{These characters are not property of me. I would never attempt to claim them as my own. This story may not be used without my permission, and may not be used to make money in any way, shape or form. Characters and certain situations were created by Rumiko Takahashi, so don't try any funny stuff!}
"Kodachi, why did you..."
"Quiet! I want nothing to do with you! It is from your meddling that Ranma-sama has..."
"And I am the cause of all the woe of this family? Our demented father..."
Kodachi slammed her hand down on the counter in an uncommon show of unrestrained anger. "He is not your father!"
Tatewaki's gaze grew dark and dangerous. "Hold thy tongue, Sister."
"And I am not your sister!" Kodachi raged.
"How dare you speak to me in such a manner." The grip he had on his bokken tightened. "I am your elder, and you shall treat me as such."
"Oh yes, you are my elder," she said bitterly. "You are my elder, but not my better."
"Do you think you could defeat the sum of the Kuno family knowledge and experience?" Tatewaki asked, raising his bokken.
Kodachi laughed harshly at the display. "That will solve everything, 'Brother'. Use your techniques passed down from one generation to the next to defeat me as you wish to defeat Ranma-sama." She smiled and Tatewaki saw with surprise a tear at the corner of one eye. "Though you know you never shall."
"Sist... Kodachi," he said quietly.
"You ask what has happened to the Kuno family. You ask how it could have fallen from grace such that it has. I know how, and it is not the fault of my father, or my grandfather." Kodachi seemed on the verge of saying something else, but turned away from Tatewaki instead. "It is you."
"Kodachi, this disrespectful attitude will NOT be tolerated!"
"It is you," she continued as if Tatewaki hadn't said a word. "You have driven Father mad. You tried Grandfather's sanity as well. Oft I am afraid you chip away at what semblance of normalcy I have left. How many others have you driven to madness? Am I to be next, 'Brother'? Elder... Ancestor..."
It was only natural that the other men should be jealous of him. His wife, his beautiful, glorious wife, was pregnant with their first child. Though a child was nothing to be jealous of, as the other men had children of their own, it was his wife that they envied.
She was the most perfect flower of womanhood in all of Japan, and she was his. As he returned home from his duties, he saw her working in the garden, picking some underdeveloped vegetables.
"Mine wife," he called, "come greet thy husband."
She looked up to see him walking down the road toward their modest home. She smiled, her deep brown eyes sparkling in the light of the setting sun. "Husband, how I missed you!" She ran gingerly toward him, holding her kimono up to prevent it from dragging on the ground.
He dropped his pack and held his arms open for her. She threw herself at him, wrapping her arms around him, and leaned up to kiss him deeply.
They separated and as she pulled her head away, she saw a flicker of something unpleasant cross his face. Immediately she tightened up, knowing what that look meant. She shook her head, clutching his clothing tightly. "No," she said quietly.
He looked very serious, almost grave, when he spoke. "I must. I can not shirk my sworn duty. This is the time I have awaited: to prove my prowess and serve the shogun."
"No! What about me?" she cried, tears beginning to fall. "You can't go now! What about our child?" She laid her head against his chest and began to sob, unwilling to release him.
"I am sorry," he said, lowering his head to her raven tresses. "Forgive me," he whispered. But would he forgive himself? His wife, who had done everything asked of her and more, who was unmatched in terms of beauty and spirit... His wife who he was leaving to an uncertain fate.
"Please don't leave. Don't leave me alone. I don't wish to live without you."
"I shall return in all haste. Nothing shall keep me from returning to you. Not even death. This I vow," he said fiercely.
"Why now? It's too soon. We haven't even had a chance to live our lives together, and now you have to go..."
"When battle calls, the warrior must answer," he answered, though he wasn't so sure how wise that saying was.
Taking her by the shoulders and pushing her away so he could look in her eyes, he said, "Hear this oath and know it to be true. To you, and my child, I shall return. Nothing can keep me from it. Whether I return a disgraced and broken man or a glorious conqueror, I shall return." He pulled her close again to whisper to her. "My honor means nothing if it is a choice between it and you."
Tatewaki blinked. "How can you accuse me of such a thing, Kodachi?"
"Because it is the truth. Do you not realize the shadow you represent, hanging over our heads every day?" She shook her head, smiling ruefully. It wouldn't do to tell him how much he had deteriorated, how much he had lost over time.
"Kodachi, you know that is not my intent. My only desire has ever been to maintain the glory of our family." He had softened, looking at her with compassion he didn't show very often.
"Even before you..."
He held up his hand to silence her. "That is best not discussed." The ache in his heart he still held was something he kept carefully hidden, not allowing it to eat him from the inside out. It was, in fact, the only thing that allowed him to continue each day; the memory of his wife, the vision of her that he longed to see every day was the only thing.
The dreams had stopped so long ago, leaving him hollow, drifting through the country with nothing. No more memories of her to sustain himself, and the cracks had begun to show. He knew it was what Kodachi was accusing him of now.
"You tarnish her memory with your behavior," Kodachi said simply.
"You know nothing of her! I promised her my life and my honor! It was everything I had! She was everything I had! She was..." The volume his voice had achieved died away. "She was my life," he finished quietly.
"Great Grandfather, you must realize that things have changed and you can not live the life you did 400 years ago." Kodachi's voice had taken on a soothing, patronizing tone. "Great Grandfather, allow us to get on with our lives and join us. There is no need to cling to the things of the past."
Tatewaki looked at her, his eyes blazing to life. "Cling to the things of the past you say. Do you know that without those things of the past, you would not be here? You would not be in this house, with the influence you have. You would not be in any sort of position to obtain the affections or your Ranma-sama." He glared at her, the anger coming back full force, fed by the swirling black pit that had been the love for his wife.
They lay in bed, surrounded by the silent darkness.
"When?" she asked.
"Four days." Four days... Was that really it? In four days he would leave her to fight. Leave her most likely to never return. No one ever discussed the number of survivors of the large battles, but he knew it was inevitable if he was required to fight long enough that he would not return. Luck flowed in both directions, and skill was not enough to overcome it.
"Husband, promise me something."
"Anything, my wife."
"You will remain honorable. I am not worth that which is so important to you."
He couldn't see her face in the darkness, but he knew the kind of seriousness that he would find. Reaching over, he let his fingertips rest on her cheek. "No, you are worth more."
She didn't say anything, but she moved her head to rest it on his shoulder. He could feel the tears start to escape her eyes, wetting his bare skin.
Kissing her forehead and putting his arms around her, he said, "You are worth everything to me."
Morning dawned on them as it did every day. She started to rise with the first rays of the sun, but he held her in back.
"Four days," he said quietly. "Four days I don't want to be without you."
"Tatewaki, the chores..."
"The chores will wait, Saeko. The chores will be here after I have gone."
Swallowing back the sudden unhappiness that statement brought forth, she pushed the thought of the chores out of her mind. He was right. And even though she didn't want to believe it, she had the most horrible feeling that she wouldn't see him again after he left.
Trying to distract herself from the miserable situation, she asked in her most confident voice, "What should we name the baby?"
