May 21, 2020 marks fourth anniversary of something personally important. It's also a day before my TeniPuri anniversary. ;) So this is happy anniversary, part one.

For the version of this story with illustrations, please visit AO3, at: archiveofourown dot org / users / Solmae

[ETA] Whoops. T_T Sorry Sanada-kun. Happy birthday, fukubuchou!

Chapter 22 will be out on May 22, 2020. As always, thank you for reading!

Chapter 21

[05.21.2020]

Long banners streamed high in the air like colored clouds against the sky. The battened sails swelled with the wind. Birdcalls carried across the river, harsh squawks scattering over the water. Graceful white birds glided through the air, landing in the swaying reeds at the riverbank, sending small tufts of white feathers in a flurry around them. Was that a lone raft floating serenely among the reeds, poled by an unusually slim figure, surrounded by shadowy shapes of tall white birds?

Kirihara looked behind, to the middle of the river where the Rikkai flagship was anchored. He could make out the Rikkai colors flying high on the flagship's masts, growing smaller as their own ship steadily moved downstream. A hand came to rest on his shoulder.

"Worried?"

Kirihara shrugged self-consciously. "The commander shouldn't need us." But like Marui, Kirihara knew the value of "should" on a rapidly changing battlefield. "Still, do we really need to withdraw half the fleet?"

Marui gave him a rueful look. "It's because Yukimura doesn't trust Atobe not to starve us out of Chita. We've got a couple weeks, maybe less, before our troops are in big trouble. Even at full speed, we'd barely make it back in time." Niou and Yagyuu, who were leading the campaign at Chita, had sent an urgent message right after Rikkai spies reported Hyoutei and Shitenhouji forces were moving to seize the main supply route to Chita. While this campaign was run by the Department of Defense, supplying the deployed forces was largely left to their home dominions. After Hyoutei and Shitenhouji "secured" the route, supplies going to the Rikkai portion of the main force had promptly dwindled while those going to the Hyoutei and Shitenhouji soldiers remained uninterrupted. Official complaints to the Department of Defense was stymied first by Hyoutei and Shitenhouji presenting an order from the Emperor, and then by conflicting reports from Oshitari Yuushi and Zaizen Hikaru – also stationed at Chita – which of course said absolutely nothing was wrong. Instead of waiting for either the Department of Defense to act, or for Atobe to send more of Hyoutei and Shitenhouji's armies to take over the whole campaign, Yukimura had decided to send half the Rikkai fleet home so they could secure an alternate route for delivering supplies to their troops at Chita.

A glitter entered Marui's eyes as he continued. "This is just as important as taking on Seishun. We've got a war to win, remember?"

"Well yeah, but we're kinda leaving the middle-ish part of the river spotty and that's where Yukimura-san is at."

Marui shrugged. "Around that part of the river, the currents are slower at the center. Yanagi predicts Seishun ships will want to ride the faster currents near the shallows."

"Okay." Kirihara didn't feel convinced, but they didn't have the time to argue about it and besides, this was Yanagi Renji, Rikkai's famed tactician. Yanagi tended be pretty scary if his masterpiece plans were ever questioned. At any rate, it was out of their hands now.

Marui smiled at him knowingly. "Hey, don't worry." Then, in a softer voice he added, "It's the Three Monsters of Rikkai we're talking about. They'll be okay."

Kirihara didn't know what expression he had at the moment, but whatever it was made Marui brush his hair back gently, nothing like the half-teasing tussle he usually got from Marui. The gesture sapped tension from his back, and Kirihara slumped, finally looking away from the distant figure of the Rikkai flagship. Noticing a merchant vessel moored near the riverbank, Kirihara frowned. Not that it was unusual to see merchant ships on the Black River, which was the biggest and busiest transport route in the empire. It was just that other merchant ships had scattered out of the way when Rikkai warships sailed up from the estuary. Yet this one seemed to have dropped anchor in the dubious safety of the shore rather than fleeing. And this particular ship looked oddly familiar, like he'd seen it somewhere before. No markings, no colors. Nothing to identify the vessel or its origin. Half a dozen pigeons suddenly flew up from the merchant ship, startling Kirihara. As he watched, the birds all few up in the same direction, circling overhead in a lopsided loop a couple times before setting off as a group. Weird.

"Oy, Bunta, we need to recheck the charts," Kuwabara called. Then, noticing Kirihara, his expression gentled. "Come on, Akaya. They'll be fine. We need to do our part while Sanada and the others do theirs."

