Chapter Forty: Time to Go Home
"So kid," Masamune sighed, practically inhaling the cup of sake before him, not that I could blame him, "What's your next step going to be?"
"Home." I answered, leaning forwards to pour myself another drink. One my own cup was full, I sat back, thinking of the homecoming I'd get. "Back home where the only thing unpredictable about my life is how fast it takes Asuka to deck Saburo when he's hitting on her." As I sipped, my eyes locked onto the two swords next to me, "Of course, there are a few things that need sorting out."
"Welcome back to the aftermath of war." Masamune toasted, knocking back the cup again. Taking a long draw of my own, I looked out at the camp the Date had set up just outside of Odawara, feeling a tired smile come onto my face. Letting myself slip further down the cushion until my head was resting on it, I felt the stress of the day wash off me, slipping into the dark abyss of sleep.
"Master Katakura!"
"Stand aside men, I need to get to Lord Masamune."
"Hey, what's wrong with Kobayashi?" Snapping awake at the sound of Yoshinao's voice, I didn't immediately register the coat falling off me, too busy stumbling for the tent's entrance, joining a bleary eyed Masamune in staring through the maze of tents, until Master Katakura came into view, weighed down by something in his arms. As he passed one on the fires dotted around the place, both of us saw Hanzo's head resting against one shoulder, eyes closed in a scarily unnatural manner. Pulling me to the side so his Right Eye could get in easier, Masamune began moving cushions about, making a makeshift bed.
Staring at them in shock, I only came back to life when Hanzo was on the bed, moaning softly as he was set down. Ignoring my manners, I stepped between them, falling to my knees as I took one of his wrists, desperately feeling for a pulse. My fingers found it easily, taking joy in the fact that not only was it steady, but strong too. "Kojuro, what happened out there?" Masamune murmured, rendered awake by the appearance of an unconscious shinobi in his tent at this hour.
"Takenaka didn't want either of us to take his life, not when he was so close to death as it was." Even though my back was to them, I knew we were being watched, yet my hands still crept under his hood, taking a second to cup his face before I was pulling the cloth away, seeing my Hanzo again. Clearing his throat, Master Katakura carried on, ignoring my fingers in Hanzo's hair, stroking it softly. "He let the cliff collapse underneath him. Hanzo over there waited until he heard the thud, and then climbed down after him, returning carrying this," Masamune gave an unimpressed grunt,
"Guy likes his insurance, I'll say that for him."
"Exactly. Judging by the way he collapsed almost the second his feet were back on the cliff and how easy it was to carry him, I'd say Hanzo will sleep well tonight."
Looking back at Master Katakura's words, I only turned my gaze back when Hanzo murmured something in his sleep. "Well, if there's nothing else to deal with tonight," I heard Masamune stretch widely, groaning when something clicked, "I'm going back to sleep."
"Yes, Lord Masamune." Before moving for his own bed, Master Katakura hovered behind me, placing something on the ground next to me. "Try to get some sleep for yourself, Sayomi."
"I will." I promised, looking up at him gratefully. "Thank you for bringing him back in one piece."
"Don't mention it."
Waiting until he was gone, I finally looked down by my hand, feeling an odd sense of relief to see Takenaka's sword. Moving my gaze onto Hanzo, I grabbed the sword blindly, placing it next to my own before lying down properly, getting sucked back into the sleep I'd been enjoying prior to Hanzo's grand entrance.
I'd barely blinked before I was standing in a room, listening to my own raspy breath. Mizu knelt over me, trying to wash the sweat from the fever away with all the gentleness she could muster. Gasping at the cool touch, I saw my head move away, seeing the sensation as a threat. Pulling back in resignation, Mizu barely bothered looking up when the door to my room opened, Hanzo standing there with a grimace on his face. "I don't think she even knows who we are."
"I'll take over if you want." Hanzo offered, coming to kneel on my other side. Biting her lip, Mizu finally nodded, passing the wet cloth over. "Itsuki and Ranmaru were whining for food when I left them."
"Sounds about right." Mizu laughed, closing the door behind her. Waiting until his sister had definitely left, he carefully rested the back of his hand against my overheating forehead, keeping it there even as I started to thrash, trying to throw him off.
Closing his other fist tightly, Hanzo only released my head when I'd stopped fighting him, replacing it just as fast with the cloth Mizu had been using. This time the feverous version of me in the room accepted it, frowning softly, but making no effort to get rid of it. "Bit nicer than my grubby hands, eh Yomi?" As he spoke, his fist slowly uncurled, coming to stroke the cheek closest to him.
