A/N: This will be a series of short stories very much in the style of Polar Bear Café episodes, hopefully taking place over the course of an (in-story) year. Updates will probably be slow as the whole point of this for me was to get a project that didn't require too much commitment during exam season, and so that I can do it as a bit of a break alongside my other, lengthy projects.
In keeping with my tradition of picking the most obscure combinations ever, this is a crossover with the game series Samurai Warriors, mostly focussing on Date Masamune and his interactions with the Café's regulars from the show. I originally wanted to use Masamune as he is portrayed in Sengoku Basara, but I have plans to use SW-only characters such as Okuni and Saika Magoichi later (along with Akechi Mitsuhide and others as they are portrayed in SW), so it has ended up being Samurai Warriors. As a result, Masamune acts a little more mature and a little less arrogant in this than he ordinarily would in SW, but hey, it's just for fun (and I prefer him that way!).
More SW characters will be added further into the story when I become more confident with writing this - and I'm also not neglecting other Polar Bear Café characters like Handa and Rin Rin; they will appear in due time! For the most part I shall attempt to have this (loosely) run parallel to the anime (in terms of things such as relationships which develop during the actual show) but it certainly won't be exact, especially in terms of synchronizing the seasons. Some events will replace ones that happen in the show, and others will fit in alongside them, but it should be clear which is which. It won't be too difficult to follow, anyway! This chapter is a bit awkward because of introductions and everything, but that should get better when I get more in to writing this.
Now that the explaining is done, my author's notes in the future should be an awful lot shorter! Enjoy! :) ~CS
Mahalo!
by CrimsonStarbird
Chapter One – The Dragon and the Polar Bear
Beneath the late afternoon sun the path through the woods was a ribbon of liquid gold; a stream choosing the winding path through the trees in order to take in as much of the beautiful surroundings as possible. The sunlight carried the sweet sound of birdsong down around the blossom-covered branches, wrapping the whole scene in a gentle, protective aura. Even though Sasako made the journey to and from her grandmother's house every day, the sight of the woods in full bloom never failed to lift her spirits.
The woods were not always this enchanting; the pure joy that she felt walking in the late afternoon was one limited to a few weeks of early spring and mid-autumn. In the intense heart of summer, when the trees swam in the haze of heat, and the cicadas descended upon the wood in their riotous multitudes, Sasako tended to hurry along the path, the sooner to reach the shade of her own home. In winter, the thick snows took over the little piece of paradise, stripping the life from the trees and the friendliness from the atmosphere. Although the snow-covered scenery could be quite beautiful in the moonlight, the icy hostility and the early nightfall combined to hurry Sasako along. No, the best times of the year were autumn and spring, when the time of her walk coincided with the golden late afternoon sun. Then these woods, empty of other humans but still so full of life, became her home; became a safe little paradise just for her.
On this day, though, everything changed.
Her grandmother had just finished giving her a lecture on how she needed to find a job and a man and make something of her life, and the beauty of the woods had only begun to restore a small measure of peace to Sasako's heart, when a cry tore through the serenity of the scene.
Sasako froze, and it seemed as if the entire place froze with her. Was it just an animal? Already unsettled from the argument, Sasako's heart began to pound. She was certain that that had been a man's voice. What was a man doing here?
For a moment, Sasako felt an overpowering urge to retrace her steps and follow the road home. There would be lots of people on the road. She would be safe. But she shook her head defiantly and forced herself to take one step after another along the path. In the sudden absence of the familiar sounds of wildlife, the silence was as noticeable as thunder.
From the trees ahead of her, the shout came again – no, this time it was more of a cry – and it was followed by a thud. For a moment all was quiet, and then a cautious bird resumed its faltering song. One after another, the trees slowly came back to life; the woods reverted to their original state.
But all was not right. After a moment's indecision Sasako broke into a run, tearing down the path as quickly as her skirt would allow, not stopping until she reached the source of the disturbance, not stopping until she reached the point that would change her life-
On the ground there lay a man. Even though he was upside-down, with his face pressed into the dirt, the green leather and the steel and the solid build of someone used to physical combat told her he was a man. It didn't tell her whether or not he was alive. His stillness and the soil damp with blood were not positive indicators.
In that instant, where anyone else might have run, Sasako was not afraid. After a quick glance around the clearing confirmed that no one else was about, she knelt down beside the body and felt for a pulse. The faint yet sure sign of life she detected made her sigh in relief. So he was still alive, although he didn't stir at her touch. Now what? She wanted to help him, but she knew nothing about first aid. If she tried to look for a wound, or even if she moved him at all, she might only do more harm than good.
Then, she had to go and get help. At the border between the woods and the small town in which she lived there was a café – it was the nearest place she knew, and although she had never been inside, there had to be someone there with some knowledge of first aid. Yet, as Sasako turned to leave, she felt a twang of doubt. She couldn't just leave that man there. What if whomever had left him like that came back to finish the job? What if he woke up, moved, and collapsed again, and then no one came along to find him? What if some wild animal came along, and-
No. Her mind was made up; she wouldn't leave him there. As gently as she could, she rolled the man's body over. A thin moan escaped his lips, but his eyes didn't open, and Sasako wasn't sure that she hadn't imagined it. He was young, she noted absently, probably only a few years older than her. And oddly handsome. She couldn't see any wounds at first glance, but his armour was covered in blood. He needed help. There was nothing else for it.