Marui grinned at his partner. Abruptly he reached out to muss up Kirihara's hair, provoking an annoyed protest. "Let's go, Aka-chan. I'll even let you read the compass and everything."

Kirihara scowled at the much-detested nickname. He thought it was Niou who came up with the pun, calling him Aka-chan, or the baby of their team. Unfortunately, it stuck. "Don't call me Aka-chan."

Marui snickered, unrepentant. "Okay, Kiri-chan." The many variations on Kirihara's last name were Marui's own invention.

"Marui-senpai!"

"Aw, is Kirikoneko upset?"

Kuwabara shook his head. "Bunta, quit acting like a brat and come help me. You too, Akaya."

With a last hair ruffle Marui stepped away, heedless of Kirihara trying to slap his hand away. Kirihara scowled at Marui's back, but he was too used to Marui's ways to bother objecting more. Kuwabara waved for him to come join them, and Kirihara, dismissing annoying teammates in favor of business at hand, followed.

Ryoma gasped at the sudden gust of wind that pushed him forward a step. Just minutes ago, it had been blowing in the opposite direction.

"A dragon must be ascending," Momoshiro commented behind him. Ryoma knew Momoshiro was referring to the legend that when the wind reversed direction out of the blue or whirled like a tornado, it was because a dragon was ascending to the sky. Ryoma rolled his eyes at the overdramatic reference, but it was half-hearted.

"The wind has completely reversed direction," Inui said, frowning up at the masts. On top of the masts, the long flags bearing Seishun's colors and devices were now fluttering the other way, pointing to the east. Normally, during this season, there was only easterly wind over the length of the Black River. "A west wind. Unusual."

Inui froze, then spun on his heel without another word, hurrying back to the cabin where Tezuka and Oishi were. Momoshiro, looking like something had occurred to him also, grabbed Ryoma by the arm and dragged him along.

"West wind is blowing. We have a tailwind. A strong one," Inui said in a rush. Tezuka and Oishi looked up from the maps, clearly not following. But Fuji, who was running his index finger lightly over the characters inscribed around the edge of a compass, shot Inui a keen, pleased look.

"Fire," Fuji said simply. Ah. Ryoma nodded tightly. Rikkai had a large fleet of nearly two hundred warships, many of them larger and more powerful than Seishun's ships. Fire-ships were a risky move, but outnumbered four to one, Seishun's ships had little chance of getting through the blockade otherwise. It might, Ryoma realized grimly, be the only way.

Oishi mulled over it, his brows knitted. "We don't have the number to make a dent even with fire-ships. There're too many Rikkai ships—"

Oni burst into the room. "Half of Rikkai's fleet has been diverted," he reported curtly.

"To?" Tezuka, instantly alert.

"Back downriver, likely headed home. Seems Hyoutei's cut off Rikkai's main supply line. The remaining half is setting up a blockade just upstream from Sendai." Nobody asked Oni how he knew. Fresh information from Irie's spies, no doubt. Irie's informational network was rumored to be extensive, but the true extent of it was becoming frightening.

Rikkai ships still outnumbered them two to one, but that was better odds than four to one. Seishun's ships were smaller but faster, more agile than Rikkai's larger warships. If they were able to get past the Rikkai blockade, with a tailwind and steady current on their back, they had a good chance of outrunning the Rikkai fleet.

"Even with the current and the wind, it would be difficult to direct the fire-ships." Tezuka was staring fixedly at the map. "We don't have enough ships to spare. The damage we deal to them won't be enough unless we can get the fire-ships to strike exactly where we want."

"You mean, tow it?" It was scary, sometimes, how quickly and astutely Oishi was able to follow Tezuka's thoughts.

"Long enough to steer them close, then cut the ropes. Once Rikkai's net is punched through, we race downriver towards the sea."

Fuji hummed thoughtfully. "It'd be like running a gauntlet. Even if they're spread thinner, we'd have to get past too many ships." A pause, then corners of his mouth lifted in a thin smile. "Unless we gamble a bit."

"Fuji?" Tezuka's eyes were trained on him, inquisitive and serious.

"They'll be seeking the flagship. Or rather, the ship that holds the prince, since the flagship is the most logical location."

Tezuka nodded, expression taut but determined. "Then we'll use the flagship as a bait. If I'm seen aboard the flagship, that's where Rikkai's attack will be concentrated. While the flagship draws attention, the rest will make a break for it."

