Chapter Five

8 years ago;

"Can I see? Can I see? Can I see?" Rourou badgered as I practised the fan form in the courtyard.

"You can see it there," I huffed, moving through the steps and movements of the form. The fan form was by far one of the more elegant forms of combat, often considered a dance more than anything else, which was often why opponents were caught out.

"I can see the Silver Cloud Fan. Yes. But I want to see it in its sword form," Rourou whined. "No one else has a Magic Weapon besides Eleven."

"She is the Phoenix princess. Of course Hong Hua will have a Magic Weapon," I said.

"Exactly. No one else is of such high standing to get a Magic Weapon. Even Da Ge doesn't have one," Rourou grumbled.

"He doesn't need one," I grunted as I executed a series of complex moves which demanded my strength more. "Da Ge is strong enough without one. Though no doubt he will have one eventually. I however am not strong enough to use my own power without it hurting me. The Silver Cloud Fan helps keep me alive in this sense."

Rourou sighed, her shoulders slumping from where she sat on the steps. "I guess you have a point. But still, can I see?"

I finished my form, steadying my breath and energy from the exertion, before I then turned to Rourou with a sigh and quirked my eyebrow. I found it hard to resist her gloomy expression.

"Fine, fine," I finally agreed.

Her expression brightened immediately with excitement.

"But I've only transformed it twice. I am still new to using the Fan," I warned her. She nodded vigorously.

I slowed my breathing, focusing hard, and visualised the Fan transforming. It required willpower, a telepathic command of direct influence which was far harder than it appeared. It was draining on my mind, leaving me feeling as if I had been awake for a whole day and night without sleep.

However, the Fan obeyed the command when I could not maintain the force of will any longer. Its form misted like vapour from a crashing waterfall, elongating into a sword of a white guard and hilt, and a blade so pale and silver it was as if it was made from starlight and clouds.

Once transformed, it still required my will to maintain its shape, but it was not as draining as the actual transformation itself. It was still the Silver Cloud Fan, but its shape could be as fluid as what I wanted it to be, eventually when I had mastered it after a couple hundred years. Its core never changed. Only appearances were an illusion, as interchangeable as a breath of wind.

Rourou gasped as she saw the Fan transform into the sword. "It is beautiful!" She exclaimed.

Despite how tired I now felt, I grinned with pride. "It is indeed. I still cannot believe it is mine. I feel I don't deserve it."

Rourou shook her head. "All things happen for a reason. Remember, even the Gods cannot know or control Fate. They are as much servants to the Natural Order as we are, which is a good thing, I think. Because it means you were meant to come here. You were meant to have the Silver Cloud Fan. And no greater power can deny it because it was the greater power who made it happen in the first place."

x

When I woke, I woke on a soft surface. It took a while for my mind to adjust, as I had been so used to waking on hard and lumpy surfaces I almost forgot what a bed felt like. The cushioning of the futon beneath my back was confusing, as were the smells for it was not the smell of fresh dew upon the blades of grass which I smelt. Nor did I hear the sound of birds as clearly as I was used to, or hear the clack of branches and the rustle of squirrels through the undergrowth, or birds picking through the soil for worms.

I sat up and glanced about me. A tatami flooring was beneath me, and screens surrounded me. Its structure was familiar, yet different at the same time. A desk rested not too far away, along with a chest of drawers and a cabinet. It took me a moment to realise these were mine as its familiarity slowly reconnected dormant memories and connections in my brain. They had been moved to rest in different places around the room. And some parts of the room itself seemed different. The structure was the same, but it was as if a great deal of it had been replaced, for the wax on the wood was newer, the colour of the wood was fresher. Screens appeared lighter, and the ceiling had been redone.

As I stared around the room, I wondered why some of it had been changed, and while I wondered, I got up from my futon and wandered over to the screen, where I slid the outer one open and the light of a warm morning streamed in, along with the sounds of birdsong and early practice in the training courtyard around the other side of the castle. My room used to open out into the garden grounds. But the section of the garden I could usually step out to, had also been changed, into a pebble lawn, beautifully swirled by the gardeners who must have been up at the crack of dawn.

I squinted as I brought my gaze to the sky, trying to gauge what time it was by the position of the sun. Judging from the position, I estimated around nine in the morning. I balked.

Good Lord, I thought. How tired was I? I have not woken up this late in . . . well, forever.

Remembering I had fallen asleep on Mitsuhide's back brought a flush of embarrassment to my face. I would have to apologise later. But I was astounded I had not woken at all until now.

I stood by the screen, facing the outside as I let my eyes adjust, smell the new smells and listen to the sounds of the castle around me. They were all familiar, yet foreign at the same time, and I was overcome by a strange feeling, one which was bittersweet, for I was sad and felt out of place over not waking in my bed at Kunlun. However, I was also strangely at peace over waking up here, in Tara Castle.

Tara Castle had also been my home and still was. But given I had not been here in a decade, I felt somewhat like a stranger. It was the same yet not the same. Likewise I was also the same, yet somewhat changed simultaneously.

Displaced, I thought, finally thinking of the word to describe how I felt in a nutshell. How should I behave? It was probably safe to assume for now that I would take the approach of a servant. I could not assume things would go back to how they were.

"Osamu-sama? Are you awake?" A woman's voice came from back in my room behind the screen into the castle. It was a familiar voice, but one I could not quite recognise just yet. Likewise it was a surprise to hear my official Japanese name again.

"Yes, I am awake. You can come in," I replied.