Gritting her teeth in determination, Sasako lifted the man up and managed to sling him over her shoulder. He was heavy, especially with his armour on, but she wasn't small, and her will lent her strength. Staggering forwards, trying not to imagine what she looked like carrying the unconscious man, Sasako focussed on putting one foot in front of the other. It seemed to take a whole year before the trees ahead of her began to thin, and the field and its café became visible.
There was no one around as she lurched towards the front doors. The emptiness was not a good sign. As she came closer, she could see the notice on the door: Closed for Interviews. Her heart sank - though she had not carried the unconscious man all this way just to give up now. Surely the café's owner wouldn't mind the interruption, if it might save this man's life? She knocked, and when there was no response, she pushed the door open and stepped through.
The airy, sunlit room beyond had three inhabitants, all of whom turned to stare at Sasako as she entered. Behind the counter stood a polar bear, obviously the owner of the café. On one stool a penguin perched, a panda beside him, their conversation interrupted by Sasako's arrival. All three blinked at her, startled into silence by the nature of her appearance.
Leaning against the doorframe with one hand, Sasako stammered, "Please excuse the interruption during your interviews, but this man needs help – can he stay here while I run and get a doctor?"
The polar bear padded over to her, fixing her with a curious gaze. "What's your name, miss?"
"Me?" Sasako blinked in confusion. "I'm Sasako, but-"
"Sasako-san, you pass!"
"...Huh?"
Earlier that day...
"I hear you're hiring for part-time staff, Shirokuma," Penguin remarked.
The polar bear nodded, not taking his eyes off the coffee machine he was skilfully operating. "We're understaffed here as it is, and Okuni wants to cut down her hours so that she can spend more time at that temple of hers. Were you thinking of applying, Penguin-san?"
"Hmm. I'm not sure I could handle being a regular customer and a server."
"I have four interviews lined up anyway," Shirokuma commented casually.
"May I have an interview?" a new voice piped up. The two of them looked to see Panda standing there, watching Shirokuma with eager eyes.
The polar bear shrugged. "Why not?"
"I don't think this is going to end well..." Penguin muttered, but, as usual, no one noticed.
However, also as usual, Penguin was right.
After the interviews, as the last of the failed interviewees walked forlornly out of the door, Shirokuma turned to his friend with a sigh. "In the end, no one passed. It would be nice to just get a normal applicant for a change."
"What are you going to do now? Ask Okuni to start working full time?"
"I guess they need her more there than I do here. You know, I have half a mind to hire the first normal person who walks through that door."
"Are you sure that's wise?" Penguin asked doubtfully.
"Of course not, but what's life without a little whimsy?"
Penguin just looked at him in exasperation.
Later on...
When Masamune awoke, he could see and feel nothing but darkness. Sitting up took more effort than it should have done. Underneath him was a mound of coarse material. His armour had been taken from him, and he was dressed in some loose-fitting clothes that were too big. He would never have removed his armour voluntarily. In the darkness of this strange place, he felt vulnerable; a feeling which the throbbing pain in his chest and the slow, numbed pace of his hazy thoughts only intensified.
Yet Masamune was not a man of helplessness or inaction, and he had not come so far by giving in to fear. He pushed himself to his feet, his face twisting into a snarl in the darkness as pain lanced through his body. One hand found the wall for support, the other went to his side, the source of the pain diffusing through his body. His probing fingers found a rough bandage, and he frowned. So someone had dressed his wound - probably the same person who had brought him here.
Memories flashed through his mind: the forest, the fight – and then nothing. In his mind there lay no clue as to where he was or how he had come to be here. Perhaps Kojuurou had found him – but then Kojuurou would never have left him alone without a guard, and besides, he was sure that this was not his home.
The more he moved around the pitch-black room, the more certain he became of that fact. As he felt his way along the walls, looking for some sort of exit, he encountered shelves, boxes and barrels filled with all manner of things, from a liquid he hoped was water to a box of some sort of dry beans and uncooked rice. Eventually his grasping hand closed on a door handle, and he turned it eagerly.
Too late he realized that he might have been captured by enemy soldiers; as the door opened a crack and daylight light flooded in to the room, blinding him, his warrior instincts kicked in belatedly. He cursed himself inwardly but it was too late – if there were enemies in the room beyond they would already have seen him. There was no point in pretending now. Standing up boldly, he pulled the door open as wide as it would go, and with his eyes forced open as much as he could stand, he strode out of the room.
