A Samurai's Pledge
A/N: Thank you to everyone who participated in the poll. The next story will be interesting to say the least. A mix of Romance, some Angst, Fluff, and Humor along with a tiny bit of Family, Drama, and Hurt/Comfort. It will take me some time to formulate this story, but fear not, I'll leave you some things to read in the mean time. :)
I've tried to keep everyone as close as possible to their characters in the anime though I'm sure there will be a few OOC moments.
For those of you who left unsigned reviews, see my replies below:
Guest – Thanks for the comment. Whether or not this ends happily, well... just read the chapter below. :P
Sammie-Chan89 – Thanks for the comment. I think Shamal will be okay. She's tough. :) Though, if you don't believe me, you can just read on below. ^^
Disclaimer: The characters and the worlds I write in do not belong to me. The stories that I write are intended for entertainment purposes. I do not make any money from them.
*** ~ Chapter 14: A Samurai's Pledge ~ ***
It was a muttered curse which drew Shamal from her slumber.
Consciousness started with the twitch of her fingers, soon after followed by the furling of her brow, and before long, hazy violet eyes opened groggily.
At first, all that Shamal knew was confusion. Where was she? How did she get here? What- A gasp of pain escaped her lips as the blonde tried to sit up.
"Shamal!"
Two small hands pressed down on her shoulders, forcing her to lie back down again.
"You shouldn't be moving yet!" scolded a voice in her ears. "You're still hurt!"
"Wh-what?"
"Rein, go tell Hayate that Shamal is awake. Agito, grab one of those baka Deshi who should be here right now."
"Hai!" two voices said in unison.
There was a whoosh or air, and then silence.
"Vita... chan...?"
Blinking lethargically, it took Shamal a good few seconds to realize it was Vita who stood by her bedside. The blonde former Head Healer could only assume it was also Vita who pushed her back down in bed before as well.
"Hai Shamal?"
"What..." A swallow. "What are you doing here?"
Shamal was in the Imperial Hospital, on one of the many beds which occupied this particular wing of the Imperial Palace. Having never been on this side of the bed before, it originally confused the blonde as to where she was. Then the familiarity of the crisp white walls and the aromatic hint of medicinal herbs tickled her senses, the former Head Attendant sinking back into her bed with relief. Shamal almost giggled. Being on this side of the bed certainly gave her a new perspective on things. Though one thing bothered her. How long had she been here? Judging by the light seeping in from the windows, Shamal guessed it to be sometime in the afternoon.
Vita scowled. "What does it look like I'm doing here?" the redhead huffed in annoyance. "I'm taking care of you. Kami only knows where those damned Deshi of yours are."
Shamal smiled. It was a well known fact that Vita hated doting on people. She'd been that way ever since she was a child. Perhaps such a dislike stemmed from her treatment by the Imperial Maids, for before they lived in the Imperial grounds, Vita was always an affectionate child. Such affection was nowhere to be seen nowadays. Of course, the redhead always made an exception for certain people, but that was beside the point.
"I'm sorry Vita-chan," Shamal said. "But thank you."
Vita crossed her arms over her chest and looked away, frowning. "It's nothing." A soft blush coloured her cheeks.
Shamal smiled again. Then her thoughts drifted back to her original question, and her smile turned sour.
"Vita-chan?"
"Hai Shamal?" The redhead turned back to Shamal.
"What... happened? How did I get here?"
Vita pursed her lips. Looking away for a moment, her hands clenching into fists, the redhead looked back at the older woman again. "What was the last thing you remember, Shamal?"
Shamal stared at Vita, her features scrunching up as she searched her fragmented memories in recollection.
"I remember Signum-san... meeting me at the city gates..." Shamal began, her eyes going unfocused as she sifted through her memories. "We were talking..."
A beautiful smile blossomed across the blonde's face as she spoke. Signum had said she loved her. That was the happiest moment of Shamal's life.
"And then..."
Shamal's eyes widened in horror, a hand immediately reaching up to grasp at her shirt in reaction.
"Signum-san's chest plate was red-"
Another gasp escaped her lips as Shamal struggled to sit up again, whimpering in pain as her body protested the movement.
"Shamal! Wait!"
Vita's hands were on her shoulders again, trying to push her back down on the bed.
