That morning everyone awoke quickly and immediately got dressed. They knew that today was the fight they had been waiting for. If they finished this they would get Konoka and Chizuru back. Setsuna found that everything hurt. Her whole body was just immersed in pain from yesterday's fight. The doctors who had patched them all up had told them not to do anything strenuous for at least a month. First thing they were doing the next day was hiking halfway across town with the intention of getting some answers and fighting Tsukuyomi.
Kotaro spoke calmly as they walked. "You know. I think this whole thing has been a way for us to grow as fighters as well as people. I can't think of any other time in my life where I've felt this sure about anything. What sucks is that it was Fate who caused all of this to happen. I don't know about you guys but I want to hear his reason for doing all of this. I would preferably like him dead but we aren't that strong yet."
Kaede nodded her agreement. She knew there wasn't much to add to what Kotaro had said. Setsuna quietly said, "We can't lose today. We're not at the top of our game but we have to win. I have a broken arm and Kotaro; you have a few broken bones yourself. Kaede, you're the only one of us that didn't have any serious injury. We're going to need you the most today. I can fight one-handed so I should be fine. We're all going to have to work together like we did yesterday. Konoka and Chizuru are coming back with us no matter what."
Kotaro and Kaede silently agreed. The rest of the hike was spent in relative silence. They stopped and took breaks along the way. Setsuna hadn't reckoned the trip through town would take so long. It was already past midday when they got to the base of the foot hills. Setsuna looked up at the hills and could only see one building. She groaned slightly as she noticed it was halfway up the large hill in front of her. "Well this is going to be fun" Kotaro said sarcastically, noting where the building was.
A surprise awaited them at the bottom. Fate stood there quietly and gave them a thin smile before saying, "It's not too far now. I will give you one warning. Tsukuyomi awaits you halfway between here and the house you saw. Make it there and everything will finally become clear. I'll be waiting for you there. Enjoy your walk." Before anyone could say anything or move Fate vanished in a gate spell.
Kotaro kicked a rock at the sign at the base of the hill that read, '5 miles to halfway house'. Setsuna was equally annoyed by Fate's sudden appearance and disappearance. Knowing where to expect to an attack was good but knowing where didn't help any of them with when. Setsuna wondered when Tsukuyomi would attack once they reached the halfway point to the halfway house. Knowing that would have helped to ease her mind about a lot of things.
The forest at the bottom of the trail was warm, almost tropical. Kotaro complained about how warm it was, saying it was all a part of Fate's evil plan to prevent them getting Konoka and Chizuru back. Setsuna agreed with him. She felt like the hike was going to last forever. Being here at midday was brutal. It was around ninety degrees out and the shade didn't help to cut the heat much. Setsuna felt like she was going to sweat to death.
It was a good thing that there was a stream that followed the trail or else they would have collapsed from dehydration a long time back on the trail. The water was clear and cool. Setsuna had stopped several times to drink out of the stream as did Kotaro and Kaede. They were beginning to wonder exactly how long they had been hiking up the winding path leading up the mountain. Kaede mentioned that it couldn't have been for more than an hour or so since the sun hadn't moved much. The hike was slowly wearing on their resolve to move forward. Setsuna finally had them all take a break.
"We need to keep going no matter how long of a hike this is. Kotaro, you and I have loved ones that need to be rescued and if we fail them they will fell like we let them down when we were needed most. I knew that this path wouldn't be easy and I think that's what fate is trying to get us to realize. Nothing in life should be easy if it is worth having. If you gain something too easily it will be worth less to you in the long run. If we give up here we lose everything we fought for and I don't want that. This whole thing has made me realize exactly what it is I want in my life. I want Konoka to share everyday with me, regardless of how bad things get. Kotaro, I'm sure you're starting to feel the same way about Chizuru and Kaede, I'm sure there's someone you feel this way about as well even if you haven't voiced those feelings. So let's take a couple of minutes to take a break and catch our breath. Tsukuyomi could be anywhere on the way up and we have to be prepared for it."
Kotaro smiled and thanked Setsuna. Kaede nodded her thanks. A voice from above them said, "Well said Sempai. I'm sure that little pep talk will do you and your friends a lot of good in the fight. Of course Fate said not to kill you but beyond that I can do anything I wish with all of you." Tsukuyomi was smiling as she landed in front of them holding her katana.
Setsuna looked at Tsukuyomi in mild surprise. She hadn't expected her to appear so early. Tired as they were from the climb up, Setsuna didn't know how they would fare. Tsukuyomi smiled and slowly walked over to Setsuna. She smiled and gently grabbed Setsuna's face by the chin. "You could make this easy on all of you Sempai. You could just surrender to me, let me have my way with you and then I'll let you go on your way."
Setsuna thought for a moment before replying. She knew that if she lowered herself to that level it would be the end of her solely being for Konoka alone, but if Tsukuyomi won there would be no one to save Konoka. Setsuna sighed slightly and as she started to speak Kaede quietly said to her, "Don't give yourself over to her. We can stand and fight here. It's all a part of Fate's plan I'm sure. It seems to me like he's seeing how loyal you'll be to yourself and Konoka. We can take her no problem, injuries or not."
