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Chapter 10
X-X-X-X
When Seiichi finally returned Itachi, almost half a year has passed and I decided to accept the Nakamura heir...for three reasons. He survived Seiichi's training, speaking volumes about his strong will to pass my test. Two, he finally blooded his hands and while he broke once the two of us were alone privately...he kept his strength up until he was with the one person he should only be showing his weakness to right now, me, his master. Three...he actually admitted that he would much rather die by my hands than by Seiichi's. I interrogated the blind man a few days later to learn in addition to the physical training...he tortured Itachi psychologically should the young man think to betray me. I let it go with a small warning not to mess with my things, but...I was interested in learning how he did it.
"Kiku." My attention was pulled from my koi fish to my brother. "Stop seeing that man." Kiyofumi stated glaring at me.
"Seiichi is an interesting bloodhound. Itachi learned quite a bit under him and...I believe I can as well." I said tossing some pellets into the pond.
"That man is not someone you should try to toy with. He's too dangerous." Kiyofumi said obviously displeased with my closer relationship with Seiichi.
"Really, I barely see him aside from the occasional meeting. The first time I actually interacted with him on my own was when I asked him to train my puppy."
"Kiku."
"Don't try to control me, Kiyofumi. The two of may be twins, but we are our own people. This is my life, don't interfere."
"You might lose your life. That man may be a bloodhound, but you must remember it is a hound you are speaking with. A mere dog that may bite your hand."
I reacted at that comment, my fan making a loud smacking sound when it made contact with his cheek. Kiyofumi didn't see the hit as I always held back on my speed, but he reacted to my act of violence...with violence. When it comes to our arguments, it comes to three ways. Fighting physically, fighting via words, or fighting by ignoring one another. Physical fights tend to be the one we favor as the loser must obey the winner no matter what. It is in our Hibari nature...we only submit to the stronger one. The weak has no place to argue.
"Who I choose to interact with is none of your business." I snapped my fan closed, staring down at my brother's body that is lying on the ground. "Really. I wonder if it is a good or bad thing that I kept my true strength hidden." I muttered walking away.
"Kiku-sama!" Suzume called out to me.
"Ah, Suzu-ugh!" There was a sharp pain in my shoulder and I looked over to see...Kiyofumi? He seemed to realize what he did and he quickly moved away...his sai still in my shoulder. "Ki-Kiyofumi...?" I questioned out of shock.
"Kiku...I..."
"K-Kiku-sama!"
"..." I tried moving my right hand, but I...I can't? "I can't...move my arm..."
"The sai, I'll...!"
"Don't!" Kiyofumi flinched at my harsh tone. "Don't touch it! Just get someone! Suzume!"
"I-I'm here, Kiku-sama...!"
"Rip my sleeve, I need to bind the injury.
"N-No! Use mine! Yours cost a lot!"
"...Fine, do it."
Suzume ripped her sleeve off before ripping it further so I could bind my the sai in place while also slowing the bleeding. Kiyofumi ran over with Chichiue, Okaa-sama far behind him with a small old man. Chichiue was at my side instantly, checking the wound. I began having trouble breathing and my right arm was shaking.
"Tsk! Reika, poison her. Paralyze her. Sensei, can we salvage her right arm?" Chichiue questioned as Okaa-sama stabbed her senbon into the area around my shoulder.
"It hit the muscle, but with time it should be usable...just not to the proper extent it should. Come, let's get her inside. Oku-sama, I'll need your assistance."
"Yes, Sensei."
I was given a few more doses of poison, enough to render me unconscious and to numb any pain I was going through. When I reawakened...It's night and...only Okaa-sama was beside me. She wasn't able to smile, which was odd since she always had this small smile on her face. This is the first time I haven't seen her smile. Okaa-sama reached out, gently brushing my hair out of my face.
"Okaa-sama..." I said weakly.
"My sweet little Kiku...how do you feel?" Okaa-sama asked staring down at me blankly.
"..." I tried moving my right hand. "I can't...move my right hand...?" I questioned silently.
"...It'll be okay, I promise it'll be okay...!"
"Okaa-sama...?"
"Get some more sleep."
"...Where...is Chichiue and...Onii-sama...?"
