Motoko stared up at the man who had proclaimed himself Koichi's father incredulously. He didn't even bat an eyelid at the damage he had wrought on his own flesh and blood, nor did he make a move to assist him. No, rather he seemed to be waiting for something, watching everyone's reactions with carefully veiled interest.
"Greetings Father", came Kyoko's voice from her side. The younger girl lowered herself to her knees and bowed respectfully to her Father, never loosing her suddenly amplified aura of poise and grace, "I trust you are well?"
Kenichi looked down on her like a judge pronouncing sentence for a few seconds before a trace of a smile softened his visage.
"I am well little one…rise".
Kyoko rose without a wasted movement, eyes lowered and hands clasped demurely before her. Even having seen her act like this before, the shear level of change it provoked in her manner and appearance was shocking. The youngest Sagura now seemed much older than her sixteen years.
Motoko kept her sword in hand as she crouched down to check Koichi's pulse, her eyes never leaving the bizarre scene before her, this strange reunion that continued as if another family member did not lye unconscious mere feet away.
A quick survey showed that the others were of the same opinion. All the faces of her friends showed varying degrees of shock and outrage, even Kentaro. Only Shinobu seemed nonplussed, but that was because she was only partly conscious herself.
"I trust you had no trouble getting here?", Kenichi continued to exchange polite pleasantries with his daughter.
"No, of course not Father", she replied smoothly.
Motoko thought she saw his eyes flicker to something for a second but she couldn't be sure.
"Excellent".
"…Father, it has been a long journey…we are all fatigued, perhaps it would be best to continue this later when all of us are better able to contribute", Kyoko said, taking a half step to her right to give her father an unobstructed view of his unconscious son and one very angry Gods Cry master.
Kenichi dipped his head to his daughter and clapped his hands together loudly.
Instantly a small torrent of plain robed servants trotted out from behind the walls that surrounded the temple complex.
"Of course, you are all welcome as guests of my daughter and…son"
They moved to the bus and car, taking luggage wordlessly, some stopping and bowing lowly to the confused tenants and motioning for them to follow as they began to retreat again.
Their possessions already in the hands of their hosts, the others had little choice but to follow. Kitsune looked for a second as if she would refuse to follow until Kentaro more or less dragged her after the others, whispering something that seemed to convince her to come under her own power.
Soon only Motoko remained, two servants hovering nervously out of the range of her blade, as if it would save them if she got angry enough to strike out at them.
Motoko glared unwaveringly at Kenichi, who returned her animosity with disinterest. She felt something grip her arm and glanced down, startled to find a smooth faced Kyoko looking up at her.
"Aoyama-sama, you must allow these men to tend my Oni-san", she said gently but without the tiniest hint of concern for her elder brother in her voice.
Motoko felt like raging against the insanity of this moment, until she caught something in the younger girl's gaze, a hint of pleading unfeigned.
Motoko nodded roughly, sheaving her blade and stepping aside while the servants carefully examined, cleaned and bandaged Koichi's injury, lifting him between them and retreating in the same direction as the others.
Motoko felt Kyoko pulling almost imperceptibly on her robe, signalling her to follow. The Blademaster cast one last baleful look at her fiancé's attacker before following the younger girls sedate, gliding pace.
As soon as they were both out of sight Kenichi rounded on his nephew. He didn't shout or threaten him physically; he just raised one thick eyebrow. Something much worse to anyone who knew him well.
Akira as on his knees instantly, face pressed to the dirt of his own violation.
"Nephew… correct me if I am wrong…but I believe I said I wanted only my son and his intended brought here, Kyoko was to be left where she was".
"Indeed Uncle, that is what you decreed", you could almost hear Akira's frantic heartbeat at that moment. Admitting a blunder to Kenichi Sagura was not something to be cherished.
"So…explain to me", Akira trembled a little as he felt the heavy footfalls of his Uncle growing closer, "Why is not only my daughter here…but a whole host of my son's friends!".
"I apologise Uncle!", Akira squirmed where he was prostrate, hoping that it would at least be quick.
The blow never came.
"Rise", came his Uncle's disgusted voice.
Slowly Akira stood, keeping his head bowed as a precaution. Just because he had been allowed to stand again did not automatically give him the right to look his Uncle in the eye again.
"This turn of events is…perturbing, but not crippling, it will just make things harder, we will simply change track a little, my daughter will not be to much trouble", Kenichi pronounced.