The plan was insane any way one sliced it. Ryoma pursed his lips, knowing by the same token his team would be all for it. Besides, insane or not, it was probably their sole chance of survival. Next to him, Momoshiro was aglow with excitement.

"So are we doing this?" Ryoma asked, having resigned to accompanying his team on this plan to whatever conclusion it reached.

"Hell, if we've got no other option, I say go for it." Momoshiro's enthusiasm was palpable, but Oishi shook his head.

"Let's at least get everyone's opinions first. Other people might have more ideas."

Tezuka nodded. "Call them, Oishi."

"We've got a little left to go before we reach Sendai," Oni reminded them. "Whatever you decide, we have to move fast. Figure out what you're going to do. I will go check on the prince."

After Oni stalked out of the room, there was an odd feeling of being let out of the school. As always, Tezuka was the first to move.

"Oishi, get the team together. We'll drop anchor and reorganize." Then he paused. "An hour or wo, then we have to move on."

"It'd be better to approach with the sun behind our backs," Inui offered. "Three hours, max."

Tezuka gave a short nod. "Three hours. Let's not get careless."

"Seishun's fleet is in sight," Sanada barked, barging into the room. Yukimura and Yanagi, who were standing across the table from each other, heads bent over a map, looked up at him.

"Their formation?" Yukimura was all business.

"Wedge. Headed for the middle of our line – maybe to the flagship."

Yukimura's ship, serving as their flagship, was larger than other ships of the fleet and flying the streamers bearing the device for the Lord of Rikkai. It was at the middle of the river, because Yanagi had calculated Seishun would try to pass the blockade at its edges rather than the center and concentrated their ships accordingly.

"A bluff?"

"Likely as not," Yanagi theorized. "Taking out our flagship would demoralize the troops. Or it could be an attempt to make us break ranks."

Yukimura's eyes narrowed. "Tell the others to stay where they are. They won't get past no matter where they try. Their flagship?"

"Not yet," Sanada reported. "Tezuka won't want the prince in a visible spot."

Yukimura nodded, his eyes flinty. "Do not let one ship escape. Prepare for battle."

"Come to the deck with me," Yanagi said to Sanada, who nodded once. "We need to see if we can spot Seishun's flagship. Seiichi—"

Yukimura gave them a disgruntled look and sighed. "Oh, fine. I'll stay here and be useless."

"There will be plenty of action later, once we've spotted Tezuka's flagship," Yanagi promised, a hint of smile lurking in his otherwise serious voice. "We'll be back soon."

Yanagi sucked in a sharp breath at the blast of wind that battered at him as soon as he stepped outside. "It's getting windy."

Sanada nodded, squinting in the late afternoon sunlight. "Headwind for us, tailwind for Seishun. And our sight is hampered by the sun. Their ships are small and nimble. Our ships must hold their positions."

Yanagi nodded. They had their ships organized in staggered double rows facing west, against the current, but due to their reduced number, they were spread out a bit thinner than they would have liked. If any of their ships prematurely broke ranks to give chase, they could easily give Seishun ships an opening to exploit.

The winds picked up until the streamers were billowing completely horizontal on top of the masts, the banners bearing black symbols of Rikkai fluttering in the rising wind. The other banners bore the three-legged raven, Yukimura clan's emblem, dark against the yellow of the fabric. Yanagi stilled, something odd striking him.

"The wind was easterly before. West wind is very rare for the season."

Sanada was peering up at the flags, his brows furrowed. "Yes."

"A dragon's ascent," Yanagi murmured. "Divine wind."

A thought went through his mind like a flash of lightning and made him stiffen. The next instant, Yanagi was pelting back to the commander's cabin.

"They're going to use fire!" Yanagi blurted out.

Yukimura, who was sitting at his desk, sprang to his feet. "Are you sure?"

"The wind's changed. It's blowing from the west – right toward us!"

Yukimura exchanged a look with Sanada, who'd come up behind Yanagi. "Would Tezuka risk it? They have few ships as it is, and with the wind, fire will spread indiscriminately and make their escape equally hazardous."

Yanagi shook his head. "I know Sadaharu. For all that Seishun seems soft, they understand sacrifice. Hasn't Tezuka shown you that? Their goal is the survival of as many of their numbers as possible, even if it means not all of them will make it."

"Lord Yukimura! General Sanada! Lord Yanagi!" A soldier burst into the room before the shouts even faded. "Seishun's ships are approaching! It seems like a few of the ships are on a collision course—"

"Evasive maneuver! Give signal to the other ships!" Yukimura commanded, but there were shouts rising from other ships around the flagship. Through the window of Yukimura's cabin, the western sky had turned red-golden, a phoenix in flight. The late afternoon sun wasn't normally this ruddy. Yanagi knew what must had happened, instinct and logic united.