The screen slid open, and a middle-aged maid knelt on the other side, with a tray of tea beside her to bring in.

My eyes widened. "Yuko."

She looked up at me and her expression brightened as a mother would to see her child returned. The warmth of her expression was something I was not expecting nor prepared for. It squeezed my heart and my eyes moistened immediately.

I came back into my room and knelt down in front of her, embracing her. "It is so good to see you again, Yuko."

My hug took her by surprise, and when I let go, she looked down, subtly trying to dab her eyes.

"Osamu-sama. You do me great honour. I am glad to see you recognise me after all this time."

"Of course I recognise you," I said lightly. "It might have been ten years, but you have kept yourself incredibly well! What ointments are you using for your face? You still have no wrinkles."

Yuko laughed shyly. "You are still the charmer that you were. Osamu-sama also has not aged. You have kept your appearance very well on your pilgrimage, though you hair is showing your age."

There were two things there she said which caught me off guard. One was 'pilgrimage'. I did not know what she meant by it at first, until I realised a second later that I had been gone for a very long time, and my sudden disappearance at the time had to be explained in a way which made sense to others. Yuko knew of the Akechi's background however, so perhaps she still said pilgrimage to make me realise this was the story everyone had to play to.

The other thing which caught me by surprise was her mention of my hair.

"Shifu, why is this part of my hair white?" I asked before I went into seclusion, touching the front of my hair where a thick streak was white on the left. It felt strangely tingly when I touched it, as if it were static. But the strands of hair did not stand up on end as it normally would if it were static.

"I was a bit puzzle by it as well at first. But it is nothing to be alarmed by. It is just a slight physiological change brought about by the trial. Because you entered the trial as a human and at such a young age, there were bound to be a few changes because you are technically not strong enough to endure the trial. But instead of the trial damaging your internal organs, it has simply bleached your hair instead."

"Oh," I said thoughtfully. "Well that isn't so bad. It looks kind of interesting."

"Be careful of who touches it however," Baihu added with caution. "For you it is fine. But anyone else will experience an element of a phantom memory of the trial, as a part of its power has lingered in the streak."

I looked to him, surprised. "Really?"

"A human will experience a small shock. A supernatural entity will experience a memory of the trial. So either way, be wary of who touches your head."

I quickly tucked my white streak behind my ear and laughed awkwardly. "Ten years on the road is a long time," I agreed. "Creams and ointments may keep my face and body youthful, but the colour of hair cannot hide from stress inside my mind."

Yuko nodded in understanding. She then picked up the tea tray. "I have brought some tea for you. Please drink and I have had the servants prepare a bath for you. The Lords wish to see you afterwards."

I sighed. I bet. There is a lot to talk about.

I took the tray from Yuko. "Thank you," I told her. "In that case, we'll catch up later. Don't worry about my bed. I'll put it all away."

Yuko frowned. "But –"

I cut her off. "You are always busy, Yuko. Take this chance to either get something done early so you can finish sooner, or use it to rest and have a think. Honestly it is fine. I have lived independently for a decade. I am sure I can put my own bed away."

Yuko smiled. "Very well then. Thank you, Osamu-sama." She bowed, and left me in my room.

I slid the screen shut, and moved back over to the veranda side, where I could feel the warmth of the sun on my face and enjoy the bitterness of the tea. The white streak was probably going to be a problem to some degree. I would have to find a way to weave or tie it into my hair so as little of it was showing as possible. But simultaneously, it was also an advantage, for the whiteness could easily be said to be age. My face had not changed, but my hair had. So at least no one could become suspicious yet. After all, some people aged remarkably well. One of my aunts in the UK had not a single wrinkle on her face, which was very unusual for a white. The only thing which gave away her actual age was the fact her hair was grey.

Once the tea was finished, I put the cup back on the tray and quickly tidied my bed away into the shelves behind the screens. I made my way to the baths, and as I walked along the edges of the castle along the veranda, I saw other servants who's eyes widened as they saw me and dropped to their knees with bows of greeting. I greeted them in return with warmth, as it brought a bubble of happiness to my heart to see them excited to see me. I wanted to make a good first impression again.

And it seemed to do the trick. The women beamed and whispered in vigorous exclamations as I walked past them, and soldiers and guards cracked jokes about my return. Therefore as I relaxed into the bath to clean myself, I sighed with relief and smiled to myself.

I think it will be fine, I told myself.

I washed my hair and scrubbed my body with the scrubs and balms. When I was dried and into clean clothes, it was the most refreshing I had felt in a month. I plaited my hair so the white streak did not stray. I was not sure where my outer hanfu had gone. I imagined someone had taken it for cleaning, therefore I washed my inner hanfu myself, transferring my Fan from there and into my current kimono.

As I hung my hanfu outside, I stood with my hands on my hips, thinking. A kimono was so restricting, and though I still remembered how to fight with the women's style of the naginata and ninjato, my body was far more attuned to Chinese martial arts, and I could not fight in the way I was most comfortable while wearing the kimono.

I wondered whether I could design a form of clothing which was somewhere between a kimono and a hanfu, like I had worn in dreams past.

It won't be easy, I thought. I could sew, but I had never made clothes, only repaired them. Under Lady Akechi post-Kunlun, I had learnt a great deal of embroidery, but had never actually made my own clothes. And in Kunlun, I had learnt how to play musical instruments, many forms of combat, philosophy, and medicine in particular.

But there was no harm in more learning, and trying.

"Cousin?"

