Viperia always felt gloomy, even on the clearest and sunniest of days. Overhanging trees and poisonous bogs cast dark shadows across the Poison Type Kingdom, the Ninja Kingdom's reputation only enhancing the effect further, but they did little to deter the visiting Warlord of Terrera from arriving at his destination. Shingen's heavy steps echoed off the bare walls of the old, wooden enclave he found himself in, the Warlord looking around for any sort of sign of life other than the lone warrior who was silently leading him down the hall. When he saw none, Shingen cleared his throat uncomfortably.
"Eh, how many more turns until we get to your lord?" the only reply of the man covered from head to toe in black was to abruptly stop, turn to an adjacent sliding door, and gesture to it before disappearing in a shadowy blur. Shingen only sighed and opened the door. He knew it was their job to be shadowy, but would it kill them to say something once in a while?
To his complete lack of surprise, it was empty.
Not knowing what else to do, he walked in slowly, sitting down on the rough mats in the center of the dimly-lit room, eyes darting around the corners of his mask, scrutinizing the shadows around him and trying to figure out where someone would be most likely to hide. To his surprise, however, the hidden occupant decided to materialize right in front of him, sitting down across from the somewhat startled Warlord and silently looking over him. Shingen had a feeling it was nothing more than an attempt to further throw him off balance; if the old man across from him was truly trying to asses him, then he would have done it before greeting him, from safety the shadows. This was just an attempt at trying to unnerve him - a less than subtle reminder of where exactly he was. The man in red refused to show any more weakness.
"Lord Shingen," the old man finally said, his voice as creaky as the floorboards. "What is your business here today?"
"I'm short one spymaster and need a replacement," Shigen paused for the fraction of a second, looking over the decrepit man's expression before continuing. "Since Viperia's - particularly your school's - ninja are considered amongst the best in the region, I came here."
The master across from him raised a bony hand to his long beard, running through it as he looked over the Warlord seated across from him again. After an agonizingly long wait, the man finally gave a small nod, standing up again. "I believe I have someone who might interest you."
Shingen's eyes stayed on the man as he snapped his fingers, doing his best to look unsurprised as the warrior who let him in practically materialized next to the aging master. The old man whispered something in discernable into his student's ear, the ninja giving a nod before he disappeared as suddenly as he materialized, and leaving the visiting Warlord even more confused. Shingen coughed uncomfortably as the room descended into an awkward silence again, which only seemed to make the muggy atmosphere of it even thicker, the man sitting across from him only tugging at his long beard reservedly as they waited. The ninja rematerialized seconds later, this time a much smaller figure standing besides him, before giving a bow to the elderly man and vanishing again.
The little girl who was left behind, her brown hair tied up into a ponytail and frame obscured by a large, white shawl that nearly swallowed her torso, gave the unfamiliar man before her a toothy smile like he was an old friend. Shingen could only blink at the child standing before him, eyes shakily drifting over to the elderly man seated across from him, and silently demanding an explanation.
"Kunoichi," the man uttered with a small smile, gesturing to the small girl standing next to him with a shaky hand. Shingen had raised an eyebrow behind his mask, eyes drifting back up to Kunoichi, whose cheery disposition refused to falter.
"What's your name?"
"Kunoichi, mister!" she chirped out, and Shingen felt the edges of his lips quiver slightly.
"All right..." the Warlord nodded, tugging at his sleeves uncomfortably before speaking again.
"But what's your name?" it seemed like a rather reasonable question to him; at the very least he could try to call her something more personal than just 'Kunoichi', but her response was to only cross her arms, wide smile morphing into a thin line like he had just said something idiotic.
"Kunoichi," the young girl replied with an expression that would have been deadpan, had it not been for her raised eyebrow. "Didn't I just tell you?"
"Okay... And your last name?" the Warlord asked hopefully. Kunoichi just looked at him like he had grown a second head, and for a moment Shingen had to wonder how a kid who apparently had no idea what a last name was could make him feel so silly.
"Last name?" she repeated, voice oozing curiosity, like it was the first time she had heard the term.
Shingen could only redirect his gaze at the master of the school once more, doing his best to keep his lips in a reserved line as he silently demanded an explanation. When none came, the elder simply staring back at him in a silent battle of wits, the Terreran finally gave ground and spoke first.
"I'm not employing a kid," his words carried the weight of a commander, one used to having his word be the final authority on any matter. The old man only nodded, almost apathetically, while Kunoichi's shoulders dropped, mimicking her face as she looked down at the old floorboards with an expression that Shingen saw as being utterly crushed. The man in red felt a small pang of guilt in his gut at the sight, like he had just snuffed out a candle and left her alone in the dark, but he quickly beat back the sensation. He could not afford to show weakness, not after how far he had come, and not over something so inconsequential.
