Chapter 49 -

Masamune looked at Ghost Kojūrō. "Kojy you okay" Masamune said quietly.

"It's been a long time since i've heard children crying. I can never stand to listen to it. It reminds me too much of you, and my sister."Ghost Kojūrō mumbled.

"Ah. Well don't worry about it now." Masamune said walking over to stand beside ghost Kojūrō

"And it reminds me of all the times you got hurt, either in training or elsewhere, and you always came crying to me, begging me to make the hurting stop." Ghost Kojūrō mumbled, looking away from Masamune. "I always felt guilty when it was me that got you hurt. I promised to protect you, yet i end up being the one that makes you cry."

"It's fine we all get hurt by something we don't want to be hurt by. And plus it's not like you don't protect me, you do. Im going to get hurt no matter what, everyone will. Your job is to make sure it's not fatal." Masamune said.

"As much as i wish you didn't have to get hurt. You know, watching younger you and me makes me miss when you were little." Ghost Kojūrō sighed, looking over at Kojūrō who was calming child Masamune.

"Yeah it makes me miss thoses times as well but can't help i'm growing up right" Masamune sighed "I don't want you hurt as well but i know that is impossible so i just don't want you dead"

"You know, for a while i just wanted to lock you away in the castle so you'd never have to see any violence or any of the horrible things in this world. I had actually wished for a time preserving spell so you'd be a child forever." Ghost Kojūrō chuckled. "It was cute how everything was so black and white to you. It was good and evil, not all this grey area. It was a relief to come home and tell you about the day, and you'd simplify it for me, so everything was obvious."

"Yeah i know it was easier back then. Good or evil but now there's one's that don't know and we're forced to do such crimes" Masamune sighed. "And if anyone needs a stop on age it's you Kojūrō" Masamune teased

"What's the worst that will happen to me? I'm too active for stiff joints. And i refuse to die lying in a bed helpless. If i die, i want it to be in one last hard battle." Ghost Kojūrō said pridefully. "And besides, it's not like you'll get old too. If anything, i won't have to see you get old." Ghost Kojūrō chuckled.

"Well you could die ….. again. Yeah yeah, Kojūrō i know you refuse to die again same as I" Masamune smiled "unfortunately i will but you never know i might be quite fun older"

"I was caught off guard last time, and i faltered. You know, before i died, the monster took the form of you, coming to me and begging me to forgive you. For a moment i did, and it hugged me, and before i knew it, i felt the pain of my head coming off. And as it was happening, your laugh was going through my ears." Ghost Kojūrō said, a bit angrily.

"Well i didn't do it. I swear" Masamune huffed "I thought we had made that clear"

"You're absolutely sure?" ghost Kojūrō said, sounding like he was hinting at something. "There's no little gaps in your memory?"

"I am sure that i didn't kill you i never even saw you till i woke up and was told you were dead" Masamune grumbled

"Because how could the monster know about the first time i caught you cutting yourself? We never discussed it, yet back then you gave me a detailed account." ghost Kojūrō said with a sigh. "And you 'woke up'? From what?"

"Strange. From sleep, you know kinda had a sword in my face and accused of murdering you when i hadn't even seen you that whole damn day. I thought i went over this" Masamune said

"I… actually did get a good look at my killer. Guess who it was." ghost Kojūrō sighed. "I'll give you a hint. He has one eye, brown hair, blue eye, and six swords."

"It wasn't me Kojūrō!" Masamune growled

"It was. You were standing right there, begging me to forgive you for all the fighting we'd been doing. I gave in, we hugged, and you took my head off." Kojūrō said. "And no, it wasn't an imposter. i could see your face clearly, no helmet."

"Kojūrō it wasn't me i don't know what the hell you saw but it wasn't me i was asleep" Masamune said angrily

"I thought you were too. You came to me saying you had a nightmare, and said you wanted to talk. so i listened. Don't believe me, i learned this trick a while ago." Kojūrō said, putting his hand on Masamune's head, and a scene flashed through his head. He saw himself, outside at night in Kojūrō's garden, looking tearful and frightened.

'Kojy...' He had whimpered, approaching looking very scared.

'What?' He heard Kojūrō's voice come out of his mouth in the vision. 'You're supposed to be in bed. Go. I want to be left alone.'

'Kojy, i had a bad dream. Can i please talk to you?' He had said, stepping closer.

'What's there to talk about. All our talks turn to arguments. Now just go to bed. Because i said so.' Kojūrō's voice had snarled, as he had opened his mouth to protest, and snapped shut when Kojūrō had turned to him.