I turned, to find a handsome young man paused at the corner of one of the paths. He looked like a younger version of Mitsuyasu. Except this one had a far more open expression, unlike Mitsuyasu's stoic appearance.

I lowered my hands back down to my sides and tilted my head, my eyes narrowing. "Mitsuharu?" I asked carefully, not sure if I was right.

But I was graced by a smile of recognition on his face. "I thought that was you. Mitsutada said you looked the same."

I came up to him and bowed.

"No, no! Please, no need to bow. We are family," he said hastily.

I straightened and grinned. "It is good to see you again, Mitsuharu. It has been a long time. You have grown a lot!"

"I was not sure if you would recognise me. Mitsutada is very worried about it."

"You look like a younger version of your father. If Mitsutada is the same, then I will recognise him too. How old are you both now?"

"I am nineteen. Mitsutada is sixteen."

I shook my head in disbelief. "The last time I saw you both you were barely this tall," I said, motioning the height of my chest. "And now, you are taller than me. What about Mitsutada?"

Mitsuharu smirked. "A little shorter than me. I never let him forget it."

"It is good to see you did not take entirely after your father's personality," I mused.

"What? In being stoic and bluntly grumpy?"

"Your words, not mine."

He laughed. "Of course I still take after him in many other aspects." He then cleared his throat. "Are you ready?"

I blinked and gasped. "Are you all waiting?"

He patted my shoulder. "Don't panic, cousin. Everyone is doing their own thing at the moment. But if you are ready, then so will they."

I touched the deep pockets of my sleeves instinctively, and felt the Fan resting there. As long as I had it with me, I was fine. Touching it brought a cooling sense of calmness.

"Alright then," I said, meeting his eyes. "I'm ready. Time for a reunion."

xxx

"Should we reinstate Osamu back to her previous position now that she is returned?" Mitsuyasu asked.

"What kind of a question is that?" Mitsuhisa tutted.

Mitsuyasu glowered at his younger brother. "Who is the one who sounds like a fool now? Your own question just now shows how little thought you have given to Osamu's position."

Mitsuhisa crossed his arms. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Lady Akechi cleared her throat. "Osamu served as Mitsuhide's retainer ten years ago, and as an independent officer when he was not present. Those positions were suitable to her before as a human, but her return now with her many other changes, alters much of the status quo," Lady Akechi explained.

Mitsuhisa's expression smoothed. He still scowled at his brother, but his expression returned to neutrality when he looked to Mitsuhide and Lady Akechi.

"Oh. I had not thought of it that way," he said. "I thought we would have her return to the same posting as before. She fulfilled her role perfectly."

Mitsuhide nodded. "I agree with you uncle. Most logical option would be to have Osamu return to the role she previously held. As my retainer, she is less in the eyes of other Lords as someone of standing, and this would be best to make her appear as if she is not worth others' attention. Naturally she will still be a Lady of the Akechi clan."

"But?" Mitsuyasu prompted.

"But, I don't believe it will last long," Mitsuhide said. "Certainly from the supernatural world's perspective, Osamu's return to the castle puts our family more at the centre of attention that ever before. Not all of them know of where she has been, but it will not be long before they realise she has partially ascended into the first stages of immortality. The return of the Seer will not go unnoticed."

Mitsuyasu grunted softly. "Not just that. Osamu's absence has only fanned the flames of her origin. Even from the perspective of humans, Osamu is a deity, while we are human in their eyes. It has only been one night but already there are rumours she has become a celestial maiden of the weather who can control it with her presence."

Mitsuhisa chuckled. Mitsuhide also smiled. It was amusing how rumours grew so far away from the truth.

"I am sure Osamu will be content with returning to her previous post," Mitsuyasu said. ""Though I wonder whether the people will accept it."

"I think they will," Mitsuhisa said. "Legends and stories may surround her, but when she walks amongst them, she is incredibly normal. She will just need to remind them of it."

Mitsuhide recalled his last conversation with Ichirou and his son Keisuke, where they exchanged funny tales and stories of them all being so normal. Of getting drunk, of walking into walls, of choking on food and laughing.

Mitsutada came into the room, slamming the screen shut behind him with an exasperated and exhausted breath. "As soon as this meeting is over, please send Aki outside," he groaned, sitting down. "The people all want to see her and there was only so much I could do to make them go away and come back later."

"But you sent them away, yes?" Mitsuhisa asked.

"I sort of promised them Aki will greet them all in the town later," Mitsutada said with a wince.

Mitsuhide pressed his lips into a fine line.

Mitsutada shrunk slightly. "But at least it worked!" He argued his point.

"Both you and Mitsuharu will go with her," Mitsuhide said. "Otherwise she will probably be overrun. Take some guards as well and an empty wagon at least."

"Why an empty wagon? You want her to sit in it?" Mitsutada asked, puzzled.

Mitsuhide laughed slightly. "No. The townspeople have many gifts. The guards will not be able to carry them all."

Understanding flashed in Mitsutada's eyes, as well as thought. Mitsuhide could feel what his cousin was thinking without skimming his thoughts. Mitsutada was wondering whether he could subtly share whatever gifts the townspeople had for Aki, especially if it was food related.

Mitsuhide left his cousin to his ponderings, and turned his attention to the opposite screen, where he heard his other cousin's footsteps approach, along with Aki's.

"I don't think I'm dressed formally enough," Aki said to Mitsuharu. "I didn't even think. Just picked the first kimono which had been laid out."

