Just really inspired to write a story like this, not sure where it will go, but I figured I'd start somewhere. It won't be historically accurate, so please keep that in mind. Enjoy!

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Dust kicked up with each step he took, his sandals already worn from the long journey. He had many more steps to go, and many long challenges awaited him, but he was making good progress. The man walked along the dirt path alone, around him was grasslands and rice farms. An occasional boulder or pagoda was placed on the pathway, which he carefully observed. His hand gripped the handle of a katana, though relaxed at the moment. He knew he was alone on this path.

From a distance, a farmer caught sight of him walking along. The man rode on a small wagon pulled by steadfast oxen. He was returning to his farm from the nearby town, carrying food and supplies from the trades he made. He studied the man walking alone - his face was shrouded with a straw hat, but he could see long, seemingly dark-blue hair that grew down to his shoulders. The man wore a light blue kimono, and the farmer noticed him carrying a katana on his left side.

When the two were close enough, the farmer called, "Hello there, where are you heading?", his cart slowing as he pulled on the reigns, letting the oxen stop for the man to pass by.

The swordsman stopped for the moment to let his feet rest, and he replied to the farmer, "I'm traveling to Shinrin Village, is it far from here?"

The farmer shook his head, "Shinrin is just a few more miles in that direction. If I may ask, where are you traveling from?", he asked out of curiosity, taking a sip of water at this moment.

The man knew this farmer was not anyone who would be any kind of threat to him, so he answered, "My journey began at Shika Temple on Yagi Mountain."

Nearly choking, the spit the water out in surprise, "Yagi Mountain?! That's nearly on the other side of the country! And you walked all the way here?!", he questioned immediately. The swordsman nodded, and the farmer slunk back in his seat, "That's quite a trip to come all the way here! Well I must be off, I hope you find what you are looking for. Here, take this, I hope it will help.", he said, and pulling out a mango, he tossed it to the swordsman, who caught it with one hand.

The farmer continued with the oxen, never looking back at the swordsman. He bit into the mango, and savored the taste of the fruit. He had not eaten one in a long time.

Continuing on, he walked for a few more hours before making it to Shinrin Village. On the outskirts of the village was a small bar, where he stopped to rest before continuing on his way. As he walked in, he saw that the people there were eying him and his swords. He approached the bar and sat down, removing the hat on his head.

The bar was quaint, lit with hanging lanterns and decorated with various statues of samurai armor, geishas, and Buddhas. There were a few tables with customers having their own conversations, a few of them looking at the swordsman. The bar was made from a beautiful redwood that seemed to glisten in the light of the lanterns. Behind the bar were glass shelves with various bottles, the liquor within each was illuminated and seemed to beckon to all who looked upon them.

The bartender approached, "What'll you have?", he asked the man.

"Something exotic, if you don't mind...", he began, looking up at the selection of liquor displayed behind the bartender. One bottle with an intricate shape and a beautiful amber color caught his eye. "What is that one there?", he asked, pointing to it.

The bartender looked at the bottle, and then said, "Ah, that one is an import from Italy. It's called amaretto."

"A shot of that, please.", the man replied, placing a few coins on the bar. The man nodded and poured him a generous amount in a shotglass. He placed it before the man, and taking the coins, he asked, "So what do they call you, my friend?"

The swordsman downed the shot of amaretto, the almond taste was quite pleasing to him. He replied to the bartender, "Kuwaddo."

"Kuwaddo? Interesting name.", the bartender replied, and pouring another shot into the man's glass, said, "One on the house. Not very many people drink this liquor, they usually prefer the sake or some of that American whiskey there."

"It's quite good...", Kuwaddo replied, and raised the shotglass in salute to the bartender before downing it.

"So if I may be rude to ask, what business do you have here in Shinrin?", the bartender questioned. He continued to eye the swords on his belt. "I hope you're not here to cause any trouble."

"Actually, not at all. I really am just here for spiritual purposes. There is a monk I need to speak with.", Kuwaddo replied, and standing, he bowed in respect and left the building.

The bartender scratched his head curiously. "Interesting...he looked like such a threat, and yet he's here to speak with a monk?", he questioned himself.

A few moments later, the swordsman stood at the door of the Buddhist temple of the village. The door opened before he had the chance to knock, and he stepped inside, passing under an arch colored in green and red. He was expected today.

He walked down a path that went through a lovely Zen garden. All around were rock gardens, statues of the Buddha, and small koi ponds with bamboo water features that made soothing sounds when filled. He observed dragonflies passing by him and landing on the lily pads on the ponds, their wings seemed to glow with a beautiful pink hue. He entered into a grand pagoda-style building, where a Zen monk was sitting on a zafu (Buddhist meditation pillow). The monk stood when he saw the swordsman approach.

Bowing to him, Kuwaddo knelt onto one of the zafus. The monk bowed himself, and returning to his own seat, he asked, "Have you come to a decision?"

"I have.", Kuwaddo spoke, "I understand the saying now."

The monk nodded, "Please, enlighten me on your wisdom."

The swordsman recited the famous saying, "When you see the Buddha on the road, kill him. When I first considered what this meant, I took it literally - when we see ourselves being a 'holy man', we are to kill the notion of holiness within and just be ourselves. But I now understand it has a deeper meaning. What it means is to see the Buddha everywhere. To treat everyone and everything as if they were the Buddha, and to kill the thought that he was a man who lived long ago. I now see the Buddha in all things. Is this what I was supposed to learn?"***

The monk contemplated on this, and then nodded his head, "It is. You understand the saying well. But since you have considered it literally, did you come all this way to 'kill the holy man' you see? Do you intend to strike me with your katana?", he then questioned.

At this moment, Kuwaddo smiled and stood, bowing to the monk and then began to leave the temple. "Aren't you going to answer my question, as I answered yours?", the monk asked him.

Kuwaddo stopped and unsheathed what the monk believed to be a katana. Instead, to his surprise, it was actually an umbrella with a handle that looked like that of a sword.

"I just killed the Buddha.", Kuwaddo replied, and sheathing his umbrella, he left the monastery to travel back to the Shika Temple.

The monk bowed in respect, "A path we must all follow.", he said.


*** - Quoted from The Zen Book by Daniel Levin