Note: As a reminder, this is the Fourth part of my series "The Story of the Saniwa" and it deals with the events of the anime Katsugeki/Touken Ranbu rewritten from the point of view of the Saniwa seen in Katsugeki.
Please, for those of you who have clicked on this story and who would not know its process and therefore would not have read the previous stories, note that my series of fanfiction, although each fanfiction can be read independently, often refers to the events of the previous ones so don't be surprised if you don't understand everything.
Again, the First (The Past of the Cherry Blossoms Tree: Prequel) and Last part (The Past of the Cherry Blossoms Tree: Sequel) of this series do not require to be read in order to understand the story but remain still attached to it as they describe the life of the Saniwa before and after the events of both the Hanamaru animes and the Katsugeki one.
As usual, all Japanese words used there will be fully explained at the end of the chapter. Some have already been translated in the previous instalments so I won't repeat myself, sorry. The seven Kitsune that you can see on Katsugeki will make an appearance too once again.
Legend: Italics - Thoughts
Center Text - Dreams/Visions
"Italics" - Flashbacks
Disclaimers: Touken Ranbu belongs to Nitro+. Katsugeki is the property of Ufotable.
Happy Reading!
Chapter One: Shutsujin - (出陣): To the Frontlines.
Constellations surrounded by greyish concealing clouds, the stars were nonetheless shining brightly in the blue night sky, trying their best to compete with the silver moonlight that sparkled far too intensely that night.
It was a night of all dangers. The kind that you go through without being able to fall asleep, as if a strange force was driving you to keep your eyes wide open, fear in your heart and your body trembling. This night meant the beginning of a new chapter. Of a new story, and it was hardly safe to assume that everything would be for the best in the best of all possible worlds. No, where there was life there was no hope, hope was far too exhausting a source of stress. It was better to imagine the worst right away and prepare accordingly... even if it meant redoubling your efforts for maybe nothing.
Anyway, it was clear that tonight he probably wouldn't sleep.
"Saniwa-sama. "
"Ah… There you are. "
"Excuse me, Aruji-san. Horikawa Kunihiro, ready to report for duty. "
"Yes, come on in. " he said with a gentle smile adorning his face as he gestured to the sofa with his hand so that his sword settled in front of him, the little kitsune leaving them alone. "I'm sorry to call upon you so late in the night. I hope you weren't yet asleep…? "
"What? No, of course not! I… hmm… Have I been called for a mission? "
"Why, yes… you and your partner will depart in a few hours but I wanted to talk with you first. "
"My partner? Are we only two? "
"It seems so. "
Offering the Wakizashi another smile, although it looked somewhat forced, the Saniwa stood up and walked over to his desk, leaning back slightly on it as his fingers gripped the ledge with such force that his knuckles turned white.
"I'm sending you to your first expedition. "
"Really?! " exclaimed Horikawa with excitement, an expression of pure joy stretching his mouth from ear to ear.
"Yes. " nodded the Sage before adding hesitantly: "But… "
"Aruji-san? "
"You must have a poor opinion of me, I'm sure. Although you were the first to have been summoned to this citadel, I've only required your presence on excursions so far. "
"Ah! Not at all! It really doesn't bother me. As long as I can be useful to the master, I'll go wherever you ask me to. " hastened to reply the short blade, not wanting the boy to have more big misconceptions. "However... you specified that I had been the first summoned... shall I understand that my partner has a long experience of the field despite his less recent arrival? "
"Naturally. I cannot send two novices on the frontlines. Expeditions are way more intense, long, complicated, and dangerous missions than excursions. That's why I usually send more powerful swords. " explained the Saniwa calmly, retracing his steps to sit back on the sofa. "However, I sincerely believe that your turn has come and that you're now ready for this kind of perilous order. "
"Thank you very much for your trust! I won't disappoint you! " suddenly declared Horikawa whilst standing up and bowing respectively, his fringe conveniently hiding the smirk full of pride that had appeared on his mouth. Finally. He finally was given the chance to prove his worth.
It was only with the discreet and amused laughter of his master that he realised his gesture and quickly sat down, his cheeks were taking on a crimson red colour as he cursed himself internally for having rushed so much whilst the Sage hadn't yet finished giving the instructions.