"Busy."
"Okaa-sama?"
"...Kiku, we're going to be leaving. It's much to dangerous for you to remain here with your brother right now."
"But...This is..."
"Don't argue this is Kanta-sama's choice. Your brother did you a great wrong, attacking you when your back was turned. Attacking you after you had won your fight. Seriously injuring his own sister in such a way..."
"...I..."
"He's to be punished properly and you are to have no interactions with him for the next few years. Right now, your right arm is in a very delicate state. We can't have your brother worsening it with petty fights."
"...May I at least write to him or see him on occasion?"
"...You may write a letter once a month and if you do see him, it will be under supervision."
"Will I be allowed to say farewell?"
"...We'll be leaving early in the morning. Saki-chan and Suzume-chan packed everything we need. Itachi-kun is coming with us, yes?"
"He's mine, I won't leave him behind."
"Very well. Get some more sleep, dear."
"...Yes."
I shut my eyes, my breathing evening out. I underestimated my brother...stupidly did so. Well, his anger was understandable...I just didn't know how far his anger went...and I had forgotten that he was a mere child. Still, my brother was an opponent, someone I should never turn my back to...that was my mistake. This injury is my mistake, but...I cannot forgive Kiyofumi so easily for this injury. I can never fight the same way again and...I'll be forced to train harder to make up for this injury.
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"Kiku-sama, it's time to go." Itachi said standing behind me.
"...Is that so?" The sun isn't even up yet...but it's winter so that's somewhat expected with the longer nights. "...Itachi, have you seen my brother?" I questioned looking in the direction of the eastern side of the estate.
"...During your surgery, Kanta-sama had...punished Kiyofumi-sama." Itachi answered acting quite nervous.
"...Is that so?" I questioned with a sigh.
"Kiku-sama, the luggage has been packed up." Suzume said approaching me.
"Dear me, I worry what will happen to us...four women and one man...fufu, how interesting." Saki said smiling at Itachi.
"Down." I would have smacked her, but my arm is in a sling and my fans were taken away. "It won't just be us. There will be other servants as well." I stated shaking my head.
"Kiku..."
"...You made it, Onii-sama." Kiyofumi was leaning against Takiya, bloodied...covered in bandages. I shut my eyes releasing a sigh. "Farewell then, Onii-sama. I shall write to you in one month's time."
Kiyofumi nodded his head and I turned, taking my leave. Itachi and Saki were confused about how we were departing...but for the two of us, this was just preparation. What is going on now is probably going to happen anyways in the future...when I decide to travel the world. Last time, Kiyofumi only got so angry and destroyed part of the manor because we couldn't say goodbye properly. I stopped at the car and I turned around, walking towards Kiyofumi. I reached out, placing my hand upon his cheek, kissing his forehead.
"You're still my cute little otouto...Take care of yourself. We'll meet again...once we're both 13." I whispered quietly to him.
I turned, taking my leave once again. When Kiyofumi and I turn 13, it is when our training officially stops. The two of us also get to choose what school we wish to settle into for three years until we graduate...on the spring of our graduation is when we shall fight. Still, I care little if I win or lose, but I wish to put on a very good show...after all, it won't be very fun if we didn't do this. To see which one of us is truly the stronger of the two of us.
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I watched the snow fall from my place on the engawa. My back against one of the pillars while my right arm is still in a sling. This little town...Namimori, it's very small, but very peaceful. I might consider retiring here once I get tired of the life of a wanderer. My fingertips of my right hand twitched, but didn't respond the way I would like...I'm due in for another surgery next month, but...I dislike this feeling of helplessness.
"Kiku-sama, today we received a gift." Suzume said approaching me with a tray of snacks.
"Feel free to take some first then, Suzume. I'm not in a mood to eat." I said shutting my eyes.
"Kiku-sama..." Suzume said staring at me with sad eyes.
"With the problem in my right arm, I have to use my left hand from now on. It's embarrassing to me...to know I can't even write or eat on my own right now." If it was with a fork or spoon, it wouldn't be that big of a problem, but this is with chopsticks so it's much harder. "I cannot write, I cannot draw, I cannot even eat on my own. How pathetic..."
