Chapter 36
Who are you now?
Kazuha's first deduction was that Kamisato Ayato had gone there to look for him. Why else would the head of the Yashiro Commission be in a place like this? Especially without any escort. Has something happened to Ayaka? Or did he want to have that conversation with him that had clearly been pending between them since the other day? Not to say perhaps for eight years.
Whatever the reason was, he couldn't let his new friends (if he could already consider them that way) get involved, especially knowing that Itto and that girl with the black mask had a vision too. With that in mind, he prepared to step forward and introduce himself to the commissioner. However, someone else beat him to it.
"Hey! But it's my buddy Ayato!" Itto exclaimed forcefully, walking towards the blue-haired man, taking Kazuha entirely by surprise.
My buddy Ayato? Kazuha thought, totally confused. And this feeling increased when he saw the leader of the Arataki Gang approaching Ayato and just after surrounding him with an arm in a relatively friendly way, as well as a somewhat rude.
"What a surprise to see you here!" snapped Itto joyfully. "Where have you been?"
"Oh, you know, here and there," the commissioner murmured with a half-smile. "I've been busy lately."
"Less work and more fun, that's my motto! Or one of them," Itto exclaimed proudly. "You remember the little ones, don't you?" He pointed, turning to the children under the tree. "Kouichi, Shouta, Daisuke, and Midori. And surely you also recognize my comrades, Akira, Genta, and Mamoru," he continued, pointing to his gang members. "And I don't think you had met Shinobu before. She is my right hand and the one who is in charge of getting us out of trouble... more times than they should."
"Hi... it's a pleasure," Shinobu greeted with some hesitation. In her gaze, there was a certain distrust when observing that individual, especially for that smile on his face that gave her a bad feeling.
"And he's my new friend, Kazuha," Itto finally added, gesturing toward the fair-haired young swordsman. "We met just today. It's funny, actually. I was eating in a restaurant and some thieves..."
"Itto," Kazuha pronounced sharply, cutting off his words. His expression reflected severity. "This person is…"
"A die-hard fan of onikabuto battles and card games," Ayato interrupted before he could say more, flashing a wide, carefree smile. "And the boba tea, by the way," he added, laughing a little and raising his glass. "Nice to meet you, Miss Shinobu… Mr. Kazuha…"
"Nice to meet you, sir," Shinobu said without changing her apprehensive attitude.
Kazuha didn't answer anything; he was pretty busy figuring out exactly what was going on without much success. What he did manage to understand was that Lord Kamisato did not want his identity to be revealed and, therefore, how the two of them knew each other. He didn't understand what his motives were for that. Still, he wasn't in a position to question it either since he had deliberately omitted to mention the name of the Kaedehara family to avoid trouble too. Saying that, he just nodded in response to the greeting.
"And I see that you were about to have a fight right now, right?" Ayato asked curiously, looking at the beetles that Itto and Kazuha brought with them and the small combat arena drawn on the ground that the children had prepared.
"That's right!" stated Itto fiercely. "We are about to start a small tournament with a brilliant prize of two hundred moras."
"Will Mr. Kazuha also participate?" the blue-haired man asked, looking curiously at the blue beetle perched so patiently and still in the swordsman's hands.
"Sure!" Itto answered. "He has just chosen his champion a moment ago and has even given it a name: Heron Princess... doesn't sound very intimidating, does it? But I won't let my guard down for a moment."
Ayato's right eyebrow arched slightly at the moment of hearing that name, and it was the only reaction that managed to be appreciable on his calm, almost stoic face.
"Heron Princess, huh?" he muttered slowly, looking up directly at Kazuha. He remained calm, holding Commissioner Yashiro's gaze as best he could. It was clear that they both knew in honor of whom it was named. What was a little more indecipherable to Kazuha was if this bothered or intrigued the nobleman in any way.
"But you've got to check out this bad boy!" Itto exclaimed, raising his hand with the red beetle he had chosen and practically placing it in front of Ayato's face. "This is Demon Warrior X, and he will be the one to give me that juicy prize of two hundred moras. What do you think?"
"It looks like a cunning warrior; congratulations," Ayato murmured with discreet courtesy, looking at the beetle out of the corner of his eye.
"What do you say? Will you join us in combat, comrade?"
"No, I think I'll just be a spectator this time if that's okay with you," Ayato excused himself lightly. "But, if I may, I'd like to make your bet a little more interesting… to motivate the fighters."
Saying that he subtly inserted his hand into the wide sleeve of his outfit, searching in one of its internal pockets. From it, he extracted a small bag of money... or rather a relatively large bag of money, which Shinobu could see with the naked eye had quite a few moras inside.
