Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Kamen Rider and Koihime Musou. I only own my OCs and the plot of this story.
Chapter 17: The Calm Before the Storm Part 1
The sun had just risen on the horizon when Sui, Ruo, Sou, and Tanpopo went out for their daily training. Although, the youngest two of the Ba Clan looked like they were looking half-asleep while on their feet. Sui looked at their condition and couldn't hold in the exasperated sigh that escaped her.
"I told you two not to sleep late last night, didn't I?" Sui asked, throwing a light glare towards her youngest sister and cousin.
"Sorry Sui-neesan, but I…" Sou yawned widely before she continued her speech. "...Me and Tanpopo were reading a book last night. It was so good and we didn't realize it was already late when we decided to stop to go to bed."
Ruo arched an eyebrow curiously at her sister's answer. "You two? Reading?"
"Yup, it was a romance novel we borrowed from Shion-san," Tanpopo answered. "It was… quite interesting. It gave us plenty of ideas too."
"Gave you ideas for what, exactly?" Sui responded, almost dreading the answer.
Here Sou and Tanpopo shared a grin before they answered in stereo, "On how to seduce Yamato-sama, of course!"
Sui and Ruo stumbled on nothing before turning to the youngest two with furious blushes on their faces. "Say what!?"
"Come on, I mean, sure Yamato-sama and Aisha are dating, but a king is allowed, encouraged even, to have as many as wives and mistresses. I'm going to be one of Yamato-sama's mistresses!" Tanpopo answered with a grin.
"Oh! Oh! I want to be his mistress too!" Sou smiled as she waved her hand to concur with her cousin.
"B-But that's…!" Ruo stumbled at her own words before she said, "...Shameless!"
"You're always such a prude, Ruo-neesan," Sou pouted.
"Besides, don't you want to be one of Yamato-sama's wives too, Sui-neechan?" asked Tanpopo teasingly.
"W-Wha-!? Wh-Wh-What are you saying!?" Sui stammered out, her face reddened even further.
"You always talked about Yamato-sama this and Yamato-sama that since you got back from the Anti-Toutaku Alliance. You also trained much harder when you said that he was thinking of recruiting you. Weren't you trying to impress him?" the youngest of the Ba Clan survivors teased mercilessly.
"I-It was because Yamato-sama was very amazing in the battle back then! A-And I want to make sure that his faith in me wasn't mistaken!" the eldest of Ba Sisters replied quickly.
"Sure you were…" said Tanpopo, unconvinced, while Sou giggled at her eldest sister's reply.
"Sui-neesan is never honest with herself, just like Ruo-neesan."
"N-Nonsense! I'm always honest to myself!" Ruo denied quickly.
"J-Just… Let's begin training already!" Sui ordered with finality, cheeks still flushed as she stomped towards the garden. A still flushing Ruo followed her and the giggling Tanpopo and Sou high-fived each other, losing all trace of sleepiness by teasing Sui and Ruo.
When the Ba Clan Survivors reached the garden they were surprised to hear someone else was already there. Judging from the shouts of effort the person made as he trained, they deduced that it was male since his shouts were masculine. They then spotted Yamato training, with his Sengoku Driver strapped to his waist and Musou Saber in his hands. He wasn't wearing his usual clothes. Instead, he was wearing a plain white shirt underneath a vest with weights strapped to him and black pants. Strapped to his arms and legs were also several weights, yet he moved so fluidly like they weighed nothing.
"Hah! Yah! Tah!" they heard Yamato shout as he swung his blade in vertical, diagonal, and sweeping horizontal strikes. He then moved his sword as if he was parrying a chain of attacks by an unseen opponent. He then blocked the blow by purposively lessening the strength he put behind his block before shoving his opponent back, as it was off-balance.
Yamato jumped back several meters before bringing his Musou Saber to his side as if he was sheathing it. He bent his knees while still holding his sword at his side and his steel gray eyes gazed coldly at the unseen enemy. By a signal that only he could see, Yamato sprung and drew a perfect arc in the air as he lashed out with his Musou Saber.
He held his stance for a few seconds before he flicked his sword and clipped it back to its holster on his side.
"Whoa…" Sou gaped slightly, but the awe in her tone was unmistakable.
"Now I see why Yamato-sama is called the Peerless Blue Swordsman," Ruo commented.
"All the more reason to be his mistress," Tanpopo quipped. She then turned to her eldest cousin. "Meanwhile, Sui-neechan can be one of his wives along with Aisha."
"Tanpopo!" Sui cried out in embarrassment as she blushed bright red.
Her cry of embarrassment caught Yamato's attention who turned at the quartet and greeted them, "Oh! Good morning, you four."
"Good morning, Yamato-sama."
"Were you training, Yamato-sama?" Ruo asked after she and her family returned the greeting.
"Yeah, I've been training for about two hours now," he answered, surprising the girls.
"Two hours? But that's…" Tanpopo trailed off and left Ruo to finish her statement.
"That means you've been training before sunrise!"
"A force of habit implanted by my grandfather and father," Yamato replied with a smile. "I've been training in my family's style of swordsmanship since I was young and they would make me do the same routine over and over again everyday so it has been ingrained into me."
"Just what kind of training did you do every day, Yamato-sama?" Sou asked out of curiosity.
"First I did a series of warm-ups consisted of stretchings, sit-ups, push-ups, and pull-ups followed by jogging. Then I went through the kata of my family's style of swordsmanship, sparring with my father, grandfather, or shadow sparring when I have no one to spar. I then finish my training with cooldown movements and meditation," Yamato answered. "When I started, my training was much lighter, but it got harder and harder as I got older. For example, I only had to do ten for each of my warm-ups when I started but now I have to do at least 250 each. Same for the jogging since I have to increase the distance little by little."
"I see… That must have been rough for you," said Sui as her family nodded. They too had their own set of training, but what Yamato had done was almost as harsh as theirs. Considering the peaceful state of Yamato's world, they had every right to be surprised with the harshness of his grandfather's training.
"My grandfather is one mean slave driver, but he always thought of the best," Yamato replied with a crooked grin.
"And what's with the weights?" Tanpopo asked.
"Oh these?" Yamato gestured to the weights he wore on each limb and his body. "It's something that my father came up with. I've been wearing them during my training since I was eight years old and I always wear them during my training. The weights too had to be increased since I started wearing them."
"Just how heavy are they, Yamato-sama?" Sui asked as she peered at the weights strapped on him.
"About fifteen kilograms on each limbs and double that amount on my vest right now," he answered, causing the girls' eyes to widen in surprise.
"Wow… that much?" Ruo managed to say in her surprised state.
"But you were moving like you're not wearing them!" Sou pointed out.
Yamato chuckled at the youngest Ba Sister. "I actually put some effort to move like that. With my weights on, I can train the strength and the speed of my movements."
Sui nodded in understanding as she noticed how much he was sweating, yet the young king appeared to be only slightly winded from his harsh training.
"Do you want to train also?" Yamato asked, noticing that the sisters were carrying their weapons with them.
"Yes we do," Sui answered, smiling. "Do you want to train together with us. Yamato-sama?"
"Oho~, so that's how you want to play it, Sui-neechan," Tanpopo grinned mischievously.
"How bold~!" Sou giggled.
"Shut it, you two!" Sui chided, her face blushed red.
"...Did I miss something?" Yamato turned to Ruo in confusion.
"I-It's nothing you should worry about, Yamato-sama," Ruo denied weakly.
"B-Back to the training matter!" the eldest sister forcefully steered the topic back on its track. "S-So, Yamato-sama...umm, will you…?
"Sure, I'm looking for a sparring partner anyway. Do your warm up routine first before we spar," Yamato answered.
"Right away!" Sui smiled enthusiastically before she turned to her family members. "Alright you three, Yamato-sama is gracious enough to allow us to train together with him so we should give it our best too! Now let's do it!"
As the Ba Clan survivors did some stretching to loosen their muscles, Ruo couldn't help but notice something with her elder sister. "Is it just me or is Sui-Oneesama getting more excited for some reason?"
"Of course she is. After all, Yamato-sama is watching," Tanpopo answered with a sly grin.
Sou nodded, giggling. "Sui-neesan is showing off for Yamato-sama~!"
"Oi! If you have time to chat, then train!" Sui snapped, causing her sisters and cousin to do as she said, least they wanted to invite her wrath.
Once the sisters finished their warm up which involved jogging while pulling boulders tied by a rope, push ups with said boulders strapped to their backs, and several more rather spartan trainings, Sui and her sisters were ready for their training together with Yamato.