"Wait to know who you departing with before being so enthusiastic, will you. "
"S-Sorry… "
Shaking his head in derision, the cherry-haired boy huffed, and as if to give himself courage, counted down from five to zero in his mind before finally opening his mouth, trying to keep a calculated tone as he indicated:
"The details of your missions will be delivered to you by your partner, don't worry about that. Still, I would like to make some recommendations, if you allow me to. "
"Certainly. "
"I... have yet proven to be as efficient as some of my colleagues in the Government of Time. However, I also manage more Touken Danshi than any other Saniwa and that could explain my poor logistics results... What I'm trying to say is- the fact that I haven't sent you earlier on an expedition doesn't mean you don't have my full trust. Quite the contrary. So... please... please defeat the Time Retrograde Army and protect history from the Historical Revisionists. But more importantly, be careful and don't make the mistake to believe that failure will make me think less of you. Take care of yourself and take care of Izuminokami. "
"Yes, Aruji-san! " the Wakizashi assured solemnly before abruptly widening his eyes in surprise. "Wait! My partner is Kane-san?! "
Xxxxxxxxxx
The sanctuary was enveloped in heat like never he had felt before, such as inside a gigantic forge, the glowing flames around them dancing languidly, so blazing that they could melt any metal, no matter its strength or resistance. Waiting on the middle of the Saniwa's crest adorning the ground under his feet, Izuminokami once again put his hand to his equipment, checking that his sword was well fixed at his waist and the laces of his boots were well knotted, almost as if he could have missed something the last hundredth time he had checked.
The wait was endless, and by his side Horikawa was remaining far too silent for his taste, pushing him to look away only to discover with stupefaction that the latter was standing straight like a stake, as motionless as if he was a stone statue. Deciding to have fun of the situation, he then let out a sigh that his long-time partner did not fail to notice and decreed maliciously:
"How is it, Kunihiro? Your very first expedition? "
"Eh? " the latter let escape out of his thoughts, a slight smile appearing on his lips. "I'm just happy to be together with you again! "
"Shame we had to depart at night, though. "
"I don't mind. I was too excited to wait patiently until morning anyway. "
"Horikawa Kunihiro-san! Izuminokami Kanesada-san! " expressed suddenly a hairball with orange fur at the foot of the Wakizashi, his face annoyed as he pointed an accusing paw towards the Uchigatana. "The mission given to you by the Saniwa this time is 'to recapture the cargo stolen by the Retrograde Army'! Acting so relaxed when you haven't even leave to the battlefield is troublesome! "
"What's with that, Konnosuke? I was just trying to ease the tension a bit for our new recruit… "
"That's exactly what I'm complaining about! "
"For goodness' sake! Would you mind shutting your mouths up! You're going to wake the whole citadel up! " abruptly exclaimed a newcomer standing near the Sage as they both entered the sanctuary.
Chuckling slightly as he watched the Kanesada brothers engaging themselves in a staring contest, the latter finally decided to diffuse the tension by grabbing the older one's sleeve as if to tell him to calm down and asked gently:
"Are you two ready?"
"Yes! " replied the two departing swords with one voice.
"Konnosuke? "
"I'll watch them closely. "
"All right. " the cherry-haired boy acquiesced with a nod. "Good luck. "
"Don't overdo it, you careless dolt! " simply ordered Kasen by way of goodbye.
"Don't you dare call me th- " only had time to say Izuminokami before a bright golden glow took hold of him, Kunihiro and Konnosuke, their silhouettes disappearing in a cloud of pink petals.
"Well, the rest is in their hands now… " declared the Saniwa whilst biting his bottom lip, head tilted with concern.
Closing his eyes to avoid any longer the empty place where his little brother was a second earlier, Nosada took a deep breath before turning towards his master, a reassuring smile on his face.
