The Art of Swordsmanship

[Kana Truden]

Atrisia​

Sound of tea brewing​

She was on visit​

Time to study art​

​

Art of Swordsmanship​

Masamune was the man​

Kana the pupil​

​

Kana was honored​

The rumors said he was good​

She remained waiting​

​

Many thoughts surfaced​

To be taught by a master​

To be considered​

​

She would do her best​

She would not fail her teacher​

For she dared not to​

​

Meditative pose​

She sat there idly waiting​

The man would come soon​

​

[member="masamune tametomo"]​

 

[Masamune Tametomo]

A single man entered the room
His clothing simple and plain.
In one hand he held a broom
The other remained empty.

He bowed to the woman,
A greeting in traditional style.
He appeared to be a common
Man, a laborer in such a place.

"I have been sent to greet you, child."
A simple phrase, unfettered by needless words.
His tone, his voice, of kind and mild
Humor borne not of mirth, but of peacefulness.

"I have been told you are here
For a specific reason," he stated.
"One can presume, but without clear
Intentions, one cannot truly know.

For despite what can be seen,
One must understand that nothing
Is set in unyielding stone, clean
Cut and unmoving, as if frozen.

Tell me, o' Jedi, your need,"
He requested, his manner polite.
"For one to understand, we must proceed
With the simple, necessary formalities."

[member="Kana Truden"]

 

[Kana Truden]

"I beg forgiveness."​

She said and bowed politely.​

"I seek a master."​

​

"Another master."​

Kana smiled at the welcome.​

"I seek his knowledge"​

​

"My master sent me,​

He told of Masamune.​

I am most honored."​

​

She looked at the man.​

Was he a servant or not?​

It did not matter.​

​

All men were equal.​

Men with or without the force,​

It did not matter.​

​

"Do you know him well?​

Do you know Masamune?"​

Kana archer her brow.​

​

[ [member="Masamune Tametomo"] ]​

 

[Masamune Tametomo]

"A master you seek,"
The man did echo.
"To defend the weak?
Or to conquer all before you?

You see, he teaches all
Who comes to hear his wisdom.
Sith and Jedi both come to his hall
To learn from him of duty and peace.

The forge is his book,
The soul his pen and ink.
He shows all to look
Within themselves.

Selfless action, he will
Teach you, child.
To live life and fill
Your soul with compassion.

An open mind is needed
Before he can begin to teach.
Each word is to be heeded,
Not by letter, but by meaning.

Can you do this, child?
Can you unlearn what you know
And learn from raw, wild
Knowledge given freely?

Can you clear your mind
And heart of all things?
Can you bravely blind
Yourself to the galaxy you know?

If you can do all
This, child, then
Perhaps, in this hall,
Masamune may teach you."

[member="Kana Truden"]

 

[Kana Truden]

Selfless Compassion.​

It was part of the code.​

At least so she thought.​

​

She stared at the man.​

The man taught sides equally.​

She got curious.​

​

“He teaches both sides?”​

She did not mean to be rude.​

“Both sith and jedi?”​

​

She bowed with respect.​

“Neutrality is good,​

I can respect that.”​

​

“I would blind myself.​

To the galaxy and more,​

just to be tutored.”​

​

She nodded with joy.​

The padawan was eager.​

Would she disappoint?​

​

“If I am worthy.​

It’s not in my place to say.”​

Kana bowed humbly.​

​

[ [member="Masamune Tametomo"] ]​

 

[Masamune Tametomo]

"Wisdom is not wealth or gold,
Nor should it be hoarded as such.
Knowledge is not some bold
Treasure to keep locked away, child.

Wisdom is to teach
Others the paths before them.
To let them reach
Out and see their destiny.

Light and dark have no
Meaning to wisdom.
Sith and Jedi both go
Before Masamune's forge.

But he does not give
Them their paths, either.
For our paths we must live
On our own, choose on our own.

He simply gives all
A choice with such wisdom:
To force the galaxy to fall
Through knowledge abused

Or to defend it from
Such abused wisdom.
To protect against some
Horrid chance of fate.

Masamune teaches, child,
Of selfless service to all.
He teaches how to tame wild
Hearts and still chaotic minds.

But he does not teach
How it must be done.
Instead, you must reach
Out and discover how for yourself.

He teaches not the paths,
But the start, the road's splitting.
Though heaven's dire wrath
May descend, the path is of your own making."

[member="Kana Truden"]

 

[Kana Truden]

“He teaches basics?
I must open up my mind?”
She was so confused.

She may be eager,
she may be willing to learn,
but her mind stood still.

“I am sorry, sir.”
Kana quietly bowed down.
Not in apology, but shame.

“I don’t understand,
to seek the wisdom I want
I must do something,

But I don’t know what.”
Maybe deep down she knew it.
Had she always known?

The man was talking,
but all she heard was rhyming.
She reverted back.

---

What was the man trying to say? She had to clear her mind, let go of all that which she knew. [member="Masamune Tametomo"] may have been a wise man, but his assistant seemingly talked in riddles. Had the dark side thrown a curse on them perhaps? No, they had already established that wasn’t the case. Maybe Kana was simply being young and dumb again.

They had been talking for a while and each word had been a pain to think of. Kana’s head almost hurt as if her mind was saying no all of a sudden. She sat down again and closed her eyes in frustration.

“But he does not teach how it must be done.” Kana repeated to herself as her fingers rubbed against her nose. “Instead, you must reach out and discover how for yourself.”

Her eyes opened in surprise. Meditation? She was supposed to meditate on the matter? She looked over at the man with a dumb look on her face.

“Shall I meditate on the matter?” She called out. “To look within me to discover how?”

She had to admit, she was getting pretty angry at her self.

[ [member="Masamune Tametomo"] ]​