Part 29 (1/2)

'Yes, I suppose it is.'

Miyuki hesitated. Jack sensed she wanted to say more, but couldn't in Akiko's presence.

'I never did apologize for throwing you in the manure,' she said, flas.h.i.+ng an embarra.s.sed smile. And she still didn't. Blinking away a tear, Miyuki bowed a hurried goodbye, then walked purposefully over to her parent's grave marker.

'Will she be all right?' asked Jack, watching her with concern.

'Don't worry,' said Tenzen. 'I'll look out for her.' Reaching into his pouch, he produced five gleaming shuriken shuriken. 'These are for you,' he said, putting them into Jack's hand. 'A small token of thanks for helping me.'

'What did I I do?' asked Jack. do?' asked Jack.

'You were the one who told me a s.h.i.+p that attacks the wave will rise and conquer. I realized if I didn't take control at the temple we were all sunk,' he explained. 'And now I know you can can hit a moving target, I'll challenge you to a hit a moving target, I'll challenge you to a shuriken shuriken contest the next time we meet. So you'd better practise.' contest the next time we meet. So you'd better practise.'

Jack laughed. 'I'd never beat you.'

'That's why I won't hold my breath!'

Tenzen bowed formally to both Jack and Akiko before joining the rest of the clan, gathering their belongings on the ridge.

Jack looked up at Akiko. Like Miyuki, she appeared to be on the verge of tears. 'Are you all right?'

Akiko mutely nodded, staring over to where Hanzo was playing with his friend Kobei, both thrilled at being reunited.

'Kiyos.h.i.+'s happy,' she said, with forced joy in her voice.

Hanzo, noticing they were both looking at him, came bounding over. Without thinking, he took Akiko's hand in his.

'Tengu, can you keep a secret?' he asked.

Nodding, Jack bent down close so Hanzo could whisper in his ear.

'Soke says I'm going to be the next Grandmaster!'

'Really?' said Jack, glancing up at Akiko and realizing she already knew this.

That was why she was upset. was why she was upset.

'Yes!' Hanzo exclaimed, too excited to keep his voice down. 'I'll be allowed to see the densho densho, actually read the scrolls with all our clan's secrets!'

'That's a big responsibility,' said Jack.

'I know. Soke says it'll take a few years of preparation and then a lifetime of learning.'

'When are you starting?'

'As soon as we get to the refuge,' replied Hanzo.

Jack nodded his understanding of the situation.

'Come on, Hanzo!' cried Kobei, waving at his friend.

Hanzo smiled apologetically, as if he'd suddenly matured. Pulling Akiko by the arm, he said 'You can be on my side.'

Hanzo ran to rejoin his friends. 'sayonara, Jack!'

Jack couldn't help but laugh.

'What is it?' asked Akiko.

'That's the first first time he's called me by my proper name!' he said, shaking his head in disbelief. He saw the sadness in Akiko's eyes. 'Are you not going with him?' time he's called me by my proper name!' he said, shaking his head in disbelief. He saw the sadness in Akiko's eyes. 'Are you not going with him?'

'No,' she replied in a quiet voice. 'Shonin says he can't risk any any outsider knowing the location of their final refuge.' outsider knowing the location of their final refuge.'

'Then you should play with your brother while you have the chance.'

As Akiko went and shared her last moments with Hanzo, Shonin and Soke strolled over to Jack.

'I owe you my life, Ninja Jack,' said Shonin and inclined his head in grat.i.tude. 'I wish there was more I could do for you, but we have to be gone before the samurai arrive.'

'You've done more than enough,' replied Jack, returning the bow.

Shonin clapped his hand upon Jack's good shoulder.

'You know you'll always always have a place in my clan,' he said, smiling warmly. 'You just have to find us first!' have a place in my clan,' he said, smiling warmly. 'You just have to find us first!'

With that, Shonin left Jack and Soke to say their farewells.

'I'll be sad to leave here,' admitted the Grandmaster, gazing out across the valley. 'It was the perfect Ring of Earth.'

'What about the refuge?' asked Jack.

'The mountains are not kind to the old. I won't have so many years left up there.'

Jack went to dispute this, but Soke stopped him, and he could see the weariness and strain of the past few days engrained in the old man's wrinkled face.

'Why hide from the truth? It always finds you in the end,' Soke grinned. 'Life has worn me down like a rock in a river. My time has almost come.'

'Time enough to prepare Hanzo to become the next Grandmaster?'

Soke raised an eyebrow. 'He told you? I'll have to teach that boy discretion first.'

'A frog in a well does not know the great sea,' reminded Jack.