"Kiku-sama...Kiku-sama is always beautiful! Like a flower! Even if someone tries to snip Kiku-sama, you...You have to rise above it!"
"...?" I looked at Suzume who is close to crying. She knelt down before me, the tray tossed aside as she rushed to grab my right hand. "Suzume?"
"Kiku-sama...I-I'll become Kiku-sama's right hand! Until you don't need me, I'll act in the place of your right hand! You saved me with this hand so I'll replace it until you can use it once more!"
"...Suzume is a good girl." She's crying as she held my right hand. "However, I won't accept it. You're much too weak to act as my right hand. That is Itachi's place."
"B-But...But...!"
"..." I reached into my obi, pulling out my tessen, both pairs. "Take these. From what I was told, I cannot use my right arm like I could in the future. I will need new weapons, a new style of fighting. You are learning to dance...that is where I got my inspiration to use tessen as my weapon of choice. Will you take it, take the very weapons I used to bloody my own hands?"
"...You...used these that day?"
"That's right."
"I'll do it! I'll take these! So-So...!"
"Suzume, you called me a flower, right?"
"Y-Yes?"
"Did you get that from my name?"
"No, it's because...when you first showed me your dancing...I thought you were like a flower blossoming."
"Is that so?" I reached out with my left hand, brushing away her tears. "Then I shall become that. In the darkness of the underworld, I shall become a flower that will blossom beautifully within the night."
"Kiku...sama..."
"Don't cry, Suzume. We have a few years before I'm forced to fight. For now, I'll become stronger and retrain myself in a new weapon...You are my second, Suzume."
"Your second?"
"In this fight, two heirs will fight and the winner gets to decide if they wish to become the head of the family. In this fight, we are allowed to take two with us into this fight. Itachi is my first, you are to be my second."
"I will be your second...Un! I'll do my best then!"
"Good girl, Suzume. Also, you should clean up the mess you made."
"E-Eh?!"
I tried not to laugh as Suzume quickly gathered up the spilt tea and snacks...before muttering how it looked really good too. I turned my attention to the garden, looking at the empty dirt garden. Since I have nothing to do...Perhaps I should have Itachi set up a meeting with an architect. This manor is quite large, too large for ten people. The other five that live here are servants who handle the daily chores. This place is big enough to easily house fifty people...since it used to be an old ryokan under my family's control. The area we live in is the main estate, right at the front. It has two floors, the second being where the residents sleep while the bottom floor has everything needed for daily life. To the eastern side has a storage house along with a newly made dojo. The western side is a separate building and where the hot spring is located. The southern side...had another guest building, but it was burned down a long time ago. That's where I wanted to build something for my own desire for seclusion.
"Kiku-sama! Oku-sama gave her permission! Itachi-san is going to go tomorrow morning to meet with an architect!"
"Good girl, Suzume. We might as well remodel the western building as well..."
"Kiku-sama?"
"Suzume, fetch Itachi."
"Yes!"
I spent the rest of the evening with Itachi, forcing him to take measurements of the southern part of the estate to create my own private garden...then proceed to draw up blueprints for the type of garden I want. My previous garden was a stone and sand one, with little stone steps leading to my koi pond. I want something much more different. Something with a bit more green in it.
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Chapter 10 Ends
Kiyofumi's little outburst can be explained as a child throwing a fit. A rather dangerous child with a sai. Kiku let her guard down around her brother, not expecting him to attack her from behind. A Hibari is a Hibari, no matter how much you try to beat them down. Kiyofumi's line of thought is probably 'if she was injured, if she was injured, she can't see him again'. He really hates Seiichi so the mere thought of his sister around that man would send him in a frenzy. Kiku's winning triggered his protective instincts as a Cloud and well...yeah, this is the result. I wanted to separate them in another way, but this was the best way since I can see Kiyofumi breaking whatever rules possible to see his sister whenever he pleased. With this method, they'll both push themselves further to improve themselves...and there's another secret reason for this~! Also~! Kiku lives in Namimori~! It wasn't like that before at all, but they're there now~! Their original hometown is unimportant right now, but now that the twins are separate...well, they'll both have a bit too much free time. Well, got nothing more to add so that's all~! Bye-bye~!