'Kojy please, i really need to talk to you. Just let me speak, and if you're not convinced, we can go back to arguing all you want. I want to say i'm sorry for all the things i've said to you in our arguments. And i want to say that i've officially stopped cutting. I've been stopping myself, and I haven't felt the urge to do it for over a month now.' He had said tearfully, as Masamune felt Kojūrō's shock in that moment.

'Really? You've really stopped this time?' Kojūrō's voice said quietly.

'For real.' He had nodded, looking desperate for Kojūrō's approval. Kojūrō's joy overwhelmed Masamune, as he had stepped forward with what Masamune assumed was a smile, as his vision self had lit up in joy, and gave Kojūrō a big hug, making vision Kojūrō chuckle as he returned the hug. Suddenly his vision self started to laugh evilly, as Masamune felt an overwhelming pain in his neck.

'Goodbye Kojy!' His vision self chuckled, stepping back as Kojūrō fell to his knees, looking up at his vision self raising his sword over his head and coming down on Kojūrō's head, sending an overwhelming amount of pain and anger before everything went black and the vision ended, Ghost Kojūrō pulling his hand back and looking at Masamune expectantly. Masamune stared surprised for a while trying to make sense of what he had just witnessed

"In bed, huh." Ghost Kojūrō scoffed. "Sounds like you've got a pretty big memory gap, then. That or my death wasn't particularly memorable to you."

"It couldn't have been me" Masamune sighed shaking his head

"You saw firsthand what happened. Kinda hard to counter that." Ghost Kojūrō scoffed.

"I have had the urge to cut but i didn't so unless i was lying it couldn't have been me" Masamune sighed

"And how far would you go to get my approval? Wasn't that just giving me exactly what i wanted to hear, and getting my approval in return?" Kojūrō said.

"I wouldn't lie to you" Masamune said looking at Kojūrō.

"Not even to let me allow you to get close enough to me just to do what you needed to do?" Kojūrō said, one eyebrow raised.

"Nope. I don't like to lie." Masamune said

"Then please, explain to me what i just showed you." Kojūrō growled. "I have to say, i was pretty disgusted with how easily i was lured in. Then again, how does anyone react when they're about to be beheaded by the child they raised. And what were those parting words? 'Goodbye Kojy'?"

Masamune gulped and looked at his hand. "What if when i fell asleep the monster possessed me" Masamune said shakily

"I figured you'd put a little more fight into possession than that. And usually in possession everything is exact except the eye color." Kojūrō said, putting his hand on Masamune's head and showing him the moment before he died again, and making Masamune focus on the eye, along with the unsettling bloodthirsty grin. Masamune shivered before closing his eye to think. Kojūrō took back his hand and waited impatiently for Masamune's answer, glaring straight at Masamune.

"And you remember what happened to Yukimura after the monster left his body. If you were possessed and unpossessed, your brain would shut down, and you'd be dead." Kojūrō growled.

Masamune's face scrunched making him look deep in thought. "I know but I know i didn't do it. I just couldn't ever bare to" Masamune said softly

"And there's your answer as to why you were accused. Because it was you. And you did do it. You may not have been able to bear to now, but you did then." Kojūrō said angrily. "And you're telling me you never even got so angry at me you felt like killing me?"

"I haven't ever wanted to kill you, i may have wished it when i was angry but not by my own hands" Masamune said shakily

"You wished it. So by all rights, you got your wish." Kojūrō scoffed, looking away from Masamune with a disappointed look. "And i imagine you probably got rid of the blood somewhere, like dropping it off on one of the soldiers. And i've taught you too well to leave blood on your katanas. Wait… show me your swords."

Masamune shakily took of the belt of swords and handed them to Kojūrō. Kojūrō started unsheathing them one by one and looking at them, especially checking near the hilt. Finally he reached one, and he showed it to Masamune, with a thin crust of dried blood near the meeting of the blade and the hilt, along with the metal being a bit bloodstained, as if cleaned in a rush.

"And there we have it." Kojūrō sighed.

Masamune fell to his knees "I'm so sorry Kojūrō" Masamune whimpered

"Are you now? You didn't sound sorry. You even laughed." Kojūrō said harshly.

"Yes I am, Im sorry for not knowing what I did. I'm so sorry" Masamune said weakly

"And if you were truly sorry, what would you have to say for yourself?" Kojūrō asked, looking down at Masamune with an angered expression.

"Im sorry for betraying your trust. And failing myself, and stooping so low as to actually kill you. I don't want to even be seen right now i'm so sorry i am horrible" Masamune said looking at the ground.

"You killed me to get reprieve from all the nagging and attempts to help you. Well, you know what we do to murderers." Kojūrō said.

"I accept that. I'm so sorry Kojūrō, if only things could have been different." Masamune said as he silently cried.

"Yes, if only. So tell me, would you rather do the honors yourself, or shall i do it?" Kojūrō said, sounding unaffected.