"I am afraid there is no one else qualified," his reply caused Shingen to pause for the fraction of a second, looking over the man and the downcast girl standing next to him one more time before pushing himself upwards, trying to avoid thinking about how the latter so closely resembled a balloon that just had all the air let out of it.
"That's a shame," the Warlord muttered as he gave a hasty bow, leaving his sentence as unresolved as his dilemma. He turned to leave, unruly white hair whipping behind him, and steeled himself for the long trek back to Terrera's deserts. If he was to survive in this world, he would need to be as unforgiving as they were.
If the scorching heat of Terrera's endless dunes were bearably tolerable during the day, the bitter grip of its nightly winds was unbearable. Shingen saw his breath materialize before him as he finally came to a stop at the gates of Terrera's castle, its crimson towers stretching into the desert skies, unmoving and unshakable, like the great behemoth said to sleep below its sands. The Warlord fumbled for his key ring - the night guard had been decreased due to the increasing intensity of sandstorms - and his breath caught in his throat when he failed to find it. Before Shingen had a chance to slap his mask and then begin shouting for the few warriors on duty, a very distinctive jingling caused him to spin around.
"Is this what you're looking for?" the man in red could only blink dumbly at the sight of the small ninja from earlier holding out his key ring with a small smile, jingling them to get his attention like he was the child, and continued stare dumbfoundedly as he tried to figure out how she was holding them. The girl had been standing in front of him the entire time - hadn't she? - but even then that still failed to explain how she lifted them. The notion that they were fakes and that he had simply misplaced the actual ones crossed his mind, but Shingen quickly dismissed the notion and snatched the item out of her hand. He was tired from his long trip and already had little patience for games.
"Yes..." Shingen muttered irately as he fumbled for the right one, finally finding it and quickly pushing it into the gate. He shot another glance over his shoulder as he pushed the creaky door open, only to see Kunoichi looking up at him expectantly. He only cocked a masked eyebrow.
"Well, aren't you going to go home now?" Kunoichi only smiled again, letting her outstretched arm drop back underneath her shawl as she shook her head.
"Nope! I ran away!" she exclaimed cheerfully, like the prospect of having turned away from everything she had ever known was refreshing. "'Sides, it's really late at night and it's a long way back to Viperia."
Shingen's expression slipped into deadpan, lips pursing into a straight line as he looked back down at the girl. "I'm not hiring a kid. Period."
Kunoichi's expression withered, but she quickly bounced back with a practiced fluidity that took the Warlord off guard. "Fine. But I'm not leaving either!"
Shingen could only sigh at her declaration. Part of him considered just going ahead into the castle and locking the door behind him, but he quickly shot that notion down. Giving no quarter on the battlefield was one thing, but if he was as ruthless off the field, then he would go against everything he sought to achieve. Then he would be no better than the man he chased out.
There had to be a balance, and that was something his father had completely lacked.
Shingen blinked and looked back down at Kunoichi again. She had already gone through he trouble of stealing his keys and following him all the way back without him so much as noticing - and so she would probably just find a way to sneak in, regardless. And it was already late, and the Warlord knew he would not be able to sleep with the knowledge he intentionally left some little girl out in the bitter cold and sandstorms that plagued Terrera's streets.
"Fine," he acquiesced with a sigh, pushing the door behind him open a little bit wider. Kunoichi leaned to the side to get a better view of what was behind it, almond eyes wide in wonderment, and Shingen had to wonder what she saw in the red towers and drab courtyard - both covered in a fine layer of sand - that could make her so excited. He dismissed the thought as he turned back around. "You can stay the night, but you're going back tomorrow. Got it?"
She nodded enthusiastically, skipping behind him as he walked into the castle. "Yep!"
Shingen only sighed wearily again - and the looks he was getting from the few warriors on duty were certainly not helping - and pointed to a door to one of the guest bedrooms, muttering that would be her room for the night as he slumped into his own.
When the Warlord woke up the next morning, he was surprised to see that his guest had already left. While mulling over the development - she had looked so excited last night, after all, so maybe the girl just wanted to see more of the town? - he was greeted by a panicked guard nearly bowling him down as he turned the corner Shingen was standing behind.
"What's the rush?" the warrior had suffered more than he did; falling down as Shingen stumbled back, and the man nearly tripped again as he scrambled to bow and get back on his feet at the same time.
"S-Sorry, sir," the man finally got back on his feet, and the Warlord began debating in the back of his mind whether to reprimand him. "But someone's raided our pantry!"
