_Chapter #4 two makes one._
Yami was going to drive me insane if he didn't stop following me everywhere I went. He even followed me to the baths, luckily Hana was there to always stop him. Sometimes, it feels like he is up to something but than again I can pretty much read his mind when ever I want to, although he has complained to Oodenta about me reading his mind through our link. I always counter with he does the same thing to me. Usually our nights end with me and Yami fighting or one of us storming out of the room to spar with Kashuu.
Usually I end up falling a sleep in the hallway out side of our room, or stay up all night sparing with Kashuu. And most days I am sitting next to Yamanbagiri's bed side waiting for him to walk up. It had been two weeks and the only reason he was still alive was do to modern medicine. I wanted to be there when he first wake up to say thank you. He didn't have to throw himself in front of me but he did and that means the world to me.
However this past couple of weeks has been different I am being followed by my twin brother to the point that I've nearly sliced him to pieces if it wasn't for the fact that everyone was trying to keep me from killing my twin than I might have notice the look of complete concern on all of my brothers' faces. I didn't notice that I had been skipping more meals every day. But I just couldn't bring my self to eat anything. That's actually is where I am right now, and this is not a good thing. I went from eating one and a half meals to none at all and it was starting to take a toll on my body.
Combine the lack of sleep with not eating and I was pretty much at deaths door step, but I was a lot more stubborn than my brothers give me credit for. So like ever day I sit with Yamanbagiri hoping that he might wake up soon, I don't know if it's due to the real blade joining with the copy or that he lost to much blood. But I was starting to worry, if he didn't wake up soon than he might just die.
"Yamanbagiri you missed it yesterday I took Yamabushi out in a match of pure strength, Oodenta tried warring him that he wouldn't win against me. It was really cool throwing him out of the ring while everyone was watching the cherry blossoms. You know Yamanbagiri this is the first time that I ever got to see the cherry blossoms, where my former master lived there were no cherry trees, but I want to see them with you as my friend. I know that you have a habit of putting yourself down by thinking you can't do anything. But if it hadn't been for you than our roles would've been switched." I said, before taking his hand in mine. I was surprise that we had the same sized hands but than again he was also a teenager. We both were still growing, than again we were swords we couldn't grow anymore. I rubbed at my wrist again before taking the weights on both of my wrist, for some reason, my skin was rubbed raw and it hurt just to bend my wrist in any angle.
"I have to go Yamanbagiri so I'll see you later. Hana going to stay with you tonight so that someone is here if you wake up." I said putting the heavy weights back on my wrist and leaving the room. I know that someone was following me but it wasn't until we were away from Yamanbagiri's room did anything happened. And by that I mean that I held a sword to Sohayanotsurugi's throat. I was expecting Yami so I was a little taken back by Sohayanotsurugi following me instead. That was until I was black sided by someone in the shadows, my guess it could only be two people, and one I can smell a mile away, seeing as Oodenta insisted on lives out in the storage shed. Yami on the other hand…While his name does mean soul of shadows.
When I came around next I found my self being held down by four tiger cubs, and my brothers.
"Let go of me right NOW." I said my voice dropping about half an octave, if it wasn't for the fact that almost noting scares me than the power Oodenta was giving off would of made me sit still, however I was pissed and because of that I actually scared Oodenta and Yami into run for their lives. Sohayanotsurugi was a different story altogether. He wasn't scared of Oodenta so I know he wouldn't be scared of me one bit.
"Sorry Kari but this is for your own good. You need to rest and regain your strength. As it is I stopped Oodenta from stopping you yesterday so that I could see how bad it had gotten. I can't let you keep doing this, you are going to break soon if I don't do something to stop you. Now this is what is going to happen, you are going to get some sleep even if I have to Yagen to give you something that will make you go to sleep." Sohayanotsurugi said pushing some lose baby hair out of my face, for the last two weeks I've barely have been able to take care of my hair at all and it was getting to the point that I was about to cut it off.
I felt tired not that I would tell Sohayanotsurugi that, Yami knew than again he has been following me around trying to get me to take a nap, or eat something. Mostly trying to get me to eat something. I could feel the need for sleep get the better of me and let the darkness pull me under.
It was touch and go for the next few days but I could remember hearing Yami talking to me. Or Oodenta helping me drink broth so I was getting something into my empty stomach. Sohayanotsurugi would often just sit with me tell me about the crazy day the swords of the citadel had. It felt forever until I heard a soft voice talking to me while holding my hand.
