[Manveru]

This is part one of the Padded Ninja School story!

SCROLL ONE: TRAINING

*THWACK! THWACK! THWACK!*

“Ah! Ahhhh! Ow!!!!”

Ishuze fell backwards, holding his bokken in front of his head to block any further incoming blows. His trainer, Master Huna, backed off, letting his own bokken fall to his side.

“Ishuze,” he barked angrily, “you must concentrate! You will not pass the ninja academy’s test in your weak state!”

Ishuze looked away from Huna’s harsh gaze. He stood slowly, feeling the ache in his shoulders and side where Huna had struck him.

“If you think the bokken hurts, wait until you are facing foes with weapons that can kill! You won’t last a single battle!”

Ishuze gritted his teeth and gripped his bokken so tight that his knuckles went white. He assumed a ready pose, and waited for Huna to strike at him again.

I must be strong…for them…for my parents…

“Focus, Ishuze. If you fall again, our training is over!” Huna charged at him, bringing his sword down swiftly. Ishuze deflected it and rolled around behind him, swinging his bokken at the back of Huna’s legs. Huna leapt forward and spun, dodging the strike and landing perfectly.

“Good, good. You’re learning. But you must be faster than that to defeat me!” He charged again as Ishuze was standing up, catching him off his guard. The young ninja rolled again, but he was forced to abandon his weapon. He expected Huna to kick it over to him, but he left it on the ground.

“Your enemies do not know honor, Ishuze, and they will seize any opportunity they can to get an advantage.” He stood behind the weapon, placing his foot on top of it.

“If you want your weapon back, you’re going to have to get it from me.” Ishuze stared at him. He thought for a moment, and an idea struck him. He charged blindly at Huna, flailing his arms. Huna moved back and stuck his weapon out to trip his student, but Ishuze was one step ahead. He fell early and rolled, grabbing the bokken and using it as leverage to knock Huna off balance. Huna fell and before he knew it, Ishuze’s bokken was at his throat.

“Good, good,” Huna said, panting slightly, “improvisation, deception, and agility. All skills a ninja must utilize.”

Ishuze offered Huna his hand, and Huna grasped it. He jerked Ishuze’s arm, pulling him to the ground, and jabbed his own bokken to his throat.
“Never attempt to help an enemy, Ishuze. Never.”

Ishuze struggled.

“B-but I beat you!”

“Not quite. I never said the duel was over.”

“That’s not fair,” he protested, “If I had had a real sword, I could have killed you right then and there!”

“That’s true, but the ninja does not deal with ‘ifs.’ I was still alive and able to fight, and the duel was still on. But you’re right, that was a win for you.” He released Ishuze and the pair stood, squinting as the setting sun shot a few rays through the cloud cover.

“Tomorrow is your final test, Ishuze. Are you prepared?”

“Yes, Master Huna, I will not fail. I thank you for your teaching. I promise, I will not let you down.”

“Good, good. Would you like some assistance practicing your ninpo tonight?”

“No, Master, I believe I can practice on my own now. After all, you won’t be there to help me during the test.”

“Good. I will see you a true ninja tomorrow then, Ishuze. Good luck, and sleep well.”

“And you as well, Master,” Ishuze said, heading off towards his home.

“One more thing, Ishuze,” Huna called out.

“Yes, Master?”

“I’m sure your parents would be very proud. I’m sad that they cannot be with us.”

“…Yes, Master,” Ishuze replied, strolling away, his head now drooping a bit.

Ishuze was a ninja in training at the Hukinara Ninja Academy, one of the most prestigious ninja training schools in the world. His parents had sent him there after a disturbance in their village in which Ishuze’s younger sister, Jenji, was killed. His parents had not contacted him once since his first year at the school, and they had told him he was not to come home until he was a true ninja.

As Ishuze walked back, he was ambushed! The school janitor, Toko, jumped out from between two buildings and shook his broom almost threateningly in Ishuze’s direction.

“Hello, Toko.”

“Ahh, Ishu-san! I hear that your final test is tomorrow, yes?”

“That’s correct, Toko-san.”

“Are you nervous?”

“Yes, a bit,” Ishuze admitted.

“I’m sure you will do fine, Ishu-san. Your parents are great ninjas, you come from a good family.”

“I suppose so.”

“And don’t worry, Ishu-san, if you do fail, we always have need of another janitor," Toko said, smiling and winking. Ishuze laughed.

“Thanks, Toko, that makes me feel a lot better.” Ishuze headed back to his room and fell asleep quickly. He dreamt of his parents and his long-dead sister. He dreamt of all of them showing up to his final test and embracing him as he graduated at the head of his class. A wonderful warm feeling spread over him.

He awoke from his pleasant dream to find that he had wet his bed.