Shingen sighed and pinched the bridge of his mask. While part of him wanted to just dismiss it as some warrior or Pokémon sneaking a midnight snack, he knew it was no coincidence that some food happened to disappear along with his guest. "And how much is gone?"
"Two sacks of rice, sir," the red-clad man gave a nod in acknowledgement, eyes narrowing as he mulled over his options. It was not much food, but it was still money out of his pocket - and more importantly, it was a crime. But then again, he had more important things to worry about than some little girl making off with a bit of rice.
"Just increase the guard at the warehouse," Shingen ordered with no amount of decorum or warmth as he rounded the corner. Another battle with his northern neighbor was looming closer, and he had little time to be concerned over a bit of food.
Much to Shingen's chagrin, this procedure would turn out to be part of his morning routine over the next few weeks.
Eventually, when another messenger met him as he headed out for his usual morning skirmish with Kenshin for the umpteenth time, he was torn between banging his head into the wall or just ignoring the man altogether.
"Post the entire guard on the warehouse for all I care," Shingen found the words pushing themslevs past his lips, wondering how his men could be so incompetent as to not catch one little girl who raided their granary on a daily basis. The man gave a nod in the affirmative, scurrying off in hopes of not making his mood any worse, and Shingen carried on as he always did. More sacrifice awaited him.
When the Warlord of Terrera staggered back into the castle, a ragged mess of sweat, sand and heavy breaths, he was in no mood to deal with the guard waiting for him. But he could not shake the man, whatever he had to say already weighing down as just another burden on Shingen's shoulders, and so the Warlord spun around as he came to the foot of his room.
"Got into the storehouse again?" the warrior froze, back going absolutely straight, lips quivering like he was facing a monster about swallow him whole, while Shingen could only feel his headache worsen.
"N-No sir," the pit in the Warlord's stomach grew a bit bigger. "We put most of the guard at the warehouse like you said, but..."
Shingen raised an eyebrow behind his mask, leaning in and only making the man even more nervous. "But what?"
"She raided the treasury instead," Shingen felt some thin thread in the back of his mind slowly twist itself over and over until it finally snapped, a growl and a handful of jumbled words sputtering past his lips. Not even bothering to shout for Rhyperior, the Pokémon having trudged ahead into his room to rest, Shingen pushed the warrior aside and marched out the castle gates, barely having time to bark for a few warriors that were resting from the battle to follow.
In hindsight it was a rash move; he had no idea where she was, and he certainly was in no condition to be doing a thorough search for the girl. But wherever Shingen had expected Kunoichi to be camped out with her ill-gotten gains, it certainly was not in the middle of the street, tossing coins and assorted pieces of food into the cheering crowd that surrounded her. He felt his feet grind to a halt, along with the rest of his entourage, jaw dropping a little at the sight and more than a thousand thoughts flying through his head, each vying for his attention. All he could do was keep his gaze focused on the girl, who finally stopped throwing her arms into the air when she noticed their presence.
Their eyes met for a prolonged second, and Shingen saw a myriad of emotions flash through hers across the distance; fear, surprise, hope, and something resembling joy. It took him a few seconds to even realize he had strode over to her, the crowd having quickly dissipated at the sight of him. She was still looking up at him inquisitively from her perch atop an old crate, and an awkward silence descended over them as Shingen struggled to find anything to say over the conflicting demands his thoughts were throwing at him.
"Come with me," the Warlord tried to figure out if the order came out as a harsh command or indecisive request. Kunoichi nodded regardless.
"Okay!" she chirped out with a small smile, hopping down from the box and following the man as he turned back to the castle.
Kunoichi stood in the center of the closest thing Terrera's castle had to a throne room. She was rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet, brown orbs glancing around the room and taking in her surroundings with a fascination Shingen had come to except from the girl. The stares she was getting from the warriors around her, or the agonizingly drawn-out silence from her host, did not seem to effect her in the slightest. Shingen only broke the tension in the room with a deep sigh - something that seemed to have been affecting everyone except the one person he had wanted it to. Kunoichi stopped the moment the sound rang out, arms neatly folding themselves behind her back and head snapping back in his direction. The Warlord blinked at Kunoichi's sudden change in demeanor, but refused to delay any longer. He leaned in from his seat at the end of the room, peering at her from behind his mask, and trying to read the slightest expressions and movements like he was staring down an opposing general on the battlefield. Kunoichi just smiled.
"Now," Shingen drew out the word, silently mulling over which topic to address first. "How did you manage to sneak by so many of my men?"
Kunoichi's smile got a bit wider, and she bounced in place for a second.
