Hideshi, A Short Story - Part 1

By Jimmy Pavlick, 13 years old
Litchfield Hills Aikikai

Hideshi Tokoya, 28, was recently appointed assistant strategist to the Shogun himself and in Buddha's name, he will be worthy of his role. The enemy gathering at the border, he hastily called for his most trusted servant to dress him in his ornate battle armor. Ceremonial by origin, the last user, after having suffered permanent shoulder damage from an arrow, wisely chose to pay to reinforce it with iron. Though this made it unbearably hot if worn for extended periods of time, it made it more durable and didn't take away any of its beauty. The right leg has an ornamental dragon, made of ivory, on it winding up the leg and onto his side and finally winding into a large pearl in the center of his torso. The left leg was fairly simple, using the traditional woven plate design, except for the external add-on of the Indian elephant tusk tied to the shin and moving upward until it finally jutted out at the knee. The belt, made of orange dyed cloth, was tied around the waist armor, and connected in the front, using a buckle-like device shaped in the likeness of a demons skull. The chest had nothing but the dragon and the inlaid pearl. The shoulder pads were identical, both shaped purposely like water chestnut shells and a flaming sun standard in the middle. Each of the arms had a concealed fighting blade in case he had dropped his katana. Lastly, the helmÕ's face-mask was shaped like an ogre, or oni, with his crest at the top, shaped like a sort of distorted capital M, but with thorns jutting out from every angle. He dismissed his servant, and grabbed his expertly crafted, antiqued katana. He calmly walked through the numerous hallways of his manor, not knowing whether he would live to see his wife and son in Edo. He exited the large building for (little did he know) the last time.

TO BE COTINUED