Intro: This is what happens when I am focused and my head is on overdrive, two chapters in just a day wahahaha… though the other chapter was already half finished from the other days that passed. Anyways enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Touken Ranbu and Cardfight! Vanguard and other material which came from the said Game/Anime, they are owned by its original creators. The making of this story and this story is made for the fans and the writer XD. Although the plot and some changes in the story are from me ^_^.

Chapter 68: Uncovering parts of the past

Silence filled the whole room as Mina finished up her short and simple explanation. Mina and Aichi did not dare to speak up anymore to not confuse them further nor to add anything to not lean on to other topics and stir clear of that part of being a Saniwa.

"So the reason why Kiyomitsu-kun was unable to speak nor move like he doesn't know anything about the world around him, acting as if he was just a new born child…" Shizuka started pausing on her words.

"It was because he was the first sword Aichi brought, being still inexperienced and new he was unable to fully materialize him." Konnosuke answered for him "Another explanation can be is because his ability has still not shown up at that time."

"No…" Aichi intervened "It was because I was not doing it seriously, doing it only half willingly, he ending up like that…" Biting his lips Aichi did not continue to speak anymore gripping his hands hard.

Mikazuki places his hands on top of Aichi's "But you certainly did a good job trying to give him enough to become the Kiyomitsu he is now, he might not be fully summoned but you did not give up to complete him." Mikazuki tries to comfort Aichi, making him smile in the end giving him confidence. Shizuka of course notices this interaction between the two.

"Then Kiyomitsu, and how he introduced himself as Kashuu Kiyomitsu, does that mean he is the famous sword that Okita Souji once wielded?" Shizuka tries to recall the history of who Kiyomitsu is.

Aichi sprung up a little form his sit "Yes! That is him." Surprising even Mikazuki.

"Then the ones I am playing with too are swords?" Emi asked, surprisingly since she is more level headed and matured than Aichi, she understood and took things calmly like Shizuka, a little…

"Currently in this citadel there are six types of swords, Tantou, Wakizashi, Uchigatana, Tachi, Ootachi, and recently Yari." Mina answers she motions to Mikazuki "Their appearance reflects their sword type."

"If they are swords does that mean they are older than what they look?" Shizuka's eyes trails onto Mikazuki, smiling in return.

"Oh my…" Shizuka blushes seeing the handsome Mikazuki smile at her "Despite how they look, they look all fairly young, you won't be able to tell if they are already centuries old."

"I may look like this but I am already an old man." Mikazuki laughs after his comment "I have to thank Aichi-sama for giving us human bodies that we can certainly move without trouble."

"So does that mean Midare-chan and the others are…" Emi got spooked a little.

Mina sweat drops "Despite their appearances they are used in battle before and they are older despite their appearance, also might I add that all of them are men."

"Eh?!" Shizuka and Emi squealed remembering the toudans they have come across, those feminine faces… they were all… Shizuka and Emi sweats at the thought "Oh my…" was Shizuka's only comment.

After a short silence "Is Aichi-kun doing well as a master?" Shizuka asked Mikazuki though even with a smile on her face Mikazuki can tell that she is serious just from her tone and look.

Answering back to her feelings of worry for her child Mikazuki answered in a simple yet full of meaning behind it "Aichi-sama has given us nothing but kindness, everything he has that he can give, prioritizing our well-being and sometimes, well most of the times forgetting about himself, but nevertheless he has shown us how to live the most of it." Although he was answering Shizuka's question, Mikazuki spoke it to Aichi with a smile that even Shizuka has felt there lies in that smile full of emotion and affection for his Aichi.

Shizuka lightly chuckles "I see… thank you for taking care of my Aichi."

"Likewise, Shizuka-san." Mikazuki thanks.

Mina, Kon, and Konnosuke smiles at the sight of the two "It feels like a confession or something…" Konnosuke muttered.

Hearing his comment Aichi instantly looks away a little flustered from it and from Mikazuki.