"A month has not even passed. Is it not early for such thoughts?"
"Four days," she answered. "If not now... maybe never."
"Forgive me. We will choose names now."
"No, Tatewaki. No names that have to do with weapons or battling or wars. I don't want the child to be a reminder of..." A reminder of her husband's death.
He looked at her, smiling gently. "As you wish. Koreaki," he said suddenly.
She thought for a moment. "Kuno Koreaki. I like it very much." She shifted so she was laying more on top of him. "What about if it's a girl?"
He sighed. "This is far more difficult than I had first anticipated."
She laughed and kissed him soundly. "Parenthood is like that."
Tatewaki looked at Kodachi. She was so pretty, had so much potential. Was he really causing her so much trouble? Maybe it was time to move on and put the past behind him. But it was hard to put the past behind him when he remembered it as if it were yesterday.
"If that is how you feel, Great Grandfather, you are already dead even if you continue to be animated. The past is but a series of shadows that disappear when exposed to the light. They are impossible to hold or posses, and only when you..."
"Be quiet, Kodachi. Maybe it is time I find an appropriate heir since you do not seem willing," Tatewaki said, almost absently.
"If you plan on forcing a marriage, I suggest..."
"I would do no such thing to you. I know you well enough, Great Granddaughter, and you would never stand for it. Unless I could actually manage to have Ranma marry you. Of course, I would need to teach him the way of proper honor..."
Kodachi looked at him strangely, a look of something between hope and horror on her face.
"Yes. The boy is stubborn, but he would warm to you in time." Tatewaki was speaking at Kodachi, but not to her. "I must converse with his lowly father to make arrangements of this union." He composed himself once more, Kodachi almost forgotten. "The family line is filled with nothing but commoners and the father is truly filth, but with the proper guidance..."
Four days. It had been a lie. It had actually been seven, but he had urgent business to attend to that he could not tell Saeko about. She would have been too concerned to allow him to do it, but it was the only way.
"Husband. Return to me, whole and healthy." She was dressed simply, refusing to celebrate his leaving to fight in a war she thought pointless. Some of the other women had done so and it seemed to be such a waste.
"Saeko, I have already vowed that I shall. When is uncertain, but I will eventually." He put his hand on the side her neck, his fingers in her silky hair. "Fear not."
She put her hand on his forearm. "I'll be waiting for you, Tatewaki." She turned her head slightly and kissed his arm. "I'll wait for you forever."
He leaned down and kissed her, banishing the angry look in her eyes. As the dawn of the day had arrived, he had found himself just as angry about the way things had to be as she was, but nothing could be done to change the course of his life.
And then he was gone, walking away from his life, his being, his reason for living. His plan was the only realistic chance he had. There was no doubt that his lowly status as a samurai would put him as one of the blockades to a frontal assault...
No. Things would not be that way. He would not let them. He trudged on to the small hut he had discovered when he was but a young boy, hidden deep in the forests.
It wasn't wise to contact the man with his proposal flat out. He was an honorless coward who would agree to anything if enough money was thrown in his face.
No, he had to do things with more subtlety than that. There was only one person he could trust for such a task.
The phone on the other end rang no more than twice before it was answered. "I wish to speak with Tendo Nabiki."
"And what did you have planned for this meeting, Kuno-chan?" Nabiki smiled widely at him.
Wide and friendly, but so shallow. Tatewaki adopted a superior air. That superior air was the only thing that kept her from taking all his money like she did with the students. She somehow respected him for the things he had and she didn't. As they always did.
"I wish for you to arrange a meeting between the father of the villainous Saotome Ranma and myself."
"Oh really... And why would you want me to do that?"
"The matter is none of your concern. You would no doubt sell that information to whoever is willing to pay your price." Maybe that comment had been a little too insulting, but he still held the merchants and dealers in contempt as he had 400 years ago.
Nabiki seemed to do a full body clench for a moment, then returned to her usual relaxed self. "Sure, Kuno-chan, if that's what you want." That little comment had just upped her cost for this errand by 2000 yen.
"So why don't you tell me why you want to talk to Ranma's father."
Tatewaki looked down at her as they were walking. For a moment, the way the sun was backlighting her face, she could have been Saeko. His breath caught in his throat and he had to force himself to look away. "I... I can not."
Nabiki looked at him curiously which dispelled the illusion. He was acting awfully strange lately, not his usual self. "Sure you can. I won't say anything." Which was true if the information was good enough. She really wanted to get some more concrete dirt on the free- loader.
Tatewaki considered that for a moment, then shook his head. "No, you are not entirely trustworthy. This is far too important to risk jeopardizing." Jeopardizing... If only his ability to father children hadn't become lacking, things would not be nearly as difficult.
Nabiki was... upset, to say the least. Since when did Kuno blow her off? And she had been so ready to get something to hold over Genma's head... Now wearing a slightly annoyed look on her face, she continued to walk in silence.
Tatewaki was still thinking about missed opportunities, too absorbed to notice the change in Nabiki. Women could actually be paid to bear a child. Surrogate mothers. And not even the intimate contact was necessary. Artificial insemination. He could have maintained the family line as he liked and not resorted to mentoring the children, which always diminished his influence. No, he could have fathered them all and raised them as he liked. He could have had his pick of women, the strongest, most beautiful, most intelligent... If only he could he hadn't been rendered sterile by the...
"Are you listening to me?"
Tatewaki blinked and looked at Nabiki. "In truth, I was not." No doubt she would insult him for his inattentiveness. If he would have asked her if she found it necessary to always be the center of attention, he could imagine the indignant look on her face.
Tatewaki smiled devilishly, which surprised Nabiki and stopped the words she was about to speak. "What?" she managed instead.
"Nothing, Tendo Nabiki. Nothing at all."
"I require it! If I do not have it, I will..."
"Young warrior, do you think you are the first to come to me with a story like this? Many young men have gone off to war, wishing to return alive and healthy. You are not unique." The old man regarded Tatewaki with a blank gaze, hiding whatever he might be thinking.
"But I have..."
"Yes, you have such a long and wonderful life ahead of you. Just like the others. You have so much to give the world, so much potential. It would be such a shame to waste it if you were to die. Just like the others." The old man shook his head.
"No, it is not personal glory I wish to achieve. I have only one desire and it is not to serve my lord, the shogun or any other daimyo," Tatewaki said seriously, his fist clenching. "I have no desire to be a warrior, no wish to die a hero in a meaningless battle..."
The old man was looking at him with open interest now. "Oh. And what is your want then?"
"Simply to return home. Glory and battle were once my wish, to be a true warrior... But now, faced with the possibility of death, I only wish to return home healthy to my family." Tatewaki looked down at the small table. "My wife is less than a single month into her pregnancy, and to leave her alone..."
The old man sat back. He had been expecting the young man to threaten him with violence, spouting off about his greatness and how he would be sure the old man was heaped treasures upon, but he did not. He spoke of a wife and child and the hardship of unwanted duties...
"You know what might happen, do you not?" the old man asked.