"They didn't notice me!" came her enthusiastic reply, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. A few words clashed in Shingen's throat at her explanation, each fighting to sputter past his lips, but he let them go with a heavy sigh and a shake of the head. Perhaps a more direct question would be better?
"Do you have any idea how much you stole?" Kunoichi tilted her head to the side, looking back at him with wide eyes like he was the one under scrutiny right now, and then reassumed her more upbeat stance.
"Nope!" Shingen just pinched the bridge of his mask. A dozen more thoughts ran through his head as he took another glance at the girl, who was practically beaming. Locking her up would be just as effective as forcing her to sit in a corner and think about what she did; and she would just manage to sneak away, leaving him back at square one. The Warlord's eyes returned to the girl, his final question bubbling up to the surface.
"Why?"
"Why what?" The man in red could not tell if Kunoichi was just playing dumb or was genuinely confused, but he pressed on regardless.
"Why stay here? Why not just go back to Viperia?" the brunette's smile wavered, and she crossed her arms, leaning forward and looking straight at him.
"Why would I want to go back?" came her reply, and Shingen tried to figure out if she meant something more or just retorted for the sake of it. Kunoichi's smile returned, and the Warlord got the feeling it was a bit of both. "This place is sooo much cooler! And fun!"
"Raiding a warehouse is fun to you?" forcing her to sit in a corner was beginning to sound more appealing to Shingen. She shook her head in the negative, and Shingen felt some form of relief wash over him.
"Nope, but I wanted to get your attention," the girl's eyes darted to the side for a split-second. "And everyone else seemed to like it."
Shingen raised an eyebrow behind his mask, mind split between wondering if he had been remiss in his duties to Terrera and if he had underestimated the girl before him, but pushed both thoughts aside. A more pressing issue was before him.
"Let's just say you'll be working for me for a long time..." Shingen sighed out, the pit in his stomach only getting a bit bigger when the girl's face practically lit up.
"Really!?" she chimed, a hand running thorough her ponytail. "I thought you'd say 'no' or put me in some cell and I'd have to do something even bigger..."
Shingen only hung his head as Kunoichi carried on. How did not being able to punish one thief bode for him? His father was far too harsh on Terrera, and the moment the man let up his abuses was the second he moved and exiled him. Would this act of weakness be his undoing; the spirits of those damned rising up and lashing out at his shortcomings? Shingen, grip tightening around his fan, lips breaking into a scowl, spared a short glance back up, watching Kunoichi as she ran around the room, enthusiastically shaking the hands of the men she had so effortlessly bested as she introduced herself. At least she seemed happy with the situation.
A day without a battle was a rare occurrence in Terrera, but they were usually spent by Shingen on Yukimura's lessons. The boy was one of the only things that his former spymaster had left behind after he took the knife meant for him, and so Shingen had shouldered the burden of taking his son under his wing. Another result of his weakness, of falling into the trap of believing he would go unchallenged after a few decisive victories.
"Right," Shingen's voice cracked at the humidity in the castle's auditorium, usually reserved for war councils, and he scratched his throat as he continued onto the next part of his lesson. "Now, open up that scroll-"
Yukimura, sitting behind the lone desk in the room, gazed over the surface before looking back up at the Warlord. Shingen realized his gaffe immediately.
"I'll be right back," Shingen stated before he sped out of the room, leaving the boy alone to fiddle with his collar uncomfortably. Only a minute or so passed before the Warlord had retrieved his misplaced item and was about to step back into the auditorium.
"Hi, I'm Kunioichi!" the voice caused Shingen to raise an eyebrow behind his mask, and in a split second he placed his foot back behind the wall, leaning in slightly to hear the exchange better. "What's your name?"
"I'm Yukimura," Unlike his father, Yukimura was not inquisitive by nature, but the nature of his father's job meant he knew what her name meant. And so Shingen bit his bottom lip in preparation of what was coming next. "What's yours?"
"Kunoichi, duh," the Warlord did not need to look to imagine her stance; fists pressed against her hips, arms drawing out her shawl as she leaned in. Yukimura's befuddled blink was the next thing that crossed his mind's eye.
"But that's not a name," there was an awkward pause after the boy's voice rang out, his words echoing off the walls of the room and bouncing back to their ears. Shingen instantly regretted having stopped, but before he could step back into the room Kunoichi's voice rang out, upbeat as ever.
"Well it's my name!" she chirped happily as the Warlord reappeared in the room, clearing his throat to get the attention of the two. Kunoichi and Yukimura both turned to face him - and Shingen could only raise an eyebrow at the smile across the former's face - and the Warlord quickly straightened his posture, eyes drifting over to the girl.