The blue-haired boy checked the contents of the bag for a while and then said:
"How would you like to raise your bet a few... a thousand more moras?"
"A thousand moras?!" almost everyone present exclaimed, the Arataki Gang and the four children included.
"So the prize for the winner would be one thousand two hundred," continued Ayato, apparently not paying much attention to the reaction his words had had in his listeners. Instead, he extracted the thousand moras from his bag in pieces, handing them over to Midori. The girl received them in her little hands by mere instinct but without knowing exactly how she should hold so many coins at the same time.
"Hey, are you telling me that you bring a thousand moras with you to give away like that?" Shinobu questioned, clearly suspicious. "And you don't even plan to participate? What's the trick, sir?"
"There's no trick," Ayato laughed, apparently amused. "I just want to make their combat more interesting."
"I don't like it; it's not right," the legal consultant pointed out, crossing her arms. "You better take your money back and…"
"Shinobu!" Genta muttered from beside her, cutting her off. "If the gentleman wants to give a thousand moras for the prize, who are we to question him?"
"A thousand moras would help us settle our dice debt with that madman from a while!" added Mamoru excitedly. "I will also participate! I'll go right now to look for a beetle!"
Saying that he hurried towards the same trees where Itto and Kazuha had found their champions. Genta soon joined him.
"And remember that we also have to pay for the damage to Shinai's restaurant," Akira muttered to Shinobu right after. "On this occasion, I doubt he will forgive us as easily as the other times."
Shinobu couldn't discuss that last thing. One thousand two hundred moras would definitely help a lot with that little problem.
"Okay," she sighed resignedly. "I just hope we don't regret this."
"Excellent!" exclaimed Itto relieved; it seemed that everyone was really waiting for Kuki Shinobu's permission. "You heard it, brats. Collect the prize! I don't want a coin missing when I win it."
"Well… you heard it!" snapped Midori, passing the coins to her companions. "You better not lose it. We can't let that bunch of losers take this prize away. If any of us wins it, we'll split it between the four."
"Huh? Why would we have to split it…?" claimed Daisuke, but a sharp look from Midori silenced him instantly. "Alright, alright, we'll split it..."
It only remained to wait for Genta and Mamoru to return with their beetles to start the fight. While they waited, Itto and Ayato moved away a bit to talk. The oni spoke with force and emotion as always, while his companion was much more reserved.
Kazuha positioned himself under the cherry tree, leaning against the trunk. His hands were clasped before him, and Heron Princess strolled across his palms, seeming quite comfortable with being there. Kazuha couldn't say the same. He wasn't sure if it was right that he was there playing when he should be looking for Tama and going back to their camp. But, at the same time, the presence of Kamisato Ayato in that place continued to baffle him even more. Was it really just a coincidence?
"Hey," he heard someone utter loudly in front of him. Looking up, he saw Shinobu standing a meter away, with her hands on her waist and a questioning look in her eyes fixed on him. "You know who that guy really is, right?" she blurted out without hesitation, pointing her head toward where Itto and Ayato were. "You were about to tell the boss something about him before you were interrupted. Who is it?"
"You don't know him?" Kazuha muttered slowly without breaking a sweat.
"Itto had mentioned before a friend of his with good manners and fine clothes with whom he used to play. I honestly didn't think it was entirely real. But now that I see him..." She looked over her shoulder again in that direction, especially observing Ayato's calm and smiling face. "I can see that he is not only real but not an ordinary person… Who is he, really?"
"I'm not in the position to share that information with you," Kazuha pointed out firmly. "There are aspects of myself that I also need to keep secret for now, so it would not be fair to reveal those of someone else."
"That doesn't make me feel one bit calmer," Shinobu muttered harshly, crossing her arms.
"I know, and I'm sorry. But it's fair that I at least give you a warning: take care that Itto does not mention our visions in that person's presence. He can't afford to be reckless in front of him."
That certainly puzzled Shinobu even more.
"You mean...?" she muttered slowly, turning to look at that stranger again. "Is he someone who works for the Tenryou Commission?"
Kazuha didn't answer, but it didn't take Shinobu more to know that he was serious. So without further questioning, she approached Itto and his mysterious friend, intending to closely monitor what he was saying.
How did Itto become friends with Kamisato Ayato? Did he even have an idea of who he was? Everything seemed to indicate no. There really were many things in that city that were strange to young Kaedehara.
Once the missing fighters arrived at the arena, it was time to start the expected onikabuto tournament, with a sound prize of one thousand two hundred moras waiting for a champion.