"Alright you can go now, I am going to help them prepare!" Mina shooed Mikazuki and Aichi.

And with perfect timing Midare walks by with Gokotai "Oh Aichi-sama have you finished-?!" Midare hastily closed his mouth.

"It's fine to call him with formality like normal again." Mina informed of them.

"B-but…" Gokotai questioned.

"Mikazuki, I'm going to let you handle explaining to them." Mina instructed.

"I see, alright, understood." Mikazuki calls out the other passing toudans and talks to them.

"Then Aichi-sama, is Emi-chan free to play now?" Midare with Gokotai runs toward them with the tiger cubs following behind.

Nodding to his question the both of them smiles "Emi-chan let's go play!"

Looking at Shizuka for permission "Go ahead and play." Emi smiles and left with the Tantous to play, while Aichi receives a message from a group chat and found out that it's about time that they will be arriving.

Upon the others leaving, Kon and Mina stayed while Konnosuke follows Aichi and left the area "So Aichi is doing well…"

"Yes, do not worry he is in good hands." Mina smiles.

"To be honest, I was really worried at what place this is, what Aichi is doing, and who this people are." Shizuka smiles bitterly "I'm worried for Aichi, but when I came to visit him once here, seeing them interact and worry about Aichi I immediately knew he is going to be fine."

Shizuka smiles to Mina "Aichi didn't have a good childhood if you have known, my husband has always been busy and is at work he has no time to be with us nor even call us. I know that and understand that he is not neglecting us, he is just very busy." Now Mina can understand where Aichi's understanding came from, her gentle and calm manner, and thinking of others first without doubting them.

"Speaking of my husband I think I have heard of him saying the words Saniwa too?" Kon and Mina flinches in surprise from hearing her words that she has heard of Saniwa's from others.

"if I remember correctly when you said era, Aichi's grandmother, my husband's aunt has an ability the same as using divination, but I didn't hear anything about bringing Tsukumogami's." Shizuka tries her best to recall the story.

"Can you tell me more?" Mina anxiously asked confusing Shizuka, but Kon knew why she was acting like that.

Shizuka only nodded and tries her best to recall "If I remembered correctly in the past, his father had an older sister with a unique ability that can use talisman or power of divination, what I had heard was she was the best healer in those times by using her divination and unique ability since she can use that, at that time a sect refers to her as a Saniwa, a deity that has possessed someone."

"Deity…" Kon muttered.

Her face became filled with sadness after "But I had heard something happened to the past and drove her to madness, my husband doesn't remember much from her as he was only little at that time, because of her being a Saniwa from that certain sect calling her Saniwa, many had led to believe that she may have been so since she hasn't age upon perfecting her ability, curing any types of illness even the most incurable once. But this also lead her in to losing trust in people from what I had heard from his stories."

"Though they were only an exaggeration from the stories, albeit most of it are just rumor, but we won't have the answer to that since we weren't born at that time to see what had really happened." Shizuka smiled though her brows were frowning.

Shizuka rummages through her things "I believe she is supposed to be about 90 years old maybe younger or older, but I had heard that she loved her family, the last thing that I heard was that she died from the hands of someone else, I heard the one who ended her was her teacher, it's kind of sad to hear something like that, I mean ending the life of your student just because there was no way to bring her back to herself when she lost herself from madness." she looks at Mina "Then again it was just rumors or stories, it might have been faux."

"If it sums up to this it seems I can still remember a lot from his story, she was called so many things from a witch to a demon, but this was something outside from their family, he deeply loved his aunt saying that he remembers her teasing him from time to time but gives him gifts and saying that he will be blessed, but to be honest his family did not really know what happened to her or if she ever did died, that was only a rumor going around, that she may have been possessed by a bad deity instead and used her body and rampaged elsewhere, even his family didn't know much about her, nor understand about her, tried to help her but was scared in trying to."