Tatewaki looked up at him and nodded. "Death or eternal life. Either way, it is certain and not a matter of chance. I do not want my family to be tossed to the winds of chance."
The old man thought about it for a bit. "I shall under one condition. You are honorable in the most important sense of the word; not under the warrior's code, but in your heart... Wherever you go, when you fight, wear this." The old man pulled out a small silver medallion on a chain. It was a plain disk with no markings at all on it.
"It was my father's, who was a warrior. He gave it to me and wished that it would be worn by a warrior as well. I have never been one and my father's wish remains unfulfilled. If you wear this, you will do my father, and myself, a great honor." He held the chain up so the medallion shined in the light.
"I shall. If not I, then someone else. A warrior will wear it." He bowed his head and allowed the man to put the silver chain over his head.
The silver disk was cold against his chest, but it meant that someone knew what he held dearest to his heart. "If it should be death that I receive, I will make sure a companion takes it."
The old man nodded. "It has been a long time since any warrior, old or young, has showed any kind of self-sacrifice that you spoke of. I wish you the best." The man stood slowly and lifted the lid of an old crate. It seemed out of place in the meager home and for good reason. "A merchant ship," the man said as if he knew what Tatewaki was thinking.
Pulling out a small box, the man shut the crate. "Merchant ship... though they were more likely pirates. Crashed and their 'cargo' was everywhere. I was simply in the right place at the right time to find this." He set the smaller box on the table in front of Tatewaki.
"I guarded this because it is the last. Once it is gone, I have no more. If eternal life is your gift, use it well."
Tatewaki took the unassuming looking box and bowed his head. "For your generosity and kindness, I thank you."
"Saotome Genma. I have a proposition for you." The two were kneeling across from each other in the dojo. It was the only place that resembled private.
"And what would that be, boy?"
The nerve of the lowly cur to refer to him as boy... When Tatewaki spoke, it was through clenched teeth. "It is about your son, Saotome Ranma. I wish for him to marry my g... sister."
Genma stared for a moment. "Impossible," he said.
"As I thought you would answer initially. What size dowry do you require? What does your son cost? What is his value to you?" Tatewaki asked. He couldn't help but sneer at the man before him.
"My son is not for sale," Genma said and almost sounded convincing.
"So you say, but history tells us otherwise. What would it take this time? How much? I'm sure the Kuno family fortune is vast enough to accommodate your request."
Genma stared with his mouth hanging open a little. Was the Kuno boy giving him a blank check just to be engaged to the crazy girl? So much money that would be at his disposal...
"I see that you are considering my offer. Contact me at a later point with your decision. You may... name your price, as they say." With that said, Tatewaki stood, gave Genma a short bow and left.
Nabiki watched him leave. The only thing she could think was, 'What the hell?'
"It is done, Great Granddaughter. I only await his father's reply before the engagement is official," Tatewaki said to Kodachi as he walked into the kitchen.
She turned to look at him. "What are you referring to, Great Grandfather? What engagement?"
"Your engagement to Saotome. It is what you wished, is it not?"
Kodachi could only stare. "Great Grandfather, what have you done? Why do you insist on continuing to interfere with my life?"
Tatewaki shook his head. Kodachi had always been that way, always been the stubborn one. Even when she had been a baby, she was stubborn, some might have said spoiled... "Great Granddaughter, this is what you wanted. The Saotome boy will be yours." She always refused to cooperate, but he simply couldn't deny her the things she wanted.
"It matters not! A forced engagement means nothing! Do you not believe in my ability to get him on my own?" Kodachi asked, slowly turning red with rage.
This time, Tatewaki sighed. "Great Granddaughter, simply think on what I've said." He left the kitchen, shaking his head slightly. The wisdom imparted to him by his many years only seemed to make children more difficult to understand.
He sat in his room, contemplating the pictures on his wall. There was no doubt that Tendo Akane was beautiful, but she was not Saeko. And the pig-tailed goddess... There were so many things about her that reminded him of Saeko, it was as if she was a reincarnation of his long- deceased wife.
The first time he had seen her, giving him an angry look as she slammed him into the concrete, she had the same look in her eyes that Saeko got when she was upset. And she was feminine, yet fierce and strong of spirit, the way Saeko had been.
"Forgive me, Saeko," he whispered, then lowered his face to his hands and began to weep.
"Yamashichi, you are my comrade and a friend. I have one thing to ask of you."
"As you are mine, Kuno. What would you ask of me?"
Tatewaki removed the medallion on the chain and held it out for Yamashichi to see. "If for some reason, I can not enter battle, wear this."
The young man the same age as Kuno looked at the chain. "Why would you not be able to fight?"
"Unforeseen circumstances. If I am not, tell me you will wear this. You may keep it; there is no one you need return it to, it was simply a promise I made."
"I need only wear it? Nothing else?" This was too strange a request to be so straightforward.
"Yes. I would be most grateful if you would."
Yamashichi nodded then. "I shall. If you are unable to, I will in your stead."
Tatewaki bowed to him. "Until we march, in seven days, I will leave it here." He placed the medallion and chain in an easily accessible compartment of his pack as his companion watched him.
It was night and unwise to be out past midnight, but this was the only time he had free to himself. He was kneeling amongst a copse of trees, the box sitting in front of him, the lid closed.
It was almost frightening, but he could not let that stop him. He could not let the unpleasant possibility sway him from his effort. He opened the box and looked at the contents. A piece of meat was its only contents.
He stared at it, feeling somewhat disappointed, though he wasn't sure what he had expected of it. He touched it tentatively then picked it up. It was somewhat leathery, like it was dried, and quite thick. He had to eat it all and hope he survived.
Lifting it to his nose, he smelled it. There was the faint odor of fish, but nothing more. Tatewaki closed his eyes and took a deep breath, saying a quick prayer for himself and his family, then ate the hunk of dried flesh as quickly as possible.
It was salty and tough, but other than that, the taste was non- existent. If he didn't know better, he would have guessed that he had just eaten a piece of leather. He sat for a moment and waited for something to happen. Would it be a quick painless death, or slow and agonizing? Would he feel any different? Was it immediate, or did it take time?
After sitting and meditating for approximately an hour, Tatewaki decided it was time to go back. Gathering the box, he went back to try and rest. His sleep was not easy.
Tatewaki accepted the fact that the mystical flesh of the mermaid had made him immortal. He had gotten a rope burn trying to reign in a spooked horse a few days after he had eaten the flesh, which had proved it. He had dropped the rope, holding his pained hands to his chest. When he had looked at them to see how badly they were hurt, there had been no visible damage.
It had worked. He would be able to return to Saeko. At that moment, he didn't know if he could be happier except if he was by her side.
Tatewaki felt very small in face of the seemingly immense army charging at him. He gripped his katana tightly, panic setting in. This was nothing like the training, nothing like the katas, nothing like what he had attempted to prepare himself for.
He suddenly wished he had a horse like the officers and the trained riders instead of being confined to the ground. He looked at the men that stood a few paces in front of him, holding their polearms out, ready to use them on the incoming cavalry. Even that would be welcome, his katana, left to him by his father, now felt incredibly feeble.
