Chapter 20: Redemption (Gackt)
When Tiger and the unit arrived at the clearing, the blood shed that welcomed them was not greatly received. The ninja surveied the area quickly while two soldiers tried hard not to gag. Tiger's eyes fell on the only body that had been covered over. The ninja knelt down and lift one corner of the cloth. She bit her lip hard so as not to cry out in alarm. "Here is Lu Xun. Take him to the castle." The ninja ordered standing up. The head general nodded his head and clicked his fingers. The unit surged into life, gently lifting Lu Xun's body.
Tiger glanced over her shoulder to see a second body. Turning fully to face it, Tiger felt over-welling hate for the body that was formerly known as Sima Yi. Tiger's eyes narrowed dangerously before delivering a powerful kick to the ribs. "It's your fault. All your fault." Tiger hissed. She span on her heel, bent down to collect Lu Xun's sabers and followed after the unit.
--
Masamune cautionlessly entered Zhen Shao's chamber. The little bodyguard was awake and sitting up in bed. The dragon noted how her once bright hazel eyes had a milky white film over them. It tore at his heart to see her like that. As the door clicked shut, Zhen turned her head towards Masamune. "Yes?"
"Good to see you're okay Zhen." Masamune smiled. The dragon perched himself on the edge of Zhen's bed. The bodyguard smiled warmly. Why must she smile like that? The last ever smile I saw of Lu Xun and she has the same smile. Masamune thought sadly.
"Lord Masamune! I am so happy that you've returned. Who led the ambush unit?" she inquried. Masamune licked his lips and clenched his right fist. The very image and name of him made Masamune angry. Angry enough to tear the room apart. The dragon took a deep breath to control his nerves.
"Sima Yi."
Zhen frowned deeply. "That would make sense. Sima Yi would do anything to have Lord Lu Xun to himself. Oh!" Zhen moved her head to Masamune. "Is Lord Lu Xun all right? I hope he did not have any injuries. I would feel as if I have failed in my duty..." Zhen paused, sensing a great sadness in the room. She cocked her to one side wondering why Masamune had not replied. "Lord Masamune? Where is Lord Lu Xun?"
Masamune gritted his teeth. "Zhen...the truth is..." Masamune jumped when a cold hand was placed on his arm. The dragon glanced to see Zhen staring at him. "Lu Xun died in the battle." Masamune answered quickly. Zhen's face paled further. The hand dropped from Masamune's arm. "He died trying to protect me from one of Sima Yi's attacks." Masamune looked at the slightly crumpled hat. Zhen gave out a small cry of protest.
"But...but..." she couldn't form words quick enough. "How badly was he injuried? Where was he hurt?" Zhen inquried suddenly. Masamune felt tears prick the back of his tears at the sight of Zhen's sudden shock and sadness.
"Sima Yi sent a purple bolt aimed for me. Lu Xun ran in front and took the bolt instead. It tore straight through his stomach." Masamune responded. The dragon gasped in surprise when Zhen wrapped her arms around his body. "I'm sorry Zhen. I wanted to bring him back here...to save him. Lu Xun told me to look after you and to give you this." Masamune pulled away from Zhen's hug and handed the little girl her lord's hat. Zhen gingerly took the crumpled item, breathing in the scent she had known to be her lord.
There was silence between the two.
"I'll leave you now Zhen." Masamune mumbled and got up from the bed. He waited for a cry of protest but when none came, the dragon continued on to the door. Zhen remained still until she heard the door click shut.
"Why? Why did you have to leave us? You weren't suppose to die." Zhen whispered. She wiped away a few tears. "I promised myself that I wouldn't cry but things are harder now. Lord Lu Xun...why did you have to die?"
--
Masamune had not gotten very far from Zhen's room when a soul-shattering scream erupted from the tiny bodyguard. Masamune gritted his teeth as the sobs quitened down. There was no doubt in Masamune's mind that Zhen would have been effected more then himself. He slammed the side of his fist into the wall of the castle. Damn you Sima Yi! Damn you Orochi! It's your fault!
"My lord!"
Masamune straightened himself up to see Tiger running towards him. The dragon tried to compose himself but he could still hear Zhen crying. "Azumi?" The ninja came to a stop in front of her lord and bowed.
"We have found Lord Lu Xun's bodyguard. I ordered some of the men to clean him up before the burial." Masamune nodded his head sadly. He eyed the two sabers that Tiger carried but said nothing. "How is Zhen?" Tiger inquried quickly. Masamune could not look at his bodyguard. He knew that Tiger loved the little girl like a sister, how could he tell her that Zhen's very being had been shattered?
"She's in her room. I think it would be better if you inform her of the funeral. I doubt she could stand being around me anymore." Masamune choked out before pushing his way past Tiger. The ninja stared at her lord in confusion. Suddenly she grabbed Masamune's arm tightly and refused to let go. "Tiger, let go." Masamune ordered. Tiger's grip did not soften. "Tiger. I order you to let me go!" Masamune hissed sharply.
"Why? Why do you think that Zhen would not stand being around you?" Tiger inquried quickly. Masamune stared at the wall.
"Her lord died. She'll blame me." That had to be the reason. After all if Masamune hadn't been so careless in his attack, his beloved wouldn't have gotten shot in the shoulder. If Lu Xun hadn't gotten shot, maybe...just maybe...he would have surived longer. The more Masamune thought about it, the more he knew he shouldered some of the blame along with Sima Yi. Because I'm a fool. Lu Xun lost his life defending a fool. She'll hate me for that reason alone. Masamune wept inside. Tiger's grip got tighter causing the dragon to look at her.
