Chapter Nine: Moto no Aruji - (元の主): Former Master.

Bluish buds with purple shades were blooming to the rhythm of the sun flying over the plains in the early morning to leave them at dusk, petals with exotic scent unfolding like butterfly wings fluttering in the wind that was making dance the emerald green leaves of trees on which sparrowhawks and nightingales were coming to rest before returning wander again through the woods to the south.

Soon this resplendent landscape would wilt away like bouquets adorning vases. The colours would take on blood-rust hues, oscillating between red and orange under a stormy grey sky. Little by little, summer would wave farewell, silently dying under the torrential autumn rains mourning its departure.

The eternal cycle of nature. The timeless renewal of the seasons that could only come one after another to the approval of the gods.

Clinging to time was as futile as wishing summer to never end. For every pain that the past had engendered, equal happiness awaited each in the future. Even if the present was not as radiant and shimmering as the May cherry trees about to wither, there was no need to despair. After all, continuance was power. (*)

"How went the mission? "

"Hahaha, as you know we have met some nice surprises. "

"But we managed. "

"As usual. "

"It was nothing like the peaceful mission I had imagined. "

"You definitely can't blame me for this, I had no idea the Revisionists were capable of such feats. "

On the office wall, the holographic screen still displayed the footage of the mysterious Retrograde that the First Unit had such a hard time beating. Debriefing the last expedition, the Saniwa and his Touken Danshi were always coming back to the same subject, the strangeness of this enemy and his possible link with the shogun Ashikaga Yoshiteru.

"But, for now, I was mostly asking the question to Honebami. It shouldn't be forgotten that this was his first expedition. " the boy indicated with a gentle smile, his gaze drifting from the dark-haired Tenka Goken to the Wakizashi.

"Ah… " the latter gasped, somewhat surprised. "Yes, everything went well. Thank you… "

"Hmm. " the Sage nodded with another smile. "No complaints to make? "

"Oi! What that's supposed to mean?! " snarled Oodenta, crossing his arms over his chest defensively.

"That's right, we were especially nice to the newbie. " Higekiri clarified with a slyly smile, though slightly sulky.

"Come on, I'm just getting an opinion. " declared the Saniwa, rolling his eyes with amusement. "An outside look is always good advice. "

"Hahaha! Well, I am curious to hear the opinion of this dear Honebami…? " Mikazuki commented as he squinted, inquisitive.

"Ah... hmm... "

Seated in front of him on the sofa, the Toushirou was not feeling very confident. Each of his teammates was now insistently watching him, impatiently awaiting his answer. Although it didn't sound like intimidation, they were nonetheless eager to know. Perhaps were they just worried that they had made a mistake with him. But even with that, they were the senior members of the team; it was up to him, simple junior, to prove himself worthy of their teaching… Indeed, Yagen was not totally wrong, to be within a unit was not an easy thing.

"No, no complaints. "

Nodding again, the cherry-haired boy rose from his seat to lean against the ledge of his desk, face to face with his swords. He could almost have felt their sigh of relief when the short blade had responded. Obviously enough, they had discreetly taken care of him whilst also giving him some responsibilities to see what he was truly capable of.

A very good method, yes.

"I see no reason to change this unit then. I hope remaining its commander suits you, Yamanbagiri? "

"No need to pretend otherwise, this is what you wanted from the start. " answered the aforesaid commander, jaded.

"But that's a role that looks great on you, isn't it Mikazuki? " the Sage teased, mischievous.

"Absolutely. " the Tachi did not hesitate to assert, playing along.

"Oh shut up… " the blond Kunihiro retorted as he hid under the hood of his cloth, embarrassed.

Bursts of laughter then echoed in almost perfect harmony across the room as everybody, one by one, kindly began to mock the poor and helpless Yamanbagiri. Until, very quickly, the tone of voices rose as wounded in his pride, the Uchigatana retaliated vengefully.

Even so, the mood remained good-natured and pleasant, and he found himself relaxing like he hadn't done it for a long time now. No matter what would happen next, right now he was feeling fine.

The leaves of the trees could suddenly fall, the flowers wither, and the plains get crushed by the still far away violent autumn thunderstorms, there was nothing that could mar this momentary joy.

But nothing lasted. Ephemeral like dew watering the earth at the dawn of a new day.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Stifling white clouds of steam escaping from the dishes cooking slowly on the burners, mixing with the summer heat outside as well as the bodies bustling here and there, making the air in the room unbearable.

Wiping his forehead with a small towel resting on his shoulders, Iwatooshi huffed heavily and refocused on his work in progress, shaping the onigiri into a triangular shape before covering them with a sheet of nori and placing them on a large plate to his left. Facing him, the Saniwa was doing the same, following the same pattern and never losing the pace. They were now so many within the citadel that the servings seemed to never end.

By the burners, overseeing the cooking, Shokudaikiri and Kasen were also busy working despite the overwhelming furnace that the kitchen had become. Grilling fish on one side, simmering vegetables on the other along with the usual miso soup and udon noodles infusing in matcha leaves on another… A feast specially prepared for the occasion, with the idea of sharing a convivial meal all together although the ever-higher temperatures were rather urging you to jump into the nearest pond and never leave it ever again.

"So I heard that the Second Unit had been deployed in Kyoto this time? " Kasen suddenly related, preferring to occupy his mind by discussing rather than inwardly cursing the surrounding heat.

"That's right. In the era Keiō 2. " the boy answered without taking his eyes off of what he was doing.

"Gahahahaha! You're playing the reckless one again. " exclaimed the red-haired Yari casually.

