Blast to The Past Ch. 5
By Ryu Dragon

On the next day…

Natalie arrived at the Master’s mansion. She came out from the car that picked her up from the airport. She gazed the mansion in amazement. ‘No matter how many times I’ve come here, I’m still feeling soooooooo… I don’t know…’ – she thought. She walked to the door and pushed the doorbell. In the next two seconds, the door was opened by a servant. She greeted the servant and then walked into the mansion.

From a spiral stair, came a beautiful woman. Her hair was blonde, she was about the same age as Ken, and she is wearing a purple dress. She was Eliza, Ken’s wife.

“Eliza !” – Natalie ran to her.

“Natalie ! Welcome !” – Eliza. The two women gave each other a warm hug.

They let go of each other. Eliza held Natalie’s shoulders and looked at her. She smiled. “My, look at you, you’ve grown a bit bigger… and tougher.”

Natalie laughed. “Sure, sure. But I still can’t beat the woman who could defeated Ken with only words.”

They both laughed.

“Hey, what are you two laughing at ?” – Ken suddenly emerged from the room next door.

The two women winked at each other and grinned. “Just some girls talk.” – Eliza.

“He he heh, is that so ?” – Ken. He walked toward Natalie and they hugged at each other. “How are you, Natalie ?”

“I’m fine, Ken, thanks. And ready for the reunion.” – Natalie.

“Good, and I hope you weren’t too tired from the travelling to here.” – Ken.

“Well, I’m not. Why ?” – Natalie.

“There was a slight change of plan. We’re leaving for Japan tonight.” – Ken.

“Tonight ?” – Eliza and Natalie together.

“Yep. There was a bit of surprise waiting there, and if we’re too late, the surprise might go away.” – Ken.

“Oh ? What is it ?” – Eliza.

“Oh no you don’t, then it won’t be a surprise anymore.” – Ken.

“Oh, you’re mean.” – Eliza and Natalie pouted together at the same time.

Then the threesome laughed.

***

Ryu Dragon woke up that morning with a headache and itches all over his body. ‘Darn, I knew I shouldn’t had the fourth bottle, last night.’ He held his head with both hands. Suddenly he felt a throb in his head. ‘Oow. This is gonna be a long day.’ He lazily got out of the bed and went into the shower. After he took off his clothes, he turned on the shower and…

“Aaaarghhh !!!”

A stream of very cold water hit his body squarely on his chest.

…

…

‘I hate cold.’

***

“Ohayo gozai masu (Good morning), Ryu.” Said Yuki cheerfully.

“Ohayo gozai masu, Yuki.” – Ryu Dragon.

“I see that you still remember the Japanese lesson that I gave you.” – Yuki.

He laughed a little. “Only a few words.” He then helped Yuki preparing breakfast. He looked around. “Where is your grandpa, Yuki ?”

“He’s in the garden now, feeding the goldfishes.”

“Has he had breakfast ?”

Yuki nodded. “Yes, he usually wake up very early and prepared his own breakfast.”

Ryu Dragon blushed a bit. ‘I usually wake up early too.’ – he thought. ‘If not because of last night.’

“Grandpa said that he wants to see you after breakfast.” Said Yuki, cutting Ryu Dragon’s thought.

“Oh ? What about ?”

“I don’t know.”

“Okay.” Then they had breakfast together.

***

After breakfast, Ryu Dragon went to the garden to see Yuki’s grandfather. He found him sitting on a stone near the fishpond. He walked to his side and sit down on a rock near the pond. “Ohayo gozai masu, Yasumura-san.”

“Ohayo gozai masu, Ryu.” – Grandpa. “How are you this morning ?”

“A bit headache from last night, but I’m fine, thank you.” – Ryu Dragon.

Grandpa laughed. “I see that you’re not good with drinking.”

Ryu Dragon laughed. “Actually I’m allergic to alcohol. I can only drink a bit. But I guess yesterday was an exception.”

“Indeed.” – Grandpa.

“Yasumura-san, Yuki said that you wanted to see me.” – Ryu Dragon.

Grandpa smiled. He got up then started to walk. Ryu Dragon also got up and followed him. “Ryu, I could sense from you that you had a great energy in you. Tell me, are you a fighter ?”

“Yes, I am.”

Grandpa suddenly stopped and faced Ryu Dragon. He locked his gaze onto Ryu Dragon’s eyes and asked “Are you a warrior ?”

