DfS Chapter 28
Tsuru waits until the day after the full moon, when most of the clan members are sluggish, or asleep after the nights revelries. Slipping into the compound with hangover cures, or at least that is her excuse.
Getsumei dead, and Subarou pronounced the new clan heir.
Tsuru waves at a few women she is familiar with, as she moves and hands out small bags. They pat her head, or walk away. Some just ignore her. Scowling.
A string of glass beads lie heavy on her chest as Tsuru doubles back, into the area she is forbidden. A gift for the exchange. A sharpened blade, and milky white flask lying in the pocket of her hoodie for the bonding ceremony.
Tsuru eventually walks the length of Kimimaro's cage, a long roll of bars and volcanic rock.
The boy turning, as if sensing her and dropping the bone in his hand.
"You shouldn't be here!" Kimimaro whispers harshly, eyes wet.
"Hush."
"I came here to rescue you. I will take responsibility for you," Tsuru whispers back. "And you'll be bound to me, and have to leave the compound, but you'll be free to do as you wish."
Tsuru offers him the necklace she had crafted through the bars, so similar to one of the strands on the heirloom necklace her sister had worn on her wedding day.
"I will need one of your bones, so they cannot say I did not complete the ritual properly. And we will need to share blood."
"Why are you doing this?"
"Aren't I your friend?
He looks at her, and hesitantly reaches for the jewels. "Are you sure?" he asks.
She pulls the sharpened blade from her bag, and the glass flask. "Would i of brought these if I wasn't?"
What she doesn't tell him of course, is that she may have to kill his father if he contests her claim.
That they may be shunned, if the priestesses do not find her bravado as amusing as she hopes.
"It is your choice though," she tells him instead.
Tsuru waits for his answer, heart pounding loudly in her chest. Eyes panning the area for people who might interrupt. His food should be arriving soon, carried by his cousin or grandmother.
She has to remain calm. Act assured, and confident like Yagura planned if this is to work.
He grabs her sleeve. "Yes."
His expression makes her want to punch someone, because it is the most hopeful she has ever seen him.
Tsuru tries to smile like the Madonna, in her aunts church.
"Hold the flask then, and put a fist out. Like this, knuckles facing up.
Her fingers brush cool metal, as she digs in her pocket for the flask, filled with her fathers strongest wine. A cloth wrapped around it to disinfect the skin.
The boy looks cleaner than she expected, so they have been caring for him, but the robes do nothing to cover the bruises. Great patches of purple, and black and yellow. Left eye swollen.
She takes his hand in hers, and she feels the temours grow stronger. Tsuru does her best to ignore it, scrubbing at the flesh as tenderly as she can.
Finally Tsuru douses the blade, and meets his damp, dragon fly hued eyes. "Ready?" she queries.
He nods, face adopting a solemn expression he has no doubt seen hundreds of times.
Tsuru moves quickly, slashing the blade above his knuckles. Deep enough, she sees the skin separate like folded buns. Using her other hand she pushes the flask beneath.
Tsuru then does the same to her own. The alcohol burning, as it seeps in.
The wounds deep enough, they will have to visit the hospital, or stitch it up themselves.
Her damaged fingers entwines with his, and she takes the flask from him.
"My blood is now yours." she says, wobbling the fluid inside. "Drink."
He does.
She leaves out may it breed true, creeped out by the implications.
The cup is pushed back, towards her.
She feels the unnatural urge to punch someone.
She tips the cup and swallows, the metallic taste lacking the sugar, and cinnamon her aunt had used to flavor her blood pancakes.
A small price.
The crimson fluid splashes across her cheek, and forehead as a familiar figure slaps it from her palm. The flask arching, from her hand against the wall. She follows it's path and watches it shatter. Pieces like spooked butterflies, scattering off a wall.
Subarou looming over her tall, and furious. His sleeve wiping furiously at her face, and then lips trying to gain access. "You idiot! You shouldn't of done that."
"I did what was right," she says, shoving him away. "what your clans were to cowardish to do."
"I told you my cousin was dangerous!"
"And i told you, I was too!"
A crowd begins to gather, attracted by the noise. The priestesses pushing through, stopping the men from approaching closer.
A fierce, black haired woman storms forward. Kureha. "What have you done child?"