Before he could consider anything more, the call was sounded and the army charged en masse. He was swept along with it.
The next day was particularly trying. School, an unnecessary undertaking for him, was long and tedious. The only reason he had started going was to be close to Akane. She and the pig-tailed goddess that reminded him of Saeko were the two reasons he continued to go.
Though, a high school was also the ideal place for him to keep up with the tide of the times. He just let the information flow around him, never needing to partake in any conversations; and there was always the one person that would help him for a price.
And those were the very same reasons he insisted that Kodachi go to the private school, St. Hebereke. He had wanted her to be educated as a proper lady, and to learn the grace and manners of one, but things had not quite worked out that way.
He ate his lunch slowly out in the yard, working through the mistakes he had made... time and time again. Tatewaki had let Kodachi be raised by her father too much, that much was obvious. Next time, he would raise the child himself and not let anyone else intervene. It was the only way to be sure.
The fact that Kodachi was in love with a loud, rude peasant was mystifying enough, but she had refused his offer to teach her the old ways, the way things had been done when it was kill or be killed. For such a savage girl, the fact that she didn't care about the finer points on how to kill a man surprised him.
Tatewaki had never been so frightened in his entire life. His enemy was attacking hard and fast, and Tatewaki was giving ground. The others fighting around him paid him no mind, having their own fights, but sooner or later, one of the enemy would notice him.
He was too slow to block a hack at his arm and the sword blade nearly cut it off. Screaming in pain, he switched to the hand he still had feeling in and mounted a rather impressive offense. He didn't let the heavy feeling in his limbs stop him, attacking with a fury he never knew he was capable of.
Tatewaki could see, smell, hear, FEEL the fear in his opponent as he attacked faster, harder than he should have been capable. His first real battle in the war ended with a near beheading of his foe.
Standing over the dead man, breathing heavily, he had time to realize how cold his arm was. It was cold and numb, but he had no time to be concerned with it. There were others that opposed him.
His opponent bowed, soundly defeated. Tatewaki bowed back. Of course they could not defeat him; he had almost 450 years more experience than they did. So how could he always lose to Ranma? How could he lose to a whelp one thirtieth his age?
As he watched the boys continue their practice, he saw each of their mistakes. That one held his arm at the wrong angle. The other one held his blade too low. Yet another stood with his feet too close together. He could see all this and yet, he could not defeat Ranma.
It was a sour point on his soul. If his father had still been alive, he would have been banished from the family for such an incredible failure. The times had changed so.
The world was becoming less civilized; fighting with bare hands and street fisticuffs were commonplace, and the old honorable ways were being forgotten. The boys in the kendo club were enthusiastic enough, but they lacked something that everyone he had fought along side had had.
Maybe it was the desperation, the idea that every day might be their last... How could a child understand such things? He hadn't when he was only 17. Feeling his spirit sinking, Tatewaki dismissed the boys so he could return home and meditate.
He watched them leave practice, laughing and talking with each other, discussing what each of them would do on the weekend... They didn't understand. They spoke of dates and girls and sex, but they didn't understand, would never understand until it was too late.
It had been too late for him. Only when he had been ready to settle and live the life of a farmer and been pulled away had he understood.
The battle had been a massacre. The field that had once been green and peaceful was now covered with bloodied bodies. A small group of men, the attackers, were surrounding an even smaller group of prisoners.
"Your time has come. You may kill yourself, or we will do it for you."
The clink of metal from behind them made them turn. Their eyes widened in surprise at what they saw.
Walking very slowly, stepping over the bodies with care, his sword hanging loosely from one hand, was Kuno Tatewaki. His armor was cut and splashed with blood, and his other hand still wasn't working very well, but he was alive.
Their surprise soon forgotten, several soldiers charged at him, intent on cutting him down. Their efforts were, surprisingly enough, in vain as Tatewaki blocked their strikes with his injured arm and cut them down.
It seemed the pain was lessened as his arm was shredded, cut to the bone and almost through it. If it was from the flesh or the fact that he just didn't care, he didn't know, but his previous anger stayed with him. It provided the strength he needed to keep going even though his body was telling him it was at its end.
The old man's medallion was still against his skin, reminding him that he was finally the warrior that he had dreamed of being when his father had still been alive.
"Who... What..." the field general asked, bringing his sword up to defend himself against this phantom. "You should be dead."
"And yet I am not. Who am I, you ask. I am Kuno Tatewaki," he said, walking slowly. "What I am..." What was he? He was no longer just a man, for no ordinary man would be able to survive such a massacre. No, he was more than that. "What I am is your destruction!"
He brought his sword across his body and swung at the stunned general, severing the man's head.
Another battle, another month away from home. This one had been easy compared to his first. The wounds he had sustained were cleared up by the end of the day, and he was hailed as a hero of the battle for the tenaciousness with which he had fought. Tenaciousness... Some others had whispered how he had fought like a wild animal, almost abandoning his formal technique. Formal technique... A battle, a war had nothing to do with formal technique; it was about survival.
And he had survived.
He slept with one hand on the medallion and his dreams always filled with visions of Saeko. When they were done with him, he could live the life he dreamt of each night.
"Saeko!" Tatewaki sat up suddenly, his body drenched in sweat. He searched for her frantically next to him before he realized that she had died over 400 years ago.
The dream had been so vivid, so real... He hadn't dreamt of her in so long, and to have such a powerful vision of her caused him much stress. He would call it stress because he refused to believe that his mind was deteriorating, had been deteriorating.
Kodachi avoided him the next day. She would get over her resentment as soon as Ranma was her fiance, and then she could truly pursue him as her betrothed. And as far as Tatewaki was concerned, the previous engagements would be null and void with Genma's acceptance. They would be made so by the receiving of the dowry.
And they said that the Kuno family knew nothing of honor. Tatewaki knew more of honor than anyone. He had lived through its changing meanings, changing standards, its death and rebirth...
So he waited for Saotome Genma's reply. And when he received it, honor would be upheld, and his great granddaughter's desire would be fulfilled.
Whenever he saw them, he could not control himself. It was not a desire to assault them, or force them... He simply couldn't stop himself. What foolishness it would be for him to date a 16 year old girl. Not that she would ever agree, and if she did... The memories that haunted him would be enough to overwhelm her before she even understood the things he had gone through.
But she wouldn't. His secret would be safe; he had no reason to think he would overwhelm anyone because no one would ever get close to him except his family. And even they had grown distant, unable to grasp his ideas and sense of duty.
So was his life. It made no difference though because only he would continue; only he was eternal.
Battle after battle... For Tatewaki, they became one long fight, one long series of injuries and deaths. One long series of victories. Every battle got easier though as his experience and ability increased; there was no substitute for the experience of life and death combat, even if he wasn't terribly concerned about death.
Still, night was his enemy. Sleeping on the hard-packed earth, the smell of death clinging to each of them, his thoughts turned to Saeko every time. He wondered how she was doing, how well the baby was developing, how much longer she had, if she missed him as much as he missed her...