"Kunoichi," he greeted, restraining his tone into a reserved neutrality that would have made anyone nervous. Her smile seemed to grow a bit wider at the attention. "How's the secret mission going?"
Kunoichi's face dropped, and she decided the floorboards were suddenly interesting as she interlocked her hands, one thumb running over the other. "Oops."
"Sorry, Lord Shingen, I'll get back on it," she said with a small bow, before turning back to the boy still seated behind his desk, cheery disposition bouncing back as quickly as it had fled. "Nice meeting you, Yukimura!"
And with a quick twirl, the girl vanished as unexpectedly as she had appeared. Shingen made a noise that sounded like a dry chuckle, looking up at the rafters she had most likely used as her escape route.
"Made a new friend, Yukimura?" the question was accompanied by Shingen tossing the scroll to his student.
"Yes sir," came the stiff reply. Shingen was making his way back to his former place when Yukimura's question came.
"What did you mean by 'secret mission', Lord Shingen?" if the Warlord did not know better, he would have wondered for a moment if he detected a trace of envy in the boy's voice.
"Well, it wouldn't be a secret if I told you," a more heartfelt chuckle escaped Shingen's lips at the childish disappointment that flitted across his face for a few seconds.
"Tell you what," Yukimura quickly looked up from his new scroll, eyes trained solely on the man as he spoke. "Once you finish that, we'll go out to the courtyard and have a battle."
The enthusiastic nod he got from the boy as he delved into his new task reminded Shingen of the one he had gotten from Kunoichi earlier when he gave out her first mission. In reality, it was nothing special; just scouting out a few locations he only had a vague knowledge of so he could get a better understanding of her capabilities.
And Kunoichi was far stronger than he was, Shingen had decided.
Kenshin was not an easy man to fool by any measure, but Shingen lived for the moments that he managed to throw him off guard.
And stuck in the deadlock he was, Shingen could barely manage to suppress the smile that threatened to cross his face when he saw his opportunity. The movements that had led to the situation quickly replayed through his mind; he remembered Kenshin swinging around his serrated broadsword, occasionally taking off a few strands of his greying hair but otherwise slashing into the walls of the decrepit shrine they used as a dueling ground, and himself trying to launch a counterattack only to be rebuffed. And then Kenshin had begun his onslaught, the Warlord of Illusio slowly herding him into a corner before bringing down his blade.
Shingen had barely been able to block it in time, and the increasing pressure Kenshin was exerting was beginning to take its toll. He had already begun to lose feeling in his fingers, to busy pressing into the hilt of his own sword, while his arms were beginning to ache from the exertion, and he could feel his sandals slowly scraping against the floorboards as Kenshin leaned in even more. But even as his arms began to buckle, his knees threatening to give out under the force, Shingen had noticed his chance as Kenshin took another step forward into their deadlock. It was then that, for a spilt second, the combatant's eyes met, and Shingen finally revealed his grin.
Kenshin's reaction was immediate, but far too late. The pressure on their deadlock lightened, and before the Warlord of Illusio could stop him, Shingen had grabbed the iron fan hanging from his belt and slammed Kenshin in the side of the head with it. Kenshin stumbled to the left, losing his balance, and Shingen quickly pressed his newfound advantage, returning his fan to unleash a barrage of slashes in the Illusite's direction. Kenshin, even through his stumbling in a vain attempt to regain solid footing, managed to block every single one. Unwilling to loose, Shingen brought his blade down again, Kenshin this time catching it between the edges of his broadsword. The Warlord in red's smirk returned.
He turned his blade, hearing the satisfying sound of metal grinding against metal while he leaned forward, and used the other Warlord's instability to push him away from his weapon. The massive blade clattered to the ground some distance away, fortunately not hitting anyone in crowd that was so eagerly watching their match unfold, and Shingen raised his sword over his head.
"Surrender! You've lost, Kenshin!" he cried out seconds before bringing down the weapon, only to be met with the same stony disposition he was used to from his rival.
"Never, nemesis," and that was the only warning Shingen got before Kenshin's hands shot up, quickly latching onto his wrists before he could finish his slash. Shingen flinched.
Kenshin's hold then tightened into a crushing vicegrip, and he twisted Shingen's hands. The man cried out in pain as he felt the bones react to the pressure, forcing him to drop his own sword, and then yelped as Kenshin used his newfound momentum to twirl around and fling Shingen into the wall behind him. Shingen blinked rapidly to refocus his vision, a groan forcing itself past his lips as the pain in the back of his skull only grew. The sight he was met with when the blurriness faded was Kenshin, broadsword in hand, slowly approaching.
