3. The Four Idiots

The following week, Yamano had went to Sakura's home by himself one day. Matsumoto had been ill; "Tell me if she spills who the gay couple are", she asked Yamano, who just went "hmmm."

"Is she okay?" The old doctor had been surprised to see him alone.

"She's fine." He shrugged, "she just caught a bug or something."

"Tell her to see her own physician if she isn't well in a few days. And to rest and drink fluids."

"So", Yamano took out his tablet to write down notes. " Your first fight went okay?"

"The first sortie was an experience...but I survived and no one died."

"I was thinking though..." Yamano began, "you were the commander of a lot of guys. Did you...have any favorites?"

She thought over her answer. "There were two things that, when I was first introduced to this, I wouldn't do: one was to play favorites...and the other was to not fall in love with any of them." She let out a sad chuckle, "I failed on both."

She then got out a photo album as she explained, "I loved all of them, but Yama was special in the fact that he was my first sword. But these four...were special in another way..."

He recognized one of the men...as the man featured in the family photos that had spread all over the elder's home. The first picture was of a white-haired man, dressed in white with only the gold of his eyes for color, smiling and hamming it up on camera.

"That's Tsurumaru", she explained. "He was quite a handful, but he was the first to declare that he'd stay with me until the end."

####

"Yo! Are you surprised to get someone like me?"

A cheerful, snow-colored man, dressed in what Sakura had recognized as Heian era clothing, stood before her. Tsurumaru Kuinaga.

"Welcome." She bowed politely. "My name is Katagiri Sakura-san. I'm your...boss so to speak."

He eyed her, smiling. "You look like you're easy to prank."

"Haha." She stared back. "I'm not that easy. Keep the jokes to a minimum though..."

Then he began to walk away, only to tickle her, which as one could guess, made her jump. He was triumphant.

"I like you already." He laughed, "I'm going to enjoy pranking you."

"That was a little more than a prank..." She straightened herself out. "Go grab a bed and rest for a bit."

"How surprising to have swords sleeping with each other like this..." She walked with him as she showed him around.

"There's horses too." That was a recent aquisition she made. Some of the men had their own horses; she had traded some food and medical help in exchange for three horses(and sometimes rode herself, thanks to Yama's help though he was reluctant).

"Well, I'm not really good with horses", he laughed. "How surprising that a sword is expected to take care of one though!"

####

"Tsurumaru-san was quite friendly", the older woman looked fondly at the pictures. "I think he was a little leery of me at first, on whether I could handle him or not, but once he realized that I could take a joke, he was fine."

"What about Yui-san? Did you hear anything about her during this period?"

"Konosuke didn't have information on her whereabouts until much later. That's why I haven't talked much about her during this time...but she never left my mind."

Sakura looked like she would cry, so Yamano focused on the men in the picture. "This guy looks more like someone I'd find in Tokyo."

"That is Ookurikara. Let me ask you something", she looked at Yamano, "have you ever met someone that annoyed you to no end, drove you crazy but yet...you couldn't imagine life without them?"

(Holy shit. She looks giddy.)

####

"I don't plan to get along with you."

{he's actually pretty gorgeous...too bad he's kind of a dick}

He was tan and dressed more casual than the others. If it weren't for the fact that he wasn't human, he'd fit right in with the crowd that Sakura hung out with at university.

"Don't you think you better find a bed first?" She wasn't taking his shit though. {oh hell no.} She edged herself in front of him on purpose. He looked annoyed.

"Look, you don't have to be everyone's best friend. However, you are going to have to deal with them sooner or later."

"I'll fight alone and I'll die alone."

"I bet you're a lot of fun at parties."

"Did you want something from me?"

"Go rest and settle in. Tomorrow I want you to spar with someone so I can see how strong you are..."

"Heeeey Sakuraaaaa-chhhaaann" walking up the hallway was Tsurumaru...with an arrow out of his head...or so it looked like. "Haaalllp it seems like I had a bit of trouble...Oi, Kurikara, is that you? This is a nice surprise! So you're here too?"

