There was quite a lot to talk about, after that.

"One thing I want to make absolutely clear to you, Sachiko," Kazuma said, looking at her, "is that you're not bound by this any more than Kyo was. Running the dojo has its advantages, yes, and I truly think you'd excel...later on," he said, smiling at her. "But it's also hard work, and if you decide at any point before taking over that you don't want to, then that's fine. You don't have to take it on, if it's not what you truly want."

Sachiko gave Kazuma a smile. "Thanks, Grandpa, really...but I'm not gonna change my mind," she said, shaking her head. "How much time've I spent following you around, over the years? Yeah, I know it'll be different when it's me having to do everything myself instead of just watching you...but it's not like any of this is stuff I didn't know."

"There will definitely be challenges for you," Kazuma said seriously. "We all know what a talented karateka you are," he said, glancing around the table and getting nods from Kyo and Kunimitsu, "but I'm afraid to say that, as a woman, particularly a young one, you'll have to fight that much harder to be taken seriously."

"Which is why you'll wanna do everything you can over the next several years to build yourself up, Sachi," Kyo said, his expression equally serious. "We know you know that, too; it's not like you haven't had people underestimate you before or anything," he said, smiling ruefully at her. "But things'll be different for you once you're outta the Matsuda Dojo. People won't know you anymore, and you'll gotta prove yourself over and over again, constantly."

"I know," Sachiko said with a disgruntled sigh. "And it's a pain, yeah, but I'm not afraid," she said, jutting out her chin.

"Didn't say you were," Kyo said, chuckling. "Tournaments'll be a great place for you to showcase yourself, and your skill. Obviously you do that to a point already, but once you're a little older, and especially once you're twenty, you'll wanna try to prioritize those as much as you can. The better your reputation, the more name recognition and personal clout you have, the better position you'll be in when you're ready to take over. It also wouldn't be a bad idea to do get around to other dojos, meet and train with other karatekas. Dad's probably be able to hook you up with some of his contacts, I've got mine, and I'm sure Sensei'd be willing to put you in touch with people, too."

Kazuma and Kunimitsu were nodding.

"As I said, Sachiko, there are some excellent universities around here, if you're at all interested," Kazuma said. "It wouldn't be a bad idea for you to begin integrating yourself into the dojo, to make yourself known to the students and starting to familiarize yourself with the way things work...and possibly even start thinking about things you will perhaps want to change," he continued, smiling.

"But on the point of making yourself known," Kyo said, leaning forward and folding his hands on the table, "that's one thing we really wanna make clear, Sachi," he said, glancing around the table and getting assenting nods from the others, "all of us agree that, for now, you oughtta keep this to yourself."

Sachiko gave him a confused look. "You mean not walk out into the dojo tomorrow and announce it's gonna be mine? No shit, Daddy, did you guys really think I would?" she asked, looking around at them all in obvious exasperation and provoking a couple laughs.

Kyo had laughed, too. "No, we didn't, though that's good to know! But I mean at all, Sachi. For the time being, at least the next year, maybe longer," he stressed, "this plan's family-only, understand? We'll mention it to your brothers, but that's it. That means no announcing it here in the dojo or back at the dojo at home, yeah," he said, smiling before becoming a little more serious. "But also not talking about it with your friends, and not talking about it with Takashi," he said, and the others all nodded.

Sachiko's face fell. "I can't mention anything at all?"

"Nothing about you being fast-tracked to take over the dojo, no," Kyo said, and Sachiko frowned.

"What can I say, exactly?"

"Well, if anyone asks about me, 'cause I know you've mentioned my taking over the dojo before, you can say you don't know. I'll be talking to Sensei about it as soon as I get home, so my stepping back isn't gonna be a surprise to anyone I work with, but there's no reason for anyone else to know that at this point. And you can tell 'em if you decide to go to university in Tokyo, or if you'll be attending or working here at the dojo. I doubt anyone'd be surprised by that, regardless."