"S-Signum-" Shamal said in a pained breath. "W-Where is she? She was hurt! I have to-"
"Oye!" Vita exclaimed as Shamal fought against her. "Calm down Shamal! She's right there!"
Shamal's head whipped to the side following Vita's gaze, the blonde immediately freezing upon sight of the one she sought. Missed in her original scan of the room upon waking, and sleeping upright in a chair next to her bed, was Signum. The samurai's left arm was heavily bound and tied up in a sling, the pinkette's head tipped back, resting against the top of the chair. Signum's expression was one of calm and peace, something Shamal couldn't but be enraptured by, as she hadn't seen such an expression on the samurai's face in a very long time.
"She's alright..." Shamal sunk back down into bed.
How the samurai captain slept through all of this noise was a mystery to Shamal. Signum wasn't known for being a heavy sleeper. Like Shamal, she'd awake to the sound of a pin dropping. But such things weren't important now. Signum was safe. That was all that mattered.
In the moment Shamal remembered the pain, everything else came rushing back to her.
Cypha of Hückebein.
The killer of her cousin.
Signum's tears and pain.
Signum's rage.
The soft, gentle embrace.
Her knight.
"Baka!" Vita hissed quietly.
Violet eyes darted back to the redhead.
"You're always like this!" Vita's hands were clenched into fists, the redhead trembling with suppressed anger. "You're always so quick to make sure everyone else is alright, but what about you!?"
"Vita-"
"Why do you do that!?"
Tears pooled in the corners of Vita's eyes. "You almost died Shamal! You..."
Vita gritted her teeth, squeezing her eyes shut. "Do you know what it was like, watching you bleed out on the ground? Do you know what it was like watching a half dead Signum fight for her life, and yours, and not be able to do anything about it?"
"Vita-chan..."
"Why didn't you tell me!? Why did I have to hear it from Hayate, that you were leaving? And with her! The one who hurt Signum the first time!"
Shamal frowned, unable to do anything else. Hearing it from Vita now did make it sound rather foolish.
"Baka! Shamal is a baka!"
Tears hit the ground, Vita slumping to her knees, her arms and head pressing down on Shamal's lap. The redhead sobbed, shaking. A gentle hand reached out and patted Vita on the head, Shamal smiling sadly as the girl she knew from birth cried her eyes out. It was so easy to forget how young Vita was. She grew up very quickly. Just like Hayate.
There was a very valid reason why she didn't tell Vita she was leaving. Aside from Signum, Vita was the only other person who could have stopped Shamal from leaving. While Hayate was a very important person to Shamal, the brunette would respect her enough to let her make her own choices, her own decisions. But Vita, the girl would have probably picked her up, tossed Shamal over her shoulder like a sack of rice (yes, Vita was incredibly strong for her age, something given to her by Graf Eisen), and carried the blonde home and that would be that.
"Forgive me, Vita-chan," Shamal said quietly. She stroked the redhead's hair. "I promise, I won't do that again."
"You better not," a new voice said.
Shamal turned her head towards the door, just in time to see the Empress walk through, along with Rein and Zafira.
"If you did, I'd personally drag you back here kicking and screaming if I had too."
"Hayate-chan..."
"Me too!" Rein added, puffing out her chest as if to show her resolve.
Shamal smiled. "Rein-chan..."
Zafira chose to say nothing, but judging by the smile stretched across his fuzzy muzzle, he definitely mirrored the sentiments of the other two in his company.
"How are you feeling?" the Empress asked, the brunette mindfully walking around the sleeping samurai before sitting at the edge of Shamal's bed. Zafira sat down on his hind quarters next to Signum while Rein floated down until she stood on Shamal's bed next to Hayate.
Shamal looked down at her blanketed feet before turning back to the Empress again. "It's strange," she said. "Being on this side of the bed for a change."
Hayate chuckled. "I bet it is."
Hearing sniffles opposite her, the Empress looked over with a smile. "Vita-chan," she said, reaching over to ruffle the redhead's hair. "Enough of that now. Shamal is fine. And so is Signum."
Vita sniffled again, her voice trembling when she spoke. "But-"
"Hey," Hayate said, brushing a tear from her cousin's cheek. "Enough tears. Go wash your face."
Vita scrubbed at her eyes with her hands, nodding reluctantly. "Hai," she said, soon after walking out of the Imperial Hospital.
