Samurai 7 Fan Fiction ❯ Crimson Hearts ❯ Brat! ( Chapter 3 )

CRIMSON HEARTS
© September 7, 2005 By Rory V. Pascual


CHAPTER THREE: Brat!

Okamoto Katsushiro pulled hard on the rope that was looped around the branch of the tree above his head, getting the watermelon he had been cooling out of the flowing stream. He hefted the juicy green fruit in his arms, very pleased.

Yes, he thought. It would make a wonderful present for Kirara.

For the two past two years, Katsushiro had been making annual visits to Kanna Village. This year would be his third. It seemed ridiculous, in truth, that he would only visit once a year when he could do so everyday. His little hut was situated in the ruins of an ancient battleship five miles east of the village, an easy walk for a strapping young samurai like him. So why the self-imposed isolation?

When he left Kanna Village following the battle against the Capital, it had been Katsushiro's choice to seek out wars elsewhere. He was still an amateur after all, and he needed the experience before he could call himself a true samurai. Aside from this, the bloodlust remained strong and needed to be quenched.

However, with the defeat of the Capital and the Nobuseri, there were no more wars to be fought. In every village he went to, the farmers either had their own small contingent of samurai to protect them or they did not need a warrior at all. Katsushiro was now not only an amateur warrior, but an obsolete one as well.

He could've returned to Kanna Village and lived there. The peasants had been insistent that he stayed with them for good. Two factors held him back. The first was Kirara. She was no longer the pretty, innocent girl he had met in Kougakyo. Their experience had hardened her, making her unsuitable to be a Mikumari any longer. This title had been passed on to her younger sister, Komachi.

"The water in my dowsing pendant had become tainted with my sins," was Kirara's simple explanation to him.

What sins they were, she did not specify? But Katsushiro had an inkling on where her guilt lay. She had offered kindness and concern to a young samurai while her heart had fallen to an embittered veteran warrior. Katsushiro could have reassured her that she was not to blame, that it was more his fault for believing that she held affections for him. This, he did not do, however, which only served to widen the divide between them. How could he even compete against a legendary samurai like Shimada Kanbei?

Katsushiro's second reason stood on a lonely hill overlooking the vast rice fields of Kanna. Every year, it was a torment for him to visit those graves and pay his respects to his former comrades. It was the grave with the crossed swords that he could not bear to look at, knowing full well that the samurai buried six feet under there died by his hands. Even up to now, he was still haunted by the terrible memory of Kyuzo's untimely demise. Not even Kanbei's words to him had alleviated his guilt.

Perhaps he could forego visiting the graves this year and offer an excuse of going on a long journey. But Kirara would make him go whether he wanted to or not. She would not make him forget.

His thoughts wrapped up in figuring out a good excuse for the former Mikumari, Katsushiro did not sense the approach of a tall figure behind him. A heavy hand was laid on his shoulder, and he nearly dropped the watermelon in surprise if a metal hand hadn't caught it in time.

"Hey, watch it! Don't want you cracking that lovely melon you have there!"

The young samurai's face brightened in an instant as he recognized that friendly voice. "Shichiroji-dono! Is it really you? I can't believe you're here!" He rushed towards the elder samurai and gave him a warm hug.

"I wish I could say this is a pleasure call," Shichiroji reluctantly admitted as he patted his youngest comrade on the back. "I'm heading for Kanna Village, and I was hoping if you'd come with me."

"Actually, I'm going there myself tomorrow. This watermelon is a present."

Shichiroji winked slyly, as he nudged the boy in the belly with his elbow. "So…it's for Kirara-dono, eh?"

Katsushiro blushed hotly. "Of course not! This is for the Elder and…"

"Yeah, yeah!" The elder samurai waved his hand dismissingly. "Sure it's for the Elder!"

"Why are you going to Kanna Village, anyway, Shichiroji-sama?" Katsushiro's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Is there going to be trouble again?"