"We just feel it puts too much pressure on you at this point to make it known, Sachiko," Tohru said gently. "Yes, we all know you're confident," she said, smiling. "And we're all confident in you. But your father was confident once, too," she said, looking at him affectionately, "and while he still is," she said quickly before Kyo could say anything, "what he's wanted has changed. You're seventeen, sweetheart, and you're reaching an age where a lot of things can and will be changing for you. We want you to have the most freedom possible, so that you can make the most informed decision possible. That includes being able to change your mind, especially while you're still in high school."

"And especially with you being so young, Sachi, it could make things awkward between you and your friends, or you and the other karatekas, if they knew you were being tapped to lead so young," Kyo said seriously. "Yeah, you guys are all friends and get along now, but things can change when there's something like an entire dojo involved, even if that dojo's far away."

Sachiko could understand that, she supposed. She hated the idea of people treating her differently and wanted to defend her friends...but she couldn't argue that the possibility was there.

Takashi was a bit of a rub, though.

And after a little thought, she looked up and asked, "I get why you guys don't want me to tell people in general, and I won't. But not even Taka?"

"Especially not Takashi, not right now," Kyo said firmly.

"It's not that we don't trust him, Sachiko," said Tohru quickly, seeing Sachiko immediately puff up with indignation, "But you two have only been dating for five months, and all of us agree that your relationship doesn't need this kind of pressure, either."

"What do you mean?" Sachiko asked, frowning. "It's not that I'm arguing, 'cause I'm not, it's just that if I'm gonna be changing my plans at all for university, and for after university...don't you guys think he oughtta know?"

"You guys've got a whole year until you graduate, Sachi," Kyo said. "And like I said, you can tell him about your university plans. You can tell him about planning to work at the dojo-"

"-If that's what you decide to do," Tohru repeated.

"You can get home, this weekend, even, and tell him all of that stuff, no problem. But no, he doesn't need to know you're gonna hopefully be running the dojo in the next ten years. You guys've known each other for a long time, yeah, but your relationship's still pretty new. If you guys're still going strong in another year, that'll be time enough for him to maybe be brought into the loop," Kyo said seriously.

Then he gave her a wry smile. "And don't think we haven't all thought about Takashi, Sachi, so I'll just say it before you ask. Yeah, it'd be an asset for you have another karateka to lean on, especially if he's willing and able to step up and help you like Kunimitsu always has for Dad. There'd definitely be advantages to having someone else able to shoulder the load, especially when you're in your twenties, and I'm not gonna lie and say having a guy at your side won't make some people more comfortable with you being in charge. But you guys are both young, pretty new to dating, and you've gotta make sure you're gonna last before you put the pressure of something like co-running a dojo on someone who's never had that as a consideration. Likewise, you shouldn't be staying with him if you guys aren't clicking just 'cause you think he'd be a good fit for the dojo."

"As we said, Sachiko," Kazuma said with a kind smile, "you have a lot of things going on in your life just now, so focus on what you need to for the time being."

Sachiko exhaled, doing her best to take everything in. After thinking about it, she could admit her family all had a point; as much as she wanted to see the look on Takashi's face when she told him...it was news that would keep. Yes, they'd lasted longer than any other relationship she'd ever had, and yes, she felt confident they were going to keep going...

But no matter how much she'd teased her parents about making lifetime commitments at seventeen, she wasn't remotely ready to make that kind of commitment herself. To a dojo, yes, but not a person.

It didn't take long for her to finish processing, though, and she looked up with a smile.

"So...Kunimitsu Sohma?"


Later that night, Tohru and Kyo lay snuggled together in their futon, Kyo's arms tightly wrapped around Tohru and his cheek resting against hers. It might be the fifth night of Tohru's visit, but they were just as clingy as on the first, and just as clingy as they expected to be on the last.

"It seems so strange, to finally have it all planned and out there after so long, doesn't it?" Tohru asked, gently caressing Kyo's arm. "I know we've been discussing it, but now that Sachiko knows...it all feels so permanent, doesn't it?"

