Muv Luv: Provenance


Stars lit up the night sky. There was only one spot he could think of that could have the perfect view. He could not keep it to himself, so he decided to invite someone special along.

At the hill, behind his old school, Takeru Shirogane celebrated Christmas. It was a bittersweet holiday, after the base commander had told them of their failure: Alternative IV's failure. For a while, he could not think of anything else but his frustration at the betrayal they had suffered.

That thought was for another day though, because at that moment, he could not think of anyone else but the girl beside him.

Meiya Mitsurugi, her hand clasped with his, gazed upon the stars that night with melancholy. Her promise to the people; to her squad; to herself had been broken without her consent. With their defeat, how could they call themselves protectors of humanity? Meiya found it difficult to cope with that kind of weakness.

Fortunately, Takeru took care of it for her as his arms wrapped around her body.

He leaned in close, his breath tickling her lips. Meiya sighed in satisfaction; for once in her life, she forgot about her duties. For once, she allowed herself to indulge in the pleasure of physical contact.

As long as he was there with her, she would find a way to live in that world. Meiya would forge a path ahead with her own two hands, if it was for him.


Takeru woke up in a fit, his chest heaving. He could not help but grab hold of himself to try and calm his beating heart. Was that dream real? Had he and Meiya, in the other world, really gotten that close...

The dreams were getting more and more vivid. Before, he had dreamed of his original world during his stay in the last loop. After a while, those dreams had begun to taper off until he stopped having them altogether. When they first started though, he had felt a similar sensation; it was as if he was really living in that illusion.

It had been so long, and the dream's contents had gotten so intense, he could not handle it.

Meiya...

A knock on the door brought him back to the world as it was. Someone entered, their steps heavy and full of purpose. Was it the next day already? He looked himself over, ashamed of the truth he was forced to live with.

His body still lay in a hospital bed, weak from disuse. Takeru's face and hair were gaunt and unkempt from years of neglect. There was nothing left of what made him a soldier from the old world, except for that determination to see his duty through to the end. To make up for that failure; to stop everyone's tears from falling; to return to his own world, he would do anything.

With that body though, what could he accomplish?

"Excuse me," without pause, the curtains were torn away to reveal an eerily familiar person.

Takeru was taken aback by how forward they were. It was only after he took a moment to study them that he realized there was something more unsettling to their arrival. Had they not already seen each other at the meeting before? Was she the one sent to pick him up?

"Tsukuyomi-san?"

It could not be the same person. She looked so...different.

"Yes, Takeru-sama. I have come to return you to your proper place."

She answered with a solid affirmative, confusing him further. Was it really Mana in front of him? Her hair was a deep turquoise, and attached to her nose was a pair of wide, rimless glasses. There was no doubt the person in front of him was an impostor, or failing that, a close relative of the woman he was familiar with.

"Sorry, I had you confused with someone else. I thought you were Mana Tsukuyomi," he paused, looking her over again. "You share a resemblance."

They even wore the same uniform: color and all. How was he not supposed to confuse them upon first meeting? Her mannerisms seemed more direct, confrontational than Mana's. Did that world's Takeru have a relationship with her too?

The woman, unabated by his lack of memory, pulled the bed sheets back and gently pulled his legs free from underneath. Without the strength to argue, he could do nothing but watch as she slowly freed him from the bed, and the hospital machinery soon followed.

"Takeru-sama, I was informed you had lost a significant portion of your memory. It pains me to have to reintroduce myself after knowing you for so long, but I will do so to ensure you remain comfortable."

Without missing a beat, she absolved his concerns with a concise answer. Gently, she pulled him forward in the bed, ushering his legs over the side and onto the floor. She was clearly not messing around as Takeru realized she planned to have him walk right out of the building!

This woman, did Meiya really send her?!

"Eh, uh-"

"Maya, Maya Tsukuyomi. Mana is my cousin, so I will forgive your confusion."

His pause was quickly interrupted as she finally introduced herself as a relative of Mana. It was pretty obvious, but it relieved him a bit to know who the person was. Apart from appearances, Maya was acting like her cousin too. If anything, she was more honest about what she was thinking. He had not missed those subtle jabs at his confusion of her identity.

Maya had stopped Takeru at the edge of the bed. She approached a nearby bag on the table, presumably her own. It was obvious she was a person that became very focused on a single task; it felt like it was impossible for him to trip her up with any of his questions or pauses.

Takeru doubted she was in the mood to talk but he was more than curious about what her plans were.

"Tsukuyomi-san, can I ask what you are doing?"

There was a pause as she seemed to find what she was looking for. Her arms stopped moving and slowly began to pull something out of the sack. It must have been fragile or easy to disturb as she did not rush the process.