"Hikari, Kashuu told me what you did for me. You know that I've been worried that you might never wake up. I have to say that I finally feel whole. I'm just glad you didn't get hurt that day. But than I found out what you have done to your self and I got really worried that you might die on us. Every day I could hear you and than one day you never showed up but it was that night that Sohayanotsurugi came and told me what had happen. Please hurry and wake up Hikari." Yamanbagiri said his voice was so different from before he had jumped in front of me, it had been hard and negative but now it was soft and gentle as if he could finally believe in himself. I fought with all my might to gain some kind of control in my body, I literally had nothing in me until Yamanbagiri let go of my hand. I pushed myself to open my eyes, or even make my fingers twitch. I slowly after many times stopping and resting did I finally manage to open my eyes, as weak as they were. To begin with everything was a giant blur of colors, it took me blinking a few times before I finally could make out Yami's face, my throat had been so dry that it felt just like sandpaper.
"Here Hikari no take slow sips, if hot so be careful." Sohayanotsurugi said lifting my head and holding a steaming cup of broth to my dried cracked lips. The broth felt good on my throat, and it soothed my stomach. I felt my eyes start to drop and fought against it for a few minutes.
"Shh, Kari go to sleep everything is fine..." Sohayanotsurugi said petting my baby hair out of my face. I did fall back to sleep, but this time it was much lighter than my coma like state. I could hear everyone that stopped to check on me talking but I didn't have the strength to open my eyes right at the moment. The next few days followed in a similar fashion before finally I could actually move my fingers even if it was just a twitch, but the good thing about that was that I was finally building up strength.
"Okay can you bend your arm?" Yami asked like he does every day, it was starting to drive me nuts again and I was about to reach for my sword and slice him in half. I was currently sitting up, two weeks since I first open my eyes after a four day coma. Apparently I had been feed broth every hour, to help speed along the healing progress. I bent both arms before picking up my cup of tea that Oodenta said would help me get better. And it was helping not with my mood or my temper that Yami was wearing down to thin.
"Yami get out before our brothers have to patch you up again." I said eyebrow twitching at his stupid questions, I could move every part of my body I just didn't have the strength to stand or walk around by my self. I blinked once before he ran from the room almost running Hasebe over in the progress.
"He was driving you insane wasn't he?" Hasebe asked sitting down where Yami had been seconds before. My eyebrow twitched once more before I was finally feed up with all the babying that was going on around me. I literally pushed my self to my feet letting my temper get the best of me even when I was trying to calm down. Oodenta said that I didn't need stress to worsen my condition. Now don't get me wrong yes I am the younger sister of one of the five great swords of Japan, but I hated being treated like a baby. I was not a baby I was a tachi and one of the most deadliest there had ever been.
I stormed towards the bells, to finally put an end to the way that ever one was treating me. I might be a girl but that doesn't change the fact that I am still a sword warrior. I rang the bells once before sitting down like Hasebe wanted me to do.
"So how come you called us Hasebe?" Tsurumaru Kuninaga asked looking confused like everyone else. I stood up and growl when everyone started clapping their hands. I throw my short blade at Yami, feed up with this crap. If my feeling weren't displayed when I throw my short blade than they were when I bite Oodenta, as he tried to help me sit down.
"Now listen closely I will only say this once, the next person that tries to baby me will lose their life. I am feed up with all of you treating me like something that could break at any second. The only one that hasn't done any of this crap is Yamanbagiri, yes he will sit with me but he brings something for me to do with him. I am just like all of you I will not break as easily as you all think I will." I said feeling wiped out that I almost fell, if it hadn't been for Yamanbagiri catching me and helping me to regain my balance before letting go, I'm pretty sure that I would of made my rant for nothing.
I would of let Sohayanotsurugi help me, but I was far to prideful to let that happen. That and I had just made a full rant about not wanting anyone to treat me like I am glass. I turned sharply on my heels and walked away, it wasn't until I was around the corner where Yamanbagiri was quietly waiting for me.
"Thank you Yamanbagiri." I whispered as he helped me back to my room when Yamanbagiri had help me regain my balance he had told me he would wait around the corner for me. As we enter my room I could hear footsteps coming toward my room, but stopped when Oodenta yelled at them to leave me alone. I waited with baited breath for Oodenta to come into our room.
Hasebe had finally gotten that I really was Oodenta Mitsuyo little sister. Slowly but surely Oodenta and Sohayanotsurugi enter our room neither wanting to get hit with a pillow. It had happen before and they were scared that I might just lose my temper again. Than again I barely could stay sitting up, let alone throw something at either of them. Yamanbagiri had just poured a cup of tea for himself while I waited for the yelling to begin. We were both surprised when Oodenta sat down next to me and slowly wrapped his arm around my shoulders before helping me to lean on his shoulder.