A very familiar voice spoke derisively from behind a tree. "Bloodthirsty runt, aren't you? You haven't changed a bit in these three years. I'd hoped you'd matured even just a little with all the experiences you've had, but no! You're still the pompous brat playacting as a warrior!"

"Who are you?" Katsushiro declared in anger, his right hand tightening around the hilt of his katana. "Show yourself!"

The color was instant drained from Katsushiro's face as the stern form of the samurai he had killed emerged from his hiding place. Before he could even blink, Kyuzo had unsheathed his two swords and was charging at him.

"KYUZO-DONO!" Shichiroji instantly placed himself between the two men, his trusty spear held before him.

Kyuzo, however, brought the sword he held in his right hand up, breaking through the spear's guard. The sharp blade cut through the strap of Katsushiro's scabbard that both sheath and sword fell to the ground. In his shock, Katsushiro fell on his behind with a painful thud, green eyes wide with terror at the furious crimson warrior.

Shichiroji wrapped his arms around Kyuzo to hold him back. "STOP IT, KYUZO-DONO!"

"Why did you kill me?" Kyuzo railed at the boy. "Is that your way of showing how much you 'admired' me? Tell me! Why did you kill me?"

Shichiroji found the situation distressing and amusing at the same time. "Actually, I wouldn't consider you to be the real Kyuzo! You're still his clone, after all!"

Katsushiro flung himself at the samurai's feet, his forehead touching the ground. "It was an accident! Sensei was about to be shot, and a bullet broke my sword. I needed a weapon to protect him so I just picked up the gun without thinking. I didn't you know you were right behind Ukyou's soldier, that you were also coming to Sensei's aid." Katsushiro lifted his tear-filled face. "I've been living with the guilt these past three years. Kyuzo-dono, take my miserable life so that your spirit will be quieted and your anger appeased!"

At that declaration, surprisingly, Kyuzo sheathed his swords and shrugged off Shichiroji's arms. "Only you would wrack your conscience over an accident. You shouldn't blame yourself for what happened."

"Kyuzo-dono…" A smile was rising up the corners of Shichiroji's mouth.

"However…" the crimson samurai interrupted. "…This does not mean that I forgive you. Your carelessness delayed my rendezvous with Shimada Kanbei. Now, I have to look for him all over again."

Katsushiro stared at the two men in confusion. "Why? Is Sensei missing?"