"It's kind of sad thinking that your own family doesn't know and understand your own suffering nor what is happening to you, then again maybe she just got scared of telling them the truth." Mina and Kon looked at each other "I guess maybe it was depression that led her to her demise, there is another rumor that she died from loneliness and killed herself when the man she loved disappeared."

"A man she loved?" Mina felt like it was a joke but tried her best to act normal.

"Yes, apparently she came back with him one day acting as if he was a body guard to her and calls her with formality like someone most precious to him." Shizuka chuckles "I heard that when she became mad, with a heavy heart he just follows her every desire even hurting people." Shizuka stops from her words "It seems that it was also a very sad love story."

"Ah, here it is…" Shizuka brought out an album "I brought this with me to show how cute Aichi was when he was just a child!" Shizuka chuckles, she is a typical mother who flaunts baby pictures of her children to anyone.

Shizuka flips some pages "I heard she gained a title from her abilities the name transitioned from healer from her healing just anything and even brings back objects to its original state and slayer from when they said she lost her humanity when she started hurting people, though I don't know if she has killed any." Mina cuts in.

"Don't worry I am sure she hasn't" Mina smiles to assure Shizuka but her smile and her color instantly vanishes after hearing her next words.

Shizuka smiles and continues "But she ended up with the title of Crimson Bringer, because it can both mean someone who brings either life or death." Shizuka showed a woman clothed in deep crimson.

The woman in the picture has her bangs split on her right, her raven curly locks looked as if it were bouncing from the wind, on her head is a rose Kanzashi (Hair ornament) with a black ribbon beneath, her crimson eyes felt like she would pierce your soul from just one look, lips smiling as if she was in full bliss, she wears a red furisode (formal style of kimono worn by unmarried women) styled kimono with rose pattern in black print. From her kanzashi, to her Haneri (inner kimono), to her kimono and obi (sash), they were all dyed in red and the patterns mostly in black but few with white. Her clothing really lived up to the name Crimson.

Upon seeing the picture Mina's heart raced, her face trying to change from a smile to rage, her hands forming into a fist, Mina trembles trying to contain her feelings upon seeing the woman from the picture.

"This was a family picture of his family, Emi surely took up from him while Aichi took up from me." Shizuka chuckled "I guess I really do remember a lot about her, it somehow makes me feel like I want to meet her and ask what really did happened to her, if she really only need someone who can understand and talk to her."

"Do you know the name of her teacher?" Mina asks while Kon silently stares at Mina then changing to picture in front and then Mina again.

"I don't know her name but I think it's around the words Moon Maiden…?" Shizuka tries to think hard "I don't think he told me anything about that part though, if you would like I could ask him about her and Aichi's grand-mother."

"Then how about the name of his grand-mother?" Mina asks again containing her emotions.

"Oh, that part I don't remember but it's something that is associated with spring." Mina's eyes widen.

"My apologies Shizuka-san but I forgot I have something important to attend to that I have forgotten, will you please excuse me?" Mina excuses herself as she left the room in a hurry.

"Oh my… I think I said something wrong, I should maybe apologize later…" Shizuka worries over what has happened to Mina which Kon tries to make her understand that it is alright.

"She is a very busy person." Kon said smiling to Shizuka as he too left the room while Shizuka continued on to preparing their things.

~Mina's Room~

"I thought that their last name were just a coincidence… but…" Mina felt pained and lets out tears sobbing as her aching heart slumping on the floor, Kon talks to her to make her forget it and the perfect word of advice to wake her up.

"I guess history repeats itself?" Kon said it as if it was a very cruel joke from fate.

Remembering the bitter past "Then…" looking alive remembering her resolve "I promised him and myself that I will find a way, a way to end this, and a way to bring him back." Mina walks toward an altar with a cloth that seems to be covering something.

"You should relax yourself Mina-kun, you yourself know that losing control is a very wrong move." Kon stated.