To his good fortune, the corridor he emerged into was empty. It struck him that the corridor was neither dark nor dirty. He wasn't entirely sure why he had been expecting that – perhaps the image of an underground dungeon was forefront in his mind. In actuality, the corridor was surprisingly clean, with a wooden floor and a high ceiling, and bright sunlight emanating down from sparkling windows. He didn't recognize the scenery he saw outside, but by this point, he hadn't expected to. His ears pricked up at the sound of faint, unfamiliar voices coming from one end of the corridor, and when he couldn't make out what they were saying, he found himself shrugging to the empty air. Utterly bewildered by the unexpected turn of events, he headed towards the voices.
At the end of the corridor there was a hinged double door, each one set with a porthole window. Masamune peered through cautiously, and found himself looking out upon some sort of café. Bright, welcoming sunlight skittered across the empty tables, all dressed and set for invisible customers. Vast windows revealed a well-kept garden and a terrace covered with more tables and comfortable wicker chairs. It looked like no one was around. Things just got stranger and stranger.
With one hand on the door, Masamune hesitated. He wasn't afraid any more – no, he was just overwhelmingly curious about the events that had brought him to this strange café, and cautious about their peculiarity. Still, what else could he do? "What's the worst that could happen?" he asked himself dryly, and he pushed the door open and stepped through.
Contrary to his first impressions, the dining area of the café wasn't empty. Against a wall stood a counter, behind which was a tall and imposing polar bear. Two sharp black eyes stood out amidst pure white fur, focussing intently down on what looked like a coffee machine. Somehow, he managed to look both out of place and right at home. On the other side of the counter there were several stools, and on one of those there was a penguin. How the sleek, flightless bird had managed to get up there in the first place Masamune didn't know, but he seemed completely comfortable in the human environment. Beside him there was a panda, and how the chair was able to support his plump weight was as equal a mystery as the penguin's seat. He swung his short legs back and forth, complaining to the penguin about something in a whiny voice. As Masamune watched this domestic scene in bewilderment, the polar bear finished the coffee and pushed the small white cup across the counter to the penguin.
Before Masamune could react, the polar bear glanced up and saw him. After a brief moment of shock, he realized that the great white bear was beckoning to him with his paw. "Ah, you're awake," he said, in a surprisingly jovial voice. More bemused than ever, Masamune walked slowly over to the three of them. "My apologies for putting you in the storeroom. We didn't have anywhere else that wasn't being used. How are you feeling?"
"Uh- fine, I think."
"Good. Here, sit down." Blinking, Masamune took a seat next to the penguin. "I'll get you something – on the house, of course. What would you like?"
"Sake," he replied immediately.
"We don't have sake."
"You don't have any kind of sake?"
"Nope."
"Then what do you have?"
"Well, the café mocha is popular."
"Fine, get me one of those."
As the polar bear turned away to operate the coffee machine again, Masamune frowned. That did seem to rule out the possibility that this whole scenario was some sort of drink-induced hallucination, although it certainly didn't mean that it was real. For all he knew, he could still be lying out cold in the forest, and this was some sort of weird vision. That made slightly more sense than a café owned by a polar bear.
"Still, tuna boat fishing is definitely the way forward."
Masamune started, and then relaxed slightly when he realized that the polar bear was addressing the panda. The young black and white bear seemed uncomfortable. "Nah. It sounds like too much work."
"It sounds like you're too lazy," the penguin shot back.
"What's with the tuna boat?" Masamune inquired, attempting to at least make some sense of the bizarre situation.
"Panda-kun is looking for a job," the penguin explained. "But he has no work ethic, is extremely lazy, and won't work for more than two days a week, so it's harder than it looks."
"Ah, Penguin-san, Penguin-san!" Panda chastised. "You're overlooking all my best qualities! I'm very good at lazing around, and eating bamboo, and all pandas are adorable!"
"Yeah, I think I see your issue," Masamune remarked.
"But look at how cute I am!"
"Sorry, but I don't really see the appeal of cute things."
Penguin laughed at Panda's shock, and even the polar bear was trying not to grin as he passed Masamune's coffee across the counter. "See, you're doing well here," he remarked to Masamune casually. Surprised, the warrior stared back as the bear turned away with a smile.
The door to the café swung open with the chime of a swinging bell, and all of them turned to see a young woman enter with a bow. She looked to be the perfect model of a waitress: charming and pretty, with her hair in plaits - and reassuringly human. "How's this, Shirokuma-san?"she asked.
The polar bear nodded his head approvingly. "You're all set to start tomorrow."
"Great," she smiled. Then her gaze fell on Masamune, and her eyes lit up. "Ah! You're okay! I'm so glad."
"Uh- yeah-" Masamune begun, confused.
"I'm Sasako."
"Uh-" This gave Masamune pause. It didn't appear that anyone here know who he was, which made it highly unlikely that they wanted anything from him. In anonymity lay safety - if they knew who he was, they could hold him hostage or otherwise use him to gain power. On the other hand, this strange assortment of animals didn't seem to be his enemies. In fact, he wasn't entirely sure if they were on any side at all. He sighed. "I'm Date Masamune."
As he had guessed, there was no reaction. No one had heard of him. Ordinarily this should have annoyed him, but here it meant that he was safe.
