Chapter 14
Clash swords again

Ayaka wasn't too surprised to notice that Katsumoto was leading them right into the building she knew best at the Kaedehara Estate: the training dojo. Although, of course, the dojo that prevailed in her memories had little or nothing to do with the building in front of her. Its condition was as deplorable as the rest of the property. It also seemed to have been conditioned as some kind of warehouse. Inside, they found several boxes, bags, and vases stacked in the corners. Ayaka correctly guessed that most of these things were loot from her heists.

Inside they found also more ronin, sitting on the sides, eating or chatting with each other, but they dropped everything as soon as she and Thoma entered the place. It was as if the brightness of their colorful clothes and faces had drawn them like a beacon.

Counting Katsumoto and the three men who had greeted them, Ayaka estimated around twenty people, maybe a little more. She didn't think the band was so large; it was likely that not even the Tenryou Commission knew about it. And as soon as they advanced towards the center of that place, they inevitably ended up surrounded in all directions by potential enemies.

This is what they call putting oneself in the wolf's mouth, thought Ayaka, despite everything with a bit of humor. At the moment, she couldn't afford to lose her temper or control of the situation.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that Ouji moved to one side, a little away from everyone. Surely, he only wanted to intervene in that matter to that point, and Ayaka couldn't blame him. He had already risked enough for them from what she saw in the courtyard.

For his part, Katsumoto moved to one side, where there were several large bottles of what Ayaka assumed was alcohol; sake, most likely. The samurai took one of them, removed the plug, and sniffed its contents a little before drinking it against his lips.

"This used to be a beautiful dojo," Ayaka commented, looking thoughtfully around her, especially at the splintered and stained wooden floor at her feet. She remembered, with some sadness, a couple of times when she had had to clean and polish it together with Kazuha and the other students.

"Eight years of neglect kills any building," Katsumoto muttered bitterly once he put down his bottle. "And also some people too..."

Sake bottle in hand, he advanced to a group of cushions on the floor, on which he allowed himself to fall on his back. He didn't even bother to settle down; just as he fell, he stayed and continued to drink.

"Whatever you want to say, you'd better say it quick," Katsumoto snapped, sounding like a demand.

The gaze of all those twenty people was fixed on Ayaka, and she knew it. It was not that they were interested in what she had to say. Still, undoubtedly many were waiting to see if she had another hidden intention. Thoma was also aware of this, so he kept alert and close to Ayaka.

"Tenryou Commission says you have become a thief who robs travelers," Ayaka uttered without hesitation, hoping not to sound too much like an accusation. "Is that true?"

"Does this look like the abode of an exemplary citizen?" Katsumoto teased, holding his arms out to the sides to point around.

"How come you ended this way, Mr. Katsumoto? You were always an extraordinary and honorable samurai."

"A samurai's honor is worth nothing if he has no lord to serve. And I guess I don't have to tell you what happened to ours."

"Why didn't you come with us? We could have helped you in some way..."

Katsumoto let out a loud, high-pitched laugh shared by several of the other ronin.

"Ask the Kamisato clan for help, you say?" Katsumoto snapped scathingly. "And what makes you think we didn't? But your brother made it very clear that he wanted no relationship with the Kaedeharas or anything to do with them. And all the great clans followed him. In the end, we end up being outcasts, pushed to live here, hiding in the shadows that no one wants to see.

Ayaka was speechless for a moment upon hearing that. Had her brother really done such a thing? She clearly remembered how upset he was back then, but she didn't think he would carry his anger to that extent. But back then, Ayato was young and very different from how he is now...

But Ayaka couldn't let them see her hesitation. As a Kamisato, she could not show doubt or detachment from the stance taken by the head of her family, regardless of whether she agreed with it or not.

"You can't blame my brother for this," Ayaka snapped firmly. "He was not guilty of what happened; he did what he had to protect his family."

"Of course, but to protect his family, he didn't mind destroying so many others," Katsumoto mumbled, following a long drink from his bottle. "But you are right about one thing, my lady. The only ones guilty of all this are the Kaedeharas. Especially the corrupt and petty Naruhito and the cowardly and useless Kazuha."

Hearing his name finally made something jump in Ayaka's chest, but she tried her best to hide it.

"Kazuha... do you know where he is? Have you seen him after what happened?"

Again another mocking laugh arose from the former samurai.

