Chapter Six: Honmaru - (本丸): The Citadel.
A chilly breeze was blowing through the estate, both cold and biting, leaving behind a feeling of loneliness and despair like that of finding oneself trapped in the middle of an ice desert without the slightest chance of survival.
The preparations had been completed less than five minutes before his Toudan's return, and it was with gnawing concern that he was now awaiting them, the echo of their panicked voices reaching his ears from the entrance to the treatment pavilion.
He could feel their anguish, taste the blood in their mouths, perceive their fatigue, but above all, he could witness, through his piercing eyes watching them run eagerly along the long corridor connecting the sanctuary to the pavilion, the indubitable lost air that covered theirs faces. They were unable to explain themselves whether by words or by thought what could have led them to such a dreadful situation.
But right now, even he didn't have the answer, and even if he did, it was hardly the time to provide it to them. Two of his Touken Danshi had been fatally injured and he was the only one who could help them.
"Aruji-san! " exclaimed Horikawa when he spotted the Sage out of the corner of his eyes.
"Everyone! Please come this way! " shouted the latter, leaving his swords settled their injured comrades on each side of the room before they came out, the doors adorned with his crest closing on their faces.
"We don't have enough supplies for treatment. " declared the cherry-haired boy as he approached the Yari, the one who needed more urgent care. "How many tokens are there? "
"Around twenty. " answered Konnosuke, having stayed to assist his master.
"Please bring twenty more. "
"Understood. "
The Saniwa stretched out his hands in front of him, a celestial blue flame suddenly kindling from his outstretched palms before changing into a sparkling white talisman responding to his will as he spread his arms firmly, the tokens multiplying one per one and settling straight against Tonbokiri's wound to stop the bleeding, slowly but surely closing the flesh.
Then, putting his hands above the blade of his Toudan, a similar blue light starting to surround it softly, he began the long work of reforging, the cracks and fissures gradually reshaping before his eyes narrowed in concentration.
Sweat was running down his forehead, the power demanded for such cares proving to be extremely exhausting. Far more than to summon any swords, far more than to simply repair them… But he could rest later.
Right now the only thing I need to focus on is these two!
Sitting in a corner, the kitsune silently observed the Sage's work, preoccupied both for the members of the team he had been assigned to and for the boy. There was not much he could do, but at least he was there. Supporting his master, watching over Izuminokami and Tonbokiri, and making sure that the three of them recover from their efforts.
After more than two long hours of care, the Saniwa finally let his arms fall alongside his body with an exhausted sigh, his chest rising in an irregular rhythm as he was trying to catch his breath.
His knees abruptly let go and he narrowly caught up to the wooden table in front of him, causing the Uchigatana blade resting on it to slightly waver, before slowly collapsing to the ground with his eyelids closed.
"Aruji-sama… " pronounced the little fox in a saddened whisper, approaching the Sage to put his head on his legs.
"It's all right, Konnosuke. " indicated the cherry-haired boy with a thin smile, his strength slowly coming back to him.
"Are they going to be fine from now on? "
"Izuminokami has recovered. He will undoubtedly need rest, but his condition is stable. "
"What about Tonbokiri-san?" asked the animal as he raised his muzzle towards his master, seeing himself forced to repeat the question as the latter persisted in remaining silent, a grim look veiling his face. "How's Tonbokiri-san? "
Xxxxxxxxxx
Folding the haori carefully, he laid it over the rest of the pile of clothes and slowly turned to check on his sword, piercing golden pupils watching over his sleeping form.
His breathing was calm, almost relaxed, but that could hardly fool him as he could see, in the way his eyes were moving at full speed from side to side behind his closed eyelids, that his Toudan was in the grip of a most frightening dream.
Sighing slightly, the Saniwa moved closer to the bedridden patient and gently slid his fingers between his long brown locks, clearing his sweat-soaked forehead before finally shifting to sit in front of him, noting his imminent awakening.
"Are you back with us? " he asked in a soft voice as the Uchigatana suddenly straightened up in his bed.
"Aruji! "
"Konnosuke told me what happened. That was quite a tough mission. "
"Yes. We had no choice against that Ootachi, so Tonbokiri… " attempted to explain his Touken Danshi before remembering the worrying state of his comrade and enquiring in a distraught tone: "Tonbokiri! Did Tonbokiri make it? "
"I did everything I could. However, he is still in a comatose state. " the Sage explained saddened, his fingers gripping his hakama tightly. "The rest will depend on how much willpower he has. "
Then, deciding that he should not burden him with too much information, he stood up, adorned his lips with a thin smile and walked over to the shōji, declaring comfortingly:
"Please rest for the time being. I'll tell the others to do the same. "
"Hold on. What about our mission? " Izuminokami asked sharply, the cherry-haired boy turning a questioning gaze towards him. "Were we… were we able to protect the flow of history? "
"Yes. As of now, in 2205, history has not been altered. " the latter replied without much conviction as if he knew that neither he nor his blade would agree on the outcome of this mission, adding nonetheless: "The mission was a success. "
"A success? " Kanesada repeated, definitively full of doubts.
