3/21/2004 – Nine months after the Storm
Takewaki Kuno stared at the reading room's bookshelves. "It's got to be here somewhere," he thought. "Uncle promised it was here." He scanned the shelves of leather-bound books which stretched floor to ceiling. Even though the book he was looking for was also leather bound, it should have stood out among the business and law books. The book was only a third as thick as the bricks upon the shelves and was much shorter.
He paused as a breeze blew in an open window of the room and he stared out at the grounds. Despite that fact that he was in Hokkaido on first day of Spring, there was a bit of warmth to the air. "It's a good day to go outside," he thought. "I should go tend to Mother's shrine a little later. It will keep me busy." Then he went back to scanning the shelves.
"Can I help you, Master Kuno?" a solicitous voice asked from the doorway. Tatewaki turned to see one of the Hokkaido ninjas standing there. As he looked at the man in the doorway, the ninja bowed to Tatewaki.
Kuno nodded back and said with some exasperation: "Sen, I've asked you and the others not to call me that."
The ninja rose from his bow with a slight smile on his face. He was slightly shorter than Tatewaki, but was about four years older. He wore no mask and his hood was pulled back showing his black hair and sharp face. His grey eyes were uncharacteristically merry for a ninja. "We have to call you something, Master," Sen stated. "'Hey you!' just doesn't seem appropriate."
"Try Tatewaki," Kuno replied with a sigh. "Or Kuno. Hell, I'll even take Mr. Kuno."
"So not happening," Sen smirked at him.
Kuno half raised his arms and let them fall with another sigh. "You're enjoying this, aren't you Sen?" he asked.
"Whatever do you mean, Master?" Sen responded with an innocent look.
"Nevermind," Tatewaki dismissed tiredly. "Let's just stick with 'Sir', shall we?"
"Yes Sir," Sen said smugly. Instantly, the ninja sobered up, and asked: "Seriously, Sir. Is there something I can help with?
"I'm looking for my Mother's prayer book. Have you seen it?" Kuno queried.
Sen nodded respectfully and replied: "Yes, Sir. Lady Kodachi is reading it in her room."
Kuno's shoulders dropped. "Oh," he said. "I think I'll leave it be then. I guess I need to find something else to do."
"You could take care of the family Honor Sword, Sir. I can go fetch the cleaning supplies," Sen offered. Now, Tatewaki winced. "You have the Power, Sir," Sen added gently. "You have to exercise it to maintain control." Kuno sighed yet again. "That's three sighs, Sir," Sen noted. "I think I'm ahead of the others for the day."
Tatewaki rolled his eyes. "I'm going to stop coming here," he threatened.
"Oh, don't do that, Sir," Sen pled earnestly. "Then the Nerima ninjas will have all the fun."
Kuno sighed a fourth time and rubbed his eyes. "Please go get the cleaning supplies and meet me out back, Sen."
"Yes, Sir," Sen responded courteously.
Tatewaki turned and walked over to where the Honor Blade was resting on its stand in its saka (scabbard). The stand was sitting on an otherwise empty shelf. He carefully removed the katana and saka from the stand and contemplated retrieving the sword belt from its hook. With a grimace, he decided he really should do this properly. He placed the katana and scabbard back on the stand and grabbed the obi from its hook. Despite the slacks and his sweater, the obi fitted perfectly without adjustment (something that almost caused Tatewaki to sigh again). He then picked up the blade and saka again and attached them to the obi using the traditional sageo cord, being careful to use the prescribed wrapping and knots. Once everything was snug, Tate turned and left the library.
Tatewaki walked to a corner of the Hokkaido estate where his mother's shrine was while wearing the now polished Family Honor Blade. He noticed that someone (probably one of the ninjas) had set a cushion for him to kneel on. He smiled in acknowledgement of the gesture and knelt on the cushion. Then he drew the sword and sat back on his heels. Tate placed the sword gently across his thighs and held onto it with one hand. It began to softly glow blue as he looked at the shrine.
