Blood on the Katana Sword

Chapter 8

GREAT NEWS!!! Grandma told me I DON’T have to be a guy to inherit the sword. As the first-born child I am the RIGHTFUL HEIR to it! If only Mr. Elliot Papa Watanaga had known that all along. The tradition of passing on stuff to the next gen must have gotten lost in translation or misinterpreted somewhere along the line. It definitely has. You had ONE job, bloody historians and translators and “tradition upholders”. But it doesn’t matter anymore. I got the TRUTH from wise ole granny now. I wish she had told me this loooong before the existence of the sword crossed paths with me. I could then get it and use it to keep me financially afloat BEFORE I even had the first shot of testosterone.

If only dad knew this, too. Then the sword won’t be wrapped in a package, travelling all the way to the Big Apple to some ultra-rich, distant cousin who happens to have the same surname as mine but with nothing but MALE PRIVILEGE on his side.

Next, granny also told me that her daughter (mom) had always been taught to be her true self without compromise, and looks like she (mom) had passed the lesson on to her own children, too, before saying goodbye. Grandma said this out loud, but something tells me — like a feeling inside me — that mom is smiling down at me from heaven for having the C O U R A G E to be true to myself. I LOVE YOU, LADIES!!!!!!!

(Sincerely, a MAN.)

Now that I have the TRUE knowledge about my family’s tradition and the humorous support of the coolest grandma in town, Imma walk straight up to Mr. Jeremiah Watanaga and claim what is rightfully mine! Haha. If he doesn’t persecute me first, that is. I dunno if he’s the type to put up a fight first what am I saying? Of COURSE, he will. We Japanese are conditioned to defend and protect our personal property and rights AT ALL COSTS, including pushing each other out of the way if necessary. That sounds a little too savage for the modern world. But I never know what kind of obstacles my cousin will put in my way when he realises I’m coming for the sword. I’m not sure what to expect. Does he have it highly guarded or something in some underground basement safe with a passcode lock on it and lasers all over the place like some National Maximum Security Bank? Probably. Knowing how rich he is……

Even though we’re family, I doubt things are gonna be THAT easy to have him just calmly hand over the sword after a civil discussion like a pair of civilized, decent men like in all those happy endings.

Is it?

ERIC.

I’m getting REAL sick of period cramps. When can the Testosterone with a Capital T do its thing and somehow STOP the bloody estrogen from coming out and doing their shitty thing onto my poor, poor body???

Maybe it’s ANOTHER hormone’s job to do that estrogen-inhibiting thing but AAAAH DAMN TGHSES GOHRMONES ARE JICKING IN ANDHKILLING ME!!!!hejdhsj€|¥}^{*~

K, never mind. They’re gone. Just like that. But ouch.

On the BRIGHT side :)

1. I am NOT a r****t, unlike too many rock stars of the past century.

2. I know how to take NO for an answer and respect others’ boundaries, but I’m not even sexually active so meh, whatever, for now.

3. I am aware of the potential MALE PRIVILEGE that I may get as a guy once I appear guy-ish enough on the outside, waaaaaay before Matt brought it up to me.

4. I don’t do drugs.

5. I’m still a feminist. Just not the “radical” kind that bash women up for choosing traditional roles like taking on their husband’s surname or anything. Nope. That ain’t feminism.

6. I still support LGBTQA+ individuals and gender equality. Like, duh.

7. I am NOT a bully, and I will NEVER be one.

8. I’m still a good person, right? I’ve made some bad, impulsive, selfish decisions but I still deserve friendship, love, and support from my family, right? RIGHT!!!

ERIC.

I have reached the very bottom of BOTH of mom’s jewellery boxes and I found something mom had collected just for me — it said so in the note that she put with it. It’s a small white badge with a pink and blue butterfly design on and the words “I am You, Be a Trans Ally” written on the wings. Mom said in her note that the fight for Trans Rights (and Gay Rights in general) won’t end with her passing, so she hoped that her children, me and Marissa or just ONE of us, will continue the battle with full heart and honour.

Is this like a sign or something that mum’s proud of me? Right after I talked to grandma and feel loved by her I go and found this little gem in mom’s stuff. Mom, are you trying to tell me that you’re happy with me too? This might be just a coincidence but I DON’T want to believe it is. I love you mom and HELL YES, I’LL PUT MY WAR PAINT (your badge) ON AND FIGHT TO THE DEATH IN YOUR NAME AND FOR MY HONOUR AND MY IDENTITY!!!!!!

“War Paint”. That would make a good song title, too, don’t cha think, Red Blossoms?

ERIC.