Imperial Japan:(1868 - 1947)
The Empire of Japan (大日本帝國 Dai Nippon Teikoku?, literally "Great Japanese Empire")[8] was the historical Japanese nation-state[nb 2] that existed from the Meiji Restoration in 1868 to the enactment of the 1947 constitution of modern Japan.
Amaterasu
Amaterasu (天照?), Amaterasu-ōmikami (天照大神／天照大御神／天照皇大神?) or Ōhirume-no-muchi-no-kami (大日孁貴神?) is a part of the Japanese myth cycle and also a major deity of the Shinto religion. She is seen as the goddess of the sun, but also of the universe.
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No Rest for the Wicked
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#21
"The future is dark, the present burdensome. Only the past, dead and buried, bears contemplation."
(G.R. Elton)
Natsuki didn't go to school the following morning, but she did walk Shizuru. After yesterday's events, the couple seemed closer than ever. Their relationship had been solidified by the intense love making and the promises to be together for the rest of their young lives - not to mention the long overdue declarations of love.
Shizuru was sad that she wouldn't see her girlfriend around campus today nor be able to tease her at lunch in front of all their friends, but Natsuki was determined to look for a job to support her girlfriend, her daughters, and her grandmother.
Her grandfather had left a substantial amount of money in the wake of her passing - mostly for Namiko because her body was very fragile so working wasn't really an option - and Reagan until she was old enough to get a job of her own.
Natsuki would never allow her grandmother to take on the bulk of the bills, even though last night, when she expressed her desire to get a job to her grandmother, the old woman had been appalled and reluctant because she wanted Natsuki to remain entirely focused on school.
"You're so smart," Namiko had said with tears in her eyes, "You could be a doctor or a lawyer if you so desired. Please, reconsider. Your grades will suffer."
Natsuki thought a lot of that reluctance came because her father hadn't been in school much since she'd been taking care of Namiko since she was ten. She hadn't walked the stage because of that and the multiple jobs she worked, but she did return to get her GED and eventually enrolled at UCLA where she quickly earned a Bachelor's degree in Aerospace engineering.
But, the point was that no one in the Kruger family, despite where they were now, had officially graduated high school, and Namiko didn't want her beloved granddaughter to fall into that category.
"I have to, Obaa-san," Natsuki had replied, and watched as her grandmother's face twisted with sorrow. "I can't let - I won't let you - work yourself so hard."
She'd clenched her fists and looked away. "This is my burden to carry. I have a duty to Shizuru as well as to my children." her hand had unconsciously reached up to stroke her necklace. "A wolf provides for her own." she muttered.
"That fang has been in our family for generations." Namiko had veered off the topic, she knew there was no changing her young charge's mind. "Kagura had slain the mighty wolf Amaterasu, and had given Tei Mei her head. The empress in turn wove a magatama for Kagura using Amaterasu's fangs. It was eventually passed down to my mother, then to me, then to your father, and now you. It represents strength, wisdom, and passion, all three of which I believe are characteristics of you."
"Then you understand why I have to do this," the young woman had replied softly. "I'm willing to be strong for all three of them. I love her, Obaa-san."
Namiko's eyes had widened until they looked like vivid green saucers. If the top hadn't been so serious, Natsuki might've laughed at her incredulous expression. "It's crazy right," she'd said, "but she's the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with."
"Does she feel the same? I mean - have you two discussed it?" The old woman had blurted out, then blushed furiously afterward.
Natsuki had chuckled and nodded. "She feels the same, Obaa-san. We're planning to get married in the spring!"
The look of shock on Namiko's face had somehow further evolved. The young teen had doubled in her laughter. "I'm just kidding, Obaa-san," she choked out, "we're not getting married anytime soon."
"Aye-yah!" Namiko's hand had caught the side of her head. "You almost gave me a heart attack! Honestly, does everyone find humor at my expense?"
The tiny old woman had then found herself tucked against her granddaughter's chest in an affectionate embrace that caught her completely off-guard. "Forgive me, Obaa-san." Natsuki had whispered softly. It had seemed like she'd been apologizing for a lot more than messing with her grandmother.
"There is nothing to forgive, no koniu." Namiko had reassured her. "Follow your heart and do what you feel must be done. And remember, my no ko, I will be here for you always."
That conversation had given Natsuki the determination to get to where she was now, standing in front of a well-dressed woman in slacks at one of the many restaurants in the Shibuya district. "And you are how old?"