When whatever it was became free, she turned to face him with it in her hands. He looked it over and quickly caught onto what it was, though he had never seen one like it before. In the previous world, he had only seen it in red or white, and so he wrongfully assumed that they were the only colors available.

"Here it is Takeru-sama, your uniform. We have been maintaining it for just this occasion."

A splendid golden yellow overcoat was accompanied by a matching black undershirt and pants. Laid carefully atop the clothing was a pair of black socks with a large pair of what looked like boots. They were shined perfectly, as even the smallest crevice in the footwear reflected the fluorescent lights above. It was something he never thought to see in person, let alone wear.

"This is my...original?" he asked, his voice wavering in disbelief.

With the quality of the material, it was unbelievable to think something like that was at least two years old. Either Maya was lying and it was made brand new, or they really were dedicated in their maintenance.

"Of course, Takeru-sama. It would be less than appropriate to allow a uniform such as yours, that was already in pristine condition, to go to waste," she said matter-of-factly as she laid the outfit down on the bed next to him.

"Tsukuyomi-san-"

"Please, call me Maya. Formality has not stopped you before. Besides, it will be easier to tell my cousin and I apart that way."

Her logic was impeccable, so he quickly conceded. It would do no good to argue with her anyway, since she had not made a single concession the entire time she was there.

"Maya-san, how do you plan for me to put this on? I'm still-"

"I will assist you, of course. There is no reason to be ashamed. In your condition, it is amazing you were able to move so quickly after waking up. Dressing should be simple in comparison."

I should just stop talking. She seems to have an answer to every complaint I have.

With her help, he stripped off his gown and began to dress himself with the undergarments provided. It was embarrassing, but it was no worse than the times they were forced to get used to fortified suits. Perhaps his training had not worn off after all that time, after all.

With the black pants and shirt on, Maya inspected him for a moment before clicking her tongue. Her hands moved to his neck when he thought for a moment she was going to try and strangle him. Rather, her tight grip was used to pull on the tight neck collar portion of the shirt, where a green upside down triangle symbol was out of place.

"It has been some time since you last tried, so I will have to remind you of the proper etiquette and protocol to follow when wearing your uniform, Takeru-sama. You must always ensure your collar is on straight; the lowest point of the triangle must be pointed directly at the ground, with the entire collar perfectly aligned with your lower throat."

Takeru unconsciously swallowed. He could already tell wearing his "cool" uniform was going to turn into a chore.

So much for fun.

"Next, we will put on your boots. The overcoat is best put on while standing."

At the very least, he could handle that part and took the socks from Maya's hands. He had no doubt she would have done it for him, but the embarrassment was already too great. The boots themselves were a bit tougher to fit on considering their tightness, and the problem was exacerbated by his limited control over his legs. Takeru's frustrations mounted as he struggled to fit the first boot onto his left foot.

Maya had stepped back to give him space, but her respect for his individualism only lasted so long. In one swift move, she was in front of him with one hand locked on the heel of the boot, the other behind his knee. With one solid push, the leather slid up his leg and rested just below the kneecap: a perfect fit. Maya quickly did the same with the other boot, eliciting no resistance from the already exhausted Takeru.

"Please stand, Takeru-sama," with his hands on the bed to steady himself, the young soldier pushed his body up.

For a moment, he was standing perfectly straight. His heart raced in excitement at the thought of how much progress he had made to be standing just like everyone else. The boots gave him an extra inch or two, and the enhanced view was quite exciting considering what he had been limited to in the bed.

Then, his legs gave out from under him. His arms flailed as he lost balance in a futile attempt to find something to grab onto. Pain was sure to follow his fall, so he braced.

A gloved hand clasped itself around his elbow and held on tight, stopping his momentum. When he opened his eyes, Maya was in front of him with her arms wrapped around him. She had quick reflexes to be able to grab him like that.

His face flushed with heat as he realized what a sad sight he must have been. What kind of a man fell over with such little grace?

Maya, on the other hand, had not lost her composure in the slightest. Her face was still the same chiseled calm he had come to expect in the short time they had gotten acquainted.

"Hold onto me, Takeru-sama," careful not to wrinkle her uniform, he did as instructed by grabbing onto her shoulder.

With one hand, she deftly grabbed his overcoat and pulled it to his shoulder. His free hand quietly slipped in and appeared at the end of the sleeve. They quickly switched sides and followed the same procedure. Maya grabbed both sides of the coat and straightened them out with a solid tug.

Takeru could not take his eyes off of hers; they were so focused, unwavering. He was envious of that.

"As you can see, the coat comes in two pieces: the sleeves and the inner coat, and then the front chest and lower cloth are attached separately with these pin locks," Maya explained in a clear, concise manner as she readied the second chestpiece.