"Saeko..." he murmured before falling asleep.
There was a rousing cheer as the news was announced to them. Most of them would finally be returning home as the daimyo (Tatewaki hadn't even bothered to learn the name of the man) had been defeated and his armies utterly defeated. Much praise was heaped upon them for their efforts in the battles they had fought and that was that.
Tatewaki had been so happy, yet he knew the peace would not last. Where one daimyo saw a weakness, so would another. He needed a way out of the pointless military service, but there wasn't any plausible plan he could think of.
He was a battle-tested soldier. They would hold on to his services as long as he breathed. And maybe that was the secret. If he could not escape from the things they wanted him to do, maybe he should excel at it, maybe he should be daimyo...
Now there was an interesting idea.
It was just like the day he told her he would be leaving. She was bent down, picking vegetables again, her kimono adjusted for her very pregnant belly. "Mine wife, come greet thy husband," he called to her.
She sat up suddenly and looked around. Seeing him walking toward her, she stood up as quickly as she could and hurried to him.
He dropped his pack and sword to the ground and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her as he lifted her off the ground.
"Tatewaki, I was so worried," she said as they separated. "You were gone so long, I didn't know what happened."
"I promised you I would return. A promise to you is one I would not break under any circumstance." He swept her hair away from her neck and left his hand there to enjoy the feel of her skin. "This won't be the last time," he said quietly.
She nodded. "I know, but you're here now. I'm not going to think about it until that time comes."
He looked down at her, at how large she had grown while he was gone. "How long? How long has it been?" He made as if to touch her stomach, but pulled his hand away at the last moment.
She took his hand and placed it on her stomach anyway. "Long enough for me to know how much I missed you. But not long now, no more than five days by estimation, if that's what you were asking," she said coyly.
Tatewaki nodded. "Luck was fated to be with me. I do not know how, I do not care how the enemy was defeated so quickly." He rubbed her stomach absently as he spoke. "I am here for you now, and that is what is most important."
Saeko made a small sound of protest as Tatewaki lifted her into his arms. "The chores are finished until I say so," he said and carried her back to their modest home to await the upcoming event.
They were right. Their peace did not last, but it lasted long enough for Koreaki to reach the age of 1. When the news came that the services of all able men were needed, Tatewaki had cursed the name of his lord, frightening Saeko terribly.
"Don't speak of such things!" she warned. "If someone should hear you..."
"Then they hear me! I shall do my duty, but I need not find pleasure in it," he told her. "None of the others care for it, but I am the only one with the courage to admit it. We are not warriors; we are indentured servants, shackled by fear and cowardice."
Saeko was waving her hands, trying to get him to quiet down. "Don't let them hear you!"
Tatewaki smiled at her gently, in an almost condescending manner. "It matters not." He would have to tell her eventually what he had done, and then she would understand. "I shall return whole once again. Nothing can stop me."
Saeko smiled, but it was tentative, nervous, as she held Koreaki. "I want to believe, but how long can it last? How long can fortune stay with you?"
"As long as necessary. I shall return; that I do not doubt at all, and neither should you." He rest his hand on the back of Koreaki's head, who was actually sleeping during the discussion.
"They'll never just give up, will they? We'll never have true peace." Every war, every acre of land that was disputed, every village that didn't pay their taxes, every assassination attempt, Tatewaki would be called away. Saeko didn't think she could live like that.
He didn't answer. He didn't answer, but he knew he had to get out. Even if it meant leaving the country.
"How long this time?" she asked quietly.
"Seven days." Seven days again. Those last days were hell with the imminent knowledge of having to leave weighing heavily on each of their minds.
"It's not long enough," she replied.
"I know."
Fire. There was fire everywhere. The smoke was so thick, he couldn't see more than a foot in front of him. His eyes were watering and he was having a hard time breathing, but he could not stop. He refused to let a coward's tactic stop him.
Vaguely, over the roaring of the buildings burning around him, he could hear voices. They thought he was dead, no doubt. And maybe he should have been, but he wasn't. Not this time.
"No survivors. It looks like they've all been wiped out."
That never ceased to anger him, the casualty with which they treated life and death. When would people understand? He coughed once and cursed himself for the weakness. The volume of the voices increased as some men ran toward the cloud of smoke.
The first entered blindly, foolishly, and practically ran himself through. His scream was the only indication that anything had happened from inside the cloud. The next was more cautious, but still a fool. They acted as if they expected to find a child with a pointed stick waiting for them.
The general shook his head and held back the next men that were about to enter. "Don't waste your time. Let whoever is waiting in there come out to us."
A stiff breeze picked up, sending the smoke swirling away. It coalesced around a form briefly, before it blew away revealing the scorched and tattered armor of an enemy soldier, of Kuno Tatewaki.
"One left, and he appears to be stubborn. Kill him and make this massacre a message to all who dare oppose..." The general's voice trailed off as he watched the young soldier march forward, a look of determination on his face, and cold, calculated hate in his eyes.
"Oppose you... You oppose me. You oppose the peace I desire. You think you massacre men, but you destroy our country with your petty wars," Tatewaki seethed. "You care nothing for the sacredness of family, of life... Your honor is hollow, and your life worthless."
The general stared at the boy with open contempt. "And how would you know of my honor? You have been defeated in battle. You dishonor yourself by not joining your fellow warriors."
"Dying needlessly is not honorable. Upholding the promises made to one's family... that is honor. And if you are so concerned with my honor, then allow me to kill you to maintain it." The smile he wore was not entirely sane.
The general looked at the boy, frowning. The small medallion visible through the destroyed armor glinted in the sun momentarily before he gave his command. "Kill him."
The battle had begun anew.
All dead. When the first reinforcements arrived, in an attempt to push back the invading army, they found everyone dead. Except one.
He sat on the ground, his sword held across his lap, the head of the field general clutched under one arm, in some sort of limbo. The world around him was dark, but it might have been that he was asleep, or that he was in a heavy state of meditation. He wasn't sure.
He could feel the weight of his weapon on his legs and the shape of the man's head held against his side, and those were the most important things to him as he waited, meditated, slept.
The sound of voices and horses and men walking stirred him, bringing him to consciousness. He wasn't sure how long he had been sitting in that field amongst the bodies, but the only thing that really mattered was the victory. And to a lesser degree, his glory, but only so he could return to his family. That was what he continued to tell himself.
He heard himself being addressed from far away. The voices called him many things. Boy, soldier, warrior... Eventually he opened his eyes and looked at the group gathered around him, staring at him in amazement.
"What day is it?" he asked, his voice hoarse, his mouth dry.
There was murmuring and whispering from around him. "What day?" one man asked incredulously. "How long do you think you've been here?"
Tatewaki looked up at the faces, squinting slightly. "I do not know. That is why I ask." He held up the head under his arm and looked at it, noting its condition. "Not more than a few days I see." He held the head in one hand and used his sword to brace himself as he stood up slowly.
He ignored the questions and looks the others gave him, parting the crowd as he walked towards the commander. He bowed low before the man on the horse before speaking. "This is all that remains of the illustrious general." He held the head up high. "He was not as grand as he may have thought."