"Seishun lit their fire-ships," Sanada said, voice eerily quiet. The next moment, yelling and sound of confusion began like a chaotic chorus.

Sanada was already out the door. Yanagi followed, acutely conscious of Yukimura keeping pace behind him. The moment they were outside, a loud crash sounded, and seconds later, flame leaped onto the sails on one of the nearby ships. A stone's throw behind the fire-ships were a couple of Seishun warships, bearing down on the widening gap created by the Rikkai ships moving away to avoid catching fire.

Sanada swore. "Those fire-ships weren't set adrift. They towed them all the way to us." His voice rose to a shout, firm and commanding. "Rear ships, ready the archers and the cannons!"

More crashes, and more blazes flared up, stoked by the wind. Three ships over, fire had enveloped the entire deck, remnants of a Seishun fire-ship tangled with the partially destroyed hull of a Rikkai ship. Yanagi's eyes widened, remembering how much black powder each of their famous warships packed—

A hand pulled him down a split second before a deafening explosion shook the entire ship.

When Yanagi opened his eyes, Sanada's arm was resting against his back like a steel beam. Sheltered under Sanada's body was Yukimura, who was struggling to sit up. "Are you two hurt?" Yanagi managed, and Sanada finally let them up, face grim and eyes dark. Yukimura's lips were pressed in a thin line.

"We underestimated them," Yukimura said in a low, clipped tone. "I didn't think they'd risk their own safety to this degree. The chance of the same thing happening again?"

"Less than twenty percent. Seishun's fire-ships are small and unlikely to damage our ships enough to cause explosion of that scale," Yanagi returned, his mind on automation.

"Flagship! Lord Yukimura! General Sanada! Enemy flagship approaching!"

Three of them were immediately on their feet as one. "Let me see that," demanded Sanada to the soldier on the lookout, who mutely handed over his telescope.

"Is it?" Yukimura's voice was bordering on a snap. Sanada did not reply, passing the telescope to Yukimura, who grabbed it and looked into the eyepiece. Above the dark blue battened sails flew the color and device of Seishun, and also the white tiger rampant – the symbol of the Tezuka clan. Now that Yanagi was looking, even without the aid of a telescope he recognized Tezuka's straight-backed figure on the bow of the ship while his soldiers were busily moving around the deck. "Tezuka," Yukimura breathed.

"Taking us head-on," Sanada said, but he sounded darkly pleased.

Something about that was grating on the back of Yanagi's mind, like a ship snared on a hidden reef. The ship was clearly flying Tezuka clan's banner, and Tezuka was there. But where was Inui? The Seishun tactician who likely masterminded the attack plan? Why wouldn't he be observing the battlefield from the flagship deck? Inui wasn't the type who would balk at personal risk, particularly when Tezuka himself was on deck, in full view of everyone...

"My lords! Seishun's flagship is heading straight to us! She... She seems to be on a collision course!"

That is not their real flagship. The oddly clinical thought was distant, like a voice heard through a thick door. Or rather, their flagship is the bait. Tezuka is using himself as the bait—

From the tightness of Yukimura's jaw, and Sanada's fierce gaze, Yanagi knew the idea had occurred to the other two as well. Too late. The Seishun flagship was but a spear's throw away. Yukimura's flagship was too large to turn in time. Not with Tezuka's ship riding the current, sails swollen with western wind. Twenty yards – mere minutes before the two ships would collide. Was each second stretching, becoming longer? The soldiers on Seishun flagship were in an organized disarray, no hint of uncertainty. Fuji, blue eyes a spot of deadly calm amidst the storm, was standing by Tezuka's side, his bow in hand. Ten yards. Tezuka's face was utterly fearless, almost peaceful. Five.

Thunderous sound and bone-jarring shock. Then all was chaos. A shuddering groan went through the ship, and Yanagi knew something had gone very wrong. Tezuka's flagship was too light and too small to have this kind of impact. Also, their ships were still locked together after the collision, giving no sign of recoiling from one another.

"No boarding party," commented Sanada, pulling Yukimura to his feet. "What the hell—"

This time, the creaking sound was more ominous. A soldier was running toward them, wet and frantic and out of breath. "The lower berth! General, the lower hull is breached!"

"What?!" Sanada made to move, but Yukimura held him fast by the elbow.