"Admit your defeat, nemesis," Shingen only bit his tongue and offered a defiant stare. The corners of Kenshin's lips twitched upwards ever so slightly, and he raised his weapon above his head.
"Lord Shingen!" Kunoichi jumped out from the crowd at the sight, panic written all over her face, producing a kunai and aiming it at the back of Kenshin's head. The Warlord simply spun around and grabbed the projectile out of the air, tossing it back at a shocked Kunoichi. It snagged on her shawl, making her fall back and pinning her into the wall. Satisfied, Kenshin turned back to his downed rival, raising his sword again. Shingen grimaced at the shadow the blade cast over him, but refused to flinch. Kunoichi's interruption had bought him valuable time, and he swung his signaling fan up as Kenshin brought his broadsword down, catching Kenshin's massive weapon between its grooves. And even slumped against the wall, his arm threatening to give out under the strain, he saw another chance. Thrusting one of his legs out, he kicked Kenshin's shin, causing the Warlord to stumble and drop to one knee. Taking his only chance, Shingen angled his fan as Kenshin fell and threw it out, sending the broadsword that had snagged on it across the floor again.
Kenshin looked up at the development, some small amount of disbelief flashing across his face, and Shingen leveled his fan in front of his rival. Their eyes met for a drawn out moment, and Shingen slowly lowered his impromptu weapon, a hearty chuckle spluttering past his lips. Kenshin joined in with a much more quite one, lifting his foe back up as he rose. While the crowd around them, once watching with bated breathes, quickly gave way to an indiscernible clamor, Kunoichi only eyed the scene with curiosity as she pulled the kunai out of her shawl.
"Heh, another draw," Shingen choked out as Kenshin brought him back to his feet, stumbling for a second before regaining his footing. Kenshin nodded in agreement, crossing his arms.
"I would have expected nothing less from my nemesis," Shingen maintained his composure, but let out a heavy sigh inwardly; he had managed to disarm Kenshin, but it was only due to Kunoichi's interference. But that was still more than anyone else could say. The two Warlords talked for a while, until Shingen's eyes moved past Kenshin's tall frame, landing on the confused-looking girl staring at two men amicably chatting who had just been bitter combatants seconds ago.
"Excuse me," Shingen muttered, and Kenshin quickly picked up and stepped away with a small nod. Kunoichi looked down slightly as he approached, and Shingen knelt down to meet her gaze.
"That was a brave thing to do," he commented as softly as he could. It had been her first battle, and he could easily read the fear that crossed her face at the observation, the girl trying to further hide her gaze behind her hair.
"I'm sorry Lord Shingen," Kunoichi choked out, and he could hear the disappointment in her voice. "I wasn't supposed to interrupt, I've let you down and-"
A small smile crossed Shingen's face, and he placed a large hand on her shoulder. She looked up, eyes puffy and bloodshot as she tried to hold back her tears.
"I'd be expecting this kind of nonsense from Yukimura, not you," Kunoichi sniffed, a hand quickly brushing over one of her eyes. Her lips stopped quivering when his smile grew a bit wider. "There's nothing to apologize about."
The Warlord heard another snivel. "B-But I-"
"Did nothing wrong," Kunoichi let out a pent-up breath, but he could still see the uncertainty lurking behind her brown orbs. "All you did was try to help, and you got me out of a jam, too."
And helped him bring the duel to a draw on an impulse, but Shingen decided it would be better to not say that. The why could be addressed later. Her breath had steadied long enough for her to raise an eyebrow and ask a question. "But aren't you always telling me and Yukimura to not act on impulses?"
The Warlord suppressed a small chuckle.
"One lesson at a time," he said, and Kunoichi nodded slowly, drying her eyes with her hand. Shingen let his smile resurface; everything aside, she was still just a child. But perhaps now he had more than the past to be strong for.
Things had begun to settle down. He could no longer fight against Kenshin with the same ferocity he had years prior; his joints began to ache if pressed too hard, his hair, somehow, grew whiter, and his back complained a bit more often. He was beginning to get old - not that Shingen would let anyone on.
"Hey, Lord Shingen!" the Warlord looked up from his place underneath the shade of a palm tree, meeting Kunoichi's brown eyes as she stared down at him.
"Afternoon, Kunoichi," he pushed himself up against the tree. "Lovely out today, isn't it?"
Lovely enough - or cool enough, at least - that he decided to nap in the courtyard while Yukimura ran through a few drills with Charmeleon some distance away.
"Yep!" she chirped. "Perfect weather for a picnic!"
Shingen nodded in agreement, yawning as he rolled his stiff shoulders. "That sounds nice..."