"Just get some rest for now. " advised his master once more, closing the door behind him, his shadow collectedly disappearing along the engawa.
The citadel was awfully quiet, so peaceful that not even the breath of the wind or the warbling of birds could disturb its calm. He was walking at a steady pace, thinking about a thousand different things, and at last, entered his office with no real answers to his questions.
A strange sound immediately caught his attention as he passed the door, causing him to stiffen suspiciously as he turned around before eventually relaxing softly when noticing that it was just one of his Toudan browsing some book, and he tilted his head to the side whilst gently lecturing him.
"Come on now, even you shouldn't be entering my office without my knowledge. "
"Sorry about that. " sniggered Mikazuki amusedly before indicating: "Well, I just heard the Second Unit returned to the Citadel. "
"You're always the first to know, aren't you? " the Sage declared mockingly, walking over to the sofa to sit on it.
"I'm guessing the situation is rather grim. "
"Tonbokiri still hasn't come out of his coma. It was a gruelling mission. " he revealed with his head bowed, his hands crossed with worry. "And also, the Time Retrograde Army tried to interact directly with the targets that would trigger a change in history. I've never seen them take such action before. "
"I see. " huffed the Tachi, a mysterious smile blooming on his mouth as he faced the window. "They must really be getting desperate. "
"They still haven't managed to alter history in the way that they need. I'm sure their patience must've snapped. "
"Well, being thwarted at every turn by us must be infuriating them. " the blade argued, laughing satirically as if the thought of the Time Retrograde Army somehow becoming more powerful was pleasing him.
"It's not a laughing matter. " sermonised again the cherry-haired boy as he raised his head towards his sword, frowning.
"Sorry, sorry. " apologised Munechika although he did not sound sorry in the slightest.
"I'm sure it's not entirely unrelated to the fact that we found a way to operate in larger units. "
"Ah yes, units are great. Sure is a far cry from the days when we could only wield two swords maximum. "
"Not that we're anywhere close to them in terms of numbers. " the Saniwa pointed out, barely suppressing a sigh.
"Even still… You the Saniwa and the Historical Revisionists… The rift between you two sides is certainly deep. " stated the blue-haired sword, intrigued.
"In their own way, they're only following their own beliefs. " confessed the Sage, impassive. "What kind of move will they make when cornered? "
"You have no inkling? " the Tachi enquired, his lips curled into a strange smile.
"How are we to counter the unpredictable actions of the Historical Revisionists and in what configuration? This is what we need to determine. "
He had stood up whilst pronouncing these words, his mind focused on the gears hung in front of him. Quite ironically, they were the perfect metaphor to describe their current problem… It was just a matter of figuring out which of them would move first, dragging the others along with it. What would the Revisionists' next first step be and how would that affect the Retrogrades?
"In other words, you have no choice but to reorganise the Second Unit? " Mikazuki announced as he narrowed his eyes, curious to know what his master had planned to do.
"For us Saniwa, every part of each unit is a valuable card to be played. " the boy contradicted with annoyance. That kind of accusation hardly befitted him.
I'm not one to declare my Toudan unworthy and simply shift them from one unit to another until it gives results.
"So what will you do? "
But his Touken Danshi's question remained unanswered as they got suddenly interrupted by two knocks on the door, this one abruptly opening to reveal Tsurumaru Kuninaga casually entering the office.
"Oh! Sorry, I didn't mean to bother you. " the latter stated before noticing who the Saniwa was with, his eyes then widening in surprise. "Mikazuki… you've changed, are you going? "
"Hahaha, indeed, the First Unit is going to be deployed. " Munechika confirmed, all seriousness fading to be replaced only by a certain amusement.
The tension in the room suddenly eased with the arrival of the white Tachi and the Sage simply let his worries go, sitting down at his desk and deciding to witness the discussion of his two Toudan silently.
"Ah, I see. " Tsurumaru sighed whilst looking away, seeming oddly disappointed. "That means our game will have to wait a bit longer. "
"Just a little more, yes. " the blue-haired sword replied in a murmur as he approached, placing a hand tenderly on his partner's head. "You're safe? "
"Sheesh, obviously! " Kuninaga exclaimed, shifting away to remove the hand off his hair, his cheeks slightly blushing. "What? Do you think I'm that carefree? "
"No, far from it. " Mikazuki asserted with a gentle smile, in turn tilting his head to the side as he related: "But you can't expect me not to worry, can you? "
"You know, old man. " began to say the white-haired Tachi, pouting. "I'm no child to take care of. Don't forget that I'm as wise as you are. "
"Oh? Is that how youngins say it these days? " Munechika mischievously teased, laughing overtly. "Hahaha! At last, you don't deny your age anymore. "
"Shut up! " Tsurumaru exclaimed as he crossed his arms over his chest, visibly embarrassed. "Damn grandpa…! "
The boy's mouth grinned mockingly at this exchange and he barely contained a laugh from crossing his lips as he turned to the window, concerned.