The four black pins easily clicked into place, covering his undershirt with more of the golden cloth. The inner part of his coat was lined with a purple satin. The same shade of violet could be found on the symbols that decorated his sleeves, and ran down to the bottom of the long cloth that covered his front.

"There are two additional pins that go around your waist, but before that, it is best to put on your belt," she procured a long, wide black strap that would hold his inner coat tight to his body.

It easily went on, the lock hidden beneath the over layer of the coat. What Takeru had not realized was that the first piece of the coat that included the sleeves also extended over his lower legs. Two large portions were cut along his outer thighs, but his knees and inner legs were completely wrapped in the gold material.

The most complicated outfits in his old world might have been a western tuxedo for a wedding. That uniform took preparation to another level; they must have been going for fifteen minutes.

"Lastly, the two pins around the waist hold down the lower part of your front robe to prevent it from getting too much in the way," they too locked in with a satisfying click.

Finally, it seemed as though the preparations were over. He looked himself over and could not believe that he was actually wearing something so extravagant. It seemed too unreal, like he really was living in someone else's body. Takeru held his arms up close and studied the sleeves; he caressed the soft texture that lined the cuffs in reverence.

"Ah," an exclamation made him check to see Maya retrieving something else from the bag.

From inside, she grabbed two matte black gloves. They were smooth, sharp pieces that added to the overall ensemble with a particularly intimidating streak. With those on, a person seemed to emanate power.

"Here are your gloves. Tuck them in under your undershirt sleeves," he was allowed to do that much on his own, and finally he was in a complete set.

"Wow..."

"As expected, Takeru-sama. It is like it was two years ago, nothing has changed."

Just wearing the uniform gave him a burst of energy. It made him want to try and walk on his own, even if he knew it would be impossible in his condition.

That brought him back to reality. How exactly was he going to leave the room on his own?

"So what now?" he inquired.

"We walk," she said with a straight face; not even a shift in tone.

Takeru's eyes grew as her arm wrapped around his waist and the other looped his hand over her shoulder. Was she serious?

"Maya-san, how am I supposed to do-" before his worries could be transmitted, she cut him off.

Her gaze cut right through him, but her words were quick to mend the damage.

"Yuuhi-sama entrusted me with this mission, but I planned to volunteer regardless. As your subordinate, I knew you would find it embarrassing to leave in those hospital gowns, lying down in a bed like a child. Allow me to support you to the car, Takeru-sama."

The strength behind her words, and the conviction in her duty to support him was overwhelming. So much so, that he felt his legs unconsciously take the first step forward as they began to walk out of the room.

When they exited, most of the nurse staff and his doctor were waiting. When they saw him fully dressed and walking, they gasped with barely reserved concern. The Shogun had surely promised he would be resting for his treatment, so to see him straining his body, the hospital probably was not going to be happy about that.

"Shirogane-sama, you mustn't strain yourself!"

"Please, get back into your bed and allow us to wheel you out."

A few nurses tried to approach him to do just that, but Maya's glare sent them reeling. She turned them so her body stood between them and Takeru.

"Silence. As a member of the Imperial Royal Guard, do you think he would accept help for such a minor shortness of breath? His strength would allow him to run without stop had he not been stuck in that bed for so long."

There was little they could do in response. Even if they wanted to contend her point, given her position and rank they could do nothing but watch their patient go in such a condition. Takeru wished she would have been more lenient, but he was too focused on taking one step at a time to say anything.

It was a silent struggle through the halls before they made use of the elevators to comfortably reach the first floor where their transportation waited. Maya had to pause a few times to better shift his weight onto her body, but she showed no signs of discomfort and made not a sound of complaint.

Strong...

A blast of fresh air washed over his face and assaulted his nostrils as they exited the glass doors of the hospital. Outside, a small plaza garden welcomed them as it sat behind the drop-off area they were headed to. Dying leaves steadily fell to the ground in ones, twos, and threes: Fall had settled in.

The openness of the outside made him feel much better than inside the building, but the unfamiliar surroundings still made him uncomfortable. When his eyes finally came back to the direction they were walking, he was unable to comprehend what he was looking at.

It looked like at least a dozen people were standing around a few vintage cars he would expect to find in a museum rather than out on the road. What surprised him though were the uniforms; more Guardsmen, but they wore the garb of white and gray.

From what few interactions he had observed before, the white uniforms were lower ranked than the reds, which meant they were lower than him as well. The grays though, he was unsure of how to treat them. The answer came quickly as all of them saluted his arrival.

"Welcome back, Shirogane-sama!" the men and women bowed their heads in greeting.

The weight behind it struck him with full force, as he was still not used to such shows of deference. There was a pause as he tried to figure out the best way to respond. Luckily, Maya had something prepared.