It was then that Shingen blinked and looked back at the girl. "You got rid of your shawl?"
Kunoichi nodded. "Yeah, it was starting to tear and almost gave me away during that last mission. I'm still keeping it, though."
Shingen nodded absentmindedly and leaned back against his tree again. Normally there would be something else to say - some report to follow up on, some new mission to give, some order to dictate - but nothing came to him. Kenshin and Ujiyasu both had their own issues to deal with, Yoshimoto had done nothing but play Pokémari for years, and none of the other kingdoms showed any signs of movement either. Ransei might not have been peaceful, but it was unusually quiet as of late. If he was younger, his blood would have boiled at the prospect of conquest, that voice in the back of his mid screaming at him to seize the golden opportunity of unchecked expansion while he still had the chance, to not let those sacrifices that let him get so far be in vain. But now all he could think of was not causing any more unnecessary sacrifices, to not let anyone else needlessly suffer for an old ambition that was dying out. Ransei would not be his, and Shingen had made his peace with the fact.
All he could do now was build off the legacies of the fallen for those who looked up to him. Shingen blinked, letting out a small 'hm', eyes drifting over to the side for the briefest of seconds. Was that what Ujiyasu meant when he said he had too many concerns at home to conquer his neighbors?
Shingen turned back to Kunoichi, only to find her sitting down next to him, head resting in her arms as she stared at Yukimura with a focus that could rival the boy's. The distant, almost loopy expression plastered across her face gave away her thoughts. The Warlord could only sigh. She was getting to be around that age, after all. It was only a matter of time before she would start talking with Kai about boys.
Shingen's gaze returned to his other protégé, who was by now busy tearing into a training dummy with Charmeleon. Yukimura was too, but he showed no signs of interest in anything beyond battle. The Warlord felt a hand go to his chin. Had he perhaps been a bit too strict with the boy?
"Kunoichi," she blinked and turned around at Shingen's voice. "You mentioned a picnic, right? It's about lunchtime, we can head out to that oasis near the outskirts."
"Really?" her eyes had gained a distinctive sparkle that he was whenever she became excited. "Thanks Lord Shingen! Can we bring Yukimura?"
Shingen chuckled. "I don't see why not, the boy can probably use a break."
The Warlord's eyes drifted over to the training dummies. "It'll be the third dummy this week if he keeps that up, anyways..."
Only a few minutes passed before Kunoichi had gathered everything and Shingen dragged Yukimura away from the training field before Charmeleon could eviscerate his helpless opponent. Kunoichi was busy rummaging through the basket in her arms, trying to get the tarp from spilling out, while Yukimura just had his hands folded behind his head as he gazed up at the sky. Shingen noticed both already reached up to his shoulders - or was he getting shorter? - as they walked out of the castle side by side. Maybe it was getting time to let their generation take over?
The Warlord looked down.
No, there were still things to tend to, lessons to still be taught, issues to resolve. Then he could let go. But what to do afterwards? Riding was something he always enjoyed, but his Rapidash was beginning to get old too. Perhaps a new one was in order? Maybe he could remodel the castle? It was not keeping out the heat as well as it used to. He could always pick up a hobby. Ujiyasu liked to fish, maybe he could look into that? Ah, but Terrera was a desert...
"You okay, Lord Shingen?" the man blinked at Kunoichi's voice, looking over to see her staring at him concernedly. "You look like you're about to throw up."
Did he? And here he thought the mask kept people from reading him.
"I'm fine," Shingen replied a bit too hastily. "Just thinking."
Even Yukimura turned to look as Kunoichi continued. "About what?"
"Nothing you two need to worry about," Shingen replied with a small smile, and he would make sure of it.
"Heh," Shingen heard the laugh in the back of his head as his thoughts began to drown him again. "And to think I once looked forward to the day where I would have no more battles to fight..."
The Warlord's lips straightened into a thin line. "No, that's not true yet. There are still a few more to come."
He and Kenshin might have been lifelong rivals, but they always had a healthy respect of one another. Perhaps it had been the endless battles and deadlocks, or maybe covering the other's back when push came to shove, but they would usually sit down and share a drink afterwards. And the aftermath of this skirmish had been no exception.
"You have become soft," Kenshin remarked through his sake, and at first Shingen thought is was in reference to his gut. The Terreran looked up from the cup he had been in the middle of downing, initially planning on offering up a barbed retort of his own, before he realized what his rival was referring to. The Terreran leaned back in his chair and placed down his cup.
"Perhaps," part of him was content to leave his reply at that, but he carried on. "But I'll need to be strong for what comes next."