"Will you stop fretting, cousin?" Mitsuharu chided. "Since when did you care about appearances anyway? I remember you always dressing as a man. You never cared to look noble."

"Well I do now. I have a name to uphold and I do not want to bring any shame upon my Master or this household."

"I don't think you ever brought any shame upon us," Mitsuharu said thoughtfully. "I was too young to fully understand such subtleties in politics before. But in my memory, I was always proud to have such a cousin as you. No other adult played games with me, which put you in our special books. And I'm sure everyone else also thought so. Now stop faffing around with your sleeve and obi. You look fine. This isn't a formal meeting, remember. We are family."

Aki laughed unexpectedly, but managed to bite most of it back. "You have not changed, Mitsuharu. And don't worry, that's a compliment."

"Thank you?"

The interaction stopped as the two arrived at the hall. Mitsuharu knocked politely, and then slid the screen across. He stepped in first, followed by Aki who shut the screen behind her. Even though Mitsuhide saw her yesterday, seeing her again this morning took his breath away.

It was almost odd to see her in a kimono again, after seeing her wear a hanfu for so many years. Yuko had set out a modest but graceful kimono for Aki to wear, of a pale blue fading into pink. Her hair was plaited loosely over her shoulder and down the front of her torso. Simple earrings of pink crystal hung from her earlobes. She wore no make up. There was no need. The brightness of her face swelled in his heart, and his heart leapt a beat once again as she looked to him first.

A smile graced her lips, and then her smile turned into a grin as she beamed upon seeing everyone else. Mitsuhisa grinned in return, Mitsutada's face surprisingly reddened. Mitsuyasu allowed himself to smile as his own face lightened, and Lady Akechi looked pleased.

Aki quickly knelt down and bowed her head to the tatami.

"You can rise, Aki. As Mitsuharu has already told you, we are family," Mitsuhide said.

Aki straightened, and flushed. "It has been many years, Mitsuhide-sama. I dare not assume anything, despite the joy it brings me to see you all again."

"Silly woman," Mitsuhisa sighed with a shake of his head. "Even if you had been gone for fifty years, we would still welcome you back with open arms."

"Indeed," Mitsuyasu agreed. "It is good to have you back, Osamu. Welcome home."

Aki bowed her head slightly. "Thank you, my Lords."

"How was your journey? You were very tired when you arrived yesterday afternoon," Lady Akechi enquired.

Aki winced. "I am very sorry about. I was very tired, and was expecting just to doze until I got to the castle. I did not realise I had fallen asleep completely."

"You were gone like a candle flame blown out," Mitsutada chuckled.

Aki looked even more dismayed and turned her attention back to Mitsuhide. "I am sorry you had to carry me back."

Mitsuhide shook his head once in understanding. Given she had not woken at all until an hour ago implied quite heavily just how exhausted she had been.

"A lot has happened since you have been away," Mitsuyasu said. "We had been informed of your progress and well-being through Mitsuhide, which was reassuring to hear. And I imagine now you have much of your own questions regarding what has happened in your absence."

Aki quickly looked over her shoulder, as if she remembered something to ask about something behind her. "Ah, that reminds me. Did the castle have renovations done?"

Mitsuhide's eyes narrowed.

"A part of the castle where you reside burnt down in your attempted kidnap," Lady Akechi said carefully. "Do you remember?"

Confusion flitted across Aki's face, before it was quickly replaced by realisation, and a dull horror as her smile vanished. She remembered.

"Akito Kenji," she said gasped. "Did . . . did he survive?"

Lady Akechi and his uncles looked to Mitsuhide. It was almost strange, for Kenji's death had been many years ago now, but for Aki, it would still be very recent.

"He fulfilled his duty, and sleeps at ease knowing you survived," Mitsuhide eventually said.

Aki's expression was like a stone, but her fingers curled into fists in her lap.

"Do not grieve, dear niece," Mitsuyasu consoled her. "There is nothing more honourable than for a retainer to die in battle serving his Lord. He did just that. Honour him by accepting he fulfilled his duty, and do not grieve. You survived, which was his goal."

It was as if Aki recalled something else, and as a result, she sighed heavily, looking down for a moment. She then collected herself again, and looked back up at them, clearing her throat. "I will honour him. He was a good man. I take it then the fire burnt down my quarters and it was rebuilt?"

They nodded in agreement.

"But it is fine and all is well," Mitsuhisa continued brightly. "The Toki-Akechi are reunited and have thus strengthened Mino within its borders with our combined might. We are family after all. And the Oda have their own problems to deal with since Nobuhide's demise. Their infighting gives us peace."

"Toki?" Aki repeated sharply.

"Yoshitatsu overthrew Dousan and we helped him in doing so," Mitsuhisa said. "It happened early this year. But since then, Mitsuhide and Yoshitatsu have unified and stabilised the province remarkably well in such a short space of time. Youngsters, eh?" He then nudged his brother. "They get things done so fast."

Mitsuyasu grunted.

"It has been a most fortuitous development," Lady Akechi agreed. "The positive effects have been felt across the province. Production yield has increased tenfold and the people are satisfied and most productive now with stable and fair leaders."

Despite the positive tone of the conversation, Aki's eyes flashed to Mitsuhide and he watched as the colour of her face drained away. He had been expecting it, for her knowledge of what should have happened was very different to what had now occurred. He could hear her heart begin to hammer in her chest with sudden panic and unease. Her breathing rate increased.

He touched her mind privately.