"Hello Mother. Sorry it's been a while," he whispered. "I wish you were here with all my heart. I could really use a little parental comfort right now. I'm afraid Father is still too lost in his grief, especially when he's in Japan. He misses you a good deal. Uncle Toshio tries to help me, but he has so much on his mind and so much to juggle. At least I am no longer a hinderance to him. These days, he's happy to see me when I stop by. My apartment in Nerima is nice, but I still like visiting the estates."
"Life is going all right. My job at the bank is going well. Mr. Meada complimented me recently and even asked about my future plans. When I explained that I was hoping to take the entrance exams next January, he thought that was wonderful. He began to emphasize the advantages of going to school part-time and having the bank pay for my tuition. I told him that sounded like a very good idea, and that I would consider it deeply. Honestly, it is a good thought, Mother. Uncle Toshio has told me he'd be glad to pay for college now that I'm taking it seriously, but there's a certain charm in making it by my own sweat and blood. I'll have to think about."
"Kodachi is also doing well. She's going to finish her Senior year next month. Even though she's now nineteen, the school is going to let her do an extra year for Exam Prep, but they stated she cannot be on the Gymnastics team anymore because she's overage. She agreed with them, but asked if she could be a junior coach instead. Given her excellent behavior over the past year, they are considering it. Like me, Kodachi also is a favored visitor at the estates. Surprisingly, she teases Uncle a lot when it's just family around, and all he does is smile."
"Uncle Toshio seems more relaxed these days – and I find that out-and-out bizarre. All my life, he's been an implacable, merciless man – or at least that's the way I've always seen him. I thought people obeyed him out of fear. But, ever since the Storm, I'm not so sure anymore. Don't get me wrong, he's still ruthless when it comes to business, but it seems to me that his employees respect him more than fear him. Maybe they always did, maybe I just never noticed – I don't know. Certainly, the ninjas follow his orders without question."
"As for me, the ninjas will obey me – for the most part – even though I'm not really their master. If I request that they do something for me, they will do it, but they bust my chops while doing it. For that matter, they will bust my chops even when I don't ask for something. At least they only do it one-on-one. They never do it when I'm with someone; then their behavior is perfect (if not a little over-the-top). The worst (best?) of them is Sen. No matter how many times I've asked him not to, he insists on calling me "Master". I'm sure he's responsible for some of the small pranks that happen to me when I'm in Hokkaido. But they are minor things, like mismatching socks and shoes, so I wouldn't dream of bringing them up to Uncle. Yet, if I really need something, he takes care of it immediately, sometimes before I even know I need it."
"In some ways, Sen reminds me of Sasuke. I miss Sasuke quite a bit. When he served me, I made his life hell, yet he never held it against me. He was a true friend, but I never appreciated him. After the Storm, I made a point of trying to find him, but I couldn't – the Nerima ninjas wouldn't tell me where he was. Finally, I went to Uncle and ask where Sasuke was. Uncle said he was on an extended mission and asked me why I needed to see him, so I told Uncle the truth. The next Saturday morning, Sasuke showed up at my apartment, bright and early. I was so happy to see him, I didn't care that it was 6AM. I nearly hugged the stuffing out of him. Then I kneeled in front of him, pressed my forehead to the floor, and apologized to him for my mistreatments and my thoughtlessness. He was surprised at first and then urged me to stop. Finally, I stated that I would, but only if he came inside for a bit. Instead, he insisted we go to a coffee shop, so I agreed – I think he wanted to stop my groveling. At the shop, I apologized again, and he forgave me. Then we talked for quite a while. It was good to see him again. He's well. He serves a Lady at Uncle's request and she is very kind to him. He wouldn't tell me who she was, only that she was a close ally of the Kuno family. He also explained that his assignment would keep him very busy, but he'd be sure to stop by when he could. I've seen him a couple of times at the Nerima estate since then."