Well now, what's coming next?
Xxxxxxxxxx
"Yagen? I'm coming in. "
"Taishō, why are you here? "
The Saniwa closed his eyes whilst smiling at this question and entered the room without even providing an answer. Sitting on the floor, he set a rectangular wooden box beside him and stared at the injured thigh of his sword with interest.
"How's your injury? " he asked after a short silence, looking up at the puzzled Tantou.
"I'm fine. " declared the latter, understanding the reason for the presence of his master and placing a hand on the aforesaid wound to prove his point. "I don't even feel the pain anymore. "
"Just because you don't feel anything doesn't mean there's nothing. " the Sage pointed out, raising his eyebrows doubtfully. "I'm sure you've done a great job taking care of yourself, but I'd still like to check it out personally if you don't mind. "
"Yes, of course. " nodded Yagen, suppressing a sigh and stretching his leg compliantly.
The boy put his hands over the makeshift bandage of his sword and undid it slowly, being careful not to put too much pressure on the wound lest it bleed again. Eventually uncovered, the cut proved to be less severe than he initially thought it would be, wide but shallow, still covered in blood but already in the process of closing.
"No need for stitches, it seems. "
Then grabbing the box turning out to be a first-aid kit, he opened it and took out a thick compress and a white strip. Then, pressing one hand against the gash but still without pressure, he effortlessly focused on it, a celestial blue light glistening between the spaces of his fingers.
"That's not…! " the Toushirou wanted to protest, knowing full well what the Saniwa was about to do and straightening his leg abruptly.
But the latter shook his head in the negative whilst preventing him from moving it any more, as if to signify to him that he shouldn't have anything to say. The glow got replaced by a pleasant and temporary sensation of cold, as if a thin layer of snow had fallen on the wound and he quickly withdrew his palm, a white token now adorning the gash which he covered with the compress before bandaging once more the thigh of his Toudan.
"That really wasn't necessary…" the short sword muttered with bother, biting his lower lip forcefully.
"Don't force me to do it there too. " the boy teased as he pointed the Tantou's mouth with his chin, grinning mischievously when the latter obediently loosened his teeth.
Huffing, he closed his eyes for a second before finally reopening them on his master and whispered, looking away:
"Thank you. "
"My pleasure. " replied the Sage, relaxing suddenly and shifting to find a slightly more comfortable position. "With this, I'm feeling more reassured. "
"How do you mean? " Yagen was surprised, straightening up.
"I probably shouldn't be saying this… but despite Tonbikiri's uncertain state, I feel a lot better now. "
"Really? "
"Yes. I had a bad feeling from the start of this mission… maybe even longer than that… but it's like everything disappeared once you all got back to the citadel. " the cherry-haired boy indicated, deep in thought.
"In that case, that's a good thing. " affirmed the Toushirou benevolently.
"Indeed. "
Xxxxxxxxxx
He dipped the cloth firmly into the liquid, warm fingers meeting the coldness of the water in an electric shock. Wringing it out with both hands, he then slid it gently against the face of his sword, making sure to meticulously both cool him and rid him of the sweat caused by his mild fever.
A few strands of purple hair found themselves in his path from time to time, stopping him in his task, but he contented himself by pushing them away with the tips of his fingernails, being careful not to further hurt his sleeping Toudan. Soon enough, the latter would open his eyes, fully recovered after a night of hard work.
The cherry-haired boy suddenly tilted his head to the side as he looked back at the Yari, frowning in amazement. There was something... in the way his chest heaved less calmly... as if his body seemed to react in response to something he was seeing, dreaming...
Sighing in relief as he realised what it was all about, he laid the cloth against the edge of the water tray and smiled tenderly, patiently waiting for the blade to wake up.
"Hmm... where… " Tonbokiri mumbled huskily before turning his head to the right, his eyes slowly adjusting to the light and finally discerning his master's features. "Aruji-dono…? "
"Welcome back. " greeted the Sage, nodding happily. "You had us scared for a moment. "
"Wh-What happened? The Ootachi!? "
"The Ootachi was defeated thanks to you. You've been more than brave, and I couldn't be prouder of you. "
Smiling all the more at the embarrassed silence of his Touken Danshi, the Saniwa preferred to continue his explanations, placing the palm of his hand against his forehead to check that his fever had indeed broken whilst adopting a harsh tone which would admit no objections to his orders.