"There will be time for greetings later. Takeru-sama still needs to rest, so quickly prepare the cars," they saluted and quickly hopped to the task.

Car doors were opened and the vehicles were started in a hurry. The middle car had its rear doors left open and one Guardsman, a young woman with violet hair tucked into a top knot ponytail, waited by the side. Boots stomped on the pavement as they made their way over.

"Please rest easy, Shirogane-sama. We will ensure your safe return to Tokyo," the woman saluted again, a bold smile splayed across her face.

Takeru struggled to return the gesture as he reached out to use the car door and roof as handholds. It would be difficult to pull off without them figuring out he was completely unable to walk, but he figured he could finagle his way into the back without too much suspicion.

"I'll be in your care, then," he responded with a clumsy smile as he focused on the task in front of him.

How best to angle this...Owa!

All his carefully laid plans were put to a quick rest as Maya subtly pushed him into the rear of the vehicle. He painfully slid over to the side as Maya took a seat next to him. The door was shut and the female soldier got into the passenger seat; the driver was already waiting for the go ahead.

Maya made a hand gesture and the driver in front nodded in assent. The guard did a similar gesture to the car in front and the car in the back through the windshield. With a bit of a jolt forward, the convoy began to move.

With them on the road, Maya pressed a button on her door's armrest and raised the window between the back and front seat. Takeru was impressed, as he had only seen stuff like that in limousines in the old world. He wondered what she had to say that required the privacy.

Maya turned to him, adjusting her glasses back up against the bridge of her nose. Her eyes seemed to search him for something before she opened her mouth.

"You have something you wish to ask, Takeru-sama?"

Hm, he wondered where she came up with that idea. Of course, he had plenty of questions still in the wings, but none immediately came to mind that he thought appropriate to ask.

Noting his confusion, she clarified.

"You seemed confused at the presence of these men. Do you not recognize them?"

Ah, she must have seen his reaction and realized something was off. It was true that he did not know who any of them were, but he had assumed they were just more soldiers sent by Meiya. Was he wrong?

"Should I know them? I thought they were sent by the Shogun..."

Maya looked at him for a moment, her gaze impossible to decipher. Was it pity or disappointment she seemed to be relaying to him through the uncomfortable curve of her lip? The sharpness of her eyes softened as she seemed to remember something.

"Your memory is damaged, of course it might be difficult for you to remember."

That excuse was starting to get worn down. Every time it was brought up, he felt another nail get hammered in his chest. He felt terrible that he could not give the people the acknowledgement they deserved.

"These men and women were not directly requested by the Shogun to come: they volunteered. Can you guess why?"

She did not give him much time to answer, though he had no idea what to say anyway. How was he supposed to know?

"They are your subordinates, as am I. We are all members of the Golden Dragons, 17th Guards Squadron, 2nd Regiment."

There was no time for that fact to sink in as she said the next, supposedly obvious portion. To Takeru, it was an immediate shot of adrenaline to his heart.

"You are the squadron leader, our commanding officer," that last bit, though she said just the same as she said everything else, echoed in his mind the longest.

To have command over someone else, nay multiple people; it felt too surreal. He did not even know what kind of orders to give or what the proper procedure was. The entire time he had interacted with anyone in that world, he had been winging it with what he had picked up from dramas and from speaking with the few kids who ever tried treating him with respect.

That was not going to cut it anymore. The reminder that he was a first lieutenant came again, in Mana's voice. As an officer, he had a responsibility to those people to act appropriately: to be the leader they respected.

Tsukuyomi's words of recovering fast for more than his own sake were starting to make sense. As it was, he did not feel worthy of their praise and attention.

He would need to speak with Mana when they arrived.

The car ride was carried out in silence for the rest of the way. Maya seemed content with everything she had said, and Takeru already had plenty on his plate to consider. The thought of seeing familiar faces kept him going.


Tokyo, Japan

The trio of cars had driven through hours of countryside before they finally arrived at their destination. Tokyo, the capital of the Empire since the fall of Kyoto in 1998. It functioned well for what purposes the Diet and Shogunate required, but many still desired to return to their nation's ancient roots.

Takeru looked out the window and observed what an actually populated city looked like in the world of BETA. It was late afternoon, and so there were few people out. The sky had grown cold and unsettling with gray clouds, so it seemed everyone had already chosen to stay inside for the day. It gave a very gloomy feel to the city, which seemed to fit with the dire straits Japan found itself in.

There were no other cars on the road, so he assumed that the use of vehicles must have been rare. His leave from the hospital was a special case that the Shogun approved of, so there were no problems in their case. Without traffic, they must have made good time, though the car felt particularly slow in comparison to what he was used to in his original world.

