A Passion with No Name
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Chapter 4: Stolen Passion

Author: Jun-I

Warnings:
- characters undergo sex change (Heihachi and Kyuuzou are female), yaoi/yuri
- spoilers within. Written with the assumption that readers have already seen the anime.

Pairings: female Heihachi -> female Kyuuzou, Kanbei x Kyuzo (female), Shichiroji/Kambei

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The next evening, Heihachi stood with Katsushiro on the barricade overlooking the steep canyon. She wondered where Kyuuzou was, and if she had survived the scouting mission. Kanbei and Shichiroji had arrived to join them, offering them two bowls of the peasants' humble gruel. But before they could lift the bowls to their lips, they heard a sound coming from below. Something was moving up the canyon wall. Heihachi moved protectively in front of the child Katsushiro. Shichiroji and Kanbei dropped to their knees as they peered cautiously into the canyon below. "There's only one," Shichiroji whispered. Then she came into sight. The red-clad woman with golden hair.

Kyuuzou bounced up the steep cliff face and leaped onto the barricade. She was still alive! And looking very well indeed. As the crimson goddess stood poised gracefully at the top of the barricade looking down at her, Heihachi's heart somersaulted for joy. The silent warrior held her sword between her teeth as she carried a Nobuseri cannon across her strong, slim shoulders. Heihachi was not quite expecting it when Kyuuzou dropped the cannon right into her arms. Kyuuzou then sheathed her sword gracefully. "I brought something for you," she addressed Heihachi, "I thought you might like it."

"I'll… I'll see what I can do with it," the lesbian mechanic stammered as her face flushed. It would be quite a bit later that Heihachi would kick herself for her poor showing. Kyuuzou had risked her life to bring her a grand gift, and that was all she could say?

Kyuuzou jumped down, landing lightly in front of Heihachi. They stood facing each other. Heihachi had a look of blissful disbelief on her face. Kyuuzou's mood, however remained unreadable. Then Kanbei spoke, asking the red samurai for her status report. The cold, haughty woman did not even turn to look at him. In her cool, dispassionate manner, she related what she had learnt of the enemy's numbers. Then she departed, leaving at least two pairs of admiring eyes trailing after her slender form.

Kyuuzou had left with just the words, "I'm going to sleep." Heihachi stared as the willowy warrior clambered up the hill. The mechanic could not believe what had just happened. Kyuuzou had brought her a present – the Raiden cannon. Her shining princess had climbed all the way up the steep rock face with that heavy burden. It had to mean that Kyuuzou cared about her, even if in a small way. Then the young maid realized to her mortification that she had not yet thanked the other woman.

"I'll let her get her sleep," she thought. "Then I'll seek her out later and give my thanks."

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It was in the late hours of the night when Heihachi made her way to the place she knew to be the other woman's favorite forest hangout. The smooth, shady spot under the ancient tree. The tomboy brought a bunch of wildflowers and some rice balls. "Just in case Kyuuzou is still asleep, I'd just leave them beside her," she thought considerately … and then she saw them.

Kyuuzou's scarlet robe was on the ground, flung carelessly aside. The blond samurai herself lay under the tree, sprawled out on top of the familiar long white jacket that Heihachi had seen so many times before. A man was kneeling before the blonde. His back was to Heihachi but she recognized the broad shoulders, brown skin and long wavy hair of her commander. It was as if a cold hand had gripped the tomboy's heart and was squeezing the life out of it. The samurai maiden saw pale femme give a soft gasp and arch into the contact as the handsome, well-built man leaned into her. As the two bodies moved together in a sensual rhythm, Heihachi felt the world spin around her. She saw the look of ecstasy in the other woman's half-closed eyes. The dyke mechanic put a hand to the nearest tree to steady herself. All of a sudden, she felt like retching.

She did not know how she managed to stumble her way back to the makeshift bedchamber in the barn where Kikuchiyo, Katsushiro and Gorobei were preparing to turn in for the night. Her whole body was shaking. Gorobei gave her a concerned look as she tottered over to her bedding, but she ignored her friend and blew the candle out before he could see the red rims forming around her eyes.