In the first round, the Arataki Gang did not fare very well. From the outset, in the first match, Genta's beetle ended up giving in to a brutal frontal attack from Daisuke's, sending him flying far out of the arena like a ball.
Mamoru fared no better, as it turned out to be the first great victory for Heron Princess, who flaunted agile and dexterous movements that little by little pushed her opponent upside down out of the arena.
"It can't be!" Mamoru exclaimed in disbelief, falling to his knees.
"Looks like you'll have to pay your dice debts another way," Akira teased at the expense of his two friends.
Kazuha extended his hand towards the small blue beetle, which quickly approached and climbed up to his palm.
"It was a magnificent fight, friend Kazuha," Itto stated confidently. "Are you sure you haven't done it before?"
"Not in this way," Kazuha muttered, running his finger delicately along the back of the insect in his hand. "But really, all the credit goes to Heron Princess. You did very well," he murmured slowly to the beetle.
"It lives up to its name," Ayato declared, standing a few meters away. Kazuha gave him a sidelong glance, but the commissioner didn't return his gaze.
The third match was between Shouta and Midori, which resulted in a very even at the beginning, but the girl in the pink kimono was the winner at the end.
"By the Archons," Shouta sighed, dejected at seeing himself defeated. "Were my offerings not enough?"
Finally, in the fourth confrontation between Itto and Kouichi, Demon Warrior X showed off his great strength and resistance, not only withstanding his opponent's attacks but also managing to knock him over with a solid and intense blow that left him entirely out of combat.
"Yes!" Itto exclaimed emotionally, raising his arms in the air. "I can't believe it! I finally won a fight! I knew you would be my champion, Demon Warrior X!"
"Huh?" Kazuha mumbled, surprised. "Does it mean he doesn't usually win?" he asked, turning to see the other members of the Arataki Gang. These, including Shinobu, preferred to look away instead of answering him.
The second round took little time to begin, and in this round, the two warriors who would compete for the grand prize would be determined. The first match was between Itto and his friend, Daisuke.
"Don't think I'll go easy on you because of our friendship, little Daisuke," Itto warned with a slight arrogance.
"You never are, and you still lose, brother Itto," Daisuke blurted out with a mocking smile, teasing the oni a bit.
"Well, that changes today! Demon Warrior X, attack with everything!"
The combat was relatively even. Both fighters collided and jostled each other fiercely, and for a moment, it seemed that either could end up out of the arena or capsized. Even for a moment, everything seemed to indicate that Itto would lose once more. Still, at the last moment, Demon Warrior X managed to recover, ferociously pushing his adversary out of the circle, proclaiming victory.
"Hooray!" Itto exclaimed forcefully, even jumping into the air with excitement. "How did your eye turn out, little Daisuke?! Huh?! Who's the loser now?!"
"It was just luck," the boy muttered with marked annoyance.
"Well done, boss!" Genta cheered enthusiastically.
"I can't believe it, but we could really win the moras," Akira stated, surprised but pleased.
"And you're going to buy us a drink with the prize, right?" Mamoru exclaimed excitedly.
Before Itto could reply, Shinobu hastened to intervene.
"Nothing of that!" she exclaimed. "If we win it, that money will be to settle the debt with Shinai and nothing more."
"Oh, come on, Shinobu," Genta mumbled in frustration. "At least we can have a little bit to have fun."
"Don't plan your victory celebration yet, guys," Ayato said next to them with a laughing voice. "You still have to beat the winner of the next match..."
And indeed, the position of the other finalist between Midori and Kazuha still had to be disputed. So everyone fell silent and gathered around the arena as the two combatants took up their positions.
Midori's pink scarab beetle soon charged at Heron Princess, sending her flying with a single blow that took everyone's breath away as the blue beetle spun in the air and then fell to the ground. To everyone's surprise, it had landed inside the combat circle and managed to do so on its feet. That caused everyone to let out a cry of emotion.
The two combatants launched against each other, and Heron Princess once again showed off her quick and accurate movements.
"Come on, Cherry Tea!" yelled Midori briskly. "Show her who the real princess here is!"
The combat lasted much longer than expected, and on more than one occasion, Heron Princess found herself cornered. But after dodging an attack from the pink beetle, she managed to surround it and attack it from behind to push it headfirst out of the arena. And again, everyone shouted excitedly, except Midori, who let out a howl of courage when she felt how those thousand two hundred moras escaped from her hands.
"Ha! The finale will be between me and my friend Kazuha!" exclaimed Itto. "It could not be otherwise!"
"Eh, this will be interesting," Ayato murmured, smilingly watching Kazuha as he picked up his beetle. He was looking at him out of the corner of his eye with some reluctance.