Sasako began, "It's nice to meet you, Date-san-"
"Masamune-kun!" Panda sang. "Are you coming to the party tonight?"
"The- what?"
"Polar Bear Café's Moonlit Cherry Blossom Viewing Party," Shirokuma explained. "We do one every year, but this time we're starting after sundown."
"After sundown?" Masamune repeated sceptically. "You won't be able to see the cherry blossoms. What a waste of time."
Sasako smiled earnestly. "The trees are beautiful in the moonlight, Date-san. You should come along. We'll be up on that hill if you want to join us tonight, right, Shirokuma-san?" The polar bear nodded in affirmation.
"Bring some sake," Penguin advised. "I went last year with Shirokuma and Llama and they did nothing but eat the whole time."
Masamune had to fight back a smile. "Maybe I will."
With that settled, the conversation quickly turned to other matters. Masamune listened, bemused and intrigued by what seemed to be normal banter between the café's strange inhabitants. It was odd how quickly he had come to accept this as normal - it probably had something to do with the loss of blood he had suffered, preventing him from thinking straight. And that was a point. Even though the wound in his side continued to throb dully, he had completely forgotten about it. This strange new world and its assortment of peculiar characters was so different to his regular life on the battlefields - and, much to his surprise, he didn't dislike it.
"Say, Penguin, I've had an idea," Panda began.
"Oh?"
"How about you pay me money each month for the privilege of being able to admire my cuteness?"
"How about no?"
"What about you, Masamune?"
"I already told you, I don't like cute things."
"Then you could pay not to look at me," Panda suggested hopefully.
"I don't think so."
"Oh." The bear sighed. "Say, Masamune, what do you do?"
Before he could come up with a satisfactory response, Sasako chimed in, "He's a samurai! Aren't you, Date-san?"
"Yes, in a sense," Masamune replied cautiously. There was no need to tell them exactly how influential and powerful a man he was. While he believed that no one here bore him any ill will, he could not be sure that the café's inhabitants weren't working for one of his rival lords. If his enemies found out he was injured, they might take advantage of his weakness to invade his territory, and he would not allow that to happen.
"So cool!" Panda's eyes shone. "I bet you have a sword and everything!"
"Of course!" Masamune exclaimed, reaching to his waist - and he froze as his right hand, so accustomed to the feel of that elaborate golden hilt, clutched at empty air. Realization hit him like a fist - whoever had taken his armour from him had also stolen his sword and pistols. In the hazy darkness of his awakening the true danger of this had passed him by - but what use was a warrior without his weapons? What if all this was a trap?
He sprang to his feet, kicking his stool to the floor with a clatter that caused the others to leap into the air with alarm. "Where the hell is my sword?" he yelled, fury that didn't belong in the quiet café blazing in those eyes. Sasako and Panda flinched away from him; only Shirokuma himself seemed unaffected by the outburst. As calmly as ever, the great bear replied, "Oh, Okuni probably has them. She's the one who dressed your wound."
"Where is she?" the warrior snapped.
Coolly, Shirokuma went over to one of the doors leading outside and pushed it open. "Okuni!" he called through it.
A moment later, a young woman appeared in the door. "You called, boss?" she inquired sweetly. Upon seeing her, Masamune's gaze sharpened, and he almost forgot his rage. Although about the same age as Sasako, Okuni seemed her opposite in every way. Where Sasako could be described as fair or pretty, Okuni was outright stunning and exotic; mature and confident instead of young and sweet. If Sasako's appeal lay in her purity and softness then Okuni was right at the other end of the spectrum, a deadly temptress, more than willing to use her looks to get her way.
Masamune returned her dazzling grin with a cold glare. "Bring me my weapons," he ordered.
Okuni crossed the wooden floorboards between them at a leisurely pace, completely unfazed by the warrior's anger. "I've been looking after them since you came here. I had to dress your wound, since I'm the only one with experience of that sort of thing. Well, I say had to - I certainly wouldn't mind doing it again," she added with a grin, and a wink so sly he almost missed it.
His eyes narrowed. "Bring me my weapons."
"As you wish," Okuni grinned. A tense silence settled over the room as she strode back out the door she had come from. No one dared breathe until she returned, a sheathed katana and two shining pistols in her arms. "Sorry," she breezed insincerely as she handed them back. "I couldn't resist admiring them for a little while. After all, it's not every day that the sword and guns of the great One-Eyed Dragon come into your possession."
Masamune frowned at her, his suspicion growing. "You know who I am."
"Of course I do. It's my business to know," Okuni responded, with a mysterious smile. "I've been hoping I could meet you for quite some time. Although I'm afraid to say that you're not quite as impressive in person as the legends had led me to believe."
"Is that so?" Masamune responded darkly.
"Seems that way," the girl shot back brightly. "Your armour and the rest of your clothes are on the table outside. They might be a bit damp, though."
"Damp?"
"They were filthy, so I thought I might as well give them a wash while I was doing the dishes."
"You what-?" Masamune exploded, but Okuni had turned her attention away already.
"Oh, that reminds me, boss - I've finished cleaning the outside tables, so I'm clocking out for today. Are we still on for tonight?"