"Don't tell me it's because of him that you risked coming here. That child is not even worth the effort of saying his name."

Ayaka didn't respond at all to his comment. Instead, she stayed where she was, watching him carefully to clarify that she expected a more direct answer to her question. Katsumoto noticed this, of course.

"You'd better forget about him," he snapped.

"So… you don't know his whereabouts?" Ayaka questioned, a little apprehensive.

"I said no such thing," Katsumoto replied. "But that boy is not worth your concern or anyone else's. After all, he cheated, lied, and abandoned you like all of us."

Although Ayaka had maintained total composure up to that point, the latter managed to create a small crack in her mask of calm and reveal even a little bit of astonishment and concern.

"Are you saying that he was… aware of his uncle's plans?"

A smile of morbid satisfaction spread across Katsumoto's thick lips.

"I see that it is not easy for you to believe it, right?"

"What I think... is that your resentment has blinded you, and your word is not to be trusted," Ayaka replied, dangerously bordering on the defensive.

"Is that what you think? Well, I think that instead, you are the blind, Ms. Kamisato, because of the affection you evidently still have for him."

Ayaka turned her gaze away and began to breathe slowly through her nose to calm down. She was surprised by how upset she had suddenly felt upon hearing those comments against her former friend. Perhaps in part, Katsumoto was right in what he said, and she did not see things with total clarity...

"Can you at least tell me if he's okay?" she whispered after a while, once she had regained her composure a bit.

"As okay as an honorless coward like him could be," one of the other ronin sneered loudly, followed by a series of laughs that echoed like an avalanche through the building. The only one who seemed not to laugh was Katsumoto.

"I understand that you're upset," Ayaka stated calmly, now turning to everyone present, "but Kazuha was just a kid when all that happened. There wasn't much he could do to remedy the situation..."

"There was so much he could do, but he chose to do nothing! Katsumoto snapped with marked anger, standing up quickly. Her hostile attitude clearly worried Thoma, who promptly jumped to stand before his mistress to protect her. Katsumoto, however, did not approach them more than a single step. "Maybe his father and uncle killed the Kaedehara clan, but Kazuha dropped it without even laying his hands. He is as guilty for what happened as they are, or even more..."

His voice sounded so harsh, aggressive, and full of hate… but as well of frustration. Ayaka didn't feel scared by that man but instead felt…some sadness. For him, and for everyone else in that place. And of course, also for Kazuha. Everyone was dragged into that situation by the actions of others; none deserved to end like this.

"It pains me a lot to see you so consumed with anger and hatred, Mr. Katsumoto," Ayaka muttered slowly, lowering her gaze slightly. "I'm really sorry for what you've been through. But blaming Kazuha for everything isn't fair. I understand the helplessness he must have felt at that moment because I've been in the same position of wanting to help people I care about somehow and not being able to. I only hope you find peace and forgiveness in your hearts one day."

The dojo fell silent, and all the while, Katsumoto's hard, defiant expression was fixed on Ayaka. She raised her gaze again and held the former samurai's without even blinking. Despite his small and scrawny appearance, Katsumoto could sense that she had become someone of a firm and unshakable character. He wouldn't say it out loud, but it made him feel a little proud. She was the kind of person he hoped Kazuha would be one day.

Heaving a heavy sigh of weariness, or perhaps annoyance, Katsumoto sank back onto the cushions and finished drinking his bottle.

"If you've already said everything you have to say, you'd better go at once," he sneered without looking at her.

"I think it would be the best," Ayaka answered ruefully. It was clear that there was nothing more to be gained from this conversation. "I really hope you leave this life one day, Mr. Katsumoto. And may you return to being the extraordinary person Kazuha admired so much."

And with those last words and offering a final respectful bow to her former teacher, Ayaka turned and began to walk towards the door of the dojo. Thoma, not needing to be ordered, followed close behind. However, they couldn't get very far before a group of ronin barred their way.

"Not so fast," one of the thieves pointed out, quickly drawing his sword; several of the others followed suit. "Of course, you won't get out of here that easily."

"What do you think you're doing?" Katsumoto exclaimed, confused, standing up quickly.

"What do you think you're doing?" another ronin replied in a complaining voice. "She's from the Yashiro Commission, idiot. Obviously, she will tell the guards where we are as soon as she gets out of here! And I will not end up imprisoned in an ugly Tenryou cell or executed just because you wanted to have a nostalgic talk with this girl!"