"Alright, which one of you want to be my first opponent?" Yamato asked. As he was about to spar, he had taken off his weights so they wouldn't hinder his movement.
"I will be your first opponent, Yamato-sama," Ruo answered.
Yamato nodded and asked again, "Do you want me to wear my armor or not?"
The middle Ba Sister seemed to ponder his offer for the moment before she nodded. "Might as well face you at your best."
An idea crossed his mind for a moment before he went on with it. Yamato reached for his Lockseed and to the Ba Clan survivors, it wasn't his usual Orange Lockseed, but rather the Banana Lockseed which was usually associated with Shun.
"Henshin," Yamato uttered calmly as he activated his Lockseed.
"BANANA!"
"LOCK ON!"
"SOIYA! BANANA ARMS! KNIGHT OF SPEAR!"
Sui, her sisters, and cousin gaped in shock at the sight of Gaim wearing the trademark banana/European knight-themed armor of Baron's.
"Y-Yamato-sama, how did you…?" Sou managed to ask.
"I obtained the Lockseed from my trip to Helheim," Gaim answered as he gestured to his belt. "The Sengoku Riders all wear the same kind of belt which can use all naturally harvested Lockseeds interchangeably. So that means I can use the Lockseeds from other Riders and they can use mine too."
"I-I see," Ruo replied before she shook her head. She then got into her usual battle stance as her eyes hardened. "Nevertheless, I will not back down. I will fight you all the same, Yamato-sama. Even if you are wearing his armor."
Gaim frowned when he noticed the agitated undertone in Ruo's voice. He chalked it up because of the hatred and resentment she felt for Shun because of what he did under Karin's command. It was something that he planned to deal with for a while and he had the chance to do so now.
Pushing the thought aside, Gaim twirled his Banaspear before he settled into Kaito's preferred battle stance in Banana Arms. "Come."
Ruo replied to his verbal gesture with a full-tilt charge as she bellowed her battle cry with her spear pointed at him. Gaim waited patiently for his opponent and once she entered his range, he jabbed the Banaspear forward, deflecting Ruo's spear away and halted her charge abruptly. He then unleashed a wide swing which Ruo evaded by jumping backwards in the nick of time. The ponytailed brunette then had to block stabs and strikes from Gaim's lance with some effort on her part.
Ruo was pushed backwards when she blocked a powerful horizontal swing from Gaim, but it was the distance she needed for launching her counterattack.
"Hyah! Hyah! Hah!" Ruo yelled out as she unleashed a flurry of stabs at Gaim who calmly deflected and parried her attack.
The Knight-themed Rider then redirected her spear away with the Banaspear, causing the middle Ba sister to overreach and become off-balanced. Ruo gasped in pain as Gaim planted his feet on her abdomen, causing her to stagger and fall to a knee. She was trying to regain her breath when she saw that Gaim wasn't pressing his advantage, but rather was content to watch her as he slid into his stance once more.
Ruo growled angrily and in her eyes, Gaim's figure overlapped with Baron's. Or rather, the Crimson Bloody Knight Baron when he slaughtered her family. Ruo quickly stood up before charging at Gaim once more as she let out a furious yell.
Gaim blocked her furious yet less refined stabs and slashes with a frown behind his mask. It was as if she was controlled by her anger instead of her own skills. Gaim could see with the holes in her stance, yet she appeared to ignore it in favor to land a successful hit on his person. It looked like he and Ruo needed to talk after this.
The Armored Rider blocked a powerful stab before before he shoved Ruo with the full of strength of his Arms, causing the middle Ba Sister to tumble to the ground. Ruo grunted as she hit the ground, but before she could recover she was staring at the tip of the Banaspear.
"Yield," Gaim commanded nonsensically.
Ruo seemed as if she wanted to retort, but she then relented and sagged in defeat. "I surrender…"
Gaim withdrew his weapon and offered his hand to the brunette who took it. He helped her stand up and commented on her performance, "You did well during the start of the sparring match, but you slipped up after I kicked you. What happened?"
Ruo looked down in shame. "I'm sorry, Yamato-sama. I… kind of lost myself there."
Gaim sighed in response. "You're still holding a deep grudge against Baron, aren't you?"
"Yes… I still can't forgive Baron for what he did, even if he is your friend," Ruo admitted.
"And that was the reason why I chose this Arms to spar with you. I want to help you get over your hatred of Shun," Gaim replied as he closed his Lockseed. "Come on, let's get back to your family."
Ruo nodded sullenly as she followed Yamato.
"Are you alright, Ruo-neesan?" Sou asked her sister.
"Yeah, only a slight bruise on my pride," the middle Ba Sister smiled weakly.
"What happened? You were doing just fine until Yamato-sama kicked you down. You suddenly fought like a possessed person," Sui commented with a frown.
Ruo winced at the blunt assessment of her sister. "...I saw Baron in Yamato-sama's place and I… I kind of snapped."
Sui sighed sadly in return. While Ruo appeared to be the calmest of the Ba Sisters, she was actually the most emotional one. She often hid what she truly felt with another emotion because other children teased her for being a crybaby when she was younger. Her resentment towards Baron stemmed from the fact that the middle sister had witnessed him killing her clansmen.
Ruo was scared of Baron, but hid her fear with the anger and hatred she felt towards the Rider, Sousou, and any of her officers who participated in Ryoushou's downfall.
"Ne, Yamato-sama, what kind of person is Baron?" Sou asked out of blue, surprising Yamato and her family.
"What's with the sudden curiosity, Sou?" Yamato inquired.
"Well, we all know he is your friend, but we find it hard to believe after what happened in Ryoushou," Sou answered while she looked at Ruo. "I'm sure it will change Ruo-neesan's perspective of him, or at least slightly change it."
"I see…" Yamato answered as a fond smile curved on his face. "I can only describe Shun as an idiot."
"Eh?" Sui, Ruo, Sou and Tanpopo blinked in confusion at his short, yet to the point description.
"That's what I thought of him when we first met as children," Yamato replied, recalling his first meeting with Shun and Yuki all those years ago. "Shun was rather loud and boisterous which Yuki and I really found annoying at first, but we eventually warmed up to him because he never stopped to reach and befriend us. He became calmer as he grew up, but not too much. He still retains his idiocy, loudness, and silly antics here and there. He's very loyal to a fault to his friends and family. If there's someone that I could count on, Shun is that person. He's also great cook too, enough to make even our teacher admit he was much better than her."
"Really? That guy is a great cook?" Tanpopo inquired skeptically.
"It's true," Yamato assured before turning to Sui. "You remember the feast we had at the end of Anti-Toutaku Alliance? The dishes served there were his cooking."
"Wait, really?" Sui's eyes bugged out in response. The delicious food back then was definitely some of the best, if not the best, food she had ever eaten. Learning the fact that it was a man that cooked them had made her feminine pride take a critical hit.
"Yup!" Yamato grinned, enjoying the stupefied look on Sui's face. "Other traits that I found admirable are his sheer honesty to the point of tactless bluntness, stubbornness to never say surrender, and staying true to his words." The young king then sighed wearily. "I guess Karin had exploited that last particular trait of his when she attacked Ryoushou."
"That manipulative little bitch," Sui growled angrily under her breath.
Ruo was silent as she took in Yamato's words. The way he described Baron was completely different than the Armored Rider she saw that day when Ryoushou fell. Then again, she only saw him once in an encounter she rather forget while Yamato had known him for a long time through thick and thin.
"Are you alright, Ruo-neechan?" Tanpopo asked.
Ruo sighed wearily in return. "I… I'm really having a hard time believing that the person Yamato-sama told us is the same person as the man who killed much of our clansmen."
Sui smiled at her younger sister. "Believe me, I find it hard to believe too, but Yamato-sama has known Baron for a long time. I have no reason to doubt him now."
Yamato placed a hand on her shoulder, causing Ruo to look up on him. "Listen Ruo, I'm not telling you to forgive Shun right away. You can take your time and I won't rush you."
"Thank you, Yamato-sama," Ruo replied as she smiled back at him.
"You're welcome," Yamato then turned to the other Ba Sisters. "So, who's my sparring partner next?"
"I'll take you on, Yamato-sama," Sui answered confidently with a challenging smirk. "I know you're good with swords, but what about with a spear, like when you fought Ruo?"
"Is that a challenge, Sui?" Yamato smirked back at her as he unlocked his Banana Lockseed.
"BANANA!"
"LOCK ON!"