"Of course," Shirokuma responded.
"Great, I'm looking forward to it." With everyone's eyes on her, she turned towards the exit, and her gaze fell on Sasako. "You must be Sasako," Okuni remarked, appraising her intently. "Well, I guess they never were going to find anyone as good as me to cover my shifts," she commented with disdain. Without giving the indignant Sasako a chance to respond she moved on again, looking for something else interesting enough to capture her attention for a little while. "Well, I'll be off for now. Goodbye, boss, Penguin, Panda - and Date Masamune." The stunning woman paused with one hand on the door, and tossed him a grin over her shoulder. "I was joking about the dishes, by the way. I know how to take care of armour. You can thank me later - I'm sure I'll see you around."
And with that, the whirlwind of a girl disappeared through the door, leaving Polar Bear's Café in a stunned silence.
Sasako was the first one to react, putting her hands on her hips in anger. "That girl!" she exclaimed indignantly. "Who does she think she is?"
"Does she really work here?" Masamune bemusedly inquired of Shirokuma. "She must scare all your customers away."
The others laughed at his response, the tension broken. "I won't," Sasako told him fiercely. "I'm going to be a better waitress than she is."
"Then how about you start by getting me some food? I can't even remember the last time I ate," Masamune retorted.
Sasako looked to Shirokuma, who nodded. "Why not get some practise? We'll be serving the lunch special tomato pasta tomorrow, so why don't you try making that for Masamune?"
"Wait- so I'm now the guinea pig?"
"Don't worry, Masamune-kun," Panda chipped in happily. "If you die, I'll make a lot of money by selling all your things, and then I will be able to laze around all day and never do any work."
"How is that supposed to reassure me?" Masamune demanded. Then he sighed, giving up. "Enough of this. I'm going to put my armour on."
With his sword back in its sheath, and the familiar weight of his famous pistols once more at his hips, Masamune felt a lot more like himself. True to her word, Okuni had cleaned the blood and dirt from his splendid armour. The damage dealt by the sword blow would need looking at by a blacksmith, but he would get that seen to when he was back at home. For now, he was once more his dangerous, warrior self, ready to pursue his quest to conquer the whole of Japan. He did not belong in this quaint little café - not when there was a whole world out there with his name on it. It was time for him to take his leave of this strange place, and stop wasting time here. He re-entered the café dressed for war, but even as he approached the counter to where Panda and Penguin had resumed their discussion, he got the opinion that even that wouldn't be quite enough to protect him. No, this odd world had to go.
"What about that zoo that Sasako mentioned?" Penguin prodded.
"It sounds like too much work."
"But it's two days a week!"
"Ah, I know! Masamune-kun, I'll come and work for you!"
Masamune froze. "Wait, what?"
"I'll be a samurai too!"
"No, I really don't think you will."
"But I'll work really hard!" Panda insisted.
"You won't get a rest. You'll be training seven days a week."
"Sure!" Panda chirruped, drawing a mocking snort from Penguin.
Masamune looked at him sceptically. "And I'm always involved in dangerous fights. I bet you've never left the safety of this town!"
"But I'd make a great warrior! I'm absolutely adorable!"
"That's not a quality we look for in samurai..."
"And I'm a master of martial arts!"
"Sure you are," Masamune snorted.
"I'll show you!" Panda declared, standing up and pushing his stool aside. Penguin covered his eyes and turned away with a groan.
This only drew another sigh from Masamune. "Sit down. You're only making yourself look foolish."
"I think you're jealous of my moves."
The exasperated warrior watched with arms folded as the panda took up something like a tai chi posture. Then, a movement behind the animal caught Masamune's attention. The double doors swung open and slowly, out of that door, with a steaming plate of tomato sauce-drenched pasta in her hand, came Sasako. With Shirokuma at her side she headed happily towards the group, oblivious to what was about to happen-
"Panda, stop!" Masamune yelled, his eyes flashing with a last desperate warning.
But Panda ignored him. "Spinning bamboo kick!" he crowed, twisting round and kicking out - striking, inevitably, the plate of lunch special and sending it spinning through the air to hit Masamune in the face.
For a split-second, silence and shock descended upon the café.
Then Masamune screamed, and the café exploded with his fury.
One of the blinds across the store room windows had been partially opened, allowing the faintest trickle of light to enter. In the presence of that light shadowy objects emerged where before there had been simply darkness; knowing that there was something there that you couldn't identify or explain was worse, in a way, than not being able to see at all.
When he had first awoken in the store room it had been a safe hospital for him, now it was nothing short of a prison. Had he have been prepared, he would easily have been able to overcome the polar bear in a fight. In the surprise and horror and fury of the café, though, the beast's overpowering strength had allowed him to drag the seasoned warrior away from the seating area and lock him in the store room before he had had a chance to harm anyone. Still, the result would not be the same next time. Prepared for battle with his sword in hand, he was unmatchable. He would have his revenge. No one - no one - made a fool out of Date Masamune and lived to tell the tale.