Kimimaro's grandmother grabs her shoulder. "The child knows."
"My luck is far greater than most, and bound with his, evens things out," Tsuru states, refusing to look away.
The woman's face turns pitying. "Luck does not work that way child."
"Does it?" the eldest ponders.
"Do you contest my claim?" Tsuru demands
"No, that is for my youngest son to decide."
"Are you sure?" Irei adds, as the people around her murmer. "That this is the right course?"
"Yes, though he has it worse, being bound to someone like me. In this world," she says stepping forward. Blood still dripping from her hand. "I do not know how to be anything but selfish when it matters."
The elder priestess laughs. "A lesser god, forgotten and rotting has finally taken to flesh."
"Whatever I was, grandmother," she says, pausing to watch the growing crowd flinch. "No longer matters. But I will protect what is mine."
"Pretty words," the clan heads says, joining them.
"Yes, they are," she acknowledges. "Especially considering what we will all face."
"You might even survive this time, if you continue on the path my brother has set."
"And what is that your brother has seen?"
"That is not for me to tell."
"Know this though, I will not protect you from yourself as my brother has been. Your son perhaps, but not you. You're on my shit list, as my brother calls it."
0o0o0
Facing a grown man, Tsuru refuses to bulk.
This is the moment her siblings have been preparing her for, the academy.
Tsuru moves, watching bones sprout from Hirosuga's pale flesh. Lengthy, blood stained points, that remind her of a opening bud, encoring his hand like a pistal. The growth leaving long jagged gashes, that quickly heal.
Clearly not as talented as his son, or underestimating her.
He charges.
And misses, snagging nothing but air.
He takes his time, studying her.
"My son is not worth your talent, girl."
Tsuru motions for him again. "I doubt your son will ever forgive me for taking your life, but sometimes you cannot stop fate.
"Now please come. Enough talk."
He frowns.
"Move brother, or i will strike you both down," growls the clan head. Crossing his arms.
Tsuru sighs, when the other man still does not move. Gaping at her.
"I am sorry, for this."
Tsuru moves. Shoves the knife in, as far, and deep as she can into the man's spleen. There won't be enough time for another few strikes, to properly damage it as his bones try to stop the blade.
But he is a dead man standing.
She manuvers, keeping out of his range. The skin healing over the blade.
Striking when she can, trying to jostle the blade from its confines.
The man winces, but that move only works once. The man quick to adjust.
0o0o0
Tsuru stands behind the fallen man, her hands pressing his head down. Shinigami surrounding them.
She slides the same blade, she used to steal his son, to slice Hirosuga's neck.
"How cute." The second shinigami coos, pattings her cheek. "You are an adorable one."
Tsuru's freezes, and Hirosuga strikes. Catching her side, with the last of his energy.
Bleeding, and holding her throbbing ribs, Tsuru watches the shinigami approach the man.
Watches him get swallowed.
0o0o0
Tsuru can see desire warring in Kimimaro's eyes, as she unlocks his cage. A wad of torn cloth pressed tightly to her injured side.
"If you need a time to say goodbye, take it."
He stares at her for a moment, and then the body across from them.
"I cannot thank you for this."
"I know. You loved him."
0o0o0
The anbu are waiting outside the compound, ready to escort them home.
Tsuru shakes her head, refusing the hunched figure motioning to his back. Swats away Kaisa, and her glowing hands away. "It can wait."
She has nothing to hide, and the pain is welcomed.
Tsuru stares right ahead. Kimimaro following behind her with glassy eyes.
It is a long walk back home through the market and Tsuru wants to hug the boy, but shes afraid too.
Afraid he will break down.
Afraid he will refuse her.
His fathers dripping head, held up by his hair only worsening matters.
0o0o0
Haku rips open the door.
"I can't believe your plan wor-."
"Kimimaro needs a hug, Haku-kun.
Rounded eyes regard her, and he nods. Moving slowly to embrace the other child, Tsuru feels his sleeve brush hers.
Yagura tugs her into the house, and pulls her hand from her side. She lets out a low hiss, as the cloth tears from the sealed wound, and it begins weeping in earnest.
Brows furrowed, Yagura chides her. "You should of let the medic check that.
"It was just close shave."
"I could put my finger in there."
"Don't you dare."
0o0o0
Tsuru stitches Kimimaro's hand, under the medics supervision.