"I must report your location on this site; that's true," Ayaka added, taking a step forward. "But I promise you it won't be tonight. I'll notify it until tomorrow morning, so you can use that time to get away from Inazuma."

"Excuse me if we prefer not to take risks," argued another of the thieves sarcastically.

And then they noticed how everyone quickly began to draw their swords and spears, and some ready their bows. And in a second, the more than twenty ronin had their weapons ready and pointed directly at the two visitors.

"Hey... but she's a Kamisato," Ouji interjected at that point, limping towards the crowd. "If you do something to her and her brother finds out..."

"You shut up, Ouji!" They yelled at him furiously, even pushing him backward and causing him to fall to the ground as he couldn't keep his balance on his injured leg. "With you, we will settle accounts in a moment for having brought them, idiot."

After falling, Ouji was left lying on the ground, similar to how Ayaka and Thoma had found him outside the headquarters.

All the ronin surrounded the two strangers, closing off any escape routes from their naked eye. That was just the worst scenario that Thoma expected, and for that reason, it didn't surprise him too much. Without further delay, he quickly picked up his spear again, swung it around in front of him, and gripped it firmly, ready for combat.

"Wait a minute, Thoma," Ayaka said slowly, gently placing a hand on his arm. She then turned to Katsumoto, distinguishing him from the crowd by his towering stature relative to the others. "Is this really what you want, Mr. Katsumoto?" She questioned him seriously.

"Yes, Katsumoto," exclaimed one of the ronin, who had incited all this, looking over his shoulder at him. "Tell us: are you on our side, or theirs..."

And similar to how it had been when he saw them for the first time, Katsumoto's face remained stoic, totally devoid of any reaction or emotion to the complicated situation that loomed before him. But this time, Ayaka realized that it wasn't quite like that. She realized that just as her own mask had cracked a little, the former samurai's also had. There was hesitation and doubt in him, the same ones Ayaka hoped were there because the man she once knew was still inside. The man who knew what was right and what wasn't...

But, even if Ayaka's assumption was correct, it didn't matter that one still had inner goodness when it was actions and words that counted...

"You should never have come to this place, Ms. Kamisato," Katsumoto muttered, repeating the words he had spoken earlier in the courtyard. "I'm sorry, but these people are the only family I have left, and I will not risk them. Much less by another noble brat who thinks they're superior to me just for their name..."

"Is that your final decision, Katsumoto?" Ayaka muttered, not quite managing to hide the discouragement in her voice.

Ayaka hoped that her former teacher would take this last chance she was giving him. Such hope, however, was dashed as the samurai grasped the hilt of his sword and quickly drew it out in one sweep, slicing through the air in front of him with the swift, accurate movement.

"I'm sorry," he said nonchalantly before taking his weapon in both hands and preparing for the attack, just like everyone else.

"I'm sorry too," Ayaka sighed with genuine regret, turning her gaze away. "I feel very disappointed..."

And without turning to see him, she took the scabbard of her sword with her left hand, taking the hilt firmly with her right.

"Don't be silly," Katsumoto exclaimed, sounding like a reprimand. "You were always an excellent swordswoman, but even you wouldn't be able to take on all of us..."

And before he could finish his warning, everyone present suddenly felt a cold air blowing around them, instantly accompanied by tiny flakes fluttering like butterflies in front of them. Ayaka slowly began to draw her sword from its sheath, and everyone watched in amazement as the blade seemed to be wrapped in an almost blinding bluish glow.

And contrasting with the cold, a warm sensation also arose. And when they turned their attention to the other, they could see Thoma twirling his spear rapidly, its tip filling with incandescent flame.

"Both of them have visions...?!" someone was heard to exclaim in astonishment an instant before Ayaka pulled her sword out, and Thoma slammed his spear into the ground. An intense flare and an icy blast exploded to the ronin in opposite directions, forcing several to move to avoid them.

Kazuha and Tomo hurriedly made their way to the site; using their wind and thunder skills, respectively, it was easier to get there as soon as possible. It was risky to use their visions like that, especially being so close to Inazuma and with the Tenryou guards watching the roads. But the situation called for it.

"It's there!" Kazuha exclaimed loudly as soon as he finally caught sight of the main entrance to the Estate in the distance. He then rose high on a strong gust of wind, landing firmly on the arch of the main gate.