"That's a girl Hikari, I am so proud of you for finally saying something. Yami's also is trying to get down from the post that you pretty much pinned him to, the muscle heads are trying to get him down with out breaking him, your short blade or the gate post." Sohayanotsurugi said sitting next to Yamanbagiri. Yami wasn't the only one that approved of Yamanbagiri after he had saved me. I was the youngest and the only girl with three older brothers.
"I figure that would keep them pretty busy. So how much trouble am I in?" I said sitting straight only to be pulled down so I was pretty much laying down with my head on Oodenta's lap. It wasn't until Sayo came into our room followed closely by Souza.
Lately Sayo has been coming to keep me company in the afternoon, we often ended up reading or coloring. I was able to stay awake now and wanted to enjoy it. I often fell asleep after an hour of just reading or coloring with Sayo he was pretty much my little buddy, seeing as we both liked similar things and had been used to harm people we loved. I have beheaded many people that had owned me, my former master as well. That had been after my former master sealed me away.
To this day my seal with in the crystal pendant that Yami wears hold my powers at bay until the time when the seal is at it's weakest before breaking. It wasn't until Kousetsu came into the room holding a net like item. I was confused until Sohayanotsurugi stood and help to hang the item from the beams across the ceiling before they lowed it to the right height, it looked like a hammock. It wasn't until the started putting my futon on the item did it hit me that it was a hammock. But what made it better was that Oodenta lifted me up and placed me into my new bed.
Before Kousetsu and Sohayanotsurugi lowed it a little more to the point that I was just below the thinner part of the screens, I was still off of the ground but now Sayo could climb into the hammock next to me and curl up. I have to say I now understood why Kousetsu and Souza liked to hold him, it made me feel better. It also help that Hana could now jump up into the hammock and curl up in between the two of us.
"Go to sleep you two everything is going to be fine. Hikari you're not in trouble at all if that is worrying you. We had all been waiting to see when you would finally lose your temper." Oodenta said softly pushing the hammock, it was soothing to the point that I almost fell asleep before Yami slammed the door open and about started screaming about being left pinned to the post. Luckily Shokudaikiri was right behind him and covered his mouth.
"Yami shut up. Can't you see that Hikari is trying to go to sleep. Kari we are all so proud that you finally said how you felt, for now just rest and when you're stronger than we'll start on helping your eating habits." Shokudaikiri said before pushing some loose hair out of my face. I let the gentle motion lull me to sleep.
It was later that afternoon when I awoke from my nap, I felt sift, and my muscle we screaming at me to stop moving around. I could hear the gentle ringing of bells soft and peaceful until Yami pretty much broke down our door, I growled at him before watching as he changed into battle gear, he was going out on a mission with out me. Than again I'm still recovering from the over extortion on my body.
"Be carefully Yami." I said sitting up in my hammock, I was about to throw a pillow at him before he took a bit of my hair and cut it. I was about to kill him when I notice him putting my hair in a protection charm. I watch as he cut a bit of his and placed it with in another protection charm.
"A piece of me, and a piece of you." Yami said placing the charm with his hair around my neck. I felt Yami move before I could say or do anything. I was worried that something might happen to Yami and didn't want to lose him. I literally grabbed my crystal pendant and held it between both of my hands.
I was shocked when the crystal shattered in a million little pieces. I wasn't cut by the pieces, but still I was worried until I felt this warmth surround me. I know than that the seal was broken I was finally free of the seal that hide my strength. It also meant that Yami's seal was broken, but that didn't make sense to me the last head of the Takahashi clan had been a master at sealing along with my former master, it was confusing until I felt a sharp pain race up my right side. It wasn't Yami the last head had sealed away, but the darkness in his nephew's soul. That's when I notice the dark shadow behind me and piece of glass covered in blood, my blood. I slowly stepped back hand pressed to the gaping hole in my side. I was trying to get my sword but the shadow pushed my blade away from me and if it wasn't for the fact that it was a ghost than I would have been hurt a lot worse. I screamed at the top of my lungs praying that someone might hear me.
It was Nikkari Aoe that came to my aid, I know he was famous for the slaying of a child ghost but this was different than that, this was a shadow of the past and although he had done it before. Now was much more difficult, this was someones soul, that had been sealed away for over a hundred years.
"Be gone evil demon" Ishikirimaru said bringing his holy blade down at the same time as Nikkari's. I was out of breath, and in pain from where the glass had pierced my skin. It didn't help that I couldn't make out what Nikkari or Ishikirimaru where saying. It was Yamanbagiri that helped me to calm down enough to tell them what happened while Yagen worked on patching me up.
