In many of Sano Natsuki's memories, he was there. It was as if he had always been part of her life. 'He' was Ishii Daichi, and his family lived next to Natsuki's. In her earliest memory, the two were walking along the edge of his father's koi pond when they spied a crane eating some of the fish. Knowing how much Ishii Nobu treasured his koi, four-year-old Natsuki picked up a stick and jumped into the water to defend them, not realizing how deep the water was or how heavy her yukata would become when wet. Five-year-old Daichi saw her flailing, and yelled at the top of his voice, scaring away the crane and drawing their fathers out of the house. Sano Kyou waded into the pond to retrieve his daughter, while Daichi and Nobu stood on the grass. Kyou picked up his daughter, told her to calm herself; when she had, he then placed her back in the water. Her panic gone, she found that the water came up to her chin. Kyou picked her up once more, and deposited her on the grass next to Daichi. He then squatted to their level, looking them both in the eye.

"The lesson I wish for you both to learn today," he began in his quiet, gruff voice, "is that bad situations become worse when you panic. Instead of flailing about in times of trouble like a fish without water, be the calm in the chaos. Find your head, and you will see that a solution is there. Do you understand, children?" Both Natsuki and Daichi nodded, and Kyou took Natsuki's hand. He bowed to Nobu, before taking the girl home to change. As the Sanos left, Nobu turned to Daichi.

"What was she doing in the water, anyway?"

"She was trying to defend your fish from a crane." Nobu laughed.

"She is a fighter already! Her mother would be most proud, wouldn't she?"

"Yes, sir."

XxXxX

Rosalee watched as the years fast-forwarded, dryly musing to herself that she was getting the Christmas Carol treatment.

"Well, whatever works, right?" Monroe's voice asked her. "Otherwise it will take too long and he will be lost to you in this life. Only important bits, enough for you to get the whole story, yes?"

"I suppose..."

XxXxX

The next moment was at a point when Natsuki appeared to be about 7. Natsuki and Daichi were in the Sano home; Natsuki was showing Daichi her mother's armory.

"Why doesn't your father use them?" the boy asked as he examined a small dagger. Natsuki shrugged.

"Father is not much of a warrior. Also, I think he misses her too much to touch them. Hey! Look at this!" Natsuki pulled a large wooden club out. It was nearly as tall as she, and had spikes on the end. A kanabo.

"Wow! Can you even pick that up?" Daichi asked. Natsuki mustered her strength, and found she could lift it... however not for very long, as it came crashing back down, slashing Daichi in the face. The boy screamed, and blood started pouring from his forehead. Natsuki threw down the weapon and grabbed a cloth, holding it against his head to try to stop the bleeding. Kyou suddenly was at her side. He took a look at the scene and knew what had happened, so he begged Daichi to calm himself. Once Daichi was no longer screaming and struggling, they found that the cut was not very deep, but it would probably leave a scar. Natsuki apologized over and over to her friend, crying for causing him pain. Kyou looked over his wife's arsenal, cursing to himself. Before his beloved Michi had ridden off to battle, she made him promise that if she did not return he would have Natsuki trained as soon as the little girl could lift her beloved kanabo. Kyou had sworn, not realizing they would be the last words he exchanged with her. He had tried to keep Natsuki from it, but now it was too late and he had to honor his wife. He had to contact Okawa Akio.

XxXxX

"Now, there you were able to hear some of Kyou's thoughts." Monroe's voice echoed as the scene paused like a movie. "You are being granted special opportunity to see and hear things that you yourself were not present for, so you will get a better understanding."

"Why are you showing me this?" Rosalee asked miserably. While it was interesting to be sure, it didn't seem particularly helpful.

"I know it doesn't make a lot of sense right now, but you need all the help you can get. You need to see these things... do you trust me?" Rosalee did, and the scene began again some two months after the kanabo incident.