Genma never contacted him. Tatewaki nodded to himself. The man only affirmed his base and dishonorable nature. Now to break the bad news to Kodachi. She would be heartbroken, but she would get over it. Heartbreak was only momentary when you were mortal, and Kodachi was a strong girl.
Tatewaki walked through the house, the beginnings of which he had built himself, to the practice room where Kodachi was. Entering the large, open area, he was nearly struck by one of her colorful rhythmic gymnastics balls. He swatted it aside with ease and strode into the room. "Kodachi, I have some regrettable news."
Kodachi stopped practicing, sweating slightly, and looked at him. "I'm sure you have, Great Grandfather," she said a bit acidicly.
"Saotome's father has not contacted me concerning my offer. I am afraid you will not be engaged to Ranma," Tatewaki said with some true regret. "I hope, for your benefit, Ranma is not as honorless as his father."
"And what would you know of Ranma-sama's honor? Or any honor at all, Great Grandfather? You, who hides as a student and preys upon girls... Becoming captain of the kendo team when they have no more chance in defeating you than a gnat has in sinking a battle ship... It seems to me that you know very little of honor, Great Grandfather."
"Kodachi, my dearest great granddaughter..."
"I am your only great granddaughter," she said flatly.
"Kodachi," Tatewaki repeated, the warning in his voice evident. "my honor is not your concern, and I have maintained it perfectly for as long as I have been alive." Kodachi was coming awfully close to getting him angry, and that was not really a way he liked to act around her.
"I had hoped, after my son and grandson, that you would be the one to bring the family back to glory," Tatewaki continued. The children didn't seem to understand the way things worked. "I had the highest hopes for your abilities as a warrior, for you to uphold your honor..." He shook his head.
"I have never wished to be a warrior, and my honor is adequate for myself. I will not live up to your outdated standards, Great Grandfather." This conversation was getting very tiresome. It was not the first one she had had with him, and she didn't believe it would be the last.
"Outdated? Is that how you think of me? Am I simply a dusty antique to be shut up in a closet? Is honor such a horrible concept that I am simply a fool because I believe in it?" What Kodachi had said... was simply wrong.
"Great Grandfather," Kodachi said, her voice taking on that silken tone again which she knew would soothe him at certain times, "you are not outdated. You simply refuse to live in the present, and that is not healthy for you or the rest of us. Do you understand, Great Grandfather?"
Such honors heaped upon one so young and experienced was virtually unheard of. Yet, none could argue with the presentation of the enemy's most respected field general's head. None could argue with the fact that he was the only survivor. None could argue that they secretly admired him for his accomplishments. And even feared him a little.
Every time he saw her, it was like the first time, and he would never forget. She was outside with Koreaki, who was now over two years of age, carrying a bucket of water. "Mine wife, come greet thy husband," he called from atop the horse he had been presented with.
Saeko turned around and stared at him. Dropping the bucket and clutching Koreaki's hand, she ran toward him.
Tatewaki dismounted the horse and embraced his family. "I told you that I would return. And I come with good news."
"What is it? You won't be required to go back?" Saeko asked hopefully, staring up into his eyes.
"We are not so fortunate, but we have been granted a new home, almost fit for the shogun himself." Tatewaki's voice was encouraging, even a little happy.
Saeko's face fell a little. "Oh, that's... nice." Her voice did not convey any sort feeling.
"I know it is not as much a comfort as we would have liked, but it will be bett..."
"I don't want better!" Saeko said sharply, cutting Tatewaki off. "I just want you here, all the time! I don't want you leaving again!"
Tatewaki could see her start to tear up and just couldn't hide his secret from her any longer. "Come, I have something I must tell you." Without waiting for a reply, he began walking back to the house, leading the fine stallion and with Saeko clinging to his arm. Koreaki followed, tugging on his mother's kimono.
"Momma..."
"Hush now, Koreaki. Poppa has to tell us something," Saeko said, taking his hand.
"Momma..." The boy had seen his father so little, he could scarcely understand what was going on. He could see that Momma wasn't happy though, and it had something to do with Poppa.
"Ko-chan, please wait until Poppa is done." She didn't look down at the boy to talk to him; whatever Tatewaki had to say was obviously of some great importance.
"I'm going to return shortly to begin construction of a house," he said as they got closer to their small home.
Saeko sighed tiredly. "Isn't it possible to let someone else do it? Why can't you stay here for a while?"
"Because I want only the best for you, and only I can do that. I do not trust others to know what the happiness of my family entails."
"Don't you understand?" Saeko stopped walking and stared up at Tatewaki with tear-filled eyes. She touched his cheek gently. "You being here gives us happiness. Not a mansion or riches or servants... We got along without that before. Only you..."
"Koreaki thought much the same way that you do," Tatewaki said quietly.
"Koreaki?"
"He knew so little of the world. Saeko had been right. Moving into this house had been detrimental to his development. He knew so little of the peril that we had felt before he had arrived..."
"Great Grandfather..."
"I had to arrange his marriage. He had no idea what to do with women, his social skills were so poor..."
"Great Grandfather, what are you speaking of?"
"Father, this is an outrage. I refuse to marry a girl I have never met before."
"You will, you have no choice," Tatewaki said sternly, watching the attendants dress his son for the meeting of the two families. "I require an heir. You seem to lack the ability to meet females, so I must arrange that meeting." Tatewaki watched Koreaki fidget under the mounting pressure. "She is a lovely girl, one any man would be happy to have as a wife."
"You've seen her?" Koreaki asked, surprised. That was unusual, though his father was not exactly the usual daimyo either.
"Of course. She is a credit to the Sanzenin family, as you are a credit to the Kuno family. The union between you two will be most joyous indeed."
"Sanzenin," Koreaki said thoughtfully to himself. "What's her first name?" He was beginning to show interest which pleased Tatewaki.
"Your betrothed is Sanzenin Nagisa. I think that you shall be pleasantly surprise."
"Nagisa," Koreaki said as his robes were arranged carefully on him. "I just hope we get along."
"As do I. I do not need to press upon you the importance of this union for the sake of our family." Tatewaki waved off an attendant that tried to smooth his kimono before they greeted the visiting family.
"Father... how did you meet Mother?" Koreaki asked.
Koreaki was definitely showing interest. Maybe things would go smoother than he had thought. His main worry had been that Koreaki wasn't... interested in women, which would have been a complete disaster. "Chance. After my father died, it became my responsibility to carry on, though I was never confident that I wanted to follow in his footsteps as a warrior. The simple life seemed so much... easier." Tatewaki chuckled at the surprised look his son gave him.
"Surprising I'm sure. Yet, I knew I could not abandon the duty that fell upon my shoulders. It was a day that I agonized over those two things in the forest, alone, that I saw her." Tatewaki got a far away look in his eyes, and his voice became wistful.