"Well, it oughtta feel permanent," Kyo said, kissing her cheek. "Our part of it, anyway," he corrected, and Tohru smiled.

"A part of me feels a little sad," she admitted, looking at him. "Do you think that's strange?"

Kyo shook his head. "Nope, not at all. Honestly...I feel kinda sad, myself. This place's been so special to me for so long, and for so much of my life I dreamed of being in charge; even though I don't want it now, even though I know turning it down's the right call...it still feels sad."

Tohru nodded. "You have so many happy memories here," she said softly. "We have so many happy memories," she amended, thinking about moments little and big; of the first time Kyo brought her to have dinner with Kazuma, of their second and third New Year's together. Their last morning before leaving Tokyo after graduation. Their wedding. All three of their children, running around out in the dojo and playing on the tatami. Kyo, and Kazuma, smiling together.

But they'd always have those memories, regardless of who was in charge.

"I hope Sachiko makes sure to consider her options carefully," Tohru said, her voice a little wistful. "I don't doubt she wants this now, but so much can change for her, in the next few years."

"True," Kyo agreed. "I know you and I were pretty committed to things at seventeen, but we had a few extenuating circumstances," he said, grinning, and Tohru giggled.

"Just a few. I know I don't have to ask you if you think she's serious about committing," Tohru said, smiling at him, and Kyo laughed.

"I haven't doubted Sachi's commitment in years, Tohru, and I'm sure as hell not gonna start now. Yeah, I was cautious at first, but at this point...I knew what I wanted, when I was her age," he said, smiling. "And if Dad'd needed to step down when I was twenty-seven, or maybe even thirty-seven...I'm pretty sure I still would've wanted that. Done it, definitely. Sachiko's had the dojo as a goal for a while now, it's just moved closer, that's all. She doesn't gotta worry about the interim anymore, which's gotta be nice, in some ways. That interim's what ruined the idea of the dojo for me, after all," he said, hugging Tohru tightly.

Tohru smiled at him. "We've been happy, haven't we, Kyo?"

"The happiest," he said promptly. "Though that was never gonna change, as long as we were together."

"No," she agreed, her eyes shining. "But I'm happy we can keep staying where we are...for now."

"For a while yet, hopefully," Kyo said with a smile. "Yeah, I'm getting a little old to wanna uproot my life and start over, but I've still got plenty of fight and plenty of teaching in me," he said, chuckling. "I mean, Dad still says he does, and I'm a lot younger'n him!"

"I know," Tohru said with a giggle. "I'm just saying that, someday...it might be nice to be a little closer to family," she admitted, and Kyo nodded.

"Yeah. I mean, who knows where the boys'll end up, once Mutsuki and Katsu are both done with school, but I kinda doubt it's gonna be Aomori. And Sachi...pretty sure we can guess where she'll be, at least," he said, grinning at Tohru.

"Probably," Tohru said, giggling, then her voice quieted.

"It's going to be so strange, when she's gone," and Kyo could hear the catch in her voice.

"It is," he agreed soberly as he hugged her. "We're gonna miss her, a lot," he said, his own voice catching. "But we'll still talk to her, a lot, and we'll get to see her, a lot, and in the meantime..." he smiled teasingly, kissing Tohru's cheek. "It'll've been twenty-five years since we had our place to ourselves, and I gotta admit I'm kinda looking forward to it."

Tohru giggled at that, and snuggled back against him. "Maybe there are a couple advantages."

"Maybe more than a couple," he teased, then smiled. "We're not gonna lose her, Tohru, not any more than we lost the boys. Yeah, they're all gonna be off doing their own things, but we're gonna be as much in the loop as ever. They're our kids, after all."

"They are," Tohru agreed, then smiled. "I'm so happy for Master Kazuma and Kunimitsu. As much as I wish there was another way...I'm happy for them."