XxXxX

Okawa Akio agreed to meet with Kyou. In order to get Natsuki out of the house, Kyou gave his daughter a wooden comb for her hair and told her to go next door to the Ishii household to decorate it, as they had a much better selection of paints. Natsuki took the comb, bowed respectfully to her father, and ran next door. Nobu was expecting her, and smiled as he set her up with some paints and inks and a few scraps of paper for Dachi to practice writing. He then left the children alone. They worked in silence for a while before Daichi looked up from the characters he was writing, looking at Natsuki's countenance of intense concentration. He watched her steady hand drag the paint along the dark wood, and soon appeared the image of a sleeping white fox with seven tails curled around it. She gently blew cool air onto the paint to encourage it to dry as she switched to a finer brush and prepared her black paint. When she was satisfied the white was dry enough, she outlined her fox with a thin line of black; she detailed the tiny sleepy face with closed eyes and a nose before tipping the ears and seven tails with black. She then drew some lotus flowers around her Kitsune. When she was satisfied with her work, she turned it to Daichi, who smiled.

"It is lovely, Natsuki-chan! You paint so very well!" The little girl looked shyly up at her friend before impulse got the better of her and she kissed his cheek, noting how he smelled of paper and ink. A blush darted across Daichi's cheeks, and he put a hand to his face as Natsuki giggled. "Natsuki-chan has honored me with a kiss! I must honor her back!" Daichi threw his arms around her neck as Natsuki laughed louder, trying to squirm out of his grasp. He remained steadfast, and he touched his lips to hers. As soon as he did, though, Natsuki went still in his arms, and they kissed as lovers reuniting after a long separation. And in truth, they were: Daichi and Natsuki were another lifetime for a pair of souls that had been entwined almost since the beginning of human consciousness itself. In their lifetimes before and in many of the lifetimes since, they met much older, so the spark of recognition was met by cynicism and doubt; but here, in the purity of childhood, that spark was as bright as a flare in the night, and they knew without a doubt that they were meant to be together. Their kisses were sloppy, lacking the nuance that comes with practice, but both felt as if all was right with the world. They were interrupted by Daichi's mother, calling them to let them know that it was time to eat; they parted, sharing a shy smile, before scurrying to the table, leaving Natsuki's comb to dry.

XxXxX

While Daichi and Natsuki were realizing their love for one another, Kyou was negotiating with the leader of one of the most feared Samurai families in the region. Okawa Akio had trained and fought with Natsuki's mother, and had a pair of sons of his own who were about the same age. Kyou showed Akio to his wife's armory, and the other man picked up Michi's kanabo with a sigh. It was heavier than he remembered.

"Yes, I remember how she loved this thing... Always preferred it to a blade."

"That is why you always allowed her to deal with traitors and spies," Kyou commented flatly. He never did care for his wife's role as enforcer and interrogator, as his own stomach was weak at the idea of torture, even for information. Akio laughed.

"Indeed. And she was very good at it. Now how old is your daughter?"

"Seven."

"So she has not yet had her first change?" Kyou shook his head.

"At least not that I have seen, nor has she mentioned it, but Michi swore she is also a fox." Akio nodded again.

"Even if she is not, she is still from... Well, good stock on her mother's side, at least. I always thought she could do better..." Kyou bit his tongue. This was certainly not the first time he'd heard he wasn't good enough for Michi. But she loved him, and argued and fought to be with him. Maybe he was not worthy, but she was gone now and he was raising their child, so that had to count for something.

"And what sort of payment shall I be receiving?" Akio's frank question drew Kyou back to the present.

"I am sorry?"

"Payment, Sano Kyou. I will be feeding, clothing, sheltering, and training your daughter for at least ten years! These things are not cherry blossoms that can be plucked from just any tree! I need a return on my investment!" Kyou's mouth hung open. Surely Akio knew he was not financially able to offer much... "What would your wife say if she were here right now?" Akio wondered aloud, and suddenly Kyou had a vision of his Michi before him, looking just as she did the day she died... She disappeared, and Akio stood once more where she had been. Kyou felt the tears in his eyes. Michi. He couldn't let her down...

"How many sons do you have?" he finally asked. "And are they all promised?" Akio thought a moment, a manic smile spreading over his features.

"You are willing to offer your daughter as a wife for one of my sons? That is rich! After you encouraged Michi to break her own betrothal for you?" Kyou's face burned with his shame.

"I do not fail to see the irony, Akio. But Natsuki is all I have." Akio nodded.

"Very well. She shall be betrothed to my younger son, Tatsuya. My wife is again with child and we are not sure if it will be a boy or girl, but Natsuki shall be wed to either my second or third son depending on prospects."