"Takeru-sama, we will be there momentarily," Maya hung up the phone in front of her seat after finishing her conversation with the driver.

"Oh, good. I was getting a little bored, actually," he turned back to the window, trying to get his thoughts together. "Maya, how long do you think until I can move on my own?"

He wanted an honest opinion from someone the Shogun trusted. The doctors were optimistic and fed him plenty of recovery stories, but he needed something more solid. His body's weakness only made him feel useless to everyone.

"I do not believe you should concern yourself about the length of time, Takeru-sama. Whether it take a week or a few months, Japan will remain standing."

Takeru fought back a derisive grunt; she had no idea how wrong she was. Everything hinged on his fast recovery, so he could only hope the doctors were right.

Otherwise, history would repeat itself again.

"We have arrived," Maya smiled, her body folding into the seat with relief.

Takeru tried to get a better angle out his window to see. In front of them loomed some sort of traditional compound, surrounded by towering walls. A larger building, the castle inside, could be seen peeking out from the surrounding treetops. It looked like 'palace' accurately described the place after all.

The lead vehicle stopped which forced them to do the same. Security at the gate must have been thorough as they sat there for at least five minutes before the car began to move again. It seemed they were required to stop as well and Maya signaled for him to roll his window down.

Takeru did as she said and looked over the gate guards. They were all Imperial Guards, in the crimson red robes he had come to expect from a member of the Shogun's bodyguards. The young man who was directly in front of his window quickly saluted as soon as they saw Takeru's robes, and recognized his face.

"Shirogane-sama, it is our pleasure to welcome your return to the palace!" They shouted at the tops of their lungs, surprising him.

These guys really don't kid around...

"Th-thanks...I've returned," he returned the salute and Maya signaled for their driver to continue through.

After entering the palace grounds, it was still a short drive to the parking area where they were met by even more guards. As it was the heart of the Shogunate, he was sure they could never be too careful. Maya got out of the car first and rounded to the other side to reach his door.

This is it.

Takeru mentally braced himself for the welcoming committee. There were even more people he had to walk in front of, and he was getting stage fright. The butterflies and knots in his stomach just got worse and worse as he sat there, the seconds passing by. Would he make a fool of himself? Probably.

"Takeru-sama, let's go," Maya was right there with him, her hand out for him to take.

Her presence somehow gave him the strength to move forward. They stood together in front of another set of gates that would lead them into the castle's surrounding gardens. It was the precipice of entry; the final step before safety.

The red guards stood in parade formation to welcome his arrival. They formed two columns on opposite sides of each other, with a walking path to the gate in between. Ceremonial rifles were cocked and set to the ground, parallel with their owner's body.

It was all very overwhelming to receive such a royal welcome. The closest he ever saw to something like that was the Emperor on TV in his old world. Who would have thought he would be in a similar situation?

The members of his squadron exited their cars and saluted. Unfortunately, they could go no farther. Without express permission of the Shogun, they were not allowed in her personal chambers: Takeru's destination. Still, they wanted to see him off properly.

Takeru returned their gesture as Maya began to move, his feet following her own. They trudged along at their own pace, but luckily everyone was patient. The worry he had in the car seemed to melt away as they soon reached the gate. Two of the guardsmen opened it for them and they quickly entered the safety of the inner grounds.


Takeru was amazed by the sheer size of the building they were walking through. The procession of guards must have led him through a dozen hallways, all of them sharing the same style. If he remembered correctly, traditional buildings were designed like that to confuse assassins and make them miss the actual residence of their target.

It was obvious when they arrived at the right part of the castle as the amount of servants in the corridors dramatically increased. More guards could be seen as well, their rifles replaced with holstered pistols or sometimes nothing at all. He figured Meiya found it uncomfortable to have so many weapons around the castle at all times.

Who would dare attack the Shogun in their own home, anyway?

Maya stopped in front of the door and Takeru's sore legs reminded him of their ailing condition. There was no getting around the fact he was going to collapse soon. It was a good effort with all the walking he did from the hospital and from the cars, but he was still too weak to do more.

Whatever Meiya had planned for him, he hoped it did not involve much more movement on his part.

"Her Highness is ready for you," said one of the guards.

"Then we shall proceed," Maya responded, shifting Takeru's weight onto her shoulder.

The doors were slid open and the two entered the room together. Takeru's breaths were short and fast as the last of his energy reserves were drained. He almost cursed out loud when he did not see any chairs.

Meiya sat on a small stage in front of them, at the opposite end of the room. A cushion lay beneath her folded legs, making her more comfortable as her weight rested on her knees. She was in a set of heavy robes that seemed very inconvenient to wear for anything but short engagements; a large golden headdress sat atop her head and reflected the light of the room, giving her a godly air.