"SOIYA! BANANA ARMS! KNIGHT OF SPEAR!"
"Then you better be careful what you wish for," Gaim declared as he entered his battle stance, Banaspear held ready.
"I won't ask it any other way," Sui replied as she entered her battle stance, smirking challengingly.
The two combatants stared at each other tensely before at an unseen signal, the two of them charged at each other, yelling out their battle cry as they did.
"HAAAAAH!"
"YAAAAAH!"
Banaspear and Silver Flash met each other with a resounding clang and sparks flying. Gaim and Sui briefly disengaged before they traded blow after blow that seemed to be blurs to untrained eyes. Gaim ducked under a horizontal slash and retaliated with a quick stab which his ponytailed adversary dodged, by leaning her body to the side. Disengaging from the knight-themed Rider, Sui then unleashed a series of lightning fast stabs which Gaim parried and deflected before he guided away a stab aimed to his head and slashed his Banaspear in a diagonal chop. Sui jumped backwards to avoid the blow, but Gaim quickly gave pursuit he rained stabs and slashes on her.
The eldest daughter of Batou gritted her teeth as she blocked Gaim's attacks which had become much faster and stronger. It seemed that he had pulled off the gloves and Sui was fine with that. She was done warming up anyway.
Sui blocked a stab and pushed against Gaim and he responded in kind shoving her back, trapping them in a deadlock.
"You're really good, Sui," Gaim praised with an unseen smile.
"You too, Yamato-sama. I hope this isn't your everything," Sui smiled back challengingly.
"Heh, of course it's not," Gaim shot back as the two combatants quickly disengaged from each other.
They once again regarded each other cautiously before they traded blows one after another.
"Wow, Sui-Oneesama is really fired up," Ruo commented as she watched the spar in amazement.
"Of course she is~! Her opponent is Yamato-sama after all. Sui-neesan is showing off for him~," Sou giggled.
"Well if that's the case then I'll just have to step up my game too!" Tanpopo grinned mischievously.
"You're serious on becoming Yamato-sama's mistress?" Ruo asked her cousin incredulously.
"Of course I am!" the younger brunette replied, puffing her chest out.
Back with Gaim and Sui, the two of them were trading blows furiously before they swung their weapons down at the same time, making a deadlock. They pushed against one another before they broke the deadlock by jumping backwards to gain distance. Gaim and Sui glared at each other, before they once again charged at each other, setting off another round of clashes.
In the end, Yamato sparred with the Ba Clan Members at least twice before he excused himself. He was tired and went to take a bath since he got real uncomfortable with his sweaty body. He had to make sure that no one was using the bath or going to use it anytime soon before he could use it to avoid accidents happening. He hadn't experienced any of the accidents yet and hopefully it wouldn't happen anytime soon.
It was bad enough for him to accidentally walk in on Aisha on their date with her half-naked image still burned in his mind. He really wished that he wouldn't have to repeat the accident again any time with anyone else soon.
So now here he was, enjoying his bath as he splashed the cool water to wash off his sweat and grime. Yamato thought himself as an oddity as a Japanese as he preferred to bathe with cool water rather than warm water. Cool water worked on his sore muscles after hard training, it was better than hot water, and it made his body feel lighter and more alert to his surroundings whereas hot or warm water always made him feel lethargic and too relaxed. Though he didn't mind a warm bath once in a while after a particularly stressful day.
Yamato was about to grab some soap to get rid of his body odor when he heard voices coming from the entrance.
"Touka, are you sure about this? I mean, the sign said that the bath is occupied," Pairen's voice said to her companion which seemed to be none other than Touka.
"It's fine! I'm sure whoever is in there doesn't mind sharing the bath with us," Touka assured her friend.
'Oh crap!' Yamato thought in panic. He really didn't want to have another awkward naked girl episode right now!
He looked around to see if there were any places to hide, but unfortunately the bathing room had only next to none spots for hiding. Even if it there was any, Yamato wouldn't be able to make it in time judging from the incoming footsteps.
"Excuse us~! May we join you?" Touka asked as she held a towel in front of her naked figure to cover her modesty, or what was left of her modesty.
Pairen was similarly naked, also with a towel held to cover her frontside.
"Ah…" Yamato replied weakly as his face reddened when he saw the close to naked figures of his two generals.
Touka didn't say anything but she looked away with a healthy blush on her cheeks. She did steal some glances on her lord's figure once in a while.
"Y-Y-YAMATO-SAMA!" Pairen nearly shrieked in surprise before she bowed deeply to him. "O-Our apologies! W-We didn't know you were occupying the bath! W-W-We thought you were someone else! P-Please pardon our interruption! We will be taking our leave now!"
The redhead was grabbing Touka's wrist to drag her away when Yamato called out to them, "I-It's okay! I was about to finish anyway!"
Just when Yamato was about to grab his towel and leave, Touka suddenly spoke up. "A-Ano… I don't mind sharing the bath with you, Yamato-sama…"
Yamato and Pairen blinked stupidly at her suggestion.
"Eh?"
Touka's sudden exclamation had led to a very awkward bath shared between Yamato and his two generals at the very moment.
'This...is really awkward…' Yamato thought to himself as he lathered a layer of soap over his skin. He was sitting in a stool with a towel wrapped around his waist to keep his modesty intact.
Behind him were Touka and Pairen who were also taking their bath. Even with their backs facing him, he was painfully aware that there were two attractive girls sharing a bath with him by each splash of water they caused. Yamato was trying really hard to ignore two naked and wet beautiful girls that were bathing with him, but he was gradually failing.
'And to think that many men would kill to be in my position...' Yamato mentally groaned. 'Then again, most men are driven by their hormones… Damn hormones...'
"A-Ano, are you alright Yamato-sama?" Pairen asked tentatively, breaking him from his reverie.
"O-Oh, I'm alright. I... I'm just nervous, that's all," Yamato replied weakly.
"Why are you nervous, Yamato-sama?" Touka asked.
Yamato's cheeks flushed red as he contemplated on his answer. "I haven't done this since Yukari was eight years old. This is my first time bathing with two beautiful girls beside my family."
Touka blushed and giggled happily in return. "Thank you, Yamato-sama."
Pairen also blushed and dared to look at Yamato's back over her shoulder. "Y-You really think I'm beautiful?"
"Every woman out there has their charm that makes them unique and beautiful, no matter what most people say," Yamato answered as he splashed some water over his head to rinse off the soap on his skin. "And that includes you, Pairen."
"T-Thank you, Yamato-sama," Pairen replied, stammering a little when she felt her heart skip a beat. To be called beautiful by a person when she was reminded, rather comedically and mockingly at times, with how plain and average she looked was a new thing she could get used to.
Touka giggled at the interaction between her longtime friend and lord. It seemed that her lord was open for the idea of polygamous relationship, at least subconsciously.
"So, how are you settling here in Xizang? Are the refugees from Ryousei doing alright?" Yamato asked.
"I'm settling in alright and my people from Ryousei are also doing alright. They have no problem blending in with the others," Pairen answered as she poured a bucketful of water on herself.
"I see… That's good to hear," Yamato replied as he too poured a bucketful of water over his head.
Unknown to him, Pairen was looking down at her reflection on the water sadly. Touka took notice of this and asked her friend, "Pairen-chan? What's wrong?"
"...It's just…" Pairen managed to say, but was struggling with her words. "How do you deal with your greatest failure, Yamato-sama?"
Yamato looked at her from over his shoulder and asked back tentatively. "...Is this about Ryousei's fall?"
Pairen nodded weakly. "Even though I personally got my revenge on Enshou, I am still haunted with my home's destruction. I saw the elderly and even the children… all slaughtered by Enshou's men. I couldn't do anything to save them. I did everything I could, but... in the end I..."
"Pairen-chan…" Touka whispered as she pulled her longtime friend into a hug and placed her head on her breasts.
"T-Touka?" Pairen stuttered.
"It's alright… You have been holding it in for so long haven't you? All this time..." the pink-haired girl whispered soothingly. "Let it out, Yamato-sama and I won't think of you any lower."
Pairen's body trembled as choked sobs escaped from her lips before she cried out her heart out as tears flowed out from her eyes.
"There, there Pairen-chan… let it all out." Touka said soothingly as she kept her hug on her.
Yamato listened to Pairen's heartbroken wail with a frown. This was why he hated war. Too many was lost and so little was gained. He decided to comfort his General with well chosen words.
"You can't change what have happened in the past. The only thing you can do with it in the present is how you feel about it."