The bear had placed a barrel of cold, clean water in the room with him and he stood with both hands clutching its rim, leaning over it. In the last of the daylight, he could just about make out his reflection. Short soaked black hair clung to his face, dripping trails of water down his cheeks and bare chest. Inhuman anger blazed in those dark brown eyes; hands clenched the rim of the barrel so tightly that his knuckles were ghostly white; the greatest warrior who had ever lived, locked in a store room washing pasta sauce from his face. A sneer twisted across that handsome face, scornful of himself; cursing those fools he had had the misfortune to meet.
Presently there came a knock at the door. He recognized Shirokuma's voice. "May I come in, Masamune?"
"Come in here and I'll kill you," Masamune snarled back.
There was the sound of a key turning in the lock. Then the door opened, and the polar bear, caring nothing for the warrior's threats, entered the room. "Things are going to be okay," he began calmly.
"Not for you."
Shirokuma ignored him again. "The sauce hasn't stained your armour. Sasako says it will be fine."
"No one makes a fool out of me," Masamune whispered coldly. He smacked the surface of the cold water with his fist, yelling, "No one, do you understand? I swear I'm going to burn this place to the ground!"
"That really won't be necessary," Shirokuma responded coolly. His nonchalant attitude just infuriated the warrior more.
"Have you any idea what you've done? Have you any idea who I am? There will be nothing left of this place when I am through with it!"
"It was just an accident, Masamune-kun. Panda didn't mean to spill the pasta all over you."
"He's a clumsy fool!" Masamune declared bitterly.
"Perhaps, but he has a good heart. It was an accident, and he is very apologetic."
"I don't want his apology, I want his head! If he were a servant-"
Shirokuma interrupted, "But he's not. We're all here because we want to be. My café is open to all - even warriors like you, Masamune-kun."
Masamune snarled, "I don't understand why anyone would choose to be here with these stupid fools."
"Perhaps not, but Penguin-san does. He's been in here almost every day since I opened this place. Don't you think that he and Panda are getting on remarkably well? He seems to have an almost endless patience. I think he's the kind of person you could do with having around - and he certainly could do with your support against Panda's silliness."
"I don't care."
"No, but other people do. Take Okuni, for instance. I've never seen her so interested in anyone before. I think she'd be very disappointed if you never came back."
"You think I want anything to do with that crazy lady? She can burn with-"
"Sure, she's a bit wild on the outside, I'll admit," Shirokuma continued amicably, ignoring Masamune's growing fury. "But deep down, she's gentle and caring. You know, she doesn't make any money from working here. Her salary goes straight to this temple of hers - it's like a charitable organization, which looks after children who have been orphaned by warfare and violence. No one was there to help her when her parents were murdered during a village raid. Yet, even though she had to survive on her own, she always put the other children who survived before herself. She used to earn money for the temple in far less savoury ways. She would do anything in order to feed the children in her care, although she was barely older than them herself. When I opened the café and hired her, she could finally put that awful life behind her. Still, when she's not here earning money for the temple, she's volunteering at the temple. If she's aggressive, it's only because that's how she's survived all these years."
"Do you honestly think I care about this?" Masamune snapped. "I'm a soldier: I've killed innocent people; I've burned whole villages to the ground! Why would I care about the sob story of-"
"And then there's Sasako," Shirokuma added.
"She's as big an idiot as that panda."
"She's the one who brought you here."
"Sasako was?"
"She probably saved your life."
"I didn't ask for her help!"
"She didn't need for you to ask. She saw you lying there and wanted nothing more than to help you. Most people would have run away or walked on or found someone else to deal with the situation, but not Sasako. She carried you to the café from the centre of the woods. And she didn't do it for your gratitude or your thanks. She did it because she's the kind of person who can't stand to see someone else suffering without doing something to help."
"I don't care! I don't care! I don't-" Masamune stopped himself with a scowl. He struck the still water in the barrel until he could no longer see his pathetic reflection staring back. "Why are you telling me all this?"
"Because I think you belong here."
Masamune laughed. "You don't know me at all."
"Maybe I don't; maybe I do." There was a pause. The great white bear shrugged in the darkness. "I brought your things in. You're free to leave if you want, although I'd rather you didn't set fire to the place on your way out." He turned to leave and then paused again, with one hand resting on the door frame. "Of course, you'd still be more than welcome to join us at the Cherry Blossom Viewing Party tonight. I think the others would be happy if you showed up."
"As if I'd want to see any of you incompetent fools ever again!"
A small smile crossed the polar bear's face. "Well, the offer is still there. If you change your mind, you know where we'll be."
Night fell, and the brilliant full moon found the seven of them sat atop the hill, marvelling down upon the silver-drenched town below them. Some of them had been visiting the café for a while; others had only just met that day. Some were friends, some barely knew each other, and some put up with each other only through sheer endless patience and concern. But that night, the beauty of the scene united Shirokuma, Panda, Penguin, Sasako, Okuni, Llama and Sloth, all brought together by the sharing of such a splendid sight.