Akira thought back to when he had met her atop the roof of the Hinata Sou, she had certainly given him the impression then that she was firmly in hwer brother's camp.
And there was just now…"I think we may need to watch her Uncle", Akira ventured timidly, "She will not betray Koichi".
"She is my daughter, she will do as she is told, at least one of my children knows their place", Kenichi responded angrily.
"As you say Uncle", Akira said, with a small bow for good measure.
I just hope you aren't underestimating her…
Pain, consciousness. Consciousness, pain.
It was all the same to Koichi Sagura. His head felt like it had been hit by a truck and then back over a few times for good measure.
He tried to recall if he had ever felt like this before, only the time Kitsune had baited him into a drinking contest coming close in recent memory. So what had happened? Had she tricked him into it again?
He heard a gentle trickle of water nearby and felt something cold being placed on his forehead.
"Kitsune?", he croaked, wincing at the twinge talking caused at the base of his skull.
There was a light chuckle he recognised, too high for Kitsune, and too young to be Motoko, "I do not think Motoko-sama would appreciate you calling other women's names, even after a head injury Oni-chan".
Koichi grimaced a little and set to work on convincing uncooperative and suddenly very heavy eyelids to open.
They eventually relented as if resigning to his stupidity. Koichi understood their reluctance as the light slammed into his skull and attempted to punch through the other side with all the subtly of a jackhammer.
"Ouch", he muttered the gross understatement.
He held his eyes open with grim determination and eventually located Kyoko knelt next to him, a look of relief on her usually impassive face.
"Welcome back Oni-chan", she said with a small smile.
Koichi smiled back, still trying to place exactly what had happened this time. He lay there for a moment, starring up at the thick, ancient beams that supported the ceiling of the room, he found himself in, looking at the plain green walls and running a hand out of the futon he was lying on, across the well polished wooden floor.
He was really home. Sad that any nostalgia was drowned out by a feeling of restriction and the desire to leave.
"Oni-chan?", Kyoko must have noticed his troubled expression.
"What happened?", he asked, verbally waving off her concern.
"…Father", she said, flinching a little at the expression that darkened his usually laughing face for a moment, "I think he wanted to see if you had progressed enough to have really defeated Tsuroko-sama…you seem to be ok though, I guess your head really is thicker than any of us give you credit for".
"Brat", Koichi uttered his all purpose rejoinder with an amused snort, "…Where's Motoko?".
He tried to rise but Kyoko gently restrained him, "You know better than that Oni-chan, an unwed man and woman alone in his bedchambers, Father would not permit such a breach of etiquette, intended or not".
Koichi glared at the ceiling, "Since when have I played by the rules?"
"You'll have to if you want to stop Father standing against your marriage to Motoko-sama", Kyoko reminded him sombrely, upset by the look of fear that crossed his features at the implied idea that he might loose Motoko.
Oni-chan…Father…"…I guess…What have I missed since I left then?", he asked, reluctant to plunge back into his families internal politics but knowing that this was probably his last chance to catch up on any relevant information.
"Nothing much has changed…Uncle Hitoshi is still trying to convince Father to moderate his approach to the other Clans, Akira has been throwing himself into ever fight he can find, trying to improve his skills to surpass you as has always been his goal. His discovery of his new Bladeless technique has won him some recognition, but it came at about the same time you defeated Tsuruko-sama…", she paused, leaving the implication for him to figure out.
"So in other words he's even more pissed at me than usual", Koichi said with a satisfied smirk.
"Yes, and that could make him…problematic", Kyoko chided her brother, both exasperated and endeared by his lack of concern about the rivalry their cousin held with him.
"Yeah, yeah, I can handle snake-boy", Koichi said with a confident smile.
Kyoko couldn't help but smile. Not due to his enthusiasm, no, but because she knew with a certain morbid humour, that what she said next would have him running for cover.
"…And Sakura is here", she said casually, trying not to laugh as his eyes widened and darted about the room frantically.
"Where?", he said in a muffled voice, realising with some embarrassment that he had drawn the covers of the futon up over the lower half of his face and pushing them down again.
"Not in the room silly", she said with a fond smile, "She came carrying a letter from Father's cousin this morning apparently, and he invited her to stay seeing as we hadn't seen her for some time".
"She turns up the same day as the old man demands me and Motoko come beg his blessing", Koichi said with noticeable sarcasm, "Very convenient"
"Indeed", she answered, deciding against telling him that it was actually close to noon the following day, that would just make it less likely he would stay put.