"I'll be eighteen in May." Natsuki replied.
"Are you in school?"
"Yes."
"Are your parents aware of your desire to take on a night job?"
"My grandmother gave me her consent."
"And what of your parents? Mother? Father?"
Natsuki's fingers tightened on the edge of the couch. "My grandmother gave me her consent."
The woman took one look at those intense green eyes and decided to drop it. She awkwardly shuffled in her office chair. It felt as though she were trapped in a cage with a hungry wolf.
As much as she would like to give the kid a chance, she believed that Natsuki's stoic intensity would come off as rude to customers, and in turn be bad for business. "I'm sorry, Ms. Kruger, but I'm afraid that we aren't hiring at the moment."
Natsuki sighed and stiffly stood up. She made sure to leave her sling at home because she didn't want it to possibly influence the decision to hire her or not. Her body was so sore and she was in a lot of pain, but she'd only just started. She couldn't give up now. "Thank you." She said quietly over her shoulder.
"I'm sorry, but we're not hiring."
"That help wanted sign is terribly outdated. I'm sorry for the inconvenience."
"You're a bit too young, sorry Miss."
"Why don't you check out so and so? I bet they're hiring."
Those were just some of the many responses Natsuki received. After the last decline, she was just about ready to give up for the day, but she had one more place to check out. On the train - since she still couldn't use her bike - some kids bumped her on the way out, jostled her shoulder good enough to have her doubled over with tears in her eyes.
Her entire right arm was completely numb by the time she reached her destination, which was the outskirts of the city not too far from her grandmother's place.
She checked her watch. It was only a quarter past ten. She still had roughly six more hours to kill before it was time to meet Shizuru. She honestly missed her girlfriend, but she wouldn't admit it to anyone other than Shizuru - and maybe her grandmother if she decided to tease Natsuki.
They were texting of course, but the messages were few and far in between because Shizuru absolutely loathed texting in class and Natsuki's phone was tucked away in her back pocket so it wouldn't distract her during her interviews.
After about fifteen minutes of walking, the dark-haired teen found herself standing in front of a familiar, raggedy old bar. Her father's favorite, raggedy old bar - Ryoko's.
"Here goes nothing," she muttered.
As usual, there weren't too many people there. Most of that came because some people actually had to work during this time of day, and others believed they had some sort of standards. A few lone figures occupied the bar -old men with at least a single stool in between them - all fighting for the pretty bartender's attention. "Alright already!" She snapped, "I hear ya! Hold yer fucking horses."
She thrusted their requested drinks in front of them none too gently, causing some to spill and make a mess of the countertop. She dried her hands off on her apron and reached for the half-empty bottle of sake to her left, slamming it down in front of the man closest to her. "I've about had it with you geezers! Make your own drinks!" With that, she exited the bar, grumbling angrily to herself.
However, as soon as she spotted Natsuki, her expression changed. The blonde waitress hurried over and pulled the teen into a hug. "Oh sweetheart, I heard what happened. Are you okay, hun? How's your grandma doin'? Oh bugger, she must be devastated. Poor thing."
"We're okay, Sakura." Natsuki said. "Thank you for asking."
"You know you all are like family to me. Your daddy and I…" she broke off as a rush of emotions surged through her. "We were like this in high school." She crossed her fingers and held them up to her lost friend's only daughter. "Always knew she'd be something in life. Aerospace, eh?" She chuckled as a single tear rolled down her cheek. "Voted Most Likely to Succeed even though she dropped out, you know. And when you look at the life she's built since then, and the kid she raised… how can ya doubt that?"
Natsuki felt a wave of sadness wash over her. Everywhere she went, people recognized her because she was Reagan's kid. It'd never bothered her until now. It fucking hurt when she looked in the mirror - the spitting image of her mother with her father's eyes - and to know both of them were gone.
At least she knew her father was dead, but her mother? Where the hell was she? Did Reagan's death mean nothing to her? Did the well-being of her first born mean nothing to her?
"Sorry for all that," Sakura said sheepishly, dabbing at her eyes, "what brings you here, hun?"
"I'm looking for work," Natsuki told her.
"Work? But ya just got out of the hospital, dearie. Surely…"
"Please," Natsuki interrupted her, "just give me a chance. I need the money. Obaa-san's already up to the neck in bills - the funeral's going to cost a fortune…" the young woman paused and took a deep breath, ready to come clean to her father's old friend, "My girl's living with us too, her bastard father kicked her out."