"It looks like... It seems like Seishun's ship was equipped with a ramrod, sir."

Yanagi cursed. "I thought I recognized the design. It's a Higa ship."

The infamous Higa-manufactured ships were made of hardwood, unlike the softwood ships favored by the rest of the empire. But the feature that made their ships so fearsome in the water was the ramming rod at the front of the ship, hidden under the waves, which promised untimely death to any ship that dared to draw nigh. The design predated annexation of Higa region by the empire. If Higa's reputation for piracy wasn't entirely an exaggeration, nor was the claim that very few ships ever faced a Higa ship and survived to tell the tale.

"Status?" Sanada snapped. The soldier automatically straightened, stance shifting from panic to military discipline.

"Sir. At the lowermost deck, first six compartments are flooded with water rising rapidly. The skipper went down with the engineer to assess the damage."

"Will she sink?" Yukimura this time. The soldier did not move, stiffly standing at attention.

"The engineer is of the opinion—" An impatient sound from Yukimura cut off the rest of the soldier's statement. "Most likely, my lord," the soldier answered crisply.

"You need to evacuate."

Sanada's flat statement was met with a furious glare from Yukimura. "I'm not going anywhere. Where's Tezuka?"

"Yukimura," Sanada rapped out, voice hard, but Yanagi knew Yukimura wouldn't budge. Their eyes met, and Yanagi could swear something electric passed between them in a silent contest of will. It was Sanada who squared his jaw and looked away first. "On the Seishun flagship," he gritted out. "Waiting." A hint of pause. "Probably knows we're coming."

Yukimura nodded. "We're boarding Seishun's flagship. Please evacuate the rest of our ship, Renji."

Yanagi met his eyes, refusal on the tip of his tongue. Sanada was giving a small shake of his head from behind Yukimura. Yanagi said it aloud anyway, knowing his objection would go unheeded. "You are the Lord of Rikkai. And you, Sanada, the general of this empire, and the commander of our army."

"I am the Lord of Rikkai," Yukimura agreed. "That's why I have to finish this myself. Sanada, prepare the boarding party. Yanagi, you oversee the evacuation."

"The prince?" Sanada asked, one dark eyebrow rising minutely.

Yanagi sighed. "Sadaharu likely put him on a different ship. My guess is that the prince and his escort were on one of the ships that passed us first. Tezuka's flagship was their main distraction. The bait for their switch."

"Bold move," Sanada rumbled, managing to sound both annoyed and impressed at the same time. Yanagi had to agree; it was an ambitious plan to use the Seishun flagship as diversion as well as attacking the Rikkai flagship directly. Sanada nodded to him then strode away, barking out orders as he went. Yukimura squeezed Yanagi's shoulder as he passed. And then, there was nothing to do but to follow Yukimura's orders and prepare for evacuation.

Tezuka did not glance back as an arrow – blue fletching – whistled inches from him, taking out an attacker with lethal precision. He whirled, cut down another soldier on his right, then to his back, and found himself face to face with Fuji.

"We need to get off the ship. Now." Fuji panted, driving an arrow through a Rikkai soldier to his right, using the arrow like a dagger. Fuji's bow was back in its sheath faster than thought, a blade drawn in its place for close combat. Rikkai's flagship, whose prow was still locked with their ship's, was tipping forward, the wood groaning with the stress. "She'll sink and drag down our ship as well." Given the nature of their Higa-made ship, with its narrow hull and a tapered bottom, their ship would likely capsize before it sank. Though not very noticeable yet, their ship was already beginning to list to one side.

"Tezuka!" The call was a roar, cutting across the tumult around them like a blade.

Tezuka shook his head, switching the sword to his left hand. "Sanada's here." Fuji looked impatient, but nodded. The few remaining Rikkai soldiers were falling back as their general emerged, dressed in dark armor with hints of Rikkai yellow underneath.

Sanada leaped, and Tezuka sprang forward to meet him. Swords clanged in the air, gleam of the blades like shafts of captured light in the afternoon sun. The ship was making cracking sounds as Rikkai flagship, its lower compartments flooded with water, bowed forward, threatening to drag the Seishun flagship down with it. Oblivious to everything else, the two combatants met again and again in dizzying exchange of blows, each of them pressing only forward, never giving way. When the two sprang apart, Sanada nearly went down on one knee but stubbornly remained on his feet, while Tezuka clutched at his left elbow.

