The Gempukku of Togashi Udon
It was a sunny and crisp morning in the jagged mountains of the Dragon Clan. Large, bright banners of Yellow and Green displaying the Dragon Mon and the Togashi Mon flew high in the wind. Today was a day of celebration and reverence. By nightfall, the Ise Zumi will add one more to their number. The blind old Ise Zumi Tattoo Master, Gaijutsu, smiled to himself as he mixed colors for his ink. Today, he will tattoo his youngest grandson.
The night before, Kudoni sat alone in his sensei’s private meditation room. He was born into the Miramoto family, but tomorrow he would finally become a Togashi. His stomach growled, hungry for food. He pushed the fast out of his young mind and focused on the flickering of a lone candle that burned as he meditated on the Tao of Shinsei. Favorite passages sprang to mind, leading to stories he had heard as a child of the strange little man who confronted the Kami’s. Time passed unnoticed by Kudoni.
“We are ready, Kudoni.” Togashi Kama said to his student, breaking Kudoni’s meditation at early dawn.
“Yes, Sama. I am ready, too,” replied Kudoni with a smile.
Togashi Kama led his student out of the meditation chamber and down a winding mountain path that lead into the forest. “Today you will receive a gift that the finest samurai in all of Royukan would hold a tournament for. Today, more important then getting your tattoo, more important then becoming an Ise Zumi, you will be allowed to ask Togashi Yokuni one question.” Kudoni was dumbfounded. He did not realize that he would get an audience with the legendary Dragon Champion. Stunned, he followed his sensei’s path.
No words were exchanged between the student and his sensei as they walked. The small winding path they were following came to an end at the base of a steep cliff of volcanic rock, which rose up 30 feet above them. As they stopped at the base, Kama placed his hand on Kudoni’s shoulder, looked him in the eye and said; “We must each find our own path and follow it to the end, no matter the obstacles or the outcome. Even if it appears that the path has ended.” Kama turned to go, but stopped. He looked back at his student and said with a smile, “See you there.”
Another climb. This time, no visions assaulted him. Sweating and out of breath, the young Kudoni reached the top of the cliff. An old, but clear path lead into the ancient pine forest. Kudoni paused to catch his breath and enjoy the view of the mountains that spread out before him. From the path he heard distant chanting. He followed the sound and came to a clearing. In the clearing he saw one hundred seated Ise Zumi chanting at the base of a small hill that had a bodhai tree at the top, in the center of the hill. As he entered the clearing the chanting stopped. Looking at him, the seated Ise Zumi parted to form a small path leading to the short hill & bodhai tree in the center. Taking a deep breath, Kudoni walked through the Ise Zumi and sat under the bodhai tree. An Ise Zumi called from the congregation, “Speak to us of the Tao of Shinsei, Kudoni-san.”
Kudoni took another deep breath to steady him and began to recite a passage from the Tao of Shinsei. It was his favorite story about the stages of life one goes through on their journey towards betterment and enlightenment. Another shout assaulted him from the mass of Ise Zumi. It was the same voice that called out to him before, “What does Shinsei say to you, Kudoni? We already know that passage, young one!”
With a smile, Kudoni replied, “Every person is different. We each are unique and special in our way. Our experiences, our emotions, our senses and our reactions define is, but do not limit us. We are each a tree in the forest, searching for light and nutrients in our own way. Our branches bend, our leaves change and our roots twist, all searching for the best possible place in the world. No two trees in the forest are exactly the same. This is true with each person.” He was happy with his answer. It was honest and what first came to mind.
“A good answer, Kudoni-san. May Togashi, Buddha and the Ise Zumi be the nutrients for your roots.” Called the same Ise Zumi.
“Have all your leaves fallen off, Fukai? That was a childish answer. We are not defined by nature alone! Next Kudoni-chan will say that rain is depressing, or that he’s still afraid of the dark.” Shouted an Ise Zumi from the other side of the congregation.
“His answer was better then yours, Mitsu. Do you still believe that the dark is the opposite of the light?” Togashi Fukai countered, slowly rising to his feet.
“But-“ Kudoni began. Fukai quickly cut him off. “Speak not, Kudoni-san. You have said your peace.”
“See, he’s too dumb to be an Ise Zumi.” Chuckled Togashi Mitsu as he rose to stand opposite Togashi Fukai. With a wink to Kudoni, “His mouth will get him in trouble and his wits will get him killed.”
“His answer may not be the absolute truth, but that is the point, is it not, Mitsu? It shows that he will still search. He will follow his path to find the those truths, however limited they may be.” Togashi Fukai said with a grin.
“Of course the tree analogy is riddled with inaccuracies. Of course we are individuals, Fukai. But Kudoni-chan has shown us nothing, no insights of any worth or renown. And anyway, his feet are too small and his heart too big. Life’s traps will be too large for him.” Mitsu countered, crossing his tattooed arms across his chest.
With that outburst, another Ise Zumi rose. “What of my feet, Togashi Mitsu? Kudoni-san’s feet are larger then mine. Would you have me removed from the order?” Said Togashi Nebiko with her hands on her hips. “I think he will make a fine addition to the Ise Zumi. He is handsome and polite, two things you lack greatly, Mitsu.” She said with a coy smile.
“Look brothers and sisters! Kudoni-chan is blushing at Nebiko’s compliments!” said a seated Ise Zumi near Togashi Mitsu. “A kind word from a female and his concentration is broken! He is blushing like a fool. That is no way for an Ise Zumi to act. Any smile from a woman and he would crumble! His heart is too big and too weak!”