"That's terrible!" Sakura barked. "Why would he do such a thing? Don't he know these streets are unforgiving?"
"Because she's pregnant."
Sakura's green eyes widened and her strawberry blonde brows disappeared under her fringe. "P-pregnant?"
Natsuki nodded once.
"A-and its yours?!"
Another nod, and a tiny smile. "They're mine. We're having twins."
"T-twins…" Sakura looked as though her knees were about to cave in. Natsuki quickly pulled up a chair and eased her into it. "Aye yie-yie, does… did your daddy know?"
Natsuki sadly shook her head. "We were gonna tell her… then the explosion… no, she didn't know."
"And your grandma?"
"She knows."
As one of the other waitresses walked by holding a half empty glass of gin, Sakura snatched the cup from the tray and downed it in one gulp, then handed it right back to the girl, who rolled her eyes.
Sakura rubbed her chin. "Well, we ain't really hiring," she began, and Natsuki felt her expression fall, "But for you, I'll put in a great word for you. Come back tomorrow after school, we'll have somethin' for you. Somethin' light, to start off, don't wanna aggravate those injuries."
Hope blossomed in the teenager's chest and she had to physically restrain herself from squeezing the life out of the blonde. Her shoulders sagged with relief. "Thank you," she choked out, "thank you so much. I promise I won't let you down!"
"Don't you mention it, kid. I'm happy to help. Now get outta here before the cops come! You're still underaged and I'm too pretty to go to prison!" Sakura barked.
Natsuki smiled and wrapped the woman in a quick hug before she turned and fled, eager to share the news with her grandmother. However, on the way out, she ran smack dab into someone. "Urgh," she groaned as the impact jostled her shoulder, "I'm sorr-"
"Natsuki, we have to stop meeting like this."
The dark-haired teen shivered as the familiar drawl reached her ears. She took a few steps back and found herself standing before none other than Namikaze Shinobu - who was by far the shadiest person Natsuki had ever had the misfortune of meeting.
The woman was wearing a simple black T-shirt and ripped black jeans. A lone magatama pendant hung from her left ear, black as the rest of her clothing. Her equally dark eyes lit up like a kid's on christmas.
Natsuki didn't know whether to be flattered or creeped out by the fact that a total stranger seemed so happy to see her - or frightened because said stranger looked every bit like the weirdo every parent warned their kids about. Honestly, nothing good could come from someone dressed like a shadow - or a Tokyo Ghoul.
"Namikaze."
"Long time no see," Namikaze fiddled with her earring, "I was beginning to think something happened to you."
"I'm fine." Natsuki mumbled. She didn't quite know why, but this woman made her feel very uncomfortable. All the alarm bells in her head and gut were going apeshit, but on the outside she somehow managed to maintain her indifferent facade.
"I can see," Namikaze purred, and crossed her arms, "I couldn't help but overhear the conversation that has just taken place."
"Were you eavesdropping on me?!"
"Of course not - I simply heard an interesting exchange of words and decided to listen in." Namikaze said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
Fucking creep, Natsuki thought. Where the hell did she even come from?! Her shadow impersonations are spot on… popped outta slipspace like a Halo 5 Guardian. Hehe… Damn... dad would've laughed her ass off at that pun...
"... And I was thinking…" Namikaze trailed off after realizing that her companion wasn't even trying to hide the fact that she could care less about what she was talking about. However, instead of being offended, Shinobu was amused.
"Oi," Natsuki crossed her arms (wasn't the wisest thing she's ever done…) "I've been meaning to tell you something."
"Oh?" Namikaze's interest heightened.
"Yeah," Natsuki said, then frowned deeply, "what the hell's your problem, lady?"
Shinobu blinked.
Well… she could safely say that she's been caught off-guard - something that hasn't in so long she no longer thought it was possible. My, my, this little firestarter is proving to be quite the character, she thought as a smile made a pretty half-moon of her lips. "I beg your pardon?"
Natsuki's eyes narrowed. "You know what you did!"
"I do lots of things - you're going to have to be more specific."
"You know," Natsuki snorted, "having what's-her-face with all the smiling and the talking - gah!" Just thinking about Aoi and her perkiness made her head hurt. "-bring me liquor! To school of all places. I could've gotten expelled if they'd randomly decided to check backpacks or lockers or something!"
