Author's Post: Interview with Jubei

Author:  Are you happy with your role so far in this story?

Jubei:  To tell you the truth, No. I am not happy.  I broke Sakamoto out of prison, but other than showing up at crime scenes, I haven't had much action.

Author:  I know you want to confront Kageura, but I don't know quite how to set it up for this book, yet.

Jubei:  I understand being an author present difficulties in manipulation. The other characters would agree.

Author:  How do you want to confront Kageura?

Jubei:  I'd like to run into him, have a spar session - maybe more than one before the end of the book.

Author:  What have you been doing the past 150 years since the last battle.

Jubei:  Keeping a low profile.  Hunting demons.

Author: And Sakamoto, do you plan to tell him about Van Helsing?

Jubei:  Yes, when the time is right.

Author: How about yor plans for now, that you have broken Sakamoto out of jail.

Jubei:  I have a place out in the desert - he can rest there and we can work on strategy.

Author: I didn't know that. I thought you ad a place in Hollywood.

Jubei:  I do, but I also have a hideout in the desert, where I train. 

Author: Thank you for this interview, Jubei.  It has been quite helpful.

Jubei:  You are welcome.

Jubei Yagyu Entry: Breaking Ron Sakamoto out of Jail

The detective, Ron Sakamoto was arrested for killing his girlfriend and was arrested.  He was placed in a holding cell and awaiting his bail hearing.

It was a set up by the vampires.  I had to rescue him - but I had to do it without seriously hurting any of the policemen.

The only way to do it was to use a wooden sword, and to barge in. 

Fortunately, I have developed some supernatural strength since being afflicted witht his curse, as well as some stealth abilities.

I snuck into the jail and let the air direct me to Sakamoto's cell. When I got to it, he was in a cell with a dozen other people.  Was there a way to get him out without the others escaping also?  I made myself invisible to all except Sakamoto, then asked him to come to the cell door.  I opened the lock using some magic, and the door opened. Sakamoto slowly slid out.  Soon, the guards and the prisoners knew he was outside the cell.  Here is where we made a run for it.

As the prisoners jeered and cheered, the guards came running.  Carrying Sakamoto on my side, I ran through the guards knowcking them over with my arm, or hitting them on the side with my kendo stick, until we were outside - then I took to the air.

Ron Sakamot entry: I was arrested

I was arrested for killing my girlfriend, but I didn't even get a chance to call it in.  She burned and vanished, leaving no trace - yet within minutes, uniformed officers showed up and arrested me.  I admited i killed her, but in self-defense.

I can't describe the emotions I feel now.  I am grieving the loss of my beloved at my own hands, yet objectively, I know that was what had to be done. She was going to kill me.  And to top it of, the arrest... I am so confused.

Ron Sakamoto Entry: I Killed Maria

I had to do it.  I'm not crazy.

I hadn't seen her for a few days, but she was waiting for me at my home.  She looked different.  Void of humanity.  She tried to seduce me, and bared her fangs.  My words came out naturally, "Are you a vampire?"

"Yes," she answered.

She wanted me to join her.  She came closer.  It didn't matter what I thought, she was determined to bite into me, and feast off my blood.  I pushed her away.  Angered, she came at me.  But, somehow, Abraham Van Helsing's crucifix flew out of a drawer.  I didn't know it was there. 

Maria backed off, but her features indicated that the human was no longer there.  The physical appearance was just a shell for the creature.  She came at me again.  I grabbed a ceremonial sword i had on the wall for decoration, and instinctively, sliced off her head.

Jubei's Entry: On Kageura

Kageura is difficult to analyze. While alive, he was an honorable man, yet he was a lord. By nature, warlords are ambitious, but he and his clan were not overly so. 

His thirst for power came as he felt betrayed by the Tokugawas, but also with the transformation to being a vampire.  Even though the Tokugawas were no longer in power when he moved to the United States, he struggled with himself  - much of his struggles are internal, his honorable human self, with the dishonorable vampire self.

In Japan, in recent times, before he moved to the United States, he was pretty much content just existing, but his he has been resurrected now, in modern times, I can feel his ambitious spirit in the air.  Maybe I am wrong, but I think I am right.