"It would only be fair if it was you" Masamune said taking a deep breath

"Lord Masamune, are there any final words, or requests you would like to make?" Kojūrō said, sounding like he'd done this a thousand times.

"Only make sure everyone get's out alive, and if you can Kojūrō, rebuild the Date clan to it's former glory" Masamune said closing his eye.

"Very well. Date Masamune, you are hereby charged with the murder of Katakura Kojūrō, and the murder of a superior officer. The sentence for these charges is death." Kojūrō announced.

Masamune let out a weak sigh. "Thanks for being there for me for the most part Kojy" Masamune said weakly unmoving as he gripped the floor. There was the sound of a sword slicing through the air as Kojūrō got ready to make the cut. Masamune breathed in sharply as he waited for the pain. The sound of the sword swinging through the air got closer, moving just slow enough for Masamune to react if he still wanted to. Masamune stayed still feeling like the process was taking forever. "What are you waiting for Kojūrō kill me for what i did to you!" Masamune cried

The sword stopped just before his face, just inches away from his eye.

"As you well know, Lord Masamune, the Date clan is currently dissolved." Kojūrō began, holding back the urge to smirk.

"And what does that have to do with this Kojūrō" Masamune said sniffling.

"Currently, with the dissolution of the clan, there is no lord or law to judge you by. Even if you were executed, there would be no law to justify it as execution. Plus there is no clan to benefit from this." Kojūrō said.

Masamune looked up at Kojūrō tears running down his face. "But i still did that you have all right to kill me. And i'm letting you, why do you hesitate?" Masamune asked shakily

"I have no lord to justify my powers of justice. Without that, this may as well be a murder." Kojūrō said. "I may have the right to kill you, but without a lord to grant me the powers of an executioner, this would mean nothing. There is no lord, and no law. Therefore, since there's no clan law to judge you under, you've done nothing more than kill a person in lawless territory."

Masamune sighed "Can you even bear to be around me then" Masamune asked looking back at the ground

"Under the former Date law, we had public service, requiring that one ranking official of the Date army accompany the charged criminal, and ensure they did their service to the clan." Kojūrō said.

Masamune sighed as he stood up. "Right, still" Masamune said wiping tears from his face.

"And being the… former lord, of the land, it is only right that you be accompanied by the highest ranking former commander. You will spend your time, helping our group, and when we get back to the real world, you're free to do to yourself whatever you wish. As i find myself Lordless and studentless, I will no doubt seek another lord, if possible, and i will need another student." Kojūrō said, picking up the sword belt and sheathing each sword. "No doubt it will look bad on my letter of application that my former student, and current public service charge, is former Lord Date Masamune. I doubt my next lord with not be half as lenient as i was with you. While I'm stuck dragging around a former lord, and a masterless disgraced samurai." Kojūrō said with a smirk, holding the swords in front of Masamune for him to take them back. "I find it amusing that i find myself having to judge you for a crime, Masamune. You always talked about being too good to break the law." Kojūrō chuckled.

Masamune took the swords hesitantly

"Now that we've got that out of the way, i'm going to have a small talk with Yukimura. You are to stay in the same room as me, and do as i say, when i say it, is that understood?" Kojūrō said with a smile, clearly enjoying his new power, as he stood up and stood in the doorway for Masamune to follow. "But luckily for you, at least disgraced samurai can regain their honor by assisting a master, or by killing themselves."

Masamune twitched but followed reluctantly. Kojūrō chuckled, looking back at Masamune with a prideful smirk.

"Consider this payback for not killing me earlier. So, how does it feel to finally be free of your master and being your own warrior?" Kojūrō chuckled. "Sure it's at the price of being dishonored and being stripped of your title as lord, but you've learned all you're going to get from me. Doesn't it feel wonderful?"

Masamune rolled his eye. "Don't let the power go all to your head. Master Katakura" Masamune scoffed

"Oh, i'll be enjoying it for quite some time. it's rare i get such control over you, and i'm going to take full advantage. especially since you can't do anything about it, former Lord Masamune." Kojūrō chuckled. "And you're learning already! It's strange to hear you so respectful."

"I know how to i just choose not to sir" Masamune grumbled.

"My heart leaps with every 'Master Katakura' and 'sir'." Kojūrō chuckled. "Oh, and how will you choose not to, public servant Date Masamune?"

"Ha easy it's easy for me not to be respectful" Masamune smirked.

"Oh? But not being respectful to your overseer is cause for public beating, with no fighting back. Don't want to ruin that pretty face, do we?" Kojūrō said with a smirk.