"Huh?" Pairen got out and turned to see Yamato's back.
"I admit that recovering from a great failure is a hard thing to do, but you shouldn't let it hold you back. A wise person said this: 'Abandon your fear. Look ahead and keep moving onward. You will age if you pull back. You will die if you hesitate'."
"Yamato-sama…" Pairen uttered.
"What I'm trying to say is, you cannot let your fear stop you from fighting to prevent what you have experienced from happening to others," Yamato finished. "You are not alone in your fight, Pairen. You have your friends and allies to have your back."
"That's right, Pairen-chan! You have me, Yamato-sama, Aisha-chan and the others to help you, so don't worry!" Touka assured Pairen as she concurred with her lord's words.
"Thank you, Touka, Yamato-sama," Pairen replied as smiled.
"No worries. I'm just glad that I could help. You are now one of my generals and your wellbeing is my responsibility," Yamato said in return before he stood up and poured another bucket of water on his head. "Alright, I'm done. The bath is now yours, Touka, Pairen. Don't stay in too long if you don't want to be shriveled up."
"Don't worry about us, Yamato-sama! We will be alright!" Touka called back as she and Pairen turned away as Yamato walked out of the bath. Though, Touka was stealing some glances at her lord when he didn't notice. She certainly appreciated his lean and athletic build which was just perfect for her liking.
"You really shouldn't do that, Touka," Pairen chided when she noticed what Touka was doing.
"Ehehe~, busted," Touka admitted sheepishly as she rubbed the back of her head sheepishly.
"Seriously… You shouldn't do that to Yamato-sama. He is dating Aisha, isn't he?" Pairen commented with a small frown.
"I know that, but isn't a King is allowed to have more than one wife? Even mistresses?" Touka argued.
"I don't think Yamato-sama is interested in having a harem," Pairen pointed out.
"He is, but Yamato-sama is in denial right now," Touka replied resolutely. "Yamato-sama has a big heart and I'm sure he will love us all equally."
"...That's not the way it's supposed to work," Pairen sweat dropped before she realized something odd in her words. "Wait a second, what do you mean by 'us all'?"
Touka smiled mischievously at her friend. "You like Yamato-sama too, don't you?"
"W-Wha-!? What are you talking about?" Pairen stammered out, her face blushing red.
"I mean, Yamato-sama saved you from being killed by Enshou's men and gave you the chance to avenge your home and men by confronting Enshou yourself. He even comforted you with some wise words. I think it's a solid base for you to develop feelings for him," Touka reasoned.
"B-But… But that's…! I-I mean… I… Yamato-sama…!" Pairen babbled unrecognizably, causing Touka to giggle.
"It's okay, Pairen-chan. I'm open about sharing Yamato-sama with someone else." The pink-haired girl then splashed some water on her face as she added, a longing expression crossed her feautures, "I rather share Yamato-sama than being nothing to him at all."
Pairen looked at her friend for a moment before she spoke, "You really love Yamato-sama, don't you?"
"I am. It is hard to not fall for him once you really get to know Yamato-sama," Touka smiled in admittance.
Pairen didn't reply to her friend's word and chose to half-submerge her face, frowning thoughtfully. It wasn't until five minutes later she finally spoke up as she rose her head.
"…Touka?"
"Yes?"
"A-Are you serious about…" Pairen's cheeks flushed as she managed to stammer out, "…s-s-sharing Yamato-sama?"
"I am!" Touka replied brightly. "Do you admit you like Yamato-sama?"
"…A little, maybe," Pairen admitted, half-begrudgingly, as her blush intensified.
The pink-haired girl giggled as she pulled her friend into a hug, all the while smothering the redhead's face into her generous breasts. "Alright! Let's do our best to gain Yamato-sama's affection!"
Pairen only nodded, all the while feeling jealous of her friend's bust size. 'It's not fair...'
It was good thing that Yamato had left or else, there would be yet another awkward situation.
Now feeling refreshed from his bath, Yamato was walking along the hall of his palace towards a destination in mind. As today was his day off, Yamato was going to fulfill the promise he made to Shion after she helped him for his date with Aisha.
For the occasion, the King of Shoku was wearing the custom made clothes he ordered from the clothes shop he went to with Aisha on their date. It consisted of a blue kosode top with white trims and black trousers. Over his kosode top was a deep blue Jinbaori with yellow trims and his personal emblem over his heart. Written from top to bottom in orange on the back his Jinbaori was his newest title, Azure War God Gaim written in Kanji (青戦神鎧武 lit. Seisenjin Gaim) with his emblem on top.
He was reaching a turn when he heard the distinctive noise of broken porcelain followed by Ei's irate scolding.
"God, why do you have to be so clumsy!? All you have to do is to clean the vase and now you've broken it!"
"I-It's not my fault! That thing was too unwieldy! It must have been very cheap and of poor quality!" Enshou's angry retort followed soon after.
"Cheap!? Just you know, Enshou, Yue brought back that vase all the way from the Imperial Palace and it was priceless! You're just too stupid to do housekeeping properly and you couldn't even make decent tea! You BURNED the water!"
"I-I'm a noble! These things are below my station!"
"Correction: you were a noble! Now you're just a maid and only because Kusanagi decided to be merciful!"
"U-Uh…! T-That's…!"
"Now get back to work! You still have more dusting to do, though I doubt you won't break anything else. So go sweep the garden now and you better do it quickly and properly!"
"WHAT!? Do you know how hot it is outside!?"
"Gosh, it's only been three hours since sunrise and you're already complaining!? What can you do as a maid then!?"
"…Tasting food and tea?" Enshou offered weakly.
"DENIED!" Yamato could imagine that Ei was crossing her arms in front of her chest to form a big X.
"Problems, ladies?" Yamato asked casually as he approached the duo. Yamato could tell that Ei enjoyed bossing Enshou around. He looked to Enshou, dressed as a maid like Ei and smirked. It was really satisfying to see Enshou knocked down a few pegs like this.
"Oh, it's you Kusanagi," Ei answered with her usual clipped tone. "Not that I'm grateful with the extra help you brought, but can you give me someone that is less likely to cause a headache next time?"
"I'll keep that in mind," Yamato answered wryly. Ei smirked back at him in satisfaction.
As soon as Enshou and her officers were brought to Xizang, Yamato immediately gave them their punishment: to work as maids in the Xizang Royal Palace. Enshou and Enjutsu quickly voiced out their protests, but were quickly silenced when Yamato threatened to send them to Sousou and let her decide what to do with them.
He put Ei in charge of them as she was pretty strict and had very dedicated work ethics. She certainly didn't hold back when it came to teaching the new recruits their supposed job. Though, Enshou and Enjutsu were quickly testing her patience with their clumsiness and lack of common sense.
"I can't believe I have to do this!" Enshou cried out in indignation. Imprisoned was one thing, but to be Kusanagi's maid? Oh the shame. Death would've been a preferable punishment compared to the shame she was experiencing right now.
"You brought this on yourself Enshou, not me. Remember, you reap what you sow." Yamato said, crossing his arms with a smirk. Oh how satisfying this was to see her like this, "And besides, I think this kind of punishment fits you very well. If you're not happy here, we could always send you to Sousou and let her deal with you," threatened Yamato, causing Enshou to shut up immediately. He turned to Ei and asked, "So, where are Bunshuu and Ganryou?"
"I sent them out with Yue to the marketplace," Ei answered.
"And Enjutsu and Choukun?"
"I sent Choukun to help out in the kitchen and Enjutsu is…"
"KYAAAAAAA!"
*SPLASH!*
"…supposedly mopping the floor," Ei sighed as she massaged her temples to stave off incoming headache. "Urgh, why can't these nobles be more like Yue?"
"Don't compare them to Yue. It would be an insult to her," Yamato chastised. Honestly, he liked Yue. She was one of the few nobles who weren't stuck up and arrogant. Even after losing her title and wealth as a noble, she was happy with her new station in life.
"Right," Ei nodded.
"HEY! I'm right here, you know! Don't talk like I don't exist!"
"We know," Yamato and Ei deadpanned simultaneously. The young king then turned to his bespectacled maid, "Aside from Enshou and Enjutsu, how do the others fare with their new positions?"
"Bunshuu and Ganryou are surprisingly good at this, more so Ganryou. She is really a natural at helping in the kitchen and serving food. Bunshuu is not as good as her partner in the kitchen, but she's good at housekeeping and doing tasks that require physical strength. Choukun on another hand is struggling with her position, but she's quickly learning the ropes. And she's very good at baking cakes and sweets, to my surprise."