: At ease, Aki, he said soothingly. I know this will come as a shock. But I will speak you with about it later, in private.

She held his gaze. The panic was still there, but there was also the intelligence of now calculating what she was going to do about it. Even while she panicked, she was thinking and grappling with the revelation and how to proceed. Therefore while the talk continued between the family, Aki's mind was only half there.

xxx

Early that night, I paced around my room, feeling the stress on my shoulders. Ironically, despite the incredibly busy day I had, that was not what played on my mind. The talk with the Akechi leaders was a long one, and a very warming one as well, casual and remarkably laid back. They told me a lot about what had happened, the goods and the bads, bringing me up to speed with what I had missed and finished it by reinstating my former position as a Lady of the Akechi, retainer and officer.

I had spent most of the day following the morning, in the town where I was overwhelmed by the well-wishers and ecstatic welcomes. The children I had played with in the past had all grown up and some even had children of their own. The townspeople had showered me with gifts and asked for my blessing, which though I had been warned of, still came as a surprise. I had not been expecting my memory and presence to have become deified. I was still unsure how to take it.

Unfortunately I had not been able to speak with Yue Lao. Though I saw him in the distance over the heads of everyone else, he just grinned his old man smile and mouthed 'talk later'. Which I suppose was probably just as well. This was only day one. I had many more days yet to follow.

Therefore despite my mind buzzing from how many people I spoke to today, nothing compared to the discovery of history being changed.

Baihu said it needed to happen. My sole reason for being brought into this time was to reforge the alliances between China and Japan. And for that to happen, many events had to change.

Yet it was another thing to hear it had already begun.

I should have expected it, I thought to myself. Ten years is a long time. And I do remember leaving my journal and a letter behind to Mitsuhide if I indeed disappeared. He must have found it, and taken action while I was gone.

The key factors of change were Dousan's defeat and a willing alliance between Yoshitatsu and Mitsuhide, as well as the fact Nou had not been married to Nobunaga.

I was actually relieved, for I was very reluctant to imagine Nou as my future enemy. It made much more sense for her and Mitsuharu to be united instead.

Despite the apparent good which had been done in the last ten years, I could not help but feel the unease in my chest, like a pressure against my lungs which made it difficult to breathe. I was in uncharted territory now.

I held my Fan in my hands, patting it against my palm gently as I paced and thought. Had anything else changed across Japan? How was it going to affect my own time now? Because I did notice even Baihu had no clear answer for me when I asked about it.

A knock came to my screen from the veranda side, distracting me from my pacing and pondering. I slid the screen open to find Mitsuhide on the other side. I opened my mouth when Mitsuhide placed a finger to his lips, indicating silence. I obeyed, though puzzled.

He stepped into the room, sliding the screen shut and looked up at the ceiling, and exhaled slowly. For a moment, I thought I saw something glitter from his breath, and as I squinted, I felt a tingle of magic, and realised the glitter were tiny glowing characters, expanding outwards to plaster themselves across the walls, ceiling and floor. It caused a faint rippling sheen to wash throughout the room.

"A sound barrier," Mitsuhide then said once the sheen was complete and faded out again. "Though this castle is well protected, I still cannot take the risk of anyone listening in on this conversation, not even my uncles and mother."

I looked about my room, amazed now I knew what the magic was for. I had never actually seen him use any magic before. Only his spiritual form I had seen in Death.

My awe was short-lived however, as I twigged why he created the sound barrier. "You found my journal, then, I take it," I sighed.

Mitsuhide nodded, sitting down and I sat down opposite him. He pulled the journal from the inner pocket of his torso and placed it on the tatami between us. "I did," he said. "After I returned from Yomi, I found the letter you wrote for me, as well as the journal. Why did you not just tell me instead of writing the letter?" He demanded sharply, taking me by surprise. "Do you have any idea how furious I was? How horrified I was? I thought you had been killed! I could have protected you! I –!" He cut himself off suddenly, clenching his fists, before sighing slowly. "No, I have not come here to shout at you. I am sorry, I just –"

"Please do not apologise, Mitsuhide-sama," I interrupted him. "There were probably other ways in which all of that could have been handled. Maybe Akito would still be alive. But that was the decision I had made at the time and . . . and I still stand by it, despite the cost of Akito's death," I said heavily. "Above all else, your coronation and ascension was vital and most important. Nothing could compare."

Mitsuhide shook his head, his expression pained. "Foolish woman. Still so stubborn! With a complete disregard for your own worth. I lost you – twice!"

Seeing his frustration, his anger and his grief was overwhelming, pressing my chest far more than the stress of historical changes. I could not bare it.

"Will you forgive me?" I blurted, reaching out to touch his hand instinctively. He looked down at my hand over his, and I realised what I did. Despite how I felt now that I could see him again, despite what was said ten years ago, nothing had been mentioned again since. I could not assume. He was a Lord, a clan chief and leader.

I was being inappropriate, and quickly pulled my hand back. "My apologies for my forwardness."

He caught my hand. "I will always forgive you, Aki," he said, his voice tight. "I will always forgive you as long as you come back. But you have to understand how much you mean to us, to me. You have gone through your life thinking very little of yourself besides your role to the Akechi. But would you have ever done something to worry your birth family so? Did you ever worry them in the past by doing something dangerous or omitting something important?"

I stared at him, feeling my eyes moisten and I blinked. Even as a teenager, I had been a good daughter to my parents and a good sister to my sister. I had been responsible, caring and kind. I never did anything to worry them, nor were there ever any secrets. Our family had been unique.