"I should probably go with her to make sure she doesn't get lost." Zafira rose to his feet, soon after turning around to follow after the redhead. He paused after a few steps. "Would you mind keeping me company, Rein-san?"
The tiny sprite looked between Zafira and the other women in the room. "Sure thing Zaffy! Lead the way!"
Zafira almost snorted. "Zaffy?" the demon wolf questioned as the two of them also left the Imperial Hospital. Their voices quickly faded down the hallway.
"Hayate-"
"You had us all really worried, Shamal," the Empress said, visibly deflating. The brunette brought up a hand to her face, breathing deeply.
Shamal smiled sadly, turning her gaze to her blanketed legs again.
"The only other time I've been this scared was when you took over the kitchen from Nanoha-chan that one night."
Shamal nodded, remembering that night in crystal clarity. It started off well, with Shamal-
Wait.
Shamal's head snapped up to the Empress. "Hey now!" she protested, flushing in embarrassment now that her brain had finally caught up to her ears. "I wasn't that bad!"
Hayate smothered a laugh with her hands. "It was a miracle none of us got food poisoning that night," she said chuckling.
"Hayate-chan!"
Giggles spilled from the brunette's lips, Shamal puffing out her cheeks in indignation as she stared at the ceiling refusing to meet the Empress' gaze. "Hmpf!"
The Empress smiled at that, knowing the blonde wouldn't stay mad at her for too long. It had been that way since she was a child. As stern and tough as Shamal was when raising Hayate, there were times the blonde couldn't but spoil her too. The Empress sighed wistfully, truly missing those happy times. So many things had changed from then, and not all of it good.
"She's still out there, you know."
Shamal turned back to the Empress. She? Seeing as Signum was here with them, Hayate couldn't have been referring to the pinkette. Did she mean Nanoha or Fate?
"Cypha of Hückebein."
Violet eyes went wide, the former Head Healer going pale.
"W-what?"
Hayate rested her hand over top of Shamal's, giving the blond a gentle squeeze. "Don't worry," the Empress reassured. "She's not a threat to anyone anymore. Signum made sure of that."
At the mention of the samurai, Shamal's gaze drifted over to the slumbering pinkette nearby.
"Besides, Nanoha-chan and Fate-chan are out looking for her now," Hayate added. "It will only be a matter of time now. Our Taichou really gave her hell."
A smile tugged across Shamal's lips. "Speaking of our Taichou," she said, her smile quickly turning into a frown.
"Signum-san was never one to sleep through so much noise before. Is she alright?"
Hayate looked at Signum, a guilty smile on her face.
Shamal's expression darkened. "What did you do?"
Hayate swallowed uncomfortably under Shamal's dark look. "I... may or may not have slipped something into her tea to get her to sleep."
A sweet, sheepish smile.
"Hayate!"
"What!?" the Empress defended. "She was ready to murder anyone and everyone who came through that door since you both got here! It didn't matter she had only one good arm! How could I not!?"
Before Shamal could retort, a groan sounded. Signum's head turned to the side a few inches, the samurai captain showing signs of stirring.
Violet eyes raised to meet the Empress' gaze.
"I think now would be a good time for you to leave Hayate-chan," Shamal said, a mischievous grin stretching across her face.
"What for?"
Shamal gave the brunette a look. "If you were afraid of Signum before, what do you think she'll do to you once she finds out you drugged her tea?"
Brown eyes widened.
"You wouldn't dare!"
Violet eyes twinkled. "Wouldn't I?" Shamal's grin widened.
Hayate's jaw dropped, her mouth opening and closing a few times. "You dare blackmail the Empress of all of Japan?" The brunette almost squeaked those words out when she finally got over her initial shock.
Another moan from Signum.
"Maybe?" Shamal replied.
"Ohhhh that's clever, Shamal," Hayate said chuckling, conceding defeat. "Very clever."
"I learn from the best," the blonde said smiling brightly.
Hayate had a good laugh at that. "That you did," the Empress said, rising to her feet. Reaching over, she gently wrapped her arms around Shamal's shoulders and pulled the blonde into a hug.
"I'm so glad both of you are alright," the brunette whispered. The arms around Shamal tightened slightly. "If something had happened to either of you..."
"Hayate-"
"Well!" the Empress quickly said, releasing Shamal from her grip. Shamal didn't miss the flash of fear in the brunette's eyes just before the Empress quickly squashed it down and out of sight.