"Oh, you got my gift," Namikaze smiled, pleased, "well, did you like it?"
"NO."
"Huh," the older woman tapped her chin thoughtfully, "I knew I should've gotten gin - good old Gin's Have You On Your Ass Gin - couldn't have gone wrong with that."
If Natsuki didn't have morals, she'd have punched her. Actually, no. If Natsuki didn't have a messed up arm, she'd have punched her. Good morals wouldn't have saved anyone if her body wasn't one big bruise. "NO - you - gah! I'm going home."
"Wait! Don't you want to hear my offer?"
"NO."
"Well, you're going to hear it regardless," Namikaze sang, "it's just a matter of who you'd rather hear it from. The lovely, incredibly perky at all hours of the day Senoh Aoi, or myself."
That stopped Natsuki in her tracks. Damn it, Aoi went to her school, and they had the same History class. She'd probably jump at the chance to talk to Natsuki - who would rather take on an Awakened Madara with her bare hands than sit there and have a harmless, civilized conversation with the likes of her.
"You got thirty-seconds."
Namikaze felt the thralls of victory begin to hum in her ear. As if in cue, the clouds moved to temporarily block the sun, casting a magnificent grey shadow over the bar. The birds suddenly stopped singing, the previously docile tempest sliced through their dark locks, carrying leaves and debris in its ethereal grasp. Natsuki felt the hair on the back of her neck and arms rise, her heart skipped several beats. She gulped and took a step back. "Oh," Shinobu chuckled, "I only need ten."
Shit just got weirder…!
However, Shinobu just smiled gleefully and dug her hand in her back pocket. "Well, I actually don't have time to explain, so just take my card." She dropped the black piece of cardboard in Natsuki's hand. "My number's on the back. Give me a call when you tire of making…" she paused, disgust making a mess of her admittedly pretty features. "minimum wage."
If Natsuki didn't love her hair, she'd have pulled it all out right then and there. Shinobu's grin was the very definition of shit-eating as she began to backpedal towards her vehicle - a matte black Mercedes that looked like it was worth more than all the souls dwelling in the bar.
Foreign cars were already ridiculously expensive, but with its drop top and suicide doors, Natsuki bet she could pay for her entire college tuition - all four years and probably med-school - with the money Namikaze spent on her Beamer. "Until next time, Nat-su-ki." The older woman purred.
"Don't say my name like that!"
In an impressive show of raw horsepower and multi-colored exhaust fumes, Namikaze successfully managed to make quite the exit - gathering nosy, interested looks from the few patrons of the bar who ventured over to see what all the noise was about. Sakura's face was pressed against the gas, her eyes filled with wonder as she gazed at the back of the retreating Benz.
After it disappeared around corner, Sakura fixed her brown eyes on Natsuki. "Friend o' yours?" She mouthed.
Natsuki looked at the business card the mysterious woman left with her. It wasn't much - really just a fancy piece of black cardboard with her name and number written with gorgeous white ink. With only a minor twitch in her eye, Natsuki shoved the card in her back pocket. "NO." she said to answer Sakura's question.
"I suggest you make friends then," Sakura mouthed back, "never seen a real Benz before!"
"What happened to 'don't talk to strangers, Nat?" Natsuki inquired, doing her best Sakura-impersonation.
"Eh, just don't talk to the low-lives who work at bars! Ain't nothin' but trouble, I tell ya."
"Right." Natsuki deadpanned. "Well, I'll see you tomorrow."
It was only when she was making the journey back home did she realize that the skies had cleared up once more and the birds had resumed their singing - strangely after Namikaze had left. The only fault in Natsuki's theory that Shinobu Namikaze was in fact the devil was the absence of horns and the scent of smoke and brimstone - as mentioned in the Christian bible she'd researched for a class project way back in middle school.
"Guess creeps don't just come out at night anymore." She grumbled.
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"Obaa-san," Natsuki called as she entered the house, "I'm home."
There was no response, but Natsuki knew her grandmother was home. Her car was still in the same place she'd left it last night. Natsuki sighed tiredly and made her way into the kitchen, famished, exhausted and aggravated. She spotted her pills sitting in between the toaster and the sink.
With an expression designed to accommodate her sour mood, she unscrewed the capsule and popped three in her mouth. She then filled up a glass with water to wash them down before setting the cup in the sink.