"Must have been her personal experience under Enjutsu," Yamato nodded sagely. "Anyways, keep me updated with their performance. If they do a great job, I will personally reward them and promote them under your judgment."
"You're serious?" Ei arched an eyebrow curiously.
"Sure I am," Yamato replied as he walked away. He then stopped and turned to Ei before saying, "Oh, and keep track of how many vases, glasses, and plates Enshou and her cohorts have broken since they started working. You can dock their payment to pay for those broken items."
Ei's glasses gleamed ominously as she chuckled sinisterly. "Hehe… Will do…"
Enshou blanched and quickly protested. "You can't do that!"
"I can," Yamato replied simply. "Ei, you can dock their pay further if they talk back to you, Yue, or any of my officers and myself."
Color seemed to wash off from Enshou as she gaped at Yamato incredulously. Ei continued to chuckle as her glasses reflected the light in a sinister manner. "Of course. Have a nice day, Kusanagi."
"You too, and keep up the good work," Yamato smiled and walked away.
Ei then turned to Enshou, smiling oh so sweetly. "You hear that, Enshou? Now you better do your job properly from now on or I'll do just as Kusanagi wanted me to."
Enshou could only whimper as she mentally wailing in despair. 'THIS IS NOT FAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAIR!'
Yamato found Shion and Riri playing in the garden, or more like Riri was running around with Shion watching her daughter with a smile. Thankfully, her little episode with Enshou and Inves hadn't traumatized the little girl too much. She returned to be the cheerful and active little girl she was before the incident.
Riri saw Yamato coming and smiled widely as she ran up to him. "Onii-chaaaaaan!"
Yamato smiled as he scooped the little girl in his hands and twirled her around, causing Riri to laugh happily. He then kissed her forehead and greeted her, "Good morning, Riri. Did you sleep well?"
"Good morning, Onii-chan! Riri slept well last night!" Riri replied.
"That's good to hear," Yamato replied as he held her with one hand and used his free hand to tickle her, causing the girl to giggle happily. "A girl has to sleep well so she can grow up to become a beautiful and strong woman one day."
"Like Kaa-chan?" Riri asked with wide eyes.
"Yup! Just like your Kaa-chan!" Yamato smiled. She was cute as a button and everyone instantly took a liking to her, including Yamato himself.
Shion smiled at the interaction between Yamato and Riri. It seemed that her lord was a natural with children. If she didn't know any better, then she would say she was seeing a brother and his sister. Though if she played her cards right, she would be seeing a father and daughter in their place in the future.
"Good morning, Yamato-sama," Shion greeted Yamato, smiling pleasantly as she did.
"Good morning, Shion," Yamato replied. "Well, here I am. I'm here to fulfill my promise to you."
Riri then looked at Yamato questioningly. "You're going to play with Riri, Onii-chan?"
"Of course. I always fulfill my promises," Yamato answered. Shion must have told Riri about the deal he made with her before his date with Aisha.
"Yay! Thank you, Onii-chan!" Riri cheered as she hugged Yamato and planted a kiss to his cheek, which caused the young king and her mother to chuckle at her.
Yamato then sat on the grass and placed Riri on his lap while Shion sat next to him. "Have you ever played cat's cradle before?"
Riri shook her head before she asked eagerly, "How do you play it?"
Yamato smiled as he took a loop of string from the pocket of his coat and showed it in front of Riri. "First, you need a loop of string and then loop it with your hands and fingers like this," the young king then demonstrated looping the string on his hands and fingers. "You then make something out of it by moving it around like this…"
Riri watched with rapt attention as Yamato manipulated the loop of string in his hand to form something and once he done, he showed it to Riri. "You get a cat's cradle."
"Whoa…" Riri said in awe before Yamato manipulated the string once more.
"From that, you can make other figures such as…" he showed the little girl the figures he could make with a piece of string. "Soldier's bed." He then manipulated the string again and showed another figure. "Candles." Yamato manipulated the string one more time and formed yet another figure. "And diamonds. You then continue to make more figures and this game ends when you make a mistake or make an untransformable figure."
Riri clapped her hands excitedly and laughed when Yamato finished his little show for her. She then turned to him with wide blue eyes, filled with excitement and wonder. "That was amazing! Will you teach me how to do that, Onii-chan?"
"Of course," Yamato smiled in return before he looped the string around the little girl's finger and gently guided her hands as they formed string figures together. "Now if you want to make a cat's cradle, here's what you need to do…"
Shion was smiling as she watched Yamato teach her daughter how to make string figures. The young king patiently guided Riri movement by movement, that she needed to make to form a cat's cradle. He encouraged her for her efforts and never scolded or belittled her if Riri made a mistake.
"You certainly have your ways with children, Yamato-sama," Shion commented.
"So I have been told," Yamato chuckled. "I have two younger sisters who are very affectionate with me and I often help teach children in my family dojo. You can say I have some experience in hand about dealing with children."
"That you have," Shion nodded before she flashed a teasing smile to him. "You would make a good father."
Yamato's cheeks flushed red at what the single mother was hinting at. "Umm… Thank you?" he replied uncertainly.
Shion giggled at his cute, in her opinion, reaction. "I only state the truth, Yamato-sama. Any child would be very lucky to have you as their father."
"…Are you trying to insinuate something, Shion?" Yamato muttered under his breath, which was loud enough for her to hear.
"Whatever do you mean, Yamato-sama?" Shion retorted 'innocently'.
Meanwhile, Riri was pouting as she tried to form a cat's cradle with her string on her own, but all she made was a tangled mess. "Muu~, it's so hard…"
"Come on now, don't give up yet. If you give up, then you've stopped progressing," Yamato encouraged the little girl as he took her hands on his and guided her slowly on the movements and loops for the cat's cradle.
'Yes… They would be very lucky indeed,' Shion thought to herself.
"Say, Shion? You've been married before, right?" Yamato started as he guided Riri to make a cat's cradle. "How was it? I mean your marriage?"
Shion got a faraway look on her face before she spoke, "It was a marriage that my family arranged in order to continue our line. The one who was chosen to be my husband was my uncle and he was much older than I was."
"Were you happy with your marriage? Did you love your husband?" Yamato asked as he watched Riri manipulate the string in his lap.
Shion closed her eyes and answered, "My marriage was nothing more than fulfilling my duty to my family and while I love my husband, it was nothing more than a familial love as he was also my uncle." She then opened her eyes and smiled at Riri. "Perhaps, the only good thing that came out from that marriage was Riri."
"I see…" Yamato muttered as he looked down at the little girl in his lap. Riri was too absorbed in making her cat's cradle, she didn't pay too much attention to her surroundings. "Does Riri remember anything about her father?"
Shion shook her head sadly. "Riri does not remember much of her father. My uncle while adored her, never spent too much time with Riri because he fell ill shortly after I got pregnant. He died shortly after Riri was two years old."
Yamato nodded just as Riri cheered happily and turned to face him and showed the cat's cradle in her hands. "Onii-chan, look! I did it!"
"Yeah, you did. Great job, Riri," Yamato smiled as he patted the little girl's head. Riri giggled happily, obviously enjoying the affectionate gesture she received. "Now then, I'm going to teach you how to manipulate the strings without ruining your cat's cradle…"
Yamato ended playing Cat's Cradle with Riri and Shion for the next several hours without realizing it was finally lunch time. It was when Riri's stomach growled that they were reminded of it.
Riri blushed in embarrassment before turning to her mother, "Kaa-chan, I'm hungry."
"Ara, it is that late already?" Shion replied in surprise as she looked at the sun's position.
"Like they say, time passes by fast when you're having fun with others," Yamato said. "Let's get some lunch in the village. I'm paying."
"Really? Thank you, Onii-chan!" Riri said as she hugged Yamato.
"Thank you, Yamato-sama. That is so generous of you," Shion replied, smiling as Yamato picked up Riri and carried her by his shoulder.
"Now then, shall we?"
As per every visit to the village, the villagers all greeted him with smiles and warm greetings. Though, what a villager said had stuck out the most to him.
"Oh, I didn't know you were also courting Kouchuu-dono, Yamato-sama. The three of you look like a family."
Cue Yamato blushing beet red, Shion giggled with a faint blush dusting her cheeks, and Riri ducked her head to hide her face on Yamato's hair. The young king tried to deny the accusation, but the villagers already accepted it as a fact.
"Don't they have better things to worry about than my love life?" Yamato grumbled.