Tatewaki stopped and looked at the glowing sword on his lap, then he resumed speaking: "I suppose you're wondering about the Sword. When we last spoke, I told you I was giving up Kendo and such, but things don't always work out the way you planned." Takewaki paused for a minute remembering that fateful day last August…
While Toshio still had his niece and nephew monitored, he had lifted many of the restrictions he had placed on the siblings over the years. Soon, he removed them all, and Tatewaki and Kodachi had the run of both the Nerima and Hokkaido estates, including their Uncle's libraries.
Tate was in Toshio's Hokkaido library when he found a samurai long sword sitting alone in its saka on a shelf. Curiously, Tatewaki unsheathed the sword, but he was horrified by its condition. The blade was absolutely covered in rust splotches and the bindings on the handle were torn and tattered. Tate stood there in shock for a minute or so, and then he brought the blade closer to his face to examine it. However, as he moved the blade, he noticed that the sword's balance was very good – pretty much perfect. He assumed a guard stance and held it. The sunlight glinted on the patches of bare metal that were still visible, but as he held the sword, the metal patches seem to grow brighter. Tatewaki's eyes widened as the bright patches began to expand and then grow together. The rust splotches shrank and vanished from the blade. He watched as the blade literally healed itself. Even the wrappings somehow repaired themselves. Soon, Tate held a perfect sword that continued to reflect the bright sunlight.
A voice sounded quietly behind him. "I see you found the Blade," Toshio noted.
"What is it?" Tatewaki asked in a hushed voice.
"It was – and seems to be again – the family Honor Blade," Toshio answered. "It's been in the family for ages, but nobody has touched it for well over fifty years. Not since your grandfather had your great-grandfather committed to the local asylum."
Tatewaki shook himself and dropped out of the guard stance. While he was amazed by the blade's repair, he had seen magic many times. Tate turned and gave his uncle a wryly smile. "Is that where you had grandfather committed?" he asked.
Toshio tilted his head a little to the side with a small but tight smile. "Seemed appropriate," the elder Kuno acknowledged. "I was very fond of your great-grandfather," he added as he straightened his head again.
"Why hasn't anyone taken care of the sword?" Tatewaki asked.
"Because no one could," Toshio answered. "After your great-grandfather was committed, anyone who held the sword would soon become uncomfortable."
"Uncomfortable?"
"Depended on the person. Some people, like your grandfather, would become violently ill. Others, like myself and your father, would have their minds fill with worry – all sorts of distracting thoughts that wouldn't stop until the sword was sheathed again. We just felt it was not something we should mess with. You're the first person I've seen who can actually hold it and have a coherent conversation."
Tatewaki drew in a deep breath and blew it out. Then he turned, picked up the sheath and returned the sword to it. He placed the sword and saka back on the shelf. "I don't think it's something I should mess with either."
Toshio studied his nephew carefully, extremely pleased with the *lack* of obsession in Tatewaki's face. "I'm not so sure," Toshio responded. "You're not who you once were. These days you remind me of your great-grandfather a lot; and you do have the Power which you are going to have to manage. But there's no need to rush."
Tatewaki paused as he finished telling his mother about that day. Then he continued: "Ever since that day, the sword is always nearby. If I'm in Nerima, it's in the Nerima estate's library. If I'm here, it's in this library. Once, it appeared in my apartment. It's not happy unless I practice with it once a week and will keep appearing until I do. Thank gods it hasn't appeared at work. Uncle tried to lock it up in a safe, and it was back in the library before he turned around."
Kuno sighed and started again: "Toshio and I took the sword to Doctor Ono and had him look at it…."
Doctor Ono withdrew the sword from its saka. Immediately, the blade shone forth with a burst of scintillating white and blue light. The Doc's eyes shone with wonder as he examined the weapon. "Amazing", he murmured.
"What is?" Toshio Kuno asked quietly.
"It's a Guardian Sword. This is the second one I've seen, but they are extremely rare," Ono answered.
"What's it do?" Tatewaki asked.
The Doc spoke as he continued to examine the blade: "Just what the name suggests – it was made to serve and protect. From what I understand, it often attaches itself to a family to be its caretakers, and it will protect the family, but it also exists to protect others too." He stopped and looked at the younger Kuno. "Looks like it has chosen you to be its wielder."