Kageura Entry: Taira Clan Treasure

The reason I chose the United States to move to was not because I could not live as a  vampire in non-Tokugawa Japan, but because the divine Yamato sword, most likely is buried somewhere in the current Los Angeles.  It is said that whoever wields the sword weilds great power. 

When the Taira clan lost the Genpai War, it was rumored that a small faction of the clan stayed behind in Japan, and retrieved the Yamato sword and brought it to China, where the few survivors of the Taira clan fled to.  As the family integrated into Chines culture, the sword was lost and probably at that time, integrated into Chinese treasures.

The story continues that the sword was part of a treasure brought aboard one of the ships in the Chinese expedition around the world, which in 1421, reached the shores of North America.  The ship containing the sword was severely damaged during a storm, and sunk near the coast. but not before some of the treasure was saved and brought to shore.  No one knows what happened tot he treasure after that.

I am sure the sword is still with the other treasures, and will go on a quest to find it. Then I will use its powers.

Author's Entry: Candy is bit, part II

Candy walked faster.  The car slowly followed her, narrowed the gap.  The water swished underneath the car's tires, and pittypatted under her boots.  Candy increased he pace.  The car did the same.  Candy started to get angry.  It was the same guy who harassed her at the club. If steam was coming out of Candy's ears, the rains would douse it. 

Candy stopped.  The car stopped, then slowly caught up to her. 

"Come On, baby, I want a happy ending," the driver said.

"Listen, I do do that sort of thing.  If you are that desparate, then I suggest another part of town."

"But it's raining, and your here...I'm here now." The driver opened the door to the passenger side.  "Get in, please."

"No."

"I'm begging."

"No."

"You don't want me to make you, do you?"

"I can beat you up, any night."

"Oh,. yeah?  We'll see about that."  The driver started to open the door. Candy readied herself.  The driver got out, and as he got both feet out the car, he scrambled back in and floored the gas pedal. The passenger side door still open.

Candy was glad, a but shocked. While she knew she could beat him in a physical fight, she didn't think he'd run away like that.

Candy turned around and bumped into a solid form.  "Oh, excuse me," she said instinctively, and looked up.  A pair of long fangs descended upon her.

Author's Entry: Candy is Bit

Fortunately, that was Candy's last dance. Unfortunately, it was also Candy's last dance.  At 1:30 A.M., the clubs doors would be shut and locked in a half hour.  She sat in front of her dresser and sighed.  "Why did I ever leave Ohio?"

Candy Cain's real name was Mary Schlager.  She wasn't  a singer, so she couldn't audition for all those talent shows on television.  She could act, however, according to all the locals: friends, teachers, local drama critics.  The former Mary Schlager never liked her name and dreamed of moving to Hollywood, changing her name and make it big.  Candy Cain was not the name she imagined she'd have for herself.

Candy lived only a couple of blocks from the club - in a partially rennovated neighborhood regarded as an arts district.  There was debate whether the neighborhood got passed over for other areas of downtown Los Angeles which revitalization exceeded hers, or if the neighborhood was still in the process of urban renewal.

The rain poured hard.  Candy opened her umbrella, and walked out.  Headlights shined the way ahead from her from behind.  She was being followed.

Author entry: Possible opening for the actual book

Aspiring dancers move to New York, aspiring actresses move to Los Angeles.  Candy Cain moved to the latter, yet worked as the former.  Many people would refer her type of dance as an illegitimate form of dance.  At this point, she didn't care if it was or wasn't an artsy respected form of dancing.  All she cared was that it paid the bills.

The lack of customers indicated the weather outside: cold and rainy.  Candy received a small wage, but most of her income came from tips customer's would give her.  Not the tips from dancing - that would only pay the rest of her rent - the rest of her bills and any savings would come from tips customers would give her by keeping them company - not the way most people stereotyped the dancers - but literally, to keep company with the customer with conversation.

It was hard to be motivated when the customer pool was slim; and the cold wet air roaring in from the outside.  She went through her motions.  She didn't notice a tall shadowy man come in and stand near the corner of the room - nor did anyone else.  Her mind was focused on a problem customer sitting in front of her.

"Shake it, baby! Come on! What am I paying you for," he said as he shook a lone dollar bill in front of his face.