Once the Anemo energy dissipated, Kazuha looked up, and… he was practically petrified at the dilapidated and dark image that loomed before him. The main courtyard, the buildings, the trees… Everything was unrecognizable; shadows and lifeless skeletons of what was once his childhood home.

For a few moments, he forgot what era he was in. He glimpsed how that place looked eight years ago and further back in his mind. He could see the servants and swordsmen going back and forth, each doing their own business. He imagined himself, small and absent-minded, walking through the gardens, looking at the trees and smelling the sweet morning air. He even remembered his father and uncle watching from the hallway as he played with the other clan children or trained with his bamboo sword before Katsumoto's unforgiving eye.

All those colorful and bright memories had nothing to do with that gloomy scene.

He knew it would be in bad shape, but a part of him hoped it wouldn't be that bad...

"Kazuha?" He heard Tomo speak to him from below. The samurai watched him from the ground, already standing in the courtyard.

The presence of his friend in the present made Kazuha leave behind so many longings for the past. He was there for a purpose, and he couldn't be distracted by regrets.

The stillness of the night was interrupted by a loud hustle and bustle, shouts and blows that were heard in the distance, but not too much. Turning his attention in the direction from which he had heard all that noise, Kazuha immediately knew where it was coming from.

"It's at the dojo," he stated firmly, and greenish Anemo energy began to swirl around him once more.

"Wait," Tomo exclaimed from below, "we have to inspect the situation well first…"

"There is no time!" was the forceful response of the young Kaedehara before almost literally he was shot from where he was and crossed the air in a few seconds in the direction of his target.

Tomo sighed resignedly, rubbing his blond hair a little with one hand.

"That's why I don't like crazy lovers..." he muttered to himself. He rushed to catch up just after, although with considerably less hurry.

Ayaka and Thoma hoped that seeing that they both had visions would discourage their opponents from continuing this absurd fight, but it didn't. In fact, they all seemed to have been emboldened by their numerical advantage. They began to attack at the same time from different directions. That clearly made things difficult for them, especially since none desired to kill any of these men. But just the same, the two warriors of the Kamisato clan managed to repel anyone who dared to throw themselves at them quite masterfully.

The most impressive was undoubtedly Ayaka, who from the start began to flaunt incredible grace in dodging and counter attacking, all without any unnecessary movement and constantly vividly aware of the position of each of her enemies. Her vision gave her a great advantage, but her physical and mental prowess was even more remarkable.

Katsumoto felt a little proud again at sight, though it didn't make him want to lower his sword. If anything, it motivated him to do just the opposite.

Seeing an opening just after Ayaka had repelled one of her attackers and practically froze him, Katsumoto charged forward with the ferocity of a bull, sword raised high. Ayaka noticed him approaching out of the corner of her eye, and by the time she turned to him, he was practically in front of her. His reaction was evasive, spinning backward in the air, barely avoiding the weapon's blade, and her feet sliding on the ground like ice.

Katsumoto did not stop, and as soon as he missed the first attack, he immediately followed up with the next and the next. Ayaka hurried to dodge them with the same grace and speed that she had shown up to that moment but felt relatively less confident in her movements. As expected, the skills of one of her many teachers were far superior to the rest of her attackers present. It didn't help that every time she tried to fight back, one of the other ronin lunged at her from the side, and she had to figure out how to dodge and repel him along with Katsumoto.

It was a somewhat complicated challenge, indeed.

Thoma managed to sense that his mistress was having some difficulties. So once he had practically blown two of the ronin into the wall, he quickly moved to her aid. Halfway through, however, he managed to see another attacker approaching him from the side with impressive speed.

Thoma barely managed to react by turning his spear to use it as a shield to cover the edge of a sword aimed right at his head. And being there, face to face with his new opponent and with their weapons pushing against each other, Thoma managed to get a better look at him… being quite surprised.

Behind the sword, still trying to reach him, he saw Ouji's almost wide eyes.

"My vision…" the samurai murmured suddenly. "My vision! Give me my vision…!" he exclaimed louder and angrier.

He then began to attack Thoma repeatedly and very quickly.

"Hey!" exclaimed the servant as he backed away and moved his weapon as fast as possible to cover those deadly blades. "What are you doing?!"

Ouji, however, seemed not to hear him at all. His gaze was lost and disoriented as if his body were there, but his mind was somewhere else, far away. Even for his brutal and careless movements, Thoma watched in some horror as the fabric of Ouji's suit that covered his shoulder and leg became impregnated in blood. His wounds from yesterday were opening up, and he didn't even seem aware of the pain. He just kept attacking and repeating over and over again:

"My vision! Give me my vision!"

