• The wind blew through the trees, causing a few leaves to fall to the ground. As quickly as the wind had come, it disappeared. The orchards of cherry trees had gone out of blossom and were not beginning to beer fruit. A small ladder sat on up on the side of a tree and moved a little bit. The leaves up above shacked as a hand grabbed at a few cherries and missed by a hair. Who ever was in the tree tried to recover their balance but failed miserably. A small crash echoed throughout the orchard and a little boy tumbled out of the tree. All around him were the cherries that he had collected, and then spilled about him, getting covered in dirt and a few of them had been smashed by his body. Groaning the boy got up and gathered the remains of the cherries and began to walk out of the orchard. The boy was doing his best to come up with an excuse to tell his father what had happened. As the boy walked along the dirt road into the city he noticed the hustle and bustle of the market and remembered that today was market day. Maybe he could save himself by buying some cherries as the market. As the boy approached the market place he found out that there were no cherries there.
    “Hey! Ken! Get over here.” A different boy had yelled out to Ken from across the street, waving his arms wildly, as he had caught Ken’s attention he walked back away from the street into a less noisy area.
    Ken followed his friend into the alleyway. It was dark, the shadows making the trip even more suspicious. He didn’t have anything on him to protect himself other than his knife, which he had been using to cut down other varieties of fruit in the orchard next to the cherry trees. Suddenly, Ken’s friend took a sharp right turn into a building and Ken almost missed him, but was grabbed by a strong arm and pulled in. Shingi, Ken’s friend quieted Ken, as he was about to ask what was going on. A split second later Ken knew why. He heard the trample of feet and shouts of the citizens. There was a clash of metal on metal a little ways up the ally it seemed. He knew that the trample of feet that he had herd must have been the police. Immediately Ken suspected that the wandering swordsman had been found, accused for 19 murders and was supposedly publicly executed three times. Or they tried to execute him three times at least. Slowly Ken opened the door but Shingi pulled Ken back and waked him on his head.
    “Moron. Were inside of the shrine. If we go out there now, were doomed. You know exactly what I mean too. Come on, I know a back way out.” Shingi motioned for Ken to follow him as he crept along the floor towards the small ropes that surrounded a statue of great importance. Just then a floorboard creaked and they both stopped. Shingi was sure that Ken could hear his own heart beating so loudly out of fright, but he didn’t want Ken to think of him as a wimp so he moved on, cringing as the board squeaked again. Finally they reached to ropes and stepped over once foot at a time, being very careful not to touch it or anything hanging off of it. Shingi smiled as he gave a thumbs up to Ken and walked behind the statue and pulled up a trap door that lead down into a tunnel. Ken wasn’t so sure about this tough. He wanted to so go see what was going on outside but Ken reluctantly climbed down the ladder after Shingi. Once Shingi was on the bottom he motioned for Ken to shut the trap door and then clime down. At the same time Shingi truck up flint on steal and light a small candled that was on a small rock shelf.
    “Shingi, we shouldn’t be here. We already crossed the Sacred Line, and now we are walking along a secret tunnel.” Ken said with uneasiness in his voice. Ken looked around the tunnel and saw that it had stalactites and stalagmites all around it. Some of the stalagmites were gigantic and almost touched stalagmites. Then Ken noticed how cold it was down in the tunnel and he rubbed his arms up against each other. He then noticed that he had dropped his cherries in the shrine as he had goon down the ladder. Groaning Ken ran his hand through his hair and sat down on the ground. Immodestly Ken stood up as he had sat in a puddle of water getting wet.