"It shows that they care about you as much as you care for them. It is a sign that you have done a splendid job as a ruler," Shion answered. "Do the rumors bother you so much, Yamato-sama?"
"Not really. I've dealt with the same thing over and over again back in my home world," Yamato answered as he looked at the single mother. "I'm more worried about you, Shion. I don't want people to think negatively of you because of the rumors."
Shion smiled at me and replied. "I am grateful for your concern, Yamato-sama, but you have no need to worry. I too have dealt with those kind of rumors before."
Yamato nodded while sparing one last glance at Shion. She was a beautiful and gorgeous woman so some other women would feel jealous of her and would do anything just to spite her. Like spreading negative rumors to tarnish her reputation. Sad as it was, it was a part of human nature.
'I guess there are always some things that stay the same no matter what era it is,' Yamato thought to himself.
He was broken from his reverie when he heard Riri called out excitedly, "Oh! Kikyou-obasan! En'ya-neesan!"
He looked forward to see Kikyou and En'ya ahead. From the looks of things, the teacher-student duo had returned from a shopping trip.
Hearing their name called, Kikyou and En'ya turned around and smiled as they saw Yamato's little group. "Hello, Riri, Yamato-sama, Shion. What a coincidence for us to meet here," Kikyou greeted.
Meanwhile, En'ya looked she was about to bow to Yamato, but she couldn't with the stacks of boxes she carried. Instead, she dipped her head low as she greeted him, "Yamato-sama, Shion-dono, Riri-chan."
"It sure is. Have you been shopping?" Yamato asked, glancing at the stack of boxes En'ya carried.
"Yes, I have. Now En'ya and I are about to have lunch," Kikyou answered. "Care to join us?"
Yamato blinked before he chuckled. "Well, we're about to have lunch too, so yes. We will join you."
Kikyou clapped her hands as she smiled. "Excellent. Is there any place you would personally recommend, Yamato-sama?"
"I know just the place. Please follow me," Yamato nodded.
The young king led his entourage to a restaurant he often frequented to, which happened to be the restaurant where he took the Chou Sisters on their first outing together. They all sat at an available table and ordered their food.
"I've been wondering, En'ya," Yamato started as he waited for their orders. "Where did you get your Sengoku Driver and Lockseed?"
"Ah, those," the tomboy looked sheepish as she scratched the back of her head. "...Actually, they fell on my head."
"Excuse me?" Yamato blinked. That was how she got her Driver?
"I was out training one day when the belt and lock fell from the sky and hit my head. The blow was hard enough to knock me out for a while," En'ya told him. "When I came to, I found them lying next to me and I deducted that those two were responsible for knocking me out."
"I… see…" Yamato tried to resist the urge to laugh because he didn't want to be rude. That had to be the weirdest incident for someone to become a Rider. Having your equipment fall on your head? Sure beats Ryoutarou's streak of weird luck.
Kikyou chuckled upon seeing the look on Yamato's face. "I too have a hard time believing what En'ya said, Yamato-sama. But she proved it to me when she donned her armor in front of me."
Yamato nodded before turning to En'ya. "That said, you better take care of your Driver En'ya. It's an improved model as seen from its silver belt, but it doesn't have the same security features as mine."
"What do you mean, Yamato-sama?" En'ya asked.
"Your Sengoku Driver is an improved model with more power output from mine. In terms of statistics, your Kurumi Arms is already stronger than my Orange Arms and it has become stronger when used with your Driver. However, while it produces more power, it doesn't come with the security feature which only allows one person to be the Driver's user," Yamato explained.
"In short, your belt is stronger than Yamato-sama's, but it can be used by anyone else so you have to take caution with it so it will not be stolen," Shion supplied helpfully upon seeing the confused look on En'ya's face.
"Ah, I see. Very well, I will make sure that no one steals my Sengoku Driver from me," En'ya nodded.
"So, Kikyou. You said you are friends with Shion, right? How long have the two of you been friends?" Yamato asked curiously.
"It was about six years ago, shortly after Shion got married. We first met in a restaurant when the owner offered me to share a table since it was full back then. He then took me to Shion's table and after a bottle of sake or two, we kinda hit it off," Kikyou recalled with a smile. "Speaking of which…" She then reached for a bottle of sake she always carried with her and offered it to Yamato. "Would you like some sake, Yamato-sama?"
Yamato grimaced a little as he shook his head. "…I'm afraid I have to decline, Kikyou. I can't handle liquor very well and we have children here," he gestured to Riri who tilted her head to the side.
"It's alright, Yamato-sama. Riri's always present when I and Kikyou were having some drinks while Riri had some tea," Shion replied.
Yamato nodded, accepting as the norms were quite different here. "I still have to refuse your offer, Kikyou. I didn't joke when I said I can't handle liquor very well."
"You're a lightweight, then?" the young king nodded at Kikyou's mirthful inquiry. "Out of curiosity, how much can you take before you get drunk?"
Yamato looked abashed as he uttered under his breath. "…Just one saucer…" He was never much of a drinker and his grandfather told him that alcohol dulled the mind. Though, on special occasions, Yamato was allowed to sample some sake. But that usually led into an embarrassing episode with one hell of a hangover in the morning.
Kikyou and Shion blinked owlishly at his admittance.
"One saucer? That's it?" Kikyou tried to clarify, which Yamato nodded to.
"…Let's just say the last time I got drunk, it led to an experience I'd rather forget. Not to mention the hangover…" Yamato replied wryly as he shuddered. Oh how he wished to erase the incident of his 17th Birthday Party because that idiot he called his best friend brought some sake with him. Well, let that be a lesson for him to never accept alcoholic beverages of questionable source. He remembered Shun actually recording the entire thing with his phone before Yuki managed to persuade Shun to delete the footage.
"Ara, that's quite unexpected," Shion said in surprise. After everything he had done, it was surprising to see that he had a rather silly weakness. There was also his fear of dogs which nearly costed Aisha's life from what she heard from Touka and his lonely childhood.
"I'm still human despite all of the titles I hold. That's all there is to it," Yamato said with finality in his tone.
Kikyou shrugged before pulling out a saucer from… somewhere and pouring some sake into it. "Well, all those titles are well-deserved. You should be proud of yourself Yamato-sama."
"I don't do it for the fame or accolades. I don't even do it for the fortune or power. I never asked for an army either. I'm doing this because it's the right thing to do," Yamato replied.
Shion and Kikyou smiled, knowing that they had chosen the right person to serve. The power he had displayed, other nobles and lords would abuse in order to expand their territory. Yamato, however, used his power to do only what was right. Most would call it naive and foolish, but Yamato's ideals were the source of his strength and a true display of a noble character.
Soon, the waitress came bringing their lunch. Offering their prayers, the party soon ate their lunch with some small talks in between.
"Hmm…" Kikyou hummed to herself as she watched Yamato feed Riri a piece of sweet and sour chicken before the girl returned the favor by feeding him a small dumpling. Shion smiled at their interaction as she too fed her daughter a bite sized piece of grilled meat.
"What is it, Shishou?" En'ya asked, noticing her teacher's gaze on Yamato, Shion, and Riri.
"I think I'm seeing the perfect picture of a family," Kikyou said, loud enough to catch Yamato's attention.
The young king blushed when he heard what Kikyou said. "T-This isn't what you think!"
"Oh, but it looks like Riri is quite taken with you," Kikyou pointed out.
"I-I just happen to like children! That's all!" Yamato tried to deny again.
"Like i said before, Yamato-sama. You will make a good father," Shion smiled teasingly."Any children you father will be really lucky."
"Oho~? Is that so?" Kikyou grinned in predatory manner that made Yamato sweat slightly. "I think that's an approval to court her mother and become a true family, right?"
"I'd like it if Onii-chan marries Kaa-chan and becomes my Tou-chan!" Riri chimed in.
"EEEEEEEEHHHHH!?" Yamato cried out in surprise, his tone raising in panic.
"You don't want to?" Riri asked sadly, subconsciously activating the technique that every female instinctually knew: the Dreaded Will Crumbling Puppy Eyes.
"N-No, that's not it… It's just… It happened too soon," Yamato replied weakly. "Besides, I already have a girlfriend." And not to mention, others girls that were vying for his attention as well. It looked like his own kindness had trapped him into the harem route.
'Me and my bleeding heart,' Yamato groaned mentally.
"Monogamy is nice and all since it speaks volumes of your character, Yamato-sama. But I'd like to point out that soon or later you'll have to change your mind or at least be open to the idea," Kikyou pointed out seriously.