"Tea? "
"With pleasure. "
Xxxxxxxxxx
A lost lane in the middle of Edo. On a bridge connecting the city to the bay are two sword-warriors right in the middle of a fight. The first is tall, has short and purple hair, and has a Yari that he handles with strength and agility. The second is small, young, with jet-black hair and blue eyes. Seeming slightly inexperienced, he is nonetheless competent, knowing how to attack at the right moment and analysing perfectly the movements of the enemy. The battle is tough and exhausting. He can feel to his bones the wounds that the Retrograde causes to his Touken Danshi. He does not see him, he is not physically present with them, but yet, he knows. Like linked to them psychically, he knows that his Toudan are in trouble. Not only on this bridge but also there, in the distance. He does not know exactly where this 'there' is, but he knows that the Tantou who is there is wounded. The burn he feels in his leg is not his... He has to... send help... reinforcements... he has to act... before... before...
Again this dream... He hadn't thought about it for some time now, forgetting it in the deepest abyss of his memory. And yet, these past few days, he had started to make that dream again. Disturbing his sleep like it hadn't happened to him for quite a moment. It was a nightmare he had a hard time dealing with. Too realistic to be ignored, too defeatist to want to think about it… So, he was keeping it in a corner of his mind, coming back to it every day without knowing what to do with it. But what could he really do, after all? If this was to happen, he had no other way but to prepare for it... to prepare for it and to pray...
"Say... Are you even listening to me? " complained a small voice by his side, forcing him to come back to reality.
"Hmm? " he heard himself pronounce before looking away at his companion wearing glasses. "Sorry, I was completely lost in thought. "
"I'm not surprised, with a master as dissipated as you... " sighed the animal, rolling his eyes with exasperation.
Offering both a sorry and embarrassed smile to the fox facing him, the Sage clasped his hands together as an apology and focused back on the holographic map deployed in front of him on the desk and on which was flickering a red point insistently.
"A breach got recently opened? "
"This is exactly what I was trying to tell you. " the kitsune lectured before resuming more seriously: "The breach seems to extend over a relatively long period between March 7th and 10th of the year Bunkyū 3. "
"1863… In the midst of an anti-Westernist revolution. So the Retrogrades could attack anytime between these two dates...? "
"Without a doubt. Would the Revisionists try to prevent the overthrow of the government? "
"Something's wrong... If the Retrogrades were looking to take advantage of this troubled period, they wouldn't be attacking the upper echelons. At that time, there were too many separatist groups with radical and difficult ideas to be gathered under the same banner. " reflected the Saniwa aloud, puzzled. "No, if they really want to change history, then... "
Biting his lip forcefully, the cherry-haired boy all of sudden got up from his seat and began to pace around the room, immersed again in his thoughts. Huffing lightly at the sight of him doing so, the little fox jumped to the ground with agility and crashed at once in the middle of his path, stopping him short in his walk.
"Meanwhile, the closest troop is yet that of Izuminokami-san and Horikawa-san. " he announced firmly, staring at the Saniwa.
"Eisuke, do we know if they've already managed to get their hands on the hidden treasure of the Tokugawa house? " asked the latter, turning his attention back to the holographic map.
"According to our information, they're still stationed in 1860. Konnosuke has not yet sent— " began to relate the animal before being suddenly interrupted by the sound of an alert, the wall facing them illuminating as a new message appeared on it. "Mission accomplished… "
"Good. " said the Sage with a kind smile, settling back into his chair calmly. "In this case, it's time that they receive new directives. "
"Will it really be all right for them? " Eisuke worried as he made his way to the western-style front door.
"I gave my notebook to Izuminokami in the early evening when I informed him of the mission, so he shouldn't have too much trouble finding his way around this timeline. " explained the cherry-haired boy, confident.
"I immediately send the new orders to Konnosuke. "
Xxxxxxxxxx
This long month of May was just beginning, the star of the day having reached its zenith and the heat increasing with each hour, the sky becoming bluer and bluer as the minutes passed. The estate was seized by a dead calm, one that was only broken by the repetitive sound of the sōzu filling itself with water before hitting at regular intervals the stone on which it rested, a calm that even the wind that was making dance the emerald green leaves of the trees and the delicate buds in bloom could not break.
A calm that would definitely get the better of him.
Wandering the citadel with a dragging foot, plainly overcome by some laziness that would not leave him anytime soon, Tsurumaru sighed for what appeared to be the hundredth time and looked up at the ceiling in an extremely dramatic fashion.