"That was the soul of Takahashi Asuka." I said before squeezing Yamanbagiri hand with my full strength. I saw him wince at the pressure, but he didn't say anything. I didn't know how they know to come but I figured seeing as Oodenta and Sohayanotsurugi are not in the room than like Yami they must have been on the mission. What really up set me was that more people were showing up by the second and I had lost to much blood and was in shocked from the attack.
"Okay not everyone needs to come in here and see what is going on." Hasebe said sending everyone on their way.
"How is it possible that Takahashi Asuka's soul attacked you?" Yamanbagiri asked after a few minutes of silents.
"The crystal I was wearing was a part of my brother's handle the last head of the Takahashi clan sealed Asuka's soul with in that crystal. While my former master sealed my power with in the crystal that had been apart of my handle which is around Yami's neck." I said taking a sip of tea. Thankful I wasn't shaking and was feeling a lot stronger than before the seals had been broken.
"When the Crystal around my neck broke the crystal that Yami wear around his also broke." I explain leaning back against the wall behind me. The blood lost still took a lot out of me but I was no longer sickly. I notice that Yamanbagiri looked worried, but no matter what I couldn't help but want to clear things up for him.
"Hikari does that mean that you are healthier than before the seal was broken?" Yamanbagiri asked looking at me after everyone had left.
"While I will have to regain my strength. If my real strength is back than Oodenta might be in trouble the next time that we spar." I said joking about something that in truth wasn't funny to begin with. But I could tell that Yamanbagiri was feeling better about everything. He still wouldn't smile but I think it's because he still didn't feel like he was worth much.
"Yamanbagiri do you remember what happened while you were out?" I asked looking at him with the worry that no one had talked to him about anything.
"I remember hearing you talking to me every day. I also remember seeing another version of me with in my dreams before I woke up telling me that I was no longer a copy, and that my ray of light needed me." Yamanbagiri said looking at me from under his blonde bangs. He still was wearing his ratty cloak but at lease he was getting used to not hiding in the shadows as much as he was before the mission. I had also notice that his hair had started to change colors from blonde to black, and his blue eyes had started to darken.
"Do you remember anything that happened before than?" I asked confused, seeing as the only three people that had been around when I had found Yamanbagiri's real blade. And one happened to be dead to the world.
"You mean when you conjoined the real Yamanbagiri with me. Than yes, also thank you little light." Yamanbagiri said taking my hand.
"Okay you two that's enough." Yami said standing in the door way. He looked different than when he left for his mission. His hair had an almost shaved looked which is weird but I hadn't even notice that my own looks had changed. My thick long brown hair had shorten and was thinner. It was still the same brown color that it always had been.
"Yami get out." I said throwing a pillow at him. Which actually he dodged and it went through the screen door. I also happen to hit Yamatonokami in the head.
"Sorry Yamatonokami, that was meant for Yami." I said get up and helping the poor guy up onto his feet or that was before I throw him into the ceiling. I was surprised that no one had come to see what was happening when the pillow went through the screen door. It was than that I notice that even Hana wouldn't come in near me. I ran for it too scared that I might hurt someone with my uncontrollable strength. I was scared when I ran into one of the other swords that they might be hurt but turned out that Yamabushi was someone that wouldn't be easily throw off balances, and it made sense that not even my abnormal strength would be able to knock him over.
"I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." I kept mumbling under my breath, it was getting harder for me to breath. It felt like my chest was on fire and I couldn't think straight.
"Hikari what are you apologizing for, you didn't mean to run into me and not like you could put a dent in my roaring muscles." Yamabushi said with a roaring laugh. I was however already gone when he had finished his sentence. I needed to get away from people before I hurt some one. I was now wishing that my seal had never broken, I rather be sickly for the rest of my life than be unable to control my strength.
I ran until I got closer to a cliff. Before my legs gave out from under me and I fell to the ground. The last time I had been out side was the first day I had gotten here and with the raging storm that night had made it so that I frankly didn't want to go out side. Than again last time was because I was anger with my stupid adoptive big brother, but now I was scared of hurting someone. Not even Oodenta when he found me could get me to clam down and come back to the citadel. It wasn't until Yamanbagiri sat beside me that it finally hit me that no one was scared of my abnormal strength, but myself. I took a deep breath before slowly releasing it.