Koichi sat twisting his sheets between his hands unconsciously for a moment. It didn't take a genius to figure out what was going through his mind.
"You don't think she'd…you know, with Motoko here and all", he said, trying not to sound nervous and annoyed when he didn't succeed.
"Why do you ask dear brother", Kyoko asked around the sleeve she was using to hide her smile, "Are you afraid of what might happen to her or to you".
"It all goes on the tab brat", Koichi warned her as she began to laugh.
"I think Sakura will be the least of your worries", she said when her laughter subsided. She paused when it looked as if Koichi was concentrating on something else.
"Someone is approaching", she stated, almost rolling her eyes at his surprised expression, and explaining, "You always pull that face when you're sensing something".
"Could be worse, I could have your face all the time", he said, smiling and seeming to relax for some reason.
"Motoko-sama?", she guessed, ignoring the insult, again noting his surprise.
"You sure you haven't been sneaking lessons from Uncle Hitoshi or something?", he asked.
"No", she said sadly, "You know our families rules about training women…".
Koichi put a hand over hers, "Hey, when Motoko and me get married and the schools are united, we'll scrap that stupid rule and maybe me and her can train you, how about it?".
Kyoko smiled down at her elder brother, grateful for the offer but doubting Father would ever allow it.
Poor kid, Koichi thought not missing the wistfulness in her smile, She's got it worse than me in some ways, at least I broke away, she put her own neck in the collar a long time ago, now she doesn't think she has a way out.
"I best go now, you need rest".
Koichi frowned at her as she rose gracefully and made to leave, "Ok…Could you let Motoko in before you go?".
Kyoko stopped by the door, her hand on the handle.
"You know I can't do that", she said quietly.
She continued abruptly as he opened his mouth to vent his frustration with her and her slavish adherence to the rules that governed her life.
"However, should I forget to lock the door, it is not my fault if one of our guests, not knowing better should wander in".
She smiled at him weakly over her shoulder, "Rest well Oni-chan".
The dark haired girl slid the door aside and stepped through, closing it again with barely a whisper.
"…Kyoko".
Kyoko drew herself up as she stepped away from the door, reassuming her outer façade as the Lady Sagura. She began to walk away but paused.
"Motoko-sama?", she said quietly, turning to see the other woman standing with her hand guiltily on the door to Koichi's room.
Motoko blushed a little, before straightening her back with a look of icy defiance. She was caught off guard by Kyoko's smile.
"Don't concern yourself", Kyoko explained, "As I already told Oni-san, I saw no one enter here after I left, but if they did, I must have forgot to lock the door".
Motoko nodded her understanding and smiled thankfully at the younger girl.
The raven-haired swordswoman hesitated a moment, seeing that there was something else the other girl wanted to ask, but didn't seem able to put into words.
"I trust you will tell the others that Koichi is well?", Motoko asked, noticing the youngest Sagura divert her eyes as she suggested it.
"No", Kyoko said quietly, "I think it would be best if I stayed away from them for a while".
"Why?"
Kyoko looked up, surprised that the older woman would need to ask such a question, "They still believe that I betrayed Oni-san…on the way here…Shinobu wouldn't even look at me".
Motoko was sure for a second that she saw tears gathering in the other girl's grey eyes, but they were gone seconds later as she seemed to regain control of her emotions. It also didn't pass her notice that Kyoko had unconsciously dropped the formal manner of addressing Shinobu.
Motoko recalled her earlier conversations with the others as they had settled into their Spartan if spacious rooms, all located on the east side of the building, as far from Koichi and Kyoko's quarters as possible within the moderately sized structure.
"I don't think you should trouble yourself unnecessarily", she said kindly, "They don't blame you for anything, and no of us believes that snake of a cousin of yours for a second. As for Shinobu…".
Motoko debated over telling the dark-haired girl anything, but decided that if she didn't, Kyoko probably wouldn't talk to her new friend again, for fear of offending her.
"…She was ashamed of how quickly and how readily she believed Akira, at least to begin with. She doesn't have many friends, but she always stands by those she does, so I think that upset her".
Motoko watched. On the surface nothing appeared to be happening, Kyoko had listened to what she had been told as if someone were telling her of the weather rather than whether or not her friends despised her. However there was a change in her eyes that the younger of the Aoyama sister's didn't fail to notice.
"Arigato, Motoko-sama", she said with a small bow, "…If I may, there are things I must attend to".