They took a short break before the grand finale, at which point several of the spectators stepped back a bit to stretch their legs and minds. Among those who took the initiative was Ayato, who walked toward the edge of the ravine that led to the beach. He was alone; the only time Kazuha had seen him like this in all that time.
"Miss Shinobu," Kazuha murmured, turning to face the green-haired woman. "Would you mind looking after Heron Princess for a second?"
"Me?" exclaimed Shinobu, a little surprised. "Aren't you worried I'll do something to her so the boss will win the fight?"
"I don't think you were capable of something like that," Kazuha replied, shaking his head. "You are such a correct and noble person to do that."
"And how do you know that?" inquired Shinobu suspiciously, crossing her arms. "You don't even know me."
"I just know," Kazuha answered without hesitation, smiling slightly at her. His years of travel had taught him to judge people and the goodness of their souls by sensing the air around them, among other things. However, he knew that it was not something he should share with someone he had just met, at the risk of being considered a bit... strange.
"Okay, if you insist…" Shinobu muttered, unconvinced but still willing to do him a favor.
Kazuha carefully passed the scarab to her, and Shinobu tried to hold it in her hands as best she could. She wasn't as used to living with these insects as her companions, and their little legs tickled her palms. Still, she had to accept that it was pretty in its own way.
Once his hands were free, Kazuha approached Ayato with a cautious step. The commissioner had stopped near the cliff's edge with his glass of boba tea, which he drank slowly through the straw while contemplating the vast sea before him.
"Lord Kamisato," he said softly behind him. Ayato kept looking ahead.
"Heron Princess is showing off in this tournament," he muttered as if they were words into the air, not directed directly at the young man behind him. "An interesting name choice, by the way. I hope you're not implying that my sister looks like a beetle."
"Of course not," Kazuha hastened to reply with marked certainty. "It just… seemed appropriate… Like a good luck charm, I think."
"Eh, you didn't seem like a superstitious person to me, Mr. Kaedehara," he pointed out, pronouncing his last name somewhat emphatically, surely taking advantage of the fact that they were now alone. "Anyway, if I were you, I wouldn't rely so much on luck for your final match. Itto may seem a little clumsy, but you'd be surprised what he can do if he puts his mind to it."
"I noticed it," Kazuha murmured thoughtfully. That fight they had fought, although short and fast, had been enough to appreciate that the self-proclaimed Hero of Hanamizaka was more than what seemed at first glance.
There was a silent pause, and then Kazuha stepped closer to the white-robed man.
"Lord Kamisato, what...?"
"You're probably wondering what I'm doing here, right?" Ayato hurried to say before Kazuha did. "The truth is that I just finished with a matter that I was attending to, and my spies told me that they had seen you hanging around Hanamizaka in the company of the Arataki Gang. Itto and his friends are good guys, but I know from experience that they tend to attract trouble."
"And you were afraid I might be one of those problems?" Kazuha murmured, not making it very clear if this bothered him in any way.
Ayato did not answer his question. For the next few seconds, he limited himself mainly to sipping on his straw and continuing to gaze at the horizon.
"Eight years is an easy number to say," he finally pronounced after a while. "But too many things have changed in that period of time, although the Almighty Shogun will surely not like that too much. You, for example, I can clearly see that you are no longer that child who used to play in my garden, practice in my dojo, or sit down to eat in my dining room. But the most obvious question for that should be…"
He turned then slowly, fixing his deep blue eyes on him. His entire expression reflected severity.
"Who are you now, Mr. Kaedehara?" he questioned sharply, almost aggressively.
"No one who represents any danger to you or Ayaka, my lord," Kaedehara answered without hesitation.
"A curious choice of words," Ayato pointed out with slight irony. "Your friend said something similar when I asked him the same question."
"My friend?" Kazuha questioned, puzzled. "Are you talking about Tomo?" he asked reservedly, but Ayato deliberately ignored him.
"Despite what you affirm, experience has taught me that the only people who don't represent any danger to me or my family are those with whom we have no relationship. And you, Mr. Kaedehara, didn't be a danger in these eight years in which we didn't even hear from you. But now that has totally changed. You had returned almost from the dead, appearing before us after everything. And if that was just the case, as someone who comes and goes, it would be a totally different story, and we probably wouldn't even be talking. But right now, at least two people have told me that your presence represents something more complicated than that, especially for Ayaka."
"I'm afraid I don't understand what you're trying to say, my lord," Kazuha replied calmly. He was respectful and careful with his words, typical of someone who grew up in the nobility despite his current situation. Even so, he didn't seem intimidated by him, and Ayato found that more interesting than annoying.