They were alone in the room as the guards remained outside and the servants excused themselves.

"Takeru," their eyes met, and she seemed flooded with relief. "I am relieved your trip was a safe one."

Maya brought Takeru down with her as she bowed at one knee. She kept her eyes to the ground and avoided Meiya's gaze. Her show of respect brought the mood to a somber tone.

"Thanks-I mean," he could feel the glare he received from Maya without even looking at her. "thank you for your concern, Your Highness."

Takeru bowed his head low as a show of respect. Thanks to that, he missed Meiya's face scrunch up in dissatisfaction with his behavior.

"Takeru, you are home now. You need not be so stiff either. Do not make yourself uncomfortable for my sake," she pleaded, as if sensing his discomfort.

"Maya," she addressed her subordinate next, smiling. "thank you for your work. As always, you have perfectly completed the task given."

"There is no need to waste those words on me, Your Highness!" The servant exclaimed, bowing her head deeper.

"Now, Takeru. It is time for you to rest. I can see your body is still struggling, so allow us to care for your health now."

One of the side room doors opened to reveal Mana and a group of servants enter the room. They wheeled in a hospital bed, very reminiscent of the one he had just been in earlier that day. It appeared as though they were really quite prepared to facilitate his stay.

Still, he hesitated. Was he not just showing his weakness by forcing everyone to accommodate him? It frustrated him to no end that he was forcing himself on Meiya. Even if she said it was not like that, he knew her better than that. For a friend, she would do anything; if that meant it would put her in a difficult position, she would still do it.

What if he was just dragging Meiya down with him?

Something soft caressed his cheek and he woke from his stupor. Meiya stood before him, holding him in her embrace. All of his struggle seemed to go away as their gazes met. That smile of hers was enough to melt his heart. The ache in his body was replaced with a cleansing fire that rose up from his stomach and flooded his senses.

"Takeru, you have worked hard enough. It must have been hard for you, to appear strong in front of so many when you must feel so tired. I will have you rest your body now."

That was the first order she gave him as Shogun since he woke up. It was one he was very ready to follow.

"Ye-yes...Yuuhi-sama," he could not help but call her by name.

Meiya's eyes shut as her body was filled with satisfaction from his answer.

"Mana," she called for her servant, who quickly stepped forward and bowed.

"Yes, Yuuhi-sama."

Without any further explanation, Mana approached Takeru's free side. Together, the cousins lifted him back onto his feet and brought him over to the bed. With great care, they laid him down and allowed the servants to carefully undress him of his heavy clothes.

Maya accepted his golden overcoat and heavy boots, while he remained with the rest to stay decent. They turned to Meiya, who watched them work quietly. The smile had not gone from her face as she watched him slowly relax in their presence.

"Allow my vassal to retire to his quarters. We will speak another time."

"Yes, Your Highness," the servants echoed, wheeling Takeru's bed away.

Mana and Maya shared a glance before they nodded to one another and parted ways. Maya's place was to watch over Takeru, as ordered by Yuuhi. Mana, as always, stood by the Shogun's side.

The older woman watched as the light faded from Meiya's form once Takeru had disappeared from sight. Her strength seemed to dissipate as she was forced to sit back down. Meiya had been working tirelessly since the day before preparing for Takeru's arrival, taking no time for her other appointments or to even care for herself.

Though she could not stop the Shogun from indulging herself, Mana was pained to see her in such a state.

"Yuuhi-sama, perhaps you should retire as well."

"No, Tsukuyomi. I am fine. Please continue with the schedule for the day."

Despite her exhaustion, it was clear Meiya was very satisfied with Takeru's arrival. The entire castle had been buzzing about how she had smiled more in one day than she had in the two years of his absence.

If only that happiness could remain.


It had been over a week since Takeru had arrived at the palace. For the most part, he had stayed in his hospital bed and focused on resting. Every day, the servants would commit him to several massage and stretch sessions for him to continue to work out his limbs, and slowly but surely he could feel his strength return.

He had not been visited by Meiya much during his stay, but he knew she had no choice but to keep up with her schedule. It only made him want to walk and move around sooner, so he could explore the castle and see her himself. In her place, Mana and Maya visited often to keep tabs on his progress and to tell him stories of the time before he had fallen into a coma.

Apparently in that world he had been quite the pilot. Maybe not as good as he was in the other world, but Mana complimented him on his ability as a swordsman and a commander. He led his men with honor and encouraged them, rather than be forceful or cold. That talent for making friends endeared him to many people, even the Emperor himself, though Takeru thought that was an exaggeration made up by Maya.

Mana told him that when the strength in his limbs returned, she would have liked to challenge him to a sparring match. He could do little to refuse her, and so the days of his mental and physical training continued with an end goal in mind.