"What about your first son? Is he already promised?" Akio shook his head.

"No; however, again, it all depends upon prospects. We are hoping for our first son to have a little... better luck. I am sure you understand." Kyou sighed.

"Very well. I agree." Michi appeared once more, laying a gentle hand on his arm.

"You are doing the right thing," she said softly, and Kyou reached for her. She was solid under his fingers, warm, and in the very much alive. Kyou pulled her close to him and embrace. However when he looked again, Michi was no longer there; instead, he saw the face of Akio, looking at him as if he had lost his mind. And in truth, Kyou wondered if he had.

"Then it is settled. I shall come to collect her at dawn."

XxXxX

After Akio left, Kyou went to retrieve his daughter from his neighbors' home next door. As he came around the side of the house and found his daughter locked in a tight embrace with Nobu's son. The children were kissing each other desperately, and Kyou remembered with a pang that he had in fact fallen in love with Michi at about their age... He almost hated to stop them.

"Natsuki-chan! Come, it is time for supper!" Natsuki and Daichi shared another embrace before she ran to her father. He nodded to Daichi, who bowed slightly in return. Kyou took his daughter's hand and led her away. Once they were out of earshot, he looked down at her.

"So you and Daichi seem to be becoming very good friends, aren't you?" The little girl nodded.

"Perhaps I will marry him one day!" The little girl smiled up at her father; it pained him to see the affection shining in her eyes.

"Perhaps," he answered quietly. Poor child didn't know what life had in store for her and for the little boy; it was very unlikely that their paths would ever cross again. As for marriage, now she was promised to one of Okawa Akio's sons. Hopefully they were not too terrible... it was unfortunate, Kyou did like Daichi very much... he is brought out of his thoughts by tugging on his sleeve. She was waiting for the answer to a question he hadn't heard.

"I'm sorry my dear, what?"

"What is for supper?'

Kyou spent the rest of the night very close to his daughter, knowing that at dawn she would be gone. Natsuki suspected nothing when she laid down in her own bed for the last time.

XxXxX

The next morning, Kyou woke Natsuki up before sunrise, bidding her get dressed and pack a small bag. Natsuki did as she was told, wiping sleep from her eyes as she gathered the things her father indicated, including what appeared to be a folded red fan. Natsuki cocked her head when he held it out to her, and he pulled it apart: in reality, it was a tanto.

"This was your mother's," he said quietly as he handed it to her with a forced smile.

"Father, what is going on?" He sighed deeply.

"You are leaving. Okawa Akio will be here shortly to retrieve you." As if on cue, there was a knock from outside, and Kyou froze. It was time. He made sure his daughter had everything before taking her hand. Another impatient knock came, and they hurried to answer it. Kyou opened the door and a large, severe man swept into their home. He was very large, broad-shouldered, bald, with a moustache and short beard. Natsuki found herself wanting to cower away from him, but her father held her away from his leg.

"Sano Natsuki, may I present Okawa Akio." The little girl bowed to the larger man, who bowed slightly in return, looking her over.

"She is much smaller than I anticipated."

"Her mother was very small as well, if you recall."

"Indeed." He knelt in front of the child. "Natsuki, I want you to hit me as hard as you can." The little girl cocked her head and looked to her father for guidance. Kyou motioned for her to do as she was asked.

"Are you sure?" she asked. Akio nodded.

"Hit me in the face." Natsuki pulled back and punched his cheek as hard as she could. The man fell backward, sitting on his lower legs, shaking his head and rubbing his cheek.

"Well, she certainly packs a lot of power into the tiny little frame. Very well." He stood and took the little girl's hand. "Come, little one, we are going to your new home." Natsuki turned to her father.

"Can't I say goodbye to Daichi?" she asked, tears filling her dark eyes. Kyou felt terribly, but he shook his head.

"No, my dear, it is better this way. You shall learn the ways of your mother's people. Do well, my love." With that he bowed to his daughter and turned away so that neither she nor Akio would see the tears forming in his own eyes. Akio gently tugged Natsuki out into the dawn.

They walked together in the growing sunlight, and Natsuki could not prevent the tears from slipping uninvited past her own eyelids. Why did she have to leave? Why wasn't she allowed to say goodbye to her friend? What did this man have in store for her, and what did the future hold?