Grimacing, Shichiroji scratched his head. "How about we talk about this inside your home?"

~~~~~~~~~~

Evening saw the three samurai sitting before the fire, having just partaken a simple meal of trout and rice. They were sharing three bottles of sake between them.

Setting down his bowl and chopsticks before him, Katsushiro mumbled thoughtfully, "So you have no word about Sensei."

Shichiroji nodded. "I must admit I'm worried now. With all this talk about the new Amanushi searching for Kanbei-sama…"

"But why is he looking for Sensei? It doesn't make sense."

"Frankly, I don't know. But think of what this ruler could achieve if he has Kanbei-sama on his side, a man much loved and respected by the people. To have a hero of that stature in his court would be a huge boost to his reign."

Kyuzo, who had taken a solitary seat beside the window, let out a loud snort. "It is a possibility, but it could be something else entirely."

The two men looked curiously at the stoic warrior. Frowning, Shichiroji inquired, "And what exactly do you mean by that, Kyuzo-dono?"

"It's meaning is simple – better that Shimada Kanbei fall at my sword than into the clutches of this new Amanushi." Kyuzo did not say anything more.

"Whatever it is you're implying, it sounds terrible to me." Katsushiro continued, "If you're wondering if Kanbei-sama has been in touch with the villagers in Kanna, the answer is no. Still, with this Amanushi, do you think there could be trouble again?"

"I can't say. But it won't hurt to warn them just the same. Kyuzo-dono here is going to retrieve his swords. After that, we search for Kanbei-sama. Katsushiro, I would like you to join us. There are only a few people whom I trust, and that includes Kanbei-sama, you and Kyuzo-dono here…well, maybe a little." Shichiroji gave Kyuzo a wry smile. "It is hard to trust a man who is determined to settle a score with my old partner."

"Don't worry," Kyuzo answered back. "I'll try to be as gentle as I could with your 'wife'."

Shichiroji found that remark curious. Usually, it was he who was being teased as Kanbei's 'wife'. Although he was burning with the desire to ask what his fellow samurai meant, he bit down on his tongue and kept his silence, knowing full well that Kyuzo would never answer him.

Katsushiro was beaming at the prospect of a new adventure. "I've already made up my mind. I'm going with you." He smiled at the crimson warrior. "I've been given the opportunity to make amends with Kyuzo-dono and to prove myself worthy to him. I'm not going to pass up this chance."

"Kill me again and I'll be sure to take you with me this time," was Kyuzo's firm threat.

The young samurai simply ignored him, too excited to be afraid. "Besides, I must see Sensei again. There is something I must return to him."

Saying this, Katsushiro stood up and went to his chest in the corner. From within, he pulled out a long object wrapped carefully in cloth. As he approached Kyuzo, he carefully removed the cloth, revealing a katana with a hooked hilt, from which two shiny silver shards dangled. Laying the sword in his open palms, he knelt down and presented it to a surprised Kyuzo.

"I am not deserving of this sword, Kyuzo-dono," Katsushiro told him. "Please let me entrust this to a great samurai such as yourself, until it could be returned to its rightful wielder."

With a gracious bow, Kyuzo accepted the blade that had once belonged to Shimada Kanbei. "If you are aware of your weaknesses, then there's still hope that you will become a respected warrior some day."

"Coming from Kyuzo-dono," Shichiroji began with a grin to their younger comrade, "that is a real compliment."

Kyuzo paid no notice to that remark. Getting to his feet, he pulled on his boots and quietly went outside, leaving his former comrades to talk about old times. He did not stop walking until he reached the stream. Underneath a cedar, he sat with his head bowed and long right leg extended. His arms were wrapped around Kanbei's katana, the hilt propped on his right shoulder. For all appearances, he seemed to have dozed off, but his mind was filled with disturbing thoughts.

It had helped to unburden his heart to Yukino back at the Hotaruya, but the urge was strong to tell Shichiroji and Katsushiro as well. He knew both men still see him as an enemy, a threat to the life of the man they see as a hero. With a heavy sigh, Kyuzo pressed his forehead to the curve of the sword. How could he make them understand his motives for pursuing such a challenge so relentlessly? How could he tell them the truth when it could mean losing their faith in the man they so admired?

Two lights flashed through his closed eyelids. Kyuzo opened his crimson eyes to see two glowing objects at the edge of the stream. Leaning forward, he reached into the water and picked them up.

Lying on his palm were two crystals, similar to the dowsing pendulum that Kirara possessed. Possibly due to Mother Nature's artistry, the running water of the stream and collisions with other rocks on the streambed had hewn the two crystals into the shapes of a rough-edged crescent moon and a seven-rayed sun. In the hands of an expert craftsman, these crystals would make beautiful baubles. Perhaps he could find one at Kanna.

"Kanbei-san…" Kyuzo found himself muttering as he gazed up at the star-filled sky. He considered Kanbei his equal, that he was why he would never call his name with the honorific, 'sama'. "Where the hell are you? Are you even still alive?"

As if in answer to his query, the two crystals suddenly began to shine brightly. Curious by the gems' behavior, Kyuzo stood up, with the sun crystal on his right palm and the moon crystal on his left. As he slowly turned, the crystals' light grew dim, only to grow bright again as he pointed both in the direction of the southeast. To his greater surprise, the crystals acted like partners. As he spread his arms apart, the crystals' glow dimmed, but as he drew them close, so too did their light brighten.

A rare smile quirked up Kyuzo's lips. The Sun and the Moon… Lovers held eternally apart by the day and night. Strange, he thought, that this particular fairy tale from his childhood would enter his mind.

Gazing to the southeast with the crystals twinkling like stars in his hands, Kyuzo said, "Hold fast, Kanbei-san. I'll be there soon enough."

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