Tatewaki's eyes widened. "Whoa, wait a second. I'm trying to put my life together. I'm not a good candidate. Maybe you should hold onto it." Toshio stood by saying nothing, but watched his nephew carefully.
Ono shrugged his shoulders. "It doesn't want me. I can hold it. I can even wield it. It won't fight me as long as I use it for the right reasons, but it won't stay with me. Watch…" Tofu raised his arm and held the sword horizontally across his chest. Then he released the sword and it vanished. Tatewaki felt the sword appear in his hand. "It wants you," Tofu concluded.
Tatewaki looked at his hand. The sword was no longer glowing, but it still brilliantly reflected the light in the room. He raised the sword as Ono had done and then released it, but the sword stayed pressed into his hand without him gripping it, practically floating in the air. Tatewaki gave a large sigh and then straightened to his full height. He lifted his chin and then closed his hand on the grip again. "All right," he spoke to the blade. "I'll take care of you." The sword burst into a bright blue glow.
Tatewaki spoke to his Mom again: "Since that time, I can always feel the Sword's presence, even if it's not physically with me. I can also tell when someone nearby is in trouble. So far, I've stopped a kidnapping, two rapes, and a handful of assaults and muggings. If I need it, the Sword appears. The turning point was the bank robbery. I had some free time one December day and was just strolling through town when the robbers burst out of a competitor's bank. The bank had triggered a silent alarm, so the police appeared as soon as the robbers hit the street. There was a salaryman on his lunch break who couldn't get out of the way, so he got caught in the crossfire. I leaped to grab him, but the bullets were already on their way. So, the Sword appeared, and I manage to block most of the bullets. One hit me in the arm though, and I almost dropped the weapon. I finished blocking the rest and then the firefight moved away from us. I pulled the man to the ground, only to have both of us scooped up by Ranma and Akane (of all people)."
"The salaryman was fine, but the paramedics insisted I go to the hospital. There, the doctors dug out the bullet and stitched me up. Akane and Ranma (in her female form) stayed with me. Afterwards, we hit a café and had a long talk. I apologized to them, but they waved that off. They said I had already apologized at the Doc's wedding and that was good enough for them. What they really wanted to talk about was my need for further training. While they thought my sword work was very good, they said I could always use more training there. But, they were more concerned about a skill that I never seem to develop, unlike most of the Martial Artists: Healing. It took some convincing, but they got me to agree to start training again."
"So, since the New Year started, I've been training at the Jouda Dojo with Master Nakayama and Ranma. Master Nakayama came out of retirement about a year ago to teach Ranma the art of Kenjutsu. After the Storm, Ranma pleaded with the Master to continue teaching, because Ranma had never seen anyone better at the sword, despite the Master's advance age. Now, the Master teaches a handful of students, including Ranma and myself. After class, Sensei Jouda and Ranma work with me on Healing". Tatewaki paused and smiled ruefully. Then he continued: "After two hours of Master Nakayama class, Healing is definitely needed."
Kuno was silent for several minutes while thinking. Eventually, he spoke to the shrine again: "I think that's everything right now, Mother. Honestly, it's enough. I spent most of my life wanting to be special. I guess I am now, but it's definitely a case of "Be careful what you wish for…"
Tatewaki was kneeling on the cushion meditating and forcing himself to relax when he heard someone approaching him through the grass. He opened his eyes to see his sister walking toward him. She was wearing a flowered kimono in honor of the day. As he made eye contact, she said without preamble: "I just heard from Uncle – it's done." There was satisfaction and relief in her voice.
"Thank the Kami," Tatewaki breathed out. He rocked back to sit on the ground and tossed the cushion toward Kodachi so she'd have somewhere to sit. Due to her dress, she settled for kneeling on the cushion. "Were there any problems?" he asked.
Kodachi gave a small laugh; Tatewaki thought it was a very sweet sound. "Of course, there were," she replied. "You have to remember who were talking about, but Uncle wouldn't give me any details. He just said there were no real casualties, and everyone will recover in a few days. Basically, 'All's well that end well."