"Yeah, it definitely feels a little weird, having Kunimitsu and I having the same legal relationship with Dad," Kyo said, chuckling. "But I also get why they decided to do it, and I'm happy for them. Kunimitsu's parents are gone, there's no one to have any issues with it, and given how long Kunimitsu's worked for the dojo I doubt anyone else'd even think twice about it. It'll definitely make things easier, if Kunimitsu needs to step up and run things before Sachi can, him legally being a Sohma and technically one of Dad's heirs."

Tohru looked back at Kyo anxiously, a related thought suddenly occurring to her. "You don't think the Sohmas will have a problem with Sachiko taking over, do you? I know Kazuma technically has the right to grant the dojo to whoever he wants, but the family can revoke their support if they don't approve, can't they?"

"They can," Kyo agreed, "And Dad already thought about that, and checked into it. The family's primarily concerned about the suitability of Dad's choice, and whether that choice can keep the dojo up to snuff. Basically as long as Dad's confident, the family'll support any choice he makes, at least in the beginning. It'll be on Sachi to keep the dojo performing, to ensure she keeps that support. Though let's be real, Tohru," he said, smiling at her. "You really think Akito's not gonna throw her full support behind your daughter?"

"Our daughter," Tohru stressed, smiling, then sighed happily. "I suppose you're right, though."

"Damn right I'm right," Kyo said, chuckling. "And we're not gonna throw her to the wolves, Tohru. If Sachi stays on her current track, then in about ten years she could be a rokudan, and no one'd have anything to remotely complain about for her being in charge. Even when she's a godan, she could still arguably take over without anyone being able to say she was underqualified; godan's the level where she'd be able to go out and open her own school, if she wanted. But I doubt she'll be in charge until she's at least twenty-five, and probably a couple years older yet. She's gonna have to work hard," he said, sighing, "a lot harder than if she was a guy."

Tohru nodded, then glanced at him. "What do you think about her asking about Takashi?"

"I think she's excited, which makes sense. They've been friends for years and are both karate nuts; yeah, it makes sense she'd wanna tell him. But it's the right call, for her to hold off," Kyo said firmly.

"I agree. I trust Takashi completely, he's a nice boy, and I don't doubt they care for each other," Tohru said, smiling. "And if they stay together, well..."

Kyo chuckled. "Yeah, he's a good kid, and I won't say I haven't thought about that, too, even before things changed with the dojo. Sachi needs someone who's her equal, not someone she's gonna steamroll, and not someone who's gonna try to steamroll her. Now more than ever, when she's thinking about a partner she's gotta consider whether that person can handle the life she's planning. Doesn't mean it has to be a karateka; pretty sure you'd've been the best support I ever could've asked for," he said, beaming at Tohru. "But at a bare minimum, they've gotta understand and be supportive of that life and career. None of the guys she's dated before have, and that's a fact. So yeah...I like him. So far, they seem good together, and yeah, it'd be great if that continues. But it's not fair to either of 'em to ask him, at seventeen, to consider that kind of commitment to Sachi or her future. They've got time, and in a year'll be soon enough for that to maybe come out, if they're still together."

"Are you trying to convince yourself, or me?" Tohru asked, smiling, and Kyo blushed.

"So I think it'll be a lot easier for her to do this if she's got a partner," he said, squeezing her playfully. "Can you blame me?"

"No," Tohru giggled. "I've definitely always felt life was better, and easier, having someone to lean on."

"Well, you'll always be able to lean on me, Tohru," he said, smiling.

"Always?" she said, looking at him, and he smiled back.

"And forever."


"Anything else I can grab for you, Kazuma?" Kunimitsu asked, standing in the door to Kazuma's erstwhile office and current bedroom. "Or are you good for the night?"

"I'm fine, but thank you," Kazuma said, smiling up at him. "I relieve you from duty," he said with a little chuckle.

"Great, you're a real taskmaster these days," Kunimitsu said, sliding the door closed and walking over to join Kazuma in the futon. Then he took a deep breath before smiling. "So...Sachi seemed to be pretty cool with everything we dropped on her today, didn't she?"