Yamato massaged his temple as if he was trying to stave out incoming headache. "…I know. It's just the example of harems I've seen are not the best." Point for example, various harem genre anime that Shun had made him watch.
He still wanted to live healthy and not get mauled by jealous girls, thank you very much.
Shion nodded understandingly as a smile curved on her lips. "You don't have to worry, Yamato-sama. I understand that while the girls want you for themselves, they would rather share you than not have a special place in your heart. There would be burst of jealousies, here and there, but eventually they would control themselves, as they don't want you to be sad because they were fighting against each other."
"Having a special place in my heart, huh?" Yamato mused to himself as he took a bite from his sweet and sour chicken.
Truth to be told, all of the girls he had met in this world already had a special place in his heart. They were all strong in their own way and he accepted them the way they were, regardless of their flaws and weaknesses. The last thing he wanted to do was to cause them heartache and push them away. Sometimes, he wondered if he was too kind for his own good.
The lunch continued on and the topic was steered away from Yamato's complex love life and went into some lighter topics.
Soon the party separated as Kikyou and En'ya continued their shopping while Yamato, Shion, and Riri went back to the palace.
"Ne, Onii-chan?" Riri started as she rode on his shoulder.
"What is it, Riri?" Yamato asked.
"I had fun today," she beamed in Yamato in the way that could melt a heart. Oh, why did she have to be so adorable?
'OK, so I have a weakness for little girls like my sisters and Riri,' Yamato mused with an internal sigh.
"But… I will be really happy if I can call you Tou-chan," Riri admitted, much to his surprise. Even Shion was surprised by her admission.
"Riri, what made you say that?" Shion asked.
"Riri doesn't remember much about Riri's real Tou-chan. Riri is happy to have Kaa-chan, but Riri really wanted to have Tou-chan. Sometimes, Riri was jealous with other children since they have their Tou-chan," Riri spoke up. She paused for a moment before continuing, "When the big bad lady took Riri away from Kaa-chan, Riri was scared because of the monsters. Then Onii-chan came to rescue Riri and when he carried Riri in his arms, Riri wondered, was this how it feels to have a father?"
"Riri…" Yamato muttered. For a little girl her age, she was really mature about this kind of thing. But even then, having her confess like this, only made it harder for Yamato to refuse to become her father.
'Something tells me that I'm going to regret this later on…' He thought internally before saying, "Well…if that's the case… I… suppose you can call me Tou-chan…"
"Really?!" Riri asked surprised. Even her mother looked shocked.
"Yamato-sama?" Shion gasped.
"But under one condition." Yamato added. "We keep this between the three of us when we're alone. I don't want other people getting the wrong idea. Can you do that Riri?"
Yamato didn't need to see that Riri was beaming happily before she hugged him as much as her tiny arms allowed her to. "Arigatou, Tou-chan!"
"You're welcome, Musume," Yamato replied, smiling at his 'daughter'.
"Thank you, Yamato-sama, for allowing Riri to call you 'father'," Shion smiled, her expression was very earnest.
"I told you, I like children and I really can't say no to a request like that," Yamato answered before he heaved a sigh. "…I'm eighteen years old and already have a daughter. My mother would flip if she ever heard of this."
Shion giggled at his muttering. It seemed the age for marriage was really different in Yamato's world. "Do not worry, Yamato-sama. I will be there beside you to explain things to your mother."
"Thanks," Yamato answered before asking to his newly adopted daughter. "Well, what do you want to do now, Riri? Do you want to play some games or do you want to listen to a story?"
"Oh! Story time! Story time!" Riri exclaimed happily.
Yamato then set her down on his lap and sat on the grass of his garden with Shion sitting next to him. He then thought up about a story from his world and decided to go along with it. "Do you want to hear about the Guardians of the Twin Towers?"
"Please tell me, Tou-chan!" Riri begged with wide eyes which Yamato found very adorable. The young king chuckled at her reaction as he patted her head. He then started to tell the story.
"Once upon a time, in a faraway land filled with mystical creatures, there were twin towers built to honor two great beings. Those beings were the Guardian of the Sky which took form a of phoenix and the Guardian of the Sea which took form of a dragon. The towers were built by the villagers to not only pay respect to the Guardians, but also be a home for them if they wanted to rest. In gratitude for what the villagers did, the Phoenix of the Sky and the Dragon of the Sea blessed the village where their towers resided and the surrounding land so they would prosper for generations to come."
"What happened next, Tou-chan?" Riri asked eagerly.
"Some warlords heard about what happened in the village and set to conquer the village while also wanting to subjugate the Guardians for their cause. War happened when the warlords met, causing so many lives being lost from the warlords' armies and even the villagers and local wildlife. Enraged with the wanton act of the power-hungry warlords, the Guardians unleashed their fury. The Guardian of the Sea called upon a massive storm that caused floods and swept away the warlords' armies while the Guardian of the Sky called upon a great blaze that burned them down. After they witnessed the fury of the Guardians, all but one warlord retreated knowing to cut their loss."
"Then, that one warlord dared to climb the tower where the Phoenix of the Sky resided with the intent to challenge the Guardian and subjugate it himself. Of course, his action had angered the Guardian further, so it burned down the tower and killed everyone inside. Unfortunately, three innocent creatures were also killed when the tower was burned down. As an act of kindness, the Phoenix of the Sky revived the creatures and blessed them with new powers. One was a Shiisa with the power of a volcano, the other was a Raiju with the speed of lightning, and the last was a Kirin with the swiftness of the northern wind. They were known as the Three Sacred Beasts."
"So what happened after?" Riri asked.
"When they were revived, the three Sacred Beasts went out into the wilderness and the Phoenix of the Sky flew away never to return while the Dragon of the Sea isolated itself on a remote island where it created massive whirlpools so no one could approach it. But before the Phoenix of the Sky left, it wanted the Sacred Beasts to observe the humans, hoping that one day, someone worthy filled with compassion and justice would unite men and mystical creatures again."
Riri clapped her hands happily at the end of Yamato's story. "That was a good story, Tou-chan!"
"Thank you, Riri," Yamato smiled at his 'daughter' before she yawned tiredly. "Are you sleepy? Is it time for your nap yet?"
Riri nodded and rubbed her eyes. "…But I don't want to take a nap yet. I want to spend more time with Tou-chan…" the little girl argued.
"Then how about I carry you and tuck you in? I promise I won't leave you until you fall asleep," Yamato assured her.
"Promise?" Riri asked sleepily.
"I promise," Yamato answered. The little girl nodded and allowed her new father figure to carry her in his arms. Riri snuggled into his neck and Yamato hadn't walked out of the garden yet when the little girl already fell asleep. Yamato smiled bemusedly at her, "I guess she really is tired. It was an exciting day for her after all."
"That it is," Shion nodded and smiled upon her lord. "Thank you again for complying with Riri's request, Yamato-sama. Had I known what she wanted…"
"It's not your fault, Shion. You did your best as a single mother and I'm sure Riri appreciates your effort," Yamato interrupted when his general looked down sadly. "A complete family is the dream of many children around the world and you know what is so special about children's dream? They are the future reality and those who laugh at them cannot be considered human."
Shion smiled wistfully at Yamato's words and found herself agreeing with them. "Those are beautiful words, Yamato-sama. It seems you have a way with words too."
"I just quoted it from someone else, actually," the young king admitted with a small laugh. 'Thank you Souji Tendou, for your Obaa-chan quotes.'
"Perhaps you should write those quotes down. Who knows, people may learn some lessons from them," Shion suggested.
Yamato nodded, mentally filing her suggestion for future ideas. Writing a book about various inspirational quotes he heard from various sources back home was a sound idea to add some cash to the imperial vault and certainly more humane than raising taxes.
Shion led him through the hallway to the room she shared with Riri. It looked not so much different than his other generals, but the wardrobe and the bed was larger as Shion was sharing her room with daughter, second only to Yamato's for obvious reasons and the Chou Sisters who shared their room.
Yamato gently tucked Riri in as Shion pulled the bedcover before pulling it over her body, leaving only her head seen. He then kissed her forehead as he whispered gently, "Sweet dreams, little angel."
Riri's response was a smile as she snuggled deeper to her pillow, obviously having a beautiful dream in her sleep.
"I have to say that you are quite the natural at tucking children in, Yamato-sama," Shion observed, smiling.