    Laughing Shingi waved for Ken to follow him into the tunnel and walked forward leaving ken in the dark. “Ken, your all wet now, it ok though. This tunnel leaded to the farm outside of the city.” Shingi said as he chuckled a little bit seeing Ken get annoyed and trying to retort but couldn’t. Shingi then walked on in silence as Ken followed mumbling about how cold he was. Being wet did not help Ken at all. As they reached end of the tunnel Shingi put the candle down on a ledge that had about five other candles. Then Shingi climbed up and Ken followed still mumbling and complaining. As Shingi’s head poked through the trap door, he smiled. The air was nice and warm compared to the tunnels and it was certainly a better temperature outside then inside. Shingi then felt a sharp pain in his ankle as he saw that Ken had bashed it with his fist. Laughing Shingi climbed out of the trap door onto the grass, Ken followed and immodestly took of his yukata. (A robe for men) Ken set it out to dry as he found himself a spare yukata inside of the abandon farmhouse. It was not that nice but it worked. Ken then noticed that Shingi was a little pale and not looking good. Immediately Ken ran over to his friend and kneeled down beside him.
    “Shingi! What in the world is wrong with you? Your pale and you skin is clammy… What happened?” Ken then remembered feeling the whoosh of air that had soared right over his hand and knew exactly what had happened. Ken got Shingi to lie down on a hill keeping his head and heard above where the small little needle had pierced Shingis skin. Ken then crouched down by Shingi’s right ankles and peered at it. After a few minuets of looking he found it, the small pin was almost invisible to the human eye and it had sunk deep into Shingi’s skin. “Shingi… what’s with the needle? Is it some sort of trap or something?” Ken said, his voice was shaky and he was sweating. Ken waited for an answer but none came. Shingi’s skin was paler then it had been and his eyes were cold. “I’ll be back Shingi. Just hand in there.” Ken whispered into Shingi’s ear. Then Ken stood up slowly and looked around. The farmhouse was on one side of him, with the stables filled with hay and bad smell as well. There was no one on the dirt road as he could see and the city was at least one kilometer away. Ken then began to run, the grass seemed to extend on either side of his forever and the city wasn’t getting any closer either. The thong on Ken’s sandal was cutting into his skin, even though he had a well-made caulis form wearing these sandals since he was kid. Ken could hear his feet pounding on the ground time after time. Finally after a long and hard run Ken arrived at the cities edge, but no, he had to keep running. So, Ken did, going over in his head where he was and where the doctor was, it was crucial that he make it there in time, or it would be Shingi’s life that was lost. Ken rounded a corner to take a short cut and slammed into a person who was bigger and stronger than him. The man looked down and offered a hand up. Slowly Ken reached out for the hand, not sure what to do. There were plenty of people around so the man wouldn’t try anything, hopefully. As Ken was pulled to his feet he brushed him self off and looked up towards the man to thank his but the man had already moved on. Ken looked around desperately with a concerned look on his face for the man, he wouldn’t be able to thank him or do anything unless he found him. As Ken started to walk back into the street he remembered about Shingi. Turning around ken ran into the ally, the hustle and bustle of the street was immediately gone. Then suddenly Ken arrived at his main destination. Quickly, Ken slipped off his sandals and opened the door. That was something he would regret later but he didn’t realize it at the time. Ken found his father sitting in the office having a cup of tea with the doctor and chatting. Around the room there were paintings form famous artist and there were wall decorations. The floor was a sandy brown. Immediately Kens father stopped and turned to his son.
    “Ken, what are you doing here, and where are the cherries that you were supposed to get. You are very late.” Kens father shot Ken a somewhat menacing glare before the doctor reasoned with him.
    “Now now, Jabito. Look at Ken, he is worn out and tired. He must have run very hard to get here.” The doctor said. Motioning with his hand to Ken. The doctor’s hand was withered and had the calluses of a swords man, while the doctor had been at one point during the revolutionary war. The doctor’s face was a tad bit wrinkles with his hair white and balding. He wore a hat on top of his head to cover the bald spots. Ken nodded when the doctor had said that he had ran here but shook his head when the doctor talked about the appointment.
    “Shingi… trouble…… pain… poison…..” Ken took his time to catch his breath before he started again. “Shingiwashitbyadartcomingoutofatunnelandwaspoisiond.” Ken then looked up at the doctor then at his father still panting from the run and he put his hands on his knees. Ken looked into his fathers’ eyes, pleading that they would help Shingi.