"I know just from my experience, and I won't let it control me." Mina with determination prays to the altar "I will find a way even if I will need Aichi-kun's help." She stand up and turned to Kon "So it's a small world huh." Mina chuckles with a sarcastic look.

"I guess so, but that is what is amusing in this world of ours." Kon wags his tail once.

"Knowing about Aichi-kun's past relation to her… what do you think we should do?" Mina in a serious tone, asks Kon for advice.

"For now, if we really want to prevent to repeat the past then we really need a closer observation of Aichi, I got curious from what Shizuka said about blessing…" Kon recalled.

"Does that mean she was already passing out her ability?" Mina theorize.

"A Saniwa's ability cannot be transferred but other abilities such as healing can be, as we have noticed how high and fast Aichi-kun can heal the toudans with such speed, which we only thought that it was only because he was immense power, but it maybe because of something else entirely…" Kon disregarded her theory and changed into something "Then again, maybe her blessing was Aichi's immense power. Since his father did not show the ability of being a Saniwa, her blessing jumped to Aichi."

"I am… scared… Kon-san…" Mina starts to tear up again.

"Do not worry, you have grown splendidly and it is time to lead Aichi to the right path before being consumed in darkness, with your experience and of course resolve to not repeat the past and stop this war you can guide Aichi. Also seeing that he is a direct descendant there is no denying that that blessing may be the other power within Aichi, and from what Toshiki-kun has told us, it might be the power that can turn the tables." Kon grew anxious.

"If it is then we have to expect that something like that will happen, adding to it that that man is trying to capture Aichi-kun, I am sure he has researched about Aichi-kun and their relationship and knows that fact, and how he is also using someone with the same other power as Aichi and from Kai-kun's story he is also a user of that power, kinds of contradicts our earlier assumption that it was a blessing from her." Mina denies their first assumption.

"It can still be one from her blessings, we might not know, but we should just continue observing, I could tell that he has something in mind again, and from the reports I can definitely say that the masked cloaked man is her beloved sword." Kon hypothesized. "I will tell this to the Head Saniwa upon my return."

"When we exchanged words when we fought, I could tell it is him." Mina was sure of it lowering her head.

"And it sure is funny enough how they both had the, you know, with the swords…" Kon looked away.

"Please don't…" Mina showed a sheepish look.

"It just turns out that most of Shizuka's story were true and some are really a rumor, though from her husband though, Aichi's father." Kon added "Though I commend her for being really kind, when you left, she immediately thought of apologizing thinking that she said something to offend you."

"Aichi-kun really takes up to her." Mina sighs "I should clear the misunderstanding later."

"Anyways how he knows who you are? They don't age so maybe and it's also the same as you guys if you guys reached your peek." Kon joked a little.

"Even if you are not referring directly to my age, it still hurts thinking about the fact that I am that old…" Mina uses both her hands to cover up her face.

"S-sorry…" Konnosuke gulps and sweats at the sudden realization of his careless words, that he just broke the law, to never tell or even indirectly say to a lady how old they are.

~Below the hill~

Aichi with Miwa, Kai and Kamui meets up with Team Caesar's Yuri, Gai, and Kenji, with Morikawa and Izaki, and of course with Misaki and Shin, they were all together.

"I received a message from Yuri-san that they don't know the way here, and since me and Shin-san were also about to head out, I suggest to them to wait for us." Misaki then turned to Morikawa and Izaki "Oh yeah."

"Don't look at us like you forgot about us…" Izaki sweat drops.

"That's because I did…" Misaki nonchalantly said hurting Izaki, earning sweat drops from Aichi, Miwa, Kamui, Gai, and Yuri "And we stumbled upon them on the way since they don't also know the way."

"S-should we head out then?" Aichi points towards the top of the hill.

As they continued on to walk towards the hill they talked about the citadel "You aren't accompanied by the others?" Misaki asked in curiosity.