A scant heartbeat later Sanada charged at Tezuka, who moved to block his attack. Then, Tezuka slid under the blow, unbalancing Sanada for a fraction of second as the general realized what had blocked his sword was not Tezuka's blade but the steel sheath. And that moment was all Tezuka needed. Tezuka's sword thrust home to its target – Sanada's knee – and Sanada let out a yell, crashing to one knee. At the same time Tezuka reeled back, an arrow in his chest, one with an ornate carved shaft and black fletching – a raven's feather. Yukimura stood tall, in his hand a beautiful bow, another arrow nocked and fingers pulling back the bowstring in one smooth movement, aimed at Tezuka's neck.

Yukimura did not release it. He was staring past Tezuka, straight at an arrow aimed at his own throat, fletched with blue kingfisher feather, the same blue mirrored in Fuji's furious eyes behind it. The two of them stared at each other, for that one instant conscious of nothing else. As one, the two archers released their arrows.

And a mast crashed on top of them with thunderous noise in a shower of splinters and dust.

The Rikkai ships were still in disarray, about a quarter of their number either on fire or capsized. The fire-ships seemed to have disoriented the entire fleet, and no organized chase was on yet. Kikumaru did a rough headcount of the ships flying the Seishun colors following behind them, and winced. Out of the forty-five ships that set out from Kawasaki, twenty-nine remained. Even if they discounted the ten they used as fire-ships, that was six ships lost.

Kikumaru couldn't help feeling guilty at his own relief that his teammates had made it through. One of their two vanguard ships, under the command of Echizen, Momoshiro and Kaidoh, had made it and was steadily making headway, leading the way. Oishi, Kikumaru, Kawamura and Inui were stationed on the other vanguard ship together with Oni and the prince, and had been one of the first to break past Rikkai's blockade. Their ship had suffered some damages from cannon fire exchanged with the Rikkai ships, but was able to make good speed.

Oishi stood at the stern of the ship, jaw set, staring at the Rikkai blockade that was growing increasingly distant. Actually that wasn't entirely correct. Oishi's eyes were fixed in that direction, but he was too quiet, his gaze far away and unseeing. Worried about Tezuka and Fuji on the flagship, perhaps: to the very last Oishi had vehemently opposed Tezuka's decision to execute the plan himself, to use the flagship – and Tezuka – as a bait to draw Rikkai's attention. But without the distraction of Tezuka's ship taking on the Rikkai flagship, they would have suffered much greater losses. So far, the plan had been a success.

Behind their twenty-nine ships, Rikkai ships were beginning to move forward, giving chase at last. But they were too far by this time, and Seishun's smaller, faster ships were swiftly putting more distance between them. Kikumaru could see several islands on the eastern horizon, signaling they were not far from the mouth of the river, and the sea. As agreed before the battle, they would reorganize at the Crane Island and head for Rokkaku's stormy isles to resupply, then continue to Kitami and Kushiro. Only, Tezuka's ship was nowhere to be seen no matter how carefully he scanned the ranks of their ships.

"Oishi?" His partner didn't respond, and didn't even look at him, which was strange. "We need to wait for Tezuka and Fuji to catch up. We should prepare to dock at the Crane Island. We're meeting at the Camellia Falls, right?"

Crane Island was one of the largest among the islands dotting the Black River estuary. So named because of its crescent shape which resembled a crane in flight, the island was uninhabited but had a watchtower on the northern side with a large signal beacon on top floor.

Oishi's mouth worked, but no sound escaped. His expressive green eyes filled with such pain, Kikumaru automatically moved closer, putting an arm around his shoulder. "Hey, what's wrong? Talk to me."

"Eiji," Oishi managed thickly, after swallowing a few times. "There is no Camellia Falls on Crane Island."

"What?" Kikumaru intoned blankly. "What do you mean by that?"

"It was only so that Echizen and the others wouldn't protest," said a low voice behind them. Kikumaru whipped his head around to find Inui, whose expression was transparent for once, locked in sorrow. "When Tezuka said we should meet at the Camellia Falls, he meant we shouldn't wait for him at all. They'll catch up or...they won't."

Understanding dawned on him, and Kikumaru's mouth dropped open soundlessly. Try as he might, he couldn't find anything to say. After another short silence, Kikumaru stopped trying to find words and simply wrapped his arms around Oishi tightly, who pressed his face on Kikumaru's shoulder with a shuddering sigh. Kawamura had one hand on Inui's shoulder, wiping at his eyes with the other.

In silence, they stood together like that on the stern of the ship for a long time.