She can't bring herself to look at him.
"I don't hate you Tsuru-chan."
"That a little hard to believe."
"Look at me," the boy demands.
He raises his hand between their faces. "You chose to save me, and this is my promise. One day, I will save you."
"Haku says it is my purpose, to serve and protect you."
"Good luck with that, kiddo," Eito says, stopping to ruffle the boy's hair as he passes.
Kimimaro flinches, and her brother frowns.
He turns to Tsuru fully, and she can almost imagine his hair standing fully up as he bristles. "How badly are you hurt?"
"Did you two idiots, did you even tell father what you were planning?" he asks, glancing at Yagura. The man preparing to sneak out.
"There's an envelop in his desk?" Tsuru tries, hoping Yagura had forgotten about that.
Her eyes narrow when the man smiles wide. His tone almost gleeful. "I sent mine."
Fuck.
He frowns.
"Move brother, or i will strike you both down," growls the clan head. Crossing his arms.
Tsuru sighs, when the other man still does not move. Gaping at her.
"I am sorry, for this."
Tsuru moves. Shoves the knife in, as far, and deep as she can into the man's spleen. There won't be enough time for another few strikes, to properly damage it as his bones try to stop the blade.
But he is a dead man standing.
She manuvers, keeping out of his range. The skin healing over the blade.
Striking when she can, trying to jostle the blade from its confines.
The man winces, but that move only works once. The man quick to adjust.
0o0o0
Tsuru stands behind the fallen man, her hands pressing his head down. Shinigami surrounding them. Strange, demonic figures of different shapes and sizes. Masks covering their faces.
She slides the same blade, she used to steal his son, to slice his neck.
"How cute." The second shinigami coos, patting her cheek. "You are an adorable one."
Tsuru's freezes, and Hirosuga strikes. Catching her side, with the last of his energy.
Bleeding, and holding her throbbing ribs, Tsuru watches the shinigami approach the man.
Watches him get swallowed.
0o0o0
Tsuru can see desire warring in Kimimaro's eyes, as she unlocks his cage. A wad of torn cloth pressed tightly to her injured side.
"If you need a time to say goodbye, take it."
He stares at her for a moment, and then the body across from them.
"I cannot thank you for this."
"I know. You loved him."
0o0o0
The anbu are waiting outside the compound, ready to escort them home.
Tsuru shakes her head, refusing the hunched figure motioning to his back. Swats away Kaisa, and her glowing hands away. "It can wait."
She has nothing to hide, and the pain is welcomed.
Tsuru stares right ahead. Kimimaro following behind her with glassy eyes.
It is a long walk back home through the market and Tsuru wants to hug the boy, but shes afraid too.
Afraid he will break down.
Afraid he will refuse her.
His fathers dripping head, held up by his hair only worsening matters.
0o0o0
Haku rips open the door.
"I can't believe your plan wor-."
"Kimimaro needs a hug, Haku-kun.
Rounded eyes regard her, and he nods. Moving slowly to embrace the other child, Tsuru feels his sleeve brush hers.
Yagura tugs her into the house, and pulls her hand from her side. She lets out a low hiss, as the cloth tears from the sealed wound, and it begins weeping in earnest.
Brows furrowed, Yagura chides her. "You should of let the medic check that.
"It was just close shave."
"I could put my finger in there."
"Don't you dare."
0o0o0
Tsuru stitches Kimimaro's hand, under the medics supervision.
She can't bring herself to look at him.
"I don't hate you Tsuru-chan."
"That a little hard to believe."
"Look at me," the boy demands.
He raises his hand between their faces. "You chose to save me, and this is my promise. One day, I will save you."
"Haku says it is my purpose, to serve and protect you."
"Good luck with that, kiddo," Eito says, stopping to ruffle the boy's hair as he passes.
Kimimaro flinches, and her brother frowns.
He turns to Tsuru fully, and she can almost imagine his hair standing fully up as he bristles. "How badly are you hurt?"
"Did you two idiots, did you even tell father what you were planning?" he asks, glancing at Yagura. The man preparing to sneak out.
"There's an envelop in his desk?" Tsuru tries, hoping Yagura had forgotten about that.
Her eyes narrow when the man smiles wide. His tone almost gleeful. "I sent mine."
Fuck.