"I really must get going," the Empress continued on. "I do have a country to run after all, when I'm not being blackmailed by my own family, that is."
A pointed look at Shamal.
Shamal rolled her eyes. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do," she couldn't resist saying.
The Empress stopped in the doorway to the Imperial Hospital and smiled. "I can make no promises." And with a wink, Hayate was gone.
Shamal looked back to Signum again.
"Oh, by the way," Hayate said, her head popping into the doorway to the Imperial Hospital. "I have somehow managed to misplace your resignation letter," the brunette admitted.
Shamal raised an eyebrow at this.
"In fact," Hayate continued, tapping her chin. "Who's to say I ever got it?"
Shamal couldn't but chuckle. Sneaky girl.
"So as far as I'm concerned, you're still my Head Otomo and Kusushi." The Empress' smile was absolutely beaming. "That is all."
And with that said, Hayate truly left to be on her way.
Shamal shook her head and smiled. That was Hayate for you...
Blue eyes opened slowly, blinking a few times as they adjusted to the light. Groaning softly, Signum winced as she sat up straighter in her chair. The samurai captain was a bit miffed at having caught herself dozing off, but as mad as she wanted to be, she knew it couldn't be helped. She was injured, almost fatally so, the Deshi who had been attending to her after the fight nearly talking her ear off at how reckless she'd been. Signum smiled at that memory, the pinkette distinctly remembering leaving the woman speechless as she literally picked up her bloodied, broken, and patched self from the ground, only to stubbornly walk the entire way back to the Imperial Palace on her own. Oh the look the Deshi gave her was priceless.
"You really do have a lovely smile, Signum-san."
Signum almost jumped.
"S-S-Shamal!"
Signum had been so lost in her thoughts that she failed to notice the other in the room was awake. Not to mention, she forgot to add the typical honorific to Shamal's name too. That did not go unnoticed by the blonde.
"You're rather cute when you're flustered too."
A giggle.
Signum could feel heat creeping up her neck and cheeks. "My apologies," the samurai said. "I didn't realize-"
"I know," Shamal said, with that wonderful smile of hers. Signum was immediately charmed by it.
"Are you... in any pain?"
"Eh?" Signum quickly snapped out of her thoughts again.
"Your arm," the blonde clarified. She nodded to Signum's wrapped arm. "That happened because of me, didn't it?"
Signum's gaze drifted downwards to her bandaged arm. She frowned.
"Signum-san, I-"
"Forgive me, Shamal-san," Signum said. She rose to her feet stiffly and walked up to the blonde's bedside before kneeling next to her.
"Signum... san...?"
"All of this," the pinketted continued. "Was my fault."
Shamal frowned at this statement. She knew very well Signum was not completely to blame for what happened. Shamal had had her own part in this incident too, but rather than say anything, she let Signum say what she needed to. The samurai would no doubt argue with her until she got her way.
Signum bowed her head, looking down at the floor. It hurt to be in this position, every part of her body screaming at her for it, but Signum would have it no other way.
"I lost sight of what was most important to me," Signum continued. "And had forgotten the reason why I fought so hard all of this time."
A swallow.
"I thought I had put the past behind me, that I had come to terms with what happened so long ago. But when I saw her again, all I remembered was her blade sticking out Sensei's chest, her sword stained with his blood, and I wanted nothing but retribution."
Shamal closed her eyes, turning her face away. So that's what it was. That was the missing piece to the puzzle, the one she had never known. It hurt to hear this. But she knew that she must.
"How foolish I was to let that consume my thoughts."
Signum's uninjured hand clenched around the hilt of Levantine. The blade hadn't left her side since the fight. Now back in its original form, it lay on the floor next to the Shamal's bed. Taking a deep breath, Signum surprised Shamal by raising her Legendary Weapon up and placing it on the bed next to her.
"Signum-san?" Shamal said in great alarm.
"I have wronged you in so many ways, Shamal-san," Signum said, still refusing to raise her head. "And there is no way to rectify it except for this."
Signum's gaze rose to meet Shamal's own. "I offer you my life..."
Shamal inhaled sharply, her entire body tensing in surprise.
"To do with whatever you choose."
Signum broke her gaze and looked away.
"And if you choose to end my life, I shall accept that without protest."
"But Signum-" Shamal began. But Signum would not let her finish.