"Let me be a little clearer: what is happening between you and Ayaka right now? Since it has been hinted to me that it is something more than the normal emotion of two old friends meeting again after many years… Do you require me to be more direct than that?"
"No," Kazuha replied seriously. There was no point dwelling on that matter; they both knew what they were talking about. "But it's not for me to speak on Ayaka's behalf."
"But you can speak for yourself, can't you?" Ayato pointed out emphatically.
Kazuha was silent for a moment, holding the commissioner's gaze. Surely very few had seen the head of the Kamisato clan like this; so firm, so intimidating… so protective. Kazuha had indeed never had the chance to witness it as a child, but it didn't surprise him. Certainly, Ayaka and he had more in common than they realized.
"My intentions with Ayaka have always been noble and good, my lord," Kazuha replied with overwhelming calm. "I have had a great affection for her since we were children, and it has not diminished one bit in the time that has passed. If anything, I would venture to say that it has indeed evolved into something… more." He paused slightly, then continued. "And none of my actions have been, nor will they be, to cause her any harm. Before anything could affect Ayaka in any way, I would instead give my life in exchange."
"Strong words," Ayato pointed out with slight irony. "But they are just that, after all. It would be nice to see if you are able to hold them if the situation arises."
They both remained silent for a few moments, watching each other expectantly. Without the need for anyone to unsheath their sword, that felt like a duel of two rather iron wills that refused to bend.
"What do you really want to happen at the end of this, Mr. Kaedehara?" Ayato questioned. "Do you think that after everything that happened, you can come and be by her side? Be her friend? Her partner? Her husband…?"
"I am not deceiving myself, my lord, "Kazuha replied. "I know I am not in a dignified position at the moment..."
"Do you think that's the problem?" Ayato blurted out suddenly, accompanied by a small mocking laugh. "Your position? Your money? The fact that you are no longer a noble? Or that your name is so tarnished? Yes, none of those things indeed favor you, but I'm not as frivolous or superficial as you think. If Ayaka was really interested in a person in your position, there would be a way to turn it around and handle appearances. It wouldn't be easy, but it wouldn't be impossible.
Kazuha looked at him reflectively. His words surprised him but made much sense as he thought about it. The problem was not that he was no longer a noble or that he was now a wanderer without any valuable possessions…
"The problem is that you don't trust me," Kazuha concluded shrewdly.
Ayato smiled, apparently pleased with the answer.
"Ayaka told me she forgave you for the incident eight years ago. Or, the correct thing would be, she said to me that she had nothing to forgive you because none of that was the fault of either of you two. It pains me to accept it, but she's right. Your uncle, your father, my father's former advisers, and I… we all bear the greatest responsibility for that disaster. Even so, only the Archons know where you have been these eight years or what things you have done. As I said, you're clearly no longer the boy I once knew. The person before me is a complete stranger, no matter how much Ayaka wants to believe otherwise."
"If that's how you feel, then let me show you the kind of person I am now," Kazuha declared fervently, placing a hand on her chest. This caught the commissioner a little off guard. "Don't judge the person before you by the past or ignorance of my actions, my lord. Ayaka always talked about how much she admired and wanted to support you. Through her, I have learned what a just and noble man you are and that you want the best for your sister above all else. Allow me to show you the person I really am and that I also want the same…"
Ayato didn't say anything. His countenance was calm, but the truth was that he wasn't ready for such a bold and direct statement like that. He couldn't tell if he was daring or courageous. But what was undeniable was the fire in Kazuha's eyes and the fervent determination that accompanied his words. He was dead serious, and of that, there was no doubt.
"Hey!" Itto's voice exclaimed loudly in the distance, drawing their attention. "What are you two doing there?! It's time for the grand finale! Come on!"
"Let's go right away," Ayato exclaimed out loud, raising a hand as a sign for his friend. He looked back at Kazuha once more before they returned to the rest. "I admit that this conversation has left me a lot to think about. But now you have a fight you need to focus on, Mr. Kaedehara. And I personally want to see Heron Princess in action."
Kazuha nodded, and then the two of them began to walk back into the shade of the cherry tree, saying nothing more for now.
Author Notes:
By Itto's dialogues and what they have mentioned in some events, it seems that our favorite oni knows Ayato from the onikabuto fights. Still, he has no idea that he is Commissioner Yashiro. And although it may not be so, I assume that none of his friends, including Shinobu, know his true identity (although how you could see the latter can tell that he is not just anyone). How come that happened? I have no idea, but I found it funny that Kazuha witnessed this in the context of where he is right now.