"That is to say? " the Sage asked, raising a questioning eyebrow at his Toudan as he was putting an onigiri on the plate.

"At such an era, there is a good chance that Mutsunokami-san and the former members of the Shinsengumi will meet their former masters. " Mitsutada indicated calmly, dipping a ladle into the soup before pouring the content into a saucer to test the flavour.

"It's a habit with you, we're used to it. " Iwatooshi continued, cutting new sheets of nori.

"And the approach is remarkable in many ways. " Shokudaikiri carried on.

"But I... well... we... are worried that this may turn against you one day. " Nosada finished in a stammering voice, obviously uncomfortable.

The words of his swords forced him to stop abruptly and, wiping his hands on a tea towel, the Saniwa walked around the kitchen island to come closer, tilting his head to the side whilst questioning:

"And what would be the solution to avoid such a debacle? " but receiving only a long, annoyed silence as an answer, he resumed: "I reckon that the most reasonable would be to constantly send Touken Danshi who have no connection with the history that the Revisionists are attacking, but I doubt that's possible when more than half of you have lived for centuries, thereby being owned by many masters. "

"It's just… we can never predict what reaction one of us might have. "

"True, but it's part of the risks that I'm willing to take. "

"What if it were to happen? "

"If it were to happen, Iwatooshi, I will decide in due course. "

"There are many reasons to want to change history and many reasons not to do so… if one of us were to change the time-space flow in order to be able to save our former master, then… " the Uchigatana with an eyepatch murmured, unable to finish his sentence.

"Where loyalty lies, the heart is. " the Sage pronounced softly, a slightly sad smile blooming on his lips. "If really nothing is holding you here, if your heart belongs only to your former master, then I can only let you go. As for protecting history from any change... well, I guess other Saniwas will be able to handle it, and that, much better than I do... "

"Aruji… "

Xxxxxxxxxx

"That was unexpected. "

"Careful, I can be good at that sort of things too. "

"I see that. But I prefer the match to be tough, otherwise where would be the fun? "

"You're right, you're right. I'm going to have as much fun as I can, but at times like this, it's the greedier one who loses, you know? "

"Oh? Am I the greedier one? "

"Sure you are if you only request for tough fights. "

Cracking a smile, the cherry-haired boy moved one of the pawns to the frontline, right before his king to be sacrificed in case of attack from the opposing side, and looked up back at his Toudan, sarcastic.

"Who said he was going to have as much fun as he can? "

"How cruel… using my own pawn to protect your king… what a heartless General… "

"Sacrifices are inevitable, Nikkari. "

Narrowing his eyes doubtfully, the Wakizashi shrugged and moved his rook to the side, seemingly without any goal behind.

"Oh well, I guess I should keep that advice in mind. " he said, cynical.

"That's not…! " wanted to protest the Saniwa, suddenly realising the double meaning of his words. "It's not like that… "

"No? Are you telling me that the strategies you're using here are different from the ones you're using against the Revisionists? "

"To sacrifice wood pieces and Touken Danshi are two different things. "

"We are objects. As much as these shōji pieces. Human life? This concept does not apply to our condition All of this aside, you haven't answered my question. "

Observing the board without further interest, the Sage remained quiet for a few seconds and looked for something to say. Finally resigning himself, he moved one of his pawns right next to the other, satisfied.

"They aren't. And I do not admit sacrifices but in last resort. "

"Oh my, did I strike a chord by any chance? " Nikkari asked with surprise, concerned about the slight grim look that had passed through his master's eyes.

The boy looked up again at his sword, impassive. Around them, time seemed to have undeniably stopped, wind no longer blowing through the trees' branches, birds stopping to chirp, cicadas to sing, the citadel suddenly becoming silent… Colours had abruptly tarnished, a long monochrome landscape now stretching before him as he was turning his head to his left, speechless.

A feeling of intense cold then ran through his body, freezing his heart, gnawing at his bones, biting his flesh. The feeling of loneliness, emptiness, as if nothing counted anymore, nothing mattered anymore. It was a feeling that hadn't gripped him in for a longer time than he had imagined. Blank stare, brow furrowed, he grabbed his king and laid it over his opponent's jewelled general, giving a disgusted grimace as his face got covered by a veil of regret.

"There was a time when I was taking everything for granted. And as a result, I was more prompt to get rid of what, to many, might seem... troublesome. "

"Meaning? " questioned the green-haired sword, intrigued.

"I did not care about the consequences as long as I got what I wanted. " replied the Saniwa bluntly.

"I find it hard to imagine you doing that. " the Wakizashi indicated, tilting his head to the side sceptically.

"The experiences of the past change and shape us all. " the Sage explained with a sad small smile. "I ended up getting to a point where what I had sacrificed was worth more than what I had gotten. And I bitterly regretted that choice. "

"So, you've changed? "

"I revised my priorities and focused on what really matters. "

"The past? "

"The present. "

Endnote:

(*): {継続は力なり。(Keizoku wa chikara nari), literally: Continuance is power/strength. Meaning: Don't give up. Just continuing to hold on will reveal strength and power. We can also use the idiom Perseverance is a strength.

Onigiri and Nori: Japanese culinary preparation consisting of a rice ball, usually wrapped in a black seaweed called nori. Of course, any good anime fan knows what it looks like.

Udon: Another kind of traditional Japanese noodles. Thicker than ramen but less thin than soba.

Matcha: is a very fine powder of ground green tea, which has been crushed. It is used for the Japanese tea ceremony and as a colouring or natural flavouring with food.

Keiō: was a Japanese-era name after Genji and before Meiji. The period spanned the years from May 1865 to October 1868.