Disclaimer: I do not own Clamp, but I do own the others. I'm also taking a guess on some of Japanese History.
The Wheel Turn
Lachesis sat and watched the wheels of history turn. She yawned with the rise and fall of Roman. There was a glimmer of interest with the forming of China's governments. However, when the rise of the Tokugawa in Japan, Lachesis knew it was her time to go down on Earth.
Tokyo 1608
Tokugawa House
Lady Sumeragi paced back and forth in the inner gardens. She was waiting impatiently for the message from her husband. She rang her hands tightly as she walk around the pond.
"Lady Sumeragi?" asked a servant.
Lady Sumeragi jerk her head up, "Yes?"
"A messenger is here. Should I show her in?"
"Her?" Thought Lady Sumeragi. "Yes, go ahead."
The servant bowed and left to get the messenger. Lady Sumeragi sat down on the bench and watch the koi to keep her busy. Before she got too curious that her husband sent a female messenger, the messenger enter the garden.
"Lady Sumeragi." The messenger bowed to her.
"Hai."
"Please don't get up. Here's the message from your husband." The messenger walked over to Lady Sumeragi and handed her a letter. Lady Sumeragi noticed that the messenger look like a foreigner, but she was too excited to worry about it. She grabbed the note and quickly read it. As Lady Sumeragi read the letter, the messenger walked around the pond stretching her legs.
"Yes, milady?"
Lady Sumeragi folded up the letter and stuck it in her kimono. She slowly stood up.
"Messenger, what is your name?" Lady Sumeragi quietly demanded.
Lachesis signed. She was tired from her trip and Lord Sumeragi gave her implicate instructions to deny his wife of the information. "Lachesis, milady." bowing deeply.
"What is the meaning of this letter? I don't want to start a war between the Sakurazuka clan and us. There's no need to. I also will not betray my friendship with Lady Sakurazuka." Yelled Lady Sumeragi.
Lachesis watch as anger and betrayal pass over Lady Sumeragi's face. She now understand why her sister, Atropos told her never get involved with mortals.
"Oh! Sorry!" replied a little girl as she crashed thought the garden. "I was looking for my kite."
"It's ok, Ayame-chan. You can look for your kite."
"Thank you, Lady Sumeragi." Ayame bowed and hop off, looking for her kite.
"Ayame-chan! Ayame-chan! Where are you?" yelled a little voice.
"Over here, Hope-chan!"
"Hope?" questioned Lachesis.
"Yes?" walked in a little girl with storm-color eyes, "I'm her."
Lachesis stared at the child.
"Hope! I found it!" cried Ayame.
"Yeah! Let's go play!"
"Ok!"
Ayame and Hope turn around and run off to leave the garden. Before Hope left, Lachesis called her back.
"Hope."
"Meet me at the other garden Ayame-chan. I'll be there in a moment."
Hope walked back to the older women. "What do you want, Lachesis?" asked Hope in Greek, knowing full well what Lachesis want.
"Join me for dinner."
Hope bowed and left skipping away.
"Is she your daughter?" asked Lady Sumeragi.
"No, but I know her mother. I'm sorry that the letter has cause a disturbance, but you understand…"
Lady Sumeragi waved her hand. "No you don't! The coast is too…" Lady Sumeragi clutched her kimono. An inexplicit pain coursed throughout her body. She looked at Lachesis with panic eyes. Lachesis tilted her head, listening to unheard song. Then she looked back at Lady Sumeragi.
"Atropos cut you life string. Don't worry, your sister in law will fulfill the density."
" What about..?" ask Lady Sumeragi in her dying breath.
" My sister is being kind to you. You not have to see your dear friend Lady Sakurazuka fulfilled her role. Good bye milady." Lachesis waved her hand and Lady Sumeragi breath her last.
Later that night Lachesis sat down to have dinner with Hope.
"That was cruel what you did today."
"No it was not. The wheels that my sisters and I set will keep moving forward."
Hope glared at Lachesis.
"Anyways, what can a ten year old do?" smirked Lachesis.
"Plenty. And I advised that you leave tomorrow."
"Oh, I'm planning to. I hate this place. I can't wait until theses mortals.."
"I don't want to hear it. You won this phase, so go collect your prize."
"Plan too." Lachesis raised her cup. " To the game and to the winner."
Hope just sat there as Lachesis drank her tea.
"Goodnight Hope.
"Goodnight."
After when the Tokugawa household was in for the night, Hope hopped over the fence. She walked over the shrines where Ueno Park would be in the future. Hope walked over to a certain Sakura tree. When she got there, Hope climb up into its branches. The view was beautiful. Hope touched the blossoms, inhaling their scent. She sensed that the tree was dying. She began to chant a simple spell.
" I will offer you a deal." Hope told the tree.
The tree slowly woke up, " What kind of deal, I'm dying here."
" I will not let you die, if you are willing to bound to Lady Sakurazuka."
"How will that keep me alive?"
Hope stop for a moment. She knew what she was going to ask will start the war between the two most powerful onmyouji clans but the end goal is more important.
"I will give you a spell. This spell will allow Lady Sakurazuka to bound human souls to you. This will keep you alive. The catch is that Lady Sakurazuka will have to kill your victims and bury them underneath you. The emperor and shogun have all ready agree that the Sakurazuka clan will be the silent protectors of Japan. They just need a place to place the bodies. The Sumeragi clan will be out in the open. They will hate you if you accept my proposal."
"Why?"
Hope shook her head. " I think in principle but also what will happen in the future."
"In the future?"
"Are you going to agree or not?"
The tree thought it over for a minute. "Will I keep my blossoms?"
"You will keep them at all times as a mark that you are dying. They will also turn pink due to the blood that is underneath you."
"Then I agree."
" Ok, the sharing of power will happen tomorrow. But I will ask of you a favor at the time of the Final Day. Agree?"
"Agree."
The pact was agree abound by both the Sakura tree and Hope. Hope then jump down from the tree and walk off to bed. As her hop over the fence, a piece of paper fluttered by. Hope grabbed it and started to read it. As she reached her room, Hope took the letter and burn it. Then she went to bed.
To my dear wife,
I'm sorry to inform you, but the emperor, Lord Sakurazuka, and I have agreed upon the spiritual state of Japan. The state is a disaster since the shogun took power. The emperor is sending a note asking the Sakurazuka in Edo to step back into the shadows to do their government work. This is to put the balance back on track. I'm sorry that this will cost you your friendship with Lady Sakurazuka. But it needs to be done. Please don't fight it; I love you too much to lose you. But one day, I know our clans will be friends again.
Love,
Your husband, Lord Sumeragi