"There are things in life more important than honour and revenge," the pinkette said, looking back to Shamal. "And if my death is what you choose, then that is what it is."
Shamal stared at Signum, long and hard. The samurai captain was serious, probably the most serious she had ever been before. Knowing that made Shamal feel both honoured and humbled. Signum was giving her life, herself to Shamal. No strings attached. To do with, however she liked.
"Alright."
Signum looked up in surprise, watching as the woman she loved reached out with a trembling hand and gripped Levantine. The pinkette smiled sadly, before closing her eyes, bowing her head. Signum was happy.
This was the right choice.
"Thank you, Shamal," she said quietly, the pinkette resigning herself to death. Moments later, Signum let out a noise of surprise when two arms wrapped around her shoulders and pulled her in for a tight hug.
"You silly, silly samurai," Shamal said, burying her face in Signum's shoulder. "Your debt has already been repaid. Tenfold. Have you already forgotten how many times you've saved me in the past? If there is anyone who owes a life, it is I to you."
Signum looked at the blonde in surprise. "But Shamal-"
A soft pair of lips crashed against her own, Signum quickly forgetting what she was going to say. How long they kissed for, whether it was seconds, minutes, or hours, Signum didn't know. Both of them were breathless by the end of it however, Signum's eyes glassy and unfocused when they separated. A giggle snapped the samurai captain out of her almost drunken stupor, Signum's breath catching in her throat at how beautiful Shamal looked when she smiled.
Signum swallowed hard. "Shamal, I-"
"If you are so persistent in wanting to be punished," the blonde said in a low, seductive voice. "I'm sure I can think of... other... means of... fulfilling that desire..."
Signum flushed a deep red. Oh the thoughts running through her head right now!
"I love you, Signum. So much." Shamal leaned forward and pressed her forehead to Signum's.
Signum smiled softly, taking Shamal's breath away. "I love you too, Shamal." The samurai raised her uninjured hand to cup the blonde's cheek.
"No matter what happens from here on out, I will always protect you and love you. That is my promise."
The shadow hovering outside of the doorway to the Imperial Hospital disappeared down the hallway, the person's steps muted against red carpet. A large smile stretched across a certain Empress' face, the brunette moving to intercept the incoming Deshi and fire sprite coming from the opposite direction. With her head healer and samurai captain well on their way to recovery, there was no need to bother them now with a simple check up. Time was all they needed now.
Friedrich crooned happily, flying in front of Erio and Caro. It was a beautiful day outside, the warm sun shining down on them all. Aside from the massive explosion which rocked the Middle District yesterday, things were rather peaceful. Aside from all of the gossip flying around, that is.
Rumour had it that the explosion from the night before was caused by an epic battle between two Legendary Weapon wielders. The City Guard and the Samurai quickly quelled that rumour, stating it was a raging spirit seed which caused that ruckus instead. Neither child really believed that, especially since they knew of a pair of black and white assassins keeping watch over the Capital City of Japan. Not only that, there was bound to be more Legendary Weapons out there, they themselves evidence of that fact. Whatever the case, it was not their concern. Today, they were out for a walk while Lindy attended to a few errands.
BOOM!
Caro and Erio stumbled about to keep their balance as the area shook. It was as if an earthquake had struck the area, but that was clearly not the case. A stone building twenty feet away from them imploded in on itself in a cloud of dust and debris. A blur of black and pink bolted from the smoke of the crumpled building almost immediately after it fell, directly into an adjacent alleyway.
"Erio-kun!"
Friedrich hissed at the blur ahead of them as it disappeared out of sight, Erio quickly taking up a defensive position in front of Caro, his hand squeezing a diamond magatama jewel. Behind him, Caro reached for her own twin pink crystal magatama jewels.
Citizens screamed in fear and panic, many of them rushing out into the street from adjoining buildings and scattering at the sight of the destroyed structure.
"Lu-chan! Lu-chan!"
One woman's frantic cries amongst the crowd caught Caro's attention.
"Lu-chan! Where are you?"
Out of the corner of her eye, movement ahead forced Caro to turn back to the destroyed building. A second form emerged from the dust cloud a split second later, this time, a young girl, probably Caro's age, with long violet hair and maroon coloured eyes. If one looked hard enough, they'd have seen the two charm bracelets on her wrists, both with one amethyst magatama jewel on each.