A gentle breeze drifted through the branches of the sakura trees, blowing the silvery petals fondly back and forth whilst taking great care not to scatter any along the ground. The trees lined the path back down the hill like the most graceful of sentries, marking the path down to the sleeping town below. The man-made settlement was no less wonderful in the night; lanterns flickered like a hundred tiny stars, mirroring the celestial beauty of the heavens above. Moonlit Cherry Blossom Viewing Parties, they all agreed, were even better than those held during the day.
Of course, tt wasn't long before the peaceful silence was broken by Panda's complaint. "When do we eat?"
"We're here to view the blossoms, not eat," Penguin retorted crisply.
Panda rolled over onto his back, looking wistfully up at the sky. "I'm hungry."
"I packed snacks for everyone," Shirokuma volunteered. He didn't seem to notice Penguin's exasperated glance as he started unpacking boxes from his bag and laying them out on the picnic rug.
"Do you have any bamboo?" Panda inquired hopefully.
Sasako smiled. "Yes. We brought some just for you." Panda's eyes lit up in gratitude.
"Umm... excuse me!" Penguin interrupted.
Shirokuma blinked at him. "Oh, sorry, Penguin-san, did you want some raw fish? I brought some of that for you."
"No!"
"Do you want some grass instead?" Llama piped up. "It's delicious."
"No! Why can you all only ever think about eating? We should be doing things more fitting for a cherry blossom party, like karaoke!"
The others exchanged glances. "Anyone for a cupcake?" Okuni suggested lightly. "I made them myself!" This brought more cheers from the group, leaving Penguin to sigh.
"At least someone pass me the sake," he muttered.
"Oh, we don't have any," Shirokuma responded.
Okuni clarified, "Yeah, Masamune was supposed to be bringing that."
Penguin's heart sank. "This is going to be a long night..."
The conversation turned on to other matters, but somewhere along the way, Sasako found herself staring up at the velvet-black sky. So much had happened in one day - earlier this morning, she would have laughed at anyone who told her that that evening she would be attending a cherry blossom viewing with her new friends and work colleagues. She still hadn't quite come to terms with how quickly her life had turned on its head, worrying that she might wake up at any moment to find out that all the wonderful people she had met were simply figments of her dreaming mind. Yet, when she looked up at that vast, perfect sky, she couldn't help but feel a little lonely.
"I guess he never came back, in the end," she murmured.
Sasako had spoken rhetorically, but Okuni was sat close enough to hear, and the other girl couldn't help replying. "It bothers you, doesn't it?" she said, with a sly smile. "That he left, and it was your fault. It bothers you."
"Of course not!" Sasako retorted sharply. She scowled at the knowing look that Okuni shot her. "It's just... if it hadn't been for him, I would never have come to the café, and I would never have got this job. I just wanted to thank him, that's all."
"Sure it is," Okuni responded patronizingly, with gleeful eyes.
Sasako turned away, anger burning in her chest. Why was she so angry? She didn't know. She didn't trust herself to talk any more. Instead, she turned her attention back to the others.
"I'm going... to go to... the convenience store," Sloth was saying.
"We have plenty of food here, if you want something," Shirokuma told him.
"It's fine... I won't be long..."
Seizing the opportunity, Sasako sprang to her feet. "I'll go, Sloth."
"I can... do it..."
"No, don't worry about it. I can carry more than you. You want sake, right?" The sloth nodded in thanks. Sasako smiled. "I'll be right back!"
It was usual, at this time of night, for Masamune to be indoors. Sometimes there would be festivals held in the capital of his province Ōshū, sometimes feasts; sometimes he would be entertaining or intimidating diplomats and sometimes the spectacle would be simply to amuse him. At other times he would be in someone else's palace, trying not to be intimidated by the shows of superior might his rival generals displayed, refusing to let his tiny little kingdom be cowed by the size of the enemy's army. Some evenings he would find himself in the most secret areas of his home, discussing strategies with Kojuurou and his other most trusted advisers, and when the impatient and temperamental warlord was too restless for that, he would be found in the training arena, honing his already formidable skills. Rarely, when Masamune allowed himself a night off from ruling his land and fighting off invasions and plotting the next step in his slow and steady plan of country-wide conquest, he would eat a quiet meal with his most trusted friends and family and get what sleep he could.
When Masamune found himself outside at night, it was not to appreciate the beauty of his surroundings. Many a time had he been forced to make impromptu camp when a skirmish had dragged on too long, sleeping fitfully on the cold, damp ground and cursing all of nature. He had crawled through pitch-black ditches in the early hours of the morning to escape dangerous situations; lit up the night with deadly fire attacks; waged whole wars beneath the pale and passive stars. He was never outside for the sake of just being outside. No, he was not an outdoorsy kind of man.
Yet, as he looked up at the sky, and thought that he couldn't even remember the last time he had noticed the splendour of his surroundings, he knew that Sasako had been right about the moonlit cherry blossoms. He looked up to the hill where torchlight flickered and the sound of distant laughter seemed to originate, and almost - but not quite - smiled.