"Don't…" The ill girl whispered, turning to face him as much as she could, the cloth flopping onto the floor as she did. Patiently replacing it again, Hanzo pulled his hand away to comply with my wish. "Leave…"
Looking stricken, Hanzo swallowed with a nod, untucking his legs from underneath him, "If that's what you want." Just as he was beginning to rise, my hand darted out from under the blanket, grabbing onto his wrist with almost a kind of fear behind it. From where I was positioned in the corner, I saw my eyes open wide, unfocused and blurred from the illness, but firmly fixed on him.
"I said…don't leave."
Looking from his wrist to my face, Hanzo nodded, sitting back down and tucking my hand back under the blanket. "I won't, I promise."
Suddenly getting a flash of warmth spread through my dream body, I gave the scene a final glance before forcing myself to wake up by biting my finger. Flinching sharply and practically bolting awake, it took me a few tries to realise that I was being restrained around the middle, but my arms were free.
Moving one down to undo the knot, I gave a small smile when I realised they were fingers, and that the warmth was coming from Hanzo's chest, pushed flush against my back. Turning as much as I possibly could without waking him up, I managed to look at his face, tracing every corner with my eyes. Bringing my hand around to stroke his cheek, I froze when he stirred, eyes fluttering open, "Wha…Yomi?"
"Hey, Hanzo." Giving himself a few seconds to wake up properly, he moved his hand to rub at his eyes, halting when he realised where the arm had just been extracted from. Raising an eyebrow teasingly, I spluttered when his face warped into shock, the other arm leaving my hip to slap against his face.
"Bugger."
"Good morning to you too." I smirked, beginning to sit up. "Feel better?"
"I feel like I just had ten falls off of Osaka Castle, but yeah, I'm feeling a lot better."
"Good." I whispered, pulling him up with me, supporting his back. When he was in a steady position, his eyes fell onto the three swords propped together, swallowing deeply.
Finding his hand again, I joined him in staring, running my finger across his knuckles, "We put this behind us." He finally said, turning to look at me. "Deal?"
"Deal." I nodded, "But we need to share everything, Hanzo. I give you my story for yours."
Staring at me seriously, Hanzo gave a stilted nod, drawing in a breath as if he was trying to prepare himself. Unable to watch for too long, I gently kissed him, pulling away with a smile, "When we're ready, I mean."
Fastening Castella's saddle firmly around her middle, I gave a thumb's up to Hanzo, who nodded, returning to his conversation with Master Katakura, Takenaka's sword passing between them. Leaving them to it, I gave the swords tied to the bags another check, my touch lingering against the wakizashi's scabbard. Same design as the katana's, but this one still had the sageo around it close to the top.
"There they are! Sayomi, Hanzo!" Turning towards the overwhelmingly familiar voice, I was tackled mid whip, only just keeping my footing as Saburo tried to push us both back a few steps. Taking it all in stride, he just ruffled my hair, keeping his grin in place. When I finally recovered, I looked towards Hanzo, suddenly glad I'd had the presence of mind to brace myself.
For someone who had effortlessly traversed the rooftops of Osaka Castle with two samurai in tow, on practically no sleep, Hanzo didn't look so well balanced with Asuka hanging off him, finally pulling away just when it seemed like she'd finally floor him. Once he was free again, he rubbed awkwardly at his face, "Can we expect that type of welcome home from everyone?"
"Considering all of us went to sleep and woke up to find you both gone, I'd say yes!" She grinned, punching his arm lightly.
Standing to one side, an eyebrow raised in amusement, Master Katakura gave a last nod, leaving us to it. Wiggling my fingers in a half wave at his back and watching it get returned by half the Date army as they finished packing up, I finally folded my arms, feeling that everything was right again.
Until Saburo went to rest his hand on my shoulder, pulling away with a minor curse when I practically leapt to the side, tensing the grip I had on myself.
Giving me weird looks, he and Asuka only blinked when Hanzo cleared his throat, "She uh, she kind of fell off the roof and landed funny. Not everybody gets to spend all their life hopping from place to place." Looking to me for corroboration, Asuka accepted my shrug with more than a pinch of salt, humming in suspicion.
Clapping his hands together, Saburo drew all the attention back to him, "So, unless there's any more business to be had, I say, we get on our way home."