Candy ignored him, but he was relentless.  No use being nice to this guy - he was an obnoxious drunk.  Probably cheap, too.

The man, a short, thin, middle-aged balding man in his fifties, continued to verbally harass Candy, until he jumped on stage and grabbed her.  She punched him in the groin, and ran off stage.  This amused the strange man standing in the corner. 

"Never changes - the relationship between dancers and their customers - whatever the culture, whatever the time," he thought.

Ron Sakamoto Entry: ???

I had the scanner on on my way home.  A robbery had just taken place nearby and I swung over to see if I could catch the culprit.  But the patrol men were already there.  I got out and talked to the victim and the officers, and started back to my car. I looked into an alley as I passed by one, and saw a human figure on top of another.

I went closer to break it up.  The one on top looked at me.  She had an evil look to her. Blood dripped from her mouth.  I stepped back.  The vampire slowly crawled towards me, seductively and menacingly.  Suddenly she shrieked, turned around and disappeared.  A hand tounched my shoulder.

It was Jubei. 

"That was Maria,"  I stammered. 

"I know," he said. Flatly, without emotion, he said, "You must now destroy her."

Ron Sakamoto Entry: Ran into Jubei

I ran into the mysterious samurai today.  Or, rather he probably arranged it so that I'd run into him.  All the supernatural possibilities are overloading me: vampires, immortal beings.

"You are the famous Yagyu Jubei aren't you?" I asked, directly.

"My name is Yagyu Jubei, yes, but famous, I do not know."

"Of course you are.  You've been portrayed in countless movies."

"Those are all fiction."

"If you are 400 years old - this reality is more unbelievable than anything I've seen of you in movies."

"You've found your family records."

"Yes."

"Then you know about Kageura?"

"Kind of.  I didn't find the complete journal. Just bits, and I had to piece it together.  I would still like to hear it from a primary source."

Jubei proceeded to tell me the whole story, of course some of it was heresay, for there were periods where he was not involved in the tale.

This is getting stranger by the minute.  All my vampire knowledge came from the movies, and now Jubei tells me that this vampire cannot be staked, but must have his stomach slit and beheaded, like a ritual hara-kiri.

He asked me about Maria. I said that I had not seen her for a few days.  He said he had a strange feeling about her, but cannot pinpoint it, and perhaps i should she that she is all right.

I asked him how I can contact him, and he said, that he will know.  Whatever that means. 

Maria Ramos Entry: A New Life

I was walking along the street when a man came up to me.

"Ms. Ramos?"

"Yes."

"Excuse me, but I remember you from the party. I also read your bylines.  There's not just one.  There is a whole nest of them.  Hundreds of them.  I can take you to see where they live."

"Sorry, mister. I'm busy."  I tried to brush him off, but then he looked at me, stared into my eyes, and I could not resist.

"Please, Ms. Ramos.  I insist."

This man led me into a cave. I cannot remember how I got there.  He told me to look through a crack, and there were hundreds of them, as he said. 

"Welcome." A deep voice said, behind me.  I turned around.  He was tall, and appeared to be dressed in Japanese samurai armour. 

"Won't you join us?" He asked.  Instinctively, I exposed my neck and offered it to him.

Kageura v Jubei, pt 3

Continuing the account of the duel between Jubei and Kageura, Van Helsing wrote:

"The two men circled each other.  Yagyu waited for kageura to move first. Kageura swung at Yagyu's stomach. Yagyu deflected it.  Yagyu let Kageura initiate the attacks, deflecting each swing, countering only when he felt he could hit Kageura back. Kageura became impatient.  His swings gradually became less controlled. One one swing, Kageura sliced the fabric of Yagyu's kimono, but Yagyu deflected the blow and countered it with his own horizontal blow to the stomach. Yagyu's blow cut kageura, but not deep enough. Kageura charged at Yagyu, sword above his head.  Yagyu defelcted the oncoming blow, and in one motion, slcied horizontally against the stomach, and up across the neck. Kageura's head flew off and onto the floor."

I changed a word or two, but the above paragraph is an excerpt from the book, "Sword of the Undead," (lost in Sakamoto's world, but inour world, it is available on Amazon, and other online bookstores.)

