She dodged a spear, bending down to grab and toss the stolen blade to the command tent before cutting down the man with the spear. Moving from opponent to opponent she cut them down.

Hoseki spotted her Gunso. He moved slowly. She moved slower. A spear took him in the back. Hoseki cut the spear-man’s head off. She lost her Gunso's body in the melee that followed.

She eventually returned to camp after the battle. And she played. The music was one of the oldest pieces ever written, named Katsubetsu Mabudachi¹, and very appropriate for moment. The song was soon picked up by others as Hoseki's played to remember the friends and comrades who died. She knew things needed to change now and as she finished the song her mind was made up. Contentment was not longer hers.

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¹Farewell True Friend