"She was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. She almost floated as she walked and I was entranced. I had never been in that forest before, never seen that hollowed-out stump that she sat upon... But I was drawn to her. In a time of uncertainty, this was the one thing I was sure of." Tatewaki blinked and looked at his son. He was looking at him, smiling a little. In fact, everyone in the room was looking at him.
Recovering, Tatewaki clapped his hands. "We have no time for such wasteful activities. We must not keep the Sanzenins waiting!"
The room burst into activity again as preparations resumed.
"Thank you, Father."
Kodachi looked at her Great Grandfather strangely. "What does this have to do with..."
Tatewaki's gaze sharpened suddenly and focused on her. "Kodachi, I do this simply for you. It is important to continue the family line, but your happiness is important as well."
For a moment, he almost seemed human to Kodachi. "Great Grandfather, it is not as easy as you would like to believe. If it was, then I would be grateful for your efforts, but..."
It was as he had feared. She thought of him as an old man, someone to humor when it amused her. Tatewaki sighed. "Am I that far out of touch with the world today?" he asked.
Kodachi's non-answer was all he needed to know.
"When did it all pass me by?" he asked.
He watched all his men charge forward, weapons upraised, poised to strike. His horse pawed at the ground, whinnying nervously at the noise the army was making.
He watched the two armies clash from a safe distance this time. His hand gripped his sword tightly, wanting to rush into the fray and join it. It felt distinctly wrong to be sitting back in safety while the men he was in charge of risked their lives.
He urged his horse forward a step, then stopped. He could feel the others looking at him strangely, overstepping his bounds as field commander in this battle.
Tatewaki watched the first line go down, one by one, their cries of battle fading out with their lives, and he couldn't stand it any longer. Pulling his katana from its sheath, he kicked his horse and charged into battle.
His name not only became feared, but it was soon synonymous with the defeat of the enemy. His support was impossible to gauge amongst the people and men as the conflicts dragged on with no end in sight. If he wanted to take the position of daimyo, there was probably very little that could stop him.
And maybe, some time soon, he would do that.
"Saeko, the time is not yet right. Only a few more..."
"Years! A few more years! It's been six since you first left. Don't you think Koreaki deserves more from you than the simple things you can give him? He needs your guidance, not a mansion!"
"No, it will be much more than a mansion or a castle. It will be a legacy."
She shook her head. There was no changing his mind when it was made up. And maybe a few more years didn't mean a lot to him, but it meant very much to her. "Tatewaki, what about us? We... You're..."
He blinked and looked at her. "I am what?"
"Don't you see? A few more years to us is... We might not be around in a few more years. Your survival is guaranteed; ours is not," she said quietly. He was so caught up in it all that he failed to see what was right before him.
He shook his head, but it was not with disagreement or arrogance. "Your survival is. It is the most important thing to me, you are the most important thing to me above everything else." His face darkened for a moment. "When will you realize I do all this for you? I do it so I will not need to leave you again. I do it so we will be free from the problems that plague the rest of the country."
Saeko shook her head, tears falling, then turned and ran from him.
"Saeko!" he called after her, but she was gone from his sight, only her footsteps could be heard.
The time came to be that public support was his, and the only option he had left was to accept the position of daimyo as the man before him crumbled. And finally, things would be done the way he wanted, to avoid the petty squabbles and wars. His family would become firmly entrenched as a fixture of the land, and there would be none to oppose him... his family.
"You probably think it hard to believe that people laugh at me. I have a hard time remembering when I was treated with respect. Sometimes that memory is so distant, I have a hard time believing it myself. Sometimes your memory is so distant, I have a hard time not giving up."
Kodachi listened carefully, not making any more sound than she could help. Not that her great grandfather would care, but she wanted to know...
"I never told you, mostly because I didn't know, but there is a way out. I am immortal, but I am not invincible."
Kodachi's eyes widened at that and she crept closer to the doorway.
"Saeko, I should have gone with you and let Koreaki go on. I fooled myself then, the same way I do now. I fooled myself into thinking that it would better to glorify your memory with this house, and with your grandchildren, and great grandchildren... I fooled myself into thinking that even without you, my honor would sustain me."
Kodachi got closer still until she could see his back, the fire flickering, casting wavering shadows across the shrine. His head was bowed somewhat and his shoulders were slumped.
"But it hasn't, Saeko. And ever since I lost the medallion, I've become exactly what I killed other men for. The honor I held in my heart for you is gone. I've forgotten what it was like to have it."
Kodachi had never heard him mention anything about the honor in his heart before. It was always about bushido, and class etiquette, and countless other things she had no interest in. It had been all protocol and nothing about the person inside.
"And now... You would be so angry if could see what I've done. I can't even put up a false front now. It has become too difficult to pretend I am better than the others when I am so much worse. The things I've done to Kodachi... And she deserves so much more. She was right when she said I dishonor your memory; there's no way a school girl could ever take your place, and no way I could ever regain what I've lost by defeating a teenage boy."
For some reason, Kodachi's breath was caught. This was something, a side of her great grandfather that he had never shown, never even admitted to having. There were isolated times when he'd appeared caring and acted so nice and warm, but never did he show a weakness.
"I've done it, destroyed them. I can't move on without you, Saeko. She begged me. She would never admit to having done it, but I could hear the pleading in her voice. She wanted what was best for all of us and I scoffed at her. She wanted what would make us all happier, and I only could think of what would better the family name..."
Blinking several times, Kodachi almost started crying right there. Never, never had anyone told her she was doing the right thing. And still, it was the shadow of her great grandfather hovering over them all. If only he had been able to accept it all...
"I've decided finally, Saeko. I've tortured them enough."
He traveled. It was the only way he could away from her memory. Koreaki was more than able to control his own children as they took things over, so Tatewaki left. He didn't want to return ever again, but he knew he would eventually. It was where Saeko was and would stay forever more.
It was possibly the first time he had ever considered suicide of any sort, believing he owed it to his heart and his wife. Her life had been full and so he felt empty when she was gone. Truly, he owed it all to her, because without her...
'Tell them of me, Son. I will be back one day and I would not want to be greeted as a stranger. I will be back and I would not want to be separated from her...'
Koreaki, a well-rounded man in his 40's, had nodded silently at his father's request. Each night after his father had gone, he left a single torch lit in case of his return.
It had happened on his travels, and his biggest mistake had been to not go for revenge. He realized it only too late.
A pack of bandits, skilled bandits, ambushed him, the lowest class ninjas amongst them, and had subdued him. They had thought they had killed him, but by the time his body had recovered they were long gone.
And so, to his dismay to discover, was the old man's medallion. The medallion that he had felt against his chest at all times, reminding him of the words told to him. The words that had truly inspired him, the words that spoke of his honor, his true honor...
Tatewaki had never hunted those bandits down. And as the years passed, the decades passed, he lost the feel of that medallion. And as the fights, the battles, the suffering went on around him, the hell that the country was slowly sinking into, he began to lose the feel of the honor in his heart.
Too late he realized that the medallion had been a symbol. It had not been a symbol of his honor, but his love. And Saeko had been the focus of his honor.
Too late he realized his true honor had leaked away, like the blood from his countless wounds. But his honor was never replenished like his blood; it was only replaced by something cold and dark.