"Boring…! Boring…! Everything's so boring! I need a distraction. I need… I need a surprise! Perhaps I could play a trick on this grandpa. But he never falls for any of them, that cunning old fox! "
Starting to think about the best way to render the citadel more alive, he stopped short when, turning at an intersection, he fell on the Saniwa seated on the engawa with his legs swaying above the void whilst his body was resting leaned against a pillar, apparently deeply asleep.
A sweet smile adorning his lips, the Tachi quietly approached and crouched in front of him before passing a gentle hand through his cherry-coloured wicks.
"There, now. That's not a place to fall asleep, Aruji. What are we gonna do with you… "
Grumbling slightly in his slumber, the Sage began to move, and shifting his weight from the pillar, he fell involuntarily between the arms of the white-haired sword who slowly closed back the embrace in a surprising way, sitting more comfortably as a discreet laugh was taking hold of him.
Well, I definitely hadn't planned that…! Guess I'm stuck here for the rest of the day. Fine by me. he thought as he sighed inwardly, whispering somewhat both bashful and rejoiced to the boy :
"Did you want to surprise me, Aruji? "
It was only a few hours later, as an orange twilight was spreading across the skies and the daylight was becoming more scarce that he opened his eyes with fluttering eyelids, some whistling respiration echoing in his left ear as a warm breath was tickling his nape every two seconds or so.
Lowering the thin blanket that covered his lap, he turned his head a few millimetres and abruptly pressed a hand over his mouth to prevent an exclamation of stupor from coming out as his face was turning bright red under the embarrassment.
Breathing in slowly to try to stop the beating of his heart which had accelerated at the discovery of his Toudan's face so close to him, he ended up smiling with tenderness when he noticed the peaceful air that the latter was wearing. Regretfully though, he began poking his cheek repeatedly, giggling discreetly when his Tachi tried to chase his hand away as if it had been some kind of fly disrupting his sleep.
"Tsurumaru? " he finally called, turning around to wrap his shoulders in the blanket and noticing that another was also resting on his blade's own shoulders. "Tsurumaru. "
At last, the aforesaid Tsurumaru ended up opening his eyes in turn and looked around him absentmindedly before finally remembering where he was and what he was doing.
"Looks like I fell asleep too. "
"Looks like it, yes. " said the Sage as he stood up, a warm smile stretching his lips. "Thank you for keeping me company. "
"Ah, no! It's nothing... " quickly answered Kuninaga, presumably embarrassed.
"And thank you for that too. " simply added the cherry-haired boy as he pointed to the thin fabric of the chin, deciding not to embarrass his Touken Danshi even more by commenting on the fact that he looked truly adorable with this completely reddened face.
"Huh? I'm not responsible for that. " Tsurumaru indicated whilst looking at his own blanket with puzzlement. "Maybe someone found us but preferred not to wake us up. "
"If you ever find out who that person is, let me know so I can thank him properly. "
"I will. " nodded the sword, staring at the Sage for a moment before adding: "Horikawa was sent on his first expedition yesterday, right? Is that why you didn't sleep properly? "
"To be honest, I did not sleep at all. Something was bothering me regarding his and Izuminokami's mission and I just couldn't figure out what. "
"May I help with anything? "
"Well… " hesitated the Saniwa before finally stating: "I wonder... what could possibly benefit the Revisionists from attacking a country under an anti-Westernist revolution? "
"Are we talking of the end of the Bakufu and the Meiji Revolution, here? "
"Yes. "
"Hmm… " Kuninaga thought for a moment, crossing his arms over his chest. "At that time, there were conflicts over conflicts because of extremists afraid that the country's opening would mark its end. They attacked any foreigner entering Japanese soil and destroyed each place and building that hosted them... And it only got worse after the emperor's order. "
"That's it! " abruptly exclaimed the cherry-haired boy, eyes widening in shock.
"Figured out something? "
"One country attacks another. The latter demands reparation as compensation which the other refuses to grant. The conflict grows and keeps getting worse until it ends in- "
"A war… " interrupted the white-haired sword, ending his master's sentence in a whisper of horror. "And history will be irreversibly changed. "
"If the Retrogrades manage to manipulate some extremists into attacking a particular place where foreigners can be found, it will be more than enough to spark things off. "
"Will Izuminokami and Horikawa be enough to stop them, though? "
"I'm not going to wait to find out. I'll join them and summon other swords to set up the second unit! " the Sage declared, already leaving for his office.