    “Ken, slow down… You said something about Shingi being poisoned… am I right? And what tunnel are you talking about?” The doctor was gathering items and herbs to help cure Shingi. He also grabbed some bandages from a small metal box on top of a counter. Quickly bustling about the room. Jabito stood up and walked to the door where he slipped on his own sandals, they were about three times the size of Ken’s own sandals, before Jabito stepped out into the dirt. Ken looked at his father who looked at Ken with sorrow this time instead of anger. This made Ken feel worse. Ken had missed an important appointment for his own health and had also failed to collect the cherries that his mother had sent him to get. To Ken’s relief the doctor stepped out the door at that moment and put on his won sandals before closing the door behind him. “Ok Ken, if you would lead up to Shingi, I will be able to help him. Now lead on.”
    Ken nodded as he began to run into the city and navigate his way through it to the outskirts of the city. Once the small group had reached the edge of the city Ken pointed to the farmhouse and told his father and the doctor that Shingi was over in that general area. Nodding both his father and the doctor began to run, at a much faster pace then Ken. Ken couldn’t even keep up and quickly ran out of breath trying. In Kens side there was a pain, not to mention that he could only walk and his sandal was now cutting into the flesh of his skin in-between his big toe and the one next to it.
    Jabito got to Shingi before the doctor and examined the wound. All around the puncture there was swelling and it was red. Shingi was infected and breathing shallowly. His entire body was cool and his blood pulse was slow. Jabito then lifted Shingis' head and body up, setting Shingi on his knees. Shingi moaned and he coughed a little turning his head, as in a nightmare. Jabito grimaced. Shingi would probably die, but Ken didn’t need to know that. Then the doctor showed up and couldn't his breathe. It had been hard enough for the doctor to keep up with Jabito, not being a warrior. “Look, Bukai. There’s swelling all around the wound on his ankle. Its swelling and Shingi is more than likely poisoned. His body is cold and-“
    Bukai raised his hand and signaled for Jabito to stop talking. Bukai then leaned over Shingi and felt his forehead with the back of his hand. With out talking Bukai moved down to where there was a massive amount of swelling. Bukai closely examined the wound and found the needle that was barely sticking out of Shingi’s leg. Then Bauki opened his band and dug around it. The bag had many different tools, herbs, and liquids inside of it for medical treatment. Slowly Bukai removed a small pair of tweezers made out of wood. The wind seemed to blow by right at that moment and it seemed as if every one was holding their breath. Then Bukai slowly put the tweezers around the small needle and clamed down on them with expertise. Then Bukai pulled out the needle ever so slowly. Shingi withered in pain, there had to be a hook on the inside of the needle. Then Ken finally showed up, panting and sweating. One Kens left foot there was a small patch of blood from the sandal cutting into his foot. As Ken arrived Bukai gave a small yank on the needle and pulled it out. Along with the needle came a little bit of flesh but hardly any and the wound started to bleed. Every one there sighed in relief that they had gotten the needle out of Shingi and that hopefully Shingi would be ok.
    “Dad, how will Shingi be?” Ken said in a worried tone. Not only did he know that he would feel the brunt of his fathers wrath as Jabito explored the area and found the and also found his Yukata, but there would be more sever punishments for entering the holy area. Ken sulked by himself on the inside of himself, in Ken’s heart. Ken did his best to look relieved and happy in the physical world but to no avail. Bukai then gave Shingi a small liquid that Bukai sent down Shingi’s thought, but there was also a past over the swelling in Shingi’s ankle.
    “Ken, I want you to go and inform Shingi’s parents about what has happened then head directly home.” Jabito said in a light voice. That voice would have been a relief if it hadn’t been for the harsh emphasis and the cold feeling it gave Ken. Jabito then left Shingi to the doctor’s care and began to explore around the farmhouse that Ken and Shingi had appeared at. As Jabito walked he found that in the barn. On the inside of it there were crops and tools for farming that had rusted and there was a decent amount of crop there too. Then Jabito spotted something odd in the dirt floor; there was a small wooden door, poorly hidden underneath a small pile of boxes. Moving the boxes aside, Jabito opened the trap door and almost went down. A cold draft floated by Jabito giving off an evil feeling that Jabito dared not to test. Jabito closed the door and headed home.