"I must speak to you of something."
"Lunch?"
Tatewaki nodded. "Of course." As always.
He avoided looking at her the entire time they walked. If the earlier incident repeated, he was afraid he would lose all his resolve in the matter. And for once, he took the initiative and led her to a small, out of the way place.
It was a change from the norm. It wasn't the regular little coffee shop, or even a fast food type place. He had taken her to a real restaurant with not even a twitch when she commented on him paying. In fact, he hadn't even looked at her strangely when she had started ordering some of the more pricey items on the menu.
"So what's up, Kuno-chan?" Nabiki asked, smiling slightly after they had ordered.
"I have a request to ask of you. A business proposition, if you will."
That seemed to catch Nabiki's attention. This was something more than pictures, she could tell. She controlled her interest though and appeared as nonchalant as she could. "And what would that be?"
"Long term employment."
After his successful lunch with Tendo Nabiki, it was time for Tatewaki to deal with the more... stubborn issues. And people said he denied reality; they hadn't seen anything of the sort.
As he watched the man idly strum the ukulele, he found it was impossible to deny that it wasn't his fault. "It is time you answer to duty, Great Grandson," Tatewaki said sternly, his arms crossed over his chest.
"Ey, Tatchi! Is it time fo..."
"Quiet! I am calling upon you to perform your duties as a member of the Kuno bloodline, and you will NOT refuse."
The 'patriarch' of the Kuno family paled at the look in Tatewaki's eyes.
No one ever really understood. That seemed to be his motto. They didn't understand him, they didn't understand anything he believed in, they didn't understand his family... They didn't understand Kodachi. She was nowhere near as unreasonable as they made her out to be.
Tatewaki knew she would not disagree with him at all. "Kodachi... Great Granddaughter, you shall finally have your wish. I will no longer burden you."
Kodachi looked at him with surprise. "You're leaving?"
Tatewaki smiled sadly.
Kodachi wandered through the halls of the mansion. It was so big, she was sure she'd get lost sometimes. But she had nothing to fear with her father home. He would save her. He never let her down!
And... Big Brother would too, but she didn't see him very much. She saw him one day fighting with Father in a big room and they both had sticks. She had been very scared, thinking they were going to kill each other, but Father had told her to leave. He had yelled that six was far too young for her to be interrupting them during practice...
Little Kodachi had been very afraid, but when she had looked at Big Brother, he had smiled at her, and that had made her feel less afraid.
Father had told her never to go into any room with a closed door after that day, and that was a rule Kodachi followed to the letter. So when she came upon the door that was open very slightly, she couldn't resist looking in. And there was Big Brother, and he was talking...
"I can see some of you in her. Her hair and her nose. And she calls me Big Brother... It's strange that I can still see some of me in them, even after all this time. I just hope you can see how... well..." Tatewaki covered his face with his hands.
Kodachi opened the door a little wider so she could enter the dark room. "Big Brother..."
He turned quickly and looked at her, rubbing his eyes briefly. "Kodachi, what are you doing here?" he asked, slowly standing from the small shrine.
"Father said I wasn't supposed to go into any rooms with closed doors. Your door was open, Big Brother."
Tatewaki smiled a little, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "You are correct, Kodachi." He walked up to her and held out his hand. "Let us return to the main portion of the house now."
Kodachi slipped her small hand into his and they walked back through the house.
The sun started its ascent, promising that the day would be warm and cloudless for a good portion. The surface of the pond shone golden as the rays reflected off its surface, adding to the serenity of the morning.
The Tendo family, along with Genma and Ranma were all standing in the yard. Strangely enough, Ranma was female, standing next to Akane as they gave questioning looks to Nabiki.
Really, Soun, Genma, and Kasumi hadn't been invited, but with the others outside, they felt curiosity to be there too.
"What're we waitin' for, Nabiki?" Ranma asked.
"Just wait."
The three walked slowly to the yard surrounded by the large wall. The lead figure, dressed in white, rapped on the large gate and waited for someone to open it for his group.
It opened slowly, as if the person did not want to see what requested entrance through it. Then Nabiki was looking out. "Come in," she said solemnly, and opened the gate the rest of the way.
The three came through it, the second figure also dressed in white, and the third dressed in a dark dress.
Nabiki shut the gate and followed them into the yard where the others were waiting. Before she had taken her place with the rest of her family, things were beginning.
"I ask of you, be witness to what I do here today, and never forget what has transpired."
"What're you doin' here? You ain't welcome," Ranma said bitterly, glaring at Tatewaki.
"I am well aware. Shall we proceed to the dojo?" Tatewaki closed out most of what Ranma had said and was trying very hard not to look at her or Akane. Without waiting for any signs of affirmation, Tatewaki followed Nabiki to the dojo, his "father" and "sister" following him in turn.
With confusion evident on all their faces, the others trailed behind. When they arrived, Kodachi was already setting up things for...
"Hey! What tha hell are ya doin'?" Ranma yelled, seeing the situation he imagined in his nightmares.
"Nothing you need concern yourself with other than to bear witness," Tatewaki answered, kneeling on the mat. He waited until he could see Ranma and Akane together before speaking further. "My honor is gone. Only now have I realized that and grasped the courage to do something about it. I beg your forgiveness and hope that one day, you might find understanding in your hearts. Possibly Kodachi will tell you in the future."
Kodachi slowly shook her head as she placed the tanto in front of him. "Only with your permission. I vowed I would not reveal it, and only you can release me from that," she said quietly.
"I release you from that vow and all your obligations. Do what your heart yearns for and not what duty dictates," Tatewaki said to her, taking her hand and squeezing it lightly. Then he began to whisper so only she could hear him, "And fear not. I've left the finances in very capable hands for you."
She turned her head to hide the tear as she answered quietly, "Thank you, Great Grandfather." She removed her hand from his and stood against the wall.
"Father, if you are prepared."
Nodding, the man, also wearing white, stood behind Tatewaki and drew the katana slowly.
Akane watched everything with horrified fascination, shaking her head slightly. This could not really be happening here, in front of her. This was a dream or a nightmare or something that could not be happening!
"I would not bore you with the soiled details of my obsession other than to say that I was wrong. This is the repayment of my debt owed to you, Tendo Akane, pig-tailed girl..." A moment passed. "Saotome Ranma..."
Closing his eyes for a moment's reflection, he opened them again, focusing on the blade he was picking up. He unsheathed it and pointed the blade at his stomach. He could envision the slice his great grandson would make with the sword, neatly severing his head and cleansing his blackened soul finally.
"Mine wife," Tatewaki said quietly, but still audibly, "come greet thy husband." He plunged the blade into his abdomen and drew it in a horizontal cut across his body.
He could actually hear the blade whistle through the air as it met his neck.
'Only by death will we be separated until we are together in the arms of the kami.'
'And even death will not be a barrier to our love.'
Saeko's elaborate kimono was pure white, almost shining in the light, as was Tatewaki's. As their lips met, neither was sure where the memory ended and their reunion beyond death began.