Ron Sakamoto Entry: Kageura versus Jubei, circa 1872 pt. 2

It appears that the vampire, Kageura, kidnapped Harker's wife, Mina.  Van Helsing, with a group of people, including Jubei, confronted Kageura inside the castle, which I gather is kind of around where Dodger Stadium now stands.

A compilation of Van Helsing's writings to come up with the battle:

"The two men stared at each other.  This wasn't a duel between man and monster, it was between two master swordsmen.  They respected each other.  In this moment, Kageura's humanity came out.  He stated that he is the one who is cursed, not Jubei.  Jubei only wore a kimono, but Kageura was in full armor. Kagura took off his armor to make the fight fair."

"Yagyu Jubei Mitsuyoshi," proclaimed Jubei.

"Kageura Hidetora," replied back Kageura.

Ron Sakamoto Entry: Kageura versus Jubei pt. 1

It took all day, and although the full story of the battle with the Japanese vampire is not in one place, I think I've pieced together a fairly comprehensive story.

An attorney named Jonathan Harker had gone to Japan to finalize a real estate deal with a Japanese warlord.  Van Helsing mentored one of the early pioneers of mental health by the name of John Seward.  Seward and Harker were mutual friends of a woman named Lucy Westerna.  Lucy had been taken ill. Van Helsing concluded that it was the work of a vampire.

A mysterious Japanese samurai immigrant from Japan appeared.  Van Helsing wrote, "a stake through the heart won't kill these type of vampires, rather, the stomach must be slit, and then the body beheaded."  I couldn't find any other references to "these types of vampires," but I assume that there are differen types and different ways of destruction - not just the one few same way they show in movies.

Look at me, thinking vampires are real. What's scary is that after reading these things, and witnessing what I did at that party, I am starting to believe the existence of these creatures.

Van Helsing also described the Japanese samurai. Said his name was Jubei Yagyu. Hey, wait, wasn't that the famous samurai who disappeared back in the early-mid 1600's? (In real life, Jubei died in his  in his own village when he was 43 years old).   He described this samurai being tall, thin, with a forlorn lockof hair.  Why does this description sound so familiar?

Ron Sakamoto Entry: No, it couldn't be

Van Helsing's description of  Jubei fits that Japanese guy I keep running into.  But that is impossible. It would have been impossible in Van Helsing's time. Jubei was born in 1607. He would have been over 250 years old in Van Helsing's time, and he'd be over 400 years old, now. 

But vampires live forever.  What if Jubei was a vampire, also?

Jubei and the vampire fought. What if it was a battle between two vampires?  Or maybe Jubei is a vampire hunter.

This is just too much.  

I cam across Van Helsing's account of the sword fight - but I'd like to put together other writings that put that fight into context.

Ron Sakamoto entry: Asking Ma About Great Grandpa

My mother is the keeper of  great grandpa Van Helsing's personal writings.  I found out he is actually my great-great grandfather, and he was much much older than his wife, like about 30 or 40 years.

I asked her about what she knew regarding his chronicles about fighting a vampire in the 1870's.

She said the exact records of that one is lost, but it is referenced in some of his other writings. I asked if I could see them, or better yet, if any photos of him existed.  She said yes.

There was one photo, a portrait photo of a couple - they were my great great grand parents.  He looked like a scholar, hardly one who looked like one who would hand-fight a vampire and win, or even be competitive - but looks can be decieving. 

Now that I can kind of picture him, meanwhile Mom was bringing me tons of papers written by him.  I could begin my research. There was a lot of material to go through.

Maria Ramos Entry: Bit by a Dog

I was bit by a dog. It seemed friendly enough.  But I guess it was scared. I reached over to check to see if it had any identification attached, and it bit me and ran away.

I've read about those rare instances where innocent dog bites lead to blood infections, which lead to amputations, and the bite did break my skin, so I put on some antiseptic, bandaged it and went to urgent care. 

When the doctor removed my bandage, the wound, small as it was, had healed completely. There was no sign of a dog bite.  But it had been less than an hour.

Strangely enough, since the dog bite, I hear voices, specifically, a voice, as if it is calling me.  It is a commanding, yet alluring voice.  It just calls.