"I blame my sisters. They hardly let anyone else but me tuck them in, not even my father was spared," Yamato replied, chuckling as he recalled his father's sulking when Yuuhi and Yukari protested that only their Onii-san was allowed to tuck them in. Cue his father doubled up his training regime for a week before his mother put a stop to it.
"Fufufufufu… but still, I really appreciate what you're doing for me and my daughter," Shion smiled again.
"Think nothing of it. Besides, seeing Riri so happy like that is enough for me," Yamato replied, smiling down at Riri who had the thousand watts smile on her face as she slept.
"But it is something for me, Yamato-sama. You granted what my daughter longed for and I think it deserves a reward," said Shion as she walked real close to Yamato, causing her breasts to be pushed against him as she placed her hands on his chest.
Yamato was confused and a little flustered with her action. "Shion? Wh-"
His question was cut short when the lavender haired woman planted a kiss on his lips, causing Yamato's eyes to widen in surprise. He could feel the emotion she poured into that kiss. Gratitude, compassion, and even love and a bit of lust. Shion then pulled away and looked up to him, smiling. "...And that is your reward for now, Yamato-sama."
Yamato blushed and it took him some moments to finally say, "W-What was that for?"
"It is how I expressed my gratitude to you, Yamato-sama. You not only saved Riri by yourself when Enshou held her as a hostage, you also spent a day with her and even agreed to let her call you father. That is more than enough reason for me," Shion answered as she wrapped her hands around Yamato. "...If it was up to me, then I would like for us to be a real family."
"Shion, you…" Yamato started, but the woman put her index finger to his lips, asking him to be silent.
"I know this may sound selfish, but I too wanted to start a family by my own choice," Shion said as she rested her head on Yamato's chest. "...And I want it to be with you, Yamato-sama."
Yamato was silent for a moment before he returned the hug. "...You know that I probably won't stay here forever, right?"
"I understand, but for once, I want to make my own choice on my happiness," Shion answered before she smiled at me. "Besides, you said that you will find a way to return here if you ever get sent back to your world."
"Let me guess, Touka told you," Yamato replied as Shion giggled.
"That girl has it bad for you, Yamato-sama. And she was right on one thing." She then looked up and kissed Yamato again briefly before she whispered to his ear, "...It's hard to not fall in love with you once I get to know the real Yamato Kusanagi."
"Shion…" Yamato uttered.
She then pulled away and bowed to her lord. "Thank you for spending the day with me and Riri, Yamato-sama. I really enjoyed our time together."
Yamato was shaken out his stupor and smiled at her. "Yeah, same here. Maybe we should do this again sometime."
"I'd like that," Shion smiled.
"I'll take my leave now. Take care, Shion," Yamato said as he left the room. Once he closed the door, he had just taken several steps before he leaned on the wall and heaved a long sigh. "...Now what do I do?"
Yamato never expected that his love life would be as complex as this. He was grateful for having a lovely girlfriend like Aisha, but apparently he now had several other girls vying for his affection. There was Touka who definitely had some feelings for him, the Chou Sisters who had declared their intention very well, publicly even, and Shion who wanted to started a family with him. There were also others like Shuri and Hinari who had crushes on him, Karin who was obsessed with him and Aisha, and Renfa who might have feelings for him.
"It's time like this that I wished I had Shun or Yuki to talk to," Yamato groaned as he palmed his face. His best friends may have some insight that might help him in situations like this.
With the conflicting thoughts on his mind, Yamato let his body walked on auto-pilot without any particular destination.
Sei was whistling happily as she sat on the rampart of Xizang Royal Palace. She was snacking on a pot of menma she brought with her and a bottle of chilled sake. Today was the day off for the officers of Shoku and she intended to milk it to its worth, namely spending the time eating her favorite food.
She munched on a piece of menma when her violet gaze caught the sight of her lord walking with troubled expression. Frowning in confusion, she decided to call and talk to him.
"Yamato-sama! Over here!" Sei called out as she waved her hand in the air.
Yamato turned to her with slight surprised look on his face. "Ah, Sei." The young king then made his way up to the rampart and sat next to her. "What are you doing here?"
"Enjoying my day off with a pot of menma and a bottle of sake," Sei answered with a smile.
Yamato then looked at the pot of menma that Sei brought and couldn't help but voiced out, "Sei, menma are condiments. You should eat it with something else."
"I have sake with me, remember?" Sei retorted as she waved the sake bottle in front of Yamato.
"I mean you should have it with another food, like ramen or something," Yamato corrected himself with a sweatdrop.
Sei actually snorted indignantly and replied, "Please, to enjoy menma to its fullest you don't have to eat it with something else. If you do, then you can't tell how much a menma differs to another."
Yamato sweatdropped hearing her reply. "...I never pegged that you would be a menma addict."
"I could say the same to you, Yamato-sama. Whoever thought that you, the Peerless Blue Swordsman, the Azure War God would be afraid of dogs?" Sei smirked. "But enough about my tastes, what's with the long look Yamato-sama?"
Yamato sighed out loud and answered, "The complexity known as my love life."
Sei's eyes lit up in understanding. "Ah, I see. And you are confused on how to deal with those who pursue your affection."
"You're right on the spot."
"Well, if you want some advice, at the very least, give these girls a chance." Sei suggested. "Sure, you have your morals and your code of honor and that speaks high volumes of your character, but you don't want to break hearts, right?"
Yamato nodded. "That and I end up pushing them away is the last thing I want to do." The young king then sighed again. "I admit one of my weaknesses is to hold tightly to any bonds I formed with those who have seen the real me. I just...don't want to be alone again."
"And you won't," Sei said firmly. "You have Aisha and the others to support you. I'm sure of it."
"Thanks, Sei. I feel more assured at that," Yamato replied, smiling. "I guess this means I have to be open for polygamous relationship, huh? Boys back on my period would kill to get themselves in my position."
"I doubt they would do even a quarter of what you have done. You are one of a kind person, after all," Sei retorted before an impish smile curved on her lips. "Speaking of which, you still owe me something, Yamato-sama."
"Huh?" Yamato blinked before his eyes widening as he recalled a certain event in the past. "Wait, you don't mean…?"
"You still owe me a kiss for the kiss I gave you after the battle against the Yellow Turbans," Sei finished mercilessly. "I did expect for you to return it with extra interest once I joined you. And I think I should cash in the favor now, yes?"
"W-Wait a second!" Yamato cried out in protest. "We can't do it here!"
"Too la~te!" Sei teased before finally closing and kissed him on the lips much to his dismay.
"MMMMPH!" Yamato cried out in shock. It didn't help that people were staring at them too.
Sei released the kiss about a minute later, her cheeks flushing red. "Well, that was an amazing kiss. No wonder Aisha sometimes look like she was above the clouds."
"You can at least warn me, you know?" Yamato mumbled. "...And this is the second time in a day I got kissed by another girl."
"Oh~? Your second, eh?" Sei smirked teasingly. "Who is the lucky one who managed to steal a kiss from Yamato Kusanagi?"
"It's Shion. She kissed me after I tucked Riri into her bed," Yamato admitted, seeing no point to hide it from Sei. She would chase him for details relentlessly like she did with Aisha about their date.
"Ho~ is that so?" Sei said, amused. "I better step up my game then if I'm to beat the number one master of love."
Yamato mentally sighed. So it really came to a polygamous relationship for him. But just because he accepted his complex love life, that didn't mean he would let the girls win so easily.
"You're welcome to try, Sei. But just you know, if you aim for my heart then you better give it your best because I only accept strong and beautiful women," Yamato declared confidently.
"A challenge eh?" Sei smirked. "Then I accept that challenge."
Yamato then watched as Sei walked away, her hips swaying in show-offish manner. Somehow in one way or another, this day off turned out be both good and troublesome. At the very least, it gave Yamato things to think beside of the incoming conflict with Sou Gi.
While it was bound to happen sooner or later, he wasn't looking forward to fight his best friend. Something told him that their friendship would change once he confronted Shun on the battlefield.
Not as a friend, but as an enemy and a rival with different ideals.
A/N: Sorry for the wait. Work and sickness got in the way, I'm afraid. Those who waited for my Kiva DxD have to wait since I'm in the middle of rewriting the story. There are some elements that I didn't like after I read it several times. So, another obligatory HBP Chapter is down and we're getting closer to the Sou Gi Campaign Arc. But before that, one last HBP Chapter and we're set to go. And quick poll time! Another Omake is set for the next chapter. Which one you want to see?
A) The Seventeenth Birthday Party Incident
B) Yamato the Papa Wolf
See you on the next chapter. Goodnight.