"Sounds good to me." Hanzo sighed happily.
"There kind of is some business." Asuka suddenly piped up, tugging at the cloth that I could just see under her yukata, "I'm sweltering in this heat. Mind if I go undress?"
"Anytime sweetie." Saburo winked, laughing heartily when she flashed him her finger. Rolling my eyes in silent agreement, I only just caught the bundle of cloth when she tossed it to me, the obi unfurling as that too flew through the air. Getting her meaning, I followed her away from the boys, finally finding some tree cover barely ten metres away.
Waiting until she was certain that the boys were wrapped up in their own conversation again, she quickly tugged her own sash free, the robes falling free to reveal a knee length cat suit in grey, with several small pouches tied to her legs. Catching my raised eyebrows, she smirked, reaching for the back so she could get it off, "I figured Hanzo had already told you our little secret."
"Doesn't seem so little." I replied, turning around so that we could get dressed. Barely a second after slipping my robes off my shoulders, I thrust my arms through my own yukata, feeling far better once the slowly wearing silk was rubbing against my bare skin. Once the obi was tied tightly, and the clothes from Osaka were in a heap on the floor, Sakura and the pendant transferred into my sash, I happily followed Asuka back to the boys, neither of us looking any different than two women out in town.
While we'd been gone, the boys had been getting changed too, Hanzo swapping out his black ninja gear for his usual farm clothes, and Saburo was just tucking his own into one of the saddle bags, taking Asuka's suit without complaint. Looking at all of us assembled there, Hanzo stepped forwards and took the reins, turning back with a grin, "I think it's time to go home guys."
My very first view of Kodokuna Village paled in comparison to the sight I saw when we returned there again. Back then I'd been a girl towing her comrade around the country in search of a safe haven, only to fall into the help of strangers. Now, those same strangers were my family and I was returning home to them.
The first one to notice our return was Asuka's father, looking immensely worried as he led the plough horse back to the stables, his head snapping up when he noticed his daughter. "Oh thank the heavens!" He sighed, enveloping her in his arms despite her struggling to be released. "Where were you? Your mother said you just left without a word."
"Dad!" She complained.
Next to me, Saburo suddenly flushed, beginning to step behind Hanzo in an attempt to hide, only for Asuka's father to look up again, his relief turning to rage, "Saburo, you little-"
"That's my cue to leave!" Launching under Castella to try to gain some distance from us, Saburo was only just scrambling back to his feet when he was caught, the stable master pulling hard on his ear, "Ow, ow, ow, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"
"Disappear with my daughter without telling anyone will you? Leave your grandmother with the kids on her own will you?"
"I said I was sorry!"
"Dad, it was my idea, let him go!"
"Shouldn't you step in?" I asked of Hanzo, receiving a very vague shrug in return. Keeping my stare on him, I waited for him to groan and do something, but he just kept leaning against Castella, watching the events unfold. By now, Asuka had grabbed a broom off of one of the many people watching and was trying to beat her father with it, which only made him increase his grip on poor Saburo.
Finally though, "We wanted to go meet Hanzo! Make sure he and Yomi got home alright!"
"And it begins." Hanzo murmured, wrapping an arm around my waist as the crowd noticed us for the first time. Suddenly finding all eyes on me, I felt my cheeks warm up immensely.
For a minute we all stood in silence, Asuka still holding the broom, and her father still holding Saburo, until finally someone spoke in the back of the crowd, "It's about time!"
"Yeah, Hanzo, what took you so long?"
"I thought she was in Osaka, not China!" The good natured ribbing set Hanzo at ease, his characteristic grin making a return,
"Come on guys, the place is supposed to be ninja proof. I had surveillance to do."
"Hey, what's all the fuss about?" Another voice chimed in, the crowd parting for the speaker. Looking at them all in confusion, Mizu finally settled on her brother, about ten years disappearing from her face as she relaxed, and her feet began moving forwards. Releasing me, Hanzo opened his arms for her, closing them a second after she was close enough. Standing to one side, I felt a smile coming over me, watching the pair whisper to each other, assuaging their fears between them.
When they stepped away from each other, Mizu ruffling his hair as they did, I felt less guilty about stepping closer, unprepared for Mizu to suddenly cup my face, tilting it this way and that, "How'd they treat you?"