Where is everybody? Natsuki thought as her shimmering emeralds surveyed the quiet mansion. It was quiet enough to hear a pin drop. That, considering the sheer size of the estate and the colorful individuals who occupied it, was a little unnerving. She hadn't even seen a lick of Duran since she got home, which was even more strange because he was usually the first creature she saw, sliding all over the wooden floors with those long, blunt claws of his.
Riku didn't leave her room much anymore. Natsuki only ever really saw her during breakfast and dinner - and lunch if she was lucky. She understood the reason behind it. Her father and Riku had been practically glued at the hip since childhood with a bond forged on more than just the foundation of kinship.
The dark-haired teen shook her head. She didn't want to think about her father right now - even though she was all Natsuki thought about when she was alone. She abandoned the kitchen, but something caught her eye before she could make her way upstairs to her room.
The mansion's back doors had been left ajar. That explained why the house was so chilly. Her grandmother must've went to the shrine and forgot to properly close them. That explained the quietness of the house and the absence of Duran, he followed Namiko everywhere.
Somewhat eager to share the good news about finding a job paired with the desire to see the little old woman led Natsuki to slip through the cracked doors and begin the short journey to the shrine. It was difficult to tell the exact size of the mansion until you were standing at the very heart of it because of the abundance of trees and plants hiding it from plain sight.
There was a large cobblestone pathway that led to a wide, green space used for sparring. A small fountain where her grandmother's prized Koi - Rio and Sora swam their eternal circles around each other was hidden beneath the towering form of a cherry blossom tree. A large, magnificent staircase made of slate led to the top of the hill where the shrine was located. It was Natsuki's least favorite part of the estate.
It took her slightly longer than usual to reach the top thanks to her rapidly numbing body, but she made it somehow.
Two massive stone wolves guarded the entrance of the shrine - the Sun Goddess Amaterasu and her brother Tsukuyomi, God of the moon. Amaterasu wasn't actually a wolf, but Namiko used to tell Natsuki stories about how the Sun Goddess took the form of the mighty she-wolf Shunkaha in order to protect the last maiden and living member of the Kruger clan when they faced total annihilation under Emperor Hirohito's reign way back when World Wars were cool.
She didn't know much about Tsukuyomi, though. All she knew was that he betrayed Amaterasu and their other brother, Susanoo the God of the storms and sea, by killing the food goddess or something like that, and Amaterasu, disgusted labeled him an evil god and separated night from day - Natsuki always had a hard time remembering things like that. She honestly thought he was just there for balance or something.
Duran was lying just outside the shrine. It wasn't like he wasn't allowed to go in - Namiko had tried to usher him inside on more than one occasion - but he simply refused each and every time. It was strange - perhaps he thought himself unworthy to be in such a sacred space or there was some sort of spiritual barrier of some sort preventing him from doing so?
Natsuki ruffled his ears. "Obaa-san," she called, peering inside. The shrine was about the size of a small home, decorated with hundreds of paintings of wolves, deities, and interpretations of Takama ga-hara. (Heaven). The smell of incense reigned supreme over all else.
Natsuki spotted the old woman sitting in the very center of the shrine. Her head was bowed, and long, onyx magatama beads hung from her wrists. She was deep in prayer, and Natsuki thought about just leaving her be, but before she could leave, Namiko looked up.
She'd been crying again. The red-rimmed eyes and the frozen despair swirling inside of her emerald windowpanes weren't fooling anyone. Her kimono, shockingly, wasn't one of her usual bright silk gowns decorated with flowers and nature. This one was seemingly woven from the souls of the damned - black as a starless night with smears of crimson and scarlet on the sleeves in the shapes of kunai knives.
"Obaa-san…" Natsuki whispered sadly.
For a moment, Namiko just stared at her, her gaze so intense Natsuki had to suppress a shudder. However, as Natsuki uttered her title once more, she snapped out of her trance. "Natsuki?"
"It's me," the teenager said as she entered and took a seat directly in front of the older woman. It was then she noticed an equally dark fabric in her lap. Dad's scarf, Natsuki commented internally, never left the house without it.
Namiko gave a tiny smile and reached out to push some stray hairs back from Natsuki's forehead. "You look tired, sweetheart."
"I'm beat," Natsuki admitted, "but I found a job."
"I knew you could." Namiko still hadn't warmed up to the idea of Natsuki sacrificing valuable time for her studies to work, but she was happy that she managed to find something. "You must tell me where so that I may visit my favorite granddaughter some time." She ended with a wink.