"Oh…" Aichi recalls "It was because Mina instructed Mikazuki to tell the others an important announcement, so I decided to not let them join to not bother them, and then stumbled upon Kai-kun, Miwa-kun, and Kamui-kun and told them I will be meeting you up at the bottom of the hill which they said they wanted to tag along."

The five where walking side by side while the others behind watch in amusement at what is happening in front of them "Aichi brought two new swords by the way." Miwa spoke of the news "And the new one is a spear! Makes me want to change from Katana to a spear." Miwa moves as if he was holding a spear as they continued on to talk while the others watch not understanding what they were talking about.

~Citadel~

A little further from walking and finally "I-is that the citadel you were talking about!?" Morikawa shouted upon seeing a glimpse of the huge house standing a top.

"It's bigger when you get closer especially when you are inside." Miwa winks at him with Gai, Kenji, Yuri, Shin, Morikawa and Izaki wows.

Since the entrance was open they can see the front of the citadel as they finally saw the place that they tries best to hide "Welcome to our Citadel." Aichi said as he walks slowly and headed to the entrance hall while followed by the others.

"I will get you a tour of the citadel later, for now you should stay at your room and place your things as we wait for lunch." Aichi instructs then turns to Misaki "Misaki-san, will you show Yuri-san to the room you always stay at? That is where she will be staying." Aichi said nodding to his instruction Misaki asks Yuri to follow her

"The five of you will be in a different room, please follow me." Aichi asks them to follow him.

While walking up towards their room still followed by Kai, Miwa, and Kamui "Hey Aichi, is that what you usually wear when you are here?" Kenji asked in curiosity.

"Oh, Uhm… Yes, this is what I normally wear here." Aichi answered looking at his sleeves.

Then Kenji turns to Kai and the others "Oh us? We use this for training but we can wear this whenever we want." Miwa answers for the three of them.

But most importantly they are most surprised at how calm Aichi is when giving instructions as if it was normal.

Finally arriving at their room as it opens up the five wowed at the simplicity but beauty of the room, when they came in, they immediately unpacks their things to be ready for lunch.

"Oh! Aichi-sama." Yasusada calls out running towards him.

"Yasusada? Is something the matter?" Aichi asked.

"Shokudaikiri-san said it's lunch time, so you and your friends can head to the dining hall." Yasusada informs.

"I see, let's head out together with them if it's alright with you." Aichi invited.

"Really?!" Yasusada's eyes shimmered in delight as the new ones noticed the childlike demeanor he showed "I don't care if Kiyomitsu gets jealous so I would be glad to accompany you to the dining hall." Yasusada answers raising his two hands.

"What do you mean by not caring?!" Kiyomitsu tugs at Yasusada's collar.

"Uwah!" Leaning backwards almost losing his footing Yasusada but he was able to successfully secure himeslf.

"You two are always together huh…" Miwa comments which the two are not fond of hearing.

Earning an "Hmp!" from the two with Miwa ending up laughing.

"Well let's go Aichi-sama! The others have called the others so that we can start eating, the tour can go later!" Kiyomitsu smiles as he starts pushing Aichi from behind to start walking.

"Ya-Yasusada-kun, please guide them to the dining hall!" Aichi shouts as he was taken away by Kiyomitsu leaving Yasusada.

"Unfair Kiyomitsu!" Yasusada shouted while Kiyomitsu just waved behind him.

"So far he and Mikazuki are the only ones who can anything they want to him." Miwa snickered "Oh even yeah even Tsurumaru."

"Whelp let's head out to the Dining Hall after you finish I will be waiting outside." Yasusada smiles as he waits for them to finish, though they were unable to finish as they were too stunned at the short exchange from the toudans and Aichi in front of them. To be honest they are still confused and surprised at what is happening but it will all later be… welp… much more chaos…

Outro: yeah looks can be deceiving….

I'm very sorry for my lack of vocabulary, wrong grammars and wrong spellings, but I hope you like the story nonetheless, and thank you for everyone's continuous support! Thank you for reading!