"Your entire life has been spent in pursuit of strength," Kenshin placed down his cup on the table. "If you are not careful, they will not know how to deal with weakness."
Shingen chuckled. "This coming from you?"
"There is a time and place for both," the Warlord of Illusio remarked passively.
"I guess we just figured that out a bit too late, eh?" Kenshin shook his head.
"There is still time," Shingen hummed, picked up his cup and guzzled the last of its contents.
"Thanks," the Terreran said as he stood and left Illusio's keep, and Kenshin knew it was for more than the free sake.
Of course, the day came when he had to ask Kunoichi if she knew what her name meant. He had come to dread it; like a long shadow casting itself over them, always threatening to come down and envelope them. And though there was never a good time to address it, it would only continue to grow the longer it remained ignored, and so he mustered what strength he had left to dispel it.
Shingen inwardly flinched at the emotions that flashed across her face within the short span of a few seconds - confusion, then shock, and then a poor attempt to mask the pain as the realization seeped in. For a few moments it looked like she tried to offer a reply through choked snivels, but all Kunoichi could do was settle for a nod that was as shaky as her shoulders. She knew - and perhaps she had always known since that day in Viperia all those years ago, but had simply paid no heed to it for as long as possible - but no amount of forethought or preparation could have kept her from crying when it was all laid out so plainly for her to see.
The girl - as that's all the Warlord could see her as right now - began bawling into his thick arms, and Shingen could only uncomfortably pat her back as he tried to think of something sagacious to say. Kenshin might have spoken far less than him, Shingen decided, but he always knew what to say. What would he say in this situation? Would he say anything?
Did anything more need to be said?
Kunoichi recomposed herself after a few seconds - as she had always been resilient, but now it was just mocking, given the circumstances - feverously rubbing at her eyes while suppressing a sniffle.
"Sorry, Lord Shingen," she muttered, wringing her hands as she looked down. Shingen only put a hand on her shoulder, and he was met by a pair of bloodshot eyes looking back up.
"There's nothing to apologize for," it was not her fault the Viperia ninja could not even bother to give her a name, after all. The Warlord offered a reassuring smile, and caught the corners of Kunoichi's lips tremble slightly as he continued. "This doesn't change anything."
"N-No," she choked out, and he raised an eyebrow. "I don't want to keep this up anymore..."
Shingen nodded understandingly. "All right."
What came next passed by like a whirlwind to him, but Shingen still remembered the awkward sensation of watching someone trying to pick out a birthday for themselves. And as Kunoichi had just taken to saying she was the same age as Yukimura - admittedly, he had been the first to make the assumption when they originally met, and it could not have been that far from the truth - she decided to pick out a birthday by throwing darts at a calendar blindfolded. Shingen could only roll his eyes at the method, but he made no comment. He understood it was her way of grieving. Yukimura, having been dragged into the proceedings as well, did not quite understand the connotations behind it, but he tried to share in her happiness with a goofy-looking smile of his own. Kunoichi leaped over to the calendar seconds after the tip pierced the canvas, tossing the blindfold haphazardly behind her as her eyes ran over the date, and then announced what it was with an eagerness that could only be matched by the first time she saw snow.
But when the Warlord brought up the topic of a name, the happiness plastered across Kunoichi's face quickly made way for apprehension. A slim finger darted up to her chin, lips pursed, and then just shook her head in the negative. Yukimura raised an eyebrow in curiosity, Shingen nodded in understanding. It might have been a title to others, but it was still a name to her.
And then the appointed day came.
Kunoichi was more excited than he had ever seen her, but Shingen could easily tell she was nervous. Hands wringing each other, bouncing on the balls of her feet, eyes darting around as if checking for some unseen danger; it all gave the impression that she was playing some role and was afraid of being found out. He placed a hand on her shoulder - and he raised a masked eyebrow at how tense it was - and told her to relax, while Yukimura offered up a reassuring smile of his own. Kunoichi nodded and let out a held-in breath.
The girl might not have asked for much - and Shingen suspected she really just wanted to spend the day off with him and Yukimura - but that did not keep him from producing a small envelope and pushing it into her hands. Kunoichi quickly ripped it open, pulling out the paper and absorbing its contents. She blinked, slowly at first, and then read through it again, and then a third time. And when Kunoichi finally looked up, eyes glimmering as she struggled to hold back tears and the widest smile he had ever seen spread out across her face, hands trembling as she clutched onto the piece of paper like it was her lifeline, Shingen knew he had given the girl the only thing she truly ever wanted.
He might not have been able to give her a first name, but he could at least give her a last one. Family was what you made of it, after all.