I pulled my gaze away and shook my head. "No, I did not."

His grip on my hand softened. "Then do the same for us, for me. We are your family now. Respect us as you respected your own. No secrets, alright?"

I brought my gaze up from my lap to his face. Indeed, he had grown up entirely. Mitsuhide had not only become a man, but he was a leader and chieftain through and through. He protected his family.

I cleared my throat and smiled. "Alright," I said. "No secrets."

And as I said it, I did indeed feel as if a weight I had not known was there, was lifted from my shoulders. My respect for him was now complete.

As if Mitsuhide sensed it, the worry on his brow smoothed away, and he let go of my hand. I could not help but feel disappointed at the loss of his touch, but I swallowed those feelings back down. There were more urgent things requiring my attention than my heart.

Therefore I reached and picked up my journal. It was well worn from use, more than how I had left it. I flicked to the central pages, and as I scanned the notes and dates I had made, I recalled what I wrote in my letter to Mitsuhide.

"You did what I could not," I said quietly. "I could not make the decision on whether to change these events or not. I am a coward. I am sorry you had to make the choice for me."

"No, you were not a coward, nor are you now or ever will be," he said clearly. "You did not know your role or purpose back then, none of us did. It shows greater wisdom to not act rashly. It was impossible for you to make any such decision."

"If I did make a decision, maybe your father would still be alive. Toki Yorinari might never have been exiled. Saito Dousan would never have risen to power."

"If you did, I would not have ascended as early as I did, Nou would never have been born. Oda Nobuhide might have had greater success in expanding across our borders," Mitsuhide contradicted. "Despite Yorinari's Pureblood prowess, he was not born with a strategic mind capable of plotting battles. What has happened, has happened. There is no need to look back."

I frowned, troubled. "But why now? Why start to change events now? Major events do not begin for at least another ten to twenty years."

"After you joined the disciples of Kunlun, I went to Takamagahara to meet with the Superiors."

My eyebrows shot up. "You met them?"

He nodded. "Yes. I learnt they brought you here for a reason I believe you should also be aware of now? They spoke of forging alliances which had never been forged before. Of shifting geopolitical powers to advert a great cataclysm."

I ran my hands over my face with a groan. "World War Three," I muttered. "I hoped it would never come. But if they brought me back here then chances are it was supposed to happen in my lifetime in my original time." I could not help but shudder at the thought. I felt unwell.

"Aki," Mitsuhide said softly. "What is this World War Three? What is a World War? Is it really as bad as the Superior's implied, that it would destroy the world?"

I lowered my hands and sighed grimly. "Yes. There are weapons in my time called nuclear weapons. I don't know how to describe them in a way to make you understand as the technology is so different to what you will know of from this time period. But to summarise the world wars, we had two. The first was in the early nineteen hundreds, and the second was in the nineteen forties. And they were exactly as their title says. They were wars which spanned the Earth, involving the majority of the world's countries as they all fought each other. The amount of deaths could not be put into numbers and the accounts from survivors are horrifying. Luckily all of this was well before my time, so I only know what I learnt from books and teachers.

"Depending on who fought during those wars, especially the second one, and who's side people were on and who was invaded and conquered, there are a lot of left over bitter feelings, which makes peace talking quite difficult as many horrors had yet to be acknowledged and no apology was ever made by some countries. Many countries were forced to serve others, and still do now but under the guise of supposed 'partnership'.

"As the years go on, naturally the power of the world shifts between country to country depending on their level of growth and development. The country on the other side of this ocean to the east across the Pacific, is one such country – called the United States of America – which ensures dominance over the rest of the world by crippling countries as they rise and succeed, through a form of war one way or the other. Most countries now have nuclear weapons as a way to deter attacks from others. But the status quo at the moment is incredibly fragile, and the country on the other side of the pacific gets incredibly jealous when another nation does better than it.

"In my current time period, this country's leaders have become very jealous of the Middle Kingdom's rise to power from poverty, and threatens to destroy my homeland. But the Middle Kingdom will not yield either. No one will. The world fears what the white barbarians will do, because if they attack, there will also be retaliation. And given each country's possession of nuclear weapons, when they all fire them at each other, it will burn the world away." I tapped my Fan against my chin in thought. "I will explain to you the politics of what happened in the Second World War to give you some context into why the tensions exist afterwards. But unless you understand the fear of nuclear weapons, none of it will mean much to you. I'm just trying to think if there is a way to explain it to you in a way you will understand."

Mitsuhide's eyes were curious as he spied my Fan. "Start simple. What kind of weapons are they?"

"They are bombs. Exploding devices, except thousands of times worse than what we see on the battlefield here from firearms. I've never seen a nuclear bomb go off in person, otherwise I'd be dead from the radiation exposure alone," I said more under my breath. "But I've seen them on TV from the old recordings. If only there was a way to make you see what I saw . . ." I trailed off as a thought occurred to me. "Wait, I think there is a way." I tucked the Fan away into the folds of my clothes against my chest. "I beg your pardon, Mitsuhide, but I may need to be forward again."

Mitsuhide's serious expression distorted into amusement at the sudden change in my tone. "Do what you have to," he said openly.

I took a deep breath, trying to quiet the sudden quickening of my heart as I shuffled closer to him. I could not help but feel my cheeks redden slightly, but I tried my best to ignore it as I reached out and placed my palms on either side of his head.

"Can you open the telepathic link again?" I asked him.

: Here, he replied the instant the link was made.