And then Thomas understood. He subtly lowered his gaze to his waist, where his Pyro vision hung. It glowed brightly and became quite difficult to ignore. From poor Ouji's perspective, it must have been quite similar to the one they took from him.

"Listen to me, Ouji! This is not your vision!" He yelled loudly, trying to make him react, to no avail. His opponent continued to attack him, showing off his incredible abilities even without his vision, and even despite apparently having completely lost his mind.

In the midst of all this confusion, an intense gust of wind entered right through the dojo's door, pushing and knocking down at least three of the ronin who were closest to it. And when the rest turned in that direction, one of them could barely see the silhouette of Kaedehara Kazuha entering like a fireball, heading straight for him and practically stamping his right foot on his face to send him flying backward.

Before those who had noticed his presence snapped out of their confusion, Kazuha stepped forward to unsheathe her sword, charging into the attack with everything and a strong gust of air, disarming at least three more and then blowing them towards the walls.

Kazuha took a second to quickly scan her gaze for the only one in that crowd of ronin that interested him: Katsumoto. As soon as he made out his big, broad back in the distance, he propelled himself toward him, dragging a strong gust of wind that blew anyone out of his way as he approached.

Because of his position, Kazuha failed to see that the opponent Katsumoto was facing at the moment was precisely Ayaka. Both were quite involved in their respective clash of swords without giving the other a moment of respite. However, almost by mere instinct, both could perceive something that was approaching them at great speed. Each one interpreted it as an imminent enemy, so they reacted by jumping to opposite sides to avoid it.

Kazuha quickly passed between them. Katsumoto managed to dodge, just in time for young Kadehara's sword to graze his chest enough to rip his shirt.

Ayaka, for her part, had flipped on the ground to dodge as well, ending up with her back to the unknown attacker. But she could feel him clearly behind her; that energy tickling the back of her neck.

Someone with an Anemo vision, she concluded immediately, knowing that it could be really dangerous if her guess was correct. So as soon as her feet were firmly on the ground again, and without hesitating a bit, she began to charge her sword with her energy to deliver a quick and precise attack.

Although Kazuha's attention was initially fixed on his former teacher, the cold sensation that ran down his spine suddenly made his senses jump in another direction, towards the unknown enemy behind him who was preparing to attack.

Someone with a Cryo vision, he said to himself, surprised, but he didn't let that make him lose his calm. And imitating a bit of the other unknown person, he also began to charge his sword, preparing to attack and hoping to be fast enough.

They both turned on each other simultaneously, pulling their swords as hard as they could and dragging the pent-up energy from their blades. And before anyone's eyes could see the unknown opponent they charged at, the steel of both weapons met, causing a loud crash. The hit of the Anemo and Cryo energies was so intense that it created a strong gust of icy wind that spread in all directions, pushing several of the still-standing ronin, and even Thoma and Ouji, sideways away from the epicenter of that collision.

Everything was very confusing, and no one realized what had happened at the time, not even those who had caused it.

When the first affected managed to recover enough to raise their eyes, they observed with astonishment how both energies had mixed. Slowly small shiny particles of ice began to fall around them, like snowflakes, swaying dragged by the slow movement of emerald-painted air. It was indeed a beautiful sight in its own way.

But Ayaka and Kazuha didn't look at what they had unintentionally done together. They were both right in the center, standing facing each other, with their swords still linked between them. Ayaka's blue eyes stared into Kazuha's red ones and vice versa. And when the shock wore off, including their own minds, the noblewoman and the former nobleman immediately recognized each other. They almost simultaneously lowered their weapons; they were always silent and without looking away in astonishment or even blinking.

"Kazuha…" Ayaka managed to murmur after a while, sincerely believing that she was hallucinating in some way for a few moments. But it wasn't like that...

Author's Notes:

And it only took us 14 chapters, ladies and gentlemen, 14 chapters! But we have finally reached this moment. Even though I always knew their reunion would happen at this moment, I wasn't entirely sure what would happen the first time they saw each other. And look how it turned out; it was almost explosive. I hope you liked it, and above all, thank you for all your patience. But hey, don't go yet, because obviously this is just beginning, and this is where the fun part of this story starts...