"You do know that Yamabushi was confused when you ran away with out saying anything. Oodenta is confused seeing as you normal like to stay inside of the citadel, but it is completely understandable. You're not used to having you real strength, so you didn't know that just throwing a pillow or helping someone up would not be like it has been. Kari you're not used to having your full strength but I can tell you this no one is mad at you. They are worried seeing as the only other time you came out side was the day you got here and that ended with you getting hurt during a storm." Yamanbagiri said. While it was more of a rant seeing as he was worried that something might have happened to me.
"I'm sorry Yamanbagiri, you're right. I am confused about how to control my strength, but it's not something that really matters. So many people here have abnormal strength but it's hard. Takahashi Yuri was the same way. It's actually how she pulled off acting like a guy. No one know she was a girl until the night she died. It helped that Yuri can be used as either a boy or girl's name." I said before getting up and brushing off the dust from my track pants. Sure I have better looking clothes but to tell the truth I prefer wearing track pants and tank tops. I look like a normal sword warrior.
"Come on let's get some dinner." Yamanbagiri said taking my hand. It was the first time that he had taken my hand with out having to help me stand up and keep my balance.
"I'm with you." I said before squeezing his hand. It was a big thing with us to walk into the kitchen talking and holding hands. It was Yami who thought it funny to laugh at us like we didn't have enough issues with talking to other or acting like normal teenagers. I shot Yami a look to shut up but that didn't stop him so when my shot blade hit the table right in front of his hand. It wasn't me who throw it this time but Yamanbagiri, and man did he look mad.
"Yami shut up or do you want to die." Yamanbagiri said, giving Yami one of the best glare I had ever seen. Or that was until I notice that Yamanbagiri's hood had fallen down and you could see that his hair was really changing colors and I am happy to say that I like his hair any color it is. I looked around Yamanbagiri to give my twin brother a look that says 'I'm going to tell Oodenta if you don't shut up and leave us alone.' that sent Yami running for the hills having his twin and the guy she likes mad at him was one thing but having our oldest brother mad at him was a total different thing.
"Hello Shokudaikiri." I said bouncing into the kitchen.
"Good evening you two." Shokudaikiri said looking at us from the other side of the counter.
"Hey Shokudaikiri." Yamanbagiri said sitting next to me at the counter. Since waking up and regaining my strength I like to sit in the kitchen and help Shokudaikiri make lunch and dinner.
"I had been wondering where my little help had gone usually you come to the kitchen the first chance you get but than again you also lost your temper with how people have been treating you." Shokudaikiri said placing a bowl of rice and chicken in front of the two of us.
"Thank you for the food." we said at the same time. Before digging into a simple and easy meal for this late at night. Now don't get me wrong normal me and Yami are usually doing our studies but it's not like what everyone thinks seeing as we are studying more than just history or war tactics.
"So what was the problem out in the other room before you two came into the kitchen?" Hasebe asked holding out my short blade. I grabbed it before Yamanbagiri said or tried anything.
"One word Yami." I said before slipping my blade into the sheath, on my upper leg.
"What did he do this time to earn a blade in front of him?" Hasebe asked leaning forward onto the counter.
"That's odd Hikari you're an amazing shot. More than not you aim at Yami's head." Shokudaikiri said confused wiping off his wet hands.
"It landed in the table because Kari wasn't the one that throw it. I did; and to tell you the truth I was about to kill him myself." Yamanbagiri said putting his chop sticks across his bowl.
"What did Yami do to warrant death by you Yamanbagiri?" Oodenta asked coming into the kitchen carrying a tray with him. Sayo was right behind him also carrying a tray. I took the tray from Sayo before Yamanbagiri picked him up.
"Would you like being laughed at when you come in after watching the girl of your dreams having a melt down? While holding the hand of my little ray of light." Yamanbagiri asked warping is arm around both of me and Sayo. I actually watch as Oodenta turned murderess before storming out of the room. I look at Yamanbagiri before Oodenta stormed back into the room before grabbing Yamanbagiri and dragging him out of the kitchen.
"While there goes the guy I love. While Sayo let's get dishes done and than we can go save Yamanbagiri and Yami." I said helping my little wing man down before picking up the dishes and the two trays with no problem.
"You two go save the boys we will do dishes." Hasebe said taking the dishes from me. I look at Hasebe and Shokudaikiri before turning towards Sayo and leaving the room. I still get turned around easily, but seeing as I go to the kitchen everyday it was easy for me to travel between the kitchen and our room. But the fact that I know Oodenta wouldn't go to our room to murder Yami and Yamanbagiri so I had to follow Sayo to the court yard. Where my brothers are known to spar. But when I got out there all I saw was Oodenta yelling at Yami.