: Thank you. Just be warned, I haven't done it to this extent before, and I have only done it a few times as well. I will try to keep it as focused as I can, but you may See irrelevant things too.

I focused the energy of my breath, feeling the comforting force of the Silver Cloud Fan, and activated my Sight. But instead of Seeing my surroundings, I turned internal, towards my memories, Seeing back into my past.

I Saw my life again back in the UK, snippets of memories as they passed me by. I started with the recordings and documentaries on the nuclear tests and explosions, of watching the sea erupt as the bombs were detonated beneath the waves, of the records from the scientists about radiation burns and poisoning. I remembered thinking how cool it looked at first, then feeling the horror as the reality sunk in as I got older, and feeling the horror and dread grow as models mimicked how a nuclear war would look on simulated maps across the globe.

Ironically enough, the concept of nuclear war still had not been as frightening to me as when I comprehended what space and the universe actually was. I had only been four at the time. I was standing on the sofa in the living room looking out the window at the sky. My mum was in the kitchen, my dad sat next to me, and my sister was still a baby at the time, just learning to walk.

Now that really had been a terrifying concept to grasp and accept. Earth was so tiny, so fragile. Humans were so insignificant compared to the universe.

I thought of my parents then, Seeing my memory of them as I was carried away from my initial intention, losing myself in my memories which I had tried hard not to look at for many years. I Saw my sister, my friends, school, being disciplined, having a good laugh and of the places I had been to. I felt myself get carried away.

It felt like I lived an age. I lived my normal life again, forgetting the new one I currently lived. The new one was just a dream.

"Aki. Wake up. These are just memories now. You must come back to reality."

Mitsuhide's voice was both telepathic and audible. A magic was infused into his words and voice, snapping me back to my reality and I realised I had gone too far.

I blinked, the green veil cleared and I brought my hands back. I managed to show him the effects of the bomb at least, but reliving my memories of the twenty-first century was such a shock to my heart that I didn't even look at Mitsuhide to see how he reacted to a nuclear war. All I could think of was my original family and the friends I had back then. I had forgotten how much I missed them. I had forgotten what they looked like, until now.

I turned away immediately, clamped my hands over my face and sucked in a halting breath as tears threatened.

I may have technically been thirty-seven now. But no matter how old one became, they always missed their parents and siblings.

I felt Mitsuhide's hand on my back. It was a comforting warmth.

"I am so sorry," I strained, my breath almost a heave of emotion. I could not speak the rest, but the remainder was implied as a thought of feeling in my mind as our minds were still connected. I was sorry for getting carried away and for almost having a meltdown over remembering and Seeing my original family and friends, and sorry for distracting us from the most urgent point at hand, which was a distant and looming cataclysmic war.

"Do not be sorry," Mitsuhide said from next to me, his voice was soothing and gentle. "At least I understand now what you were like when you were younger, and what your original family were like. I can understand why you miss them so."

I struggled to bring my breathing back under control as a few tears escaped.

Mitsuhide laughed softly. "I can even say I am envious, for you had a relationship with them which is unique. It is a bar set a little too high for me to reach."

I visibly pulled myself together with all the willpower I could muster. Last time I had cried was when I was recovering from my dual with the giant Oni. Mitsuhide had comforted me there too. But back then I had been too weak to know otherwise, and too weak to care about the tears. This time however, I was stronger. As much as I missed my family, now was not the time.

I sat up, pulling away from him and wiped my eyes. "Dear me, I do apologise," I croaked and had to clear my throat again. "I'll talk about my family another time. But not now."

Easiest and quickest way to move on was to focus on something else.

When I glanced at Mitsuhide, he looked distracted, which surprised me. His gaze was distant, his brow was furrowed and his jaw was set with worry. His face even looked a little paler.

My momentary battle with my control vaporised in an instant and I turned to him, reaching out to touch his shoulder. "Mitsuhide?" I asked, worried for him. How could I make it better? How could I ease the shock?

He blinked, his eyes flickering to me and his frozen expression cracked. As he met my eyes, I knew what had been on his mind and I sighed softly. I could almost see the nuclear war in his eyes, clearer than what had ever been shown on TV. He connected the dots in an instant, and saw the result.

"You know now, why such an Armageddon has to be prevented," I said.

He pressed his fingers to his eyes for a moment. "Such power should never be at the hands of humankind," he said. "Humans are capable of great goodness, but also great evil. And those people you called the 'Americans' first dropped these bombs here, on the Land of the Rising Sun. I could feel your father's hatred for them as clearly as I can see you now, and I can understand why, because I too feel that hatred now! Why would they do such a thing? My people were already surrendering! We had been defeated. Were the Americans really so petty and arrogant to make such a show of force to prove to the world they are the strongest? Where is the honour in that? Where is their so called 'good' and 'democracy'?" He spat bitterly. "There is nothing good about them. They are devils hiding behind a mask."

For the first time in a long while, I saw fear in Mitsuhide, as well as watching him realise the scale of the mountain and task he had to overcome. He grasped the situation quickly, far more quickly than I was expecting, and I had to remind myself that he was a God as well as a man. As a God, his mind was vaster and greater than mortals. He would be able to comprehend ideas and thoughts with far more ease and adapt to them better than anyone else.

"How do I stop a global version of what happened to this land?" He stood, and paced the room. "How do I prevent such evil?"