Motoko was happy the younger girl was no longer under a false impression, but there was still something that bothered her about the girl at times, something that had been standing out since they had arrived the previous day before they had been summoned here.
"Kyoko-chan…"
"Yes Motoko-sama?", the younger girl asked, somehow giving off the impression she was eager to leave, despite standing perfectly still.
"I don't know exactly what is going on…but remember, the heart can be a fickle and fragile thing…take care".
"Of course Motoko-sama. I would advise you not linger, I do not know who else might choose to visit", Kyoko said with another bow as she left, wondering just what the older woman had been talking about.
She stumbled a little as she recalled something from the previous day. Surely she couldn't think…no, it was just her imagination; Motoko wasn't intimating anything of the sort.
Kyoko fixed her destination in her mind, unaware of the blush that stained her checks.
Motoko slid the door open a crack and peered in. Koichi seemed to be asleep, his chest rising and falling evenly and his eyes closed.
She slipped inside and carefully closed the door behind herself, moving to the side of the futon and crouching next to him.
She studied his face silently for a moment. He didn't seem to be in any pain, in fact he seemed to be sleeping peacefully. There was a small smile on his face.
Wait…, she thought leaning closer, I know that smile…
A hand lanced out from beneath the covers, grabbing a fistful of the front of her robe and hauling her down on top of him.
She let out a yelp and his arms circled her waist, pinning her atop him but leaving her arms free. His smile widened and he opened one eye a crack.
"Oh Motoko", he said, sounding surprised, "My bad, I thought you were one of the servant girls".
His head may have been out of bounds, but his gut was still fair game, as he found out the hard way when she rammed a fist home.
"Oooffh!"
"Baka"
"Great, abuse the guy with the head injury why don't ya", he said with a lopsided smile.
"And a smart mouth", she added.
He shrugged philosophically and grinned.
Motoko was gradually becoming aware that they had been in their current position for some time, and she hadn't yet made an attempt to correct the situation.
"Koichi, let me up"
"Nope"
She narrowed her eyes at him, "And why not?".
"I like you right here", he replied holding her a bit tighter and flashing his best smile. She blushed a little and let her arms cease their efforts to remove her from his grasp.
"Hentai"
He smiled at her and adjusted his grip to let her grow comfortable.
"I hope I'm not interrupting anything", came a deep, amused voice from by the door.
Motoko almost leapt out of her skin, and could only stare at the new visitor in shock and embarrassment.
His appearance was almost as shocking as the fact that neither she, nor Koichi judging from his expression, had sensed him coming. He could have been Kenichi's twin but for the grey at his temples, and the face that was clearly made for laughing rather than scowling.
"Hey Uncle", Koichi said, loosing his grip on Motoko to allow her to take a seat next to the futon, "Long time no see, I trust you are well".
The older man chuckled, "Well enough, I'd ask the same of you my boy, but you seem to be doing just fine".
He laughed again as Motoko silenced any response from her fiancé with a look that clearly promised death.
"I take it you young lady, are Motoko Aoyama, Takagi's youngest yes?", he asked, taking a seat on the other side of the futon.
Motoko blinked in surprise, "You know my Father?"
"My dear, when you reach my age, you get to know just about everyone. Especially if they have anything to do with the Clans. But that's a story for another day, I just came to check on my nephew, my little brother was always a bit heavy handed I'm afraid", Hitoshi explained as if talking of a mischievous youngest rather than the implacable master of the Oni's Bane school.
"A little!" Motoko found herself blurting angrily.
Hitoshi scratched the back of his head like Koichi would sometimes when he had said something foolish.
"Yes, well, an understatement perhaps, but Koichi is ok, Kenichi struck him nowhere near hard enough to kill".
Motoko looked at him like he was mad. Did no one in this family think it was a little strange for one family member to attack another?
An image of Tsuruko flashed through her mind for some reason but she dismissed it.
"Anyway, I can't hang around here with you youngsters all day, just came to tell you that Kenichi has requested you and all your guests join him for dinner in the main hall tonight", Hitoshi said, rising slowly and stretching, "You be ok by then nephew?"
"Couldn't drag me away", Koichi replied, clearly not thrilled about any of this. Inviting all the others to a welcoming banquet could only mean one thing, he had someone he wanted to invite, but couldn't find a legitimate reason for them to be included in a private dinner.
"Excellent", Hitoshi said, either missing his nephew's despondency or choosing to ignore it.
Motoko watched him leave before turning back to Koichi, who had both his hands over his face melodramatically.