"Well enough." I answered, realising she was looking for injuries. When her hands dropped again, her face returned to its natural colouring, only illuminating her scar. Since it looked fresher than usual, I waited for Hanzo to notice it, rewarded when his eyes suddenly narrowed. Sensing the worry, the crowd began to disperse, mumbling welcome homes and congratulations, leaving the three of us standing uselessly on the path.
Shifting uncomfortably under Hanzo's scrutiny, Mizu finally sighed, "I was hunting, okay? String caught my cheek and sliced it open. End of story."
"Have you been to see Chiyome about it?" Hanzo quietly demanded. A quick nod from her released all the tension building in his shoulders.
Looking around anxiously, I asked the question before I was even aware of it, "Where are the kids? Are they okay?"
"They're fine, Sayomi. Well, Ranmaru's got a nasty sprain, and Itsuki's been trying to get him to take it easy, but…" I was speeding away before she could finish, skirting around people and hopping my back fence.
So Takenaka had hurt the kids after all, and left Ranmaru with a useless arm. Biting my lip to stop myself from screaming I stopped short, hearing Itsuki's voice coming through the open back door. Creeping closer to it, I poked my head round it slightly, ducking back when I spotted the kids, but moving one eye back into view.
Both of them had their backs to me, and seemed to be preparing something poisonous at the hearth. A sling was supporting Ranmaru's arm from what I could see, making his part in the meal minimal. Tossing her hair out of her eyes, Itsuki took the board from in front of him, scraping his slices into our pot, "They'll be back soon Ran, I just know it."
"That's if the news was genuine and Saburo wasn't just trying to get Asuka alone."
"You know him, anything he has to say to say to her he'd say in front of us. She'd just brain him otherwise."
"If she was in a good mood." Laughing into her hand, Itsuki centred her eyes back on Ranmaru, the smile still in place. From where I was standing, the blush beginning to rise up the back of Ranmaru's neck was all too easy to see, and it only darkened as they continued to stare at each other.
Slipping my shoes off and tucking them under the decking, I crept onto the boards, clearing my throat. Hearing the sound, the pair of them leapt away from each other, the blush spreading to Itsuki now, "I'm not interrupting, am I?"
"Yomi!" Itsuki cheered, scrambling to her feet and full on charging me. Taking the assault calmly, I let her wrap her arms around me, ruffling her hair until she pulled away. "You're okay!"
"It's me, you expected otherwise?" Looking over her head, I felt my smile slip slightly, noticing Ranmaru hadn't moved from where he'd jumped away from Itsuki, aside from getting to his feet. Moving her around so that only one of my arms was around her neck, I gestured him closer, "Come on, you're not fooling anyone Ran."
Crossing his free arm across his body, he visibly struggled, before dropping his head and skulking over. Rolling my eyes at Itsuki so she'd giggle, I released her, and proceeded to yank him closer, getting a loud yelp in return. Other than that sound though, he was still quiet, just grabbing my yukata with his free hand. "You said you wouldn't leave me alone." He finally whispered, twisting the material slightly, "You swore, Yomi!"
"I know, Ran, I know." Tapping my arm, Itsuki mimed a pouring motion, bounding away at my curt nod. Watching her slip out to grab some fresh water, I separated us, bending slightly to see his eyes, "But listen, just for a few seconds, and then you can do whatever you want to me."
"You have twenty five." He murmured.
"I'd better be quick then." The corners of Ranmaru's mouth twitched. "I know what I said, and I'm not even going to try to defend myself for Takenaka's actions. That's why Mizu was there that night, so that if Takenaka succeeded in whatever he was planning, you wouldn't be alone."
Moving my hands to cup his chin, his eyes blinking tiredly as they finally looked up, I fixed my typical smile into place, "It's been two years, remember? They're not getting us back."
"No matter what they try?"
"No matter what they try." I nodded, tilting my head. Suddenly I stopped moving around, turning Ranmaru slightly. Flicking the neat tail sprouting from the back of his head playfully, I laughed quietly, "I thought you were getting a haircut!"
"I was going to," He quickly defended, "But Chiyome was out to like, here!" My teeth sank into my hand, blood spurting out as I tried so hard not to laugh. Ranmaru's hand was about half a metre away from his body. If Chiyome really was that big, then I wouldn't be volunteering for babysitting.
Meeting my eyes, Ranmaru gave a natural smirk, seeming to finally be at ease. Waiting until he broke the contact to go help Itsuki with the bucket, Hanzo and Mizu following close behind, I finally felt relief, my shoulders easily sagging.
I was home again.