Setsuna smiled and thanked Kaede. She looked at Tsukuyomi, her stare cold. She drew her sword and said, "I'm not giving myself over to you Tsukuyomi. Not now, not ever. We will stand and fight. I hope you are prepared for this. We have all found something that drives us forward and allows us to overcome our limitations. I can't say what it is exactly for Kotaro and Kaede, but for me it is my love for Konoka and my desire to be with her that gives me my drive. You will not slow us down one bit. We will reach them and settle this with Fate once and for all."
Tsukuyomi merely smiled and then attacked. Her blade swung downward in an arc. She then switched the direction of the swing and halfway through bringing it up, swung down vertically. Setsuna effortlessly blocked the sword and slid her sword down the length of Tsukuyomi's, twisting it around in a circle motion to disarm Tsukuyomi. Tsukuyomi countered the disarming move by imitating the move and disengaging their swords. Kotaro let out one of his ki attacks at her unguarded side and Kaede threw a fuma shuriken at the other. Setsuna saw what the others were doing and tried to keep Tsukuyomi's blade occupied. Tsukuyomi Jumped and somersaulted over Setsuna to dodge the incoming attacks. As Tsukuyomi landed, Kotaro swept her feet out from under her and as she fell, kicked her skyward.
Tsukuyomi had been off guard and Kotaro had surprised her with a shundo. Setsuna and Kaede both jumped up to return Tsukuyomi to ground with a backward spinning kick. The wind was driven out of her as Setsuna and Kaede's kicks impacted. Tsukuyomi watched her vision swim and knew that their teamwork was going to easily defeat her. Kotaro stood underneath where Tsukuyomi was going to fall and knocked her out by spinning her so that she faced downward and driving his knee into her solar plexus. Tsukuyomi was out cold before she hit the ground.
"Hope we didn't kill her." Kotaro said, "That was way too easy. Fate seems to be setting this whole thing up. I don't like it."
"You're not the only one Kotaro-dono." Kaede said as she collected Tsukuyomi's unconscious from and set her down on a flat rock near the edge of the trail.
Setsuna sheathed her blade and they continued the climb. She thought to herself that perhaps Kotaro was right. Maybe Fate had set all of this up. But why had he done it? She pondered that question as they continued up the trail. A sign up ahead told them that it was a mere tenth of a mile to the halfway house. Kotaro let out a sarcastic yell of happiness. Setsuna ignored him and told them they still had a ways to go. After a few more switchbacks, the hut was visible up ahead on the trail. Their goal was in sight and yet it still seemed so far away.
Setsuna smiled and spoke as they approached, "We've reached our goal. It feels like it has taken so long to get here. I feel like months have passed since Konoka was taken when I know it has only been a couple of days. I have to thank the two of you for showing up. If not for you I think I would never have stood a chance. You both have taught me something that I should have learned years ago. Friends are more valuable than anything in the world and having the will to never give up when you're fighting for something you believe in. I want Konoka back more than anything in the world. She is my other half and part of me feels like it is gone without her nearby. Fate has some explaining to do, I don't care if we have to force it out of him. He will tell me exactly what is going on and why."
Kotaro stood there, a slight breeze ruffled his hair. He knew how Setsuna felt and why she was willing to go to such lengths for Konoka. He would do the same for Chizuru. He spoke, the words slow and unsure, "No, Setsuna. I'm the one who should be thanking you. You've shown me how love is more than just the nice gestures, kisses and affection. Love is giving your whole heart over to the other person and having the will to fight for your love. I never knew that before this whole thing unfolded. So thank you for teaching me that lesson."
Setsuna smiled. Kaede also spoke, "We have all gained something from this trip. Even I have gained something. I have gained the desire to tell the one I like how I really feel, although I do not know how they will take it. If they turn me down, I will still know that I tried rather than never letting them know."
Kotaro broke into a smile. Teasingly he asked, "Who's the lucky one that caught your eye?"
Kaede blushed and said, "If you must know it is Yuna Akashi. I find her to be a very spirited and lively person. I like her personality and I think she's pretty."
Both Kotaro and Setsuna were surprised by this. They had figured it would have been Mana Tatsumiya or Ku Fei. While they were all discussing this, Kaede turned further red. They walked into the courtyard of the halfway house. Fate was comfortably seated on a rock and Konoka and Chizuru were both handcuffed to the pillars outside the doorway. "I do so hate to interrupt your happiness but I believe I owe you something for getting this far." Fate said coldly as he stared at the three of them.
(Author's note: Finals killed any time I had to work on this chapter, so I apologize for its vast lateness. The reason I had for pairing Kaede and Yuna is that I didn't want to take the obvious one and just throw it out there. I wanted it to be something that, as a person, Kaede would have to really search her feelings before coming out and saying them. Next Chapter coming soon if all goes well. Read and enjoy.)
Shinobi of the Onyx Sands