Here is the preface...I think it's worth your time to get into
this before going into the meat.  Again, I beg C&C of this
story...

 |   . And Giving Fuji             |              . 
 |   .                             |               .
 |   .      by                     |    - - - - - -.- -
 |   .                             |    - Contact  .  -
 |   .    Vincent Diamante  (diamante@gonzaga.org) .  -
 |   . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .  -
 | A Samurai Spirits Fanfic        |    - - - - - - - -
 |_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|_|

-  - - --p r e f a c e-- - -  -

        As for what is written down here, every single word
        should be given thought.   If you think about it in
        broad outlines, you will get many things wrong.

                        -Miyamoto Musashi, The Book of Five Rings

   Encouragement to write notes to accompany this story has always
been and continues to be high.  So too is resistance to such
encouragement.  Instead, there comes this prologue which serves very
few of the wishes expressed by many who have read drafts of this
work.  Rather, this addresses the needs of another reader.
   The quote from Miyamoto's work which I choose to head this piece
of fiction is rather appropriate.  This is not a series of events;
this is a series of descriptions.  Indeed, I have grown quite fond of
referring to this as a collection of sentences, a growth of details.
It is not only an interesting way of looking upon this piece; indeed,
it is a correct way.  Are there other correct ways?  There may very
well be; I do not have the authority to say such things as "No" and
"Never."  Or do I?
   What was it that Hamlet said?  "Nothing is neither good nor bad
but thinking which makes it so."
   Of course, he also said, "Words, words, words!"
   Miyamoto makes another comment which is equally appropriate.  "A
specialty of martial arts is to see that which is far away closely
and to see that which is nearby from a distance."  One must perceive
as well as observe.  He goes on to say, "Things like this are hard to
master all at once when you are in a hurry."  Time is of the essence.
"Words!"  If they are not worth your significant time and effort, I
beg to differ.
   Words are wonderful things, though.  Perhaps far too wonderful in
this story as they have become the deciding factor in this story?
Perhaps the sentences reign, as I wished them to in starting this
story, over all?  Does the small have dominion over the large?  The
precise over the broad?  Words are wonderful things, I do think.
   Wait.  Hamlet was acting as a fool when he said that.
   And what of pace?  Yagyu Munenori makes a wonderful statement on
"stride" in his Book of Family Traditions on the Art of War.  "Your
stride should not be too quick or too slow.  Steps should be taken in
an unruffled, casual manner."  Take this for what it is worth.
   I sincerely believe that one can learn from this work.  One should
learn from any work; this, in particular, is one of the biggest
learning experiences of my life.  It is a wonderful, yet frightening
experience in dreaming this story piece by piece.  What a dream it
is!  What a dream it continues to be!
   The Ainu are a bewildering piece of history.  The Tokugawa period
treated these people terribly...and in doing so created this fanfic.
Shall I thank a heartless Japanese more than the contributer of
characters?  Perhaps.
   Is the story a message?  Never.
   Does a message exist?  Many, in fact, do.  Such are the gifts to
those who desire them.
   The Mark of Cain?  Yes.
   Much appreciation I give to Richard Taylor (THE Nakoruru), Timothy
Miller (another Nakoruru), Andrew Huang (Shizumaru), and Rob Barba
(sorry, don't have a nick for you.  ^^;;) for an assortment of
reasons.
   Thoughts and remembrance go to Nanase Aoi, the creator of the
characters of Nakoruru and Rimururu.
   The Book of Five Rings contains many wonderful statements.
Perhaps the one that best applies occurs near the end of "The Earth
Scroll."
   "Do not do anything useless."
   It goes rather well with the quote first cited, I do think.

-  - - --p r e f a c e t o t h e p r e s e n t v e r s i o n-- - -  -

   May I take the time to again quote Miyamoto?

   "It is by no means possible for me to write down this science
precisely as I understand it in my heart."

   So too with this work.  Or perhaps it a science?  Another quote of
Hamlet, if you will allow me.  "What dreams may come?"  Hopefully,
none; to dream this story is to be frightened to death.



-Sklathill