Masamune glared at Kojūrō "I would prefer not to have my face disrespected anymore than it has been, sir"

"Ah, you're one of the better public servants. Usually i get a hissy fit about how 'execution would have been kinder', and that they don't need me babying them. Plus i don't have to bloody up my fist as much. Usually they think they can get so personal as to use my first name." Kojūrō said happily.

"I have more pride than to throw a fit in front of others. And i still deserve death for what i did but i guess it's your way of doing what i did earlier huh." Masamune sighed

"At least you didn't get conscription as your punishment. You'd get so beaten up we'd have to keep you away from weapons. In your case, though, it would be me doing the beating, but at least we can get started on rebuilding our army, even if you're our first member." Kojūrō chuckled.

"I would have deserved it. I will gladly accept being the first sir" Masamune grumbled

"I didn't take away your swords, so if you still think you deserve it, i'm not going to stop you. Your younger self might, but that's why we have locked doors. And have a bit more enthusiasm than that. The old Date army was known for being just as wild and vicious as their leader. And we enjoyed that reputation, so try to uphold it." Kojūrō said with a smug smile. "I wouldn't mind having a bit of docility under that enthusiasm though, so don't let the enthusiasm go to your head."

"I still have a promise of not to die i know i failed once at keeping that promise but i won't again so don't think you're getting rid of me that fast Master Katakura. I take my training very serious you want enthusiasm then give me something to fight sir" Masamune said

"I like your enthusiasm newbie. You're not bad for being disgraced and masterless, at least." Kojūrō said with a smile. "Good, someone who finally understands the challenge of training. Most just think it's a little activity that you do until you get to fight in your first battle. I can tell you'll last for quite a while, if you can handle your own guilt. I was also told you've got a bit of a cutting problem. Well, you can do what you want to your body, but there is harsh punishment for leaving messes, so try to clean up after yourself. If you really can't handle not cutting, just tell me and i'll let you find a dark corner where you can do your thing."

"i've always had a certain flare for enthusiasm sir. Just cause you get into a fight doesn't mean you're perfect. Doesn't sound like you Kojūrō you normally tell not to cut" Masamune said looking confused at Kojūrō.

Kojūrō turned his head to glare at Masamune for the name "Too bad, i'm a perfectionist.." Kojūrō said, suddenly turning stern. "Also, warning for the name, next time it's a beating."

Masamune didn't flinch at the stern voice "Sorry sir it's a bad habit that i will have to break" Masamune sighed

"You'd best, if you want to get through this unscathed. Also i am not allowed to reveal my personal opinion on the matter of cutting. If it follows your personal matters, i cannot interfere." Kojūrō said. "But i am required to summarize it like this. If you want to cut, bleed yourself out for all i care."

Masamune sighed "As i see now Master Katakura" Masamune said softly

"good. You're learning." Kojūrō nodded, before entering the room and walking straight to Yukimura and Sasuke, sitting down with them. Other Kojūrō and Masamune were sitting quietly on the bed, talking about something while other Kojūrō rocked back and forth with child Masamune, while Motochika & Ieyasu were quietly arguing over colors for a picture. Masamune sighed as he looked over at himself and Kojūrō. 'what kind of mess have i gotten into?' Masamune thought 'I wonder why Kojūrō wouldn't say why he would permit me to cut. Normally he'd argue with me, or even resort to punishment and physical violence for doing such a thing.' Masamune thought curiously. 'Does he still even care about me as his own child? He was treating me like a raw recruit. I've probably ruined my relationship with him.' Masamune thought sadly, watching as his child self, started picking through other Kojūrō's pockets, making him chuckle, as he pulled child Masamune's hands away gently. Masamune sighed and looked away 'If only I hadn't done that damned thing then Kojūrō would still care. Why can't I remember any of that. Memory would come back to me if I saw it right? It was like seeing it for the first time, though.' Masamune sighed looking down at the ground. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Ghost Kojūrō smiling as he listened to some tale Yukimura was telling, Sasuke allowing Yukimura to sit in Ghost Kojūrō's lap as he stood to stretch his legs. 'See Yukimura can still make you smile. Why do I always seem to disappoint you Kojūrō?' Masamune questioned

Ghost Kojūrō smiled and chuckled lightly as Yukimura scooted a little further into his lap, reaching under his coat and hugging him as he kept talking, with Ghost Kojūrō returning the hug rather affectionately. Masamune sighed and looked at the door before starting to walk over to it. 'Everyone's so happy yet i can't bring myself to smile around them right now' Masamune sighed

Ghost Kojūrō apparently didn't notice him leaving, as he started showing Yukimura his origami skills, making Yukimura giggle with delight at whatever he'd created. Masamune looked back painfully at Kojūrō, Yukimura, Ieyasu, Motochika, other Kojūrō and child him before he walked out the door. 'I just need sometime alone to feel better right'