Tatewaki snorted a little. "I'll take it. So where are they now?"
Kodachi smiled. "The happy couple are on their way to Sydney for two weeks. There they can revel in their anonymity," she answered.
Now Tatewaki gave a small laugh. "Not possible," he stated. "This is Ranma we are talking about. He'll draw attention to himself somehow."
Kodachi grinned. "Maybe, but he has Akane to watch over him. If nothing else, this is their honeymoon. I'm sure she'll find something to distract him," she responded cheekily.
He gave another small laugh and just said "Perhaps."
Kodachi watched as he lifted his face to the sun. The tension seemed to flow out of him. "Uncle says we were missed," she said softly. "You were invited."
Tatewaki shook his head. "When I was in Wonderland, I learned how much pain I caused Akane. She deserved and deserves better than what I did."
"You were very sick," Kodachi reminded him gently. "And she has forgiven you. So has Ranma."
Tatewaki waved his hand and shook his head at the mention of Ranma's name. "To Ranma, I was a nuisance – a major nuisance, but still just a nuisance. He never holds grudges, so it was easy for him to forgive me," he said. Then his face turned pensive. "Even if I didn't deserve his tolerance."
He sighed and continued: "But I hurt Akane a lot. Enough so that I gave her PTSD, which she would still have if she hadn't found Healing with Ranma." He looked up at the sky. "Today should be – and hopefully is – the happiest day of her life. I want nothing to darken this day for her, especially not any bad memory that seeing me might invoke."
Kodachi became concerned. "Will you refuse their offer of friendship?" she asked.
Tatkewaki stood up then and extended a hand to Kodachi which she accepted. "No, I won't," he answered as he helped her up. "The wedding has happened. Their life – and mine – goes forward from this point. They are now Mr. and Mrs. Tendo. If the Tendos wish to honor me with their friendship, I will happily accept it and strive to be one of their most trustworthy friends." The dinner bell began ringing from the house, so he took her hand and led her toward the house. "But, what about you, dear Sister? he asked. "They invited you to the wedding too. You could have gone."
Kodachi pulled him to a stop and cupped his cheek with her free hand. "No," she answered. "You need me more than they do right now," she said softly. She reached behind his neck and pulled his head forward. Then she kissed his forehead without any resistance. As she released him, her eyes became merry as she added: "Besides, since you weren't there, I couldn't have any fun trying to find you a bride."
Tate rolled his eyes. "You're as bad as Nari – she keeps prodding me to start dating," he told her.
Kodachi grinned. "She's very wise."
"I have too much on my plate as it is – job, school, family, Martial Arts, Healing, and then there's this Silly sword to take care of," he insisted. At his side, the sword began humming – over the last six months, Tatewaki had learned to associate that sound with its laughter. So had Kodachi who covered her own laugh with her free hand. He sighed again.
Suddenly, Sen appeared in front of them and bowed to the siblings. He looked straight at the sheathed sword and said: "Now that's not fair if you are going to get in the Game too – you're always with him." The sword hummed louder.
"Sen, what are you talking about?" Tatewaki demanded.
"I've gotten you to sigh five times today," Sen explained. "I'm in the lead right now."
Tatewaki stopped himself from sighing again. Meanwhile, Sen continued: "By the way, Sir, you're right."
"Right about what?" Tate asked warily.
"That you have too much on your plate," Sen replied. "We ninjas agree, so we had a talk with your Uncle, and he agrees too. So, we convinced him to add a new position."
Tatewaki's eyes widened. "Sen, what have you done?" he pressed.
"I volunteered to take the first turn as your personal ninja," Sen explained.
Tatewaki's voice dropped very low and quiet. "You what?" Kodachi let go of Tate's hand and brought both hands up to cover her smile.
"We'll give it a go for three months, Sir. If you're unhappy, one of the other ninjas will take a turn," Sen said brightly.
"Oh god…" Tate mumbled.
Sen beamed and followed up with: "Now, it's time for Dinner – Master."
Tatewaki couldn't help himself; he sighed.
