Kuranosuke

Kuranosuke was supposed to be a fisherman. It is the way for those born at the bottom of the great falls, where the river spray coats every surface. But the sway of the boats made their stomach churn, and the nets always felt tangled and foreign in their hands. The shame of it led them to climb the winding stone stairs away from the water. High up, they found a small, neglected plot of earth. They traded their fishing gear for a simple apple stick. Other trainees see it and assume they are practicing some secret martial art. Kuranosuke never corrects them. It is easier than admitting they just use it to check if the soil is soft enough for planting. Easier than admitting the roar of the water below still sounds like failure.