Still looking at the older man’s eyes, Ryu Dragon said with confidant. “No, I’m not a warrior, yet.”

Grandpa looked at Ryu Dragon’s eyes and didn’t say a word for a while. “Why do you say that ?”

He diverted his gaze away. “I… don’t know.” He glanced at the sky. “I never thought about that.”

Grandpa turned around and walked toward the house. “Come.”

They got into the living room and saw Yuki watching TV. “Yuki, aren’t you working today ?” – Grandpa.

“No, Grandpa. This is Saturday.” – Yuki.

“Ah yes.” He patted his head lightly. “Yuki, can you please get the box in my room, under my bed ?”

“Get it here, Grandpa ?”

“Yes please.”

Three minutes later, Yuki came in again, carrying a long but not too big box. She placed the box on the table in front of her grandpa and sat on his side. Grandpa opened the box and pulled out three kinds of weapons. One is a katana, its scabbard was still in top condition, and the hilt was decorated with four red jewels. Another weapon is a saber, its scabbard and hilt were made of wood and it looked like still in top condition. The last weapon is a katana, its scabbard was made of black wood and had three stained metal rings on it (the scabbard). He placed all the weapons on the table, hilts facing Ryu Dragon.

“Ryu, these three weapons had been in Yasumura’s family for generations. In every Yasumura’s generation, there should’ve been someone who was worth to inherit them.” – Grandpa. He sighed. “But…” He shook his head. “I hate to admit that for two generations after me, there was no one who is worth to receive them.”

“Yasumura-san…” – Ryu Dragon.

Grandpa held his hand up. “According to the rule in our family, if, until the one who inherited the weapons dies, and there was no one worth enough to inherit them…”

“Grandpa. Why are you saying this ? You’re still as healthy as you were young.” – Yuki. She held her grandfather arm.

Grandpa laughed. “Yuki, I know my own limit and strength. I won’t leave too long anymore, probably two or three years more.” He sighed. “I wished I can see your marriage and children.”

Yuki blushed. “Grandpa…”

Grandpa laughed again. “Now, now, let’s get back to the topic, shall we ? Now where was I ? Ah yes, as I was about to say, if the heir died before the weapons were given to someone in Yasumura’s family, he or she has to destroy the weapons. But I felt pity if I have to destroy them.” He looked at Ryu Dragon’s eyes. “Then you came, Ryu. You are a very strong fighter, and I think you can be a warrior, a true warrior. I don’t know if it is a sign, but… Ryu Dragon, will you become the heir of these weapons ?”

Both Yuki and Ryu Dragon were surprised to hear the request. Yuki looked at Ryu Dragon who looked like he was thinking about the offer. Then Ryu Dragon looked up to her grandfather.

“I… its really a big honor, Yasumura-san. But… I can’t accept the honor.” – Ryu Dragon. He looked at Grandpa’s disappointment’s expression. “Please, don’t get me wrong. I’m not a Yasumura’s family member, which is why I can’t become the heir. But…”

“But… ?” – Grandpa.

“But what I can do is to trained a member of Yasumura’s family so he or she can become someone who is worth to inherit the weapons, and in the meantime, I’ll be willing to look after the weapons until that person is ready.”

Both men looked at each other. Suddenly, Grandpa laughed. “Very well. I accept that. But, you also have to be tested first if you’re worth enough to look after the weapons.”

“How ?” – Ryu Dragon.

“It’s easy. Choose the right weapon among them. If you choose the wrong one, then you lose, if you choose the right one, you win. But…” – Grandpa. “You have to choose without seeing the blade part, without taking out the weapons from their scabbards.”

Ryu Dragon frowned. It is indeed a difficult test. If he was allowed to take each weapon from its scabbard, he could picked which was the great weapon, but without taking any of them out ? That was ridiculous… “Okay, I accept the challenge, but can I at least touch them ?”

Grandpa nodded.

Ryu Dragon took the first weapon, the beautiful katana. He held it with both hands and shut his eyes. After half a minute, he placed the katana back, then took the second weapon, the wooden scabbard saber and did the same thing as the first time. He also did the same thing with the last weapon, the katana with stained scabbard. After he ‘inspected’ all the weapons, he shut his eyes, thinking about his examinations. Then, after one minute, he opened his eyes.

“I know which one is the great weapon.” – Ryu Dragon smiled.