Slowly, his body began to fatten and return to what he could only assume was his normal weight. No longer were his cheeks sunken and gaunt, but were now full and pink. His hair had grown to an awfully long length, but when they asked to cut it, he told them to only trim it to his shoulders. It would serve as a reminder and as a marker of change; he would change, and the world would be saved.

When he was finally able to walk on his own after almost two weeks, it received a great round of applause from everyone present. Meiya finally made time so that they could meet, and he was able to walk to her audience chambers himself. They spoke of things with little importance; it was simply nice for the two friends to finally be with someone their age and relax.

Takeru's anchor to that world only grew stronger as he interacted with more and more people. He got to know the lives of those who lived within the walls, and of the grave situation that faced them outside. Slowly, he became accustomed to his place at Meiya's side, as her servant and as a soldier for the people of Japan.

It was still difficult for him to reciprocate what they expected of him as a person of his status, but he was trying.


Finally, the day had come for Takeru to prove his health had returned. With a small group of servants, Meiya led him to a lavish dojo within the estate. There, Mana had determined they would have a practice match to see if his physical and mental health had improved.

There had been talk of a trip, a visit to the spiritual capital by the Shogun. Meiya was to oversee the rebuilding efforts of Kyoto; inspect the army; and see to the people who continued to work hard to save their home. The goal to stand by her side, to walk with her there was what drove him forward. If he could beat Mana there, then he was one step closer to making a difference.

It's time to take my life back.

"Takeru, I would remind you that you do not need to participate in this. It is only Tsukuyomi's personal desire to practice with an opponent, nothing more. If you do not feel ready," the unsteady tone that dressed her voice was unfitting.

"Yuuhi-sama," he called out to her. "This is something I want too."

Meiya could not help but silence herself after he said that. An internal struggle within herself occurred as she no doubt fought her concern for his well being with her respect for him and his decisions. Mana had told him things like that too; that she had always deferred to Takeru when she was conflicted, and that she had trusted him with her life on more than one occasion.

That was why he was with her on that day the bombs fell, and he knew that it was just as much his fault that she was in the condition she was today. If he wanted to bring back the old Meiya, he had to bring back himself first.

Mana emerged from the adjacent room, wearing a set of loose robes that would allow great mobility. Takeru joined her in the center, already dressed for the event. Maya presented both of them with wooden swords and then took her place behind the Shogun at the side of the room. There were a few other spectators, but they remained deathly silent as both fighters got into their respective stances.

Takeru only had his memories from his old world of hand to hand combat training. Back then, they used knives to fight one another; the extra weight and length of the sword was already throwing him off balance. It would take some getting used to before he would be able to keep up with the experienced opponent in front of him.

"Are you prepared, Takeru-sama?" Mana had been comfortable with the weapon as soon as it got in her hands, so she patiently waited for his go ahead.

"Let's do this," in an amateur's pose, he held the weapon in both hands in front of him.

Within a moment, Tsukuyomi had charged forward and brought her weapon down upon his head. He only had a moment to respond and barely deflected it with his own blade, the wood echoing a loud smack in the room as they hit.

With every swing of her blade, Mana roared with the power she put behind it. Takeru was forced on the defensive as he shuffled back and forth, trying to get a feel for the weapon while at the same time trying to avoid being to be hit. The shortness in his breath made it quite obvious to everyone that the fight was taxing on his still recovering body.

"Will Shirogane-sama be alright?"

"He does seem awfully tired."

The female servants gossiped among themselves as the battle continued. Meiya was in earshot, though she did not react to their words. Her body was rigidly stiff; the face of the Shogun remained as still as a rock as she observed her subordinates fight with a mask of serenity.

Maya took her eyes off the fight in front of her when she saw Meiya shake slightly. It had been a response to Takeru's arm being hit, hard, by one of Mana's many strikes. The facade was easy for the guard to see through, and she noticed the white knuckles that were tearing into the formal robes the Shogun was wearing. Just to contain herself from stopping the match, Meiya was having to fight her instincts.

For Takeru's sake, she could not step in to save him despite how she desperately wanted to.

Takeru's foot slipped on the sleek wooden floor, sending his body lurching to the side. Luckily, it allowed him to avoid another one of Mana's strikes. Since they had started fighting, he had gotten used to the blade in his hand. Unfortunately, he knew none of the stances or proper responses to counter Mana's attacks, so he had not retaliated yet.

As Mana came forward with another strike, blade raised above her head, something clicked in his head.

This feels like..deja vu?

His arm reacted on its own as his blade thrust forward at Mana's chest. With her body undefended, the woman was forced to slide back to avoid him. Everyone gasped as Takeru made his first attack for the entire match.