Today had changed him. He knew that for sure. The Masamune who had woken up that morning ready to take on anyone who came his way was not the same Masamune who stood with a large bottle of sake in his hand, looking up hesitantly at the Cherry Blossom Viewing Party on the hill. It was alarming how much had happened in such a short space of time - it was terrifying to think how deeply he had been affected by the people he had met; by the events that had taken place. He had been introduced to this strange alternate world that he had had no idea existed beyond his life of fighting and conquest: a world of friendships, of unbelievable occurrences, of just not worrying and taking life as it came with others at your side - others who might annoy you at times but were just impossible to leave alone. It was a bizarrely wonderful existence, wonderful because it was so carefree and bizarre because it was the complete antithesis to everything he had ever known.
And it just wasn't him. He heard the laughter coming from the hill and felt the sadness of realization settle over him. He was born to rule this land, a destined conqueror; he had known this ever since his young self had first picked up a pistol. That was who he was, and who he would always be. This friendliness, this casual attitude towards life, this intense focus on such a mundane existence - they were all weaknesses. They were distractions he didn't need. They would only hold him back. He didn't belong with the people of Polar Bear's Café. Even if they would somehow accept him for what he was, after what he had done - he would never fit in. He walked a different path.
His fingers grasped the bottle so tightly that he felt it crack in his hand. He looked down at it, blinked once in confusion, and then his face set in stony silent rage. He raised his arm, preparing to hurl it with all his formidable might at the closest tree-
"Date-san?"
Masamune had thought that he would never hear that voice again. For a moment his heart forgot to beat; his muscles froze in shock. A rush of emotions he could not even begin to untangle swept over him. It was too much: acceptance, relief, shock, happiness, friendship - and a thousand other things he didn't even have words for. Old feelings. New feelings. Feelings long buried, resurfacing. Empathy. A connection, formed.
Somehow, he managed to whisper the word, "Sasako?"
She stepped out from underneath the trees, and he had never been so happy to see someone in his life. Across the moonlit darkness, she asked, "Date-san? It's you, isn't it?"
And then, in that moment, he forgot all his indecision. Thankful for the shadows cast by the sparkling trees, he permitted himself to smile. "Call me Masamune. Everyone else seems to be doing it," he added, the slightest hint of humour creeping into his voice.
Even in the darkness, Sasako's broad grin lit up her whole face. "I'm so glad that you decided to come!"
He wasn't entirely sure how to reply to that. "It was a close one," he admitted slowly.
"How so?"
"I didn't know if I'd be accepted here. I didn't know if I could accept it myself."
"Masamune, you will always be welcome at Polar Bear's Cafe," she declared sincerely. "And I think that spending some time here will do you good."
"Or it could drive me insane."
"Or that." Sasako laughed. "Seriously, though. I feel like you belong here, just like I do. That's what drew you back."
Masamune's voice was little more than a whisper. "No, it's not." She frowned at him, but it was too late - he had already started speaking, and now he couldn't stop. "Sasako, I never - I never thanked you for bringing me to the café. You probably saved my life, and I'm grateful for that." There, he had said it; done something that the arrogant Masamune of yesterday would never have considered. There could be no more turning back.
Sasako blushed, and glanced down at the floor. "Don't worry about it. I know you would do the same for any of us."
"I'm really not that kind of man-"
"Yes, you are. I know you are, Masamune." The warrior blinked at her, surprised. She just gave him another beautiful smile. "Are you going to come and join us, then? We've got even more to celebrate tonight, now that you've come back and Panda has found a job."
"Someone actually hired him?"
"He now works part-time at the zoo, although from what I've heard, this mostly involves lazing around and sleeping."
"Sounds perfect for him." Masamune caught himself grinning, and this time he did not try and stop himself. "He's pretty shameless, isn't he?"
The two of them gazed up at the shadowy figures dancing around on the very top of the hill. "Shall we go, then?" Sasako inquired. "I think Penguin will be needing some of that sake right about now."
They laughed together. "Very well," Masamune conceded, and the two of them began to walk side by side along the path.
Overhead, the silver-pink blossoms fluttered in the wind. The strong boughs that bore them aloft murmured knowingly as they swayed, ancient and wise. So far above, the stars shone in their peaceful contentment. Unnoticed, the night seemed to become even more spectacular in its serenity as the brave new world welcomed the warrior as one of its own - and looked forward, just as he did, to the days to come.
Panda: Penguin-san! Penguin-san!
Penguin: What is it, Panda-kun?
Panda: Tell me the one thing that you are most afraid of.
Penguin: Well, when I was younger, I was terrified of being eaten by a leopard seal. I haven't seen one of those since I moved here, though.
Panda: ...
Penguin: Panda-kun, are you asleep?
Panda: You're so dull, Penguin-san, I can't help dozing off when you talk.
Penguin: I'm not dull!
Panda: I think I would be most afraid of having no one to talk to but you, Penguin-san.
Penguin: Let's end this, Shirokuma-kun!
Shirokuma: Next time, Polar Bear's Cafe will be presented in lime green text.
Penguin: It will be black as usual!
Sasako: Enjoy!