Natsuki's grin was chicken-soup for the old woman's soul. "Hehe, so you admit that you like me better than Nina. And Nao."
"I said nothing like that."
"It's okay," Natsuki leaned back on her right arm, "you don't have to deny it. Duran's my witness, aren't you, boy?"
The hound in question barked and wagged his tail. "Traitor," Namiko said to him. He whined and hid his face under his paw, dejected.
Natsuki didn't know how her grandmother would react to her possibly working at a bar - a gentleman's club in all honesty, but she wouldn't lie to her. "Eh, ever heard of Ryoko's?"
Namiko blinked and wracked her brain for familiarity, but couldn't anything on the first attempt. "I might have but never truly paid attention to it."
"Well, it might possibly but not 100% probably most likely but not really what you think but there's a chance that it could probably be mistaken for…"
"Natsuki."
The teenager sighed. "It's a bar."
Namiko sighed harder, pinched the bridge of her nose, and in a series of movements Natsuki was too discombobulated to follow, reached behind her to grab her wooden fan and promptly whacked her granddaughter with it.
"Ouch!"
"Aye-yah, Natsuki," Namiko glared at her, "A bar! You're not even eighteen yet."
"I'll be eighteen in May…"
"I know when you will be eighteen, and May is not for some time." Namiko replied dryly and crossed her arms.
Dang, that's where dad got that pose from… but it's somehow more intimidating when she does it.
"Look Obaa-san, I literally looked everywhere. I went to the Shibuya District, Downtown Tokyo, Uptown, the Kanto Region, everywhere, and no one was was willing to even give me a chance." Natsuki grumbled. "I would've taken anything. I'd have even scrubbed plates and washed floors, but no one - I mean no one - even looked at me twice. Ryoko's is the only opportunity I have."
"And this bar," Namiko said bar like Namikaze had said minimum wage, "is it or is it not a gentleman's club?"
"Nah, not really."
"Natsuki."
"Okay well, it's just a bunch of old dudes who probably watch Sailormoon on Sunday mornings and play League of Legends every night before bed. They hardly count as gentlemen."
Namiko had to chuckle at that, but she was still upset! "And will you be serving these gentlemen - or lack there of - drinks?"
"She hadn't specified what I'd be doing, but she said something light so I won't aggravate my injuries."
"And will you be working long hours?"
"I dunno, she kinda kicked me out before she really gave me any information." Natsuki didn't mention her encounter with the Queen of Shadiness solely for the fact that it didn't seem important and she really didn't want her grandmother to hit her again for talking to creeps.
"Well, I don't approve of your occupation, but if it's the only option you I have I support your decision. However, I do not want you drinking, Natsuki. Especially none of that horrid liquor your father insisted on drowning her liver in." Namiko said sternly.
Natsuki brightened up. She could do that. She wasn't a big drinker anyway. "I promise, Obaa-san. But enough about my day. How are you?"
Namiko stroked the scarf in her lap. "I recently went to your father's workplace to collect her things, and they gave me this. I made this scarf for her when she was a child, I'd have never thought she kept it for so long."
"Dad never went anywhere without it," Natsuki told her with a small smile, "even in the summer when it was too hot to wear she still took it with her. She said it was her good luck charm."
"Did she?" Namiko asked, her voice hopeful.
Nodding, Natsuki said, "Yeah, and she said it smelled like home, which I took as it smelled like you." She chuckled and grinned sheepishly. "You always smell good."
Namiko giggled. "I try." The two shared a laugh before it lapsed into a comfortable silence that lasted for almost twenty minutes. Natsuki had resorted to lying on her back, staring at the wisps of smoke from her grandmother's incense during that time, while unbeknownst to her, Namiko had grown increasingly uncomfortable.
When the sound of rustling fabric from Namiko's kimono became unbearable, Natsuki sat up. "What is it, Obaa-san?"
"What?" Namiko suddenly refused to look at her.
The younger Kruger reached out to touch her grandmother's hand. "There's something bothering you. Tell me what's on your mind, Obaa-san."
"It is nothing."
"Don't," Natsuki said firmly, "you and Shizuru always get this look in your eyes when something's bothering you guys. Now, tell me Obaa-san, please."
Namiko sighed again and rose from the meditation mat, venturing over to a secluded corner filled with paintings of past relatives. She reached up to stroke one of the oil canvases directly above her head. "You know who this is." Namiko said softly, lovingly as she gazed into the eternal dark eyes of her deceased lover.