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Kyuuzou's scarlet eyes had noticed the short figure standing in the shadow of the trees even as Kanbei and she were lost in the throes of passion. Now that the man had left, the crimson samurai put her robe back on and walked over to where she had last seen Heihachi standing. A bunch of wild flowers and a packet of rice balls lay on the ground. Kyuuzou had a fleeting sense of regret. She picked up the discarded gifts and made her silent way to the barn next to the headman's house. Kyuuzou slid the door open quietly. The room was dark. Everyone was asleep. The blonde saw Heihachi lying facing the wall, her back to the snoring male samurai. Kyuuzou approached her cautiously, tiptoeing over the sleeping men. "Hei-chan?" she whispered. There was no answer. She squatted down and leaned over the mechanic. The boyish maiden seemed to be asleep. Heihachi's eyes were closed and her breathing was shallow. Her brows were knit. Under the moonlight, Kyuuzou saw the tear stains on the samurai's face.

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As Kanbei stepped into his room, a metallic arm reached out and grabbed him by the collar. "Shichiroji…" the commander began, stunned by his lover's sudden roughness, but not entirely surprised.

The younger man pushed him against the wall and kissed him possessively. As was his habit, Kanbei's arms circled the blond's waist, pulling him into a tight embrace. Then he stopped himself and drew back to look at his aide in the eye. "You shouldn't have waited up," he said. His voice was kind, caring.

"Where were you?" Shichiroji asked in return. Normally, the young man would have melted at his commander's warm concern, but tonight he was not in the mood to be placated. Kanbei did not answer. He cupped the younger man's handsome face in his hands and kissed him chastely on the forehead.

Shichiroji put an arm around the old warrior's neck and pulled him down to the floor. They exchanged a few tender kisses and then the older man rolled off him. Kanbei said, "Not tonight. We have to conserve our energies for the battle tomorrow."

"You can conserve your energy. Let me do the work." The younger man offered.

Kanbei regarded him suspiciously. Shichiroji, for all his sweetness, was a lazy lover. He usually preferred to let someone else do most of the work. In the past, when Kanbei asked them to switch roles so that the older man could lie back and relax for a change, Shichiroji went along with it rather halfheartedly.

"Why the sudden interest?" Kanbei asked.

"Why not?" pouted Shichiroji, "Or have you already sated your needs elsewhere and have no use for me tonight?"

"Shichi…" Kanbei started.

"I'm not blind. Your eyes follow her. She pretends to ignore you but she gives you just enough to lead you on. Am I not right?"

"And are you jealous?"

"Should I not be?" the young blonde retorted.

"I have never begrudged you your union with Yukino," said the old samurai.

"Yukino and I are friends." Shichiroji said rather stiffly.

"Friends with certain intimate privileges," Kanbei reminded him.

"I love her but I am not in love with her. There is a difference." Shichiroji insisted, "Yukino and I have laid no claims on each other. She is free to join herself to another anytime she wishes."

"You worry over nothing." Kanbei said as he closed his hand around Shichiroji's metal fingers. "Kyuuzou and I are still foes with a death duel on the horizon. She has made no other claim on me. And I have laid no claim to her."

"Perhaps so. But you would not fight her if you could help it." The young blonde said sourly as he pulled away slightly. "And you would stake your claim if she let you. Or am I wrong?"

Kanbei sighed. He said, "There are more pressing matters that concern us. Let us get some rest. We can continue this conversation another time."

Shichiroji knew the older man was right. He closed his eyes and turned on his side as he prepared to sleep, facing away from his dark lover. But he did not pull away again when Kanbei spooned up behind him and wrapped an arm around his waist. Thus he fell into an uneasy slumber, wondering if they'd ever continue this strange conversation. The odds were against them in the coming battle. Both of them might be dead before the end of the next day.