"It's just a meal", she pointed out, "What's the worse that could happen".
Koichi whimpered. He had just figured out whom his Father wanted to invite.
Kyoko had arrived at the guest quarters some five minutes ago. Naturally the first door she had asked a passing servant about had turned out to be Shinobu's. Thus she stood, frozen outside, her hand obedient only up to a point less than an inch away from the door.
The grey-eyed girl sighed in vexation. She was determined that she would talk to all her friends, but something stopped her from knocking the door. The same something that seemed to prevent her from simply moving on to another and coming back later.
She had a pretty good idea where this sudden discomfort had come from.
On her way here she had contemplated Motoko's strange words, as well as a number of other occasions that seemed to be linked to it.
The night of the party, the kitchen, the bus. All of these things were maddeningly connected to her brother's fiancé's cryptic message, but damned if she could figure out the meaning.
Sighing again she made another abortive attempt to knock.
She considered just hollering for attention, as un-lady-like as that would be, it might be simpler.
"My Lady?"
Kyoko had to rein in a scream, keeping her face impassive as she took her time facing the servant woman, almost daring her to ask why she had been standing outside the door for so long.
"Yes"
The serving woman dipped her head respectfully, a little deeper than necessary, perhaps thinking Kyoko's ire directed at her.
The dark-haired girl berated herself inwardly, a true Lady, did not take out her frustrations on her lesser, she was a picture of cool serenity.
"What is it Mitsuki?", she said, smiling to herself at how the servants always seemed surprised when she remembered their names.
"My Lady, your Father requests your presence in his study at your convenience", the servant said.
Kyoko was quiet for a moment. Her Father certainly hadn't wasted any time. She had hoped that she might be sparred inclusion in his schemes this time, but she had not been taught to allow her talents to waste, and he knew that.
She nodded and followed.
After all, what more could a dutiful daughter do?
Kyoko sat across from her father, sipping delicately at the tea provided by the servants before they left.
Neither spoke, each waiting to see what, if anything, the other would open with.
"Tell me daughter…", Kenichi said, setting his own cup down on the table that separated them, "What do you make of all this?"
Kyoko set lowered her cup but didn't release it, cocking her head slightly to the side, "What do you mean Father?".
Kenichi smiled. Kyoko really had been attentive in her classes, rebuffing his question without giving offence and forcing him to tip his hand in order to retrieve the information he desired.
If that was how she wanted to do this…
"I mean with your brother and his…bride to be, the Aoyama girl", he said taking another sip of his own tea, marking the end of his enquiry and making it seemed one of low interest.
"They seem happy Father"
"Seem?", he said with a fractional raise of his eyebrow. Polite concern.
"Yes, one cannot know the mind of two lovers".
Translation: I do not wish to discuss what is theirs to discuss.
Kenichi frowned, it was not exactly defiance, but it was a stretch of propriety given the context.
"Indeed, but surely you know the mind of your own brother", he said, returning the cup to the table and holding her gaze, "What of him? What is she to him?".
Kyoko set her own cup down, carefully smoothing out the wrinkles in her kimono before answering.
"She is everything to him Father…and I believe she feels the same".
Kenichi frowned at this news. He had no doubt Kyoko was correct, she could read people very well, but this didn't bode well for his plans.
"If that is true then we have nothing to fear…but I would feel better knowing someone was watching out for them", he said fixing her with a stare.
Kyoko felt her gut twist. Just as she had suspected, Father wanted her to spy on Koichi and Motoko for him.
"Would you do this for me?"
Kyoko couldn't bring herself to look at him. Betray her brother, or defy her Father. What kind of choice was that?
Or did she even have a choice. Even as she felt the reply move past her lips she knew what her answer would be.
"Of course Father".
Kyoko dismissed herself, claiming she wanted time to properly prepare for the diner tonight.
As she walked, Kyoko cursed herself. She had given in without a fight, what more could a dutiful daughter do but submit to her father's wishes.
Kyoko remembered what had happened every time she had sort comfort as her feet began to lead her toward the east wing.
She stopped herself and walked the other way. No, there were more important things than making herself feel better. She would obey her Father, but she would not betray her brother, and to accomplish both, she would need to plan.
----Author Notes---
Chapter done, sort of a filler/setup chapter this one, giving you all an idea of how things work amongst the Sagura family. Next chapter we'll see a little more political sparring and the unfolding of Kenichi's 'plan'
Till next time, Betweenheavenandhell