"She won't." Tiger stated firmly. "She will not blame you for the blood-shed, for every death. She will not blame you for the lose of her lord." The ninja felt tears in her eyes. She would make Masamune believe her. Tiger knew Zhen was a kind-hearted girl. She knew that Wu bodyguard would never blame Masamune for the tradegy that unfolded. "Whatever you care to think about her, Zhen will never abandon you. She will never blame you for what happened." Tiger whispered. Her grip finally loosened and her arm dropped down by her side. Before Masamune could reply, the ninja walked off back to Zhen's chamber.
--
The scounting party had finally returned from their mission. The leader bowed in front of Da Ji who continued to look out of her chamber window. There was nothing more she could do now as Orochi's end was drawing near. "Well, what do you have to report?" The fox asked.
"We found the ambush unit that lord Sima Yi had sent to capture Date Masamune and Lu Xun. Only..." The soldier paused and licked his lips. The images of the carnage they found was hard to take it. Da Ji snapped her head to face the soldier and glared heatedly.
"Well?"
"The unit was destoryed and Lord Sima Yi...Lord Sima Yi is dead." The soldier informed. Da Ji felt herself go cold. Sima Yi...was dead? But that was impossible! Sima Yi could not have been defeated so easily! The fox jumped from her perch and stalked closer to the soldier. The male bowed his head further before he was yanked to his feet. The soldier paled slightly but was surprised to see fear, not anger, in Da Ji's eyes.
"Are you sure?" The soldier quickly nodded his head. "What about Masamune and Lu Xun? Where there any signs of them? Any at all?" The fox inquried feverishly. They couldn't have escaped. They couldn't have! she kept repeating in her head. If only she believed herself.
The soldier swallowed. "N-no my lady. There were no signs of either Date Masamune or Lu Xun. It looks as though they may have surived." The soldier ventured. Da Ji's mouth fell open in shock and she dropped the soldier to the floor. He bowed again. "My Lady?"
"Just...Just get out of my sight." She ordered and turned to face the window again. The soldier bowed his head and quickly left the chamber of the fox.
--
The small grave marker had been hastely made and crudely put together. It looked tacky in the dying light of the setting sun but Masamune wasn't going to complain. Just like Masamune had planned, a proper funeral had been done for the former Wu warrior known as Lu Xun. Two pieces of red ribbon had been wrapped round the grave-marker and were flaping gently in the breeze.
Most of the soldiers had left, feeling a little out of place. They hadn't know Lu Xun long enough and felt that their lord needed the time alone more then anything. It was true to say that Masamune had changed. When the head general had left, only Tiger, Zhen and the dragon remained. Tiger closed her eyes briefly and glanced down to look at Zhen. "I'm going to go inside. You going to be okay?" she whispered. Zhen simply nodded her head. The ninja smiled a little and headed back inside the castle. She had barely gotten inside when the ninja burst into tears.
"My lord."
Masamune glanced down to Zhen. The little bodyguard had turned to face him. Clutched tightly in her hands, were Lu Xun's sabers. "I want you to have these." Zhen held the weapons out. The dragon could not say anything. He was only jolted into responding when Zhen pushed the sabers further towards him. Masamune shook his head quickly.
"I can't Zhen. They belonged to Lu Xun. They should be in your care, not mine." he stated. Zhen was having none of it. The little bodyguard continued to push the sabers towards Masamune, willing him to take the weapons.
"No my lord. Lord Lu Xun asked you to give me his hat. You have furfilled that part of your promise." Zhen began. Masamune's eye wondered to the red and gold hat that sat on her head. The fabric had been washed and was now free from blood and dirt. The two ribbons were missing from the hat. "I believe you should have Lord Lu Xun's weapons. That way we can both have one half of the man we both loved." Zhen explained. Masamune smiled warmly and took the weapons. Zhen pulled a small piece of ribbon into view. "Oh, and there was something else as well."
"Yes?" Masamine inquried. His eye was trained on the sabers steel, noting how grimy and bloody they looked. Certainly in need of a good clean. Masamune mused before looking down at Zhen. The bodyguard held the ribbon up to the dragon.
"It's the ribbon from Lord Lu Xun's hat. Azumi sniped it so you and I could share a piece." The wu bodyguard paused and pointed to another piece of ribbon tied round the top of her arm. "Tiger also has one. To remember Lord Lu Xun." Zhen explained. Masamune gently took the ribbon from the young girl who smiled. "We'll get by my lord. I know we will." and with that Zhen cautionlessly made her way back to the castle.
Masamune watched her leave then turned his sights to Lu Xun's grave. "I'm sorry. I don't have the guts to tell her what really happened. I blame myself for your death but Sima Yi deserved to die." Masamune placed a hand on the grave marker. "I swear, right here and right now, on your grave that everyone who serves Orochi will die by my blade. They will pay for tearing us apart. Then... and only then, I only hope I found some sort of redemption in your eyes." Masamune nodded his head and headed inside.
If the dragon had remained where he was, he would have noticed a trail of cherry-blossom, floating along the breeze. Two small white feathers joined in the dance. Had Masamune stayed even longer to watch he would have heard a voice, the breeze carried it along before dying in the air.
"I never blamed you. Not once."
And that, my fair readers, is the end of that. I wanna thank every one of you for reviewing! Thank you so much!