"She did," Kazuma agreed, and Kunimitsu chuckled.

"I know I shouldn't be exactly surprised; I feel like she's been hanging out with you in your office since she was what...ten?"

"Somewhere around there, probably," Kazuma agreed. "But it's hardly surprising, when you consider that's around the time that Hajime was pulling back on classes."

"She's never been insecure, I'm not surprised she decided she was gonna be the eventual successor at that point," Kunimitsu said with a grin. "Though I am kinda surprised, knowing her, that she just didn't march up and ask."

"I'm not," Kazuma said, chuckling himself. "I don't think she'd have wanted to seem like she was pushing me out; she's rather like her father in that, actually."

Kunimitsu looked at Kazuma thoughtfully. "How're you doing with all of that, really, Kazuma? With Kyo? I know you weren't surprised, and that you've been suspecting for a while, but now that we've spelled everything out, and looped Sachi in...it feels a lot more final, doesn't it?"

"It does," Kazuma agreed after a moment. "And I'm..." he trailed off, considering the question carefully, then he smiled. "Truly, Kunimitsu, I'm at peace with it. As you say, I've suspected as much for some time, and I've had that time to come to terms with it. Selfishly, I wish Kyo felt differently; I would have liked...to have them living here," he admitted quietly. "To be able to see them, in person, regularly. But I understand. He wanted to go out and live his life, and I wanted that, for him. I can't be upset that he did, or that he found happiness," Kazuma continued, beaming. "I had hoped for so many things for him; to see any of them come true was wonderful, and to see almost all of them..."

Kazuma shook his head, then smiled. "I'm happy, with the way things have turned out. I'm happy for Kyo and Tohru, to know they're in a place that makes them so very happy. I'm happy for Sachiko, knowing how much she wants this, and how seriously she'll commit. Even if she ultimately changes her mind," he said, "it won't be without her pushing herself to first be sure. And I'm happy for us," he said, his smile becoming gentler and more affectionate, "that we have a plan for the dojo...and a path forward for ourselves."

"Finally," Kunimitsu said, his tone a little wry, and Kazuma laughed.

"You sound like Kyo."

"Yeah, well, he makes a few good points once in a while, Kazuma."

"He does," Kazuma agreed. "Like that you're the perfect choice, in the event I need to step back before Sachiko is ready."

"I do have a lot of experience, when it comes to this place," Kunimitsu grinned. "Though I'll be honest, Kazuma; if I never need to step up, I'll be a happy man."

"I know," Kazuma said, his voice soft, and Kunimitsu smiled.

"I've never needed to be the master, or wanted to be the master...I'm happy where I am, beside the master," he said, kissing Kazuma's hand. "And I always will be."


The March night was cool, but Sachiko didn't mind as she sat on the steps to the main dojo building. She'd tried going to bed earlier, but couldn't sleep; a part of her wondered if she'd be able to sleep at all, that night.

She didn't care if she couldn't.

Sachiko still couldn't quite believe it all, no matter how many times she replayed it in her mind. Ever since she'd been a kid, she'd wanted this for herself; since long before it was even the smallest possibility. That Kyo would inherit was obvious, but after that...

For so long, she had accepted the inevitable unfairness of being both the youngest and a girl. Hajime was the obvious successor to Kyo; he was the oldest, a boy, and she would be the first to admit he was a talented karateka. It took her longer to realize what Kyo knew early on, but the day she figured out that Hajime didn't care, that he was planning a future with no karate at all...on that day, as never before, she'd finally allowed herself to hope.

She had meant it, when she said she'd always wanted this. She knew it wouldn't be easy for her; even when she was five and just starting out, she'd been told she wasn't going to do well because she was a girl. How many times, over the years, had her sex been used a justification for her to fail?

Kyo had always told her she'd need to work twice as hard as any boy, and she felt like she had. She had put everything she had into getting better, and stronger...