"Let's hope it's not too late. " The Tachi murmured, concerned.
Xxxxxxxxxx
"Any idea of why we've been gathered? "
"I was just warned by Keisuke-dono to suit up and wait in the sanctuary. "
"Same here. "
"Hmm, I wonder why… "
"You're all here already? That's great. Thank you. "
Reaching his three swords with Hasebe at his side, the Saniwa smiled comfortingly at them and wrapped himself in his cloak, tying it around his shoulders with a solid knot.
"Taishō, are we being sent to the frontlines? "
"Yes. " answered Heshikiri in place of the Sage. "You're joining Izuminokami Kanesada and Horikawa Kunihiro on their mission. The master has decided that together you'll form the Second Unit. "
"Ha!? Is this really necessary that I end up in the same unit as this guy?! " exclaimed Mutsunokami, his jovial mood changing to an obvious depression.
"No need to complain. Those are the General's orders, right? " simply argued Yagen, impassive.
"At least, we know for sure who's gonna be named commander, right Aruji?! " hastily asked Yoshiyuki in return, once again overexcited.
"Ah, before that- " related the cherry-haired boy with hesitation, awkwardly trying to change the subject. "I must inform you of the current situation. "
"Is the enemy already there? " enquired Tonbokiri, finally letting his voice be heard.
"Indeed. Your comrades are fighting them as we speak. However, I reckon this first wave is nothing more than scouts. As for the second to come, it is very probable that it's of the same sort if not a common diversion. "
"So, what would be their real target, then? "
"We're not sure yet. That's why you'd remain on standby for now. The master will call on you at the most appropriate time. "
"All right. Don't forget us, Aruji! " announced the Tosa sword jokingly, waving goodbye as the Sage was placing himself at the centre of his crest, a topaz gleam already beginning to surround him entirely.
"When did I even do that?! " declared the latter with the same tone, smiling confidently whilst evaporating in a trail of amber particles.
A powerful blue lightning bolt abruptly struck the ground, its light blinding the surroundings and in noise so deafening that it seemed that the house it had touched had just collapsed. Dispersing around a space-time distortion in sparkling gold halos, the greyish ash clouds quickly became charcoal black before the distortion finally faded, his feet then slowly touching the hard surface of the roof made of tiles.
His eyes remained stubbornly closed for a second or two, allowing him to adjust to the era he had just gone through and to let his powers fill the area. Yes. Now he was feeling it clearly. One last troop of at least eight members of the Retrograding Force was about to appear, and their target would be...
"Aruji! " called out his Toudan, forcing him to finally lock his pupils on him.
"It's been a long time, Izuminokami. " he greeted cheerfully before noticing a small amount of blood running down his mouth. "It's not like you to struggle in battle. "
"Ha! This is just my warm-up. " retorted the Uchigatana, reassuring the Saniwa who smiled in a sign of understanding.
The joy of finding their master back was however short-lived for the two former katana of Hijikata Toshizou as the boy suddenly looked away, worrying them greatly when he revealed much more seriously:
"Another eight members of the Time Retrograde Army will appear shortly. " he emitted before jumping from one roof to another and running forward. "I will explain later. Please follow me! "
"H-Hey! " expressed a taken aback Izuminokami as he and Horikawa followed the Sage closely, the Retrogrades on their heels. "Tell us what's going on, Aruji! "
"Those were merely decoys. Their true purpose will be carried out by the unit about to appear. " calmly informed the cherry-haired boy, looking at the castle standing in the distance. "The location is… "
"As I thought, the Time Retrograde Army is after… " confirmed Kanesada with a frown, the mission rising to a new level of difficulty.
"He can tell what it is? " Kunihiro unexpectedly asked, still a bit confused by the novelty of this battlefield.
"Just by arriving in the same era, the master's abilities to sense temporal distortions skyrockets drastically. " explained, in turn, the little kitsune running near him.
Around them, the smoke from the fire spreading through the city was becoming more and more stifling, causing the tension to escalate to its climax. Feeling the Retrogrades already about to besiege the castle and those behind catching up with them, the Saniwa took a deep breath as he kept running and ordered without delay.