Kudoni was nervous and confused. He could feel the heat from his blushing on his face. He shifted his legs. Why would Mitsu, speak against him at his gempukku? At one time they had studied together. He looked up to Mitsu. Then Nebiko spoke in his favor? He had watched her from a far for months. He had never had the nerve to speak to her. She was too graceful and beautiful. And Togashi Fukai he had just met yesterday. Fukai had just returned from wandering the empire and brought a head of a mad Ise Zumi back with him. He hunted those who were driven mad by the Ise Zumi tattoos. Kudoni hardly knew him at all.
Suddenly there was a loud crack and Kudoni jumped. All eyes turned to Togashi Kama, who stood at the back of the circle, his hands on his walking staff. “Enough! What say you, Brothers and Sisters? Shall my pupil join our ranks?”
One single thunderous clap filled the clearing from the assembled Ise Zumi. Kudoni caught a glimpse of Mitsu as he winked at him. Kudoni then looked to his sensei. Togashi Kama said with a smile, “Thank you Brothers and Sisters. Allow us to help Kudoni to the tattoo chamber.”
It was dark inside the chamber. A few candles were lit along the far wall, which cast strange twisting shadows along the walls and ceiling. A lone beam of sunlight shone down into the chamber from the ceiling above. Togashi Kama motioned for Kudoni to sit on a straw mat in the center of the chamber.
“Hello, grandson.” Said Togashi Gaijutsu softly from the shadows at the far end of the room.
“Hello, Grandfather!” Kundoni said with a smile, hardly containing his growing excitement.
Before Kudoni could move to hug the old Tattoo Master, Kama said, “We should begin, Gaijutsu.”
“Yes, yes. You are right Kama-san. I am just filled with joy today.” He said placing an ornate jade bowl on the ground in front of the straw mat. “Please, grandson, sit, sit. Be comfortable.” He motioned to the mat and gave Kudoni a pat on the back. “I am almost ready. I am having trouble with the green ink. It doesn’t feel right yet.” Said the black-eyed master.
Kudoni sat cross-legged on the cool mat and took yet another deep breath to steady himself. Beside the mat was a ceremonial tea set. Kama sat on his feet next to Kudoni, behind the tea set and began to prepare for a tea ceremony. A light breeze passed through the chamber, gliding across Kundoni’s body. From behind them, Gaijutsu said to the wind, “Hello, Master.”
Out from the shadows in front of Kudoni stepped the huge, hulking form of the Dragon Champion and leader of the Dragon Clan, Togashi Yokuni. He wore the ancestral armor and swords of the Dragon clan which were forged centuries ago. Immediately the young Kudoni prostrated himself. No sooner did his head touch the mat, and then he heard “With eyes on the ground, one misses the sky and the world around him.” In a deep, mellow voice. “Look upon me, you who would take my name.” Slowly Kudoni rose to meet his Masters gaze. Two gleaming yellow suns that were hidden deep with in the ancient mask of the Dragon Clan met Kudoni’s eyes. Time seemed to freeze as the two sat, face-to-face steering into each other’s souls. From that one moment, Kudoni learned the greatest secret in all of the Empire.
The shock and realization of something that Kudoni could not quite explain, or fully comprehend, yet was never less true, broke the bond between Master and charge. Time caught up in a wave. The truth felt both heavy and free, Kudoni’s vision blurred. His lungs struggled for air, his legs screamed to move, but he did not. “The path of no-path begins here, Kudoni.” The voice in his head said. “With a single cut that severs and unites.” Through his blurred vision, Kudoni could see the large form of Togashi Yukoni slowly draw the ancient Wakizashi blade. With one quick and sure movement, Yokuni sliced the gleaming blade across his forearm and let his thick blood pour into the clay pot between them. Almost mesmerized, Kudoni noticed that his sensei was cleaning up from the tea ceremony that he could not remember participating in. The thought quickly fell out of his mind as he stared at the blood flow into the clay pot. Kudoni had to remind himself to breathe. He jumped as his grandfather Giajitsu collected the pot of blood. Yukoni and his eyes were again staring into Kudoni’s soul.
“Accept this and I will always be with you, as you shall forever be with me. Reject this and I will always haunt you as you will always haunt me.” Said the voice. “Ask me your question, Kudoni, and whatever I shall answer will be the truth. Even though the truth is a lie itself.”
Thoughts flashed and blurred in his mind. He reeled at what he wanted to know. Enlightenment? The future? The past? His path? Will his body and soul accept Togashi Yokuni’s blood? What ever became of Shinsei? Or Buddha? But through it all, one question seemed to push itself through Kundoni’s garbled thoughts. Yes, that was it. He had decided his question. He wanted, no, needed to understand how he could achieve his enlightenment. He licked his lips, and slowly opened his mouth and noticed a faint glimmer in Yokuni’s eyes. A glimmer, like the great Dragon Champion, at that moment, knew his question and knew what answer he was to give. Suddenly and without warning, Kudoni’s sentence changed to, “What is your favorite food?”
As if it was possible, at that moment Togashi Yokuni seemed to blink. Amazingly, it was like he was caught off guard. “My favorite food would be whatever I had last, Kudoni.” Togashi Yokuni said simply. His shimmering eyes seemed to narrow as he continued, “Which would be udons.”
And so it was decided. A young boy born Miramoto Kudoni accepted the blood, tattoos and glorious lineage of Togashi Yokuni and became Togashi Udon, Bearer of the Ki-Rin, Unicorn Tanto. Which is a story for another day.