The blade in his hand trembled as the muscles twitched with the rapid response. What was that just now? He could have sworn he had felt something, someone move his body for him. It had felt so natural to move that way, to strike like that.

Fortunately, the saving grace effect had not stopped. The tingling feeling in the back of his brain grew as he studied the weapon in his hand. With a flick of his wrist, he turned the blade so that he held it in a reverse grip. The sharp side faced out at his attacker as the blade itself rested just above the ground at its longest point.

Maya leaned forward, her eyes sparked with interest.

"Have you found yourself, Takeru-sama?" she whispered, recognizing that posture.

Meiya continued to remain still, her concentration unwavering. Inside, hope sprung to life.

Mana noticed his shift in stance and seemed to prepare herself in a defensive pose. Had she seen him use that kind of style before? No matter, he would be the one to attack that time!

Takeru leaped at his opponent like a vicious tiger, his blade clacking against her own. His disadvantage had shifted to that where the two were evenly matched: a stalemate. Mana was forced back, but he kept on her. Every attack seemed to be aimed at a vulnerable spot, and his speed was incredible. With a flick of his wrist, the blade's direction would shift and sway, forcing Mana to lock eyes with his hand and not his body.

His eyes drifted to her footwork, and he used it to predict the direction she was headed. A bold strike went out for her chest that she went to block, but it was a feint. The weight in his body shifted to the side just before their blades met again, putting him right at her defenseless flank. She tried to twist her waist to face him, but Takeru's blade was already rising up from below her arms.

A wooden sword flew across the room, clattering as it skipped along the floor and came to a rest at Meiya's knees. Takeru's blade sat near Mana's neck, the woman frozen in place. Both their bodies heaving from adrenaline. Sweat poured down his brow as he started to realize what he had just done.

That feeling, he knew what it was. The muscle memory from the previous Takeru still remained, since it was their shared body after all. It only took a similar event for his memories, the stances, to come back to him.

Mana began to smile, even at her own defeat.

"Congratulations, Takeru-sama. That was a splendid strike."

He lowered his own weapon, taking a deep breath. The sweat turned cold on his body as the heat generated by the fight subsided. It was a wake up call as he tried to wipe himself clean with his robes.

"That was close, Mana-san. You almost had me."

The woman handed him a towel that one of the servants had procured. She shook her head in disagreement.

"My attacks only served to strengthen your resolve. It seems some of your memories have returned. Only a man like you would hold his blade like that," a guttural sound came out of her mouth.

Mana laughed. She actually laughed, he could not believe his ears. Was it really that impressive?

Maya joined them, a rare grin of hers had manifested itself.

"Takeru-sama, I am glad to see your strength was not lost. It has always been a pleasure to observe your...unique stance."

"Ah, thanks. It feels...right," his gaze drifted to the blade still in his hands.

Those movements, they felt so familiar. Had it always been like that? He could not imagine the training that world's Takeru had to go through to get to that point.

As the three were caught up in one another, soft clapping could be heard. They turned to see Meiya clapping, her face full of joy. The other servants quickly joined the Shogun in congratulating the victor.

Takeru could not help but blush and scratch the back of his head. He bowed in thanks, but his mind was caught up in the moment.

The first step toward his freedom had been made.


November 7th, 2001

Takeru knelt once again in the throne room, where he had first gone after arriving at the palace. Together with him were Mana and Maya, who both stood behind Meiya at the front of the room. Rather than be in her usual dress robes, today was to be the day they would travel to Kyoto so she had chosen to dress more comfortably. She wore a splendid uniform of purple and gold; the Shogun's exclusive color. A military cap sat over her head, completing the uniform.

He remained on one knee as she approached.

"Takeru Shirogane. I hereby accept your position as the head of your household, the Shirogane. May you lead your family into the future with great strength, and carry their name with honor."

He had been told shortly before the ceremony that it was mostly for record keeping purposes. It seemed something as simple as that required them to go through a bunch of steps and procedures, but it all felt like progress to him.

Mother, father..I promise to make you proud.

Their lives were already gone from that world, but he was sure they would watch over him. He would get revenge for the both of them, he swore it.

"Will you continue to serve me, Yuuhi Mitsurugi, of the Mitsurugi household, as your ancestors have done for centuries?"

His eyes had been locked to the ground as he bowed his head. At that point, he allowed himself to look upon her sapphire orbs. They were unable to tear themselves from each other as Meiya took a sharp breath.

With strength bubbling up from his chest, he put his all in his answer.

"I will stand by your side, as I always have, Yuuhi-sama."

He could have sworn he could see a glint of light form in the corner of her eye as she received his answer.


Disclaimer: I do not own Muv Luv.