"Here is my directive. Subjugate the Time Retrograde Army and protect the history of this era! "
"Easy for you to say, but it's not like we have the manpower to deal with each— " declared the Uchigatana before being abruptly interrupted by an attack from the sky.
"I'm telling you, the two of us don't stand a chance! " added Horikawa as he himself was entangled in a fight when he noticed two Retrogrades charging forward. "Aruji-san! "
"Do you truly think I would come here without any kind of plan? " their master lectured, stopping at once and stretching his arms to either side of his body with a curious smirk without the slightest worry that two enemies were rushing towards him.
Once again, two tearing blue lightning bolts came to vibrate in the glowing sky, two blades with very different features escaping from it to transform into a tornado of luminescent cherry petals. Increasing more and more, the whirlwind of flowers then imploded in an abrupt impulse from which escaped a lance with shimmering purple reflections, Tonbokiri skewering the first Retrograde in his path before cutting it off with a direct blow.
Pirouetting in the air whilst repeatedly mowing down his opponent until the latter disappeared in a cloud of red and black particles, Yagen Toushirou finally fell back to the ground in a slow gesture and turned to the Sage to make sure of his condition.
"Hey, Taishō! Are you hurt? "
"One of the Three Great Spears, Tonbokiri. I have hastened to join you. "
"Tonbokiri! " exclaimed Izuminokami, happy.
"Amazing! " added Horikawa as well.
"Now for one more sword… " stated the boy, stretching out his hands before him.
"What happened, Aruji? You were on a roll! " acclaimed the former Uchigatana of the Shinsengumi's Vice Commander before frowning in an unpleasant surprise.
"Aim steady… Fire! " shouted a voice from inside the whirlwind of petals, a detonation resonating in the air as a Retrograde about to attack was all of sudden reduced to nothing and disappeared in an explosion of fire. "All right! The battle's just getting started! "
"Mutsunokami! Why'd you have to come, dammit!? " enquired Kanesada angrily, evidently annoyed.
"Hey, don't look at me. I was summoned by the master! " simply indicated Yoshiyuki with a shrug, delighted with the effect that his arrival had on his new comrade-in-arms.
"Now then, everybody! We're almost done! "
Far from being over, the battle resumed with greater intensity on these words, each taking care in turn of an enemy before helping his closest partner. Watching from a certain distance as his Toudan were making it a point to be sure that no Retrograde approach him, the Saniwa allowed a slight smile to bloom on his lips.
"We came to give you a hand, ya know? How about showing some gratitude? "
"I am! Except for the last guy! "
Of course, the attack on the castle and the plan that the Revisionists had for this era still needed to be foiled, but it looked, however, as if everything would be fine.
True, he had just created this unit, and some of its members would be the source of inevitable conflicts, but he had trust. In each of them. Together, each for who they were and what they believed in, they would unite this team like no other.
"The gun is mightier than the sword. If they're giving you a hard time, I'll gladly take them all at once. "
"How about you and I cross swords first? "
"Wanna have a go? "
There was just... this strange noose of doubt that gripped his heart... as if... as if there was always a risk. Time healed all wounds. But it could also be the cause of new ones. He just hoped that if such a tragedy was to happen, he could at best remedy it.
"Impressive, all of you! " he congratulated once all Retrogrades were gone, turning back towards the castle in a tense way. "Now then, there's very little time before the next attack! "
Endnote:
Bunkyū 3: was a Japanese-era name following Man'en and before Genji from the Japanese-era calendar scheme. The second element (3) is a number that indicates the year number within the era. Bunkyū 3 is a period spanning the years from March 1861 through March 1864.
Bakufu: (幕府, literally, "shogunal government") or shogunate ("of the shogun") is a military government that was conducted in Japan from the late twelfth century to the Meiji era revolution (1868). There were three Bakufu: Kamakura (with Minamoto no Yoritomo), Muromachi (Ashikaga Takauji) and Edo (Tokugawa Ieyasu).
Sōzu: a traditional device found in Japanese gardens; composed of a bamboo tube that, when filled with water, revolves to empty and makes a clanking sound to scare away any crop-eating animals.