I watched him, feeling my heart go out to him. I had never been in a situation where I had to overcome such odds. But I had been raised to have to skills to deal with whatever was thrown my way. My parents wanted me prepared for anything. Plus, I had survived twenty years in the mid-fifteen hundreds despite the impossibility of a time travel situation.

And Mitsuhide was Mitsuhide. Whether what was documented in my history was true or not, he also was a man of such great potential. He did the impossible. And to have watched him grow from a boy to a man, I could see why.

He was strong. Stronger than anyone I had ever known. Stronger even than my own parent's willpower.

"How do I protect so many people from such horrifying weapons of destruction?" He asked himself.

"I think . . . I think that is why they sent me here," I said. "I cannot do what you are meant to, but I can help you navigate your way through the traps to come."

He stopped pacing and turned to me. I tapped the tatami before me. "Come, sit down," I indicated gently. "I'll explain to you the politics of my time, and why people hate each other as they do. Once you understand that, we can then work backwards to lay the groundworks ensuring a different relationship is forged. But it will all seem impossible unless I explain to you the world's history between now and my time. The Americans are just one country. There were many more who were predecessors to the horror they created. My own country of the UK is one of them."

Mitsuhide sighed, and eventually sat back down again.

For many hours afterwards, I talked, he asked questions, and we debated. It was a long night, but as we talked, the information became smoother. Confusions were cleared and though the road now ahead of us looked as if it had no light at the end of the tunnel, the road was there at least, cleared from the overhanging branches of thorns and confusion which had blocked and marred the way.

The understanding grew in Mitsuhide's eyes, and his questions were ones of clarification and suggestions, demonstrating an incredibly advanced perspective and outlook I did not have. I may have understood politics, but I was no politician. Mitsuhide on the other hand, was a ruler, and therefore also a politician. I had the history and knowledge for navigation, and he had the mind and tools to make it happen.

Even though what we discussed was grim and horrifying, I could not help but feel elated and free, to be able to speak with someone who understood. There was even a strange sense of thrill and anticipation, to be able to tackle such an overwhelming task with a partner who was capable. Even though the task ahead seemed impossible, it actually didn't anymore. It was just difficult. But with the right people, it could be overcome. With Mitsuhide, I could overcome it. I could repave the way.

We did not finish until the birds started to wake and the blackness of the night sky turned navy blue with the early touches of dawn, therefore it was around four in the morning.

"Oh no, the birds are singing," I groaned.

Mitsuhide didn't even notice until I mentioned it, and his eyes widened with dismay and his eyes flashed to the outer screen. "Oh good grief, I am so sorry, Aki. I haven't let you sleep at all!"

I actually laughed. "It's fine. I just need a few hours. You don't need me for anything in the early morning, right?"

"No, no I don't," he said, shaking his head. "Therefore no rush. Sleep as long as you need." He stood, moving towards my shelves behind the screens. "None of us will be asking anything from you for this week, to allow you time to settle back in again."

"Wait, leave it," I cut in, jumping to my feet. "You're not supposed to be setting up futons."

"Why? Because I'm a Lord?" He asked with a hint of sarcasm in his tone. He slid the screen open regardless.

"Yes, exactly that," I huffed. "Now go away. I just need the pillow and futon mattress. And you have a lot to think about."

As he pulled down the pillow, he handed it to me with a bemused expression. "Go away?" He repeated with a chuckle. "It is nice to hear you speak freely."

I took the pillow and smiled meekly, feeling my face redden again. I hated how easy it was for my cheeks to flush, but to some extent, it was true. It was nice to speak freely.

"Well, for the task ahead, it is easier to tackle it without ranks or hierarchy, I think" I said carefully. "Unless you would prefer to remain formal?"

Mitsuhide shook his head. "No, you are right. It is easier without the formality of rank. And this is what I want, perhaps more than you initially realised," he said, bringing down the futon mattress. "On the outside, you are my retainer and I am your Lord and commanding officer, but in private and actuality, I consider you my equal. I want you to speak to me as an equal. And besides, as I said earlier, no secrets, remember? Did you want the quilt as well?" He added.

It took me a moment to realise his last question was about my sleeping arrangements. "Oh, no. No quilt. The temperature will be rising with the sun. I'll be warm enough like this." I then sighed and looked up at him. "I never would have imagined in my first life that I would be speaking so normally with a noble Lord from medieval Japan. You are a very unusual man for this time era. Unique, and I hope you never change."

"I won't," he said firmly, with a certainty which was as certain as a standing mountain unyielding to the wind of the world.

I smiled. "No secrets then. You do realise this means the other way around too? If I am to help you navigate through time, I also need to know what's going on in your own mind."

"You will," he assured me gently. "And thanks to your life in Kunlun, the world of the supernatural will be as normal to you as the mortal realm. Politics is the same no matter which side of the veil one resides in." He glanced to the outer screen again and sighed. "Come, go to sleep. You are tired and I have much to think about."

I nodded. "Thank you for listening to me explain and believing me. It . . . it reassures me to know I don't have to do this by myself."

"And thank you for telling me," he replied warmly. "And Aki?"

"Hm?"

"You only need to ask, and I will always help you."

Whatever thought or word I was going to think or speak, was gone, forgotten as his kindness and genuinity stole my heart.

As if upon a psychic command, the room rippled again, but backwards this time as the magic returned to its master. Mitsuhide left the room, and I laid out the futon and rested my head on the pillow, not bothering to get undressed from day clothes of the previous day. I thought I would be thinking for a while before dropping off.

But I fell asleep instantly, my mind exhausted from the conversation of the night.