    * * *

    At home Ken sat in his room, horrified about what his father would say to him when he got home. The feeling of guilt rushed over Ken, if he hadn't hit Shingi maybe the dart would have just missed all together. Groaning Ken looked around his room for some kind of comfort. There was noting, other than one painting and his closet. Nothing to help him. Then Ken heard the sound of feet clumping along the wooden floor and held his breath. A shadow was cast upon the door of his father, Jabito. Slowly the door opened and his father stepped into the room with a grim look on his face. Ken dared no to look up into his fathers eyes, those hard, war torn eyes that gave off a cold feeling. Behind Jabito a young woman entered the room. It wasn’t Kens mother, his mother had long since passed away when he was only three years old. This woman was Shingi’s mother, Tsunimi. Ken looked up to her and found that Tsunimi wasn’t looking at him at all, only at the small part of Ken’s robes that he had torn off to put around Shingi’s wound. Ken kept tell himself that Shingi was ok; everything was going to be ok. Then, for the first time since he got home Ken looked up into his fathers’ eyes. Ken immediately looked away from them and held his breath. “Here it comes,” Ken, thought, “I’m about to be lectured.”
    Jabito sat down in front of Ken and so did Tsunimi. Then Jabito spoke “Ken, you have done a brave and valiant deed to come find the doctor, but you have also committed a horrible crime.” Jabot’s voice was cold and it pierced Ken’s body like a sword through wood. The cold spread through Ken’s body as he listened to his father. “If you had been older you would have been banned from the country never able to retune. You would have also been branded with the marks of shame. Now Ken, listen to me. By going beyond the holy ropes you are now up for trial, and more than likely you will be banished. I will do the best I can to help you. You have broken one of the most ancient laws of Honor. No one will trust you now, no one will want to be around you, and no one will give you shelter. Ken, you are going to have to live on your own until you reach adult hood, when you will be given a chance to redeem yourself by serving in the army. But until that time you will live on the streets and be forced to make a living for yourself.” As Jabito finished talking Ken sat in shock. “I’m being kicked out of my own house? And by my father as well” Ken thought. It was only then that Ken noticed the little silver pendent that was sitting the cloth that Tsunimi had in her hands. It was Shingi's luck pendent. Ken wondered why would Shingi take off his pendent at a time like this. Suddenly Ken’s eyes filled with tears.
    “Hows.. Sh-shingi?” Ken stammered doing his best to hold back his tears. Kens vision was going blurry and he felt coldness inside of him speaking the truth. Ken didn’t want to listen any more. As Ken was preparing himself to leave mentally he heard a faint voice that brought him back to reality, Tsunimi had said two words. “Shingi’s dead” Ken sat there as his hear seemed to stop. The cold reality had slapped him in the face and his body wouldn’t move. Ken couldn’t talk or do a single thing as he tried to voice words to protest but none came.
    Tsunimi then gave her own little speech to Ken. “Shingi was my only son. He was more than just my son; he was my pride and joy, always working on his swordsmen ship and honor. Shingi always looked after the orchard and gathered fruits for me whenever I asked. Putting down anything he was doing and heading out to collect the items I told him to get.” By now Tsunimi was crying and her hand was clutched closely over the small pendent of Shingi’s. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she continued, talking in-between sobs. “Shingi, told me that he wanted you to have this with his dying words, he also told me that he was sorry for not being a good enough son. But he was more than good; Shingi was the best son I could have hoped for. But now… he’s dead. Gone, with out any way to bring him back…”
    Ken sat there in shock before he finally got up with tears rolling down his eyes. He ran out the door not wanting to hear any more of it. It was all a lie… But Ken knew it wasn’t. Not a lie at all, maybe this was a dream of Kens, or a nightmare. Ken closed his eyes and opened them again trying to wake up. But he didn’t. He stood in the middle of a dark rode during the night, with no pride or honor left in him. He had nothing to live for any more. Right at that moment he changed his mind. Ken did have something to live for. He had to live for Shingi. With that in mind he sat down in an ally way and closed his eyes. “Good night… Shingi…”