The mumeitou looked as if he wanted to strangle the crane right there. Sakura had read that Tsurumaru had served with Date Masamune as well.

"Well all we need now is Mitsutada and we'll have everyone here!" Tsurumaru put his arm around his comrade and his new master(who was secretly amused at Ookurikara's reaction with Tsurumaru). However, Ookurikara was surprised at the mention of this Mitsutada. He looked at his new master, who in turn was taken off guard by his gaze. "Mitsutada isn't here?"

{He really is beautiful}

"No. I'm afraid I haven't received him yet." She then tried to smile. "Hey, at least you'll have a colleague..."

"It would have to be him..."

"Awwwww...I missed you too, Kuri-chan!"

"Shut up." But the anger in his eyes subsided. He looked at Sakura, "it's probably best that you talk to either Mitsutada or Sadamune anyway. If you don't need me for anything, then leave me alone." He then shut the door.

"Wow...he really hates me..."

"Nah. He's always been like that."

She took the arrow off him.

"So", he grinned, looking at her, "were you surprised?"

"That joke is as old as you are." She grinned and rustled his hair. He put the arrow back on. "I'm gonna go prank the Tantous!"

"Don't traumatize Gokotai!"

Three Days Later

After a hard night of doing nothing but repair, Sakura went alone to the refinery. The blacksmith held a sword in his hands.

"This is Hasebe", he introduced the sword.

"Is he a kid?"

"No...this is a uchigatana."

Thinking of Ookurikara, "Is this one going to blow me off?"

"Huh?"

"Never mind." She sighed. "All right. Let's do this". She touched the sword. A blonde haired man, dressed in purple, appeared and introduced himself as Heshikiri Hasebe...or Hasebe for short.

{This one's pretty hot too}

"Shall I burn some temples for you?" He gazed into her green eyes. "Plunder some villages?"

"That's okay. I think we'll leave the burning and plundering the villages for another day". She gave him a friendly smile. "Go find a place to stay in..."

"My place is by your side".

"Ohhh..." She blushed. "I think we'll leave that alone..."

####

"Matsumoto would've loved this", Yamano looked at the scrapbook. Then he saw a picture of a smiling, but shy young woman.

"Is this you?" he held up the picture.

"That was me, back in those days. Shokudaikiri took that one. He, Ookuri,Hasebe and later Yagen were the only ones who adapted...oh, actually Kashuu and Yammy-kun liked to fool around with technology too."

"You were really hot".

The older woman blushed a little. "Thank you. I...I had my fair share of attention, I guess."

####

One Day After Hasebe

The first thing that came to Sakura's mind on seeing her newest member, was 'Host Club.' {He looks like the MC of a Host Club}. Later on though, she felt guilty for instantly jumping to conclusions for this one was genuinely friendly, nice...and motherly. At least to his fellow former brother sword, who always looked annoyed whenever Mitsutada saw him; "Kuri-channnn!"

"Do you want me to cook these for you?" He asked, whispering in her ear. She felt her face burn up.

{Fucking hell...}

"Sure", she got herself together. Then, {Wait, can a one-eyed guy cook?}.

"There is no need", Hasebe overheard things and came into the kitchen area. "I can cook for Sakura-sama."

"Well. I don't mind cooking for Sakura-chan. Actually, I'm looking quite forward to cooking for everyone!" Mitsutada grinned.

"I will cook for my master. It is my duty as retainer!"

"How about this?" She wedged herself between them and pushed them to separate. "You both can cook for me! To be honest, I was planning on alternating cooks anyway..."

"Sakura-chan?" Mitsutada took out a small dish out of the refrigerator, "here. I made this earlier."

She took the dish. She could feel Hasebe glaring at Mitsutada. "What is it?"

"I was fooling around with one of the cookbooks I found earlier." He rubbed his neck sheepishly. "I thought it sounded cool so I tried to make it."

She took a taste, bracing herself for the worst. Instead, it was delicious.

"This is really good", she took her time eating, "I'm really impressed, Shokudaikiri-san!"

####

"And that", the elderly saniwa shut her scrapbook, "was how I got a cook...and fell in love."