"Kaa-san!" the girl exclaimed, rushing to her grief stricken mother and hugging her tightly. "I'm sorry Kaa-san," she said. "Everything happened so fast! I was so scared! I didn't know where you were."
"I'm here now honey," the older woman with matching violet hair said. She hugged her daughter tightly. "I'm so glad you're safe."
"You two! Are you alright?!"
Erio looked back over his shoulder, his eyes widening in shock when he saw the Thunder Reaper and the White Devil zipping into the scene in streaks of gold and pink magic. Not too far behind them were multiple samurai and city guardsmen.
"Fa- I mean, Thunder Reaper-sama!" Erio exclaimed when the black assassin touched down next to him.
Caro couldn't but stare in awe and amazement as the two famous assassins landed next to them. Kami-sama! They were really here! And so close!
"Are you hurt?" Maroon coloured eyes looked at Erio in concern before flitting over to Caro.
"We're alright," Erio said, quickly dispelling the assassin's worry. "But over there..." Erio pointed to the ruined building.
"Wait here," the White Devil said as both she and the Thunder Reaper darted over to investigate the scene.
By then a few of the samurai coming from the opposite direction were on site, one of them feeling for the pulse point on the sole form half buried under the rubble. Blonde hair was caked with blood, a brown eyepatch the key identifier as to who this woman was. The samurai shook his head. They were too late.
"But... how...?"
The White Devil turned from the now dead Cypha of Hückebein and scanned the area. In the end her gaze landed on a mother and daughter pair amongst the fleeing city folk who were being evacuated from the area by other samurai. As if sensing she was being looked at, the little girl with violet coloured hair and marooned eyes looked back over her shoulder. The White Devil's eyes widened as the girl offered her a small smile and a nod before turning back to the older woman with her.
"What is it?" the Thunder Reaper asked, noticing how quiet her partner had gone.
The White Devil watched as the mother daughter pair disappeared into the crowd. "It's nothing," she murmured.
Vita was concerned.
Walking steadily back to the Imperial Hospital, the redhead couldn't but feel very concerned, especially for Shamal and Signum. After washing her face, something which calmed her greatly, she parted ways with Zafira and Rein, heading back to check up on the pair. On the way, she ran into the Empress and one of Shamal's Deshi, the poor Deshi having her ear talked off by the chatty brunette about all of the things she wanted done in the next hour or so.
While that in itself was nothing out of the usual, the look Hayate gave her was. A smile stretched across the Empress' face the moment Hayate spied Vita walking towards her. Any normal person outside of the Yagami family would have thought that the Empress was just happy, happy that things had worked out smoothly in the end. But Vita was closer to her cousin than that, and that smile of Hayate's spelled trouble. Lots of it. The fact that both the Empress and Shamal's Deshi came from the direction of the Imperial Hospital only made Vita worry more.
"Vita-san?" Agito said in surprise, the fire sprite clearly not expecting to see the redhead here. Agito currently hovered in front of the doorway leading into the Imperial Hospital. "Something wrong?"
"What did she do?" Vita asked, trying to push down the anxiety in her stomach. Kami-sama! What did her cousin conjure up this time?
"Huh?"
"Don't huh me," Vita said a bit gruffly. "I just saw Hayate with the Deshi I'm assuming you were bringing here. So what-"
Walking into the Imperial Hospital past a very confused Agito, Vita quickly froze in her tracks in the doorway. After properly gawking for the better part of a minute, a smile stretched across her face and she chuckled.
Cramped together in the same bed was Signum and Shamal, both women cuddled up against each other awkwardly, to avoid falling off the sides of the single bed. How they managed to avoid roughing up each other's injuries in those positions was a mystery to Vita, yet in spite of how uncomfortable they may have looked, both of them were smiling blissfully in their sleep.
END
A/N: The main story may have ended, but there's still more to come! As part of this series, I'm adding a few Extra chapters which cover some smaller moments. Stay tuned for those!
For those of you unfamiliar with the non-English words, I have translated them below.
Hai = Yes
Ile = No
Baka = Idiot
Kami = God
Deshi = Apprentice
Taichou = Captain
Otomo = Attendant
Kusushi = Doctor
Sensei = Master/Teacher
Kaa-san/Okaa-san = Mother
For an explanation of Japanese honorifics (eg. [name]-sama), please check out: wiki/Japanese_honorifics