"My grandfather." Natsuki said.
Ren and her father could've been twins if Reagan had not inherited Namiko's stunning emeralds. Ren's eyes were deep pools of molten coal, slightly hidden by long, dark tendrils of sable locks. There was a horrible scar that ran the length of the side of her face, from her temple to the corner of her mouth, but did little to hinder her androgynous beauty.
"Indeed," Namiko whispered, "your grandfather was many things. Strong, silent, beautiful, smart, and possessed a domineering presence. I've seen strong men cower in her wake. She was not easily riled up, but she was troubled. War does things to a mind, horrible things. No amount of peace could sanction for the hell she went through."
Natsuki listened carefully. This was really the first time in the seventeen years she's been alive that anyone ever really took the time to tell her about her grandfather. Her dad had refused to even speak her name, and even the ever talkative Riku hardly mentioned her.
"She could be cruel. In the presence of others, especially war officials, I was simply her handmaiden, her maskless Geisha. I was not allowed to look her in the eye when they were around, or to speak. Her superiors were a lecherous bunch who were not afraid to to voice their opinions of me. There was this one man who often took advantage of my powerlessness, and when I had the misfortune of being left alone with him, he tried to undress me."
"He'd been so close," Namiko shuddered, "so close, but I screamed and Ren heard. She rushed in - I'd never seen her so angry. It was frightening. She grabbed him by his neck and almost lifted him in the air, swatted him aside like he was a troublesome insect."
"She sounds like a hero." Natsuki said.
Namiko glanced at her, a sparkle in her eye Natsuki had never seen before. "Strong and brave, she certainly had heroic traits, but there is something you must understand, Natsuki. As a woman growing up in the Imperial period, I, like many others, was owned by my spouse. I was her property. It was easier for her to find her role through her anatomy, but I was her trophy. Even my mother, single and raised by her father, who was a woman, trained me to believe that I was made to do my duty - to serve three people; my father, my husband, and my son."
"Ren did not enforce it when we were alone. In the solitude of our home I was her equal. No, in the solitude of our home I was her Queen. She did not touch me without my consent, she would only step forward when I beckoned her. But in front of others, she was my master. If I disobeyed her, I would be struck. If I looked her in the eye, I would be punished for dishonoring her. And the man who sought to have his way with me had dishonored her far worse for trying to take another's 'trophy'."
"Did she kill him?" Natsuki found herself asking.
Namiko chuckled, watery and dry at the same time. "No. She simply made him watch. To prove a point."
"Made him watch?"
Namiko turned her eyes back to the painting. "In front of them all - she was sure to make them understand that I belonged to her and only her. She was not gentle, I bled and could not walk for days. But I loved her despite the hell she put me through every moment of the day because she was heaven at night."
Natsuki clenched her fists. Did her father know what Namiko went through as the wife of a noble warrior in the Edo-period? Was that why she hated her so much? She would never lay a hand on Shizuru in a way that she did not like, nor was Shizuru her handmaiden or less than anything but her equal. If anything, Shizuru wore the pants in the relationship for lack of a better term!
"That treatment continued even when Reagan was born. Ren loved her, but she loved her from a distance and would not hold her, not even when she cried. She'd let Reagan play with her hair when she was meditating, but never spoke directly to her. For the longest time, Reagan thought her own father did not love her."
Was that why it was so hard for Reagan to warm up to Natsuki and take on that role? And it certainly explained why Reagan was so fiercely protective of her mother. The revelation of her grandmother's dark past made Natsuki shudder. She'd have never thought that some family secrets were so foul.
"But there is something that you must know before I tell you any more." Namiko finally looked her in the eye. "I never planned on telling your father because I believed it would destroy her already fragile relationship with Ren. And I never planned on telling Riku because she was already broken."
"Obaa-san," Natsuki rose from the floor as well, her heart in her throat.
A tear fell from Namiko's left as the incense to her left burned through its last branch. "Your father and Riku are not cousins."
The ashes hit the floor at the same time as Namiko's tear.
"They are sisters."
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God damn it, these family secrets are getting deep.
I decided to break up these chapters because it was getting far too long.
Next chapter will take off from here with a little more background on the Krugers' dark past, plus we get to admire the scenery from a certain pregnant crimson-eyed diva's perspective.
Updates won't be as slow as before! The better half of senior year is over so I can just sit back and take a breather!
Until next time, my friends.