"Your injury turned out to be severe enough that you wouldn't wake up immediately and it took a considerable amount of time to heal you, so there is no question of you leaving this bed until you are fully recovered, did I make myself clear? "
"Y-Yes… thank you very much for your care. " the sword agreed with a thin grateful smile.
"As if it could have been otherwise... " the boy said, shaking his head casually and getting up to walk towards the entrance. "I'll tell Konnosuke to warn the others, I'm sure they'll be more than rejoiced to visit you. "
"Thank you. "
And with that, the shōji closed behind his silhouette, silence resuming its place in the room.
Xxxxxxxxxx
"You had me called? "
"Ah! Yes, Yamanbagiri, please come in. "
Plunged into semi-darkness, a holographic map open on the writing desk serving as the only source of light in the room, the office was already announcing that calm was far from having completely returned to the estate. A concerned look stuck on his face, the cherry-haired boy waved his Toudan in without even looking up from his screen, too busy with the many coordinates, dates, and other historical information scrolling on it.
Seeing this, the Uchigatana walked around the sofas and the coffee table and came to stand directly near the windows, leaning against them whilst crossing his arms over his chest, giving the boy plenty of time to finish his work before they strike up a conversation and reveal the reason for his presence here.
"You'll have to forgive me for warning you so late. " the Sage expressed as he finally looked back at him, the holographic screen suddenly shutting off as light was shining again in the room. "The last few hours have not been easy. "
"I've heard. " simply related the blond Kunihiro, static. "A mission? "
"An expedition to be exact. For the First Unit. And at the head of which I appoint you. " the Saniwa clarified as he rose from his seat, watching his sword with a contrite air as the latter was abruptly straightening up.
"I am what?! " he exclaimed, completely stunned.
"That's exactly why I asked you to forgive me. " his master intervened, taking a step forward with sudden seriousness. "I am well aware of the short timeframe I'm giving you to prepare yourself. Especially since you will be deploying soon and you'll also have a new recruit in your ranks. "
"A new recruit? "
"Yes… one most promising. "
Yamanbagiri ran a hand over his face at these two news, a little overwhelmed. Then, shaking his head in resignation, he, in turn, approached the boy and said but not without a hint of annoyance in his voice:
"I don't know what you were thinking about choosing me as the leader, but until then, what's the mission? "
Nodding contentedly, the Sage reactivated the holographic map, this time displayed on the wall in front of them, and informed:
"1565. Disturbances in the historical flow were perceived following the opening of space-time distortion. The data are alarming enough that I send a recon unit, but also disturbing enough that you must remain on your guard. "
"Understood. " the Uchigatana replied, nodding his head before questioning with concealed interest: "So, who's this new member? "
"Honebami Toushirou. " the Saniwa revealed, a knowing smile stretching the corners of his lips. "If it's okay with you, of course… "
"That's not for me to decide. " retorted his Toudan as he shrugged, however adding: "But if you ask for my opinion, then I think it's a very good choice. "
"Indeed. "
Satisfied, the cherry-haired boy quickly closed the screen and walked over to the western-style door, opening it just as someone was about to knock on it, revealing four surprised Touken Danshi behind.
"Just in time. " he punctuated, shifting to let them pass.
"Well, you always manage to surprise us. " stated Higekiri as he narrowed his eyes in an amused smile, rushing into the room with his brother Hizamaru, Oodenta Mitsuyo, and Honebami.
Taking a seat on the settees as the team leader resumed his place against the windows, the Saniwa presented the situation a second time to his swords, issued his recommendations to the newly introduced Wakizashi, and gave everyone a moment to assimilate all the information.
Suddenly the door opened again, Mikazuki Munechika casually making his arrival.
"Oya? " he exclaimed with his eyes widened, surprised to have taken so long that the others had already all gathered.
"You're late, Mikazuki. " the Tenka Goken complained more for form than anything else.
"You never were punctual, were you? " Hizamaru topped in a jaded way, almost too used to this behaviour.
"Sorry, sorry. I got held up changing clothes. " apologised the laughing Tachi, clearly unaffected by the reproaches. Then seeing the Toushirou near the Sage, he signalled with enthusiasm: "Oh, you've made it, Honebami Toushirou? "
"Yes. As of today, Honebami has been assigned to the First Unit. " the latter confirmed as he walked towards the group.
"I look forward to working with you, Mikazuki. " assented the Wakizashi solemnly.
"Yes, likewise. "
"All right, here's your directive. A time-space distortion of unprecedented scale has been detected in the year 1565. I'd like you all to investigate it, and protect history from the Time Retrograde Army. " the Saniwa ordered one last time before turning to his most distant Toudan, smiling slightly. "Now then, I'm counting on you, Commander Yamanbagiri Kunihiro! "
"Seriously… I don't know what you're expecting from a duplicate like me. " the latter huffed as he rolled his eyes, turning to his unit now. "First Unit, mobilise! "