And it wasn't just karate, either. How many times had she sat with Kazuma in his office, watching him work? Asking him questions? She loved hearing his answers, and getting little glimpses of the things that he considered important, and why.

School had always been secondary. She was good at math, yes, but the rest of it? Unnecessary and a waste of time...right up until Kyo had pointed out, that day in her first year of high school, that a university degree might be to her advantage, one day in the future.

One day when she was running a dojo herself.

She'd worked even harder, after that. She had always figured that being trained in dojo management by Kyo would be enough...but he was right. There were ways she could position herself better, ways that she be even more prepared, prove herself even more serious. She wanted to be the master; she would do everything she could to make herself the best master she could, woman, or no.

But not once, in her life, had she expected she could be the master so soon.

In maybe ten years, they'd said. Before she was thirty...she could be running the dojo herself.

Sachiko wrapped her arms around herself and grinned, half in amazement and half in excitement. She'd hoped for all of her life, anticipated since she was ten, and planned since she was fifteen for this future, but there had, out of necessity, been extra steps. If Kyo took over, he could have easily and handily run the dojo until Sachiko was forty or beyond. She had no objections to that, but it would have required her to figure out a plan for herself in the interim. Maybe that plan would have been working at the Sohma Dojo regardless; Tohru definitely wasn't going to be teaching any classes, after all. But it would have been something she'd need to figure out.

Now, though...she'd be going straight from high school into dojo master boot camp. She didn't doubt for a moment Kazuma and Kunimitsu would work her hard; they wouldn't want her to fail, and if she took over before she was ready, she would almost definitely fail. It didn't matter how good she was; if no one gave her a chance to prove herself, she'd be screwed. And if she wanted them to give her a chance...

She had to give them a reason.

She could do it, she knew. She could train, and go to university, and compete, and learn. She would. She'd get better, stronger, and smarter; establish herself as a person worthy of succeeding her grandpa.

Who would have been worthy of succeeding her father, if that's what he'd wanted himself.

That was the hardest part, out of any of this. Hours after the fact, she was still struggling to understand just how it was possible for Kyo to walk away. He'd wanted the dojo so badly, for so long, and everyone else had wanted it for him.

But he didn't want it, not anymore. He didn't want it, and Tohru didn't want it for him; in spite of them planning for that future forever...their plans had changed.

And that was ok. Because they were all different people, and they wanted different things. Kyo...wanted to keep teaching, at the Matsuda Dojo in Hibe. To stay where he was, as he was...and that was ok.

It would never change Sachiko's feelings for him, or her firm belief that, if he had so chosen, he would have been one of the greatest masters of them all.

She sighed, thinking about all the things she'd have to figure out over the course of this next year. She already knew she intended to take up Kazuma and Kunimitsu on their offer; the sooner she could start familiarizing herself with the Sohma Dojo, the better off she'd be. That meant figuring out what universities were close, which ones all had program she wanted...

It meant figuring out how, eventually, to tell Takashi. She understood the reasons her parents wanted her to hold off telling him, or any of her friends, but it was admittedly hard; there weren't a lot of people out there who could understand the full weight of what she'd been given, and she desperately believed they'd be happy for her.

But for now...it was her secret. And it would remain her secret, hers and her family's.

The Sohma family's.

As she sat there, Sachiko turned her thoughtful glance in the direction of the main Sohma estate. She had learned of the Curse the year she turned twelve, and knew what that place, and those people, had once done to her father. She knew that at least part of the reason he didn't want to come back was he didn't want to deal any more with that world.

If she became the dojo master, she'd have no choice. Not if she wanted to ensure their support. But that was ok.

In the light of the lone dojo lamp post, Sachiko's eyes glowed almost orange in the night, and she smiled. Let the Sohmas, or at least some of the Sohmas, cling to their outdated prejudices and hatreds; she wouldn't let them bother her, worry her, or bring her down.

She was the daughter of the Cat, and with that Cat and the rest of her family at her back...she would prevail.